TV Legend Ann B. Davis Who Played Alice on "The Brady Bunch" Has Died

TV legend Ann B. Davis who played Alice on "The Brady Bunch" has died ... TMZ has learned.

According to the couple she lived with in Texas ... Ann fell in her bathroom early this morning and hit her head causing grave damage. We're told she never regained consciousness.

Her roommate says Davis had been pretty healthy for an 88-year old woman -- and her death was a total shock. In fact, she even walked downstairs to say goodnight before going to bed.
More 

BREAKING NEWS: Ron Pagano Drops Out Of 5th District Wicomico County Council Race

After careful consideration, including discussion with my physician and family members, I have decided to suspend my campaign and withdraw from the 5th District County Council race. I shared my physical concerns with supporters before agreeing to run, however, the physical demands have been greater than initially expected and I am unable to keep up with the pace. The Severe Degenerative Arthritis that I suffer from has flared up and increased in intensity, as a result of the schedule I have been trying to keep. I have never been one to quit, however, I am also realistic and understand that, in order to win, it will take a great deal of additional physical effort between now and November 4th for me to win.

My hope is that County leaders and elected officials will take to heart my recommendations. Foremost, I urge them to establish a county-level Office of Technology & Economic Development. No county in the state is growing or attracting real jobs without one. As the “Hub of Delmarva”, we need more than a one-person office if we hope to perform the work that’s needed to attract the jobs and partnerships that are available in the state. We cannot afford to sit idly by while the counties around us pursue the resources and opportunities that persons with vision can see. Wicomico County has a lot to offer and we need to get that message out, loud and clear.

We also need to support our schools and teachers. Without a great school system, there are few employers who will look to expand or relocate here. Without good training in high-tech skills, and without good job opportunities, our children will continue to leave the Shore and head over the Bridge, for a more secure future.

Our Deputies, Firefighters and EMS personnel also deserve to receive the best training and equipment available in order to continue to save lives and property. They are our First Responders and without their dedication and commitment, we are looking at an increased risk for loss of life and destruction of property. They put their lives on the line everyday, and when I see budget cuts affecting them, I wonder what some Council members are thinking.

We all want to keep taxes low, but there comes a point when excessive cuts will result in a failure, on the County’s part, to provide basic services to our citizens. Without these basic services, employers and businesses will continue to move elsewhere. Every business owner understands that it takes investment in order to achieve a return; without investment, there can be no revenue and no future. There are some on the County Council who have failed to grasp that concept. They are shortsighted and have little, if any, vision for the future. They are selfish and refuse to realize that there will come a time when ongoing budget cuts will erode the County’s ability to grow and prosper. Their wallets might grow a little fatter, but the County, its businesses and residents, will suffer in the end.

I sincerely want to thank every person who has worked hard, encouraged me and supported my campaign. Contributions will be returned over the next few weeks. I appreciate you all very much and hope we can continue to work together in the future, to make Wicomico County a better place for our families. I have learned a lot from talking to folks in the 5thdistrict, from Delmar to Willards, and every place in between. Thank you for listening and offering your ideas!

I plan on continuing to focus my efforts with the IPPS Mentoring Program, along with the other volunteer commitments I currently have.

I urge everyone to get out and vote in the Primary on June 24th and the General Election, on November 4th. If you don’t vote, you can’t make a difference. Be part of the solution and future you want to see!

Thank you,

Ron

Wicomico Judge Election – the people versus the Pappas

The campaign treasurers for each of the two candidates have now filed financial statements for their receipts and expenses through May 20. The following amounts are from those statements.

M. J. Caldwell has reported receipts of $7,360, including $2,000 of his own funds, and a bank account balance of $1,778.53. His largest single contribution, $500, was made by Dr. John Bartkovich.

By contrast, Spyros Sarbanes has received total contributions of $35,761, which includes a number of large donations, the sum of $12,800 being donated by four persons having the same last name – “Pappas” – with addresses in Philadelphia, the two largest ($4,000 each) being from Clement Pappas and Aleni Pappas.

