The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seems to be building an army.
The IRS spent nearly $11 million on guns, ammunition and “military-style equipment” between 2006 and 2014, according to a new report. IRS investment in heavy firearms and tactical gear is a new trend for the agency, but it follows a pattern of militarization repeated throughout the executive branch of the government.
In “The Militarization of America,” a report by OpenTheBooks.com, examines the kinds of weapons and tactical equipment federal agencies have purchased over the past ten years. The report shows that the IRS and other non-law enforcement agencies rapidly increased purchases of military gear in the past decade.
Source: Daily Caller
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, June 20, 2016
Trump's Solution to the Radical Islam Problem
Donald Trump suggested Sunday that the U.S. start “profiling” people inside the country to thwart terrorism, calling it a hateful but “common sense” tactic, in the aftermath of recent terror attacks.
"I think profiling is something we're going to have to start thinking about as a country," Trump said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "I hate the concept of profiling, but we have to start using common sense.”
The presumptive GOP presidential nominee also argued that other countries, including Israel, profile “and they do it successfully.”
Trump, as he has frequently argued, said radical Islam groups are creating “big problems.”
Source: Fox News
"I think profiling is something we're going to have to start thinking about as a country," Trump said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "I hate the concept of profiling, but we have to start using common sense.”
The presumptive GOP presidential nominee also argued that other countries, including Israel, profile “and they do it successfully.”
Trump, as he has frequently argued, said radical Islam groups are creating “big problems.”
Source: Fox News
Hearing set on gun maker’s bid to dismiss Newtown lawsuit
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A judge will hear arguments on whether to dismiss a lawsuit against the maker of the semiautomatic rifle used to kill 20 children and six adults in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre— a weapon similar to the one used this month in the shooting at a Florida nightclub.
The families of nine children and adults killed at the Newtown school and a teacher who survived are suing Remington Arms, the Madison, North Carolina-based parent company of Bushmaster Firearms, which made the XM15-E2S rifle used in the shooting. They say the company knew its AR-15-style rifle was meant for the military and was too dangerous to sell to civilians.
Bridgeport Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis, who rejected a similar request by Remington to dismiss the lawsuit in April, is scheduled to hear arguments Monday morning.
Debate over whether AR-15-style rifles should be legal has intensified following the shooting at an gay nightclub in Orlando by a gunman with a similar rifle, made by Sig Sauer, that left 49 people dead and dozens of others injured.
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The families of nine children and adults killed at the Newtown school and a teacher who survived are suing Remington Arms, the Madison, North Carolina-based parent company of Bushmaster Firearms, which made the XM15-E2S rifle used in the shooting. They say the company knew its AR-15-style rifle was meant for the military and was too dangerous to sell to civilians.
Bridgeport Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis, who rejected a similar request by Remington to dismiss the lawsuit in April, is scheduled to hear arguments Monday morning.
Debate over whether AR-15-style rifles should be legal has intensified following the shooting at an gay nightclub in Orlando by a gunman with a similar rifle, made by Sig Sauer, that left 49 people dead and dozens of others injured.
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Reuters: Trump Support Edges Higher in Wake of Orlando
The latest polling data from Reuters finds voters shifting support to Donald Trump in the days following the Orlando terrorist attack.
Prior to the attack, Hillary Clinton led Trump by almost 15 points in the Reuters tracking survey. In the latest results, Clinton leads Trump by 10 points.
The results run counter to the media narrative since the terrorist attack in Florida. Politico, for example, has run half-a-dozen stories this week exploring how Trump “flubbed” his response to the attack. Voters, however, don’t simply look at snap political statements in the wake of significant events to gauge candidates. The specifics of events themselves can shift the political landscape.
The Reuters survey is based on a five-day rolling average of interviews with around 1,200 likely voters. Most polls capture a snap-shot of the race within a small window of time. Many of the polls released this week included a large number of interviews conducted prior to the Orlando attack.
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Prior to the attack, Hillary Clinton led Trump by almost 15 points in the Reuters tracking survey. In the latest results, Clinton leads Trump by 10 points.
The results run counter to the media narrative since the terrorist attack in Florida. Politico, for example, has run half-a-dozen stories this week exploring how Trump “flubbed” his response to the attack. Voters, however, don’t simply look at snap political statements in the wake of significant events to gauge candidates. The specifics of events themselves can shift the political landscape.
The Reuters survey is based on a five-day rolling average of interviews with around 1,200 likely voters. Most polls capture a snap-shot of the race within a small window of time. Many of the polls released this week included a large number of interviews conducted prior to the Orlando attack.
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JUST IN: Senate rejects series of gun measures
Washington (CNN)Senators couldn't muster enough bipartisan support to pass a series of gun control measures Monday, the latest in a long string of failed attempts at enacting tighter curbs on firearms in the United States.
Spurred by the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, senators from each party introduced the measures they said would have strengthened background checks and prevented suspected terrorists from obtaining weapons.
But tough election year politics, paired with disputes over the effectiveness of each party's ideas, proved too powerful to break the longstanding partisan gridlock that's surrounded gun issues for years.
The result was expected. A fifth option, set to be introduced Tuesday by moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins, has generated more optimism, but still faces long odds at passage.
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Establishment Republicans Plot Last Ditch Effort to Stop Trump
The "insurgent group" is trying to deny him delegates at the party's convention
The “insurgent group” is trying to deny him delegates at the party’s convention next month, he said before threatening to stop fundraising as a result.
“Now, you have a couple of guys that were badly defeated and they’re trying to organise maybe like a little bit of a delegate revolt. I thought they already tried that,” he said.
During a speech to supporters in Las Vegas he said the attempts were “illegal”, before dismissing them as a media-generated fabrication.
“It’s all made up by the press,” he said. “It’s a hoax, I’m telling you.”
Several Republicans in Congress say they will not attend the party convention and are not endorsing his candidacy.
Read more.
The “insurgent group” is trying to deny him delegates at the party’s convention next month, he said before threatening to stop fundraising as a result.
“Now, you have a couple of guys that were badly defeated and they’re trying to organise maybe like a little bit of a delegate revolt. I thought they already tried that,” he said.
During a speech to supporters in Las Vegas he said the attempts were “illegal”, before dismissing them as a media-generated fabrication.
“It’s all made up by the press,” he said. “It’s a hoax, I’m telling you.”
