Worcester County Sheriff's Office Press Release 10-24-15

Case #: 150000997 Date/Time: October 23, 2015 10:30 PM
Location Occurred: Broad Street @ West Street Berlin, MD
Crime or Violation: DUI Crash
Accused: Bunting, Madison Ellen 20 of Berlin, MD
Charges: DUI, DUI Per Se, DWI, Violate License Restriction, Violate Alcohol License Restriction, Fail to Stop and Yield at Thru Hwy.

Narrative:
On October 23, 2015 around 10:30 pm an Officer from the Berlin Police Department was dispatched to a prowler complaint on Esham Avenue. The officer was traveling west on Broad Street near West Street where a 2011 Kia, operated by Madison Bunting 20 of Berlin, failed to yield after stopping at the stop sign. The Kia struck the driver side of the Berlin Police car, causing the Officer to lose control and strike a utility pole before coming to a rest in the yard of 104 West Street. The Officer was transported to Atlantic General Hospital by Berlin EMS for non-life threatening injuries. Ms. Bunting was not injured in the crash.
The Berlin Police Department requested the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit to handle the crash investigation. Bunting had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath and admitted to consuming alcohol. Bunting was arrested for violation of an under 21 alcohol restriction and later taken to the Maryland State Police Barrack for a breath test. Ms. Bunting was issued citations and releases pending a trial date.

Judge who signed off on treatment deal for suspected cop killer says she is ‘truly sorry’

One of the New York judges who helped send a suspected cop killer to rehab instead of jail five months ago said Friday that the deadly shooting "breaks her heart" and that she is "truly sorry."

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Patricia Nuñez told The New York Post that she will address the issue further at a Nov. 12 court date for the suspect, Tyrone Howard. The paper reported that Howard was freed despite a history of three felony sale convictions and the urging of prosecutors in the drug case.

Officer Randolph Holder's killing Tuesday has raised questions about the risks and potential shortcomings of drug courts, or drug diversion programs, which have been embraced nationwide as a way to ease jail overcrowding and reduce crime by attacking it at one of its sources: drug abuse.

New York's mayor and police commissioner have branded Howard a career criminal who had once been arrested in a 2009 gunfight on an East Harlem basketball court and should not have been out on the streets.

More

Fitness-Focused Middle School Teacher Wins Battle Over Bikini Photos

Mindi Jensen is a teacher at North Sanpete Middle School in Moroni, Utah, but after the bell dismissing her students rings, she’s fitness model and competitor. Photos of her working out and wearing bikinis made their way online, and someone complained about the images to school officials.

At first, Jensen agreed to make the photos private. “Then I thought, 'Why am I taking this picture off?'” she told Fox 13 Now. “I get comments and messages that it's inspirational to them, and that these women like my story, and they're following my story, and if I put it to private then it's not going to reach these people that might need and understand me.”

Jensen told Good4Utah that she uses an alias online and that her fitness is important to her. She was depressed at one point and dropped to 100 pounds before deciding to make a change.

“I’m new here, I’m divorced. I’m doing this all for the first time,” she said.

More

Officer Loses Assault Rifle While Changing Flat Tires

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Prince George’s County police say an officer lost an AR-15 assault rifle that he took out of his police cruiser while he was changing two flat tires.

Deputy chief Hank Stawinski tells The Washington Post that officersare searching for the rifle. He calls it “an important piece of equipment” and says getting it back is a top priority.

Police say the officer leaned the rifle against the back of his car while he was changing the tires on Thursday afternoon in the Oxon Hill area. Police say the rifle fell over and the officer drove away without realizing he’d forgotten it. He returned to the scene several hours later, but it was gone.

Police say the officer may be subject to discipline for failing to secure the rifle.

Source

There's now a $1-a-pill competitor to pharma CEO Martin Shkreli's $750-a-pill drug

Almost a month after word got out that drug-company CEO Martin Shkreli had jacked up the price of a critical drug by more than 5,000%, a different kind of pharma company has stepped up to provide a cheaper alternative.

Imprimis Pharmaceuticals, a compounding pharmaceutical company, announced Thursday that it is now providing a customizable formulation to compete with Daraprim, a drug used to treat a parasitic infection called toxoplasmosis in people with compromised immune systems.

Shkreli jacked up the cost of Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 a pill seemingly overnight.

Imprimis is charging $99 for a 100-pill bottle of the drug, or $0.99 a pill.

Compounding pharmacies are different from major drug companies, which focus on developing new drugs for the US Food and Drug Administration approval. Even generic manufacturers still have to get FDA approval for the drugs they plan to market.

Instead, compounding pharmacies buy FDA-approved compounds that they can then formulate into pills that can be customized to fit certain conditions.

More

Benghazi hearing floods Clinton campaign coffers with cash

Call it the Committee To Increase Hillary Clinton's Fundraising.

