DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: Senate Rejects House GOP Budget
Five Republicans join all Senate Democrats in defeating Rep. Paul Ryan's House-backed budget proposal.
BREAKING NEWS: Life in Prison for Elizabeth Smart Kidnapper
Former street preacher gets life in prison for kidnapping and raping Elizabeth Smart, after she tells him at hearing she still will live a good life
GOVERNOR O'MALLEY, U.S. TREASURER ROSIE RIOS ANNOUNCE $23 MILLION TO SUPPORT MARYLAND SMALL BUSINESSES
Federal funds expected to leverage $230 million in small business lending
BALTIMORE, MD (May 25, 2011) – Joined by business leaders and elected officials at the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Annual Meeting tonight, Governor Martin O’Malley will announce that Maryland has received approval for $23 million in federal funding to help Maryland’s small businesses access much-needed capital to expand and create new jobs. These U.S. Treasury funds are expected to leverage $230 million in small business lending in the State. In total, $1.5 billion is being allocated nationwide as part of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a program of the Small Business Jobs Act that President Obama signed into law in October 2010. The Maryland Industrial Development Financing Authority (MIDFA), which helped businesses access more than $33 million in loans in FY 2010, will administer the use of the funds.
“These federal funds are coming at a time when Maryland small businesses, and small businesses around our country, are continuing to navigate the credit challenges brought by the economic downturn,” said Governor O’Malley. “In Maryland, we have made unlocking credit for small businesses a top priority with the creation of our Small Business Credit Initiative, which provides a state-backed loan guarantee. Since that program was launched in December 2009, we have been able to help small businesses access $8.5 million in loans that otherwise would not have been approved, creating or saving nearly 500 jobs.”
“This funding will help Maryland small businesses access the capital they need to expand their operations, invest in new equipment, and create new jobs,” said Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios. “The program provides a powerful incentive for new private lending to small businesses, which will help spur additional job creation and economic growth throughout Maryland.”
With $10.5 million being directed to MIDFA, the state’s loan guarantee program, the remainder of the funds will be allocated in various State finance programs. The Maryland Venture Fund – the state’s designated Venture Capital Fund and a focus of Governor O’Malley’s signature InvestMaryland initiative signed into law recently, is projected to generate approximately $13 million in FY 12. The SSBCI will generate an additional $6.5 million – more than four times what the fund currently has available; the Maryland Small Business Financing Authority will receive $4.5 million for their loan guarantee program; and Neighborhood Business Works, a program of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, will receive $1.5 million.
“This is a good example of leveraging strategic federal government funding into private investment and job growth in Maryland,” said Donald C. Fry, President and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee. “Business and economic development leaders have told us that state programs such as those to which this funding is allocated are core pillars of a competitive business environment.”
Last year, Governor O’Malley helped pave the way for the establishment of the SSBCI, rallying the bipartisan support of 28 governors at a National Governors Association meeting in February 2010, and putting forth a request to President Obama to help lessen the credit gap for small businesses by funding state loan guarantee programs. The O’Malley-Brown Administration worked with U.S. Secretary Timothy Geithner and his team to craft the legislation, which is based in part on Maryland’s MIDFA loan guarantee program. In addition Governor O’Malley dispatched Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian S. Johansson to testify before the House Finance Services Committee to make the case for the potential of loan guarantee programs like MIDFA and help move the Small Business Jobs Act forward.
In addition to the State Small Business Credit Initiative, the Small Business Jobs Act includes a number of important provisions to support small business job creation. The Act includes eight new small business tax incentives, creates a $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund to help small and community banks provide new loans to small businesses; extends and expands existing Small Business Administration loan programs; and delivers other important benefits for small businesses.
BREAKING NEWS: Loughner Not Competent To Stand Trial
Arizona judge rules Tucson gunman Jared Loughner is not competent to stand trial in rampage, after experts say he is mentally ill, schizophrenic.
Loughner was taken out of Phoenix courtroom after outburst.
Loughner was taken out of Phoenix courtroom after outburst.
So Much For Being Better Off Than Most States Part II
Maryland ranks 49th in private sector job creation over the past year
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY IS STILL TRYING TO CONVINCE US THAT MARYLAND’S PRIVATE SECTOR JOB CREATION IS OUT PERFORMING THE REST OF THE NATION:
“Last month’s jobs report shows that Maryland employers continue to outperform the rest of the nation. (Governor O’Malley, “Statement from Governor Martin O'Malley on the Gain of 11,600 Jobs in April,” Press Release, 5/20/11)
BUT THE FACTS TELL A DIFFERENT STORY:
MARYLAND RANKS DEAD LAST IN PRIVATE SECTOR JOB CREATION SINCE APRIL 2010:
Maryland businesses have only created 500 private sector jobs between April 2010 and April 2011. As of April 2010 Maryland’s private sector employed 2,010,300 individuals, a year later that number has only increased to 2,010,500. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,http://link.sc.states.gop.com/?65-1629-3165-125-13104, Accessed 5/24/11)
Maryland’s lackluster private sector growth of 500 jobs ranks 49th among all states, last among our neighbors, excluding Washington DC. Private sector job growth in neighboring states over the past year: Pennsylvania (94,700); Virginia (25,600); West Virginia (9,800); Delaware (2,900). (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,http://link.sc.states.gop.com/?65-1629-3165-125-13104, Accessed 5/24/11)
Even Delaware created nearly six times more private sector jobs than Maryland. Since April 2010, Delaware has created 2,900 private sector jobs compared to Maryland's 500, despite having nearly five million less people. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,http://link.sc.states.gop.com/?65-1629-3165-125-13104, Accessed 5/24/11)
MARYLAND’S OVERALL EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS DO NOT FAIR MUCH BETTER, RANKING NEAR THE BOTTOM OF ALL STATES:
Maryland ranked 44th in the nation for percent change in job growth from March 2010 through March 2011; last among neighboring states. Pennsylvania (1.37%), Delaware (1.37%), Virginia, (1.02%), Washington D.C. (0.76%), West Virginia (0.71%), Maryland (0.22%). (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,http://link.sc.states.gop.com/?65-1629-3165-125-13104, Accessed 4/25/11)
Maryland ranked 38th in the nation for annual employment gains through the end of the first quarter. (G. Scott Thomas, “Maryland adds 5,400 jobs in the past year,” Baltimore Business Journal, 4/25/11)
Maryland ranked 38th in the nation for jobs created from March 2010 through March 2011, second to last among neighboring states. Jobs created: Pennsylvania (76,500), Virginia (37,000), Delaware (5,600), Washington D.C. (5,400), Maryland (5,400), West Virginia (5,300). (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,http://link.sc.states.gop.com/?65-1629-3165-125-13104, Accessed 4/25/11)
The “Civil Discourse” Scam
How can I say such a thing? Easy. I simply apply the “hypocrisy meter”. Who is shouting the loudest for “civil discourse”? It is those who practice it the least.
For years and years Republicans attacked Democrats for using one of their favorite tactics – the “politics of fear”. Anytime a Republican proposal was made to cut federal spending, reform entitlements, or even to slow the growth in federal spending, out came the commercials claiming that Republicans were trying to kill old people and starve little children.
Yet, what happened during the debate over ObamaCare? REPUBLICANS attacked the plan claiming that it would cut Medicare! Yes, ObamaCare does cut Medicare. Yes, Republicans argued against ObamaCare on other grounds as well. Remember “DEATH PANELS”? However, the Democrats don’t want to murder seniors any more than the GOP wants to starve little kids.
The Democrat response? To quote one Democrat member of Congress – “The Republicans won’t be happy until you’re (seniors) all dead!”. If you have paid ANY attention to the news of the last month, you can quote 100 other similar examples.
Get in your car and drive across the Bay to Salisbury. How many times over the last several years have we seen the Daily Times cry for “civil discourse”, almost always blaming the party who was actually attacked. Yet, just a few days ago the DT ran an ANONYMOUS editorial comparing the GOP majority of the Wicomico County Council to jihadists. THAT’s CIVIL DISCOURSE!
Now, before you start screaming hypocrite at me let’s get a few things straight.
For starters, it’s too subjective. SbyNEWS publisher Joe Albero has been called out for “victimizing” certain people. However, when you examine the claims most of them are laughable. Sure a few people can claim to have been harmed. You can also easily argue that they have not, or that their harm is (at least) equally of their own making. For most of the claims of “victimization” it is merely a case of “Joe Albero disagreed with them”. Get a life!
