Florida’s Month-Long Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Begins Friday
July 29, 2025
Florida’s month-long back to school Sales Tax Holiday is coming. It will will run from Friday, August 1 through Sunday, August 31, giving families a full month of savings on essential school supplies and more.
“Proud to deliver additional sales tax holidays, including the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday that begins on August 1. With the new school year just around the corner, Florida families can save on back-to-school shopping during the tax holiday for the entire month of August,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday in Panama City. “By cutting taxes, empowering parents, and growing our economy, we’re making it easier for people to live, work, and thrive in the Free State of Florida.”
The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday includes exemptions for:
School supplies selling for $50 or less
- Binders
- Notebooks
- Pens and pencils
- Lunch boxes
Clothing, footwear, and apparel priced at $100 or less
- Backpacks
- Pants
- Shoes
- Shirts
- Sweaters
Learning aids selling for $30 or less
- Interactive Books
- Puzzles
- Flashcards
Personal computers and accessories priced at $1,500 or less (for noncommercial home or personal use)
- Laptops
- Flash drives
- Printers
- Headphones
Man Sentenced For Smuggling 46 Pounds Of Marijuana Into Pensacola Airport
July 29, 2025
An Oregon man has been sentenced for trying to smuggle 46 pounds of marijuana into Pensacola through the airport.
Tony Do, 30, was sentenced to one year in state prison followed by a decade of probation after he pleaded no contest to charges of marijuana trafficking and marijuana smuggling.
Do flew into the Pensacola International Airport from Portland, Oregon, on September 10, 2024.
The DEA Northwest Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area had received a tip that Do was flying in under “suspicious circumstances” and met him. He told the agents that he had no return flight and was visiting a friend before giving consent to search his two suitcases.
Both suitcases contained clothes with a “heavy masking agent odor of laundry detergent and dryer sheets”, according to an arrest report. Agents reported finding 40 vacuumed-sealed bags of marijuana that had a total weight of 46 pounds.
‘Threads of Hope’ To Provide School Clothes For Needy Kids. Here’s How To Help.
July 29, 2025
Waterfront Mission has launched Threads of Hope. The community initiative aims to provide clothing assistance to homeless and at-risk students across the Gulf Coast as they prepare for the new school year.
The program encourages community members to purchase Waterfront Thrift gift cards, which are distributed directly to local school districts, including Escambia and Santa Rosa. The districts then distribute gift cards to families in need, allowing them to purchase suitable clothing for their children.
Each gift card purchase supports Waterfront Mission’s broader programs that provide meals, shelter, and recovery services to individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction.
“We first learned about the urgent need for clothing from our partners at Escambia County Homeless Student Services,” said Mark Isbell, vice president of PR and Development. “As we spoke with them, we realized just how powerful our community could be if we came together. With the support of our generous thrift shoppers and the communities surrounding each of our seven stores, we knew we could expand this outreach across every school district we serve.”
The program has a goal of $15,000 in gift cards for the campaign by September 1. The gift cards can be purchased online at WaterfrontThrift.org or at any of the seven store locations in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Mobile, or Foley.
New Requirements For Teen Drivers In Florida
July 29, 2025
New requirements will go into effect on Friday, August 1 for teen drivers in Florida.
The requirements will apply to teens ages 15–17 seeking a Class E Learner’s Permit.
Effective August 1 in Florida, all new teen drivers must complete the following:
- 6-Hour Driver Education Course (DETS)
- REAL ID-compliant documents
- Proof of residential address
- Parental consent
Teen and their families can find course information at FLHSMV.gov or FLVS.net.
Teens that are at least 14-years-old who complete the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course before August 1, 2025, may be exempt from the 6-hour Driver Education requirement, provided they obtain their learner’s permit within one year of course completion.
Driver Education Exceptions
The following individuals are not required to complete the new 6-hour Driver Education course:
Teens who already hold a Class E Learner’s Permit or Operator’s License
Individuals transferring a valid Learner’s Permit or Operator’s License from another state
Teens with a valid TLSAE certificate dated before August 1, 2025 (valid for up to one year)
Office Phone Outage At Town Of Century
July 28, 2025
The Town of Century is experiencing temporary difficulties with their office phone system.
