DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, April 09, 2015
Russian hackers blamed for cyber attack that leaked Obama's schedule
A recent cyber-attack on the State Department was reportedly carried out by high-level Russia hackers who also penetrated restricted parts of the White House computer system, such as the president's private schedule.
CNN reported Tuesday, citing US officials briefed on the months-long investigation conducted by the FBI and Secret Service, that the hackers were able to access real-time, non-public schedule of President Obama, which is regarded as highly sensitive information that is sought after by foreign intelligence agencies.
In October 2014, the White House acknowledged that there had been suspicious activity on its unclassified network serving the executive office, prompting system shutdowns and security upgrades.
More
CNN reported Tuesday, citing US officials briefed on the months-long investigation conducted by the FBI and Secret Service, that the hackers were able to access real-time, non-public schedule of President Obama, which is regarded as highly sensitive information that is sought after by foreign intelligence agencies.
In October 2014, the White House acknowledged that there had been suspicious activity on its unclassified network serving the executive office, prompting system shutdowns and security upgrades.
More
I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT MY SURPRISE WINDFALL...
I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT MY SURPRISE WINDFALL...
I won a Nigerian lottery according to an email from a Nigerian prince.
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All I have to do is give him my bank account numbers and send him $500.00 US dollars cash, to show my good faith so he can transfer the money!
And then I got ANOTHER email.
It's from a KENYAN prince who wants to give me FREE healthcare for life!
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MY BANK ACCOUNT NUMBERS,
MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER,
MY CONFIDENTIAL HEALTH INFORMATION
and pay $700 per month for a policy with only a $10,000 deductible.
Then he can make it happen!
Am I on a roll or what!!!!
Singer-songwriter Don McLean's original manuscript and notes to 'American Pie' have been sold at auction for $1.2 million.
McLean offered the wistful anthem that asks 'Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died?' at Christie's on Tuesday. The name of the buyer was not released.
The 16 pages include the original working manuscript and typed drafts of the song, including tantalizing new details about the famous anthem.
In an interview published by Christie's auction house New York, where the manuscript was auctioned, McLean says American Pie is about 'heading in the wrong direction'.
'It is becoming less idyllic. I don't know whether you consider that wrong or right but it is a morality song in a sense.'
It has long been known that the song about 'the day the music died' refers to February 3, 1959, when rock n' roll icon Buddy Holly and fellow singers Ritchie Valens and J.P. 'Big Bopper' Richardson died in a plane crash.
The eight-minute-long song was released in 1971 and was a No. 1 U.S. hit for four weeks in 1972.
McLean, 69, a longtime Maine resident, says writing the song was 'a mystical trip into his past.'
The original manuscript also reveals a deleted verse, which was crossed out and never recorded, about music being 'reborn'.
It includes the lines 'I dropped to my knees and there I prayed and I promised him everything I could give.
'If only he would make the music live,' according to the Telegraph.
American Pie had a revival in 2000 when Madonna covered the song to promote the soundtrack to her flop film The Next Best Thing.
Despite the Queen of Pop describing the cover as 'something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing' in 2001, her version of American Pie became a global chart hit.
Christie's New York is estimating that the American Pie manuscript will sell for $1million to $1.5million.
McLean offered the wistful anthem that asks 'Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died?' at Christie's on Tuesday. The name of the buyer was not released.
The 16 pages include the original working manuscript and typed drafts of the song, including tantalizing new details about the famous anthem.
In an interview published by Christie's auction house New York, where the manuscript was auctioned, McLean says American Pie is about 'heading in the wrong direction'.
'It is becoming less idyllic. I don't know whether you consider that wrong or right but it is a morality song in a sense.'
It has long been known that the song about 'the day the music died' refers to February 3, 1959, when rock n' roll icon Buddy Holly and fellow singers Ritchie Valens and J.P. 'Big Bopper' Richardson died in a plane crash.
The eight-minute-long song was released in 1971 and was a No. 1 U.S. hit for four weeks in 1972.
McLean, 69, a longtime Maine resident, says writing the song was 'a mystical trip into his past.'
The original manuscript also reveals a deleted verse, which was crossed out and never recorded, about music being 'reborn'.
It includes the lines 'I dropped to my knees and there I prayed and I promised him everything I could give.
'If only he would make the music live,' according to the Telegraph.
American Pie had a revival in 2000 when Madonna covered the song to promote the soundtrack to her flop film The Next Best Thing.
Despite the Queen of Pop describing the cover as 'something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing' in 2001, her version of American Pie became a global chart hit.
Christie's New York is estimating that the American Pie manuscript will sell for $1million to $1.5million.
Emergency management plan for Perdue's hexane-releasing factory in Pa. By Ray Wallace
Hexane:
HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
Emergency Overview
Appearance: liquid, clear, colourless
DANGER!Warning EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND VAPOR. VAPOR MAY CAUSE FLASH FIRE. MAY AFFECT THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CAUSING DIZZINESS, HEADACHE OR NAUSEA. MAY BE HARMFUL IF INHALED....
Potential Health Effects
Exposure routes
Inhalation, Skin absorption, Skin contact, Eye Contact, Ingestion
Eye contact
Can cause eye irritation. Symptoms include stinging, tearing, redness, and swelling of eyes.
Skin contact
Can cause skin irritation. Symptoms may include redness and burning of skin, and other skin damage.
Ingestion
This material can get into the lungs during swallowing or vomiting. This results in lung inflammation and other lung injury.
Inhalation
Breathing of vapor or mist is possible. It is possible to breathe this material under certain conditions of handling and use (for example, during heating, spraying, or stirring). Breathing small amounts of this material during normal handling is not likely to cause harmful effects. Breathing large amounts may be harmful.
Aggravated Medical Condition
Preexisting disorders of the following organs (or organ systems) may be aggravated by exposure to this material: Skin, Upper respiratory tract, lung (for example, asthma-like conditions), Central nervous system, male reproductive system
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of exposure to this material through breathing, swallowing, and/or passage of the material through the skin may include: stomach or intestinal upset (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), irritation (nose, throat, airways), central nervous system depression (dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, fatigue, nausea, headache, unconsciousness)....
-- Dated April 25, 2014, the above “Safety Data Sheet” was prepared by Nexeo Solutions of Woodlands, Texas.
JUDY: "hired an environmental firm to look at the plant and cited some of their objections. She said emissions from the plant will exceed what Perdue has stated, that there could be explosion hazards and that the environmental rights amendment to our state constitution that guarantees people the right to clean air has not been adhered to.
"'The burden is on DEP [the Pa. Dept. of Environmental Protection] to show that this project complies with the amendment,' she said.
"That, she added, has not been done."
-- Both sets of above news quotes -- Randy Gockley's and Judy Nissley's -- come from “Praised and bashed, Perdue soybean plant gets one final public hearing,” by Larry Alexander, at this March 31, 2015 Lancaster, Pa. LNP site:
WHO'S ON THE PERDUE FACTORY'S "EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM"?
Called to order by Randy Gockley, the Emergency Planning Committee meeting of October 4, 2012 concerned what has since become Perdue's five-year-old attempts to get approval for its hexane-releasing, explosion-prone factory.
At that meeting, the factory was confirmed to operate 24 hours a day, with a night crew of:
"approximately 6"
Though it was stated that Perdue's factory would:
"have an emergency response team"
...no mention was made of: how big such a team would be; its hours of availability; the suitability, capability, and training requirements of its members; the emergency equipment required; how long it would take and how many miles such equipment plus the response team itself would need to travel when being called to the factory for an emergency; the cost of maintaining such a response team; who pays that cost (taxpayers?); and the potential risks to Susquehanna Valley residents before, during, and after such an emergency.
FURTHERMORE:
Perdue's Mark Stanley advised Randy Gockley and others at the above-mentioned Emergency Planning Committee meeting that a critical BAI environmental report commissioned by Nissley Vineyards & Winery was:
"not accurate"
...but Mr. Stanley would give no details.
