Salisbury News: 10/02/12

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

“Raising Awareness On Question 7”

(Snow Hill) Delegate Mike McDermott appeared today before the Worcester County Commissioners to provide a detailed briefing on what Ballot Question 7 will mean to Worcester County and the lower shore if it is approved by voters in November. The Delegate started off by stating, “Question 7 is about the business of gaming in Maryland and not the issue of gambling.”

Delegate McDermott stated, “Worcester County alone stands to gain millions in additional revenue that is currently being sent to Baltimore City and Prince Georges County”. As part of the deal that Delegate McDermott helped broker, the local impact money that is currently being sent across the bridge due to the original agreement will remain in Worcester County as soon as the other casinos come on line. “A vote for Question 7 is a vote to keep millions of dollars on the shore instead of sending it off to Baltimore City and Prince Georges County, and who on the Eastern Shore would oppose that?”

The Eastern Shore will also benefit from hundreds of new jobs created by the two shore locations when table games are allowed. These added opportunities will insure that Maryland remains competititve with surrounding states in the region.

The bill also allows for Veteran’s support organizations to operate non-profit slot machines with the proceeds being directed to helping Maryland veterans. “Maryland State government has labored in trying to keep up with the needs of our military veterans. This bill represents a significant boost to these organizations and will allow them to meet needs that currently go unmet throughout our state” said Delegate McDermott.

The Delegate went on to say, “It is impossible to overlook the thousands of jobs that will be created if Question 7 is adopted. Couple that with a dedicated $300 million school construction fund and you have a win-win for Marylanders during some very challenging economic times”.

The Delegate noted that the principle opposition to the expanded gaming in Maryland is coming from the surrounding states with casinos who want Marylanders to keep coming to their establishments. “When West Virginia and Delaware tell you Question 7 is a bad idea for Maryland, you certainly must consider their motivation and the hundreds of millions that they stand to lose if Marylanders keep their money in state”, stated Delegate McDermott.

Obama Waives Bush Law Banning Child Soldiers

Here’s a headline we’ll guarantee you simply won’t find in the mainstream media –

On October 3, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law “Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008 ,” a law that made it a federal crime to recruit or use soldiers under the age of 15. The law also gave the United States authority to “prosecute, deport or deny entry to individuals who have knowingly recruited children as soldiers.”

The bipartisan law, which was passed unanimously by both houses of Congress, drew the applause of several international human rights organizations:

Video: Herman Cain Schools Anti-American College Hecklers

Former presidential candidate and successful CEO Herman Cain participated in a jobs forum at the University of Michigan last week. During his presentation, Cain told several hundred students that they'll enjoy at least one significant advantage when the enter the job market, triggering an interesting response from a handful of hecklers:

Cain: "This is the greatest country in the world."

Students: "Not," "It's not!"

The rest of the audience gasped, booed, and a few chanted "U-S-A." Cain then launched into an epic impromptu monologue about the greatness of America -- her liberties, her prosperity, her military strength, and her opportunities -- bringing the crowd to its feet. Pure awesome:

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Pennsylvania Voter ID Requirement Delayed By Court

A judge on Tuesday blocked Pennsylvania's divisive voter identification requirement from going into effect on Election Day, delivering a hard-fought victory to Democrats who said it was a ploy to defeat President Barack Obama and other opponents who said it would prevent the elderly and minorities from voting.

The decision by Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson on the law requiring each voter to show a valid photo ID could be appealed to the state Supreme Court.

However, Simpson based his decision on guidelines given to him days ago by the high court justices, and it could easily be the final word on the law just five weeks before the Nov. 6 election.

Honda Recalls 600,000 Accords To Fix Faulty Hoses

Honda is recalling 600,000 Accord midsize cars in the U.S. and Canada to fix a faulty power steering hose that can leak fluid and cause a fire.

The recall affects Accords with V-6 engines from the 2003 through 2007 model years. Honda has a report of one fire but no injuries or crashes.

