Another Meltdown at the GOB

Maybe there’s something in the air.  Perhaps the county needs to have the water pipes checked.  Whatever it is, there seems to be a strange malady attacking some of our public officials.
Last Tuesday, Wicomico County Board of Education members Michelle Wright and Ron Willey had a mild meltdown in the council chambers of the Salisbury / Wicomico County Government Office Building (GOB).  Last night, Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton had his own meltdown in the hall, just a few feet from the council chambers.  I sincerely hope that this isn’t catching.

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Arriving late to Monday evening’s Salisbury City Council meeting, I was flabbergasted as the elevator door opened on the third floor.  Standing before me was Ireton, a reporter from the Daily Times, and a third person that I did not recognize.  Ireton was spouting four letter words in reference to Salisbury councilwoman Debbie Campbell.
Discretion can be the better part of valor; so I simply headed down the hall.

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Heading towards the council chambers, I recognized an acquaintance standing there with someone else.  I stopped to say hello and exchange a little info along with the pleasantries.
A few minutes later, Ireton came striding down the hall and made the following statement to my acquaintance:

You had better watch your back!  What just happened in there is going to happen to you.  Mark my words!  This is what happens when a bunch of Tea Party fanatics get their hooks into someone like Debbie Campbell!  Because of her minority children will …. (I didn’t get the last part, but it was definitely “for the children).

Then Ireton stormed off.

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To what is our distinguished mayor referring to?  What caused him to have a complete hissy in the halls of city government?
On last night’s agenda was Resolution 2057 – to accept funds awarded through a grant from the Governor’s Office Crime Control and Prevention for the Disproportionate Minority Contact Coordinator.
It seems that Ireton had bullied council president Terry Cohen into putting it on the agenda without the requisite work session.  However, Campbell, Cohen, and councilman Tim Spies decided to take it off the agenda at the beginning of the meeting.
Yes, this was a grant.  However, we all know that there is no such thing as “free money”.  Several pages of the award document were missing, including the section that would have detailed what exactly the city would be on the hook for.
In addition to this, the program is supposed to be county wide.  Why is the city taking on a program that extends beyond its borders?
Campbell, Cohen, and Spies were correct in holding this over.  I’m sorry that Jim was embarrassed.  I’m truly sorry that he lost his cool.  While I genuinely wish him to succeed as mayor, he needs to start by getting a grip on his emotions.  If this little matter sends him into orbit, I worry what would happen in a real emergency.

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For purposes of disclosure, I want to make a couple of things clear.  First Jim is a friend.  My wife and kids adore him; and we all sincerely wish him all of the success in the world.
It is also not my practice to write about private conversations.  As I once told a former member of the Salisbury City Council, “You can admit to molesting a goat in your backyard and it’s between you and me.  However, anything you say in public, no matter how stupid, is fair game.”  When that councilman left office, he knew that I had kept my word (and NO, he did not molest any livestock).
Last night I exited the elevator into a loud tirade with two other people standing there.  Then, Ireton came down the hall to where I was standing and had another fit with two other people present.
Part of me actually feels bad writing about this.  The rest of me knows that self control is a virtue that Jim needs to learn.

Daily Times Rides to Defense of Wicomico Board of Ed - II

On Monday, we began to examine what will probably go down in history as the most disgraceful editorial ever to appear in the Daily Times.  Today, we continue deconstructing the DT’s journey through the looking glass:

In return, this week the school board presented the council with its own list of questions, attempting to force a dialogue rather than simply submitting to what seemed like interrogation. It was not well-received, and the tone of the meeting turned hostile.

Again, the author either was not present or lives in a fantasy world.  Councilwoman Stevie Prettyman (R-2) mentioned the questions submitted by the WCBOE.  Board member Ron Willey is the one who turned hostile.  Let’s face it, the guy melted down in front of a room full of people.

Perpetually pitting "us" against "them" leaves no room for compromise, no tolerance for explanations and no chance of seeking common-ground solutions.

No tolerance for explanations?  The chief complaint against the council in this matter is that they dared to seek explanations, albeit explanations backed up by evidence.  Can they be blamed after being given misleading “explanations” so many times in the past?
My personal favorite:

Tuesday's meeting in Wicomico County was a showdown, a power play by the council to demonstrate it is ultimately in charge. Or so it thinks.

This paragraph is the real clue that Fredericksen may have written the piece himself.  Just the right amount of ARROGANCE!
It is true that the Wicomico County Council does not have the authority to dictate how dollars are spent.  The author may not understand it, but the same actually applies for the county budget as well.  However, as Rick Pollitt is fast finding out, this council will not hesitate to cut funding when they see evidence of wasteful, unnecessary, or inefficient spending.  I can only hope that the council shows the same spine when dealing with Fredericksen and his merry little band of bureaucrats.  If the WCBOE doesn’t want to provide the information sought by our elected officials, then the council should simply zero out the entire line item.  True, there are mechanisms for getting around some of this, but does Fredericksen want to explain to the public the following:
For years we were told that the WCBOE didn’t waste money.  They told us that it was all for the children.  Now, they are facing funding cuts, but claim that no money is being taken from the classroom.  Interesting.  Both assertions cannot be true.  But hey; John Fredericksen would NEVER try to pull the wool over the eyes of the taxpayer.  Would he?
Tomorrow we conclude our examination of the DT’s bizarre view of reality.

Folgers Maker J.M. Smucker Hikes Coffee Prices

Top U.S. packaged coffee maker J.M. Smucker (SJM: 77.46, +0.55, +0.72%) announced on Tuesday that it increased the list price of a majority of its coffee products sold in the U.S. for the fourth time this year.

The Orville, Ohio-based manufacturer of Folgers, Gourmet Selections and Millstone coffees, as well as licenser of Dunkin’ Donuts packaged coffees, said the prices will increase an average of 11%, its largest hike in a year.

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Panel Reduces Child Rapist's Prison Sentence

David Raszewski Sentenced In 2009 For Rape Of 7-Year-Old

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- A panel of three judges in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court reduced the sentence of a man who pleaded guilty to luring a 7-year-old girl off a playground and raping her in March 2009.