Nonetheless, the BAI report appears to have been sufficiently accurate to contribute to Perdue's revoking its own DEP application. A DEP spokesperson described Perdue's surprising action as follows:
"It is very uncommon for a company to ask for its own plan approval to be revoked."
And today, in 2015, all air-breathing families of the Susquehanna Valley have Judy Nissley to thank for continuing to fund independent environmental research on Perdue's subsequently altered (but no better) DEP application.
Concerning that application, August Mack Environmental has supplied --to Thomas J. Hanlon, Environmental Engineering Manager of the Air Quality Program of the Pa. DEP -- extensive scientific documentation supporting this conclusion:
"The application submitted by Perdue is deficient and should be denied until important concerns related to adversely affecting the environment, public safety, and air quality have been adequately addressed....
"The emission of more than 208 tons of VOCs from this location including more than 104 tons of n-hexane emissions along with the storage of 40,000 gallons of hazardous hexane at this site is an environmental hazard, a safety hazard, and a public health hazard. The only way this facility would be acceptable would be if it eliminated the use of hexane."
Maryland lawmakers pass sales tax bill for travel websites
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland General Assembly has passed a bill to make third-party travel websites pay all of the state’s sales tax, because supporters say they currently are able to avoid paying the full amount.
The House of Delegates voted 84-56 on Wednesday for a Senate bill, sending it to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.
Opponents of the bill say it amounts to a new tax on travel websites. Steve Shur, president of the Travel Technology Association, says the measure will increase taxes on more than 200 of Maryland’s small businesses, as well as travelers who use online travel agents.
But supporters say the measure simply closes a loophole. They say the measure requires online travel companies to remit the same amount of sales tax collected from customers as Maryland’s hotels do.
Source
The House of Delegates voted 84-56 on Wednesday for a Senate bill, sending it to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.
Opponents of the bill say it amounts to a new tax on travel websites. Steve Shur, president of the Travel Technology Association, says the measure will increase taxes on more than 200 of Maryland’s small businesses, as well as travelers who use online travel agents.
But supporters say the measure simply closes a loophole. They say the measure requires online travel companies to remit the same amount of sales tax collected from customers as Maryland’s hotels do.
Source
This should explain it Severe Arctic Global Warning
Here is an article on Global warming you might find interesting.
The Washington Post
The Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing more scarce and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot, according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from Consulafft, at Bergen, Norway.
Reports from fishermen, seal hunters and explorers all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard-of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes. Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the gulf stream was still very warm.
Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared.
Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic, while vast shoals of herring and smelts which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds.
Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coastal cities uninhabitable.
* * * * * * * * *
Note: I must apologize that I neglected to mention that this report was from November 2, 1922, And that it was reported by the AP and published in The Washington Post - 93 years ago.
True:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/science/globalwarming1922.asp
The Washington Post
The Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing more scarce and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot, according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from Consulafft, at Bergen, Norway.
Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared.
Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coastal cities uninhabitable.
Note: I must apologize that I neglected to mention that this report was from November 2, 1922, And that it was reported by the AP and published in The Washington Post - 93 years ago.
True:
City-owned Hilton Baltimore lost $5.6 million in 2014
The 757-room hotel’s revenue fell to $61.8 million in 2014, down from $63.9 the prior year. Expenses increased by $1.4 million to $67.4 million, according to an audit released Wednesday by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.
The Hilton’s performance last year was worse than in 2013 when the kept its finances somewhat stable. The Hilton saw a $2.9 million deficit in 2013, but it grew revenue by nearly $9 million and its spending only increased by about $584,000.
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How Adorable Is This! Great Job Sheriff Joe!
The Chihuahua puppies my deputies rescued yesterday from an animal hoarding case are already getting fat and happy in my...
Posted by Joe Arpaio on Thursday, April 9, 2015
JUST IN: Report: Guard Shot at Census Bureau Headquarters in Md.
Police said the initial call indicated that a security guard was chasing a suspect., when suspect shot the guard in the chest.
The guard's condition was not released.
Source
China’s Three Missile Submarines a ‘Concern’
The Chinese Navy has deployed three ballistic missile submarines at sea capable of striking the United States with nuclear missiles, the commander of the U.S. Northern Command said Tuesday.
Adm. William Gortney, the commander, said the submarines are a “concern” and will be able to strike the United States when fully deployed with missiles and warheads.
The missile submarines are deployed in the South China Sea at a base on Hainan Island, according to a defense official.
“They’ve not loaded their missiles or begun strategic patrols,” the official said. “But we believe they are likely to begin this year.”
Gortney also stated explicitly that U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that North Korea is capable of mounting a small nuclear warhead on its new road-mobile KN-08 intercontinental missiles.
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Adm. William Gortney, the commander, said the submarines are a “concern” and will be able to strike the United States when fully deployed with missiles and warheads.
The missile submarines are deployed in the South China Sea at a base on Hainan Island, according to a defense official.
“They’ve not loaded their missiles or begun strategic patrols,” the official said. “But we believe they are likely to begin this year.”
Gortney also stated explicitly that U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that North Korea is capable of mounting a small nuclear warhead on its new road-mobile KN-08 intercontinental missiles.
More
Girl Now 'Smiling' After Major Surgery to Reshape Her Face
Violet Pietrok, 2, has spent the past few months laughing and dancing with her twin sister and older siblings according to her mom, even as she recovers from major surgery to reshape her face.
"She’s fantastic. She’s taking it all in stride," Violet's mother, Alicia Taylor, told ABC News. "She’s so happy ... all the time. If she’s not smiling, she’s generally asleep or throwing a fit."
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Bust of Edward Snowden sneaked into, removed from NYC park
NEW YORK (AP) — Suddenly, in the middle of the New York night, Edward Snowden's face appeared — deep in a public park.
A 4-foot-high, 100-pound sculpted bust of the whistleblower now exiled in Russia was sneaked into Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park on Monday before dawn.
Animal New York, a city news website that first reported the incident, said the mysterious perpetrators were a small group of artists — admirers of the former contractor who had leaked classified information from the National Security Agency to the media.
The activists hoisted the bust to the top of a Revolutionary War memorial, adding his name to a column, according to Animal New York.
The website says the group allowed it to document installation of the statue on the condition that it not reveal the identities of the artists.
Snowden's artistic appearance was short-lived.
At daybreak, police said city parks officials ordered the sculpted Snowden removed. And by evening, his bust was being held at Brooklyn's 88th Precinct pending an investigation.
The idea for the tribute was conceived by two New York City-based artists, joined by a West Coast sculptor, Animal New York said.
More
A 4-foot-high, 100-pound sculpted bust of the whistleblower now exiled in Russia was sneaked into Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park on Monday before dawn.
Animal New York, a city news website that first reported the incident, said the mysterious perpetrators were a small group of artists — admirers of the former contractor who had leaked classified information from the National Security Agency to the media.
The activists hoisted the bust to the top of a Revolutionary War memorial, adding his name to a column, according to Animal New York.
The website says the group allowed it to document installation of the statue on the condition that it not reveal the identities of the artists.
Snowden's artistic appearance was short-lived.
At daybreak, police said city parks officials ordered the sculpted Snowden removed. And by evening, his bust was being held at Brooklyn's 88th Precinct pending an investigation.
The idea for the tribute was conceived by two New York City-based artists, joined by a West Coast sculptor, Animal New York said.
More
Baltimore police often surveil cellphones amid US secrecy
The agreement between the police department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation also encourages the authorities and local prosecutors to sometimes dismiss cases instead of divulging details about the equipment. That arrangement, which was agreed to several years ago, has led police to believe that they can withhold evidence in criminal trials or ignore subpoenas in cases in which the devices are used.
The technology, using devices called Hailstorm or Stingray, can sweep up basic cellphone data from a neighborhood by tricking phones in the area that it’s a cell tower and identifying unique subscriber numbers. That data is then transmitted to the police, allowing them to locate a phone without the user even making a call or sending a text message.