Several Republicans in Congress say they will not attend the party convention and are not endorsing his candidacy.
Read more.
Emergency Exercise brings together multiple agencies
CENTREVILLE — “Practice. Practice.Practice.” That was the mindset of the agencies gathered together, Saturday, June 11, to participate in an active assailant drill at the Liberty Building in downtown Centreville. The Centreville Police Department, Department of Emergency Services, Emergency Management, Fire and EMS Commission, Maryland State Police, Office of the Sheriff and Queen Anne's County SWAT team participated in conjunction with Public Works and other allied agencies to complete a drill simulating the response to a potentially dangerous scenario.
Lead by the county's emergency management division, first responders completed a full-scale active assailant exercise that tested the response, coordination and plans of local law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies. The various agencies responded as a drill to the report of a possibly armed subject located inside the Liberty Building with multiple gunshot victims. Signs marking the entrances of the Liberty Building and on the streets adjacent signified to the public that a drill was in place. Notices were also posted online and on various county department websites so the public would be aware ahead of time that an exercise would be occurring on Saturday morning.
“This exercise is a great way for all agencies that would be involved in a large emergency response to work together in a safe environment. It is also a chance for everyone to test their policies and procedures and improve on them,” said Department of Emergency Services Director, Scott Haas.
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Gang of Teens Beat 2 Girls in DC Metro Station, Post Video of Attack Online
Two teenage girls on their way home from school were beaten in a Washington D.C., Metro station by a group of teens — who then posted video of the attack on social media.
The girls left their high school and were waiting for a train on a crowded platform at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station at about 6 p.m. on June 6 when they were approached, their mothers told News4.
"They came up behind her and said 'What you want to do?' and started hitting on her," one mother, who asked not to be identified, said her daughter reported.
The group of teens pummeled the girls for minutes while at least one person recorded the attack using a cellphone, the mothers said.
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The girls left their high school and were waiting for a train on a crowded platform at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station at about 6 p.m. on June 6 when they were approached, their mothers told News4.
"They came up behind her and said 'What you want to do?' and started hitting on her," one mother, who asked not to be identified, said her daughter reported.
The group of teens pummeled the girls for minutes while at least one person recorded the attack using a cellphone, the mothers said.
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Good Samaritan Helps Officers Rescue Crabber; Police Arrest Two for Impaired Boating
A good Samaritan and four officers teamed up Wednesday morning to rescue a crabber who fell overboard and chase down and corral his runaway boat on the Wicomico River in St. Mary’s County.
Making matters worse: As he slipped and went overboard while tending his trotline, Thompson struck the throttle, sending the boat into a high-speed circle. Thompson was trapped inside the circling boat and had to keep pushing himself away from it.
Timing his approach, the good Samaritan swooped in and pulled the exhausted Thompson aboard as he was about to go under.
Officers tracked his boat, traveling about 15 knots, and began trying to foul the propeller with life jackets and line. After countless attempts, they slowed the boat enough so that an officer could board and stop it.
The Unhinged Home that Raised Orlando Killer Omar Mateen
A mother accused of domestic abuse and described as “paranoid.” A father became a supporter of the Taliban. Parents who spent years in and out of courtrooms. That’s the family that gave rise to mass-murderer Omar Mateen, who killed 49 people in the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando last Sunday.
As investigators continue to search for a motive in the largest mass-shooting in U.S. history, they are focused intensely on the three years prior to the attacks, including the period when Mateen, who worked as a private security guard, was on a terrorism watch list.
But a portrait of the killer’s upbringing also is beginning to emerge, through snapshots of a childhood marked by domestic strife, struggles in school, and outbursts of violence, which may yield some insights about why Mateen embarked on his murderous rampage.
Mateen grew up in a house of four children, where he was the only boy. School records obtained by The Daily Beast show that the New York-born Mateen struggled in school and stayed in English for Speakers of Other Languages classes through middle school. As he grew older, the bad grades became supplemented with violent outbursts, including at least two instances in which Mateen hit another child. One teacher noted that Mateen “lacks remorse.” When the family moved school districts in the eighth grade, he was suspended for 25 days from his new school. In his freshman year of high school, he was even sent to another school after fighting a student.
More here
As investigators continue to search for a motive in the largest mass-shooting in U.S. history, they are focused intensely on the three years prior to the attacks, including the period when Mateen, who worked as a private security guard, was on a terrorism watch list.
But a portrait of the killer’s upbringing also is beginning to emerge, through snapshots of a childhood marked by domestic strife, struggles in school, and outbursts of violence, which may yield some insights about why Mateen embarked on his murderous rampage.
Mateen grew up in a house of four children, where he was the only boy. School records obtained by The Daily Beast show that the New York-born Mateen struggled in school and stayed in English for Speakers of Other Languages classes through middle school. As he grew older, the bad grades became supplemented with violent outbursts, including at least two instances in which Mateen hit another child. One teacher noted that Mateen “lacks remorse.” When the family moved school districts in the eighth grade, he was suspended for 25 days from his new school. In his freshman year of high school, he was even sent to another school after fighting a student.
More here
Ocean Pines Police Department Press Releases 6-20-16
Woman Arrested for Domestic Assault
** Dawn Marie Russell-Marriner, W/F, of Ocean Pines with
- One (1) Count of 2nd Degree Assault
Ms. Russell-Marriner was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was release on personal recognzance, pending trial.
Arrest(s) for Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
The Ocean Pines Police Department made the following arrest(s) for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) on the following dates:
** May 22nd - Thomas King Howarth, W/M, 68 years of age, of Ocean Pines.
** May 10th - Luke Alfred Sichau, W/M, 20 years of age, of Ocean Pines.
Man Arrested for Domestic Assault/Resisting Arrest
As the result of a domestic incident which occurred in Ocean Pines, a 30 year old Ocean Pines man was arrested for domestic assault and resisting arrest. Police charged:
** Andrew Phillip Ramsy, W/M, 30 years of age of Ocean Pines, with
- Two (2) Counts of 2nd Degree Assault, and
- One (1) Count of Resisting Arrest
Mr. Ramsey was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was later released on his personal recognizance.
For more information contact:
Chief David Massey
410-641-7747 ext 3024
Trump: I Won The Primary Without GOP Establishment, I Can Win Presidency Without Them
On Sunday’s broadcast of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he can win the presidency with or without the support of the Republican establishment.
