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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Insurance Department Recovers $1.3 Million For Policyholders In 1st Quarter Of 2012

Dover – Insurance Commissioner Stewart and the Delaware Department of Insurance report that $1,331,831.74 has been recovered for consumers in the first quarter of 2012. The Consumer Services Division has recovered $720,597.39 for Delaware policyholders and handled 2,055 formal complaints and inquiries which is an increase from 1,174 during the first quarter of 2011. The breakdown of funds recovered in the first quarter is:

■Consumer Services – $720,597.39
■Market Conduct Examinations and Investigations – $198,357.20
■Arbitration Hearings – $412,877.15
Health insurance continues to generate the most complaints from consumers, followed by auto and homeowners insurance. Among the most common reasons for complaints were denial of claims and claim delays.

The Department’s Market Conduct Division has returned $198,357.20 to consumers as a result of exams and investigations in the first quarter. Arbitration actions also resulted in nearly $412,877.15 in funds that were recovered for Delaware consumers as a result of hearings requested by or on the behalf of the consumer and facilitated by the Department of Insurance.

Commissioner Stewart stated that, “In 2011, the Department of Insurance was able to recover $3,734,133.72 for Delaware consumers. The mission of the Department of Insurance states that we put the Consumer first. Last year’s recovery numbers combined with this year’s first quarter numbers demonstrate our commitment to this effort. We urge consumers to contact our office to gain a better understanding of the claims process and their policies.” For help with all insurance matters, call our office at 302-674-7300 or 302-674-7310 for Consumer Services. Also, visit our website www.delawareinsurance.gov, and follow the Department on Facebook at Delaware Department of Insurance.

Most Verizon Wireless Customers On Unlimited-Data Plans Won't Miss Them

Verizon Wireless's tiered-pricing data plans for smart phones went into effect last July, and new customers were no longer able to sign up for unlimited plans. Existing customers who had such plans were able to hang onto them—but that's about to end, according to Verizon CFO Fran Shammo. New data we've obtained, though, suggests that most of Verizon's smart-phone subscribers don't really need unlimited data.

See the full article

New Study Shows Motorcycle Deaths Are Not Declining

As Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month rolls toward Memorial Day weekend, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has released a sobering report that finds no progress was made in reducing motorcyclist deaths in 2011. Motorcycle deaths remained at about 4,500 last year, based on preliminary data from 50 states and the District of Columbia. There are numerous factors at play, but not all the news is bad.

See the full article

New Survey Highlights Top Complaints About Hotels

As part of our new report Get the best hotel room at the best rate, 22,481 Consumer Reports subscribers spent a collective 94,981 nights at 44 national hotel chains. Based on their experiences, we've identified America's best and worst hotels.

See the full article

DUI Checkpoint Set For May 25th

Dover – The following checkpoint is scheduled to take place Friday as part of the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign:

Friday May 25th – Newport (NcCo DUI Task Force)

The Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign is a crackdown on impaired driving. Delaware will be conducting 2 DUI checkpoints each month until July when weekly DUI checkpoints will resume. This campaign is aimed at removing impaired drivers from our roadways and deterring those who might otherwise choose to drive after drinking alcohol or using drugs.

The Office of Highway Safety reminds motorists that traffic deaths kill and injure Delawareans nearly twice as often as violent crimes. For more information on Checkpoint Strikeforce visit www.ohs.delaware.gov and follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe and Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE .

Around Nation, Gravesites of Veterans in Shocking Disrepair

The final resting places for many of the men and women who fought America’s wars have fallen into shocking disrepair, with neglect, theft and vandalism prompting veterans groups to question the nation's commitment to honoring its dead soldiers.

Advocates say smaller federal, state, county and private cemeteries that contain the graves of service members are often poorly kept, marked by crumbling headstones, overgrown with weeds and littered with debris. Perhaps even worse, many veterans' gravesites have been targets of vandalism and theft.

“It’s a pattern that you’re seeing across the country right now," said Tim Tetz, national legislative director for the American Legion. "You have cemeteries being expanded or added to with less or the same number of people caring for the grounds.”

N.C. Store Clerk Shoots and Kills Two Alleged Robbers After Vicious Beating

Two men are dead after they allegedly assaulted and tried to rob a store clerk in Gates County, North Carolina Tuesday night.

According to the clerk, the two men held him up at gunpoint and demanded money, before striking him to the floor and proceeding to kick him repeatedly.

Authorities said he was so badly beaten that he actually had the imprint of a boot on his chest at the end of the night.

The men were seemingly unaware that the clerk had a gun of his own in the store, and according to News Channel 3, he managed to grab it and shoot one of the suspects in a behind-the-back shot.  After that men fled, he shot the other as well.

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Pakistan Gives Bin Laden Hero 33 Years, Obama Does Nothing

Dr. Shakil Afridi was convicted of treason in Pakistan on Wednesday for helping the United States find Osama Bin Laden.


In the kind of double game that has been characteristic of the Obama era, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for his release. But where was the administration during Afridi’s arrest and trial? Four months ago, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta openly admitted that Afridi had run a hepatitis B vaccination program in order to gather DNA samples from members of Bin Laden’s family, who were thought to be living nearby. When Afridi was charged with treason in January, Panetta lamely said that Pakistanis should be against the charge, because they were threatened by terrorism, too: “For them to take this kind of action against somebody who was helping to go after terrorism, I just think is a real mistake on their part.”

A “mistake”? How about a cataclysmically immoral, terrorist-supporting decision that would not be accepted by the United States under any circumstances?
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Figures don't lie – Democrats do

It’s been breaking news all over MSNBC, liberal blogs, newspapers and even the Wall Street Journal: “Federal spending under Obama at historic lows … It’s clear that Obama has been the most fiscally moderate president we’ve had in 60 years.” There’s even a chart!

