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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, December 13, 2010
Steele’s In
(A member of the Republican National Committee provided National Review Online notes from Michael Steele’s speech to the committee on Monday night).
“We have been turning the elephant,” Steele told members in his pitch. “Collectively, we secured $179 million,” he said, in response to criticism that he has scared away major donors. Citing “a lot of trash and smack about major donors,” Steele asserted “you cannot take away [the fact that] we raised $179 million.”
That said, Steele recognized the need for more money: “We put new ideas in place. Some worked and some didn’t. The financial landscape has changed.” He assured members that the RNC “must dramatically increase its efforts for the 2012 election” with the small-donor program and an augmented major-donor program.
The chairman acknowledged his mistakes. “It has been trying and frustrating . . . but I have always been proud to be your chairman,” Steele said. “I have stumbled along the way. Made no excuses. Told no lies. Hidden no agenda. But I really believe passionately in the party that I joined 35 years ago.”
More at NRO
“We have been turning the elephant,” Steele told members in his pitch. “Collectively, we secured $179 million,” he said, in response to criticism that he has scared away major donors. Citing “a lot of trash and smack about major donors,” Steele asserted “you cannot take away [the fact that] we raised $179 million.”
That said, Steele recognized the need for more money: “We put new ideas in place. Some worked and some didn’t. The financial landscape has changed.” He assured members that the RNC “must dramatically increase its efforts for the 2012 election” with the small-donor program and an augmented major-donor program.
The chairman acknowledged his mistakes. “It has been trying and frustrating . . . but I have always been proud to be your chairman,” Steele said. “I have stumbled along the way. Made no excuses. Told no lies. Hidden no agenda. But I really believe passionately in the party that I joined 35 years ago.”
More at NRO
Ireton, Smith, Comegys & Shields Ask For A Lawsuit
Even though I warned the Mayor and Council that IF they unloaded the old Fire Station for $100,000.00 I would immediately file suit against the City of Salisbury for discrimination and whatever else my attorneys drum up.
Considering they voted to move forward with the sale, they will be served this week a lawsuit.
Considering they voted to move forward with the sale, they will be served this week a lawsuit.
Steele To Seek 2nd Term, Sources Say
PAC14 DEAD
Steve Hammond Is Absolutely CLUELESS!
The reporter came back and stated the City had certain ideas for the building and that offer didn't comply. BULL CRAP!
WBOC absolutely 100% knew for a FACT that my offer came more than a YEAR before they created the now well known RFP. THEY COVERED IT UP. WBOC follows Salisbury News every minute of the day and quite frankly that was by far the poorest level of reporting I have seen yet here on the Shore.
No doubt WBOC is pissed at me for exposing their broadcast problems. In fact, we waited until 6 PM tonight to see the news on channel 16, (instead of 21) guess what, IT WAS EVEN WORSE!
2011 is just around the corner. One way or another, Salisbury News will have its biggest impact on the local MSM in 2011 than any year before. Clearly the pay check is more important than ethics or truth at WBOC.
Is Mayor Ireton The New FOB?
"Thank you for your email. With the request for proposals that the city put out, both Mr. Gillis and Mr. Brushmiller met the criteria for keeping the historical significance of the fire station. Beyond that, they could do pretty much what they wanted with the building. Of course, Mr. Brushmiller has withdrawn his proposal, which would have brought us some sort of theatre project. So the Gillis project is all we have left on the table. If we do not accept his proposal we would go back to the council to draft another request for proposals that could be given to business owners. That would take a very long time. So my hope is that this project works. If council does not pass, I will go back to the drawing board. Again, thank you for emailing me."
Mayor Ireton
Bus Accident
There's been an accident involving a School Bus and one vehicle that apparently rear ended the Bus. We're told none of the children on the Bus were seriously injured. Parents were asked to come to the School Gym.
I'm Asking Every One Of You To Listen To This Audio
At least they will know what's coming. IF they choose to make this move, the fact that I originally offered $250,000.00, (no contingencies) more than 2 years ago, THEN, (after my offer) they created legislation to create a RFP to make sure I couldn't buy the building, it's an open and shut case.
GO HERE to listen to the 5 second audio.
I guess you have to be a former Council Member or a FOB to purchase City property.
I guess you have to be a former Council Member or a FOB to purchase City property.
A Comment Worthy Of A Post
Stewart Davis LORA President has left a new comment on your post "Today's Survey Question":
I was called by Palmer and yes he called LORA stupid and we have our heads in the sand.He said our group does not know what we are doing.This year alone LORA has given 2- $2,000.00 scholarships, raised $12,000.00 more for future scholarships, handed out more than $34,000.00 in charitable donations along with at least $30,000.00 donations in food for large charitable groups (now how is that for not knowing what we are doing?) He also called me back, spoke his mind then proceded to hang up on me. This has never been personal but his unprofessionalism has made me wonder. I am here representing LORA and our customer base. Its not Stewarts fight. Our customers have asked to help with this issue and we responded. LORA wants to know what indeed is the plan with UMES and Perdue? The sale is the other issue our customers have asked us to represent. LORA will stand strong for our customer base and represent you to the best of our ability. Please come support LORA and our customers tonight and then come to a LORA restaurant to eat. Spending locally keeps the money local!!!
I was called by Palmer and yes he called LORA stupid and we have our heads in the sand.He said our group does not know what we are doing.This year alone LORA has given 2- $2,000.00 scholarships, raised $12,000.00 more for future scholarships, handed out more than $34,000.00 in charitable donations along with at least $30,000.00 donations in food for large charitable groups (now how is that for not knowing what we are doing?) He also called me back, spoke his mind then proceded to hang up on me. This has never been personal but his unprofessionalism has made me wonder. I am here representing LORA and our customer base. Its not Stewarts fight. Our customers have asked to help with this issue and we responded. LORA wants to know what indeed is the plan with UMES and Perdue? The sale is the other issue our customers have asked us to represent. LORA will stand strong for our customer base and represent you to the best of our ability. Please come support LORA and our customers tonight and then come to a LORA restaurant to eat. Spending locally keeps the money local!!!
