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Monday, January 10, 2011

Baltimore Officer Was Killed By Fellow Officers

Baltimore police say that fellow officers fired the gun shots that killed a plainclothes officer during a melee outside a nightclub.

A 22-year-old civilian was also killed in the early Sunday morning shooting.

Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefield III said on Monday that no civilians fired any shots.

Officer William Torbit Jr. was on duty in plainclothes when he responded to a report of trouble at the club. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi (goo-lee-EHL-mee) says Torbit was trying to break up a fight when he was attacked and pulled out his weapon to defend himself.

GO HERE to read more.

The Media & The Shooter

It should not be, but the media, under the guise of “a full exposition” of the evil in Arizona, is back to subtly and not so subtly pinning the blame for the attempted assassination of the Congresswoman and the related shootings on the tea party movement, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, me, you, and everyone right of center.

Let’s be crystal clear: this is the supposedly objective news media doing this, not the openly, partisan left, though it is fueling the media witch hunt. And from what we now know, it is not just media malpractice, but a lie.

Ironically, by perpetuating the lie — by even treating it as a legitimate topic of consideration to revisit the accusations of violence and hate the media tried to run with prior to the November election — that the right and the tea party incited this evil act, the left and media may very well incite violence against the right.

In the Communist Manifesto, there are numerous, frequent calls for violence against the bourgeoisies.

Left-wing cartoonist Ted Rall’s most recent book calls for a violent response from the left against the right.

Barack Obama himself told left-wing activists, “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.”

The point of all of this is not to blame Ted Rall, Mr. Obama, Media Matters, MSNBC, any other particular person or group on the left, or the left in general. It is also not to say in any way, shape, or form that the guy is of the left. If, however, we take the evidence as presented and not as the media and left would have it presented, the shooter very clearly is not of the right.

More precisely, the shooter is neither left-wing nor right-wing. He is crazy and evil — a word not used enough. The guy is very clearly not of the tea party movement, not a Dittohead, not led by Sarah Palin, me, or anyone else on the right.

But the media, at least as of [Sunday] morning and its accumulated coverage so far on this matter, could not care less. The media is intent on yet again exploring right-wing rhetoric and tea party hate. Left-wingers yesterday were falling all over themselves to blame everyone on the right for the horrific shooting.

The media today, as it begins more expansive reporting, will not let the facts get in the way of making the right, yet again, responsible for violence it neither incited nor enabled. In the process, the media’s credibility will continue to shrink.

By the way, as an exit thought, the tea party movement won in November. Winners don’t go on shooting sprees.

Red State's Erick Erickson

Salisbury Police Department Death Investigation

On January 10, 2011 at approximately 12:05 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the one hundred (100) block of Delaware Avenue to assist Salisbury Emergency Medical Services. Upon arrival the officers observed that the victim, an elderly female, was deceased. The Wicomico County Forensic Investigator responded to the scene and has forwarded the victim to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore to determine the cause of death. The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification to the family and investigation by Salisbury Police Detectives.

CC # 201100001156

Troubled Financial Waters Ahead For The US. No Way Around It.

WARNING:THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION IS CONTROVERSIAL AND MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME AUDIENCES.

Viewer discretion is advised.

GO HERE!

Breaking News: Judge Sentences DeLay To 3 Years In Prison

Former House majority leader convicted of money laundering

A judge ordered former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to serve three years in prison Monday for his role in a scheme to illegally funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002.

The sentence comes after a jury in November convicted DeLay on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. DeLay was once one of the most powerful men in U.S. politics, ascending to the No. 2 job in the House of Representatives.

Senior Judge Pat Priest sentenced him to the three-year term on the conspiracy charge. He also sentenced him to five years in prison on the money laundering charge but allowed DeLay to accept 10 years of probation instead of more prison time.

The former Houston-area congressman had faced up to life in prison. His attorneys asked for probation.
Senior Judge Pat Priest issued his ruling after a brief sentencing hearing on Monday in which former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert testified on DeLay's behalf.

GO HERE to read more.

If I Were President Of The United States

I wouldn't pussy foot around and call it a moment of silence.

I would call it what it is, a moment of prayer.

Explosion Rocks Friends Vehicle In Baltimore

A friend of mine visiting Baltimore experienced an explosion that rocked his vehicle as he drove past a construction site near Howard Street in Downtown Baltimore.

There are about 30 fire and 20 police vehicles now on the scene. We're told the explosion seems to have occurred in sewer pipes.

I've looked elsewhere on line to see if anyone has any update on this story but it's too new. We'll try to keep you posted.

UPPER FERRY TEMPORARILY CLOSED UPDATE

Wicomico County Roads has repaired the prop on the vessel at Upper Ferry and has returned it to service. Upper Ferry is open.

Salisbury Police Department Press Releases

On January 7, 2011 at approximately 2:35 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police arrested the below listed suspect on an outstanding arrest warrant received for an assault that was reported on January 6, 2011. On that date Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on Catherine Street for the report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival the officers met with an adult female victim who advised that she had been involved in a domestic type argument with the below listed suspect. During the argument, the suspect produced a box cutter type knife and threatened the victim with it, holding it to her throat. The victim was not injured.

ARRESTED: Michael O’Shea Tucker, 51 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES:
First degree assault
Second degree assault
Reckless endangerment

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100000632

On January 7, 2011 at approximately 5:18 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Walmart Department Store on North Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store security who advised the officers that store employees had observed the below listed suspect take clothing from the store without making any attempts at payment. The merchandise was recovered. During a search of the suspect, incident to arrest, the suspect was found in possession of a quantity of prescription medication without the prescription.

ARREST: Katherine Kelly Johnson, 40 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES:
Theft (under $ 1,000)
CDS Prescription/Removed label
Possession of CDS-not marijuana

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100000840

On January 8, 2011 at approximately 4:02 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the J.C. Penney Store at the Centre of Salisbury for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store security who advised the officers that store employees had observed the below listed suspect take housewares from the store without making any attempts at payment. The property was recovered and returned to the store.

ARRESTED: Anthony Wayne Lloyd, 50 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES: Theft (under $ 1,000)

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100000955

On January 9, 2011 at approximately 9:42 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to Lowes on North Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store security who advised that the below listed suspect was observed by security attempting to take copper wire from the store without making any payment. The suspect was stopped and the wire was recovered and returned to the store.

