Escambia Schools Will Make Up One Snow Day On February 17
January 29, 2025
Escambia County Public Schools have announced that students will make up one snow day that was missed last week.
Monday, February 17 will now be a full instructional day for students.
Initially, February 17 was scheduled as a professional development day for teachers and staff. The school day said it will be necessary to use this day to ensure ECPS remains in compliance with Florida Department of Education instructional time parameters.
“No one could have predicted four days off for ice and snow in Escambia County,” said Leonard. “In order to be sure our students are receiving optimal instructional time, we will use February 17th as a make-up day.”
All schools and offices will operate on normal schedules, to include transportation and food services for students.
Pictured. Snow falls the afternoon of January 21 at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Jimmy Patronis Easily Wins Republican Congressional Primary To Replace Matt Gaetz
January 29, 2025
Jimmy Patronis easily won the Republican special primary Tuesday in the race to replace Matt Gaetz in Congress.
Patronis, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, defeated nine other Republican candidates with a commanding 66% of the vote. Joel Rudman received just under 10% of the vote; Aaron Dimmock, Gaetz’s primary opponent last cycle, received about 7%. Former Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino received 6% of the vote. Other candidates in the race included Michael Dylan Thompson (5%), Greg Merk (2%), Jeff Peacock (1%), Kevin Gaffney (1%), John Mills (1%) and Jeff Macey (under 0.4%).
“You know, I am humbled beyond words,” Patronis told our news partners WEAR 3 at his victory celebration. “This was probably the biggest race I feel like I’ve personally had. I’ve won two statewide races, but this is different. This is a very large county congressional race. You have four counties you had to win over. It was much more of a personal campaign. I had to earn the trust of the voters, and it was much more than running TV ads. You had to get out and touch them, you had to let them know who you were. And I’m just humbled by the show of support today.”
Patronis will face Democratic candidate Gay Valimont independent Stephen Brody, plus a few write-in candidates in an April 1 special election. She ran against Gaetz in 2024 and lost by a 2-1 margin.
Win or lose, Patronis had to resign his Cabinet position as Florida chief financial officer. His last day as CFO will be March 31, the day before the special election. His replacement will be appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The First Congressional District became vacant when Gaetz resigned after being nominated by Trump as attorney general. He later withdrew from the nomination.
Pictured top: Jimmy Patronis speaks at his victory party Tuesday night. Courtesy image from WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Council Deadlocks On New Member Pick, Sets Special Election Dates For Council And Mayor
January 29, 2025
The Century Town Council was deadlocked Tuesday night on a choice to fill an empty seat after setting special election dates for council and mayor.
Seat 4 on the council was left open when Alicia Johnson was appointed interim mayor after Luis Gomez, Jr., resigned.
Three candidates submitted applications to be considered for the seat:
- Constance Brookhart, who described herself as a very detailed person that is a supervisor at a water utility with over 20 years’ experience in dealing with people and finances. She would love to see Century “as a vibrant business area” that should be clean and decorated.
- Kathryn Fleming, who previously worked as a mental health case manager for about two years in Brewton that describes herself as a problem solver. She said Century is a gateway to Pensacola beaches and aviation that should draw tourists, and the county is growing north. She served on the Century Charter Review committee from 2022-2023.
- Lizbeth A. “Sparkie” Harrison, who has lived and worked as a director of PSC Century Center for two years that is “driven by the desire to help others and enhance the quality of life for all who call Century home. She attached a cover letter and a three-page “Vision Plan for Century” to the town’s basic application.
Brookhart did not attend Tuesday night’s meeting and received no votes from council. The votes for Fleming (pictured top left) and Harrison (pictured top right) were split 2-2 with Sandra McMurray-Jackson and Shelisa McCall voting for Harrison, while Henry Cunningham and Dynette Lewis chose Fleming.
The council seat will remain vacant until after an upcoming special election.
Lewis reminded both Fleming and Harrison that they can for the seat, or even for mayor.
