Could letting teenagers sleep later in the morning do more than just make them happy? New evidence suggests that a later start to the school day could have all sorts of benefits, like better grades and fewer car crashes. But some worry that pushing the school day back might get in the way of after-school sports and jobs, and wouldn’t leave students enough time to finish homework.
Should the school day start later?
In “To Keep Teenagers Alert, Schools Let Them Sleep In,” Jan Hoffman writes:
Jilly Dos Santos really did try to get to school on time. She set three successive alarms on her phone. Skipped breakfast. Hastily applied makeup while her fuming father drove. But last year she rarely made it into the frantic scrum at the doors of Rock Bridge High School here by the first bell, at 7:50 a.m.
Then she heard that the school board was about to make the day start even earlier, at 7:20 a.m.
“I thought, if that happens, I will die,” recalled Jilly, 17. “I will drop out of school!”
That was when the sleep-deprived teenager turned into a sleep activist. She was determined to convince the board of a truth she knew in the core of her tired, lanky body: Teenagers are developmentally driven to be late to bed, late to rise. Could the board realign the first bell with that biological reality?
The sputtering, nearly 20-year movement to start high schools later has recently gained momentum in communities like this one, as hundreds of schools in dozens of districts across the country have bowed to the accumulating research on the adolescent body clock.
In just the last two years, high schools in Long Beach, Calif.; Stillwater, Okla.; Decatur, Ga.;, and Glens Falls, N.Y., have pushed back their first bells, joining early adopters in Connecticut, North Carolina, Kentucky and Minnesota. The Seattle school board will vote this month on whether to pursue the issue. The superintendent of Montgomery County, Md., supports the shift, and the school board for Fairfax County, Va., is working with consultants to develop options for starts after 8 a.m.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, March 06, 2015
Utah officer punished for resisting performing in gay-pride parade speaks out
As a police officer, Eric Moutsos had no problem with working security at a gay-rights parade, but he did have a problem with kicking off the festivities by performing a choreographed routine as part of the department’s motorcycle squad.
As a result, Mr. Moutsos is no longer employed by the Salt Lake City Police Department. He resigned last year after the department ordered him to turn in his badge and his firearm in June, then placed him on administrative leave, for raising objections to the assignment.
In an interview with The Washington Times, Mr. Moutsos said he hasn’t changed his mind about the department’s role in the parade.
“It looks like we’re doing a type of a celebration in front of the parade,” Mr. Moutsos said. “I didn’t feel OK with being in front of that parade. And I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade, I simply didn’t want to be in one.”
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As a result, Mr. Moutsos is no longer employed by the Salt Lake City Police Department. He resigned last year after the department ordered him to turn in his badge and his firearm in June, then placed him on administrative leave, for raising objections to the assignment.
In an interview with The Washington Times, Mr. Moutsos said he hasn’t changed his mind about the department’s role in the parade.
“It looks like we’re doing a type of a celebration in front of the parade,” Mr. Moutsos said. “I didn’t feel OK with being in front of that parade. And I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade, I simply didn’t want to be in one.”
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NYPD commissioner blames legal marijuana in Colorado for increase in New York shootings
At a news conference Monday, New York Police Department commissioner Bill Bratton blamed a slight uptick in violence in the city (45 homicides at this point last year, versus 54 this year) on marijuana.
“The seemingly innocent drug that’s been legalized around the country. In this city, people are killing each other over marijuana more so than anything that we had to deal with [in the] 80s and 90s with heroin and cocaine . . . In some instances, it’s a causal factor. But it’s an influence in almost everything that we do here.”
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“The seemingly innocent drug that’s been legalized around the country. In this city, people are killing each other over marijuana more so than anything that we had to deal with [in the] 80s and 90s with heroin and cocaine . . . In some instances, it’s a causal factor. But it’s an influence in almost everything that we do here.”
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Wyoming Now to Indoctrinate School Kids in Global Warming
Wyoming may become the first state to force global warming on kids as part of a state enforced grade school curriculum. Worse, it is a Republican Governor who is signing the bill.
In fact, the bill Republican Governor Matt Mead just signed a bill that re-instates the Common Core-styled state education standards that are falling out of favor everywhere else in the country.
The re-instated standards maintain that global warming is real and caused by human activity.
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In fact, the bill Republican Governor Matt Mead just signed a bill that re-instates the Common Core-styled state education standards that are falling out of favor everywhere else in the country.
The re-instated standards maintain that global warming is real and caused by human activity.
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Widow's home is ransacked during her husband's wake
A 75-year-old widow has been dealt a double blow after losing her wedding ring to thieves while attending her husband's wake.
Dorothy Bafaloukos from Tempe, Arizona, told CBS News that burglars broke in through her bedroom window on Monday evening and went straight for her jewelry box.
The senior believes that it was a targeted attack, as the timings of her husband Bill's visitation were listed in a public obituary.
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Dorothy Bafaloukos from Tempe, Arizona, told CBS News that burglars broke in through her bedroom window on Monday evening and went straight for her jewelry box.
The senior believes that it was a targeted attack, as the timings of her husband Bill's visitation were listed in a public obituary.
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Publishers Notes: I have known since I was a small child that you must have someone stay at the home of a deceased person during a wake or funeral. An obituary announces the times in which, (in most cases) someone will not be home. It creates a perfect target for these scumbag thieves.
Wanted Suspect Taunts Police Officers on Facebook – But the Way the Sheriff Responds is the Definition of Epic
Andrew Marcum was wanted by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, and at first, he tried to play tough. But after taunting police on Facebook, Mr. Tough Guy ended up turning himself in, with a final epic takedown by the sheriff.
After sheriff’s deputies in Butler County, Ohio, posted images of a suspect wanted on burglary, assault and abduction charges on Facebook, officers believe the actual suspect replied to the post with a taunting message.
“I ain’t tripping half of them don’t even know me,” the reply said.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said he believes it was Andrew Dale Marcum, the wanted suspect, who posted the response to mock officers. He called it a little “exciting” and warned Marcum in a press conference that he was “poking the bear.”
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After sheriff’s deputies in Butler County, Ohio, posted images of a suspect wanted on burglary, assault and abduction charges on Facebook, officers believe the actual suspect replied to the post with a taunting message.
“I ain’t tripping half of them don’t even know me,” the reply said.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said he believes it was Andrew Dale Marcum, the wanted suspect, who posted the response to mock officers. He called it a little “exciting” and warned Marcum in a press conference that he was “poking the bear.”
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Former FBI mole says he was 'encouraged' to sleep with Muslim women
An FBI informant sent to infiltrate a California mosque has revealed how his handlers encouraged him to have sexual relations with Muslim women if it meant getting better intel.
Craig Monteilh was known to members of the Irvine Islamic Center in Orange County as Farouk al-Aziz, a French Syrian who was a devout and, at times, radical Muslim.
However he was really a petty criminal with forgery convictions who was hired by the FBI to go undercover as part of an intelligence surveillance operation after 9/11.
Monteilh went public with the operation after his cover was blown in 2007, which exposed some of the government's little-known methods of anti-terrorism policing.
Now, in a new interview has given more details about what his mission entailed.
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Craig Monteilh was known to members of the Irvine Islamic Center in Orange County as Farouk al-Aziz, a French Syrian who was a devout and, at times, radical Muslim.
However he was really a petty criminal with forgery convictions who was hired by the FBI to go undercover as part of an intelligence surveillance operation after 9/11.
