Quote of the Day...

"We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security": Dwight David Eisenhower : 34th president of the United States, 1890-1969

Salisbury Festival Update

I am expecting an update tomorrow morning announcing the Chamber of Commerce rejecting/denying A.S.A.P. from participating any sponsorship to the Salisbury Festival. Long Live The Blogs!

Should Citizens Boycot The Salisbury Festival?

Dee, Dee, Deeee! I Couldn't Resost Posting This One Either!

Referencing the Ray Lewis, A.S.A.P. Post:

"What you people don't realize is that ray has sponsored this event for the last 8 years!!! He has also sponsored more events here in this community then you realize and im sure that at one time or another you have been right there on the recieving end..rather it was for a church or a school that your child attends or a charity event.....so what do you hav't to say now?"

Here's what I say, Idiot! Once again, Ray donated with TAXPAYERS MONEY! Are you listening?

COUNTY EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDS BREWSTER FOR COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER

Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., is recommending that

Lori Brewster, M.S., APRN/BC, LCADC, be confirmed as the next Wicomico County Health Officer. Ms. Brewster has been the Acting Health Officer since July 1, 2007.

Ms. Brewster, a 17-year Health Department employee, is a Salisbury University graduate and holds a Masters Degree in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing from the University of Maryland. She served as the County’s Deputy Health Officer from 2002 to 2007.

Ms. Brewster was named “Nurse of the Year 1997 for District 4” by the Maryland Nurses Association. She also received the “Outstanding Woman Award” from the Wicomico County Women’s Commission in 2001. Ms. Brewster also served as a Town Commissioner of Secretary, MD in 1994-1995.

The Wicomico County Council is expected to consider the recommendation at its next regular meeting. The final approval on Ms. Brewster’s nomination lies with the Maryland Department of Health and mental Hygiene.

I Couldn't Resist Posting This Comment

I THNK YOU ARE AN ASS YES HE CONFESSED BUT JUST LIKE YOU NOT LISTENING BEFORE WHEN WE TOLD YOU THAT THERE MAYBE OTHER COMPANIES INVOLVED AND THAT HE WAS ONLY CHARGED WITH THEFT CHARGES AND YOU SAID I WAS BULL ****TIN AND THEN GUESS WHAT I WAS RIGHT AND THEM IT CAME OUT BUT THE IT REALLY DOESNT MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY BECAUSE YOU SUCK AND IF RAY LEWIS WANTS TO SPONSOR THAT FESTIVAL THEN LET HIM BE YOU SURE AS HELL NOT GAINING NOR LOOSING ANYTHING AND IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME THAT THE COUNTY AND CHAMBERS DON'T SEEM TO THINK ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH IT EXCEPT FOR YOU AND YOUR DUMB BLOG. AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS HE HAS ALSO SPONSORED MY CHILD IN TH EMARCH OF DIME RACE THEY HAVE THERE EVERY YEAR SO WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.. HAHA LOL DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!!!

NURSE NANCY

Reply:

No Nancy, "HE" didn't sponsor your child, the TAXPAYERS of Wicomico County did! Have at it Folks.

Orioles Record is 5 and 1! What?

Yes, the Orioles are teasing us again with great play and promise at the start of the season. After a poor outing on Opening Day against Tampa Bay, the O's have won 5 straight including a nail biter against Seattle in a 9th inning rally.

As a team the O's are averaging .277 with Luke Scott averaging .500 right now. Scott was aquired from the Astros in the Tejada trade. Looks like it's working out for us so far. 5 other O's have averages at or above .300.

O's pitching has been solid so far keeping the bats in striking distance each game. The rotation and bullpen have not given up more than 6 runs in a game. This is a great start after the end of last years, well, we really dont want to remember all the runs we gave up.

