DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, April 29, 2016
State Police to Host 2nd Annual Community Safety Day
Rehoboth Beach - The Delaware State Police Community Outreach Unit will be hosting a Community Safety Day on Saturday May 7, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Jungle Jim’s located at 36944 Country Club Road, Rehoboth Beach.
The event is FREE to the public and will showcase a variety of special units including;
Police K9 Demonstration
State Police Aviation (Trooper 2)
Seatbelt Convincer
Fire Company Trucks and Demos
Conflict Management Team
Explosive Ordinance Disposal
Mounted Unit
DelDOT Safety Displays
Delaware Natural Resources Police
Come out and enjoy the day!
The event is FREE to the public and will showcase a variety of special units including;
Police K9 Demonstration
State Police Aviation (Trooper 2)
Seatbelt Convincer
Fire Company Trucks and Demos
Conflict Management Team
Explosive Ordinance Disposal
Mounted Unit
DelDOT Safety Displays
Delaware Natural Resources Police
Come out and enjoy the day!
Publishers Notes: Oh No, I'm not even considering allowing comments.
Trump Won Every County in Every State on Tuesday
Republican frontrunner Donald Trump won every county in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut and Rhode Island in what some considered to be another super Tuesday.
Trump now has 949 pledged delegates, compared to 544 for Cruz and 153 for Kasich.
The Republican candidates will set their eyes on Indiana, which votes next Tuesday, for a mostly winner-take-all state with 57 delegates. A win for Trump would only propel him closer to the 1,237 delegate count needed to leave no doubt that he is indeed the Republican nominee.
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Trump now has 949 pledged delegates, compared to 544 for Cruz and 153 for Kasich.
The Republican candidates will set their eyes on Indiana, which votes next Tuesday, for a mostly winner-take-all state with 57 delegates. A win for Trump would only propel him closer to the 1,237 delegate count needed to leave no doubt that he is indeed the Republican nominee.
More
Obama Sides with Saudi Arabia, Promises to Block Bill Exposing Saudi Role in 9/11 Attacks
The Obama Administration has been lobbying Congress to block a bill that would allow Saudi Arabia’s government to be held accountable in American courts for any role it played in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
(Sputnik) — In addition to Obama’s efforts to keep information about 9/11 confidential, Saudi Arabia has threatened to sell hundreds of billions of dollars worth of its American assets if Congress passes the bill. In recent weeks, administration officials have been warning lawmakers of the bill’s potential economic fallout.The Obama Administration’s strict opposition to the 9/11 bill has left many family members of the terror attacks’ victims outraged.
Mindy Kleinberg, whose husband died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, expressed her discontent in an interview with the New York Times.
“It’s stunning to think that our government would back the Saudis over its own citizens,” Kleinberg said.
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(Sputnik) — In addition to Obama’s efforts to keep information about 9/11 confidential, Saudi Arabia has threatened to sell hundreds of billions of dollars worth of its American assets if Congress passes the bill. In recent weeks, administration officials have been warning lawmakers of the bill’s potential economic fallout.The Obama Administration’s strict opposition to the 9/11 bill has left many family members of the terror attacks’ victims outraged.
Mindy Kleinberg, whose husband died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, expressed her discontent in an interview with the New York Times.
“It’s stunning to think that our government would back the Saudis over its own citizens,” Kleinberg said.
More
Debt Is Growing Faster Than Cash Flow By The Most On Record
By now it is a well-known fact that corporations have no real way of generating organic growth in this economy, so they are relying on two things to boost share prices: multiple expansion (courtesy of central banks) and debt-funded buybacks (courtesy of central banks), the latter of which requires the firm to generate excess incremental cash. Incidentally, as SocGen showed last year, all the newly created debt in the 20th century has gone for just one thing: to fund stock buybacks.
The problem with this is that if a firm is going to continue to add debt to its balance sheet in order to fund buybacks (and dividends), then it needs to be able to generate enough operational cash flow in order to service the debt. Even if one makes the argument that debt is cheap right now, which may be true, or that central banks are backstopping it, which is certainly true in Europe as of a month ago, the fact remains that principal balances come due eventually also, and while debt can be rolled over, at some point the inability to generate cash from the operations catches up with them; furthermore even a small increase in rates means the rolling debt strategy is dies a painful death, as early 2016 showed.
In the following chart we can see net debt growth skyrocketing nearly 30% y/y, while EBITDA (cash flow) has been contracting for the past year. In fact, as SocGen shows below, the difference in t
More
The problem with this is that if a firm is going to continue to add debt to its balance sheet in order to fund buybacks (and dividends), then it needs to be able to generate enough operational cash flow in order to service the debt. Even if one makes the argument that debt is cheap right now, which may be true, or that central banks are backstopping it, which is certainly true in Europe as of a month ago, the fact remains that principal balances come due eventually also, and while debt can be rolled over, at some point the inability to generate cash from the operations catches up with them; furthermore even a small increase in rates means the rolling debt strategy is dies a painful death, as early 2016 showed.
In the following chart we can see net debt growth skyrocketing nearly 30% y/y, while EBITDA (cash flow) has been contracting for the past year. In fact, as SocGen shows below, the difference in t
More
John Boehner Calls Ted Cruz "A Miserable Son Of A Bitch, Lucifer In The Flesh"
Is the establishment's fervent hatred of Donald Trump starting a U-turn? It's still too early to know, however at least one core Republican, former house speaker John Boehner, has made it very clear he is not a fan of Ted Cruz. At all. So much so that according to NBC the former Republican House Speaker told an audience at Stanford University Wednesday that the Texas senator is "Lucifer in the flesh" and a "miserable son of a bitch."
When asked about the 2016 presidential candidate at a forum hosted by Stanford in Government and the Stanford Speakers Bureau, Boehner drew laughter for making a face of disgust, according to the Stanford Daily.
"Lucifer in the flesh," Boehner said cited by the paper. "I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life."
Boehner's shocking statement came because he was urged by the event's moderator, Professor David M. Kennedy, to be frank because the event was not being broadcasted. Perhaps Boehner did not realize people were still taking notes.
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When asked about the 2016 presidential candidate at a forum hosted by Stanford in Government and the Stanford Speakers Bureau, Boehner drew laughter for making a face of disgust, according to the Stanford Daily.
"Lucifer in the flesh," Boehner said cited by the paper. "I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life."
Boehner's shocking statement came because he was urged by the event's moderator, Professor David M. Kennedy, to be frank because the event was not being broadcasted. Perhaps Boehner did not realize people were still taking notes.
More
Kenya Builds Wall Along Somali Border to Keep Al-Shabaab Jihadists Out
Kenya has announced it will begin erecting a nearly 435-mile-long wall along its northeastern border with Somalia to stem the flow of jihadists from the Somali terrorist group al-Shabaab.
“This wall will help us check on people like al-Shabaab from crossing to and from Somalia. We will not limit movement of other people. There is a need for joint cooperation between both countries and our leaders in dealing with terrorism, which has affected us negatively,” Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery told reporters in Nairobi over the weekend, according to Defense News.
He reportedly added that “the security barrier consists of a concrete wall ringed with a barbed-wire electric fence and trenches. It will also have observation posts where electronic surveillance cameras will be installed to monitor movements on either side of the border.”
More here
“This wall will help us check on people like al-Shabaab from crossing to and from Somalia. We will not limit movement of other people. There is a need for joint cooperation between both countries and our leaders in dealing with terrorism, which has affected us negatively,” Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery told reporters in Nairobi over the weekend, according to Defense News.
He reportedly added that “the security barrier consists of a concrete wall ringed with a barbed-wire electric fence and trenches. It will also have observation posts where electronic surveillance cameras will be installed to monitor movements on either side of the border.”
