DETROIT – While some teachers might complain about the size of their paycheck, Detroit Public School teachers are hardly surprised when they don’t get a check at all.
“We need something that will effectively, regularly pay the teachers what they’re owed. They do the work. They need the pay. They need it on-time, with bills to pay. All they get now is a runaround,” Detroit Federation of Teachers President Steve Conn told Click on Detroit.
Conn raised a ruckus in the media this week after some of his members were shorted hundreds of dollars in their paychecks, while others didn’t receive a pay check at all. And it’s not the first time.
The socialist union boss blames Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, of course, because Snyder has sent in emergency financial managers to divert DPS from its crash course with total financial and academic failure, though the first EFM was sent in by former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, August 01, 2015
Hartly Man Arrested for Exposing Himself
Hartly, DE- The Delaware State Police have charged an 18-year old man for exposing himself while at the Hartly Learning Daycare Center and the Hartly Elementary School.
On Tuesday July 7, 2015 at approximately 4:40 p.m. an employee of the Hartly Elementary School was cutting grass on the school property along the roadway when she observed a red two door vehicle, which had been traveling north on Arthursville Road, pull over onto the shoulder directly across from her. A male suspect, who was seated in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, opened the door with no pants on and exposed himself to the school employee. The suspect then began to touch himself in an inappropriate manner. The employee called 9-1-1 and the suspect drove off in an eastbound direction on Hartly Road. The school was not in session, and no children were present at the time of the incident.
On multiple occasions from July 15, 2015 to July 22, 2015, the suspect vehicle was seen at the Hartly Family Learning Center, which is a daycare facility located at 21 North St., Hartly. An employee of the daycare facility reported that on one occasion as she walked towards her vehicle, she observed a small red passenger car pull into the parking lot and park his vehicle. The driver described as a white male, opened his door with his pants pulled down to his knees and exposed himself to the employee. As the employee left the property in her vehicle, the suspect followed the victim onto the road and then drove off in a different direction.
On July 21, 2015, another employee of the daycare reported that as she was leaving the facility and was walking toward her vehicle in the parking lot, she observed the same red suspect vehicle enter the parking lot and park next to her vehicle. The same male suspect remained inside of the car and proceeded to follow the female employee as she exited the parking lot in her vehicle. The suspect then drove off in a different direction.
Through the investigation Troopers identified Brandon M. Tucker as the suspect and on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, they responded to his residence located in the 1300 block of Crystal Road. Brandon Tucker was taken into custody without incident and charged with two counts of Indecent Exposure 2nd Degree, two counts of Lewdness and five counts of Criminal Trespass 3rd Degree. He was arraigned at JP2 and released on $3,050.00 unsecured bond.
If anyone has any further information on this incident, they are asked to contact Detective M. Csapo at 302-741-2810 or Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."
Family feud in evidence at Bobbi Kristina Brown funeral
Bobbi Kristina, who dreamed of growing up to achieve fame like her mother, died in hospice care July 26, about six months after she was found face-down and unresponsive in a bathtub in her suburban Atlanta townhome.
CBS affiliate WGCL in Atlanta reported that the young woman was expected to be buried alongside her mother in New Jersey.
A longstanding rift between families of the young woman's famous mother and father broke out into the open at a memorial service held for Bobbi Kristina at the St. James United Methodist Church in Alpharetta.
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Iowa Poll: Trump Takes Huge Lead Over Walker
Trump has a 15-point lead over Walker
Billionaire Donald Trump is blowing away his nearest competitor, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, 2-to-1, in a poll of Iowa Republican voters released Friday by Gravis Marketing on behalf of One American News Network.
Trump has a 15-point lead over Walker in the poll taken of 227 registered Republican voters in the Hawkeye State, asked Wednesday who among the GOP candidates for president they would vote for if the caucus were held today. The results, according to the poll:
- Trump, 30.9 percent
- Walker, 15.4 percent
- Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, 10 percent
- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, 7.2 percent
- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 6 percent
- Texas Sen.Ted Cruz, 5.5 percent
- Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, 5.1 percent
- Ohio Gov. John Kasich, 5.0 percent
- Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, 4.3 percent
- Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, 2.9 percent
- Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, 2.8 percent
- Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, 1.7 percent
- South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, 1 percent
Planned Parenthood’s Mammogram Lie
The breast-cancer screening charade casts Planned Parenthood as a life-saving provider of vital health services unavailable anywhere else. You may recall that during the 2012 presidential campaign, Obama himself falsely claimed during a debate that the abortion provider administers mammograms to “millions” of women — and liberal CNN moderator Candy Crowley let him get away with it. On cue, Hollywood activists Scarlett Johansson, Eva Longoria, and Kerry Washington all attacked the GOP ticket for wanting to “end” funding for “cancer screenings” by cutting off government subsidies for Planned Parenthood’s bloody billion-dollar abortion business. The celebrities in the White House and Tinseltown took their script straight from Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood’s senior director of medical services, who purported to speak for countless women for whom Planned Parenthood is “the only way” they can gain access to mammograms. (If the name sounds familiar, Nucatola is the same wine-swishing Josephine Mengele who was exposed on video by the Center for Medical Progress two weeks ago lolling through a business lunch negotiating payments for aborted baby parts.)
Cop Fatally Shot Teen In Back, Not In Self-Defense, Family Says
A Seneca police officer shot the teen twice on Sunday during an arrest for suspected drugs, according to Greenville Online.
Police say Hammond was driving another woman to a parking lot, where an undercover agent had arranged to purchase drugs from her.
The officer got out of his marked vehicle and approached Hammond's car with his weapon drawn, Police Chief John Covington said, noting that this is standard practice for a "narcotics" investigation. That's when, according to the chief, Hammond accelerated his car toward the officer, local Fox affiliate WHNS notes. Covington maintains that his officer "fired two shots in self-defense" as Hammond "drove directly at him."
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DEA Official: Mexican Drug Cartels Doing 'Tremendous Harm to Our Communities'
(CNSNews) - "When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best," Donald Trump said last month, prompting fierce denunciation for suggesting that some of the Mexicans coming here are bringing drugs and crime with them.
