First Public Park Opens In Allentown
September 24, 2026
The first public park in Allentown opened on Wednesday in northern Santa Rosa County.
Located next to the Allentown Volunteer Fire Department at 9482 Highway 89, Jay, the new park features basketball courts, pickleball courts, a fitness court and parking areas. Additional improvements to Allentown Community Park are planned for the future.
“I’m excited to see this project fully developed in Allentown. This is such a close community, and I think this park is a great representation of that,” said Santa Rosa County District 3 Commissioner Rhett Rowell. “Thank you to our county employees for the hard work they put in to see this to completion. This park will serve our residents for many years, and I’m proud to call it part of my home.”
The overall project was originally estimated to cost more than $500,000. By utilizing County in-house construction crews rather than contracting the work, the project was completed for more than $200,000 less than originally projecte
The Allentown Park Fitness Court features seven workout stations that use body weight as resistance to provide a full-body workout. Designed for people ages 14 and older and all fitness levels, the workouts can be adapted to accommodate different abilities and allow users to exercise at their own pace. A free app is also available to help users follow guided workouts and make the most of the experience.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Stuck School Bus Slows Traffic Near West Roberts Road Closure
September 24, 2026
A school bus stuck in a ditch slowed traffic on Wednesday afternoon on Stallion Road in Cantonment, near the road construction on a closed West Roberts Road.
According to a witness, the driver of Escambia County Public School bus number 2-20 appeared to attempt to turn around on Stallion Road, just north of road construction closures on West Roberts Road. Stallion Road is a designated detour route for the closure, according to Escambia County.
There were no reported injuries, and no word on whether there were any students on the bus.
It reportedly took around an hour to remove the bottomed-out bus.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Clean Sweep On The Court: Ransom Middle Takes Three From Bailey Middle
September 24, 2026
The Ransom Middle School Tigers swept three — junior varsity, girls and varsity — from the Bailey Middle School Bulldogs at Bailey on Wednesday.
Up next, Ransom will host Ferry Pass Middle School on September 24 and travel to Workman Middle School on September 29.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Lady Aggies Roll Past West Florida In Four Sets
September 24, 2026
The Tate Lady Aggies picked up an impressive road victory Wednesday night, defeating the West Florida Jaguars 3-1 in non-district varsity volleyball action.
Tate set the tone early, claiming the opening set 25-18 to take a 1-0 match lead. The Jaguars answered back in the second set, battling to a 25-20 win to even the contest.
From there, it was all Lady Aggies. Tate came out firing in the third set, overpowering West Florida with a dominant 25-8 performance to regain momentum. The Lady Aggies carried that energy straight into the fourth set, closing out the match with a decisive 25-15 victory.
The Lady Aggies will hit the road Thursday, taking on the Vikings in Fort Walton Beach.
County Considers Land Swap, $287K Payment For Planned Beulah I-10 Interchange
September 23, 2026
Escambia County Commissioners on Thursday will take up two related agenda items tied to the planned Interstate 10 Exit 1 interchange at Beulah Road, including clearing land rights for a state retention pond and awarding a major inspection contract
Commissioners will consider an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation to exchange land and pay $287,700 to advance the planned Interstate 10 interchange at Beulah Road.
To clear the footprint for the I-10 at State Road 99 (Beulah Road) Interchange Project, FDOT needs approximately 17.25 acres of county-owned land, consisting of existing right-of-way and a portion of a county-owned parcel. The state plans to use the county tract as a retention pond.
In exchange, FDOT has offered to convey an approximately 3.6-acre parcel located at 8200 North Palafox Street to Escambia County. Escambia County’s Stormwater Management Division requested the acquisition of the North Palafox property to support future drainage and stormwater improvements in the area.
FDOT obtained appraisals for both the North Palafox Street parcel and the county-owned parcel, excluding right-of-way that will be donated. Based on those appraisals, the state’s property carries a higher value by $287,700, which the county would pay from its Transportation Trust Fund. FDOT is also requesting a temporary easement across county land during construction.
According to county records, the state’s planned roadway improvements in the corridor include:
- Realigning the southern end of County Road 99 to connect with State Road 99 at a new signalized intersection.
- Widening SR-99 from two lanes to four lanes from north of Frank Reeder Road to the CR-99 intersection.
- Constructing a new four-lane section of SR-99 along Isaacs Lane from the CR-99 intersection to West Kingsfield Road.
Clearing Encumbrances: Bailey Family Settlement
In a related action on Thursday’s agenda, the board is scheduled to consider an amended settlement agreement with the Bailey family to remove an access easement that interferes with FDOT’s retention pond site.
