Illegal Immigrants Sue After Landlord Demands Documentation For Housing

Four Latino families filed papers to sue their Virginia landlord Monday after he threatened eviction due to illegal family members living on the premises.

The civil rights lawsuit filed by families living in Waples Mobile Home Park in Fairfax County, Va., claims it is discriminatory to require a social security number for residency. The landlords at the mobile home park are requiring residents to provide either a social security card, passport or valid visa with documentation to renew their leases, reports The Washington Post.

The lawyers representing the families, from the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan law firm, say the actions are targeted discrimination which disproportionately affects Latinos in the community. All the families involved in the lawsuit have lived in the park for at least two years and have at least one family member without legal residency. The landlords say they need the documentation in order to conduct proper criminal background checks.
 
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McAuliffe responds to FBI inquiry: Donation was legal

WASHINGTON — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told reporters Tuesday that he has done nothing wrong and that an investigation into his 2013 gubernatorial campaign won’t hurt his longtime friend Hillary Clinton’s run for the White House.

“I don’t think it will affect Hillary Clinton at all. It won’t affect me at all. If you haven’t done anything wrong, what should you be worried about,” McAuliffe said.

McAuliffe addressed reporters gathered outside an Alexandria probation and parole office, where the governor announced $3 million in funding to help the city provide mental health treatment to offenders.

His comments came a day after reports surfaced that the FBI is investigating whether any donations made to the McAuliffe campaign were illegal. Investigators are looking in part at the $120,000 West Legend, a New Jersey company, contributed. The company is a subsidiary of a company owned by Chinese businessman Wang Wenliang, who is a permanent U.S. resident with a green card.

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Dog saved by vet intern just before being put down

Ollie, a 10 year-old Sheltie from Portland, came into an Oregon veterinary very lethargic, having difficulty walking and only eating when he was hand fed.

His owners, Al and Joelle, couldn’t figure out why their dog, who loves the outdoors, was acting so out of character, and after several examinations vets at DoveLewis Animal Hospital couldn’t figure it out, either.

A full range of tests, including blood work, a urinalysis and a variety of X-rays were performed on Ollie, and yet vets report they simply could not find a reason for the Sheltie’s diminishing health. They gave Ollie medication that could have potentially helped, but the pooch’s health only worsened the next day.

When Ollie returned that next day, he was nearly paralyzed, unable to eat or even go to the bathroom on his own. Al and Joelle were preparing for the worst.

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$500,000 fix for $5 million bridge built 6 inches too low in Delaware

NEWPORT, Del. (AP) — A fix costing nearly half a million dollars will finally begin this summer on a $5 million bridge that was built six inches too low.

Five years after Delaware transportation officials discovered the mistake, they’ve hired a new construction firm to raise the bridge high enough so that trains carrying two stacked containers can pass underneath. Those trains need at least 21 feet, 6 inches of clearance.

The Delaware Department of Transportation spent more than $5 million in 2011 to accommodate these trains by rebuilding the overpass, reported The News Journal (http://delonline.us/1OJzwdj ). They think they know what caused the error: surveyors mistakenly measured the clearance from the ground up, rather than from the top of the track’s steel rails, said Barry Benton, DelDOT’s state bridge engineer.
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Gun Dealer Allegedly Discussed Plan to 'Shoot Some Cops' After Nero Acquitted

A man under surveillance for suspected illegal firearms dealing was recorded Monday telling a federal informant he planned to "shoot some cops" after a judge acquitted Baltimore police Officer Edward Nero.

The affidavit was filed in federal court against Robert Lee "Cowboy" Owens, 64, of North Baltimore. He was arrested Monday and charged with possession of a firearm by a previously convicted person, according to court records. A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in the affidavit that the criminal informant had earlier been offered a firearm by Owens and agreed with the ATF to buy it from him in a vehicle bugged with audio and video recording devices. That informant went to Owens' home and, with ATF money, bought the .22 caliber long rifle. The weapon was described in the criminal complaint as being draped with the American flag, with its serial number scratched off.

Owens was twice convicted of felonies, according to the criminal complaint, and was therefore barred from having a gun.

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Q&A With Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, Chair Of State’s Task Force On Heroin, Opioid Abuse

BERLIN — In February of 2015, just months after being elected to office, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order to create the Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force. That task force was chaired by Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, and after months of research and deliberation with health officials, law enforcement and experts across the state, Rutherford’s taskforce released the Interim report on heroin in August of 2015.

In the opening lines of that report, Rutherford said that he and Hogan heard countless tales on the campaign trail of the spread of heroin and opioid addiction and how it was wreaking havoc on the state’s communities.

The interim report recommends a multi-prong approach with 10 funding announcements with seven allocations to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene aimed at improving access for treatment and rehabilitation and three significant grants to the Governor’s Office of Crime, Control and Prevention to support law enforcement efforts, including $124,635 to fund license plate reader technology at the north end of Ocean City (it’s already in place at the Routes 50 and 90 entrances to town).

Since the report’s release, Hogan and Rutherford have continued to keep the battle against opioid addiction as a high priority, and Rutherford spoke with The Dispatch this week in a phone interview about what he calls the state’s holistic approach to heroin addiction.

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Ocean City’s Tragic May Puts Renewed Focus On Safety Ahead Of Summer Season

OCEAN CITY — With two fatalities in the span of three days last week and three in the month of May, if ever the start of a season needed a mulligan, this appears to be it, but there is plenty of time for residents and visitors to take a pause, collect their breath and remember to practice the oft-echoed common sense approach to avoiding tragedy.

Memorial Day weekend has arrived, and despite the gray, cool, rainy weeks that preceded it, the early forecast is summer-like and more typical for the holiday weekend. The month of May has been far from typical thus far, however, with three tragedies including a fatal motorcycle collision with a vehicle last Thursday afternoon followed by a fatal fall from a hotel balcony on Saturday night.

On May 4, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a police vehicle while crossing Coastal Highway against a pedestrian signal at 94th Street. Back on March 14, a worker fell to his death from the fourth floor of a building under construction at 25th Street, the first of four reported fatalities in the resort this spring. However, there is no connection between the rash of fatalities, other than the unfortunate truth that each was preventable, and Ocean City is not suddenly a more dangerous place.

