California Senate OKs health care for illegals

The state Senate in California has moved forward with a bill to provide tax-paid health care for illegal immigrants.

The measure, if ultimately passed into law, would allow many of the state’s illegal residents to tap into special health-care programs that provide the same benefits as the subsidized Medi-Cal program.

An estimated two million illegals currently reside in California, the Los Angeles Times reported.“We are talking about our friends,” said Sen. Ricardo Lara, the Los Angeles Times reported. “We are talking about our neighbors and our families who are denied basic healthcare in the richest state of this union.”
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Burn Baby Burn

8th Annual Jazz & Blues Bash

Things That Make You Go, Hmmm?

George W. Bush outpolls Barack Obama

Americans now have a more favorable view of former President George W. Bush than they do of President Barack Obama.

It is the first time in more than a decade that Americans have expressed a favorable view of Bush, at least according to a new CNN/ORC poll released Wednesday.

Bush is seen in a favorable light by 52 percent of those surveyed, compared with 43 percent who still view the 43rd president unfavorably. Americans are split on Obama, with 49 percent responding favorably and unfavorably.

The last time Bush polled in positive territory was in early April 2005, close to three months into his second term.

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5 Time Grammy Winner TobyMac Announces This is Not a Test Tour

Hitting 37 Cities this Fall, including Salisbury, Md.

Salisbury, MD – Five time Grammy® winner TobyMac has announced fall tour plans to support his August release, This is Not a Test Tour. Hitting 37 markets this fall, the This is Not a Test Tour will also feature Britt Nicole, Colton Dixon and introduce new Gotee Records’ act Hollyn. The tour will stop in Salisbury, Md. at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Sunday, November 15. Tickets are available online at www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org, by phone at 410-548-4911 or in person at the Box Office.

Since her debut in 2007, Britt Nicole’s upbeat, catchy tunes have been received with great enthusiasm. In 2009, she released her sophomore album The Lost Get Found, and its title track spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Christian Hot AC chart. Her most recent studio album,Gold, propelled her career to a new level of success, earning Britt a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Album and an RIAA Certified Gold single for her hit “Gold.” The album’s appeal made Britt Nicole the most-played female artist on Christian radio in 2012. Nicole recently released her first ever full-length remix album The Remixes, and she is currently in the process of recording a full-length studio album, set to release this fall.

Colton Dixon quickly became a household name in 2012 when he made it to the top seven on Season 11 of American Idol. Dixon's 2013 debut, A Messenger, set the record for biggest first-week sales by a new solo Christian act, becoming the No. 1 selling album by a new Christian artist and receiving several Dove Awards and K-LOVE Fan Awards. Dixon's sophomore effortAnchor, released last fall and includes the No. 1, most played Hot AC single of 2014, “More Of You," and his new single "Through All Of It.” Dixon has also been named the latest Steinway artist, following in the footsteps of legendary artists such as Harry Connick, Jr. and Billy Joel.

Already laying the foundations to make 2015 one of the biggest years of his career, TobyMac’s first single from This is Not a Test, “Beyond Me,” received 80 adds its first week out, and currently sits at No. 3 on both AC Indicator and Hot AC, and Top 10 on AC Monitored charts. Earlier this year his GRAMMY® Award winning album Eye on It also received RIAA Gold Certification, representing a first for an artist in the history of his label, Capitol Christian Music Group, with each one of TobyMac’s five studio solo projects achieving Gold certification. In addition to “Beyond Me,” TobyMac also released two new remixed versions of the single – Phenomenon Remix by Soul Glow Activatur and Moodswing Remix. The tracks are available now at all download and streaming music services.

Washington Monument Time Capsules Finally Opened

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Two time capsules are discovered during the restoration of Baltimore’s Washington Monument. They were finally opened Tuesday morning.

Ron Matz has more on the unveiling of history in Baltimore.

The Washington Monument is celebrating 200 years. During its restoration, workers found the 1815 cornerstone.

“It shows how important the monument is to the city and the nation. It’s the first symbol of American democracy, the first major monument celebrating American independence. It’s pretty special to have it right here in Baltimore,” said Lance Humphries, Mt. Vernon Place Conservatory.

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Dad beats up 'drug dealer' accused of getting his daughter high on meth

The Common Core can't speed up child development

Recent evaluations of the state's preschoolers have determined that only 47 percent are ready for kindergarten, compared to 83 percent judged ready last year. This drastic drop isn't the result of an abrupt, catastrophic decline in the cognitive abilities of our children. Instead it results from a re-definition of kindergarten readiness, which now means being able to succeed academically at a level far beyond anything expected in the past. For example, a child entering kindergarten is now expected to know the difference between informative/explanatory writing and opinion writing. The concern is that preschoolers without that knowledge will not succeed at meeting the new higher-level Common-Core standards. However, I think a more pressing concern is: Why do we have educational standards that are not aligned with even the most basic facts of human development? Clearly these test results show that the problem is with the standards, not the children.