I’ll pause here to give you a moment to mop up the coffee on your keyboard. Good? OK, moving on

This shocker led to around-the-clock smirk fests on MSNBC. As with all bogus social science from the left, liberals hide the numbers and proclaim: It’s “science”! This is black and white, inarguable, and why do Republicans refuse to believe facts?

Ed Schultz claimed the chart exposed “the big myth” about Obama’s spending: “This chart – the truth – very clearly shows the truth undoubtedly.” And the truth was, the “growth in spending under President Obama is the slowest out of the last five presidents.”

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VICTIMS OF APPARENT FARM ACCIDENT FOUND IN KENT CO.

(KENNEDYVILLE, MD) – A Pennsylvania father and two of his sons, victims of an apparent farm accident, have been found deceased on a Kent County farm where they worked.

The victims have been tentatively identified as Glen W. Nolt, 48, and two of his sons, Kelvin R. Nolt, 18, and Cleason S. Nolt, 14, all of the 900-block of Goshen Mill Road, Peach Bottom, PA. All three victims were pronounced deceased at the scene. Their bodies will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsies to determine the cause of death for each.

Just before 8:00 p.m. yesterday, Kent County Sheriff’s Office deputies, as well as fire and rescue personnel, responded to a 911 call from the owner of a large dairy farm in the 12000-block of Vansant Corner Road, Kennedyville, Md. The farm owner reported the three workers were missing. Police learned the victims came to the farm to work each day in the early afternoon. They were last seen by other workers at the farm yesterday between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m.

When the three did not arrive home to milk their dairy cows yesterday evening, family members became concerned and drove to the farm in Kent Co. Persons at the Kent Co. farm found a tractor and the victim’s pickup truck still running and parked beside the two million gallon manure septic pond where the three were believed to have been working.

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office contacted Maryland State Police and requested that State Police criminal investigators assume the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of the three. State Police from the Centreville Barrack and the Kent Bureau of Investigation remain on the scene and are continuing the investigation.

Evidence from the scene indicates the three may have been working with an auger at the manure pit. The victims came to the farm each day and pumped liquid manure through large augers that sprayed the manure onto the ground where it was dried before being spread on other farm fields.

The manure pit is 150 feet by 300 feet and is 20 feet deep, with steep sloping sides. Vacuum trucks from a nearby farm were called in and began removing the manure from the pit as rescue personnel searched for the three. Multiple trucks responded to spread the manure on fields throughout the night.

More than 45 rescue personnel from multiple fire and rescue units responded and worked to search for the victims. The responding volunteer fire departments were from Galena, Kennedyville, Cecilton, Crumpton, Millington, Kent Co. EMS, Port Penn, DE, and Delaware City, DE.

The body of the first victim, believed to be the father, was found submerged in the manure pit about 1:15 a.m. today. The two other victims were found submerged in the pit, one at about 4:00 a.m. and the other at 5:45 a.m. today.

State Police investigators are unsure at this time how all three victims became submerged in the manure pit. Other individuals working on the farm yesterday afternoon have been interviewed, but no witnesses to what happened have been located. At this time there is no evidence of foul play.

The investigation is continuing.

BREAKING NEWS: NYPD Announces Arrest In Etan Patz Case

New Jersey resident Pedro Hernandez, 51, is arrested after confessing to choking and killing 6-year-old NYC boy Etan Patz in 1979, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says.

From Fox News

BREAKING NEWS: Central Figure In GSA Scandal Gone From Agency

Jeff Neely, the official at the heart of a spending scandal at the General Services Administration, is no longer employed at the agency, a spokesman says.

From Fox News

Panthers Openly Consider 'The Bullet' over 'The Ballot'

The small but vocal New Black Panther Party is woefully disappointed in President Barack Obama, and is openly implying that the best way to reach its goals is no longer through “the ballot” but through “the bullet.”

In the Spring edition of the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) newspaper — cover reading “The Ballot or The Bullet: which way for black people?” — NBPP Chairman Malik Zulu Shabazz breaks down the presidential election, concluding the Democratic Party is the “institutional pimp of Black peoples and the Black Nation” and that Obama has “been a real disappointment.”

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Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece blasts NAACP

Alveda C. King, heir to a long line of NAACP leaders, says the black civil rights organization is taking a wrong turn with its recent decision to endorse same-sex “marriage.”

“Neither my great-grandfather, an NAACP founder; my grandfather Dr. Martin Luther King Sr., an NAACP leader; my father, Rev. A.D. Williams King; nor my uncle Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; embraced the homosexual agenda that the current NAACP is attempting to label as a civil rights agenda,” said King, founder of King for America

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Holder Orders Women's Restrooms Open to Male

On orders from Barack Obama’s Department of Justice, officials with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith have given permission for a 38-year-old man to use the women’s restrooms on campus.

The report comes from Campus Reform.org, which explained that the individual also is seeking to have someone pay for a sex reassignment surgery to change from male to female.

Already living as a female, the individual, identified in the report as Jennifer Braly, started using women’s restrooms on campus, but quickly was the subject of complaints from women who saw him there.

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War on Women: Democratic Senators Pay Female Staffers Substantially Less

War on women? Take a look in the mirror, Democrats.

The Washington Free Beacon has done an analysis of Senate salary data using publicly available salary data, and they found that “of the 50 Senate Democratic caucus examined in the analysis, 37 senators paid their female staffers less than male staffers.”

Murray (D – Wash.), who has repeatedly accused Republicans of waging a “war a women,” is one of the worst offenders. Female members of Murray’s staff made about $21,000 less per year than male staffers in 2011, a difference of 35.2 percent.

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Editors Note. This link was sent in by a reader. Thank you.

Obama Claims His Policies Forged a 'Different World'

US President Barack Obama offered a direct rebuttal Wednesday of Mitt Romney's foreign policy critique, saying his leadership had forged a "different world" in just four years.

