Salisbury News: 03/23/13

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Salisbury/Wicomico Latest Job Numbers - Shows That Local Economy Worsens

Salisbury - Wicomico latest Jobs Numbers Just In from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Today - the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest January Workforce data numbers for our nations counties and local government.

According to the US government tracking agency - Salisbury-Wicomico's economy continues to worsen. Over the course of the past 12 months - Salisbury/Wicomico has lost 1900 jobs and that represents a significant deterioration in the health of our local economy. State & local income tax revenues will undoubtedly go down as the county's tax base continues to diminish.

Labor Force Data By County, Not Seasonally Adjusted
02-2011 through 01-2013
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
					Unemp.	Change over prior
County	Period	Labor Force	Employ.	Unemploy	. Rate%	year 2011

Wicomico	11-Feb	52506	47333	5173	9.9
Wicomico	11-Mar	53116	48391	4725	8.9
Wicomico	11-Apr	52961	48485	4476	8.5
Wicomico	11-May	53444	48877	4567	8.5
Wicomico	11-Jun	53825	48951	4874	9.1
Wicomico	11-Jul	54139	49273	4866	9
Wicomico	11-Aug	53423	48706	4717	8.8
Wicomico	11-Sep	53821	49172	4649	8.6
Wicomico	11-Oct	53384	48809	4575	8.6
Wicomico	11-Nov	53153	48516	4637	8.7
Wicomico	11-Dec	53213	48619	4594	8.6
Wicomico	12-Jan	51246	46321	4925	9.6
Wicomico	12-Feb	52605	47554	5051	9.6	99
Wicomico	12-Mar	53073	48351	4722	8.9	-43
Wicomico	12-Apr	52786	48389	4397	8.3	-175
Wicomico	12-May	53608	49253	4355	8.1	164
Wicomico	12-Jun	54256	49598	4658	8.6	431
Wicomico	12-Jul	54877	50349	4528	8.3	738
Wicomico	12-Aug	53372	49007	4365	8.2	-51
Wicomico	12-Sep	52893	48773	4120	7.8	-928
Wicomico	12-Oct	52487	48385	4102	7.8	-897
Wicomico	12-Nov	52603	48276	4327	8.2	-550
Wicomico	12-Dec	52709	48085	4624	8.8	-504
Wicomico	13-Jan	51062	46139	4923	9.6	-184	p
						-1900	less
^p= preliminary.					SOURCE: BLS, LAUS		workforce
					22-Mar-13

Posted By Beazer - SBYnews Contributor

PEW: OBAMA'S MIDDLE EAST APPROVAL LOWER THAN GEORGE W. BUSH'S

Despite Barack Obama's promises to salvage America's reputation abroad from the all damage supposedly done by the Bush administration, a survey shows support for the United States in several Middle East countries has dipped below its level from George W. Bush's final year in office.

According to the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, "confidence in Obama" in Muslim countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Pakistan fell from 33% to 24% during his first term alone. Approval of his policies fell even further--from a high of 34% to the current low of 15%.
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Beware The New Corporate Tax-Cut Scam: LIFT Is A Big Lie

First it was Fix the Debt, with tax-dodging corporations “leading the charge for massive new corporate tax cuts paid for with cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.” Now there’s a new “LIFT America coalition,” pushing for massive, massive corporate tax cuts, without bothering about cutting benefits. LIFT stands for “Let’s Invest for Tomorrow,” but as Citizens For Tax Justice (CTJ) points out, it really ought to be called LIE, for “Let’s Invest Elsewhere.”

The executives who run the giant multinationals want to be let off the hook for paying taxes on profits they make outside our borders. As an Apple executive said to The New York Times, giant multinationals “don’t have an obligation to solve America’s problems.” And to prove it, American corporations are holding $1.7 trillion in profits outside the country – just sitting there – rather than bringing that money home, paying the taxes due and then paying it out to shareholders or using it to “create jobs” with new factories, research facilities and equipment.

