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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Nightly News At 6 PM

Salisbury Fire Department Announces Operational Changes

The Salisbury Fire Department has announced necessary operational changes due to staffing shortages, cuts to the overtime budget and impending furloughs, which will be implemented beginning June 7th, 2010.

At this time, the Salisbury Fire Department has five operational position vacancies, coupled with the current hiring freeze, which often causes overtime needs. Two of these positions will remain frozen for at least the next fiscal year. With multiple furlough days required for each employee, as well as their allowed vacation and holiday time, a change was needed to accommodate the decrease in available staff.

The call volume, times when calls occurred daily, etc. were scrutinized thoroughly. The decision was made to eliminate the weekday duty crew at Station 1, (Beaglin Park and South Schumaker), for now.

Instead, the weekday duty crew at Station 2, (Naylor and Brown Streets), will run Truck 2 from Station 2 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The same crew will run Truck 1 from Station 1 on Tuesday and Thursday. The 24 hour duty crew engine at Station 16 will still remain running as is. Both Station 1 and 2 will maintain their 24 hour ambulance crew presence. This will allow for a duty crew presence in both stations throughout the week, and allow equipment to be maintained at each station during the day. Thus, a shift change was made to realign personnel to help fill vacancies on 24 hour shifts.

Enabling the mandatory furlough days was the next hurdle. When an employee is off on mandatory furlough, that position cannot be filled with overtime. Again, the numbers were analyzed and it was decided to shut down Paramedic 16, from Station 16, (Cypress Street), from 11pm to 7am, Monday through Thursday nights, only. Again, both Station 1 and 2 ambulances will still be running 24 hours from their stations. Paramedic 16 will run 24 hours as normal, Friday through Sunday, when the call volume is heavier. This will allow the department to cycle our employees through their furlough days.

The Salisbury Fire Department is aware there may be times when services could be delayed. We will be doing our best to make our normal, expeditious responses with the tools and personnel we have. When the current budgetary crisis is resolved, we are back to optimal staffing, and are no longer required to take furloughs, we remain hopeful we will return to our previous operating level.
JAMES IRETON, JR.
MAYOR

JOHN R. PICK
CITY ADMINISTRATOR

LORÉ CHAMBERS
ASSISTANT CITY ADMINISTRATOR


125 NORTH DIVISION STREET
SALISBURY, MARYLAND 21801
Tel: 410-548-3130
Fax: 410-548-3183

FIRE DEPARTMENT
RICHARD A. HOPPES
ACTING FIRE CHIEF

Delaware Electric Cooperative "Peak Alert"

URGENT “BEAT THE PEAK”


3 P.M. to 7 P.M., Today, May 26th

3 P.M. to 7 P.M., Tomorrow, May 27th


Because of the warm weather forecasted in our region today and tomorrow, we are asking you to delay the usage of all unnecessary lights and appliances during these hours as well as turning your thermostat up 3 degrees.

While the largest consumers of electricity in the home during these hours and during this time of year are cooling costs and lighting, other large consumers of electricity include major appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, water heaters and stoves.

By delaying the use of unnecessary lighting and appliances as well as turning your thermostat up 3 degrees between 3 P.M. and 7 P.M., today and tomorrow, we can save energy resources, avoid high cost energy and help the environment.

For more information on our “Beat the Peak” program visit www.beatthepeak.coop and be sure to signup for a free In-Home Indicator which you plug into the wall and it will alert you when a Beat the Peak event happens.

You can also follow our Beat the Peak alerts and other news by becoming a follower of Delaware Electric Coop on and/or.

If we all save a little, together we save a lot.

Don't Miss Our 6 PM News Broadcast Tonight

Still Missing - UPDATE: Owner & Pet Reunited


Our dog, the lost Dalmation you posted on Sunday, has still not returned home. No local pounds or vets offices have seen him and neither county or state road departments have had to pick him up. Is there anyway you could repost that he is lost? We are thinking someone has picked him up and hasnt bothered to see where his family is. Our kids are heart broken, we really want to bring him home safe.

