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Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Chinese Government Takes Eight Muslims And Executes All Of Them For Killing Chinese People

The Chinese government recently executed eight Uighur Muslims for terrorism, and planning a major terrorist attack. We read from a Chinese report:
Eight terrorists have been executed with the approval of the Supreme People’s Court in Xinjiang, according to the publicity department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday.

Their crimes involved five cases including the terrorist attack in the Tian’anmen Square in Beijing, the gun-seizing and police-assaulting case in Aksu, the illegal manufacturing of explosives and intentional killing case in Kashgar, and the establishment of terrorist organization, murder of government officials and incineration of checkpoint in Hotan.

Huseyin Guxur, Yusup Wherniyas and Yusup Ehmet had been sentenced to death and deprived of political rights for life by court for organizing and leading terrorist organization and jeopardizing public security with dangerous means. They masterminded the terrorist attack in the Tian’anmen Square of Beijing which killed 3 and injured 39 on Oct. 28 in 2013.

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Definition of a TRUE Friend


Boy Suspended for Making 'Terroristic Threat' With Magic 'Hobbit' Ring

A Texas father is outraged after his fourth-grade son was suspended from school for making a "terroristic threat" with a magic ring.

Jason Steward said that his family went to see "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" last weekend.

His 9-year-old son Aiden then brought a "magic ring" to his class at Kermit Elementary School, telling another boy in a playful way that his ring could make him disappear, the Odessa American reported.

But school officials interpreted that as a threat and removed Aiden from the class.

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State Dept. Refuses To Say If Taliban Attack On Americans Is A Terrorist Attack

The Truck Video You Just Have to See!


The snowstorm that dumped nearly two feet of snow on the country’s third largest city Sunday night and into Monday was has been hailed as the fifth largest winter storm in that city’s history. But still some Chicagoans still didn’t let the white stuff hold them back.

In a perfect example of just how relentless Windy City residents are when it comes to overcoming the odds of freezing temperatures and snowy road blocks, one resident posted the following videoto YouTube Monday showing a Ford F150 truck literally towing a semi-truck out of the mess it managed to get into. It happened about 8 miles northwest of downtown Chicago.

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JUST IN: Shooting at high school in Frederick, Md.

WASHINGTON — Two teenagers were shot Wednesday evening at Frederick High School, in Maryland.

Frederick County Police tell the Frederick News-Post multiple shooters are still on the loose. They’re described as four African-American men wearing all black.

The shooting happened around 8 p.m. at a junior-varsity basketball game and Frederick County Fire says the injuries aren’t life-threatening.

This is a breaking news story and WTOP has a reporter headed to the scene.

Source

Charles Manson marriage license to expire without a wedding

The marriage license of mass murderer Charles Manson and a 26-year-old devotee who believes in his innocence is set to expire without a wedding taking place, prison officials said Monday.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Jeffrey Callison said weekend visiting for inmates passed without Manson getting married.

Afton Elaine Burton and the 80-year-old Manson obtained a 90-day marriage license late last year. It expires Thursday, making this past weekend the couple's final opportunity to hold a wedding inside a visiting room at California State Prison, Corcoran.

If the wedding is to happen, the couple must register for a new Kings County marriage license.

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Intruders Find 11 Year Old Home Alone… With A 12-Gauge

When James Wasson, 53, broke into a house in Lapeer County, Michigan, bet he never thought he would be run off by an 11-year-old with a 12 gauge!

Two intruders pulled into the driveway of a home and the male intruder knocked on all the doors. When he thought no one was home he broke into the house.

There was an 11-year-old girl home alone that told police she was surprised when they broke in. The girl who is an avid sportsman with her father, grabbed her 12-gauge she uses for hunting and hid in the bathroom in a closet.

When the intruder opened the closet, the girl pointed the gun at him and he ran off!

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10 Not-So-Ordinary Valentine’s Day Getaways in and Out of the US

Looking for a less traditional Valentine’s Day? How about rappelling down an 18-story (170 foot) tower with your loved one? At the Naples Grande Beach Resort, couples can sign up for theLovers Leap package, where they will receive two tickets to the "Over the Edge" rappelling event on February 14.

Aside from a thrilling experience, couples who sign up will be donating $500 to the Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, an organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy.

For those looking for something a little more down to earth, Naples Grande Beach Resort also offers a package influenced by the popular novel Fifty Shades of Grey. This package, dubbed Laters, Baby, comes with a bottle of sparkling wine, chocolate covered strawberries, a daily breakfast buffet, and a $100 credit at the hotel spa.

Click through to see a few other ideas for your Valentine’s Day getaways. There’s something for every type of adventurer -- from Millennium Hotels and Resorts' "Call Us Cupid" offer in the US to Las Alcobas’ “Spoil Your Partner” package in Mexico.

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State park fees to increase Feb. 15

DOVER, DELAWARE Delaware State Park entrance fees, annual passes and surf permits will increase in price on Feb. 15, officials announced today.

Until then, annual passes and permits are available at the 2014 prices.

Details on fee increases starting Feb. 15

  • Delaware resident annual passes will increase from $27 to $35.
  • Those 62 years and older will pay $18 for an annual pass.
  • Lifetime passes, available to those 65 and older, will increase from $50 to $65.
  • The military pass will increase to $17.50.
  • The Assistance Program pass (for low-income residents) will not increase; it remains at $10.
  • Surf fishing permits will increase for Delaware residents by $15, to $80 for a one-year tag, and a $30 increase – to $160 – for a two-year tag.
  • Seniors will receive a $10 deduction from the one-year tag, and a $20 deduction on the two-year tag.
  • Entrance fee day passes, collected from March 1 to Nov. 30, for Delawareans will increase $1. At the ocean parks, Delaware visitors will pay $5 per vehicle, and $4 at inland parks.
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Toddler wounds both parents with 1 shot from handgun

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a 3-year-old boy got ahold of a handgun from his mother's purse and fired just one shot that wounded both his parents.

Albuquerque police say the toddler apparently reached for an iPod but found the loaded weapon.

The bullet first struck his father in the buttock and then hit the shoulder of his mother, who is eight months pregnant. His 2-year-old sister was present but unhurt.

