(Salisbury, MD) – Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit and the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Wicomico County State’s Attorney have arrested two Wicomico County men and charged them in connection with the murder of a 63 year old woman found shot to death in her home on December 18, 2010.
The accused are identified as Shawn Franklin, 21, of the 400 block of Hastings Street, and Demarics Banks, 21, of the 1000 block of John Street, both in Salisbury, Maryland. Franklin is charged with first and second degree murder. Banks is charged with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, armed robbery and other pending charges. Both are being held at the Wicomico County Detention Center on no bond.
The murder victim is identified as Barbara Greene, 63, of the 1700 block of Dale Lane in Salisbury. Greene was pronounced dead at her home where she lived with her brother, Reginald Greene. She was home alone at the time of the incident.
Shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 18, 2010, state police from the Salisbury Barrack received a 9-1-1 call from Reginald Greene. Greene informed police that upon returning from work shortly after midnight, he found the back door open and bloodstains in the hallway. Fearing that perpetrators were still inside, Greene exited the residence and went to a neighbor’s house to make the 9-1-1 call.
The investigation has shown the men barged into Greene’s home on Friday, December 17 at approximately 6:30 p.m. in an attempt to burglarize the residence. They were met by the victim who had come out of her bedroom. An autopsy of the victim’s body revealed her cause of death was a single gunshot wound and the manner of death was homicide.
Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit and the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation have been assisted throughout this investigation by allied law enforcement agencies. They include the: Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, Salisbury Police Department, and State Police from the Salisbury Barracks.
The investigation into the murder of Barbara Greene is continuing. Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact the Wicomico County Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. Callers may remain anonymous.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Lost Dog: UPDATE
I know you do missing dog ads and have good response with them. We have a spayed chocolate lab that has been missing since this morning. Her name is Soco and she should have a blue collar with her tags on it. She went missing from the Parsonsburg area near the new fire house. I have attached a picture of her. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Please contact 410-430-9569.
Thank you!
Megan
Wicomico Murder Suspects Arrested
The Generosity Just Keeps Coming
We have received e-mail messages as well as comments from others wanting to help out where they can and we just can't thank you enough.
I will head out tonight and purchase more canned goods. If anyone would like to add to this you are welcome to do so but we will need it to Pohanka by 4:00 PM tomorrow.
I received a call from one of our advertisers about an hour ago asking me to bill them an additional $100.00 this month so we can go out and buy more goods. So you can see, our people truly care.
My phone has literally rung off the hook today. In fact it's on the charger right now for the third time today. You people are just unbelievable, thank you so very much.
Craig Ashley
On behalf of Craig Ashley and his family, the Wicomico County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #111 would like to thank everyone for their donations. Craig and his family are very thankful for the kindness and generosity of the community during this trying time. We have been overwhelmed with donations of clothing, household goods and furniture for the Ashley family. We do not need any further donations of these items. If anyone would still like to help, please make donations of gift cards or a monetary donation. Those donations can be sent to FOP Lodge #111 P.O. Box 1450 Salisbury, MD 21802.
Merry Christmas from SbyNEWS
Salisbury News and its GENEROUS advertisers will be providing 300 turkeys to needy families on Thursday, December 23rd.
If you or anyone you know is in need, we encourage you to come out to Pohanka’s new Nissan dealership on the west side of US 13. We will be giving out the turkeys between 5PM and 7PM on Thursday. It is our sincere hope that this small gesture will help make Christmas a little better for our Delmarva neighbors.
Those of us here at Salisbury News want to thank our generous advertisers, particularly Pohanka of Salisbury for providing a central location. Without the generosity of our advertisers, this would not be possible.
Help make our Christmas brighter by allowing us to serve you or someone you know.
Merry Christmas.
Tax Maps Don't Lie
Parcel 882 is the old Firehouse and the land it sits on. The same parcel that was advertised by the City of Salisbury. Parcels 883 and 884 are the Project Open Space parcels the city tried to slip into the bidding process without public knowledge. As you can see clearly, parcel 882 is not in any way, shape or form, connected to the property on the river.
HOW COULD THERE BE EMPTY SLOTS ON THE FINAL WEEK?????
Folks, there's no better gift than giving your time to help others in need. Please, let's get those phones ringing and get those empty slots filled in the spirit of Christmas.
Call 410-749-7464 to volunteer today.
Holiday Wishes
Dear Joe,
You and I are far apart politically, but that's irrelevant to your absolute right to express your views and publish what you want. It's also irrelevant to the good work you do for the non-profit organizations in our area. Anyone who has a problem with that should relocate to a country which doesn't value free speech.
I'm also a transplated New Yorker (born and raised in Queens, married to an Eastern Shore native), so this is a message of solidarity as well as Christmas and New Year greetings to you and your family). I wish you health and safety in the new year.
Queens Girl
You and I are far apart politically, but that's irrelevant to your absolute right to express your views and publish what you want. It's also irrelevant to the good work you do for the non-profit organizations in our area. Anyone who has a problem with that should relocate to a country which doesn't value free speech.
I'm also a transplated New Yorker (born and raised in Queens, married to an Eastern Shore native), so this is a message of solidarity as well as Christmas and New Year greetings to you and your family). I wish you health and safety in the new year.
Queens Girl
Red Kettle Volunteer Charts
Thank you, for your continued support of the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. To volunteer call the Salvation Army at 410-749-RING (7464)
CALMNESS IN OUR LIVES
I am passing this on to you because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives.
By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished."
So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, a box of chocolates, and a half bottle of scotch.
You have no idea how good I feel right now.
Pass this on to those whom you think might be in need of inner peace.
By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished."
So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, a box of chocolates, and a half bottle of scotch.
You have no idea how good I feel right now.
Pass this on to those whom you think might be in need of inner peace.
Banks Accused Of Illegally Looting Homes
'When a burglar goes in, they don't take your photos and your husband's ashes,' says alleged victim of wrongful foreclosure
TRUCKEE, Calif. — When Mimi Ash arrived at her mountain chalet here for a weekend ski trip, she discovered that someone had broken into the home and changed the locks.
When she finally got into the house, it was empty. All of her possessions were gone: furniture, her son’s ski medals, winter clothes and family photos.
Also missing was a wooden box, its top inscribed with the words “Together Forever,” that contained the ashes of her late husband, Robert.
The culprit, Ms. Ash soon learned, was not a burglar but her bank. According to a federal lawsuit filed in October by Ms. Ash, Bank of America had wrongfully foreclosed on her house and thrown out her belongings, without alerting Ms. Ash beforehand.
In an era when millions of homes have received foreclosure notices nationwide, lawsuits detailing bank break-ins like the one at Ms. Ash’s house keep surfacing.
GO HERE to read more.
TRUCKEE, Calif. — When Mimi Ash arrived at her mountain chalet here for a weekend ski trip, she discovered that someone had broken into the home and changed the locks.
When she finally got into the house, it was empty. All of her possessions were gone: furniture, her son’s ski medals, winter clothes and family photos.
Also missing was a wooden box, its top inscribed with the words “Together Forever,” that contained the ashes of her late husband, Robert.
The culprit, Ms. Ash soon learned, was not a burglar but her bank. According to a federal lawsuit filed in October by Ms. Ash, Bank of America had wrongfully foreclosed on her house and thrown out her belongings, without alerting Ms. Ash beforehand.
In an era when millions of homes have received foreclosure notices nationwide, lawsuits detailing bank break-ins like the one at Ms. Ash’s house keep surfacing.
GO HERE to read more.
Deal Reached On 9/11 Health Bill
A deal has been reached to pave the way for Senate passage of a health bill to aid 9/11 first responders, according to a source close to the negotiations.
Some GOP senators, led by Tom Coburn, R-Okla., had been blocking quick passage of the bill over objections about its cost and the process by which the legislation passed through Congress.
But after negotiations led by New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, the impasse appears to have been broken, possibly setting up the last legislative action of the 111th Congress this afternoon.
It's now expected that no objections will be raised that could slow down or kill passage.
The bill must be approved by the House (which has remained in session in hopes of the chance to approve the measure) before going to the president for signing.
Source
Some GOP senators, led by Tom Coburn, R-Okla., had been blocking quick passage of the bill over objections about its cost and the process by which the legislation passed through Congress.
But after negotiations led by New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, the impasse appears to have been broken, possibly setting up the last legislative action of the 111th Congress this afternoon.
It's now expected that no objections will be raised that could slow down or kill passage.
The bill must be approved by the House (which has remained in session in hopes of the chance to approve the measure) before going to the president for signing.
Source
Salisbury Police Department Press Releases
On December 21, 2010 at approximately 8:25 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the three hundred (300) block of Prince Street for the report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival the officers met with the below listed subjects who advised that during a domestic type argument both suspects assaulted each other. The mutual assault resulted in a minor injury to suspect # 2 and as a result, both suspects were taken into custody. No further medical attention was required.