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Arizona Bill: The Sex Listed On Birth Certificate Designates Which Public Bathroom You Use

New legislation in Arizona is stirring up controversy over the rights of transgender people in that state, with debate over a bill that would require people to use the public restroom affiliated with their birth gender. The proposed law would also make it a misdemeanor for a person to use a public shower, bath, dressing room or locker room associated with a gender other than what’s on his or her birth certificate.

Under Republican Rep. John Kavanagh’s proposed law, penalties for using a public bathroom designated for a sex other than the one on your birth certificate could include the possibility of six months in jail.

Click to enlarge.

When You’re Getting Kicked Out Of Family Dollar, Don’t Ask Your 7-Year-Old To Pepper Spray The Employees

If you’re banned from a retail store, it’s probably best to avoid making a return visit. It’s certainly not a good idea to bring along your young children when you do pop by, and it’s definitely ill-advised to ask one of those children to use pepper spray on that store’s employees.And yet, the Philadelphia Daily News writes that this is exactly what a local mom-of-the-year did earlier this week when she was caught visiting a Family Dollar store where she’d been banned over theft allegations.

Waste Not, Want Not: Montana Measure Will Allow Residents To Eat Roadkill

Get the elk marinade ready and leave your judgments at the car door, everybody. The state of Montana is not a fan of waste, and is set to allow its residents to salvage roadkill for food. If citizens can scrape it, they can eat it. And we’re not talking your usual squirrels and possums, big-game like elk, deer, antelope and moose could all be a part of the roadkill menu.

State lawmakers are thisclose to giving the go-ahead to residents after the Senate bestowed its initial approval on a bill covering roadkill as food. Now it’s up for a final vote and then on to Gov. Steve Bullock, reports the Associated Press.

The boyfriend and alleged victim in the case of the Ocean City woman charged with assaulting him in the head with a can of beer one day and a can of beans the next day was jailed Wednesday because he was too intoxicated to testify.

“The trial was prevented from occurring,” Judge John L. Norton III said in District Court in Ocean City after finding Joseph Webster in contempt of court.

Kathleen Theresa Machen, 47, looked angry and horror-stricken as Webster was handcuffed in court before being taken to jail to serve a four-day sentence. Earlier, she had mouthed, “This is bull ____,” after the judge ordered her to continue to be held in jail pending trial.
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Congress Is Urging The TSA To Keep Banning All Knives On Airplanes

The Hill reports, 133 House members have signed a letter to Administrator John Pistole. In it, they say they support a risk-based approach to security, but this isn't it. One lead author, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) has called the TSA's decision "borderline idiotic." Another, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is sponsoring legislation to give a TSA advisory panel more authority. The agency did not consult the panel before it announced it would let passengers bring small knives and bats on board. Another bill would block the new policy altogether.

Campaign Finance Reform Passes In House And Is Moving In The Senate

A major campaign finance reform bill cleared the House of Delegates Thursday, and a Senate version of the bill is now being considered in committee.

The bill would increase campaign contribution limits and stiffen penalties for those who fail to disclose their contributions. It was unanimously passed by the House of Delegates.

This legislation would also close a significant election law loophole that allows businesses to donate above contribution limits by giving through multiple names in related corporations.
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FAA Gets Flack From Airlines

The FAA is getting flack from airlines over the possibility of air traffic control furloughs. The Wall Street Journal reports, the trade group, Airlines For America, has sent a legal memo to FAA officials. They argue the FAA can meet its budget cutting goals without resorting to furloughs. The federal agency has warned that controller furloughs could cause widespread flight delays. Administrator Michael Huerta disputes the airlines' claims that the agency is making passengers political pawns in its budget battles.

Harassment Policy Indicates OC Fire Department Resolution

In a suspect case of policy being too broad to not be specific, the Ocean City Council this week passed a resolution adopting a new “Harassment-Free Workplace Policy,” which, while being relevant to the city’s entire workforce, was clearly directed at the ongoing tension in the Ocean City Fire Department.