Monteilh went public with the operation after his cover was blown in 2007, which exposed some of the government's little-known methods of anti-terrorism policing.
Now, in a new interview has given more details about what his mission entailed.
More
Texas City Gets Rid of Police Dept. and Hires ‘SEAL Security’- See What Happened to Crime in that City!
Though it was a controversial decision, a Texas town is seeing the results of having hired a private security firm to serve as their police force. The Blaze reports on the Navy SEAL security force and the effects they have had on the quiet Texas town.
In 2012, the city of Sharpstown, Texas, made the controversial decision not to renew its contract with the local police department and instead hire a private security firm to combat crime.
Since SEAL Security Solutions took over law enforcement in Sharpstown, crime has reportedly dropped by 61 percent in just 20 months.
James Alexander, director of operations for SEAL Security Solutions said, “Since we’ve been in there, an independent crime study that they’ve had done [indicates] we’ve reduced the crime by 61 percent,”according to Guns.com.
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In 2012, the city of Sharpstown, Texas, made the controversial decision not to renew its contract with the local police department and instead hire a private security firm to combat crime.
Since SEAL Security Solutions took over law enforcement in Sharpstown, crime has reportedly dropped by 61 percent in just 20 months.
James Alexander, director of operations for SEAL Security Solutions said, “Since we’ve been in there, an independent crime study that they’ve had done [indicates] we’ve reduced the crime by 61 percent,”according to Guns.com.
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Netanyahu Delivered Just What Obama Feared
Congressional Republicans haven't had many victories in their lasting conflict with President Obama, but Tuesday brought one. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's somber, provocative speech to Congress checked all the boxes.
It called into question the efficacy of any deal the administration might strike with Iran over its nuclear program; it likely renewed momentum for another round of Iranian sanctions on the Hill; it positioned the GOP politically as the party more worried about Israeli security, and, despite the White House's best efforts, made the president appear petty and churlish.
Obama, in an interview with Reuters, had dismissed the speech as a "distraction," and aides made sure everyone knew he would be too busy to watch it. But if the president didn't cast an eye at a TV, he might have been the only person in Washington not to. And that's the problem.
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If Not Now … When? Will the GOP Majority Ever Stand for Anything?
It is never the right time to do the right thing in Washington, D.C.
The phrase I heard most often from Republican leadership while serving in the House and Senate was, “This is not the right time to have this fight.”
Whether the issue was balancing the budget, school choice, patient-driven healthcare, eliminating earmarks, raising the debt limit, ending big, crony handouts like the Export-Import Bank or any stand against the continued growth, favoritism and intrusion of big government, conservatives were always told to wait. Wait until conservatives have the majority. Wait until we have the White House. Wait until we are reelected.
We’re seeing that “wait” attitude in practice today as the House votes on a “clean” Department of Homeland Security funding bill. Despite the fact that Republicans have majorities in both the House and the Senate that were elected on a pledge to fight against President Obama’s executive amnesty, and despite forcing through a big spending bill at the end of 2014 with the promise they would fight later on Homeland Security appropriations, they are now punting the issue entirely.
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The phrase I heard most often from Republican leadership while serving in the House and Senate was, “This is not the right time to have this fight.”
Whether the issue was balancing the budget, school choice, patient-driven healthcare, eliminating earmarks, raising the debt limit, ending big, crony handouts like the Export-Import Bank or any stand against the continued growth, favoritism and intrusion of big government, conservatives were always told to wait. Wait until conservatives have the majority. Wait until we have the White House. Wait until we are reelected.
We’re seeing that “wait” attitude in practice today as the House votes on a “clean” Department of Homeland Security funding bill. Despite the fact that Republicans have majorities in both the House and the Senate that were elected on a pledge to fight against President Obama’s executive amnesty, and despite forcing through a big spending bill at the end of 2014 with the promise they would fight later on Homeland Security appropriations, they are now punting the issue entirely.
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Going Bananas: A Case Study in Media-Manufactured Racism
Political correctness is a pathological disorder.
You can’t say “niggardly” or “black holes” or “chink in the armor” without provoking protests or risking your job. You can’t invoke the Constitution or call illegal behavior “illegal” without being accused of hatred. And now, you can’t goof around at a high school basketball game in silly costumes without the world accusing you of “racial insensitivity.”
Last week, thanks to hyperbolic grievance-mongers and irresponsible reporters, the students of Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, N.J., garnered international headlines and Internet infamy. “Shocking moment students at Catholic school dressed as monkeys and a banana and taunted black basketball players … and DIDN’T get punished,” the U.K. Daily Mail blared last week. “Students who taunted black players at New Jersey basketball game get warning, no punishment,” USA Today decried.
Bossip.com, “the premier destination for African-American pop culture and entertainment,” exclaimed: “Really?!? White High School Students Taunt Black Basketball Team in Monkey and Banana Costumes.”
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You can’t say “niggardly” or “black holes” or “chink in the armor” without provoking protests or risking your job. You can’t invoke the Constitution or call illegal behavior “illegal” without being accused of hatred. And now, you can’t goof around at a high school basketball game in silly costumes without the world accusing you of “racial insensitivity.”
Last week, thanks to hyperbolic grievance-mongers and irresponsible reporters, the students of Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, N.J., garnered international headlines and Internet infamy. “Shocking moment students at Catholic school dressed as monkeys and a banana and taunted black basketball players … and DIDN’T get punished,” the U.K. Daily Mail blared last week. “Students who taunted black players at New Jersey basketball game get warning, no punishment,” USA Today decried.
Bossip.com, “the premier destination for African-American pop culture and entertainment,” exclaimed: “Really?!? White High School Students Taunt Black Basketball Team in Monkey and Banana Costumes.”
More
Railway now says 21 cars derailed from oil train in Illinois
GALENA, Ill. (AP) — The rail cars that split open and burst into flames during a western Illinois oil train derailment this week were retrofitted with protective shields to meet a higher safety standard than federal law requires, railroad officials said.
The fire continued to burn Friday, a day after 21 of the train's 105 cars derailed in a rural area south of the city of Galena. No injuries were reported, but the accident was the latest in a series of failures for the safer tank-car model that has led some people calling for even tougher requirements.
BNSF Railway said in a news release that the train's tank cars were a newer model known as the 1232, which was designed during safety upgrades voluntarily adopted by the industry four years ago in hopes of keeping cars from rupturing during derailments. But 1232 standard cars involved in three other accidents have split open in the past year.
Those other accidents included one last month in West Virginia in which a train carrying 3 million gallons of North Dakota crude derailed, shooting fireballs into the sky, leaking oil into a waterway and burning down a house. The home's owner was treated for smoke inhalation, but no one else was injured.
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The fire continued to burn Friday, a day after 21 of the train's 105 cars derailed in a rural area south of the city of Galena. No injuries were reported, but the accident was the latest in a series of failures for the safer tank-car model that has led some people calling for even tougher requirements.
BNSF Railway said in a news release that the train's tank cars were a newer model known as the 1232, which was designed during safety upgrades voluntarily adopted by the industry four years ago in hopes of keeping cars from rupturing during derailments. But 1232 standard cars involved in three other accidents have split open in the past year.
Those other accidents included one last month in West Virginia in which a train carrying 3 million gallons of North Dakota crude derailed, shooting fireballs into the sky, leaking oil into a waterway and burning down a house. The home's owner was treated for smoke inhalation, but no one else was injured.