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Judge REDUCES prison sentence of man who raped 3-year-old
A California judge has reduced a child rapist's mandatory 25-year sentence down to only 10 - saying anything longer would be 'cruel and unusual punishment'.
Superior Court Judge M. Marc Kelly told an Orange County jury that 20-year-old Kevin Jonas Rojano-Nieto 'did not intend to harm' the three-year-old girl he raped at his family home in June.
The judge said that he was sure that although Rojano-Nieto sodomized the girl and covered her mouth so she couldn't scream out, 'there was no violence or callous disregard for the victim's well-being'.
More
Superior Court Judge M. Marc Kelly told an Orange County jury that 20-year-old Kevin Jonas Rojano-Nieto 'did not intend to harm' the three-year-old girl he raped at his family home in June.
The judge said that he was sure that although Rojano-Nieto sodomized the girl and covered her mouth so she couldn't scream out, 'there was no violence or callous disregard for the victim's well-being'.
More
Anne Arundel man shot in home by police is charged
WASHINGTON — The Anne Arundel County Police have identified a Crofton man who was shot by officers on Saturday is still in the hospital. They’ve also charged him and revealed that the gun he presented to officers was not real.
The police say that they were told early Saturday afternoon that Dallas Ruff, 21, of Chamberlain Court, had been sending text messages to the effect that he was considering harming himself or members of his family. They also say they received information that Ruff’s mother was in the house with him.
When the police got there, they say, they saw Ruff’s mother’s car in the driveway. When they knocked on the door and windows, no one let them in. Officers forced their way into the house, and when they did, Ruff “presented” a rifle-style gun, the police say. Lieutenant Harry Peterson then shot him in the abdomen.
More
The police say that they were told early Saturday afternoon that Dallas Ruff, 21, of Chamberlain Court, had been sending text messages to the effect that he was considering harming himself or members of his family. They also say they received information that Ruff’s mother was in the house with him.
When the police got there, they say, they saw Ruff’s mother’s car in the driveway. When they knocked on the door and windows, no one let them in. Officers forced their way into the house, and when they did, Ruff “presented” a rifle-style gun, the police say. Lieutenant Harry Peterson then shot him in the abdomen.
More
US Solar Proponents Square Off With Power Utilities As Americans Install More Rooftop Solar Panels
Americans are installing rooftop solar power systems at an unprecedented rate thanks to plunging panel prices and growing concerns about climate change. But not everyone can partake in the boom. In many states, unfavorable rules still make it too hard or expensive for homeowners and companies to go solar, stunting clean-energy growth in even the sunniest neighborhoods.
Solar advocates say the utilities are largely to blame for the mismatch in policies. Giant electricity companies see privately owned rooftop systems as a threat to their bottom lines, and they’re fighting through regulation and legislation to maintain market share, solar groups argue. Utilities say their only interest is ensuring electricity remains affordable and reliable for all of their customers, regardless of the power source.
The policy battles are intensifying as solar adoption climbs. Nearly 200,000 homes and businesses added rooftop or on-site solar installations in 2014, bringing the total count to more than 600,000 nationwide, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research. The market for solar photovoltaics is now worth more than $13 billion, up from just $3 billion six years ago.
More
Solar advocates say the utilities are largely to blame for the mismatch in policies. Giant electricity companies see privately owned rooftop systems as a threat to their bottom lines, and they’re fighting through regulation and legislation to maintain market share, solar groups argue. Utilities say their only interest is ensuring electricity remains affordable and reliable for all of their customers, regardless of the power source.
The policy battles are intensifying as solar adoption climbs. Nearly 200,000 homes and businesses added rooftop or on-site solar installations in 2014, bringing the total count to more than 600,000 nationwide, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research. The market for solar photovoltaics is now worth more than $13 billion, up from just $3 billion six years ago.
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'Extinct' No Longer? Brontosaurus May Make a Comeback
The Brontosaurus is back. Or at least it should be, according to a new analysis of the long-necked dinosaur family tree.
The study researchers suggest the dinosaur currently known asApatosaurus excelsus is different enough from its Apatosaurian kin as to be a different dinosaur altogether. Because A. excelsus was famously first known as Brontosaurus until 1903, the species would revert back to that original name and become Brontosaurus once again.
It's a proposal that excites some paleontologists and leaves others skeptical, but researchers say it's entirely possible that Brontosaurusmay eventually regain its place in the scientific nomenclature. [See Images of an Apatosaurus Discovery]
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The study researchers suggest the dinosaur currently known asApatosaurus excelsus is different enough from its Apatosaurian kin as to be a different dinosaur altogether. Because A. excelsus was famously first known as Brontosaurus until 1903, the species would revert back to that original name and become Brontosaurus once again.
It's a proposal that excites some paleontologists and leaves others skeptical, but researchers say it's entirely possible that Brontosaurusmay eventually regain its place in the scientific nomenclature. [See Images of an Apatosaurus Discovery]
More
Governor Hogan Addresses Underfunded Pension Liability To Ensure Fiscal Responsibility
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan has today introduced a third supplemental budget for FY2016 that fully restores $75 million for the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System following actions by the General Assembly.
The foundation of the budget introduced by the Hogan administration in January was structural balance and fiscal responsibility, without the burden of increased taxes or growth in state debt. In the absence of a responsible, long-term approach to the state’s pension obligations, it is the duty of the Hogan administration to deliver this necessary funding.
“Raiding the pension fund represents the kind of short-term thinking that has put Maryland in the precarious financial position we faced in January, and I simply cannot allow these actions to continue. Protecting the integrity of our pension system is a common-sense measure that allows the state to keep its promises,” said Governor Hogan. “Progress is being made toward a bipartisan compromise. We aren’t going to get everything we wanted, the legislature isn’t going to get everything it wanted, but the taxpayers will get the most fiscally responsible budget in a decade and record funding in K-12 education.”
Since 2011, the General Assembly has consistently cut funding for the state pension system, including a proposed 50 percent cut in the current legislative session. The governor’s budget would provide supplemental funding to the state pension at a level of $150 million, reflecting the administration’s budget as originally proposed.
The foundation of the budget introduced by the Hogan administration in January was structural balance and fiscal responsibility, without the burden of increased taxes or growth in state debt. In the absence of a responsible, long-term approach to the state’s pension obligations, it is the duty of the Hogan administration to deliver this necessary funding.
“Raiding the pension fund represents the kind of short-term thinking that has put Maryland in the precarious financial position we faced in January, and I simply cannot allow these actions to continue. Protecting the integrity of our pension system is a common-sense measure that allows the state to keep its promises,” said Governor Hogan. “Progress is being made toward a bipartisan compromise. We aren’t going to get everything we wanted, the legislature isn’t going to get everything it wanted, but the taxpayers will get the most fiscally responsible budget in a decade and record funding in K-12 education.”
Since 2011, the General Assembly has consistently cut funding for the state pension system, including a proposed 50 percent cut in the current legislative session. The governor’s budget would provide supplemental funding to the state pension at a level of $150 million, reflecting the administration’s budget as originally proposed.
15 police officers killed in Mexican ambush
Fifteen police officers were killed and five were injured when they were ambushed by suspected gang members in Mexico's Jalisco state, the state attorney general's office said Tuesday.
The attack, which took place along the Mascota-Las-Palmas highway, happened Monday.
More
The attack, which took place along the Mascota-Las-Palmas highway, happened Monday.
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Iowa trial to weigh whether wife was able to consent to sex
DES MOINES, Iowa — When Henry and Donna Lou Rayhons married seven years ago in their northern Iowa hometown, it was a second chance at love for the devoted couple, both previously widowed. But their domestic routine of church activities and political functions unraveled as Donna's health began to fail.
Last year, the 78-year-old woman was moved into a nursing home, suffering from dementia and Alzheimers. According to Henry Rayhon's family, this was decided by her daughters from a previous marriage. Conflict developed over how to care for Donna Lou Rayhons, culminating in a meeting in which staff told Henry Rayhons that his wife was no longer mentally capable of legally consenting to have sex.