Donations have been flooding into campaign coffers over the past 13 hours since her testimony in front of the House Benghazi committee wrapped late Thursday night, thrilling Clinton fundraisers on the eve of a weekend-long finance committee meeting that couldn’t have come at a better time. According to communications director Jennifer Palmieri, the hour between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. last night was their best fundraising hour of the campaign to date.

Rallying in Virginia Friday, Clinton said her campaign had broken the 500,000 donor mark, meaning she has gotten over 100,000 new contributors in October alone. The campaign then added that over half of the donations it received on Thursday were from new contributors, and that 99% of them were less than $250.

More

Police: 4 dead, dozens injured after homecoming parade crash

TILLWATER, Okla. (KTUL) - UPDATE:

A representative from a hospital in Oklahoma City has confirmed to our sister station that a fourth victim has died.

Channel 8 is told that victim is a 2-year-old who died at the hospital.

A homecoming parade at Oklahoma State University turned tragic Saturday morning when a car plowed into a crowd, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more near the end of the event, police confirm.

Stillwater police say the driver, 25-year-old Adacia Chambers of Stillwater, has been arrested for allegedly driving under the influence.

Chambers was driving a 2014 Hyundai Elantra southbound on Main Street, when she crashed into an unmanned police motorcycle, then crossed the parade route, hitting a crowd of people, Stillwater police Capt. Kyle Gibbs said during a press conference. The crash happened around 10:30 a.m. It's unclear if it was an accident or intentional.

More

Eastern Shore Classic Dog Show Returns to the WY&CC Nov. 4-8

Salisbury, MD – The Talbot County Kennel Club, Salisbury Kennel Club and Mispillion Kennel Club’s Eastern Shore Classic Dog Show will return to the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Wednesday, November 4 through Sunday, November 8. For the safety of show participants, a portion of Glen Ave. in front of the WY&CC will close from Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. through Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 a.m.

The event will bring over 100 breeds of dogs to the area, competing for Best in Show each day. Special events will include Best Puppy in Show on Thursday and Saturday and Best Bred by Exhibitor in Show on Sunday.

The Eastern Shore Classic is open to the public each day from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for students. Children under 5 are admitted free. Tickets will be available at the door. For everyone's safety, strollers are not allowed in the arena. For additional information, please visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.

Police: Come claim 50 pounds of pot shipped to wrong address

HAZLET, N.J. (AP) — Police in a New Jersey town are asking the person who was expecting 50 pounds of marijuana in the mail to come claim the package.

The pot was delivered to a home in Hazlet. The homeowner called police, because it was addressed to someone who did not live at the residence.

Police say they were trying to figure out how to find the person when they opened the packages and discovered the marijuana in sealed bags. Police say the person is more than welcome to come to police headquarters to claim them.

More

Rep. Massie Discusses Rep. Paul Ryan and the Speaker Race with CNN

McDonald's is testing sweet potato fries

BOSTON —McDonald's tested all-day breakfast in certain cities around the country before rolling it out.

Now, the fast food giant is testing sweet potato french fries.

The Golden Arches are starting to serve sweet potato fries in conjunction with the Create Your Taste burger initiative, which was surprisingly higher-quality than expected when we tested it back in August.

More

NUMBER ONE WITH A BULLET

Ronald McDonald statue burned, decapitated, has feet cut off

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Vandals have burned, decapitated and cut the feet off a smiling Ronald McDonald statue that sat outside a Ronald McDonald House in Vermont.

The statue had occupied a bench outside the Burlington home for years, welcoming sick children and families who need to be close to the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital.

Executive Director Kristine Bickford tells New England Cable News (http://bit.ly/1LOWod1 ) that volunteers moved the statue’s remains into storage because children were traumatized by seeing it.

More

UPDATE: Missing 17yo In Salisbury

SPD looking missing 17 YO, 5-04 105 lbs, Marla Voltaire, LSW wht sweater wht pants... pic.twitter.com/UrOM4ml6WD

— Salisbury Police (@SalisburyPD) October 24, 2015

Salisbury Police: Marla Voltaire has been located @ a friends house & is reported 2/b safe...

Caption This Photo 10-24-15

Three busy weekends comprise Decorating Delmarva’s fourth season

DELMAR, DE – With some revision, the fourth edition of Decorating Delmarva HolidayFest takes center-stage for nine nights spanning three weekends in December.

This year’s festival runs Dec. 4-6, Dec. 11-13 and Dec. 18-20.

Again, there will be a non-profit outdoor display area, open to fire companies, schools, non-profit organizations, churches and charitable groups.

Prizes will be awarded for the top five places determined by patron votes, with $2,000 for first place, $1,200 for second, $850 for third, $750 for fourth and $500 for fifth.

Santa’s Village/House, a heated 5,000-square-foot building on the grounds of Delaware International Speedway and U.S. 13 Dragway, will be the beehive for entertainment, games and activities.