He was last seen in the Fontaine Rd / Millard Long Rd area of Westover, MD.

We can be reached at 443-944-2400 or 410-251-1210.

Thank you for all of your help!
Mary


UPDATE:

Hello! Thanks to your post and the numerous days we have spent passing out flyers, making phone calls, and searching Somerset County, our dog Ever has returned home. We received a phone call today from a woman who had overheard a man saying a Dalmation had shown up on his door step and altho he knew it was a pet, he didnt know who's pet he was. Jimmy Henderson and his awesome team at Somerset Animal Control went to the mans home and sure enough, there was our beloved Ever! Much thanks to all who looked for him, the lady who called, the man who took care of him, and Jimmy for picking him up. It really restores my faith in our community that there are some good people left.

Sincerely,
Mary

Lost Dog ~ Delmar UPDATE: FOUND-Thank You



Scooby is on the run!

He got out late last night and we've had no luck locating him. Last seen near State St. Park in Delmar.

He's sweet and gentle, but he loves to run!!
He's a greyhound/shepherd mix.

Please call (302)745-2417 if caught or spotted.

Thank you, Joe!!

School Furloughs Approved

STAFFORD SCHOOL CUTS The Stafford County School Board approved a policy last night that allows the division to furlough employees for up to five days a year. School Board members have said they don't intend to furlough employees in 2010-11. They approved the policy because budget problems are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Furloughs require employees to take days off without pay. The first draft of the policy presented on May 11 stated that employees could be furloughed up to 10 days a year.

Source

Mayor Says Properties Draining City Resources


Salisbury Mayor James Ireton, Jr., today, responded to landlord Stu Leer’s Letter to the Editor in The Daily Times (4/24), and today’s Daily Times article by pulling the calls for service to Salisbury Police Department and Neighborhood Services & Code Compliance on Leer’s properties.

That investigation shows 122 code compliance violations and 345 calls for service to Leer properties over the previous 18 months.

“I simply say what I said before being elected Mayor: The rental industry must police their own. The city cannot continue to be involved in the relationship between tenant and landlord. With the 122 code violations at Neighborhood Services and 345 calls to Salisbury Police Department, it is clear that these properties are a drain on city resources and constitute an inordinate amount of attention from the Salisbury Police Department.

Mr. Leer can exhort me to come to the table and work together – but the revealing numbers about his properties make it clear his energy would be better spent servicing those properties.

I request that Salisbury Area Property Owners Association members police their own industry and create an MOU for industry owners.” said Mayor Ireton.

GO HERE to view Police Log & NSCC on these properties.

Top Sunscreen? New Report Ranks Best

Target brand beats pricier options, Consumer Reports says

To get protection from the sun’s damaging rays, you won't have to dig deep in your wallet this summer. One of the most effective sunscreens on store shelves is also one of the least expensive, according to a new Consumer Reports study. Up & Up Sport Continuous, which sells at Target for less than $10 for two 6-ounce containers, won top honors for being the “Best Buy" sunscreen.

The magazine tested 12 leading sunscreens to see how effective they were at blocking both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B radiation. The products were then reevaluated after volunteers wore the screens in water for 80 minutes. In addition to the Target brand, many of the other leading sunscreens ranked by Consumer Reports offered very good protection against UVA and excellent protection against UVB at a reasonable price, the agency said.

Other brands in the top four were: Walgreens Sport Continuous; Banana Boat Sport Performance Continuous; and Aveeno Continuous Protection. All the products were tested by an outside lab. The resulting score was based on how well the sunscreen protected volunteers from burning.

GO HERE to read more.

NYC Community Board OKs Ground Zero Mosque Plans

NEW YORK - After hours of contentious public comment, a New York City community board voted late Tuesday to support a plan to build a mosque and cultural center near ground zero.

