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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Wicomico BOE Members Melt Down in Front of County Council

Two members of the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) displayed open hostility towards the Wicomico County Council this afternoon.  Board president Michelle Wright and board member Ron Willey expressed aversion at having to provide the council with requested information.

Willey argued that since the WCBOE had provided information last year regarding travel expenses, they should not have to do so this year:

“We’re getting grilled. I feel like you are just looking to put your finger on something. You asked for travel last year and now you are asking for them again. You asked for salary information again.”

Councilwoman Stevie Prettyman (R-2) explained that all county departments had to answer the same types of questions each year:

“It is not only our responsibility, it is our duty to scrutinize every penny that the county spends.”

Wright’s response to all county departments having to provide such information was:

“We’re not a county department!”

Wright then attempted to argue that they did not come to discuss the budget.  However, Council President Gail Bartkovich pointed out that this date was the only one which the WCBOE could all come to discuss the budget.  It was their (the WCBOE’s) decision to meet on the budget Tuesday, not the council’s.

Andy Harris to Hold Press Conference Opposing Toll Hikes

What: Rep. Andy Harris, M.D., will a hold press conference with members of the Maryland Legislature to oppose the proposed 320% Bay Bridge toll hike and other toll increases that will hurt Maryland families, Maryland businesses and job creators.

When: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 1:30-2:00 p.m. press conference

Where: 357 Marina Club Road
Stevensville, MD 21666-2601

Who: Karen Oertel

Owner of Harris’ Crab House, a family-owned restaurant

Grasonville, MD

Diana Waterman

Realtor with Coldwell Banker Waterman Realty

Chester, MD

Linda Friday

Executive Director, Queen Anne’s County Chamber of Commerce

Chester, MD

Kay Ewing

Owner of Holly’s Restaurant

Grasonville, MD

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY TO JOIN PORT ADMINISTRATION AT SEMINAR ON BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOLLOWING PORT EXPANSION


ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 17, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley will join the Maryland Port Administration, Ports America Chesapeake, and CSX for a seminar on new container business opportunities at the Port of Baltimore following completed construction of a 50-foot container berth in 2012.  Once the berth is completed, the Port of Baltimore will be only the second East Coast port able to handle supersized container ships that will bring more cargo and will increase jobs at the Port.

Last year, Governor O’Malley broke ground on a project to construct a new 50-foot berth to accommodate the larger containers expected to begin passing through the Panama Canal in 2014, a $105 million project supporting 5,700 jobs.  The project has gained national attention for its public-private partnership with ports America Chesapeake, which entered into a 50-year agreement with the Maryland Port Administration for operations of the Port.


WHAT:           Governor O’Malley, Port Administration to host seminar on Port business opportunities

WHEN:           TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 1:00pm 
(Media should meet MPA representatives in the lobby at 12:45 pm.)  

WHERE:         Baltimore World Trade Center
401 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD  21202

NOTE:            Media interested in attending should RSVP to MPA at (410) 385-4480 or email at cvassallo@marylandports.com  by 4 p.m. TODAY.

Whitehaven Ferry Closed

The Whitehaven Ferry is temporarily closed due to high tide. This could be a somewhat regular occurrence due to high tides running very high this month.

You can expect the Ferry to be back up and running around 4:00 PM today. HOWEVER, please call the Ferry Hot Line at 410-543-2765 regularly to get updates throughout the rest of the month.

Pollitt Announces Results of Retirement Incentive Offer

Earlier in the year, Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., announced a retirement incentive plan for vested county employees as part of the ongoing challenge of balancing the county budget with declining revenues. Mr. Pollitt instructed employees to research their individual options and to make a decision by May 16th. Of the 80 eligible employees, 44 chose to retire effective July 1, 2011. Mr. Pollitt stated, “The Public Information Act prohibits releasing information on individual employees. Accordingly, I cannot share specific names or positions at this time.”

Pollitt said that this action will result in potential savings of under $100,000 in Fiscal Year 2012.  “As I advised the County Council when I announced this program, the real savings will be realized in fiscal years to come in the form of a smaller, restructured county government. Bear in mind that those eligible for this incentive are long-time employees and are entitled to compensation for accrued annual and sick leave, requiring a substantial payout of accruals.”

“This exercise is an opportunity to not only reward faithful county employees for their long and devoted service to the people of Wicomico County,” said Pollitt, “but is a further opportunity to restructure our government in a fashion that is more reflective of the challenging economic times in which we live yet still provide a decent level of county services for our community.”

NOTE TO PRESS RELEASE:  Pollitt had a letter read to the county council during their work session with the Health Department.  SbyNEWS has requested information from the County Executive’s office which will better allow our readers to understand the true impact of this program.  Look for a post in the next couple of days.

Classmates Wanted From 1981 Delmar High School

It’s time for our 30 year Class Reunion
Some of you are missing in action
We need you to contact us as soon as possible.

Or get on Facebook and contact Pam Roberts, Laura Ralph or Tami Harris.

Board Of Education Awards & Recognitions Night Tonight

Salisbury Middle School
A Wicomico County Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 17 at Salisbury Middle School to honor outstanding students, teachers and schools.
410-677-4561.

Jack Johnson Admits To Extortion, Tampering

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) - Former Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson, accused in a widespread probe into pay-to-play business dealings, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of extortion and witness and evidence tampering.

"This has been a very trying time for our family," Johnson said at a press conference following the hearing Tuesday. "I'm very sorry for what happened ... We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the lord."

The plea comes six months after Johnson was overheard in a telephone conversation recorded by the FBI directing his wife to flush down the toilet a $100,000 check from a developer and to conceal nearly $80,000 in cash in her underwear.

Johnson, a Democrat who led the county of more than 860,000 people from 2002 to 2010, was arrested with less than a month left in his term.

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Wicomico Middle School Evacuated

Don't panic just yet. A student pulled a pull alarm inside the school and the school was evacuated. It is a false alarm and parents have nothing to worry about.