Local media reports say police believe Saturday's shooting was accidental.

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D.C. Council to consider banning suspensions of preschoolers

WASHINGTON (AP) - A D.C. Council committee will hold a hearing on a bill that would ban out-of-school suspensions for preschoolers.

Council member David Grosso introduced the bill last month, and all 10 of his colleagues have signed on as co-sponsors.

A report released last year by the District superintendent's office found that 181 pre-kindergarten students were suspended from District public schools during the 2012-2013 school year.

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In Christie’s Career, a Fondness for Luxe Benefits When Others Pay the Bills

As Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey waited to depart on a trade mission to Israel in 2012, his entourage was delayed by a late arrival: Mr. Christie’s father, who had accidentally headed to the wrong airport.

A commercial flight might have left without him, but in this case, there was no rush. The private plane, on which Mr. Christie had his own bedroom, had been lent by Sheldon G. Adelson, the billionaire casino owner and supporter of Israel. At the time, he was opposing legislation then before the governor to legalize online gambling in New Jersey.

Mr. Christie loaded the plane with his wife, three of his four children, his mother-in-law, his father and stepmother, four staff members, his former law partner and a state trooper.

King Abdullah of Jordan picked up the tab for a Christie family weekend at the end of the trip. The governor and two staff members who accompanied him came back to New Jersey bubbling that they had celebrated with Bono, the lead singer of U2, at three parties, two at the king’s residence, the other a Champagne reception in the desert. But a small knot of aides fretted: The rooms in luxurious Kempinski hotels had cost about $30,000; what would happen if that became public?

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This Year, Vaccine May Not Save You From The Flu

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — There’s still months left in flu season and here in Maryland, we’re already seeing thousands more cases than we saw all of last season. One of the reasons? The CDC admits the flu vaccine was not very effective. Tuesday, health officials were grilled on Capitol Hill.

Meghan McCorkell has more on what went wrong.

Most years, the flu vaccine is about 50-60% effective. The CDC says this year, the vaccine is at just 23%.

At the beginning of flu season, lines to get the vaccine stretched out clinic doors.

“I don’t want to get the flu,” said Stephanie Williams.

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Robin Williams' Wife, Children Fight Over Estate

Robin Williams' children and wife are fighting over the late comedian's estate in a California court.

In papers filed in December in San Francisco Superior Court, Williams' wife, Susan, accuses the comedian's children from two previous marriages of taking items without her permission. She asks the court to exclude the contents of the Tiburon home that she shared with Williams and was bequeathed to her from the jewelry, memorabilia and other items Williams wanted the children to have.

The children, Zachary, Zelda and Cody, counter that Susan Williams is trying to change the trust agreement and rob them of the late actor's clothing and other personal items.

Williams committed suicide at the Tiburon home in August by hanging himself.

Source

Panel recommends $46 million plan to help casinos

DOVER — A $46 million proposal to assist Delaware casinos has been released by the Lottery Gaming & Study Commission and sent to legislative lawyers to be crafted into legislation.

Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgtown, sits on the nine-person commission and was one of five members who voted for the proposal's release during a Jan. 22 meeting in Dover. He said he voted to release the plan so the full General Assembly can discuss it.

Pettyjohn said he takes exception to the idea that the Lottery Gaming & Study Commission has moved forward a proposal to bail out the state's casinos.

There's no other industry in the state where the state takes 60 percent of profits before any bills are paid, Pettyjohn said Jan. 27. He said the proposal would not give money to the casinos; it would reduce what the state would otherwise take away.

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Governor Hogan: Repeal The Rain Tax

Judge Rules Oregon Bakery Discriminated Against Gay Couple

An Oregon bakery that refused on religious grounds to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple violated the state's anti-discrimination laws because the shop is not a registered religious institution, state officials said on Monday.

Sweet Cakes by Melissa, in the Portland area, might have to pay fines of $75,000 or more to two women to whom it refused service in 2013, a Bureau of Labor and Industries administrative judge ruled last week. A hearing to determine the damages is set for March 10.

"The law provides an exemption for religious organizations and schools, but does not allow private businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation, just as they cannot legally deny service based on race, sex, age, disability or religion," bureau spokesman Charlie Burr said in a statement.

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MIKULSKI FIGHTS TO REFRESH AND REFORM "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" AND PREPARE ALL KIDS FOR SUCCESSFUL FUTURES

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today participated in a roundtable discussion titled: “Fixing No Child Left Behind: Innovation to Better Meet the Needs of Students.” The roundtable discussion included education leaders from Maryland and across the country who spoke about the importance of reauthorizing theElementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and replacing the failed tenets of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

“In order to out-innovate the rest of the world, we must first out-educate,” Senator Mikulski said. “I’m fighting for jobs and opportunity to help middle class families get ahead, and not just get by. With quality education families can count on, we can help every child – regardless of zip code – get a foothold on the opportunity ladder for a successful future.”

ESEA is the primary source of federal aid to K-12 education. It was first enacted in 1965 and was last reauthorized in 2001 through NCLB. Despite its bipartisan best intentions, NCLB presented a host of problems for schools, students, and educators, including: setting inflexible benchmarks without taking into consideration the different needs of schools and without recognizing student progress; mandating the same federal sanctions for all schools that created a pressure to “teach to the test;” requiring states and schools to adhere to prescriptive, Washington-generated accountability models; and forcing school districts to spend money on activities that did not make sense for all students or schools.

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Warren Commission Member: JFK Shooting Was a Conspiracy

Lee Harvey Oswald may have been part of a conspiracy, according to investigative reporter Philip Shenon, whose book "A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination," has just been issued in paperback.

In an excerpt from the newly published edition that is running in Politico, Shenon, a former New York Times correspondent, reports that Warren Commission staffer David Slawson, now an 83-year-old retired law school professor, has come to believe that he and the investigation were victims of a "massive cover-up."

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NRP Blotter

Maryland Natural Resources officers on the Eastern Shore and in the Central Region recently charged 13 men with oyster poaching and hunting violations.

