DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Childcare costs skyrocket after minimum wage hike passes
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - Thanks to Washington voters, folks making minimum wage will soon be getting more money, but will some see that money evaporate as child care costs skyrocket?
At least one local daycare says it will pass those pay increases on to the families with kids.
We heard from one mother today who will be paying $300 more a month for childcare.
Before her phone call, it's something we hadn't thought of - and, apparently, some voters hadn't either.
Parents that bring their children to Advent Lutheran Child Center here in Spokane Valley recieved quite the shock this week when they were told that the pay increase to the workers will be coming out of their pockets.
Heidi Perry, director of Advent Child Care, explained that many parents were not happy with the idea of the cost increase. "I think there was a little bit of sticker shock. I had a lot of parents who walked into the office last night or this morning and say 'am I reading this right?' And I said yes you are."
Perry spoke with one parent who voted in favor of the initiative not realizing that it would affect child care.
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At least one local daycare says it will pass those pay increases on to the families with kids.
We heard from one mother today who will be paying $300 more a month for childcare.
Before her phone call, it's something we hadn't thought of - and, apparently, some voters hadn't either.
Parents that bring their children to Advent Lutheran Child Center here in Spokane Valley recieved quite the shock this week when they were told that the pay increase to the workers will be coming out of their pockets.
Heidi Perry, director of Advent Child Care, explained that many parents were not happy with the idea of the cost increase. "I think there was a little bit of sticker shock. I had a lot of parents who walked into the office last night or this morning and say 'am I reading this right?' And I said yes you are."
Perry spoke with one parent who voted in favor of the initiative not realizing that it would affect child care.
More
SUPER BINGO This Saturday
Saturday, November 19, 2016
at the Willards Lions Club
on Main St in Willards, MD
Doors Open at 5 pm
Early bird games at 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm, and 6:30 pm
Regular games begin at 7 pm
Over $3,500 in guaranteed prize money
Admission Pack Includes: 9 cards for 20 games of Regular Bingo paying a guaranteed $125 each, and 1 U-Pick card with 4 chances to win a guaranteed $1,000
50/50 Smoke Break Games
Additional 9 card packs and other bingo games will be available for sale
Kitchen will be open with assorted food and desserts
Free Thanksgiving dinner with paid admission
Tickets are $35
There are no advance ticket sales
all ticket sales will be at the door
Hillary Clinton looks for excuses, ignores Democratic Party failings
What a difference an election makes. Hillary Clinton and her team need to decide on a brand new slogan now that “I’m with her” means you’re an unemployed sycophant.
Having been crushed by Donald Trump making presidential elections great again, Hillary may want to inaugurate the less optimistic “It’s not her fault!” slogan, which is already echoing through her campaign, media, the Democratic Party, and safe-space dorm rooms everywhere.
During a conference call with donors the Saturday after the election, the wife of Monica Lewinsky’s ex-boyfriend blamed FBI Director James M. Comey for her embarrassing and decisive loss to Mr. Trump.
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Having been crushed by Donald Trump making presidential elections great again, Hillary may want to inaugurate the less optimistic “It’s not her fault!” slogan, which is already echoing through her campaign, media, the Democratic Party, and safe-space dorm rooms everywhere.
During a conference call with donors the Saturday after the election, the wife of Monica Lewinsky’s ex-boyfriend blamed FBI Director James M. Comey for her embarrassing and decisive loss to Mr. Trump.
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11 Very Depressing Economic Realities That Donald Trump Will Inherit From Barack Obama
It would be a grave mistake to understate the amount of damage that has been done to the U.S. economy over the past eight years. In this article, I am going to share some economic numbers with you that are extremely sobering. Anyone that takes a cold, hard, honest look at the numbers should be able to see that our economy is in terrible shape. Unfortunately, the way that we see things is often clouded by our political views. Up until the election, Democrats were far more likely then Republicans to believe that the economy was improving, but now that is in the process of completely reversing. According toGallup, only 16 percent of Republicans believed that the economy was getting better before the election, but that number has suddenly jumped to 49 percent after Trump’s election victory. And the percentage of Democrats that believe that the economy is getting better fell from 61 percent to 46 percent after the election. Here are some additional details from Gallup…
After Trump won last week’s election, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents now have a much more optimistic view of the U.S. economy’s outlook than they did before the election. Just 16% of Republicans said the economy was getting better in the week before the election, while 81% said it was getting worse. Since the election, 49% say it is getting better and 44% worse.