ARRESTED: Nicholas Wayne Parks, 24 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES: Theft (under $ 1,000)

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100001043

"The U.S. Government Must Admit It Is Bankrupt"

Any time you bring the two Pauls together in an interview, and start discussing items such as the debt ceiling, government spending, and monetary policy you know the results will be good. Sure enough, in this rare ABC interview with father and son, the sparks fly, and among the topic touched is the most popular story on Zero Hedge from yesterday, namely President Obama fabulous hypocrisy, who after bashing the debt ceiling as a senator 4 years ago, has bet the outcome of his entire economic policy on maxing out every single credit card available to him. Paul's response: "we have to face the fact that we are bankrupt and we can't pay our bills." Not exactly the kind of thing one wants to hear if one's name is Hu Jintao. That said you know the Paul-led interrogation of Bernanke will be something else, even if it is ultimately totally fruitless.



Source

Interesting Information From A Reader

Joe,

I've been following this trail for some time on the following issue and have tried to put it together in a way that would be easy for you readers to follow. Lets start at the beginning. I will present the information and then i will provide links to the articles so that others can follow along.

1). The ATF asks Obama to pass "emergency regulations" that would require national registration of "high powered rifles" sold by dealers near the border with Mexico. These regulations would circumvent the ability of our Congress to represent "we the people" by enacting laws that represent the will of their constitutents. Remember, one of the reasons that the patriots of 1776 fought the revolutionary war was that they weren't represented in matters of importance within their government.

2) Then we add this to the mix. A Border Patrol Agent is murdered by someone firing a weapon smuggled across the border. The ATF is using this to project some sort of exigency that will compel Obama to take the step. In addition to this, it appears that the BATFE actually has a program called "Operation Gunrunners". In order to bump up Operation Gunrunner numbers and justify the emergency regulations, the Arizona ATF has been encouraging snitches to buy semi-auto rifles and smuggle them south. As you will read below, there are also reports that one of these rifles was used to kill BP officer Terry.


http://www.globalconflictmaps.com/2010/12/15/border-patrol-agent-brian-a-terry-killed-in-shootout-in-southern-arizona/

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/atf-source-confirms-walking-guns-to-mexico-to-pad-statistics

which is followed by this:

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/more-information-on-atf-walking-guns-across-mexican-border

It would appear that there are members of the BATFE who wish to clean the agency up and stop the miscarriages of government power from further eroding the public trust. These members (or prior members) started a website called:   http://cleanupatf.org/forums/. Again, some of these contributers are current or former members of BATFE.

Now we go further. In step "The People". Americans from across the country have been watchin these events as well as others developing on our southern border with Mexico. The have also been watching things get out of control as what they percieve as the government ignoring their collective will increases in frequency. The Arizona Citizens Militia have been active on the northern border for months supplementing the efforts of the local Sheriff's Departments. They have been receiving monetary support from across the country. But their numbers aren't great enough to maintain a sufficient presence, as the members have jobs and families. Bada bing bada boom, a group of people from who kknows where have started organizing a week long even along the Arizona Border called "Riflestock" (It appears to be a play on "woodstock"). This event will be an armed event and it will run from March 15 until March 2. I will quote a brief description for the website.

It is time for us to show what we are made of. But, how can we do that?

Suppose several thousand patriots, and their families, showed up near the Mexican border, somewhere in Arizona, for a weekend of Fun, Music, Games, Shooting, Hiking, Camping and, good old fashioned Comradery.

Would this event be newsworthy? Perhaps approaching that of
Woodstock, back in 1969?

Would it send a message to the government that,
"If you won't protect our borders, then, we will"?

Here's a link to the site:  http://patriotresistance.com/RIFLESTOCK2011.html

I'm not saing I support this activity or that I don't. I'm trying to present the facts and let the people take a position on their own.

Elsmere Man Arrested After String Of Robberies

Locations and Dates of Occurrences:
 
-Exxon Gas Station, 414 Main Street, Stanton, DE (Monday, December 20, 2010 at 11:25 p.m.)
-Exxon Gas Station, 414 Main Street, Stanton, DE (Saturday, December 25, 2010 at 11:00 p.m.)
-Shell Gas Station, 668 Paper Mill Road, Newark, DE (Friday, December 31, 2010 at 1:55 a.m.)
-Fulton Bank, 3812 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE (Friday, January 7, 2011 at 9:05 a.m.)
-Family Dollar, 1914 Maryland Avenue, Wilmington, DE (Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 12:05 p.m.)
-Exxon Gas Station, 414 Main Street, Stanton, DE (Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 1:55 p.m.)
-Valero gas Station, 896 S. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE (Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 7:45 p.m.)
-Tobacco Zone, 1009 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE (Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 1:15 p.m.)***
 
***Newark Police Department investigation
 
Defendant: George H. Leifheit, 39, Elsmere, DE
 
Charges:
 
-Robbery 1st Degree (7 counts) (DSP and Newark P.D.)
-Robbery 2nd Degree (DSP)
Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon (Newark P.D.)
 
Resume:  
 
The Delaware State Police and the Newark Police Department have arrested an Elsmere man in connection with a string of robberies that have occurred in the Stanton, Wilmington, New Castle, and Newark areas since the end of December of 2010.
 
George H. Leifheit, 39, of Elsmere, DE was arrested on Sunday, January 9, 2011 after a trooper on patrol spotted his vehicle traveling on I-495 and DE Rt. 9, in New Castle, after Leifheit had committed the robbery of the Tobacco Zone located in the 1000 block of S. College Avenue in Newark at approximately 1:15 p.m. A description of Leifheit, as well as his vehicle, a 1995 Plymouth Acclaim, had been broadcast after the robbery. Through further investigation detectives were able to link Leifheit to a string of robberies that have occurred in the area since December 20, 2010. During all of the robberies, Leifheit entered each of the businesses and confronted a victim employee. He then displayed a weapon or implied that he was armed with a weapon and demanded cash. After receiving the money, Leifheit fled from the business. On at least one occasion he was observed by a witness entering a Plymouth Acclaim and a registration number was able to be obtained. None of the victims were injured in any of the incidents. 
 
George Leifheit was arrested and charged with the above list of crimes. He was arraigned at JP Court 11 and committed to the Howard Young Correctional Facility for lack of $142,000.00 secured bail.

