MSP Press Release

DATE & TIME: 04/06/2011 at approximately 1306 hrs.

LOCATION: 4000 Block of Skylar Dr., Fruitland, Wicomico County, Maryland

CASE NUMBER: 1154002433

CRIME: Attempted Murder, Assault First Degree

VICTIM:

SUSPECT: John Edward Williams, 71 years old, of 4000 Block of Skylar Dr., Fruitland , Maryland

BRIEF RESUME: On the above date and time Troopers of the Salisbury Barrack responded to the area of 4000 Block of Skylar Dr., Fruitland Maryland in reference to an initial civil complaint. During the course of the investigation it was learned that an alleged assault had taken place. It was alleged that the above suspect use a pick up truck in attempt to run over the victim because of the disagreement. The victim was not injured from the attempt. Troopers immediately identified and made contact with the suspect and place him under arrest for the allegation. The suspect was transported and processed at the Wicomico County Central Booking. He was released into the Detention Centers Custody awaiting his initial appearance with a District Court Commissioner of Wicomico County.

Presidential Straw Poll For Women: Why It’s Important

This coming July, conservative women from around the country will meet in St. Louis, Missouri, for the third annual Smart Girl Summit (SGS), the yearly conference of Smart Girl Politics Action.
Smart Girl Politics Action is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 to bring more conservative women into the political arena, be it as activists or as candidates. Previous conferences have featured such conservative rock stars as Michele Bachmann, Liz Cheney, Michelle Malkin, Marsha Blackburn, S.E. Cupp and many other leading conservative voices from politics, media and the grassroots.
The theme of Smart Girl Summit 2011 is “Gateway to 2012,” and the focus will be on preparing conservative activists for the all-important presidential election cycle. As part of this year’s conference, Smart Girl Politics Action, in conjunction with VOICES of Conservative Women, will conduct the first-ever presidential straw poll decided exclusively by women. This groundbreaking straw poll could well be an important bellwether for those who hope to inhabit the White House come January 20, 2013.
Women are an important voting constituency: the 2010 U.S. Census shows there are 157.2 million females versus 153.2 million males, and The Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University has found that women are heading to the polls in greater numbers than men:

In recent elections, voter turnout rates for women have equaled or exceeded voter turnout rates for men. Women, who constitute more than half the population, have cast between four and seven million more votes than men in recent elections. In every presidential election since 1980, the proportion [of] female adults who voted has exceeded the proportion of made adults who voted.

Women as a whole take their 19th Amendment rights very seriously. In the past two years, we have seen conservative women in particular take a more active role in driving the actions and conversations of the grassroots. Women, fed up with the overreach of the federal government, have stepped forward as leaders of the tea party movement, accounting for an estimated 55% of tea party activists. (Indeed, Smart Girl Politics Action was one of the three national sponsoring organizations of the 2009 tea parties.)
And we see in Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, two leaders who are unapologetic in their conservative values, the ability to direct the national dialogue toward those issues important to the grassroots. Smart Girl Politics Action was borne out of the need for more conservative women voices in the public arena and representation at all levels of government. Last year’s “Year of the Woman” saw conservatives achieve great success at the polls, with congressional seats going to rising stars like Kristi Noem, Renee Ellmers, Jaime Herrera and Vicky Hartzler. The SGS Presidential Straw Poll provides a chance to show the value of women in today’s conservative movement and to quantify the kind of leader we would like to see in the White House.

Read more

HOW IT FEELS AT THE GAS PUMP

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY TO OFFER REMARKS AT FIRE SAFETY CONFERENCE TOMORROW

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 6, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley will offer introductory remarks before approximately 700 attendees of the National Fire Sprinkler Association’s seminar and exhibition in Baltimore tomorrow, an annual event attended by fire fighters and manufacturers of fire safety equipment.  Governor O’Malley will also present the Technical Service Award.

Governor O’Malley has championed initiatives to support fire fighters and first responders, most notably the establishment of a statewide interoperability communication system.  The O’Malley-Brown Administration has formalized leadership structures and consolidated initiatives and resources into unified efforts to build a statewide radio system, computer-aided dispatch/records management system, and geographic information system platform for first responders. These backbone systems will replace non-interoperable, obsolete or non-existent technologies currently being used by State public safety agencies and will provide a statewide infrastructure for local governments.

Maryland Approves New Car Fee

Drivers are already dealing with high gas prices. But now you’ll be paying more to buy a car in Maryland, too.

State lawmakers approved an increase in what is called the “dealer fee.” That’s a fee that car dealers are allowed to charge for completing paperwork for the new vehicle.

The fee will now go from $100 to $200. And after three years, dealers will be able to charge $300 for the paperwork. The state expects to generate about $6 million a year from the charge.

The fee is not mandatory, and is usually worked into the price of vehicle, meaning you can negotiate the fee amount when buying a car.

Source

Did The Local Media Drop The Ball On Whitney Bennett?

Let me start off by saying this. Sources are now telling Salisbury News that the Whitney Bennett case is now being considered a homicide. We have not received confirmation that this is in fact the case but many have questioned why Salisbury News and the local MSM dropped the ball on this case.

First let me say that we did publish an article dated December 23rd 2010 HERE.

However, Salisbury News AND the MSM were told by Sheriff Lewis they did NOT believe there was ANY foul play in this case, therefore we published it as a Missing Person Report, standard protocol.

When the Family requested it to be published again, based on what we were informed, we were lead to believe she had just taken off. Now, did we drop the ball, absolutely. However, clearly, there was nothing we could have done anyway.

