Iretongate

Back in June of 2012 we published the article below referencing an alleged phone spoof that involved Mayor Jim Ireton's phone number. Their claim was that someone had spoofed me and two Editors from the Daily Times were fired for their involvement. 

Did Mayor Jim Ireton Make The Call, You Decide?Today, Salisbury News has learned that one of the former employees of the Daily Times, (Sarah Lake) made the "short list" of those people being interviewed to replace Jesse, (the Mayors secretary) and actually interviewed for the job. 

Sarah did not get the job in the end but I thought each and every one of you might be interested in just who made it to the final 6 people who were actually interviewed for the job.

Feather Pulled From Baby Mya Whittington's Neck By Doctors

Just in the neck of time.

Doctors in Kansas treating a 7-month-old girl thought the child had a swollen gland, until they made a frightening discovery -- a feather poking out of the baby's neck.

Initially, doctors prescribed antibiotics and sent little Mya Whittington home with her parents, but then her jaw swelled to the size of a golfball, according to the Associated Press.

In a follow up visit, a doctor saw something poking out of Mya's swollen jaw. She put on gloves and plucked a feather out of the baby's neck.
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ONE KILLED ANOTHER INJURED IN CRASH ON I-195

(ARBUTUS, MD) – A man was killed this morning after the car he was driving became airborne from northbound I-95 and landed on eastbound I-195, striking another vehicle and causing serious injury to that driver.
The identities of the drivers are not being released at this time, pending notification of family members. One male driver was pronounced dead at the scene by Baltimore County emergency medical personnel. The other driver was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center by a Baltimore County medic unit. The driver’s condition is unknown at this time.

A preliminary investigation conducted by troopers from the Golden Ring Barrack, with the assistance of the Maryland State Police CRASH Team, indicates that shortly after 7:00 a.m. today, the driver of a 2006 Ford Focus was traveling northbound on I-95. For an unknown reason, the driver lost control, striking the guardrail on the left side of the road. The Ford Focus became airborne, landing in the eastbound travel portion of I-195 where it struck a 2002 Chevy Suburban.

There were no passengers in either vehicle and investigators are unable to determine if either driver was wearing a seatbelt. There has been no determination of vehicle speeds at this time.

Due to the severity of the crash and the amount of debris, troopers have closed eastbound I-195 in the area of I-95. The road is expected to remain closed for several hours. State Highway Administration personnel are assisting with road closures and establishing detours for motorists attempting to get to Thurgood Marshall/Baltimore Washington International Airport.

Anyone who may have witnessed this crash is asked to contact the Maryland State Police Golden Ring Barrack at (410) 780-2700.

The cause of the crash is unknown at this time. The investigation is continuing.

OBAMA SPENDING MORE TIME SOCIALIZING THAN NEGOTIATING FISCAL CLIFF DEAL

While the country worries about whether the White House and Congressional leaders will agree to a budget deal to avoid the fiscal cliff, President Barack Obama has spent more time socializing this holiday season than negotiating with Republicans on Capitol Hill.

An administration official told the Washington Times that the White House is “hosting more than 25 holiday parties this month.” The White House said the Obamas were hosting parties for “volunteers, members of Congress, White House staff, Secret Service personnel, White House reporters and Americans from across the country.” 
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SHOOTING INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY IN HARFORD CO.

(ABERDEEN, MD) – One man is being treated for gunshot wounds and another is being questioned by Maryland State Police while investigators continue to search several locations for evidence in connection with a shooting that occurred late last night in Harford County.

Suspect one is the man who was shot. He is a 37-year-old from Aberdeen, Md. The preliminary investigation indicates he was breaking down the door to enter the apartment and confront the occupants when he was shot, so he is not being identified at this time due to potential criminal charges. He is currently undergoing treatment at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Suspect two is the man currently in Maryland State Police custody. He is a 38-year-old from Havre de Grace, Md. The preliminary investigation indicates he may have shot the Aberdeen man, so he is not being identified at this time due to potential criminal charges. He is being questioned by State Police Homicide Unit investigators at the Bel Air Barrack.

Later this morning, State Police investigators will brief officials at the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office on their investigation. A determination will be made after consultation with prosecutors regarding charges to be filed against either suspect.

The investigation began shortly before 11:30 p.m. yesterday, when a 911 call was received at the Bel Air Barrack from a person who reported hearing what sounded like gunshots at a nearby apartment. Troopers responded to an upstairs apartment at the rear of a two-story house divided into four apartments in the 3300-block of Churchville Road, Aberdeen.

When troopers arrived, they found suspect two standing in the parking area with his hands in the air. He was taken into custody without incident.

At about the same time, officers from the Aberdeen Police Department were dispatched to a gas station on West Bel Air Avenue. When they arrived, they found suspect one in his car, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He told officers he had been shot by suspect two. EMS personnel were called and the man was transported to the Shock Trauma Center.

State Police investigators from the Homicide Unit and the Bel Air Barrack spent the night interviewing neighbors and obtaining search warrants. State Police crime scene technicians continue to process several locations this morning. A gun was recovered from the backyard of the apartment house where the shooting occurred. The gun will be taken to the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division laboratory for analysis.

The preliminary investigation indicates suspect one came to the apartment of suspect two and began banging on and kicking the door. Witnesses heard suspect one yelling that he knew a female, apparently his former girlfriend, was in the apartment with suspect two. Within moments, witnesses heard gunshots and all three people left the apartment.

A 30-year-old female from Abingdon who is believed to have been in the apartment at the time of the shooting has been located by State Police. She is also being questioned by investigators.

The investigation is continuing. Additional information will be provided when charges are filed.