Be Ready For Anything

The system that will bring us precipitation tonight and tomorrow will be a rather complicated one,
with the 'freeze line' drifting around a bit, depending on how closely it hugs the coast.

Most of us will get some snow, and there may be freezing rain, sleet or even just rain at times.

From the National Weather Service:

...A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED ACROSS
MUCH OF THE REGION TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.

...LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTHEAST ALONG AND JUST OFF THE
SOUTHEAST AND MID ATLANTIC COASTS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.
SNOW IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION FROM SOUTHWEST TO
NORTHEAST TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THEN TRANSITION TO
A MIXTURE OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN DURING TUESDAY MORNING OVER
INTERIOR SECTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AND
NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...WHILE ALSO MIXING WITH SOME RAIN. THE
PRECIPITATION WILL BE MAINLY SNOW THROUGH THE ENTIRE EVENT FROM
THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA PIEDMONT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE VIRGINIA
NORTHERN NECK...AND INTO INTERIOR SECTIONS OF THE LOWER MARYLAND
EASTERN SHORE.

* AREAS AFFECTED: LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE.

* PRECIPITATION TYPES: SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION LATE TUESDAY
  MORNING...AND CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. THE SNOW COULD
  POSSIBLY MIX WITH SLEET DURING TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* ACCUMULATION: SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF TWO TO FIVE INCHES WILL BE
  POSSIBLE.

* TIMING: SNOW IS EXPECTED TO START LATE TUESDAY MORNING...AND
  POSSIBLY MIX WITH SLEET DURING TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* TEMPERATURES: READINGS WILL START OUT IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S
  TONIGHT...THEN CLIMB INTO THE LOWER 30S TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

Accuweather:

The storm now slamming the South with severe snow and ice will turn up the Eastern Seaboard on Tuesday into Wednesday, hugging the coast and dumping several inches of snow over many major cities in the Northeast.

Plenty of cold air will remain in place to support snowfall along much of the heavily populated I-95 corridor in the Northeast, while some mixing, including treacherous ice will occur farther south through the mid-Atlantic Coast.

This means that heavy snowfall with amounts of up to a foot could slam a corridor from perhaps as far south as New York City and northern New Jersey to Boston and eastern Maine.

It should be noted that the storm track is still not set in stone. A wobble in the storm's track by only 50 miles can make a major difference in snow totals for the big Northeast cities.

Giffords 'Holding Her Own,' Neurosurgeon Says

Docs optimistic, but Ariz. congresswoman faces difficult recovery after being shot in the head

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is "holding her own" and continues to respond to simple commands, Dr. G. Michael Lemole Jr., the chief of neurosurgery at Univ. of Ariz. said Monday.

"I just came from Congresswoman Giffords' bedside and I'm happy to say she's holding her own," Lemole, who operated on Giffords after a bullet tore through the left side of her brain, told TODAY Monday. "And that is to say that she's doing the same things she was yesterday.  And that's the most we can hope for at this time."

Giffords is in a medically induced coma but is responding to verbal commands -- raising a thumb, showing two fingers or wiggling toes -- two days after she was shot at point-blank range at a public gathering in a supermarket parking lot in Tucson, Ariz.

GO HERE to read more.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A New Chance For Civility?

Tragically, the shooting Saturday at a congressional event in Arizona now has the ability to do what elected officials haven’t been able to do: usher in a more civil era in politics and, at a minimum, simply start a SERIOUS conversation about political rhetoric.

GO HERE to read more.

Deepening Crisis Traps America's Have-Nots

The US is drifting from a financial crisis to a deeper and more insidious social crisis. Self-congratulation by the US authorities that they have this time avoided a repeat of the 1930s is premature.

There is a telling detail in the US retail chain store data for December. Stephen Lewis from Monument Securities points out that luxury outlets saw an 8.1pc rise from a year ago, but discount stores catering to America’s poorer half rose just 1.2pc.
Tiffany’s, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue are booming. Sales of Cadillac cars have jumped 35pc, while Porsche’s US sales are up 29pc.
Cartier and Louis Vuitton have helped boost the luxury goods stock index by almost 50pc since October. Yet Best Buy, Target, and Walmart have languished.
Such is the blighted fruit of Federal Reserve policy. The Fed no longer even denies that the purpose of its latest blast of bond purchases, or QE2, is to drive up Wall Street, perhaps because it has so signally failed to achieve its other purpose of driving down borrowing costs.
Yet surely Ben Bernanke’s `trickle down’ strategy risks corroding America’s ethic of solidarity long before it does much to help America’s poor.

The retail data can be quirky but it fits in with everything else we know. The numbers of people on food stamps have reached 43.2m, an all time-high of 14pc of the population. Recipients receive debit cards – not stamps -- currently worth about $140 a month under President Obama’s stimulus package.

The US Conference of Mayors said visits to soup kitchens are up 24pc this year. There are 643,000 people needing shelter each night.

Jobs data released on Friday was again shocking. The only the reason that headline unemployment fell to 9.4pc was that so many people dropped out of the system altogether.

The actual number of jobs contracted by 260,000 to 153,690,000. The “labour participation rate” for working-age men over 20 dropped to 73.6pc, the lowest the since the data series began in 1948. My guess is that this figure exceeds the average for the Great Depression (minus the cruellest year of 1932).

“Corporate America is in a V-shaped recovery,” said Robert Reich, a former labour secretary. “That’s great news for investors whose savings are mainly in stocks and bonds, and for executives and Wall Street traders. But most American workers are trapped in an L-shaped recovery.”

It is no surprise that America’s armed dissident movement has resurfaced. For a glimpse into this sub-culture, read Time Magazine’s “Locked and Loaded: The Secret World of Extreme Militias”.

Time’s reporters went underground with the 300-strong `Ohio Defence Force’, an eclectic posse of citizens who spend weekends with M16 assault rifles and an M60 machine gun training to defend their constitutional rights by guerrilla warfare.

As it happens, I spent some time with militia groups across the US at the tail end of the recession in the early 1990s. While the rallying cry then was gun control and encroachments on freedom, the movement was at root a primordial scream by blue-collar Americans left behind in the new global dispensation. That grievance is surely worse today.

The long-term unemployed (more than six months) have reached 42pc of the total, twice the peak of the early 1990s. Nothing like this has been seen since the World War Two.