ARRESTED #1: Christina Denise Marshall, 27 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
ARRESTED #2: Maurice Clayton Brown, Jr., 33 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES (Both): Second degree assault
DISPOSITION: Both released to Central Booking CC # 201000049512
On December 21, 2010 at approximately 12:00 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police extradited the below listed suspect from Delaware to Salisbury to answer charges of false statement and fraud. The charges resulted from an incident on October 5, 2007 when the suspect was arrested in Salisbury on prostitution charges and gave the arresting officers false identification information during the charging process. At the time of the arrest the suspect gave information pertaining to an acquaintance of hers, rather than her true identity.
ARRESTED: Evelyn Maria Bland, 38 years of age Rehobeth Beach, Delaware
CHARGES: Arrest Warrant –
False statement to a police officer
Identity fraud to avoid prosecution
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201049532
ARRESTED #1: Christina Denise Marshall, 27 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
ARRESTED #2: Maurice Clayton Brown, Jr., 33 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES (Both): Second degree assault
DISPOSITION: Both released to Central Booking CC # 201000049512
On December 21, 2010 at approximately 12:00 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police extradited the below listed suspect from Delaware to Salisbury to answer charges of false statement and fraud. The charges resulted from an incident on October 5, 2007 when the suspect was arrested in Salisbury on prostitution charges and gave the arresting officers false identification information during the charging process. At the time of the arrest the suspect gave information pertaining to an acquaintance of hers, rather than her true identity.
ARRESTED: Evelyn Maria Bland, 38 years of age Rehobeth Beach, Delaware
CHARGES: Arrest Warrant –
False statement to a police officer
Identity fraud to avoid prosecution
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201049532
Mike Krieger On Intensifying Police State Measures And Internet Demonization
Two very important articles have come out in the last couple of days that you must take the time to read thoroughly. The first is from the Washington Post and is entitled: “Monitoring America.” It is a lengthy article worth your time since it shows in no uncertain terms how the U.S. government has now officially started to turn war on terror technology and military weaponry on American citizens domestically. Stuff that had formerly only been “used in Iraq or Afghanistan” is now being turned on Americans and this newspaper reports it in a matter of fact manner. It also describes how anyone can just say that they think a fellow citizen is acting suspiciously and then all of a sudden the government’s “fusion centers” start snooping on you and a file remains “open” for five years. For nothing more than someone saying they thought you were acting suspiciously. Welcome to East Germany. This is where tax dollars are going, that and to pay bankster bonuses. Link is below.
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/monitoring-america/?hpid=topnews
Second article also encompasses and interview with Attorney General Eric Holder. In it he clearly explains that enemy number one is the domestic America citizen and that is where the war on terror is now focused. This is exactly as I predicted earlier this year. That the “war on terror” would be soon revered onto average everyday citizens. Ok, so how about this one. In the interview, Holder talks about Anwar al-Awlaki and talks about how this guy is enemy number 1 now and as dangerous as Bin Laden. Well, interesting because this guy was invited to DINE AT THE PENTAGON after 9/11. This is a fact. It was reported by all the mainstream news sources. See these links on it….
Anwar al-Awlaki - the radical spiritual leader linked to several 9/11 attackers, the Fort Hood shooting, and the attempted Christmas Day bombing of an airliner - was a guest at the Pentagon in the months after 9/11, a Pentagon official confirmed to CBS News.
Awlaki was invited as "...part of an informal outreach program" in which officials sought contact "...with leading members of the Muslim community," the official said. At that time, Awlaki was widely viewed as a "moderate" imam at a mosque in Northern Virginia.
This is what Holder said today about him: "He's an extremely dangerous man. He has shown a desire to harm the United States, a desire to strike the homeland of the United States," Holder said. "He is a person who -- as an American citizen -- is familiar with this country and he brings a dimension, because of that American familiarity, that others do not."
CBS reports
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/21/national/main6978200.shtml
MSNBC reports
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39768584/ns/us_news-security/
Fox News Reports
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/20/al-qaeda-terror-leader-dined-pentagon-months/
So our government is so trustworthy on intelligence that we had the most dangerous terrorist in the world over for dinner at the Pentagon! So either we are really retarded beyond belief or the whole “WAR ON TERROR” is a total SHAM to place in the police state. More on the interview with Holder, he is consistently demonizing the internet with statements like.
“"The ability to go into your basement, turn on your computer, find a site that has this kind of hatred spewed ... they have an ability to take somebody who is perhaps just interested, perhaps just on the edge, and take them over to the other side," he said.”
Full article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/attorney-general-eric-holders-blunt-warning-terror-attacks/story?id=12444727&page=1
This is all good news and bad news. The good news is that the global plantation owners would not be moving so aggressively unless they were losing the info war. Clearly they are, which is why they are freaking out. The next thing that is likely to happen is a false flag attack where the “attacker” ends up being a libertarian with a Ron Paul sticker. That way they can move from Al Awlaki to the folks they are really afraid of: Good caring and armed American people that still have the capacity to think rationally.
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/monitoring-america/?hpid=topnews
Second article also encompasses and interview with Attorney General Eric Holder. In it he clearly explains that enemy number one is the domestic America citizen and that is where the war on terror is now focused. This is exactly as I predicted earlier this year. That the “war on terror” would be soon revered onto average everyday citizens. Ok, so how about this one. In the interview, Holder talks about Anwar al-Awlaki and talks about how this guy is enemy number 1 now and as dangerous as Bin Laden. Well, interesting because this guy was invited to DINE AT THE PENTAGON after 9/11. This is a fact. It was reported by all the mainstream news sources. See these links on it….
Anwar al-Awlaki - the radical spiritual leader linked to several 9/11 attackers, the Fort Hood shooting, and the attempted Christmas Day bombing of an airliner - was a guest at the Pentagon in the months after 9/11, a Pentagon official confirmed to CBS News.
Awlaki was invited as "...part of an informal outreach program" in which officials sought contact "...with leading members of the Muslim community," the official said. At that time, Awlaki was widely viewed as a "moderate" imam at a mosque in Northern Virginia.
This is what Holder said today about him: "He's an extremely dangerous man. He has shown a desire to harm the United States, a desire to strike the homeland of the United States," Holder said. "He is a person who -- as an American citizen -- is familiar with this country and he brings a dimension, because of that American familiarity, that others do not."
CBS reports
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/21/national/main6978200.shtml
MSNBC reports
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39768584/ns/us_news-security/
Fox News Reports
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/20/al-qaeda-terror-leader-dined-pentagon-months/
So our government is so trustworthy on intelligence that we had the most dangerous terrorist in the world over for dinner at the Pentagon! So either we are really retarded beyond belief or the whole “WAR ON TERROR” is a total SHAM to place in the police state. More on the interview with Holder, he is consistently demonizing the internet with statements like.
“"The ability to go into your basement, turn on your computer, find a site that has this kind of hatred spewed ... they have an ability to take somebody who is perhaps just interested, perhaps just on the edge, and take them over to the other side," he said.”
Full article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/attorney-general-eric-holders-blunt-warning-terror-attacks/story?id=12444727&page=1
This is all good news and bad news. The good news is that the global plantation owners would not be moving so aggressively unless they were losing the info war. Clearly they are, which is why they are freaking out. The next thing that is likely to happen is a false flag attack where the “attacker” ends up being a libertarian with a Ron Paul sticker. That way they can move from Al Awlaki to the folks they are really afraid of: Good caring and armed American people that still have the capacity to think rationally.
MARYLAND, DELAWARE GOVERNORS ISSUE FRIENDLY WAGER ON “GOVERNOR’S CHALLENGE” YOUTH BASKETBALL TOURNEY
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 21, 2010) – Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland and his counterpart, Delaware Governor Jack Markell, announced today a friendly wager on the outcome of the inaugural Governor’s Challenge at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center December 28-30. The Governor's Challenge, a three-day tournament, where supremacy in boy’s high school basketball between the two states will be determined, pits 24 teams from Delaware and Maryland against each other for a year of bragging rights. Tickets are on sale now through the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center ticket office.
On the line in this friendly wager is a Smith Island Cake, the Maryland State dessert, against a savory Delaware Peach Pie.
“Interscholastic sports bring not only family, but neighbors and friendly rivals together,” Governor O’Malley observed. “This annual tournament presents a wonderful opportunity to enjoy basketball over the holiday season, with our fellow residents on the Eastern Shore. To further enhance excitement around this event, I’m happy to put Maryland’s famous dessert on the line with Governor Markell.”
“Friendly—but fierce—competition is a great way to encourage active lifestyles and good sportsmanship,” added Governor Markell. “This should be an exciting community event, and I hope our wager is a fun way to show our young athletes that we are proud of them.”
Scholastic basketball enjoys great popularity and support in both Maryland and Delaware.
