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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

BREAKING NEWS! Legionnaires Disease Breakoout At WCDC

There's a breaking story from the Wicomico County Detention Center.

One confirmed case of legionnaires disease at the Wicomico County Detention Center. The employee was hospitalized and is now recovering. Devilnyns(devenyns) is playing that same cover up game. Claims everything is ok in memo he put out. Devilnyns was allowing an outside vender to wash hotel bedding etc. From local hotels without any approved contract by the county. Now at least one employee involved in the washing of the bedding items is sick and possibly another.

Allegedly, proper procedure wasn't followed as to the proper follow up inspection in addressing the legionnaires issue. Not to mention Devilnyns cover up. I wish the employee a speedy recovery. Joe hopefully you might be helpful in keeping any other employees from getting this illness. Devilnyns won't....

"To: All County and Contractual Employees, Inmates and Visitors of the Wicomico County Department of Corrections.

Subject: Medical Information

Last Friday, August 8, 2008, I was informed by the Wicomico County Health Department that an employee of the Department of Corrections had been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease and was receiving treatment. Because of the sensitive and confidential nature of personal medical information this employee’s name cannot be revealed nor should it be the topic of speculation.

I immediately contacted the Wicomico County’s Health Officer to seek guidance in determining what actions, if any, were necessary to ensure the health and welfare of our employees and the inmate population. Part of the response is the attached information sheet that has been provided by the Health Department and is being forwarded to each of you. What is most important to note is that:

Legionnaires’ Disease cannot be transmitted from person to person.

The cooling tower that provides for the facility’s air conditioning is routinely serviced, sanitized and tested to ensure there is no opportunity for the growth of Legionella bacteria, the germ that causes the disease. The most recent test was conducted on July 18, 2008 and the results showed “no observed evidence of Legionella in the sample”. A copy of the test results are also attached. Although these results are less than a month old, I have contacted the testing company to retest the cooling tower and the sample to conduct the test will be collected today, with new results in several days. As soon as the new results are received they will be shared with all of you.

The Health Officer did indicate that the most appropriate course of action at this time is to be alert and aware of any signs or symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease which are described on the information sheet provided by the Health Department.

Should you have any questions or concerns you are encouraged to contact the Communicable Disease Program at the Wicomico County Health Department at 410 543 — 6943 or your personal medical provider.

Douglas C. Devenyns

Director"


More To Come......

William Harden Cleans Out His Office Today

William Harden cleaned out his office at WCDC today, escorted by Major Moore and Captain Foreman. Maybe I should have showed up and Chief Webster would have escorted us as well?

Airplane Accident At Wicomico Airport





Simpson's Towing had what it takes to load up this Plane that lost its landing gear just before takeoff.

BREAKING NEWS! CRASH LANDING AT WICOMICO AIRPORT

A Cessna Aircraft just crash landed at the Wicomico County Airport. The landing gear collapsed on the runway and they're going to have to crane the plane off the runway. More to come.......

UPDATE: The Airport said the plane was in the process of taking off when the landing gear collapsed under it and it slid down runway 5...

Dear State Highway Administration II


Today, Gary Comegys is in the Salisbury Zoo Commission Meeting, FREE CATERED FOOD. Uh, is he one the clock again??????

East Coast Tile Works On Library



The work continues today on the front of the Downtown Library. One of the employees for East Coast Tile told me that they are getting so many women thanking them for getting this done because their heals kept getting caught in the gaps. I'm told they're also working on some background tile and they're hoping to also get the contract for repairs in the bathrooms in the building.

More Evidence The Blog Works


Remember the Post I put up yesterday about certain people smoking in City vehicles? Look what that driver is doing now. I have to be completely honest with you Folks, this is the very first time I have seen this guy do anything, other than drive his truck around. He passes my Office at least 5 to 6 times a day and finally the taxpayers are getting what they're paying out for, WORK!

Look What Barrie Tilghman Bought The MDE!



The Maryland Department of the Environment is sporting around Downtown Salisbury with a shiny new vehicle paid for by fines from the WWTP spills. Boy, I hope the Fire Department doesn't see this puppy!

Parking On The Downtown Plaza


Parking has always been a problem on the Downtown Plaza, especially for the elderly that go to visit some of the Doctors and Lawyers located there. Do YOU have any answers?

Yesterday's Gas Prices At Sam's Club!

