Despite Pledge, Reid Calls Major Senate Vote

Despite a promise that he would not "rush" important votes before Massachusetts Sen.-elect Scott Brown is seated sometime next week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, has scheduled a Monday vote on the contentious nomination of M. Patricia Smith to be solicitor for the Department of Labor.

Mrs. Smith, now New York's labor commissioner, has come under fire from conservatives and some business groups for the state's "Wage Watch" program. The project, which started in January 2009, enlisted unions and advocacy groups to visit private businesses, educate employers about labor laws and report potential wage violations to the government.

Sen. Michael B. Enzi, Wyoming Republican, who is the ranking minority member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has put a hold on her nomination and asked President Obama to withdraw his nominee, charging that she gave inconsistent testimony before the panel about the program.

Because of Mr. Enzi's hold, 60 votes would be required in the Senate to approve a cloture motion and move the nomination to a full floor vote.

More from the Washington Times

O'Malley Appoints 6 To Sex Offender Advisory Board

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Gov. Martin O'Malley has appointed six new members to Maryland's Sexual Offender Advisory Board to redefine its purpose.

The board was created in 2006 to certify sex offender treatment providers and make recommend how to strengthen laws.

But the board never met to do any of that. The law did not require members of board to have specialized skills for certifying programs.Legislation to address shortcomings of the panel has stalled in recent years. Another bill was introduced last week to address what some have perceived to be constitutional concerns over its authority.

A meeting of the new board is scheduled for Friday.

Sexual predator laws are getting heightened attention this year following the death of a Salisbury girl around Christmas who police say was kidnapped by a sex offender.

Source

Arrests Intensify Haiti Adoption Debate

Some groups call for moratorium, others fear long-term clampdown

NEW YORK - The debate over international adoption, already a bitter one, has intensified in the aftermath of Haiti's earthquake and the arrest of 10 Americans for trying to take children out of the devastated country without permission.

Some groups are urging a long moratorium on new adoptions from Haiti, saying there is too much chaos and too high a risk of mistakes or child trafficking. Other groups fear any long-term clampdown will consign countless children to lives in institutions or on the street, rather than in the loving homes of adoptive parents.

Chuck Johnson, chief operating officer of the National Council for Adoption, said the arrests of the 10 U.S. Baptists would probably undercut his organization's push to expand adoptions from Haiti as soon as feasible.

GO HERE to read more.

SBYNews At 6:00 PM

This was Friday's Show we thought we'd air today because of the content. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.

My Friend Tom Miller Sends This Message

In light of my Presidents $3.8 trillion dollar budget proposal today, I thought it would be appropriate to announce my official campaign website name is now http://www.reducegovernment.com/ .

Keep up the great work and together we will give our children an America that is better than was given to us.

God Bless your efforts,

Thomas J. Miller
Registered (Rep.) Presidential Candidate 2012
http://www.reducegovernment.com/

The Big News We Talked About Last Weekend

Three drug kingpins are among several arrested as the result of a year long narcotics investigation stretching across 3 counties and involving 21 agencies.

Early morning, Friday, January 29, 2010, members of the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force executed numerous Search and Seizure Warrants in the Mardela Springs area of Wicomico County, Maryland as well as Dorchester County, Maryland and Sussex County, Delaware. 
The Warrants stem from a year long investigation into a multi-kilogram narcotics distribution network involving the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. 

As a result of this investigation, arrest warrants were issued and numerous individuals were placed under arrest including: Jameal Rashawn Gould; Aaron Ross; and Anthony Griffin.  These three individuals were all charged as drug kingpins amongst other controlled dangerous substance violations.  Execution of the warrants resulted in the seizure of: narcotics; numerous weapons including handguns and shotguns; items from narcotics proceeds; numerous motor vehicles; and in excess of twenty thousand dollars in U.S. currency.      

A press conference is scheduled at the Wicomico State’s Attorney’s Office for Wednesday, February 3, 2009 at 2:30pm. All questions regarding these arrests will be discussed at the press conference.

The Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force is comprised of members from the Maryland State Police, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, the Salisbury Police Department, and the Fruitland Police Department and was instituted to deter the growing drug problem in Wicomico County.   During Friday’s operation, the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force was assisted by members of the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Salisbury Police Department, the Maryland State Police Barrack, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department, Fruitland Police Department, Ocean City Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Somerset County Narcotics Task Force, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Worcester County Narcotics Task Force, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Narcotics Task Force, Cambridge Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, Caroline County Narcotics Task Force, Georgetown Police Department, Delaware State Police, Laurel Police Department, Princess Anne Police Department and the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Sampson G. Vincent
Deputy State’s Attorney

Davis R. Ruark
State’s Attorney

O’Malley Locks Out Conservative Media

Like his pal Barack Obama, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley pledged to run the most transparent administration in history.  Well, we all saw those health care negotiations on C-SPAN – right?  Now the O’Governor is keeping media outlets that don’t tow the party line from attending State House press conferences. Oh yeah – WE THE PEOPLE are excluded as well.

As O'Malley's poll numbers have dropped over the past year, the Governor's press office has excluded media and citizens from press conferences in the Governor's Reception Room. They have also established new barriers for obtaining press credentials for the State House press corps.

