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Friday, June 03, 2011

Pollitt to Re-Institute Burn Ban

Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt plans to reinstitute a burn ban.  In response to a recent increase in fires, SbyNEWS’s Joe Albero asked Pollitt if he planned to re-institute the ban.  Pollitt stated that he will be meeting with a committee next week to put a burn ban in place ASAP:

Our committee meets next week and I expect we’ll have to do it.

Pollitt also noted that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources wants him to wait until the end of next week.

Preliminary Release Of Serious Motor Vehicle Crash With Road Closure

Location:
·         SR#1 Coastal Highway southbound at Wilkins Road, Milford

Date of Occurrence:  
·         Friday, June 3, 2011 5:00 p.m.


Resume
Milford-The Delaware State Police are currently on-scene of a serious motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle at SR#1 Coastal Highway southbound and Wilkins Road, Milford, DE.

Troopers are advising that the roadway is closed and advise motorists to avoid the area and plan alternate routes.  An updated release will be provided as information related to the crash investigation becomes available.

BREAKING NEWS: RT. 90 CLOSED: UPDATE Rt. 90 Reopened



Both East and West bound lanes are closed due to an alleged fatal motorcycle accident. More to come...

UPDATE: C.R.A.S.H. Team has been requested to the scene. Rt. 90 could be closed for quite a while.

UPDATE #2: Rt 90 has just reopened.

Original Post 2:41 PM.

Another Bad Accident

Station 8 alerted for a MVC with rescue on Bethel Road just past Poplar Neck Road. Single vehicle accident with two trapped, one unconscious. Command requested a second rescue truck out of Pittsville. Also requesting additional ambulance from Station 7 and Trooper 4. Two priority one patients.

YARD SALE

Only 2 yard sales tomorrow, which came in late:

yard sale tomorrow
6704 Quercus Drive
Hebron, MD
6:30-11:30am
Items will include clothes, furniture, DVDs, toys and other items.

1841 Mt Hermon Road, it is between the overpass and tilghman road (kmart)

tons and tons of boys clothes, sizes newborn to 3T (3 1/2 years worth)
golf bag, lamps, some adult clothes, treadmill, computer monitor, headboard, and other misc items

An Agent Of The King In Every Home

The legal concept of citizen privacy from government intrusion is unfortunately a very new one in the long strides of human history. The idea that government can be limited, or restricted in its powers by the people, and that certain realms of life can and should be off-limits to the prying eyes of bureaucracy, is rarely applied in any culture of any era. This is because most civilizations have been founded and ruled upon the principles of military dominance. There was no separation between the government and the armies it fashioned; the government WAS the military. That is to say, martial law was a way of life for society, privacy was a foolish dream, and daring to contest the fact usually led to one’s death.

The Magna Carta of 1215, which King John was essentially forced to support, established a foundation for civil liberties which would then be fought over for the next several centuries. Beginning in 1627, and the ‘Petition of Right’ in Britain, common citizens began demanding a separation between military and civilian life, as well as the dismantling of standing armies which at that time were being used by the corrupt oligarchy as a means to subdue the populace. The aristocracy called it “royal prerogative”. The masses called it tyranny. However, as we all know, such breaks in the suffocation of despotism are few and fleeting. Fractures in the Petition of Right were frequent, and the aptitude of government to make war (even when there is no call for war) became the common excuse for the rulership to degrade civilian legal protections and hurtle them back into the dark ages, where property is a novelty that the authorities violate at their leisure.

During the years leading up to the American Revolution, the British attempted to stifle the growing independent nature of the colonies by issuing laws such as the ‘Writs of Assistance’, bypassing rights to privacy and allowing officials to search homes and businesses at will without probable cause, supposedly in the name of “capturing smugglers”. Not fully satisfied with this intrusion on the lives of the colonists, King George and his cronies issued the ‘Quartering Acts’, which required all colonists to welcome soldiers sent to subjugate them into their homes and to their dinner tables. According to law, early Americans were not only forced to allow warrant-less searches of their homes, they also had to show hospitality to the goons sent to dirty their doorsteps!

The purpose of these actions by governments is to assert their control over a population. THAT – IS – ALL. Rationalizations are always made; usually in the name of “protecting the public from harm”, but the real name of the game is imperialism, and fear. When the establishment violates the line of citizen privacy, and gives its agents the legal free reign to enter your home at will, the message they are trying to send is: “Your property is our property. Your life is our business. The law does not protect you. The law is our weapon.” In other words: Resistance is futile.

The Revolutionary War and the U.S. Constitution should have been the final word on the matter of limited government and the inherent rights of individuals. But, the Founding Fathers only thwarted the elites for a time, and as long as such powerful minorities of men exist, there will always be new methods of tyranny, and new battles to be endured. Some may respond skeptically, claiming that our society today is a far cry from the age of British oppression and soldiers storming our living rooms and our pantries. I would have to disagree of course, after I stopped cringing at their ignorance.

The 4th Amendment A Fond Memory…

Last month in a 3-2 decision that has shocked the independent media community but gone mostly unreported in the mainstream, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that citizens have no right to block an officer’s entry into their home, even if the officer does not have a warrant. The officer also does not have to give any clear indication as to why he wishes to enter your home, meaning he can enter without cause. Justice Steven David, one of the supporting judges stated:

“We believe … a right to resist an unlawful police entry into a home is against public policy and is incompatible with modern Fourth Amendment jurisprudence…”

“We also find that allowing resistance unnecessarily escalates the level of violence and therefore the risk of injuries to all parties involved without preventing the arrest.”


Keep in mind, this is the same Indiana court that decided in a previous case that an officer serving a warrant is not required to knock (make his presence known) before entering your home if he feels circumstances require it. So, to clarify; if an officer wishes to walk into your house, for any reason, he may do so, without a warrant, and without even knocking. You cannot block his path. You cannot close your door and lock it. You cannot kick his ass. You can’t even discuss the matter calmly with him before hand. He just walks in, and, he is legally protected.

