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Saturday, September 05, 2015

Gas prices to be lowest for Labor Day in 11 years

With stock markets hitting some major bumps recently, cheap gasoline should provide Americans a far smoother ride this Labor Day weekend and the likely prospect of $2 pump prices by Christmas.

Average regular unleaded will cost the least for the Labor Day break since 2004, AAA says. The national average was $2.44 a gallon Thursday, down nine cents over the past week and $1 below the year-ago price.

Prices have fallen sharply in recent days and are expected to continue to edge down through the weekend after BP's refinery in Whiting, Ind. -- the largest in the Midwest -- was repaired in late August, increasing gasoline supplies, says AAA spokesman Avery Ash. The facility was unexpectedly shut down earlier in the month.

The lower costs are coming despite what AAA expects to be the busiest Labor Day weekend for motorists since 2008, with 30.4 million travelers hitting the road, up 1.1% from a year ago. Credit solid job and income growth, along with the bargains at the pump.

Gas prices generally have traced the dramatic decline in oil prices since February amid high crude production both in the US and overseas, and concerns about weakening global demand.

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Child Drowns In Ocean City

Oc fire/EMS were on scene. Child drowns at the inlet. Patient was transported to AGH where the child was pronounced dead

Smuggling refugees into Europe is a new growth industry

BRUSSELS — Amid the biggest wave of migration to Europe in decades, fast-growing smuggling networks are spiriting Syrians and others to the continent, law enforcement officials say — and there are few limits to the sophistication of their efforts.

The 71 corpses discovered in a truck on an Austrian roadside last week are only a grim glimpse of a fast-expanding wave of human smuggling seizing Europe, said officials who are charged with hunting the smugglers. Vans that once may have been used to smuggle cigarettes are being used for the much more fragile cargo of humans. On social networks and in person, migrants can pick from a menu of services, ranging from a slippery seat on a rubber dinghy to Greece all the way to a chartered business jet straight to the refugee haven of Sweden.

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New Berlin Art Gallery Thrilled With Early Reception

BERLIN – Several months of renovations culminated with a grand opening of Berlin’s newest art gallery last week.

On Aug. 28 Art in the Fields opened at 6 S. Main St. to a crowd of local residents and town officials. The gallery is home to more than 50 pieces of modern art.

“Art as art is always inspiring,” Mayor Gee Williams said. “This project is certainly inspiring for the Town of Berlin.”

Williams and other town representatives joined owners Foster and Lisa Schoch for a ribbon cutting in front of the gallery as it opened its doors to the public for the first time.

“It’s nice to see so many people here,” Lisa Schoch said. “We had a good turnout.”

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A new 'cold war' is emerging between the US and Russia — over icebreakers

President Barack Obama said this week in Alaska that we need more icebreakers and proposed to "accelerate acquisition of a replacement heavy icebreaker to 2020 from 2022."

The US has fallen behind other nations in terms of resources in the Arctic. Currently, the US has two fully functioning Arctic icebreakers — one is 40 years old and the other is 15. Rear Admiral Jeffrey M. Garrett served as the first commanding officer for the USCGS Healy, the newer of the two ships.

This compares with Russia's 40 icebreakers and another 11 ships in the works. Not to mention, says Garrett, South Korea, Japan, China, India and South Africa also own fully functioning icebreakers operating in the region.

"I don't think it's as much a competition with other countries. ... It's really not an arms race. It's really can the United States have the assets that it needs to support its national interest."

"And because we have longterm interests in the Antarctic [as well], one old icebreaker and one newer one just isn't enough. Because if you can't really be on the scene, you really are not going to be a player in the long run."

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Dear White People

Dear self-deprecating white people,

For the love of all that is pure and holy, please, cut that sh!t out. First off, I can do bad all by myself. So, when I break the law by willfully committing crimes and get arrested, thus becoming another “black man” statistic, I am to blame, not you. When I point a gun, or a facsimile of one, at a police officer and get shot, I am to blame, not you. When I skip school to hang out on the corner with my equally irresponsible friends, I am to blame, not you. When I have opportunities that my parents and grandparents could only dream of, and I fail to take advantage of those opportunities, thus becoming another statistic, I am to blame, not you. When I get stopped for a seemingly insignificant traffic infraction, and I am found with drugs and/or paraphernalia, thus getting arrested and becoming another statistic, I am to blame, not you. Ten percent of my life I have zero control over; what other people choose to say or do to me, the weather, the economy, traffic, etc. The other 90%, I, and I alone, am fully responsible for. Not you.

As I am typing this on a computer and as it is uploaded onto social media, it is safe for you to assume that I was not alive during slavery. Neither were you. It is safe to assume that on both our sides, none of our family within 3 generations lived during slavery. Therefore, I do not need you to feel guilty for the existence of the North American Slave Trade. I don’t need you to sit with your equally self-deprecating hippie friends and chain yourselves together, wearing t-shirts that say “Guilty.” That means absolutely nothing to me. It does absolutely nothing in my life but make me ask myself, “What is it with these white people?” If you choose to feel guilty for something you did not do, for something neither of us were alive to experience, that is your choice. But do not sit there and claim that it is on my behalf. Do not claim to do it for my sake. It has nothing to do with me. In fact, it only serves to speak toward your own bloated self-importance. It speaks to your own narcissism-to think that events that ended 150 years ago somehow center around you making apologies and declaring yourselves guilty, to think that your own self-perceived guilt is somehow a major factor in my life, who are you? I am more than capable of feeling guilty for my own flaws and misdeeds. I do not need to carry your self-aggrandizing and misplaced guilt as well. You were not there. I was not there. So what makes you think you owe me anything? What makes you think that your own importance, relative to the passage of time in relationship to those events, has any bearing on my life?

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Pictures of the week

Migrants walk along a railway line after they have crossed the border from Serbia into Hungary close to the village of Roszke on August 29, 2015 near Szeged, Hungary. According to the Hungarian authorities a record number of migrants from many parts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia crossed the border from Serbia earlier this week, said to be due in part to the erection of a new fence that is due to be completed at the end of this month.

