FloridaCommerce Reports Small Increase In Escambia County Unemployment
May 24, 2026
The Escambia County area unemployment rate increased, according to data released Friday by FloridaCommerce.
The area’s unemployment rate was 5.0% in April 2026, a slight increase from the March rate of 4.9%. A year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County was 3.6%.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in April 2026, up 0.1 percentage point from the March 2026 rate, and up 1.1 percentage points from a year ago. There were 532,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,150,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in April.
Former Students Return For McArthur Elementary Senior Walk
May 24, 2026
Former students returned to the halls of McArthur Elementary School for a Senior Walk. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The One Where The Teachers Had Water Guns: Ransom Middle School Send-Off
May 24, 2026
Ransom Middle School celebrated the last day of school with its annual Tiger Summer Send-off as students boarded the buses for break.
Adding to the end-of-year excitement, teachers lined the driveway armed with water guns, giving the departing students a fun and refreshing soak to kick off their summer vacation.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
McArthur Elementary Holds Fifth Grade Awards Banquet
May 24, 2026
McArthur Elementary help a fifth grade awards ceremony and banquet.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lipscomb Elementary Fifth Graders Enjoy Action-Packed Last Week
May 24, 2026
Fifth graders at Lipscomb Elementary School had an action-packed last week of elementary school.
The students had an awards ceremony, a luau, and a field trip to WonderWorks in Panama City.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Class Of 2026: Senior Walk At Byrneville Elementary
May 24, 2026
Members of the Class of 2026 returned to Byrneville Elementary School for a Senior Walk.
The seniors were cheered on by teachers and current students. The seniors also honored classmate Nicholas Isiah Walston who passed away at age 17 in February 2025.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Registration Closes Monday For Molino Ballpark Flag Football Summer League
May 24, 2026
There’s still time to register for the Molino Ballpark Summer Flag Football League. The seven-week season will run on Friday nights from June 12 through July 31.
The co-ed league is open to ages 5–6, while separate boys’ and girls’ leagues are available for ages 7–14. Depending on the final registration numbers, some divisions may become co-ed.
The division formats and game times are structured as follows:
- Ages 5–8 (5v5): 30 minutes of practice followed by a 30-minute game.
- Ages 8–10 (5v5 or 6v6): 45 minutes of practice followed by a 30-minute game.
- Ages 11–14 (5v5 or 6v6): 45 minutes of practice followed by a 30-minute game.
The registration fee is $110 per player and includes a team jersey and a mouthguard. The final deadline to sign up is Monday May 25. Parents can register their children online by visiting www.molinoballpark.com. For more information, click here.
Milbrandt Fans 12, Extends Scoreless Streak In Dominant Blue Wahoos Win
May 24, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Columbus Clingstones 4-0 on Saturday night behind another overpowering start from their ace, Karson Milbrandt.
Milbrandt (W, 4-1), the reigning Southern League Pitcher of the Week, struck out a career-high 12 Columbus batters over 6.0 scoreless innings. He extended his scoreless innings streak to 23.0 innings, tied for the second-longest for a starting pitcher in Blue Wahoos franchise history, and lowered his league-leading ERA to a miniscule 1.06 that is the best in all of Minor League Baseball. It marked his fifth consecutive start of 6.0 innings, and got the Blue Wahoos back to the .500 mark at 22-22.
Cristian Hernández gave the Blue Wahoos an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the first inning off Clingstones starter Lucas Braun (L, 0-2). Fenwick Trimble added an RBI single in the third inning, and Ian Lewis Jr. doubled home a pair in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.
That would be more than enough for Milbrandt, the team’s top prospect and #9 prospect in the Marlins organization per MLB Pipeline. One week after tying a career high with 11 strikeouts in a win over Chattanooga, he bested his own mark with a dozen strikeouts to give him a league-leading 63 in 42.1 innings on the season.
Milbrandt’s 23.0 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to the second inning of his May 2 start now tie him with Deck McGuire for the fourth-longest scoreless streak in Blue Wahoos history, and another scoreless inning in his next appearance would surpass Tony Cingrani for the franchise record among starting pitchers. Reliever Lee Hyde, who worked 31.0 consecutive scoreless innings across 27 appearances in 2013, holds the all-time franchise record.
Jack Sellinger (S, 1) worked the final 3.0 innings to earn his first Double-A save, finish off the four-hit shutout and secure a series split for the Blue Wahoos, with a chance to win the series outright in Sunday’s finale.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Clingstones on Sunday afternoon.
written by Erik Bremer
Tate High School Names 2026 Valedictorian, Salutatorian And Top 10% Graduates
May 23, 2026
Tate High School has named its Class of 2026 valedictorian, salutatorian, and Top 10% graduates.
They are valedictorian Willow Beachner and salutatorian Lawson Killingsworth.
The 485 members of the Tate High School Class of 2026 will graduate on Wednesday, May 27 at 9 a.m. at the Pensacola Bay Center.
The Top 10% graduates, in order of rank, are:
- Willow Beachner
- Lawson Killingsworth
- Lauren Armstrong
- James Treick
- Lena Litton
- Kaylie Mitchell
- Carson Hindsman
- Nicholas Kontek
- Carter Hayden
- Caidyn Medeiros
- Emily Dunlap
- Rieslin Colvin
- Nathan Nichols
- Rubing Wu
- Sara Shannon
- Ava Jacobi
- Conner Bignell
- Alyssa Hullett
- Tre Wells
- Sean Cassidy
- Elijah Agcaoili
- Emma Kendrick
- Brylin Bussey
- Collin Scott
- Walker Culver
- Jane Ruggerio
- Carly Gray
- Taylor Anderson
- Jasmine Dillard
- Linh Tran
- Peyton Elliott
- Amber Coleman
- Christian Price
- Rhiannon Harpe
- Aubree Gorum
- Luke Estes
- Soraya Calkins
- Jasmyne Hicks
- Claire Kersey
- Maegan Coleman
- Alysen Garske
- Dakota Vann
- Stephen Schubert
- Claire Keene
- Brooklyn Iversen
- Garrett Groff
- Tristan Crumm
- Tatianna Yahle
Two People Displaced By Velor Road Residential Fire
May 23, 2026
Two people were displaced by a residential structure fire Friday evening near McDavid.
The fire was reported about 6:30 p.m. in the 2800 block of Velor Road, about a mile south of Lambert Bridge Road.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the fire, and no injuries reported.
An adult male and adult female were provided temporary assistance by the American Red Cross.
The McDavid, Walnut Hill, Molino, and Cantonment stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded, along with the Atmore Fire Department.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.