Reporter Hassan Giordano of the Baltimore Independent Examiner describes his frustration with the Governor's interference of an open and transparent government in Maryland and, specifically, the lack of access to the Governor unless you are one of the few favored media representatives known to write or produce pro-Administration pieces:

"While certain members of the Press, including myself, have been stalled and consistently delayed our press credentials, due to some new process the O'Malley administration has put in place, many are questioning why now? As if not already known as the liberal oppressor of all things conservative, Governor O'Malley is now playing games with certain reporter's credentials, who are too closely tied to conservative publications."

Maryland voters shouldn’t be surprised.  Sunlight has always been considered a powerful disinfectant.  When you are playing fast and loose with the taxpayers’ dollars, as O’Malley has been doing for three years, sunlight is the last thing you want.

What is really depressing is that the liberal Maryland media is putting up with this.

H/T:  Maryland Senate Republican Caucus

from Delmarva Dealings

Wicomico County Schools Closed Tomorrow Too

"Monday, February 1st - Tuesday, February 2nd: Schools closed due to weather"

Don't Miss Our 6 PM News Broadcast Tonight

Salisbury Police Department Press Releases

On January 30, 2010 at approximately 2:14 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the area of Truitt Street and Johnson Street for the report of a robbery to a taxi cab driver. Upon arrival the officers made contact with the male cab driver who advised that he had been robbed by a suspect with a knife. The victim advised that he picked up the suspect in the area of the Hardee’s restaurant on North Salisbury Boulevard and transported the suspect to the Truitt Street area at the request of the suspect. When the victim was due payment for the transport, the suspect produced a knife and threatened the victim. The suspect took an amount of U.S. currency from the victim then fled the cab. The suspect entered the passenger side of a red four-door Honda vehicle with unknown registration and fled from the area. Attempts to locate the suspect and the suspect vehicle were unsuccessful. The suspect was described as:
White male, early 20’s in age, wearing a black hooded
sweatshirt, blue jeans, brown boots and a black
toboggan style hat.
CC # 201000004495

On January 30, 2010 at approximately 5:10 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the two hundred (200) block of Holland Avenue for the report of a purse snatching. Upon arrival the officers met with the female victim who advised that a male suspect had taken her pocketbook from her as she walked to her vehicle. The victim advised that the suspect ran to her and grabbed the pocket book, taking it after a brief struggle. The victim was not injured and described the suspect as:
Male, approximately 5’08", medium build, wearing a white
hooded sweatshirt. There is no further description.
CC # 201000004456
If anyone has any information regarding the above incidents they are asked to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165 or to contact Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.


On January 29, 2010 at approximately 5:12 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the six hundred (600) block of E. Church Street for the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival the officers found the below listed two (2) suspects running from the rear door of the residence. Further investigation revealed that the suspects had broken into the unoccupied residence to facilitate a drug transaction.

ARRESTED #1: Faith Katina Sheppard, 31 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Third degree burglary
Fourth degree burglary
Prostitution

ARRESTED #2: Juvenile, 17 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Third degree burglary
Fourth degree burglary
Malicious destruction of property
DISPOSITIONS: Suspect # 1 released to Central Booking
Suspect # 2 released to guardian
CC # 201000004537

On January 31, 2010 at approximately 12:07 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received information to look for a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Worcester County. Officers in the area of Newton Street and Camden Avenue located the stolen vehicle being operated by the below listed suspect. The vehicle was stopped and the suspect was taken into custody. A search of the suspect, incident to arrest, revealed a smoking device containing suspected "crack"/cocaine.

ARRESTED: Clifford Winford Spady, 52 years of age
Fruitland, Maryland
CHARGES: Worcester County Arrest Warrant-
Unlawful taking of a motor vehicle
Possession of cocaine
Possession of CDS/Paraphernalia
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000004618/4619

On January 31, 2010 at approximately 4:05 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on Marley Manor Drive for the report of the theft of a motor vehicle. Upon arrival the officers met with a female victim who advised that a suspect who was known to the victim had taken her vehicle without permission. The victim advised that she had allowed the suspect into her residence to assist the suspect and he had taken her keys and vehicle. A short time later the officers located the stolen vehicle in the area of Vermont Avenue. The officers located the suspect in a residence close to the recovered vehicle and took the suspect into custody. The vehicle was not damaged and was returned to the owner. The suspect was found to be wanted on an additional arrest warrant for several counts of theft.

ARRESTED: Charles David Jones, 39 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Unlawful taking of a motor vehicle
Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
Unauthorized removal of property
Theft (over $ 1000) (2 counts)
Wicomico Co. Arrest Warrant –
Theft (under $ 100) (2 counts)
Theft scheme (under $ 1000)
Failure to obey a lawful order (2 cts)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000004532/4610

On January 31, 2010 at approximately 4:35 pm, officers of the Salisbury Police stopped the below listed suspect in the seven hundred (700) block of E. Church St. for suspicious behavior. The officers attempted to identify the suspect, however the suspect refused to cooperate. As the officers attempted to communicate with the suspect the suspect swung his fist and struck one of the officers in the head area. The suspect was then taken into custody. The officer sustained a small abrasion and a minor cut on the head.

ARRESTED: Robert Carl Early, 29 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Second degree assault
Resisting arrest (2 counts)
Failure to obey a lawful order
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000004640

Things You Should Know About Budget

Washington (CNN) -- President Obama on Monday unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget for next year. Here are some key points. Remember, these are Obama's suggestions. Congress controls the purse strings.

Still a little extra in your paycheck

The Making Work Pay tax breaks would be extended for a year. These were part of last year's stimulus and resulted in slightly higher paychecks for 110 million families, the White House said.

