USA Gets First Gold; Phelps Fails to Medal in Olympics Swimming Opener
July 29, 2012
There was a shocking result in the very first swimming race at the London Olympics.
American swimmer Ryan Lochte won the men’s 400-meter individual medley (4:05.18) by an impressive margin of more than three and a half seconds, capturing the gold medal.
Brazil’s Thiago Pereira took the silver (4:08.86) and Japan’s Kosuke Hagino got the bronze (4:08.94).
While Lochte himself is a star and was one of the favorites, it was the placement of his superstar teammate Michael Phelps that came as a big surprise. The record-setting eight-time Olympic gold medalist in Beijing had narrowly qualified for the final out of the morning heats and ended up fourth.
Phelps did not hide his disappointment.
“It’s frustrating. It’s all I can say,” he admitted. “You know, it’s pretty upsetting. But I think the biggest thing now is just to try to get past this and move forward. I mean I have a bunch of other races and hopefully we can finish a lot better than how we started.”
Lochte said he was surprised Phelps was not next to him on the podium.
“I mean whenever Michael swims he’s always on the medal stand, no matter what,” Lochte noted. “But he did 110%. He gave it everything he had.”
But it was not enough this time, and Lochte won the difficult race that features all four strokes: butterfly, back, breast and freestyle.
“Feels amazing that knowing the last four years I’ve put in that hard work that it finally paid off,” Lochte said during post-race press conference, “and to not only swim for my country but to have my whole entire family there in the stands cheering for me definitely gave me a little bit more of a boost.”
Lochte was asked if Phelps had anything to say to him after the race.
“He came up to me and he congratulated me and he said ‘Way to go’ and ‘we haven’t lost the 400 IM for the USA in a long time, so way to keep it going,” Lochte said.
The first swimming world record of these Games came on the opening night in the women’s 400-meter individual medley. China’s Ye Shiwen clocked 4:28.43 seconds to break the four-year-old mark (4:29.45) by about one second set at the last Olympics by Australian Stephanie Rice, who placed sixth Saturday. American Elizabeth Beisel won the silver (4:31.27) and China’s Lu Xuanxu got the bronze (4:32.91).
China’s Sun Yang took the gold medal in the men’s 400-meter freestyle, and Australia earned gold in the women’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay, with the Netherlands getting silver and the USA bronze.
Earlier Saturday evening, the U.S. men’s archery team upset three-time defending champion South Korea in the semifinals (224-219). But in a dramatic battle for the gold medal, Italy’s last archer scored a 10 when his arrow landed on the ring to give his nation a one-point victory, 219-218.
South Korea won the bronze in a shoot-off against Mexico.
School Shopping? Here Are The Supply Lists You Need
July 28, 2012
School starts Monday, August 20 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Here are the school supply lists from each elementary school and middle school in Escambia County, plus the North Escambia area schools in Santa Rosa County.
(High schools typically do not have a general supply list. Students are advised of their supply needs in each class.)
North Escambia Area Schools:
- Bratt Elementary
- Byrneville Elementary
- Central School
- Chumuckla Elementary
- Jim Allen Elementary
- Molino Park Elementary
- Jay Elementary
- Ernest Ward Middle
- Ransom Middle
Complete Escambia County Lists:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
- Bellview Elementary
- Beulah Elementary
- Blue Angels Elementary
- Bratt Elementary
- Brentwood Elementary
- Byrneville Elementary
- Cook Elementary
- Cordova Park Elementary
- Ensley Elementary
- Ferry Pass Elementary
- Global Learning Academy
- Hellen Caro Elementary
- Holm Elementary
- Jim Allen Elementary
- Lincoln Park Elementary
- Lipscomb Elementary
- Longleaf Elementary
- McArthur Elementary
- McMillan Pre-K
- Molino Park Elementary
- Montclair Elementary
- Myrtle Grove Elementary
- Navy Point Elementary
- Oakcrest Elementary
- Pine Meadow Elementary
- Pleasant Grove Elementary
- Scenic Heights Elementary
- Semmes Elementary
- Sherwood Elementary
- Suter Elementary
- Warrington Elementary
- Weis Elementary
- West Pensacola Elementary
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
- Bailey Middle
- Bellview Middle
- Brown Barge Middle
- Ernest Ward Middle
- Ferry Pass Middle
- Ransom Middle
- Warrington Middle
- Woodham Middle
- Workman Middle
FHP: DUI Suspect Hit Her Own Mother Leaving Bar
July 28, 2012
The woman who hit a pedestrian in a DUI crash Wednesday night in Cantonment actually hit her own mother, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report released Friday.
