FDLE Arrests Escambia Man On 20 Child Porn Possession Charges
January 22, 2026
An Escambia County man has been arrested for possession of child sexual abuse materials. State law enforcement said he used a cloud storage account to upload files depicting sexual abuse of children.
The Florida Department of law enforcement arrested Devon Corpening, 32, on 20 counts of possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and one count of using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
The investigation began in June 2025 when FDLE agents received several cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a cell phone service user had uploaded child sexual abuse files to his cloud storage account. Further investigation identified the user as Corpening.
On January 15, FDLE agents served a search warrant at Corpening’s residence and seized several electronic devices for further forensic examination, where additional files were located. Corpening was arrested and transported to Escambia County Jail.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and Florida Highway Patrol assisted with the search warrant and arrest.
Take A Look: $189 Million Proposal For The Future of The Pensacola Bay Center
January 21, 2026
Friday, Escambia County Commissioners will discuss a $189 million plan for the future of a Pensacola Bay Center, including constructing a new multipurpose event center and building a practice ice rink on the current property with projected regional economic impact of $60 million annually
The current Bay Center, which opened in 1985, has a capacity of 8,050 for hockey and 10,000 with a center stage. It currently averages 123 annual events with and attendance of 352,700.
To see the proposal, click here.
The three-part proposal from Legends Global includes:
Pensacola Bay Center (PBC) Improvements $71 million
Exterior upgrades & façade enhancements.
New club seats (between 400 and 600).
2 new club rooms/areas.
Expanded concourses.
Expansion & improvement of F&B and retail spaces & offerings.
New/expanded LED signage offerings.
Back-of-house & central plant improvements and upgrades.
Seamless connectivity to new Practice Ice Rink and Event Center.
New Practice Ice Rink $29.8 million
Attached or connected via enclosed walkway to PBC and Event Center.
one permanent ice sheet (NHL size, 200’ x 85’) with fixed seating for between 600 and 1,000.
4 locker rooms with toilets and showers.
2 coaches/officials rooms.
2 party rooms/flex rooms.
Pro shop/first aid.
Concessions & vending space.
(Optional) Physical therapy/weight room/fitness space.
Small allotment for dryland training space/other amenities (i.e., esports, golf simulator, stickhandling station, etc.).
350 incremental parking spaces needed.
New Event Center $84.4 million
Attached or connected via enclosed walkway to
PBC & Practice Ice Rink.
55,500 net square feet (185’ x 300’), column free, concrete floor, 2 moveable airwalls allowing for subdivision into 3 halls, minimum of 35-foot ceiling height.
6,000 square feet of breakout meeting space.
Warming/prep kitchen.
Enhanced FF&E:
Portable retractable seating for 2,000.
Rollable carpet for one subdivided hall (approximately 18,500 SF).
Portable SportCourt-type athletic surface.
(Alternate) Portable hardwood courts plus climate-controlled storage on-site.
Athletic netting systems & game equipment.
Approx. 105,000 gross square feet (2.4 acres) for facility footprint.
1,200 incremental parking spaces needed.
McDavid Man Charged With Felony Child Abuse
January 21, 2026
A McDavid man was charged in connection with a child abuse investigation that began last summer after a young boy was found with a black eye.
Eugene Quint Geri, 49, is charged with child abuse without great bodily harm. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, deputies began investigating on August 28, 2025, when the victim’s father noticed the child had a black eye and two additional marks on his face. The child told investigators that Geri hit him in the eye with his hand while wearing a watch because the boy was misbehaving at school, according to an arrest report.
The investigation was marked by shifting stories from the boy’s mother, according to the report. She initially told deputies she witnessed Geri discipline the child in a bedroom and saw the injury immediately after. She later changed her account, claiming she lied to protect Geri and suggested the child might have hit his head on a bed.