‘MOVING FORWARD’: THIS CONGRESSWOMAN WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT ENTITLEMENTS AREN’T HANDOUTS

Okay, we’re going to do something a little different.

We’ll present a congresswoman in her own words, make a few quick points, and then the comment section is all yours.

“America is on the upswing,” said Texas Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (yes, that Sheila Jackson Lee) during a speech on the House floor Wednesday. “With increased manufacturing, more consumer confidence — we’re moving forward. The economy is moving up.”

She continued:
I believe it should be pronounced here today, that the reform of the entitlements based upon slipshod, reckless, deliberations — or should I say actions — are a non-starter. There is no way, Mr. Speaker, that we should raise the eligibility age for Medicare, that we should not think carefully about how we approach the reform of Medicaid.
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CHAFFETZ: STATE DEPT HIDING BENGHAZI SURVIVORS

Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R- UT) told Breitbart News on Wednesday that he has been “thwarted” by the State Department from seeing any Americans who survived the deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi. Many people forget that there were Americans who survived the Benghazi attack, some of whom were badly injured and are still recovering.

“My understanding is that we still have some people in the hospital. I’d like to visit with them and wish them nothing but the best but the State Department has seen it unfit for me to know who those people are—or even how many there are,” Rep. Chaffetz said. I don’t know who they are. I don’t know where they live. I don’t know what state they’re from. I don’t even know how many there are. It doesn’t seem right to me.
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Democrat Jim Moran's Son Pleads Guilty to Fracturing Girlfriend's Skull

War. On. Women.

Remember Patrick Moran? He's the son of Democratic Rep. Jim Moran and the guy who was caught on video earlier this year encouraging voter fraud while working for his father's re-election campaign. Today, he pleaded guilty in court for slamming his girlfriend's head into a metal trash can which fractured her skull. He's lucky he didn't take out her eye.

As first reported by Washington City Paper, Patrick Moran and his girlfriend were arguing outside a bar on 14th Street on Dec. 1, when, according to a police report, an officer saw Moran "slam her head into the metal trash can cage."

The report notes that Moran's girlfriend was "bleeding heavily from her nose and ... her nose and right eye were extremely swollen." She was transported to Howard University Hospital, and a medical technician told police her nose appeared to be broken and her right eye socket could be fractured.
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Dog Missing From Parsonsburg: UPDATE

Please Call 410-845-3700

Feds Pay $5,000 To Think About Mars On Hawaii Beach

Members of the tea party in Congress are blasting “out of control” government spending that has included such significant expenditures as $5,000 stipends for people to think about what food would be good to eat on Mars while sunbathing on a Hawaiian beach.

“Everything is out of control,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said today at the Capitol Hill Club, where he was joined by several others, including Reps. John Fleming, R-La.; Louis Gohmert, R-Texas; Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan.; and Paul Broun, R-Ga.
 
The lawmakers stood in front of more than 160,000 petitions from across the United States pledging their resistance to any plans for tax hikes.
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Big Changes Planned For OC Fire Department Buildings

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD) has received the go-ahead to move into the next phases of the renovation on the headquarters building downtown and the complete rebuild of Station 4 uptown.

The first request before the Mayor and City Council this week was for approval to contract an architect, Design Atlantic, for final design services and construction documents for Fire Station 4 on 130th Street.

According to City Engineer Terry McGean, who was not present during the meeting, the preliminary design for a new Fire Station 4 has been approved by the Fire Department Building Committee and staff requests the council’s approval to move forward with final design and preparation of construction documents with the goal of beginning construction in the spring of 2013.
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Annapolis Using Saved Money For Gum Removal

The City of Annapolis won’t go in debt to freshen up your steps.

The city this week paid $15,500 to buy equipment to clean chewing gum off downtown sidewalks. City officials say the money comes from $1.2 million saved by outsourcing trash collection.

News of the purchase sparked online criticism from people questioning the city’s fiscal responsibility. But others welcomed the equipment.
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Michigan Locals Raise Funds For 'Hot Dog Guy' After Union Protesters Destroy His Supplies

Clinton Tarver has been serving hot dogs to hungry locals in downtown Lansing, Mich., for the last five years, but a brush this week with a pro-union protest literally upended his small business in a matter of minutes.

During a protest against right-to-work legislation in Michigan's capital, Tarver’s catering supplies were destroyed when demonstrators tore down the tent where he was serving and trampled his gear.

The tent had been set up by the conservative Americans for Prosperity, which supports the legislation Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law Tuesday that allows unionized workers to opt out of paying union dues.
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Howard County Bans Distribution Of Sugary Drinks On County Property

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman moved Tuesday to ban the sale of high-sugar drinks such as soda in parks, libraries and other county properties and at county-sponsored events — hoping yet again to make the county a progressive model.

"I believe Howard County government should lead by example," Ulman said. "That's why today I've signed an executive order to increase the availability of healthy beverage options in our county departments and programs.

"The vending machines will look different, starting right away," Ulman said at an event in Ellicott City.

The sales and distribution ban — which mirrors efforts nationally and that may be adopted by Baltimore City — is aimed at reducing childhood obesity and raising awareness among parents and adults about the health hazards of sugary drinks.
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Woman Accused Of Beating Elderly Man Finally Has Day In Court

The woman accused in the beating of an elderly Baltimore man finally faces justice. Anastaca Oluoch had her day in court Wednesday afternoon. Christie Iletoexplains what’s next for the 59-year-old and the family she’s accused of hurting.

It’s one step closer to justice for Jaki Taylor and her family.

“Whatever it takes to bring my dad justice,” Jaki Taylor said.