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Before You Leave For The Weekend
House Approves Amtrak Funding, Rewrites Rules To Allow Furry Riders
Instead of fighting like cats and dogs, Congress appears to be coming together for a change, and maybe it's because of our feline and canine friends.
In a rare bipartisan vote, the House today approved an Amtrak funding bill that will keep the trains running for another four years, and allow some pets to ride along on the intercity passenger rail service.
The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act passed on a vote of 316 to 101 (132 Republicans joined 184 Democrats in voting for the bill; 101 Republicans voted against). It keeps spending for Amtrak at nearly current levels — about $1.4 billion a year — for the next four years, and includes other reforms aimed at improving the railroad's fiscal performance.
That disappointed some of the passenger rail service's supporters, who had hoped for increased funding to help Amtrak improve its deteriorating infrastructure and update aging rail cars and equipment.
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In a rare bipartisan vote, the House today approved an Amtrak funding bill that will keep the trains running for another four years, and allow some pets to ride along on the intercity passenger rail service.
The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act passed on a vote of 316 to 101 (132 Republicans joined 184 Democrats in voting for the bill; 101 Republicans voted against). It keeps spending for Amtrak at nearly current levels — about $1.4 billion a year — for the next four years, and includes other reforms aimed at improving the railroad's fiscal performance.
That disappointed some of the passenger rail service's supporters, who had hoped for increased funding to help Amtrak improve its deteriorating infrastructure and update aging rail cars and equipment.
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Tex The Border Collie
Watch Tex The Border Collie as he makes his winning run at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show for the 2015 Masters Agility Championship contest. Tex gets off to a slow start but quickly builds up speed as he maneuvers through the obstacle course. He pulls ahead when he gets to the weave poles and simple blazes through them in a performance that stuns the announcers. I can only imagine the hours of practice this trainer and dog perform. If you enjoyed this dog video you might also like to see this Golden Retriever Training.
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NOT ALL THIEVES ARE STUPID
1. LONG-TERM PARKING
Some people left their car in the long-term parking at San Jose while away, and someone broke into the car. Using the information on the car's registration in the glove compartment, they drove the car to the people's home in Pebble Beach and robbed it. So I guess if we are going to leave the car in long-term parking, we should NOT leave the registration/insurance cards in it, nor your remote garage door opener. This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.
2. GPS:
Someone had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard. When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen. The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents. Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.
3. CELL PHONES:
I never thought of this! This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her cell phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen. Twenty minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says, "I received your text asking about our Pin number and I've replied a little while ago." When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text "hubby" in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.
Moral lesson:
a. Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc.
b. And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back.
c. Also, when you're being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet "family and friends" who text you.
4. PURSE IN THE GROCERY CART SCAM:
A lady went grocery-shopping at a local mall and left her purse sitting in the children's seat of the cart while she reached something off a shelf/ Wait till you read the WHOLE story! Her wallet was stolen, and she reported it to the store personnel. After returning home, she received a phone call from the Mall Security to say that they had her wallet and that although there was no money in it, it did still hold her personal papers. She immediately went to pick up her wallet, only to be told by Mall Security that they had not called her. By the time she returned home again, her house had been broken into and burglarized. The thieves knew that by calling and saying they were Mall Security, they could lure her out of her house long enough for them to burglarize it.
Some people left their car in the long-term parking at San Jose while away, and someone broke into the car. Using the information on the car's registration in the glove compartment, they drove the car to the people's home in Pebble Beach and robbed it. So I guess if we are going to leave the car in long-term parking, we should NOT leave the registration/insurance cards in it, nor your remote garage door opener. This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.
2. GPS:
Someone had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard. When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen. The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents. Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.
3. CELL PHONES:
I never thought of this! This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her cell phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen. Twenty minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says, "I received your text asking about our Pin number and I've replied a little while ago." When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text "hubby" in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.
Moral lesson:
a. Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc.
b. And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back.
c. Also, when you're being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet "family and friends" who text you.
4. PURSE IN THE GROCERY CART SCAM:
A lady went grocery-shopping at a local mall and left her purse sitting in the children's seat of the cart while she reached something off a shelf/ Wait till you read the WHOLE story! Her wallet was stolen, and she reported it to the store personnel. After returning home, she received a phone call from the Mall Security to say that they had her wallet and that although there was no money in it, it did still hold her personal papers. She immediately went to pick up her wallet, only to be told by Mall Security that they had not called her. By the time she returned home again, her house had been broken into and burglarized. The thieves knew that by calling and saying they were Mall Security, they could lure her out of her house long enough for them to burglarize it.
BREAKING NEWS: Justice Dept. reportedly preparing criminal charges against NJ Sen. Robert Menendez
The Justice Department is preparing criminal corruption charges against NJ Sen. Robert Menendez, multiple new outlets report.
From Fox News
From Fox News
McDonald’s To Use Chickens Raised Without Controversial Antibiotics
Last week we expressed hope that new McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook would do more than pay lip service to concerns about over-use of medically important antibiotics in farm animals, and today there appears to be some not-bad news coming out of the Golden Arches. The fast food mega-chain says it will only source chickens raised without the use of antibiotics that are important to humans and will offer milk that doesn’t contain artificial growth hormone.
“Our customers want food that they feel great about eating,” explains McDonald’s U.S President Mike Andres in a statement, “all the way from the farm to the restaurant – and these moves take a step toward better delivering on those expectations.”
Antibiotics are commonly added to animal feed, primarily for their growth-promoting effects. While this is good for farmers, scientists and public health advocates have long warned that over-use of antibiotics — especially those deemed medically important to humans — can engender the development and spread of drug-resistant pathogens.
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“Our customers want food that they feel great about eating,” explains McDonald’s U.S President Mike Andres in a statement, “all the way from the farm to the restaurant – and these moves take a step toward better delivering on those expectations.”
Antibiotics are commonly added to animal feed, primarily for their growth-promoting effects. While this is good for farmers, scientists and public health advocates have long warned that over-use of antibiotics — especially those deemed medically important to humans — can engender the development and spread of drug-resistant pathogens.
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Executive Action for Possible Corp. Tax Hikes?
The White House may be inching closer to the idea of raising taxes by executive action – the same path President Obama took to push through his controversial immigration actions.
Press Secretary John Earnest told reporters on Monday that Obama was “very interested,” when asked about the prospect of changing the tax code via executive action.
It’s an option that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., suggested in a letter to the White House on Friday. In it, Sanders called on the Obama administration to curb six specific tax breaks through executive action, which he estimates could raise $100 billion over the next decade.
“If Congress fails to address these problems, the administration should act on its own to close, at a minimum [those tax breaks],” Sanders said.
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Press Secretary John Earnest told reporters on Monday that Obama was “very interested,” when asked about the prospect of changing the tax code via executive action.
It’s an option that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., suggested in a letter to the White House on Friday. In it, Sanders called on the Obama administration to curb six specific tax breaks through executive action, which he estimates could raise $100 billion over the next decade.
“If Congress fails to address these problems, the administration should act on its own to close, at a minimum [those tax breaks],” Sanders said.
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Car Buyers Borrow Most Ever, Record Payments
Americans' average new-car loan payment hit a record $482 the fourth quarter, and car buyers were paying an average 4.56% for loans, according to researcher Experian Automotive.
What's more, the Experian report shows that the amount borrowed to buy a new car in the fourth quarter hit a record $28,381, up more than $950 from a year ago and a $582 increase from the previous quarter.
