TROOPERS INVESTIGATE SKELETAL REMAINS FOUND NEAR WESTMINSTER

(Westminster, MD) -- Maryland State Police homicide investigators are working with forensic pathologists and crime scene technicians as they collect evidence and attempt to identify skeletal remains found late yesterday behind an industrial area in Carroll County.

The identity of the remains is unknown. The age, sex, and race of the individual have not been confirmed. The remains have been transported to the Office of the State Medical Examiner for an autopsy.

Just before 5:00 p.m. yesterday, Maryland State Police were called to the 900-block of Baltimore Boulevard, Westminster, where troopers contacted an individual who had been walking through a wooded ravine to the rear of a manufacturing company. The individual called police after seeing what appeared to be a human skull in an area where debris had been dumped over the years.

This morning, State Police crime scene technicians and criminal investigators from the Westminster Barracks and the Homicide Unit initiated evidence collection at the scene. State Highway Administration personnel assisted investigators with clearing away a thick area of underbrush.

Beneath a ground cover of leaves, rock and construction debris, investigators recovered what appear to be human skeletal remains. A forensic investigator from the Office of the State Medical Examiner responded to the scene and assisted with the removal of the remains.

No potential identity has been immediately suggested through missing person reports. State Police are checking with surrounding jurisdictions and have issued an alert to law enforcement agencies throughout the region. Troopers have briefed officials from the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office on this investigation.

The investigation is continuing.

Comments This Week

I had a little spare time to take a look at comments this week. So far they look pretty darned good.

Monday, 372 Comments

Tuesday, 317 Comments

Wednesday, so far, 236 Comments

We appreciate every one's point of view on each topic. I would also like to thank those of you who e-mail me with so much information. Know that I will never post your name unless asked to, that is my policy.

As always, we have rejected quite a bit of comments this week as well. Please note, no curse words, no going off topic and no capital letters. We're starting to get a lot of those lately and while I'd like to post some of these comments, we've start to reject them. If we happen to know for a fact someone is lying we'll reject those too.

Don't forget the Forum tonight at SU.

Update On Sentence To Two Consecutive Life Sentences

A Salisbury man is sentenced to 2 consecutive life sentences plus 20 years for the shooting death of another Salisbury man.

Today, a Wicomico County Circuit Court judge sentenced Duran Moss, 27, to Life in Prison for 1st Degree Murder plus 20 years for the Use of a Handgun in a Crime of Violence plus Life in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit 1st Degree Murder, all to be served consecutively.

On January 29, 2009, a jury found Moss guilty of the following charges:

1st Degree Pre-Meditated Murder, 2nd Degree Murder, 1st Degree Assault, Use of a Handgun in the Commission of a Violent Crime, Carrying a Handgun, Transporting a Handgun, Illegal Possession of a Regulated Firearm, and Conspiracy to Commit 1st Degree Murder.

Deputy State’s Attorney Sam Vincent says Moss shot and killed Kevil Tull in the stairway of his Runaway Bay Apartment building on May 12, 2008. Tull was 22 years old.

Vincent says, “The court imposed the sentence the State requested, which was the maximum sentence.”

Breaking News

A Salisbury man is sentenced to 2 consecutive life sentences plus 20 years for the shooting death of another Salisbury man.

More to come.....

Pinehurst Elementary Hosts Summer Camp Expo Thursday

Registration Open Now for Gifted and Talented Camps

Wicomico County families have several opportunities to explore a range of summer activities for students, beginning with a Summer Camp Expo Thursday night.

Pinehurst Elementary School will host a Summer Camp Expo from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, March 26, so that all families in the community will be able to check out summer activities offered by many groups in the community.

Vendors will include Mitchell's Martial Arts, Salisbury Zoo, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Wicomico County Recreation and Parks, Wicomico County Summer School, Wicomico County Summer Enrichment Program, Dancenter Salisbury, Wicomico County Public Library, Wor-Wic Community College, Camp Odyssey, Sherman Wood Youth Football Camp, Salvation Army, YMCA, Kumon, Sylvan, Lower Shore Childcare Resource Center, Crown Sports Center, Kaleidoscope Children & Youth Productions, Diamond Dreams and more. This event is free and open to the public. Call 410-677-5813 for information.

Registration deadlines are looming for the 16 Maryland Summer Centers for Gifted and Talented Students coordinated through the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). For 42 years, the Maryland Summer Centers program has offered unique instructional experiences for gifted and talented students entering grades 4 through 12. The Centers offer one- to three-week residential and non-residential programs with a focus on the arts, sciences, mathematics, technology, physics, creative writing, government, history, engineering, and world languages. The activities are designed to encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving while challenging students academically.

Summer Centers located locally include:

Arts:

Center for the Fine and Performing Arts at Salisbury University, Wicomico County, entering grades 7-12. July 5-18. (Deadline: April 16)

Science & Engineering:

Center for Environmental Studies at University of Maryland, Horn Point Environmental Laboratory, Dorchester County, entering grades 6-10. July 13-24

Center for Environmental and Historical Research on the Lower Eastern Shore ("Diary of a River"), Wicomico County. Environmental Research, entering grades 4-8, July 6-17. Historical Research, entering grades 5-7, June 29-July 3 (Deadline: April 15)

Students from throughout Maryland may apply to attend any of the 16 Summer Centers for which they are the right grade level to attend. Information on other Summer Centers and the application process is available at www.MarylandPublicSchools.org/summercenters.

The Maryland Summer Centers program, in partnership with public and nonpublic agencies, provides Maryland’s diverse gifted and talented students with advanced, rigorous, experiential learning opportunities that nurture these students’ talents and abilities within unique learning environments. Tuition ranges from $125 to $750 and full and partial scholarships are available for those who need financial assistance. Brochures and application forms are available from schools and local gifted and talented education coordinators, and on line.

Most applications must be postmarked by Wednesday, April 15, except for some Fine Arts Centers, which have varying deadlines and may require auditions. Materials are available in Spanish upon request. For more information contact Stephanie F. Zenker at 410-767-0821.

Wor-Wic Community College is also hosting a summer enrichment program for gifted and talented students, Summer Scholars '09.

Summer Scholars is open to students entering grades 4-9 in August 2009; verification of gifted and talented status is provided by the student's school. In Wicomico County, all students who participate in the Magnet, TAD or GATE programs are automatically qualified, though they must still have a school representative complete the verification information. (Students from outside the Lower Shore may attend Summer Scholars '09 for an additional $10 per course, while out-of-state students may attend for an additional $15 per course.)

Summer Scholars '09 will run four weeks: July 13-17, 20-24, 27-31, and Aug. 3-7, with classes in cooking, critical thinking, digital and visual arts, and science, including chemistry, robotics, CSI, aquatic life, aeronautics, weather and medicine. Tuition is $100 for half-day courses and $180 for full-day classes, plus fees. For information and a brochure with registration form, visit www.worwic.edu/SummerScholars or call 410-334-2815.

Another Comment Worthy Of A Post

An Old Rebel Who's Fed Up has left a new comment on your post "BARRIE & GARY OWE SALISBURY RESIDENTS A MAJOR APOL...":

WOW! One of the best written pieces I've seen in a long time, here or elsewhere. Its author has a grasp of the situation and an ability to sum it up succinctly that's admirable.

It sure got me to thinking! What if this project can't be made to work as originally intended despite dumping God knows how much MORE taxpayer money into it? What happens then? Do we just chalk it up to experience and start over? Now a question for the Mayor and Mr. Comegys: ISN'T THAT SOME RATHER EXPENSIVE CHALK?

