When Maryland State Police Trooper First Class Shaft Hunter was killed in the line of duty in a traffic crash on I-95 on...
Posted by Maryland State Police on Wednesday, May 27, 2015
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
MSP Support Graduate And Honor His Father
SWAT TEAM SNIPER EXECUTES SUICIDAL WOMAN FOLLOWING 911 CALL
Sharpshooter opens fire after perceived threat to officers
A sniper with the Austin police department’s SWAT unit is on paid administrative leave after a standoff resulted in the execution of a woman who was already threatening suicide.
Police were summoned to a North Austin apartment early Sunday morning after the victim’s boyfriend called 9-1-1 claiming the 31-year-old woman was threatening to take her own life.
Police say they attempted to negotiate with the woman in person and over the phone for hours, but that she refused to cooperate or obey orders.
“She said she wasn’t going to jail,” a neighbor who overheard the negotiations told KEYE-TV. “They told her, ‘We won’t take you to jail. We’ll take you to get some help.’ She wasn’t having that.”
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A sniper with the Austin police department’s SWAT unit is on paid administrative leave after a standoff resulted in the execution of a woman who was already threatening suicide.
Police were summoned to a North Austin apartment early Sunday morning after the victim’s boyfriend called 9-1-1 claiming the 31-year-old woman was threatening to take her own life.
Police say they attempted to negotiate with the woman in person and over the phone for hours, but that she refused to cooperate or obey orders.
“She said she wasn’t going to jail,” a neighbor who overheard the negotiations told KEYE-TV. “They told her, ‘We won’t take you to jail. We’ll take you to get some help.’ She wasn’t having that.”
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Taxing organic products could solve California water problem, experts say
One can almost hear the all-natural crowd banging their drum circle bongos in protest.
According to studies cited in the proposal, organic agriculture uses more labor, land, and water than conventional agriculture while producing much lower yields and wasting H2O. One of the studies cited was a 2008 Organic Production Survey of all 14,450 organic U.S. farms by the United States Department of Agriculture, which reported that organic corn, rice, spring wheat, and lettuce yields were, respectively 30 percent, 41 percent, 53 percent, and 70 percent lower than conventional yields. In addition to this, a study by Alex Avery at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Global Food Issues found that conventional agriculture beat organic in “total system yields,” nitrogen efficiency, and labor by 30 percent, 60 percent, and 35 percent respectively. Avery’s analysis was based on research performed by none other than the Rodale Institute, whose slogan reads “organic pioneers since 1947.”
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Texas SWAT Police Storm Old Man’s Home, Break His Hip, Leave Him Lying In His Own Feces
Lawsuit alleges cops engaged in “conspiracy of silence” to cover up incident
In a shocking case that has only just come to light, an 81-year-old man was SWAT teamed at his home by heavily armed police and left on the floor with a broken hip.
Herman Crisp described the incident, which occurred last September, to reporters with KTBC News.
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In a shocking case that has only just come to light, an 81-year-old man was SWAT teamed at his home by heavily armed police and left on the floor with a broken hip.
Herman Crisp described the incident, which occurred last September, to reporters with KTBC News.
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Salisbury, Md., speller hopes for better luck second time around
Last year, the Salisbury, Md., teenager spelled her second- and third-round words correctly, but she wasn’t able to make it to the semifinals. She placed 42nd out of 281 spellers competing.
“I think I’m more prepared than last year because it is my second year of competing at the national level,” Gia said. “Hopefully what I’ve learned and studied will help me in the following days of the competition.”
During a typical school week, the Wicomico Middle School eighth-grader spends two or three hours each day practicing her spelling. She works on her vocabulary by reading from a variety of authors and genres, listening to the words of classical music and looking up the origins of words that are difficult to spell.
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Rip: Over 100 Newspapers Dumped In Year, Ads Down 50%, Circulation Hits Botto
The demise of big city print media, displayed in full by the painfully slow sale of the mammoth New York Daily News, is going nationwide as ad sales decline 50 percent and circulation plummets, according to a newPew Research Center analysis
According to their report, "The Declining Value Of U.S. Newspapers," just three different media companies in 2014 alone decided to dump more than 100 newspaper properties. Pew said the companies spun off the money-losing properties "in large part to protect their still-robust broadcast or digital divisions."
The Daily News, on the block since February, has yet to be sold and is now being eyed by Captiol Hill's newspaper The Hill, which may turn it into a digital operation like the Washington Examiner, Huffington Post, Brietbart and the Daily Caller.
The Pew report is short and very unsweet:
Over the past two decades, major newspapers across the country have seen a recurring cycle of ownership changes and steep declines in value.
The San Diego Union-Tribune was the latest example of this, as it officially changed ownership hands Thursday for the third time in six years. This most recent purchase came from Tribune Publishing Co. for the amount of $85 million (including nine community papers). Still waiting for a buyer is the 96-year-old New York tabloid the Daily News, which owner Mort Zuckerman put on the sale block this spring. But there seems to be far from a stampede of interested buyers.
Steep revenue and circulation declines across the newspaper industry have left many newspapers struggling. Over the past decade, weekday circulation has fallen 17% and ad revenue more than 50%. In 2014 alone, three different media companies decided to spin off more than 100 newspaper properties, in large part to protect their still-robust broadcast or digital divisions.
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According to their report, "The Declining Value Of U.S. Newspapers," just three different media companies in 2014 alone decided to dump more than 100 newspaper properties. Pew said the companies spun off the money-losing properties "in large part to protect their still-robust broadcast or digital divisions."
The Daily News, on the block since February, has yet to be sold and is now being eyed by Captiol Hill's newspaper The Hill, which may turn it into a digital operation like the Washington Examiner, Huffington Post, Brietbart and the Daily Caller.
The Pew report is short and very unsweet:
Over the past two decades, major newspapers across the country have seen a recurring cycle of ownership changes and steep declines in value.
The San Diego Union-Tribune was the latest example of this, as it officially changed ownership hands Thursday for the third time in six years. This most recent purchase came from Tribune Publishing Co. for the amount of $85 million (including nine community papers). Still waiting for a buyer is the 96-year-old New York tabloid the Daily News, which owner Mort Zuckerman put on the sale block this spring. But there seems to be far from a stampede of interested buyers.
Steep revenue and circulation declines across the newspaper industry have left many newspapers struggling. Over the past decade, weekday circulation has fallen 17% and ad revenue more than 50%. In 2014 alone, three different media companies decided to spin off more than 100 newspaper properties, in large part to protect their still-robust broadcast or digital divisions.
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After gumbo and beer, customer leaves a $2,000 tip at a D.C. restaurant
But the owner, bartender and chef at the restaurant on Connecticut Avenue said they were shocked when the patron left a really, really big tip — $2,000 on a $93 bill.
Christofer Nardelli, owner of the four-year-old restaurant, said the man left the tip Monday evening after he and a friend ate fried chicken, gumbo and the patron’s favorite brew — Old Chub Scotch Ale.
And then they left.
It wasn’t until the pair were long gone that the bartender — Laura Dally — noticed something unusual.
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Half Of College Graduates Expect To Be Supported By Their Families
American college graduates — and their parents — appear to be increasingly reluctant to cut the financial apron strings.
About half of students expect to be supported financially by their parents for up to two years after graduation, according to a new survey of 500 students and 500 parents released Tuesday by Upromise, the savings division of Sallie Mae, the student lender. And almost half of students surveyed said they would be willing to pay their parents rent if they moved back home post-graduation, the survey found. Only 5% of parents say they would not let their child move back in with them after graduation.
Parents seem to be more lenient about letting their graduate children come back home. Some 36% of parents say they expected to support their children financially for more than two years, up from just 18% last year, and only 2.8% of parents expect their kids to have a full-time job after college and only one-quarter see them having any kind of job in their chosen field when they graduate. And if they moved in with their parents after graduation, 20% of students expect it would be at no cost to themselves.
