Thursday, April 21, 2011

LOST DOG: UPDATE

We just found him! your blog is the best! someone saw his pic and called people and it got back that a neighbor found him and was keeping him until they found the owner!.

Thank you!!
Chris

I have lost my dog. He was last at 604 Pine Bluff Rd Salisbury Md. His name is Buddy he is a 4 lb grey Yorkie.

Chris

Salisbury City Council Budget Schedule, Agenda Changes Explained

At the first work session of the newly reorganized Salisbury City Council, held Tuesday, schedule and agenda changes were made, then announced. The council hopes the changes will achieve a higher level of public access to budget information and gain a broader view of the city’s financial needs at the start of the budget process.

Among the changes were:

• Cancellation of the first budget meeting that was to be held tonight, with budget overview items moved to the April 25 legislative session;

• The addition of a council planning work session at 1:30 p.m. on April 25; and

• A change of time and agenda of the budget session scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, so that most department heads can meet jointly with council during the meeting from 1 to 6 p.m.

In a brief statement, the new council president, Terry Cohen, expressed appreciation to the newly seated council and to the administration for its efforts to accommodate the changes.

"Starting the budget process on the night before a holiday weekend is hard on the public and on staff. Council members did a commendable job, staying late at their very first work session to exchange ideas and start a diligent effort to work together productively," Cohen said. "My appreciation goes out to them, as well as to our mayor and administration for their efforts in trying to accommodate these requests."

Council Vice President Debbie Campbell added, "I am very pleased that, among other things, the council reached unanimous consensus to add the general fund discussion – usually saved for budget work session – to the legislative agenda for this Monday night, showing a desire to be more inclusive of the public and to make information regarding the financial health of the city more accessible."

Prior to Monday night’s session, the council will meet from 1:30 to 3:30 for prioritizing issues and planning workload. The meeting will incorporate similar feedback to be gained in a meeting scheduled earlier that day between council leadership and the mayor, along with key staff members.

Tuesday, the budget process of sessions between council and department heads start. The council changed the time to an afternoon period and is requesting to gather heads of departments at one time, starting at 1 p.m.

"Our hope is to enable both staff and council to have more interactive and collaborative budget discussions, a look at the overall picture at the beginning of the budget process so we can all better understand what the numbers mean to needs and delivery of service," Cohen noted.

For more information, contact the city clerk’s office at 410-548-3140, or contact Council President Cohen at 410-845-0296 or via email, Terry@TerryCohen.com.

Wor-Wic

"One of its employees of 23 years was escorted out of the building similar to what happened at HSB recently."

WICOMICO COUNTY NICKEL TAX CALCULATOR UP & RUNNING ON WEBSITE

WICOMICO COUNTY “TAX CALCULATOR” UP & RUNNING ON COUNTY WEBSITE

In presenting the proposed Fiscal Year 2012 Budget to the Wicomico County Council on April 19^th, County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., promised that a “tax calculator” to measure the suggested nickel tax increase would be on the county website “as soon as possible.” Mr. Pollitt announced today that, “It is up and running.”

The Wicomico County website is http://www.wicomicocounty.org/. On the homepage, there is a column on the right called “What’s New?” At the top of that column is a link titled “Proposed Tax Rate Comparison Calculator.” Users are advised to click on that link to go to the calculator.

There are two steps. If you do not know your most recent assessment value, the first is a link to the State of Maryland Real Property Database where users can access that information. County officials urge users to follow the directions carefully when they reach the link. The second is the calculator. Users may simply enter their assessment value, click on “calculate” and the device will provide specific numbers of the impact of the proposed nickel increase on the user.

In announcing the calculator, Mr. Pollitt said that, “I want to take the guess work out of this for our tax payers. I have proposed a nickel tax increase to maintain vital county services. I want the property owner to know exactly how much this is going to cost.”

The calculator does not take into effect changes in assessment from year-to-year or effects of the Homestead Credit. It is intended merely to define the effect of a nickel tax increase.

A Letter To The Editor

Hey Joe,

My concern today is the busing of students from city schools to county schools. The twin students who recorded the bathroom fights from Bennett Middle then placed them on Youtube are now attending Pittsville Middle and Mardela Middle. It was clearly deemed "gang related". They should be expelled if they have previous referrals/suspensions or sent to Choices-the county's alternative school. Our tax dollars, don't forget I pay taxes too, are being spent to bus these kids 15 miles away! Each way! Have you seen the price of gas recently? One kid, that far!?!

Proposed Wicomico Tax Hike Impacts More Than Just Real Property Taxes

During his budget message on Tuesday, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt proposed a $0.05 increase in the county’s real property tax rate. This would increase the tax rate from 75.9 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value to 80.9 cents, a 6.59% increase. However, if adopted, this proposed rate increase would also impact two other taxes paid by Wicomico County businesses.