Conversely, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents’ confidence in the economy plummeted after the election. Before the election, 61% of Democrats said the economy was getting better and 35% worse. Now, Democrats are evenly divided, with 46% saying it is getting better and 47% saying it is getting worse.
The truth, of course, is that the result of the election did not somehow magically alter the outlook for the U.S. economy.
We still have a giant mess on our hands, and the following are 11 very depressing economic realities that Donald Trump will inherit from Barack Obama…
#1 Nearly 7 out of every 10 Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. That means that about two-thirds of the country is essentially living paycheck to paycheck at this moment.
More
After Trump won last week’s election, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents now have a much more optimistic view of the U.S. economy’s outlook than they did before the election. Just 16% of Republicans said the economy was getting better in the week before the election, while 81% said it was getting worse. Since the election, 49% say it is getting better and 44% worse.
Conversely, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents’ confidence in the economy plummeted after the election. Before the election, 61% of Democrats said the economy was getting better and 35% worse. Now, Democrats are evenly divided, with 46% saying it is getting better and 47% saying it is getting worse.
The truth, of course, is that the result of the election did not somehow magically alter the outlook for the U.S. economy.
We still have a giant mess on our hands, and the following are 11 very depressing economic realities that Donald Trump will inherit from Barack Obama…
#1 Nearly 7 out of every 10 Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. That means that about two-thirds of the country is essentially living paycheck to paycheck at this moment.
More
$34M OC Convention Center Expansion Approved By Council; More Exhibit Space Planned For Facility
OCEAN CITY — Citing a need to gain a competitive edge over similar facilities in the region and increase the economic impact, Ocean City officials this week agreed to move forward with the next major expansion of the Roland E. Powell Convention Center with an estimated price tag of around $34 million.
The Mayor and Council on Tuesday approved the next step in the convention center expansion process when they voted unanimously to request state funding for the matching share of the project through the Maryland Stadium Authority, which partners with Ocean City on the ever-expanding facility. The proposed expansion would add 30,000 square feet of exhibit space on the north side of the facility that would tie into the existing Exhibit Halls A and B, bringing total square footage to 80,000 square feet.
The expanded space could be used alone for a single event, or opened up with the other adjacent exhibit halls to create a larger space. Also included in the proposed expansion are new restrooms on the west side of the existing convention center along with expanded meeting rooms and a business center.
The total cost of the project is $34 million, of which the state is requested to fund 60 percent, or $20.4 million. The town’s share would be 40 percent, or roughly $13.6 million, which would be funded by the one cent added to the food tax in Ocean City. Several years ago, state lawmakers allowed one cent to be added to the food tax in Ocean City with the revenue earmarked for convention center expansions.
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Democrats Post Election Losses: 'This Is Not Fun Anymore'
Democrats are saying “this is not fun anymore” after monumental losses on Election Day, which saw Republicans take the House, Senate, and the presidency.
The Washington Post highlighted infighting among Democrats in the House of Representatives, with younger members contemplating a challenge to their Party’s aging leaders.
“For years now, there has been a problematic lack of upward mobility for younger Democrats,” the paper wrote in its Daily 202 newsletter Wednesday. “Consider: The top three Democrats in leadership are 76 (Pelosi), 77 (Steny Hoyer) and 76 (Jim Clyburn). The top three Republican leaders, in contrast, are 46 (Paul Ryan), 51 (Kevin McCarthy) and 51 (Steve Scalise).”
The Post said a “generational divide fuels nascent Democratic revolt in House,” as members might try to oust Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.).
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The Washington Post highlighted infighting among Democrats in the House of Representatives, with younger members contemplating a challenge to their Party’s aging leaders.
“For years now, there has been a problematic lack of upward mobility for younger Democrats,” the paper wrote in its Daily 202 newsletter Wednesday. “Consider: The top three Democrats in leadership are 76 (Pelosi), 77 (Steny Hoyer) and 76 (Jim Clyburn). The top three Republican leaders, in contrast, are 46 (Paul Ryan), 51 (Kevin McCarthy) and 51 (Steve Scalise).”
The Post said a “generational divide fuels nascent Democratic revolt in House,” as members might try to oust Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.).
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Half of Americans More Confident in Trump Since Election
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults say they are "more confident" in President-elect Donald Trump's ability to serve as president based on his statements and actions over the past few days. The percentage "more confident" in Trump a few days after his election is similar to ratings when Bill Clinton and George W. Bush won their respective elections in 1992 and 2000.