Both students and their parents are more accepting of the new normal, says Erin Condon, president of Upromise by Sallie Mae. “We were pleasantly surprised that parents and students were very aligned in their expectations,” she says. “One could argue that this generation is entitled or spoiled, but you could always argue that they are financially responsible and not biting off more than they can chew by making effort to get off on the right foot to make sure that long-term success is there.”
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About half of students expect to be supported financially by their parents for up to two years after graduation, according to a new survey of 500 students and 500 parents released Tuesday by Upromise, the savings division of Sallie Mae, the student lender. And almost half of students surveyed said they would be willing to pay their parents rent if they moved back home post-graduation, the survey found. Only 5% of parents say they would not let their child move back in with them after graduation.
Parents seem to be more lenient about letting their graduate children come back home. Some 36% of parents say they expected to support their children financially for more than two years, up from just 18% last year, and only 2.8% of parents expect their kids to have a full-time job after college and only one-quarter see them having any kind of job in their chosen field when they graduate. And if they moved in with their parents after graduation, 20% of students expect it would be at no cost to themselves.
Both students and their parents are more accepting of the new normal, says Erin Condon, president of Upromise by Sallie Mae. “We were pleasantly surprised that parents and students were very aligned in their expectations,” she says. “One could argue that this generation is entitled or spoiled, but you could always argue that they are financially responsible and not biting off more than they can chew by making effort to get off on the right foot to make sure that long-term success is there.”
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SHOPPING LOCAL: DELMARVA’S FARMERS’ MARKETS
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Most Younger People Don’T Know Anyone In The Military & That’S Causing A Divide In American Culture
The Los Angeles Times reports there’s a wider divide than ever between people who have connections with the military and those who don’t. There also seems to be a growing age gap between older people who know members of the military and those under 50.
Here’s the story by the numbers:
57% of Americans ages 30-49 have an immediate family member who served.
30% of 18-29 year olds know an immediate family member who served
49% of all active duty military come from five states: California, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina and Georgia.
The Times reports college ROTC programs are becoming fewer and fewer, shrinking from 420 campus ROTC programs during the Reagan era, to 275 today.
The gap between civilian students and those who serve in the military are more pronounced, according to a 20-year-old cadet who spoke to the LA Times:
57% of Americans ages 30-49 have an immediate family member who served.
30% of 18-29 year olds know an immediate family member who served
49% of all active duty military come from five states: California, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina and Georgia.
The Times reports college ROTC programs are becoming fewer and fewer, shrinking from 420 campus ROTC programs during the Reagan era, to 275 today.
The gap between civilian students and those who serve in the military are more pronounced, according to a 20-year-old cadet who spoke to the LA Times:
Maryland works to comply with federal order on housing juvenile offenders
BALTIMORE —For more than a decade, Maryland state corrections officials have been dealing with a conflict over where to house juvenile offenders.
This has been a long-running debate over what to do with juveniles charged with serious, adult-like crimes when a federal order says you can't house them with adult suspects.
Twelve juveniles are currently held at the Baltimore City Jail, a facility built for adults, awaiting trial for serious crimes. Included are two teenagers charged as adults with first-degree murder in the killing more than a year ago of a woman in Highlandtown.
Two weeks ago, the state's Board of Public Works approved a $30 million project to house that type of juvenile offender and come into compliance with a long-standing order from the federal government to separate juveniles from adults.
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This has been a long-running debate over what to do with juveniles charged with serious, adult-like crimes when a federal order says you can't house them with adult suspects.
Twelve juveniles are currently held at the Baltimore City Jail, a facility built for adults, awaiting trial for serious crimes. Included are two teenagers charged as adults with first-degree murder in the killing more than a year ago of a woman in Highlandtown.
Two weeks ago, the state's Board of Public Works approved a $30 million project to house that type of juvenile offender and come into compliance with a long-standing order from the federal government to separate juveniles from adults.
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Portable Meth Lab Discovered in Felton
The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at approximately 8:30 p.m., as the Delaware State Police Governor’s Task Force responded to a residence located in the 100 block of Cabin Ridge Road, Felton to search for two wanted suspects, James T. Moore, 40, a probationer who was wanted for violation of probation, and, Steven Jester, a probationer who was wanted out of Felton Police Department on a criminal trespass warrant. A search was conducted of the property and the suspects James T. Moore and Darryl Cox were located hiding in a small shed towards the rear of the property. Steven Jester was not located at this residence.
Upon rendering the shed safe numerous items were observed consistent with a clandestine meth lab. It was determined that bottles were used with active portable meth labs utilized to manufacture methamphetamine. After further investigation Troopers located additional bottles containing waste associated with the manufacturing of meth along with components and key ingredients in making the drug.
Darryl Cox (44) and James T. Moore (40) were each charged with Resisting Arrest, Manufacturing a Controlled Substance, Operation of a Clandestine Meth Lab, Conspiracy Second Degree, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Violation of Probation. Both were committed to the James T. Vaughn Correctional center in default of $28,500.
Troopers were assisted by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Delaware State Police Kent County Drug Unit, and the Little Creek Fire Department during the dismantling of the portable meth lab, cleanup and mitigation process to dispose of the waste. The shed was cleaned up and declared safe without further incident.
No evacuations were ordered as it was determined that there was no immediate threat or hazards to nearby residents.
Troopers continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.
Accident On Racetrack Rd. Near Showell
Showell Fire/EMS dispatched to Racetrack Rd. near Showell elementary school, motor vehicle accident with entrapment. Expect delays in the area.
Travel ban ends for Guantanamo inmates swapped for Bergdahl
Under terms of the exchange in May 2014, the five detainees were sent to Qatar where officials there agreed to monitor their activities and prevent them from traveling out of the country. In return, Bergdahl was released to the U.S. military after being held captive by the Taliban for nearly five years after he walked away from his Army post in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials have discussed with the Qataris the possibility of extending the travel ban after it expires on June 1. But so far, the White House has not publicly announced any new agreement with Qatar, meaning the five could leave the tiny nation on the Arabian Peninsula at the end of the month.
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Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force To Host Lower Shore Regional Summit
Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, Maryland Heroin And Opioid Emergency Task Force To Host Lower Shore Regional Summit
Summit Covers Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester Counties
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford will host the fifth Regional Summit of the Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force on Wednesday, June 10, on the lower Eastern Shore. The summit will focus on Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, and the Task Force will hear from local experts and residents who wish to share information about how the heroin and opioid epidemic is affecting their region and provide recommendations on how to address it.
WHO: Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford and the Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force
Caroline County Commissioner President Larry Porter
Somerset County Commissioner President Randy Laird
Talbot County Council President Corey Pack
Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver
Worcester County Commissioner President Jim Bunting, Jr.
Caroline County State's Attorney Jonathan Newell
Dorchester County State's Attorney William Jones
Somerset County State's Attorney Daniel Powell
Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble
Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis
Worcester County Police Sergeant Nate Passwaters
WHAT: Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force Lower Eastern Shore Regional Summit
WHERE: St. Francis de Sales Philip & Barbara Long Parish Center, 535 Riverside Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801
WHEN: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Wednesday, June 10, 2015
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford will host the fifth Regional Summit of the Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force on Wednesday, June 10, on the lower Eastern Shore. The summit will focus on Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, and the Task Force will hear from local experts and residents who wish to share information about how the heroin and opioid epidemic is affecting their region and provide recommendations on how to address it.
WHO: Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford and the Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force
Caroline County Commissioner President Larry Porter
Somerset County Commissioner President Randy Laird
Talbot County Council President Corey Pack
Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver
Worcester County Commissioner President Jim Bunting, Jr.