On Tuesday, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency official told Congress that Mexican drug cartels are fueling the U.S. heroin epidemic, producing crime and violence, and doing "tremendous harm to our communities." And no one disputed him.
"Overdose deaths involving heroin are increasing at an alarming rate, having almost tripled since 2010," Jack Riley, the acting deputy DEA administrator, told a House Justice subcommittee on Tuesday.
"Today’s heroin at the retail level costs less and is more potent than the heroin that DEA encountered a decade ago. It comes predominantly across the Southwest Border
and is produced with greater sophistication from powerful transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) like the Sinaloa Cartel. These Mexican-based TCOs are extremely dangerous and violent and continue to be the principal suppliers of heroin to the United States."
Riley produced a map showing how the Sinaloa cartel has infiltrated the nation by partnering with street gangs to peddle their drugs.
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On Tuesday, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency official told Congress that Mexican drug cartels are fueling the U.S. heroin epidemic, producing crime and violence, and doing "tremendous harm to our communities." And no one disputed him.
"Overdose deaths involving heroin are increasing at an alarming rate, having almost tripled since 2010," Jack Riley, the acting deputy DEA administrator, told a House Justice subcommittee on Tuesday.
"Today’s heroin at the retail level costs less and is more potent than the heroin that DEA encountered a decade ago. It comes predominantly across the Southwest Border
and is produced with greater sophistication from powerful transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) like the Sinaloa Cartel. These Mexican-based TCOs are extremely dangerous and violent and continue to be the principal suppliers of heroin to the United States."
Riley produced a map showing how the Sinaloa cartel has infiltrated the nation by partnering with street gangs to peddle their drugs.
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Registered sex offender sentenced to over 21 years in prison
WILMINGTON, Del. – A repeat child sex offender was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison Thursday plus a life time of supervised release following his sentence for receiving child pornography. The investigation that led to his sentence was a result of a joint U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Delaware State Police effort.
Rogelio “Roger” Cordero, 58, of New Castle, Delaware, will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction in which he lives, works or attends school.
Cordero was previously convicted in Delaware of unlawful sexual intercourse, unlawful sexual penetration and unlawful sexual contact, second degree in 1992. Those crimes involved Cordero’s sexual abuse of two female minors over an 18-month period. He was sentenced to 18 years in Delaware state prison, and five years of probation following his release. He was also ordered to undergo approximately 85 months of sex offender treatment. He was released from custody in December 2006, and committed the offenses he was just sentenced for while on state probation.
Reports conflict on whether Cecil the lion's brother, Jericho, also killed
Johnny Rodrigues, head of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, told CNN that a hunter illegally gunned down Jericho in Hwange National Park.
The task force also reported on its Facebook page that Jericho was killed at 4 p.m. local time.
Later, however, an Oxford University researcher tracking Jericho told CNN that the lion was alive and moving as of 8 p.m. local time Saturday, based on the GPS data from the animal's collar.
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Thank you to the person that sent us an update about this story.
Blacks Rule’ Painted Next to Burned Mississippi Flag on Disabled Vet’s Driveway
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Martin O'Malley proposes feds get involved with policing
BALTIMORE —Long-shot presidential candidate Martin O'Malley on Friday proposed getting the federal government more involved in local policing practices.
In a speech in Florida O'Malley billed himself as the most experienced candidate in criminal justice reform.
O'Malley's policing practices when he was mayor in Baltimore are a source of criticism. He advocated zero-tolerance policing, which led to high numbers of arrests.
As a presidential candidate O'Malley is calling for a national standard on police use of force. He wants local governments to be required to comply. He also wants police misconduct investigations to be taken out of the hands of local prosecutors. And he wants to lower the bar for the Department of Justice to conduct civil rights investigations of death in-custody cases.
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In a speech in Florida O'Malley billed himself as the most experienced candidate in criminal justice reform.
O'Malley's policing practices when he was mayor in Baltimore are a source of criticism. He advocated zero-tolerance policing, which led to high numbers of arrests.
As a presidential candidate O'Malley is calling for a national standard on police use of force. He wants local governments to be required to comply. He also wants police misconduct investigations to be taken out of the hands of local prosecutors. And he wants to lower the bar for the Department of Justice to conduct civil rights investigations of death in-custody cases.
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Democrats On Civil Rights: Bullet Or Bribe?
In 1857, the Supreme Court, with seven of the nine justices being Democrat, decided that Dred Scott was not a citizen, but property.
Chief Justice Roger Taney, appointed by Democrat President Andrew Jackson, wrote that slaves were “so far inferior … that the Negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for their own benefit.”
After the Civil War, the 13th Amendment was adopted Dec. 6, 1865, abolishing slavery in America. Once Southern Democrats were forced to free their slaves, they attempted to effectively re-enslave them by passing “Black Codes” and “Jim Crow Laws” which required former slaves to be “apprenticed” to “employers” and punished any who left.
On Nov. 22, 1865, Republicans denounced Mississippi’s Democrat legislature for enacting “Black Codes” which institutionalized racial discrimination.
On Feb. 5, 1866, Republican Congressman Thaddeus Stevens introduced legislation to give former slaves “40 acres and a mule,” but Democrats opposed it, led by President Andrew Johnson. On April 9, 1866, Republicans in Congress overrode Democrat President Johnson’s veto and passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, conferring rights of citizenship on freed slaves.
To force Southern states to extend state citizenship rights to former slaves, Republicans in the U.S. House passed the 14th Amendment, May 10, 1866, as did the Senate, June 8, 1866. One hundred percent of Democrats voted against it.
The 14th Amendment was adopted by the states on July 28, 1868.
Republican Congressman John Farnsworth of Illinois stated, March 31, 1871: “The reason for the adoption (of the 14th Amendment) … was because of … discriminating … legislation of those States … by which they were punishing one class of men under different laws from another class.”
Once Southern Democrats could no longer re-enslave with “Black Codes” and “Jim Crow Laws,” they attempted to keep former slaves from voting.
