Baker Fire Chief Charged With Murder Of Escambia Businessman, Found Three Days After He Was Shot
June 6, 2022
The Baker Fire District chief has been charged with the murder of a 63-year old business owner in Escambia County. The victim’s body was discovered on Sunday, but law enforcement said had been deceased for about three days.
Brian Keith Easterling, age 52 of Baker, was arrested Monday morning in Holt without incident for premeditated murder.
Sunday, Pensacola Police received a call to check on the welfare of the victim at his home because he had not been seen in several days. Officers entered the home and found blood on the floor, but the victim was not inside. They responded to his shop in the 3900 block of Creighton Road.
Inside the shop, an officer tripped over an item under a car cover, exposing the victim’s right elbow. Officers said the victim was face down on the floor, obviously deceased with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. His 2011 Chevrolet 2500 was not at either location.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, surveillance video from 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, June 2 showed a man later identified as Easterling arrive at the shop with the victim. The victim entered the building and Easterling is seen standing outside the door looking around nervously.
“Easterling actually turns a complete circle looking all around, before entering the building. Within minutes of entering the building, Easterling walks up behind (the victim),” the report states. The victim “then falls immediately to the ground. Easterling can be seen on video getting a car cover and covering (the victim).”
The victim allegedly owed Easterling money, according to the ECSO.
Easterling was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail and transferred to the Escambia County Jail Monday afternoon where he was being held without bond.
Easterling was formally suspended from his position Monday afternoon by the Baker Fire Disrict.
.
DeSantis Vetoes $2 Million For Elevated Pedestrian Bridge Over Nine Mile At Beulah Middle School
June 6, 2022
Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed $2 million in state funding from the state budget for a pedestrian bridge over Nine Mile Road at Beulah Middle School.
Local leaders announced last August their plan to work together to seek funding for the walkway, which has a preliminary cost estimate of $3 million. Rep. Michelle Salzman, Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh and Escambia County School Board Member Kevin Adams pledged to seek funding for the project.
Bergosh previously said the elevated walkway will not only be a safety improvement for the school, but also the surrounding community. Along with expanded sidewalk construction on the north and south side of Nine Mile Road near the school, the project would have allowed for increased pedestrian access and connectivity in the growing community.
The District 1 commissioner said last year that he would commit up to $500,000 in D1 Local Option Sales Tax funding over the next few years for sidewalk construction that will be complimented by the walkway.
There are nearly 1,000 students at Beulah Middle School. Currently, a bus transports students to and from the middle school. State statutes specify that two miles within a school is the walk radius. If no “safe path” exists, then busing is required.
The bridge was a proposed 180-foot span with American Disability Act (ADA) accommodations on both sides of the street. The bridge would have been completed in coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation and considered future widening needed for the Nine-Mile Road corridor.
Cantonment Man Fell Out Of A Window With Cocaine During Search Warrant, ECSO Says
June 6, 2022
A Cantonment man fell out of the window of a home with cocaine as a search warrant was being executed, according to an arrest report.
Jeremy Charles Grandison, 42, was charged with possession of cocaine and obstruction without violence.
Grandison fled the residence as law enforcement announced their presence. A deputy watching the perimeter observed Grandison exit through a window and fall to the ground, the report states. He ignored commands to stop and fled on foot.
He was captured nearby with 8.5 grams of cocaine on his person, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Grandison was released from the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $7,500.
Florida Power & Light Offering In-Person Assistance Tuesday In Century
June 6, 2022
Florida Power & Light will offer in-person assistance to customers in Century on Tuesday.
FP&L customer care reps and energy experts will analyze personal energy usage patterns and will provide customers with saving tips.
As temperatures rise with summer, air conditioner usage will increase resulting in higher bills, according to FPL.
“We understand that customers are looking for ways to lower their bill as we get into the hot summer weather,” said Richard Howard, a Northwest Florida energy expert for FPL. “There are simple changes that you can make in and around your home that can add up to savings on your bill.”
The FPL Community Action Team mobile unit will be at the Century Town Hall on Tuesday from 9 a.m. until noon.
