CREWS WORKING OVERNIGHT AS STORMS LEAVE WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES

SALISBURY, Md. – Delmarva Power crews are out assessing damage and making repairs after severe storms moved through the region and left more than 63,000 customers in Delaware and Maryland without power Tuesday evening. Crews will work through the night as they begin restoring service to customers who lost power as severe thunderstorms brought high winds, lightning and intense rain.

In addition to internal crews, Delmarva Power has contractors available to help restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.

Safety is our No. 1 priority. We urge our customers to stay clear of working crews and any wires hanging loose from poles or lying on the ground. Customers should always assume that downed wires are energized and avoid them. If you see a downed wire, call 1-800-898-8045.

Customers can report and track outages online at www.delmarva.com or through our mobile app, available for download at www.delmarva.com/mobileapp. They can also report outages by calling 800-898-8045. Natural gas emergencies should be reported to 302-454-0317.

Find additional information about Delmarva Power by visiting www.delmarva.com, on 
Facebook at www.facebook.com/delmarvapower and on 
Twitter at www.twitter.com/delmarvaconnect. 
Our mobile app is available at www.delmarva.com/mobileapp.

Cornell West: Blacks Afraid to Take on White Supremacy

Black people, including President Barack Obama, are afraid to take on the issue of white supremacy, professor Cornell West said on Monday.

West, appearing on "CNN Newsroom," was reacting to Obama's use of the N-word on a Marc Maron podcast.

Obama said that though race relations have come a long way since the civil rights era, society is not yet cured of racism, "And it's not just a matter of it not being polite to say [N-word] in public."

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BREAKING NEWS: OCEAN CITY FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE FOUR TRAPPED ON ROLLER COASTER

Ocean City Fire EMS units on scene during the height of the thunder storm at Jolly Roger Amusement Park. Four people trapped on the roller coaster due to a mechanical issue. Personnel responded with a tower ladder, all subjects removed safely.

#HOGANSTRONG

"As I climb this hill, I remain comforted by my abiding faith that the Lord continues to bless me and will be by my side with every step - granting me strength to defeat this disease, and the wisdom and the judgment to be the public steward that I was called to be.

With my faith, family, and friends, I know that I won't beat this disease, but I will be a better and stronger person, and governor, on the other side of it." - Governor Larry Hogan

Secret World War II Chemical Experiments Tested Troops By Race

As a young U.S. Army soldier during World War II, Rollins Edwards knew better than to refuse an assignment.

When officers led him and a dozen others into a wooden gas chamber and locked the door, he didn't complain. None of them did. Then, a mixture of mustard gas and a similar agent called lewisite was piped inside.

"It felt like you were on fire," recalls Edwards, now 93 years old. "Guys started screaming and hollering and trying to break out. And then some of the guys fainted. And finally they opened the door and let us out, and the guys were just, they were in bad shape."

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SPD Calls For Service Week Ending 6-21-15

Pete Rose Bet On Baseball Games As A Player, ESPN Reports

Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, bet on Cincinnati Reds games in 1986, during his last season as an active player, ESPN's Outside the Lines reports.

After years of denial, Rose admitted in his 2004 autobiography that he bet on games, but only while he was manager. And as recently as April, he told a radio show he "never bet as a player: That's a fact." But ESPN has obtained documents that show the betting began as Rose "racked up the last hits of a record-smashing career in 1986." Here's more:

"The documents are copies of pages from a notebook seized from the home of former Rose associate Michael Bertolini during a raid by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in October 1989, nearly two months after Rose was declared permanently ineligible by Major League Baseball. Their authenticity has been verified by two people who took part in the raid, which was part of a mail fraud investigation and unrelated to gambling. For 26 years, the notebook has remained under court-ordered seal and is currently stored in the National Archives' New York office, where officials have declined requests to release it publicly."

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Power Outage Maps In This Area

http://www.delmarva.com/pages/connectwithus/outages/outagemaps.aspx

 http://choptank.maps.sienatech.com/

UPDATE: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
823 PM EDT TUE JUN 23 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOMERSET COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN MARYLAND...
  WORCESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN MARYLAND...
  SOUTHEASTERN WICOMICO COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN MARYLAND...

