Michael Phelps Ends Olympic Career With 18th Gold, 22nd Medal
August 5, 2012
American superstar swimmer Michael Phelps closed out his brilliant career with a gold medal, swimming the butterfly leg of the victorious U.S. men’s 4×100 meter medley relay team.
It was the final race in the pool at these Summer Games and gave Phelps a remarkable all-time Olympics career record of 18 gold medals among his remarkable 22 total. No one else has more than nine golds.
“Through the ups and downs through my career, I’ve still been able to do everything that I’ve wanted to accomplish. And I’ve been able to do things that nobody has ever done, and that’s been something I’ve always I wanted to do,” he said.
The previous all-time total for Olympic medals was 18 held by former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.
At his post-race news conference, Phelps was asked how he would describe his place in Olympic history, and he shared a conversation he had with longtime coach Bob Bowman.
“I was in the warm-down pool and I said to Bob, I’ve looked up to Michael Jordan my whole life because he’s done something that no one has ever done and he is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game,” he said. “And I said, ‘you know what, I’ve been able to become the best swimmer of all-time, and we got here together.’ And I thanked him. And it was funny, when I got out of the pool, he was like, ‘that’s not fair.’ And I said, ‘What’s not fair about it?’ And he goes, ‘you were in the pool. I was like ‘yeah, my tears could hide behind my goggles. Yours are streaming down your face.’”
At age 27, Michael Phelps says he is done with competitive swimming.
At age 17, Missy Franklin is the rising star of the U.S. women’s swim team. She captured her fourth gold medal of the Olympics by helping lead the U.S. to victory in the women’s 4×100 meter medley relay. The quartet posted a time of 3:52.05 seconds, breaking the world record set by China in 2009 by .14 seconds.
The U.S. women gave each other a big group hug on the pool deck after the win, and Franklin said they were almost at a loss for words.
“I don’t really think we said anything. I think just that hug said it all, just being together and being in each other’s arms and knowing that it was done and our Olympic experience of 2012 was over. And we couldn’t be more happy with how we finished it, just knowing that we were all there together, just savoring that moment of being world record holders and gold medalists for our country,” she said.
The other world record on the final night came in the men’s 1,500 meter freestyle, China’s Sun Yang clocked 14:31.02, bettering his own mark of last year (14:34.14) by more than three seconds.
The gold medal in the men’s 50 meter freestyle went to Dutchman Ranomi Kromowidjojo.
The United States dominated the London Olympics swimming competition. The American men’s and women’s teams each won eight gold medals, or half of the races contested. Together they won 30 total medals of the 96 handed out. Seventeen countries in all won swimming medals.
There are still two more swimming contests, but they are the 10-kilometer marathon events that take place in open water. The women compete Thursday and the men on Friday.
Track & Field in Full Swing
Meanwhile, British runner Mo Farah has won the 10,000-meters competition, holding off American training partner Galen Rupp and Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele, who finished third.
Earlier, a packed track and field stadium roared as Briton Jessica Ennis clinched the heptathlon competition with a win in the 800 meters. Britain’s medal tally places it third in the overall standings, behind the United States and China.
History Making
South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius also strode into Olympic history Saturday, becoming the first amputee runner to compete in the Games.
Pistorius, who wears special prosthetics on both legs, finished second in a preliminary heat of the men’s 400 meters. He qualified for the semi-finals.
Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retained her Olympic title by winning the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter race. She clocked 10.75 seconds to beat American Carmelita Jeter, who crossed the finish line at 10.78 seconds. Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown took the bronze in 10.81.
[VOA]
Stars Answer Wahoos Rally
August 5, 2012
In a game that only had two combined runs through the first 10 innings, nine runs were scored in the 11th by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Huntsville Stars combined. The Stars plated five of those in the bottom of the inning to down the Blue Wahoos 6-5 at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville, Ala. on Saturday night. After the Wahoos plated four in the top of the inning, including two on a pinch-hit home run by Andrew Means, the Stars plated five capped by a three-run walk-off home run by Hunter Morris. It was his 21st home run of the season.