We understand that the Pappas clan has also contributed to the congressional campaign of John Sarbanes, a liberal colleague of Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives. Interestingly, that Sarbanes is outspoken about getting big money from campaign donors out of politics!

Other 4-figure donors to Spyros Sarbanes’ campaign are: Dean Pappas ($2,400), Zoe Pappas ($2,400), Robert Rickards of Laurel, DE ($1,000), A. Gillis Allen, II of Salisbury ($1,000), JRT Rentals of Pocomoke City ($1,000) and Paul Sarbanes of Baltimore ($2,000). The $500 club includes Stella Adamopoulos, Jeffrey Badger, Laura Jenkins, Victor Laws, John Long, Eunice McKinley, Peter Richardson, Jeffrey Turner, Frances Urban and Peter Wimbrow III. The smaller donations include one by “Pagano, Ronald”.

Sarbanes’ campaign had a bank balance of $22,136.28 0n May 20 – over 12 times that of M. J. Caldwell.

Based bucks in the bank, we can expect the Sarbanes campaign to send multiple mailings and use media ads to a much greater extent than Caldwell. The Sarbanes campaign has already paid more than $1,000 for "consulting fees – media". Folks at the Daily Times must be smiling.

Salisbury News Delivers Investigative Reporting On HOW YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT: Part 7

Starting today we will be listing names along with the charges at the Board of Ed however this disclosure does not necessarily mean that these persons consumed these products, they may have been acting on orders of supervisors. Also note that we have skipped June of 2013 on Wicomico Counties expenses as it was not posted on the counties website. Are they hiding something? Names of persons making charges are not listed on the counties website. 

County Executive 

7/19/13 McDonald's $3.07 

7/19/13 McDonald's $3.07 

7/19/13 Mcdonald's $.5.69 

7/19/13 Wawa $ 5.74 

7/19/13 Arby's $ 6.97 

7/31/13 Wawa $ 5.41 

7/8/13 Main Roots Coffee 

$12.71 7/8/13 Mojo's $26.25 

7/8/13 Lombardi's $51.96 

7/8/13 Vinny's La Roma $30.13 

7/26/13 Red Door Sub Shop $ 61.86 

7/26/13 Vinny's La Roma $ 24.56 

7/26/13 Market Street Inn $ 104.50 

7/26/13 Main Root's Coffee $11.71 

7/26/13 Market Street Inn $ 56.65 

Sheriff's Dept. 

7/13/13 Adam's The Place For Ribs $ 59.10 

7/26/13 Famous Daves $ 10.14 

7/31/13 Specific Gravity $ 111.00 

7/31/13 Back Street Grille $ 47.32 

Rec. & Parks 

7/31/13 Lombardi's $17.51 

7/31/13 Greene Turtle $ 38.69 

7/13/13 Goin Nut's Cafe $ 49.03 

Wicomico County Board of Ed 

Bonnie L Walston Domino's 10/03/12 $75.82 

Domino's 10/12/12 $63.95 

Goin Nut's cafe 10/17/12 $34.83 

Goin Nut's Cafe 11/08/12 $ 43.84 

11/09/12 Edible Arrangements $ 136.36 

Goin Nut's Cafe 11/26/12 $ 66.25

Panera Bread 11/27/12 $ 14.32 

Goin Nut's Cafe 12/17/12 $ 328.12 

Goin Nut's Cafe 2/01/13 $ 133.52 

Goin Nut's Cafe 3/21/13 $ 77.60 

Brian Foret My Turn To Cook 8/17/11 $ 144.00 

My Turn To Cook 10/20/11 $ 130.00 

Pat's Pizzeria of Salis 10/19/12 $ 66.42 

Bridget Reynolds Subway 3/29/12 $ 190.80 

Taylor's BBQ 7/03/12 $ 436.00 

Bryan D Ashby Back Street Grill 4/27/11 $168.00 

Back Street Grille 5/18/11 19.50 

Sobo's Wine Bistro 5/18/11 $ 448.50 

Dayton's Family Rest. 6/7/11 $71.95 

Carol Harrington Wright's Market 5/26/11 $279.00 

The Olive garden 6/8/11 $ 60.00 

Subway Salis Md 6/9/11 $262.12

Delmar Pizza Delmar Del $50.30 

Amy Cockey Dumser's DiaryLand Ocean City Md 5/22/12 $80.00 

Goin Nut's Cafe 6/2/12 $646.90 

OC Cakes Snow Hill Md 3/11/13 $292.20 

Tim's Pizza @ Subs 3/18/12 $772.00 

Panera Bread 3/19/13 $ 404.02 

Pizza Hut 3/21/13 $ 405.31 

Stay tuned more shocking news next week of how your tax dollars are spent.

