Friends Of The Library Winter Book Sale Going On Through Sunday
February 22, 2025
The annual Friends of the West Florida Public Library’s Winter Book Sale is continuing through Sunday in downtown Pensacola.
The book sale, which benefits libraries across the county, will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday with all book prices half-off.
On Sunday, the sale will be open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. with a $7 bag sale — all the books that will fit in a provided bag for just $7.
The book sale is at the Friends of the Downtown Pensacola Library at 239 North Spring Street.
File photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Lady Chiefs Beat Blacksher 17-2
February 22, 2025
The Northview Chiefs beat the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs of Uriah, Alabama, 17-2 in three innings on a frigid night in Bratt.
Kylee Langham drove in five runs with two hits.
The Northview Chiefs powered to a big lead in the bottom of the first with seven runs on five hits for a 7-1 advantage. During the first, Kylee Langham drove in three runs.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Senior Jamison Gilman earned the win for the Lady Chiefs, giving up four hits and two runs over the three-inning game, walking two and striking out two.
Daviona Randolph and Langham both had two hits for Northview. Gilman, Riley Brooks, Mikayla McAnally, Avery Stuckey, Bailey Burkette, and Aubrey Hadley each added one hit.
The Lady Chiefs will play two on the road next week — Tuesday at Navarre and Thursday at Tate.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Over 1,000 Ballots Mailed For Upcoming Special Election
February 22, 2025
April 1 special general election vote-by-mail ballots were mailed Friday to 14,283 voters that requested them. Voters can expect to receive their ballots within the next week. The special election is open to all voters of all parties.
Florida law requires the mailing of civilian ballots between 40 days and 33 days prior to election day.
Any voter has the option to vote-by-mail. Requests must be made for each new election cycle. If you have not already made a request and wish to receive your ballot in the mail, visit EscambiaVotes.gov/vote-by-mail or call (850) 595-3900. The request deadline is Thursday, March 20 for the April 1 special general election and March 6 for the Century special primary.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Tennis Boys And Girls Defeat Milton
February 22, 2025
The Tate Aggies boys and girls tennis teams both defeated Milton 7-0 Friday night.
“It is a new rebuild for the boys team after losing several seniors last year,” Coach David Bonucchi said after the win. “But new players are developing. And our girls are returning players who are working hard to improve.
Up next, Tate will face the Escambia Gatos on Tuesday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Drop Friday Night Game To The Escambia Gators (Gallery)
February 22, 2025
Down by four in the sixth inning, a Northview comeback fell short as the 1A Chiefs lost to the 5A Escambia Gators on a cold Friday in Bratt.
Grayden Sheffield took the loss for the Chiefs, allowing two runs on six hits, walking four and striking out seven in five innings. Jackson Bridges threw two innings, surrendering two runs on three hits with no walks or strikeouts.
Jackson Bridges, Luke Chavers, Cole Davis, Jase Portwood, Grayden Sheffield, and Brady Smith each record one hit for the Chiefs. Portwood and Jayden White each had one RBI for Northview.
Up next, the Northview Chiefs will host their neighbors to the north, the Blue Devils on Escambia County at 6 p.m. next Thursday.
NorthEscamiba.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ice Flyers Foiled by Evansville’s Third-Period Comeback (With Gallery)
February 22, 2025
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers correspondent
There was a natural mix of emotions Friday night when Rod Aldoff walked to the Ice Flyers bench, preparing for a third different return as the team’s head coach.
“Just even in pregame and walking on the ice (before opening face), to be honest, it felt like yesterday,” said Aldoff, who was named Monday as the Ice Flyers coach to finish the season, replacing Gary Graham, who he knew well.
“It felt like … I’ve done it so many years here, it just felt like the next game and here we go. But it has been two years, But it felt good behind the bench and competing.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Unfortunately for Aldoff and the Ice Flyers, what seemed to be a perfect capper for the evening, suddenly turned into disappointment.
Leading 2-0 with less than nine minutes remaining, the Ice Flyers yielded two power play goals against the Evansville Thunderbolts in a three-minute span, then a go-ahead and empty net goal to follow, resulting in a 4-3 loss to begin a three-game series that is a must-win situation for playoff hopes.
It left a crowd of 4,084 at the Pensacola Bay Center going from hopeful to deflated from the third period fall.
“I thought overall we were the better team, so it was a tough one,” Aldoff said.
The Ice Flyers called timeout and pulled goaltender Cody Karpinski with 1:57 left in the game for an extra attacker. That resulted in Eimantas Noreika scoring with 48 seconds remaining to halve the deficit. In the final seconds, several Ice Flyers players had the puck on their stick near the goal area but were denied.
“I think in the last 10 seconds we had four sticks in the slot,” Aldoff said. “The guys battled back. They pushed hard. It was a tough one.”
Midway though the third period, however, a different feeling existed. The Ice Flyers led 2-0 on a second-period goal by Cale List and early third period goal by Blake Tosto.
But a delay of game penalty against Nick Pryce for an attempted puck clear that went over the glass, began the downfall.
Just 39 seconds after that penalty was called, Evansville’s Tyson Gilmour scored the power play goal. A couple minutes later, Sam Dabrowski was called for tripping as he chased an Evansville player behind the Thunderbolts’ goal cage.
That led to Gilmour assisting on the game-tying goal by Scott Kirton.
The Ice Flyers have been great this season on home ice penalty kills. They had allowed just eight goals in 20 home games, second best percentage in the league.
“I just told the team, there were a lot of positive things that happened in this game,” Aldoff said. “You take those two power plays away… but at end of the day, those were just some unfortunate incidents.