 

The panel decided to reduce David Raszewski's sentence to 50 years in prison with all but 20 years suspended. He'll still have to register as a sex offender, and he'll be required to serve five years of supervised probation.

 

Raszewski pleaded guilty to the rape in December 2009 when he was 17 years old.

 

Prosecutors said the victim and her 6-year-old brother were at a playground being watched by a baby sitter when the boy had to use the bathroom. In the two minutes the baby sitter was gone, Raszewski lured the girl into his home and sexually abused her.

 

In April 2010, Raszewski was sentenced to life in prison with all but 50 years suspended. Sentencing guidelines recommended 15 to 25 years in prison.

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AAA Forecast For Memorial Day Travel In Maryland Even With Last Year's

Fairly robust numbers predicted despite high gas prices

About 719,400 Marylanders are expected to travel on vacation this holiday weekend, essentially even with last year's fairly robust Memorial Day numbers, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

Of those expected to travel 50 miles or more, 644,000 people will be on the road, a slight decline of 0.7 percent, largely because of high gasoline prices, according to the group. It cited Tuesday's average gas price of $3.89 per gallon of regular in the region, down from a peak of $4.04 May 12.

Air travel was expected to increase by 11 percent, with 60,800 expected to fly. In total, only about 500 fewer Marylanders were expected to travel this year than last.

AAA issued its forecast of summer travel at its customary location on Kent Island, with the Bay Bridge as a backdrop.

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Don't Be Fooled By Our Earlier Post Today

While this article makes a good point about the truth about supply and demand its focus and title are completely misleading. There is actually never been a better time than now to purchase a new vehicle. Just like this article depicts, there will be less new vehicles to sell but what is most important to the consumer is that the value of their trade in has never been higher.

The price a dealer pays from the manufacturer will not change due to less availability. Interest rates are still very low making this the most opportune time to take advantage of a still plentiful selection of new vehicles.

What we are seeing here on Delmarva are that customers are trading their two to three year old vehicle, that is close to the end of its manufactures warranty for a brand new vehicle and keeping the same of even lowering their payment. So the article asks how long will you wait to purchase. Do you honestly believe that used car values will continue to rise as they have? Or are you one of the smart consumers who see a great opportunity like and act on it as opposed to those that will wish they had sold their home before the Market collapsed.

Bottom line, consumers drive the economy, and waiting to make a smart purchase has never resulted in a better deal for the consumer.

Considering Pohanka recently build a brand new facility, the Factory made sure they have a larger inventory than most other Dealerships with the exception of the Prius.

68-MEMBER DELEGATION TO JOIN GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MISSION TO CHINA, KOREA AND VIETNAM

10-day mission to boost two-way trade, investment with one of the world’s fastest growing economic region, establish partnerships in life sciences and technology

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 24, 2011) – Marking one of the largest Maryland delegations on an overseas economic development mission, 68 business leaders, educators and elected officials will join Governor Martin O’Malley for 10 days in China, Korea and Vietnam, one of the world’s fastest growing economic regions. The delegation, departing May 31 and returning June 11, will accompany the Governor at many of the official country banquets and events, promoting Maryland as an ideal place for foreign companies to set up U.S. operations. Many delegation members are also meeting one-one-one with potential partners in business or education in each of the countries. A complete list of delegation members is attached.

During the 10-day mission, Governor O’Malley will promote Maryland’s leadership position in life sciences with two keynote addresses – one to the 13^th Shanghai BioForum, which is slated to attract more than 500 global attendees and one to the Global Bio & Medical Forum, South Korea’s largest annual biopharmaceutical conference with 650 attendees. The Governor will also deliver high level speeches at the Nanjing Center at Johns Hopkins University, the first major institution in China by a U.S. university, and at Renmin University in Beijing, where he will speak on Maryland’s State Stat initiative.  He is also scheduled to meet with officials from China, Korea and Vietnam, preside over the signings of a number of Memorandums of Understanding to increase two-way trade and investment with the three countries and meet with companies exploring Maryland as a potential U.S. location. Among the companies Governor O’Malley will visit is Samsung, the South Korea multinational conglomerate which accounts for roughly one-fifth of the country’s exports. Governor O’Malley’s itinerary is attached.

“I  look forward to traveling with this impressive group of Maryland business leaders, educators and elected officials as we work together to strengthen our already strong ties with China, Korea and Vietnam and also open new doors for two way trade and investment in countries that all have a rapidly growing impact on  the world’s economy,” said Governor O’Malley. “As our economy grows ever more global, we know we must look beyond our borders for new avenues for trade and investment, particularly those where we share strengths in life sciences and technology.”

"With Maryland’s strength in life sciences and higher education, the potential for greater business with China and Korea is well worth in person exploration,” said Jim Dinegar, President and CEO, Greater Washington Board of Trade. “Now is the time to cultivate business expansion. I commend the Governor for initiating this visit and look forward to joining him on this mission."

“The timing and purpose of this mission are ideal. An expanding China means more markets for Maryland companies, who have benefited from the pioneering vision of Maryland's public and private sector leadership,” said Michael Violette, president of Washington Labs in Gaithersburg. “The Maryland-China relationship is interwoven on many levels: through mutual trade, technology-sharing and the critical dimension of personal relationships going back over 30 productive years.”

“Developing personal relationships with Asian counterparts are crucial for success in doing business in the region, and that means spending quality face-to-face time on the ground in country,” said Clay Hickson, Chairman Emeritus, Maryland-China Business Council and Director, TowsonGlobal Business Incubator at Towson University. “By participating in a mission such as this one, business and educational professionals not only have opportunities to make new contacts and solidify existing partnerships, they also enjoy the credibility and gravitas that being part of the Governor’s delegation adds.”

Maryland has long maintained a strong presence in Asia, opening the Maryland China Center in 1996 and becoming the first U.S. state to open a trade and investment office in China. The State also has trade offices in South Korea; Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam; as well as Taiwan and India. Last year, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development’s Office of International Trade and Investment engaged more than 250 Asian companies, helping to attract six new foreign firms from China and Korea to Maryland. In addition, the Office assisted 75 Maryland companies export their products to Asia, helping to generate $65 million in sales.