* UNTIL 915 PM EDT

* AT 821 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60
  MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR
  NORTH WILDWOOD TO NEAR MILLVILLE TO NEAR GUMBORO TO 9 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF VIENNA...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  OCEAN PINES AROUND 835 PM EDT.
  BERLIN...NEWARK AND CAPE ISLE OF WIGHT AROUND 845 PM EDT.
  PRINCESS ANNE AND UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AROUND 850
  PM EDT.
  WESTOVER AROUND 855 PM EDT.
  POCOMOKE CITY AND WEST POCOMOKE AROUND 9 PM EDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THESE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCLUDE
SHELLTOWN...UPPER FAIRMOUNT...CHESAPEAKE HEIGHTS...MOUNT WESLEY...
REHOBETH...BYRDTOWN...BISHOP...ORIOLE...LAKEWOOD AND WHALEYVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...OR
YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WHO WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN WAKEFIELD.

IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAINFALL AND DAMAGING WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY. LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES LEADING KILLERS. REMEMBER...
IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING.

Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Child Pornography Arrest

(Pikesville, MD) Members of the Maryland State Police, Computer Crimes Section, Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) arrest Washington County individual on child pornography related charges.

The suspect is identified as Cristian Alexander Magana, 19, from Washington County, Maryland. The Washington County Warrant Task Force arrested him without incident. Magana was charged with multiple counts of distributing and possessing child pornography.

Power Outages As The Storm Hits

 

As the storm hits trees are being reported down in the roadway and the power is going out in many places. Stay safe everyone!

Obama Now Claiming that 70,000 Americans Will Die Because of Global Warming

Obama just disgorged a new “report” on global warming in which he claims 70,000 Americans will die from global warming and the change in the climate will cost the US$34 billion in coping costs.

This absurd prediction was reported today by the AP…

Failure to act on climate change could cause an estimated 57,000 deaths in the United States from poor air quality by 2100, the Obama administration argued in a new report Monday that warns of dire effects of global warming.

The report underscores the costs of inaction on climate change as well as the benefits from taking action now. The administration estimates that 12,000 people in 49 U.S. cities could die from extreme temperatures in 2100.

…The report says actions to slow climate change could save about $3.1 billion in expected costs from sea-level rise and storm surge in 2100, while the power sector could save as much as $34 billion by 2050 in avoided costs for additional electricity for air conditioning and other uses.

An estimated $3 billion in avoided damages from poor water quality could be saved by 2100, the report said.

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Severe Thunderstorm Warning

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
MDC019-045-240045-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.SV.W.0055.150623T2335Z-150624T0045Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
735 PM EDT TUE JUN 23 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN WICOMICO COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN MARYLAND...
  DORCHESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN MARYLAND...

* UNTIL 845 PM EDT

* AT 732 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60
  MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM QUEEN
  ANNE TO 6 MILES WEST OF TILGHMAN ISLAND TO NEAR CHESAPEAKE BEACH TO
  6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DUNKIRK...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AROUND 800
  PM EDT.
  CAMBRIDGE AROUND 805 PM EDT.
  SECRETARY AROUND 810 PM EDT.
  HURLOCK AROUND 820 PM EDT.
  VIENNA AROUND 825 PM EDT.
  HEBRON AROUND 835 PM EDT.
  DELMAR...SALISBURY...FRUITLAND...AND PARSONSBURG
  AROUND 840 PM EDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THESE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCLUDE
WOOLFORD...CHESAPEAKE HEIGHTS...TRINITY...WETIPQUIN...MADISON...
TAYLORS ISLAND...NANTICOKE...BUCKTOWN...CATCHPENNY AND EAST NEW
MARKET.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...OR
YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WHO WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN WAKEFIELD.

IN ADDITION TO DAMAGING WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY. LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES LEADING KILLERS. REMEMBER...
IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING.

Snake catches baby rabbit, Momma comes to save the day.

Snake catches baby rabbit, Momma comes to save the day.Disturb Reality

Posted by Disturb Reality on Friday, June 19, 2015

Self Driving Cars Could Be Programmed To Kill You In Order To Save Other Lives

For the past few years, Google’s self-driving cars have been traveling around the country to test how well they work and how safe they are. The cars have been in a total of 13 accidents, however, the self-driving vehicles were not responsible for any of the accidents that took place.