Nearly Half Of Elderly In U.S. Will Face Poverty
64.6% of black Americans and 32.7% whites will face poverty, study says
NEW YORK — Nearly half of elderly Americans will face a future with at least one year below or close to the poverty line, according to a new study that showed a huge racial divide in prospects for the elderly.
Mark R. Rank, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, said the results of his research contradict popular beliefs about the economic stability of America's elderly population.
"We have an image of the elderly as doing pretty well," he said, adding that data spanning 35 years does not support that assumption.
Elderly black Americans are almost twice as likely as whites to sink to the poverty level, according to the study. It estimates 64.6 percent of black Americans and 32.7 whites will face poverty.
"There are historical differences between whites and African-Americans. In all age groups, African-Americans are more likely at lower paying jobs and have much less assets," Rank explained.
GO HERE to read more.
Clinton: 'The United States Will Not Be A Passive Participant'
In a bid to effectively kick start negotiations on the final status of the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is calling on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to declare their positions on the “core issues” in the conflict and to “make the difficult decisions that peace requires.”
Admitting “deep frustrations” at the lack of progress in the U.S.-backed pursuit of a settlement, Clinton said in a speech Friday night it was “time to grapple with the core issues of the conflict – on borders and security; settlements, water and refugees; and on Jerusalem itself.”
“The United States will not be a passive participant,” she warned. “We will push the parties to lay out their positions on the core issues without delay and with real specificity. We will work to narrow the gaps asking the tough questions and expecting substantive answers. And in the context of our private conversations with the parties, we will offer our own ideas and bridging proposals when appropriate.”
How serious the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are in reaching an agreement would be determined by their engagement on the core issues, she said.
Her strongest words were reserved for the issue of Israeli settlements.
“Like every American administration for decades, we do not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity,” she said. “We believe their continued expansion is corrosive not only to peace efforts and two-state solution, but to Israel’s future itself.”
The “settlements” referred to are more than 120 communities developed over the past 40 years ranging from small villages to towns with populations exceeding 30,000.
Successive Israeli governments have ruled out a withdrawal to the boundaries that were in place before the 1967 Six Day War (also known as the 1949 armistice lines), and most Israelis expect the future borders of a Palestinian state to exclude at least some of these communities.
In a key letter to the Israeli government that was later endorsed by overwhelming votes in the U.S. House and Senate, President Bush in 2004 cited the existence of these “major Israeli populations centers” in saying that “it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949.”
More on this
[The arrogance of the administration official referenced above speaks for itself. -- Editor]
Admitting “deep frustrations” at the lack of progress in the U.S.-backed pursuit of a settlement, Clinton said in a speech Friday night it was “time to grapple with the core issues of the conflict – on borders and security; settlements, water and refugees; and on Jerusalem itself.”
“The United States will not be a passive participant,” she warned. “We will push the parties to lay out their positions on the core issues without delay and with real specificity. We will work to narrow the gaps asking the tough questions and expecting substantive answers. And in the context of our private conversations with the parties, we will offer our own ideas and bridging proposals when appropriate.”
How serious the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are in reaching an agreement would be determined by their engagement on the core issues, she said.
Her strongest words were reserved for the issue of Israeli settlements.
“Like every American administration for decades, we do not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity,” she said. “We believe their continued expansion is corrosive not only to peace efforts and two-state solution, but to Israel’s future itself.”
The “settlements” referred to are more than 120 communities developed over the past 40 years ranging from small villages to towns with populations exceeding 30,000.
Successive Israeli governments have ruled out a withdrawal to the boundaries that were in place before the 1967 Six Day War (also known as the 1949 armistice lines), and most Israelis expect the future borders of a Palestinian state to exclude at least some of these communities.
In a key letter to the Israeli government that was later endorsed by overwhelming votes in the U.S. House and Senate, President Bush in 2004 cited the existence of these “major Israeli populations centers” in saying that “it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949.”
[The arrogance of the administration official referenced above speaks for itself. -- Editor]
Federal Judge: Health Care Reform Unconstitutional
==============================
Breaking News
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Federal Judge: Health Care Reform Unconstitutional
A federal judge in Virginia has declared the Obama administration's health care
law unconstitutional.
MORE DETAILS: <http://www.wbaltv.com/tu/5UWYRrRbL.html>;
IRS Agents Raid Telescoper Offices
Agents with the Internal Revenue Service raided an Ocean City business Tuesday morning, taking computers and boxes of files with them.
Around 8 a.m., a fleet of large, black sport utility vehicles with tinted windows and out-of-state license plates rolled up in front of Telescope Pictures on 16th Street. The crowd having breakfast at a diner across the street watched as federal agents wearing bulletproof vests and dark jackets got out of the vehicles and entered the business.
“They were wearing flak jackets and ski masks. They just rolled up and jumped out of all these cars with plates from Maryland, Virginia and D.C. tags. I’ve never seen anything this serious,” said City Council President Jim Hall, who was eating breakfast in the diner at the time and watched the raid unfold.
The agents’ jackets identified them as members of the “IRS Criminal Enforcement Division,” and some were wearing firearms. Hall said they removed some people from the property who appeared to be living in apartments above the business, and then began to empty the place.
“They took computers, books, boxes, everything,” he said.
GO HERE to read more.
A&P Superfresh: The Truth About Chapter 11
JPMorgan Chase to Provide $800 Million in DIP Financing
Stores Are Fully Stocked and Remain Open,
Providing Uninterrupted Service to Customers
MONTVALE, N.J. – December 12, 2010 – The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P) (NYSE: GAP) announced today that it has filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The Chapter 11 process will facilitate A&P’s financial and operational restructuring, which is designed to restore the Company to long-term financial health.