Trump said, “I think we’re going to have a great convention, and we’re going to go on to a great victory. It would be nice if the Republicans stuck together. But I think because I’m a different kind of candidate, and Paul Ryan said that, I’m a different kind of a candidate. I think I can win either way. I can win one way or the other.”
He added, “I think I can, because I obviously won the primaries without them. I’m an outsider and I won the primaries. I do believe we can win either way, but it would be nice if we stuck together.”
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Trump said, “I think we’re going to have a great convention, and we’re going to go on to a great victory. It would be nice if the Republicans stuck together. But I think because I’m a different kind of candidate, and Paul Ryan said that, I’m a different kind of a candidate. I think I can win either way. I can win one way or the other.”
He added, “I think I can, because I obviously won the primaries without them. I’m an outsider and I won the primaries. I do believe we can win either way, but it would be nice if we stuck together.”
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DIVIDED AMERICA: Gun Views Fractious Even As Fewer Bear Arms
Democrats war with Republicans; small towns are pitted against cities. Women and men are at odds, as are blacks and whites and old and young. North clashes with South, East with West.
“The current gun debate is more polarized and sour than any time before in American history,” said Adam Winkler, a constitutional law professor at UCLA and author of the 2011 book, “Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America.”
Still numb from the latest mass shooting, in Orlando, it’s easy to imagine that guns have always divided us this way. But a close look at survey data over decades shows they haven’t.
There was a time when most citizens favored banning handguns, the chief gun lobbyists supported firearm restrictions, and courts hadn’t yet interpreted the Second Amendment as guaranteeing a personal right to bear arms for self-defense at home.
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Study: Migrants Hurt Long Term Economic Growth
A new study casts doubt on migrants propping up the economy, saying that they could heavily impact the economy in a negative manner.
Enzo Weber from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) in Nuremberg and his colleague Roland Weigand produced a new report on the long term economic effects of mass migration. According to the IAB report, without additional efforts from the German government and others in the European Union (EU) the long term impact of mass migration could be highly negative for the economies of Germany and Europe.
They say that the real problem with migrants is a distinct lack of qualifications, or qualifications that don’t meet European standards, and the huge language barrier between migrants from places like the Middle East and North Africa, reports Die Welt.
According to the pair of researchers, not only will long-term unemployment rise and total tax revenues fall in the long term but the medium term economic forecast could be just as dire, if not more so.
They say that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the total wealth created generally per year in a country, could decline not only overall, but also per capita. The researchers note that this effect could also lead to job losses resulting in higher unemployment as the government must decide whether to raise taxes to pay for government services or eliminate well-paid government workers.
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Enzo Weber from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) in Nuremberg and his colleague Roland Weigand produced a new report on the long term economic effects of mass migration. According to the IAB report, without additional efforts from the German government and others in the European Union (EU) the long term impact of mass migration could be highly negative for the economies of Germany and Europe.
They say that the real problem with migrants is a distinct lack of qualifications, or qualifications that don’t meet European standards, and the huge language barrier between migrants from places like the Middle East and North Africa, reports Die Welt.
According to the pair of researchers, not only will long-term unemployment rise and total tax revenues fall in the long term but the medium term economic forecast could be just as dire, if not more so.
They say that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the total wealth created generally per year in a country, could decline not only overall, but also per capita. The researchers note that this effect could also lead to job losses resulting in higher unemployment as the government must decide whether to raise taxes to pay for government services or eliminate well-paid government workers.
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8 indicted in heroin, fentanyl distribution ring
“Heroin and fentanyl are insidious substances that tear at the fabric of our communities and threaten public safety, “ said Andre R. Watson, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Baltimore. “Today’s events should clearly demonstrate the intensity and tenacity with which law enforcement attacks this issue and what successful interagency partnerships like this one can accomplish.”The multijurisdictional investigation revealed a network of individuals selling and using large quantities of heroin and fentanyl and began in early 2016, following a spate of opiate overdoses in the area. Today’s charges were filed against Colby Lewis, 24; Ronald Dinges, 56; Alexandra Kastner, 27; Alante Williams; 24, Deandre Coplin, 27; Jocelyn Appleby, 26; Brett Demeza, 35 and Brett Carpenter, 35. All are Frederick County residents.
Investigative efforts were consolidated to pool efforts and resources focused on dismantling the criminal organization. Members of each agency worked cooperatively through undercover operations, controlled purchases and covert surveillance to develop additional intelligence and evidence. Enforcement operations conducted in May and June resulted in the seizure of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, crack cocaine, oxycodone, and methadone, approximately $4,500.00 in U.S. currency, 17 firearms, and three vehicles.
The HIDTA program is a federal grant program administered by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and provides resources to assist federal, state, local and tribal agencies coordinate activities that address drug trafficking in specially designated areas of the United States. The program also encourages the facilitation of cooperation among law enforcement agencies to share information and implement coordinated enforcement activities. Frederick, Maryland was designated as a HIDTA in November of 2013 and is one of 28 HIDTAs across the United States.
Major Accident On Rt. 90: CLOSED
Why the ‘Lone-Wolf’ Terrorist is a Myth
President Obama says don’t worry, the Orlando terrorist was just another “lone actor” operating in isolation, unconnected to any larger group of supporters. In fact, these so-called “lone wolves” are running in packs, and suggesting otherwise gives the public a false sense of security.
Yet Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson echoed Obama, saying Omar Mateen was “self-radicalized” without any religious, ideological or operational support from friends, family or others in the Muslim community.
“What we do know at this point is it appears this was a case of self-radicalization,” Johnson said. “He does not appear to have been part of any group.”
A more accurate picture is that Mateen, an Afghan-American, was part of a disturbingly large Muslim family of sympathizers, supporters and even co-conspirators.
For starters, his wife could face criminal charges in the attack on the gay Orlando nightclub, the deadliest act of terrorism in the US since 9/11. Noor Zahi Salman, who wed Mateen in 2011, reportedly told the FBI she knew about her husband’s planned attack and even drove him to the site of the massacre as part of a scouting operation. She also is said to have helped him case the Disney Springs shopping complex. What’s more, Salman allegedly was with Mateen when he bought ammo and a holster used in the attack.
Prosecutors have convened a grand jury to present evidence against Salman, a Palestinian immigrant, who ultimately could be indicted as an accessory to the murders of 49 people and the attempted murders of 53 others. Possible other charges include failing to report a terrorist attack and lying to federal agents.