And now that means going to trial in the case against her father’s former caregiver, Anastaca Ouloch.
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Extortion Call, Somber Visit Bring Nightmare Home For Parents of Marine Jailed In Mexico

The father of a U.S. Marine jailed in Mexico after being caught with his grandfather's antique shotgun heard the fear in his son's voice and felt helpless.

The phone call came at midnight from Mexico's notorious CEDES prison, where Jon Hammar Jr. has been held since August. The caller demanded $1,800, then put Hammar on to drive the point home.

"They're serious, Dad," Jon Hammar Sr. heard his son say. "I'll pay you back; they are going to kill me."
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75 Percent of Obama Tax Hikes Would Finance New Spending

Most of us here are not in the loop of what they’re discussing, but I do know this: This government doesn’t need more money — this country needs less government. To take more money out of the real economy and give it to politicians and bureaucrats, no matter who you take it from, is not going to help the middle class or anyone else. The president’s proposal clearly is not a plan, it’s not a solution, it’ll fund the government for a few days. We all realize it’s a political trophy, not a solution. The president’s been campaigning against these tax rates for a long time, and he’ll probably eventually get his tax increases one way or another. … He’s going to get his wish. We’re going to be raising taxes, not just on the top earners. Everyone’s going to pay more taxes next year in this country and I think that’s what the president wants. But, we’ve doubled the size of government and doubled spending over the last ten years. … Tax revenues at current tax rates will probably be at historic highs, and if you look at the facts, we don’t need more revenue, we just need to stop the spending. The president is not going to stop spending… It’s hard to work with someone who I think is intentionally trying to take us over this cliff.
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Same-Sex Marriage Activists Now Looking Toward Protection From Gender Identity Discrimination

As a transgender student working at a children’s summer camp, Mykell Hatcher-McLarin refused to disclose his identity, fearing he would lose his job if parents perceived him as a risk to their children.

The junior sociology major often worries he could be denied housing or health care one day, just for choosing to express his identity.

But Hatcher-McLarin believes a time when the law offers protection from gender identity discrimination may be on the horizon — as long as state and local advocates can maintain their momentum from upholding same-sex marriage in the state. While the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act failed to pass in the state General Assembly last year, members of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups on the campus said they will turn their attention to this year’s push when they return to the campus.
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Lieberman: We Don't Want to Lose Our Freedom by Trying to Keep Terrorists from Crossing Border

Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn), the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said Tuesday the U.S. has made it increasingly difficult for Hezbollah terrorists and their supporters to cross the U.S.-Mexico border--but there is still more work to do to make the border secure.

However, Lieberman also warned that we don't want to lose American freedom by trying to keep terrorist from crossing the border from Mexico into the U.S.

“The security’s better on the U.S.-Mexican border than it has been before in terms of terrorists’ capacity to break through our borders in the south, but we still have more work to do. We have such a big border that we constantly have to get better,” Lieberman told CNSNews.com at a Capitol Hill press conference.
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CPR: Chest Compressions Alone Can Preserve Brain Function

CPR’s mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions have saved countless lives, but the chest pumps alone may be just as effective during medical emergencies.

A Japanese study found that people who used hands-only, or compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on people in cardiac arrest saved more lives and preserved brain function compared to those using the compressions combined with resuscitative breaths.

In the study, published in the journal Circulation, researchers reviewed the records of 1,376 people in Japan who experienced sudden cardiac arrest and then received CPR along with shocks from an automated external defibrillator (AED) from bystanders. Among the patients, about 37% received compression-only CPR and about 64% received full CPR with both compressions and ventilating breaths.

(VIDEO: New CPR Guidelines: Hands Only)

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Six of country's 10 richest counties in D.C. area

Six of the 10 richest counties in the nation are in the Washington region, as median household incomes rise and Washingtonians benefit from a government-driven economy.

Loudoun County maintained its crown as the wealthiest county in the nation, with a median household income of $119,525 in 2011, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. And Montgomery County crept back into the top 10, as its household median income rose from $88,559 in 2010 to $92,288 in 2011 -- a spike of more than 4 percent.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

The top 10
Rank	County	2011 median household income	2010 median household income
1	Loudoun County	$119,525	$119,075
2	Los Alamos County, N.M.	$110,204	$105,987
3	Fairfax County	$105,409	$102,726
4	Hunterdon County, N.J.	$99,216	$97,532
5	Howard County	$99,040	$100,992
6	Arlington County	$98,060	$93,231
7	Douglas County, Colo.	$95,973	$97,806
8	Somerset County, N.J.	$95,915	$93,777
9	Prince William County	$93,101	$91,290
10	Montgomery County	$92,288	$88,559

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“Damned From Memory”: When The Drug War Turns On Its Own

John McLaughlin, known to his friends as “Sparky,” was a True Believer in the War on Drugs. He was convinced that his work as an agent of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement (BNI) was protecting innocent people from opportunists and thugs who prey on the weak.

He eventually came to the sorrowful realization that the most ruthless elements involved in the drug trade aren’t found in Latin America or blighted urban neighborhoods, but in well-appointed offices in Washington, D.C. and Langley, Virginia. McLaughlin also came to understand, from first-hand experience, that the Drug War has created an all-encompassing police state that targets not only the innocent public, but also law enforcement officers who become irritants to government-protected criminal cliques.

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Breaking News

SUSAN RICE WITHDRAWS HER NAME FROM CONSIDERATION FOR SECRETARY OF STATE
From Fox News

WCSO Press Release 12-13-12

12/12/2012 Assault Arrest - Mitchell
12/12/2012 Burglary Arrest - Eastman and Donoway

New Changes Coming to Library

WHAT: New Hours, New Web Site, New Services and the Elimination of some fees

WHO: Library Members & Visitors

WHEN: Changes take effect Jan 2, 2013

SALISBURY, MD – Some positive changes are coming for members and visitors of Wicomico Public Library. Beginning January 2, 2013 the Main Library will open two hours earlier on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Main Library’s hours will be Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Hours will not change at the other locations.