The county-owned Beulah parcel was originally acquired by Escambia County through the settlement of a 2012 eminent domain lawsuit against the Bailey family. The county uses the site to maintain environmental monitoring wells for the Perdido Landfill. Under that 2012 deal, the Baileys were granted a 30-foot access easement along the northern boundary of the tract, which now directly overlaps FDOT’s pond footprint.
Under the proposed amendment:
- The Bailey family will terminate and release their 30-foot access easement so FDOT can build the retention pond on schedule.
- The county will convey an approximate 10-acre parcel within the Beulah tract to the Bailey family by quitclaim deed.
- The county will grant the family a 15-foot ingress/egress easement over an existing dirt road used by county staff to access the landfill monitoring wells.
- The county avoids prior contractual requirements to build a road and obtain wetland permits within the original easement corridor.
Beulah Road Realignment Contract
Also on Thursday’s agenda, commissioners will vote on awarding a $797,699.12 Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) contract to STV Incorporated for the Beulah Road Realignment Project.
The project includes the rehabilitation of Beulah Road and a section of Kingsfield Road to facilitate improvements and enhance heavy traffic access to the Perdido Landfill. Escambia County advertised the solicitation in June 2026, receiving nine bids.
The top-ranked firm, Mehta and Associates, Inc., negotiated a final fee of $797,699.12 before merging with STV Incorporated in August 2026. The contract is funded through the county’s Solid Waste Fund and is scheduled for completion in December 2027.
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. on September 24 at the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building in Pensacola.
Escambia County Man Gets 45 Years For Fatal Gas Station Shooting
September 23, 2026
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for a 2024 fatal shooting at a gas station.
Arrington Marcellas Moultrie, now 37, was sentenced on Tuesday following his conviction on charges of second-degree murder, shooting into a vehicle, and tampering with physical evidence.
The charges stem from an incident on November 16, 2024, when deputies responded to a shots-fired call at a Raceway gas station on Pensacola Boulevard. Upon arrival, they discovered Darnell Robertson had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the back after allegedly stealing Moultrie’s backpack. The shooting had occurred in a nearby residential neighborhood
District Pledges Prosecution After Ransom Middle School ‘Bot’ Threat
September 23, 2026
Escambia County Public Schools officials emphasized Tuesday that disruptive hoaxes will not be tolerated and that the district intends to push for full criminal prosecution following a bomb threat that delayed the start of the day at Ransom Middle School on Tuesday.
The incident began Tuesday morning when a threat targeting the campus was submitted through a tip line. In response, school administrators rerouted incoming buses and students to nearby Kingsfield Elementary School while the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deployed K-9 units to conduct a comprehensive sweep of the West Kingsfield Road campus.
Deputies gave an all-clear by 10:15 a.m., allowing students to return to campus approximately an hour past their standard start time after investigators deemed the incident non-credible.
District officials made it clear they will actively pursue anyone responsible.
“This morning, Escambia County Public Schools received a threat against Ransom Middle School. Out of an abundance of caution, we contacted law enforcement and efforts to secure the campus were undertaken,” said Cody Strother, communications coordinator for Escambia County Public Schools. “Ransom’s campus was subsequently secured and law enforcement commenced a thorough investigation. As the campus was secured, the threat was deemed non-credible and classes were resumed. Because the safety of our students and employees is our top priority, we will continue working closely with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to bring the perpetrator of this crime to justice.”
Investigators believe the incident may be tied to a broader pattern of automated harassment. According to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Morgan Lewis, another Florida school received a nearly identical “bot” threat earlier Tuesday morning.
Bot threats are often automated messages generated by computer software or scripted online accounts designed to blast out fake emergency warnings, swatting calls, or bomb scares across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously. While these computer-generated hoaxes rarely indicate physical danger on site, law enforcement and school officials must treat every incident as an active emergency until cleared—causing widespread disruption for families, pulling first responders away from actual emergencies, and tying up critical emergency resources.
Under Florida law, making a false report concerning a bomb or explosive weapon on school property is a felony offense. District leadership and sheriff’s investigators are continuing their joint investigation to trace the digital origin of the message and hold those involved accountable.
Tate High Inducts New National Honor Society Members
September 23, 2026
Three dozen new members were inducted this week into the National Honor Society at Tate High School.