The complete schedule for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties is as follows:
Escambia County – June 6
- 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. — Brownsville Community Center – 3200 W. De Soto St., Pensacola
- 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. — Bayview Community Center – 2001 East Lloyd St., Pensacola
Escambia County – June 7
- 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Century Town Hall – 7995 North Century Blvd., Century
Santa Rosa County – June 7
- 2 p.m – 5 p.m. — Santa Rosa County Administrative Complex – 6495 Caroline St., Milton
Florida Gas Prices Hit A New Record High; AAA Says $5 Gas Becoming More Likely
June 6, 2022
Florida gas prices are creeping closer to $5 a gallon. The state average jumped 18 cents last week, reaching a new all-time high of $4.76 per gallon on Sunday.
Escambia County is faring a little better with an average of $4.57 per gallon, the lowest metro average in the state.
The lowest price Sunday night in North Escambia was $4.49 per gallon at two stations on Highway 29 in Cantonment. A low of $4.45 could be found in Pensacola on Nine Mile Road and at the warehouse clubs.
Florida gas prices are now 66% more expensive than a year ago. It now costs $71 to fill an average size 15-gallon tank of gas. That’s nearly $29 more than what drivers paid a year ago.
“Unfortunately, the pain at the pump is likely to get even worse this week,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Gasoline made very strong gains in the futures market last week. When that happens, we normally see retail prices rise. It can take days or a week for pump prices to reflect the change, but It wouldn’t be a surprise to see retailers raise their prices another 20 cents by Monday night. At this rate, it sure seems like there’s very little resistance to rising prices at the pump, and $5 a gallon is quickly becoming a very real possibility this summer.”
Crude oil prices rose 3% last week on the futures market. Friday’s settlement of $118.87 per barrel was $3.80/b more than the week before. Gasoline future prices increased 24 cents per gallon from the week before, reaching a new all-time record high. Although OPEC+ announced plans to raise oil production by 648,000 barrels per day.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Week Begins Mostly Sunny, But With A Chance Of Scattered Afternoon Rain
June 6, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 90. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96. West wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 94.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
Wahoos Win With Another Wild Walk-Off
June 6, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos walked off the Biloxi Shuckers for the third night in a row on Sunday, winning 7-6 thanks to four consecutive hit batsmen to end the game.
Trailing 6-4 going to the bottom of the ninth, the Blue Wahoos needed to put only one ball in play against Harold Chirino (L, 1-1) as Troy Johnston reached on an error, Griffin Conine drew a walk, and Luis Aviles Jr., Ray-Patrick Didder, Cobie Fletcher-Vance and Bubba Hollins were each plunked.
The Blue Wahoos took five of six from the Shuckers, four in walk-off fashion, and now lead the South Division by 3.5 games with 18 to play in the first half.
Pensacola starter Cody Mincey allowed a pair of two-run homers to Sal Frelick and Felix Valerio to put the Blue Wahoos in an early hole. J.D. Orr was an early offensive bright spot, walking and scoring from second on a wild pitch in the third and singling and scoring on an error in the fifth.
Trailing 6-2 in the seventh, Aviles Jr. brought home a run with a two-out RBI single, Pensacola’s only run-scoring hit of the game. Orr drove in another run in the eighth with an RBI groundout, and Dylan Bice (W, 1-0) worked a quiet ninth to keep the game 6-4.
Chirino threw 21 pitches, only nine for strikes, and hit the final four batters of the ballgame to send the Blue Wahoos to their third walk-off win in a row.
After an off day on Monday, the Blue Wahoos embark on a six-game road trip to Birmingham on Tuesday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Kenneth Robert “Bob” Gay Jr.
June 6, 2022
Kenneth Robert “Bob” Gay Jr. Of Pensacola, passed away on Wednesday June 1, 2022. He was born to Kenneth Robert Gay Sr. And Madeline Menard Gay on June 4, 1953. He is survived by one daughter, Leah Hilliard (Johnathon). Three Grandchildren, Branden Allen (Justice), Brennan and Kaelynn Hilliard. Three Siblings, Kathy Cox, Mike Gay (Joan), and Laura Nickerson. Three Nephews and one niece, Rob Cox (Elizabeth), Chris Gay (Michelle), Carrie Cox, and Josh Gay (Alexa). Also, several great nephews and great nieces.