Educational attainment is part of human development, and fundamentally this is a biological process that cannot be sped up. We cannot wish away our biological limitations because we find them inconvenient. Children will learn crawling, walking, listening, talking and toilet training, all in succession at developmentally appropriate ages. Once in school, for skills that require performing a physical task, that are in what Bloom's Taxonomy classifies as the "psychomotor domain," it is understood that children will only learn when they are physically and developmentally ready. No one expects four-year olds to type fluently on a computer keyboard, play difficult Chopin Etudes on the piano, prepare elaborate meals in the kitchen or drive a car.

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Governor Larry Hogan Commemorates New Under Armour Store in China

Joins With University of Maryland President and Under Armour Managing Director

BEIJING, CHINA – Governor Larry Hogan, along with University of Maryland President Wallace Loh and Under Armour Managing Director for Greater China Erick Haskell, celebrated the construction of a new Under Armour retail store in Beijing, China.

Building on its reputation as one of the most dynamic sport and fitness brands worldwide, Under Armour has been actively expanding internationally, most notably in China. In 2014, the company had 71 global brand stores with nearly 50 of them in Greater China alone. Its stated goal in 2015 is to add over 100 global brand stores, with 75 percent of them in Asia.

“The goal of this trade mission is all about taking our ‘Maryland Is Open for Business’ message to one of the fastest-growing economic regions of the world, and there is no company that better showcases our state’s potential and business-friendly attitude than Under Armour,” said Governor Hogan. “Under Armour is a Baltimore-based firm with a worldwide brand. I am very proud of its vigorous development in China, and its continued commitment to the state of Maryland.”

“We could not be more proud that Under Armour, with deep roots in Maryland and now one of the fastest-growing and most innovative companies in the world, is continuing its rapid expansion into China,” said University of Maryland President Wallace Loh. “The University of Maryland and Under Armour share a deep commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, and have a long history of close collaboration with China.”

"Under Armour is extremely proud of its Maryland roots," said Erick Haskell, managing director for Under Armour Greater China. "We are honored to have Governor Hogan’s strong support, as China is a key market for our strategic growth.”

As part of the ceremony and to signify Maryland’s commitment to business and Under Armour’s tremendous expansion in China, Governor Hogan imprinted his hand on the store floor and signed his name. A commemorative plaque marking the occasion will accompany this permanent handprint.

BREAKING NEWS: Former RI Gov. Lincoln Chafee announces 2016 Democratic presidential bid

Former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee declares candidacy for 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.

WACO JUDGE AGREES TO LET MOST BIKERS GO – IF THEY SIGN A CONTRACT VOWING NOT TO SUE FOR WRONGFUL ARREST

Waco, Texas – Earlier today, detainees in the Jack Harwell Detention Center in Waco were told that in exchange for bond reductions, they must sign a document stating the Waco police “had the right to arrest the inmate and that he/she will not file a lawsuit against McLennan County and/or the City of Waco.”

On the two-week anniversary of the “shootout at high noon” at the Twin Peaks restaurant between motorcyclists and law enforcement officers, at least 170 people remain detained on $1 million bonds.

This latest information was reported to an attorney representing at least one of the detainees. “It appears the public defenders office in McLennan County is involved in this scurrilous activity,” said Paul Looney, a Houston attorney with Looney & Conrad, P.C. “I’ve never seen anything like the lawlessness that the authorities have perpetrated on these people and now to add insult to injury they are trying to cover their own tracks in exchange for bond. I will be in the reception area of the McLennan County D.A.’s office tomorrow morning at 8:30 with the intention of not leaving until we have the issue of bond resolved.”

“They know these people aren’t dangerous or they wouldn’t be offering the bond reductions and they know the police and the D.A.’s office have violated the law and now they are trying to hold people hostage until they agree to waive their rights. It’s unconscionable,” said Clay S. Conrad, Looney’s law partner.

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FBI behind mysterious surveillance aircraft over U.S. cities

WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI is operating a small air force with scores of low-flying planes across the country carrying video and, at times, cellphone surveillance technology - all hidden behind fictitious companies that are fronts for the government, The Associated Press has learned.

The planes' surveillance equipment is generally used without a judge's approval, and the FBI said the flights are used for specific, ongoing investigations. The FBI said it uses front companies to protect the safety of the pilots and aircraft. It also shields the identity of the aircraft so that suspects on the ground don't know they're being watched by the FBI.

In a recent 30-day period, the agency flew above more than 30 cities in 11 states across the country, an AP review found.

Aerial surveillance represents a changing frontier for law enforcement, providing what the government maintains is an important tool in criminal, terrorism or intelligence probes. But the program raises questions about whether there should be updated policies protecting civil liberties as new technologies pose intrusive opportunities for government spying.

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WALKERSVILLE MAN CONVICTED OF RAPE 2nd DEGREE, SODOMY AND RELATED CHARGES

On June 3, 2015, Andrew Hull, age 25, of Walkersville, Maryland, was convicted by a Wicomico County Jury of Rape 2nd Degree, Sodomy, and related charges. An investigation conducted by the Salisbury Police Department revealed that on November 1, 2014, Hull attended a party hosted by the victim at her home. The investigation further established that Hull had sex with the victim without her consent. Hull was taken into custody after the verdict and sentencing has been deferred for a presentence investigation.

