Jim Ireton Press Conference

Despite the chilly temperatures this morning, mayoral candidate Jim Ireton's press conference on the Wicomico River was well attended by the citizens of Salisbury.

Ireton's speech, which ran about ten minutes in length, included a small history of the river and his personal connection to it, details of the most recent findings on it's condition, and his strategic vision for the recovery of the Wicomico River and it's relationship to Salisbury.

The good health of river is "vital to our sense of space", Ireton said. The Wicomico has always helped define Salisbury since it's earliest days but due to excessive pollution, sewage spills, and contaminated runoff, the river is no longer enjoyed and utilised like it once was. Salisbury must take ownership of this problem.

The health of the river is a key component to the revitalization (relevance) of downtown Salisbury as well. It's no wonder the condos on the river haven't sold when you can't even jump in the water for fear of bacterial infection. Forget about the fishing and crabbing that once took place there.

In closing, Ireton pointed out that Barrie Tilghman and Gary Comegeys claim a record of environmentalism, yet they have not held themselves to the same standard the preach. The 72" Waverly drainpipe is a perfect example. When the opportunity arose to do the right thing where the river is concerned, they chose not to, hoping you wouldn't notice. Well, we did.

How can Tilghman reconcile this and the proposed pipes to run down Isabella St against any plan to revitalize the North Prong? I fail to see how making this water even more polluted will attract and encourage business and consumers to relocate there.

TROOPERS INVESTIGATE DEATH OF MAN AFTER HOME INVASION

(Salisbury, MD) – Maryland State Police and Wicomico Bureau of Investigation detectives are investigating the death of a Wicomico County man who was found unresponsive early this morning minutes after three men entered the home where he was visiting and bound him with duct tape.

The victim is identified as Brookes E. Harmon, 27, of the 1200-block of Flamingo Drive, Salisbury, Md. He was pronounced dead at the Peninsula Regional Medical Center after being transported there from the scene by ambulance early today.

The three suspects are described as African American males. One is said to be about 6 feet tall, weighing between 250 and 300 pounds, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Suspect two is about 6 feet tall, weighing between 200-250 pounds. No further description is available on the third suspect.

The preliminary investigation indicates that before midnight Friday night, Harmon stopped by to visit the residents living in a single-family home in the 600-block of Dennis Street, Salisbury. Those living in the home included two adult females and five children.

Troopers were told that around midnight, three masked men barged through the rear door of the residence and told everyone to get down. The men immediately accosted Harmon and bound him with duct tape. They ordered the others in the home into a back room.

Witnesses told investigators the three men did not display any weapons. They said the men left the home about 20 minutes after they arrived.

After the men left, the residents of the home emerged from the back room and found Harmon unresponsive and not breathing. They called 9-1-1 immediately and Harmon was transported to the hospital.

State Police secured the home and crime scene technicians have processed the location for evidence. Investigators observed no immediate indication of a cause of death on Harmon’s body during a preliminary examination.

Harmon’s body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy. Investigators hope to learn more about the cause and manner of Harmon’s death as a result of the autopsy.

Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact Maryland State Police at 410-749-3101 or Crime Solvers of Wicomico County at 410-548-1776. A cash reward of up to $1,000 is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Callers may remain anonymous. The investigation is continuing.

CONTACT: Greg Shipley Office of Media Communications -through HQ duty officer at 410-653-4200

HALO Ministry CODE BLUE

I just spoke with Celeste Savage at HALO Ministry. They have an immediate need for blankets and sheets for the homeless shelters they run. They have two shelters, one for women & children and one for men. Tonights temperatures are going down in single digits with a wind chill taking the temperatures into negative numbers. If you have blankets and/or sheets you don't need please take them to HALO Ministry. They are located in the K Mart shopping center at Rt 50 and Tilghman Road.

Give them a call and ask where to drop off donated items. 410-742-9356

Classified Ads

Did you click on the link to the right to see this week's classified ads?

Magazine Sales In Pittsville

"Joe,

Apparently the magazine scam has made it to Pittsville. A friend of mine around 5:00 Friday night received a visitor at her door selling magazines. She said at first she thought he was a homeless man from the way he was dressed and had a speech impediment. Then he continued to tell her he was selling magazines so that he could go to veterinary school. She said he had to be 50 years old or so. She told him she was not interested and he became agitated. He proceeded to try to convince her to buy and then asked how many dogs she had and if they bit. I told her I had read about a scam that you had put on here and that she should call the Sheriff's Office and tell them what happened. While talking to me she saw two police cars go by her house.

