DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Representative District 20 will move from Hockessin in northern New Castle County to Sussex County, where it will include Lewes, Milton and Harbeson. The proposal will also change House District 37 to encompass all of Georgetown, meaning the Hispanic population will rise from more than 17 percent to more than 19 percent.
Senate District 6 will move from northern New Castle County to Sussex County. The district will contain Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Henlopen Acres, Lewes and Milton. None of Sussex County’s sitting Senators live in the area that will become the new district.
The Senate also modified Republican Sen. Joe Booth’s District 19 to include a Hispanic population of more than 15 percent.
The 50-page bill, which spelled out the boundaries of House and Senate districts, passed the House on June 28. Twenty-six Democrats approved the bill; 10 Republicans voted against passage of the bill and five Republicans did not vote.
Dover — Drunk drivers will face stiffer penalties under new Delaware legislation.
The law calls for longer prison sentences for drivers who have been convicted of Driving Under the Influence three or more times. The legislation also offers to cut those sentences in half in exchange for participation in drug and alcohol treatment and monitoring.
House Bill 168, sponsored by Rep. Helene Keeley, D-Wilmington South, and Sen. Patricia Blevins, D-Elsmere, passed unanimously through the House June 28, and passed through the Senate June 30, in a vote of 19-2.
Under the bill, second-time offenders will face stronger penalties if the second DUI occurred within 10 years of the first DUI. Formerly, penalties would have been enhanced only if the two offenses occurred within a five-year period.An accident has occurred on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on the old (eastbound) span. One lane is closed. The MDTA has opened an eastbound lane on the new span.
On the eastbound side of US 50, west of Easton, a tractor-trailer hauling a boat has parted company with the boat. The tractor-trailer AND the boat are currently off on the shoulder. However, expect delays.
Federal transportation officials have barred Delaware from sharing in this year's annual distribution of leftover highway aid, saying the state failed to spend more than 25 percent, or $87.9 million, of targets set under provisions of the national economic stimulus program.
Gov. Jack Markell received word of the disqualification Thursday. DelDOT Secretary Shailen Bhatt said his agency would likely have requested as much as $7.7 million in additional highway aid under the annual August lottery for unspent aid. Forty-four other states will be eligible to apply for $1 billion in leftover money.
Bhatt said agency planners were aware of the pending sanction and assumed the money would be unavailable during development of the recently approved state capital budget.
Any hope Gov. Martin O’Malley would follow the lead of other progressive states and implement a fair, nonpartisan redrawing of congressional and state legislative boundaries vanished on the Fourth of July.
Instead of declaring his independence from the strictures and narrow-minded selfishness of partisan politics, O’Malley opted to continue the old, familiar Maryland Democratic game of dictating redistricting lines.
He named a five-member advisory commission that will make it appear as though O’Malley is giving this important matter a full public airing with ample opportunity for citizen input. In fact, the fix is in: Every decision made by this panel will be highly partisan and one-sided.
Bossism, with a modern twist, lives on in Maryland.
Boss O’Malley put his patronage secretary, Jeanne Hitchcock, on the commission to make sure the governor gets everything he wants. Her mission is to please her chief, not to give Republicans or independents a fair shake.
She is joined by two Democratic potentates, House Speaker Mike Busch and Senate President Mike Miller. They, too, couldn’t care less about creating a level political playing field. Their goal is to make survival a slam-dunk for incumbent Democrats while reducing the number of Republicans in the General Assembly and Maryland’s congressional delegation.
Barry Rascovar is a State House columnist and communications consultant. His e-mail address is brascovar@hotmail.com.
For a deeper look into the sole “Republican” member of the commission, check out Red Maryland’s Mark Newgent.
The 78th Army Band will perform at the North Division Street beach stage on Saturday, July 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The 78th Army Band is the musical ambassador for the 99th RSC, United States Army Reserve. Commander of the 99th RSC is MG William D R Waff and the Command Sergeant Major is Richard Castelveter. The band is under the direct command of the 99th RSC HHC and its commander MAJ Kevin Branch.
The 78th Army Band consists of 46 talented musicians from Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Band members are called upon as Army Reservists to provide entertainment for civic and military ceremonies; parades and concerts; and perform a variety of music including classical, concert, marches/patriotic, pop and jazz. The mission of the band is to furnish music whenever and wherever assigned while serving our nation and our community.
The 78th Army Band performs at numerous events, including military ceremonies, public community concerts, public parades, and school performances. In April 1998, the band was the premier band for many events in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 90th Birthday of the United States Army Reserve. Again, in 2008, the band was the vanguard band in celebrating the Army Reserve’s 100th Anniversary, leading the 2008 national Memorial Day parade in Washington DC.
