Michael Jackson's circus of a memorial was heartbreaking. Not because Usher broke down while singing. Not for most of the reasons given by the overwrought international press corps. When a 12-year-old former contestant on “Britain's Got Talent” sang, (just a few years older than Jackson when he was first inducted into the media spotlight), it suggested that no one's learned anything.
Zach Outman's windup may seem like it takes minutes to go through, but in reality it lasts only seconds until he fires the ball.
PLANT CITY - A former Baptist deacon has lost an appeal of his death sentences for the sensational 1996 murders of two Tampa prostitutes. The Florida Supreme Court refused to overturn lower court rulings to vacate the convictions of 56-year-old Samuel L. Smithers, who was condemned for the brutal killings of Christy Elizabeth Cowan and Denise Elaine Roach. The women, both mothers, were picked up in a seedy area of East Tampa and killed at a Plant City home where Smithers was the caretaker. Smithers was a deacon and groundskeeper at First Baptist Church of Plant City. The sensational killings and trial inspired a book, "Deacon of Death," by former New York Times columnist Fred Rosen. The high court denied that Smithers' appeals warranted overturning his first-degree murder convictions. Among other things, he complained that his trial lawyer was ineffective for not challenging a portion of his confession that he beat Roach more severely because she was black. He also claimed his lawyer erred in not adequately investigating claims that he was mentally ill and failed to call an independent medical examiner to refute the possibility that Cowan may have been conscious during much of her horrific attack. Smithers, an electrician's helper, was convicted in December 1998 of two counts of first-degree murder. In June 1999, Circuit Judge William Fuente accepted the jury's recommendation and sentenced Smithers to death. Fuente said the murders were "extremely torturous" to the victims. When he was arrested, Smithers confessed to the murders, saying he fought with the women over money. He told Hillsborough County sheriff's detectives he beat Cowan in the head with an ax and hoe, then threw her, still breathing, into a pond where he had earlier dumped Roach's body. The pond was on property owned by Marian Whitehurst, an elementary school teacher. Whitehurst alerted law enforcement officers to the crimes. She said that on a visit to the property she came upon a puddle of blood and saw Smithers washing off a long-handled ax. She was skeptical of Smithers' story that the blood might have come from a squirrel and called deputies, who found the bodies. Smithers changed his story at trial, testifying he was paid to let a mysterious bearded man use the property for drug-related activities. He said he watched as the women were murdered, and was ordered to drag their bodies into the pond. Smithers told the jury he lied to investigators to protect his then-wife of 23 years and college-age son, whose lives had been threatened by the drug dealer. Friends and family portrayed Smithers as a deeply religious man who lived quietly in the Walden Lake subdivision. But prosecutors said there was a dark side to Smithers. They said he drove his pickup truck to a Hillsborough Avenue motel, picked up 24-year-old Roach and took her to Whitehurst's unoccupied property near Plant City. There, he smashed her in the face, choked her and stabbed her repeatedly in the skull with a sharp weapon. Within two weeks, he murdered again. This time, his victim was Cowan, 31. Connecticut-born Cowan and Jamaica-born Roach each had two children. Rosen's book on the Smither's case came a few years after he wrote his best-selling true-crime book, "Lobster Boy." The story is set in Gibsonton, the winter home of many carnival performers. That book delved into the murder-for-hire of a sideshow performer whose hands and feet were so deformed they looked like lobster claws.
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Wanns add Twitter as the Sidebar Gadget in your windows 7 and Windows Vista PC. Than you have to try the new App Tweetz. Like other sidebar gadgets, Tweetz docks comfortably in the sidebar. TweetZ works much like other Twitter clients. You can tweet and reply as expected. Click on the “What are you doing” button and the editing window pops up. TweetZ: Twitter Sidebar Gadget for Windows 7/Vista You can shorten links easily. Simply compose your tweet, complete with the long versions of your links and then click “shorten”. Tweetz will convert links that it finds into their short versions using the services of http://is.gd. Download TweetZ Sidebar Gadget here
The Auburn American 9 to 10- year-old All-Stars advanced to the quarterfinals with a dramatic 10-9 victory over Geneva Black. Ryan Scott hit a game-winning double in the bottom of the sixth to pull off the victory. Leading Auburn offensively were Matt Hesse, Dan Nolan and Richard McConnell, who each tallied two hits, Mike Jakaub smacked a double and Ben Pinchak, Spenser Lincoln, Kaiden Tubbert and T.J. Reilly each contributed hits. Pinchak put in the effort on the mound in relief of Lincoln while Bridget Moore earned the win after throwing a key strikeout to a save a bases-loaded situation. Auburn will continue its efforts 6 p.m. today in Seneca Falls. BABE RUTH Byrn's Trophy 7, Auburn Police Department 4 Justin Fasce threw nine strikeouts on the mound for Byrn's while Connor Kilmer led at the plate smacking two hits including a double and scoring two runs. Also leading offensively for Byrn's Trophy were Fasce with a double, three RBIs and one run, Jordan Serling contributed one hit and one RBI while Joe DeAngelis added one hit and one run. SANDLOT Children's Health Specialists 14, Butler