The five-passenger Accord is consistently among the top-selling vehicles in the United States, mainly because of its reputation for reliability and fuel economy. For years it has been the nation's second-best-selling car, beaten only by the Toyota Camry.

The Washington area remembers Snowmaggedon all too well -- the two- day storm in February 2010 dumped nearly three feet of snow on parts of the region.

But most winter storms lack a name. That, however, is about to change.

This winter, blizzards are going to get formal names -- just like hurricanes.

The Weather Channel will assign the winter storm names for the first time, reports Weather.com

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SKATEBOARDER HIT BY DEER IN ‘DOWNHILL BLOODSPILL’ GOING 40 MILES PER HOUR

Car-deer collisions are unfortunately common — about 1.5 million occur in the United States each year. Earlier this year, TheBlaze even brought you footage of a motorcycle-deer crash. But those are less common with the highest amount in 2008 occurring in Texas, totaling 17.

Now, an even less likely collision involving a deer occurred over the weekend. Its target: a skateboarder.

Going 40 miles per hour, the skateboarder participating in the Buffalo Bill Downhill in Golden, Colo., with 200 others might have expected a crash with a fellow boarder — but probably not a deer.

“Absolutely Uncertain,” is a 19-minute documentary that follows Irina, a 23-year-old Jewish New Yorker who voted for President Barack Obama but may not do so again. Irina feels betrayed by Obama’s foreign policy toward Israel and the documentary has been viewed over 780,000 times on YouTube since it was posted on September 26.

In the video, Irina says was “proud to cast her vote” for Obama in 2008 because she “didn’t doubt for a minute” the strong relationship between America and Israel would not continue.

“I’ve seen that Americans and Israelis have a lot in common,” she says in the video, noting that she met her husband on a trip to Israel.

One year to the day after it initiated its occupation of McPherson Square in the nation’s capital, Occupy D.C. returned in minuscule numbers to the park it left barren and muddy.

On the first anniversary of the birth of the local chapter of the nationwide protest movement that spread last fall before quickly receding, the few remaining members of Occupy D.C. took to the streets.

“Nobody should ever count Occupy out. It’s a temper tantrum,” Todd Fine, an Occupy D.C. member, said. “It’s necessarily reactive. Eventually the other shoe will drop. When that happens, people will remember this. What Occupy did was show the world that people can fight back.”

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Major Fail: Anti Romney 'Garbage' Ad

With just about a month to go in the presidential campaign, supporters of both sides are ramping up their attacks in order to paint each candidate as villainous. Take for example the latest ad by the AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) union, which features Mitt Romney’s trash collector. The ad purports to be a bombshell: Mitt Romney is so heartless he doesn’t understand the regular people like garbage men – they’re “invisible” to Romney and you can bet he doesn’t care about them.

Sounds big, right? Possibly damning, right? Maybe, if it weren’t for the little facts we found.

First, here’s the ad featuring Richard Hayes, who picks up the trash from Romney’s La Jolla, California, home. “Richard is a City of San Diego sanitation worker whose route includes Mitt Romney’s $12 million oceanfront villa in La Jolla, Calif,” the video’s description says. “This is his story”:

The federal government, in order to wind down mortgage giants, is collecting all profits generated by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—a move some say may backfire by providing the federal government a source of revenue that Congress will be hard-pressed to let go.

The Treasury announced in August that it would take all profits from the two housing giants in “a quarterly sweep of every dollar of profit that each firm earns.”

This “quarterly sweep” is an effort to recoup money that the federal government has loaned Fannie and Freddie, starting with the 2008 bailout. The federal government took over Fannie and Freddie in September of 2008, in the middle of the housing crisis that brought down the economy. Since then, the two firms have struggled to regain profitability, only recently making money on their investments.

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Hundreds Line Up For $1.84 Gas At Mt. Morris Township Gas Station

MOUNT MORRIS TOWNSHIP, MI -- The Mount Morris Township Beacon & Bridge gas station had traffic backed up nearly a half mile to I-475 today as it rolled back prices to $1.84 per gallon for the first 150 motorists.