"It's a seed of peace," board member Rob Townley said. "We believe that this is a significant step in the Muslim community to counteract the hate and fanaticism in the minority of the community."

The vote was 29-to-1 in favor of the plan, with 10 abstentions. The move by the Manhattan Community Board 1, while not necessary for the building's owners to move forward with the project, is seen as key to obtaining residents' support.

GO HERE to read more.

Andy Harris To Speak With Wicomico County Americans For Prosperity

SALISBURY – Andy Harris will meet with Wicomico County’s Americans for Prosperity tonight for a discussion on his campaign to be the next Congressman for Maryland’s First District and the issues facing our nation. Harris is the featured guest for the meeting.

Who: State Senator Andy Harris, M.D.
Wicomico County Americans for Prosperity

What: AFP’s general meeting with featured guest Andy Harris

Where: Brew River
502 West Main Street
Salisbury, MD

25 Questions To Ask

25 Questions To Ask Anyone Who Is Delusional Enough To Believe That This Economic Recovery Is Real

If you listen to the mainstream media long enough, you just might be tempted to believe that the United States has emerged from the recession and is now in the middle of a full-fledged economic recovery. In fact, according to Obama administration officials, the great American economic machine has roared back to life, stronger and more vibrant than ever before. But is that really the case? Of course not. You would have to be delusional to believe that. What did happen was that all of the stimulus packages and government spending and new debt that Obama and the U.S. Congress pumped into the economy bought us a little bit of time. But they have also made our long-term economic problems far worse. The reality is that the U.S. cannot keep supporting an economy on an ocean of red ink forever. At some point the charade is going to come crashing down.

And GDP is not a really good measure of the economic health of a nation. For example, if you would have looked at the growth of GDP in the Weimar republic in the early 1930s, you may have been tempted to think that the German economy was really thriving. German citizens were spending increasingly massive amounts of money. But of course that money was becoming increasingly worthless at the same time as hyperinflation spiralled out of control.

Well, today the purchasing power of our dollar is rapidly eroding as the price of food and other necessities continues to increase. So just because Americans are spending a little bit more money than before really doesn’t mean much of anything. As you will see below, there are a whole bunch of other signs that the U.S. economy is in very, very serious trouble.

Any “recovery” that the U.S. economy is experiencing is illusory and will be quite temporary. The entire financial system of the United States is falling apart, and the powers that be can try to patch it up and prop it up for a while, but in the end this thing is going to come crashing down.

But as obvious as that may seem to most of us, there are still quite a few people out there that are absolutely convinced that the U.S. economy will fully recover and will soon be stronger than ever.

So the following are 25 questions to ask anyone who is delusional enough to believe that this economic recovery is real….

GO HERE to read the 25 questions.

Caption This Photo

IRETON’S OVERT HOSTILITY TO LANDLORDS IS MISGUIDED

Mayor Ireton’s temper tantrum during this week’s meeting of Salisbury’s City Council has overshadowed the circumstances in which it occurred. Local landlords are angered and appalled at his continued aggression toward them despite their effort to develop a working relationship with the City to address problems with rental properties. He won’t meet with them or even respond to their initiative except to reject it and demean them. His statement in the media that he is “too busy” to do so is absurd; he was not too busy to do extensive publicity about his first year in office.

Why Mr. Ireton persists in his asinine charade is perplexing to say the least. His attempt to publicly humiliate and vilify landlords has resulted in serious slander of at least one in his “slum property of the week” selection. Barrie Tilghman can surely advise Ireton that he attacked the wrong party in that episode. He learned that the hard way at the meeting mentioned above.

Because Mr. Ireton seems to be unable to apologize for his conduct, much less change it, he is making much worse a bad situation that he has created. The services of an impartial mediator might be able to avert a calamity and possibly result in some semblance of harmony, but that remains to be seen.

DOES WICOMICO COUNTY’S TAX REVENUE CAP HAVE SPECIAL BENEFIT FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM?