JMB Graduation Keepsake

Nice Keepsake for JMB Grads & Families! This is last night's formal, printed graduation program. Note the "Presentation of the Class of 2013."

Did you people not know that it is the "Class of 2014" before you printed this? 

Common Core here we come.

Truer Words Were Never Spoken!

Check out ‘Beach week’ draws black crowd — and violence Coming to OC June 5, 2014

1 weekend: 3 shootings, 3 stabbings, 3 robberies

Reporters with all the local media had trouble describing what happened over the weekend when 40,000 black people descended on Virginia Beach for a party.

Their audiences, however, did not.

Daniel Johnson was one of dozens of people who had no trouble talking about the lawbreakers and the widespread chaos, danger, thefts, violence and lawlessness they brought to Virginia Beach as part of College Beach Week 2013; a time when black students could “blow off some steam” before final exams.

“Because it was a group of young black college people everyone is scared to say anything for fear of being called a racist,” he said in a post to a Virginian-Pilot news story. “It is what it is – these people come to the Beach and do everything in there [sic] power to intimidate the local and visiting White people at the Beach – rude – disrespectful – dirty and violent – They come here and treat our beach like a toilet On Saturday afternoon I went to the Harris Teeter and a LARGE group of young black visitors were in the parking lot drinking and playing loud music – intimidating locals – I called the police and even though 2 cop cars drove by nothing was done!”

More

JACOBY JONES, BERNARD PIERCE, AND JIMMY SMITH KICKED OUT OF OCEAN CITY MD BAR - SEACRETS

VIEW MORE VIDEO HERE

41 Democrat Senators have signed to "REPEAL THE FIRST AMENDMENT"

Senator Ted Cruz stung Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer (NY), and 40 other Democrats, saying that the Democrat-controlled legislative body wants to “repeal the First Amendment.”

“I’m not making this up,” said Cruz, speaking at the Family Research Council event on Thursday. “Senator Chuck Schumer has announced the Senate Democrats are scheduling a vote on a constitutional amendment to give Congress the plenary power, the unlimited authority, to regulate political speech,” Cruz told the audience, who sounded quite disgruntled to hear the news (Watch Video Below).

Cruz then explained why Democrats are pushing for the anti-free speech measure: 

“Because elected officials have decided they don’t like it when the citizenry has the temerity to criticize what they’ve done. They don’t like it when pastors in their community stand up and speak the truth. And it makes their lives inconvenient when they’re not standing for principle and actually that’s pointed out back home.”

Cruz went on to explain that the amendment, which has 41 co-sponsors (all Democrats) would specifically protect organizations like the New York Times, but would be an attack on religious liberty and would “muzzle” citizens from “saying things that government finds inconvenient.” 

WATCH BELOW: 

h/t:  CNS NewsNOTE:  Because of several comments on this story indicating they would like the list of  Senate co-sponsors of S.J. Res. 19, we are providing the list below, courtesy of the Library of Congress (alpha order by last name): 