I find it distressing (to put it mildly) that Ms. Tilghman refers to the problems with this project as "hiccups". Even IF the $20,000 in consultant fees represented the total cost to correct this disaster, that would be one damned expensive cure for "hiccups", wouldn't you say, Mayor? (And let's be real here: That 20K may very well represent only the tip of the spending iceberg before all is said and done.) While $20,000 probably isn't much money to you, Mayor,let me assure you that it's way more than pocket change to the VAST majority of hardworking Salisbury taxpayers who have no political agendas. For most of US, our agenda is putting next week's food on our tables, paying our mortgages, and trying to make it until our next overtaxed paycheck comes in.

Ms. Mayor and Mr. Comegys (the latter included since you've publicly admitted being the father of our disastrous WWTP child), aren't we the people - we the FINANCIERS of this project - at least entitled to know to what extent, if any,O'Brien & Gere will be held legally and financially accountable for this debacle? Or is it possible that even you don't know the answer to that? If you don't, I have a super bright suggestion for you: FIND OUT!! WE WANT TO KNOW....N-O-W! It is the least you us owe for the fiasco your temerity was instrumental in getting us into. (If you don't know what "temerity" is, look it up. It has characterized way too much of your time in office and, at times, your personal conduct while in the public eye.)

Mayor, not long ago you asserted that our city was "under siege" by the blogs. I totally disagree with you, but if you're right and I'm wrong about this(pay close attention: an unpleasant dose of medicine follows), did you ever stop to think that MAYBE it is because of cover-ups like the one that was just exposed on this blog Monday? Where else can good citizens turn to find out what's happening in our own government? To your office? To Mr. Comegys who never answered me the one time I emailed him ions ago? To The Daily Times who even now is soft-peddling this story (again putting it mildly). The same Daily Times who, for whatever mysterious reasons, suddenly found it necessary last Sunday morning to remove the online version of a letter to the editor daring to praise Mrs. Campbell (a sworn enemy of yours) while challenging Mr. Boda to think rationally for a change?

No, Mrs. Tilghman, the local blogs are here largely because of cover ups, shadiness, secret good old boy networks, and a council majority who has long since worn out its rubber stamp and its welcome. So, if Salisbury News is such a menace, you might want to reflect during your retirement days on just what - and WHO - made it that way.

Personally I think you owe the very people you hate so badly - you know, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Cohen, Mike Lewis, one Mr. Joe Albero, GA Harris, folk like that - a debt of thanks as you prepare to leave office. Without the likes of them, we'd be paying more taxes than we already do, the accountability we do have wouldn't exist, and perhaps worst of all, the citizenry would be totally in the dark about what goes on at the highest level of city government. In short, you owe them thanks because they did your job for you while we paid YOU to do it. However, since you curse these people instead of thanking them for their service, then "I" will do that for you.

THANK YOU Debbie, Terry, Sheriff Lewis (a hell of a lawman if you ask me), Joe, GA - for services well-rendered.

And to our next Mayor, Jim Ireton, I say: Thank YOU for being willing to come in and clean up the monumental mess left behind by the current administration. You've got one BIG task before you, sir, but you've also got the support of us who love the city and still believe that we can SEE SALISBURY SHINE (love that slogan, Mrs. Campbell) once the right people take office. You won't be alone, Jim! We admire your courage and will back you all the way. Stay strong, we believe in you.

And we know that with you as Mayor, the day isn't far away when folk like me won't have to be afraid of putting their name to a blog posting. It'll be a non-issue under your administration anyway since I won't NEED to write a post like this.

Just 13 more days, good people. Let's CLEAN HOUSE. A new broom sweeps clean!

WOW! Someone Get Alan Keys A Pill

I Think I'll Take A Drive Around Salisbury Tomorrow And Take Some Pictures

After the Salisbury Waste Water Treatment Plant Fiasco being exposed this week, I'd like to take a few hours of my time tomorrow and drive around the City and see just how many residents and business owners really support Gary Comegys any more.

I have been hearing more and more that the Comegys signs are coming down and I'd like to see for myself if this is true. Nevertheless, I will make several posts in the near future showing these properties as I personally feel that IF someone still stands behind Gary Comegys and proudly sports their campaign sign in their front yards, YOU should know who these people are.

With the many thousands of people that visit this Site each and every day, this should get quite interesting. Neighbors should be challenging neighbors about the fact that Gary refuses to do an interview over this very serious matter. You know and I know this Administration was trying to COVER IT UP until AFTER the election.

Well, I'm not letting go of this one. I want everyone to see these properties. You want to sport his sign, well, we'll give you more attention than you ever dreamed of.

Officer Involved Shooting

Update #3 DSP News Release: Wednesday, March 25, 2009- Officer Involved Shooting

Wilmington- Fabian Silvestre was arraigned at his bedside this afternoon (at Christiana Hospital) on the New Castle County Police charge of Assault 2nd (felony) and the State Police charges of Assault 2nd (felony) and Resisting Arrest (felony). He was issued a $21,000.00 secured bond and his custody was transferred to the Department of Corrections who will supervise him at the hospital until his release from medical care.

This should be the final release in regards to this incident.

Update #2 DSP News Release: Wednesday, March 25, 2009- Officer Involved Shooting

Wilmington- Warrants have been completed by Delaware State Police Detectives charging Fabian Silvestre with felony Assault 2nd and felony Resisting Arrest. He will be formally charged upon his release from the hospital. It is unknown when this will take place.

Additional information will be released when known and confirmed.

Fabian Silvestre

Electric Shock

3/25/09

It has been reported that Local Property Management Firm, Sperry Van Ness/Miller Commercial Real Estate, has been over charging the tenants of Court Plaza Shopping Center that pay common area electricity fees. Any tenant who has paid common area maintenance (cam) fees from 12/07 to the present is a possible victim of this "situation". Apparently, the tenants have paid bills from a meter connected to two rental units, not the bills from the meter that is clearly marked "house meter".

Preliminary figures show that the tenants have been paying electric cam fees based on over $7,000.00 of fraudulent bills.

The Tenants of the Court Plaza

If any of the Court Plaza tenants wish to contact Sperry Van Ness please contact Ann Morris/Property Manager, 206 E. Main St. Salisbury, MD 21801 office# 410-543-2440 ext. 120, or at ann.morris@svn.com

BARRIE & GARY OWE SALISBURY RESIDENTS A MAJOR APOLOGY!

Until very recently, it was a well-kept secret that for at least six months the City and its project engineer for the waste water treatment plant upgrade (O’Brien & Gere) have been unable to get the new system to work as intended. Several weeks ago, just before the primary election, Barrie Tilghman and Gary Comegys did a "public affairs" radio program to promote Bubba for mayor in which they discussed the WWTP in glowing terms and Comegys attempted to portray himself as the one responsible for the success of the upgrade and expansion of its capacity. No mention whatsoever was made about the ongoing problem. (see audio link to this interview on the right hand side of this blog)

If at the time we had known about the real situation, it’s almost certain that Bob Caldwell would have beaten Bubba in the primary election on March 3rd. So, Barrie and her choice to become her successor as mayor engaged in false representation and cover-up – their blatant blather broadcast on WICO is posted elsewhere on this blog. Click on http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/26/2067396/Bubba-WWTP_%28Mar.3_09%29.mp3 Comegys - WWTP under the “Audio Files” heading on the right.

On March 12 Barrie brazenly bragged, as part of her "State of the City" address, that: "the upgrade and expansion of the Waste Water Treatment Plant was substantially completed in 2008," without mentioning that it still cannot be operated as intended. And there have been other statements by Barrie and Bubba claiming full credit for the "success" of the project.

But we now know that on the very day that Barrie gave her speech on PAC 14 members of her administration were in conference by telephone with the engineering consultant that the City apparently has retained to replace the initial project engineer. Mr. Stover’s letter to the City’s Wastewater Treatment Superintendent dated March 13, 2009, begins as follows:

"Dear Mr. Winslow:

Thank you and everyone for your time yesterday to discuss your wastewater treatment plant situation. It is a very interesting, but obviously very disappointing position to be in at this time.