More

Mass Stabbing At A School In Sweden

A teacher is dead and four students are injured after a masked man armed with a swordattacked a school in Trollhatten, Sweden:

According to the news agency AP, one teacher has been confirmed dead following the attack at the Kronan school in Trollhattan, north of Sweden’s second-largest city Gothenburg.

…

Another four students are reported to have been injured.

Police said they were initially called to reports of a masked man, armed with a sword, on the premises and that one person had been attacked at or near the school cafeteria.

Two of the four students are in serious condition. Despite ignorant cries from leftists calling for civilian disarmament, the reality of the matter is that an edged weapon—including simple cooking knives—can cause an incredible amount of damage in the hands of someone with even a minimal amount of training and determination.

The masked man was taken into custody after Swedish Police rationalized with him, and explained the error or his ways.

Just kidding.

They shot him until he dropped.

More

Marty McFly & Doc Brown Visit Jimmy Kimmel Live

What Bikers Should Know

Group explores expansion of energy deregulation

DOVER — Delaware deregulated energy in 1999, meaning residents were no longer forced to buy their power from one company at a set price. Instead, they can reach out to other suppliers and potentially save money.

But after 16 years, just a small percentage of Delawareans take part in the program.

During the previous General Assembly session, Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover, requested insertion of language into the bond bill forming a committee to examine an “opt-in electricity affordability program.”

A panel of state officials and representatives from energy companies met Thursday to discuss the state’s low participation. At the workshop, attendees discussed obstacles potentially discouraging Delawareans from shopping for other energy options.

More

Many States Still Don't Know How to Regulate Medical Marijuana

In a retrofitted garage in his suburban backyard in Kalispell, Montana, Mike Eacker tends to his marijuana plants while he waits to see whether his crop will continue to turn a profit.

For Eacker and other growers here in Montana, there is uncertainty as they anticipate the outcome of a state Supreme Court case that could effectively end commercial sales of medical marijuana and render their businesses unprofitable.

Montana is among several vanguard states whose voters eagerly legalized medical cannabis by passing broad ballot initiatives as many as 19 years ago, but left lawmakers struggling to regulate an industry that grew quickly with few rules.

Today, states like California, Montana and Michigan are still attempting to clean up their laws with bills that would develop licensing systems for growers, create a fee structure for providers and product, or legalize all marijuana use.

It’s a legislative and regulatory pitfall that lawmakers warn other states they could face as public demand for legal medical and recreational marijuana grows, and more states allow it.

Maryland opened the door to medical use last year, and Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming passed laws legalizing access to less-potent medical cannabis products for certain patients this year. At least 20 initiatives to legalize medical or recreational marijuana could be on the ballot in 16 states next year. And in November, voters in Ohio will decide whether recreational marijuana should be legal in that state.

More

COMMISSIONERS ANNOUNCE NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

The Worcester County Commissioners announce the appointment of Merry Mears as the new Worcester County Economic Development (WCED) director. She stepped into her new role October 21, 2015.

Mears brings 15 years of economic and workforce development experience to this new assignment. She joined WCED as the deputy director in 2012. Prior to joining WCED, Mears served in several leadership positions, including director of the Workforce Development Division of the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore. While there, she oversaw the development and implementation of regional Workforce Investment Act funded programs. She graduated from Salisbury University in 2001, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Marketing.
Mears is an active member of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) and is engaged in statewide issues affecting infrastructure, jobs and industry.
“I’m honored to serve in this capacity, and to continue working with the County Commissioners to attract and retain businesses while facilitating innovation and job growth in our community,” Mears said. “I remain focused on building and sustaining these types of strategic partnerships to establish and grow local industries and jobs.”
Mears is currently completing the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) program through the International Economic Development Council.
For more information, contact Kim Moses, public information officer, at (410) 632-1194.

Elite Deviance

This review is from: The Clintons’ War on Women

Roger Stone’s and Robert Morrow’s new book, “The Clintons’ War on Women,” is the ultimate Clinton Exposé: A “no holds barred” look at the numerous scandals and criminal behaviors of Hillary and Bill Clinton which have previously been either indelicately hidden, perfunctorily denied or spun into oblivion by them and their sycophantic apologists. This account lays bare all the gory details of how the Clintons have exploited the generally sympathetic and politically correct news media to build a nearly-impenetrable shell around themselves and their enigmatic “Clinton Foundation.” From the first pages of the Introduction to the last pages of the Epilogue, this is a riveting page turner and a persuasive, albeit very disturbing, account of how patterns set by certain White House predecessors were replicated by the Clintons to protect them from their own sordid past.