1. Tammy Baldwin (WI)
2. Mark Begich (AK)
3. Michael Bennet (CO)
4. Richard Blumenthal (CT)
5. Cory Booker (NJ)
6. Barbara Boxer (CA)
7. Sherrod Brown (OH)
8. Benjamin Cardin (MD)
9. Thomas Carper (DE)
10. Christopher Coons (DE)
11. Richard Durbin (IL)
12. Dianne Feinstein (CA)
13. Al Franken (MN)
14. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
15. Kay Hagen (NC)
16. Tom Harkin (IA)
17. Martin Heinrich (NM)
18. Mazie Hirono (HI)
19. Tim Johnson (SD)
20. Angus King, Jr. (ME)
21. Amy Klobuchar (MN)
22. Edward Markey (MA)
23. Robert Menendez (NJ)
24. Jeff Merkley (OR)
25. Barbara Mikulski (MD)
26. Christopher Murphy (CT)
27. Patty Murray (WA)
28. Jack Reed (RI)
29. Harry Reid (NV)
30. John D. Rockefeller, IV (WV)
31. Bernard Sanders (VT)
32. Brian Schatz (HI)
33. Chuck Schumer (NY)
34. Jeanne Shaheen (NH)
35. Debbie Stabenow (MI)
36. Jon Tester (MT)
37. Mark Udall (CO)
38. John Walsh (MT)
39. Elizabeth Warren (MA)
40. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
41. Ron Wyden (OR)

CORRECTON:  Please note that the above article mentioned all co-sponsors as Democrats. Actually, there are 40 Democrats and one admitted socialist, Senator Bernie Sanders (VT), a registered Independent who caucuses with the Democrats. We apologize for the error.

Worcester Sheriff: ‘We’re Going To Be Very Proactive’; Agencies Prepared For Unsanctioned Event

OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Police Department and allied law enforcement agencies all over Worcester County are bracing for an unsanctioned event, rather ominously called “College Takeover Beach Week” next week, which will likely draw several thousand college-aged individuals to the resort area.

The active word in the event’s title is “takeover” and that’s exactly what the same group did in Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach, for example in recent years. In April 2013, the event in Virginia Beach resulted in crowds estimated at 40,000 to 50,000 college-aged individuals invading the town’s Oceanfront area.

According to reports, the big crowds roamed the streets, disrupted traffic and businesses and generally scared local residents and other visitors to the town. Perhaps more importantly, the event included several significant crimes including three shootings, multiple stabbings and other serious crimes all in the span of about four hours.

More

Opponents Of Transgender Law "Scrambling" To Get Signatures

Opponents of a measure that protects transgender people from discrimination in housing, employment, credit and public accommodation say they do not have enough signatures to put the measure before voters this fall.

Washington County Delegate Neil Parrott, whose organization MDPetitions.Com is leading the referendum effort, told WBAL News that volunteers are "scrambling" to meet a deadline for filing signatures by midnight Saturday.

The opponents need to submit at least 55,736 signatures to the Maryland State Board of Elections by June 30, but must submit at least one-third of that total (18,579) by midnight on Saturday.
More

EDITORS NOTE: I received a call from Mike McDermott last night stating they need at least 500 more people from the Eastern Shore to sign this petition.

WWW.MDPETITIONS.COM  

WICOMICO COUNTY

• Don Coffman - 1405 South Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury, MD 21801
  • 410-422-4811, doncoffman@ezy.net
  • Box is available for after-hours drop-off.
  • Sign from 9am to 2pm Sat.

Maryland Set To End 'Bounty System' For Speed Cameras

Beginning June 1, companies that operate speed cameras in Maryland will no longer by able to collect a commission for each ticket they issue to motorists.

According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, the Speed Monitoring Systems Reform Act of 2014 will end the current system, which some describe as a "bounty system." Now, companies will not receive a commission and must pay a fine to the jurisdictions if 5 percent of the citations issued by their machines are deemed to be invalid or fraudulent..

Also, AAA Mid-Atlantic said the new law requires that an ombudsman must be appointed in each jurisdiction to retract erroneously issued violations before they reach the suspected motorist. The law also bans jurisdictions from placing cameras in schools zones with speed limits less than 20 mph and demands that each camera is calibrated annually, according to a AAA Mid-Atlantic news release.

More

WARNING: Drivers Heading To Ocean City

The State Police are out in force once again on Rt. 50 East. 

Former UMES Employee To Pay $3,800 Over Theft

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A former University of Maryland Eastern Shore employee who used state purchasing cards to buy an Xbox, cell phones, jewelry and other items for herself has been ordered to pay $3,800 to reimburse the state.