All businesses in Wicomico County pay a personal property tax. This tax, set by Maryland law, is 250% of the real property tax rate. Each year businesses file a return with the county and pay the tax based on the depreciated value of all plant, property, and equipment. This includes furnishings and office equipment.

Some businesses do qualify for a personal property tax exemption for the purchase of new manufacturing equipment. All such exemptions have to be approved by the county council and are contingent upon the businesses adding to their workforce.

Some Wicomico businesses also pay an inventory tax. While we were not able to confirm this, Wicomico County is reported to be the only county in Maryland that assesses a personal property tax on inventory. The rate is the same as the personal property rate and is based on 35% of the value of the inventory.

In a conversation with Pollitt on Monday evening, he explained that the proposed rate real property rate increase was a necessary and a by-product of the revenue cap.

“Over the past several years, we have seen the rate go down because of the cap. Now, if we want to attempt to maintain the same level of services, the tax rate has to go up.”

Many citizens, and some members of the county council, have already expressed concern about the proposed rate increases. Because the personal property rate is tied to the real property rate, concern has been expressed regarding a potential impact on local employment and economic growth.

We called Wicomico Finance Director Pat Petersen to get an explanation of the personal property tax system. While explaining the system she also noted that, because the personal property rate was tied to the real property rate, area businesses have seen a decline in their personal property (and inventory tax) bills over the past several years.

What the final tax rates will be depends on the county council. They can accept Pollitt’s budget (with the included rate hikes) or find enough savings in the budget to remediate all or part of the proposed rate increase.

Dems Turn On Obama In Debt Fight

Obama's own party starts to pressure him to tie spending cuts to a vote on raising the debt limit, even as the administration expresses confidence that Congress will ultimately raise the cap.

Sheriff's department spokesman: 'This type of first-degree murder is unimaginable'

SUMMERFIELD, Florida — When Seath Tyler Jackson received a text message Sunday afternoon from a 15-year-old ex-girlfriend saying she wanted to rekindle their romance and that they should meet at a central Florida house, a female friend of Jackson's sensed something wasn't right.

"I wouldn't fall for that," 16-year-old Brittnay Jones told Jackson, she recalled to The Associated Press.

The 15-year-old Jackson ignored his friend's advice and went Sunday to a house in Summerfield, northwest of Orlando.

Somerset County Sheriff's Office Press Release

On 4-14-11 Deputies responded to the Washington High School, Westover regarding a disturbance with two students. Deputies learned that the two students were being suspended, and they refused to leave the school. Deputies arrested Alfonzo Lamar Jackson of Manokin, and a juvenile for disturbing school functions. Both subjects were released pending court actions.

Darren Terrell Whittington of Princess Anne, arrested 4-14-11 regarding possession of suspected marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a second degree assault warrant through the Princess Anne Police Department. Deputies investigated a parked vehicle located around the playground area of the Somers Place Apartments, Princess Anne and identified the occupants. A wanted check was conducted, and revealed that the rear seat passenger, Darren Whittington was wanted through the Princess Anne Police Department. After Whittington was taken into custody, Deputies recovered several small baggies of suspected marijuana. Whittington was arrested and later released on personal recognizance.

Ralph Kevin Byrd of Salisbury, arrested 4-14-11 on a warrant regarding failing to appear in court. Byrd was later held on a $1,800 bond.

Jacqueline Marie Applegate of Princess Anne, arrested 4-14-11 on a warrant regarding violation of probation. Applegate was later held on a $ 5,000 bond.

Norma Gayle Jones of Princess Anne, arrested 4-14-11 on a warrant regarding failing to comply with a peace order. Jones was later released on personal recognizance.

Marco Curtis Lockwood of Newark Maryland, arrested 4-18-11 on a warrant regarding violation of probation. Lockwood was later held on a $ 25,000 bond.

Brandon Leigh Barkley of Salisbury, arrested 4-18-11 on a warrant regarding failing to appear in court. Barkley was later held on a $ 10,000 bond.

Eric Dwayne Dixon of Easton Maryland, arrested 4-19-11 on a warrant regarding violation of probation. Dixon was later held on a $ 10,000 bond.

Floyd Thomas Bivens Jr. of Norfolk Virginia, arrested 4-20-11 on a warrant regarding violation of probation. Bivens was later released after posting a $ 25,000 bond.

Robert David Hooks of Crisfield, arrested 4-20-11 on a warrant regarding failing to register/or advise of new address regarding the sex offender registry. Hooks was later held without bond.

Robert Earl brown of Princess Anne, arrested 4-20-11 on a warrant regarding failing to appear in court. Brown was later held on a $ 500.00 bond.

These Girls Are Awesome!

Michigan: Police Search Cell Phones During Traffic Stops

ACLU seeks information on Michigan program that allows cops to download information from smart phones belonging to stopped motorists.

