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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, former IndyCar driver Danica Patrick and defending race champion Trevor Bayne have been involved in a wreck on the second lap of the Daytona 500, a day after the race was postponed for the first time in history.

The accident just minutes after the green flag dropped Monday night began when Elliott Sadler nudged five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson. He shot into the wall, then rolled back down the track.

Patrick was coming along behind the accident and was caught in the chaos. She took her car to the garage to repair the damage.

It marked yet another incident in what’s been a rocky SpeedWeeks for Patrick. She was wrecked in Thursday’s qualifying race, and after winning the pole for the Nationwide Series race, she was wrecked by JR Motorsports teammate Cole Whitt.

Her tally is three wrecks in three races, and none were of her doing.

Johnson is done for the night and says he’s “really, really bummed to start the season this way.” Patrick, Bayne and Kurt Busch also were caught up in the mess.

Ragan asked “what kind of bone head would make a move like that this early” in the 500.

The race was postponed Sunday for the first time in its 54-year history due to heavy rain. It was initially rescheduled for noon Monday and delayed again until 7 p.m., marking the race’s first-ever night start.

NASCAR postpones Daytona 500 for first time
Daytona 500 a speedway for politics

Johnson won five consecutive Sprint Cup championships before finishing sixth last season. Patrick is making her Cup debut after leaving IndyCar after last season. Bayne was the surprise winner of last year’s race.

The season opener is NASCAR’s most prestigious event, and this one comes with several intriguing story lines for a racing series trying to capitalize on the success of last season’s captivating championship race.

Danica Patrick will make her Daytona 500 debut once the race begins, and it will be the first of 10 scheduled Sprint Cup Series events this season. She left IndyCar behind for a full-time move to NASCAR and will race for the Nationwide Series championship driving for JR Motorsports.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion, takes a 129-race losing streak into the event. His last victory was in 2008, his first season with powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.

CHARDON, Ohio (Reuters) – A 17-year-old boy wounded in Monday’s shooting rampage at an Ohio high school was declared brain dead, authorities said on Tuesday, following the death of another student. Russell King Jr. was declared brain dead, although he still has a heartbeat, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s office administrator …

Suffolk native to speak at church tonight

Published 11:37pm Saturday, February 25, 2012

Editor’s Note: Each Sunday during Black History Month, the Suffolk News-Herald will feature an influential black person in the Suffolk community.

After what she termed her “meager” upbringing in Suffolk, Ella P. Ward has made history in Richmond as the longest-serving member of the Virginia Board of Education.

Ward

She was twice appointed to that board, which makes decisions for Virginia schools ranging from major policy decisions to “the color of the school buses,” she said. Gov. Mark Warner tapped her to serve on the board in January 2003, and Gov. Tim Kaine re-appointed her in January 2007.

She currently serves on City Council in Chesapeake and also formerly was on the School Board in that city.

But before she accomplished all this, she had to overcome challenges in her childhood, she said.

Ward will be the keynote speaker at St. Paul RZUA’s Black History Month program this afternoon at 4 p.m. The event, located at 619 Spruce St., is free and open to the public.

She was born in North Carolina, but because her parents had separated, she was raised by a single aunt in Suffolk. She was often distressed because she wanted to be with mother and siblings.

“My childhood was pretty stressed,” she said. “I buried myself in my books. I studied and studied and made straight A’s.”

It paid off — Ward was valedictorian of the 1964 graduating class of East Suffolk High School. She since has earned five college degrees — Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Norfolk State University, a Master of Science degree in educational administration from Old Dominion University, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies and a doctoral degree in educational administration and supervision from Virginia Tech.

“I accomplished a lot with the help of God, despite my meager background,” she said.

Now retired after 35 years in education, she taught English and journalism for 23 years at Wilson High School and was an assistant principal at Waters and Cradock middle schools for 12 years.

She then was elected to School Board in 2000 and 2004. In 2006, she ran for and won her Chesapeake City Council seat.

She also was able to influence education statewide through the Virginia Board of Education.

“Very rarely did anyone of my means get appointed to the state board of education,” she said. “Usually they are really extraordinarily rich or made large campaign contributions.”

Because of her childhood, she has always been interested in giving back to education, she said.

