I-110 to I-10 Interchange Crash Damages Roadway
November 11, 2025
A Friday crash at the I-110 to I-10 interchange caused heavy damage to the roadway.
About 11:25 a.m. Friday, a tractor-trailer heading west from northbound I-110 to I-10 lost its load, which completely shut down the interstate ramp and resulted in heavy damage to the roadway.
The driver of the truck, a 45-year-old man from Texas, was not injured. No other vehicles were involved.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP Releases More Info As Fatal Highway 97 Crash Investigation Continues
November 10, 2025
The Florida Highway Patrol said Monday that the investigation is continuing into a a head-on collision that claimed the life of a woman Thursday night on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill.
The crash happened on Highway 97 just north of South Highway 99.
FHP confirmed, as reported last week, that the victim was a 70-year-old Pensacola woman driving a Chevrolet Cruze southbound on Highway 97.. FHP also said that the other driver was a 31-year-old Atmore woman driving a Nissan Altima northbound on Highway 97.
The two vehicles, both in the southbound lane of Highway 97, collided head-on about 7:50 p.m. It was apparent on scene that one of the vehicles crossed the centerline.
“A Nissan Altima was traveling north on State Road 97 and a Chevrolet Cruze was traveling south on State Road 97. A head on collision occurred in the southbound lane of State Road 97,” the report states.
Highway 97 was closed for hours by the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Vanderbilt Wins Intense PK Shootout Against LSU For SEC Tourney Title (With Gallery)
November 10, 2025
Vanderbilt on the SEC Women’s Soccer Championship Sunday afternoon at Ashton Brosnaham Park in North Escambia, the fourth year the tournament has been held at the Escambia County park.
Senior Vivian Akyirem scored the equalizing goal, graduate Sara Wojdelko delivered a highlight performance, and No. 8 ranked Vanderbilt downed No. 25 LSU 8-7 in a three-hour long penalty kick thriller to win the SEC Tournament championship on Sunday at the Brosnaham Soccer Complex.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“This match tells you everything you need to know about our team,” said head coach Darren Ambrose. “We were challenged by an LSU team that was incredibly organized and came to play. They challenged our character and a little bit of our belief in ourselves. I think of words like ‘grit’ that we use all the time, especially down a goal: we defined that today.”
It is the fourth SEC Tournament title in program history, and the second in six seasons for Vanderbilt under Ambrose after winning in 2020.
Vanderbilt (15-3-2) fell behind early after LSU (13-5-4) scored in the 25th minute off the foot of Gabbi Ceballos. It was just the third time all season the Dores conceded the opening goal to an opposing team.
The Tigers remained in the lead at the halftime break, taking a 6-3 shot advantage into the locker room. Vanderbilt generated multiple opportunities to begin the second half, coming within inches of evening the score in the 52nd minute after a shot from senior Maci Teater was saved at the goal line.
With the clock continuing to dwindle, Vanderbilt broke through in the 69th minute. A free kick from junior Courtney Jones was sent directly at LSU keeper Audur Scheving, deflected back to the box, and rebounded into the net by Akyirem. It was just the third goal of the season for the senior midfielder.
Both teams went back and forth in a second half that produced four total yellow cards combined. And despite multiple threatening shots from either side, the score remained at 1-1 as time expired, sending the match to extra time. After overtime and double overtime were not enough to separate the two, the match came down to penalty kicks.
Vanderbilt entered the contest having taken one penalty kick all season. And after scoring on two of the first four kicks, the Dores sat on the brink of defeat with their hopes resting on Wojdelko. As she has done throughout her entire career, the 2025 SEC Goalkeeper of the Year delivered for her team, making a diving save on a shot from Gadea Blanco González to the right side of the goal. Junior Sydney Watts followed by converting on Vandy’s final penalty kick to keep the team alive. Morgan Witz stepped to the ball with a chance to win the match, sending a strong strike to the left side. Wojdelko fully extended on yet another dive, redirecting the ball off the post before jumping on top of the ball at the goal line to complete the save.
After each side drilled four penalty kicks each, sophomore Mary Beth McLaughlin added to the score to give Vanderbilt an 8-7 advantage. And with another make-or-break kick on the line, Wojdelko sealed it for the Dores, stopping a shot from Jazmin Ferguson to clinch the match win.
“If you watched the Florida State match from last year, [Wojdelko] did the same thing,” Ambrose said. “We said before we went out for penalties ‘We’ve got Wojo, they don’t.’ And that was all we needed.”
