Obama, Romney Race Gets Uglier
August 16, 2012
The U.S. presidential election campaign has become bit nastier over the last 24 hours, with the two sides exchanging a series of accusations targeting their respective opponents personally.
Presumptive Republican candidate Mitt Romney charged Wednesday that President Barack Obama’s campaign is “all about division and attack and hatred.” Speaking to the CBS television network, the Republican challenger also accused Obama of “running just to hang on to power” and being willing to “do anything” to win re-election.
Romney’s remarks came after Vice President Joe Biden, speaking Tuesday at a campaign rally in the southeastern state of Virginia that included hundreds of African Americans, said Romney’s call for fewer regulations on the financial industry would put voters “back in chains.”
The Romney campaign strongly criticized Biden’s remarks, accusing Obama of running a campaign of “hate.”
For its part, the Obama campaign said Wednesday that Romney’s latest comments seemed “unhinged.” Romney responded by saying that “unhinged” characterizes “what we’ve seen from the president’s campaign.” He added that the president’s “personal attacks” are “demeaning to the office of the White House.”
The Republican National Convention takes place the last week of August in Tampa, Florida. The Democratic National Convention will be held the following week in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Pictured: Vice President Joe Biden speaks to a crowd on the campaign trail in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Tuesday. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
[VOA]
Late Runs Sink Wahoos 4-2
August 16, 2012
The Mobile BayBears came from behind on Wednesday night to beat the Blue Wahoos 4-2 at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The BayBears plated four runs in the eighth inning to overcome the Blue Wahoos 2-0 advantage. With a win by Montgomery, the Blue Wahoos are now three games back in the Southern League South.
Tony Cingrani worked five scoreless innings in the start for the Blue Wahoos. He struck out 10 without issuing a walk while allowing just five hits. He lowered his full-season MiLB-best ERA to 1.45. He also chipped in offensively with a pair of hits and a run scored.
Billy Hamilton helped produce the game’s first run. He led off the game with a walk and stole second and third base which allowed him to score on a groundout by Josh Fellhauer. Those were his only stolen bases of the game giving him 141 on the season. He is now four steals shy of tying the record.
Cingrani scored the second run in the third inning. He scored from second on a Ryan LaMarre single giving Pensacola a 2-0 lead.
The game stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth. Chris Owings singled on an 0-2 pitch with runners at first and second to plate the BayBears first run of the game. Alfredo Marte followed with a double on the next pitch driving home Owings to tie the game. Marte later scored on a base hit from Ryan Strieby for the go-ahead and winning run. The final run scored on a throwing error to make it a 4-2 advantage. Three of the four runs were charged to Brian Pearl (1-3) who took the loss for the Blue Wahoos after one inning of work.
Eury De La Rosa worked a perfect ninth for the save out of the BayBears bullpen. Eric Smith (3-1) worked two scoreless innings for the win in relief.
LaMarre (2-for-4) had the only multi-hit game for the Blue Wahoos.
The series continues on Thursday when RHP Kyle Lotzkar (4-5) takes the mound against RHP Brett Tomko (No Record) who will make his BayBears debut. First pitch is set for 7:05.
By Tommy Thrall
Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gun Fired During Ensley Altercation
August 15, 2012
A shots fired disturbance this morning in Ensley is under investigation.
About 8:50 a.m., two females and a male got into an argument over money at the Red Baron Lounge and Package in the 8900 block of Pensacola Boulevard. The male struck one of the females with his fist during the argument and later retrieved a firearm from his vehicle, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The male fired the gun, but deputies said no one was struck. During the disturbance, one female sustained minor scraps and was treated on scene by Escambia County EMS.
The incident remains under investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Gun Response Team. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Escambia Commission: Barry And May Win, Robertson Race Close
August 15, 2012
Steven Barry came out the winner in a five-way race in the Republican primary for Escambia County Commission District 5.
Barry received 41.4 percent of the vote, followed by Sam Archer with 38.4 percent — a difference of 249 votes, according to complete but unofficial results Tuesday night. Jim Taylor received 10.5 percent, while Pat Burkett and Glenn Austin received five percent of the votes each.
The race is not over for Barry; he will face no-party candidate Packy Mitchell in November. Incumbent Kevin White dropped out of the race earlier this year.
Luman May easily defeated two challengers in the Democratic primary election Tuesday for Escambia County Commission District 3. May received 69 percent vote to 23.5 percent for Annie Thomas Walker and seven percent for Clinton Earl Powell, Sr. May will face several write-in and no-party candidate in November.
The race for Escambia County Commission District 1 was too close to call early Wednesday morning. Incumbent Wilson Robertson and Jesse Casey were just 30 votes apart with some absentee and provision ballots to be tabulated before the numbers can be considered official.
Pictured top: Eli Miller of Walnut Hill shows his support for Barry at the Walnut Hill precinct. Pictured inset: Stephen Barry celebrates his District 5 Escambia County Commission Republican primary win Tuesday night with young supporter Layton Woodward. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Orientation
August 15, 2012
Escambia County school students return to class Monday, August 20. Students will have the opportunity to attend orientation sessions, pick up schedules and drop off supplies in advance on Thursday or Friday.
(Looking for a school supply list? Click here.)
