The results are in for the Salisbury City Council race and the new members of the council are-
Laura Mitchell with 796 votes
Terry Cohen with 783 votes
Tim Spies with 741 votes
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW MEMBERS!
I think things are looking up.
Here are the rest of the results for the other candidates-
Muir Boda with 673 votes
Orville Dryden with 542 votes
Bruce Ford with 347 votes
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Boehner's Office Says No Deal Was Reached In White House Talks
Speaker John Boehner's office said a meeting between congressional leaders at the White House Tuesday morning did not resolve the standoff over funding the government for the rest of the year.
The Ohio Republican's office said "no agreement was reached" on a long-term spending bill during the talks despite a "good discussion."
According to a readout from the Speaker's office, Boehner told President Obama that the House "will not be put in a box" in the talks over spending cuts despite the looming government shutdown.
Boehner told Obama that his conference will not be "forced to choose between two options that are bad for the country (accepting a bad deal that fails to make real spending cuts, or accepting a government shutdown due to Senate inaction)," the readout said.
"That this is why House Republicans — in lieu of an agreement in which the White House and Senate agree to real spending cuts — are rallying behind a potential third option: a CR that funds our troops through September while cutting an additional $12 billion in spending and keeps the government running for another week," the readout said.
Republicans on Monday night introduced a measure to fund the government for another week and finance the Pentagon until the end of the fiscal year. The move is intended to prevent a government shutdown that would start after Friday unless Congress approves another spending measure.
Boehner told his conference about the legislation — which contains $12 billion in spending cuts — during a Monday night meeting.
A handful of House Republican freshmen on Tuesday said that they would support Boehner's proposal.
More here
The Ohio Republican's office said "no agreement was reached" on a long-term spending bill during the talks despite a "good discussion."
According to a readout from the Speaker's office, Boehner told President Obama that the House "will not be put in a box" in the talks over spending cuts despite the looming government shutdown.
Boehner told Obama that his conference will not be "forced to choose between two options that are bad for the country (accepting a bad deal that fails to make real spending cuts, or accepting a government shutdown due to Senate inaction)," the readout said.
"That this is why House Republicans — in lieu of an agreement in which the White House and Senate agree to real spending cuts — are rallying behind a potential third option: a CR that funds our troops through September while cutting an additional $12 billion in spending and keeps the government running for another week," the readout said.
Republicans on Monday night introduced a measure to fund the government for another week and finance the Pentagon until the end of the fiscal year. The move is intended to prevent a government shutdown that would start after Friday unless Congress approves another spending measure.
Boehner told his conference about the legislation — which contains $12 billion in spending cuts — during a Monday night meeting.
A handful of House Republican freshmen on Tuesday said that they would support Boehner's proposal.
More here
Delegate Mike McDermott: On The Capital Budget
(ANNAPOLIS)-- “Today we have a budget that needs some triage...It falls upon this chamber and all 141 of us to pick up the slack for the committee who has a hard time saying, ‘no’” replied Delegate Michael A. McDermott (R-District38B) in response to three amendments heard on the House Floor today. Delegate McDermott’s plan to minimize the overall spending of the Capital Budget involved the introduction of amendments which would reduce each project in HB-71 by either 5%, 3%, or, at minimum, 1%.
The total Capital Budget proposed is close to a billion dollars coming in at $925 million. It falls short of the goals set by the budget office in the Department of Legislative Services which wanted to hold spending at $825 million. These figures, coupled with declining revenues and property values, prompted several amendments aimed at curbing spending across the board. The House rejected the amendment to cut spending by 5% on a vote of 42-92, the amendment to cut spending by 3% on a vote of 43-95, and the amendment to cut spending by 1% on a vote of 45-93.
“We have to lead by example... and I haven’t heard anybody in the General Assembly say anything except ‘we have some trouble coming and were supposed to be optimistic about it.’ But that is not leadership, ladies and gentleman, that is wishful thinking. And this body cannot make good fiscal decisions on wishful thinking” continued Delegate McDermott.
“The best accountants I know are pessimists- they don’t plan for what they hope will be, they plan for contingencies so that this state will not find itself bankrupt or in the food line trying to figure out how we are going to pay our bills…This amendment is pretty simple- it allows the General Assembly to be more fiscally responsible. We were elected by people who told us to come to Annapolis and be more fiscally prudent, and all we are asking the General Assembly to reduce each and every project by 5%” argued Delegate McDermott.
The second reading of the capital budget has passed with amendments. It is not clear when it will be brought up on third reader to the floor.
“All my amendment asks you to do is to cut spending across the board by 5%... It is unfortunate that the General Assembly would not even consider the amendments to reduce the capital budget by 5%, 3%, or 1%” responded Delegate McDermott.
“This would require the General Assembly to reduce the Capital Budget across the board by 5%. You can look people in the eye and say we funded our levels at 95% and the folks back at home should be able to understand that... they would simply find a way to get their projects completed locally, or by other means” explained Delegate McDermott on the Floor.
Cain: Public Now Sees Obama’s Weakness – He’s Beatable In 2012
Conservative businessman Herman Cain, who is mulling a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, tells Newsmax that President Barack Obama’s “leadership weaknesses” are becoming apparent. And Cain insists that he can defeat Obama at the polls.
Cain, a newspaper columnist and former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, also says the United States can achieve energy independence if Obama allows the country to exploit its abundant natural resources fully.
Cain won a straw poll at a meeting of tea party activists in Arizona earlier this month. And a Gallup poll released last Tuesday showed Cain with one of the highest "positive intensity scores" of all the potential GOP presidential candidates.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV last Wednesday, Cain, who calls himself an “ABC” for American black conservative, discussed his possible presidential run.
“In January we officially announced the presidential exploratory committee,” he says.
“That’s when you put your toe in the water. Well, the water’s now up to my neck. We’re working toward making a definitive statement, go or no go, within the next couple of months.”
Asked whether he believes he can defeat Obama in 2012, Cain responds: “Yes I do. Here’s why: I’m not a politician. I’ve never held public office. One of the questions I’m asked is, since you’ve never held public office, do you think voters are going to vote for someone who is a businessman problem solver? My response is, you’re right. Most of the people in Washington have held public office. How’s that working out for you?”
“I happen to believe that because of my business experience as a problem solver, a lot of voters are going to recognize that.”
As for Obama, “I think his leadership weaknesses are becoming more and more apparent to more and more people.
“He didn’t surround himself with the right people.”
The price of gasoline keeps rising, pushing food prices up, yet Obama resists a significant expansion of oil drilling and “voters going to make him to pay for that next year,” Cain asserts.
“Voters are not stupid. When you go to Brazil and loan them $2 billion so they can enhance their drilling capabilities and then tell the Brazilians, we’re going to be your best customers,” voters will respond.
Obama said in Brazil last month that the United States looks forward to buying oil that nation drills offshore.
“Cain adds: “We’ve got oil in the outer Continental shelf, we’ve got oil in Alaska, we are the OPEC of coal, we are the OPEC of natural gas — in other words, we have all the resources that are necessary to become energy independent — yet this president puts moratoriums on our ability to drill for oil and he goes and helps other countries to drill for oil.
“The voters understand that. They’re getting that message.”
Read more on Newsmax
Cain, a newspaper columnist and former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, also says the United States can achieve energy independence if Obama allows the country to exploit its abundant natural resources fully.
Cain won a straw poll at a meeting of tea party activists in Arizona earlier this month. And a Gallup poll released last Tuesday showed Cain with one of the highest "positive intensity scores" of all the potential GOP presidential candidates.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV last Wednesday, Cain, who calls himself an “ABC” for American black conservative, discussed his possible presidential run.
“In January we officially announced the presidential exploratory committee,” he says.
“That’s when you put your toe in the water. Well, the water’s now up to my neck. We’re working toward making a definitive statement, go or no go, within the next couple of months.”
Asked whether he believes he can defeat Obama in 2012, Cain responds: “Yes I do. Here’s why: I’m not a politician. I’ve never held public office. One of the questions I’m asked is, since you’ve never held public office, do you think voters are going to vote for someone who is a businessman problem solver? My response is, you’re right. Most of the people in Washington have held public office. How’s that working out for you?”
“I happen to believe that because of my business experience as a problem solver, a lot of voters are going to recognize that.”
As for Obama, “I think his leadership weaknesses are becoming more and more apparent to more and more people.
“He didn’t surround himself with the right people.”
The price of gasoline keeps rising, pushing food prices up, yet Obama resists a significant expansion of oil drilling and “voters going to make him to pay for that next year,” Cain asserts.
“Voters are not stupid. When you go to Brazil and loan them $2 billion so they can enhance their drilling capabilities and then tell the Brazilians, we’re going to be your best customers,” voters will respond.
Obama said in Brazil last month that the United States looks forward to buying oil that nation drills offshore.
“Cain adds: “We’ve got oil in the outer Continental shelf, we’ve got oil in Alaska, we are the OPEC of coal, we are the OPEC of natural gas — in other words, we have all the resources that are necessary to become energy independent — yet this president puts moratoriums on our ability to drill for oil and he goes and helps other countries to drill for oil.