Most of the accidents occurred when the cars were rear-ended by other drivers who were not paying attention. The cars have logged about 1,011,338 miles since 2009 without a driver, and then nearly another million with a driver.

The cars are maneuvered with complex algorithms, that calculate everything from weather conditions, to red lights, to evasive moves in accident situations.

In the tweaking of these algorithms, some very strange ethical questions have begun to arise. For example, is it ethical for a car to be programmed to kill you if it means saving the lives of many other people?

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Not AGAIN? Man starts shooting in a bar, but then…

In the aftermath of last week’s mass shooting, the subject of gun control inevitably emerges – most prominently from our own president (and Karl ROVE?). But of course the one subject never discussed is how guns actually prevent deaths of innocent people.

Case in point, this story from Youngstown, Ohio.

At around 2 am yesterday a customer was kicked out of La Raza Bar. The man shortly returned carrying a shotgun and fired two rounds inside the bar.

That’s when one of the bar employees, who had a valid concealed carry permit, pulled out his firearm and fatally shot the man.

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China Gets Pass from Obama on ‘Devastating’ OPM Hack

The Obama administration continues to play down one of the nation’s most damaging Chinese cyber espionage operations in order to maintain a dialogue with China and host a summit for its leader this fall.

Weeks after the discovery that millions of personal records on federal workers was stolen by Chinese hacker in an intelligence operation, the president and his advisers failed to condemned the state-sponsored security breach whose damage continues to worsen almost weekly.

The Obama administration, in a sign of its apparent unwillingness to take any steps against China for the hacking, will go ahead with the hosting this week of the latest Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington. The dialogue is known for producing little in the way of tangible results of regular meetings between senior U.S. and Chinese officials. The questionable diplomacy is said its supporters to advance U.S. interests. However, keeping secret the Chinese connection to the cyber attack is likely to encourage further attacks.

Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asia, made no mention in a briefing for reporters whether the Chinese role in the OPM hack would be discussed at the dialogue, which begins Tuesday.

Instead, he said cyber security would be discussed in the Strategic Security Dialogue that he said, “really is germane to building a relationship of trust between the U.S. and China. It’s an important common concern.”

“We don’t always see eye to eye, but the fact is that global challenges require that we cooperate,” Russel said.

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WCSO Crime States May 2015

• Sector 1

Salisbury, Allen,
Deer Harbour, Fruitland,
Fox Chase

• Sector 2

Parsonsburg, Delmar

• Sector 3

Delmar, Log Cabin, Adkins Rd.

• Sector 4

Nanticoke, Waterview,
White Haven, Tyaskin

• Sector 5

Booth Street, Reservation

• Sector 6

Hebron, Mardela Springs,
Sharptown

• Sector 7

Pittsville, Willards,
Powellville

Unsure of your WCSO Sector? For an interactive crime map click here.

Federal Judge Asks IRS for Update on Lois Lerner's Emails

A District of Columbia federal judge has ordered the IRS to give him a status update on the release of Lois Lerner's emails, as well as those by other IRS officials.

U.S District Judge Emmet Sullivan said in a June 18 order that he wants a status of the recovery and release of the emails recovered by the IRS watchdog agency, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), sent to the court by June 29, Judicial Watch said in a statement. In addition, Sullivan set a hearing and a scheduling of a status conference for July 1.

"[F]ile a supplemental report, setting forth any new information regarding: (1) TIGTA’s recovery of emails from the backup tapes; (2) TIGTA’s production of emails to the IRS; (3) the IRS’s review of emails and production to the plaintiff; and (4) the status of the TIGTA investigation. This report shall be filed by no later than June 29, 2015," he wrote.

More here

It Has Been Reported Hebron Savings Bank has a new President

It has been reported that Hebron Savings Bank has named Donna Defino President.

SCOTUS Strikes Down Order for USDA Seizure of California Raisins

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a federal program designed to regulate raisin supply and prices is unconstitutional.