More money for education

Obama wants $3 billion more for elementary and secondary education programs and $1.35 billion for his Race to the Top program. Pell grants, which help students pay for college, would increase by $17 billion.

Big-shovel items

The president is seeking more than $100 billion for state and local infrastructure projects and $4 billion for national and regional infrastructure work.

GO HERE to read more.

Dining Out With Your Dog

In these freezing temps, it's tough to picture dining al fresco with Fido, but it could soon happen in Frederick County -- at least, once the weather warms up.


Sen. Alexander Mooney (R-Dist. 3) is proposing a measure to give county commissioners the power to allow people to dine with their dogs on restaurant patios, reports the Frederick Gazette.


"We met with the city back in the fall, and it was my understanding that it was very important to them," Mooney told the Gazette.


GO HERE to read more.

Folks, Please Be Careful Of These Scams

Folks, e-mail messages like the one below are popping up everywhere. Plain and simple, do NOT make ANY donations unless they are to the Red Cross, Salvation Army and or your local Church. Please do not fall for these scams.

SCAM

Help the people of Haiti to live a good life by donating to them. As you do so may God bless you and your family so that the EARTHQUAKE victims can have good food water shelter and medical care?

Thank you for your concern, inquiries,donations,and prayers for Haiti!!!

Please if you have the enthusiasm or interest at helping the Haitian to achieve its objectives, get back to us as soon as possible with below information:

1. Your full name

2. Your full address

3. Your country and nationality

4. Telephone and fax number (if any)

5. Occupation

6. Amount (Any currency will be accepted)

7. +49-152-220-021-63

8. +49-152-208-294-219.

Email= helphaitiophan@googlemail.com

Contact Haitian in Germany

JOHN C. PEPA

KATE CANE

Obama Axes NASA Moon Plan In New Budget

Budget ends work on shuttle follow-on vehicle, known as Orion

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - President Barack Obama wants to end NASA's moon program, turn over space transportation to commercial companies and jump-start technologies needed for future human exploration of Mars and other destinations, officials said on Monday.

The plan is part Obama's budget for the fiscal year to September 30, 2011, which was unveiled on Monday and must be approved by the Congress.

NASA, which currently receives about $18 billion a year, has been working to develop a replacement for the space shuttles, which are being retired this year after five more missions to complete construction of the orbiting International Space Station, a $100 billion project of 16 nations.

GO HERE to read more.

Dems' Missteps Led To Health Breakdown

Obama fails to appreciate the depth of frustration with Washington

WASHINGTON - Democrats say they never saw it coming, but the breakdown of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul was abetted by their own mistakes.

It wasn't just a political fluke brought on by the surprise election of a Republican senator in true-blue Massachusetts.

Looking back, Obama and his congressional allies failed to appreciate the depth of frustration with Washington — people's desire for health care legislation that would respond to their anxieties, not the clamor of interest groups.

GO HERE to read more.

State Police Probing New Castle Avenue Homicide

Resume: The suspect in this case is identified as Javier T. Morales, 25, of New Castle. He has been formally charged with Murder in the First Degree and Possession of a Deadly Weapon during the Commission of a Felony.

Mr. Morales has been ordered held at the Howard Young Correctional Institute and will be held without bail.

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY, DC MAYOR ADRIAN FENTY MEET TO DISCUSS REGIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES

ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 1, 2010) – Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Washington, DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty met today to discuss ongoing efforts to enhance cross-border coordination in improving public safety throughout the region. In April of last year, the leaders announced the establishment of regular joint sessions that will focus on implementing regional commitments to public safety and other initiatives, and measuring the attainment of the regional goals through Maryland’s StateStat office and the District’s CapStat program. These regional public safety commitments include information-sharing on high risk offenders, expediting the execution of warrants for individuals wanted by another jurisdiction, tracking progress on monitoring repeat violent offenders and other issues.

“Our most solemn obligation as public servants is the protection of the public safety for working families throughout our region,” said Governor O’Malley. “Violent criminals cross borders, and therefore, so should our ability and willingness to enforce our laws. These cross-border partnerships are built on effective principles that enhance public safety and stop violent offenders in their tracks.”

“This year, our strong regional partnership led to decreases in homicides and violent crime throughout the national capital area,” said Mayor Fenty. “I look forward to continuing the communication and collaboration that makes our neighborhoods safer places to live.”

Statewide in Maryland, over the last three years, juvenile homicides have gone down 46 percent. Maryland had the fewest homicides statewide since 1986 last year.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett also attended today’s session, along with Prince George’s County Assistant Police Chief Kevin Davis. In Montgomery County, homicides decreased more than 40 percent between 2008 and 2009 and juvenile homicides decreased by 50 percent during the same period. Between 2007 and 2008, a period of time encompassing the launch of this cross-border public safety initiative, Prince George’s County experienced a reduction in murders of more than 13 percent. Preliminary data indicates that Prince George’s County experienced a 23% reduction in murders between 2008 and 2009, continuing the trend of reduced violence in Prince George’s County. As a result of the State and County’s emphasis on reducing crime, the County’s overall crime rate reached its lowest level in 35 years.

In 2009, the Metro Police Department in Washington, DC showed a 45 year low in homicides. Between 2008 and 2009, DC experienced a 23 percent reduction in homicides, including a reduction in every ward of the District. In addition, violent crime and property crime have each declined, four percent and three percent respectively. Metropolitan Police has also achieved enforcement milestone with its 75 percent homicide closure rate for 2009 and the execution of the most successful narcotics sting operation since the 1970s.

