GOP Race Still Wide Open As Candidates Come To Florida
November 14, 2015
As the candidates in a crowded Republican presidential field began making their pitches to party activists Friday at the Florida GOP’s “Sunshine Summit,” it was as much a reminder of what hasn’t happened in the state’s primary campaign as what has.
Even with two prominent Florida politicians in the race — former Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio — the campaign appears to be wide open. Real-estate tycoon Donald Trump and neurosurgeon Ben Carson have polled well in the state, even ahead of Bush and Rubio, four months before voters choose which candidate will get all of Florida’s 99 delegates to the Republican National Convention.
“I think most everybody, even the candidates, thought that this was going to be kind of a contest between Rubio and Bush,” former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a fellow candidate, told reporters Friday after making his pitch. “And Florida being a winner-take-all state probably meant that most of the candidates wouldn’t feel even a need to invest a lot and campaign in Florida … if they couldn’t poll well and couldn’t beat the native sons. But I don’t know that that’s the case anymore.”
Given that dynamic and a party rule that makes it tedious to qualify for the ballot without showing up to the event, 14 of the 15 major Republican candidates agreed to appear at the summit Friday and Saturday at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort. Only former New York Gov. George Pataki passed up a chance to address hundreds of party activists and officials in Orlando.
The party is hoping to capitalize on the fact that the winner of the state’s March 15 vote will get a healthy boost toward the 1,236 delegates needed to clinch the GOP presidential nomination.
The famously on-message Rubio mixed some state-specific notes into his speech to the Republicans at the event.
Rubio stressed that his own tale of being the child of immigrants who came to America to build a better life was not just his story, but the nation’s.
“It’s especially the story of Florida, a state where people have come from all over the place in search of a better life,” Rubio said. “Some came here fleeing socialism in Venezuela, some fleeing socialism in New York.”
The Florida Gators fan also couldn’t help a “Go Gators” when talking about the campaign in the critical early state of South Carolina — Florida faces the Gamecocks this weekend — and joked that how well he does in the “SEC primary,” a collection of Southern states voting March 1, might be tied to how the Gators do in a surprisingly good season.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas — who like Rubio is of Cuban descent — noted that Florida and his home state are both growing states that draw immigrants and “share a similar dislike for snow.”
“There is a reason people are fleeing high-tax, high-regulation states all over the country and coming to states like Florida and Texas, because jobs and opportunity and growth and the future (are) in states like Florida and Texas,” Cruz said. “Florida’s primary is a critical time and Florida can play a decisive role in ensuring that the next Republican nominee for president is a strong conservative.”
In a possible sign of the upheaval in the race, Cruz got one of the warmer welcomes of the first day. His speech ended to a standing ovation, as the candidate leapt off the front of the stage and began shaking hands in the crowd.
Cruz also unveiled his Florida campaign’s leadership, including state Chairman Neil Combee, a state lawmaker from Polk County, and stopped at an Orlando church to unveil his “Stop Illegal Immigration” policy.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, lagging far behind the rest of the field in the polls, simply nodded in Bush and Rubio’s direction.
“You have two wonderful candidates from Florida running for the presidency of the United States; you should be proud,” he said.
And despite the current state of the race, Bush and Rubio could still prove to be formidable opponents here. Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia, who is neutral in the presidential race, cautioned against reading too much into where candidates stand right now. Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican who also serves in the state House, said things would tighten in the weeks ahead.
“As we get closer to the date, people are going to start paying more attention, (a), and then, (b), they’re going to start solidifying their decisions,” he said.
Even Huckabee noted that things could change.
“Historically, at this stage of the race, what it looks like right now is nowhere near what it will look like by the time we get to Feb. 1,” he said.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Man Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography
November 14, 2015
An Escambia County man has been charged with possession of child pornography.
Nicholas Bundy, 35, was arrested for possessing material depicting child sexual content and obscene communication. Authorities said he downloaded more than 1,000 illegal images and videos of children as young as two months.
He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $240,000.
Friday Night Football Finals
November 14, 2015
Here are final playoff scores from around the North Escambia area tonight:
FLORIDA
- Vernon 8, Northview 7
- Tate 23, Navarre 22 2OT
- Rickards 42, West Florida 39
- Pine Forest 37, Gulf Breeze 3
- Trinity Christian 49, Catholic 3
- Baker 26, Graceville 0
ALABAMA
- T.R. Miller 49, Pike County 8
- Flomaton 49, Fayetteville 10
Arrest Made In Gas Station Double Murder
November 13, 2015
A young Escambia County man has been arrested for the murders to two people at a gas station on Palafox Street Wednesday afternoon.
