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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Salisbury City Council Agenda For January 27,2014



 

Salisbury City Council Work Session Agenda For January 27th 2014


 




Sweepstakes Rides Again

CARSON: A Physician's View On The Sanctity Of Life

The thought of abortion for convenience is repugnant

Several years ago, I was consulted by a young woman who was 33 weeks pregnant and was on her way to Kansas get an abortion. I informed her of the multiple options available to her outside of abortion and she decided to go through with the pregnancy even though the child had hydrocephalus and required neurosurgical intervention after birth a few weeks later. She kept the baby and loves the beautiful child that has resulted.

A couple of decades ago, I came into the pediatric Intensive Care Unit on morning rounds and was told about a four-year-old girl who had been hit by an ice cream truck, and was comatose and exhibiting little neurological function other than reactive pupils. I tested her pupillary reflexes and both pupils were fixed and dilated. The staff indicated to me that this is something that must have just occurred. I grabbed the bed and with some help, transported her quickly to the operating room for an emergency craniotomy. I was met along the way by a senior neurosurgeon who told me I was wasting my time and that at best, we would end up with someone in a vegetative state.

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As Viral As The Shooting Post Went, Don't Be Surprised To See County Drinking & Driving Post Go To #1

That's right, it may even happen tonight. It rose through the charts like a rocket and it is now in the top 5 articles of the week. The next thing I knew it was at #4, then #3 and very quickly #2. I was very sure NOTHING would ever catch up to the Shooting Post but let me tell you, we're only hours away from the drinking and driving article becoming #1. 

GO HERE to view and comment on the original article. Yes, the name of the employee has been exposed in a recent comment. 

BREAKING NEWS: LOCAL Salisbury Target Customers Have Been Compromised

New USAA Credit Card
View Accounts | Privacy Promise | Contact Us

Dear Customer

We were notified by major credit card companies that your USAA credit card information, such as your name, credit card number and expiration date, have been compromised. Unauthorized access to this information occurred between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, 2013, through Target®, a national retailer — USAA's systems were not involved.

To reduce the risk of unauthorized transactions, we're replacing your credit card ending in 0000 . We'll send you a new card with a new account number and expiration date, and you should receive it within 10 business days. Along with the card, we'll provide information about the steps you should take to activate your card and change your automatic payments.

What to do with your current credit card
Your current card will only remain active for 20 days after the postmarked date on the envelope containing your new card, so it's important that you activate your new card immediately. USAA will automatically cancel your existing card when you activate the new one. After you have activated your new credit card, please destroy your current card and convenience checks. Refer to our Frequently Asked Questions for more information and important steps you should take regarding this matter.

We are committed to the security of your account and personal information. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you would like to speak to us about this matter, please call us at 1-800-945-3703.

Thank you,
USAA Savings Bank

LAWMAKERS SEEK TIGHTER REGULATIONS ON CASH-FOR-PHONE KIOSKS


ANNAPOLIS – The premise seems simple: drop off an unwanted phone at a recycling kiosk, receive instant cash and keep precious metals out of landfills. Consumers and the environment both win.

But, according to some politicians, so do phone thieves. This fear has led some Maryland lawmakers to push for tighter restrictions or even outright bans on these machines.

This fall, Baltimore prohibited cash-for-phone kiosks in the city. Baltimore City Councilman Bill Henry, who initiated the measure, said the kiosks’ tendency to attract stolen phones outweighed the good done by businesses like San Francisco-based ecoATM, which has 10 kiosks in Maryland.

Tennessee Bill Would Shut Down NSA Spy Center

Legislation would cut off water and electricity to facility involved in cracking encrypted data

Legislators in Tennessee have introduced a bill that would ban the state from providing water and electricity to an NSA data center which is currently involved in building supercomputers designed to crack encrypted data.

The Fourth Amendment Protection Act, which mirrors legislation introduced in other states, would prohibit local and state agencies from “providing material support to…any federal agency claiming the power to authorize the collection of electronic data or metadata of any person pursuant to any action not based on a warrant.”

The bill also disincentivizes local companies from doing business with the NSA.

“We have an out of control federal agency spying on pretty much everybody in the world. I don’t think the state of Tennessee should be helping the NSA violate the Constitution and the basic privacy rights of its citizens – and we don’t have to,” said State Sen. Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville), who introduced the bill. “This bill may not completely stop the NSA, but it will darn sure stop Tennessee from participating in unjustified and illegal activities.”

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Is Sochi Prepared For The Olympic Games?

There are many concerns about security at the upcoming Olympics in Sochi. Dan Bongino thinks that Americans should be somewhat worried about attending the Olympics. A lot of American athletes have told their families to not attend and to just watch it on television.