Regional crime rates have dropped significantly as well, including a 25 percent reduction in murder, a 7.3 percent reduction in robbery, a car theft reduction of nearly 32 percent, and a reduction in thefts of over 9 percent.

Tips For SAFE WINTER DRIVING

The Three P's of Safe Winter Driving:

PREPARE for the trip;

PROTECT yourself; and

PREVENT crashes on the road.

PREPARE
Maintain Your Car:

Check battery and tire tread, keep your windows clear, put nofreeze fluid in the washer reservoir, check your antifreeze.

Have On Hand: flashlight, jumper cables, abrasive material (sand, kitty litter, even floor mats), shovel, snow brush and ice scraper, warning devices (like flares) and blankets. For long trips, add food and water, medication and cell phone.

Stopped or Stalled?

Stay with your car, don't over exert, put bright markers on antenna or windows and shine dome light, and, if you run your car, clear exhaust pipe and run it just enough to stay warm.

Plan Your Route:
Allow plenty of time (check the weather and leave early if necessary), be familiar with the maps/directions, and let others know your route and arrival time.
Practice Cold Weather Driving!

During daylight, rehearse maneuvers slowly on the ice or snow in an empty lot
Steer into a skid

Know what your brakes will do: stomp on antilock brakes, pump non-antilock brakes
Stopping distances are longer on water-covered ice and ice

Don't idle for a long time with the windows up or in an enclosed space

PROTECT YOURSELF
Buckle up and use child safety seats properly
Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag
Children 12 and under are much safer in the back seat
Sit back 10 inches from an air bag

PREVENT CRASHES
Drugs and alcohol never mix with driving
Slow down and increase distances between cars
Keep your eyes open for pedestrians walking in the road
Avoid fatigue – Get plenty of rest before the trip, stop at least every three hours, and rotate drivers if possible

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/outreach/safesobr/20qp/planner/images/dot_logo.gif

Toyota Announces Gas Pedal Fix

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Toyota said Monday it has developed a fix for gas pedals in millions of recalled vehicles and is already shipping the new parts to dealers.

The fix involves reinforcing the pedal assembly in a way that eliminates the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick, the company said in a press release. Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles in the United States for this problem.

Toyota said replacement parts are already being shipped and that dealers will work extended hours to fix the recalled vehicles.

"We know what's causing the sticking accelerator pedals, and we know what we have to do to fix it," said Jim Lentz, Toyota's president and chief operating officer, in a statement.

GO HERE to read more.

Yesterday’s Ads, Today’s Technology

By Harry McCracken
Men who plan beyond tomorrow!

Back in the mid-1940s, Seagram's advertised its VO Canadian whiskey with a series of extremely manly magazine ads about "Men Who Plan Beyond Tomorrow" -- unspecified futuristic thinkers who liked the fact that Seagram's was patient enough to age VO for six years.

No, it doesn't make much sense to me, either. But the ads, each of which depicted a different miracle that would transform postwar America, are glorious. They're entertaining when they sort-of-accurately predict scenarios that eventually came to be, such as the rise of the cell phone. And they're even more so when they marvel at wonders-to-be such as coin-operated streetcorner fax machines. Herewith, some highlights as they appeared in LIFE magazine -- click the dates to see the issues with the ads at Google Books.

Source

DSP Seeks Whereabouts Of Missing Person

Location: Last seen at Delaware Park, 777 Delaware Park Boulevard, Newark, Delaware, New Castle County

Date and Time: Last seen on January 26th, 2010

Missing Person: Leslie Stewart, 50, who works and resides at Delaware Park

Resume: The Delaware State Police is seeking the whereabouts of Leslie Stewart, 50, of Newark. He was last seen at about 7:00 p.m. on January 26th at Delaware Park. At the time he went missing, Mr. Stewart advised his friends that he was taking a bus to Wilmington. He has not been seen since.

Anyone who knows of Mr. Stewart’s whereabouts is asked to call Troop 6 at 302-633-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.

Obama Surrendering Control Of The Internet To Foreign Powers

Without the ingenuity of America’s brightest minds and the investment of
U.S. Taxpayer dollars, there would be no Internet, as we now know it today.

Now, the Obama administration has quietly moved to cede control of the web from the United States to foreign powers.

Some background. The Internet came into being thanks to the genius work of American's, Dr.Robert E. Kahn and Dr. Vinton G. Cerf. These men while employed by the Department of Defense in the DARPA office, (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), in the early 1970’s, went to work conceiving, designing and implementing the idea of ‘open-architecture networking’. This breakthrough in connectivity and networking was the birth of the Internet.

[Note that there is no mention here of the self-proclaimed inventor-of-the-internet, Al Gore--maybe they forgot about him-- Editor]

These two gentlemen had the vision and the brainpower to create a worldwide computer Internet communications network that forever changed the world and how we communicate in it.

They discovered that by providing a person with a unique identifier, (TCP/IP), which was able to be recognized and interact through a network of servers, all users then could communicate amongst themselves and with others. The servers would recognize the identifier and connect networks-to-networks, (utilizing a series of giant servers), that would pass on information from computer to computer in a seamless real-time exchange of information. This new process of communication became know as the 'information super highway', a.k.a., the Internet.