From Dec. 28-30, the Civic Center will run two games simultaneously from 2:00-8:00 p.m. The state-vs.-state match-ups with multiple games running simultaneously should increase attendance for the tournament, said Mike Delano, chairman of the Wicomico County Tourism Advisory Board.
STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON THE AGREEMENT REACHED FOR HORSE RACING IN MARYLAND
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 22, 2010) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following an agreement for the 2011 racing calendar:
“I am pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached, and that industry representatives, track owners, horsemen and breeders were able to come together to reach a consensus that will allow for a full season of racing in 2011. Over the next several hours, the parties will put in writing a proposal for consideration by the Racing Commission.
“Today’s agreement not only keeps Maryland’s treasured Preakness Stakes where it belongs, but it helps protect the thousands of jobs that depend on our rich history of horse racing.”
Maryland’s horse industry employs more than 28,000 people full time, with an annual economic impact of more than $1.5 billion.
Advertising On Salisbury News WORKS!
"I just wanted to check in with you and see when our ad was set to expire on sbynews. I want to make sure I can renew it before it expires and keep our place on the site. We've had so many referrals from the site that it has become our only advertising source due to the feedback we have received.
Let me know when it is going to expire or you can just renew and mail the invoice to us again"
Anti Albero Bloggers Planning To Disrupt Turkey Giveaway Tomorrow
"Just a heads up - I've been told that a couple of the other blogs are trying to organize a crowd to jeer and harrass Joe at the turkey giveaway. Some have even encouraged throwing rocks at him. They say it is because Joe is claiming to have paid for the turkeys when in actuality he only contributed a small portion of the purchase price. Good luck and Merry Christmas."
J. Thome
Lesson Learned???????
So what have we learned in 2,065 years?
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." Cicero - 55 BC
Evidently Nothing !!!
Test
Here's a little test to get your brain cells flowing today.
If you make the wrong choice, fear not, they provide the correct answer.
RESTAURANT SAFETY
Forget about Chick-fil-A and the cows telling you to eat more chicken!
For your safety, eat more pork!
Gov't By Decree: How The Grabbers Pulled It Off
The Federal Communications Commission's new "net neutrality" rules, passed on a partisan 3-2 vote yesterday, represent a huge win for a slick lobbying campaign run by liberal activist groups and foundations. The losers are likely to be consumers who will see innovation and investment chilled by regulations that treat the Internet like a public utility.
There's little evidence the public is demanding these rules, which purport to stop the non-problem of phone and cable companies blocking access to websites and interfering with Internet traffic. Over 300 House and Senate members have signed a letter opposing FCC Internet regulation, and there will undoubtedly be even less support in the next Congress.
Yet President Obama, long an ardent backer of net neutrality, is ignoring both Congress and adverse court rulings, especially by a federal appeals court in April that the agency doesn't have the power to enforce net neutrality. He is seeking to impose his will on the Internet through the executive branch. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, a former law school friend of Mr. Obama, has worked closely with the White House on the issue. Official visitor logs show he's had at least 11 personal meetings with the president.
The net neutrality vision for government regulation of the Internet began with the work of Robert McChesney, a University of Illinois communications professor who founded the liberal lobby Free Press in 2002. Mr. McChesney's agenda?
"At the moment, the battle over network neutrality is not to completely eliminate the telephone and cable companies," he told the website SocialistProject in 2009. "But the ultimate goal is to get rid of the media capitalists in the phone and cable companies and to divest them from control."
A year earlier, Mr. McChesney wrote in the Marxist journal Monthly Review that "any serious effort to reform the media system would have to necessarily be part of a revolutionary program to overthrow the capitalist system itself."
Mr. McChesney told me in an interview that some of his comments have been "taken out of context." He acknowledged that he is a socialist and said he was "hesitant to say I'm not a Marxist."
For a man with such radical views, Mr. McChesney and his Free Press group have had astonishing influence. Mr. Genachowski's press secretary at the FCC, Jen Howard, used to handle media relations at Free Press. The FCC's chief diversity officer, Mark Lloyd, co-authored a Free Press report calling for regulation of political talk radio.
More from John Fund and the Wall Street Journal
There's little evidence the public is demanding these rules, which purport to stop the non-problem of phone and cable companies blocking access to websites and interfering with Internet traffic. Over 300 House and Senate members have signed a letter opposing FCC Internet regulation, and there will undoubtedly be even less support in the next Congress.
Yet President Obama, long an ardent backer of net neutrality, is ignoring both Congress and adverse court rulings, especially by a federal appeals court in April that the agency doesn't have the power to enforce net neutrality. He is seeking to impose his will on the Internet through the executive branch. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, a former law school friend of Mr. Obama, has worked closely with the White House on the issue. Official visitor logs show he's had at least 11 personal meetings with the president.
The net neutrality vision for government regulation of the Internet began with the work of Robert McChesney, a University of Illinois communications professor who founded the liberal lobby Free Press in 2002. Mr. McChesney's agenda?
"At the moment, the battle over network neutrality is not to completely eliminate the telephone and cable companies," he told the website SocialistProject in 2009. "But the ultimate goal is to get rid of the media capitalists in the phone and cable companies and to divest them from control."
A year earlier, Mr. McChesney wrote in the Marxist journal Monthly Review that "any serious effort to reform the media system would have to necessarily be part of a revolutionary program to overthrow the capitalist system itself."
Mr. McChesney told me in an interview that some of his comments have been "taken out of context." He acknowledged that he is a socialist and said he was "hesitant to say I'm not a Marxist."
For a man with such radical views, Mr. McChesney and his Free Press group have had astonishing influence. Mr. Genachowski's press secretary at the FCC, Jen Howard, used to handle media relations at Free Press. The FCC's chief diversity officer, Mark Lloyd, co-authored a Free Press report calling for regulation of political talk radio.
More from John Fund and the Wall Street Journal
Uncle Steny-- Gay Rights Champion
When Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) led more than a dozen lawmakers onto a Capitol stage Tuesday to commemorate the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, she earned a minute-long standing ovation from a packed auditorium of gay rights supporters.
But behind the scenes, several leading gay rights advocates say it is Pelosi’s chief deputy and former rival, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who deserves the lion’s share of credit for pushing the legislation across the finish line in recent weeks.
“He brought it back from the dead twice,” said Winnie Stachelberg, senior vice president at the Center for American Progress, who represented the liberal think tank in meetings on the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal bill.
Gay rights advocates describe Hoyer as the unsung hero of the painstaking push to end the military ban, giving him the kind of praise on gay rights more often reserved for the Speaker from San Francisco.
“At the moment where it was critical to get this done, Hoyer really stepped up to the plate and made it a priority,” said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist and gay rights advocate.
The vice president of the Human Rights Campaign, Fred Sainz, said Hoyer made the repeal effort “a personal cause of his.”
More gushing praise here
But behind the scenes, several leading gay rights advocates say it is Pelosi’s chief deputy and former rival, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who deserves the lion’s share of credit for pushing the legislation across the finish line in recent weeks.
“He brought it back from the dead twice,” said Winnie Stachelberg, senior vice president at the Center for American Progress, who represented the liberal think tank in meetings on the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal bill.
Gay rights advocates describe Hoyer as the unsung hero of the painstaking push to end the military ban, giving him the kind of praise on gay rights more often reserved for the Speaker from San Francisco.
“At the moment where it was critical to get this done, Hoyer really stepped up to the plate and made it a priority,” said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist and gay rights advocate.
The vice president of the Human Rights Campaign, Fred Sainz, said Hoyer made the repeal effort “a personal cause of his.”
More gushing praise here
Remember Cast Lead
Late Monday, IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi ordered the air force to strike eight targets in the Gaza Strip, including a Hamas training camp and a tunnel used for smuggling, in retaliation for a string of offensives against Israeli troops and civilians over the last two weeks. Upping the ante, terrorists in Gaza on Tuesday morning fired a Kassam rocket that struck near a kindergarten in Ashkelon, lightly wounding a girl on her way to school and causing shock to two other people. Later on Tuesday, the IAF struck back again.
SOME ANALYSTS believe that Hamas is losing popularity among the Palestinians, who may be internalizing the destruction their Gaza government brought down upon the Strip by goading Israel into military action two years ago. Some argue, too, that Gazans are beginning to look across to the West Bank, where stability and economic coordination with Israel are producing a much-improved day-to-day climate. Finally, it is suggested that Hamas’s gradual efforts to impose a fundamental Islamic framework in Gaza are producing growing disaffection.
Whatever the accuracy of these assessments, however, there are no significant signs that Hamas’s grip on Gaza is loosening. Having capitalized on ballot-box support to engineer its violent takeover, Hamas will not willingly relinquish control.
The prospects of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations producing a peace breakthrough are faint enough; Hamas’s rule in Gaza represents a huge obstacle to the implementation of any substantive accord.