“Shooting the puck over the glass, those are penalties we just cannot do. We have to control what we can control and those are things that we just cannot do.
“We’re getting pulled all the time. We don’t need to help pull the wrong way. We have to stay away from that stuff.”
With 3:23 left, Kirton got a rebound from his own shot and buried the go-ahead goal past Karpinski. The Thunderbolts then got an empty net goal immediately after the faceoff that followed the Ice Flyers timeout in the final two minutes.
“I thought overall, up and down the ice, we were the better team,” Aldoff said. “We outplayed them. We deserved better, but it doesn’t matter, they (Thunderbolts) won the hockey game.
“It just comes down to licking our wounds and try to get better and I hate to say that, because I know what (Ice Flyers) been through. It was just a real tough one.”
A quick recap….
FIRST PERIOD
No scoring. The Ice Flyers didn’t get their first shot on goal until four minutes into the opening period. Each team had only three shots midway through the period.
But then the Ice Flyers found stride with 10 shots, including several good looks on their power play opportunity, but couldn’t a puck in the net.
SECOND PERIOD
Cale List scored his fifth goal of the season, after making move to his left to deke a defender inside the blue line and then rifled a wrist shot through traffic into the net with 10:30 left for the game’s first goal. Pryce and Tosto both had assists.
Evansville got its first power play chance with 7:14 remaining, but the Ice Flyers killed that one off.
THIRD PERIOD
Ivan Bondarenko made a perfect pass to Tosto in the crease area and he flicked the puck into the net at 2:59 into the third period for the Ice Flyers second goal. Pryce set up the play with good work behind the net.
The Ice Flyers then got a big chance to further their lead when Evansville’s Matthew Hobbs was called for a double-minor (4 minute penalty) for a high sticking penalty that drew blood at 4:51 into the period. But the Ice Flyers were thwarted and that shifted some momentum back to Evansville.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Evansville Thunderbolts vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
One Injured In Highway 4 Crash Near Century
February 21, 2025
One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover on Highway 4 west of Century on Friday morning.
The driver of a small pickup truck was westbound on Highway 4 just past Tedder Road when they left the roadway for an unknown reason and overturned in the ditch. The pickup came to a stop after hitting several small trees.
The driver’s injuries were not considered to be serious.
The Century Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded, and the Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
UPDATED: Two Year, $4.7 Million Highway 29 Reconstruction Safety Project In Century Is (Almost) Complete
February 21, 2025
UPDATE: The Florida Department of Transportation provided erroneous information on Thursday, telling us in an email that this project is complete. However, workers were back out with temporary lane closures Friday, and FDOT advised NorthEscambia.com Friday afternoon that there is more work to come on the project.
“It is anticipated to continue for another two to three weeks, but after this weekend there should be no more effects on traffic in that area,” Kohen Johns Brannon, FDOT public information specialist, said in an email Friday afternoon.
When we photographed the project area on Thursday, all four lanes of traffic were open, and there were no workers or equipment in the work zone.
We apologize for the incorrect information initially provided by FDOT. The story below has been updated accordingly.
After just over two years, a $4.7 million state safety project to resurface Highway 29 in Century is now almost complete, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Traffic was flowing in all four lanes on Thursday. As work continues, FDOT says no traffic impacts are expected beyond this weekend.
The FDOT project included a major reconstruction and realignment of Highway 29 from just south of East Highway 4 to the Alabama state line.
FDOT also upgraded traffic signals, drainage structures, pavement markings, and driveways, while also improving curb ramps and sidewalks to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
The project included reconstructing a 700-foot curved segment of Highway 29 from north of Henry Street to Cottage Street — a curve that was the site of several truck accidents in recent years.
The first lane closures for the project occurred in late January 2023, with four lanes reduced to one lane in each direction for most of the project.
Pictured: Traffic flows on all four lanes of Highway 29 in Century on Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle School Horse Judging Team Places 10th In The State
February 21, 2025
The Ernest Ward Middle School FFA horse judging team recently placed 10th overall in the state during a competition in Tampa.
Individual team members placed as follows in the state:
- Harleigh Grace Parsons – 25th
- Neveah Tidd – 32nd
- Noah Luker – 72nd
- Emma Hassebrock – 90th
Team members are Noah Luker, Harleigh Grace Parsons, Emma Hassebrock, Neveah Tidd, and Brylynn McGhee.
On the preliminary test and state qualifier in December, the team placed first in the state with Emma Hassebrock placing second in Florida with her individual score.
Autumn Williams and Olivia Meacham have coached the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA horse judging team for two years.
Pictured are Olivia Meacham (coach), Harleigh Grace Parsons, Neveah Tidd, Brylynn McGhee, Emma Hassebrock, Noah Luker, and Autumn Williams (coach). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Salzman Files Bill To Lower Firearm Purchasing Age To 18
February 21, 2025
Rep. Michelle Salzman has filed a bill to lower the legal age to purchase a rifles and long guns in Florida from 21 to 18.
“The ability to purchase and utilize a firearm is your constitutional right, and reinstating those rights is the right thing to do for Floridians,” Salzman said. “We must stop infringing on the
constitutional rights of law-abiding adults who are old enough to serve in our military and make other significant life decisions.”
HB 759 would repeal the age restriction implemented in 2018, which raised the minimum age for purchasing rifles and long guns from 18 to 21. Rep. Salzman argues that this current law unfairly restricts the Second Amendment rights of responsible young adults.
Salzman emphasized that her bill does not change other existing firearm regulations or background check requirements; she said it simply allows young adults to exercise their constitutional rights fully.