DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
An abandoned newborn girl was dropped off on a doorstep and found in a shoebox in New York Friday morning, My Fox New York reports.
The baby was found on the stoop of a home in Astoria, Queens, around 7:05 a.m. A man walking by discovered the infant and alerted the residents who called 911.
The baby, described as white or Hispanic, still had the umbilical cord attached.
Newport News police said in a press release that John Moses Ragin, 36, was taken into custody Saturday after he called detectives to say he was in Manning, S.C. Police said they were bringing Ragin back to Virginia after obtaining warrants for four counts of murder. Additional charges were pending.
Governor discusses job creation and plan to redirect, rebalance and reconnect
OCEAN CITY, MD (August 20, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley today delivered the keynote address at the Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) 2011 Summer Conference. The Governor’s remarks focused on job creation and the need to reconnect, rebalance and redirect in the midst of tough times.
“There's a sense in our country that as a nation we've lost our direction and we need to become redirected. There's a sense that we've lost our balance and we need to rebalance. And there's a sense that we've become disconnected from one another, and from the future we aspire to give to our children,…and we must become reconnected,” said Governor O’Malley. “I want to talk with you about direction, about balance, and about connection. Because in order for Maryland's businesses to create jobs, Maryland's state, county, and municipal governments have to do their jobs. “
Yesterday, the Department of Labor released the July jobs report, demonstrating that even in tough times, Maryland continues to be a leader in job creation. Maryland added 8,100 jobs in July, and Maryland’s private sector added 10,400 jobs. So far this year, Maryland has added nearly 14,000 jobs. The Governor underscored the need to maintain a strong commitment to job creation and retention.
“In all of the many difficult decisions we have to make as a people, job creation must be our number one priority, always. There is nothing more important for a family than a good job with decent wages and decent benefits. Indeed, no government program is as empowering for a family than a job. There are no amount of tax cuts that can substitute for a job. There is no better way to expand opportunity, to grow our economy, and to strengthen and grow the ranks of an increasingly diverse middle class than by creating and saving jobs. And the most important job we create is the next job.”
The O’Malley-Brown Administration has had to make tough decisions over the past five years, cutting $6.8 billion in spending and reducing the size of government. But even in the midst of tough economic times, the Administration has worked to create and save jobs by making modern investments for a modern economy, spurring innovation, cutting red tape to stimulate job growth, supporting small businesses, and developing a world class workforce to compete and win in the new economy.
The Governor touted the need for a balanced approach to move forward in the new economy.
“If our children are going to be winners in this new economy, we need to find the will to balance and move forward at the same time. All three rating agencies have reaffirmed our Triple A bond rating in Maryland. Only eight states in America can say that. They reaffirmed our rating because we've been willing to do what the job- obstructionist, economic saboteurs in Congress has prevented our federal government from doing. And that is, choosing a balanced approach. A balanced approach has gotten Maryland through these past five very difficult years, in better shape than most states -- with a lower unemployment rate than most states.”
But Governor O’Malley cautioned of more tough times ahead.
“I wish I could tell you that the choices we have to make this year will be easier, but they won't. While we do anticipate revenues to exceed original projections in both FY2012 and FY2013, our projected budget shortfall for FY2013 is approximately $1 billion -- even with one of the nation's smallest and leanest state and local government bureaucracies… To move Maryland forward, we have to make more cuts, and at the same time, we have to be open to new revenues.”
“As we make these tough choices, I want you to know that I continue to believe in Truth #3, which is that we're all in this together, and we need to work together in order to move our country forward to the better and more prosperous times that lay ahead. Every county is critically important to the whole. By working together last year with the brave men and women of Maryland law enforcement, together we drove homicide, violent crime, car theft, and property crime down to the lowest rates in Maryland since 1975. It will take the same cooperative effort to reach our potential for creating and saving Maryland jobs. “
“I had the opportunity in May to attend the ribbon cutting in Howard County for the new headquarters of a company called Gantech. Gantech is an IT company, owned by an Hispanic-American, which has created 55 Maryland jobs in the last 18 months alone,…Let’s work together to help more Gantech’s create and save Maryland jobs. We work to create jobs through innovation, to employ the mom who’s taking night classes at Anne Arundel Community College to become certified for a new 21st century cyber security job. We work to spur innovation to put the dad back to work at one of the 800 new jobs we’re creating in Baltimore County because we convinced GM to build their next generation green electric motor not in Mexico, but in Maryland. We create innovation economy jobs to empower our neighbor in Prince George’s County who is training for a new solar construction job through IBEW.”