Now for the bad news - in an effort to show the World how 'inclusive', 'sharing', 'cooperative' and 'international' America can be, the Obama administration set off on a plan to surrender control and key management of the Internet by the U.S. Department of Commerce and their agents.

More.

Big Help On The Shore

"Good morning Joe,

I simply want to thank Robert Buck for his help. Robert lives up the road from me, he saw me having trouble getting my Sprinter work truck out of my driveway and offered his help. Robert is the owner of Buck's Unlimited (not to be confused with Bucks Unlimited Taxidermy); he brought down an excavator to help get my van out of the rut I had worked it into trying to get it out myself. Did I mention he also plowed all the driveways on our street? This is just another example of the friendliness here on the Shore. Thank you Mr. Buck!

-MB"

MR. POLLITT: DON’T DO THAT MALL DEAL!

Your op-ed in Sunday’s Daily Times fails to answer important questions about this mess. Like why at the start of the negotiation you did not realize that (as you now claim) more than 5 acres are needed? And why would you believe that the land was ever worth what you propose to pay for it?

It is clear to even the strongest proponent for more parking for the Civic Center that the price of $300,000 per acre (that’s $1.5 Million) for just 5 acres at the corner of Civic Avenue and Glen Avenue is ridiculous, when there is much more valuable land on the market for a significantly lower price per acre. Those “appraisals’” being used to support than amount probably are not worth the paper they are written on, and we have been through the appraisal game before on that land you wanted to buy with open space funds for a park on the Westside. Most real estate pros feel that property is not worth any more now than is was in 2003, and the article below that appeared in the Daily Times tells what happened when they tried to sell the mall at auction back then.

Your main (only) argument for paying an outrageous price per acre is that the State will fund the deal with taxpayers’ money. That’s not a reason – it’s a very poor excuse. And your position that only certain citizens are entitled to say how public funds should be spent is both elitist and anti-democratic.


Old Mall on Sale
Daniel Valentine. Daily Times. Salisbury, Md.:Jun 6, 2003. p. 8
Copyright 2003 - Daily Times Salisbury, MD - All Rights Reverved

SALISBURY -- An auction Thursday of the old Salisbury Mall failed to attract a single bidder for the city's former retail center.

Though the auctioneer dropped the asking price five times, no developers were willing to make the minimum $3.5 million starting bid for the 55-acre site.

"Is there any interest at all?" Real Estate Broker John Hanenfeld asked the crowd of about 15 developers from Salisbury and other areas.

The potential bidders stood quietly in the mall space once occupied by a Peebles store as auctioneers reduced their opening bid of $5 million to $3.5 million before calling off the sale.

"I don't think we're going to reduce it any more," Auctioneer Bill Bunch told the crowd after he made repeated calls for a bidder.

Hanenfeld said owners have received several private offers for the former retail center on Civic Avenue that they will review. "It's going to be sold," Hanenfeld said.

The silence at the auction Thursday is the latest in the ongoing struggle owners have had with the old Salisbury Mall.

Built in 1967, the mall was the retail center of the city for two decades.

But when a new mall was built on north Route 13 and retail businesses flocked to the new commercial corridor in the 1990s, the shopping center fell on hard times. In recent years, several of the old mall's anchor stores moved out.

Today, the mall is mostly empty except for a few shops and a martial arts academy.
Owners have been trying to sell the mall for several years, along with a proposed residential development off Saint Albans Drive.

Real estate sources in Salisbury say owners had originally asked for $9 million for the property. Tax assessments place the mall's value at about $5 million.
Unable to find a dedicated buyer, owners put the site up for auction.

The pending sale had attracted interest from across the country. Several local developers also had eyed the property, hoping to use the site to build a hotel or commercial complex to complement the neighboring Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

Several officials in the area say the mall will require extensive work to redevelop, however. Carpets in the building are stained from leaks in the roof and the parking lot outside is cracked.
"It would cost ($3.5 million) just to plow it under," one official said Thursday.
But owners say the mall could become a lucrative investment. Two acres near the site bought for $600,000 in 1997 were sold again this year for $1.1 million.

At the auction, owners also were unable to sell 21 acres already approved for a residential development. The auctioneer lowered the original $3 million starting bid to $1.5 million with no takers.

Bunch, an auctioneer from Pennsylvania, said it is not uncommon for no bids to be made at a real estate auction.

"It isn't like selling antiques or art," he said after the sale. "But it helps get people interested in the property. People come out and see it. That usually leads to a sale."

The auction was attended by several residents who live near the site. Area residents say they are tired of seeing the large building lying dormant.
"It has to be developed," said Virginia Elliott, who watched the non-sale with her husband.

* Reach Daniel Valentine at 410-749-7171, Ext. 320, or dvalentine@smgpo.gannett.com.

Behind The Fundraising Numbers

Fundraising reports for Congressional candidates were due last night, and I've been poring through the House numbers to glean some early trends:

1) Wounded incumbents. It's a warning sign for members of Congress if they have trouble raising more money than their challenger at this early stage in the election. With all the perks of office, this is the time when building a financial advantage against an opponent should be easiest. But if members are losing public support back home, it’s often revealed in their financial figures.

One of the most disappointing fundraising performances came from freshman Rep. Travis Childers (D-Miss.), who only raised $110,000 – one of the worst totals for a targeted Democrat. State senator Alan Nunnelee, his likely Republican opponent, nearly doubled that amount, raising $201,000.