Second, I give as good as I get .. and don’t whine about it; although I do like to think that I give it out better. In a perfect world I wouldn’t even wish that I wasn’t attacked (which really doesn’t happen very often). I just hope that the person who attacks ME, has an IQ over 70. Better yet, attack my position. For me, vigorous debate is like Christmas.
Third, when I call someone out in a REALLY harsh way, you can be sure that I can back it up. A few years ago I compared a local landlord to a Klansman. While the landlord had gone to great pains to have his arrest and conviction records expunged, we were able to come up with the police officer’s written request for an arrest warrant which detailed some very bad behavior. This very bad, and very hypocritical behavior deserved to be brought out in light of some recent statements by the same landlord (“I’m the protector of the poor, the oppressed, the black, and the brown …”).
Am I claiming to be perfect? Hell no! It’s just that I try to admit my faults, including my bias. I recognize the “Killing Granny” ads as the high tech rhetorical devices they are. I don’t claim to be holier than thou (although I will admit to being an intellectual snob at times). I simply wish that my pals over at the Daily Times, and a host of others would either practice what they preach … or STOP PREACHING!
G. A. Harrison is a frequent contributor to SbyNEWS. “Delmarva Dealings” appears each Wednesday and Sunday at Noon on SbyNEWS.
19600903
Daily Times Rides to Defense of Wicomico Board of Ed - III
On Sunday, the Daily Times published what I hope is an all time low on their editorial page. Monday, we began to contrast fact against the DT’s alternate reality. This continued on Tuesday. Today, we conclude our examination of the Daily Times’ ride to the defense of waste, obfuscation, and arrogance that we all know as the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE).Back to the DT’s hit piece …
Pointing fingers and thereby tacitly implying there must be wrongdoing, mishandling or waste somewhere does not lead to constructive resolutions. Divisive behavior does not save money, nor does it lead to a better education for our county's students.OK. First of all, the council is not tacitly implying there must be wrongdoing. The WCBOE does that by refusing to provide answers to legitimate questions in a timely manner. Second, what is the evidence that allowing the WCBOE to spend taxpayer dollars without any oversight leads to “a better education for our county’s students”?
Oh wait! We all know the answer to that question. Raise your hands! Wait to be called on. The answer is …
There is no evidence.
Across our city, across our county and across our country, the vast majority of those in the middle have grown weary and worn down by jihadist (sic) mentality of small but vocal extremes at both ends of the political spectrum.
JIHADIST? You have got to be kidding me. I can only conclude that Daily Times General Manager Greg Bassett must have been out of town when this one went to press. Greg has (benevolently) lectured me over the years about the need for responsibility both on the news and op-ed sides of the house. I may disagree with Greg on some things but he has always been honest with me; and taken this view of “responsibility” to heart. I would argue that the DT has practiced this to the point of timidity. Yet, now we see the majority of the county council compared to jihadists! Requesting honest answers to honest questions makes you a jihadist?
To those who constantly nitpick the system, who grandstand without facts, who continually point out perceived problems rather than offer solutions: You are ultimately destroying the county you represent.OK Joe Holloway - a deaf,. dumb, and blind man knows who this paragraph is in reference too. Neither Holloway, nor his council colleagues are grandstanding. As for not having the facts, that is the problem. The WCBOE stonewalls at almost every turn.
Perhaps the author should ask him / herself a question: Do we want ANOTHER taxpayer revolt in Wicomico County? Without proper oversight, that is exactly what we would face. If the WCBOE had their way, the tax rate in Wicomico County would be $2, $3, $4, or more. No matter how much money is thrown at them, it is never enough. It’s for the children.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As a side note, I would be VERY interested to know who actually penned Sunday’s DT editorial. Personally, I can’t believe that either Susan Parker or Greg Bassett did. If Managing Editor Erick Sahler did, especially without disclosing so due to his wife’s position at the WCBOE, I would be ashamed if I were Gannett. Regardless, this op-ed shows that the Daily Times is no more responsible than any other outlet.
Should Salisbury Taxpayers Pay the Water Bills of Others?
Former mayoral candidate and Salisbury city councilman Gary Comegys has chosen to leave political retirement. His vehicle? An attack against his old foes Debbie Campbell, Terry Cohen, and Tim Spies. His hook? Claiming to stand up for the poor.Comegys’ letter to the editor in Tuesday’s Daily Times sounds so nice:
Whether providing police, fire or EMS, the city helps and protects its citizens. The poor or those in a rough spot should know there is a safety net provided by a compassionate city government. This item is small compared to the water and sewer budget and has little or no effect on the rate we pay for these services. Council President Terry Cohen and Councilman Tim Spies have indicated they support Campbell.It all sounds so sweet. It sounds so Christian. It sounds so Democrat. Yes, I’m being sarcastic – except for the Democrat part.
Do such actions support Salisbury's designation as an All America City? I say not.
The idea behind abolishing the so-called “hardship fund” is a simple one. Government should provide the core services which cannot be provided by individuals or the private sector. Government largesse simply breeds a sense of entitlement. One need simply stand in line at the grocery store today to witness it.
There are non-profits to assist with such needs. The city (or better yet, a non-profit) could establish a fund to help those with their water bills in much the same way as Delmarva Power has established such a mechanism to help those who cannot pay their power bills.
Yes Gary, we all know that it’s only $24,000. However, we have to ask why hardworking taxpayers who can barely afford to pay their own water bills are being asked to subsidize others.
As Gary showed while on council; it’s very easy to force taxpayers to subsidize others. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a multi-million dollar developer reimbursement or a $24,000 water hardship fund. Campbell, et al are right. At least in these economic times, the city government should stick to providing core services. We, as citizens, should help our neighbors through our churches, charitable organizations, or simply as individuals.
Memorial Day Forecast For Maryland Travel Even With Last Year
Even with gasoline prices at near-record levels, Marylanders are expected to travel during Memorial Day weekend in the same robust numbers as last year, AAA Mid-Atlantic predicts. But to make sure potential visitors aren't discouraged by the price at the pumps, some Ocean City hotels are offering vouchers good for up to $50 in gas for guests who book for multiple days.
MISSING DOG
I am contacting you in regards to a missing dog. The dog is a small white male dog with tan spots near the tail. He weighs approximately 15lbs, and he is neutered. His name is Little Bear. He got out of his fenced yard On Dover St. in Salisbury, Maryland. We are requesting your assistance in finding him and bringing him home safely, as we know that your track record of finding lost pets is very good, or darn near excellent.
Thank you for your kindness and your help.
410-341-4960
Mary Hoffman
SALISBURY’S SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT LAWSUIT IS HEATING UP
Although the jury trial requested by the City has not been scheduled, there could be very significant “pre-trial” action by the Wicomico County Circuit Court in a month or so. O’Brien & Gere -- the engineering firm that the City claims improperly designed the $60 Million plus upgrade of the plant -- has filed a motion to dismiss most of the charges, including those claiming that firm defrauded the City. The Circuit Court has scheduled a hearing on the motion for June 30. The ruling, which will be made by a judge, probably will come later.
We hesitate to predict the outcome, but understand that the City hit some rough sailing in the Circuit Court last year. Some attorneys feel that the City has no chance to collect more than $1 Million unless it prevails in the charge of fraud by O’Brien & Gere. In short, the outcome in the case could be determined in large part by a judge, not a jury.
See you in Court, sports fans.
Things Are Spinning Out Of Control
The pretense of centralized control of history is wearing thin.
The single greatest conceit of the Status Quo in the U.S., China and Euroland is that systems and trends can be tightly controlled. That conceit is slowly being revealed as hubris, as all sorts of things are spinning out of the control of the centralized authorities and financial elites in each geopolitical power center.
Does anyone really think the people of Greece will stand idly by while the state treasures of their nation are transferred to the banks which foolishly lent billions to a visibly risky enterprise? The banks, of course, lent freely to insolvent governments throughout the European Union, confident in the backstop of the E.U. itself.
The analogy to subprime mortgages in the U.S. is near-perfect: banks lent freely to extremely risky borrowers, breezily confident that their worker-bees in the Federal Reserve, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Treasury and Congress would all toil feverishly to transfer the risk to the U.S. taxpayers, by whatever means were necessary.
Does anyone really think the uprisings against this transfer of national wealth to the "too big to fail" banks in Europe will fade as unemployment rises and the true costs of the transfer become apparent to all?