Hopefully additional details will come forth in the very near future and we can provide more details. Let me say this though. Are we becoming a society in which we are to pamper the true details of what took place, or do we tell the TRUTH. Cases like these are VERY difficult to decide. No matter what is said and done, like I said earlier, this is the Mother of three children who is no longer with us/them.

May she rest in peace.

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

APRIL 11, 2011 6:00 p.m.

Government Office Building Room 301

Times shown for agenda items are estimates only.

6:00 p.m. CONVENE – LORD’S PRAYER – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6:04 p.m. ADOPTION OF AGENDA

6:07 p.m. PROCLAMATION – Mayor James Ireton, Jr. Proclaiming “Healthcare Decisions Day”

6:12 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA – City Clerk Brenda Colegrove
March 28, 2011 minutes Resolution No. 2044 - approving lease agreement between the City and the Chamber of Commerce for the Salisbury Festival

6:14 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING – City Attorney Paul Wilber
Ordinance No. 2147 - adding Section 8.09, Tree and Plant Trimming or Removal, to the Salisbury Municipal Code, to provide departmental authority to examine nuisance tree, shrub or other plant growth
Ordinance No. 2148 - amending Chapter 10.08 General Traffic Regulations, of the Salisbury Municipal Code, to include the use of speed monitoring devices, setting fees for exceeding speed limits and penalties
for violation of Chapter 10.08

6:24 p.m. ORDINANCE – City Attorney Paul Wilber
Ordinance No. 2145 - 2nd reading - amending Section 15.24, Method of Service, of the Salisbury Municipal Code, requiring owner of a vacant building, who is not domiciled in Wicomico County, to have a local designated agent who is a permanent resident of Wicomico County

6:35 p.m. RESOLUTION – City Administrator John Pick
Resolution No. 2045 - approving City’s 2011 CDBG Action Plan
Resolution No. 2046 - accepting donation of land located in the Harbor Pointe Subdivision identified as Harbor Pointe Subdivision Section 1, Parcel 6 and Harbor Pointe Subdivision Phase II Sec 4A, Parcels 8 and 9 with the intent to subsequently transfer Harbor Pointe Subdivision Section 1, Parcel 6 to Wicomico County and to transfer Harbor Pointe Subdivision Phase II Sec 4A, Parcels 8 and 9 to the Harbor Pointe
Homeowners Association

6:50 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS

7:00 p.m. ADJOURN

Proposed agenda items for April 25, 2011 (subject to change)
Ordinance - 1st reading - proposed FY12 Budget and setting the date for a public hearing
Ordinance - 1st reading - proposed water and sewer rates
Ordinance No. 2147 - 2nd reading - adding Section 8.09, Tree and Plant Trimming  or Removal, to the Salisbury Municipal Code, to provide departmental authority to examine nuisance tree, shrub or other plant growth
Ordinance No. 2148 - 2nd reading - amending Chapter 10.08 General Traffic Regulations, of the Salisbury Municipal Code, to include the use of speed monitoring devices, setting fees for exceeding speed limits and penalties for violation of Chapter 10.08

GAS COUPONS

I didn't realize it, but these coupons are good for one gallon of gas at most retailers. I have seen them around, but until recently never took advantage of them, I never realized their actual worth.

You probably have one or two just lying around somewhere, now is the time to use them before they lose their value, and it's too late!!




SEE COUPON BELOW ...

Congratulations … It’s Time To Lead

Congratulations to Terry Cohen, Laura Mitchell, and Tim Spies for their election (re-election in the case of Cohen) to the Salisbury City Council.  We at SbyNEWS wish them great success over the next four years.

While there are still absentee ballots to be counted, the 210 ballots issued are highly unlikely to affect three winners.  Only the placing and margins are likely to change.  As Councilwoman Cohen stated yesterday:

“It’s time to get back to work for the people of Salisbury.”

… and there is a lot of work to be done!

After over six years of persistence and hard work, dusk is falling on the last vestiges of the Barrie Comegys approach to city governance.  Voters in Salisbury’s beleaguered neighborhoods have something to be excited about.  However, those same voters are expecting change.

While Mayor Jim Ireton can be proud that crime has declined under his administration, the city’s crime rate is still high.  Neighborhood blight is still a concern.  Economic development is a major issue.  The list goes on … and on.

Over the years Councilwoman Debbie Campbell, along with Cohen and Spies have put forward many ideas that can help move Salisbury forward.  We expect that Mitchell will do the same.  However, ideas are worth only so much if you are a member of a majority coalition.  These ideas will need to be put into action if these council members expect to maintain the trust of the voters who have elected them.

We expect this council to come through and translate ideas into action.  We hope that we are proven right.

SAPOA Gets SPANKED!

No matter what anyone says, SAPOA got spanked in a big way in this election.

I have been wined and dined by SAPOA Members throughout this election and while many of the people within SAPOA seem to be kind people with incredible stories, we were asked to back off certain candidates to give them a chance.

Well, I actually did what they asked because I wanted to see how things would turn out. As long as they were playing fair ball, I decided I would too.

Now, because SAPOA is upset because they knew they were going to flat out lose this election, SAPOA's Presidents own Daughter has created a Blog that personally attacks me. Yes, another Anti Albero Blogger. I contacted Kris Adams the day the Blog started and she assured me that this was not going to be a Blog about attacks. Instead, it was a group of SU Students voicing their opinions. Well, that too changed very quickly as participants to this new Blog have been trying to publish comments here on Salisbury News in the hopes of getting some attention, even trying to link to their Blog, STUPID! It didn't take long for the Albero attack pieces to get started. Go figure, I was lied to.