“I just believed from the time I was 6 years old that education was where I wanted to be,” she said. When she took promotions, she said, “It was always because I would have more influence on children.”

“Education can get you out of any situation,” she said. “It got me out. It was the books and learning that got me here. I’ve used my experienced to help kids and let them know they can get out of poverty, but the only way to get it out is through education and training.”

Ward does still volunteer in Suffolk as a member of the East Suffolk High School Alumni Association. She also owns a rental property here.

It’s a shameful thing not to recognise a growing hop when you see one, especially with beer being the national drink. It’s a bit like not linking a cow’s udder to a milk bottle. But so it was – row after row of sky-high crops trailing up supports attached to a webbed ceiling. “What on earth are those?” I embarrass myself by asking out loud. “Yup, hops,” says our farmer host sardonically, “smell like hydroponic marijuana in picking season.” Himself, he’s rearing chooks and supersized beetroot and breeding miniature Nguni/Dexter bulls.

Hop-picking season, when the buds on the heady creepers turn bright yellow, is around March and then it’s all hands to the ladder on behalf of the beer-making industry giant. Right now though, it’s coming down in buckets over the hapless crops – not just rain, but chunks of hail big enough to chill a gin-and-tonic. The micro-climate of the Montagu Pass, said to be so perfectly suited to hop growing, could be suffering the effects of world weather changes along with everywhere else. But the Montagu Pass isn’t like anywhere else; it’s a forgotten tract the rest of the country seems to have grown up around.

Our beetroot-and-bull breeder friend had given us clear directions: N2 to George. Up the main drag (York Street). Top of the road veer left round circle, straight over next circle, straight past Engen. This is the beginning of the Outeniqua Pass. Take second Montagu Pass turn-off. Womble up pass, soak in views. With all the other cars flashing past on the mighty modern (well, 1950-something) Outeniqua Pass, we cut a lone swathe off onto the low-walled serpentine track.

Completed in 1847 under the surveillance of, among others, Henry Fancourt (think golf destination) White, and by the sweat of 250 convicts with the force of a great deal of gun powder, it made contemporary waggoners’ passage through the impenetrable Outeniqua mountains to the interior a breeze. To compensate for its being upstaged by the later dual-carriageway version, in 1972 the Montagu Pass was made a national monument – too late to revive the spirit of the once pioneering bijou dorp of Herold, which sits in a dip some way towards the end of the 16km pass, waiting to be rediscovered.

On a gentle amble through the hamlet, where the traffic amounts to a small pack of sweaty cyclists who’ve toiled manfully up the pass from George, we come across some tempting if derelict renovator’s-dream packing sheds, the posting agency, local school, sporadic isolated farming communities, lowing cattle, couple of ostriches, a hopeful kerk and the Over the Mountain guest farm and tea garden. This last is made up of a clutch of restored historic buildings, including the old police station and gaol in the shade of vines and blossoming jacarandas. Tranquility or what?

Other relics of the pass’s heyday are the old toll house, where once it would have set you back two pence for each wheel of the vehicle you took through the gate and half a pence for a four-legged animal. There’s also the old Keur River Bridge and Amanda’s Grave, where Amanda’s husband proposed to her and where her ashes are now scattered. Although the original old stone wall still romantically embraces the winding gravel pass, there’s been a move to harness invading aliens and one local farmer is producing rather smart wattle fencing.

But back to the crop hopping. Refreshingly, in among all the old pass’s flanking fields of beer-to-be, is Herold Winery, recently taken over by Nico and Maureen Fourie from Limpopo. Six of the farm’s 16ha are under grape, generating a range of what they call Wines of the Outeniqua. At the foot of Cradock Peak, highest point of the mountain range, with a patio restaurant, cellar tours, grazing sheep, fynbos walks and a recently discovered bushman painting, it’s a nice little place to pause and sip – or stay and drink in the scenery and the history.

Getting there

From Cape Town, go on the N2 via George, up the Outeniqua Pass and turn right to Montagu Pass. From Oudtshoorn, come down the N12, into the N9 and take a right. What’s handy about Montagu Pass is that it’s equidistant between the Garden Route and Route 62 if you plan to do both in one trip.

Where to stay

Over The Mountain guest farm has both BB and self-catering facilities, from R550 a night for two. See www.overthemountain.co.za. Self-catering farm cottages at Herold Wines are R350 a night for two. See www.heroldwines.co.za.