The Library will also launch a new, easier to use, website at the same address: www.wicomicolibrary.org. The new site will be 100% web accessible compliant, so that screen readers for the visually impaired will be able to navigate all parts of the site.

Members will see new services and reduced fees as well. The Library will be adding a fax service along with its current copier service and there will no longer be a fee for failing to pick up items on hold. Wicomico Public Library encourages everyone to go online or stop by their nearest Library location and discover all it has to offer.

SPD Press Release 12-13-12

 

Meteor Shower To Light Up Night Sky On Thursday

Starting at 9 p.m. on Thursday, skywatchers under a dark sky in the countryside should be able to see about 100 to 120 shooting stars each hour. The show will be bright enough that even those in the suburbs should be able to see about a dozen meteors per hour if they can find an area free of bright lights.

The Geminid Meteor Shower is a reliable performer that comes along at this time each year, and with the moon out of the night sky on Thursday, the show promises to be quite a sight. The shower's peak will be on Thursday night and Friday morning, with a lesser number of meteors visible over the next few nights.

The Geminids are caused by dust that comes from what astronomers think may be an extinct comet, or maybe even a new category of solar system object -- a "rock comet." All other meteor showers are caused by comets and each year our planet, in its orbit around the sun, encounters about a dozen of these debris streams, creating the meteor showers we see.
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Picking Up a $170 Billion Tab: How US Taxpayers Are Paying The Pentagon To Occupy The Planet

“Are you monitoring the construction?” asked the middle-aged man on a bike accompanied by his dog.

“Ah, sì,” I replied in my barely passable Italian.

“Bene,” he answered. Good.

In front of us, a backhoe’s guttural engine whined into action and empty dump trucks rattled along a dirt track. The shouts of men vied for attention with the metallic whirring of drills and saws ringing in the distance. Nineteen immense cranes spread across the landscape, with the foothills of Italy’s Southern Alps in the background. More than 100 pieces of earthmoving equipment, 250 workers, and grids of scaffolding wrapped around what soon would be 34 new buildings.

We were standing in front of a massive 145-acre construction site for a “little America” rising in Vicenza, an architecturally renowned Italian city and UNESCO world heritage site near Venice. This was Dal Molin, the new military base the U.S. Army has been readying for the relocation of as many as 2,000 soldiers from Germany in 2013.

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Jindal: Teachers Unions Have Mounted ‘Herculean’ Effort To Stop School Reform

As a central piece of his controversial education-reform agenda heads to the state Supreme Court for review, rising Republican star and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Tuesday unloaded on teachers unions and cast them as the biggest reason American schools continue to wallow in mediocrity.

“There is one entity working hard every day, spending millions of dollars every year, to make sure you never get the opportunity to get your child out of a failing school and into a different school, and that is the teachers union,” Mr. Jindal said during a speech in Washington, given in conjunction with a new report from the Brookings Institution showing that several Louisiana districts are among the best in the nation in offering parents more options and better access to charter and other alternative schools.

The state has also become the latest battleground in a string of fights between school reformers and their foes in organized labor. Mr. Jindal’s landmark education overhaul is now facing opposition not only from unions but has also seen a significant setback in court.
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Honda Recalls More Than 870,000 Minivans And SUVs

Honda is recalling more than 870,000 minivans and SUVs worldwide because they can roll away even though drivers have removed the keys from the ignition.

The recall announced Wednesday affects older-model vehicles sold mainly in the United States. They were big sellers with families because of their ample space and reputation for quality. Problems with the ignition switches have plagued Honda for years. It has recalled nearly 2.3 million vehicles for the problem since 2003.

Here are details of the latest recall:

MODELS AFFECTED: 347,000 Honda Odyssey minivans and 277,000 Pilot SUVs from the 2003 and 2004 model years. Also 247,000 Acura MDX SUVs from the 2003 through 2006 period. All have automatic transmissions. More than 807,000 were sold in the U.S.
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Hostess To Lay Off 18,000 Unionized Workers In Its Liquidation

Twinkie-maker Hostess continues to screw over its workers. The company is in the process of complete liquidation and 18,000 unionized workers are set to lose their jobs. More troubling – they could lose their pensions. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Hostess CEO, Gregory Rayburn, admitted that his company essentially stole employee pension money and put it toward CEO and senior executive pay. While this isn't technically illegal, it's another sleazy theft by Hostess executives - who've paid themselves handsomely while running their company into the ground. Just last month, a judge agreed to let Hostess executives suck another $1.8 million out of the bankrupt company to pay bonuses to CEOs. If there's no way to recover the money for the Hostess pension plans for workers, then we the taxpayers- through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. - will have to foot the bill to make sure workers get the retirement money they paid in. Hostess shows us clearly what predatory capitalism is all about: big bucks for the very few rich executives, layoffs and poverty for the workers and their communities.

Do You Know The Hidden Costs Of Making Breakfast At Home?

You probably think you save money by making coffee at home.

Are you sure?

Some countertop appliances cost more to operate than to buy, according to the man whose Bethesda, Md., company provides the first independent analysis of what it will cost to operate the product over the life of the appliance.

"We produce those rating labels that tell you how much a product is going to cost to run, not just how much it's going to cost to buy," says John Jabara, founder of Savenia Labs.
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Protests Rage As Michigan Lawmakers Approve Anti-Union Bills

Complaining But Not Quitting

Working for the government may sound like a sweet gig — regular hours, generous benefits, job security — but it turns out that it’s not how things look from inside the bureaucratic bubble.

