After criticizing Donald Trump just days ago, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is now labeling the presumptive Republican nominee a "gifted amateur."
In an interview with CNN, Gingrich said Trump has made "the kinds of mistakes absolute amateurs make," but that he is also "learning very, very fast"
His comments came just days after he slammed Trump's remarks about U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel as "inexcusable." Curiel, who is of Mexican heritage, is overseeing the Trump University case.
CNN added: "Gingrich has referred to Trump's comments about Curiel as one of the candidate's 'worst mistakes,'" But it noted Gingrich does not believe that Trump's comments were racist.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, June 10, 2016
Subject: Gallup: Trump is the jobs president, 52%-45%
In the latest proof that Republican Donald Trump has tapped into the concerns of the working class, Gallup reports Friday that he beats Democrat Hillary Clinton on the issue of jobs.
When Americans were asked who would be the best president on jobs and employment, Trump topped Clinton 52 percent to 45 percent in the latest Gallup survey.
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When Americans were asked who would be the best president on jobs and employment, Trump topped Clinton 52 percent to 45 percent in the latest Gallup survey.
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State Dept. not giving emails to Congress in probe over edited video
The State Department is declining to give the House Oversight Committee any email messages as part of the panel’s investigation into eight deleted minutes from a 2013 press briefing video.
None of the messages discovered by the department were believed to be relevant to the 2013 episode, Mark Toner told reporters on Thursday.
“We have gone through the emails, but I don’t think we thought it was necessary to share those documents with the committee at this time,” he said.
“We didn’t find any documents and we’re not going to just hand over all the emails that … aren’t relevant.”
The comments suggest that the State Department had finished its review of employees’ email messages as part of the internal search to find the culprit who ordered the video to be snipped, but came up empty-handed. The department reopened the informal investigation this week, following orders from Secretary of State John Kerry.
As part of that review, the department is only looking at official email accounts, Toner said, and not employees’ personal messages.
More here
None of the messages discovered by the department were believed to be relevant to the 2013 episode, Mark Toner told reporters on Thursday.
“We have gone through the emails, but I don’t think we thought it was necessary to share those documents with the committee at this time,” he said.
“We didn’t find any documents and we’re not going to just hand over all the emails that … aren’t relevant.”
The comments suggest that the State Department had finished its review of employees’ email messages as part of the internal search to find the culprit who ordered the video to be snipped, but came up empty-handed. The department reopened the informal investigation this week, following orders from Secretary of State John Kerry.
As part of that review, the department is only looking at official email accounts, Toner said, and not employees’ personal messages.
More here
The Leftmedia's Broken Monopoly
Agence France Presse revealed this week that the U.S. newspaper industry lost more than 50% of the jobs it had as recently as the 1990s. Unsurprisingly, AFP attributed the decline to the “massive shift to digital media that has hammered traditional newspapers.” No doubt that is a factor, but the comments section following the article was much more revealing. Overwhelmingly, those who gave up reading newspapers cited two reasons for their decision: liberal bias and the virtual extinction of anything resembling journalistic integrity.
Unfortunately, liberal bias and a lack of journalistic integrity have moved seamlessly into the digital realm. Yet far more important is what was unable to completely survive the shift: the Left’s monopolistic control of news dissemination. Gone are the days when the Big Three TV networks, and a handful of “important” newspapers such as the New York Times and Washington Post, made it seem as if the entire nation were marching in lockstep behind the liberal agenda.
That is not to say they’ve given up trying. “For the two and a quarter centuries of our republic, Americans have expected the fourth estate to tell it raw and straight,” writes columnist John P. Warren. “In the lifetime of Baby Boomers, however, the Progressive Establishment, abetted by most news and information outlets — State Media — and Academia, have distorted our founding truths in much of what we hear and watch, not unlike the Soviet Union’s Pravda and China’s People’s Daily.”
Exaggerated?
Warren provides a compelling and disturbing list of the top five media conglomerates and their subsidiaries:
Unfortunately, liberal bias and a lack of journalistic integrity have moved seamlessly into the digital realm. Yet far more important is what was unable to completely survive the shift: the Left’s monopolistic control of news dissemination. Gone are the days when the Big Three TV networks, and a handful of “important” newspapers such as the New York Times and Washington Post, made it seem as if the entire nation were marching in lockstep behind the liberal agenda.