The gas station announced early today that it would host a gas rollback event for the Americans for Prosperity-Michigan’s “Obama’s Failing Agenda” bus tour. The group said that the $1.84 per gallon price reflects the cost of gas in 2008, before President Barack Obama took office.

NFL player and Minnesota native Matt Birk has become the latest member of the Baltimore Ravens to weigh in on the issue of marriage equality.

“It’s unfair to childen if we don’t make every effort to stand up for their rights, to be known and loved by their mother and their father whenever possible,” he said in a video produced by the Minnesota Catholic Conference. “While divorce, death and other circumstances too often prevent it, no child should be intentionally deprived of knowing their mother and their father. If we allow genderless marriage to be made law, the implication is that the contributions of part of our community, either men or women, are somehow insignifcant and less valuable.”

“I can put up with a lot from the government like higher taxes and while I don’t like it, pushing God out of public schools, but letting a small number of business and government elites and judges define what marriage is for Minnesotans doesn’t seem very fair and doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Birk added.

Have you ever wondered what might happen when you shoot a pistol under water — what it sounds like and how the water looks as the bullet whizzes through liquid?

Even if you haven’t pondered this question before, Andrew Tuohy, who maintains Vuurwapen Blog , did and took high-speed footage of the event to give you a look.

Tuohy doesn’t write much about the specific observations as to what happens when you shoot a pistol under water — the footage speaks for itself — but he does write that the gun wasn’t damaged. He told Gizmodo the shock through the water from the shot made it feel like “he was kicked in the chest.'

Bennett Middle School

The County Council voted 5 to 2 in favor of moving forward with Bennett Middle School.Joe Holloway and Bob Culver voted against it.

BLACK MOB HIJACKS STORE: 'WE OWN THIS'

EDITOR’S NOTE: The links in the following report may contain offensive language.

Even the old-timers in Detroit never have seen anything like this: A mob of 40 black people moved into a convenience store and will not leave.

They say they now own it. They eat. Smoke. Cuss.Threaten. Spit. Rob. Sell drugs. All on video .

Police, ministers, neighbors, the store owner and just about everyone else seems powerless to stop them.

MR. SMITH AND RON PAUL

Old movies are great, and Frank Capra was one of the best directors of his day. Maybe you’ve seen “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. It starred Jimmy Stewart as the lead character. He plays a rube who is appointed to the U.S. Senate. He goes to Washington with idealism, and meets the insider-lobbyist, back-biting corruption that has existed for a hundred years. He gives several great speechs. Jimmy Stewart stands up to the corruption, stands his ground and fights. By the end, the viewers faith in government and goodness is restored. You believe a man can make a difference.

My how things have changed. When was the last time Hollywood even bothered to try and make a movie about Washington politics? It’s beyond hope, people are beyond caring. We all know who the criminals in Washington serve, and it’s not the people of the U.S. The last shred of hope and respect I had for politicians was wiped away when, under pressure from Hank Paulson, politicians rejected the TARP bailouts (under pressure from the people), then passed it anyway in a back-room deal two days later. They’ve been serving their masters ever since.

Ron Paul speaks the truth, as he always has. He’s been scorned, rejected, and run out of town. Our last chance at redemption gone. No more Mr. Smith, no more Ron Paul, no more heroes, no more hope.

The Best Presidential Debate Moments: A Video History

As Barack Obama and Mitt Romney prepare to do battle, a look at some of the best moments televised debates have given us

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THE NOOSE TIGHTENS

Your license plate may be an open book

A CAR SAYS a lot about its owner, perhaps a lot more than the owner might suspect.

In an extensive examination of automated license-plate tracking technology, The Wall Street Journal reports that the new tracking devices have the capacity to do more than a one-shot confirmation whether a car is legally registered but over time build a picture of the driver’s habits, travel routes and destinations.

