Ladies & Gentlemen, while many continue to make attempts at fundraising for Sarah Foxwell's siblings, we have come to learn the Family has YET to change over the Bank Account at the Bank of Willards to a Trust Fund, as promised.
In fact, we've even been told that Pickles has yet to make their deposit to this account because the Grandparents have apparently not returned phone calls to transfer the account.
If you'll recall, we at Salisbury News refused to participate until we were assured this money would NOT go back to the Mother or Father. We did get a confirmation the account was going to become a Trust Fund and quite frankly it has not to this date.
It has been reported that any one of the people on that account can write checks off that account and my hat is tipped to Pickles for reassuring the security of those who made donations get their money exactly where it was intended.
That being said, ANY fundraising, rubber bracelets, or events should be done with the understanding that your money could be blown any which way those people on that account see fit.
If you knew the Mother and Father's history, I'm confident you'd reconsider making any further investment as it is my opinion you'd be putting good money after bad money. We have made the necessary phone calls to the proper people to make sure that this money is in fact secured into a Trust Fund and anything less IMHO would be fraudulent.
The Family represented the money would go to an education trust fund and by golly that's where it better go. We'll keep you posted just as soon as we receive word.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
State Police Investigates 6 Vehicle Collision
Location:
SR 1 Coastal Highway S/B at Shuttle Road Rehoboth
DATE and TIME:
Tuesday January 26, 2010 1:12 P.M.
Operator(s):
John P. Bennett Jr-45 of North Beach, Maryland
Stephen Stamps-40 of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Patricia Ringers-41 of Severna Park, Maryland
Laura H. Conrad-56 of Georgetown, Delaware
Melissa Nack-25 of Laurel, Delaware
Desiree Riker-24 of Lewes, Delaware
Vehicle(s):
Bennett 2005 Ford Econoline Van
Stamps 1995 International UPS truck
Ringers 2005 Honda Odyssey
Conrad 2006 Gosh Delaware Para Transit vehicle
Nack 2005 Toyota Rav4
Riker 2000 Mercedes Benz
Injuries:
· All drivers sustained minor back strain however Bennett sustained a toe fracture. All drivers were treated and released from Beebe Medical Center.
Resume:
SR 1 Coastal Highway S/B at Shuttle Road Rehoboth
DATE and TIME:
Tuesday January 26, 2010 1:12 P.M.
Operator(s):
John P. Bennett Jr-45 of North Beach, Maryland
Stephen Stamps-40 of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Patricia Ringers-41 of Severna Park, Maryland
Laura H. Conrad-56 of Georgetown, Delaware
Melissa Nack-25 of Laurel, Delaware
Desiree Riker-24 of Lewes, Delaware
Vehicle(s):
Bennett 2005 Ford Econoline Van
Stamps 1995 International UPS truck
Ringers 2005 Honda Odyssey
Conrad 2006 Gosh Delaware Para Transit vehicle
Nack 2005 Toyota Rav4
Riker 2000 Mercedes Benz
Injuries:
· All drivers sustained minor back strain however Bennett sustained a toe fracture. All drivers were treated and released from Beebe Medical Center.
Resume:
Tuesday afternoon at 1:12 P.M. Delaware State Police investigated a six car accident which occurred on SR 1 Coastal Highway at the intersection of Shuttle Road Rehoboth.
The crash occurred when the 2005 Ford Van was traveling southbound on Coastal Highway and disregarded a Red light. A 1995 UPS truck was W/B crossing the southbound lanes of Coastal Highway when the van disregarded the light. The van struck the UPS truck on the right side which caused the UPS truck to veer to the left.
When the UPS truck veered left it crashed into the other vehicles in a chain reaction accident. The other four vehicles Honda Odyssey, Para Transit vehicle, Toyota Rav4 and Mercedes Benz were facing eastbound Shuttle Road waiting to make a left turn onto Coastal Highway northbound.
John P. Bennett was cited for disregarding a red light. State Police had to roadway partially closed for approximately 2 hours while the crash scene was cleared.
Activist Filmmaker Arrested In Senator’s Office
Man who exposed ACORN accused of seeking to wiretap Landrieu’s phones
NEW ORLEANS - A conservative filmmaker whose undercover videos shone a spotlight on alleged corruption by the liberal activist group ACORN was arrested with three other men and accused of plotting to wiretap the New Orleans offices of Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.
The FBI said in an affidavit that James O’Keefe was among the four men who were arrested Monday. Special Agent Steven Rayes said O’Keefe was helping two others, Joseph Basel and Robert Flanagan, who were dressed as employees of a telephone company and attempted to interfere with the office’s telephone system.
Flanagan is the son of William J. Flanagan, the acting U.S. attorney for western Louisiana. William Flanagan's office confirmed his son was among those arrested, but declined further comment.
GO HERE to read more.
Two Dems To Oppose Party's Health Bill Strategy
Bayh, Lincoln say they will oppose reconciliation procedure to pass final bill
WASHINGTON - Two centrist senators Tuesday threw up a roadblock to salvaging President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, as Democrats agonized over whether to push forward or shift to idle until political resistance subsides.
Sens. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark. — both face re-election this year in Republican-leaning states — said they would oppose the strategy Democratic leaders are considering to reconcile the House and Senate bills and put comprehensive legislation on Obama's desk.
That approach involves using a special budget-related procedure to go around Republican opponents in the Senate, a calculated risk sure to inflame critics on the political right.
GO HERE to read more.
Newsmax/Zogby Poll: Scott Brown Could Defeat Obama In Presidential Race
A stunning new poll conducted by Newsmax/Zogby reveals that Massachusett's new Republican Senator-elect Scott Brown could theoretically defeat President Barack Obama in a presidential election.
The Newsmax/Zogby poll released Tuesday found that the pair would be statistically deadlocked if the presidential election was held today.
The poll indicates surprisingly weak support for the president among independent voters, who favor the tyro Brown by 48.6 percent to 36 percent in a hypothetical matchup against Obama.
Mark McKinnon, the respected political strategist who created former President George W. Bush's successful television ad campaigns in 2000 and 2004, told Newsmax that the survey results should trigger alarms for Team Obama.
"The real problem for Obama is that he has lost the middle, and losing the middle means losing independents," McKinnon said. "And it is independents that are responsible for swinging elections one way or the other in this country. So if you lose independents, you're going to lose the presidency."
The poll asked likely voters: "If the election for president of the United States were held today and the only candidates were Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Scott Brown, for whom would you vote?"
Based on the 4,163 responses, Obama leads Brown by 46.5 percent to 44.6 percent. That amounts to a statistical tie because the Zogby survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.5 percent.
Read more..
The Newsmax/Zogby poll released Tuesday found that the pair would be statistically deadlocked if the presidential election was held today.
The poll indicates surprisingly weak support for the president among independent voters, who favor the tyro Brown by 48.6 percent to 36 percent in a hypothetical matchup against Obama.
Mark McKinnon, the respected political strategist who created former President George W. Bush's successful television ad campaigns in 2000 and 2004, told Newsmax that the survey results should trigger alarms for Team Obama.
"The real problem for Obama is that he has lost the middle, and losing the middle means losing independents," McKinnon said. "And it is independents that are responsible for swinging elections one way or the other in this country. So if you lose independents, you're going to lose the presidency."
The poll asked likely voters: "If the election for president of the United States were held today and the only candidates were Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Scott Brown, for whom would you vote?"
Based on the 4,163 responses, Obama leads Brown by 46.5 percent to 44.6 percent. That amounts to a statistical tie because the Zogby survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.5 percent.
Read more..
BERLIN MAN ARRESTED FOR SELLING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO UNDERCOVER COP
On January 21, 2010, the Ocean City Police Department concluded a four month prescription drug distribution investigation with the arrest of a Berlin, Maryland man identified as: Patrick William Hightower, 42-years-old.
Hightower was arrested without incident, on January 21, 2010, after he sold the suspected prescription narcotics to an undercover OCPD narcotics detective. During the investigation, Hightower sold prescription drugs to police at
least twice.
Hightower has been charged with 2 counts of Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance which is a Felony. Hightower was seen by an Ocean City District Court
Commissioner and was held on $100,000 bond. Hightower has been transferred to the Worcester County Jail.
The OCPD reminds citizens that selling prescription medication is a crime. The person you may be dealing with may be an undercover OCPD detective. If you are involved in this type of activity you may be arrested.
Stephen Decatur Intermediate School Locked Down
Enough information came into the Berlin Police Department today where allegedly a 14 year old girl complained about someone driving through the parking lot, School Officials locked down the School for a brief period of time. A letter was sent home to ALL Parents explaining the situation but the 14 year old girl didn't even belong there, so we're told.
After speaking to the Berlin Police, they simply took precautions immediately, better to be safe than sorry. All is fine though, no one should be worried.
Verizon Sees Delayed Rebound, To Cut More Jobs
CEO: ‘We're facing more significant headwinds than we'd thought we'd face’
NEW YORK - Verizon Communications said it is facing a slower-than-expected economic recovery and plans to cut 6 percent of its workforce, adding that it forecasts only a modest rebound in late 2010.
After reporting fourth-quarter results that were in line with Wall Street's expectations, Verizon said weak corporate spending hurt its traditional fixed-line business, offsetting subscriber growth at Verizon Wireless. Shares fell 2 percent.
The phone company forecast 13,000 job cuts at its fixed-line business this year, or 6 percent of Verizon's total workforce. It cut 17,000 jobs in 2009, ending the year with 223,000 workers. Severance charges had pushed Verizon into the red in the fourth quarter.
GO HERE to read more.
"Beat the Peak" In-Home Indicator
Our very successful “Beat the Peak” program helps keep our rates low by alerting you to high energy periods, or peaks when the cost per kilowatt-hour is at its highest and we ask you to reduce your usage, if possible, by turning off lights or not using appliances for the duration of the "peak" event.
When we “Beat the Peak” we save money and because we are a Cooperative you save.
We have developed a "Beat the Peak" In-Home Indicator, a simple device that plugs into any electric outlet and indicates when a "peak" event is occurring.
For your "FREE" In-Home Indicator and three "FREE" CFL bulbs (100 watt equivalent) please click HERE.
Your acceptance of our "Beat the Peak" In-Home Indicator is sincerely appreciated. The In-Home Indicator and 3 CFL bulbs will be mailed separately and should arrive within the next 6-8 weeks.
Remember, when everyone saves a little, we all save a lot.
Magnet Saved & No Redistricting - For Now
During a Board of Ed work session this morning, board members decided to postpone decisions on any redistricting plans at least for now. A new Accelerated Learners Task Group of community members, parents and BOE staff was announced by Superintendent Fredericksen to begin meeting this week to review the Magnet program and look at ways to provide more accelerated learning groups in all elementary schools. When the Task Force work is complete, the board will look to merge those recommendations with the Redistricting task force proposals and then seek public input before making any changes.
Several community members in attendance also reported that the board will remove Magnet changes from the Tier 1 budget items that were recommended to be cut for next year.
Dr. Fredericksen and the board heard loud and clear from Magnet parents who spoke at the budget hearing two weeks ago that they did not want to give up the Magnet centers at North Salisbury and Pemberton.
Several community members in attendance also reported that the board will remove Magnet changes from the Tier 1 budget items that were recommended to be cut for next year.
Dr. Fredericksen and the board heard loud and clear from Magnet parents who spoke at the budget hearing two weeks ago that they did not want to give up the Magnet centers at North Salisbury and Pemberton.
FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PARTNER TO EXPAND GREEN MANUFACTURING IN MARYLAND, CREATE JOBS
O’Malley, Mikulski, Cardin, Ruppersberger, Smith gather to unveil next generation motors to be produced at GM Powertrain Baltimore
WHITE MARSH, MD (January 26, 2010) – Governor Martin O’Malley, Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin, Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, and Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith today joined Thomas G. Stephens, GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Operations, to announce that GM will produce next generation two mode rear wheel drive motors and related electric drive components at GM Powertrain Baltimore in White Marsh. The company will construct a high-volume electric drive manufacturing facility at the Baltimore County Transmission plant, creating approximately 200 jobs and retaining hundreds more already at the plant.
“Maryland is proud to be home for this new innovation driven by GM for the next generation of green technology. The technology being unveiled today will help drivers drive further on less fuel, and provide green jobs for Marylanders to support their families,” said Governor O’Malley. “Maryland is home to one of the nation’s most talented and skilled workforces, and GM’s decision to house the manufacturing of their new technology in our State is validation of their commitment to fuel innovation, create jobs, and drive economic progress here in Maryland.”
“Today’s announcement is great news for GM’s Baltimore Transmission Plant, great news for jobs, and great news for Maryland’s economy. Just last year, people wanted to write-off the American auto industry. But I and my Team Maryland colleagues knew differently,” Senator Mikulski said. “Building the fuel efficient engines of the future, GM’s Baltimore Transmission Plant is going to lead the way to a better way, showing America can compete, America can innovate, and the American auto industry can lead again.”