Wicomico County State’s Attorney, Matthew A. Maciarello, commended the Salisbury City Police Department, Det. Thompsen, for their work in the investigation and prosecution of this case. Mr. Maciarello also thanked the citizens of Wicomico County who sat on the jury, and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Kristen Schultz who prosecuted the case.

A taxman: The problem with Martin O’Malley

He’s telegenic, vigorous, a deft speaker: Martin O'Malley looks the part of an earnest and energetic presidential contender who could hold his own on a global stage. But now that he’s officially in the 2016 race, those who recall his years as the Democratic governor of Maryland have a few numbers to share. According to a tally by the House Republican Caucus of Maryland, Mr. O'Malley raised taxes and fees 83 times in his eight years in office, to the tune of $8 billion.

“O'Malley was committed to raising as many different taxes as high as possible during his eight years as governor,” says Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “The voters of deep-blue Maryland gave their verdict on his governorship when they defeated his hand-picked candidate and elected an anti-tax Republican as governor. Not everyone can lose an election when they were not even on the ballot,” Mr. Norquist says, also noting that Mr. O'Malley “is a darling of radical spending interests, environmentalists and union bosses.”

A record like Mr. O'Malley’s can take it toll. A Gallup poll found last year that 47 percent of Marylanders said they would move out of the state “if they could.” A Tax Foundation study also found the state lost 66,000 resident and $5.5 billion in taxable income between 2000 and 2010. Maryland ranks the seventh in the nation for the worst taxes according to a Wall Street 24/7 analysis; the Fiscal Times rates the state at No. 10. Yeah, well.

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Baltimore mayor touts 'Safe Streets Zone' success

BALTIMORE —Despite the continuing violence, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is celebrating crime reduction more than a year without a deadly shooting in a Safe Streets Zone.

Rawlings-Blake called the success an important milestone for the city.

The mayor said thanks to the Safe Streets team and the community for the hard work they've done in reducing violence. The last fatal shooting in Cherry Hill was April 22, 2014.

The Safe Streets team recognized the accomplishment with a cookout, games and other family-oriented activities.

The team and members of the community have mediated conflicts that could have led to shootings.

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Homeownership is no longer the lynchpin of the American dream

June is National Homeownership Month. Realtors, home builders, lenders and governmental officials have celebrated it since 2003, when former US president George W. Bush designated June a month to commemorate homeownership’s role in building wealth and creating strong and stable neighborhoods.

But given the economic conditions many Americans continue to face as a result of the 2007-2009 recession, the housing industry has little reason to celebrate homeownership at the moment.

Owning a home no longer plays the same role in the lives of Americans that it has in the past. And it is clear that many middle-income Americans cannot realistically aspire to become homeowners anytime soon.
Defining financial success

Until recently, Americans felt they had achieved financial success if they owned a home, could put their children through college, had secure and stable retirement income and had upward mobility. However, recent polls and surveys suggest that, for many Americans, homeownership is no longer a core component of the American Dream.

A recent survey conducted by the American Institute of CPAs found that most Americans are now more concerned about having enough money to retire comfortably than about becoming a homeowner. Homeownership was the top indicator of financial success for only 11% of the adults who were surveyed. More than twice as many (28%) felt that having enough money to retire comfortably was most important, and 23% put being able to give their children a debt-free college education at the top of the list.

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Elena Russo speaks with Dr. John Gaddis, Superintendent of Somerset County Public Schools

Private School Field Trip To Adult Toy Store Draws Parents’ Ire

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A field trip to an adult novelty shop without consent has caused some parents to pull their children from a private school in Minneapolis.

Students from Gaia Democratic School went to Smitten Kitten for a field trip, following a month-long sex education class.

Some parents say they were not notified and are asking tough questions of the school’s administration.

Gaia Democratic School’s motto is academic freedom, youth empowerment and democratic education. Its website says students will learn together in fun and freedom.

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Radical Hindus to India's Christians: Convert ‘Or Get Ready to Die’

Radical Hindu nationalists closely aligned to the Indian government warned Christians in Punjab state late last year to prepare to convert to Hinduism “or get ready to die,” according to a complaint before a U.S. federal court.

A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York calls on the U.S. government to designate as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) a radical Hindu organization with close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling party.

Late last week attorneys filed an amended complaint in a case brought by an advocacy group called Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) against Secretary of State John Kerry.

The amended document adds three additional plaintiffs, two Christians and a Muslim, who claim to be victims of a forced conversion campaign carried out by the Hindu group RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or National Volunteer Corps).

The three say that threats by RSS radicals determined to forcibly convert minorities to Hinduism have increased since Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won India’s general election last year.

Modi, a generally highly-regarded leader whose high-profile visit to Washington last fall was reciprocated when President Obama traveled to India in January, was once a full-time RSS activist, and the RSS is viewed as the BJP’s parent organization.

The complaint claims that Kerry ignored an SFJ appeal sent last December urging him to designate RSS as an FTO under U.S. law.

It wants the court to issue a judgment declaring RSS to be an FTO, for “practicing a fascist ideology and for running a passionate, vicious and violent campaign to turn India into a ‘Hindu’ nation with a homogeneous religious and ethnic identity.”

The complaint cites a recently-released report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent statutory watchdog, which criticized India for violations and recommended it be placed on a second-tier watch list of countries which the U.S. should closely monitor and encourage to reform.