The Michigan State Police have a high-tech mobile forensics device that can be used to extract information from cell phones belonging to motorists stopped for minor traffic violations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan last Wednesday demanded that state officials stop stonewalling freedom of information requests for information on the program.

ACLU learned that the police had acquired the cell phone scanning devices and in August 2008 filed an official request for records on the program, including logs of how the devices were used. The state police responded by saying they would provide the information only in return for a payment of $544,680. The ACLU found the charge outrageous.

"Law enforcement officers are known, on occasion, to encourage citizens to cooperate if they have nothing to hide," ACLU staff attorney Mark P. Fancher wrote. "No less should be expected of law enforcement, and the Michigan State Police should be willing to assuage concerns that these powerful extraction devices are being used illegally by honoring our requests for cooperation and disclosure."

A US Department of Justice test of the CelleBrite UFED used by Michigan police found the device could grab all of the photos and video off of an iPhone within one-and-a-half minutes. The device works with 3000 different phone models and can even defeat password protections.

"Complete extraction of existing, hidden, and deleted phone data, including call history, text messages, contacts, images, and geotags," a CelleBrite brochure explains regarding the device's capabilities. "The Physical Analyzer allows visualization of both existing and deleted locations on Google Earth. In addition, location information from GPS devices and image geotags can be mapped on Google Maps."

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FAA Fires Air Traffic Controllers For Sleeping

New rules being brought in covering flights carrying the first lady or vice president

WASHINGTON — New rules are going into effect for how air traffic controllers handle flights when the first lady or the vice president are on board following an aborted landing of a plane carrying Michelle Obama this week.

It was also announced Wednesday that two air traffic controllers had been fired for sleeping on the job.

Flights carrying Mrs. Obama or Vice President Joe Biden will be handled by an air traffic supervisor rather than a controller, the FAA said.

The new rules apply to approaches and departures handled by a regional air traffic facility in Warrenton, Va., and takeoffs and landings at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland where the presidential fleet is based.

Flights with the president on board are already required to be handled by a supervisor.

Are you for or against speed cameras near schools in Wicomico County?

Chuck Campbell Officially Out Of Hospital

After a double lung transplant, Chuck Campbell is out of the Hospital and one step closer to returning to the Eastern Shore. After learning he was going to be released Chuck said, "Hmmmmm...decisions, decisions. Mexican or crabs tonite?"

Have a crab taco Chuck!

Illegal Immigrants To Pay More At New Jersey College

RANDOLPH, N.J. -- Illegal immigrants will no longer pay in-county tuition to attend the County College of Morris.

The board of trustees on Wednesday reversed a policy it approved in February that ended a 10-year ban on admission imposed after the 9-11 attacks for illegal immigrants who live in Morris County. The board granted said they could pay lower in-county rates.

The Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Kansas, has succeeded in attracting plenty of attention by holding prominent protests at the funerals of fallen U.S. military soldiers and Marines.

In March, they scored a big legal victory when the Supreme Court decided in an eight to one ruling that the First Amendment protects Westboro members, and that their speech cannot be restricted simply because “it is upsetting or arouses contempt.”

Now a bipartisan coalition of U.S. Senators is stepping into the fray, proposing legislation that will set boundaries for those seeking to disrupt military funerals.

The SERVE Act would ban disruptive noise for a period of two hours before and after the funeral, and create a 300 foot buffer around the funeral services.

“Families of military servicemen and women should have the right, the ability to lay their loved ones to rest with dignity and peace,” Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., one of the bill’s sponsors says. Rubio predicts swift passage of the measure, adding, “I can’t imagine anyone being against it, at least no one in their right mind.”

GE Net Income Rises 77 Percent In 1Q

NEW YORK — General Electric Co. said Thursday that earnings jumped 77 percent in the first quarter, led by strong results in its financial services business.

The company's lending arm, GE Capital, has experienced big profit increases during the past few quarters. That's a sharp contrast from a few years ago, when risky loans forced GE to book huge write-downs in its lending business.

"As today's results show, GE has emerged from the recession a stronger, more competitive company," GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said in a statement.

General Electric reported net income of $3.43 billion, or 31 cents per share, for the three months ended March 31. That compares with $1.95 billion, or 17 cents per share, in the same period last year.

Revenue increased 6 percent to $38.45 billion.

Delegate Seeks Illegal Immigrant Tuition Referendum

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ/WUSA)-- It was a heated debate in Annapolis among lawmakers. And now that it's passed, the arguments continue to get more heated. The latest is a lawsuit and referendum.

Debate over illegal immigrants qualifying for in-state tuition is far from over.

"It's breaking my heart; this is my dream. I want to go to college," said Roberto.

The law goes into effect this summer unless a call for a referendum comes together in time.