The SAPOA Candidates received the lowest number of votes and with all due respect, the numbers for two of them were, (quite frankly) embarrassing. In my last conversation with Kris Adams I said that she needed to go back to her grass roots, calm down, state the facts and not become one of them. I honestly felt that they were gaining ground and momentum when they stayed cool, calm and collective but instead they have been trying to use the Internet to bash people and as I had predicted, it would backfire.

So, it's time to simply drop the name SAPOA from this point forward and simply ignore their quest. For several years in a row they have simply made fools out of themselves. While so many in this community want to go after the Bloggers, know that almost all of the people who bashed the Blogs are now Bloggers themselves and or silent partners in blogs. If you can't beat them, join them, right?

Caption This Photo

SALISBURY COUNCIL ELECTION – MITCHELL SOARS, LANDLORDS LOSE!

A month or so ago, this blog broke the news about funding by donors involved in the rental industry in Salisbury of several candidates in this year’s election, one of whom went down in the primary election in early March. Now, it seems that the two remaining candidates that SAPOA sponsored in an effort to continue its dominance of the City government – Muir Boda and Orville Dryden – are finished as a result on the balloting on general election day. The winners in Tuesday’s polling are: (in order of finish): Laura Mitchell (796 votes), Terry Cohen (783 votes) and Tim Spies (741 votes), who are the only candidates supported by by more than 50% of the voters. It appears that this outcome won’t be changed by the absentee ballots that will be counted later this week and next week.

Boda, who finished fourth with 673 votes and Dryden, in fifth place with 542 votes, were enabled by the landlords’ funding to do extensive advertising on both radio and TV, while the three winners did considerable door-to-door campaigning in the neighborhoods. Although Ms. Mitchell is a tenant, she appears to have no special ties to SAPOA, and one of her supporters is Salisbury’s mayor, Jim Ireton.

Besides support from the rental industry, Boda and Dryden also benefitted – but, obviously not greatly – from the vicious and frequent personal attacks that Salisbury’s blob-blogger directed at Ms. Cohen and Mr. Spies. As happened two years ago, when Boda lost badly to Debbie Campbell, most Salisbury voters realize that Taylor is a sniper whose ranting can’t be believed and should not be trusted.

We respect and compliment the three winners and also Bruce Ford for running a clean and civil campaign. Happy days are here again – maybe!

Maryland Delegate Mike McDermott: "Not Even One"

Not Even One…

By Delegate Mike McDermott

Today, the House deliberated HB-71, the Capital Bond Budget, which came in with a near billion dollar price tag. This bill contains all of the projects that the state is appropriating money towards during the coming fiscal year. Many are ongoing such as major roads or building construction measured in the tens of millions, while just as many are small projects coming in under $100,000.00. To be sure, most are very worthy of support. Our problem is, we are out of money.

Much of this Capital Budget is being funded on transfers from, so called, “trust” funds and is banking on a very optimistic economic forecast which remains to be seen. The Department of Legislative Services (those charged with providing statistics and crafting legislation for the General Assembly) made it clear that they wanted to see reductions of $100 million from the current proposal of $925 million. This could have been achieved in a variety of ways, but the committee elected to keep the spending higher and send it to the floor.

The Republican Caucus offered several amendments to cut spending on this bill. I offered the first amendment which would have cut overall spending in each budgeted category by 5%. Conversely, it would have maintained all projects at 95% of the funding level which is more than fair. It would have reduced the overall Capital Budget by $45 million. This was rejected on a party line vote.

We then offered an amendment to reduce spending by 3% overall. This would have saved $27 million. Hardly a big deal, but this too was rejected largely along party lines.

Holding our breath and asking for some consideration, we offered our last amendment which would have only reduced spending by 1%. Unbelievably, this too was rejected out of hand as being simply too drastic a measure. The bottom line, a project to build a “dark room” at a Baltimore High School which was funded at $40,000.00 in this budget would have only been reduced by $400.00, and we could not even get them to agree to make this minor cut.

At a time when our General Assembly should be performing triage in determining funding needs, we continue to treat scratches with the same necessity as we do amputations. Reluctant to believe the truth, the crafters and leadership of the ruling party say they are “optimistic” and actually stated that our real estate prices have stabilized in the state. They made this statement despite all evidence to the contrary. The Eastern Shore is wrestling with falling home prices and assessments which are swiftly diminishing the local government coffers, further straining services. In fact, this is happening all over the state, but those calling the shots are not taking heed.

I think it is also note worthy that the Tea Party Caucus (made up of 23 House Republican members) offered an amendment as well which would have simply stripped the $15 million in local bond bills from the Capital Budget. That would amount to about a 1.5% reduction in spending. This particular area of spending was the subject of a resolution made by the Tea Party Caucus and the House Republican Caucus to not accept, or apply for, any of these bond projects. This amendment, and the subsequent vote, represents those making good on this commitment. How can we go home, look our citizens in the eye, and tell them we listened to them last year when they told us to get our fiscal house in order if we did not vote in favor of these reductions?

In any school or college I ever attended, a 99%, 97%, or 95% were all solid “A’s” of which I could be proud. Yet, even offering the ruling party this level of funding for all of these projects was deemed punitive and unfair. What will they say to our citizens when the State Property Tax must be raised to cover their credit card spending? What happens when our revenue estimates fall below projected rates? What will they say?

When it comes to our budget, the sky is not falling; rather, the ground is opening up.

Opinion Piece For Salisbury News

Reflecting American Values?

