SHOCKING REPORT: GOV’T ALSO TAPPING SERVERS OF 9 MAJOR INTERNET COMPANIES TO COLLECT AMERICANS’ DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS, AUDIO

The National Security Agency and FBI are interested in more than just your phone records — they are also interested in your audio, video, photographs, emails, documents, and connection logs, according to a bombshell report from The Washington Post.

Although the massive Internet surveillance program, code-named “PRISM,” reportedly began in 2007, we are only now learning about it because an anonymous intelligence officer apparently leaked the information to the press.

“Firsthand experience with these systems, and horror at their capabilities, is what drove a career intelligence officer to provide PowerPoint slides about PRISM and supporting materials,” the report notes, “in order to expose what he believes to be a gross intrusion on privacy.”
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Two IRS Agents Placed On Administrative Leave

The Internal Revenue Service has placed two employees on administrative leave for accepting free food at a conference party. Congressional sources say the pair accepted $1,100 worth of food and other items. The IRS says it's considering firing the pair. The incident took place at a 2010 conference in Anaheim that cost the agency $4.1 million. Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel testifies on Capitol Hill today about IRS conference spending. The IRS wouldn't publicly identify the workers. Congressional aides said one is Frederick Schindler, director of implementation oversight in the agency's Affordable Care Act office.

Judge Rules Witnesses In George Zimmerman Trial Must Testify Publicly

SANFORD, Fla. – A Florida judge denied a defense request Thursday to let a handful of witnesses testify confidentially during George Zimmerman's trial for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara asked that the witnesses be allowed to testify out of the public eye because of concerns for their safety about testifying at the trial, which starts next week. He said their testimony could impact the jury's decision.

Prosecutors and attorneys for media groups objected to the request.

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Psychology 101

If you start with a cage containing five monkeys and inside the cage, hang a banana on a string from the top and then you place a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and climb toward the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, you spray all the other monkeys with cold water. After a while another monkey makes an attempt with same result ... all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it. Now, put the cold water away. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and attempts to climb the stairs. To his shock, all of the other monkeys beat the crap out of him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs he will be assaulted. Next, remove another of the original five monkeys, replacing it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment...... with enthusiasm, because he is now part of the "team". Then, replace a third original monkey with a new one, followed by the fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Now, the monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs. Neither do they know why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey. Finally, having replaced all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys will have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, not one of the monkeys will try to climb the stairway for the banana. Why, you ask? Because in their minds...that is the way it has always been! This, my friends, is how Government operates... and this is why, from time to time: ALL of the monkeys need to be REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME.

New York Times Editorial Board Says Administration Has 'Lost All Credibility'

The New York Times editorial board, which twice endorsed President Obama and has championed many planks of his agenda, on Thursday turned on the president over the government's mass collection of phone data -- saying the administration has "lost all credibility."

The grey lady's editorial section lately has shown frustration with the administration's civil liberties record. It has criticized the escalation of the lethal drone program, and it lashed out after the Justice Department acknowledged seizing reporters' phone records last month.

The report that the National Security Agency has been collecting phone records from millions of Verizon subscribers appeared to be the last straw.

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SECRET MAN CAVES FOUND IN GOVERNMENT WAREHOUSE

Packed with TVs, radios, refrigerators, microwaves, couches
Where do federal workers and contractors go when they want to get away from it all while still on the job?

How about a myriad of secret man caves?

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Chesapeake Bay Foundation And EPA Tweak Animal Pollution Pact

Under a modified deal with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the federal Environmental Protection Agency won’t revise or expand current pollution control rules for large animal operations - like the Eastern Shore’s chicken farms - as it agreed to do in a 2010 court-approved settlement.

The new plan, announced Wednesday, requires EPA to launch an examination of concentrated animal feeding operation, or CAFO, regulations.

It will also inspect farm operations around the bay watershed to see if current rules are working and whether tougher or expanded regulations are necessary. The new deal is a step away from a specific task the EPA was charged with to facilitate cleanup of the bay.

The previous agreement settled a lawsuit by the CBF and others who sued the EPA for not working harder to clean up the bay.
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Stung By Newtown Parents, Michael Moore Denies Urging Release Of Crime Scene Photos, Blames Fox News

In a March blog post headlined “America,You Must Not Look Away (How to Finish Off the NRA),” Michael Moore urged the release of crime scene photos depicting the shattered, perforated bodies of the schoolchildren slaughtered last December in the Newtown massacre.