It sounds like your treatment plant has been plagued with both process and physical/mechanical problems since start-up. . . ."

The letter outlines his prospective services in several separate phases, and states: "I propose that you consider a starting budget of around U.S. $20,000.00 to complete the Phase I scope."

In a memo written several days later, the City’s Deputy Director of Public Works stated that "the City has selected another Engineer / Operations Expert (suspending O’Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc.) to assist the City in wastewater-treatment-process engineering, functional operations, and adjustments for the upgraded and expanded WWTP processes and facilitate compliance with NPDES limits within the remaining 1.5 – month time period, to avoid enforcement measures from MDE and EPA and prevent a non-compliant discharge to the environment from the Salisbury WWTP."

That memo also states that "it is difficult at this time to estimate the extent of the remaining work efforts for Phase II and Phase III" and therefore "these work activities are to be provided via authorized change orders at later dates." Thus, it appears that the special consultant’s services will ultimately cost much more than the initial amount ($20,000). And we have no idea what the other costs to make the system work properly might be – or even if it can be made to work as intended at any cost.

Nothing has been disclosed to date about the liability of O’Brien & Gere or anyone else for a system that is still nonfunctional, albeit "substantially completed" according to Barrie, who is now trying to make it appear that only minor tweaking is needed to prevent "hiccups" from happening in the treatment process. Thus, we don’t yet know whether or how much the City gets screwed again.

Since the debacle at the WWTP has become public knowledge, nothing about it has been stated by Bubba Comegys, who has apparently forgotten his now notorious attempt to cast himself as the "father of the WWTP." Apparently he is content to let Barrie do her standard spiel about how the blogs and certain members of the City Council are to blame for the entire situation. Here’s how to deal with this pair: don’t get mad, get even at the polls on April 7.

Links of interest:

Consultant’s Letter to City dated March 13, 2009:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/22/1774763/3-13-09%20The%20Stover%20Group%20Proposal.pdf

City Memo of March 16, 2009:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/22/1774763/3-16-09%20Memo%20Request%20Stover.pdf

Jim Ireton - Making Salisbury The Safest City in Maryland Part 2

Jim Ireton - Making Salisbury The Safest City in Maryland Part 1

Kent County Troopers Apprehend Wanted Man Hiding Under Sofa

Felton – The Delaware State Police have arrested Felton man who was wanted on domestic violence charges. Troopers also found him to be in possession of xanax, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Last evening at approximately 10:00 pm, members of the Kent County Governors Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence in the unit block of Rubeon May Dr, Woodland Manor Mobile Home Park, Felton. The target of the search warrant was Carlos S. Bryant, 30 of Felton, who was wanted on domestic related charges from Troop 3 and had two active capias charges from Kent County Court of Common Pleas and Sussex County Superior Court for Violation of Probation.

Information was developed that Bryant would be at the residence after 8:00 pm last evening. When troopers arrived, they were initially met with resistance as occupants refused to open the door stating Bryant was not there. When troopers made entry, they located Bryant hiding beneath a sofa in the living room of the residence. He refused the uniformed troopers commands to surrender and was taken into custody after a brief struggle. During the search of Bryant’s bedroom, troopers located three Xanax pills, 1. 8 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

As a result of the investigation Carlos S. Bryant, was arrested for resisting arrest, possession of marijuana, possession of Xanax, possession of drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy 3rd degree. He was also arrested for Offensive Touching in regards to the domestic warrant and the capias’. He was committed to the James T Vaughn Correctional Center in lieu of a $3,329 secured bail.

Why Looters Would Rather Steal From You

Real solutions to real problems?  Not on your life.  Why produce when you can steal?

As we noted yesterday, groups like WET and the CBF aren't interested in solutions to actual environmental problems.  Red herrings to be included in fundraising letters are a much better tool.

Yesterday, the CBF won another battle against real solutions to real environmental problems.  It just goes to prove ...

Read More ...

Delaware State Police Seek Identity Of Burglary Suspects

Location of Incident: Aquinas Academy, 2370 Red Lion Road, Bear, Delaware, New Castle County

Date and Time of Occurrence: Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Suspect(s): Two white males wearing dark clothing. See attached photos.

Resume: Detectives from the Delaware State Police Burglary Unit are investigating an incident which occurred last week.

Troopers were called to Aquinas Academy, a small Catholic School educating about 100 students, on March 19th for a burglary that took place over night. The suspects, two white males, forced their way into the school via an unknown means. The bandits successfully located an undisclosed amount of money and fled the scene.

Surveillance pictures were obtained and are attached to this release. Anyone who may recognize these suspects is asked to call 302.834.2630 ext. 254.

Troopers Seize Marijuana After Drug Raid At Local Motel

Rehoboth Beach - The Delaware State Police have arrested two persons after they executed a drug related search warrant at the Econo Lodge on Coastal Hwy in Rehoboth Beach last evening at approximately 8:15 pm.

Members of the Sussex County Drug Unit, assisted by troopers from the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) and Sussex Governor’s Task Force (GTF), conducted the search warrant in connection with a two-month undercover investigation into the distribution of marijuana.

The search warrant was executed in room # 308 and once inside troopers encountered Katie R. Hynson and John P. O’Connor. Both subjects were taken into custody and a subsequent search yielded two separate bags of marijuana. One weighed 458 grams and the other weighed 461 grams.

As a result of the investigation, John P. O’Connor, 29 of Lewes and Katie R. Hynson, 23 of Rehoboth were arrested for Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, Maintaining a Dwelling for Keeping Controlled Substances, Conspiracy 2nd Degree and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. O’Connor was incarcerated in the Sussex Correctional Institute (SCI) in lieu of a $6,000 cash bail. Hynson was incarcerated at SCI in lieu of a $3,000 secured bail.

A Comment Worthy Of A Post

Dave C has left a new comment on your post "The Other Obama Point Of View":

I'm posting here because I didn't want this message to get lost in the negative comments posted on Joe's early thread:

President Obama Comforted This Republican

Seriously? We aren't Americans here...we're nothing but a bunch of whiners and complainers. Pride is gone! Every single person on that post had an opinion about what Obama is doing, but ABSOLUTELY NOBODY, offered up an alternative solution despite Joe asking several times.

I have a an enormous amout of respect for ANYBODY and EVERYBODY who attempted to lead this Country during this toilet bowl economy! Who would want to take on this task at all? We are at war, we have the worst economy ever, we have the greatest national debt ever, we are plagued with pollution, we have an energy crisis, we have a mortgage/lending crisis, we have a plummetting stock market, we have failing health care, we have a failing automobile industry, we have higher crime, we have immigration problems...if it's bad, we have it!

So I ask all of you folks out there complaining about what Obama is doing to help solve these problems ALL AT THE SAME TIME: What would you do? You sit at home in complain, but you provide no insight. Anybody can take the coward way out and just complain, but offer up a solution instead. Use your mind and quit being ignorant. I respect this post tremendously because Joe offered up his opinion and solutions; he didn't simply criticize.

There are very few people, if any, who post on this blog that are truly effected by any of Obama's tax hikes to the upper class. The majority of us are middle class citizens. We, the middle class citizens, unfortunately carry the most burdens. We carry the burden of the lower class needing government assistances and we now also carry the burden of some of the poor CEO decisions that helped drive our economy into the sh!t hole. So let me ask you, who do you try to help out with your policies? Do you help out the upper class who have money to spare but help drive the economy? or do you help out the hard working middle class (the majority) so they don't slip into poverty? or do you help the lower class so that they can get back into the productive working class of America? How would you solve ALL of these problems? Its not so easy-I certainly wouldn't want the man's job!