The resolution to add the one-page anti-harassment policy to the employee manual was adopted by the elected body without discussion. Although he would not comment on whether the policy had been devised with the OCFD controversy in mind, City Manager David Recor said it “was aimed specifically at unacceptable and inappropriate behavior regarding protected classes and characteristics.”

“It’s an applicable policy organization-wide, which is why I asked the council to adopt it by resolution and have it included in the employee handbook,” Recor added.
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Government Shutdown

President Barack Obama's signature is all that remains in order to avert a government shutdown next week. The House and Senate have wrapped up work on a bill to fund the government until Sep. 30. It gives regular funding to the Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs departments. Most others get funding at continuing resolution levels. Sequestration cuts remain in place for everybody. The bill extends the federal pay freeze until Dec. 31. It prevents the Postal Service from ending Saturday service. And it restores funding for military tuition assistance programs.

Franchot Seeks Harsher Penalties For Untaxed Cigarette Charges

Two out-of-state residents were charged March 10 with possessing and transporting unstamped cigarettes in the state of Maryland.

Comptroller Peter Franchot wants stiffer penalties for those crimes.

After a state trooper stopped their 2013 Nissan Altima for speeding on Route 113 at Route 589 near Showell at about 12:15 p.m., he searched the car and found 430 cartons of untaxed cigarettes.

The driver, Baligh Mohamed Alsaidi, 32, of Hazelton, Pa., and his passenger, Bassam M. Algazali, 37, of Bronx, N.Y., said they bought the cigarettes in Virginia and were taking them to New York to sell.
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Fill In The Blank 3-23-13

Under Arrest For _________?

Furloughs

The Defense Department is holding off on the release of furlough notices for civilian employees. Instead, officials are taking a wait-and-see on furloughs. The notices were supposed to be delivered today through next Thursday, but no notices were ever issued. Congress passed a funding bill that hands DoD a regular 2013 budget. Although the sequester cuts are still in place, the bill gives clearer direction on how DoD must allocate its funds. However, a Pentagon spokesman didn't rule out furloughs. So notices could start going out in two weeks.

Groundhog Phil A Furry Felon Over False Forecast

A shadow of a different kind is hanging over Punxsutawney Phil.

Authorities in still-frigid Ohio have issued an "indictment" against the famed groundhog, who predicted an early spring when he didn't see his shadow after emerging from his lair in western Pennsylvania on Feb. 2.

Spring arrived Wednesday, and temperatures are still hovering in the 30s in the Buckeye state and much of the Northeast. While it's not the coldest spring on record, it's a good 5 degrees below normal, said Don Hughes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio.
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CTTY COUNCIL 2010 AGENDA March 25, 2013

Government Office Building Room 301

Times shown for agenda items are estimates only.

6: 00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER

6: 01 p.m. WELCOME/ANNOLTNCEMENTS

6: 05 p.m. 1NVOCATION/MEDITATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6: 07 p.m. ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

6: 10 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA—City Clerk Kim Nichols

March 4, 2013 work session minutes

March 11, 2013 regular meeting minutes

Resolution No. 2266 - appointing Rabbi Arnold L. Bienstock to the Ethics Commission for a term ending 9/ 30/2016

6: 15 p.m. AWARD OF BIDS—Assistant Internal Services Director-Procurement 2 Catrice Parsons Change Order# 2 to RFP 04- 14 Fitzwater St. Sewage Lift Station Rpl. & Upgrade

6: 20 p.m. ORDINANCES—City Attorney Mark Tilghman

Ordinance No. 2235 — 2nd reading— approving a budget amendment of the FY13 General Fund to appropriate funds received from the speed camera program for the purchase of computers and related equipment for seven new police patrol vehicles

Ordinance No. 2238— 2nd reading— requiring businesses entering into agreements with the City of Salisbury, or filing appeals with or seeking relief or approval from the City of Salisbury to provide business ownership information

7: 00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS

7: 15 p.m. ADJOURNMENT

Proposed agenda items for Apri1 8, 2013 ( subject to change)

Ordinance No. 2236— 2nd reading& Public Hearing— pursuant to Chapter 17.228 of Title 17, Zoning of the Salisbury Municipal Code and Section 4. 04 of Article 66B of the Annotated Code of Maryland for the purpose of adding Section 17.46, Mixed Use Non- Residential Zoning District and amending Section 17.08, Districts-Maps- Boundaries( creating multi- use/non- residential zoning district)

Ordinance No. 2238— l s` reading— requiring businesses entering into agreements with the City of Salisbury, are filing appeals with or seeking relief or approval from the City of Salisbury to provide business ownership information.