Membership is based on the organization’s four pillars: scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
- Laura Ave
- Emma Bellinger
- Avery Davis
- Brayden Luciano
- Trent Madden
- Ridge Minnick
- Landyn Prescott
- Peyton Sapp
- Ella Sherbrook
- Katy Stefanko
- Bryson Taylor
- Brooke Ward
- Emma White
- Camilla Carstens
- Olivia Cruise
- Sophia Della Ratta
- Brooke Durham
- Ella Frank
- Walker Freeman
- Emalyn Maxwell
- Aubrey Moodie
- Christopher Pennewell
- Emma Rathbun
- Presley Spikes
- Alena White
- Brittney Abney
- Noah Anderson
- Grace Best
- Zaria Cannon
- Olivia Collette
- Hannah Doodeman
- Akaela Marshall
- Kiley Menser
- Raelyn Phelps
- Addyson Smallwood
- Ali Wynne
Officers are:
- President: Brayley Cayton
- Vice President: Estella Perea
- Secretary: Torrie Garrett
- Treasurer: London DeLancey
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sunny Skies and Pleasant Lows Ahead for the Area
September 23, 2026
Tuesday evening’s sunset sky put on the quite the show in North Escambia, with dramatic blazing colors over Tate High School’s sports fields (above) to a colorful sunset over a Molino field (below) and a rainbow visible pointing the way on Highway 29 in Cantonment (bottom).
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 91. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Calm wind.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Calm wind.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New Laws, Final $1 Minimum Wage Hike Arrive October 1
September 23, 2026
Among the new laws taking effect October 1 are changes in how police identify criminal gang members, a new penalty for those who involve minors in animal fighting, and a clarification on license plate frame rules.
The final $1 increase in the state’s voter-approved minimum wage will also take effect Sept. 30, pushing it up to $15 per hour. It’s part of the 2020 constitutional amendment spearheaded by prominent Orlando lawyer John Morgan.
Under the amendment, the minimum wage went to $10 an hour on Sept. 30, 2021, and grew by $1 on Sept. 30 of each subsequent year. Any future increases will be based on inflation.
Tipped employees will also see their base wage increase from $10.98 to $11.98 per hour on Sept. 30.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, unchanged since July 2009. An employer of a tipped employee is required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages provided the tips equal the federal minimum wage.
The majority of legislation that successfully advanced out of the 2026 regular session and a series of special sessions became law July 1, the start of the current fiscal year, or upon the signature of Gov. Ron DeSantis. But some laws and provisions don’t take effect until October 1.
Among the changes in state law as of October 1:
TRANSPORTATION
— The pre-sales process begins for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to offer specialty license plates involving: Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC); Miami Northwestern Alumni Association; Outsider; St. Petersburg College; and First Responders Resiliency. (SB 246)
— Clarifying a 2025 law regarding frames placed around a license plate, the 2026 legislation allows frames if they don’t cover the primary features of the plate — essentially the letters, numbers and registration sticker. (SB 488)
FELONY REGISTRY
— A “career offender” registration is to be created similar to the sexual offender registry. The new law requires habitual violent felony offenders, violent career criminals, and three-time violent felony offenders to annually provide their address, phone number, employment, vehicles, professional licenses and immigration status to the local sheriff. Those individuals must also report changes of address, phone numbers and employment within 48 hours and have the marking “775.261,” signifying “career offender,” on their driver license or state identification card. (SB 1332)
LEWD BEHAVIOR
— Observing a child under 16 for sexual gratification, while intentionally exposing sexual organs in a lewd manner, regardless of the minor being aware of being observed, becomes a third-degree felony. (HB 1525)
ANIMAL CRUELTY
— Penalties are increased for animal cruelty, with a new third-degree felony offense for adults who involve minors in animal fighting, baiting or in sexual offenses. Children charged would have to undergo psychological evaluations and, if recommended, treatment. (HB 559)
COURT ORDERS
— Willfully violating a “no contact” court order carries new penalties, with law enforcement authorized to make a warrantless arrest when the officer has cause to believe the order was violated. (HB 397)
GANGS
— Makes it easier to categorize a person as a criminal gang member, from allowing a spouse to make the identification to accepting online admissions of gang membership and reducing the number of times a person must be seen in the company of gang members from four to two. The bill also defines the term “gang-related language” to mean any verbal or written statement that signals gang affiliation, supports gang activity, or uses recognized gang codes, symbols, or terminology associated with criminal organization. (HB 429)
DRUGS
— The manufacture, selling or even delivery of xylazine outside its allowed use as animal drug products for veterinary purposes becomes a first-degree felony. Also, selling or possessing nitrous oxide, unless for approved uses at grocery stores, becomes a third-degree felony. (HB 432)
written by The News Service of Florida