Governor O’Malley concluded: “Maryland is not an island, we are all a part of a greater nation -- her destiny is ours, her challenges are ours, her future is our future. Her work is our work. There is a lot of noise in our country right now. A lot of things distracting us from what must remain our top priority of creating jobs… Above all, let's never lose sight of the fact, that there is so much more that connects us. That we are all, in fact, going to the same place. There are good and bad consequences that flow from the good and bad choices we make in governing ourselves. We can choose to be bitter about what we've lost. Or we can focus on what we have the ability to do together -- to create jobs, to expand opportunity; to redirect, to rebalance, and to reconnect ourselves to the better economic days and the stronger future we desire for our children.”
The Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that includes representatives from Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City meets holds its annual summer conference in Ocean City, Maryland. During the conference, attendees from every Maryland jurisdiction have an opportunity to attend workshops, policy presentations, and gather with other elected officials to form partnerships and learn about innovations in governance.
Evergreen Solar Inc., the Massachusetts clean energy company that received millions in state subsidies from the Patrick administration for an ill-fated Bay State factory, has filed for bankruptcy, listing $485.6 million in debt.
KIEL, Germany – Facebook's famous "Like" button has been declared illegal under Germany's strict privacy laws by data protection officials.
The north Germany state of Schleswig-Holstein demanded that dozens of websites that carry the button linking to the social networking site remove the offending item by the end of September or face a fine of up to €50,000 ($71,935), The Local reported Friday.
Thilo Weichert, of the state's data protection center, said the application allowed Facebook to illegally piece together a profile of web users' habits.
"Facebook can trace every click on a website, how long I'm on it, what I'm interested in," he said.
Palo Alto, Calif.,-based Facebook rejected Weichart's claim and said in a statement that the plug-ins were in full compliance with European laws.
Virginia lost 47,800 jobs last month, underscoring the slow and uncertain economy in the state and across the nation.
Seven of 11 major industry sectors lost jobs, pushing up the state unemployment rate to 6.1 percent in July from 6.0 percent in June, according to a report released Friday by the Virginia Employment Commission.
"Overall, the report depicts an economy that continues to struggle," said Christine Chmura of Chmura Economics & Analytics in Richmond. "This is a slow recovery. Most major sectors contracted in July."
The slight bump in the seasonally adjusted rate is the first increase in Virginia since the peak rate of 7.2 percent in February 2010.
Virginia governor, and Republican Governors Association chair, Bob McDonnell will face off against Maryland governor, and Democratic Governors Association chair, Martin O’Malley on CNN’s State of the Union program on Sunday.
The head of a leading federal employees union said Thursday that budget cuts called for by the White House for federal agencies will have a devastating effect on the economy and could also reduce public services.
John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said in a statement that the Office of Management and Budget guidance unveiled this week would translate into lost jobs in a down economy. The administration instructed agencies to plan for their 2013 budget to fall between 5 percent and 10 percent below this year's spending levels.
It's brilliant and blustery atop the tallest building in Annapolis, a bank of white clouds scudding quickly across the sky. John Greenwalt Lee leans against a temporary railing, gazing down with fondness on the town he calls home.
A few blocks to the northeast, the dome of the Naval Academy Chapel looms far above the street. Lee helped renovate it in 1999, rappelling out a window to apply chemicals to the copper to bring out its historic-looking green.
A little to the west, the spire of St. Anne's Episcopal Church towers above downtown. Lee helped with a structural survey of the building.
In a way, those jobs were just steppingstones to the architectural conservator's current venture: helping restore the wooden dome that has adorned the Maryland State House since 1789.
"I've been working my way up," he says, laughing. "Who wouldn't want to work on the State House? It doesn't get any more historic than this."
Since May, Lee, 61, has been lead consultant to a team of professionals who are removing failing paint, restoring original windows and planning to leave the dome with the sort of protective coat that will keep it safe from the ravages of weather for years to come.
LEWES — The "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" build in Sussex County is rapidly approaching!
Schell Brothers representative Wendy O. Baker said Aug. 19, "We thank the community for the outpouring of support – it truly is a testament of coming together to help others."
Baker said one urgent donation is needed: RVs for the show's crew to use during the build.
"If you have an RV you are willing to let us borrow for the week, we would greatly appreciate it," Baker said. "This will help tremendously," she said.
To make the donation, go to the Schell Brothers website and click on donation.
Iran sentences two detained American hikers to eight years in prison
for 'espionage' and 'illegal entry,' according to AFP.