Delmar Police Department Press Release

Incident: Burglary
Date of Incident: 08-19-08
Location: 800 E. East St., Delmar MD 21875
Suspects: Unknown

On August 19, 2008 at 5:10 PM an Officer of the Delmar Police Department responded to the Delmar Wesleyan Church located at 800 E. East St., Delmar MD in ref. to a Burglary that had occurred sometime between 12:00 PM on 08-18-08 and 5:00 PM on 08-19-08. The investigation revealed that an “Acer” laptop computer, small amount of cash and a small fire safe containing misc. documents were removed from the church. Anyone with information about this Burglary is urged to contact the Delmar Police Department at 410-896-3131.

Incident: Suspicious Incident
Date of Incident: 08-20-08
Location: 300 block of South Maryland Ave., Delmar MD 21875
Suspects: Two Juveniles

On August 20, 2008 at 3:55 AM an Officer of the Delmar Police Department stopped two juvenile walking in the area of the 300 block of S. Maryland Ave., Delmar MD. The two juveniles had numerous music CD’s and DVD’s in their possession which were confiscated by officer. Upon further investigation the juveniles admitted to checking to see if any car doors had been left unlocked. Investigation is continuing. The Delmar Police Department would like to remind all the citizens of Delmar to keep their vehicle doors locked at all times.

Early Morning Accident On Rt. 50





Three lanes heading east bound on Business Rt. 50 near the Police Station were brought down to only one lane this morning around 8:00 AM. Firefighters were making sure traffic moves as smoothly as possible and I have to admit, it wasn't a long wait considering the congestion.

An Ode to America

Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title 'C'ntarea Americii, meaning 'Ode To America ') in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei 'The Daily Event' or 'News of the Day'

Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religiousbeliefs

On 9/ll, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the Army, or the Secret Service that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.

After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties i n the colors of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing. On every occasion, they started singing: 'God Bless America !'

I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.

How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.

What on earth can unite the Americans in such way? Their land? Their history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought things over, I reached but only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles. Cornel Nistorescu

It took a person on the outside - looking in - to see what we take for granted ! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Clarification

I just got off the phone with Mr. John Cannon. It seems that "ALL" of us got it wrong when we stated the vote on the Dispensary System was 6-1. Technically, John Cannon does not vote unless it is necessary.

That being said, Mr. Cannon did say that if he were to have voted he would have voted it down at this point and time, for a very good reason.

Considering that legislative body would have had to deliver a letter to the State Delegates giving very good, well thought out, well investigated reasons as to why it should be abolished, Mr. Cannon claims there simply wasn't enough information YESTERDAY to pass the vote through.

Other Council Members expressed the same concern and quite frankly, they're right. The replacement of revenue at this point and time is nowhere near convincing enough to SELL the Delegates on such a change and that has to be researched much further.

Mr. Cannon also agrees that he would like nothing more than the Taxpayers taking it to a vote in 2010 and he feels that will more than likely happen. However, yesterday was not the day to move it forward.

Now I know many will argue this point and that's what this Blog is all about. It was NOT dropped yesterday. It has in fact been postponed so more time can be spent digging into just how the County can replace that revenue.

Let’s Shine Some Light on Barrie Tilghman - Part 2

The following two statements are the kicker to the article published in the Daily Times concerning the investigation of the DRILL Academy. Has this woman no shame?

”Salisbury Police Chief Allan Webster, who has called video footage he has seen at the former DRILL Academy "shocking" and "appalling," urged Tilghman to send the letter, she said.”
True to form, if this were to backfire on Barrie, she isn’t going down alone; she is taking her chief with her. (A council member being kicked to the groin goes unseen. Was this not shocking and appalling?) What is even more shocking and appalling is Barrie Tilghman and Chief Webster won’t get their priorities straight.

"As mayor, if (my) chief police officer, regardless of jurisdiction, sees something that needs light shown on it, I should get involved," Tilghman said.” Barrie, Barrie, Barrie, where was that light when your chief of police requested more funding and personnel?

Why isn’t Barrie shining light on some of the crime in Salisbury? Doesn’t her police chief see the drug dealers, prostitutes, gang bangers on his way in and out of town? Oh, silly me, there is no crime, drugs or gangs in the land of Barrie. To improve your vision and that of your chief police officer, I recommend removing those rose colored glasses. You might see what the rest of us are seeing in the city. You might see the city is suffering more violent crime this year than 2007, and we’re only 7 months into 2008.