“The voters understand that. They’re getting that message.”
Read more on Newsmax
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES FORMAL APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL HIGH-SPEED RAIL FUNDING
Investment would focus on BWI MARC/Amtrak Station and replacement of three key rail bridges in northeast Maryland
ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 5, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley announced today that Maryland has formally submitted two applications for funding under the Federal Railroad Administration’s High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program for portions of the $2.4 billion made available when Florida Governor Rick Scott refused his state’s high speed rail funds. The specific projects in Maryland’s two requests would support more than 2,300 jobs.
Governor O’Malley is requesting federal investments for improvements to the Amtrak/MARC rail station at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and studies to ultimately replace three Penn Line bridges in northeast Maryland. These projects are top priorities for the O’Malley-Brown Administration, and through correspondence and direct conversations with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the Governor has advocated for federal funding of these jobs-generating projects in the past.
“President Obama continues to lead our country toward economic recovery by investing in the important infrastructure needs of Maryland and the rest of our nation,” said Governor O’Malley. “These investments can create thousands of jobs for Marylanders, and we will continue to aggressively pursue every opportunity to help rebuild our infrastructure, create jobs, and fuel economic progress throughout our State.”
“The Penn Line through Maryland serves as the backbone of rail in the region,” said Secretary Swaim-Staley. “Investments made here will benefit not only Maryland but the entire northeast corridor which is the only existing high speed rail system in the nation. Funding these projects will positively impact rail in the region and offer the promise of immediate jobs in engineering and construction, two sectors that have been hard hit by the economic downturn.”
Maryland’s applications for this most recent round of federal high speed rail funding include:
- $299 million for final design and construction of the BWI Area Improvements, including a critical new fourth track in the area of the station, and redevelopment of the station and pedestrian bridge to create access to all four tracks. Maryland is offering $41 million in matching funds for this project to improve rail infrastructure and service on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor along the MARC Penn line. The total investment for this final stage of the project will directly support an estimated 1,830 jobs.
- $116 million for Preliminary Engineering and National Environmental Policy Act analysis for the Northeast Maryland Bridge Replacement and Capacity Expansion project. This funding will advance studies to replace and add capacity to three bridges built in 1906 and 1913 across the Bush, Gunpowder and Susquehanna rivers. During this planning and environmental study phase the project will directly support an estimated 547 jobs.
Applications for these two projects were made with the full support of Amtrak and stakeholders from business, environmental and transit communities, planning organizations and all levels of government.
The Coalition of Northeastern Governors, joined by Governor O’Malley, informed Secretary Ray LaHood that they collectively support these projects, as well as others across the region being submitted by nine states, the District of Columbia, and Amtrak for HSIPR grant funds.
Only Worthy Candidates Wave Signs At Polls
As you can see, despite the rain and cold, only a select few candidates stood at the polls pretty much thanking those who braved the weather for their votes.
As of 2:00 today there were only 450 votes cast at this location.
Senator: Gulf Coast Residents ‘Galled’ By Obama’s Suggestion We Buy More Brazilian Oil
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) told CNSNews.com that residents of the Gulf Coast, whom he represents, were “galled” when President Obama went to Brazil two weeks ago and suggested they ramp up energy production so the U.S. could become one of the nation’s “best customers.”
Obama, Vitter said, “went on that trip and made comments encouraging Brazilian offshore development and saying we want the U.S. to be your best customer. Particularly, those of us on the Gulf Coast found that pretty galling. How about starting in the Gulf?”
In remarks on March 19 in Brasilia, Obama told Brazilian businessmen, “By some estimates, the oil you recently discovered off the shores of Brazil could amount to twice the reserves we have in the United States. We want to work with you. We want to help with technology and support to develop these oil reserves safely, and when you’re ready to start selling, we want to be one of your best customers.”
As CNSNews.com previously reported, under President Obama, the U.S. Export-Import Bank gave Brazil’s state-run oil company, Petrobras, a $2 billion loan to develop new drilling opportunities off the shore of that South American country, prompting Vitter to send the bank’s president, Fred Hochberg, a letter expressing the “frustration” of Louisianans that the loan was given while domestic permitting was “nearly stalled.”
Meanwhile, however, Obama’s Interior Department has been in a fierce court battle over how quickly to approve new drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon spill last summer.
In February, Louisiana District Court Judge Martin Feldman ruled the Obama administration in contempt of court for what he said was “dismissive conduct” and their “increasingly inexcusable” refusal to approve permits that had met new standards. As of Vitter’s March 17 letter, just two permits had been granted for Gulf oil drilling.
CNSNews.com asked Vitter whether he had received a response in the past two weeks. He nodded that he had not and then explained his frustration.
“The day before the president went to Brazil, as you alluded to, I sent a letter to the administration asking some detailed questions about this ExIm Bank loan of $2 billion guaranteed, backed by U.S. taxpayers and it’s to develop Brazilian offshore opportunities while we’re shutting down U.S. offshore opportunities,” Vitter said.
“In addition, the president went on that trip and made comments encouraging Brazilian offshore development and saying we want the U.S. to be your best customer. Particularly, those of us on the Gulf Coast found that pretty galling,” he added.
“How about starting in the Gulf?” Vitter asked. “How about starting by having the U.S. be our own best customer and developing U.S. jobs right here at home?”
More here
Obama, Vitter said, “went on that trip and made comments encouraging Brazilian offshore development and saying we want the U.S. to be your best customer. Particularly, those of us on the Gulf Coast found that pretty galling. How about starting in the Gulf?”
In remarks on March 19 in Brasilia, Obama told Brazilian businessmen, “By some estimates, the oil you recently discovered off the shores of Brazil could amount to twice the reserves we have in the United States. We want to work with you. We want to help with technology and support to develop these oil reserves safely, and when you’re ready to start selling, we want to be one of your best customers.”
As CNSNews.com previously reported, under President Obama, the U.S. Export-Import Bank gave Brazil’s state-run oil company, Petrobras, a $2 billion loan to develop new drilling opportunities off the shore of that South American country, prompting Vitter to send the bank’s president, Fred Hochberg, a letter expressing the “frustration” of Louisianans that the loan was given while domestic permitting was “nearly stalled.”
Meanwhile, however, Obama’s Interior Department has been in a fierce court battle over how quickly to approve new drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon spill last summer.
In February, Louisiana District Court Judge Martin Feldman ruled the Obama administration in contempt of court for what he said was “dismissive conduct” and their “increasingly inexcusable” refusal to approve permits that had met new standards. As of Vitter’s March 17 letter, just two permits had been granted for Gulf oil drilling.
CNSNews.com asked Vitter whether he had received a response in the past two weeks. He nodded that he had not and then explained his frustration.
“The day before the president went to Brazil, as you alluded to, I sent a letter to the administration asking some detailed questions about this ExIm Bank loan of $2 billion guaranteed, backed by U.S. taxpayers and it’s to develop Brazilian offshore opportunities while we’re shutting down U.S. offshore opportunities,” Vitter said.
“In addition, the president went on that trip and made comments encouraging Brazilian offshore development and saying we want the U.S. to be your best customer. Particularly, those of us on the Gulf Coast found that pretty galling,” he added.
“How about starting in the Gulf?” Vitter asked. “How about starting by having the U.S. be our own best customer and developing U.S. jobs right here at home?”
More here
GOP Keeps Its Powder Dry As Obama Runs Unopposed
The 2012 presidential race is on. Barack Obama is now formally running for re-election. Unopposed.
Of course, that's only technically true; a number of Republicans are clearly running for the White House. But so far none has made the big, official announcement. Given that Obama's job approval ratings are not so hot -- he's at 46.5 percent approval in the RealClearPolitics average of polls -- that strikes even some of the various Republican candidate camps as a little odd.
"It's certainly unusual," says an adviser to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has announced a presidential exploratory committee. "Especially since I don't hear any Republicans arguing that [Obama] is unbeatable."
With a vulnerable president running for re-election and retreating from policies at the same time -- see Obama's Monday surrender on trying 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in civilian court -- why aren't several GOP candidates already officially in the race?
One reason Republicans don't talk about much in public is that they are spooked by what happened to the last GOP presidential candidate. "I think some of it is the fear of repeating the McCain experience in '08 and building a machine that can't be sustained," says the Pawlenty adviser.
Back in 2006 and 2007, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., laid the foundation for a big, expensive, well-funded presidential race. Still bearing the scars of his loss to George W. Bush in the 2000 GOP primaries, McCain ran a big-spending operation until, in the summer of 2007, he ran out of cash and the campaign nearly died. McCain recovered and eventually won the nomination, but it was a very hard slog.
It's an experience today's GOP candidates don't want to repeat. "Our view is that things got started too soon last time," says a close adviser to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. "The only people who have been agitating for an early start [now] are the press and overcaffeinated political junkies, and I guess we can now add President Obama to that list."
There are other reasons GOP candidates are holding back. For one, when a candidate officially declares, campaign finance restrictions kick in, narrowing the sources of money that can be used for the campaign. For the moment, as undeclared candidates, they can draw on pre-presidential political action committees. And popular figures like Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee can also make paid speeches that double as pre-campaign appearances.