Officers conducting surveillance of the Nanticoke River Oyster Sanctuary in Wicomico County last Friday shortly after 4 a.m. saw two men dredging within its boundaries. The officers intercepted the unlighted vessel after it finished dredging and began heading upstream.

Aboard, they found 32 bushels of oysters, four of which contained undersized oysters.

Vaughn Edward Collins Jr., 44, of Nanticoke, and Kristopher Daniel Graves, 20, of Salisbury, were each charged with illegal oyster harvesting more than 150 feet inside a sanctuary; harvesting oysters before legal hours; possessing oysters onboard a vessel between two hours after sunset and before sunrise; being over the daily harvest limit; failing to tag oysters; and two charges each of possessing unculled oysters at 40 percent below legal size. Collins also was cited for operating a vessel without running lights.

The 32 bushels of oysters were returned to the sanctuary and the dredge was seized.

Both men are schedule to appear in Wicomico District Court on March 3. If found guilty of all charges, each man could be fined a maximum of $6,000.

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Obama: Paychecks to 143,000 Homeland Security employees will stop

President Barack Obama claimed on Monday that without a comprehensive budget covering the Department of Homeland Security, more than 130,000 mission-critical employees will be forced to work without pay by the end of the month.

They include 40,000 employed by Customs and Border Protection, 50,000 Transportation Security Administration screeners, 13,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and 40,000 Coast Guard personnel.

Pay would be restored at the end of any withholding period.

'I know how vital you are, and I want to make sure more Americans know how vital you are,' Obama told an auditorium full of DHS employees Monday the department's headquarters, as the White House rolled out his $4 trillion budget request for 2016.

In addition, it's likely that 4,000 people who work for the Secret Service will see paychecks on hold if Obama doesn't strike a deal with Republicans in Congress.

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Parasites

Politicians and lawyers pretend that they are important people doing important work. But often they're important because they are parasites. They feed off others, while creating no wealth of their own.

We all complain about businesses we don't like, but because business is voluntary, every merchant must offer us something we want in order to get our money.

But that's not true for politicians and their businessman cronies. They get to use government force to grab our money.

Those people who take instead of producing things make up "the parasite economy," says Cato Institute Vice President David Boaz. It's my favorite chapter in his new book, "The Libertarian Mind."

The parasite economy, says Boaz, thrives wherever "you use the law to get something you couldn't get voluntarily in the marketplace."

That includes much of the military-industrial complex, "green" businesses that prosper only because politicians award them subsidies, banks that can borrow cheaply because they're labeled "too big to fail" and -- unfortunately -- me.

All of us are parasites if government granted us special deals. Some parasites (not me) lobbied for their deal. "You might use a tariff to prevent people from buying from your foreign competitors or get the government to give you a subsidy," says Boaz. "You might get the government to pass a law that makes it difficult for your competitors to compete with you."

This quickly creates a culture where businesses conclude that the best way to prosper is not by producing superior goods, but by lobbying. Politicians then tend to view those businesses the way gangsters used to view neighborhood stores, as targets to shake down.

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SFD Calls For Service 2-3-15

  • Tuesday February, 3 2015 @ 23:15Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Tuesday February, 3 2015 @ 23:00Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Tuesday February, 3 2015 @ 22:08Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Tuesday February, 3 2015 @ 16:08Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Tuesday February, 3 2015 @ 16:02Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury

Homeless Sex Offender Notification-Seaford

Scott P. Horseman, 28, Seaford, DE
5’11” tall, 160 lbs.,
brown hair, hazel eyes
Tier 3

Seaford –Scott Horseman is not wanted. This is a Homeless Sex Offender Public Notification. Scott Horsemen is a High Risk Tier 3 sex offender who has registered as homeless in Seaford.

If you have information that he may be occupying a residence please contact 302-672-5306. Information can also be provided to the Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333. Information may also be provided via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com

Send an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."

Obama Calls Foul on Donor Tax Break for College Sports Tickets

College sports fans who donate money to their favorite schools and get priority seating at big games in exchange could lose a tax break under a federal budget plan proposed on Monday.

President Barack Obama's plan would close a loophole that lets donors deduct four-fifths of the value of a gift made to a school, even if priority seating rights they get in exchange are worth more than one-fifth of the gift's value.

Obama's plan is not likely to become law soon. Republicans, who now control both the House of Representatives and the Senate, were sharply critical of the plan within hours of its unveiling. But the budget, and its proposals, draw a lot of attention each year.

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It's Official!!


'American Sniper' pulled in Baghdad - though most Iraqis loved it

The only cinema in Baghdad pulled 'American Sniper' last week after a phone call from a senior government official following sold-out showings and outbursts from audiences.

Those who went to screenings said reactions to the film were mixed, with some viewers cheering on Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle as others responded with anger.

The Washington Post reports that Fares Hilal, who operates the movie theater, says he stopped screenings after only a week because a Ministry of Culture official threatened to fine and close the cinema.

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Governor Hogan Introduces Supplemental Budget And New Legislation To Fund Transportation


New legislation seeks to increase the share highway user revenue distributed to local governments to 30% over the next eight years  
 
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Larry Hogan has introduced a supplemental budget for FY2016 that will increase the portion of highway user revenue distributed to local governments by $25 million to $194.3 million, the highest level of funding since FY2009. The action reflects the Hogan administration’s commitment to fund transportation priorities while supporting the efforts of counties and municipalities to maintain critical infrastructure.

Separately, the Hogan administration has introduced new legislation that seeks to increase the portion of highway user revenue distributed to local governments over the next eight years. Under the Governor’s proposal, the portion of highway user revenue distributed to local governments would rise by 2.8 percent a year, reaching 30 percent in FY2024.

"Over the last several years, local governments across the state have had to bear the brunt of deep cuts in highway user revenue," said Governor Hogan. "Although we were faced with a dire fiscal situation and the extremely difficult challenge of delivering structural balance to our state budget, I have remained committed to restoring the money that was raided from our Transportation Trust Fund.” 
 
Increasing the revenue distributed to local governments to 30% by FY2024 will allow the state to maintain its transportation infrastructure and provide relief to local governments that have struggled with declining revenue sources over the past several years.

Why do we pick our nose?