Services 6 Leading Children's Health Specialists were Amber Pidlypchak, Noah Lewis, Daniel Lovell and Matthew Ward, who each tallied three hits while Kendra Deville and Cassie Nolte played well defensively. Butler Services were paced at the plate by Lauren Marinelli, who posted four hits while Caleb Dymock and Dylan Lee both finished with three hits. BOYS AND GIRLS The Printery Pirates 24, Vision Care Associates Athletics 18 Leading the Pirates were Jake Hansen and Andrew Bishuk who each had three hits, Clayton Shernesky posted two hits while Nick Schattinger and Zach Galbally both played well defensively. Pacing the Athletics were Paul Sofenski with four hits, Mason Rivett and Devin Smith who both smacked three hits while defensively performing well were Luke Kurowski and C.J. Stevens. Children's Health Specialists Marlins 20, Tim's Powerwashing Inc. Indians 14 The Marlins were led by Sam Carbonaro who recorded four hits including two doubles, Alyssa Cook contributed four hits and Logan Murphy added three hits while leading defensively were Ryan Fedigan, Kaiya Reilley and Jack Carbonaro. At the plate for the Indians were Josh Kowaleski who hit two doubles, Allie Wilmont drove three runs in and Nathan Nedza smacked a triple while Andrew Boglione played well defensively. NYSCOBA Brewers 14, Byrne Dairy Mets 13 Olivia Maassen led a balanced attack with three hits including a double for the Brewers, also smacking three hits were Zach Dennis, Jacob Sanders, Jakob Borza and Max Bergan while Gracie Morgan, Conor Maassen, AJ Williams and Tyler Cook each finished with two hits. Gracie Morgan also managed a steal that electrified the crowd while Olivia Morgan had a key hit in the fourth to drive in the winning run. Leading the Brewers defensively were Aaron Kowal and Tyler Cook behind the plate while Bergan, Morgan Cook and Jake Sanders made outstanding plays. Pacing the Mets were Patrick Willis, Kellen Fedigan and Ethan Moore who each earned two hits while Tehya Kloster, Landon Perkins and Austin Black anchored the defense.
The Auburn City Council is considering a proposal to put a hold on a law that makes it mandatory for all city properties to have a sidewalk adjacent to them.
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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's father said the King of Pop was not ready to perform 50 shows in London, in a TV interview that aired the day the singer was scheduled to start his long-awaited comeback. Joe Jackson told ABC News that his son told him that he only agreed to perform 10 shows in London, but that the concert promoter booked more shows to bring the total to 50.
A last stop for some.
Owasco Lake a home for a variety of creatures By Chet Crosby Sunday, July 12, 2009 11:33 PM EDT Owasco Lake is about 10.5 miles long and has a maximum depth of approximately 175 feet and a mean depth of the lake of about 94 feet. Due to these features, Owasco has a good warm/cool water fishery as well as a cold water fishery. Species such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, perch, bullhead, sunfish, rock bass and a few other species inhabit the littoral zone of the lake that extends out from the shore to about 50 feet of depth, although I have caught bass and perch as deep as 70 feet. Most warm/cool water species and their forage spawn successfully in the lake, however walleyes are the exception. Walleye stocking in Owasco Lake does not exist at this time and there are no plans to do so in the future. For the most part cold water species such as lake trout, brown trout and rainbow trout inhabit the deeper portions of the lake. The forage base for these species include alewives, smelt, lake minnows, and various insects such as midge flies and other invertebrates. Alewives are an invasive species that was introduced into the lake during the 1970s. Northern pike were also stocked into the lake during this time. Neither fish species were stocked by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. No species should be stocked by individuals since new introductions could have a serious negative impact on the lakes ecosystem. Each year, the DEC stocks Owasco Lake with 16,000 yearling lake trout, 11,000 brown trout - although 2,500 of these fish are stocked in the Owasco Inlet - and 25,000 rainbow trout. All of the rainbow trout are stocked in the Owasco Inlet, which acts as a nursery for one to two years at which time the survivors migrate to the lake. Most cold water species have minimal success at spawning time due to the degradation of spawning areas. Excessive run-off consisting of silt and sediment may cover the clean gravel beds or smother the eggs after storm events. Also, exotic species often eat the eggs and young fry to such a degree that success is limited, thus the need for stocking the many trout species. Recent exotic species found in Owasco Lake include zebra mussels, which are about the size of your thumbnail and consume plankton, which serves as the main food source for young fish. Loss of plankton causes the water in the lake to be very clear and thus encourages weed growth to greater depths in the lake. Spiny water fleas are also new exotics. Many exotic species were discharged into Lake Ontario by ocean going vessels and eventually have made their way to inland lakes and streams. Some of these exotic species have caused serious negative impacts to existing fresh water ecosystems. Landowners can help the fishery by not throwing lawn clippings, leaves, etc., into the lake or into streams leading to the lake. Also, the elimination of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers containing phosphorus for usage on lawns around the lake should be promoted. For additional information on Owasco Lake and its watershed, go online to www.owla.org.