Terry Newkirk, 19, has been charged with two counts of homicide and booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Newkirk admitted to investigators that he was the black male seen by witnesses getting inside the SUV at the Raceway gas station on Palafox and Mason Lane about 1:30 Monday afternoon. Antrone Marquis Moore and Antonio Bullard, both 26-years old, were shot to death inside that SUV.
Investigators said the shooting occurred during a drug transaction at the gas pumps. Newkirk, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, has connections to a local gang.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Driver Arrested Following Highway 97 Accident
November 13, 2015
One driver was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol after a Friday morning accident in Walnut Hill.
Marques Christopher Salter, 36, was taken into custody for driving with a suspended license, and he will be cited for improper passing.
According to witnesses, the driver of a Ford was southbound on Highway 97 and stopping to make a proper turn onto Highway 99A at Ernest Ward Middle School. Salter, also southbound on Highway 97, attempted to pass the driver of the Ford as she began to turn.
Neither driver was injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Man Surrenders Morning After Flomaton Manhunt
November 13, 2015
A Century man turned himself in this morning to authorities following a manhunt Thursday night in Flomaton.
Escambia County (AL) Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said officers and K-9 units searched Thursday night for 34-year old Michael Maurice McCall of Century. He was last seen in the area of Church’s Chicken near the Highway 31 and Highway 29 intersection.
McCall surrendered himself to Alabama authorities Friday morning. He was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center on charges of distributing a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and attempting to elude.
Pictured top: A manhunt was underway Thursday night in Flomaton. Pictured inset: A June 2015 photo of McCall. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Jail To Be Rebuilt At Current Location
November 13, 2015
The new Escambia County Jail will be built at or near the site of the current jail — not at any of three prospective sites that were under consideration.
Following the April 2014 flooding and explosion at the jail, the county developed a list of potential new jail locations, including locations in Cantonment and Molino. That list was cut to three sites, one of which was set to be chosen at a special meeting Thursday night.
Those sites were at Palafox Street and Airport Boulevard, an area near Brent Lane and Palafox and an area known as the Midtown Commerce site, a former Superfund site. The Airport Boulevard and Brent Lane sites were both near schools.
But after listening to speakers against the new locations, most calling for the jail to be rebuilt at its current location, the commission reversed course on the three sites. Numerous people spoke out against the three proposed sites, while several bail bondsmen said moving the jail would destroy their businesses.
After the public comments, Commissioner Luman May made a motion to rebuild the jail at its current location.
Commissioner Grover Robinson said the current jail site will not work for the larger complex envisioned for the new jail; instead it would required more vertical, multi-story construction. Plus, he said, flooding issues exist at the location. In the long run, he said it will cost Escambia County residents.
Robinson cast the lone dissenting vote against keeping the jail at its current location.
Pictured: The Central Booking and Detention Center was damaged beyond repair during a natural gas explosion following flooding on April 30. 2014. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Bought A New Vehicle Recently? Police Say Check For This
November 13, 2015
Have you bought a new vehicle lately? Did you check the owner’s manual for a valet key?
Pensacola Police said if not, please do, and if it’s in there, you might want to consider removing it from the vehicle to inside your residence.
The reason: Vehicle burglars have learned a valet key often is placed in the owner’s manual on newer model cars. If they can get the key, they can steal the vehicle.
Detective Darlene Loftin said over the past few months, she has investigated several vehicle thefts where the valet key was removed from the owner’s manual and used to steal a vehicle.
“We’ll go to a scene and while looking around find the owner’s manual on the ground away from the vehicle,” Loftin said. “That’s because the burglar was looking for the key and didn’t find it…so they threw the book down.”
Or, if the vehicle is missing, they used the key to drive away.
Molino Park Elementary Students Participate In All County Chorus
November 13, 2015
The Escambia County School District All County Chorus performed earlier this week at the Saenger Theater in Pensacola. Participants from Molino Park Elementary School included were (pictured L-R) fifth graders Shelby Lashley, Aaron Adams and Alyssa Jackson. Also pictured is Katherine Powell, Molino Park music teacher. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Elementary Students Participate In All County Chorus
Florida Worker’s Comp Rates Reduced
November 13, 2015
Florida employers will see overall workers-compensation insurance rates drop 4.7 percent as of January. 1, according to an order issued Thursday by the state Office of Insurance Regulation.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance, while files proposed rates each year for insurers, initially called for a 1.9 percent decrease. The Office of Insurance Regulation rejected that proposal and said overall rates should go down 5.1 percent. But at the request of the organization known as NCCI, regulators looked again at some factors used in setting rates. That led to Thursday’s order for the 4.7 percent decrease in 2016.