The Wahoos claimed an early 1-0 lead when Beau Mills doubled home Josh Fellhauer in the top of the first inning. It stayed that way until the seventh.
The Stars put together several threats against Blue Wahoos starter Tony Cingrani through his five innings of work, but the lefty was finished after five scoreless frames and more than 100 pitches. He walked four and fanned four while giving up four hits but he kept the Stars scoreless. He didn’t end up factoring into the decision.
Drew Hayes took over in the sixth and worked a perfect inning. In the seventh, T.J. Mittelstaedt blasted a pinch-hit solo home run over the right field fence off Hayes to tie the game at 1-1.
The two teams traded zeros until Pensacola’s four-run 11th. It all started with a two-out single by Brodie Greene to keep the inning going. He stole second base, which allowed him to score on a single by Tucker Barnhart breaking the 1-1 deadlock. A batter later, Means blasted his pinch-hit homer to left extending the lead to 4-1. Billy Hamilton followed with a base hit and advanced around the bases on a series of three throwing errors by the Stars to make it 5-1.
Huntsville answered in the bottom of the inning. It all started with a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Adam Weisenburger. After a strikeout, Mittelstaedt singled home Weisenburger to make it a three-run game. Josh Prince and Jean Segura followed with back-to-back singles plating Mittelstaedt. With runners at first and second, Morris hammered the game winner over the left-center field wall giving the Stars the 6-5 win to even the series at a game apiece.
Despite allowing all four Blue Wahoos runs in the 11th, Kyle Heckathorn (4-10) was credited with the win. Of the four runs he allowed, three were earned. Mark Serrano (6-4) allowed all five Stars runs in the 11th to suffer the loss.
Greene’s hit in the 11th was his third hit of the game closing out a 3-for-4 game. Fellhauer (2-for5) and Barnhart (2-for-4) also contributed a pair of hits in the contest.
The two squads will square off in the third game of the series on Sunday. RHP Kyle Lotzkar (4-5, 5.30) will take the hill for Pensacola against RHP Josh Stinson (11-6, 3.25) for Huntsville. First pitch is set for 4:03 p.m. from Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville.
By Tommy Thrall
Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Locals Residents Place In Bushwacker 5K Run/Walk
August 5, 2012
Several North Escambia residents ran or walked the Bushwacker 5K Saturday on Pensacola Beach.
There were 1301 finishers – 616 male and 685 female.
North Escambia area finishers were:
- 19 – Tyler Hartley , Cantonment – 18:49:00
- 33 – Roderick Brown , Cantonment – 43:49:00
- 34 – Kathy Brown , Cantonment – 43:49:00
- 35 – Randy Aufrance , Cantonment – 43:50:00
- 60 – Cody Wolfe , Jay – 21:30:00
- 64 – Teresa Bryan , Cantonment – 47:33:00
- 86 – Kathy Howard , Cantonment – 50:39:00
- 95 – Erin Brewster , Cantonment – 51:20:00
- 100 – Valisa Hedgepeth , Molino – 51:39:00
- 101 – Hillary Smith , Jay – 51:40:00
- 112 – Brandy Hart , Cantonment – 52:56:00
- 128 – Brandy Hendrix , Cantonment – 55:53:00
- 141 – Jan Hondzinski , Jay – 57:27:00
- 151 – Caty Andrews , Cantonment – 58:08:00
- 153 – Lindsey Roberts , Atmore – 58:19:00
- 163 – Christi Erickson , Cantonment – 1:03:21
- 164 – Ami Dowell , Cantonment – 1:03:56
- 256 – Randall Kelley , Jay – 26:39:00
- 479 – Heather Johnson , Atmore – 29:59:00
- 485 – Jake Bondurant , Atmore – 30:03:00
- 514 – Katie Hagensick , Cantonment – 30:36:00
- 525 – Aaron Chatraw , Cantonment – 30:57:00
- 529 – Shirley Raney , Jay – 30:59:00
- 530 – Beth Anne Whitfield , Jay – 31:00:00
- 538 – Anthony Starling , Jay – 31:09:00
- 582 – Katie Smith , Atmore – 32:08:00
- 626 – Mary Henke , Cantonment – 32:56:00
- 649 – Jay Wright , Molino – 33:13:00
- 693 – Amy Knight , Atmore – 34:04:00
- 717 – D Floyd , Molino – 34:32:00
- 742 — Buck Lowery , Jay — 35:12:00