Caroline County State's Attorney Jonathan Newell
Dorchester County State's Attorney William Jones
Somerset County State's Attorney Daniel Powell
Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble
Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis
Worcester County Police Sergeant Nate Passwaters
WHAT: Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force Lower Eastern Shore Regional Summit
WHERE: St. Francis de Sales Philip & Barbara Long Parish Center, 535 Riverside Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801
WHEN: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Wednesday, June 10, 2015
BREAKING NEWS: US military shipped live anthrax samples
The Pentagon confirms that live anthrax was shipped from a Department of Defense lab in Utah to other states but there are no risks to the public.
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$100K grant to start injectable heroin treatment in jail
Terry Kokolis, superintendent of Anne Arundel County detention centers, said the funding will come from the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention. County officials believe they'll receive the money this summer and will be able to roll out the program at the Ordnance Road Correctional Facility in Glen Burnie this year.
"We have a captive audience, and many of them are addicted," said Kokolis, who sees a correlation between repeat inmates and drug use. "I've been very involved in this population for a very long time, and I think we can improve outcomes."
The grant comes at a time Gov. Larry Hogan and County Executive Steve Schuh, both Republicans, have emphasized a growing concern for residents in the state and county with opiate addictions.
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Auction On-Site Single Estate Home & Contents
Allen & Marshall Auctioneers is pleased to offer the Estate of Gary Horseman Sr
FRIDAY May 29th, 2015 @ 4:33 PM – Real Estate at 6:30 PM
203 West State Street, Delmar, DE 19940
ALL PERSONAL PROPERTY SOLD ABSOLUTE W/NO MINIMUM & NO RESERVE!!
4 BR, 2 BA Home on Large 4.2 Acre lot in Sussex Co., DE right across the Street from the Old Mill! 2014 GMC Terrain SLT, 2003 Chevy Silverado 3500, John Deere Zero Turn Mower, Dump Trailer, 2011 Utility Trailer, Furniture, Tools, Equipment, Personal Mobility Carts, Kubota Riding Lawn Mower, DE Tags and MORE!
Auctioneers Note: Join us for a good old fashion home and contents sale. Please note date and time!! There is plenty of street parking on Rd81 and N. Memorial Drive and even more parking in the pasture. There will be absolutely NO PARKNG on RT 54! (Please view photos on the website)
Directions: (From MD/DE Line) – At the Rt 54/Line Rd Traffic Light on Rt. 13 in Delmar turn West onto Rt. 54 and follow to traffic light at Bi-State Blvd. Proceed straight and follow for 0.6 miles to Rt 81 (Just Past Old Mill. Turn Right onto Rt. 81 and park behind the home. Property is located across the street and just before you get to the Old Mill Crab House. Signs Posted.
Troopers Investigate Robbery-Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach, DE- Delaware State Police are currently investigating the armed robbery that occurred last evening.
Preliminary investigation revealed the incident occurred on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at approximately 9:35 p.m. as two male suspects, whose faces were covered with masks, approached the victims located at the 35000 block of Airport Road, Rehoboth Beach, DE. One suspect displayed a handgun as they confronted both victims, a 42 year old and 33 year old female, who were unloading groceries from their vehicle. The suspects demanded money and their purses. The victims did not comply and were punched and knocked to the ground causing the victims to release their purses. The two black males fled in an unknown direction with both purses and an undisclosed amount of money. The female victims were transported to Beebe Healthcare Medical Center where they were treated for minor injuries. This incident occurred in front of their children who were seated in the vehicle. The children were not injured.
Both suspects were described as black males with ski masks covering their faces. One of the suspects was armed with an unknown type handgun.
If anyone has any information in reference to this incident, they are asked to contact Detective T. Shockley at 302-752-3812. Information can also be provided by callingDelaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet atwww.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."
Preliminary investigation revealed the incident occurred on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at approximately 9:35 p.m. as two male suspects, whose faces were covered with masks, approached the victims located at the 35000 block of Airport Road, Rehoboth Beach, DE. One suspect displayed a handgun as they confronted both victims, a 42 year old and 33 year old female, who were unloading groceries from their vehicle. The suspects demanded money and their purses. The victims did not comply and were punched and knocked to the ground causing the victims to release their purses. The two black males fled in an unknown direction with both purses and an undisclosed amount of money. The female victims were transported to Beebe Healthcare Medical Center where they were treated for minor injuries. This incident occurred in front of their children who were seated in the vehicle. The children were not injured.
Both suspects were described as black males with ski masks covering their faces. One of the suspects was armed with an unknown type handgun.
If anyone has any information in reference to this incident, they are asked to contact Detective T. Shockley at 302-752-3812. Information can also be provided by callingDelaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet atwww.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."
Eastern Shore Auctions to Host John Gallagher Estate and Silver Auction IV on June 6
Salisbury, MD – The John Gallagher Estate and Silver Auction IV is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. Hosted by Eastern Shore Auctions, the sale will include a catalogued selection of quality silver, gold coins, antiques, furniture and much more. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., and the auction begins at 10 a.m.
Willie Benton opened Eastern Shore Auctions in 2007. He served as an auctioneer for Ron Brittingham Auctioneers for 14 years, and he also brings 27 years of experience as a Maryland State Trooper. For more information please visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.
Willie Benton opened Eastern Shore Auctions in 2007. He served as an auctioneer for Ron Brittingham Auctioneers for 14 years, and he also brings 27 years of experience as a Maryland State Trooper. For more information please visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.
Police officer and his mother charged with murder in Waldorf McDonald’s shooting
WASHINGTON — A Prince George’s County police officer and his mother have been charged with shooting two people in a Waldorf McDonald’s parking lot, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.
Richard Conway, 26, of Waldorf, is charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of his former wife’s new husband, Robert Mange, plus attempted first-degree murder for the shooting of his former wife, Krystal Mange.
His mother Caroline Conway, 51, of Waldorf, is also charged with first-degree murder plus attempted first-degree murder, assault and reckless endangerment.
Investigators say mother and son conspired before and after the shooting but that it was Caroline Conway who pulled the trigger, likely using her son’s duty weapon, according to charging documents.
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Richard Conway, 26, of Waldorf, is charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of his former wife’s new husband, Robert Mange, plus attempted first-degree murder for the shooting of his former wife, Krystal Mange.
His mother Caroline Conway, 51, of Waldorf, is also charged with first-degree murder plus attempted first-degree murder, assault and reckless endangerment.
Investigators say mother and son conspired before and after the shooting but that it was Caroline Conway who pulled the trigger, likely using her son’s duty weapon, according to charging documents.
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$1,000 REWARD for the safe return of "Kodi" our SHELTIE!!!
Call Judy at 724-261-6701. Attached is a map of where we think he could be or was picked up at. Kodi is wearing his collar with ID tags with home phone number. He was also recently groomed and is especially noticeable around his hind legs - hair is much shorter and looks like big lion's legs.
SIGHTINGS
** He was seen at 10:00 am on Sunday entering someone's backyard on Rt 611 and Old Bridge Road. **
** He was also seen crossing Old Bridge Road near some cottages heading towards the Full Moon Saloon.
** A family checking out of the Comfort Inn on 12718 Ocean Gateway yesterday morning said they saw him Sunday evening (5/24/15) at 4:00 p.m. being walked in Stephen Decatur Park near Buckingham school (Berlin, MD) on a blue leash.
Kodi is dearly missed by my parents, my young son & our dog "Bailey" (another Sheltie) which is his best friend that we take to parks together. Please help us end this nightmare.
