A Mexican man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl during an illegal border crossing in 2013 was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to one count of molestation of a child under the age of 15.
Deputy County Attorney Liliana Ortega recommended that Jose Ramon Mancinas Flores, 23, receive the maximum 20-year sentence available under the deal because of his criminal history, the victim’s suffering and his lack of remorse.
“(He) does not understand how much he’s made her suffer,” Ortega said, adding that Mancinas had already been caught about a dozen times entering the United States illegally and that the victim was vulnerable.
“It’s not a coincidence that he victimized her … she was the most vulnerable,” Ortega told Judge Thomas Fink of Santa Cruz County Superior Court.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Attention
Friday, January 08, 2016
Why Are Kids So Unhappy? Two Words: Screen Time
It’s 12.30am, and time for my pre-bed ritual: tiptoe upstairs so as not to wake the children, brush my teeth, turn out the lights … and then catch sight of that telltale, flickering blue glow coming from under the 15-year-old’s bedroom door. I mentally prepare myself for the nightly battle, and knock on the door.
“Come on, Fred, turn your phone off – it’s nearly 1am and you’ve got school tomorrow.”
“Don’t lie, Dad. It’s not ‘nearly’ 1am. It’s only 12.30.”
“Just turn it off and get to sleep. Please. It’s only crappy videos on the internet – they’ll still be there in the morning.”
“But I’ve done nothing wrong!” (I paraphrase: this is a teenage boy we’re talking about here, so his “conversation” is littered with swearing and streetspeak, which are best left to the imagination.)
It wasn’t always like this: until a couple of years ago, rather than gawping at YouTubers drinking live goldfish and who knows what else they get up to, my darling boy wasted his waking hours playing games, specifically Mine-bloody-craft. How I hated it, with its stupid, make-believe world of pixellated, Lego-faced critters and monsters. Some commentators went so far as to argue that a Minecraft habit was somehow educational and healthy, the fools.
And it’s not just us parents who are made miserable by our offspring’s online addictions. Earlier this week the NSPCC chief executive, Tim Wanless, warned of a nation of deeply unhappy children, due to “the pressure to keep up with friends and have the perfect life online ... adding to the sadness that many young people feel on a daily basis”.
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“Come on, Fred, turn your phone off – it’s nearly 1am and you’ve got school tomorrow.”
“Don’t lie, Dad. It’s not ‘nearly’ 1am. It’s only 12.30.”
“Just turn it off and get to sleep. Please. It’s only crappy videos on the internet – they’ll still be there in the morning.”
“But I’ve done nothing wrong!” (I paraphrase: this is a teenage boy we’re talking about here, so his “conversation” is littered with swearing and streetspeak, which are best left to the imagination.)
It wasn’t always like this: until a couple of years ago, rather than gawping at YouTubers drinking live goldfish and who knows what else they get up to, my darling boy wasted his waking hours playing games, specifically Mine-bloody-craft. How I hated it, with its stupid, make-believe world of pixellated, Lego-faced critters and monsters. Some commentators went so far as to argue that a Minecraft habit was somehow educational and healthy, the fools.
And it’s not just us parents who are made miserable by our offspring’s online addictions. Earlier this week the NSPCC chief executive, Tim Wanless, warned of a nation of deeply unhappy children, due to “the pressure to keep up with friends and have the perfect life online ... adding to the sadness that many young people feel on a daily basis”.
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Nashville’s Office of New Americans to Help Foreign-born Residents
NASHVILLE, TN - Nashville’s stunning growth of 80 people a day is matched by an important group within that group.
The latest figures show that 12 percent of Nashville residents are foreign born.
With that in mind, an Office of New Americans was established in Nashville.
That office is now a little more than a year old and has a new director.
Just one example of Nashville’s diversity is Charlotte Pike, which could be considered the epicenter of Vietnamese food with three highly-regarded restaurants within a mile of each other.
If you take a drive down Nolensville Road, for instance, you will be transported from Ishtar in the Middle East to a classic Mexican grocery store and butcher.
When you have 76,000 foreign-born people living in your city, it’s going to have an impact, and even its own government entity.
Nashville has an Office of New Americans, a kind of government welcome center.
“Moving into the county, I think, is just finding yourself welcome and finding allies and whether people see you as a human being or not, and then finding the resources and the support,” said Vanessa Lazon, who was appointed on Monday as Director of Community Inclusion within the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Engagement.
Lazon is the brand new single employee of a program that just reached its first birthday.
It has graduated its first class of 30 from the MyCity Academy, which takes foreign-born people and immerses them in everything Nashville.
“They get to learn basics of Nashville history, recycling water, Metro services, all kinds of stuff that is helpful when you come from another country,” said Lazon. “Some of those things aren’t on your radar.”
Then they are able to become leaders of their respective communities.
More here
The latest figures show that 12 percent of Nashville residents are foreign born.
With that in mind, an Office of New Americans was established in Nashville.
That office is now a little more than a year old and has a new director.
Just one example of Nashville’s diversity is Charlotte Pike, which could be considered the epicenter of Vietnamese food with three highly-regarded restaurants within a mile of each other.
If you take a drive down Nolensville Road, for instance, you will be transported from Ishtar in the Middle East to a classic Mexican grocery store and butcher.
When you have 76,000 foreign-born people living in your city, it’s going to have an impact, and even its own government entity.
Nashville has an Office of New Americans, a kind of government welcome center.
“Moving into the county, I think, is just finding yourself welcome and finding allies and whether people see you as a human being or not, and then finding the resources and the support,” said Vanessa Lazon, who was appointed on Monday as Director of Community Inclusion within the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Engagement.
Lazon is the brand new single employee of a program that just reached its first birthday.
It has graduated its first class of 30 from the MyCity Academy, which takes foreign-born people and immerses them in everything Nashville.
“They get to learn basics of Nashville history, recycling water, Metro services, all kinds of stuff that is helpful when you come from another country,” said Lazon. “Some of those things aren’t on your radar.”
Then they are able to become leaders of their respective communities.
More here
Baltimore Sun: Obama Should Create Public Registry Of Gun Owners
On January 7, The Baltimore Sun gave President Obama kudos for issuing executive orders for gun control, but expressed their desire that he add another measure–a public registry of gun owners.
And the Sun wants the registry to be searchable, so that mothers can look up the parents of their children’s friends to see if they keep guns in their homes.
The article, by the Sun‘s deputy editorial page editor, put it this way:
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And the Sun wants the registry to be searchable, so that mothers can look up the parents of their children’s friends to see if they keep guns in their homes.
The article, by the Sun‘s deputy editorial page editor, put it this way:
As President Barack Obama announced plans this week to tighten background checks for gun buyers and increase gun tracking and research, I thought, that’s all well and good, but how about adding something immediately useful: a gun owner registry available to the public online — something like those for sex offenders. I’m not equating gun owners with predatory perverts, but the model is helpful here; I want a searchable database I can consult to find out whether my kid can have a play date at your house.
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Soros: It's the 2008 Crisis All Over Again
Billionaire financier George Soros is warning of an impending financial markets crisis as investors around the world were roiled by turmoil in China trade for the second time this week.
Speaking an economic forum in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, he told an audience that China is struggling to find a new growth model and its currency devaluation is transferring problems to the rest of the world, according to media. He added that a return to rising interest rates was proving difficult for the developing world.
The current environment reminded him of the "crisis we had in 2008," The Sunday Times in Sri Lanka reported on Thursday morning. "China has a major adjustment problem," he added, according to Bloomberg. "I would say it amounts to a crisis."
China's CSI 300 tumbled more than 7 percent in early trade Thursday, again triggering the market's circuit breaker.
More here
[ Editor's Note: Soros has been positioned to benefit from a 'crash' -- see related article: George Soros bets $2B-plus on stock market collapse ]
Speaking an economic forum in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, he told an audience that China is struggling to find a new growth model and its currency devaluation is transferring problems to the rest of the world, according to media. He added that a return to rising interest rates was proving difficult for the developing world.
The current environment reminded him of the "crisis we had in 2008," The Sunday Times in Sri Lanka reported on Thursday morning. "China has a major adjustment problem," he added, according to Bloomberg. "I would say it amounts to a crisis."
China's CSI 300 tumbled more than 7 percent in early trade Thursday, again triggering the market's circuit breaker.
More here
[ Editor's Note: Soros has been positioned to benefit from a 'crash' -- see related article: George Soros bets $2B-plus on stock market collapse ]
Rape Survivor & Mom of Two Confronts Obama on Guns: Why Can’t You See You’re Making Me ‘Less Safe’?
A rape survivor and mother of two confronted President Barack Obama during a Thursday town hall, asking the president why his administration favors measures that “make it harder for me to own a gun” and in turn “less safe.”