BREAKING NEWS: House Passes Boehner Resolution On Libya Withdrawal

House votes 268-145 to pass Speaker Boehner's resolution rebuking President Obama for military action against Libya without congressional approval.

Wynetta And Jaylin Wright Found Dead; DC Cop In Custody

OXON HILL, Md. (WUSA) -- A DC Police Officer has been arrested in connection to the murder of a woman and a 11-month-old girl, sources tell 9NEWS NOW.

Wynetta Wright, and her daughter, Jaylin were found murdered in the Hillcrest Heights section of Prince George's County Thursday night.

Richmond Phillips, a DC 1-D cop, was arrested in connection to the crime, sources said.

Court records indicate Wynetta Wright had filed a paternity case against Phillips. A court date was scheduled for Tuesday morning. Wright and her daughter have not been seen by family members since Monday night.

More

What We Should Really Do With John Edwards

It is sad for former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards that he was indicted Friday on felony charges. He is accused of giving cash from his campaign to his mistress. It is even sadder for America that with the real problems we have as a country that we are wasting taxpayer money and government time on this indictment.

The six counts Edwards was charged with are not lightweight charges. Accepting and receiving illegal campaign donations is serious, and if you are going to get those contributions illegally then of course you are going to conceal it, hence two more indictments.

We can't be having Presidential candidates breaking the law, of that there is no question.

My concern is on two fronts: How is it that John Edwards can't conceal cash to his campaign and yet the Supreme Court found in the Citizen's United case last year that it was perfectly legal to have interest groups/corporations provide campaign cash and not having to disclose where the cash is coming from. 

It is much more damaging to the democratic process to have piles of money influencing the elections than a private donor like Bunny Mellon's money going to support a love child. 

More 

FIRST LADY KATIE O’MALLEY TO OPEN THIS YEAR’S “GROW IT EAT IT” GARDEN


ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 3, 2011) – TOMORROW, First Lady Katie O’Malley, joined by the University of Maryland Master Gardeners and students from Cedar Chapel Special School in Worcester County will plant a food garden at Government House for the third consecutive year.  Master Gardeners and students from Cedar Chapel Special School in Snow Hill (Worcester County) will join the First Lady to plant the garden and refreshments made with items from the garden will be served. First Lady O’Malley will also promote the University of Maryland Master Gardener Vegetable Gardening classes and events to teach more Marylanders how to create their own backyard garden and grow their own food. Sue Langley, beekeeper for the Government House bee hive, will also be on available to answer questions.

First Lady O’Malley is partnering with University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center and Master Gardeners to promote the “Grow It Eat It campaign” which encourages Maryland families to improve health and save money by growing fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs using sustainable practices.  The campaign hopes to encourage 1 million Marylanders to produce their own affordable, healthy food.  More information on the campaign and the University of Maryland’s Master Gardener program can be found at www.growit.umd.edu.  

Maryland is one of the first states in the in the nation to have a backyard food garden at the Governor’s home. The vegetable garden sets a realistic example of what Maryland families can do in their own backyards.    


WHAT:                       First Lady to officially open this year’s “Grow It Eat It” Garden

WHEN:                       TOMORROW, Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:                     Government House, Annapolis, MD

Public Notice Of Second Special Meeting - Adoption Of FY2012 Budget

SPECIAL MEETING

JUNE 6, 2011 * Follows 6:00 p.m. Public Hearing
Government Office Building Room 301
of FY2012 Budget
of Water and Sewer rates
of City parking rates
  This meeting to begin immediately following the 6:00 p.m. Special Meeting for the 6:05 p.m. Public Hearing
*
CONVENEADOPTION OF AGENDAORDINANCES – presented by Council President Terry CohenOrdinance No. 2161 – 2nd reading – amending an adoptionOrdinance No. 2151 – 2nd reading – amending an adoptionOrdinance No. 2152 – 2nd reading – amending an adoptionADJOURN

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

Poodle Club Announces 2012 Return to Wicomico County


(Salisbury, MD) On Friday, April 29th the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center bid a fond farewell to poodles and their handlers as the Poodle Club of America National Specialty Show drew to a close.  Due to the hospitality shown them, the International Poodle Club announced on May 2nd that this good-bye would not be permanent though as they will return to Wicomico County in 2012. 

Show Chairman, in announcing their return, explained “Salisbury is such a wonderful location for our annual poodle national specialty.  The community is so welcoming to us and offers lodging and dining perfect for our needs.  The whole community and WYCC go all out to make our show the envy of national dog clubs.”

On April 23-27, 2012 the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center and Wicomico County as a whole will play host to visitors traveling from as close as the Mid-Atlantic Region to as far as international locales including Japan.  In hosting the Specialty Show, Wicomico County sees an estimated $2 million economic impact.  Commenting on the return of the poodles, Wicomico County Executive, Richard M Pollitt Jr. stated, “This is the one time of year when I’m so happy to say ‘Wicomico County has gone to the dogs’.  The Poodle Show is an outstanding event and one our community looks forward to each year with a great deal of anticipation and delight.”

Wicomico County Tourism originally brought the Specialty Show to Wicomico County seven years ago.  Wicomico Tourism, along with the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center works side-by-side to meet the needs of the show each year.  However, Tourism Manager Sandy Fulton explains, “It is the people and businesses in Wicomico County that brings the show back year after year.”  Fulton elaborates, “The hospitality shown is unlike any they [specialty show participants] have received anywhere in the Country.  This says so much about our local businesses and our residents.  The WY&CC and Wicomico Tourism work hard to keep the event here, but without the support of the local community it would not be possible.”