Geri also provided inconsistent statements, initially claiming he only disciplined the child verbally over the phone before later stating he had done so in person. Investigators noted that while the adults provided conflicting accounts, the child was the only person to provide a consistent statement throughout the process.
Following a review by the Special Victims Unit, a warrant was issued for Geri’s arrest. A judge ordered that he have no contact with the alleged victim.
Geri has entered a not guilty pleas in Escambia County Circuit Court.
County Considers Land Purchase For Stormwater Pond On Desoto Road In Cantonment
January 21, 2026
The Escambia County Commission will consider the purchase of a property on DeSoto Road in Cantonment for a regional stormwater pond.
If approved at a commission meeting on Friday, the county will purchase 6.7 acres at 176 DeSoto Road from William and Jessica Ruzicka for $200,000.
The regional stormwater pond will be built to help with drainage in the area.
Escambia District 1 Beulah Town Hall To Be Held January 29
January 21, 2026
Escambia County District 1 Commissioner Steve Stroberger will hold a town hall meeting Thursday, January 29 to discuss county projects and initiatives in the Beulah community. The town hall will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Beulah Church, located at 7561 Mobile Highway.
During the town hall, Commissioner Stroberger will discuss OLF-8 along with upgrades to Beulah Regional Park, the Beulah Senior Citizen Center, and the Escambia County Equestrian Center. Escambia County staff will be in attendance to address any comments or concerns from residents.
The public is invested to attend.
Pensacola Airport Transformed Into Pensacola Intergalactic Airport
January 21, 2026
Pensacola International Airport has partnered with Pensacon for its annual transformation into Pensacola Intergalactic Airport, assuming the temporary name and stellar decor to commemorate the 2026 Pensacon convention scheduled for February 20-22.
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves announced the temporary change renaming the airport Pensacola Intergalactic Airport on Tuesday, Jan. 20. The signage throughout the terminal highlights iconic comic and science fiction characters and welcome messages.
“Our relationship with the Pensacola Intergalactic Airport has been such a wonderful way to not only promote Pensacon, but also show travelers how great our city is in supporting events like ours. Each year, our celebrity guests are impressed when they come off the plane and feel like they are already immersed in Pensacon,” Pensacon CEO Mike Ensley said.
Pensacon attracts tens of thousands of fans to downtown Pensacola each year. Now entering its 13th year, Pensacon has had a cumulative economic impact of more than $31 million since its first convention in 2014, according to Visit Pensacola research.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Named To Advanced Placement School Honor Roll
January 21, 2026
Tate High School has been recognized for student success in the Advanced Placement program while broadening participation.
The College Board announced that J.M. Tate High School has been named to the 2025 Advanced Placement Program (AP) School Honor Roll, earning Bronze distinction.
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening participation. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.
Tate High School had 45% of seniors who took at least one AP Exam during high school, 28% of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam, and 11% of seniors who took five or more AP Exams.
Tatel offers a robust Advanced Placement program that provides students with meaningful access to college-level coursework. The school currently offers 19 AP courses, taught across 34 sections by 16 highly qualified AP teachers, allowing students to pursue rigorous academic opportunities across multiple subject areas.
“This recognition is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and instructional leaders,” said Principal Laura Touchstone. “Being named to the AP School Honor Roll shows that Tate is committed to expanding access to rigorous coursework while ensuring our students are supported to succeed. We are proud of our students for challenging themselves and of our teachers for creating a culture of high expectations, encouragement, and academic excellence.”
“AP gives students an opportunity to engage with college-level work, earn college credit and placement, and build professional career skills they can use no matter what path they choose after high school,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “Congratulations to this year’s AP School Honor Roll recipients for proving it’s possible to expand participation in these rigorous courses and still drive strong performance.”
College Board’s Advanced Placement Program (AP) enables students to pursue college level studies with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both while still in high school. Through AP courses, students learn to think critically, construct solid arguments, and see many sides of an issue, skills that prepare them for college and beyond.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Names Students Of The Month
January 21, 2026
Ernest Ward Middle School named their November and December students and employee of the month.