Ocean City Police Department Press Release


On Monday, May 16, 2011, the Ocean City Police Department was the proud recipient of 120 ballistic grade ticket books and clipboards, thanks to Hardwire LLC. Representatives from Hardwire LLC, a local armor and survivability company located in Pocomoke, MD, visited the Ocean City Police Department to donate the protective items to be used by OCPD personnel.

The clipboards are manufactured from laser trimmed portions of the same armor being manufactured from their highly successful program to increase the survivability of the HMMWV. In today’s economic environment the ability to make the HMMWV, which the military already owns hundreds of thousands of units, into a vehicle with the same survivability characteristics as a modern tank yet light enough to be rapidly deployed, is the focus of the engineers at Hardwire LLC.

“I feel honored that Hardwire chose to donate these items to local law enforcement,” said Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino. “We are very fortunate for the partnership with Hardwire and local law enforcement. In light of the increase in deaths of police officers due to firearms nationwide, this donation offers our officers additional protection.”

Chief DiPino, who recently toured the secure Hardwire LLC facility, was impressed by the specialized technology and advanced products. “The Hardwire facility is incredible – it looks like something out of a James Bond movie,” said Chief DiPino. “There are a lot of highly confidential products being developed and manufactured by Hardwire. In this time of economic uncertainty I feel extremely privileged that Hardwire has reached out to the Ocean City Police Department and shared some of their survivability knowledge and products to protect the lives of our officers. It’s a clipboard but what it may prevent is almost beyond comprehension.”

HARDWIRE LLC DONATES 120 BALLISTIC TICKET BOOKS & CLIPBOARDS TO OCPD

Ocean City Police Department Press Release

PEDESTRIAN STRUCK ON COASTAL HIGHWAY

On Monday, May 16, 2011, at approximately 3 p.m., Ocean City Police responded to 97th Street and Coastal Highway for a collision involving a pedestrian. The pedestrian, an 89-year-old Ocean City woman, was attempting to cross Coastal Highway from west to east, when she was struck by a southbound vehicle.

The pedestrian, who was not in a crosswalk at the time of the collision, sustained serious injuries. She was taken by Maryland State Police helicopter to Peninsula Regional Medical Center. Ocean City Police are continuing to investigate the collision, however, charges against the driver are not pending at this time.

The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to use marked crosswalks when crossing streets in Ocean City. Pedestrians should not take unnecessary risks crossing busy streets against traffic lights. In addition, pedestrians are encouraged to make eye contact with drivers and continue to watch for traffic the entire time you are in the crosswalk. Motorists should also be extremely vigilant

Ryan Won’t Run for US Senate

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), chairman of the House Budget Committee, has announced that he will not be running for the US Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI).


READ MORE …

Boat Safety Check

This Saturday, May 21st, 2011, the Power Squadron will have a Vessel Safety Check at the Port of Salisbury Marina from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. This service is free of charge and open to the public. Boats on trailers are welcome. All boats will get a sticker once they are approved. Also during this time there will be a Marine Equipment Yard Sale.

Marina Chair, Michael Murray said, “Salisbury Power Squadron is celebrating 70 years of safe boating by educating boaters on the safe navigation of the waterways. Salisbury Power Squadron offers classes starting in basic boating, piloting, advance piloting, navigation, advance navigation, weather and GPS.”

This event is free to the public.

Contact:
Salisbury Marina
410-548-3176

The Mitt Romney Money Machine

Politico reports that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney may not have formerly announced for President, but he sure is raising money in case he does.


READ MORE …

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON BALTIMORE COUNTY HATE CRIME CASE

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 17, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following the hate crime charge in the beating of Chrissy Lee Polis last month in Rosedale:  

“I want to commend Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott D. Shellenberger for using every available means to prosecute the heinous beating of Chrissy Lee Polis last month. 

“Even with Maryland's 'hate crimes' law, it is clear that more must be done to protect the rights and dignity of transgendered people.  In the struggle for justice and equality for all, I'm committed to working with the Maryland General Assembly during the next legislative session to increase awareness and provide even greater protections for transgendered people. 

“As some have noted, out of this awful beating has come a moment to foster a deeper understanding and respect for the dignity of all persons.  We should not allow the moment to pass without greater action.” 

BREAKING NEWS: Baseball Hall Of Famer Harmon Killebrew Dies

Former Minnesota Twins slugger and baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew dies at the age of 74 after battle with cancer.

Former PG County Exec to Plead Guilty

GREENBELT—Former Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson is due in federal court Tuesday to enter a guilty plea to at least one of the corruption charges he faces.
Online court records show Johnson is scheduled for a plea hearing at noon in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.


Johnson was indicted in February on charges that he accepted campaign contributions and other gifts in exchange for helping developers secure millions of dollars in federal grant money. He had initially vowed to fight the accusations.


Johnson and his wife, Leslie, were arrested in November after FBI agents listened to a telephone conversation in which he advised her to flush a $100,000 check from a developer down the toilet. A separate criminal case against Leslie Johnson is pending.


from the Baltimore Sun

Today's Survey Question

Do you believe City & County Employees should get a cost of living pay increase?

CA Assembly Bans Open Carry of UNLOADED Firearms

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The California Assembly has approved a bill to prohibit openly carrying unloaded handguns in public after a debate that pitted gun rights proponents against chiefs of police.

The bill, AB144, makes it a misdemeanor to carry an exposed and unloaded gun in a public place, street or vehicle except in some unincorporated areas. It was approved 45-29 Monday largely along party lines and moves to the Senate.

The bill's author, Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Portantino of La Canada Flintridge, says his bill will improve public safety. It is supported by the California Police Chiefs Association.

Gun rights activists say it infringes on their constitutional right to bear arms. Some have been carrying unloaded weapons in public as a political statement to protest the legislation.

from CNSNews.com

Jerry Lewis Retiring From MDA Telethon In September

LAS VEGAS (AP) - After 45 years promoting treatment and a cure for children he calls "my kids," comedian Jerry Lewis announced Monday he is retiring as host of the Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon that has become synonymous with his name.