Does anyone really think there is no chance that the citizens of one of the nations lined up to be stripmined by the E.U. will openly rebel against the stripmining, throwing out their government until they find some politicians who are not spineless lackeys and factotums of the financial Status Quo?
Does anyone really think the banks are really that precious to the people they are stripmining? Just how awful would it be if all the big banks with exposure to sovereign debt in the E.U. went belly up and were declared insolvent? A handful of very wealthy managers would lose their jobs, a handful of very wealthy owners would lose their stake, and all the pension funds and mutual funds which bet on the infinite passivity of the citizenry and the infinite checkbook of the E.U. would lose, too.
It's called Capitalistic risk and return, baby, and return can be negative. All the big players assumed the citizenry would quietly line up to have the clothing ripped from their backs and their flesh flayed to extract the pound of flesh "owed" the banks. But as the citizenry of Europe wake up to costs of the stripmining, which extends now to the taxpayers of Germany, Finland and beyond, they are withdrawing their support of the financial Status Quo.
More
The single greatest conceit of the Status Quo in the U.S., China and Euroland is that systems and trends can be tightly controlled. That conceit is slowly being revealed as hubris, as all sorts of things are spinning out of the control of the centralized authorities and financial elites in each geopolitical power center.
Does anyone really think the people of Greece will stand idly by while the state treasures of their nation are transferred to the banks which foolishly lent billions to a visibly risky enterprise? The banks, of course, lent freely to insolvent governments throughout the European Union, confident in the backstop of the E.U. itself.
The analogy to subprime mortgages in the U.S. is near-perfect: banks lent freely to extremely risky borrowers, breezily confident that their worker-bees in the Federal Reserve, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Treasury and Congress would all toil feverishly to transfer the risk to the U.S. taxpayers, by whatever means were necessary.
Does anyone really think the uprisings against this transfer of national wealth to the "too big to fail" banks in Europe will fade as unemployment rises and the true costs of the transfer become apparent to all?
Does anyone really think there is no chance that the citizens of one of the nations lined up to be stripmined by the E.U. will openly rebel against the stripmining, throwing out their government until they find some politicians who are not spineless lackeys and factotums of the financial Status Quo?
Does anyone really think the banks are really that precious to the people they are stripmining? Just how awful would it be if all the big banks with exposure to sovereign debt in the E.U. went belly up and were declared insolvent? A handful of very wealthy managers would lose their jobs, a handful of very wealthy owners would lose their stake, and all the pension funds and mutual funds which bet on the infinite passivity of the citizenry and the infinite checkbook of the E.U. would lose, too.
It's called Capitalistic risk and return, baby, and return can be negative. All the big players assumed the citizenry would quietly line up to have the clothing ripped from their backs and their flesh flayed to extract the pound of flesh "owed" the banks. But as the citizenry of Europe wake up to costs of the stripmining, which extends now to the taxpayers of Germany, Finland and beyond, they are withdrawing their support of the financial Status Quo.
More
Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases
Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Date of Incident: 23 May 2011
Location: W/B Salisbury Pkwy. at Gateway Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Alvin Eric Church Jr., 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 23 May 2011 at 11:14 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle for swaying in the travel lane and almost striking a vehicle in front of it. Upon making contact with the operator, identified as Alvin Church, the deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from within the passenger compartment. Based on other observations, the deputy began field sobriety testing. At the conclusion of the testing, the deputy determined that Church was under the influence of alcohol and placed him under arrest.
A search of the vehicle revealed an open can of Bud Ice beer in the passenger compartment. Church was processed and taken to the MD State Police Barrack for a breath test. Upon the conclusion of all testing, Church was released upon signing citations, pending returning for court.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Incident: Theft
Date of Incident: 19 May 2011
Location: 31000 block of Olde Fruitland Rd., Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Erin Lynn Griffin, 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 19 May 2011 a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of jewelry and a digital camera from a residence. During the investigation the victim identified Erin Lynn Griffin as a possible suspect. Griffin had been inside the residence where the theft had occurred. The deputy managed to locate an individual who stated that she bought the camera from Griffin for $25.00 shortly after the theft. The camera was recovered and returned to the victim.
Based on this information, the deputy applied for and received a warrant for the arrest of Griffin. That warrant was served on 22 May 2011 and Griffin was transported to the Central Booking Unit. After being
processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner, Griffin was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $15,000.00 bond.
Charges: Theft under $1,000.00
Incident: Theft Investigation
Date of Incident: 23 May 2011
Location: 600 block of Dawn Court, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Pending
Narrative: On 23 May 2011 at 7:40 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of lumber left at a residential construction site in the 600 block of Dawn Court.
The residence was the property of Habitat for Humanity and they were overseeing the construction of the new home. Workers left lumber for the project under a tarp on Friday 20 May and returned the morning
of 23 May to discover it gone.
Anyone who has any information on this crime is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4891.
You may also provide information anonymously by calling Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. You may be eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest in this case.
Charges: Theft
2. Tyler Paul Jones, 19, Hebron, MD; Failure to Comply with Peace Order, held WCDC $10,000.00 bond.
1. Allen Anthony Bean, 45, Columbia, MD; FTA for a VOP Hearing, Child Abuse, held WCDC without bond
2. Cecil Trayvon Hicks, 20, New Church, VA; FTA – CDS Possession. Held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
3. Jason Allen Coggin, 28, Seaford, DE; FTA – CDS Possession / Disorderly Conduct, Held WCDC $10,000.00 bond.
4. Brandon Earl Waltemeyer, 20, Delmar, MD; FTA – Theft / CDS Possession, held WCDC $10,000.00 bond.
5. Brandon Earl Waltemeyer, 20, Delmar, MD; FTA – CDS Possession, held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
6. Wanda Ann Venegas, 43, Salisbury, MD; FTA – Contempt, Held WCDC $1,000.00 bond.
1. Floyd L. Cain, 40, East New Market, MD; VOP – CDS Possession / DUI, held WCDC without bond.
2. Carlton E. Carter, 48, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Burglary, held WCDC without bond.
3. Jameon Michael Maycock, 27, Salisbury, MD; VOP – CDS Possession, held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
4. Jonathan Thomas Handy, 20, Ocean Pines, MD; VOP – CDS Possession, held WCDC $25,000.00 bond.
5. Donte McGill, 24, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Child Abuse by Parent, held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
1. Troy Lamont Barnes, 40, Salisbury, MD; Child Support non-Compliance, held WCDC $52,000.00 bond
2. Khalfanimani Blount Willis, 31, Salisbury, MD; Child Support Non-Compliance, held WCDC $500.00 bond.
1. Joslin Brown, 58, Salisbury, MD; Theft Scheme $100,000.00 Plus, held WCDC without bond.
1. Male Juvenile, 17, Owings Mills, MD; Juvenile Writ of Attachment, held Lower Eastern Shore Children’s Center.
Date of Incident: 23 May 2011
Location: W/B Salisbury Pkwy. at Gateway Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Alvin Eric Church Jr., 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 23 May 2011 at 11:14 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle for swaying in the travel lane and almost striking a vehicle in front of it. Upon making contact with the operator, identified as Alvin Church, the deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from within the passenger compartment. Based on other observations, the deputy began field sobriety testing. At the conclusion of the testing, the deputy determined that Church was under the influence of alcohol and placed him under arrest.
A search of the vehicle revealed an open can of Bud Ice beer in the passenger compartment. Church was processed and taken to the MD State Police Barrack for a breath test. Upon the conclusion of all testing, Church was released upon signing citations, pending returning for court.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Incident: Theft
Date of Incident: 19 May 2011
Location: 31000 block of Olde Fruitland Rd., Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Erin Lynn Griffin, 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 19 May 2011 a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of jewelry and a digital camera from a residence. During the investigation the victim identified Erin Lynn Griffin as a possible suspect. Griffin had been inside the residence where the theft had occurred. The deputy managed to locate an individual who stated that she bought the camera from Griffin for $25.00 shortly after the theft. The camera was recovered and returned to the victim.
Based on this information, the deputy applied for and received a warrant for the arrest of Griffin. That warrant was served on 22 May 2011 and Griffin was transported to the Central Booking Unit. After being
processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner, Griffin was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $15,000.00 bond.
Charges: Theft under $1,000.00
Incident: Theft Investigation
Date of Incident: 23 May 2011
Location: 600 block of Dawn Court, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Pending
Narrative: On 23 May 2011 at 7:40 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of lumber left at a residential construction site in the 600 block of Dawn Court.