It appears the seeds of Mateen’s hatred were planted at home
More
Yet Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson echoed Obama, saying Omar Mateen was “self-radicalized” without any religious, ideological or operational support from friends, family or others in the Muslim community.
“What we do know at this point is it appears this was a case of self-radicalization,” Johnson said. “He does not appear to have been part of any group.”
A more accurate picture is that Mateen, an Afghan-American, was part of a disturbingly large Muslim family of sympathizers, supporters and even co-conspirators.
For starters, his wife could face criminal charges in the attack on the gay Orlando nightclub, the deadliest act of terrorism in the US since 9/11. Noor Zahi Salman, who wed Mateen in 2011, reportedly told the FBI she knew about her husband’s planned attack and even drove him to the site of the massacre as part of a scouting operation. She also is said to have helped him case the Disney Springs shopping complex. What’s more, Salman allegedly was with Mateen when he bought ammo and a holster used in the attack.
Prosecutors have convened a grand jury to present evidence against Salman, a Palestinian immigrant, who ultimately could be indicted as an accessory to the murders of 49 people and the attempted murders of 53 others. Possible other charges include failing to report a terrorist attack and lying to federal agents.
It appears the seeds of Mateen’s hatred were planted at home
More
ICE arrests 331 in Midwest during monthlong enforcement action
CHICAGO — Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 331 individuals during a monthlong operation targeting criminal aliens and other immigration violators in six Midwestern states.
This operation, which began May 9 and concluded Monday, is the latest effort by ICE to arrest and remove convicted criminal aliens. The arrests were made in the following six states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri.
“Our dedicated officers strive to make our communities safer by arresting convicted criminal aliens and removing them from the United States," said Ricardo Wong, field officer director for ERO Chicago. "By focusing our resources on the most egregious offenders, we ensure the very best use of our resources while immediately improving public safety.”
Illinois - 107 arrested
Ninety-six of the 107 have been convicted of crimes in the United States, including: robbery, possessing a stolen vehicle, aggravated DUI, rioting, aggravated sexual abuse, aggravated assault on an officer, and weapons offenses. The remaining 11 are agency priorities as recent border crossers. Twenty-one had previously been deported and illegally re-entered the United States.
The 106 males and one female arrested in the Chicago area are from the following countries: Belize (1), Bosnia (1), Ecuador (1), Guatemala (8), Honduras (3), Lithuania (3), Mexico (86), Poland (1), Senegal (1), and New Guinea (2). The majority were arrested in Chicago (47), Cicero (7) and Waukegan (5). Additional arrests took place in various Chicago suburbs.
Following are two case examples of those arrested in the Chicago area during this operation:
Trump: Authorities, Muslim community missed too many 'red flags' before Orlando massacre
Donald Trump said Sunday that too many “red flags” were missed that could have stopped the Orlando shooter, and he proposed the use of ethnic and religious profiling to prevent terrorism.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said members of Muslim communities need to alert law enforcement when their neighbors or family members act suspiciously.
“People have to report when they see somebody. This man was pretty much unhinged,” Mr. Trump said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” program.
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The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said members of Muslim communities need to alert law enforcement when their neighbors or family members act suspiciously.
“People have to report when they see somebody. This man was pretty much unhinged,” Mr. Trump said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” program.
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Volunteer group works to get vets benefits
NABVETS Walk Through the Valley Chapter #0093 Commander James Briddell said the group began in 2008 when a multitude of Vietnam-era military vets from the area took part in a number of local patriotic celebrations.
“We were part of the Memorial Day parade and Veterans Day program,” he said. “We had a heart for seeing to it that other veterans knew about the different benefits that they were entitled to.”
It started with Briddell and the other veterans offering to carpool when heading to the western shore.
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FROZEN FOOD RECALL: Some from Walmart and Target
Seattle, WA – National Frozen Foods Corporation is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of Not-Ready-To Eat frozen green peas and frozen mixed vegetables because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeriainfection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Following cooking preparation instructions on the labels will effectively reduce the risk of exposure to this bacterium.
This press release does not include recalled products distributed to food service accounts in bulk containers and recalled products distributed to food service accounts in Canada and Japan.
The frozen green peas and frozen mixed vegetables are being recalled as a precaution with the health and safety of consumers as top priority. The recall was the result of a sample tested by the company which revealed that the finished products may potentially be contaminated with the bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration has been made aware of this recall. There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items to date.
The products being recalled listed below were distributed in retail stores nationwide between September 2, 2015 and June 2, 2016.
The recalled items can be identified by the date codes printed on the back of the retail sized bag or the side of the master case. Only the following codes are affected by this recall:
VA Will No Longer Use Streamlined Process to Fire Employees
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs will no longer use its fast-track authorities to expedite the dismissal of senior employees following a legal challenge to the process, Capitol Hill officials said Friday.
The provision was part of the Veterans Choice Act passed in the wake of the 2014 VA wait time scandal and aimed to accelerate the appeals process for employees who had been fired to just three weeks. The process previously took multiple months.
The Military Times reported that the VA’s decision to stop using its streamlined disciplinary powers reverts the department’s accountability rules to two years ago, prior to lawmakers approving reform.
“Everyone knows VA isn’t very good at disciplining employees, but this decision calls into question whether department leaders are even interested in doing so,” Rep. Jeff Miller (R., Fla.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said in a statement. “After all, VA is a place where egregious employee behavior, such as armed robbery participation and wait-time manipulation, is routinely tolerated.”
Miller said the decision highlights the need for reforms across the federal government so that agency leaders can “swiftly and efficiently discipline those who can’t or won’t do their jobs–an ability that is presently almost nonexistent.”
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a letter to Congress last month that the provision accelerating firings is unconstitutional because it denies a proper appeals process to employees.
More here
The provision was part of the Veterans Choice Act passed in the wake of the 2014 VA wait time scandal and aimed to accelerate the appeals process for employees who had been fired to just three weeks. The process previously took multiple months.
The Military Times reported that the VA’s decision to stop using its streamlined disciplinary powers reverts the department’s accountability rules to two years ago, prior to lawmakers approving reform.