Lewis, 85, issued a statement through the association calling it "time for an all new Telethon era."

"As a labor of love, I've hosted the annual Telethon since 1966 and I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, `You'll Never Walk Alone,'" Lewis said of a shortened six-hour primetime broadcast scheduled for Sept. 4.

Lewis, a Las Vegas resident, has in recent years battled a debilitating back condition, heart issues and the crippling lung disease pulmonary fibrosis. He said he'll continue serving as national Muscular Dystrophy Association chairman, as he's done since the early 1950s.

"I'll never desert MDA and my kids," he said.

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STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY FOLLOWING GROUNDBREAKING AT GM POWERTRAIN BALTIMORE

WHITE MARSH, MD (May 17, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following the groundbreaking at GM’s Powertrain Baltimore, making GM the first U.S. automaker to develop and manufacture electric motors for plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles. In January 2010, GM announced that it would build a manufacturing facility at the existing White Marsh plant to manufacture its Global Rear Wheel Drive motors for GM electric cars.  Through an innovative public-private partnership, the new facility is expected to create approximately 190 jobs.

“Maryland is a national leader of discovery and innovation. It is fitting that traditional manufacturers like GM would choose Maryland to embrace the new technologies that will move our economy forward and create jobs. 

“We are proud to be home to the GM Baltimore Transmission Plant, the first to produce these engines of the future to power the next generation of GM vehicles.  This new facility will not only help preserve our resources for generations to come, but it will save and create jobs for Maryland moms and dads, allowing our state and our children be winners in this new economy.”

Fruitland Police Department Press Release

DATE & TIME: May 16, 2011 @ 7:54 p.m.
INCIDENT: Theft
LOCATION: Cartwright Avenue Fruitland, Maryland
CASE NO.: 2011-526

PERSON CHARGED: CAROLINE ANN BONNEVILLE W/F
AGE: 19
ADDRESS: Sea Tick Road Eden, Maryland

CHARGES:
Theft under $1000
MDOP

DISPOSITION: Released to custody of WCDC

Resume’

On the above date and time officers responded to Cartwright Avenue, Fruitland reference a theft that had just occurred. The suspect was being followed by the complainant. Contact was made with both the complainant and the suspect Investigation revealed that the suspect removed a wallet from the complainant’s mother’s purse and from the wallet removed currency. The suspect then exited the residence through a rear window damaging the window blinds and screen. The complainant’s mother was able to provide the exact amount of currency taken and that same amount was found in the possession of the suspect. The suspect was arrested and transported to WCDC and remanded to the custody of Central Booking.

Mom Reportedly Loses Custody Of Daughter After Revealing Girl's Botox Injections

SAN FRANCISCO -- The mom who admitted on national television to injecting her eight-year-old daughter with Botox has lost custody of the child, according to a report on "Good Morning America," as some doubt began to emerge Monday about her story.

Kerry Campbell appeared on the morning show last week, explaining how she administers Botox to help her daughter, Britney, compete in beauty pageants.

On Friday, the San Francisco Human Services Agency began investigating Campbell after an outcry over the interview.

"It's pretty unusual for a mom to be injecting an eight-year-old with Botox and certainly is grounds for an investigation," Trent Rohrer, from the San Francisco Human Services Agency said.

On Monday, GMA reported the child was no longer living at home with her mother.

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Obama Lists Assets Worth Millions

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama has at least $4 million in personal assets and income, including book royalties, retirement funds, U.S. Treasury bills and notes and other holdings, according to a financial disclosure statement made public Monday.

A blog post on the White House website by Counsel to the President Bob Bauer said the report complies with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, which requires top federal officials to publicly disclose their personal financial interests.

"The public filing system serves to prevent financial conflicts of interest by providing for a systematic review of the finances of government officials," Bauer wrote in the blog post. He added that Obama has no conflicts of interest.

Determining Obama's exact holdings from the report was impossible because it provided a range for the amounts of assets in different categories. According to the document, the minimum amount of the president's holdings is about $4 million, and the real figure could more than triple that.

For example, the president's report showed at least $1.1 million in book royalties, as well as more than $2 million in U.S. Treasury notes and U.S. Treasury bills. Within the range for those assets provided by the report, the book royalties could be as much as $5 million, and the Treasury holdings could total as much as $10 million.

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LED Bulbs Hit 100 Watts As Federal Ban Looms

NEW YORK – Two leading makers of lighting products are showcasing LED bulbs that are bright enough to replace energy-guzzling 100-watt light bulbs set to disappear from stores in January.

Their demonstrations at the LightFair trade show in Philadelphia this week mean that brighter LED bulbs will likely go on sale next year, but after a government ban takes effect.

The new bulbs will also be expensive — about $50 each — so the development may not prevent consumers from hoarding traditional bulbs.

The technology in traditional "incandescent" bulbs is more than a century old. Such bulbs waste most of the electricity that feeds them, turning it into heat. The 100-watt bulb, in particular, produces so much heat that it's used in Hasbro's Easy-Bake Oven.

To encourage energy efficiency, Congress passed a law in 2007 mandating that bulbs producing 100 watts worth of light meet certain efficiency goals, starting in 2012. Conventional light bulbs don't meet those goals, so the law will prohibit making or importing them. The same rule will start apply to remaining bulbs 40 watts and above in 2014. Since January, California has already banned stores from restocking 100-watt incandescent bulbs.

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Little Maryland Can Do To Fight Gas Prices: AG

Maryland's attorney general is inquiring why gas prices were jacked up last week, but there's little he can do to bring them down.

U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) wants passage of legislation that would end $4 billion a year in subsidies and tax breaks for the five biggest oil companies in the U.S. He and Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler are looking for ways to protect Maryland consumers from high gas prices.