Another reason is that holding off gives pre-candidates the time to assemble and road-test campaign staff, without the scrutiny that accompanies a declared campaign. Yet another reason is that the action in the GOP at the moment is in the House of Representatives, and Republican candidates would have to fight with that for attention.
Holding off also has benefits for the Republican Party as a whole. If there were two or more declared GOP candidates right now, they would probably be attacking each other as much as Obama. "They're launching missiles at Obama," says GOP strategist and Bush adviser Karl Rove. "If they were official candidates, there would be a greater tendency to snipe at each other."
More here
Of course, that's only technically true; a number of Republicans are clearly running for the White House. But so far none has made the big, official announcement. Given that Obama's job approval ratings are not so hot -- he's at 46.5 percent approval in the RealClearPolitics average of polls -- that strikes even some of the various Republican candidate camps as a little odd.
"It's certainly unusual," says an adviser to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has announced a presidential exploratory committee. "Especially since I don't hear any Republicans arguing that [Obama] is unbeatable."
With a vulnerable president running for re-election and retreating from policies at the same time -- see Obama's Monday surrender on trying 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in civilian court -- why aren't several GOP candidates already officially in the race?
One reason Republicans don't talk about much in public is that they are spooked by what happened to the last GOP presidential candidate. "I think some of it is the fear of repeating the McCain experience in '08 and building a machine that can't be sustained," says the Pawlenty adviser.
Back in 2006 and 2007, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., laid the foundation for a big, expensive, well-funded presidential race. Still bearing the scars of his loss to George W. Bush in the 2000 GOP primaries, McCain ran a big-spending operation until, in the summer of 2007, he ran out of cash and the campaign nearly died. McCain recovered and eventually won the nomination, but it was a very hard slog.
It's an experience today's GOP candidates don't want to repeat. "Our view is that things got started too soon last time," says a close adviser to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. "The only people who have been agitating for an early start [now] are the press and overcaffeinated political junkies, and I guess we can now add President Obama to that list."
There are other reasons GOP candidates are holding back. For one, when a candidate officially declares, campaign finance restrictions kick in, narrowing the sources of money that can be used for the campaign. For the moment, as undeclared candidates, they can draw on pre-presidential political action committees. And popular figures like Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee can also make paid speeches that double as pre-campaign appearances.
Another reason is that holding off gives pre-candidates the time to assemble and road-test campaign staff, without the scrutiny that accompanies a declared campaign. Yet another reason is that the action in the GOP at the moment is in the House of Representatives, and Republican candidates would have to fight with that for attention.
Holding off also has benefits for the Republican Party as a whole. If there were two or more declared GOP candidates right now, they would probably be attacking each other as much as Obama. "They're launching missiles at Obama," says GOP strategist and Bush adviser Karl Rove. "If they were official candidates, there would be a greater tendency to snipe at each other."
More here
New Castle Woman Arrested After Robbing Casino Patron
Location: Delaware Park Casino, 777 Delaware Park Boulevard, Wilmington, DE
Date of Occurrence: Monday, April 4, 2011 at 6:55 p.m.
Victim: 76 year old Brookneal, VA woman
Defendant: Deborah J. Burton, 46, New Castle, DE
Charges:
-Robbery 1st Degree
- Attempted Identity Theft
- Attempted Theft (2 counts)
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Resume:
Stanton- The Delaware State Police have arrested a New Castle woman after she robbed a patron and then attempted to use her debit card at the Delaware Park Casino last night.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:55 p.m. last night as troopers responded to the casino located at 777 Delaware Park Boulevard, Wilmington for the report of a robbery. Upon their arrival troopers were informed that a 76 year old female patron had been in one of the casino bathrooms when she was approached by a female suspect and struck over the head with a purse. The suspect removed the victim’s wallet from her purse and then fled from the bathroom. The victim, who suffered bruising and swelling to her head, then responded back onto the casino floor where security was notified. A search of the casino for the suspect and the victim’s property was then conducted during which time the victim’s wallet was located in a trashcan. It was determined that the suspect had removed the victim’s bank debit card from the wallet prior to discarding it. It was also determined that the suspect had attempted to obtain cash using the victim’s card from two different ATM machines in the casino.
A short time later, a member of the Delaware Park security located the suspect in the parking lot of the casino talking on a cellular phone. The suspect was in the process of attempting to change the PIN on the victim’s card through the bank that issued the card. Security took the suspect, later identified as Deborah J. Burton, into custody. The bank card was returned to the victim.
Deborah Burton was arrested and charged with the above list of crimes. She was arraigned at JP Court 11 and then committed to the Women’s Correctional Institution for lack of $37,500.00 secured bail.
Voting With Their Feet
The latest published data from the 2010 census show how people are moving from place to place within the United States. In general, people are voting with their feet against places where the liberal, welfare-state policies favored by the intelligentsia are most deeply entrenched.
When you break it down by race and ethnicity, it is all too painfully clear what is happening. Both whites and blacks are leaving California, the poster state for the liberal, welfare-state and nanny-state philosophy.
Whites are also fleeing the big northeastern liberal, welfare states like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as the same kinds of states in the midwest, such as Michigan, Ohio and Illinois.
The movement of the black population-- especially educated young blacks-- is the most striking of all.
In the past, the massive movements of millions of blacks out of the South in the early 20th century was one of the epic migrations of a people-- comparable in size with the millions of the Irish who fled the famine in Ireland in the 1840s or the millions of Jews who fled persecution in Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In more recent decades, blacks have been moving back to the South, however. While the overall black population of the northeastern and midwestern states has not declined in the past ten years, except in Michigan and Illinois, the net increase of the black population nationwide has increasingly been in the South. About half of the national growth of the black population took place in the South in the 1970s, two-thirds in the 1990s and three-quarters in the past 10 years.
While the mass migrations of blacks out of the South in the early 20th century was to places where there were already established black communities, such as New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, much of the current movement of blacks is away from existing concentrations of black populations.
Blacks are moving to suburbs, and even to cities like Minneapolis. Overall, the racial residential segregation patterns are declining in the great majority of the largest major metropolitan areas.
Among blacks who moved, the proportions who were in their prime -- from 20 to 40 years of age-- were greater than in the black population at large, and college degrees were more common among them than in the black population at large. In short, with blacks, as with other racial or ethnic groups, those with better prospects are leaving the states that are repelling their most productive citizens in general with liberal policies.
More from Dr. Thomas Sowell
When you break it down by race and ethnicity, it is all too painfully clear what is happening. Both whites and blacks are leaving California, the poster state for the liberal, welfare-state and nanny-state philosophy.
Whites are also fleeing the big northeastern liberal, welfare states like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as the same kinds of states in the midwest, such as Michigan, Ohio and Illinois.
The movement of the black population-- especially educated young blacks-- is the most striking of all.
In the past, the massive movements of millions of blacks out of the South in the early 20th century was one of the epic migrations of a people-- comparable in size with the millions of the Irish who fled the famine in Ireland in the 1840s or the millions of Jews who fled persecution in Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In more recent decades, blacks have been moving back to the South, however. While the overall black population of the northeastern and midwestern states has not declined in the past ten years, except in Michigan and Illinois, the net increase of the black population nationwide has increasingly been in the South. About half of the national growth of the black population took place in the South in the 1970s, two-thirds in the 1990s and three-quarters in the past 10 years.
While the mass migrations of blacks out of the South in the early 20th century was to places where there were already established black communities, such as New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, much of the current movement of blacks is away from existing concentrations of black populations.
Blacks are moving to suburbs, and even to cities like Minneapolis. Overall, the racial residential segregation patterns are declining in the great majority of the largest major metropolitan areas.
Among blacks who moved, the proportions who were in their prime -- from 20 to 40 years of age-- were greater than in the black population at large, and college degrees were more common among them than in the black population at large. In short, with blacks, as with other racial or ethnic groups, those with better prospects are leaving the states that are repelling their most productive citizens in general with liberal policies.
More from Dr. Thomas Sowell
Blocking A UN Threat To The Family
Do elections matter? You bet they do!
Until last November, there was a real threat that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) would be ratified by a liberal U.S. Senate majority. And we’re still not out of the woods on this one. But thanks to timely action by Sen. Jim DeMint, effective action is being taken to blunt this threat.
Sen. DeMint (R-S.C.) has introduced S. Res 99 to prevent the Senate from ratifying the CRC (or, as some wag has called it, the CRoC). Sen. DeMint has garnered considerable support among senators to prevent the necessary two-thirds vote to ratify CRC.
Don’t we agree that children have rights? Of course we do.
First, we agree that children have a right to be born. The UN CRC says nothing about that. Then, we agree that children have a right to what that great Irish statesman Edmund Burke called “the inheritance of their parents.” This is a natural human right. Burke didn’t just mean the right of children to inherit their parents’ wealth, although that’s certainly a part of it. He meant children have a right to the full inheritance of their parents, including as he movingly put it, “the consolations of religion.”
The UN CRC lets children choose their own religion and parents have only the right to “advise” them. (Unless, of course, those children live in Muslim lands. There, they can be killed for choosing Christianity.)