More immediately, the current minor-escalation of fire from Gaza underlines Hamas’s potential to wreak havoc in southern Israel with the mortars, rockets and missiles it has been steadily acquiring since Operation Cast Lead.
For two years, the force of that operation evidently served as a deterrent to this kind of cross-border fire. However firm it considers its hold on Gaza to be, Hamas would be foolish to risk forcing Israel into a repeat resort to such use of force.
JPost
Hamas Shells Prompt Resolute Israeli Response
The Israel Air Force's attack on seven Gaza targets last night was the strongest in the past two years, ever since Israel's counterterrorist Cast Lead campaign. So say top IDF sources, adding that the objective was to "send a clear message to the terrorists of Hamas that the situation cannot continue as is."
The Israeli response followed the firing from Gaza of at least a dozen mortar shells and rockets at Israel over the past two days, as well as other attacks in the past two weeks. Tuesday morning, following the IAF strike, Hamas terrorists fired a Kassam rocket at Israel, wounding a 15-year-old girl and damaging several buildings.
The Hamas terrorist organization has run Gaza ever since it overthrew Fatah in 2007, just two years after the Disengagement - Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza – that was supposed to have improved Israeli security.
Security sources say that Hamas feels it has tremendous amounts of weapons and ammunition, such as Kassam rockets, light-weapons, and explosives, and that Israel is limited in how strongly it can respond when attacked.
At the same time, IDF sources say, Hamas is not interested in a full-scale conflict with Israel at this time. Neither is Israel, for that matter – "but the picture could easily change," they say. "If, for instance, today's rocket had exploded inside a kindergarten, instead of nearby, and children would have been hurt, it is very likely that this afternoon would not have been peaceful as it is."
The IAF strikes Monday night targeted, among others, new tunnels dug by terrorists for the purpose of dispatching terror squads into Israel, ostensibly for the purpose of attacking or kidnapping civilians or soldiers.
IDF officials say that their latest offensive is not the end of the story, and they will not hesitate to act again if indicated.
UN Middle East envoy Robert Serry on Wednesday condemned the "firing of indiscriminate mortars and rockets by militant groups in Gaza at Israel which has escalated in recent days."
"These attacks are in clear violation of international humanitarian law and endanger civilians in Israel,'' Serry said in a statement.
More from INN
The Israeli response followed the firing from Gaza of at least a dozen mortar shells and rockets at Israel over the past two days, as well as other attacks in the past two weeks. Tuesday morning, following the IAF strike, Hamas terrorists fired a Kassam rocket at Israel, wounding a 15-year-old girl and damaging several buildings.
The Hamas terrorist organization has run Gaza ever since it overthrew Fatah in 2007, just two years after the Disengagement - Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza – that was supposed to have improved Israeli security.
Security sources say that Hamas feels it has tremendous amounts of weapons and ammunition, such as Kassam rockets, light-weapons, and explosives, and that Israel is limited in how strongly it can respond when attacked.
At the same time, IDF sources say, Hamas is not interested in a full-scale conflict with Israel at this time. Neither is Israel, for that matter – "but the picture could easily change," they say. "If, for instance, today's rocket had exploded inside a kindergarten, instead of nearby, and children would have been hurt, it is very likely that this afternoon would not have been peaceful as it is."
The IAF strikes Monday night targeted, among others, new tunnels dug by terrorists for the purpose of dispatching terror squads into Israel, ostensibly for the purpose of attacking or kidnapping civilians or soldiers.
IDF officials say that their latest offensive is not the end of the story, and they will not hesitate to act again if indicated.
UN Middle East envoy Robert Serry on Wednesday condemned the "firing of indiscriminate mortars and rockets by militant groups in Gaza at Israel which has escalated in recent days."
"These attacks are in clear violation of international humanitarian law and endanger civilians in Israel,'' Serry said in a statement.
More from INN
The Big Lie: ‘1967 Borders’ Is A Fallacy, Says Former Ambassador
The term “1967 borders,” the Arab world’s mantra for the borders of a PA state, never existed, says former Ambassador to Canada Alan Baker in a research paper for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
Ever since neighboring Arab countries attacked Israel in 1948 as it became an independent country for the first time in 2,000 years, there were no borders, only temporary military lines defined by the 1949 “Armistice Lines” that ended, at least formally, the War for Independence.
However, the Arab world has repeated the term “1967 borders” so much that it has been adopted as fact by mainstream media and most international leaders. The term refers to the 1949 ceasefire line from which Israel military forces advanced at the beginning of the Six-Day War on June 4, 1967 and should be called "pre-1967 War Armistice Lines" or "1949 Armistice Lines". (INN, it should be noted, has used those accurate terms consistently..)
Even Brazil, which recently decided to “recognize” the Palestinian Authority based on the supposed 1967 borders, stated during a United Nation debate on Resolution 242 in 1967 calling for negotiations for boundaries, “Its acceptance does not imply that borderlines cannot be rectified as a result of an agreement freely concluded among the interested States. We keep constantly in mind that a just and lasting peace in the Middle East has necessarily to be based on secure permanent boundaries freely agreed upon and negotiated by the neighboring States."
More from INN
Ever since neighboring Arab countries attacked Israel in 1948 as it became an independent country for the first time in 2,000 years, there were no borders, only temporary military lines defined by the 1949 “Armistice Lines” that ended, at least formally, the War for Independence.
However, the Arab world has repeated the term “1967 borders” so much that it has been adopted as fact by mainstream media and most international leaders. The term refers to the 1949 ceasefire line from which Israel military forces advanced at the beginning of the Six-Day War on June 4, 1967 and should be called "pre-1967 War Armistice Lines" or "1949 Armistice Lines". (INN, it should be noted, has used those accurate terms consistently..)
Even Brazil, which recently decided to “recognize” the Palestinian Authority based on the supposed 1967 borders, stated during a United Nation debate on Resolution 242 in 1967 calling for negotiations for boundaries, “Its acceptance does not imply that borderlines cannot be rectified as a result of an agreement freely concluded among the interested States. We keep constantly in mind that a just and lasting peace in the Middle East has necessarily to be based on secure permanent boundaries freely agreed upon and negotiated by the neighboring States."
More from INN
Medicaid Pushes States Off ‘Cliff’ As Governors Seek Cuts
Washington State may not pay for glasses anymore. Massachusetts already chopped dentures. As of Oct. 1, North Carolina no longer covers surgery for the clinically obese.
Governors nationwide are taking a scalpel to Medicaid, the jointly run state and federal health-care program for 48 million poor Americans, half of whom are children. The single biggest expense for states, Medicaid consumes about 22 percent of their total $1.6 trillion in expenditures, more than what is allocated to elementary and secondary education, according to a National Governors Association report.
With federal stimulus funds to help states pay higher Medicaid costs running out June 30, “we’re heading for a cliff in July,” said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies at the National Association of State Budget Officers in Washington.
Medicaid enrollment has jumped 13.6 percent since the recession began in 2007, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation based in Menlo Park, California. The 2009 federal stimulus bill and a supplemental appropriation this year allocated a total of $103 billion for Medicaid. With that funding ending, state health-care expenditures may climb as much as 25 percent in fiscal 2012, according to a Kaiser report.
Read more
Governors nationwide are taking a scalpel to Medicaid, the jointly run state and federal health-care program for 48 million poor Americans, half of whom are children. The single biggest expense for states, Medicaid consumes about 22 percent of their total $1.6 trillion in expenditures, more than what is allocated to elementary and secondary education, according to a National Governors Association report.
With federal stimulus funds to help states pay higher Medicaid costs running out June 30, “we’re heading for a cliff in July,” said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies at the National Association of State Budget Officers in Washington.
Medicaid enrollment has jumped 13.6 percent since the recession began in 2007, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation based in Menlo Park, California. The 2009 federal stimulus bill and a supplemental appropriation this year allocated a total of $103 billion for Medicaid. With that funding ending, state health-care expenditures may climb as much as 25 percent in fiscal 2012, according to a Kaiser report.
Read more
Labor Department Fails To Release Union Corruption Report
The Office of Labor Management Statistics (OLMS) was supposed to release an annual report tracking labor unions and evidence of corruption in union leadership in January 2010 but still hasn’t released the document.
OLMS, which falls under the Department of Labor, has released no such tracking report since George W. Bush’s administration, something that has the conservative nonprofit organization Americans for Limited Government (ALG) up in arms. ALG filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the 2009 report, and OLMS denied the group’s request by saying it needed more time to complete the report. Originally, however, those reports were publicly available on the OLMS website.
The report would tabulate the number of cases nationwide of union leader prosecution, the amount of funds they embezzle and the misuse of union funds. It also would keep track of indictments. Those statistics do exist elsewhere, as criminal and most civil court proceedings become public record after the cases close, but they’re difficult to track down as they’re in courthouses all over the country. The OLMS annual reports kept track of that information, allowing people to access it easily.
