Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Your gateway to environmental health knowledge Join the Environmental Health News community the mayor of Pontevedra has reshaped the city by reducing traffic Tanya Mohn reports for The New York Times. a compact city where all the basic services and shops would be within a five-minute walk Pontevedra demonstrates how prioritizing pedestrians and limiting cars can reduce pollution and improve quality of life Its success offers a blueprint for other cities to tackle climate change and urban safety issues hand-picked by our editors and researchers We offer a host of daily and weekly options Nonprofit organizations MADE SAFE and Plastic Pollution Coalition released the new Healthy Pregnancy Guideto help parents-to-be navigate the challenges of making healthier living choices for babies and the planet a newsroom powered by Environmental Health Sciences It all improves the health of our communities ShareSaveCommentBusinessSportsMoneyCopa Del Rey: Plucky Pontevedra Aims To Topple More GiantsByHenry Flynn Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Henry Flynn is a journalist covering Spanish soccerFollow AuthorJan 13 01:33pm ESTShareSaveCommentThe cup's biggest mover and shaker has the chance to unnerve a La Liga side at its home ground in .. Not the Spanish fourth-tier club Pontevedra With games against the royalty of Real Madrid or even a clash with loftier regional neighbor Celta Vigo at the business end of the domestic competition an opponent 48 places higher in the country’s soccer pyramid Pontevedra has humbled La Liga promotion hopeful Levante and first-division Villarreal and Mallorca on its giant-killing run this season greeted by locals at the Estadio Municipal de Pasarón Pontevedra has company in defying the odds Real lost by four goals against unfancied Alcorcón—two levels below and some former Los Blancos youth teamers—in what became known as Alcorconazo Atleti has also suffered in the tournament 24-time Copa champion Athletic Club went down to Formentera topping its pool in the defunct Segunda B back then Pontevedra is leading the way in the first of the Segunda Federación leagues coach Yago Iglesias saw his side outclass the supposed superior 3-0 scoring two extraordinary goals—an arrowed effort from near the halfway line and a sweet volley after a fine move Pontevedra has resembled a La Liga team in the cup apart from five golden seasons between 1965 and 1970—when it dined at the top table and last qualified for the Copa del Rey quarterfinals—the 84-year-old team is used to lower-category soccer it has limited economic resources; the entire squad’s value falls below many individuals at Real or Barça still to feel Pontevedra’s collective bite “But the adjectives for this team are running out.” Amidst the excitement have been weekly realities unable to beat Real Valladolid’s B-team and the quest to escape the lower leagues it’s living for the Copa del Rey and memories that will last While the arrival of Getafe is another test Dalisson de Almeida provides a dose of Brazilian flair club president Lupe Murillo—one of the references for women looking to break into soccer management—has held the fort for over a decade Given that Celta and Deportivo shine brightest in the region Pontevedra has a refreshed competition to thank the Spanish soccer federation gave it a reboot As well as scrapping two-legged affairs in the early rounds (Pontevedra hasn’t needed replays) it’s opened the door to more underdogs and David versus Goliath matchups as the lower-ranked sides enjoy home advantage The last occasion a genuine minnow reached the final was 45 years ago when Real’s second team predictably lost to its seniors Pontevedra remains a way off matching that it has bucketloads of belief as the sternest assignments arrive PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A licensed real estate agent was recently indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple charges that include conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to sell firearms illegally, providing false statements to a firearm dealer, conspiracy to traffic illegal drugs, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to federal investigators, between March of 2022 and June of last year, Braden Hobbs, 27, of Jacksonville, purchased more than 120 firearms from three different federally licensed gun dealers in Jacksonville, then illegally sold those guns on the street to drug dealers, drug traffickers, and convicted felons. Federal authorities said there were multiple occasions in which Hobbs advertised firearms for sale to potential customers before he completed the purchase of the firearms from federally licensed gun dealers. Federal investigators also said customers had paid Hobbs cash for the guns or traded drugs for the guns. According to investigators, Hobbs was aware that some of his customers intended to resell the weapons and were either drug users or drug dealers. Hobbs did not act alone, investigators found. According to the feds, Hobbs asked unnamed co-conspirators to assist him in finding buyers for the guns, and those co-conspirators advertised the firearms for sale. Cell phone records later showed that one of the unnamed co-conspirators regularly purchased guns from Hobbs. Hobbs is accused of making straw purchases at licensed gun stores. A straw purchase is when someone who is legally allowed to own a gun purchases the weapon for someone who is not legally allowed to own a firearm. According to federal investigators, law enforcement started investigating Hobbs when several guns he had purchased were recovered during unrelated drug raids on homes suspected of being drug houses. Retired JSO Director of Investigations and Homeland Security, turned News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst, Tom Hackney, said this case highlights how straw purchases get guns on the street into the wrong hands. “This really highlights that burglaries are not the only way guns find their way into the criminal element. It’s a criminal element that is supplying them, and this highlights the nexus between drugs, guns, and violence,” Hackney said. In addition to being a suspected firearm trafficker, federal investigators said Hobbs was also trafficking illegal drugs. Court records show that in June of last year, Hobbs was arrested by Jacksonville police for suspicion of driving under the influence. It was during that traffic stop that officers discovered Hobbs had 330 grams of cocaine, 17 grams of Adderall, and paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking. According to court documents, the evidence found in his car led to multiple drug charges, including trafficking cocaine, which was the most serious felony charge. While in the Duval County jail, Hobbs received an additional criminal charge after investigators said he assaulted a corrections officer. Hobbs posted a $120,000 bond to get out of jail and was awaiting his day in court when he was recently indicted on illegal gun charges. If convicted, Hobbs could face up to 95 years in prison. Hobbs is a licensed real estate agent who worked out of a Ponte Vedra Beach office. An employee at the corporate office confirmed to News4JAX that Hobbs was still employed with the company and that his real estate license was still valid. Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WJXT / WCWJ Closed Captioning / Audio Description WJXT Public File WJXT EEO Report WCWJ Public File WCWJ EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page MADRID (AP) — Pontevedra has slain another giant in the Copa del Rey The fourth-tier side dispatched high-flying La Liga side Mallorca 3-0 on Friday to move into the last 16 Dalisson de Almeida scored from almost 40 yards to make it 1-0 after 21 minutes Yelko Pino doubled the lead with a cracking volley four minutes into the second half and then Rufo rounded off the perfect night with 18 minutes left after a shocking defensive lapse The Galician side knocked out Villarreal in the last round top-tier clubs Rayo Vallecano and Getafe progressed Getafe needed extra time to beat second-division Granada in southern Spain Borja Mayoral got the only goal in the 93rd minute to put the visitor through Rayo Vallecano made swift work of second-tier Racing Ferrol Alfonso Espino and Jorge de Frutos put the visitors 2-0 up before halftime and Frutos grabbed a third on the hour mark Alvaro Gimenez scored a late consolation for the home side 2023 Pontevedra World Triathlon Championship Finals - Men - Highlights {{getV2(globalSponsors,'title','Sponsors')}} A Ponte Vedra Beach business executive who put $2 million in the bank for taxes has pleaded guilty to holding onto employment taxes that were owed to the federal government Daniel Tharp’s conviction for willfully failing to pay taxes that his Hangar X Holdings LLC owed could legally lead to a prison sentence as long as five years, but prosecutors agreed to recommend lenience when U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger sentences him Tharp had already paid the Internal Revenue Service the roughly $1.2 million he owed as restitution before his plea agreement was handed over Wednesday to U.S Tharp’s plea only admitted not sending employment taxes for one three-month quarter of 2019, when the company had at least 14 employees and should have submitted $187,525. But the agreement spells out that the company didn't send either money or required quarterly reports for about five years Different case: $10M+ in earnings, $0 to IRS; Jacksonville-area businessman charged with tax evasion Employment taxes include withheld income taxes Social Security and Medicare taxes and unemployment taxes who became chief platform officer for Wheels Up through 2022 Tharp’s plea agreement doesn’t address why Hangar X drew government attention But it says that between 2015 and the end of 2019 the company had employees scattered around the country and withheld employment taxes as the law requires Tharp created a bank account in 2019 labeled as a federal payroll escrow and put $2 million there but “did not remit any of the $1,217,858.81 that were due,” the agreement said AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Ponte Vedra girls soccer team is the best in the state again. The Sharks withstood a late push from Lourdes Academy and held on for a 2-1 win in the Class 5A state championship game Saturday afternoon at the Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale. The back-to-back titles are push Ponte Vedra’s total to five. For head coach Dave Silverberg, it’s the ninth championship of a hall of fame career. Silverberg won four at Nease. This one was special in a different way. The Sharks lost nearly a dozen seniors to graduation or early enrollment. That included star players Natalie Brooks (Clemson) and Jenny Dearie (North Carolina). That meant the Sharks needed every bit of their lineup to produce, and it did. Ponte Vedra scored two minutes into the game when Izzy Whitaker pushed a ball into Katie DeVincentis, who knocked it off a Lourdes player and into the net. The Sharks got their next goal on one of the prettiest shots of the year, this one by Lulu Consunji. Taking a free kick from 35 yards away, Consunji put it just past Whitaker’s head and into the net at the 15-minute mark for a 2-0 lead. The Bobcats pressed furiously after that and scored their lone goal in the final 10 minutes, but the Ponte Vedra defense held strong. Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years. (This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)  a Beaches surfing legend who at 17 became the East Coast Surfing Association's first men's champion and then traveled to compete in two world championships died Thursday after he was found washed up on the shore with his surfboard still attached to his ankle Ponte Vedra beachgoers found him and began CPR, as did rescue personnel when they arrived, but he did not survive Johns County Fire Rescue said as far as officials there know he was alone and was found in the surf zone behind the 400 block of Ponte Vedra Boulevard The department received the call about 8 a.m Mitch Kaufmann, a Beaches surfer who has chronicled the local surfing scene for decades said Thursday afternoon that he had spoken with Roland's family He said Roland lived in Ponte Vedra and surfed that same spot anytime there were waves surfing "like a teenager," on a board shorter than himself and this is what everybody says about Joseph — he walked the walk Roland was retired from the city of Jacksonville founded a seafood company in Mayport bearing his name He was elected to the East Coast Surf Legends Hall of Fame in 1998 and later was worthy of an entry in Matt Warshaw’s 700-plus-page “Encylopedia of Surfing,” placed between "rogue wave" and "roller coaster." The entry noted the achievements of “the slender and easygoing Roland": that upset win at the 1968 East Coast championship over much better-known competitors; a repeat East Coast win the next year; and trips to compete in World Surfing Championships in 1968 (in Puerto Rico) and 1970 (in Australia) Kaufmann said Roland was a modest man who rarely competed past the 1970s but would surf in an occasional EPIC Surf Ministries contest as he got older could play numerous musical instruments and had a recording studio in his house For many years he played in worship bands during church services he told me that after he swam or surfed he tried to eat a healthy lunch and then he’d walk on the beach for an hour every day and pray," Fogg said He remembers Roland coming home from winning an East Coast championship bearing with him a large mahogany trophy about 3 feet long He quickly removed the surfer figure on top of it and fixed it up to work as a skateboard that he could ride “That’s how much he cared about recognition,” Fogg said Roland's friend Mickey Ross said they tried to surf together every Tuesday and Joe still surfed as well as he did as a teenager He could probably out-paddle someone half his age," he said but the ocean was far too jumbled up to surf so they stayed on the beach and talked and prayed which Roland had been attending the past couple of months said his friend's faith was his top priority he never met anybody he didn’t show love to He would show his love for them through his action "We'll have a paddle-out when the family is ready," he said Officials said Hua Yao Ke, 38, who owns the Kamiya 86 Sushi and Thai restaurant employed workers unlawfully present in the U.S. Ke didn’t require the workers to provide documents stating that they could legally work in the U.S., contrary to federal law. Investigators said Ke provided free food, housing, and transportation between the houses and the restaurants. Federal agents raided the restaurant on Aug. 14, 2024. Ke is facing up to five years in prison and a hearing has not been scheduled. Hailing from Detroit, Jonathan is excited to start his media career at News4JAX in November 2023. He is passionate about telling stories that matter to the community and he is honored to serve Jacksonville. var(--popover-size));border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-l3);--popover-z-index:var(--chakra-z-index-popover);z-index:calc(var(--popover-z-index) + var(--layer-index 0));outline:0;transform-origin:var(--transform-origin);max-height:var(--available-height);--popover-padding:var(--chakra-spacing-5);}.css-1v5f30s:is([open] [data-state=open]){transform-origin:var(--transform-origin);-webkit-animation-name:scale-in,fade-in;animation-name:scale-in,fade-in;-webkit-animation-duration:var(--chakra-durations-fast);animation-duration:var(--chakra-durations-fast);}.css-1v5f30s:is([closed] @layer recipes{.css-3n6tnx{padding-top:var(--chakra-spacing-4);border-top-style:solid;border-top-width:1px;border-top-color:var(--components-article-header-hero-divider-border-color 0.15));}@media screen and (min-width: 80rem){.css-3n6tnx{padding-top:var(--chakra-spacing-6);}}}@layer recipes{.css-10yri1v{color:var(--semantics-text-paragraph-primary-color 2:08 PM (ET)@layer recipes{.css-107anqq{font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-body);color:var(--components-article-header-hero-author-text-color);font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-xs);line-height:1;width:-webkit-fit-content;width:-moz-fit-content;width:fit-content;}html.teamusa-theme .css-107anqq{text-transform:uppercase;}@media screen and (min-width: 80rem){.css-107anqq{font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-md);line-height:md;}}}by Richard Immel Cristelle Rodriguez in action at the 2019 U17 World Championships Spain – The women’s freestyle brackets have been released for the 2024 U20 World Championships.10 American women will take the mats starting tomorrow in search of a prestigious age-group World medal Two members of last year’s U20 World Team are making a repeat appearance for Team USA—Alexis Janiak at 59 kg and Cristelle Rodriguez at 55 kg Janiak earned a bronze medal at the 2023 U20 Worlds held in Amman As the highest returning placer at her weight class She will have a challenging opener against Lithuania’s Anna Tieliegina who has finished in fifth place at the last two U20 European Championships who was a silver medalist at the 2019 U17 World Championships is opposite Amelia Tomala of Poland in the first round Tomala was a fifth-place finisher at last year’s U17 Worlds Reigning NCWWC national champion for Iowa Reese Larramendy is back for her second crack at the U20 World Championships after earning fifth place in 2022 but missing the cut last year Her run at 65 kg starts with talented individual neutral athlete Margarita Salnazarian Salnazarian earned bronze at this year’s U20 European Championships 2023 U17 World bronze medalist Jasmine Robinson slots in at 72 kg for Team USA Her run toward a second World podium begins against uncredentialled Edna Jimenez Villalba of Mexico athletes will face World or Continental medalists out of the gate—Carissa Qureshi is up against two-time U17 World champion Sowaka Uchida of Japan at 57 kg Caitlyn Davis will face 2022 U17 World bronze medalist Gulnura Tashtanbekova of Kyrgyzstan at 68 kg Naomi Simon opens with reigning U23 European champion Mariia Orlevych of Ukraine at 76 kg and Brianna Gonzalez is paired against 2023 U20 Asian silver medalist Jyoti Jyoti of India at 53 kg women’s freestyle participants include Anaya Falcon at 50 kg and Cadence Diduch at 62 kg Falcon is paired against Shahreen Gulacha of Canada while Diduch will see Seoyeon Bae of Korea to open the event The women’s freestyle portion of the U20 World Championships will be held Sept will compete in two groups over the course of the women’s freestyle event A full set of brackets and match-by-match results are available on UWW Arena. A live broadcast of the event is available for the U.S. market at FloWrestling.com. Stay tuned to TheMat.com and USA Wrestling’s social media platforms for complete coverage of the U20 World Championships.  10 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (WFS 50-55-59-68-76 kg) 4:45 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 50-55-59-68-76 kg) 10 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (WFS 53-57-62-65-72 kg), Repechage (WFS 50-55-59-68-76 kg) 4:45 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 53-57-62-65-72 kg) 6 p.m. – Medal Matches (WFS 50-55-59-68-76 kg) 10 a.m. –Repechage (WFS 53-57-62-65-72 kg) 6 p.m. – Medal Matches (WFS 53-57-62-65-72 kg) * All times listed local to Pontevedra, Spain (GMT+2), which is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. 50 kg – Anaya Falcon (Yorba Linda, Calif./Walnut HS Wrestling) 53 kg – Brianna Gonzalez (Baldwin, Calif./Iowa Women’s WC) 55 kg – Cristelle Rodriguez (Fresno, California/Tiger WC) 57 kg – Carissa Qureshi (Irvine, Calif./Surfside RTC) 59 kg – Alexis Janiak (Plainfield, Ill./Titan Mercury WC) 62 kg – Cadence Diduch (Freeport, Ill./Iowa Women’s WC) 65 kg – Reese Larramendy (Reno, Nev./Iowa Women’s WC) VS Margarita Salnazarian (Individual Neutral Athlete) 68 kg – Caitlyn Davis (Hilton Head Island, S.C./Southern Oregon RTC) 72 kg – Jasmine Robinson (Allen, Texas/Army WCAP) 76 kg – Naomi Simon (Decorah, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC) [data-focus]){outline-width:var(--focus-ring-width 2px);outline-offset:var(--focus-ring-offset solid);outline-color:var(--focus-ring-color);outline:none;}.css-puhhl:is(:focus-visible [data-focus-visible]){box-shadow:none;outline-width:3px;outline-style:solid;outline-color:var(--semantics-focus-light);outline-offset:3px;}.css-puhhl:visited{color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color);}.css-puhhl:visited.css-puhhl:visited:is(:active [data-state=open]){color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color-active);}@media (hover: hover){.css-puhhl:visited:is(:hover [data-disabled]){color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color-hover);}}.css-puhhl.css-puhhl:is(:active [data-state=open]){color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color-active);}@media (hover: hover){.css-puhhl:is(:hover The 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series came to a remarkable climax on 23-24 September in Pontevedra With the men’s U23 and Elites on the Saturday there was non-stop action and stories on and off the blue carpet and entertainment you couldn’t take your eyes off but it included a 15s penalty for that hat drop Once all the athletes had all cleared the swim course, the TV cameras homed in on a golden number two swim hat sitting on the pontoon. It was suddenly clear that Hayden Wilde would face 15 seconds in the penalty box on the run that would put his world title chances in huge jeopardy What only became clear in the race post-mortem were the calculations swirling round in Wilde’s head at the time The kiwi realised that going back for the hat would have made dropping Yee out of T1 near impossible Wilde’s superb first few kilometres in the saddle created a situation that saw his title rival drop to over two minutes back by the end of the 40km and meant he could still nearly grab a last-ditch title even after those 15 seconds that felt like a lifetime In February, Rachel Klamer wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to run again. Facing injuries, illness and a lack of race form, there was, she admitted ahead of the Karlovy Vary World Cup, a very real prospect of retirement. Fast forward to Pontevedra via a brilliant battle with Gwen Jorgensen in the Czech Republic and Klamer is on her way to a fourth Olympic Games in Paris 2024 her 5th-place finish in the