The Cayuga Indian Nation of New York has offered a settlement to Cayuga and Seneca counties asking them to drop an ongoing cigarette tax evasion case in exchange for the tribe picking up counties' legal tab and dropping a potential multimillion dollar lawsuit. The offer comes three days after a state appeals court ruled that the tribe could continue selling untaxed cigarettes from its Lake Side Trading convenience stores in Union Springs and Seneca Falls. The ruling overturned a lower court decision that had said the counties' criminal investigation, including a November raid on the tribes' stores to seize unstamped cigarettes, was legal. Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said on Friday that he planned to file a notice of appeal against that decision to preserve the counties' rights while it reviews the matter. Dan French, an attorney representing the Cayugas, said Monday that he was confident that continuing the legal battle would only result in another loss for the counties and additional legal fees. The counties have already been charged $180,000 in legal fees, French said, and could be sued for millions more by the tribe for the loss of property, which consists mainly of seized cigarettes, and the loss of business. "(The Nation) is concerned the counties will continue to fight, and if they lose, then the residents will be on the hook for thousands of dollars in legal fees and millions in damages," French said. "We wanted to give the counties a graceful way out." Budelmann was not immediately available for comment.
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This just in from Jim Trezise of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation: Watkins Glen, NY -- The Finger Lakes Wine Festival is next weekend, starting with the infamous "Toga Party" on Friday night and followed by two days of wine sampling and sales by over 85 wineries. Held at Watkins Glen International race track and presented by Yancey's Fancy New York's Artisan Cheese, the wonderful wine weekend also features many other products from food to jewelry and pottery. New this year is a Vintner's Riesling Room, hosted by Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association, where tasters may learn all about Riesling and why the Finger Lakes is such a great region for producing it. As usual, there will be seminars including Wine & Chocolate, Wine & Cheese, Riesling, Ask the Winemaker and presentations by regional wine trails. This festival draws thousands of people from around the country, boosts the local economy and spreads the word about fine New York wine. For more information go to www.flwinefest.com
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Had enough rain? I wake some mornings expecting Noah's boat to be parked on my back lawn and the bearded old gentleman gathering two specimens of each plant in my garden. I can't ever remember this much in the recent past. And, of course, there is a lot of good and some bad. The reservoirs are filling up and farm crops are not being parched. On the other side, some home plantings are suffering. All this water is leaching the fertilizers and nutrients from our gardens and flower pots. Farmers are used to this and they regularly feed. Have you done so? It is important. It is time to add fertilizers to keep those plants growing. But, do it right. Follow the instructions on the container. Over-fertilizing will burn the roots and the plant won't be able to take up water properly. Under-fertilize and you'll starve that plant to death. Take your pick, liquid feed or solid. Just do it. Along the same lines, with all this moisture in the ground, and days that are not too sunny, insects that harm your plants are going to have a field day. Yes, you sprayed last week and the week before, but the rain has certainly washed that away. As soon as you get a bright day, get out there and spray everything. You might want to go after the mosquitoes, too. This is their weather. As with fertilizer, know what types you are trying to knock down and apply the proper sprays in the proper amounts. Another caveat is to be sure that, if you are spraying your vegetable gardens as they begin to mature, that you select chemicals that are not harmful to humans. As mentioned in a previous column, there is a series out there called Safer. They are safe controls. Back to watering for a moment. If you have flower pots at the local cemeteries, they will need water, regularly. Those concrete and granite urns will start heating the moment that sun comes out and the roots will begin to bake. It's always good, while you are there, to pick off the dead blossoms so that the plants will throw off more blooms and flourish. A number of folks have asked about getting to the Plantations, the Cornell garden that I wrote about last week. It is easy. But, if you want, I have printed directions from Auburn to the garden from MapQuest. Just call me at 253-5316 and I will mail you a copy. You can also learn more if you have a computer. Just go to www.CornellPlantations.com. Remember, too, we have a couple of magnificent garden areas right here in Auburn. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting the gardens at Seward House. Magnificent. It doesn't get much better. They're really worth the visit. Spend an hour there and you'll really appreciate the magnificent job being done by the staff and volunteers under Mr. Wisby's guidance. How about Hoopes Park? When did you last visit it? No, it is not the magnificent rose garden we remember from 40 or 50 years ago. Roses just love sunlight and the trees planted so many years ago now keep the sun from reaching the plants. Be happy, the city has done a fine job of planting things that will grow in the shade. Take a few minutes this afternoon and stroll through the Hoopes Park gardens. The fountains are very relaxing. Did you know that in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that area was the city land fill? Carmen Cosentino operates Cosentino's Florist with his wife, Anne Marie, and daughter, Jessica. He was elected to the National Floriculture Hall of Fame in 1998, and in 2008, received the Tommy Bright award for lifetime achievements in floral education . He can be reached at cosenti@aol.com
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