In addition, WE ARE IN DEBT!! We are in debt as a nation! There's not such thing as free money. If you have bills that you need to pay off, what do you do? You take a little bit of money out of each pay check and pay them down. We CAN NOT pay off our national debt without a little bit of taxes from EVERYBODY! I by no means have alot of money, but I have enough to get me by with some extra to spare. I would certainly be willing to give some up to HELP MY NATION AND MY FELLOW AMERICANS! Sure, government spending needs to be cut back, but the less taxes that we pay in, the longer this is going to last! The longer it is going to take to get back to the "good times". Have you ever paid off a car payment early? Remember that good feeling you had when you could take that money that you would have normally spent on your car payment and bought something that otherwise wouldn't have had? We got ourselves in this debt, whether directly or indirectly, we have to get ourselves out now.

Nothing is a guarantee. It's like the stock market-a big old casino, everything is fine when you're winning, but when your cards stop coming everybody wants to blame the dealer! If it was a guarantee they would call it "winning" not "investing". Obama's plan might not work, but you got to give the man a chance. He's only been in office for 2 months. Give the guy a chance! I'm not going to say that I agree with everything he has implemented thus far, but I step back and look at the big picture and begin to see how it could work. His policies might not make sense yet, but it's going to take time to get them to work. Although Obama has a great chance of failing because of the cards he was dealt, he also has a chance to be great. Let's get some national pride and see where we go in the next 4 years.

Local News Afraid To Cover Salisbury Tea Party

"There was one local station who expressed interest in covering our event. After a week of getting information, they realized they have a prior engagement. Two inside sources confirmed they believe there will be some anti-Obama signs and were worried they would lose listeners. I say, if you cover news events, them cover them. If you are scared and too cowardly to cover the news, then get out of the business. I don't want to say the name, but it was a station I believed would want to cover this event as most their listeners are very Pro_America and stand for freedom."

I happen to agree. Part of what is wrong with this Country is the fact that the MSM is controlling our every day lives by feeding us 10 to 15 second sound bites of what's going on and quite frankly in many cases they only tell you what they want you to hear.

Some people are drawn to 20/20 or 60 minutes because they tell you more about a story and make it look like they are doing far more than your every day newscast. While this is true, trust me, there is far more to every story than they deliver. I think it would be cool to provide the other side of a story that 60 Minutes delivers from another Network. The Audi story comes to mind when I say this, implying their cars mysteriously jumped out of park and started running over people. It wasn't true but it forever destroyed the Audi product here in America.

Anyhow, getting back to this local story. This event is news. However, each Station is driven by ABC, NBC, FOX and so forth. If they say not to cover these events, well, the next thing you're going to hear is, we have a prior engagement. Get used to it.

This is why the Blogs have grown so fast. WE WILL cover this event and like today's Jim Ireton piece, we'll probably deliver in depth video of the event as well. Americans need to see what this is all about and perhaps even get involved. The MSM doesn't want you to know about it because they are in control. I'd say in another year, perhaps two, the MSM will be the Blogs and not ABC, NBC, Fox, etc.

I also believe the advertisers will approach the quality Bloggers and start advertising there instead. Mark my words, I got into the right business with this Blog. It's not easy but i the end Salisbury News will hold more value both financially as well as respect than any other news source. Salisbury News will be at the Tea Party on April 15th in front of the GOB. You may eventually see a 6:00 News via Podcast on Salisbury News in the near future as well. Oh, commercial free too! "Real News In Real Time."

Snopes-Surprising

For the past few years www.snopes.com has positioned itself, or others have labeled it as the 'tell-all, final word' on any comment, claim and e-mail.


But for several years people tried to find out who exactly was behind snopes.com. Only recently did Wikipedia get to the bottom of it - kinda makes you wonder what they were hiding. Well, finally we know. It is run by a husband and wife team - that's right, no big office of investigators and researchers, no team of lawyers. It's just a mom-and-pop operation that began as a hobby.

David and Barbara Mikkelson in the San Fernando Valley of California started the website about 13 years ago - and they have no formal background or experience in investigative research. After a few years it gained popularity believing it to be unbiased and neutral, but over the past couple of years people started asking questions who was behind it and did they have a selfish motivation? The reason for the questions - or skepticisms - is a result of snopes.com claiming to have the bottom line facts to certain questions or issues, when in fact, they have been proven wrong. Also, there were criticisms the Mikkelsons were not really investigating and getting to the 'true' bottom of various issues.

When I saw that Snopes had falsely claimed that Obama's Birth Certificate had been properly validated, I realized something was wrong with either their research and/or their credibility. It seems something is seriously wrong with both.

Then a few months ago, when my State Farm agent Bud Gregg in Mandeville hoisted a political sign referencing Barack Obama and made a big splash across the Internet, supposedly the Mikkelson's claim to have researched this issue before posting their findings on snopes.com. In their statement they claimed the corporate office of State Farm pressured Gregg into taking down the sign, when in fact nothing of the sort ever took place.

I personally contacted David Mikkelson (and he replied back to me) thinking he would want to get to the bottom of this, and I gave him Bud Gregg's contact phone numbers. Bud was going to give him phone numbers to the big exec's at State Farm in Illinois who would have been willing to speak with him about it. He never called Bud. In fact, I learned from Bud Gregg no one from snopes.com ever contacted anyone with State Farm. Yet snopes.com issued a statement as the 'final factual word' on the issue as if they did all their homework and got to the bottom of things. Not!

Then it has been learned the Mikkelson's are very Democrat and extremely liberal. As we all now know from this presidential election, liberals have a purpose agenda to discredit anything that appears to be conservative. There has been much criticism lately over the Internet with people pointing out the Mikkelson's liberalism revealing itself in their website findings. Gee, what a shock!

So, I say this now to everyone who goes to www.snopes.com to get what they think to be the bottom line facts: Proceed with caution. Take what it says at face value and nothing more. Use it only to lead you to their references where you can link to and read the sources for yourself. Plus, you can always Google a subject and do the research yourself. It now seems apparent that's all the Mikkelson's do. After all, I can personally vouch from my own experience for their 'not' fully looking into things.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snopes.com

Marine Humor

Last Tuesday, as President Obama got off the Helicopter in front of the White House, he was carrying a baby piglet under each arm.

The squared away Marine guard snaps to attention, salutes and says: "Nice pigs, sir."

The President replies "These are not pigs...these are authentic Arkansas Razorback Hogs.

I got one for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and I got one for Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi.

" The squared away Marine again snaps to attention, salutes and says, "Excellent trade, sir."

Classified Ads

We're back to listing Classified Ads and we have several set to go for this coming Saturday. If you'd like to list an item/items send the complete information to alberobutzo@wmconnect.com by mid day Friday and we'll get them Posted for you for FREE.

Finally An Explanation Of Daylight Savings Time

Can YOU Guess What's Wrong With These Pictures

All three pictures were taken yesterday.

Salisbury Mourns The Loss Of A Young Marine

Joe,

Yesterday sometime early afternoon, my Wife's Sister's younger son had been visiting the family for the past 10 days on leave from the Marine Corps in NC. His unit had been deployed to Afghanistan for a tour of duty for a period of time.

While home last week they celebrated Christmas, his 21st. birthday and bought a new pick-up. At a family get together everyone was having a great time even though all of us knew that when he went back he was going to Iraq for his next duty.

However Shaun Mitchell [21] knew the risks involved and wanted to go to support his buddies and the Marine Core. Yesterday he left Salisbury to return and he was involved in a auto accident somewhere on South 13 near Westover in Somerset County. He left the roadway and hit a tree head on. He died instantly from massive head injuries.