There have been rashes of serious and fatal incidents in the past and there is often no rhyme or reason for a pattern. In some cases, a run of serious and tragic incidents has precipitated a call to action, such as a spate of fatal pedestrian collisions along Coastal Highway that caused the town and its partners to ramp up its safety campaign with improvements along the roadway including increased signage, more and better equipped crosswalks and an aggressive public service campaign.

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Family Programs In Wicomico County

The following programs are monitored and funded by the Wicomico Partnership for Families and Children. For more information regarding these programs please call or email the contact person for the specific program you are interested in.

Family Connection Center
Contact: Asia Dabner, 410-546-8155

The Family Connection Center is your community resource link for Wicomico County. Located within our offices at 408 Coles Circle (next to Sojourner-Douglas College), the Family Connection Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. While the Center is always open during business hours, if you wish to speak with a Navigator, we ask that you schedule an appointment to ensure that one will be available when you arrive. For more information, please click the link below.

Family Empowerment Initiative
Contact: Annette Spence, 410-546-5400, ext. 13

Through the Family Empowerment Initiative, we are able to offer Family Empowerment Workshops to parents and caregivers of children in Wicomico County free of charge. Currently, we offer three different courses based on your child's age: Active Parenting 1,2,3,4 for parents with young children, Active Parenting Now for parents with children ages 5-12, and Active Parent Teens for parents with children ages 13-17. On days when Wicomico County Schools are closed, we have also begun offering a workshop for teens.
 
Wicomico Out of School Time Initiative
Contact: 410-546-5400, ext. 16

The Wicomico Out of School Time Initiative includes all out of school and after school providers that receive funding through Wicomico Partnership for Families and Children. Through grant making, technical assistance, networking, resource sharing, and training, we are working to provide affordable, engaging, and safe environments for our youth when they are not in school. Grants are provided for program enhancement, network providers that visit existing sites (such as arts, dance, karate), start-up programs, and established programs. For more information, please visit the EmpowerWicomico website.


Healthy Families
Contact: 410-543-6942
Healthy Families receives funding through Wicomico Partnership and is operated by the Wicomico County Health Department. The program serves low income families with children under the age of five. Please visit their website Wicomico Health Department for more information.


Building Foundations for Families
Contact: Tara Kearns, 410-219-5070

The Building Foundations for Families serves Beaver Run, Glen Avenue, Chipman, East Salisbury, and Prince Street Elementary Schools in Wicomico County. Each child and family receives a comprehensive assessment and individualized support. This program is operated by New Transitions and provides case management to prevent elementary truancy.

FIVE MILE BRANCH ROAD BRIDGE TO BE REPLACED

The Worcester County Department of Public Works is implementing plans to replace one county bridge during the summer of 2016, the Five Mile Branch Road Bridge. This bridge was scheduled to be replaced after earning unsatisfactory bridge sufficiency ratings during the county’s annual bridge inspection program. This bridge replacement project is eligible for federal funding under the Highway Bridge Program.

The three-span, timber-beam Five Mile Branch Road Bridge is located approximately 0.76 miles north of US Rt. 113 and crosses Coonfoot Branch. Access to this bridge will be closed and detour will be in place throughout the course of the project. For information on detour routes or a complete description of these projects, visit www.co.worcester.md.us.

A public comment period is currently open, and the public is invited to comment on this project. Please refer all comments regarding this bridge replacement to Roads Superintendent Frank J. Adkins atfadkins@co.worcester.md.us no later than June 7, 2016.

MIKULSKI TOURS ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING COMPELLING HUMAN NEEDS IN EASTERN SHORE COMMUNITIES

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), while on her Eastern Shore Jobs Tour earlier this month, visited Self-Help on Rural Economics and Urban Problems (SHORE UP!) and Joseph House, organizations that support underserved communities and meet compelling human needs on the Lower Shore.

“I’m so pleased to visit SHORE UP! and Joseph House to see first-hand their good work to support compelling human need on Maryland’s Eastern Shore,” Senator Mikulski said. “As a former social worker, I know how important early education, nutritious meals and quality housing are for kids and families. I’ll continue to be on the side of Maryland families and communities who need it most.”

SHORE UP! serves 11,000 Marylanders in seven Eastern Shore counties, providing underserved communities with Head Start and Early Head Start, Foster Grandparent program, adult education, senior services, subsidized housing in Princess Anne, weatherization and housing rehabilitation and Energy Assistance Program.

SHORE UP! was founded in 1965 as a Community Action Committee as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Anti-Poverty program. The majority of those served by SHORE UP! are minority residents. It was one of the first Head Start providers to be funded by the federal government.

At first you feel sorry for the dog, and then...

Queen Anne's County man beaten, robbed, left naked on side of road

CHESTER — A Henderson man was robbed, beaten and left on the side of the road wearing only his socks early Monday, May 23, according to the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office.

Quwan I. Johns, 23, told police he had just gotten off work and was eating at the McDonald's in Chester Plaza about 11 p.m. Sunday when he got a call from an acquaintance known as “Ring Bell” asking if he knew where he could buy some marijuana. When Johns said he did, ”Ring Bell” made arrangements to come get him, police said. About 20 minutes later, he was picked up by three men in a blue gray, four-door Honda, police said.

They drove to Md. Route 304 (Ruthsburg Road) and pulled over, Johns told police. One of the men displayed a handgun, pulled him from the car and began to beat him with the gun, threatening to kill him, according to the police report.

“He was badly beaten. He was pistol-whipped,” said Lt. Dale Patrick, public information officer for the sheriff's office. “He was hit repeatedly in the face with a pistol.”

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WICOMICO PUBLIC LIBRARIES VOLUNTEERS ERNIE & JACKIE CONNOR WERE HONORED AT ANNUAL SENIOR VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION

 

The Friends of Wicomico Public Libraries are pleased to announce longtime volunteers Ernie and Jackie Connor were honored at the Wicomico County Commission on Aging Annual Senior Volunteer Recognition on May 12, 2016. Active senior volunteers (55 years of age and older) from area community agencies who have demonstrated a significant contribution to Wicomico County are recognized at the Annual Senior Volunteer Recognition Luncheon.