Maryland has a growing minority community, accounting for all of the State’s population growth in the past 10 years. The State’s Asia population has grown by more than 50 percent since 2000, with Asian residents numbering more than 300,000.

The O’Malley-Brown Administration has taken significant steps to ramp up the State’s international outreach, including opening a number of number of foreign offices in targeted countries, convening the Governor’s International Advisory Council to provide strategic direction and develop a plan to enhance Maryland’s global profile, expanding the capacity of the Port of Baltimore with a new 50-foot berth,  and opening the State’s first International Incubator in 2009 at the University of Maryland, College Park to help foreign-owned companies launch U.S. operations.

The efforts have produced significant results. Since 2007, Maryland has attracted more than 40 foreign-owned companies from high-growth countries, including China, Brazil, Korea, Russia, India, Sweden and the United Kingdom, with about one-quarter of these companies locating in the International Incubator. Companies range from Ellickson Software, an Ireland-based supplier of software and hardware to the hospitality industry which has an American location in Baltimore City, to Daewoong Pharmaceutical, the largest prescription drug supplier in Korea which has its U.S. operations in Montgomery County.

Over the past two years, the State has opened foreign offices in Russia, India and Colombia to attract foreign-owned companies to Maryland and encourage trade opportunities. The offices, which are opened on a contingency basis with no up-front cost to taxpayers, are part of the State’s network of foreign offices in China (Shanghai), France (Paris), Israel (Haifa), South Korea (Seoul), Taiwan (Taipei), Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) and the Western Balkans (Montenegro).  

Maryland is well-positioned for growth in the global market, with more than 300 foreign-owned companies from 30 countries currently calling Maryland home. Roughly 105,000 Marylanders, or 3.5 percent of the workforce, are employed by foreign-owned firms, with companies headquartered in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Germany as the top three foreign employers in Maryland. 

Maryland’s Office of International Investment and Trade works to stimulate foreign direct investment in the State, offers export assistance for small and mid-sized Maryland companies and coordinates international trade and investment missions and trade show opportunities for Maryland companies. For more information on resources available to business that want to market their products or services globally, visit http://www.choosemaryland.org/.

Netanyahu Affirms Israel Will Not Return To '67 Border

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel 'will be generous' in giving back land to establish 'sizeable' Palestinian state, but will not return to '67 border and will not agree to a divided Jerusalem.

US Sanctions Slew Of Companies On Iran Trade

Sanctions against foreign companies aimed at squeezing Iran's gasoline supplies

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Tuesday hit seven foreign companies, including Venezuela' state-owned oil company and an Israeli shipping firm, with sanctions for doing business with Iran that helps fund its nuclear program. At the same time, the administration imposed separate sanctions on more than 15 people and companies in China, Iran, North Korea, Syria and elsewhere for illicit trading in missile technology and weapons of mass destruction.

The State Department announced the penalties as the administration widened the scope of measures against firms that supply or transport refined petroleum products, including gasoline, to Iran. The announcement came a day after President Barack Obama signed an executive order giving the departments of Treasury and State more leeway in targeting companies involved in Iran's energy sector in order to boost pressure on Iran to meet international demands and prove its nuclear program is peaceful.

The sanctions are the first specifically related to refined petroleum exports to Iran since legislation to allow for such measures was approved last year by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama. Nine other companies have been hit with sanctions under broader provisions of the law.

The affected companies include Petroleos de Venezuela, Tanker Pacific of Singapore, Ofer Brothers Group of Israel, Associated Shipbroking of Monaco, Petrochemical Commercial Company International of Jersey and Iran, the Royal Oyster Group of the United Arab Emirates and Speedy Ship of the United Arab Emirates and Iran.

"All of these companies have engaged in activities related to the supply of refined petroleum products to Iran, including the direct supply of gasoline and related products," Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg said in announcing the sanctions. U.S. officials say Iran uses revenue from its energy sector to fund its nuclear program. "Those who continue to irresponsibly support Iran's energy sector and help facilitate Iran's efforts to evade U.S. sanctions will face serious consequences."

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Salisbury Police Department Press Releases

On May 23, 2011 at approximately 8:31 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Wicomico County Health Department on East Main Street for the report of a theft. Upon arrival the officers met with employees who advised that they had observed the below listed suspect traveling through the building in restricted areas carrying a bag that appeared to be full. The employees confronted the suspect who fled from the building and dropped the bag into a nearby dumpster. The employees retrieved the bag and found that it contained cleaning supplies taken from the Health Department. The officers located the suspect a short distance away and after a positive identification, took him into custody.

ARRESTED: Carlos Montrose Ellis, 48 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100.00)

DISPOSITION: Both released to Central Booking
CC # 201100019734

On May 23, 2011 at approximately 3:26 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Walmart Department Store on North Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store security who advised that store employees had observed the below listed suspect take personal hygiene supplies from the store without making payment. The property was recovered from the suspect and was returned to the store.

ARRESTED: William Andrew Colandrea, III, 26 years of age Willards, Maryland

CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100.00)

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100019798

U.S Navy SEALs Coming To OC Air Show

(May 24, 2011) Want to see a U.S. Navy SEAL team in action? You’ll have that rare opportunity when they “drop in” at the 2011 OC Air Show, June 11-12!

The elite Navy SEALs parachute team the "Leap Frogs" will perform a jump and land on the beach directly at the 16th Street Show Center both Saturday and Sunday. After they land, they’ll spend some time meeting and greeting spectators in the “Drop Zone” premium viewing area. The Seals also will perform a special ops night jump at the Saturday Night Beach Party hosted by DJ Batman at Show Center.

Tickets to the Drop Zone will get you a front row seat at the fenceline of the Parachute Landing Zone where the Seal will land. Buy a four-pack and get a reserved parking pass just a few blocks from Show Center!

In addition to the SEALs, featured acts include a B-2 stealth bomber fly-by, Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier demo, the aerobatic Red Bull Helicopter and the wing-suited Red Bull Air Force.

