DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
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Saturday, May 15, 2010
Heavy Duty Fire In Progress In West Ocean City
Ocean City, West Ocean City & Ocean Pines Fire Departments are on the scene of a fire right on Rt. 50 in West Ocean City. Traffic has slowed to a crawl and is expected to stay that way for a while. Take Rt. 90 if you're heading into or out of Ocean City Folks.
SHOREBIRDS GAME NOTES: 5/15 @ Kannapolis
MOST HITS: The 17 hits are the most for the Shorebirds this season. Their previous high was 14, accomplished on April 11th against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (9-3 win). Six players had multi-hit games (Mooney, Kelly, Conley, Stampone, Bumbry and Helmick).
SIX TIMES ON THE BASES: Brian Conley reached base six times in last night’s game. He went 4-for-4 with two walks. The last Shorebirds player to accomplish that was Kyle Hudson on July 13, 2009 against Lexington. Hudson also went 4-for-4 with two walks that night. Conley leads the league again in on-base percentage. His OBP jumped from .429 to .455 after the performance last night.
ONE ERROR ALL SERIES: The ‘Birds have made only one error all series long. Catcher Michael Ohlman made the error in game two. The Shorebirds are tied with the Rome Braves for the league lead in errors with 55.
SEASON HIGH: Steve Bumbry came into last night’s game with five RBIs in 29 games. He had a career high three in the 10-4 win. Bumbry managed 10 RBIs in 45 games last season in Aberdeen. He had two RBIs once, against the Lowell Spinners on August 24th.
7-for-19: The Shorebirds were an impressive 7-for-19 with runners in scoring position in yesterday’s win. Throughout the season, the Shorebirds have struggled in that regard. They are batting only .216 with runners in scoring position.
DOWDY DOMINATES: In 10 appearances this season, closer Josh Dowdy has allowed 10 hits and one earned run (0.71 ERA). He also has a strike out to walk ratio of 17 to 1.
RECENT ERRORLESS STREAKS: Several Shorebirds have been sound defensively of late. First baseman Tyler Stampone has gone without an error in 16 straight games. Shortstop Garabez Rosa has not made an error in 14 straight games. Right fielder Brian Conley has gone 10 games without committing an error.
8 HITS: Tyler Stampone has eight hits in his last five games played (8-25). He has three multi-hit games during the stretch.
1-2 IN ORGANIZATION: Garabez Rosa (.346) and Brian Conley (.339) are now the top two hitters in the Baltimore Orioles farm system. Steve Bumbry (.299) is fourth in the chain.
COWAN-BERRY: Shorebirds starters Jake Cowan (40) and Ryan Berry (39) are the top two strike out guys in the Orioles system.
ROAD RAGE: The Shorebirds are now batting .277 away from Perdue Stadium. Several guys have been off the charts on the road. Brian Conley leads the way with a .403 road batting average. Steve Bumbry is batting .353 on the road. Ty Kelly is hitting .343 on the road. The ‘Birds have plated 105 runs in 18 games on the road (5.83). They have scored 56 runs in 16 games at home (3.5).
LEAD OFF MAN ABOARD: In the four innings that the Shorebirds scored last night, the lead off hitter reached base. Mike Mooney singled in the third, Gary Helmick was hit by a pitch in the fourth, Brian Conley singled in the seventh, Helmick singled in the eighth.
HOMERLESS: The Shorebirds have not connected on a home run in the last twelve games. The last player to hit a long ball was Brian Conley on 4/30 against the Asheville Tourists. The ‘Birds have gone 92 innings without a home run. The Shorebirds are the only team in the SAL without a home run in the month of May. Kannapolis has 12 home runs in May.
BEAL’S A WINNER: Over the last 11 games, Beal is the only starter to earn a win. He has actually earned two wins.
SEVEN STRAIGHT SUB 3:00: The Shorebirds have played seven straight sub 3:00 hour ball games. It’s interesting to note that they played four straight three hour games between 5/3 and 5/6 against Savannah.
28 DAYS, 29 GAMES: Dating back to the series opener, the Shorebirds are in the midst of playing 29 games in 28 days. The Shorebirds will play a doubleheader on May 21st to make up a wash out against Hagerstown. The Shorebirds next off day is not until June 9.
WPD Officer Strikes Tree Downed On Roadway
Date of Occurrence: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 1:31 a.m.
Resume: At approximately 1:30 a.m. this morning, a Wilmington Police Officer was responding to a call for service and traveling westbound on Washington Street Extension, west of Marsh Road. The officer traveled around a bend in the roadway and struck a massive tree that had fallen across the entire street, blocking all three lanes.