We all know what the UN thinks about religious freedom. The vast majority of its members have no religious freedom. In many of its member states, converts to Christianity suffer death. Crosses are banned in Saudi Arabia, but not crucifixion.
Just this week, religious freedom advocates at the UN prevailed in their years-long fight to beat back a “defamation” code that would have criminalized any criticism of Islam. God bless these brave fighters for international religious liberty. But the constant need to watch UN apparatchiks like hawks should alert Christians throughout the world to this grim and undeniable fact: the UN majority is not our friend.
Parents’ rights? Religious freedom? The UN CRC is about none of that. This dangerous document is one way of codifying Hillary Clinton’s famous dictum: “It takes a village to raise a child.” What she doesn’t say is that it takes a village to come between you and your children.
If it should ever be ratified, the CRC would stand above our Constitution, and above our laws and Supreme Court rulings. (With the terrible exception of abortion, there are actually a number of very good Supreme Court rulings on parents’ rights.)
Read more
Until last November, there was a real threat that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) would be ratified by a liberal U.S. Senate majority. And we’re still not out of the woods on this one. But thanks to timely action by Sen. Jim DeMint, effective action is being taken to blunt this threat.
Sen. DeMint (R-S.C.) has introduced S. Res 99 to prevent the Senate from ratifying the CRC (or, as some wag has called it, the CRoC). Sen. DeMint has garnered considerable support among senators to prevent the necessary two-thirds vote to ratify CRC.
Don’t we agree that children have rights? Of course we do.
First, we agree that children have a right to be born. The UN CRC says nothing about that. Then, we agree that children have a right to what that great Irish statesman Edmund Burke called “the inheritance of their parents.” This is a natural human right. Burke didn’t just mean the right of children to inherit their parents’ wealth, although that’s certainly a part of it. He meant children have a right to the full inheritance of their parents, including as he movingly put it, “the consolations of religion.”
The UN CRC lets children choose their own religion and parents have only the right to “advise” them. (Unless, of course, those children live in Muslim lands. There, they can be killed for choosing Christianity.)
We all know what the UN thinks about religious freedom. The vast majority of its members have no religious freedom. In many of its member states, converts to Christianity suffer death. Crosses are banned in Saudi Arabia, but not crucifixion.
Just this week, religious freedom advocates at the UN prevailed in their years-long fight to beat back a “defamation” code that would have criminalized any criticism of Islam. God bless these brave fighters for international religious liberty. But the constant need to watch UN apparatchiks like hawks should alert Christians throughout the world to this grim and undeniable fact: the UN majority is not our friend.
Parents’ rights? Religious freedom? The UN CRC is about none of that. This dangerous document is one way of codifying Hillary Clinton’s famous dictum: “It takes a village to raise a child.” What she doesn’t say is that it takes a village to come between you and your children.
If it should ever be ratified, the CRC would stand above our Constitution, and above our laws and Supreme Court rulings. (With the terrible exception of abortion, there are actually a number of very good Supreme Court rulings on parents’ rights.)
Read more
Fruitland Police Department K-9 Very Close Financially To Becoming A Reality
The Delmar Police Department was kind and generous enough to donate a K-9 vehicle complete with everything they'd normally have to purchase. Their only major investment into the vehicle was a transmission.
However, there are many additional expenses like a concrete pad, a kennel and so forth. The total after purchasing the dog is close to $20,000.00. Get this, when I spoke with Chief Phillips they were only $4,000.00 away from their goal.
Once we learned they were so close, Salisbury News committed to donating $2,000.00 leaving only a $2,000.00 balance. Would YOU like to match our advertisers donation to make this a reality today? If so, contact the FPD at 410-548-2803.
Future YouTube Star? You Have A Minute To Win It
Think short; attention spans drop after 60 seconds
Video blogging lets you share your thoughts about a particular subject with your close friends or the Internet as a whole. Video blogs can be used to tell your thoughts on a particular news topic or to talk about events going on in your personal life. Videos uploaded to video-sharing sites such as YouTube can also be embedded on your own personal Facebook or Web page to share with potential viewers.
If you're considering starting your own video blog, here are some suggestions on how to make it the best can it can be.
5 Strategies For Dealing With Car Dealers
Do your homework before you hit the lot, and don't be afraid to walk
There are a few cardinal rules that apply to any negotiation. If you are the buyer, you will almost never get something for less than your initial offer. The first number you put on the table will become the baseline from which all subsequent offers will be judged and compared. If you set the bar too high, you leave yourself little wiggle room to cut a deal at a number you like.
When it comes to cars, adopt the attitude that you can always walk away if you can't get what you want, and go to another dealer. That ability gives you the upper hand over all car salesmen, no matter how cunning and experienced they may be. Use that power to your advantage.
Here are a few more tips that might help.
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES LOAN TO UPGRADE STANLEY BLACK & DECKER’S BALTIMORE COUNTY CAMPUS
Project will retain 1,100 jobs in Towson
ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 5, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that the State has extended an offer to provide a $1 million conditional loan through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund (MEDAAF) to assist Stanley Black & Decker in upgrading its Construction and Do-It-Yourself (CDIY) world headquarters in Towson, Md. The project preserves 1,100 full-time permanent jobs in Baltimore County and solidifies the future of a legacy company in Maryland.
Stanley Black & Decker is investing $12 million over five years to transform the 33-acre campus, which dates to 1917, into a world-class center for product development and engineering, modernizing buildings and employing techniques to reduce energy consumption and embrace green technology.
“For more than 100 years, Stanley and Black & Decker have changed the way we pursue our hobbies, make home repairs and construct our buildings,” said Governor O’Malley. “It is this entrepreneurial spirit that led Duncan Black and Alonzo Decker to set up shop in Maryland, and it is the same dedication to discovery and innovation that will move us forward into the new economy. With this project, we will not only protect and create jobs for our families, but together, we will continue supporting the skills and talents of generations to come.”
“When we located the company's CDIY headquarters in Towson, we made a commitment to our employees that we'd upgrade their facilities to a state befitting their world-class talent," said Jeffery D. Ansell, Senior Vice President and Group Executive of Stanley Black & Decker Construction & DIY. “Partnership with the State of Maryland and Baltimore County was absolutely essential to helping us make this commitment a reality.”
The Towson campus houses the company’s research and development, engineering, prototyping, IT, and support functions for Stanley Black & Decker’s Construction and DIY operations. Baltimore County offered a conditional loan of up to $100,000 for upgrades and improvements to the property, in addition to workforce recruitment assistance. As the Stanley Black & Decker facility is located in the Towson Commercial Revitalization District, the company may be eligible for a property tax credit.
“Baltimore County has a great tradition of being a place where lasting ideas are born and take root,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. “Stanley Black & Decker’s investment assures that their next great ideas will be born, designed, engineered and brought to customers from a world class center headquarters in Towson.”
Teacher Accused Of Inappropriate Relationship With Teen
A Prince William County, Va., high school teacher allegedly carried on an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old student for a year.
Tina Marie Amato, 27, of Fredericksburg, is charged with two counts of indecent liberties by a custodian, crimes against nature and use of a communications system to facilitate offenses.
Police receive a report Friday of a sexual assault between a Gar-Field High School teacher and a male student, authorities said. The investigation uncovered the alleged relationship between the two.
RSC Update: Republicans Work To Cut Spending, Democrats Root For A Shutdown
From the Chairman:
It has now been 44 days since House Republicans voted to cut $61 billion and keep the government funded for the rest of the year. Instead of producing a plan of their own, Democrats have tried to label these modest cuts as “extreme” while not-so-secretly rooting for government shutdown. If these “extreme” spenders get their way, non-essential government services will shut down at midnight on Friday, April 8.
It has now been 44 days since House Republicans voted to cut $61 billion and keep the government funded for the rest of the year. Instead of producing a plan of their own, Democrats have tried to label these modest cuts as “extreme” while not-so-secretly rooting for government shutdown. If these “extreme” spenders get their way, non-essential government services will shut down at midnight on Friday, April 8.
Beyond fighting to cut spending for this fiscal year, House Republicans are using next year’s budget to once again offer honest solutions to the country’s growing debt crisis. Wasteful spending runs rampant, the tax code stifles job creation, and vital programs like Medicare and Social Security are in serious trouble. Instead of kicking the can down the road and creating even bigger problems, we’re trying to preserve, improve, and protect these safety net programs so they will still be around when people need them.
Dealing with the challenges ahead will require lawmakers to have the discipline to do what’s right instead of taking the easy way out. It’s a novel concept in Washington, but if we succeed, our efforts will lead to a more jobs, less debt, a stronger safety net, and more opportunities to pursue the American Dream.
God Bless,
Congressman Jim Jordan
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
GOP Seeks To Remove Clinton Order Requiring Multilingual Federal Services
A group of GOP lawmakers wants to eliminate a Clinton-era order meant to ensure people who don't speak English can still receive federal government services.
Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) and other GOP lawmakers re-introduced legislation last week that would repeal a 2000 executive order in which then-President Clinton ordered all federal agencies to develop a plan for delivering their services to people with "limited English proficiency," or LEP.
