The First Tee Sea Coast

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter was remembered by former teammates and colleagues for his smile, energy and competitiveness.

Carter died Thursday at age 57 from a malignant brain tumor. The American flag outside of Digital Domain Park, the spring training home of the New York Mets, was lowered to half-staff in his honor Friday along with the Canadian flag outside Montreals Olympic Park.

When I broke into the big leagues until a month ago, Gary kept in touch, Mets third baseman David Wright said. He would call and just want to talk about baseball and the team and what I was feeling at the plate. It was incredible for him to be in the situation he was in and to take some time out 15 to 20 minutes and just want to talk baseball. Just the energy in his voice, talking about this organization and talking about the game, those will be my lasting memories and something that will stick with me pretty vividly.

He knew the situation he was in, he knew that clock was ticking and he just wanted to be around the game and talk about the clubhouse and what was happening on the field.

Carter was an 11-time All-Star during 19 major league seasons, primarily with the Montreal Expos and Mets. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Initially it was sad and then you realize that he lived a great life, said Mets third base coach Tim Teufel, a teammate on the 1986 World Series champions. I think, speaking from their family standpoint, theres remorse, but theres peace because hes such a godly man. I think theyve probably come to the place knowing that hes pain free and in a better place. Gary was infectious. His smile his attitude toward the game, his attitude toward life.

In 2005, his first year managing, Carter led the Gulf Coast League Mets to the league final. In 2006, he guided the St. Lucie Mets to the Florida State League championship.

The energy and always the laugh and the smile, said Mets bullpen coach Ricky Bones, who was the St. Lucie Mets pitching coach in 2006. People talk about the smile and it was true. The guy would come to the ball park with the uniform, always energetic, always wanting to win, always laughing, always wanted to be a winning team. He taught me that.

At Montreals Olympic Park, management announced plans to consult with Carters family and make plans to name a space in the area after him.

One federal politician, Liberal Denis Coderre, raised the possibility of renaming the metro stop at Olympic Stadium, replacing the current name of Pope Pius IX.

On the green parquet floor of Canadas Parliament in Ottawa, members of different political parties read tributes.

Carters death was front-page news on all three of Montreals daily newspapers. The NHLs Montreal Canadiens also planned to honor Carter before their game Sunday. Carter played for the Expos from 1974-84 and again in 1992.

Keith Rendleman leads the CAA in scoring (18.6 ppg) and rebounding (12.4 rpg) in conference games. Hes third in field goal percentage (61.0). As the only Seahawk with a double-figure efficiency rating, the athletic power forward can expect a steady diet of double-teams the rest of the way in conference play, especially from teams such as JMU who dont have a defensive stopper in the post.

From his freshman year to now, what a good player hes turned into, Dukes coach Matt Brady said. Having watched some games here in January, even the game they lost against Drexel, he was a dominant player. We dont have the physical ability to play him 1-on-1. Drexel tried, and he had 10 baskets We dont do a lot of (double-teaming). Its in our game plan, but we had to try it and make other guys make some plays. Against our frontcourt he wouldve dominated us.

The Dukes used 6-8 Andrey Semenov to help Enoch Hood defend Rendleman on the catch. This forced him to dribble out of the post, 15-20 feet from the basket and pass back out to a perimeter player. It was effective. The Seahawks didnt maintain good spacing and sputtered to 0.95 points per possession, their third consecutive inefficient offensive effort.

I dont think we got going downhill (toward the basket) enough, UNCW coach Buzz Peterson said. We didnt attack off the double-team. In our guys defense, wed worked on it very little. We worked on it enough not to have a turnover, but not to make them pay. I expect to see alot of it. Thats what weve got to work on, get prepared for.

Tribe takes Rams to the wire

William amp; Mary and VCU gave a national television audience a good show last night in Richmond, playing the best game of the CAA season, an epic overtime thriller. The Rams won 69-68.

VCU, which guarded UNCW quite well earlier this season, did not have anyone who could stop William amp; Mary freshman Marcus Thornton in the second half and overtime last night. He drove to the lane, at will, scoring or dumping down to teammates for buckets. Keeping him out of the lane has to be top priority for the Seahawks or theyll relive Wednesday nights game against James Madison.