In a sweeping survey of his diplomatic worldview, Obama implicitly rejected claims he is wedded to national decline, and said he had restored US values and alliances and paved the way to a new "American Century."

In parts, the address was a point-by-point rebuttal of a foreign policy speech given by his Republican election foe Romney in October, and previewed likely clashes between the two men at presidential debates later this year.

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Walker's Budget Reforms Have Already Saved WI Taxpayers $1 Billion

One chief reason Big Labor pushed for an immediate recall of Governor Scott Walker was a fear that, by the time of the next regular election in 2014, voters would have had time to see the benefits of Walker's budget reforms. Much of the doom-and-gloom predicted by unions as the reforms were being debated would have long since been vaporized as empty rhetoric before voters went back to the polls. Unfortunately for Big Labor, positive news on Walkers reforms is already coming in ahead of the recall vote. 

Suffolk University in Massachusetts today released an analysis of the budget reforms:

Act 10, which curbed collective bargaining for most unionized public employees, in the whole has saved taxpayers more than $1 billion, according to The Economic Impacts of the Wisconsin Budget Repair Act. The study is slated for release this week by Beacon Hill Institute, a prominent free market think tank.

What the analysis found is that without the law, which in part requires covered public employees to contribute more to their benefits and holds wage increases to the rate of inflation, Badger State governments would have been forced to raise taxes or make deep job cuts to meet budget expenses.

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WCSO Press Release 5-24-12

Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 22 May 2012
Location: 1000 block of Shawnee Ave, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Edward D. Hadley, 34, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 22 May 2012
at 7:05 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 1000 block of Shawnee Avenue for a reported domestic altercation. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a female who advised she had become involved in an argument with her husband, Edward D. Hadley, when he allegedly punched her in the face. The deputy saw signs of injury on the victim that corroborated her account and placed Hadley under arrest.

The deputy transported Hadley to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Hadley on Personal Recognizance.

Charges: Assault 2nd Degree

DNR Launches Seafood Marketing Logo Contest


Calling all artists ─ painters, sketchers, graphic designers! The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking for someone to create a new Maryland Seafood logo. The winning design will be used to in seafood marketing programs throughout the State.

"As we develop new opportunities to promote the goodness and value of Maryland seafood, we want to update the campaign with contemporary artwork," said Steve Vilnit, DNR Fisheries marketing director. "Something more fresh, if you will."

The new logo should be suitable for both online and printed promotional material and should work in both color reproduction and grayscale printing. All artwork must be converted to digital and should be no less than 300dpi.

The creator of the winning design will enjoy a Chesapeake Bay trip for five where they will harvest their choice of Maryland’s three prime native seafood species ─ blue crabs, striped bass or oysters.

Applicants must send their artwork digitally to Kelly Barnes at kbarnes@dnr.state.md.us.
All entries are due by 5 p.m. on June 30, 2012. The winner will be chosen by the Maryland Seafood Commission and announced in July.

DNR website HERE

DelDOT Welcomes NASCAR Fans

Bus Service Available Sunday, June 3

Dover
-- The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) welcomes fans to the 2012 NASCAR Race Series at the Dover International Speedway beginning on Friday, June 1 for the "Lucas Oil 200" NASCAR Camping World Truck Series; Saturday, June 2 for the "5-hour ENERGY 200" NASCAR Nationwide Series; and Sunday, June 3 for the "Dover 400" NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Traffic Information

DelDOT's Transportation Management Center (TMC) staff in coordination with the City of Dover Police and Delaware State Police will monitor traffic in and around the Dover vicinity to ensure safe travel for motorists.

On Sunday, June 3, the Dover International Speedway's main entrance on Route 13 will be CLOSED for all southbound traffic when parking at the Dover International Speedway is filled. When the race is concluded on Sunday afternoon, Leipsic Road will also be CLOSED to through traffic. This will allow traffic to immediately exit onto Route 13 and traffic from Lot 2 Parking to exit directly to Leipsic Road.

A designated exit route for the Saturday and Sunday races have been established through the cooperation of many groups including the Towne Point Civic Association. Vehicles parked in Lot 1 will be permitted to exit to Buckson Drive onto Townsend Boulevard (next to K-Mart) and the signalized intersection. Once at the traffic signal, motorists will be able to turn southbound only. Due to special routes being designed just for Saturday and Sunday races, motorists are encouraged to tune to WTMC 1380 AM and to read the variable message board signs surrounding the Dover area.

The TMC and DelDOT's Traffic Division will work from the Command Post at the Dover International Speedway with technicians monitoring traffic inside the track facilities and outside on Dover-area roadways. DelDOT's staff will watch major intersections for proper signal progression, place temporary directional signage, and assist with any incident or congestion problems along major travel routes.

At both of the Route 1 and I-95 Toll Plazas, additional lanes will be open in expectation of traffic congestion. Extra toll operators will be working at the Route 1 Toll Plaza in Dover on Monday, June 4 to assist recreational vehicles leaving the speedway.

Park 'n' Ride Bus Service

DelDOT and Dover International Speedway are pleased to offer race fans a better way to enjoy their stay. If you're looking for a smart way to get to and from the track, consider using the Race Express Bus service. This bus service is only available on Sunday, June 3. In the event of inclement weather, and the race is postponed there will be NO bus service on Monday, June 4.

On race day, payment will only be accepted by exact CASH amount, no change will be available.

You can choose to ride from two locations:

(1) The Race Express from Christiana Mall Park & Ride in northern Delaware, just off I-95 takes NASCAR fans directly to Dover International Speedway. The bus service will begin at 8 AM with 800 seats available on a first come, first serve basis. The cost per person is $12.00 round-trip.