That is not to say they’ve given up trying. “For the two and a quarter centuries of our republic, Americans have expected the fourth estate to tell it raw and straight,” writes columnist John P. Warren. “In the lifetime of Baby Boomers, however, the Progressive Establishment, abetted by most news and information outlets — State Media — and Academia, have distorted our founding truths in much of what we hear and watch, not unlike the Soviet Union’s Pravda and China’s People’s Daily.”
Exaggerated?
Warren provides a compelling and disturbing list of the top five media conglomerates and their subsidiaries:
Why Trump Must Not Apologize
"Never retreat. Never explain. Get it done and let them howl."
Donald Trump has internalized the maxim Benjamin Jowett gave to his students at Balliol who would soon be running the empire.
And in rejecting demands that he apologize for his remarks about the La Raza judge presiding over the class-action suit against Trump University, the Donald is instinctively correct.
Assume, as we must, that Trump believes what he said.
Why, then, should he apologize for speaking the truth, as he sees it?
To do so would be to submit to extortion, to recant, to confess to a sin he does not believe he committed. It would be to capitulate to pressure, to tell a lie to stop the beating, to grovel before the Inquisition of political correctness.
More here
Donald Trump has internalized the maxim Benjamin Jowett gave to his students at Balliol who would soon be running the empire.
And in rejecting demands that he apologize for his remarks about the La Raza judge presiding over the class-action suit against Trump University, the Donald is instinctively correct.
Assume, as we must, that Trump believes what he said.
Why, then, should he apologize for speaking the truth, as he sees it?
To do so would be to submit to extortion, to recant, to confess to a sin he does not believe he committed. It would be to capitulate to pressure, to tell a lie to stop the beating, to grovel before the Inquisition of political correctness.
More here
WICOMICO PUBLIC LIBRARIES HOMEWORK HELP CENTER FINISHES A SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR
Wicomico Public Libraries has received many positive comments from Homework Help Center participants, including one parent who wrote: “Homework was frustrating at times with four kids. I received a flyer for the Homework Help Center and we started coming weekly. I realized that by providing a different environment for my kids they were motivated and actually looked forward to coming to the Homework Help Center. Their grades and reading levels improved. My five year old who was so difficult to get to sit down while I tried to read with him now requests ‘Can we read four books?’ I am looking forward to utilizing this program again next year.”
The Library will continue to provide this service to effectively support the students of Wicomico County Schools in the 2016-2017 school year. Thanks to generous community contributions and support from the Friends of Wicomico Public Libraries, 5 new iPads are being purchased for use by the Homework Help Center attendees in the coming school year.
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.
For the Fourth, Yankee Doodle coming to Millsboro
The patriotic event will start July 4 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mark’s Labyrinth. It is hosted by St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the Greater Millsboro Chamber of Commerce and the town of Millsboro.
This year’s theme celebrates Yankee Doodle.
“This is a theme I’ve been wanting to do for some time, and it’s perfect for our 10th anniversary!” said Dotty LeCates, event co-coordinator.
According to an article on earlyamerica.com, “Yankee Doodle Dandy” is a song which surfaced during the French and Indian War, and was universally popular among both the rebels and British soldiers during the American Revolution.
In the song: “Doodle” refers to a “sorry trifling fellow, a fool or simpleton.” “Dandy.” on the other hand, refers to “a gentlemen of affected manners, dress and hairstyle.” “Macaroni” was not a reference to pasta but to “a fancy style of Italian dress imitated in England at the time.”
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7 TIMES LIBERALS MADE RACIST COMMENTS ABOUT JUDGES
Republican candidate Donald Trump has taken a lot of heat for the Judge Gonzalo Curiel comments, but Democrats have a long history of invoking race on judicial issues that the media chose to ignore.
The Daily Caller News Foundation has compiled a list of seven times liberals invoked a judge’s race. Below is the list:
The Daily Caller News Foundation has compiled a list of seven times liberals invoked a judge’s race. Below is the list:
- 1. Justice Sonia Sotomayor famously invoked her identity as a “wise Latina” who could outdo a white man. “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would, more often than not, reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,” she said in an October, 2001 speech that became a point of criticism for Republicans.
- 2. When Donald Trump released his list of potential Supreme Court nominees, the left was quick to point out they were all white. Think Progress published an article titled “Your Ultimate Guide To The 11 White People Donald Trump Will Consider For The Supreme Court,” which pointed out that “Only three are women. All are white.”