With Congress and the White House seeking more revenue and spending cuts to avoid the looming “fiscal cliff,” the message from federal workers and their powerful labor unions has been consistent: We already gave at the office and we aren’t giving any more.

Noting that government workers have labored under a two-year spending freeze that will last at least until March, J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, the nation’s largest federal employees union, has demanded that lawmakers take federal wages and benefits off the table during negotiations on the fiscal cliff, contending that workplace conditions and stagnant pay scales “have become too much to bear.”
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Legislator: Traffic Camera Manufacturers Should Be Fined For Each Error

As we’ve seen in previous stories, cameras intended to catch speeders and red-light violators are not perfect, and now a state lawmaker in Maryland believes that the makers of these devices need to be held financially accountable for each instance in which a driver is incorrectly ticketed.
Following a report by the Baltimore Sun showing that five of that city’s 83 speed cameras were inaccurate, state Delagate Jon Cardin from Baltimore County has called for manufacturers to be fined $1,000 for each ticket issued in error.

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Shhhh! A New Law Says TV Ads Can't Blare Anymore

NEW YORK (AP) - TV viewing could soon sound a little calmer. The CALM Act, which limits the volume of TV commercials, goes into effect on Thursday.

CALM stands for Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation. The act is designed to prevent TV commercials from blaring at louder volumes than the program content they accompany. The rules govern broadcasters as well as cable and satellite operators.
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Regulators Want To Lock Steering Wheels Of Convicted Drunk Drivers If They’re Intoxicated

How do you keep a convicted drunk driver from climbing behind the wheel while intoxicated? Just lock’em out, say federal regulators. Federal safety regulators are pushing for a policy that would allow for special ignition interlock devices to be installed in the vehicles of convicted drunk drivers. The devices would lock up if the driver tries to go anywhere while intoxicated.

The National Transportation Safety Board is a fan of the idea, and says such a gadget policy would help prevent traffic collision deaths, reports the Los Angeles Times, especially those caused by drivers going the wrong way. Around 60% of wrong-way accidents involve drunk drivers, says the NTSB. The interlock devices would be mandatory in the vehicles of all drunk-driving offenders, even first-timers.

“Technology is the game-changer in reducing alcohol-related crashes on our nation’s roadways,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman. “Achieving zero alcohol-impaired driving-related deaths is possible only if society is willing to separate the impaired driver from the driving task.”

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526,421 Family Farms Threatened By New Death Tax

New legislation that jumps the death tax to 55 percent of estates exceeding $1 million threatens 526,421 family farms, of about 25 percent of all farms in America, according to a Senate analysis.

According to the analysis from the Senate Republican Policy Committee, chaired by Wyoming's John Barrasso:

If President Obama and Senate Democrats do not act, the federal government will begin taking more than half the value of family farm estates exceeding $1 million beginning next year. This summer, Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Democrats passed legislation (S.3412) on a party-line vote that allows Washington to take up to 55 percent, a huge increase over today's top rate of 35 percent, and drop the tax's exemption from $5.1 million to $1 million. The lower exemption -- combined with soaring farm real estate values -- could put more than 420,000 additional farm estates at risk from the death tax.

Farm values are largely tied up in non-liquid assets like land, buildings, and livestock. Many farm and ranch families would be forced to sell their assets to satisfy Washington Democrats' insatiable appetite for tax money. Up to 24 percent of America's farm and ranch families could be forced to hand over a large chunk of their heritage to the Internal Revenue Service when a family member dies. This would economically devastate rural communities. The President and Senate Democrats should join Republicans in rejecting this irresponsible policy.

Source

YOU'VE GOTTA LOVE THE BRITS....

A devout Arab Muslim entered a Black Cab in London , and curtly asked the cabbie to turn off the radio. He stated it was decreed by his religious teaching that he must not listen to music; that in the time of the prophet, there was no music, especially Western music, which is the music of the infidel. The cab driver politely switched off the radio, stopped the cab and opened the door.
The Arab Muslim asked him, "What are you doing?" The cabbie answered, "In the time of the prophet there were no taxis, so **** off and wait for a camel!"

No Hope; No Change For The Blacks!

Shooting Advice

Some words to the wise.  Shooting advice from various Concealed Carry Instructors. If you own a gun, you will appreciate this.  If not, you should get one and learn how to use it:

A;  Guns have only two enemies rust and politicians.

B;  Its always better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

C;  Cops carry guns to protect themselves, not you.

D;  Never let someone or something that threatens you get inside arms-length.

E;  Never say "I've got a gun." If you need to use deadly force, the first sound they  hear should be the safety clicking off.

F;  The average response time of a 911 call is 23 minutes, the response time of a  ..357 is 1400 feet per second.

G;  The most important rule in a gunfight is: Always win - cheat if necessary.

H;  Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets . . . You may get killed with your own gun, but he'll have to beat you to death with it, cause it'll be  empty.

I;  If you're in a gun fight:

   1;  If you're not shooting, you should be loading.

   2;  If you're not loading, you should be movin',

   3;  If you're not movin', you're dead.

J;  In a life and death situation, do something . . . It may be wrong, but do  something!

K;  If you carry a gun, people call you paranoid. Nonsense! If you have a gun, what  do you have to be paranoid about?

L;  You can say 'stop' or 'alto' or any other word, but a large bore muzzle pointed at someone's head is pretty much a universal language.

M;  You cannot save the planet, but you may be able to save yourself and your  family.