Championship Finals enough to gain automatic qualification and begin to tailor preparations for the big one just under a year out and the squad’s Paris prospects have started to look very bright indeed for individual and Mixed Relay medals alike It has a strong maritime heritage and is filled with charming squares and historic pieces of religious architecture Here are our top 10 things to do and see in Pontevedra jontyson / unsplash View Tour Owned by the Museo de Pontevedra the Ruínas de San Domingos are the remnants of a 14th-century church and Dominican convent visitors can find an interesting collection of medieval carvings The convent has an almost magical undiscovered feel as it is slowly being taken over by nature with trees and plants growing inside ©juantiagues / Flickr The Sexto Edificio is the new part of the Museo de Pontevedra, covered in glass and steel. It comprises of three floors, dedicated to both Galician and Spanish art from the 14th to the 20th centuries. It showcases the evolution of Galician art from Gothic to modern styles, as well as Spanish art from the times of Goya to the modern day Isabella Fischer / unsplash The Church of Peregrina is a very distinctive rounded church located on the Praza da Ferrería in the centre of town The church is dedicated to the Pilgrim Virgin who is said to watch over those walking the Camino Portugués pilgrim route from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela ©Zarateman / WikiCommons Pontevedra’s sleek and modern covered market is well worth a visit It’s set across two floors and displays products from across the region of Galicia Some things to pick up here may include Galicia’s famous tetilla cheese tarta de Santiago (an almond tart) or orujo (a typical Galician liquor) Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy Basílica de Santa María a Maior Church Valery Rokhin / Shutterstock Pontevedra’s main church is the impressive Basílica de Santa María a Maior Commissioned by the Fishermen’s Guild of Mareantes during the 16th century it was designed by the architects Joao Noble and Cornelius of Holland Look inside to find the chestnut and walnut wood altarpiece from the 19th century and the statue of Christ of the Good Voyage who worshipers pray to when they are going to embark on a journey milosk50 / Shutterstock Built in the 14th century this convent and church was the home of the mendicant orders of the Franciscan monks It was declared a historical-artistic monument in 1896 visitors can see the tomb of Paio Gómez Chariño who was a troubadour and admiral of the sea Also be sure to look out for the Nazarene 19th century carving and wall paintings on the left side church The Praza da Ferrería is Pontevedra’s main town square and is surrounded by some of the best cafes and restaurants around always full of locals chatting and eating and kids playing On this square you’ll also find the Capela da Peregrina and the Convent of San Francisco Pontevedra’s Leña square is one of the most atmospheric and prettiest in town. It’s located in the old part of the city and is surrounded by stone archways and colonnades. It got its name because old wood ovens (leñas), used to be sold here. Look out for the traditional Galician stone cross in the middle Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September Guides & Tips How to Attend a Bullfight in Spain Guides & Tips How to Spend the Perfect 24 Hours in Santander Architecture Spain’s Most Impressive Bullrings See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November Food & Drink The 5 Best Food Markets in Madrid Sports The Most Epic Hiking Trails in Spain's Sierra Nevada US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd Two popular cuisines ― Italian and Japanese ― will come together in an inspired fusion menu offered at an upcoming Black Pearl hopes to open at 880 Florida A1A N. in Ponte Vedra Pointe Shopping Center by early March just before The Players Championship co-founder and managing partner Kelvin Ole told the Times-Union Ole said Black Pearl will specialize in Itameshi cuisine with a rotating menu focusing on local and global seasonal ingredients Itameshi, which means "Italian food" in Japanese, combines traditional Italian dishes with Japanese ingredients, according to Club + Resort Chef a publication designed for professional chefs "I want to bring the experience to the city," Ole said "I want people to experience what real sushi is I want to explain to people … and get people more excited about food." He said food should be an experience that goes beyond what is on the plate It's not just about grilling fish or frying fish That is what I want to bring to the people here," said Ole noting the culture and history of a dish add to the dish and its creativity Ole said the restaurant will reflect the spirit and elegance of its namesake As described on the restaurant's Instagram page black pearls are significant in Japanese folklore and art Black pearls (kuro shinju) can "symbolize rarity "We are coming to bring black pearl essence with our imagination and creativity to create rare and unique moments for your dining experience!" the restaurant promises Black Pearl will be the first restaurant of its kind in the Jacksonville area Ole said he had been searching for a location for about a year He chose Ponte Vedra Beach for Black Pearl because he "fell in love with the area." think miso carbonara pastaEating at Black Pearl Ole said will be an opportunity for guests to explore the elevated and diverse cuisine that he has experienced during his career "It's not going to be a sushi pizza restaurant … Black Pearl is going to be something different I'm going to do something like a miso carbonara pasta Then probably short rib ramen with garlic parmesan Espuma," said Ole citing a culinary technique that creates a light airy foam His mother had a small bakery in their home of Bali he developed a background in Italian and French cuisine took him to the Philippines for a couple of years and then Singapore and Europe Ole emigrated to the United States four years ago He spent the first two years in Los Angeles where he "fell in love" with sushi and other Japanese cuisine "It changed my life and my point of view about restaurants bring something rare from my experience to here," he said Two years ago, Ole relocated to Jacksonville, where he became the manager of Sushi Bear Sushi & Grill in the Lakeshore neighborhood Ole said Black Pearl will have about 100 seats in the main dining area and patio There also will be a speakeasy-style lounge that will accommodate about 18 to 24 people "It's going to be more cocktail experience with Japanese ingredients and Italian wines There will be Asian-inspired drinks with alcohol or nonalcoholic beverages." Ole said French fine dining bistro: Acclaimed St. Augustine chef opens French bistro as his third fine-dining restaurant What's old is new again: Southern Grounds restores, revitalizes century-old St. Augustine house for new restaurant There also will be eight seats for private Omakase and Italian capo-style dining "My big goal is to bring the first Michelin [star] restaurant to North Florida and I want to start from here with this project," he said Black Pearl is building out in a 4,256-square-foot storefront at an estimated cost of $400,000 Ole said he wants it to become a trendsetter for the hospitality industry in the Jacksonville area The new restaurant replaces Mezcal Cantina Authentic Mexican Grill, which relocated and transitioned into Anejo Cocina Mexicana Black Pearl will join other restaurants at Ponte Vedra Pointe Shopping Center including McFlamingo, Beach Diner, Bronx House Pizza, I Noodle Ramen & Dumpling, and Flo's Premium Ice Cream, a Strategic Sites-Clifford Commercial real estate flyer shows Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County Fire Rescue responded to a multi-vehicle crash on South Ponte Vedra Boulevard and found a vehicle that crashed into a building, trapping residents inside early Friday morning. Officials said crews quickly rescued the occupants from the home. Stephen Willard lived in the home for 50 years and he woke up to quite the scene. “I was kind of falling asleep at the TV set in the back corner, and boom,” he said. Willard described the condition of his home. “When I first saw the guy as I came to the door, I was going to go downstairs to see what the hell happened, and he was standing right here and talking to me,” he said. It didn’t take Willard long to see how bad the damage is. “That’s when I discovered I had no stairs anymore,” he said. Willard remained in good spirits despite the damage. He said he had to cancel the psychology classes that he teaches. “Our cat was watching, the cat’s okay, very entertained,” he added. The incident left the home in disarray, but the family is grateful that no one was injured. The cause of the accident is under investigation. John anchors at 9 a.m. on The Morning Show with Melanie Lawson and then jumps back into reporter mode after the show with the rest of the incredibly talented journalists at News4JAX. A Ponte Vedra Beach man may have a new favorite number after scratching off two 19s on his $5,000,000 Triple Match ticket to win one of the last top prizes in the $20 game chose to receive his winnings as a one-time lump-sum payment of $3,319.810 (note another 19 in there) He purchased his winning ticket from First Coast Energy at 195 (and again) Corridor Road in Ponte Vedra Davenport cashed his ticket in on November, you guessed it, 19, according to the Lottery's website. State law allows for a grace period to release winners' names unless waived The Triple Match game launched in September 2023 and offers three ways to win, featuring eight top prizes of $5 million — only one of which remains, according to the Lottery website Five secondary prizes of $1 million are unclaimed of the 18 Davenport becomes only the second Northeast Florida winner of either prize Jose Antonio Moreno of Satsuma claimed a $1 million prize after buying his ticket at the 700 Third Ave PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The former Serenata Beach Club has a new name The private club is now the South Ponte Vedra Ocean Club The new version of the beach club held a VIP Night on Tuesday which included a ceremonial ribbon cutting ‘Serenata is no more," Club director Kimberly Patterson said New owners Kevin Merritt and Lynda-Culhane Merritt purchased the beach club along A1A last year. The club officially opened to members on Monday and a new restaurant concept Culhane-Merritt remains involved with the daily operation of the Culhane’s Irish Pubs in Atlantic Beach and South Jacksonville and the Culhane’s vodka and wine brands The previous owners owed two mortgage lenders a combined $14 million The Merritts paid just over $1.5 million for the property bidding alongside an embattled Rhode Island businessman and Serenata Beach Club Members who planned to open a member-owned club RELATED | Embattled Rhode Island businessman, local corp. and Serenata Beach Club members plan to bid on property at auction Merritt jokes that if he only paid $1.5 million for the club he would be in the Guinness Book of World Records He clarified that they also paid what was owed to the previous mortgage lenders along with investing in much-needed