So great start guys and I can root for the O's a little bit. I'm Indians fan, but I can't hate on any team who plays the Yankees and had Cal Ripken Jr and The Boog Powell. So lets keep this start up, get some guys to the All-Star Game, and get our name back into the playoff mix. I'm tired of comming to games where the other fans, Yankee's, outnumber the O's fans. Last summer at an O's Yankee's games it was the Boston Fans getting kicked out of the stadium and the cheers for A'Rod, he was on 499 HRs, and the Yankees as a whole were louder than the O's getting a run. This needs to change because it is an abomination.

Full stats for fielders - http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/batting?team=bal
Full stats for pitching - http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/pitching?team=bal

Kansas Makes Memphis Dust In The Wind

Alamodome, San Antonio Texas,

Missed free throws and a three point shot call reversed to a two pointer ended Memphis's, from Conference USA, run to their first NCAA Basketball Championship. Memphis's Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas Roberts missed 3 of 4 free throws down the stretch to allow Mario Chalmers to send it into overtime with a three point bucket with 9 seconds left. Chalmer's shot was a clutch shot which will be remembered as one of the biggest in NCAA history. An earlier last second three to beat the shot clock by Rose was ruled a 2 pointer after review. College basketball allows for these reviews by the officials on major stoppage of plays.

Two evenly matched teams played their hearts out for 45 minutes giving up their bodies at every chance. Memphis built up a 8 point lead at the 2:12 mark but Kansas came rolling back by hitting threes from Chalmers and Sherron Collins coupled by a two from Darell Arthur and a free throws by Chalmers. Memphis did not have a single field goal from the 2:37 mark to the 59 second mark in the OT period.

Memphis never gave up but waivered in their posture which was evident from their free throw shooting at the end of the game. They would not hold their follow through the freebie causing them to miss. Missed free throws plagued Memphis throughout the tournament.

Kansas's biggest attribute was their unwillingness to die. Collins's three at towards the end came off of a steal. This allowed Kansas not to play the foul and hope they miss at the line game.

The overtime period had Kansas comming out strong and building a 6 point lead halfway through overtime. Memphis was not able to convert on any of their open shots except for one and could only add two free throws for their OT points.

This was an amazing game to watch and if you missed the game it probably will be re-aired on ESPN Classic or another one of their channels. Both teams played with a vigor which makes this game go down for the ages. You never knew at a single point which team would win.

This was Kansas's first Title in 20 years. Memphis ends the season with the most wins ever in a single season, including the NCAA Tournament with 38 wins.

Salisbury Police Press Releases

On April 4, 2008 at approximately 7:31 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police Department received a call to respond to the area of Jackson St. in Salisbury for the report of a subject in possession of a handgun. The officers were given descriptions of this suspect, and an accomplice as they proceeded toward the area. Upon arrival, officers located the suspects that matched the description and detained the subjects in an attempt to locate a handgun. As they attempted to identify the suspects, the below listed suspect became combative and assaulted one of the officers. There were no handguns located in possession of the subjects during the investigation.

ARRESTED: Hakeem Dewhite Wrightout, 18 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES: Second degree assault

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 200800011774

On April 4, 2008 at approximately 2:12 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police Department were on patrol in the area of the Monkey Barrel Bar and Grill when the officers observed a problem with a large crowd. As the officers investigated, they found that the below listed suspect had been asked to leave the property, but was refusing to comply. Officers attempted a number of times to have the suspect leave the party, without success.

ARRESTED: Spencer Justin Henderson, 21 years of age Bethesda, Maryland

CHARGES:
Trespassing
Disorderly conduct
Failure to obey a lawful order
Obstructing and hindering an investigation

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 200800011676

On April 5, 2008 at approximately 2:40 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police Department received a call to respond to the Super Fresh Food Store for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival, officers were advised by store employees that the below listed suspect had been caught attempting to leave the store with a large amount of groceries without making any attempts at payment. The property was recovered and returned to the store.

