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Saturday, July 09, 2011

Joke Of The Day !

Rough Times


When a woman in my office became engaged, a colleague offered her some advice. "The first ten years are the hardest," she said.

"How long have you been married?" I asked.

"Ten years," she replied.

New Sussex County House And Senate Seats Approved

Dover — A bill that will change Delaware elections for the next decade passed both chambers of the 146th General Assembly in the closing days of session. The legislation finalizes the reconfiguration of 21 Senatorial and 41 Representative districts to include a new district in the Cape Region in both houses.

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.


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Drunk Drivers Face Stronger Penalties

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.


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TRAFFIC ALERT: Accident on Eastbound Side of Bay Bridge

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.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Boat Leaves Trailer West of Easton

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.

HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER


History of Railroading in Salisbury

The first attempt at putting a railroad on the Eastern Shore was when the Eastern Shore Railroad obtained a charter in 1836. They even had money printed and the few remaining examples of this currency are extremely rare today, though some are known to exist. The Panic of 1837 scuttled the plans for the building of the railroad until the economy improved.           
           
The Delaware Railroad had reached Delmar by 1859, and the Eastern Shore Railroad brought the line to Salisbury, but the outbreak of the Civil War delayed extending the line past Salisbury until after the war ended. When the war ended, the Eastern Shore Railroad renewed their original plans and ran track to Princess Anne and then on to Somers Cove, which was then renamed Crisfield in honor of the president of the railroad, John W. Crisfield.
           
After several profitable years, and the extension of the line to Pocomoke, the Eastern Shore Railroad failed and its lines were taken over by the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad. By 1884, the NYP & N had extended the line down the Peninsula to Cape Charles. Its depot in Salisbury was located on the west side of the tracks between Isabella and Williams streets.
           
Another venture, the Wicomico and Pocomoke Railroad had incorporated in 1864 and completed its first line in 1868. The first terminals were at Salisbury and Berlin but eventually continued on to Ocean City. This company was eventually sold in 1888 to the Baltimore and Eastern Shore Railroad. Then the Baltimore and Eastern Shore Railroad failed financially and their assets were sold at public auction on August 29, 1894. The Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic was formed by new backers who were closely allied with the Pennsylvania Railroad which acquired a controlling interest in 1902. They had a depot in Salisbury separate from the north-south line of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk. It was located near where the tracks cross N. Division St.
           
There were two other stops in Salisbury which are now just a faint memory. One was Fulton Station which was located just north of Rt. 50 on the east side of Mill St.. This was used mainly for the import of large purchases by the leading wholesale dealers in the area. The other was Byrd Siding which was located at the far end of W. Main St. where it connects with Nanticoke Road. This was used mainly for shipping the large quantities of produce grown locally.
           
As the use of the railroad grew, a new station was erected in 1914 to replace the two smaller ones. This was named Union Station and the first ticket agent was Rollie W. Hastings. He also sold the last ticket when the Pennsylvania Railroad discontinued passenger service in 1958. He also served Salisbury as mayor from 1950-58.
           
The structure that was Union Station is still standing and is currently owned by brothers Tom and John Knorr who also own The Red Roost in Clara, Boonie’s in Tyaskin and Sobo’s on South Division Street in Salisbury. They planned to restore and put a brew pub in the former Union Station until the impact fees from the city of Salisbury made the project unrealistic.

Today's Survey Question

Should Major League Baseball players be banned from tossing balls into the stands?

Capital Beltwway Truck Inspection Initiative Puts Dozens Out of Service

Beginning last night and continuing into the early morning hours of today, members of the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division conducted an intense enforcement initiative targeting unsafe and overweight commercial vehicles in Prince George’s County.

Called “Operation Tailgate,” the effort targeted commercial trucks and buses traveling through Interstate 495 in Prince George’s County. Interstate 495 is one of the identified commercial vehicle high crash corridors in Maryland.

Throughout the night, troopers, truck inspectors, and K-9 units from the State Police, in conjunction with inspectors from the Maryland Department of Environment, Montgomery County Police, and Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, inspected commercial vehicle traffic. Commercial vehicles were directed off the Capital Beltway at Arena Drive, to a temporary inspection and weigh facility at Fed Ex Field.

In addition to the stationary inspection area, numerous State Police commercial vehicle teams patrolled I-495 looking for truck drivers who failed to exit onto Arena Drive as directed by signs. The patrols also conducted enforcement activities on commercial vehicles speeding or other unsafe behavior.

A total of 351 commercial vehicles were inspected. Of those, 35 vehicles were placed out-of-service due to serious equipment violations. Another 25 drivers were placed out-of-service. Twenty of those drivers were shut down because they either had a false logbook or were driving/working beyond the hours permitted by federal regulation. The other four drivers did not have the proper commercial driver’s license. One bus driver was placed out-of-service for being medically unqualified to operate a commercial vehicle.

Troopers issued 108 traffic citations and 128 warnings. Two drivers were arrested on outstanding warrants. The passenger of a commercial truck was arrested for possession of marijuana.

This focused enforcement effort is one in a series of initiatives conducted by the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division in cooperation with allied state and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies. The purpose of the ongoing efforts is to ensure trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles, as well as those who drive them, meet state and federal safety regulations and comply with all laws intended to promote safety on Maryland roads.

Delaware Disqualified from Leftover Federal Highway Dollars

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.

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Re-Districting Fix Is In

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.

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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.

78th Army Band to Perform at N. Division Street This Evening

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

Maryland State Pension Commission Wraps Up

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.

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Counties Close Budget Gaps in Different Ways

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.

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Laurel Yard Sale Today

Yard Sale: Sunday, July 10th 7am
On Seaford Rd. in Laurel, DE about 1 mile out of the town of Laurel going toward Seaford on the left. Lots of girls clothes & shoes (Oshkosh, Nike, Carter, Childrens Place) Sizes ranging from 4T to 10. High chair, exercise equipment, toys (wrestling rings/belts, etc) 2 tvs, household items and lots more.

New Hours for Worcester Transfer Stations

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:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday - 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday – closed
  • Sunday – 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

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.

Study Calls “State Center” Project a $127 Million Handout

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.

Aerial view of the blocks slated for State Center development.

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.

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GOP to Pick Challenger for Northam Senate Seat

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.

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Woman Faces Jail for Planting Vegetable Garden in Yard

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.

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Take the “Five in July” Park Pledge

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. 

Delegate’s Bar Raided

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."

from Jessica Anderson @ the Baltimore Sun

Worcester Emergency Planning Committee Meeting

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 Dies at 93

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.

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