Yesterday the State Board of Education granted Wicomico County another waiver from the “maintenance of effort” requirement to receive special state funding for the schools in FY 2011. As a result the system will receive an additional $1.5 Million from the State of Maryland.

It appears that the waiver was approved because the County’s tax revenue is limited by the “tax cap,” which prevents the property tax rate from being raised to generate the revenue that would be needed to fully fund the school system under the state rules. In any case, the cap did not prevent the Board from granting the waiver, as some had predicted it would.

Wicomico is one of only two counties to obtain a waiver for the coming year, so the tax revenue limitation appears to be a decisive factor. The state officials must have overlooked the fact that the tax rate could have been raised slightly this year under the provisions of the tax cap.

Council Supports Bill Giving Equal Immigration Rights To Same-Sex Couple


Next week the D.C. Council will discuss a resolution showing support of the Uniting American Families Act pending in Congress.

Councilman At-Large David Catania authored the resolution last week, and the other 12 members of the council co-introduced it.

U.S. immigration law does not allow same-sex citizens and permanent residents to sponsor foreign-born partners for immigration benefits.

GO HERE to read more.

2010 Men's Division III Lacrosse All-Americans


Team Pos. Name of Player College 1 A Dailey, Jimmy Stevenson 1 A Grugan, Casey Cabrini 1 A Kazimer, Steve Stevenson 1 M Bradman, Sam Salisbury 1 M Deluca, Chris Cortland 1 M McGrath, Kyle Gettysburg 1 LSM Simmons, Steve Roanoke 1 SP Burke, Tom Cortland 1 D Kurpis, Timothy Gettysburg 1 D Love, Sam Roanoke 1 D Schneidman, Justin Cortland 1 G Costanza, Dennis Geneseo 2 A Brody, Joseph Gettysburg 2 A Ford, Richie Stevenson 2 A Hessler, David Tufts 2 M Jett, Kyle Hampden-Sydney 2 M Tuma, Justin Roanoke 2 M Von Kamecke, Mike Salisbury 2 LSM Burgasser, Connor Salisbury 2 SP Witte, Ray Stevenson 2 D Douglass, Evan Stevenson 2 D Grillo, Scott Skidmore 2 D Tokosch, Collin Salisbury 2 G Rodriguez, Johnny Salisbury

Senator Criticizes Obama's 'Audacity' In Using GOP As 'Props'

A GOP senator ripped into President Barack Obama at a meeting on Capitol Hill Tuesday, telling him he had “audacity” coming in and using Republican lawmakers as "props."


Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the Democrats’ partner on Wall Street reform, criticized Obama during a meeting the president requested with the Senate Republican conference to court their support for the remaining initiatives on his agenda.


After the meeting, GOP senators said they appreciated the outreach.


But behind closed doors, the president faced a hostile crowd of angry Republicans, led by Corker.
“I said, ‘I got to tell you something, there’s a degree of audacity in you being here today,’” Corker said, recalling his exchange with the president.


“If you look at your three major initiatives they were almost all done on party-line votes,” Corker told Obama. “I feel we’re all props here today.


“Just last week you engineered a very partisan vote,” Corker added. “I would just like for you to explain to me, when you get up in the morning, and when you come over to lunch like this, how you reconcile that duplicity.”


“It hit a nerve, obviously,” Corker said, describing Obama’s reaction to the broadside.

Four people who were in the room said Obama bristled and defended his administration's handling of negotiations. Republicans have long complained that Democrats are using heavy-handed tactics to push though Obama's agenda.

On the way out, Obama approached Corker, according to the senator, who had been sitting just to the president's right, to press his case. Corker repeated his."I mentioned that there was a very large disconnect between what he was saying and his actions," Corker told reporters.

Here's more

[It's about time the Republicans came up with some testosterone -- Editor]

Sestak White House Scandal Called 'Impeachable Offense'

If a Democratic member of Congress is to be believed, there's someone in the Obama administration who has committed a crime – and if the president knew about it, analysts say it could be grounds for impeachment.