More here
'Suck It Up and Deal With It': Fed's Fisher Warns Next Rate Hike Will Cause Correction
The central bank's next interest rate hike will surely cause market pain, but the Federal Reserve should just get it over with as soon as possible, former Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher said Wednesday.
"I would be prepared when they move — and I hope they move some time in June — there'll be a settling in of the market place. There will be a correction. Suck it up. Deal with it. That's reality," he told CNBC.
Fisher said the Fed has been unwilling to tighten monetary policy because it fears the potential resulting market volatility and economic weakness.
"The Fed has the markets on Ritalin, trying to keep the mood very smooth, keep volatility down as much as possible. As soon as they hint that they might remove that, then they create the problems that they're afraid of," he said.
The real economy is doing much better since the Fed's last meeting in March, Fisher said, noting that Argentina has returned to international bond markets, Chinese data looks better and demand for British bonds is strong.
"These are very robust markets. I would take advantage of that right now," he said.
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"I would be prepared when they move — and I hope they move some time in June — there'll be a settling in of the market place. There will be a correction. Suck it up. Deal with it. That's reality," he told CNBC.
Fisher said the Fed has been unwilling to tighten monetary policy because it fears the potential resulting market volatility and economic weakness.
"The Fed has the markets on Ritalin, trying to keep the mood very smooth, keep volatility down as much as possible. As soon as they hint that they might remove that, then they create the problems that they're afraid of," he said.
The real economy is doing much better since the Fed's last meeting in March, Fisher said, noting that Argentina has returned to international bond markets, Chinese data looks better and demand for British bonds is strong.
"These are very robust markets. I would take advantage of that right now," he said.
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Trump's Take on Cruz VP Pick
Speaking with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren on Wednesday at a town hall event, Donald Trump said Ted Cruz picking Carly Fiorina as his running mate is a “waste of time.”
“It should be over, if Indiana treats us right, we’re gonna make America great again. Were gonna get rid of these politicians,” Trump said. “I mean, two days ago it was Kasich. They were gonna form an alliance and they were gonna collude and they were gonna get together, and then all of a sudden Kasich didn’t live up to his side of the deal and they’re fighting with each other. And now he’s doing the Carly thing. I just don’t see it. It’s awfully early, number one it’s very early. You’re not supposed to be doing it very early. But I don’t see it.”
Van Susteren then questioned who Trump had his mind as a VP pick, but Trump said he didn’t want to name anyone yet. “I have a lot of great people … but I’d like to finish the deal first.”
“You have to first get the nomination,” he added. “Here’s a guy picking a vice presidential candidate—he has zero chance, he has no path, it’s sorta crazy.”
Trump noted that after coming off of crushing defeats this week in the Acela primaries, at least the move got him in the news cycle.
Whether or not it will prove to help or hurt Cruz remains to be seen, but Trump seemed certain “people will not like it.”
As Guy noted on Wednesday, the “maneuver has the stench of a 'final throes' spasm from a campaign that fears it is doomed.”
Source
“It should be over, if Indiana treats us right, we’re gonna make America great again. Were gonna get rid of these politicians,” Trump said. “I mean, two days ago it was Kasich. They were gonna form an alliance and they were gonna collude and they were gonna get together, and then all of a sudden Kasich didn’t live up to his side of the deal and they’re fighting with each other. And now he’s doing the Carly thing. I just don’t see it. It’s awfully early, number one it’s very early. You’re not supposed to be doing it very early. But I don’t see it.”
Van Susteren then questioned who Trump had his mind as a VP pick, but Trump said he didn’t want to name anyone yet. “I have a lot of great people … but I’d like to finish the deal first.”
“You have to first get the nomination,” he added. “Here’s a guy picking a vice presidential candidate—he has zero chance, he has no path, it’s sorta crazy.”
Trump noted that after coming off of crushing defeats this week in the Acela primaries, at least the move got him in the news cycle.
Whether or not it will prove to help or hurt Cruz remains to be seen, but Trump seemed certain “people will not like it.”
As Guy noted on Wednesday, the “maneuver has the stench of a 'final throes' spasm from a campaign that fears it is doomed.”
Source
A Viewer Writes: Class Based Court System
No wonder Salisbury has one highest crime rates in the country and has the appearance of a slum in so many of its communities, and murders and fights are commonplace.
Citizens who are on fixed poverty level incomes can't who at end the end of the month struggle to have a few dollars left to buy bread can't qualify for a waiver of fees as pro se plaintiffs in this Wicomico courts without having to choose between doing without medical care or food.
It's shameful, its not the system most of us grew up with, clearly the system is very broken, if your poor or disabled its designed to be inaccessible, even the court house is handicap inexcusably to the physical barriers in the handicap reserved areas. Even wheel chairs are not made available in that area, and they should be.
Even if one chooses to do without and pay the fees is it worth it, if one can't get a fair hearing on fee waivers can one expect to get a fair hearing in their cause.
The Wicomico court system has shaken our trust, and we are left to fend for our rights without their help. We certainly no longer trust this court system to ask for justice. I guess that solves the fee waiver problem, as we are unlikely to seek justice in Wicomico because it does not appear to exist. Our trust in Wicomico Courts is forever shaken.
Citizens who are on fixed poverty level incomes can't who at end the end of the month struggle to have a few dollars left to buy bread can't qualify for a waiver of fees as pro se plaintiffs in this Wicomico courts without having to choose between doing without medical care or food.
It's shameful, its not the system most of us grew up with, clearly the system is very broken, if your poor or disabled its designed to be inaccessible, even the court house is handicap inexcusably to the physical barriers in the handicap reserved areas. Even wheel chairs are not made available in that area, and they should be.
Even if one chooses to do without and pay the fees is it worth it, if one can't get a fair hearing on fee waivers can one expect to get a fair hearing in their cause.
The Wicomico court system has shaken our trust, and we are left to fend for our rights without their help. We certainly no longer trust this court system to ask for justice. I guess that solves the fee waiver problem, as we are unlikely to seek justice in Wicomico because it does not appear to exist. Our trust in Wicomico Courts is forever shaken.
Trump Releases His Plan for 2nd Amendment... Leaves Millions Furious
One common criticism of billionaire businessman and presidential candidate Donald Trump is that he far too often speaks in vague generalities and rarely offers specifics about where he stands on the issues.
That is no longer the case, at least regarding his stance on gun rights and the Second Amendment, as Trump just released his official policy position on his campaign website.
“The Second Amendment to our Constitution is clear. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed upon. Period,” the position paper began.
Trump went on to explain that the right to keep and bear arms is a right that pre-exists both the government and the Constitution, noting that government didn’t create the right, nor can it take it away.
He also rightly denoted the Second Amendment as “America’s first freedom,” pointing out that it helps protect all of the other rights we hold dear.
In order to protect and defend that right, Trump proposed tougher enforcement of laws that are already on the books, rather than adding new gun control laws.
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That is no longer the case, at least regarding his stance on gun rights and the Second Amendment, as Trump just released his official policy position on his campaign website.
“The Second Amendment to our Constitution is clear. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed upon. Period,” the position paper began.
Trump went on to explain that the right to keep and bear arms is a right that pre-exists both the government and the Constitution, noting that government didn’t create the right, nor can it take it away.
He also rightly denoted the Second Amendment as “America’s first freedom,” pointing out that it helps protect all of the other rights we hold dear.
In order to protect and defend that right, Trump proposed tougher enforcement of laws that are already on the books, rather than adding new gun control laws.
More
Richard Grenell: Trump's Foreign Policy Tough, Clear and a Challenge to Beltway Elites
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump delivered a 40-minute detailed foreign policy speech today highlighting his views on trade, terrorism, economic freedom, Iran and China. Trump used a teleprompter to articulate a clear vision in which he said he would implement a foreign policy "that replaces randomness with purpose" and where "the American people are first."