Read more here
Chief Justice Roger Taney, appointed by Democrat President Andrew Jackson, wrote that slaves were “so far inferior … that the Negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for their own benefit.”
After the Civil War, the 13th Amendment was adopted Dec. 6, 1865, abolishing slavery in America. Once Southern Democrats were forced to free their slaves, they attempted to effectively re-enslave them by passing “Black Codes” and “Jim Crow Laws” which required former slaves to be “apprenticed” to “employers” and punished any who left.
On Nov. 22, 1865, Republicans denounced Mississippi’s Democrat legislature for enacting “Black Codes” which institutionalized racial discrimination.
On Feb. 5, 1866, Republican Congressman Thaddeus Stevens introduced legislation to give former slaves “40 acres and a mule,” but Democrats opposed it, led by President Andrew Johnson. On April 9, 1866, Republicans in Congress overrode Democrat President Johnson’s veto and passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, conferring rights of citizenship on freed slaves.
To force Southern states to extend state citizenship rights to former slaves, Republicans in the U.S. House passed the 14th Amendment, May 10, 1866, as did the Senate, June 8, 1866. One hundred percent of Democrats voted against it.
The 14th Amendment was adopted by the states on July 28, 1868.
Republican Congressman John Farnsworth of Illinois stated, March 31, 1871: “The reason for the adoption (of the 14th Amendment) … was because of … discriminating … legislation of those States … by which they were punishing one class of men under different laws from another class.”
Once Southern Democrats could no longer re-enslave with “Black Codes” and “Jim Crow Laws,” they attempted to keep former slaves from voting.
Read more here
Md. officials want kids’ hot car deaths to be thing of the past
Last year, 31 children died from heatstroke and 15 have already died this year, according to data provided by Prince George’s County Fire & Rescue Service.
In the mock scenario, 911 received a call from a bystander who found a child locked in a hot car. Emergency rescuers responded, hoping to free a child locked in a hot car.
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Leaves Changing Colors So Soon?
Verizon Strike Possible As Contract Deadline Looms
A contract covering 39,000 Verizon workers represented by two unions expires at the end of Saturday. Last week the Communication Workers of America announced that 86 percent of Verizon workers covered by the contract voted to strike in a recent poll, if a new agreement isn’t reached.
The contract covers employees in nine states from Massachusetts to Virginia who work for Verizon’s wireline business, which provides fixed-line phone services and FiOS Internet service.
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Did You Ever Notice the Asterisk on Your Social Security Statement?
While engaging in the mundane task of gathering financial statements for a “secure retirement” meeting with my husband’s and my adviser, this Baby Boomer stumbled upon documented proof that our nation does not have the guts to confront one of its most serious economic problems. The realization came when I pulled from my files a document statement innocently titled, “Your Social Security Statement.”
At first glance, the statement did not appear menacing. I was told I could expect to receive a benefit of “about $2,136 a month” upon reaching age 70 — which certainly seems like good news. But immediately I thought of a parallel of President Obama’s infamous Obamacare promise: “If you like your Social Security, you can keep your Social Security.”
At first glance, the statement did not appear menacing. I was told I could expect to receive a benefit of “about $2,136 a month” upon reaching age 70 — which certainly seems like good news. But immediately I thought of a parallel of President Obama’s infamous Obamacare promise: “If you like your Social Security, you can keep your Social Security.”
Then, as if on cue, I saw an asterisk with the following message:
The law governing benefit amounts may change because, by 2033, the payroll taxes collected will be enough to pay only about 77 percent of scheduled benefits.
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‘Dancing Umbrellas’ video understates inherent danger
The aftermath of this event is rather simple since no injuries were reported, but people can and have been seriously injured in similar circumstances.
“I tell my guards to treat a blowing umbrella as just as dangerous as someone drowning,” Butch Arbin, captain of the Ocean City Beach Patrol said. “I’ve seen them take off like a rocket. The downtown condos can cause some bizarre drafts and flight patterns.”
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Jefferson Who? Democrats Are Disowning Their Founders
Matt Hennessy attended the Connecticut Democratic Party's annual fundraising dinner recently. He was surprised when Nick Balletto, the party's chair, announced that the name of the dinner will change next year.
Like other state and local Democrats around the country, those in Connecticut for decades have named their annual dinner after two of the party's primary founders: Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. But after the killing of nine worshippers last month at a church in Charleston, S.C., party leaders have been rethinking the wisdom of honoring the two slave-owning presidents.
"Their names on this party event have the potential to interfere with party unity by appearing to honor slaveholders and an oppressor of Native Americans," said Hennessy, a Democratic consultant. (Jackson pursued a policy of "Indian removal" that might be likened to ethnic cleansing.)
It's in keeping with other debates that are taking place around political symbols such as the display of the Confederate flag. Minnesota is debating whether to remove paintings from its capitol that depict white settler and Army attacks on American Indians. (Although admittedly those paintings are not as blatantly offensive as the Indian slaughter murals at the fictional City Hall in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation.)
"As far as these symbolic gestures, these are perfectly legitimate, fine and polite things to do," said Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University.
But he cautioned that removing the name or images of old-time leaders who acted in ways that many now find abhorrent is not sufficient.
"We need not only to erase this stuff, but confront it," Thompson said.
Many are concerned that the "PC police" threaten to worsen historical amnesia by portraying leaders of the past as villains. Jefferson owned slaves, but he also wrote the Declaration of Independence, among other accomplishments still worth celebrating.
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Like other state and local Democrats around the country, those in Connecticut for decades have named their annual dinner after two of the party's primary founders: Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. But after the killing of nine worshippers last month at a church in Charleston, S.C., party leaders have been rethinking the wisdom of honoring the two slave-owning presidents.
"Their names on this party event have the potential to interfere with party unity by appearing to honor slaveholders and an oppressor of Native Americans," said Hennessy, a Democratic consultant. (Jackson pursued a policy of "Indian removal" that might be likened to ethnic cleansing.)