“Tactically, this was not the game we wanted,” Ambrose continued. “But this was not about tactics anymore; this was about our desire to win. We were on a mission here, and we were not leaving without a trophy.”
It is the first time since 2018 that an SEC Championship match has gone to penalty kicks and the sixth overall for the Dores in their SEC Tournament history. The victory is the eighth straight for Vanderbilt, ending LSU’s 10-match streak.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Four Dores were selected to the SEC all-tournament team: Watts, Wojdelko, Jones and freshman Olivia Stafford. Jones also finished as the tournament’s MVP, joining Myra Konte from 2020 as the only players in program history to receive the honor.
Vanderbilt and LSU now turns their focus to the NCAA Tournament selection show.
NorthEscambia.com photos, and courtesy photos from the SEC and Vanderbilt, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Honors Veterans At Annual Assembly (With Gallery)
November 10, 2025
Tate High School held its annual Veterans Day Assembly last week.
The special event honored Tate’s current and retired veteran faculty members, as well as esteemed guests.
A banner covered in stars was presented, with each star representing the name of a Tate graduate who has since joined the military.
Photos by Tate High School Yearbook for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Council On Aging Seeks Heaters, Blankets For Seniors
November 10, 2025
The Council on Aging of West Florida is seeking donations of new electric space heaters, blankets, and funds to help keep older adults warm and safe. As temperatures plunge this week, the organization says requests for assistance from seniors are exceeding the number of donated items to meet this need.
Older adults are especially vulnerable to serious health problems that can result from exposure to the cold as those over 60 often create less body heat due to slower metabolism and less physical activity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the most common cold-related conditions is hypothermia. Victims of hypothermia are often elderly people with inadequate food, clothing, or heating.
Electric heaters and blankets can be dropped off or shipped to Council on Aging of West Florida (875 Royce Street) in Pensacola. Only new items can be accepted. Financial donations can be made online at coawfla.org/donate or sent to Council on Aging of West Florida, PO Box 17066, Pensacola, FL 32522-7066.
Seniors in need of a heater, blanket or other assistance should call (850) 432-1475.
Council on Aging of West Florida is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that has served seniors and their families since 1972.
Florida Gas Prices Fall To New 2025 Low, AAA Says
November 10, 2025
Florida gas prices have fallen to a new 2025 low. Sunday’s state average of $2.86 per gallon is the lowest since December 2023.
Escambia County has the cheapest average in the state at $2.67 per gallon. The lowest price to be found in the Pensacola metro was $2.41 at stations on Highway 29 in Gozelez and on East Nine Mile Road.
“Low gas prices should give travelers confidence as they finalize Thanksgiving road trip plans,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “However, based on recent price patterns, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see gas prices increase this week.”
Florida has followed a familiar cycle for over a year, where the state average declines for 5-10 days, then shoots up 10-20 cents before moving lower again. The state is now at the end of an 8-day streak of declines. During that time, the state average dropped 12 cents per gallon. If the trend holds, an uptick may be imminent.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill VFD Honors Firefighters, Community Members During 56th Annual Fish Fry (With Gallery)
November 9, 2025
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department honored members of the community and the department during their 56th annual fish fry Saturday.
Andrew Peters (pictured below with Chief Kevh Mininger) was named the department’s Firefighter of the Year and recognized for his service to the department. AJ Beachy (pictured above) was named Officer of the Year, an award chosen by his fellow firefighters.
Over 750 plates, featuring a choice of catfish or grilled chicken for $12, were sold. Plates included a choice of grilled catfish, fried catfish, or grilled chicken, plus baked beans, coleslaw, homemade bread, and homemade desserts. Proceeds will be used to provide assistance to displaced fire victims in the Walnut Hill and Bratt areas.
There were also drawings for door prizes throughout the event, and the Big Red Bus was on hand for blood donations.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
SEC Soccer Tourney Draws Thousands Of Fans, Boosts Local Economy
November 9, 2025
Thousands of fans have attended with SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament this week in North Escambia, and county officials say it has been a great success, adding to the local economy and quality of life.
During the first two days of the tournament, about 4,600 fans attended the tournament at Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Park, and the tournament has been televised nationally on the SEC Network.
Vanderbilt will take on LSU at 1:30 p.m. Sunday for the SEC championship.