Ernie and Jackie Connor represent the true spirit of volunteerism through their unending commitment and dedication to serving the community. Ernie served in the Navy during the Korean War and then in the Air Force until his retirement in 1977. Since retiring from Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY and moving to Salisbury in 1977, Ernie and Jackie have contributed to our community in a variety of ways. They volunteered and served in leadership roles at the St. Peter’s soup kitchen with a team from St. Francis de Sales. Ernie has provided leadership in the Rockawalkin Ruritan Club and service at community events. Ernie and Jackie are two of the longest serving Wicomico Public Libraries volunteers. Ernie began volunteering for the Library soon after the Centre Branch opened over 20 years ago. Ernie and Jackie have represented the Library at tents and tables during the Salisbury Festival, Delmarva Poultry Festival and the Wicomico County Wine Festival. They have worked weekly in the Book Shelf, the Friends of Wicomico Public Libraries book store, since its opening and have attended and volunteered at Friends sponsored events. Because of their enthusiasm and support for Wicomico Public Libraries, they have come to be recognized as Ambassadors of Friends of Wicomico Public Libraries.

Wicomico Public Libraries are located in Downtown Salisbury, the Centre at Salisbury, Pittsville, and the Library Bookmobile. Not only do Wicomico Public Libraries offer numerous free resources such as Internet access, a variety of classes and events, public meeting rooms and an online virtual library with eBooks, and streaming movies, music and audiobooks, but it engages with the community by supporting learning, building community, and enriching lives. You Belong @ Wicomico Public Libraries!

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For more information on Wicomico Public Libraries or if you wish to become a Friend of the Library, please visit our Web site - WicomicoLibrary.org or check out our newsletter – Belong – in the Library, online, or in a local business near you.

Officer Cleared In Freddie Gray’s Death, Prosecutor Criticized

BALTIMORE (AP) — After two trials and no convictions, Baltimore’s top prosecutor faces criticism that she moved too quickly to file charges against six officers in the case involving a 25-year-old black man who died a week after he was critically injured in police custody, triggering protests and riots a year ago.

Even the judge overseeing the cases — in his verdict Monday acquitting the latest officer to stand trial in the death of Freddie Gray — said the state failed to prove its case on any of the charges.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams acquitted Officer Edward Nero of the assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges in connection with Gray’s arrest outside a West Baltimore housing complex.

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Happy Birthday Governor Hogan!

We would like to wish Governor Larry Hogan a very Happy Birthday!!

Sign Governor Hogan's card to wish him a Happy Birthday!
http://www.hoganforgovernor.com/happy-birthday-gov

State Police Investigating Bomb Threats

New Castle/ Sussex County - The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a trio of bomb threats that were called in at two area schools this morning.

The first incident occurred around 10:17 a.m. this morning, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, when a call was placed, using a computer generated male voice, to the Redding Middle School, located at 201 New Street, Middletown, which advised that there was a bomb inside of the building. The school was evacuated and was then searched by responding Delaware State Police units, school administration and Middletown Fire Department personnel. Nothing out of the ordinary or suspicious was located and staff and students were allowed to resume their daily activities.

The second incident happened at approximately 10:20 a.m. this morning, when a call was placed, using a computer generated male voice, to the Wilmington Manor Elementary School, located at 200 E. Roosevelt Avenue, New Castle. The caller advised that there was a bomb inside of the school. The school was evacuated and was then searched by responding Delaware State Police units and school administration. Again nothing out of the ordinary or suspicious was located and staff and students were allowed to resume their daily activities.

The third incident occurred at approximately 10:24 a.m. this morning, when a computer generated call was placed to the Shields Elementary School, located at 910 Shields Avenue, Lewes, which advised that there was a bomb inside of the school. The school was evacuated and was then searched by responding Delaware State Police units and school administration. Once again nothing out of the ordinary or suspicious was located and staff and students were allowed to resume their daily activities.

These incidents remain under investigation by the Delaware State Police at this time. It is unknown if these bomb threats are related to the series of bomb threats which have occurred in February within the state or to the threats called in to area schools on May 23rd.

*A fourth call was placed to the Central Middle School and is being investigated by the Dover Police Department.

If anyone has any information in reference to any of the bomb threats which have occurred, they are asked to contact Troop 2 Youth Aid Division at 302-834-2620, Troop 3 Youth Aid Division at 302-697-4454, or Troop 4 Youth Aid Division at 302-856-5850. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."

Joe Bastardi: Short Summation of My Climate Position

Earth is warmer now than in the late 1970s, the start of the satellite era.

This can be explained largely to the turn of the Pacific and the Atlantic to their warm cycles. This is the “Bathroom Shower Theory” that I have used many times. Turn on a hot shower, and the bathroom will heat up until an equilibrium is reached. When the Pacific warmed, and the Atlantic followed, we came off a period in which they were cold in tandem. It is perfectly logical that with the oceans and especially the tropics — the thermostat for the globe — warming, the air has to warm until it reaches an equilibrium, which it appears to have done overall until the last 20 years when it has not warmed.

The recent El Niño spike has already started to descend. Given that dry cold air is easier to warm than already warm moist air, the natural place the warming shows up most is where the atmosphere is driest and coldest. The biggest warming has been in the Arctic during winter. Recent summers in the region have actually been a bit below normal. There is no argument here. The question is how much of this is because of the increase of greenhouse gases, specifically CO2.

Another question: Will temperature measurements return to where they were back in the late ‘70s?

Read more here

Billboard by Fictitious 'Funeral Home' Encourages Texting and Driving

A billboard encouraging texting while driving by a fictitious funeral home was unveiled two weeks ago in Toronto, Ontario in Canada as part of an ad campaign to get people to stop texting and driving.

According to Ad Week, the billboard is actually sponsored by the Montreal agency John St and Cieslok Media as an effort to discourage texting and driving.

"People see and hear the words 'Don't text and drive' almost every day, but the number of people doing it keeps going up and up," Ad Week quoted Mylene Savoie, managing director of John St. Montreal, as saying. "So we wanted to think of a different way of saying it that would make people think about the real consequences. Which is where 'Text and drive' came from."

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Republican Jewish group slams anti-Semitism in presidential race

The Republican Jewish Coalition condemned the “troubling increase of anti-Semitic invective” aimed at journalists covering the presidential campaigns, but without singling out the two most widely reported incidents, both involving supporters of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump.

“We abhor any abuse of journalists, commentators and writers whether it be from Sanders, Clinton or Trump supporters,” the RJC said in a statement released Tuesday. “There is no room for any of this in any campaign. Journalists, regardless of their race, religion or ethnicity should be free to do their jobs without suffering abuses, anti-Semitic or otherwise.”