Poking around inside our nostrils is disgusting, unhygienic and potentially harmful, so it’s baffling that it’s as common as it is, says Jason G Goldman.

Most of us do it, but few of us will admit to it. If we get caught red-handed, we experience shame and regret. And we tend to frown upon others when they do it in public. I'm talking, of course, about reaching up into your nostrils with a finger in an effort to scrape out snot. Is nose-picking really all that bad? How prevalent or bad is it, really? And why (really, why?) would anybody ever decide to see what snot tastes like?

The formal medical term used to describe the act of picking one's nose is “rhinotillexomania”. The first systematic scientific study of the phenomenon may have been undertaken as recently as 1995, by a pair of US researchers named Thompson and Jefferson. They sent a survey by mail to 1,000 adult residents of Dane County, Wisconsin. Of the 254 that responded, a whopping 91% of their respondents confessed to picking their noses, while only 1.2% could admit to doing it at least once each hour. Two subjects indicated that their nasal mining habits interfered with their daily lives (moderately to markedly). And, to their surprise, two other people reported so much nose picking that they had actually picked a hole right trough their nasal septum, the thin tissue that separates the left and right nostrils.

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LIVE: State of the State

Welcome To Detroit. I Mean, Salisbury, Maryland

Joe,

We got this in a bag that said city of Salisbury on it. I didn't think we had gangs in Salisbury. If we don't have them, then what do we need to know?

Dear Viewer,

I'm constantly amazed when I see evidence like this how someone like Jim Ireton could actually get elected but it is what it is.

Never in my lifetime did I ever think a Mayor, a Police Chief, a Council or even a Chamber of Commerce could allow such information disseminated to the public in such a way. 

Then again, I guess I personally have to be grateful that this kind of stuff is put out there so we actually have something to write about several times a day. 

To ALL of the people out there who say it is ME that is bringing down Salisbury, HELLLOOOOOO! Shame on Joe Albero for showing the public the TRUTH. 

Governor Hogan Legislative Agenda Aims For Greater Education Equality


Proposed legislation would allow for greater freedom and autonomy in public charter schools and would create new incentives for K-12 scholarships and assistance to disadvantaged students. 

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan  on Wednesday will release two new education proposals designed to create opportunities for families and students and to put Maryland on a path that ensures greater balance in the quality of education across the state. As part of this effort, the administration will introduce a bill to Strengthen Maryland’s Public Charter School Law as well as new Maryland Education Tax Credit legislation that provides tax credits for business and nonprofits that make contributions supporting eligible K-12 schools and pre-K programs. 

“Maryland has one of the best education systems in the country, but the gap between good schools and underachieving schools is among the worst. This legislation will expand choices for families and make it easier for more public charter schools to operate in Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “Parents need realistic and better alternatives and children need rigorous and challenging curriculums that prepare them for the jobs of the future. Our legislation represents a much needed new direction in Maryland’s education system.”

The legislation follows the release of the Hogan administration’s FY2016 budget, which provided record levels of investment in K-12 education and marked the first time that any governor has funded supplemental education in the form of the Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) during his first year in office.

Since the introduction of new laws over 12 years ago, just 47 charter schools currently operate in Maryland, with approximately 18,000 students enrolled. According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Maryland has the fewest public charter school of any state in the nation where charter schools are permitted. 

Governor Hogan’s proposed legislation to Strengthen Maryland’s Public Charter School Law will deliver greater autonomy and could allow for new innovation in public charter schools through changes in the way public charter schools are regulated by education authorities. Provisions of the legislation will do the following:
  • Require public charter school operators to include in their applications a plan to provide rigorous program instruction and ensure that professional staff will be well qualified and credentialed
  • Provide an operating funding formula based on per pupil allocation and a capital funding stream by authorizing charter schools to be eligible for that capital improvement program
  • Ensure that public charter schools have access to public facilities commensurate with other public non-charter schools
  • Authorize charter school employees to be employees of the public charter school rather than of the local school system
  • Exempt public charter schools from the state teacher certification requirements
  • Authorize public charter school employees to form their own exclusive bargaining unit
  • Allow public charter school employees to be exempt from collective bargaining agreements of local school districts
The Maryland Education Tax Credit legislation, otherwise known as BOAST (Building Opportunities for All Students and Teachers), enhances the attractiveness of business and non-profit donations to eligible K-12 or pre-K programs in the state.  By putting in place this tax credit, many more Maryland children who are today enrolled failing schools could have the opportunity to benefit from a quality education in a safe environment at a greatly reduced cost. Tax credits would be administered by the Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development (DBED), where programs that offer scholarships and other educational assistance to disadvantaged students would be given priority.  

Under the Governor’s proposal, the tax credit would be available for 60% of the contribution made to eligible programs. Credits cannot exceed $200,000 each taxable year, with a cap on credits appropriated in the budget at $5 million in FY2016, increasing to $10 million in FY2017 and $15 million in FY2018.

Governor Hogan Unveils Tax Relief Measures


Proposed legislation to repeal the “Rain Tax” and eliminate automatic gas tax increases while delivering relief for retired military, emergency services and small businesses 

ANNAPOLIS, MD - Delivering on commitments made to Maryland voters during his campaign, Governor Larry Hogan today unveiled in his State of the State address a series of tax relief measures for individuals and businesses. The governor’s tax relief package is the first step in a broader effort to establish an environment that encourages investment in new businesses and ensures that Maryland remains an attractive state for people to live, raise families, and retire. 

“The cost of implementing these tax measures in FY2016 is minimal, but these proposals are necessary to get our state heading in the right direction when it comes to tax policy,” said Governor Hogan. “After 40 consecutive tax hikes, the people of Maryland deserve to see a little less taken from their wallets each year.”  

Included in the Governor’s 2015 Legislative Package are the following tax relief measures: 

Repeal Of Mandate For Stormwater Management
 
Passed during the 2012 legislative session, the Rain Tax has proven to be unpopular with voters and local officials, who have expressed frustration with the law. The administration’s bill would remove the Rain Tax (Section4-202.1 of the Environment Article), but would leave open the option under Section 4-204 for local governments to adopt a “system of charges” to pay for storm water management.  