Advanced World Aerobatic Champion Rob Holland in the Veteran's Home Loans MX-2 will make an encore appearance. Rob will fly alongside pilot Mike Goulian as two of the best aerial stunt performers in the nation go head-to-head in the wild blue yonder!

It doesn’t get any more exciting than "The Year of Extreme Flight" at the 2011 OC Air Show, June 11-12 in Ocean City, Maryland!

“Leap Frogs” Parachute Team Will Drop Into Show Center

Irish And African Americans Changed US History

By Martin O'Malley

AS BARACK Obama visits Ireland for the first time as president, I am reminded of a simple gesture of kindness that altered the course of American history.

In October 1960, Dr Martin Luther King jnr was roused from bed in the middle of the night on trivial charges stemming from his protests against racial segregation. King was denied bail and sentenced to four months of hard labour in a Georgia prison camp, which many feared he might not survive, either by lynching or by a convenient “accident”. This was not, on the turbulent surface of the times, John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s problem. The Massachusetts senator was locked in a close race for the White House. If he had any chance to win, he needed to keep the support of white Southern Democrats – Southern Democrats who, for the most part, hated everything that Martin Luther King stood for.

Yet JFK, without a flicker of cynicism, picked up the phone and called King’s pregnant wife, Coretta, offering her comfort and his help. When Kennedy’s campaign managers found out, they were livid and figured it a thoughtless act that could well cost the election.

But empathy is a powerful energy in the art of politics. It is a signpost of deep character. And it is this depth of character that has been displayed for a couple of centuries by generations of African Americans and Irish Americans – two people, deeply and properly linked.

On that day, in 1960, Kennedy linked with King. The signal was clear: the civil rights movement would have a powerful ally with Kennedy in the White House. And the African American community responded by providing the votes needed to elect the first Irish Catholic president. The course of history changed. Black merged green and green merged black.

Irish-Americans and African-Americans dropped their hyphens . . . and once again became one.
Civil rights was not an impossible dream. Thousands of brave African Americans stepped forward to make it happen. And with their Irish American public servant in the White House, they changed the course of the United States.

Over the centuries, both cultures have known deep abiding pain and cruelty – a racial suffering played out at the hands of governments and, indeed, fellow countrymen. “The arc of the moral universe is long,” said Dr King, “but it bends towards justice.” He and countless others, believed in the dignity of the individual, and the possibilities of hope. The most fearless hearts, the audacious dreamers, have always maintained a sense of optimism that often flies in the face of the available evidence.

During the American Revolution of the 1770s, “green” and “black” fought alongside each other for a fledgling, imperfect nation. When the citizens of Baltimore banded together to repel the British during the War of 1812, three in five were immigrants, and one in five was black – some were free, some slaves. The defence of Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write what would come to be called, The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem, a gallant streaming of unity over the ramparts of race.

Yet Baltimore was still a place that slaves such as Frederick Douglass had to flee to gain their freedom. When Douglass published his autobiography, fugitive slave laws made it unsafe for him to stay in America. He travelled to Ireland by ship, confined to steerage class below-deck, as part of a two-year lecture tour around Britain and Ireland. He found, in his words, “a total absence of all manifestations of prejudice against me, on account of my colour”. He wrote home, “I seem to have undergone a transformation, I live a new life.” From Daniel O’Connell, the Great Liberator, Douglass would see first-hand the power of nonviolent resistance in Catholic Emancipation – a lesson that helped shape generations of American civil rights activists.

The hardships that Douglass witnessed at the start of the Great Famine served as a preview of the Irish and African American experience. There were occasions when the cultures clashed (as in the 1863 draft riots in New York City), but it was a clash of people who could recognise each other’s desires. Together, they worked the most dangerous and back-breaking jobs. Together, they built from muscle, music and dream the land that would become a reflection of themselves.

Both cultures made the cities, built their homes, lived in close quarters, stretched every cent they could save. They became Americans and still managed to honour where they came from. When duty and patriotism called, they gave their heroics to a country not always kind to them.

The links are myriad: music, poetry, language, exile, loss, humour, beauty, even the trenchant practice of politics.
In an Oval Office address, Kennedy called the cause of civil rights “a moral issue, as old as the scriptures, and as clear as the constitution”. To those who would keep the codes of the past and argue that segregation was tolerable, he asked who would volunteer to have his skin colour changed and be discriminated against. And it was 50 years ago this month that Kennedy’s younger brother, Robert, publicly predicted an African American could be elected president within the next 40 years. He cited the election of an Irish Catholic president to prove the point that bigotry could be overcome.

It may seem quaint now, but it was audacious then.

Two months later, a baby boy named Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. His mother told him he could be president one day.

She was right."

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0524/1224297636768.html

Soccer Team Tryouts

Click on image to enlarge.

The Changing Face Of The Police And The Death Of The Fourth Amendment

In early America, citizens were considered equals with law enforcement officials. Authorities were rarely permitted to enter one’s home without permission or in a deceitful manner. And it was not uncommon for police officers to be held personally liable for trespass when they wrongfully invaded a citizen’s home. Unlike today, early Americans could resist arrest when a police officer tried to restrain them without proper justification or a warrant – which the police had to allow citizens to read before arresting them. (Daring to dispute a warrant with a police official today who is armed with high-tech military weapons and tasers would be nothing short of suicidal.) This clear demand for a right to privacy was not a byproduct of simpler times. Much like today, early Americans dealt with problems such as petty thievery, murder and attacks by foreign enemies. Rather, the demand for privacy stemmed from a harbored suspicion of law enforcement officials and the unbridled discretion they could abuse.

The Fourth Amendment, which assures that "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated," was included in the Bill of Rights in response to the oppressive way British soldiers treated American colonists through their use of "Writs of Assistance." These were court orders that authorized British agents to conduct general searches of premises for contraband. The exact nature of the materials being sought did not have to be detailed, nor did their locations. The powerful new court orders enabled government officials to inspect not only shops and warehouses, but also private homes. These searches resulted in the violation of many of the colonists’ rights and the destruction of much of the colonists’ personal property. It quickly became apparent to many colonists that their homes were no longer their castles.