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Cannabis Growing Cop Nets $200,000 From Buffalo Police Department
In March of 2012, Buffalo Police Officer Jorge L. Melendez was caught growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants in a warehouse he owns on South Park Avenue. He was fired in May of 2012, pleaded guilty in August of 2014 and was sentenced to five years in federal prison in January of 2015 by US District Judge, William M. Skretny. He is now serving at McKean Federal Correctional Institution. He was also ordered to pay a monetary judgement totaling $300,000, and forfeit a Chevy Suburban, a Harley Davidson, a 36-foot speed boat and seven firearms. His release date is June 22nd, 2018.
Since he was denied a disciplinary hearing, he was recently awarded $195,507.24 in back pay for the 26 months during which his case was in a ‘pending’ state (from May, 2012 to July, 2014).
In his ruling, arbitrator Jeffrey M. Selchick said Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda, who immediately fired Melendez upon his arrest, violated the contractual obligations. “While the commissioner’s perception of the grievant’s wrongdoing was reasonable and well founded, the procedures which the parties agreed they would follow did not permit the commissioner, as he did, to summarily discharge the grievant,” said Selchick.
The city, which argued that Melendez was, “the epitome of a faithless servant,” and not, “entitled to recover compensation,” plans to appeal the arbitrator’s ruling.
But who is actually guilty?
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Since he was denied a disciplinary hearing, he was recently awarded $195,507.24 in back pay for the 26 months during which his case was in a ‘pending’ state (from May, 2012 to July, 2014).
In his ruling, arbitrator Jeffrey M. Selchick said Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda, who immediately fired Melendez upon his arrest, violated the contractual obligations. “While the commissioner’s perception of the grievant’s wrongdoing was reasonable and well founded, the procedures which the parties agreed they would follow did not permit the commissioner, as he did, to summarily discharge the grievant,” said Selchick.
The city, which argued that Melendez was, “the epitome of a faithless servant,” and not, “entitled to recover compensation,” plans to appeal the arbitrator’s ruling.
But who is actually guilty?
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Biden Tries to Smooth Iraq Ties After Pentagon Criticism
US Vice President Joe Biden on Monday sought to end an embarrassing rift between Washington and Baghdad after Pentagon boss Ashton Carter blamed Iraqi forces for the fall of Ramadi.
The White House said Biden called Iraqi's prime minister Haider al-Abadi, just hours after the US Defense Secretary's suggested the Islamic State group won control of the city because "Iraqi forces showed no will to fight," according to AFP.
Biden "recognized the enormous sacrifice and bravery of Iraqi forces over the past eighteen months in Ramadi and elsewhere," the White House said.
As well as rowing back Carter's comments, Biden called to "reaffirm US support for the Iraqi government's fight against" Islamic State jihadists.
Carter's comments were seen as undercutting a US-Iraqi collective front in the fight against the terrorists.
They were also seen as humiliating for Iraq's Prime Minister, as he desperately tries to hold his country together with a thinly stretched army and assorted ethnic and sectarian militias whose loyalties lie outside Baghdad.
Abadi himself expressed surprise at Carter's remarks and suggested the head of the Pentagon "was fed with the wrong information."
Iraqi troops had held out in Ramadi for more than a year before succumbing to the highly-motivated highly-armed force a week ago.
More here
The White House said Biden called Iraqi's prime minister Haider al-Abadi, just hours after the US Defense Secretary's suggested the Islamic State group won control of the city because "Iraqi forces showed no will to fight," according to AFP.
Biden "recognized the enormous sacrifice and bravery of Iraqi forces over the past eighteen months in Ramadi and elsewhere," the White House said.
As well as rowing back Carter's comments, Biden called to "reaffirm US support for the Iraqi government's fight against" Islamic State jihadists.
Carter's comments were seen as undercutting a US-Iraqi collective front in the fight against the terrorists.
They were also seen as humiliating for Iraq's Prime Minister, as he desperately tries to hold his country together with a thinly stretched army and assorted ethnic and sectarian militias whose loyalties lie outside Baghdad.
Abadi himself expressed surprise at Carter's remarks and suggested the head of the Pentagon "was fed with the wrong information."
Iraqi troops had held out in Ramadi for more than a year before succumbing to the highly-motivated highly-armed force a week ago.
More here
Montreal Rounds Up Teen Jihadists
Canadian federal police raided homes of would-be jihadists Tuesday in the Montreal area who had been detained for allegedly seeking to join a terrorist group.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Erique Gasse told AFP searches linked to the 10 suspects were conducted around the city.
He declined to offer details of the RCMP's "ongoing investigation."
But local television showed officers hauling boxes out of the home of one of the suspects in the Montreal suburb of St Leonard.
The 10 would-be jihadists were arrested at the Montreal airport as they waited to board a flight to Turkey, a popular crossing point into neighboring Syria.
There, the young men had hoped to join the Islamic State (ISIS) group, according to a counterterrorism task force.
The youngest were 15 years old, and their friends were no older than 18.
Their passports were seized but the youths were released after being questioned, according to the RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
They had previously been arrested in mid-May.
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Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Erique Gasse told AFP searches linked to the 10 suspects were conducted around the city.
He declined to offer details of the RCMP's "ongoing investigation."
But local television showed officers hauling boxes out of the home of one of the suspects in the Montreal suburb of St Leonard.
The 10 would-be jihadists were arrested at the Montreal airport as they waited to board a flight to Turkey, a popular crossing point into neighboring Syria.
There, the young men had hoped to join the Islamic State (ISIS) group, according to a counterterrorism task force.
The youngest were 15 years old, and their friends were no older than 18.
Their passports were seized but the youths were released after being questioned, according to the RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
They had previously been arrested in mid-May.
More
Running Scared? Hamas Evacuates Terror Sites After Rocket Attack
After rockets were fired by Gazan terrorists at Israel on Tuesday night, with a grad rocket striking just outside of Ashdod, the Hamas terrorist organization that controls Gaza is evacuating in fear of an IDF airstrike response.
Hamas's media channels reported that the terror group has started evacuating all of its "security headquarters," with the evacuation likely to last until the morning according to Yedioth Aharonot.
Palestinian Arab news sources reported that Hamas's interior ministry ordered the evacuation of Hamas military sites and headquarters.
Apparently Hamas has good reason to fear; an Israeli military source said Tuesday night that Israel views Hamas as responsible for the rocket fire that came from territory under its control.
The source said that Israel holds Hamas responsible for all terror activity that is conducted in Gaza.
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Hamas's media channels reported that the terror group has started evacuating all of its "security headquarters," with the evacuation likely to last until the morning according to Yedioth Aharonot.
Palestinian Arab news sources reported that Hamas's interior ministry ordered the evacuation of Hamas military sites and headquarters.
Apparently Hamas has good reason to fear; an Israeli military source said Tuesday night that Israel views Hamas as responsible for the rocket fire that came from territory under its control.
The source said that Israel holds Hamas responsible for all terror activity that is conducted in Gaza.
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Rocket Fired from Gaza Hits Southern Israel
Air raid sirens sounded in towns across southern Israel Tuesday evening at 9:02 p.m, as the IDF confirmed that at least one Grad rocket fired from Gaza struck near the community of Gan Yavneh, near Ashdod.
Some residents of the south reported seeing Iron Dome missile defense batteries deploying to intercept at least one incoming rocket.
Sirens were heard in Ashdod, Ashkelon and in numerous towns and villages in the Lachish and Hof Ashkelon regions close to Gaza.
No injuries have been reported.
The border between Israel and Hamas-held Gaza has remained largely quiet since the end of Operation Protective Edge last summer.
But there have been intermittent attacks by terrorists, including mortar fire last month which hit an open area in the Shaar HaNegev region.
The IDF responded to that incident with tank fire directed towards the source of the rocket fire.
As in most of the attacks since a ceasefire was declared between Israel and Gazan terrorists in August, security sources are already reporting that this latest rocket fire was launched by a rival faction to Hamas, and the result of an "internal dispute."