We Need Your Help

Hi, my names Kelly Kauffman and our 12 week old Beagle puppy went missing yesterday morning. He was found by the people at How Sweet It Is in Fruitland/Eden but they gave him away to girls there yesterday. I have attached a picture of him. If you could help us spread the word to try to find the girls who have him or anyone who knows them it would be greatly appreciated! I can be contacted at 443-366-7020 and my boyfriend, Daraius, can be reached at 302-258-3220. Thank you so much for your time!

Expanding Covert Warfare Makes Us Less Safe

Earlier this month we learned that the Obama Administration is significantly expanding the number of covert Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) agents overseas. From just a few hundred DIA agents overseas today, the administration intends to eventually deploy some 1,600 covert agents. The nature of their work will also shift, away from intelligence collection and more toward covert actions. This move signals a major change in how the administration intends to conduct military and paramilitary operations overseas. Unfortunately it is not a shift toward peace, but rather to an even more deadly and disturbing phase in the "war on terror."

Surely attacks on foreign countries will increase as a result of this move, but more and more the strikes will take place under cover of darkness and outside the knowledge of Congress or the American people. The move also represents a further blurring of the lines between the military and intelligence services, with the CIA becoming more like a secret military unto itself. This is a very troubling development.

In 2010, I said in a speech that there had been a CIA coup in this country. The CIA runs the military, the drone program, and they are in drug trafficking. The CIA is a secretive government all on its own. With this new expanded Defense Intelligence Agency presence overseas it will be even worse. Because the DIA is operationally under control of the Pentagon, direct Congressional oversight of the program will be more difficult. Perhaps this is as intended. The CIA will be training the DIA in its facilities to conduct operations overseas. Much of this will include developing targeting data for the president's expanding drone warfare program.
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Today's Advertiser Of The Day 12-13-12

NDAA Justifies Drone Use

We've covered how President Obama needs the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to justify detention powers he has used for the past four years, but there's another reason he needs it: drones.At the heart of both issues is the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which gives the president authority "to use all necessary and appropriate force against those ... [who] aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001 or harbored such organizations or persons."
In May White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan said that U.S. drone strikes are justified because America is "in an armed conflict with al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated forces, in response to the 9/11 attacks."

But former George W. Bush-era attorney John Bellinger recently declared shenanigans on that claim:

The Obama administration apparently continues to think that they have legal authority under [the AUMF] ... [T]hat it is questionable, because ... 11 years later, it's not at all clear that the drone strikes against ... people in Pakistan or Yemen or Somalia, young men who were in their 20s, who twelve years ago might have been 8 or 9 years old, were in fact part of the same organization that planned 9/11. So, the Obama administration continues to say that they have that authority under congressional authorization, but I think it's a fair question as to whether they really do.

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Judge Dismisses Protective Order Against Ravens Player

On Wednesday, a Baltimore County judge dismissed the temporary protective order against Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs.

Prosecutors say Suggs will now be allowed to collect the nine firearms that he gave police last week.

Suggs's attorney, Warren Alperstein, said the protective order was issued on Nov. 20 after Candace Williams, who is the mother of Suggs’ two children, filed a court order against her husband last month in Baltimore County Circuit Court. In the order, Williams claimed that Suggs punched and dragged her while driving at a high speed within September.
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Amish Christmas Lights

Today's Survey Question 12-13-12

On what date do you think the Eastern Shore 

will finally see snow this year?

What Once Was Is No Longer

This is the view from Market Street to Mill Street taken moments ago. The old Feldman's buildings have been removed and there's only a couple days more to go to completely remove the rest of the debris.

TROOPERS' TRAFFIC SAFETY TIPS FOR TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – In the spirit of the holidays and as part of our ongoing efforts to remind motorists of driving dangers, especially during this time of year, the Maryland State Police music department has prepared this public safety message with the deepest respect for and apologies to the popular song of the season, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Motorists having trouble keeping the need for traffic safety on their mind at this time of the year are urged to use this handy musical reminder.

And, in an effort to save cyberspace and increase the chance of you reading to the end, only the first and last verses of the song are included…..

On the first day of Christmas
The trooper said to me
Make traffic safety your priority

On the twelfth day of Christmas
The trooper said to me
Don’t drive drowsy
Don’t follow cars too closely
Don’t change lanes unsafely
Don’t drive drugged
Drive the speed limit
Don’t drive aggressively
Yield the right of way
Don’t drink and drive
No handheld cell calls
Don’t text and drive
Always buckle up
And make traffic safety your priority

While many activities are prohibited when driving, singing is not one of them……

Have a happy and safe holiday season.

Police Offer Gift Cards For Guns

Prince George's County police are making an effort to help stop gun violence within their community.

The police will hold their annual Gift Cards for Guns event this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Mark's United Methodist Church on 601 8th St. within Laurel.
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The New Government Class

The more dependent this group becomes, and the more it enlarges -- to the benefit of its Democrat benefactors.
The latest unemployment figures are depressing, but not for the usual reasons. They provide further confirmation of Barack Obama's fundamental transformation of America, and specifically through his creation of a growing government class.

The numbers show a massive increase in government jobs created over the last five months -- 621,000, to be exact, dwarfing private-sector job growth. Those new government jobs account for a staggering 73% of overall job growth. In all, it means that 20.6 million citizens now work for government, out of 143 million people employed in America -- or one in seven Americans.

This is exactly what Barack Obama and modern "progressives"/liberals want.

Indeed, the vision and policies and programs of progressives/liberals are rapidly generating a new government class that relies on government for its livelihood. The current such class -- the one that re-elected Barack Obama -- is comprised of federal workers; of state, county, and municipal workers; of employees in public-sector unions; of Americans collecting food stamps, welfare, and unemployment benefits; of those looking to government for their healthcare; and still more. They don't all vote Democrat, but many of them do. Incredibly, there is even a growing group of young women -- supple prey to demagogic Democrat politicians -- who are angrily expecting Uncle Sam to pay for their contraception and abortions.