renovations and upgraded fixtures for the beach club “We were going to sell the club to a member equity group They tried their best and they tried to get 550 to join so we had to do what we did,” Merritt said There are currently 275 members of the South Ponte Vedra Ocean Club all of which are previous members of the Serenata Beach Club Merritt said the beach club had about 1,200 members The club has been in the spotlight for a host of financial problems since 2023 leading to temporary shutdowns the club announced its reopening under new management employees said they were still waiting on their paychecks and W-2s Merritt said they are working on rebuilding trust with previous Serenata Beach Club members. “Two hundred and seventy-five believed and I thank them for trusting us. So kudos to them,” Merritt said. Memberships are still available for purchase. The initial cost through March 1 is $15,000 plus tax; after March 1 the cost will be $17,500 with tax. “Imagine oceanfront dining at the Ritz Carlton,” Managing Director Mark Rojas said. “From the time you walk into my restaurant, you will get a class.” Existing members were offered a discount on the initial membership fees. If they joined in November they paid $11,500 and in December that price went up to $12,500. Merritt anticipates that the initial cost will increase by $5,000 every six months until the private beach club is leveled up. Because Lynda’s at the Ocean Club is open to the public, membership will be capped at 850. Tiffany comes home to Jacksonville, FL from WBND in South Bend, Indiana. She went to Mandarin High School and UNF. Tiffany is a former WJXT intern, and joined the team in 2023 as Consumer Investigative Reporter and member of the I-TEAM. The last time the Ponte Vedra High boys golf team failed to win a state championship was when Barack Obama was still President of the United States, Jim McElwaine was still the Florida Gators football coach and Lamar Jackson was on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy The Sharks' streak of consecutive state titles in two classes ended on Nov 20 at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills when they finished third in the Class 3A state championship at 33-over par 18 shots behind winner Viera and 11 behind runner-up Lakewood Ranch Ponte Vedra has won every state championship in which it participated since 2017 The Sharks also failed to finish first or second for the first time since 2011 Ponte Vedra has won a record 10 state championships nine in Class 2A and the the 2021 title in Class 3A The Sharks gave it a run after trailing by 23 shots and in a tie for sixth after the first round Every Ponte Vedra player improved his score in the second round and the Sharks posted the best team score of the second round at 5-over Sophomore Jake Mason knocked 10 shots off his first-round 80 with a 70 with four birdies on the back nine of the El Campeon Course to finish in a tie for 17th with teammate Jack Chung (73) at 6-over 150 "Mixed emotions," said Sharks coach Mickey Leapley "The kids are bummed that they didn't win and I'm proud of them for going out and winning the day That's what we talked about after the first round post the best score of the day and see what happens We dug ourselves into too big a hole and we were behind some very good teams." Leapley said the only thing they can do is get ready to start another streak in 2025 "They're already talking about next year," Leapley said "We have four guys back and a lot of good players behind them." Bryson Hughes, a Creekside senior shot 75 and tied for fifth at even-par 144 Ambrose Kinnare of Tocoi Creek (154) tied for 27th with Ponte Vedra's Cameron Reed which won the school's first state championship ever last year in Class 2A finished fifth at the Las Colinas Course at 51-over Lake Nona won the team title at 32 overall Sofia Rivera was the low Beachside player in a tie for 15th at 6-over 148 Stella Moritz of Ponte Vedra tied for 26th at 9-over 151 Ponte Vedra was 11th in the team standings and Nease 15th Follow along at High School On SI for live updates throughout the evening to see who will be crowned champions in the Class 5A championship game on Friday Ponte Vedra is seeking their first state championship in school history Blanche Ely is seeking their ninth state championship in school history 54-47 in three overtimes in their semifinal game on Wednesday 67-45 in their semifinal game on Wednesday The Class 5A boys basketball championship game between Ponte Vedra and Blanche Ely will tip-off at 7:00 p.m Both teams start the game shooting 0-for-3 from the field.. 0-0 with under six minutes left in the first quarter Kaleb Corbitt (Blanche Ely) splits a pair of free throws to start the scoring.. Corbitt (Blanche Ely) scores a 2-point field goal.. Maddox Palmer (Ponte Vedra) splits a pair of free throws...3-1 Jayden McNabb (Blanche Ely) scores a 2-point field goal.. Trace Westercamp (Ponte Vedra) scores a 2-point field goal.. David Sanchez-Barrera (Ponte Vedra) scores a 2-point field goal.. Palmer (Ponte Vedra) hits a pair of free throws.. Sanchez-Barrera (Ponte Vedra) scores a 2-point field goal.. Kaleb Corbitt (Blanche Ely) scores a 3-point field goal.. Dylon Hanna (Blanche Ely) scores a 2-point field goal.. Under three minutes remaining in the second quarter.. Palmer (Ponte Vedra) makes a pair of free throws.. Kaleb Corbitt (Blanche Ely) scores a 2-point field goal.. Hanna (Blanche Ely) scores a 3-point field goal.. Maddox Palmer (Ponte Vedra) scores a 3-point field goal.. Blanche Ely 19 with 5:45 left in the third quarter Jayelen Jonas (Blanche Ely) scores a 2-point field goal.. Jonas (Blanche Ely) makes free throw 1 of 1.. Under three minutes remaining in the third quarter. Palmer (Ponte Vedra) scores a 2-point field goal.. Sanchez-Barrera (Ponte Vedra) splits a pair of free throws.. Ponte Vedra 24 with 1:21 left in the third quarter Jayden McNabb (Blanche Ely) scores a 3-point field goal.. Maddox Palmer (Ponte Vedra) scores a 2-point field goal.. Kaleb Corbitt (Blanche Ely) makes a pair of free throws.. Maddox Palmer (Ponte Vedra) makes a pair of free throws.. Jayelen Jonas (Blanche Ely) splits a pair of free throws.. David Sanchez-Barrera (Ponte Vedra) scores a 3-point field goal.. Kaleb Corbitt (Blanche Ely) hits a pair of free throws.. Maddox Palmer (Ponte Vedra) hits 1 of 2 free throws.. Ponte Vedra 38: Blanche Ely wins their 9th Boys Basketball State Championship in program history ROSS VAN DE GRIEKRoss Van De Griek has been a high school sports writer covering the state of Florida since 2021 Ross also has been scouting high school basketball and Grassroots Basketball across the Southeast Region since 2022 Ross has been covering basketball and recruiting for High School on SI since August 2024 and On The Radar Hoops throughout his scouting career You can follow him on X @rossvdg14 or reach him via email rossvdg14@gmail.com for story ideas © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER World Triathlon has awarded its 2026 World Triathlon Championship Finals to Pontevedra The announcement follows Pontevedra’s hosting of the World Triathlon Championship Finals in 2023 and the World Triathlon Multisport Festival in 2019 and again next year, in 2025 The Championship Finals is the pinnacle of the World Triathlon annual calendar and age group world championships for sprint and standard distance as well as the mixed relay world championships for junior/U23s This year, according to World Triathlon, the Championship Finals in Torremolinos will host more than 5,500 athletes from 79 nations making it one of the biggest World Triathlon Championships in history in my last meeting as the President of this organization we were able to decide to host this event in Spain in a city like Pontevedra that has given so much to our sport throughout the years,” said Marisol Casado World Triathlon’s President and IOC Member said “Pontevedra could not be prouder to host the Championship Finals for a second time I want to express my gratitude to World Triathlon for their trust in our city to host this event We will strive to make the best Grand Final possible.” like the 2025 Multisport World Championship that will be hosted in Pontevedra next June are made possible by a city model designed for people We must remember Boa Vila’s commitment to sport as a driver not only for health and well-being but also as a boost for the local economy and the entire region.” President of the Spanish Triathlon Federation added “Spain is becoming the paradise of triathlon at a global level and enjoys the confidence of the top international organizations “If we already considered it a milestone when Spain was the first country to host two consecutive finals in Pontevedra and Torremolinos announcing that we will return to our country in two years means the consolidation of Spain as the world reference for major World Triathlon events.” www.triathlon.org (This story has been updated to add new information.) When the 2024-25 soccer season began to scramble Ponte Vedra's plans in jigsaw fashion Dave Silverberg embraced the role of assembler-in-chief of the Sharks' puzzle Johns County school opened its doors in 2008-09 "And we've been putting the pieces together pretty much all year." It's taken time, but the pieces are almost all in position for reigning champion Ponte Vedra entering Wednesday afternoon's Florida High School Athletic Association Class 5A girls soccer semifinal against North Fort Myers At 15-3-2, Ponte Vedra hasn't necessarily followed the precise course that many would have expected from last year's national title contenders — the season even took a bizarre turn this month when an unknown hacker altered the FHSAA's official bracket to remove Ponte Vedra an intrusion that the association quickly rectified final-four clash at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale "We've gone back and forth and tried a bunch of different things and it hasn't always been pretty," Silverberg said "But I give the girls credit because they've battled and they've gone through some difficult times and never lost their confidence." a list that includes four with Nease (2002 2008) and four after the opening of Ponte Vedra (2009 But Ponte Vedra is still searching for its first back-to-back sequence as FHSAA champions "We want to be able to have those back-to-back state championships." Last year's Sharks finished first in the MaxPreps nationwide formula and third in the United Soccer Coaches poll and on paper looked set to return much of that roster the speedy winger who scored 21 goals last year moved to the Atlanta area during the offseason Senior forward Jenny Dearie and midfielder Abby Wooten enrolled early at North Carolina and Samford including Annie Wooten and Charlotte Martin with eight combined goals in their freshman year Seventeen different players have scored against a schedule ranked by the FHSAA as the state's hardest "I tell them we've got seven or eight center midfielders and any given day any three of them could be in the game," Silverberg said And while Ponte Vedra's familiar 4-3-3 formation hasn't gone away the Sharks aren't locked into a given system "We've played a different series of formations this year especially with all of our new freshmen and younger talent," Morse said "But