Stores Fully Stocked and Open with No Interruption in Service A&P continues to conduct its business and serve customers at its 395 stores. The Company’s stores are fully stocked with their complete range of high quality products, and all existing customer promotional and customer loyalty programs will stay in place.
The Company will have access to $800 million in debtor in possession (DIP) financing, which will enable it to continue paying local suppliers, vendors, employees and others in the normal course of business.
A&P President and Chief Executive Officer Sam Martin said, “We have taken this difficult but necessary step to enable A&P to fully implement our comprehensive financial and operational restructuring. While we have made substantial progress on the operational and merchandising aspects of our turnaround plan, we concluded that we could not complete our turnaround without availing ourselves of Chapter 11. It will allow us to restructure our debt, reduce our structural costs, and address our legacy issues.
Mr. Martin continued, “With the protections afforded by the Bankruptcy Code and the backing of a new, pre-eminent lender, we can make strategic decisions that will benefit the Company over the long term, enabling A&P to emerge with a new capital structure and in a much improved position to exploit its fundamental strengths. Importantly, during this reorganization our stores will operate normally with fully stocked shelves and the excellent service A&P customers expect. Our customers can shop our stores with confidence, and our employees can continue delivering great value and service to our customers every day.
GO HERE to read more.
Stores Are Fully Stocked and Remain Open,
Providing Uninterrupted Service to Customers
MONTVALE, N.J. – December 12, 2010 – The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P) (NYSE: GAP) announced today that it has filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The Chapter 11 process will facilitate A&P’s financial and operational restructuring, which is designed to restore the Company to long-term financial health.
Stores Fully Stocked and Open with No Interruption in Service A&P continues to conduct its business and serve customers at its 395 stores. The Company’s stores are fully stocked with their complete range of high quality products, and all existing customer promotional and customer loyalty programs will stay in place.
The Company will have access to $800 million in debtor in possession (DIP) financing, which will enable it to continue paying local suppliers, vendors, employees and others in the normal course of business.
A&P President and Chief Executive Officer Sam Martin said, “We have taken this difficult but necessary step to enable A&P to fully implement our comprehensive financial and operational restructuring. While we have made substantial progress on the operational and merchandising aspects of our turnaround plan, we concluded that we could not complete our turnaround without availing ourselves of Chapter 11. It will allow us to restructure our debt, reduce our structural costs, and address our legacy issues.
Mr. Martin continued, “With the protections afforded by the Bankruptcy Code and the backing of a new, pre-eminent lender, we can make strategic decisions that will benefit the Company over the long term, enabling A&P to emerge with a new capital structure and in a much improved position to exploit its fundamental strengths. Importantly, during this reorganization our stores will operate normally with fully stocked shelves and the excellent service A&P customers expect. Our customers can shop our stores with confidence, and our employees can continue delivering great value and service to our customers every day.
GO HERE to read more.
Mayor Ireton Responds To My CASH Offer
"If this proposal is not accepted tonight, another RFP will be written. If that happens you will be able to bid on the property. Thanks for the inquiry." Jim I.
I'll See Your Hundred Thousand And Raise You TEN THOUSAND, CASH!
Salisbury News is now interested in creating an Eastern Shore Headquarters in this building as 2011 will bring yet another massive change to our daily visitors. The building will be ADDED to the tax roll and we will start employing people immediately following a settlement on the property.
We will use the upper level for our Offices while we'd consider a Firehouse Museum on the main level. The structure would remain the same as it is today. We'd also entertain a crafts center on the main floor to help build economic & development to the Downtown area. We'd make the front and side available for a Farmer's Market for $10.00 a day per vendor.
I don't know what else to tell you Folks. I'm willing to pony up the cash TODAY. My money is guaranteed. If the City is not willing to take another offer above and beyond what is on the table right now, VOTE THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE AND ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM IN THE NEXT ELECTION.
Set aside the cash offer, Salisbury News clearly brings in enough money in advertising to support such a purchase if anything was ever financed, just in case the nay sayers challenge my cash offer.
What Say You Now Mayor Ireton & All Council Members?
On a side note, I have a very bad cold and I may not be able to attend tonights meeting. Therefore I bring this offer via Salisbury News and I will forward the link to all Council Members to assure they see it. I am attempting to see if my financial advisor can come to tonights meeting on my behalf to represent my CASH offer.
Moms, Dads Of Gang Kids Ordered To Parenting Class
It's a Saturday morning and a half-dozen adults are sitting in a high school classroom, staring at grim photos of sickly drug addicts and hearing about the deadly consequences of gang crime. They'd rather not be here, but a judge made them come.
The moms and dads were ordered to attend the class under a new California law giving judges the option of sending parents for training when their kids are convicted of gang crimes for the first time.
Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, the lawmaker behind the Parent Accountability Act, said it is the first state law to give judges the power to order parents of gang members to school, though other court-mandated classes exist at the local level.
"A lot of parents do not know how to handle teenagers," Mendoza said. "Now more than ever, parents need a guide."
The new law went into effect in January and eventually will be in place across California. Budget cuts in Sacramento meant implementation of the classes was delayed and only in the past month or so have they been rolled out on a limited basis in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Several of those first classes were canceled due to low attendance, something organizers blamed on judges' ignorance of the new law. But the sputtering start also speaks to the difficulties of trying to engage parents who may be too busy or apathetic to take a more active role in their kids' lives.
Authorities say Los Angeles County has about 80,000 gang members, though those estimates vary. Parents in gang neighborhoods often struggle to make ends meet and find themselves working more than one job. The long hours mean they can't spend much time with their kids and some youngsters say they are tempted into gang life by a sense of companionship missing from their own family.
"The most difficult thing is to have control of the kids," said Socorro Gonzalez, a housekeeper who was ordered to a recent class after her son, a member of the San Fer gang, got into trouble. "When I come home, I don't know what they have been up to."