"This scandal could be enormous," said Dick Morris, a former White house adviser to President Bill Clinton, on the Fox News Sean Hannity show last night. "It's Valerie Plame only 10 times bigger, because it's illegal and Joe Sestak is either lying or the White House committed a crime.

"Obviously, the offer of a significant job in the White House could not be made unless it was by Rahm Emanuel or cleared with Rahm Emanuel," he said. If the job offer was high enough that it also had Obama's apppoval, "that is a high crime and misdemeanor."

"In other words, an impeachable offense?" Hannity asked.

"Absolutely," said Morris.

The situation revolves around an oft-repeated statement by Rep. Sestak, D-Pa., that he had been offered a job by the Obama administration in exchange for a decision to drop out of a senatorial primary against longtime Obama supporter Sen. Arlen Specter.

Read more

European Parliament To Hear 'Bilderberg Conspiracy'

Once considered a "conspiracy" theory, the secretive story of the Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission and Bilderbergs – tycoons worth more than the combined wealth of all Americans – will be told in public before the European Parliament.

Author Daniel Estulin, whose work "The True Story of the Bilderberg Group" has sold millions of copies, has been invited to present an unprecedented speech before the European Parliament in Brussels June 1 on the subject of the secretive cabal.

"This is an opportunity to bring Bilderberg into the mainstream," Estulin said. "A subject that was once considered to be in the domain of conspiracy theories is now being taken very seriously indeed."

He was invited to speak by Mario Borghezio, Italy's most senior member of the parliament, considered one of the most powerful legislative bodies in the world.

He compared his address there to an invitation to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress, a rare honor for anyone outside the ranks of the government.

Estulin's book, "The True Story of the Bilderberg Group," is based on years of his work as a Madrid-based journalist and investigative reporter.

He connected the dots between the Bilderberg Group, world events, politicians and corporate tycoons, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission over a period of 15 years.

Estulin reveals how the web of people and organizations has become a "shadow government whose top priority is to erase the sovereignty of all nation-states and supplant them with global corporate control of their economies under the surveillance of 'an electronic global police state.'"

He reveals that not all members of the group are "bad," explaining that membership is structured like concentric circles, with varying responsibilities and relationships. But it includes almost every famous player in politics and finance, such as George W. Bush, George Soros, George McGovern and Jimmy Carter.

Estulin writes: "This parallel world remains unseen in the daily struggles of most of humanity, but, believe me, it is there: a cesspool of duplicity and lies and double-speak and innuendo and blackmail and bribery. It is a surreal world of double and triple agents, of changing loyalties, of professional psychotic assassins, brainwashed black ops agents, soldiers of fortune and mercenaries, whose primary sources of income are the dirtiest and most despicable government-run subversive missions - the kind that can never be exposed."


He cites David Rockefeller's own admission. Rockefeller, founder of the Trilateral Commission, a Bilderberg member and board member of the CFR, wrote: "Some even believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as 'internationalists' and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure - one world, if you will. If that's the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it."

The Bilderberg Group is an annual, invitation-only conference usually with more than 100 of the globe's most influential leaders, such as heads of state and business tycoons. It always is closed to the public and press, a privacy frequently ensured by armed agents.

Lots more here

Obama, Corker Clash In Private Meeting

It was billed as a high-noon cease-fire between President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans, but the rare, private Capitol Hill meeting instead turned into a heated shootout at the notion that anyone in the room has bipartisan intentions this election year.

When Obama appealed for bipartisanship on legislation in the six months remaining before Election Day, freshman Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., confronted him, the senator later told reporters.

"I told him I thought there was a degree of audacity in him even showing up today after what happened with financial regulation," Corker said after the meeting. "I asked him how he was able to reconcile that duplicity, coming in today to see us."