Kimberly Corban, who survived a 2006 rape while studying at a Colorado college, presented her question to Obama at CNN’s “Guns in America” town hall event.
“As a survivor of rape and now a mother to two small children, you know it seems like being able to purchase a firearm of my choosing and being able to carry that where me and my family are — it seems like my basic responsibility as a parent at this point,” Corban told Obama. “I have been unspeakably victimized once already and I refuse to let that happen again to myself or my kids.”
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TransCanada Sues Obama Over Keystone XL
The builder of the Keystone XL oil pipeline company is suing the Obama administration in federal court over its refusal to approve the project.
TransCanada, which proposed the pipeline project to connect Canada's oil sands in Alberta with U.S. refiners on the Gulf Coast, on Wednesday filed a lawsuit in U.S. Federal Court in Houston, "asserting that the president's decision to deny construction of Keystone XL exceeded his power under the U.S. Constitution," according to the company.
The administration squashed the project after a record seven years of review, saying the project would increase greenhouse gas emissions and worsen climate change.
"TransCanada's legal actions challenge the foundation of the U.S. administration's decision to deny a presidential border crossing permit for the project," the company says. "In its decision, the U.S. State Department acknowledged the denial was not based on the merits of the project. Rather, it was a symbolic gesture based on speculation about the perceptions of the international community regarding the administration's leadership on climate change and the president's assertion of unprecedented, independent powers."
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TransCanada, which proposed the pipeline project to connect Canada's oil sands in Alberta with U.S. refiners on the Gulf Coast, on Wednesday filed a lawsuit in U.S. Federal Court in Houston, "asserting that the president's decision to deny construction of Keystone XL exceeded his power under the U.S. Constitution," according to the company.
The administration squashed the project after a record seven years of review, saying the project would increase greenhouse gas emissions and worsen climate change.
"TransCanada's legal actions challenge the foundation of the U.S. administration's decision to deny a presidential border crossing permit for the project," the company says. "In its decision, the U.S. State Department acknowledged the denial was not based on the merits of the project. Rather, it was a symbolic gesture based on speculation about the perceptions of the international community regarding the administration's leadership on climate change and the president's assertion of unprecedented, independent powers."
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George W. Bush Could Be Key to Stopping Donald Trump, Republican Says
For much of the 2016 Republican primary, conventional wisdom has had it that former president George W. Bush is something of a liability to his brother Jeb's struggling campaign.
But for at least one top Republican in South Carolina—the state that holds the American South's premier presidential nominating contest and only early state that has never dealt a primary defeat to a member of the Bush family–the 43rd president could be the party establishment's answer to stop front-runner Donald Trump in his tracks.
“The game changer is: Will 43 engage?” Katon Dawson, a former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, said in an interview about the former president, who was the nation's 43rd commander-in-chief. “If 43 engages, it will matter for his brother, but, really, it will matter for the entire team.”
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But for at least one top Republican in South Carolina—the state that holds the American South's premier presidential nominating contest and only early state that has never dealt a primary defeat to a member of the Bush family–the 43rd president could be the party establishment's answer to stop front-runner Donald Trump in his tracks.
“The game changer is: Will 43 engage?” Katon Dawson, a former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, said in an interview about the former president, who was the nation's 43rd commander-in-chief. “If 43 engages, it will matter for his brother, but, really, it will matter for the entire team.”
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House Fire In Salisbury
Delmar and Fruitland Fire departments are now being called to assist
Relative of Illegals Apprehended in Raid Claims They Had Work Permits
A relative of three border surge migrants apprehended during this weekend’s immigration enforcement raids claims they had work permits granted through the Obama administration’s “deferred action” program.
Rene Morales — whose sister and her two children were apprehended Saturday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — showed CBS46 what he said were “deferred action” work permits.
Morales’ sister and her children arrived in the U.S. in 2014 as part of the surge in unaccompanied minors and “family units,” largely from Central America, who have flooded illegally into the U.S. in recent years. Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), however, is technically only for illegal immigrants who have resided continuously in the U.S. since June 15, 2007 and were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012.
Over the weekend the Obama administration began a series of raids on illegal immigrant families who have been ordered removed but remain in the U.S. Over 120 illegal immigrants were apprehended in raids that were conducted largely in Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. Morales’ sister and her two children were taken into custody in Atlanta, according to the local CBS report.
A Republican Senate aide was hardly surprised that an illegal immigrant with final orders of deportation had been granted work permits.
Indeed, the Obama administration has issued more than 7.4 million work permits to foreign nationals from 2009-2014, beyond the congressionally-mandated annual limits. Included in that six-year span is more than 113,800 work permits granted to individuals with final orders of deportation.
Center for Immigration Studies policy studies director Jessica Vaughan was also unfazed by the idea that Morales’ illegal immigrant relatives may have been granted a work permit. She too pointed to the millions of work permits the Obama administration has granted beyond the limits set by Congress.
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Rene Morales — whose sister and her two children were apprehended Saturday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — showed CBS46 what he said were “deferred action” work permits.
Morales’ sister and her children arrived in the U.S. in 2014 as part of the surge in unaccompanied minors and “family units,” largely from Central America, who have flooded illegally into the U.S. in recent years. Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), however, is technically only for illegal immigrants who have resided continuously in the U.S. since June 15, 2007 and were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012.
Over the weekend the Obama administration began a series of raids on illegal immigrant families who have been ordered removed but remain in the U.S. Over 120 illegal immigrants were apprehended in raids that were conducted largely in Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. Morales’ sister and her two children were taken into custody in Atlanta, according to the local CBS report.
A Republican Senate aide was hardly surprised that an illegal immigrant with final orders of deportation had been granted work permits.
Indeed, the Obama administration has issued more than 7.4 million work permits to foreign nationals from 2009-2014, beyond the congressionally-mandated annual limits. Included in that six-year span is more than 113,800 work permits granted to individuals with final orders of deportation.
Center for Immigration Studies policy studies director Jessica Vaughan was also unfazed by the idea that Morales’ illegal immigrant relatives may have been granted a work permit. She too pointed to the millions of work permits the Obama administration has granted beyond the limits set by Congress.
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Beyonce Joining Coldplay For Super Bowl Halftime Show
NEW YORK (AP) — Beyonce is returning to the Super Bowl halftime show.
Pepsi confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that the 34-year-old singer will perform at the Feb. 7 show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Last month, Coldplay announced they would perform at the halftime show.
Beyonce headlined the 2013 Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans at the Superdome, where she was joined by her Destiny Child’s bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
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Pepsi confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that the 34-year-old singer will perform at the Feb. 7 show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Last month, Coldplay announced they would perform at the halftime show.
Beyonce headlined the 2013 Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans at the Superdome, where she was joined by her Destiny Child’s bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
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Maria Espinoza: Obama Didn’t Cry For Americans Slaughtered By Illegal Immigrants
National Director of the Remembrance Project Maria Espinoza is planning a run for the House in Texas’ 7th District, and weighing in on President Obama’s executive action on guns.
Espinoza tells Breitbart News Daily host Stephen K. Bannon:
This gun grab is completely unconstitutional and I fear the Congress will do the same thing they’ve done in the past” when Obama has acted unconstitutionally. “They funded Obamacare. They funded executive amnesty…. I fear that if the people do not rise up quickly and strongly, that this Congress will cave once again.
Espinoza said if she is elected to Congress, she would not vote for Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), or anyone like him, for leadership. She also criticized GOP Rep. Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), who currently holds the seat.
Citing Culberson’s Committee assignments, Espinoza said, “He has the power of the purse to stop all this and look at what he did."
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Espinoza tells Breitbart News Daily host Stephen K. Bannon:
This gun grab is completely unconstitutional and I fear the Congress will do the same thing they’ve done in the past” when Obama has acted unconstitutionally. “They funded Obamacare. They funded executive amnesty…. I fear that if the people do not rise up quickly and strongly, that this Congress will cave once again.
Espinoza said if she is elected to Congress, she would not vote for Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), or anyone like him, for leadership. She also criticized GOP Rep. Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), who currently holds the seat.
Citing Culberson’s Committee assignments, Espinoza said, “He has the power of the purse to stop all this and look at what he did."
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Man kicked by Dover police officer arrested on gun charges
Delaware State Police said Lateef Dickerson, 31, and two other men were taken into custody Thursday morning in Newark after police stopped their vehicle following a traffic violation.
Officers determined that Dickerson and Taron Hampton were both active probationers and both the subject of outstanding warrants. Dickerson, Hampton and the driver, Von Smith, were asked to exit the vehicle, and a resulting search found a .32 caliber revolver in a bag on the rear seat of the car.
All three men were charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.
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New Year’s Migrant Sex Assaults In Every Major German City
The German capital city of Berlin has joined the sad parade of cities touched by migrant sex violence on New Year’s Eve, with hundreds of assaults now reported to police in Cologne and other cities.