“Dealing with the problem of storm water management and working to restore our most treasured asset, the Chesapeake Bay, is a goal we all strongly agree on,” said Governor Hogan. “But a state law that has forced certain counties to raise taxes on their citizens, against their will, and that usurps their authority, is just plain wrong.”

Exemption For Military Retirement Income

The administration’s Exemption for Military Retirement Income bill aims to eliminate income tax on all military retirement income, phasing in their relief over a period of four years, providing for 25 percent relief in the first year, rising to 100 percent. This measure would be effective for income earned beginning January 1st, 2015 and would impact over 50,500 veterans in the state who earn an average of approximately $28,000 in military pensions. Under current Maryland law, all but the first $5,000 of military retirement income is subject to personal income tax. 

Hometown Heroes Income Tax Exclusion 

In Part I of this bill Governor Hogan is proposing to exempt any retired law enforcement, fire, rescue or emergency personnel from tax on retirement income specific to their service as a first responder. This Hometown Heroes Income Tax exclusion would be phased in over a period of four years. Part II of the bill would also increase to $5,000 this year the Volunteer Police, Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Personnel Subtraction Modification Program, a program which provides an income tax subtraction or deduction modification for emergency services volunteers. 

“The men and women who have put their lives on the line for us and who have committed to serving our nation and our communities have earned these tax breaks, and they deserve our thanks and support,” said Governor Hogan. “Many have created businesses in retirement, and ensuring that all retirees can afford to live and stay close to family and friends in Maryland just makes sense.”

Personal Property Tax Exemption For Small Business 

Given the important role that small businesses play in creating jobs and growing the state economy, Governor Hogan is proposing new legislation that would eliminate the personal property income tax for businesses that have less than $10,000 in personal property. Under current law, all Maryland businesses must inventory and pay taxes against such personal property as inventory, office furniture, fixtures, equipment, and plant machinery. More than 70,000 Maryland small businesses would benefit from this action, freeing them from making the decision between hiring a third party to carry out an inventory or the time consuming process of documenting minor business purchases themselves.

Repealing The Automatic Gas Tax Increases 

In order to ensure that Maryland’s citizens have the benefit of seeing how their legislators vote whenever a new increase is enacted, the Hogan administration will propose legislation to repeal the automatic gas tax increases in Maryland. Under laws passed in 2013, Maryland’s tax on gasoline is indexed to inflation through a Consumer Price Index adjustment calculated by the Comptroller on June 1st of each year. Further, existing law will see the Sales and Use Equivalency Tax on Gas rise to 3% on July 1st 2015. This tax could also increase to 4% in January 2016 and 5% in July of 2016, contingent upon federal passage of an internet sales tax. 

“Maryland citizens have the right to know when their elected leaders are taking more of their hard earned dollars,” said Governor Hogan. “The current law allows taxes on gas to steadily grow without a single vote, and hurts struggling Maryland families and our most vulnerable citizens in the process. These automatic tax increases need to be repealed.”

Governor Hogan To Repeal Rain Tax

Repealing The Rain Tax

Dealing with the problem of storm water management and working to restore our most treasured asset, the Chesapeake Bay, is a goal we all strongly agree on.

But in my humble opinion, passing a state law that forced certain counties to raise taxes on their citizens - against their will - may not have been the best way to address the issue.

If there was one message that Marylanders have made perfectly clear it was that taxing struggling and already overtaxed Marylanders for the rain that falls on the roof of their homes was a mistake that needs to be corrected.

This week, our administration will submit legislation to repeal the rain tax.

Obama’s Fake ‘Middle Class Tax Cuts’ Won’t Help Three-Quarters of the Middle Class or Two-Thirds of the Poor

Obama is at it again, lying to the country about another one of his big government boondoggles, this time its his claim that he is sponsoring “tax cuts for the middle class.” Turns out it won’t help anyone in either the middle class or members of the lower income brackets.

A new analysis of his woebegotten plan has revealed that Obama is lying again.

Nonpartisan Tax Policy Center found $1.5 trillion in new taxes proposed through 2025 will help few the president says he’s targeting

About a quarter of families making between $50,000 and $75,000 a year would get a tax cut, averaging $545; 70 per cent would see no change
Only one-third of the bottom bottom 20 percent of earners would get tax cuts, averaging $617; the rest would see little or no change

But we are now very used to this liar in chief and how he operates. Remember these lies…

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Ben Carson: No One Has Right to Refuse Mandatory Vaccinations

Retired pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, a possible Republican presidential candidate, is weighing in on the contentious issue of mandatory vaccinations – asserting people shouldn't be allowed to refuse shots on religious or philosophical grounds.

"Although I strongly believe in individual rights and the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit, I also recognize that public health and public safety are extremely important in our society, Carson said in a statement released to The Hill and BuzzFeed News.

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Obama Has Handed Out Millions of Work Permits to People Not Authorized to Work

This echoes the multitude of warnings from Jeff Sessions and Ted Cruz. Obama has been doing it from the beginning and hiding it from jobless Americans. He’s bringing in millions of illegal aliens and getting them work permits. This cements a Marxist voting bloc for Democrats and provides a deep watering hole of cheap, slave labor for the Chamber of Commerce and their Republican cronies. Progressives on both sides of the aisle knew about this and facilitated it. Not out of the shadows, but a permanent shadowy, illegal, corrupt system has been at play via Barack Obama.

From TheBlaze:

The Center for Immigration Studies released a report Monday that said the Obama administration has operated a “shadow” immigration system for years, one that has handed out millions of work permits to illegal aliens and aliens with unknown legal status.

According to government data that CIS received in a Freedom of Information Request, the Obama administration used its discretion to give out nearly 5.5 million work permits to aliens with varying legal status since 2009.

A Republican aide said the report could be one of the biggest scandals of the Obama administration, since it shows the administration was giving work permits to illegal immigrants at a time of high unemployment among Americans.

The report was released just as the Obama administration is preparing to implement an immigration plan that could provide legal protection to up to 5 million illegal immigrants and give them work permits. Republicans have said this plan would only make it easier for non-legal residents to take jobs from Americans, although the CIS data shows this is already happening under Obama.