ARRESTED: Veronica Jane Lewis, 49 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES: Theft (over $ 500)

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 200800011890

On April 6, 2008 at approximately 12:18 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police Department received a call to respond to a large crowd at Mill Pond Lane in Salisbury. Upon arrival, the officers located the involved apartment and made contact with the below listed suspect. The suspect became combative towards the officers and pushed one of the officers as the officer attempted to meet with the residents of the apartment to quiet the party.

ARRESTED: Maurice Antoine Warren, 22 years of age Wilmington, Delaware

CHARGES:
Second degree assault
Disorderly conduct
Resisting arrest
Obstructing and hindering an investigation

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 200800011946

I Put It Up, The Daily Times Puts It Up

WCSO Nails Another One! Posted by joealbero at 11:25 AM

"SALISBURY: Man held after trying to flush drugs down a toilet - 11:36 AM"

It's called, influence.

Have you noticed how they're actually starting to become a newspaper again? It can't last long but today's paper sure was refreshing. The Times never did articles about the Salisbury Police and WCSO, but now they do. ROTFLMAO! It's even Breaking News now.

Pick A Number, Any Number, Just Hurry It Up

Ladies and gentlemen, that's how Gary Comegys basically put it last night at the work session as to how to deal with funding legal services for the city. Pam Oland said all department heads and everyone else needed to stop calling Paul Wilber RIGHT NOW if there wasn't funding put in place RIGHT NOW.

So Gary said Campbell and Cohen held "the fourth vote" between them (budget amendments need a 4-vote majority not three). The hour was getting late (about 8:00) and Gary, Shanie and Louise wanted to go home! Dee, dee, deeee to all three! This is what the taxpayers are paying you for, to do your jobs!

Shanie said, "I'm not comin' to any more meetin's" when John Pick suggested that the council needed to meet with the mayor and Paul Wilber to discuss what Terry Cohen said was cost control on the legal budget that's run OVERbudget three years in a row. Louise said, "Let's move this along. I don't want any more discussion." (What happened to "transparency," Louise?)

And Gary said, "Just pick a number. They (mayor, Wilber, administration???) have to stay within it."

Then Debbie Campbell delivered the classic of the night. "Mr. Comegys, we gave them a number. It's called the budget. And they didn't stay within that."

Gary had pointed out that the mayor decides Wilber's legal priorities. Terry agreed and referred to it as "not managing resources well" and that the council may need to consider changing the charter to provide oversight on questionable legal involvement (like defending landlords, maybe???) that runs into the high dollars for the city. She was too polite.

Then Gary -- whose latest copying from the Campbell/Cohen book is to preface everything with "get public input" -- had another dee, dee, deeee moment, saying something to the effect of nobody was blaming anybody for holding up the city's business.

Dee dee deeee! For all the posturing that went on, especially by Gary, at the last voting session of the council on March 24 and in the newspaper, to make it look like Terry and Debbie were the voting against "Mom, America and Apple Pie" and obstructing the city's ability to conduct business, now you go and say THAT at the work session? I'll say it again: Dee dee deeee!

The mayor and her staff are the ones NOT staying within budget, Gary. They're the ones NOT getting REAL information to the council for making decisions on.

But Gary, Shanie and Louise "Miss Accountability" Smith just wanted to go home. Folks, I don't know about you, but if I wanted to "get a fourth vote," I'd have been a little nicer to Debbie and Terry, rather than continue with the bullying and badgering. When Debbie and Terry had hashed out the numbers (proving they don't come scripted like the other three, actually interested in the input of the other three) and came up with a compromise of $40,000 to get the legal services funded just until a proper meeting on policy could be held, Louise polled the table and Shanie said, "Yeah, ok, I just want to get this over with."

These are your decision makers, Salisbury, and you're just going to sit back? Debbie and Terry are slaving to protect your tax money, while the others just sit there and whine about having to do their jobs.