“I applaud GM’s decision to partner with Maryland in using the technology of the future to build cleaner, more efficient cars that will lead to in new jobs for Marylanders,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. “This exciting projects brings together recovery funding, state financing and GM’s commitment to build automobiles of the future that will help restore our economy and the auto industry”
The new manufacturing facility will have the capacity to produce 40,000 Global Rear Wheel Drive (GRE) motors. The GRE motors, which will be placed in both automobiles and trucks, contain two electric motors and three planetary gear sets that transform power from a motor vehicle’s gasoline engine and battery into usable power to propel the vehicle and provide the fuel savings of an electric drive.
“I worked hard to attract General Motors to the White Marsh facility during my tenure as Baltimore County Executive and it has been very rewarding to watch the GM Baltimore Transmission Plant evolve and grow with technology,” Congressman Ruppersberger said. “Over the years, GM has continued to invest in Maryland’s high-caliber workforce, providing a stable source of manufacturing jobs for our hard-working families. This expansion is just the latest investment, to the tune of $129 million, creating and retaining yet hundreds more jobs while providing industry-leading fuel efficiency innovation.”
“With this significant investment in green technology at GM's Baltimore transmission plant, manufacturing jobs are not only staying here, they're coming back from Mexico to White Marsh,” stated Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith.
GM is investing $129 million in the Baltimore Transmission Plant to build electric motors and related electric drive components. The company was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for a $105 million grant for electric drive systems manufacturing. In addition, the State of Maryland is providing a $3 million grant through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Fund (MEDAF) and a $1.5 million grant from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation Workforce Training Fund. Baltimore County is providing a $6 million conditional grant from the Baltimore County Business Growth Fund and a $150,000 Baltimore County Economic Development Training grant.
Opened in December 2000, GM Powertrain Baltimore was selected to manufacture GM’s two-mode hybrid transmission in 2006. The plant is still GM’s exclusive manufacturer of the two-mode hybrid drivetrain. GM currently employs more than 200 salaried and hourly workers in the eco-friendly White Marsh facility.
WHITE MARSH, MD (January 26, 2010) – Governor Martin O’Malley, Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin, Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, and Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith today joined Thomas G. Stephens, GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Operations, to announce that GM will produce next generation two mode rear wheel drive motors and related electric drive components at GM Powertrain Baltimore in White Marsh. The company will construct a high-volume electric drive manufacturing facility at the Baltimore County Transmission plant, creating approximately 200 jobs and retaining hundreds more already at the plant.
“Maryland is proud to be home for this new innovation driven by GM for the next generation of green technology. The technology being unveiled today will help drivers drive further on less fuel, and provide green jobs for Marylanders to support their families,” said Governor O’Malley. “Maryland is home to one of the nation’s most talented and skilled workforces, and GM’s decision to house the manufacturing of their new technology in our State is validation of their commitment to fuel innovation, create jobs, and drive economic progress here in Maryland.”
“Today’s announcement is great news for GM’s Baltimore Transmission Plant, great news for jobs, and great news for Maryland’s economy. Just last year, people wanted to write-off the American auto industry. But I and my Team Maryland colleagues knew differently,” Senator Mikulski said. “Building the fuel efficient engines of the future, GM’s Baltimore Transmission Plant is going to lead the way to a better way, showing America can compete, America can innovate, and the American auto industry can lead again.”
“I applaud GM’s decision to partner with Maryland in using the technology of the future to build cleaner, more efficient cars that will lead to in new jobs for Marylanders,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. “This exciting projects brings together recovery funding, state financing and GM’s commitment to build automobiles of the future that will help restore our economy and the auto industry”
The new manufacturing facility will have the capacity to produce 40,000 Global Rear Wheel Drive (GRE) motors. The GRE motors, which will be placed in both automobiles and trucks, contain two electric motors and three planetary gear sets that transform power from a motor vehicle’s gasoline engine and battery into usable power to propel the vehicle and provide the fuel savings of an electric drive.
“I worked hard to attract General Motors to the White Marsh facility during my tenure as Baltimore County Executive and it has been very rewarding to watch the GM Baltimore Transmission Plant evolve and grow with technology,” Congressman Ruppersberger said. “Over the years, GM has continued to invest in Maryland’s high-caliber workforce, providing a stable source of manufacturing jobs for our hard-working families. This expansion is just the latest investment, to the tune of $129 million, creating and retaining yet hundreds more jobs while providing industry-leading fuel efficiency innovation.”
“With this significant investment in green technology at GM's Baltimore transmission plant, manufacturing jobs are not only staying here, they're coming back from Mexico to White Marsh,” stated Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith.
GM is investing $129 million in the Baltimore Transmission Plant to build electric motors and related electric drive components. The company was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for a $105 million grant for electric drive systems manufacturing. In addition, the State of Maryland is providing a $3 million grant through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Fund (MEDAF) and a $1.5 million grant from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation Workforce Training Fund. Baltimore County is providing a $6 million conditional grant from the Baltimore County Business Growth Fund and a $150,000 Baltimore County Economic Development Training grant.
Opened in December 2000, GM Powertrain Baltimore was selected to manufacture GM’s two-mode hybrid transmission in 2006. The plant is still GM’s exclusive manufacturer of the two-mode hybrid drivetrain. GM currently employs more than 200 salaried and hourly workers in the eco-friendly White Marsh facility.
Your Recent Nomination Into Strathmore Who's Who
Dear Joe,
It is my pleasure to inform you that on January 4th, 2010 your information was reviewed and accepted for inclusion in the 2010 edition of our registry.
Strathmore's Whos Who each year, recognizes and selects key executives, professionals and organizations in all disciplines and industries for outstanding business and professional achievements.
This recognition is shared by those who have reached a distinguished level of success in their chosen profession.
Please take a moment to complete the invitation by clicking on the link below. We ask that you complete it carefully, as it will be reviewed by our editorial department.
Strathmore's Whos Who is pleased to inform you that there are no fees or dues to be included in the publication.
On behalf of the CEO and our esteemed staff, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
J.M. Blakely
Vice President, Research Division
It is my pleasure to inform you that on January 4th, 2010 your information was reviewed and accepted for inclusion in the 2010 edition of our registry.
Strathmore's Whos Who each year, recognizes and selects key executives, professionals and organizations in all disciplines and industries for outstanding business and professional achievements.
This recognition is shared by those who have reached a distinguished level of success in their chosen profession.
Please take a moment to complete the invitation by clicking on the link below. We ask that you complete it carefully, as it will be reviewed by our editorial department.
Strathmore's Whos Who is pleased to inform you that there are no fees or dues to be included in the publication.
On behalf of the CEO and our esteemed staff, we wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
J.M. Blakely
Vice President, Research Division
Dear J.M. Blakely,
BITE ME!
Shooting Outside Prices Lanes Leaves Two With Minor Injuries
Location: Prices Bowling Lanes, 3215 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, Delaware
Date of Occurrence: Monday, January 25th, 2010, at approximately 11:15 p.m.
Suspect(s): Unknown
Resume: Detectives from the Delaware State Police major crimes division are investigating a shooting that occurred late last night in the parking lot of the Prices Lanes Bowling Alley.
At approximately 11:15 p.m., the DSP dispatch center, RECOM, began fielding calls in reference to shots being fired at Prices Lanes. For those unfamiliar, this location is across the street from State Police Troop 6 on Kirkwood Highway.
As officers were arriving on the scene, they found a large number of people fleeing the area. Initially, officers were unable to locate anyone who was injured; however, a short time later, calls came in from Wilmington Hospital about two shooting victim who had just arrived.
At this point, Major Crimes Detectives assumed the investigation. They began to piece this case together at the scene and learned that prior to the shooting; a rap contest was being held inside the bowling alley. A dispute erupted between unknown parties during this contest which escalated to a fight amongst multiple people. The fight then spilled outside into the parking lot.
During this melee, an unknown person fired multiple random rounds into the crowd and struck two men. One man was hit in his foot and the other in his ankle. Both victims were transported by privately owned vehicles to Wilmington Hospital and their injuries were not considered life threatening.
Detectives have very little information to go on and they have no information regarding the shooter. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call 302-834-2630 ext. 208 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.
Date of Occurrence: Monday, January 25th, 2010, at approximately 11:15 p.m.
Suspect(s): Unknown
Resume: Detectives from the Delaware State Police major crimes division are investigating a shooting that occurred late last night in the parking lot of the Prices Lanes Bowling Alley.
At approximately 11:15 p.m., the DSP dispatch center, RECOM, began fielding calls in reference to shots being fired at Prices Lanes. For those unfamiliar, this location is across the street from State Police Troop 6 on Kirkwood Highway.
As officers were arriving on the scene, they found a large number of people fleeing the area. Initially, officers were unable to locate anyone who was injured; however, a short time later, calls came in from Wilmington Hospital about two shooting victim who had just arrived.
At this point, Major Crimes Detectives assumed the investigation. They began to piece this case together at the scene and learned that prior to the shooting; a rap contest was being held inside the bowling alley. A dispute erupted between unknown parties during this contest which escalated to a fight amongst multiple people. The fight then spilled outside into the parking lot.
During this melee, an unknown person fired multiple random rounds into the crowd and struck two men. One man was hit in his foot and the other in his ankle. Both victims were transported by privately owned vehicles to Wilmington Hospital and their injuries were not considered life threatening.
Detectives have very little information to go on and they have no information regarding the shooter. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call 302-834-2630 ext. 208 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.
2 Workers Killed In D.C.-Area Transit Accident
Maintenance vehicle strikes technicians in latest fatal incident on Metro
WASHINGTON - Two Metro workers were struck and killed by a maintenance vehicle along a track Tuesday, the latest in a string of fatalities since last year in the Washington area's transit system.
The men were on a track when they were hit a few blocks from the Rockville Metro Station, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Capt. Oscar Garcia said. One worker died at the scene and the other on the way to a hospital, Metro officials said.
Both men were automatic train technicians and the crash involved a large truck equipped to drive on the track when electricity is shut down, according to Metro spokeswoman Angela Gates. The agency said it would release the men's names after their families were notified.
GO HERE to read more.
Foreclosure Relief Program Riddled With Flaws
Latest effort to save homes having only limited impact, faces challenges
Millions of Americans who are struggling to save their homes from foreclosure are trapped in a labyrinth of disappointment and misinformation created by the very institutions they’ve been told are trying to help them.
Ten months into the government’s third program in two years to stop a record wave of foreclosures, homeowners, housing counselors, consumer advocates and attorneys working with borrowers report that the latest effort is falling far short of its goal. In many cases, lenders are moving to foreclose even after homeowners get approved for loan modification, housing counselors and attorneys say.
The problem, they say, goes beyond the paperwork snafus and staffing shortages at lenders and mortgage servicers that have created massive bottlenecks for the millions at risk of losing their homes. Those have plagued the government’s foreclosure relief efforts since the first government-industry joint program, the Hope Now Alliance, was launched in October 2007.
GO HERE to read more.
Obama Eyes Freeze As CBO Predicts Huge Deficit
Plans for a new jobs bill and a request for war funds would add to the total
WASHINGTON - The latest congressional budget estimates out Tuesday predict a $1.35 trillion deficit for this year as the economy continues to slowly recover from the recession.
The Congressional Budget Office report predicts a sluggish economic recovery and continued high deficits that present twin political problems for President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies.
The report sees a slow rebound of the economy, with unemployment averaging 10.1 percent this year as the economy grows by just over 2 percent. It would grow only slightly more next year with an unemployment rate of 9.5 percent.
GO HERE to read more.
Flu Shots?
"With the budget problems in the county, is it a yearly thing to give county employees and family members flu shots? Just heard about it from a family member who got his last week. What they didn't tell him until afterwards was that he got the H1N1 shot."
Obama Administration Steers Lucrative No-Bid Contract For Afghan Work To Dem Donor
The Obama administration this month awarded a $25 million federal contract for work in Afghanistan to a company owned by a prominent Democratic campaign contributor without entertaining competitive bids, Fox News has learned.
Despite President Obama's long history of criticizing the Bush administration for "sweetheart deals" with favored contractors, the Obama administration this month awarded a $25 million federal contract for work in Afghanistan to a company owned by a Democratic campaign contributor without entertaining competitive bids, Fox News has learned.
The contract, awarded on Jan. 4 to Checchi & Company Consulting, Inc., a Washington-based firm owned by economist and Democratic donor Vincent V. Checchi, will pay the firm $24,673,427 to provide "rule of law stabilization services" in war-torn Afghanistan.
A synopsis of the contract published on the USAID Web site says Checchi & Company will "train the next generation of legal professionals" throughout the Afghan provinces and thereby "develop the capacity of Afghanistan's justice system to be accessible, reliable, and fair."
The legality of the arrangement as a "sole source," or no-bid, contract was made possible by virtue of a waiver signed by the USAID administrator. "They cancelled the open bid on this when they came to power earlier this year," a source familiar with the federal contracting process told Fox News.
"That's kind of weird," said another source, who has worked on "rule of law" issues in both Afghanistan and Iraq, about the no-bid contract to Checchi & Company. "There's lots of companies and non-governmental organizations that do this sort of work."
GO HERE to read more.