Child Sends Heartfelt Note After Taking Cone From National Park
The national park says they received a note from someone claiming they took a cone and wanted to apologize for their decision.
The note reads: “To whom it may concern, I took a pine cone out of the forestand and I wanted to return it. I hope it will be placed near the General Grant Tree because that is where I took it. I am sorry for my decision.”
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U.S. STATE WITH MOST REFUGEES REVEALED
However, one state in the U.S. stands out more than any other in terms of having the most refugees: Michigan. More Syrian refugees have settled in Michigan than any other state since the Syrian civil war started five years ago, and more are expected to arrive this summer despite the state wanting to restrict the numbers. Gov. Rick Snyder has said he wanted to stop Syrian refugees from coming until they could be properly vetted.
505 Syrian refugees settled in Michigan between May 2011 and May 31, 2016, and most live in he Metro Detroit area and primarily in Oakland and Wayne counties. State governments have no ruling in how many refugees are resettled in their communities. More than 4,600 Syrian refugees have relocated to the U.S. between May 2011 and May 31, 2016
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Pakistani woman burns daughter alive for eloping
“Don’t let me go, they will kill me,” her husband Hassan Khan recalled her saying, according to the Associated Press.
She was Punjabi. He was Pashtun. Her family was furious that she ran away and got married without their permission.
An uncle eventually convinced her to return. On Wednesday, Zeenat was burned alive by her mother.
Police say the mother, Parveen, tied Zeenat to a cot and poured kerosene before setting her on fire, according to the Guardian. It's the latest of several "honor killings," a practice that kills hundreds of girls each year in Pakistan.
Zeenat's body was charred when police found it, AP reported. It showed signs of beating and strangulation, Officer Ibadat Nisar said.
When police confronted Parveen, she confessed to killing her daughter with the help of her son Ahmar.
Officer Sheikh Hammad recalls the mother saying, “I don’t have any regrets.”
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Yuck! The weird things kids swallow or stuff go on display
Those are some of the weird items that have been removed from kids’ throats, nostrils and ears by doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital and are included in a macabre, yet important, display.
A visitor’s first reaction might be to laugh at the framed collection of dozens of items that dates to 1918 and hangs at the entrance to the hospital’s ear, nose and throat department, but it’s also a reminder to the parents who walk past it every day to remain vigilant.
“It is definitely something that catches the eyes of parents and makes them think twice about what their kids are exposed to,” said Dr. Anne Hseu, a head and neck surgeon at Children’s who has removed Christmas ornaments, toys, carpet tacks and other items from young patients.
One of Hseu’s colleagues removed a rosary bead that had blocked a boy’s breathing passage. The boy might have died, but the bead lodged vertically, so he was able to get air through the bead’s threading hole.
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37 New Women Come Forward In Baltimore’s Sex-For-Repairs Lawsuit
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—More women are now coming forward in a sex for repairs lawsuit against the Baltimore City Housing Authority.
Nearly a year after WJZ uncovered the housing authority was under fire in a sex for repairs scandal, more women are accusing maintenance men of demanding sex before fixing deplorable; even life-threatening conditions are surfacing.
“Mistakes have been made here and some of them have been very serious mistakes,” said Baltimore Housing Paul Graziano after a settlement was reach in the lawsuit back in January.
Lynette Cooper, was one of 19 women who initially came forward to report mold, lack of heat, and even rodent infestations were ignored by workers unless granted sexual favors.
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Nearly a year after WJZ uncovered the housing authority was under fire in a sex for repairs scandal, more women are accusing maintenance men of demanding sex before fixing deplorable; even life-threatening conditions are surfacing.
“Mistakes have been made here and some of them have been very serious mistakes,” said Baltimore Housing Paul Graziano after a settlement was reach in the lawsuit back in January.
Lynette Cooper, was one of 19 women who initially came forward to report mold, lack of heat, and even rodent infestations were ignored by workers unless granted sexual favors.
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Md. Coastline Poorly Protected From Rising Sea Levels, Study Shows
Alex DeMetrick reports only a fraction of the state’s coastline is protected.
Ice is melting faster than previously predicted. In March, researchers estimated that could raise sea levels by six-feet by the end of this century. That’s on top of the one-foot rise in the 20th century.
“The sea level rise that we saw in the last century was really unprecedented in 2,800 years,” said Dr. Donald Boaesch, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.
Following Hurricane Sandy, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources joined in an assessment of the state’s 7,000 miles of coastline.