just getting the team together and readjusting after losing everyone I feel like we've overcome that challenge pretty well." Morse has played a key role in clearing those hurdles but this time had to carry a greater proportion of the attack than ever was just returning to action after missing last year while recovering from a knee injury "I came back with a lot of confidence," Whitaker said "My teammates helped me a lot with the support they had." the two have combined to account for almost half the Sharks' goals with Morse scoring 16 times and Whitaker 13 on an attack line that still has one more year to keep growing The third-round playoff against Chiles was a typical example: Whitaker powered past several Timberwolves defenders to score what turned out to be the game's only goal "I feel like our determination to score is really what makes us so successful on the field," Morse said Even after several key graduation losses in the summer the puzzle pieces clicked together comfortably in defense Sophomore goalkeeper Abby Kennedy has smoothly moved into the No 1 role after the graduation of four-year starter Audrey Johnson but with Audrey there she waited her time and was patient," Silverberg said a four-year starter on the outside now signed with the University of North Florida and sophomore central defender Lulu Consunji a starter since the beginning of her freshman year "We've always had a lot of great center backs here Wednesday's game against North Fort Myers is a shot at revenge for the Sharks who lost 4-0 to North Fort Myers just a month ago as long as the Sharks keep playing their game "We're just keeping our mentality super focused Watch Florida soccer games on NFHS Network NOTE: The FHSAA has moved the game forward to 2 p.m A matchup that will bring back some rough memories for Ponte Vedra North Fort Myers already defeated Ponte Vedra 4-0 at the Montverde Women's Invitational Showcase Tournament in January with two goals from Hannah Busenbark and one each from Kenlee Dominguez and Angelina Toro who reached their first state final last year but lost on penalty kicks to Plantation American Heritage have won 18 consecutive games with a 56-goal season from Eastern Kentucky commit Busenbark as well as 18 goals and 22 assists from Jaelyn Hoefer The winner advances to the state final at 1 p.m to meet Miami Lourdes or Wesley Chapel Cypress Creek We occasionally recommend interesting products and services If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently Follow along at High School On SI for live updates throughout the afternoon to see who will be representing in the Class 5A championship game on Friday Leesburg returns to the Final Four for the first time since 2018 Ponte Vedra returns to the Final Four for the fourth consecutive season (Keep refreshing page for live game updates) The Class 5A boys basketball semifinal between Leesburg and Ponte Vedra will tip-off at 3:02 p.m Maddox Palmer (Ponte Vedra) begins the scoring.. Alex Katsikas (Ponte Vedra) drains a corner three.. Palmer (Ponte Vedra) knocks down his first field goal.. Palmer with six quick points for the Sharks.. Angelo Moton (Leesburg) gets the Yellow Jackets on the board.. Evan James (Leesburg) knocks down their first field goal.. 9-6 Sharks with 3:30 left in the opening quarter Under two minutes left in the first quarter.. David Sanchez-Barrera (Ponte Vedra) ends a four-minute scoring drought.. Xavier Campbell (Leesburg) snaps a streak of nine straight misses from 3-point range.. Jalen Brown (Leesburg) knocks down the first field goal of the second half.. Palmer answers right back increasing the Sharks lead back to nine.. Leesburg has cut the deficit to just four.. 33-31 Ponte Vedra with 2:04 left in the third quarter Angelo Moton (Leesburg) gives the Yellow Jackets their first lead.. Trace Westercamp makes it a two-possession game Angelo Moton (Leesburg) puts the Yellow Jackets back in front.. Sanchez-Barrera (Ponte Vedra) answers right back.. Both teams have gone the last seven minutes of game time without a field goal. Evan James (Leesburg) ends the scoring drought.. David Sanchez-Barrera ties the game at 46-46 Trace Westercamp re-gains the Sharks lead at 49-46 49-46 Sharks with 2:13 left in triple overtime Ponte Vedra still leading 49-46 with 1:34 left in triple overtime Leesburg 47: Ponte Vedra advances to the Class 5A Championship Game on Friday at 7:00 p.m Volume 8 - 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.661250 Estuarine exchange flow plays an important role in the biogeochemical properties exchange between the coastal ocean and the estuaries Circulation patterns inside the Rias Baixas (NW Iberian Peninsula) have been widely studied while the Ría de Pontevedra has received less attention A high-resolution ROMS-AGRIF system configuration with three online two-way nesting domains was used and validated to enhance the knowledge about the circulation patterns of this Ría Two representative estuarine circulation patterns were studied: a coastal upwelling event and a downwelling event associated with a maximum river runoff of 84 m3/s An analysis using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) was applied to the horizontal subtidal velocity fields at the surface layer and at 20 m depth and to the subtidal normal velocity across vertical cross-sections Upwelling events are characterized by a reinforcement of the positive estuarine circulation in which the surface waters outflow and deep waters inflow at the main sill of the Ría whilst full water column inflow (outflow) is observed at the northern (southern) openings downwelling events induce an opposite behavior consisting of a negative estuarine circulation with the surface (deep) inflow (outflow) at the main sill of the Ría and outflow (inflow) at the northern (southern) openings Evidences of a front splitting two vertical clockwise circulation cells were found These cells are associated with the ocean water subduction that enters through the surface layer under downwelling favorable winds and this surface inflow opposes to the direction of the inner estuarine circulation The EOF study confirms that shelf wind forcing has an important contribution to the variability of the velocity field inducing positive or negative estuarine like circulation The temporal principal components (PC) of EOF analysis present correlations of 0.92 between the meridional wind component and the first mode and 0.77 between the zonal wind component and the second mode Third EOF mode represents the circulation during transitional winds when some vorticity structures are visible The realistic high-resolution simulation of the physical conditions at the Ría de Pontevedra provides new insights into the ocean-estuarine water exchanges and allow the visualization of recirculation processes and characteristic structures that have consequences in the marine ecosystem and in their productivity Upwelling estuaries or bays have an estuary-ocean exchange that influences the biogeochemical properties of the ecosystem mussel raft culture) resources are socially and economically important in the Ría there are also industrial activities including a paper production factory and several small shipyards that release chemicals and effluents to the estuary (C) Map of Galician Rias Baixas with isobaths at 20 m intervals and (black asterisk) Marín location at the Ría de Pontevedra using the MOHID model with a horizontal resolution of 300 m with 10 sigma vertical layers and applying no wind stress at the surface the MOHID model was unable to replicate island wake formations The aim of this paper is to characterize the circulation patterns of the Ría de Pontevedra using numerical experiments A high-resolution configuration of the Regional Ocean Modeling System model (ROMS; Shchepetkin and McWilliams, 2005) with embedded online two-way nesting domains capabilities and increasing resolution through Adaptive Grid Refinement In Fortran (AGRIF) package (Debreu et al., 2012) is used to simulate the circulation patterns at the Ría de Pontevedra during the year 2015 ROMS is a member of a general class of three-dimensional free surface and a terrain-following s-coordinate numerical models designed to resolve regional oceanic systems ROMS solves the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations using the Boussinesq and hydrostatic approximations coupled with advection/diffusion equations for salinity and potential temperature Initial and boundary conditions for the SD and TD domains are provided using two-way nesting with the FD and SD domains respectively Surface variables, (winds, shortwave and downward longwave radiations, precipitation, air temperature, and humidity) were used to force this configuration. They were extracted from the 4 km resolution operational domain of MeteoGalicia, for 2015, which was run using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) hourly model. Outputs were provided by a thredds server2 with northerly winds blowing for approximately 27 days intercepted by some short inversions of southerly winds; and another in December with southerly winds blowing for 17 days Figure 2. Bathymetry of the Ría de Pontevedra and surrounded shelf, with isobaths at 10 m intervals, cross-sections (red lines), INTECMAR CTD stations (red dots), and along-Ría section (black thin line) used below. Wind point data (white cross) is located offshore. Origin of vertical sections displayed in Figure 9 is designated by black small squares superimposed on red lines Sea level gauge location is represented by a black square Time series of (A) rivers flow (m3/s) for Minho (blue) and Oitavén-Verdugo (red) rivers with corresponding scales on both sides for Minho river at the left and for Lérez and Oitavén-Verdugo rivers at the right side (B) Stickplot of daily mean wind directions and intensities (m/s): positives values indicate southerly winds (downwelling favorable winds) and negative values indicate northerly winds (upwelling favorable winds) Blue/red boxes and vectors represent the downwelling/upwelling events analyzed Tidal currents inputs were implemented in a similar way to the Marta-Almeida and Dubert (2006) study. In this way, ROMS was forced at the boundaries with tidal parameters, obtained from OSU TOPEX/Poseidon Global Inverse Solution, TPXO (Egbert and Erofeeva, 2002) global tidal model for elevations (amplitudes and phases) and for current ellipses (semi-major axis and phase) to solve tidal propagation and currents Sea surface elevations and tidal currents were extracted for the main semi-diurnal (M2 with a resolution of 1/12° for the North Atlantic the middle Ría (from SP3 to SP2 sections) and the inner Ría (from SP2 to up estuary) with a width scale of ∼3 km It considers the modeled and observed deviations around the observed mean and varies between 0 (no agreement) and 1 (perfect agreement) where Xmod and Xobs are the modeled and the measured data To examine the main modes of variability of the velocity fields, we perform an EOF analysis to these fields via singular value decomposition (SVD; Preisendorfer and Mobley, 1988). More details about the application of EOF methodology are provided in Supplementary Material and the middle (SP3) and inner (SP2 and SP1) cross-sections Model output data down the water column was collected at