"We went from mistakes in Iraq to Egypt to Libya, to President Barack Obama’s line in the sand in Syria. Each of these actions have helped to throw the region into chaos, and gave ISIS the space it needs to grow and prosper," said Trump.
Trump made five key points, the first of which was that "U.S. resources are depleted." Trump blamed deficits, debt, low growth and open borders, saying America must "regain our financial independence and strength." Trump went on to chastise our allies for not paying enough for their own safety, claiming only four other countries in NATO pay the required 2% of GDP on defense spending. "Our allies must contribute toward the financial, political and human costs of our tremendous security burden or "the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves."
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"We went from mistakes in Iraq to Egypt to Libya, to President Barack Obama’s line in the sand in Syria. Each of these actions have helped to throw the region into chaos, and gave ISIS the space it needs to grow and prosper," said Trump.
Trump made five key points, the first of which was that "U.S. resources are depleted." Trump blamed deficits, debt, low growth and open borders, saying America must "regain our financial independence and strength." Trump went on to chastise our allies for not paying enough for their own safety, claiming only four other countries in NATO pay the required 2% of GDP on defense spending. "Our allies must contribute toward the financial, political and human costs of our tremendous security burden or "the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves."
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BREAKING: Norovirus Sickens 159 On Cruise Ship Headed To Baltimore
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the Balmoral, which is docked Friday in Norfolk, reports 159 crew and passengers have reported being sick. The ship operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines left Britain April 16.
A company spokeswoman, Ruth Burton, says conditions have improved and there are currently just seven guests in isolation. There are more than 1,400 passengers and crew aboard.
The CDC says it plans to have staff to evaluate the ship when it arrives in Baltimore on Saturday or Sunday.
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Our Rigged Republic: America Is Getting It
A GROWING NUMBER OF AMERICAS RECOGNIZE THE DECKS ARE STACKED AGAINST THEM
There’s a new Reuters/ Ipsos poll out this week lending credence to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump‘s contention that America’s presidential selection process is “rigged.”
You know … assuming that hasn’t been made abundantly clear by now.
Anyway, Trump’s view of the primary process – echoed by independent socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders – is gaining significant traction among the American electorate.
According to the poll, 47.2 percent of Americans said they agreed with the following statement: The current system of presidential primaries and caucuses are ‘rigged’ against some candidates. By contrast, only 23.6 percent of respondents said they disagreed with that statement. The rest – 29.5 percent – said they were unsure.
For the visual learners among us (red, rigged; yellow, not sure; green, not rigged) …
More
There’s a new Reuters/ Ipsos poll out this week lending credence to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump‘s contention that America’s presidential selection process is “rigged.”
You know … assuming that hasn’t been made abundantly clear by now.
Anyway, Trump’s view of the primary process – echoed by independent socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders – is gaining significant traction among the American electorate.
According to the poll, 47.2 percent of Americans said they agreed with the following statement: The current system of presidential primaries and caucuses are ‘rigged’ against some candidates. By contrast, only 23.6 percent of respondents said they disagreed with that statement. The rest – 29.5 percent – said they were unsure.
For the visual learners among us (red, rigged; yellow, not sure; green, not rigged) …
More
Carlson selling Hotel Group to Chinese Company
The company said China's HNA can better handle the industry's competitive pressures.
The Carlson Cos. said Wednesday that it has sold its Radisson chain and the rest of its hotel business to a Chinese conglomerate, as competitive pressures drive an ongoing consolidation of the hospitality industry.
The Carlson Hotel Group is one of the top-10 largest hospitality companies in the world, operating more than 1,400 hotels in more than 110 countries and territories. In addition to various Radisson brands, its portfolio includes Park Plaza Hotels and Country Inn and Suites.
But the company pointed to the “larger economics” of the industry in explaining the decision to sell to HNA Tourism Group, whose businesses span aviation, hospitality, finance and online services. HNA said in a prepared statement that it plans to “accelerate growth by investing substantially in the business.”
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The Carlson Cos. said Wednesday that it has sold its Radisson chain and the rest of its hotel business to a Chinese conglomerate, as competitive pressures drive an ongoing consolidation of the hospitality industry.
The Carlson Hotel Group is one of the top-10 largest hospitality companies in the world, operating more than 1,400 hotels in more than 110 countries and territories. In addition to various Radisson brands, its portfolio includes Park Plaza Hotels and Country Inn and Suites.
But the company pointed to the “larger economics” of the industry in explaining the decision to sell to HNA Tourism Group, whose businesses span aviation, hospitality, finance and online services. HNA said in a prepared statement that it plans to “accelerate growth by investing substantially in the business.”
More
Why in Heaven's Name Aren't Teeth Considered Part of Our Health?
It is estimated that 108 million Americans have no dental insurance.
When we talk about the successes and shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act, and health care in the U.S. in general, little attention is given to dental care. While the ACA defines dental coverage as an essential benefit for those under 18, insurers aren’t required to offer dental coverage for adults. Medicare, the nation’s largest insurer, doesn’t cover routine dental work. And coverage for adults through Medicaid varies from state to state.
It is estimated that 108 million Americans have no dental insurance, and that one in four nonelderly Americans has untreated tooth decay.
Oral health isn’t just about nice teeth. As the surgeon general noted in a 2000 report, oral health is intimately connected to general health and can be implicated in or exacerbate diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and complications during pregnancy.
The absence of comprehensive dental care exacts a toll on millions of Americans in terms of poor health, pain and the social stigma associated with bad teeth.
People desperately need dental care.
More
When we talk about the successes and shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act, and health care in the U.S. in general, little attention is given to dental care. While the ACA defines dental coverage as an essential benefit for those under 18, insurers aren’t required to offer dental coverage for adults. Medicare, the nation’s largest insurer, doesn’t cover routine dental work. And coverage for adults through Medicaid varies from state to state.
It is estimated that 108 million Americans have no dental insurance, and that one in four nonelderly Americans has untreated tooth decay.
Oral health isn’t just about nice teeth. As the surgeon general noted in a 2000 report, oral health is intimately connected to general health and can be implicated in or exacerbate diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and complications during pregnancy.
The absence of comprehensive dental care exacts a toll on millions of Americans in terms of poor health, pain and the social stigma associated with bad teeth.
People desperately need dental care.
More
Saudi Arabia and 9/11: The Kingdom May Be in for a Nasty Shock
Authority is shifting, and the current king isn't handling it well.
Foreign leaders visiting King Salman of Saudi Arabia have noticed that there is a large flower display positioned just in front of where the 80-year-old monarch sits. On closer investigation, the visitors realised that the purpose of the flowers is to conceal a computer which acts as a teleprompter, enabling the King to appear capable of carrying on a coherent conversation about important issues.
One visiting U.S. delegation meeting with King Salman recently observed a different method of convincing visitors—or at least television viewers watching the encounter—that he can deal with the escalating crises facing Saudi Arabia. The king did not look at the group but at a giant television screen hanging from the ceiling of the room on which was appearing prompts. Simon Henderson, the Saudi expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who tells the story, writes that off to one side in the room was an aide who “furiously hammered talking points into a keyboard.”
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Foreign leaders visiting King Salman of Saudi Arabia have noticed that there is a large flower display positioned just in front of where the 80-year-old monarch sits. On closer investigation, the visitors realised that the purpose of the flowers is to conceal a computer which acts as a teleprompter, enabling the King to appear capable of carrying on a coherent conversation about important issues.
One visiting U.S. delegation meeting with King Salman recently observed a different method of convincing visitors—or at least television viewers watching the encounter—that he can deal with the escalating crises facing Saudi Arabia. The king did not look at the group but at a giant television screen hanging from the ceiling of the room on which was appearing prompts. Simon Henderson, the Saudi expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who tells the story, writes that off to one side in the room was an aide who “furiously hammered talking points into a keyboard.”