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Custody battle waged over chicken caught on Calif. bridge

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Three people are claiming ownership of the small brown chicken that fouled up rush-hour traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area earlier this week.

The Oakland Tribune reports Friday that the Oakland Animal Shelter has the chicken that strutted between cars at the Bay Bridge toll plaza early Wednesday.

She was eventually captured by the California Highway Patrol.

Animal Services Director Rebecca Katz says people claiming ownership of the chicken, named Chip in a nod to the CHP, need to come to the facility with proof, such as previous photos of the famous foul.

Two rescue groups are also interested in Chip.

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Saudi King Salman to visit D.C., rents entire hotel

WASHINGTON — When you're royalty, go big or don't go at all.

That's at least true for Saudi Arabia's King Salman, who touched down on U.S. soil Thursday to the sight of dozens of black luxury cars awaiting his arrival atJoint Base Andrews located just outside Washington in Prince George's County, Md.

Wall Street Journal reporter Carol Lee snapped a photo of his epic entourage. (On a recent trip to France, Salman had a 10-vehicle motorcade, and hired an additional 400 luxury car drivers, the BBC reported.)

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To the Lady at Starbuck in Lusby

To the Lady at Starbuck in Lusby:This morning my husband & I got a rare chance to meet for coffee just a few minutes...

Posted by Calvert County Maryland on Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Police: 11-year-old fatally shoots intruder, 16, in Missouri

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis County police say an 11-year-old boy fatally shot a 16-year-old intruder during a home invasion.

Sgt. Brian Schellman says officers responded Thursday afternoon to a report of a shooting at a north St. Louis County home.

He says officers arrived to find the 16-year-old boy dead inside.

Police believe the teen made it inside the home on his third attempt to break in and say the 11-year-old shot him in the head.

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$1M civil immigration lawsuit against Frederick County officials moves forward

A federal judge has declined to dismiss the remaining claims against Frederick County officials following a woman's arrest on a civil immigration warrant in 2008.

Earlier this year, attorneys for the county asked the judge to dismiss the remaining portions of a lawsuit filed in 2009 by Roxana Orellana Santos. Santos had also filed a motion seeking to amend her original complaint after the case has wound its way through the federal court system for the last six years.

In an opinion last week, Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. denied the county's motion for dismissal because Santos' attorneys will be allowed file an amended complaint.

On Oct. 7, 2008, Santos was eating lunch outside the Common Market when the two deputies saw her, stopped their car and questioned her about her immigration status, even though she had broken no laws, her attorneys said.

She was jailed for 37 days before she was released under the supervision of immigration authorities, according to court records.

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3 California correctional deputies arrested in inmate death

SAN JOSE, Calif. — An inmate at a county jail died of multiple blunt force injuries and three Northern California correctional deputies have been arrested on suspicion of murder in his death at a county jail, sheriff's officials said Thursday.

Santa Clara County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. James Jensen said the deputies — Rafael Rodriguez, Jereh Lubrin and Matthew Farris— remain in custody. They are being held without bail.

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More Taxpayers Leaving Maryland Than Moving Here

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — More taxpayers have been leaving Maryland than moving here. The question is–why?

Political reporter Pat Warren explains there’s a mixture of reasons.

The IRS numbers don’t say why a person moved, but they certainly give critics an opportunity to point fingers at Maryland taxes.

Maryland taxes were all the talk in last year’s campaign for governor. During the debate on WJZ:

“There will be no new taxes,” said Anthony Brown.

“You and Martin O’Malley said exactly the same thing, and then you raised 40 taxes in a row,” Larry Hogan responded.

And Maryland voters felt it.

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Shocking: Young Girls Convulse On The Floor After HPV Shot

OC abandons joining state for elections

OCEAN CITY — After a three-year, concerted effort to have its municipal election merged with the state-run ballot, the Town of Ocean City appears to have said never mind.

The City Council voted this week to not request the inclusion of Ocean City’s mayor and council contests on the general ballot, despite having gone as far putting legislation through the Maryland General Assembly mandating the state and county elections boards to accept municipal ballots if requested.

Given that the state, which runs elections from the federal level down to the counties, requires considerable lead time to organize elections, this was the last minute for the city to bow out before work started on the consolidated ballot.

“The legislation passed, and I did contact the state to begin conducting our elections starting with November 2016,” said City Solicitor Guy Ayres.

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Rough Ocean Conditions In OC Today

Rough ocean conditions captured by Allen Sklar today along Ocean City's coast with the return of the beach cliffs in many areas.

Posted by The Dispatch on Saturday, September 5, 2015

The Government Treats Citizens Like Cattle

I sometimes get positive email from people with good ideas for cartoons. Surprisingly, all of the ideas have been good. I haven't been able to draw them all, but I have thought about them. The idea for this cartoon came from a certain Alex L. I realized it was a good idea worth developing and so I did.

The more we let government decide things for us, the more we become their cattle. We aren't supposed to question government. After all, they have our best interests at heart, right? We fear our militarized police and they treat us like animals, not citizens. The government says we don't need to know if we're eating GMO foods. We don't need to worry about fluoride in our tap water. A little bit of poison can't hurt us. Sure. We don't need to worry about the falsehoods being told to us by mainstream media. We are burdened with debt (especially college kids) and debt slave money is designed to shackle us. We all become poor and on the dole. It's just big government taking care of us, right?

A few years ago I drew a cartoon that featured forced inoculations and I was laughed at. But now it has become a law in California and some presidential candidates such as Ben Carson are openly espousing it. It's inoculation by force. It's inoculation by the point of a gun. Do citizens no longer have a choice about what they eat and drink? Don't we have control of our own bodies? Don't we have say? Well, we'd better start speaking out against these things before the government decides we are ready to be sent to one of their slaughterhouses. --Ben Garrison

Source

Ocean City Seeking Five New Buses For Next Summer

OCEAN CITY – Months of discussion among Transportation Commission members regarding the purchase of buses to add to Ocean City’s fleet is nearing a head as the Mayor and City Council approved soliciting bids.