Although on a smaller scale to the unrestrained and un-policed sex attacks in Cologne, the Berliner Morgenpost has now reported on assaults taking place on the street “in front of the Brandenburg gate”.
The revelation may prove difficult for the German media, which until now has stressed in most reports on the new year’s rapes that Berlin was not caught up in the scandal.
The paper reports four separate incidents around the cite, including a tourist being sexually assaulted by a group of “three to five men”, and two women being “sexually harassed” by men from Pakistan and Iraq.
Another woman came forward to police on Tuesday following national press coverage of the migrant rape scandal to report being “touched” at a music event by “several immoral men”.
More analagous to the Cologne attacks were events in Hamburg, where groups of “southern or Arab appearance” men aged between 20 and 40 sexually assaulted dozens of women.
More here
Although on a smaller scale to the unrestrained and un-policed sex attacks in Cologne, the Berliner Morgenpost has now reported on assaults taking place on the street “in front of the Brandenburg gate”.
The revelation may prove difficult for the German media, which until now has stressed in most reports on the new year’s rapes that Berlin was not caught up in the scandal.
The paper reports four separate incidents around the cite, including a tourist being sexually assaulted by a group of “three to five men”, and two women being “sexually harassed” by men from Pakistan and Iraq.
Another woman came forward to police on Tuesday following national press coverage of the migrant rape scandal to report being “touched” at a music event by “several immoral men”.
More analagous to the Cologne attacks were events in Hamburg, where groups of “southern or Arab appearance” men aged between 20 and 40 sexually assaulted dozens of women.
More here
**Update-Arrest Made** Local Man Arrested in Robbery of Camden Waffle House
Camden, DE – Troopers have arrested a Camden man in connection with the Christmas Eve morning robbery of the Waffle House investigating an armed robbery of the Waffle House.
The incident occurred around 5:00 a.m., Thursday December 24, 2015 at the Waffle House located at 4003 South DuPont Highway, when a male suspect armed with a handgun entered the store and approached a 20-year-old female employee and a 20-year-old male employee at the counter. The suspect pointed the gun at both of the victims and demanded cash from the register. The female victim complied and turned over an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then fled the establishment and ran east toward Star Hill. Both employees were uninjured in this incident.
Through a joint investigation with Camden Police Department, Alfred L. Robinson, 51 of Camden, was developed as a suspect after similarities between this robbery and a robbery that was committed at the Briar Park Shore Stop located at 3896 South DuPont Highway on December 8, 2015 were established by detectives.
Alfred Robinson was taken into custody by state police detectives at his residence on Thursday January 7, 2016 and transported back to Troop 3 where he was charged by troopers with Robbery 1st, two counts of Aggravated Menacing, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony. Camden Police Department also charged Robinson with Robbery 1st, Aggravated Menacing, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony. He was arraigned at JP2 and committed to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $125,000.00 cash bond on all the charges listed.
The incident occurred around 5:00 a.m., Thursday December 24, 2015 at the Waffle House located at 4003 South DuPont Highway, when a male suspect armed with a handgun entered the store and approached a 20-year-old female employee and a 20-year-old male employee at the counter. The suspect pointed the gun at both of the victims and demanded cash from the register. The female victim complied and turned over an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then fled the establishment and ran east toward Star Hill. Both employees were uninjured in this incident.
Through a joint investigation with Camden Police Department, Alfred L. Robinson, 51 of Camden, was developed as a suspect after similarities between this robbery and a robbery that was committed at the Briar Park Shore Stop located at 3896 South DuPont Highway on December 8, 2015 were established by detectives.
Alfred Robinson was taken into custody by state police detectives at his residence on Thursday January 7, 2016 and transported back to Troop 3 where he was charged by troopers with Robbery 1st, two counts of Aggravated Menacing, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony. Camden Police Department also charged Robinson with Robbery 1st, Aggravated Menacing, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony. He was arraigned at JP2 and committed to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $125,000.00 cash bond on all the charges listed.
Multiple Police Flying Into West Ocean City
There were multiple police vehicles flying east on Rt. 50 into West Ocean City. I'm told they now have the "wanted target located". Hopefully we get an update soon and find out what's going on.
‘I am pro life': A surrogate mother’s stand against ‘reducing’ her triplets
Melissa Cook said she was confronted with a harrowing decision: Would she abort a fetus she was carrying for someone else?
The 47-year-old Californian had agreed to be a surrogate for a 50-year-old postal worker in Georgia, and she became pregnant last year with three boys. But then, she said later in a lawsuit, the man expressed concerns about his dwindling finances and about the health of the babies. He asked her to undergo “selective reduction” to eliminate one of the embryos.
“I am pro life and I am not having an abortion,” Cook told him, according to court documents. “They are all doing just fine.”
She said he told her he considered adoption but thought it would be cruel to separate the triplets and opted for abortion instead.
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The 47-year-old Californian had agreed to be a surrogate for a 50-year-old postal worker in Georgia, and she became pregnant last year with three boys. But then, she said later in a lawsuit, the man expressed concerns about his dwindling finances and about the health of the babies. He asked her to undergo “selective reduction” to eliminate one of the embryos.
“I am pro life and I am not having an abortion,” Cook told him, according to court documents. “They are all doing just fine.”
She said he told her he considered adoption but thought it would be cruel to separate the triplets and opted for abortion instead.
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Suspect ID'ed After ISIS-Inspired Cop Ambush; Was 'Hearing Voices'
The man who police say ambushed a Philadelphia officer in the "the name of Islam" has been identified as 30-year-old Edward Archer.
Archer's mother reportedly said that her son had suffered head injuries, was "hearing voices" and family members had asked him to seek mental help.
Police Commissioner Richard Ross said earlier this afternoon that Archer opened fire on Officer Jesse Hartnett's patrol car at 11:30 last night.
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Archer's mother reportedly said that her son had suffered head injuries, was "hearing voices" and family members had asked him to seek mental help.
Police Commissioner Richard Ross said earlier this afternoon that Archer opened fire on Officer Jesse Hartnett's patrol car at 11:30 last night.
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Franklin Graham Launches 50 State ‘Decision America 2016’ Tour in Iowa
Christian evangelist Franklin Graham is off and running on his 50 state “Decision America 2016″ tour.
His first stop was the steps of the State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, less than a month before the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses are held on February 1.
An enthusiastic flag-waving crowd of 2,600 endured 30-degree weather to hear the 63-year-old head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association encourage Christians to engage in the political process by voting and running for office in 2016.
“I’m encouraged that you care so much about your state and your country to come out today,” Graham told the crowd.
“My father extends his greetings to you. He’s 97 years old and his ministry now is limited to prayer,” Graham said of his father, Billy Graham, the most renowned Christian evangelical preacher of the last seven decades.
“We understand that our country is in trouble. It’s in big time trouble,” Graham began.
More here
His first stop was the steps of the State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday, less than a month before the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses are held on February 1.
An enthusiastic flag-waving crowd of 2,600 endured 30-degree weather to hear the 63-year-old head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association encourage Christians to engage in the political process by voting and running for office in 2016.
“I’m encouraged that you care so much about your state and your country to come out today,” Graham told the crowd.
“My father extends his greetings to you. He’s 97 years old and his ministry now is limited to prayer,” Graham said of his father, Billy Graham, the most renowned Christian evangelical preacher of the last seven decades.
“We understand that our country is in trouble. It’s in big time trouble,” Graham began.
More here
Colleges tell students to leave their hoverboards at home
BOSTON (AP) — One of the holiday’s hottest presents is now considered contraband at many U.S. colleges.
More than 30 universities have banned or restricted hoverboards on their campuses in recent weeks, saying the two-wheeled, motorized scooters are unsafe. Beyond the risk of falls and collisions, colleges are citing warnings from federal authorities that some of the self-balancing gadgets have caught on fire.
“It’s clear that these things are potentially dangerous,” said Len Dolan, managing director of fire safety at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. The public school of 14,000 students issued a campus-wide ban effective on Monday, telling students in an email that any hoverboards found on campus would be confiscated.
“These things are just catching fire without warning, and we don’t want that in any of our dorms,” Dolan said.
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More than 30 universities have banned or restricted hoverboards on their campuses in recent weeks, saying the two-wheeled, motorized scooters are unsafe. Beyond the risk of falls and collisions, colleges are citing warnings from federal authorities that some of the self-balancing gadgets have caught on fire.
“It’s clear that these things are potentially dangerous,” said Len Dolan, managing director of fire safety at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. The public school of 14,000 students issued a campus-wide ban effective on Monday, telling students in an email that any hoverboards found on campus would be confiscated.
“These things are just catching fire without warning, and we don’t want that in any of our dorms,” Dolan said.