The Gini Coefficient used to measure income inequality has risen from the mid-30s to 46.8 over the last quarter century, touching the same extremes reached in the Roaring Twenties just before the Slump. It has also been ratcheting up in Britain and Europe.

Raghuram Rajan, the IMF’s former chief economist, argues that the subprime debt build-up was an attempt – “whether carefully planned or the path of least resistance” – to disguise stagnating incomes and to buy off the poor.

“The inevitable bill could be postponed into the future. Cynical as it might seem, easy credit has been used throughout history as a palliative by governments that are unable to address the deeper anxieties of the middle class directly,” he said.

Bank failures in the Depression were in part caused by expansion of credit to struggling farmers in response to the US Populist movement.

Extreme inequalities are toxic for societies, but there is also a body of scholarship suggesting that they cause depressions as well by upsetting the economic balance. They create a bias towards asset bubbles and overinvestment, while holding down consumption, until the system becomes top-heavy and tips over, as happened in the 1930s.

The switch from brawn to brain in the internet age has obviously pushed up the Gini count, but so has globalization. Multinationals are exploiting “labour arbitrage” by moving plant to low-wage countries, playing off workers in China and the West against each other. The profit share of corporations is at record highs across in America and Europe.

More subtly, Asia’s mercantilist powers have flooded the world with excess capacity, holding down their currencies to lock in trade surpluses. The effect is to create a black hole in the global system.

Yes, we can still hope that this is a passing phase until rising wages in Asia restore balance to East and West, but what it if it proves to be permanent, a structural incompatibility of the Confucian model with our own Ricardian trade doctrine?

There is no easy solution to creeping depression in America and swathes of the Old World. A Keynesian `New Deal’ of borrowing on the bond markets to build roads, bridges, solar farms, or nuclear power stations to soak up the army of unemployed is not a credible option in our new age of sovereign debt jitters. The fiscal card is played out.

So we limp on, with very large numbers of people in the West trapped on the wrong side of globalization, and nobody doing much about it. Would Franklin Roosevelt have tolerated such a lamentable state of affairs, or would he have ripped up and reshaped the global system until it answered the needs of his citizens?

Source

Get Your Tickets Today

GO HERE to purchase your tickets.

Hello Everyone,
          
Big News!  Two titles are on the line,  Feb 18th, as Fernando Guerrero defends his NABF Middleweight Belt in 10 rounds, and our new addition to the card, Shawn "Showtime Porter, 17-0 13 ko's, will be defending his NABF Welterweight Title Belt in another 10 round bout. Porter, who seems to have been adopted buy the Eastern Shore fight fans, is thrilled to be fighting back here, where his pro boxing career started, 2 years ago and will now face Adrian Mora 20-1 with,12 ko's, of Thorton CO.  "I'm pleased and honored to be coming back to Salisbury.  It's always exciting fighting in front of the Eastern Shore fans and this is a big test for me, but I look forward to the challenge and defending my title". said Porter
                 
As Feb.18th draws closer,I am happy to report that Fernando has been down in Ga. training in his pre-camp phase of preparation and will fly home on Jan 11th with conditioning trainer/nutritionist, DJ Montanacordoba, a recent addition to Team Guerrero. On Jan 12th, the three of us will fly to Los Angeles, Ca, to set up a five week camp and continue to prepare for the big fight. Things are going very good and we are doing our best  to insure a very productive camp.
         
On the home front, ticket sales are very good and it appears that everyone really understands the benefit of getting tickets early, both to avoid lines on fight night and to get the best seats available. This looks to be a huge event and one that everyone will remember for a long time.  People really understand that the only way to show Fernando the kind of support he needs, is be there where he can see them and hear them. There is just so much that does not get on camera, It truly is, an unbelievable experience, when you are there in person.
        
Having Fernando fighting here at home, as the main event on ESPN and fighting such a tough guy as Saul Roman, who is credited with 27 ko's, is really very special at this point of career and something we did not  expect to be able to make happen. Now, with Dominic Wade,9-0 with 7 ko's of Largo MD and Porter, we have this triple header of undefeated fighters, moving into the prime of their careers and that is going to stir a tremendous amount of interest in the boxing world. I expect this to be one of the most successful ESPN Friday night fights, ever.
      
When you add into the mix, Alexis Guerrero,who is set as the first swing bout,(a bout that may get televised if one of the 10 rounds bouts ends early) it just means that this in going to be a huge night for Salisbury and for boxing.
        
On the under card, Mario Fisher, of Salisbury will get his first chance to fight under the Main St Gym banner and has the great fortune of doing it on the biggest night in Salisbury.
        
So, as I said everything is going according to the plan right now, and the new billboards and poster are about to go up, On January 14th money mailer will go out across the shore in an effort to make sure everyone knows about this event and has an opportunity to attend.
                  
Get your tickets at the Civic Center Box office, or online at http://www.wicomicociviccenter.org/ The site is so easy to use now that a caveman can do it.

Maryland's Wasteful Spending


Joe,
I was wondering when the State is in such bad financial situation, why is the State still having training seminars?  I realize some are necessary but many are not at this time.  The State is having management training for employees who are not in management but may want to be in the future.  These training classes are three days long, 4 times a year.  The State pays the hotel expenses, meals and gas and tolls.  Usually the employees are put up in a nice hotel such as the Country Inn and Suites or a number of other top notch hotels.  They could be held in Ocean City, Annapolis, Glen Burnie or any place so desired.  If the class starts, let's say on a Wednesday, the employee can go up on Tuesday night, all expenses paid, and stay through Thursday night and attend class on Friday. 
Also, the State is still providing computer classes and just about any other topic of training situations which may be determined to be useful in the workplace.  I can get a copy of the training courses to back up my issues here.  The State pays for the employee's day away from the office, pays again the gas and tolls and provides lunch and usually some bagels, danishes, etc., juices for breakfast. 
I think in a time of the State's disarray, they can discontinue these classes.  State employees are made to take furlough days, salary reduction days and no pay raises for 4 years now, but has enough money in the budget to spend on these type of classes.  If an employee leaves his/her position in the State at this time, there is a job freeze on, therefore the position cannot be refilled. 
I do believe these classes can be helpful at times, but being an employee of the State for many years, I also have seen where these training classes, seminars and meetings have been a complete waste of time and expense.  There are certain employees that will attend every class and seminar possible in order to be away from the office.  Again, the salary  and travel expenses are being paid and so are the fringe benefits of being out of the office especially for overnights and the State pays.  The State needs to freeze these classes, seminars and meetings if they are not needed for the immediate time being.
I am not trying to take away from advancing one's self, but what I am trying to take away is the waste the State is putting out to certain employees, when many others are stressing what the next paycheck is lacking due to furloughs, salary reduction days and no pay increases.