Yesterday White House Press Secretary Jay Chaney, rebuking Congressman Ryan’s budget proposal, stood before the press and declared, “Any plan to reduce our deficit must reflect the American values of fairness and shared sacrifice.”  To quote our President, let me be clear.  I’m an American.  I can prove it.  I grew up in a large suburban area.  I rode my bike to the movies, played pick-up baseball in the streets, owned a rather old “big-wheel” and stayed out as late as possible every summer night.  I mowed lawns and shoveled driveways for extra money.  I’ve been blessed.  Growing up I learned about the sacrifice of our forefathers, our brave men and women in the military and even those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their beliefs.  I’ve been lucky enough not to have paid that price personally.  I learned at the dinner table, I learned by reading, by listening and by watching my parents what it means to be an American.  I’ve also learned what it does not mean.

Fairness?  I learned as a small child that life is not fair.  That is not to say that we should not have compassion, volunteer to help and provide for others in need.  That is an individual, rather unique and widely held American quality that has resulted from the success that America has provided.  Having the government define and be the sole filter for this “fairness” or compassion is not American and it is certainly not a competency of any political party. 

Shared sacrifice?  The problem here is that liberals really do not believe in it.  How is it that their version of shared sacrifice results in class warfare?  How it that this sacrifice means that the few must support the many through the sole filter of the US Government?  True sacrifices are made every day by members of our military and those using their time, energy, talents and money in support of local churches, communities and those in need across the country.  

I am a proud American.  I understand that it is not through the hand of government intervention that I form and define my ‘participation’ in the American experiment or our values.  I’m insulted at the suggestion.  I am able to reflect the American values of compassion for others and support for those in need without any politician measuring that value with their definition of a worthy contribution.

You should be able to as well. 

Want Pain Pills? Be Prepared To Sign The Dotted Line

Some docs ask for 'pain contracts' to ensure that patients are taking powerful opiads safely  

Chronic pain — the kind that lasts for months or recurs regularly — afflicts more than a quarter of adult Americans. Treating pain can be extremely challenging, however, in part because it can't be measured with instruments. It's in the eye — or neck or joint — of the beholder.

Doctors often prescribe powerful painkillers called opioids, which are natural or synthetic versions of opium. Sometimes the prescription is for short-term, acute pain: If you've ever had a root canal or surgery or thrown out your back, you may have received a prescription for Percocet or Vicodin, both of which are opioids that also contain acetaminophen.

For people with long-term, persistent pain, often from musculoskeletal injuries or nerve damage, opioids may be the best option to manage their pain and enable them to function day after day.

But there's a hitch: Though highly effective, these drugs are dangerous and addictive. The chief danger is that they can cause respiratory depression: If too much is taken, breathing slows and may eventually stop. And because they cause euphoria, opioids are popular targets for misuse and abuse. In 2007, 11,499 people in the United States died from opioid overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That was more than the number of overdose deaths for heroin and cocaine combined.

To help monitor use of the drugs, some doctors ask patients to sign "pain contracts" or "opioid treatment agreements" that spell out the rules patients must follow to take these drugs safely. The contracts aim to discourage people from taking too much medication, mixing medications, or sharing or selling them, among other things.

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Just Say No To Suspicous Emails

Even if an email says it's from Chase or Citibank or Best Buy... don’t believe it.

Now that a security breach has exposed the email addresses of potentially millions of customers of banks, hotels and stores, it is more likely than ever that an email scam will try to trick you into giving out personal information.

The company that was in charge of email addresses, a Dallas marketing firm called Epsilon, has revealed that hackers stole customers' email addresses. While no other personal information was hacked, emails to you from companies you do business with may not be from the company, but rather a scam trying to get you to give up information such as passwords or social security numbers.

More

Man Glued To Toilet Seat In Walmart Bathroom

ELKTON, Md. (AP) -- Elkton police say a man became stuck to a department store toilet seat after someone spread glue on it.

It happened Thursday evening at the Walmart in Elkton. Officials refused to say how long the man was stuck before he was able to get help.

Police say emergency workers removed the seat from the toilet and took the man out with seat still attached to him. The seat was removed at the emergency room at Union Hospital.

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Congressional Art Competition

Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) is pleased to invite high school students in Maryland’s First Congressional District to participate in the 2011 Congressional Art Competition.  Each year, the United States House of Representatives sponsors this prestigious contest for high school students across our nation. The annual competition provides an opportunity for students across the country to exhibit their artwork and receive national recognition. It also demonstrates the important role that the arts play in American society.

In the past, over 200 congressional offices have participated in the program. The artwork of the winner of this year’s First District Competition will be displayed in the corridor tunnel leading to the U.S. Capitol Building for one year, where it will be seen by countless thousands of people. In addition, the winner will also be given the opportunity to have lunch with up to three guests with Congressman Harris. At this lunch the Congressman will present a flag flown over the Capitol in the winner’s honor.

Information on the Congressional Arts Competition is available to interested artists on Congressman Harris’ website at http://harris.house.gov/serving-you/art-competition. The information includes specifics about the media and size of entries and also includes documentation that must accompany each entry. Students are invited to submit entries no later than April 22, 2011 to my district offices located in Bel Air, Kent Island or Salisbury. The Competition is open to all public, private and parochial high school students in the 1st District. For further information and details, please contact Charlotte Hayworth at (202) 225-5311. The addresses for the district offices are as follows:

Bel Air District Office

15 East Churchville Road Suite 102B
Bel Air, MD 21014
Phone: 410-588-5670

Kent Island

100 Olde Point Village Suite 101
Chester, MD 21619
Phone: 410-643-5425

Salisbury

212 West Main Street Suite 204 B
Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone: 443-944-8624

The New Corner Store

Local-foods movement inspires a new breed of grocery

Imagine Whole Foods, without so much imported food, sticker shock and glitz. Or picture a farmers' market, open nearly all week long, with a roof over its head and maybe even a stock of grocery items like natural cereals and recycled paper towels.