According unnamed security sources cited by Walla! News, the rocket was launched from northern Gaza during a dispute between rival factions within the Islamic Jihad terrorist group.
More here
Some residents of the south reported seeing Iron Dome missile defense batteries deploying to intercept at least one incoming rocket.
Sirens were heard in Ashdod, Ashkelon and in numerous towns and villages in the Lachish and Hof Ashkelon regions close to Gaza.
No injuries have been reported.
The border between Israel and Hamas-held Gaza has remained largely quiet since the end of Operation Protective Edge last summer.
But there have been intermittent attacks by terrorists, including mortar fire last month which hit an open area in the Shaar HaNegev region.
The IDF responded to that incident with tank fire directed towards the source of the rocket fire.
As in most of the attacks since a ceasefire was declared between Israel and Gazan terrorists in August, security sources are already reporting that this latest rocket fire was launched by a rival faction to Hamas, and the result of an "internal dispute."
According unnamed security sources cited by Walla! News, the rocket was launched from northern Gaza during a dispute between rival factions within the Islamic Jihad terrorist group.
More here
Gallup: Americans Overestimate Gay Population 6-Fold
(CNSNews) - Americans believe that there are six times as many gays and lesbians in the population as there actually are, according to new data released by Gallup.
According to Gallup’s tracking surveys in the first four of 2015, 3.8 percent of the U.S. adult population says they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
However, in a survey conducted May 6-10, Gallup asked: “Just your best guess, what percent of Americans today would you say are gay or lesbian?"
On average, Americans said it was 23.2 percent.
Only 9 percent said they thought it was less than 5 percent—the most accurate possible answer in the Gallup survey.
The Gallup survey also showed that the younger an American adult was the more likely he or she was to estimate a higher percentage of gays in the population. People 65 and older, on average, estimated that 20 percent of the population was gay, and people 18 to 29 estimated that 28 percent of the population was gay.
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According to Gallup’s tracking surveys in the first four of 2015, 3.8 percent of the U.S. adult population says they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
However, in a survey conducted May 6-10, Gallup asked: “Just your best guess, what percent of Americans today would you say are gay or lesbian?"
On average, Americans said it was 23.2 percent.
Only 9 percent said they thought it was less than 5 percent—the most accurate possible answer in the Gallup survey.
The Gallup survey also showed that the younger an American adult was the more likely he or she was to estimate a higher percentage of gays in the population. People 65 and older, on average, estimated that 20 percent of the population was gay, and people 18 to 29 estimated that 28 percent of the population was gay.
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POLICE CONTINUE TO SEEK INFORMATION IN WICOMICO CO. MURDER
Maryland State Police Press Release
05/27/2015
05/27/2015
(SALISBURY, MD) – The investigation into the murder of a Wicomico County man ten days ago has actively continued, but police have not yet made any arrests and they continue to seek help from the public to identify those responsible for this crime.
The victim, James L. H. Skinner, 20, of the 1000-block of Bryn Mawr Avenue, Salisbury, Md., was found lying in the doorway of his residence shortly after 3:30 a.m., on May 17th, when police responded to an emergency call at the home. An autopsy determined the cause of death was a gunshot and the manner of death was homicide.
Skinner had been living at the address for the past two months, with a friend of his family and her three teenaged children. The investigation indicates Skinner and the homeowner were the only ones in the residence when multiple persons entered the home. One or more of the suspects was armed. The victim was apparently shot after some type of confrontation. The homeowner was not injured and called police after finding the victim. A motive has not been determined.
State Police Homicide Unit investigators, assisted by investigators from the Salisbury Police Department, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, and State Police Criminal Enforcement Division, continue to follow up on leads, examine forensic evidence, and conduct interviews. Investigators have interviewed and re-interviewed dozens of people so far in the investigation.
Investigators believe there are individuals who are close to or associate with the suspects who are aware of their involvement in this crime. Anyone with information about this murder is urged to contact Crime Solvers of the Lower Easter Shore immediately at 410-548-1776. Crime Solvers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the indictment of the person(s) responsible for this crime. Callers may remain confidential.
The investigation is continuing.
NLRB Judge: Kansas Union Punished Dissidents
A federal labor arbiter ordered a Kansas union to stop threatening bodily harm against union dissidents it was supposed to represent in a grievance case.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) sanctioned the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 70, Local 839, an AFL-CIO affiliate, (IAM), for using intimidation tactics against dissidents. The board’s regional director concluded the union had used threats of physical abuse and had attempted to get non-members fired from Spirit Aerosystems.
He ordered the union to:
Cease and desist from:Attempting to cause or causing Spirit Aerosystems to discharge employee-members because of their dissident union and and/or other protected concerted activities.Threatening employee-members with bodily harm or impeding their grievances because of their protected concerted activities. Discriminatorily and/or arbitrarily processing employee-members’ grievances because of their protected concerted activities.
The union dismissed the charges in a statement following the April decision.
Read more here
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) sanctioned the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 70, Local 839, an AFL-CIO affiliate, (IAM), for using intimidation tactics against dissidents. The board’s regional director concluded the union had used threats of physical abuse and had attempted to get non-members fired from Spirit Aerosystems.
He ordered the union to:
Cease and desist from:Attempting to cause or causing Spirit Aerosystems to discharge employee-members because of their dissident union and and/or other protected concerted activities.Threatening employee-members with bodily harm or impeding their grievances because of their protected concerted activities. Discriminatorily and/or arbitrarily processing employee-members’ grievances because of their protected concerted activities.
The union dismissed the charges in a statement following the April decision.
Read more here
Princess Anne PD Press Release 5-27-15 (PNC Bank Robbery Investigation)
Sen. Cassidy, a Physician, Has Plan If Court Wounds Obamacare
Freshman Sen. Bill Cassidy has put forth a proposal to deal with healthcare if the Supreme Court delivers a crippling blow to Obamacare in the King v. Burwell case.
The Louisiana Republican's plan "achieves the aims of the Affordable Care Act without the cost and the mandates," Cassidy, himself a physician, told the Hudson Institute in Washington in response to criticism from Democrats and the press that Republicans have no alternative if Obamacare is struck down.
"We have a plan and this is our moment."
The Supreme Court could hand down a ruling as early as next week that would end Obamacare subsidies to 37 states and make healthcare coverage unaffordable for many.
Under Cassidy's Patient Freedom Act, he explained, all mandates now required under Obamacare are repealed. These include the individual and employer mandates, and the Essential Health Benefits mandate requiring plans to cover an array of potentially unwanted services. Right now, the physician-senator estimates, "Americans are paying 400 percent more in the cost of healthcare because of the mandates."
For Americans who are uninsured, Cassidy said, "this will help make insurance more affordable."
Another change from Obamacare that makes his Patient Freedom Act cost-friendly is that funding would go directly to the patient. This process would occur in the form of "per capita bloc grants to the states or federal tax credit funding," the senator said.
He also asserted that the Patient Freedom Act would ensure portability — that is, being able to keep one's healthcare plan after changing jobs or moving — and "doing so without any penalty." In addition, his plan would permit "continuous coverage to protect those with pre-existing conditions" and would also permit young people to remain on their parents' plans until they are 26.
Although the latter two items are now contained in Obamacare, Cassidy's plan also contains a fresh proposal that "healthcare providers must publish the cash price for services that can be reimbursed from an HSA [Health Savings Account]," he said. "Under our plan, you have the power, not the government."
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The Louisiana Republican's plan "achieves the aims of the Affordable Care Act without the cost and the mandates," Cassidy, himself a physician, told the Hudson Institute in Washington in response to criticism from Democrats and the press that Republicans have no alternative if Obamacare is struck down.
"We have a plan and this is our moment."
The Supreme Court could hand down a ruling as early as next week that would end Obamacare subsidies to 37 states and make healthcare coverage unaffordable for many.