US Concerned Over China's Rapid Development Of New Weapons

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says China's rapidly developing defense capabilities are worrisome to the US.

China has made strides in building a new stealth fighter jet and Washington is also concerned about a new ballistic missile that could theoretically explode an aircraft carrier nearly 2,000 miles out to sea. China has also apparently beaten US estimates to develop that weapon.

Gates arrived in Beijing for talks about these weapons and other military issues with Chinese leaders.

"They [China] clearly have potential to put some of our capabilities at risk," Gates told reporters traveling with him to Asia. "We have to pay attention to them, we have to respond appropriately with our own programs."

The US has long known that China wanted to field a stealth jet, but development outpaced US intelligence estimates, Gates said.

More here

Media Covering Up Alleged Shooter's Liberal Politics?

Are the news media deliberately disguising the reported liberal politics of Jared Lee Loughner, the suspected gunman in the fatal shooting that left six dead and gravely injured a U.S. congresswoman?

WND was first to report that Caitie Parker, who went to high school, college and was in a band with the gunman, labeled Loughner as "quite liberal" and "more left" on her Twitter account.

It was that Twitter posting that first prompted ABC News' Jack Tapper to send out a Twitter message of his own, asking publicly how he can get in touch with Parker.

ABC News online today quoted a "high school classmate" of Loughner's, apparently Parker, as saying "he was extremely political in high school, but not radical."

The ABC News online article does not state which kind of politics Loughner ascribes to.

In her Twitter postings, Parker wrote of Loughner: "As I knew him he was left wing, quite liberal and oddly obsessed with the 2012 prophecy."

She also described him as "more left."

As noted by Newsbusters, Parker was interviewed Sunday on ABC's "This Week," yet the network did not even ask Parker about Loughner's political leanings.

Meanwhile, scores of news outlets are implying former Governor Sarah Palin may have helped to create an environment that contributed to the shooting.

An Associated Press article, for example, notes that Palin's Facebook page had posted a U.S. map with the crosshairs of a gun scope imposed over Giffords' district as a "targeted" seat in the 2010 mid-term elections.

The article then quotes Giffords as saying, "The way that [Palin] has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they've got to realize there are consequences to that action."

In an MSNBC column, Keith Olbermann took it further: "If Sarah Palin, whose website put and today scrubbed bull's-eye targets on 20 Representatives including Gabby Giffords, does not repudiate her own part in amplifying violence and violent imagery in politics, she must be dismissed from politics."

Olbermann also criticized Giffords' former political opponent Jesse Kelly, Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., former Senate candidate Sharon Angle and talk hosts Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly for supposedly encouraging violence.

Olbermann's blame did not, however, extend  to the men actually listed by Loughner as among his favorite authors, Karl Marx and Adolf Hitler.

Read more at WND

Odd Package Closes Metro Station Near US Capitol

WASHINGTON (AP) - A suspicious package is disrupting commuters headed to the Capitol.

The Capitol South Metro station on the blue and orange lines is closed.

Capitol Police are tightly controlling where people can walk outside the station Monday morning. Riders trying to leave the station were initially redirected to the Federal Center Southwest and Eastern Market stations. Other passengers were later allowed to leave by taking an elevator and exiting about a block from the entrance where the package was found.

GO HERE to read more.

Dem Planning Bill That Would Outlaw 'Threatening' Lawmakers

Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.) reportedly plans to introduce legislation that would make it a federal crime to use language or symbols that COULD BE PERCEIVED as threatening or inciting violence against a federal official or member of Congress.

Brady told CNN that he wants federal lawmakers and officials to have the same protections against threats currently provided to the president. His call came one day after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) was shot, along with 19 other people, at a public event in Tucson. A suspect is currently in custody.

"The president is a federal official," Brady told CNN in a telephone interview. "You can't do it to him; you should not be able to do it to a congressman, senator or federal judge."

Among the six people killed was Federal Judge John Roll.

While it is unknown at this time whether the shooter was politically motivated, that has not prevented a vigorous debate about whether heated political rhetoric seen during the healthcare reform debate and during the 2010 campaign is inciting violence.

"The rhetoric is just ramped up so negatively, so high, that we have got to shut this down," Brady said.

More here

["Never let a crisis go to waste."-- Rahm Emanuel]

Burglary Suspect ARRESTED


DATE & TIME: 01/07/11

Case # 11-0005
LOCATION: 12010 Industrial Park Drive, Bishopville, Maryland 21813

CRIME: Burglary, Theft, Malicious Destruction of Property

VICTIM: Northern Waterproofing and Restoration, Atlantic Moving Solutions,
United Tech.

ACCUSED: Shane William Lewis, W/M, DOB 1/19/84, of Ocean Pines, Maryland.

CHARGES: Burglary First Degree, Theft Over $1,000 and Malicious Destruction of
Property.

NARRATIVE:

On January 7, 2011, Detectives from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation
were contacted by the Maryland State Police Berlin Barracks in reference to a
burglary to Northern Waterproofing and Restoration at 12010 Industrial Park
Drive, Bishopville, Maryland.

It was determined that the suspect had broken several business windows and
actually made entry into Northern Waterproofing and Restoration where he removed
a flat screen television and did over $1,000 in damages.

Through further investigation, the suspect was determined to be Shane William
Lewis of Ocean Pines. The suspect was subsequently charged with three counts of
Burglary-Second Degree, two counts of Malicious Destruction of Property under
$500, one count of Malicious Destruction of Property under $500 and one count of
Theft over $1,000. Shane William Lewis, is currently being held at the
Worcester County Detention Center of $15,000. Bond.

PG County Council To Hold Retreat At Resort

The Prince George's County Council is spending $10,000 to $15,000 for a two-night retreat on the Eastern Shore this week.

Ingrid Turner, chairwoman of the County Council, said she chose to spend more money on this year's retreat, even as the county faces a $77 million shortfall next fiscal year, to help council members avoid distractions.