At the class last month with six parents, an instructor speaking in Spanish flashed images of drug paraphernalia and showed pictures of addicts before and after they acquired their habit. At a later session, another instructor outlined classic warning signs of gang involvement — tattoos, secretive behavior, sudden changes in musical tastes and the use of gang hand signals.
Read more here
The moms and dads were ordered to attend the class under a new California law giving judges the option of sending parents for training when their kids are convicted of gang crimes for the first time.
Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, the lawmaker behind the Parent Accountability Act, said it is the first state law to give judges the power to order parents of gang members to school, though other court-mandated classes exist at the local level.
"A lot of parents do not know how to handle teenagers," Mendoza said. "Now more than ever, parents need a guide."
The new law went into effect in January and eventually will be in place across California. Budget cuts in Sacramento meant implementation of the classes was delayed and only in the past month or so have they been rolled out on a limited basis in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Several of those first classes were canceled due to low attendance, something organizers blamed on judges' ignorance of the new law. But the sputtering start also speaks to the difficulties of trying to engage parents who may be too busy or apathetic to take a more active role in their kids' lives.
Authorities say Los Angeles County has about 80,000 gang members, though those estimates vary. Parents in gang neighborhoods often struggle to make ends meet and find themselves working more than one job. The long hours mean they can't spend much time with their kids and some youngsters say they are tempted into gang life by a sense of companionship missing from their own family.
"The most difficult thing is to have control of the kids," said Socorro Gonzalez, a housekeeper who was ordered to a recent class after her son, a member of the San Fer gang, got into trouble. "When I come home, I don't know what they have been up to."
At the class last month with six parents, an instructor speaking in Spanish flashed images of drug paraphernalia and showed pictures of addicts before and after they acquired their habit. At a later session, another instructor outlined classic warning signs of gang involvement — tattoos, secretive behavior, sudden changes in musical tastes and the use of gang hand signals.
Read more here
Federal Judge To Rule On Obamacare's Constitutionality
A Virginia federal judge is expected to rule Monday on whether the Obama administration's health law violates the Constitution, opening a new stage in the administration's defense of its biggest legislative achievement.
The ruling by District Judge Henry E. Hudson is perhaps the most significant so far among a slew of state-based legal challenges to the law, which also faces attack by newly resurgent Republicans in Congress. More than 20 federal lawsuits have been filed against the health overhaul since President Barack Obama signed it in March.
While the cases differ somewhat, they largely rest on the argument that Congress lacks constitutional authority to require most Americans to carry health insurance or pay a fee. The Obama administration counters that three clauses of the Constitution gave Congress the power to put the requirement, known as the individual mandate, in the law as part of regulating how people pay for health care.
The Virginia challenge is led by that state's attorney general, Republican Ken Cuccinelli. Separately, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola, Fla., on Thursday will hear arguments in a challenge brought by officials in 20 states. He could offer the clearest indication yet of how he will rule.
More here
The ruling by District Judge Henry E. Hudson is perhaps the most significant so far among a slew of state-based legal challenges to the law, which also faces attack by newly resurgent Republicans in Congress. More than 20 federal lawsuits have been filed against the health overhaul since President Barack Obama signed it in March.
While the cases differ somewhat, they largely rest on the argument that Congress lacks constitutional authority to require most Americans to carry health insurance or pay a fee. The Obama administration counters that three clauses of the Constitution gave Congress the power to put the requirement, known as the individual mandate, in the law as part of regulating how people pay for health care.
The Virginia challenge is led by that state's attorney general, Republican Ken Cuccinelli. Separately, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola, Fla., on Thursday will hear arguments in a challenge brought by officials in 20 states. He could offer the clearest indication yet of how he will rule.
More here
Sari-Clad Indian Ambassador To US 'Humiliated' By TSA Gropers
Indian officials are lodging a complaint following an "unacceptable" TSA public pat-down of India's sari-clad ambassador—despite the fact that she presented diplomatic papers and was escorted to the airport by police.
Witnesses say Meera Shankar was told she was picked out of a group of passengers in a security line at Mississippi's Jackson-Evers International Airport because of the way she was dressed.
The ambassador, who had been visiting Mississippi State University, was then thoroughly searched in clear view of everyone, even though she asked for a private check.
She has vowed never to return to the state because of her treatment. "She is a very strong woman, but you could see in her face that she was humiliated," an MSU professor who witnessed the search tells the Clarion-Ledger.
"The Indian culture is very modest." Mississippi's lieutenant-governor, who met with Shankar during her visit to the state, says he regrets the "outrageous way" she was treated by federal employees.
(Source)
[This is certainly what we need to be doing-- humiliating the ambassador of one of our few allies in the region. Another clear demonstration of the 'competence' of Janet Napolitano and the TSA. --Editor]
Witnesses say Meera Shankar was told she was picked out of a group of passengers in a security line at Mississippi's Jackson-Evers International Airport because of the way she was dressed.
The ambassador, who had been visiting Mississippi State University, was then thoroughly searched in clear view of everyone, even though she asked for a private check.
She has vowed never to return to the state because of her treatment. "She is a very strong woman, but you could see in her face that she was humiliated," an MSU professor who witnessed the search tells the Clarion-Ledger.
"The Indian culture is very modest." Mississippi's lieutenant-governor, who met with Shankar during her visit to the state, says he regrets the "outrageous way" she was treated by federal employees.
(Source)
[This is certainly what we need to be doing-- humiliating the ambassador of one of our few allies in the region. Another clear demonstration of the 'competence' of Janet Napolitano and the TSA. --Editor]
Redskins Game Was Suite
If you watched the Redskins yesterday you probably threw the remote at the TV several times, especially when the kicker failed to get the football between the posts several times.
We were amazed at how many people sat in the cold rain during the entire game but these are real fans who spent mega bucks just to get into the game.
