Molino Tax Collector Office Wins Statewide Donate Life Photo Contest Award
June 8, 2026
The Escambia County Tax Collector Molino office won the Donate Life Florida Small Offices public vote photo contest.
Driver’s license offices across Florida participated in the National Donate Life Month campaign, “Leave a Legacy.” As part of this campaign, offices brought the theme to life by creating meaningful displays, many featuring trees and leaves, to symbolize how one donor can create a lasting impact.
The statewide contest was an effort to increase awareness for Donate Life while also fundraising for organ and tissue donation education.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
We Are A Week Into Hurricane Season: Here Are The Predictions And Storm Names
June 8, 2026
Monday marks the start to the second week of hurricane season, and forecasters are predicting a below normal number of storms in 2026.
NOAA’s outlook for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30, predicts a 35% chance of a near-normal season, a 10% chance of an above-normal season, and a 55% chance of a below-normal season.
The agency is forecasting a total of 8-14 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 3-6 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1-3 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA has a 70% confidence in these ranges. An average season has 14 named storms with seven hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.
The famed Colorado State University forecast is for 13 named storms (tropical storms and hurricanes), of which they anticipate six to become hurricanes and two to become major (Category 3, 4, or 5) hurricanes. These numbers are below the long-term seasonal average of 14, seven and three, respectively.
The Atlantic season is expected to be below-normal due to competing factors. El Niño is expected to develop and intensify during the hurricane season, while ocean temperatures in the Atlantic are expected to be slightly warmer than normal and trade winds are likely weaker than average. El Niño conditions tend to support less tropical storms and hurricanes, while warmer ocean temperatures and low winds support a more active year.
“Although El Niño’s impact in the Atlantic Basin can often suppress hurricane development, there is still uncertainty in how each season will unfold,” said NOAA’s National Weather Service Director Ken Graham. “That is why it’s essential to review your hurricane preparedness plan now. It only takes one storm to make for a very bad season.”
Here are the names for the 2026 hurricane season:
Pictured below: Visible satellite image of Hurricane Ida approaching land in the Gulf of Mexico at 4:10 a.m. on August 29, 2021.
Hydroplaning Semi-Truck Crashes Into Median, Blocking I-10 Westbound
June 8, 2026
A jackknifed semi truck and trailer completely shut down I-10 in Escambia County on Sunday morning.
It happened around 7 a.m. on I-10 westbound near the West Nine Mile Road exit. The Florida Highway Patrol said the semi, driven by a 31-year-old Houston man, hydroplaned and ran off the roadway, striking the concreate median barricade.
The truck and trailer blocked both westbound lanes of the interstate. Authorities diverted all westbound traffic off the interstate onto West Nine Mile Road.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Championships And All-Stars Wins Highlight Century Youth Ball Weekend
June 8, 2026
The Century Baseball Association brought home several tournament wins over the weekend.
In baseball action, the 8U and 10U teams competed in the USSSA Region 11 All-Star tournament. Severe weather disrupted play, ultimately preventing the teams from finishing their championship games or taking post-game photographs. Tournament officials determined the final standings based on tournament seeding.
Because both Century teams held the number one seed when play was halted, the Burkett 8U squad was named the Gold Bracket Champions, and the Smith/Little 10U squad earned the Silver Bracket Championship. Both teams have advanced to the state tournament in Oxford, Alabama.
The association’s softball divisions also completed their All-Star tournament runs over the weekend.
The 8U softball team finished in third place. A highlight of their tournament included an over-the-fence, walk-off grand slam hit by Kenzie Burkett to secure a victory.
The 10U softball team earned a second-place finish, while the 16U baseball team placed third in the competitive “A” bracket.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
AAA: Florida Gas Prices Decline For The Second Week
June 8, 2026
Florida gas prices declined for the second consecutive week, giving drivers continued relief after a sharp run-up earlier this spring, according to AAA. The state average has declined 72 cents per gallon over the past 18 days.
Sunday’s state average of $3.80 per gallon was 27 cents less than a week ago, 72 cents less than a month ago, and 69 cents more than this time last year.
Once again, the Pensacola area had the lowest per gallon of any metro area in the state at $3.61 with a low of $3.19 available at a Nine Mile Road warehouse club. Sunday, a low of $3.42 was available in North Escambia at one station on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
The recent drop in gas prices follows a sharp decline in oil prices over the past few weeks. Crude prices fell roughly 18% over a two-week period before rising about 4% last week, reflecting continued volatility in the global energy market. Despite the recent downward trend, oil prices remain sensitive to global developments, and short-term increases remain possible. If overnight reports of missile strikes between Israel and Iran contribute to higher oil prices, gas prices could rise as a result.
Blue Wahoos Fall 10-1 To Chattanooga In Series Finale
June 8, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell to the Chattanooga Lookouts by a final score of 10-1 on Sunday afternoon.
A hot start by the Lookouts (31-26) in the first inning backed by dominant pitching from starter Jose Acuna (W, 4-4) left the home side unable to catch up. Tying his season high in innings pitched, Acuna delivered 7.0 stunning frames that saw three hits and one earned run allowed while fanning six Pensacola bats.
Though the Blue Wahoos (28-29) got one back in the fifth inning, seven unanswered runs spelled disaster in the series finale. Starter Luis Moreno (L, 1-3) suffered his third loss, allowing four earned runs to cross on four hits yet setting a season high in strikeouts, collecting eight.
Chattanooga evens the series with Pensacola at 6-6 on the season after the Blue Wahoos took the first series 4-2 at Erlander Park earlier this year. The Lookouts sit atop the North division of the Southern League, while the Blue Wahoos come in at third in the South division. They are 0.5 games back of Biloxi, and 2.5 games back of first place Montgomery.
The Lookouts jumped ahead early after a strong three-run first inning. Back-to-back sacrifice flies into deep left from Cade Hunter and Ruben Ibarra scored Carlos Jorge and Jay Allen II respectively, and a solo homer over right field from Cam Collier punctuated the 3-0 start for Chattanooga.
Pensacola got a run back in the bottom of the fifth as Connor Caskenette took home on a groundout by Cam Cannarella. The Lookouts answered immediately in the top of the sixth with a Julio Carreras sacrifice fly to score Ibarra, followed by a double from Pablo Aliendo to plate Collier and extend the lead to 5-1.
A five-run ninth inning for the Lookouts would shut down any hope for a late-game comeback, exacerbated by three hit batters and two errors in the field.
After an off day Monday, the Blue Wahoos begin a six-game road series against the Columbus Clingstones, Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, on Tuesday night.
Even With Over A Foot Of Rain Last Month, We’re Still In A Drought
June 7, 2026
We are slowly getting there.
Despite well over a foot of rain across much of the area last month, most of Escambia County remains in a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. But that’s an improvement over the severe drought that was impacting much of Escambia County a month ago.
A small area of Escambia County in Florida is now officially out of the drought. The extreme northwestern part of the county, including Nokomis and Davisville, is classified officially as just being as just being abnormally dry.
The drought monitor does not measure recent rainfall; it tracks how deeply an area’s total water system has recovered from long-term deficits.
The next report will be issued on Thursday.
ECSO: Hallucinating Man Fired Shots Inside His Beulah Apartment, Bullets Pierced Adjacent Unit
June 7, 2026
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said a 25-year-old man was hallucinating when he fired multiple shots inside his apartment on Saturday morning.
ECSO responded to reports of shots fired at Ascend at Pathstone Apartments on Riverstone Drive off West Nine Mile Road in Beulah
Demarian Markial Dawayne Kendrick, 25, fired his gun several times, with bullets traveling into an adjacent apartment. There was no one inside the neighboring apartment at the time, and no injuries reported.
Kendrick was charged with felony firing a deadly missile into a building, felony firing a weapon on residential property and misdemeanor criminal mischief with property damage greater than $1,000. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Want To Be A Firefighter? ECFR Physical Abilities Test Is June 15
June 7, 2026
Escambia County Fire Rescue will hold a physical abilities test Monday, June 15 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, June 16.
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.
Here Are This Week’s Road Constructions Spots To Watch
June 7, 2026
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- Interstate 10 (I-10) Resurfacing from east of U.S. 29 to east of Davis Highway (State Road (S.R.) 291) – Drivers on I-10 may encounter intermittent lane closures, traffic shifts and periodic ramp closures, between mile markers 11 and 14, Sunday, June 7 through Thursday, June 11, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for paving operations and roadway construction.