This book is not for the faint-hearted; those who want a distilled and gentle rendition of why there is such a profoundly divergent dichotomy between their “good vs. bad” reputations will be stunned by the contents of this uncompromising book. But a sugar-coated, quasi-attack could not have produced the transformational look into the innermost sanctums of the Clinton’s personae that this book affords. Clearly, when these authors set out to “correct the record,” they decided early-on to check any reservations or inhibitions at the door: The Stone/Morrow charge is of the full-frontal, no-retreat style, as described by Stone himself in the Introduction: “I believe in presenting the naked truth, and I am not holding back.” One example of that — in describing the diabolical nature of the family “Foundation” — is neatly summed up in the space of merely three sentences:

“In fact, the Clinton Foundation is a slush fund for grifters. Both Clintons are notorious moochers. The pizza delivery boy who recalled delivering pizza to Hillary’s dorm room at Wellesley College recalled being stiffed on any tips, and Bill Clinton notoriously carried no cash, leaning on friends and associates to pick up the tabs for his meals, drinks, and revelry.”

More

About 600 Worcester Students Now Using Laptops In Class

BERLIN – A quarter of the high school students in Worcester County’s public schools are now learning with laptops.

Nearly 600 of the county’s 2,014 high school students have their own mobile devices thanks to the digital conversion launched in Worcester County this fall. Laptops have been provided to all of the ninth-graders in Worcester County public schools.

“It has been very exciting,” said Diane Stulz, coordinator of digital learning and instruction for the school system.

In a report to the school board this week, Stulz and Tom Mascara, coordinator of technology for the county’s schools, outlined the early September distribution of laptops at area high schools and discussed challenges they’d faced during the process.

More

Hollywood legend Maureen O'Hara dies

One of the last connections to the Golden Age of Hollywood, Maureen O'Hara, has passed away at age 95.

Her manager, Johnny Nicoletti, said she died in her sleep Saturday at her Boise, ID home, according to the Associated Press.

Her fiery red hair helped her get dubbed the "Queen of Technicolor" as she rose to prominence in the 1940s and 50s. She starred in a series of famous movies, including Miracle on 34th Street and five films alongside John Wayne.

She was never nominated for an Academy Award, but was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2014 for career achievements. She is one of only two actresses, along with Myrna Loy, to receive an Oscar without being nominated for one.

O'Hara was born Maureen Fitzsimons on Aug. 17, 1920, in Dublin, Ireland, and trained as a singer and dancer as a young girl in Dublin. She became an accomplished singer, but was rarely a featured singer on film.

More

LOCAL SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES UNITE FOR NATION’S LARGEST LUNG CANCER AWARENESS EVENT

Shine a Light on Lung Cancer Salisbury to be Held on November 5, 2015

WHAT: The local lung cancer community is coming together for a Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event. Salisbury will join 300 communities across the country throughout Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Shine a Light Salisbury will feature keynote speaker Dr. Justinian Ngaiza, a leading oncologist from PRMC, who will share exciting advances in lung cancer treatments. A highlight of the event will be performances by the Delmar Pop Warner Cheerleaders, and attendees will have an opportunity to win great door prizes and gather important information about lung cancer from health professionals.

The most important part of this evening will be the inspirational stories shared by lung cancer survivors and their caregivers, your friends and neighbors. It will also be an evening to honor and remember loved ones that we have lost to lung cancer.

For more information visit: www.shinealightonlungcancer.org/salisbury

WHEN: Thursday, November 5th, 2015 at 6:00 pm

WHERE: The Centre at Salisbury in the stage area outside of Boscov’s

WHO: Eastern Shore lung cancer survivors and advocates with Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), an advocacy and support non-profit organization based in Washington DC.

WHY: To bring hope, inspiration and support to the Eastern Shore lung cancer community. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States taking more lives annually than breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancer combined.

Hillary Admits to Breaking U.S. Law In Benghazi By Leaving Embassy Nearly Defenseless

Hillary Clinton admitted to the House Select Committee on Benghazi on Thursday evening that she broke the law in handling security for the U.S. consulate there. It was Rep. Susan Brooks who was able to get Hillary to admit her guilt, after some dialogue exchange. THIS is what we know!

Under patient but persistent questioning from Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN)33%, Clinton admitted that she had not signed a waiver for security arrangements on the site, as required by the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 1999 (SECCA), 22 USC § 4865 2(B)(ii).

Clinton admitted failing to comply with the law in the following exchange:

Brooks: But I have to ask you, if you’re familiar with the facts that in the wake of the 1998 bombing attacks in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam, Congress passed something referred to as the SECCA, the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act, which requires the Secretary of State to issue a waiver under two conditions: if the U.S. government personnel work in separate facilities, or if U.S. oversees facilities do not meet the security setback distances specified by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The law specifies that only the Secretary of State may sign these waivers, and that requirement is not to be delegated. Was a waiver issued for the temporary mission in
Benghazi and the CIA annex, after the temporary mission compound was authorized through december of 2012? And did you sign that waiver, Madam Secretary?