A new breed of corner store is popping up in and around Baltimore. Inspired by the local-foods movement, a handful of small independent markets are on the drawing boards, nearly open, or already up and running. Even given the down economy and the thin margins typical of the supermarket industry, there's a sense that there is a market for a locavore grocery store.

"People are becoming — and thank goodness for this — much more educated about food, where it comes from, how healthy it is, and that it's OK if it's not organic but you know the source," said Ned Atwater of Atwater's Naturally Leavened Bread. "The customers are people who are willing to spend a little bit more of a percentage of their income on food than they were in the past."

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Rep. Ryan Responds To ‘Distortions And De magogueries’

It was certain to attract this sort of response, but Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan released his budget plan going forward that includes some sweeping changes to federal expenditures, including entitlement spending.

One of those criticisms came from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman New York Rep. Steve Israel. On Tuesday, immediately following Ryan’s release, Israel called it a “privatization scheme” and blasted it for addressing subsidies to oil companies.

However, in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute on Tuesday, Ryan fired back, admitting he saw this coming and called such criticisms “distortions and demagogueries.” Ryan specifically called out Israel for his political opportunism.

“Steve Israel is the head of the Democratic campaign committee,” Ryan said. “He’s in charge of their re-election effort, of the political machine, and here’s the deal –is this a political weapon? Of course it is. But you have to say things like that, which are distortions and demagogueries, no two ways about it, in order to score these kinds of political points.”

Ryan explained how the worst experience of his years in Congress was during the financial collapse of 2008 and the extraordinary measures the federal government had to take through the passage of TARP, which he compared to the pending fiscal crisis if the federal government remains on its current track. But he said fearing the political backlash and not acting would be the wrong thing to do.

“Let me ask it this way – what if your congressman and your president knew that was coming?” Ryan said. “Remember, this caused people to use trillions in wealth, millions of jobs were lost – we’re still trying to recover from it. But what if your representative in Congress and your president saw it coming, knew why it was coming, knew what the cause of it was, knew in enough time to prevent it from happening  and knew what he had to do to prevent it from happening, but chose not to do so because he was worried about politics? Because he was worried about the press release that was going to come from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee? What would you think of him? I mean think about this – this is wrong.”

Ryan said he thought the American people were ready for the conversation, regardless of the political backlash.

“This is the most predictable economic crisis we’ve ever had in this country,” he said. “We owe it to our countrymen – the men and women in this country to fix this problem while it’s still fixable,” he said.

"Americans are ready for honest talk. They’re ready to be spoken to like adults. They’re ready for fact-based conversations without budget gimmicks, accounting tricks and all of the rest, to about what is really needed to save this country."

More details and video

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/05/ryan-responds-to-distortions-and-demagogueries-shame-on-them-for-doing-it/#ixzz1Ihl3d2GR

House Dems Who Now Oppose Restricting EPA Authority Wanted To In 2009

House Democrats led by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) have sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner opposing Republican efforts to shut down the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate “greenhouse gas” emissions.

Two years ago, however, House Democrats – again led by Waxman – voted to deny the EPA just such authority.

The bill Waxman and his Democratic colleagues oppose is H.R. 910, which was introduced by chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and has 95 co-sponsors.

H.R. 910 would prohibit the EPA from issuing any further regulations based on its Clean Air Act authority, and repeal regulations it has already issued – just the type of regulations Waxman and Markey sought to prohibit in 2009.

“The [EPA] Administrator may not, under this Act, promulgate any regulation concerning, take action relating to, or take into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change,” H.R. 910 says.

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Wisc. 'Fleebagger' Democrats Quietly Return

Wisconsin's Democrat state senators returned to work Tuesday with little fanfare, a stark contrast to the scene in February when their dramatic decision to flee the state in protest over an anti-union bill helped fuel massive protests that made the state the center of a national fight over union rights.

The 14 Democrats left for Illinois with no warning on Feb. 17, leaving the Senate with one too few members to vote on the bill. Finally on March 9, Republicans removed some financial provisions from the bill so they could pass it with a lower quorum and no Democrats present. The Democrats returned to Wisconsin in March to participate in a massive rally the day after Gov. Scott Walker signed the bill into law.

The law is now tied up in court and hasn't gone into effect. It would require most state employees to pay more for health care and pension benefits while taking away all of their collective bargaining rights except over salary increases.

In a way, the Senate picked up Tuesday right where it left off. The first bill considered was a measure that includes many of the spending items Republicans removed from the anti-union bill before it passed last month. Those items are needed to plug a $137 million budget shortfall projected by July 1.

The budget shortfall measure passed Tuesday, with three Democrats even joining with 19 Republicans to pass the bill.

Read more

Unions, Left-Wing Groups Try To Spin MLK Death Anniversary

Labor union bosses and congressional Democrats are tying their battles in Wisconsin and Ohio to the 43rd anniversary of the death of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King was shot on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn., while helping the city’s black sanitation workers in a strike.

“For Dr. King, economic justice was an essential element of his work for civil and human rights, which is why, on the day his life was taken, he was in Memphis, Tennessee, supporting striking sanitation workers as they sought to have their union recognized by the city,” Wade Henderson, the president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said on a conference call on Monday morning. “On the eve of his death, Dr. King delivered a speech to these workers that came to be known as the ‘Mountaintop Speech,’ in which he preached that if they stayed strong and resilient, they would one day achieve economic security and the chance for opportunity.”

Referring to Tea Party movement, Henderson said, “opportunists are trying to manipulate the facts surrounding the nation’s economic troubles,” in order to “gain a political advantage in the next election cycle.”