It's in keeping with other debates that are taking place around political symbols such as the display of the Confederate flag. Minnesota is debating whether to remove paintings from its capitol that depict white settler and Army attacks on American Indians. (Although admittedly those paintings are not as blatantly offensive as the Indian slaughter murals at the fictional City Hall in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation.)
"As far as these symbolic gestures, these are perfectly legitimate, fine and polite things to do," said Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University.
But he cautioned that removing the name or images of old-time leaders who acted in ways that many now find abhorrent is not sufficient.
"We need not only to erase this stuff, but confront it," Thompson said.
Many are concerned that the "PC police" threaten to worsen historical amnesia by portraying leaders of the past as villains. Jefferson owned slaves, but he also wrote the Declaration of Independence, among other accomplishments still worth celebrating.
More
Children’s Day on the Bay at Sunset Park this Sunday
“The Delmarva Discovery Center will bring turtles, snakes and other animals, the Coast Guard will offer knot-tying lessons and [Museum Curator] Sandy Hurley will be leading our shark sessions,” Assistant Curator Diane Knuckles said.
Shark species will be identified, explained and budding shark biologists can have their voluminous questions answered.
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Higher wages a surprising success for Seattle restaurant
SEATTLE — Menu prices are up 21 percent and you don't have to tip at Ivar's Salmon House on Seattle's Lake Union after the restaurant decided to institute the city's $15-an-hour minimum wage two years ahead of schedule.
It is staff, not diners, who feel the real difference, with wages as much as 60 percent higher than before. One waitress is saving for accounting classes and finding it easier to take weekend vacations, while another server is using the added pay to cover increased rent.
Seattle's law, adopted last year after a strong push from labor and grassroots activists, bumped the city's minimum wage to $11 beginning April 1, above Washington state's highest-in-the-nation $9.47. Scheduled increases that depend on business size and benefits will bring the minimum to $15 within four years for large businesses and seven years for smaller ones.
There's little data yet on how the law's working.
"To the extent that we can look at macro patterns, we're not seeing a problem," said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.
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It is staff, not diners, who feel the real difference, with wages as much as 60 percent higher than before. One waitress is saving for accounting classes and finding it easier to take weekend vacations, while another server is using the added pay to cover increased rent.
Seattle's law, adopted last year after a strong push from labor and grassroots activists, bumped the city's minimum wage to $11 beginning April 1, above Washington state's highest-in-the-nation $9.47. Scheduled increases that depend on business size and benefits will bring the minimum to $15 within four years for large businesses and seven years for smaller ones.
There's little data yet on how the law's working.
"To the extent that we can look at macro patterns, we're not seeing a problem," said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.
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Ocean Pines Hosting Antique Appraiser Aug. 6
BERLIN – Ocean Pines residents curious about what their antiques are worth will have the chance to find out next week as a nationally known appraiser comes to town.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, antiques and art appraiser Todd Peenstra will host a free event at the Ocean Pines Community Center.
“Todd is a nationally known appraiser with over 20 years of experience doing this,” said Teresa Travatello, marketing director for the Ocean Pines Association. “He will be able to help collectors determine the value of their antique items for many reasons, from curiosity to insurance appraisals to estate planning.”
Lindsy Layfield of the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department said Peenstra approached the homeowners association about offering an event after he attended the Ocean Pines Homes Show earlier this year.
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On Thursday, Aug. 6, antiques and art appraiser Todd Peenstra will host a free event at the Ocean Pines Community Center.
“Todd is a nationally known appraiser with over 20 years of experience doing this,” said Teresa Travatello, marketing director for the Ocean Pines Association. “He will be able to help collectors determine the value of their antique items for many reasons, from curiosity to insurance appraisals to estate planning.”
Lindsy Layfield of the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department said Peenstra approached the homeowners association about offering an event after he attended the Ocean Pines Homes Show earlier this year.
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Migrants Fight to Get Into UK As Ferry Workers Block Harbour
FLAMES filled the air in Calais after striking French ferry workers blocked roads with burning tires leaving the port now resembling a WARZONE.
The protest has taken place after negotiations with the French government over job cuts broke down.
Fires, which are currently blocking access to the harbour, have plunged the crisis zone into further chaos.
It comes after Britain's borders faced more disruption last night as hundreds of migrants including children stormed the Eurotunnel.
David Cameron has said Britain is threatened by a “swarm” of foreigners and the migrant crisis in Calais was likened to a “warzone.”
Migrants were pictured clinging to a lorry as they left the port of Dover, while others in Calais were seen clambering over fences with children in tow.
More than 4,000 increasingly aggressive and desperate migrants largely from war-torn failed African states have stormed through fences in a bid to clamber aboard trains to ‘El Dorado’ UK.
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The protest has taken place after negotiations with the French government over job cuts broke down.
Fires, which are currently blocking access to the harbour, have plunged the crisis zone into further chaos.
It comes after Britain's borders faced more disruption last night as hundreds of migrants including children stormed the Eurotunnel.
David Cameron has said Britain is threatened by a “swarm” of foreigners and the migrant crisis in Calais was likened to a “warzone.”
Migrants were pictured clinging to a lorry as they left the port of Dover, while others in Calais were seen clambering over fences with children in tow.
More than 4,000 increasingly aggressive and desperate migrants largely from war-torn failed African states have stormed through fences in a bid to clamber aboard trains to ‘El Dorado’ UK.
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The Iran Nuke Documents Obama Doesn’t Want You to See
Seventeen unclassified Iran deal items have been locked in ultra-secure facilities ordinarily used for top secret info.
Why is the Obama administration trying to bury this material?
Scattered around the U.S. Capitol complex are a series of Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facilities, or SCIFs, which are typically used to hold Top Secret information.
But today in these deeply secure settings are a series of unclassified documents—items dealing with the Iran nuclear deal that are not secret, but that the Obama administration is nevertheless blocking the public from reading.
The Obama administration delivered 18 documents to Congress on July 19, in accordance with legislation requiring a Congressional review of the nuclear deal. Only one of these documents is classified, while the remaining 17 are unclassified.