What to do

This is hiking, biking, birding and chilling country. Check www.capenature.co.za for info on the Cradock Pass day trail. It’s also quad-biking land – check www.quadgardenroute.co.za for info on guided Montagu Pass quad adventures from R150 pp per half hour to R650 for three hours.

By George

When you’ve had your fill of mountain peaks and undulating passes, head for the hots pots of George, less than 20km away. See www.tourismgeorge.co.za.

PORTALES — A $4 cardboard display and a few slices of Styrofoam turned out to be a great investment for Machaon Shoemaker.

Shoemaker, a sixth-grader at Carlsbad’s P.R. Leyva Elementary, was one of many who turned their hypotheses into honors during the Southeastern New Mexico Regional Science and Engineering Fair, held Saturday in the Campus Union Ballroom at Eastern New Mexico University.

The fair is one of seven held throughout the state, with berths to the state fair available in 15 categories.

The 12-year-old Shoemaker, whose name frequently gets butchered due to its unusual spelling — it’s “muh-kay-on,” but announcers called him “may-shon” and he’s even got “mace-ee-on” before — claimed first place in the electrical and mechanical engineering category.

When asked about the experience, Machaon didn’t have much to say.

“He’s playing it cool, but I think he’s over the top,” said his father, Paul Shoemaker.

Ask him about his project, though, and Machaon opens up. He wondered what shape of wing gives an airplane the best lift. To test, Machaon created different shapes out of Styrofoam, then hooked them up individually to a wooden structure at a 29-degree angle — similar to that of a plane taking off. The structure kept the wings from moving horizontally but allowed for vertical lift when met with a simulated gust of wind.

“We had started with a fan, but it didn’t have enough power,” he said. “So then we went to a wind blower.”

Fair Director Ken Cradock said participants are judged on originality and enthusiasm, along with how well they apply their understanding of science to the project.

The first-place earned Machaon $100 and other prizes, in addition to one of the fair’s 40 slots for the state science fair to be held the last weekend of March at New Mexico Tech — coincidentally, where his father graduated from college.

Students can also earn their way to an international competition May 13-18 in Pittsburgh. The state fair sends four participants, Cradock said, while the regional sends two exhibitors and two observers.

“The observers do everything the participants do except show their project,” Cradock said, “the idea being to get all the interactions and see what it takes to get a project up to that standard.”

The competition is open to grades 6-12, but only half a dozen of the participants come from the high school (“senior”) division, Cradock said.

An informal walk-through of the 90-plus projects revealed no baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, but there were plenty of concepts explored, including:

• The “birthday paradox,” which states that a list of 366 random people has a 100 percent chance of at least two people having matching birthdays (not counting Leap Day) — and that it’s a 99 percent chance when the population drops to 57 and a 50 percent chance when it’s 23 people.

• How hip-hop music elevates the heart rate and classical music slows it.

• A fast way to cool a can of soda is to place it in the freezer, in a bowl of water and ice.

• A sound wave could slow a tsunami.

• First-graders have trouble distinguishing between candy and medicine.

The experiments may lead to quick financial awards, or to calendar-year trips, but Cradock said higher success can lead to higher rewards.

“You go on to internationals, we’re talking full-ride scholarships,” Cradock said. “These awards are $70,000, $80,000. You get contacts with future employers.”

The fair featured 24 competitors from Clovis schools — 11 receiving state berths — and no participants from Portales schools.

Published on Friday 24 February 2012 10:51

THIS weekend is when the town really gets rocking, with legendary guitarist Steve Cradock taking centre stage.

The former Ocean Colour Scene member and guitarist for Paul Weller is in Wigan for one night only on his acoustic tour at the Indiependence.

As quintessential as beans on toast and a parka jacket, Steve epitomizes British cool and is constantly regarded as one of the finest guitarists and songwriters in the land.

Steve said: “I have never played Wigan before, which is crazy as this place is the birth place of Northern Soul, although I did visit the precinct once with Russ Winstanley, who showed me the great pictures of the Wigan Casino and all the dancers.

“Russ used to DJ there back in the day.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

Mike Vaughan, club promoter and DJ, said: “Getting names like Steve Cradock down to Indiependence is great for us.