“What we’re witnessing is nothing short of an ideological assault on Dr. King’s vision for a more just and equitable nation,” Henderson said. “So, how will ordinary Americans respond to this effort to hijack the American Dream?”

Henderson and other self-described civil rights group leaders like NAACP president Benjamin Jealous and labor union leaders launched what they call an “organic, grassroots,” campaign, “We Are One,” this week. Henderson said their pressure campaign will consist of more than 1,000 “discrete community and workplace-focused actions,” including “more than 150 ‘teach-ins,’ hundreds of worksite mobilizations, community forums, vigils marches and more.”

It’s all part of an effort, though, to frame King’s assassination as a result of his involvement in the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike – an implication that he died fighting for collective bargaining, not against racial inequality.

King’s niece, Dr. Alveda King, told The Daily Caller her uncle really wasn’t in Memphis because it was a strike – he got involved in the strike because of racial discrimination. Black sanitation workers were treated unfairly compared to white ones, and, in fact, all 1,300 strikers were black. The unfair treatment led to the death of two black workers, too, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, who were crushed in a mechanical malfunction.

“My uncle was in Memphis, not specifically because of the union strikes but to help bring an end to oppression of the garbage workers which was racially driven,” Alveda King said in an e-mail.

Alveda King told TheDC that her uncle wouldn’t likely side with anyone in the partisan games in Wisconsin, Ohio and other states.

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'Kill Team' Brigade Commander Given Wrist Slap; Issue Disappears

The investigation into those responsible for the Afghanistan "kill team" tactics led to "a letter of admonition" of Col. Harry D. Tunnell IV, reports the Military Times on Tuesday. According to MT:

"Was a brigade commander an instigator or just asleep at the switch while the 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, “kill team” was allegedly murdering civilians?

"An Army investigation finds no “causal relationship” between Col. Harry D. Tunnell IV’s aggressive leadership and the killings, but it criticizes Tunnell for neglectfulness that created a climate ripe for misconduct.

"The investigation, first reported by Der Spiegel on Monday, ended in a letter of admonition for Tunnell, per I Corps Commander Lt. Gen Curtis “Mike” Scaparotti."

The Washington Times Water Cooler found that lawmakers on the hill claim to either not know the story or refuse to comment on the alleged actions of the Afghanistan "kill team."

In a Washington Times piece, Joe Curl described the media blackout of the story, even after Spc. Jeremy Morlock pleaded guilty in March for his part in murdering unarmed Afghanistan civilians.

The incident has brought comparisons to the 11 army guards at Abu Ghraib in 2004 who were tried and convicted on a number of counts for what was called detainee abuse and torture. No Abu Ghraib prisoners were killed, however, as a result of the crimes.

Washington Times

Bill To Allow Discrimination Lawsuits Faces Strong Opposition

A bill to grant the right for people discriminated against in places of public accommodation — like restaurants, theatres and hotels — is being smothered by Senate amendments seeking to water down the bill. On Tuesday, Democratic Senate leaders and committee chairmen joined Republicans in passing an amendment by Sen. Allan Kittleman, R-Howard-Carroll, to study the measure. The amendment will be reconsidered Wednesday, but Senate President Mike Miller told proponents they might want to find some alternative to passing the bill, which has had prolonged debate on five different days.

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$925 Million Capital Budget Passes House

The House of Delegates approved $925 million in new debt in its capital budget on Tuesday – but not before several attempts were made to trim the amount that the state was going to borrow. The capital budget is funded through bonds, and the money is spent on infrastructure projects across the state.

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Pork In The Park: A Family-Friendly Event

(Salisbury, MD) Pork in the Park BBQ Festival presented by Gateway Subaru, mostly known for its heated competition, is also the perfect weekend outing for families with children.  Children of all ages can enjoy family-friendly attractions with festivities including amusement rides and games, caricature artists and signature festival food including homemade lemonade and funnel cake. 

On Saturday, the festival will even feature a special area designated just for children and families.  Piglet’s Korner, presented by Wicomico Recreation & Parks, will be open on Saturday, April 16 from 10am-5pm in the tennis courts at Winter Place Park.  Children ages three to twelve can enjoy taking part in free craft projects throughout the day.  Delmarva’s rising stars will also take part in performances throughout the day beginning at 10:30am.  Performers at this year’s Pork in the Park Piglet’s Korner include Footsteps Irish Dancers, Living Stones, Mitchell’s Martial Arts and many more. 

Pork in the Park BBQ Festival will return to Winter Place Park on April 15-17, 2011.  Admission is only $2 daily for adults, and children under the age of 12 are admitted free.  Now entering its eighth year, Pork in the Park has grown to become the 2^nd largest Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned competition in the nation.  The festival surrounding the competition offers tasty BBQ, live music all weekend long, unique crafts & vendors, a Mountaire Chickin’ Pickin’ Contest, Amateur Backyard BBQ Competition, and corn hole tournament.

Md. Primaries For Governor, President, To Change

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - The dates of Maryland's next governor and presidential primaries will be changed.

The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would schedule the 2012 presidential primary in April.

The 2014 primary for Maryland's governor's race would move from September to June under the measure.
The gubernatorial primary would be held on the last Tuesday in June.

The House already has approved an identical bill, so the measure now goes to Gov. Martin O'Malley.

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Hawaii Senator Wonders What Obama's Concealing

'Why would anyone spend millions not to make that information public?'

The lone Republican in the Hawaii State Senate was interviewed on the radio this morning, explaining that while he believes Barack Obama was born in the Aloha State, he questions what might be on the original, long-form birth certificate that would prompt the president to go to such lengths to conceal it.