When she called the Sheriff's Office, they told her they were aware of the man and deputies had made contact with him and spoke to him. They told her there were 8 people in the area selling the magazines. The dispatcher/operator didn't seem to concern. While on my way home I saw a male standing along the road, about a mile from her home, for about a half hour fitting his description. I guess from the way this was treated, it is not illegal to sell magazines that one does not have for sale. I thought this was a scam and he was left along with the others to continue and then waited for his ride.

Just a warning, information got out and they left Salisbury to hit the small towns."

Catholic Church-Historical Moments

HISTORICAL MOMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER

The Catholic Church in Salisbury

A report to the Maryland Provincial Council in 1708 listed eighty-one Catholics in Old Somerset. Old Somerset was comprised of what is now Somerset, Worcester and Wicomico counties in Maryland and part of Sussex County in Delaware. A large area, to be sure. Catholicism made little progress on the Eastern Shore during the next one and a half centuries.

Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, Roman Catholics vacationing on the Eastern Shore in the summer began registering complaints with Archbishop Spalding that there was no place on the Shore for them to worship. In 1860 he sent a priest to Salisbury and he started preaching and offering Mass in the old court house. The distractions of the war years evidently prevented any further organizational efforts until 1868 when the parish was founded. In 1869, a redemptionist emissary was sent to Salisbury to look over the condition of Catholicism in this area. Though he found only two or three local families adhering to that faith, he conducted a service in the town hall.

Attending the service was young Miss Kate Tracy, a daughter of John Tracy, owner of the Peninsula Hotel at Main and St. Peter Streets. She induced her father to donate the lot at the rear of the hotel on which a $2,000 Catholic chapel was erected. It burned ten years later and a second chapel was built on the site. That chapel met the same fate as the first. A third chapel was built at that location in 1890 and served the congregation until 1910.

In 1910, the former Trinity Methodist chapel at Bond and Water (more recently Calvert) Streets was acquired and made the mother church of St. Francis de Sales parish.

The congregation had grown to about 200 by 1928 when Rev. Eugene T. Stout was assigned the pastorate. Under his leadership the church made remarkable progress in the 2,300 square mile parish. Missions were established at Delmar, Pocomoke City, Westover and Crisfield. At Ocean City the church was enlarged and a second one erected.

In 1941, Father Stout bought for the church the residence and seven acres of land on Camden Avenue from the estate of William H. Jackson for $14,000. During WWII the parish turned over the building to community organizations for use as a USO recreation center where thousands of service men were fed and many were provided overnight accommodations. A fire did considerable damage to the building on September 10, 1946. A brick garage at the rear of the property was renovated for church activities.

The first Catholic school in Salisbury was dedicated on the property on April 2, 1950 and opened in September with 105 students in grades one through six. In later years the school was enlarged and other grades added.

The adjoining residence of the late congressman William P. Jackson was bought for use as a rectory in 1960. The mansion of many rooms was later razed for a new rectory.

In 1961, the property at the corner of Wicomico Street and Riverside Drive was given to the parish by Salisbury businessman John E. Morris. It became the site for the present church which was dedicated on May 31, 1964.

It's AMAZING What This Community Can Do

We're in a recession/depression, yet the Salvation Army has a record year. A beautiful 4 year old child, Brooke Mulford has cancer and within a week Doug & Chrystal Marshall pull off a Bonfire where local businesses donated all kinds of food, beverages, entertainment, transportation and great fellowship and in one evening this community raised $12,000.00!

How remarkable is that? We had people from Pocomoke to Laurel, from Ocean City to the western shore. It was just unbelievable. You would think on the coldest night of the year it would be a flop, yet people just kept piling in keeping a steady flow of visitors from 4:30 PM to 11:00 PM, that's when I left anyway.

I was going to Post this Friday night but I thought it would be best to save it for the morning where it would get the most attention. I just don't know what to say other than, thank you. It was great to see Mr. Comegys, Mr. Cannon, Mr. Caldwell who is a cancer survivor, Boss Hogg, Wymzie, Grand Dad, man, the list just goes on and on. It was a cold evening but the bonfire was so smokin hot you couldn't feel the cold one bit if you were anywhere around it.

This is a great place to call home.