For more information on Wicomico Tourism visit http://www.wicomicotourism.org/ or visit http://www.wicomicociviccenter.org/ for information on the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

Taking Away The Punchbowl

Federal spending has risen by 40% since 2008 and the deficit has soared to over 40% of Federal spending. That's the punchbowl Wall Street fears might be taken away.

Whenever I unleash a tirade at home about how Federal spending has leaped 40% in three years and how the government is now borrowing 42% of its spending, my wife points out that nobody cares because the deficit doesn't impact them at all. This always stops the tirade in its tracks, because it's so obviously true.

As long as the Federal checks keep being issued and everyone gets their 17 "low-cost" meds paid by Medicare, the National Defense State gets unlimited billions to spy on the citizenry and indeed, the entire world, gasoline at $1,000 a gallon flows freely in Afghanistan and other distant corners of the Empire, and Wall Street writes itself billions in bonuses, then nobody cares about the deficit.

The only way anyone will feel the deficit is if their share of the Federal swag is trimmed to pay the interest on the ballooning debt. But the Federal Reserve has a solution to that eventuality: keep interest rates (and thus yields on new Federal debt) super-low.

At zero interest, $50 trillion in debt costs nothing. Heck, you and I could handle the interest payments on $50 trillion at zero interest. At 1%, the interest is "only" $500 billion a year--no big deal, as we can easily borrow another $500 billion a year, no problem. After all, the bond market hasn't barfed yet and we're already borrowing $1.65 trillion a year, plus hundreds of billions "off-balance sheet" in "supplemental appropriations."

(Of course the bond market has been "helped" by the Fed buying $600 billion new Federal debt over the past nine months, but there's no limit on that "help" either: there is literally no limit on the Fed's balance sheet, because $50 trillion in Federal debt is an "asset" that pays a yield. A nice, solid balance sheet, loaded with assets.)

As long as short-term interest rates remain near zero, the deficit spending game can run a long, long time. Here is the current yield on Treasury debt, courtesy of the U.S. Treasury: Daily Treasury Yield Curve Rates [2]. The yield on one-year Treasuries is .18%. Given that "official" inflation (Consumer Price Index [3]) is 3.2%, and unofficial (a.k.a. real-world) inflation is running much hotter, the investor/mark is losing 3% a year by investing in T-bills at .18% yield--or perhaps in real-world terms, 5% or more.

It's like a subprime "teaser rate" mortgage that never adjusts. Imagine having a $100,000 mortgage at .18% interest. The interest would only be $180 a year. On $1 trillion, it's only $1.8 billion--a trivial sum (at 10%, the interest is $100 billion, at 1%, it's $10 billion.)

As long as the Treasury can borrow money this cheaply, there is no visible limit to how much the Federal machine can borrow.

More

Judge Rules Gay League Can Limit Number Of Heterosexual Players

A federal judge ruled Thursday that a gay softball league can limit the number of heterosexuals on its teams, the Courthouse News Service reports.

The ruling was announced after three bisexual men claimed they were kicked out of the Gay Softball World Series for not being gay enough and filed a lawsuit in Washington state against the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Association.

The three men, playing for a San Francisco softball team, were challenged on their sexuality by a rival team, citing a rule that limits no more than two heterosexuals on a team.

The men claim they were "summoned to a hearing room to answer questions about their sexual interests or attractions," according to the Courthouse News Service.

The men said they were told that "this is the Gay World Series, not the Bisexual World Series."

U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour struck down the lawsuit.

More 

Rep. Andy Harris' Statement On May Jobs Report

Job Growth is Job One

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today’s shockingly weak jobs report for May indicates a stalled economy, which has Maryland families, investors and businesses fearful of a possible double dip recession.  With the national unemployment rate again over 9%, and only 54,000 jobs added last month, it is clear that a new fiscal policy course must be charted. 
“In order to grow the economy and create jobs in America, we must stop the spending spree in Washington,” said Rep. Andy Harris.  “President Obama’s insistence on taxing and spending our way to prosperity doesn’t work.  It’s time to chart a new course – it’s time for results.”
Since the passage of President Obama’s cornerstone economic policy, the Stimulus package of 2009, 1.8 million American jobs have been shed at a cost of $1.1 trillion and the federal debt has risen to $14.29 billion.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 150,000 new jobs need to be created each month just to keep up with the population growth.  The economy is not growing fast enough to employ the nearly 14 million Americans looking for jobs.

Friday Night LIve

Award-winning Classical Guitarist Peter Fletcher

WHAT:  Friday Night Live - Classical Guitar
WHO:  Peter Fletcher
WHEN: Friday, June 17, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Wicomico Public Library, Room 1


SALISBURY, MD – June 3, 2011 – Peter Fletcher returns to the Friday Night Live line up June 17th at 7 p.m. to perform classical guitar at the Main Library.   

For more information on this event or other library services, visit us on the web at www.wicomicolibrary.org or call 410-749-3612. Programs are free and open to the public. 

Wicomico Public Library: Supporting Learning, Building Community, Enriching Lives!

Fishing Derby Tomorrow At City Park!

Hook, Line and Sinker
  Cast your rod at Salisbury City Park tomorrow, Saturday, June 4 during the Annual Youth Fishing Derby. This free event is open to children 15 and under. Registration will begin at 8:30am (advanced registration is not necessary), and fishing starts promptly at 9:00am. Each child must bring their own rod and bait. Several catch and release contests are planned. Prizes and trophies will be awarded for the biggest fish, most fish caught, youngest angler, most unusual catch and more.

Food will be provided for all of the youth participants and Door prizes will be raffled off at the end of the competition
.
If you would like to learn about other upcoming programs offered by Wicomico County Recreation, Parks and Tourism sign up for email announcements at http://www.wicomicorecandparks.org/

In preparation for the Derby, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) helped stock the pond at Salisbury City Park. Approximately 500 Blue Gills joined the pond's current inhabitants including Catfish, Large-Mouth Bass, Sunny and Perch.

Free Fishing Derby on June 4 at Salisbury City Park

Google / GMail Users–Beware of Password Fishing

I use Google for a lot of things:

  • GMail (e-mail)
  • Calendar
  • To-Do Lists
  • Google Notebooks (notes)
  • the list goes on …

I recently receive an email that was pretty scary.  I received an email that claimed to be from Google.  It stated that multiple attempts to access my account had been made and that Google was poised to launch an investigation.  The also asked me to “validate” my email account.

Click the link and you are taken to the standard Google log-in screen … or so it appears.  In reality I was taken to a fake screen on another site.

Google users should be aware.

Caption This Photo

Fruitland's Monthly Newsletter

The new budget is currently being struck by City Council with a final vote due on June 14th at the regular City Council meeting. Council currently has no plans to increase taxes or raise water rates in this new budget.

The new proposed budget is slightly higher than the FY 2010-11 budget with the majority of the increase being accounted for from the construction and operating costs of the new Police Station on Division Street.

With the reorganization of the Public Works and Utilities Division there is a savings in payroll as at least two positions are being eliminated.

Under the current proposal employees will not be getting a pay increase for the third consecutive year. The State retirement plan will be taking an additional 2% from all the employees in the coming year.
The current proposed Capital Improvement Plan allows for the purchase of much needed attachments for spreading salt and snow plowing, grant funded engineering for Wastewater Treatment Plan upgrades, and Board of Education funded improvements to two sewer pump stations.

City Odds and Ends The City’s new website is online now.

The City will be voting on the 2011-2012 Budget on June 14 at the City Council meeting at 7:30 PM.

The City has awarded the contract for rebuilding the storage building that was damaged in the fire in January at the Public Works complex on Shady Lane. The contractor is Harkins Construction. The rebuilding is slated for June and July. The cost of the project will be covered by the proceeds from the insurance claim.

June Schedule
June 1, 2011Budget work Session 6 PM June 7, 2011Planning Commission Meeting 7PM June 14, 2011City Council Meeting 7:30PM June 21, 2011

Public Works installed the new welcome sign on Route 13 South coming into the City from Salisbury this past week. The sign was created by Redwood Burl of Ocean City, MD
Police News D.A.R.E. graduation was held @ Fruitland Intermediate June 1, 2011
Officer Kilgore completed Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy comparative compliance program May 2011.
Chief Phillips completed Maryland Police Training Commission Executive Training May 2011
Date selected for Fruitland Police Department K-9 Crab Feast Benefit – September 10

Assistant City Manager Diane Nelson presents a fruit basket to the employees of the City’s newest business Its Fashion Metro who opened May 26th in the Food Lion mall.

Recreation News Pavilion and ball field rentals are now being scheduled through the office at City Hall. Call 410-548-2800.
There are no meetings of the Recreation Commission in July and August 2011.
Three new members have joined the Commission—Amanda Pollack, Dizzy Bromley, and Lynn Creasy.
The Fruitland Recreation facilities will be hosting the USSSA World Series event in July at the two Recreational Parks

Code Enforcement Memo Just a few reminders for the upcoming spring season.

Building permits are slowly on the increase .

Unfortunately so are grass violations. During this time of year grass has to be cut at least every week even during this "heat wave".

Also property owners are now responsible for removing weeds from their sidewalks and driveways. The City no longer sprays on private property.

The appearance of various properties have noticeably improved, and unregistered/abandoned vehicles are disappearing, since my "junk for cash" column. Thanks!

Just a reminder that garbage containers should be put out for pickup curbside, not left in your yard. Our personnel are not allowed to go onto private property to pick up your trash.

Joe Vogel Code Enforcement Officer
 
 
th 2011 at the Salisbury Moose Lodge.  
Recreation Commission 7PM (No Recreation Commission Meetings in July and August)  

City Budget for 2011-12 in Final Stages

A Follow Up On One Lost Dog

Mr. Albero,
    
Last night around 8 p.m. Andrea from the pet salon came to pick up the puppy. (If you can call him that. Ha, ha, he's so big & strong.)
     
I managed to settle him down quite a bit & he even went to the bathroom outside. (No mess in the house since Tuesday am.) What a character! We were going for a walk to see where he would go, but I just couldn't manage him on a leash. He loves to play and he took to Andrea immediately. She said she has a St. Bernard to keep him busy at play which he would rather do than anything.
    
She's going to foster him & will be looking for a good home for him, so I'll retrieve the few posters I placed around our couple of blocks. (announcing his location) I miss him already and honestly do wish I could keep him. If he were smaller, I'd even "foster him".
    
What a service! You and "The Salon" deserve some kind of award for taking in these animals. Generally I prefer animals to most people I meet, but all of you are exceptions to that. You're all SOOOO kind. I can't thank you enough. The best part is, this huge puppy isn't lying injured or worse on some roadway.
    
Thank you, again.

Editors Notes: When it became obvious the owners of this animal were not going to come forward to claim their dog I made contact with our dear friends, (the William's Family) from Cathy's Pet Salon. I wanted to reach out to see if they might know of someone who specializes in that breed. Cassandra remembered the pet I was talking about as she had seen it on SBYNews and said, let me call you right back.
10 minutes later Cassie told me one of the girls working in the Salon was very interested in fostering this animal. This is the second or third time they have done this and the really cool part about it is, they always find the most loving homes/owners.
More importantly, if you knew the situation this particular puppy has been in you'd not only be amazed, you'd be so proud. The couple that found this dog, well, let's just say they're getting up there is years and unfortunately this puppy is just too playful for them. To hear them talk about him you'd think he was already a part of the Family.
My thanks goes out to ALL of you who temporarily Foster so many of these lost animals. While we have been extremely successful in reuniting them with their owners, if it doesn't happen people/groups like Cathy's Pet Salon come along and foster them until they find a good home for the animals.
I'd say we've got one hell of a nice service going. We've reunited animals lost as far as Cambridge, Pocomoke, Ocean City and even some throughout southern Delaware.

Thank God Its Friday

What will you be doing this weekend?

Legal Aid To Poor Marylanders Would Cost $106 Million, Court Study Says

It could cost up to $106 million to provide poor Marylanders with the legal help and representation they need for civil cases, according to a new study by the Maryland Access to Justice Commission. The commission looked at how the state might establish a program where everyone would have an “equal right to justice” in civil courts and estimates how much that would cost.

Continue Reading...

Today’s Survey Question

Do You Still Use 35 mm Film or a Film Camera?

BREAKING NEWS: Wicomico Council Alters Stance on “Pollitt Plan”

In this morning’s budget session, the Wicomico County Council re-visited Wednesday’s decision to give level funding for the office of the County Executive.  At the time, this was to facilitate County Executive Rick Pollitt’s plan to re-organize his office.

This morning a majority of the council agreed to cut $100,000 from the department and place the money in contingency.  If Pollitt agrees, he can ask council to approve his reorganization plan without having to make additional cuts from the county budget.  If he does not, the council can still make the proposed cut and the funds would trigger a small reduction in the prevailing tax rate.

More to follow …

Black Farmers

Pigford vs. Glickman

"In 1997, 400 African-American farmers sued the United States Department of Agriculture, alleging that they had been unfairly denied USDA loans due to racial discrimination during the period 1983 to 1997."

The case was entitled "Pigford vs. Glickman" and in 1999, the black farmers won their case.

The government agreed to pay each of them as much as $50,000 to settle their claims.

But then on February 23, 2010, something shocking happened in relation to that original judgment: In total silence, the USDA agreed to release more funds to "Pigford".

The amount was a staggering...... $1.25 billion. This was because the original number of plaintiffs - 400 black farmers had now swollen, in a class action suit, to include a total of 86,000 black farmers throughout America ..

There was only one teensy problem:

The United States of America doesn't have 86,000 black farmers!!!!

According to accurate and totally verifiable Official USDA 2007 Census census data, the total number of black farmers throughout America is only 39,697.

Hmmm... by the Official USDA 1992 Census data the US had only 18,816 black farmers!!
Oops!!

Well, gosh - how on earth did 39,697 explode into the fraudulent 86,000 claims??

And how did $50,000 explode into $1.25 billion??

Well, folks, you'll just have to ask the woman who not only spearheaded this case because of her position in 1997 at the "Rural Development Leadership Network", but whose family received the highest single payout (approximately $13 million) from that action - Shirley Sherrod.
                 
Oops again!!

Yes, folks it appears that Ms. Sherrod had just unwittingly exposed herself as the perpetrator of one of the biggest fraud claims in the history of the United States - - a fraud enabled solely because she screamed racism at the government and cowed them into submission.

And it gets even more interesting...
                 
Ms. Sherrod has also exposed the person who aided and abetted her in this race fraud.

As it turns out, the original judgment of "Pigford vs. Glickman" in 1999 only applied to a total of about 16,000 black farmers.
                 
But....in 2008, a junior US Senator got a law passed to reopen the case and allow more black farmers to sue for funds.

The Senator was Barack Hussein Obama..

Because this law was passed in dead silence, and because the woman responsible for spearheading it was an obscure USDA official, American taxpayers did not realize that they had just been forced in the midst of a worldwide recession to pay out more than $1.25 billion to settle a race claim.

But Andy Breitbart knew. And on Monday, July 22, 2010, he cleverly laid a trap which Sherrod - - and Obama + his cronies - - stumbled headfirst into which has now resulted in the entire world discovering the existence of this corrupt financial judgment.

As for Ms. Sherrod?? Well, she's discovering too late that her cry of 'racism' to the media which was intended to throw the spotlight on Breitbart has instead thrown that spotlight on herself and the huge corruption.
                 
Sherrod has vanished from public view.

But the perpetrator of that law passed in dead silence leading to unlawful claims & corruption..... is still trying
to fool all of US.

Go to Google and read for yourself "Pigford vs. Glickman", or "Pigford Obama".

As some have said, "The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their President."

http://mydd.com/users/nancy-scola/posts/pigford-black-farmers-and-obama

http://frontpagemag.com/2011/01/10/obama-carries-on-the-pigford-fraud/

Ping Golf Clubs

On Monday, I played the Disney, Lake Buena Vista course.  As usual the starters matched me with three other players.  After a few holes we began to get to know each other a bit.  One fellow was rather young and had his wife riding along in the golf cart with him.  I noticed that his golf bag had his name on it and after closer inspection, it also said "wounded war veterans".  When I had my first chance to chat with him I asked him about the bag.  His response was simply that it was a gift.  I then asked if he was wounded and he said yes.  When I asked more about his injury, his response was "I'd rather not talk about it, sir".

Over a few holes I learned that he had spent the last 15 months in an army rehabilitation hospital in San Antonio Texas .  His wife moved there to be with him and he was released from the hospital in September.  He was a rather quiet fellow; however, he did say that he wanted to get good at golf.  We had a nice round and as we became a bit more familiar  I asked him about the a brand new set of Ping woods and irons he was playing.  Some looked like they had never been hit.  His response was simple.  He said that this round was the first full round he had played with these clubs.

Later in the round he told me the following.  As part of the discharge process from the rehabilitation hospital, Ping comes in and provides three days of golf instruction, followed by club fitting.  Upon discharge from the hospital, Ping gives each of the discharged veterans, generally about 40 soldiers, a brand new set of custom fitted clubs along with the impressive golf bags.

The fellow I met was named Ben Woods and he looked me in the eye and said that being fitted for those clubs was one of the best things that ever happened to him and he was determined to learn to play golf well enough to deserve the gift Ping had given him.  Ben is now out of the service, medically discharged just a month ago.  He is as fine a young man as you would ever want to meet.

Ping has the good judgment not to advertise this program.  God Bless America and the game of golf.

BREAKING NEWS: Former Presidential Candidate John Edwards Indicted

Federal grand jury indicts two-time Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards for using political contributions to cover up an extramarital affair during the 2008 presidential election.

Stroke Has A New Indicator!

STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters.....  S. T. R. 

STROKE  IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ....she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.


Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.


It only takes a minute to read this.


A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
 

RECOGNIZING A STROKE


Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and Learn!


Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.


Now doctors say a  bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:


S  *
Ask the individual to SMILE.
T  *
Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE  (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today.)

R
  *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.


New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue


NOTE:  Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other
 that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved. 

PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MAYOR’S PROPOSED FY2012 BUDGET AS SUBMITTED



6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER & ANNOUNCEMENTS

6:05 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING

* ADJOURNMENT OF PUBLIC HEARING

* Immediately following the Public Hearing, another Special Meeting will be held to adopt the
FY2012 Budget, Water & Sewer Rates and Parking Rates.

Salisbury Council to Hold Work Session and Public Hearing on Monday, June 6

The Salisbury City Council will hold a work session beginning at 3:30 PM on Monday, June 6th in Conference Room 306 of the Government Office Building (GOB).  At 6PM, the council will move over to the council chambers to hold a public hearing for the proposed FY 2012 budget.

This public hearing is a repeat due to a failure by the administration to meet the advertising requirements for the first public hearing.
The agenda for the work session is:
3:30 PM – 3:50 PMEthics Ordinance, New State Requirements – Paul Wilber
3:50 PM – 4:10 PMTenants’ Rights Addendum Follow-up – Council & Paul Wilber
4:10 PM – 4:40 PMCouncil Rules of Order
- Prayer
- Agenda Items
- Phone In Rule
4:40 PM – 5:00 PMDisproportionate Minority Contact Grant – Mayor’s Office
5:00 PM – 5:20 PMGASB Requirement – Definition of General Fund Surplus –
Pam Oland
5:20 PM – 5:25 PMUpdate on CDBG Requests for Information –
Council President Cohen
5:25 PM – 5:30 PMGeneral Discussion
5:30 PMAdjournment

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City Council Work Session scheduled for Monday, June 6, 2011 will begin at 3:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in Conference Room #306 of the Government Office Building (125 N. Division Street).

Law Enforcement Torch Run 6/6/11

The first leg of the 2011 Law Enforcement Torch Run will kick off Monday Morning 6/6/11 at 8:30 am. The run will begin on the Boardwalk at 27th Street in Ocean City and continue to the Boardwalk Arch at North Division Street. Please arrive by 8:00 am for pictures and announcements.

Anyone that is available is encouraged to come out and show their support. This run kicks off the Maryland Special Olympics Summer Games which are held in Towson, MD. You do not need to be Law Enforcement to show your support.

T-shirts are available for sale for $10. If you are interested in buying a t-shirt please contact OCPD Officers Lt. Richard Currence, Cpl. Dennis Eade, Cpl. Andrew Yeager, PFC Jim Runkles, or Ofc. J.P. Zurla. T-shirts will also be available on the morning of the run at 27th Street.

For more information, please check out http://www.somd.org/

MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION

DATE & TIME: 06/02/2011 @ 1916 hrs C C. CARD NUMBER: 11-54-00-3907

Driver # 1/ Veh #1: Deborah Lynn Wilkinson, 51YOA of Salisbury, Md.
2006 Toyota SUV,
Not Injured

Pedestrian #1: 7 YOA Male Juvenile
LOCATION: Old Ocean City Rd @ Keyes Ln , MD


BRIEF RESUME: On June 02, 2011 at approximately 1916 hours, Troopers from the Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack and Deputies from WCSO were dispatched to the scene of a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian with personal injury. Initial investigation revealed that Vehicle #1 driven by Deborah Wilkinson was traveling westbound on Old Ocean City Rd in the area of Keyes Ln and collided with a juvenile pedestrian in the middle of the roadway. The juvenile was transported to PRMC for his injuries. The Driver of Vehicle #1 was not injured in the collision. The roadway in that area was temporary shut down for the safety of emergency personal. All events occurred in Wicomico County, MD.

Suicide Doctor Jack Kevorkian Reportedly Dies

Detroit news outlets report that assisted-suicide doctor Jack Kevorkian died Friday morning.

This Rotting Mansion Kind Of Represents The American Dream

In a rural area in Maryland, reader MrStinkhead came across something that's not so unusual: a mansion in the middle of a swath of farmland. What makes it unusual is that construction stopped partway through, sometime in 2010, and the building has been left exposed to the elements since. We don't have any more details than that, which makes it nicely mysterious.

More »

BREAKING NEWS: Unemployment Rate Unexpectedly Rises To 9.1%

The Labor Department reports nonfarm payrolls increased by 54,000 in May, significantly less than the 150,000 economists had been expecting. The jobless rate rose to 9.1% from 9% the month prior. Economists had been expecting the jobless rate to fall to 8.9%. Stock futures were down sharply on the news.

Americans Divided On Taxing The Rich To Redistribute Wealth

Forty-seven percent of Americans, including 71% of Democrats, believe the government should redistribute wealth in the country by levying heavy taxes on the rich. Forty-nine percent of Americans, including 69% of Republicans, disagree.

Read more at GALLUP.com

SbyNEWS Motivates Woman to Come to Aid of Church

Last January, SbyNEWS ran a post detailing the theft of over $600 of heating oil from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Hebron.  Yesterday an SbyNEWS reader from Howard County called to offer assistance to the small parish.