"I'm not a 'birther,'" Hawaii State Sen. Sam Slom told Jeff Katz of WXKS Radio in Boston, "and I followed this from the very beginning. At first I followed it with amusement, and then I got really concerned about it, because the question was if it was not just the birth certificate, but other records as well – school records, academic records, work records – why would anyone spend millions of dollars in legal fees, particularly someone in public office, particularly someone in the highest public office, to not make that information public?"

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SUPPORT PARKSIDE HIGH SCHOOL LACROSSE TEAMS

Funds raised go help with improving fields, uniforms

Salisbury, Md. (April 1, 2011) – Re-LAX and have a great breakfast, your car washed and enjoy home baked goods presented by the Parkside High School in Salisbury lacrosse teams on Saturday, April 9, 2011!

Enjoy a breakfast of all-you-can-eat eggs, sausage, bacon, seasoned potatoes, biscuits, coffee, tea or juice at UNO Chicago Grill, 100 East Cedar Lane, Fruitland, on Saturday April 9, from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $7 each and can be purchased in advance through the team or at the restaurant on April 9.

After breakfast support the Parkside lacrosse teams by getting your car hand-washed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 at Rommel’s ACE, 121 West College Avenue, Salisbury.

During the car wash, the girls lacrosse teams will be having a bake sale.

All proceeds go towards maintaining and improving their two fields and any excess will go toward new warmup uniforms.

The Parkside High School Lacrosse teams have 55 boys including JV and varsity. The girls teams, JV and varsity have 40 players. This is the first time they have run back-to-back fundraisers at two separate locations. Donations from both events will be used towards team warm-up uniforms.

EAT THE RICH!

What Would A 'Government Shutdown' Really Mean?

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

You might have heard the ominous-sounding phrase "government shutdown" a lot lately, but what does it actually mean?

5 Ways GE Plays The Tax Game

GE is in a class by itself when it comes to paring its tax rate well below the top U.S. corporate rate of 35 percent – sometimes into the single digits – using an array of strategies that include hiring top tax experts from IRS and Treasury.

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USPS To Defend Union Contract

The Postal Service will cut its labor costs by $3.6 billion over the next four-and-a-half years under a tentative contract agreement it reached last month with one of its largest unions, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said Monday.
 
Donahoe, speaking to reporters in advance of a Tuesday hearing called by lawmakers to scrutinize the labor agreement, said the contract with the American Postal Workers' Union represented a responsible way forward for USPS, and was the latest example of a 10-year effort to cut its workforce and its costs in the face of declining revenues.
 
Leaders of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform criticized the deal shortly after it was announced. Committee chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said he doubted that the contract would improve USPS's bleak fiscal situation.
 
"Unfortunately, this looks like a missed opportunity. The Postal Service must show Congress and the American people that it can pay its own way, because the numbers do not seem to add up," Issa said in a statement.
 
Donahoe said he was prepared to defend the deal when he testifies Tuesday morning. "We have reduced the career-paid headcount by 30 percent since 2000," he said. "We've taken 240 million work hours out of the system. If we did not have to prepay retiree health benefits like nobody else in the world did with a 20 percent downturn, we would have had $611 million in profit."
 
Instead, the Postal Service, with current-year costs of $73 billion, projects it will lose $6.4 billion in 2011 and reach its statutory debt limit of $15 billion later this year. Donahoe said USPS needs to bring its costs down to $60 billion in order to return to profitability and begin to pay down its debt.
 
USPS and APWU say the deal achieves the savings through a 5 percent reduction in health care costs, which are being shifted to workers, a freeze on cost of living adjustments, and the creation of new, non-career flexible positions that will start new employees at lower salaries.

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GOP Budget Plan Cuts Fed Workforce, Freezes Pay For 5 Years

House Republicans unveiled a plan Tuesday that would cut the federal workforce by 10 percent in the next three years through attrition and freeze federal pay for five years.
 
The plan - called the Path to Prosperity - would also reform government workers' "generous benefit programs," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) in a press conference Tuesday.
 
The House plan far exceeds the $1 trillion in cuts in President Obama's fiscal year 2012 budget plan released in February.
The Path to Prosperity would also incorporate Defense Secretary Robert Gates' plan to target DoD inefficiencies, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Budget Committee, wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on Monday.
 
"Look, the facts are very, very clear. For too long Washington has not been honest with the American people. Washington has been making empty promises to a country that is going broke," Ryan said at the Tuesday press conference.
 
The Path to Prosperity would impose "enforceable caps" on spending and "make sure government spends and taxes only as much as it needs to fulfill its constitutionally prescribed roles," Ryan wrote in his op-ed.
 
The plan would set spending at below 20 percent of gross domestic product and put the country on a path to pay off the national debt, reducing the deficit by $4.4 trillion, Ryan said Tuesday.
 
The $6.2 trillion in savings would actually be less when measured against the Congressional Budget Office "baseline."

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USPS Makes A Case For Debt Relief

The Postal Service says Congress needs to make changes to laws that are hindering its efforts to return to profitability and pay down its debt.
 
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and two members of the USPS Board of Governors told a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that a 2006 postal reform law requiring the agency to make accelerated prepayments for retiree health benefits was the primary reason the service was deeply in the red and likely to hit its $15 billion debt ceiling later this year.
 
Donahoe asked for help during hearing scrutinizing a contract approved in recently-completed negotiations between USPS and its largest collective bargaining unit, the American Postal Workers Union (APWU).

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Conyers: Congress Should Bar US Ground Troops From Libya

In the wake of President Obama's decision to go to war in Libya without Congressional authorization or debate, there's a heightened level of public and media cynicism about the ability of any Congress to constrain any administration on warmaking in any way whatsoever.