Benefit Concert for CESP Shelter Program

“Blues off the Street II” a blues and jazz concert featuring the Hill Street Blues Band will be held Friday Jan 30 at 7:00 PM, at Christ United Methodist Church (211 Phillip Morris Drive, Salisbury, MD). This concert will raise support for the work of the Community Emergency Shelter Program (CESP).

The CESP (Community Emergency Shelter Project) is in its 5th year of providing safe, temporary, emergency, overnight shelter and hospitality to homeless men in the Salisbury area during the coldest weather months of January, February and March. CESP is a community-based effort using eleven local congregations as host sites and a multitude of congregational and community volunteers to monitor the shelter sites. The Salisbury community depends on CESP each year to provide a safe haven for homeless men and to keep them from freezing to death during the cold weather.

Joining Hill Street to provide a combination of blues, jazz, and gospel music will be special guests Kristen Pantalone, Mike Truitt who is well-known in Delaware and Ocean City and other musicians and vocalists. Proceeds from the inaugural event last year totaled about $1,700 and were used by CESP to purchase cots and other necessary supplies for the shelter.

Contact Steven Rumney (410-251-2804) for more information. Tickets will be available at the Gospel Shop, Jack’s Religious Shop and the church office of Christ United Methodist Church.

I Think ALL Americans Would Agree With This

When a company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers need to find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well. Wall street, and the media normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of "tough decision", and his board of directors gives him a big bonus.

I feel our government should not be immune from similar risks. I therefore am recommending the following cuts to be implemented by the next president elect.

Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to 218 members and Senate members from 100 to 50 (one per State). Also reduce remaining staff by 25%. Accomplish this over the next 8 years. (two steps / two el ections) and of course this would require some redistricting.

Some yearly monetary gains include:

$44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for congress. (267 members X $165,200 pay / member / yr.)

$97,175,000 for elimination of the above people's staff. (estimate $1.3 Mil in staff per each member of the House, and $3 Mil in staff per each member of the Senate every year)

$240,294 for the reduction in remaining staff by 25%.

$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork barrel ear-marks each year. (those members who's jobs are gone. Current estimates for total government pork earmarks are at $15 Bil lion / yr)

The remaining representatives would need to work smarter and would need to improve efficiencies. It might even be in their best interests to work together for the good of our country?

We may also expect that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as well. It might even be easier to keep track of what your representative is doing.

Congress has more tools available to do their jobs than it had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established. (telephone, computers, cell phones to name a few)

Note: Congress did not hesitate to jump on a plane for home this week when it was a holiday, when the nation needed a real fix to the economic problems. Also, we have 3 senators that have not been doing their jobs for the past 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and still they all have been accepting full pay. These facts alone support a reduction in senators & congress.

Summary of opportunity:

$44,108,400 reduction of congress members.

$282,100,000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.

$150,000,000 for elimination of reduced senate member staff.

$59,675,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining house members.

$37,500,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining senate members.

$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.

$8,073,383,400 per year, estimated total savings.

This is Billions, people!!!

Big business does these types of cuts all the time.

IF you are happy with how our government is right now, just delete this message.

IF you are not happy, I assume you know what to do.

Driveline Vibration Issue

Driveline Vibration Issue - Possible Root Cause

This guy ran over a mattress and decided to keep going. The ensuing jumble finally whipped around enough to put a tear in the gas tank, the subsequent lack of fuel is what finally brought this vehicle to its knees.

It had still managed to drive 30 more miles decently with a 60lb tangle wrapped around the driveshaft.

This genius complained that the vehicle had a "shimmy" when driving it high speeds.


This is what the dealership found..............

Jewish Youth Group Project

Click to Enlarge

I am the Kadima advisor for Congregation Beth Israel. Kadima is for Jewish youth in grades 6-8.
The youth group will be collecting items for the Wicomico Humane Society. We are doing this as a Tikun Olam project. Tikun Olam means to repair the world. I was wondering if you could post this message along with the flyer so others in our community could also contribute.
The Synagogue is on the corner of Camden Ave. & Wicomico St. (Across from St. Francis). The synagogue is open Tuesday-Friday at 11:00 and Sundays at 10:00 am.

Thank you,

Rachel White
Kadima Advisor
Congregation Beth Israel

What Were The Odds

Click on image to enlarge.