- 748 — Lisa May , Jay — 35:21:00
- 756 — Madison Whitfield , Jay — 35:30:00
- 787 — Robert Bath , Molino — 35:59:00
- 813 — Regan Howard , Cantonment — 36:42:00
- 826 — Jade Brown , Cantonment — 36:59:00
- 827 — Richard Howard , Cantonment — 37:00:00
- 831 — Molly Fore , Flomaton — 37:06:00
- 848 — Robyn Hoffman , Cantonment — 37:36:00
- 880 — Lori Eddins , Cantonment — 38:40:00
- 882 — Brian Smith , Atmore — 38:42:00
- 891 — Stephanie Godfrey , Cantonment — 39:01:00
- 935 — Miranda Roberts , Jay — 41:02:00
- 937 — Kayla Wilson , Jay — 41:03:00
- 938 — Britney Phillips , Jay — 41:03:00
- 941 — Krista Boughton , Jay — 41:06:00
- 942 — Julie Roberts , Jay — 41:06:00
- 962 — Kim Golden , Cantonment — 42:04:00
- 994 — MacEe Anders , Jay — 43:19:00
- 1022 — Lisa Sellers , Jay — 45:19:00
- 1110 — Brian Fermin , Cantonment — 51:29:00
- 1113 — Kimberly Thomas , McDavid — 51:50:00
- 1114 — Amber Andrews , Cantonment — 51:50:00
- 1133 — Jessica Gordon , Cantonment — 59:07:00
Final Day: Sales Tax Holiday In Florida And Alabama
August 5, 2012
School sales tax holiday weekends giving shoppers a chance to save a bit on clothing and school supplies end at midnight in both Alabama and Florida
Florida’s sales tax holiday means no tax on purchases of clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for $75 or less, or on certain school supplies that are $15 or less. For complete information, click here (pdf).
Alabama’s sales tax holiday offers no state sales tax on clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for $75 or less, or on certain school supplies that are $15 or less. Note that Atmore will not participate in the sales tax holiday and will still charge local sales tax. For a list of exempt items in Alabama, click here (pdf).
Extension Farm Field Day Planned
August 5, 2012
An Extension Farm Field Day will be held next week in Jay.
The University of Florida, West Florida Research and Education Center in conjunction with the Santa Rosa County and Escambia County Extension Service will host the Extension Farm Field Day on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, at the Jay Research Facility located at 4253 Experiment Road.
Field Day topics will include peanut and cotton varieties, cotton disease management, subsurface drip irrigation and fertigation, bio-energy, climatology, peanut disease management, weed management, and soil sample strategies.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. followed the research tour at 8:30. There will be a catered lunch at noon. CCA and CEU credits are available.
For more information, contact Robin Vickers at (850) 983-5216 ext. 113 or visit miltongators.com.
Wreck Near Atmore Claims Life Of Flomaton Man; Man Dies In Jay Road Crash
August 4, 2012
Two people were killed in separate traffic accidents Friday in Escambia County, Alabama
Wreck Near Atmore Claims Life
At Flomaton man was killed in a wreck north of Atmore Friday night.
The near head-on collision happened about 10:30 p.m. on Highway 21 near Fountain Prison. According to the Alabama State Troopers, 46-year old Eddie Wayne Gregson was killed when his 1991 Chevrolet van collided with a 2002 Ford driven by Bonita Montalvo of Atmore.
Gregson was pronounced deceased at the scene. Montalvo was transported to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola by LifeFlight in critical condition.
The accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
Man Dies In Jay Road Crash
A single vehicle accident near the Alabama/Florida line claimed the life of a Brewton man Friday afternoon.
The accident happened just after 3 p.m. on Jay Road in Escambia County, Ala.
Authorities said 61-year old Kenneth Ray Thomas of Brewton was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash, just a short distance from his home. He lost control of his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, ran off the roadway and struck a tree.
The accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
Sheriff Candidate Pleads Not Guilty To Campaign Finance Charge
August 4, 2012
ARCHIVED STORY — Aug. 4, 2012
A candidate for Escambia County Sheriff pleaded not guilty Friday to a campaign finance charge against him.
John Russell Powell was indicted Monday on one misdemeanor charge related to accepting cash contributions in excess of $50. State law limits cash contributions to $50 per person.
The case against Powell will not be resolved before the August 14 Republican Primary in which he will face incumbent David Morgan. He is not due back in court for trial until late September.
Powell came under scrutiny by the grand jury due to a letter from incumbent Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan to the State Attorney’s Office. Morgan said he was acting as a law enforcement officer, not as a candidate, in writing the letter.
Morgan claimed over 30 instances in which Powell accepted over 30 contributions over the $50 limit, but Powell was indicted on just one court.
Powell said the excess campaign contributions were refunded, and there was no criminal intent — just an honest mistake.
“My opponent, to take the focus off the issues, has chosen to make a criminal complaint with the State Attorney’s Office to cause embarrassment to me and my supporters even though he
admittedly accepted more than $50 in cash contributions from a number of people. I chose not to tile a criminal complaint regarding his campaign because these actions are better addressed in the civil arena not in the criminal courts,” he said in a press release hours after after his arrest on July 30.
Early Voting Underway In Escambia County
August 4, 2012
Early voting is now underway in Escambia County.
Four voting sites are available:
- Supervisor of Elections Annex — 292 Muscogee Road, Cantonment
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office — 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor
- Tryon Branch Library — 1200 Langley Avenue
- Southwest Branch Library — 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
Early voting will be available through Saturday, August 11 from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Early voters cast paper ballots through our digital scanners, and may choose any one of the four sites. All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, are eligible to vote in certain contests on the Primary ballot.
Another option for voters is to cast an absentee ballot, which can be requested through the online form at EscambiaVotes.com, or by contacting the Supervisor of Elections by mail, phone (850-595-3900), e-mail (absentee@escambiavotes.com), or fax (850-595-3914). Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and address, and must be received no later than Wednesday, August 8. Voted ballots must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location on Election Day. Absentee voters may now follow the status of their ballot at EscambiaVotes.com.
The third option for voters is to cast a paper ballot at their precinct on Election Day using digital scanners. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. An AutoMARK ballot marking device is also available at each polling place and early voting site to assist persons with disabilities.
All eligible voters in Escambia County are being mailed a sample ballot. In addition, a sample ballot and polling precinct finder be viewed at EscambiaVotes.com.
Voters are reminded to bring their photo and signature ID with them to the polls, and are encouraged to visit EscambiaVotes.com for complete voting information.
Wreck Near Atmore Claims Life
August 4, 2012
At least one person was reportedly killed in a wreck north of Atmore Friday night.
The near head-on collision happened before 11 p.m. on Highway 21 near Fountain Prison. One person was also airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola by LifeFlight.
The accident is under investigation by Alabama State Troopers. Further details have not yet been released.
Perdido Gators Eliminated From World Series
August 4, 2012
The Perdido Gators were eliminated Friday from the USSSA World Series 14U in Orlando.
Area girls from Northview, Tate, West Florida, Escambia, Pace, and Gulf Breeze high schools make up the Perdido Gators softball team.
On Friday, the Gators lost to Texas Turn 5-3. Lauren Brennan went 3-4 and scored one run for Perdido. Texas Turn took the lead in the fifth, scoring three runs on three errors.
On Thursday, The Perdido Gators beat Cheetahs Gold 3-0. Mallory Ryan pitched seven, allowing no earned runs on three hits. Olivia Printiss was 3-3 at the plate for the Gators with singles, including a single in the fourth to bring home Lauren Brennan.
Members of the Perdido Gators are Ashley Young, Kota Berry, Sara Spears, Kristin Gunter, Morgan Peppers, Lauren Brennan, Angel Lathan, Olivia Printiss, Sydney Ezelle, Ali Cutaio and Mallory Ryan. Coaches are Tracey Ezelle, Greg Spears, Eddie Ryan, and Jeff Cutaio.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.