WICOMICO COUNTY CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL BOND SALE

Wicomico County sold $16,675,000 in bonds at competitive bid on December 4th. These bonds will finance school construction projects at James M. Bennett Senior High School and Prince Street School. There were eight bidders, with bids ranging from 3.828% to 3.888%. The award was to Davenport & Company, LLC, the low bidder.

The sale came after a successful trip to New York City to meet with the three leading bond rating agencies. Following the sessions, Wicomico County retained its high bond ratings. The county received an outlook upgrade from “stable” to “positive” from Fitch Ratings.

Standard and Poor’s and Fitch Ratings both rated the County’s bonds at A+; Moody’s Investors Service continued its rating of A2. All three ratings are considered strong, and all three entities also affirmed their ratings on previous issues. The rating agencies cited the following rationale behind their affirmative decisions on Wicomico County’s status:

· Sound financial performance

· Conservative financial management

· Healthy reserve levels

· Low debt burden and rapid payoff

· Diversified and stable economic base.

Offsetting these positive indicators, the rating agencies expressed concern about the recent budget restructuring on the state level and the possible impact of that on County operations.

“I am very pleased with the results of our bond sale,” said Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr. “It was clear that the rating agencies felt Wicomico County was managing its financial affairs well, and that is reflected in our solid ratings and the excellent interest rate we got on the sale.”

The Odds Just Got Worse

At 8:00 PM this evening, PAC14 will air the Salisbury Christmas Parade WITHOUT SBYNEWS.COM in it.

Even though numerous people contacted PAC14 today to complain, what everyone doesn't know is this. PAC14 had "5" CAMERAS running at the Parade and NOT ONE of them mysteriously caught SBYNEWS.COM passing through?

I'm told there will be a PHOTO of SBYNEWS.COM at the very end of the show. WooHoo! This just makes my case 5 times stronger, wouldn't you agree?

Oh, you can call Mike Goodson yourself if you don't believe me that there were 5 cameras there. He told me that himself. How much more honest can I be Mike?

Delmarva Dealings Officially Closes Blog Site Down

GA Harrison has officially closed his Blog down and the end has arrived. It's a sad day for Delmarva as GA certainly had one of the finest Blogs in the State. Enjoy the peace and time off, my old friend.

I Just Don't Get It?

Click on image to enlarge.
When you travel North or South on Rt. 13, some of the most congested areas are 50MPH? Yet you travel through these really small towns and they lower it to 35 MPH. Look at Pocomoke, Princess Anne and even north in Delaware where they lower the speed limit for all the wrong reasons, speed traps. Then I watch children crossing Rt. 13 in these areas, especially during Holiday Shopping Season and you have to wonder just who agreed to these speed limits?

This particular sign is smack dab in the median strip where if you're in the middle lane heading North, you're not going to see it anyway.

Body Language

Since most of you do not attend Council Work Sessions and they're not televised, you don't get to see how they treat Debbie Campbell & Terry Cohen. However, this photo gives you the fly on the wall view of what happens almost every time one of these two tries to put in their two cents.

So think about this the next time you see Campbell or Cohen making statements on PAC14 on live broadcasts because while they're trying to get things done, three other Council Members are doing everything they can to ignore everything in the hope they can move on.

This past work session, Louise Smith was forcing the meeting on the most important issues to move forward because they fell so far behind. All so at the risk of the Taxpayers. Debbie & Terry insisted they keep going until the issues were resolved but Louise insisted on moving the meeting along. I believe they call this rubber stamping?

In closing, what would YOU do to one of your own children if they treated YOU like this?

Church Street Awards & Christmas Party

I just received a telephone call from a representative from the Church Street Neighborhood asking me to attend an Award Ceremony and Christmas Party on December 19th at 5:30 PM at the Cathedral of Love on Isabella Street & Church Street.

It seems that rather than promoting and handing out these awards typically done at a Council Meeting on PAC14, they instead chose to hold a private ceremony for the very first time. My guess is that this Mayor will do anything to keep Joe Albero out of the public eye.

More importantly however is what this was all about. I do not believe for a second that "anyone" who attended the clean up cares a single ounce about an award. It was about doing what's right for the community and encouraging those residents into participating themselves regularly to keep their streets clean and safe.

I'm told City Officials and representatives from C-Safe will be attending as well. If you're interested in attending you can contact Michelle Parks at 443-523-5150. There will be carolling at the end and I'm told Santa will also pay a visit.

Another Day In Paradise

If you haven't been outside lately, it's snowing quite heavily again today. When I look outside, this is what I'm spoiled with on a daily basis. So since you're not here, I'll bring some of the outdoors in to your place of work or home too. Enjoy!

You know, I don't believe I've reminded many of you lately that we live in Delmar, DE. on 7.5 acres and our TOTAL taxes are $1,200.00 a year! I can also be at the GOB in about 10 minutes from my home. Swallow that one too Barrie Tilghman and your 14% tax increase recently. Makes you want to move to Delaware, doesn't it? Fire Chief See did!

Go Figure?

Every year the County Council votes on who will be President and who will be Vice President. John Cannon was unanimously voted in as Council President while Stevie Prettyman was voted in again as Vice President. However, the vote for Stevie was 6-1. Sharee Sample-Hughes did not nominate anyone else for Vice President, yet she voted against Stevie Prettyman??????