What I and countless others find shocking and appalling is:

The closing of the police sub stations on Cecil and Smith Streets.

Three murders just weeks after your claim that Part 1 crime is down, in your state of the city address.

An elderly man is robbed and beaten in his home.

A child is sexually assaulted in her home in the middle of the night

A woman is awakened by an intruder holding a dagger to her throat.

A woman’s body found murdered on Marvel Road.

Drug dealers selling their wares openly on our streets.

Prostitutes, soliciting in broad daylight on our streets.

Playgrounds taken over by gangs.

The chief of police requesting more personnel only to be cut from the mayors’ budget year after year.

Our streets literally collapsing beneath us.

The pollution of the river through illegal drainage at the zoo.

Maintaining an illegal sludge pit seeping raw waste into our ground waters and river.

The many spills of sewage into the river.

The planning of larger storm drain pipes WITHOUT filtration to continue to pollute our river.

So, Miss 99% compliance, Miss I should get involved, shall I continue?

Stay tuned folks, there is more to come. To read Part 1 Go Here

Pocomoke Mayor Mike McDermott Calls Destruction of Public Documents Subject to FOIA Request by City Manager 'Error'

Yesterday in a post on the PocomokeTattler.com blog site, Pocomoke Mayor Mike McDermott admitted he has been lying to the citizens of Pocomoke City about what happened to City Manager Russell Blake's illegal, self-dealing employment contract.

The contract is an official public document that was signed by the Mayor, City Council, City Clerk, City Manager and witnessed by the City Attorney on the eve of the 2005 municipal elections.

Mayor McDermott has been telling myself and anyone else who asked (including in writing on this website) that the City Manager 'Verbally tore up" his illegal employment contract in front of the city council. Today he has stated something totally different:

The City Mangers Employment Contract was destroyed at meeting of the Mayor and Council a month after it was penned. While there was apparently no copy retained (certainly an error), I, for one, recall most of aspects of the document vividly. It was very close in design to the one offerred and accepted by Chief Ervin (which expired in June). The contracts were uncalled for and, at the time, Billy Burke praised the actions of the City Manager in abating the contract.

"Certainly an error"?

No Mr. Mayor destruction of this public document was not an error, it was a criminal act in violation of SG-627 and probably many other statutes.

City Manager Russ Blake should have been terminated on the spot for destruction of a public document.

How can a "sworn law enforcement officer" who is the Mayor and sworn to uphold the laws and rights of the citizens call destruction of a public government document, with an active Maryland Public Information Request (from myself) to copy and review this document, "certainly an error"

SINCE WHEN IS THE DESTRUCTION OF A PUBLIC DOCUMENT SUBJECT TO A FOIA REQUEST NOT A CRIMINAL ACT?

It's Pocomoke... Where Boss Hogg and Deputy Dawg make up the rules as they go...

What an insult to myself and all the decent people who elected you, it looks like we all made "an error" too but ours is not illegal, like the "error" you witnessed and have lied about for over 3-years.

I guess that allowing Honiss Cane to illegally retain his City Council seat after moving outside his district, thereby disqualifying himself from the right to retain his seat "certainly an error"

Was taking 3-years to get Councilman Canes junk cars removed from the city another "error"?

Is allowing the crack cocaine concession (which has moved along with Councilman Cane from Fourth Street to Butlers Village) to openly operate with police protection "cetainly an error"?

The contracts were uncalled for and, at the time, Billy Burke praised the actions of the City Manager in abating the contract.

Mr. Mayor I did not "praise the actions of the City Manager" for withdrawing his illegal, self-dealing employment contract signed by the Mayor & Council 11-hours before a municipal election.

I said it was a good start and called you a "p*ssy" for not demanding Russ Blake's resignation in front of both of our wives.

Boss Hogg & Deputy DawgNow I can add PUBLIC LIAR to P*SSY because its pretty obvious you are now "King Boss Hogg" City Manager Russ Blake's boy, mouthpiece and defender of the faith.

Take a look at the tumbleweeds blowing down Market Street, look at burnt out slum apartments, look at the vacant lots while you are looking for the 1,200 breadwinner jobs that have left Pocomoke City during the past 32-years the decent people have been disenfranchised by the openly corrupt Pocomoke City Government with its un-elected Dictator Russ Blake pulling all the strings.