On Tuesday afternoon, Procurement Manager Catrice Parsons requested the Mayor and City Council’s approval to solicit proposals for three 40-foot transit buses as approved in the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget.

Parsons explained the Transportation Department requested permission from the Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) to purchase 40-foot transit buses as part of the FY14 Annual Transportation Plan submission. The funding was approved. However, after unsuccessful attempts over many months of researching and dialogue with the MTA, the town was unable to find a governmental contract to “piggy back” off of for the three, 40-foot buses. The MTA then required the town to generate its own set of technical specifications.

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Trio charged with running $54M green-energy Ponzi scheme

PHILADELPHIA – Three people were charged Thursday with running a $54 million Ponzi scheme built on promises of a green energy technology that would turn trash into fuel and "carbon-negative" housing developments, neither of which were ever developed, federal prosecutors said.

Troy Wragg, 34, of Georgia, Amanda Knorr, 32, of Pennsylvania, and Wayde McKelvy, 52, of Colorado, were charged with wire and securities fraud and conspiracy. It wasn't immediately clear if they had attorneys who could comment on their behalf.

Prosecutors said the trio lied to investors that their "biochar" technology and "carbon-negative" housing in Tennessee made millions, but they had almost no earnings and used the money to repay earlier investors and for themselves.

The scam allegedly ran from 2005 until 2009, even after the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil suit against Wragg and Knorr's Mantria Corp. They were ordered in 2012 to pay $37 million each.

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RGIII will remain with the Redskins as a backup

The Washington Redskins plan to keep Robert Griffin III as their backup quarterback and will not release him ahead of Saturday's roster deadline, multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter and John Keim.

Although Kirk Cousins was named Washington's starting quarterback earlier this week, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and president Bruce Allen want to keep Griffin despite the financial risk associated with retaining the former Heisman Trophy winner, a source told ESPN.

Griffin, who has been sidelined since Aug. 20 with a concussion, was scheduled to consult with an independent neurologist Friday. The Redskins still are awaiting word on the results of that exam.

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Amusement owners fear zoning encroachment

Recent city zoning decisions regarding wave machines, and an upcoming decision over a haunted house, seem to sparked an unusual turf war between amusement operators.

During this week’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, local attorney Pete Cosby pitched the idea of a text amendment to clarify exactly what kind of amusement establishments be allowed in the resort, and where.

The idea, Cosby said, would be to have the city’s rather vague definitions fall more in line with those found in the state code (Code of Maryland Annotated Regulations, or COMAR), and limit such establishments to amusement overlay zones, as Cosby suggested had been the original intent of the city’s zoning code.

“We have a zoning code that defines an amusement park and creates it as an overlay district,” Cosby said. “All we do is redefine the code to simply say that any amusement device as defined by COMAR must be in an amusement park.”

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Mike Huckabee Brings Up The One Thing About Kim Davis No One's Talking About, But Should Be

The controversy continues in Kentucky as Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis steadfastly refuses to issue gay marriage licenses in her office despite the Supreme Court’s insistence that she relent and issue the licenses. There’s been a lot said about the clerk, but former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has brought up at least one thing that no one else seems interested in discussing.

In a letter sent to his supporters, Huckabee is asking a series of questions about Kim Davis and her situation. One thing he notes is that Kim is a Democrat, something that few are mentioning, especially those in the mainstream media.

But more particularly Huckabee wants to know under exactly what law Davis is being commanded to issue marriage licenses to gay couples?

The main question is this: just what “law” did the Supreme Court make with its gay marriage decision? What statute was passed? What law written?

The answer is none.

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Anglers could be on the hook for Pennsylvania's public pensions

It’s no big fish story: Pennsylvania’s growing public pension obligations could soon hook anglers across the state.

Lawmakers are considering increasing fishing license and permit fees for the first time since 2005 as the state Fish and Boat Commission trolls for about $9.1 million in revenue to sustain core operations while paying for ballooning retirement and health care costs. Nearly $7.5 million alone is needed to pay for upcoming pension obligations, said John Arway, executive director of the commission.

Under a proposal authored by state Sen. Jim Brewster, D-Allegheny, the increases would apply to the 2017 license year. The annual resident license fee would rise from $21 to $26.25 and annual senior licenses would increase from $10 to $12.50, both 25 percent hikes.

Like the seemingly always rising school property taxes, the prospect of more expensive fishing licenses is a tangible reminder of Pennsylvania’s pension problem. The state, as of this spring, had piled up about $60 billion in public pension debt after shortchanging its annual contributions for years.

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Jack Lew: We're going to hold China accountable

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, in an exclusive interview with CNBC, diplomatically but firmly criticized China's handling of its currency devaluation. He also said the recent trading turmoil isn't a major concern at this point, but "I keep my eye on the market."

Regarding China, whose devaluation last month helped set off the plunge in world markets, Lew said: "They have to understand, and I make this point to them quite clearly, that there's an economic and a political reality to things like exchange rates." His comments follow those of other officials who have been critical of the way China went about devaluing its currency.

"They need to understand that they signal their intentions by the actions they take and the way they announce them. And they have to be very clear that they're continuing to move in a positive direction. And we're going to hold them accountable," said Lew, who will be participating in a meeting of G-20 financial ministers and central bankers Friday in Turkey.

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Hillary Clinton Campaign Scandals -- They've Become Exhausting

Hillary Clinton’s second race for the presidency is only about a quarter through, but she already seems to be causing general fatigue. The lurid revelations about the Clinton Foundation proved that it was not so much a charity as a huge laundering operation. Quid pro quo donations from the global rich and powerful fueled the Clintons’ jet-setting networking.

In between political campaigns, the foundation provided sinecures for out-of-work Clinton politicos. This is hardly proof of Hillary’s grass-roots progressivism. Then came Clinton’s e-mail fiasco. No one knows how the current investigation of her alleged misuse of e-mail accounts, servers, and classified information will end up. But most people accept that it was an unnecessary and self-induced scandal, brought on both by her paranoia and habitual expectation of being exempt from the law.