“Based on the evidence and recent report of USCIRF, [the] Obama administration is bound under law to declare organizations like RSS as terror groups,” SFJ attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said in a statement after filing the amended complaint.

‘Forgo the foreign religion of Christianity’

India, which has the world’s second-biggest population of 1.2 billion, is predominantly Hindu, with a large Muslim minority. Christians account for just over two percent of the population, and Sikhs for about two percent.

According to court documents plaintiff Micheal Masih is a Christian who fled India because of RSS threats against him and his family “to abandon the Christian faith and convert to Hinduism.”

It says RSS activists invaded his home in Punjab state last November, saying they had received orders from RSS headquarters to warn all Christians in the area to prepare to convert to Hinduism “or get ready to die.”

Another plaintiff, Hasim Ali – a Muslim – reports that the RSS late last year began a campaign of forced “reconversion ceremonies,” and that under threat his family had gone into hiding.

“Prominent leaders of RSS have stated the party’s policy, goal and aim as there won’t be a single Muslim or Christian left in India,” the complaint says.

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WORCESTER COUNTY SETS REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE AT $.835 AND LOCAL INCOME TAX AT 1.75%

5 women drop out of Army Ranger School after second chance

All five women who were given a second chance to complete Army Ranger School have officially dropped out and will not move forward to the next phase of the course, officials from Fort Benning, Georgia said Friday.

A total of 195 students from the class — all of them men — will move on to Dahlonga, Georgia, for the mountain phase of the program, Army Times reported Friday.

Three women and two male students were given the opportunity to start Ranger School over with the next class on June 21, officials said, Army Times reported. This is referred to as a Day One Recycle, a normal course procedure that’s used when students struggle with one aspect of the course but excel at others.

The other five women, who started Ranger School April 20 and were recycled back into the Darby Phase along with 101 of their male classmates on May 8, will return to their units and will not be recycled back again, the newspaper reported.

A total of 29 students were dropped from the program for failing to meet the standards of the first phase. Nineteen female and 381 male soldiers started Ranger School on April 20, the newspaper reported.

The women were part of a one-time integration experiment for the notoriously difficult program. The assessment is part of a wider effort to determine whether and how to open combat arms jobs to women. Until now, Ranger School has only been open to men.

But Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said Thursday that the Army is considering conducting more assessments in the future.

“We’ll probably run a couple more pilots,” Mr. Odierno said, Army Times reported. “It’s been a real success for us, and we’ll see how it goes from there.”

The students that were cut Friday did not meet the standard for a number of reasons, including leading patrols, poor peer evaluations, too many negative spot reports, or a combination of all three, Army Times reported.

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Baltimore Police Department Agency Separations & Terminations

Schools Spending Millions On ‘White Privilege’ Training

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Have the taxpayers of St. Paul spent nearly $3 million over the past five years to bring chaos and danger to their schools and students?

Apparently so.

In 2010, the St. Paul school district began a contractual relationship with the Pacific Educational Group, a San Francisco-based organization that tries to help public schools deal with achievement and disciplinary issues involving black students.

PEG packages and sells the concept of victimization, for a very high price.

It claims that the American education system is built around white culture, tradition and social norms – aka “white privilege” – to the unfair detriment of black students.

PEG believes that black students will only achieve if school curricula are customized to meet their cultural specifications. It also rejects the concept of using suspensions or expulsions to discipline black students.

The relationship with PEG has been costly for the St. Paul district, in more ways than one.

According to information provided by the district to EAGnews through a freedom of information request, St. Paul schools spent at least the following amounts on PEG consultations services over the past five years:

* $137,720 in 2010-11,
* $366,800 in 2011-12,
* $598,900 in 2012-13,
* $489,150 in 2013-14 and
* $285,895 in 2014-15.

The district also reported spending “matched amounts” of $132,072 (2010-11), $363,260 (2011-12) and $537,900 (2012-13) on PEG, without explaining what that term means.

Not long after PEG started working with St. Paul school officials, crucial policy changes were made, according to various news reports.

Special needs students with behavioral issues were mainstreamed into regular classrooms, a position openly advocated by PEG.

Student suspensions were replaced by “time outs,” and school officials starting forgiving or ignoring violence and other unacceptable behavior, according to various sources.

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Malkin: Liberals Have 'Brainwashed' American Kids

America's youth has been successfully brainwashed to support the left and elect liberals like President Barack Obama — but Republicans are partially to blame for letting it happen, outspoken conservative pundit Michelle Malkin tells Newsmax TV.

"We have generations and generations of kids who have been absolutely brainwashed by social justice warriors who see their primary mission as turning our kids into the next generation of junior lobbyists and Democratic voters rather than inculcating them with sound American values and knowledge," Malkin said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show."

"It's not just Common Core, it's everything that came before that. No Child Left Behind and outcome-based education. And who do we have to blame for this? Here we get into politics because it's not just the left; they could not do this by themselves.

"They had to do it in cahoots with big government Republicans who've helped them and enabled them every step of the way. That's what accounts for things like Common Core, that's what accounts for things like all of these disgraceful government bail outs."

She said it was "unfortunately" President George W. Bush who "pre-socialized this economy for Barack Obama."