Last month, Julia Ioffe, a Jewish reporter who wrote a profile of Trump’s wife Melania for GQ, received multiple death threats and anti-Semitic rhetoric via email, phone calls and on social media from self-identified Trump supporters. She filed a police complaint because of the threats.

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Syria: Russian base severely damaged in ISIS attack

Satellite imagery appears to show extensive damage to an air base in Syria used by Russian forces following an attack by terrorists from the Islamic State (ISIS) group, US intelligence company Stratfor said Tuesday.

The claim was immediately denied by Russia's defense ministry which said that the damage had been there for months and was due to fighting between Syrian government forces and "militants from terror groups."

Stratfor released satellite images dated from May 14 and May 17, implying that the damage to the T-4 base, also known as Tiyas, was caused in that time.

The images suggest four helicopters and 20 trucks were destroyed by fire inside the base, which strategically located in central Syria between war-ravaged Palmyra and Homs.

"The T4 air base was severely damaged by an Islamic State artillery attack. In particular, four Russian Mi-24 attack helicopters appear to have been destroyed," Stratfor said on their website.

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Subject: IRS Sued Over Erased Instant Messages

A watchdog group sued the IRS on Monday accusing the agency of failing to store instant messages as part of its official records, and demanding a federal judge step in and order the agency to comply with the Federal Records Act.

Conservative group Cause of Action had tried to use open-records laws to get a peek at top IRS officials’ messages, but was told the agency only stored instant messages for a maximum of 14 days, then wiped them in order to clear up storage space, under a deal the IRS struck with its labor union.

That, however, runs afoul of federal policy, which says computer instant messages, like text messages, should be treated the same as emails, and stored for posterity if they detail substantive agency business.

“It appears that federal records are being deleted because the IRS, in a deal with its employee union, refuses to preserve certain types of electronic communications,” said Alfred J. Lechner Jr., president of the Cause of Action Institute.

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Public invited to annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Wicomico War Veterans Memorial

Salisbury, MD – On the morning of Memorial Day, the public is invited to honor Wicomico County veterans who have died in the line of duty at the 14th annual Memorial Day Ceremony.

The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the Wicomico War Veterans Memorial in front of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury. All are encouraged to attend this free event, which is organized by members of the Wicomico War Veterans Memorial Committee. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside to the Civic Center’s Midway Room.

There will be a lowering of the colors by the Wicomico County JROTC, ringing of the Red Knights Memorial Bell, branch prayers, and a volley of arms by the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department. Veterans and their families will be recognized during the ceremony, including a special family tribute to Gold Star Mothers. War Memorial Committee Member Sgt. Ed Tattersall, U.S. Army, will perform the Reading of Veterans Names, which recognizes those Wicomico County residents who have fallen in the line of duty.

In 2002, a group of veterans from all branches of the military came together to honor and preserve the memory of Wicomico County’s fallen heroes. As a result, the Wicomico County War Veterans Memorial was erected at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, which is itself a living war memorial to all veterans. Flags from each service branch, along with a United States, Maryland, Wicomico County and the POW-MIA flag, proudly fly over a brick wall displaying bronze plaques with the names of Wicomico County’s fallen veterans beginning with World War I.

Wicomico County War Memorial Committee members are actively seeking information on those listed on the Memorial. If you have information to share about a fallen serviceperson, please email Ed Hearthway at hearthwaye@aol.com.

To help preserve the Memorial and honor a loved one who has or is serving, citizens may purchase a Tree of Honor Gold Leaf. Engraved with his or her name and a short message, the leaf will be displayed on the Veterans' Tree of Honor in the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center lobby. Leaves are $100 each. Contact Tammy Taylor at 410-548-4900, x115, to place an order. Proceeds are placed in a fund designated to maintain the War Memorial into perpetuity.

To learn more about the Wicomico County War Veterans Memorial and the men and women it was built to honor, visithttp://www.wicomicociviccenter.org/about-the-center/war-memorial.

Subject: Investigation Uncovers Votes Being Cast From Grave

A comparison of records by David Goldstein, investigative reporter for CBS2/KCAL9, has revealed hundreds of so-called dead voters in Southern California, a vast majority of them in Los Angeles County.

“He took a lot of time choosing his candidates,” said Annette Givans of her father, John Cenkner.

Cenkner died in Palmdale in 2003. Despite this, records show that he somehow voted from the grave in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

But he’s not the only one.

CBS2 compared millions of voting records from the California Secretary of State’s office with death records from the Social Security Administration and found hundreds of so-called dead voters.

Specifically, 265 in Southern California and a vast majority of them, 215, in Los Angeles County alone.

The numbers come from state records that show votes were cast in that person’s name after they died. In some cases, Goldstein discovered that they voted year after year.

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Watch Moment BLM Protesters Interrupt Milo Yiannopoulos Event — and See How Security Responds

Content warning: Strong language

A rambunctious group of Black Lives Matter protesters walked on stage Tuesday and interrupted a DePaul University event featuring conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos — and security failed to take any action to reinstate order into the room.

As Yiannopoulos — a senior editor at Breitbart — offered his view on feminism, demonstrators stormed the stage and started shouting “dump the Trump.” The event was hosted by the school’s College Republicans chapter and Yiannopoulos is an outspoken Trump supporter.

Moments later, an unidentified female protester ripped the microphone out of the event moderator’s hands, walked over to Yiannopoulos and shouted, “What do you have got to say?”

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AMERIGEDDON: ABOUT THE MOVIE

AMERIGEDDON, coming to theaters nationwide May 13, 2016, has been described as “the movie the establishment doesn’t want you to see.” Showing what happens when a not-so-future U.S. government conspires with the United Nations to stage an attack on the energy grid, AMERIGEDDON depicts a country ruled by martial law in which citizens are stripped of their constitutional rights and their guns. A group of patriots fight back and rescue the country from slipping into irreversible chaos.

AMERIGEDDON’s release in an election year is not coincidental. The film illustrates a dystopian future all patriots must guard against and is a call to action to preserve the Second Amendment and stop executive rule by fiat. Director Mike Norris, son of Chuck Norris, asks for like-minded Americans to support the film.