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-Md.), another vulnerable freshman Democrat, performed better on the fundraising front, raising $240,000. But he was still outraised by his 2008 opponent, state senator Andy Harris, who took in $271,000.

Rep. Harry Teague (D-N.M.) was outraised by former GOP congressman Steve Pearce for the second straight quarter – not an encouraging sign for the freshman.

And Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.V.) is nearly out of campaign cash, and nearly got outraised by a leading Republican challenger, former state Del. David McKinley. McKinley begins the year with more money banked ($100,000) than the 14-term congressman ($65,000).

On the Republican side, Bethlehem mayor John Callahan outraised Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), but both raised impressive amounts – over $350,000 each – for their campaigns. And in California, Ami Bera handily outraised Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) and now has banked more campaign cash than the congressman.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/

PUBLIC NOTICE

CANCELLATION OF CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

The City Council’s work session scheduled for Monday, February 1,

2010, has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled for a later date.

Today's Survey Question

How Many People Bought Tickets To The Monster Truck Show At The Civic Center

But Couldn't Go?

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY, DC MAYOR ADRIAN FENTY TO MEET TO DISCUSS REGIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY

ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 1, 2010) – Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Washington, DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty will meet this morning to discuss ongoing efforts to enhance cross-border coordination in improving public safety throughout the region. Following the private meeting, the two leaders and public safety officials will be available for media.

In April of last year, the leaders announced the establishment of regular joint sessions that will focus on implementing regional commitments to public safety and other initiatives, and measuring the attainment of the regional goals through Maryland’s StateStat office and the District’s CapStat program. These regional public safety commitments include information-sharing on high risk offenders, expediting the execution of warrants for individuals wanted by another jurisdiction, tracking progress on monitoring repeat violent offenders and other issues.

State Police Probing New Castle Avenue Homicide

Location: 3000 block of New Castle Avenue, New Castle, Delaware
Date and Time: Monday, February 01, 2010, at approximately 12:51 a.m.
Suspect(s): Subject in custody, to be identified later today

Resume: At 12:51 a.m. this morning, a stabbing occurred along the 3000 block of New Castle Avenue in New Castle. As a result of this incident, a 29-year-old male was killed.

A male suspect is currently in custody at Troop 2 in Glasgow.

A more complete release will be provided later this morning once the details surrounding this incident are known and confirmed.

Homeless Donate $14.64 For Quake Victims

Donations for Haiti have poured in to the American Red Cross of Central Maryland from a range of sources. Nothing, though, has stood out like the coins and crumpled dollar bills that spilled from one envelope.

That gift - $14.64 - came from the pockets of homeless people at a downtown Baltimore shelter.

"We were all weepy-eyed," recalled Red Cross volunteer coordinator Bobbie Jones, who was at the front desk when the donation arrived.

Public relations director Linnea Anderson got teary, too. "Just the thought of those people huddled together in a shelter and seeing a need beyond themselves is enough to give anybody chills," she said. "What a remarkable example of the human spirit."

More from the Baltimore Sun..

School Creep's Detention Haul

Easy money for millionaire exile

A Queens teacher who collects a $100,000 salary for doing nothing spends time in a Department of Education "rubber room" working on his law practice and managing 12 real-estate properties worth an estimated $7.8 million, The Post found.

Alan Rosenfeld hasn't set foot in a classroom for nearly a decade since he was accused in 2001 of making lewd comments to junior-high girls and "staring at their butts," yet the department still pays him handsomely for sitting on his own butt seven hours a day.

In 2001, six eighth-graders at IS 347 in Queens accused Rosenfeld, a typing teacher who filled in for an absent dean, of making comments like "You have a sexy body," asking one whether she had a boyfriend and making others feel uncomfortable with creepy leers.

Because the Department of Education could not produce all the students as witnesses, he was found guilty in only one case. A girl testified that Rosenfeld stopped at her locker, where she was standing with a friend, and "said I love him because I talk to him so much."

A DOE hearing officer gave him a slap on the wrist -- a week off without pay -- for "conduct unbecoming a teacher." He was cleared to return to teaching.

Instead, Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has kept the scruffy 64-year-old in a Brooklyn rubber room, deeming him too dangerous to be near kids, officials said.

The DOE can't fire him.

GO HERE to read more.

Do You Have A Snow Plow

Folks, I am receiving messages from readers wondering if I happen to know of anyone who has a Snow Plow, willing to come out to certain homes and plow some of the longer driveways.

I'm certain these people are willing to pay for your services. That being said, if you're interested, please provide me with a phone number so people can contact you.

NOTE: I will NOT publish a phone number under comments. If you send me the phone number through e-mail I will publish it. alberobutzo@wmconnect.com

Keep in mind Folks, these people are probably pretty darned busy right now, so don't expect a quick response to this request. If you happen to own a snow plow and have watched it sit there and rust for the past 10 years, its time to get out there and finally make that thing pay for itself for once.

Well, I guess I spoke too fast. Here's the first one in already.

Henry Hall
410-430-0351

John Elliott
Ocean City/Berlin Areas
410-213-2345

JNS Services
Foster Hess
443-880-5226

George Whited III
Littles Landscaping
410-430-7078

Chuck Gordy
410-430-4060

Westside Area
Ed Choquette
410-873-2347

Gladden Snow Removal.
410-742-1614

Caption This Photo

Daily Times Spins Travel Abuse at Wicomico Board of Ed

Last week we reported that Wicomico County Councilman Joe Holloway had uncovered numerous instances of abuse by Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) employees in regard to employee travel.  Taxpayer dollars spent at Hooter’s, Ruth Chris Steakhouse, junkets to Las Vegas (including concert tickets), and coffee at Starbucks are just a few examples.  Yesterday, the Daily Times decided to have a crack at the brewing scandal.