The bill, H.R. 1246, would eliminate Executive Order 13166, which Clinton signed aboard Air Force One in August 2000. That order required each federal agency to "examine the services it provides and develop and implement a system by which LEP persons can meaningfully access those services."
More here
Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) and other GOP lawmakers re-introduced legislation last week that would repeal a 2000 executive order in which then-President Clinton ordered all federal agencies to develop a plan for delivering their services to people with "limited English proficiency," or LEP.
The bill, H.R. 1246, would eliminate Executive Order 13166, which Clinton signed aboard Air Force One in August 2000. That order required each federal agency to "examine the services it provides and develop and implement a system by which LEP persons can meaningfully access those services."
More here
Poll: Voters Side With GOP On Budget Cuts
Voters appear to be siding with Republicans over Democrats so far in the “high-noon” showdown over federal budget cuts — but that may continue only as long as voters believe Republicans are acting in good faith to try to avoid an impasse that would temporarily shut down parts of the federal government.
Voters see Republicans as “more reasonable” than Democrats so far in budget negotiations – by a 41-to-29 percent margin, according to a poll published Monday by TheHill.com.
“Voters want cuts,” said Democratic pollster and Fox News contributor Douglas Schoen. “The November election results made that clear.”
The Hill poll was particularly notable, given Democratic efforts to portray the GOP cuts as “extreme.”
On "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Majority Leader Harry Reid said the grass-roots, conservative tea party movement intimidates GOP leaders. “The tea party is dictating a lot that goes on in the Republican leadership in the House," he said.
Democrats have said they are close to a deal with GOP leaders that would continue funding the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year, in return for $31 billion in budget cuts.
But House Speaker John Boehner, who would have to sign off on any deal, disputes those reports. One major sticking point: GOP riders that would eliminate funding for pet Democratic programs such as Planned Parenthood and NPR.
Because the Democratic-controlled 111th Congress opted not to try to pass a budget before the midterm elections, the federal government has been operating on a series of continuing resolutions authorizing its operations. The current funding resolution expires this Friday.
Last week, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer was overheard on an open microphone remarking that his caucus had instructed him to label Republican proposals as “extreme” at every opportunity. He has refused to back down from that characterization.
Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips fired back at Democrats on Sunday, telling Fox: "I think radical and extreme is driving the country into bankruptcy which is what the Democrats want to do... You want to talk about radical and extreme, talk about Harry Reid. That is radical and extreme.”
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Voters see Republicans as “more reasonable” than Democrats so far in budget negotiations – by a 41-to-29 percent margin, according to a poll published Monday by TheHill.com.
“Voters want cuts,” said Democratic pollster and Fox News contributor Douglas Schoen. “The November election results made that clear.”
The Hill poll was particularly notable, given Democratic efforts to portray the GOP cuts as “extreme.”
On "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Majority Leader Harry Reid said the grass-roots, conservative tea party movement intimidates GOP leaders. “The tea party is dictating a lot that goes on in the Republican leadership in the House," he said.
Democrats have said they are close to a deal with GOP leaders that would continue funding the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year, in return for $31 billion in budget cuts.
But House Speaker John Boehner, who would have to sign off on any deal, disputes those reports. One major sticking point: GOP riders that would eliminate funding for pet Democratic programs such as Planned Parenthood and NPR.
Because the Democratic-controlled 111th Congress opted not to try to pass a budget before the midterm elections, the federal government has been operating on a series of continuing resolutions authorizing its operations. The current funding resolution expires this Friday.
Last week, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer was overheard on an open microphone remarking that his caucus had instructed him to label Republican proposals as “extreme” at every opportunity. He has refused to back down from that characterization.
Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips fired back at Democrats on Sunday, telling Fox: "I think radical and extreme is driving the country into bankruptcy which is what the Democrats want to do... You want to talk about radical and extreme, talk about Harry Reid. That is radical and extreme.”
More
Israel Rewards Hamas With Building Material For Schools, Homes
Hamas is still holding IDF soldier Gilad Shalit hostage and recently canceled a ceasefire that never was, but Israel has approved the transfer of materials for Hamas-run Gaza homes and schools, where incitement against Israel is taught in schools.
The IDF website reports that its coordinator allowed the transfer for what Hamas has declared a “jihad of construction.” Hundreds of tons of equipment and material for nearly 1,000 homes, 33 infrastructure projects and 1,000 farm projects have been allowed in.
The building activity, valued at more than $100 million, is aimed at boosting the poor economy in Gaza, which flourished since it was restored to Israel in 1967 until the first and second Intifadas halted economic growth and forced curtailment of the employment of Arabs by Jewish contractors and Gush Katif farmers.
Gaza's economy went into a further tailspin after the expulsion of Gush Katif Jews nearly six years ago and the ensuing Hamas takeover of Gaza in a bloody military war with the rival Fatah faction four years ago.
International monitors are supervising the transfer of the building material, which includes cement and metal that are used for building terror smuggling tunnels and rockets.
Meanwhile, Hamas has not shed any light on the fate and condition of Shalit, kidnapped in an underground raid on an IDF position on the Gaza border in June 2006.
INN
The IDF website reports that its coordinator allowed the transfer for what Hamas has declared a “jihad of construction.” Hundreds of tons of equipment and material for nearly 1,000 homes, 33 infrastructure projects and 1,000 farm projects have been allowed in.
The building activity, valued at more than $100 million, is aimed at boosting the poor economy in Gaza, which flourished since it was restored to Israel in 1967 until the first and second Intifadas halted economic growth and forced curtailment of the employment of Arabs by Jewish contractors and Gush Katif farmers.
Gaza's economy went into a further tailspin after the expulsion of Gush Katif Jews nearly six years ago and the ensuing Hamas takeover of Gaza in a bloody military war with the rival Fatah faction four years ago.
International monitors are supervising the transfer of the building material, which includes cement and metal that are used for building terror smuggling tunnels and rockets.
Meanwhile, Hamas has not shed any light on the fate and condition of Shalit, kidnapped in an underground raid on an IDF position on the Gaza border in June 2006.
INN
Islamists Claim Credit For Durbin Hearing
Leaders of a fundamentalist Hamas-linked mosque in Bridgeview, Ill., say they deserve credit for persuading Sen. Dick Durbin to hold his March 29 hearings on claims of “anti-Muslim discrimination.”
Durbin, the deputy chief Democrat in the Senate, visited the Bridgeview mosque around March, and had his picture taken with the mosque’s imam, Kifah Mustapha, and it director, Jamal Said. Both men were named an unindicted conspirator in a 2008 trial of five men who smuggled $12 million to the Muslim terror group, Hamas. The picture was discovered by the Investigative Report on Terrorism, a non-profit that tracks Islamist groups in the United States.
“He met with the [mosque] committee, listened to the concerns,” said Zaher Sahloul, the Syrian-born president of the mosque and of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. “At that time there was the plan of Rep. [Pete] King … [to hold a March 10 hearing on Islamic radicalization and] we told him this was real real concern with us,” said Sahloul. “He’s a good senator, he listens to constituents … and he’s open-minded,” said Sahloul.
A March 24 statement issued by the mosque, which was released on the day Durbin’s hearing was announced, said “Durbin had promised that he would give the Muslim community a fair hearing and he has kept his word.”
Durbin’s office acknowledged that the senator visited the mosque, but denied the mosque’s claim of credit. “The notion that this [March 29] hearing was planned as a result of this meeting is simply incorrect,” said the statement. “The hearing has been long-planned and was first discussed internally late last year in response to stories about Quran [Koran] burnings and discrimination involving building permits for mosques.”
Politicians need to be careful when engaging with unfamiliar groups, said Jonathan Schanzer, the vice-president for research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “Sometimes the most recognizable or discernible mosque is the most radical one in a [Muslim] community, and the rest of the community is pinned to those messages unfairly,” he said. But, he warned “when engaging with any organization, it is important to understand what the leadership stands for.”
The mosque visit, and the Senate hearing, are part of a larger effort by Democrats to bring Muslim groups into their political coalition.
More
Durbin, the deputy chief Democrat in the Senate, visited the Bridgeview mosque around March, and had his picture taken with the mosque’s imam, Kifah Mustapha, and it director, Jamal Said. Both men were named an unindicted conspirator in a 2008 trial of five men who smuggled $12 million to the Muslim terror group, Hamas. The picture was discovered by the Investigative Report on Terrorism, a non-profit that tracks Islamist groups in the United States.
“He met with the [mosque] committee, listened to the concerns,” said Zaher Sahloul, the Syrian-born president of the mosque and of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. “At that time there was the plan of Rep. [Pete] King … [to hold a March 10 hearing on Islamic radicalization and] we told him this was real real concern with us,” said Sahloul. “He’s a good senator, he listens to constituents … and he’s open-minded,” said Sahloul.
A March 24 statement issued by the mosque, which was released on the day Durbin’s hearing was announced, said “Durbin had promised that he would give the Muslim community a fair hearing and he has kept his word.”
Durbin’s office acknowledged that the senator visited the mosque, but denied the mosque’s claim of credit. “The notion that this [March 29] hearing was planned as a result of this meeting is simply incorrect,” said the statement. “The hearing has been long-planned and was first discussed internally late last year in response to stories about Quran [Koran] burnings and discrimination involving building permits for mosques.”
