Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to strengthen to a hurricane and hit Florida in the Big Bend area on Wednesday away from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
To find resources to prepare for this storm, you can visit floridadisaster.org/planprepare.
Latest report from NOAA Hurricane Center
At 700 AM CDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Idalia was located near latitude 20.6 North, longitude 85.2 West. Idalia is moving toward the north near 8 mph (13 km/h).
A northward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a faster north-northeast motion on Tuesday and Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Idalia is forecast to pass near or over western Cuba tonight, over the extreme southeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Tuesday, and reach the Gulf coast of Florida on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Idalia is forecast to become a hurricane later today and a dangerous major hurricane over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Wednesday.
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At 400 AM CDT (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Idalia was located near latitude 20.1 North, longitude 85.2 West. Idalia is moving toward the north near 7 mph (11 km/h), with a continued northward motion bringing the center of Idalia near or over western Cuba tonight and over the extreme southeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Tuesday.
On the forecast track, Idalia is forecast to increase in forward speed and turn north-northeastward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and reach the Gulf coast of Florida on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Idalia is forecast to become a hurricane later today and a dangerous major hurricane over northeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Wednesday.
Kudos to Nate
The Society of Professional Journalists Florida Pro Chapter has announced the winners of the 2023 SPJ Sunshine State Awards, honoring the best of the best in Florida journalism.
Former News Journal reporter Nate Monroe won the best General Commentary award for his analysis and interpretation of Jacksonville and state politics for the Florida Times-Union.
- A year ago, news broke that Matrix, a political consulting firm working for Florida Power & Light, had Monroe followed while attending a wedding in Pensacola. He was reporting on FPL’s parent company, NextEra, submitted a bid to purchase JEA, formerly known as the Jacksonville Electric Authority.
Monroe’s latest commentary concerned the recent mass shooting in Jacksonville:
Not for the first time, in the wake of an awful act of violence, Jacksonville Sheriff Waters assured us this isn’t who we are: “There is no place for hate in our community. This is not Jacksonville,” he said.
And not for the first time, I’ve wondered: Isn’t it?
Take Stock in Children Announces 32 New Students Selected for Scholarship Program
What this matters: Fifteen new 7th graders, 12 new 8th graders and five new 10th grade students were added through a special Florida Power & Light donation.
- The Escambia County’s program now has 152 students. They will receive a college scholarship upon graduation from high school as long as they maintain good grades, attendance and citizenship, remain crime and drug free, and meet weekly with a volunteer community mentor.
Dig Deeper: Take Stock in Children is a statewide non-profit organization operating locally under the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation.
- Take Stock provides “scholarships, mentors & hope” to deserving young people selected through a need-based application process through the public middle schools at the end of their 6th or 7th grade year.
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- Scholarship donations from local foundations, organizations, businesses and individuals are matched dollar-for-dollar when scholarships are purchased from Florida Prepaid College Foundation each year and are held until students graduate from high school.
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The new students were selected from the following schools:
Bailey Middle – Braelynn Brown, Tyler Clark, Danielle Edwards, Victorya Fisher, Cameron Heath, Annelise Hungerford, Ava Long
Bellview Middle – Kylon O’Connor, Xiyah Payne
Beulah Middle – Isabella Le, Airel Miner
Brown Barge Middle – Carmyn Lucas, Carson Lucas
Escambia High — Eric Dennard, Isaiah Maldonado, Nayomi Miller, William Mitchell, Logan Turberville
Ferry Pass Middle – Gabrielle Heaton, Han Ngo
Ransom Middle – Nalani Coopr, Nathalia Cooper, Jacob Dorsey, Kaleb Hines, Alexis Schulze, Zaiden Smith, London White
Warrington Prep – Tirzah Holman, Anisa Rudolph
Workman Middle – Tailyn Bishop, Arianna Cunningham, Samantha Dreading