“Everyone knows VA isn’t very good at disciplining employees, but this decision calls into question whether department leaders are even interested in doing so,” Rep. Jeff Miller (R., Fla.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said in a statement. “After all, VA is a place where egregious employee behavior, such as armed robbery participation and wait-time manipulation, is routinely tolerated.”
Miller said the decision highlights the need for reforms across the federal government so that agency leaders can “swiftly and efficiently discipline those who can’t or won’t do their jobs–an ability that is presently almost nonexistent.”
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a letter to Congress last month that the provision accelerating firings is unconstitutional because it denies a proper appeals process to employees.
More here
Orlando Gay Conservative Speaks Out About Democrats’ Hypocrisy
Local publisher and entrepreneur Jacob Engels – whose East Orlando Post broke stories such as Omar Mateen’s casing of another area gay club – made a statement to the press this week looking for other freedom-loving Central Floridians about the hypocrisy of President Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Here is Engel’s statement in full:
GOP’s Trump Says U.S. Should Consider Profiling Muslims
“We really have to look at profiling,” Trump said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” `’It’s not the worst thing to do.”
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee added that he “hate(s) the concept of profiling, but we have to use common sense.”
The statements are consistent with Trump’s other, long-expressed views on how to stop terrorism in the United States, including a temporary ban on foreign Muslims from entering the country until the U.S. can figure out “what is going on.”
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Top DHS Officials Exempted from Strict Ban on Web-Based Personal Email Accounts
Jeh Johnson granted special waiver on first day of official ban. Practice continued even after Clinton email revelations.
Judicial Watch says it has obtained 693 pages of Department of Homeland Security records revealing that Secretary Jeh Johnson and 28 other agency officials used government computers to access personal web-based email accounts despite an agency-wide ban due to heightened security concerns. The documents also reveal that Homeland Security officials misled Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) when Perry specifically asked whether personal accounts were being used for official government business.
The records were obtained in response to a February 2016 court order by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia following a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit (Judicial Watch v. Department of Homeland Security (No. 1:15-cv-01772)).
The Judicial Watch lawsuit was filed in October 2015 after the Department of Homeland Security failed to comply with a July 2015 FOIA request seeking the following:
All requests (in any form) submitted by senior DHS officials for waivers to use personal Web-based email accounts on government-owned computers.
Copies of all waivers granted to senior DHS officials to use personal Web-based email accounts on government-owned computers.
Judicial Watch sought the documents following a Bloomberg News report revealing that 29 high-level Homeland Security officials, including Johnson, obtained exemptions from a February 2014 agency-wide ban on the use of web-based email systems due to increased security concerns. The waivers were granted despite security officials’ warning of the risks of malicious attacks and data exfiltration from webmail use.
Included among the records is a February 19, 2014 memorandum from security officials at the Department of Homeland Security strongly warning: “According to the Office of the Chief Information Officer, access to webmail using DHS networks is responsible for almost half of all attempts to compromise DHS network security.” The memo explains that webmail use resulted in 14 Trojan-Horse attacks in August 2013 and 25 attacks in December 2013 on Homeland Security computer networks.
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Judicial Watch says it has obtained 693 pages of Department of Homeland Security records revealing that Secretary Jeh Johnson and 28 other agency officials used government computers to access personal web-based email accounts despite an agency-wide ban due to heightened security concerns. The documents also reveal that Homeland Security officials misled Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) when Perry specifically asked whether personal accounts were being used for official government business.
The records were obtained in response to a February 2016 court order by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia following a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit (Judicial Watch v. Department of Homeland Security (No. 1:15-cv-01772)).
The Judicial Watch lawsuit was filed in October 2015 after the Department of Homeland Security failed to comply with a July 2015 FOIA request seeking the following:
All requests (in any form) submitted by senior DHS officials for waivers to use personal Web-based email accounts on government-owned computers.
Copies of all waivers granted to senior DHS officials to use personal Web-based email accounts on government-owned computers.
Judicial Watch sought the documents following a Bloomberg News report revealing that 29 high-level Homeland Security officials, including Johnson, obtained exemptions from a February 2014 agency-wide ban on the use of web-based email systems due to increased security concerns. The waivers were granted despite security officials’ warning of the risks of malicious attacks and data exfiltration from webmail use.
Included among the records is a February 19, 2014 memorandum from security officials at the Department of Homeland Security strongly warning: “According to the Office of the Chief Information Officer, access to webmail using DHS networks is responsible for almost half of all attempts to compromise DHS network security.” The memo explains that webmail use resulted in 14 Trojan-Horse attacks in August 2013 and 25 attacks in December 2013 on Homeland Security computer networks.
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Gun Shop Sells 30,000 AR-15s in Week Following Orlando Attack
“You would have the firearm shipped to an FFL [agency] in your home state because every state is different and then we would ship that FFL firearms agency in your home state and they would be responsible to do the paperwork for you in your home state,” he said.
When Orlando Police Chief John Mina initially described the weapon used by shooter Omar Mateen as an “AR-15-style assault rifle,” media outlets ran with the classification. Several dropped “style” from the description.
It turns out, however, that the Islamic State-supporting killer was actually armed with a Sig Sauer MCX carbine during last Sunday’s attack. The semi-automatic AR-15, which is routinely confused as being a “machine gun” or fully automatic weapon, is one of the most popular rifles in the United States.
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NRA lobbyist agrees with Trump on gun-control scrutiny for terrorism watch list
Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association smoothed over a hiccup in their alliance Sunday, agreeing that the government’s terrorist watch lists are unreliable and should not be used to revoke Second Amendment rights, a position also being taken by liberal-leaning civil liberties groups not usually allied with the NRA or Mr. Trump.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee and the NRA synchronized their views as the U.S. Senate prepared to vote on Democrat-backed legislation that would do just that. The bill by Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California would ban firearm sales to people on a terrorist watch list or no-fly list. The bill is one of four gun control measures going before the Senate on Monday in response to the terrorist attack last week in Orlando.
All four measures — two Republican and two Democratic — are expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to advance. But the Orlando bloodshed and fresh calls for more gun control laws from President Obama promised to keep the issue at the forefront in Washington and on the campaign trail.
“There is not a difference between what Mr. Trump is saying and what the NRA’s position is. That’s a media-created diversion there,” NRA chief lobbyist Chris Cox said on ABC’s “This Week.”