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New OC Flea open every Fri., Sat. and Sun. in Hooper’s lot
“We sold a good amount of stuff, but were a little short of vendors,” he said.
Considering the contract to rent 2 acres of parking lot space at Hooper’s Crab House, located at the foot of the Route 50 bridge, was finalized only a week prior to kickoff, Sapanero was enthused by the initial results. He plans on running OC Flea every Friday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to noon, until October.
“Nobody does a flea market on a Friday,” he said.
With several markets already in operation around Baltimore, Sapanero expects OC Flea to become the crown jewel.
“So far this is the biggest lot we have,” he said. “In Ocean City you get hundreds of thousands of people in a short period of time.”
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3 teenage boys arrested in attacks against Trump supporters
One of the juvenile suspects was arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon after he was recorded on video using a blunt object to strike a man who is then seen bleeding from the head, the San Jose Police Department said in a statement.
Police arrested two more suspects who were caught on video physically assaulting a man, chasing him and tackling him to the ground. One was arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon and the other for misdemeanor battery, the department said.
The suspects’ names were not released because they are minors.
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Woman Attacks Reporter During Live Segment In Philadelphia
Philly Reporter Iris Delgado was attacked just as she wrapped up her live shot outside Philly City Hall
Subject: Williams: Elitist Arrogance, Part II
A basic economic premise holds that when the price of something rises, people seek to economize on its use. They seek substitutes for that which has risen in price. Recent years have seen proposals for an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Some states and localities, such as Seattle, have already legislated a minimum wage of $15 an hour.
Nobody should be surprised that fast-food companies such as Wendy's, Panera Bread, McDonald's and others are seeking substitutes for employees who are becoming costlier. One substitute that has emerged for cashiers is automated kiosks where, instead of having a person take your order, you select your meal and pay for it using a machine. Robots are also seen as an alternative to a $15-an-hour minimum wage. In fact, employee costs are much higher than an hourly wage suggests. For every employee paid $15 an hour, a company spends an additional $10 an hour on non-wage benefits, such as medical insurance, Social Security, workers' compensation and other taxes. That means the minimum hourly cost of hiring such an employee is close to $25.
The vision that higher mandated wages (that exceed productivity) produce no employment effects is what economists call a zero-elasticity view of the world — one in which there is no response to price changes. It assumes that customers are insensitive to higher product prices and investors are insensitive to a company's profits. There is little evidence that people are insensitive to price changes, whether they be changes in taxes, gas prices, food prices, labor prices or any other price. The issue is not whether people change their behavior when relative prices rise or fall; it is always how soon and how great the change will be.
More here
Nobody should be surprised that fast-food companies such as Wendy's, Panera Bread, McDonald's and others are seeking substitutes for employees who are becoming costlier. One substitute that has emerged for cashiers is automated kiosks where, instead of having a person take your order, you select your meal and pay for it using a machine. Robots are also seen as an alternative to a $15-an-hour minimum wage. In fact, employee costs are much higher than an hourly wage suggests. For every employee paid $15 an hour, a company spends an additional $10 an hour on non-wage benefits, such as medical insurance, Social Security, workers' compensation and other taxes. That means the minimum hourly cost of hiring such an employee is close to $25.
The vision that higher mandated wages (that exceed productivity) produce no employment effects is what economists call a zero-elasticity view of the world — one in which there is no response to price changes. It assumes that customers are insensitive to higher product prices and investors are insensitive to a company's profits. There is little evidence that people are insensitive to price changes, whether they be changes in taxes, gas prices, food prices, labor prices or any other price. The issue is not whether people change their behavior when relative prices rise or fall; it is always how soon and how great the change will be.
More here
Wicomico County Budgets
On Tuesday, June 2nd, the Wicomico County Council voted unanimously to adopt the County Executive's FY16 Operating Budget.
FY 2017 Adopted Operating Budget
FY 2017 Proposed Operating Budget Hearing
FY 2017 Proposed Operating Budget - Detail
FY 2016 Adopted Operating Budget
FY 2015 Adopted Operating Budget | View All Budgets
Fiscal Year Budget Time Line
- October - On or before October 1, all county department heads or agencies must submit to the County Executive a description and estimate of all capital projects already authorized and any new projects they would like to undertake within the next five fiscal years. (Project lists must be sent to the Planning and Zoning Commission for comments before submitting them to the County Executive.)