Expect to see the budget amendment come back April 14 with agreed upon changes, which is how it should have been in the first place when Debbie asked to vote on the items separately. The Hydrilla treatment for Schumaker Pond will be paid for out of unspent zoo salaries, just as Terry had suggested, but Pick mentioned it like it was the administration's idea -- NOT! These people can't give Debbie and Terry credit for anything. And remember how the mayor said the head of Public Works said he couldn't find money for the Hydrilla? Hmmmm, I don't think this was Mr. Caldwell's fault, but I could be wrong.

Show up at the April 14 meeting, people! Thank Debbie and Terry for what they are doing. Ask Louise why she isn't diving into the city's finances and demanding accountability like she promised. Tell Gary to knock off the bully tactics. Tell Shanie to wake up. Show up, speak up! Like the shoe ad said, "Just do it!" It's YOUR city, take it back.

Music Legend Willie Nelson Will Be Taking The Stage At The Wicomico Youth & Civic Center!

(Salisbury, MD) Music Legend and 2008 Grammy winner Willie Nelson will be returning to Delmarva this summer and will take the stage at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008.

Tickets for the show go on sale Friday, April 11th at 10:00 AM and can be purchased at the Wicomico Civic Center Box Office, online at www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org or by phone at 410-548-4911. Tickets for the 7:30PM show are $38.50 to $48.50. Civic Club tickets will also be available and include dinner and the show.

Willie Nelson is considered an icon of country music and a living legend. Born in 1933 in the tiny Central Texas farming community of Abbott, Willie Nelson grew up in a world surrounded by music: The gospel songs of the grandparents who raised him; the blues and Mexican corridas that came from the cotton fields; the country and Western Swing that filled the airwaves from Nashville and Fort Worth...and the inner music that was inside of him.

After over 35 years of performing and over 100 albums under his belt, Willie Nelson is known as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and an accomplished guitar player. Outside the recording studio, Nelson established himself as a champion for the family farmer with his annual Farm Aid concerts and now sits on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Horses.

For more information on Willie Nelson and his tour, visit www.willienelson.com.

To stay up-to-date on the latest Wicomico Civic Center events visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org and sign up for the Press Pass to receive email alerts about upcoming shows and the chance to buy tickets before they go on sale to the general public.

Public Works Makes Purchases At Food Lion

Last night, Councilwoman Debbie Campbell brought up a topic she had just noticed in some files within the Work Session last night. It seems that Public Works is spending your tax dollars on $47.00 worth of bottled water at Food Lion and charging it to their "Chemical Account."

It's spending like this that takes advantage of the taxpayer, and don't think this is all of it. This just happened to be a page she found right then and there.

Gary Comegys at one point got ticked off at Cohen and Campbell, (before Debbie found this money) stating all they wanted to do was Micro Manage the City and he wasn't going to stand for it.

Well Gary, perhaps you spoke too fast because this is exactly why the County should be doing a line item budget as well. These departments are out of control and no sooner did the Mayor claim the City doesn't buy bottled water, there they are in Food Lion buying it and then deceiving the public by charging it to a chemical account.

It's time more taxpayers stood behind Campbell & Cohen to make things right in the City of Salisbury.

WCSO Nails Another One!

Click on image to enlarge.

Welcome Wymzie!

Talk about a woman who can write! Wymzie is just incredible and I have enjoyed her work for years now. I am so excited she has come on board with Salisbury News to share her thoughts and wisdom and let me assure you Ladies & Gentlemen, The Daily Times only wishes they had such talent! Welcome Aboard and do enjoy her work.

Don't forget to visit her own Blog at, wymzie.blogspot.com.

A.S.A.P. = Ray Lewis = Salisbury Festival = Chamber Of Commerce?

The word has been spreading about Ray Lewis sponsoring the Salisbury Festival. I've been told that Brad Belachicco (sp?) stated that Ray Lewis has not been indicted and that's why they accepted his sponsorship. However, even Mr. Pollitt stated, while this may be true, Ray Lewis has confessed.