"You can't have people violating the law and then receiving a benefit," said State Delegate Pat McDonough, R-Baltimore County. "Maryland has become the Disneyland of America for illegal immigrants."

Click on image to enlarge.

Delaware Senate Bill 5

Hey Joe!

I am an avid reader of SBYNEWS! Although I live in DE, I just wanted to pass along breaking news about Delaware Senate Bill 5 that trying to push all Technical Schools in the state under one district. Simply bad for kids and the citizens of DE because it would raise taxes and destroy the current education model these schools have built. Please see http://www.stopsb5.org/ for more information.

Obama Snubs Issa On Subpoena

For the first time since Republicans took control of the House and gained the power of congressional subpoena, the Obama administration has declined to comply with a subpoena issued by top GOP oversight official Rep. Darrell Issa.

In the face of a subpoena by Issa, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) provided no documents by the April 13 deadline, according to an April 20 letter from Issa to ATF’s director, Kenneth Melson.

Issa is threatening contempt proceedings if ATF does not comply.

At issue are documents related to Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious, in which ATF allowed American guns to be smuggled into Mexico and sold to Mexican drug cartels. The goal of the program was to track the illegal weapons and drug markets after they were used in crimes and abandoned using ballistics information and serial numbers for the guns.

A spokesman for ATF declined to comment about the matter saying, “we can’t respond to the media or anyone else until we respond to the chairman himself.”

But in an April 13 letter to Issa, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Welch cited the Justice Department’s policy not to disclose details about “ongoing criminal investigations” as a reason not to comply with the document demand.

Issa says the objection is spurious.
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Why Do 3 Supporters Own Obama Home?

Barack Obama is not among at least three people listed as current owners and taxpayers of the mansion his family calls home in Chicago's upscale Kenwood neighborhood, according to public records.
WND reported in December 2008 that William Miceli, the attorney for convicted political operative Tony Rezko and a fundraiser for Obama, owns the Obama home at 5046 S. Greenwood.
Miceli is a lawyer at the Chicago law firm Miner, Barnhill & Galland, which employed Obama when he did legal work for Rezko.

Now, WND has discovered that, along with Miceli, there are at least two other people listed in public records as owners and taxpayers of 5046 S. Greenwood in the South Side neighborhood of Kenwood, an oasis of pricey homes that has attracted professors at nearby University of Chicago.

The Cook County Recorder of Deeds website shows the property was purchased by the Northern Trust Company, with the mortgage recorded Dec. 19, 2005. The records suggest a Northern Trust Company trust, perhaps headed by Miceli, was the deed holder.

There are no Cook County records that show Barack or Michelle Obama own 5046 S. Greenwood Ave., although the likelihood is that the couple are the owners of the Northern Trust Company trust established to buy the property.

Rezko found the new residence for Obama when the Rezko family lived across the street.

In the 2008 presidential campaign, Rezko's role in the purchase created a scandal that threatened to derail Obama's presidential hopes. The list price for the home was $1.95 million. But the Obamas reportedly were able to negotiate a price of $1.65 million when Tony Rezko's wife, Rita Rezko, closed on the purchase of an adjacent vacant lot for $625,000 on the same day. The Obamas later bought one-sixth of the adjacent lot from Rita Rezko, creating a buffer.

Obama was grilled on the transactions before the election in meetings with the editorial staff of Chicago's two major newspapers, the Sun-Times and the Tribune. He admitted to the Sun-Times that it was a "boneheaded move" but denied he coordinated the purchase with the Rezkos. Critics pointed out that any coordination with supporters would be a clear violation of Senate ethic rules.

Now, a search of records shows that, in addition to Miceli, the Obama mansion is owned by Chicago Probate Judge Jane L. Stuart and Obama accountant Harvey Wineberg, both of whom are paying taxes on the property.

WND was assisted in the inquiry by an expert debt collector who had access to professional databases used by debt collection agencies and skip-tracing companies with proprietary "skip-trace" software designed to find debtors who have attempted to run away to avoid payment.

There's more at WND

Federal Borrowing On Pace To Hit Debt Limit In Less Than Week

Federal borrowing is on pace to hit the legal limit on the national debt in less than a week.

As set in a law passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama on Feb. 12, 2010, the legal limit on the national debt is $14.2940 trillion. As of the close of business Tuesday, according to the Daily Treasury Statement released at 4:00 pm today, the portion of the national debt subject to this legal limit was $ 14.268365 trillion. (The total national debt, including the portion exempted from the legal limit, was $14.3205 trillion.)

This left the U.S. Treasury with the authority to borrow only an additional $25.635 billion before it hits the statutory debt limit.

On April 4, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) in order to warn Congress that the Treasury was approaching the legal debt limit. In an appendix to this letter, Geithner pointed to the rapid pace at which new debt was accumulating.