More
Oklahoma court: Oral sex not rape if victim unconscious from alcohol
TULSA, Okla., (UPI) -- An Oklahoma court has shocked local prosecutors by ruling that, according to state law, oral sex with an unconscious victim is not rape.
The state's criminal appeals court made the unanimous ruling late last month, setting off fierce opinions about how many of the country's laws have troublingly antiquated ideas about rape.
The ruling stems from a 2014 case of a 17-year-old boy allegedly assaulting a 16-year-old girl after offering to drive the girl -- who witnesses said was drunk and unconscious -- to her grandmother's house.
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The state's criminal appeals court made the unanimous ruling late last month, setting off fierce opinions about how many of the country's laws have troublingly antiquated ideas about rape.
The ruling stems from a 2014 case of a 17-year-old boy allegedly assaulting a 16-year-old girl after offering to drive the girl -- who witnesses said was drunk and unconscious -- to her grandmother's house.
More
Half Of Americans Believe The Presidential Nominating Process Is ‘Rigged’ And In Need Of Urgent Intervention, Claims New Poll [Report]
Half of Americans believe the presidential nominating system that parties use to select their nominees is “rigged,” and more than two-thirds would want the process changed, according to the results of a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
More than 47 percent people said that they believe that the presidential nominating system is “rigged” against particular candidates, according to the poll results, while only 23 percent people appeared to place full confidence in the system. Twenty-three percent of the voters said that they were “unsure” about the credibility of the nominating system.
The results of this new poll come as calls to put the electoral nominating system under increasing scrutiny have gathered pace over the last few days. Allegations of a “rigged” party culture, coupled with constant murmurs of voter suppression in various parts of the country during this nominating season, have called into question the very credibility of the system, and as the current poll shows, this belief is held by a wide share of the American public.
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More than 47 percent people said that they believe that the presidential nominating system is “rigged” against particular candidates, according to the poll results, while only 23 percent people appeared to place full confidence in the system. Twenty-three percent of the voters said that they were “unsure” about the credibility of the nominating system.
The results of this new poll come as calls to put the electoral nominating system under increasing scrutiny have gathered pace over the last few days. Allegations of a “rigged” party culture, coupled with constant murmurs of voter suppression in various parts of the country during this nominating season, have called into question the very credibility of the system, and as the current poll shows, this belief is held by a wide share of the American public.
More
35 bankers were sent to prison for financial crisis crimes
The idea that no bankers went to prison for crimes related to the financial crisis is a myth, according to the watchdog overseeing the federal government's bailout fund.
There have been 35 bankers sentenced to prison, said Christy Goldsmith Romero, the special inspector general for the Troubled Assets Relief Program (SIGTARP), in a report to Congress released Thursday.
More than $400 billion in TARP funds were distributed to banks that were in danger of failing during the financial crisis. The TARP inspector general has been prosecuting cases of fraud in the use of those funds.
Many of the crimes involved relatively small amounts of money at smaller banks, rather than massive fraud at Wall Street banks.
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There have been 35 bankers sentenced to prison, said Christy Goldsmith Romero, the special inspector general for the Troubled Assets Relief Program (SIGTARP), in a report to Congress released Thursday.
More than $400 billion in TARP funds were distributed to banks that were in danger of failing during the financial crisis. The TARP inspector general has been prosecuting cases of fraud in the use of those funds.
Many of the crimes involved relatively small amounts of money at smaller banks, rather than massive fraud at Wall Street banks.
More
‘American Idol’ Owner Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
A top reality show producer, Core Media currently has $398 million in debt.
Core Media Group, the company behindAmerican Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York.
Core was founded a decade ago and was recently brought into a joint venture owned by 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management. But as Idol has now aired its last show, it appears as though Core envisions some restructuring. In the bankruptcy filing, the company says it owes $398 million to third parties including from two matured loans from Tennenbaum Capital Partners, Crestview Media Investors, Bayside Capital and Hudson Bay Capital Management.
Idol creator Simon Fuller is the company’s no. 1 unsecured creditor and is owed $3.37 million. A payment demand on April 11 from Fuller is one of the factors cited in the bankruptcy papers as contributing to the decision to file for bankruptcy. A declaration filed in court says that after Fuller left in 2010, he was given a profit share of his shows and money as a consultant. A statutory demand for payment served by Fuller in the U.K. brought the prospect that he could commence winding-up proceedings on Core affiliate 19 Entertainment.
As the second biggest unsecured creditor, former Core chief Marc Graboff, who is now overseeing studio operations at Discovery, is owed $1.32 million in severance.
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Core Media Group, the company behindAmerican Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York.
Core was founded a decade ago and was recently brought into a joint venture owned by 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management. But as Idol has now aired its last show, it appears as though Core envisions some restructuring. In the bankruptcy filing, the company says it owes $398 million to third parties including from two matured loans from Tennenbaum Capital Partners, Crestview Media Investors, Bayside Capital and Hudson Bay Capital Management.
Idol creator Simon Fuller is the company’s no. 1 unsecured creditor and is owed $3.37 million. A payment demand on April 11 from Fuller is one of the factors cited in the bankruptcy papers as contributing to the decision to file for bankruptcy. A declaration filed in court says that after Fuller left in 2010, he was given a profit share of his shows and money as a consultant. A statutory demand for payment served by Fuller in the U.K. brought the prospect that he could commence winding-up proceedings on Core affiliate 19 Entertainment.
As the second biggest unsecured creditor, former Core chief Marc Graboff, who is now overseeing studio operations at Discovery, is owed $1.32 million in severance.
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Ted Cruz's Carly Fiorina VP Pick Could Backfire--Badly
On Tuesday, Donald Trump crushed the opposition, winning 110 of the 119 bound delegates available in the “Acela primary” of northeastern states. Ted Cruz tried to bounce back by naming former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina as his Vice Presidential pick. Cruz is hoping that Fiorina’s roots in California could help him compete better in that state’s crucial June 7 primary. But the Fiorina pick could well assure Donald Trump the GOP nomination.
Donald Trump outperformed by 35 delegates in recent states
There’s no other way to put it: Donald Trump has been on a tear, strongly outperforming projections about his late April delegate count.
On March 21, FiveThirtyEight projected that Trump would gain 71, 31, 19, 10, 16, and 15 bound delegates in New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, respectively. Instead, Trump gained 89, 38, 28, 10, 17, and 16, respectively: an outperformance of 35 delegates.
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Donald Trump outperformed by 35 delegates in recent states
There’s no other way to put it: Donald Trump has been on a tear, strongly outperforming projections about his late April delegate count.
On March 21, FiveThirtyEight projected that Trump would gain 71, 31, 19, 10, 16, and 15 bound delegates in New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, respectively. Instead, Trump gained 89, 38, 28, 10, 17, and 16, respectively: an outperformance of 35 delegates.
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Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver Announces: Evolution Craft Brewing Company Program ‘PINTS FOR THE PUPPIES’
‘PINTS FOR THE PUPPIES’ was a great way to raise funds for the Humane Society during their recent crisis. For every pint of beer purchased, EVO donated $1.00 to the program.
The Humane Society of Wicomico County and the community are very grateful for this thoughtful contribution to the rescued puppies.
SpaceX just landed a coveted $83 million military contract
Watch SpaceX rocket lift off with Jason-3 satellite
Elon Musk's SpaceX has been awarded an $82.7 million contract to send a U.S. Air Force satellite into space, shattering Boeing-Lockheed's long-held monopoly over military launches.
The contract to launch the Air Force's next generation GPS satellite in 2018 opens a lucrative new revenue stream for SpaceX, which plans to keep costs low by re-using its first-stage rockets.
A successful launch would also prove that the military has more than one option for sensitive launches.
