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Thursday, June 02, 2011

5 Dead, 1 Injured in Yuma, AZ

Yuma police say five people have been killed and at least one injured in a series of shootings around Yuma County on Thursday morning.

Police have not yet identified the suspect or the victims, but YumaSun.com reports local attorneys have confirmed one of the shooting victims was Jerrold Shelley, a Yuma attorney.

READ MORE …

Cost of Illegal Immigration HIGHER Than Enforcement

 

As Congress continues to debate policies to bring the government deficit under control, no one on Capitol Hill wants to consider the enormous cost of illegal immigration on American tax payers. But despite these high costs, many of our Representatives support policies that will legalize illegal aliens and drive up these figures even more. In fact, recent studies show that granting amnesty to the nation's 12 - 18 million illegal aliens would cost more than $1 trillion!

As many states struggle to deal with a budget shortfalls, our Representatives cannot endorse proposals that will drive us into more debt. Enforcing the immigration laws that already exist is a a sensible approach to addressing illegal immigration and lowering the amount in services which illegal aliens receive. Please don't delay. Send this critical message to your 2 Senators and U.S. Representative, and urge them to take a stand against the high costs of illegal immigration.

from NumbersUSA

Wal-Mart Struggling To Keep Its Customers


Wal-Mart is in a race against time to give the people what they want before they get comfortable shopping elsewhere.

Shoppers who switched to other stores when Wal-Mart decided to ditch best-selling toothbrush brands, craft supplies and bolts of fabric may be hard to win back.

The company has taken nine months to restore thousands of grocery items, including some bestselling brands, it dumped from its shelves two years ago. The idea was to tidy up stores for the wealthier customers it had won during the recession.

Salisbury SuperFresh Is Closing Their Doors At 6 PM Tonight, But Wait.......

UPDATE: We have been informed by an alleged employee of this SuperFresh that their doors will now open at 9:00 AM and not 7:00 AM.

They'll close their doors at 6 PM tonight but reopen again at 7:00 AM Friday morning with sale signs everywhere on certain items.

I've been informed the process of final closing could take 4 to 5 weeks and SuperFresh will continue to stock items like milk, soda, bread, ground beef and items of such.

However, they will discontinue lunch meats and many other items you don't buy on a daily basis. Of course we're talking about the store on West College Ave in Salisbury.

One last thing. ALL Sale Ads will no longer be honored after today. Once again, news and information only found on Salisbury News.

BREAKING NEWS: Romney Enters 2012 Race

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney declares his candidacy for the 2012 Republican nomination for president.

A Letter To The Editor

MY NAME IS RICK, AND I’M A … SPENDOHOLIC

When he proposed the early retirement gift for County employees Mr. Pollitt told us that his grand design was to shrink the size of Wicomico County’s government to save taxpayers’ money by reducing the workforce though voluntary departure and by replacing some employees (especially higher paid ones) with lower paid personnel. Despite Rick’s initial refusal, claiming legal prohibition, to disclose those who decided to take his sugar-coated goody, he recently announced that one of them is the highest paid member of his own staff, Ted Shea, whose annual salary as “County Administrator” is well over $100,000. Recall that Rick once told us, shortly after beginning his tenure as the County Exec., that Mr. Shea would be leaving in a few months (after he had educated Rick about the job of running the County to which he was elected).

Unfortunately, in the case of Mr. Shea’s retirement over four years later the saving for the County will be miniscule, at best, because his retirement pay is nearly as much as his salary, So even if the pay is reduced for his successor, the County will be spending more money, not less. In fact, overall the early retirement boondoggle is likely to cost us dearly in the “out years.”

And if Pollitt’s “reorganization” plan for his office and staff is accepted by the Council, even more taxes will be needed to fund the current and retired employees of that department. The position that Mr. Shea’s successor, Ms. Morris, now holds is not being ended and will be filled. Then there are the two new positions – “chief of staff” and “budget officer” – for which the salary is not yet set. And the “public information officer” position is being expanded and renamed, rather than terminated, which will probably involve a pay increase, too. The only reason Pollitt can keep the same level of total funding for his “reorganized” office in next year’s budget is because the County’s books are cooked so that retirement expense is not included in the appropriation for the County Exec’s office.

His blatant attempt to dupe the Council (and pubic) to accept and fund his empire-building is the impulsive behavior of addiction, generally. He wants us to believe that those new positions are needed so that he can spend more time out of the office, which he claims will have a public benefit, and that there’s too much administration for him to handle and be “successful.” He argues that his presence is essential in getting business to locate here. This patent rationalization disregards the reality that no sane business person would overlook Pollitt’s proposed tax increase at a time like this, not to mention such things as the $300,000 per acre land deal last year.