(2) For $20 per vehicle, NASCAR fans can also park at the Blue Hen Corporate Center located at 655 South Bay Road in Dover. All vehicle occupants can ride the Race Express Bus to and from the Dover International Speedway. The Race Express Bus avoids race day traffic congestion by traveling north on Route 1 to an exclusive bus-only exit ramp leading directly to Dover International Speedway, approximately 12 minutes. The service begins at 8 AM and is available to transport passengers back and forth until one (1) hour after the race.

Carry-on items on the buses to the grandstands must conform to Dover International Speedway's Gate Admission Policy, and any and all carry-on items that can be handled by one person are permitted on the buses upon departure after the race.

Smyrna Rest Area

The Smyrna Rest Area located approximately ten miles north of Dover International Speedway just off Exit 119 is open 24 hours each day; which offers snacks and sodas, restrooms, and has an RV dump station for the convenience of NASCAR campers.

Motorists should check DelDOT online and on your web enabled cell phone DelDOT mobile for updated travel-related information or tune to WTMC 1380 AM for up-to-the-minute traffic conditions.

Enjoy the races!

Md. Teen Wins National Prize for Creating Pancreatic Cancer Test

There has been a breakthrough in the fight against pancreatic cancer, and it's all thanks to a 15-year-old Anne Arundel County teen and his mom, who drove him to Johns Hopkins University every night after school to test his theory in a lab.

North County High School freshman Jack Andraka won what is considered the Olympics of science fairs with a diagnostic breakthrough in cancer treatment. The Crownsville 15-year-old won a $75,000 grand prize in this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his new way to test for early-stage pancreatic cancer.

Andraka said the inspiration came from an uncle who died of the disease. He said the idea came to him in biology class.

"That's what's really cool about science to me -- you can affect other people's lives. You can basically do anything with science," the teen winner said.
More including video  HERE

Frontline On MF Global's Six Billion Dollar Bet

While the sur-realities of just what Corzine and the rest of the MF Global 'traders' did has been extensively discussed here and elsewhere, PBS' Frontline provides the most succinct (and relatively in-depth) documentary on just what occurred from how the corrupt CEO lobbied regulators who had the power to stop his risky bets to the endgame realization of the missing customer money. A narrative, not just of "a bet that went bad", but "a Wall Street morality tale". Must watch!

The story of Jon Corzine, the former head of Goldman Sachs and political power broker, who took over MF Global in the spring of 2010 with oversize ambition and a passion for risk. But after a massive bet on European debt turned sour, the firm lay in ruins, with more than a billion dollars of customer funds missing.

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PLEASE HELP FIND LITTLE KITTY

Joe,

We are looking for our Little Kitty. Today she decided to push the screen out of a second floor window and where she as ended up we do not know. The apartment is directly above the old Deli 111 on the one way part of the plaza. She is 2 years old and is Calico with little puffs of fur on her ears. At this time I do not have a picture available. She is also mirco-chipped. You found her once over a year and half ago for us and I know you can do it again. Anyone with information please e-mail me at littlekittylost2012@gmail.com.

May 24, 1830 First Passenger Railroad Service Ran from Balitmore to Ellicott's Mills, Md

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to the Ohio River at Wheeling and a few years later also to Parkersburg, West Virginia. It is now part of the CSX network, and includes the oldest operational railroad bridge in the world. The B&O also included the Leiper Railroad, the first permanent railroad in the U.S. In later years, B & O advertising carried the motto: "Linking 13 Great States with the Nation." Part of the B&O Railroads immortality has come from being one of the 4 featured railroads on the U.S. version of the board game Monopoly, but it is the only railroad on the board which did not directly serve Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Philip E. Thomas and George Brown were the pioneers of the railroad. They spent the year 1826 investigating railway
enterprises in England, which were at that time being tested in a comprehensive fashion as commercial ventures. Their
investigation completed, they held an organizational meeting on February 12, 1827, including about twenty-five citizens, most of whom were Baltimore merchants or bankers. Chapter 123 of the 1826 Session Laws of Maryland, passed February 28, 1827, and the Commonwealth of Virginia on March 8, 1827, chartered the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Company, with the task of building a railroad from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to a suitable point on the Ohio River. The railroad, formally incorporated April 24, was intended to provide not only an alternative to, but also a faster route for Midwestern goods to reach the East Coast than the hugely successful, but slow Erie Canal across upstate New York. Thomas was elected as the first president and Brown the treasurer. The capital of the proposed company was fixed at five million dollars.


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Troopers Arrest Milton Man For Resisting Arrest

Location: Parking Lot of 19335 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth, DE

Date of Occurrence: Wednesday May 23, 2012 at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Defendants, Charges, and Bail Information:

David J. Edwards, 49, Milton, DE (No Photo Available)
Resisting Arrest with Force (Felony)
Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Malicious Interference with Emergency Communications
Offensive Touching
Criminal Mischief (2 counts)

Arraigned at JP2 and committed to the Department of Corrections on $13,500.00 secured bond. Edwards is currently under observation at Beebe Hospital for health issues.

Resume:
Rehoboth, DE- The Delaware State Police have arrested a Milton man earlier today after he assaulted a woman in a parking lot.

Troopers responded to the parking lot of the WSFS Bank located at 19335 Coastal Highway in Rehoboth around 10:30 a.m. this morning for a reported domestic. Upon their arrival, a male subject was seen running across the parking lot. The trooper was able have the subject, who was later identified as David Edwards, lie on the ground in order to be handcuffed and taken into custody. While the trooper was placing the handcuffs on Edwards, he continued to make threats to the trooper and at one point reached into his pocket and attempted to pull out a knife. Once Edwards was secured in a patrol car, he continued his disorderly behavior by kicking a rear window out of the car.

The incident started as Edwards and a 29 year old female victim from Lewes were traveling north on SR1. Edwards became combative in the car he was a passenger, and jumped out in the area of the WSFS Bank. When the female pulled her car into the parking lot to speak with Edwards, he again became agitated and punched her in the side of the face and pushed her back into her car. As she began to call 9-1-1, Edwards produced a knife and began cutting himself. At one point during the altercation, he grabbed her phone, breaking it in the process.