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Cardin says he is a 'no' on Iran deal

Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Friday he will oppose the nuclear deal with Iran, a decision that won't derail the agreement but hurts the Obama administration's efforts to keep a resolution against the deal from reaching a vote.

Cardin's decision — which came the same day a 38th Senate Democrat, Michael Bennet of Colorado, declared his support for the deal — has been one of the most anticipated among lawmakers. Not only is Cardin a key foreign relations committee member, but he's also Jewish and helped author a bill that gave Congress review power over the agreement.

The Maryland Democrat told POLITICO that he thought long and hard, and weighed concerns raised by both supporters and opponents, including conservative pro-Israel organizations that have spent millions lobbying against the deal. In making the decision he described as in the "best interest of the country," Cardin said it came down to his belief that the deal would strengthen Iran in the long run while allowing it to keep too much nuclear capacity.

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Hillary's emails WERE for sale on the open market but the Obama administration didn't go after them, says US intelligence official

A U.S. intelligence agency was aware during the summer that a collection of Hillary Clinton's emails was available for sale, but never gave its agents permission to obtain them, DailyMail.com can reveal.

A well-placed official inside the agency told DailyMail.com about the U.S. government's interactions with an eastern European man who put them on the market, and said the U.S. could have obtained them.

That discussion was spurred by a dubious claim from the gossip website Radar Online that 32,000 messages from Hillary Clinton's now infamous private email account were for sale with an alleged asking price of $500,000.

'I'm not saying we could have gotten her entire email account. I'm not even saying for sure that what has been on the market is genuine,' the official cautioned.

'But opportunities were missed. That much is clear.'

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Age of Obama: Low-Income Workers See Greatest Decline in Wages

You’ve got to admit it takes considerable cheek for the Left to whine about “income inequality” when it’s gotten worse than ever under the most left-wing President ever. It’s an illustration of both economic ignorance and political savvy, as the Obama Democrats protect themselves from one of their worst failures by complaining loudly about it and pointing fingers of blame at what remains of the private sector.

It’s a demonstration of how the Left still gets unlimited credit for its supposed intentions, no matter how its policies actually shake out.

Most disturbingly, it could be taken as yet another example of Big Government philosophy creating a problem that Even Bigger Government will be presented as the solution too. No true socialist sheds a tear at reports of the poor getting poorer. That’s a feature, not a bug. It means more people dependent on government, more votes for sale.

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Radio conversation between US and Spain

Benghazi panel interviews former Clinton chief of staff

A former top aide to Hillary Clinton was brought in by the House committee probing the deadly Benghazi attacks to answer questions Thursday in a closed-door deposition, as her role in the former secretary of state's inner circle comes into focus with the latest release of Clinton emails.

Meeting behind closed doors from roughly 8:30 am until 6 pm, members of the panel were questioning Cheryl Mills, Clinton's former chief of staff. Jake Sullivan, another former top aide who now works on Clinton's presidential campaign, was set to be interviewed on Friday. Both sessions are off limits to the public.

Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, chairman of the Benghazi committee, said that Mills "is no different from any other witnesses" who also have been interviewed in private.

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OC third-highest spot in nation for Labor Day rentals

TripAdvisor, which has become one of the top travel review web sites in the world, has ranked Ocean City third on its vacation rentals list for Labor Day weekend travelers.

“It’s great to see Ocean City get such recognition on TripAdvisor with our moderately priced options for guests and free events,” said Melanie Pursel, executive director of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. “Once we attract new people to Ocean City, they try it out and get hooked.”

The list was compiled from the number of vacation rental bookings and inquiries on TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals, which lists more than 720,000 vacation rentals from around the world.

“Vacation rentals have definitely been hot, with many doing mini-weeks such as a Thursday to Sunday,” Pursel said. “It’s become a trend since not everyone can stay a whole week. We are finding the nature of families having kid activities and it’s hard to get away.”

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Hungary, Bulgaria Ask Israel About Barrier To Keep Out Migrants

Hungary and Bulgaria have turned to Israel for advice on building a fence modeled on the one set up on the southern Israeli border with Egypt to stop the influx of refugees.

As thousands of migrants enter the two states from the Middle East and North Africa, leaders from both countries have contacted Jerusalem for information on constructing a border fence, Reuters and Israel Radio reported.

However, an Israeli official told Reuters that Bulgaria and Hungary would both need EU approval for such a move, which they would be unlikely to receive.

“(European countries) all want solutions and see the relevance of our technologies,” a source told Reuters.“But they also need EU support and this has not been forthcoming.”

Bulgarian and Hungarian officials did not deny the report.

“I presume that such is the case because the cooperation between the (Israeli and Bulgarian) ministries of internal affairs and security is quite intensive,” Bulgaria’s deputy ambassador in Israel Rayko Pepelanov told Reuters.

Israel dramatically upgraded its fencing along 245 miles of the border with Egypt, mainly between 2011 and 2013, to deter a growing flow of illegal migrants from Africa. Illegal migrants were crossing at a rate of several thousand a month, and the new fence reduced that to a trickle.

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WCSO Monthly Crime Statistics Auguest 2015


Salisbury, Allen,
Deer Harbour, Fruitland,
Fox Chase
Parsonsburg, Delmar
Delmar, Log Cabin, Adkins Rd.
Nanticoke, Waterview,
White Haven, Tyaskin
Booth Street, Reservation
Hebron, Mardela Springs,
Sharptown
Pittsville, Willards,
Powellville

Vanderbilt Women's Center to Lecture Men on 'Healthy Masculinities'

Vanderbilt University’s Women’s Center will be hosting a week-long event dedicated to lecturing men about what it means to have “healthy masculinity.”

The “Healthy Masculinities Week” is sponsored by Vanderbilt’s Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center, which claims to be devoted to “Celebrating Women” while “Empowering All.”

The mission of the Women’s Center is to affirm a “space for all members of the Vanderbilt community that acknowledges and actively resists sexism, racism, homophobia, and all forms of oppression while advocating for positive social change.”