vertical intervals of 1 m every 300–400 m for across cross-sections SP1 The temporal PC from vertical and horizontal EOF analysis were compared with normalized meridional and zonal subtidal remote wind components model validation is presented through comparison of sea surface height results from simulations of one upwelling event and one downwelling/high river discharge event are analyzed Results of horizontal and vertical EOF analysis investigating the relationship between wind and surface circulation are then presented Model accuracy was evaluated through statistical comparisons between field data obtained down the water column at eleven CTD-stations (Figure 2), a sea level gauge and model output, coinciding with field locations during the year 2015. Table 1 shows some statistical estimators (RMSE and skill) for the validation of total tidal (astronomical) and residual sea surface height RMSE is around 14–16 cm for total and tidal components and ∼8 cm for residual sea level These RMSE scores for total and tidal components represent a small fraction of the mean tidal range (3.5 m) Skill scores are near one for total and tidal components We can conclude that model output compares reasonably well with the sea level gauge data Despite the differences between the model and measured data at some stations that are sheltered by the Ría topography we can confirm that other nearby stations show good agreement Model-measured data comparison calculations for salinity (S) and temperature (T; °C) along all the water column Figure 4. Comparison of modeled (dashed line) and measured (INTECMAR; dots) surface and deep temperature and salinity data for (A,C) P4 and (B,D) P3 INTECMAR stations (see Figure 2 for stations location) Comparison of 2015 yearly evolution of salinity vertical profile for (E) INTECMAR P4 station and (G) the modeled P4 station (F,H) Same as (E,G) for temperature (°C) Blue/red boxes represent the downwelling/upwelling events analyzed Subtidal velocities (cm/s) at cross-sections and P4 station for 12 July at 13 h The scale of colors of the sticks corresponds to the depths depicted by the bar represent velocities with light red and yellow The velocity scale is displayed at the lower right corner Figure 6. Along-Ría section displayed in Figure 2 for daily mean salinity (A,C,E,G,I) and temperature (°C); (B,D,F,H,J) superimposed by sigma-t isolines and subtidal velocity for along section (cm/s) and vertical directions (mm/s) with the corresponding scale as shown on 11 Stickplot of wind evolution for every day at 1 and 21 h are represented inside each graphic and wind before the first day of the event is represented in gray colors for the previous day of the event the direction of inward and outward currents appears to be influenced by both Ekman flow since the currents align with the estuary axis at these sites stratification in the outer estuary decreases with surface water temperatures reducing relative to previous days and stratification with respect to temperature and salinity increased over successive days A vigorous spring downwelling event occurred from April 30 to May 4, 2015 in response to strong (∼10 m/s) southerly winds (Figure 3B). The downwelling-favorable winds coincided with high river runoff from the Lérez River (maximum 84 m3/s on May 4, 2015). In the days preceding the downwelling event, winds were variable, blowing from the northeast and south, with southerly winds coinciding with higher river flow (Figure 3) where residual currents were essentially zero ∼20 m at SP3 and at ∼5 m for both SP2 and SP1 The surface inflow during this downwelling events has a prevailing NE direction associated with the poleward coastal downwelling jet whilst the bottom outflow has a W/SW direction Figure 7. Same as Figure 5 for day 30 April Figure 8. Same as Figure 6 for days 30 April Spatial Real-vector EOF (rvEOF) of the meridional (V) and zonal (U) subtidal components of velocity at 0 and 20 m depths (A,B) Average velocity for 2015 at the surface (z = 0) and at z = −20 m The velocity scales are depicted inside every graphic The colorbar represents the module of the velocity Spatial (D) first and (E) second EOF structure of the same cross-sections Red positive (blue negative) values indicate inflow (outflow) Direction of cross-sections is indicated by northerly (N) This recirculation may be a consequence of the shallower bathymetry near the northern opening (SP6) which acts as a barrier to the deeper circulation layers preventing outflow through the northern opening (SP6) with a linear correlation of R = 0.92 for the horizontal rvEOF and R = 0.84 for the vertical EOF we can show that the positive (negative) values of the temporal PC1 correspond with southerly (northerly) wind directions the meridional wind component is responsible for the primary circulation patterns at the Ría de Pontevedra depicted by the spatial EOF1 structure and time evolution of the temporal PC1 with a level of null currents around 15 m depth for the middle cross-section (SP3) and around 5 m depth for the inner cross-sections (SP2 and SP1) This pattern agrees with the one described previously (section “Upwelling Event” and “Downwelling Event With River Inflow Increases”) for the upwelling and downwelling events and is corroborated for the remainder of the analysis period it approximately opposes surface circulation except near the northern and southern openings (SP6 and SV2) where the shallow bathymetry forces the water column to respond as bulk to the wind forcing This circulation corresponds with westerly wind directions so an opposite circulation can be expected under easterly wind directions associated with clockwise/counterclockwise circulation referred to in this subsection This circulation features will be later discussed in the next section a high-resolution 3D hydrodynamic model configuration with realistic forcings and boundary conditions is applied to the study of the subtidal circulation patterns at the Ría de Pontevedra Scheme of the circulation patterns under upwelling and downwelling events Colors of arrows are depicted in the legend (right bottom corner) the presence of river plumes and its advection by the coastal jet increases the exchange of properties between the Ría and the shelf This assumption needs further analysis through Lagrangian studies but since the resolution of WRF model run by MeteoGalicia is 4 km remote winds are better captured by our model configuration Several circulation features (coastal jets are associated to exchange of water properties between the shelf and Ría (including biogeochemical properties and pollutants and/or retention of biological material (nutrients and phytoplankton The Ría de Pontevedra is strongly affected by Harmful Algal Blooms events, which lead to closure of raft mussel farms (227 ± 57 days/year during 1998–2006 according to Álvarez-Salgado et al., 2008) Closures cause serious financial difficulties for the harvesting mariculture industry and represent a challenge for the sustainability of mussel farming resources having tools capable of forecasting HABs events in the Rias Baixas would prove vitally important to the management of marine resources Although the present study is not specifically focused on HABs forecast the improved understanding of circulation processes presented in this study provide clues to better understand the physical mechanisms associated with its development We applied EOF techniques to subtidal Ría velocities which established a good correlation between the meridional and zonal wind components (main forcing of the circulation) and the first two EOF modes of the horizontal velocities high-resolution modeling and statistical analysis allow us to predict the ocean-Ría exchanges as well as the circulation inside the Ría Future research will implement the findings from this study along with additional model simulations to determine the physical Ría conditions that allow Harmful Algal Blooms to develop Circulation patterns at the Ría de Pontevedra were solved using a 3D high-resolution configuration of the ROMS-AGRIF model The model accurately replicates the two-layer circulation patterns present along the main Ría axis One layer circulation in the shallower northern and southern entrances was also replicated EOF techniques were applied to subtidal velocities The results obtained with the model have been successfully compared with eleven CTD salinity and temperature stations and one sea level gauge The main conclusions from model outputs are: • During events where downwelling and high rainfall concurrently occur complex vertical circulation develops consisting of two clockwise vertical circulation cells a transient counterclockwise vertical circulation cell develops below the freshwater river plume These vertical processes act to block the down-Ría flow of fresher • Horizontal transient circulation cells were detected at surface and bottom layers and were associated with periods when wind directions changed • Coastal jet observed both during upwelling and downwelling events can be seen as a water exchange driver between the shelf and the Ría It leads to the import from and export to the Ría of shelf water properties (pollutants and other particles) along the surface layer • Deep circulation exchanges between the shelf and the Ría mainly occur through the central opening (SP5 inducing a two-layer (positive or negative) estuarine circulation along the main channel of the Ría This bilayer circulation is separated by a null current level whose depth decreases toward Ría headwaters • EOF techniques showed a good correlation between meridional and zonal remote wind components and the two first EOF modes consisting in closed circulation feature at the outer Ría is mainly associated with periods of sudden changes of wind directions and intensities This study provides important information for a better understanding of subtidal circulation processes in the Ría de Pontevedra describing the different circulation patterns exhibited during upwelling and downwelling events and the role of the shelf-Ría water exchanges of biogeochemical properties Future work could leverage model outputs to drive Lagrangian process models providing the capacity to investigate residence times and the transport of constituents into and out of the Ría The hydrodynamic model detailed in this study also has the capacity to be coupled with biogeochemical models providing a foundational component for the development of predictive tools addressing events such as Harmful Algal Blooms The datasets presented in this article are not readily available because they have a high file size. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to JD, amR1YmVydEB1YS5wdA== MG and FP contributed to the analysis of the results and discussion JB and XP planned the study and contributed to the analysis of the results All authors read and contributed to writing the manuscript The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest This study was performed in the framework of MYTIGA project (AGL2013-45945-R) supported by the Spanish government through the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad This work contributes to HABWAVE project (LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-031265) and CESAM_LA (UIDP/50017/2020 + UIDB/50017/2020) within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020 This work also contributes to MarRisk project (0262_MARRISK_1_E) co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) in the framework of Interreg V A España – Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 The authors thank the Instituto Tecnolóxico para o Control do Medio Mariño de Galicia (INTECMAR) for the production and distribution of in situ salinity and water temperature data MeteoGalicia for the distribution of wind and Spanish rivers discharge data and the Water Institute of Portugal (INAG) for the distribution of Portuguese rivers discharge data We thank to the editor and reviewers for their valuable comments and help with the work of English rephrasing The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.661250/full#supplementary-material Circulation at the Transition Zone Between the Shelf and the Two Southernmost Rías Baixas (NW Spain) Google Scholar Hydrographic characterization of a winter-upwelling event in the Ria of Pontevedra (NW Spain) Hydrodynamic and chemical conditions during onset of a red-tide assemblage in an estuarine upwelling ecosystem Álvarez-Salgado Surface waters of the NW Iberian margin: upwelling on the shelf versus outwelling of upwelled waters from the Rías Baixas Álvarez-Salgado Renewal time and the impact of harmful algal blooms on the extensive mussel raft culture of the Iberian coastal upwelling system (SW Europe) Coastal upwelling and downwelling forcing of circulation in a semi-enclosed bay: ria de Vigo Surface water subduction during a downwelling event in a semienclosed bay “Reinforcement of gravitational circulation by wind,” in Buoyancy Effects on Coastal and Estuarine Dynamics Google Scholar Google Scholar Residual circulation in the Ría de Muros (NW Spain): a 3D numerical model study CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Predictability of currents on a mesotidal estuary (Ria de Vigo CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Using the regional ocean modelling system (ROMS) to improve the sea surface temperature predictions of the MERCATOR ocean system Google Scholar Negative estuarine circulation in the Ria of Pontevedra (NW Spain) Wind and tidal influence on water circulation in a galician ria (NW Spain) Two-way nesting in split-explicit ocean models: algorithms Hydrodynamics of river plume intrusion into an adjacent estuary: the Minho River and Ria de Vigo Efficient inverse modeling of barotropic ocean tides Google Scholar Dynamics of phytoplankton distribution and photosynthetic capacity in a western Norwegian fjord during coastal upwelling: effects on optical properties Reverse estuarine circulation due to local and remote wind forcing enhanced by the presence of along-coast estuaries CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Rapid response to coastal upwelling in a semienclosed bay Exchange fluxes between the Ría de Vigo and the shelf: a bidirectional flow forced by remote wind Gómez-Gesteira An unusual two layered tidal circulation induced by stratification and wind in the Ria of Pontevedra (NW Spain) Upwelling shadows as nearshore retention sites: the example of northern Monterey Bay CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar Empirical orthogonal function analysis of ocean surface currents using complex and real-vector methods Google Scholar A simple model of fjord and coastal circulation interaction Google Scholar Oceanic vertical mixing: a review and a model with a nonlocal boundary layer parameterization CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Upwelling Bays: how coastal upwelling controls circulation Google Scholar Coupled summer circulation and dynamics between a bay and the adjacent shelf around hong kong: observational and modeling studies Spurious diapycnal mixing in terrain-following coordinate models: the problem and a solution CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar The structure of tides in the Western Iberian region CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar New insights into the Western iberian buoyant plume: interaction between the Douro and Minho River plumes under winter conditions Independent estimates of marine population connectivity are more concordant when accounting for uncertainties in larval origins Variability of river plumes off Northwest Iberia in response to wind events CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Patterns of upwelling and relaxation around Monterey Bay based on long-term observations of surface currents from high frequency radar Short-time scale coupling between termohaline and meteorological forcing in the Ría de Pontevedra and counter-flows in the Western Iberian upwelling system CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Simulation of a coastal jet retention process using a barotropic model CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Short-timescale thermohaline variability and residual circulation in the central segment of the coastal upwelling system of the R??a de Vigo (northwest Spain) during four contrasting periods Origin and development of recurrent dipolar vorticity structures in the outer Ría de Vigo (NW Spain) Principal Component Analysis in Meteorology and Oceanography Google Scholar A non-stationary box model to determine residual fluxes in a partially mixed estuary based on both thermohaline properties: application to the Ria de Arousa (NW Spain) Ruiz-Villarreal Hydrodynamic Model Study of the Ria de Pontevedra Under Estuarine Conditions The regional oceanic modeling system (ROMS): a split-explicit topography-following-coordinate oceanic model CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Unusual circulation patterns of the rias baixas induced by minho freshwater intrusion (NW of the Iberian Peninsula) Influence of the minho river plume on the rias baixas (nw of the iberian peninsula) Modeling the Minho River plume intrusion into the Rias Baixas (NW Iberian Peninsula) Wind and tide current prediction using a 3D finite difference model in the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain) Modeling the residual circulation of a coastal embayment affected by wind-driven upwelling: circulation of the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain) Evaluation of the seasonal variations in the residual circulation in the Ria of Vigo (NW Spain) by means of a 3D Baroclinic model Torres López Residual circulation and thermohaline distribution of the Ría de Vigo: a 3-D hydrodynamical model Flow induced by upwelling winds in an equatorward facing bay: Gulf of Arauco Variations of tidally driven three-layer residual circulation in fjords CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Wind-induced exchange at the entrance to Concepción Bay an equatorward facing embayment in central Chile Villacieros-Robineau Hydrodynamic characterization of the bottom boundary layer in a coastal upwelling system (R{í}a de Vigo CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar The seasonal upwelling cycle along the eastern boundary of the north atlantic Google Scholar A numerical study of coupled estuary-shelf circulation around the Pearl River Estuary during summer: responses to variable winds Dubert J and Pérez FF (2021) A High-Resolution Modeling Study of the Circulation Patterns at a Coastal Embayment: Ría de Pontevedra (NW Spain) Under Upwelling and Downwelling Conditions Copyright © 2021 Cruz, Nolasco, Padin, Gilcoto, Babarro, Dubert and Pérez. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Jesús Dubert, amR1YmVydEB1YS5wdA== Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish A nationwide pizza chain will celebrate the grand opening of its newest restaurant ― boasting a modernized design ― in Ponte Vedra Beach with a pizza giveaway Pizza Hut at the Shoppes of Valley Ridge shopping center It's the newest Pizza Hut location from owner and operator Flynn Group based in San Franciso which is the largest franchisee in the system with more than 975 Pizza Hut locations in 27 states Flynn Group also owns and operates Pizza Hut locations in Jacksonville the company's other brands include Applebees Ponte Vedra Beach is part of the company's ongoing Pizza Hut expansion “More than just serving the iconic Pizza Hut favorites our guests love Flynn Group views each of our locations as an investment in the local economy through job creation and philanthropic initiatives We look forward to providing the reliable and value-driven dining experience Pizza Hut fans love while being an active business partner to the Ponte Vedra community,” Jerrod Mitchell vice president of marketing for Flynn Group said in a news release announcing the grand opening Ponte Vedra restaurant showcases 'fresh look'The 1,393-square-foot Ponte Vedra restaurant boasts a "fresh new look and more modern compact design," Flynn Group noted in the news release energetic graphics are displayed on the interior and exterior of the new smaller design concept curbside and carryout orders," according to the news release The restaurant buildout was estimated at $140,000 Arrive early for grand opening free pizza offerThe first 25 guests in line at the grand opening will receive redeemable punch cards for free pizza for one year Thin N' Crispy and Original Pan crusts only ― has several restrictions Winners will receive two complimentary specialty or up to three-topping The pizzas may be redeemed separately or together But the grand opening deal can't be combined with any other coupons Konnichiwa! : Unique Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant planning to open in Ponte Vedra French fine dining bistro: Acclaimed St. Augustine chef opens French bistro as his third fine-dining restaurant The Ponte Vedra restaurant which has been in the soft opening stage since Jan is among about 29 in the Jacksonville area including five in St Fletcher face off in boys lacrosse: See photos from Jack Taylor Stadium39 PHOTOSPatrons take their seats as the announcers booth gets ready to call and view the game before the game of a boys high school lacrosse game Wednesday 2025 at Jack Taylor Stadium in Jacksonville Beach 12:50 PM (ET)@layer recipes{.css-107anqq{font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-body);color:var(--components-article-header-hero-author-text-color);font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-xs);line-height:1;width:-webkit-fit-content;width:-moz-fit-content;width:fit-content;}html.teamusa-theme .css-107anqq{text-transform:uppercase;}@media screen and (min-width: 80rem){.css-107anqq{font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-md);line-height:md;}}}by Richard Immel Joel Adams executes a gut wrench at the 2022 U17 World Championships Spain – The Greco-Roman brackets have been released for the 2024 U20 World Championships 10 Americans will take the mats in search of a prestigious age-group World medal Round one at 67 kg opens with a heater between two past U17 World champions as U.S medal favorite Joel Adams has been paired against Imed Khudzhadze of Ukraine Adams topped the U17 World podium two years ago and participated in last year’s U20 Worlds Khudzhadze was a 2021 U17 World and European champion The winner between Adams and Khudzhadze would be favored in the next round against Poland’s Piotr Skalik but would have tough