If Rick really wants to attract business he should simply shift Ms. Morris to Shea’s seat, eliminate the “PIO” position and reduce or withdraw his proposed tax increase. That would signal that he realizes the County must operate within its financial means, which are now at their limit. And who would choose to locate to a County that cannot fund its school construction although the Exec is expanding his personal staff.

Mr. Pollitt’s letter of June 1 to Gail Bartkovich (not to the entire Council) further reveals his compulsive urge and distortion of reality. His attempt to portray his actions as consistent with “transparency” is complete bunk, as is his homage to “seeking public input.” Pollitt did not disclose his scheme and make his special request until after the public hearing on the budget was held. And his proposal to provide the actual salary details only after (“if”) the Council provides funding makes mockery of the budgetary process. His suggestion that it is proper to get an appropriation without prior disclosure and public comment is very disturbing, to say the least.

But the more disturbing aspect of this matter is that four members of the County Council – Bartkovich, Caldwell, Matt Holloway and Sample-Hughes -- have fallen for Pollitt’s gambit. There is real need for a Wicomico chapter of “Spendoholics Anonymous.”

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California Takes Step Toward Taxing Online Purchases

With hopes of collecting possibly $1 billion a year in sales taxes, the California State Assembly approved a bill that would require buyers to pay taxes on Amazon and other online purchases.

More »

62,000 Sign Anti-DREAM Act Petition

NJ–The Nanny State to the Rescue

This ranks with awarding that woman millions because she spilled hot coffee on herself at McDonald’s.  Will the state ever learn that we have to take some responsibility for our own action. – Ed.

Drunken drivers who get into accidents may sue the taverns where they were overserved, under a split New Jersey Supreme Court decision Wednesday in an appeal by a Toms River restaurant being sued by a Brick man.
In a 5-2 decision, the state's highest court said Frederick Voss, 47, of Brick is not barred by state law from suing Tiffany's Restaurant in Toms River, where he had been drinking on Nov. 9, 2006, before being injured in a motorcycle accident. The ruling upholds a decision issued last year by the state Appellate Division of Superior Court.
READ MORE …

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES CHINESE BIOPHARM COMPANY TO INVEST $40 MILLION IN MARYLAND, MARKET TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

Deal marks largest investment by a Chinese company in Maryland

SHANGHAI, CHINA (June 2, 2011) – On the first full day of a 10-day economic development mission to Asia, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that Tasly Group, one of China’s leading biopharmaceutical companies, will invest $40 million in a new U.S. operation in Montgomery County, marking the largest investment in Maryland by a Chinese company. The company plans to open a 430,000-square-foot production facility and training center for traditional Chinese medicine in the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center, which will create dozens of jobs over the next three years. They selected Maryland to leverage the vast bioscience resources nearby as they prepare for Phase III clinical trials of their traditional Chinese medicine product Compound Danshen Dripping Pills (CDDP) developed to treat and prevent coronary disease. In making the announcement at Zhangjiang High-Tech Park, also known as China’s “Pharma Valley”, the Governor was joined by Tasly Chairman Dr. Yan Xijun. 

“We are here in China to highlight the incredible opportunities there are for Maryland companies to collaborate with Chinese investors and researchers,” said Governor O’Malley. “By reaching across borders, we can share knowledge and research, generate promising partnerships, and leverage the power of innovation to create jobs and expand opportunity to make our children winners in this changing, global economy. We are pleased to welcome Tasly Group to Maryland.”

“We were looking for a place with the best talent, research and development infrastructure and geographic location in the U.S. and Maryland, with its rich scientific community and world-class universities is the perfect fit for us,” said Tasly Chairman Yan. “We think there is an incredible opportunity for Tasly to innovate new products and introduce them to the US market. This also marks an important chapter in the globalization of traditional Chinese medicine.”

“By locating in the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center, which over the coming years will be transformed into a thriving, mixed-use biotech hub via the Great Senenca Science Corridor Plan, Tasly will be well-positioned to establish research and development collaborations with renowned research institution Johns Hopkins University, and the many other premiere biotech companies and health partners located there,” said Montgomery County, Maryland County Executive Isiah Leggett. “Montgomery County, Maryland welcomes Tasly to our diverse biotech community and we look forward to supporting their long-term growth and success here.”

“We look forward to developing a close partnership in research and education with Tasly,” said Johns Hopkins Vice Provost for International Programs Pamela Cranston, who is a member of the Asia mission delegation. “Tasly’s establishment in the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center will be a great addition to our scientific community in Maryland, and especially to Montgomery County.”