ALG’s current head of research, Don Todd, who led OLMS during the Bush administration, told The Daily Caller he doubts it would be too difficult for the Obama administration to release that information, as they’re supposed to keep track of it all year long. He also said that this administration’s failure to release the report is “freakishly incompetent.” He suspects politics is to blame.
“It’s got to be a political decision,” Todd said in a phone interview. “You know, I ran the agency during the Bush administration, and it’s the career people that put the thing together. So, the fact that it’s not out is a political decision.”
Todd said he thinks the decision to withhold that information comes from the Secretary of Labor’s office, though, not President Barack Obama.
“I wouldn’t think it would reach anywhere near that high of a level,” Todd said, referring to why he doesn’t think Obama is calling these shots. “But, the Labor Department is pretty much owned by the union movement now. A lot of the people who work there are from the movement.”
More here
OLMS, which falls under the Department of Labor, has released no such tracking report since George W. Bush’s administration, something that has the conservative nonprofit organization Americans for Limited Government (ALG) up in arms. ALG filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the 2009 report, and OLMS denied the group’s request by saying it needed more time to complete the report. Originally, however, those reports were publicly available on the OLMS website.
The report would tabulate the number of cases nationwide of union leader prosecution, the amount of funds they embezzle and the misuse of union funds. It also would keep track of indictments. Those statistics do exist elsewhere, as criminal and most civil court proceedings become public record after the cases close, but they’re difficult to track down as they’re in courthouses all over the country. The OLMS annual reports kept track of that information, allowing people to access it easily.
ALG’s current head of research, Don Todd, who led OLMS during the Bush administration, told The Daily Caller he doubts it would be too difficult for the Obama administration to release that information, as they’re supposed to keep track of it all year long. He also said that this administration’s failure to release the report is “freakishly incompetent.” He suspects politics is to blame.
“It’s got to be a political decision,” Todd said in a phone interview. “You know, I ran the agency during the Bush administration, and it’s the career people that put the thing together. So, the fact that it’s not out is a political decision.”
Todd said he thinks the decision to withhold that information comes from the Secretary of Labor’s office, though, not President Barack Obama.
“I wouldn’t think it would reach anywhere near that high of a level,” Todd said, referring to why he doesn’t think Obama is calling these shots. “But, the Labor Department is pretty much owned by the union movement now. A lot of the people who work there are from the movement.”
More here
Hold The Homosexuals! Military Ban Not Over Yet
America's military isn't going 'gay' quite yet.
While President Obama plans this week to sign the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning open homosexuality in the military, the policy must remain in force until the president, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff can certify that the change will not impair combat readiness.
Before that happens the military must rewrite laws and regulations that could affect same-sex relationships, such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice ban on sodomy, and also indoctrinate soldiers, sailors and airmen to tolerate open homosexuality. The transition period is expected to take a year.
"It's important for people to know that this is not over," said Robert Knight, a leading opponent of the homosexual political agenda. "There are no permanent victories or defeats in politics. And this can be reversed at some point, in a more conservative Congress."
"Congress will have to legalize consensual sodomy, which is currently illegal under the UCMJ," said retired Army Col. Dick Black, former chief of the Army's Criminal Law Division and a Virginia state legislator. "There's a backlash brewing. This is a very serious issue for a lot of people. We're entering the presidential season, and if there's a candidate who says he will issue an executive order to ban homosexuality in the military, a lot of people would be very fired up about that."
There's more at WND
While President Obama plans this week to sign the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning open homosexuality in the military, the policy must remain in force until the president, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff can certify that the change will not impair combat readiness.
Before that happens the military must rewrite laws and regulations that could affect same-sex relationships, such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice ban on sodomy, and also indoctrinate soldiers, sailors and airmen to tolerate open homosexuality. The transition period is expected to take a year.
"It's important for people to know that this is not over," said Robert Knight, a leading opponent of the homosexual political agenda. "There are no permanent victories or defeats in politics. And this can be reversed at some point, in a more conservative Congress."
"Congress will have to legalize consensual sodomy, which is currently illegal under the UCMJ," said retired Army Col. Dick Black, former chief of the Army's Criminal Law Division and a Virginia state legislator. "There's a backlash brewing. This is a very serious issue for a lot of people. We're entering the presidential season, and if there's a candidate who says he will issue an executive order to ban homosexuality in the military, a lot of people would be very fired up about that."
There's more at WND
Generals, Diplomats Warn Of New START As Senate Moves Toward Ratification
The proposed New START agreement would handcuff the United States while giving the Russians free rein, retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely tells Newsmax.TV.
The Senate should reject the treaty because, “In reality, the Russians don’t have to do anything,” Vallely said.
“We’re the only ones that would be limited and cut back,” said Vallely, a Vietnam veteran who retired from the Army in 1993 as deputy commanding general in the Pacific Command.
“We have to realize that Russia really is not our friend. The more we are lessening our power in the United States, the more power the likes of Russian and China begin to rise,” he said.
Vallely was among more than 30 former defense officials and diplomats who issued an open letter to the Senate Monday expressing their “professional judgment” that New START, “is not consistent with the national security interests of the United States,” and “should be rejected by the U.S. Senate,” which is considering it now.
Russia easily could cheat secretly to our detriment, they maintain, and it would restrict deployment of new U.S. anti-missile defenses. They also believe that Russia would reduce the survivability and flexibility of our our strategic forces, which could be militarily destabilizing.
Read more
The Senate should reject the treaty because, “In reality, the Russians don’t have to do anything,” Vallely said.
“We’re the only ones that would be limited and cut back,” said Vallely, a Vietnam veteran who retired from the Army in 1993 as deputy commanding general in the Pacific Command.
“We have to realize that Russia really is not our friend. The more we are lessening our power in the United States, the more power the likes of Russian and China begin to rise,” he said.
Vallely was among more than 30 former defense officials and diplomats who issued an open letter to the Senate Monday expressing their “professional judgment” that New START, “is not consistent with the national security interests of the United States,” and “should be rejected by the U.S. Senate,” which is considering it now.
Russia easily could cheat secretly to our detriment, they maintain, and it would restrict deployment of new U.S. anti-missile defenses. They also believe that Russia would reduce the survivability and flexibility of our our strategic forces, which could be militarily destabilizing.
Read more
PRUDEN: Nothing Neutral About This Scheme
Hugo Chavez, the rowdy left-wing president of Venezuela, doesn't have to nibble at freedom of speech via the Internet. Unlike government officials here and elsewhere, Mr. Chavez runs an "efficient" government. He just scarfs down everything in his way.
The fixers here are pursuing something called "net neutrality," which will change the way certain Internet providers pay for privileged rights to the Web and charge their customers accordingly. "Net neutrality" sounds good to anyone not paying attention, but it must be accomplished by a seizure of authority to do so, a seizure not by Congress (which would be scary enough), but by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Anyone paying attention can see how this would be a first step toward revival of the so-called Fairness Doctrine, sought by Barack Obama and the Democrats since he first arrived in Washington. The Fairness Doctrine would require broadcasters, definitely including the cable-TV networks, to provide airtime for anyone criticized by someone else on the air. That, too, sounds good to the inattentive and the well-meaning. What could be nicer than never having to hear anyone say discouraging things about you?
But in actual practice, this would encourage broadcasters - not the most stand-up folk anyway - to keep anyone or anything vaguely controversial off the air. The likes of Rush Limbaugh, Keith Olbermann, Sean Hannity and Chris Matthews and their noisy ilk would be silenced and sent out to find jobs selling shoes or arranging flowers. Everyone likes shoes and flowers, so what's wrong with that? But even the inattentive can see how the Fairness Doctrine could - and no doubt would - be used to silence criticism of favored politicians and propositions dear to the hearts of favored politicians.
Mr. Chavez is only a step or two ahead of the Democrats on this one. In the name of protecting the much-abused Venezuelans, he has asked for a law imposing draconian broadcastlike regulations on the Internet. He would ban all messages showing "disrespect for public authorities," that "incite or promote hatred," or create "anxiety" in the population.
"We aren't eliminating the Internet here, nor ... censoring the Internet," Mr. Chavez told his weekly television and radio audience, where his remarks definitely were not censored. "What we're trying to do is protect ourselves against crimes and cybercrimes through a law." He identified these crimes as messages promoting drug use, prostitution and "other" crimes. He didn't say how the law would be enforced, but no doubt it will be enforced in the efficient way all dictatorships and authoritarian regimes enforce the law.
The new "net-neutrality" regulations here, which will have the force of law though Congress need have nothing to do with writing them, will be considered for a vote by the FCC on Tuesday. The rules being considered for the Tuesday vote are technical and complicated, and the timing of the vote clearly was arranged for Christmas week, when most people are delighted not to have to think about Washington and the trouble it makes for the rest of us.