We might be tempted to corral this new class into Mitt Romney's "47 percent," though the much-maligned Romney label probably underestimates the total. Likewise, these citizens might be targeted to Rush Limbaugh's "Santa Claus" category, though Rush, too, underestimated; after all, Santa Claus bears a mere gift or two once a year. He doesn't provide full-time paychecks.

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English-Only Ordinance Hotly Debated At Public Hearing In Carroll County

Applause and jeers were heard as people strongly expressed their opposing opinions for and against a proposed ordinance designating English as the official language of Carroll County.

Dozens of men and women of different colors and from different backgrounds crowded into the meeting room in the downstairs of the Carroll County Office Building on Tuesday to debate the proposed ordinance. About 50 people commented during the two-and-a-half hour public hearing, with the majority opposing the proposal.

Those who spoke against the proposal said it was divisive, pointless and unwelcoming to non-English speakers. Those who supported the proposal said it would protect the use of English in the county and would save the county money. The commissioners left the record open for 10 days, at which point they will vote on the proposed ordinance.
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Tightest Corn Crop Since '74 As Goldman Sees Rally

Three consecutive years of smaller U.S. corn harvests are driving inventories of the world’s most- consumed grain to a 39-year low and spurring Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to predict that prices will rise near record highs.

Global stockpiles will drop 11 percent to 117.61 million metric tons by Oct. 1, or 13.6 percent of what will be used for food, ethanol and livestock feed, the lowest ratio since 1974, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said today in a report.

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Come On Down For The Price Is Right Live At The Wicomico Youth & Civic Center

Salisbury, MD – The Price Is Right Live is the hit interactive stage show that gives contestants, pulled right from the audience, the chance to "come on down" to win appliances, vacations and even new cars by playing classic games from television's longest running and most popular game show. The show just announced a stop at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Wednesday, February 6th at 7:30pm.

From Plinko to Cliffhangers to the Big Wheel, and even the fabulous showcase, all the favorite games are played just like the TV show. Even if your name is not called to play you still have a chance to win. Guest's names are called out throughout the show to win prizes just for being there.

Playing to nearly sold out audiences for 6 years, the Price Is Right Live has given away over 10 million dollars in cash and prizes and sold over 1.2 million tickets.

If you enjoy the rush of emotions experienced while watching the show on television, just imagine the possibilities if you were actually in the audience watching it live.

Tickets for The Price is Right Live at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center go on sale Friday, December 14th at 10:00am. Tickets can be purchased online at www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org, via phone at 410.548.4911 or in person at the Box Office (500 Glen Ave. M-F 8am to 5pm).

“A Fight To Survive”

What started as an argument about money quickly became a fight for her life. Jenifer found herself being beaten, strangled repeatedly, slammed into the wall and floor, and knocked unconscious. Dazed, Jenifer and her teenage daughter Katie first went to the police station and then to Northwest Hospital’s ER-7. There, Jenifer was identified as a victim of domestic violence, and an advocate from the Domestic Violence (DOVE) Program was assigned to her. The DOVE advocate explained to her and Katie what domestic violence is. Katie recalls, “That sounds kind of obvious considering what just happened to my mother, but it truly helped. Abuse goes a lot further than just putting bruises on another’s body.”

The police officer and DOVE advocate used a forensic light source to view underlying bruising resulting from the strangulation. They also took photographs of all her injuries. The Lethality Assessment Project – Maryland Model was used to determine that Jenifer was at high risk for being murdered. Therefore the advocate helped her and her daughter create an extensive safety plan. While still in the emergency room, the advocate let Jenifer know how to get a protective order and assisted her with the paperwork to get a temporary one. When Jenifer got a final protective order, the police confiscated her abuser’s gun, which turned out to be loaded. DOVE, the police and the legal system quite likely saved her life.

Over the next few months, DOVE coordinated with Jenifer, the police and the State’s Attorney’s Office to ensure Jenifer and her daughter were safe, and to make sure the abuser was held accountable. DOVE not only attended every court hearing, they also made certain that Jenifer had transportation. They made her aware of the new Rental Housing Protection law that allows victims to break their lease if they need to move for safety purposes. DOVE also helped Jenifer apply for Maryland Criminal Injuries Compensation to pay for her medical bills.

“[DOVE] didn’t just throw us pamphlets and brochures and expect us to make a life decision,” Katie says. “DOVE sat down and explained how to go about each process.” Whenever Katie and her mother found their strength wavering, they’d pick up the phone and call DOVE.

While Jenifer and her daughter first went to the police, research suggests that victims of domestic violence show up in hospitals more frequently than at police stations, courts and shelters. Victims may come to the hospital for medical treatment of their injuries, thinking the assault was a one time occurrence, or saying it “only happens when he drinks.” The hospital’s 24/7 setting provides a unique and ideal opportunity to intervene, educate and provide services to domestic violence victims. In addition to the services described, DOVE also offers immediate safe shelter, assistance with basic needs, group and individual counseling services, and more.

One year later, Jenifer is still healing from her injuries with surgeries and therapy. Katie is getting ready to go to college and wants to become an advocate for domestic violence victims. Katie says, “Talking to my mom, I have discovered that mothers often have a greater love for their children’s safety than their own.” Katie says she feels grateful for and inspired by the DOVE program. “My mother and I have gone through difficult times, but it gives my mom great satisfaction to know that I’ve learned from our situation … I know now what I will and will not put up with in a relationship. I strive to have healthy relationships with my friends, my family and my boyfriend.”