The Rules Of Rural Western Maryland/West Virginia

1. PULL YOUR DROOPY PANTS UP. YOU LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT.

2. TURN YOUR CAP RIGHT, YOUR HEAD ISN'T CROOKED.

3. LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT; IT'S CALLED A 'DIRT ROAD.' NO MATTER HOW SLOW YOU DRIVE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET DUST ON YOUR LEXUS. DRIVE IT OR GET OUT OF THE WAY.

4. THEY ARE CATTLE. THEY'RE LIVE STEAKS. THAT'S WHY THEY SMELL FUNNY TO YOU, GET OVER IT. DON'T LIKE IT? I-64 GOES EAST AND WEST, I-77& I-79 GO NORTH AND SOUTH. PICK ONE.

5. SO YOU HAVE A $60,000 CAR. WE'RE IMPRESSED. WE HAVE $100,000 TRACTORS AND HAY BALERS THAT ARE DRIVEN ONLY 3 WEEKS A YEAR.

6.. SO EVERY PERSON HERE WAVES. WE THINK OF IT AS BEING FRIENDLY. TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT.

7. IF THAT CELL PHONE RINGS WHILE AN 8-POINT BUCK AND 3 DOES ARE COMING IN, WE WILL SHOOT IT OUT OF YOUR HAND. YOU BETTER HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE IT UP TO YOUR EAR AT THE TIME.

8. YEAH, WE EAT TATERS & GRAVY, BEANS & CORNBREAD. WE FRY OUR FISH AFTER 'CATCH IN' 'EM'. YOU REALLY WANT SUSHI & CAVIAR? IT'S AVAILABLE AT THE CORNER BAIT SHOP.

9. THE 'OPENER' REFERS TO THE FIRST DAY OF DEER SEASON. IT'S A RELIGIOUS HOLI DAY HELD ON THE MONDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

10. WE OPEN DOORS FOR WOMEN. THAT IS APPLIED TO ALL WOMEN, REGARDLESS OF AGE.

11. NO, THERE'S NO 'VEGETARIAN SPECIAL' ON THE MENU. ORDER COUNTRY HAM OR FRIED CHICKEN OR YOU CAN ORDER THE CHEF'S SALAD AND PICK OFF THE 2 POUNDS OF HAM & TURKEY.

12.. WHEN WE FILL OUT A TABLE, THERE ARE THREE MAIN DISHES: MEATS (INCLUDES FISH), VEGETABLES, AND BREADS. WE USE FOUR SPICES: SALT, PEPPER, HOT SAUCE AND KETCHUP. OH, YEAH...WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU FOLKS IN JERSEY CALL THAT STUFF YOU EAT...IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!! !!

13. YOU BRING 'COKE' INTO MY HOUSE, IT BETTER BE BROWN, WET AND SERVED OVER ICE.

14. YOU BRING 'MARY JANE' INTO MY HOUSE, SHE BETTER BE CUTE, KNOW HOW TO SHOOT, AND HAVE LONG HAIR.

15. COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL IS AS IMPORTANT HERE AS PRO BALL, AND A DANG SITE MORE FUN TO WATCH.

16. YEAH, WE HAVE GOLF COURSES. BUT DON'T HIT THE WATER HAZARDS---IT SPOOKS THE FISH.

17. COLLEGES? WE HAVE THEM ALL OVER. WE HAVE STATE UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND VO-TECHS. THEY COME OUTTA THERE WITH AN EDUCATION PLUS A LOVE FOR GOD AND COUNTRY, AND THEY STILL WAVE AT EVERYBODY WHEN THEY COME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

18. WE HAVE A WHOLE TON OF FOLKS IN THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, AND MARINES.. SO DON'T MESS WITH US. IF YOU DO, YOU WILL GET WHIPPED BY THE BEST.

19. TURN DOWN THAT BLASTED CAR STEREO! THAT THUMPITY-THUMP NOISE AIN'T MUSIC, ANYWAY. WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT ANYMORE THAN WE WANT TO SEE YOUR BOXERS. REFER BACK TO #1.

20. 4 INCHES ISN'T A BLIZZARD-IT'S A FLURRY. DRIVE IN IT LIKE YOU GOT SOME SENSE , AND DON'T TAKE ALL OUR BREAD, MILK, AND TOILET PAPER FROM THE GROCERY STORES. THIS AIN'T ALASKA , WORST CASE YOU MAY HAVE TO LIVE A WHOLE DAY WITHOUT CROISSANTS. THE PICKUPS WITH SNOW BLADES WILL HAVE YOU OUT THE NEXT DAY.