Four people who were in the room said Obama bristled and defended his administration's handling of negotiations. Republicans have long complained that Democrats are using heavy-handed tactics to push though Obama's agenda.

On the way out, Obama approached Corker, according to the senator, who had been sitting just to the president's right, to press his case. Corker repeated his.

"I mentioned that there was a very large disconnect between what he was saying and his actions," Corker told reporters.

More

[It's about time a Republican came up with some testosterone -- Editor]

House Democrats Would Add $50 Billion in Domestic Spending To War Legislation

House Democrats want to attach to a war spending bill a host of domestic spending provisions that would cost more than the war funding alone.

House Democrats want to add about $50 billion in additional domestic spending to legislation funding the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, which already bankrolls some domestic programs.

According to a draft bill obtained by The Hill, Democrats are mulling a package of education, jobs and energy programs to be added to the war measure. The Senate version of the bill, which doesn't have those provisions, costs $58.8 billion and includes the war funding, foreign aid, domestic disaster aid and compensation for veterans.

The additional domestic funding includes a $23 billion fund to help state and local governments stave off teacher cutbacks, $1.2 billion to prevent police layoffs and $500 million to retain state and local firefighters. The Obama administration has called on lawmakers to pass those items along with the war spending, arguing they could save up to 300,000 jobs.

More details

Lawmaker Speaks To Obama About 'Audacity'

Republican officials say President Barack Obama and Sen. Bob Corker clashed during a private meeting over whether anyone in either party was really trying to be bipartisan this election year.

Obama and Senate Republicans had called a high-noon cease-fire in their long-running political feud Tuesday, holding a rare, private meeting on Capitol Hill to discuss what legislation can be achieved during this volatile election year.
"We want to see if we can get some more work done," Obama told reporters on the way into the session.


Obama gave opening remarks before a question-and-answer session; one official said senators fussed at the president a bit.

Four officials present at the session said that when Obama appealed for bipartisanship, Corker accused him of "audacity" given the administration's handling of the financial reform package and other legislation. Corker was a lead GOP negotiator on the bill to regulate Wall Street.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the private session, said Obama bristled and defended his negotiations over the bill.

More here

Obama To Send 1,200 Troops To Border

The Obama administration plans to announce Tuesday that it will send as many as 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to improve border security, an Arizona congresswoman said.

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords also said in a statement released Tuesday that President Barack Obama will request $500 million in funding for border security.

Part of Giffords' district borders Mexico.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's spokesman said the governor hadn't been told of the move prior to her office being contacted by The Associated Press and had no immediate comment.

More

Private Pay Shrinks To Historic Lows As Gov't Payouts Rise

Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in U.S. history during the first quarter of this year, a USA TODAY analysis of government data finds.
At the same time, government-provided benefits — from Social Security, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs — rose to a record high during the first three months of 2010.

Those records reflect a long-term trend accelerated by the recession and the federal stimulus program to counteract the downturn. The result is a major shift in the source of personal income from private wages to government programs.

The trend is not sustainable, says University of Michigan economist Donald Grimes. Reason: The federal government depends on private wages to generate income taxes to pay for its ever-more-expensive programs. Government-generated income is taxed at lower rates or not at all, he says. "This is really important," Grimes says.

GO HERE to read more.

Daddy, How Was I Born?

A little boy goes to his father and asks 'Daddy, how was I born ?'

The father answers, 'Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway! Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via e-mail with your Mom and we met at a cyber-cafe. We sneaked into a secluded room, and googled each other. There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive. As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button , nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said:







'You got Male!

Arizona Cartoons


Cartoons are a great way to express feelings in a humorous manner.

Newly Proposed Arizona State Flag


Today's Nature Photo By Scott Phoebus

Cabins Near Lake Placid

After BP Oil Spill - O’Malley’s Fund Raids Don’t Look Too Slick

Marylanders traveling to the beach for Memorial Day weekend now know oil migrating from the BP oil spill could be off Maryland’s coast within weeks. What they don’t know is that Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and the legislature this year raided Maryland’s Oil Disaster Clean Up Fund by roughly 21 percent as part of their efforts to paper over a record budget deficit in an election year.