"We wanted to be able to focus," she explained, "and if you get far enough away where you're not getting the day-to-day calls, you can really focus and concentrate."

The council's two-night retreat will begin Monday, about 90 minutes away from the council's Upper Marlboro offices at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa & Marina in Cambridge.

The cost of the retreat is more than what it cost the council last year, she said, when a one-day retreat was held inside the county borders at the historic

Newton White Mansion in Mitchellville. But Turner says a thorough outing was not needed last year, in comparison to this year, when five new council members are starting the beginning of a four-year term.

One resident not happy about the retreat, first reported by the Gazette, is activist Jennifer Harris, who lives in Accokeek. "The reason I believe Ms. Turner can get away with justifying this kind of expense is quite frankly because no one is going to be quite outraged enough to come and complain about it in loud and strong enough numbers for them to change their ways," she said.

Harris suggested the county ask each member to pay his or her own way to attend. She said she thought fewer members would still want to stay at the resort in that case.

"That would make them think about it from the taxpayer perspective, rather than from the perspective they're coming from," she said.

Read more at the Washington Examiner

Statement From Congressman Harris

Statement of Rep. Andy Harris:

“Over the weekend, I was horrified to learn about the shooting of my colleague Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. My family and I extend our deepest thoughts and prayers to Rep. Giffords, her family, staff and the people of Tucson, Az. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the victims of this shooting who did lose their lives. There is no place in a free society for senseless acts of violence like this.”

New Prince George's Co. Action Plan After 9 Murders In 2011

WASHINGTON -- The year is only 10 days old, and already nine families are planning funerals in Prince George's County.
 
As they develop a new action plan, officials in the county are turning to those not in uniform to help stay the string of murders mostly inside the Capital Beltway.
 
Prince George's County Police will meet with community groups and business leaders in all police districts this week.
 
"This will be a concerted, sustained effort that will include the PGPD, Office of the Sheriff, municipal police departments, federal agencies and community and business leaders," says acting Police Chief Mark Magaw, according to a police release.
 
"Together, we are a formidable force that will bring calm to all segments of our County."
 
Nineteen communities in the county have their own police departments. From Hyattsville to District Heights and Cottage City to Bladensburg, police chiefs from all city police departments in Prince George's will coordinate operations through conference calls with county police.
 
County detectives also are being transferred.

GO HERE to read more.

DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS DANCE TEAM TO DEBUT IN 2011

New Dance Team Open to Children Ages 6-18

Salisbury, Md. – The Delmarva Shorebirds are extremely excited to announce the formation of the brand new Delmarva Shorebirds Dance Team, which will debut during the 2011 season.  Registration is now open to children between the ages of six and 18.   The Shorebirds have partnered with the High Voltage All Stars.

The Shorebirds Dance Team will undergo weekly technique and choreography lessons at High Voltage in preparation for six performances at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium during weekend Shorebirds games throughout the summer.

“The dance team is something new and fresh that will increase the entertainment value at Perdue Stadium,” said general manager Chris Bitters.  “We have really worked hard to make the experience a very affordable one for all families.”

Each dancer will receive a custom designed uniform, practice gear, two free Shorebirds tickets to each performance, a VIP parking pass, countless hours of instruction at High Voltage, a chance to perform in front of large crowds at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium and an end-of-season party to be held at Perdue Stadium during a Shorebirds game. 

The Shorebirds Dance Team will be separated into two teams based on age and prior dance experience.  However, no dance experience is required to sign up for the team. 

Dancers will be required to attend weekly dance/choreography lessons, which will be held at High Voltage studios, located at 1303 South Salisbury Blvd, Suite D. The dance studio is located across from Salisbury University and next to The Fractured Prune.  A schedule of lessons will be available upon sign up. 

We are thrilled to partner with the Delmarva Shorebirds. The Shorebirds Dance Team members will learn 2-3 routines that they will perform in front of the crowds at the games,” said Justine Lathbury, co-owner of High Voltage All Stars. 

“We are excited to open our facility to the dancers and we are planning routines that they are going to love,” said Kathy Brown, co-owner of High Voltage All-Stars.

Dance lessons and choreography will be taught by two experienced instructors.  Brittney Marshall will serve as the dance team coach and will be assisted by Alexz Goldin.  Marshall’s dance experience includes ballet, Bennett’s Rock and Roll Revival, and a scholarship in field show dancing in college.  Goldin is currently a dancer for the Untouchable Dance group at Salisbury University.

The Shorebirds Dance Team will perform on the following dates at Perdue Stadium: May 28, June 4, July 1, July 30, August 12 and September 3.  The dancers will perform pre-game, in-game and postgame. 

The Shorebirds and High Voltage will hold two registration dates at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.  The first registration day will be on Saturday, January 29 from 2-4 p.m. and the second registration day will be on Saturday, February 12 from 2-4 p.m.  Both instructors will be on hand to answer questions and meet parents.  Plus, High Voltage All Stars and Shorebirds representatives will be in attendance.  In addition, Sherman the Shorebird will be there to greet the kids and light refreshments will be served. 

To sign up over before the registration dates, contact the High Voltage All Stars at 443-735-0712 or visit them online at http://www.highvoltageallstars.com/.

Great Idea

Taking uninsured cars off the highway.

Recently, in the City of Dallas, Texas, they passed an ordinance that if you are pulled over by law enforcement and not able to provide proof of insurance, your car will be towed right away.  
 
Afterwards, to retrieve your car after being impounded, you must show proof of insurance to have your car released. This has made it easy for the City of Dallas to remove uninsured cars that are typically driven by mostly illegals.

Shortly after the 'No insurance' ordinance was passed, the Dallas impound lots began to fill up quickly and were full after nine days.

Most of the impounded cars were driven by illegals.  
 
Not only must you provide proof of insurance to have your car released, you have to pay for the cost of the tow, a $350 fine, and charged $20 for every day their car is kept in the lot.  
 
I would suggest other cities across the nation to follow what Dallas, Texas is doing.

Not only is it getting uninsured drivers off the road, but it is taking away vehicles driven by illegals that have no insurance that might endanger your life.

Brings a tear to my eye.  
GO    Texas!
Dallas' solution, get them off the road WITHOUT making them show proof of nationality. Wonder how the ACLU or the Justice Department will get around this one.
   