OK, that makes the first County Council Dee, Dee, Deeeee Vote of the year.

SPD Press Release

12-4-07
Shoplifting Arrests:

Juvenile, 11yoa, of Delmar, De; Juvenile, 13yoa, of Delmar, De; and Juvenile, 15yoa, of Delmar, De, were arrested for Theft under $500. The juveniles attempted to steal $260 in clothing items from the Rugged Warehouse. Juvenile, 13yoa was also in possession of a deadly weapon, which he attempted to conceal. All three juveniles were released to the custody of their guardians. CC#200700040376

Wilma Lee Nelson, 50yoa, of Pittsville, Md was arrested for Theft over $500. Nelson attempted to steal various merchandise from Macy’s. Nelson was released to the custody of Central Booking. CC#200700040464

Keepin It Real Bust!

Jordan Michael Hooper, 20yoa, of Baltimore, Md and Alvin Cozel Woodhouse, Jr, 21yoa, of Lindenwood, NJ were arrested for Obstruction, Hindering, Disorderly Conduct, and Fail to Obey Lawful Order. Officers responded to a reported disturbance at the Monkey Barrel. On arrival officers made contact with Hooper and Woodhouse in the parking lot of the business. Hooper and Woodhouse were disorderly and yelling profanity as a crowd gathered. Hooper and Woodhouse were asked to leave the premises but both continued to yell obscenities and were arrested. Hooper and Woodhouse were released to the custody of Central Booking. CC#200700040434

Blogger Is Having Issues

I have yet to receive an e-mail this morning from comments on the Blog. I can go to my main page and see there are comments there and accept or deny them. However, Blogger usually send me an e-mail letting me know I have a comment. So for the rest of you Bloggers out there from Blognetnews, let me know if you too are experiencing the same issue?

It may take a bit longer today to see your comments but I'll keep tabs on it and hopefully you won't have to wait very long. Thanks for your patience Folks.

One Year Ago Part III

It was one year ago today when Salisbury Police Chiefy Webster had me removed from a Press Conference in a PUBLICLY OWNED BUILDING breaking the Law by not allowing me access. ALL Press Conferences are open to the Public and this is where the Chiefy and I started having problems and not seeing eye to eye. IMO, he's a Puppet for the Mayor. See you in Court Chiefy.

One Year Ago Today Part II

It was one year ago today it was OUT with the old and IN with the new on the County Council. Although, (IMO) progress has been somewhat slow, the Council has finally picked up the pace. Mind you, it's a whole different Ball Game when you're dealing with a straight up Council. Things have taken time to iron out the past and in order to make sure everyone is on the same playing field, one would expect a slow start. I look forward to the years ahead to see what good will become of this fine Council.

One Year Ago Today

Congratulations to Wicomico County as today celebrates the One Year Anniversary of the Swearing In of the very first ever County Executive, Mr. Rick Pollitt.

There's quite a bit of exciting news that occurred one year ago today, so expect a few more Posts showing even more.

What Are The Odds?

Folks, I know this will give the anti-Albero bloggers a wet dream to go after me, but I can't let this slide without a post. Out of all the participants in the Salisbury Jaycees Christmas Parade (what, about 100?), guess how many did NOT make the PAC14 tape?

Two. Want to guess who they were? Yep, yours truly and Cat Country, owned by Delmarva Broadcasting. The Jaycees rep I talked to was more upset than I was, really nice, very apologetic. I talked to Mike Goodson, head of PAC14, and he swears up and down it was a technical glitch.

Okay. I don't want to bust on Mike too bad here. The PAC14 guys really do the community a service. But they're supposed to be impartial, politically speaking, right? Just how coincidental is it that the only TWO entries in the parade glitched out of the tape just HAPPENED to be the Mayor's #1 target, Joe Albero and my blog, and the other is a radio station owned by the company that told her to take a hike when she tried to get Bill Reddish fired?

And get this, the technical glitch only affected one of Delmarva Broadcasting's entries, and not the other, though they were one right after the other? Now I know glitches can only be for a second or can pop back on in a heartbeat, but come on, what are the odds on this, folks? Could be they had to keep the other station on the tape to make Delmarva Broadcasting and me not seem targeted?

I'll get over it because the live reception from people watching the parade was FANTASTIC. But to me, the bigger question is, was this really just an AMAZING act of coincidence after I posted that I'd get a great welcome at the parade and the tape would prove it to the anti-Albero bloggers? I damn near posted, "You watch, I'll get edited out by PAC14." But I thought that would sound too smart-ass, even for me.

Or is the question, did the Mayor, who disgraced Salisbury by screaming at a Jaycees volunteer for better position in the parade, go over the top ONCE AGAIN and threaten PAC14's funding if SBYNEWS.COM didn't get yanked?

What did she say? "I'll get you Albero and your little Cat Country, too"???

Hey, I'm only guessing here, so you be your own judge. If it were just about me, I'd just post about this for a laugh. But the "technical difficulties" may just be of a more serious nature than old Joe and the Cat getting left out in the cold.