“I was astonished at the huge number of work permits that are being issued by the Obama administration outside the legal immigration system through executive discretion, especially at a time of high unemployment and stagnant wages,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at CIS. “Besides the effect on the American worker, it encourages and rewards more illegal immigration.”

According to CIS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued 5,461,568 new work permits to aliens. That’s in addition to the roughly 1.1 million legal immigrants and 700,000 guest workers that the U.S. admits legally each year.

Of that 5.5 million, 1.8 million were issued to aliens with temporary visas, but 1.2 million of that group had a visa status that does not authorize employment.

Another 982,000 work permits were given to illegal immigrants or immigrants who weren’t qualified for admission. Almost all of this group were made up of aliens who crossed the border illegally, according to CIS.

Another group of 1.7 million is made up of aliens with unknown legal status.

[…]

“These statistics indicate that the executive branch is operating a huge parallel immigrant work authorization system outside the bounds of the laws and limits written by Congress,” CIS said. “It inevitably reduces job opportunities for Americans.”

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GOP Promises Battle Over Budget

Republicans are vowing to fight President Barack Obama's fiscal 2016 budget that was unveiled Monday in the nation's capital.

The budget, which tips the financial scales at $4 trillion, contains tax raises on wealthy Americans and financial institutions. Those tax raises are intended to boost middle-class Americans by leaving more money in their pockets.

Republicans aren't buying it.

"At a time when Americans are still struggling to get by, this budget would add on even more costs and taxes," House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California said, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Looming deadlines, however, could keep the GOP's budget fight short.

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State of the State Address, Governor Larry Hogan

State of the State Address
"A New Direction for Maryland"
As Prepared for Delivery
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
State House, Annapolis

Speaker Busch, President Miller, members of the General Assembly, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
 
It is an honor, and I am truly humbled, for the opportunity to appear before this 435th General Assembly - as Maryland’s new governor - to report on the state of our state.
 
Marylanders are among the nation’s hardest working and most educated people. We have universities and schools that are among the best in the nation.
 
No state can match the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay, our beaches and farms, or the mountains of Western Maryland, the Port of Baltimore, or the historic charm of every corner of our state. 
 
But while our assets are many, and our people are strong and hopeful, their state is simply not as strong as it could be - or as it should be.
 
We have a lot to do, to get Maryland back on track and working again. 
 
The challenges we face are great.
 
High taxes, over-regulation, and an anti-business attitude are clearly the cause of our economic problems. Our economy is floundering, and too many Marylanders have been struggling, just to get by.
 
40 consecutive tax hikes have taken an additional $10 billion out of the pockets of struggling Maryland families and small businesses. We’ve lost more than 8,000 businesses, and Maryland’s unemployment nearly doubled.
 
We’re number three in the nation in foreclosures, and dead last in manufacturing. We’ve had the largest mass exodus of taxpayers fleeing our state - of any state in our region, and one of the worst in the nation.
 
And, while most states around the country have turned the corner - sadly, Maryland continues to languish behind. The federal government ranked our state’s economy 49th out of 50 states. 

That is simply unacceptable.
 
According to a recent Gallup poll, nearly half of all Marylanders would leave the state if they could. As a lifelong Marylander who loves this state - that just breaks my heart.
 
We fail all Marylanders if we simply accept these dismal facts as the status quo.
 
Well - I refuse to accept the status quo, because the people of Maryland deserve better.
 
Over the past few years, as I traveled across the state, I listened to the concerns of Marylanders from all walks of life. The common theme I kept hearing was frustration. People everywhere feel a real disconnect between Annapolis and the rest of Maryland. They feel that we are way off track, heading in the wrong direction, and that change is desperately needed in Annapolis.
 
The problems we face aren’t Democratic problems, or Republican problems. These are Maryland’s problems.  

And they will require common sense, Maryland solutions. With the will of the people behind us, and with all of us working together, we can put Maryland back on track.
 
And we will.
 
Today, Marylanders look to us for leadership. They look to us to put Maryland on a new path, toward opportunity and prosperity for all our citizens.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for us to listen to Maryland’s hard working taxpayers and our job creators.
 
The people of Maryland simply cannot afford for us to continue on the same path of more spending, more borrowing, more taxes, and politics as usual. 
 
It is time for a new direction for Maryland.

Comptroller Franchot Urges Marylanders to Shop Maryland Energy, Februray 14 – 16

Annapolis, MD – Comptroller Peter Franchot today reminded Marylanders to take advantage of Shop Maryland Energy, a tax-free weekend for select Energy Star products beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, February 14, and ending at 11:59 p.m. Monday, February 16. Now in its sixth year, the annual tax-free weekend allows Marylanders to make qualifying purchases without paying the state’s six percent sales tax.

“Shop Maryland Energy has been hugely successful because it’s good for the economy and it’s good for the environment,” said Comptroller Franchot. “Marylanders save money on their purchases, reduce their future energy bills and invest in a greener future. Local stores that employ our friends and neighbors also benefit by getting a boost during these tough economic times.”

Energy Star products eligible for the six percent tax break include air conditioners, washers and dryers, furnaces, heat pumps, standard-size refrigerators, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs, dehumidifiers and programmable thermostats. To earn an Energy Star designation, an appliance must meet strict energy efficiency requirements developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Anti-Netanyahu Election Group Admits to American Funding

The V15 group working to defeat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the upcoming election has confirmed to WND it is primarily financed by an American billionaire and a Mexican entrepreneur who is a U.S. resident.

V15, short for Victory 2015, attracted U.S. media attention after it hired 270 Strategies, a consulting firm whose senior leadership is comprised mostly of former top staffers for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.
Uri Wollman, V15′s spokesman, told WND his organization’s ballooning infrastructure is funded primarily by three private philanthropists:
  • S. Daniel Abraham, the billionaire founder of the Slim Fast food line. Abraham is a major donor to the Democratic Party and the Clinton Foundation.
  • Daniel Lubetzky, a social entrepreneur whose OneVoice Movement is partnered with V15.
  • Alon Kastiel, a Tel Aviv-based businessman and owner of multiple local venues, including bars, clubs and hotels.
The admission confirms charges by Netanyahu’s Likud Party, which earlier called on Israel’s Central Elections Committee to outlaw V15′s activities to “ensure the integrity of the election.”
The Likud Party accused V15 of violating campaign finance law by accepting foreign contributions, with Likud lawyer David Shimron claiming Abraham and Lubetzky were behind the group’s funding.