And there is now the capacity to store the information cheaply and in huge quantities. One plate-tracking company, according to the Journal, has 700 million scans on record.

As the cost of plate-tracking technology has dropped, more and more police departments are acquiring the devices — more than one-third of large U.S. police agencies in 2012 by one estimate — many of them paid for by the Department of Homeland Security.

Meanwhile, the camera and software technology to photograph and read license plates has improved dramatically.

Law enforcement agencies say they use the devices to identify stolen cars, ticket scofflaws and track the vehicles of suspected criminals.

THE PRIVACY implications are chilling, especially to the International Association of Chiefs of Police that cautioned the devices can record “vehicles parked at addiction counseling meetings, doctors’ offices, health clinics or even staging areas for protests.”

Justices to consider several cases brought by Republican-led states aimed at overturning laws on affirmative action and voting

The US supreme court resumes work on Monday, confronting a caseload that could prove every bit as contentious as the legal battle over healthcare reform.

Among the most bitterly fought cases are expected to be a number aimed at overturning longstanding civil rights laws by a clutch of Republican-run states who claim they are outdated and unjustly discriminatory against white people.

The 71%

According to a recent CNN poll, 60% of Americans [13] want go to war with Iran to prevent them from getting nuclear weapons.

This in spite of the fact that the US intelligence community is fairy unanimous that Iran is not even currently pursuing nuclear weapons. According to Micah Zenko [15]:

First, as Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has repeatedly reaffirmed [16] since late January, “we don’t believe they’ve actually made the decision to go ahead with a nuclear weapon.” Just yesterday, James Risen reported [17] in the New York Times that the IC continues to believe (based on an assessment [18] first made in November 2007) that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei halted his country’s nuclear weapons activities in 2003.

This might be hard for many to grasp, since polling has found the American people disagree with the collective judgment of the 210,000 civilian and military employees and 30,000 private contractors comprising[19] the IC. A recent poll found that 84 percent [20] of Americans think Iran is developing nuclear weapons, while another from February 2010 concluded that 71 percent [21] of Americans believe that Iran currently has nuclear weapons.

So 60% of Americans believe Iran should be attacked to prevent nuclear proliferation. Simultaneously 71% of Americans — in total contradiction to the evidence recognised by both the CIA and Mossad that Iran is not currently even developing a nuclear weapon — believe that Iran currently has nuclear weapons. There is almost certainly a high degree of overlap — and that’s some severe cognitive dissonance. Where are such ideas coming from?

There are some voices in the wilderness that are expressing the view that Iran already has a nuclear weapon to anyone who will listen.

Judge Hears Southern Md. Gas Terminal Arguments

Both sides asked a judge Monday to rule in their favor without trial in a fight over a proposal to build a multi-billion-dollar terminal in southern Maryland to export liquefied natural gas.

Calvert County Circuit Judge James P. Salmon listened to arguments for about an hour, but did not give much indication as to how he might rule. Salmon said he had only spent a few hours recently reading the agreement for the first time and said he would issue an opinion as soon as possible.

Dominion Resources has proposed spending up to $3 billion to upgrade the terminal to export increasing amounts of natural gas being produced by new hydraulic fracturing techniques.

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New Crossroads Ad Slams Obama On Libya

Karl Rove's American Crossroads Super PAC is out with a new web ad today, blasting President Barack Obama over his administration's botched response to the terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya.

Splicing together images of the attack with clips from the campaign rally Obama held that day, the narrator asks "What did President Obama do the same day of a terror attack on American citizens? He campaigned in Las Vegas." The video later slams Obama for skipping meetings with foreign leaders in New York last week, while taking the time to appear on The View.

"When American embassies were attacked by terrorists, President Clinton responded with missiles," the narrator says. "And when foreign leaders needed to meet, President Bush put his campaign on hold. President Obama needs to learn being president isn't just about being on TV and protecting your job. It's about leadership. It's time for a president who gets it."

It ends with a voice-over of Obama telling the ladies of The View " that he's just "eye candy."

