Its the beginning of the end for the Final Four. Jermaine Paul, Tony Lucca, Chris Mann and Juliet Simms will face the audience to see who will win the title of this seasons The Voice. Host Carson Daly is excited, coaches Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, and Christina Aguilera are excited, and the studio audience is frenzied.

Only the audiences votes will be counted for the final vote. Each of the vocalists will sing three times; a solo, a duet with their coach, and a tribute to their coach, singing one of the songs their coach made famous.

The night begins with a look back at the past season. The judges reminisce about their first impressions of the finalists. The finalists each state that theyre ready and willing to perform their best, for the win.

First up, Carson chats with Blake about his prodigy, Jermaine Paul. Blake doesnt think their pairing is so unlikely; as a coach, his job is to find the greatest singer, not necessarily someone in the same genre as his own.

Carson asks Christina what a win for Chris Mann, with his unique voice, will say to viewers. Christina looks a little odd this evening; apparently shes lsquo;a little bit sick. Or maybe its the weird eyeliner shes wearing, which appears to be Swarovski crystals. She doesnt actually answer his question, but says how great all of the performers have been.

Cee Lo says that Juliet Simms is indeed special, and has proven herself time and time again. It seems Juliet also is having health and throat issues, so Cee Lo has total respect for her bravery.

Adam tells Carson that he and Tony Lucca have become close friends as theyve worked together. He thinks all the vocalists are great. Now that his work is done, he can just relax and enjoy the performances.

Jermaine and Blake seem to have a deep respect and fondness for each other, and Jermaine certainly fulfills the promise of a winner. The former Alicia Keyes backup singer interviewed that hes had a goal for each song that hes presented; first, to connect emotionally with the lyric, and second, to do something that America would love. This evening he sang I Believe I can Fly, God Gave me You, and dueted with Blake on Soul Man.

In his white suit with casually untied tie, Jermaine looked every inch a star, and his voice easily brought out the best in each song, even prompting Carson to say that Jermaines take on Blakes God Gave Me You was better than Blakes own. And Blake agreed! Blake seemed to really enjoy listening to, and singing with, this future Ramp;B star. The other coaches all praised Jermaines classy, powerful presentations.

Juliet Simms began the coach tributes with a rendition of Cee Los hit Crazy. Love the song, wasnt crazy about her version, which was thin in places that Cee Los fuller voice did better. Later she soloed on Free Bird, and dueted with Cee Lo on Born to Be Wild. Im bucking the trend; Im not in love with Juliets voice. And I keep forgetting if shes the blonde or the brunette, even though shes the last female standing.

Next up, Chris Mann dueted with Christina on The Prayer, a perfect song for these two trained voices. Xtina may have not been in full voice, but thats probably a good thing, as between the two, full voice might have shattered glass in viewers homes. Not fond of their presentation set, though, which resembled a wedding canopy, and featured Chris in a tux and Xtina in a glittery dress cut far too low in the front, and far too strappy in the back. Later, Chris did a capable job on The Voice Within, but a weaker rendition of You Raise Me Up, which made me realize how very good a singer Josh Groban is.

Former Mousketeer Tony Lucca of Team Adam is thrilled to have a second shot at stardom. Adam has made no secret that he and Tony have a lsquo;bromance, and Adam is full of respect and pleasure at Tonys ability to sing and dance with the best. Former child star Christina – with whom he once worked – has not been as supportive of Tony as one would expect, seeming to always find some criticism to offer, regardless of his performances. After tonights solo song 99 Problems, Christina took offense to Jay-Zs lyrics, wondering if the lyrical connotation was a little derogatory toward women. Or maybe just toward Christina? Whatever. I like Tony, though Im not loving the hat and vest combo, which just feels too like Russell Hantz look. When Tony has the right song, hes terrific. The challenge for him will be to continue finding songs that showcase his style. Tonys coach tribute song was Harder to Breathe, and he harmonized like an angel on his duet with Adam on the classic Beatles tune Yesterday.

Youll have to tune in tonight, for the announcement of who has won the title of The Voice. There will be performances from Justin Bieber, Lady Antebellum, Flo Rida and Hall amp; Oates, to cap off the season.

No-ones ever given us any more for winning by big spaces, Moody said.

Luke looked after her. He was kind and were happy where were at.

Nolen was just as pleased with the mare who jumped cleanly and led from the outset before ambling to the line.

She was never out of second gear, Nolen said.

Im not a punter. I dont worry about margins.

As long as she bloody wins I dont care.