Clinton: I think that the, the CIA annex I had no responsibility for. So I cannot speak to what the decisions were with respect to the CIA annex. That is something i know other committees have–

More

Closing Party Tonight

Locals Voted Us The Best..... "Steamed Crabs", "WaitStaff", and "Seafood"  Join us this weekend as we celebrate an awesome season! Our famous COSTUME PARTY is this Saturday night! Great prizes for KIDS & ADULTS... KIDS PRIZES for: FUNNIEST, SCARIEST, CUTEST, CREATIVE ADULT PRIZES for: FUNNIEST, SCARIEST, SEXIEST, CREATIVE EVO PRIZE BASKET for: BEST GROUP    THE RED ROOST CRABHOUSE & RESTAURANT 2670 Clara Road Whitehaven, MD 21856  410.546.5443 www.TheRedRoost.com CLOSING WEEKEND HOURS: Open Friday  5:30pm Open Saturday at Noon - Party Starts at 8pm Open Sunday at Noon - Final Day of Season

Arizona High School Decrees Wearing American Colors Is Racist

Also green, flags, and Trump related. Such is the state of America these days

(Breitbart) A high school in Arizona has banned pro-Donald Trump clothing at a Friday football game because it would be “racist” or “offensive.”

Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona – with a student body known as “The Tribe” – is set to face off against Marcos de Niza High School Friday in an anticipated rivalry game. The game was supposed to have a “USA” theme. But that theme was considered problematic and thrown out.

“The Tribe tweeted out that the theme for the game would be “USA,” and students should wear red, white and blue. Administration recognized that this theme had negative connotations,” according to a statement Thursday by the Editorial Board of the Corona student newspaper.

More

Man Facing Federal Arson Charges From Riots Pleads Not Guilty

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Federal prosecutors are making an example of those who caused chaos during the April riots. A teenager accused of setting a police car on fire and causing an explosion in the Penn-North neighborhood has pleaded not guilty to federal arson charges.

WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren the teen faces some tough punishment.

Federal agents tell WJZ more riot-related arrests are coming. As for this case, Donta Betts faces more than 30 years in prison if he’s convicted. He’s more likely to serve that time because these are federal charges.

Six months after chaos reigned in Baltimore, federal authorities are continuing their crackdown, and 19-year-old Donta Betts—captured lighting a fire in a picture—faces some of the most serious charges.

More

Even After Hanging Up, Hands-Free Isn't Risk-Free For Distracted Drivers

Your hands may be on the wheel and your eyes on the road, but where is your mind?

Sending a text or emailing while driving, even with hands-free technology, can be distracting. But new research suggests that those distractions continue even once you think you've turned your attention fully back to the road.

A study from the American Automobile Association and the University of Utah found that potentially unsafe mental distractions from the use of hands-free technology can persist up to 27 seconds after using voice commands.

Motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers killed 3,154 people in 2013 alone. Young people are most at risk, with drivers in their 20s making up 23 percent of that group.

The Results

The results varied by vehicle and information technology operating system, but the conclusion is clear: Voice-activated systems can be distracting even when you think you're finished using them.

"The results indicate motorists could miss stop signs, pedestrians and other vehicles while the mind is readjusting to the task of driving," Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, said in a press release.

The act of text messaging, even without using your fingers, engages areas of your brain that aren't easily shut off.

More

Ron Paul: Gun Control Means Disarming the Feds

"I'm for taking the guns away from the bureaucrats in government," he said

Dr. Ron Paul said he’s for gun control, if gun control means disarming the out-of-control federal government.

“The gun control issue is alive and well and I’m for gun control: I’m for taking the guns away from the bureaucrats in government and for… restricting the gun use by presidents starting wars,” he said Wednesday on the Alex Jones Show. “But no, they [the gun grabbers] will come if there is a [gun] confiscation or a broader registration, people are going to have to make up their minds to not participate in that.”

The former congressman also added he’s against people initiating physical violence against the government.

More

Police Officer Fined for Driving Without Licence for 25 Years

He obtained a valid license in 1990 but had not renewed it since

A senior police detective caught high-range drink driving had not held a driver’s licence for 25 years, a court has heard.

Detective Sergeant Andrew John Clarke, 46, was fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for nine months.

He was off-duty when he was pulled over for a random breath test on Hawkesbury Valley Way at Windsor about 9.55pm on July 10.

A breath analysis returned a reading of .17.

The court heard Sergeant Clarke immediately told the police officer he did not have a valid driver’s licence and that the licence he had in his wallet was not in his real name but was a fake identity.

Read more

Report: Adviser Told Biden – Clinton War Machine Will “Destroy You”

VP backed away from presidential run after warning

Joe Biden’s decision to stay out of the 2016 presidential race was reportedly made after a conversation with a high ranking adviser who told him the Clinton war machine was prepared to destroy the Vice President’s reputation if he dared challenge Hillary.

The reason cited behind Biden’s announcement yesterday that he would not run for the Democratic nomination was the fact that his family is still in mourning after the loss of Biden’s son Beau to brain cancer.

However, according to DC Whispers another factor could have swayed the decision – a warning that the Clintons were “fully prepared and willing” to utterly destroy Joe Biden’s “past, present, and future.”

More

Kendel Ehrlich Hired As Assistant State’s Attorney In AACo.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Former first lady Kendel Ehrlich has been hired as an assistant state’s attorney in Anne Arundel County.

