Thomas Leggs Trial Could Be Relocated To Another County As Early As Next Week

At 1:30 PM today attorneys from both sides in the Thomas Leggs case met with the Honorable Judge Long to discuss three topics.

Of course the first was the change of venue. Judge Long expressed how difficult it is going to be to move the case. For starters, many of the Courts are now short staffed, over crowded dockets and some are under renovations.

The second issue was how long the case would take overall. The final question was, when will both parties be ready to try the case.

States Attorney Davis Ruark stated he expected the case to last around 15 days or three weeks, considering there are only 5 work days in each week.

The Defense attorney went on about how she expected it to take an additional three weeks considering the DNA and Biological evidence. Davis stood up and stated, your honor, when I said three weeks I included what we felt would be their time and our time. I can't see this case lasting longer than 3 weeks over all.

This case may be the first death penalty case to be tried under the new law. While there is still evidence being investigated by the Maryland State Police and FBI Labs, they expect that evidence to be returned in mid July.

The Judge asked about the Hicks law. The defense attorneys have 180 days to review the evidence but that would be extended an additional 180 days under the Hicks law from the day they change the venue. However, Leggs was willing to waive that and said so in court today.

After all was said and done, everyone agreed that this case would not go to trial before January or February of 2011. The defense attorney asked for access to their client on nights and weekend, wherever they change the venue to.

She went on to talk about the massive publicity this case has received, especially here on the Shore. She mentioned the 3,000 people that showed up to search for Sarah as well as a recent Birthday celebration where hundreds of people showed up.

The biggest kicker of today's hearing was the fact that O'Donnell also mentioned certain national studies that were done referencing Baltimore City having the second highest conviction rate in death penalty cases and she did not want the case heard there. She even mentioned how she feared for the Jurors personally and perhaps in their own businesses being ridiculed by the public.

There was much discussion about the Families on both sides being subjected to traveling so far from home each day if the case was sent to let's say Rockville as an example. Witnesses would also have to travel daily back and forth and could create a major hardship. Judge Long stated he should have an answer by next week as to where the case would be sent.

To give you an idea about criminals on death row, Jody Lee Myers is from Wicomico County and has been on death row for 12 years now. Until Governor O'Malley either changes his mind or we get a new Governor in Office with a set of stones willing to make changes to the death penalty, I don't think it's going to matter where the case is held. One thing is for sure, this trial is going to take about a year. It may only takes weeks to try but by the time they sentence him it will be a year. I can't see Judge Long sending the case too very far away from this County though. There's too much at stake and the expenses would be far too high. The case will more than likely be heard somewhere here on the Eastern Shore.

Time will tell.

Lost Dog Still Missing

Hi Joe

You posted it many, many weeks before with no luck, however Maggie may be the dog spotted to be traveling with the black lab that was killed this morning on Rt 13 Southbound across from Peninsula Gastroenterology almost in Delmar. While the black lab was in the road, the rust colored dog believed to be Maggie was darting across the highway. Many officers and others tried to catch her, unsuccessfully.

Just hoping another posting of her picture may help, should she decide to leave the acres and acres of woods and seek human contact.

Sincerely,
*~ ilene
410-713-0709

Salisbury Man Found Guilty Of Beating Neighbor To Death

The Salisbury man found guilty for beating his neighbor to death while he slept is sentenced to Life in Prison without Parole plus 20 years.

This morning, a Wicomico County Circuit Court judge sentenced 53-year-old John W. Donahue to Life without the Possibility of Parole for his March 25, 2010 guilty conviction of First Degree Murder. In addition, Donahue was sentenced to a consecutive 20 years for his Armed Robbery conviction and 15 years concurrent for Felony Theft.

State’s Attorney Davis R. Ruark and Assistant State’s Attorney Ella Disharoon say, “We are grateful to the jury that convicted Donahue and we believe that the sentence imposed was appropriate. We commend the work of the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation on this case. The investigation was excellent.” Ruark adds, “Lynn Johnson’s family are exceptional people, and the legacy that Mr. Johnson leaves behind with his sons is a testament to his character.”