State prosecutors say Henry Rayhons — a long-serving state lawmaker — ignored that message. On Wednesday, he will stand trial for sexually assaulting his wife, who died last August. The charges were filed days after she died.
More
Last year, the 78-year-old woman was moved into a nursing home, suffering from dementia and Alzheimers. According to Henry Rayhon's family, this was decided by her daughters from a previous marriage. Conflict developed over how to care for Donna Lou Rayhons, culminating in a meeting in which staff told Henry Rayhons that his wife was no longer mentally capable of legally consenting to have sex.
State prosecutors say Henry Rayhons — a long-serving state lawmaker — ignored that message. On Wednesday, he will stand trial for sexually assaulting his wife, who died last August. The charges were filed days after she died.
More
Maryland Air National Guard A-10 Training Next Week
Good Morning,
You are included on this mass email distribution because you are either law enforcement, local municipality, or a news agency for the eastern shore of Maryland. The A-10s of the 104th Fighter Squadron, Baltimore, Maryland Air National Guard will be conducting some low level training 14-17 April in the afternoon 3:45pm-5:00pm, vicinity of the following communities: Vienna, Mardela Springs, Nanticoke, Mt Vernon, Deale Island, Dames Quarter, Chance, Oriole, Venton, Upper Hill, Upper Fairmont, Fairmont, Rumbly, and Marion Station. Airspace has been coordinated with the FAA, and we will mitigate the impact to residents on the ground by avoiding populated areas and adhering to all FAA and US Air Force regulations.
We are very grateful to have the opportunity to use this airspace and would like to continue doing so. Again, we will make every effect to mitigate the impact on our fellow MD residents. If there is anything else you require, please don't hesitate to ask. Thank you for your consideration.
Shoplifter Hiding In Ceiling Stole $8.50 Worth Of Goods
Amy Yensi has the details.
It was about $8.00 worth of groceries, but it cost police 7 hours and a lot of resources.
SWAT teams, a mandatory evacuation and a scissor lift–Baltimore County police pulling out all the stops to arrest a shoplifter who lodged herself above the highest walls of the Giant store in Arbutus.
Crews erring on the side of caution, fearing where the shoplifter was hiding could cause the ceiling to collapse.
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Former Howard County police sergeant faces charges
FBI: Richard Malcolm stole Civil War documents
CROFTON, Md. — A former Howard County police sergeant is facing federal theft and fraud charges.
It has to do with a collection of Civil War documents that the FBI said the sergeant stole and then tried to sell.
The federal charges focus on a collection of original Civil War letters, photographs and documents that the FBI said former Howard County police Sgt. Richard Malcolm stole from his father-in-law's house in Crofton and then tried to sell to a collector in White Plains, New York for $125,000 earlier this year.
The documents originally belonged to Maj. George Keller Leet, who was a member of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's personal staff.
According to charging documents, another collector found out about this pending sale and called Malcolm's father-in-law, who is a descendent of Leet.
More
CROFTON, Md. — A former Howard County police sergeant is facing federal theft and fraud charges.
It has to do with a collection of Civil War documents that the FBI said the sergeant stole and then tried to sell.
The federal charges focus on a collection of original Civil War letters, photographs and documents that the FBI said former Howard County police Sgt. Richard Malcolm stole from his father-in-law's house in Crofton and then tried to sell to a collector in White Plains, New York for $125,000 earlier this year.
The documents originally belonged to Maj. George Keller Leet, who was a member of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's personal staff.
According to charging documents, another collector found out about this pending sale and called Malcolm's father-in-law, who is a descendent of Leet.
More
Montgomery teens charged as adults in reported gang beating
Two Montgomery County high school students have been charged as adults in a vicious gang-related beating of a 15-year-old boy outside a restaurant in Olney, according to documents filed in court Monday and last week.
The victim in the March 27 attack, which was caught on cellphone video, suffered cheekbone fractures, was knocked unconscious and was left with a severe concussion. “He’s doing better. He’s out of the hospital,” his father, a physician, said Monday, adding that it was unclear whether his son would suffer long-term effects from the concussion. “Who knows? We’re just crossing our fingers he gets better quickly.”
The suspects attended Sherwood High School and belonged to a group of teenagers who call themselves the Freaky Too Gang, authorities said. One of the boys outranked the other in the gang, and encouraged him to attack the victim, according to court records. Several days later, inside Sherwood’s cafeteria, both teens allegedly approached another student who had recorded the beating, cornered him and allegedly told him not say anything.
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The victim in the March 27 attack, which was caught on cellphone video, suffered cheekbone fractures, was knocked unconscious and was left with a severe concussion. “He’s doing better. He’s out of the hospital,” his father, a physician, said Monday, adding that it was unclear whether his son would suffer long-term effects from the concussion. “Who knows? We’re just crossing our fingers he gets better quickly.”
The suspects attended Sherwood High School and belonged to a group of teenagers who call themselves the Freaky Too Gang, authorities said. One of the boys outranked the other in the gang, and encouraged him to attack the victim, according to court records. Several days later, inside Sherwood’s cafeteria, both teens allegedly approached another student who had recorded the beating, cornered him and allegedly told him not say anything.
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WCSO Press Releases - April 9, 2015
This is an extremely long press release please use the 'read more' link at the bottom of the page to view the entire release
Do Pilots Believe in UFOs?
Captain Andy talks with the Daily News about his encounter with a UFO.
People love to ask pilots questions. But my favorite, and certainly the most interesting, is "Have you ever seen a UFO while flying?"
The answer is yes. And here's how it happened.
It was April 10, 1989 and early in my career. I was still a first officer at a regional airline. It was about 8 p.m. and we had just taken off from Kansas City International Airport bound for Waterloo, Iowa. It was a beautiful evening, with a full moon, clear skies and crisp early spring temperatures. The weather forecast for Waterloo was as nice, with clear skies and unlimited visibility.
After a short taxi and take-off, Air Traffic Control (ATC) cleared us to our cruise altitude of 15,000 feet. We established a Northeasterly heading, pointed strait at Waterloo, about 200 miles ahead. There were thin wispy clouds all around us, illuminated by the light of the full moon that shone through the captain's-side window at our left. Despite the presence of these clearly visible wispy clouds everywhere, we weren't flying through any of them. There was also a white disc dimly but clearly visible through those clouds just off to our right.
Keep reading..
People love to ask pilots questions. But my favorite, and certainly the most interesting, is "Have you ever seen a UFO while flying?"
The answer is yes. And here's how it happened.
It was April 10, 1989 and early in my career. I was still a first officer at a regional airline. It was about 8 p.m. and we had just taken off from Kansas City International Airport bound for Waterloo, Iowa. It was a beautiful evening, with a full moon, clear skies and crisp early spring temperatures. The weather forecast for Waterloo was as nice, with clear skies and unlimited visibility.
After a short taxi and take-off, Air Traffic Control (ATC) cleared us to our cruise altitude of 15,000 feet. We established a Northeasterly heading, pointed strait at Waterloo, about 200 miles ahead. There were thin wispy clouds all around us, illuminated by the light of the full moon that shone through the captain's-side window at our left. Despite the presence of these clearly visible wispy clouds everywhere, we weren't flying through any of them. There was also a white disc dimly but clearly visible through those clouds just off to our right.
Keep reading..
Now Protesters Insist That A Catholic School Must HIRE A Gay Teacher
The rally at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines involved a walkout and a demonstration at which a handful of students and alumni spoke, reports The Des Moines Register.
The gay teacher who did not get hired had worked as a substitute at Dowling Catholic High — a school of some 1,430 souls.
In the process of vetting the teaching candidate for a full-time teaching job, school officials learned that he has a boyfriend and is engaged to be married.
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Non-Citizens Registered To Vote Through Motor Voter Registration Forms
Local and state government officials are registering non-U.S. citizens as valid voters — even when the non-citizens say they are not Americans on their voter registration forms, a former Justice Department attorney tells The Daily Caller.