Bongino remarked he's not confident that the Olympic grounds have been appropriately sweeped and prepared for the games. "They've known about this for a long time. We have no idea if these people are already there and what they've planted."
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John Morgan’s Hypnosis Seminars Return To The Wicomico Youth & Civic Center

Salisbury, Md. – The Wicomico Youth & Civic Center is hosting John Morgan’s Hypnosis Seminars on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014. The Stop Smoking Forever Seminar will begin at 6 p.m. and the Weight Loss Seminar will start at 8 p.m.

Put the fire in your desire to Stop Smoking Forever at this 2 hour John Morgan Hypnosis Seminar. Learn to outgrow the smoking pattern and make it part of your past. Quit smoking once and for all. Enter a relaxed frame of mind where you're receptive to stop smoking suggestions. Experience accelerated learning as your conscious filters relax quickly and you absorb life changing hypnotic suggestions without effort.

Finally, stop dieting and Lose Weight and Keep it Off! Diets are useful for temporary weight loss and nothing more. Learn to use your mind more than your mouth and achieve permanent results with Weight Loss Hypnosis. The John Morgan Lose Weight and Keep it Off! Seminar is a 2 hour experience where you'll get acquainted with the part of your mind that runs all your routines and discover how to effortlessly outgrow these patterns using hypnosis. Lose all the weight you desire safely and keep it off. Come to a John Morgan Weight Loss Hypnosis Seminar and get unstuck and get on the path to a slimmer, firmer, healthier you permanently!

To register for either hypnosis seminars, please call 800-735-6907. Visit http://johnmorganseminars.com for additional information.

U.S. MILITARY EXPANDS MINORITY RELIGIOUS RIGHTS

A new directive from the Department of Defense expands the rights of religious minorities, but it gives no indication the services will stop hindering the expression of Christian beliefs by some members of the U.S. military.

The new rules will allow Muslims to wear beards, Sikhs to wear turbans, Jewish service members to wear yarmulkes, all while in uniform, as long as they don’t have an “adverse effect on military readiness, mission accomplishment, unit cohesion, and good order and discipline,” Pentagon spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen told WND.

The military is creating several new categories of religion-based articles and clothing that can be worn, including hairstyles, facial hair, tattoos and piercings.

Read more

County Employee Drinking & Driving Post Makes The Top 5 List Already

Well that didn't take long. On the top left hand side of SBYNews is a Google chosen Top 5 Articles of the Week. It takes a LOT of hits on one particular Post to make the Top 5 and clearly Wicomico County residents are upset. We've also seen around 50 comments pop up on this article as well and I believe that will grow as County Employees will get off work, come home and see what's going on.

I have received MANY calls today asking if the County Executive has called me referencing this matter today, he has not, so you can stop calling and asking. 

GO HERE if you'd like to see the original article and or make comments.

"Rain Tax" Focus Of Debate, Ad Campaign

Republicans in the House of Delegate and the Senate have introduced legislation to repeal Maryland's Stormwater Managmenet Fee, or what critics have called the "rain tax."

The 2012 law allows Baltimore City and nine counties to assess a fee on property owners based on the amount of paved surfaces they have on their property. The money from the tax pays for stormwater management projects that are designed to reduce pollution flowing inot the Chesapeake Bay.

The fee is part of a federal mandate that requires Maryland to reduce Bay pollution.
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David Craig On Gov. O'Malley's State Of The State Speech

Harford County Executive and candidate for Governor David Craig released the following statement today about the Governor's State of the State speech:

"The O-Malley-Brown years leave a sad legacy for those interested in basic government competence, fiscal responsibility and individual freedom.

"While Governor O'Malley acknowledged the failure of his Administration and Lt. Gov. Brown to implement Obamacare, there are important facts missing among the many statistics he likes to choose. The Administration has a long way to go on providing transparency on health care including an accurate number of how many consumers are obtaining actual coverage, the number of people dropped from private plans and the total cost.

"We have heard for several years now the growing amount of money in so-called 'cuts' to the budget, when in fact the budget has grown $10 billion during the O'Malley and Brown terms. Over 70 tax, fee and toll increases are hurting the economy, reducing employment compared to other states in the region and is taking more money for more government."

HOGAN: O’MALLEY SPINNING MAGICAL TALES OF “ACCOMPLISHMENTS”

ANNAPOLIS – Gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan released the following statement:

Year after year, this governor has provided nothing more than lip service to hundreds of thousands of hard working Maryland families who look to their governor for leadership. Today was no different. We heard nothing about how the O’Malley-Brown administration plans to turn our economy around, nothing about attracting job creators to Maryland, and no apology to the tens of thousands of Marylanders who have not been able to participate in Maryland’s healthcare exchange.

Instead, what Governor O’Malley delivered today was pure fiction. The Governor continued his perennial claim of spending cuts when the simple fact is the O’Malley-Brown administration has increased spending by 33 percent: from $29.5 billion in their first year to $39.2 billion proposed in their final year.