Overall, the effect is pretty damning. Watch the whole video below:

Schemers Are Directing Payments To Their Own Accounts

A new scam tied to your social security benefits is hitting the radar as the Social Security Administration preps for a big change. Seniors are finding their information stolen and used as the SSA works to cut out paper checks and go straight to direct deposit.

You go to great lengths to protect your Social Security number and this recent scam is the reason why. According to reports, identity thieves are cashing in and stealing social security numbers from seniors and using them to re-route the benefits to their own bank accounts or pre-paid cards.

CNN is reporting the Inspector Heneral's office has received more than 19,000 reports of questionable changes or attempted changes to a beneficiary's direct deposit information, although not all are tied to fraud. The IG’s office, according to CNN, says the social security administration needs to do more to verify your identity if changes are being made to your account, like alerting you through an automated email, letter or text.

The Federal Reserve Sends Thank You Letters To Congress For Letting Them Destroy Our Economy In Secret

The Federal Reserve continues to pump up this “bubble economy” by recklessly printing money and by setting interest rates artificially low, and the U.S. Congress continues to stand aside and allow them to systematically destroy our economy. The U.S. Congress could choose to end this madness at any time, but the truth is that Congress won’t even pass a law that would allow the American people to see what is going on over at the Federal Reserve. Congress has voted down every single bill that would authorize a comprehensive audit of the Federal Reserve. So the folks over at the Fed will continue to be able to destroy our future in secret. In fact, back in July Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke actually sent five thank you letters to members of Congress that gave speeches on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives encouraging their fellow lawmakers to vote against the bill to audit the Fed. Since the U.S. Congress continues to refuse to do anything to hold the Federal Reserve accountable, the Fed will continue to print unprecedented amounts of money, it will continue to set interest rates insanely low and it will continue to pump up the greatest debt bubble in the history of the world. Unfortunately, all debt bubbles eventually burst, and when this one does it is going to be a financial nightmare unlike anything we have ever seen before.

It was Politico that first broke the story about the thank you letters that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sent to five members of Congress back in July. Bernanke acknowledged in the letters that there was never any worry that the “Audit the Fed” bill would actually get through Congress and be signed into law, but he was still extremely grateful that a number of members of Congress got up and publicly denounced the bill….

In July, the Fed chairman sent letters of gratitude to five Democratic members of Congress after they delivered speeches on the House floor urging fellow lawmakers to reject the “Audit the Fed” bill authored by retiring Texas Republican Ron Paul, the central bank’s chief antagonist.

Their efforts failed to defeat the bill, but they were not in vain, at least in Bernanke’s eyes.

Court Navigates Question Of Floating-Home Status

Is it a house or a boat? Does a coffee mug float? The Supreme Court struggled with all types of questions Monday as it tried to figure out what kind of floating structures fall under maritime law, a question that could have a profound impact on popular businesses like floating casinos, hotels and restaurants.

The question under discussion on the court’s first day of arguments was about Fane Lozman’s floating home — a gray, two-story vessel approximately 57 feet in length that he towed to the marina in Riviera Beach, one of South Florida’s poorest coastal cities. Lozman then started fighting with the city over a planned private redevelopment project for the marina.

The city in 2009 told Lozman, a former Chicago financial trader, his right to stay at the marina would be revoked unless he got the structure registered as a vessel and proved it could be moved when a hurricane or tropical storm threatened. The city also demanded payment of more than $3,000 in dockage fees.

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Elizabeth Warren Law License Poll

U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren is facing new scrutiny over whether she illegally practiced law in Massachusetts without a license.

Massachusetts Lawyer Weekly recently polled attorneys in the state about whether Warren should be investigated for "possibly" practicing law without a license from the state.

Eighty-seven percent of the 1,134 lawyers polled want the Harvard law professor investigated.

Police: 10-Year-Old In Stolen Van Wrecks Five Cars In Less Than a Block

Philadelphia police said Monday that a 10-year-old boy will face auto theft charges as a juvenile after he stole a van and wrecked five other vehicles before coming to a stop less than a block away.