Update: Craig Ponder is still on crutches and in a cast, but is transitioning to a walking boot soon. He begins rehab on his surgically repaired ankle with team trainer Scott Hill in early February. It will probably be June before hes ready for full speed basketball action, though remaining active is an important part of the process.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
American Airlines invites customers to raise a glass. Beginning Feb. 1, customers traveling in the main cabin on American’s international flights between the U.S. and Europe, Asia, and certain countries in South America can enjoy beer and wine – compliments of the airline – as part of the inflight beverage service.

“Offering complimentary beer and wine to our loyal customers in all classes of service allows American to better align our product offering with fellow oneworld® alliance members and is another example of our commitment to enhance the travel experience,” said Rob Friedman, American’s Vice President – Marketing. “Our customers asked for complimentary beer and wine, and we listened. Starting Feb. 1, when a customer travels internationally onboard American, we invite them to have a drink on us.”

Customers traveling on American-operated flights between the U.S. and Europe, the U.S. and Asia and onboard long-haul flights between the U.S. and Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, beginning next month, can choose from a variety of complimentary beer and wine options. This is in addition to the full selection of nonalcoholic beverages available on these flights. Liquor will be available for purchase as it is today.

Selections vary but will include red and white wines, specially selected by American’s wine consultant Ken Chase, and a wide selection of beers. Beer, wine and spirits will remain complimentary for customers traveling in the First and Business Class cabins. For more information on American’s beverage service, please visit
www.aa.com/beerandwine .

About American AirlinesAmerican Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection® carrier serve 260 airports in more than 50 countries and territories with, on average, more than 3,300 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American’s award-winning website, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members and members-elect serve more than 900 destinations with more than 10,000 daily flights to 149 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. AMR Corporation common stock trades under the symbol “AAMRQ” on the OTCQB marketplace, operated by OTC Markets Group.

AMR Corporation, and certain of its United States-based subsidiaries, including American Airlines, Inc. and AMR Eagle Holding Corporation, on Nov. 29 filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. More information about the Chapter 11 filing is available on the Internet at
http://aa.com/restructuring .

Current AMR Corp. news releases can be accessed at

http://www.aa.com

SOURCE American Airlines

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

• Ashford Stamper
• The Traveling Cocktail Club created the cocktail pairings for chef Craig Howards dinner at the City Arts Project gallery last Sunday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio –

Someone opens fire on a vehicle traveling on Interstate 70 Friday morning, and a 16-year-old is shot in the jaw.

Levert Williamson, 20; 17-year-old Shawn Johnson and 16-year-old David Pickett were traveling eastbound on I-70 between US Route 33 and South James Road.

Someone in a white vehicle fired shots at the vehicle in which the three were traveling.

Pickett was shot in the jaw. The other two were not hit.

Columbus officers and paramedics responded at about 2:58 am Friday.

Pickett was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.

Anyone with information should call Columbus Police Detective Rosch at 614-645-4373.

No other details were released, but NBC4 will update as we learn new information.

For additional information, stay with NBC4 and refresh nbc4i.com.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail stories@nbc4i.com.

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Read More: LeBron James (F – MIA), Kobe Bryant (G – LAL), Dwyane Wade (G – MIA), Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat, Jan 21, 2012 7:30 PM EST, Atlanta Hawks at Philadelphia 76ers, Jan 20, 2012 7:00 PM EST

Coming off their fourth loss of the season the first place Philadelphia 76ers look to bounce back this weekend when they host the Atlanta Hawks Friday before traveling to Miami to play LeBron James and the Heat on Saturday.

Up to this point in the season the Sixers have had the second easiest schedule in the NBA, playing teams with a combined winning percentage of .392. They will be tested this weekend against the Hawks and Heat, who have a combined winning percentage of .724.

Playing without their All-Star power forward, the Atlanta Hawks have won seven of their last eight games and bring a four game winning streak into Philadelphia on Friday night. They last played Wednesday when the defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 92-89 in Atlanta.