The vehicle suffered significant damage. The officer sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the Wilmington Hospital for treatment.
This crash investigation was handled by the Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit.
Because of the size of the tree, it took over 6+ hours to remove it from the roadway- which is now open.
Ponte Vedra Beach Man Recalls His Year Spent In Iranian Jail
For Al Golacinski, the big surprise was being treated as an American hero.
The 444 days he had spent as a hostage in Iran had been “humiliating to us as individuals,” remembers the 59-year-old resident of Ponte Vedra Beach.
On Nov. 4, 1979, Golacinski, then the 29-year-old State Department civilian security chief at the American embassy in Tehran, was taken prisoner as demonstrators, many of them Iranian students, overran the American embassy.
Finally released on Jan. 20, 1981, the 53 American hostages returned to the United States not knowing what to expect.
Most, like Golacinski, just wanted to resume lives put on hold for 14½ months.
“I wanted a cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake,” Golacinski said. “I wanted to return to normalcy ... The most important thing to me was to get back to work.”
But a return to normalcy wouldn’t happen for a while.
The America Golacinski remembered was a country that had been deeply divided by the trauma of Vietnam and Watergate.
The country he returned to had been swept by patriotic fervor.
“I had never seen the country so united,” Golacinski said.
GO HERE to read more.
Banks Lose Lobbying Effort Over Debit-Card Fees
WASHINGTON - Retailers have begged Congress for years, in vain, to limit the fees they must pay to banks when customers swipe credit or debit cards. Bills never reached a vote. Amendments were left on the table. The Senate did not even grant the courtesy of a committee hearing.
That long record of futility ended in a landslide Thursday night. Sixty-four senators, including 17 Republicans, agreed to impose price controls on debit transactions over the furious objections of the beleaguered banking industry.
The amendment to the Senate’s sweeping financial legislation could save billions of dollars for family restaurants and dry cleaners, Wal-Mart and Amazon.com, and every other business whose customers increasingly pay with debit cards. It does not address credit card fees directly.
Consumers also could save money, particularly at businesses like grocery stores that compete on price. But some experts warned that lower profit margins could lead banks to curtail bank card reward programs.
GO HERE to read more.
Virginia Marine Killed In Afghanistan
Sgt. Donald J. Lamar never really left Fredericksburg.
His presence was felt after he graduated from Stafford Senior High School and went on to enlist in the Marine Corps.
Lamar, who served three tours abroad, was killed May 12 while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province. The news hit hard back home.
GO HERE to read more.
Kagan's Hero: 'Most Liberal Activist Judge' In The World
"He is the judge who has best advanced democracy, human rights, the rule of law and justice," stated Kagan in September 2006 introductory remarks at a Harvard University award ceremony.
Kagan was referring to Aharon Barak, the retired president of the Supreme Court of Israel, who at the time was receiving the Peter Gruber Foundation 2006 Justice Prize at Harvard.
Barak has been recognized across the political spectrum as one of the most liberal activist judges.
Richard Goldstone, a left-leaning South African judge who infamously penned a United Nations report accusing Israel of war crimes, termed Barak "unashamedly what, in U.S. terms, would be regarded as an 'activist judge.'"
Jerusalem Post columnist Caroline Glick commented that under Barak's judicial leadership "the country was effectively transformed from a parliamentary democracy governed by law into a judicial tyranny governed by the preferences and prejudices of a fraternity of lawyers that Barak empowered."
"Barak has presided over the Court for eleven years. As a self-declared 'judicial-statesman,' he used his position on the bench to reshape Israeli society and politics in his own image through his "constitutional revolution," Glick wrote.
Amnesty? Bureaucrats Already Drawing Up Plan To Implement
The plan, a copy of which was obtained by WND, anticipates the approval of so-called "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" legislation pending in Congress and assumes a nine-month ramp-up period for processing of applications.
The undated draft report anticipates the possibility of the legislation requiring public benefits to amnesty applicants.
"If the statute requires interim benefits while application pending, issue discrete variant of status document (shorter term duration that [sic] if issued after prospective immigrant status granted)," the 14-page memo states.
Under the plan, applicants 14 through 79 years old would be required to submit themselves for photographs, a full set of fingerprints and a signature. A photo and single print would be required for others.
Only one outside contractor is discussed in the memo – Northrop Grumman – and the plan suggests negotiating a contract now, even before the legislation is approved. It also calls for volunteer help at local service centers and field offices.
