School Street In Jay Closed For Emergency Water Well Repairs
August 12, 2026
School Street at Highway 89 in Jay will be closed beginning on Tuesday.
The Town of Jay will be conducting emergency repairs on a water well at the intersection. A large crane will be in place on School Street, and both lanes will be closed to traffic.
The roadway is expected to open by Tuesday, August 18 at 5 p.m.
Parents will be able to access student pickup and drop-off from the Springs Street side of School Street.
Tate Lady Aggies Sweep Washington Wildcats In Preseason Volleyball Action
August 12, 2026
The Tate High School Lady Aggies opened their preseason volleyball schedule Tuesday evening in a Preseason Classic at Pensacola Catholic High School, taking on the Washington Wildcats.
he Lady Aggies set a strong tone for the upcoming fall campaign, securing a dominant sweep in two sets, 25-17 and 25-11.
After building an early lead and controlling the pace in the opening set, Tate pulled away decisively in the second to put the match out of reach.
Back To School: Escambia District Aiming To Hold Onto Historic ‘A’ Rating
August 11, 2026
Wednesday is the first day of school in Escambia County, and this year school is starting with a loftier goal — maintain the school district’s first A grade in recent memory.
In the school grades released by the state on July 1, 83% of ECPS schools upheld or exceeded past years’ performances. Overall, 19 ECPS schools earned an “A”, 16 schools earned a “B”, or 17 schools earned a “C”. No Escambia County schools earned a grade of D or F. This marked a third year of increases in the number of A and B schools in the district.
Tate High School reached a historic milestone, earning its first-ever “A” school grade. The achievement marked the first time a traditional high school in Escambia County Public Schools has earned the state’s highest accountability rating.
Blue Angels Elementary, Lipscomb Elementary, Montclair Elementary, Beulah Middle, Ernest Ward Middle and Tate High each raised their grades from “B”s last year to “A”s. Scenic Heights Elementary increased from a C to an A. Montclair Elementary has increased its grade from an F to an A in three years. Lincoln Park Elementary, Longleaf Elementary, Ferry Pass Middle and Workman Middle all raised their grades from Cs to Bs, while Navy Point Elementary had the greatest increase in points, with its school grade increasing from a D to a B.
Mathematics scores increased at rates surpassing the recently announced state increases, with the middle school Algebra pass rate now leading the state average increases by 6% and the 9th grade Algebra pass rate matching the state average for the first time.
Escambia County Public Schools’ middle school acceleration rate was again among the highest in the state, increasing from 87% to 89%. The middle school acceleration rate measures proficiency on high-school-level courses taken by middle school students, such as Algebra and Biology, as well as high-school-level industry certifications earned by middle school students. For the first time, the middle school Algebra EOC pass rate exceeds the state average.
Here are the individual school grades:
Elementary Schools
- A. K. Suter Elementary School — A
- Bellview Elementary School — A
- Beulah Elementary School — B
- Blue Angels Elementary School — A
- Bratt Elementary School — B
- Brentwood Elementary School — C
- Byrneville Elementary School — C
- C. A. Weis Elementary School — C
- Cordova Park Elementary School — B
- Ensley Elementary School — C
- Ferry Pass Elementary School — B
- Global Learning Academy — C
- Hellen Caro Elementary School — B
- Jim Allen Elementary School — B
- Kingsfield Elementary School — B
- L. D. McArthur Elementary School — B
- Lincoln Park Elementary School — B
- Longleaf Elementary School — B
- Molino Park Elementary — A
- Montclair Elementary School — A
- Myrtle Grove Elementary School — C
- N. B. Cook Elementary School — A
- Navy Point Elementary School — B
- O. J. Semmes Elementary School — C
- Oakcrest Elementary School — C
- Pensacola Beach Elementary School — A
- Pine Meadow Elementary School — A
- Pleasant Grove Elementary School — A
- R. C. Lipscomb Elementary School — A
- Reinhardt Holm Elementary School — B
- Scenic Heights Elementary School — A
- Sherwood Elementary School — C
- Warrington Elementary School — C
- West Pensacola Elementary School — C
Middle Schools
- Bellview Middle School — C
- Beulah Middle School — A
- Brown Barge Middle School — A
- Ernest Ward Middle School — A
- Ferry Pass Middle School — B
- J. H. Workman Middle School — B
- Jim C. Bailey Middle School — B
- Ransom Middle School — A
High Schools
- Escambia High School — C
- J. M. Tate Senior High School — A
- Northview High School — C
- Pensacola High School — C
- Pine Forest High School — C
- Washington Senior High School — C
- West Florida High School/Technical — A
Other
- Beulah Academy Of Science — A
- Escambia Virtual Academy Franchise — B
- Pensacola State College Charter Academy — A
- Warrington Preparatory Academy — C
Escambia Library Director Christal Bell-Rivera Submits Resignation
August 11, 2026
Escambia County Library Director Christal Bell-Rivera submitted her resignation on Monday without explanation.