“It is the type of thing that we are cracking on with, getting big-named acts down to the venue.

“We have got plenty more exciting things in the pipeline as well and 2012 is going to be a massive year for us.

“This is the first major gig in our new venue as well, so it will be exciting to see how in attendance reacts to the new layout, including Steve himself.”

Cradock’s stop-off at Wigan tonight (Friday) is the first high-profile gig to be hosted at Indiependence since its new premises opened.

The 16-date tour will allow the accomplished musician to showcase tracks from his two acclaimed solo albums, Peace City West and Kundalini Target.

Once his tour of intimate venues is complete, Steve will rejoin Paul Weller on stage for another round of dates.

Support tonight comes in the form of Danny Mahon, No Tokyo and Stolen Haven.

Doors open from 7pm and, after Steve’s performance, the club’s regular DJs will spin records well into the early hours.

Tickets are £11, and can be purchased from.seetickets.com.

More information can be found on Facebook.

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Eastern New Mexico University in Portales will host the annual Southeastern New Mexico Regional Science Fair in the Campus Union Ballroom on Saturday.

The Science Fair is open to students from the 6th through the 12th grade.

Entries are being accepted for individual projects and team projects (Junior Division only). The entry fee is $12 per person for individual entries and each team member. Teams may consist of up to three members. A team project cannot be converted to an individual project or vice versa. Each team member should be fully involved in the project. Team projects should be more ambitious than individual projects.

Students can enter one of 17 categories: Animal Sciences, Behavioral and Social Sciences; Biochemistry (Senior Division only); Cellular and Molecular Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Earth and Planetary Science; Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; Materials and Bioengineering; Energy and Transportation; Environmental Management; Environmental Sciences; Mathematical Sciences; Medicine and Health Sciences; Microbiology; Physics and Astronomy; and Plant Sciences.

All category winners, and as many 2nd place projects as possible (preference given to senior projects and those in larger categories), will be invited to exhibit at the New Mexico Science Fair held annually at New Mexico Tech University in Socorro, N.M.

Those who enter the Senior Division (grades 9-12) will be eligible to win the trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, compliments of ENMU, held annually in a different city in the United States.

Some of the prizes include: $50 cash award for a student, a $100 cash award for a teacher, calculator, science book, camera, certificates, medallions, etc.

Judges are needed. They must be at least 21 and have some science or mathematics background. A bachelor’s degree or 5-plus years of experience are needed to judge the Senior Division.

The judging schedule begins at 8 a.m. with an orientation meeting and a morning session of judging exhibits. Before lunch, judges will interview the students at their exhibits, then a complimentary lunch will be provided. Judging duties will conclude around 2 p.m.

Sponsors are welcomed. Individuals and businesses may provide an award of their choosing for winners in any category, teachers or to their schools. Sponsors may choose a particular category (e.g. Junior Chemistry) or the finalists attending the International Science and Engineering Fair. Sponsors will receive recognition.

If donating cash, make the check payable to the ENMU Foundation and note on the check that it is for the Science Fair award and send to: Science Fair Office, ENMU-#18, Portales, NM 88130.

To volunteer or for more information, contact the Science Fair Secretary at 575-562-2309 or Ken Cradock at 575-562-2078.

The Science Fair web site is at www.enmu.edu/sciencefair.

GET there early and take your dancing shoes, The Simmertones are back at the Spinning Wheel in Paignton for what should be a memorable night on Thursday, February 23.

Apart from seeing the band in all their glory, there will also be a chance to snap up tickets for the ska boat trip down the Dart on March 30 which will feature The Simmertones plus a ‘ska au go go’ DJ set.

The boat trip was a sell-out last year.

This year has got off to a good start for the band.

With all the radio airplay they have been receiving, they have had to register their record label Windrush Recordings, which is named after the ship that brought over the first immigrants from Jamaica in the 1950s.

The Simmertones are also putting together new songs in preparation for a new EP or album that will feature more special guests to follow the appearance of Ocean Colour Scene’s Steve Cradock on last year’s Everything’s Coming Up Ska EP.

Jade Wright meets the Modfather’s right hand man ahead of his Liverpool show

MOST musicians dream of selling millions of records, or starting their own hugely successful band, or even joining one of their idols in an arena-filling touring outfit.