The accident happened about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday on Highway 95A just north of Highway 29, near the Gee Willies convenience store.
When a FHP trooper arrived on the scene, he found 38-year old Melissa Diane Kettering of Crowndale Road seemingly intoxicated and extremely emotional, according to the report. She had, according to the FHP report, struck a pedestrian identified as her mother, Deborah Kettering.
Deborah Kettering told the FHP that she had gone to Mustangs, a nearby bar, with her daughter. Deborah Kettering said she wanted to leave, so she began walking toward home.
Meanwhile, Melissa Kettering told deputies that when she left the bar, she struck her mother with the left mirror of her vehicle.
The FHP reported that Melissa Kettering refused to finish all of the field sobriety exercises being administered by the trooper. She was placed under arrest for DUI and booked into the Escambia County Jail. She was later released on a $500 bond.
Debroah Kettering’s injuries were not considered serious.
Further details about the accident have not been released.
Pictured above and below: The driver of this Mercury struck a pedestrian — her own mother — on Highway 95A in Cantonment Wednesday night. Pictured inset: The driver was given a series of field sobriety tests. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Federal Court: Man Sentenced For Lying On Bank Loan
July 28, 2012
An Escambia County, Ala., man was sentenced this week in federal court after admitting that he made a false statement on a bank loan application.
Brewton resident Jack Witherspoon Hines pleaded guilty in April to charges that he made a false statement pertaining to a bank loan in violation of federal law.
Before United States District Court Judge Kristi Dubose, Hines was sentenced to three years probation with no fine. A hearing will be held in January to determine how much restitution he owes the Bank of Brewton. He was also ordered to notify the county if his ability to pay restitution changes.
As part of his plea, Hines admitted that he pledged shares of stock as collateral for a loan from the Bank of Brewton when he had already pledged the same stock for a loan from another bank, which maintained the original stock certificate. In so doing, Hines falsely represented that the stock had been pledged as collateral only for the Bank of Brewton loan, according to United States Attorney Kenyen Brown.
Hines faced up to five years imprisonment, plus a fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
A Hero’s Welcome: Hundreds Welcome Wounded Marine Home (With Photo Gallery)
July 28, 2012
A local Marine was given a hero’s homecoming Friday morning in Pensacola.
Lance Cpl. Joseph Daniel Palmer, along with his wife Becky and his two young children, arrived at Pensacola Aviation just after 11:00 this morning to a large crowd of well wishers, many dressed in patriotic clothing and waving American flags.
“I wasn’t expecting this many people to be here,” Palmer said as he addressed the crowd. “It’s awesome to see that I’m coming home to a community that actually cares.”
“It lifts my spirit, and I know it probably lifts my wife’s spirit as well. All I can say, really, is thank you for your support,” the 26-year old Marine said. “Stay in the fight. Because there’s still Marines over there doing the same thing I was doing and going to come back the same way I come back. Keep them in your prayers. If you see them on the street, don’t hesitate to come say hello.”
“It’s just a blessing. We feel very, very blessed…to be able to come home,” he said, looking at his wife Becky and choking back tears. “Just thank y’all.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Dignitaries including Congressman Jeff Miller, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward, Santa Rosa Commissioner Don Salter and Milton Mayor Guy Thompson were on hand to welcome Palmer and his family back to the area. After the ceremony, a motorcade led by law enforcement at the Patriot Guard traveled to a newly renovated home for the Palmers at the Whiting Pines military housing in Milton. The first three months of rent at the home will be paid by the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Foundation.
Palmer suffered extensive combat related injuries in Afghanistan. His right leg was amputated below the knee, and he endured more than a year of medical rehabilitation in North Carolina.