“The fact that a recent poll showed a majority of Americans are enraged with the federal government points to a frenzy of unrest with the dictatorial way in which our country has been run,” said Norris. “My family has long been involved in protecting the rights of Americans. We are concerned about the future and and see this film as a call to action. We urge people to join us in theaters and show Hollywood and politicians that true patriots will fight for their rights and want to see their values represented on-screen.”

A collaboration between Norris and entrepreneur and writer Gary Heavin, AMERIGEDDON seizes on fact-based threats and asks the ultimate question, “What happens when government turns on the people it’s supposed to protect?”

Executive Producer Gary Heavin believes the film’s message warning is timely. “We made a movie that is fun to watch but it is based in reality. In AMERIGEDDON, survivors of an EMP attack on the United States must live in a state of martial law led by the United Nations. American soldiers must decide whom they serve, second amendment rights are curtailed and food, water and survival become our primary concerns—unfortunately, these are all likely scenarios resulting from a very real threat,” said Heavin. “I believe if we can entertain while we inform, more people will wake up; and if we hope to restore our freedom we must share the truth with as many people as possible.”

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Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing Railroad Tracks Worth $222,000

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) — An Upper Marlboro man has pleaded guilty in an elaborate scheme to steal $222,000 worth of railroad track.

The Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release that 50-year-old Randy Penkert pleaded guilty on Tuesday to theft over $100,000 in Howard County Circuit Court.

Prosecutors say in October 2015, CSX railroad police were investigating an industrial park in Columbia. Authorities say several hundred feet of rail, tie plates, bolts and spikes were missing. Prosecutors say Penkert was one of the workers at the scene.

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Clinton Policies to End Pay Gap Would Just Make It Larger

Women, lamented Hillary Clinton in an April 2014 tweet, make just 77 cents on the dollar to men. As a presidential candidate she has repeated that lament again and again, updating the numbers, in line with government statistics, to 78 cents in July 2015 and 79 cents this year.

This injustice, she says, must be remedied by government. “Last time I checked,” Clinton told an event sponsored by a salary site called Glassdoor, “there’s no discount for being a woman. Groceries don’t cost us less, rent doesn’t cost us less, so why should we be paid less?”

There is, as you might expect, a simple answer for that, which is that the 77 to 79 cents numbers are misleading. Women are being paid less than men almost entirely because, as my Washington Examiner colleague Ashe Schow writes, “The average working woman works in a lower-paying field and works fewer hours each week than the average working man.”

Don’t just take her word for it. Listen to Obama staffer Betsey Stevenson, a respected academic economist. “Seventy-seven cents captures the annual earnings of full-time, full-year women divided by the earnings of full-time, full-year men,” she said when pressed by questions from the White House press corps. “If I said 77 cents was equal pay for equal work, then I completely misspoke.”

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BREAKING: SCHOOL SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT: SUSPICIOUS PHONE CALL TO WEST SALISBURY ELEMENTARY

School, School System, Law Enforcement Work Together at West Salisbury Elementary after Suspicious Phone Call 

All Wicomico school families and staff have received this school safety notice:

This is an official message from Wicomico County Public Schools. We are aware of a suspicious phone call this morning to West Salisbury Elementary School. School safety officials and law enforcement are collaborating on the investigation while students are sheltered in place. This matter is being handled with the safety of our students and staff as our highest priority. West Salisbury Elementary families will receive communications directly from the school, and additional updates will be provided on our website and social media as needed. Thank you.

Updates:

The school will continue in shelter in place status for now, with enhanced security through dismissal as a precaution.

For young Americans, living with their parents is now the norm

The kids may not be alright, at least when it comes to one traditional mark of growing up: moving out of their childhood homes.

More young adults are now living with their parents than with a spouse or partner, marking a tipping point for the first time in modern history, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center. About 32.1 percent of Americans between 18 to 34 years old lived in their parents' homes in 2014, edging out the 31.6 percent who were married or living with a partner in their own household, the analysis of Census data found. The remaining 36 percent either live alone, are single parents, or live in dorms or with other relatives.

The trend appears to be tied to a few factors, including what Pew calls a "postponement of, if not retreat from, marriage." While changing society norms may be part of the cause, it's likely also tied to economic and labor market trends that have walloped a few demographic groups, such as men, people without college degrees, and people of color. Some might start families and form their own households later in life, but it's clear that for many young Americans, their priorities have shifted, either from choice or necessity.

"Young adults today are having a different transition into adulthood than previous generations," said Richard Fry, a senior researcher at Pew. "In previous generations, setting up new families was a basic thing young adults were doing. Even in the 1980s, half of them were married. Today's young adults are moving away from that."

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One Day After Nero Acquittal, BPD Announces New Systems for Getting Policies To Officers

Baltimore City Police say the department will use web and smartphone applications to help make sure officers read and understand new rules.

The issue of officers not being aware of new or updated policies was raised in the trials of an officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who was injured in police custody and died a week later.

Commissioner Kevin Davis announced Tuesday that officers will access new policies through the apps and must take a quiz before signing off. The department launches the system July 1.

Davis made the announcement one day after Officer Edward Nero was acquitted of charges stemming from Gray's arrest. Nero said he wasn't aware of an updated policy requiring officers to seat belt prisoners.

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The 7 Biggest Myths and Lies About Social Security

Social Security is not going broke, not by a long shot.

Social Security is bankrupting us. It’s outdated. It’s a Ponzi scheme. It’s socialism. It’s stealing from young people. The opponents and pundits determined to roll back the United States to the “good old days” before the New Deal regularly trot out a number of bogeymen and bigfoots to scare Americans into not supporting their own retirement well-being. That hasn’t worked too well. Americans of all political stripes remain strongly supportive of Social Security and other so-called “entitlements” like Medicare. But the other reason for plastering the media waves with a chorus of myths and lies is to stir up a political climate that causes politicians of both parties to cease looking for better alternatives other than to cut, cut, cut, or even to maintain the inadequate status quo. Below are rebuttals to some of the biggest whoppers regularly told about one of the most popular and successful federal programs in our nation’s history.

1. Social Security is going broke and will bankrupt the country.

Social Security is not going broke, not by a long shot. The Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report to Congress in July 2015, and among all the tables, charts, and graphs in that big fat report, it would be easy to miss the most important take-home message: Social Security is one of the best-funded federal programs in U.S. history. That’s because it has its own dedicated revenue stream, which is composed of the insurance premiums paid by every worker (deducted from our paychecks by what is called “payroll contributions”), which are automatically banked into the Trust Fund. Even the Pentagon and the defense budget do not have their own dedicated revenue stream.