Steve Cradock has done all three. He is familiar to most as the long-serving guitarist in Paul Weller’s band. He also founded Ocean Colour Scene, the nineties powerhouse that knocked Oasis’ Be Here Now off the number one spot.

This weekend he’s in Liverpool to play a solo gig at Eric’s.

“We always have a good time in Liverpool,” chuckles Steve, 42. “I think last time I was in town was supporting Beady Eye. Liam loves Liverpool. He had the Lennon suite at the Hard Day’s Night and he was in his element.”

When Steve plays his headline gig on Sunday, he’ll be making the most of the Cavern Quarter.

“I’m really looking forward to playing Eric’s,” he says. “I’ve got pictures of The Jam playing there. It’s a really iconic venue for the city, and I was honoured when they asked me to play.”

He’ll be performing a mixture of old and new songs. But with two bands and a solo career, how does he find the time to write?

“I did two months on tour with Paul (Weller) and I’d built up a bank of songs,” he explains.

“I played them to Andy Crofts (also in Weller’s band) while we were away and he really encouraged me to get it finished. He ended up helping me out with some of the lyrics too, which was great. He made me feel that I was ready to do another record.”

It was recorded over a fortnight at Deep Litter Studios in Devon.

“It’s quite a mellow record, which is probably a reflection of where it was recorded,” explains Steve. “It’s a barn on a farm in Devon. It’s very rural and it’s full of magical instruments.”

It’s a very personal record, notably Only Look Up When You’re Down.

“That was written for my mum because she hasn’t been well,” he explains. “But it can be taken in general terms as a way to look at life. I didn’t want it to be too maudlin.”

While My Scooter Sits Idle boasts one of Steve’s finest couplets to date (“My scooter sits idle/Just like my Gideons Bible”, while the barnstorming Last Days Of The Old World will delight long term fans. It also features a certain Mr Weller.

“I recorded that in three hours at Black Barn and Paul asked if he could play the bass. After that he did some backing vocals too, which was great, obviously. I wrote the chorus and Andy Crofts wrote the lyrics on the verse. It’s a rough mix but it’s got a good message.”

Born in Birmingham and raised on a teenage diet of The Who, the Small Faces and lashings of Jam, Steve’s first band The Boys were a ferocious power-pop outfit. His next band, Ocean Colour Scene (formed with ex-Fanatics singer Simon Fowler) reflected the new technicolour gestalt. Within a year they were at the vanguard of a second wave of bands, only for label wrangles to delay the release of their debut album.

Recruited by Paul Weller for his band in 1993, the guitarist’s infectious enthusiasm soon kick-started OCS back into life, and second album Moseley Shoals spawned four top 20 hits including karaoke perennial The Riverboat Song. Follow up Marchin’ Already cemented the band’s place at Britpop’s top table with an appearance at Oasis’ Knebworth gig.

Alternating between OCS and a role as The Modfather’s guitarist ever since, Steve only got round to making his solo debut, the splendid Kundalini Target, three years ago.

“It’s taken a while but I’m pleased with the results,” he smiles. “The best things come to those who wait.”

The Steve Craddock Band play Eric’s on Sunday February 26

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The recent reprint of the Chronicle page featuring Fanny Cradock, brought back memories for Marilyn Barnfield, of Glenfield.

“I was at that demonstration with my husband-to-be,” Marilyn recalls. “What was not mentioned in the article was the fact that when Fanny Cradock was due to start, the sound system failed to work. I vividly remember the engineers rushing around the stage, attempting to solve the problem – initially without success.

“Fanny was obviously somewhat irritated and wanted to get on – so started her demonstration. What a powerful voice!

“She filled De Montfort Hall and people at the back of the balcony heard her words.

“Whatever your opinions of her as a cook, no-one could doubt the volume of sound she was able produce.

“Fortunately, the microphones were soon fixed and the programme proceeded normally.

“At the end of the show, samples of the dishes were distributed as tasters. Where we were sitting, our sample was a piece of a gateau jalousie which had been demonstrated earlier. Having tasted it there was a bit of a stage whisper from my fiance saying: ‘Well, that was a lot of fuss over a jam tart!’

“I think that summed tip the evening!”