Back when I lived on the Western Shore we'd go to quite a few games at the old stadium. This was my first visit to the new stadium and while it was quite impressive, the Redskins failed to deliver a win. Man, talk about coming close though, several times.
Have any of you been to the new stadium? I know quite a few people that go to the Ravens games. I'm just wondering how many people still support the Redskins.
FIREHOUSE UPDATE
COME TO SUPPORT!
Following years of public debate and planning the ‘new’ Station 16 located at 325 Cypress Street was completed in 2008. After months of public discussion and phasing out Fire and EMS services, the former Station 16 was considered surplus by the city council.
Subsequent to months of dialogue the former Station 16 was considered surplus because 1) there’s no longer a need to host emergency services 2) the city had no use for the property 3) the city can not afford to operate/carry the building. These points were discussed years ago.
Bid requests for either a truck lease or selling real estate have a specific process to adequately inform the public of the request for proposal (RFP). These requests are posted in the paper and on the City’s website for months. To further the public process the city also has pre-bid meetings for potential responses and allows 90 days for responses to be finalized and officially submitted to the Procurement Department.
The City of Salisbury followed this public procurement process correctly and publicly advertised the RFP for the ‘old’ Station 16 in the summer of 2009, over 12 months after the ‘new’ Station 16 was commissioned. The RFP was carefully crafted with specific scoring criteria to focus on economic development, downtown revitalization, historical significance, experience/strength of bidder and acquisition price.
October 2009 submittals were due to the City’s Procurement Department. After the public marketing effort, there were two responses. After months of public work sessions, questions, debate, historical commission meeting(s), addendum(s), one proposal dropped out of the bidding.
Our plan has been public information since October 22, 2009; we have had and welcomed discussion on our proposal since that date.
We have a proven downtown redevelopment track record and are qualified to see this project thru. We will restore and reuse this historical significant downtown building by creating a regional self-supporting, hospitality destination located in the Heart-of-Delmarva, Salisbury Maryland Downtown. Synergy with local hospitality establishments will enhance the image of downtown Salisbury by adding pedestrian movement downtown, adding to the existing customer basis that is downtown currently.
This city owned property will be transferred to the tax role, property, sales and amusement taxes will be contributed to the city’s coffers. Also the project will have 4-5 apartments on the second floor. This project truly does implement the vision of the City of Salisbury, live, work, play, DOWNTOWN and is a step toward downtown’s vitality and having a true impact on the City of Salisbury. This plan is based on several of many master plan studies completed regarding downtown’s future. We are taking ACTION!
Valuation of public property is no easy task; could the building be worth $1,000,000 or $2,000,000; maybe as a private residence or office; would the city accept that as the best use; in my opinion no? Valuation of public property is unlike a private transaction, the city looks at not just the highest price, but economic impact, tax revenue, highest and best use, strength of bidders and goes thru a complex disposition agreement to up hold the agreed upon use.
Within the RFP the city concentrated on the use of the property, out of 100% only 5% of the scoring criteria was used for pricing; further enforcing the city was focused on economic impact, tax revenue, highest and best use and strength of bidders
After redeveloping several downtown buildings, we understanding the total development cost of a project. We have considered the redevelopment costs in our offer and prepared development analyses (included in our response on 10/22/09). Our offer of $100,000 reflects only the acquisition cost; we will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and completely redevelop the property into a historical significant downtown destination.
We are pursuing the redevelopment of this wonderful property, working toward making Salisbury’s downtown a great place to live work and play. If you oppose this project for the concept, timing or price, I am sorry.
The disposition has been public knowledge for over 24 months. Our proposal has been public knowledge for over 12 months. Our offer price is based on knowledge of historical building renovations. You had every chance to submit an offer, you did not.
If you support this project please show up on Monday December 13th at the City Council meeting to speak in favor.
This is your chance to have a very positive impact on our community’s core, your Downtown Salisbury!
If you are unable to attend the meeting please send emails to ALLCityCouncilMembers@ci.salisbury.md.us
Bradley Gillis
Family Dog Shot During Home Invasion
A dog was shot and killed during a brazen home invasion Sunday in Oxon Hill.
Six or seven males broke into a home in the 1600 block of Birchwood Drive in Oxon Hill, Md. just after 2 p.m., and assaulted the homeowner’s son and then shot the family's dog, according to police officials.
The victim’s age and condition was not immediately known, said Prince George's County police Cpl. Henry Tippett. The attackers fled the scene in two vehicles: a black Mercedes and a gold Chevy Tahoe. It is still unclear whether or not the attackers actually took anything.
Making A Difference From Where He Sits
If Canadian Rick Hansen could turn back the clock to that day in 1972 when, hitchhiking on a pickup truck that swerved off a country road and crashed into the trees, his spinal cord snapped at waist level – he wouldn’t even try.
“It was a long, hard journey. It took time to forgive myself for getting into the truck with my friend, and I was very angry at the driver. My parents went through a lot. But I regard that accident at age 15 as the best thing that could have happened to me. I would never trade my life that followed for something else.”
Almost without being aware of it, he gradually became a catalyst for change in society’s attitudes, and a man dedicated to making a difference.
Born in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Hansen grew up in Williams Lake, BC. By his teens he had won all-star awards in five sports. After the devastating injury, he turned his paralysis into a lifelong mission, promoting research into spinal cord injuries and accessibility and integration for the disabled around the world.
He remembers the accident vividly – even though 38 years have passed. “I was returning home from a fishing trip,” Hansen tells The Jerusalem Post in an interview in Jerusalem. “A friend of mine who was also 15 sat on the right side of the truck, with me on the left, but he asked to switch seats, which I did. The truck went carelessly to the right around a corner.
There were no seat belts. I was thrown against a steel tool box and my spinal cord was severed at the waist.”
Hansen worked to rehabilitate himself, finished high school and then became the first student with a physical disability to graduate in physical education from the University of British Columbia. He won national championships on wheelchair volleyball and wheelchair basketball teams and went on to become a world-class Paralympic athlete.