"And when you have these generations of young Americans who have no clue about what it takes, the work, and the amount of individual creativity and individual initiative that is responsible for success in America....''

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Hillary’s Campaign On The Brink: Half Of All Americans View Her Unfavorably

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s standing in the eyes of Americans has taken a hit since entering the 2016 presidential race, and double-digit leads against would-be 2016 Republican rivals in April have been winnowed down to just a few points in several instances.

Forty-six percent of Americans view her favorably, and 50 percent view her unfavorably, said a new CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday. In a survey from March, taken prior to the launch of her presidential campaign in April, 53 percent had a favorable view, and 44 percent had an unfavorable one.

Fifty-seven percent said the characteristic “is honest and trustworthy” does not apply to Mrs. Clinton, compared to 42 percent who said it did.

A majority — 52 percent — said “cares about people like you” does not apply to her, compared to 47 percent who said it does. Last July, 53 percent said it did apply, and 45 percent said it did not.

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Hillary Clinton’s problem is honesty. The GOP’s is empathy.

Two new polls on Tuesday show Hillary Clinton's favorable rating hitting a low not seen in years. CNN/ORC has it at its lowest since 2003 (46 percent), wile the new Washington Post-ABC News poll has it at its lowest since 2008 (45 percent).

A big reason? Honesty. The Post-ABC poll shows just 41 percent think she is honest and trustworthy -- a number that has continued to fall amid her e-mail controversy and other issues. It was at 46 percent in late March. A majority of Americans (52 percent) now say she is not honest.

So why does she still lead all comers in basically every poll of the 2016 general election? Well, a lot of it has to do with empathy -- or the GOP's lack thereof.

While people generally don't see Clinton as honest, they think she's better when it comes to understanding the problems of people like them -- 49-46 percent. That's not as good for her as it once was, but it's still above water.

It's also far better than the GOP's nominal frontrunner, Jeb Bush.

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US Supreme Court rules in favour of Muslim denied job over headscarf

The US Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favour of a Muslim woman who had been turned down for a job by clothing retailer Abercrombie and Fitch because she wore a headscarf.

Samantha Elauf had sought a job at the chain's Abercrombie Kids store in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2008, but a district manager decided she should not be hired because her headscarf did not comply with the retailer's dress code, court documents said.

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a suit on behalf of Elauf, accusing the company of failing to accommodate her religious beliefs.

In a near-unanimous decision, the Supreme Court found that religion is a "protected characteristic" of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which had filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, called it a "historic" ruling," especially in light of "increased levels of Islamophobia" against the American Muslim community.

"The Supreme Court rightly underscored that a job applicant's religious beliefs and practices must play no role in an employer's hiring decision," said CAIR's staff attorney William Burgess.

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Ambulance driver charged after crash, patient death

ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia State police say a patient being rushed to a hospital died Monday afternoon when the ambulance carrying him crashed on the Eastern Shore. The ambulance driver was charged.

Sergeant Michelle Anaya said the two-vehicle crash involved a Bloxom County ambulance and a 2013 Ford Star Transit bus at the intersection of Lankford Highway (Route 13) and Wachapreague Road (Route 180). It happened around 3:45 p.m.

Anaya said the ambulance was transporting a patient with lights and siren activated. It was traveling south on Route 13 and the driver drove through a red light at the Route 180 intersection. Anaya said that’s when the ambulance hit the bus, causing the ambulance to overturn several times.

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101 ARRESTED IN CHILD-SEX STING

More than 100 people, including the Orlando leader of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, were arrested in a two-county Florida sex-sting operation, many of whom for allegedly trying to have sex with children.

The investigation concluded last week, authorities announced Tuesday.

Many of those arrested had jobs working with children, including theme park workers at Universal Orlando and SeaWorld, and a former Walt Disney World cast member who left the job before his arrest. SeaWorld said the men charged were no longer employed at the theme park.

“These are very dangerous people and they are after our children,” said Grady Judd of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

During the first week of the sting, investigators say, 22 people traveled to Clermont, Florida, thinking they were going to have sex with a child between ages 10 and 14. Seventy-nine others were arrested on charges connected to prostitution.

Ahmad Saleem, a Muslim youth coordinator, was also one of the men arrested. Investigators said the men all went to a home in Clermont with the hopes of having sex with a child. The car Saleem traveled in had a license plate that said, “Invest in children,” according to investigators.
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Gohmert to BLM: ‘Keep Up The Arrogance’ - We’ll Cut Your Budget

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) told two federal land officials, “I come bearing good news. I think if your employees keep up the arrogance, keep denying access to the land then very soon we’ll be able to dramatically cut your employees back and start turning those powers over to the states.”

Gohmert’s comments came during a Joint Legislative Hearing "To protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting, and for other purposes” in late May.

Deputy Director of Operations for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Steve Ellis and Deputy Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Leslie Weldon testified at the hearing and heard complaints about denial of access onto National Forest Service and BLM land from sportsmen and law enforcement.

“Today, I wanted to take advantage of your presence here by letting you know things I’ve been hearing,” Gohmert said. “About the arrogance of people on U.S. Forest Service land and (Dept. of) Interior land – national forests - even from law enforcement, they say it’s just gotten tougher and tougher to deal with arrogant people on the national forests. Not getting access when they need it, not working with local law enforcement. And that’s been really helpful to me.”