Mr Mayor Sir: You act indignant that I continue to call the Pocomoke City Government "Openly Corrupt" while you lie to my face, you lie to the citizens and you stand behind criminals and support their criminal actions.

What do you as a sworn law enforcement officer & public servant call: Destruction of a self-dealing, incriminating, PUBLIC document which has been properly FOIA'd from a citizen, by the person who is being incriminated by that document?

The Mayor Can Remember The Day When Her Own Son Could Walk Home From School On His Own





Concerned Citizens sat at the Mayor's Round Table Tuesday morning and discussed crime being completely out of control. The Mayor then chimed in, "Oh, I can remember a day when my own Son could walk home from school at lunch on his own." NOT ANY MORE!

The woman admits things are that bad with her own words, yet they won't release critical information about a killer/murderer still walking the streets TODAY! Wait a minute Barrie, didn't your kids get sent off to Boarding School?????????

Delmar Fire

A Call just came in stating there's a house fire on Spruce Street in Delmar with two people trapped inside.

Quote of the Day...Today You Get Three

"Mourn not the dead that in the cool earth lie, but rather mourn the apathetic, throng the coward and the meek who see the world's great anguish and its wrong, and dare not speak" ~ Ralph Chaplin

"Nothing in the world is more haughty than a man of moderate capacity when once raised to power” ~ Baron Wessenberg

"ALLIANCE, n. In international politics, the union of two thieves who have their hands so deeply inserted in each other's pockets that they cannot separately plunder a third":

~Ambrose Bierce

The County Is Busting Out At The Seams


A special Office Space study was supposed to be discussed at the County Council Work Session Meeting Tuesday but was removed from the Agenda at the last minute.

OK, I'm going to stick my neck out on this one folks, call it instinct or a hunch.

Over the last couple of years Mayor Barrie Tilghman has been quietly looking around for their very own Government Office Building. I personally believe County Executive Rick Pollitt and Mayor Barrie Tilghman have been working together in making sure this dream becomes a reality.

Remember back when, I asked the City through a PIA request if the City ever paid that $1.00 for their 50% of the GOB? Their was a contract in which the City was supposed to fulfill many years ago and the City never gave up the $1.00 nor signed the agreement.

Well, don't be fooled Ladies & Gentlemen because the States Attorney's Office now has 42 Lawyers on Staff. That's right, I said 42! They are absolutely out of space and they are desperately trying to figure out ways to make everyone comfortable and this seems to be an impossible task.

While the States Attorney's Office has their own issues to deal with, the Judge's are also completely out of room and they too need additional space. You know, crime is obviously on the rise in Wicomico County and downsizing is not going to happen.

The County Government is already out of space and the one key answer to fixing their immediate problems and needs would simply be to send the City packing and nothing would be greater to Mayor Barrie tilghman than to be forced into a position whereas the City MUST relocate and find their own space.

Are you following me now? The Mayor refuses to do anything with the Old Station 16, that's not good enough and to be fair, it's certainly not big enough. Maybe the old Library? Hmmmmmmm? All of a sudden they're too big for their britches, is that where she's planning to place her name on a building?

They refuse to sign the agreement for 1/2 of the GOB, something is up. I don't care what anyone says, I'm telling you, the Taxpayers are about to get slammed with an easy $20,000,000.00 Building, you mark my words.

Tighten your belts Ladies & Gentlemen because I have been around watching these guys work for years and I'm telling you, it's inevitable. The Zoo wants money in the mega millions, the Fire Department will be slamming you for a brand new Fire Station on the North end of Salisbury VERY soon. The City of Salisbury needs to be absorbed by the County and that's all there is to it. The County also needs to absorb the Police Department as well!

It's only a matter of time, you wait and see.

Interesting!

The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.

A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball.

It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

One human hair can support 3 kg (6 lb).

Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.

The attachment of human muscles to skin is what causes dimples.

The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb.

A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.

If the average male never shaved, his beard would be 13 feet long when he died.

Men with hairless chests are more likely to get cirrhosis of the liver than men with hair.

There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.

Side by side, 2000 cells from the human body could cover about one square inch.

Women blink twice as often as men.

The average person's skin weighs twice as much as the brain.

When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate, they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate!

Your ears secrete more earwax when you are afraid than when you aren't.

Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still.

If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

The average woman is five inches shorter than the average man.

And of course ..





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..... All males are still checking their thumbs!!