More
German State Broadcaster ‘Sorry’ For Slow Reporting On Cologne Sex Assaults
BERLIN – German public broadcaster ZDF has apologised for delays in reporting on a wave of sexual assaults blamed on men of Arab appearance amid accusations Wednesday of media self-censorship of the inflammatory issue.
The rash of attacks and thefts in a New Year’s Eve crowd in the western city of Cologne was only widely covered by national media early this week, after police had initially reported no major incidents.
News editors of ZDF’s flagship “heute” (today) evening news programme apologised on social media for not reporting on the incidents at least in its Monday evening bulletin, four days after the attacks.
“The news situation was clear enough. It was a mistake of the 7pm ‘heute’ show not to at least report the incidents,” wrote deputy chief editor Elmar Thevessen on the show’s Facebook page.
The number of criminal complaints in Cologne topped 100 by Wednesday.
On social media, furious commentators have blamed the attacks on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government and its welcome to asylum seekers, 1.1 million of whom arrived last year.
More here
The rash of attacks and thefts in a New Year’s Eve crowd in the western city of Cologne was only widely covered by national media early this week, after police had initially reported no major incidents.
News editors of ZDF’s flagship “heute” (today) evening news programme apologised on social media for not reporting on the incidents at least in its Monday evening bulletin, four days after the attacks.
“The news situation was clear enough. It was a mistake of the 7pm ‘heute’ show not to at least report the incidents,” wrote deputy chief editor Elmar Thevessen on the show’s Facebook page.
The number of criminal complaints in Cologne topped 100 by Wednesday.
On social media, furious commentators have blamed the attacks on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government and its welcome to asylum seekers, 1.1 million of whom arrived last year.
More here
Annual Penguin Swim Raises $104K For Atlantic General
BERLIN – With 2015 just hours behind them, more than 1,000 revelers donned their penguin gear and ran into the Atlantic Ocean at 91st Street in Ocean City for the AGH Penguin Swim. The turnout for the 22nd annual New Year’s Day event was fantastic, far surpassing previous attendance numbers.
“This was the largest crowd I’ve ever seen for the Penguin Swim,” said Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital and also an annual participant. “It’s a great event to bring our community and visitors together to have a lot of fun doing something a little crazy, and at the same time help one of the most important assets in our community.”
The success of the event is due, in great part, to Penguin Swim co-chairs Sal Fasano and Madalaine How as well as the support of the communities and resort visitors Atlantic General Hospital serves.
The record-breaking crowd arrived decked-out for the event, if not as penguins then as minions, mermaids, bananas, characters from the hit 80s movie, “The Goonies” and more.
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“This was the largest crowd I’ve ever seen for the Penguin Swim,” said Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital and also an annual participant. “It’s a great event to bring our community and visitors together to have a lot of fun doing something a little crazy, and at the same time help one of the most important assets in our community.”
The success of the event is due, in great part, to Penguin Swim co-chairs Sal Fasano and Madalaine How as well as the support of the communities and resort visitors Atlantic General Hospital serves.
The record-breaking crowd arrived decked-out for the event, if not as penguins then as minions, mermaids, bananas, characters from the hit 80s movie, “The Goonies” and more.
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Migrants Launch Fireworks Into Crowds in Cologne
Video footage continues to emerge of the mass sexual assault committed by migrants on women at the New Year’s Eve celebrations in the German city of Cologne.
Breitbart London broke the story of the attacks in the English-speaking media after the German press finally started reporting the incident three days after it had actually happened.
The media silence has stunned the German people, who are wondering why no one dared report such as massive attack by so many men on so many women at such a crowded event.
The latest video shows men hurling fireworks into the crowd outside the city’s cathedral, causing panic among confused revellers who do not know where to turn.
Women were surrounded by groups of men and “touched inappropriately”. Up to 1,000 men were involved.
Breitbart London reported on Monday how women feared for their safety as large numbers of migrant men gathered around them:
Breitbart London broke the story of the attacks in the English-speaking media after the German press finally started reporting the incident three days after it had actually happened.
The media silence has stunned the German people, who are wondering why no one dared report such as massive attack by so many men on so many women at such a crowded event.
The latest video shows men hurling fireworks into the crowd outside the city’s cathedral, causing panic among confused revellers who do not know where to turn.
Women were surrounded by groups of men and “touched inappropriately”. Up to 1,000 men were involved.
Breitbart London reported on Monday how women feared for their safety as large numbers of migrant men gathered around them:
What's For Dinner: Biscuits And Gravy Bake
Biscuits And Gravy Bake
Posted by Tasty on Thursday, December 31, 2015
Click on the title of this post if the video does not load
Governor Larry Hogan Announces Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in Maryland
Issues Proclamation Recognizing Crucial Work of
Law Enforcement
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Larry Hogan today issued a statewide proclamation declaring Saturday, January 9, 2016 as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in Maryland. On January 9th of each year, organizations across the country promote National Law Enforcement Day to show their support of our nation’s law enforcement officials. Currently, Maryland has 152 police departments and approximately 15,000 police officers.“Maryland's law enforcement officers, from the State Police to our local Sheriff Departments, are some of the finest men and women in uniform anywhere in the country, and I am proud to declare January 9 Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in recognition of their important and selfless work," said Governor Hogan. “Every single day they put their lives on the line to make their communities and our state a better and safer place to live. I will continue to support our law enforcement officers today and every day as we work together to change Maryland for the better, and I encourage all Marylanders to show their appreciation for these outstanding men and women.”
In recognition and celebration of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Governor Hogan and Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford today met with officers from the Maryland State Police, Annapolis City Police, Maryland Transit Administration Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Natural Resources Police, Maryland Capitol Police, and the University of Maryland Police Department, as well as representatives from the Maryland chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors and the Fraternal Order of Police.
Citizens are encouraged to show their appreciation for men and women in law enforcement in various ways, including:
- Wear blue clothing in support of law enforcement
- Send a card of support to a local police department or state agency
- Share a story about a positive law enforcement experience on social media
- Ask children in your community to write letters in support of law enforcement
- Participate in Project Blue Light - proudly display a blue light in support of law enforcement
- Organize an event or a rally in support of law enforcement officers
- Personally thank a police officer for their service
U.S. Warns Employers to Protect Muslim Rights, Directs Victims to File Complaints
In the aftermath of the San Bernardino terrorist attacks the Obama administration has issued a new warning regarding workplace discrimination “against individuals who are, or perceived to be, Muslim or Middle Eastern.”
American businesses are to accommodate the religious needs of Muslims and assure that they aren’t being harassed or intimidated, states the order which was issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the bloated federal agency that enforces the nation’s workplace discrimination laws. Those who don’t oblige will be prosecuted by the administration for violating federal law, specifically Title VII of the Civil Right Act which prohibits discrimination on the bases of religion.
“The attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, in late 2015 and other recent world events have heightened concerns about workplace protections for all employees, including individuals who are, or are perceived to be, Muslim or Middle Eastern,” the EEOC asserts in its recently issued document. “Discrimination in the workplace based on religion, national origin, or race is strictly prohibited by federal and state laws. Reactions in the workplace to world events demand increased efforts by employers to prevent discrimination.” EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang refers to Muslims as “vulnerable communities” that need protection “even as we grapple with the concerns raised by the recent terrorist attacks.”
In the last few years the administration has sued a number of U.S. businesses for violating Muslim civil rights under Title VII, including companies in Nebraska, California and Colorado for not accommodating prayer breaks and forbidding Islamically-mandated headscarves (hijabs) on the job.
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American businesses are to accommodate the religious needs of Muslims and assure that they aren’t being harassed or intimidated, states the order which was issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the bloated federal agency that enforces the nation’s workplace discrimination laws. Those who don’t oblige will be prosecuted by the administration for violating federal law, specifically Title VII of the Civil Right Act which prohibits discrimination on the bases of religion.
“The attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, in late 2015 and other recent world events have heightened concerns about workplace protections for all employees, including individuals who are, or are perceived to be, Muslim or Middle Eastern,” the EEOC asserts in its recently issued document. “Discrimination in the workplace based on religion, national origin, or race is strictly prohibited by federal and state laws. Reactions in the workplace to world events demand increased efforts by employers to prevent discrimination.” EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang refers to Muslims as “vulnerable communities” that need protection “even as we grapple with the concerns raised by the recent terrorist attacks.”
In the last few years the administration has sued a number of U.S. businesses for violating Muslim civil rights under Title VII, including companies in Nebraska, California and Colorado for not accommodating prayer breaks and forbidding Islamically-mandated headscarves (hijabs) on the job.
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Is Ted Cruz Eligible to Be President?