The last time Washington attempted a push for amnesty under the guise of "Comprehensive Immigration Reform," under President George W. Bush in 2007, the project triggered an outcry from talk radio and the public. It failed as a result. However, the political makeup of the Congress has changed since then, becoming even more Democratic.
More from WND
HISTORICAL MOMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER
Before the emergence of electricity in Salisbury, almost all power came from natural gas or wood. Some homes had oil lamps, but they all used wood stoves for cooking.
Before there was a road over the water on Isabella Street, there was a tumbling dam from the then-named Humphrey’s Pond. Two brothers named Richmond and William Johnson bought the Pond and renamed it Johnson’s Lake. They built a generating plant to supply Salisbury with electricity near the standpipe near Chestnut St. This plant burned in 1889. The City had to go around and hang a lighted lantern on street poles at twilight until service was restored. It was restored when they completed their new plant, which was in the old grist mill at the Isabella Street Falls where Salisbury Monument has their business today.
The plant was sold in 1900 to a group headed by a Philadelphia financier named Louis Dalmas. The property was improved and a new plant erected. It is pictured above.
The group had paid $42,000 for the Johnsons’ interest. In 1907 Dalmas sold his controlling interest of 600 shares to a group of local businessmen. They operated as the Salisbury Heat, Light & Power Company until 1915 when it was sold to Day & Zimmerman of Philadelphia. The name was changed to Eastern Shore Gas and Electric Co. Day & Zimmerman sold the entire operation in 1929 to a group who combined all the holdings into the Eastern Shore Public Service Company with general offices in Salisbury. The expansion program continued, until every company on the peninsula, except five municipally owned plants, was brought into the system. At this time, having given up on generating electric power from Johnson’s Lake, the lake was bequeathed to the City of Salisbury, which owns it today.
New and larger generating plants were needed to supply the ever- increasing need for electricity in Salisbury, and these were located first in Laurel, Del. and then by the large coal-fired generating plant at Vienna. Along the way, the company changed its name to Delmarva Power & Light Co.
Today there are electric transmission lines all over as electricity is either brought in or sold off on a regular basis as the need arises. The parent company, Delmarva Power, is now headquartered in Wilmington, Del.
LACROSSE ACTION TODAY
At Seal Gull Stadium the SU women's team plays at 11:30 and later this:
Salisbury seeks to use element of unfamiliarity to its advantage
Salisbury coach Jim Berkman didn’t have a rooting interest in the NCAA Tournament first-round game between Widener and Springfield on Wednesday afternoon. But that didn’t mean that he wasn’t pleased when the Pride stifled Widener, 7-1.
That’s because the South region’s top-seeded Sea Gulls (18-1) like to play fast, and their overall speed usually catches first-time opponents off guard. Teams that have played Salisbury earlier in a season are generally prepared for the Sea Gulls’ penchant for frenetic, unsettled style of lacrosse.
"Obviously, if a team has been in an arena already, what mistakes they may have made, they’ll probably make adjustments," Berkman said. "If it’s the first time, you’re kind of feeling each other out. Is there more of a homefield advantage if they haven’t been here? Maybe."
Another advantage for Salisbury is that Springfield (13-5) will have just two days between the first- and second-round games to recover and prep for Saturday’s showdown at 7:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the Sea Gulls have been waiting since knocking off Washington College last Saturday.
"They played a tough game," Berkman said of the Pride. "Their players played the whole 60 minutes because it was 5-1 right there towards the end, and obviously, they had to play real hard to win the game. So there may be a cumulative effect when they jump on the bus [Friday] and drive eight hours and play again on Saturday. But the other thing is, that kids are pretty excited at this time of the year, and sometimes that excitement and energy outweighs tired legs. Also if you’re playing well – and I think they’re playing well right now – you don’t even want to practice. You just want to play."
The rest has been especially beneficial for sophomore defenseman Andrew Sellers, a Baltimore native and Archbishop Curley graduate who played last Saturday after missing six consecutive games because of an injured knee. Senior attackman Jake DeLillo (high ankle sprain) and senior face-off specialist Ryan Finch (pulled hamstring) are at about 95 percent, according to Berkman, but the return of Sellers enhances an already stingy Salisbury defense.
"Right now – knock on wood – there’s been no ill effects," Berkman said of Sellers’ knee. "He’s practiced the entire time extremely hard. I think he’s getting close to where he was prior to the injury – other than he has to wear a knee brace."
Source:http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/lacrosse/blog/2010/05/salisbury_seeks_to_use_element.html
Moped
The old man looks over at the sleek shiny car and asks,
' What kind of car ya got there, sonny ?'