Nolen said Black Caviar hadnt been at the top of her game when she looked slightly awkward winning the Robert Sangster Stakes two weeks ago.

The other day she wasnt the same horse but today she was back to the machine she is, he said.

Royal Ascot and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes is now the mission for the Black Caviar team – as long as Moody and the horse are happy.

Shes where we want her and and as long as she pleases us the next three weeks were on the plane to England, he said.

Everythings gone as expected. Shes done a good job.

Moody is known to suck down a couple of nervous cigarettes before Black Caviar races and admits he is in awe of the mare.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up like anyone else, he said.

Youve got an excitement machine coming your way, he added for the British public.

The excitement machine is due to leave for England in three weeks to race in front of the Queen and also holds an entry in the July Cup at Newmarket.

There was a sell-out crowd of 30,000 at Morphettville for the second time to see Black Caviar with the normal attendance on Goodwood day around 5,000. AAP

Found all over the country, Leptospirosis is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by a spiral shaped bacteria called leptospira. It is shed in the urine or other body fluids (except saliva) of affected animals such as raccoons, skunks and cattle. It can then live in the environment in water or soil for weeks to months.

Dogs, humans, and rarely cats can be affected by this bacteria if it comes in contact with skin (if there are open wounds) or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth). It is transmitted through contact with infected urine, so pets are susceptible by exposure to contaminated water sources, food, or even bedding. Disease outbreaks often increase during periods of flooding or increased water levels in mountain streams. There are many incidental hosts for Leptospirosis in Colorado wildlife, including mice, raccoons, foxes, skunks, opossums and voles. Studies have also shown increased incidence in new housing developments.

Detection and treatment: The disease may start with flu-like symptoms such as fever, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and muscle aches, but can progress to kidney and/or liver failure. Diagnosis is made by testing the urine or blood. The disease is treatable with antibiotics and IV fluid therapy, but can be fatal if not caught early before there is significant organ damage.

Prevention: The cornerstone of prevention is through a vaccine. However, there is much controversy regarding using this vaccine in dogs. First, the vaccine only covers four of the 250 variations (called serovars) of the bacteria. Thus your dog is not protected from the disease 100 percent. Second, there is a higher rate of vaccine reaction than with the common vaccines for distemper or rabies. Third, most veterinarians agree that the immunity the vaccine gives does not last a full year. Therefore, giving the vaccine during the spring when dogs are at higher risk is recommended. The general recommendation for giving the vaccine is to give it to dogs that live in high endemic areas and face a high risk of exposure. These include hunting dogs, farm dogs, dogs allowed to roam, dogs living in suburban areas that have high wildlife traffic in their yards, and dogs living in urban areas where rodents are a significant problem. Most of all, good prevention starts by avoiding contact with wildlife.

Leptospirosis is in Colorado and, although the incidence may fluctuate from year to year. Please ask your veterinarian to discuss the benefit versus risk of vaccination to limit this disease.

Centennial Valley Animal Hospital, cvah.com, is a full service veterinary hospital in Louisville. It is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). It provides care for dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, rabbits, reptiles and exotics. Services include preventive care, laser surgery, digital X-Ray, pharmacy, full dental care in house, laboratory, hospitalization, acupuncture/herbs, and pain management.

When the Blue Angels and company start rumbling into town this week, there will be a feeling throughout Smyrna ? and it?s more than just our houses shaking.

The air show, which dates back to 1970, has been been a mainstay here since it was moved to the Smyrna Airport. It?s always drawn a crowd, and that crowd has gotten increasingly larger over the years. You can usually count on 50,000 people (more than the population of our town) to show up, and Smyrna Airport Executive Director John Black told me last week he expects this year to be the biggest crowd ever.

This year?s air show, which is set for all day Saturday and Sunday, will feature performances by iconic stunt pilot Corkey Fornof, paraplegic hang glider pilot Dan Buchanan, 2011 National Unlimited Aerobatic Champion Rob Holland, Viper pilot Jason Newburg and others. The show will have a ?wall of fire,? an exciting play-by-play from veteran announcer Danny Clisham, and appearances from the US Navy Seal?s parachute team, the Leapfrogs. And, of course, the Blue Angels.

The show brings excitement and entertainment to our town, but also a feeling of community and patriotism.

In the presence of pilots who have dedicated their lives to this mission, you?re reminded of all the pilots who gave their lives to protect our freedom.

It?s truly an inspiring weekend.