Vovak Statement On Death Of Former-Senator Mac Mathias
BETHESDA, MARYLAND – It was sad for me to hear today of the passing of Senator "Mac" Mathias, who was the last living Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate in Maryland, with his long senate term being from 1969 – 1987. He was succeeded in death by Senator John Glenn Beall, Jr. (1971 – 1977), a Republican who died in 2006.
I was privileged to speak with Senator Mathias on a handful of occasions, with each a memory I still cherish. His desire to reach out to young Republicans remained steadfast, though his grip on current issues was consistent with a man who had been retired for over two decades. A distinct memory I still have was his fondness for Senator Barbara Mikulski, who gave a spirited challenge to him in her election loss in 1974. He liked her and would probably have endorsed her in 2010, which dissuaded me from entering the U.S. Senate contest. Mathias was clearly a man of bi-partisanship and compromise, with his last major public statement being the 2008 endorsement of now-President Barack Obama. I look forward to tomorrow when all Marylanders will hear kind words about him from Senator Barbara Mikulski, Senator Ben Cardin, Chairwoman Audrey Scott, and Representative Chris van Hollen.
Daniel "The Whig Man" Vovak lives in Bethesda, Maryland, and is a resident of Maryland's Eighth Congressional District. He can be contacted at 202-367-4835 or DanielVovak@gmail.com.
I was privileged to speak with Senator Mathias on a handful of occasions, with each a memory I still cherish. His desire to reach out to young Republicans remained steadfast, though his grip on current issues was consistent with a man who had been retired for over two decades. A distinct memory I still have was his fondness for Senator Barbara Mikulski, who gave a spirited challenge to him in her election loss in 1974. He liked her and would probably have endorsed her in 2010, which dissuaded me from entering the U.S. Senate contest. Mathias was clearly a man of bi-partisanship and compromise, with his last major public statement being the 2008 endorsement of now-President Barack Obama. I look forward to tomorrow when all Marylanders will hear kind words about him from Senator Barbara Mikulski, Senator Ben Cardin, Chairwoman Audrey Scott, and Representative Chris van Hollen.
Daniel "The Whig Man" Vovak lives in Bethesda, Maryland, and is a resident of Maryland's Eighth Congressional District. He can be contacted at 202-367-4835 or DanielVovak@gmail.com.
Our Philosopher-King Obama
by Victor Davis Hanson
Tribune Media Services
In Plato's ideal society, philosopher kings and elite Guardians shepherded the rabble to force them to do the "right" thing.
To prevent the unwashed from doing anything stupid, the all-powerful, all-wise Guardians often had to tell a few "noble" lies. And, of course, these caretakers themselves were exempt from most rules they made for others.
We are now seeing such thinking in the Obama administration and among its supporters.
A technocracy — many Ivy-League-educated and without much experience outside academia and government — pushes legislation most people do not want but is nevertheless judged to be good for them.
Take the Obama proposal for healthcare. A large percentage of Americans do not trust those who run the Postal Service to oversee the conditions of one-sixth of the U.S. economy.
No matter. Our philosopher-king president says of our fierce resistance: "I . . . know what happens once we get this done. The American people will suddenly learn that this bill does things they like."
How about energy policy? Unlike Obama, most Americans believe we should fully utilize our own gas, oil and nuclear resources so that we don't go broke waiting for a promised solar and wind revolution.
In fact, on a number of other major issues, polls show more than half of all Americans are at odds with the Obama agenda: more federal takeover of private enterprise, gargantuan deficit spending, and "comprehensive" immigration reform, for starters.
Why, then, does the Obama administration persist with such an apparently unpopular agenda?
Like Plato's all-knowing elite, Obama seems to feel that those he deems less informed will "suddenly" learn to appreciate his benevolent guidance once these laws are pushed through.
Liberal columnist Thomas Frank once promoted similar assumptions in his book "What's the Matter with Kansas?" Frank argued that clueless American voters can't quite figure out what their own self-interests are.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, another Obama supporter, also reflected the philosopher-king thinking in a recent column praising China's "reasonably enlightened" dictatorship. Unlike the messiness of American democracy, he argued, a few smart strongmen in China can ram through the necessary policies "to move a society forward in the 21st century."
President Obama has now apparently convinced himself that his old promises about a new transparency get in the way of giving the American people what they need.
Obama campaigned against lobbyists in government. But lobbyists in government are now necessary to accelerate the Obama hope-and-change agenda.
The president on several occasions promised to air the healthcare debate on C-SPAN. But now negotiations take place behind closed congressional doors. That must be a necessary price if the people are going to get the healthcare they must have.
Obama, in addition, once ridiculed John McCain's idea of taxing so-called "Cadillac" health plans. He promised not to raise "any" taxes on those who make less than $250,000 a year. And he lectured President Bush on his foolishness of pushing Social Security reform when only 35 percent of the people were in favor it.
But now our philosopher-king has determined that he really needs to tax some premium healthcare plans — even if that means additional costs will be passed onto those who make less than $250,000. And he certainly doesn't mind pushing noble legislation that most people oppose.
Other past declarations — like the pledge to close Guantanamo within a year of taking office or the deadlines for the Iranians to stop work on their nuclear program — are noble sorts of lies. They at least show us the president's good intentions and his care for our welfare — even if he can't follow through on them.
There is one other trait of this administration similar to those of utopian philosopher kings. Our elite must have the leeway to be exempt from their own rules.
Higher taxes must be levied on many of us. But the guardian of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner, now and then can cheat a little. So can the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, who oversees the writing of tax law.
An evil Wall Street makes obscene profits and flies on private jets. But from time to time, Wall Street campaign donations and private jet travel are permissible for our wiser Guardians if they are properly to plan for the people.
There is, however, one difference between Plato's thinking and the Obama administration's agenda. Plato at least assumed that philosopher kings were fantasy ideas and his utopia unachievable.
Our president and his modern-day Guardians in contrast haven't quite figured that out yet. Perhaps after this week's election in Massachusetts they will.
Tribune Media Services
In Plato's ideal society, philosopher kings and elite Guardians shepherded the rabble to force them to do the "right" thing.
To prevent the unwashed from doing anything stupid, the all-powerful, all-wise Guardians often had to tell a few "noble" lies. And, of course, these caretakers themselves were exempt from most rules they made for others.
We are now seeing such thinking in the Obama administration and among its supporters.
A technocracy — many Ivy-League-educated and without much experience outside academia and government — pushes legislation most people do not want but is nevertheless judged to be good for them.
Take the Obama proposal for healthcare. A large percentage of Americans do not trust those who run the Postal Service to oversee the conditions of one-sixth of the U.S. economy.
No matter. Our philosopher-king president says of our fierce resistance: "I . . . know what happens once we get this done. The American people will suddenly learn that this bill does things they like."
How about energy policy? Unlike Obama, most Americans believe we should fully utilize our own gas, oil and nuclear resources so that we don't go broke waiting for a promised solar and wind revolution.
In fact, on a number of other major issues, polls show more than half of all Americans are at odds with the Obama agenda: more federal takeover of private enterprise, gargantuan deficit spending, and "comprehensive" immigration reform, for starters.
Why, then, does the Obama administration persist with such an apparently unpopular agenda?
Like Plato's all-knowing elite, Obama seems to feel that those he deems less informed will "suddenly" learn to appreciate his benevolent guidance once these laws are pushed through.
Liberal columnist Thomas Frank once promoted similar assumptions in his book "What's the Matter with Kansas?" Frank argued that clueless American voters can't quite figure out what their own self-interests are.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, another Obama supporter, also reflected the philosopher-king thinking in a recent column praising China's "reasonably enlightened" dictatorship. Unlike the messiness of American democracy, he argued, a few smart strongmen in China can ram through the necessary policies "to move a society forward in the 21st century."
President Obama has now apparently convinced himself that his old promises about a new transparency get in the way of giving the American people what they need.
Obama campaigned against lobbyists in government. But lobbyists in government are now necessary to accelerate the Obama hope-and-change agenda.
The president on several occasions promised to air the healthcare debate on C-SPAN. But now negotiations take place behind closed congressional doors. That must be a necessary price if the people are going to get the healthcare they must have.
Obama, in addition, once ridiculed John McCain's idea of taxing so-called "Cadillac" health plans. He promised not to raise "any" taxes on those who make less than $250,000 a year. And he lectured President Bush on his foolishness of pushing Social Security reform when only 35 percent of the people were in favor it.
But now our philosopher-king has determined that he really needs to tax some premium healthcare plans — even if that means additional costs will be passed onto those who make less than $250,000. And he certainly doesn't mind pushing noble legislation that most people oppose.
Other past declarations — like the pledge to close Guantanamo within a year of taking office or the deadlines for the Iranians to stop work on their nuclear program — are noble sorts of lies. They at least show us the president's good intentions and his care for our welfare — even if he can't follow through on them.
There is one other trait of this administration similar to those of utopian philosopher kings. Our elite must have the leeway to be exempt from their own rules.
Higher taxes must be levied on many of us. But the guardian of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner, now and then can cheat a little. So can the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, who oversees the writing of tax law.
An evil Wall Street makes obscene profits and flies on private jets. But from time to time, Wall Street campaign donations and private jet travel are permissible for our wiser Guardians if they are properly to plan for the people.
There is, however, one difference between Plato's thinking and the Obama administration's agenda. Plato at least assumed that philosopher kings were fantasy ideas and his utopia unachievable.
Our president and his modern-day Guardians in contrast haven't quite figured that out yet. Perhaps after this week's election in Massachusetts they will.
The “Hope For Haiti” Telethon Scam
It takes a lot of disdain for the human race to use a catastrophic event such as the earthquake in Haiti to peddle people out of their hard earned dollar. Unfortunately, this is what the “Hope for Haiti” telethon is all about. The donations will benefit such foundations as the Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation and UNICEF. Instead of the proceeds going towards a local Haitian organization that would provide the victims with adequate food and water, the millions will be given to a foundation created in part by George W. Bush.
If that does not alarm you, then you have not done your research. Corrupt politicians have no business taking donations for a country in turmoil. There are plenty of organizations that have been operating in Haiti for years, and have therefore proven themselves to be legitimate. The IRC (International Rescue Committee) spends 90% of its funds on beneficial programs, while only using 4% for administrative costs, and 4% on fundraising. Why then, are the proceeds going to a foundation run by two corrupt politicians?
GO HERE to read more.
Bus Crash Information:
Location Update: Harts Road N/O SR 24 in front of Fox Hollow Development
Operator(s):
William R. Reeve-30 of Millsboro (Bus operator)
Joanne IlIff-54 of Lewes (2004 Mazda RX8)
Vehicle(s):
2008 International School Bus
2004 Mazda RX8 (black)
Resume Update:
Delaware State Police have concluded the investigation involving a school bus from the Cape Henlopen School District.
The 2004 Mazda driven by Joanne IlIff of Lewes was stopped at the intersection of Pickwicke Road and Harts. The 2008 bus was attempting to turn onto Pickwicke Road from Harts Road. The operator of the bus William R. Reeve of Millsboro cut the turned too sharply and struck the front end of the Mazda.
There are no reported injuries with this bus crash which was carrying approximately 25 middle school age students. Joanne IlIff was not injured as well.
State Police charged William R. Reeve with an improper turn violation and released.
DSP News Release: State Police Investigating Bus Crash SR 24 and Harts Road
Location:
SR 24 John J Williams Hwy and Harts Road in front of Fox Hollow Development
DATE and TIME:
Tuesday January 26, 2010 7:51 A.M.
Operators(s):
Vehicle(s):
Resume:
Delaware State Police is on scene of an accident involving a school bus. The accident occurred on SR 24 in the area of Harts Road near the Fox Hollow development.
There is reported to be children on the bus however the nature of injuries if any at this time is unknown also the number of vehicles involved.
Motorists are advised to avoid this area and expect delays. A more detailed release will be forthcoming upon completion of the investigation.
Operator(s):
William R. Reeve-30 of Millsboro (Bus operator)
Joanne IlIff-54 of Lewes (2004 Mazda RX8)
Vehicle(s):
2008 International School Bus
2004 Mazda RX8 (black)
Resume Update:
Delaware State Police have concluded the investigation involving a school bus from the Cape Henlopen School District.
The 2004 Mazda driven by Joanne IlIff of Lewes was stopped at the intersection of Pickwicke Road and Harts. The 2008 bus was attempting to turn onto Pickwicke Road from Harts Road. The operator of the bus William R. Reeve of Millsboro cut the turned too sharply and struck the front end of the Mazda.
There are no reported injuries with this bus crash which was carrying approximately 25 middle school age students. Joanne IlIff was not injured as well.
State Police charged William R. Reeve with an improper turn violation and released.
DSP News Release: State Police Investigating Bus Crash SR 24 and Harts Road
Location:
SR 24 John J Williams Hwy and Harts Road in front of Fox Hollow Development
DATE and TIME:
Tuesday January 26, 2010 7:51 A.M.
Operators(s):
Vehicle(s):
Resume:
Delaware State Police is on scene of an accident involving a school bus. The accident occurred on SR 24 in the area of Harts Road near the Fox Hollow development.
There is reported to be children on the bus however the nature of injuries if any at this time is unknown also the number of vehicles involved.
Motorists are advised to avoid this area and expect delays. A more detailed release will be forthcoming upon completion of the investigation.