Confronting the eye-opening details of the gore, the leftist filmmaker argued in his Huffington Post essay, was a moral imperative — expiation for America’s ongoing tacit moral complicity in mass shootings and a goad to brisk and decisive action expanding gun control and driving a stake through the heart of the NRA.

“We’ve done nothing to revise or repeal [the Second Amendment] — and that makes us responsible,” wrote the activist filmmaker, “and that is why we must look at the pictures of the 20 dead children laying with what’s left of their bodies on the classroom floor in Newtown, Connecticut.”

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Michelle Obama Threatens To Leave Fundraiser

Michelle Obama threatens to leave fundraiser after a lesbian protester heckles her speech -- and the White House deletes the exchange from its official transcript

GetEQUAL activist Ellen Sturtz demanded an executive order forcing federal contractors to stop discriminating against gays and the transgendered, but history won't show she was thereMore

Wanted Eastern Shore Man Posts Facebook Message To Sheriff

A wanted Eastern Shore man may be regretting a Facebook message that could lead to his capture.

The message criticized the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office after it posted details about an injured Bay Bridge worker on Facebook on Tuesday.

"Come on ... get the facts before posting," said the message on Colby Gilliam's Facebook page.

The response?

"Thank you Colby - by the way we still have a warrant for your arrest."

A sheriff's office spokesman said Colby Edward Gilliam has been wanted since September for violating conditions of his probation in moving to South Carolina. He's also wanted for failing to appear in court to answer charges of theft, said spokesman Dale Patrick.
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Poll: 56% Believe Feds Threaten Individual Rights

A Rasmussen poll released on Tuesday regarding the Department of Justice’s targeting of Fox News reporter James Rosen and the Associated Press shows that a plurality of Americans believe that the DOJ was attempting to intimidate the media. 43 percent of respondents said they believed that the investigation of Rosen was “primarily an attempt to intimidate the media,” as opposed to 34 percent who said it was “primarily out of concern for national security.”

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$179,000 Each - In Debt

Debt and deficits don't matter--until they do. That which is unsustainable will go away.

Longtime contributor B.C. recently shared some eye-opening charts of debt in the U.S.The charts are self-explanatory, but I've added a few notes to highlight some of the key points.

Here is a chart of total government debt, local, state and Federal. For decades we've been assured by the delusional alliance of the Keynesian Cargo Cult and self-serving politicos that "deficits don't matter." Is adding debt while gross domestic product (GDP), wages, etc. are basically flatlined sustainable forever? Deficits don't matter until they do, and that will likely be a Supernova Model event of sudden crisis and implosion. When Escape from a Previously Successful Model Is Impossible (November 29, 2012)

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Ruling On Graduation For Transgender Student

A transgender high school student will not hear his chosen male name called at graduation.

School officials in the Red Lion Area District of York County have denied the request.

Issak Wolfe wants to go by that name, but the school system claims the process is not finished and they must use his legal name, Sierra Stambaugh, when diplomas are handed out.
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Cyclists Ride Closer To A Cure At Bike MS: Chesapeake Challenge

June 1 & 2 more than 450 cyclists gathered to enjoy well-supported routes through scenic Eastern Shore waterfront communities to help create a world free of multiple sclerosis
Easton, MD- On June 1 & 2, more than 450 cyclists came together on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to stop the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis (MS). Bike MS: Chesapeake Challenge was held at Talbot County Community Center and is expected to raise more than $500,000.
“Bike MS is all about communities joining together to do something about multiple sclerosis NOW,” said Mark Roeder, president of the National MS Society, Maryland Chapter. “MS is the number one disabling disease among young adults. The funds raised through Walk MS help us advance research worldwide and address the challenges of individuals living with MS right here in Maryland. But more than the critical funds it raises, Bike MS rallies family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, businesses and government officials around a shared vision: a world free of MS. We are so grateful for the wonderful outpouring of support from the Easton community.”
Participants enjoyed cycling through scenic waterfront communities, and a new event venue, the Talbot County Community Center. A variety of route options—ranging from 34-100 miles on Saturday, and 30 & 50 mile routes on Sunday-- make Chesapeake Challenge accessible to riders of all abilities. All participants are required to raise $300, most raise considerably more. Fundraising continues through August 1 in an effort to further support the MS Movement.
For more information on Bike MS: Chesapeake Challenge visit www.bikemsmaryland.org or call 443-641-1200.