Maryland's Office of the Attorney General said Thursday that 41-year-old April Marie Sivak of Pittsville pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft. She was given a sentence of a year and a half in prison, but a judge suspended the sentence, put Sivak on three years of supervised probation and ordered her to pay the $3,800 cost of the purchases.

Sivak formerly worked as an administrative assistant in UMES's School of Pharmacy and Health Professions in 2012 and 2013. Her attorney did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.
Source

BREAKING NEWS: White House Press Secretary Jay Carney Resigns

Carney replaced Robert Gibbs as the White House's chief spokesman in early 2011. He plans to leave in mid-June and will be replaced by Josh Earnest, a deputy press secretary.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is stepping down, President Obama announced Friday in a surprise statement at the start of Carney's daily press briefing.

Carney, who said he plans to leave in mid-June, will be replaced by Josh Earnest, a deputy press secretary.

Obama praised Carney for his "good heart" and "temperament" as he dealt with the media since he replaced Robert Gibbs as the White House's chief spokesman in early 2011.
More

WBOC Weatherman Dan Satterfield, Hey, So I Lied...

During the summer months literally hundreds of thousands of people and businesses depend on the accuracy of Dan's experience. Today is a small but perfect example. 

The students of Delmar Middle and High School took a trip to Jolly Rodgers in Ocean City. The forecast last night, 70's and NO RAIN.

Well Dan, I'm in Ocean City and it has been raining all day, so far. It also is in the low 60's. Oh, wait a second, it's now 1:26 PM and I'll be darned, the sun just peaked out. Oh well, it went away again.

Thanks for letting all those parents be prepared while so many students simply showed up in short sleeve shirts and bathing suits for the day. 

While my Grandson was upset that I demanded he wear sweat pants and bring a sweat shirt, I'm sure he's been thinking all day, (so far) good move Grandpa! I'll explain to him later why I'm a much better Weatherman simply because MOST of us on Delmarva simply do the opposite of whatever WBOC tells us to do. 

Today's Survey Question 5-30-14

If Edward Snowden were to return to the U.S. do you think he should serve jail time?

National Park Service Plans To Note Places Linked To Gay History

SAN FRANCISCO — The National Park Service is launching an initiative to make places and people of significance to the history of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual Americans part of the national narrative.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell is convening a panel of 18 scholars next month that will be charged with exploring the LGBT movement’s story in areas such as law, religion, media, civil rights and the arts. The committee will identify relevant sites and its work will be used to evaluate them for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, designation as National Historic Landmarks, or consideration as national monuments, Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said. “The Park Service is, in my view, America’s storyteller through place,” Jarvis said “It’s important that the places we recognize represent the full complement of the American experience.”

MIRRORS OTHER EFFORTS

The process mirrors efforts the service already has undertaken to preserve and promote locations that reflect the roles of Latinos, Asian-Americans and women in U.S. history.
More 

WCSO PRESS RELEASE - Autism Awareness Training

PRESS RELEASE - Autism Awareness Training

On Saturday, May 31st, 2014, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office will host a class titled “Autism Awareness for Law Enforcement” at the Salisbury Fire Department Headquarters, 325 Cypress Street, Salisbury. Mr. Scott Fowler will be presenting.

Mr. Fowler has worked in public education for over two decades, serving as a teacher, lead teacher, assistant principal, principal and working in a central office capacity. Additionally, he is the parent of a child on the spectrum. He has provided training's for teachers/educators, the hospitality industry, law enforcement and other enterprises that benefit from a better understanding from autism awareness.

One in 68 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and persons with ASD are 7 times more likely to interact with law enforcement than the general population. The most common interactions between law enforcement and the ASD community occur during missing child/person situations, domestic issues (concerns in the home with the individual or the caregiver), as a victim reporting a crime or after having committed an offense. This training will assist police officers to better recognize and interact with members of our community with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and their families.

Inside the Ring: Directive outlines Obama's policy to use the military against citizens

A 2010 Pentagon directive on military support to civilian authorities details what critics say is a troubling policy that envisions the Obama administration’s potential use of military force against Americans.

The directive contains noncontroversial provisions on support to civilian fire and emergency services, special events and the domestic use of the Army Corps of Engineers.