The court sided with Fresno, Ca., raisin farmer Marvin Horne who challenged the 1949 marketing order that allowed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to seize raisins from producers to ensure high prices. Justice John Roberts delivered the 8-1 decision of the court, joined by Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito in full, and in part by Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kagan.

“The reserve requirement imposed by the Raisin Committee is a clear physical taking,” Chief Justice Roberts wrote. “Actual raisins are transferred from the growers to the government. Title to the raisins passes to the Raisin Committee. The Committee disposes of those raisins as it wishes, to promote the purposes of the raisin marketing order.”

The decision struck a blow against one of the New Deal era’s most enduring principles—that the government can confiscate or destroy crops to preserve prices and reserves.

The Obama administration defended the USDA order as a “win-win proposition,” claiming that prices remain high for farmers allowing them to donate excess supply.

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Jesse Jackson Jr. Released From Halfway House In Baltimore

Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. returned to his family's Washington, D.C., home on Monday after leaving a halfway house where he lived for several months since serving 2½ years in prison for spending $750,000 in campaign money on personal items.

Jackson, an Illinois Democrat, was released from the Volunteers of America halfway house in Baltimore in the morning and left in one of two black SUVs that were there for him. He traveled to his home in Washington, where family members say he's expected to stay.

Jackson must spend three years on supervised release under jurisdiction of the U.S. Probation Office and complete 500 hours of community service. He briefly spoke to The Associated Press outside the family's home when asked how he was doing.

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US General Denounces UN Report on Gaza War

U.S. Gen. Charles Wald, the leader of a task force of retired senior U.S. military officers who studied and reported on the 2014 Gaza War, issued a statement Monday denouncing the U.N. Human Rights Council’s report on that conflict.

He claims that the report is unbalanced and uneducated, referring to other, similar reports, which have been shown to be faulty in the past.

“The UNHRC report on the Gaza conflict is unbalanced and fails to accurately assess which parties violated the Law of Armed Conflict,” Wald said.

He continued, saying that the report represents faulty research, led by researchers who are not experts in military law, saying, “This report follows the same pattern of the UNHRC’s Goldstone Report, which assessed the previous Gaza conflict, but which was later repudiated by Mr. Goldstone himself, as well as being widely discredited by experts in laws applicable to war.

More here

WCSO Press Release 6-23-15 (Part 2 of 2)

Incident: Assault

Date of Incident: 21 June 2015

Location: 700 block of Friar Tuck Lane, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Ronnie Lee McClean, 55, Salisbury, MD

Ronnie McClean

Narrative: On 21 June 2015 at 10:16 PM a deputy responded to a residence in the 700 block of Friar Tuck Lane in reference to a reported domestic related disturbance. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a male victim who advised that he had been assaulted by Ronnie McClean during an argument. Both the male victim and McClean resided together. During the investigation, the deputy observed signs of injury that corroborated the account.

The deputy placed McClean under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained McClean in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.

Charges: Assault 2nd Degree

****************************************************

Incident: WCSO Warrant Arrests

Date of Incident: 16 June 2015

        

     On 16 June 2015 a deputy arrested Kaitlin Elizabeth Frantz, 20 of Salisbury, on a District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Frantz failed to appear for a Theft case. Frantz was detained on a bond of $20,000.00.

Kaitlin Frantz

    On 16 June 2015 a deputy arrested Katherine Anne Palguta, 26 of Preston, MD; on a District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Palguta violated the terms of her pre-trial release in a case where she was charged with CDS Possession. Palguta was detained without bond.

Katherine Palguta

****************************************************

Incident: WCSO Warrant Arrests

Date of Incident: 17/18 June 2015

On 17 June 2015 a deputy arrested Dana Lynn Chamberlain, 36 of Salisbury, on a District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Chamberlain failed to appear for an Assault 2nd Degree case. Chamberlain was detained on a bond of $10,000.00

Dana Chamberlin

On 18 June 2015 a deputy arrested Victor Vaughn Armwood Jr., 28 of Salisbury, on a Circuit Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued in connection with a Child Support Case. Armwood was detained on a bond of $500.00

Victor Armwood

On 18 June 2015 a deputy arrested Melissa Ray Cooper, 37 of Willards, MD; on a District Court Bench Warrant. The Warrant was issued after Cooper failed to appear for a Driving Uninsured case. Cooper was detained on a bond of $1,000.00