The residence was the property of Habitat for Humanity and they were overseeing the construction of the new home. Workers left lumber for the project under a tarp on Friday 20 May and returned the morning
of 23 May to discover it gone.
Anyone who has any information on this crime is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4891.
You may also provide information anonymously by calling Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. You may be eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest in this case.
Charges: Theft
Arrest Warant
1. Erin Lynn Griffin, 22, Salisbury, MD; Theft, held WCDC $15,000.00 bond
2. Tyler Paul Jones, 19, Hebron, MD; Failure to Comply with Peace Order, held WCDC $10,000.00 bond.
Failure to Appear Bench Warrant
1. Allen Anthony Bean, 45, Columbia, MD; FTA for a VOP Hearing, Child Abuse, held WCDC without bond
2. Cecil Trayvon Hicks, 20, New Church, VA; FTA – CDS Possession. Held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
3. Jason Allen Coggin, 28, Seaford, DE; FTA – CDS Possession / Disorderly Conduct, Held WCDC $10,000.00 bond.
4. Brandon Earl Waltemeyer, 20, Delmar, MD; FTA – Theft / CDS Possession, held WCDC $10,000.00 bond.
5. Brandon Earl Waltemeyer, 20, Delmar, MD; FTA – CDS Possession, held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
6. Wanda Ann Venegas, 43, Salisbury, MD; FTA – Contempt, Held WCDC $1,000.00 bond.
Violation of Probation Bench Warrant
1. Floyd L. Cain, 40, East New Market, MD; VOP – CDS Possession / DUI, held WCDC without bond.
2. Carlton E. Carter, 48, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Burglary, held WCDC without bond.
3. Jameon Michael Maycock, 27, Salisbury, MD; VOP – CDS Possession, held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
4. Jonathan Thomas Handy, 20, Ocean Pines, MD; VOP – CDS Possession, held WCDC $25,000.00 bond.
5. Donte McGill, 24, Salisbury, MD; VOP – Child Abuse by Parent, held WCDC $5,000.00 bond.
Child Support Body Attachment
1. Troy Lamont Barnes, 40, Salisbury, MD; Child Support non-Compliance, held WCDC $52,000.00 bond
2. Khalfanimani Blount Willis, 31, Salisbury, MD; Child Support Non-Compliance, held WCDC $500.00 bond.
Circuit Court Indictment
1. Joslin Brown, 58, Salisbury, MD; Theft Scheme $100,000.00 Plus, held WCDC without bond.
Circuit Court Juvenile
1. Male Juvenile, 17, Owings Mills, MD; Juvenile Writ of Attachment, held Lower Eastern Shore Children’s Center.
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE SALISBURY CITY COUNCIL HAS SCHEDULED AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET SESSION TO BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2011 AT 5:00 P.M.
THE BUDGET SESSION WILL BE HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOM 306 OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING (125 N. DIVISION STREET).
Obama And Cameron Pledge No Let-Up In Libya
LONDON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron warned Libya's Muammar Gaddafi on Wednesday there would be no let up in pressure on him to go but said it will require a slow and steady campaign.
The two leaders, at a joint news conference, predicted Gaddafi will ultimately leave power. Cameron did not deny the British military is considering using its attack helicopters against Libyan targets to increase the heat on Gaddafi.
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The two leaders, at a joint news conference, predicted Gaddafi will ultimately leave power. Cameron did not deny the British military is considering using its attack helicopters against Libyan targets to increase the heat on Gaddafi.
More
Gay Student Says He Was Bullied For 6 Years, Fairfax County School System Failed To Help
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WUSA) -- A young Fairfax County man is speaking publicly for the first time about his years of torment inside the Fairfax County public school system.
Dan Webb says he's sharing his painful story to help spread awareness of bullying, including harassment based on sexual preference.
Asked if he felt safe attending West Springfield High school, where he graduated in 2009, Webb replied, "No. Not once. I felt terrified for my life."
In fact, he says all of his middle and high school years in Fairfax County were destroyed by bullies.
"It hurt me so bad emotionally. I'd come home crying. I'd get home off the school bus and just start bawling my eyes out when I got to the front door," he said.
At West Springfield High School, Dan says his tormentors slapped and groped him in the locker rooms, and even shoved him to the ground. But most of the daily pain they inflicted didn't leave bruises.
He said, "They would yell 'faggot,' 'you're gay,' 'why are you so gay,' 'why do you like men?'"
Perhaps most devastating of all: no one in the school system would help him. His mother says she met with administrators, counselors and teachers at least 20 times, but the harassment continued.
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Dan Webb says he's sharing his painful story to help spread awareness of bullying, including harassment based on sexual preference.
Asked if he felt safe attending West Springfield High school, where he graduated in 2009, Webb replied, "No. Not once. I felt terrified for my life."
In fact, he says all of his middle and high school years in Fairfax County were destroyed by bullies.
"It hurt me so bad emotionally. I'd come home crying. I'd get home off the school bus and just start bawling my eyes out when I got to the front door," he said.
At West Springfield High School, Dan says his tormentors slapped and groped him in the locker rooms, and even shoved him to the ground. But most of the daily pain they inflicted didn't leave bruises.
He said, "They would yell 'faggot,' 'you're gay,' 'why are you so gay,' 'why do you like men?'"
Perhaps most devastating of all: no one in the school system would help him. His mother says she met with administrators, counselors and teachers at least 20 times, but the harassment continued.
More
OCPD CHARGE MAN WITH ATTEMPTED RAPE
Henri awakened the victim, whose name is not being released. The victim immediately attempted to stop the
assault. Henri then fled from the residence, but was later located by police in the area of North Division Street, where he was positively identified by the victim as the suspect of the assault.
Henri was arrested and charged with attempted second degree rape, first degree burglary, third degree burglary, third degree sex offense and second degree assault. After being seen by an Ocean City District Court.
Farm To School Program Expanding In Delaware
CAMDEN, Del. (AP) -- State agriculture officials are helping expand the Delaware Farm to School program that helps farmers sell their produce to schools across the state.
Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee says every school district in Delaware is participating in the program that started last year. The program is designed to help growers sell produce to schools.
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Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee says every school district in Delaware is participating in the program that started last year. The program is designed to help growers sell produce to schools.
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Chesapeake Bay Foundation Fighting Back In Court
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is back in court over bay restoration efforts.
The bay advocacy group is holding a press conference Wednesday in Annapolis to discuss legal efforts it is taking, along with other groups, to fight off challenges to the federal Environmental Protection Agency's "pollution diet"' strategy.
Environmentalists and farm advocates are clashing over the new, stricter federally led effort. The American Farm Bureau Federation sued the EPA in January, and other groups have since joined the challenge. Critics say it is too far-reaching and will burden states with huge costs.
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The bay advocacy group is holding a press conference Wednesday in Annapolis to discuss legal efforts it is taking, along with other groups, to fight off challenges to the federal Environmental Protection Agency's "pollution diet"' strategy.
Environmentalists and farm advocates are clashing over the new, stricter federally led effort. The American Farm Bureau Federation sued the EPA in January, and other groups have since joined the challenge. Critics say it is too far-reaching and will burden states with huge costs.
More
Wicomico County Schools Change Time Your Children Will Go To And Leave School At Some Schools Next Year
School Start and End Times Adjusted for 2011-12 School Year
School start and end times for some Wicomico County Public Schools will be adjusted by 15 minutes for the 2011-12 school year as the school system strives to provide transportation efficiently and economically so as much education funding as possible can be spent in the classroom.Some schools will see no change in schedule for 2011-12. Others (mostly secondary schools) will start 15 minutes earlier, and some elementary schools will start 15 minutes later.
“The goal is to become more efficient by retaining the same level of service while using fewer resources for transportation, since any dollars spent on transportation are dollars that cannot be spent in the classroom,” said David E. Reeve, Supervisor of Transportation. “By changing the start and end times for some schools, we create a larger window of time for transportation, allowing us to provide the same level of service with fewer buses.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the school system changing school start and end times?
The fiscal year 2011-12 budget that the Board of Education will adopt by June 30 is expected to have approximately $6 million less in funding than this year’s budget. This presents considerable challenges in all areas of the budget, including transportation. The school system is adjusting school start and end times to make more efficient use of the buses that serve its students. With school start and end times spread out over a longer period of time, the more than 12,000 students who are eligible for school bus transportation can be transported with fewer buses, reducing the school system’s cost. In most cases, students will experience little change from the adjustment of start and end times. In other cases, students who may have waited a half-hour after school dismissal for the bus to arrive, will have their wait time at school reduced, resulting in students arriving at their home stop no later than in previous years.