November award winners were: Ella Grace Diller, Sanora Martin, Greyson Diz and teacher Kaylee Gibson (pictured above).
December award winners were: Rylan Johnson, Wayne Golson, Hayden Hollingsworth, and employee Courtney Barrow (pictured below).
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Injured In Gang-Related Shooting Following Atmore MLK Block Party
January 20, 2026
A day of celebration ended in gunfire Monday night as a shooting following an MLK Day block party in atmore left two people injured and investigators searching for those responsible.
According to the Atmore Police Department, officers responded to the intersection of Carver Avenue and Ashley Street at approximately 9:06 p.m. on January 19. The shooting occurred shortly after a day-long “MLK Car Meet and Block Party” had concluded. The event had been widely advertised on social media and drew a large crowd to the area.
Patrol officers arrived on the scene in less than one minute to find that over 30 rounds had been fired.
Victims in Stable Condition
Police confirmed two victims suffered gunshot wounds. One of the victims, a male subject, was reportedly shot while attempting to assist another person to safety. Both individuals were transported to a local hospital and are currently listed in stable condition.
Gang Activity Suspected
APD Major Charles Thompson stated that preliminary information suggests the incident is gang-related, a conclusion reached based on evidence gathered by the department’s Narcotics/Vice Unit.
Multiple divisions have been assigned to the case. The department’s Special Response Team is also on standby to execute search or arrest warrants as the investigation progresse, Thompson said.
“This type of senseless violence and complete disregard for human life and public safety will not be tolerated in our community,” Thompson said in a statement.
The Investigation
Detectives are currently reviewing both city-owned and private surveillance footage from the neighborhood. Ballistics experts are also working to trace the more than 30 shell casings recovered from the scene.
The Atmore Police Department is urging anyone with information about the shooting or those involved to contact investigators immediately at (251) 368-9141.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
State, Local Officials Tackle Traffic Woes At Jim Allen Elementary School
January 20, 2026
Local and state officials recently held a meeting to discuss how to improve the arrival and dismissal time traffic delays at Jim Allen Elementary School in Cantonment.
State Rep. Michelle Salzman, Escambia County School Superintendent Keith Leonard, District 5 School Board Member Tom Harrell and key school district staff met with the Florida Department of Transportation to begin discussing potential solutions. The meeting came about following citizen concerns during a District 5 Q & A Session in Molino on January 6.
“The discussion centered on traffic management challenges affecting school bus safety, student drop-off and pick-up times, and the broader impact on daily commuters in the north end of the district,” Salzman said.
“We want to do those things that we can do to make it safer,” Harrell said. “We are laser-focused on it and ways to improve, but there are so many variables there. It’s to the point we need extra extra assistance; we want to make sure that we have done all the things that we can.”
The school board member said Jim Allen is “landlocked” all the way around with no room to grow or expand in order to get cars off of Highway 95A. There is an apartment complex to the south of the school, and wetlands and a cemetery to the north. In front of the school on Highway 95A, there is limited or no right of way for turn lanes due to railroad tracks.
Harrell said an FDOT traffic study could determine options, such as perhaps encouraging drivers to use Neal Road with a traffic light at Neal Road and Highway 29. But a final plan would come from FDOT.
“I do believe FDOT will assist us with doing studies in that thoroughfare in front of the school and do what we can to assist them to help us to help the students and families,” Leonard said.
“As a result of the meeting, a clear plan of action was established,” Salzman said. “The Florida Department of Transportation will work with the school district to conduct targeted traffic studies to identify immediate and long-term solutions. One of the primary objectives moving forward is the installation of at least one additional traffic light along Highway 29 while aimed at improving safety during school hours.”
“The proposed improvements are intended to enhance traffic flow and driving safety for the entire community on a daily basis,” Salzman added.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