Palmer is a 2004 graduate of Central High School. He joined the Marines in October 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan in January 2010. He has several relatives in the North Escambia area, including his sister.
Pictured: Lance Cpl. Joseph Daniel Palmer and his family returned home to Pensacola just after 11:00 Friday morning. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge. Photos include reader submitted photos from WEAR 3, Shaun Moye, Kristi Smith and P.C. Wu.
Photos: Storms Clouds Roll
July 28, 2012
NorthEscambia.com received numerous reader-submitted photos of rather unique cloud formations moving across the area Friday evening. Click any of the images on this page to enlarge. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Six Busted In Undercover Prostitution Sting
July 28, 2012
Six women were arrested Friday during an undercover prostitution sting by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The women were picked up by Sheriff’s investigators that normally work desk jobs but were out Friday as part of the operation designed to put more deputies on the streets.
Arrested on prostitution charges were:
- Dana Lynn Douglas, 48
- Tina Pauline Rahn, 42
- Shana Marie Ulmer, 40
- Megan Christina Brown, 23
- Sondra Elaine Thomas, 46
- Jessica Tera Tipton, 24
Ulmer was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and Tipton was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting.
All six remained in the Escambia County Jail Friday night with bond set from $500 to $1,500.
Citizens Insurance Board Approves Rate Hikes
July 28, 2012
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. policyholders could see premium increases averaging at least 8.8 percent beginning in January following a governing board vote Friday that officials say would not significantly reduce the number of policyholders in the state-backed plan.
The rates are subject to approval by the Office of Insurance Regulation, which would also be required to sign off on a phase-in plan for sinkhole premiums that if enacted in full would quintuple rates in a three-county, sinkhole prone region.
Efforts to reduce the number of Citizens policyholders aren’t working, however, as the state-backed insurer continues to offer rates that are increasingly lower than what the private market would charge.
The board also chose to, at least temporarily, stop efforts to charge higher rates for new policies, a controversial position that has put the board at odds with legislative leaders and key state officials including Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.
Restricted by a legislatively imposed 10 percent premium cap, the gap between what Citizens charges policyholders and private companies charge continues to widen. Uncapped, Citizens officials say the company’s rates would increase statewide by more than 33 percent.
The result of the cap is that the efforts to chip away at Citizens’ 1.4 million policies – backed by all insurance policy holders in Florida – is going in the other direction as private companies seek rate hikes for next year that are higher than Citizens is allowed to charge. Even so, Citizens’ premiums are expected to climb by more than $250 million next year.
“Citizens rates continue to be less competitive (with the private market),” said Sharon Binnun, Citizens chief financial officer.
Friday’s vote came after hours of discussion on proposed rates and other efforts to depopulate the state-backed insurance pool, which has grown into the largest property insurer in the state and one of the largest in the nation.
Despite its effort to raise premiums, the board on Friday backed away, at least for now, from a plan to push much higher premiums for new policies coming on line. The company had argued that new policies wouldn’t be covered by the 10 percent limit on increases – that setting an initial rate for new customers wasn’t the same as an increase. The idea drew heavy criticism and the board backed down.
But the company has hit on another idea for boosting the amount of money coming in. The board said an accounting figure aimed at covering the risk the state would face if a big hurricane hits could be added to the premium, and wouldn’t be covered as part of the 10 percent cap. Citizens officials say using that calculation, called a risk load, could push actual rates higher by an average of 10.2 percent statewide.
The board also approved higher sinkhole rates that would include 50 percent increases in premiums for residents in Pasco, Hernando and Hillsborough counties. Officials say there are so many claims in those areas that customers there would see their rates more than quintuple if the rate hike caps were not in place. Sinkhole rates in portions of Hillsborough County, for example, would increase from $662 to $3,767 if allowed to rise to actuarially sound rates, the company says.
The company’s governors, however, backed away from a proposal to cap water damage claims at $15,000, a level that critics say would not allow property owners of even average means to pay for repairs. While Citizens doesn’t cover flood damage – which is covered by a national flood program – it does cover rain damage and water damage from things like broken pipes.
Putting a $15,000 limit on a $50,000 claim could devastate a family,” said Raul Rivera, a Citizens customer who testified.