How will the new start and end times save money on transportation?
By opening up a larger window of time for bus transportation, the school system will be able to reduce the number of buses it needs to serve its students. By changing school times, the transportation time window can be expanded, requiring fewer buses to transport the same number of students. Some buses that currently complete only one trip will be able to complete two trips, and some buses that now complete two trips will be able to complete three trips. Many buses will cover more miles and will spend more minutes on the road – even though in most cases students will spend no additional time on the bus -- to transport students more efficiently. The school system anticipates having at least five open bus contracts whose trips would be assigned to other buses. A reduction of 5 buses is estimated to generate a $120,000 reduction. Savings are generated by eliminating the per vehicle allotment for five buses and the reimbursement for “dead head” time and mileage -- the time and miles traveled from the garage to the first student stop, last morning school back to the garage, from the garage to the first afternoon school and from the last afternoon student stop back to the garage. With changes in school start and end times and route adjustments, Wicomico can continue to provide bus transportation for the 12,000 eligible students at a lower cost.
Which schools will start and end 15 minutes earlier next year?
Secondary schools will begin classes at 7:45 a.m. and end the day at 2:45 p.m. These schools include Bennett Middle, James M. Bennett High, Mardela Middle and High, Parkside High, Salisbury Middle, Wicomico Middle and Wicomico High.
Some elementary schools will also begin and end 15 minutes earlier than the current schedule. Delmar Elementary will begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m. The Magnet programs at North Salisbury Elementary and Pemberton Elementary will start at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:15 p.m. North Salisbury Elementary and Pemberton Elementary students, along with students at West Salisbury Elementary and Pinehurst Elementary, will start at 8:45 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m. Prince Street Elementary will start at 8 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.
Which schools will start and end 15 minutes later next year?
Beaver Run Elementary, East Salisbury Elementary, Fruitland Intermediate, Fruitland Primary, Westside Primary and Westside Intermediate will begin the school day 15 minutes later (9:15 a.m.) and end it 15 minutes later (3:45 p.m.).
Which schools will have no change in start and end times in 2011-12?
Pittsville Elementary and Middle, Charles H. Chipman Elementary, Glen Avenue Elementary, Northwestern Elementary, Willards Elementary and the Wicomico Early Learning Center will have no change in start and end times next year.
When will families be able to find out about any bus changes, such as new pickup and drop-off times and changes in the number of the bus?
Bus route and schedule adjustments will be made this summer. The Transportation Department will provide schools preliminary bus serving lists by the first week of June. By Aug. 1, a schedule of updated bus stop locations with estimated bus stop times for each bus will be provided to each school. School bus transportation information will be posted online on school web pages and at http://www.wcboe.org/departments/Transportation/ as it becomes available.
City School Board Approves $1.3 Billion Budget
School board members call for greater transparency for budget process
The Baltimore school board approved Tuesday a $1.3 billion budget for next year that gives principals less discretion over spending and allows city schools CEO Andrés Alonso to implement a central office reorganization.The fiscal year 2012 budget will increase by $82 million, most of which is designated for specific uses, school officials said. Expenses, notably salaries and fringe benefits, would rise.
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White House Threatens To Veto Defense Bill
WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House on Tuesday threatened to veto a defense bill, fiercely objecting to provisions limiting President Barack Obama's authority to reduce the nation's nuclear arsenal and decide the fate of terrorist suspects.
In a statement, the Obama administration said it generally supported passage of the legislation, which would provide $553 billion for the Defense Department in next year's budget and an additional $118 billion to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the administration identified three provisions that would prompt the president's advisers to recommend that Obama veto the bill.
"The administration has serious concerns with several provisions that constrain the ability of the armed forces to carry out their missions (and) impede the secretary of defense's ability to make and implement management decisions that eliminate unnecessary overhead or programs to ensure scarce resources are directed to the highest priorities for the warfighter."
The House began work on the bill on Tuesday and is scheduled to vote on the legislation later in the week.
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In a statement, the Obama administration said it generally supported passage of the legislation, which would provide $553 billion for the Defense Department in next year's budget and an additional $118 billion to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the administration identified three provisions that would prompt the president's advisers to recommend that Obama veto the bill.
"The administration has serious concerns with several provisions that constrain the ability of the armed forces to carry out their missions (and) impede the secretary of defense's ability to make and implement management decisions that eliminate unnecessary overhead or programs to ensure scarce resources are directed to the highest priorities for the warfighter."
The House began work on the bill on Tuesday and is scheduled to vote on the legislation later in the week.
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GLEN AVENUE CLOSING EACH DAY FROM 5 PM-TO-10 PM FROM MAY 31ST THROUGH JUNE 3RD
In March, 2010, Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., ordered the closing of Glen Avenue north of the Civic Center for all major events. Mr. Pollitt took the action in the interest of safety for Civic Center spectators and participants.
Accordingly, Glen Avenue will be closed for graduation exercises on the following schedule:
Tuesday, May 31 Mardela High School Close at 5PM Reopen at 10PM
Wednesday, June 1 Wicomico High School “ “
Thursday, June 2 JMB High School “ “
Friday, June 3 Parkside High School “ “
Still Support NASA?
NASA says it has found the ideal spaceship to take astronauts well out of Earth's orbit. It is the same spaceship they've been working on for years. Only now, the $5 billion Orion capsule is being called the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. The capsule can handle four astronauts on 21-day missions. It won't be reuseable. Instead of landing like the shuttle, it will splash down in the ocean with a parachute. NASA gave Lockheed Martin a $7.5 billion contract in 2006 to build it.
Congress Cutting Back On Open Government Websites
The Office of Management and Budget is citing a skinny budget as the reason it plans to terminate or cut back open government web sites. The administration had requested $35 million dollars for e-government initiatives, but Congress only agreed to $8 million for 2011. Slated for closure is FedSpace, a social media site where federal managers collaborate. Development will slow down for other sites, such as the Citizen Services Dashboard. Agency staff detail the cuts in a letter to Delaware Senator Tom Carper.
Maryland Basic Boating Safety 2011 Course
(Salisbury, MD) Wicomico Recreation, Parks & Tourism is offering a Maryland Basic Boating course this summer. Candidates may obtain a Certificate of Boating Safety Education that will certify those that desire to operate a number of documented pleasure vessels in the waters of the state of Maryland.
Maryland Boating Education Law states that any person born after July 1, 1972 must have a Certificate of Boating Safety Education to operate a boat or personal watercraft. The course will be held June 14, 15 and 16 (Tues-Thurs) from 6pm-9pm at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. On the first night of the course, you will receive an information packet containing the workbook required for the class. A written test will be given at the end of each class and those passing will receive the certification.
Advance registration is required. To register, stop by the Civic Center box office, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm, or online via active.com at http://www.wicomicorecandparks.org/. The cost is $20.50 per person.
For more information please call Karen McInturff at 410-548-4900 ext. 113 or email kmcinturff@wicomicocounty.org.
Beach Fun On The Cheap Through Ocean City 'Free-For-All'
OCEAN CITY, Md. -- Are you ready for a vacation, but tired of high gas prices squeezing your budget? One area beach town has a solution: a "free-for-all."
Ocean City has created a new free-for-all website detailing all the free activities and events you can take advantage of this summer. You can also sign up for alerts reminding you of upcoming events.
The idea is to provide visitors with a one-stop place to find free and discounted fun, instead of hunting for coupons or scouring all sorts of deal websites.
The list of fun things to do for absolutely nothing includes:
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Ocean City has created a new free-for-all website detailing all the free activities and events you can take advantage of this summer. You can also sign up for alerts reminding you of upcoming events.
The idea is to provide visitors with a one-stop place to find free and discounted fun, instead of hunting for coupons or scouring all sorts of deal websites.
The list of fun things to do for absolutely nothing includes:
- The air show June 11 and 12
- Movies on the beach every Monday and Friday June 27 through August 12
- Family beach olympics Tuesday evenings from June 28 through August 9
- The Dew Tour July 21 through 24, spotlighting BMX and skateboarding competitions
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Witness: Pakistani Intel Officer Ordered Hit On Mumbai Jews
Confessed terrorist David Coleman Headley says he met with six Pakistani intelligence officers during his years of terrorist activity. In court on Tuesday he said he was “pleased” when he learned that 166 people had been slaughtered in the Mumbai attacks.