Melissa Cooper

****************************************************

Incident: Fugitive from Delaware

Date of Incident: 20 June 2015

Location: 9000 block of Ocean Highway, Delmar, MD

Suspect: Samantha Rose Krumm, 24, Delmar, MD

Samantha Krumm

Narrative: On 20 June 2015 at 9:00 PM a deputy located a wanted fugitive from the State of Delaware at XXXX. Upon discovering that Delaware authorities wanted Krumm in connection with a CDS Possession with the Intent to Deliver case, the deputy placed Krumm under arrest.

Krumm was transported to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Krumm was detained without bond pending extradition back to Delaware.

Charges: Fugitive from the State of Delaware

 Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson        Date:  23 June 2015

Hammerhead Shark Birthed About 20 Pups Before Dying, Witnesses Say

OCEAN CITY — More details emerged on Tuesday about the mature 10-foot female hammerhead caught by surf anglers early Monday morning and the frantic attempt to return at least 20 pups she birthed on the beach back into the ocean.

Just after midnight on Monday, a group, including Jess Rutherford and her brother Chad, of Harford County, along with friend Cory Yoviene of Easton, were surf fishing and hanging out on the beach at 144th Street. About a block south, another group was surf fishing at 143rd Street when they had an unusual and quite substantial catch, a roughly 10-foot female hammerhead.

Jess Rutherford said her group could hear the other group yelling and screaming about their large and unexpected catch and they ran down the beach to see what the commotion was all about. The other group had beached the hammerhead and were attempting to put the ailing shark back into the ocean. Rutherford and her group helped them attempt to put the shark back in the ocean when they made a surprise discovery.

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Colorado teen dies from rare case of plague

A 16-year-old boy in Colorado who appeared to have the common flu has died from a rare case of the plague, officials said.

Taylor Gaes' illness didn't present with the telltale sign of the infection -- swollen lymph nodes -- which would have alerted officials to the illness sooner, said Katie O'Donnell, a Larimer County Health Department spokeswoman.

Instead, he suffered from a fever and muscle aches, which at first made his sickness look like the flu.

The plague is "very rare, which makes it hard to diagnose," O'Donnell said Saturday. Taylor died June 8 but officials revealed his illness Friday.

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BREAKING NEWS: Obama to change longstanding policy of hostage ransoms

In a softening of longstanding policy, the Obama administration will tell families of Americans held by terror groups that they can communicate with captors and even pay ransom without fear of prosecution — part of a broad review of U.S. hostage guidelines that will be released Wednesday.

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MARYLAND TASK FORCE INCLUDED IN NATIONAL INITIATIVE “OPERATION BROKEN HEART”

Maryland State Police Press Release

(Columbia, MD) Maryland’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force participated in “Operation Broken Heart,” a nationwide, two month push targeting child sexual exploitation offenders.

The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) was one of 61 task forces included in the two month initiative, “Operation Broken Heart II.” This coordinated effort by law enforcement representing more than 3,000 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies with the purpose of arresting as many child predators as possible, along with internet safety education and outreach. Members from the Maryland ICAC worked tirelessly during the months of April and May in support of this initiative. Their efforts resulted in a total of 949 investigations initiated. Investigators executed 136 search warrants with 86 arrests. There were also six public outreach sessions which reached over 9,500 people. Investigators educated over 2,600 individuals during 45 educational programs.

The Maryland ICAC Task Force, comprised of police agencies from around the state, concentrated on those offenders who possess, manufacture, and distribute child pornography; engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes; child prostitution, and those traveling abroad to sexually abuse foreign children. The Task Force’s primary mission continues to be to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. This goal is achieved by cooperation between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors as they combine resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.

CONTACT: LT. Matthew Kail
Commander, Computer Crimes Section
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
410-653-4236

SPD Press Release 6-23-15 (Shoplifting Arrests)

Pension tidal wave is about to crash down on taxpayers

The New Jersey legislature, looking to solve a budget crisis back in 1992, passed a bill that changed some of the accounting principles of the state's government employee pension system. The technical changes, little understood at the time, made the system seem in better financial shape than it actually was, allowing the legislature to reduce contributions for pensions by $1.5 billion over the next two years. Legislators seized those extra dollars and redirected them into other spending.