Other efforts to reduce Citizens exposure also came under fire. On Thursday, the state’s insurance consumer advocate said Citizens has done a poor job in explaining why it is taking away mitigation credits from many property owners who received discounts for hurricane resistant features.
Nearly three out of four homeowners inspected under the program lost some of their discounts. Statewide, more than $100 million in discounts were rescinded.
Despite the reduction, Citizens still offers nearly $1 billion in so called mitigation discounts for making improvements to their homes to avoid damage.
By The News Service of Florida
Pcola Blue Wahoos Beat The Huntsville Stars 7-5
July 28, 2012
Pensacola and Huntsville totaled nine runs in four innings, including scores in each frame from the bottom of the fifth until the bottom of the eighth, while four Blue Wahoos batters recorded multi-hit efforts to lead the Fish to a 7-5 victory over the Huntsville Stars on Friday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The win combined with a Montgomery loss means Pensacola is now just one game behind the Biscuits for first in the second half standings of the South Division with a 19-15 record. The Stars fell to 16-18 in the second half, with the defeat snapping their five-game winning streak.
Once again Pensacola struck first, with RF Josh Fellhauer leading off the second with a double, before 3B David Vidal drove home Fellhauer with a run-scoring ground-rule double to left-center. Vidal would then come across when starting pitcher J.C. Sulbaran singled to left to push Pensacola to a 2-0 margin.
Following a solo homer from Huntsville LF Khris Davis, his eighth of the year, the Blue Wahoos started the scoring streak with a two-run fifth frame. SS Billy Hamilton led off with a triple and scored on an error on the play, while LF Donald Lutz drew a free pass and was brought home on an RBI double by 1B Beau Mills, making it 4-1.
Both teams subsequently exchanged single tallies in both the sixth and seventh innings to keep Pensacola ahead 6-3. The Stars scored thanks to a sacrifice fly from 1B Hunter Morris in the sixth, which was followed by a run-scoring single from SS Tommy Manzella in the next frame. CF Ryan LaMarre drove a run home with an RBI single in the sixth, while Vidal brought in his second tally with a single in the seventh.
After Huntsville cut their deficit to one with a pair of scores in the eighth courtesy of a two-run double by CF Josh Prince, the Fish added an additional insurance run in the bottom of the frame when LaMarre brought across pinch hitter Miguel Rojas, extending the Pensacola advantage to two.
Blue Wahoos starter J.C. Sulbaran (5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO) earned the victory after giving up just two earned runs on five hits while fanning five in 5.1 frames, while Stars RHP Evan Anundsen (4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss for Huntsville. Pensacola closer Justin Freeman (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 SO) notched his 11th save of the year by firing the final 1.2 innings.
Lamarre (2-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB), along with Mills (2-5, 2 2B, 1 RBI), Fellhauer (2-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB) and Vidal (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI) all recorded multi-hit efforts in the win for the Fish, while Khris Davis (2-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB) and 2B Scotter Gennett (2-5, 1 R, 1 2B) each collected two base knocks in the contest. Mills extended his on-base streak to 30 consecutive games, which is the second longest active streak in the Southern League this year.
Pensacola and Huntsville will meet in the series finale Saturday night, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. at the bayfront stadium. RHP Wirfin Obispo is expected to get the nod for the Blue Wahoos, while the Stars have not yet announced their starter.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: David Vidal collected two RBI in Pensacola’s 7-5 win over Huntsville Friday. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Possible Homicide: Body Found Submerged In Murder Creek
July 27, 2012
Escambia County, Alabama, authorities are investigating a possible homicide after a body was found overnight in Murder Creek.
About 10 p.m. Thursday, 50-year old Ina Jackson of Brewton was reported missing. After a search utilizing a K-9 team from Fountain Prison, her body was found submerged in Murder Creek off Kirkland Road near Brewton.
“We are treating this as a homicide at this time,” said Mike Lambert, chief deputy of the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office. He said the cause of death is not known and will be determined by an autopsy.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department at (251) 809-0741.
Pictured top: Murder Creek near Brewton where a possible homicide victim was found. Photo by Amber Southard, WEAR for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.