Yet many of these unclassified documents cannot be shared with the public or discussed openly with the press. The protocol for handling these documents, set by the State Department and carried out by Congress, is that these unreleased documents can only be reviewed ‘in camera’—a Latin term that means only those with special clearance can read them—and must be held in various Congressional SCIFs.
Read more here
Why is the Obama administration trying to bury this material?
Scattered around the U.S. Capitol complex are a series of Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facilities, or SCIFs, which are typically used to hold Top Secret information.
But today in these deeply secure settings are a series of unclassified documents—items dealing with the Iran nuclear deal that are not secret, but that the Obama administration is nevertheless blocking the public from reading.
The Obama administration delivered 18 documents to Congress on July 19, in accordance with legislation requiring a Congressional review of the nuclear deal. Only one of these documents is classified, while the remaining 17 are unclassified.
Yet many of these unclassified documents cannot be shared with the public or discussed openly with the press. The protocol for handling these documents, set by the State Department and carried out by Congress, is that these unreleased documents can only be reviewed ‘in camera’—a Latin term that means only those with special clearance can read them—and must be held in various Congressional SCIFs.
Read more here
Retired Navy Commander: Gitmo Prisoners Could Be Set Free on U.S. Streets
A retired Navy commander says that if the Obama administration’s plan to bring Guantanamo inmates to the United States succeeds, “activist” judges could set those prisoners free on American streets.
J.D. Gordon, who worked as Pentagon spokesman from 2005 to 2009, penned an op-ed for the Hill during which he pointed out the details of the prison’s impending closure.
First, Gordon argued that the current 116 detainees–half of whom are designated with indefinite detention status and a third of whom are confirmed or believed to be returning to terrorism–could go free in the United States.
“Our courts will have the final say on whether they remain locked up, not the administration,” Gordon explained. “And if other countries won’t take them, they could just walk out of jail. Detainees don’t have to escape from Supermax if judges let them out.”
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J.D. Gordon, who worked as Pentagon spokesman from 2005 to 2009, penned an op-ed for the Hill during which he pointed out the details of the prison’s impending closure.
First, Gordon argued that the current 116 detainees–half of whom are designated with indefinite detention status and a third of whom are confirmed or believed to be returning to terrorism–could go free in the United States.
“Our courts will have the final say on whether they remain locked up, not the administration,” Gordon explained. “And if other countries won’t take them, they could just walk out of jail. Detainees don’t have to escape from Supermax if judges let them out.”
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Cause of Action Sues State for Clinton Records Failure
Cause of Action (COA), a non-profit and nonpartisan government accountability organization, filed a lawsuit against the agency, claiming it did not perform its due diligence in ensuring that Clinton followed record keeping protocol. COA executive director Dan Epstein said the suit was necessary to ensure transparency in future administrations.
“This case is about no government official being above the law and the duty of Secretary Kerry and Archivist [David] Ferriero to fulfill their statutory obligations to hold former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accountable for misusing taxpayer funded federal property,” Epstein said in a release.
Clinton installed a private email server in her home, rather than using the existing State Department email server. She conducted official State Department business on the private server. She turned over thousands of pages of email records but not before combing through the files and eliminating tens of thousands of emails she says were personal in nature.
“Federal law requires these agency heads to notify Congress when such action has been taken,” the group said in a release.
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Councilman OK To Bid On Town Projects In Future
BERLIN – The Berlin Ethics Commission ruled that a town councilman could bid on municipal projects as long as certain conditions were met.
At the request of Berlin Councilman Thom Gulyas, the town’s ethics commission met to consider whether or not he could bid on the town’s printing projects. The commission agreed that he could as long he had no access to project bids or contact with the staff handling them.
“This is for your protection,” said Anita Todd, chair of the commission.
Gulyas, the owner of Ace Printing & Mailing in Berlin, was elected to the town council in 2014. He told the ethics commission, which meets as needed, that he had handled printing jobs for the town in the past and was interested in continuing to do so. He said he was not aware of any upcoming projects but simply wanted to know whether, with his position on the council, he would be able to bid on town projects in the future.
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At the request of Berlin Councilman Thom Gulyas, the town’s ethics commission met to consider whether or not he could bid on the town’s printing projects. The commission agreed that he could as long he had no access to project bids or contact with the staff handling them.
“This is for your protection,” said Anita Todd, chair of the commission.
Gulyas, the owner of Ace Printing & Mailing in Berlin, was elected to the town council in 2014. He told the ethics commission, which meets as needed, that he had handled printing jobs for the town in the past and was interested in continuing to do so. He said he was not aware of any upcoming projects but simply wanted to know whether, with his position on the council, he would be able to bid on town projects in the future.
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FBI: Suspect in Montana shooting says victim laughed at him
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Bullets whizzed past a woman's head as she fled from an 18-year-old gunman who had posed as a stranded motorist to convince her family to help him on the roadside of a Montana Indian reservation, the woman recounted to relatives.
The man claimed he had run out of gas, then pulled a gun, demanded money and opened fire when Jorah Shane followed her mother's order to run, Ada Shane said, relaying the story as told to her by her wounded niece.
The relatives listened to Jorah Shane's story, made sure the television in her hospital room was kept off, and struggled with how to tell her that the man had killed her mother and father in Wednesday's shooting, Ada Shane told The Associated Press Thursday.
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The man claimed he had run out of gas, then pulled a gun, demanded money and opened fire when Jorah Shane followed her mother's order to run, Ada Shane said, relaying the story as told to her by her wounded niece.
The relatives listened to Jorah Shane's story, made sure the television in her hospital room was kept off, and struggled with how to tell her that the man had killed her mother and father in Wednesday's shooting, Ada Shane told The Associated Press Thursday.
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Lousy Internet costing health dept. thousands
Internet access on the Eastern Shore is not just difficult for rank-and-file consumers, but businesses, organizations and governmental agencies as well.
The once-mighty T1 line used to be about the fastest connection available before the advent of fiber-optic cable, available on the western shore and elsewhere for about a decade now. But those very same T1 lines, still in wide use here, are costing the state and Worcester County thousands of dollars per month for access that is costing fiber users hundreds.