Look, I like the Salisbury Festival and I think it's great for the community. However, to accept crooked money for such an event will keep me from making any purchases there, period. I will attend the event to take pictures but that will be it.

Mayor Tilghman should be outraged and the City should demand such sponsorship be denied and dropped immediately.

"The Salisbury Festival is the largest festival in Wicomico County and draws over 25,000 people for three days of activities. It is planned by the Chamber with assistance from Comcast Cablevision of Delmarva (the corporate sponsor) and many of our member companies and supporting community groups."

Call the chamber at 410-749-0144 or e-mail them at chamber@salisburyarea.com if you would like to voice YOUR opinion about YOUR stolen tax dollars being thrown into this event. What do YOU think?

Is There Such a Thing as a Cancer Belt?

Ever since we moved here in 1987, we have heard the words Cancer Belt.

My Grandparents who lived in the house in which we live both died of cancer. My Uncle Donnie who took care of them died of cancer. All three were heavy smokers, but why do some people get it and other don't?

Dozens of people that I have had the pleasure of knowing have died in the time that I have lived here and all from Cancer.

Why?

I have a couple of theories that I will share, now these are not based on scientific fact just plain old observation.

1) Nearly every weather system that develops on our continent goes from west to east, and we breath air blown all the way across the country blowing all of the good air mixed with all kinds of pollutants from other areas. Often during the summer, not only are we breathing all of those pollutants but we also end up drinking them and eating them. Many of the weather systems dump that weathers rain right smack on top of us with chemicals of all different sorts. Which leads me to my next observation...

2) If all of this weather from across the country rains or snows on us bringing all of the toxic chemicals right here to the ground on which we walk sow our seeds eat our vegetables, in the end seeps down into our groundwater, which in my backyard is exactly 4'1" from the surface.

3) If these various chemicals leach into our soil and eventually into our groundwater, then that means we are drinking all of them. This can't be good for us.

4) Additionally, we are host a huge array of factory farms not only on the eastern shore but the Shenandoah Valley, Pennsylvania, and western Maryland, all of whose water flows right to us.

We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Chicken farms create huge amounts of nitrogen. While nitrogen on very limited scale is good for the soil in mass quantities it is proven to cause cancer.

Moreover, all of the chemicals that we feed these animals including growth hormones and, antibiotics to name a few are not only being eaten when we purchase these animals in our local stores and ingest them, but they are also excreted in their waste.

Recently, it was reported on national news sources that pharmaceuticals have been found in our drinking water. What else is in there. They test for lead, ammonia, chlorine, and other things but are we testing for all of these other things and are we making provision to rectify these.

WBOC did a story the other day about how polluted the Pocomoke River is, because of an antiquated sewer system dumping millions of gallons a day of treated effluent into the river everyday from the Snow Hill, Sewer Treatment Facility. This town has got to address these issues post haste. They had the opportunity to have federal monies to replace it but a developer wanted to purchase a huge amount of land and was speculating on building a development that would double the current size of Snow Hill. Now that developer can't obtain the bonds necessary to install the system. The market is in the toilet, and he can't get the financing, and now we will all suffer.

I found a site factoryfarmmap.org this map will show you what factory farms are in your area, how many, and the top polluters.

According to the map Maryland is #10 in the nation for Broiler Chicken Production, and #23 out of 50 in polluters.

This is a very interesting site, and extremely informative. Check it out!

We owe to ourselves and our children to clean up our acts and take responsibility ourselves to make this a healthier place to live.

Oprah's Big Give

WMDT 47 is teaming up with Oprah's Big Give to give back BIG to the Child Advocacy Center:

The Child Advocacy Center offers a comprehensive array of services for families affected by abuse and neglect, including assessment, investigation, prosecution and treatment.

Oprah’s Big Give has pledged $10,000 to the Child Advocacy Center.