The doctor replies, ' A Ferrari GTO.
It cost half a million dollars ! '
' That's a lot of money,' says the old man.
' Why does it cost so much?'
' Because this car can do up to 320 miles an hour !' states the doctor proudly.
The Mo ped driver asks, 'Mind if I take a look inside ?'
' No problem,' replies the doctor.
So the old man pokes his head in the window and looks around.
Then, sitting back on his Mo ped, the old man says, ' That's a pretty nice car, all right... but I'll stick with my Mo ped !'
Just then the light changes,
So the doctor decides to show
The old man just what his car can do.
He floors it, and within 30 seconds
The speedometer reads 160 mph.
Suddenly, he notices a dot in his rear view mirror. It seems to be getting closer !
He slows down to see what it could be
And suddenly WHOOOOSSSHHH !
Something whips by him going much faster !
' What on earth could be going faster than my Ferrari ?' the doctor asks himself.
He presses harder on the accelerator
And takes the Ferrari up to 250 mph.
Then, up ahead of him,
He sees that it's the old man on the Mo ped !
Amazed that the Mo ped could pass his Ferrari , he gives it more gas
And passes the Mo ped at 275 mph
And he's feeling pretty good until he looks in his mirror and sees the old man gaining on him AGAIN !
Astounded by the speed of this old guy,
He floors the gas pedal and takes the Ferrari all the way up to 320 mph.
Not ten seconds later, he sees the Mo ped bearing down on him again !
The Ferrari is flat out,
And there's nothing he can do !
Suddenly, the Mo ped plows
Into the back of his Ferrari,
Demolishing the rear end.
The doctor stops and jumps out and unbelievably the old man is still alive.
He runs up to the banged-up old guy and says, ' I'm a doctor.... Is there anything I can do for you ?'
The old man whispers,
' Unhook my suspenders from your side view mirror! '.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The work session will be held at 10:00 a.m. in Conference Room 306 of the Government Office Building (125 N. Division Street).
Special Olympics At Wi-Hi Today
New Rules Of Golf
Golfers with handicaps:
- below 10 will have their green fees increased by 35%.
- between 11 and 18 will see no increase in green fees.
- above 18 will get a check each time they play.
The dollar amount placed in bets will be as follows-for handicaps below 10, an additional $10 -between 11 and 18, no additional amount.-above 18, you will receive the total amount in the pot even if you do not play.
The term "gimme" will be changed to "entitlement" and will be used as follows:
-handicaps below 10, no entitlements.
-handicaps from 11 to 17, entitlements for putter length putts.
-handicaps above 18, if your ball is on green, no need to putt, just pick it up.
These entitlements are intended to bring about fairness and, most importantly, equality in scoring.
In addition, a Player will be limited to a maximum of one birdie or six pars in any given round. Any excess birdies or pars must be given to those fellow players who have not yet scored a birdie or par. Only after all players have received a birdie or par from the player actually making the birdie or par, can that player begin to count his pars and birdies again.
The current USGA handicap system will be used for the above purposes but the term 'net score' will be available only for scoring those players with handicaps of 18 and above.
This is intended to 'redistribute' the success of winning by making sure that in every competition; the above 18 handicap players will post only 'net score' against every other player's gross score. The President feels that golf is the greatest game in the world and he wants you to help him bring about these changes to the game of golf.
Golf must be about Fairness. It should have nothing to do with Ability.
STATE OF THE CITY
Brooke Mulford Update
Scans are Clear!!!
Getting ready to head to bed but wanted to let everyone know the great news! Brooke’s MIBG scan and CT scan are both clear! We don’t have the final results on the bone marrow biopsy but the preliminary results look good. We will not need to go back to CHOP for 3 months now!
Her Audiology appt yesterday went well and there wasn’t any additional hearing loss since her last hearing test so no adjustments needed to be made with her hearing aids. She had an appt today with her ophthalmologist and the issues that she has been having with her eyes since taking the antibodies is starting to improve and he seemed pleased with how they were doing. We were so happy to see a lot of our friends (staff and families) the past couple of days on the floor and in the clinic. Brooke also got to be videotaped today getting examined by Dr. Maris for a documentary for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Alex, if you are not already aware, was a little girl who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at age 4 and treated at CHOP. She started a lemonade stand to raise money for pediatric cancer research in 2000 and her story spread across the country and soon lemonade stands were popping up everywhere for Alex’s cause. Sadly, Alex passed away just 4 years later at 8 yrs old, but her dream of raising 1 million dollars was reached shortly before she lost her battle with NB. Alex’s Lemonade Stand has now raised over 30 million dollars for pediatric cancer research and education! If you would like to learn more about Alex you can visit www.alexslemonade.org.