Ahhhhhh, Things Are A Changing!


You say to yourself, self, what happened to the white pickup truck these guys were riding around in the last time I posted something about spraying? Long live the Blogs!

Salisbury News Has The Last Official Station 16 Photograph


That's it Ladies & Gentlemen. This is the last and final photo of activity coming from the old Fire Station 16 and ends the history of a working Fire Station. The Moving Truck and Chase Vehicle shows the end of a major tradition in Downtown Salisbury. As for what will happen to the Old Station, your guess is as good as mine but as slick as Mayor Tilghman is, who knows what she has in store with screwing the Taxpayers out of this one?

Dear State Highway Administration:


I'm writing you on behalf of the Taxpayers in Maryland and Wicomico County wondering just how much free time you allow Mr. Gary Comegys ON THE CLOCK to visit all these Council Meetings during normal business hours?

You see, Gary is on many Boards that meet during business hours and week days, MML Meetings, Humane Society, Zoo Commission, Campaigning for his Council Seat and several other Boards as well. Rumor has it he'll be running for Mayor as well.

As a major Taxpayer myself in Maryland, I'd like to know why this man can get off so much free time. In the near future I am going to ask through the Freedom Of Information Act just how much time Mr. Comegys has taken off. Today he spent a few hours hanging out in a County Council Meeting and it was pre planned because the Council President recognized Mr. Comegys in the beginning of the Meeting as one of the dignitaries present.

Considering the Mayor's job is a FULL TIME position, will he be resigning from the SHA? Is there a special benefit the SHA is receiving from the City having Mr. Comegys attend all these meetings while on the clock?

Perhaps a schedule from Mr. Comegys stating his involvement with such mentioned Boards and the time of day he attended all these meetings, with a schedule he's listed as having as an employee of the State, I think it's high time the truth come out as I feel there is quite a bit of questionable payroll going out of the Taxpayers pocket unaccounted for?

Wicomico County Takes Their Properties Seriously



These photos are in front of the Wicomico County Library in Downtown Salisbury. I have said it many times in the past, "you can't fix something you're not aware of." I mentioned these pavers and the grout falling apart just a few days ago and wouldn't you know it, they're already out there fixing what could have turned out looking like the Downtown Plaza. My hat is tipped to Tom and Rick for recognizing that upkeep to our valuable real estate is extremely important.

Council Votes to Continue Corruption

Does anyone know what happened at yesterday's Wicomico County Council meeting? If you are talking about the vote on the dispensary it seems to depend on who you are talking to.

Councilman Joe Holloway thought that he voted to postpone the measure until a later meeting. Some members of the public are claiming that Councilman John Cannon abused his power as chair.

Several things are clear. A majority of the council lacks the moral courage to take a stand on this issue. Read more ...

We're The Leaders Of The SFD & We Don't Give A Sh!t




The Historical Commission refused to allow the City to remove the lighting fixtures on the from of the Old Fire Station 16, so they mysteriously disappeared. Now, they took the old Bell out of the Tower, which I'm sure they weren't allowed to do that either, but they did it anyway and look how they left things.

My Mother always taught us, leave it nicer than you ever got it, that's respect. These Boys got what they wanted and they're NOT looking back. In my personal opinion, this shows exactly the kind of people/leaders we're dealing with. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them and believe me, there isn't a person I know that could throw those lard asses very far either!

Oooops They Did it Again...

Buffalo Police batter their way into wrong house

By T.J. Pignataro NEWS STAFF REPORTER Updated: 08/18/08 12:44 PM

Armed with a battering ram and shotguns, Buffalo police looking for heroin broke down the door and stormed the lower apartment of a West Side family of eight.

The problem is that the Wednesday evening raid should have occurred at an apartment upstairs.

And, that’s only the tip of the iceberg, according to Schavon Pennyamon, who lives at the mistakenly raided apartment on Sherwood Street with her husband, Terrell, and six children.

Pennyamon alleges that after wrongly breaking into her apartment, police proceeded to strike her epileptic husband in the head with the butt end of a shotgun and point shotguns at her young children before admitting their mistake and then raiding the right apartment. She says she’s left with a broken door, an injured husband, jittery children and — what bothers her most — still no apology from police.