New York Offers $500 Reward For Reporting Illegal Gun Owners

ALBANY, N.Y. – Nearly a year before signing the nation's most stringent gun control measure into law, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched a hotline that allows state residents to report illegal gun owners in exchange for a $500 reward.

The measure is part of a four-pronged approach established by the governor's office to reduce gun violence in urban communities, according to CBS6Albany.com.

New Yorkers can call the "Gun Tip Line" if they believe someone they know has an illegal gun. Hotline calls are answered by state police and tips are referred to local law enforcement, the station reported.
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Caption This Photo 3-23-13

SEQUESTER! FAA TO CLOSE 149 AIR TRAFFIC TOWERS THAT ALL HAVE THIS ONE THING IN COMMON

The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday released a list of 149 non-fed staffed air traffic control towers that it will close due to budget cuts stemming from sequestration.

The 149 air traffic facilities slated to begin closing on April 7 are all staffed by contract employees who arenot FAA employees. There were 65 other facilities staffed by FAA employees on the preliminary list of towers that could be closed.

A final decision on their closure will require further review, the FAA said.
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No Charges For Md. Disabled Man's Death In Custody

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) -- A Frederick County grand jury on Friday declined to indict three sheriff's deputies involved in the asphyxiation death of a man with Down syndrome, prompting the man's family to question the thoroughness of the investigation by the officers' co-workers.

Robert Ethan Saylor's parents, Patti and Ronald Saylor, want to review the investigative file compiled by the sheriff's office and the state medical examiner's autopsy report before deciding whether to pursue civil action, Baltimore attorney Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum said. Neither file was available for public inspection Friday.

"The family is extremely disappointed and saddened by the grand jury's decision," Krevor-Weisbaum said. "The inquiry into events on that terrible night is not going to stop here."
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God Bless America, First Radio Performance

WCSO Press Release 3-22-13

Tom Mabe – Telemarketer Crime Scene Prank

Storm Leaves County Facing $250K In Park Damage

SNOW HILL -- Due to stringent Little League regulations, the loss of one lighting pole in a storm earlier this month at John Walter Smith Park means no more Little League night games can be played at the location until the entire lighting system is replaced, a cost of about $250,000.

For the time being, the Worcester County Commission has decided to hold off on the replacement, instead suggesting that Little League games be held during the day for the time being.

“On Thursday, March 7, 2013, the wooden pole that housed 10 lights on the right side of the field, snapped in half during a nor’easter storm …,” Recreation and Parks Director Paige Hurley reported to the commission. “Without this bank of lights, the field does not meet the lighting standards that had been grandfathered in by Little League Baseball International.”
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50 Of The Most Beautiful Women Ever - Morph

SPD Press Release 3-22-13

A Letter To The Editor 3-23-13

Let me preface this comment by saying this is not a one location issue. This concern is for every McDonalds I have visited recently. Here is my issue, we are in very tough times, people are unemployed, money is tight, whatever the reason our finances need to go further than ever before. If you agree, why would our local franchises be ripping us off and not speaking the truth about it when confronted? This is the brief breakdown; We have some specials going on - $1 any size coffee, $1 large soda, $3 steak bagel, $3 steak burrito (2qty). You can buy (a-la-carte)a large coffee$1, hasbrown$1 and a steak entre$3 for a total $5 plus tax. If you buy a "value' meal with a small coffee it's $5.69, then i guess I had the nerve to ask for a large coffee in place of the small and they said that would be extra. My obvious question was, "if all the coffee is one price how can you charge more?" The answer? "That's only if you buy it separately". So i purchased it all a-la-carte. Why should I need to do that?