The female victim did not require any medical attention.

Edwards was transported to Beebe Emergency Room for the injuries he sustained while cutting himself. He was later arraigned at JP2 for the above charges and committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections. He is currently admitted to Beebe Hospital for health issues.

Craig Withholds County Employee Bonuses

Looks like county employees in Harford County likely won't get their bonuses after all.

County executive David Craig has withdrawn the $650 bonus payout due next month saying that budget action by the special session of the state Assembly has changed finances too much.

Mainly the move that shifts more responsibility to fund teacher pension plans to the counties. 

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Maryland Tax, Toll, & Fee Increases – The Beat Goes On

And OWE’Malley, Bush and Miller have higher offices in mind.

GO HERE to view documents.

DC Zoo Hand-Raising Cubs After Rare Cheetah Birth

Two cheetah cubs have a new home at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and are being raised by human hands after a risky birth last month at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia.

The zoo offered a first look at the now healthy cubs Wednesday and hopes to place them on view to the public in the cheetah yard by the end of the summer.

Cheetahs are the fastest animals on land, but scientists said every surviving cub is critical to sustaining the species, which is threatened with extinction in the wild. These cubs are genetically valuable because their mother and father were first-time parents.

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SALISBURY'S WWTP LAWSUIT IS GOING TO COURT TOMORROW

A motions hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 AM tomorrow in the City's lawsuit against O'Brien & Gere Engineers in the Circuit Court for Wicomico County. An agenda is not available but there is a pending motion by that firm for judgment in its favor on some of the claims by the City.

It is possible that the retired judge who is hearing the case, David B. Mitchell, will make rulings that could be the beginning of the end. We will try to keep you informed as things happen..

Online information about the case indicates that Paul Wilber is still acting as the City's attorney along with a lawyer from Baltimore, Howard B. Goldberg. A month of so ago the City Council agreed to pay them more than $500,000 for their services in addition to the legal fees already paid by the City in this case.

Mikulski Says Equal Pay Still Lags

Forty-nine years ago this week, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act.  At the time, women workers made 59 cents for the same work that paid a man one dollar.
On Capitol Hill, Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski said we’ve seen little progress since the act was passed.
“We see 49 years later, we’ve only made 18 cents gain,” she said on the floor of the United States Senate.  “We want equal pay for equal work and we’re going to close the gap.”

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QUOTE OF THE DAY 5-24-12

“In this respect England exhibits the most remarkable phaenomenon in the universe in the contrast between the profligacy of its government and the probity of its citizens. And accordingly it is now exhibiting an example of the truth of the maxim that virtue & interest are inseparable.
It ends, as might have been expected, in the ruin of its people, but this ruin will fall heaviest, as it ought to fall, on that hereditary aristocracy which has for generations been preparing the catastrophe.

I hope we shall take warning from the example and crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”

Thomas Jefferson, November 12, 1816

Robbers Targeting Would-be Craigslist Buyers

Baltimore police say robbers have been preying on Craigslist users looking to buy coins, jewelry and dirt bikes.
 
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says investigators have linked four cases dating back to August. He says robbers posing as a seller lured would-be buyers to the same spot in northwest Baltimore, the 3500 block of Callaway Avenue, displayed a gun and stole up to $2,700 in cash from them.
 
In one case in November, Guglielmi says a robber fired a gun during a struggle with the victim, who was hoping to buy coins. The victim was not injured.

Blog Post

Hello Mr. Albero,


My name is Neil Basumallik and I am writing regarding a comment on one of your article posts. I grew up in Salisbury and I find your blog to be informative and an extensive source of information regarding local news and events. Although I have not resided in Salisbury for the past several years because of college and graduate school, I still find myself coming back to your blog to stay updated on local and community news and I thank you for providing this service.


The post I am referring to was published on Friday May 18, 2012 and titled "D.C. Police to Allow Sikh Officers to Wear Full Beards and Turbans On The Job". http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2012/05/dc-police-to-allow-sikh-officers-to.html
From the comments it is clear that there is some confusion regarding the Sikh religion, a religion that has its roots in India and currently has over 25 million followers worldwide and over 250,000 members in the U.S.. Sikhs are neither Muslim nor Hindu and follow their own unique set of beliefs based on various teachings.


Overview of the Sikh religion: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ataglance/glance.shtml
More about Sikhs in America: http://www.sikhcoalition.org/


I understand that the "comments" section of each post is an integral part of your blog. It is important to provide an open forum for people to debate both sides of an issue and offer their opinions. That being said, the comment posted by "Anonymous 3:52pm" (screenshot attached) clearly oversteps acceptable boundaries. I am not sure of your exact comment policy, however, I hope that this comment is a clear violation of it. I kindly ask that you remove this comment and do your best to prevent future comments like this from being published. While I am not Sikh, there are Sikh families that are members of the Salisbury community. Thank you for your time and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.


Best,
Neil

HP's missteps culminate in loss of 27,000 jobs

Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman has quantified the painful price that must be paid for the missteps of her predecessors as she tries to turn around the Silicon Valley pioneer. The bungling will wipe out 27,000 jobs so HP can save enough money to lift its earnings and invest in the development of more profitable products and service.

The streamlining announced late Wednesday amounts to the largest payroll purge in Hewlett-Packard Co.'s 73-year history. About 8 percent of HP's nearly 350,000 employees are to be gone by October 2014.

The announcement came eight months after HP hired Whitman to turn the company around. The company expects to save $3 billion to $3.5 billion annually from the job cuts and other austerity measures. HP will try to reduce the number of layoffs by offering early retirement packages.