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Comments By Marc Kilmer Regarding The County Council Meeting Last Night

Tonight was an eventful, but short, county council meeting. One of the items we considered was a 22-year lease agreement...
Posted by Marc Kilmer, Wicomico County Council on Tuesday, June 2, 2015

During last night's meeting I also made a motion to cut $287,000 from the budget. When the executive presented his...
Posted by Marc Kilmer, Wicomico County Council on Wednesday, June 3, 2015

JUST IN: Blood on shoe links suspect to D.C. mansion killings, officials say

First, DNA on a pizza crust led authorities to the man they accuse of killing three members of a prominent Washington family and their housekeeper.

Now investigators say they have a new clue linking suspect Darron Dellon Dennis Wint to one of the victims: blood found on a shoe he was wearing when authorities arrested him.

Forensic analysis matched traces of blood on Wint's shoe to at least one of the murder victims, two law enforcement officials said. The officials would not specify which victim's blood was allegedly found on Wint's shoe.

It's too soon to say what role the evidence could play in the case authorities are building against Wint, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the killings last month of Savvas, Amy and Philip Savopoulos and housekeeper Veralicia Figueroa.

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Lieberman: Congress Will Reject Iran Deal, in ‘A Remarkable Statement to the World’

(CNSNews) – Former Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman predicted Monday that Congress will reject the nuclear deal which the administration and its partners in the P5+1 group are negotiating with Iran. The deal is due to be completed on June 30.

Assuming an agreement is reached with Tehran, “and assuming it’s as bad as I believe it will be,” he told a Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD)/Iran Task Force event in Washington, “I believe Congress will reject the agreement.”

Such a predicted outcome should not be minimized, said the former four-term senator from Connecticut, who serves as co-chairman of the Iran Task Force.

It would be “quite a remarkable statement to the world – that the president has negotiated an agreement which bipartisan majorities in Congress will reject.”

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What's Funny About Hate and Bigotry? Conservatives Press ABC to Scrap 'Savage' Sitcom

(CNSNews) - Religious leaders and conservative activists have launched a campaign to stop production of "The Real O'Neals," a sitcom due out this fall, based on the life of syndicated sex columnist Dan Savage, whom the campaign describes an an anti-Christian bigot and bully.

In a mid-March letter to Disney ABC President Ben Sherwood, the Media Research Center (parent company of CNSNews.com) and the Family Research Council pointed to Savage's "over-the-top obscenity, his radical hate speech, and his venomous anti-Christian bigotry."

The letter also quoted some of Savage's "lewd and explicit" sex advice.

Sherwood never replied to the letter.

ABC bills its upcoming series as a "comedy" -- "a contemporary take on a seemingly perfect Catholic family, whose lives take an unexpected turn when surprising truths are revealed." One of the surprising truths involves Savage's homosexuality.

But FRC President Tony Perkins said the new show takes LGBT activism to "new lows."

"Savage, whose 'anti-bullying' videos are a favorite of the President’s and Hollywood, has turned out to be the biggest bully of all -- using his platform as an opportunity to ridicule students and curse faith. Lately, though, the militant atheist has taken a break from hurling sexual threats at Republicans to focus on this new fall sitcom, which producers say, 'will follow the younger years of Savage’s life and the experiences of his family following his decision to come out of the closet.'”

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Williams: Intellectual Dishonesty

President Barack Obama's stance, expressed in his 2014 State of the Union address, is that the debate is settled and climate change is a fact. Obama is by no means unique in that view. Former Vice President Al Gore declared that "the science is settled." This "settled science" vision about climate is held by many, including those in academia.

To call any science settled is sheer idiocy. Had mankind acted as though any science could possibly be settled, we'd be living in caves, as opposed to having the standard of living we enjoy today. That higher standard of living stems from challenges to what might have been seen as "scientific fact."

According to mathematician Samuel Arbesman's book, "The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date," many ideas taken as facts today will be shown to be wrong as early as five years from now. Arbesman argues that a study published in a physics journal will lose half its value in 10 years.

Many academics know that to call any science settled is nonsense. But their leftist political sentiments and lack of academic integrity prevent them from criticizing public officials and the media for misleading a gullible public about global warming.

The concept of white privilege, along with diversity and multiculturalism, is part of today's campus craze. Millions of dollars are spent on conferences and other forums teaching students about the horrors of white privilege. A Vanderbilt University sociology professor said white privilege is to blame for the Baltimore riots and looting.

I wonder how one goes about determining whether a person is privileged. White privilege can't be based on median income. Why? It turns out that Asian-American households had the highest median income ($68,636) in 2012. Median income for white households was $57,000. Maybe our academic elite should condemn Asian privilege instead of white privilege. But there's another problem. My income puts me in America's top 5 percent.

If those who condemn white privilege could not see my dark brown skin color, they would also condemn me for white privilege. The bottom line to this campus nonsense is that "privilege" has become the new word for "personal achievement."

More from Dr. Williams

Insurers, Citing Obamacare Costs, Seek Rate Hikes Up to 50 Percent

Health insurance providers nationwide are requesting massive rate increases for the coming year, including a 50 percent jump proposed by one of New Mexico’s biggest carriers, according to The Hill.

