Connie Mack Leads GOP Field To Take On Bill Nelson
December 30, 2011
U.S. Rep. Connie Mack has a strong lead on his competitors for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, according to a new poll by TelOpinion Research.
The survey of 780 Republican voters, conducted from December 15-19, shows Mack — the son of a former senator and grandson of a famous baseball manager — carrying 39 percent of the vote, far outpacing the rest of the field.
Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, tea-party favorite Mike McCalister and former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner all trailed in single-digits. Former steakhouse executive Craig Miller, who was not included in the poll, has long been stuck in single-digits in other polls.
“Mack owns this at the moment, and it is his to lose,” said Bill Lee, a Republican pollster who co-founded TelOpinion and polled contested primary states for U.S. Sen. John McCain’s presidential bid in 2008. Lee’s firm is not working for any of the candidates or so-called Super PACs this cycle.
LeMieux had the largest share of the votes among the three contenders other than Mack included in the poll, with 6 percent. McCalister, who had shown some strength in earlier surveys, was at 5 percent. Despite winning a straw poll of statewide conservative activists earlier this year in Orlando, Hasner draws just 1 percent of the vote in the latest poll.
Mack’s support is strong across the board. He has 48 percent of the vote among tea-party supporters and 38 percent among those who don’t consider themselves members of the movement. Mack would get votes from Republicans across the ideological spectrum, from those who consider themselves “liberal” to those who consider themselves “very conservative,” according to the poll.
While LeMieux cracks double-digits in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale media market with 12 percent, Mack dominates the rest of the state, including getting the support of 65 percent of the voters in his home media market of Fort Myers-Naples.
But the poll also shows that a strong plurality of Republicans have yet to make up their mind about the race. Of those surveyed, 49 percent said they weren’t sure which candidate they would back in the primary. The poll has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.
“This is essentially a contest based on name ID at this point,” Lee said.
The poll largely jives with an earlier survey by Quinnipiac University, which found Mack getting 32 percent of the vote in the primary, with the other candidates all trailing in single digits.
By Brandon Larrabee
The News Service of Florida
Woman Now Charged For Abandoning Kids In Bratt
December 29, 2011
A Walnut Hill woman arrested last week in Atmore is now behind bars in Florida after allegedly abandoning five young children at a Bratt Park and driving under the influence to an Atmore business with another child in her vehicle.
Amber Rose Ryals, age 25 of North Pine Barren Road, was booked into the Escambia County (Fla.) Jail late Wednesday morning on multiple counts of cruelty toward a child and for failing to appear in court for violating her probation in a March 2010 driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident case. She remained in jail early Thursday morning with bond set at $27,500.
Ryals is charged in Alabama with driving under the influence of narcotics, theft of property and endangering the welfare of a child in Alabama.
Five children were found alone at the Lcpl. Travis M. Nelson Park near Northview High School about noon on December 19. A concerned citizen had noticed that the children, believed to range in age from 3 to 6, were alone in the park. She called the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office and reported the situation.
Meanwhile in Atmore, employees at Burke’s Outlet on Lindberg Avenue reported to the Atmore Police Department that Ryals was in a vehicle directly in front of their store. They told police that they witnessed Ryals take a bottle of medication and numerous pills to the point where she was incoherent and confused.
Police said there was as small child about one year old in the backseat of the vehicle. Officers also discovered that she had taken several items from a nearby Fred’s store without paying for them. Ryals told Atmore Police that she could not remember how she got to Burke’s.
Ryals was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton.
The Alabama Department of Human Resources and the Florida Department of Children of Families are both investigating the incident.
Four of the six children involved in the incident belonged to Ryals, police said, while two were nieces or nephews. None of the children were injured. They were released into the custody of a relative.
Pictured top: A Walnut Hill woman is transported by ambulance from Burkes Outlet in Atmore after allegedly abandoning five children in a Bratt Park. Pictured bottom inset: The store manager at a nearby business comforts a child that was in the vehicle with Amber Rose Ryals. Pictured below: Ryals vehicle is searched by Atmore Police. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
East Pond Street In Century To Close Next Week
December 29, 2011
East Pond Street in Century will be closed next week for a scheduled drainage improvement project.
The street will be closed Monday through Friday from Jefferson Avenue west to Ramar Street near Highway 29, according to the Town of Century.
For more information, contact Century Town Hall at (850) 256-3208.