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Daily Times Clutter

Joe,

I was cutting through Priscilla to get to N Salisbury, and the amount of DT’s laying all over the street is incredible I would think that anybody who pays for the paper is going to pick it up and get whatever use they can from it. In that neighborhood, being the biggest eyesore really means you have to work at it.

We Can’t Tax Our Way To Economic Growth

The lights had barely gone out on the Annapolis special session, called to increase income taxes, when the Department of Labor jobs numbers came out for April. It reported that Maryland led the nation in job losses, dropping by 6,000. Is there a connection to government policy? You bet.

As taxes are raised in Maryland, businesses and private-sector jobs are collateral damage. About 81,000 Maryland businesses are organized as Subchapter S corporations and are taxed at personal income-tax rates. Faced with an unanticipated personal income-tax increase, many of these businesses will be unable to hire or may even have to reduce their current workforce. This is insanity in a state that needs to create nearly 150,000 additional jobs just to return to pre-recessionary levels.

The personal income tax is a major factor for business retention and relocation decisions. CEOs understand that locating in Maryland will subject their own personal salary to one of the highest tax burdens in the country. After comparing the 9 percent top personal income-tax rate in Maryland with 5.75 percent in Virginia, major business leaders have chosen Virginia.

High-profile companies, including Hilton Worldwide, SAIC, Volkswagen North America and Computer Sciences Corp., passed on Maryland and located in Virginia. When Maryland lost Northrop Grumman to Virginia in a hard-fought battle, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley called it “a win for the entire Greater Washington region.” But this was no win for Maryland job seekers.

Also packing their bags and taking jobs elsewhere were Proctor & Gamble, Black & Decker and Solo Cup. Add Macy’s and Saks’ distribution centers. And a Unilever ice cream plant in Hagerstown will close its doors in July, leaving 391 employees jobless. Their jobs are being transferred to other Unilever facilities in the United States.

Leading up to the special session, conservative legislators and business groups warned that raising taxes during a stalled economy would further damage Maryland’s already tarnished business reputation.

So why would political leaders call a special legislative session for the sole purpose of raising income taxes on hard-working families and businesses? Because it is not the stalled economy that matters, it is pleasing those who benefit from government spending.

Was another tax increase needed? Absolutely not. Few taxpayers saw their incomes go up, yet between fiscal years 2011 and 2012 the Maryland state budget increased by 11.4 percent, the seventh-highest in the nation according to the National Governors Association.

For FY 2013, the governor continued record-breaking spending, proposing a $1.2 billion budget increase. During a chaotic regular legislative session legislators managed to agree to “only” a $700 million increase before adjourning in April. The Democratic leadership and most of the media defined this reduction in the rate of increase as a $500 million cut in a “doomsday” budget.

In a state that refuses to live within its means and is politically beholden to staunch government-spending advocates, the legislature was summoned back into special session to raise the revenues to fund that additional $500 million in new spending. Let’s be clear. There was never a $500 million “cut.”

Mr. O’Malley claims he has cut spending over his six years by $7.5 billion. Even those who indulge in “fuzzy” math understand that a budget that has grown from $29.6 billion to $35.9 billion on the O’Malley watch does not represent a $7.5 billion cut.

Only in government are reductions in proposed spending increases called “budget cuts.” For the “real” math, take a look at the tax increases. Sales, corporate and individual income taxes were tapped in the first year of the O’Malley administration. In subsequent years, attention turned to license plates, real estate transactions, hospitals, alcohol and birth certificates.

This year it is back to raising the individual income tax, the flush tax and fees on death certificates. All told, an additional $12 billion in added taxes and fees have been removed from the economy during Mr. O’Malley’s term in office.

According to the American Tax Foundation, the residents of Maryland are already staggering under the nation’s fourth-heaviest tax burden. But no matter how much new tax money is taken out of taxpayers’ pockets, it is never enough to close the structural deficit because Maryland’s budget just grows and grows and grows.

Meanwhile, an out-of-touch governor and legislative leaders are claiming the victory of another tax increase, but untold numbers of Maryland families and businesses will be checking out states with kinder tax climates.

Ellen R. Sauerbrey co-chairs Maryland Business for Responsive Government and is a former minority leader in the Maryland General Assembly.

Baywater Animal Rescue Seeks Entries For Pet Photo Contest

For more information, contact Suzette Stitely at 410-228-3090.
info@baywateranimalrescue.org

Baywater Animal Rescue Celebrates its No Kill Mission

Cambridge, MD
---How many lives of rescue animals could be saved if every animal shelter in America stopped the practice of euthanizing pets? On June 11, 2012, Baywater Animal Rescue joins hundreds of animals shelters in America to ask that question, and to pledge to be a No Kill shelter, even if for just that one day. Fortunately for the animals brought to Baywater Animal Rescue, every day brings the promise of care since Baywater Animal Rescue adopted the No Kill mission on a permanent basis in 2009.

The "Just One Day" event is a national promotion of the No Kill mission which aims to celebrate shelters that are already No Kill, and hopes to inspire traditional shelters to become No Kill. Shelters that operate under the No Kill philosophy are committed to long-term care of their rescued animals regardless of the length of time they live at the shelter. Animals at No Kill shelters are given quality veterinary care, even for complicated medical conditions. Animals with difficult behavioral challenges visit with trained specialists who help to prepare them for life with an adoptive family.

On June 9th, the community is invited to celebrate "Just One Day" at Baywater Animal Rescue when adoption fees will be reduced 50% for all animals over 4 months of age. Adoption fees will be waived entirely for adult cats. The shelter will be open from 11am to 4pm that day to help families find their perfect pet. Visit the animals before the event online at www.baywateranimalrescue.org and call 410-228-3090 with any questions.

Today's Fill In The Blank 5-24-12

The funniest thing I ever saw was _____.

Man Ticketed For Dropping Money On The Ground

CLEVELAND — A random act of kindness lands a man in trouble with police.