An officer in Pakistan’s intelligence service chose a Jewish center as a target for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and then helped launch a new plot against Denmark, according to the star witness in a terror trial in Chicago.
In his second day of testimony, David Coleman Headley, a confessed Pakistani-American terrorist, revealed more details about close ties between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) and the Lashkar-i-Taiba terror group, which allegedly carried out the attacks that killed 166 people [3], including six Americans.
Headley said his ISI handler, a man known only as Major Iqbal, made key decisions and was a mastermind of the plot along with Lashkar chiefs. Major Iqbal deployed him on the last of five reconnaissance missions in India to scout targets that Iqbal said would definitely include the Chabad House, a Jewish community center where gunmen later killed three American rabbis, Headley testified. The pregnant wife of one of the rabbis was also killed.
“Major Iqbal told me the Chabad House would be added on whatever list [of targets] there was because it was a front office for the Mossad,” Israel’s intelligence agency, Headley said. He added that Major Iqbal “seemed upset the [Mumbai] airport was not included” as a target.
Nothing suggests that the claim about the Mossad was true.
Headley described in understated tones how terrorist leaders congratulated him for his work casing luxury hotels and other targets chosen to ensure Americans and Jews would die. Asked his reaction to the three-day televised slaughter [4], he responded: “I was pleased.”
More
In his second day of testimony, David Coleman Headley, a confessed Pakistani-American terrorist, revealed more details about close ties between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) and the Lashkar-i-Taiba terror group, which allegedly carried out the attacks that killed 166 people [3], including six Americans.
Headley said his ISI handler, a man known only as Major Iqbal, made key decisions and was a mastermind of the plot along with Lashkar chiefs. Major Iqbal deployed him on the last of five reconnaissance missions in India to scout targets that Iqbal said would definitely include the Chabad House, a Jewish community center where gunmen later killed three American rabbis, Headley testified. The pregnant wife of one of the rabbis was also killed.
“Major Iqbal told me the Chabad House would be added on whatever list [of targets] there was because it was a front office for the Mossad,” Israel’s intelligence agency, Headley said. He added that Major Iqbal “seemed upset the [Mumbai] airport was not included” as a target.
Nothing suggests that the claim about the Mossad was true.
Headley described in understated tones how terrorist leaders congratulated him for his work casing luxury hotels and other targets chosen to ensure Americans and Jews would die. Asked his reaction to the three-day televised slaughter [4], he responded: “I was pleased.”
More
From The Pentagon
The Pentagon just released a photo of the Pakistani man who gave the CIA credible information that led them to Osama bin Laden.
He is eligible to get the $25 M reward the U S Gov’t was offering.
Ribbon Cutting For Homes For Heroes
Memorial Day is a perfect day to reward our local heroes!! We invite all of you for good food, music and fun!!
Monday May 30th
11:30AM will be the Ribbon Cutting to launch our Homes for Heroes program.
12:00-4:00 Open House
To learn more and watch videos about the EXIT Realty opportunity click here
To view The Roops' Virtural Online Magazine of Homes tour here
California Homeowners Left To Fight Foreclosure On Their Own
Three years into the mortgage meltdown, California homeowners still have little relief from the foreclosure crisis. Last week, state legislative committees failed to clear three separate bills designed to help struggling homeowners and hold banks more accountable during foreclosure proceedings.
This news comes as the number of foreclosures continues to rise, and national efforts to stem the crisis have only provided relief to a fraction of homeowners needing help. Coupled with the lack of policies to address the foreclosures epidemic, California homeowners are being left to fend for themselves.
Increasingly, homeowners are taking matters into their own hands — stepping up pressure on banks, going after mortgage scammers and educating themselves about how to avoid becoming victims of foreclosure or fraud.
Three-Year Mortgage Fight
Peggy Mears has fought for three years to keep her three-bedroom house in Fontana, California
After the economy tanked, Mears and her husband's income took a hit. Mears, a licensed childcare worker, had fewer clients and her husband, who works in the entertainment industry, saw his contract work dry up. Mears, hoping to lower her monthly mortgage payments, contacted her lender OneWest Bank (formerly IndyMac Bank) to modify the terms of her home loan.
Three years and three loan modifications later, Mears says she is still at risk of losing her home.
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This news comes as the number of foreclosures continues to rise, and national efforts to stem the crisis have only provided relief to a fraction of homeowners needing help. Coupled with the lack of policies to address the foreclosures epidemic, California homeowners are being left to fend for themselves.
Increasingly, homeowners are taking matters into their own hands — stepping up pressure on banks, going after mortgage scammers and educating themselves about how to avoid becoming victims of foreclosure or fraud.
Three-Year Mortgage Fight
Peggy Mears has fought for three years to keep her three-bedroom house in Fontana, California
After the economy tanked, Mears and her husband's income took a hit. Mears, a licensed childcare worker, had fewer clients and her husband, who works in the entertainment industry, saw his contract work dry up. Mears, hoping to lower her monthly mortgage payments, contacted her lender OneWest Bank (formerly IndyMac Bank) to modify the terms of her home loan.
Three years and three loan modifications later, Mears says she is still at risk of losing her home.
More
Changing Marriage Patterns Reflect Economics and Class
New researchshows that women are getting married at later ages – and that the divorce rate is going down. The results reflect some good news — later marriages are more likely to last. Most importantly, however, these figures correlate with widespread changes in the American family.
First, the decrease in the divorce rate does at least in part reflect later marriages. Teen marriages have always been risky and most studies suggest that the increase in maturity from the teen years to the early twenties bodes well for the stability of relationships. Delay from the early twenties to the late twenties and thirties, however, is more controversial. While these later marriages are also more likely to last, economist Stephane Mechoulan found that the increase in the age of marriage in itself accounts for only a small part of the falling divorce rates. Instead, they reflect the increasing tendency of the well-off to marry similarly well-off partners and those marriages are more likely to last at any age.
Second, the overall statistics hide the class-based dynamics at the core of the shift. Historically, college educated women were less likely to marry than high school graduates. Today, male and female college graduates have become substantially more likely to marry (and stay married). At the same time, marriage has effectively disappeared from the poorest communities. In the middle, pregnant teens like Bristol Palin have become much less likely to marry the fathers of their children. It is hardly surprising therefore that overall divorce rates have fallen as the highest divorce risks (pregnant teens among them) have become much less likely to marry.
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First, the decrease in the divorce rate does at least in part reflect later marriages. Teen marriages have always been risky and most studies suggest that the increase in maturity from the teen years to the early twenties bodes well for the stability of relationships. Delay from the early twenties to the late twenties and thirties, however, is more controversial. While these later marriages are also more likely to last, economist Stephane Mechoulan found that the increase in the age of marriage in itself accounts for only a small part of the falling divorce rates. Instead, they reflect the increasing tendency of the well-off to marry similarly well-off partners and those marriages are more likely to last at any age.
Second, the overall statistics hide the class-based dynamics at the core of the shift. Historically, college educated women were less likely to marry than high school graduates. Today, male and female college graduates have become substantially more likely to marry (and stay married). At the same time, marriage has effectively disappeared from the poorest communities. In the middle, pregnant teens like Bristol Palin have become much less likely to marry the fathers of their children. It is hardly surprising therefore that overall divorce rates have fallen as the highest divorce risks (pregnant teens among them) have become much less likely to marry.
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Obama's Sister: What Our Mother Taught Us
In 1984, YES! Publisher Fran Korten worked alongside Barack Obama's mother, Ann Soetoro, at the Ford Foundation's office in Jakarta, Indonesia. Ann's daughter, Maya, who was 14 at the time, attended the Jakarta International School with Fran's daughters, Alicia and Diana. Maya was recently in Seattle preparing for the launch of her new children's book,Ladder to the Moon, and Fran talked with her for the first time in 27 years. The book is a tale of Maya's daughter Suhaila's adventure with her grandmother Ann, who died in 1995, long before Suhaila was born. In the storybook, grandmother and grandchild climb a ladder to the moon where together they look back at the Earth. As they see tragedies unfold, they reach back to help. The book, launched in April 2011, is illustrated by Yuyi Morales, and published by Candlewick Press. Fran talked with Maya about the book, her life, and her reflections on her mother and her famous brother.
Fran Korten:This is your first book. What inspired you to write a children's book?