Ruark says on or about April 25, 2009 Donahue killed Humbird “Lynn” Johnson by repeatedly beating his head with a blunt object while the victim slept in his own bed. Investigators say Johnson’s body was discovered at least a week after his murder at which time Johnson’s sons called police after their father had not responded to their telephone calls and someone other than their father answered Johnson’s cell phone. The victim and Donahue were neighbors at the Parkwood Apartment Homes on Beaglin Park Drive in Salisbury. Donahue was identified on video tape as trying to make a cash advance on the victim’s credit card on the same day Johnson was murdered. Donahue flew to Las Vegas days after the murder and upon his return stated to a neighbor that he spent the victim’s money. In addition, Donahue admitted to investigators that he gave Johnson’s cell phone to a friend and the victim’s DNA was found on the telephone. The DNA of Donahue was found on a beer bottle inside the victim’s apartment and the defendant stated to investigators that he had never been inside the apartment. Donahue ultimately withdrew $2,700 from Johnson’s bank account. Johnson was 61 years old and as one of his sons stated in a victim impact letter, “He never had the opportunity to be a grandfather.”

Are There Upcoming Fees You Haven't Been Made Aware Of ?

The word on the street is that County Executive Rick Pollitt is proposing several hidden fees, starting with a new Dog License Fee. Can you imagine how much money the County would raise by creating such a fee!

Then we're told there is a proposal on the table to increase the Sport League Fees from $40.00 per person all the way up to $65.00 per person.

I told you Folks, tighten that belt because we've only scratched the surface. Obviously there will be more to come as we continue to dig into the proposed budget. Considering it's an election year, we better hope our County Council Members bring ALL of these items to the public attention because I get a very strong feeling the taxpayers are NOT going to be very happy.

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY SIGNS LEGISLATION HELPING MARYLANDERS KEEP THEIR HOMES

Governor, Presiding Officers sign foreclosure mediation legislation
Governor meets with faith leaders, recognizing their role in foreclosure prevention outreach
New legislation creates Sustainable Communities Tax Credit, expanding job-creation tool in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 20, 2010) – Governor Martin O’Malley joined Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., and House Speaker Michael E. Busch in signing a tough new law bringing mortgage giants to the table when beginning a foreclosure proceeding in Maryland. This morning, Governor O’Malley met over breakfast with more than 200 faith leaders, acknowledging their efforts in foreclosure prevention outreach and their role moving forward under this new legislation.

“With my signature today, we are empowering our fellow Marylanders, putting them on a more equal footing with mortgage companies that too often can’t be bothered to pick up the phone before beginning a foreclosure proceeding against a Maryland family,” Governor O’Malley said. “It gives borrowers the information they need at an early stage, and gives every Maryland family the right to have access to their lenders when they feel they are unfairly denied a loan modification or other mitigation option. This legislation will help keep more Marylanders in the homes they worked hard to purchase.”

Governor O’Malley introduced legislation this session 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.

“Four years ago, Governor O’Malley and I set a goal to strengthen and grow the ranks of our middle class. That goal is more important today than ever before. We are committed to moving our state forward and protecting the American Dream for the hard working families who are struggling with a national recession and fighting mortgage companies who are kicking them out of their homes without any notice,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “Together, we have built strong communities and we have chosen to invest in our potential. During these difficult economic times, we must work harder to protect those investments and preserve the strength of our communities.”

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.

“The Legislature worked with Governor O’Malley to pass landmark legislation to protect consumers and crack down on fraud this term. This year, we improved consumer protection in the law by giving homeowners the right to mediation,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. “Working together, we provided a critical lifeline to thousands of Maryland homeowners who are working hard to keep their heads above water as our nation emerges from the deepest recession in generations.”

“Stimulating private sector investment in the State’s economy is the cornerstone to Maryland being the first state out of this global recession,” said Speaker Michael E. Busch. “Tax credits and incentives, like the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit, are the kind of government programs that can give businesses across the State the tools to hire new employees, look for new opportunities and reinvest in Maryland.”

While mediation is the latest tool to aid families facing foreclosure, homeowners are still encouraged to seek help from other State resources. Because the opportunity to participate in mediation occurs at a late stage in the foreclosure process and does not guarantee the avoidance of foreclosure, homeowners should not wait until they can request mediation before starting efforts to save their home. Homeowners should contact their lender and a housing counselor at the earliest sign of financial difficulty. A list of HOPE housing counseling agencies can be obtained by calling the MDHOPE hotline at 877-462-7555 or by visiting www.mdhope.org.

To date, the HOPE Network has counseled more than 39,000 people, with approximately 12,000 of those as positive outcomes. In addition, 1,025 attorneys have been recruited to serve the Foreclosure Prevention Project.