Last Monday, May 14th John Davis was exiting I-90 at the West 117th ramp when he saw a man in a wheelchair. The man was pale, thin and holding a sign that had a religious sentiment and also a request for help.

John thought to himself, “I think we’re all to help the less fortunate.”

The middle class family man from Elyria works hard for a living and enjoys giving back especially to people who are physically challenged.

“I have a brother that’s paralyzed,” said John, “My brother’s in that same situation and struggles.”

John reached into his wallet and grabbed a couple of bucks to give to the man. As he approached the light at the exit, he rolled the money up vertically and stretched his arm out of his window. He says, the man touched the cash and one of the dollars fell to the ground.

The man then bent over and picked it up.

Moments later as John travelled North on West 117th he says a Cleveland police officer pulled him over.

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Which States Are Doing Better In This Lousy Economy?

States controlled by Republicans, of course. And, conversely, states controlled by Democrats are showing the least improvement. Jeryl Bier at Speak With Authority provides some telling facts:

■9 of the 10 states with the lowest current unemployment rates are under Republican control, including six under complete Republican control, one of which is North Dakota with the lowest rate of 3%
■5 of the 10 states with highest current unemployment rates are under Democratic control, and the four worst are all under Democratic control, one of which is Nevada with the highest rate of 12%
■8 of the 10 states with the greatest improvement from 2009 to 2012 are under Republican control (and 7 of those are under complete Republican control)
■7 of the 10 states with the worst performance from 2009 to 2012 are under Democratic control
■10 of 17 states with current unemployment rates greater than the national average are under Democratic control
■The state with the greatest improvement from 2009 to 2012 (36%) is Michigan, under Republican control
■The two states with the worst performances from 2009 to 2012, Louisiana and Idaho (the rates actually went up,) are under Republican control, but their current rates are still less than the national rate of 8.2%
■States under Democratic control saw an average decrease of 7.7% in the rate of unemployment
■States under Republican control saw an average decrease of 15.3% in the rate of unemployment, virtually double the improvement of states under Democratic control
In other words, to the extent Obama can claim a recovering economy during his term, it’s largely due to states being run by people inclined to do the opposite of what Obama recommends.

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DELEGATE CONWAY ANNOUNCES SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING FOR WICOMICO COUNTY

Construction for new Bennett Middle School receives $10 million from State

May 24, 2012
-- Salisbury, MD Delegate Norman Conway, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, met today with Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt and his staff to inform them that the State Board of Public Works has approved more than $10.8 million in school construction funding for Wicomico County for the coming fiscal year. Topping the list of projects to be funded is the new Bennett Middle School, which will receive $10 million in State support. Another $808,000 was approved for various capital projects at Delmar Elementary School and Pittsville Elementary and Middle School.

County Executive Pollitt expressed his gratitude to the State for the appropriation and especially to Delegate Conway for “extraordinary efforts” that led to the funding for Bennett Middle School. Pollitt said, “When we started the process, the State allocated about $4 million for Bennett Middle. Norm’s diligence in reaching out to the members of the Interagency Committee on School Construction and the Board of Public Works convinced them of the need and the importance of this crucial project for our school system.” Construction of a new Bennett Middle School and completion of James M. Bennett High has been a priority for Pollitt for several years, going back to his service on the Board of Education.

The Board of Public Works consists of Governor Martin O’Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot and State Treasurer Nancy Kopp.

Earlier this year, the County Executive and members of the Board of Education traveled to Annapolis to request additional funding for FY2013 school construction projects after County Council members voted to send a letter of intent to complete the Bennett Middle School/James M. Bennett High School project.

The importance of a quality education is fundamental to Pollitt’s overarching vision of ‘Building Bridges – Building Community’ to engage all citizens. In addition to meeting the Maintenance of Effort baseline of $36.4 million in education funding, an additional $517,830 over MOE was included in Pollitt’s proposed operating budget, as requested by the Board of Education. Additionally, the County Executive's proposed Capital Improvements Budget for FY 2013 includes the following investments for schools:

· Three-year commitment of County capital funding for Bennett Middle School-- $33,942,666
· First-year funding to support Bennett Middle School -- $300,000
· Funding for additional school capital improvement projects-- $373,700

Pollitt emphasized that none of this success would have been possible without the strong partnership that exists between Wicomico County and the State government. “All areas of government services have been hit hard by the Recession, particularly our public school systems,” Pollitt said, “However, by working cooperatively and with a sense of team, we have been able to craft a budget and secure a much-needed capital program that meets our immediate needs and opens the way for more progress to come. I cannot over-state the importance of a positive working relationship among our stakeholders and this latest action by the Board of Public Works is a perfect example.”

No Construction On Delaware's Beach Routes This Weekend

Landmark Indian River Inlet Bridge is now open on Route 1; Route 54 is completed

Dover
-- For the first time in several years, all major routes to Delaware's beaches will be free of construction. According to officials from The Department of Transportation (DelDOT), motorists will have a much easier time accessing Delaware's renowned resort beaches this summer season. There will be no lane closures, or major construction on any of the major beach routes this Memorial Day Weekend, throughout Sussex County.

Major work on the vital east - west connection to Fenwick Island via Route 54 is complete, with all lanes open to traffic.

Earlier this week, all four lanes on the new Indian River Inlet Bridge opened to traffic, ending a multi-year project that involved numerous lane closures, and shifting traffic patterns. The pedestrian walkway is scheduled to open by Friday.

Throughout the summer, work will continue in New Castle County, on the I-95 and Route 1 interchange, but no construction activity will take place on the weekends.

"The roads to Delaware's beaches are wide open, and our state is ready to welcome visitors from across the country this Memorial Day weekend," said DelDOT Secretary Shailen Bhatt. "All we ask is that our visitors help us keep our roads safe by refraining from distracted driving and by wearing their seatbelts as they enjoy their vacations."