- November - The County Executive shall hold a public hearing on capital improvements.
- December - On or before the third Tuesday in December, the County Executive must submit a capital program to theCounty Council.
- February - On or before the third Tuesday in February, the County Council shall hold a public hearing on the capital program.
- March - On or before March 15, all county department heads or agencies in the executive branch of the county government must submit to the County Executive an itemized estimate of the revenues and expenditures of the department or agency for current expenses for the next fiscal year.
- April - On or before the third Tuesday in April, the County Executive shall submit to the County Council an expense budget for the next fiscal year and the budget message.
- May - On or before May 15, the County Council shall hold a public hearing on the expense budget.
- June - On or before June 1, or such date as set by resolution, but no later than June 15, the County Council must vote on the adoption of the county budget identified in legislative form as the Annual Budget and Appropriation Bill.
Push to revamp Delaware criminal code opposed by police, prosecutors
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| Leo Strine |
Chief Justice Leo Strine has pushed for large-scale criminal law reform, but Attorney General Matt Denn and law enforcement are staunchly opposed, raising questions about the possibility of such an enterprise.
Wednesday, a select group of lawmakers received an overview on the initiative, and afterward Mr. Denn issued criticisms that seemed to be aimed at the courts.
Language included in the budget in 2014 created a committee made up of members of the judicial, legislative and executive branches to review the state’s criminal statutes and propose changes, with an eye toward simplifying provisions, eliminating redundant language and potentially lessening some charges.
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Calvert County Man Arrested for Animal Cruelty, Illegal Drugs
Ronald Gene Wexler, 68, of Lusby, is scheduled to appear at an Aug. 8 court hearing on 16 criminal counts filed after a year-long investigation of his facility, Orphaned Wildlife Rescue Center Inc.
Acting on a tip, Maryland Natural Resources Police officers, state wildlife veterinarians and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service searched his center last August and found animals that should have been euthanized due to the extent of their injuries, animals on which Wexler had performed surgery and an osprey held in a cage much too small, which led to muscle atrophy.
The search also found a host of drugs, including Oxycodone, Demerol, Pentobarbital and Fentanyl. Wexler did not have any licenses or prescriptions for the drugs, which are defined by the federal government as drugs with a high potential for abuse.
Wexler goes by the nickname “Doc,” and refers to himself as a veterinarian on his web site. He does not have a veterinary license.
Salisbury University Crime Beat May 2016
| 16-00206 | 5/21/2016 5:54:00 PM to 5/21/2016 7:30:00 PM | Commons Building | Burglary/Theft | Suspect unlawfully entered the building during non business hours and stole property. | CLOSED BY ARREST |
| 16-00195 | 5/16/2016 12:13:00 PM to 5/12/2016 9:30:00 PM | Perdue Hall | Theft | Staff member reported a theft of state property. | CLOSED |
| 16-00199 | 5/15/2016 1:48:00 AM to 5/15/2016 2:16:00 AM | Lot D | Alcohol Violation | One student cited for underage possession of an alcoholic beverage. | CLOSED |
| 16-00197 | 5/14/2016 4:30:00 PM to 5/14/2016 5:09:00 PM | Cedar Crossing Apts | CDS Violation | One non-student cited for possession of CDS (Drugs). | CLOSED |
| 16-00194 | 5/11/2016 10:30:00 AM to 5/13/2016 12:30:00 PM | Blackwell Library | Theft | Student reported theft of unattended/unsecured personal property. | SUSPENDED |
| 16-00187 | 5/8/2016 12:44:00 AM to 5/8/2016 1:08:00 AM | Exterior Severn Hall | Alcohol Violation | Two students cited for underage possession of an alcoholic beverage. | CLOSED |
| 16-00186 | 5/7/2016 10:50:00 PM to 5/7/2016 11:08:00 PM | Severn Hall | Alcohol Violation | Resident Assistant reported an alcohol violation involving one student resident. | STUDENT AFFAIRS |
| 16-00191 | 5/6/2016 3:00:00 PM to 5/8/2016 11:00:00 PM | St. Martin Hall | Theft | Student reported theft of property from his residence. | OPEN |
| 16-00183 | 5/5/2016 2:00:00 PM to 5/5/2016 6:09:00 PM | Holloway Hall | Theft | Non-student reported the theft of his unsecured personal property from the restroom. | SUSPENDED |
| 16-00182 | 5/3/2016 11:07:00 PM to 5/6/2016 11:20:00 PM | Chester Hall | Alcohol Violation | Resident student cited for underage possession of an alcoholic beverage. | CLOSED |
| 16-00181 | 5/2/2016 1:30:00 AM to 5/2/2016 5:50:00 PM | Dresser Lot A | Malicious Destruction of Property | Student reported that an unknown person(s) did maliciously damage her parked vehicle. | Suspende |
The Left's Mobocracy
For years, the left has been desperate to paint conservatives as the real danger to civil society. Back in 2009, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security called conservatives a threat to safety. In a report, it stated that those who oppose abortion and illegal immigration represent a serious domestic terror threat. After presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reprehensibly justified violence against protesters, the media was awash with fears that conservatives would suddenly lose their minds and begin brandishing pitchforks in search of unlucky transgender individuals.