“It’s important to Escambia County just because we have people coming to visit from all over the southeast,” Ray Palmer, president and CEO of Pensacola Sports told NorthEscambia.com during a tournament match. It’s important for Escambia County because it’s a great thing for our citizens to have these great athletes in our backyard; it improves the quality of life for all the people that live here.”
“It’s just a quality of life addition,” Palmer said.
SEC Assistant Director of Competition Marcus Bishop said the tournament is off to a great start, highlighting the partnerships that make a tournament like this successful.
“What keeps the SEC coming back to Escambia County is really the collaborative nature of our partners here,” Bishop said. “Whether it’s Pensacola Sports or Escambia County Parks and Recreation, it is so easy to work with the people here to put on such a great event. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you definitely need to be here. We have some great match-ups, great talent, some of the best women’s college soccer in the United States.”
- For Kentucky versus Georgia photos from Tuesday, click here.
- For Vanderbilt versus Georgia, and LSU versus Mississippi State photos from Thursday, click here.
- For more photos from LSU and Auburn, click here.
- For photos from Kentucky and Florida, click here.
- For photos from Mississippi State and Oklahoma, click here.
Escambia County Parks and Recreation Director Michael Rhodes echoed the valuable partnerships that make the SEC tournament possible each year, also highlighting the significant effort the Parks and Recreation team puts into getting the Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park tournament-ready.
“We could not do it without the teamwork,” Rhodes said. “It’s a big collaboration to bring an elite organization such as the Southeastern Conference here. I want to make sure I acknowledge our field staff, our field crews that have spent countless hours out on this field along with the complex itself to provide the best setup possible for the competitors and visitors alike.”
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to once again host the SEC tournament in Escambia County, right in the heart of District 5,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. “This tournament just keeps getting better every year, drawing thousands of attendees to Escambia County and Northwest Florida. I appreciate the continued partnership with Pensacola Sports and the SEC, along with the countless staff members and volunteers who work hard to make this event a success. On behalf of Escambia County, I’d like to welcome all of the players, coaches, and fans, and wish all of them a wonderful tournament.”
Escambia County has completed significant improvements to continue to make the Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park a first-rate sports complex, including a new multi-use facility that opened in 2023, which serves as additional locker room space for the SEC Soccer Tournament, along with other sporting events including local youth, high school and college soccer. Parks and Recreation staff also repaved the parking lot last year and completed significant upgrades to the field turf at Ashton Brosnaham.
Rhodes also emphasized the impact this tournament has on local youth soccer players, who get to see elite college athletes playing at their hometown soccer complex.
“These fields are also used by our local youth, who are getting to see SEC soccer, elite soccer, play on some of the fields that they play on and practice on as well,” Rhodes said. “They’re getting to see these girls compete and see how far soccer can take you, from the lowest level all the way up to the elite college level.”
“We as a community are very much a melting pot of Southeastern Conference fan bases, and the footprint of their institution is the same footprint that our tourism industry works to attract year-round,” Palmer said. “We believe strongly in these college athletes and the opportunity to show them everything Escambia County has to offer. These kids are going to be looking for places to build families, build businesses, raise families, have a life some point down the road. So it gives Escambia County an opportunity to show off.”
NorthEscambia.com photos by Allie Penton, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Several Units At Atmore Self Storage Business
November 9, 2025
Fire destroyed the contents of several self storage units late Friday night in Atmore.
The fire at B&G Storage on Second Avenue was reported just after 11:15 p.m. Firefighters from the Atmore Fire Department and Poarch Creek Fire Department battled the blaze.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the fire.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Killing Two Children, After Sexually Assaulting One, Setting Trailer On Fire
November 9, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office says two children were killed before a mobile home was set on fire early Friday morning.
Deputies have charged 27-year-old John Henry Walston Jr. with two counts of premeditated murder, one count of sexual assault on a victim under 12, one count of arson, and animal abuse.
“Our investigators have confirmed that the tragic fire on November 7th, in which a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old were found deceased was intentionally set after the children were killed,” ECSO said. “Evidence shows that John Henry Walston, Jr. assaulted one of the children before killing them both. He then set the fire before saving himself.”
The fully involved mobile home fire was reported at 12:48 a.m. at Grand Oak Mobile Home Park on Flaxman Street, in the block behind the Escambia High School campus. Two children and a dog were found deceased inside the home. Walston, along with another child and adult, were transported to area hospital for treatment. The home was a total loss.
The Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives is investigating the cause of the fire with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
“I don’t know what I can say about this terrible event, other than hug your children,” Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said Saturday, his voice breaking with emotion.