Bell-Rivera’s last day on the job will be September 9.
In early March, the Escambia County Commission affirmed County Administrator Wes Moreno’s decision to hire Bell-Rivera as library services director, rejecting recommendations from the West Florida Library Board of Governance (BOG) that ranked two other candidates higher.
The administrator’s decision came under fire because Bell-Rivera did not meet minimum qualifications at the time because she lacked a master’s degree in library science. She has since received the degree.
She had been appointed interim director by Moreno after the retirement of Todd Humble in November 2025.
New Car Rider Procedures In Effect At Tate High School This Year
August 11, 2026
Car rider procedures have changed this school year at Tate High School.
Parents will enter the campus at Tate School Road (near the electronic sign), and two lanes will make an immediate right and travel along a construction fence before merging into one lane and circling around in front of the Tate Building for morning drop-off and afternoon pickup. Traffic will then exit the campus with a left turn only back onto Tate Road.
The change is due to the upcoming construction of a performing arts center. Groundbreaking for the facility is expected in September, but the new car rider procedures will be in place as of the first day of school on Wednesday, August 12.
Click here or the image above to load a larger map as a printable pdf.
Two Century Council Meeting Dates Shifted Due To Election Days
August 11, 2026
Two upcoming Century Town Council meetings have been rescheduled due to the 2026 elections.
The August 18 meeting has been moved to August 25, and the November 3 meeting was rescheduled to November 10.
The council normally meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month, but August 18 is primary election day and November 3 is general election Day.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Rep. Gubernatorial Candidate Byron Donalds Makes Escambia County Campaign Stop
August 11, 2026
Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, who is leading in most polls, made a campaign stop in Escambia County on Monday.
Donalds held a rally at VFW Post 706, toured the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition, and met with local officials.
Locally, Donalds has been endorsed by Sheriff Chip Simmons, Rep. Michelle Salzman, Rep. Alex Andrade, and Rep. Jimmy Patronis.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Want To Be A Firefighter? ECFR Physical Abilities Test Is Sept. 14
August 11, 2026
Escambia County Fire Rescue will hold a physical abilities test Monday, September 14 for Florida-certified firefighters interested in joining ECFR.
The physical abilities test will take place at 8 a.m. at Pensacola Fire Department Station 4, located at 1 N. “Q” St. Participants should arrive 30 minutes early to sign in.
Those interested in the physical abilities test must apply for the Florida-certified firefighter position prior to registering for the test. Apply for the Florida-certified firefighter position at MyEscambia.com/careers. Qualified applicants will receive an email from Escambia County Human Resources with specific information and instructions for the test.
Florida-certified firefighters must be able to complete the following skills to pass the physical abilities test:
- 1 3/4″ charged hose pull in 23 seconds
- Keiser sled in 47 seconds
- Tower evolution in 5 minutes and 40 seconds
Participants must pass the physical abilities test in order to become an Escambia County Firefighter. Interviews for those who pass the test will be conducted on Tuesday, September 15.
Certified Escambia County Firefighters receive numerous benefits including competitive pay and health benefits, a 48/96 schedule, 14 paid holidays, special teams incentive pay and more.
Northview Chiefs Name Volleyball Teams
August 11, 2026
Varsity
Junior Varsity
Chick-fil-A Relocation Approved To Former Dodge’s Property On Nine Mile Road
August 10, 2026
The Escambia County Development Review (DRC) has given final approval to a new Chick-fil-A on East Nine Mile Road at the site of a former convenience store.
The proposed development consists of the demolition of the existing building and the construction of a new 5,394-square-foot, single-story restaurant with 86 associated parking spaces and a drive-through on a 1.80-acre parcel.
The restaurant will move from its current location in front of Target to the site of the former Dodge’s Southern Style convenience store, which closed abruptly in September 2024.
Site access will continue to be provided via the existing driveway connections on Nine Mile Road and Plainfield Avenue.
The DRC development order is valid for 18 months.
Pictured top: The former Dodge’s on East Nine Mile Road is the approved site for a new Chick-fil-A on East Nine Mile Road. The site is pictures as of last Friday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
