Cantonment Man Accused Of Multiple Vehicle And Vending Machine Burglaries
April 6, 2022
A Cantonment man has now been charged with breaking into several coin operated vending machines throughout Escambia County October 2021 and March 2022.
Christopher Brian Gentry, 51, was charged with six counts of maliciously damaging a coin-operated machine, four counts of burglary of a business, eight counts of criminal mischief, and six counts of petit theft.
On October 15, 2021, Gentry allegedly damaged three soft drink vending machines outside of the Grocery Advantage store on North Davis Highway.
A few days later, Gentry allegedly pried open the cash panel on an ice vending machine in the 4000 block of East Olive Road and took approximately $650 while causing $1,650 in damage. Blood was discovered on jagged metal and samples were taken for DNA evidence. The DNA was matched tos Gentry, according to an arrest report.
In January 2022, Gentry was charged with nine counts of felony burglary, grant theft of a motor vehicle, burglary of an unoccupied structure, and criminal mischief property damage. He is accused of burglarizing several Escambia County Parks and Recreation vehicles at their East Nine Mile Road complex and stealing multiple items.
Wednesday morning, Gentry remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $285,500.
Escambia County Calling For State Review Of FPL’s Rates; Century Set To Do The Same
April 6, 2022
Escambia County is set this week to finalize a letter to the Florida Public Service Commission asking them to reconsider Florida Power & Light’s rate structure, and the Town of Century may join other local governments in sending a letter of their own.
Last month, the Escambia County Commission voted to have Chairman Jeff Bergosh draft a letter to the PCS, and that letter will be up for final approval, revisions or disapproval at Thursday’s board meeting. The Century Town Council was set to vote Tuesday night on sending a similar letter, but their meeting was canceled due to weather concerns.
“Over the last several months we have been inundated with angry complaints from our constituents who have pleaded with us to help them get answers as to why their Florida Power and Light bills have increased so dramatically (in some cases more than doubling month over month),” Bergosh states in the opening of the BOCC’s draft letter.
Bergosh asks the PSC to conduct a new FPL rate public hearing and hold it in Escambia County because it’s the largest population center in the Florida Panhandle.
The letter asks for answers on five key points:
- Why are our citizens being socially engineered to conserve- by having their rates increase once usage exceeds 1000 Kilowatt hours per month? Why is this being allowed and condoned/encouraged by the PSC?
- Why are other energy sources/fuel commodities for electricity generation being excluded in favor of Natural Gas which has seen tremendous price increases—the costs of which are being burdened fully by ratepayers? Why is this being allowed and condoned by the PSC.
- Why are our citizens apparently paying the highest rate per 1000 Kilowatt hours billed (residential) in the entire state of Florida?
- Why does the PSC consider these rates fair and reasonable given this current economic environment?
- Why is FPL Northwest Florida cutting customers’ power off early and not giving customers until 5:00 PM to pay bills that are late? (I have heard that customers’ power is being shut off before 5:00 PM on the last day to pay a late bill, when previously if a customer paid before 5:00 PM the power would not be cut off.)
To read the complete proposed letter from the Escambia BOCC to the PSC, click or tap here.
The Century Town Council will consider drafting a letter to the PSC at their April 19 meeting. Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Milton and Crestview have already sent similar letters to the state.
Pictured: The entrance to the Gulf Clean Energy Center (formerly known as Plant Crist) as seen Tuesday afternoon. Photo for NorthEscambia.com click to enlarge.
Ascend Investing $80 Million In Cantonment Plant; Virtual Community Meeting Planned
April 6, 2022
Ascend Performance Materials is investing over $80 million in improvements at their Cantonment plant, and a virtual meeting is planned for Thursday to provide more information to the community surrounding the facility.
“These investments represent our commitment to safety and reliability in the community,” Ascend said in a statement emailed to NorthEscambia.com.
Nearby residents will notice increased activity at the plant, including numerous vehicles parked at the water tower at the intersection of Old Chemstrand and Chemstrand Roads and at the plant’s park area.
The turnaround will be completed in early May. During the event, shift changes are scheduled from 5-7 a.m. and 5-7 p.m. to minimize traffic impacts, the company said.