The troubling aspect of the directive outlines presidential authority for the use of military arms and forces, including unarmed drones, in operations against domestic unrest.

“This appears to be the latest step in the administration’s decision to use force within the United States against its citizens,” said a defense official opposed to the directive.

Directive No. 3025.18, “Defense Support of Civil Authorities,” was issued Dec. 29, 2010, and states that U.S. commanders “are provided emergency authority under this directive.”

“Federal military forces shall not be used to quell civil disturbances unless specifically authorized by the president in accordance with applicable law or permitted under emergency authority,” the directive states.

“In these circumstances, those federal military commanders have the authority, in extraordinary emergency circumstances where prior authorization by the president is impossible and duly constituted local authorities are unable to control the situation, to engage temporarily in activities that are necessary to quell large-scale, unexpected civil disturbances” under two conditions.

More

Baltimore-D.C. Area Bid To Host 2024 Olympics Closer To Reality

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore and Washington, D.C.’s bid to host the Olympics gets a little closer to reality. Two of our closest competitors have dropped their bids to represent the United States in the 2024 Summer Games.

Christie Ileto has more on the possible impact of a D.C.-Baltimore Olympics.

It’s news the Baltimore-D.C. area is hoping they could soon get–a U.S. bid to the 2024 Olympics. Once contending with five other big cities, Philadelphia and New York announced Wednesday they are dropping out of the race, putting Baltimore two steps closer to hosting the world’s largest sporting event.

“The Olympics is often about timing,” said David Warshawski.
More

Wicomico County Executive Decision

Aprils Jobs Numbers Just In - Wicomico State of The Economy - Comatose

For the 14th consecutive month - Wicomico has lost employment ground.  According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics latest jobs report for Wicomico County - April was another dismal month for Wicomico - recording a loss of 1,222 jobs when compared to April 2013.  What is startling is that the overall Labor Force continues to get smaller and smaller - yet the population continues to increase.  Also, the month of March Workforce Jobs number was revised downward losing additional ground by another 208 workers - (another negative trend).

As Ronald Reagan used to state;

 'Are you better off today than you were 4 years ago - if you aren't then vote for me'.

My advice to all of Wicomico's citizens - the time for change is way overdue and I encourage all of our readers to get engaged.  Let the employment numbers speak for themselves.

Too bad Salisbury is still decades behind in their mentality

(NaturalNews) Citing high costs that continually raise water prices for local customers, the Board of Aldermen in Buffalo, Missouri, a small town just north of Springfield, recently made the decision to stop fluoridating the public water supply. Members of the board explained that transporting fluoride chemicals is damaging city equipment and trucks, not to mention water pipes that corrode as a result of fluoride exposure.

The decision came after the health department in Dallas County, where the town is located, sent notification that it would no longer subsidize the costs associated with providing the fluoride and replacing damaged equipment. The department had previously covered half of the costs associated with the town's fluoride program, paying up to $1,000 per year to bring in the chemicals.

In April 2000, Buffalo residents voted to begin adding fluoride to the town's water. A few years later, in December 2003, the board determined that the program wasn't working and was too expensive. It agreed to end it once existing fluoride supplies were depleted. That decision was quickly reversed following a vote by the town's mayor, as well as an agreement by the health department to cover some of the costs. However, now that these subsidies have stopped, the fluoridation program will cease.

"It's an acid and it eats the pipes," stated a city engineer from the city of Union, outside St. Louis, about the nature of fluoride. Like Buffalo, Union's Board of Aldermen recently voted 7-1 to end fluoridation after injection equipment was destroyed by its use. "Employees are handling it and they don't want to be."

More

What Makes A Good Circuit Court Judge

1. Experience with jury trials.

2. Experience with all levels of criminal cases.

3. Experience with child custody cases.

4. Experience with contested divorces.

5. Experience in complex civil litigation.

6. Experience with juvenile cases.

7. Experience in appeals to all levels of the State's Courts.

8. Extensive knowledge of the Maryland Rules for Circuit Court litigation.

9. Extensive knowledge of the Maryland Criminal statutes.

10. Extensive background litigating Federal and Maryland Constitutional matters.

Why would Wicomico County settle for anything less? Why would we simply accept anything less, for the next 15 years?

