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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Harold Camping's Family Radio Pulls Doomsday Predictions From Website

Prepare yourself: the end is here. The end of the end of the world predictions, that is.


Family Radio, the religious organization started by self-professed prophet Harold Camping, is no longer calling for the end of the world. Is it possible after two failed predictions this year, and at least two more in past years, that they just don't know when the Rapture will be?







Death At Md. Hospital Is 2nd Homicide In A Week

BALTIMORE (AP) - Maryland health officials are adding more monitoring staff and re-assessing all patients at the state's forensic mental hospital while investigators probe two slayings at the hospital in a week.

Health Secretary Joshua Sharfstein said Friday that officials have been taking steps to improve safety at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital, but more must be done.

"Given this very unusual and very serious situation, there are going to be some immediate steps, some of which were set in motion earlier this week and some of which are taking effect now," he said.


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Tour Service Of D.C. To Close Operations Monday

WASHINGTON (AP) - A tour service that takes visitors on sightseeing bus trips to the main attractions in the District of Columbia is ending operations.

Tourmobile says on its website that it will shut down its tours on Monday after more than 42 years. It says it's unable to provide any additional details on future tours.

Bill Line, a spokesman for the National Park Service, tells The Washington Post that the company had been in "tough straits" financially. The Park Service had previously said that it would likely not review its contract with Tourmobile.

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Hawaii Couple's Daughter Taken Away for 18 Hours Over Alleged Sandwich Theft

A Hawaii couple’s 3-year-old daughter was taken away from them for 18 hours after they were arrested for forgetting to a pay for two $5 sandwiches.

"This is unreal this could happen to a family like ours," Nicole Leszczynski told Hawaii’s KHON.


The outing-turned-nightmare happened Wednesday while the family was shopping at a local Safeway.

"We walked a long way to the grocery store and I was feeling faint, dizzy, like I needed to eat something so we decided to pick up some sandwiches and eat them while we were shopping," Leszczynski told the news station.







California Audit Finds Sex Offenders Living In Homes Licensed For Foster Care, Child Care

A new California state audit found that over 1,000 sex offenders are living in homes licensed to provide foster and child care services.


The startling information was uncovered after the audit was requested to investigate how Child Welfare Services handled child deaths in foster care homes.







16-Foot Python Found In Florida Had Eaten A Deer

Officials in the Florida Everglades have captured and killed a 16-foot-long Burmese python that had just eaten an adult deer.

US Official: 13 Americans Killed In Kabul Attack

A Taliban suicide bomber rammed a van into an armored NATO bus Saturday in Kabul, killing 13 American troops and four Afghans, U.S. and Afghan officials said, in the deadliest attack on coalition forces in more than two months.

The explosion, which occurred as the convoy was passing the American University, sparked a fireball and littered the street with shrapnel. Heavy black smoke poured from burning wreckage at the site.

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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 10-29-11

Schumaker Lake

The name of the body of water east of Salisbury called Schumaker Lake (or Pond as it has been called) is of mysterious origin. The pond itself began in the late 1800’s as a mill pond and was apparently first called Sumac Pond (pronounced SHUMAC) after the abundant sumac trees which lined the banks. It was a favorite swimming hole for the youth of the area and also witnessed several family reunions, picnics and other memorable events that took place on its banks.
         
A listing for it first showed up in 1905 in a U.S. geological survey. It was also listed as Sumac Pond in the 1930 tax assessments. Somewhere along the way the name was changed to Schumaker because someone pointed out that the sumac tree/bush was poisonous. They could also have been referring to a former owner of the pond. There was a Joseph Schoomaker living in Wicomico Hundred in 1727. The mills that received power generated by the dam created on the pond were owned by a Gustavus Schumaker who purchased it from Mary Pollitt, the widow of William Pollitt, sometime after 1877.
         
The City of Salisbury purchased Schumaker Lake in 1909, following the disastrous collapse of Humphrey’s Dam at South Division Street. This changed downtown Salisbury forever. It was at this time that engineers advised to city to purchase Schumaker Lake as a back-up in case the underground water supply for the city should fail or prove inadequate. The dam at Schumaker had been rebuilt and is there to this day and can be used to adjust the height of the water in Schumaker Lake. The water from Schumaker Lake flows through the zoo and park and ends up in the Wicomico River.
         
The setting of Schumaker Lake has been enhanced over the years with the addition of many beautiful additions to its shores. On the north side, many private homes have been built. Along with some individual homes on the south side, the additions of the Ward Museum and Mallard Landing have added to the tranquility of the area. It is still a nice, quite community that reflects the true meaning of the Eastern Shore.