But, for decades, the only real threat of mob violence has come from the political left.
The left proved this once again this week when rioters in San Jose, California ignored do-nothing police officers and assaulted Trump supporters after his campaign rally. They overran police barriers, punched random rally-goers and egged a woman. They spit on people, burned American flags and generally made a violent nuisance of themselves.
The left reacted by blaming Trump.
First off, let's point out that while Trump has encouraged his own rally-goers to participate in violence against peaceful protesters, there has never been a pro-Trump mob or riot. Individuals have engaged in bad behavior, but there has never been any mass activity. The same is not true of the political left, which traffics in mob action, from Ferguson, Missouri, to Baltimore, Maryland, to Seattle, Washington, to Occupy Wall Street.
Why?
But, for decades, the only real threat of mob violence has come from the political left.
The left proved this once again this week when rioters in San Jose, California ignored do-nothing police officers and assaulted Trump supporters after his campaign rally. They overran police barriers, punched random rally-goers and egged a woman. They spit on people, burned American flags and generally made a violent nuisance of themselves.
The left reacted by blaming Trump.
First off, let's point out that while Trump has encouraged his own rally-goers to participate in violence against peaceful protesters, there has never been a pro-Trump mob or riot. Individuals have engaged in bad behavior, but there has never been any mass activity. The same is not true of the political left, which traffics in mob action, from Ferguson, Missouri, to Baltimore, Maryland, to Seattle, Washington, to Occupy Wall Street.
Why?
Pocomoke to hike water, sewer rates beginning July 1
“The mayor and I were surprised when it came up,” Crofoot said. “Yes, it was true in the sense owner-occupied properties paid a lower rate. Owners got more usage from a smaller base amount.”
There are a number of factors contained within that minimum base charge, Crofoot said, but at the end of the day, owners and renters were paying different rates for similar services.
The fix, Crofoot said, wasn’t to lower the bills of the renters but to raise the rates on the owners to the tune of about $10 per month starting when next year’s budget goes into effect on July 1. The budget passed first reading during Monday night’s regular meeting of the City Council, but won’t be formally adopted until the next meeting on June 20.
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Goodson Trial: Judge Rejects Dismissal, Admonishes Prosecutors, Seven Witnesses Called
The first day of this trial included seven prosecution witnesses, all testifying in about a three hour period this afternoon.
Witnesses included Officer Caesar Goodson’s field training officer, Officer Dennis Smith.
He said Goodson was trained in how to put a prisoner into a seat belt in his van, and Goodson knew it was required.
Also testifying, the crime lab technician who took photos of the van that carried Freddie Gray, and the city purchasing officer who approved the purchase of the 2011 van.
This trial almost ended before it began, when Judge Barry Williams held a hearing on a defense request to dismiss the charges against Officer Caesar Goodson, over the state’s failure to tell the defense they interviewed Donta Allen.
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DC Councilmember: Should Minimum Wage be $50 an Hour?
(CNSNews.com) - Inside the measure the D.C. Council passed to raise the district’s minimum wage to $15 an hour was an amendment to have a study on the possibility of having government provide a basic income to D.C. residents.
“Raising the minimum wage is a good thing, but is $15 enough? Or should the number be $35 or $50 an hour?" Councilman David Grosso (I-At-Large) said during Tuesday night's meeting.
“In order to comprehensively address the need of our residents we should consider all avenues, to include transferring away from the traditional welfare system into a minimum income system,” said Grosso.
“A minimum income system is an alternative social welfare provision with the basic idea of providing a floor of income upon which residents can build other sources of revenue.”