Revolutionary patriot James Otis was Advocate-General when the legality of these warrants came under question by the colonists. Called upon to defend that legality, he promptly resigned his office. After living through an age of oppressive policies under the British empire, those of the founding generation, such as Otis, wanted to ensure that Americans would never have to face intrusive government measures again.

Fast forward 250 years and we seem to be right back where we started, living in an era of oppressive government policies and a militarized police whose unauthorized, forceful intrusions into our homes and our lives have been increasingly condoned by the courts. In fact, although the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures go far beyond an actual police search of your home, as I detail in my commentary, "Renewing the Patriot Act: Who Will Protect Us from Our Government?" the passage of the USA Patriot Act opened the door to other kinds of invasions, especially unwarranted electronic intrusions into your most personal and private transactions, including phone, mail, computer and medical records. When added to this list of abuses, two recent court decisions – one from the U.S. Supreme Court and the other from the Indiana Supreme Court – both handed down in the same week, sound the death knell for our Fourth Amendment rights.

In an 8-1 ruling in Kentucky v. King, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively decimated the Fourth Amendment by giving police more leeway to break into homes or apartments without a warrant when in search of illegal drugs which they suspect might be destroyed if notice were given. In this particular case, police officers in pursuit of a suspect they had seen engage in a drug deal in a parking lot followed him into an apartment complex. Once there, the police followed the smell of burning marijuana to an apartment where, after knocking and announcing themselves, they promptly kicked the door in – allegedly on the pretext that evidence of drugs might be destroyed. Despite the fact that it turned out to be the wrong suspect, the wrong apartment and a violation of every tenet that stands between us and a police state, the Court sanctioned the warrantless raid, saying that police had acted lawfully and that was all that mattered. Yet as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the lone voice of dissent among the justices, remarked, "How ‘secure’ do our homes remain if police, armed with no warrant, can pound on doors at will and ... forcibly enter?"

In the second case, the Indiana Supreme Court actually stepped beyond the constitutional parameters of the case before them to broadly rule in Barnes v. State that people don’t have the right to resist police officers who enter their homes illegally. The court rationalized their 3-2 ruling legitimizing any unlawful police entry into a home as a "public policy" decision. On its face, the case itself is relatively straightforward: An Indiana woman called 911 during an argument with her husband. When the police arrived, the man blocked and then shoved an officer who tried to enter his home without a warrant. Despite the fact that the wife told police her husband hadn’t hit her, the man was shocked with a stun gun and arrested. Insisting that it would be safer for all concerned to let police proceed even with an illegal action and sort it out later in court with a civil lawsuit, the court held that residents can’t resist police who enter their home – whatever the reason. The problem, of course, is that anything short of complete and utter acquiescence and compliance constitutes resistance. Thus, even the supposedly protected act of free speech – a simple "Wait, this is my home. What’s this about?" – constitutes resistance.

Many are understandably up in arms about these decisions, but the courts are not really introducing anything new into our lives – they are merely reflecting and reinforcing the reality of the age in which we live, and that is one in which the citizen is subordinate to government and what the "state" – be it the police, the schools or local or federal agents – says goes.

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Today's Survey Question

Do you take all the vacation days to which you are entitled?

Checkers In Salisbury Is Closed For Business

The Checker's in Salisbury closed their doors last night for good. With a struggling economy and so much competition, the owners just couldn't make it, even with the college so close by.

Checkers opened their doors in June of 2009 and even with $40,000.00 to $50,000.00 a month in sales, they couldn't make it.

Report On Precautionary Lockdown At Pinehurst Elementary Monday, May 23

Pinehurst Elementary School went into a code red lockdown shortly before 11 a.m. Monday, May 23, in response to a suspicious package found in a storm drain at College Avenue and Evergreen Drive. The code red was handled quickly and professionally by staff, and students handled the precautionary safety measure well. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office bomb squad investigated the suspicious package and gave school officials the OK to move to code orange at 11:45 a.m., with students and staff allowed to move around within the school for lunch, midday dismissals and class changes. Only use of the area behind the school remained restricted, for the Fire Marshal's Office to check the grounds as a precaution. Normal operations resumed at 12:05 p.m. A note of explanation will go home with students today.

Tax Cheats Receive Stimulus Money

WASHINGTON: Thousands of companies that cashed in on President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package owed the government millions in unpaid taxes, congressional investigators have found.

The Government Accountability Office, in a report being released Tuesday, said at least 3,700 government contractors and nonprofit organizations that received more than $24 billion from the stimulus effort owed $757 million in back taxes as of Sept. 30, 2009, the end of the budget year.

The report said the tax delinquents accounted for nearly 6 percent of the 63,000 contractors and grantees examined and cautioned that the real number might be higher because the known tax debt does not measure such factors as income underreporting.

Among the examples was an engineering firm that received a $100,000 stimulus act contract but owed $6 million in taxes. The IRS called it "an extreme case of noncompliance." A social services nonprofit that received more than $1 million in stimulus funds owed taxes of $2 million.

The GAO referred those two cases and 13 others to the IRS for further investigation.

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FUND-RAISER FOR MARDELA HIGH SCHOOL BAND

TONIGHT!!

ZUMBA NIGHT

Tuesday May 24th @ 7pm

Mardela High School Cafeteria

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

Come out for a night of music and dancing led by ZUMBA instructors Camille and Marilyn from Powerhouse Gym in Seaford.  There will also be a performance by the MHS Marching Drumline.  You won't want to miss out on this night!  Show your support for the MHS Warrior Marching Band, bring your friends and your dancing shoes!

Tickets may be purchased in advance through Mardela High School (see Cory Boltz), students may buy tickets during their lunch period.  They may also be purchased at the Sharptown Town Hall, or through either of the instructors.

Hope to see you there!

Opponents Of Immigrant Tuition Say They Have Enough Valid Signatures

With a week to go, the group leading the effort to repeal in-state tuition for illegal immigrants said they have enough valid signatures to meet the first benchmark of 18,579 signatures by May 31. Plus there are 10,000 to 15,000 more where it is asking voters to fix minor problems with the petitions.