Edmunds.com auto researchers show the average transaction price for a new vehicle in the fourth quarter was $33,352.
That means buyers were making down payments averaging about 15%.
Other research says the average transaction price then was around $32,000, suggesting that buyers made down payments of 10% - 12%.
For used vehicles, the average loan amount increased $437 from last year, to $18,411.
Experian says the average length of a new-car loan in the fourth quarter rose to an average 66 months, and a used car loan hit 62 months.
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What's more, the Experian report shows that the amount borrowed to buy a new car in the fourth quarter hit a record $28,381, up more than $950 from a year ago and a $582 increase from the previous quarter.
Edmunds.com auto researchers show the average transaction price for a new vehicle in the fourth quarter was $33,352.
That means buyers were making down payments averaging about 15%.
Other research says the average transaction price then was around $32,000, suggesting that buyers made down payments of 10% - 12%.
For used vehicles, the average loan amount increased $437 from last year, to $18,411.
Experian says the average length of a new-car loan in the fourth quarter rose to an average 66 months, and a used car loan hit 62 months.
More
Vatican on alert for Islamist attack, but no plot-security chief
'The threat exists. This is what has emerged from conversations with Italian and foreign colleagues,' Domenico Giani told an Italian police magazine when asked if threats from Islamic State militants were credible.
'(But) at the moment I can say that we are not aware of any plan to attack the Vatican or the Holy Father,' he added in the interview, published on the magazine's website on Monday.
Giani has a force of some 130 agents protecting most of the Vatican and the Pope, with the help of the more ceremonial Swiss Guard. The Italian police guard the exterior, as well as St. Peter's Square.
Twenty of his agents, Giani explained, have specialist anti-terror training and guard the Pope when he's abroad.
He told Polizia Moderna: 'Twenty Vatican bodyguards have received special training that makes them suitable also ready to use in anti-terrorist actions. Some of them accompany the Pope during his international travels.'
The security operation at the Vatican is aided by a command and control centre that Giani says has a 'high level' of technology, along with thousands of surveillance cameras.
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Oprah Winfrey will close Chicago-based Harpo Studios in December
By the end of this year, Winfrey's Harpo Studios will close its doors in Chicago after 26 years, and all of the operations will be moved to the Oprah Winfrey Network's new headquarters in West Hollywood, it was announced today.
The 61-year-old media mogul, ranked 603 on Forbes' 2015 list of billionaires, personally delivered the news to her staff in Chicago Tuesday morning.
The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) was founded by the former 'queen of daytime' in 2011 in Los Angeles, and Winfrey's executives have spent the past four years traveling back and forth between Chicago and Hollywood.
Two months ago, OWN moved into a new three-story space called The Lot in West Hollywood, setting the stage for the shutdown of Harpo Studios in Chicago.
'[Chicago has] been everything for me. I've spent more hours in this building than I have any other building on Earth,' Miss Winfrey told The Hollywood Reporter by phone. 'We were here when there was nothing but hoes and rats on the street, and now it's one of the hottest neighborhoods.'
The Academy Award-nominated actress and film producer acknowledged that it would be sad for her to bid farewell to her old home base, but she felt it was the right time to consolidate her network’s operations under one roof.
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Recreation Upgrades Approved for Local Parks in Queen Anne’s and Wicomico Counties
“Program Open Space has helped to provide outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities and local parks to Marylanders, while also working to conserve our state’s treasured natural resources.”
The Board approved the following local-side Program Open Space projects:
Queen Anne’s County will receive $591,323 to establish the new 95-acre Davidson Park in Stevensville, helping address the county’s need for multipurpose fields. This project includes the development of 10 multipurpose fields, a parking area and associated park amenities.
Wicomico County will receive $50,400 to upgrade the 38-acre Billy Gene Jackson Community Park. Work includes renovating the restroom building, restoring the softball field fence, adding an irrigation system for athletic fields, installing playground equipment, replacing the bath house roof and landscaping.
Republican Dan Bongino sets up political action committee
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Bongino announced Wednesday he is launching a new political action committee called Battle Ground Resistance.
Bongino says in a telephone interview that it’s too soon to say whether he will run for Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s seat. She announced this week she would not seek re-election in 2016.
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High-Powered Laser Weapon Destroys Truck in ‘Seconds’
The Advanced Test High Energy Asset’s March 3 test destroyed its target in a “matter of seconds,” the company said in a statement. An image of the smoking vehicle accompanied its announcement.
“This test represents the next step to providing lightweight and rugged laser weapon systems for military aircraft, helicopters, ships and trucks,” said Keoki Jackson, chief technology officer of Lockheed Martin.
More here
Obama Lawyers 'Misled' Federal Judge in Amnesty Case
President Obama’s lawyers misled a federal judge when they said they weren’t approving any applications under his expanded deportation amnesty, Texas charged in new court papers Thursday that said the breach is serious enough that the court should allow legal discovery to get to the bottom of the matter.
The administration admitted to Judge Andrew S. Hanen earlier this week that it had approved about 100,000 amnesty applications under the expanded policy, which Mr. Obama announced Nov. 20, but which was halted by a judge on Feb. 16.
Texas and 25 other states, who are challenging the amnesty, said the approvals were a stunning revelation that seemed to contradict what the Obama lawyers had said in conference calls and court papers in December and January when they signaled that no applications would be accepted under the expanded amnesty until Feb. 18, and none would be approved until early March.
More here
The administration admitted to Judge Andrew S. Hanen earlier this week that it had approved about 100,000 amnesty applications under the expanded policy, which Mr. Obama announced Nov. 20, but which was halted by a judge on Feb. 16.
Texas and 25 other states, who are challenging the amnesty, said the approvals were a stunning revelation that seemed to contradict what the Obama lawyers had said in conference calls and court papers in December and January when they signaled that no applications would be accepted under the expanded amnesty until Feb. 18, and none would be approved until early March.
More here
Md. approves spending $105 million on airport upgrades
LINTHICUM, Md. (AP) — Maryland officials have approved spending $105 million on upgrades to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to accommodate more international flights.
The money will go toward creating a new security checkpoint, building a new connector between two concourses and adding two new gates to support international service.
The Maryland Board of Public Works voted unanimously Wednesday to award a contract for the work to Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.
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The money will go toward creating a new security checkpoint, building a new connector between two concourses and adding two new gates to support international service.
The Maryland Board of Public Works voted unanimously Wednesday to award a contract for the work to Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.
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Pelosi Empowered by GOP Dissension
John Boehner once again turned to Nancy Pelosi to deliver votes to avert Congress from diving into a disaster.
On Tuesday, 182 Democrats joined just 75 Republicans to pass a long-term funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, ending a months-long fight over immigration that President Barack Obama sparked just after Election Day.
Since Friday, Pelosi and Boehner have held quiet rounds of negotiations and maneuvering to push the measure through the House over the objections of a cadre of conservatives in Boehner’s conference who scuttled a three-week funding bill in a dramatic showdown last week.
As late as Tuesday, Boehner tapped Democrats to help pass a procedural rule for a funding bill for Amtrak that Republicans were threatening to bring down if it did not include a provision that would stop a clean DHS bill from moving forward. But Pelosi pledged Democratic support to move forward — a departure from normal where the minority party always votes against rules brought by the party controlling the floor.
The California Democrat went to her caucus meeting asking members to support the rule, by coming “right to the floor and get up on that board, so that we can end this thing.”