The 78th Army Band consists of different performing Groups, which include Concert Band, Stage Band, Marching/Ceremonial Band, Brass Quintet, Woodwind Quintet, Jazz Combo, Checkmate (Rock Band), Dixie Band, and Buglers. The majority of our skilled musicians are versatile on more then one instrument, which enables the band to perform for various types of military and civic functions. The band drills one weekend per month and has 14 days of active duty per year.
The 78th Army Band is under the command of WO1 Eric Flowers and First Sergeant Timothy Pawlik.
For More Information Contact
Mr. Kim Kegerise (609)562-7710
Unit Administrator
The special state pensions commission wrapped up its work Thursday, recommending more possible changes in public employee retirement benefits. These included shifting half the cost of teacher pensions to local school systems and asking the attorney general to take a hard look at the legality of reducing cost-of-living adjustments for current retirees.
The seven-member Public Employees’ and Retirees’ Benefit Sustainability Commission stepped back from a flat assertion in its draft report that the changes made by the governor and legislature in April “may not have gone far enough.”
Those changes increased contributions from employees to maintain current benefits, and reduced benefits for new employees.
But member George Roche, the former chairman and CEO of the huge T. Rowe Price mutual fund group, asserted that “this commission hasn’t really done anything. …We’ve kicked the can down the road, or kicked it into somebody else’s yard.”
Roche did vote for the final commission report, despite his unhappiness.
Garrett County elected all new members to its governing body last year, but the sluggish economy that swept many incumbents out of office remains an issue.
While the Western Maryland county has fared better than most since the start of the recession, lawmakers still fell short of revenue estimates by $17 million this year.
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“Then we had a quandary,” said county administrator Monty Pagenhardt.
In the end, Garrett County commissioners approved a $73 million budget for fiscal 2012 that included 4 percent pay increases for unionized employees and $500, one-time bonuses for the rest of its work force some of which was paid for with money from the county’s reserve fund.
In total, the county borrowed $1 million from its $3.3 million reserve fund, $700,000 of which was used to fund public schools.
“We kind of borrowed from ourselves,” said Pagenhardt, who noted that the county is planning to restore the funds next year.
Each of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions has taken a different path to closing budget gaps for fiscal 2012, which began July 1, according to Michael Sanderson, executive director of the Maryland Association of Counties.
These were the five (5) best, or most important, posts for July 8th, as judged by the editors of Salisbury News.
These were the most popular posts for July 8th, judged by the most approved comments.
Starting July 1, 2011, new hours of operation went into effect at the Berlin, Pocomoke and Snow Hill Transfer Stations in Worcester County.
The standard operating hours are as follows:
While the operating hours at the transfer stations have changed, the services available to homeowners have not. Any resident with a valid homeowner transfer station permit may take household trash, yard waste and recyclables to the Berlin and Pocomoke transfer stations during standard operating hours. Household trash and recyclables may also be brought to the transfer station in Snow Hill; however,yard waste is not accepted at this location.
The central landfill in Newark is open to the public six days per week as follows and closed on Sundays:
Homeowners with permits - Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Commercial haulers and other cash customers – 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Ron Taylor, Recycling Manager, at (410) 632-3177.
The first part of the public-private partnership State Center project in Baltimore represents a $127 million giveaway of taxpayer dollars with more on the way, according to a new report from the Maryland Public Policy Institute and the Maryland Tax Education Foundation.
The massive $1.5 billion project, which will occupy more than eight city blocks, is planned to provide more than 1 million square feet of office space – much of it for state agencies – a parking garage, retail stores, and a grocery store.
After the Board of Public Works approved financing for the first phase of the project, a group of downtown Baltimore property owners filed a lawsuit to stop it. The property owners claimed that procurement laws were ignored, and questioned the cost to the public. The project is currently on hold as the legal process goes on.
The study released on Thursday concentrates on the project’s cost to taxpayers. The massive project is planned in five phases. For the first phase, the study states that taxpayers are subsidizing $127 million in development costs.
Questions about the Republican candidates in Virginia's 6th Senate District contest are bubbling up as GOP delegates prepare to select the party's nominee Saturday.
Joanne Lapetina, an emergency room physician, and Ben Loyola, a Navy veteran and small-business owner, are trying to secure the right to challenge incumbent Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk. Delegates selected through party units will choose the nominee at a convention beginning at 1 p.m. at Masonic Lodge No. 1, 7001 Granby St.
Both candidates have similar conservative political beliefs, and now their campaigns are dealing with ancillary issues that include where they reside.