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AFGE CRITICIZES EXCESSIVE BONUSES FOR VA EXECUTIVES

(WASHINGTON) – The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) today criticized the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for continuing to offer exorbitant bonuses to managers in VA medical facilities and benefits offices while frontline staff struggle with limited resources to meet the growing needs of the nation’s veterans.

“The idea that frontline employees have to stretch resources with limited staff, while executives continue to receive large bonuses is mindboggling,” said Alma Lee, president of AFGE’s National Veterans Affairs Council, which represents 160,000 employees in the VA. “If the VA is serious about recruiting and retaining highly trained and capable staff, it should reinvest in frontline staff, not top level bureaucracy.”
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Federal Government Offers Summer Jobs

Students looking for summer jobs might have some luck with the federal government. Federal agencies have summer jobs available for both students and recent college graduates all over the country. Positions range from administrative assistants and technicians to other support staff in the fields of engineering, national security, environment, health, and technology. Some of these jobs can be springboards to permanent positions with the federal government.

The Social Security Administration Scrubs 300,000 Sq. Ft. Facility

The Social Security Administration will halt construction of its new call center in Jackson, Tennessee. An agency spokeswoman tells Federal Times, Social Security had to stop construction because of severe budget cuts by Congress. She says the 300,000 square foot project will not be finished. Shyam Reddy is the regional administrator for the General Services Administration Southeast region. She tells The Jackson Sun, GSA plans to finish construction of the exterior walls, but will leave the interior unfinished. GSA is working with the landowner on a possible sale of the shell.

More Than 1/2 Million Feds And Postal Workers Ready To Retire

More than half-a-million full-time career feds and postal workers could retire right now. The Washington Post reports the eligible workers represent about a quarter of the 2.4 million permanent full-time employees collecting government or postal paychecks. It isn't likely that they'll all retire at once. But unions and federal workers say that they're more likely to consider retiring if proposals to increase payroll deductions for pension funds make it to law.

USPS Offers Discount For Mail With Smartphone-Friendly Barcodes

The following information was released by the U.S. Postal Service:

To help propel the mailing industry into the age of mobile interactivity, the U.S. Postal Service today announced a promotion designed to complement the enduring ability of direct mail to target customers and deliver results for marketers.

During July and August, the Postal Service will offer a Mobile Barcode Promotion that rewards mailers launching campaigns incorporating two-dimensional, smartphone-friendly barcodes with an upfront 3 percent postage discount on qualifying Standard and First-Class Mail letters, flats or cards.

Customers receiving these special mailpieces will be able to use smartphones to scan Quick Response (QR) barcodes to obtain more information or qualify for additional offers posted on mobile-enabled websites.

“This promotion is another step in our long-term strategy to ensure mail remains relevant as a key element in the overall advertising mix for an increasingly interactive marketplace,” said Tom Foti, manager, Marketing Mail. “By creating a promotion for placing mobile barcodes on mailpieces, we’re providing marketers with a compelling way to reach an internet-savvy customer base.”

Foti says the two-month Mobile Barcode Promotion marks the first mailing industry promotion based on a multimedia approach, and is designed to demonstrate how the value of mail is increased by interfacing with technology to engage customers.

“Consumers have become more comfortable with digital devices and online technologies, and the industry should consider incorporating elements that reflect these trends into direct mail campaigns,” says Foti.

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Let The Social Security Administration Help Name Your baby

Do you need the perfect name for your bundle of joy? Why not let the federal government help. The Social Security Administration has a baby name app. It's called the "Baby Name Playroom." SSA is responsible for releasing the annual list of most popular U.S. baby names, since they hold a record of every child born in America. Now you can browse their lists and search baby names right on your iPhone.

NASA Provides Missouri Tornado Video

NASA has posted a video of the tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri. The satellite imagery shows the progression of the line of thunderstorms that generated the monster tornado. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite called GOES-13 provides forecasters with continuous visible and infrared imagery of weather systems across the U.S. The GOES series of satellites are managed and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NASA's GOES Project is located at NASA Goddard.

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

Assault 2nd Degree

Date of Incident:

22 May 2011

Location:

30000 block of Cannon Drive, Salisbury, MD

Suspect:

  : On 22 May 2011 at 1:28 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office

responded to a reported altercation inside a residence in the 30000 block of Cannon Drive in Salisbury.

Upon arrival, the deputy met with a female subject who advised that she was assaulted by her husband,

Ricky Hall. The assault was allegedly unprovoked, during which Ricky is alleged to have landed blows

on the victim several times.

The deputy placed Ricky under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was

processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the

Commissioner detained Ricky in the Detention Center in lieu of $75,000.00 bond.

Charges:

Reckless EndangermentAssault 2nd Degree

Narrative

Ricky L. Hall, 45, Salisbury, MD

Incident:

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Date of Incident: 21 May 2011 Location: Booth Street, Salisbury, MD Suspect:
 Narrative
 Charges:
Driving While Revoked
Driving While Suspended Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
The deputy placed Showell under arrest and subsequently discovered that Showell’s Maryland driver’s license was both Suspended and Revoked.

Showell was processed and released upon signing citations.
: On 21 May 2011 at 2:20 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle for spinning its wheels and driving erratically. Upon approach to the vehicle, the deputy detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage and observed an empty bottle of vodka on the rear seat. The deputy had the driver, Tyree Showell, conduct roadside Field Sobriety Testing, during which the deputy concluded that Showell had consumed too much alcohol to drive a vehicle safely. Tyree Anthony Showell, 35, Fruitland, MD

Wicomico County Sheriffs Office

Possession of Cocaine

Date of Incident:

21 May 2011

Location:

Booth Street, Salisbury, MD

Suspect:

  : On 21 May 2011 at 2:20 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped

a vehicle for spinning its wheels and driving erratically. During the ensuing encounter, the deputy placed

that operator under arrest for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. An additional deputy arrived and

began to speak with the passenger, Donte White. When White opened the door and exited the vehicle the

deputy noticed a baggie containing what the deputy recognized as Cocaine landed on the ground.