The “core values” of the Women’s Center includes the idea that, “progress toward gender equality calls all of us to be champions for change” while simultaneously claiming to “celebrate the unique differences among all persons and work to build community in diversity.”

“Healthy Masculinities Week” hopes to encourage men to “[e]xplore healthy masculinity through various lenses,” such as “American society, the gay and bisexual community, fraternities, and more.”

The first event as part of the “Healthy Masculinities Week” is called, “The Macho Paradox: Why some men hurt and how all men can help.” The title is a reference to a book by Jackson Katz, who is a self-proclaimed “anti-sexist activist” and the speaker for the event.

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[Tuition/fees for 2015-16 at Vanderbilt: $65,600 --Editor]

Are Culture War Losses Irreversible?

Many Christians in America have been discouraged and downhearted since the Supreme Court’s infamous June ruling in which the justices voted 5-4 to redefine marriage.

We have been told that “the ship has sailed,” that we have lost the culture wars and that it’s time to accept the new reality and move on.

But the recent sting operation against Planned Parenthood – with nine eye-opening, guilt-exposing videos released to date and with national sentiments turning rapidly against this abortion giant – reminds us that a Supreme Court decision hardly marks the end of the battle. In some cases, it actually marks the beginning.

When the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade in 1973, pro-life forces were in disarray, yet they quickly mounted “a push for a constitutional amendment affirming that life begins at conception.”

But, Nina Martin reported in the New Republic, “that first effort fizzled, and it’s only in recent years that a new wave of pro-life activists – many of them born after Roe and educated in fundamentalist Christian settings – have once again seized on personhood as a way not just of weakening Roe, but of overturning it. In state after state, they have been pushing to have their beliefs enshrined in policy.” (Note that Martin is not pro-life.)

Did you catch that? Many of those leading the pro-life charge today were born after 1973 and were raised in conservative Christian settings. Why can’t the same thing happen when it comes to turning the tide of homosexual activism?

Read more here

Black Marine: BlackLivesMatter 'Promotes Racism'

Michael Whaley, a black man who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, told Megyn Kelly on a broadcast of Fox News the BlackLivesMatter movement is promoting racism and the violence needs to stop.

"This Black Lives Matter movement only promotes racism," he said on the broadcast, the video clip of which has since gone viral. "And now they're encouraging black people to go and kill white people because they want white people to feel what we felt 400 years ago.

Newsflash: were you living 400 years ago? Nope ... All lives matter."

Whaley also said "there's too much killing going on" and Black Lives Matter activists should cease and desist their promotion of violence.

"The Black Lives Matter movement only protests when a white officer kills a black person," he said.

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Alarm Sounded On VA 'Genetics' Survey

Constitutional lawyer: 'I find this very troubling'

A veteran and constitutional attorney who is suing the Veterans Administration for threatening to deprive some returning troops of their 2nd Amendment rights after classifying them as mentally incompetent is warning his fellow veterans of a new VA program designed to extract personal information that could be used against them.

The Million Veterans Program is a voluntary research program funded by the VA that is supposedly designed to study veterans’ genetics and health, writes attorney Michael Connelly, the executive director of the United States Justice Foundation

But Connelly warns that the veterans “are asked to not only provide information on their physical health, but also their mental and emotional health, and that of their family members.”

The request is significant, he contends, because of the VA’s distribution of letters to certain veterans, as WND was first to report, warning they could be declared incompetent, assigned an advocate to handle their affairs and stripped of their 2nd Amendment rights. The letters are the target of Connelly’s lawsuit.

Connelly said much of the information the Million Veterans Program wants is “similar to what the VA is using to have veterans declared incompetent to handle their own financial affairs and then have their names placed on the NCIS list by the FBI so the veterans cannot own or purchase firearms due to a ‘mental defect.’”

“As a veteran and constitutional lawyer I find this very troubling,” he said. “I encourage all of my fellow veterans to carefully read this questionnaire and consider whether you can reap any benefits from participating in this program."

More here

SPD Crime Stats August 2015 (Ten Year Comparison)

Tennessee Troopers Use Truck To Nab Texters

State troopers are hiding in plain sight as they try to recapture the attention of distracted drivers.

Their full-size truck is outfitted with a blue light bar and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) decals. Yet many passing motorists continue to text and drive, apparently unaware of the uniformed trooper peering down from the cab.

“Folks aren’t looking for rigs like this, that belong to us, that are used for these enforcement initiatives,” said THP Sgt. Josh Brown.

The truck’s high vantage point allows troopers to spot drivers who keep their phones below window level. When they spot a violator, they radio a description of the vehicle to troopers in conventional police cars to make a traffic stop.

“It seems like people have the attitude, ‘Everybody does it. And this one time isn’t gonna matter,’” Sgt. Brown said. “Unfortunately, many times those distractions do end up in crashes.”

Distracted driving, including texting and cell phone use, plays a role in 26 percent of traffic fatalities, ranking just behind speeding (30 percent) and alcohol use (31 percent), according to data compiled by the National Safety Council (NSC), a nonprofit public interest group chartered by Congress.

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A Viewer Writes: Drive by shooting in Hebron

Have you seen anything about the drive-by shooting in near Hebron last night? It was behind the church that had the fire last year (couple of years ago?).

Report: Clinton Aide Refused To Talk To FBI

A former aide to Hillary Clinton has refused to answer questions from FBI investigators and the State Department inspector general about the private server he maintained for the former secretary.

Bryan Pagliano, Clinton's former IT manager, invoked his Fifth Amendment right in response to inquiries from the federal agencies, as well as from three congressional committees, according to a report by Yahoo News.

Pagliano's attorney declined a subpoena to interview with the House Select Committee on Benghazi on Sept. 10, although several other top Clinton aides have agreed to answer questions about the 2012 attack.

Pagliano also refused to answer questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

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Clinton Aides Wanted Classified-capable Devices

Hillary Clinton's top aides pressed the State Department for handheld devices that would enable them to view highly classified information, internal emails show.

Eric Boswell, a diplomatic security official who was forced to resign in 2012 in the wake of the Benghazi attack, relayed requests from Clinton's staff that they be given PDAs capable of handling "secret" and "top secret" intelligence, according to documents obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act.