Awarding the contract to SpaceX "achieves a balance between mission success, meeting operational needs, lowering launch costs, and reintroducing competition for National Security Space missions," said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space.
Elon Musk's SpaceX has been awarded an $82.7 million contract to send a U.S. Air Force satellite into space, shattering Boeing-Lockheed's long-held monopoly over military launches.
The contract to launch the Air Force's next generation GPS satellite in 2018 opens a lucrative new revenue stream for SpaceX, which plans to keep costs low by re-using its first-stage rockets.
A successful launch would also prove that the military has more than one option for sensitive launches.
Awarding the contract to SpaceX "achieves a balance between mission success, meeting operational needs, lowering launch costs, and reintroducing competition for National Security Space missions," said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space.
Curt Schilling: ESPN employs ‘some of the biggest racists in sports commentating’
Curt Schilling was fired by ESPN last week for “unacceptable conduct,” which was understood to involve his penchant for sharing politically controversial comments and memes via social media. Now the former pitcher is apparently free to train his fire squarely on the network that parted ways with him.
In an interview Wednesday with the “Breitbart News Patriot Forum” on Sirius XM radio, Schilling said, “Some of the most racist things that I’ve ever heard come out of people that are on the air at ESPN.
“There are some of the biggest racists in sports commentating, and you take it for what it is,” the 49-year-old continued. “You know who they are, you know what they are. I like that they are open because then you know who they are. You know that they exist.”
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In an interview Wednesday with the “Breitbart News Patriot Forum” on Sirius XM radio, Schilling said, “Some of the most racist things that I’ve ever heard come out of people that are on the air at ESPN.
“There are some of the biggest racists in sports commentating, and you take it for what it is,” the 49-year-old continued. “You know who they are, you know what they are. I like that they are open because then you know who they are. You know that they exist.”
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Subject: Congress Warned Against Sending Taxpayer Funds to Russia for Rocket Engines
Conservative advocacy groups warned members of Congress against lifting restrictions on the government’s purchase of Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines for use during national security space launches.
Leaders at Americans for Tax Reform and the Center for Individual Freedom appealed to members of the House Armed Services Committee ahead of a hearing Wednesday asking lawmakers to not allow the United States to send hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to a Russian manufacturer with ties to President Vladimir Putin.
Both groups reacted to suspicions that some members of Congress would propose lifting restrictions on the Pentagon’s purchase of the Russian-made rocket engines during a markup of the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday.
“Besides the fact that America has launch systems more than capable of delivering our hardware into space well into the next decade, lifting the ban is a terrible mistake in terms of boosting one of our main international rivals and undermining the billions that we spend defending against Russia,” wrote Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, in a letter to Rep. Mac Thornberry (R., Tx.), who chairs the House Armed Services Committee.
“Purchasing these engines would only serve to boost Vladimir Putin’s military-industrial complex and put our allies around the globe in further danger,” Norquist wrote.
At the heart of the issue is the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin based in Colorado with a major factory in Alabama that has received government subsidies to launch national security satellites for years. The alliance’s Atlas V rocket uses Russian-manufactured engines.
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Leaders at Americans for Tax Reform and the Center for Individual Freedom appealed to members of the House Armed Services Committee ahead of a hearing Wednesday asking lawmakers to not allow the United States to send hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to a Russian manufacturer with ties to President Vladimir Putin.
Both groups reacted to suspicions that some members of Congress would propose lifting restrictions on the Pentagon’s purchase of the Russian-made rocket engines during a markup of the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday.
“Besides the fact that America has launch systems more than capable of delivering our hardware into space well into the next decade, lifting the ban is a terrible mistake in terms of boosting one of our main international rivals and undermining the billions that we spend defending against Russia,” wrote Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, in a letter to Rep. Mac Thornberry (R., Tx.), who chairs the House Armed Services Committee.
“Purchasing these engines would only serve to boost Vladimir Putin’s military-industrial complex and put our allies around the globe in further danger,” Norquist wrote.
At the heart of the issue is the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin based in Colorado with a major factory in Alabama that has received government subsidies to launch national security satellites for years. The alliance’s Atlas V rocket uses Russian-manufactured engines.
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Legal Aid Challenges Ban at Maryland Farm
A Maryland orchard and police unconstitutionally prevented a nonprofit from informing migrant workers about their rights and social services, legal aides claim in a federal complaint.
The Legal Aid Bureau Inc, which also goes by Maryland Legal Aid, says its employees make a point of reaching out to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers at least once a year to discuss minimum wage and other rights noncitizens might not know about.
With seasonal workers often living in employer-controlled housing, Legal Aid might be their only access to free legal advice concerning overtime, safe housing, workplace health and safety, and social services, according to the April 20 complaint.
Legal Aid and one of its attorneys, Nohora Rivero, say they ran into an obstacle this past summer, however, while trying to visit Fruits and Vegetables by Lewis Orchard, better known as Lewis Orchards, in Dickerson.
When Rivero and a summer clerk visited the Lewis Orchards on Aug. 18 to speak with its 12 noncitizen workers, farm owners Linda and Robert Lewis "ordered the Legal Aid employees to leave," according to the complaint.
"Linda Lewis immediately called the Montgomery County Police Department, which dispatched Officer Kettering to the scene," the complaint states.
In addition to the Lewises and their farm, Legal Aid's lawsuit names Montgomery County as a defendant, plus Police Chief J. Thomas Manger and Officer Alexander Kettering.
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The Legal Aid Bureau Inc, which also goes by Maryland Legal Aid, says its employees make a point of reaching out to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers at least once a year to discuss minimum wage and other rights noncitizens might not know about.
With seasonal workers often living in employer-controlled housing, Legal Aid might be their only access to free legal advice concerning overtime, safe housing, workplace health and safety, and social services, according to the April 20 complaint.
Legal Aid and one of its attorneys, Nohora Rivero, say they ran into an obstacle this past summer, however, while trying to visit Fruits and Vegetables by Lewis Orchard, better known as Lewis Orchards, in Dickerson.
When Rivero and a summer clerk visited the Lewis Orchards on Aug. 18 to speak with its 12 noncitizen workers, farm owners Linda and Robert Lewis "ordered the Legal Aid employees to leave," according to the complaint.
"Linda Lewis immediately called the Montgomery County Police Department, which dispatched Officer Kettering to the scene," the complaint states.
In addition to the Lewises and their farm, Legal Aid's lawsuit names Montgomery County as a defendant, plus Police Chief J. Thomas Manger and Officer Alexander Kettering.
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Networks Blackout Hassan Scandal
National news networks have ignored the sex scandal that has dominated headlines in the New Hampshire Senate race, a Washington Free Beacon analysis found.
The Boston Globe’s March revelation that Gov. Maggie Hassan’s husband Tom hushed up a sexual misconduct scandal while working as principal of the Phillips Exeter Academy has stirred controversy in the Granite State.
The story, published by the newspaper’s Spotlight division—the subject of an Academy Award-winning film of the same name—led to several other allegations of sexual misconduct against teachers. One teacher has been forced to resign. The story has come to dominate headlines and broadcasts of local media, but has so far failed to capture any attention from national outlets despite its role in a key Senate race.
The story appears to have all of the necessary ingredients for significant media attention. Campus sexual assault controversies have dominated headlines in recent years. Hassan is running against freshman Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte in a race that could determine the Senate majority in November. Still, national outlets have failed to cover the story.
The words “Phillips Exeter Academy” appeared in national media markets just three times since the Globe story broke, and zero times in the news division of the largest networks, according to IQ Media, a television-monitoring database. CNBC mentioned the private boarding school in a rerun of Undercover Boss on April 23, while Oprah’s OWN network mentioned it during broadcasts of Undercover Boss: Canada and Family Feud.