The deputy recovered the baggie that White dropped and placed him under arrest.

The deputy transported White to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of

the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained White in the

Detention Center in lieu of $50,000.00 bond.

Charges: Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance

Narrative

Donte R. White, 35, Salisbury, MD

Incident:

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

Incident:

Assault on a Deputy

Date of Incident:

20 May 2011

Location:

300 block of Catherine Street, Salisbury, MD

Suspect:

 

Narrative

: On 20 May 2011 at 11:47 PM, deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office

responded for a large and disorderly crowd in the 300 block of Catherine Street in Salisbury. While on

premises, one of the deputies observed two females engage in an altercation. Upon attempting to separate

the pair, one of the subjects, Antoinette Williams, turned on the uniformed deputy and attempted to punch

him in his face three times.

The deputy managed to avoid being struck and was able to place Williams under arrest. The deputy

transported Williams to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the

District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Williams in the

Detention Center in lieu of $30,000.00 bond.

Charges:

Disorderly ConductAssault 2nd Degree

Antoinette T. Williams, 21, Salisbury, MD

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

Incident: Weapons Violation Date of Incident: 20 May 2011 Location: 700 block of Richmond Avenue, Salisbury, MD Suspect:
 Narrative
 Charges: Deadly Weapon on Person
The deputy placed Arndt under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Arndt on Personal Recognizance.
: On 20 May 2011 at 6:54 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped to check on a vehicle stopped in the roadway in the 700 block of Richmond Avenue in Salisbury. Upon contacting the operator of the vehicle, the deputy observed the handles of two knives sticking out from under the front passenger seat. Upon retrieving them, the deputy observed they both had blades over a foot long and could clearly be construed as deadly weapons. Arno R. Arndt III, 51, Pocomoke, MD

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

Incident:

Driving Revoked

Date of Incident:

20 May 2011

Location:

Old Ocean City Road, Willards, MD

Suspect:

 

Narrative

: On 20 May 2011 at 4:26 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a

Ford Escort operated by Bruce Bratten of Pittsville for a seat belt violation. During the encounter the

deputy learned that Bratten was both Revoked and Suspended. Additionally, Bratten was required to have

any vehicle he drove equipped with an ignition inter-lock device. This vehicle was not equipped with

such device.

The deputy placed Bratten under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was

processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the

Commissioner released Bratten on Personal Recognizance.

Charges:

Driving While Suspended

Violating a License RestrictionDriving While Revoked

Bruce W. Bratten, Jr., 41, Pittsville, MD

Blue Angels cancel Annapolis air show over performance error

Flyover at Naval Academy graduation undetermined

The Blue Angels, the Navy's flight demonstration squadron, abruptly canceled its practice demonstration and air show scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Annapolis, but officials said the group's planes could still fly at Friday's U.S. Naval Academy graduation ceremony.

In a statement, the Pensacola, Fla.-based Blue Angels said it is in a "safety stand-down" after an error during a maneuver during a performance on Sunday at the Lynchburg Regional Air Show in Virginia.
A spokesman said planes were doing a "barrel-roll split" in which planes turn 360 degrees and then break apart. The spokesman, Petty Officer Russell Tafuri, would not say how low to the ground the planes got, but that the planes flew outside their preset safety parameters.
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Superfresh Gets Bids On One Dozen Stores Slated To Close

Buyers have stepped forward to snap up a dozen Superfresh grocery stores slated to be shut down in July as its bankrupt parent works to pay off billions of dollars in liabilities.Superfresh owner A&P said last month it was trying to sell 25 Superfresh stores, mostly in the Baltimore area.

The Montvale, N.J., company said 1,500 workers would lose their jobs unless new owners decide to keep the current employees.Any sale would require the approval of a bankruptcy judge.

A hearing is expected June 14. ...

Read the full story at Baltimore Sun

8 Year Old Jonny Mizone

8 Year Old Jonny Mizone ! brought to you by Funny Clips

Zoo Researcher Charged With Attempted Cruelty

A researcher at the National Zoo's Migratory Bird Center has been charged with attempted animal cruelty.

Authorities say they suspect Nico Dauphine, a Ph.D. who specializes in bird conservation, was poisoning feral cats in her Columbia Heights neigborhood.

Residents living near Malcolm X Park have long seen a feral cat population in the neighborhood, some even setting out food for the animals.

But some neighbors believed that someone was trying to harm the cats, and they alerted neighborhood animal advocates to the problem. After a humane society officer stakeout, advocates said the observed someone spiking food left out for the felines with antifreeze and rat poison.

With these accounts, and after reviewing surveillance video, police had enough evidence to charge Dauphine with attempted animal cruelty.

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Elvis & Neil Diamond Tribute

On Saturday, May 28^th, we are having a tribute to Elvis and Neil Diamond. The tribute artist performs for one hour of Elvis, and one hour of Neil Diamond. This is his second appearance at the Mar-Va, and he is excellent! Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. You can get tickets at the following locations:

The Mar-Va Theater Box Office (located next to the theater)

Gary Pusey’s in Fruitland

Pocomoke Chamber of Commerce

Country Blossoms in Pocomoke

Market St. Deli in Pocomoke

T’s Corner in Virginia

Mar-Va Theater Performing Arts Center

103A Market St | Pocomoke City, MD 21851

phone: 410-957-4230

emily@marvatheater.com

Five Years Ago Today

At the second funeral for a deceased soldier in Seaford, DE. now Vice President Joe Biden was present to pay his respect to the Family.

Md. Man Makes No Apologies For Helping People Commit Suicide

Some compare him to Jack Kevorkian, calling him the new Dr. Death.

Kelly McPherson spoke with a Baltimore man, who is giving no apologies for helping people commit suicide.

Dr. Laurence Egbert has watched and helped nearly 100 people commit suicude. He considers it an honor.
“All I’m saying is that I think people should have the right to control their lives,” he said.

Egbert is speaking for the first time since he was found innocent in a trial that caught national attention.