In addition to foreclosure mediation legislation, Governor O’Malley signed legislation creating the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit, a renewal of the credit previously known as the Heritage Tax Credit through 2014 and expanding its qualifying properties beyond strictly historical structures to include projects constructed with sustainable building practices. In its 12 years of existence, the Heritage Tax Credit has fueled more than 15,000 Maryland jobs, while generating an estimated $1.74 billion into our economy. Estimates are that for every dollar of tax credit that is used, $8.53 in economic output is generated. Ten million dollars is available for this tax credit for FY2011, with ten percent of those funds dedicated to historical structures.

Governor O’Malley also signed into law a number of bills promoting clean energy in Maryland, including a tax credit for Marylanders purchasing new electric vehicles, like the Chevy Volt. Electric vehicles will provide far-reaching economic, environmental, national security and health benefits to our citizens. Governor O’Malley also signed into law legislation allowing plug-in vehicles the authority to travel in high-occupancy vehicle lanes where available. These incentives are intended not only to generate the purchase of cleaner, more efficient vehicles in Maryland, but also to enhance the green jobs infrastructure in Maryland, supporting the Governor’s goal of creating 100,000 new green jobs.

First Ever Carbon Tax In Us - Politicians Gone Wild

While we all have different opinions of the Wicomico County Council and their beliefs at least they do not behave like this Council Member from Montgomery County.

I think all sides of the political equation can agree we have a pretty good and respectful Council.

Rest In Peace Bob Cannon

Today Mr. Cannon will be laid to rest.

SHOREBIRDS GAME NOTES: 5/20 vs. Hagerstown

PREVIEW: The Shorebirds return to Perdue Stadium following a 2-6 road trip against Kannapolis and West Virginia. The Shorebirds lost last night on an Evan Chambers bottom of the ninth double to right-center field. Delmarva is now 5.5 games out of first place in the Northern Division. Hagerstown comes to town after a 5-3 homestand against West Virginia and Asheville. The Suns won the final three games of the homestand against Asheville.

BIG SERIES FOR KOLODNY: Shorebirds third baseman Tyler Kolodny had a monster series against West Virginia. He went 6-for-13 with five runs, three home runs and seven RBIs. He boosted his batting from .244 to .264 in four games. Over the last five games, Kolodny has four home runs and 10 RBIs.

SIX STRAIGHT FOR BEAL: Shorebirds starter Jesse Beal went through the sixth inning for a sixth consecutive start. He allowed just one earned run in 6.2 innings pitched last night.

@ PERDUE: In 16 games at Perdue Stadium, the Shorebirds are batting just .218. They have scored 56 runs (3.5) in Salisbury. The Shorebirds pitching staff has thrown better at home (3.94 ERA) than on the road (4.54 ERA).

KOLODNY VS. SUNS: In seven games vs. Hagerstown, Kolodny has clubbed four home runs with nine RBIs to go along.

NEARING 100: Two Shorebirds are nearing their 100th minor league game played. Mikey Planeta will play his 99th tonight against Hagerstown while Ty Kelly will play his 97th.

FEWEST HOME GAMES: The Shorebirds and the Lakewood BlueClaws have played the fewest home games this season. Each team has played just 16 games at their home parks.

TOUGHEST PARK TO HIT: Perdue Stadium might be one of the toughest parks to hit at in the Orioles system. The Frederick Keys are hitting .268 with 17 homers at Harry Grove Stadium, the Bowie BaySox are hitting .245 with 13 homers at Prince George’s Stadium while the Norfolk Tides are batting .249 with 17 homers at Harbor Park. The Shorebirds have just five homers in 16 games at Perdue Stadium.

NO EARLY RUNS: The Shorebirds scored only one run in the first inning during the eight-game road trip. They plated that lone run in the finale of the road trip last night on a Ty Kelly double to right field. The Shorebirds have scored only 12 first inning runs through 39 games this year.

12 GAMES AGAINST LEADERS: The ‘Birds will play their next 12 games against the top three teams in the North: Hagerstown (20-23), Hickory (24-27) and Lakewood (28-31). The three teams have a combined record of 67-48.

SECOND IN THE LEAGUE: Brian Conley ranks second in the SAL in walks with 28. Only Evan Chambers of West Virginia has more, 31. Conley ranks first in the Orioles system (including the big leagues). Nick Markakis is second with 27.

KOLODNY ALL OVER LEADERBOARD: Kolodny ranks second in the SAL in homers (10), second in slugging percentage (.586), tied first in extra-base hits (22) and tied for eighth in RBIs (28).