“On average,” Geithner wrote, “the public debt of the United States increases by approximately $125 billion per month (although there are significant variations from month to month).”

In a 31-day month, $125 billion in new debt works out to an average of $4.03 billion in new debt per day. At that pace, the $25.635 billion in legal borrowing authority the Treasury had left at the close of business on Tuesday would be exhausted in less than seven days.More

‘SAVEGO’ Plan Presented As Way Out Of Debt Standoff

A bipartisan think tank has circulated a proposal it believes could be a way out of the debt ceiling standoff between the White House and Congress.

The Bipartisan Policy Center on Monday began circulating a proposal called SAVEGO to the Senate Gang of Six and other key budget players as a plan that could be linked to a hike in the debt ceiling increase. The administration says the ceiling must be raised by no later than July 8.

The proposal includes discretionary spending caps, as well as mandatory cuts to entitlements and tax earmarks if debt targets are not met.

The Bipartisan Policy Center was asked by the Gang of Six and other budget players in the House and Senate to come up with ideas for process reforms such as the SAVEGO plan, said the Center's Steve Bell.

It is unclear to what extent the Center's proposal could be woven into a proposal by the Gang of Six, but former Clinton budget director Alice Rivlin and former Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) have discussed the concepts with members in private meetings.

Bell expects the proposal to get a close examination as deficit talks led by Vice President Joe Biden kick off in early May.

Those talks are aimed in part at convincing conservatives to agree to raise the debt ceiling.

President Obama has proposed and the Gang of Six has discussed triggers that would link the size of the national debt to gross domestic product (GDP), but Republicans complain the triggers are not binding.

The Center also argues that these proposals are not firm enough, and that SAVEGO is closer to Republican demands for spending cuts of a pre-determined size.

The SAVEGO proposal includes entitlement spending and would set a firmer trigger than the Obama proposal.

More here

Rep. Peter King Challenges Holder On Muslim Terrorist Funding

Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, New York Republican Rep. Peter T. King is demanding answers from Attorney General Eric Holder, calling on Holder to explain to why the Justice Department decided not to prosecute the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) in a Hamas terror finance case.

In a letter to Holder, King questions the credibility of Justice Department for deciding not to prosecute the aforementioned actors in United States v. Holy Land Foundation.

“I have been reliably informed that the decision not to seek indictments of the Council on American Islamic Relations (“CAIR”) and its co-founder Omar Ahmad, the Islamic Society of North America (“ISNA”), and the North American Islamic Trust (“NAIT”), was usurped by high-ranking officials at Department of Justice headquarters over the vehement and stated objections of special agents and supervisors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dallas, who had investigated and successfully prosecuted the Holy Land Foundation case,” King wrote. “Their opposition to this decision raises serious doubt that the decision not to prosecute was a valid exercise of prosecutorial discretion.”

King requests that Holder respond to his questions by April 25th, including the reason Justice did not pursue cases against the three groups and Omar Ahmad (co-founder of CAIR and former head of a Muslim Brotherhood branch); the person behind the decision to drop the case and if the decision involved anybody from the executive branch; and how will concerns about these groups funding terrorists be handled in the future.

King cites a previously sealed “Memorandum Opinion Order” from United States District Judge Jorge A. Solis who refused the three group’s earlier requests not to have their names listed as unindicted co-conspirators.

“Judge Solis found that the ‘Government has produced ample evidence to establish the associations of CAIR, ISNA and NAIT with [the Holy Land Foundation, ‘HLF’], the Islamic Association for Palestine (‘IAP), and with Hamas.’ The Court found that the evidence was ‘sufficient to show the association of these entities with HLF, IAP, and Hamas,’” wrote King, clarifying that that State Department has listed Hamas as a terrorist organization since 1997.

Read more

General Assembly Moves Forward With More Transparency

Maryland made strides toward getting more of its government information easily accessible to the public during the last General Assembly session, but transparency advocates say there is still a long way for the state to go. “There is always room to improve the transparency of government,” said Jack Murphy, executive director of the Maryland-DC Press Association.

Continue Reading...

State Housing Department Headquarters Declared Surplus, Ready For Sale

The Crownsville headquarters of the Department of Housing and Community Development was formally declared surplus on Wednesday, meaning the state is free to sell it and move forward with plans to relocate the agency to Prince George’s County. Wednesday’s resolution, passed unanimously by the Board of Public Works, is the next step in the long process to jump-start transit-oriented development in Prince George’s County by relocating the agency to a new location near a Metro station.

Continue Reading...

Gas Prices Increase -- Again

WASHINGTON - Gas prices are not letting up. All grades of gasoline increased in price over the past week, according to WTOP's Price at the Pump survey.

The overall average for regular unleaded is now $3.96 a gallon, up a nickel from the week before.