More here
On Tuesday, 182 Democrats joined just 75 Republicans to pass a long-term funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, ending a months-long fight over immigration that President Barack Obama sparked just after Election Day.
Since Friday, Pelosi and Boehner have held quiet rounds of negotiations and maneuvering to push the measure through the House over the objections of a cadre of conservatives in Boehner’s conference who scuttled a three-week funding bill in a dramatic showdown last week.
As late as Tuesday, Boehner tapped Democrats to help pass a procedural rule for a funding bill for Amtrak that Republicans were threatening to bring down if it did not include a provision that would stop a clean DHS bill from moving forward. But Pelosi pledged Democratic support to move forward — a departure from normal where the minority party always votes against rules brought by the party controlling the floor.
The California Democrat went to her caucus meeting asking members to support the rule, by coming “right to the floor and get up on that board, so that we can end this thing.”
More here
Lawyer Left in ‘Shock’ After Client Arrives at His Office With a Dead Body — Here’s What the Man Told His Attorney
And along for the ride? Marshall’s deceased neighbor in the bed of the pickup.
Marshall brought the body of Ted Hubbell to the law office because he didn’t know who else to trust, his attorney Robert Harris told the News-Press just after the incident late Wednesday night.
“They don’t teach you about this in law school. That’s for sure,” Harris told the News-Press. “I believe we’ve handled ourselves correctly, but I’m a little in shock myself. This is not something that happens every day.”
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NOT THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND
Employers Add 295,000 Jobs as Economy Keeps Rolling
Amid signs of turmoil overseas, the U.S. economy keeps chugging along.
Amid signs of turmoil overseas, the U.S. economy keeps chugging along.
The U.S. economy gained 295,000 jobs in February, the 13th consecutive month employers added more than 200,000 to their payrolls. Meanwhile the unemployment rate dropped to 5.5%.
This is yet another sign of an improving — or what economists would call a “tightening” — labor market.
The rate at which workers are quitting their jobs has risen near levels not seen since before the 2007-2009 recession, implying that workers are feeling more secure that better opportunities lie ahead.
The number of unemployed workers who’ve been out of work 27 weeks or longer, while still high, is 31.1%, compared with 36.8% a year ago. Average hourly earnings grew by 0.1% last month, after rising 0.5% in January. Wages are up 2% over this time 12 months ago. That’s being be read by many analysts as a relatively sluggish number.
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This is yet another sign of an improving — or what economists would call a “tightening” — labor market.
The rate at which workers are quitting their jobs has risen near levels not seen since before the 2007-2009 recession, implying that workers are feeling more secure that better opportunities lie ahead.
The number of unemployed workers who’ve been out of work 27 weeks or longer, while still high, is 31.1%, compared with 36.8% a year ago. Average hourly earnings grew by 0.1% last month, after rising 0.5% in January. Wages are up 2% over this time 12 months ago. That’s being be read by many analysts as a relatively sluggish number.
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Exelon, Pepco move to sweeten their deal in Maryland
Chicago-based Exelon (NYSE: EXC) and Washington, D.C.-based Pepco (NYSE: POM) filed a proposal with the state PSC that would more than double a proposed customer investment fund, reduce power outages in Maryland and offer a one-time forgiveness of unpaid bills for some low-income families. Exelon, which has holdings including Baltimore Gas and Electric, is attempting to buy Pepco and its subsidiaries including Delmarva Power in a $6.8 billion deal first announced last year.
The offer of increased benefits in Maryland would bring the companies' proposal in line with those it made in states where the acquisition has already won regulators' approval. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the Virginia State Corporation Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have all signed off on the deal, and regulators in Delaware recently reached a settlement agreement that's pending.
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Thousands stranded on Ky. Interstates for nearly 24 hours
"This has been a lesson of survival," said the 54-year-old Elizabethtown man, who is diabetic.
Thousands of stranded motorists endured agonizingly long waits Thursday - some lasting nearly 24 hours - as a winter storm walloped Kentucky with up to 2 feet of snow and frustrated travelers dealt with gas tanks and stomachs close to empty.
The massive traffic jam stretched for about 26 miles, from just north of Elizabethtown past Shepherdsville. There were no reports of storm-related deaths or widespread power outages.
Still, National Guard soldiers and emergency workers were dispatched to make safety checks on the frustrated travelers.
"You see miles and miles of tail ends and tail ends. It's not a very good sight," National Guard Spc. Jeriel Clark said as his group of soldiers handed out food and water while patrolling along snowbound Interstate 24 in far western Kentucky.
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Headquarters Live TONIGHT
Md. state board upholds boy’s suspension in pastry gun case
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The decision, which a lawyer for the family said he would appeal to a circuit court, is the latest development in what has been called “the Pop-Tart case,” which gained national attention in 2013 at a time of widespread rethinking of discipline practices in public schools. Other states have since cited the Maryland case in proposing Pop-Tart gun bills that limit student suspensions for imaginary weapons.
The eight-page state opinion, dated Feb. 24, recounts the child’s string of troubles at Park Elementary School in Anne Arundel County, Md.
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4 Ways to Make the Switch to Daylight Savings Time Less Miserable
You’ve made it through the endless winter of 2014-15 (almost), and spring is around the corner. The first signpost of the new season arrives in the wee hours of Sunday, March 8, when most of us turn our clocks ahead one hour to inaugurate Daylight Savings Time.
But “springing forward,” as fun as it sounds, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, according to sleep specialist and clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD. “Most people actually have a harder time adjusting when we ‘spring forward,’ because we’re losing an hour of sleep,” Breus says. And those of us who are already chronically sleep deprived can’t afford to lose any more. In fact, a survey released this week from the National Sleep Foundation found that, on average, Americans report a sleep debt of about 26 minutes on work days (that’s the gap between how much shut-eye people say they need and how much they actually get).
But, thankfully, there are steps you can take to make the time change more bearable.
But “springing forward,” as fun as it sounds, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, according to sleep specialist and clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD. “Most people actually have a harder time adjusting when we ‘spring forward,’ because we’re losing an hour of sleep,” Breus says. And those of us who are already chronically sleep deprived can’t afford to lose any more. In fact, a survey released this week from the National Sleep Foundation found that, on average, Americans report a sleep debt of about 26 minutes on work days (that’s the gap between how much shut-eye people say they need and how much they actually get).
But, thankfully, there are steps you can take to make the time change more bearable.
Start by dialing back your bedtime
“If you’re among the many Americans who are sleep deprived, it probably won’t be difficult for you to fall asleep at the new time,” Breus says. Just be sure to set your clock ahead before going to sleep on Saturday, March 7. “That way, seeing the lost hour up front will motivate you to go to bed earlier.” Waiting to change your clocks the next morning and watching that hour disappear can feel like a loss, says Breus.
If you’re among the only marginally sleep deprived, or if you have generally good sleep habits, you can get yourself in gear by pulling back your bedtime incrementally before the time change. “On the Wednesday before the time change, go to bed 15 minutes earlier,” Breus suggests. “On Thursday, go to bed another 15 minutes earlier, and another 15 the next two nights so that by Saturday, you’re going to bed an hour early.”
The time change disruption is worse for kids, for whom regular bed times and consistent habits are especially important. “If they get to stay up until 11pm on Friday night, make it 10pm,” says Breus. “Since they’re losing the hour, they need to go to bed earlier.” It’ll pay off come school day.