Also Tuesday night, special election dates were set to fill the council seat and for mayor, a position currently occupied on an interim basis by Johnson.
The council gave preliminary approval to the following dates for a special election:
- Special Primary Election Date: March 18, 2025
- Special General Election Date: April 29, 2025
- Qualifying Period:
- Monday, February 10, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Tuesday, February 11, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Wednesday, February 12, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Voter Registration Deadlines: February 19, 2025, for the primary; April 8, 2025, for the general election
The dates will become final after a second reading and approval of an ordinance, currently scheduled of February 4. The council plans to swear in the winning mayoral and council candidate during a special meeting on Tuesday, May 13.
Pictured top: Century town council applicants Kathryn Fleming (left) and Lizbeth A. “Sparkie” Harrison (right) answer questions from the town council Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Attempted Video Voyeurism In Dillard’s Bathroom
January 29, 2025
A Cantonment man has been charged with attempted video voyeurism in the bathroom of a Cordova Mall store.
Kyler Marion Vickery, 20, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on a charge of attempted third degree felony video voyeurism and third degree felony use a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony.
According to a Pensacola Police Department arrest report, police responded to a possible fight in the downstairs bathroom at Dillard’s in Cordova Mall. The victim told police that he was using a urinal when an iPhone appeared over the top of the stall in what he believed was an attempt to video him while he was using the urinal.
A loud verbal altercation ensued, with Vickery dropping his phone as he ran off, police said, with witnesses observing him running away. An arrest report states that Dillard’s security video shows Vickery running out of the bathroom area. The iPhone was taken into evidence.
Vickery told police that the accusations were false and that he had only taken a photo of the floor tiles. Police were unable to locate any evidence on the phone with cursory examination of the phone but later obtained a search warrant.
When asked if the downstairs Dillard’s bathroom is a popular gay hookup site for men, Vickery told police it was on website used for discreet cruising to for men, the report states, adding that the location-based app is designed for men or other individuals “to facilitate real-time casual meetups, friendships or connections.” Vickery told police that he had not been to “Dillard’s for anything like that in a year’, but he did something “dumb” while in college. He told police he was at Dillard’s to compare prices and had used a coupon at Bath and Body Works.
When the search warrant was executed on Vickery’s phone, police said a video file about two seconds in length and time stamped to match the alleged incident was located.
“The video began with a beige screen. It pans over the top of the bathroom stall next to it. A person’s shadow is visible, but not the person. It then pans back into its own stall. In the video’s audio you can hear what is assumed to be a male urinating and then a male’s voice express, ‘Geez’,” the report states. Police said the video appeared to be same bathroom as the incident.
CIC Holds 10,000 Pound Food Distribution In Cantonment
January 29, 2025
The Cantonment Improvement Committee held a 10,000 pound food distribution Tuesday afternoon at Carver Park on Webb Street.
Volunteers from the Ascend Cares Foundation and Grocery Advantage in Cantonment assisted CIC with the distribution.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Celebrates Student Leaders Of The Month
January 29, 2025
Tuesday, Bratt Elementary School celebrated their January Leaders of the Month. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Volleyball Honored With Philanthropic Award For Breast Cancer Research Benefit Games
January 29, 2025
Tate High School volleyball has been honored with the 2024-2025 Sideout Foundation Philanthropic Achievement Award.
The Aggies have raised over $10,000 for the foundation, which dedicates the majority of donations to their own metastatic breast cancer research. In addition to research, Side-Out allocates a portion of their funds to high-quality support services for cancer patients and their families, as well as college scholarships for students.
The Aggies have hosted a Dig Pink game for many years, last hosting the Pace Patriots in a Dig Pink game last October.
For a photo gallery for October’s game, click here.