Mid-grade is up a nickel as well at $4.14 a gallon.

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Dish Network Will Assume Leases Of More Than 500 Blockbuster Stores

Dish Network, the proud winner of the auction for Blockbuster, will play around with its new toy by not letting it completely vanish.

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Vicodin: The Most Popular Prescription Pill In America's Medicine Cabinet

With the White House and the FDA dreaming up ways to curb the pain-pill problem in the U.S., we got to wondering just what are the most popular (legal) drugs in the country? Thankfully, the folks at Time.com were thinking about the same thing, because they put together a handy/dandy list of the 10 most-prescribed meds, none of which is Viagra.

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Library E-Books Finally Come To The Kindle

Kindle users, fire up your brains for even more delicious books. Amazon announced earlier today that the OverDrive ebook library lending system is coming to the Kindle platform. The technology is already available on competing book replacement devices, the Nook and Kobo. Kindle Library Lending will give Kindle users access through the 11,000 public and school/college libraries that are already part of OverDrive.

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Arizona Sheriff Pushes Online 'Mugshot Of The Day' Contest

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

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says the contest will highlight the work his office does as well as help solve older crimes.

Tense Obama Interview: Tough Questions or Rude?

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

A chilly interview with a local reporter has some asking is Obama messing with Texas or is Texas messing with him?

Stakes High in 'Anti-Poker Crusades'

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

Wednesday, authorities announced plans to re-open online gambling sites in order to give account holders their money back.

Terrorist Alert Warning

The government is retiring its color-coded terror alert system. Instead, there will be just two levels of warnings: elevated and imminent. And, those will only be relayed to the public under certain circumstances, sometimes via Facebook and Twitter. The plan states that before an official alert is issued, there is a multi-step process, starting with intelligence sharing among the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center and the White House. If the threat is considered serious enough, a Homeland Security official will call for a meeting of a special counterterrorism advisory board, which will decide whether to issue an alert. The new system will be in place next week.

TSA Can't Make Up Their Minds

Transportation Security Administration will have to vote one more time to select a union. Yesterday's vote count failed to produce a majority of the 19,575 votes cast. That's because of the large number of workers who voted to have no union representation. The American Federation of Government Employees received about 8,400 votes, and the National Treasury Employees Union about 8,100. But more than 3,000 airport screeners voted to have no union. A runoff election without the no-union selection will take place in the next few weeks. The Unions meet today with the Federal Labor Relations Authority to work out details.

Taxed Enough Already?

Tea Party Rallies Significantly Smaller This Year Than Last

Yesterday was tax day and as in previous years, Tea Party activists rallied across the country on the movement's most significant organizing day since it exploded on tax day 2009. But asobserverswonderif the movement iswaning in popularity, a ThinkProgress analysis found that in many cities, turnout was significantly lower at this year’s rallies than those on tax days in 2010 and 2009.

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Americans For Prosperity Praises Rep. Harris

Americans for Prosperity Praises Rep. Harris for voting to Cut the Budget, Honoring Campaign Promises

Over 100 AFP members from the 1^st Congressional District met with Rep. Andy Harris before AFP’s Cut Spending Now Rally on April 6^thencouraging him to fight for effective budget cuts. Since that meeting Rep Harris backed up his rhetoric by responsibly voting for Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget reforms.

“Congressman Harris is showing real leadership and honesty to his constituents by backing up his promises with action since the election” said Charles Lollar, State Director, AFP. “With America facing a $14 trillion debt we need more policy makers to make sure the 2010 referendum on Congress from the American People is enacted by cutting spending now.”

Last year’s Democratic controlled Congress failed to fund the government for the remainder of this fiscal year. Congressman Harris voted against the continuing resolutions because the total amounts of cuts were not equal to the pledged cuts.

“Getting serious about reducing spending must be our elected officials’ number one priority. Though the spending cuts in the continuing resolutions were a good start, we’re proud to see Rep. Harris to stand up to all of Congress advocating for full meaningful cuts in all budgetary bills.”

Former New Mexico Governor To Announce Presidential Bid

The former Governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson, is scheduled to announce that he will run for president in 2012, The Hillreports. Johnson, a Republican, is known for his anti-conformism and libertarian views, with many of his policies breaking party lines and endorsing measures that are controversial among other GOP candidates. Johnson's presidential platform includes a call to withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq, support for reproduction rights and the legalization of marijuana.

Source

BP Makes Big Contributions To GOP Leaders

ThinkProgressreportsthat oil company British Petroleum (BP) broke a self-imposed freeze on political contributions to make big donations to a few key Republicans in Congress, as well as some of the party's electoral campaigns. BP gave $5,000 each to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-California) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Michigan), who is the chairman of the Energy Committee. Upton was the only one of the three to return the contribution. Other GOP leaders received between $1,000 and $3,000, while the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee got $10,000.