The town is able to receive calls on its main line, but staff are unable to hear callers.
An estimated time of repair is not yet available. Once service is restored, citizens can call (850) 256-3208.
Federal Drug Trafficking Charges Filed Against Cantonment Man After Undercover Buys
July 28, 2025
Federal drug trafficking charges have been filed against an Escambia County man.
Carlton Dewight Shoemaker, age 51, of Carver Street, was indicted in federal court for three counts of possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Using an FDLE documented criminal informant, ATF purchased crack cocaine and methamphetamine on two occasions from Shoemaker in a hotel room , according to federal court documents, and a semi-automatic handgun was presented in the room.
When a search warrant was later served, investigators reported finding 4.5 grams of crack cocaine, 9.5 grams of powder cocaine, three ounces of marijuana pre-packaged for sale, drug paraphernalia, and two firearms with ammunition.
If convicted on all counts, Shoemaker faces up to life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Escambia Man Indicted On Federal Firearm Charges
July 28, 2025
An Escambia County man was indicted on federal firearms charges.
Jason Wayne Coleman, 41, was indicted in federal court for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Coleman faces a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment for each count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Century Changes Land Development Code To Allow For New ATM
July 28, 2025
Earlier this year, the Town of Century modified its parking requirements, allowing the construction of an ATM in the parking lot of the local grocery store.
The space allocated for the PenAir ATM in the Food Giant parking lot on North Century Boulevard would have reduced the number of available parking spaces below the land use code requirements for the store.
In an ordinance passed in March, the town reduced the number of required parking spaces for a food store from five to four per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area. The ordinance also reduced the number of mandatory spaces for general businesses by one per 1,000 square feet. Other parking requirements for commercial establishments were not changed under the land use ordinances. Current parking requirements are pictured below (click to enlarge),
A similar PenAir ATM was recently constructed in the parking lot of the Cantonment Marketplace shopping center and the Winn-Dixie on Highway 29 in Cantonment.\
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
AAA: Florida Gas Prices Are Up Slightly Over Last Week
July 28, 2025
Despite a week of price swings, Florida gas prices continually reflect a long-running trend of relative stability. According to AAA, the state average dropped 8 cents early last week, surged by 13 cents midweek, and then slipped another 3 cents through the weekend.
By Sunday, the state average stood at $3.10 per gallon, marking a slight 2-cent increase from the week before. Prices remain 10 cents higher than a month ago but are still 31 cents lower than this time last year.
In Escambia County, the average price per gallon was $2.89. In Pensacola, prices were as low as $2.71 at the warehouse clubs. In North Escambia, a low of $2.72 was available Sunday at one station on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
Since September, Florida pump prices have consistently moved within a 31-cent window, ranging from $2.92 to a peak of $3.23. This yearlong pattern parallels trends in the oil market, which has traded within a steady range for the past five weeks.
“While gas prices may shift from week to week, overall they tend to follow a relatively steady pattern,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “As long as oil prices remain stable, drivers can expect pump prices to stay within their current range.”
Escambia (AL) Sheriff Attends Halt Fentanyl Act Bill Signing At The White House
July 28, 2025
Escambia County (Alabama) Sheriff Heath Jackson was one of four sheriffs from across the nation that attended the Halt Fentanyl Act bill signing at the White House recently.
“It was an honor to watch the president sign the bill, which will strengthen the penalties for those who distribute this poison in America,” Jackson said. “It was also an honor to represent Escambia County and the great State of Alabama.”
The legislation, according to Trump, is “delivering another defeat for the savage drug smugglers and criminals, and the cartels”—and is just one of the many historic actions the Trump Administration has taken to end the carnage wrought by foreign drug cartels in our communities.”
Other sheriffs invited to attend the ceremony were from South Dakota, New Jersey, and Ohio.
Pictured: Escambia County (Alabama) Sheriff Heath Jackson attended the Halt Fentanyl Act bill signing. In the top photo, Jackson is seen in the front row just to the right of Trump, third from the right in the photo below, and in the far left in the front row of the third photo below. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