I can't think of a good reason either. The choice is clear.

216 Legislative Candidates Support $1 A Pack Cigarette Tax Hike

Two hundred sixteen (216) candidates for the Maryland General Assembly have signed a pledge to raise cigarette taxes next year by $1 a pack, disappointing a coalition of business groups that had asked candidates not to sign the promise.

There are enough incumbents and front-runners on the list to win passage of the measure in the state Senate and House of Delegates.

At least one of the candidates on the list, the rare Republican signatory, said he would only vote for the hike if other taxes were lowered. 
More

HEY JT STOP STEALING OUR POSTS!

It takes a lot of time to save each picture and copy and format all the information for the WCSO Most Wanted List. I would appreciate it if you would STOP stealing the information from here because you are to lazy to do it yourself.

How do I know he stole it? There are a few things that gave it away.  First when the WCSO posts the information to Facebook it is all in regular font. I go back and make all the names in bold font so that it is easier to read.  Second is there were a few names that did not include the bullets on them (the bullets are the small dots).  If you go to the WCSO Facebook page there are at least 2 that did not have bullets that I added.  Click here to see one of them.  Third I purposely left the bullets off of one of them (Erica Latasha Mann). Strangely the same bullets were added to your post and left off of the same one as I posted. 

Do your own posts and stop stealing mine! JT, "You've Been Blogged".

Local Senator in Ukraine for Crucial Election

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin believes Ukraine is one step closer to a lasting democracy following the country's election of a new president over the weekend. Cardin was in Ukraine to observe the election and issued the following statement:

“Sunday’s vote was a day of destiny for Ukraine and a turning point in the nation’s effort to overcome Russia’s interference in Ukraine’s democratic development. It also offers Ukraine a chance to turn a corner on a crippling legacy of corruption. The election also was important for the OSCE which is undertaking massive efforts in Ukraine aimed at fostering stability and encouraging democracy in Ukraine. These elections present an historic opportunity to build and independent, prosperous state based on the rule of law.

“I congratulate the Ukrainian people and the interim government on the conduct of yesterday’s free and fair vote. Along with my colleague, Sen. Rob Portman, I was pleased at the opportunity to observe the elections first-hand and witness ordinary citizens who were clearly determined to freely make their choice and be stewards of their own destiny.

More

EnvisionSBY Design Workshop

Friends,

As we continue the renaissance of downtown Salisbury, we seek your help in shaping the final products and the master plan for Downtown SBY. Please join us for a community workshop this Saturday, May 31 with the Urban Design graduate students, Architecture students and professors from our partner - the University of Maryland. We will meet at 11am in City Council Chambers (Room 301) of the Government Office Building at 125 N. Division Street.

We will spend 4-5 hours together analyzing, commenting and discussing the ongoing work of our partners.

Our progress will be tracked on social media at:
Twitter: @envisionSBY, @downtownSBY
Blog: http://salisbury.md

Please join the students Saturday. They need your feedback!!

Jake

New Ocean City Pub Unveils Fruity Brews, Social Seating

OCEAN CITY, Md. - An ambitious new craft brewery is opening soon in Ocean City with the promise of a wide selection of beer.

"I was born and raised here, and I wanted to bring something back," says Joshua Shores, one of the owners of Ocean City Brewing Company at 56th Street and Coastal Highway.

They have almost 18,000-square-feet of space that will include a full-service restaurant serving American pub fare.

The space also includes Oktoberfest-style tables where Shores hopes customers will make new friends.

More

Comcast is the Pits

According to the latest survey by American Customer Satisfaction Index, by far the biggest (and often most accurate) study in the country, cable providers Comcast and Time Warner Cable have the lowest customer satisfaction ratings of all companies . . . in all industries . . . in all of America.

And that’s not even the bad news: Comcast and Time Warner Cable were the only two companies to score below a 60 on the ACSI’s 100-point scale. They’re lower than perennial customer satisfaction basement dwellers United Airlines, Bank of America, Sprint, Aetna — even the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power scored a higher customer satisfaction rating.