Salisbury Police Department Press Releases
On January 23, 2010 at approximately 8:00 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police were in the area of E. Church St. and Elizabeth Street involved in the investigation of a shooting on Martin Street. During the course of the investigation, the officers stopped a taxi cab occupied by the below listed suspects. The passengers were removed from the cab and below listed suspect # 1 was found to be in possession of a quantity of suspected marijuana. Below listed suspect # 2 was checked and found to be in possession of a loaded small caliber handgun. Both suspects were arrested without incident.
ARRESTED #1: Michael (nmn) Gregory, 27 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Possession of marijuana
Possession of CDS/paraphernalia
ARRESTED #2: Tylisha Nashay Williams, 22 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Wearing, carrying a handgun on person
Wearing, carrying a handgun in vehicle
DISPOSITION: Both suspects released to Central Booking
CC # 201000003533
On January 25, 2010 at approximately 5:35 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police arrested the below listed suspect on an outstanding arrest warrant for assault. Officers obtained the arrest warrant following the investigation of the assault which occurred on December 29, 2009. On that date it was found that the suspect assaulted a family member during a domestic argument at a residence on Charles Street.
ARRESTED: Myron Lee Joynes, 31 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Second degree assault
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC# 200900046004
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Second degree assault
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC# 200900046004
On January 26, 2010 at approximately 3:45 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center Emergency Room for the report of a trespasser. Upon arrival the officers met with PRMC security who advised that the below listed suspect was refusing to leave the property after numerous requests. The suspect refused to leave for the officers and was taken into custody.
ARRESTED: Richard Edward Duane, 45 years of age
Ocean City, Maryland
CHARGES: Trespassing
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC# 20100000 3849
Ocean City, Maryland
CHARGES: Trespassing
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC# 20100000 3849
Unemployment Office Bashing
Joe,
I wasn’t going to even waste my time refuting the most recent “attack” against us unemployment workers, but I’ve had enough. In Sunday’s Daily Times, there was another article about the “terrible unemployment office.” I am sick and tired of so many uniformed people dogging our agency. Let me set the record straight as The Daily Times tells a one-sided story, like usual. Now I can only speak for the Salisbury claim center, as I don’t work in any of the other claim centers across the state.
Yes, we are thankful that we have jobs. Yes, we are extremely overloaded with our workload and hard to get in touch with. (As most state agencies are) However, if you go to our website, www.mdunemployment.com, it is extremely user friendly and you can get almost any information that you need right on the website. If people would only take the time to READ it.
I’ll have you know that we are one of the few state agencies that WORKED mandatory overtime throughout the holidays just to try to get through the high caseload. So, while people were spending time with their families on Christmas Eve and during the holiday season, we, at the Unemployment Office were working. Getting cursed out 8-10 hours a day because it’s all our fault that businesses are closing and people are losing their jobs. It’s our fault that their homes are being foreclosed and they can’t find a job after getting 73 weeks of unemployment. Yes that’s right, 73 weeks of Unemployment. We, as employees have not had a raise in 3 years and in fact, we have had to undergo furloughs and salary reductions. At the same time, unemployed claimants just got a “raise” of $30 extra dollars for every week they are unemployed. HMMM…..
Unemployment is not a “God Given Right.” It does NOT come from an employee’s paycheck. Unemployment was set up to help people who are out of work through no fault of their own. Unemployment Insurance is paid for by the EMPLOYERS, and it is our job to follow the state and federal guidelines. We are NOT in business to give people a hard time. We are just trying to do our job the best way we know how in today’s tough times. So, the next time you think about bashing the Unemployment workers, please, put the shoe on the other foot and gather your facts first. Walk a mile in our shoes and I guarantee that you won’t want to put them on again.
I wasn’t going to even waste my time refuting the most recent “attack” against us unemployment workers, but I’ve had enough. In Sunday’s Daily Times, there was another article about the “terrible unemployment office.” I am sick and tired of so many uniformed people dogging our agency. Let me set the record straight as The Daily Times tells a one-sided story, like usual. Now I can only speak for the Salisbury claim center, as I don’t work in any of the other claim centers across the state.
Yes, we are thankful that we have jobs. Yes, we are extremely overloaded with our workload and hard to get in touch with. (As most state agencies are) However, if you go to our website, www.mdunemployment.com, it is extremely user friendly and you can get almost any information that you need right on the website. If people would only take the time to READ it.
I’ll have you know that we are one of the few state agencies that WORKED mandatory overtime throughout the holidays just to try to get through the high caseload. So, while people were spending time with their families on Christmas Eve and during the holiday season, we, at the Unemployment Office were working. Getting cursed out 8-10 hours a day because it’s all our fault that businesses are closing and people are losing their jobs. It’s our fault that their homes are being foreclosed and they can’t find a job after getting 73 weeks of unemployment. Yes that’s right, 73 weeks of Unemployment. We, as employees have not had a raise in 3 years and in fact, we have had to undergo furloughs and salary reductions. At the same time, unemployed claimants just got a “raise” of $30 extra dollars for every week they are unemployed. HMMM…..
Unemployment is not a “God Given Right.” It does NOT come from an employee’s paycheck. Unemployment was set up to help people who are out of work through no fault of their own. Unemployment Insurance is paid for by the EMPLOYERS, and it is our job to follow the state and federal guidelines. We are NOT in business to give people a hard time. We are just trying to do our job the best way we know how in today’s tough times. So, the next time you think about bashing the Unemployment workers, please, put the shoe on the other foot and gather your facts first. Walk a mile in our shoes and I guarantee that you won’t want to put them on again.
Noise Violations
Joe,
I was wondering what your thoughts are on the police efforts to patrol known college student neighborhoods and pass out noise violations and alcohol citations. I am a student who is graduating in May, and while I have been here I have received neither but know countless people who have. Do you think that the police efforts are well spent or that they should be spending more time patrolling areas with known criminal activity, instead of patrolling areas with easy targets, who don't carry weapons or have gang affiliations. Don't get me wrong, I understand the noise ordinance has a purpose, but it just seems to me there are much more important things to control than college students being loud in college neighborhoods. To me it seems like a safe, easy way for the Salisbury Police to bring money in, considering that the citations for a noise violation carry a $500.00 fine and are given to every person who resides in the house which receives a violation.
I was wondering what your thoughts are on the police efforts to patrol known college student neighborhoods and pass out noise violations and alcohol citations. I am a student who is graduating in May, and while I have been here I have received neither but know countless people who have. Do you think that the police efforts are well spent or that they should be spending more time patrolling areas with known criminal activity, instead of patrolling areas with easy targets, who don't carry weapons or have gang affiliations. Don't get me wrong, I understand the noise ordinance has a purpose, but it just seems to me there are much more important things to control than college students being loud in college neighborhoods. To me it seems like a safe, easy way for the Salisbury Police to bring money in, considering that the citations for a noise violation carry a $500.00 fine and are given to every person who resides in the house which receives a violation.
The SBYNews PD* Theater
Just click on the links and enjoy a trip to a movie theater of yesterday. Day before yesterday, even.
Settle in and enjoy.
Today's Cartoons
Merrie Melodies: A Day at the Zoo (1939)Cartoon characters spend a silly day at the Kalama Zoo.
(Kalama Zoo. Get it?)
Betty Boop in Minnie the Moocher (1932)
(with great musical and visual opening from Cab Calloway and His Band)
Today's Short Subject
Our Double Feature
The Crooked Way (1954)
Starring John Payne
Film noir - an amnesiac war vet just released from an Army hospital is framed for murder.
Mambo (1954)Starring Silvana Mangano, Shelley Winters
Poor venetian girl in love with a dead end guy is taken under the wing of a Mambo dance producer (Shelley Winters). She briefly finds fame and then a problematic and complicated marriage with a count (the why of it you will have to find out for yourself). Her marriage is troubled by her relationship with her former lover Mario, the dead end guy.
* Disclaimer: All films linked here, as far as the poster can determine, are
in Public Domain and, as such, are freely distributable and viewable by the public.
Type It... It Speaks
You Type...it speaks...technology has far surpassed me!!! This is amazing. Try it and see!!
Turn up the volume.
She will say anything you type. I sure don't know how they do this! When you move the mouse around, her eyes follow the pointer. When you write something in the left space and then click on 'Say it,' she says it!
You can also change persons doing the talking and the language they speak.
Technology! Wow !!
Haiti Relief
Hello Joe,
Last week there was a post with many comments about the relief effort in Haiti. One comment came from someone that didn't have alot of money to spare, as to a monetary donation, and asked what she could do. Yesterday while at church, there was something in our bulletin as to UMCOR, United Methodist Committee on Relief. They are looking for "Health Kits" which appear to be fairly inexpensive (items could be purchased at the dollar store) so I thought I might send the contents to you if you see fit to put it on the blog...
UMCOR Health Kits
Please place the following contents and $2.50(*explained below) in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag:
1- Hand towel (15"x25" up to 17"x27", not kitchen towels)
1- Wash cloth
1- comb (large, sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1- Nail file or fingernail clippers (no emory boards or toenail clippers)
1- Bath-sized bar of soap (3 oz & up)
1- Toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child size)
6- Adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
*Note: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to the health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before it is sent. (Please include $1 for each kit for the purchase of the toothpaste and $1.50 for shipping)
If anyone would like to participate, they could be dropped off at St. Stephen's UM Church, State St, Delmar DE between 9 am -1 pm Monday thru Friday, and then we will see that they get to UMCOR.
Thanks!
Dawn Turner
Last week there was a post with many comments about the relief effort in Haiti. One comment came from someone that didn't have alot of money to spare, as to a monetary donation, and asked what she could do. Yesterday while at church, there was something in our bulletin as to UMCOR, United Methodist Committee on Relief. They are looking for "Health Kits" which appear to be fairly inexpensive (items could be purchased at the dollar store) so I thought I might send the contents to you if you see fit to put it on the blog...
UMCOR Health Kits
Please place the following contents and $2.50(*explained below) in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag:
1- Hand towel (15"x25" up to 17"x27", not kitchen towels)
1- Wash cloth
1- comb (large, sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1- Nail file or fingernail clippers (no emory boards or toenail clippers)
1- Bath-sized bar of soap (3 oz & up)
1- Toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child size)
6- Adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
*Note: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to the health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before it is sent. (Please include $1 for each kit for the purchase of the toothpaste and $1.50 for shipping)
If anyone would like to participate, they could be dropped off at St. Stephen's UM Church, State St, Delmar DE between 9 am -1 pm Monday thru Friday, and then we will see that they get to UMCOR.
Thanks!
Dawn Turner
RSC Update
From the Chairman
After pushing a radical, job-killing agenda for the past year, Democrats in Congress and the White House now claim they’ve “gotten the message” from the American people. But have they really? With unemployment in double digits, job creation should be the number one priority. That simply isn’t the case.
In an attempt to show concern for the economic struggles of average Americans, President Obama will reportedly unveil a small collection of tax breaks and other items aimed at middle class families during his State of the Union address on Wednesday. These may in fact be worthy proposals, but not a single one has anything to do with promoting job creation.
The secret to economic growth is no secret at all. It’s what we based the RSC’s Economic Recovery Act on more than one year ago. If you allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money and ensure that their savings won’t be decimated by an exploding national debt, the American people will lead the way to prosperity. Until we hear that message repeated back to us from those who control the levers of government in Washington, it will be clear that they still don’t “get it.”
Sincerely,
Congressman Tom Price
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
RSC Media Activity – Republican Study Committee members work hard to ensure that the conservative viewpoint is well-represented in all corners of the media.
· Rep. Mike Pence (IN-06): Winning Back America; Human Events, January 20.
· Chairman Tom Price (GA-06): Five Challenges for President Obama; Human Events, January 20.
· Rep. Randy Forbes (VA-04): Soft Sand; Weekly Column, January 22.
Outlook – Here is a preview of upcoming Democrat proposals to advance their big-government, anti-taxpayer agenda.
· President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address this Wednesday, January 27. The Obama administration is also slated to unveil its budget for Fiscal Year 2011 on February 1. It remains unclear how the Democrats will move forward on health care.
RSC Reports
· Each week, the RSC Budget and Spending Taskforce compiles a weekly report on the latest budget and spending news. Additionally, the RSC Money Monitor tracks how bills passed by the House affect authorizations, mandatory spending, and federal government revenue.
After pushing a radical, job-killing agenda for the past year, Democrats in Congress and the White House now claim they’ve “gotten the message” from the American people. But have they really? With unemployment in double digits, job creation should be the number one priority. That simply isn’t the case.
In an attempt to show concern for the economic struggles of average Americans, President Obama will reportedly unveil a small collection of tax breaks and other items aimed at middle class families during his State of the Union address on Wednesday. These may in fact be worthy proposals, but not a single one has anything to do with promoting job creation.
The secret to economic growth is no secret at all. It’s what we based the RSC’s Economic Recovery Act on more than one year ago. If you allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money and ensure that their savings won’t be decimated by an exploding national debt, the American people will lead the way to prosperity. Until we hear that message repeated back to us from those who control the levers of government in Washington, it will be clear that they still don’t “get it.”