MEETING NUMBER 122 IN LAST FIVE YEARS: Tonight will mark the 122nd meeting between Delmarva and Hagerstown since 2005. The Birds are 60-61 against the Suns over the last five plus seasons. Neither side has won the season series by more than three games.

Joe Ollinger Has Filed To Run For County Executive

GO HERE and check it out for yourself.

Accident On Robins Ave

A vehicle just hit a telephone pole head on and the pole is allegedly on the vehicle. Emergency personnel are trying to get the driver out of the car.

MCSO Statement

Statement from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office


The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is confused and deeply concerned about the temporary county attorney’s recent decision to reverse the successful policies of the former elected county attorney.

Rick Romley’s statements today indicate the fact that he will no longer charge illegal immigrants under the felony state law as co-conspirators.

This approach is essentially an amnesty policy that protects illegal immigrants who have conspired to violate the state law by entering into agreements with smugglers to transport them into Arizona illegally.

The Sheriff’s Office feels this position is not consistent with the will of the people of Maricopa County who elected Sheriff Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas in part because of their tough stance on illegal immigration enforcement and is inconsistent with Romley’s claim of getting tough on organized crime.

Despite Rick Romley’s decision to pick and choose which laws to enforce, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office will continue to enforce all aspects of illegal immigration laws.

Mexican President Knocks Arizona Law From White House Lawn

Crowd Goes Wild As 'View' Co-Host Touts Norris Column

At least one of the television hosts of ABC's "The View" appears to be a fan of columnist Chuck Norris' weekly commentary.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of the daytime talk show, quoted Norris' latest column, "Our founders' solutions for illegal immigration," a piece first published on WND.

Speaking about illegal immigration and the new law in Arizona on the May 18 show, Hasselbeck said:

"This whole thing really came about because Arizona is like this little teenage kid who feels like, 'No one did this for me. I'm going to try to do it for myself. I don't feel safe, so I'm going to try to protect myself. The federal government didn't do it, and I'm going to try. The fact of the matter is, Chuck Norris put it really well today if you read his article. He said, 'How are we able to secure the borders in Iraq and Afghanistan, and not secure our own as a government?' What the heck?!"

The audience reacted to her statement with enthusiastic cheers and applause.

"The federal government has miserably failed to produce a viable solution to the illegal immigrant crisis. Amnesty is not the answer. And immigration laws aren't effective if we continue to dodge or ignore them," Norris argued in Part 1 of a two-part series on illegal immigration. "Furthermore, globalization efforts have only confusedsecurity matters, further endangering our borders as well as our national identity – our sovereignty. And the question that keeps coming to my mind is: How is it that we can secure borders in the Middle East, but we can't secure our own?"

More

Pohanka PreOwned Monthly Deals, Specials And More

Joe-Check this out--

I got spammed late last night, apparently by a company hired by WBOC (po155.com)-- I guess they are spamming on behalf of WBOC advertisers?

Will be forwarding this to the feds for action.

3 Years Ago Today

As the Indians used to say, HOW?

Loan Mod Logjam Continues For 265,000 Homeowners; Failures Jump

New data released Monday shows that the administration’s mortgage modification program continues to be plagued by delays and disappointment for hundreds of thousands of homeowners.

Of the 1.2 million homeowners who have begun a modification in the last year, about 265,000 have been stuck in “trial” periods for six months, double the three months that trial periods are supposed to last.

The number of homeowners dropped from the program also continues to rise, meaning that many homeowners can expect to wait more than half a year for a decision from their mortgage servicer only to then be dropped from the program.

Read More…

Kmart Wants Your Dirty Laundry

If you live in Iowa City, Iowa, you'll soon be able to do your laundry at Kmart. I don't get it either, but that's what the retailer has announced. It will be testing a laundromat addition to one of its Kmart stores in the city, and has named it Kwash. I'm assuming you're supposed to pronounce it K-Wash, but for the first five minutes I kept reading "quash" and wondering how in the hell that was supposed to make me think of clean clothes and cheap goods.

More »

New Jersey Says Your "BIOCH" License Plate Is Not Allowed

Is "bioch" a bad word? New Jersey thinks so. They're trying to take away one resident's fabulous bioch vanity plates because they are "objectionable." She's upset because people like the plates and think they are funny.

More »

BBB Warns Against Time Share Scam Artists

Unscrupulous companies are preying on struggling time share owners looking to unload their ill-advised purchases by getting them to pay thousands in upfront fees, promising sales that never come. Since the market for timeshares plummeted 40 percent in 2009, according to the BBB, there's little market for reselling them.