The incident, which occurred Sunday around noon, was caught on a nearby store’s surveillance camera. Footage shows a furniture delivery man stepping away from a white van, apparently leaving the keys inside.

As video rolled, the boy jumped in the driver’s seat and attempted to speed away, but only made it around the corner before slamming into several nearby parked cars. He then jumped from the cabin and tried to run away, but witnesses cornered the boy and kept him there until police arrived.

Found Lost Dog Tyson

The Two Tysons

Little Tyson is a black and rust male miniature pinscher. Big Tyson is a male German Shepherd. The two Tysons live in the same condominium complex in Alexandria, VA.

On Saturday, September 22 around 2 pm, little Tyson was driving with his parents Carol and her husband R.T. from Ocean City, MD back home. There was a big accident and their car flipped over and landed upside down in a ditch next to a field of crops near John Deere. It was a miracle that anyone survived the accident.

After struggling to open the crashed car door, little Tyson’s parents went into a panic because Tyson was nowhere to be found. The emergency personnel who arrived at the scene helped search the field, but no luck. Little Tyson’s parents searched the wrecked car, the field, and surrounding areas for 4 days and 3 nights.

On the day of the accident, wonderful friends drove 2 ½ hours to Cambridge to pick up Tyson’s parents and help them search for little Tyson. While little Tyson’s mom was waiting for the friends to arrive at the Cambridge Royal Farms, little Tyson’s dad took a cab back to the accident scene to continue searching for him. The kind family that lived by the accident site offered to leave out food and water for poor little Tyson and said they would try to catch him if they saw him, but no luck.

Meanwhile, back at the Royal Farms, a wonderful woman (Ramona Jones) who was a complete stranger to little Tyson’s mom, generously offered to wait with her until her ride arrived. Ramona asked if Carol needed water, coffee, or anything. She really helped Carol hold things together. Carol does not know how she would have lasted for 2 ½ hours without Ramona. There are some truly wonderful people in this world and Ramona is one of them.

Another caring friend back in Alexandria called all the vets, animal hospitals, shelters, and radio and TV stations in the Cambridge, MD area to file a lost dog report. Everyone was so helpful. Tyson’s parents printed posters and distributed them everywhere. They notified HomeAgain who alerted their microchip members, but no luck. Tyson’s parents could not live without sweet, little Tyson. Tyson and his dad are “attached at the hip.”

While Tyson was missing, his dad continued to take the missing Tyson on his daily walks. Another friend drove with Tyson’s dad to search on Sunday. Tyson’s parents contacted an animal communicator and also professional dog detectives, but the detectives cancelled the night before they were supposed to go on the hunt. Big Tyson’s dad Gerry offered to take off work Tuesday and go with big Tyson and little Tyson’s dad to try to search on their own. Big Tyson did not find little Tyson, but we think that little Tyson caught the scent of big Tyson and came out of hiding just around the time that the helpful Dorchester County Animal Control (Officer Mills) arrived to meet the search party.

Just then a wonderful mail delivery woman (Martha Kral) was on her route and stopped to give condolences to the Animal Control officer on the passing of his grandfather. What a series of “coincidences.” Tyson’s dad gave her one of the missing dog posters. She said she would find little Tyson.

Minutes later she frantically called screaming that little Tyson was on Route 50 running in between the cars and said to come quickly because he was almost getting hit. The Animal Control Officer found the location of the mail delivery woman and was able to safely rescue little Tyson.

The miraculous reunion began. Little Tyson was dehydrated, tired, and skinny, but only had a small scratch on his back right leg. Tyson’s parents only had bruises and cuts from the serious accident. It was a truly a miracle.

We hope that big Tyson and little Tyson will spend many wonderful years playing together. Big Tyson and his dad are real heroes and so are all the wonderful people in Cambridge, MD who helped put the puzzle pieces together to make a wonderful family reunion.