Yesterday afternoon I received a call from Carol (last name withheld).  She told me that she had acquired a property in Ellicott City and was renovating the HVAC system.  She had come across the post in SbyNEWS and she wanted to know if St. Paul’s still needed assistance.  Carol offered 300+ gallons of heating oil, the tank, and a 4 year old furnace from the property.

I got in contact with Fr. Ron Knapp at St. Paul’s.  He is contacting Carol.

Not only was I gratified by this experience, it left me in awe of the generosity of SbyNEWS’s readers.

Thanks!

Daredevil Attempts Triple Back Flip

MUSLIM CULTURE MEETS GERMAN ENGINEERING

Agencies Risking Billions In War Zones

Unless changes are made "the United States faces new waves of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan" according to the Commission on Wartime Contracting. USAID, the Departments of Defense and State are singled out in a new commission report for their inadequate planning.  

Read Full Story

If For-Profit Colleges Want Federal Student Aid, They Have To Prove Graduates Can Get Jobs

A 2010 GAO studied showed that federal aid to students at for-profit colleges had tripled over a five-year period from $8 billion to $24 billion and now accounts for 23% of the total aid given out, even though enrollment at for-profit schools only accounts for 8% of college students. Meanwhile, studies continue to show that an inordinately small number of students at these schools ever graduates. In an effort to cut back on the number of people left with mammoth amounts of student loan debt they can't pay back, the U.S. Dept. of Education has issued a new edict: Show us your college actually prepares students for gainful employment or risk losing out on that lovely loan money.

More »

Enjoy A Free Doughnut On 'National Doughnut Day'

WASHINGTON - Friday is "National Doughnut Day," which Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts are celebrating by giving away one free doughnut to customers.
 
Customers can have one doughnut of any variety at participating U.S. Krispy Kreme stores.
 
At participating Dunkin' Donuts, customers can have one free doughnut, with the purchase of a beverage.

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Westminster Man Receives 25 Years in Child Sex Abuse Case

Ryan C. Gifford had used a lot of heroin that day and drank wine and other alcohol, his lawyer said. "He was high pretty much the entire evening," said his lawyer, Lee McNulty.

That is why his client had no recollection, he said, of assaulting, burning and sexually abusing a 21-month-old child on an April night last year, acts that doctors said almost killed the toddler and for which Gifford received a 50-year prison sentence — half of it suspended — in a Westminster courtroom Thursday.

    Carroll County Circuit Judge J. Barry Hughes addressed the 24-year-old defendant and decried the "depraved and selfish torture that you inflicted on this child," a crime that he called "heinous and beyond the pale."

    Prosecutors said Gifford stuffed a sock into the girl's mouth during the attack, causing her to lose consciousness. The burns on her body were apparently made by Gifford with a cigarette to prompt her to come around, and there was evidence that she was raped, according to court documents.

    READ MORE …

    Detectives Probe Pedestrian Death On Train Tracks

    Location: CSX tracks located behind the 100 block of Madison Drive, Newark, DE
     
    Date of Occurrence:   Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 11:40 p.m.
     
    Victim: 39 year old Newark, DE man
     
    Resume:  
    Newark- Delaware State Police detectives are investigating the death of a Newark man who was struck by a train last night in Newark, DE.
     
    The incident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. last night as troopers were called to the CSX rail tracks located behind the 100 block of Madison Drive, Newark, DE for the report of a male subject being struck by an eastbound CSX train. Initial indication is that the train’s conductor and engineer both observed a subject lying on the rail tracks and were unable to stop the 52 car freight train in time to avoid striking the victim. Police were then contacted and arrived to find a male victim, later identified as a 39 year old Newark, DE man, dead. His body was turned over to the medical examiners office to determine the exact cause of death. 
     
    This incident is still under investigation. The victim’s name is being withheld at this time.

    Wicomico Council to Hold Final Budget Work Session

    The Wicomico County Council is scheduled to hold it’s final (they hope) budget work session this morning at 9AM.  The meeting will be in the council chambers of the Salisbury / Wicomico Government Office Building (GOB).

    Public Airs Concern Over Dem Maps

    House Democrats got a healthy dose of feedback Thursday on their plan for redrawing the state’s 41 representative districts in accordance with the 2010 U.S. Census.

    Criticism of the majority caucus’ redistricting plan levied by those who attended the public hearing in Legislative Hall ranged from mild to severe.

    Some, including Republican leaders, called the Democratic map flat-out Gerrymandering.

    Camden resident Michael DeStefano was the first of a dozen or so members of the public to speak.

    “No salamander-shaped looked better than the ones you’ve just conjured up to silence the legislative influence of adversarial districts and to strengthen your weakened ones,” he said.

    In Delaware, the leading party in each chamber leads the redistricting effort — meaning the Democrats in the House and Senate, who enjoy comfortable majorities, face no serious opposition to their redistricting plans from the Republicans.

    from Doug Dennison @ the Sussex Countian

    Maryland Hospitals Report More Problems to State

    There was a significant uptick in the number of serious problems reported by Maryland hospitals in fiscal 2010, according to the annual report on patient care and safety released by state health officials.

    There were 265 top level adverse events reported in 2010, compared with 190 the year before. Health officials attributed the rise to better identification and reporting rather than more problems – particularly when it came to pressure ulcers.

    Falls remained the No. 1 adverse event at the hospital. They were followed by pressure ulcers and delays in treatment. These top level problems resulted in the death of a patient or serious injury.

    The hospitals were not named in the report, though the larger ones with more complex cases reported more problems, according to the state Office of Health Care Quality, which has been collecting the information from hospitals for six years.