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Laura Ingraham: Steve Bannon Ran Campaign 'That Beat The Clintons, The Obamas, And The Bushes'
On Monday’s On The Record with host Tucker Carlson, conservative radio host and author Laura Ingraham said she would “seriously consider” becoming President-Elect Donald Trump’s press secretary if offered the position and defended chief strategist Steve Bannon against the media smear campaign.
Asked if she would take the position of White House press secretary if offered the position, Ingraham said she may.
“I have my company, Lifezette, radio, Fox. I write a bunch of books. It’s a big decision, but I’m at the point where if my country needs me and if I can do something to actually, you know, advance the Trump agenda which is stuff I have written about now for 15 years, trade, immigration and renewing America, then I obviously have to seriously consider that.”
Carlson asked if rumored hawkish Cabinet picks would signal a change in the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
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Asked if she would take the position of White House press secretary if offered the position, Ingraham said she may.
“I have my company, Lifezette, radio, Fox. I write a bunch of books. It’s a big decision, but I’m at the point where if my country needs me and if I can do something to actually, you know, advance the Trump agenda which is stuff I have written about now for 15 years, trade, immigration and renewing America, then I obviously have to seriously consider that.”
Carlson asked if rumored hawkish Cabinet picks would signal a change in the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
More
Ex-Md. governor O’Malley not running for DNC chair
In a statement, O’Malley said that the DNC needs a chair who can “do the job fully and with total impartiality.”
Since the election, O’Malley said that he has been approached by many Democrats who urged him to consider running for the position.
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Red-light camera exec gets $2M fine, 30 months in prison for bribery scam
The former CEO of a red-light camera firm who bribed officials in two states got her own chance last week to appear before a judge, who doubled her prison time to 30 months and imposed a $2 million fine.
Karen Finley, former chief executive of Redflex Traffic Systems, was found guilty of paying off a Chicago official to help the company win contracts to install the cameras, which catch and ticket speeders, at traffic lights. She was already serving a 14-month sentence for her role in a similar scheme in Ohio when the federal judge threw the book at her Thursday.
Finley paid off John Bills, the No. 2 official in Chicago’s Transportation Department, to steer tens of millions of dollars in contracts to Redflex, which is based in Australia and has U.S. headquarters in Arizona. Bills, who rose to his position from street lamp maintenance man over a 30-year career, was sentenced in August to 10 years in federal prison.
A pal of Bills’, Martin “Marty” O’Malley, also received a six-month sentence. He was put on the RedFlex payroll as part of the scam, according to prosecutors.
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Karen Finley, former chief executive of Redflex Traffic Systems, was found guilty of paying off a Chicago official to help the company win contracts to install the cameras, which catch and ticket speeders, at traffic lights. She was already serving a 14-month sentence for her role in a similar scheme in Ohio when the federal judge threw the book at her Thursday.
Finley paid off John Bills, the No. 2 official in Chicago’s Transportation Department, to steer tens of millions of dollars in contracts to Redflex, which is based in Australia and has U.S. headquarters in Arizona. Bills, who rose to his position from street lamp maintenance man over a 30-year career, was sentenced in August to 10 years in federal prison.
A pal of Bills’, Martin “Marty” O’Malley, also received a six-month sentence. He was put on the RedFlex payroll as part of the scam, according to prosecutors.
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Minnesota Officer Charged With Manslaughter In Castile Death
St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez shot the 32-year-old during a July 6 traffic stop in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights. Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, was in the car along with her young daughter at the time. The woman said Castile was shot several times while reaching for his ID after telling Yanez he had a gun permit and was armed.
Yanez’s attorney, Tom Kelly, has said Yanez, who is Latino, was reacting to the presence of a gun, and that one reason Yanez pulled Castile over was because he thought he looked like a possible match for an armed robbery suspect.
But family members claimed Castile, an elementary school cafeteria worker, was racially profiled.
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Arabic Translator: Muslim Migrants Secretly Hate Christians, Seek to Outbreed Them
A translator who has lived in Germany since the 1990s has revealed that Muslim migrants believe “Germany should be Islamised”, and loathe their hosts, according to a new report.
Working with asylum seekers in migrant centres, the 39 year old translator says she learnt that Muslims seek to “destroy” Christians, through having more children, and preach hatred towards people of other faiths.
Catholic website Kath.net, which has been looking into reports that Christians are discriminated against in German refugee camps, arranged a meeting with the Eritrean after being contacted by a German politician aware of the Catholic news agency’s work.