In fact, Social Security has not one dedicated revenue stream, but three. Besides the payroll contributions, Social Security is also funded by income generated from investing all those set-aside wages into U.S. treasuries. That money earns a sizable return on the investment. And Social Security is also funded by revenue that comes from levying income tax on Social Security recipients (yes, your Social Security check and that of other Americans is treated as income and taxed—and it brought in $756 billion to the Trust Fund in 2014). Those three revenue streams combined have banked $2.8 trillion in the Trust Fund and resulted in a $25 billionsurplus in 2014.

Bankrupt? That charge does not even pass a good laugh test.

Indeed, because Social Security has its own funding source, and by law is not allowed to spend any money it does not have, it is actually impossible for Social Security to add to annual operating deficits or the national debt. Moreover, the Social Security Board of Trustees is required by law to report to Congress every year about the financial fitness of the program. The annual trustees report projects its revenues and payouts, not just for the next five, ten, or twenty years, but for the next seventy-five years. It’s one of the few programs anyone can identify that has had the wisdom to plan for the future, rather than planning around short-term political calculations and the next election cycle.

Over the next twenty years, as more and more of the huge population bloom known as the baby boomers continues to retire, Social Security is projecting a modest shortfall of just 0.51 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). If nothing is done to plug that gap, sometime in the 2030s the Trust Fund will have enough to cover only 75 percent of benefits. But there are so many budgetary ways to cover that shortfall, it becomes clear that the problem is not the finances of finding the money but the politics of partisanship and paralysis. No other government program can claim that it is fully funded for almost the next quarter century. What government critics ever say that the Defense Department or the Departments of Energy or Education are going bankrupt? Yet those programs don’t have dedicated revenue streams, and certainly no one plans or projects costs for those programs over the next seventy-five years.

For example, simply removing the payroll cap and taxing all income brackets equally would not only be fairer to all Americans, it would also raise all of the money and then some to plug any Social Security funding shortfalls twenty years from now. Opinion polls have demonstrated that most Americans—even 70 percent of Republicans—think if they pay Social Security tax on their full salary, others should as well. That’s just one example of the many adjustments we can enact that would make the U.S. retirement system more fair, robust, and stable, and better adapted to the realities of today’s economy.

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FBI Probes Donations to Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe's Campaign

Federal authorities have been looking into whether donations to Terry McAuliffe’s 2013 Virginia gubernatorial campaign may have violated federal law, a source with knowledge of the probe told ABC News.

The probe could very well turn up no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, the source said.

According to an attorney for the Democratic governor’s campaign, McAuliffe has not been told he is under FBI investigation, and neither he nor the campaign knows anything about the matter.

Nevertheless, as part of the FBI’s review, agents have looked at McAuliffe’s time associated with the Clinton Global Initiative and contributions to his campaign from foreign nationals such as Wang Wenliang, a prominent Chinese businessman who reportedly donated $120,000, the source said.

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US seeking death penalty in Charleston church massacre case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department intends to seek the death penalty against Dylann Roof, the man charged with killing nine black parishioners last year in a church in Charleston, South Carolina, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday.

“The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision,” Lynch said in a brief statement that said the department had considered “all relevant factual and legal issues.”

Roof is awaiting trial on federal hate crime charges in connection with the June 17 shooting at Emanuel AME Church, which contributed to a national conversation about race relations and also led to the removal of a Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina Statehouse.

Roof is also charged with nine counts of murder in state court, and South Carolina prosecutors have already announced plans to seek the death penalty when he stands trial next year. Solicitor Scarlett Wilson has said she wants her case to be tried first.

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Wave of bomb threats hits schools nationwide

A wave of threats directed at schools across the nation forced authorities to lock down buildings or evacuate students.

The threats, which appear to be driven by automated calls, have been directed at elementary, middle and high schools in states across at least four time zones.

Some districts reported that the calls included a bomb threat while others just described the calls as "threatening."

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A Decade Out From The Mortgage Crisis, Former Homeowners Still Grasp For Stability

Before the mortgage crisis, real estate seemed like a sure bet. Pretty much anyone could buy a house: no money down, thousands of square feet, second and third vacation homes were not out of the question. Then the bubble burst.

Homeowners across the U.S. confronted the reality that their houses were worth a fraction of what they had paid for them. Now, a decade later, even though the recession is over, more than 6 million homeowners are still upside down on their mortgages.

This week on For the Record, we hear the stories of two people who lost their homes in the mortgage crisis and how they're coping today.

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As Their Anchors Sink, Malls Try To Present Retail 'Experience'

Many of the department stores that once anchored bustling shopping malls continue to close. Macy's will shutter 36 additional stores this year; 78 Kmart and Sears locations will also close. What to do with that vast, vacant space?

There is no traffic, and no problem finding parking at Owings Mills Mall in Maryland. The 5,000 or so parking spaces are all vacant. A J.C. Penney closed last month and a Macy's closed last year.

When it opened in 1986, it was anchored by a Saks Fifth Avenue and catered to well-to-do Baltimore suburbanites.

The mall's owner, Kimco Realty, is planning a multimillion-dollar revamp. Like many malls that are trying to re-attract customers, it will include a movie theater and restaurants. But it will not include a department store.

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THE CLINTON DEATH LIST

Bill Clinton is an evil man, and his wife is no better. One event stands out in my mind when I think of the Clinton's: Waco. Remember April 19, 1993? That is the day that evil cowards of the American Secret Police murdered innocent children and adults in the most infamous act of State terrorism against American Citizens: the Waco Holocaust. As an exercise of State power, the FBI, the BATF, and other thugs with badges incinerated dozens of human beings, people who had committed no crime and asked only to be left alone to practice their own beliefs, which the great document, the Bill of Rights, guarantees.