Their take?  Employee travel is necessary.  The WCBOE is scrutinizing travel expenses.  Superintendent John Fredericksen “is pleased to comply with Holloway's request for more detailed information.” (It took Holloway MONTHS to get a simple printout of the WCBOE’s travel expenses).  It’s for the children.

Oh, and again there was no disclosure that WCBOE “Public Information Liaison” Tracey Sahler is the wife of Daily Times managing editor Erick Sahler.  Of course, I’m sure that had nothing to do with the pro-BOE spin of this front page piece.

READ MORE …

DON CHERRY ON THE TORTURE OF TERRORISTS

DON CHERRY of "Hockey Night in Canada" was asked on a local live radio talk show, just what he thought about the allegations of torture of suspected terrorists.

His reply prompted his ejection from the studio, but to thunderous applause from the audience.

HIS STATEMENT:

If hooking up one raghead terrorist prisoner`s testicles to a car battery to get the truth out of the lying little camelshagger will save just one Canadian life, then I have only three things to say:

1. Red is positive
2. Black is negative
3. Make sure his nuts are wet

While Rome Burns

The Department of Justice is contemplating a wide variety of actions intended to reform the current college football championship system, according to a letter made public Friday.

The letter, sent in response to a request by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), says that the Justice department is still determining whether or not to open a formal investigation into the Bowl Championship Series (BCS).

"The Department of Justice is reviewing your letter as well as other materials to determine whether to open an investigation into the legality of the current system under the antitrust laws," wrote Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich. "Importantly, and in addition, the administration also is exploring other options that might be available to address concerns with the college football post-season."

(Neither Senator Hatch nor the Justice Department mentioned any Constitutional basis for intervention.)

More here..

The 2nd Amendment

10 Americans Detained For Allegedly Taking Kids Out Of Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Ten American Baptists were being held in the Haitian capital Sunday after trying take 33 children out of Haiti at a time of growing fears over possible child trafficking.

The church members, most from Idaho, said they were trying to rescue abandoned and traumatized children. But officials said they lacked the proper documents when they were arrested Friday night in a bus along with children from 2 months to 12 years old who had survived the catastrophic earthquake.

GO HERE to read more.

Sean Hannity Reported On Islamic Training Camps In The US-Truth!

Summary of the eRumor:
An email with a link to an video of a news report by Fox News Sean Hannity warning that 35 Islamic terrorist training camps have been set up in the US.


The Truth:
Sean Hannity hosts his own program on the Fox News Network and reported this on February 16, 2009. The transcript of this report is posted on the Fox News website. Click here for transcript

According to his report, "a new investigation by the Christian Action Network has uncovered some disturbing information about the spread of homegrown terrorists and what they mean for America."

Hannity reported that "the group Muslims of America, or Jamaat ul-Fuqra, as they're called in Pakistan, have established over 35 communities across the U.S. The group claims to be peaceful, but a videotape uncovered by the Christian Action Network shows that they can have a much more sinister side."

According to the report Muslims of America is led by Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani," a Pakistani national best known for allegedly setting up journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. Pearl was on the way to meet with him when he was abducted and eventually gruesomely beheaded."

The video showed them training in guerilla warfare, hand to hand combat and firearms techniques.


GO HERE to read more.

Today's Nature Photo By Scott Phoebus

Electric Lawnmower

Hoover Dam Update

THE WIDER VIEW: Taking shape, the new bridge at the Hoover Dam

Creeping closer inch by inch, 900 feet above the mighty Colorado River, the two sides of a $160 million bridge at the Hoover Dam slowly take shape. The bridge will carry a new section of US Route 93 past the bottleneck of the old road which can be seen twisting and winding around and across the dam itself.

When complete, it will provide a new link between the states of Nevada and Arizona .
In an incredible feat of engineering, the road will be supported on the two massive
concrete arches which jut out of the rock face.

The arches are made up of 53 individual sections each 24 feet long which have been
cast on-site and are being lifted into place using an improvised high-wire crane strung between temporary steel pylons.

The arches will eventually measure more than 1,000 feet across. At the moment, the structure looks like a traditional suspension bridge. But once the arches are complete, the suspending cables on each side will be removed. Extra vertical columns will then be installed on the arches to carry the road.The bridge has become known as the Hoover Dam bypass, although it is officially called the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, after a former governor of Nevada and an American Football player from Arizona who joined the US Army and was killed in Afghanistan. Work on the bridge started in 2005 and should finish next year. An estimated 17,000 cars and trucks will cross it every day.

The dam was started in 1931 and used enough concrete to build a road from New York
to San Francisco . The stretch of water it created, Lake Mead , is 110 miles long and took six years to fill. The original road was opened at the same time as the famous dam in 1936.

An extra note: The top of the white band of rock in Lake Mead is the old waterline prior to the drought and development in the Las Vegas area. It is over 100 feet above the current water level.