Why Didn't I Think Of That! (Part 3)

Beware If You Are Traveling On Route 50 In Pittsville

Stones from a dump druck have been spilled across Route 50 and Route 353 in Pittsville. If  you are traveling in that area please be careful not to get  a rock from the car in front of you thrown at your windshield.

Don't Forget

14th Annual

C.O.P.S. Ride

MARYLAND CHAPTER OF

CONCERNS OF POLICE SURVIVORS

Hosted by Maryland Fraternal Order of Police

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Registration at the Following Staging Locations:

Eastern Performance - Gambrills, MD - 9:00 – 11:00am

Harley - Davidson of Frederick - Frederick, MD - 9:00 - 10:00am

Harley - Davidson of Baltimore - Baltimore, MD - 9:00 - 10:30am

Rommel Harley - Davidson Annapolis - Annapolis, MD - 9:00 - 11:00am

Harley-Davidson of Washington – Ft. Washington, MD 0900 – 11:00 am

Battley Harley - Davidson - Gaithersburg, MD - 9:00 - 10:00am

Red Eye’s Dock Bar - Kent Island, MD - 9:00 - 10:00am

Chesapeake Harley - Davidson - Darlington, MD - 8:30 - 9:30am

Old Glory Harley - Davidson - Laurel, MD - 9:00 - 11:00am

Greene Turtle Restaurant - Prince Frederick, MD - 9:00 – 11:00am

C & C Cycles, Inc. - Severn, MD - 09:00 – 10:00am

All American Harley - Davidson - Mechanicsville, MD (registration Greene Turtle – Pr. Frederick)

All Riders Will be Escorted to F.O.P. Lodge #89

2905 Old Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, MD

For Lunch and COPS Ride Tee-Shirt

Minimum Donation of $25.00 per Person Required.

1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Place Prizes for Registration Sites with the Most Riders!

Door Prizes, 50/50 & Vendors

All Riders & All Motorcycles WELCOME !!

For More Info, Call Earl Kratsch 410-442-8260

www.mdcops.org

Make Checks Payable to “C.O.P.S. Maryland Chapter”

Awesome Toys!

The Real Lincoln In His Own Words

After writing two books and dozens of articles, and giving hundreds of radio and television interviews and public presentations on the subject of Lincoln and the political economy of the American "Civil War"over the past fifteen years, I have realized that the only thing the average American knows about the subject is a few slogans that we are all subjected to in elementary school. I was taught in public elementary school in Pennsylvania that Abe was so honest that he once walked six miles to return a penny to a merchant who undercharged him (and six miles back home). He was supposedly so tendered hearted that he cried after witnessing the death of a turkey. He suffered in silence his entire life after witnessing slavery as a teenager (While everyone else in the country was screaming over the issue). And of course he was "a champion of democracy, an apostle of racial equality, and a paragon of social justice," Joseph Fallon writes in his important new, must-read book, Lincoln Uncensored.

This view of Lincoln, writes Fallon, is only true "in official histories or in Hollywood movies" but not in reality. The reason for this historical disconnect is that "this myth of Lincoln, not the Constitution . . . now confers legitimacy on the political system of the United States." Despite being mostly a bundle of lies, it is nevertheless the ideological cornerstone of statism in America and has been for nearly 150 years.

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Mayor: 6 Dead In Philly Building Collapse, 13 Injured

 Firefighters say six people have been killed in a building collapse in downtown Philadelphia.

Fire officials say 13 other people were injured in the accident.

The four-story building collapsed Wednesday morning. Several witnesses said they had been casting a wary eye on the demolition site and questioned how the workers were tackling the job.

Witnesses say they heard a loud rumbling sound immediately before the collapse.

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Tea Party Patriots To Organize Mass 'Audit The IRS Rally' In D.C.

The Tea Party Patriots will organize a mass "Audit the IRS Rally" on June 19th in Washington, D.C. with local and national Tea Party groups to protest the IRS's targeting of conservative organizations.

Jenny Beth Martin, the co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, told Breitbart News that the targeted witnesses that testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday "showed the IRS discrimination and abuse had very real consequences on the local coordinators of the groups affected."

"These were not faceless, amorphous 'groups' but real Americans who wanted to peacefully assemble," Martin said. "Those in the hearings this week are a sample of the thousands of Americans who have been affected by the thuggish tactics of the IRS."

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This Day In History Jun 6, 1944: D-Day

Although the term D-Day is used routinely as military lingo for the day an operation or event will take place, for many it is also synonymous with June 6, 1944, the day the Allied powers crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, beginning the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control during World War II. Within three months, the northern part of France would be freed and the invasion force would be preparing to enter Germany, where they would meet up with Soviet forces moving in from the east.