If you don?t have your tickets yet, they can be purchased at www.greattennesseeairshow.com. Advance general admission for children ages 4-12 is $8, gate admission is $10, and children under age 4 are free. Adult tickets (ages 12 and older) are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate the day of the show. Premium Box Seating and Flight Line Club tickets are also available. Advance prices are available through Friday. Gates open at 8 am daily with flying beginning at approximately 11:30 am daily; free parking is available. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to ensure the best seating and enjoy the static displays and concessions.

Also, remember that Sam Ridley Parkway approaching the Smyrna Airport will be closed to traffic from 3 to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday.

See you there.

During a workshop this week, the City Council heard from Rick de Yampert, a reporter for The News-Journal, and his wife, Cheryl Sheppard. The couple is hoping to start a cottage food business from their home in Palm Coast.

Home-based cottage food businesses are permitted under state law for certain types of goods, including breads, cakes, cookies, candies and fruit pies. But while Palm Coast allows some other home-based businesses, it prohibits cottage food operations.

De Yampert said that the couple would use their normal household kitchen and would make no renovations to the house.

Mayor Jon Netts, Vice Mayor Bill Lewis and Councilman Bill McGuire have opposed allowing cottage food businesses. They have said that such businesses would have an unfair advantage over entrepreneurs who have invested in a storefront operation.

De Yampert said the home-based business would not threaten other bigger concerns.

We are not going to be putting Panera out of business, de Yampert said.

Netts also said he worries that if the city allows the businesses, then consumers will think that means the government is saying the home-based food is safe to eat.

De Yampert handed each council member an 11-page printout from the state website about cottage food industry laws.

Public safety is the essence of whats covered in here, de Yampert said. There are many types of food businesses that are not allowed. And certainly we dont want to pursue those. No meat products. No chicken. You cant even do barbecue sauces or salsa because there is concern with that. The state has put in a lot of effort into drafting this legislation. We certainly believe, and the state legislators who passed this certainly believe, that if it was putting the public in jeopardy they would not have passed this law.

Food produced in cottage food industries is not inspected by any health officials. State law requires that the food have a clear label warning that the food is not subject to Floridas Food Safety Regulations.

De Yampert said there is no small-business incubator with a kitchen in this area. De Yampert said the couple plans to cook the food in the house and then sell it at community festivals in Port Orange, Palm Coast and other places.

McGuire asked de Yampert if they were successful, when would they move their business into a storefront? De Yampert said the couple does not have the money to start a business in a storefront and said that his wife has been out of work and is battling breast cancer. De Yampert said that by state law, the cottage food business could not exceed $15,000 gross sales annually, so at that point they would have to move into a storefront.

Netts said assertions such as that there would be no retail sales were meaningless.

All that and 50 cents used to get you a cup of coffee but not any more. Four dollars will get you a cup of coffee now, Netts said. That is not enforceable. That is simply a voluntary statement that has no effect on law.

Netts also said that people have a perception that the government protects them and therefore they would think the food had been checked for safety when it had not.

Councilman Jason DeLorenzo, who supports allowing the cottage food businesses, said the city allows people to sell home-grown vegetables.

Councilman Frank Meeker, who also supports dropping the prohibition against cottage food businesses, said the city is penalizing people who dont have enough money to start a business.

We should be encouraging people to come in, start something up and move it to the next level, Meeker said.

Meeker questioned what made the home-based cottage food business different from other home businesses permitted in the city.

If we dont want to allow home occs (occupations) of this type then maybe its time to look at all home occs and just say ban the concept of home occs and say we just want our residential neighborhoods to be residential, Meeker said.

Netts and Lewis also said they were concerned about cottage food businesses drawing cars and customers to residential neighborhoods.

De Yampert said that the couple would not be selling from out of their house and that if theres a problem, the city would hear about it. De Yampert said the business would be invisible.

If the business is truly invisible, you are not going to get any complaints, De Yampert said.

But Netts said it would be difficult to enforce.

Theres a big difference between receiving a complaint and validating the complaint, Netts said.

City Manager Jim Landon said that the City Council should not expect code enforcement to be able to monitor home-based food businesses.

Cheryl Sheppard said the couple just wanted an opportunity to work and make their business a reality. She said in the past, home hair salons, bakeries and even doctors offices have started their economic life in homes.

I bake because I love the idea of brightening someones day with a sweet treat, Sheppard said. We are the future of Palm Coast businesses and we need to have the opportunity to get started like the mom and pops of our parents generation.

Gulf Power Co. has a new incentive program to encourage businesses to locate in buildings that have been unoccupied for at least 12 months.