Politicians need to be careful when engaging with unfamiliar groups, said Jonathan Schanzer, the vice-president for research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “Sometimes the most recognizable or discernible mosque is the most radical one in a [Muslim] community, and the rest of the community is pinned to those messages unfairly,” he said. But, he warned “when engaging with any organization, it is important to understand what the leadership stands for.”
The mosque visit, and the Senate hearing, are part of a larger effort by Democrats to bring Muslim groups into their political coalition.
More
'Filthy, Dirty' Tricks Alleged In Pivotal Wisconsin Election
Republicans and Democrats are pouring millions into an obscure Wisconsin judicial race that has suddenly emerged as a proxy battle over the policies of GOP Gov. Scott Walker, with each candidates’ supporters accusing their opponents of dirty political tricks.
The outcome of Tuesday’s election for the state's Supreme Court, which pits incumbent conservative Justice David Prosser against Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg, could have national implications
At stake is the measure Walker signed into law that cuts most bargaining rights for public sector workers which is under challenge and likely to be appealed to the state Supreme Court. The court now now holds a slim conservative majority.
“I would say the campaign being run against Prosser is absolutely, filthy dirty,” Levi Russell, a spokesman for Tea Party Express, tells Newsmax.
Russell adds that several of the third-party ads targeting Prosser are “abject lies, just completely false.”
Prossers’ supporters are especially angry that Kloppenburg has refused to denounce an ad in a third-party progressive organization charges that when Prosser was the Outagamie County district attorney in 1978, he failed to aggressively prosecute a case against a priest who was later convicted of abusing a man who now lives in Virginia.
The individual who suffered the abuse, Troy Merryfield, has since come forward to appear in a pro-Prosser ad sponsored by Citizens for a Strong America. In that ad, Merryfield states he is “being victimized again. This time, JoAnne Kloppenburg’s allies want to use our pain for their own gain.”
On Sunday, a reporter for National Review Online asked Kloppenburg why she had not disavowed the ad.
“Third parties have First Amendment rights to run the ads of their own choosing,” she replied. “I’m not whining about all of the attacks ads that are untrue about me.” Asked to specify which ads she was referring to, Kloppenburg replied, “All of them.”
More here
The outcome of Tuesday’s election for the state's Supreme Court, which pits incumbent conservative Justice David Prosser against Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg, could have national implications
At stake is the measure Walker signed into law that cuts most bargaining rights for public sector workers which is under challenge and likely to be appealed to the state Supreme Court. The court now now holds a slim conservative majority.
“I would say the campaign being run against Prosser is absolutely, filthy dirty,” Levi Russell, a spokesman for Tea Party Express, tells Newsmax.
Russell adds that several of the third-party ads targeting Prosser are “abject lies, just completely false.”
Prossers’ supporters are especially angry that Kloppenburg has refused to denounce an ad in a third-party progressive organization charges that when Prosser was the Outagamie County district attorney in 1978, he failed to aggressively prosecute a case against a priest who was later convicted of abusing a man who now lives in Virginia.
The individual who suffered the abuse, Troy Merryfield, has since come forward to appear in a pro-Prosser ad sponsored by Citizens for a Strong America. In that ad, Merryfield states he is “being victimized again. This time, JoAnne Kloppenburg’s allies want to use our pain for their own gain.”
On Sunday, a reporter for National Review Online asked Kloppenburg why she had not disavowed the ad.
“Third parties have First Amendment rights to run the ads of their own choosing,” she replied. “I’m not whining about all of the attacks ads that are untrue about me.” Asked to specify which ads she was referring to, Kloppenburg replied, “All of them.”
More here
Black Lab Found On Side Of Road
Hi Joe.
I am not sure but I believe someone had put on your blog that they are missing their dog, and it was in the Dagsboro Road area. I am not sure what type of dog they were missing or when it was posted, however yesterday I saw a black lab on the side of the road (in the ditch) he had been hit. I know this is not the happy ending that usually gets told in your blog but if my dog was missing I would want to know what happened (good or bad). I didn’t see a collar on him/her. It was located going east on Dagsboro just a little past the shooting range on the right hand side.
Kittens Need Good Homes
JOE
I really need some help finding home for some kittens. It seems we have become a drop off site for strays.
Today Mommy and her 3 kittens arrived in our yard. I am unable to take care of and need to find a home for her and the 3 kittens. Kittens eyes are not open yet so there are very young. Also we have other kittens that have arrived in our yard that also need to find homes they range in age from 8-12 weeks. All free to a good home pls call 443 736 3056 or email justcrafty@comcast.net
Thank you
Donna
Elected School Board Bill Ballot Passes Senate, Faces Amendment in House
Last month we told you about HB 1324, a bill to allow Wicomico voters to decide whether or not they want an elected school board. Since that time, Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) and Sen. Richard Colburn (R-37) have introduced SB 981, which is the same bill originally put forward as HB 1324. The Senate bill passed on March 26 by a unanimous vote.
Thanks to Senators Mathias and Colburn!
Over in the House, Wicomico Democrats are pushing to queer the bill by introducing multiple options, including a hybrid. Shouldn’t the voters decide? Of course they should. However, this is a bald political ploy to water down the vote for an elected school board. The chief proponents of this measure are the same folk who want to keep an appointed board – 7 people who spend millions of our tax dollars with absolutely ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY to the voters.
While the amendment has not been formally introduced, the Wicomico County Council will discuss whether or not to support the amendment at tonight’s meeting. If we are serious about introducing accountability and fiscal responsibility into Wicomico’s education system then it important that the County Council reject the proposed amendment and notify the Wicomico’s House delegation IMMEDIATELY! Remember, the legislative session ends on April 11.
Note: The office of Del. Norm Conway (HB 1324’s chief sponsor and also author of the amendment) has assured me that he will not introduce the amendment IF the county council rejects it.
We've Become A Nation Of Takers, Not Makers
More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined.
If you want to understand better why so many states—from New York to Wisconsin to California—are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, consider this depressing statistic: Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). This is an almost exact reversal of the situation in 1960, when there were 15 million workers in manufacturing and 8.7 million collecting a paycheck from the government.
It gets worse. More Americans work for the government than work in construction, farming, fishing, forestry, manufacturing, mining and utilities combined. We have moved decisively from a nation of makers to a nation of takers. Nearly half of the $2.2 trillion cost of state and local governments is the $1 trillion-a-year tab for pay and benefits of state and local employees. Is it any wonder that so many states and cities cannot pay their bills?
Every state in America today except for two—Indiana and Wisconsin—has more government workers on the payroll than people manufacturing industrial goods. Consider California, which has the highest budget deficit in the history of the states. The not-so Golden State now has an incredible 2.4 million government employees—twice as many as people at work in manufacturing. New Jersey has just under two-and-a-half as many government employees as manufacturers. Florida's ratio is more than 3 to 1. So is New York's.
Even Michigan, at one time the auto capital of the world, and Pennsylvania, once the steel capital, have more government bureaucrats than people making things. The leaders in government hiring are Wyoming and New Mexico, which have hired more than six government workers for every manufacturing worker.
Now it is certainly true that many states have not typically been home to traditional manufacturing operations. Iowa and Nebraska are farm states, for example. But in those states, there are at least five times more government workers than farmers. West Virginia is the mining capital of the world, yet it has at least three times more government workers than miners. New York is the financial capital of the world—at least for now. That sector employs roughly 670,000 New Yorkers. That's less than half of the state's 1.48 million government employees.
Don't expect a reversal of this trend anytime soon. Surveys of college graduates are finding that more and more of our top minds want to work for the government. Why? Because in recent years only government agencies have been hiring, and because the offer of near lifetime security is highly valued in these times of economic turbulence. When 23-year-olds aren't willing to take career risks, we have a real problem on our hands. Sadly, we could end up with a generation of Americans who want to work at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The employment trends described here are explained in part by hugely beneficial productivity improvements in such traditional industries as farming, manufacturing, financial services and telecommunications. These produce far more output per worker than in the past. The typical farmer, for example, is today at least three times more productive than in 1950.
Where are the productivity gains in government? Consider a core function of state and local governments: schools. Over the period 1970-2005, school spending per pupil, adjusted for inflation, doubled, while standardized achievement test scores were flat. Over roughly that same time period, public-school employment doubled per student, according to a study by researchers at the University of Washington. That is what economists call negative productivity.
But education is an industry where we measure performance backwards: We gauge school performance not by outputs, but by inputs. If quality falls, we say we didn't pay teachers enough or we need smaller class sizes or newer schools. If education had undergone the same productivity revolution that manufacturing has, we would have half as many educators, smaller school budgets, and higher graduation rates and test scores.
The same is true of almost all other government services. Mass transit spends more and more every year and yet a much smaller share of Americans use trains and buses today than in past decades. One way that private companies spur productivity is by firing underperforming employees and rewarding excellence. In government employment, tenure for teachers and near lifetime employment for other civil servants shields workers from this basic system of reward and punishment. It is a system that breeds mediocrity, which is what we've gotten.