O’Malley talked a lot about the middle class but, under this administration, the middle class has never felt more pain. The O’Malley-Brown administration paid for their excessive spending on the backs of the middle class. Forty consecutive tax and fee increases – record sales tax increases, the massive gas tax increase, and higher fees on nearly everything – have hit the middle class pocket book the hardest. Their taxes have gone up, their jobs have disappeared, and they now pay more than ever to heat their homes, commute to work, and feed their families.

Marylanders deserve better.

RON GEORGE CALLS O’MALLEY’S STATE OF THE STATE A BURDEN ON JOB CREATION

Calls for “focus on expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs.”

Annapolis, Md.
– Gubernatorial candidate Ron George has released the following statement regarding Governor O’Malley’s final State of the State address:

“Never has a governor so boldly claimed budget cuts, economic growth and a shrinking executive branch in the face of such clear evidence against. Small businesses have seen their taxes rise tremendously under the O’Malley/Brown administration. Now in 2014, he is burdening job creators with the rain tax, implementation of Obamacare and a forced wage increase.

“The O’Malley/Brown administration has seen the relocation of thousands of small businesses and tens of thousands of taxpayers due to a hostile state government. Our mom and pop shops, who employ the majority of our workers, are already struggling to stay open. We must focus on expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs and technical training for our unemployed to protect and grow our middle class for generations to come.”

Top 10 Reasons To Vote Democrat

1. I voted Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want.I’ve decided to marry my German Shepherd.

2. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn’t.

3. I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.

4. I voted Democrat because Freedom of Speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.

5. I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves. I am also thankful that we have a 911 service that get police to your home in order to identify your body after a home invasion.

6. I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about millions of babies being aborted so long as we keep all death row inmates alive and comfy.

7. I voted Democrat because I think illegal aliens have a right to free health care, education, and Social Security benefits, and we should take away the social security from those who paid into it.

8. I voted Democrat because I believe that businesses should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the Democrats see fit.

9. I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.

10. I voted Democrat because I think that it's better to pay billions for their oil to people who hate us, but not drill our own because it might upset some endangered beetle, gopher or fish.

The difference between Genius and Stupidity; is that Genius has its limits: AlbertEinstein

BREAKING NEWS: Feds Subpoena Christie Campaign

Federal prosecutors have sent subpoenas to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s reelection campaign and a state GOP committee amid allegations his aides created traffic jams as political payback.

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SNOW REMOVAL FROM SIDEWALKS

The City of Salisbury wants to remind property owners that sidewalks throughout the City shall be free of snow to ensure safe travel of pedestrians.

Chapter 12 of the Salisbury Municipal Code states:

All owners of any land or premises situated on any street within the city where sidewalks are laid shall remove the snow and ice therefrom for the entire length thereof for a width of at least four feet or, at a minimum, the entire width of the sidewalk if less than four feet and may deposit the same along the remaining portion of such sidewalks which is farthest from the street within twenty-four (24) hours after the snow or ice has stopped falling. In the event that the snow is not removed within the time and manner above provided, the owner or person in possession shall be notified to forthwith remove the same and, in the event of a failure to do so, shall be guilty of a municipal infraction. In addition, the city may cause the same to be removed as above specified and charge the cost thereof against the owner or occupant, to be recovered by suit.

Please be aware that residential property owners who for the totality of their circumstances, considering such factors as age, physical handicap or disability, who are unable to comply with the above requirements may submit a request for an exemption to the Housing Official by November 1st of each year. The property owner shall be responsible for the cost of removing the snow and ice and the fee for such work shall be collectable in the same manner in which real estate taxes are collected. Please be advised the time period has passed for this winter season’s exemptions.

NSCC accepts calls for service (complaints) regarding violations of Chapter 12. To contact Neighborhood Services & Code compliance please call (410) 341-9550 Monday thru Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

UPDATE: Prayers For Brooke

About to start the biopsy - Brooke just went in! Prayers please! — at CHOP.
Brooke is at CHOP now waiting to have a biopsy of her tumor on L4 of her spine. They will be sending this out to a lab to see if they can get information on the genetic make-up of the tumor to then see what treatments it might respond best to. Please pray that the procedure goes smoothly, that the pain is minimal and that they are able to get helpful information.

UPDATE: Brooke is done with her tumor biopsy (2 1/2 hours). She is in the recovery room and woke a little bit ago. Her throat/speaking bothering her due to being intubated. She is having a little pain at the biopsy site but doing okay (although her meds haven't worn off yet so that could change). She will have to limit activity for 3 weeks while her spine heals. Thanks everyone for the positive prayers and well-wishes!

2016 Campaign Checklist: O'Malley

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A look at Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's preparations for a potential 2016 presidential campaign:

Nondenial denial: "By the end of this year, we're on course to have a body of work that lays the framework of the candidacy for 2016," O'Malley said in August 2013 in an acknowledgment of presidential ambition that is rare in the field. He's said little publicly since: "I'm thinking about it." -- CNN, January.