Traffic Stops Ends With 19-Year Old Facing Felony Drug Charge
December 29, 2011
A 19-year old Cantonment resident was charged with felony drug possession after a traffic stop not far from Tate High School.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Kyle Mason Driver on Tate Road at Planta Canada Drive due to window tint that was observed to be excessively dark. According to an arrest report, the deputy smelled what he believed to be the odor of burnt marijuana from his 2008 Ford F150. Driver refused to give the deputy consent to search the vehicle and a K-9 was called to the scene.
The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle located 20 Oxycodone pills in the vehicle, according to deputies.
Driver was released from the Escambia County Jail on $5,000 bond.
Ernest Ward December Students Of Month Named
December 29, 2011
December Students of the Month have been named for Ernest Ward Middle School. They are (L-R) Hannah Godwin, sixth grade; Troy Stuckey, seventh grade; and Haley Brown, eighth grade. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
SEC Releases 2012 Schedules
December 29, 2011
The 2012 Southeastern Conference football game schedules were released Wednesday, including the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri.
Scheduled are as follows:
ALABAMA
Sept. 15: at Arkansas
Sept. 29: OLE MISS
Oct. 13: at Missouri
Oct. 20: at Tennessee
Oct. 27: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 3: at LSU
Nov. 10: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 24: AUBURN
ARKANSAS
Sept. 15: ALABAMA
Sept. 29: vs. Texas A&M
Oct. 6: at Auburn
Oct. 13: KENTUCKY
Oct. 27: OLE MISS
Nov. 10: at South Carolina
Nov. 17: at Mississippi State
Nov. 24: LSU
AUBURN
Sept. 8: at Mississippi State
Sept. 22: LSU
Oct. 6: ARKANSAS
Oct. 13: at Ole Miss
Oct. 20: at Vanderbilt
Oct. 27: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 10: GEORGIA
Nov. 24: at Alabama
FLORIDA
Sept. 8: at Texas A&M
Sept. 15: at Tennessee
Sept. 22: KENTUCKY
Oct. 6: LSU
Oct. 13: at Vanderbilt
Oct. 20: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 27: vs. Georgia (Jacksonville)
Nov. 3: MISSOURI
GEORGIA
Sept. 8: at Missouri
Sept. 22: VANDERBILT
Sept. 29: TENNESSEE
Oct. 6: at South Carolina
Oct. 20: at Kentucky
Oct. 27: vs. Florida (Jacksonville)
Nov. 3: OLE MISS
Nov. 10: at Auburn
KENTUCKY
Sept. 22: at Florida
Sept. 29: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 6: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Oct. 13: at Arkansas
Oct. 20: GEORGIA
Oct. 27: at Missouri
Nov. 3: VANDERBILT
Nov. 24: at Tennessee
LSU
Sept. 22: at Auburn
Oct. 6: at Florida
Oct. 13: SOUTH CAROLINA
Oct. 20: at Texas A&M
Nov. 3: ALABAMA
Nov. 10: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Nov. 17: OLE MISS
Nov. 24: at Arkansas
OLE MISS
Sept. 29: at Alabama
Oct. 6: TEXAS A&M
Oct. 13: AUBURN
Oct. 27: at Arkansas
Nov. 3: at Georgia
Nov. 10: VANDERBILT
Nov. 17: at LSU
Nov. 24: MISSISSIPPI STATE
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Sept. 8: AUBURN
Oct. 6: at Kentucky
Oct. 13: TENNESSEE
Oct. 27: at Alabama
Nov. 3: TEXAS A&M
Nov. 10: at LSU
Nov. 17: ARKANSAS
Nov. 24: at Ole Miss
MISSOURI
Sept. 8: GEORGIA
Sept. 22: at South Carolina
Oct. 6: VANDERBILT
Oct. 13: ALABAMA
Oct. 27: KENTUCKY
Nov. 3: at Florida
Nov. 10: at Tennessee
Nov. 24: at Texas A&M
SOUTH CAROLINA
Aug. 30: at Vanderbilt
Sept. 22: MISSOURI
Sept. 29: at Kentucky
Oct. 6: GEORGIA
Oct. 13: at LSU
Oct. 20: at Florida
Oct. 27: TENNESSEE
Nov. 10: ARKANSAS
TENNESSEE
Sept. 15: FLORIDA
Sept. 29: at Georgia
Oct. 13: at Mississippi State
Oct. 20: ALABAMA
Oct. 27: at South Carolina
Nov. 10: MISSOURI
Nov. 17: at Vanderbilt
Nov. 24: KENTUCKY
TEXAS A&M
Sept. 8: FLORIDA
Sept. 29: vs. Arkansas
Oct. 6: at Ole Miss
Oct. 20: LSU
Oct. 27: at Auburn
Nov. 3: at Mississippi State
Nov. 10: at Alabama
Nov. 24: MISSOURI
VANDERBILT
Aug. 30: SOUTH CAROLINA
Sept. 22: at Georgia
Oct. 6: at Missouri
Oct. 13: FLORIDA
Oct. 20: AUBURN
Nov. 3: at Kentucky
Nov. 10: at Ole Miss
Nov. 17: TENNESSEE
Warming Trend Through Sunday, Colder Next Week
December 29, 2011
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. South wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Patchy dense fog after midnight. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 44. North wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 69. North wind around 5 mph becoming south.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. West wind around 5 mph.