Sincerely,
Congressman Tom Price
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
RSC Media Activity – Republican Study Committee members work hard to ensure that the conservative viewpoint is well-represented in all corners of the media.
· Rep. Mike Pence (IN-06): Winning Back America; Human Events, January 20.
· Chairman Tom Price (GA-06): Five Challenges for President Obama; Human Events, January 20.
· Rep. Randy Forbes (VA-04): Soft Sand; Weekly Column, January 22.
Outlook – Here is a preview of upcoming Democrat proposals to advance their big-government, anti-taxpayer agenda.
· President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address this Wednesday, January 27. The Obama administration is also slated to unveil its budget for Fiscal Year 2011 on February 1. It remains unclear how the Democrats will move forward on health care.
RSC Reports
· Each week, the RSC Budget and Spending Taskforce compiles a weekly report on the latest budget and spending news. Additionally, the RSC Money Monitor tracks how bills passed by the House affect authorizations, mandatory spending, and federal government revenue.
EPA Public Listening Session On Potential Storm Water Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold five listening sessions to provide information to the public about a potential rule to strengthen storm water regulations and to establish a comprehensive program to reduce storm water from new development and redevelopment.
The EPA seeks input on the following preliminary regulatory considerations: expand the area subject to federal storm water regulations; establish specific requirements to control storm water discharges from new development and redevelopment; develop a single set of consistent storm water requirements for all municipal separate storm sewer systems; require those sewer systems to address storm water discharges in areas of existing development through retrofitting the sewer system or drainage area with improved storm water control measures; and explore specific storm water provisions to protect sensitive areas.
The session taking place in the Mid-Atlantic region will be held on January 28, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at EPA HQ Office, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. You can register by going to www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/rulemaking where you'll also find information on listening sessions, the potential rule and instructions for submitting written comments. The EPA will accept written comments on the preliminary rulemaking considerations until February 26, 2010.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The City Council has scheduled the following additional work sessions for February:
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010.
Both work sessions will be held at 9:30 a.m. in Conference Room 306 of the Government Office Building (125 N. Division Street).
Delmar Football
Football Fundraiser
On Wednesday Jan. 27, 2010 at 6:30pm in the auditorium the Delmar High School football team will have a fundraiser for the cost of the state championship rings. The state championship game film will be shown along with a highlight film of the entire season. After the film players and parents will have the opportunity to ask questions about the game along with different related topics to the entire coaching staff. The price of admission will be any amount you are willing to donate.
On Wednesday Jan. 27, 2010 at 6:30pm in the auditorium the Delmar High School football team will have a fundraiser for the cost of the state championship rings. The state championship game film will be shown along with a highlight film of the entire season. After the film players and parents will have the opportunity to ask questions about the game along with different related topics to the entire coaching staff. The price of admission will be any amount you are willing to donate.
More Darwin Awards
1. When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California ;would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.
And now, the honourable mentions:
2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company suspecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.
3. A man who shovelled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her..
4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies claiming they were not mad but had been picked up by the driver. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.
5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone poin ts a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]
7. An Arkansas man wanted some beer pretty badly so he decided he'd throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block hit the window, bounced back hitting the would-be thief on the head and knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on the stores CCTV.
8. As a female shopper left a New York store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the thief. They put him in the patrol car and drove him back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."
9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan at 5 A.M., flash ed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said that these weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away again. - THIS WAS AWARDED THE 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER
10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near vomit and spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man had admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he pushed his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.
In the interest of bettering mankind, please share these with friends and family....unless of course one of these individuals by chance is a distant relative or long lost friend. In that case, be glad they are distant and hope they remain lost.
*** Remember.... They walk among us!!!*** And They Breed ...... Be very afraid!!
And now, the honourable mentions:
2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company suspecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.
3. A man who shovelled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her..
4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies claiming they were not mad but had been picked up by the driver. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.
5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone poin ts a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]
7. An Arkansas man wanted some beer pretty badly so he decided he'd throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block hit the window, bounced back hitting the would-be thief on the head and knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on the stores CCTV.
8. As a female shopper left a New York store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the thief. They put him in the patrol car and drove him back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."
9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan at 5 A.M., flash ed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said that these weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away again. - THIS WAS AWARDED THE 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER
10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near vomit and spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man had admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he pushed his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.
In the interest of bettering mankind, please share these with friends and family....unless of course one of these individuals by chance is a distant relative or long lost friend. In that case, be glad they are distant and hope they remain lost.
*** Remember.... They walk among us!!!*** And They Breed ...... Be very afraid!!
The Economy Is So Bad That.....
1. I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.
2. I ordered a burger at McDonald's and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"
3. CEO's are now playing miniature golf.
4. If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.
5. Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.
6. McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer.
7. Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.
8. A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico .
9. Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.
10. Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.
11. The Mafia is laying off judges.
12. Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.
13. Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal.
Oh, Great!! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated
by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!
And,finally...
14. I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called the Suicide Lifeline. I got a call center in Pakistan, and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.
2. I ordered a burger at McDonald's and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"
3. CEO's are now playing miniature golf.
4. If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.
5. Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.
6. McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer.
7. Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.
8. A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico .
9. Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.
10. Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.
11. The Mafia is laying off judges.
12. Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.
13. Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal.
Oh, Great!! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated
by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!
And,finally...
14. I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called the Suicide Lifeline. I got a call center in Pakistan, and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.
Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases
Incident: Hindering and Obstructing
Date of Incident: 24 January 2010
Location: 1000 block of West Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Denise Stallings, 28, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 24 January 2010 at 4:42 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 1000 block of West Rd for the purpose of locating a wanted subject, James Lee Travis. Sheriff’s Office personnel had received a tip through Crime Solvers that Travis could be found at that location. Upon arrival, a female resident, Denise Stallings greeted the deputy and declared that Travis was not present nor did Travis live there. The deputy knew from a previous visit to the residence that Travis did reside there and that Stallings had told the same deputy on a prior visit that the individual who would later be identified as Travis was someone else.
The deputies asked for and received permission to enter the residence and look for Travis. Deputies subsequently found him hiding underneath a bed, at which point he was taken into custody. When the deputies located Travis, Stallings continued to try and tell the deputies that the subject they had was not Travis.
Travis was transported to the Detention Center where he was detained on an outstanding Circuit Court Bench Warrant that charged him with Violation of Probation in a MDOP over $500 case. Travis was detained on a bond of $10,000.00.
The deputy placed Stallings under arrest and brought her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Stallings on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: (Stallings) Harbor a Fugitive
False Statement to Law Enforcement
Hinder and Obstruct
Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 24 January 2010
Location: 2300 block of Hudson Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Jamie McSherry, 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 24 January 2010 at 1:15 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported fight between two subjects in the front yard of a residence in the 2300 block of Hudson Drive. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a male subject who advised that his girlfriend, Jamie McSherry, had assaulted him because he had started dating someone else. The deputy observed signs of physical injury on the victim that corroborated his account. Prior to the physical altercation, McSherry threw an object at the victim’s flat screen television rendering it unusable.
The deputy located McSherry at a nearby residence at which point she was interviewed and subsequently arrested. The deputy transported McSherry to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released McSherry on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Assault 2nd degree
Malicious Destruction of Property
Incident: Theft from Motor Vehicle
Date of Incident: 24 January 2010
Location: 6100 block of Westbrooke Drive, MD
Suspect: Pending
Narrative: On 24 January 2010 at 9:00 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported theft from a motor vehicle that has just occurred. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a subject who stated that he had been outside his residence in the back yard when he heard the door to his vehicle slam shut. Upon walking around to the front of the house, the resident saw two males, dressed in all black walking away from his residence, carrying a rifle they had removed from his truck. The resident chased after the pair who dropped the rifle and attempted to run away. The victim managed to stop one of the subjects and also found that subject to be in possession of ammunition for the rifle that had also been taken from the truck. The subject stopped by the victim then left the area.
The subject the victim stopped is described as 15-17 YOA with short black hair, dressed all in black. While speaking with the victim, this subject stated he resided in the Willow Creek neighborhood.
Anyone with information as to the identity of this individual or any other similar incidents occurring in the same vicinity is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4890 or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.
Charges: Theft
The Following individuals were arrested by the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office on Arrest Warrants 18 January- 24 January 2010
Arrest Warrants
Patrick Orrie Vetra, 19, Salisbury, MD; Theft, released on Personal Recognizance
Tommy Allen Grady, 31, Mardela Springs, Attempted Theft, held $2,600.00 bond.
Adam M Calloway, 21, Laurel, DE, Escape 2nd degree, held without bond.
Julius Zorro Parson, 51, Salisbury, MD, Rogue and Vagabond, Theft, held $15,000.00 bond.
Failure to Appear Bench Warrant
Alonzo Keith Briddell, 27, Salisbury, MD; FTA- Possession of Marijuana, held without bond.
Devonte O. Farrare, 20, Salisbury, MD; FTA – Driving While Suspended, held $1,000.00 bond.
Zqueesha V. Tilghman, 21, Salisbury, MD; FTA – Assault 2nd degree, held $25,000.00 bond.
Bruce E. Marshall, 51, Selbyville, DE; FTA – Driving While Suspended, held on $5,000.00 bond.
Craig Allen Ortiz, 20, Salisbury, MD; FTA – Driving Without a License, held on $1,000.00 bond.
Jason Carl Johnson, 24, Fruitland, MD, FTA – Driving Without Insurance, Held $492.00 bond.
Christopher N. Cornish, 22, Hempstead, NY, FTA – Possession of CDS, held $544.00 bond.
Sandra Jean Bashor, 24, Salisbury, MD; FTA for a VOP hearing, Theft under $500, held $20,000.00 bond.
Violation of Probation Bench Warrant
James Lee Travis, 28, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Malicious Dest. Of Property, held $10,000.00 bond.
Randolph G. Cottman, 24, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Burglary 1st degree, held $25,000.00 bond.
Stephen A. Clemons, 32, Seaford, DE; VOP – Distribution of CDS, held without bond.
Deonte R. Siggers, 25, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Possession of Marijuana, held $5,000.00 bond.
Andrew R. Parsons, 43, Fruitland, MD; VOP – Possession of CDS, held $75,000.00 bond
Warren Hammond, 52, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Burglary 2nd degree, held $10,000.00 bond.
Circuit Court Indictment
Russell M. Bailey, 36, Salisbury, MD; Distribution of CDS, held $25,000.00 bond.
Fugitive from Another State
Alisha M. Tenner, 29, Crisfield, MD; Fugitive from Delaware, Forgery, Held Without Bond pending extradition back to Delaware.
Relysee R. Haywood, 47, Fruitland, MD; Fugitive from Delaware, Robbery, Held Without Bond Pending Extradition back to Delaware
Failure to Pay
Cantrece S. Deal, 31, Salisbury, MD; Failure to Pay Fine, Possession of Marijuana, held $257.50 bond.
Jonisha Bonneville, 22, Salisbury, MD; Failure to Pay Fine, MDOP over $500, held $357.50 bond.
Tommy Allen Grady, 31, Mardela Springs, Failure to Pay Fine, Theft under $500, held $342.50 bond.
LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR ACCUSED IN I-95 MURDER
(Bel Air, MD) – A second man convicted in the 2008 murder of a Havre de Grace man was sentenced to life without parole today in Harford County Circuit Court.
Demetrius D. Lovelace, 37, of Temple Hills, Md., was sentenced to life without parole for first degree murder. He was also sentenced to 20 years for armed robbery, to run concurrent with the first degree murder sentence. Lovelace was sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy to commit robbery, which will run consecutive to the armed robbery conviction, but concurrent to the sentence for murder. He received five years for the illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon that will run consecutive to the armed robbery and the conspiracy to commit robbery, but concurrent to the murder.
Judge Thomas E. Marshall, of the Harford County Circuit Court, handed down the sentences today. The State was represented by Scott H. Lewis, Deputy State’s Attorney for Harford County.
Lovelace was convicted and sentenced for the murder of Alan Zurita, 29, of Havre de Grace, Md. Zurita was found on the shoulder of I-95 near Rt. 24 at about 2:30 a.m. on April 1, 2008. He had been shot and fatally wounded.
An investigation into Zurita’s murder by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit also led to charges against Damon M. Jackson, of Havre de Grace, Md., who was 33 at the time of his arrest one week after the murder occurred. Jackson was convicted of first degree murder in February 2009. He was sentenced in Harford County Circuit Court to life in prison in April of last year.
After Months Of Drought, Stimulus Obligations Bounce Back
After three months of shrinking obligations, the stimulus pipeline is beginning to fill up again. The latest numbers from Recovery.gov show that stimulus money “in process”—funds committed to specific projects, but not yet spent—has started to tick upward again. ProPublica reported two weeks ago that the amount of money in process had peaked at $172 billion in October, only to fall consistently through the rest of the year.But that trend has now reversed, at least for the moment. After dipping below $150 billion in last week’s numbers, the amount of stimulus dollars in process has now risen to $157 billion. That seems to be the result of federal agencies obligating more of their stimulus appropriations to specific projects: in the latest numbers, the amount of stimulus money that agencies have yet to obligate has fallen to $251 billion, from $267 billion last week. (You can see that information and more on our handy Stimulus Progress Bar.)