As part of its long-range goals, Tasly plans to build a world-class bio-pharmaceutical base, unite top international biomedical experts, develop and produce biomedicine, and provide high quality products for the U.S. and European markets at its Maryland facility. The company will collaborate with more than 100 clinical centers worldwide and enlists the participation of more than 2,000 patients. Tasly’s goal is to make CDDP the first traditional Chinese medicine product to launch as an FDA-approved pharmaceutical in the American market and could be on the shelves as early as 2014 if the phase III trials prove to be successful. Annually, more than 10 million patients can benefit from this traditional Chinese medicine to treat coronary diseases and angina.
  
Governor O’Malley made the announcement following a keynote address at the 13th Shanghai BioForum, which attracted more than 500 global attendees and is one of China’s premier biopharmaceutical events. As part of his visit to Tasly, the Governor and members of the delegation also toured the Tasly’s Shanghai headquarters in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park, Pudong, which features China's largest cell culture base. Following the meeting with Tasly executives, the Governor had lunch with executives of some of China’s largest biopharmaceutical companies.

Tasly is the latest foreign-owned company to invest in Maryland. 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 Maryland’s International Incubator at the University of Maryland College Park.

Maryland has long maintained a strong presence in China, becoming the first U.S. state in 1996 to open a trade and investment office in China – the Maryland China Center. In 2010, China was Maryland’s 3rd largest export market with $571 million in goods and services, and was the State’s 2nd largest import market, with more than $2.6 billion. There are 13 Chinese headquartered companies in Maryland, including U.S. Orchids, an orchid propagation company in Somerset County; Electrical Systems Integrator, an electric tools developer and supplier to Stanley Black and Decker in Baltimore County; and Yisheng U.S. BIOPHARMA, a biopharmaceutical company in Montgomery County. In addition, there are eight Chinese companies in Maryland’s International Incubator at University of Maryland, College Park. Maryland is also home to several Chinese organizations, including the Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association and the Maryland China Business Council.

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/    

TRAFFIC ALERT - Route 141 Newport Bridge Rehabilitation Project Will Begin On June 11

Newport -- The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that on Saturday, June 11, Greggo & Ferrara, Inc. will begin the rehabilitation of the Newport Bridge on Route 141 that connects I-95 with the town of Newport. The $14,775,794 rehabilitation which will include five construction stages to ensure access throughout the project is expected to be complete by summer 2014.

The Newport Bridge carries Route 141 traffic over Route 4, the Amtrak Northeast Corridor rail line, and the Christiana River. The rehabilitation project for the bridge and all main access ramps involves repair of the bridge abutment walls, removal and replacement of bridge bearings; repairing, cleaning and painting of the structural steel; milling of the concrete bridge deck and placement of a concrete overlay; strengthening the concrete bridge barrier; replacement of the bridge expansion joints; removal and replacement of the roadway approach slabs; repair of the existing sign structures; and the installation of new overhead guide signs.

In an effort to alleviate any traffic issues with morning and evening commutes, the contractor will maintain two travel lanes in each direction during peak hours for the duration of construction. Detours will be intermittent on weekday evenings from 10 PM through 5 AM and on weekends. When necessary, variable message signs and detours will also be posted to alert motorists.

Motorists should stay alert for lane restrictions throughout this project. In addition, please be aware of changing traffic patterns, slow moving construction vehicles, and construction personnel.

Today’s Survey Question

Do you believe that Rick Pollitt is attempting to line up a high paying state job?

Obama Recovery Still Feeble After Two Years

Investors Business Daily

Economy: Without a lot of fanfare, the Obama economic recovery officially turned 2 this month. Anyone think we're better off than we were two years ago?

On Tuesday, a trio of reports gave fresh evidence that the answer to this question is no.
Single family home prices dropped in March to their lowest level since April 2009; the consumer Confidence Index tumbled to a six-month low of 60.8; and regional manufacturing is slowing. In the Chicago area, it fell to its lowest level since November 2009.

Yet if you listened to President Obama and his cheerleaders in the press over the past two years, the answer should have been a resounding yes.

Obama promised way back in February 2009 that his $830 billion stimulus plan would unleash "a new wave of innovation, activity and construction" and "ignite spending by businesses and consumers."

In June 2010, he announced that the recovery was "well under way" and that it "is getting stronger by the day." A couple months later, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner penned a New York Times op-ed headlined "Welcome to the Recovery."

And all along, media simply parroted the White House line, extolling every "green shoot" they could find, celebrating every time a handful of jobs got created, while constantly acting surprised by the ongoing "unexpected" bad economic news.

But the fact is that the Obama recovery is one of the worst ever. Certainly the worst since the Great Depression. It's so bad, in fact, that even 24 months after the recession officially ended there are few places beyond the stock market and corporate profits that have shown much, if any, improvement. A few examples:

• Jobs: The number of people with jobs has barely changed since June 2009 — up just 0.4%.