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“If you’re among the many Americans who are sleep deprived, it probably won’t be difficult for you to fall asleep at the new time,” Breus says. Just be sure to set your clock ahead before going to sleep on Saturday, March 7. “That way, seeing the lost hour up front will motivate you to go to bed earlier.” Waiting to change your clocks the next morning and watching that hour disappear can feel like a loss, says Breus.
If you’re among the only marginally sleep deprived, or if you have generally good sleep habits, you can get yourself in gear by pulling back your bedtime incrementally before the time change. “On the Wednesday before the time change, go to bed 15 minutes earlier,” Breus suggests. “On Thursday, go to bed another 15 minutes earlier, and another 15 the next two nights so that by Saturday, you’re going to bed an hour early.”
The time change disruption is worse for kids, for whom regular bed times and consistent habits are especially important. “If they get to stay up until 11pm on Friday night, make it 10pm,” says Breus. “Since they’re losing the hour, they need to go to bed earlier.” It’ll pay off come school day.
More
NYC landing mishap raises questions on runway snow closures
Six people were hurt when the plane skidded off a runaway midday Thursday and crashed through a chain-link fence, its nose coming to rest just feet from the roiling waters of an icy bay.
There's no rule about how much snow or ice leads to a runway closing. Instead, the Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to measure runways during winter storms to assure planes can safely brake: A specially equipped vehicle races down the runway with a computer checking braking action, and if the runway fails the test it must be closed.
The runway had been plowed minutes before, and two other pilots had reported good braking conditions, said Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport. It appeared the pilot did everything he could to slow the aircraft, he said.
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Snow Emergency Plan Lifted MSP Berlin 3-6-2015
SNOW EMERGENCY LIFTED
Effective 3-6-2015
at 1000 hours, The Maryland State Police at the Berlin Barrack in
Worcester County in conjunction with local agencies and the State
Highway Administration have LIFTED the Snow Emergency Plan.
Lower Drinking Age For Armed Forces Members Rejected
BERLIN — The adage “old enough to go to war but not old enough to have a beer” will remain true in Maryland after a bill in the General Assembly failed to make it out of committee this week.
Senate Bill 213 would have allowed bars and restaurants in Maryland to serve beer and wine to a member of the armed forces who was at least 18 years old and displayed a valid armed forces identification card. However, the bill introduced by Frederick County Senator Ronald Young failed to make it out of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday.
According to Comptroller’s Office Active Duty Military Strength Report released late last year, there are 21,107 active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces in Maryland who are older than age 18 but younger than 21.
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Senate Bill 213 would have allowed bars and restaurants in Maryland to serve beer and wine to a member of the armed forces who was at least 18 years old and displayed a valid armed forces identification card. However, the bill introduced by Frederick County Senator Ronald Young failed to make it out of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday.
According to Comptroller’s Office Active Duty Military Strength Report released late last year, there are 21,107 active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces in Maryland who are older than age 18 but younger than 21.
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Crisfield Md Elks 101st Parade
More than HALF of US children will be minorities by 2020
White children will be outnumbered by minority kids in the United States in just five years, new Census Bureau projections reveal.
This is the result of an ongoing trend of declining birth among white Americans and a baby boom among immigrant groups, as well as a surge in immigration.
By the year 2020, 50.2percent of all children in the US are expected to be non-white, according to the Census. By 2044, whites will be outnumbered by minorities.
The Census study, released this week, predicts that by year 2060, nearly 20percent of the population will be foreign born - thanks to an influx of 64million new immigrants.
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This is the result of an ongoing trend of declining birth among white Americans and a baby boom among immigrant groups, as well as a surge in immigration.
By the year 2020, 50.2percent of all children in the US are expected to be non-white, according to the Census. By 2044, whites will be outnumbered by minorities.
The Census study, released this week, predicts that by year 2060, nearly 20percent of the population will be foreign born - thanks to an influx of 64million new immigrants.
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Two-Thirds of Unintended Births Are Paid For by the Government
As I wrote on Monday, unintended pregnancy is increasingly concentrated among lower-income women. That suggests a lot of the costs for those pregnancies will be covered by public health care systems such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. But even knowing that, it's still surprising to read a recent report from the Guttmacher Institute that shows exactly how much the government has to step in to cover the costs of unintended childbirth. In 2010, more than half of all births in the U.S. were covered by public health insurance. Unintended pregnancy was a huge driver of this phenomenon. “Public insurance programs paid for 68% of the 1.5 million unplanned births that year,” the fact sheet from Guttmacher reads, “compared with 38% of planned births.”
Pregnancy-related medical care isn't cheap. Total government expenditures on unintended pregnancy in 2010 totaled $21 billion, or approximately $336 for every woman age 15-44 in the country. That's an important number to keep in mind when you hear Republicans touting their willingness to slash family planning funding or even just denying that there's a need to make contraception more affordable: For less than what we spend on the costs of unintended pregnancy, we could make sure every woman who wants reliable contraception can get it. In fact, as Guttmacher notes, “In the absence of the current U.S. publicly funded family planning effort, the public costs of unintended pregnancies in 2010 might have been 75% higher.”
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Pregnancy-related medical care isn't cheap. Total government expenditures on unintended pregnancy in 2010 totaled $21 billion, or approximately $336 for every woman age 15-44 in the country. That's an important number to keep in mind when you hear Republicans touting their willingness to slash family planning funding or even just denying that there's a need to make contraception more affordable: For less than what we spend on the costs of unintended pregnancy, we could make sure every woman who wants reliable contraception can get it. In fact, as Guttmacher notes, “In the absence of the current U.S. publicly funded family planning effort, the public costs of unintended pregnancies in 2010 might have been 75% higher.”
More
Another Company Leaves MD
Bechtel Corporation to Relocate From Md. to Northern Va.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Engineering, construction and project management firm Bechtel Corp. is planning to invest $10 million to relocate its Maryland operations to Virginia, creating 700 jobs.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Wednesday that Bechtel will move from Frederick, Maryland, to Fairfax County and expand its presence there.
Bechtel has about 53,000 employees that work with customers, partners and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 40 countries.
It moved its global operations headquarters to Reston in 2011. Bechtel's corporate headquarters are in San Francisco.
McAuliffe approved $4 million from the Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant fund and $500,000 from the Governor's Opportunity Fund for the project.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Wednesday that Bechtel will move from Frederick, Maryland, to Fairfax County and expand its presence there.
Bechtel has about 53,000 employees that work with customers, partners and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 40 countries.
It moved its global operations headquarters to Reston in 2011. Bechtel's corporate headquarters are in San Francisco.
McAuliffe approved $4 million from the Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant fund and $500,000 from the Governor's Opportunity Fund for the project.
A Four Piece Series On How Your Local Media & Shows Are Phony
WBOC, Phony, Acting & Evidence is a four part series we'll be delivering to show you how their content is not really their own. Phony interviews make it look like they're conducting the interviews but they are not. In fact there's a multitude of local news stations covering the exact same story where the anchor reads from a script to make it look like it's a real interview.
It's WBOC's little secret and quite frankly it's a bit creepy. I guess the old days of doing actual interviews are disappearing. Be here Saturday morning where we'll deliver this four part series of how it's done, including actual samples.
It's WBOC's little secret and quite frankly it's a bit creepy. I guess the old days of doing actual interviews are disappearing. Be here Saturday morning where we'll deliver this four part series of how it's done, including actual samples.