Source Fox News
The legislature's special legislative session in October is supposed to be limited and quick. The to-do list includes approving a new congressional district map for the state, and not much else.
But with Maryland facing a projected $1 billion shortfall, budget debates in Washington putting future federal contributions in question and Wall Street rating agencies re-evaluating the state's creditworthiness, Annapolis leaders could add taxes to the agenda.
Asked about the possibility of an October revenue debate, Gov. Martin O'Malley signaled a degree of openness to the idea.
"We give all sorts of thoughts to all sorts of things," he told reporters this week. "It is very, very fluid."
OCEAN CITY, MD - Gov. Martin O'Malley's broad strategy to revamp land development rules across Maryland met harsh criticism Friday, as local officials worried that the governor's proposal would interfere with their ability to plan and pay for schools, roads and housing.
In a discussion with local leaders at a Maryland Association of Counties conference, the Democratic governor sought to sell his new program, which has been in the works for three years. He said it would protect farms and woodlands, and would designate targeted growth areas — saving the state billions by concentrating development in areas already served by roads, sewers and other infrastructure. Localities that don't comply could lose crucial school construction, road and wastewater funding.
"This is not a straitjacket," O'Malley told reporters. "This is not a law that prohibits counties from making stupid decisions. But we're not going to subsidize it anymore."
But some local officials criticized the proposal in what was at times a testy exchange with the governor. They complained that the plan to link local aid to compliance with statewide goals would take authority away from localities, which typically control what can be built and what should be protected within their bounds.
HAGERSTOWN, MD — A solar power developer is agreeing to a four-year deadline for erecting 100,000 solar panels at a state prison complex near Hagerstown.
The Maryland Public Service Commission released on Friday a set of conditions set by various state agencies for the 20-megawatt project proposed by Easton-based Maryland Solar LLC.
The conditions are part of a settlement agreement the company announced Thursday in its quest for state certification.
Construction must begin within three years of permitting and be operational within four years.
Maryland Solar has said it hopes to start construction this year to be eligible for a federal tax credit.
The project would be on 250 acres now used for farming. It would be Maryland's largest solar array.
Amidst the din surrounding the global economic meltdown, Americans might be excused if we haven’t paid too much attention to the youthful rioters roiling London and other British cities.
Still only a fool would shrug their shoulders at the images of a new blitz brought on not by high-flying bombers but text- messaging thugs making a mockery of British Police.
The pundits and talking heads from the U.K. I've heard recently offering explanations for the riots generally fall into two camps: the unrest is either “mindless violence” or “social injustice.”
There are the inevitable calls for:
A) A get-tough memo to the police to get back control of the streets and restore England’s suddenly –tarnished image ahead of next year’s Olympic Games or...
B) More social programs and employment opportunities for the underclass.
All these measures actually make a lot of sense, yet there is an underlying feeling that at the end of the day the key to society’s challenges on both sides of ‘the Pond’ does not always lie with more government intervention.
Indeed, British Prime Minister David Cameron summed up the fears and frustrations of many when he asked;
"Do we have the determination to confront the slow-motion moral collapse that has taken place in parts of our country these past few generations? Irresponsibility. Selfishness. Behaving as if your choices have no consequences... Reward without effort.”
So how do we begin to fix what’s broken?
MARDELA SPRINGS, MD – It’s not often that elections are declared invalid and candidates given a “do-over”. Residents of Mardela Springs could witness such an event. Requiring candidates to be property owners and town residents for at least two years may force town officials to invalidate the town’s August 1st election and hold another.
A 36-year-old Delaware State Police trooper has pleaded guilty to harassment and other charges.
Ryan J. Mitchell of Frankford also pleaded guilty Aug. 17 to misuse of a computer in connection with unwanted and unsolicited contact with a Sussex County woman. He was sentenced to two years in jail, suspended for supervised probation by Superior Court Judge Richard F. Stokes.
State police initiated a criminal investigation after receiving a stalking complaint April 5. Mitchell was arrested April 8 and was suspended without pay.
A federal decision that lets illegal immigrants without a criminal record stay in the country and apply for a work permit has won support from a state immigrant advocacy group.
Meanwhile Republicans, including state Del. Nic Kipke, R-Pasadena, who led the signature drive in Anne Arundel County to put the DREAM Act on the ballot, are balking at the change.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Thursday that the department will focus on deporting illegal immigrants who are criminals or pose a threat to national security or public safety.