Just thought I would drop you a note on this young person that had a future and life is so short. There were no drugs involved or alcohol.

God Bless the Military.

Earl

Editors Note: One of our Son's is in his final weeks at Parris Island in Basic Training for the Marine Corps. We feel your pain Brother, God Speed. Joe

ANNE WORTHAM

Anne Wortham is Associate Professor of Sociology at Illinois State University and continuing Visiting Scholar at Stanford University 's Hoover Institution. She is a member of the American Sociological Association and the American Philosophical Association. She has been a John M. Olin Foundation Faculty Fellow, and honored as a
Distinguished Alumni of the Year by the National Association for Equal
Opportunity in Higher Education. In fall 1988 she was one of a select group of intellectuals who were featured in Bill Moyer's television series, "A World of Ideas." The transcript of her conversation with Moyers has been published in his book, A World of Ideas.

Dr. Wortham is author of "The Other Side of Racism: A Philosophical Study of Black Race Consciousness" which analyzes how race consciousness is transformed into political strategies and policy issues. She has published numerous articles on the implications of individual rights for civil rights policy, and is currently writing a book on theories of social and cultural marginality.

Recently, she has published articles on the significance of multiculturalism and Afrocentricism in education, the politics of victimization and the social and political impact of political correctness. Shortly after an interview in 2004, she was awarded tenure. This article by her is something.



Fellow Americans,

Please know: I am Black; I grew up in the segregated South. I did not vote for Barack Obama; I wrote in Ron Paul's name as my choice for president. Most importantly, I am not race conscious. I do not require a Black president to know that I am a person of worth, and that life is worth living. I do not require a Black president to love the ideal of America .

I cannot join you in your celebration. I feel no elation. There is no smile on my face. I am not jumping with joy. There are no tears of triumph in my eyes. For such emotions and behavior to come from me, I would have to deny all that I know about the requirements of human flourishing and survival - all that I know about the history of the United States of America , all that I know about American race relations, and all that I know about Barack Obama as a politician. I would have to deny the nature of the "change" that Obama asserts has come to America .

Most importantly, I would have to abnegate my certain understanding that you have chosen to sprint down the road to serfdom that we have been on for over a century. I would have to pretend that individual liberty has no value for the success of a human life. I would have to evade your rejection of the slender reed of capitalism on which your success and mine depend. I would have to think it somehow rational that 94 percent of the 12 million Blacks in this country voted for a man because he looks like them (that Blacks are permitted to play the race card), and that they were joined by self-declared "progressive" whites who voted for him because he doesn't look like them.

I would have to wipe my mind clean of all that I know about the kind of people who have advised and taught Barack Obama and will fill posts in his administration - political intellectuals like my former colleagues at the Harvard University 's Kennedy School of Government.

I would have to believe that "fairness" is equivalent of justice. I would have to believe that man who asks me to "go forward in a new spirit of service, in a new service of sacrifice" is speaking in my interest.. I would have to accept the premise of a man that economic prosperity comes from the "bottom up," and who arrogantly believes that he can will it into existence by the use of government force. I would have to admire a man who thinks the standard of living of the masses can be improved by destroying the most productive and the generators of wealth.

Finally, Americans, I would have to erase from my consciousness the scene of 125,000 screaming, crying, cheering people in Grant Park, Chicago irrationally chanting "Yes We Can!" Finally, I would have to wipe all memory of all the times I have heard politicians, pundits, journalists, editorialists, bloggers and intellectuals declare that capitalism is dead - and no one, including especially Alan Greenspan, objected to their assumption that the particular version of the anti-capitalistic mentality
that they want to replace with their own version of anti-capitalism is anything remotely equivalent to capitalism.

So you have made history, Americans. You and your children have elected a Black man to the office of the president of the United States , the wounded giant of the world. The battle between John Wayne and Jane Fonda is over - and that Fonda won. Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern must be very happy men. Jimmie Carter, too. And the Kennedys have at last gotten their Kennedy look-a-like. The self-righteous welfare statists in the suburbs can feel warm moments of satisfaction for having elected a Black person.

So, toast yourselves: 60s countercultural radicals, 80s yuppies and 90s bourgeois bohemians. Toast yourselves, Black America. Shout your glee Harvard, Princeton , Yale, Duke, Stanford, and Berkeley. You have elected not an individual who is qualified to be president, but a Black man who, like the pragmatist Franklin Roosevelt, promises to - Do Something! You now have someone who has picked up the baton of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. But you have also foolishly traded your freedom and mine - what little there is left - for the chance to feel good. There is nothing in me that can share your happy obliviousness.

Events At SU : This Week + Next Week

THIS WEEK:

Tuesday 3/24

College Against Cancer Exhibit
Fulton Hall Gallery
Reception @ 7 p.m.

Women's Lacrosse Game
4:00 pm
Women's Lacrosse hosts Colby in this non-conference matchup


Wednesday 3/25
Night with the Mayoral Candidates
7pm Holloway Hall on Camden Avenue
Jim Ireton and Gary Comegys speak to the students!

Learn with SU - Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Departure from SU Foundation Center @ 8:30am
Explore the visitors center and nature exhibits, followed by a guided bus tour of unlimited pathways to wildlife along the Blackwater River. Enjoy lunch at Portside Restaurant in Cambridge. Tour leaves SUs campus at 8:30 a.m. from the Foundation Center, 1308 Camden Avenue. Return back to SU at 2:30 p.m. Fee includes transportation, tour and lunch. Limited spots available. Learn with SU, Salisbury University's lifelong learning program, offers stimulating educational sessions to individuals 50+ years of age. Registration is $20 and the public is invited. For more
information call 410-677-5416.

Servants, Slaves & Unruly Mistresses: Interpersonal Violence in the
Early Chesapeake
Lecture @ 7:30pm
Wicomico Room, Guerrieri University Center
Celebrating Womans History Month, Dr. Melanie Perreault, chair of the History Department, presents the 2009 Wilcomb Washburn Distinguished Lecture in American History. She examines how acts of violence challenged and reinforced community standards in the 17th century. Admission is free and the public is invited.
For information call 410-543-6312


Thursday 3/26
Learn with Su - Get Moving with Healthy U
9:30 am @ Healthy U of Delmarva Office
Rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit with this low-impact walking program. Attend all eight sessions or those that are convenient for you. Presented by Healthy U of Delmarva. Learn with SU, Salisbury University's lifelong learning program, offers stimulating educational sessions to individuals 50+ years of age. Registration is free and the public is invited.
For information call 410-677-5416

MSA Bake Sale
The Muslim Student Association (MSA) holds a bake sale beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Henson Science Hall lobby in honor of Rachel Corrie. All proceeds go to the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice. Visit www.rachelcorriefoundation.org for more information.

Baseball game
3:30 pm
SU Baseball hosts Virginia Wesleyan in a non-conference game

Writers-on-the-Shore
8:00 pm in the Montgomery Room of the Commons
Nationally renowned poet and playwright John Surowiecki inaugurates Salisbury University’s Writers-on-the-Shore Spring Literary Series with a reading. Surowiecki has authored two collections of poetry, The Hat City after Men Stopped Wearing Hats, which won the Washington Award in 2006, and Watching Cartoons before Attending a Funeral, as well as several chapbooks. In 2006 Surowiecki won the prestigious Pablo Neruda Prize, sponsored by Nimrod International Journal, and received the silver in the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival National Competition. In 2005 he was awarded a Poetry Fellowship by the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism. His work has appeared in numerous poetry reviews and journals. Surowiecki is also the recipient of the Poetry Foundation’s first Pegasus Award for verse drama. His play, My Nose
and Me (A TragedyLite or TragiDelight in 33 Scenes) was performed at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater as part of the Poetry Foundation’s Poetry on Stage series. Surowiecki’s upcoming works include Barney and Gienka, a book of 50 poems about his parents, family and neighbors that take place during a week in June, 1965, and Tapeworm Comics: A Graphic Poem in Celebration of the Adolescent Imagination, a poem in comic book format. He presently teaches poetry courses at Manchester Community
College in Connecticut. The series’ next guest is Nancy Mitchell, Author of Grief Hut, on Thursday, April 9. Sponsored by the English Department, all even
ts are free and the public is invited.