Real-Time Traffic Information
For real time traffic information, www.deldot.gov, and click on "Live Traffic." There, people can view live traffic cameras, notices about emergency closures, etc. Travelers can also tune into WTMC 1380 AM for updated traffic information.

Thousands of Dead Fish Wash Ashore

The Department of the Environment now says tens of thousands of dead fish have washed ashore in Anne Arundel County.

It started Monday.  At least 6,000 dead fish were found at Marley Creek.  More dead fish were found at the City Dock and at the neck of Marley Creek above Furnace Creek.

Officials say they found between 6 and 12 different species of fish in the fish kills. The fish that were found at the City Dock were contained to the area and are believed to have been pushed in from the Severn River.

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Today's Survey Question 5-24-12

Do you still buy flowers from a Florist?

This Is Very Cool

FELLOW MUSIC LOVERS...THIS IS QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST INCREDIBLE MUSIC E-MAIL I'VE EVER SEEN. AFTER CLICKING ON AN ARTIST, LOOK TO SEE ALMOST ALL OF THEIR FAMOUS WORKS, THEY ARE THERE FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE. ENJOY!

1) Elvis Presley 2) Roy Orbison 3) Beatles 4) Abba 5) Bee Gees 6) Michael Jackson 7) John Lennon 8) Celine Dion 9) Frank Sinatra 10) Creedence Clearwater Revival 11) Julio Iglesias 12) Queen 13) Neil Diamond 14) Paul Mccartney 15) Rolling Stones 16) Pink Floyd 17) Bruce Springsteen 18) Elton John 19) U2 20) George Harrison 21) Cliff Richard 22) Tina Turner 23) Bob Marley 24) Andrea Bocelli 25) Dire Straits 26) Barbra Streisand 27) Eagles 28) Madonna 29) Simon & Garfunkel 30) Ac/Dc 31) Bob Dylan 32) Dean Martin 33) Andr? Hazes 34) Tom Jones 35) Eric Clapton 36) John Denver 37) Eros Ramazzotti 38) Deep Purple 39) Led Zeppelin 40) Rod Stewart 41) Status Quo 42) Louis Armstrong 43) Fleetwood Mac 44) Bryan Adams 45) Jimi Hendrix 46) Barry White 47) Nat King Cole 48) Santana 49) Michael Buble 50) Gipsy Kings 51) David Bowie 52) Adriano Celentano 53) Robbie Williams 54) Charles Aznavour 55) Metallica 56) Doors 57) Shakira 58) Beach Boys 59) Cat Stevens 60) Bon Jovi 61) Ub40 62) Joe Cocker 63) Whitney Houston 64) Phil Collins 65) Enrique Iglesias 66) Ricky Martin 67) Ray Charles 68) K3 69) Zz Top 70) Van Morrison 71) Ringo Starr 72) Stevie Wonder 73) Gloria Estefan 74) Supertramp 75) Jethro Tull 76) Black Sabbath 77) Marco Borsato 78) Guns N? Roses 79) Neil Young 80) Chuck Berry 81) Billy Joel 82) Sting 83) Kinks 84) R.e.m. 85) Laura Pausini 86) Genesis 87) Who 88) Monkees 89) Animals 90) Simple Minds 91) Prince 92) Aretha Franklin 93) B.b. King 94) Iron Maiden 95) Pearl Jam 96) Christina Aguilera 97) Alice Cooper 98) Depeche Mode 99) Nirvana100) Gary Moore Top 70 Songs: 1) Always On My Mind - Elvis Presley 2) Fernando - Abba 3) Dancing Queen - Abba 4) Oh Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison 5) Spanish Eyes - Elvis Presley 6) Are You Lonesome Tonight? - Elvis Presley 7) Chiquitita - Abba 8) Massachusetts - Bee Gees 9) Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley 10) Imagine - John Len non 11) Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley 12) California Blue - Roy Orbison 13) My Way - Elvis Presley 14) Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 15) In Dreams - Roy Orbison 16) Blue Bayou - Roy Orbison 17) Only The Lonely - Roy Orbison 18) I Have A Dream - Abba 19) Yesterday - Beatles 20) Mamma Mia - Abba 21) Thriller - Michael Jackson 22) Amazing Grace - Elvis Presley 23) Unchained Melody - Roy Orbison 24) Can?t Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley 25) Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley 26) Ave Maria - Celine Dion 27) And I Love You So - Elvis Presley 28) Blue Moon - Elvis Presley 29) Hey Jude - Beatles 30) I Started A Joke- Bee Gees 31) My Way - Frank Sinatra 32) Hotel California - Eagles 33) A Big Hunk O? Love - Elvis Presley 34) Bridge Over Troubled Water Elvis Presley 35) The Winner Takes It All - Abba 36) Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival 37) Ben - Michael Jackson 38) Waterloo - Abba 39) Stayin? Alive - Bee Gees 40) Words - Bee Gees 41) How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees 42) Crying - Roy Orbison 43) Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley 44) Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley 45) Beat It - Michael Jackson 46) A Day In The Life - Beatles 47) Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen 48) Let It Be - Beatles 49) Only You - Roy Orbison 50) Sweet Caroline - Roy Orbison 51) A Hard Day?s Night - Beatles 52) Bad - Michael Jackson 53) Earth Song - Michael Jackson 54) Woman - John Len non 55) Imagine (live) - John Len non 56) Heal The World - Michael Jackson 57) Stand By Me - John Len non 58) Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond 59) O Sole Mio - Andrea Bocelli 60) Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel 61) Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson 62) Strangers In The Night - Frank Sinatra 63) Black Or White - Michael Jackson 64) Only You - John Len non 65) My Sweet Lord - George Harrison 66) What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong 67) 24 Horas - Julio Iglesias 68) Everybody Loves Somebody - Dean Martin 69) I Just Can?t Stop Lovin You - Michael Jackson 70) Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson