Photos: Blue Angels, Thunderbirds Perform Super Delta Over Pensacola Beach
April 14, 2026
The hometown United States Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds performed a rare super delta formation over Pensacola Beach on Tuesday.
With NAS Pensacola closed to the public to see practices, the flyover provided a special view for beachgoers.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Perry Doggrell, click to enlarge.
Alleged Battery Of Escambia County Jail Inmate Leads To Arrest Of Two Corrections Officers
April 14, 2026
Two Escambia County corrections officers have been arrested following an investigation into the battery of an inmate that occurred at the Escambia County Jail.
Sharif Dawud Hale, age 42 of Cantonment was arrested on charges of felony battery with great bodily harm and tampering with physical evidence. Larry Ken Martin, age 32 of Flomaton, was charged with providing false information to law enforcement regarding a felony.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation after an inmate was found on March 15, 2026, with a severe hand laceration requiring surgery and a rod insertion, a cracked rear molar, and head injuries. According to the reports, investigators determined the injuries occurred during an overnight shift between 03:53 a.m. and 03:55 a.m. after two officers entered the inmate’s cell for an unsanctioned encounter.
According to internal records and witness statements detailed in the reports, the officers failed to notify supervisors before entering the cell, which is required protocol during “lights out” hours. One witness told investigators she heard an officer state he “had to teach [the inmate] a lesson” because the inmate was “talking smack”.
Investigators said the inmate alleged that Hale “stomped” on him while he was on his bunk and intentionally twisted his finger. According to the reports, investigators observed security footage showing the Hale and Martin re-entering the cell approximately 10 minutes later. Investigators stated it appeared this second entry was an attempt to remove physical evidence, specifically beads that had broken off a bracelet during the struggle and a fragment of the inmate’s tooth.
While investigators noted that Martin appeared to attempt to calm Hale down after the initial encounter, the reports state he maintained a false account of the events during multiple interviews. According to the reports, Martin claimed the inmate was already bleeding and suggested the injuries were self-inflicted by “hitting the walls” or using a metal table, a theory investigators said was inconsistent with medical evidence and intake records.
Both men were booked into the Escambia County Jail and each released within minutes on bond — $50,000 for Hale, and Martin on a $5,000 bond.
According to the arrest reports, medical staff at the Escambia County Jail concluded that the victim needed further care and he was ultimately transported to Baptist Hospital. Hospital records indicated that he was admitted and required surgery for his injuries, which included the surgical implantation of a rod and pins in his hand, the reports state.
According to jail records, the inmate victim, a 35-year-old Pensacola man, remains in jail without bond on an unrelated charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a probation violation.
Mugshot for Hale and Martin were not released.Under Florida’s public records laws, the identities and photographs of correctional officers are often protected from disclosure.
Pictured: A cell in the Escambia County Jail. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
‘Agriculture Security Is National Security’ — Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins Meets With Local Farmers
April 14, 2026
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins met with farmers from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties on Monday in Jay.
“Having grown up on a family farm, touring Diamond Farm in Santa Rosa County today and spending time with those on the front lines of Florida agriculture was personal for me,” Collins said. “We had critical conversations about the current state of the ag industry, the challenges producers are facing, and the opportunities ahead.”
Collins visited several farms in the Jay area to discuss the challenges that farmers are facing from the economy and climate.
“Supporting our farmers isn’t optional; it’s essential to keeping Florida and America strong,” Collins said. “Agriculture security is national security.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Easter ‘Fields Of Faith’ Is Wednesday Evening At Northview
April 14, 2026
Community members are invited to gather for an evening of worship and celebration as “Fields of Faith” comes to the Northview High School’ Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium stadium on Wednesday.
The event, hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), will run from 6 to 8 pm and features a special message from Walnut Hill Baptist Church Pastor Ted Bridges. Attendees will also enjoy live music performed by a band from Walnut Hill Baptist.
Organizers are encouraging children to bring their Easter baskets to join in festivities following the service. The event is free and open to all members of the public.
Pictured: The 2025 Fields of Faith at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Reminder: District 5 Cottage Hill Neighborhood Cleanup Is Wednesday
April 14, 2026
A neighborhood cleanup for residents in Cottage Hill will take place Wednesday, April 15. This is a chance for residents to dispose of items such as old furniture, appliances and household waste free of charge.
Yard debris is eligible for removal during this cleanup.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area can participate in the neighborhood cleanup. All items for pickup should at the curb by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup.
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
During neighborhood cleanups, crew members and volunteers visit different neighborhoods in the county to remove a variety of debris and waste free of charge.
Contact the Escambia County Community Redevelopment Agency at (850) 595-3217 or cra@myescambia.com for questions about the cleanup.