Maya Ng: In 2008, I was campaigning for my brother and had a bit of down time because my husband was taking care of Suhaila, who was then 3 years old. So I was in Chicago in the basement of my brother's home, and I thought to myself, if my brother can risk the enormous rejection [of possibly not being elected,] then I can risk the much smaller rejection of not having anyone pick up my book. I became emboldened. I think the campaign resulted in a lot of people, not simply relatives, being emboldened to try new things. It was a very fruitful time.
One could also say that the book was born years earlier. When I was pregnant with Suhaila, I came across some boxes that Mom had saved for me that said "for Maya's children." They contained my childhood toys and books. Seeing them filled me with sadness that she wasn't there to share this time with me. In a way it was like losing her all over again.
My daughter was born in 2004, just a couple of months before my brother made his speech at the Democratic National Convention. I suddenly had all of these new questions. So this was when I began imagining what my mother would have been like with her grandchildren and what they would have gotten from her.
Mom loved the moon. She would wake me up in the middle of the night to go gaze at the moon. I named my daughter Suhaila because in Sanskrit it means "the glow around the moon."
Korten:Have your children read this book?
Ng:Yes, I've read it to them. In fact Suhaila, who is now 6, helped me with a couple of the ideas. The orphan children leaping up like flying fish—that was her idea.
Korten: How does your other daughter, Savita, feel about her sister being in this book?
Ng:She doesn't know it's her sister because she is two and can't read, so she thinks it's her. She points and says "That's me." Then Suhaila says, "No, that's me," and she gets very upset. I've got another book in the works. It's a young adult novel entitled "Yellow Wood," based on the Robert Frost poem—two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and we took the one less traveled, and that made all the difference. In that book the main protagonist's name is Savita. I joke that I can't have another child without another book contract.
Korten:Ann is, of course, grandmother to Barack and Michelle's children, Malia and Sasha. Have they read the book?
Ng:Yes, they have. They liked it, though they have not seen the version with the illustrations. I had received that version at Christmas, but we had so much going on I forgot to bring it. My brother's book had just come out, so we talked more about his book. At Christmas several families and old friends join us—there's about 13 children in this group. It's a wonderful opportunity for my brother to be precisely who he has always been. He can completely relax. He even connects with high school friends.
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Fran Korten:This is your first book. What inspired you to write a children's book?
Maya Ng: In 2008, I was campaigning for my brother and had a bit of down time because my husband was taking care of Suhaila, who was then 3 years old. So I was in Chicago in the basement of my brother's home, and I thought to myself, if my brother can risk the enormous rejection [of possibly not being elected,] then I can risk the much smaller rejection of not having anyone pick up my book. I became emboldened. I think the campaign resulted in a lot of people, not simply relatives, being emboldened to try new things. It was a very fruitful time.
One could also say that the book was born years earlier. When I was pregnant with Suhaila, I came across some boxes that Mom had saved for me that said "for Maya's children." They contained my childhood toys and books. Seeing them filled me with sadness that she wasn't there to share this time with me. In a way it was like losing her all over again.
My daughter was born in 2004, just a couple of months before my brother made his speech at the Democratic National Convention. I suddenly had all of these new questions. So this was when I began imagining what my mother would have been like with her grandchildren and what they would have gotten from her.
Mom loved the moon. She would wake me up in the middle of the night to go gaze at the moon. I named my daughter Suhaila because in Sanskrit it means "the glow around the moon."
Korten:Have your children read this book?
Ng:Yes, I've read it to them. In fact Suhaila, who is now 6, helped me with a couple of the ideas. The orphan children leaping up like flying fish—that was her idea.
Korten: How does your other daughter, Savita, feel about her sister being in this book?
Ng:She doesn't know it's her sister because she is two and can't read, so she thinks it's her. She points and says "That's me." Then Suhaila says, "No, that's me," and she gets very upset. I've got another book in the works. It's a young adult novel entitled "Yellow Wood," based on the Robert Frost poem—two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and we took the one less traveled, and that made all the difference. In that book the main protagonist's name is Savita. I joke that I can't have another child without another book contract.
Korten:Ann is, of course, grandmother to Barack and Michelle's children, Malia and Sasha. Have they read the book?
Ng:Yes, they have. They liked it, though they have not seen the version with the illustrations. I had received that version at Christmas, but we had so much going on I forgot to bring it. My brother's book had just come out, so we talked more about his book. At Christmas several families and old friends join us—there's about 13 children in this group. It's a wonderful opportunity for my brother to be precisely who he has always been. He can completely relax. He even connects with high school friends.
More
BREAKING NEWS: Durable Goods Orders Post Largest Decline In Six Months
The Commerce Department reports U.S. durable goods orders fell by a larger-than-expected 3.6% in April, the biggest decline since October.
Why The Rich Love High Unemployment
Christina Romer, former member of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisors, accuses the administration of "shamefully ignoring" the unemployed. Paul Krugman echoes her concerns, observing that Washington has lost interest in "the forgotten millions." America's unemployed have been ignored and forgotten, but they are far from superfluous. Over the last two years, out-of-work Americans have played a critical role in helping the richest one percent recover trillions in financial wealth.
Obama's advisers often congratulate themselves for avoiding another Great Depression - an assertion not amenable to serious analysis or debate. A better way to evaluate their claims is to compare the US economy to other rich countries over the last few years.
On the basis of sustaining economic growth, the United States is doing better than nearly all advanced economies. From the first quarter of 2008 to the end of 2010, US gross domestic product (GDP) growthoutperformed every G-7 country except Canada.
But when it comes to jobs, US policymakers fall short of their rosy self-evaluations. Despite the second-highest economic growth, Paul Wiseman of the Associated Press (AP)reports:"the U.S. job market remains the group's weakest. U.S. employment bottomed and started growing again a year ago, but there are still 5.4 percent fewer American jobs than in December 2007. That's a much sharper drop than in any other G-7 country." According to an important study by Andrew Sum and Joseph McLaughlin, the US boasted one of the lowest unemployment rates in the rich world before the housing crash - now, it's the highest.[1]
The gap between economic growth and job creation reflects three separate but mutually reinforcing factors: US corporate governance, Obama's economic policies and the deregulation of US labor markets.
Old economic models assume that companies merely react to external changes in demand - lacking independent agency or power. While executives must adapt to falling demand, they retain a fair amount of discretion in how they will respond and who will bear the brunt of the pain. Corporate culture and organization vary from country to country.
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Obama's advisers often congratulate themselves for avoiding another Great Depression - an assertion not amenable to serious analysis or debate. A better way to evaluate their claims is to compare the US economy to other rich countries over the last few years.
On the basis of sustaining economic growth, the United States is doing better than nearly all advanced economies. From the first quarter of 2008 to the end of 2010, US gross domestic product (GDP) growthoutperformed every G-7 country except Canada.
But when it comes to jobs, US policymakers fall short of their rosy self-evaluations. Despite the second-highest economic growth, Paul Wiseman of the Associated Press (AP)reports:"the U.S. job market remains the group's weakest. U.S. employment bottomed and started growing again a year ago, but there are still 5.4 percent fewer American jobs than in December 2007. That's a much sharper drop than in any other G-7 country." According to an important study by Andrew Sum and Joseph McLaughlin, the US boasted one of the lowest unemployment rates in the rich world before the housing crash - now, it's the highest.[1]
The gap between economic growth and job creation reflects three separate but mutually reinforcing factors: US corporate governance, Obama's economic policies and the deregulation of US labor markets.
Old economic models assume that companies merely react to external changes in demand - lacking independent agency or power. While executives must adapt to falling demand, they retain a fair amount of discretion in how they will respond and who will bear the brunt of the pain. Corporate culture and organization vary from country to country.
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Is This Dove Body Wash Ad Racist Or Just Poorly Executed?
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What's The Best Customer Service Advice You've Ever Heard?
Has anyone ever given you great customer service advice? You know, the kind that you have to rush out and tell all your friends so they won't get ripped off (or that you send to our tipline immediately)? Here's one we like: "Pretend you are the supervisor. Remain calm and walk the customer service person through the process of solving your problem."
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John Edwards Reportedly Faces Indictment
Department of Justice is allowing prosecutors to seek an indictment against former senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards for allegedly using campaign donations to cover up an extra-marital affair, ABC News reports.
Summer Home Alarm Sales Warning
Beware of door-to-door home alarm sales during the summer, police warn.
Leesburg, Va., police said some out-of-state alarm companies stretch the rules to make a quick buck while avoiding Virginia’s requirements. The companies hire temps who are usually college students minimally trained with no background in alarm sales, monitoring or services.