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The Boston Globe’s March revelation that Gov. Maggie Hassan’s husband Tom hushed up a sexual misconduct scandal while working as principal of the Phillips Exeter Academy has stirred controversy in the Granite State.
The story, published by the newspaper’s Spotlight division—the subject of an Academy Award-winning film of the same name—led to several other allegations of sexual misconduct against teachers. One teacher has been forced to resign. The story has come to dominate headlines and broadcasts of local media, but has so far failed to capture any attention from national outlets despite its role in a key Senate race.
The story appears to have all of the necessary ingredients for significant media attention. Campus sexual assault controversies have dominated headlines in recent years. Hassan is running against freshman Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte in a race that could determine the Senate majority in November. Still, national outlets have failed to cover the story.
The words “Phillips Exeter Academy” appeared in national media markets just three times since the Globe story broke, and zero times in the news division of the largest networks, according to IQ Media, a television-monitoring database. CNBC mentioned the private boarding school in a rerun of Undercover Boss on April 23, while Oprah’s OWN network mentioned it during broadcasts of Undercover Boss: Canada and Family Feud.
More here
Maryland colleges rank among the most affordable in the country, but that’s changing
The study, a collaboration between the Higher Education Policy Institute, Vanderbilt University and the University of Pennsylvania, examined how dwindling state investment in higher education and the subsequent rise in tuition has pushed college out of reach for low-income and middle-income families across the country. Researchers found that despite the economic recovery, college is far less affordable than it was before the 2008 recession.
The state grants and scholarships that made it possible for the neediest students to obtain a degree have dried up, just as the families of those students contend with stagnant wages that make it difficult to cover costs.
“No state will be able to really meet their projected workforce needs unless they educate these low-income students. That realization just hasn’t hit yet,” said Joni Finney, director of the Institute for Research on Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania and a co-author of the study.
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Ben Carson Hates To See Genocidal Slave Owner Andrew Jackson Replaced On The $20 Bill
He thinks Harriet Tubman should go on the rarely circulated $2 bill instead.
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has a pretty terrible suggestion for how to get a woman on U.S. currency without bumping Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill: put Harriet Tubman on the rarely used $2 bill instead.
After news broke that the U.S. Treasury intends to replace Jackson with Tubman, the former GOP presidential hopeful told Fox Business’ Neil Cavuto he disagreed with the decision.
“Andrew Jackson was the last president who actually balanced the federal budget, where we had no national debt,” Carson said in an interview Wednesday. “In honor of that, we kick him off of the money.”
“I love Harriet Tubman, I love what she did,” Carson continued. “But we can find another way to honor her. Maybe a $2 bill.”
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Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has a pretty terrible suggestion for how to get a woman on U.S. currency without bumping Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill: put Harriet Tubman on the rarely used $2 bill instead.
After news broke that the U.S. Treasury intends to replace Jackson with Tubman, the former GOP presidential hopeful told Fox Business’ Neil Cavuto he disagreed with the decision.
“Andrew Jackson was the last president who actually balanced the federal budget, where we had no national debt,” Carson said in an interview Wednesday. “In honor of that, we kick him off of the money.”
“I love Harriet Tubman, I love what she did,” Carson continued. “But we can find another way to honor her. Maybe a $2 bill.”
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Doctors without Borders: At least 14 killed in airstrike on Syria hospital
International aid organization Doctors Without Borders said at least 14 patients and staff were killed by an airstrike on a hospital it supports in Syria on Thursday.
It said the facility in Aleppo was hit by a direct strike and among the dead are at least three doctors, including a pediatrician.
It said the death toll is expected to rise. It wasn’t immediately clear who was responsible for the strike.
"We condemn the destruction of the Al Quds hospital in #Aleppo, depriving people of essential healthcare. Hospitals are #notatarget, #Syria," the organization, which also goes by the French moniker MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières), tweeted.
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It said the facility in Aleppo was hit by a direct strike and among the dead are at least three doctors, including a pediatrician.
It said the death toll is expected to rise. It wasn’t immediately clear who was responsible for the strike.
"We condemn the destruction of the Al Quds hospital in #Aleppo, depriving people of essential healthcare. Hospitals are #notatarget, #Syria," the organization, which also goes by the French moniker MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières), tweeted.
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Can We Liberate Our Kids From Traditional Schooling?
The last thing dedicated teachers want to think is that they’re fulfilling all the duties of a babysitter and not much else, says educator Mac Bogert.
“I’m often reminded of Mark Twain’s quote: ‘I never let my schooling interfere with my education,’ ” Bogert says. “Learning is among the most exciting and enjoyable experiences we have in life, yet many students and teachers herded into our school systems view school as something to be endured, as if the school day is one long detention.”
Recent findings illustrate the problem. In 2015, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed a decline in math comprehension from fourth- and eighth-graders for the first time since 1990.
“If you want to know how effective schools are, ask a teenager,” Bogert says. “Why do smart kids who enjoy reading and learning find school boring? We don’t need to make people learn, we need to free them to learn.”
Bogert, author of “Learning Chaos: How Disorder Can Save Education,” (www.learningchaos.net), and president of AZA Learning, which encourages an open-learning process for all participants, says our educational system is outdated. He proposes new methods parents can use to resurrect a love of learning from their kids.
• Ban rote learning. When preparing to teach within a traditional framework, we aren’t stimulating a child’s curiosity. Rather, we’re serving the framework of control. This sort of top-down, listen-without-interrupting teaching is limiting and alienates many types of learning personalities. Instead, foster engagement, which means an open environment where kids feel free to participate.
• Encourage children to sound off. Ever see an interesting news discussion on television? If no one is saying what you want to say, you can become frustrated to the point of turning off the conversation. Students who are shy or otherwise discouraged from engaging can shut down in a similar way. But when they’re included and encouraged to participate in a lesson, their minds stay focused. They feel they have a stake in the lesson.
• Take a cue from the Internet. We’re not starved for information; we’re starved for stories, which have lessons embedded within them. Simply sharing a story invites learning. That’s why you should allow a child’s narrative of inquiry to be more democratic than controlled. Allow him or her to pursue a line of thought wherever it may go, rather than controlled, assigned resources.
“Ideally, your child will be a participant within a hotbed of ideas, rather than a passive listener in an intellectually sterile environment,” Bogert says. “That may not always be possible at school, but this kind of encouragement at home will help them later in life.”
“I’m often reminded of Mark Twain’s quote: ‘I never let my schooling interfere with my education,’ ” Bogert says. “Learning is among the most exciting and enjoyable experiences we have in life, yet many students and teachers herded into our school systems view school as something to be endured, as if the school day is one long detention.”
Recent findings illustrate the problem. In 2015, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed a decline in math comprehension from fourth- and eighth-graders for the first time since 1990.
“If you want to know how effective schools are, ask a teenager,” Bogert says. “Why do smart kids who enjoy reading and learning find school boring? We don’t need to make people learn, we need to free them to learn.”
Bogert, author of “Learning Chaos: How Disorder Can Save Education,” (www.learningchaos.net), and president of AZA Learning, which encourages an open-learning process for all participants, says our educational system is outdated. He proposes new methods parents can use to resurrect a love of learning from their kids.
• Ban rote learning. When preparing to teach within a traditional framework, we aren’t stimulating a child’s curiosity. Rather, we’re serving the framework of control. This sort of top-down, listen-without-interrupting teaching is limiting and alienates many types of learning personalities. Instead, foster engagement, which means an open environment where kids feel free to participate.
• Encourage children to sound off. Ever see an interesting news discussion on television? If no one is saying what you want to say, you can become frustrated to the point of turning off the conversation. Students who are shy or otherwise discouraged from engaging can shut down in a similar way. But when they’re included and encouraged to participate in a lesson, their minds stay focused. They feel they have a stake in the lesson.