State’s Attorney Wes Adams announced Ehrlich’s hiring late Thursday. He says she will be sworn into office on Oct. 29 and will be assigned to the Drug Court team.

Kendel Ehrlich is the wife of former Gov. Robert Ehrlich. Robert Ehrlich became Maryland’s first Republican governor in a generation in 2002. He lost his re-election bid in 2006 to Martin O’Malley, who defeated Ehrlich in a rematch in 2010.

More

Most vitamins are totally useless — here are the ones you should actually take

It seems like simple, obvious advice: Eat your vegetables, get some exercise, and — of course — take your vitamins.

Or not.

Decades of research has failed to find any substantial evidence that vitamins and supplements do any significant good. In fact, recent studies skew in the opposite direction, having found that certain vitamins may be bad for you.

Several supplements have been linked with an increase in certain cancers, for example, while others have been associated with a rise in the risk of kidney stones. Still others have been linked with an overall higher risk of death from any cause.

So here are the vitamins and supplements you should take — and the ones you should avoid:

More

New Berlin Signs To Tout ‘Small Town’ Designation, Remind Motorists To Slow Down

BERLIN – Two new signs will soon welcome visitors to Berlin.

The town received approval from the Worcester County Commissioners to install two signs, one on Route 113 and another on Libertytown Road, welcoming drivers to Berlin. Laura Allen, town administrator, says it’s part of an effort to increase the town’s visibility in the wake of its recognition last year as America’s Coolest Small Town by Budget Travel.

“We feel it’s the right time,” she said.

The signs, which are identical, say “Welcome to Berlin” and feature a banner proclaiming it America’s Coolest Small Town. They also ask visitors to “Slow Down in Our Town.” A local company is making the signs, which cost $1,700 and were designed by Ivy Wells, the town’s economic development director.

More

Which States Could Adopt Automatic Voter Registration Next?

Several states may soon follow California and Oregon's lead, but almost all of them are Democratic-led.
If Americans needed any further proof that voting itself has become a partisan battleground, look no further than proposals calling for automatic voter registration.

California this month enacted a law that will automatically register people to vote when they get or renew a driver's license or state identification card from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), following the example set by Oregon several months ago. Over time, this could bring most of the 6.6 million Californians who are eligible but not yet registered onto the voting rolls. Alex Padilla, California's secretary of state and sponsor of the measure, calls it potentially the largest voter registration drive in U.S. history.

Other states could soon follow.

More

Putin Vs. Obama: Shall We Compare The Two Leaders Or Will That Be Too Embarrassing For America?

United behind a very strong leader with an 89.9 percent approval rating, Russia is stunning the world with the efficiency with which it is striking ISIS in Syria

Have you noticed that the United States and Russia are heading in two very different directions?

United behind a very strong leader with an 89.9 percent approval rating, Russia is stunning the world with the efficiency with which it is striking ISIS in Syria. Of course Vladimir Putin is far from perfect, and there are real questions about what Russia’s true motives in Syria and elsewhere are, but this is a leader and a country that have shown that they can get things done. In the U.S., on the other hand, we are being led by a weak, ineffective con man in the White House that has just a 45.3 percent approval rating. Under Obama, the federal government seems to be inept at just about everything, and this is especially true when it comes to foreign policy.

It has gotten to the point to where it is really embarrassing to be an American. The Russians know this and aren’t afraid to gloat about it. In fact, one Russian commentator even suggested that Barack Obama isn’t “a real man”, and it is hard to argue with that.

More

Questions for Hitlery

At long last, Hillary Clinton testifies on the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, and her emails as secretary of state. Here are some suggested questions. Although these suggestions are based on the public record, we need to assume that the members of the House Benghazi Committee have seen far more than the public has. I have framed the questions in traditional cross-examination style, though I doubt that the politicians on the committee will have the self-discipline to adhere to it.

The theory of cross-examination — particularly of a high-profile, intelligent, belligerent or ruthless witness — is for the questioner to tell a story by asking questions that suggest answers that challenge the witness’s version of events or impeach the witness’s credibility. The questioner’s version of events must be based on credible evidence. In a courtroom, the questioner’s audience for his version of the events is the jury. In a congressional hearing, the audience is the American people.

I have publicly advised members of Congress that they should not ask any questions of Clinton; instead, they should have a prominent attorney who is her equal in intellect and knowledge of the law yet is a fierce, experienced cross-examiner do so. But the lure of TV cameras will probably cause the committee members to reject my advice. As well, some of the committee members are lawyers, and the committee’s chairman, Rep. Trey Gowdy, is a former federal prosecutor.

Anyway, here goes…

Mrs. Clinton, when you first became secretary of state, you were briefed on the proper use of emails, right? And you were informed of your obligation to preserve all governmental records that came into your possession and not destroy any of them, right? And you also were briefed on the proper handling of classified materials, weren’t you? In fact, Mrs. Clinton, you were presented with a written government oath that every federal employee who handles classified materials receives and must sign, correct? Isn’t it also true, Mrs. Clinton, that you never signed that oath?