More »

Drinking Offers The Same Benefits As Yoga

More Americans Unexpectedly File Claims For Jobless Benefits

More Americans unexpectedly filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, showing firings remain elevated even as employment climbs.

Some companies are trimming payrolls to boost or maintain profits, even as employers have added jobs each month this year. Unemployment may take time to recede as more jobseekers enter the workforce and fail to find work.

“Claims remain uncomfortably high,” Aaron Smith, a senior economist at Moody’s Economy.com in West Chester, Pennsylvania, said before the report. “The improvement in continuing claims has slowed noticeably.”

Applications were projected to drop to 440,000 from 444,000 initially reported for the prior week, according to the median forecast of 44 economists in a Bloomberg survey. Estimates ranged from 425,000 to 448,000. The Labor Department revised the prior week’s figure up to 446,000.

There were no special factors behind the jump in claims last week, a Labor Department spokesman said.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure than the weekly figures, climbed to 453,500 last week from 450,500, today’s report showed.

GO HERE to read more.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE IN A CLOSED SESSION ON THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2010 FOR A PERSONNEL MATTER AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND SECTION 10-508(A)(1).

THE CLOSED SESSION WILL BEGIN AT 1:00 P.M. IN CONFERENCE ROOM 306 OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING (125 N. DIVISION STREET).

If You Think Things Are Bad Here.......

All too often we hear the City Council comparing Salisbury projects to Rockville, Maryland.

Well, as my earlier Post stated, I spent my day in Rockville yesterday and let me tell you a little something about that area.

I don't care where you go, the grass is at least 2 feet tall on any roadway. Clearly these municipalities have put the brakes on such maintenance. Let me add, the roads are just horrible, seriously!

If you think things are bad in Wicomico County, just drift off the Beltway on any exit in Montgomery County and you'll quickly see just how bad things are.

We're in a municipal depression Folks. Tax dollars just aren't going to cover what you see on the surface, let alone the infrastructure your eyes can't see. If Montgomery County is in as bad a shape as I saw yesterday, we're in for a major hurting in the near future.

I have stated for 2 years now that Rick Pollitt was behind the 8-Ball when it comes to reduction in spending, cut backs, layoffs, you name it. Our time is coming, you can believe that.

Comment Delays & Posts

Folks, my apologies to all of you for the delay in comment moderation, no Show last night and Posts today.

I spent my day in Rockville yesterday for my friends funeral. I didn't return until midnight last night and got up very early this morning to moderate comments and put up Posts for this morning.

This is one of those days when you just have that feeling everything will include a delay in it. Nevertheless, I appreciate your patience and we'll deliver what we can throughout the day.

Caption This Photo

SU MEN’S LACROSSE WINS IN OVERTIME TO SET UP 3RD GAME WITH STEVENSON

Last night the Gulls barely managed to get by Haverford, 12-11, and will play Stevenson on Sunday at Sea Gull Stadium for the South Bracket slot in the NCAA (Div. III) championship game. Stevenson also won in overtime over Roanoke, 15-14, to set up the second rematch with the Gulls. SU and Stevenson split their two games earlier this year, each winning on the road.

SU took the lead early, but Haverford, led by a Worcester Prep grad, Travis Gregory, soon came back and the game remained close throughout, with Haverford ahead in the last quarter until SU forced overtime on a goal by Shawn Zordani with less than a minute left. Just a few seconds into overtime, Ryan Finch scored the winning goal.

Sunday’s contest will be the 6th game between the Gulls and Stevenson in the past two seasons, in which the latter leads 3-2. Look for a slugfest for the ages and a huge crowd, including lots of fans for each team. Sports don’t get any better than this.

The North Bracket slot in the NCAA championship game, to be played in Baltimore on May 30, will go to the winner of the Cortland-Tufts game, also this Sunday.

What It's Like To Be A Police Officer In Houston

GO HERE to see the list of fallen Officers by gunfire.

ANNOUNCEMENT

S.A.R.A.H.’s House (Wicomico County Child Advocacy Center) is having its annual Silent Auction at the Shorebird’s Stadium on August 20, 2010.

Donations of goods or services would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Rhonda Dykes at 410-713-3453 for further information.

Board Of Education Continues Work On Proposed Budget For Fiscal Year 2011

Budget Work Session and Budget Hearing Thursday, May 20

The Wicomico County Board of Education will hold two public budget meetings this week as the Board continues to work on the proposed fiscal 2011 budget, which must be adopted by June 30.