Our deepest appreciation goes out to all of them.

Business Owner Thwarts Robbery Attempt, Georgetown

Location: Hitchens Auto Sales, 12769 Seashore Highway, Georgetown, DE

Date of Occurrence: Monday October 1, 2012 at approximately 2:45 p.m.

Victim: 54 year old female employee

Defendant, Charges, and Bond Information:

Aaron R. Jefferson, 27, Millsboro, DE (Photo Attached)

Attempted Robbery 1^st

Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $120,100.00 cash bond.

Resume:

Georgetown, DE- The Delaware State Police have arrested a Millsboro man in connection with an attempted robbery of Hitchens Auto Sales near Georgetown.

The incident occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. this afternoon as the 54 year old female employee was standing at the counter inside Hitchens Auto Sales on Seashore Highway. A white male entered the store and removed a handgun from his waistband demanding money from the female victim. As the female began screaming out to the owner, the male suspect began retreating from the store. When he exited the front door of the business, he was met by the 50 year old male store owner who was armed with a metal pipe. The store owner was able to force the thief to the ground and disarm him until the arrival of Troopers.

Aaron R. Jefferson was taken into custody without incident and during a pat down search was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was then transported back to Troop 5 where he was charged with Attempted Robbery 1^st, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was arraigned at JP3 and committed to SCI on $120,100.00 cash bond.

No one was injured during this incident.

Let's Talk About Open Government And Accountability

Go to the City's Website and try to look up the most recent quarterly reports. Guess what, it hasn't been published for at least 9 months!

Just how are the citizens supposed to know what's going on with the finances of their City if this Mayor refuses to publish quarterly reports, reports he ran a campaign on saying he would keep the public in the know.

How are the Council Members supposed to know that the Fire Department hasn't spent a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand they agreed to place in the Budget. How is the City Council supposed to know that the Fire Chief's request last night is absolutely ridiculous?

The Mayor is hiding money like there's no tomorrow and he's making the legislative body, (the City Council) work over time and this is absolutely crazy. The Mayor has no experience, other than to hide things and keep it away from the Council challenging him or Department Heads. The Citizens deserve better.

In the Corporate World, this would be grounds for immediate termination.

Households Could Face Average $3,500 Tax Hit If Congress Can't Avoid 'Fiscal Cliff'

Nearly 90 percent of Americans will see their taxes increase in 2013 if Congress and President Barack Obama can’t find a way to renew tax policies that are scheduled to expire at the end of this year, the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center said in a report issued Monday.

The average tax increase will be $3,500 per household if the current tax policies expire, the report estimated.

It isn’t necessarily an all-or-nothing decision Congress confronts – it could choose to extend some of the tax provisions but terminate others – but it’s precisely the complexity of picking and choosing from the items on the menu that will make bargaining difficult as the days dwindle down to Dec. 31.

Obama Administration Denied "Repeated Requests" For Increased Security in Benghazi

Just when you thought the Benghazi massacre story couldn't get any worse, it does . Read this entire post -- the appalling hits just keep on coming. Let's start here:

House investigators warned Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to expect a hearing into their finding that American staff at the U.S. Embassy in Libya had their request for additional security denied by Washington officials. “Based on information provided to the Committee by individuals with direct knowledge of events in Libya, the attack that claimed the ambassador’s life was the latest in a long line of attacks on Western diplomats and officials in Libya in the months leading up to September 11, 2012,”

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and subcommittee chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, wrote Clinton today. They dismissed out-of-hand the suggestion that the attack ever could have been regarded as a spontaneous protest gone awry. “In addition, multiple U.S. federal government officials have confirmed to the Committee that, prior to the September 11 attack, the U.S. mission in Libya made repeated requests for increased security in Benghazi,” Issa and Chaffetz added (my emphasis). “The mission in Libya, however, was denied these resources by officials in Washington.” The committee noted 13 “security threats” in Benghazi, including an attempt to assassinate the British ambassador to Libya.

Attention