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The presumptive Republican presidential nominee and the NRA synchronized their views as the U.S. Senate prepared to vote on Democrat-backed legislation that would do just that. The bill by Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California would ban firearm sales to people on a terrorist watch list or no-fly list. The bill is one of four gun control measures going before the Senate on Monday in response to the terrorist attack last week in Orlando.
All four measures — two Republican and two Democratic — are expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to advance. But the Orlando bloodshed and fresh calls for more gun control laws from President Obama promised to keep the issue at the forefront in Washington and on the campaign trail.
“There is not a difference between what Mr. Trump is saying and what the NRA’s position is. That’s a media-created diversion there,” NRA chief lobbyist Chris Cox said on ABC’s “This Week.”
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Judge Jeanine: 'Get a Gun' Because Our Government Isn't 'in a Position to Help'
Saturday on Fox News Channel’s “Justice,” host Judge Jeanine Pirro reacted to the FBI’s closed investigation of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen despite strong evidence he was a threat, saying the government is in no “position to help.”
“Our government is simply not doing enough with the information that it has. Federal agencies don’t always share information with local law enforcement unless there’s a joint terrorist task force,” Pirro said. “Even then, agency competition and all that goes with it hurts the investigations. Laws must be changed. We saw it when the FBI investigated the Boston bombers, and we’re too blind to connect the dots where homeland security simply allowed Tamerlan Tsarnaev to fly back and forth to Chechnya. That same FBI interviewed Mateen, the Orlando shooter, three times. Mateen told them his anti-American comments were simply a response to what he perceived as anti-Muslim comments. He was turning the tables on us, folks, while basically tapping into our politically correct, Islamophobic guilt. Part of the reason for closing his case was that Mateen was a security guard. So he must be okay. Seriously?”
Pirro later strongly urged Americans to get a gun for protection.
“I’m telling you this again. Get a gun, because this government ain’t in a position to help,” she concluded.
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“Our government is simply not doing enough with the information that it has. Federal agencies don’t always share information with local law enforcement unless there’s a joint terrorist task force,” Pirro said. “Even then, agency competition and all that goes with it hurts the investigations. Laws must be changed. We saw it when the FBI investigated the Boston bombers, and we’re too blind to connect the dots where homeland security simply allowed Tamerlan Tsarnaev to fly back and forth to Chechnya. That same FBI interviewed Mateen, the Orlando shooter, three times. Mateen told them his anti-American comments were simply a response to what he perceived as anti-Muslim comments. He was turning the tables on us, folks, while basically tapping into our politically correct, Islamophobic guilt. Part of the reason for closing his case was that Mateen was a security guard. So he must be okay. Seriously?”
Pirro later strongly urged Americans to get a gun for protection.
“I’m telling you this again. Get a gun, because this government ain’t in a position to help,” she concluded.
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Performers already spot flaws in new lottery system
“Anyone who requires a 10-by-10 space, that drawing is first,” City Clerk Diana Chavis said over the noise. Entertainers surged to the front of the room to toss their Boardwalk space lottery form into a large canvas tote basket sitting on a table.
Since the Boardwalk performer lottery system went into effect late April, this is how a typical Monday starts in City Hall. Around 9 p.m., performers filter in the room and fill out the simple form with their names and their artistic activity. At 9:30 sharp, the lottery begins for the 33 spaces, starting with 10-foot by 10-foot blocks.
When a name is called, a performer steps forward and looks at two maps: one for the weekdays spots and one for weekends. The city clerk checks to make sure the entertainer did not hold those spots a week earlier. Then Chavis records it for the city and writes it down on a form for the performer.
Last Monday saw 22 performers register for spots. Of those, 14 spaces were 100-square-feet in size.
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Clintons attack messenger, can’t touch message
'Cash' author Schweizer: 'This is another classic'
NEW YORK – In an interview with WND, investigative reporter and author of the 2012 book “Clinton Cash” Peter Schweizer disclosed that after writing his book, Bill and Hillary Clinton sought to discredit him as the messenger while ultimately failing to refute his message.
“The Clinton attack on my book, ‘Clinton Cash’ was the classic Clinton attack,” Schweizer said. “So, what the Clintons did, instead of refuting my message, the Clintons attacked me as the messenger.
He noted Clinton supporters sent out a 25-page dossier on him, calling him a crazy right-winger, with the goal of distracting from the material.
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NEW YORK – In an interview with WND, investigative reporter and author of the 2012 book “Clinton Cash” Peter Schweizer disclosed that after writing his book, Bill and Hillary Clinton sought to discredit him as the messenger while ultimately failing to refute his message.
“The Clinton attack on my book, ‘Clinton Cash’ was the classic Clinton attack,” Schweizer said. “So, what the Clintons did, instead of refuting my message, the Clintons attacked me as the messenger.
He noted Clinton supporters sent out a 25-page dossier on him, calling him a crazy right-winger, with the goal of distracting from the material.
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BREAKING NEWS ALERT Trump: "You're Fired!"
Donald J. Trump is parting ways with his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, a move that comes as the presumptive Republican nominee faces challenges as he moves toward the general election.
“The Donald J. Trump Campaign for President, which has set a historic record in the Republican primary having received almost 14 million votes, has today announced that Corey Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign,” the campaign spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in a statement. “The campaign is grateful to Corey for his hard work and dedication and we wish him the best in the future.”
Mr. Trump had faced increasing concerns from allies and donors, as well as his children, about the next phase of the campaign as he pivots toward a general election.
Source: New York Times
“The Donald J. Trump Campaign for President, which has set a historic record in the Republican primary having received almost 14 million votes, has today announced that Corey Lewandowski will no longer be working with the campaign,” the campaign spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in a statement. “The campaign is grateful to Corey for his hard work and dedication and we wish him the best in the future.”
Mr. Trump had faced increasing concerns from allies and donors, as well as his children, about the next phase of the campaign as he pivots toward a general election.
Source: New York Times
The Salvation Army Away Camp
The Salvation Army Camp Tomahawk in WV starts its first week of camp on June 27. We have eight different camp weeks to suggest, only $25 per a person per a week.
The sign ups have already started. For more information contact Natasha Edwards at 410-422-4282.
Ocean City considers transit enforcement
Weeks after a man died from injuries sustained in a fight that allegedly began on a bus, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan on Wednesday suggested designating a police officer to ride the resort’s public transportation system.