• Unemployment: While the unemployment rate has dropped a bit, the number of long-term unemployed is up by a third, and the average length of unemployment is now a staggering 38 weeks.

• Earnings: Median weekly earnings are down slightly between Q3 2009 and Q1 2011, after adjusting for inflation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Housing prices: The National Association of Realtors reports that median price for existing home sales dropped 10% since June 2009.

• Gas prices: Pump prices climbed 52% over the past two years, according to the Department of Energy.
Yet, incredibly, Obama continues to escape blame for this sorry state of affairs. A Rasmussen survey in May found 54% of the public still blames President Bush, while just 39% blame Obama's policies.

The disconnect is stunning, but it nevertheless offers Republicans a huge opportunity, if they will seize it, to decisively claim the pro-growth label.

To do that, they first need to hammer home the fact that Obama's growth-smothering policies are solely to blame for the economy's two-year rut. Then they must focus on clearly needed pro-growth tax cuts and regulatory relief to turbocharge the private sector.

Sure, spending cuts and Medicare reform are important issues. But the millions of families still worried about keeping their jobs and their homes also need to hear how the GOP can get the economy moving again.

Source

Rep. Andy Harris Appointed To The United States Coast Guard Academy Board Of Visitors


Washington, DC – Rep. Andy Harris has been appointed by Chairman John Mica (R-FL) as a member of the Annual Board of Visitors to the United States Coast Guard Academy for the 112th Congress. The Board meets annually and makes recommendations on the operations of the Coast Guard Academy.
“Representative Harris serves on the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation and represents a diverse coastal district with a significant Coast Guard presence,” said Chairman John Mica.  “I believe his experience and knowledge of the Service will add great value to the Board.”
“As a veteran, I am honored to work with the Coast Guard’s Director of Training and Reserve to advise the Commandant of the Coast Guard on ways to improve the Academy’s extraordinary operation and continue to foster the cooperative relationship between the Academy and Congress,” said Rep. Andy Harris. “The Coast Guard is important to the 1st District of Maryland.”
Based in New London, Connecticut, the Coast Guard Academy provides instruction to approximately 950 cadets annually who are chosen from among the best and the brightest in the nation.  Cadets who complete the rigorous four-year program graduate with a Bachelors of Science Degree and a Commission to serve as an Ensign in the Coast Guard.  Graduates are obligated to serve for at least five years.

Soldier Home On Leave Thwarts Florida Bank Robbery

Army staff sergeant says he sprang into action when his two young sons were threatened

An Army staff sergeant home on leave in southwest Florida chased down a suspected bank robber and held him until authorities arrived.

Eddie Peoples was at a Bank of America branch in Sarasota with his two young sons Tuesday when a man walked in with a handgun and demanded cash from the tellers, officials said.

Peoples told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune he sprang into action after the man, identified as 34-year-old Matthew Rogers, threatened his sons.

"The only thing that went through my mind was, 'Don't let them get hurt,'" Peoples told the paper.

Gun Show ID Checks Starts “Gunfight” in DE Senate

A rhetorical gunfight broke out Wednesday during a Senate hearing on legislation that would close what critics call the "gun show loophole" and what opponents call a solution in search of a problem.

Further gunpowder was added to the already heated debate by a Tuesday email from the National Rifle Association to its Delaware members saying that the bill, part of a package of gun-related bills advanced by Gov. Jack Markell, is "a move towards an ultimate ban on all private sales -- even those between family and friends -- regardless of where they occur."

That claim was disavowed by Markell, who in a statement said it is "unfortunate that the NRA has chosen to mischaracterize" the bill.

Under current federal and state law, licensed firearms vendors selling at gun shows must perform background checks, just like they do at their places of business. But private citizens wishing to sell their own guns can do so without conducting background checks, as long as the sales are occasional and they are not in the firearms business.

Senate Bill 39 would require background checks to be conducted for all sales at gun shows. Licensed firearms dealers would have to request the checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System on behalf of unlicensed vendors making sales. Sales between private citizens not taking place at gun shows would not be affected.

READ MORE …

Soldiering On: Why Our Military Adventures Matter To Investors

Recently, I read a book titled The Good Soldiers that also serves as an object lesson in the disconnect between what’s going on in Washington D.C. and reality. It was written by David Finkel, a Pulitzer-winning author, and it came to me via a friend who is going through a stage where she feels drawn to books about war, mostly about World War II. Showing flexibility, her interest has expanded to the ongoing conflict in Iraq – the theater of operations that serves as backdrop for The Good Soldiers.
 
