Don't Worry Chief, He's Got Your Back!

FREEZE!

As many times as I have tried catching just one hummingbird in flight, I had been watching these two go at it for a while as they were playing king of the hill over the feeder. As fast as they move I simply let loose on the shutter in the hopes of catching something and I got lucky! Hence the photo above.

Who's In Control And Who's Not?

Wow, where do I start? Do the developers go to the County on a project that's supposedly supposed to be in the City? When and if this property is annexed, who's to blame for past and present decisions?

The Sassafras Meadows "Osprey" Project sounds wonderful for Senior Citizens. Well, 40% of them anyway, (maybe). This would mean you'd have to be over 55 years of age making between $13,000.00 to $30,000.00 a year to qualify. I believe they said the rent for "SOME" of these units would be between $280.00 a month to over $700.00 a month offering independent living.

However, the Osprey Project is NOT a non profit Group and yet they are asking for $122,000.00 in tax breaks to build this new luxury facility that's supposed to be for affordable housing for Seniors? There will be a total of 80 units and the Group has to offer a supposed 40% of these units to Seniors that qualify, but they don't actually have to. I heard that slip while they were introducing the package.

So keep a keen eye on this project because the County Council agreed to give them a letter of intent so this Group/Developer can qualify for even more Government money for the overall project.

I will agree that there needs to be more affordable housing for "ALL" Seniors and I'd like to know what it's going to cost "OTHER" Seniors to live there above and beyond the 40% they "claim" they're going to offer this to. I say, build the entire project around one set of rental fees and stop the crap about asking for massive tax breaks, grants and discounts for a supposed 40%! They also admitted they needed to go to the City for more breaks such as water and sewer and even electric hook ups. They want the City of Salisbury to simply "give" it to them at the City's expense. I'M IN THE WRONG BUSINESS FOLKS!

Earlier in the Council meeting a individual property owner confronted the Council about receiving similar breaks on impact fees and she had every right to do so. The Health Department simply screwed her over as she did everything honorable and right and the Council turned her down in fear that too many citizens would come forward and ask for relief in their situation regarding the County Offices dragging their feet and forcing citizens to fall into the same relief catagory and they turned this woman down. Yet they're considering relief to Developers?

Welcome Aboard!

Sheriff Hunter Nelms and Major Doris Schonbrunner arrived early for today's County Council Meeting where they sat VERY patiently for more than an hour so they could introduce two new County Deputy Sheriffs. Mr. Ted Mc Laughlin came from the Maryland Transit Authority and Mr. Tom Brannan was a former City of Salisbury Police Officer as well as Pokomoke City Police Officer.

The Sheriffs Department will be hiring a total of 14 new Officers this year alone. 9 Officers were allocated to work in the County Schools out of the 14 they'll be hiring. 4 have been hired and 5 are just going through the final touches before they are formally hired, which will be very soon.

On a personal note, it would be nice for the County Council to recognize these Officers are in fact on the job and could certainly put to better use their time on the streets and not sitting in chairs waiting to introduce these new Officers. I do understand there was a busy schedule for the Council today but the Citizens should come first and everyone else could have waited for what took about 30 seconds for the Sheriffs Department to get through.

Thanks Gentlemen and all the very best to both of you!

Today's Wildlife Photo

This photo was sent to me by one of our loyal readers/viewiers and I lost his e-mail. I am hoping this person will make claim to this photograph as well as the post below because they're absolutely breathtaking. I can't post them all but please do keep the pictures rolling in so we can share these animals NOT in captivity.

A Carving Like None Other

You'll have to forgive me as someone sent me this photograph and I somehow lost the message. However, I just found the photos and am publishing it in the hopes they can fill you in on the details. This is a carving, unbelievable!