In the report, the ACSI states that the low satisfaction ratings for Comcast and Time Warner Cable should make the two companies reconsider their upcoming merge, which would quickly make them the largest content provider in the American broadband and pay TV markets.

“The combination of low and downward-trending customer satisfaction for both Comcast and Time Warner Cable is cause for concern amid merger talks between the two companies,” ACSI writes. “The issue at stake is not that the proposed merger will limit competition as the service territories of the two companies do not overlap. Instead, it is the question of whether a combination of two pay-TV providers with such poor records could possibly create a better customer experience, especially given the volume of evidence from ACSI data suggesting that mergers in service industries tend to damage satisfaction — at least in the short term.”

In all likelihood, the results of this survey will play no part in the two companies finalizing their deal.
“Comcast and Time Warner assert their proposed merger will not reduce competition because there is little overlap in their service territories,” says David VanAmburg, ACSI Director. “Still, it’s a concern whenever two poor-performing service providers combine operations. ACSI data consistently show that mergers in service industries usually result in lower customer satisfaction, at least in the short term. It’s hard to see how combining two negatives will be a positive for consumers.”

Worth pointing out is the effect the Internet has had on how customers now view their television subscriptions.

More

Obama Unhappy with America's Constitutional Balance of Powers

President “I am not a dictator” Obama, the same man who once bemoaned that the U.S. Constitution is deeply flawed and America’s Founding Fathers had “an enormous blind spot” when they wrote it, is again complaining that our Constitutional Republic does not satisfy his dictatorial aspirations. Apparently, the inconvenience of having each state represented equally in the Senate is inconveniencing his ability to shove his leftist personal agenda down the throat of Congress and the American people.

As the Washington Times reports:

At a Democratic fundraiser in Chicago Thursday night, Mr. Obama told a small group of wealthy supporters that there are several hurdles to keeping Democrats in control of the Senate and recapturing the House. One of those problems, he said, is the apportionment of two Senate seats to each state regardless of population.

“Obviously, the nature of the Senate means that California has the same number of Senate seats as Wyoming. That puts us at a disadvantage,” Mr. Obama said.

The Founding Fathers decided in the “Great Compromise” in 1787 to apportion House seats based on population and give each state two seats in the Senate regardless of population. The solution was a compromise between large states and small states in a dispute that nearly dissolved the Constitutional Convention.

The president also blamed “demographics” for the inability of the Democratic Party to gain more power in Congress, saying Democrats “tend to congregate a little more densely” in cities such as New York and Chicago. He said it gives Republicans disproportional clout in Congress.

More

Armed Robbery In Salisbury

This is a bit of an unusual Post as a friend needed Police assistance and the Officer stated they couldn't get there right away because everyone has been dispatched to an armed robbery. 

Once we get more details we'll update you. 

Worccester County Sheriff's Office Press Releases 5-26-14

On May 26, 2014 at approximately 06:19 hours, a Deputy with the Worcester County Sheriff's Office was in the area of Route 50 eastbound and Logtown Road in Berlin, Worcester County, Maryland when they stopped to check on a disabled motor vehicle bearing Maryland registration 8BC3699.

The occupants of the vehicle were unable to provide identification, through further investigation, the driver of the vehicle was identified as John Clifton Haley 01/23/1977 and the passenger of the vehicle was identified as Jonathan Lee Jones 03/07/1989.

Based on a positive alert from a K9 scan the vehicle was searched and subsequently Jonathan Lee Jones was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. Jones was released on a criminal citation. 

********

U.S. Government Gives Virgin Galactic Permission To Start Planning Space Flights

Strap on your jetpacks and shine up your moon boots, because we’re going to space, y’all. Maybe not this minute or even this year, but if you can dream it, you can achieve it. At least if you’re super rich Sir Richard Branson and the U.S. government just told you you can start planning space flights.

Branson’s Virgin Galactic has been revvings its engines to take to the stars (or at least the Earth’s orbit) and now it’s got official clearance to start mapping those flights out, reports CNNMoney.

More