“My friend in the truck was only lightly hurt, but if he had been sitting on the right and been paralyzed, it would have been devastating, as he had never believed in himself. But after seeing what I could do with my life as a paraplegic, he devoted himself to playing acoustic guitar – and won a top prize.” Today, that friend – also 53 – works at the Rick Hansen Foundation, which its namesake established in 1997.
“Life is about passion and giving, surrounding yourself with love, having purpose and making a change in the world. I could do this without being able to walk,” says Hansen, looking healthy, fit, with the strong biceps he needed to push himself over 40,000 kilometers in 34 countries around the world – including Israel – a project he embarked upon in March 1985. He finished his Man in Motion World Tour “two years, two months and two days later” and was received as a hero in his hometown. Canadian songwriter David Foster wrote the original version of a song called Saint Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) in his honor.
Hansen used that amazing trip to increase awareness of the needs of the disabled, and raised $26 million for spinal injury research. Since then, his foundation has collected over $220 million more. He married Amanda Reid, the physiotherapist who accompanied him on that first tour; they have three daughters Emma, Alana, and Rebecca (aged 20, 18 and 15).
Another famous person with disabilities that Hansen knew was Christopher Reeve, the late Superman movie hero who became a quadraplegic after a fall from his horse. “He was a great man,” comments Hansen, who admired him for setting up a foundation to advance research in the field. Another hero of his is a former mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, who lost control of all four limbs in a skiing accident at 19, overcame depression and suicidal thoughts and went on to his election to city council in 1993 and in 2005 as mayor. “I remember that he went to Torino as mayor to attend the Paralympic Games. In his electric wheelchair, he circled the field with the country’s flag. He didn’t have to say a thing. He could have spent his life in a hospital, but he thrived.”
These successes conflict with the image of disability in the minds of some people. “Occasionally, when we go to a restaurant, the waiter will bring the bill to my wife or an attendant at the airport will talk to her rather than to me – as if being unable to walk means I have no brain. I don’t know if it’s a sign of women’s liberation or my own situation,” Hansen says.
More of this story here
“It was a long, hard journey. It took time to forgive myself for getting into the truck with my friend, and I was very angry at the driver. My parents went through a lot. But I regard that accident at age 15 as the best thing that could have happened to me. I would never trade my life that followed for something else.”
Almost without being aware of it, he gradually became a catalyst for change in society’s attitudes, and a man dedicated to making a difference.
Born in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Hansen grew up in Williams Lake, BC. By his teens he had won all-star awards in five sports. After the devastating injury, he turned his paralysis into a lifelong mission, promoting research into spinal cord injuries and accessibility and integration for the disabled around the world.
He remembers the accident vividly – even though 38 years have passed. “I was returning home from a fishing trip,” Hansen tells The Jerusalem Post in an interview in Jerusalem. “A friend of mine who was also 15 sat on the right side of the truck, with me on the left, but he asked to switch seats, which I did. The truck went carelessly to the right around a corner.
There were no seat belts. I was thrown against a steel tool box and my spinal cord was severed at the waist.”
Hansen worked to rehabilitate himself, finished high school and then became the first student with a physical disability to graduate in physical education from the University of British Columbia. He won national championships on wheelchair volleyball and wheelchair basketball teams and went on to become a world-class Paralympic athlete.
“My friend in the truck was only lightly hurt, but if he had been sitting on the right and been paralyzed, it would have been devastating, as he had never believed in himself. But after seeing what I could do with my life as a paraplegic, he devoted himself to playing acoustic guitar – and won a top prize.” Today, that friend – also 53 – works at the Rick Hansen Foundation, which its namesake established in 1997.
“Life is about passion and giving, surrounding yourself with love, having purpose and making a change in the world. I could do this without being able to walk,” says Hansen, looking healthy, fit, with the strong biceps he needed to push himself over 40,000 kilometers in 34 countries around the world – including Israel – a project he embarked upon in March 1985. He finished his Man in Motion World Tour “two years, two months and two days later” and was received as a hero in his hometown. Canadian songwriter David Foster wrote the original version of a song called Saint Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) in his honor.
Hansen used that amazing trip to increase awareness of the needs of the disabled, and raised $26 million for spinal injury research. Since then, his foundation has collected over $220 million more. He married Amanda Reid, the physiotherapist who accompanied him on that first tour; they have three daughters Emma, Alana, and Rebecca (aged 20, 18 and 15).
Another famous person with disabilities that Hansen knew was Christopher Reeve, the late Superman movie hero who became a quadraplegic after a fall from his horse. “He was a great man,” comments Hansen, who admired him for setting up a foundation to advance research in the field. Another hero of his is a former mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, who lost control of all four limbs in a skiing accident at 19, overcame depression and suicidal thoughts and went on to his election to city council in 1993 and in 2005 as mayor. “I remember that he went to Torino as mayor to attend the Paralympic Games. In his electric wheelchair, he circled the field with the country’s flag. He didn’t have to say a thing. He could have spent his life in a hospital, but he thrived.”
These successes conflict with the image of disability in the minds of some people. “Occasionally, when we go to a restaurant, the waiter will bring the bill to my wife or an attendant at the airport will talk to her rather than to me – as if being unable to walk means I have no brain. I don’t know if it’s a sign of women’s liberation or my own situation,” Hansen says.
More of this story here
Saudi Media Fall For Obama Muslim Joke
When a US satirist joked that President Barack Obama will admit to Congress that he is Muslim in his latest compromise with Republicans, Saudi media took it seriously.
On Friday the online version of Al-Hayat newspaper and the prominent news website Sabq.org both reported straightforwardly humourist Andy Borowitz's column that began:
"In his latest effort to find common ground with Republicans in Congress, President Barack Obama said today that he was willing to agree that he is a Muslim.
"In agreeing that he is a Muslim, Mr. Obama is sending a clear signal that he is trying to find consensus," Borowitz said in the column posted on the Huffington Post and The Borowitz Report websites this week.