According to former White House aide Linda Tripp, Hillary Clinton pressured Vince Foster to resolve the 1993 Waco stand-off in a move that led to the deaths of the 86 men, women and children. Tripp said that Foster, at Mrs. Clinton's direction, transmitted the order to move on the Branch Davidian's Waco compound, which culminated in a military-style tear gas attack on the wooden structure. The compound burst into flames hours later as federal troops used a U.S. Army tank to ram the building and insert flammable gas. Tripp said she was with the former deputy White House counsel when the news of the Waco assault broke on television. "A special bulletin came on showing the atrocity at Waco, and the children. His whole body slumped, and his face turned white. He was absolutely crushed knowing the part he had played. And especially that he had played the part at Mrs. Clinton's direction," said Tripp. Tripp was stunned by the contrast between Foster's heartfelt emotion at the Waco tragedy and what she observed from Mrs. Clinton. "Her reaction, on the other hand, was heartless," Tripp recalled. Foster was found shot to death in a Virginia park three months later. Tripp's charge is corroborated by the 1999 documentary on the deadly confrontation, "Waco: A New Revelation." They bribed, extorted, threatened, killed, and God knows what else to achieve their ends. Two politicians that Machiavelli envisioned. And now these unbelievably depraved individuals want to return to power.

SO HERE, PRESENTED TO YOU, IS A LIST OF PEOPLE, WHO FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, THE CLINTON'S MAY HAVE FELT A NEED TO SILENCE IN A RATHER PERMANENT WAY. DEATHS ARE LISTED BY DATE:

Susan Coleman: Rumors were circulating in Arkansas of an affair with Bill Clinton. She was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head at 7 1/2 months pregnant. Death was an apparent suicide.

Larry Guerrin: Was killed in February 1987 while investigating the INSLAW case.

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U.S. Supreme Court Decides Three Cases Involving Race

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a Georgia man sentenced to death is entitled to a new trial because prosecutors deliberately excluded all African Americans from the jury based on their race. The 7-to-1 ruling was one of three high court decisions issued Monday involving racial discrimination.

In announcing the jury selection decision, Chief Justice John Roberts used unusually harsh words to describe the prosecutors' conduct. He labelled their proffered non-racial justifications for excluding all the black prospective jurors "nonsense," and "not true."

The decision came in the case of Timothy Foster, a black man sentenced to death for murdering an elderly white woman. The trial was nearly 30 years ago and just a year after the Supreme Court had dealt for the first time with one of the key elements of the American jury system — the practice of allowing each side to eliminate a set number of prospective jurors without giving any reason.

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Latest school threat points to OMINOUS new terror trend

The days of phoning in a bomb threat are close to over – those looking to terrorize are becoming evermore creative in their methods.

One of the recent trends has been an increase in “swatting.” Originally, swatting was a prank gamers would play on one another – where they’d phone in a fake tip to the FBI, sending them to their desired target’s address. More often than not, they could watch their victim being raided by the FBI in real time.

Swatting has evolved from being a tactic used by my fellow nerds, becoming even more sinister. As MSN reports: Threats made against schools across the United States led to the evacuation of students Monday in what could be the latest example of so-called “swatting” against schools.

The latest threats led to the evacuation of schools in Colorado, Utah, Delaware, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Media outlets in the United Kingdom also reported evacuations.

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Should We Do It?

There are literally thousands of these old blue Daily Times boxes out there in which no one is using. Heck, even if you do still have a subscription, the delivery people refuse to put the paper in the box and throw it on the ground anyway, I see it every single day.

So here was my thought. What if I were to make up a new sticker for the side of these old boxes that simply says, SBYNEWS.COM. 

Would you be interested?

GO BACK!

Subject: North American Sea Glass Festival, Ocean City, MD.

The North American Sea Glass Association will host its 11th Annual North American Sea Glass Festival in Ocean City, Maryland, Friday & Saturday, August 26 & 27, at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center Ballroom on the 2nd level.

We are pleased to announce a new event during the North American Sea Glass Festival, the “Sea Glass Soiree”, a premier event that is open to the public, on Friday evening, which will grant attendees exclusive first access to the artists and authors participating in the festival in a festive atmosphere, and will be a fun evening for the entire family!

As always, the 2016 Sea Glass Festival will have much to offer the whole family on Saturday, featuring expert lecture presentations on the history and collection of genuine sea glass, and prized sea glass collections from all over the world in the Collectors area. The Shard of the Year Contest will offer opportunities to enter your authentic beach finds to win cash prizes.

Friday, August 26, 2016
Sea Glass Soiree, a premier event open to the public
5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Admission $10 per person Children under 12, Free.
Admission for the Sea Glass Soiree will be available for purchase at the door Friday evening.
Convention Center Box Office opens at 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 27, 2016
North American Sea Glass Festival
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Admission $5 per person Children under 12, Free.
Purchase admission at the Box Office ticket booth upon arrival. Box Office opens at 8:30 a.m.

Sea Glass Collectors’ Exhibits – Educational Presentations – Over 50 Sea Glass Artists and Authors – Shard Identification – Shard of the Year Contest

For more information please visit our website http://www.seaglassassociation.org/

Can You Just Imagine This Getting Off Air Force One

Make Sure Your Day Doesn't Start Like This

Reality

Protesters Repeatedly Interrupt Donald Trump Rally in New Mexico Albuquerque

Grow Up Americans

Stop acting/voting like Wussies.

Foolish Thug Got More than He Bargained For

“Florida man” is one of the most popular memes on the internet. Described as the “worst worst superhero”, the meme is about a series of hilarious fails.

We have another one to add to the list. A 19 year old Plant City, Florida man is recovering in a local hospital after being shot by a couple he tried to rob. One of the intended victims had a pistol.

From ABC Action News:

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday, Tyler Ray Howell, 19, of Ocala, climbs out of the passenger seat of a blue vehicle driven by an unknown man.

He approached a red vehicle driven by Durrell Anthony Boswell, 23, of Plant City, sheriff's officials said. Howell aimed a silver handgun at Boswell and an unidentified woman, who was a passenger in the red vehicle.

In an act of self-defense, Boswell pulled his 9mm handgun and shot at Howell, striking him twice, a sheriff's release states.

Boswell and Howell both left the scene separately, but both returned. Howell was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. When Boswell returned, he cooperated with detectives.

No charges are expected to be filed against Boswell. The local authorities have ruled it a justified shooting. Court decisions have treated a car as an extension of one’s home so carrying a car in the vehicle is legal.

As for Howell, after he recovers from his wounds, police expect to charge him in relation to the crime.

The victims and the perpetrator did not know each other and the attack was caught on surveillance video by a local business.