Prices were jacked up 25 cents per gallon at some stations last week. They had rolled back a dime at some stations in Maryland Monday, but few Maryland motorists notice any relief at the pump.

As the owner of an SUV filled her tank with diesel Monday, she exclaimed, "$99! That's even high for me."

Royals Pitcher Allows 14 Runs In Less Than 3 Innings

Indians give Mazzaro, K.C. a royal beating

Royals' reliever first ever to allow 14 runs in less than 3 innings pitched

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Vin Mazzaro made major league history.

It cost him his spot in the big leagues.

The Royals reliever gave up 14 runs and got just seven outs against the Cleveland Indians, who beat Kansas city 19-1 Monday night. He was sent down to the minors after the game.

No pitcher has allowed 14 runs in fewer innings than Mazzaro, according to STATS LLC, whose database goes back to 1919.

"It's tough. It was a tough game," said Mazzaro, whose ERA is now 22.74. "Some of the plays didn't go my way. It's a funny game."

Only a handful of relief outings have gone worse. They all were longer, or included unearned runs.

Homebuilders Settle Stormwater Lawsuits By EPA And Md.

The final chapter in federal efforts to enforce water regulations at construction sites in Maryland was written in February when Beazer Homes USA finalized a civil consent degree with the Environmental Protection Agency for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act. Beazer is one of six homebuilders in the state that the EPA charged with violations of the act.

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Don't Panic - Why The Debt Limit Won't Affect Your TSP

Now that the government has officially reached the $14.3 trillion debt limit, the Treasury Department has stopped issuing securities to the Thrift Savings Plan's G Fund so the government can continue borrowing. However, TSP participants shouldn't worry. Their G Fund investments will be "made whole" once Congress raises the debt ceiling.  

Read Full Story

Rand Paul: Universal Health Care Is "Slavery"

At a 11 May 2011 hearing held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, a short debate over healthcare delivery took place between Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. Sanders, who is chair of the subcommittee, is one of the Senate’s few independents and is a socialist at heart. Paul, who is an MD (an ophthalmologist), is a “Tea Party” Republican and a libertarian at heart.

The subcommittee meeting was held to investigate the use of emergency rooms as primary care centers by the poor and uninsured. Many people in the United States, who find themselves without access to proper health care facilities, end up using hospital emergency rooms for their everyday health needs. This turns out to be very expensive. It creates a financial hardship for the hospitals which must either supply uncompensated services or turn sick folks away. If such patients could be redirected to less expensive facilities it could result in savings of $6 and 40 billion a year according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Sanders, who has taken the position that access to health care is a “fundamental right,” believes the answer to this problem is to expand the use of government subsidized community health centers, which would cost much less in the long run and supply just the sort of broad spectrum primary care people need. Indeed, a program in his own state of Vermont has demonstrated that he is correct.

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New Mandated Light Bulbs Will Cost $50 Each

NEW YORK – Two leading makers of lighting products are showcasing LED bulbs that are bright enough to replace energy-guzzling 100-watt light bulbs set to disappear from stores in January.

Their demonstrations at the LightFair trade show in Philadelphia this week mean that brighter LED bulbs will likely go on sale next year, but after a government ban takes effect.

The new bulbs will also be expensive — about $50 each — so the development may not prevent consumers from hoarding traditional bulbs.

The technology in traditional "incandescent" bulbs is more than a century old. Such bulbs waste most of the electricity that feeds them, turning it into heat. The 100-watt bulb, in particular, produces so much heat that it's used in Hasbro's Easy-Bake Oven.

READ MORE …

Teens Charged With Hate Crime In MD McDonald's Beating

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Two teens are facing hate crime charges in the beating of a transgender woman at a McDonald's, an attack that was caught on video and posted online.

Teonna Brown, 18, was indicted Monday on assault and hate crime charges in the attack on Chrissy Lee Polis at the restaurant last month. She is also charged with assaulting a customer and a McDonald's employee who tried to intervene. A 14-year-old girl is facing the same charges in juvenile court. The Associated Press typically does not identify juveniles charged with crimes.

Both teenagers are being held, prosecutors said no one else would be charged.

Brown was defending herself and maintains her innocence, according to attorney Timothy P. Knepp. He declined to go into further detail.

"She's a very nice young lady who lives with her mom and is not the person the press has made her out to be," Knepp said.

A videotape of the April 18 beating showed a woman being attacked repeatedly while an employee and customer try to stop them, and the woman apparently having a seizure.

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Maryland Man Kills Fox Following Attack On Wife

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- A Hagerstown man says he beat a fox to a death after it bit his wife and attacked the couple's dog.

Terry Pike says he used a shotgun on Monday afternoon to beat the fox, which was removed by the Humane Society of Washington County and is now being tested for rabies.

Pike says the fox grabbed his small dog by its head and ears and bit his wife on her left leg. Melinda Pike has two puncture wounds and is also planning to get a series of rabies shots.

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Delaware Man Accused Of Crabbing Violations

MILLSBORO, Del. (AP) -- A Delaware man is due in court next month on charges that he was crabbing without a commercial license.

James Crossland, of Millsboro, is scheduled to appear June 13 at the Court of Common Pleas in Georgetown. He was arrested Friday by Delaware fish and wildlife enforcement officers.

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Board Of Education Holds Awards & Recognitions Night Tuesday, May 17 At Salisbury Middle School

A Wicomico County Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 17 at Salisbury Middle School to honor outstanding students, teachers and other staff members, schools and departments. Call 410-677-4561 for information.