The White House on Monday posted health insurers' proposed rate increases for the coming year. Obamacare mandates that all requested increases above 10 percent be posted online by June 1, at which point negotiations begin between insurers and regulators.

The final rates must be locked by November.

A representative with the Kaiser Family Foundation tells The Hill that most of the increases are somewhere around 15 percent to 20 percent, but in addition to New Mexico, big jumps are requested by Tennessee’s biggest insurer — 36 percent for some plans — and Maryland, whose most popular insurance carrier is seeking a 30 percent hike.

Connecticut is asking for a 10 percent jump, while New York’s market leader wants 12 percent more.

Fox News reports that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is seeking a roughly 26 percent premium increase, while in President Barack Obama’s home state of Illinois, individual premiums could rise by as much as 30 percent, according to The Chicago Tribune, which reported the largest average rate increases would be by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Coventry Health Care and Assurant Health.

More here

Washington Florist Files For State Supreme Court Review in Gay Marriage Case

Lawyers for a Washington state florist have asked the state’s highest court to review a ruling that found her guilty of discrimination — and facing financial ruin — for not agreeing to make a floral arrangement for a gay customer’s wedding.

“Americans oppose unjust laws that strong-arm citizens to create expression against their will,” said Kristen Waggoner, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), who filed the request for review Monday at the Supreme Court for the State of Washington on behalf of Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, Washington.

The brief asks the high court to review the case with regard to religious liberty and determine whether Ms. Stutzman can be coerced by the state to associate with unwanted views in violation of her faith.

Ms. Stutzman was sued by the state attorney general for violating consumer protection and anti-discrimination laws after it learned she told longtime gay customer Robert Ingersoll that she couldn’t “do” his upcoming wedding to Curt Freed.

The gay couple, represented by attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union, later joined the state in suing Ms. Stutzman.

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Eastern Leg Law Enforcement Torch Run for Maryland Special Olympics

The Maryland Special Olympics kicks off it's start at 27th Street and the Boardwalk ( in Ocean City) on Monday June 1, 2015.

All four corners of the State of Maryland begin the same day, and the "EASTERN LEG" ( the shore) begins @ 27th street and the boards approx 0800 hours this coming Monday June 1, 2015.

Agencies in Ocean City will bring the Maryland Special Olympic "Torch" ( out of the Ocean), and jog in formation down the boardwalk to the inlet. We gather for some photos and continue the run to the Bay Bridge picking up other Counties, Law Enforcement, Security, Civilian staff till we reach the Bay Bridge ( rallying with Annapolis Units), and Continue to Baltimore to rally with the other 3 corners of the State of Maryland for opening ceremonies for the Maryland Special Olympics.

We raise funds for Special Olympics by selling TEE Shirts for the run, and some of those shirts will be available @ 27th street the morning of June 1, 2015.

You may also call OCPD @ 410-723-6600 and request to speak with SGT. DENNIS EADE for further information.

The latest Clinton cash intrigue involves a Czech model and a 'distasteful' $500,000 donation

A Friday report in The New York Times highlights another intriguing Clinton Foundation activity.

According to the report, former President Bill Clinton turned down repeated offers to speak at Czech model Petra Nemcova's annual charity event until she directly offered the Clinton family's foundation $500,000 of the proceeds for appearing.

When she did, Clinton attended Nemcova's 2014 gala in Manhattan.

Doug White, director of Columbia University's fundraising management program, told The Times that the arrangement was strange because Clinton's foundation is so much bigger. The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation has reportedly raised $2 billion.

"This is primarily a small but telling example of the way the Clintons operate," White said. "The model has responsibility; she paid a high price for a feel-good moment with Bill Clinton. But he was riding the back of this small charity for what? A half-million bucks? I find it — what would be the word? — distasteful."

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Statues can be fun!

Robin Williams explains golf

MDVA TO LAUNCH OPERATION HIRE MARYLAND

Program based on successful 2014 one-hundred day initiative

WHO: 

George Owings, Secretary, Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)

David McGlone, Deputy Secretary, Department Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR)

COL Chris Cole, Maryland National Guard

Keynote: David Wallace, Military Relations Program Manager, Lockheed Martin 

More than 80 Maryland employers

Military relations managers and veteran recruiters from Lockheed Martin, CACI, CSC, First Data, Jiffy Lube-Pikesville, PNC Bank, Maryland State Police and the Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM) serving as presenters, panelists and/or speakers to highlight recruitment and retention best practices.

WHAT: The launch of  Operation Hire Maryland, a sustainable program designed to support employers as they develop or expand current veteran hiring and retention programs. 

Through the collaborative efforts of MDVA, the Maryland Department Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR), Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), the Operation Hire Work Group, and Maryland businesses,  Operation Hire Maryland is building a veteran friendly business network to share best practices and proven methods for recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and retaining veterans in the civilian workplace.    

WHERE: Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville, Maryland in the Student Services Center, Room 004

WHEN: Thurs day, June 4, 8:30 AM to 3 PM

WHY: The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes the success of last year's veteran hiring challenge. We heard the call from Maryland businesses to continue the campaign—and so we are.