Each had to address whether they live in the district, which includes portions of Norfolk, a sliver of Virginia Beach, and all of the Eastern Shore and Mathews County.
Lapetina bills herself as an Ocean View native with deep roots in Norfolk, though some have noted her husband works for state government in the Richmond area and her children attend school there. She works for a Norfolk hospital and the family usually spends weekends together in Norfolk, according to her campaign.
Until recently, she was registered to vote in Richmond, though a spokeswoman said she typically cast absentee ballots because of her work schedule.
A Michigan resident is facing up to 93 days in jail for planting a vegetable garden in her front yard, MyFoxDetroit.com reports.
Julie Bass, of Oak Park, Michigan was first given a warning followed by a ticket and now she is being charged with a misdemeanor for her simple front-yard garden.
"I think it's sad that the City of Oak Park that's already strapped for cash is paying a lot of money to have a prosecutor bothering us," Bass told FOX 2's Alexis Wiley.
July is Parks and Recreation Month. As County Commissioners, we recognize that parks and recreation areas play a fundamental role in the health and well-being of our community. So, with that in mind, we challenge area residents to take the National Parks and Recreation Month challenge, Take the Five in July Park Pledge.
Take the five Fridays, five Saturdays and five Sundays this month to create healthy weekend habits by getting outdoors and exploring the parks, trails, playgrounds and natural areas at your Worcester County Parks. You’ll be amazed to discover the wonders awaiting you at the 13 parks and recreation areas nestled between the northernmost and southernmost tips of the county.
Worcester County Recreation and Parks acquired its first park, John Walter Smith Park in Snow Hill, in 1974. Newtown Park and Showell Park followed in 1975 and 1976.
The park system continued to grow by leaps and bounds with the Isle of Wight Park and Stockton Park coming online in 1985 and 1988. However, the greatest park growth occurred in the 1990s. In 1990, Bishopville Park was established, followed by the Northern Worcester Athletic Complex in 1992. In 1993, the Herring Creek Nature Park opened, and in 1995 the Newark Park was developed. The Whaleyville Park opened in 1999, and in 2003, the Homer Gudlesky Park opened.
In 2006, the county received Greys Creek Nature Park and in 2009 received the Girdletree Park. These two parks are in the developmental stages and not yet open to the public.
What can you expect to find at Worcester County parks? While each of the parks offers diverse recreational opportunities, combined they offer playgrounds, pavilions,fishing, crabbing, canoe and kayak launches, lighted multi-purpose fields,dugouts, and softball fields along with hours upon hours of recreational and leisure time.
Visit your local Worcester County parks with family and friends to have fun, engage in great outdoor activities and keep fit. For more information regarding Worcester County Recreation & Parks programs and parks, call 410-632-2144.
Baltimore County police raided Minnick's Restaurant in Dundalk, owned by Del. Joseph J. "Sonny" Minnick, and seized five electronic gaming devices, according to a police spokeswoman.
Police removed the machines from the bar at 7100 Sollers Point Road on June 29, acting on a complaint received by the liquor board, police spokeswoman Detective Cathy Batton confirmed. She said no charges have been filed.
Michael Mohler, chief administrator for the Board of Liquor License Commissioners, said the agency received an anonymous complaint that the bar "has been paying off on poker machines and has been for years."
The Worcester County Local Emergency Planning Committee will meet on Thursday, July 28, at 9 a.m. The meeting will take place in the Emergency Operations Center, located on the lower level of the Worcester County Government Center in Snow Hill.
The featured speakers will be Lisa Dunaway and Roger Minner from the Department of Homeland Security, and they will address Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS).
The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is designed to aid local emergency planners and responders to better prepare for chemical emergencies. The LEPC membership is required by federal law to have, at a minimum, members of local police, fire, public health, transportation and environmental agencies, as well as representatives of facilities subject to emergency planning guidelines. LEPC members develop and annually review the county’s emergency response plan and provide information regarding various chemicals to county residents.
The Worcester County LEPC meets quarterly on the fourth Thursday in January, April, July and October. All meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact the Worcester County Department of Emergency Services at 410-632-1311.
Former first lady Betty Ford has died at age 93, the director of the Ford Museum and Library says.
Ford died Friday at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California.
Betty Ford was the wife of former president Gerald Ford. She married Mr. Ford two weeks before he was elected to his first term in Congress. Gerald Ford died in December 2006, after undergoing surgery for an undisclosed ailment in April 2007.
Betty Ford served as First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. During her time in the White House, Ford was an outspoken advocate of women's rights -- encouraging the appointment of more women to senior government posts, supporting the U.N. International Women's Year in 1975, and supporting passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.