The Heat have also been playing without one of their best players Dwyane Wade has missed the last two games with an ankle injury but have won two straight behind the stellar play of LeBron James. They easily defeated Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

For more 76ers coverage, visit Liberty Ballers. Head over to SB Nations NBA page for complete league coverage.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, NC – The holiday season is an opportunity for spending time with family, festivities and oftentimes, shopping. This shopping for gifts, decorations and traveling can drain bank accounts and increase credit card balances quickly.

Fortunately, there are several tricks to spending wisely so the holiday season does not put anyone in financial trouble, said Marilyn Nakamura, Marine and Family Services Prevention and Education specialist.

The first step should be to calculate how much a person spends during the holidays. This includes figuring out total income and calculating bills, other necessary expenses and contributions to savings. People should be careful to foresee rising costs during the winter. Examples are higher fuel prices for winter travels and higher electric bills from keeping the house warm.

After calculating bills and expenses, a spending limit should be set. By setting a spending limit, no person should go into debt during the holidays. It is then up to the individual to plan how he wants to spend his money, whether it is for Christmas gifts or traveling out of town.

Before stepping foot in a store, Marines, sailors, or their family members should have a list of who they need to buy for and how much they can afford to spend on each person. By doing this, they will not cut themselves short.

Those ready to shop should also keep their eyes open for businesses holiday season savings.

Marines can shop around for the best prices and purchase gifts before businesses raise prices for the season. Businesses typically have great deals the day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday. Black Friday is named for businesses hoping to go “in the black” and out of debt from massive sales.

After Black Friday, however, stores may raise prices on popular gifts to maximize profits. To avoid spending more money on last-minute gifts, it is important to shop throughout a period of time vice all at once.

Marines can also save money by creating gifts for their loved ones instead of purchasing a gift.

“One year, my husband and I created our own gifts, and they have been the most meaningful gifts we have,” said Nakamura.

Nakamura’s husband gave her a wooden cross attached to a heart containing her favorite picture of their family.

Holiday gifts are not the only expense that adds to the monthly bills – traveling causes a big dent toward income.

The next part of the plan deals with traveling. Many Marines and their family live away from home because of their work. Service members use the holidays as a time to travel back home to spend time with the rest of their family. Traveling during the holidays can be expensive because most people, military or not, are trying to go home.

However, Marines can save money by comparing prices and reserving tickets before prices get steep. This might include traveling on different days of the week and different times of the month.

To help pay for all expenses, Marines should avoid using credit cards and should never open a line of credit under stores that advertise a discount for getting a credit card. Nakamura said it will only lead to more spending.

Marines should also not take out loans. Some people take out loans and expect to pay it off with their income tax refunds, said Nakamura. No one should ever rely on it. If they get less than expected or even owe money, they are in for a world of financial hurt.

If Marines spend responsibly, the holiday season will be relaxing instead of stressful, said Nakamura.

Connected Media

Thanksgiving Travel: Tips for Traveling with Kids

Hopefully you can use some of the following tips to help create a stress-free situation when traveling with your children over Thanksgiving, whether you are traveling by plane or are driving.

By

Heather Lynn Peters | The Muskegon Chronicle

The Muskegon Chronicle

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Traveling Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend – Make It Safe, Not Tragic

With the expectation of more Thanksgiving holiday travelers taking to the road, Oregon State Police (OSP) and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) urge everyone to start preparing now to make our roads safer this weekend. To help save lives and prevent injuries on our roads, police officers throughout Oregon and around the country will be stepping up enforcement efforts as part of the Click It or Ticket national campaign.

Seat belts have helped save more lives than any other single piece of automotive safety equipment, said Captain Michael Dingeman, director of the OSP Patrol Services Division. This Thanksgiving, and every day and night of the year, buckling your seat belt and making sure others in your vehicle are correctly using safety restraints may help save a life.

The Thanksgiving holiday period covers 102 hours and is the longest holiday weekend period of the year. The 2011 Thanksgiving holiday period starts 6:00 pm, Wednesday, November 23, and concludes at 11:59 pm, Sunday, November 27.