District Baseball Playoffs Begin Tonight
April 14, 2026
High school baseball district tournaments are underway this week, with both Northview and Tate in action.
6A District 1
Location: Pace High School
In the semifinals on Tuesday, No. 2 Tate will play No. 3 Crestview at 4 p.m., and No. 1 Pace will take on No 4 Navarre at 7 p.m**.**
The district championship game will be played on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m.
Rural District 1
Location: Central School
No. 1 Northview has a bye on Tuesday, as does No. 2 Jay.
In Tuesday’s quarterfinals, No. 4 Baker will play No. 5 Paxton, and No. 3 Central will play No. 6 Laurel Hill.
On Thursday, Northview will face either Baker or Paxton, and Jay will face either Central or Laurel Hill in the semifinals. Thursday’s game times are to be determined after Tuesday’s play.
Pictured: In early March, the Tate Aggies walked off with a home run over Crestview. The two teams meet again Tuesday night in the district semifinals at Pace. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flag Football: Gulf Breeze Defeats Northview Chiefs (With Gallery)
April 14, 2026
The Gulf Breeze Dolphins defeated the Northview Chiefs 19-0 on Monday evening in Bratt.
Northview, now 4-5, will travel to Pensacola on Tuesday for the final game of the season against the Escambia Gators.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Piece Together 4-2 Biloxi Win, Start Six-Game Home Series Tuesday
April 14, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were off on Monday ahead of a six-game series against the Knoxville Smokies, Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, that beings on Tuesday.
The Wahoos salvaged the finale of their weeklong road series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Sunday afternoon, using six different pitchers in a 4-2 victory.
After starting pitcher Will Schomberg departed in the third with an apparent injury, Kade Bragg (W, 1-0) entered in relief and twirled 3.0 hitless innings. Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, Logan Whitaker, Luis Palacios and Samuel Vásquez (S, 2) finished off an impressive effort for the Pensacola pitching staff.
The Blue Wahoos scored their first first-inning run of the season, turning a leadoff single from Ian Lewis Jr. into a 1-0 lead with a Dillon Lewis RBI single. That lead would be short-lived, as Schomberg hit two batters and walked one before a Mike Boeve RBI fielder’s choice tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning.
Shuckers starter Jaron DeBerry (L, 1-1) surrendered a leadoff walk to Emaarion Boyd in the fifth inning, and committed a balk allowing the speedy center fielder to reach second base. A single from Lewis Jr. advanced Boyd to third before a Cristian Hernández double play grounder brought him home for a 2-1 Pensacola advantage.
In the sixth, Gage Miller floated a two-out, two-run single to center field to give the Blue Wahoos a 4-1 lead.
The Shuckers chipped away in the seventh, as Jesús Made singled home Kay-Lan Nicasia to bring the score to 4-2, but made three baserunning blunders to run themselves out of a bigger inning. Dasan Brown was caught stealing third base for the first out, Dylan O’Rae was picked off and caught stealing third base for the second out, and Made was thrown out at home trying to score from second on a throwing error from Hernández at shortstop.
After escaping trouble in the seventh, Palacios returned for a 1-2-3 eighth and Vásquez worked around a one-out single to work a scoreless ninth for a 4-2 final.
No Relief: North Escambia Area Gripped by Severe Drought
April 13, 2026
The entire North Escambia area remains in severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and there is no relief in sight.
A portion of nearby central and eastern Escambia County in Alabama is in an extreme drought.
Currently, there is no chance of rain in the seven-day forecast.
MILO, The Mobile ID And Licensing Office, Is In Walnut Hill And Century This Week
April 13, 2026
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO) will be in Walnut Hill and Century this week.
MILO will be at the Walnut Hill Community Center (Ruritan Building) on Tuesday, April 14, from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m, and the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century or Thursday, April 16 from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
MILO offers a convenient way for residents to access essential tax collector services, including:
- Driver License Services: Renewals, replacements, out-of-state license conversions/reciprocations, and address/name changes.
- Identification Cards: First-time issuance and renewals.
- Vehicle Services: Registration renewals and replacements, title transfers, and parking placards.
- Tax Payments: Property tax payments.
- Business Tax Receipts: Applications and renewals.
- Certified Driver Transcripts
Written and driving tests are not available at the MILO unit.
This initiative aims to bring services to areas of Escambia County that may have limited access to traditional tax collector offices, particularly during disaster recovery or for residents in assisted living facilities, community centers, and correctional facilities.
Florida drivers may renew their vehicle registrations for a period of one or two years and may renew up to three months in advance of the registration expiration. Vehicle registrations expire at midnight on the first owner’s birth date unless the owner is a business.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.