“There are many consequences to Governor O’Malley’s failure to present a long-term solution to the record budget deficit he created,” said Audrey Scott, Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party. “One is that Maryland is now less prepared to respond to hazardous oil spills if one were to occur right now in Maryland. This Fund raid weakens Maryland’s environmental response and demonstrates that Governor O’Malley continues to kick the budget can down rather than show leadership in fixing Maryland’s record budget deficit.”

According to the Budget Reconciliation & Financing Act of 2010, Governor O’Malley sought to raid $2.2 million from Maryland’s Oil Disaster Clean Up Fund, nearly half the anticipated year-end fund balance of $4.8 million, and move the moneys to the State’s General Fund to help balance the budget. The Maryland legislature amended the legislation to raid only but a still significant $1 million from the Fund.

Governor O’Malley also signed legislation increasing fees on those who transport oil in Maryland, but that tax increase does not go into effect until later this summer, meaning that the State’s Oil Disaster Clean Up Fund is woefully inadequate.

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 24% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-four percent (44%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -20 (see trends).

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.

Overall, 42% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's performance. That is the lowest level of approval yet measured for this president. Fifty-six percent (56%) now disapprove of his performance.

GO HERE to read more.

WORCESTER COUNTY CHAPTER, AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY


THANKS TO THE DOZENS OF MEMBERS OF THE WICOMICO CHAPTER WHO DONATED TO THE BILLBOARD. The project is moving right along, look for installation sometime in June. The location is Route 50 West bound, just past Dominos Pizza.

Firefighter Charged With Death By Vehicle

A firefighter who caused a fatal wreck Sunday has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle.

Terry Allen Moore, 41, 780 Poole Road, was cited by Trooper C.F. Rogers of the N.C. Highway Patrol. He was also cited with passing in a no- passing zone.

Doris Cauble Oddie, 76, of 5770 Stokes Ferry Road, who was returning home from church, died instantly.

Moore, a volunteer firefighter and medical responder with the Union Fire Department, was responding in his personal vehicle to a medical call at Dan Nicholas Park Sunday around 12:30 p.m.

According to the Highway Patrol report, Moore was driving a 2004 F250 Ford pickup truck east on Stokes Ferry Road.

He was displaying a flashing red light.

Witnesses said Moore had passed several vehicles before coming up behind a line of vehicles which had slowed or stopped.

Those vehicles were behind Oddie's car, which had slowed.

Rogers said Moore thought the vehicles had slowed or stopped to allow him to pass.

As he pulled out to pass, Oddie made a left turn into her driveway.

The truck struck the driver's side door, killing Oddie instantly.

Rogers said while Moore had a flashing red light in his vehicle, it gave him no authority to break state motor vehicle laws.

Rogers said drivers aren't required to move out of the way for a firefighter in his or her personal vehicle with a red light, although most drivers do as a courtesy.

Powles Funeral Home in Rockwell is handling services for the Oddie family.

Frank Thomason, county emergency services director, said earlier that the accident was a tragedy for the Union community.

Many of the firefighters attended the same church, Union Lutheran, where the victim attended.

Firefighters met with the Oddie family Sunday night.

Source

In My Next Life

Board Appoints Supervisor Of Mathematics, Supervisor Of English/World Languages

Board Appoints Supervisor of Mathematics, Supervisor of English/World Languages
The Wicomico County Board of Education at a special meeting Tuesday, May 25, appointed a new Supervisor of Mathematics and a new Supervisor of English/World Languages, effective July 1.