Recognitions on the program for May 17 include:

NECTFL Teacher of the Year
Unified Sports Leadership Recognition
Optimist Oratorical Contest
Maryland Geography Bee
PTA Reflections State Winners
Eastern Shore Reading Council Young Authors Contest

Mu Alpha Theta Elementary Math Competition
Carson Scholar
Performers in "The Wizard of Oz"
Safety Patrol of the Year
Community Giving Activities
Celebrate Your Community! Contest

Maryland Rural Health Med Spelling Bee
Maryland SkillsUSA Medalists
Eagle Scouts
Service Academy Appointment
AFS Student in India
DAR Good Citizens

MMEA Outstanding New Music Teacher
Excellence in Financial Reporting Awards
Recognitions for Heroic Distinction
Maryland Society for Educational Technology Awards
SoMIRAC Local Service Award for Outstanding Literacy Project
United Way Campaign Recognitions

The final Awards & Recognitions Night for the 2010-11 school year will be held on Tuesday, June 7 at the James M. Bennett Auditorium.

McConnell Appoints “Moderate” to Senate Finance

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has appointed Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) to replace Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), who resigned his seat on May 3.  This appointment comes as a shock to many; and is considered a slap in the face to the Tea Party movement.
Burr was next in seniority for the plum post.  However, it was widely reported that Burr was not interested in the post.  Leading fiscal conservative Sen. Jim DeMInt (R-SC) was.
Movement conservatives and Tea Party activists had been campaigning for DeMint to receive the appointment.  FreedomWorks made a major push; directing thousands of calls to McConnell’s office.
Of course, the very reasons that conservatives wanted DeMint to be appointed to the Finance Committee are many of the same reasons that McConnell does not want to reward DeMint:
DeMint put pressure on McConnell in the 111th Congress to endorse a moratorium on earmarks, which the leader, a longtime member of the Appropriations Committee, initially resisted.
DeMint also took the unusual step of endorsing Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in the 2010 Kentucky Republican primary even though McConnell had publicly backed former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson. Senate observers said it was a breach of Senate protocol.
McConnell has never been a conservative.  If voters are serious about changing the country’s fiscal direction, a GOP Senate majority in 2013 simply isn’t enough. Perhaps the Tea Party should ask candidates to take a stand on whether they will support McConnell remaining leader if they are elected.

Wicomico's Ben Brumbley To Be Honored At Comcast Parental Involvement Matters Award Banquet May 20

Ben Brumbley, Wicomico County’s semifinalist for the Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award, will be one of 24 semifinalists honored at the awards banquet Friday, May 20 in Glen Burnie, Md.

A collaboration between Comcast and the Maryland State Department of Education, the Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Awards is the nation’s first statewide initiative of its kind – recognizing parents and legal guardians for their exceptional support of public education.

Parents are nominated for demonstrating significant, positive impact in their education communities. The Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Awards Program recognizes parents from local school systems across the State of Maryland, nominated for their contributions in one or more of the five areas of parental involvement: Communication, Volunteering, Learning, Decision Making, and Community Collaboration.

Brumbley is president of the Wicomico County Council of PTAs and a member of the Parkside High School PTA.

The 2011 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Awards will be presented during an evening celebration at North County High School in Glen Burnie. Five finalists and a statewide winner will be announced.
May 16, 2011

High Taxes Harm the Working, Not the Wealthy

By Thomas Sowell

We could definitely use another Abraham Lincoln to emancipate us all from being slaves to words. In the midst of a historic financial crisis of unprecedented government spending, and a national debt that outstrips even the debt accumulated by the reckless government spending of previous administration, we are still enthralled by words and ignoring realities.

President Barack Obama's constant talk about "millionaires and billionaires" needing to pay higher taxes would be a bad joke, if the consequences were not so serious. Even if the income tax rate were raised to 100 percent on millionaires and billionaires, it would still not cover the trillions of dollars the government is spending.

More fundamentally, tax rates-- whatever they are-- are just words on paper. Only the hard cash that comes in can cover government spending. History has shown repeatedly, under administrations of both political parties, that there is no automatic correlation between tax rates and tax revenues.

When the tax rate on the highest incomes was 73 percent in 1921, that brought in less tax revenue than after the tax rate was cut to 24 percent in 1925. Why? Because high tax rates that people don't actually pay do not bring in as much hard cash as lower tax rates that they do pay. That's not rocket science.

READ MORE …

More Hypocrisy from the Left ..

Reid Calls for NO POLITICS on Debt Ceiling…

Then begins to play politics.

from FOXNews

As the nation hits a milestone few, if any, would celebrate, with the Treasury maxing out its legal borrowing limit for the federal government, lawmakers continued to grapple with ways to shrink the size of the U.S. debt in order to garner enough votes to approve an increase in the U.S. credit limit. But an epic political fight over how and whether to overhaul Medicare is roiling negotiations over a compromise.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., marking the date, used a bit of complex circular logic to return to the topic on which Democrats feel they have been making some political hay of late in the wake of an unpopular House GOP proposal to overhaul Medicare, giving seniors vouchers to purchase health insurance, with the leader, at the same time, admonishing Republicans for playing politics with the debt limit.

"If we don't act, if we allow the United States to default, the day of reckoning will be much, much worse than today," the leader warned, adding, "We can't afford to play these political games and trigger a default crisis that will lead to a catastrophe. We can't afford to make unrealistic demands or hold hostage policies that affect real people."

READ MORE …

WI Governor Calls Domestic Partnership Law Unconstitutional

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker has told a judge he wants to stop defending Wisconsin's domestic partner registry in court because he doesn't believe it's constitutional.

Members of the conservative group Wisconsin Family Action filed a lawsuit last summer arguing the registry violates the state's constitutional ban on gay marriage. Former Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat who proposed the registry as a means of granting same-sex couples more legal rights, chose to defend the measure and had filed a motion asking Dane County Circuit Judge Daniel Moeser for summary judgment upholding it. Walker, a Republican, inherited the case from Doyle when he took office in January.

The governor filed a motion with Moeser late Friday asking to withdraw the defense because he believes the registry is unconstitutional. The governor pointed to a legal opinion Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen issued two years ago that concluded the registry was indeed unconstitutional because it mimics marriage.

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Police Threaten to Shoot Man Legally Carrying a Gun

A story in today's Philadelphia Daily News shows why it's so important that citizens be allowed to videotape cops - it can be citizens' only way to fight back against police abuse of power.