If you thought the end of Barack Obama’s presidency would (thankfully) mark the end of controversy of a politician’s birthplace, think again. Thanks to Donald Trump, the issue has returned, though this time with a bull’s eye on Ted Cruz — not coincidentally one of Trump’s most formidable primary opponents.
Cruz was born in 1970 in Canada to a U.S. citizen mother. The Constitution requires that the president be a “natural born” citizen of the United States, and Trump suggested Cruz’s Canadian birthplace might imperil his presidential eligibility — or at least he suggested that other people might suggest it. Perish the thought.
Trump claimed Cruz’s birthplace was a “very precarious” issue that could be detrimental to Cruz should he cinch the nomination. “Republicans are going to have to ask themselves the question: ‘Do we want a candidate who could be tied up in court for two years?’ That’d be a big problem,” said Trump. He added that “a lot of people are talking about it,” and that he’d “hate to see something like that get in his way.” Yes, we’re sure he would simply hate that.
But is there any validity to Trump’s “concern”? In a word, no.
The Congressional Research Service, the arm of the Library of Congress which for more than a century has been tasked with providing (allegedly) non-partisan research and legal analysis to members of Congress, has described a “natural born” citizen as one who is a citizen “at birth” or “by birth,” as opposed to a “naturalized” citizen. According to the U.S. Code, those who are citizens at birth include “a person born outside the geographical limits of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is an alien, and the other a citizen of the United States who, prior to the birth of such person, was physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after attaining the age of fourteen years.” Cruz’s mother was born and raised in Delaware and attended college in Texas, more than fulfilling this requirement.
More here
Cruz was born in 1970 in Canada to a U.S. citizen mother. The Constitution requires that the president be a “natural born” citizen of the United States, and Trump suggested Cruz’s Canadian birthplace might imperil his presidential eligibility — or at least he suggested that other people might suggest it. Perish the thought.
Trump claimed Cruz’s birthplace was a “very precarious” issue that could be detrimental to Cruz should he cinch the nomination. “Republicans are going to have to ask themselves the question: ‘Do we want a candidate who could be tied up in court for two years?’ That’d be a big problem,” said Trump. He added that “a lot of people are talking about it,” and that he’d “hate to see something like that get in his way.” Yes, we’re sure he would simply hate that.
But is there any validity to Trump’s “concern”? In a word, no.
The Congressional Research Service, the arm of the Library of Congress which for more than a century has been tasked with providing (allegedly) non-partisan research and legal analysis to members of Congress, has described a “natural born” citizen as one who is a citizen “at birth” or “by birth,” as opposed to a “naturalized” citizen. According to the U.S. Code, those who are citizens at birth include “a person born outside the geographical limits of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is an alien, and the other a citizen of the United States who, prior to the birth of such person, was physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after attaining the age of fourteen years.” Cruz’s mother was born and raised in Delaware and attended college in Texas, more than fulfilling this requirement.
More here
Judicial Watch Statement on IG Report Confirming FOIA Violations by Hillary Clinton and State Department
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton made the following statement regarding the report released Thursday by the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) regarding the Hillary Clinton email scandal and the mishandling of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the State Department:
The Clinton email scandal is worsening.
Today’s State OIG report confirms what we’ve been saying all along – that Hillary Clinton and the Obama State Department thwarted specific Judicial Watch FOIA requests by lying about her email system with “inaccurate” and “incomplete” responses. The State Department OIG report is half-baked but nonetheless devastating in laying out the violations of law and regulations by Hillary Clinton and her then-Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills.
Judicial Watch plans to share this report with several federal courts considering our requests for discovery about the Clinton email issue. The OIG admits it still doesn’t know the extent of the inaccuracies and other violations of FOIA and correctly suggests that officials could be held in contempt of court for FOIA fraud. This is exactly why Judicial Watch is asking the courts for discovery, which could include putting current and former Obama administration officials under oath. Judicial Watch wants to know the facts behind Hillary Clinton’s and the Obama State Department’s purposeful thwarting of FOIA so we can be sure that all of the emails from her illicit email system are reviewed and released to the public as the law requires.
Judicial Watch is asking for discovery concerning Hillary Clinton’s emails in three separate FOIA lawsuits against the State Department.
(Source)
The Clinton email scandal is worsening.
Today’s State OIG report confirms what we’ve been saying all along – that Hillary Clinton and the Obama State Department thwarted specific Judicial Watch FOIA requests by lying about her email system with “inaccurate” and “incomplete” responses. The State Department OIG report is half-baked but nonetheless devastating in laying out the violations of law and regulations by Hillary Clinton and her then-Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills.
Judicial Watch plans to share this report with several federal courts considering our requests for discovery about the Clinton email issue. The OIG admits it still doesn’t know the extent of the inaccuracies and other violations of FOIA and correctly suggests that officials could be held in contempt of court for FOIA fraud. This is exactly why Judicial Watch is asking the courts for discovery, which could include putting current and former Obama administration officials under oath. Judicial Watch wants to know the facts behind Hillary Clinton’s and the Obama State Department’s purposeful thwarting of FOIA so we can be sure that all of the emails from her illicit email system are reviewed and released to the public as the law requires.
Judicial Watch is asking for discovery concerning Hillary Clinton’s emails in three separate FOIA lawsuits against the State Department.
(Source)
Helsinki Cops: ‘Widespread’ Sexual Harassment By ‘Asylum Seekers’
Finnish police reported Thursday an unusually high level of sexual harassment in Helsinki on New Year’s Eve and said they had been tipped off about plans by groups of asylum seekers to sexually harass women.
Helsinki deputy police chief Ilkka Koskimaki told AFP: “There hasn’t been this kind of harassment on previous New Year’s Eves or other occasions for that matter… This is a completely new phenomenon in Helsinki.”
Security guards hired to patrol the city on New Year’s Eve told police there had been “widespread sexual harassment” at a central square where around 20,000 people had gathered for celebrations.
Three sexual assaults allegedly took place at Helsinki’s central railway station on New Year’s Eve, where around 1,000 mostly Iraqi asylum seekers had converged.
“Police have… received information about three cases of sexual assault, of which two have been filed as complaints,” Helsinki police said in a statement.
“The suspects were asylum seekers. The three were caught and taken into custody on the spot,” Koskimaki told AFP.
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Helsinki deputy police chief Ilkka Koskimaki told AFP: “There hasn’t been this kind of harassment on previous New Year’s Eves or other occasions for that matter… This is a completely new phenomenon in Helsinki.”
Security guards hired to patrol the city on New Year’s Eve told police there had been “widespread sexual harassment” at a central square where around 20,000 people had gathered for celebrations.
Three sexual assaults allegedly took place at Helsinki’s central railway station on New Year’s Eve, where around 1,000 mostly Iraqi asylum seekers had converged.
“Police have… received information about three cases of sexual assault, of which two have been filed as complaints,” Helsinki police said in a statement.
“The suspects were asylum seekers. The three were caught and taken into custody on the spot,” Koskimaki told AFP.
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Little Traction For Now On Styrofoam Ban In Ocean City
OCEAN CITY — While not advocating for an outright ban on potentially harmful Styrofoam, the resort’s Coastal Resources Legislative Committee this week decided to pursue the issue further before making any recommendation.
Several progressive communities across the country are already banning polystyrene in the form of Styrofoam cups, plates and carry-out boxes, for example. Closest to home, Montgomery County has implemented a phased-in prohibition with the county government’s ban going into effect this week and a private sector ban implemented a year later.
Ocean City late last year began considering following suit, joining communities up and down the east coast along with forward-thinking cities on the west coast including San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, for example. Any potential ban is likely a long way off and it remains uncertain what a finished product might look like, but at the insistence of a private resident, the Mayor and Council instructed the committee, which is referred to as the Green Team, to at least research the issue and come back with a recommendation.
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Several progressive communities across the country are already banning polystyrene in the form of Styrofoam cups, plates and carry-out boxes, for example. Closest to home, Montgomery County has implemented a phased-in prohibition with the county government’s ban going into effect this week and a private sector ban implemented a year later.
Ocean City late last year began considering following suit, joining communities up and down the east coast along with forward-thinking cities on the west coast including San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, for example. Any potential ban is likely a long way off and it remains uncertain what a finished product might look like, but at the insistence of a private resident, the Mayor and Council instructed the committee, which is referred to as the Green Team, to at least research the issue and come back with a recommendation.
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State Police Have Arrested a Laurel Man for Homicide
Laurel, De. - The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit arrested a 25-year-old Laurel man in connection with a homicide.
The preliminary investigation revealed the incident occurred at approximately 1:31 p.m., on Thursday, January 7, 2016 when the Laurel Police Department was dispatched to check the welfare of a subject at the unit block of West 6th Street, Laurel, DE. Troopers also responded to the location to assist. Upon arrival, family members advised they found the victim Yolande Georges, 61 of Laurel, deceased inside the residence. The victim sustained obvious trauma to her upper body resulting in her death.