    "We recognize Maryland hospitals' continued efforts to improve patient safety in their facilities," Nancy B. Grimm, director of the office, said in a statement. "Increased reporting by hospitals is an indication of engaged and proactive patient safety programs, which ultimately promotes positive patient safety outcomes. The greater the reporting, the better results for patients."

    from Meredith Cohn @ the Baltimore Sun

    Texas Man Fakes Cancer to Cash In

    Texas authorities are searching for a man who they say faked having terminal cancer so he could pocket the proceeds of a charity event named in his honor, MyFoxAustin.com reported.

    Police say Brian Jeffery Bonniwell, from Austin, told friends he was terminally ill with cancer. He allegedly changed his name to Brian Fisher and in March earned over $1,500 and thousands in auto parts for a 1998 Chevrolet S10, the station reported. The event was called 'The Battle for Brian Car Show." 

    Killeen police charged Bonniwell, 31,  with felony theft and issued a warrant for his arrest, police told FoxNews.com. He was described as a white male at about 5 feet 9 inches tall.

    from FOXNews.com

    California Law to Protect Cross-Dressing

    A California bill working its way through the state legislature providing more protection for transgender individuals in the workplace could allow for cross-dressing employees to wear whatever they want to work, despite workplace dress codes.

    AB 887, which passed through the state's Assembly on May 16, is causing a stir among critics who feel it's raising the identity of a transgender individual to the same level as one's ethnicity or gender. 

    "If you talk to the average (human resources) manager and ask if there would be any disturbances if a man came dressed as a woman one week and then as a man the next, I think the (HR) rep would say 'yeah, this would be disruptive to the workplace,' " said Brad Daucus, a California attorney and president of the Pacific Justice Institute. “It will inherently cause customers to be uncomfortable and not want to do business.” 

    READ MORE …

    Assembly Inaction Forces Justices Out of Retirement

    Virginians are getting more than their money's worth from Harry Carrico. At 94, the former chief justice of the state Supreme Court — his professional home since 1961 — is still on the job, hearing 13 cases so far this year and writing one opinion.

    Also busy: Charles Russell, 85, Lawrence Koontz, 71, and Liz Lacy. She's 66, the kid of the current crop of four senior — read: retired — justices, who fill in when the court is shorthanded.

    As it has been since winter and is likely to remain into summer, if not longer, because the General Assemblyis again failing to do one of its more important jobs: pick judges.

    The impact of the legislature's inaction — blame more partisan gridlock — is acute for the Supreme Court. It has seven members, but is down two — roughly 29 percent — because of Koontz's compulsory retirement and the death of Leroy Hassell, the state's first black chief justice.

    Enter: Carrico, Russell, Koontz and Lacy.

    READ MORE …

    Moody’s Issues Credit Warning to United States

    Leading investment agency Moody's warned the U.S. government Thursday that its sterling credit rating could be downgraded in the next few weeks if there is no progress in Washington on reaching a deal to increase the nation's borrowing limit.

    Moody's Investor's Service said it would place the government's Aaa rating under review for a possible downgrade due to the "very small but rising risk" of a short-lived default if the White House and Republican leaders can't agree on raising the nation's debt ceiling, which has already hit $14.3 trillion.

    Moody's announcement followed the lead set by S&P, which announced in April that it was downgrading the U.S. credit outlook to negative over the nation's mounting debt.

    READ MORE …

    Eisenhower XO Transferred Pending Probe

    The executive officer of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been temporarily reassigned amid an ongoing investigation, a Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesman said Thursday.

    Capt. Robert Gamberg was reassigned on May 24, said Cmdr. Phil Rosi, AIRLANT spokesman. The decision was made by Capt. Marcus Hitchcock, commanding officer of the carrier.

    Gamberg is with the AIRLANT staff for now. Rosi said the investigation was not related to safety, ship operations or work performance.

    The Navy Times first reported the news about Gamberg.

    The Eisenhower is currently undergoing maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth.

    The commanding officer there was removed from his position last month pending a formal investigation by the Naval Inspector General into "command environment" issues, the Navy reported.

    From Hugh Lessig @ the Daily Press

    Judge Bans Prayer at Texas Graduation Ceremony

    A federal judge has ordered a Texas school district to prohibit public prayer at a high school graduation ceremony.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s order against the Medina Valley Independent School District also forbids students from using specific religious words including “prayer” and “amen.”

    The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by Christa and Danny Schultz. Their son is among those scheduled to participate in Saturday’s graduation ceremony. The judge declared that the Schultz family and their son would “suffer irreparable harm” if anyone prayed at the ceremony.

    Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the school district is in the process of appealing the ruling, and his office has agreed to file a brief in their support.

    “Part of this goes to the very heart of the unraveling of moral values in this country,” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott told Fox News Radio, saying the judge wanted to turn school administrators into “speech police.”

    READ MORE …

    Bromo-Seltzer Tower is 100

    Baltimore's Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower is marking its first century this month as a commercially impractical but beloved curiosity named for a top-selling hangover cure.

    On Thursday night, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and others celebrated the centennial at the 1911 tower, the tallest downtown structure until 1923. Guests rode a 1911 Otis elevator to the historic chamber high above the corner of Lombard and Eutaw streets to observe the clockworks and elevator motors.

      "Like Baltimore, it's quirky," said artist Greg Otto, who has painted the tower numerous times and reproduced it on postcards. "The clock face is gorgeous, an extravagancy we don't see anymore. The tower itself is not particularly beautiful — an unadorned shaft with a wonderful crown. And yet, everybody knows that damn building."

      Capt. Isaac Emerson, who held the patent for Bromo Seltzer and realized the publicity value of tall buildings, was the genius behind the structure. His 289-foot tower was an advertisement for his fizzy concoction, a patent medicine whose effervescent bubbling was produced when its crystals mixed with water. It was used for upset stomachs and hangovers, or what magazine ads discreetly called "dead-fish eyes." It is no longer produced.

      Today, artists rent 33 studio spaces in the tower, which is run by the city's Office of Promotion & the Arts, but there are vacancies.

      READ MORE …