Jersey officials could manipulate their pension system because local governments have latitude in how they run their own retirement plans. So what they did was not unique. Around the country, state and local officials have increasingly discovered over the years that they can exploit the complex and sometimes ill-defined accounting of government pension systems, as well as loopholes in their own laws governing those pensions.

Over time, elected officials came to promise workers politically popular new benefits without setting aside the money to pay for them, declared "holidays" from contributions into pension systems and changed their own accounting systems midstream to make the systems seem better funded — all just ways of passing obligations on to future taxpayers. In the process, government pension systems became one of the chief vehicles that state and local politicians used to massage their budgets.

Now we face the consequences. Our elected representatives played a deceptive game of chicken with pension funds. And now the chickens have come home to roost.

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Top US CEO's Make 300 Times what Workers Earn

How do you value the efforts of America's top chief executives? Are they worth 10 times what their average worker makes, 20 times or even 100 times?

The current answer appears to be a ratio of more than 300-to-1, according to a new study from the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. The meteoric rise of CEO pay is nothing short of breathtaking, outpacing not only the wages of ordinary workers, but also gains in the stock market and the not-too-shabby rise of income among America's 0.1 percent of top earners.

Surging CEO pay has potentially negative implications for other employees, leaving less on the table for wages, benefits and other compensation. Top execs at large public companies are keeping about 10 percent of their companies' net profits, about double the rate in the early 1990s, according to the AFL-CIO.

While some would argue that CEOs are earning more because they provide extraordinary benefits to their companies, EPI president Lawrence Mishel says the evidence doesn't support that.

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Theses States Depend on 'O Phone' the Most

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants to expand Lifeline, a government program that subsidizes telephone service for the poor. Yet very little is understood about the people who depend on the assistance.

California, New York and Florida are among the states that depend on the subsidy the most. The Golden State tops the list with about 1.5 million subscribers, according to data from the Universal ServiceAdministrative Company (USAC), while the Empire State has just under 1 million. Wyoming and South Dakota have the fewest subscribers.

States and tribal territories that offer both of the top Lifeline providers—Assurance Wireless, a subsidiary of Virgin Mobile, and SafeLink Wireless, a subsidy of TracFone—tend to have the largest subscriber figures, according to Philip Colvin of USAC, which serves as the program's administrator.

He added that those mobile providers are the most aggressive at promoting Lifeline plans, which is probably why they have the most subscribers.

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Supreme Court Caught Messing With Marriage Case?

A series of events that has been described as a “troubling turn” has been found to have taken place at the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the justices’ looming decision on marriage – whether they will affirm the millennia old standard of one man and one woman or whether they will create a right to homosexual “marriage.”

The report is from the law firm of William J. Olson, P.C., the workplace of Olson, who served in several positions for the Reagan administration, and Herb Titus, a longtime constitutional law professor.

The organization has issued a series of reports on the issue of marriage, under funding from the United States Justice Foundation.

The circumstances concern efforts to have Ruth Ginsburg and Elena Kagan recused from the marriage case because they both have taken public advocacy positions for same-sex “marriage” by performing those ceremonies even while the case was pending before the justices.

More here

Israel Fires Back At UN Report

A UN report released Monday found both Israel and Palestinians committed “serious violations” of international law and possible war crimes in last summer’s seven-week battle in Gaza, a finding Israel swiftly denounced.

The report from the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council was expected to come down on Israel, which publicized a preemptive report last week from military and political leaders around the world that determined Israel went to lengths above and beyond international requirements to minimize civilian casualties.

The report called for Israel to “break with its recent lamentable track record in holding wrongdoers accountable,” but also cited Palestinian militants for the “inherently indiscriminate nature” of rocket and mortar attacks on Israel and condemned Hamas’ summary executions of suspected collaborators.

Israel swiftly moved to dispute the report’s findings.

"In defending itself against attacks, Israel's military acted according to the highest international standards," the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said the findings failed to differentiate between Israel's" moral behavior" and the actions of Palestinian "terror organizations."