The Board will hold a work session at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, May 20, to discuss the proposed budget in detail. The Board will review anticipated revenue and proposed budget additions and reductions. The work session, which will be held at the Board of Education Office, is open to the public, though public comment is not taken during work sessions.

The Board will hold a public budget hearing at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 20, in the Board of Education Office. Members of the public are invited to share their input for the proposed fiscal 2011 budget.

In March, the Board approved the proposed fiscal 2011 budget and sent it to the County Executive. However, the budget numbers have changed considerably since that time.

The fiscal year 2011 Proposed Consolidated Current Expense Budget the Board approved in March is $182,219,716, including $165,552,311 for the unrestricted portion of the budget. This includes a request of $50,596,892 from Wicomico County, the amount needed to reach the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) level of funding for FY 2011. The county MOE funding level for the fiscal year 2011 budget is $184,819 less than the current year amount due to a small decline in the school system’s preliminary enrollment count.

However, the County Executive’s budget submitted to the County Council reduces funding for public schools by nearly $7.6 million, to $43.2 million. The County Council can add to the County Executive’s proposed budget, which the County Council must approve by June 15.

In order for the Board to adopt a balanced budget by June 30, the Board and the school system are evaluating a short list of additions for various fixed costs and seven tiers of budget reductions in an effort to balance the budget. Every effort is being made to keep the effect of budget cuts away from the classroom and away from direct student-teacher contact.

Additions to the General Fund budget total $837,384 (down from $5.6 million in the proposed budget), and would be limited to increases for fixed charges and bus contract rates, impact of the new James M. Bennett High on utility bills as well as rate increases, establishing a budget for replacement of lamps for school digital projectors, changing 1.25 Management Information Systems positions from grant funding to General Fund budgeted salaries, rental space for relocating the Infants and Toddlers Program from its current location at the Holly Center (the school system was recently notified by the state that the school system would have to vacate 4,000+ square feet of space), contracted nursing substitutes, the school crossing guard program which was eliminated by the Sheriff’s Office, a Step-up and Reach to the Stars Program with NASA, and one-tenth of the position of supervisor of Safe/Drug-Free Schools due to the end of federal grant funding.

Offsetting these additions would be approximately $9.1 million in budget reductions, for net reductions of nearly $8.3 million. The proposed reductions are sorted into tiers numbered I to VII, of which the Board is currently discussing using Tiers I through V. Tier VII, which represents the worst-case scenario, outlines cost-saving measures such as a four-day school week, furloughs, and the elimination of extracurricular activities.

The proposed Tier I cuts of $6.36 million include eliminating the Adult Education Program, Beyond the Limits (which is seeking grant and enterprise funding to continue) and the Year Round Education Program at Delmar Elementary; shifting Delmar fifth-graders to Delmar Middle and High; reclassifying, eliminating or not replacing 30.93 positions throughout the school system, primarily due to the Early Notification Program, but also due to program reductions; eliminating the merit incentive for classified employees; and eliminating funding of the OPEB GASB #45 Trust for future benefit costs for current employees from the General fund budget.

Tiers II through V contain many line item reductions that would reduce funding for seminars and conferences, materials of instruction, textbooks, consultants and renovation projects. These tiers do not show any additional position cuts.

There are no COLA (Cost-of-Living Allowance) increases or step increases for any employees in next year’s proposed budget.

Obama Diplomatic Aides Talking To Cuba (and Mexico) About Oil Spill

The Gulf Coast oil spill has led to an interesting set of diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Cuba.

State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid confirmed US-Cuban talks "at the working level," telling reporters that "it is incumbent upon us to inform all of our neighbors, not just the islands, but those countries that could be affected by disasters that happen within our territorial waters."

The U.S. and Cuba have not had diplomatic relations for nearly half-a-century, since the early years of the Fidel Castro regime.

GO HERE to read more.

Today's Nature Photo By Scott Phoebus

Loon Lodge, Maine

GOP On Track To Snatch Defeat From Jaws Of Victory

Republican consultants are doing a wonderful job raising expectations sky-high for the November elections, so that now, even if Republicans do smashingly well, it will look like a defeat (and an across-the-board endorsement of Obama's agenda). Thanks, Republicans!

That's what happened in the 1998 congressional elections, nearly foiling Clinton's impeachment. It's what happened to the Conservative Party in Britain a week ago. And that's what happened this week in the 12th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, formerly represented by Rep. John Murtha.