Book: No. "I'm very busy doing what I'm doing," O'Malley said in November 2013. "Where would I ever find the time to do something like that?"
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The Chart That Really Scares The Government

With a government intent on growing its entitlements, welfare state, and implicitly it's debt load... what could be more terrifying than the future debt-serfs refusing to be born into existence. As the birth rate in the US tumbles to yet another multi-decade low, one has to ask how confident the young adult of today is and how, again, the Japanization of America continues to indicate a dark future ahead.

WUSA9 Probe Prompts Speedcam Refunds

Fort Washington, Md. (WUSA9) – Prince George's County Police are voiding more than $80,000 in tickets issued by a speedcam at the center of a WUSA9 investigation.

The WUSA9 probe found the camera in the 2300 block of Brinkley Rd. in Fort Washington was never legally published.

Maryland law requires jurisdictions with automated speed monitoring systems to warn motorists of each location before snapping speeders. The notice is required to be posted on the county website and in a newspaper of general circulation. Prince George's County Police now acknowledge that they never published this location in the Prince George's County Gazette.
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Virginia's Ken Cuccinelli: Christie Should Resign As RGA Chair

Former Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli said Tuesday that "it makes sense" for controversy-scarred New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to step down as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

Appearing on CNN, Cuccinelli said Christie has been tainted by the Bridge-gate traffic controversy, and "perception is reality."

"[I]t makes sense for him to step aside from that role," Cuccinelli said. "He does not serve the goals of that organization by staying its chairman."

Cuccinelli added resigning the chairmanship "doesn't mean any of the charges... are substantive or not. It doesn't matter. Perception is reality."

Cuccinelli, who last November lost a close race to Virginia's Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, said the scandal had compromised Christie's effectiveness as the RGA chairman, but conceded it's "still relatively new."

"He may well step down... " he said. "He may get some counsel from other governors along those lines."

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Teacher Fired for Watching Porn at School Gets Job Back Thanks to Union

A teacher in Wisconsin who was caught looking at pornography has been given his job back thanks to the teachers union.

Andrew Harris, a school teacher at the Glacier Creek Middle School, was fired for looking at porn on school grounds and trading it with others. The local teachers union was able to get Harris reinstated with $200,000 dollars in back pay. The union spent about $700,000 dollars on legal fees paid for by the taxpayer.
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Taxpayers Face New 39.6 Percent Bracket As New Rates Kick In

A new top tax rate, higher Medicare taxes and the phaseout of deductions and exemptions could mean higher tax bills for wealthier Americans this year. Legally wed same-sex couples, meanwhile, may find the true meaning of the marriage penalty.

All taxpayers will have a harder time taking medical deductions.

In other changes for the 2013 tax year, the alternative minimum tax has been patched - permanently - to prevent more middle-income people from being drawn in, and there's a simpler way to compute the home office deduction.

Tax rate tables and the standard deduction have been adjusted for inflation, as has the maximum contribution to retirement accounts, including 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts, or IRAs.

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SPD Press Release 1-23-14



How The Banksters Took Control

The legal issue: Could the state of Maryland tax the Second Bank of the United States? It was a private bank.

The issue, as stated by Chief Justice Marshall in a long, detailed decision, was this: Does the Constitution allow Congress to charter a bank? That was what Congress did in 1791: the [First] Bank of the United States. It was a central bank. Its charter lapsed in 1811.

The Second Bank of the United States was chartered by Congress in 1816.

In 1818, Maryland voted to tax the Bank. The Bank refused to pay. The Supreme Court decided in favor of McCulloch, an agent of the Bank.

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Hundreds Of People In One Ohio District Lose Their Doctor Thanks To ObamaCare

By now the whole world knows that President Obama lied in an effort to get the hilariously named Affordable Care Act passed through Congress.

The lie that most of us know about is when he looked people in the eye and told them that they could keep their existing health insurance under ObamaCare. In fact, as has been reported repeatedly, we know that is simply not true for millions of Americans.

What’s not as well known is that President Obama also promised people that people could keep their existing physician under his health care law.

That was a lie as well.

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SOWELL: Seeing Villainy On The Right

Many on the left have visceral hostility toward those with different opinions

One of the things that attracted me to the political left as a young man was a belief that leftists were for “the people.” Fortunately, I was also very interested in the history of ideas — and years of research in that field repeatedly brought out the inescapable fact that many leading thinkers on the left had only contempt for “the people.”

That has been true from the 18th century to the present moment. Even more surprising, I discovered over the years that leading thinkers on the opposite side of the ideological spectrum had more respect for ordinary people than people on the left who spoke in their name.