• Take a cue from the Internet. We’re not starved for information; we’re starved for stories, which have lessons embedded within them. Simply sharing a story invites learning. That’s why you should allow a child’s narrative of inquiry to be more democratic than controlled. Allow him or her to pursue a line of thought wherever it may go, rather than controlled, assigned resources.
“Ideally, your child will be a participant within a hotbed of ideas, rather than a passive listener in an intellectually sterile environment,” Bogert says. “That may not always be possible at school, but this kind of encouragement at home will help them later in life.”
National Governors Association Selects Maryland as Model State for Improving Well-Being of Children and Families
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Maryland has been selected by the National Governors Association (NGA) to serve as the model state for an NGA best practices learning lab. The learning lab—“Fostering Cross-Sector Collaboration to Address the Health and Success of Children and Families”—is an opportunity for states to learn from key staff in another state that has already made significant strides on its policy priorities. In Maryland, the Governor’s Office for Children and Children’s Cabinet have been working to promote the well-being of children, youth, and families since 1978.
“I want to congratulate the staff at the Governor’s Office for Children on the honor of being selected by the NGA as a model for the rest of the nation,” said Governor Hogan. “The Office for Children plays a big part in our administration’s goal to change Maryland--especially the lives of children and families--for the better, and I’m pleased they will have the unique opportunity to share their best practices with other states.”
Today and tomorrow, the Governor’s Office for Children will host officials from the NGA and other states at the Governor Calvert House in Annapolis. The Office will showcase what it and the Maryland Children’s Cabinet are doing to help achieve Governor Hogan’s priorities of making Maryland a better state for families and children to thrive, including getting the most vulnerable kids and families on a pathway to economic stability and opportunity.
The NGA will provide nine months of technical assistance to teams from Virginia, Illinois, and Iowa, who are interested in learning from Maryland and fostering cross-sector collaborations to address educational, social, economic, and environmental factors that improve the health and overall success of children and families in their respective states.
About the Governor’s Office for Children
The Governor’s Office for Children works with State agencies and Local Management Boards to promote a stable, safe, and healthy environment for Maryland’s children, youth, and families.
VA policy unfair to some former service members
Bart Stichman, joint executive director at the National Veterans Legal Services Program, talks with Federal News Radio’s Jared Serbu on Federal Drive with Tom Temin about a Veterans Affairs Department policy his group says is unfairly denying health care and compensation to more than 100,000 former service members.
GO HERE to listen to interview.
GO HERE to listen to interview.
Report: Israel Hunting Chemical-armed ISIS Terrorists in Golan
Israeli intelligence officials are concerned that an ISIS terrorist cell operating in the southern Golan Heights - along the border with Israel - has obtained chemical weapons.
According to a Channel 10 report, Israel is hunting the cell, located on the Syrian side of the border, amid fears the jihadists have imminent plans to use the chemical weapons in their possession.
The report added that the jihadists are not believed to be planning on using the chemical agents against Israel, but against their enemies inside Syria, of which there are no shortages. ISIS in Syria is currently fighting a multi-pronged war against the Assad regime, rival jihadists from Al Qaeda, other Syrian rebels, and, in northern Syria, against Kurdish forces.
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According to a Channel 10 report, Israel is hunting the cell, located on the Syrian side of the border, amid fears the jihadists have imminent plans to use the chemical weapons in their possession.
The report added that the jihadists are not believed to be planning on using the chemical agents against Israel, but against their enemies inside Syria, of which there are no shortages. ISIS in Syria is currently fighting a multi-pronged war against the Assad regime, rival jihadists from Al Qaeda, other Syrian rebels, and, in northern Syria, against Kurdish forces.
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Activists Tried to Defeat the Maryland Congressman Who Messed With DC’s Pot Laws. Here’s Why They Failed
Harris’s win was a blowout—he finished with 79 percent of votes cast in Maryland’s First Congressional District, which encompasses the Eastern Shore and is the state’s only reliable GOP stronghold. Michael Smigiel, a former state lawmaker who the DC activists supported because of his libertarian stance on drug policy, limped into second place with 11 percent of the vote.
That Harris, who was first elected in the 2010 Tea Party wave, had an easy win is no shock. The First District is Maryland’s most reliable GOP stronghold and the part of the state where Donald Trump performed best in the presidential primary. (Trump did well across Maryland, but romped on the Eastern Shore with nearly 63 percent.) What’s leaving Smigiel’s now-former DC supporters bummed is the magnitude of his loss.
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House Committee Votes to Require Women to Sign Up for Draft
The House Armed Services Committee voted on Wednesday to require women to sign up for the draft during a mark up of the fiscal 2017 defense policy bill.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said the proposal he introduced is not about women serving in combat, something he said he is against. Instead, Hunter said he wanted to force a conversation about whether 18 to 26-year-old women should have to register for the Selective Service now that the administration has opened all combat positions to women.
"Right now the draft is sexist. Right now the draft only drafts young men," Hunter said.
Hunter's amendment achieved bipartisan support, with Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., saying that she too supported universal conscription, even as one of the "coffee house liberals" Hunter said would be against the bill.
"While you may be offering this as a gotcha amendment, I think there's great merit in recognizing each of us have an obligation to be willing to serve our country in time of war and provide some period of time when we do some kind of service," she said.
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Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said the proposal he introduced is not about women serving in combat, something he said he is against. Instead, Hunter said he wanted to force a conversation about whether 18 to 26-year-old women should have to register for the Selective Service now that the administration has opened all combat positions to women.
"Right now the draft is sexist. Right now the draft only drafts young men," Hunter said.
Hunter's amendment achieved bipartisan support, with Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., saying that she too supported universal conscription, even as one of the "coffee house liberals" Hunter said would be against the bill.
"While you may be offering this as a gotcha amendment, I think there's great merit in recognizing each of us have an obligation to be willing to serve our country in time of war and provide some period of time when we do some kind of service," she said.
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Maryland’s onetime mental hospitals cost the state millions of dollars annually
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Six miles outside of Annapolis lie the decaying bones of a dinosaur.
They don’t belong to a prehistoric animal, but to Crownsville Hospital Center, a mostly vacant former asylum that costs the State of Maryland around $1 million a year.
Many of the methods used to treat mental illness when Crownsville opened in 1911 have essentially gone extinct.
The availability and quality of medications have increased, and providers are trending toward treatment through community-based services, like psychiatric rehabilitation, housing and vocational programs, according to Jeff Richards, the incoming president of the Mental Health Association of Maryland and the CEO of Mosaic Community Services.
“There’s so many people that probably 20, 30, 40 years ago would have lived out their lives in one of those large institutions [who] are living in the community and doing great with the right range of support available to them,” Richardson said.
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They don’t belong to a prehistoric animal, but to Crownsville Hospital Center, a mostly vacant former asylum that costs the State of Maryland around $1 million a year.
Many of the methods used to treat mental illness when Crownsville opened in 1911 have essentially gone extinct.
The availability and quality of medications have increased, and providers are trending toward treatment through community-based services, like psychiatric rehabilitation, housing and vocational programs, according to Jeff Richards, the incoming president of the Mental Health Association of Maryland and the CEO of Mosaic Community Services.
“There’s so many people that probably 20, 30, 40 years ago would have lived out their lives in one of those large institutions [who] are living in the community and doing great with the right range of support available to them,” Richardson said.
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Coastal Highway Project Looks To Be Complete By Cruisin’ Weekend
In March, the State Highway Administration (SHA) embarked on an ambitious plan to mill and repave both sides of Coastal Highway from 62nd Street to the Delaware line and in the weeks since, the roadway has been a maze of orange barrels, lane closures and directional signs as crews work practically around the clock. With the calendar flipping over to May this weekend and Springfest and other major events to follow, SHA officials said this week the major repaving project is ahead of schedule for the promised Friday before Memorial Day deadline and it now appears the finishing touches could be in place for the spring Cruisin’ event, which begins in May 19.