GO HERE to read more.
O'Malley Announces Legislative Agenda On Jobs, Small Business & Public Safety
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO CREATE JOBS, STRENGTHEN SMALL BUSINESSES, ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY
Agenda includes legislation to provide immediate tax relief to small businesses, keep Maryland families in their homes, protect children from predators, fuel green innovation, and improve the nation’s best public school system
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley submitted his legislative agenda today, focusing on strengthening small businesses and creating jobs to bring Maryland through the national recession. The Governor also proposed additional protections for Maryland families facing foreclosure, and specific reforms to further improve the nation’s number one public school system. And the Governor’s energy agenda focuses on fueling innovation to create green jobs, and position Maryland as a national leader in renewable resources.
“There is no government program that is as important and empowering as a job which allows a family to raise their kids with dignity and respect and a roof over their heads. Our task as public servants is to continue making the choices and connections that will allow our families to get through these tough times even stronger,” said Governor O’Malley. “The times we live in call out for less partisanship and more citizenship, and as Marylanders, we have a history of coming together in times of great adversity.”
“Governor O’Malley and I continue our efforts to stand up for Maryland’s families. Our ambitious legislative package builds on the progress we have made in past years and will help create an atmosphere that fosters job creation and improves the health of all Marylanders,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “I am excited to work with the General Assembly to help Governor O’Malley pass these important bills.”
In addition to job creation initiatives, the Governor announced today comprehensive legislation to impose lifetime supervision requirements for sexual predators, including rape, sexual abuse of a minor, and other sexual offenses. The bill would require judges to order lifetime probation, which may include GPS or other monitoring, imposes criminal penalties for violation of probation, and disallows dimunition credits for violations.
The Governor’s proposals call for a $3,000 credit for businesses for every unemployed Marylander that it hires. This initiative, when fully utilized, can account for 6,700 Marylanders coming off the unemployment rolls and back into the workforce. In addition, Governor O’Malley submitted emergency legislation to provide immediate unemployment insurance tax relief for small businesses, and a series of reforms to modernize the system and stabilize the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
Governor O’Malley proposed legislation to fuel innovation in Maryland’s green economy, including a tax credit for the purchase of next generation electric vehicles, expected to be on the market in the fall of this year. Governor O’Malley’s proposal to accelerate Maryland’s solar Renewable Portfolio Standards requirements in the early years (2011 – 2017) would result in more residential and commercial solar installation and greater job creation. In addition, the Heritage Tax Credit program has been broadened into a Sustainable Communities Tax Credit, not only to create and sustain construction and design jobs on historic structures, but to reward those development projects that adhere to ecologically-friendly building standards. The Governor also called for the reauthorization of the Renewable Energy Production tax credit, and has submitted legislation that will make the production of off-shore wind energy in Maryland more feasible.
In addition to job creation initiatives, Governor O’Malley will also submit legislation giving every Maryland family facing foreclosure the legal right to mediation with the lender seeking the foreclosure. Building on the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s bold reforms of the foreclosure process and timelines in 2007, the Administration remains committed to ensuring that those homeowners who are eligible for loan modifications are able to obtain them, and that others can pursue alternatives to avoid foreclosure or lessen its harmful impact. Borrowers who may be eligible for loan modifications to save their homes but find themselves facing foreclosure anyway should be afforded the opportunity to talk directly with their lenders to find a resolution before their homes are sold. This bill gives Maryland families the right to a foreclosure mediation process upon filing of foreclosure proceedings. It requires lenders/servicers to use the 45 day period prior to the filing of the foreclosure action more productively to achieve loan modifications where possible by requiring the Notice to include a loss mitigation application and other information helpful to the homeowner to prevent the loss of their home.
Governor O’Malley will also introduce legislation to improve upon Maryland’s public school system, named the nation’s number one public school system by Education Week Magazine for the second straight year. Included among the reforms is a proposal to develop the structure necessary for the creation of a longitudinal data system, which would track students as they move from elementary school through higher education in order to better track progress, trends, and best practices in education. Governor O’Malley also introduced legislation to make funding for the Higher Education Investment Fund from corporate tax revenues permanent and to establish a Tuition Stabilization Account in the Fund in order to establish a more predictable, affordable tuition policy and avoid large tuition increases in the future. The Higher Education Investment Fund was created under the O’Malley-Brown Administration to help stabilize tuition and make college more affordable for Maryland’s working families.
The Governor also plans on introducing legislation at a later date to better position Maryland for federal Race to the Top funding. The Governor continues to work with stakeholders to craft reforms that will further improve the nation’s number one public school system.
Governor O’Malley also introduced legislation today establishing the framework for patient centered medical homes (PCMH), a model of primary care in which a team of health professionals, guided by a personal physician, provides continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated care in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. The bill directs the Maryland Health Care Commission to establish a PCMH Program consisting of all-payer and single-payer PCMH pilots. A PCMH program in law will establish a clear state action claim and protect stakeholders from federal anti-trust challenges.
Governor O’Malley also reintroduced legislation from last year to advance the State’s efforts to contain costs and eliminate waste and abuse in State health programs. The bill will enable the State to recover damages and penalties from individuals who defraud the State by filing false claims against State health plans and programs.
BILL SUMMARIES
Protecting Maryland’s Children
Lifetime Supervision for Sex Offenders
Background: The O'Malley-Brown Administration has made public safety an integral part of its mission by establishing a key goal of a 25 percent reduction in violent crime against women and children by 2012. We have partnered with our local jurisdictions to crack down on repeat violent offenders by ramping up our efforts to use DNA and digitally enhanced fingerprint evidence to solve crimes and by supporting our courageous police officers, fire fighters, and first responders.
In order to meet this goal, we have championed a number of public safety bills, but we have also made equally important changes administratively. The Division of Parole and Probation (DPP) has focused its attention on known violent and sexual offenders. All sex offenders are assigned to specially trained agents, required to be under the strictest probationary terms, and placed on GPS monitoring at intake. Violent offenders are placed in the Violence Prevention Initiative (VPI) and, along with sex offenders, are strictly monitored under a “containment model” with a zero tolerance policy for violations.
Governor O’Malley courageously committed the resources upon taking office to addressing an inherited backlog of 24,000 DNA samples. As a result, more than 100 sex offenders have been arrested since March 2007 through DNA database matches.
Description: The bill requires that courts sentence certain serious sex offenders (convicted of first degree rape/attempt; second degree rape/attempt; first degree sexual offense/attempt; certain second degree and third degree sexual offenses; certain sexual abuse of a minor) and sex offenders with multiple offenses to mandatory lifetime supervision. This lifetime supervision must be consecutive to any sentence or probationary term imposed for the underlying offense. The sentencing court must order a presentence investigation prior to imposing the conditions of this lifetime supervision, which may include GPS monitoring. The bill also provides for criminal penalties for violations and provides that any sentence imposed for a violation of lifetime supervision is not subject to dimunition credits.
The bill further provides that, following the original sentence and an additional three years of lifetime supervision, a person may petition the sentencing court for discharge from this supervision. In order to file a petition, a person must have a recommendation from their supervising agent and a risk assessment conducted by a sexual offender treatment provider. A sentencing court may not discharge a person from lifetime supervision unless there is a finding that the person no longer poses an unacceptable risk to community safety.
Job Creation and Economic Recovery
Job Creation and Recovery Tax Credit
Background: Maryland’s unemployment rate is 7.5%. While Maryland’s unemployment rate remains well below the national average, Marylanders who are out of work through no fault of their own are still struggling to find jobs in this sluggish economy. This initiative can put more than 6,000 Marylanders back to work if fully utilized, and will relieve pressure on the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund by taking more Marylanders off unemployment.
Description: To get Marylanders back to work and off the unemployment rolls, this bill will offer any Maryland business a $3,000 tax credit for every unemployed Marylander it hires. This one-year initiative is capped at $20 million, and $250,000 per employer. The hired individual must be kept employed for at least one year, and must fill a position that is new or that has been vacant for the prior six months. This tax credit applies to employees who are currently on unemployment insurance benefits, or who were in the past year.
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Modernization
Background: The national recession has resulted in an unprecedented demand on the unemployment insurance trust fund. It has triggered a statutorily-mandated increase in employers’ rates next year while businesses are still struggling to cope with the economic downturn. In addition, despite increased revenues from the rate shift and the relative health of Maryland’s trust fund compared to 25 other state funds in bankruptcy, the fund’s solvency will remain at risk through 2010 and will require a short-term federal loan to meet benefit obligations.
Legislation: The Governor will mitigate the recession’s impact on employers’ rate obligations in three ways:
1) Administrative payment plans and legislative interest rate reduction: The Administration will institute payment plans to allow employers to spread out their payments over a longer time frame. It will also seek a reduction of the current 1.5% interest rate for late payment of rate obligations to 1%.
2) $83 million in rate relief: The Administration will propose legislation to provide $83 million in immediate rate relief to employers. The bill will authorize a one-year shift from Table F to Table E when the State’s taxable wage base declines $1 billion and the trust fund receives an influx of outside funds to compensate for the revenue reduction.
3) Immediate influx to trust fund of $126.8 million in federal dollars: The Administration will shore up the fund’s declining balance and enable rate relief by proposing legislation to access $126.8 million in federal stimulus funds. To enable Maryland to meet federal requirements for accessing the funds, the proposal will: a) adopt Alternative Base Period, a second method of calculating workers’ eligibility for benefits which will likely be required soon as a matter of federal law or policy; b) make technical adjustments to our existing law allowing benefits for part-time workers; and c) provide additional benefits to unemployed workers in training programs, the lowest-cost option available under the federal law, which will stimulate workforce development and training necessary to get people working again.
Fueling Innovation through Renewable Resources
Vehicle Excise Tax for Plug-in Electric Vehicles
Background: The transition from gasoline powered to electric vehicles will provide enormous and far-reaching environmental, economic, national security and health benefits to our citizens. Electric vehicles will reduce petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions, lower fuel costs, improve air quality, and increase the State’s and country’s energy independence. A new generation of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) will come on the market in 2010 – 2012, including the Chevy Volt, and other electric-powered vehicles by Nissan, Ford, Toyota and Chrysler. In 2008, Congress included in the Energy Improvement and Extension Act a new tax credit for qualified PHEVs purchased between 2009 and 2014. The credit ranges from $2,500 to $7,500 for passenger vehicles.
Legislation: To incentivize the purchase of electric vehicles in Maryland, the Governor is proposing a 3-year vehicle excise tax exemption for the purchase of plug-in electric vehicles. The excise tax exemption would be capped at $2,000 per vehicle. Exemptions would be limited to one per individual and 10 per business entity. The cost of the exemptions, estimated to be $270,000 in fiscal year 2011, would be paid for out of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) proceeds in the Strategic Energy Investment Fund.
Accelerating the Solar Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
Background: Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires that a specific percentage of electricity sold in the State must come from solar energy. The solar requirement starts with 0.005% in 2008 and increases each year, peaking at 2% in 2022 and remaining at 2% for each year thereafter. Compared to some other states such as New Jersey and Delaware, Maryland‘s solar requirement increases very slowly in the early years of the RPS, and then increases more rapidly in the last few years.
Legislation: This legislation will accelerate Maryland’s solar RPS requirements in the early years (2011 – 2017), resulting in more residential and commercial solar installations in those years. It will make the phase-in of the Solar RPS more evenly distributed over the next decade and provide more long-term support for Maryland‘s growing solar industry. This change will put the State’s solar goals more in line with New Jersey and Delaware. Additional solar energy in Maryland will decrease peak load electricity prices in the summertime, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil-fueled powered generation, create new green jobs, and help Maryland meet its renewable energy goals. The Alternative Compliance Payment, a fee that must be paid if an electricity provider fails to meet the solar component of Maryland's RPS, will also be adjusted in the legislation.
Reauthorize Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit
Background: The existing tax credit program is set to expire at the end of 2010. This program offers Marylanders a state income tax credit for electricity generated by a renewable resource.
Legislation: The existing program cap of $25 million would remain. The Governor proposes offering Marylanders a state income tax credit limited to $2.5 million to any eligible taxpayer for electricity generated by qualified resources of 0.85 cents per kilo-watt hour, and 0.50 cents per kilo-watt hour for electricity generated from co-firing a qualified resource with coal. The tax credit program would be reauthorized through 2014.
Off-Shore Wind Energy
Background: Supporting our efforts to lead in this new clean energy sector, the proposal would create an effective regulatory framework for offshore wind energy development by addressing gaps in existing regulatory authority. The proposal makes the necessary statutory changes in advance of formal offshore wind energy proposals and applications.
Legislation: The legislation establishes the Public Service Commission’s jurisdiction over renewable energy lines from offshore wind facilities and allows the construction of a submerged or buried renewable energy line in the beach erosion control district as long as the wind generation facility to which the lines are connected is located at least three miles off the coast. Also the building of the lines could not have any adverse impact on the environment.