“At the Worcester County Addictions Program, we have two T1 connections costing us $2,054 per month total. When we do get fiber, we expect those costs to drop to between $350-500 per month,” Worcester County Health Department Director Debbie Goeller said.
The catch is the initial outlay. Because of compounded regulations from both county and state, Goeller said she expects it will cost around $45,000 to get the new fiber connection up and running.
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The once-mighty T1 line used to be about the fastest connection available before the advent of fiber-optic cable, available on the western shore and elsewhere for about a decade now. But those very same T1 lines, still in wide use here, are costing the state and Worcester County thousands of dollars per month for access that is costing fiber users hundreds.
“At the Worcester County Addictions Program, we have two T1 connections costing us $2,054 per month total. When we do get fiber, we expect those costs to drop to between $350-500 per month,” Worcester County Health Department Director Debbie Goeller said.
The catch is the initial outlay. Because of compounded regulations from both county and state, Goeller said she expects it will cost around $45,000 to get the new fiber connection up and running.
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Texas businessman finds cellphone that fell from plane
WICHITA FALLS, Texas — A Texas businessman used an app to find his iPhone in a rural pasture after it fell about 9,300 feet during a flight from Houston.
The Wichita Falls Times Record News (http://bit.ly/1JTt5AS ) reported Thursday that Ben Wilson says his cellphone still works. 929155
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The Wichita Falls Times Record News (http://bit.ly/1JTt5AS ) reported Thursday that Ben Wilson says his cellphone still works. 929155
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'Housing Bubble 2' has bloomed into full magnificence
The current housing boom has Dallas solidly in its grip.
As in many cities around the US, prices are soaring, buyers are going nuts, sellers run the show, realtors are laughing all the way to the bank, and the media are having a field day.
Nationwide, the median price of existing homes, at $236,400, as the National Association of Realtors sees it, is now 2.7% higher than it was even in July 2006, the insane peak of the crazy housing bubble that blew up with such spectacular results.
Housing Bubble 2 has bloomed into full magnificence:
In many cities, the median price today is far higher, not just a little higher, than it was during the prior housing bubble, and excitement is once again palpable. Buy now, or miss out forever! A buying panic has set in.
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As in many cities around the US, prices are soaring, buyers are going nuts, sellers run the show, realtors are laughing all the way to the bank, and the media are having a field day.
Nationwide, the median price of existing homes, at $236,400, as the National Association of Realtors sees it, is now 2.7% higher than it was even in July 2006, the insane peak of the crazy housing bubble that blew up with such spectacular results.
Housing Bubble 2 has bloomed into full magnificence:
In many cities, the median price today is far higher, not just a little higher, than it was during the prior housing bubble, and excitement is once again palpable. Buy now, or miss out forever! A buying panic has set in.
More
Assailant in Garland, Texas, attack bought gun in 2010 under Fast and Furious operation
At the time, Lone Wolf Trading Co. was known among gun smugglers for selling illegal firearms. And with Soofi's history of misdemeanor drug and assault charges, there was a chance his purchase might raise red flags in the federal screening process.
Inside the store, he fudged some facts on the form required of would-be gun buyers.
What Soofi could not have known was that Lone Wolf was at the center of a federal sting operation known as Fast and Furious, targeting Mexican drug lords and traffickers. The idea of the secret program was to allow Lone Wolf to sell illegal weapons to criminals and straw purchasers, and track the guns back to large smuggling networks and drug cartels.
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Martin O’Malley super PAC nets disappointing haul
The group said it spent around $83,000 over the period covered by Friday’s Federal Election Commission filing, mostly on get-out-the-vote consulting. That total doesn’t include additional spending on field staff in Iowa that’s not covered by this latest FEC report.
The single biggest donation came from Retail Systems and Services, a Maryland corporation, and the group’s biggest individual donor was John Deane of the Advisory Board Company, who gave roughly $66,500.
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How schools push black students to the criminal justice system
A recent study found misbehaving white students are more likely to get medical help, while misbehaving black students are more likely to face punitive measures like arrest and suspension.
David Ramey, an assistant professor of sociology and criminology at Penn State and the author of the study published in Sociology of Education, analyzed a data set of more than 60,000 schools in more than 6,000 districts. He found schools with relatively larger minority and poor populations are more likely to implement criminalized disciplinary policies — such as suspensions, expulsions, police referrals, and arrests — and less likely to medicalize students by, for instance, connecting them to psychological or behavioral care.
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David Ramey, an assistant professor of sociology and criminology at Penn State and the author of the study published in Sociology of Education, analyzed a data set of more than 60,000 schools in more than 6,000 districts. He found schools with relatively larger minority and poor populations are more likely to implement criminalized disciplinary policies — such as suspensions, expulsions, police referrals, and arrests — and less likely to medicalize students by, for instance, connecting them to psychological or behavioral care.
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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 8-1-15
Downtown
Years ago there was only one place to go if you wanted to buy anything – downtown. It was truly a marvelous place that displayed all the latest wares. The only way people had to see what was available besides the newspaper was to go downtown and see it for themselves.
This was before the days of television and the internet. The only alternative the populace had was the Sears & Roebuck catalogue. This was commonly called the “wish book”, especially around Christmas.
But there was nothing like going downtown where the actual merchandise was on display. The big shopping night was Saturday night. Since almost everybody in town knew everybody else, getting dressed up was the order of the day. It was as much a social occasion as a shopping trip. There was the Ulman Theater, the New Theater and the Wicomico Theater. Some shoppers strolled Main St. before going to the movies.
We had three 5 & 10’s - Woolworths, J.J. McCrory and Newbury’s.
It seemed like every department in every store had a different sales person behind the counter and they knew the merchandise well. Most of the stores had wooden floors and had no air conditioning for the hot summer nights.
Main St. was open to traffic, but you had to get there early to get a parking place. There were no “municipal lots” in those days.