Source: AAN

This Senator Paints a Terrifying Picture of a Hillary Presidency

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions said the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms would become nearly extinct if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency. 

Sessions told "Fox News Sunday" that "Hillary Clinton is the most anti-Second Amendment president perhaps we've ever had" and cautioned voters to consider the damage to gun rights her presidency would cause. 

The senator said Clinton would pick a liberal Supreme Court Justice to fill the court's vacancy, with potentially disastrous ramifications. 

"And what that means is, it's no longer a personal right to have a gun, but every city, county, and state can completely ban firearms in America," Sessions told Fox News. "This would be the greatest reduction of Second Amendment rights since the founding of the republic."

Source: Washington Examiner

Why This Blue State Could Turn Red in 2016

Pennsylvania has been a blue state for quite some time, but that might be changing. In this video, MSNBC explores Alaquippa, a boomtown turned ghost town, and the notion that Donald Trump's campaign(although never stated explicitly) could turn this red state blue. Is that a real possibility?

It's possible. Polls are all over the place. As RealClear Politics notes, some have Hillary Clinton leading by a wide margin, while others have the two candidates in a virtual tie.

What else might come into play? Two things. First, Trump's promise to shake things up. People in Pennsylvania want a hand up, not a handout, and Trump has promised to put people back to work any which way he can, in a manner that transcends partisan politics. Although the Donald has pegged outsourcing corporations as the culprit, to the joy of every Rust Belt bureaucrat alive, the real blame lies elsewhere. Despite being absolutely desperate for jobs in places like Scranton, Philadelphia, and Alaquippa, Pennsylvania has a pretty terrible tax environment. The Tax Foundation ranks the state 32nd on its Business Climate Index, noting:

Pennsylvania ranks 32nd on the Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate Index. The Index compares the states in five areas of taxation that impact business: corporate taxes (47th), individual income taxes (17th), sales taxes (25th), unemployment insurance taxes (50th), and taxes on property (38th), including residential and commercial property.

These are problematic numbers for a state committed to recovery. A state that desperately needs new industries and small businesses is making it incredibly difficult for anyone who'd like to start one. When faced with these figures, and a Democratic Party promising more of the same, it's easy to see why voters might go elsewhere.

Secondly, due in large part to a booming energy industry(no thanks to President Obama), Western PA is trending red. As Five Thirty Eight's David Wasserman notes:

Western Pennsylvania is driving the state’s rightward drift — its voting patterns now resemble greater Appalachia’s more than those of the Philadelphia suburbs. Once dominated by steel towns and union Democrats, the region has reveled in a fracking/natural gas boom that has more recently experienced a downturn and has revolted against EPA regulations. Obama’s infamous “bitter clingers” remark in 2008 didn’t do Democrats any favors either.

Taking those two things into account, it's easy to understand Trump's appeal to voters who have lost economic opportunities and those who have benefitted from them in "Pennsyltucky." But if Washington Post's David Weigel is to be believed, Trump's appeal also stretches to the state's affluent suburbs:

But conservative Democrats in western and central Pennsylvania had been making that switch for more than a decade. What surprised Republicans was Trump’s dominance in the Philadelphia suburbs, along the old “Main Line” of wealthy towns and the increasingly liberal Bucks County. Trump won Montgomery County by 19 points over Ohio Gov. John Kasich and won outright majorities in Bucks County, Delaware and Philadelphia.

In summary, while the data to this point is unclear, there's a lot to suggest that there's fertile ground for a Clintonian crisis in the Keystone State.

Source: AAN

Is Hillary Really Protecting Women?

Is Hillary really protecting women? Donald Trump asks this question in a new ad featuring the testimony of one of many Clinton accusers. 

Expect this to be part of a sustained campaign. Can Hillary hit back in any way whatsoever?

More/Video

PREVENTING MOSQUITOES AND THEIR BITES

Salisbury, MD - The recent rainfall and expected warm temperatures may result in the increase of mosquitoes in our area. “The most effective way to prevent mosquitoes and their bites is for everyone to eliminate standing water around their homes.” said Lori Brewster, Wicomico County Health Officer.

Currently, the Zika virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. While that specific species is not normally found in our area, the Asian Tiger mosquito is quite prevalent. These mosquitoes demonstrate a strong preference for breeding in small, man-made containers you probably don't even think about. This is very different from our native mosquitoes that tend to breed in wetlands of all types, including swamps and marshes.

Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance; they can also carry and spread serious diseases, including Zika. The good news is that homeowners can greatly reduce an infestation. We strongly encourage you to follow these simple steps below. It may be all you need to do to kill the buzz and take back your own yard.

Walk around your house, patio, garage, etc. and look carefully for anything that retains water – even just a little bit of water. If you find any, dump the water and either throw the item away or store it in or under something that does not collect water.

Tiger mosquitoes tend to remain at ground level, especially under ground covers such as English Ivy. Other favorite spots are under decks and shrubs, basement stairwells and crawl spaces. Tigers prefer containers with stagnant water (not fresh) that have accumulated sediment and organic matter. Here are some of the biggest culprits to look for:
Corrugated drain pipe off of downspouts. Each trough is a potential breeding ground. If you have many feet of drainpipe, consider replacing it with smooth PVC piping.
Children’s toys, especially plastic toys that have small areas where water can pool. Keep in mind that the toy itself may be very big, like a bike or a play house, but if it has handles or any indentation where water can pool in small amounts, it’s a breeding ground.
Tarps that hold water, even just a little.
Tires not on cars that are collecting water.
Plastic chairs, tables and all outside furniture, especially if it is upside down.
Flower pots, especially those with a saucer underneath it to catch water.
Wheel barrels stored improperly.
Anything that can hold small amounts of water. Even large things that hold water, like bird baths, usually have calm areas around the edges where mosquitoes can breed.
All containers, such as buckets, pails, water bottles, trash cans (including lids), storage totes, recycling containers, etc. Even if these items are kept upside down, water can often pool in the handles or lips of the container.

In addition to eliminating standing water, the Health Department encourages everyone to avoid mosquito bites by:

· Using an EPA-registered insect repellant. When used as directed, these insect repellents are proven safe and effective even for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

o Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old. Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children younger than 3 years old.

· Treat items such as clothing and gear with permethrin or buy permethrin-treated clothes.

Do not use permethrin products directly on skin.

For more information, please visit www.wicomicohealth.org.