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Awful. Rev. Wright Says Tea Party Is "2.0 Upgrade Of Lynch Mob"

Audit: Assessments & Taxation Dept. Doesn’t Inspect Property To Assess Values As Often As Required; Doesn’t Audit Personal Property Tax Returns Or Credits

The state Assessments and Taxation Department hasn’t performed regular physical inspections of individual properties to support property assessments as required by state law for “many years,” legislative auditors found.

The department also did not audit or review business personal property tax returns or homeowner tax credits, and it doesn’t perform sufficient data matches to look for businesses who fail to file personal-property tax returns, according to an audit report released last month.

Maryland’s Department of Assessments and Taxation (DAT) administers real and personal property tax laws, issues corporate charters and collects certain state revenues, such as business gross receipts taxes. It does not collect real property or income taxes and it doesn’t set property tax rates.
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Mitt Romney Finally Admits What We All Knew: They “Had To Steal The Republican Nomination” From Ron Paul

A new documentary about the life of Mitt Romney reveals a loosely hidden truth: Romney and his followers “had to steal” the Republican nomination from Dr. Ron Paul during the 2012 Presidential Elections.

The documentary, called “Mitt“, was aired at the Sundance Film Festival. Near the end, Romney states:

“In some ways we kind of had to steal the Republican nomination. Our party is Southern, evangelical, and populist. And you’re Northern, and you’re a Mormon, and you’re rich. And these do not match well with our party.”

Tell us something we didn’t know.

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Canadian News Anchor Gives Warning To American Gun Owners

Obama's Polls Fall As Middle Class Gets His Number

Are you dazed and confused by Barack Obama, the nominal Democrat, whose conduct as president since 2009 has seen him sink from nearly 70 percent to 40 percent or less in the national polling, from which he has seemed to learn nothing, but still marches on?

Fear not, the doctor is in: Fred Siegel of the Manhattan Institute, whose latest book, The Revolt Against The Masses: How Liberalism Has Undermined the Middle Class, explains all you wanted to know about Obama, and much else. It explains why he never became the new Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy or Lyndon B. Johnson at his best, as he and they belong to quite different wings of their party.

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Runaway Bay Apartments


Target To Cancel Health Insurance For Hundreds Of Md. Employees, Directs Them To Exchanges

Hundreds — if not thousands — of Maryland Target employees will lose their health insurance benefits April 1 and are being directed instead to health exchanges created through President Obama’s health care reform law. The national retail giant announced a new company-wide policy this week to discontinue health insurance coverage for all store part-time employees.

Target employs 7,700 people in 38 stores across Maryland, but Target would not disclose how many of those employees would be affected by the policy change.

“Since our part-time team members fluctuates often, we can’t disclose that information,” Target spokeswoman Jill Hornbacher wrote in an email. “What I can tell you though, is less than 10 percent of our total team member population participates in our part-time health care coverage.”
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Island Club Apartments


SECOND AMENDMENT RALLY

Bus Trip - Feb. 4th, 2014 
11:30am - 1:30pm 
Lawyers Mall Annapolis 
$20 Roundtrip - Bus Leaves:
WOC Park & Ride - 7am 
Boscov - Salisbury - 7:45am 
Contact Brian Nygaard to reserve your seat: 410-251-3585 
Sponsored by Maryland Shall Issue & other gun organization.

Would You Like To Become A Tree?


Sheriff Mason And His Entire Staff Are Saddened To Announce The Passing Of K-9 Dino.

Sheriff Mason and his entire staff are saddened to announce the passing of K-9 Dino. K-9 Dino began suffering a medical condition in early 2013 which started to impact his breathing and performance. K-9 Dino was retired by his handler, Cpl. Bethany Ramey this past summer. K-9 Dino was integral part of the CET team and Road Patrol during his time with us. K-9 Dino located numerous narcotics, U.S. Currency and was dual trained as a tracking dog as well. All of our thoughts are with his handler and her family and the entire K-9 Unit. There is no greater bond than what a K-9 Handler and their partner have. The loss is great and felt for a long time. All of us at the Sheriff's Office feel the loss today.

Excerpts From Governor Martin O’Malley’s 2014 State Of The State Address

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 23, 2014) -- Today, Governor O’Malley will deliver his annual State of the State address.

Below are excerpts of the Governor’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

The O’Malley-Brown Administration has used the challenge of these times to make our government more efficient, and more effective.

We have cut spending by $9.1 billion.

We have made more cuts than any administration in modern Maryland history.

Today, we now have the smallest executive branch since 1973—and the budget I presented to you last week, puts us on a track to totally eliminate that structural deficit without the need for any new fees or taxes.

We remain one of only seven states that has maintained a triple-A bond rating all through the recession, and to this day.

We have built up our Rainy Day Fund to $800 million dollars, and we have placed, this year in our general reserve, an operating surplus of $37 million dollars.