Wacky & Weird Detention Slips

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Check out Tom Brady Giving MVP Truck To Malcolm Butler

BOSTON (CBS) — Tom Brady won his fourth Lombardi Trophy and third Super Bowl MVP award Sunday night.

But he wouldn’t have accomplished that without a clutch interception by undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler, who picked off Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson at the New England one-yard line with just seconds remaining in Super Bow XLIX to seal the victory for the Patriots.

“I think there are a lot of people who are very deserving of this award,” Brady said Monday morning in Arizona as he collected his latest MVP trophy.

As MVP, Brady also received a shiny new Chevy truck. While he didn’t hand his MVP trophy to Butler, the quarterback is doing the next best thing: He’s giving him the truck.

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Public Schedule For Governor Larry Hogan, Wednesday, February 4, 2015




 
ANNAPOLIS, MD – The public schedule for Governor Larry Hogan for Wednesday, February 4, 2015 includes the following:
 
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
 
12:00 PM: State of the State Address
House Chamber, State House 

 

The State of the State Address will be streamed LIVE on http://www.governor.maryland.gov/stateofthestate.html

Note: Space for media is extremely limited. Pool coverage will be provided by Maryland Public Television.

Father kills 7 ISIS militants in revenge for son executed for spying

An Iraqi man has shot and killed seven ISIS militants in an act of revenge for his son who was executed by the terrorist group, local media reports.

Basil Ramadan, said to be in his 60s, used an AK-47 to gun down a group of militants at a checkpoint in Tikrit, a city northwest of Baghdad currently under ISIS control, before he was shot.

Mr Ramadan's son, Ahmed Basil, 18, was one of eight men executed by ISIS in January, accused of infiltrating the organisation and spying for the Iraqi government.

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For Some Schools, Learning Doesn't Stop On Snow Days

Even when schools are closed for snow, students in Delphi, Ind., are expected to log on to their classes from home.

The seniors in Brian Tonsoni's economics class at Delphi Community High School are no strangers to technology — everybody has an Internet-connected laptop or smartphone in front of them in class as they work on business plans.

"We made a company, and so we are selling scarves," says Hannah Napier.

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The Cars You're Most Likely To Die Driving

Fatal Car Accidents Decline In 3 Years As Vehicle Design Improves: The Best And Worst Cars To Drive

Due to the newest vehicle designs, your chances of dying in a car accident have fallen by more than a third over the past three years, the latest statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveal. According to IIHS calculations, 7,700 fewer driver deaths occurred in 2012 alone (the latest statistical year) than if vehicles had remained the same since 1985. The chart below tells the story:

Economists Say Millennials Should Consider Careers In Trades

As the economy continues to recover, economists are seeing stark differences between people with high school and college degrees. Four-year college graduates are nearly twice as likely to have a job compared to Americans who just graduated high school and stopped there.

But economists say that doesn't mean everybody needs a four-year degree. In fact, millions of good-paying jobs are opening up in the trades. And some pay better than what the average college graduate makes.

Learning A Trade

When 18-year-old Haley Hughes graduated from high school this past summer, she had good grades; she was on the honor roll every year. So she applied to a bunch of four-year colleges and got accepted to every one of them. But she says, "I wasn't excited about it really, I guess."

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WCBOE Redistricting Information & Input Meetings

Tuesday, Feb. 10, Thursday, Feb. 12

Redistricting Information & Input Meetings
Salisbury Middle School, Delmar Elementary


Wicomico County Public Schools will hold four Information & Input Meetings on proposed redistricting plans during the month of February, starting this week. These Information & Input meetings on redistricting will be held:

Tuesday, Feb. 10 at Salisbury Middle School, cafeteria, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 12 at Delmar Elementary, cafeteria, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 17 at Pittsville Elementary and Middle, cafeteria, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 19 at Fruitland Intermediate, cafeteria, 7 p.m.

Redistricting is necessary from time to time to balance enrollment between schools and to adjust to changes in facility use, which for next school year will include the opening of the new Bennett Middle School in Fruitland. A Redistricting Committee with representation from every school in the county is currently meeting to analyze data on enrollment, facility use, special permissions and other factors that impact school attendance boundaries. Following the committee’s work, the school system will be prepared to share the objectives and parameters of redistricting with the community, along with specific proposals for adjustments. This information will also be posted at www.wcboe.org.

The Information & Input Meetings will include the presentation of redistricting objectives and parameters of redistricting planning for the 2015-2016 school year, followed by the opportunity for public comments and questions on the redistricting proposals. For information please call 410-677-4562 or email bdail@wcboe.org.

Bishop accused in cyclist’s death suspected of being drunk before her installation

The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland suspected that Heather Cook — now charged in the drunk-driving death of a Balitmore bicyclist — was suspected of being drunk during her own installation festivities this past fall, a new official timeline shows.

Officials with the diocese, which elected Cook its first female bishop last spring, have said for weeks that they knew before her election of an ugly drunk-driving incident in 2010. However they have declined since to answer questions about whether they had any reason to be concerned about her drinking after she was elected — until the fatal accident in December.

The timeline, which the Diocese of Maryland said Monday it had added to its Web site, says the head of the national Episcopal Church was also made aware that Cook may have been drunk during her own installation celebration. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schoriwas the leader of the service that consecrated Cook, or made her a bishop, on Sept. 6.

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Waste not, want not - making money from rubbish

But then waste is a subject dear to his heart. He is the founder and chief executive of social enterprise TerraCycle, a company whose aim is eliminating waste.

"It's a lofty ideal I know," he says, but so far so good.

In 13 years, US-based TerraCycle has gone from the classic start-up run out of a basement to operating in 21 countries. Last year it had revenue worth $20m (£13m) and 115 employees.

The company's business model is to find waste and turn it into something useful, for a profit. It collects things that are generally considered difficult to recycle - such as cigarette stubs, coffee capsules, or biscuit wrappers - and finds a way to reuse them.