outs the rest of the way A quarterfinal contest against U20 European bronze medalist Rati Khozrevanidze of Georgia or U20 Asian silver medalist Yussuf Ashrapov is the favorite to be Adams semifinal opponent should he get there 2022 U20 World bronze medalist Aden Attao is looking to get back on the podium after falling short in Amman He’ll have to be ready out of the gate with Hungary’s talented Laszlo Darabos standing as his first opponent at 130 kg Darabos was a 2022 U17 World silver medalist and finished in fifth place at the 2024 Zagreb Open Ranking Series event on the Senior level A win for Attao moves him to the round-of-16 against Ethan Vergara of Puerto Rico At the U20 Pan American championships earlier this summer Attao won gold while Vergara was bronze Two-time U17 World champion Cemal Bakir of Turkey or U20 European champion Saba Chilashvili of Georgia would be the likely quarterfinal opponent for Attao The other side of Attao’s half bracket appears to be Aleksandr Melekhov’s to lose The individual neutral athlete was fifth at last year’s U20 Worlds The third age-group World medalist for Team USA gets a nice draw in the opening round at 60 kg against Ilias Zairakis of Greece the competition ratchets up quickly for Land with 2024 U20 European champion Papik Dzhavadian Two former U17 World Team representatives are back for more at the U20 level—Otto Black at 63 kg and Ryder Rogotzke at 87 kg will face either Dejan Berkec of Serbia or Matej Rebic of Croatia in the round-of-16 Rogotzke takes on two-time U20 European medalist Patrik Gordan of Romania winner advancing to the round-of-16 against Iran’s Mohammad Seydi Avendi American Aydin Rix McElhinney is staring down a potential first match against returning U20 World champion Alireza Abdevali of Iran at 77 kg Abdevali must beat China’s Jixin Yu to set the match with Rix McElhinney Greco-Roman participants include Isaiah Cortez at 55 kg Arian Khosravy at 82 kg and Soren Herzog at 97 kg The Greco-Roman portion of the U20 World Championships will be held Sept Women’s freestyle and men’s freestyle will follow later in the week will compete in two groups over the course of the Greco-Roman event A full set of brackets and match-by-match results is available on UWW Arena. A live broadcast of the event is available for the U.S. market at FloWrestling.com. Stay tuned to TheMat.com and USA Wrestling’s social media platforms for complete coverage of the U20 World Championships.   10 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 55-63-77-87-130 kg) 6 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 55-63-77-87-130 kg) 10 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 60-67-72-82-97 kg), Repechage (GR 55-63-77-87-130 kg) 4:45 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 60-67-72-82-97 kg) 6 p.m. – Medal Matches (GR 55-63-77-87-130 kg) 6 p.m. – Medal Matches (GR 60-67-72-82-97 kg) 55 kg – Isaiah Cortez (Los Banos, Calif./Gilroy) 60 kg – Cory Land (Moody, Ala./Ironclad WC) 63 kg – Otto Black (Parker, Colo./Colorado Top Team WC) VS Dejan Berkec (Serbia) or Matej Rebic (Croatia) 67 kg – Joel Adams (Omaha, Neb./The Best Wrestler) 72 kg – Patrick Brackett (Superior, Colo./Mile High WC) 77 kg – Aydin Rix McElhinney (South Berwick, Maine/Northern Colorado WC) VS Jixin Yu (China) or Alireza Abdevali (Iran) 82 kg – Arian Khosravy (Woodland Hills, Calif./LAWC/Chaminade) VS Antonio Lukac (Croatia) or Jesper Haerkaenen (Finland) 87 kg – Ryder Rogotzke (Lakeland, Minn./Ohio RTC) 97 kg – Soren Herzog (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Force RTC) 130 kg – Aden Attao (Boise, Idaho/Beaver Dam RTC/New York AC) Chris Will PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 17 times outside of a Ponte Vedra Beach restaurant in June 2023 will spend the rest of his life behind bars Spencer Pearson was sentenced Friday night after a long day in court he made a point about how long it took to conclude a case he described as “difficult.” “The events that unfolded on that afternoon were horrific,” the judge said “The defendant launched a vicious attack on a 17-year-old girl who had done nothing but showed him love had done her part to try to save his life when he attempted suicide.” Pearson stood still with no visible emotion as he awaited what was ahead for his future The defense was looking for a “downward departure,” asking for a lesser sentence due to Spencer’s mental capacity his age and other factors even focusing on head injuries sustained in football and possible CTE While the judge said all those elements were considered in this decision he was still unconvinced that Pearson deserved a decreased sentencing “The impact that this crime has had on Madison it far outweighs any of the mitigation that this court has considered,” the judge said “There are just certain crimes that are committed that merit the maximum possible sentence and this court finds that this is one of them.” Pearson was sentenced to life in prison including an additional 30 years in prison to serve concurrently His mother and father wrapped him in hugs filled with outcries before he was taken back to jail Disclaimer: Some may find the details inside this article unsettling Schemitz’s mother and a bystander who tried to help them were also injured in the assault and Pearson was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder with a weapon and aggravated battery causing serious injury with a weapon Pearson attempted to slash his own throat in the domestic violence attack “I need serious help and I have for a long time and I am so sorry for what this has come to I am so sorry for my actions,” Pearson said as he addressed the courtroom during his sentencing hearing Watch Pearson’s full statement in the video below Johns County detective walked the court through the sequence of events leading up to the attack She started by sharing with the court that Pearson had begun stalking Madison—leaving her messages on her car and creating fake social media accounts The detective then walked people through the surveillance footage from the day of the attack That video also showed the girls walking out and to the car after seeing Spencer in the restaurant walked out of the restaurant and attacked Madison and her mother before bystanders stepped in A picture of the knife detectives found at the scene was also shown in the courtroom The detective described the scene as messy— showing pictures of blood all over the sidewalk She added that they found a sharpening block in Pearson’s pocket at the hospital She read a statement to the courtroom during the sentencing hearing in which she talked about the trauma of not only the attack but her previous relationship with Pearson Five hundred and thirty-eight days of living in true torment 538 days that regardless of the circumstances always have the same dark cloud looming over Five hundred and thirty-eight days of constantly reliving the trauma the defendant put me through I say 538 because that is how many days it has been since June 3 Schemitz also talked about her recovery journey and her physical and mental struggles I still deal with the sleepless nights and constant nightmares I feel myself fearing the worst possibilities in every situation,” she said and finding that trust in people again is far and few between He was one of the first people to take the stand Friday coming over you were such a beautiful person to be around I pray for you every day,” Dan Pearson said hand and thigh as she tried to intervene in the attack on her daughter She read a statement at the sentencing hearing “You handed Madison a life sentence and you only get the same Have to watch her struggle to breathe because of you Then to struggle to gain mobility because of paralysis Pearson, who was 18 at the time of the crime, was initially scheduled to be sentenced about a month ago, but his attorneys got the hearing pushed back so he could be tested for chronic traumatic encephalopathy Pearson’s attorneys said they had recently learned that new science shows signs of CTE can be detected in brain scans for living subjects a week before Pearson was set to be sentenced his attorneys asked the court to push it back “An underlying issue in the case is whether Defendant’s suffering repetitive head impacts (RHI) over the course of him playing tackle football from the ages of 6 through 18 causes him to suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).” “It is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder due to repeated injuries to the brain and it can happen in sports and the military,” he said we’re talking about repeated head injuries there are behavioral and cognitive changes that occur.” D’Arienzo said CTE can contribute to criminality Pearson’s attorneys cited a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Neurology in 2023 examining the donated brains of 152 deceased contact sport athletes under the age of 30 and most of them played at the high school and college levels The most common cause of their death was suicide MORE | Ponte Vedra Beach restaurant raises money to support teen brutally stabbed “I believe in this case because we’re waiting on sentencing, they’re going to use this to mitigate, to reduce the sentence, to show that this gentleman may have had a series of head injuries that led to the CTE that then led to him being impulsive and irrational and having this very aggressive outburst and that and that, if he never would have had that CTE, he never would have acted in this manner,” D’Arienzo said. Dan Pearson also detailed his son’s time in football as a defensive end with multiple concussions and thousands of hits, saying he saw his son change over time. “At they started into the relationship, he frankly wasn’t just handling it well. I think he was, just couldn’t enjoy it. He was always just stressed out. He seemed to be too wrapped up in a lot of stuff. Drove him to a bad place. Very insecure,” Dan Pearson said. In court records, Pearson’s attorney described him as an anxious loner who spiraled into depression after Schemitz broke up with him a few months before the attack– and even attempted suicide. They also noted Pearson’s brain scans showed signs of trauma from years of playing football that resulted in diminished impulse control, acting without regard to consequences, and being easily agitated. The defense noted Pearson was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and major depression with psychotic features, due to reports of hearing voices at times. “Spencer deserves a chance to have a life. Spencer needs help, I know that without a doubt. He’s got a lot of issues a lot of mental problems, I am worried about his head injuries,” Dan Pearson said. A psychologist called by the state testified his analysis of Pearson suggests he was fabricating auditory hallucinations. If you or someone you know is or has been a victim of domestic violence or abuse, here’s a list of other resources available: Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Chris Will has joined the News4JAX team as a weekend morning reporter, after graduating from the University of Florida in spring 2024. During his time in Gainesville, he covered a wide range of stories across the Sunshine State. His coverage of Hurricane Ian in southwest Florida earned a National Edward R. Murrow Award.