Earlier today at approximately 8:39 a.m., a Trooper responded to a suspicious person complaint located on Bacons Road west of Bi-State Boulevard, Delmar. The individual was reported walking in the middle of the road acting in a suspicious manner. The subject was identified as Dukinson Appolon. During contact, Dukinson Appolon attempted to cause physical harm to himself which caused the Trooper to deploy his divisionally issued Taser. The Trooper was able to gain control of Appolon and took him into custody. The suspect was transported to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. It was later determined that Dukinson is the victim’s son and lives upstairs from the victim.
Dukinson Appolon, 25 of Laurel, was developed as a suspect through a comprehensive investigation, and was charged with Murder 1st Degree and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony. Appolon was transported to Troop 5, Bridgeville where he was processed. He was arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution and held without bail. (2015 mug shot attached)
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit continues to investigate this incident and no motive has been established at this time.
State Department "Misled" Clinton Email Seekers
The top leadership of the State Department regularly botched open-records requests such as those for former Secretary Hillary Clinton’s emails, the department’s inspector general said in a report released Thursday that portrayed a staff who gave short shrift to its legal obligation to be transparent.
Department leaders ignored one request for Mrs. Clinton’s schedules “for several years,” and in another instance insisted it couldn’t find any records relating to Mrs. Clinton’s other emails — even though at the time, “dozens of senior officials” were aware of her unique email arrangement.
The inspector general said Mrs. Clinton’s chief of staff at the time, Cheryl Mills, who knew about her email account and server she kept at her New York home, was made aware of the request for information, but didn’t take any steps to clear the matter up or reveal the email account.
Things are so bad that 177 requests for documents from Mrs. Clinton, who left office three years ago, are still pending, the inspector general said.
And even as requests for information increased, the inspector general said the State Department cut the number of people processing them — adding to what seemed to outsiders to be a veil of secrecy surrounding Mrs. Clinton’s activities at the department.
More here
Department leaders ignored one request for Mrs. Clinton’s schedules “for several years,” and in another instance insisted it couldn’t find any records relating to Mrs. Clinton’s other emails — even though at the time, “dozens of senior officials” were aware of her unique email arrangement.
The inspector general said Mrs. Clinton’s chief of staff at the time, Cheryl Mills, who knew about her email account and server she kept at her New York home, was made aware of the request for information, but didn’t take any steps to clear the matter up or reveal the email account.
Things are so bad that 177 requests for documents from Mrs. Clinton, who left office three years ago, are still pending, the inspector general said.
And even as requests for information increased, the inspector general said the State Department cut the number of people processing them — adding to what seemed to outsiders to be a veil of secrecy surrounding Mrs. Clinton’s activities at the department.
More here
Fancy a dream job as a Guinness Ambassador in the US?
One of the most famous brands in the world, the most loved Irish brewer, Guinness is on the hunt for ambassadors across the United States.
This is a serious opportunity for seasoned, charismatic, passionate beer fans to help spread Guinness expertise and tell amazing stories in Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Orlando, Atlanta, and Columbus, OH.
Do you know someone who would love to work as a Guinness Brewery Ambassador full-time?
Of course you do.
The company say a Guinness Brewery Ambassador should possess a contagious passion for Guinness that will captivate beer fans throughout the region. The right candidate will already be a member of the beer community and become recognized as the face of Guinness through tasting events, brand trainings and social media.
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This is a serious opportunity for seasoned, charismatic, passionate beer fans to help spread Guinness expertise and tell amazing stories in Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Orlando, Atlanta, and Columbus, OH.
Do you know someone who would love to work as a Guinness Brewery Ambassador full-time?
Of course you do.
The company say a Guinness Brewery Ambassador should possess a contagious passion for Guinness that will captivate beer fans throughout the region. The right candidate will already be a member of the beer community and become recognized as the face of Guinness through tasting events, brand trainings and social media.
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Gov. Hogan's Budget Priorities: Repealing Mandates, Lowering Taxes
ANNAPOLIS | Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday he will submit a budget that calls for $17.1 billion in spending that prioritizes education and transportation and foresees a $445 million surplus in fiscal year 2017.
Mr. Hogan also vowed to bring some order to a budget process that has been chaotic in recent years, promising to fulfill all requests mandated by the legislature, but saying in exchange for a single unified bill, the legislature will have to give up some of its powers to tinker with how he distributes the money.
“Our administration has said repeatedly that we would bring fiscal restraint back to Annapolis, hold the line on spending, and increase funding for top priorities like education and infrastructure. This year’s budget accomplishes all those things,” Mr. Hogan said. “I hope that it will set the stage for bipartisanship, cooperation, and continued fiscal responsibility.”
His plan, which he will introduce in full later this month, includes a Rainy Day Fund of $1.1 billion and $6.3 billion spent on elementary and secondary schools.
Mandates, such as minimum funding for education and health care, have been a source of contention in previous budget negotiations. Mr. Hogan said 83 percent of the money in the budget already is tied up in those mandates, leaving him only 17 percent to close deficits, fund his own priorities and cut spending.
The first-term Republican governor is asking the General Assembly to repeal or rewrite many of the mandates, giving him more flexibility and taking power away from the Democrat-controlled legislature.
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Mr. Hogan also vowed to bring some order to a budget process that has been chaotic in recent years, promising to fulfill all requests mandated by the legislature, but saying in exchange for a single unified bill, the legislature will have to give up some of its powers to tinker with how he distributes the money.
“Our administration has said repeatedly that we would bring fiscal restraint back to Annapolis, hold the line on spending, and increase funding for top priorities like education and infrastructure. This year’s budget accomplishes all those things,” Mr. Hogan said. “I hope that it will set the stage for bipartisanship, cooperation, and continued fiscal responsibility.”
His plan, which he will introduce in full later this month, includes a Rainy Day Fund of $1.1 billion and $6.3 billion spent on elementary and secondary schools.
Mandates, such as minimum funding for education and health care, have been a source of contention in previous budget negotiations. Mr. Hogan said 83 percent of the money in the budget already is tied up in those mandates, leaving him only 17 percent to close deficits, fund his own priorities and cut spending.
The first-term Republican governor is asking the General Assembly to repeal or rewrite many of the mandates, giving him more flexibility and taking power away from the Democrat-controlled legislature.
More here
Carozza: new session, new budget
Del. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38C) is gearing up for her second session of the Maryland General Assembly’s 2016 session, most of which, she admits, will be spent poring over Gov. Larry Hogan’s budget.
Carozza serves on the Appropriations Committee, which reviews legislation relating to operating and capital budgets, including the one submitted annually by the governor.
“The budget will take most of my time as a delegate. It’s extremely time consuming — my committee meets daily, and sometimes has both morning and afternoon sessions,” she said.
The goal, she said, was to “put our fiscal house in order while funding priorities.”
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Carozza serves on the Appropriations Committee, which reviews legislation relating to operating and capital budgets, including the one submitted annually by the governor.
“The budget will take most of my time as a delegate. It’s extremely time consuming — my committee meets daily, and sometimes has both morning and afternoon sessions,” she said.
The goal, she said, was to “put our fiscal house in order while funding priorities.”
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Unions: Mikulski Sold Out American Workers
Some of the largest and most influential trade unions in the country are calling out Democrats for boosting guest worker programs and open borders policies.
North America’s Building Trades Unions—an umbrella organization representing three million workers and 15 major unions, including the Laborers and Teamsters—sent outgoing Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D., Md.) a letter Thursday accusing her of selling out workers by importing foreigners to work for “Close to Slavery” wages. Mikulski pushed for increasing the number of temporary H2B visas that allow companies to bring guest workers to the United States to fill seasonal jobs.
“We wanted to express to you our extreme disappointment over your efforts to leverage the power and trust that the people of Maryland have placed in you as their representative to doggedly pursue language in the recently passed omnibus bill that will result in diminished job opportunities for hard working Americans,” the letter says. “Flooding a loose labor market such as the construction industry with additional low-skill labor hurts the wages and reduces the job prospects of both recent immigrants and native-born workers who are struggling the most. To be blunt, Senator, your actions will induce a race to the bottom on wages and benefits for U.S. workers.”
Mikulski did not respond to Washington Free Beacon request for comment.
The labor group said that the omnibus bill’s language would triple the number of visas issued and depress wages for blue-collar workers. It also accused Mikulski of attempting to “undermine” labor protections for American and foreign workers to benefit employers.
More here
North America’s Building Trades Unions—an umbrella organization representing three million workers and 15 major unions, including the Laborers and Teamsters—sent outgoing Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D., Md.) a letter Thursday accusing her of selling out workers by importing foreigners to work for “Close to Slavery” wages. Mikulski pushed for increasing the number of temporary H2B visas that allow companies to bring guest workers to the United States to fill seasonal jobs.