“What I was thinking that about is our buses — we are taking men off patrol and put them on the buses,” he said during this week’s Police Commission meeting. “In some areas, they have transit police. Is there a transit officer we could initiate as a seasonal officer that might not require the degree of training?”
As part of the city’s “Bus Cop” program, several undercover and uniformed officers ride the buses at the peak of the summer season to provide for drivers’ safety. Ocean City police also handle incidents of disorderly conduct, malicious destruction of property and assaults while riding from the inlet to the Delaware line.
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“What I was thinking that about is our buses — we are taking men off patrol and put them on the buses,” he said during this week’s Police Commission meeting. “In some areas, they have transit police. Is there a transit officer we could initiate as a seasonal officer that might not require the degree of training?”
As part of the city’s “Bus Cop” program, several undercover and uniformed officers ride the buses at the peak of the summer season to provide for drivers’ safety. Ocean City police also handle incidents of disorderly conduct, malicious destruction of property and assaults while riding from the inlet to the Delaware line.
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Muslim Terrorist In Ohio Takes Apartment Complex Hostage, And Then Opens Fire On American Police Officer
A Muslim terrorist in Ohio, Mohammad Laghaoui, took hostages in an apartment complex and then opened fire with an AK-47 on an officer once she arrived on the scene. The hostages were Mohammad’s father and brother. Mohammad threatened to murder his father and brother. His brother dialed 911 and Mohammad punched his father in the face and left, only to return with an AK-47. His father and brother locked Mohamamd out. He opened fire through the door and shot his father in the arm. When the officer, Deputy Katie Barnes, responded to the emergency call and arrived on the site.
That is when Mohammad opened fire on the officer. One bullet hit her gun belt and grazed her lower abdomen. “I heard two gunshots. Immediately shut the door. Hit the floor. Too close to home,” said Brianna Yarbrough, a resident at the complex. “It’s very scary, you know. I never thought i would be anywhere near anything like this.”
Mohammad fled and was later arrested when he returned to the complex at around 4:30 AM.
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That is when Mohammad opened fire on the officer. One bullet hit her gun belt and grazed her lower abdomen. “I heard two gunshots. Immediately shut the door. Hit the floor. Too close to home,” said Brianna Yarbrough, a resident at the complex. “It’s very scary, you know. I never thought i would be anywhere near anything like this.”
Mohammad fled and was later arrested when he returned to the complex at around 4:30 AM.
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Lewinsky allegedly freaked out after Clinton’s affair with VP’s daughter
President Bill Clinton had an affair with former Vice President Walter Mondale’s daughter — while multitasking with at least two mistresses in the White House — according to a tell-all by a Secret Service officer who guarded the Oval Office.
Gary J. Byrne’s account of walking in on Clinton and the gorgeous Eleanor Mondale, then a TV journalist, is the first eyewitness report of the long-rumored affair.
“There before us was E! Network host Eleanor Mondale . . . and President Clinton in a compromising position, that is, making out on the Map Room table,” Byrne writes of the alleged Christmastime tryst around the middle of Clinton’s presidency.
Mondale, who was romantically linked to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Eagles drummer Don Henley, died in 2011 of brain cancer at age 51. She had maintained she and Clinton were “just friends.”
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Gary J. Byrne’s account of walking in on Clinton and the gorgeous Eleanor Mondale, then a TV journalist, is the first eyewitness report of the long-rumored affair.
“There before us was E! Network host Eleanor Mondale . . . and President Clinton in a compromising position, that is, making out on the Map Room table,” Byrne writes of the alleged Christmastime tryst around the middle of Clinton’s presidency.
Mondale, who was romantically linked to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Eagles drummer Don Henley, died in 2011 of brain cancer at age 51. She had maintained she and Clinton were “just friends.”
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McCARRAN-WALTER ACT OF 1952
Here's an interesting historic fact that would seem to indicate that many, if not most, of the people we elect to go to Washington don't have the slightest idea of what laws already exist.
I did not know of this until now. It's been law for over 60 years....
Isn't this interesting!
Interesting Bit of Legislative History - MacCarran Walter Act of 1952
Trump was recently severely criticized for suggesting that the U.S. should limit or temporarily suspend the immigration of certain ethnic groups, nationalities, and even people of certain religions (Muslims). The criticisms condemned such a suggestion as, among other things, being “Un-American,” dumb, stupid, reckless, dangerous and racist. Congressmen and Senators swore that they would never allow such legislation, and the president called such a prohibition on immigration unconstitutional.
As Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise, Surprise!” It seems that the selective immigration ban is already law and has been applied on several occasions. Known as the McCarran-Walter Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 allows for the "Suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by president. Whenever the president finds that the entry of aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, the president may, by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or non-immigrants or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.
The act was utilized by Jimmy Carter, no less, in 1979 to keep Iranians out of the United States, but he actually did more. He made all Iranian students already here check in, and then he deported a bunch. Seven thousand were found in violation of their visas, 15,000 Iranians were forced to leave the United States in 1979.
It is of note that the act requires that an applicant for immigration must be of good moral character and "attached to the principles of the Constitution.”
Since the Quran forbids Muslims to swear allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, technically, all Muslims should be refused immigration.
I did not know of this until now. It's been law for over 60 years....
Isn't this interesting!
Interesting Bit of Legislative History - MacCarran Walter Act of 1952
Trump was recently severely criticized for suggesting that the U.S. should limit or temporarily suspend the immigration of certain ethnic groups, nationalities, and even people of certain religions (Muslims). The criticisms condemned such a suggestion as, among other things, being “Un-American,” dumb, stupid, reckless, dangerous and racist. Congressmen and Senators swore that they would never allow such legislation, and the president called such a prohibition on immigration unconstitutional.
As Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise, Surprise!” It seems that the selective immigration ban is already law and has been applied on several occasions. Known as the McCarran-Walter Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 allows for the "Suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by president. Whenever the president finds that the entry of aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, the president may, by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or non-immigrants or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.
The act was utilized by Jimmy Carter, no less, in 1979 to keep Iranians out of the United States, but he actually did more. He made all Iranian students already here check in, and then he deported a bunch. Seven thousand were found in violation of their visas, 15,000 Iranians were forced to leave the United States in 1979.
It is of note that the act requires that an applicant for immigration must be of good moral character and "attached to the principles of the Constitution.”
Since the Quran forbids Muslims to swear allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, technically, all Muslims should be refused immigration.
County, city split West OC fire/EMS service
Public safety services provided by Ocean City to its unincorporated neighbor West Ocean City have been part of the conversation between local and county officials for years, as the resort government has long argued for a reduced tax rate for its property owners.
Fire and ambulance emergency response to West Ocean City is perhaps the most expensive service, though much of it is provided by the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company. The OCVFC, which has a station on Keyser Point Road, is the only service foothold in the area. However, Ocean City provides supplementary services for a price.
There’s no absolute way to determine how much resort taxpayers contribute to cover the cost of serving West Ocean City properties, since it depends on which agency answers the call.
Outside of Ocean City, the volunteer fire company’s jurisdiction goes from the Route 50 bridge west to Holly Grove Road, south on Assateague Road and north of Keyser Point Road, according to Worcester Emergency Services Director Fred Webster. But in some cases the Ocean City Fire Department, which is supported by city taxpayers, respond to emergencies across the bridge.
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Fire and ambulance emergency response to West Ocean City is perhaps the most expensive service, though much of it is provided by the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company. The OCVFC, which has a station on Keyser Point Road, is the only service foothold in the area. However, Ocean City provides supplementary services for a price.
There’s no absolute way to determine how much resort taxpayers contribute to cover the cost of serving West Ocean City properties, since it depends on which agency answers the call.
Outside of Ocean City, the volunteer fire company’s jurisdiction goes from the Route 50 bridge west to Holly Grove Road, south on Assateague Road and north of Keyser Point Road, according to Worcester Emergency Services Director Fred Webster. But in some cases the Ocean City Fire Department, which is supported by city taxpayers, respond to emergencies across the bridge.
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Trump: Obama Is Trying to Make Terrorism into Guns
“This is terrorism,” GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump said Friday of Islamic terror attacks in the United States, as he slammed President Barack Obama for “trying to make terrorism into guns.”
Trump referenced the Islamic terror attack that left 14 people dead and more than 20 injured in San Bernardino, California saying, “It’s a radicalization like nobody has ever seen before … it’s a deep-seated hatred and President Obama is trying to make terrorism into guns, and it’s not guns folks, it is not guns, it is not guns. This is terrorism.”
“Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the second amendment essentially,” Trump added with regard to Sunday’s deadly Islamic terror attack in Orlando, Florida. The Muslim shooter killed 49 people and injured at least 53 more at a gay nightclub in the early morning hours. It was deemed the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.
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Trump referenced the Islamic terror attack that left 14 people dead and more than 20 injured in San Bernardino, California saying, “It’s a radicalization like nobody has ever seen before … it’s a deep-seated hatred and President Obama is trying to make terrorism into guns, and it’s not guns folks, it is not guns, it is not guns. This is terrorism.”
“Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the second amendment essentially,” Trump added with regard to Sunday’s deadly Islamic terror attack in Orlando, Florida. The Muslim shooter killed 49 people and injured at least 53 more at a gay nightclub in the early morning hours. It was deemed the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.
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Overdose deaths outnumber fatal auto crashes in county
While the data points don’t exactly match — the most recent information available from the MVA is from 2013 with newer numbers expected later this year — the numbers show clear trends.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released a report of drug and alcohol related deaths within the state last week. In Worcester, 16 people died in 2015 from drug- and alcohol-related causes. Statewide, 1,259 people died from drug and alcohol intoxication in 2015, according to the report.
Of those, the report states, 86 percent involved opioids. Opioid-related deaths increased 23 percent between 2014 and 2015, and have more than doubled since 2010, according to the report.
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BREAKING: Texas Gov. Calls For “Convention of the States” to Stop Barack H. Obama
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott led the charge in court against President Obama’s amnesty program for illegal aliens. Now, he’s joining the fight on another front, pushing a “convention of the states” proposal that has gained momentum in Obama’s second term as many conservatives attempt to rein in the federal government.
The proposal aims to invoke Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose new amendments to the founding document.
On Friday, Abbott officially called for just such a convention to seize power from a federal government that is out of control and return it to the states. He called his proposed amendments “The Texas Plan.”
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The proposal aims to invoke Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose new amendments to the founding document.
On Friday, Abbott officially called for just such a convention to seize power from a federal government that is out of control and return it to the states. He called his proposed amendments “The Texas Plan.”
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Hillary's Temperament
Click on More to view quotes. WARNING, foul language.
Closing Arguments Expected Today In Goodson Trial
Goodson is charged with the death in April of last year for Freddie Gray.
Judge Barry Williams hasn’t given lawyers any time limits for their closing arguments, but since this is a bench trial, like Officer Edward Nero’s trial last month, expect Judge Williams to interrupt lawyers with questions on their arguments.
The questions might offer a clue as to how the judge might rule on this case.
In the Nero trial, Williams spent more time questioning prosecutors and later found Nero not guilty on all for charges.
Last week, when he dismissed a defense motion to dismiss the charges, the judge said it was a close call on the most serious charge, second degree murder, depraved heart.
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Net Neutrality Survives For Today, But The Legal Battle Is Far From Over By Kate Cox June 14, 2016
The metaphorical ink on today’s mammoth 184-page ruling upholding net neutrality was barely even dry before everyone with a stake in the matter came out swinging with statements. And while the decision earned praise from consumer advocates and some lawmakers, the telecom industry has vowed to continue the fight.
Bertrand Piccard just took off to start the Atlantic Crossing
Watch this historical moment as it unfolds on solarimpulse.com.
Watch it LIVE
Sears Holdings Cares More About Wall Street Than About Customers, And That’s Why It’s Doomed
Eddie Lampert, the manifesto-writing hedge fund manager who runs Sears Holdings, the company that owns Sears and Kmart, doesn’t understand retail. That’s isn’t always a bad thing in a manager: sometimes leaders with fresh perspective bring in fresh ideas. For Sears and Kmart, it’s meant over a decade of no investment in the company and the slowest liquidation and dismantling in retail history.
Private Healthcare Providers Are Making Big Bucks Contracting With Prisons
When you think of big business, you probably think of an industry like banking, but it turns out that one of the bigger businesses out there happens to be prisons — both private and federal. While we already know that financial institutions benefit from others, collecting tens of millions of dollars every year from inmates’ families in fees for basic financial services, the healthcare industry has also found a veritable goldmine by contracting services to prisons and jails across the country.