Both Al-Hayat, one of the Middle East's most influential newspapers, and Sabq, believed to be controlled by the Saudi interior ministry, apparently missed the joke.
"Obama doesn't mind coming out as a Muslim if that will satisfy the Republicans," the Al-Hayat headline said.
"Obama: 'I'm ready to announce that I am a Muslim,'" led Sabq.
Both repeated Borowitz's "quote" of Obama saying:" My place of birth has been, and will always be, negotiable."
There's more here
On Friday the online version of Al-Hayat newspaper and the prominent news website Sabq.org both reported straightforwardly humourist Andy Borowitz's column that began:
"In his latest effort to find common ground with Republicans in Congress, President Barack Obama said today that he was willing to agree that he is a Muslim.
"In agreeing that he is a Muslim, Mr. Obama is sending a clear signal that he is trying to find consensus," Borowitz said in the column posted on the Huffington Post and The Borowitz Report websites this week.
Both Al-Hayat, one of the Middle East's most influential newspapers, and Sabq, believed to be controlled by the Saudi interior ministry, apparently missed the joke.
"Obama doesn't mind coming out as a Muslim if that will satisfy the Republicans," the Al-Hayat headline said.
"Obama: 'I'm ready to announce that I am a Muslim,'" led Sabq.
Both repeated Borowitz's "quote" of Obama saying:" My place of birth has been, and will always be, negotiable."
There's more here
U.S. Free-Traders Sour On China
Long-simmering trade tensions between the United States and China have broken out into open verbal warfare, with some highly respected and influential voices on trade now advocating an all-out economic war with the Asian giant.
At the center of the dispute is the gigantic U.S. trade deficit with China, which, at $226.8 billion in the first 10 months of the year and growing, is the largest such imbalance in the world. The bilateral imbalance came back with a vengeance in 2010 after retreating during the recession from all-time highs of around $260 billion.
Adding fresh fuel to the clash, the Commerce Department reported Friday the U.S. trade deficit with China for October marked a 20 percent increase from the same period last year. At that pace, the bilateral trade gap would total about $272 billion for the entire year.
By some estimates, the China-driven trade deficit cut potential growth in the U.S. economy in half from 4 percent to 2 percent in 2010 as consumers showered money on imports rather than U.S.-made goods — preventing the creation of millions of jobs had those purchases been directed at U.S. goods and services.
Private trade analysts who typically extol the benefits of free and open global commerce say the size and persistence of the U.S.-China imbalance call for new thinking.
The U.S. faces a "dilemma" over what to do because it has been unable to get substantial cooperation from China, Mr. Levy said. Unilateral action, including tariffs and other limits on Chinese imports, he said, runs the risk of triggering a potentially worldwide trade war.
China could retaliate not only by limiting imports of such vital U.S. exports as airplanes and heavy construction equipment, but also as the biggest buyer of U.S. Treasury bonds. It could trigger a financial crisis by boycotting purchases of U.S. debt at a time when the American budget deficit has surged to well over $1 trillion a year.
More from the Washington Times
At the center of the dispute is the gigantic U.S. trade deficit with China, which, at $226.8 billion in the first 10 months of the year and growing, is the largest such imbalance in the world. The bilateral imbalance came back with a vengeance in 2010 after retreating during the recession from all-time highs of around $260 billion.
Adding fresh fuel to the clash, the Commerce Department reported Friday the U.S. trade deficit with China for October marked a 20 percent increase from the same period last year. At that pace, the bilateral trade gap would total about $272 billion for the entire year.
By some estimates, the China-driven trade deficit cut potential growth in the U.S. economy in half from 4 percent to 2 percent in 2010 as consumers showered money on imports rather than U.S.-made goods — preventing the creation of millions of jobs had those purchases been directed at U.S. goods and services.
Private trade analysts who typically extol the benefits of free and open global commerce say the size and persistence of the U.S.-China imbalance call for new thinking.
The U.S. faces a "dilemma" over what to do because it has been unable to get substantial cooperation from China, Mr. Levy said. Unilateral action, including tariffs and other limits on Chinese imports, he said, runs the risk of triggering a potentially worldwide trade war.
China could retaliate not only by limiting imports of such vital U.S. exports as airplanes and heavy construction equipment, but also as the biggest buyer of U.S. Treasury bonds. It could trigger a financial crisis by boycotting purchases of U.S. debt at a time when the American budget deficit has surged to well over $1 trillion a year.
More from the Washington Times
Social Security Advocates Fear Payroll Tax Cut
President Barack Obama's plan to cut payroll taxes for a year would provide big savings for many workers, but makes Social Security advocates nervous that it could jeopardize the retirement program's finances.
The plan is part of a package of tax cuts and extended unemployment benefits that Obama negotiated with Senate Republican leaders. It would cut workers' share of Social Security taxes by nearly one-third for 2011. Workers making $50,000 in wages would get a $1,000 tax cut; those making $100,000 would get a $2,000 tax cut.
The government would borrow about $112 billion to make Social Security whole. Advocates and some lawmakers worry that relying on borrowed money to fund Social Security could eventually force it to compete with other federal programs for scarce dollars, leading to cuts.
Social Security taxes "ought to be held sacrosanct," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security.
"When you start to signal that the (Social Security) tax levels are negotiable, you end up in long-term trouble, I think, in terms of making absolutely certain that the entitlement funding streams are secure," Pomeroy said.
Social Security is funded by a 6.2 percent payroll tax on the first $106,800 earned by a worker. The tax is matched by employers. The package negotiated by Obama would reduce the tax paid by workers to 4.2 percent for 2011. Employer rates would stay unchanged. Here is more
The plan is part of a package of tax cuts and extended unemployment benefits that Obama negotiated with Senate Republican leaders. It would cut workers' share of Social Security taxes by nearly one-third for 2011. Workers making $50,000 in wages would get a $1,000 tax cut; those making $100,000 would get a $2,000 tax cut.