“We wanted to express to you our extreme disappointment over your efforts to leverage the power and trust that the people of Maryland have placed in you as their representative to doggedly pursue language in the recently passed omnibus bill that will result in diminished job opportunities for hard working Americans,” the letter says. “Flooding a loose labor market such as the construction industry with additional low-skill labor hurts the wages and reduces the job prospects of both recent immigrants and native-born workers who are struggling the most. To be blunt, Senator, your actions will induce a race to the bottom on wages and benefits for U.S. workers.”
Mikulski did not respond to Washington Free Beacon request for comment.
The labor group said that the omnibus bill’s language would triple the number of visas issued and depress wages for blue-collar workers. It also accused Mikulski of attempting to “undermine” labor protections for American and foreign workers to benefit employers.
More here
Alabama Sues Obama Over Syrian Refugees
Alabama officials sued the U.S. government on Thursday to force the Obama administration to provide more information on the settlement of refugees from Syria and other countries in the state.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court in Birmingham, accused the Obama administration of failing to consult state officials about any refugees to be settled in the state, in violation of the federal Refugee Act of 1980.
Republican Governor Robert Bentley is among more than two dozen U.S. governors who have sought to block Syrian refugees from the state after the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris for which the group Islamic State claimed responsibility.
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The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court in Birmingham, accused the Obama administration of failing to consult state officials about any refugees to be settled in the state, in violation of the federal Refugee Act of 1980.
Republican Governor Robert Bentley is among more than two dozen U.S. governors who have sought to block Syrian refugees from the state after the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris for which the group Islamic State claimed responsibility.
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Chinese drone maker unveils human-carrying drone
Chinese drone maker Ehang Inc. on Wednesday unveiled what it calls the world's first drone capable of carrying a human passenger.
The Guangzhou, China-based company pulled the cloth off the Ehang 184 at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the CES gadget show. In a company video showing it flying, it looks like a small helicopter but with four doubledpropellers spinning parallel to the ground like other drones.
The electric-powered drone can be fully charged in two hours, carry up to 220 pounds and fly for 23 minutes at sea level, according to Ehang. The cabin fits one person and a small backpack and even has air conditioning and a reading light. With propellers folded up, it's designed to fit in a single parking spot.
After setting a flight plan, passengers only need to give two commands, "take off" and "land," each controlled by a single click on a Microsoft Surface tablet, the company said.
It is designed to fly about 1,000 to 1,650 feet off the ground with a maximum altitude of 11,500 feet and top speed of 63 miles per hour.
U.S. authorities are just starting to lay out guidelines for drone use, and a human-passenger drone seems certain to face strict scrutiny.
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The Guangzhou, China-based company pulled the cloth off the Ehang 184 at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the CES gadget show. In a company video showing it flying, it looks like a small helicopter but with four doubledpropellers spinning parallel to the ground like other drones.
The electric-powered drone can be fully charged in two hours, carry up to 220 pounds and fly for 23 minutes at sea level, according to Ehang. The cabin fits one person and a small backpack and even has air conditioning and a reading light. With propellers folded up, it's designed to fit in a single parking spot.
After setting a flight plan, passengers only need to give two commands, "take off" and "land," each controlled by a single click on a Microsoft Surface tablet, the company said.
It is designed to fly about 1,000 to 1,650 feet off the ground with a maximum altitude of 11,500 feet and top speed of 63 miles per hour.
U.S. authorities are just starting to lay out guidelines for drone use, and a human-passenger drone seems certain to face strict scrutiny.
More
Qaddafi Foretold Rise of Radical Islam
Doomed Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi delivered a prophetic warning in 2011, saying Islamic terror would spread across North Africa and hit Europe if he was removed from power, newly released phone transcripts revealed Thursday.
Speaking to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Qaddafi said "[jihadists] want to control the Mediterranean and then they will attack Europe," British media reported.
A British foreign affairs committee investigating the Qaddafi ouster released the transcripts of two phone calls to Blair, both of which reportedly took place on February 25, 2011. Qaddafi fled the Libyan capital city of Tripoli that summer, and rebels killed him in October.
During the first call in the morning, Qaddafi told Blair, "The story is simply this: an organization has laid down sleeping cells in North Africa. Called the Al Qaeda Organization in North Africa... The sleeping cells in Libya are similar to dormant cells in America before 9/11," The Telegraph reports.
In the second call, a few hours later, he added: "I will have to arm the people and get ready for a fight. Libyan people will die, damage will be on the Med[iterranean], Europe and the whole world. These armed groups are using the [crumbling Libyan regime] as a justification – and we shall fight them," according to The Guardian.
Analysts say Al Qaeda splinter groups did seize territory in Libya after rebels ousted and killed Qaddafi.
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Speaking to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Qaddafi said "[jihadists] want to control the Mediterranean and then they will attack Europe," British media reported.
A British foreign affairs committee investigating the Qaddafi ouster released the transcripts of two phone calls to Blair, both of which reportedly took place on February 25, 2011. Qaddafi fled the Libyan capital city of Tripoli that summer, and rebels killed him in October.
During the first call in the morning, Qaddafi told Blair, "The story is simply this: an organization has laid down sleeping cells in North Africa. Called the Al Qaeda Organization in North Africa... The sleeping cells in Libya are similar to dormant cells in America before 9/11," The Telegraph reports.
In the second call, a few hours later, he added: "I will have to arm the people and get ready for a fight. Libyan people will die, damage will be on the Med[iterranean], Europe and the whole world. These armed groups are using the [crumbling Libyan regime] as a justification – and we shall fight them," according to The Guardian.
Analysts say Al Qaeda splinter groups did seize territory in Libya after rebels ousted and killed Qaddafi.
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The IRS has a bold, brand new power. It can take away your passport
Here’s a fact from the last month of the year that I bet you didn’t even know. Our government has made a major change to the way it aims to collect taxes.
Buried, no submerged deep in the transportation bill passed by Congress in December was a bold, brand new power given to the IRS. If you have a federal tax debt amounting to $50,000 or more, starting this month, the IRS can get your passport cancelled by sending a message to the State Department to do so. And guess what? That $50,000 includes penalties and interest.
Yes, people should pay our government what they owe, especially if they want to leave the country. But given the mistakes the IRS has already made in wrongfully emptying bank accounts and seizing assets, does anyone really think it’s okay for unaccountable, unelected bureaucrats to seize passports? That they should have the power to block a basic freedom – the freedom of movement?
The new IRS law can be a big pain in the neck, since the federal government is also moving to enact a new identification card to supplant state identification (which is usually a drivers’ license). That means in the interim is that travelers could be forced to use their passports at the airport check-in counter even for domestic travel.
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Buried, no submerged deep in the transportation bill passed by Congress in December was a bold, brand new power given to the IRS. If you have a federal tax debt amounting to $50,000 or more, starting this month, the IRS can get your passport cancelled by sending a message to the State Department to do so. And guess what? That $50,000 includes penalties and interest.
Yes, people should pay our government what they owe, especially if they want to leave the country. But given the mistakes the IRS has already made in wrongfully emptying bank accounts and seizing assets, does anyone really think it’s okay for unaccountable, unelected bureaucrats to seize passports? That they should have the power to block a basic freedom – the freedom of movement?
The new IRS law can be a big pain in the neck, since the federal government is also moving to enact a new identification card to supplant state identification (which is usually a drivers’ license). That means in the interim is that travelers could be forced to use their passports at the airport check-in counter even for domestic travel.
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Multiple Sources Question Hillary Clinton's Physical Health
Speculation is swirling that front-running Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton still suffers from the effects of a 2012 concussion and blood clot that sidelined her while she was secretary of state, Breitbart News reports.
Retired New York Police Department officer and Blaze radio host John Cardillo tweeted Monday his suspicions about Clinton's long bathroom break during the last Democratic candidates' debate.
"I got this from both a [federal agent] . . . and I also got it from a New York [NYPD] guy who worked security at a Hillary event in New York City," Cardillo tells the conservative news outlet.
"These are two people that aren't just personal friends," he tells the website.
"I worked with one and then post law-enforcement worked with another on some related things . . . Both of them told me the same thing, that after her speeches, whether she did a talk or a policy speech, she had to sit behind — she would come off the podium backstage — and have to sit and rest before making it back to the car because she was so fatigued, dizzy and disoriented."
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Retired New York Police Department officer and Blaze radio host John Cardillo tweeted Monday his suspicions about Clinton's long bathroom break during the last Democratic candidates' debate.
"I got this from both a [federal agent] . . . and I also got it from a New York [NYPD] guy who worked security at a Hillary event in New York City," Cardillo tells the conservative news outlet.
"These are two people that aren't just personal friends," he tells the website.