Under Cassidy's Patient Freedom Act, he explained, all mandates now required under Obamacare are repealed. These include the individual and employer mandates, and the Essential Health Benefits mandate requiring plans to cover an array of potentially unwanted services. Right now, the physician-senator estimates, "Americans are paying 400 percent more in the cost of healthcare because of the mandates."
For Americans who are uninsured, Cassidy said, "this will help make insurance more affordable."
Another change from Obamacare that makes his Patient Freedom Act cost-friendly is that funding would go directly to the patient. This process would occur in the form of "per capita bloc grants to the states or federal tax credit funding," the senator said.
He also asserted that the Patient Freedom Act would ensure portability — that is, being able to keep one's healthcare plan after changing jobs or moving — and "doing so without any penalty." In addition, his plan would permit "continuous coverage to protect those with pre-existing conditions" and would also permit young people to remain on their parents' plans until they are 26.
Although the latter two items are now contained in Obamacare, Cassidy's plan also contains a fresh proposal that "healthcare providers must publish the cash price for services that can be reimbursed from an HSA [Health Savings Account]," he said. "Under our plan, you have the power, not the government."
More
AG Frosh Statement on Exelon-Pepco Holdings Merger
"Today is a bad day for consumers, and a great day for monopolies. This merger -- which the PSC approved by the slimmest of margins -- would create a company controlling service to 80 percent of Maryland’s electric consumers, with the incentive and ability to stifle competition and suppress innovation. Ratepayers will be paying the nearly $1 billion price-tag for improving electric system reliability for decades to come. While a narrow majority of the commission ignored these concerns, the risks and dangers were well-recognized by the two commissioners who wrote a detailed 52-page dissent. The Office of the Attorney General, which offered substantial evidence on the nature and scope of these harms, is deeply troubled by this decision and is exploring all options to protect the interests of Maryland consumers."
Big Hillary Donors Got Lucrative Weapons Contracts from Feds When Hillary was Sec. of State
Once more we see that Hillary was selling influence and giving favors to anyone who would give her and Bill millions in “donations” with this story showing that big donors to the Clinton foundation just coincidentally received lucrative weapons contracts from the federal government after donating to
Hillary and Bill are the most corrupt couple in American history.
Even by the standards of arms deals between the United States and Saudi Arabia, this one was enormous. A consortium of American defense contractors led by Boeing would deliver $29 billion worth of advanced fighter jets to the United States’ oil-rich ally in the Middle East.
Israeli officials were agitated, reportedly complaining to the Obama administration that this substantial enhancement to Saudi air power risked disrupting the region’s fragile balance of power. The deal appeared to collide with the State Department’s documented concerns about the repressive policies of the Saudi royal family.
But now, in late 2011, Hillary Clinton’s State Department was formally clearing the sale, asserting that it was in the national interest. At a press conference in Washington to announce the department’s approval, an assistant secretary of state, Andrew Shapiro, declared that the deal had been “a top priority” for Clinton personally. Shapiro, a longtime aide to Clinton since her Senate days, added that the “U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army have excellent relationships in Saudi Arabia.”
These were not the only relationships bridging leaders of the two nations. In the years before Hillary Clinton became secretary of state, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributed at least $10 million to the Clinton Foundation, the philanthropic enterprise she has overseen with her husband, former president Bill Clinton. Just two months before the deal was finalized, Boeing — the defense contractor that manufactures one of the fighter jets the Saudis were especially keen to acquire, the F-15 — contributed $900,000 to the Clinton Foundation, according to a company press release.
The Saudi deal was one of dozens of arms sales approved by Hillary Clinton’s State Department that placed weapons in the hands of governments that had also donated money to the Clinton family philanthropic empire, an International Business Times investigation has found.
More
Hillary and Bill are the most corrupt couple in American history.
Even by the standards of arms deals between the United States and Saudi Arabia, this one was enormous. A consortium of American defense contractors led by Boeing would deliver $29 billion worth of advanced fighter jets to the United States’ oil-rich ally in the Middle East.
Israeli officials were agitated, reportedly complaining to the Obama administration that this substantial enhancement to Saudi air power risked disrupting the region’s fragile balance of power. The deal appeared to collide with the State Department’s documented concerns about the repressive policies of the Saudi royal family.
But now, in late 2011, Hillary Clinton’s State Department was formally clearing the sale, asserting that it was in the national interest. At a press conference in Washington to announce the department’s approval, an assistant secretary of state, Andrew Shapiro, declared that the deal had been “a top priority” for Clinton personally. Shapiro, a longtime aide to Clinton since her Senate days, added that the “U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army have excellent relationships in Saudi Arabia.”
These were not the only relationships bridging leaders of the two nations. In the years before Hillary Clinton became secretary of state, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributed at least $10 million to the Clinton Foundation, the philanthropic enterprise she has overseen with her husband, former president Bill Clinton. Just two months before the deal was finalized, Boeing — the defense contractor that manufactures one of the fighter jets the Saudis were especially keen to acquire, the F-15 — contributed $900,000 to the Clinton Foundation, according to a company press release.
The Saudi deal was one of dozens of arms sales approved by Hillary Clinton’s State Department that placed weapons in the hands of governments that had also donated money to the Clinton family philanthropic empire, an International Business Times investigation has found.
More
Father of toddler found dead in swing speaks out about mother
WASHINGTON — A 3-year-old boy who was found dead in a swing being pushed by his mother in La Plata, Maryland, last week was caught in the middle of a court battle before his death, according to NBC Washington.
Ji-Aire Lee’s body was discovered Friday on a park swing that his mother had been pushing back and forth for hours — or even since the day before.
The child’s father, James Lee, says he fought for sole custody of his son, because the mother — 24-year-old mother, Romechia Simms — was mentally ill. His efforts were not successful.
“I have a stable home for him,” Lee tells NBC Washington. “I have a stable roof for him to be under, for him to have the life that he’s supposed to have.”
More
Ji-Aire Lee’s body was discovered Friday on a park swing that his mother had been pushing back and forth for hours — or even since the day before.
The child’s father, James Lee, says he fought for sole custody of his son, because the mother — 24-year-old mother, Romechia Simms — was mentally ill. His efforts were not successful.
“I have a stable home for him,” Lee tells NBC Washington. “I have a stable roof for him to be under, for him to have the life that he’s supposed to have.”
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‘He’s literally eating the jail': Chicago Basketball Star, 17, Has Cost County $1 Million in Medical Bills After Eating Metal Screws In Jail
A Chicago teen has racked up a huge amount of medical bills – $1 million – by literally eating the jail. He’s ingested screws, thumb tacks, needles, and more after being unable to post bond for 16 months.
Authorities at Cook County Jail told the Chicago Tribune that the case of 17-year-old Lamont Cathey highlights the hazards of institutionalizing impressionable youths, some of whom have mental health issues.
‘This case to me is a perfect example of the failure of the criminal justice system,’ the jail’s executive director, Cara Smith, told the newspaper.
‘It’s been a crushingly sad and very frustrating case.’
The newspaper says the sheriff’s office moved the Chicago teen into a newer section of the jail last week and that his condition appears to have improved.
Cathey has been in the jail for 16 months following his arrest for allegedly stealing money from a pizzeria safe, after he couldn’t post a $5,000 cash bond.
It’s only when a plea deal that was supposed to let him attend a boot camp fell through last year that he began swallowing objects. They included a thumbtack, strips of leather and even parts of a medical device he had dismantled.
‘He’s literally eating the jail,’ Smith said.
More
Authorities at Cook County Jail told the Chicago Tribune that the case of 17-year-old Lamont Cathey highlights the hazards of institutionalizing impressionable youths, some of whom have mental health issues.