Dallas, Texas' solution to illegal's, brilliant!

International Space Station

Look at what happened from 1998 until 2008. In just ten years  it has grown and grown. 

Watch the pieces come together as they are sent up from Earth.

This is the International Space Station (ISS) Assembly diagram, piece by piece.

I had no idea the Space Station had grown to this size.  This is neat....

Poplar Hill Mansion Tea

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 11:30 A.M., Poplar Hill Mansion will present a First Ladies Tea, to benefit the completion of our Milestones and Memories brick pathway, part of the serpentine boxwood garden. Our tea menu includes; fruit cup, savory winter soup, assorted tea sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream, sweets, and tea.

Local jewelry artist, Donna Warren, will have her classic and artsy jewelry for sale with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Mansion. 

Bring your friends and please reserve now as our teas are very popular and sell out quickly. 

$20.00 per person.  Make check payable and mail to:
     Friends of Poplar Hill Mansion
     117 Elizabeth Street
      Salisbury, MD 21801

Aleta Davis, Publicity Chair
Nancy Marasco, Curator
410-749-1776
 

Indian Chief Predicting Cold This Winter:

It's  late fall and the Indians on a remote reservation in South  Dakota  asked their new chief if the coming winter  was going to be cold or mild.
Since he was a  chief in a modern society, he had never been taught  the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he  couldn't tell what the  winter was going to be  like.
Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he  told his tribe that the winte was indeed going to  be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be  prepared.
But, being a practical leader, after  several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone  booth, called the National Weather Service and  asked, 'Is the coming winter going to be  cold?'
'It looks like this winter is going to be  quite cold,' the meteorologist at the weather  service responded.
So the chief went back to his  people and told them to collect even more firewood  in order to be prepared.
A week later, he called  the National Weather Service again. 'Does it still  look like it is going to be a very cold winter?'
'Yes,' the man at National Weather Service again replied,  'it's going to be a very cold winter.'
The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to  collect every scrap of firewood they could  find.
Two weeks later, the chief called the  National Weather Service again. 'Are you absolutely  sure that the winter is going to be very   cold?'
'Absolutely,' the man replied.   'It's looking more and more like it is going to be  one of the coldest winters we've ever seen.'
'How can you be so sure?' the chief asked.
The  weatherman replied, 'The Indians are collecting a boatload  of firewood'

K-9's Tribute . . .

These animals are given the same honor and respect in life and death, as their handlers. These are U.S. service dogs over in Iraq . Its one of the best Power Point presentations I have seen. Enjoy. I know you will enjoy this tribute.

Help Save Maryland Newsletter

Leggett's Lament
Poor Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, his tax and spend mantra is collapsing around him like a sand castle hit by an ocean wave. County income and property tax receipts continue to lag behind out of control county spending, inflated salaries for his senior managers and costly county employee pensions. 

With the economy flat-lining, housing prices continuing to slip and no hope of a bailout from debt-ridden Governor Martin O'Malley or the federal government, Mr. Leggett has tried a variety of new initiatives to create jobs and raise tax revenue in hopes of saving his fantasy world.

Just how is Mr. Leggett doing?  His support for the controversial carbon emissions tax bill, combined with a 150 percent energy tax increase for county residents, certainly raised some revenue but no jobs to speak of.  Same for the dozens and dozens of speed trap cameras erected county-wide in the name of "public safety".  He did vindictively fire all 21 low salary volunteer firefighter administrators, but left his highly paid security and administrative staff intact so no real savings or job creation there. 

Mr. Leggett's partners at CASA of Maryland did report an increase in county-wide employment from the multiple taxpayer funded Day Laborer Centers, but alas the illegal alien day laborers do not pay any taxes on their cash wages they receive, so again no gain.

Seems the only thing "looking up" for Mr. Leggett is the growing number of illegal alien students receiving In-County tuition at Montgomery College, a revenue killer for the County, and the tidal wave of illegal alien children & anchor babies registering for county public schools.  2,500+ more children than expected this school year, part of a projected 10,000+ student increase over the next few years.  
 
At a cost of $14,000 per student per year (not including English for Speakers of other Languages costs), this budget breaker is clearly the result of Mr. Leggett's open door sanctuary policy for illegal alien families.

Mr. Leggett has long accused Help Save Maryland of "not being able to separate fact from fiction" when it comes to the financial cost of illegal aliens (education, healthcare, incarceration, law enforcement, social services, etc.). 
 
Hope Santa brought poor old Ike a new abacus to help with his budget dilemma!

Brad Botwin
Director, Help Save Maryland

Clean Your Dishwasher With Lemonade Kool-Aid

You can spend a lot on fancy cleaners to get the scum out of your dishwasher, or you can just pop in two 10-cent bags of lemonade Kool-Aid in the soap dispenser.

More »

A Small Beer Is Really A Large Beer At Qwest Field, And Vice Versa

Hey all you silly people out there at Seattle Seahawks games, stop wasting money on those large beers at Qwest Field! For $1.25 less, you can get a small beer, which seems to contain just as much liquid-y ale goodness as the large. D'oh!

More »

Scalia: Women's Rights Not Protected By 14th Amendment

Justice Antonin Scalia is under fire after saying the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection does not include women.

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Reid Predicts the End of the Tea Party

In an interview on Meet the Press, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid predicted the Tea Party would disappear after the economy recovers.

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Pennsylvania’s Drilling Wastewater Released To Streams, Some Unaccounted For

As gas-drilling operations proliferated in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale over the past couple of years, most of the hundreds of millions of gallons of briny wastewater they produced was eventually dumped into the state’s rivers. Much of the rest is unaccounted for.
 
GO HERE to read more.

Obama Expresses Displeasure With Guantanamo Restrictions But Signs Them Into Law

The president says he will seek the repeal of new provisions tucked into defense-spending legislation, but averts a confrontation with the new Congress by not raising constitutional objections.
 
GO HERE to read more.

Cathie Black And The Demise Of Public Education

The appointment of Cathie Black - the Hearst magazine executive with zero education experience - as New York City schools chancellor is further evidence of the complete collapse of the 20th century model of liberal public education in the US. The cynical compromise between Mayor Bloomberg and his liberal opponents to appoint an educator as deputy chancellor only serves to highlight the obvious message: education is a business that is too lucrative in these difficult times to leave to teachers and communities. It now seems inevitable that we will move to a dual education system not seen since the days of legal segregation, with minorities and the poor shuttled through a system of for-profit institutions emphasizing standardized testing, uniform lessons and rote learning.