Grateful for the “open-minded reception and support” she was given by Germany after arriving as a refugee in 1991, the woman began to volunteer in asylum centres five years ago to “give something back”.
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Working with asylum seekers in migrant centres, the 39 year old translator says she learnt that Muslims seek to “destroy” Christians, through having more children, and preach hatred towards people of other faiths.
Catholic website Kath.net, which has been looking into reports that Christians are discriminated against in German refugee camps, arranged a meeting with the Eritrean after being contacted by a German politician aware of the Catholic news agency’s work.
Grateful for the “open-minded reception and support” she was given by Germany after arriving as a refugee in 1991, the woman began to volunteer in asylum centres five years ago to “give something back”.
More
UPDATED: State Police Conducting Death Investigation, Millsboro
**Update** State Police Detectives Conducting Homicide Investigation, Millsboro
Millsboro – The Delaware State Police have identified the deceased victim located partially in the roadway on West Monroe Street as Darrin T. Gibbs, 30 of Millsboro.
At approximately 11:50 p.m. Wednesday November 16, 2016, Millsboro Police Department responded to the area of West Monroe Street and Houston Street after a 9-1-1 call was placed reporting a male victim unconscious and laying partially in the roadway. Sussex County Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene and pronounced the victim dead.
An autopsy conducted this afternoon by the Delaware Division of Forensic Science revealed the manner and cause of death to be a homicide by gunshot wound.
Delaware State Police Homicide Detectives were contacted at the request of Millsboro Police Department and have assumed the investigation into this incident. Detectives are continuing their investigation by conducting interviews and collecting evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident.
No suspect information has been developed at this time.
If anyone has any information in reference to this incident they are asked to contact Detective M. Csapo at 302-698-8427. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”
Click 'Read More' below to see the original press release
Health department investigates case of TB at Md. high school
The Charles County Department of Health confirmed that a student at La Plata High School has tuberculosis and is working with the county’s school system to identify others who should receive TB testing due to a prolonged exposure to the student.
Those who have been exposed will receive notification of their risk and can get tested for free.
La Plata High School sent letters to parents about the case of tuberculosis.
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Detectives Seek Publics Assistance in Locating a Missing Dagsboro Woman
Detectives are looking for Courtney Marie Finnell, 32, who was last seen by her family on Thursday September 1, 2016 after she left her mother's residence in Millsboro and hasn't been seen or heard from since. Courtney is currently homeless and may be in the Millsboro or Dagsboro area. There is a concern for Finnell's well-being.
Courtney Finnell is described as being 5’08” tall, 150 lbs., with brown hair and green eyes.
If anyone has any information in reference to her whereabouts they are asked to contact Detective M. Doughty at 302-752-3794. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”
Salvation Army Football!
On Monday, November 21, 2016, 6:00pm at the Benny Riddick Stadium Salvation Army Football Field the junior league will be playing for the Championship! These boys have been practicing and playing since the heat wave in August, and Monday night the the junior Bulldogs and Yellowjackets will have their final game in the frigid temps! These young boys have put all their heart, effort and sweat into their team sport, and the coaches have led by example! There is a small fee of $3 to enter the stadium. There is also a concession stand available. I do not work for the salvation army, but have friends and family whose children are playing, and would love to see those bleachers packed under those lights, and let those boys see that their community supports them! Hope to see a crowd there for Monday Night Football in Salisbury, MD!
Student protesters may face consequences, Montgomery Co. schools chief says
In a video message released Wednesday evening, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith said he is “asking and expecting all students to remain in school and participate in the daily educational program as intended.”
If students don’t comply, “they may be subjected to the regular disciplinary actions that align with whatever infraction is involved,” he said.
In the video, Smith said recent protests “have unfortunately generated valid concerns regarding the security of our students outside of our schools.”
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Pizza shop customer shoots 2 robbers, killing 1
A pizza shop customer shot and killed one robber and injured another after they tried to hold up the restaurant Tuesday night, Pennsylvania officials said.
The incident took place at Porfirio's Pizza and Pasta in Levittown, about 25 miles northeast of Philadelphia.
Police said the customer shot both men after they allegedly pistol-whipped him.
“The two male robbers apparently told the employees and the customer to get on the ground. They began pistol-whipping the customer. At that point, the customer produced a handgun and shot both of the robbers,” Middletown police Chief Joseph Bartorilla said.
One of the robbery suspects was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot in the chest. The second was in serious condition after suffering injuries in the neck and shoulder. The robber was being transferred to a hospital in Philadelphia, according to Levittown Now.