This incident happened several weeks ago in Philadelphia to Mark Fiorino, a 25-year-old IT worker who carries a gun on his hip at all times for self defense. He got the gun after several friends were mugged.

But he didn't count on attacks by police:

On a mild February afternoon, Fiorino, 25, decided to walk to an AutoZone on Frankford Avenue in Northeast Philly with the .40-caliber Glock he legally owns holstered in plain view on his left hip. His stroll ended when someone called out from behind: "Yo, Junior, what are you doing?"

Fiorino wheeled and saw Sgt. Michael Dougherty aiming a handgun at him.

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NOTE:  This video contains abusive language.

IMF Chief Held Without Bail

NEW YORK – The head of the International Monetary Fund must remain jailed at least until his next court hearing for attempted rape and other charges, a judge said Monday.

A tired and grim-looking Dominique Strauss-Kahn appeared before the Manhattan judge to face charges of attempted rape, sex abuse, a criminal sex act, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching. The top count is punishable by five to 25 years in prison.

Strauss-Kahn is accused of attacking a maid who went in to clean his penthouse suite Saturday at a luxury hotel near Times Square. Defense attorney Benjamin Brafman says his client denies any wrongdoing.

The charges stunned the global financial world and upended French presidential politics. A member of France's Socialist party, Strauss-Kahn was widely considered the strongest potential challenger next year to President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose political fortunes have been flagging.

Manhattan prosecutors asked the judge to hold Strauss-Kahn without bail, saying his position as IMF head had taken him out of the country previously and that the IMF leader was wealthy and doesn't live in New York.

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BREAKING NEWS: Housing Starts, Permits Fall In April

Housing starts fell 10.6% in April to a 523,000-unit rate, missing economists' estimates of a 568,000-unit rate. Permits to build new homes fell 4% in April to a 551,000-unit rate, lower than the 585,000-unit rate economists were expecting.

Health Insurers Ask for Higher Rates

Between 2008 and 2010, the number of insured employees with annual deductibles of at least $2,000 doubled, now representing about 10% of all covered workers. As a result, it looks like more people are postponing or not seeking medical care. But that hasn't stopped the health insurance companies from continuing to ask for rate hikes.

The New York Times reports that, while insurers are profiting from policyholders' reluctance to go out of pocket because of these high deductibles — made worse in many cases by other financial hardships like loss of hours, wages and higher gas costs — these companies are still asking for huge rate increases.

The insurers say they are asking for the double-digit rate increases in advance of expected higher costs to them down the road:

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Treasury to Tap Pensions to Fund Government

No, this is not speculation of what might happen in the future if the Socialist “boogie man” has his way.  From the WaPo:

The Obama administration will begin to tap federal retiree programs to help fund operations after the government lost its ability Monday to borrow more money from the public, adding urgency to efforts in Washington to fashion a compromise over the debt.

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner has warned for months that the government would soon hit the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling — a legal limit on how much it can borrow. With that limit reached Monday, Geithner is undertaking special measures in an effort to postpone the day when he will no longer have enough funds to pay all of the government’s bills.

Geithner, who has already suspended a program that helps state and local government manage their finances, will begin to borrow from retirement funds for federal workers. The measure won’t have an impact on retirees because the Treasury is legally required to reimburse the program.

The maneuver buys Geithner only a few months of time. If Congress does not vote by Aug. 2 to raise the debt limit, Geithner says the government is likely to default on some of its obligations, which he says would cause enormous economic harm and the suspension of government services, including the disbursal of Social Security funds.

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Wicomico Library Admits to Padding Payroll

As Wicomico County faces its tightest budget in recent memory, one county agency admits that it has people on the payroll who are not needed.  The Wicomico Public Library, while bewailing funding cuts, admits that there is at least one person drawing a salary whose job is redundant.

During last Tuesday’s budget session with the Wicomico County Council, Library director Tom Hehman admitted that he had someone on the payroll who he “wished would retire”.  This was in response to the question asked of each department head / agency director regarding the upcoming “early retirement” program pushed on council by County Executive Rick Pollitt.

According to Hehman, since the Library was not getting a new building this person wasn’t really needed.  However, this individual was currently drawing a salary (with benefits) of almost $80,000.  Councilman Joe Holloway asked Hehman why he didn’t eliminate the position.

We were unable to determine Hehman’s response.  Assistant County Administrator Sharon Morris interjected that “you just can’t fire people”.

Cigar Enthusiasts All Fired Up Over Maryland Shipment Ban

Sometimes Bruce Parrish likes to smoke a Fuente Fuente OpusX when he mows his Westminster lawn. He can't buy the $20 Dominicans, described by Cigar.com as "perhaps the rarest and highest rated brand in the world," at his local tobacconist, he says.

So he takes advantage of the modern economy and orders them online from Pennsylvania, whence they arrive by mail. Or at least they used to.

Starting May 1 it became illegal to ship cigars directly to Maryland consumers, according to an interpretation of a 2010 law by Comptroller Peter Franchot. As a result, smokers have been bombarding Franchot with combustible emails.

"If they're going to apply that to a tobacco product, the next thing is going to be you can't buy clothing online — or you can't buy anything online," says Parrish, a 50-year-old software engineer. "Just another example of the nanny liberals taking away our rights."

It's a complex issue touching on tax collection, tax fairness and interstate commerce. Even cigar dealers seem to have mixed feelings, with some Maryland store owners reportedly favoring the restrictions on out-of-state competitors with mail-order businesses.

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Surplus Tempts Delaware Budget Writers

While most states are making deep spending cuts and raising taxes this year to balance recession-depleted budgets, Delaware lawmakers are preparing to do the opposite.

A projected $320 million surplus of taxes, fees and abandoned property has left Delaware state government's coffers flush -- and requests for the money plentiful.