"I worked with one and then post law-enforcement worked with another on some related things . . . Both of them told me the same thing, that after her speeches, whether she did a talk or a policy speech, she had to sit behind — she would come off the podium backstage — and have to sit and rest before making it back to the car because she was so fatigued, dizzy and disoriented."
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US Criminalizing Free Speech?
Eighty-two leading Democrats have cosponsored a House Resolution (H.Res. 569) "Condemning violence, bigotry, and hateful rhetoric towards Muslims in the United States".
The Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by Democrat Donald S. Beyer (Virginia) on December 17, 2015 -- a mere 15 days after Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook gunned down 14 innocent Americans and wounded 23 in an ISIS-inspired terror attack at a Christmas party in San Bernardino, California.
The House Resolution states, "the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes and rhetoric have faced physical, verbal, and emotional abuse because they were Muslim or believed to be Muslim," and the House of Representatives "expresses its condolences for the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes."
What victims? Of all 1,149 anti-religious hate crimes reported in the United States in 2014, only 16.1% were directed against Muslims, according to the FBI. By contrast, over half of all anti-religious hate crimes were directed against Jews – 56.8%. The fewest, 8.6% of anti-religious hate crimes, were directed against Christians (Protestants and Catholics).
The Resolution goes on to denounce "...in the strongest terms the increase of hate speech, intimidation, violence, vandalism, arson, and other hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim."
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The Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by Democrat Donald S. Beyer (Virginia) on December 17, 2015 -- a mere 15 days after Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook gunned down 14 innocent Americans and wounded 23 in an ISIS-inspired terror attack at a Christmas party in San Bernardino, California.
The House Resolution states, "the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes and rhetoric have faced physical, verbal, and emotional abuse because they were Muslim or believed to be Muslim," and the House of Representatives "expresses its condolences for the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes."
What victims? Of all 1,149 anti-religious hate crimes reported in the United States in 2014, only 16.1% were directed against Muslims, according to the FBI. By contrast, over half of all anti-religious hate crimes were directed against Jews – 56.8%. The fewest, 8.6% of anti-religious hate crimes, were directed against Christians (Protestants and Catholics).
The Resolution goes on to denounce "...in the strongest terms the increase of hate speech, intimidation, violence, vandalism, arson, and other hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim."
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Seeking support for gun actions, Obama tears into the NRA
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — President Barack Obama tore into the National Rifle Association on Thursday as he sought support for his actions on gun control, accusing the powerful lobby group of peddling an “imaginary fiction” that he said has distorted the national debate about gun violence.
In a prime-time, televised town hall meeting, Obama dismissed what he called a “conspiracy” alleging that the federal government — and Obama in particular — wants to seize all firearms as a precursor to imposing martial law. He blamed that notion on the NRA and like-minded groups that convince its members that “somebody’s going to come grab your guns.”
“Yes, that is a conspiracy,” Obama said. “I’m only going to be here for another year. When would I have started on this enterprise?”
Obama defended his support for the constitutional right to gun ownership while arguing it was consistent with his efforts to curb mass shootings. He said the NRA refused to acknowledge the government’s responsibility to make legal products safer, citing seatbelts and child-proof medicine bottles as examples.
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In a prime-time, televised town hall meeting, Obama dismissed what he called a “conspiracy” alleging that the federal government — and Obama in particular — wants to seize all firearms as a precursor to imposing martial law. He blamed that notion on the NRA and like-minded groups that convince its members that “somebody’s going to come grab your guns.”
“Yes, that is a conspiracy,” Obama said. “I’m only going to be here for another year. When would I have started on this enterprise?”
Obama defended his support for the constitutional right to gun ownership while arguing it was consistent with his efforts to curb mass shootings. He said the NRA refused to acknowledge the government’s responsibility to make legal products safer, citing seatbelts and child-proof medicine bottles as examples.
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Delaware Law Enforcement for Special Olympics is Hosting the 6thAnnual “Dodgeball Madness” Tournament
Location:
Caesar Rodney High School
239 Old North Road
Camden, DE 19934
Date of Event:
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Time:
Check in at 8:00 a.m.
Competition begins at 8:30 a.m.
Resume:
Admit it -- you loved playing dodgeball as a kid, whether it was in gym class, at recess, or in your backyard. And ever since then, you've often dreamed of having just one more opportunity to wind up and try to peg someone with a ball.
Now you can while benefiting Special Olympics!
Delaware Law Enforcement for Special Olympics is hosting a Dodgeball Tournament, sponsored by The Delaware State Troopers Association (DSTA) to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Delaware on Saturday, March 19, 2016 beginning at 8:00 a.m. The tournament will be held in the Caesar Rodney High School Gymnasium.
The tournament will consist of the first 36 teams to register. Each team is guaranteed to play in at least eight games. The minimum age to participate is 16 years old. Teams must consist of six players and may have two alternate players. Teams can consist of all male, female, or co-ed members. Games will be played under the rules and regulations of the National Dodgeball League. Food and refreshments will be available to purchase on site.
Reason to Dodge and Throw? Special Olympics Delaware is an organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through year round sports training, athletic competition and related programs conducted for more than 3,600 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, the organization creates a model community that celebrates people’s diverse gifts. Special Olympics Delaware builds sports skills, confidence, strength, motivation and self-esteem – not just for athletes, but for everyone involved. Dodgeball Madness has raised over $73,000.00 for Special Olympics Delaware since its inception back in 2011.
The entry fee for each team member is $50.00. All team members will receive a Dodgeball Madness event t-shirt and a sandwich voucher courtesy of Camden's local Chick-Fil-A restaurant. Trophies will be given to the overall tournament winner and runner-up.
Deadline to register is Friday, March 4, 2016. There are three ways to register for the event, please visit the Special Olympics Delaware website at www.sode.org, through First Giving online at https://www.firstgiving.com/SODE/2016-dodgeball-madness, or call Special Olympics Delaware (302)-831-3482.
Caesar Rodney High School
239 Old North Road
Camden, DE 19934
Date of Event:
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Time:
Check in at 8:00 a.m.
Competition begins at 8:30 a.m.
Resume:
Admit it -- you loved playing dodgeball as a kid, whether it was in gym class, at recess, or in your backyard. And ever since then, you've often dreamed of having just one more opportunity to wind up and try to peg someone with a ball.
Now you can while benefiting Special Olympics!
Delaware Law Enforcement for Special Olympics is hosting a Dodgeball Tournament, sponsored by The Delaware State Troopers Association (DSTA) to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Delaware on Saturday, March 19, 2016 beginning at 8:00 a.m. The tournament will be held in the Caesar Rodney High School Gymnasium.
The tournament will consist of the first 36 teams to register. Each team is guaranteed to play in at least eight games. The minimum age to participate is 16 years old. Teams must consist of six players and may have two alternate players. Teams can consist of all male, female, or co-ed members. Games will be played under the rules and regulations of the National Dodgeball League. Food and refreshments will be available to purchase on site.
Reason to Dodge and Throw? Special Olympics Delaware is an organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through year round sports training, athletic competition and related programs conducted for more than 3,600 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, the organization creates a model community that celebrates people’s diverse gifts. Special Olympics Delaware builds sports skills, confidence, strength, motivation and self-esteem – not just for athletes, but for everyone involved. Dodgeball Madness has raised over $73,000.00 for Special Olympics Delaware since its inception back in 2011.
The entry fee for each team member is $50.00. All team members will receive a Dodgeball Madness event t-shirt and a sandwich voucher courtesy of Camden's local Chick-Fil-A restaurant. Trophies will be given to the overall tournament winner and runner-up.
Deadline to register is Friday, March 4, 2016. There are three ways to register for the event, please visit the Special Olympics Delaware website at www.sode.org, through First Giving online at https://www.firstgiving.com/SODE/2016-dodgeball-madness, or call Special Olympics Delaware (302)-831-3482.
BREAKING: Suspect 'Tried to Execute' Philadelphia Police Officer in West Philadelphia Ambush: Commissioner
A Philadelphia Police officer is lucky to be alive after he was shot multiple times in a shootout with a suspect in West Philadelphia late Thursday, police said.
The shooting happened near the intersection of Spruce and 60th Streets around 11:45 p.m.
"This is absolutely one of the scariest things I've ever seen," new Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said of video that captured the incident.
Ross said 33-year-old Officer Jesse Hartnett was driving through the intersection of 60th and Spruce Streets in West Philadelphia when suspect opened fire.
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The shooting happened near the intersection of Spruce and 60th Streets around 11:45 p.m.
"This is absolutely one of the scariest things I've ever seen," new Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said of video that captured the incident.
Ross said 33-year-old Officer Jesse Hartnett was driving through the intersection of 60th and Spruce Streets in West Philadelphia when suspect opened fire.
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