R. E. Powell & Co. had the only elevator that was used by the general public. There was even an elevator operator. I remember the dual system of closing doors that the operator would open and close with great fanfare.
There were no charge cards, but a few stores had what were known as store accounts. The Montgomery Wards store on Main St. had some kind of device that sent messages or anything else up to the office by way of cables that ran overhead. This was a great source of amazement to us younger kids.
There were certain things on Main St. that you will never see again. Things like the “Big Shoe” in front of Homer White’s shoe store. Before that there was the roasted peanut contraption ran by Tom Cinno. He had a confectionary on the West end of Main St. and hooked up the peanut roaster to a gas pipe that extended out from the front of his building. Since he was directly opposite the Ulman Theater, many a patron got their fresh-roasted peanuts before going to the movies. If it was cold, some of his customers purchase two bags – one for each coat pocket to keep their hands warm.
Those gentle evenings of shopping and strolling are now only a memory. The slow pace of a Saturday night spent on Main St. has given way to the fast pace of life in the 21st Century.
This was before the days of television and the internet. The only alternative the populace had was the Sears & Roebuck catalogue. This was commonly called the “wish book”, especially around Christmas.
But there was nothing like going downtown where the actual merchandise was on display. The big shopping night was Saturday night. Since almost everybody in town knew everybody else, getting dressed up was the order of the day. It was as much a social occasion as a shopping trip. There was the Ulman Theater, the New Theater and the Wicomico Theater. Some shoppers strolled Main St. before going to the movies.
We had three 5 & 10’s - Woolworths, J.J. McCrory and Newbury’s.
It seemed like every department in every store had a different sales person behind the counter and they knew the merchandise well. Most of the stores had wooden floors and had no air conditioning for the hot summer nights.
Main St. was open to traffic, but you had to get there early to get a parking place. There were no “municipal lots” in those days.
R. E. Powell & Co. had the only elevator that was used by the general public. There was even an elevator operator. I remember the dual system of closing doors that the operator would open and close with great fanfare.
There were no charge cards, but a few stores had what were known as store accounts. The Montgomery Wards store on Main St. had some kind of device that sent messages or anything else up to the office by way of cables that ran overhead. This was a great source of amazement to us younger kids.
There were certain things on Main St. that you will never see again. Things like the “Big Shoe” in front of Homer White’s shoe store. Before that there was the roasted peanut contraption ran by Tom Cinno. He had a confectionary on the West end of Main St. and hooked up the peanut roaster to a gas pipe that extended out from the front of his building. Since he was directly opposite the Ulman Theater, many a patron got their fresh-roasted peanuts before going to the movies. If it was cold, some of his customers purchase two bags – one for each coat pocket to keep their hands warm.
Those gentle evenings of shopping and strolling are now only a memory. The slow pace of a Saturday night spent on Main St. has given way to the fast pace of life in the 21st Century.
Take-home vehicle system expanding for OC police
City Council President Lloyd Martin said Tuesday that the council had adopted the new measure during a closed-door meeting prior to the regular afternoon session.
That policy will give OCPD Chief Ross Buzzuro the ability to authorize take-home vehicles for officers whose homes are outside of the normal city mileage limitations.
The official wording is that Buzzuro will, “have the discretion, on a case-by-case basis, to determine if a vehicle is warranted based on operational necessity and the best interest of the department.”
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Accident involving Worcester County Deputy investigated.
Mr. Hayward was Suspended and Revoked through the State of Maryland .Mr. Hayward admitted to using CDS, specifically LSD, before operating the motor vehicle. The vehicle Hayward was operating was searched and multiple blue packages of suspected Heroin were located. Mr. Hayward was placed under arrest. Mr. Hayward was transported to the Maryland State Police Barrack in Berlin where he submitted to a breath test. Subsequently, a D.R.E unit(Drug Recognition Expert) was contacted and Mr. Hayward submitted to preliminary drug testing. Mr.Hayward was transported to the Worcester County Sheriff's Office where he was processed and charged. Mr. Hayward was charged with Possession of CDS: Not Marijuana and eight traffic citations. Mr. Hayward was then taken to the District Court Commissioner where he was released on his personal recognizance pending a trial date. The patrol vehicle suffered front end damage and will need repairs.
Dover Downs cut twice as many jobs as expected
Dover Downs says it eliminated 48 jobs over the last three months – twice the number the company planned to make just three months ago.
The additional 24 job cuts resulted from a decline in business stemming from the casino's recent decision to close table game operations during early weekday mornings, according to CEO Denis McGlynn.
"When we cut those table games, it had a domino effect," he said Thursday. "We ended up not needing food and beverage workers, valet operators and other jobs that provided services during that same time period."
Dover Downs announced in late April it would stop offering table games between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
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The additional 24 job cuts resulted from a decline in business stemming from the casino's recent decision to close table game operations during early weekday mornings, according to CEO Denis McGlynn.
"When we cut those table games, it had a domino effect," he said Thursday. "We ended up not needing food and beverage workers, valet operators and other jobs that provided services during that same time period."
Dover Downs announced in late April it would stop offering table games between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
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'Rose Garden' Singer Lynn Anderson Dead at Age 67
Lynn Anderson was born September 26, 1947 in Grand Forks, North Dakota and raised in California. Her parents were songwriters Casey and Liz Anderson, and Liz wrote the Merle Haggard hits "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers" and "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive."
In 1966, Lynn Anderson released her debut single, a duet with Jerry Lane called "For Better or for Worse." It failed to chart, but she went on to score her first top-5 hit, "If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)" in 1967. Anderson went on to appear on ABC's The Lawrence Welk Show as a regular in 1967 and 1968.
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Hackers Can Now Remotely Attack A Gun, Change Its Target, And Lock The Owner Out
Over the past few years we’ve heard a lot about the smart, connected devices that make up the internet of things. From ceiling fans to cars and cameras, they’re everywhere. Unfortunately, anything that can connect to the internet can be hacked through the internet… and now, it seems, that includes guns.
Wired has reported today on a husband and wife security team that will be presenting their newest hack at a security conference in August. Their project? They’ve spent the last year hacking a pair of sniper rifles.