Despite it going solidly against my literary preferences, I dragged the book along during a quick trip to Florida – a spur-of-the-moment thing to attend a golf school (I figured it was either that or get thrown off the local course for energetic exclamations of elaborate expletives resulting from my golf shots constantly flying off in unexpected and unwelcomed directions). Out of courtesy if nothing else, I figured I’d read a few pages of the book before putting it down – and so was surprised when it sucked me in, and kept me in, pretty much until I was finished.


The background story is that the author of the book traveled to Iraq with a battalion of U.S. soldiers sent as part of the “surge,” then lived with them for the 14 months of their deployment. As far as I can tell, he approached his topic with no overt political intentions – rather, he just wanted to document the war as experienced by a battalion operating from a small base in one of the worst corners of Baghdad.


As one might expect, as they departed from the United States for Baghdad, the soldiers and their brigade commander, Col. Ralph Kauzlarich, were full of fight, patriotism, and the confidence that only a chosen people can possess. It was, in their view, a just war and they deeply believed that in no time at all they'd use their superior war-making capabilities – supported by the sure knowledge that they held the moral high ground – to clean the bad guys out of Dodge and get the whole mess straightened out pronto.


Reality, however, turned out to be significantly different, starting with the fact that rather than being welcoming, the population was overtly hostile – so much so that almost every time the soldiers drove off the base (which was part of the daily routine), the locals would try to maim and kill them. And they had considerable success at it.


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Boonies Thursday Special

Thursday nights at
Boonies Chop House & Pub
Buy any 12oz Ribeye
or Stuffed Flounder receive the
second for just a penny!

Space Shuttle Program Employees Searching For New Jobs

The end of the Space Shuttle Program also means some hard working feds will be out of the job. So, the Office of Personnel Management is stepping up efforts to help NASA find a home for displaced aerospace employees. OPM says it is sponsoring a job fair and job training in Cocoa, Florida this July. OPM says event will educate job seekers on the types of job opportunities available and assist them in applying for open positions in Federal Government.

OC Air Show

With F-22s still grounded, F-18 Super Hornet poised to step in
Navy & Marines to shine in O.C. with Harrier, Super Hornet set to perform
(June 2, 2011) –The Navy’s F-18 Super Hornet will join the Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier jet in headlining the 2011 OC Air Show.
Also new for the June 11-12 event, the A-10 Warthog demo team out of Moody Air Force Base in Georgia will perform, the Air Force just announced.
“Both the Super Hornet and the A-10 are excellent demos to add to our ‘Year of Extreme Flight’ in Ocean City,” said Air Show president Bryan Lilley. “While the Super Hornet is pure performance with its extreme maneuverability, the A-10 ‘Tankbuster’ is pure power with its air-to-ground capability.”
And, in another first for the OC Air Show, Dover Air Force Base will support the event with a flyover of the new C-5M Super Galaxy, a cargo and troop transport aircraft that stands as tall as a six-story building and has a football field-sized wingspan.
With the F-22 Raptor fleet still grounded, the Super Hornet is poised to stand in for the Raptor on the roster of performers.
The OC Air Show has not received official word whether the Raptor demo will perform in Ocean City. However, the entire fleet remains grounded until further notice due to issues with its onboard oxygen system.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit ocairshow.com or call (888) 695-0888.

Taxpayers Stand To Lose $16 Billion In Automotive Bailout

The White House says taxpayers stand to lose $16 billion dollars of the money spent to bail out the car industry. That figure comes from a new report titled, The Resurgence of the American Automotive Industry. It was posted to the White House blog yesterday. Total losses will amount to less than 20 percent of the total handed out to automakers.

Dog Found Hanged in Philadelphia Park

Animal welfare investigators are looking into the death of a dog found hanged in a Philadelphia park.

The Pennsylvania SPCA says the animal was found Wednesday night by visitors to a park in the city's Bridesburg neighborhood.

Humane officer George Bengal says the dog had been hanged and a stick lodged in its throat. He says the animal had likely been there for several days.

The SPCA says it hopes to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.

from the Wilmington News-Journal

BREAKING NEWS: Goldman Sachs Reportedly Subpoenaed Over Senate Report

Goldman Sachs has been subpoenaed by the Manhattan D.A. in connection with a Senate report saying the company misled investors during the financial crisis, Bloomberg reports. The stock is off nearly 3%.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Salisbury News:

I live on Zion Church Rd.  I just found out that our Sheriff’s Department has done away with hand-held radar.   I guess this is the reason that they don't set up like they used to do.

Traffic on my road runs any speed they want  from 5:00 am till 10:00 pm. I would like to known why there hasn’t  been any traffic patrol set up.

I have called the police several times.  All I get is, “I’ll refer you “so and so” and voice mail . It is time they start enforcing the law.  That includes all of the wide tires on these pickup.