Gay, Tea Party Republican Considers Unprecedented Run For Governor

TAKOMA PARK, Md. - She's a progressive state delegate who has partnered on legislation with a Tea Party Republican. She used to work as a registered federal lobbyist. And she co-owns an organic medicinal herb farm.

It seems fair to say that Maryland has never had a candidate for governor quite like Del. Heather Mizeur, D-Takoma Park.

And if she decides to run and wins, she would be the first openly gay candidate elected to governor in American history.
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Better Access To Walter Reed Medical Center

The Defense Department has awarded an $18 million grant to the Maryland Department of Transportation to improve access to the Walter Reed Medical Center. The money will go toward the Connecticut Avenue and Jones Bridge Road intersection improvement project. It's part of an overall package of $129 million DoD announced Tuesday to support infrastructure improvements related to Base Realignments and Closures nationwide.

Missing Dog 12-13-12: UPDATE

Good Morning, Joe,

My sister's German Sheppherd "Kai" is missing from the Coulbourne Mill Road and Nutters Crossing Road area. Cell: 410-726-5197.

Removing "Drum Major" Quote From Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

The Interior Department said it's solved a nagging problem: what to do with that "drum major" quote on the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. It will remove the quote rather than replace it. The Park Service will carve scratch marks over the lettering so it blends in with other parts of the sculpture. Secretary Ken Salazar says the decision comes after consultations with a range of stakeholders. Critics had complained that the paraphrased quote made King sound arrogant and missed the full meaning of his speech. The King family wanted the full quote used, but the sculptor said that could weaken the structure. Work begins in February.

Jersey Accepts FEMA Mobile Homes

It's hard to confuse New York City with New Jersey. Now there's a new point of difference between the two, thanks to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. New Jersey is accepting temporary housing from FEMA in the form of 400-square-foot mobile homes. New York City is not. The Wall Street Journal reports, New York City officials have not requested FEMA trailers and don't plan to. Mayor Michael Bloomberg remembers formaldehyde in FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina. New Jersey officials are looking for vacancies in trailer parks to place the FEMA units.

Maryland Officials Call For Hike In Gas Tax

ANNAPOLIS -- Numerous local leaders in Maryland clamored Wednesday for an increase in the state's gas tax, sales tax or tolls to pay for the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to pay for transit and road improvements.

The state needs hundreds of millions annually to build the planned Purple and Red lines -- light-rail systems planned for Montgomery and Prince George's counties, and Baltimore, respectively -- peaking at $820 million needed for construction in fiscal 2017, according to data from state legislative analysts. Maryland currently has none of the $4.8 billion needed to build the two projects.

If Maryland hopes to secure federal funding for the light-rail lines through the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program, state officials need to demonstrate how the state plans to pay its share -- likely more than 50 percent of each -- by the summer.
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Agriculture Department Eases School Lunch Rules

The Agriculture Department has eased its nutritional rules for school lunches. Now government-subsidized meals can contain more meat and grains. The rules enacted earlier this year required cafeterias to serve plenty of fruits and veggies and follow calorie restrictions. The agency said it follows expert guidelines and is part of a government effort to reduce childhood obesity. That rankled lawmakers from meat-and-potato states. They said USDA's new position gives schools more flexibility.

Md. Governor Says Law Bans Speed Camera Bounties

BALTIMORE (AP) - Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley says state law bans speed camera contractors from being paid based on the number of tickets issued.

The governor sponsored the legislation authorizing the devices statewide, and reiterated his support Tuesday for them. However, the governor told The Baltimore Sun that state law prohibits charging by volume of tickets issued. The newspaper reports Baltimore City and Baltimore County use a so-called bounty system and the city is negotiating a new contract with a vendor.
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First Customer To Shop At New Royal Farms

This was the very first customer to enter and purchase an item at the new Royal Farms store on Snow Hill Road.Their doors are now open.

Race To The Top Competition

The Education Department has given out $400 million in grants to promote local schools. The grants went to 55 districts in 11 states plus Washington, D.C. Three recipients are charter school groups. It's all part of this year's Race to the Top Competition, a signature education initiative of the Obama administration. The department turned down 300 proposals. Grants ranged from $10 million to $40 million. Typical is a $30 million grant to Miami public schools, where administrators are putting math centers in every building.

Maryland Watermen Find Booming Oyster Harvest

CHANCE, Md. (WJZ) — The annual oyster harvest is underway in the bay and this year, there’s a positive twist. Alex DeMetrick reports it’s shaping up to be the best harvest in a decade.

It’s been years since Maryland watermen have pulled this many oysters out of the Chesapeake.

“We’re having a fantastic oyster season this year, largely based on the spat set we had in 2010,” said Mike Naylor, DNR Fisheries.

Spat are the baby oysters that set on other oyster shells and it takes just the right weather for a population explosion. Dry weather that plagues farmers is needed because less fresh water runs into the bay, increasing the salt levers and triggering oyster reproduction. But too much salt triggers the diseases that can wipe out whole bars.
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DC Metro Robbery And Beating RAW

WARNING, foul language.

REPORT: TAXPAYERS PAY $4.8M FOR UNION BOSSES' SALARIES IN SINGLE DEPT.

A newly-released report from the conservative Americans for Limited Government (ALG), obtained by Breitbart News, found that taxpayers are footing a $4.8 million bill for the salaries of 35 union officials at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The ALG report used documents the group obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) showing that taxpayers are actually paying these 35 union officials’ salaries. Only three of them make less than $100,000 per year, and the average taxpayer-funded union boss salary is $138,175 per year.

Eight of the union bosses on the taxpayer payroll at the Department of Transportation make more than $170,000, too.
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