The government would borrow about $112 billion to make Social Security whole. Advocates and some lawmakers worry that relying on borrowed money to fund Social Security could eventually force it to compete with other federal programs for scarce dollars, leading to cuts.
Social Security taxes "ought to be held sacrosanct," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security.
"When you start to signal that the (Social Security) tax levels are negotiable, you end up in long-term trouble, I think, in terms of making absolutely certain that the entitlement funding streams are secure," Pomeroy said.
Social Security is funded by a 6.2 percent payroll tax on the first $106,800 earned by a worker. The tax is matched by employers. The package negotiated by Obama would reduce the tax paid by workers to 4.2 percent for 2011. Employer rates would stay unchanged. Here is more
A Message To The Editor
Walmart Snitch Program Collapses Under the Weight of Homeland Security thanks to Andy Griffith
I find it funny that one Mr. Muir Boda has yet to speak for or against this. It appears Mr. Boda is another "Do as I say, not as I do" wannabe political hacks. He spoke out against TSA searches, but then 3 days later the walmart he worked at wouldn't let you through the exit without checking your bag. I ask you this: Do you trust someone (Walmart Employee) who makes minimum wage with properly identifying a "terrorist"?
I find it funny that one Mr. Muir Boda has yet to speak for or against this. It appears Mr. Boda is another "Do as I say, not as I do" wannabe political hacks. He spoke out against TSA searches, but then 3 days later the walmart he worked at wouldn't let you through the exit without checking your bag. I ask you this: Do you trust someone (Walmart Employee) who makes minimum wage with properly identifying a "terrorist"?
Shocking Nixon-Kissinger Tapes: ‘So What If Soviets Gas Jews’
White House adviser and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once told President Richard Nixon, "...And if they put Jews into gas chambers in the Soviet Union, it is not an American concern. Maybe a humanitarian concern,” according to newly-released tapes from the Nixon library.
The shocking statement from Kissinger, a Jew, was followed up by an agreement from Nixon, who said, "I know. We can't blow up the world because of it."
Kissinger also advised Nixon when he was president during the campaign to free the Jews from the Soviet Union, “The emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an objective of American foreign policy.
The shocking statements contradict an image among some American Jews that Nixon was a friend of Israel and the Jews.
Nixon also is quoted as saying an anti-Semitic generalization, “What it is, is it's the insecurity. It’s the latent insecurity. Most Jewish people are insecure. And that's why they have to prove things."
The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, a usually constant critic of Israel, responded on his blog, "I suppose he [Nixon] is right, at least on the narrow subject of Henry Kissinger.”
The conversations that were recorded on secret tapes followed a March 1973 meeting between Nixon and Kissinger with former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, who pleaded with the United States to help open the barred gates for millions of oppressed Soviet Jews, denied religious freedom, wanting to flee the Communist regime. Eventually, the freedom for Soviet Jews campaign broke the ban in later administrations and allowed massive immigration of Jews to Israel as well as to the United States.
More
The shocking statement from Kissinger, a Jew, was followed up by an agreement from Nixon, who said, "I know. We can't blow up the world because of it."
Kissinger also advised Nixon when he was president during the campaign to free the Jews from the Soviet Union, “The emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an objective of American foreign policy.
The shocking statements contradict an image among some American Jews that Nixon was a friend of Israel and the Jews.
Nixon also is quoted as saying an anti-Semitic generalization, “What it is, is it's the insecurity. It’s the latent insecurity. Most Jewish people are insecure. And that's why they have to prove things."
The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, a usually constant critic of Israel, responded on his blog, "I suppose he [Nixon] is right, at least on the narrow subject of Henry Kissinger.”
The conversations that were recorded on secret tapes followed a March 1973 meeting between Nixon and Kissinger with former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, who pleaded with the United States to help open the barred gates for millions of oppressed Soviet Jews, denied religious freedom, wanting to flee the Communist regime. Eventually, the freedom for Soviet Jews campaign broke the ban in later administrations and allowed massive immigration of Jews to Israel as well as to the United States.
More
State Government Uses Facebook To “Friend” Marylanders
Several Maryland state government agencies are discovering that there’s a lot to “like” on Facebook.
The social networking site, which boasts more than 500 million users worldwide, is free; offers an easy way to share information, videos and pictures; and is becoming a social necessity for anyone with a computer.
About a year ago, Department of Human Resources Communications Director Nancy Lineman started to see possibilities for her agency on Facebook. She created a page for the department to share news, pictures, videos and events. Today, 454 people “like” the Maryland Department of Human Resources, and receive constant updates from the agency on their Facebook homepages.
GO HERE to read more.
The social networking site, which boasts more than 500 million users worldwide, is free; offers an easy way to share information, videos and pictures; and is becoming a social necessity for anyone with a computer.
About a year ago, Department of Human Resources Communications Director Nancy Lineman started to see possibilities for her agency on Facebook. She created a page for the department to share news, pictures, videos and events. Today, 454 people “like” the Maryland Department of Human Resources, and receive constant updates from the agency on their Facebook homepages.
GO HERE to read more.
More Than 100 Dogs Pulled From Burning House
HUNTINGTOWN, Md. - More than 100 dogs were pulled from a burning house in Calvert County Sunday morning.
"We were able to extinguish all of the fire, and remove 129 animals from the house," says Jonathan Riffe, Chief of the Huntingtown Volunteer Fire Department.
GO HERE to read more.
"We were able to extinguish all of the fire, and remove 129 animals from the house," says Jonathan Riffe, Chief of the Huntingtown Volunteer Fire Department.
GO HERE to read more.
Minnesota's Metrodome Sinks After Blizzard
Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com
The Metrodome's roof collapsed after a weekend blizzard, further postponing the Giants Vikings game. The delay gives Brett Favre more time to heal.
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