There was no immediate comment from Hamas, which the report said also may have committed war crimes in firing rockets at Israeli civilian population centers.

The Israeli government refused to cooperate with the Human Rights Council investigation, citing past reports it believes were biased against the Jewish State, and a former panel chairman who led inquiries even as he did legal work for the Palestine Liberation Organization.

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Actor Dick Van Patten Has Died. He was 86

Breaking News: Dick Van Patten, who starred in the Eight Is Enough - TV Show, died Tuesday morning at age 86. 

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Its About Time

The U.S. Park Police has replaced longstanding policy for how it treats pregnant employees. The Washington Post reports that now the Park Police follow procedures under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which requires accommodation of pregnant women only after the pregnancy hinders their ability to work. Under the old policy, women were required to tell Park Service supervisors the moment they became pregnant. The policy change comes in response to a lawsuit by former officer Renee Abt. She also received a $300,000 pain-and-suffering settlement.

5 Bullets to Save 1,000 People From 4 Terrorists

WCSO Press Release 6-23-15 (Part 1 of 2)

Incident: Assault

Date of Incident: 11 June 2015

Location: 34000 block of Main Street, Pittsville, MD

Suspect: 1. Herman R. Baumgartner, 50, Pittsville, MD

Herman Baumgartner

               2. Christy Marie Baumgartner, 38, Pittsville, MD

Christy Baumgartner

Narrative: On 11 June 2015 at 8:13 PM a deputy responded to a reported domestic related altercation at a residence in the 34000 block of Main Street in Pittsville, MD. Upon arrival the deputy met with Herman and Christy Baumgartner who were husband and wife. Both told the deputy that each had been assaulted by the other. The deputy also observed that they both were visibly intoxicated. During the investigation the deputy observed signs on both that supported their claims of being assaulted.

Believing that a mutual assault had taken place, the deputy placed both under arrest and transported them to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following their initial appearance, both were detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $5,000.00 bond each.

Charges: Assault 2nd Degree

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Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

Date of Incident: 14 June 2015

Location: N/B Salisbury Blvd. at E. Ruark Drive, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Gisela Tula Teles, 34, Salisbury, MD

No Photo Available

Narrative: On 14 June 2015 at 3:32 AM a deputy stopped a vehicle operated by Gisela Teles for erratic driving on N/B Salisbury Blvd. Upon making contact with Teles, the deputy detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from within the vehicle. Based on the odor and other physical indicators, the deputy initiated sobriety testing. At the conclusion of the tests, the deputy placed Teles under arrest for DUI.

During subsequent processing Teles provided a breath sample with a result of .11.

Teles was released upon the issuance of citations.

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se

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Incident: Assault

Date of Incident: 19 June 2015

Location: 100 block of Onley Road, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Tyler D. Truitt, 30, Salisbury, MD

No Photo Available

Narrative: On 19 June 2015 at 2:27 AM a deputy responded to a reported domestic related altercation in the 100 block of Onley Road in Salisbury. Upon arrival the deputy met with a visibly distraught female who advised that she was involved in an altercation with her child’s father, Tyler Truitt that turned physical. It was alleged that Truitt kicked the female subject in the stomach and punched her in the ear as she was trying to make a call. The victim further told the deputy that she was assaulted “several times” and during the investigation the deputy observed signs of injury and a torn shirt on the victim the corroborated her account.

The deputy placed Truitt under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Truitt in the Detention Center in lieu of $15,000.00 bond.

Charges: Assault 2nd Degree

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Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

Date of Incident: 21 June 2015

Location: 1000 block of Robins Avenue, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Dalton Perry Baker, 19, Salisbury, MD

No Photo Available

Narrative: On 21 June 2015 at 7:39 PM a deputy stopped a vehicle operated by Dalton Baker for erratic driving on Robins Avenue in Salisbury. Upon making contact with Baker, the deputy detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. Based on the odor and other physical indicators, the deputy initiated sobriety testing. It was following these tests that the deputy placed Baker under arrest for DUI.

During subsequent processing Dalton provided a breath sample with a result of .12.

Dalton was released upon the issuance of citations.

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se

                                                                         

Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson        Date:  23 June 2015