The emails are heavily redacted, as are many of the private communications between Clinton and her aides that have been published by the State Department on a rolling basis since May.

Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills, two of Clinton's top aides, used government-issued BlackBerry phones, court documents filed in the Judicial Watch case show.

Clinton did not use a handheld device that was provided by the government, instead using her own BlackBerry and an iPad to communicate with staff, friends and even foreign leaders.

Although roughly 188 emails among her published records have been designated as classified so far, the State Department and the Clinton campaign initially maintained that none were classified at the time they were written.

Both have amended their defenses to say that none were marked classified at the time, with the State Department refusing to specify whether the emails should have been classified when originated.

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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 9-5-15

Washing 
 
Something we take for granted these days was quite a chore in days gone by. Back in the 1800’s, a galvanized wash tub was the norm. The water was heated in a kettle on the wood stove, and a washboard was used to scrub the clothes. The clothes were then rinsed and wrung out by hand. Since this was way before the days of permanently pressed clothes, everything had to be ironed. The iron was a heavy, clumsy instrument that had to be heated on the stove. The standard day for washing was Monday.
 
The next great invention to invade the standard household was the wringer washer. These came about when electricity was brought into the more affluent households. At least this invention freed the housewife from the tedious task of the washboard, and the attached rubber wringers would do the task of getting the water out of the clothes. I imagine that whatever had to be ironed would be ironed at the end of the ringer’s task.
 
Not having a washing machine until the 1950’s, I remember my mother washing our clothes in the kitchen sink. She had this plunger-like instrument that she would use to agitate the clothes. I remember her standing over the sink furiously plunging the clothes with a swok-swok sound emanating throughout the whole kitchen. Since most of the mothers that I remember as I grew up in Salisbury were housewives, doing the wash at home was the norm. When women started to go out into the workplace, the long, tedious chore of clothes-washing was replaced by the automatic clothes washer. Probably, all she earned was used to pay for that new washer.
 
Mom was prolific when it came to washing clothes. I think she washed clothes every day. We followed a ritual in our house that entailed everyone throwing their dirty clothes in the hall at night after we had changed into our pajamas. Miraculously, those clothes disappeared over night and would reappear on the corner of my desk the next day after school. They were always neatly folded and fresh-smelling. She even ironed my underwear and the neatly folded handkerchief I was required to carry and change every day.
 
If she didn’t have time to iron right after washing, she would put the laundry in the refrigerator to be ironed later. Since everything had dried out a bit, she had an attachment to a soda bottle that would sprinkle water on them and make them suitable for ironing.
 
Times have sure changed over the years, and the washer and dryer in these modern times (along with the advent of perma-pressed clothes) have made the maintenance of clothing nothing short of easy. They’re two of the many modern conveniences that free us up to pursue other endeavors. The only hard part about washing nowadays is picking out the proper detergent and fabric softener from the many brands available at the grocery store.

Benghazi Dem Defends Clinton Aide's Decision To Plead The Fifth

Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on Benghazi, blasted Donald Trump, Scott Walker and Mike Huckabee, among others, for their "onslaught of reckless accusations" about Hillary Clinton's private emails Wednesday in his defense of a Clinton aide's decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment right to refuse questions about the server.

Bryan Pagliano, the former State Department official who was reportedly responsible for Clinton's private server, told the select committee through his attorney that he did not plan to answer questions about his involvement with the server given "the current political environment."

Pagliano is still scheduled to appear before the committee Sept. 10.

Cummings dismissed allegations that Clinton committed a crime by transmitting classified information on her private server in response to Pagliano's decision.

"Although multiple legal experts agree there is no evidence of criminal activity, it is certainly understandable that this witness' attorneys advised him to assert his Fifth Amendment rights, especially given the onslaught of wild and unsubstantiated accusations by Republican presidential candidates, members of Congress, and others based on false leaks about the investigation," the Maryland Democrat said. "Their insatiable desire to derail Secretary Clinton's presidential campaign at all costs has real consequences for any serious congressional effort."

More here

Troopers Investigate a Truck versus Train Crash, Clayton



Clayton, DE - The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a crash involving a 10 wheeler flatbed truck which struck a moving train north of Clayton.

The incident occurred around 2:09 p.m. Friday, September 04, 2015 as Justin M. Sherwood, 34 of Magnolia, was operating a 2014 Freightliner Flatbed truck eastbound on Vandyke Greenspring Road approaching the railroad tracks. A Norfolk-Southern train with two engines and 36 cars was traveling southbound approaching Vandyke Greenspring Road. The Freightliner truck stopped for the flashing red lights at the railroad crossing signal. The operator was stopped and his foot slipped off the brake pedal and hit the gas pedal causing his vehicle to move into the train's path. The front left edge of the truck was struck by the First Engine of the train. The impact caused the truck to be pushed back approximately three feet. The train stopped on the railroad tracks approximately 0.25 miles south of the collision with no derailment. (photos attached)

Justin M. Sherwood was properly restrained and uninjured in the collision. Sherwood was ticketed for Inattentive Driving.

None of the personnel on the train were injured in the collision.

Vandyke Greenspring Road was closed for approximately three hours while the crash was investigated and the train was inspected.

County to get tough on nuisance properties

Deciding that the county government has been too lenient with derelict properties, the Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday ordered a review of existing ordinances managing the issue, and upon finding them adequate, decided that they were just being too nice.

What that likely means is shorter deadlines to make required improvements and more property owners called to the carpet to explain why they might need more time to make changes — if and when those property owners can be located.

Director of Review and Permitting Ed Tudor said one of the major obstacles in dealing with nuisance properties is identifying who exactly owns them.

“Sometimes there is no response, sometimes they’re deceased or they’ve walked away from the mortgage,” Tudor said.

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Bittersweet reward for brothers wrongly imprisoned 30 years

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Receiving $750,000 apiece for wrongful imprisonment is a bittersweet reward for two North Carolina brothers who suffered an emotional and physical toll from their three decades of incarceration.

