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Friday, March 16, 2012
LOCAL, NATION & WORLD
Skydiver makes test jump for highest jump record (AP) — Skydiving daredevil Felix Baumgartner is more than halfway toward his goal of setting a world record for the highest jump. Baumgartner lifted off Thursday for a test jump from Roswell, N.M., aboard a 100-foot helium balloon. He rode inside a pressurized capsule to 71,581 feet — 13.6 miles — and then jumped. He parachuted to a safe landing, according to project spokeswoman Trish Medalen. He’s aiming for nearly 23 miles this summer. The record is 19.5 miles. “The view is amazing, way better than I thought,” Baumgartner said after the practice jump, in remarks provided by his representatives. Thursday’s rehearsal was a test of his capsule, full-pressure suit, parachutes and other systems. A mini Mission Control — fashioned after NASA’s — monitored his flight. Baumgartner reached speeds of up to 364.4 mph Thursday and was in free fall for three minutes and 43 seconds, before pulling his parachute cords, Medalen said. The entire jump lasted eight minutes and eight seconds. She stressed that the numbers are still unofficial. With Thursday’s successful test, Baumgartner is believed to be only the third person ever to jump from such a high altitude and free fall to a safe landing, and the first in a half-century. “I’m now a member of a pretty small club,” he said. When the 42-year-old Austrian known as “Fearless Felix” leaps from 120,000 feet in a few months, he expects to break the sound barrier as he falls through the stratosphere at supersonic speed. There’s virtually no atmosphere that far up, making it extremely hostile to humans, thus the need for a pressure suit and oxygen supply. The record for the highest free fall is held by Joe Kittinger, a retired Air Force officer from Florida. He jumped from 102,800 feet — 19.5 miles — in 1960. Baumgartner is out to beat that record. He plans one more dry run — jumping from 90,000 feet — before attempting the full 120,000 feet. The launch window opens in July and extends until the beginning of October. For comparison, commercial jets generally cruise at over 30,000 feet. Baumgartner has jumped 2,500
OBITUARIES
GERALYN ‘SUSIE’ SMITH SIDNEY — Geralyn “Susie” Smith, 48, of 528 Jefferson St., Sidney, died Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at her residence. She was born June 8, 1963, in Piqua, to Leo Schemmel of Daytona Beach, Fla., and the late Geraldine (Langston) Schemmel. Survivors include three SMITH sons, Jeremy Schemmel of Piqua, Sean Jackson of Piqua and Dusty Jackson of Piqua; four sisters, Diana Kellems of Sidney, Kathy Hurley of Piqua, Sandy Causey of Piqua, Wendy (Shane) Jasper-Norris
and Renee (Mark) Bolin of Piqua; a brother, Charlie (Beth) Schemmel of Sidney; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Julie Michelle Jackson. A service to honor her life will be conducted at 4 p.m. Monday, March 19, at the Jamieson & Yannucci Funeral Home, Piqua. Visitation will be from 3-4 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Condolences to the family also may be expressed through jamiesonandyannucci.com.
PAULINE LAVERNE STINE
AP PHOTO
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, Felix Baumgartner prepares to jump during the first manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos over Roswell, N.M. on Thursday. “I like to challenge myself,” times from planes and helicopters, as well as some of the highest landmarks Baumgartner told The Associated Press and skyscrapers on the planet — the in a recent interview, “and this is the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking ultimate skydive. I think there’s nothing Rio de Janeiro, the Millau Viaduct in bigger than that.” He’s caught NASA’s attention, even southern France, the 101-story Taipei though space officially begins much 101 in Taiwan. He’s also plunged deep into the higher at an even 100 kilometers, or 62 Earth, leaping face-first into a pitch- miles. Kittinger is now 83 and one of dark cave in Croatia. Baumgartner considers that 620- Baumgartner’s chief advisers. A former foot-deep cave jump his most dangerous NASA flight director directs the medical feat so far, soon to be outdone by his team: Dr. Jonathan Clark, whose astrostratospheric plunge. His mission takes naut wife, Laurel, was killed aboard its name, Red Bull Stratos, from the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. The stratosphere as well as the energy accident led Clark to become an expert in spacecraft emergency escape. drink-maker sponsor.
Money woes showing up for Romney SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (AP) — The long and increasingly messy Republican presidential contest is starting to hit Mitt Romney where it hurts most: his wallet. New signs of financial stress are emerging in Romney’s campaign, which has built a wide lead in delegates thanks in part to the might of his bank account and multistate operation. As rival Rick Santorum’s surprising strength keeps extending the nomination battle, Romney has scaled back expenses, trimmed field staff in some cases and ROMNEY begun to count more on free media coverage to reach voters. And he’s still relying on an allied super political action committee to supplement his spending on expensive TV ads. This week, the former Massachusetts governor was forced to spend two days privately courting donors in the New York area, even as his Republican rivals were wooing voters ahead of pivotal elections in
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places like Illinois, where he hasn’t been in four months, and as President Barack Obama was stockpiling cash for the fall general election fight. On Wednesday, Romney had five finance events in New York, all packed, raising about $3 million, with more set for Thursday. So the news is hardly all bad. Wednesday “was the best day we’ve had so far,” said New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, who accompanied Romney to multiple events, including a donor breakfast in New York City. But it’s less encouraging for the campaign that the money is badly needed to re-fill coffers that had sunk close to their lowest levels since Romney launched his presidential effort last year. It’s unclear if he will tap his own personal wealth. The former financial executive, whose personal wealth is estimated between $190 million and $250 mil-
lion, loaned his 2008 presidential campaign $42 million. Top aide Eric Fehrnstrom says Romney has not loaned his campaign any new funds this cycle and has “no plans” to do so. Raising money to get through a protracted primary fight is clearly not how Romney wanted to be spending his spring. He had hoped to have wrapped up the nomination by now, giving him the freedom to raise money for the general election against Obama. The incumbent Democrat doesn’t have a primary challenge, and already is well into running for re-election. He’s spending 14 hours Friday raising money; the biggest event is to be with actor/director Tyler Perry and musician Cee Lo Green in Atlanta. As Romney reloads for his GOP fight, his chief Republican rival, Santorum, is showcasing new fundraising success. The once-lopsided money race between the top two Republican candidates has never been closer. For the month of February, Romney boasted his second-best fundraising month ever, taking in $11.5 million.