An Arizona woman used his organization “The Final Exit Network” to Commit Suicide. The group promises a painless death for people with debilitating diseases.

Egbert admits to approving Jana Von Voorhis as a candidate for assisted suicide.

“She died in a very dignified way,” he said.

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Stimulus Contractors Owe Millions In Back Taxes

A Government Accountability Office report to be released Tuesday finds contractors who received stimulus funds have more than $757 million in back taxes. A Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing will look into the matter today. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Ok.) (pictured) says it's a matter of fairness for the contractors to pay their taxes.  

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Are Publishers to Blame for the Decline of Books?

Ah, books, those paper-paged dinosaurs! Lovers of the non-electronic form of literature are already bemoaning the end of an era, as Kindles and other e-readers seem poised to replace physical books forever. But should we be blaming technology or publishers for the possibly imminent extinction of books?

Pointing fingers is always fun, and since the rise of devices that allow users to read entire tomes without ever turning a physical page, those who cherish books have placed blame on Amazon and other manufacturers. But Forbes says perhaps it's the publishers who have done the most damage.

The practice of New York publishers to publish a huge amount of books, not market them and then just pray someone wants to buy them used to work when there was no competition. But now anyone can use online publishers like Lulu or Smashwords, says Forbes, and publish themselves.

The big problem is book publishers' business models: Waiting around to see what is suggested to them instead of proactively researching the market and providing a product consumers want doesn't seem like a good idea, and yet that is how publishers conduct business with literary agents.

The books they do end up going with many times are books no one really wants to buy: Books on 9/11, the Iraq War, Obama's rise to success, economic meltdown, the BP oil spill, etc. All very important and interesting topics, but not something you want to buy a book about when there is enough information online to satiate your interest.

from MB Quirk @ The Consumerist

BREAKING NEWS: Former Egyptian President to Stand Trial

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons to stand trial on charges of killing protesters

Student Group Seeks To Preserve 'White Culture'

WASHINGTON - A student group active on more than a dozen college campuses is creating close ties to white extremists, The Anti-Defamation League says.
 
The Youth for Western Civilization is small, but the ADL claims they are slowly creating a bridge between radical, white extremists and mainstream conservative organizations without the public noticing.
 
"They're really talking about saving white culture from the diversity that is America and American society," says the ADL spokesperson Marilyn Mayo.

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Cable Company Asks For Cable Boxes From Alabama Tornado Victims Before Reconsidering

After tornadoes swept through Alabama last month, killing hundreds of people and ravaging homes, cable company Charter Communications showed its priorities by asking victims to look around for their cable boxes so they could return them, lest they face hefty fines. The cable company later changed course and decided to credit victims for lost or damaged equipment.

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Study: Dentists Less Likely To Treat Kids On Medicaid

Dentists in Cook County, IL, were more likely to provide emergency treatment to children who had private insurance than to those on Medicaid, even if the dentists were enrolled in the state's Medicaid program, according to a new study. Medicaid typically pays less than private insurance plans, and experts say there's "little market motivation" for practitioners to take on those patients, rather than just going with those who have private insurance.

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DelDOT Promotes Safety & Awareness for Memorial Day Travel

I-95 Toll Plaza Construction Remains Congestion Point

Dover -- The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) encourages motorists to plan ahead as the Memorial Day Weekend and summer season gets underway. The Department is committed to safety and motorists should exercise caution while driving Delaware's roadways. Travelers headed to the beach can also use the DART First State Resort Summer Service and paratransit service, starting on Thursday, May 26.

DelDOT reminds motorists that the on-going I-95 Newark Toll Plaza Reconstruction project will have lane restrictions and reduced toll lane access. Motorists should expect delays and congestion on I-95, beginning Thursday morning, May 26 throughout the summer months. The anticipated completion date for this project is August 15. DelDOT recommends motorists to consider using alternative routes or travel during hours with lower traffic volumes.

Northbound and southbound toll lanes have been reduced as part of the construction. This reduction impacts both the manual cash lanes as well as the dedicated E-ZPass lanes. In both directions, there will be four manned and two designated E-ZPass lanes in operation.

DelDOT's Transportation Management Center (TMC) will provide continuous monitoring of traffic conditions across the state. Our radio station, WTMC-1380AM offers motorists with real-time traffic information in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties.

As a reminder, the department will suspend road construction projects from noon on Friday, May 27 until 6 a.m., Tuesday, May 31 to ease travel to area beaches and Memorial Day events.

For the long distance traveler, the Smyrna Rest Area just off of Exit 119 on Route 1 is open 24 hours each day. There are snacks and sodas, restrooms, and an RV dump station for the convenience of campers.

DART First State will operate eight transit routes in the resort area serving Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, Fenwick, Lewes, Georgetown, Long Neck and Ocean City, Maryland. Transit service, which will begin on Thursday, May 26, operates 7 days a week through Sunday, September 18. Early season hours of operation are reduced until peak season begins on Friday, July 1. A daily pass is available for $2.10, or park at the Rehoboth Park & Ride for $7.00 and everyone in the vehicle gets a free daily pass. The Route 305 Beach Connection linking Wilmington/Dover to Rehoboth Beach will operate on Friday evenings, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from Friday, May 27 through Monday, September 5. Bus stops include Rodney Square, Wilmington Amtrak Station, Christiana Mall, Smyrna Rest Stop, Scarborough Road Park & Ride in Dover, Super Wal-Mart in Milford, and the Rehoboth Park & Ride.

DART is coordinating with the Delaware River Bay Authority (DRBA) Cape May-Lewes Ferry Shuttle Service in Lewes to connect at the Rehoboth Park & Ride allowing ferry passengers to travel via bus around the resort area, and to Ocean City, MD. For more information on DART's Resort Transit, visit http://www.dartfirststate.com/.

For updated travel related information and live video of traffic conditions, visit DelDOT online at http://www.deldot.gov/.

The Delaware Department of Transportation advises all motorists to travel during off peak hours, allow extra time to reach your destination, slow down at toll plazas, and obey traffic laws.