“They know they did something wrong and they were still ignorant,” said the 29-year-old Pennyamon. “At first, I just wanted an apology. Now, because they want[ed] to be ignorant and rude, I have to take it to the next level.” She filed a report with the department’s Professional Standards Division and also contacted Mayor Byron W. Brown about the incident. Pennyamon said Friday evening she also has retained a lawyer and intends to pursue legal action. Police brass acknowledge that officers with the Mobile Response and Narcotics units entered the wrong apartment.

“As the officers were in the lower apartment, one of the detectives reviewed the search warrant application and realized it was for the upper [apartment],” said Dennis J. Richards, chief of detectives. “It appears to be an honest mistake and we certainly apologize to all involved,” added Michael J. DeGeorge, Buffalo police spokesman.

Police declined to comment, however, on Pennyamon’s allegations of assault and other police impropriety. The internal investigation with the Professional Standards Division is now under way to determine exactly what happened.

“We wouldn’t be comfortable discussing the internal investigation,” Richards said. “We can say comfortably that over 1,100 search warrants were executed last year and 580 to date this year and that, with such a high volume and such a fast-paced environment, it is understandable that mistakes could happen.”

Pennyamon remains unconvinced it was a mistake. She says officers told her they had “raided the house before” and she believes they felt entitled to do it again — warrant or not.

“The way they make it seem is ‘we can do whatever we want,’ ” she said. Pennyamon’s troubled by what she says is an arrogance by police officers and an unwillingness to “serve and protect” those who need it. “It’s a sad situation. I’ve always looked up to the police. I’ve always expected them to be on my side.” Pennyamon was called home from her job as a certified nursing assistant at a local health care facility at about 6:30 p. m. Wednesday to find police at her house, her children partially dressed on the porch and her husband — a U.S. Air Force veteran — injured. She said police were rude and unapologetic.

It was a harsh welcome to the neighborhood for the family. They’ve only lived at the apartment on Sherwood Street, on the far West Side just south of West Ferry Street, for two weeks after she says they moved from the East Side to escape crime. Now, Pennyamon said, the family already is looking to relocate again. “I don’t know what was going on upstairs, but it gives police no right to bust in my doors,” she said. “That’s just ridiculous.”

Richards said police protocol dictates that search warrants are executed by police first announcing their presence and then quickly and forcefully entering a property with guns drawn for their own protection. “Police have been faced with fortified doors and windows. In numerous locations, they’ve been met with individuals armed with weapons or attacking animals,” he said.

Pennyamon said the event left her husband with physical injuries and left a lasting impression on the children. She said her husband, Terrell, suffered a dislocated arm after he was yanked up by police during the raid and is expected to return to his doctor Monday to possibly have glass — left behind by the door window police broke to get into the apartment — surgically removed from his foot. Pennyamon’s 5-year-old daughter now sleeps with her. “My 12-year-old and 6-year-old don’t want to be home at all,” she said, adding that her younger children cower or run to the back of the house when they hear anyone approaching.

“ ‘That’s the police,’ they say,” Pennyamon said.

Police said no arrests were made in the subsequent raid at the upstairs apartment

Question of the Day, Wed 8/20

Today's topic is the Olympics:

Do you watch the Olympics? Do you think it's important in today's world and it's short-comings, for athletes to be "playing games?" How important is the Olympics to you? If you watch, what's the most impressive to watch? Were you surprised by any of the sports? (I hadn't a clue "fencing" was one of the Olympic games)

Disappointing Vote by our County Council

Well, well, well.......isn't this interesting. It was reported that the Wicomico County Council voted to drop the referendum relating to the Liquor Control Board. Honestly I didn't see this coming. I guess in retrospect it shouldn't surprise me.

A few commentors didn't agree with me some time ago when I brought the information forward relating to tax payers money spent at the MACO conference at the Hyatt in Cambridge. Some thought I was attacking Joe Holloway personally. One commentor flamed me and tried to lead people to believe that there was some personal gain I hoped to achieve by doing so. Not so. I opined on decisions he made and actions he took while acting in his official capacity as my Councilman. I like Joe Holloway and I agree with him on many, many issues but there are some fundamental issues on which we do not see eye to eye. His vote on the matter of the LCB referendum, as well as the vote of others on our County Council, reflects directly on one of those issues.

We all have the right - no, let me change that - we all have an OBLIGATION to speak out when we feel that things are going on in our govt. that are not in the best interest of our citizens. If we don't speak out we deserve what we get. Complacency and apathy are a death sentence to liberty and democracy.