Pictured above and below: The October 2024 Dig Pink game for the Sideout Foundation at Tate High School. Pictured inset: The award banner received by the Lady Aggies. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
State Ag Boss Launches Loan Program For Florida Farmers Impacted By Winter Storm
January 29, 2025
Tuesday, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced that Florida farmers, ranchers, and growers impacted by the recent winter storm can now apply for interest-free loans through the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program. Eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers can use loans to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property — including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings — and remove debris. Commissioner Wilton Simpson will advocate for additional funding for the program during the upcoming legislative session.
Eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers can use loans to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property — including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings — and remove debris. Simpson said he will advocate for additional funding for the program during the upcoming legislative session.
“Delivering immediate support to agricultural producers impacted by the recent winter storm, like our nursery growers in North Florida who were hit especially hard, is a critical first step to get them back on their feet,” said Simpson. “The Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program provides a start with immediate financial relief, ensuring that Florida’s farmers and ranchers begin to rebuild their buildings and infrastructure.”
The winter storm, which brought successive hard freezes and the heaviest snowfall in the state’s history, primarily impacted growers and producers in North Florida. Impacted producers are encouraged to take photos of any property damage sustained from the winter storm and to save all receipts for recovery efforts and supplies. Specific details on the application process are available on the program’s webpage.
Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program
- Interest-free loans up to $500,000 for eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers that have experienced damage or destruction from the winter storm.
- Loans may be used to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings, or to remove vegetative debris.
- Interested producers can learn more or apply here.
Producers who were previously awarded funds for damages sustained from recent hurricanes may be eligible to apply for damage sustained from this disaster. An applicant may not receive more than one loan per storm, more than two loans per year, or more than five loans in any three years.
Pictured: A John Deere tractor sits in a snowy field in Davisville on January 21. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
ECUA Doubling Up Trash Collection For Tuesday Routes Missed Due to Snowstorm
January 28, 2025
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is stepping up their collection efforts for sanitation customers on their Tuesday routes, which was canceled last week due to our historic snowstorm.
“Our Tuesday route was not collected at all last week,” ECUA Executive Director Bruce Woody said in an email Monday afternoon. “We recognize that created some difficulties for customers who, as a result, will have more trash than can fit in the ECUA cans they possess”
“Knowing that we are picking up two-weeks’ worth of trash on the January 28th routes, we are committed to pick up everything you bring to the curb that would normally go into an ECUA trash can,” Woody said.
ECUA will operate two trucks on each route Tuesday — the normal automated truck got cans plus a rear-loader truck that staff on the back of truck that will manually pick up any additional plastic bags s of trash set out beside the ECUA can, or small items that might have otherwise gone into the trash can.
“We are going old school with personnel riding the back of the extra trucks to pick up those extra bags,” ECUA District 5 representative Kevin Stephens said.
There are exceptions to the extra collection for the Tuesday collection customers (map below):
- Larger, bulk waste items (e.g. furniture, white goods, mattresses, other large items) still need to be scheduled for pick-up by either using the Recycle Coach app or calling Customer Service at (850) 476-0480. They need to be scheduled because we use a different type of collection vehicle for large, bulk-waste items.
- Loose items need to be in either a plastic trash sack or another container.
- Picking up items outside of the ECUA container is being done only on our January 28th routes because they were missed last week due to the snow-storm. On all other dates, trash collection is limited to what will fit inside the ECUA can
As a result of last week’s record-breaking snowstorm, the Perdido Landfill was closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The reopened on Friday and agreed to open on Saturday and Sunday for the ECUA to operate. That allowed ECUA to collect Wednesday, Thursday and Friday routes last week.
Pictured: ECUA cans await pickup on Tuesday, January 21 on North Highway 99 in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Adult Injured, Four Minors Uninjured In Highway 29 Rollover Wreck
January 28, 2025
One adult was injured and four children escaped injury in a single vehicle rollover crash Monday night in Mcdavid.
The driver of a southbound vehicle lost control on Highway 29 near Byrneville Road just before 6 p.m. and ran into the median. The vehicle struck a storm drain and overturned.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
In the photo agove, the caution tape was added to a signpost and barrel that were placed to mark the storm drain following the crash.