Friday 3/27
Learn with SU - Stretching & Balance Class
3:00 pm @ University Fitness Club on Milford Street
Fridays at 3pm: March 27-May 1
Relax your muscles and stretch out with this stress-relieving stretching and balance class. You will learn techniques to reduce muscle tension and maintain better balance that you can continue to practice after the sessions end. Istructed by Megan Maloney, SU Student. Learn with SU, Salisbury University's lifelong learning program, offers stimulating educational sessions to individuals 50+ years of age.
Registration is free and the public is invited.
For information call 410-677-5416


Saturday 3/28
Men's + Women's Tennis
Salisbury Tennis welcomes York (Pa.) for a CAC match

Baseball Double Header
1:00 pm
SU Baseball hosts a CAC doubleheader against St Mary's (Md.)

Men's Lacrosse
1:00
Men's Lacrosse host Gettysburg College in an ultra-competitive
non-conference game

Sunday 3/29
Softball Games
1pm
SU hosts Hood College in this CAC doubleheader

Monday 3/30
Film Series - Empires: The Medici: The Magnificent Medici
7:00 pm @ Caruthers Hall Auditorium
Learn the real stories behind the European Renaissance and the family who bankrolled it: the Medicis. They inspired some of the greatest moments in the birth of the modern world and challenged some of the greatest thinkers of the age. Admission is free and the public is invited.
For information call 410-543-6271

Tuesday 3/31
Men's Lacrosse vs Mary Washington
7:00 pm
Men's Lacrosse hosts Mary Washington in a CAC night game at Sea Gull Stadium


Wednesday 4/1
Kammertrio from West Germany (Music Performance)
7:oo pm in the Great Hall, Holloway Hall
Christian Krech, clarinettist; Maria Pstrokonska-Nawratil, cellist; and Birgit Grtzner, pianist, are the members of the German Frankfurter Kammertrio. They each have each won numerous international awards and are renowned soloists with major orchestras. Admission is free and the public is invited.
For information call 410-543-6271

Baseball vs Gallaudet
3:30pm
Baseball hosts Gallaudet for a CAC contest


Thursday 4/2
Learn with SU - Get Moving with Healthy U
9:30 am
Healthy U of Delmarva Office
Rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit with this low-impact walking program. Attend all eight sessions or those that are convenient for you. Presented by Healthy U of Delmarva. Learn with SU, Salisbury University's lifelong learning program, offers stimulating educational sessions to individuals 50+ years of age. Registration is free and the public is invited.
For information call 410-677-5416

Learn with SU - Retirement Ideas
2:00 pm @ Brandywine Assisted Living
Learn about issues related to retirement funding and positioning, insurance issues such as Medicare and prescription drugs, and life insurance policies from one of the shores top insurance specialists. Presented by John L. Downes, SU Alum. Learn with SU, Salisbury University's lifelong learning program, offers stimulating educational
sessions to individuals 50+ years of age. The public is invited.
For information call 410-677-5416

Women's + Men's Tennis vs Virginia Wesleyan
Men's Tennis hosts Virginia Wesleyan in this non-conference matchup


Friday 4/3
Learn with SU - Stretching & Balance Class
3:00pm @ University Fitness Club on Milford St.
Relax your muscles and stretch out with this stress-relieving stretching and balance class. You will learn techniques to reduce muscle tension and maintain better balance that you can continue to practice after the sessions end. Istructed by Megan Maloney, SU Student. Learn with SU, Salisbury University's lifelong learning program, offers stimulating educational sessions to individuals 50+ years of age.
Registration is free and the public is invited.
For information call 410-677-5416


Saturday 4/4
Classical Guitar Festival
9:30 am @ Great Hall in Holloway Hall
Salisbury University will host its first Classical Guitar Festival, offering participants the opportunity to play in master classes, a competition, the Festival Ensembles, and hear Peabody guitarist Zane Forshee in recital. The Festival will also offer guitar information sessions for parents. Please see the festival website: http://www.salisbury.edu/musicdept/guitarfest
For a detailed schedule of events, information about registration, as well as the downloadable score and sound files of the ensemble piece. For more information, please contact Dr. Danielle Cumming at dmcumming@salisbury.edu

Kimberly Buegler and Nathan Anderson Recital
7:30 pm Great Hall of Holloway Hall
Kimberly Buegler, euphonium and Nathan Anderson, violin, will present their Senior Recital.
Admission is free and open to the public

Softball vs Mary Washington
12:00 pm
Softball takes on CAC rival Mary Washington with a doubleheader

Men's Tennis vs Mary Washington
Men's tennis host CAC rival Mary Washington at 1:00 pm

Women's Lacrosse vs St Marys (Md.)
2:00 pm
Women's Lacrosse welcomes St Marys (Md.) for a CAC contest

Men's Lacrosse Night Game
7:00 pm @ Seagull Stadium
Men's Lacrosse welcomes Stevenson for a CAC night game at Sea Gull
Stadium

Brought to you by: Rebecca Bullard

Needs A Push

A man and his wife are awakened at three o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.

"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is three o'clock in the morning!"

He slams the door and returns to bed.

"Who was that?" asked his wife.

"Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers.

"Did you help him?" she asks.

"No, I did not, it is three in the morning and it is pouring outside!"

"Well, you have a short memory," says his wife.

"Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down and those two guys helped us?" "I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"

The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pouring rain.

He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?"

"Yes," comes back the answer.

"Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband.

"Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark.

"Where are you?" asks the husband.

"Over here on the swing!" replies the drunk.

The Other Obama Point Of View

I watched Obama as well. From beginning to end. There is no question in my mind that he was very confident in what he was saying - that doesn't make it the right solution. As Chuck noted, the most obvious issue Obama danced around was the middle class tax relief and the cap and trade issue which was a part of the same question. Obama indicated that the top 5% of this nation should pay more in taxes. Sorry Obama but these people already pay 95% of the federal taxes in this nation. He indicated that his plan would cut the deficit in half during his first term but then recognized a 9.5 trillion dollar spike in debt after that when challenged by one of the reporters. This is a much higher debt than what he was handed. And yes Joe I'm criticizing him and I have other thoughts as to what would bring this economy back to life while cutting our debt. If I were the President, I would:

First make a firm commitment to downsize the Federal Government. Every program or agency that duplicates the services each individual state provides would be cut to the bone and eventually eliminated to bring us more in line with the constitution and less of a burden on the taxpayer. I know this would put some federal government employees out of work but with all of their training they shouldn't have much of a problem finding work with the individual states since this wouldn't be an overnight transition and the agency heads would be directed to organize placement assistance.

Second, the amount of money spent on other countries MUST be cut to the lowest amount possible. This country taxes it's citizens and sends money abroad (billions upon billions) and most of that money never makes it to the masses. We have people here going to bed hungry. Stop the madness. Charity starts at home. I would encourage churches and other non-profits to set up programs that funnels VOLUNTEER money to address issues in other countries. Incidentally, you would still be able to deduct those charitable contributions from your taxes.

Third, I would take HALF of the money saved through these substantial spending cuts and return it to those who pay taxes through tax cuts - across the board. The remaining half would be used to buy down the national debt. This would put much more money in the pockets of the citizens. After the debt is paid down, the money used to service the debt liability would also be returned to the taxpayers via a reduction in federal taxes.