He was an avid Florida Gator fan. He liked to spend most Saturday evenings during baseball season watching the Blue Wahoos and the fireworks that followed. He loved to be in the company of his 3 grandchildren. He was the kind of person that never met a stranger. If you spent any time in Car City you will find that there probably isn’t a person that didn’t know Bob. He enjoyed working at the Tom Thumb because he was a people person. He didn’t view it as a job because he was able to chat with all the customers of the store.
Funeral services will be at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 303 S. Navy Blvd. Pensacola, Fl. 32507, with a visitation from 1pm-2pm, and a Mass from 2pm-3pm. Burial will be at St.John’s Cemetery on Old Corry Field Rd.
Owner Finds, Pursues Her Stolen Truck; Cantonment Man Facing Charges
June 5, 2022
The owner of a stolen truck located it in Cantonment and gave pursuit, landing the suspect in jail after deputies arrived.
Charles Burland Kettering, Jr., was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
Kettering, 44, allegedly stole a 1988 Chevrolet truck from a residence on Nine Mile Road. The owner of the truck later called the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and said she was pursuing her stolen truck on Kingsfield Road, approaching Highway 29. Deputies arrived to see the truck traveling through the intersection at a high rate of speed. Deputies conducted a felony traffic stop on the truck at Kingsfield Road and Squire Road.
“That’s meth,” Kettering told deputies as they found a crystal-like substance in his left pants pocket, according to an arrest report. The substance field tested positive for methamphetamine.
Kettering told deputies that he did not know the vehicle was stolen, he had received it from a friend known only as “Fat” near a church on Kingsfield Road.
Kettering also had outstanding warrants for credit card fraud and dealing in stolen property. He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $60,500.
Hurricane, Disaster Prep Sales Tax Holiday Continues This Week
June 5, 2022
Florida’s 14-day Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday continues through Friday, offering a savings on hurricane supplies.
This year, household pet supplies such as pet food, leashes, collars, beds and portable kennels are also included in the list of items eligible to be purchased tax-free (see the bottom of the list below).
Floridians are expected to save $25.6 million on the purchase of tax-free items such as flashlights, radios, tarps, batteries and fire extinguishers. This is more than double compared to the $10.5 million Floridians saved during the 2021 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday.
The sales tax holiday continues through June 10.
Here is the list of included items:
Selling for $20 or less:
- Reusable ice (ice packs)
Selling for $40 or less:
- Any portable self-powered light source* (powered by battery, solar, hand-crank or gas):
- Flashlights
- Lanterns
- Candles
Selling for $50 or less:
- Any gas or diesel fuel container, including LP gas and kerosene containers
- Batteries, including rechargeable batteries, listed sizes only (excluding automobile and boat batteries):
- AA-cell and AAA-cell
- C-cell
- D-cell
- 6-volt
- 9-volt
- Two-way and weather band radios* (powered by battery, solar, or hand-crank)
* Eligible light sources and radios qualify for the exemption even if electrical cords are included in the purchase.
Selling for $60 or less:
- Nonelectric food storage coolers
- Portable power banks
NEW THIS YEAR: Selling for $70 or less:
- Smoke detectors and smoke alarms
- Fire extinguishers
- Carbon monoxide detectors
Selling for $100 or less:
- Tarpaulins (tarps) or other flexible waterproof sheeting
- Ground anchor systems
- Tie-down kits
- Bungee cords
- Ratchet straps
Selling for $1,000 or less:
Portable generators used to provide light or communications, or to preserve food in the event of a power outage
NEW THIS YEAR: Supplies necessary for the evacuation of household pets, including:
- Cans or pouches of wet pet food selling for $2 or less per can or pouch or the equivalent if
- sold in a box or case
- Collapsible or travel-sized food or water bowls selling for $15 or less per item
- Manual can openers selling for $15 or less per item
- Cat litter pans selling for $15 or less
- Pet waste disposal bags selling for $15 or less per package
- Hamster or rabbit substrate selling for $15 or less per package
- Leashes, collars, and muzzles selling for $20 or less
- Pet pads selling for $20 or less per box or package
- Cat litter weighing 25 or fewer pounds and selling for $25 or less
- Bags of dry pet food weighing 15 or fewer pounds and selling for $30 or less
- Pet beds selling for $40 or less
- Portable kennels or pet carriers selling for $100 or less