‘This case to me is a perfect example of the failure of the criminal justice system,’ the jail’s executive director, Cara Smith, told the newspaper.
‘It’s been a crushingly sad and very frustrating case.’
The newspaper says the sheriff’s office moved the Chicago teen into a newer section of the jail last week and that his condition appears to have improved.
Cathey has been in the jail for 16 months following his arrest for allegedly stealing money from a pizzeria safe, after he couldn’t post a $5,000 cash bond.
It’s only when a plea deal that was supposed to let him attend a boot camp fell through last year that he began swallowing objects. They included a thumbtack, strips of leather and even parts of a medical device he had dismantled.
‘He’s literally eating the jail,’ Smith said.
More
Don't Write Off Paper Just Yet
There's a scene in the television series The Office that says all you need to know about the paper industry's image these days. That sad sack of a company Dunder Mifflin is launching an advertising campaign — and just in time, says one of the sad sack employees. Whenever he tells people he works for Dunder Mifflin, they assume the company make mufflers or muffins or mittens, but "frankly all of those sound better than paper, so I let it slide."
In the real world, paper doesn't appear to be faring much better. Not only are U.S. companies facing precipitous drops in demand; they're also confronting tough competition from the country that invented paper 2,000 years ago.
"China dwarfs what we're doing," says Thad McIlroy, a paper industry analyst, in a statement that is more literal than you might imagine. Chinese scientists have developed genetically modified trees that grow as much as 10 times as fast as natural trees. And the Chinese government pumps billions of dollars of subsidies into the country's paper mills. Meanwhile, global demand for many kinds of paper, such as newsprint, is in free fall.
"You just look at the decline, it's so rapid," says McIlroy. "Why would that stop? Why would people suddenly say, 'I just want to get that daily paper and sit down and read it over breakfast.' It's not going to happen again."
So it's easy to reach the grim conclusion that paper is dead, and will soon go the way of eight-track tapes and pay phones.
More
In the real world, paper doesn't appear to be faring much better. Not only are U.S. companies facing precipitous drops in demand; they're also confronting tough competition from the country that invented paper 2,000 years ago.
"China dwarfs what we're doing," says Thad McIlroy, a paper industry analyst, in a statement that is more literal than you might imagine. Chinese scientists have developed genetically modified trees that grow as much as 10 times as fast as natural trees. And the Chinese government pumps billions of dollars of subsidies into the country's paper mills. Meanwhile, global demand for many kinds of paper, such as newsprint, is in free fall.
"You just look at the decline, it's so rapid," says McIlroy. "Why would that stop? Why would people suddenly say, 'I just want to get that daily paper and sit down and read it over breakfast.' It's not going to happen again."
So it's easy to reach the grim conclusion that paper is dead, and will soon go the way of eight-track tapes and pay phones.
More
Just How Big Is The Asia Trade Deal Obama Wants? It's A Beast
One of the most basic facts about the Trans-Pacific Partnership is also the most important: It's huge.
The trade deal got over a big hurdle Friday when the Senate voted in favor of giving the Obama administration "fast-track" authority to negotiate the deal with Canada and 10 Asian nations.
That leaves the U.S. House, and it's unclear it has the votes yet. If it passes, though, TPP, which has angered many in the president's party, would be by far the largest free trade agreement the U.S. has in effect.
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The trade deal got over a big hurdle Friday when the Senate voted in favor of giving the Obama administration "fast-track" authority to negotiate the deal with Canada and 10 Asian nations.
That leaves the U.S. House, and it's unclear it has the votes yet. If it passes, though, TPP, which has angered many in the president's party, would be by far the largest free trade agreement the U.S. has in effect.
More
Daron Wint’s family doesn’t believe he is guilty of D.C. murder, arson
“They’re horrified by these events, and they can’t believe that he had anything to do with it,” attorney Robin Ficker tells WTOP.
Ficker has been speaking with Wint’s relatives, including his brother, sister and mother.
“They don’t believe that he’s guilty, and they don’t think that the presumption of innocence is coming,” Ficker says. “He’s being called a murderer.”
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Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton Not Invited, Too Much Experience!
Williams has, thus far, received zero votes of support. Curious, given the mayor's previous success during the race.
To vote for Williams visit:http://www.firstgiving.com/womensupporti…/HighHeelVoteForGee
To vote for Morrison visit:http://www.firstgiving.com/womensuppo…/HighHeelRaceVoteBruce
Cars Cost Less In Preston
Case Information |
| Court System: | DISTRICT COURT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY - CRIMINAL SYSTEM |
| Case Number: | 1J00026524Tracking No:140001202633 |
| Case Type: | CRIMINAL |
| District Code: | 03Location Code:06 |
| Document Type: | STATEMENT OF CHARGESIssued Date:05/21/2015 |
| Case Status: | ACTIVE |
Defendant Information |
| Defendant Name: | MAXWELL, RICHARD WESLEY JR |
| Race: | WHITE, CAUCASIAN, ASIATIC INDIAN, ARAB |
| Sex: | MHeight:510Weight:220DOB:03/14/1953 |
| Address: | 116 WILLIAMSON ST PO BOX 323 |
| City: | PRESTONState:MDZip Code:21655 - 0000 |
Court Scheduling Information |
| Trial Date: | 06/18/2015Trial Time:08:45 AMRoom:001 |
| Trial Type: | PRELIMINARY HEARING |
Charge and Disposition Information |
(Each Charge is listed separately. The disposition is listed below the Charge)
| Charge No: | 001Description:SEX ABUSE MINOR |
| Statute: | CR.3.602.(b)(1)Description:SEX ABUSE MINOR |
| Amended Date: | CJIS Code:1 0322MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X |
| Incident Date From: | 12/01/2014 | To: | 01/30/2015 | Victim Age: |
| Charge No: | 002Description:SEX OFFENSE SECOND DEGREE |
| Statute: | CR.3.306Description:SEX OFFENSE SECOND DEGREE |
| Amended Date: | CJIS Code:2 3600MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X |
| Incident Date From: | 12/01/2014 | To: | 01/30/2015 | Victim Age: |
Related Person Information
(Each Person related to the case other than the Defendant is shown)
| Name:MAXWELL, SUSAN MOUNTCASTLE |
| Connection:SURETY |
| Address: | 4922 FRAZIER NECK RD |
| City: | PRESTONState:MDZip Code:21655 |
| Name:JOHNSON, W |
| Connection:COMPLAINANT/POLICE OFFICER |
| Agency Code: | MSPAgency Sub-Code:9058Officer ID:5231 |
Event History Information
| DOCI | 05/21/2015 | SC ISSUED 150521 |
| INIT | 05/21/2015 | 150521;00200000.00;HDOB;100; ;3133 |
| CMIT | 05/21/2015 | DEFENDANT COMMITTED;150521;CCS |
| BALR | 05/22/2015 | 150522;00200000.00;HDOB;010;PCT ;9R7 |
| CMIT | 05/22/2015 | DEFENDANT COMMITTED;150522;CCS; |
| BOND | 05/22/2015 | 150522;00200000.00;PCT ; ; ;010 |
| RELS | 05/22/2015 | DEFENDANT RELEASED FROM COMMITMENT |
TROOPERS STEPPED UP ENFORCEMENT THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
(PIKESVILLE, MD) Maryland State Police stepped up traffic enforcement efforts this Memorial Day weekend to keep Maryland roads safe.
The Maryland State Police conducted traffic enforcement initiatives throughout the state during this unofficial start to the summer travel season. During this Memorial Day weekend, troopers made numerous traffic stops focused on impaired or distracted drivers, aggressive and speeding motorists, as well as those who were not properly belted in the vehicle.