Orientations have been scheduled at schools across the North Escambia area:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
- Bratt
- August 16, 9-10:30 a.m., Pre-K and K
- August 17, 9-10:30 a.m., Grades 1-5
- Jim Allen
- August 17, 9-10:30 a.m.,
- Molino Park
- August 16, 9-10:30 a.m., Pre-K and K
- August 17, 9-10 a.m., Grades 1-5
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
- Ernest Ward
- August 16, 2 p.m., 6th and new students
- Ransom
- August 16, 2 p.m., 6th and new students
HIGH SCHOOLS
- Northview
- August 15, 8:30 a.m., Seniors
- August 15, 10 a.m., Juniors
- August 15, 1:30 p.m., Sophomores
- August 16, 9 a.m., Freshmen
- Tate
- Freshmen — previously held
- August 16, 1-2:30 p.m., Grades 10-12
- West Florida
- Freshmen — previously held
- August 16, 10 a.m., Juniors
- August 16, 1 p.m., Sophomores
- August 16, 6 p.m., Seniors and parents
For schools in Escambia County not listed above, click here.
Clerk Of Court: Newcomer Childers Dethrones Political Fixture Magaha
August 15, 2012
\Political newcomer Pam Childers defeated political fixture and incumbent Ernie Lee Magaha in the primary race for Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Magaha, 84, first took office in 1956 and had won 14 straight elections.
Childers will face a write-in candidate, Henry John Misiak, on the November ballot.
“This is probably a changing of the guard,” Childers said as she celebrated her win, giving credit to Magaha for his many years of service. “I am going to give back to the public with an open door policy, technology initiatives…and look forward to serving the public.”
Childers is a longtime certified public accountant and has served as the financial services manager for the City of Pensacola.
Pictured: Political signs at the precinct located at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
ECUA: Wins For Walker, Campbell And McCorvey
August 15, 2012
In the race for the District 5 seat on the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Board, incumbent Larry Walker easily defeated two challengers Tuesday.
Walker (pictured) received 76 percent of the vote, to 16 percent for challenger Barry Tweedie and nine percent for Charlou Williams.
With the win, Walker is back on the board with no challenger in November.
In the District 1 ECUA race, Vicki Campbell received 54 percent of the vote to defeat Logan Fink with 46 percent. The race is not over for Campbell, she will face three no-party candidates including incumbent Elizabeth Campbell.
For ECUA District 3, incumbent Elvin McCorvey garnered 50 percent of the vote to defeated Calvin Avant (16 percent), Clorissti Mitchell (17 percent) and Benelll English (16 percent). McCorvey is finishing his 16th year on the ECUA board.
Rain Chances Lower Today, Increasing By The Weekend
August 15, 2012
Rain chances, and the chance of rainbows, will be a bit lower on Wednesday, but the chance of rain will increase to 50 percent by Friday and Saturday.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Today: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west after midnight.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Light west wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. West wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Light northwest wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
Results: Public Defender, State Rep, Circuit Judge
August 15, 2012
Here are results for the races for public defender, two state House seats and circuit judge:
Public Defender: Bruce Miller
Bruce Miller defeated incumbent James Owens for the 1st Judicial Circuit’s public defender office.
Miller received 58.38 percent of the vote, while Owens received 44.83 percent.
Miller practiced law in the private sector and spent 11 years a the Public Defender Office in multiple capacities.
State Representative, District 2: Clay Ford
Clay Ford defeated Jeremy Bosso for the state representative, District 2 seat. Ford received 74.74 percent of the vote.
State Representative, District 3: Doug Broxson
Doug Broxson defeated challenger Jayer Williamson with 58.5 percent of the vote.
Circuit Judge, Circuit 1 Group 15: Terry Ketchel
For Circuit Judge, Circuit 1 Group 15, Terry Ketchel received 62.88 percent of the vote Tuesday to Thomas Murphy’s 37.12 percent.
Nelson, Mack Get Easy Primary Wins, Set For November
August 15, 2012
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack appeared likely to cruise to easy wins Tuesday in their respective primaries setting up what will be a crucial matchup in November for the makeup of the U.S. Senate.
Nelson, seeking his third term, had only taken opposition from little-known challenger Glenn Burkett, of Naples, and had already been focused on Mack, who has been the front-runner in the GOP primary for some time as well. With about 60 percent of the votes counted, Nelson had 80 percent of the vote over Burkett.
Mack, however, had better known opposition from within his own party, with former Congressman Dave Weldon, who jumped into the race late, drawing some more socially conservative voters away from Mack, who is generally seen as a particularly staunch fiscal conservative.
Mack still looked likely to win easily; with nearly 60 percent of the vote counted, he was leading Weldon 59 percent to 20 percent. Also in the Republican primary were retired military officer Mike McCalister, who had 14 percent and Marielena Stuart, who had 7 percent in early returns that were expected to hold up.
While Nelson, 69, is often thought of as a low-profile member of the Senate, Democrats have a four to six seat advantage in the chamber, depending on the votes of two independents, and the Florida race is one of several where Republicans have hopes of a pick-up that could flip control of the chamber.
Nelson was elected to the Senate in 2000, but has held some political office in Florida for 40 years.
Mack is the son of former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack, who was replaced by Nelson in the Senate when he retired in 2001. The younger Mack has been in Congress, representing southwest Florida since 2005.
Because of his name recognition – in addition to his politician father, Mack is the great grandson and namesake of Connie Mack I, the famous baseball manager – and with backing of some in the GOP establishment, Mack chased some other earlier GOP candidates out of the primary. George LeMieux, who held a Florida U.S. Senate seat briefly after former Sen. Mel Martinez stepped down early, and Senate President Mike Haridopolos dropped out earlier.
By The News Service of Florida