The TrackingPoint self-aiming rifles come with a fully-computerized, Linux-powered scope that allows the user to designate a target, then set variables like wind, temperature, and ammunition type. When the shooter pulls the trigger, the computer takes over and chooses the specific moment to fire, only activating when the gun is perfectly aimed, Wired explains. The weapon “can allow even a gun novice to reliably hit targets from as far as a mile away.”
That is, as long as nobody’s come along on wifi and stuck their fingers in the gun’s code.
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Wired has reported today on a husband and wife security team that will be presenting their newest hack at a security conference in August. Their project? They’ve spent the last year hacking a pair of sniper rifles.
The TrackingPoint self-aiming rifles come with a fully-computerized, Linux-powered scope that allows the user to designate a target, then set variables like wind, temperature, and ammunition type. When the shooter pulls the trigger, the computer takes over and chooses the specific moment to fire, only activating when the gun is perfectly aimed, Wired explains. The weapon “can allow even a gun novice to reliably hit targets from as far as a mile away.”
That is, as long as nobody’s come along on wifi and stuck their fingers in the gun’s code.
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ACLU says reporters barred from Pocomoke council meeting
POCOMOKE CITY, Md. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland says reporters were illegally barred from a Pocomoke City council meeting during which the recent firing of the town’s police chief was discussed.
In a complaint filed Friday with the Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board, the ACLU says city officials violated both the state open meetings law and the First Amendment in excluding reporters from the meeting.
Pocomoke City’s attorney says he is not aware of any instructions given to police to bar reporters from the crowded July 13 meeting.
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In a complaint filed Friday with the Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board, the ACLU says city officials violated both the state open meetings law and the First Amendment in excluding reporters from the meeting.
Pocomoke City’s attorney says he is not aware of any instructions given to police to bar reporters from the crowded July 13 meeting.
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Calling all Patriots!!!
Calling all Patriots: VSCOA needs the help of anyone that cares for our VETERANS. There is a Veteran Outreach Conference in Cambridge MD on Saturday, August 1 at 9AM-11AM where many of the top VA officials from MD will be attending. If you can make a presence, please try and do so. NUMBERS speak VOLUMES !! If you can't attend, you can help by contacting local representatives or the VA, sharing and inviting from this event, and help locate private or corporate sponsors for VSCOA. OPEN TO PUBLIC
https://www.facebook.com/events/1475089399470129/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1475089399470129/
Bill Aims To Stop Employers From Incorrectly Classifying Employees As Independent Contractors
In general, an independent contractor or freelancer is a worker who runs their own business but is hired by others for specific purposes and projects. But a growing number of employers have been using the independent contractor label on what had long been considered employees, often with the goal of shedding the cost of contributing to insurance and retirement benefits. A new piece of legislation seeks to make sure that businesses aren’t mislabeling employees as contractors.
The Payroll Fraud Prevention Act of 2015 [PDF], introduced by Sen. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania and Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to require that workers understand whether they are being classified as an employee or a non-employee contractor, and what the implications are for non-employees in terms of benefits, and legal protections generally afforded to employees.
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The Payroll Fraud Prevention Act of 2015 [PDF], introduced by Sen. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania and Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to require that workers understand whether they are being classified as an employee or a non-employee contractor, and what the implications are for non-employees in terms of benefits, and legal protections generally afforded to employees.
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The Average Car On The Road Is 11.5 Years Old
My car was manufactured about eleven and a half years ago, which I thought was relatively old. That’s why I was surprised to learn that it’s perfectly average. According to data compiled by the consulting firm IHS Automotive, cars that are registered and on the roads have an average age of 11.5 years, and there’s a record number of cars registered right now.
Why does this matter? First, it’s interesting, because the trend of older cars began during the recession, and the average age of cars on the road has been increasing since 2008. People wouldn’t be keeping their cars for longer (or acquiring older used cars) if the cars themselves weren’t more durable, though, and that indicates that cars are more reliable than they use to be and staying out of the scrap heap.
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Why does this matter? First, it’s interesting, because the trend of older cars began during the recession, and the average age of cars on the road has been increasing since 2008. People wouldn’t be keeping their cars for longer (or acquiring older used cars) if the cars themselves weren’t more durable, though, and that indicates that cars are more reliable than they use to be and staying out of the scrap heap.
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Hacker Claims To Be Able To Take Control Of Any General Motors Car With OnStar
As we saw last week, the ability to remotely take control of a vehicle is a very real concern. While Fiat Chrysler recalled nearly 1.4 million vehicles and issued a patch related to some of its internet-connected cars, another automaker is now sitting in the precarious spot of potential hijack victim, as a hacker claims he can commandeer any of the company’s vehicles as long as they come with the OnStar system.
A hacker named Samy details in a new video the creation of a gadget – he’s calling it “OwnStar” – that allows anyone to locate, unlock, and start a car using the OnStar system.
The hack works by intercepting the communications between an opened OnStar mobile phone app and the OnStar service itself.
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A hacker named Samy details in a new video the creation of a gadget – he’s calling it “OwnStar” – that allows anyone to locate, unlock, and start a car using the OnStar system.
The hack works by intercepting the communications between an opened OnStar mobile phone app and the OnStar service itself.
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Uber Launches Car Leasing Program To Attract More Drivers
There’s one big obstacle for anyone who wants to sign up as an Uber driver and hit the road — if you don’t have a car, you’ve got nowhere to put any passengers. Uber wants to make it easier to attract potential drivers, launching its own auto leasing subsidiary unit that will bring the ride-hailing company into the financial services industry.
There aren’t many details about the costs of the new leasing pilot project, called Xchange Leasing, butUber says it will offer both new and used cars. Participants in the program can return the vehicle with two weeks notice and “limited additional costs,” the company said.
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There aren’t many details about the costs of the new leasing pilot project, called Xchange Leasing, butUber says it will offer both new and used cars. Participants in the program can return the vehicle with two weeks notice and “limited additional costs,” the company said.
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