Note to Republicans: Whenever possible, victory parties should be held after the election, not before it.

The result of the election in Murtha's old district on Tuesday was that the rabidly anti-Obamacare, pro-life, pro-gun candidate won! Yippee!

But the news on Wednesday morning was that the election "dealt a blow to Republicans," as the New York Times reported.

The reason the Times' description was not utter madness (in violation of New York Times' official policy) is because the anti-Obamacare, pro-life, pro-gun candidate was a Democrat, and, for the past two months, every Republican on TV has been predicting a Republican victory in Murtha's district.

Thanks to all the happy talk, if the Republican actually had won, it would have been Page 16 news. But when the Democrat won, it seemed like an against-all-odds, come-from-behind Hoosiers victory!

Why were Republicans predicting victory in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1? Given a choice between two candidates who both hate Obamacare, why would lifelong Democrats not vote for the Democrat?

GO HERE to read more.

Constitution Takes Hit From Supreme Court

Citing unapproved treaty is 'act of most fundamental reordering of legal system'

The fundamentals of the U.S. Constitution possibly have been shoved one step closer to irrelevance by the U.S. Supreme Court, which yesterday cited as support for its opinion an international treaty that has not been adopted in the U.S.

The issue is raising alarms for those who have been fighting the trend toward adopting "international" standards for American jurisprudence rather than relying on a strict application of the Constitution.

"It is bad enough for the Supreme Court to engage in judicial activism," said Michael Farris of the Home School Legal Defense Association. "It is far worse when the justices employ international law in support of their far-reaching edicts.

Don't underestimate the globalists. "The Beast on the East River" presents a frightening exposé of the United Nations' global power grab and its ruthless attempt to control U.S. education, law, gun ownership, taxation, and reproductive rights.

GO HERE to read more.

Another Honorable Local Business

Hi Joe!

I wanted to let you know about something great from a local business. I had
recently bought myself a very expensive Coach bag as a reward for finally
reaching some personal goals, it was something I have always wanted. Well today,
I poorly treated it by leaving it at a local restaurant after lunch, De Pietro s
on Milford St. I didn t realize until much later, thinking it had just been in
the car.

When I called them they said they had my purse. The guys were so nice.
I would just like to thank the staff at De Pietro s and if there was an honest
customer who turned it in. Joe, if you could please post this so hopefully the
word will get out about the wonderful staff. Also, the pizza was great!

Thank you so much!
Kristi

TROOPERS CHARGE MAN WITH POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DELIVER MARIHUANA

On the evening of Monday, May 17, 2010 Troopers from the Salisbury Barrack of the Maryland State Police along with members of the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force made contact with a red Lincoln Aviator in reference to an ongoing drug investigation. The driver of the vehicle, J. Marc Buffington, 39, of Delmar, Md. was found to be in possession of 3 pounds of marihuana while attempting to deliver it to an undisclosed location in Salisbury. Buffington was taken into custody and charged with possession of marihuana with intent to deliver, possession of marihuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Buffington was turned over to a District Court Commissioner pending a hearing.

FEMA Photographer Asked Church Volunteers Not To Wear Religious T-Shirts In Video On Tornado Aftermath

Jackson, Miss. (AP) - The top officer for FEMA said one of the agency's videographers was "absolutely wrong" to ask Mississippi church volunteers not to wear religious T-shirts for a video about tornado cleanup.

Angelia Lott and Pamela Wedgeworth, who are sisters, told The Associated Press that the FEMA worker videotaping the cleanup on Saturday in the small town of Ebenezer asked them to do on-camera interviews but requested that they change out of their T-shirts because of a Salvation Army logo.

"He said, 'We would like to ask you to change your shirt because we don't want anything faith-based,'" Lott said Tuesday.

Lott said she asked him why he didn't want to feature faith groups.

"All he said was, 'We've done that hundreds of times,'" Lott said.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate said in a statement issued Monday that the man's actions "in no way reflect FEMA's policies or priorities."

"The photographer in question was absolutely wrong," Fugate said.

GO HERE to read more.

Wargotz: Welcome Aboard

Wargotz welcomes more candidates to the Senate race, calls election results, “the rule, not the exception.”