It is our duty to continue on with this very rewarding initiative that brings together leaders in the field of veteran recruitment. 

Originally modeled after similar programs in Virginia and North Carolina, we recognize that a program of this design is simply good for business and good for our veterans.                           

Maryland Funds Re-entry Programs to Help Addicted Offenders

Medication Assisted Treatment Program Begins This Summer

BALTIMORE, MD - As part of the Hogan administration’s coordinated statewide effort to fight heroin and opioid addiction, reduce overdose deaths, and combat drug-related crimes, the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention announced today that it will award $500,000 to programs in local jails and detention centers across Maryland for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs. Under some of the programs, selected inmates will receive monthly injections of Vivitrol, a non-narcotic and non-addictive substance that blocks the euphoric effects of heroin and other opiates, and alcohol. Additional funding has been set aside to develop and implement a program in Baltimore City.

“Addressing Maryland’s heroin crisis and helping to break the cycle of crime and reincarceration associated with addiction requires us to offer those reentering society with the tools to live sober, healthy, and productive lives,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “By helping men and women who’ve done their time to get back on their feet, MAT Re-entry programs protect the families of former inmates from the abuse and instability associated with drug dependency and reduce the spiraling costs of drug-related crime and recidivism on our state and local governments.”

The MAT Re-entry programs are modeled after a nationally recognized effort at the Washington County Detention Center, which combines drug treatment with extensive behavioral health counseling. They will be implemented in local jails and detention centers because evidence shows that substance abusers who are treated in their hometowns have more support systems available to them—their families, mentors, and community.

“This is an important tool in our arsenal as we fight the heroin epidemic in Maryland,” said Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford. “With this program, we will be working with people at the local level who have been struggling with substance abuse and addiction.”

Vivitrol manufacturer Alkermes, Inc., will train county detention center and community health providers on the use of the drug, also known by its generic name, naltrexone. Alkermes will donate the initial dose of Vivitrol, which will be administered in the jail or detention center just before inmates are released. Unlike opioid-based medications such as methadone or suboxone which require daily administration, Vivitrol is a once-a-month injection.

Inmates who qualify for the program must be housed within county detention centers, be identified as opiate users, and be within three months of release. Program participants will also be enrolled in Medicaid or otherwise insured prior to release, to pay for the post-release injections. These subsequent injections will be administered by local health departments in partnership with the local detention centers.

To ensure the best possible outcomes, comprehensive post-release treatment programs will be established for each ex-offender. These will include intensive treatment for substance use disorders, and community-based support services such as housing, mental health treatment, education, and employment. Each jurisdiction will develop a program to track and monitor the offenders’ post-release progress, program compliance, recidivism, and subsequent substance abuse.

GOCCP is also currently in the process of working with public safety partners in Baltimore City to develop a unique MAT program to help those charged with non-violent drug-related crimes overcome their addictions.

“These programs will have a positive impact on reducing recidivism and preventing crime in our neighborhoods,” said Christopher Shank, executive director of GOCCP.  “They are designed to help these individuals overcome their addiction and give them the education, skills, and support they need to find jobs and become productive members of their communities."

The Agencies receiving grant funding are listed below:

Bikers vs. Thugs

Is It True?

Eastern Shore Construction Worker Meets The Ocean

New high school principal

Listen to the young people today....F-this, F-that, and nary anyone will step up and correct them.....even with wife and kids in tow!

FINALLY - - Someone in the teaching profession had the courage to set the standards so badly needed NOW.

New high school principal

We watched high school principal Dennis Prager of Colorado , along with Sara Palin and Tom Brokaw on TV a couple of weeks ago....what a dynamic, down to earth speaker Dennis Prager is. Even though Palin and Brokaw were also guest speakers they did little but nod and agree with him. This is the guy that should be running for President in 2016

A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.

By Dennis Prager.

To the students and faculty of our high school:

I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.

I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.

First , this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American.

This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity, race and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America , one of its three central values -- E pluribus unum, "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America 's values. This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.

Homecoming

Dr. Epstein was a renowned physician who earned his medical degree in his home town and then left there to live in New York.

Later he was invited to return to his birthplace to give a speech. As he placed his papers on the lectern they slid off onto the floor, and when he bent over to retrieve them, at precisely the wrong instant, he farted and the microphone amplified it throughout the room. He was embarrassed but regained his composure to deliver his paper. As he concluded, he raced out the stage door..

Decades later, when his elderly mother was ill, he returned to visit her. He reserved a hotel room under a false name, Smith, and arrived under cover of darkness.

The desk clerk asked him, "Is this your first visit to our city, Mr. Smith?"

Dr. Epstein replied, "Well, young man, no, it isn't. I grew up here but then I moved away."

“Why haven't you visited?" asked the desk clerk.

"I did visit once, many years ago, but an embarrassing thing happened and since then I've been too ashamed to return."

The clerk consoled him. "Sir, while I don't have your life experience, one thing I have learned is that often what seems embarrassing to me isn't even remembered by others. I bet that's true of your incident too."

Dr. Epstein replied, "Son, I doubt that's the case with my incident."

"Was it a long time ago?"

"Yes, many years."

The clerk asked, "Was it before or after the Epstein Fart?"