The temps may use high pressure tactics and sell relatively inexpensive alarm systems.
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Thank You CHKD
I hope that you find Ken and Kim’s story as moving as I did.
Deviating from politics for a moment, Ken Falkenstein @ Bearing Drift shares his experience with Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) and their fantastic work in saving his children. Ken is not alone in his praise for CHKD.
In September, it will be 23 years since our first child was born 10 weeks premature (a dangerous condition in 1988). Due to the heroic efforts of Dr. Jamil Khan and the other great folks at CHKD’s neonatal intensive care unit Taylor now works in a hospital instead of having died in one.
Best wishes to Ken, Kim, Dylan and Josh. You’re in our prayers.
BREAKING NEWS: Obama, Cameron To Hold Joint Press Conference
President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron to hold joint news conference in London
Why the Same-Sex Marriage Experiment Will Not Work
Stop for a moment. Take a deep breath. Think hard. What are your views on same-sex marriage?
It doesn’t matter what they are. You should read this article by Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family.
Daly’s piece is well thought out and logically argued. If you oppose same-sex unions, you will leave better prepared to argue your point of view. If you support same-sex marriage, you will be well placed to argue your views if you are able to honestly counter Daily’s logic.
The title is that of Daly’s article. It does not necessarily represent the views of the author of this post or of SbyNEWS.com – Ed.
Long Island Power Bills Town for Honoring War Hero
A New York community that displayed American flags on utility poles to honor a fallen hero is outraged after the Long Island Power Authority sent them a bill – for using their poles.
“I was pretty shocked,” said Peter Reich, a councilman in the Long Island community of Shelter Island. “It’s the most ludicrous thing.”
The flags were hung last year for the funeral of Army 1st Lt. Joseph Theinert. The Shelter Island native was killed while on active duty in Afghanistan. He sacrificed his life to save his platoon and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for his actions.
Virginia Court Upholds “Spitwad Expulsion”
A county court in Virginia ruled Tuesday that high school overreached by expelling a student for firing so-called "spitwads" at three classmates in December, but the court would not order the school to reverse the expulsion.
Andrew Mikel, 14, a freshman at Spotsylvania High School, was charged under the school’s zero tolerance police with “violent criminal conduct” and weapon possession for using the body of a pen to blow small, hollow plastic balls at three other students.
John W. Whitehead, the student's lawyer, may be the ideal representation for Mikel. Whitehead admits to shooting spitballs well into high school. He says if laws were as binding as they are today, he'd be "guilty about 500 times" for spitball infractions. He called the teen an "ideal student" with a 97 average and a desire for military service.
Al Gore Got a “D” in Science
The man who told us that “the earth has got a fever” …
In his commencement speech at Hamilton College on Sunday, former Vice President Al Gore told the graduates that global warming is “the most serious challenge our civilization has ever faced.” But as an undergraduate at Harvard University in the late 1960s, Gore--one of the most prominent spokesmen on climate change today--earned a “D” in Natural Sciences.
Gore’s transcript documents that during his sophomore year at Harvard he earned a "D" in Natural Sciences 6 (Man’s Place in Nature). Also, as a senior at Harvard, he earned a C-plus in Natural Sciences 118.
Gore, along with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his work on global warming.
Personal Finance Roundup
How to Get 55% More Rewards with Your Chase Freedom Credit Card [Free Money Finance] "This [strategy] effectively makes the card a 3.1% cash back card — which is great in almost anyone's book!"
What to Look for When Researching Your Potential Boss [US News] "You can learn a lot about [your potential supervisor]l by scouring their online profiles and company website."
5 Tips to Save on Summer Camp [MoneyTalksNews] "The first step is to get your kids involved as early in the process as possible."
Money Lessons for Every High-School Graduate [Wall Street Journal] "Here are five things every high-school graduate should try to remember."
Allowances: 'Welfare' for kids? [MSN Money] "When children feel they're entitled to parental payouts, teaching the value of a work ethic becomes even more important."
from Free Money Finance
Cantor Urges GOP Presidential Hopefuls to Support Ryan’s Budget
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, made clear Monday that he wants the GOP's presidential candidates to embrace the House Republicans' budget plan put forth by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and he indicated support for a Ryan candidacy.
The Republican presidential field is slowly forming, most recently with announcements that former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is in but Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is out.
Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, has said he is not running for president.
Cantor told reporters Monday that the field still has time and that the campaigns will begin to focus as the primary season nears.
USDA Lowers Safe Cooking Temp for Pork
DES MOINES, Iowa — A bit of pink in pork appears to be OK after all.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing today that it has lowered its temperature recommendation for cooking pork to 145 degrees. That's a change from the agency's longstanding guideline and means pork will be held to the same standard as beef, veal and lamb.
For chefs, it means the USDA has sanctioned what already was common practice.
Anne Arundel Raises Taxes, Passes Budget
The Anne Arundel County Council raised the county property tax rate Tuesday, as it passed a budget plan that includes a steep funding decrease to the county's community college and delays a new facility for one of its most academically successful high schools.
The council has been sharply divided during deliberations over the $1.2 billion spending plan for next fiscal year, discussing changes for more than 12 hours in one day last week. Members approved the rate increase — a hike of 3 cents per $100 of assessed value that was proposed by County Executive John R. Leopold — by a 4-3 vote.
With an eye toward long-term stability as the county continues to suffer the fiscal consequences of the recession, the council also moved to shore up its reserves. The plan directs about $5 million in budget savings to the rainy day fund and another $5 million to the county's contingency fund.
Delmarva Power Seeks to Move Wind Farm to PA
Delmarva Power says it is seeking approval from Delaware regulators to move a proposed western Maryland wind farm to central Pennsylvania.
Delmarva spokeswoman Bridget Shelton says the Maryland site had faced challenges over the possible impact on federally protected Indiana bats. Shelton says Delmarva is seeking approval to move the project to the Chestnut Flats site in Pennsylvania's Blair County, where an agreement has been reached that should prevent litigation over bats.
Shelton says the utility has a 20-year-agreement to buy wind power from Annapolis-based Synergics which will help the company meet Delaware renewable energy goals.
The wind farm is being developed for Synergics by the Spanish firm Gamesa and will use turbines and blades made by Gamesa at two Pennsylvania facilities.
Cuccinelli Takes EPA Battle to Federal Court
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has taken his battle over the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed greenhouse gas regulations to federal court.
The state has filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia that seeks to force the EPA to reopen the hearings that resulted in its "Endangerment Finding" under the Clean Air Act. The finding states that man-made greenhouse gases threaten the public health and welfare.
Scientists behind some of the research support the theory that the accelerated emissions contribute to climate change.
The finding, released in late 2009, is a prerequisite to finalizing new emission standards for light-duty motor vehicles. Critics fear it could open the door to further EPA regulation of greenhouse gases emitted by industries, which could adversely affect the economies of energy-producing states such as Virginia, which depends heavily on coal.
Virginia challenged the finding in February 2010, shortly after Cuccinelli became attorney general, arguing in part that the agency relied on faulty science to reach its finding.
Union Attempting to Organize Target Employees
An effort is underway to unionize Target workers, and next month employees of the retailer will vote on whether or not to organize.
According to The New York Times, the election will be Target employees' first in more than 20 years. The United Food and Commercial Workers is leading the movement, attempting to convince more than 5,000 workers at 27 New York City-area Targets to unionize.
Target says unions are unnecessary because it pays its employees competitively. Some employees the Times interviews say one of the main reasons they want to unionize is because the company offers too few hours to too many employees, keeping them off of benefits rolls.
Murphy Will Not Run; Will Chair Senate Race in 2012
Brian Murphy, the conservative Republican who ran against Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in last year’s GOP gubernatorial primary, has a candidate in mind to run against Democratic Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin in 2012. The one thing he can confirm: It isn’t him.“This Thursday, May 26, I’ll be making an announcement regarding the 2012 US Senate race,” Murphy wrote on his Facebook page this week, prompting supporters to reply that they were prepared to campaign for him or make a political contribution if he got into the race.
But in an interview Tuesday, Murphy said he isn’t particularly interested in the seat for himself. He will, however, serve as the chairman of a GOP campaign he hopes can win. Who is the mystery candidate?Murphy said the challenger is married, has two master’s degrees, including an MBA, has served for 16 years in law enforcement -- including 12 years in federal law enforcement -- and has spent “many years at the White House.”
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