So i decided to look at the other "value" meals and it repeats itself on a number of occasions. The worst was the lunch/dinner "value" meal of the onion cheddar burger. The Medium "value" meal includes; medium soda, small fries and 2qty of the onion cheddar burgers $4.99. A-la-carte; large soda or sweet tea, small fries, 2qty onion cheddar burgers $4. Same answer as the first when I asked for a large upgrade of either soda or sweet tea, "that will be extra".
I just don't get it. Why is this O.K.?

Gas Tax Approved By House; Walkout, Complaints Follow Vote

The Maryland House of Delegates has approved a transportation tax bill that will increase taxes on gasoline, as well as vehicle registration fees and mass transit fares.

The money is earmarked mainly for road, bridge and mass transit projects

A number of Republicans who opposed the bill, complained that Speaker Michael Busch locked the voting board before lawmakers could either cast their vote, change their vote on the bill, or explain how they voted to their colleagues.

Republicans asked for another vote.
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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 3-23-13

WHEELOCK CHINA

These items go back to around 1910 and were purchased for a birthday or at Christmas time as a present for someone’s mother, grandmother, aunt, sister or favored significant other. The information I have learned about them presented me with some interesting facts. The company that made them was The Wheelock Co. They had two factories, one in Germany and one in Austria. As you can see by the picture of the underside of the little reticulated 2 ¾” x 2 1/4 “ dish, the stamp clearly states the it was “Germany Made for McCroreys 5 & 10c Store Salisbury Md.” The picture on the front is of the old Wicomico High School and is in color. Everything I have seen from their German facility had the picture in color. Everything from Austria is black on white.

I first became entranced by Wheelock China at a post card show. One of the dealers had brought a plate for sale because it had images of five scenes around Salisbury. I recognized them as the same pictures that were used on post cards, so I bought it. Since most of the post cards of the era were printed in Germany, this intrigued me. The plate was of the Austrian variety and I have since found another like it, the only difference being the gilding around the edge of the plate.

The peanut dish pictured above is from the Austrian factory. It has the Wicomico County Court House pictured on it. The toothpick holder with its color picture of the Masonic Building is from the German factory. I have since found several other items sold by Wheelock through McCrory’s in Salisbury. They all have the stamp on the reverse that identifies them as having been destined for theSalisbury, Md. store. No mention is made in the address of “U.S.A.”

They had to have been made between 1905 and 1915. The Wicomico High School was built in 1905 so images of it before then would have been impossible. World War I prevented anything from coming out of Europe after 1915 so the items would have had to be shipped before that date.

Getting back to the dime store that sold them, Wheelock identified them as McCroreys. The 1907 Salisbury City Directory has them listed as McCorley’s. Both are incorrect. The correct name of the store was McCrory’s. It lasted on Main St. until the 1960’s. Their original store was at 215 W. Main St. Their next move was to 728 S. Salisbury Blvd. until the Salisbury Mall opened and they had store #4 there.

While I am sure many of you remember one of the McCrory stores, we don’t remember Wheelock china and the joy it brought to some Mother on her birthday or at Christmas time. At the time, most pieces would have retailed for less than a dollar, with the plates selling for a little more. They fall in the class of “souvenir ware” now, but they are telling a story of Salisbury and history.

My Entire Childhood

$10,000 Car - AirPod - That Runs On Air

Senate Rejects Ban On Allowing Former Illegal Immigrants Healthcare Benefits

The Senate rejected an amendment to the budget that would have banned illegal immigrants from ever qualifying for “ObamaCare” and Medicaid.

Senate Budget Committee ranking member Jeff Session (R-Ala.) introduced the amendment, which failed on a 43-56 vote. His amendment would have prohibited illegal immigrants, who later gain citizenship, from getting healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act or through Medicaid.

“My amendment would simply say if you are here illegally and then get lawful status, you do not qualify for ObamaCare and Medicaid,” Sessions said ahead of the vote early Saturday morning.
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Guess What Today Is??

Someone has a birthday today!

Attention