Fourth, I would substantially cut or eliminate altogether, estate taxes and capital gains taxes, which would encourage people to invest and grow, creating jobs.

Fifth, I would initiate actions that do what the federal government was intended to do - defend our homeland. Move troops to our southern border to stop the unfettered flow of illegal aliens that put ENORMOUS stress on our healthcare, education, and criminal justice systems. I'm frankly tired of hearing about the high costs of healthcare and education from our government when they develop plans to tax the citizens to address symptoms rather than problems. Amend the constitution to stop the children of ILLEGAL immigrants from being considered American citizens just because they were born on American soil. Stop all illegals from receiving assistance from social programs. Take them into custody and deport them immediately. Take the financial burden off of the backs of the law abiding, hard working American.

There are too many deficiencies in our government to address them all in a comment but this is where I'd start.

Yes Joe, I am much more confident after watching Obama last night - confident that we're heading down the road to soacialism faster than any of us ever deamed possible. I'm also confident that we're about to embark upon a budgetary journey that will create a mountain of debt that will be absolutely, 100% unserviceable. You and I have talked many times about business and the like. Frankly I can't understand how you can get behind such a strategy. Everyone has the right to their own opinion and I respect that. I will never agree to a compromise of the fundamental freedoms on which this nation is based because some politician who speaks well publically says I should. Remember, Hitler was a powerful speaker as well.

Think about your second to last paragraph Joe, he will bring EXACTLY what the mayor of Salisbury brought her citizens. Increasingly higher taxes to fund programs that don't work.

Volunteers Of Deer's Head Hospital

Volunteers of Deer's Head Hospital presents Texas Roadhouse auxiliary fundraiser

Sunday March 29, 2009

12:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Fruitland, MD

Proceeds benefit the patients & resident of Deer's Head State Hospital
in Salisbury MD

Join the volunteer auxiliary any time between 12:00 noon & 10:00 PM Texas Roadhouse will donate 10% of your check (not including alcohol sales) to benefit the patients & residents of Deer's Head Hospital Center.

Must present this flyer at time of payment for auxiliary to receive 10%.

For questions or to obtain an additional flyer, contact: Helen Young, Director 410-543-4052

Officer Involved Shooting Near Newport

Preliminary DSP News Release: Wednesday, March 25, 2009- Officer Involved Shooting Near Newport

Location of Incident: Parking lot of Alpha Pizza, 1401 Maryland Avenue, just east of Newport, Delaware, New Castle County

Date and Time of Occurrence: Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at approximately 2:43 a.m.

Suspect(s): male subject to be identified in a supplemental news release

Resume: The following news release is preliminary only as additional details will be forthcoming.

At approximately 2:43 a.m., an officer involved shooting took place in the parking lot of Alpha Pizza, just east of Newport, Delaware.

A male suspect was shot a single time in the upper body and his injuries do not appear to be life threatening.

Two State Troopers were injured during the altercation with the subject in question.

All of the involved parties were transported to the Christiana Emergency Room in Newark. The officers are expected to be released shortly and the wounded suspect has been admitted to the hospital.

Again, additional details will be released later this morning.

Update #1 DSP News Release: Wednesday, March 25, 2009- Officer Involved Shooting

Wilmington- The following incident overview outlines the details surrounding the officer involved shooting from earlier today.

At approximately 2:14 a.m., officers from the New Castle County Police Department were dispatched to an address along the unit block of North Avenue in Wilmington in reference to a violent domestic assault. When officers arrived on the scene, they learned the suspect in question had fled the residence.

At about 2:43 a.m., a Troop 6 uniformed patrol officer, and three year veteran of the department, was traveling westbound on Route 4 approaching Forest Drive. The Trooper, who was unaware of the earlier domestic incident, observed a naked male subject standing in the roadway. The officer advised the dispatch center that he would be out checking on this subject at which time he stopped his patrol car and got out.

Suddenly, and without provocation, the subject in question charged at the Trooper and began to assault him. The Trooper immediately tried to create distance between himself and the suspect and attempted to back away. The suspect continued to charge the Trooper and assault him.

The Trooper was backed up into the rear parking lot of the Alpha Pizza, 1401 Maryland Avenue. While in the rear of the location, the suspect and the Trooper continued to fight. The officer, still yelling verbal commands, used his departmentally issued OC Spray (pepper spray) in an attempt to subdue the suspect to no avail. The suspect then successfully removed the Troopers portable radio and began to beat the Trooper with it.

The suspect backed the Trooper up against a brick wall, where in fear for his life, the Trooper fired his departmentally issued service weapon twice, striking the suspect a single time in the left shoulder.

The suspect wasn’t fazed by his gunshot wound and he continued to fight and assault the officer. At this time, a second officer arrived on the scene. The back-up officer then attempted to take the suspect into custody. This officer then deployed his Taser on the suspect, however, the suspect continued to fight. The Taser was deployed a second time, which with the help of a third responding officer, the suspect was finally subdued.

Medical help was immediately summonsed for the suspect. The initial officer and the first back-up officer were also both injured. These three parties were transported from the scene to Christiana Hospital.

The initial officer was treated for a separated right shoulder, an injury to his left arm as well as multiple contusions and scrapes. The initial back up officer was treated for an injury to his right knee. Both officers were treated and released from treatment.

The suspect, who was now identified as Fabian Silvestre, 35, of Bennett Court in Wilmington, was treated for a gunshot would to his right shoulder area. He was admitted to the hospital for further observation.

After the initial investigation into the officer involved shooting, detectives learned of the facts of the original domestic altercation on North Avenue.

At approximately 2:14 a.m., Silvestre exited his residence and was standing outside. His wife went out to check on him. While the two were talking, he suddenly began to assault her, beating her about the face. She fell to the ground at which time Silvestre started to take his clothes off. He then ran away from the residence. It was about 30 minutes later that the incident involving the Trooper occurred.

Silvestre’s wife was transported from the North Avenue address to Christiana Hospital where she was treated for a fractured nose, concussion as well as other multiple other contusions.

A New Castle County Police investigator obtained arrest warrants charging Silvestre with felony Assault 2nd. Silvestre will be formally charged upon his release from the hospital.

This investigation is continuing in regards to the officer involved shooting and charges have not been filed as of yet.

The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative duty as per divisional policy.

An additional news release will be forthcoming as this incident develops.

Homeless Sex Offender - Laurel Area

Click on image to enlarge.

Fourth Marking Period Begins March 30

Fourth Marking Period Begins March 30 in Wicomico Schools; Reminder that Last Day of School is Now June 11

The 4th marking period of the 2008-09 school year will begin Monday, March 30. Due to a weather closing earlier this month, the school year will now end Thursday, June 11, with half-days on June 9, 10 and 11. (The original last day of school was June 10.)

A seniors-only High School Assessment (HSA) retest opportunity will take place April 20-23 for any seniors who have not yet met the state's HSA graduation requirement by passing all four HSAs, achieving a combined score of 1602, or completing one or more Bridge projects. To help students prepare for the HSA (and in addition to the support students are receiving at school), a Saturday HSA Academy is available for students from all Wicomico County high schools, hosted by James M. Bennett High School. The Saturday HSA Academy will meet March 28; April 18, 25; and May 2, 9. Call 410-677-5141 or slikovic@wcboe.org, or 410-677-4537 or cbelgie@wcboe.org.

Other key dates in the 4th marking period include:

March 31: 2nd annual Technology Media Festival - 6 p.m., at Prince Street Elementary. From 6-7 is the project showcase, with awards ceremony from 7-8 p.m. The purpose of the Media Festival is to showcase student work in the area of technology media and to foster an interest in this area as a future vocation. All WCPS students in grades PreK-12 are eligible to participate. Projects must be the work of the student and may include PowerPoint Presentations, Videos, Graphic Design, Computer Animations, Web sites, and Podcasts. Teachers are also eligible to participate. Call 410-677-4420 for information.