NAME WITHELD

Somerset County Sheriff's Office Press Release

Donny Alan Bozman , and John “Tommy”  Widdowson both of Princess Anne , arrested 5-27-11 on charges of 2nd and 4th degree burglary, theft over $500.00, and trespassing on posted property. The arrests came as a result of a theft investigation where deputies were called to  27610 Mt. Vernon Rd, Princess Anne regarding the suspects allegedly taking copper wire, and electric motors from a chicken house.  Both subjects were later held pending trial.

George William Donophan Jr. of Princess Anne, Criminal summons served regarding harassment. Donophan was released pending court actions.

Damaine Antonio Meekins of Princess Anne, arrested 5-26-11 on a warrant regarding failing to appear in court. Meekins was later held on a $500.00 bond.

Juvenile arrested 5-27-11 regarding an assault that occurred at Washington High School on 5-25-11. The female juvenile was charged with second degree assault, and disturbing school functions. The juvenile was later released to parents pending juvenile court actions.

Clifton Edward Thompson of Salisbury, arrested 5-28-11 on warrants regarding failing to appear in court. Thompson was later held on a $1,000 bond.

Jean H. Price of Seaford Delaware, arrested 5-30-11 on a warrant regarding failing to appear in court. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by deputies on Ocean Highway, Westover regarding speeding. Prince was later turned over to the Maryland State Police pending trial.

Robert Keith Brown of Crisfield, arrested 5-31-11 regarding 5 warrants regarding failing to appear in court. Brown was later held on a $ 1,500 bond.

Perry Dwayne Dorman Sr. of Crisfield, arrested 6-1-11 on warrants regarding assault, burglary 4th degree, trespassing on private property, and disorderly conduct. Dorman was later released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

Kim Lavelle Cooper of Princess Anne, arrested 6-1-11 on charges of possession of suspected marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended drivers license. The arrest was a result of a traffic stop conducted by deputies on Ocean Highway, Westover regarding a expired registration. Cooper was later released on personal recognizance.

James Washington Bryant 3rd. of Salisbury, arrested 6-1-11 on a warrant regarding failing to appear in court. Bryant was later held on a $500.00 bond.

How Long Will Downward Spiral in Home Prices Go On?

Home prices continue to fall so hard that it's tempting to believe they've either hit bottom or will do so soon. But some economists think home prices will remain depressed for a decade or more.

Fortune cites an analyst who says inflation-adjusted house prices could continue to plummet, thanks to a gloomy economic outlook, falling salaries and government spending cuts. Home buying is all about optimism — buyers need to be confident that they'll remain gainfully employed and believe they'll be able to make 30 years of regular payments, and since there are fewer buyers who are in such a position, demand for houses remains low.

Since the Depression-era housing market took 19 years to reach its previous peak, the economist reasons, it could take until 2025 for the current market to recover.

When do you think home prices will start rising again? And what are you doing to brace yourself from the poor market, or take advantage of it?

How housing could rebound — in 2025 [Fortune]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Letter To The Editor

The in-state tuition for illegal immigrants has poked the proverbial hornet's nest in Maryland.

While there are supporters and detractors of this bill, one aspect I find particularly concerning is, how citizens view the rights of others.

As a child I use to watch Saturday morning cartoons. One cartoon described how a bill becomes a law. A bill must pass both houses of Congress then the President must sign it into law.

Maryland follows this process as well. However, there is one vital distinction. Laws, except for emergency laws, cannot take effect until June 1 of the year they are signed. This is because the people have the constitutional right to petition to referendum a law.

Article XVI of the Maryland Constitution, called "The Referendum", states: "The people reserve to themselves power known as The Referendum, by petition to have submitted to the registered voters of the state, to approve or reject at the polls, any act, or part of any act of the General Assembly, if approved by the Governor, or, if passed by the General Assembly over the veto of the Governor."

Most laws can be petitioned to referendum by the citizens of Maryland. This is part of the process any bill may go through to become a law.

Regardless of where you stand on the issue of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, or any other law that is passed in Maryland, we have the constitutionally protected right to collect signatures to petition a law to referendum.

If you don't agree with a petition drive, simply do not sign the petition. Instead, we have citizens, town officials and business owners trying to violate the rights of others. In civil society it is of the utmost importance that each citizen recognizes and respects the rights of others.

In the future, you may find yourself supporting an effort to petition a law to referendum, and I may find myself against that position. I may adamantly and vehemently oppose the effort, but that does not mean I can attempt to violate your right to attempt to collect petition signatures.