That is done mainly through processing them down into a material and selling them to a manufacturer, and to a lesser extent by turning them into products such as bags, benches or dustbins.

It relies on contracts with businesses - such as McVities, Johnson & Johnson, and Kenco - that pay TerraCycle to take away their waste, as well as individual consumers collecting and sending it in, in return for donations to a charity of their choice.

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THAT'S WHAT I SAID!


The scourge of the selfie

I had a look at Instagram on a random Monday at 5:30pm, just as the Museum of Modern Art in New York closed for the day. The number of photos posted from the museum that day was more than 300 – and that figure counts only those images affixed with MoMA’s geotag, and thus could be a grave underestimate. What were these photos depicting? Paintings, of course, especially Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night and Ed Ruscha’s Oof, whose titular onomatopoeia is a fan favorite. Not only art, though. A lot of people seem to like taking photos of wall text, and five museumgoers, bizarrely, posted photographs of their tickets.

But more and more, the view at MoMA is a view of oneself. Starry Night and Claude Monet’s Water Lilies are the prime selfie real estate, it seems, though two friends posted four different photos of themselves and had killer taste in backgrounds, posing in front of two cut-outs by Matisse, Andy Warhol’s cow wallpaper and the young painter Matt Connors’ monochromes, which are particularly flattering. (The hashtags were #nophotosallowed and #whoops.) One woman, clad in all black from her hijab to her skirt, struck a pose in front of a Joseph Kosuth painting that matched her outfit. People posted selfies from the lobby, the windows and the garden, often tagged with references to their clothes. At least two people posted photos of themselves from the bathrooms, though Marcel Duchamp’s urinal on the fifth floor had no selfie takers.

Maybe someone else will have fun writing a counterintuitive essay about how the museum selfie represents some secret opportunity: that endless narcissistic portraiture in fact disguises some grand creative act. But this is not going to be that essay. Selfies are, let’s face it, the newest scourge of the art museum – and they are not going away, as confirmed by this week’s Museum Selfie Day (really). If you have problems with that, and heaven knows I do, you’ll have to take it up with a bigger authority than the guardians of our art museums, who one by one are giving up on no-photograph policies. The National Gallery in London finally did away with their prohibition last summer, prompting the Guardian writer Zoe Williams to tear through the museum and snap herself with Rembrandt and Vermeer.

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‘Hotel Impossible’ Host Eyes Return Visit To Ocean City Next Month

OCEAN CITY — At its annual trade event next month, the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA) will feature a lecture by Anthony Melchiorri, host of “Hotel Impossible.”

Melchiorri brings his 20-plus years of experience in the business as the “hotel turnaround expert” and host of Travel Channel’s original series “Hotel Impossible,” which premiered its fifth season in October 2014. In this weekly one-hour program, he helps turn around the business of a hotel not living up to its potential or struggling to survive. After assessing each property, he works closely with the owners and staff to determine its biggest problems. Melchiorri has mere days to formulate a plan, revamp the hotel and re-motivate its staff in order to save these properties from going under.

The 41st Annual Ocean City Spring Trade Expo will not be his first visit to Ocean City. In the summer of 2013, Melchiorri was in Ocean City and filmed an episode at The Lankford Hotel on 8thStreet and the Boardwalk.

“I am elated to bring Mr. Melchiorri to our Expo. His no-nonsense approach will challenge our attendees to evaluate their own businesses so they’ll be able to deliver guest experience to make customers return,” said OCHMRA Executive Director Susan L. Jones.

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'Laverne and Shirley' Cast Set the Record Straight About Discord on Set

ET's Brooke Anderson caught up with the Laverne and Shirley cast as they shared their memories (good and bad) working on the sitcom, which ran on ABC for 8 seasons from 1976-83. Cindy Williams sets the record straight on whether there was turmoil between her and fellow co-star Penny Marshall.

"It's like an Italian family at a dinner table on Sunday and somebody doesn't pass the celery properly," Cindy joked. "There’s always going to be arguments." Despite any on-set disagreements, Cindy insisted that it didn't hinder the cast and crew's dedication to making people laugh. "It was a show about happiness and in the end that was everyone's goal."

The gang reunited for The Hollywood Show, a quarterly celebrity autograph and pop culture expo held in Los Angeles. And while Penny, 71, showed up for the fans at the event, she declined our interview. Even so, Cindy, 67, explained that they are still good friends.

"I go to Penny's house I get in bed with her and we watch TV," Cindy revealed. "She's like my sister."

The first time we met Laverne and Shirley was when Penny's brother Garry Marshall cast them on Happy Days.

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Important Animal Cruelty Legislation Today

As you know, chained (or otherwise tethered) dogs are constantly at risk of attacks by other animals and cruel people. Chained dogs often fall prey to weather extremes, and reports of dogs who injured themselves or choked to death on their own tethers are common. Enacting a ban on the chaining of dogs helps to ensure the safety of the community and its animals alike!

Maryland's state legislature has introduced two important bills, Senate Bill 0026 and House Bill 0153 , which, if passed, would ban chaining during severe weather. It's vital that the Senate and House hear from you immediately! Please call or write Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and your state senator in support of Senate Bill 0026 and Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch and your representative in support of House Bill 0153.

Also, Senate Bill 0026 will be discussed at the Maryland General Assembly (90 State Cir., Annapolis, MD 21401 ) on Wednesday, February 4, at 2 p.m. 

Commuter train smashes into SUV on tracks, killing 7 people

VALHALLA, N.Y. (AP) — A packed commuter train slammed into a sport utility vehicle on the tracks at a crossing on Tuesday night, killing seven people, injuring several others and sending hundreds of passengers scrambling to get to safety as the front of the train and the SUV burst into flames. The impact was so forceful the electrified third rail came up and pierced the train, authorities said.

Among those killed was the SUV’s driver, who authorities said had gotten out of her vehicle momentarily after the crossing’s safety gates came down around her. She then got back in and was trying to drive forward when she was hit, they said.

“You have seven people who started out today to go about their business and aren’t going to be making it home tonight,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at the crash site in Valhalla, 20 miles north of New York City.

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