Most reasonable steps to restrain public-sector employment costs are smothered by the unions. Study after study has shown that states and cities could shave 20% to 40% off the cost of many services—fire fighting, public transportation, garbage collection, administrative functions, even prison operations—through competitive contracting to private providers. But unions have blocked many of those efforts. Public employees maintain that they are underpaid relative to equally qualified private-sector workers, yet they are deathly afraid of competitive bidding for government services.
Mr. Moore is senior economics writer for The Wall Street Journal editorial page.
Dog With Duct-Taped Snout Rescued After Sightings
LONACONING, Md. (AP) - After nearly a weeklong search by dozens of volunteers and local and state officials, a dog whose snout had been duct-taped has been rescued.
The Allegany County Bureau of Police said the dog was rescued Sunday afternoon when a Lonaconing resident found the animal on her porch. Animal Control officers took the dog to a veterinarian to have the duct tape removed.
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Federal Government Blog
The federal government extending it's social media reach. The General Services administration is the first agency to open an account on Tumblr. GSA launching it's USA.gov blog on the popular social networking and blogging site. USA.gov's blog manager tells Federal Computer Week, GSA chose tumblr because of its social features allowing people to share, comment and connect. The new blog is the revamped version of the GSA's former GovGab blog. It contains the archives for GovGab, which started in 2007 as a way to share helpful government information.
The Battle In Washington Continues
Even if they reach a budget agreement in the next day or so, the fights on Capitol Hill are just beginning. Next on deck is a nay or yea vote on raising the national debt ceiling. Some lawmakers say they'll vote no without further budget curts. National Journal reports the country will hit its current statutory debt limit of 14.3 trillion dollars no later than May 16. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner warns, failure by Congress to raise the debt limit would put the country into default. Geithner calls that option, unthinkable. Geithner adds, the Treasury could finagle a delay in default to about July 8.
Obama To Meet With Both Parties Today To Avoid Shutdown
President Barack Obama steps deeper into the budget impasse on Capitol Hill. He summons leadership from both parties to a White House meeting today in hopes of reaching an agreement. The two sides remain at loggerheads over what, exactly, to cut in order to arrive at a budget for what remains of fiscal 2011. The latest continuing resolution expires Friday night. To follow its own rules, the House must post its final budget bill this evening to allow 72 hours before a vote. Both sides say they want to avoid a government shutdown. Meanwhile, federal employee unions plan for congressional call-ins today, so members can urge lawmakers to prevent shutdown.
Stopgap CR Readied To Avert Shutdown
With budget talks deadlocked, House Republicans readied a week-long bill to avert a government shutdown threatened for Friday. The measure also would include enough money to operate the Defense Department through Sept. 30. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told the rank and file in a closed-door meeting he would seek passage of the bill if it became clear it was necessary to avoid shutting the government down.
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Quran-Burning Preacher Terry Jones Regains Spotlight
Terry Jones, the man who sparked an international furor in Afghanistan by burning a Muslim holy book and showing it on the Internet, was back in the pulpit Sunday.
On a day when three more people died in violent demonstrations, Jones approached the front of the Dove World Outreach Center, laid down his handgun and his Bible on a music stand, and said he did not feel responsible for the violence in the Muslim world triggered by the book burning.
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On a day when three more people died in violent demonstrations, Jones approached the front of the Dove World Outreach Center, laid down his handgun and his Bible on a music stand, and said he did not feel responsible for the violence in the Muslim world triggered by the book burning.
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Stinkbugs Are Destroying Farmers Crops In Maryland
THURMONT, Md. (WJZ) — They’re annoying and they mate like crazy.
“I’m still picking them out of the house.
Weijia Jiang reports for Maryland farmers like Bob Black, Asian stinkbugs are potentially devastating.
“This is an unbelievable thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Black, Catoctin Mountain Orchard.
Everything black grows on his 100 acre farm in Thurmont.
“Strawberries, other berries, cherries, plums, peaches and apples,” said Black.
His produce is just what the critters are hungry for.
“If you’re a grower and you’ve smashed em you don’t think they stink, they make me so mad the damage they cause to my product,” said Black.
The USDA has set up traps all over Black’s farm. On a red and white tab there are pheromones to attract the stinkbugs, that way they know when they’re moving in.
Bay Bridge Walk Canceled For 5th Year In A Row
STEVENSVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Maryland transportation authorities have canceled the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Walk for the fifth year in a row, citing budget concerns.
Maryland Transportation Authority spokeswoman Kelly Melhem says the popular walk across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is not being held because of "ongoing cost-containment measures." She says the event has become more expensive since Sept. 11 due to increases in security.
The event, normally held in May, has been canceled in recent years due to bad weather, renovations and economic conditions. It was first held in 1975.
Source
Maryland Transportation Authority spokeswoman Kelly Melhem says the popular walk across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is not being held because of "ongoing cost-containment measures." She says the event has become more expensive since Sept. 11 due to increases in security.
The event, normally held in May, has been canceled in recent years due to bad weather, renovations and economic conditions. It was first held in 1975.
Source
Councilmen Propose Deer Hunting In Baltimore Co. Parks
Bill would permit hunting in certain parks
A managed deer hunt in Baltimore County parks could happen under a bill introduced at Monday's council meeting.Republican Councilmen Todd Huff and David Marks sponsored the bill, which would amend county code to permit a hunt in collaboration with the state Department of Natural Resources.
A study by a county environmental commission conducted more than a year ago determined that deer were causing severe damage in some parks, particularly Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville, leading to devastated crops and greenery, and potentially increasing the spread of Lyme disease.
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Former Sheriff Candidate Held In Fatal Kent Island Shooting
Next-door neighbor found wounded
A retired Baltimore police officer and former candidate for Queen Anne's County sheriff was arrested yesterday after allegedly fatally shooting his next-door neighbor, with whom he had disputes for several years, officials said.
Charles "Pete" Richter, 66, of Emory Court on Kent Island, was taken into custody after he called the sheriff's office around 5 p.m. following an altercation with his neighbor, Mark Xander, 55, apparently over Xander's dog.
A gun was recovered at the scene, the sheriff's office said.
Xander was found in his front yard suffering from a gunshot wound and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Richter apparently had disputes with the Xander family starting shortly after he moved into the Kent Island neighborhood, according to police.
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Charles "Pete" Richter, 66, of Emory Court on Kent Island, was taken into custody after he called the sheriff's office around 5 p.m. following an altercation with his neighbor, Mark Xander, 55, apparently over Xander's dog.
A gun was recovered at the scene, the sheriff's office said.
Xander was found in his front yard suffering from a gunshot wound and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Richter apparently had disputes with the Xander family starting shortly after he moved into the Kent Island neighborhood, according to police.
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O'Malley Fights To Preserve Agenda
High hurdles remain for the most ambitious pieces of Gov. Martin O'Malley's legislative agenda, setting up a frantic sprint in the final week of the 2011 General Assembly session if the Democrat hopes to score major victories in the first year of his second term.
Scientists Develop Genetically Modified Cow To Produce Human-Like Milk
You might want to put that cookie down after reading this: Scientists have developed a new "human-like" milk that comes from cows, in an effort to create an alternative to breast milk and formula.
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Walmart Considering Online Grocery Delivery Service
One day, Walmart was walking down the street, probably whistling or twirling an umbrella, when it saw a Fresh Direct Delivery truck and a big ol' lightbulb dinged on above its head. Even if that didn't happen, the mega-chain is said to be considering offering its own version of online grocery shopping, complete with home delivery.
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Despite Raising $18 Million, Madonna's Malawi Charity Implodes With School Unbuilt
Madonna's planned academy for girls in the African country of Malawi has been abandoned, despite the foundation behind it, "Raising Malawi," raising a reported $18 million in donations since 2006 and spending $3.8 million on the school itself. Newsweek combed through the numbers and is asking why only $850,000 of that was paid out in Malawi and nearly $3 million was spent by the L.A. office of Kabbalah Centre International, one of the project's partners.
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FTC Considering Giving Google A Good Probing
Less than a week after Google reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over its Google Buzz privacy debacle comes a report that the FTC is ready to probe the internet giant once more, this time over antitrust concerns regarding its search engine.
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VICTIMS OF CAROLINE COUNTY PLANE CRASH IDENTIFIED
(RIDGELY, MD) – Maryland State Police and federal authorities have identified the three people on board a small plane that crashed tonight.
The three are identified as Austen F. Ehly, 24, of Pasadena, Md., who is believed to have been the pilot, and his two passengers, Sean C. Moran, 24, of Easton, Md., and Kevin M. Warnke, 23, of Alexandria, Va. Two Delaware State Police helicopters flew Ehly and Warnke to Christiana Hospital in Delaware. A Maryland State Police helicopter flew Moran to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
The crash of the small single-engine Piper airplane occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. today at the Ridgely Airport on Race Track Road, in Ridgely, Md. Witnesses reported the plane appeared to be coming in for a landing when it crashed in a field on airport property, just short of the runway. The plane came to rest on its right side, with both wings broken off. There was no fire.
A passerby reportedly pulled one victim from the aircraft. Responding fire department personnel rescued the other two and coordinated the helicopter responses.