This is dangerous. It's important for Congress to assert its war powers: important to prevent the US from being sucked into another quagmire, important to build pressure for a negotiated resolution in Libya by shutting down the possibility of further military escalation, important for future efforts to prevent and limit US wars, that Congress act affirmatively to impose limits.

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Republicans' Budget Declares War On Medicare

The Republicans are poised to unveil a model budget on Tuesday that would effectivelyend Medicareby privatizing it, Steve Benen reports in theWashington Monthly. House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI) is touting the budget as a strategy to reduce the national debt.

Ryan's plan would turn Medicare from a single-payer system to a "premium support" system. "Premium support" is a euphemism for the government giving up to $15,000 per person, per year, to insurance companies to defray the cost of a health insurance policy.

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The Boston Tea Party Revealed

This chapter is part of an exclusive Truthout series from Thom Hartmann, America's No. 1 progressive radio host and bestselling author of 21 books. We are publishing weekly installments of the bestseller, "Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became 'People' - and How You Can Fight Back." Please join us as Hartmann explores the evolution of corporate personhood, gaining insight into the nature of democracy.

They [those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence] meant to set up a standard maxim for free society, which would be familiar to all, and revered by all; constantly looked to, constantly labored for, and even though never perfectly attained, constantly approximated, and thereby constantly spreading and deepening the influence and augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people of all colors everywhere. The assertion that “all men are created equal” was of no practical use in effecting our separation from Great Britain; and it was placed in the Declaration not for that, but for future use. Its authors meant it to be—as, thank God, it is now proving itself—a stumbling block to all those who in after times might seek to turn a free people back into the hateful paths of despotism.

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In-State Tuition Bill Moves To House Floor

By Julie Bykowicz, The Sun (Baltimore)A controversial plan to allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state college tuition rates is on track for passage this year, with a vote this afternoon to send the bill for debate in the full House of Delegates.

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WHY I VOTED DEMOCRATIC

Top 12 Reasons....A List That Explains Most Everything
 
*When your friends cannot explain why they voted for Democrats, give them this list.  They can then pick their reasons from this "TOP 12"...* 
 
1. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't. 
 
2. I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would. 
 
3. I voted Democrat because Freedom of Speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it. 
 
4. I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers
and thieves. 
 
5. I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away
in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius. 
 
6. I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about millions of babies being aborted so long as we keep all death row inmates alive. 
 
7. I voted Democrat because I think illegal aliens have a right to free health care, education, and Social Security benefits. 
 
8. I voted Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the Democrats see fit. 
 
9. I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never
get their agendas past the voters. 
 
10. I voted Democrat because I think that it's better to pay billions to people who hate us for their oil, but not drill our own because it might upset some endangered beetle or gopher. 
 
11. I voted Democrat because while we live in the greatest, most wonderful country in the world, I was promised "HOPE AND CHANGE". 
 
12. I voted Democrat because my head is so firmly planted up my ass, it's unlikely that I'll ever have another point of view.

State Workers Decry New Pension Plan

By Annie Linskey, The Sun (Baltimore)
Maryland's General Assembly is poised to make the deepest cuts to the state's retirement system in nearly three decades, asking most of the roughly 170,000 teachers and government employees to pay more into a pension plan that is about to become less generous.

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Is A Footlong Sub Still A Footlong Sub With Only 6" Of Bread?

Ron has a problem that truly speaks to the dilemmas of our day. He wants to get a $5 footlong at Subway, but on a 6" roll to save carbs and calories. The sandwich artists at his local Subway insist that this is not possible, and that he needs to pay more than the price of a $5 footlong because he is really ordering a six-inch sub with double meat. It's an exquisite kind of fast-food logic where you pay more and get less.

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90% Off An Imaginary Price Is Not A Sale

Paul Michael at Wise Bread thought that he had found a great deal on throw pillows at his local Hobby Lobby store. Signs advertised ninety percent off! Imagine that, a $50 fancy throw pillow for only five bucks! It was only when he looked closer that he noticed that the "original" prices were surprisingly high for mass-produced pillows: about $90 to $120. Research online showed similar pillows from the same company for sale for around half that. Just what was going on here?

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Shocker: Cheap Liquid Dish Soap Cleans Just As Well As The Pricey Stuff

Looks like that whole "you get what you pay for" thing doesn't exactly apply to liquid dish soap. According to our siblings at Consumer Reports, there are plenty of dirt-cheap dish liquids that do the same job as the stuff with the fancy name and label.

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My Grandfather's Early Americana Museum Auction

I spent some of the best days of my childhood playing in his museum - a converted 3-story chicken house at Hudson's Corner, Maryland - so it's sad to see the antiques he loved and worked so hard to collect dispersed like this. Hopefully the county will use proceeds from the auction to build a new museum to house a streamlined collection of his Eastern Shore Americana. 

The photos and item list should give you an idea of what's being auctioned.

http://www.prauctions.net/Details.aspx?auctionID=247 

And that's only a partial listing!

If you've ever had an interest in American history, culture and agriculture, you'll probably never see a collection like this under one roof again.

Thank you.

Dean White

Salisbury Police Department Press Release

On April 4, 2011 at approximately 12:34 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police were on routine patrol in the area of North Salisbury Boulevard and Dover Street and conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by the below listed suspect for traffic violations. During the traffic stop the officers observed suspicious activity by the suspect which caused the officers to question the suspect about controlled dangerous substances. The suspect voluntarily gave the officers a quantity of suspected marijuana and a smoking device containing suspected marijuana.

ARRESTED: Henry Thor Gonzalez, 43 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES:
Possession of marijuana
Possession of CDS/Paraphernalia

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 201100012474

Fundraiser