WBOC Wants Our Suggestions
Anyhow, they're asking for suggestions on what to do next with their Chopper. Well, I have an idea. How about you fly directly over the White House and let the real military show you how they're "PROUD TO SERVE" too.
Let Me Explain A Little Something About Salt On Roads
While I find it hilarious how ALL of the local television media asked to ride with the Wicomico Roads Division AFTER Salisbury did our article last week, I thought I had explained things properly but let me refresh.
I had stated that in NORMAL snow storms here on the Eastern Shore, the majority of the time it rains first and then it snows. The last storm, the temperatures were already freezing BEFORE the snow hit and when it snowed it immediately stuck to the roads.
In yesterdays storm, it rained first. IF you spread salt on the ground first, knowing it's going to rain, (and it did) the rain washes away the salt and vehicles push the rain and salt off the road. It would be STUPID and a complete WASTE to spread salt BEFORE the snow falls in these conditions.
So you have TWO different storms that are handled TWO different ways in a matter of days. Quit complaining and let the professionals handle the roads. Almost every snow storm is an inconvenience. Just drive slow and you'll get to where you need to be. It wasn't a blizzard.
School: Boy brings moonshine to class; teacher in trouble
DE GRAFF, Ohio — Officials say a 13-year-old Ohio boy was suspended for bringing moonshine to school, and a science teacher who knew he was making the illegal alcohol was reprimanded for not reporting that the boy brought it to class.
The boy brought the liquid to school in De Graff, about 50 miles northwest of Columbus, in January. Riverside Local Schools Superintendent Scott Mann tells the Dayton Daily News he thinks the teen wanted to show it to the teacher but didn't mean any harm. The teacher dumped it into a drain.
She later received a written reprimand for not immediately reporting the situation.
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The boy brought the liquid to school in De Graff, about 50 miles northwest of Columbus, in January. Riverside Local Schools Superintendent Scott Mann tells the Dayton Daily News he thinks the teen wanted to show it to the teacher but didn't mean any harm. The teacher dumped it into a drain.
She later received a written reprimand for not immediately reporting the situation.
More
WHO'S PAYING WHO OFF? At Hotels in America's Priciest Cities, You Pay for the View
Travelers to California, Hawaii and Florida saw the highest hotel rates for the first half of 2014, with all but five of the top 20 cities in those popular vacation spots experiencing price increases from 2013.
The priciest place to spend the night in a hotel? Visitors to Newport Coast, California, an affluent community 50 miles south of Los Angeles, paid $519 a night for the first half of 2014, a 9 percent increase from $477 a night during the same time in 2013, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index.
Cities on the coast or islands made up 17 of 20 spots on the list. Here are the top 10 U.S. cities where travelers paid the most for the first half of last year, followed by nightly price for a hotel room and percentage increase or decrease from 2013:
Newport Coast, California: $519, +9 percent.
Wailea, Hawaii's island of Maui: $448, -3 percent.
Oahu, Hawaii: $438, +3 percent.
Yountville, California's Napa Valley: $418, +5 percent.
Rancho Palos Verdes, Caifornia: $407, +9 percent.
Duck Key, Florida: $382, +18 percent.
Bal Harbour, Florida: $371, +24 percent.
Princeville, Hawaii's island of Kauai: $368, +18 percent.
Sausalito, California: $358, -4 percent.
St. Helena, California's Napa Valley: $348, -8 percent.
Bal Harbour had the highest price increase, at 24 percent, followed by prices up 19 percent in Paradise Valley, Arizona; and up 18 percent in Princeville, Hawaii, and two Florida spots: Duck Key and Key West.
Most Expensive Domestic Markets
Those are the highest prices for U.S. cities. Some domestic markets, however, are still costly but not as much as the cities listed above. Honolulu, for example, led a list of domestic markets where U.S. travelers paid the most for a hotel -- with an average of $236, 3 percent more than in 2013 --- but it's still a lot less than other resort areas in Hawaii.
San Francisco saw the biggest increase in hotel prices among domestic markets, rising 10 percent to $179 a night, which Hotels.com says could be attributed to a new spring tourism campaign.
Other expensive domestic markets for U.S. travelers were: New York City at $221 a night, up 4 percent; Boston and Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, up 6 percent to $187; and Salisbury, Maryland, up 3 percent to $171.
More
The priciest place to spend the night in a hotel? Visitors to Newport Coast, California, an affluent community 50 miles south of Los Angeles, paid $519 a night for the first half of 2014, a 9 percent increase from $477 a night during the same time in 2013, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index.
Cities on the coast or islands made up 17 of 20 spots on the list. Here are the top 10 U.S. cities where travelers paid the most for the first half of last year, followed by nightly price for a hotel room and percentage increase or decrease from 2013:
Newport Coast, California: $519, +9 percent.
Wailea, Hawaii's island of Maui: $448, -3 percent.
Oahu, Hawaii: $438, +3 percent.
Yountville, California's Napa Valley: $418, +5 percent.
Rancho Palos Verdes, Caifornia: $407, +9 percent.
Duck Key, Florida: $382, +18 percent.
Bal Harbour, Florida: $371, +24 percent.
Princeville, Hawaii's island of Kauai: $368, +18 percent.
Sausalito, California: $358, -4 percent.
St. Helena, California's Napa Valley: $348, -8 percent.
Bal Harbour had the highest price increase, at 24 percent, followed by prices up 19 percent in Paradise Valley, Arizona; and up 18 percent in Princeville, Hawaii, and two Florida spots: Duck Key and Key West.
Most Expensive Domestic Markets
Those are the highest prices for U.S. cities. Some domestic markets, however, are still costly but not as much as the cities listed above. Honolulu, for example, led a list of domestic markets where U.S. travelers paid the most for a hotel -- with an average of $236, 3 percent more than in 2013 --- but it's still a lot less than other resort areas in Hawaii.
San Francisco saw the biggest increase in hotel prices among domestic markets, rising 10 percent to $179 a night, which Hotels.com says could be attributed to a new spring tourism campaign.
Other expensive domestic markets for U.S. travelers were: New York City at $221 a night, up 4 percent; Boston and Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, up 6 percent to $187; and Salisbury, Maryland, up 3 percent to $171.
More
Seacrets distillery moving forward rapidly
Seacrets has never been content to be one thing.
It’s a restaurant, a few bars (under one roof), an entertainment venue, merchandising juggernaut and according to a recent article on BuzzFeed, one of the “Bars in America you should drink at before you die.” Seacrets currently distills its own brands of spirits in Delaware, but owner Leighton Moore doesn’t want to do that anymore. All that needs to happen is state legislation to permit it to distill its own brand of spirits on site at 49th Street.
To that end, State Sen. Jim Mathias and Delegate Mary Beth Carozza have begun the process by submitting a pair of bills for consideration in their respective houses.
Seacrets has been making its own brand of liquors for a while now in a facility in Delaware. Moore, however, believes that moving that aspect of the operation to Seacrets property on will not only allow for greater productivity, but also will add to the resort economy.
More
It’s a restaurant, a few bars (under one roof), an entertainment venue, merchandising juggernaut and according to a recent article on BuzzFeed, one of the “Bars in America you should drink at before you die.” Seacrets currently distills its own brands of spirits in Delaware, but owner Leighton Moore doesn’t want to do that anymore. All that needs to happen is state legislation to permit it to distill its own brand of spirits on site at 49th Street.