I sincerely hope everyone recognizes the importance of these rights, and these rights transcend any particular issue. Otherwise, what's the point of having constitutionally protected rights when some citizens decide their position on an issue affords them any grounds to violate another citizen's rights?

Scott Strzelczyk

BREAKING NEWS: Jobless Claims Fall Less Than Expected

The Labor Department reports initial claims for state jobless benefits fell to 422,000 from a revised 428,000 last week. Economists had been expecting them to fall to 415,000.

Fatal Bus Crash Came Days After Regulators Put Off Shutdown Of Bus Company

After a fatal bus crash [1] Tuesday in Virginia—at least the fourth such commercial bus accident in three months—federal regulators immediately issued an order to shut down the company that was responsible [2]. Four people died in the accident and more than 50 were sent to the hospital. But as it turns out, regulators had just days earlier passed up a chance to take the Sky Express bus company off the roads.

According to report in USA Today, five days before the fatal bus accident in Virginia on Tuesday, the Transportation Department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration made a crucial decision: It could have ordered a shutdown of Sky Express based on the company's history of accidents and driving violations, but instead chose to put it off [3].

After yesterday's crash, regulators shut down the company [2] on the same day—an action that was possible because the agency had proposed shutting the company down back in April after reviewing the company’s safety record. Under agency rules [4], the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration can’t shut down bus companies immediately, a Transportation Department spokeswoman explained to USA Today:

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Dog Found in Owens Branch Road Area: UPDATE


We have found a lost dog on the RT50/Owens Branch Road Area in Salisbury near the dump.
VERY friendly sweet fawn colored pit bull.
Will have to take it to the pound if no one claims it.
Call 410-251-3693 to claim.
Thank you!

The Truth About The American Economy

The U.S. economy continues to stagnate. It’s growing at the rate of 1.8 percent, which is barely growing at all. Consumer spending is down. Home prices are down. Jobs and wages are going nowhere.

It’s vital that we understand the truth about the American economy.

How did we go from the Great Depression to 30 years of Great Prosperity? And from there, to 30 years of stagnant incomes and widening inequality, culminating in the Great Recession? And from the Great Recession into such an anemic recovery?

The Great Prosperity
During three decades from 1947 to 1977, the nation implemented what might be called a basic bargain with American workers. Employers paid them enough to buy what they produced. Mass production and mass consumption proved perfect complements. Almost everyone who wanted a job could find one with good wages, or at least wages that were trending upward.

During these three decades everyone’s wages grew — not just those at or near the top.

Government enforced the basic bargain in several ways. It used Keynesian policy to achieve nearly full employment. It gave ordinary workers more bargaining power. It provided social insurance. And it expanded public investment. Consequently, the portion of total income that went to the middle class grew while the portion going to the top declined. But this was no zero-sum game. As the economy grew almost everyone came out ahead, including those at the top.

The pay of workers in the bottom fifth grew 116 percent over these years — faster than the pay of those in the top fifth (which rose 99 percent), and in the top 5 percent (86 percent).

Productivity also grew quickly. Labor productivity — average output per hour worked — doubled. So did median incomes. Expressed in 2007 dollars, the typical family’s income rose from about $25,000 to $55,000. The basic bargain was cinched.

The middle class had the means to buy, and their buying created new jobs. As the economy grew, the national debt shrank as a percentage of it.

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Special Weather Announcement For Some Wicomico Schools

Dr. John Fredericksen, Superintendent of Wicomico County Public Schools, shared this information by a ParentLink call to families of students at several Wicomico Schools Tuesday night, in expectation of continued high temperatures Wednesday, June 1:

"We share families' concerns for safe temperatures in non-air-conditioned schools.

If your child attends Bennett Middle School, East Salisbury Elementary, Northwestern Elementary, Pittsville Elementary-Middle, or West Salisbury Elementary and the temperatures tomorrow are over 90 degrees, you may keep your child home, send us a note, and your child will be granted an excused absence.

School will be held, transportation operated, and instruction will be provided for all students who attend.

Please dress appropriately, drink plenty of water, and stay safe."

“Job Interview” Includes Torture

The job interview process can be quite taxing to the applicant's mind, body and wallet, but at no point should it involve being tied up, flogged and tortured... right?

Authorities in suburban New York have arrested a man who did the above-mentioned things, and more, to men who thought they were applying for high security gigs in the intelligence-gathering industry.

The jobs were fake, but the pain was real.

According to the AP, between 2008 and 2010, a man recruited a handful of men for these imaginary jobs, saying he would help train them for their eventual work overseas. That "training" included stripping them down, whipping them and sticking needles under their fingernails.

Police found a kit in the man's car that included rope, needles, strapping tape... and vegetable oil. No mention of whether it was corn, canola or peanut oil.