Oregon law enforcement agencies are joining the national Click It or Ticket campaign to reduce traffic crashes, injuries and deaths on Oregon roads. In addition to an increased enforcement effort, ODOT will display travel safety reminders – Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober / Save Lives – on ODOTs Permanent Variable Message Signs along several major highways throughout the holiday weekend.

Since 1970, more than 230 people have died on Oregon roads during this holiday period. During last years Thanksgiving holiday period, three people died in 3 separate traffic crashes on Oregon roads. Each fatal crash occurred in eastern Oregon involving a single vehicle.

Icy roads were a factor in each of last years Thanksgiving weekend fatal traffic crashes. Many drivers may face similar weather-related challenges this weekend leading OSP and ODOT to stress the importance of planning ahead, staying informed, buckling up, and driving alert and sober.

Dont hit the highways without being prepared to do so safely, said Dingeman. If you drive drunk, carelessly, recklessly, or unrestrained, the faces you could be seeing might belong to an emergency room physician or nurse instead of the faces of your family and friends.

According to the US Department of Transportations National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), night time is one of the more dangerous times on the road because seat belt use is traditionally lower. Of the 187 passenger vehicle deaths at night during the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday period, over one-half (54%) did not have their seat belts fastened (where seat belt use was known); while 49 percent in day-time crashes were not wearing seat belts.

Carla Levinski, ODOTs Occupant Protection Program Manager, reminds adults that Oregon law requires seat belts to be used properly, meaning wearing both lap and shoulder belts as intended. Levinski also urged parents to know of the benefits of booster seat use over adult safety belts for young children.

Proper seat belt and child safety seat use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, said Levinski.

OSP, Oregon State Sheriffs Association, Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, and ODOT remind travelers to use TripCheck.com (or call 5-1-1) for the latest road conditions, paying close attention to your travel routes while keeping up on unexpected weather / road conditions, and to follow these important safety tips:

Getting Ready for the Trip
* Plan ahead to give yourself plenty of extra time to get to your destination.
* Stay informed about weather conditions, potential traffic hazards and highway closures.
* Check road conditions by visiting www.TripCheck.com or calling 5-1-1.
* Make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving starting with good tires, a good battery, and a full tank of gas.
* Carry an emergency kit and chains or traction tires, especially if traveling over mountain passes.
* Snacks and bottled water also are a good idea for long trips, especially with children.
* Carry a map in case weather or road conditions force you to take a detour. Keep family members or friends aware of any significant changes in your planned route before you take the unplanned route.
* Get plenty of rest before you leave on any trip.
* Clear snow, ice or frost from windows and headlights before you leave.
* Make sure everyone is using safety restraints and secure any cargo.
* Always have a designated driver for any holiday activities that include alcohol.

On the Road:
* Drive according to conditions. If its wet, icy, snowy or foggy, slow down and increase your following distance behind other vehicles to at least a four-second distance. Keep in mind that conditions may not be perfect to drive at the posted speed.
* Use headlights even in daylight to help other drivers see you.
* Dont use cruise control in wet, icy, snowy or foggy conditions.
* Be patient with all the other traffic on the highways.
* Watch out for pedestrians now that the days are shorter and darker, and remember theyre often in dark clothing.
* If you get tired or drowsy, stop and rest during your trip or get a rested and sober licensed driver behind the wheel.
* There are still many construction zones on our highways, and even though work will be inactive over the holiday weekend there may be equipment, detours, and incomplete changes in the roadway. Stay alert and slow down because all work zone speed limits still apply and fines increase in these areas.
* Dont drink and drive or get into a vehicle with a driver who has been drinking.

Report any possible intoxicated or dangerous driver to the Oregon State Police at 1-800-24DRUNK (1-800-243-7865) or call 9-1-1.

More information, including links to information in Spanish, is available at:

http://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/CAMPAIGNS/Seat+Belts/Buckle+Up+America/Thanksgiving+Weekend

Winter travel safety information and links to ODOTs TripCheck.com:

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/COMM/winterdriving.shtml