J. Christian Adams, a former United States Department of Justice official in the Civil Rights Division will show the Supreme Court in a brief later this month that non-citizens are registering to vote through the government’s motor voter program. The motor voter act became law during the Clinton administration as an easier way to register voters through their local Department of Motor Vehicles offices, but Adams says the program is failing to weed out those who are not American citizens.
“The bigger problem is that when they get those drivers licenses, there’s a government social services agency that is compelled under motor voter to offer voter registration,” Adams says. “For example, I’m representing a client — the American Civil Rights Union. We’re about to file a brief to the Supreme Court that shows actual voter registrations of people who marked on their voter registration forms that they’re not citizens, but they’re still getting registered to vote.”
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J. Christian Adams, a former United States Department of Justice official in the Civil Rights Division will show the Supreme Court in a brief later this month that non-citizens are registering to vote through the government’s motor voter program. The motor voter act became law during the Clinton administration as an easier way to register voters through their local Department of Motor Vehicles offices, but Adams says the program is failing to weed out those who are not American citizens.
“The bigger problem is that when they get those drivers licenses, there’s a government social services agency that is compelled under motor voter to offer voter registration,” Adams says. “For example, I’m representing a client — the American Civil Rights Union. We’re about to file a brief to the Supreme Court that shows actual voter registrations of people who marked on their voter registration forms that they’re not citizens, but they’re still getting registered to vote.”
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Comptroller’s Agents Arrest Gaithersburg Man; Cite Businesses in Four Counties in OTP Bust
Three-Month Investigation Resulted in Confiscation of Nearly 49,000 Packages
Annapolis, Md. (April 7, 2015) – Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced that members of his Field Enforcement Division arrested a Gaithersburg man following a three-month investigation into the illegal importation, transportation and retail sales of untaxed Other Tobacco Products (OTP). The OTP products — cigars and related products, snuff and chew totaling nearly 49,000 packages — were imported into Maryland and sold in retail establishments in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County and Harford County.
“This arrest and criminal citation reflects the ongoing, diligent efforts of my field enforcement agents to crack down on businesses who engage in illegal activities,” Comptroller Franchot said. “We will continue to use our legal authority and the full resources of the Comptroller’s Office to go after those who put consumers at risk and who unfairly undercut honest, law-abiding businesses through illicit sales.”
Annapolis, Md. (April 7, 2015) – Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced that members of his Field Enforcement Division arrested a Gaithersburg man following a three-month investigation into the illegal importation, transportation and retail sales of untaxed Other Tobacco Products (OTP). The OTP products — cigars and related products, snuff and chew totaling nearly 49,000 packages — were imported into Maryland and sold in retail establishments in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County and Harford County.
“This arrest and criminal citation reflects the ongoing, diligent efforts of my field enforcement agents to crack down on businesses who engage in illegal activities,” Comptroller Franchot said. “We will continue to use our legal authority and the full resources of the Comptroller’s Office to go after those who put consumers at risk and who unfairly undercut honest, law-abiding businesses through illicit sales.”
Iraqi Caught Crossing US-Mexico Border was Military Trainer
Breitbart Texas exclusively obtained leaked information on the Iraqi man who was apprehended while illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas on February 12, 2015.
The Border Patrol agent responsible for interviewing the subject initially expressed concerns that the Iraqi was sent by Russia, largely due to the Iraqi man’s history as a military trainer, his speaking several languages, including Russian, and his having lived in Crimea, according to one of the leaked documents. Breitbart Texas was provided with two documents by a federal agent who works under the umbrella of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The agent insisted on remaining anonymous.
The Iraqi man is named Ahmed Adnan Taha, Al Khafaji. His date of birth is 6-25-84. He has one sister in the U.S. [in Maryland, which was where he said he was going-- Editor], one in Turkey, three brothers in Turkey, one in Ukraine, one in New York State, and three brothers in Iraq, according to the leaked documents.
Breitbart Texas recently asked the Border Patrol agency about the specifics in this report and their spokesman for the Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) responded, “All record checks were conducted, our federal partners did interview the subject with no derogatory information being found.”
It is significant to note that Border Patrol processing an individual does not mean that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actually deported the individual.
More here
The Border Patrol agent responsible for interviewing the subject initially expressed concerns that the Iraqi was sent by Russia, largely due to the Iraqi man’s history as a military trainer, his speaking several languages, including Russian, and his having lived in Crimea, according to one of the leaked documents. Breitbart Texas was provided with two documents by a federal agent who works under the umbrella of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The agent insisted on remaining anonymous.
The Iraqi man is named Ahmed Adnan Taha, Al Khafaji. His date of birth is 6-25-84. He has one sister in the U.S. [in Maryland, which was where he said he was going-- Editor], one in Turkey, three brothers in Turkey, one in Ukraine, one in New York State, and three brothers in Iraq, according to the leaked documents.
Breitbart Texas recently asked the Border Patrol agency about the specifics in this report and their spokesman for the Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) responded, “All record checks were conducted, our federal partners did interview the subject with no derogatory information being found.”
It is significant to note that Border Patrol processing an individual does not mean that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actually deported the individual.
More here
Obama Takes Swipe at Christians -- Again!
(The Blaze) – President Barack Obama on Tuesday used the White House Easter prayer breakfast to accuse some Christians of lacking love, then said he was “pulling back” from saying any more.
“On Easter, I do reflect that as a Christian, I am supposed to love,” Obama said. “I have to say that sometimes, when I listen to less than loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned. But that’s a topic for another day.”
Some in the audience applauded, and laughed.
“Where there is injustice,” Obama said before he began to laugh and said, “I was about to be raw. I’m pulling it back.”
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“On Easter, I do reflect that as a Christian, I am supposed to love,” Obama said. “I have to say that sometimes, when I listen to less than loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned. But that’s a topic for another day.”
Some in the audience applauded, and laughed.
“Where there is injustice,” Obama said before he began to laugh and said, “I was about to be raw. I’m pulling it back.”
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Is the White House Trolling Netanyahu?
The White House appeared to mock Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on social media Wednesday, employing a cartoon bomb similar to an illustration used by Israel's leader to warn against a nuclear Iran.
The image of the bomb, complete with a red line near the top, is virtually identical to that used by Netanyahu during a 2012 United Nations speech on the dangers of Tehran acquiring such a weapon.
"At this late hour there is only one way to peacefully prevent Iran from getting atomic bombs," Netanyahu said in his address at the time. "And that is by placing a clear red line on Iran's nuclear weapons program."
Relations between President Obama and Netanyahu are at an all-time low after the Israeli leader's re-election last month. The White House has accused Netanyahu of doing everything possible to sabotage the Iran talks.
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The image of the bomb, complete with a red line near the top, is virtually identical to that used by Netanyahu during a 2012 United Nations speech on the dangers of Tehran acquiring such a weapon.
"At this late hour there is only one way to peacefully prevent Iran from getting atomic bombs," Netanyahu said in his address at the time. "And that is by placing a clear red line on Iran's nuclear weapons program."
Relations between President Obama and Netanyahu are at an all-time low after the Israeli leader's re-election last month. The White House has accused Netanyahu of doing everything possible to sabotage the Iran talks.
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Christians: Unite Behind Your Economic Clout
Dear Christian Americans, it’s cards on the table time. As someone who deeply respects your faith, I feel compelled to offer you some heartfelt advice: That “turn the other cheek” thing isn’t working anymore.
In America, there’s a take-no-prisoners culture war going on, courtesy of an American Left whose definition of tolerance begins and ends with, “You either agree with us, or you’re bigots.” In the rest of the world, as the latest exclamation point from Kenya reveals, Christians are being exterminated with increasing regularity.
It’s time to wake up, stand up, and be counted – while there’s still time.