It's a bonanza in Dover, as Gov. Jack Markell, legislators and special interest groups suggest seemingly endless ways to dispose of the surplus.

"If they could certainly spread that wealth around, it would be great," said Carolyn Fredricks, executive director of the Modern Maturity Center in Dover, whose organization asked for $40,000 in additional aid for its operations and $25,000 to pay off debt on a new building.

Ideas range from construction projects at state universities and fixing 300-year-old dikes along the Delaware River, to giving state employees pay raises, expanding the Port of Wilmington and resurfacing crumbling municipal and suburban streets.

Markell, a Democrat, and House Republicans have each floated separate proposals to reduce the tax burden for businesses, banks and individuals -- two years after the state raised taxes.

The Joint Finance Committee, a panel of senators and representatives, today will begin two weeks of budget-writing sessions to decide how to divvy up the money.

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Sprint Bets $125 That You Really Want To Switch

With AT&T's pending purchase of T-Mobile USA threatening to push Sprint into a very distant third place in the wireless wars, the cell phone company is offering to put its money where its mouth is (or something like that) by offering $125 service credits to new customers who defect from other carriers.

To be more accurate, it's a $125 service credit to ship-jumpers who enroll in a Sprint smartphone plan. Just-phone customers get $50 in credit while business customers get $175.

According to the Wall Street Journal, this promotion, which ends June 23, is aimed at the T-Mobile subscribers who aren't exactly pleased about becoming AT&T customers.

"We recognize there's a little bit of uncertainty in the marketplace, especially for T-Mobile customers," a Sprint rep tells the paper.

from The Consumerist

SPRING 2011 WATER MAIN FLUSHING

THE CITY OF SALISBURY WILL BE CONDUCTING A CITYWIDE PUBLIC WATER MAIN FLUSHING PROGRAM. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ANNUAL PROGRAM IS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR WATER SYSTEM, AND ENSURE FIRE HYDRANTS ARE OPERATIONAL AND IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

TO MINIMIZE INCONVENIENCE, WE WILL FLUSH THE PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM AT NIGHT - USUALLY BETWEEN 8:00 P.M. AND 4:00 A.M. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

North and West of Wicomico River May 19th and 20th
South and East of Wicomico River May 21st and 22nd

THERE WILL BE NO INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE WHILE THIS IS IN PROGRESS
PLEASE CONTACT THE WATER & SEWER BRANCH, 410-548-3104, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

Honor The Servicemen & Women Of Wicomico County This Memorial Day

(Salisbury, MD) Area residents are invited to honor those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country at a Memorial Day Ceremony to be held on Monday, May 30, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the Wicomico War Veterans' Memorial in front of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event, which is organized by members of the Wicomico War Veterans’ Memorial Committee. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside to the Civic Center’s Midway Room.

As part of the ceremony, there will be a lowering of the colors by the Wicomico County Jr. ROTC, ringing of the Red Knights Memorial Bell, branch prayers, and a volley of arms by the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department. Veterans, as well as their families, will be recognized during the ceremony…including a special family tribute to Gold Star Mothers. War Memorial Committee Member Sgt. Ed Tattersall, US Army, will perform the Reading of Veterans Names, which recognizes those Wicomico County residents who have fallen in the line of service.

In 2002, a group of veterans from all branches of the military came together to honor and preserve the memory of Wicomico County’s fallen heroes. As a result, the Wicomico County War Veterans Memorial was erected at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, which is itself a living war memorial to all veterans. Flags from each service branch, along with a United States, Maryland, Wicomico County and the POW-MIA flag, now proudly fly over a brick wall displaying bronze plaques with the names of Wicomico County’s fallen veterans beginning with World War I.

The Wicomico County War Memorial Committee has continued the work it began in 2002. Committee members are actively seeking information on those listed on the memorial. If you have information to share about a fallen serviceperson please email Ed Hearthway at hearthwaye@aol.com. To help preserve the Memorial and honor a loved one who has or is serving, citizens can purchase a Tree of Honor Gold Leaf. Engraved with his or her name and a short message, the leaf will be displayed on the Veterans' Tree of Honor in the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center lobby. Leaves are $100 each. Please contact Tammy Taylor at 410-548-4900 ext. 115. All proceeds are placed in a fund designated to maintain the War Memorial into perpetuity.

To learn more about the Wicomico County War Veterans Memorial and the men and women it was built to honor visit www.wicomicorecandparks.org/war_memorial.htm.

May 17, 2011–Wicomico County Council Meeting

The Wicomico County Council meets this morning at 10 AM to attack a full, and interesting, agenda.  During the regular legislative session, two items are of particular interest:

  • Resolution 71-2011 – which would eliminate the school construction fund.  The logic behind this proposal is to provide more transparency in how funds are allocated to maintenance / renovation – related capital projects (something sorely lacking over on Long Ave.)
  • LB 2011-06 – this bill amends Wicomico’s current 10% base homestead tax credit to a 0-base homestead tax credit.  In other words, homeowners would not be subject to “assessment creep”.  Over time, it would also make it easier for the county to budget for assessment declines like what we are currently experiencing.

In addition, the council will also consider a resolution to move the final vote on the budget to the second June meeting.

The real fun starts after lunch.  At that time council, and any citizens in attendance, will experience the fog and obfuscation which is the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE). 

Two weeks ago the council sent a series of questions to the WCBOE to be answered prior to their meeting with council.  As of early Monday those answers had not been delivered to council.  Perhaps the answers were delivered late Monday or the WCBOE will wait until today to answer council’s questions.  We wouldn’t want our county council making INFORMED decisions regarding half of the county’s budget, would we?

To see a copy of the full agenda, CLICK HERE.

To see a copy of the council’s briefing book, CLICK HERE.

Thoughts on Immigration from a Liberal with Sanity

By Ed Koch

Those who support amnesty for illegal aliens and want to provide them with "a path to citizenship" are engaged in a new effort to make those goals a reality before the next election. President Obama is leading the way. He deserves credit for keeping his word to support programs that would safeguard our borders, while making clear he intends to resume the battle to legalize the status of the estimated 11 to 20 million illegal aliens now in the U.S. He calls his program, as did his predecessor President Bush before him, comprehensive immigration reform.