Greed

There Weren't Fitness Clubs In The 1950's

Redneck Roadside Service

LORA Presents The Inaugural "Tastes for Tomorrow"

LORA Presents The Inaugural "Tastes for Tomorrow"
Dear Community Business Partner;
Thank you for your interest in sponsoring LORA’s upcoming inaugural “Tastes for Tomorrow Scholarship Gala”. Our event was designed to generate funds in order to assist two local students in their pursuit of higher education in the culinary field. It is our intention to continue to offer this scholarship on an annual basis to qualified individuals who meet the scholarship criteria as determined by area school administrators. Our goal is to set aside these funds in perpetuity.
This year’s western themed gala will take place at Chef Fred’s Chesapeake Steakhouse on March 6, 2010. With 17 members in our organization, we will showcase a wide assortment of freshly prepared food from 6pm until 8pm, accompanied by a cash bar. Randy Lee Ashcraft will then provide entertainment and there will be dancing and socializing from 8pm to 11pm. During the gala, we will have a live Chef’s Auction in which the services of several local chefs will be won by the highest bidder, as well as other equally high-end donated items. A silent auction will also be featured. Tickets for this gala are quite reasonably priced at $30 each, or two for $55. This promises to be an outstanding event!
LORA is seeking help from civic-minded local businesses like yours to make our first fundraiser a success. We have included with this letter a page to give you an idea of some of the ways in which your business will benefit when you choose a sponsorship level. Your organization, as well as ours, can reap rewards when our community image is one of local businesses supporting local students, and aiding our community during this recessionary economy. Public perception is invaluable, and we want to invite you to partner with us in this worthy project.
We would like the opportunity to answer any questions you might have about “Tastes for Tomorrow”. In addition to offering sponsorships, we are still seeking wonderful items for our auctions! Contact information is included with this letter, so don’t hesitate to give us a call. E-mail information has also been provided, so that we can quickly get your business logo on all advertising materials and our website as well. We hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerly,
Stewart Davis
President, LORA

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Additional Information
"Tastes For Tomorrow"
Scholarship GALA
A Scholarship Fundraiser for the Chefs of Tomorrow
Where: Chef Fred's Chesapeake Steakhouse
When: Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 6pm
The Local Owner Restaurant Association has designed this event to help create and maintain a scholarship fund for two applicants each year. These funds will help supplement further education in the culinary arts field. The scholarship will be presented to qualified individuals who attend schools in the Wicomico County and Delmar areas. To be an invaluable part of this event, please review the sponsorship levels on the following page and contact Pat Scott or Jinya Bennett at 410-742-7665, or reach them by email at either pscott1234@aol.com or princessjinya@netzero.net.
Sponsorship Levels

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Executive Chef Level - $750 -
Limited to 8 investors
At this level, you will receive...
Distinction as a major presenter of the gala, mentioned in all television, radio, newspaper, print and poster advertising, both as public service announcements and paid advertising. You will hear and see the phrase "Scholarship Gala brought to you by Your Company Name ".
Your business logo prominently located, along with recognition as a major presenter on LORA's website, as a leading corporate sponsor of the event.
Your logo and company name on posters distributed locally.
The opportunity to display a banner at the gala, and on poster boards provided by LORA
Six complimentary tickets to the event (valued at $180)
A LORA Gift Pack (valued at $170)

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Chef Level - $500 - Limited to 12 investors
At this level you will receive...
Recognition as a Major Sponsor on selected materials advertising the event.
Logo inclusion and recognition as a Chef Level Sponsor on LORA's website.
Your logo and company name on posters distributed locally.
Placement on sponsorship signage at the event.
A LORA Gift Pack (valued at $100)
Four complimentary tickets to the event (valued at $120)

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Cook Level - $250 - Limited to 6 investors
At this level you will receive...
Recognition as a sponsor on selected marketing materials.
Logo inclusion and recognition as a Cook Level Sponsor on LORA's website.
Your logo and company name on posters distributed locally.
Two complimentary tickets to the event (valued at $60).
Please contact Pat Scott at (443-614-6300), Jinya Bennett at (410-742-7665), or Alex Bubas at (443-783-4214). We will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our "Tastes for Tomorrow" Scholarship Gala.

Unbelievable Horse

Winter Sucks

Piedmont Pilots Lack Key Safety Training

Unfamiliarity with stick pusher shocks Flight 3407 victims' families, aviation experts

Nearly a year after the pilot of Continental Connection Flight 3407 tried to override the safety device that was supposed to help rescue the tumbling plane, pilots at another regional airline flying into Buffalo say they have never been trained in how that safety device works.

Even though investigators revealed months ago that Capt. Marvin Renslow, Flight 3407's pilot, inappropriately pulled back on the controls after the "stick pusher" activated, two Piedmont Airlines pilots told The Buffalo News they have received no stick-pusher training.

"It'd be nice to know when that thing activates that I've had some sort of experience with it," one Piedmont pilot told The Buffalo News on condition of anonymity.

A spokesman for US Airways, which owns Piedmont, confirmed that Piedmont's main training center in Charlotte, N.C., does not include hands-on stick-pusher instruction for the more than 300 pilots undergoing once-a-year, mandatory recurrent training.

"The FAA does not compel us to have the training. We feel it should be there," said Morgan Durrant, a US Airways spokesman, adding that the airline is now looking into upgrading its Charlotte simulator to offer the training for the stick pusher.

GO HERE to read more.

Downtown Salisbury

Joe,

The courthouse was beautiful yesterday with a trimming of snow and a bright blue sky.

Sam H.