Seven years ago—in response to the desires of our people—we set out to govern in a fundamentally different way.

Setting goals. Measuring performance. Hitting deadlines. Getting Results. Making the work of progress visible for you to see, and for me to see.

Every day, the test of any policy, action, or expenditure, has been whether or not it is actually working—working to produce the intended results.

This generation wants its government to be accountable for its action, and accountable for the results we seek.

Today in Maryland, you can go online right now, and see the 16 strategic goals we have set for our State’s progress, in the areas of job creation, education, security, sustainability, and health.

On some of these, we’ve already exceeded our initial goals. On others, we’re making progress. And on a few, we have a longer way to go.

Progress requires accountability.

But accountability means putting your commitment out there, for all of us to know and see, and hopefully to help drive.

We also have the chance, this session, to come together, forge consensus, and raise the minimum wage in Maryland.

To strengthen and grow our middle class…

This has been the North Star of everything we that we have done as an Administration. Our fiscal discipline. Our strategic investments. Our different way of governing for results.

But we, of course, are part of a larger national economy. And something is still very wrong.

We’ve lost sight of how our economy works, when it is working well.

Prosperity doesn't trickle down from the top.

It never has.

It's built from the middle out—and from the middle up.

In a properly functioning capitalist economy, a thriving middle class is not a consequence of growth and prosperity, it is the source of growth and prosperity.

When every worker earns more money, every business has more customers, and – by the way – every taxpayer is relieved from funding poverty programs for workers who are being paid poverty-level wages.

No person who works full-time and plays by the rules, should be forced to raise their family in poverty. Not in our state!

Should we be satisfied as a people, as a country, as a State, if our corporations are becoming ever more profitable, and yet so many of our people are unemployed?

Can we really say that our economy is working, if our stock market is booming, but middle class earnings are declining?

The economy we seek, in Maryland, is an economy with a human purpose.

Where the ranks of our middle class are growing, so our economy itself can grow.

And the only way we’re going to grow our economy, is to grow our middle class.

Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 is going to create more and better customers for Maryland businesses.

And that is why raising the minimum wage in Maryland, is not only good for the hundreds of thousands who will see a boost in their paychecks, it is good for every Marylander, because it is good for our economy.

It’s time to raise the minimum wage.

Just Some Thoughts On The NFL

As the Super Bowl approaches New York much like a blizzard, here are some things to think about: in 2012, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was paid $29.5 million to run the organization. And that’s not all. The NFL, if you didn’t realize it, exists as a 501 c 6 organization. It’s not for profit!

In order to have that status, the NFL must be run as a charitable foundation. In 2012, they gave away a meager $2.3 million. Almost all of it–$2.1 million– went to the NFL Hall of Fame.

Goodell made 15 times what the group donated to other charities.

More crazy: Goodell’s salary is 1/10th of what the NFL claimed in total assets for 2012– $255 million.

Or even crazier: the NFL only made charitable donations equaling one-one hundredth of their annual income.

Here are the stats: The NFL’s most recent Form 990 filed with the IRS ended on March 31, 2012. They claimed revenue of $255 million, up from $240 million in 2011. So, if you were concerned, things are good. The NFL has assets of over $822 million.

Under “grants”– meaning donations to other non profit organizations, the NFL did increase the number from just over $900,000 to $2.3 million. Generous right? However: their total salaries increased by $27 million to a total of over $107 million.

Here’s the best part: after all that, thanks to creative thinking, the NFL claims it finished the year in the red with negative $316 million.

What else did they spend money on? Well, for one thing, new office construction cost $36 million. That’s thirty six million dollars.

Just to put all this in perspective: going by numbers in Forbes, Goodell would come in at around number 28 of the highest paid CEOs in 2012. He made more than the heads of FedEx, AT&T, Heinz, Ford Motors, Goldman Sachs, as well as Rupert Murdoch.

Remember– they’re for profit, not tax free foundations.

And if you’re wondering, neither Major League Baseball nor the National Basketball Association is registered as a charity, foundation or trade organization. They each gave up their tax- free status years ago.

Under Obama Food Stamps Become A Middle-Class Entitlement: 1 In 5 US Households On Govt Assistance

The Democrats, led by their indomitable leader and our amazing community organizer in chief Barack Obama, always push handouts as a way to restore economic activity and stimulate a recovery. In case any of you agree with this, there is newly released data that puts the lie to this notion

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), a record 20 percent of all American households were on food stamps in 2013. This is the highest level since the program began. There are also a record number of individual people enrolled in the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP for short. According to the USDA there were 23,052,388 US households on the food stamp program during an average month in fiscal 2013. This represents an increase of nearly a million (722,675 to be exact) from fiscal 2012.

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2014 Edition Just Released

Thought you should know that the book, "Understanding Women" is now out in paperback – revised and updated for 2014.

With Month To Go, Berlin Leads ‘America’s Smallest Cool Town’ Contest

BERLIN — After finishing third in preliminary voting earlier this winter, Berlin has now entered the final round for Budget Travel’s “America’s Smallest Cool Town” contest and is currently in first place.

With final round voting re-opening late last week, Berlin rode the momentum generated in the preliminary and jumped to the front of the pack. As of Wednesday, the town is in the lead with 23 percent of the total vote. Its closest competitors are Buckhannon, W.Va. at 19 percent; Mathews, Va. at 15 percent; and Travelers Rest, S.C. at 10 percent. The remainder of the top 15 falls sharply after Travelers Rest with the next closest near 6 percent all the way down to last place at 0.1 percent.

Voting for America’s Coolest Small Town will continue until Tuesday, Feb. 25. Visitors to Budget Travel’s website can vote once per day for their favorite town.
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CLICK HERE to vote 

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ISSUES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO ZANDI BRIEFING

Zandi cites investments in education and infrastructure as keys to attract businesses, address income disparities

ANNAPOLIS, MD
 -- Governor O’Malley issued the following statement in response to a Budget and Tax Committee briefing by Mark Zandi, a former chief economist for U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and current Chief Economist for Moody's Analytics. During the briefing, Zandi provided analysis of the State’s economy and necessary actions to address widening income gaps for Maryland families.

On State and local priorities:

“I often counsel State and local government to be more focused on improving more broadly the factors of production: educational attainment of population, infrastructure of state’s economy, things that will benefit all industries…”

On infrastructure:

"I’d focus on infrastructure, because that lowers the cost of doing business. It will create more jobs, and it will be very helpful for the economy. If we can’t, in a time when we have a 6.7% unemployment rate, and interest rates are at 3%, and we can’t invest in infrastructure...when are we going to do it? I mean, come on, this is the time to do it. I think I can put my finger on a map and the road, or the bridge, or the dam, or the airport, or the port that’s sitting there...I can give them a dollar and i’ll get more than a dollar in return."

Governor O’Malley has this to say in response:

“With the budget introduced to the General Assembly last week, we continued our fiscally-responsible, balanced approach to navigating the effects of the worst recession since the Great depression. Together, we’ve cut $9.1 billion in state spending even as we made record investments in K-12 education, held the cost of tuition to the lowest levels in the nation, and called for the largest investment in transportation in modern Maryland history.

“Mr. Zandi’s analysis confirms what we already know: because of the better choices we’ve made as a State, we’ve paved the way to a stronger 21st century economy. And we’re better positioned as a State to raise the minimum wage.”

And Some Of You Complain And Tell Others We Refuse To Publish Your Comments, Here's One Example Why

"Remember to shoot them in the legs 1st. then you can kill them as they lay there, the legs are not protected with armor! Every cop you kill is one you won't have to deal with later!"

Ladies & Gentlemen, we get comments like this one NUMEROUS times a day. We get some of the most racist comments on a regular basis and we reject them as well. 

When YOU hear someone complain that they try to put comments up on Salisbury News but Joe rejects them, KNOW that this is the reason why. Know that they are either mental cases, racists or simply trying to slip one by so they can hope we'll screw up and let one through so they can put it up on their mentally challenged Blog.

In the mean time, QUIT WASTING OUR TIME. 

2 For 1 Crab Cakes Tonight At Brew River


DC Businessman Faces One Year In Jail For Possessing Single Shotgun Shell

A Washington, D.C., resident is going to trial for possessing a single, misfired shotgun shell in his home.

Mark Witaschek is a hunter and a gun owner, but he lives in Washington – which has draconian gun laws – so he keeps his firearms at his sister’s home in Virginia. The single misfired shell is a keepsake from a memorable hunting trip, but it could cost him $1,000 and one year in jail.

Blame his angry ex-wife, who tipped off the police about Witaschek. They told the Metropolitan Police Department he had guns in his home – a felony. After two separate raids in Summer 2012, they only came up with ammunition, which is also a felony.

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U.S. Ranks Behind Rwanda, Belarus, Azerbaijan In Ease Of Creating New Business, World Bank Aays

A new study by the World Bank and the International Finance Corp. found that the U.S. ranks well behind countries like Rwanda, Belarus and Azerbaijan in terms of how easy it is for an entrepreneur to start a new business. The U.S. did narrowly beat Uzbekistan, though.

The rankings were included in the organizations' joint study "Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses." The annual report, released in October, ranks the relative ease of creating a new business in 189 countries, looking at such measures as the number of procedures required, the time spent complying with them and the cost of doing so, among other factors.

The report found that New Zealand is the easiest place in the world to create a new business. Starting one there requires "one procedure, half a day, (and) less than 1 percent of income per capita and no paid-in minimum capital," the study noted. New Zealand was followed by Canada, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong in the top five.

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5 Men Taken Into Custody As Suspects In 1978 Lufthansa Heist, FBI Says

Five suspects are in custody in the 1978 Lufthansa heist at New York’s JFK Airport, an FBI spokeswoman said, according to Reuters.

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SFD Calls For Service 1-22-14

  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 22:47:04Nature: Abdominal PainCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 21:04:50Nature: Smoke / Co DetectorAddress: 503 Grand View Ct Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 19:23:16Nature: Chimney FireAddress: 813 Friar Tuck Ln Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 19:11:09Nature: Unconscious SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 18:50:59Nature: Flood With Electrical HazardsAddress: 1010 Adams Ave Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 18:07:00Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 1315 S Division St Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 17:45:38Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 17:03:49Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 121 E Naylor Mill Rd Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 14:55:41Nature: Chimney FireAddress: 711 Regency Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 13:54:39Nature: Pi AccidentAddress: E Salisbury Pkwy and beaglin Park Dr Salisbury, MD 21802
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 13:14:46Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 11:41:10Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 2702 N Salisbury Blvd Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 11:22:34Nature: Altered Mental StatusCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 10:09:24Nature: ElectricutionCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 09:28:15Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 08:48:46Nature: General WeaknessCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 08:30:12Nature: Gas LeakAddress: 1009 Hinman Ln Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 07:38:36Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday January, 22 2014 @ 04:08:22Nature: Difficulty BreathingCity: Salisbury

Fire The Speaker

It's Time for Real Leadership

Are you sick and tired of Washington spending trillions of dollars we can't afford? While Democrats are the driving force behind running up our national debt, growing the size of the federal government and wasting our money, all too often Republicans, led by Speaker John Boehner, are happy to go along for the ride. Under Speaker Boehner, the House has repeatedly voted to increase the debt ceiling - pushing us deeper into debt than ever before, voted to fund Obamacare - a disaster which continues to get worse, and just agreed to a 1500+ page bill (most didn't read) that will cost $1.012 trillion in new federal spending for 2014. The American people are desperate for principled leadership in Washington, not "go-along-to-get-along" capitulation. Sign the petition now! Then contact your Representative and tell them you are ready for real leadership. Tell them to fire the Speaker!

Speech Doesn’t Get Much More Free Than Blogs And Comments On Websites.

A website that castigates others as "evil doers" and "thugs" has exactly the same First Amendment protection as USA TODAY and The New York Times— and that's a good thing.

In a landmark decision on Friday, a federal appellate court held for the first time that blogs enjoy the same First Amendment protection from libel suits as traditional news media.

At issue were the blog posts of Crystal Cox, who accused Bend, Ore., attorney Kevin Padrick and his firm Obsidian Finance Group of misconduct in connection with his role as a trustee in a bankruptcy case. A jury awarded the plaintiffs $2.5 million in damages.

But the U.S Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit saw things differently, deciding that Cox's allegations were matters of public interest and that to sue her successfully, Padrick would have to prove her negligence — the same standard that applies when news media are sued. "The protections of the First Amendment do not turn on whether the defendant was a trained journalist," Judge Andrew Hurwitz wrote.

While the Supreme Court has previously observed that the lines between traditional news media and Web content have become blurred, this makes the first time a federal appellate court has said that journalists and bloggers are one and the same when it comes to the First Amendment.

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O'Malley To Deliver Final State Of The State Address

For the last time in his administration, Governor Martin O'Malley today will deliver his State of the State Address.

The governor will speak before a joint session of the Maryland General Assembly starting at noon.

Ordinarily Martin O’Malley or any governor for that matter uses this speech to outline his legislative priorities.

This year, the governor is expected to talk about raising the minimum wage and other items on his legislative agenda.
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What An Incredible Week So Far

I can't thank everyone enough for what has become one of the best weeks Salisbury News has ever seen.

Every day that goes by we are receiving more and more phone calls and e-mail messages sharing information relating to Eastern Shore issues. More people are depending on Salisbury News than the rest of the local media because they'll get published, not ignored.

Today is no different. In the 9 AM hour we will once again deliver more incredible local news stories we know will capture your attention and bring up more discussion trough comments.

Our rewards come through traffic and comments. It lets us know, (and everyone else) just how well we're doing. So thank you very much for visiting and participating. Have a great day.

From Alinsky's Book, "Rules For Radicals": How To Create A Socialist State by Saul Alinsky

There are 8 levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to create a social state. **The first is the most important.*

*1) Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people*

*2) Poverty – Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live. *

*3) Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty. *

*4) Gun Control – Remove the ability to defend themselves from the Government. That way you are able to create a police state.*

*5) Welfare – Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income)*

*6) Education – Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of what children learn in school.*

*7) Religion – Remove the belief in God from the Government and schools*

*8) Class Warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take (Tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.*

Does any of this sound familiar ?* Obama and Hillary read this and are following it.