A virtual community meeting will be held on April 7 at 6:00 p.m. Details below
WHAT: Ascend Virtual Community Meeting
WHEN: April 7, 2022, 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: ascendmaterials.com/PNSCommunityMeeting
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Part Of I-10 Renamed For Deputy Killed 33 Years Ago
April 6, 2022
A portion of I-10 in Escambia County has been renamed for an Escambia County deputy killed in the line of duty over 30 years ago.
On December, 3, 1988, Deputy Donald Ray Cook was on his way to an off duty job in his patrol car. While monitoring his police radio, Cook learned of a high speed pursuit of armed robbers on I-10 headed into Escambia County from Santa Rosa County.
Cook responded to I-10 where he set up a roadblock in the west bound lane between the off ramp to Highway 29 and the I -10 spur near the railroad trestle. Cook exited his vehicle and the pursuit continued toward the roadblock where he was struck and killed. The suspect were taken into custody several miles away after their vehicle was disabled.
Cook was a five-year veteran of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
“His name is engraved on the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C., and he is recognized at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, but we have reached a point in time where our citizens need to be reminded daily of the sacrifice our officers make, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. One way we could do this is to name an appropriate section of Interstate 10 in memory of Deputy Donald Ray Cook,” retired FDLE Agent Ed Hudson of McDavid wrote in an email to Senator Doug Broxson’s Office asking for the renaming.
A formal ceremony was held Tuesday with Cook’s family.
Tate High Names Students Of The Month
April 6, 2022
Tate High School recently announce their January Students of the Month. They are Caden Graham and Alyssa Daniels. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bluff Springs, Cotton Lake and Williams Lake Recreation Sites Closed Due To Flooding
April 6, 2022
The Northwest Florida Water Management District has once again closed three recreation sites in the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area due to flooding or anticipated flooding.
The Bluff Springs, Cotton Lake and Williams Lake sites are closed until further notice.
Pictured: Flooding at the Cotton Lake Recreation Area. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Pickup Truck Crashes Off Beulah Road Bridge
April 5, 2022
A pickup truck and utility trailer crashed off a bridge on Beulah Road sometime Tuesday.
About 1:15 p.m., a passerby discovered the Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck and a trailer with lawn equipment in a creek next to a bridge between Muscogee Road and the Perdido Landfill. The cab of the truck was mostly underwater, but it appeared the driver may have exited through a window.
There was no one found in the truck or downstream in or along the creek.
Authorities were unsure what time the accident occurred. Preliminary attempts to reach the owner of the vehicle by phone were reportedly unsuccessful.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Cancels Council Meeting
April 5, 2022
Century has canceled a regular council meeting that was set for Tuesday night due to weather concerns, according to Mayor Ben Boutwell.
The next regular council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 19 at 7 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Located Safe: Missing, Endangered Man Last Seen On 10 Mile Road
April 5, 2022
UPDATE: THIS INVIDUAL HAS BEEN SAFELY LOCATED.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing and endangered man last see on 10 Mile Road
Joshua M. Ward, 49, was last seen on March 29 in the 600 block of East 10 Mile Road, the ECSO said Tuesday morning. There was no known clothing description at the time of his disappearance.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
ECSO Commander Hobbs To Attend National FBI Academy
April 5, 2022
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Commander Andrew Hobbs has been selected to attend the National FBI Academy. He is the first ECSO nomination in more than a decade.
“Commander Hobbs has spent a lifetime in service to his community. He will represent us well, and this type of training will further our quest to become the premier professional Law Enforcement agency in the state,” Sheriff Chip Simmons said.
The FBI National Academy is a 10-week program that offers advanced communication, leadership, and fitness training led by FBI Academy instructors, special agents, and other staff with advanced degrees. The academy is a professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement managers nominated by their agency heads because of demonstrated leadership qualities.
Hobbs is a career law enforcement officer with the ECSO Hobbs is currently assigned as the commander of the Community Relations division, including Public Information, Professional Standards, Traffic, Crime Stoppers, Community Policing, Fleet Services, Domestic Security, and recruitment.
When he graduates on June 9, he will join Simmons and Chief Deputy Tommi Lyter as graduates of this prestigious law enforcement executive program.