It is remarkable how quickly the liberals caved. Maybe this is because of the way pro-business education reformers co-opted the traditional liberal discourse of equality and civil rights. Or maybe it's the money. It is heart-warming to see the captains of industry, hedge fund managers and politicians across the political spectrum lining up to bankroll an attempt to level the playing field for the poor. This equalization is a noble cause, and one that is difficult to criticize. Unfortunately, it is also a scam. Once again, the rich are preying on the hopes of the poor in order to further their monopoly on wealth and power. The education reforms enshrined in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), like charter schools, increased testing and subcontracted tutoring and provided a huge opening for private education entrepreneurs, even as public school budgets are repeatedly slashed. If anyone had any doubts about the true intentions of these corporate conquistadores, the announced departure of current New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein to Murdoch's News Corp in order to pursue opportunities in the "education marketplace" makes clear their objectives.

GO HERE to read more.

Obama Created More Jobs In One Year Than Bush Created In Eight

Yesterday morning, the Labor Department released its employment data for December, showing that the U.S. economy ended the year by adding 113,000 private sector jobs, knocking the unemployment rate down sharply from 9.8 percent to 9.4 percent — its lowest rate since July 2009. The “surprising drop — which was far better than the modest step-down economists had forecast — was the steepest one-month fall since 1998.” October and November’s jobs numbers were also revised upward by almost 80,000 each. Still, 14.5 million Americans remain unemployed, and jobs will have to be created much faster in coming months for the country to pull itself out of the economic doldrums.

Responding the jobs report, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) noted that President Obama and the Democratic Congress have created “more jobs in 2010 than President Bush did over eight years.”

GO HERE to read more.

How AT&T, Verizon And The Telecom Giants Have Captured the Regulator Supposed To Control Them

In a recent AlterNet article, we detailed how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) helped increase the “FCC Line Charge” (SLC), now capped at $6.50 per line, that is imposed on every residential and business phone line. It is a charge that is usually hidden among the “taxes and surcharges” section of the phone bill. It does not go to fund the FCC, but is a direct subsidy to phone companies.

However, the full story of the role AT&T, Verizon and others played in the FCC’s deliberations establishing the SLC has yet to be told. It is a model of what is known as “regulatory capture,” the process by which a federal or state regulatory or other government agency becomes too cozy with those it is charged to oversee.

In 2000, the phone companies created a campaign known as CALLS (Coalition for Affordable Local and Long Distance Service) to raise fees. It is the model of how these companies, their astroturf shills, co-opted consumer groups, corporate-funded research firms, federal bureaucrats and politicians worked together to effectively take control of the FCC’s agenda and create a massive marketing campaign to fool the public.

GO HERE to read more.

MARYLAND STATE POLICE MARKS 90TH ANNIVERSARY - PROTECTING, PREVENTING, PROVIDING SINCE 1921

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan is joining sworn and civilian employees to mark the 90th anniversary of the commencement of the first training class of members of the newly formed Maryland State Police.

On January 10, 1921, 36 recruits began training at Saunders Ridge firearms range near Glen Burnie to become members of a new statewide law enforcement agency. They graduated one month later and were charged with protecting citizens, preventing traffic and criminal offenses, and providing the highest quality of law enforcement services as the first members of the Maryland State Police.

“Our troopers and civilian employees work around-the-clock, in all kinds of weather and circumstances, to protect the people of Maryland and I am grateful for their service,” Colonel Sheridan said. “We will never know how many people have been helped by members of the Maryland State Police during these past 90 years. We do know that during each day of these previous nine decades, there were people across Maryland who were helped and whose lives were positively impacted because of the efforts of the members of this Department. As we mark our 90th year of service to the people of Maryland, we look forward to meeting the challenges ahead with the diligent determination that has been at the core of this Department since its inception.”

The dawn of the 1920’s brought a perplexing problem to the office of Maryland Governor Albert Ritchie. The advent of the automobile was providing criminals with the means to expand their criminal enterprises and the ability to quickly flee their crime scenes and travel out of the area to avoid detection and arrest.

Governor Ritchie proposed a solution that changed the landscape of law enforcement in Maryland. He decided a police force was needed that had statewide jurisdiction and would provide both criminal and traffic enforcement across the entire state of Maryland.

Governor Ritchie’s vision began to take shape when the training for the three dozen recruits began 90 years ago today. On February 10, 1921, Governor Ritchie presided over the graduation of the first members of the Maryland State Police. He charged them to “…protect the men, women and property of the state of Maryland and to preserve law and order.” The members of the Maryland State Police have proudly done so ever since.

With the anniversary observance, members of the Maryland State Police are also remembering those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Since 1921, 41 men and one woman have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the people of Maryland. Twenty troopers were killed in vehicle crashes, three were outside their vehicles when they were struck and killed by other vehicles, eight died in helicopter crashes, one died in a plane crash, nine troopers were shot and killed, and one trooper died of exposure after trying to transport food to stranded citizens during a blizzard.

Today, more than 1,500 troopers and 700 civilian support personnel work across the state around-the-clock to serve and protect Maryland’s citizens. Patrol troopers in the Field Operations Bureau staff 22 barracks and enforce traffic and criminal laws, while others work in specialized units like the Aviation Command, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Special Operations Division, and Automotive Safety Division.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau includes the Drug Enforcement Division and the Criminal Investigation Division. Troopers in these divisions are focused on criminal enforcement efforts that target illegal drugs, guns, fugitives, gangs, and violent crime. The Bureau also includes the Forensic Sciences Division where more than 80 scientists and crime scene technicians work in the state-of-the-art laboratory in Pikesville and two satellite labs in Berlin and Hagerstown.

The Support Services Bureau provides logistical support that keeps the State Police operating. It includes the Personnel Command that recruits and trains troopers, the Logistics Command that maintains equipment, vehicles, and facilities, and the Records Command that coordinates investigative and crash reports and operates the Licensing Division, responsible for investigating persons applying to purchase and or carry regulated firearms in Maryland.

For more information about the Maryland State Police, visit our website at www.mdsp.org.