Bank of America Chief Executive Officer Brian T. Moynihan told his managers this week that they should expect 3,500 job cuts this quarter, with some employees already informed of the firings.
The cuts are in addition to 2,500 reductions made this year, Moynihan said in a memo to staff Thursday. The cuts aren't part of the firm's expense-trimming effort called Project New BAC, according to the document.
Anonymous sources quoted in the Wall Street Journal said that Wilmington's credit card division could be included in upcoming layoffs. Bank of America spokeswoman Betty Riess said the bank does not detail layoffs by line of business or geographic location.
Moynihan is under pressure to reduce spending at the bank, whose market value has plunged by almost half this year, as costs tied to the 2008 takeover of subprime lender Countrywide Financial Corporation mount and revenue shrinks amid signs of a U.S. slowdown. He has booked about $30 billion in charges on housing-related liabilities since taking over at the start of 2010.
LEWES, DE — Lewes will receive more than $99,000 for development of a corridor management plan for the city’s scenic and historic byway.
The money is part of a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Delaware Department of Transportation.
The funds will be used to assist with construction, safety improvements and planning assistance along Delaware highways.
U.S. Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Rep. John Carney announced the $1.3 grant award Aug. 19.
“These grants will promote innovative new practices that will help improve the experience of those traveling on Delaware’s roads and scenic byways,” Sen. Carper said.
In April 2009 the Lewes Scenic and Historic Byway Committee submitted a $120,000 grant request to fund its corridor management plan.
The Obama administration now faces a key legal and political dilemma -- what to do about the recent decision from a federal appeals court that said the new law's mandate that every uninsured American must buy health insurance is unconstitutional.
Many political analysts think the White House will try to delay Supreme Court consideration as long as possible.
"They definitely don't want to see it go to the Supreme Court until after the elections,” said Kirsten Powers, a former Democratic operative and a Fox News analyst. “So my expectation is they would do whatever they can to slow walk this so that this does not get to the Supreme Court where possibly the individual mandate could be struck down which would be very damaging for the administration."
1641 - Scotland and Britain signed the Treaty of Pacification.
1741 - Danish navigator Vitus Jonas Bering discovered Alaska.
1866 - It was formally declared by U.S. President Andrew Johnson that the American Civil War was over. The fighting had stopped months earlier.
1882 - Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" debuted in Moscow.
1914 - German forces occupied Brussels, Belgium, during World War I.
1918 - The British opened its Western Front offensive during World War I.
1923 - The first American dirigible, the "Shenandoah," was launched in Lakehurst, NJ. The ship began its maiden voyage from the same locatoin on September 4.
1940 - France fell to the Germans during World War II.
1945 - Tommy Brown of the Brooklyn Dodgers became the youngest player to hit a home run in a major league ball game. Brown was 17 years, 8 months and 14 days old.
1949 - Cleveland’s Indians and Chicago’s White Sox played at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland before the largest crowd, 78,382 people, to see a nighttime major-league baseball game.
1953 - It was announced by the Soviet Union that they had detonated a hydrogen bomb.
1955 - Col. Horace A. Hanes, a U.S. Air Force pilot, flew to an altitude of 40,000 feet. Hanes reached a speed of 822.135 miles per hour in a Super Sabrejet.
1964 - A $1 billion anti-poverty measure was signed by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.
1968 - The Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact nations began invading Czechoslovakia to crush the "Prague Spring" liberalization.
1977 - Voyager 2 was launched by the United States. The spacecraft was carrying a 12 inch copper phonograph record containing greetings in dozens of languages, samples of music and sounds of nature.
1986 - Patrick Henry Sherril, postal employee, killed 14 co-workers in a shooting spree at the post office in Edmond, OK.
1988 - Eight British soldiers were killed by a landmine while in a military bus in Northern Ireland. The mine belonged to the Irish Republican Army.
1991 - A rally of more that 100,000 people occurred outside the Russian parliament building to protest the coup that removed Gorbachev from power.
1998 - Canada's Supreme Court announced that Quebec could not secede without the federal government's consent.
1998 - U.S. military forces attacked a terrorist camp in Afghanistan and a chemical plant in Sudan. Both targets were chosen for cruise missile strikes due to their connection with Osama bin Laden.
1998 - The U.N. Security Council extended trade sanctions against Iraq for blocking arms inspections.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
- Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)
from 
for Salisbury, MD -
Today -
A mix of clouds and sun. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight -
Partly cloudy. Humid. Low 71F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow -
Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon. Humid. High around 90F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