First, understand who it is you’re at war with. Here’s a big clue: While the mainstream media is positively brimming with stories of condemnation regarding Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs) in Indiana and Arkansas, not a single major news source has highlighted the reality that a bunch of Muslim bakeries in Dearborn, Michigan, were equally reticent to bake a so-called gay wedding cake. Nor did any news organization send out feckless reporters like ABC News 57's Alyssa Marino to literally search out Muslim pizza shops who might refuse to cater a gay wedding due to their faith-based concerns. That exercise in calculated journalistic malfeasance was reserved for Christian-owned Memories Pizza, which was forced to close when it received a number of death threats, no doubt from some of those very same doyens of tolerance who embrace a “my way or the highway” worldview.
More here
In America, there’s a take-no-prisoners culture war going on, courtesy of an American Left whose definition of tolerance begins and ends with, “You either agree with us, or you’re bigots.” In the rest of the world, as the latest exclamation point from Kenya reveals, Christians are being exterminated with increasing regularity.
It’s time to wake up, stand up, and be counted – while there’s still time.
First, understand who it is you’re at war with. Here’s a big clue: While the mainstream media is positively brimming with stories of condemnation regarding Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs) in Indiana and Arkansas, not a single major news source has highlighted the reality that a bunch of Muslim bakeries in Dearborn, Michigan, were equally reticent to bake a so-called gay wedding cake. Nor did any news organization send out feckless reporters like ABC News 57's Alyssa Marino to literally search out Muslim pizza shops who might refuse to cater a gay wedding due to their faith-based concerns. That exercise in calculated journalistic malfeasance was reserved for Christian-owned Memories Pizza, which was forced to close when it received a number of death threats, no doubt from some of those very same doyens of tolerance who embrace a “my way or the highway” worldview.
More here
EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES, TASK FORCES, & ADVISORY BOARDS
In Maryland, executive commissions, committees, task forces, and advisory boards are created or authorized by action of the Governor, the General Assembly, another constitutional officer, or the head of a principal executive department. Often, these boards are assigned a specific responsibility or area of inquiry.
Through special study boards, the Governor draws upon the expertise of private citizens and public servants to help solve problems of government. Many of these boards must complete their work by a prescribed date. Others are ongoing. They may receive staff or other administrative support from an executive department or agency. Interagency committees, councils, boards, and task forces often are formed to coordinate the work of government agencies in a particular field.
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Through special study boards, the Governor draws upon the expertise of private citizens and public servants to help solve problems of government. Many of these boards must complete their work by a prescribed date. Others are ongoing. They may receive staff or other administrative support from an executive department or agency. Interagency committees, councils, boards, and task forces often are formed to coordinate the work of government agencies in a particular field.
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Secret Service supervisor placed on leave after allegations of assault, unwanted sexual advances
Spokesman Brian Leary says the incident was first reported to the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility on April 2, after which inspectors conducted corroborative interviews. Director Joseph Clancy was informed the same day, and the employee was placed on leave.
Leary says the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general is now investigating the incident.
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Man Arrested For Refusing Sobriety Test Gets The Last Laugh: A Cool $70,000
Falling asleep at the wheel could be a pretty dangerous concept, for both the driver and any unfortunate pedestrians who happen to be nearby; the degradation of one’s mental state could be comparable to the effects of alcohol, and being tired could even cause you to fail a field sobriety test, should you agree to take it.
Used by police officers to enforce DUI laws, field sobriety tests, AKA roadside sobriety tests, often come before the more scientific Breathalyzer tests. Be you drunk or just plain tired, a field sobriety test never has a pleasant outcome.
Police perform the three-part test after a traffic stop or at a checkpoint. These tests judge your balance, physical ability and attention level. Police officers have demanded such strange “performances” as reciting the alphabet… backwards. Think that’s easy? Give it a try for real; you’ll realize that wide-awake, sober individuals will just as often fail these tests. I suspect the cops get a kick out of it, regardless of your mental state.
Knowing your rights can really help you avoid becoming another cop’s “entertainment”. A man who was informed of his rights refused to submit to a field sobriety test at an unconstitutional police check point. He then refused to comply with any of the officer’s further demands, as the officer began to claim that the man was required to follow his commands by law. This resulted in his unconstitutional arrest, based only on the fact that he had “blood-shot eyes”.
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Used by police officers to enforce DUI laws, field sobriety tests, AKA roadside sobriety tests, often come before the more scientific Breathalyzer tests. Be you drunk or just plain tired, a field sobriety test never has a pleasant outcome.
Police perform the three-part test after a traffic stop or at a checkpoint. These tests judge your balance, physical ability and attention level. Police officers have demanded such strange “performances” as reciting the alphabet… backwards. Think that’s easy? Give it a try for real; you’ll realize that wide-awake, sober individuals will just as often fail these tests. I suspect the cops get a kick out of it, regardless of your mental state.
Knowing your rights can really help you avoid becoming another cop’s “entertainment”. A man who was informed of his rights refused to submit to a field sobriety test at an unconstitutional police check point. He then refused to comply with any of the officer’s further demands, as the officer began to claim that the man was required to follow his commands by law. This resulted in his unconstitutional arrest, based only on the fact that he had “blood-shot eyes”.
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Colorado Panel’s Split Decision on Gay-themed Cakes
DENVER — The battle over gay rights and religious freedom heated up a notch Monday as conservatives pointed to a Colorado panel’s ruling in favor of three bakeries that refused to bake anti-gay cakes as evidence of a double standard.
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission rejected complaints filed by Castle Rock resident William Jack against three Denver confectioners — Azucar Bakery, Gateaux and Le Bakery Sensual — after their owners refused to make cakes with Bible verses and images condemning homosexuality.
What rankled critics on the right is that nearly a year ago, the commission ruled against Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, whose owner Jack Phillips declined to create a cake for a gay wedding, citing his Christian faith.
“Taste the double standard: Colorado bakeries can refuse anti-gay cakes, but not gay wedding cakes,” said the conservative website Twitchy in a post.
More here
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission rejected complaints filed by Castle Rock resident William Jack against three Denver confectioners — Azucar Bakery, Gateaux and Le Bakery Sensual — after their owners refused to make cakes with Bible verses and images condemning homosexuality.
What rankled critics on the right is that nearly a year ago, the commission ruled against Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, whose owner Jack Phillips declined to create a cake for a gay wedding, citing his Christian faith.
“Taste the double standard: Colorado bakeries can refuse anti-gay cakes, but not gay wedding cakes,” said the conservative website Twitchy in a post.
More here
OC Mulls Antenna System To Ease ‘Wireless Congestion’
On Monday evening, the Mayor and City Council held a public hearing to consider a request by Crown Castle, Inc. to install a Distributed Cellular Antenna System (DCAS) within City right-of-ways.
Crown Castle is proposing 93 DCAS node locations within Ocean City. The majority of installations will be on Delmarva Power and Light (DP&L) poles, which are regulated by the Maryland Public Service Commission. However, Crown Castle has also requested to place some installations on the Boardwalk and other city-owned structures.
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Puerto Ricans Get Disability Because They Speak Spanish
The Social Security Administration (SSA) approved disability benefits for hundreds of Puerto Ricans because they do not speak English, despite the fact that Puerto Rico is a predominantly Spanish-speaking territory.
According to a new audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the agency is misapplying rules that are intended to provide financial assistance to individuals who are illiterate or cannot speak English in the United States. Under the rules, Puerto Ricans are allowed to receive disability benefits for their inability to speak English as well.
“We found the Agency did not make exceptions regarding the English-language grid rules for claimants who reside in Puerto Rico, even though Spanish is the predominant language spoken in the local economy,” the OIG said.
The audit said a person applying for disability in Puerto Rico who cannot speak English “may increase his/her likelihood of receiving disability benefits.”
The agency does not currently have a system in place to keep track of the number of beneficiaries who receive disability insurance for not being able to speak English.
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According to a new audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the agency is misapplying rules that are intended to provide financial assistance to individuals who are illiterate or cannot speak English in the United States. Under the rules, Puerto Ricans are allowed to receive disability benefits for their inability to speak English as well.
“We found the Agency did not make exceptions regarding the English-language grid rules for claimants who reside in Puerto Rico, even though Spanish is the predominant language spoken in the local economy,” the OIG said.