We finally got back to Grammy’s from CHOP tonight around 6:00 and Grammy surprised us with decorating the house with balloons and congratulation banners and we partied with Aunt Alisyn, Uncle Bruce, Aunt Cheryl, cousin Brian and of course Grammy and Pop Pop Dave to celebrate! What an amazing day we have had and we feel so incredibly blessed. Thank you so much everyone for all of your prayers this week and the past year and half and for continuing to take this journey with us.
God Bless,
Amy
Green Your Workforce
Thursday, June 17, 8:30a.m.-11:30a.m.
Village at Harbor Pointe Assisted Living
611 Tressler Drive, Salisbury
As part of our Train to Sustain Initiative, the Telamon Corporation and its partners would like to invite you to Greening Your Workforce. We will hear from representatives from the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board and Green Job Industry Workgroup. Friends from the environmental, tourism and private industries will be on-hand to share their insight and experiences.
Employment Market Specialist Ivy T. Ulrich-Bonk from Telamon Corporation says, “Businesses attending the Greening Your Workforce outreach will be able to learn firsthand about the opportunities that are available to not only help them save money, but learn ways to grow their business all while being socially, economically and environmentally responsible.”
NO COST TO ATTEND. DOOR PRIZES/GIVEAWAYS, PROJECT OVERVIEW, RESOURCES, CATERED BRUNCH, AND MORE!
To learn more about or register for this very exciting event,
email mailto:iulrichbonk@telamon.org.
Deadline to RSVP is June 11.
ALL attendees will receive a resource CD including information on TAX INCENTIVES.
SHOREBIRDS BLAST INTIMIDATORS, 10-4, IN GAME THREE
Kannapolis, N.C. – After scoring just three runs in two games against Kannapolis, the Shorebirds used 17 hits to pound the Intimidators 10-4 in game three at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium on Friday night. Shorebirds right fielder Brian Conley went 4-4 with two walks. He reached base in all six of his at-bats.
The Intimidators were first to act in the second inning. Kyle Colligan whistled a triple to the left field corner to lead off the frame. Then, Brady Shoemaker grounded to third, which allowed Colligan to score.
The Shorebirds responded in the third inning. Mike Mooney, Ty Kelly and Brian Conley ignited the rally with three straight singles against Kannapolis starter, Cameron Bayne. Then, Tyler Stampone singled to left field to score Mooney. Left fielder Brady Shoemaker misplayed the grounder, which allowed Kelly and Conley to score as well. With Stampone at third on the two base error, Steve Bumbry hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the ‘Birds a 4-1 edge.
In the fourth inning, the Shorebirds tacked on a run. Gary Helmick was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Then, Kannapolis starter Cameron Bayne threw wild to first on a pick off, which pushed Helmick to third. On a grounder to second, Gary Helmick came into score as the throw home was late from Daniel Wagner.
Kannapolis scored two runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 5-3. Jake Oester hit a double to score Jose Vargas. Then, Jesus Villegas delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to score Kevin Dubler.
The Shorebirds plated their sixth run in the seventh inning. Steve Bumbry hit a lined double down the left field line to plate Mikey Planeta.
In the eighth inning, the Shorebirds bridged an insurmountable gap. The ‘Birds sent 10 batters to the plate and scored four more runs. Six of their season high 17 hits came in the inning.
Jesse Beal was very efficient for the ‘Birds tonight. In seven innings, he allowed just six hits and three runs. Beal earned his third win of the season. The loss was pinned on Bayne.
The Shorebirds play the series finale on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.
Potential For Low Pressure At The North End Of The Water System
We don’t expect any problems, but if you experience any please contact the Paleo Water Treatment Plant at 410-548-3199, James Foskey Water Plant Assistant Superintendent at 443-880-6321, or Cori Cameron Water Plant Superintendent at 443-880-2787.
The Upper 90 Soccer Academy Trtouts
Upper 90 Milan U9 Team for players born after August 1, 2001
Upper 90 Arsenal U10 Team for players born after August 1, 2000
Both teams will play in a minimum of three tournaments throughout the Fall and Spring season and possibly play in a local travel league.
These teams will not interfere with your local or neighborhood team that you currently play on and we encourage you to continue playing with them. We will strictly be a travel tournament based team but may play locally if it doesn't conflict with your local team.
For more information, you can visit our website at www.upper90soccer.org where you can pre-register or you can email upper90@comcast.net .