Didn’t you pay a State Department employee — not an outside vendor — to install a private email server in your home in New York? And when you did that, you knew the practical effect of it would be to divert all your emails — governmental and personal — away from the government, right? And you used, did you not, that email system your employee in the State Department installed in your home as your exclusive email source during your tenure as secretary of state? And that email system was directly connected to the Internet, right?

More

Army Veteran, 75, Stops Knife-Wielding Man From Killing Children In Library

A 75-year-old Army veteran fought off a knife-wielding man who allegedly planned to kill children at a Morton, Illinois, library.

“I’m going to kill some people!” Dustin Brown, 19, yelled when he entered the Morton Public Library with two knives on Oct. 13, veteran James Vernon told the Pekin Times.

Vernon said the knives Brown had were “hunting types” with “fixed blades about 5 inches” long. Authorities said they were wrapped in tape for a more secure grip.

Vernon was teaching a chess class to 16 children, ages 7 to 13, when Brown entered the library. He had the children go under tables and he stood to face Brown.

“I tried to talk to him,” Vernon said. “I tried to settle him down. I didn’t, but I did deflect his attention [from the children] and calmed him a bit. I asked him if he was from Morton, did he go to high school. I asked what his problem was. He said his life sucks. That’s a quote.”

Vernon moved closer to Brown as they spoke and positioned himself between him and the room’s door, with the children behind him under the tables.

More

Maryland to Begin Taxing Halloween Treats

This year, Halloween will not only be bad for Marylanders’ teeth, but for their wallets, as well. Earlier this week, the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation announced that the state tax of 6% will be levied on the candy that children collect while trick-or-treating in the state on Halloween.

A New Spin On an Old Tax

“This is not a new tax, per se,” said Max Proffets, spokesperson for the department. “Maryland has a Gift Tax on the books already that is used from time to time to prevent taxpayers from using gifts as a scheme to avoid other taxes. Although rarely used before now, the law could designate Halloween candy as a gift, which makes it taxable. We know that may be an unpopular interpretation, but we’re just doing our jobs.”

Mr. Proffets went on to say that, with the average pound of candy worth approximately six dollars, the tax would be set at $0.36 per pound. The average child nets 4.5 lbs. of candy during Halloween trick or treating, meaning that the net total revenue for the state would be $1.62 per child. This adds up to millions of dollars annually in previously unrealized revenues.

More

Editor's Note:  We thought we would have a bit of fun and post a little satire.  Enjoy! 

Abstinence-Only Parents Scream Against Sex Ed At School Board Meeting

Want Better Education Policy? There’s a Checklist for That.

What does education policy have in common with Van Halen? No, it's not the band's 1984 hit "Hot for Teacher." It is something far less sexy: complexity. As we learned from Atul Gawande's book "The Checklist Manifesto," on tours the band would require that a bowl of M&Ms be provided in its dressing rooms -- with all of the brown ones removed. As much as that sounds like predictable rock-diva behavior, it actually was a clever test: The band needed a way to know that every venue manager was reading the requirements for its very complex and potentially dangerous concert setups.

Gawande has a knack for taking lessons from health care and business (not to mention '80s hair bands) and distilling them into usable guidance. We now have a way to apply his advice to the challenging policy area of education as well: a State Education Policy Checklist.

If you've been active in education policy lately, you've likely heard something like this: "It was a good policy, but the implementation just didn't go well." While that may be true in some cases, frequently it was the policy that wasn't well thought out. Education policy can advance student learning, but as education becomes much more politicized and specialized, policymakers may benefit from taking a step back and thinking about the root causes of the problems and the theory of change behind every policy solution. Hence, the Education Commission of the States' and the Aspen Institute led the development of this new checklist.

More

Police: Teens Filled Teacher's Soda With Cleaning Solution As 'Prank'

A Gillett, Wisconsin, high school school teacher went to the hospital after a group of students filled his soda with cleaning solution, police say.

On Oct. 20, the Gillett Secondary School teacher noticed a strange smell coming from his bottle after he had left it unattended, Fox 11 News reports.

“Something was off. He thought that maybe a foreign substance could have been put in it,” school superintendent Todd Carlson told Fox 11.

While the teacher had no symptoms, he decided to admit himself to the hospital as a precaution.

“We no longer have chalkboards, we have dry-erase markers and there is a cleaner that is sprayed on the board to clean off the residue,” Carlson added. “It was the cleaner that was sprayed into the bottle; not a great amount but enough to be concerned.”

More

Chaos Erupts During Benghazi Hearing as Democrats Make Surprise Request of Chairman Trey Gowdy — and Hillary Can Be Seen Laughing

House Benghazi Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy was pulled into a fiery exchange with Democrats on the panel Thursday when they surprisingly called on him to release the transcript of Hillary Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal’s June 2015 deposition.