Henry McCollum says he's happy to be free and the money will help him and his family. But his brother, Leon Brown, is struggling from his time behind bars.

Brown is hospitalized because of severe mental illness that his family attributes to his wrongful imprisonment in the killing of an 11-year-old girl. He was unable to attend the hearing Wednesday when the state awarded them compensation.

"I'm happy one can go on," said sister Geraldine Brown, who's been sharing her house with the men. "But I'm living a life where the other can't go on."

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Pentagon eyes more potential sites for Guantánamo detainees

A Pentagon team is planning to visit approximately a “handful” of additional locations in its search for a site on the mainland to house Guantánamo Bay detainees, risking the wrath of lawmakers wary of having terrorism suspects shipped to their backyards.

The Defense Department is keeping the new potential sites under wraps, cautioning that the list is not final. Revealing the locations could spark a backlash similar to the first round of visits to military prisons in Kansas and South Carolina.

The Pentagon on Wednesday said the new sites would be military and non-military, and that surveyors were also looking for a site where military commissions for the detainees could be held.

The trips will help inform the Pentagon’s plan — requested by Congress — for closing the prison facility, something that President Obama had promised to do during his first run for the White House in 2008.

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Don't Miss a One of a Kind Experience - Locals Jam Session!

WANT LIVE MUSIC? WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
LOCALS JAM SESSION - FEAT. THE LARKS 
Thursday, September 10
 
The Locals Jam is a one-of-a-kind jam session for our area and will be open to musicians of any instrument. The primary focus will be on funk, jazz, and blues but we welcome all styles. The Larks will supply the gear, all you have to do is plug in your axe and rock out! This is not your typical "open mic night" but rather a true jam session where artists who normally would not get a chance to play together will be able to join each other on stage to create some truly memorable moments through music. Players will be called to the stage at the discretion of the house band. One thing's for sure, at the Locals Jam you will hear unique songs and pairings that you won't be able to find anywhere else!


Doors: 7 PM | Show: 8 PM
$5 Admission | 18+ Show

NAPPY ROOTS
Saturday, September 5

By far one of the most underrated Hip-Hop acts to have emerged over the past few years, Nappy Roots accomplishments are the stuff of often-referenced Hip-Hop legacies. 

Save $5 and buy your tickets ahead of time!

Doors: 7 PM | Show: 8 PM
$15 Admission | 21+ Show

BALLYHOO!
Sunday, September 6
 
Don't miss Ballyhoo! this Labor Day Weekend, featuring local favorites Flint Eastwood. This is a collaboration with Sigma Tau Gamma of Salisbury University, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Special Olympics. 


Doors: 7 PM | Show: 8 PM
$15 Admission | 18+ Show

 
WHAT IS HEADQUARTERS LIVE? 

Headquarters Live is a music venue in Downtown Salisbury. The focus here is on music, sound quality and the performers. It is a truly unique experience compared to anywhere else in the area! Sure, we have a bar - serving domestic and craft beers, wines and wine cocktails - but it's so much more than that!

Check out our website for more upcoming shows and events!
 
 
 

Man Tweets: “Kill All White People” Then THIS Happens

By now you’ve seen the outrageous and violent behavior of some in the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.

Not only are they destroying businesses and their own communities but they have threatened anyone who isn’t black and they have celebrated white cops who are killed.

One could even say they are partially responsible for the deaths of the cops that have been killed.

An unknown man on Twitter decided to make the claim that he wanted to ‘Purge’ and ‘Kill all the White People’ in his home town of La Plata.

Big mistake.

From Breitbart:

Maryland resident Carlos Anthony Hollins has been arrested and charged for allegedly issuing deadly threats against La Plata residents via his personal Twitter account.

The La Plata Police Department decided to put more officers on the street after Hollins’ arrest, according to NBC Washington.

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National Take-Back Initiative

On September 12, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. the DEA will coordinate a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies focused on removing potentially dangerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. A national take-back day will provide a unified opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction. This one-day effort will bring national focus to the issue of pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse. The program also provides an opportunity for law enforcement, prevention, treatment, and the business community to collaborate and establish a safe collection site for all Americans, regardless of where they reside.

The locations for planned disposal monitored by the Delaware State Police will be at the following:
Delaware State Police Troop 4, 23652 Shortly Road, Georgetown, DE 19947.
Christiana Care, 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19713

Visit www.dea.gov to find out more about this program.

U.S. judge dismisses civil rights suit against Arizona sheriff

PHOENIX (Reuters) - A federal judge has approved a deal between the U.S. Justice Department and Arizona's Maricopa County to resolve accusations of civil rights abuses and dismissed the department's lawsuit against controversial sheriff Joe Arpaio and his deputies.

The move by U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver ended a long legal battle over the 2012 lawsuit in which the federal government accused the Maricopa County sheriff and his office of abuses including racial profiling of Latinos, improper workplace immigration raids and retaliation against public officials.

In a written ruling issued late on Wednesday, Silver formally approved the settlement between the Justice Department, Arpaio and the county under which the county agreed to federal oversight and will implement new policies, procedures and training to remedy the claims.

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SMHS

Joe, 

Not being reported is a growing phenomenon being called "Shake my head syndrome " or SMHS for short. Politically correct liberals are the sole reason for this new syndrome. It affects normal Americans when they see such sites as this picture in your local Hallmark store. Happy Anniversary!

New York TSA agent charged with molesting traveler in bogus search

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Transportation Security Administration agent at New York's LaGuardia Airport was arrested after being accused of luring a woman to an airport bathroom under the pretense of a security search and molesting her, authorities said on Friday.

The suspect, identified by officials as Maxie Oquendo, 40, was wearing a TSA uniform when he brought the 22-year-old traveler to an upstairs bathroom and molested her on Tuesday night, according to Joe Pentangelo, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

"Supposedly he took her into another area using his official position, being in uniform, and she thought it was a part of his official duty," Pentangelo said.

Port Authority police arrested Oquendo on Thursday on charges of forcible touching, official misconduct and unlawful imprisonment, he said.