Keeping Marylanders in their Homes
Foreclosure Mediation
Background: Despite the federal Home Affordable Modification Program and other loss mitigation options that are available to help borrowers, many homeowners who may be eligible for loan modifications that could save their homes do not receive them. As a result, the harmful tide of foreclosures continues to rise. Building on the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s bold reforms of the foreclosure process and timelines in 2007, the Administration remains committed to ensuring that those homeowners who are eligible for loan modifications are able to obtain them, and that others can pursue alternatives to avoid foreclosure or lessen its harmful impact. Borrowers who may be eligible for loan modifications to save their homes but find themselves facing foreclosure anyway should be afforded the opportunity to talk directly with their lenders to find a resolution before their homes are sold.
Legislation: This bill establishes a foreclosure mediation process for Maryland homeowners upon the filing of foreclosure proceedings. It requires lenders/servicers to use the 45 day period prior to the filing of the foreclosure action more productively to achieve loan modifications where possible by requiring the Notice to include a loss mitigation application and other information helpful to the homeowner to prevent the loss of their home.
The bill prohibits the filing of a foreclosure action without completion of loan modification review by requiring the lender/servicer to file, at the time of filing the foreclosure action, an affidavit documenting completion of review, reasons for denial and calculations on which denial was based, or showing that review could not be completed because borrower failed to engage in the process. Lenders/Servicers must also document that other loss mitigation alternatives were considered.
A Borrower can file a “Request for Foreclosure Mediation” on a form that the lender/servicer is required to provide, giving every Maryland family facing foreclosure the right to request a mediation session, face-to-face, with the servicer filing foreclosure.
In order to ensure sufficient housing counseling services to support program, and to help defray judicial costs for implementation, the bill requires the lender/servicer to pay a $100 fee upon the filing of a foreclosure action to be used for additional housing counselors and judicial resources to implement the program. That fee may not be passed on to the borrower.
Improving America’s Number One School System
NOTE: The Governor also plans on introducing legislation at a later date to better position Maryland for federal Race to the Top funding. The Governor continues to work with stakeholders to craft reforms that will further improve the nation’s number one public school system.
Longitudinal Data System (LDS)
Background: The final report of the Interagency Committee on the Development of the Maryland LDS proposed legislation to create an integrated P-20 LDS Center and governing board and address compliance and privacy requirements necessary to implement the Maryland LDS. The creation of a Statewide LDS will enable the exchange of student data among agencies and institutions within the State, and generate timely and accurate information about student achievement that can be used to improve Maryland’s education system and guide decision-makers at all levels.
Legislation: This bill would create an integrated LDS from elementary through higher education, avoiding having separate systems for each level of school which is both ineffectual and nonsensical.
Higher Education Investment Fund
Background: The Higher Education Investment Fund (HEIF) was created by Governor O’Malley to help stabilize tuition and make college more affordable for Maryland’s working families. It is scheduled to sunset at the end of FY2010.
Legislation: This bill makes funding for the HEIF from corporate income tax revenues permanent and establishes a Tuition Stabilization Account in the HEIF based on recommendations from the Bohanan Commission. Creation of a Tuition Stabilization Account helps enforce the message that we need to have a predictable, affordable tuition policy and avoid large spikes in the future.
P-20 Leadership Council
Background: In 2007, Governor O’Malley created the P-20 Leadership Council to create an integrated statewide system to better prepare Maryland students for the jobs of the 21st century while enhancing the State’s economic competitiveness by creating a workforce with 21st century skills. The Council was established by Executive Order to formalize the Council under the Governor’s leadership and to expand the Council’s efforts to focus on workforce development and economic competitiveness
Legislation: This legislation codifies the P-20 Leadership Council and adding legislative participation to the Council, which will strengthen its role in guiding State policy on education and workforce development and will demonstrate Maryland’s commitment to developing strong P-20 connections, which could help Maryland leverage federal and private funds for its P-20 efforts.
Expanding Healthcare
Patient Centered Medical Home Program
Background: The patient centered medical home (PCMH) is a model of primary care in which a team of health professionals, guided by a personal physician, provides continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated care in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. A PCMH practice provides for all of a patient’s health care needs or appropriately collaborates with other qualified professionals to provide patient-centered care through evidence-based medicine, expanded access and communication, care coordination and integration, and care quality and safety. A PCMH is hoped to lower the total costs of care, improve clinical care processes, increase patient access, enhance patient experience of care, and improve staff work satisfaction.
PCMH pilot programs are underway in over 20 states, including an 11 practice pilot established in the spring of 2009 by Carefirst. Pennsylvania, Vermont, Minnesota and Oregon have enacted major health reform legislation with the PCMH as a key element. The Maryland Health Quality and Cost Council adopted a plan in December 2009 to launch an all-payer PCMH program composed of 50 practices, 200 providers, and up to 200,000 patients beginning in January 2011.
Legislation: The bill directs the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to establish a PCMH Program consisting of all-payer and single-payer PCMH pilots. A PCMH program in law will establish a clear state action claim and protect stakeholders from federal anti-trust challenges.
The shared savings approaches envisioned in the Maryland PCMH models require a change in the Insurance Article. The bill will modify the Insurance Article to permit the use of care coordination payments and incentive-based bonus arrangements for providers that participate in a Maryland PCMH program (incentive based programs are currently limited under the Insurance Article to those derived from quality measures).
Carriers will be permitted to share medical information they collect about a patient with that individual’s PCMH and other treating providers rendering health care services, if the patient consents to that release at enrollment in the PCMH.
Making government more efficient
Maryland False Health Claims Act of 2010
Background: This bill will significantly advance the State’s efforts to contain costs and eliminate waste and abuse in State health programs. First, the State currently can recover only actual losses proven dollar for dollar; no extrapolation of audit findings or penalties for repeat offenders are possible except in the criminal context. The ability to bring civil suits for treble damages will augment the State’s recoveries substantially. The federal government recovered more than $3.1 billion under the federal FCA in 2006, and the over twenty states which have enacted false claims acts have realized increased recoveries of up to 100%. For example, Virginia’s Medicaid state recoveries have risen from the $20 million range to the $100 million range in the two years since enactment of its FCA.
Second, the bill will increase the State’s share of any recoveries to the Medicaid program obtained in a civil fraud action by 10%. Under current law, the State’s percentage share of recoveries is limited to its percentage contribution to the Medicaid program. Where the State contributes 40% with a 60% federal match, for example, the State recovers only 40% of any damages. The federal Deficit Reduction Act (“DRA”), however, creates an incentive for states to enact FCAs with qui tam provisions by increasing the States’ share of any recoveries under such acts by 10%.
Legislation: This bill will enable the State to recover damages and penalties from individuals who defraud the State by filing false claims against State health plans and programs (e.g., Medicaid). It also mirrors the federal False Claims Act (“FCA”) by including a “qui tam” provision through which private persons, known as “relators” or “whistleblowers,” can file suit and recover a share of any damages or penalties awarded the State.
Agenda includes legislation to provide immediate tax relief to small businesses, keep Maryland families in their homes, protect children from predators, fuel green innovation, and improve the nation’s best public school system
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley submitted his legislative agenda today, focusing on strengthening small businesses and creating jobs to bring Maryland through the national recession. The Governor also proposed additional protections for Maryland families facing foreclosure, and specific reforms to further improve the nation’s number one public school system. And the Governor’s energy agenda focuses on fueling innovation to create green jobs, and position Maryland as a national leader in renewable resources.
“There is no government program that is as important and empowering as a job which allows a family to raise their kids with dignity and respect and a roof over their heads. Our task as public servants is to continue making the choices and connections that will allow our families to get through these tough times even stronger,” said Governor O’Malley. “The times we live in call out for less partisanship and more citizenship, and as Marylanders, we have a history of coming together in times of great adversity.”
“Governor O’Malley and I continue our efforts to stand up for Maryland’s families. Our ambitious legislative package builds on the progress we have made in past years and will help create an atmosphere that fosters job creation and improves the health of all Marylanders,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “I am excited to work with the General Assembly to help Governor O’Malley pass these important bills.”
In addition to job creation initiatives, the Governor announced today comprehensive legislation to impose lifetime supervision requirements for sexual predators, including rape, sexual abuse of a minor, and other sexual offenses. The bill would require judges to order lifetime probation, which may include GPS or other monitoring, imposes criminal penalties for violation of probation, and disallows dimunition credits for violations.
The Governor’s proposals call for a $3,000 credit for businesses for every unemployed Marylander that it hires. This initiative, when fully utilized, can account for 6,700 Marylanders coming off the unemployment rolls and back into the workforce. In addition, Governor O’Malley submitted emergency legislation to provide immediate unemployment insurance tax relief for small businesses, and a series of reforms to modernize the system and stabilize the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
Governor O’Malley proposed legislation to fuel innovation in Maryland’s green economy, including a tax credit for the purchase of next generation electric vehicles, expected to be on the market in the fall of this year. Governor O’Malley’s proposal to accelerate Maryland’s solar Renewable Portfolio Standards requirements in the early years (2011 – 2017) would result in more residential and commercial solar installation and greater job creation. In addition, the Heritage Tax Credit program has been broadened into a Sustainable Communities Tax Credit, not only to create and sustain construction and design jobs on historic structures, but to reward those development projects that adhere to ecologically-friendly building standards. The Governor also called for the reauthorization of the Renewable Energy Production tax credit, and has submitted legislation that will make the production of off-shore wind energy in Maryland more feasible.
In addition to job creation initiatives, Governor O’Malley will also submit legislation giving every Maryland family facing foreclosure the legal right to mediation with the lender seeking the foreclosure. Building on the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s bold reforms of the foreclosure process and timelines in 2007, the Administration remains committed to ensuring that those homeowners who are eligible for loan modifications are able to obtain them, and that others can pursue alternatives to avoid foreclosure or lessen its harmful impact. Borrowers who may be eligible for loan modifications to save their homes but find themselves facing foreclosure anyway should be afforded the opportunity to talk directly with their lenders to find a resolution before their homes are sold. This bill gives Maryland families the right to a foreclosure mediation process upon filing of foreclosure proceedings. It requires lenders/servicers to use the 45 day period prior to the filing of the foreclosure action more productively to achieve loan modifications where possible by requiring the Notice to include a loss mitigation application and other information helpful to the homeowner to prevent the loss of their home.
Governor O’Malley will also introduce legislation to improve upon Maryland’s public school system, named the nation’s number one public school system by Education Week Magazine for the second straight year. Included among the reforms is a proposal to develop the structure necessary for the creation of a longitudinal data system, which would track students as they move from elementary school through higher education in order to better track progress, trends, and best practices in education. Governor O’Malley also introduced legislation to make funding for the Higher Education Investment Fund from corporate tax revenues permanent and to establish a Tuition Stabilization Account in the Fund in order to establish a more predictable, affordable tuition policy and avoid large tuition increases in the future. The Higher Education Investment Fund was created under the O’Malley-Brown Administration to help stabilize tuition and make college more affordable for Maryland’s working families.
The Governor also plans on introducing legislation at a later date to better position Maryland for federal Race to the Top funding. The Governor continues to work with stakeholders to craft reforms that will further improve the nation’s number one public school system.
Governor O’Malley also introduced legislation today establishing the framework for patient centered medical homes (PCMH), a model of primary care in which a team of health professionals, guided by a personal physician, provides continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated care in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. The bill directs the Maryland Health Care Commission to establish a PCMH Program consisting of all-payer and single-payer PCMH pilots. A PCMH program in law will establish a clear state action claim and protect stakeholders from federal anti-trust challenges.
Governor O’Malley also reintroduced legislation from last year to advance the State’s efforts to contain costs and eliminate waste and abuse in State health programs. The bill will enable the State to recover damages and penalties from individuals who defraud the State by filing false claims against State health plans and programs.
BILL SUMMARIES
Protecting Maryland’s Children
Lifetime Supervision for Sex Offenders
Background: The O'Malley-Brown Administration has made public safety an integral part of its mission by establishing a key goal of a 25 percent reduction in violent crime against women and children by 2012. We have partnered with our local jurisdictions to crack down on repeat violent offenders by ramping up our efforts to use DNA and digitally enhanced fingerprint evidence to solve crimes and by supporting our courageous police officers, fire fighters, and first responders.
In order to meet this goal, we have championed a number of public safety bills, but we have also made equally important changes administratively. The Division of Parole and Probation (DPP) has focused its attention on known violent and sexual offenders. All sex offenders are assigned to specially trained agents, required to be under the strictest probationary terms, and placed on GPS monitoring at intake. Violent offenders are placed in the Violence Prevention Initiative (VPI) and, along with sex offenders, are strictly monitored under a “containment model” with a zero tolerance policy for violations.
Governor O’Malley courageously committed the resources upon taking office to addressing an inherited backlog of 24,000 DNA samples. As a result, more than 100 sex offenders have been arrested since March 2007 through DNA database matches.
Description: The bill requires that courts sentence certain serious sex offenders (convicted of first degree rape/attempt; second degree rape/attempt; first degree sexual offense/attempt; certain second degree and third degree sexual offenses; certain sexual abuse of a minor) and sex offenders with multiple offenses to mandatory lifetime supervision. This lifetime supervision must be consecutive to any sentence or probationary term imposed for the underlying offense. The sentencing court must order a presentence investigation prior to imposing the conditions of this lifetime supervision, which may include GPS monitoring. The bill also provides for criminal penalties for violations and provides that any sentence imposed for a violation of lifetime supervision is not subject to dimunition credits.