But the FCC's power grab has attracted a diverse array of naysayers anyway. The liberal Democrats are mostly concerned that the FCC will write rules to give breaks to Internet providers, the conservative Republicans that it's a first step toward content control.More from The Washington Times
The fixers here are pursuing something called "net neutrality," which will change the way certain Internet providers pay for privileged rights to the Web and charge their customers accordingly. "Net neutrality" sounds good to anyone not paying attention, but it must be accomplished by a seizure of authority to do so, a seizure not by Congress (which would be scary enough), but by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Anyone paying attention can see how this would be a first step toward revival of the so-called Fairness Doctrine, sought by Barack Obama and the Democrats since he first arrived in Washington. The Fairness Doctrine would require broadcasters, definitely including the cable-TV networks, to provide airtime for anyone criticized by someone else on the air. That, too, sounds good to the inattentive and the well-meaning. What could be nicer than never having to hear anyone say discouraging things about you?
But in actual practice, this would encourage broadcasters - not the most stand-up folk anyway - to keep anyone or anything vaguely controversial off the air. The likes of Rush Limbaugh, Keith Olbermann, Sean Hannity and Chris Matthews and their noisy ilk would be silenced and sent out to find jobs selling shoes or arranging flowers. Everyone likes shoes and flowers, so what's wrong with that? But even the inattentive can see how the Fairness Doctrine could - and no doubt would - be used to silence criticism of favored politicians and propositions dear to the hearts of favored politicians.
Mr. Chavez is only a step or two ahead of the Democrats on this one. In the name of protecting the much-abused Venezuelans, he has asked for a law imposing draconian broadcastlike regulations on the Internet. He would ban all messages showing "disrespect for public authorities," that "incite or promote hatred," or create "anxiety" in the population.
"We aren't eliminating the Internet here, nor ... censoring the Internet," Mr. Chavez told his weekly television and radio audience, where his remarks definitely were not censored. "What we're trying to do is protect ourselves against crimes and cybercrimes through a law." He identified these crimes as messages promoting drug use, prostitution and "other" crimes. He didn't say how the law would be enforced, but no doubt it will be enforced in the efficient way all dictatorships and authoritarian regimes enforce the law.
The new "net-neutrality" regulations here, which will have the force of law though Congress need have nothing to do with writing them, will be considered for a vote by the FCC on Tuesday. The rules being considered for the Tuesday vote are technical and complicated, and the timing of the vote clearly was arranged for Christmas week, when most people are delighted not to have to think about Washington and the trouble it makes for the rest of us.
But the FCC's power grab has attracted a diverse array of naysayers anyway. The liberal Democrats are mostly concerned that the FCC will write rules to give breaks to Internet providers, the conservative Republicans that it's a first step toward content control.More from The Washington Times
School Administration Changes Effective Jan. 3
Several administrative changes for Wicomico County Public Schools will take effect on Jan. 3. The adjustments in school administrative leadership teams are related to filling an administrative vacancy and ensuring that school leadership staff are in place in all schools to best meet the needs of students, said Dr. Margo Handy, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Student Services. The mid-year adjustments will ensure stability and consistency in the affected schools.
Leadership teams in the affected schools, effective Jan. 3, will be:
Beaver Run Elementary:
Principal - William Curtis (no change)
Acting Assistant Principal – to be announced
Delmar Elementary:
Acting Principal - Judy Nicholson
Assistant Principal - Karen Parsons
Assistant Principal – Dr. Kathy Vail
Glen Avenue Elementary:
Principal - Michael Collins (no change)
Assistant Principal - Larry Collins
Prince Street Elementary:
Principal - Chris Nunzio
Assistant Principal - Maria Marshall (no change)
Leadership teams in the affected schools, effective Jan. 3, will be:
Beaver Run Elementary:
Principal - William Curtis (no change)
Acting Assistant Principal – to be announced
Delmar Elementary:
Acting Principal - Judy Nicholson
Assistant Principal - Karen Parsons
Assistant Principal – Dr. Kathy Vail
Glen Avenue Elementary:
Principal - Michael Collins (no change)
Assistant Principal - Larry Collins
Prince Street Elementary:
Principal - Chris Nunzio
Assistant Principal - Maria Marshall (no change)
Open INDOOR Bell Ringing Slot UPDATE!!!!!!!
Joe,
We've just had a cancellation of an INDOOR bell ringing spot at Boscov's tomorrow night (Thursday) from 6 to 9 p.m.
So many people have requested an indoor location, we feel certain one of your readers will quickly fill this spot.
Thanks so much,
The Red Kettle Campaign
410-749-7464
Legislators Order Cut In Structural Deficit
Legislative leaders took a new approach to setting budget targets Tuesday, telling the governor and lawmakers that they wanted to see the persistent $2 billion structural deficit cut by a third next year, meaning a $670 million real reduction in general fund spending.
The Spending Affordability Committee, made up of 21 fiscal leaders in the General Assembly, abandoned setting a percentage target for budget growth as they had for the last 28 years -- a target sometimes disregarded by governors.
“We’ve been using non-structural solutions to balance the budget,” Warren Deschenaux, the legislature’s fiscal policy chief, told the lawmakers. The state has been using one-time things like transfers of special funds and federal stimulus dollars to balance the books.
“We’ve been doing that and doing that and doing that,” Deschenaux said. “The goal is to do less of that and less of that and less of that.”
GO HERE to read more.
The Spending Affordability Committee, made up of 21 fiscal leaders in the General Assembly, abandoned setting a percentage target for budget growth as they had for the last 28 years -- a target sometimes disregarded by governors.
“We’ve been using non-structural solutions to balance the budget,” Warren Deschenaux, the legislature’s fiscal policy chief, told the lawmakers. The state has been using one-time things like transfers of special funds and federal stimulus dollars to balance the books.
“We’ve been doing that and doing that and doing that,” Deschenaux said. “The goal is to do less of that and less of that and less of that.”
GO HERE to read more.
There's No Caps Lock On Google's New Laptop
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For Brain-Injured Soldiers, Top Quality Care From A Philanthropist, Not The Pentagon
Versions of this story were co-published with NPR [1] and Stars and Stripes [2]. For more coverage, listen to Morning Edition [3].
One afternoon this fall, Bobby McKinney hunched over a coffee table with a clear glass surface. A lamp with a bare light bulb illuminated it from below. Pencil in hand, the former Marine traced the pattern for a tattoo across delicate paper, a swirling, intricate design reminiscent of a Celtic cross.
McKinney's small apartment faded from his thoughts: The closet filled with shirts and pairs of jeans, hung three inches apart, all facing exactly the same direction, the way the Marines had taught him. The box packed with a dozen brown plastic medicine bottles. The worn couch that he slept on instead of the bed. The eraser board on his refrigerator where he had scrawled "A coward dies a 1,000 deaths. A warrior dies one."
Suddenly, a nurse's aide knocked on the door. Had he checked the oven? McKinney leapt up and ran to the kitchen, pulling out a tin of brownies on the point of burning.
"I guess I was just very focused on the tattoo design," he told a counselor later, pushing a camouflage baseball cap back on his head. "I set the alarm. I guess I just didn't hear it."
"Try to work on one thing at a time," she told him. "Multitasking is just asking the brain to do two or three things not too well."
McKinney, 29, nodded in agreement. It seemed so obvious once she said it. But his mind -- the mind that once helped sniper teams in Iraq, that navigated battlefield maps and complex rules of enemy engagement -- had just not come up with the idea to do one task instead of many. "When you think about it, it kinda makes sense. But I wouldn't think about it on my own," he said.
McKinney is an Iraq war veteran who suffered multiple concussions, also known as mild traumatic brain injuries. Bomb blasts jarred his brain, leaving him with no outside scars, but with nagging mental problems. His short-term memory is bad. He moves slowly through ordinary chores. He gets disoriented easily, and can't find his way to the home that he has lived in for months without the aid of a GPS.
A farm boy fond of the Georgia Bulldogs and chewing tobacco, McKinney has pinned his hopes for recovery on cognitive rehabilitation therapy, a subtle and complex treatment for a subtle and complex injury. Doctors and studies have shown that the therapy helps soldiers. But the Pentagon's primary health plan for soldiers and seriously wounded veterans, called Tricare, will not cover the treatment [4], saying it is still unproven.
To see what cognitive therapy looked like, ProPublica and NPR spent several days with McKinney and fellow soldiers and veterans at Project Share, a charity to help brain-damaged soldiers. The program is based out of the Shepherd Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Injury in Atlanta, a nationally recognized hospital for head injuries.
Former Home Depot magnate and philanthropist Bernie Marcus founded Project Share in January 2008 to fill the gaps left by Tricare and military and veterans hospitals, which often lack the expertise and staffing to provide a full-scale program of cognitive rehabilitation therapy.
GO HERE to read more.