I commend Stevie Prettyman for having the intestinal fortitude to stand her ground on the matter of a public vote on this issue.

The issue at hand relating to the LCB is extremely polarizing and has been intensly debated by citizens throughout the county. The matter should therefore be placed on a ballot for a vote of the citizens. The results of a county referendum vote on whether or not to abolish the LCB cannot abolish the entity. But the results would be a clear indication of what the voting citizens of Wicomico County want.

If the citizens vote to retain the LCB, it's over - with perhaps the addition by state legislators of a tighter system of checks and balances.
If the citizens vote to abolish the LCB, those results should be all that is necessary to convince our State Legislature to change the current law to reflect the will of the citizens of Wicomico County. Our council representatives should then move forward without delay and with all due diligence to convince our legislators to make those changes - REGARDLESS OF THEIR PERSONAL VIEW OF THE ISSUE AT HAND!

The referendum vote is an integral part of the County Charter designed to place the power of making significant and more important decisions relating to the operation of the local govt. where it belongs - in the hands of its citizens.

The fact that the majority of our council representatives voted against bringing a matter of such importance to a vote of the people portrays a council majority out of touch with the citizens. It portrays a council with no apprehension about circumventing the ultimate decision making authority - the will of the people. Some would consider that ......un-American.

What would we call a form of govt. that doesn't have adequate representation of it's citizens at all levels of govt.?

OCEAN DOWNS LIVE RACING MEET CONCLUDES THIS WEEKEND

The 60th Anniversary live-racing summer meet concludes this weekend at Ocean Downs with many family-friendly promotions set for the final two days of the 40-day meet.

There will be a free umbrella giveaway Saturday night, August 23rd when the first 500 fans to purchase an Ocean Downs race program will receive a free Ocean Downs’ golf umbrella. Sunday night, August 24th is athletic bag giveaway night when the first 1,000 fans to purchase a track race program will get a coupon which may be redeemed after the 8th race for a durable Ocean Downs’ athletic bag. There will be free pony rides for the kids both Saturday and Sunday evening from 7-9 pm. After the meet’s final race Sunday night, the track is presenting a spectacular fireworks display. Parking and admission are free at Ocean Downs.

Also Sunday night, the meet’s leading driver and trainer awards will be presented.

Eric Ledford, “the Windy City Express” and current New Jersey resident will be recognized as the summer’s leading driver. He didn’t start racing at Ocean Downs until the 7th night of the meet, but after racing Sunday, August 17th had an impressive 57 wins on 26 cards. Ledford who piloted the 2002 Hambletonian Final-winner Chip Chip Hooray has a winning percentage of 28% and purses nearing $100,000 for the summer at the ocean. “I’ve been very fortunate to drive a lot of good horses,” Ledford said.

Local shore trainer Mike Hall will receive his second “Trainer of the Meet” honor. Hall, who won the training title in 2006 with 19 winning horses, had 17 training wins this summer through racing August 17th in only 30 starts (56.7%).

One more stakes series will be run Saturday, August 23rd. The fourth and final leg of the “Deer Run Golf Club” late closer series will feature seven year-old gelding Anderson Avenue, which after two straight series wins, finished second August 16th to five year-old gelding Kosher King.

Ocean Downs Wednesday featured five Maryland Standardbred Fund races for top three year-old trotters and pacers in the state. Thursday highlighted six fund-races for top two year-olds in Maryland. The finals in the prestigious “Hal Belote Memorial” trot stakes series was contested Wednesday followed by Thursday’s final in the “Alan Myer Memorial” series.

Although the live racing meet concludes August 24th, simulcasting at top harness and thoroughbred tracks continues year-round at Ocean Downs. For further information, call the track (410) 641-0600 or visit www.oceandowns.com.

Jim Whittemore, Publicity Director

Ladies Auxiliary Indoor Yard Sale

The Ladies Auxiliary
of the
Princess Anne Vol. Fire Co.
Are Hosting an
Indoor Yard Sale

Saturday, August 23rd

Set up begins at 6 a.m.

Sales begin 7 a.m.- until

Spaces Available for Rent-Cost $10.00
Tables limited to first come-first serve
Refreshments and Baked Goods
Available for Purchase
Contact Kelly Smith at 410-651-2504

**Events will be held Rain or Shine**
(*The Princess Anne Volunteer Fire Company will not be responsible for the disposal of any unsold items. All items must be taken by the vendor at the end of the sale.)