(Annapolis, MD) Eric Wargotz, an elected member of the Queens Anne’s County Board of Commissioners, a physician and a Republican candidate for US Senate from Maryland made the following statement regarding the large number of candidates currently running for US Senate:

“As our campaign crosses the state of Maryland, highlighting my proven conservative record as a county commissioner and my message of fiscal sanity, job creation and border security, I continue to meet Marylanders who are unhappy with the status quo in Washington. I have met many of these voters while attending and speaking before TEA Party rallies around the state and in Washington. Some are inspired enough to join our campaign against the 34 year incumbent, Barbara Mikulski. A few are angry enough to throw their own hats into the ring. We welcome their support and effort to retire the career incumbent. In order for a Republican to win a seat last held by Republican Senator Mac Mathias in 1986, we need a team effort. None of us can do this alone. More challengers mean more voices exposing the job killing, debt amassing votes of our collective opponent. As long as we all focus our attention on November, we can be successful at returning Maryland’s Senate seat back to Maryland voters.”

Wargotz, who started his campaign nearly one year ago, added, “I believe the large number of candidates willing to challenge the incumbent is an indication of her vulnerability.” “This is an election unlike any I have ever witnessed,” said Wargotz (54). “The results in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Arkansas will prove to be the rule, not the exception in November,” he concluded.

WEST VIRGINIA TAKES FINALE ON WALK OFF DOUBLE

Shorebirds Return Home on Thursday Night at 7:05 PM

Charleston, WV – The Delmarva Shorebirds led through six innings, but fell 3-2 to the West Virginia Power on Wednesday night at Appalachian Power Park. Evan Chambers hit a walk off double into the right-center field gap to plate Jesus Brito in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the Power into the winners circle.

Zach Foster earned the win, while Jake Smith took the loss for Delmarva.

SHOREBIRDS GAME NOTES: 5/19 @ West Virginia

PREVIEW: The Shorebirds split their first doubleheader of the season with the West Virginia Power. The Shorebirds look to avoid dropping their third consecutive series. They fell to the Kannapolis and Charleston three games to one. The ‘Birds remain 4.5 games out of first as Hickory also split a doubleheader last night against Kannapolis.

10 HOME RUNS: Tyler Kolodny ranks second in the South Atlantic League and first in the Baltimore Orioles farm system with 10 long balls. Kolodny has hit four homers in his last 13 at-bats. Kolodny also has nine RBIs in his last four games. He is tied for 10th in the South Atlantic League in RBIs. He becomes the first player to record double digit homers since 2008 when five players hit ten homers (Tyler Henson, Joe Nowicki, Ryan Adams, Anthon Martinez and Kieron Pope).

MOREAU DOMINATES: The former Georgia star stifled the Power last night in four hitless innings. He retired 12 straight batters following a lead off walk to Evan Chambers. Moreau also fanned seven batters. He now holds a 15 inning scoreless streak dating back to April 25th. Moreau has 22 strike outs in his last 14 innings. He is fifth in the league amongst relievers in strike outs per nine innings (12.27).

MULTI-HIT PLANETA: Mikey has four multi-hit games in his last seven games. His batting average has jumped from .207 to .243 during the stretch.

LAST EIGHT-GAME SWING: The Shorebirds are ending an eight game road trip tonight. Their next two-city road swing is not until the end of July when the Shorebirds travel to Lexington and West Virginia. The next six road trips are all one city trips for Delmarva.

JUST BEHIND 2009: The Shorebirds are right on par with the 2009 club after 38 games. Last year’s club was 20-18. They went on a season long seven game winning streak at this time of the season.

FIVE GUYS OVER .300 IN LAST TEN: Five Shorebirds players are batting over .500 over the last ten games for Delmarva. They are: Brian Conley (.333), Ty Kelly (.342), Mikey Planeta (.316), Garabez Rosa (.342) and Tyler Stampone (.324).

HOME RUN PARK?: In seven games at Appalachian Power Park last season, the Shorebirds and Power combined for 13 home runs. Through the first three games of the series, the two teams have combined for five long balls.

12 GAMES AGAINST LEADERS: Following the West Virginia series, the ‘Birds will play their next 12 games against the top three teams in the North: Hagerstown (20-23), Hickory (24-27) and Lakewood (28-31).

7-16 WHEN...: The Shorebirds are 7-16 on the season when scoring five or fewer runs. The Shorebirds are 0-6 in the last six games that they have scored fewer than five runs.

10-3 WHEN...: The Shorebirds are 10-3 when scoring six or more runs on the season.

FIRST IN EIGHT GAMES: Garabez Rosa connected on his 14th double of the season in game one of the doubleheader last night. It was his first double in nine games. He went eight straight without a two-bagger from 5/7 through 5/16.