One afternoon this fall, Bobby McKinney hunched over a coffee table with a clear glass surface. A lamp with a bare light bulb illuminated it from below. Pencil in hand, the former Marine traced the pattern for a tattoo across delicate paper, a swirling, intricate design reminiscent of a Celtic cross.
McKinney's small apartment faded from his thoughts: The closet filled with shirts and pairs of jeans, hung three inches apart, all facing exactly the same direction, the way the Marines had taught him. The box packed with a dozen brown plastic medicine bottles. The worn couch that he slept on instead of the bed. The eraser board on his refrigerator where he had scrawled "A coward dies a 1,000 deaths. A warrior dies one."
Suddenly, a nurse's aide knocked on the door. Had he checked the oven? McKinney leapt up and ran to the kitchen, pulling out a tin of brownies on the point of burning.
"I guess I was just very focused on the tattoo design," he told a counselor later, pushing a camouflage baseball cap back on his head. "I set the alarm. I guess I just didn't hear it."
"Try to work on one thing at a time," she told him. "Multitasking is just asking the brain to do two or three things not too well."
McKinney, 29, nodded in agreement. It seemed so obvious once she said it. But his mind -- the mind that once helped sniper teams in Iraq, that navigated battlefield maps and complex rules of enemy engagement -- had just not come up with the idea to do one task instead of many. "When you think about it, it kinda makes sense. But I wouldn't think about it on my own," he said.
McKinney is an Iraq war veteran who suffered multiple concussions, also known as mild traumatic brain injuries. Bomb blasts jarred his brain, leaving him with no outside scars, but with nagging mental problems. His short-term memory is bad. He moves slowly through ordinary chores. He gets disoriented easily, and can't find his way to the home that he has lived in for months without the aid of a GPS.
A farm boy fond of the Georgia Bulldogs and chewing tobacco, McKinney has pinned his hopes for recovery on cognitive rehabilitation therapy, a subtle and complex treatment for a subtle and complex injury. Doctors and studies have shown that the therapy helps soldiers. But the Pentagon's primary health plan for soldiers and seriously wounded veterans, called Tricare, will not cover the treatment [4], saying it is still unproven.
To see what cognitive therapy looked like, ProPublica and NPR spent several days with McKinney and fellow soldiers and veterans at Project Share, a charity to help brain-damaged soldiers. The program is based out of the Shepherd Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Injury in Atlanta, a nationally recognized hospital for head injuries.
Former Home Depot magnate and philanthropist Bernie Marcus founded Project Share in January 2008 to fill the gaps left by Tricare and military and veterans hospitals, which often lack the expertise and staffing to provide a full-scale program of cognitive rehabilitation therapy.
GO HERE to read more.
Social Security Payments To Go Paperless On May 1st
Before too long, the government check will no longer be in the mail.
Officials have settled on the dates when millions of people will no longer be able to get their Social Security and other benefit checks by mail.
New recipients of benefits will have to accept paperless payments starting on May 1, three months later than first proposed.
Those already on Social Security will have until March 1, 2013, to make the switch to direct deposits or debit cards.
More than 58 million retirees, disabled people and surviving family members receive Social Security or Supplemental Security benefits. Eight out of 10 people getting federal benefits receive those payments electronically, officials say.
The switch to electronic payments will eliminate the problem of lost or stolen checks and the problems faced by people displaced from their homes who have to worry about getting their checks mailed to them, said Richard L. Gregg, the Treasury Department's assistant fiscal secretary.
"Even though we have done a good job of encouraging people to switch over, we still are making 120 million payments by mail for Social Security every year and another 15 million annually for veterans and other types of benefits," Mr. Gregg said.
Every year, the government has to process about 600,000 claims for lost or stolen checks. Social Security will save $1 billion over the next decade from phasing out paper checks, he said.
The final rules, announced Tuesday, are similar to the proposal the government put forward in June.
But in response to public comments, the government has decided to allow people 90 and older who are still getting Social Security benefit checks to continue to receive their benefits the same way. The government estimates that 275,000 people fall into that category.
More from The Washington Times.
Officials have settled on the dates when millions of people will no longer be able to get their Social Security and other benefit checks by mail.
New recipients of benefits will have to accept paperless payments starting on May 1, three months later than first proposed.
Those already on Social Security will have until March 1, 2013, to make the switch to direct deposits or debit cards.
More than 58 million retirees, disabled people and surviving family members receive Social Security or Supplemental Security benefits. Eight out of 10 people getting federal benefits receive those payments electronically, officials say.
The switch to electronic payments will eliminate the problem of lost or stolen checks and the problems faced by people displaced from their homes who have to worry about getting their checks mailed to them, said Richard L. Gregg, the Treasury Department's assistant fiscal secretary.
"Even though we have done a good job of encouraging people to switch over, we still are making 120 million payments by mail for Social Security every year and another 15 million annually for veterans and other types of benefits," Mr. Gregg said.
Every year, the government has to process about 600,000 claims for lost or stolen checks. Social Security will save $1 billion over the next decade from phasing out paper checks, he said.
The final rules, announced Tuesday, are similar to the proposal the government put forward in June.
But in response to public comments, the government has decided to allow people 90 and older who are still getting Social Security benefit checks to continue to receive their benefits the same way. The government estimates that 275,000 people fall into that category.
More from The Washington Times.
White House Drafts Executive Order For Indefinite Detention
GO HERE to read more.
Dunbar Or Dumber?
I wanted to share with you an experience that I had on Tuesday morning. I decided to leave the house a few minutes early to stop and get some coffee from the Royal Farms in Hebron. I pulled in got my goods and headed for the door. While exiting the store I noticed that a Dunbar truck had parked behind me. I asked the driver if he could pull forward to allow me to exit, he told me that I would have to speak to the Dunbar rep inside of the store. I returned inside and asked the gentleman if he could please move his truck forward to allow me to
exit as I had to be to work. The response I got, "Well if you ask him real nicely he might, but I'm not going to move it either way." This statement made with a snicker and laugh. I explained that I had to be to work and would be late. That's when the store manager got involved asking the Dunbar rep to move his truck. The Dunbar rep informed both of us he was going to do NO such thing.
With further review I noticed that the truck could have easily been parked in front of the curb not blocking anyone in. The Royal Farms manager was very upset with the Dunbar rep and stated that this was not the first time that he had an issue at this location. She began to call Dunbar and file a complaint. Mean while, I waited approximately 20 minutes before I could leave the location.
At this point I was late for work and very frustrated with how I was treated. I have attached a photo showing that the truck could have easily been pulled all of the way up next to the curb blocking no one. I think that is called common sense???? Oh, they gave this guy a gun!!!
Merry Christmas from SbyNEWS
Salisbury News and its GENEROUS advertisers will be providing 300 turkeys to needy families on Thursday, December 23rd.
If you or anyone you know is in need, we encourage you to come out to Pohanka’s new Nissan dealership on the west side of US 13. We will be giving out the turkeys between 5PM and 7PM on Thursday. It is our sincere hope that this small gesture will help make Christmas a little better for our Delmarva neighbors.
Those of us here at Salisbury News want to thank our generous advertisers, particularly Pohanka of Salisbury for providing a central location. Without the generosity of our advertisers, this would not be possible.
Help make our Christmas brighter by allowing us to serve you or someone you know.
Merry Christmas.
23% Of Our Students Fail Army Entrance Exam
Nearly one-fourth of the students who try to join the U.S. Army fail its entrance exam, painting a grim picture of an education system that produces graduates who can't answer basic math, science and reading questions, according to a new study released Tuesday.
The report by the Education Trust bolsters a growing worry among military and education leaders that the pool of young people qualified for military service will grow too small.
"Too many of our high school students are not graduating ready to begin college or a career - and many are not eligible to serve in our armed forces," Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the Associated Press. "I am deeply troubled by the national security burden created by America's underperforming education system."
The effect of the low eligibility rate might not be noticeable now - the Department of Defense says it is meeting its recruitment goals - but that could change as the economy improves, said retired Navy Rear Adm. Jamie Barnett.
"If you can't get the people that you need, there's a potential for a decline in your readiness," said Adm. Barnett, who is part of the group Mission: Readiness, a coalition of retired military leaders working to bring awareness to the high ineligibility rates.
The report by the Education Trust found that 23 percent of recent high school graduates don't get the minimum score needed on the enlistment test to join any branch of the military. Questions are often basic, such as: "If 2 plus x equals 4, what is the value of x?"
More from The Washington Times.
The report by the Education Trust bolsters a growing worry among military and education leaders that the pool of young people qualified for military service will grow too small.
"Too many of our high school students are not graduating ready to begin college or a career - and many are not eligible to serve in our armed forces," Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the Associated Press. "I am deeply troubled by the national security burden created by America's underperforming education system."
The effect of the low eligibility rate might not be noticeable now - the Department of Defense says it is meeting its recruitment goals - but that could change as the economy improves, said retired Navy Rear Adm. Jamie Barnett.