- S.R. 295 Resurfacing from S.R. 292 (Barrancas Avenue) to S.R. 727 (West Fairfield Drive) – The week of Monday, June 8, drivers will encounter a new configuration at the S.R. 295 at Martha Avenue intersection. The existing median crossover will be replaced with a directional median that only permits S.R. 295 northbound left turn movements to access Martha Avenue westbound. No other left turn movements will be permitted at this intersection. During median construction, drivers will be detoured via New Warrington Road, Lillian Highway, and N. 46th Avenue. Signage will be in place to guide drivers through the work zone.
- S.R. 292 (Gulf Beach Highway) from east of Bauer Road (County Road 293) to Manchester Street – The week of Sunday, June 7, drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on S.R. 292, from east of Bauer Road to Manchester Street, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., for construction activities. Additionally, a new traffic configuration has been implemented on S.R. 292 between Mills Avenue and just east of Patton Drive, with travel lanes shifted to the outside of the roadway to provide space to construct a median traffic separator. Channelizing devices are in place to delineate the work zone. The speed limit has been reduced to 35 mph through the work zone.
- Business U.S. 98 (Garden Street) Construction from Pace Boulevard to the Interstate 110 (I- 110) ramp – The week of Sunday, June 7, drivers may encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- Garden Street, between Pace Boulevard and N. Donelson Street, is reduced to two travel lanes (one in each direction) as crews perform construction activities on the north side of the street. This temporary traffic configuration will be in place through late 2026.
- Temporary side street closures north of Garden Street for stormwater drainage system reconstruction. This week, drivers may encounter a closure with detour at I Street and J Street. Signage will be in place to direct drivers through the work zone.
- On-street parking is closed on Garden Street, between B Street and L Street.
- I-110 Resurfacing from I-10 to U.S. 98 – Drivers on I-110 may encounter intermittent lane closures, traffic shifts and periodic ramp closures, between I-10 and U.S. 98, Sunday, June 7 through Thursday, June 11, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., for paving operations and roadway construction.
- I-10 at Nine Mile Road Interchange (Exit 5) Construction – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- Intermittent lane closures on I-10 westbound near the Nine Mile Road interchange, Sunday, June 7 through Thursday, June 11, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction between the I-10 ramps, Sunday, June 7 through Saturday, June 13, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Law enforcement will be on site, and directional signage will be in place to guide drivers through the work zone.
- Temporary reconfiguration of the I-10 westbound ramps, which will remain in place through mid-2026.
- I-10 at U.S. 29 Interchange (Exit 10) Construction – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- I-10 westbound traffic will be reduced to one travel lane and shifted south near mile marker 10, Sunday, June 7 through Thursday, June 11, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., for construction activities.
- Intermittent lane closures will occur on North Palafox Street between Whitehead Drive and Hope Drive for construction at the North Palafox Street overpass. Flaggers will be present to direct traffic through the work zone.
- I-10 is reduced to two travel lanes in each direction between U.S. 29 and I-110.
- I-10 travel lanes are shifted away from the median area of the roadway, near the U.S. 29 interchange.
- The U.S. 29 southbound access to the I-10 eastbound on-ramp has been reduced.
- The U.S. 29 northbound ramp to I-10 eastbound is closed. U.S. 29 northbound drivers are being detoured to make a U-turn at Broad Street onto U.S. 29 southbound to access I-10 eastbound.
- S.R. 97 (Atmore Highway) Resurfacing from U.S. 29 to the Alabama State Line – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Intermittent lane and shoulder closures are to be expected throughout the project limits on Monday, June 8 through Friday, June 12, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for median improvements.
- Lane closures are to be expected at S.R. 95 and S.R. 97 on Monday, June 8 through Friday, June 12, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for median improvements.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Median and turn lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Lake Drive.
- Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between Bayshore Road and Tiger Lake Drive, Sunday, June 7 through Saturday, June 13, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for paving operations.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Pictured: Improvements near the I-10 at Pine Forest Road interchange (Exit 7). Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.