During this four day weekend over 9,500 vehicles were stopped by troopers across the state. Preliminary statistics revealed approximately 6,843 traffic citations were issued along with approximately 4,764 warnings. In addition, 99 motorists were arrested for impaired driving, 28 people were arrested for various drug offenses and 72 were arrested for various criminal violations.
Operation SHOWBOAT which focused on Route 50 from Anne Arundel County to Ocean City, Route 301 in Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties, and Route 13 in Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester Counties resulted in 691 speeding citations along with 91 additional citations for other violations. Those violations include seat belt and cell phone infractions. Two motorists were arrested for driving while impaired.
Operation Millipede concentrated its efforts along I-95 resulting in 125 speeding, 29 cell phone, 10 texting and 41seatbelt citations. An additional 148 citations were issued for other violations.
In an ongoing effort to educate motorists, additional initiatives will continue throughout the summer travel season. These high visibility enforcement efforts are to reduce the number of aggressive driving motor vehicle crashes in which speed, alcohol and other driving violations are contributing factors to crashes on Maryland roads. Maryland State Police will continue these initiatives in support of the Maryland Highway Safety Office’s ‘Move Toward Zero Deaths’ campaign.
The Maryland State Police conducted traffic enforcement initiatives throughout the state during this unofficial start to the summer travel season. During this Memorial Day weekend, troopers made numerous traffic stops focused on impaired or distracted drivers, aggressive and speeding motorists, as well as those who were not properly belted in the vehicle.
During this four day weekend over 9,500 vehicles were stopped by troopers across the state. Preliminary statistics revealed approximately 6,843 traffic citations were issued along with approximately 4,764 warnings. In addition, 99 motorists were arrested for impaired driving, 28 people were arrested for various drug offenses and 72 were arrested for various criminal violations.
Operation SHOWBOAT which focused on Route 50 from Anne Arundel County to Ocean City, Route 301 in Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties, and Route 13 in Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester Counties resulted in 691 speeding citations along with 91 additional citations for other violations. Those violations include seat belt and cell phone infractions. Two motorists were arrested for driving while impaired.
Operation Millipede concentrated its efforts along I-95 resulting in 125 speeding, 29 cell phone, 10 texting and 41seatbelt citations. An additional 148 citations were issued for other violations.
In an ongoing effort to educate motorists, additional initiatives will continue throughout the summer travel season. These high visibility enforcement efforts are to reduce the number of aggressive driving motor vehicle crashes in which speed, alcohol and other driving violations are contributing factors to crashes on Maryland roads. Maryland State Police will continue these initiatives in support of the Maryland Highway Safety Office’s ‘Move Toward Zero Deaths’ campaign.
MICHELLE OBAMA INVOKES RACE DURING COMMENCEMENT
'Two beautiful black girls' on White House lawns now common
First lady Michelle Obama – who famously said during her husband’s presidential campaign that she was proud of America for the first time in her life – has once again honed in on race as a central speaking point, telling graduates at Oberlin College in Ohio the nation’s now accustomed to seeing her two black daughters wander the White House lawn.
She first said in her commencement address students should “get in there” and “shake things up,” the Hill reported.
“That is how you will rise above the noise and shape the revolutions of your time,” Obama said.
By way of example, she spoke of her own family’s rise to White House power and suggested it was a sign of black America’s hard-won accomplishments.
More
First lady Michelle Obama – who famously said during her husband’s presidential campaign that she was proud of America for the first time in her life – has once again honed in on race as a central speaking point, telling graduates at Oberlin College in Ohio the nation’s now accustomed to seeing her two black daughters wander the White House lawn.
She first said in her commencement address students should “get in there” and “shake things up,” the Hill reported.
“That is how you will rise above the noise and shape the revolutions of your time,” Obama said.
By way of example, she spoke of her own family’s rise to White House power and suggested it was a sign of black America’s hard-won accomplishments.
More
You're Invited To Escort Wounded Warriors To OC
The VFW - Department of Maryland invites you to join in with an Escort of a large group of Wounded Warriors and their families headed to Ocean City as guests of the VFW on Tuesday June 2.
The escort will form at the Truck Inspection Area on the Wicomico County side of the Nanticoke River near Vienna.
Please arrive at 10 a.m. to await the arrival of the buses of honored guests and then assist law enforcement with the escort to Ocean City.
You are welcome to join us on 2, 3 or 4 wheels and please share with all of your friends.
Date: Tuesday 2 June
Time: 1000 (10:00am)
Place: Truck Inspection Area, 23505 Old Bradley Rd. (off Rt. 50 between Mardela & Vienna)
This is a rain or shine event and please remember to stay hydrated in the event of warm temperatures.
BALTIMORE BLOODSHED HIKES OVER HOLIDAY
28 shot; 9 dead in weekend violence
Baltimore city streets were turned into a virtual crime zone over the holiday weekend, with 28 people shot and nine left dead by the time a gruesome Memorial Day weekend wrapped.
CBS Baltimore reported the violence capped the worst month the city has seen in terms of deadly incidents in 15-plus years.
Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown blamed the spate of shootings on poor leadership, saying during a Fox & Friends morning segment the mayor in particular, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, ought to be ashamed for criticizing the crime statistics after she fueled Freddie Gray protests by suggesting officers needed to back off protesters and let them have their First Amendment say.
Gray was the black man who died in April, shortly after police took him into custody.
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Baltimore city streets were turned into a virtual crime zone over the holiday weekend, with 28 people shot and nine left dead by the time a gruesome Memorial Day weekend wrapped.
CBS Baltimore reported the violence capped the worst month the city has seen in terms of deadly incidents in 15-plus years.
Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown blamed the spate of shootings on poor leadership, saying during a Fox & Friends morning segment the mayor in particular, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, ought to be ashamed for criticizing the crime statistics after she fueled Freddie Gray protests by suggesting officers needed to back off protesters and let them have their First Amendment say.
Gray was the black man who died in April, shortly after police took him into custody.
More
PUBLIC SCHOOLS CALLED 'GIGANTIC CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE'
Author: American kids being dumbed down as part of globalist scheme
It’s no accident that America’s education system is struggling, according to international journalist and educator Alex Newman, who believes American children are being intentionally dumbed down so they can be more easily controlled.
“Basically every tyrant in all of history has understood that to control and to enslave a nation, you need to control the education system,” Newman said in a recent appearance on “The Alex Jones Show.”
Newman extensively researched historical tyrants for his recently published book “Crimes of the Educators,” coauthored with Samuel Blumenfeld.
He also dug up a number of primary documents that he says prove socialist utopians are attempting to create a “new world order” of global citizens.
“They tell us they’re creating a global government, a global society, a single world religion – basically globalist everything on steroids, and really what they’re talking about is planetary totalitarianism,” Newman said. “They use nice words and that kind of stuff, but they’re very upfront about what they’re doing.”
However, the globalists understand an intelligent population would never go along with their schemes, said Newman. That’s why they need to dumb down Americans, and the rest of the world for that matter.
It’s no accident that America’s education system is struggling, according to international journalist and educator Alex Newman, who believes American children are being intentionally dumbed down so they can be more easily controlled.
“Basically every tyrant in all of history has understood that to control and to enslave a nation, you need to control the education system,” Newman said in a recent appearance on “The Alex Jones Show.”
Newman extensively researched historical tyrants for his recently published book “Crimes of the Educators,” coauthored with Samuel Blumenfeld.
He also dug up a number of primary documents that he says prove socialist utopians are attempting to create a “new world order” of global citizens.
“They tell us they’re creating a global government, a global society, a single world religion – basically globalist everything on steroids, and really what they’re talking about is planetary totalitarianism,” Newman said. “They use nice words and that kind of stuff, but they’re very upfront about what they’re doing.”
However, the globalists understand an intelligent population would never go along with their schemes, said Newman. That’s why they need to dumb down Americans, and the rest of the world for that matter.