"If you can't get the people that you need, there's a potential for a decline in your readiness," said Adm. Barnett, who is part of the group Mission: Readiness, a coalition of retired military leaders working to bring awareness to the high ineligibility rates.
The report by the Education Trust found that 23 percent of recent high school graduates don't get the minimum score needed on the enlistment test to join any branch of the military. Questions are often basic, such as: "If 2 plus x equals 4, what is the value of x?"
More from The Washington Times.
Benefit For Cpl. Craig Ashley
"Political Correctness."
"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a piece of poop by the clean end. "
Stolen Trailer
I would like to thank you and your website again for helping to locate the owners of the stranded dog I found last winter in Delmar: http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2010/02/lost-dog-out-in-snow-delmar.html
If you would be so kind, I would appreciate your help one more time.
A trailer was stolen from the parking spaces on Rolling Green Drive in the Wood Creek Golf Community in Delmar.
The theft occurred late Sunday evening or on Monday. When I returned home on Monday around 8:00pm, I noticed that it was missing.
It is a black framed 5' wide x 8' long trailer with light blue painted plywood sides. The sides are about 2' high.
The license plate was previously broken off the frame and was lying in the trailer next to the spare tire.
See the attached image that is a close resemblance to the missing trailer.
If you can post this information on your website, hopefully the good and responsible citizens who read this post can help us thwart these thoughtless criminals.
Please contact me at 410-202-9844 with any information.
Thank you for your help!
Eric
OCPD NEEDY DRIVE DONATES 75 FOOD BASKETS AND HUNDREDS OF TOYS TO OCEAN CITY FAMILIES
The OCPD Christmas Needy Drive proved to be a blessing to many local families. With a volunteer crew of more than 50 people, Chief Bernadette DiPino and her staff tended to more than 75 families, including more than 150 children, this past Saturday at the Public Safety Building.
The OCPD Christmas Needy Drive was started by Chief DiPino’s grandfather in the
Baltimore Police Department many years ago. The tradition was continued by her father in Baltimore, and later by Chief DiPino in Ocean City. This year is the 15th year for the OCPD Christmas Needy Drive and each year the event has grown.
The OCPD Christmas Needy Drive volunteers not only helped families load toys and boxes of food for the holidays, but also assisted in transportation for some people who otherwise would have had to take the bus. Chief DiPino was very pleased with the event. “Every year I worry about whether or not we will have enough donated toys and food to give the families,” said Chief DiPino. “But every year the Ocean City community comes together to provide for those who are less fortunate.”
FOLLOW UP -DOMESTIC ASSAULT LEADS TO STABBING AND OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING
On December 20, 2010, at approximately 11:07 a.m., Ocean City Police officers responded to a 911 call for a domestic dispute on 82nd Street.
When officers arrived at the scene they discovered an armed suspect with a knife who was attacking a female. Officers were forced to shoot the suspect who has been identified as Marvin Jefferson Mitchell, 27, of Berlin, Maryland. The female victim has been identified as Mitchell’s estranged wife, Shanna Mitchell, 27, of Berlin, Maryland.
As previously reported, Shanna Mitchell had obtained an active Protective Order against her husband. Shanna Mitchell suffered a stab wound as a result of the attack. Both the suspect and the victim were treated at the scene by Ocean City Fire Department Paramedics and transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center. As of December 21, 2010, the victim and the suspect remain
hospitalized and are both in stable condition.
Marvin Mitchell has been charged by the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation with:
• 1st Degree Attempted Murder
• 2nd Degree Attempted Murder
• 1st Degree Burglary
• 3rd Degree Burglary
• Possession of a Dangerous Weapon with the Intent to Injure
• 1st Degree Assault
• 2nd Degree Assault
• Reckless Endangerment
• Violation of a Protective Order
Marvin Mitchell is currently hospitalized and remains in police custody pending an initial appearance before a Maryland District Court Commissioner.
When officers arrived at the scene they discovered an armed suspect with a knife who was attacking a female. Officers were forced to shoot the suspect who has been identified as Marvin Jefferson Mitchell, 27, of Berlin, Maryland. The female victim has been identified as Mitchell’s estranged wife, Shanna Mitchell, 27, of Berlin, Maryland.
As previously reported, Shanna Mitchell had obtained an active Protective Order against her husband. Shanna Mitchell suffered a stab wound as a result of the attack. Both the suspect and the victim were treated at the scene by Ocean City Fire Department Paramedics and transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center. As of December 21, 2010, the victim and the suspect remain
hospitalized and are both in stable condition.
Marvin Mitchell has been charged by the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation with:
• 1st Degree Attempted Murder
• 2nd Degree Attempted Murder
• 1st Degree Burglary
• 3rd Degree Burglary
• Possession of a Dangerous Weapon with the Intent to Injure
• 1st Degree Assault
• 2nd Degree Assault
• Reckless Endangerment
• Violation of a Protective Order
Marvin Mitchell is currently hospitalized and remains in police custody pending an initial appearance before a Maryland District Court Commissioner.
COUNTY RECEIVES CLEAN OPINION ON FISCAL YEAR 2010 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Following the annual external audit, Wicomico County received an unqualified, clean opinion on its fiscal year 2010 financial statements – the highest assurance given by external auditors. In addition, the auditors found no material weaknesses in County operations.
“I am justifiably proud of the County management team,” said County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr. “The clean opinion assures our citizens that we continue to be accountable for responsibly managing their tax dollars. The lack of any material weaknesses demonstrates that County operations are being conducted properly and in accordance with established policies and procedures.”
Further, Mr. Pollitt noted that only $1.8 million of the county’s fund balance was used in FY 2010. Pollitt said, “Our amended Operating Budget included utilizing $4.7 million of our fund balance, but thanks to my orders to our departments to curtail spending, only 38% of that amount was spent. This type of frugality only serves to reinforce the recent vote of confidence we received from Wall Street’s top bond rating agencies.”
The County auditors, PKS & Company, P.A., presented the report to the Wicomico County Council today at its regular meeting.
Salisbury Police Department Press Release
On December 21, 2010 at approximately 12:04 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the parking lot of the Boscov’s Department store at the Centre at Salisbury for the report of a suspicious subject. Upon arrival the officers made contact with Centre Security and the below listed suspect. As the officers attempted contact with the suspect, the suspect became disorderly and refused to cooperate with the officer and quit yelling. The officer continued to try to communicate with the suspect however was assaulted by the suspect who was subsequently placed under arrest. There were no injuries.
ARRESTED: Joshua Daniel Landry-Gass, 21 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Disorderly Conduct
Second degree assault
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000049489
ARRESTED: Joshua Daniel Landry-Gass, 21 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Disorderly Conduct
Second degree assault
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000049489
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
During the upcoming holiday season, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is reminding all, please drive responsibly. Maryland is currently in a Drunk Driving enforcement wave. Law Enforcement Officers in Worcester County and throughout the State of Maryland will be on the roads enforcing Maryland’s Drunk Driving Laws.
Too many lives are lost during the holiday season needlessly due to drunk driving crashes. Officers have to notify family members of a loved one’s death, time and time again due to a drunk driving crash during the holidays, a task that could be prevented by not drinking and driving.
Remember if you are going to drink, don’t drive. If you are going to drive don’t drink.
If you are over the limit, you will be under arrest.
Buzzed driving IS Drunk Driving
You can make a difference this holiday season saving a life by not drinking and driving
Holiday Story Time
WHAT: Story Time with Santa's Elves
WHO: Children aged 0 – 5 years
WHEN: Wednesday, December 22, from 10:30 a.m. until 11 a.m.
WHERE: Wicomico Public Library, Main Library
BACKGROUND: Kids leave their shoes and enjoy a story time, to find treats when they return
STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O'MALLEY ON THE STATE OF HORSE RACING IN MARYLAND
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement on the future prospects of horse racing in Maryland:
“It's disappointing the parties involved could not reach an agreement. We are prepared to aggressively protect the State’s interests, as we did two years ago when presented with the threat of losing Maryland"s treasured Preakness Stakes.
“I would encourage the track owners, industry representatives, and horsemen and breeders to return to the table and reach an agreement that protects the jobs that depend on our rich history of racing in Maryland. We will continue to explore the legal options available to us.”
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY, MAYOR STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE TO URGE FIRE, CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY
ANNAPOLIS, MD Governor Martin O’Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will join the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the President of the Fire Fighters of Maryland, members of the Maryland State Firemen’s Association, and others to urge safety for all Marylanders this holiday season.
The holiday season and the cold winter months often carry with them fire hazards in the home, including holiday decorations and unsafe home heating. Generators and other appliances can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning if unmonitored.
Firefighters from throughout Maryland will join the event to urge safety for all Maryland families. The event will take place at the Herman Williams, Jr. Fire Station in Baltimore City.