The Board approved the appointment of Andrew Todd, currently serving as assistant principal at Somerset Intermediate School in Westover, as Supervisor of Mathematics for Wicomico County Public Schools. He will replace Supervisor of Mathematics Ann Ashe, who is retiring after 26 years with Wicomico Schools. Todd, the 2006 Somerset Teacher of the Year, holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in administration/leadership, with an Advanced Professional Certificate with a mathematics endorsement. He served as a mathematics facilitator for Somerset County Public Schools, taught middle school mathematics while working with the MSA and HSA for mathematics, and supervised the math department at Somerset Intermediate School as part of his assistant principal duties.

The Board approved the appointment of Janice Wagner, currently serving as a high school professional development coach in HSA English, as Supervisor of English/World Languages for Wicomico County Public Schools. She will replace Supervisor of English and Foreign Languages Daniel W. Pyle, who is retiring after 29 years with Wicomico Schools. Wagner has more than 30 years of experience in public and private school settings, and has taught as an adjunct professor at University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Salisbury University. She taught English at Wicomico High 2002-04, and has taught a variety of levels in reading, language arts, English and Latin. She served as a department chair with responsibility for observation and evaluation of English teachers in Baltimore County.

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON THE PASSING OF RAYMOND V. HAYSBERT, SR.

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement following the passing of Raymond V. Haysbert, Sr., chief executive officer of the Parks Sausage Co., one of the largest African-American-owned businesses in the country, and the first minority-owned company to go public on the stock exchange:

“I am saddened by the news of the passing of Raymond Haysbert, a prominent businessman, community activist and leader in entrepreneurship for African-American owned businesses across our State and our country. Ray Haysbert fought for our freedom in the all-African American 332nd Fighter Group – the Tuskegee Airmen – during World War II, and upon returning home, fought tirelessly to expand African-American owned businesses in our country. Through his leadership and community activism, he proved that we can preserve our history while challenging its flaws, exacting a more just future for the next generation.”

“Raymond Haysbert will be missed dearly, but his dedication to equality and inclusion will not be forgotten. My thoughts, and the thoughts and prayers of all Marylanders, are with the family of Raymond Haysbert on this very sad day.”

CRAWDADS SNEAK PAST SHOREBIRDS, 4-2, TO LEVEL SERIES

Orioles Second Rounder Givens Records RBI In Pro Debut

Hickory, N.C. – The Hickory Crawdads plated three runs in the seventh inning to defeat the Delmarva Shorebirds, 4-2, at L.P. Frans Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Crawdads raced to a 1-0 edge in the first inning. Leury Garcia led off with a single and reached second on an overthrow by left fielder Kieron Pope. Garcia then stole his 24th base of the year. Two batters later, he scored on a double to right-center by Miguel Valazquez.

In the top of the second, the ‘Birds responded. After two outs were recorded, Steve Bumbry drew a walk. Mychal Givens followed suit with a walk. Then, Michael Ohlman hit a soft line drive to right field to plate Bumbry to knot the game at 1-1.

The ‘Birds grabbed their first lead of the night in the sixth inning. Bumbry reached on a misplay at short by Leury Garcia. He advanced to second courtesy of a wild pitch. Bumbry then swiped third. Mychal Givens delivered his first professional hit, a chopper to short, to score Bumbry.

Hickory stormed into the lead in the seventh inning. Cristian Santana led off with a double to right-center field. After a pop out by Matt West, Ed Koncel hit a single into shallow center to tie the game at 2-2. He advanced to second on the throw home and scored on a single up the middle by Zach Zaneski to give the Crawdads a 3-2 lead. Then, Edwin Garcia singled to score Zaneski.

Shorebirds starter Kenny Moreland pitched well in 6.1 innings. He allowed just five hits. Moreland fanned three and did not issue a walk.

The Shorebirds put the first two runners on in the ninth inning but could not bring them home. Trevor Hurley retired Michael Ohlman, Garabez Rosa and Gary Helmick in succession to end the game.

Hector Nelo earned the win in 1.1 innings. Moreland was tagged with the loss.

The Shorebirds play three of the series on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. RHP Bobby Bundy makes his second start of the season.