To that end, State Sen. Jim Mathias and Delegate Mary Beth Carozza have begun the process by submitting a pair of bills for consideration in their respective houses.
Seacrets has been making its own brand of liquors for a while now in a facility in Delaware. Moore, however, believes that moving that aspect of the operation to Seacrets property on will not only allow for greater productivity, but also will add to the resort economy.
More
Ladies Night - SPRING FLING
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Will SBYNEWS be delayed tomorrow? NO!
The Delmarva Daily Times
TO OUR READERS: Due to inclement weather, delivery of Friday’s The Daily Times may be delayed for our print subscribers.
Update In Overnight Traffic Numbers In Delaware
Sussex County
Roadways are snow/ice covered and slippery. It is currently 22 degrees.
Property Damage Accidents - 54
Personal Injury Accidents - 3
Disabled Vehicles - 15
Traffic Hazards – 0
Roadways are snow/ice covered and slippery. It is currently 22 degrees.
Property Damage Accidents - 54
Personal Injury Accidents - 3
Disabled Vehicles - 15
Traffic Hazards – 0
This SUNDAY at EVO!
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| EVO's HILLBILLY HOE-DOWN |
Sunday, March 8th
1:00-5:00pm...
Advance tickets are only $19.99 each!!!
LIVE MUSIC w/ SALTWATER STRINGBAND!
Includes unlimited EVO beer tastings & buffet...
Vittles: Barnyard Carving Stations.. Steamship Beef, Steamship Pork, Leg of Lamb, Southern Slaw, Baked Beans, Deviled Eggs, Farm Fresh Veggies, & Tater-Tot Station w/ all the Fixin's!!! Banana Pudding Dessert!
Tickets on sale now at EVO Public House or online...
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Joe the Plumber
Only weeks after leaving office on January 20, 2017, former president Barack Hussein Obama discovers a leak under his sink, so he calls Joe the Plumber to come out and fix it. Joe drives to Obama’s new house, which is located in a very exclusive, gated community near Chicago where all the residents have a net income of more than $250,000 per year.
Joe arrives and takes his tools into the house. Joe is led to the guest
bathroom that contains the leaky pipe under the sink. Joe assesses the problem and tells Obama that it’s an easy repair that will take less than 10 minutes. Obama asks Joe how much it will cost. Joe checks his rate chart and says, “$9,500.”
“What?! $9,500?” Obama asks, stunned, “But you said it’s an easy repair Michelle will whip me if I pay a plumber that much!”
Joe says, “Yes, but what I do is charge those who make $250,000 per year a much higher amount so I can fix the plumbing of poorer people for free,” explains Joe.”This has always been my philosophy. As a matter of fact, I lobbied the Democrat Congress, who passed this philosophy into law. Now all plumbers must do business this way. It’s known as ‘Affordable Plumbing Act of 2014 ‘ I’m surprised you haven’t heard of it.”
In spite of that, Obama tells Joe there’s no way he’s paying that much for a small plumbing repair, so Joe leaves. Obama spends the next hour flipping through the phone book calling for another plumber, but he finds that all other plumbing businesses in the area have gone out of business. Not wanting to pay Joe’s price, Obama does nothing and the leak goes un-repaired for several more days. A week later the leak is so bad that Obama has had to put a bucket under the sink. Michelle is not happy as she has Oprah and guests arriving the next morning. The bucket fills up quickly and has to be
emptied every hour and there’s a risk that the room will flood, so Obama calls Joe and pleads with him to return.
Joe goes back to Obama’s house, looks at the leaky pipe, checks his new rate chart and says, “Let’s see, this will now cost you $21,000.” Obama quickly fires back, “What! A few days ago you told me it would cost $9,500!” Joe explains, “Well, because of the ‘Affordable Plumbing Act ,’ a lot of wealthier people are learning how to maintain and take care of their own plumbing, so there are fewer payers into the plumbing exchanges. As a result, the price I have to charge wealthy people like you keeps rising. Not only that, but for some reason the demand for plumbing work by those who
get it for free has skyrocketed! There’s a long waiting list of those who need repairs but the amount we get doesn’t cover our costs.
Joe arrives and takes his tools into the house. Joe is led to the guest
bathroom that contains the leaky pipe under the sink. Joe assesses the problem and tells Obama that it’s an easy repair that will take less than 10 minutes. Obama asks Joe how much it will cost. Joe checks his rate chart and says, “$9,500.”
“What?! $9,500?” Obama asks, stunned, “But you said it’s an easy repair Michelle will whip me if I pay a plumber that much!”
Joe says, “Yes, but what I do is charge those who make $250,000 per year a much higher amount so I can fix the plumbing of poorer people for free,” explains Joe.”This has always been my philosophy. As a matter of fact, I lobbied the Democrat Congress, who passed this philosophy into law. Now all plumbers must do business this way. It’s known as ‘Affordable Plumbing Act of 2014 ‘ I’m surprised you haven’t heard of it.”
In spite of that, Obama tells Joe there’s no way he’s paying that much for a small plumbing repair, so Joe leaves. Obama spends the next hour flipping through the phone book calling for another plumber, but he finds that all other plumbing businesses in the area have gone out of business. Not wanting to pay Joe’s price, Obama does nothing and the leak goes un-repaired for several more days. A week later the leak is so bad that Obama has had to put a bucket under the sink. Michelle is not happy as she has Oprah and guests arriving the next morning. The bucket fills up quickly and has to be
emptied every hour and there’s a risk that the room will flood, so Obama calls Joe and pleads with him to return.
Joe goes back to Obama’s house, looks at the leaky pipe, checks his new rate chart and says, “Let’s see, this will now cost you $21,000.” Obama quickly fires back, “What! A few days ago you told me it would cost $9,500!” Joe explains, “Well, because of the ‘Affordable Plumbing Act ,’ a lot of wealthier people are learning how to maintain and take care of their own plumbing, so there are fewer payers into the plumbing exchanges. As a result, the price I have to charge wealthy people like you keeps rising. Not only that, but for some reason the demand for plumbing work by those who
get it for free has skyrocketed! There’s a long waiting list of those who need repairs but the amount we get doesn’t cover our costs.
This unfortunately has put a lot of my fellow plumbers out of business, they’re not being replaced, and nobody is going into the plumbing business because they know they can’t make any money at it. I’m hurting, too, all thanks to greedy rich people like you who won’t pay their fair share.”
Lancaster County, Pa. among nation's most polluted: By Ray Wallace
From:
__________
Should the Pa. Dept. of Environmental Protection approve
chicken-seller Perdue's application to forever pollute
Susquehanna Valley air by yearly releasing
additional hundreds of tons of
toxic waste hexane gas?
__________
The Pa. DEP is holding a public hearing
6-8 p.m., March 31, 2015 at the
Bainbridge Fire Hall
34 South 2nd St., Bainbridge,
Lancaster County, Pa.:
The public will have the opportunity to present up to five minutes of oral testimony per speaker during the hearing. All presenters should bring two copies of their comments and exhibits for submission to DEP.
Those who wish to present testimony during the hearing are asked to register in advance by contacting Eileen Bitting in DEP’s South-central Regional Office at 717-705-4703. Individuals who register in advance will be given priority on the agenda. If time permits at the hearing, those who did not register in advance will be given the opportunity to testify.
Those who prefer to present their comments in writing or who are unable to attend the hearing may submit written testimony by 4:00 P.M. on April 7 to Thomas Hanlon, DEP Air Quality, South-central Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110.
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