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THE SHAWNEE NEWS-STAR THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2011 COLUMN
Goodbye to Harry Potter
IFYR
WEATHER
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-5 or 113? JULY
FEBRUARY
TINA BRIDENSTINE tina.bridenstine@news-star.com
T
he end is here. No, not that one. I mean Harry Potter. This weekend, the final movie comes out in theaters. I have plans to drive home and watch it with my parents and brother, the same people with whom I’ve watched almost every other movie in the series. I’m still not quite sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, I can’t wait to see what I think to be one of the best books in the series brought to the big screen. I can’t wait to see the most epic scene ever, which I’ll leave at that for anyone who wants to avoid spoilers (but please, please let that scene be there, Hollywood!). On the other hand, I’m not ready for it to end, even though it really ended when the last book came out. I’m also dreading some things. Every time I see a trailer, I catch a glimpse of the characters who die, and I know I don’t want to see their deaths acted out. In fact, I’m going to move on, because I don’t even want to think about that right now. The sad thing is, despite all the emotional investment I have in this series, I’m not even one of those people who has followed it since childhood. I picked up the first book at the urging of just about everyone I know, and after one chapter, I put it down and vowed never to read it. When word got out that J.K. Rowling was going to kill off a major character in book five, I talked a friend into telling me who it was. It took a long time, and several promises that I would never read the books anyway, to get it out of her. She was a little annoyed when I started reading the series shortly afterward. I picked up the first book again, determined to see it through this time. I still hated the beginning, so I skipped ahead a chapter. (Even if I do like the series now, I never want to read the first book again.) I don’t know what got me through the beginning. It wasn’t until I was reading the fifth book that I thought, “Hey, wait a minute. I like this book, and Rowling can actually write now.” By the time the last
The heat causes a mirage at the corner of Harrison and Highland streets recently. Inset: A front end loader clears snow from the streets earlier this year. ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Winter harder on humans, psychologist says Remember February? That’s when Shawnee had a foot of snow and the thermometer bottomed out at 5 degrees below zero. Schools, the courthouse and city hall were closed and people were stuck inside for days on end. Now it’s less than six months later and, oh, how things have changed. We’ve had 15 straight days with highs of 100 degrees or more and the forecast calls for the streak to continue at least 10 more days. But, if you’re sitting there sweating as you read the News-Star and think that a blizzard actually
sounds pretty good right about now, think again. For the danger and discomfort it brings, our current hot weather isn’t as harmful to our collective mental health as being pinned down by a blizzard. “We saw more of an impact on the psyche from being shut in by the cold,” Shawnee psychologist Kathy Laster said of February’s snowstorm. “We saw a lot of extreme depression and isolation. Right now, it’s kind of the opposite of seasonal
DO YOU PREFER HEAT OR COLD?
Glenda Major
Mia Doty
“I don’t like the heat or the cold. But if I had to choose it would be the heat, becuase you can cool down easier than you can warm up.”
“You can always put more layers on, but you can’t always take more layers off.”
WEATHER, Page 5A
By Robby Short robby.short@news-star.com
An 18-year old contestant at the International Finals Youth Rodeo remains in critical condition after being injured Monday evening. Kelly Blanton, from Taylorsville, N.C., was taken by Medi Flight from the rodeo grounds to the intensive care unit at OU Medical Center and is currently listed in stable, but critical condition with severe back injuries. A source close to the family said that Blanton was placed on a ventilator with paralysis similar to Christopher Reeves, the star of several Superman films. The source said the worse case scenario was that Blanton could remain paralyzed and on a ventilator permanently. Blanton was injured after she was thrown from her horse while practicing in the practice arena on the rodeo grounds. Donations for the family are being accepted by the North Carolina High School Rodeo Association treasurer, Jackie Davis. They can be sent to 2827 Lake Front Drive, Belmont, NC 28012. Davis can also be contacted by phone at 980-522-1865. Blanton graduated from Alexander Central High School in Taylorsville, N.C. She is the daughter of Geri Blanton and Michael Blanton. ——— Robby Short may be contacted by calling 2143934.
TRIALS
Jury suggests life terms plus 158 years for crime spree defendant By Kim Morava kimberly.morava@news-star. com
A Pottawatomie County jury has convicted a defendant charged with eight felonies relating to a crime spree that spanned two counties, recommending he serve three life sentences plus 158 years for those offenses. Formal sentencing is set for July 18. Jason Kenneth Dimaggio, 32, was found guilty Wednesday on all counts relating to the crime spree in Pottawatomie County.
BIRTHDAYS
Today is the birthday of ... Olivia Stobbe Robert Robison Eddie Garner Bon Poncho Lessie Gregg Essie Higgins Mary Ford JoAnn Clearly Katie Davis Ken Jolly
He still faces numerous charges for events alleged in Seminole County. “Jason Dimaggio left a path of destruction across two counties, but what he didn’t expect was that many of his victims would fight back,” District Attorney Richard Smothermon said following the verdict. “What this jury did today is finishing the fight for them.” Smothermon prosecuted the case while Cregg Webb served as the defense attorney. Webb said Dimaggio “was not surprised by
the verdict.” For the ladies involved in a carjacking at a Maud church during the crime spree, they are glad they won’t have to worry about Dimaggio getting out of prison, one said, adding, “He’s behind bars and won’t be able to hurt anyone else.” Jurors considered two prior felony convictions on his record when deciding the punishment phase of the trial. Dimaggio was accused in count one of robbery with a weapon, charged with
using a firearm to threaten a woman to take her van from a Maud church. Jurors recommended life. For a conspiracy charge relating to the carjacking at the Maud church, 25 years was recommended. For assault with a dangerous weapon, Dimaggio was accused of using a vehicle to strike the patrol unit of Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Palmer. The jury recommended 20 years for that offense. For eluding a police, the jury recommended three years.
Heidi Ann Garlow Ethan Corum Jim Tefertiller Dawson Arnett Kooper Blain Sylvia Godwin Ed Wilson Daniel Dustman Ron McKey
OBITUARIES
ONLINE TODAY
• Billy Ray Johnson • Curtis ‘Chip’ Eugene Brown Jr. • Harold Henry Fox • Bobby J. Moore • Harold V. Miller • Sylvia Bivens
Three most viewed stories Wednesday at www.news-star.com
——— To submit a local birthday, e-mail the month, day and name to reita. easley@news-star.com or call 214-3950, Monday through Friday.
JURY TRIALS BEGIN IN POTT. COUNTY
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DEFENDANTS SET FOR TRIAL IFYR 2011 UPDATES
A count of conspiracy to commit a felony, for which is he was accused, along with Robert Cardenaz, of robbing Ralph’s Pharmacy in Tecumseh, jurors recommended a life sentence. For a robbery-with-aweapon charge for robbing a pharmacist at Ralph’s of narcotic pills, the jury suggested Dimaggio serve 100 years in prison. For assaulting that pharmacist, the jury agreed he should serve a life term. For TRIALS, Page 5A
WEATHER Partly cloudy H: 101 L: 76 Forecast, 2A
LOTTERIES Powerball 08-18-19-32-54-08 Hot Lotto 07-11-14-19-23-15 Cash 5 05-11-21-29-35 Pick 4 6-7-0-0 Pick 3 1-2-5
COLUMN, Page 5A Weather. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A Tri-County Calendar. . . . . 3A
Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6A
Local News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A Lifestyles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A
Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3B Classifed. . . . . . . . . . . . 4B-8B
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B Scoreboard . . . . . . . . . . . . 2B
Sit back, relax and let the savings come to you. Vol. 117 No. 75
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