The man was arraigned on 29 counts, including assault, criminal impersonation and forcible touching, and ordered held on $250,000 bail.

Applicants for phony jobs whipped [Philly.com]

from Chris Morran @ The Consumerist

Teens Challenge All You Can Eat Pancakes at Denny’s

The true value of any all-you-can-eat deal depends on just how much food you're able to funnel down your gullet while you're sitting at the table. But seven teenagers in California most certainly got the most out of their dining dollar last weekend when they gorged on hundreds of pancakes at a local Denny's over the course of 24 hours, and all for $5 each.

According to one boy's father, the seven young 'uns swallowed 301 pancakes, for an average of 43 pancakes each. He estimates that each diner consumed around 14,000 calories, which, figuring in syrup, margarine and beverages, seems to match up with the nutritional info on Denny's website.

From OCWeekly.com:

“[O]ne boy nearly fell asleep on the toilet, and that Denny's actually ran out of pancake batter and had to go out and buy more.”

I don't know which is more horrifying: the sheer amount of food consumed, or the idea of seven teenagers taking over a Denny's booth for 24 hours.

Teens Take Advantage of Denny's All-You-Can-Eat Pancakes for 24 Hours [OC Weekly]

from Chris Morran @ The Consumerist

Postal Service Bans Petition Drive

The Frederick News-Post reports that the US Postal Service has banished organizers of the petition drive to force the MD DREAM Act to referendum from Post Office property.

Don’t the folks at the USPS understand that POLITICAL SPEECH is the most protected speech of all?  Yet, the Postal service, an arm of the Federal government, is curtailing one of our most basic rights.

Should any of us be surprised in this day and age?

H/T – Cynthia Prairie @ Maryland Reporter

Scammy Letter Yields $800,000

If you're like us, you've been on the receiving end of more than a few e-mails falsely claiming that you've inherited millions from a relative you didn't know you have. All you have to do is hand over your bank account info — and have it drained rather quickly. One young man in Nashville says his inheritance is the real deal, though experts are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The man said he got a letter about a month ago stating that he was to inherit around $16 million from an aunt in the UK he'd never heard of. He tells local TV station WSMV that he's already put $800,000 in his account, with which he's purchased a new car.

READ MORE …

This post should not be construed as encouraging readers to actually answer these types of letters.  In fact, we suggest that you immediately trash them.  We just thought that the article was interesting. – Ed.

Crime In Salisbury

An interested reader submitted this link:

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/neighborhoods/crime-rates/top100dangerous/

According to this website, Salisbury still rates a pretty high crime rate.  To be honest, I’m not sure how up-to-date the information is.  However, it does offer some nice map overlays of crime in the Salisbury area.

Check it out and let us know what you think.

DREAM Act Opponents File Over 40,000 Signatures

Len Lazarick @ Maryland Reporter reports that the group attempting to force the “Maryland DREAM Act” to referendum has filed over 40,000 signatures.  This was more than twice the number required to be filed by Tuesday’s deadline.

18,579 signature were required by Tuesday.  Del. Neil Parrott (R-2B) stated, “We know that some of them are going to be thrown out.”

Beginning Friday, the Maryland State Board of Elections will begin posting a running tally of the validated signatures.  The petitioners must collect another 35,157 valid signatures by June 30 in order for the referendum to appear on the 2012 statewide ballot.

What’s a “Benefit LLC”?

Would you expect less from the Once Free State?

The new law protects benefit LLCs from lawsuits by their members if they make decisions that put the environment, community, or social causes over making a profit. It is aimed at firms that want to make social activism part of their corporate mission.

Profit bad.  Tree hugging good.  Let’s all sit around the fire and sing Kum By Ya.

H/T – Cynthia Prairie @ Maryland Reporter

PBS to Start “Commercials”

In a break with long-standing tradition, PBS is going to start putting those sponsor announcements as briefer breaks within the shows theummselves, instead of long stretches at the beginning and end,NYT reports. While the programming and mission remains non-commercial, the format is going to make the messages look more like, well, commercials.

The move reflects a harsh reality. When there is a program that runs over an hour, the messages at the end can sometimes go eight minutes long. Most of the viewers then leave, making it near impossible to build an audience for a subsequent show off the back of the previous one.

Instead there will be "hot switches" where the end of one program will cut right to the next program.

The question is whether rearranging non-commercial underwriting into a format that looks more like commercial television will also cause corporate donors and viewers to flee. We'll find out soon enough, as the we'll start seeing the changes this fall during Wednesday showings of "Nature" and "Nova." Based on what they see there, PBS will roll out the new format on a night by night basis throughout the year.

PBS Plans Promotional Breaks Within Programs [NYT]

from Ben Popken @ The Consumerist