“We were hoping originally to be done by May 12, but with this last round of unfavorable weather, May 19 is a more realistic date,” said SHA Media Relations Manager David Buck. “If we get really bad weather the next full week or more, we may also work weekends and this might go closer to May 26. Right now, we are comfortable with the May 19 completion.”
Buck said the project essentially moved south from the Delaware line to 62nd Street and is now heading north along the same stretch of Coastal Highway.
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Want To Talk About Jesus? You'll Need a Permit
A permit is required before students can talk about Jesus at North Carolina State University, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.
Grace Christian Life, a registered student group at NC State, filed suit over a policy requiring a permit for any kind of student speech or communication anywhere on campus – including religious speech.
In September 2015, the student group was told that without a permit, they must stop approaching other students inside the student union to engage in religious discussions or invite them to attend group events.
“It’s an amazingly broad speech restriction, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Tyson Langhofer told me. “Public universities are supposed to be the marketplace of ideas, not places where students need a permit just to exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases. They allege the Christian group has been singled out by the university.
“The University has not restricted the ability of other students and student groups to engage in expressive activity,” the lawsuit states. “Grace has witnessed other students, student groups and off-campus groups handing out literature either without a permit or outside of the area reserved by their table permit.”
More here
Grace Christian Life, a registered student group at NC State, filed suit over a policy requiring a permit for any kind of student speech or communication anywhere on campus – including religious speech.
In September 2015, the student group was told that without a permit, they must stop approaching other students inside the student union to engage in religious discussions or invite them to attend group events.
“It’s an amazingly broad speech restriction, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Tyson Langhofer told me. “Public universities are supposed to be the marketplace of ideas, not places where students need a permit just to exercise their constitutionally protected freedoms.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases. They allege the Christian group has been singled out by the university.
“The University has not restricted the ability of other students and student groups to engage in expressive activity,” the lawsuit states. “Grace has witnessed other students, student groups and off-campus groups handing out literature either without a permit or outside of the area reserved by their table permit.”
More here
Donald Trump Won Millennial Vote in Pennsylvania and Maryland
Donald Trump scored big with millennial voters Tuesday, according to an analysis of exit poll data.
More than 150,000 young Republicans voted in Pennsylvania, and 52% of them cast their ballots for Trump, giving him his biggest win among 18 to 29-year-olds in any state so far, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement. Trump also landed a victory in Maryland, winning 33% of young voters there in a narrow victory over Ted Cruz.
Trump does not normally have a high level of support among millennials and neither does Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, who regularly loses among that age group to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Young voters are turning out to the polls in unprecedented numbers this primary season and set records in Maryland and Connecticut on Tuesday, CIRCLE found.
Jerry Yellin, World War II Veteran Interview
Capt. Jerry Yellin, from Fairfield, Iowa, flew the final combat mission in World War II. World War II veterans visit Iwo Jima for the 70th anniversary Mar. 21 in commemoration of the end of World War II.
From Donald Trumps Facebook Page
Full Event: Donald Trump Speaks on Foreign Policy in Washington, DC
Fast forward to 34 minutes and listen to him if you haven't. You wanted Presidential......YOU GOT it in this speech.
Gov. Hogan Says He’s Still Waiting For ‘Thank You’ From Mayor SRB
During remarks in Washington, Hogan said he’s still waiting for a “thank you” from Rawlings-Blake for “saving the city” during rioting last spring.
According to our media partner, The Baltimore Sun, Hogan said rioters “all went scurrying home” at his overwhelming show of force.
Gov. Hogan sent in the National Guard last April to address the growing violence and unrest in the city.
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Expect Traffic Delays During Half Marathon This Saturday
Upon reaching Ocean City, runners will travel east on Route 50 in the far right lane and cross the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge. Runners will then make their way south on Philadelphia Avenue towards South 1st Street where they will cross Baltimore Avenue and continue to the Boardwalk. Traffic on Philadelphia Avenue south of North Division Street will be reduced to one lane. Drivers should expect delays in the downtown area beginning at approximately 8 a.m. until 10 a.m.
Event participants and spectators are urged to use crosswalks while crossing roadways and motorists should be extremely vigilant in the downtown area during this event. Finally, the Ocean City Police Department wishes the best of luck to all runners participating in Saturday’s races!
Nationwide chicken recall affects local schools
“Following receiving notification of the expanded recall of Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. products yesterday, all cafeteria managers have been instructed to immediately hold all current inventory of Gold Kist products they have stored in accordance with our procedures,” Carrie Sterrs, schools spokeswoman, said. “Any Gold Kist products that were slated for usage have been substituted with non-Gold Kist products. We will continue to be diligent in complying with this recall.”
No confirmed reports of injury because of consuming the possibly contaminated material exist, according to a USDA press release.
The recall was ordered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on April 7 and affected only a single product in the Gold Kist Farms line. But last Tuesday, the recall was expanded to more than 20 products in the Gold Kist Farms and Sweet Georgia Brand product lines, both of which are owned by Pilgrim’s Pride.
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Washington Redskins Also Petition Supreme Court To Hear Trademark Appeal
Last week, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office petitioned the Supreme Court to chime in on a case involving the trademark application for a rock band with a racially charged name. Any SCOTUS ruling in that case would have an impact on the similar ongoing dispute over the trademark for the NFL’s Washington Redskins, but rather than hope for a favorable result with that petition, the football team has filed one of its own.
Former Worcester State’s Attorney Looks Back On Career As Local Prosecutor Before Relocating Out West
Yet, Todd, who was involved in trying some of the most headline grabbing and community rattling cases in Worcester County’s history during his tenure from 1995-2011, is soon to be leaving the Eastern Shore and heading west to start a new chapter of his life.
Todd sat down with The Dispatch in his Berlin home to look back on his work in Worcester and Wicomico counties, the bittersweet feelings of leaving behind the only home he’s ever known, and revealed some of the cases that he’s worked on over the years that still haunt him to this day.
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Why Won’t The FBI Tell Apple How It Unlocked iPhone?
A month ago, the FBI dropped its legal effort to compel Apple to unlock a dead terrorist’s iPhone after a third party provided the agency with a way to bypass the device’s encryption. While the federal law enforcer is okay with using what it learned to aid other criminal investigations, it doesn’t look like the FBI is jumping at the chance to let Apple in on the secret.
Ruling May Help Patients Keep More Of The Winnings When They Sue
Accidents happen, and if they are someone else's fault, you can go to court to try to get compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. If you win, though, the pot of gold you receive may be considerably smaller than you expect. Your health plan may claim some — or all — of the award as reimbursement for money it spent on your medical care.
That is completely legal and it happens all the time. But a recent U.S. Supreme Courtdecision gives consumers ammunition to push back against the health plan.
The basic facts of the case are common: In December 2008, a drunken driver ran a stop sign and hit Robert Montanile, seriously injuring him. Montanile had lumbar spinal fusion surgery and other medical treatment that cost $121,044 and was paid for by his health plan — the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan. Montanile sued the drunken driver and won a settlement of $500,000. He paid his attorneys $263,788 in fees and expenses, leaving him $236,212.
Montanile's health plan claimed it was entitled to be reimbursed for his medical care.
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That is completely legal and it happens all the time. But a recent U.S. Supreme Courtdecision gives consumers ammunition to push back against the health plan.
The basic facts of the case are common: In December 2008, a drunken driver ran a stop sign and hit Robert Montanile, seriously injuring him. Montanile had lumbar spinal fusion surgery and other medical treatment that cost $121,044 and was paid for by his health plan — the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan. Montanile sued the drunken driver and won a settlement of $500,000. He paid his attorneys $263,788 in fees and expenses, leaving him $236,212.
Montanile's health plan claimed it was entitled to be reimbursed for his medical care.
More