April 2: Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt Jr.'s annual meeting to present his county operating budget to the public and hear public comment, 7 p.m., Flanders Room of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center

April 8-10, 13: Schools closed for spring holidays. The Central Office will be closed April 10 and 13.

April 14: Monthly meeting of the Wicomico County Board of Education, 1:30 p.m., Board of Education Building

April 21: Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night, 7 p.m., Salisbury Middle School

April 22-May 12: Maryland School Assessment (MSA) Science testing window for students in grades 5 and 8

May 4: Professional day for teachers and staff; schools closed for students

May 4-15: AP (Advanced Placement) Tests

May 12: Monthly meeting of the Wicomico County Board of Education, 7 p.m., Board of Education Building

May 26: Commencement, Mardela High School

May 27: Commencement, Parkside High School

May 28: Commencement, Wicomico High School

May 29: Commencement, James M. Bennett High School

Key Events in Wicomico County Schools

Third Marking Period Ends March 27; Key Events in Wicomico County Schools

The 3rd marking period will end Friday, March 27, in Wicomico County Schools, and report cards will be sent home Tuesday, April 7.

Key dates remain in the last few days of the 3rd marking period, including:

March 24-25: Maryland School Assessment (MSA) testing, Math MSA, for students in grades 3-5. Middle school students completed MSA testing last week.

March 25: STEM Career Discovery Day for Girls - STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) event for seventh-grade girls, at Salisbury Middle School, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Presenters will use interactive activities to introduce participants to various Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers. Program is associated with the Wicomico County STEM Grant.

March 25: Superintendent's Open Door Session, 4-6 p.m., at the Superintendent's Office, Board of Education. One-on-one sessions with the superintendent. No appointments, just come at that time and sign in. 410-677-4495

March 26: Public Input Session on the future needs for Mardela Middle and High, 7 p.m. at MMHS. As part of the FY2010 Superintendent's Task Force on Long Range Planning, a sub-committee has been established to study the future needs of Mardela Middle and High School. The sub-committee includes parents, students, staff, administrators, board members and community representatives. This sub-committee will be looking at current issues as well as data projected into 2018. As part of this important effort, the sub-committee is hosting a public input session to gather information from the Westside community regarding thoughts and ideas for the future of MMHS. Parents/guardians of students who will attend MMHS in the future (today's kindergartner will be a sixth-grader in 2014) are also encouraged to attend. For additional information, please contact the Wicomico County Public School Facility Services Department at 410-677-4492.

March 26: Summer Camp Expo - Hosted by Pinehurst Elementary School, 5:30-7 p.m. A great opportunity to find out about a spectrum of summer activities from vendors, including Mitchell's Martial Arts, Salisbury Zoo, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Wicomico County Recreation and Parks, Wicomico County Summer School, Wicomico County Summer Enrichment Program, Dancenter Salisbury, Wicomico County Public Library, Wor-Wic Community College, Camp Odyssey, Sherman Wood Youth Football Camp, Salvation Army, YMCA, Kumon, Sylvan, Lower Shore Childcare Resource Center, Crown Sports Center, Kaleidoscope Children & Youth Productions, Diamond Dreams, and more. 410-677-5813

March 28: Reading Rally - Students from eight area middle schools compete in the 8th Annual Reading Rally, to be held at Salisbury Middle School, 9 a.m.-noon. Students from Bennett, Mardela, Pittsville, Salisbury and Wicomico Middle Schools as well as St Francis de Sales, Salisbury School and Salisbury Christian School have been busy reading seven different fiction and nonfiction books in hopes of landing a spot on their school's Reading Rally team. Teams will compete in a question-and-answer round and a performance round, vying for enough points to become this year's winner. The first place team receives an engraved plaque, a $300 gift card to Barnes and Noble, and bragging rights. The second and third place teams receive $200 and $100 gift cards. Every participating student will receive a Reading Rally T-shirt designed by Maggie Jones, a seventh grader from Mardela Middle School, and a Barnes and Noble gift card to support their love of reading. The annual Reading Rally could not happen without the continuing support of the participating schools, staff and students from Salisbury University, Reading Rally coaches and parents.

Board of Education Adopts Proposed Budget

Approves Revised Code of Conduct (March Board Notes)

The Wicomico County Board of Education at its monthly meeting Tuesday, March 10, adopted the Fiscal Year 2009-10 Unrestricted Current Expense Proposed Budget and approved a revised Code of Conduct, which will take effect for the 2009-2010 school year.

The Board adopted the Fiscal Year 2009-10 Unrestricted Current Expense Proposed Budget, which will be presented to the County Executive Friday to meet the March 15 submission deadline. During a difficult budget year in which the state's revenue estimates have changed frequently and the school system is still awaiting details on how federal stimulus funds may be used, the Board adopted a $167 million budget with $577,056 requested from the county for maintenance of effort in order to receive nearly $5.8 million in new funds from the state.

Superintendent Dr. John Fredericksen said this budget will focus strongly on reading, an indicator of success in school and on assessments at every grade level. Students who struggle to pass the HSAs usually struggled on the Reading MSA too, he said. The same students are more likely than their peers to have behavior issues. Focusing on reading will help these students -- and all students -- in many ways.

"We can make a difference," he said. "We are going to make that difference."

Money will also be allocated to controlling class sizes, providing staff to support students with meeting the state's High School Assessment (HSA) graduation requirement, and building student connections with staff members and schools. Federal stimulus funds will also help support reading and math support for some schools through Title I, special education services, and technology, though details on how these stimulus funds may be spent have not yet been released.

Board President Robin H. Holloway pointed out that while Wicomico is one of the few Maryland school systems receiving increased state funding next year, this is because of the county's rising enrollment and its growing population of economically disadvantaged students and students requiring special education services. Board member L. Michelle Wright praised the 6.75 new positions in the budget including the addition of a teacher and an assistant for Delmar Elementary, and the 3.5 positions for HSA coordinating teachers. Wright said she would be watching for the effect of $2.9 million in budget realignments for FY2009-10, particularly the 27.41 realigned positions. Board member Ron Willey was out of town for the meeting, but shared by phone earlier that he supports the proposed budget and the 3.5 HSA positions, though he wants to see results.

The Board of Education's next public budget input session will be at 5:30 p.m. May 20 at the Board of Education Office. By that date, the school system should have funding information from the county and will be ready to hear public input one more time before adopting a final FY2009-10 budget by June 30. The proposed budget may be viewed on the Board’s web site atwww.wcboe.org under Quick Links as “09-10 Proposed Budget.”

The Board on Tuesday, March 10, also approved on second and final reading the revised Code of Conduct, which will take effect for the 2009-2010 school year. The Code of Conduct will be posted at www.wcboe.org, and will be shared with students, parents and guardians, and the community through schools and public information meetings. Professional development on the revised Code of Conduct will be provided for teachers, administrators and other staff members.

Two teachers urged the Board to consider higher minimum penalties for giving a false ID or refusing to give ID, and for sexual harassment. Superintendent Dr. John Fredericksen said the new Code of Conduct spells out a range of penalties for these and other offenses, and principals will know best how to apply the code. Board Vice President Mark S. Thompson said that during information meetings over the summer, school officials should make it clear that principals do not have to start with the minimum penalty if they feel a stronger response is needed.

A student shared that she is pleased to see strong penalties for cyberbullying, which she has seen a friend suffer. Board member Brian Kilgore praised the work of the Code revision committee, particularly the list of rights and responsibilities for teachers, students and parents.

GO HERE to read public comments.