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The incident took place at Porfirio's Pizza and Pasta in Levittown, about 25 miles northeast of Philadelphia.
Police said the customer shot both men after they allegedly pistol-whipped him.
“The two male robbers apparently told the employees and the customer to get on the ground. They began pistol-whipping the customer. At that point, the customer produced a handgun and shot both of the robbers,” Middletown police Chief Joseph Bartorilla said.
One of the robbery suspects was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot in the chest. The second was in serious condition after suffering injuries in the neck and shoulder. The robber was being transferred to a hospital in Philadelphia, according to Levittown Now.
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Uber Could End Business in Maryland
This really could end up affecting everyday people who rely on uber, because the company says if the state forces them to follow these new guidelines they’re just going to pack up and leave.
Uber is preparing for a battle with Maryland as the state gets ready to force 30,000 of the ride sharing companies drivers to go through more background checks. Which includes getting their fingerprints taken just like taxi drivers.
Experts say that step would weed out anyone who’s lying about who they really are.
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Let's See Who Gets It
Government spies on 95 percent of holiday credit card purchases, senator warns
“They know what you bought,” said Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga. “They know what you paid for it with – if you paid with a credit card or debit card.”
In other words, Macy’s knows you bought mom that vase, and so do government regulators.
But bureaucrats overseeing the project say it’s not that simple.
‘Rogue agency’
This is a major operation.
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VIDEO: Flags Removed, Torn Up by Brown U. Students Before Veterans Day
Students at Brown University tore up and threw away Veterans Day flags that were placed on campus last week to honor those who have served our nation.
Video of the incident was posted to Facebook by a student at the Providence, Rhode Island, campus before an annual Veterans Day ceremony.
Nicholas Strada wrote: "Today was a sad day. ... Hundreds of flags were set up on the main green of Brown University by 2 VETERANS in honor of Veterans Day tomorrow, and when i got out of class, people had snapped them, ripped them, and threw them aside (in the video)."
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Video of the incident was posted to Facebook by a student at the Providence, Rhode Island, campus before an annual Veterans Day ceremony.
Nicholas Strada wrote: "Today was a sad day. ... Hundreds of flags were set up on the main green of Brown University by 2 VETERANS in honor of Veterans Day tomorrow, and when i got out of class, people had snapped them, ripped them, and threw them aside (in the video)."
More
Troopers Investigating Shots Fired Complaint Near Seaford
The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday November 16, 2016 as troopers responded to the area of Church Road and Concord Pond Road for a report of shots fired in the area. When troopers arrived, they were contacted by some residents who advised there were multiple gunshots that were fired in the direction of their houses. Shell casings were located on the roadway and one of the victim's vehicles sustained a bullet hole.
A home surveillance camera captured what appeared to be a dark colored pick up truck in the area at the time of the gunshots (See attached).
This case remains under investigation at this time and the Delaware State Police is requesting any information regarding this incident to contact Detective J. Jones at 302-752-3795. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”
War On Cash Intensifies: Citibank To Stop Accepting Cash At Some Branches
Less than a week after India’s surprise move to scrap its highest denomination cash notes, another front in the War on Cash has intensified down under in Australia.
Yesterday, banking giant UBS proposed that eliminating Australia’s $100 and $50 bills would be “good for the economy and good for the banks.”
(How convenient that a bank would propose something that’s good for banks!)
This isn’t the first time that the financial establishment has pushed for a cashless society in Australia (or anywhere else).
In September 2015, Australian bank Westpac published its “Cash Free Report”, suggesting that the country would become cashless by 2022.
In July 2016, Australian payments firm Tyro published an enormously self-serving blog post touting the benefits of a cashless society and saying, “it’s only a matter of time.”
Most notably, two days ago, Citibank (yes, THAT Citibank) announced that it was going cashless at some of its Australian branches.
The media and political establishments have chimed in as well.
More
Yesterday, banking giant UBS proposed that eliminating Australia’s $100 and $50 bills would be “good for the economy and good for the banks.”
(How convenient that a bank would propose something that’s good for banks!)
This isn’t the first time that the financial establishment has pushed for a cashless society in Australia (or anywhere else).
In September 2015, Australian bank Westpac published its “Cash Free Report”, suggesting that the country would become cashless by 2022.
In July 2016, Australian payments firm Tyro published an enormously self-serving blog post touting the benefits of a cashless society and saying, “it’s only a matter of time.”
Most notably, two days ago, Citibank (yes, THAT Citibank) announced that it was going cashless at some of its Australian branches.