Source

Aberdeen Proving Ground Explosions Felt As Far As Delaware

By Jessica Anderson, The Sun (Baltimore)
An Edgewood woman reported on the Aberdeen Proving Ground Facebook page Tuesday hearing three loud blasts, and another woman who lives in Delaware said she felt three loud explosions. They were among several people who complained about blasts from planned detonations at the Harford County military testing base that rocked the area about 6 p.m.

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Fewer Jobs In Maryland, But More People Working

By Jamie Smith Hopkins, The Sun (Baltimore)
Employers in the state cut 5,900 jobs in March, but nearly 12,000 more Marylanders were working, dropping the unemployment rate below 7 percent for the first time in two years, the federal government estimated Tuesday.

TROOPERS INVESTIGATE TWO BODIES FOUND IN SUSQUEHANNA RIVER NEAR CONOWINGO DAM

(CONOWINGO, MD) – Maryland State Police are investigating the deaths of two persons whose bodies were found today in the Susquehanna River, one north and one south of the Conowingo Dam.

The bodies are described only as a female and male, both of whom are adult-sized. Their identifications, races, and ages remain unknown tonight. Both bodies have been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore. Autopsies and efforts to identify both bodies are scheduled for tomorrow.

Shortly after 7:30 a.m. today, two troopers crossing the Conowingo Dam on Rt. 1 were flagged down by persons working on the dam. Workers reported they saw what appeared to be a body in the river near the Harford County end of the dam.

At about 10:00 a.m., Natural Resources Police officers were able to recover the body of the unidentified female from the water. The body was transported to the Glen Cove Marina for further examination by police investigators and a forensic investigator from the medical examiner’s office before transport to Baltimore.

While investigators were continuing to investigate the first body recovery, they were contacted about a second body seen in the water shortly before 2:00 p.m. today. Boaters on the Susquehanna River south of the dam found the body of a man floating in the water. Natural Resources Police recovered that body from the water and again contacted Maryland State Police. The distance between the locations where the bodies were found in the river is between three and four miles.

State Police investigators have sent information about the recovered bodies to police departments in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Efforts are ongoing to identify the bodies and determine the cause and manner of death of each person. The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit is leading the investigations into both deaths.

City Of Salisbury Council Agenda

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.

“Municipal Clerks Week”

6:10 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA – City Clerk Brenda Colegrove

April 18, 2011 minutes 1a
Resolution No. 2047 - accepting a State Homeland Security Grant authorized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Haz-Mat Dry Suits for the Salisbury Fire Department

Resolution No. 2048 - appointment of Timothy K. Spies to the Planning and Zoning Commission

Resolution No. 2049 - authorizing the mayor to sign an amended memorandum of understanding for the Wicomico County Public Entities Healthcare Consortium to change the call percentage from 5% to 7%

Manufacturing exemption request - Spartech Polycom

6:13 p.m. RESOLUTION – Council President Terry E. Cohen

Resolution No. 2050 - committing to the review and formal approval of closed meeting and work session minutes in compliance with the Maryland Open Meetings Act

6:18 p.m. AWARD OF BIDS – Internal Services Director Pam Oland 3

6:23 p.m. ORDINANCES – City Attorney Paul Wilber

Ordinance No. 2147 - 2^nd 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 – 2^nd 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

6:35 p.m. FY2012 BUDGET – Mayor James Ireton, Jr.

Overview of City’s financial condition
General Fund Revenues
Mayor’s FY2012 Budget PowerPoint presentation
Ordinance No. 2150 - 1^st reading - proposed FY2012 Budget and setting 5the date for a public hearing

Ordinance No. 2151 - 1^st reading - proposed water and sewer rates
Ordinance No. 2152 - 1^st reading – amending City parking rates

7:45 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS

8:00 p.m. ADJOURN

APRIL 25, 2011 6:00 p.m.

Government Office Building

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY TO PARTICIPATE IN LAUNCH OF BWTECH@UMBC’S CYBER INCUBATOR

ANNAPOLIS, MD –TOMDAY, Governor Martin O’Malley will join U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and others for a briefing and tour of the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Cyber-Focused Advantage Incubator and the Northrop Grumman Cync Program.

In 16 months, the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park has become a cybersecurity hub, adding 16 companies that are developing the innovative technologies and services needed to secure and protect computer systems. Tomorrow, the Governor will join, bwtech and Northrop Grumman to announce the first two companies that have been selected in a national search to participate in the Northrop Grumman Cync Program, a part of bwtech’s Advantage Incubator focused on companies that are developing new tools to protect the computer hardware, software and networks vital to national defense.

DelDOT Wages Annual Battle With Potholes

Posts a pothole-specific page with frequently asked questions and answers on website

Dover -- While Spring brings forth flowers, there is a less-welcome result of the warmer weather--potholes.