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Gotta be careful of the old women!

A police officer called the station on his radio. 

"I have an interesting case here. An old lady 
shot her husband for stepping on the floor she just 
mopped."

"Have you arrested the woman?"

"Not yet. The floor's still wet."

NR: WiCHD Requests Input on 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment Survey

(Salisbury, MD) Approximately every five years since 1995, the Wicomico County Health Department has worked collaboratively with Worcester and Somerset Counties to complete a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA).   The most recent CHNA was conducted and released at the end of 2014 in collaboration with Atlantic General Hospital, Peninsula Regional Medical Center and Worcester County Health Department.

After a review of the data, the Wicomico County Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) identified the following health priorities for the next 5 years:
  • Chronic Disease (Diabetes, Obesity, Nutrition and Physical Activity),
  • Access to Care,
  • Tobacco Use Prevention,
  • Oral Health Care for Adults,
  • Behavioral Health.

County residents are invited to review the most recent CHNA by visiting the following link:

In order to direct Wicomico County’s Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) planning process for the next 5 years, the community is also invited to participate in a survey to validate the findings of the 2014 CHNA.  The survey is accessible by visiting the following link:


The survey will be available for input until 10/31/15.  Residents who are unable to access the survey link may contact Tammy Griffin at #410-219-7480 orTammy.Griffin@maryland.gov.

“The community health survey is an excellent opportunity for residents to be a part of helping to improve the public health of Wicomico County. I encourage everyone to reflect on the public health issues of Wicomico County, think about where improvements are needed, and let your voice be heard,” said Lori Brewster, Health Officer for Wicomico County.   “Input will assist in driving our community health improvement plan for the next five years, and a solid representation of our community’s opinion is critical” said Brewster.

The work of the Health Department continues to adapt with changes in health care reform, financing, and community needs. The mission of the Health Department is to maximize the health of citizens by providing access to opportunities that promote physical, behavioral, and environmental health through preventive, educational, assessment, clinical, monitoring and regulatory programs. This project is a collaborative effort and can only be achieved successfully with community involvement and partnerships with other entities providing outreach, education and services in the community.

Please take a moment to complete the online survey to help promote and support a healthy Wicomico. For more information please contact:

Tammy L. Griffin
Director of Planning and Population Health
Wicomico County Health Department
108 East Main Street
Salisbury, MD 21801
410-219-7480 Office

Donald Trump to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 'You don't have a clue'

After one of the NBA's all-time greats made his displeasure with Donald Trump's presidential campaign known, Trump didn't hesitate in returning the message to former Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The businessman told the Hall of Famer he doesn't "have a clue what has to be done to make this country great again."

On Wednesday, a piece in the Washington Post penned by Abdul-Jabbar was clear in its criticisms of Trump, accusing the presidential hopeful of attacking journalists' First Amendment rights with his bullying style and resorting to personal attacks instead of offering substantial answers on issues such as immigration.

And later in the day, Trump apparently responded, as Abdul-Jabbar posted an image of his article to his Facebook page with what the six-time NBA champ claimed to be a message from the candidate:

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Somerset County Sheriff's Office Press Release 9-5-15

Don Benjamin Ballard of Princess Anne, arrested 8-17-15 on a warrant for violation of probation. Ballard was later held without bond.

Troy E. Smith Sr. of Salisbury, arrested 8-18-15 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Smith was later held on a $5,000 bond.

Steven Michael Ewell of Crisfield, arrested 8-21-15 on a warrant for violation of probation. Ewell was later held without bond.

Michelle Lee Mullican of Salisbury, arrested 8-24-15 on a warrant for 2nd degree assault, reckless endangerment, and malicious destruction of property. Mullican was later released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

William Matthew Green of Pocomoke, criminal summons served  8-24-15 for trespassing. Green was released on signature pending court actions

Jenny Marie Travis of Princess Anne, arrested 8-25-15 on a warrant for disturbing the peace, and induce/inhibit testimony, also a criminal summons for trespassing. Travis was later held on a $7,500 bond.

Lakeshia Lynn Selby of Pocomoke, criminal summons served 8-25-15 for disturbing the peace, reckless endangerment, and malicious destruction of property. Selby was later released on signature pending court actions.

David Anthony Cooper of Princess Anne, criminal summons served 8-25-15 for 2nd degree assault. Cooper was later released on signature pending court actions.

Cristy Michelle Cox of Pocomoke, criminal summons served 8-25-15 for 2nd degree assault, disorderly conduct, and affray (fighting). Cox was later released on signature pending court actions.

Dorothea Michelle Robinson of Princess Anne, criminal summons served 8-25-15 for 2nd degree assault, and reckless endangerment. Robinson was later released on signature pending court actions.

Paul Gregory Speck of Harrisonburg Virginia, arrested 8-25-15 for driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving while impaired by alcohol. Speck was later released on signatures pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic accident investigation conducted by Deputies in the area of Allen Rd at Peggy Neck Rd.  

Robert Jackson Huether of Painter Virginia, arrested 8-29-15 for carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle. Huether was later released on personal recognizance pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop on Ocean Highway, Westover where Deputies recovered a loaded 9mm semi automatic  pistol from a passengers door storage area.

Tony Locklear of Marion Rd, arrested 8-30-15 for consuming alcohol in a vehicle. Locklear was later released on signature pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by Deputies in the area of Crisfield Highway and Kingston Lane.

Sean Patrick Kable of Princess Anne, arrested 8-30-15 for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving impaired by alcohol, driving on a suspended driver’s license, and negligent driving. Kable was later released on signature pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by deputies in the area of Crisfield Highway, and Kingston Lane.

Arnon Loral Hill of Philadelphia, arrested 8-31-15 on a warrant for violation of probation. Hill was later held without bond.

Jake Dakotah Poole of Crisfield, arrested 8-28-15 on a warrant for violation of probation. Poole was later held on a $20,000 bond.

Kerri Eugenia Vaughan of Princess Anne, arrested 9-1-15 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Vaughan was later held on a $1,000 bond.