The Building Re-Occupancy Incentive Program provides a one-time cash incentive of about 10 to 15 percent of annual electricity costs. The exact amount is based on the buildings type and size.

Were trying to give new businesses a good incentive to come to our service territory and occupy an existing empty building, said Natalie Smith of Gulf Power.

Unoccupied properties can lead to building obsolescence and blight, according to program information distributed by the power company. The project is expected to increase economic viability of cities in the region.

To be eligible, the building must have been unoccupied for at least a year and have a minimum of 10,000 square feet of air-conditioned space.

The business owner must lease the building for at least 12 months or purchase the building.

Those who participate in the program must be opening a new location or, if it is a relocation, there must be significant expansion, according to program eligibility requirements.

Earlier this week, Pete Bailey of Gulf Power explained the program to the Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), which plans to promote the program to those considering opening businesses.

It could have a very positive impact on the downtown and other CRA areas where we have vacant buildings, said CRA Director William Whitson. And this could be used as an additional carrot and an additional incentive on top of the grant programs and things we have to draw interest to maybe revitalizing some of these areas.

The program was rolled out May 1, so there isnt yet information on how well it has been received, Smith said.

Whitson said he mentioned it along with CRA grants to someone who was considering opening a business in one of the citys CRAs and their eyes lit up.

The CRA offers commercial faccedil;ade improvement and job creation grants.

I think its a great partnership opportunity and were excited we can partner with Gulf Power, and I hope great things can come from it, he said.

And I wonder what life was like for my mother at my age. She was already a mom (and pregnant with baby Jasmine on the way) without a college degree. I couldnt picture it. Especially because going to college wasnt even an option for me it was a requirement. And the simple thought of being pregnant before 30 makes me want to double up on my birth control. The fact that I chose a different path than my mother is a testament to her love for me. Because Im just a continuation of all the things my mother wanted for herself if it wasnt just an option for her.

Knowing that having a fatherless home would have a negative effect on me as an adult, my mother tried her damnedest to instill in me the sanctity of marriage and the importance of having a family. This was one area that my mother feared was doomed to be repeated. Because this cookie cutter relationship was something I was never a witness of. It may have been a page in someone elses fairy tale picture book but not mine. So when I was younger I did my best to accept this facade of happily ever after. But then my heart was broken and all bets were off. As a result, the way Ive treated my boyfriends, or just men in general, is not an accident or a coincidence.

I became emotionless in all my encounters with men. I may have been flirty and talkative but I kept my feelings to myself realizing that if anyone knew the truth about me, about my life, I would become vulnerable. So instead of allowing yet another man to break my heart I instead kept it in an ice box. Anyone who tried to come close to it would get burned. Because I knew the power of loving and losing, and it wasnt for me. I preferred the feeling of lusting and leaving. Realizing this about myself took many years of self-reflecting and some good old fashioned therapy but in the end, I started to see myself becoming that woman my mother knew I could be.

Even though some unfortunate circumstances had me second guessing whether or not I needed, or even wanted, the love of a man I knew I had the ability to love unconditionally, because of my mother. I knew what it felt like to have someone love me despite my faults. Despite my missteps. And despite my bad choices. I had someone in my life who, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt wanted nothing more in life than to see me succeed. And because of this, I knew that what I needed to do, what I had to do, was succeed.

The reality is that sometimes we dont know where were going unless were willing to look at where weve been. Sometimes we have to let go of the past but before we do that we have to be willing to acknowledge that it happened. My mother closed a lot of doors for herself in order to open a lot of them for me and Ill never know a human being willing to love me like that. She is beyond a hero to me and because of her I will never say anything is impossible. And because of those sacrifices I know that when the time comes, Ill be able to give that love to someone else who deserves it.

Happy Mothers Day to my mother, and all the other mothers out there who love selflessly and unconditionally.

New Book Reveals Helen Kellers Secret Relationship

Helen Kellers incredibly triumphant story has fascinated many for years, but did you know about her hidden love life?

Not much has been told of Kellers romantic relationships, though its an interesting aspect to consider.

Kellers struggles, triumphs and remarkable life story as a deaf and blind person were well documented and retold in the film The Miracle Worker.

In a new novel called Helen Keller in Love, however, author Rosie Sultan sheds light on Kellers romantic relationship — a love affair in her 30s, where she was secretly engaged to a man.

Who knew?

Read: Paralyzed Woman Finishes Marathon

Sultan writes in a blog for the Huffington Post: I, like many people, had not really thought of her as a woman — with normal romantic and carnal desires.