Crews from the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) have been working steadily since the snow melted to repair and prevent potholes, on roads throughout Delaware. DelDOT has an aggressive program of road management to prevent potholes from forming, while also using time-proven strategies for repairing potholes when they do occur.

"Even though we work hard to maintain our roads all year, we always have a Spring crop of potholes," said DelDOT Acting Secretary Cleon Cauley, Sr. "Along with the potholes come questions from state residents about why they occur, how we remedy them, and whether we prioritize some roads for repairs over others. DelDOT's Maintenance & Operations Division has developed a list of Frequently Asked Questions and answers in response to these inquiries."

Potholes are a problem for road maintenance crews because if left unaddressed they can grow in circumference and depth creating even more extensive and costly road damage. They also cause potential traffic hazards for motorists as vehicles seeking to avoid them can make sudden and sometimes unsafe driving maneuvers. Damage to tires, wheels or suspension components also can result when vehicles drive through especially deep potholes.

In Fiscal Year 2010, it cost $2.2 million in material and labor costs to repair the state's potholes. So far this fiscal year, it has cost $900,000.

Pothole FAQ

"We hope that our Pothole FAQ will inform drivers , making them more aware of why they form and what our crews do to make the roads safer and protect our infrastructure investment," Cauley said.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THERE WILL BE NO TRASH REMOVAL ON FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011

DUE TO THE GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY

REGULARLY SCHEDULED FRIDAY PICK UP WILL BE DONE ON

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011.

BULK PICK UP AND LEAF PICKUP WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE.

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL THE CITY YARD

AT 410-548-3177

Common Core Standards Regional Presention May 12 In Caroline County

There has been a lot of information in the media about the new Common Core State Standards. The Maryland State Board of Education adopted these standards in June 2010, and Maryland’s new state curriculum is being written with these standards as the foundation.

The Maryland State Department of Education is conducting four regional meetings to share information about the standards and the new curriculum with all stakeholders.

Presenters will share
• How the Common Core State Standards were developed
• How the new standards compare to the current State Curriculum
• How the new Maryland Common Core State Curriculum Frameworks are being developed
• How the new assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards are being developed
• The timeline for implementation of the new curriculum and the new assessments
• The transition plans for moving to the new curriculum
• Brief descriptions of the curriculum work in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and STEM

The four regional meetings are from 5 – 6:30 PM:

May 5, 2011 Frederick Douglas High School in Prince George’s County

May 12, 2011 Lockerman Middle School in Caroline County

May 17, 2011 North Hagerstown High School in Washington County

May 19, 2011 Magothy River Middle School in Anne Arundel County

Check Out These Spring Concerts And Programs In Wicomico Schools

Wednesday, April 27

Beaver Run Elementary School kindergarten students will present a spring music concert at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, at the school, under the direction of Connie Sue Milbourne. The concert will feature “The Orchestra Song – A Mini Musical.” Admission is free. 410-677-5101.

Thursday, April 28

Wicomico Middle School Talent Show featuring 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Students at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in the Wicomico Middle School auditorium. Wi Middle students share their talents in singing, playing instruments, dancing, magic, comedy, art and poem displays. Teacher/director is Micah Nicholson. Admission $3 adults, $2 students, kids 3 and under free. 410-677-5145.

The James M. Bennett High School Symphonic Band will present its annual Spring Band Concert on Thursday, April 28 at 7 p.m. in the newly renovated Bennett Auditorium. Music featured will be from George Gershwin, Leroy Anderson, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Band’s District Festival repertoire. The Band is under the direction of Douglas L. Miles. The concert is open to the public and admission is always free. 410-677-5141.

HOW'S THIS FOR AN EXPENSIVE BOYS TOY?

This is one absolutely amazing remote controlled [RC] model airplane. Not only did they build its jet engines, but included a retractable landing gear, and built it into a fully scaled model of the SR-71 "Blackbird" that flies just like the real McCoy. This SR-71 model was built by an Engineer / RC enthusiast in Germany , and is certainly one awesome toy.

Click here to watch and listen to it soar. And the landing is Amazing, too.

Attention

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Sheriff's department spokesman: 'This type of first-degree murder is unimaginable'

New rules being brought in covering flights carrying the first lady or vice president

By Jamie Smith Hopkins, The Sun (Baltimore) Employers in the state cut 5,900 jobs in March, but nearly 12,000 more Marylanders were working, dropping the unemployment rate below 7 percent for the first time in two years, the federal government estimated Tuesday.

By Jamie Smith Hopkins, The Sun (Baltimore)
Employers in the state cut 5,900 jobs in March, but nearly 12,000 more Marylanders were working, dropping the unemployment rate below 7 percent for the first time in two years, the federal government estimated Tuesday.