According to The New York Times of May 10, one of the programs that President Bush started and President Obama continued "has been a cornerstone of the Obama administration's immigration enforcement efforts." It is known as the Secure Communities program. Under that program, described by The Times of May 10, "the fingerprints of everyone booked into a local or county jail are automatically sent to the Department of Homeland Security and compared with prints in the agency's databases. If officials discover that a suspect is in the country illegally, or is a non-citizen immigrant with a criminal record, they may seek to deport the person."

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May 17, 2011–Worcester County Commissioners Meeting

The Worcester County Commissioners will meet this morning at 9 AM in the County Government Center in Snow Hill.  To see a copy of their agenda, CLICK HERE.

While nothing particularly controversial appears to be coming up at today’s meeting, there are several questions regarding the Commissioners’ closed session which we hope to have answered in the near future:

  • What is the legal basis for, and thought process behind, considering appointments to county boards and commissions in closed session?  Most (if not all) other local government bodies consider these items in open session.
  • What is the legal basis for, and thought process behind, considering “economic development” issues in closed session?  If the county is negotiating a lease of county property, I can understand the logic behind discussing this in closed session (provided that the final approval is considered openly).  However, the description provided in the agenda is a little too vague for our comfort zone.

SbyNEWS is not casting dispersions on the Worcester County Commissioners.  We just hope to have some clarification of these issues for future reference.  It is our heartfelt belief that sunshine is the best disinfectant and that citizens deserve an open, and transparent, government.

TV’s “Tax Lady” Surrenders Law License

If you've ever watched daytime — or really late night — TV, you're probably quite familiar with Roni "Tax Lady" Deutch, the tax attorney being sued for $34 million by the California attorney general over allegations she defrauded thousands of customers. Well, our TV speakers have gotten a brief reprieve as Deutch announced last week that she has closed her firm and surrendered her law license to the California State Bar.

"It's a sad, miserable day at my law firm," boo-hooed Deutch, who says her firm has $10 million in debt, at a press conference. "I've represented 20,000 taxpayers; 4,000 existing clients will soon be without legal representation.... I am totally, completely broke."

She added, "I am not the monster the attorney general has made me out to be."

The State Bar's Chief Trial Counsel got in a dig at Deutch with this statement to the press: "If, in fact, [Deutch] stops being a licensed lawyer in California, we believe this will help protect the public."

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The Future of Republican Populism

WASHINGTON -- The refusal of Mike Huckabee to enter the 2012 presidential race leaves a gap -- and not just a gap of social conservatism. Huckabee was also the Republican Party's leading practitioner of economic populism.

Compared to his GOP rivals four years ago, Huckabee sounded like William Jennings Bryan -- a comparison that would probably offend Huckabee less than it would most Republicans. He complained about overpaid CEOs and talked sympathetically of "people at the lower ends of the economic scale." His own up-from-poverty struggle lent credibility to his message.

Free-market purists went hard after Huckabee's record as Arkansas governor -- his tax increases, his statewide smoking ban, his 21 percent increase in the state minimum wage. Conservative activist Richard Viguerie tagged him a "Christian socialist."

But Huckabee gave at least as good as he got. His dismissed the libertarian Club for Growth, which ran ads against him, as the "club for greed." After an attack by Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform, Huckabee responded, "Grover's never been in government, doesn't have to balance a state budget. ... Grover's never been in a situation where he couldn't borrow money so he didn't have to raise taxes or tell old people he's just going to take them out of the nursing home and drop them on the curb."

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Make Your Own Veggie Chips

Here's the thing: Vegetable chips just taste better than potato chips. This is not a subjective call. It's proven. (Not really, but we all agree, so let's say it is.) Forget all your preconceptions about vegetable chips being just a tasteless, soulless attempt to convince your brain that you're eating fatty, carby potato chips. It's much easier to convince your brain that you're eating something delicious. Because you are.

That said, don't buy veggie chips in a store. Commercial versions are often deep-fried and no more healthy than their potato or corn brethren. And you want your deliciousness to come with a healthy glow, right? The good news: Veggie chips are very easily made in your very own oven. Peel, slice, and bake. Dip and eat. Done.

from Christine Gallary @ Chow.com

Meetings May Provide Few Answers on Blue Cross Merger

A series of public meetings this week will shine a fresh spotlight on plans to merge Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware with Pittsburgh health insurance giant Highmark Inc. But members of the public are likely to remain in the dark about answers to several key questions:

  • What will happen to Blue Cross' $173 million in reserves?
  • To what extent do Blue Cross executives stand to benefit financially from the merger?
  • Will any of Blue Cross' 630 Delaware employees be laid off?

Delaware's Insurance Department and Attorney General Beau Biden are reviewing the Highmark deal separately but have done little to answer these questions publicly nine months after the deal was proposed.

Public meetings on the deal are scheduled in all three counties, starting today. But state officials say they will not answer questions this week about the reserves, executive compensation and layoffs. Regulatory reviews of the deal are ongoing -- and state officials do not have all the answers from Blue Cross and Highmark, they say. Blue Cross, for its part, says it's still developing a "detailed affiliation plan" and insists it's responding to questions from state officials, if slowly.

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California Bill Would Give Parents Final Say on FaceBook

A new bill proposed in California could force Facebook and other social networking sites to strip out personal information for children at a parent's request. 

SB 242 -- also known as the Social Networking Privacy Act -- would require Facebook and others to carefully police which pieces of information on individuals under age 18 are accessible to the public. It would also provide a means for concerned parents to demand that a site take down their children's information, or face stiff fines as high as $10,000. 

It's all wrapped behind the bill's main provision, which would establish privacy settings when a user first joins the network, rather than somewhere down the line.

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