A Federal Aviation Administration investigator is on the scene and will be investigating the cause of the crash. Calls for the FAA should be directed to 718-553-3100.
The three are identified as Austen F. Ehly, 24, of Pasadena, Md., who is believed to have been the pilot, and his two passengers, Sean C. Moran, 24, of Easton, Md., and Kevin M. Warnke, 23, of Alexandria, Va. Two Delaware State Police helicopters flew Ehly and Warnke to Christiana Hospital in Delaware. A Maryland State Police helicopter flew Moran to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
The crash of the small single-engine Piper airplane occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. today at the Ridgely Airport on Race Track Road, in Ridgely, Md. Witnesses reported the plane appeared to be coming in for a landing when it crashed in a field on airport property, just short of the runway. The plane came to rest on its right side, with both wings broken off. There was no fire.
A passerby reportedly pulled one victim from the aircraft. Responding fire department personnel rescued the other two and coordinated the helicopter responses.
A Federal Aviation Administration investigator is on the scene and will be investigating the cause of the crash. Calls for the FAA should be directed to 718-553-3100.
Salisbury Police Derpartment Press releases
On April 1, 2011 at approximately 11:02 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the K-Mart Department Store on Tilghman Road for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival, the officers met with store security and were advised that the below listed suspect had been observed taking property from the store without making payment. The suspect was arrested and the property was recovered and returned to the store.
ARRESTED: Juvenile, 17 years of age Pittsville, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100)
DISPOSITION: Released to Parent/Guardian CC # 201100011996
On April 1, 2011 at approximately 6:39 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Lowes Store on North Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a subject refusing to leave their property. Upon arrival the officers met with store management who indicated that the below listed suspect was refusing to leave the lumber area of the store. The officers met with the suspect, who also refused to leave for the officers.
ARRESTED: Robert (nmn) Stewart, Jr., 56 years of age Eden, Maryland
CHARGES: Trespassing
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100012050
On April 3, 2011 at approximately 1:34 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police were on routine patrol in the area of the Greene Turtle Restaurant and Bar on North Salisbury Boulevard and were contacted by security personnel who needed assistance with a disorderly subject. The officers entered and made contact with the below listed suspect who was yelling profanities at other subjects in the business. The officers attempted to have the suspect leave the business without success. During contact with the officers, the suspect attempted to strike both officers.
ARRESTED: Blair Dwight Sample, 22 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Second degree assault
Disorderly conduct
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100012289
On April 3, 2011 at approximately 2:20 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the twelve hundred (1200) block of Lockwood Circle for the report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival the officers met with the adult female victim who advised that she had been involved in an argument with the below listed suspect. During the argument, the victim advised that the suspect struck her in the facial area and choked her. The suspect then destroyed her cellular telephone as she attempted to call for assistance. The victim did not require medical attention.
ARRESTED: Lorenzo Charles Aydelott, 27 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Second degree assault
Malicious destruction of property
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100012297
On April 3, 2011 at approximately 10:46 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the seventeen hundred (1700) block of Wood Brook Drive for the report of a male subject assaulting a female outside of the residence. Upon arrival the officers observed a male subject attempting to flee from the residence. After a brief foot chase the suspect was apprehended and returned to the area. The officers met with the adult female victim who advised that she had been involved in an argument with the suspect which resulted in the suspect, listed below, choking her and tearing her clothing. During the investigation the officers also found that the suspect had destroyed the front door of the residence.
The victim did not require medical assistance.
ARRESTED: Jerrod Terrecen Timmons, 32 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Second degree assault
Fleeing and eluding a police officer
Malicious destruction of property
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100012404
ARRESTED: Juvenile, 17 years of age Pittsville, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100)
DISPOSITION: Released to Parent/Guardian CC # 201100011996
On April 1, 2011 at approximately 6:39 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Lowes Store on North Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a subject refusing to leave their property. Upon arrival the officers met with store management who indicated that the below listed suspect was refusing to leave the lumber area of the store. The officers met with the suspect, who also refused to leave for the officers.
ARRESTED: Robert (nmn) Stewart, Jr., 56 years of age Eden, Maryland
CHARGES: Trespassing
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100012050
On April 3, 2011 at approximately 1:34 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police were on routine patrol in the area of the Greene Turtle Restaurant and Bar on North Salisbury Boulevard and were contacted by security personnel who needed assistance with a disorderly subject. The officers entered and made contact with the below listed suspect who was yelling profanities at other subjects in the business. The officers attempted to have the suspect leave the business without success. During contact with the officers, the suspect attempted to strike both officers.
ARRESTED: Blair Dwight Sample, 22 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Second degree assault
Disorderly conduct
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100012289
On April 3, 2011 at approximately 2:20 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the twelve hundred (1200) block of Lockwood Circle for the report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival the officers met with the adult female victim who advised that she had been involved in an argument with the below listed suspect. During the argument, the victim advised that the suspect struck her in the facial area and choked her. The suspect then destroyed her cellular telephone as she attempted to call for assistance. The victim did not require medical attention.
ARRESTED: Lorenzo Charles Aydelott, 27 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Second degree assault
Malicious destruction of property
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100012297
On April 3, 2011 at approximately 10:46 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the seventeen hundred (1700) block of Wood Brook Drive for the report of a male subject assaulting a female outside of the residence. Upon arrival the officers observed a male subject attempting to flee from the residence. After a brief foot chase the suspect was apprehended and returned to the area. The officers met with the adult female victim who advised that she had been involved in an argument with the suspect which resulted in the suspect, listed below, choking her and tearing her clothing. During the investigation the officers also found that the suspect had destroyed the front door of the residence.
The victim did not require medical assistance.
ARRESTED: Jerrod Terrecen Timmons, 32 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Second degree assault
Fleeing and eluding a police officer
Malicious destruction of property
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100012404
2011 Wicomico County Li'l Sluggers Girls Instructional Softball
Registration is still open for the 2011 Li'l Sluggers program
(Salisbury, MD) Come take a swing at one of the most popular sports for children of all ages. Registration is still open for the 2011 Li'l Sluggers Girls Instructional Softball Program. Girls 5 - 8 years of age, eager to learn the fundamental skills of softball should not miss out on this thrilling 7 week program. Li'l Sluggers is broken into four age divisions (5 year olds, 6 year olds, 6 & 7 year olds, and 7 & 8 year olds) and meets once a week May through June.
During the program girls will have the ability to acquire the basic skills of throwing, catching, fielding, and batting from a tee. A glove and water bottle is all that is needed at each session as all other equipment is provided. On behalf of the Salisbury Moose Lodge, each child will receive a t-shirt. Class sizes are limited, so register early.
Registration is being accepted at the Box Office located at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, or on line at www.wicomicorecandparks.org. The registration fee is just $40. For more information contact program director Kelly Rados at 410-548-4900 ext. 108 or email krados@wicomicocounty.org.
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY LAUNCHES CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HALETHORPE MARC STATION
$21 Million Project Improves Key Stop on Penn Line
HALETHORPE, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley was joined by Congressman John Sarbanes, Senator Ed Kasemeyer, Delegates James Malone and Steven DeBoy, and Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz at the Halethorpe MARC station to break ground on a $21 million station improvement project. Nearly 1,300 MARC passengers use the Halethorpe station each day. The improvements will make the station more efficient and easier for passengers to use while also enhancing its appearance. This investment reflects the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s ongoing commitment to MARC and mass transit.
“To draw people to transit we need to provide facilities that are convenient, accessible and safe,” said Governor O’Malley. “This $21 million investment will transform the station as we know it by building new platforms, canopies, pedestrian bridges, ramps and elevators for the disabled, and even a new Kiss and Ride lot. Just as important, we are going to do this in an aesthetically pleasing way so that the station is seen as an asset by the surrounding communities.”
Halethorpe is among the five busiest stations on the MARC Penn Line. The project includes two 700-foot-long high platforms to improve train boarding, a new pedestrian bridge to link the platforms, staircases, elevators and expanded shelters. Passengers will also be able to take advantage of a Kiss-and-Ride drop off location, a new ticket booth and landscaping improvements.
“Public transportation offers a cost-effective, safe, and reliable means of travel for many Americans and the MARC System is the backbone of public transportation in Maryland,” said Congressman John Sarbanes. “I will continue to fight for federal funding of MARC and other transportation projects within Maryland.”
In addition, the improvements included in the construction plan make the station compliant with the American Disabilities Act.
“We welcome this new MARC station with open arms,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz. “Enhancing our region's mass transit is an important priority that benefits the business community and residents while reducing our environmental impact.”
Maryland Delegate James Malone said, “My grandfather used to take me on the train downtown to the bank as a child. After 17 years, I'm ecstatic this project is coming to fruition. The new Halethorpe MARC Train Station, in my opinion, will be a beautiful addition to the community.”
The two-year, $21 million dollar project has significant support in the Halethorpe community, including support from the Halethorpe Improvement Association, the Halethorpe Civic Association and the Relay Improvement Association. To facilitate construction of the Halethorpe MARC station. Amtrak has reconfigured the supports for three of its catenary structures, raising one structure, relocating a signal control cabinet and raising power supply cables.
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