LAKELAND, Fla. — Pauline Laverne Stine (nee Peneton), 91, of Lakeland, Fla., passed away peacefully Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, with her daughter Linda by her side. Born March 16, 1920, in Springfield, Ohio, Pauline was the daughter of Raymond and Nona (Thomas) Peneton and was a graduate of Rockway School in Springfield, and a STINE business school graduate. Pauline worked as a personal secretary at Gum Products and also worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Piqua, Ohio, where she had a walking route and also a rural route. Pauline played the organ at the VFW, Elks, Ramada Inn and at her church and also played the organ and sang at the Winter Garden in Piqua, and her signature song was “Pennies from Heaven.” Pauline married Emerson H. Stine on Oct. 21, 1941, and they were married 24 years until his passing on Nov. 23, 1965. She was preceded in
death by her parents; her husband, Emerson; a son, Steven Stine in 2006; a sister, Evelyn Schuffe, who perished in the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire; and a brother, Billy Peneton. Pauline leaves behind her loving daughter, Linda Weldy of Lakeland, and son Michael (Kathy) Stine of Lebanon, Ohio; grandchildren Donna, Stephanie, Jennifer, Angela, Mic, Matt and Mark; seven great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Erma Caffeo and many other family members. Calling hours will be from 5-6 p.m. Friday, March 16, at the Stine Kilburn Funeral Home. A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Steve Tufts officiating. Burial will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery, Piqua. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.stinekilburnfuneralhome.com.
OBITUARY POLICY In respect for friends and family, the Troy Daily News prints a funeral directory free of charge. Families who would like photographs and more
detailed obituary information published in the Troy Daily News, should contact their local funeral home for pricing details.
Exits can be tough in presidential races can be just as tough, a very public his career. Since leaving Congress in admission of failure. 1998, he has cultivated politically con“Sometimes you’re in the bubble so nected businesses that he may need to long and working so hard consider as he weighs his that you just can’t see the off campaign’s future. switch,” said Keith Speaking to a GOP dinNahigian, who managed ner Wednesday night in Bachmann’s presidential Illinois, Gingrich defiantly campaign and worked on proclaimed that no other seven others before that. candidates for the Timing an exit can make Republican nomination offer a difference. policy solutions as bold as After a graceful 2008 his on such issues as energy departure, Mike Huckabee development and governfound post-campaign life GINGRICH ment restructuring. lucrative, through book sales “That’s why I’m still runand a cable TV show. ning. The vacuum is so huge,” Gingrich That year, Mitt Romney didn’t over- said, calling his effort “the politics of big stay his welcome either and left himself ideas.” in a commanding position for a shot in “The news media can’t cover it,” he said, “and, candidly, my opponents can’t 2012. At 68, Gingrich is in the twilight of comprehend it.” 2260561
PALATINE, Ill. (AP) — It’s hard to say goodbye in presidential politics. Newt Gingrich’s campaign pinned his future on two Deep South victories, which never materialized. Yet the former House speaker is pressing on despite a path to victory that seems more improbable by the day. The 2012 GOP race has seen such stand-tough moments before. Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Jon Huntsman and Rick Perry all promised to soldier on when things looked bleak. Eventually they bowed out — some meekly — after realizing they couldn’t overcome increasingly long odds. The decision to make a run at America’s highest office is difficult, given a presidential campaign’s grueling hours, grinding travel, constant exposure and lost privacy. Getting out
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AP PHOTO
In this June 24, 2011, file photo, a judge evaluates Yoda during the 2011 World’s Ugliest Dog Contest in Petaluma, Calif. The 14-year-old Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix took top honors winning $1,000 and a plethora of pet perks at the Sonoma-Marin Fair.
Reigning ‘world’s ugliest dog’ dies HANFORD, Calif. (AP) When a beloved pet dies, good manners usually dictate saying something nice about the departed companion. And for Yoda, it was a compliment to say she sure was ugly. Yoda won the 2011 World’s Ugliest Dog contest at the Sonoma Marin Fair for her short tufts of hair, protruding tongue, and long, seemingly hairless legs. The Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix died in her sleep Saturday. She was 15. The 1.8-pound pooch had lived a rough life before Terry Schumacher found her abandoned behind an apartment building and mistook her for a rat.
The dog went on to bag $1,000 and a trophy 15 times her size when she won the contest held in Petaluma, Calif., last June. Yoda and Schumacher became famous, appearing on national television. Contest producer Vicki DeArmon said Yoda will keep the title until a new ugliest dog is crowned in June. Schumacher, of Hanford, Calif., told the Hanford Sentinel that she will miss “her funny little ways.” But Schumacher said she was “comforted knowing she will be joining my Mom and Dad, who loved her so much. Her memories will live on forever.”