With Hitler's armies in control of most of mainland Europe, the Allies knew that a successful invasion of the continent was central to winning the war. Hitler knew this too, and was expecting an assault on northwestern Europe in the spring of 1944. He hoped to repel the Allies from the coast with a strong counterattack that would delay future invasion attempts, giving him time to throw the majority of his forces into defeating the Soviet Union in the east. Once that was accomplished, he believed an all-out victory would soon be his.

On the morning of June 5, 1944, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On his orders, 6,000 landing craft, ships and other vessels carrying 176,000 troops began to leave England for the trip to France. That night, 822 aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.
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Garrett County Sheriff Opposes State’s Gun Regulation

CUMBERLAND — OAKLAND — Garrett County Sheriff Robert Corley provided a resolution he claims protects citizens’ Second Amendment rights in regard to the Maryland Firearms Safety Act of 2013 for the county commissioners’ support during the commission meeting on Tuesday.

Corley proclaimed his opposition to the MFSA and asked for support in allowing himself and deputies to use sound discretionary enforcement of the MFSA against any citizen unless they are engaged in commission of a crime of violence, a violent act, have been convicted of a prior felony, are adjudicated with a dangerous mental illness or under any other related compelling exigent circumstances.

“I’m asking you to join me in my commitment to the law-abiding citizens of Garrett County because such enforcement will greatly reduce the likelihood of criminalizing law-abiding citizens,” said Corley. “I believe that the MFSA violates the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution that cleary states, ‘The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.’”
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'Liar' Replaces 'Leaker': Donilon To Resign, Rice To Take Over As NSA Advisor

National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, who is widely suspected of being the source of critical leaks from the White House, is resigning and will be replaced by UN Ambassador Susan Rice, who played a key role in misleading the American public about the Benghazi terror attack in Sep. 2012. The NSA post does not require Senate confirmation; Rice withdrew her candidacy as Secretary of State due to the difficulty of confirmation.

The Associated Press reported the shuffle early Wednesday morning, based on an anonymous official source within the White House, who also indicated the change would happen after President Barack Obama met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and returned from his three-country visit to Africa in late June and early July.

Pat Caddell, former advisor to President Jimmy Carter, wrote at Breitbart News in September, prior to the Benghazi scandal:
...Donilon is surely responsible for many of the leaks coming out of the White House, all of which seemed to advance the cause of making Obama look like a tough Commander-in-Chief. These were leaks that Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California and chair of the Intelligence Committee described as “very, very disturbing.” She added, “It’s dismayed our allies. It puts American lives in jeopardy. It puts our nation’s security in jeopardy.

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Maryland Board Approves Hospital Hikes

BALTIMORE -- The panel in charge of setting Maryland hospital rates on Wednesday approved an increase in what medical facilities can charge patients for procedures.

The Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission voted without opposition to allow hospitals to increase their rates by 1.65 percent starting in July. The increased rates would be re-examined in December.

Hospitals have long been clamoring for permission to up their rates. Officials say the medical facilities have faced declining operating margins and took a hit when federal budget cuts slashed their share of Medicaid funding by 2 percent. The commission denied hospitals' request for increased rates last month, before approving the modest bump Wednesday.
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Yappy Hour

"ROADCHECK 2013" YIELDS RESULTS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

(LANDOVER, MD) – Commercial vehicles traveling in and around the Capital Beltway region yesterday were the target of “Roadcheck 2013”, a coordinated enforcement effort that resulted in scores of trucks being placed out of service for safety defects and a dozen drivers taken off the road for being unqualified to drive commercial vehicles. 

Members of the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division were joined by allied law enforcement and regulatory officers as they launched “Roadcheck 2013” at Fedex Field in Landover. The enforcement initiative focused on commercial vehicles traveling around the Capital Beltway in Prince George’s County. 

Commercial trucks and buses were directed into a temporary inspection zone set up at Fed Ex Field in Landover. The operation used overhead road signs and variable message boards to notify commercial motor vehicles on the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) would be inspected at the temporary weigh and inspection site off Arena Drive. Roving police units patrolled the surrounding area for vehicles attempting to avoid inspection at the fixed site. 

Commercial vehicle inspectors examined 525 vehicles. Of those, 101 vehicles were placed out-of-service for major safety defects. In addition, 19 drivers were placed out of service for being unqualified to operate commercial vehicles. Police issued 181 traffic citations and 284 warnings for commercial vehicle related violations. 