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“Raising the minimum wage is a good thing, but is $15 enough? Or should the number be $35 or $50 an hour?" Councilman David Grosso (I-At-Large) said during Tuesday night's meeting.
“In order to comprehensively address the need of our residents we should consider all avenues, to include transferring away from the traditional welfare system into a minimum income system,” said Grosso.
“A minimum income system is an alternative social welfare provision with the basic idea of providing a floor of income upon which residents can build other sources of revenue.”
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OC: Suspect Charged In Gunpoint Robbery
OCEAN CITY — A Cambridge man was charged with armed robbery and first-degree assault last weekend after allegedly holding up two other men with a handgun at a midtown condo.
Around 10 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of Bayview Lane for a reported armed robbery that had already occurred. The officer met with two victims who told police they had met an individual, later identified as Brandon Fooks, 24, and had been hanging out with Fooks and some of their friends for about an hour when Fooks offered to sell one of the victims some tennis shoes.
The victim told police Fooks drove him and his friend to a condo building in the ocean block at 63rd Street. Fooks told one of the victims to wait in the car while he went inside with the other victim to get the tennis shoes. Once Fooks and the first victim were in an elevator inside the condo building, Fooks allegedly pulled out a dark-colored handgun and pointed it at the victim’s head.
The victim said he attempted to take the handgun from Fooks and the two fought briefly in the elevator before Fooks subdued the victim by striking him in the face with the handgun. The victim told police Fooks then racked the slide on the handgun and told the victim “give me the stuff in your pockets or I’m going to shoot you,” according to police reports.
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Around 10 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of Bayview Lane for a reported armed robbery that had already occurred. The officer met with two victims who told police they had met an individual, later identified as Brandon Fooks, 24, and had been hanging out with Fooks and some of their friends for about an hour when Fooks offered to sell one of the victims some tennis shoes.
The victim told police Fooks drove him and his friend to a condo building in the ocean block at 63rd Street. Fooks told one of the victims to wait in the car while he went inside with the other victim to get the tennis shoes. Once Fooks and the first victim were in an elevator inside the condo building, Fooks allegedly pulled out a dark-colored handgun and pointed it at the victim’s head.
The victim said he attempted to take the handgun from Fooks and the two fought briefly in the elevator before Fooks subdued the victim by striking him in the face with the handgun. The victim told police Fooks then racked the slide on the handgun and told the victim “give me the stuff in your pockets or I’m going to shoot you,” according to police reports.
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Human-Carrying Drone Taxi Gets Approval For Testing In Nevada
Flying cars might not yet be within our reach, but there are companies out there working on technology that would let drones ferry around human passengers like flying taxis, so at least that’s something.
A Chinese company called EHang has made a deal with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) that will allow it to develop a testing program for its autonomous taxi drone (h/t The Verge).
The company wants to test its EHang184, which can carry one person at at ime, at the state’s Federal Aviation Administration-approved UAV test site. It still has to receive actual FAA approval to do so, and Nevada officials have offered to help EHang submit the results to the FAA for that further permission.
The prototype is over four feet tall and has eight propellers, and can carry a single passenger for 23 minutes at 60 mph. It’s still unclear whether the drone will carry a passenger during tests, however.
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A Chinese company called EHang has made a deal with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) that will allow it to develop a testing program for its autonomous taxi drone (h/t The Verge).
The company wants to test its EHang184, which can carry one person at at ime, at the state’s Federal Aviation Administration-approved UAV test site. It still has to receive actual FAA approval to do so, and Nevada officials have offered to help EHang submit the results to the FAA for that further permission.
The prototype is over four feet tall and has eight propellers, and can carry a single passenger for 23 minutes at 60 mph. It’s still unclear whether the drone will carry a passenger during tests, however.
More
Here’s What’s Going On With The Rio Olympics & The Zika Virus
If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last few months, you’ve likely heard the words “Zika virus” and “Rio Olympics” paired together often, both in the media and everyday conversations. With the 2016 Summer Olympics set to start in August, you may be wondering what’s going on — is Zika a threat to tourists and athletes in Brazil? Will the games be postponed or moved?
Some background first: in February, the World Health Organization officially declared the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that has been linked to birth defects in thousands of babies, an International Health Emergency. Brazil is one of almost 60 countries and territories which to date report continuing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes, according to the World Health Organization.