“I move that we put into the record the entire transcript of Sidney Blumenthal,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, shouted. “Let’s do the transcript! That way the world can see it!”

A second Democrat can be heard on video “seconding” the motion.

“We’re not going to take that up a hearing,” Gowdy replied.

At that moment, Clinton, who appeared to testify before the committee, can be seen shaking her head and laughing.

More

HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 10-24-15

Board Games

Board games have been around almost as long as man. They found games in King Tut’s tomb that go back 3,000 years. Most of them had a pair of dice associated with them. Some of the most rudimentary games have no history and, therefore, we don’t know when they were invented. Games such as chess and checkers are still popular even though they haven’s changed in hundreds of years. Chess is a more sophisticated game due to the strategies involved. It is played on the highest levels of international competition with great notoriety being the reward for winning. Checkers is a much more mundane game. It is played by children and old men in country stores throughout the land.

When I was growing up, we didn’t have all the fancy video games that children have now. Board games were the norm. I can remember opening a new game and reading the rules thoroughly. It seems that if you mastered the rules it gave you a decided advantage over some opponent that hadn’t read the rules through and through. Most of the games were quite simple, which was acceptable to our young minds. And most of them involved dice.

One of the favorites in our house was Parcheesi. Long after I had moved out, my mother and father played every night after dinner. It was a matter of my father’s competitive spirit and the fact that my mother never seemed to care whether she won or lost. I think at one time the score was about 10,000 to 4, with my father winning almost all the time. But they were happy and that is all that mattered.

Most parents are familiar with the two most popular games for pre-schoolers – Candyland and Chutes & Ladders. Almost any four year old can handle these two and it teaches them many things that will prove beneficial in their later life. Following the rules in whatever we do is important and the sooner we learn that lesson, the better off we are.

Monopoly has become the most popular game since it was invented in the 1930’s. All the streets are named after streets in Atlantic City. This is a game that can be played by young and old alike.

Some of the newer games are very complicated and require much strategy. Just about the time they came out, the video games took over and you rarely hear of them anymore.

Board games were the only game in town back in the 1950’s and before. They had to be played with at least two people and for that reason, I think the social interaction was better than sitting in a room by yourself.

Baltimore Shares OC’s Offshore Drilling Opposition

OCEAN CITY — Ocean City got an unexpected ally in its opposition to a federal proposal to open a vast section of ocean off the mid-Atlantic coast for seismic testing and offshore drilling this week when the city of Baltimore passed its own formal measure opposing the measure.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is currently evaluating four permits from three different private sector companies to conduct seismic air gun blast testing off the mid-Atlantic coast for the purpose of identifying oil and natural gas deposits beneath the ocean’s floor. In March, BOEM hosted a public meeting in Annapolis to present a proposal to lease roughly three million acres off the mid-Atlantic coast for future oil and natural gas exploration and excavation. The plan is to eventually open the leased area along the outer continental shelf as close as 20 miles from the coast of Ocean City and Assateague for the eventual private sector extraction of oil and gas reserves under the sea floor.

In September, the town of Ocean City passed a resolution formally opposing the proposed seismic testing and eventually offshore drilling for oil and natural gas reserves off the mid-Atlantic coast, joining a growing list of municipalities, counties and other jurisdictions from Florida to New Jersey who have filed similar resolutions. On Monday, Ocean City got its first close-to-home ally in its formal opposition when the Baltimore City Council passed a similar resolution.

More

Good Boy!

Good Morning Humor

Smart Kid

The Big Question Everyone Else Is So Afraid To Ask

Are You Feelin It?

Losing A Friend, A Drinking Buddy

MSP Press Release 10-24-15 (Pedestrian Struck In Pittsville)

Happy, Happy, Happy!

Our courts are standing up for the homeless

For the third time in recent months, a federal court has struck down a city's ban on panhandling as unconstitutional. That anti-homeless ordinance was recently enacted in Grand Junction, Colorado, and it prevented people from asking for change in various locations around the city or anywhere at all after sunset. The city claimed that the measure was an effort to combat "aggressive panhandling," but Judge Christine Arguello ruled that the law was so broad that it violated the First Amendment's free speech protections. Her ruling echoed recent decisions in Portland, Maine and Springfield, Illinois. Those towns also passed laws to ban or limit panhandling, just like other cities have enacted measures to ban sleeping in public or lying down on a bench or sidewalk. Rather than doing something to help the homeless, these towns decided to make it a crime to sleep on the street. Thankfully, our courts are fixing part of this problem by striking down these discriminatory laws, but we must do more to help those who wind up living on the street.

My Dogs, Well, They Just Wouldn't Eat!

A Message On Governor Larry Hogan's Facebook Page

Immediately after receiving the devastating news that I had advanced and aggressive cancer, the very first thing I did...

Posted by Larry Hogan on Friday, October 23, 2015

Seaside Christian Academy Annual Arts & Crafts Fair