Allied law enforcement and regulatory agencies assisting with the operation included the Virginia State Police, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince Georges County Police Department, Calvert County Sheriff, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, and Maryland Comptroller’s Office personnel. In addition to the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division personnel, State Police units also assisted, including the Special Operations Division K-9 and command vehicle, Cadets, Tactical Medics and the Electronic Services Division. 

Similar operations will be conducted in the future as state and local police work together to reduce traffic injuries and deaths, while increasing safety on Maryland roads.

4 Md. Abortion Clinics Shut Down, 3 Docs Suspended

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Four affiliated abortion clinics in Maryland have been shut down, and three doctors have had their licenses suspended after a patient died at one clinic and regulators found lax procedures at all four.

Documents show the clinics in Baltimore, Cheverly, Frederick and Silver Spring were initially shut down in March. They were later allowed to reopen, but they were shut down again in early May.

Last week, the Maryland Board of Physicians suspended the licenses of three doctors who performed abortions at the clinics. One of those doctors has been disciplined in the past for unwanted sexual contact with patients.
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Caption This Photo 6-6-13

The Many 'When's' That Led To The Many White House Scandals

White House Scandals: Fast and Furious, Benghazi, IRS, AP, and Fox News

The many 'When's' of Barack Obama

WHEN – he refused to disclose who donated money to his election campaign, as other candidates had done, people said it didn’t matter.

WHEN – he received endorsements from people like Louis Farrakhan, Muramar Kaddafi and Hugo Chavez, people said it didn’t matter.

WHEN – it was pointed out that he was a total newcomer and had absolutely no experience at anything except community organizing, people said it didn’t matter.

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WCSO Press Release 6-6-13

• 6/4/2013 Theft Arrest - Davis
• 6/4/2013 Violation of Protective Order - Rock
• 6/4/2013 Assault on DOC Employee - Ehrisman

HELP WANTED 6-6-13

MECHANIC POSITION AVALIABLE

Now accepting applications

Must have at least 5 years experience in basic maintenance, repairs, etc.

Servicing and light mechanic on Rolling stock/Semi Trucks

Must have DOT Physical or capability to get

Experience in welding and hydraulics a plus

Submit all applications in person

EASTERN SHORE FOREST PRODS.

33677 PEACH ORCHARD ROAD

POCOMOKE CITY MD 21851

ARMY SMACKS SOLDIER FOR SERVING CHICK-FIL-A

'They say he is no longer a team player'
The Pentagon apparently has little liking for Chick-fil-A sandwiches and the Defense of Marriage Act.

The U.S. Army has reportedly punished a master sergeant for hosting a party to celebrate both his personal promotion and the legislation supporting traditional heterosexual marriages.

According to the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, the unidentified soldier was investigated, reprimanded, threatened with judicial action and given a bad efficiency report.

“They say he is no longer a team player and was not performing up to standards,” Chaplain Alliance Executive Director Ron Crews told Fox News. “This is just one little example of a case of a soldier just wanting to express his views and now he’s been jumped on by the military.”

The soldier was promoted to master sergeant last summer, at the time of a national controversy over Chick-fil-A’s support of traditional marriage.

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Coastal Kids Consignment Summer Event, June 13 - 15

Salisbury, MD – Celebrating their 16th consignment event, Coastal Kids Consignment brings together hundreds of local families hoping to sell, shop and save on kids items and also support multiple charities by donating items at the end of the event. This year, financial and in-kind donations will be distributed to Life Crisis of Salisbury, MD; the March of Dimes of Salisbury, MD; the Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center of Salisbury, MD and several other churches and local shelters.

Gearing up for summer fun and warm weather activities while finding quality brand and designer label kids and baby items can put a crunch on any family's budget. Coastal Kids Consignment has brought together thousands of ways to get what you need at a fraction of the price. The one stop opportunity to find items for all seasons of the year at 60-90% off retail is a not to miss event!

Shoppers will find high quality, gently used items for infants to juniors, maternity and ladies including clothing, shoes, toys, baby gear, strollers, pack and plays, bounce chairs, outdoor play items, home decor and much more! Bigger than a consignment store, Coastal Kids is a three day consignment event. Over 18,000 items were available at last year's Salisbury sale. Laid out like a retail store, shopping is easy with items sorted by size and gender as well as similar item groupings that allow shoppers to find what they need quickly with minimal hunting.