But because there’s this little event going on in August in Rio de Janeiro that’s expected to attract an estimated hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world, some are worried that all many of those people could pick up Zika and bring it back to their home countries.
It’s important to note that the WHO advises pregnant women to stay away from any countries and areas with ongoing Zika virus transmissions, including Rio de Janeiro. Their sexual partners are urged to practice extra safe sex (or abstain entirely) for a few weeks after returning from trips to Zika-affected locations.
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Some background first: in February, the World Health Organization officially declared the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that has been linked to birth defects in thousands of babies, an International Health Emergency. Brazil is one of almost 60 countries and territories which to date report continuing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes, according to the World Health Organization.
But because there’s this little event going on in August in Rio de Janeiro that’s expected to attract an estimated hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world, some are worried that all many of those people could pick up Zika and bring it back to their home countries.
It’s important to note that the WHO advises pregnant women to stay away from any countries and areas with ongoing Zika virus transmissions, including Rio de Janeiro. Their sexual partners are urged to practice extra safe sex (or abstain entirely) for a few weeks after returning from trips to Zika-affected locations.
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New Legislation Targets Deadly Furniture Tip-Overs
Each year, some 25,000 Americans — mostly children — are injured or killed from furniture and other household appliances that tip over or fall because they are not properly secured. A new piece of legislation aims to reduce these potentially deadly incidents by establishing sturdier minimum standards.
The STURDY Act (short for the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act) was introduced in the Senate today by PA Senator Bob Casey.
If passed, it would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to adopt a stronger, mandatory stability standard for clothing storage units (chests, bureaus, dressers, etc). Many of these products are tall with narrow bases, and while they may stand still when undisturbed, they can sometimes be pulled or knocked over with minimal force.
For example, IKEA’s Malm line of furniture has been tied to three tip-over deaths in recent years. The company has instituted and expanded a “repair program” that involves attaching the Malm units to the wall with anchors.
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The STURDY Act (short for the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act) was introduced in the Senate today by PA Senator Bob Casey.
If passed, it would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to adopt a stronger, mandatory stability standard for clothing storage units (chests, bureaus, dressers, etc). Many of these products are tall with narrow bases, and while they may stand still when undisturbed, they can sometimes be pulled or knocked over with minimal force.
For example, IKEA’s Malm line of furniture has been tied to three tip-over deaths in recent years. The company has instituted and expanded a “repair program” that involves attaching the Malm units to the wall with anchors.
More
The NEW Democrat Party Symbol
No more “Donkey”
The Democrat Party today announced that it is changing its symbol from the Donkey to a Condom because it more accurately reflects the Party's political stance. A condom allows for inflation, halts production, destroys the next generation, protects a bunch of dicks, and gives you a sense of security while you're actually being screwed!
12th Annual Ride for Awareness & Poker Run
Tens of Thousands in this State Are About to Lose Their Health Insurance
Remember "if you like your healthcare, you can keep it?" Not in Colorado. Faced with political directives that have no regard for the actual cost of providing care, insurers are leaving the market. How bad is it? The Daily Caller has the rundown:
An estimated 92,000 Coloradans enrolled in certain plans under Obamacare will have to find new coverage come November, according to a report from the Colorado Division Insurance released Monday.
Those enrolled in the individual market through the state exchange could see their premiums jump by up to 40 percent in 2017. The report announced anticipated changes to Connect for Health Colorado, the state-run exchange that was set up after the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare.
Anyone enrolled on in the individual marketplace with a company on the growing list of insurers leaving Obamacare will have to find new insurance. Residents with insurance plans from UnitedHealthcare, Humana Insurance Humana Insurance, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, and Anthem PPO will be dropped from their plans 2017, and will have to enroll in new coverage during the open enrollment period.
Source: AAN
An estimated 92,000 Coloradans enrolled in certain plans under Obamacare will have to find new coverage come November, according to a report from the Colorado Division Insurance released Monday.
Those enrolled in the individual market through the state exchange could see their premiums jump by up to 40 percent in 2017. The report announced anticipated changes to Connect for Health Colorado, the state-run exchange that was set up after the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare.
Anyone enrolled on in the individual marketplace with a company on the growing list of insurers leaving Obamacare will have to find new insurance. Residents with insurance plans from UnitedHealthcare, Humana Insurance Humana Insurance, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, and Anthem PPO will be dropped from their plans 2017, and will have to enroll in new coverage during the open enrollment period.
Source: AAN