The bill further provides that, following the original sentence and an additional three years of lifetime supervision, a person may petition the sentencing court for discharge from this supervision. In order to file a petition, a person must have a recommendation from their supervising agent and a risk assessment conducted by a sexual offender treatment provider. A sentencing court may not discharge a person from lifetime supervision unless there is a finding that the person no longer poses an unacceptable risk to community safety.
Job Creation and Economic Recovery
Job Creation and Recovery Tax Credit
Background: Maryland’s unemployment rate is 7.5%. While Maryland’s unemployment rate remains well below the national average, Marylanders who are out of work through no fault of their own are still struggling to find jobs in this sluggish economy. This initiative can put more than 6,000 Marylanders back to work if fully utilized, and will relieve pressure on the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund by taking more Marylanders off unemployment.
Description: To get Marylanders back to work and off the unemployment rolls, this bill will offer any Maryland business a $3,000 tax credit for every unemployed Marylander it hires. This one-year initiative is capped at $20 million, and $250,000 per employer. The hired individual must be kept employed for at least one year, and must fill a position that is new or that has been vacant for the prior six months. This tax credit applies to employees who are currently on unemployment insurance benefits, or who were in the past year.
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Modernization
Background: The national recession has resulted in an unprecedented demand on the unemployment insurance trust fund. It has triggered a statutorily-mandated increase in employers’ rates next year while businesses are still struggling to cope with the economic downturn. In addition, despite increased revenues from the rate shift and the relative health of Maryland’s trust fund compared to 25 other state funds in bankruptcy, the fund’s solvency will remain at risk through 2010 and will require a short-term federal loan to meet benefit obligations.
Legislation: The Governor will mitigate the recession’s impact on employers’ rate obligations in three ways:
1) Administrative payment plans and legislative interest rate reduction: The Administration will institute payment plans to allow employers to spread out their payments over a longer time frame. It will also seek a reduction of the current 1.5% interest rate for late payment of rate obligations to 1%.
2) $83 million in rate relief: The Administration will propose legislation to provide $83 million in immediate rate relief to employers. The bill will authorize a one-year shift from Table F to Table E when the State’s taxable wage base declines $1 billion and the trust fund receives an influx of outside funds to compensate for the revenue reduction.
3) Immediate influx to trust fund of $126.8 million in federal dollars: The Administration will shore up the fund’s declining balance and enable rate relief by proposing legislation to access $126.8 million in federal stimulus funds. To enable Maryland to meet federal requirements for accessing the funds, the proposal will: a) adopt Alternative Base Period, a second method of calculating workers’ eligibility for benefits which will likely be required soon as a matter of federal law or policy; b) make technical adjustments to our existing law allowing benefits for part-time workers; and c) provide additional benefits to unemployed workers in training programs, the lowest-cost option available under the federal law, which will stimulate workforce development and training necessary to get people working again.
Fueling Innovation through Renewable Resources
Vehicle Excise Tax for Plug-in Electric Vehicles
Background: The transition from gasoline powered to electric vehicles will provide enormous and far-reaching environmental, economic, national security and health benefits to our citizens. Electric vehicles will reduce petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions, lower fuel costs, improve air quality, and increase the State’s and country’s energy independence. A new generation of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) will come on the market in 2010 – 2012, including the Chevy Volt, and other electric-powered vehicles by Nissan, Ford, Toyota and Chrysler. In 2008, Congress included in the Energy Improvement and Extension Act a new tax credit for qualified PHEVs purchased between 2009 and 2014. The credit ranges from $2,500 to $7,500 for passenger vehicles.
Legislation: To incentivize the purchase of electric vehicles in Maryland, the Governor is proposing a 3-year vehicle excise tax exemption for the purchase of plug-in electric vehicles. The excise tax exemption would be capped at $2,000 per vehicle. Exemptions would be limited to one per individual and 10 per business entity. The cost of the exemptions, estimated to be $270,000 in fiscal year 2011, would be paid for out of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) proceeds in the Strategic Energy Investment Fund.
Accelerating the Solar Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
Background: Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires that a specific percentage of electricity sold in the State must come from solar energy. The solar requirement starts with 0.005% in 2008 and increases each year, peaking at 2% in 2022 and remaining at 2% for each year thereafter. Compared to some other states such as New Jersey and Delaware, Maryland‘s solar requirement increases very slowly in the early years of the RPS, and then increases more rapidly in the last few years.
Legislation: This legislation will accelerate Maryland’s solar RPS requirements in the early years (2011 – 2017), resulting in more residential and commercial solar installations in those years. It will make the phase-in of the Solar RPS more evenly distributed over the next decade and provide more long-term support for Maryland‘s growing solar industry. This change will put the State’s solar goals more in line with New Jersey and Delaware. Additional solar energy in Maryland will decrease peak load electricity prices in the summertime, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil-fueled powered generation, create new green jobs, and help Maryland meet its renewable energy goals. The Alternative Compliance Payment, a fee that must be paid if an electricity provider fails to meet the solar component of Maryland's RPS, will also be adjusted in the legislation.
Reauthorize Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit
Background: The existing tax credit program is set to expire at the end of 2010. This program offers Marylanders a state income tax credit for electricity generated by a renewable resource.
Legislation: The existing program cap of $25 million would remain. The Governor proposes offering Marylanders a state income tax credit limited to $2.5 million to any eligible taxpayer for electricity generated by qualified resources of 0.85 cents per kilo-watt hour, and 0.50 cents per kilo-watt hour for electricity generated from co-firing a qualified resource with coal. The tax credit program would be reauthorized through 2014.
Off-Shore Wind Energy
Background: Supporting our efforts to lead in this new clean energy sector, the proposal would create an effective regulatory framework for offshore wind energy development by addressing gaps in existing regulatory authority. The proposal makes the necessary statutory changes in advance of formal offshore wind energy proposals and applications.
Legislation: The legislation establishes the Public Service Commission’s jurisdiction over renewable energy lines from offshore wind facilities and allows the construction of a submerged or buried renewable energy line in the beach erosion control district as long as the wind generation facility to which the lines are connected is located at least three miles off the coast. Also the building of the lines could not have any adverse impact on the environment.
Keeping Marylanders in their Homes
Foreclosure Mediation
Background: Despite the federal Home Affordable Modification Program and other loss mitigation options that are available to help borrowers, many homeowners who may be eligible for loan modifications that could save their homes do not receive them. As a result, the harmful tide of foreclosures continues to rise. Building on the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s bold reforms of the foreclosure process and timelines in 2007, the Administration remains committed to ensuring that those homeowners who are eligible for loan modifications are able to obtain them, and that others can pursue alternatives to avoid foreclosure or lessen its harmful impact. Borrowers who may be eligible for loan modifications to save their homes but find themselves facing foreclosure anyway should be afforded the opportunity to talk directly with their lenders to find a resolution before their homes are sold.
Legislation: This bill establishes a foreclosure mediation process for Maryland homeowners upon the filing of foreclosure proceedings. It requires lenders/servicers to use the 45 day period prior to the filing of the foreclosure action more productively to achieve loan modifications where possible by requiring the Notice to include a loss mitigation application and other information helpful to the homeowner to prevent the loss of their home.
The bill prohibits the filing of a foreclosure action without completion of loan modification review by requiring the lender/servicer to file, at the time of filing the foreclosure action, an affidavit documenting completion of review, reasons for denial and calculations on which denial was based, or showing that review could not be completed because borrower failed to engage in the process. Lenders/Servicers must also document that other loss mitigation alternatives were considered.
A Borrower can file a “Request for Foreclosure Mediation” on a form that the lender/servicer is required to provide, giving every Maryland family facing foreclosure the right to request a mediation session, face-to-face, with the servicer filing foreclosure.
In order to ensure sufficient housing counseling services to support program, and to help defray judicial costs for implementation, the bill requires the lender/servicer to pay a $100 fee upon the filing of a foreclosure action to be used for additional housing counselors and judicial resources to implement the program. That fee may not be passed on to the borrower.
Improving America’s Number One School System
NOTE: The Governor also plans on introducing legislation at a later date to better position Maryland for federal Race to the Top funding. The Governor continues to work with stakeholders to craft reforms that will further improve the nation’s number one public school system.
Longitudinal Data System (LDS)
Background: The final report of the Interagency Committee on the Development of the Maryland LDS proposed legislation to create an integrated P-20 LDS Center and governing board and address compliance and privacy requirements necessary to implement the Maryland LDS. The creation of a Statewide LDS will enable the exchange of student data among agencies and institutions within the State, and generate timely and accurate information about student achievement that can be used to improve Maryland’s education system and guide decision-makers at all levels.
Legislation: This bill would create an integrated LDS from elementary through higher education, avoiding having separate systems for each level of school which is both ineffectual and nonsensical.
Higher Education Investment Fund
Background: The Higher Education Investment Fund (HEIF) was created by Governor O’Malley to help stabilize tuition and make college more affordable for Maryland’s working families. It is scheduled to sunset at the end of FY2010.
Legislation: This bill makes funding for the HEIF from corporate income tax revenues permanent and establishes a Tuition Stabilization Account in the HEIF based on recommendations from the Bohanan Commission. Creation of a Tuition Stabilization Account helps enforce the message that we need to have a predictable, affordable tuition policy and avoid large spikes in the future.
P-20 Leadership Council
Background: In 2007, Governor O’Malley created the P-20 Leadership Council to create an integrated statewide system to better prepare Maryland students for the jobs of the 21st century while enhancing the State’s economic competitiveness by creating a workforce with 21st century skills. The Council was established by Executive Order to formalize the Council under the Governor’s leadership and to expand the Council’s efforts to focus on workforce development and economic competitiveness
Legislation: This legislation codifies the P-20 Leadership Council and adding legislative participation to the Council, which will strengthen its role in guiding State policy on education and workforce development and will demonstrate Maryland’s commitment to developing strong P-20 connections, which could help Maryland leverage federal and private funds for its P-20 efforts.
Expanding Healthcare
Patient Centered Medical Home Program
Background: The patient centered medical home (PCMH) is a model of primary care in which a team of health professionals, guided by a personal physician, provides continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated care in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. A PCMH practice provides for all of a patient’s health care needs or appropriately collaborates with other qualified professionals to provide patient-centered care through evidence-based medicine, expanded access and communication, care coordination and integration, and care quality and safety. A PCMH is hoped to lower the total costs of care, improve clinical care processes, increase patient access, enhance patient experience of care, and improve staff work satisfaction.
PCMH pilot programs are underway in over 20 states, including an 11 practice pilot established in the spring of 2009 by Carefirst. Pennsylvania, Vermont, Minnesota and Oregon have enacted major health reform legislation with the PCMH as a key element. The Maryland Health Quality and Cost Council adopted a plan in December 2009 to launch an all-payer PCMH program composed of 50 practices, 200 providers, and up to 200,000 patients beginning in January 2011.
Legislation: The bill directs the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to establish a PCMH Program consisting of all-payer and single-payer PCMH pilots. A PCMH program in law will establish a clear state action claim and protect stakeholders from federal anti-trust challenges.
The shared savings approaches envisioned in the Maryland PCMH models require a change in the Insurance Article. The bill will modify the Insurance Article to permit the use of care coordination payments and incentive-based bonus arrangements for providers that participate in a Maryland PCMH program (incentive based programs are currently limited under the Insurance Article to those derived from quality measures).
Carriers will be permitted to share medical information they collect about a patient with that individual’s PCMH and other treating providers rendering health care services, if the patient consents to that release at enrollment in the PCMH.
Making government more efficient
Maryland False Health Claims Act of 2010
Background: This bill will significantly advance the State’s efforts to contain costs and eliminate waste and abuse in State health programs. First, the State currently can recover only actual losses proven dollar for dollar; no extrapolation of audit findings or penalties for repeat offenders are possible except in the criminal context. The ability to bring civil suits for treble damages will augment the State’s recoveries substantially. The federal government recovered more than $3.1 billion under the federal FCA in 2006, and the over twenty states which have enacted false claims acts have realized increased recoveries of up to 100%. For example, Virginia’s Medicaid state recoveries have risen from the $20 million range to the $100 million range in the two years since enactment of its FCA.
Second, the bill will increase the State’s share of any recoveries to the Medicaid program obtained in a civil fraud action by 10%. Under current law, the State’s percentage share of recoveries is limited to its percentage contribution to the Medicaid program. Where the State contributes 40% with a 60% federal match, for example, the State recovers only 40% of any damages. The federal Deficit Reduction Act (“DRA”), however, creates an incentive for states to enact FCAs with qui tam provisions by increasing the States’ share of any recoveries under such acts by 10%.
Legislation: This bill will enable the State to recover damages and penalties from individuals who defraud the State by filing false claims against State health plans and programs (e.g., Medicaid). It also mirrors the federal False Claims Act (“FCA”) by including a “qui tam” provision through which private persons, known as “relators” or “whistleblowers,” can file suit and recover a share of any damages or penalties awarded the State.