The book tells of how a 29-year-old Boston Herald reporter named Peter Fagan was sent to be Kellers private secretary.

The couple were engaged and planned to marry, but it was her mother who, when finding out about their marriage license from a newspaper report, kicked Fagan out of their home.

Keller wrote, The love which had come, unseen and unexpected, departed with tempest on his wings.

In Sultans novel, she tells of how the two fell in love, but her family and society did not believe women with disabilities should marry.

Read: Grandmother Delivers Grandchild on Side of Freeway

Sultan explains that Kellers triumph over multiple disabilities and her enormous celebrity had trapped her within a constricting saintliness and an image of purity. Though she could speak up about equality, the rights of others — even, occasionally, sexuality — she was not granted the rights she sought for others.

Helen Keller never married.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture announced the decision Monday at an agency hearing in which the state was to defend its authority to quarantine the animals – two leopards, two primates and a bear – on suspicion of infectious diseases.

A spokeswoman for the agency said that the state had exhausted its authority in the case and that the states agriculture director would lift the quarantine order that was placed on the animals in October. Medical results released last week showed all five animals are free of the dangerously contagious or infectious diseases for which they were tested.

News broke late last week that two staffers for North Carolina Republican House Speaker Thom Tillis “admitted having romantic relationships with lobbyists.”

According to local news reports, Democrats in the state are calling for ethics investigations related to the incidents even though local politicians and experts have praised Tillis for acting quickly to address the matter.

After the News and Observer reported the story on Friday, however, Woodhouse – the official spokesman for the national Democratic Party – tried to make it appear as though the news was somehow more damaging than a sexual harassment scandal that has rocked North Carolina Democrats for weeks.

The North Carolina Democratic Party’s executive director, Jay Parmley, resigned two days after The Daily Caller first reported he had allegedly sexually harassed one of his male staffers, Adriadn Ortega, made a financial settlement with him and directed him to sign a non-disclosure agreement to keep the scandal quiet.

According to a letter Ortega wrote to Parmley that later surfaced, Ortega alleges that Parmley “frequently gave me unwanted shoulder rubs despite my verbal objections” and that Parmley “often solicited my opinion on his clothes.”

“He would point both hands to his crotch area and ask me how his crotch looked in those pants that day,” Ortega wrote, adding that Parmley “would frequently pretend  to punch my crotch and make a popping noise with his mouth.”

After that letter surfaced, Parmley’s ex-girlfriend from Oklahoma – where he once served as the executive director and chairman of that state’s Democratic Party – reached out to The Daily Caller to tell the story of how he had allegedly infected her with HIV.

Burgin, a 29-year-old Oklahoman, revealed that Parmley’s lawyer offered her health coverage, paid for by the Democratic National Committee, to manage her illness. She ultimately declined that offer, fearing it would constitute insurance fraud. Parmley, she said, abandoned her a few months later.

Somehow, Woodhouse apparently believes that scandal is nothing compared to the state’s two Republican staffers having romantic relationships with lobbyists.

On Friday, Woodhouse tried to engage nonpartisan political analyst Stu Rothenberg on Twitter about the state’s GOP news alleging that it would be a “disaster” for Republicans and that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney would be hurt by it.

Rothenberg shot back at Woodhouse, saying that it was ridiculous for Woodhouse to play up the lobbyist situation in light of the Democrats own scandal in the state. “Sorry Brad, not even close,” Rothenberg said in one tweet.

“Gov Bev, NC Dem Party ed amp; chair mess, jobs numbers etc. MUCH worse than GOP problems in NC. Not even in the same ballpark,” Rothenberg said in a follow-up tweet to Woodhouse.

With the help of Connecticut Democratic Sen. Dick Blumenthal’s communications director, Nu Wexler, Woodhouse took a stab at TheDC’s coverage of the NCDP sex scandal, too.

When Woodhouse first tweeted the news of state GOP issue, Wexler replied via Twitter: “The Daily Caller is on it.”

Woodhouse retweeted Wexler’s political comment, adding to it: “Yeah right!”

Woodhouse wouldn’t answer when TheDC asked him to explain the connection he was apparently trying to make between the scandal that rocked his party in the state and the news about the GOP staffers. Woodhouse also hasn’t answered when consistently asked when DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was first informed that Parmley allegedly sexually harassed Ortega last year. She could have been told about it months before the scandal broke because Gov. Bev Perdue has admitted she was aware of the sexual harassment allegations as early as December of last year.

Follow Matthew on Twitter