WMDT 47 in partnership with the Community Foundation is issuing a challenge to Delmarva. They will donate another $10,000 if the public can match its donation.

Now it's up to you - you can send in any donation to help us protect the smallest citizens of Wicomico County.

For more information on the Child Advocacy Center, please contact us at 410-713-3497 or visit our website at www.cacwicomicocounty.org

To make a donation, please write “CAC Challenge” in the memo line of your check and mail to:

Community Foundation
1324 Belmont Avenue Suite 401
Salisbury, MD 21804

The children of Wicomico County and the Child Advocacy Center thank you for your support!

The Making Of A World Champion

Many may not be familiar with the name or recognize Fernando Guerrero but millions of people will know exactly who this guy is world wide this Wednesday night as he debuts on ESPN II at 8:00 PM from the Bell Auditorium.

Fernando and his manager Hal Chernoff left this morning around 4:00 AM to Baltimore where they'll catch a flight to Augusta, Georgia for the 5th fight of Fernando's career. So far Fernando is 4-0, all 4 fights won by knock out! He'll be fighting a man named Valentino Galamo, who is 2-2. I just want to warn everyone, Fernando's fight could be earlier, it could be later?

Last week Fernando sparred with former World Champion Paul Williams. After asking Fernando what that experience was like he said, "It made me believe I belong in the ring and a Champion." Fernando wanted ALL other kids from the Salisbury area to know, they can do it to, they can make it, I did.

I asked his Coach, Manager, Best Friend and Dad, Hal, what makes Fernando so special? Hal explained how he's better than Roy Jones Jr. & Floyd Mayweather, (? sp) Hal's very proud of this young man and although Hal is Fernando's adopted Dad, (so to speak) he truly treats him like one of his own and disciplines him to teach him right or wrong.

Keep your eyes out for this young man Ladies & Gentlemen, he's truly special and this young man LOVES Salisbury, "It's my home." He hopes to win the Championship so he can bring HBO and ESPN right here to Salisbury and not have to travel any more.

UPDATE: I just read elsewhere: his fight will be on Wednesday Night Fights at around 10 PM ET or after the major league baseball game.

Last Nights City Council Work Session

Some good questions came up at the city council work session about Fire Station 16 from Debbie Campbell about keeping some emergency response there, but the questions still went unanswered. While most of the discussion focused on fires, Terry Cohen asked about EMS response because Louise Smith said she was comfortable with Chief See saying there was plenty of fire coverage from the stations at Beaglin, Brown and Fruitland. When Terry asked if there was ambulance service at Fruitland and Gary Comegys said "no," Louise said there were private companies to handle that.

Dee, dee, deeee, Louise. Companies like Lifestar don't do those kind of calls.

That wasn't Louise's only dee, dee, deeee moment of the night, either. When the council was considering a city in China to be a sister city, she asked the Derek Wu from Bennett High School (amazing, well-spoken young man of Chinese ancestry) where he learned to speak English so well. Derek didn't miss a beat, saying, "I was born in Oregon." So much for Louise touting her "multiculturalism" background. If she'd been listening, she'd have known Derek was American. (By the way, Derek is THE student representative to the Maryland State Board of Education, a first I think for the Eastern Shore. Congratulation, Derek!)

I have to admit, Louise did ask on the fire station if the matter of who owns Station 16 had been settled (been reading my blog, Louise?) But when the answer was not yet, but it "looked" like the city does, Louise didn't miss a beat just moving on ahead as though nothing mattered. Terry Cohen was the one who came back to it and said the issue had to be settled for certain before any RFP could go out. (Can't sell what's not yours.) Oh, and an FYI for certain hand-out requesters, the strip of land next to Station 16 is NOT part of this RFP. The council wants to keep it as open space.

There was an intense discussion on the large budget amendments Barrie Tilghman and the council majority tried to ram through and Paul Wilber's big legal bills to the city, but I'll post on that later today. It deserves its own space, including a few more dee, dee, deeees to come.