- New Year’s Day: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Northwest wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 10 mph.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 27. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 50.
- Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 27.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29.
- Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 53.
Two Charged In Double Shooting Near Baptist Hospital
December 29, 2011
Two 20-year olds were arrested and charged with homicide Wednesday in connection with a double shooting near Baptist Hospital.
Novel Austin and James Emanuel Dortch have been charged by the Pensacola Police Department with the December 17 shooting death of 17-year old Keondrick Abrams of Pensacola. Another 17-year old, Tykey Douglas, was shot and critically wounded.
Austin and Dortch are being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The shooting happened outside the Baptist Hospital Sleep Disorders Clinic on West Moreno Street about 7:15 on December 17. Abrams was pronounced dead at the scene, while Douglas was transported to Baptist Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
2011 In Photos: May
December 29, 2011
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2011. Today, we are featuring photos from May.
Northview High School presented their senior class play “Bye Bye Birdie”.
The annual Sawmill Day was held in Century.
Hundreds of elementary students participated in a Sunshine Math competition at the University of West Florida, with Jim Allen Elementary taking first place.
A driver that wrecked on Hanks Road in Bratt left messages spray painted on their vehicle.
A Century man was shot outside of the Piggly Wiggly on Highway 97 in Davisville.
The annual National Day of Prayer was held.
A Century man drowned in Bluff Springs lake in early May.
Our NorthEscambia.com cameras caught up with the Google Street View car in Walnut Hill.
The annual Relay for Life events were held at Tate High and in Century.
The annual Danceworks recital was held at Flomaton High School.
A woman was shot and killed outside of a Highway 29 convenience store.
The impending closure of the Atmore and Brewton animal shelters was announced.
A drought in the North Escambia area was officially labeled as “extreme” in late May.
Gov. Rick Scott signed a new budget that slashed $615 million.
Four people were left homeless after an early morning fire near Molino.
A new monument was dedicated on Memorial Day in Atmore to honor those that have served from Atmore and North Escambia.
America’s Most Wanted Dewayne ‘Money’ Pinestraw Extradited To Escambia
December 28, 2011
Recently named one of America’s Most Wanted, a Cantonment resident that was the suspected triggerman in the shooting of a Pensacola toddler is now back in Escambia County.
Dewayne “Money” Pinestraw of Lake Drive, Cantonment, was extradited Tuesday from Texas and booked into the Escambia County Jail. He is being held without bond on an open count of murder for the shooting death of Ty’Quarius Moultrie, 19 months old; aggravated battery for the shooting of Vincent Dennis, 23; and firing a weapon into an occupied building for the incident that occurred in July at Pensacola Village, 500 East Fairfield Drive.
On the run since July, Pinestraw, 19, was apprehended last week in Dallas by the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force.
Pinestraw, using the alias “Nicholas Williams” was found hiding out at a house believed to be the home of a girl he befriended in recent months. According to U.S. Marshals on the scene, they had to force the door open to apprehend him, where they recovered a 9 mm handgun, marijuana and fake identification. The marshals were able to capture Pinestraw only 48 hours after his story aired on the TV program America’s Most Wanted.
“Although we had leads to the Dallas area we could never pinpoint his location,” said Inspector Dominic Guadagnoli of the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force in Pensacola. “It’s simple; without AMW (America’s Most Wanted) he’d still be a fugitive.”