The audit said a person applying for disability in Puerto Rico who cannot speak English “may increase his/her likelihood of receiving disability benefits.”
The agency does not currently have a system in place to keep track of the number of beneficiaries who receive disability insurance for not being able to speak English.
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Cedar Hill Marina Dredging Project Commences April 7
Salisbury, MD – A dredging project has commenced at Cedar Hill Marina, with an expected completion date of May 15th. The project is not expected to impact users of either the marina or park. The effects of Hurricane Sandy caused the marina’s channel to fill in prematurely, which results in very shallow water at low tide. The project, completed by Ray Nornes, Inc. will correct this by removing material from the channel through a hydraulic dredging process.
The Department of Natural Resources’ Waterway Improvement Fund is funding the project. Established in 1966, this fund provides grants for the improvement and promotion of recreational and commercial capabilities, conditions and safety of Maryland’s waterways for the benefit of the general boating public. Revenues for the fund are obtained from a one time 5% excise tax that is paid to the State of Maryland when a boat is registered and titled in the State.
The Department of Natural Resources’ Waterway Improvement Fund is funding the project. Established in 1966, this fund provides grants for the improvement and promotion of recreational and commercial capabilities, conditions and safety of Maryland’s waterways for the benefit of the general boating public. Revenues for the fund are obtained from a one time 5% excise tax that is paid to the State of Maryland when a boat is registered and titled in the State.
ICE, DHS Arrest 1,200+ In Nationwide Gang Raids
Targeting gangs across the country, teams from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested more than 1,200 people, while seizing weapons and drugs directly used by international crime syndicates.
Members and associates from 239 different gangs were arrested in 282 cities across the U.S. during what’s been called Project Wildfire, a six-week operation that included 215 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. Already at least 913 people have been charged with criminal offenses as a result of the operation, which began in mid -February. Those arrested include 650 with violent criminal histories, including 19 individuals wanted on active warrants for murder and 15 for rape or sexual assault. There were 200 foreign nationals arrested in the raids.
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Members and associates from 239 different gangs were arrested in 282 cities across the U.S. during what’s been called Project Wildfire, a six-week operation that included 215 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. Already at least 913 people have been charged with criminal offenses as a result of the operation, which began in mid -February. Those arrested include 650 with violent criminal histories, including 19 individuals wanted on active warrants for murder and 15 for rape or sexual assault. There were 200 foreign nationals arrested in the raids.
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People Fleeing High-Tax States for Low-Tax Alternatives
(CNSNews) – Utah, Texas, and North Dakota, where taxes are low, are the most economically vibrant states in the country, according to a new report. The high-tax states of New York and Michigan rank at the bottom.
Additionally, the report found, millions of people left highly-taxed states for low-tax states between 2003 and 2013.
The 8th edition of Rich States Poor States, an annual report released by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) on Wednesday, found that 1.5 million people left New York between 2003 and 2013, the largest exodus of any state. California came in second by that indicator, with 1.4 million leaving the state. Illinois placed third, with 647,000 leaving; while Michigan placed fourth, with 628,000 moving out.
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Additionally, the report found, millions of people left highly-taxed states for low-tax states between 2003 and 2013.
The 8th edition of Rich States Poor States, an annual report released by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) on Wednesday, found that 1.5 million people left New York between 2003 and 2013, the largest exodus of any state. California came in second by that indicator, with 1.4 million leaving the state. Illinois placed third, with 647,000 leaving; while Michigan placed fourth, with 628,000 moving out.
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Poll: More Aggressive Deportations, No Welfare, Citizenship For Kids of Illegals
Despite President Obama's efforts to cool the nation's views on illegal immigrants storming over the U.S.-Mexico border, Americans have reached a new level of anger over the issue, with most demanding a more aggressive deportation policy — and reversal of a law that grants citizenship to kids of illegals born in the U.S.
A new Rasmussen Reports survey released Monday also finds Americans questioning spending tax dollars on government aid provided to illegal immigrants. A huge 83 percent said that anybody should be required to prove that they are "legally allowed" to be in the country before receiving local, state or federal government services.
Overall, the poll is bad news for the White House because it shows sustained, and in some cases, elevated anger and frustration over the surge in illegal immigrants in the United States.
When asked if the baby of an illegal born in the United States should automatically become a U.S. citizen, as is now the law, 54 percent said no.
More here
A new Rasmussen Reports survey released Monday also finds Americans questioning spending tax dollars on government aid provided to illegal immigrants. A huge 83 percent said that anybody should be required to prove that they are "legally allowed" to be in the country before receiving local, state or federal government services.
Overall, the poll is bad news for the White House because it shows sustained, and in some cases, elevated anger and frustration over the surge in illegal immigrants in the United States.
When asked if the baby of an illegal born in the United States should automatically become a U.S. citizen, as is now the law, 54 percent said no.
More here
Some Gays Apologizing for ‘Mean-Spirited Indiana RFRA Attacks’
(CNSNews.com) – Instead of attacking Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), some gays are defending the state law against “civil rights shakedown grifters” and apologizing for the “mean-spirited attacks.”
Bruce Majors, a gay man who ran for mayor of Washington, D.C. last year as a Libertarian, had some hard-hitting words for the liberals who targeted Indiana over the state’s RFRA last week.
“Once again, the gay lobbyists and bureaucrats are seeking more employment, money and power as ‘civil rights’ shakedown grifters at the expense of real progress for gay people,” Majors told CNSNews.com. “I reject all these fascists.”
More here
Bruce Majors, a gay man who ran for mayor of Washington, D.C. last year as a Libertarian, had some hard-hitting words for the liberals who targeted Indiana over the state’s RFRA last week.
“Once again, the gay lobbyists and bureaucrats are seeking more employment, money and power as ‘civil rights’ shakedown grifters at the expense of real progress for gay people,” Majors told CNSNews.com. “I reject all these fascists.”
More here
Heastie: Voters must amend NY constitution to strip crooks’ pensions
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York state’s new budget contains several measures written to address Albany’s culture of corruption — but a provision intended to revoke the pensions of disgraced officials will need voter approval too.
Lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo want to give judges the power to revoke the pensions of public officials convicted of a corruption-related felony. The proposal was inserted into the state budget passed by lawmakers last week, but the state Constitution must be amended in order to make it apply to all sitting officials.
The Senate has already endorsed placing the referendum on the ballot, and the Assembly plans to do the same when lawmakers return from their spring break. To put the question on the ballot the Legislature will have to endorse the referendum again in 2017.
The proposal would allow a judge to let a convicted official’s spouse or dependents to keep some of the pension.
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Lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo want to give judges the power to revoke the pensions of public officials convicted of a corruption-related felony. The proposal was inserted into the state budget passed by lawmakers last week, but the state Constitution must be amended in order to make it apply to all sitting officials.
The Senate has already endorsed placing the referendum on the ballot, and the Assembly plans to do the same when lawmakers return from their spring break. To put the question on the ballot the Legislature will have to endorse the referendum again in 2017.
The proposal would allow a judge to let a convicted official’s spouse or dependents to keep some of the pension.
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For Worcester County Commissioners, Question Is: How Much To Increase Taxes?
Commissioners are expected to decide next week during a budget session whether to advertise for a potential property tax increase of 6.7 cents or an increase of 14.4 cents. According to county staff, it would take a 6.7-cent increase to fund a budget in line with that of the current year while it would take a 14.4-cent hike to fund all of the budget requests for FY 2016.
“If we set it at six cents, everybody’s going to know we’re cutting eight cents somewhere,” Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said. “Once we advertise this we can’t go to eight [cents] or nine [cents]. We’re stuck at six.”
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After University Canceled ‘American Sniper’ Showing, Football Coach Harbaugh Made This Announcement
“Michigan Football will watch ‘American Sniper’! Proud of Chris Kyle & Proud to be an American & if that offends anybody then so be it!” the coach tweeted to his nearly quarter-of-a-million followers.
The overwhelming response seemed positive.
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NLRB Educating 'Foreign Workers' on Union Rights
WASHINGTON – Congressional investigators say they’ve uncovered another attempt by the Obama administration to aid illegal immigrants in the U.S. – this time, by teaching foreign workers lessons on union organizing.
The National Labor Relations Board has entered into agreements with Mexico, Ecuador and the Philippines to teach workers from those countries in the United States their rights when it comes to union activity.
The agreements reportedly don’t distinguish between illegal and legal immigrants. But lawmakers are worried it’s part of an effort to shield illegal immigrants specifically, by encouraging them to join a union and get protection.
NLRB spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek explained to Fox News that under the National Labor Relations Act, “employees, whether documented or undocumented, are protected from retaliation due to union or other protected concerted activity."
That means employers could be charged for dismissing an illegal immigrant worker – if the firing is determined to be tied to the worker’s union activity
More here
The National Labor Relations Board has entered into agreements with Mexico, Ecuador and the Philippines to teach workers from those countries in the United States their rights when it comes to union activity.
The agreements reportedly don’t distinguish between illegal and legal immigrants. But lawmakers are worried it’s part of an effort to shield illegal immigrants specifically, by encouraging them to join a union and get protection.
NLRB spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek explained to Fox News that under the National Labor Relations Act, “employees, whether documented or undocumented, are protected from retaliation due to union or other protected concerted activity."
That means employers could be charged for dismissing an illegal immigrant worker – if the firing is determined to be tied to the worker’s union activity
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Sabra Dipping Company Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Select SKUs of Its Classic Hummus
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
To date, there have been no reports indicating that these products have caused any illness.
The products being recalled are listed below and were distributed to retail outlets, including food service accounts and supermarkets, in the U.S. Consumers can find code and use by dates on the top of each package.
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Former Democratic congressional aide who raped two women avoids jail time because he was disfigured in unrelated attack
A former Democratic congressional aide who pleaded guilty last year to raping two women was spared jail time on Friday because horrific disfiguring injuries he suffered in an unrelated 2013 acid attack.
Donny Ray Williams, who was once a staffer for the Senate Homeland Security subcommittee, slipped an intern Ambien in 2010 before having sex with her while she lay unconscious. That same year, he had sex with a woman too inebriated to give her consent, prosecutors say.
Despite admitting his guilt in December, D.C. prosecutors on Friday asked that Williams be spared prison time because he is himself the victim of a crime – the effects of which will mar the remainder of his life, Washington Post reports.
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Donny Ray Williams, who was once a staffer for the Senate Homeland Security subcommittee, slipped an intern Ambien in 2010 before having sex with her while she lay unconscious. That same year, he had sex with a woman too inebriated to give her consent, prosecutors say.
Despite admitting his guilt in December, D.C. prosecutors on Friday asked that Williams be spared prison time because he is himself the victim of a crime – the effects of which will mar the remainder of his life, Washington Post reports.
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Federal Judge Denies Request To Lift Hold on Obama Amnesty
A federal judge in Texas denied a Justice Department request Tuesday to lift his temporary hold on President Obama's executive action shielding potentially millions of illegal immigrants from deportation.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen refused to set aside his Feb. 16 decision granting a preliminary injunction requested by 26 states. The U.S. government wants the injunction lifted -- allowing Obama's action to proceed -- while it appeals Hanen's ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court in New Orleans.
In his order Tuesday denying the government's request, Hanen said the government hasn't "shown any credible reason for why this Directive necessitates immediate implementation."
There was no immediate comment from the White House.
The Justice Department has already asked the 5th Circuit to lift the injunction. The appeals court was scheduled to hear arguments on whether the injunction should be lifted on April 17. In that case, the AFL-CIO has filed a brief in support of the administration -- though some labor groups have voiced concern about the impact illegal immigration has on U.S. jobs, the AFL-CIO and other unions also represent illegal workers who already are here.
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U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen refused to set aside his Feb. 16 decision granting a preliminary injunction requested by 26 states. The U.S. government wants the injunction lifted -- allowing Obama's action to proceed -- while it appeals Hanen's ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court in New Orleans.
In his order Tuesday denying the government's request, Hanen said the government hasn't "shown any credible reason for why this Directive necessitates immediate implementation."
There was no immediate comment from the White House.
The Justice Department has already asked the 5th Circuit to lift the injunction. The appeals court was scheduled to hear arguments on whether the injunction should be lifted on April 17. In that case, the AFL-CIO has filed a brief in support of the administration -- though some labor groups have voiced concern about the impact illegal immigration has on U.S. jobs, the AFL-CIO and other unions also represent illegal workers who already are here.
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[SalisburyFreecycle] ADMIN NOTICE - Salisbury Freecycle Coming to an End
Dear Members,
It's with some regret that I have to announce the end of Salisbury Freecycle. We've received notice from the Freecycle organization to cease and desist using their registered name and logo. This was done just several months after they sent us notice that required us to begin using the same. Now they've given us just 2 days to no longer use their name and logo, or completely delete the group. And with “Freecycle” as part of our group name and web address in Yahoo, we really have no choice at all. The group must end. Yes, it feels like we were set up.
BUT – As I thought about this predicament, I've made the decision to create a new group, using our current group as a guide. and of course you're encouraged to join us. Our new group is Delmarva Recycle, also hosted in yahoo groups. Our focus will be mainly the same, but with this change, also comes an opportunity to renew and reinvigorate. Are we up for the task? I have no doubt.
It's with some regret that I have to announce the end of Salisbury Freecycle. We've received notice from the Freecycle organization to cease and desist using their registered name and logo. This was done just several months after they sent us notice that required us to begin using the same. Now they've given us just 2 days to no longer use their name and logo, or completely delete the group. And with “Freecycle” as part of our group name and web address in Yahoo, we really have no choice at all. The group must end. Yes, it feels like we were set up.
BUT – As I thought about this predicament, I've made the decision to create a new group, using our current group as a guide. and of course you're encouraged to join us. Our new group is Delmarva Recycle, also hosted in yahoo groups. Our focus will be mainly the same, but with this change, also comes an opportunity to renew and reinvigorate. Are we up for the task? I have no doubt.
In the coming weeks and months, we'll be asking for member input to make improvements over our old group. While much will likely remain the same, I look forward to some positive changes too. In the meantime, head on over to our new group now. Don't put it off – this group will be gone within just a couple short days.
Here's a link to join your new group. delmarvarecycle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Here's a link to join your new group. delmarvarecycle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Troopers Conducting Pedestrian Safety Initiative
The Delaware State Police will be vigorously enforcing traffic and pedestrian violations from April 14, 2015 to April 19 2015. Troopers will be targeting areas where there is a high frequency of pedestrian fatalities and injury accidents as seen in the past several months. The areas we will target include: Kirkwood Highway, Limestone Road, Chestnut Hill Road and I-95. The hours of operation will be between 4:00 p.m. and midnight with an increase patrols from Thursday to Sunday. Troopers will be looking for any and all pedestrian violations which include: not crossing at designated crosswalks, walking without a light and walking while under the influence of alcohol. Troopers will also be targeting any aggressive driving behavior in the designated locations. The Delaware State Police will be conducting a Pedestrian Safety initiative as part of our on-going efforts to reduce pedestrian fatalities and personal injury accidents.
“Troopers remind pedestrians to use caution and safety when walking on or near roadways. If you must cross a roadway utilize designated cross walks and make sure to look left, then right, then left again before proceeding. When walking near a roadway always make yourself visible to drivers by wearing bright or light colored clothing and reflective materials. Pedestrians that are walking at night must carry a flashlight for added safety.”
“Troopers remind pedestrians to use caution and safety when walking on or near roadways. If you must cross a roadway utilize designated cross walks and make sure to look left, then right, then left again before proceeding. When walking near a roadway always make yourself visible to drivers by wearing bright or light colored clothing and reflective materials. Pedestrians that are walking at night must carry a flashlight for added safety.”