The media and political establishments have chimed in as well.
More
North Carolina foster parents who featured on 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' gave AWAY their five children after getting the home of their dreams
A North Carolina couple who featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition have been accused of kicking their five adopted children out of the home the TV show built for them.
Devonda and James Friday were given a 3,900-square-foot home near Charlotte in December 2012 as part of the popular renovation show.
The couple, who already had two children in their care, were selected for the home makeover having just adopted an additional five young siblings so they did not have to live in separate foster homes.
The show recruited 3,000 volunteers to help renovate their house with extra rooms after the couple had converted their carport into a makeshift bedroom to make room for everyone.
But the two eldest children of the five adopted siblings, Kamaya and Chris Friday, who are now adults, have claimed their adopted parents kicked them out soon after the show aired, WSOC-TV reports.
More
Devonda and James Friday were given a 3,900-square-foot home near Charlotte in December 2012 as part of the popular renovation show.
The couple, who already had two children in their care, were selected for the home makeover having just adopted an additional five young siblings so they did not have to live in separate foster homes.
The show recruited 3,000 volunteers to help renovate their house with extra rooms after the couple had converted their carport into a makeshift bedroom to make room for everyone.
But the two eldest children of the five adopted siblings, Kamaya and Chris Friday, who are now adults, have claimed their adopted parents kicked them out soon after the show aired, WSOC-TV reports.
More
Celebrate Great American Smokeout on November 17, 2016 TODAY
(Salisbury, MD) Every year on the third Thursday of November, the Great American Smokeout challenges people who smoke to stop using tobacco and educates about the many tools they can use to help them quit and stay quit. Smokers across the nation use the date as the start of a long-term quit attempt or to practice quitting for a day.
The American Cancer Society started the Great American Smokeout in the 1970s. Each year, this event draws attention to the deaths and chronic diseases caused by smoking. Because of this and many other efforts in education and policy, the adult smoking rate in the United States has decreased from 37.4% in the 1970s to 12% in 2014 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
In celebration of the Great American Smokeout, the Wicomico County Health Department will offer stop smoking kits at the following Health Department locations: the Fritz building at 300 W Carroll Street, Salisbury, MD 21801 and the Hurdle building at 108 E Main Street, Salisbury, MD 21801. Take advantage of trying to quit with thousands of others across the nation; pick up a stop smoking kit and quit for the day….it could be the first of many!
For on-going support, The Wicomico County Health Department offers stop smoking classes every Thursday at noon in its E Main Street location. The program offers free education and support. Participants are eligible to receive FREE quit smoking medications including nicotine replacement patches, nicotine lozenges, or Chantix. Anyone who lives or works in Wicomico County may participate. Confidential one-on-one counseling is also available, including for pregnant women.
For more information about the Great American Smokeout or the stop smoking program, call (410) 334-3480 or visit www.wicomicohealth.org.
The American Cancer Society started the Great American Smokeout in the 1970s. Each year, this event draws attention to the deaths and chronic diseases caused by smoking. Because of this and many other efforts in education and policy, the adult smoking rate in the United States has decreased from 37.4% in the 1970s to 12% in 2014 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
In celebration of the Great American Smokeout, the Wicomico County Health Department will offer stop smoking kits at the following Health Department locations: the Fritz building at 300 W Carroll Street, Salisbury, MD 21801 and the Hurdle building at 108 E Main Street, Salisbury, MD 21801. Take advantage of trying to quit with thousands of others across the nation; pick up a stop smoking kit and quit for the day….it could be the first of many!
For on-going support, The Wicomico County Health Department offers stop smoking classes every Thursday at noon in its E Main Street location. The program offers free education and support. Participants are eligible to receive FREE quit smoking medications including nicotine replacement patches, nicotine lozenges, or Chantix. Anyone who lives or works in Wicomico County may participate. Confidential one-on-one counseling is also available, including for pregnant women.
For more information about the Great American Smokeout or the stop smoking program, call (410) 334-3480 or visit www.wicomicohealth.org.
Nationwide Effort to Make College Campuses Safe Zones for Undocumented Students
BALTIMORE (WJZ)– Donald Trump’s promise to deport illegal immigrants has heightened fears amongst foreign students. That’s sparked a nationwide effort to make college campuses safe zones for undocumented students.
The sanctuary campus movement has spread to more than 100 schools across the country, including a few in Maryland.
Comments from the president-elect sparked fears.
“It’s scary. This whole situation has been very scary,” said Towson University student Maria Centeno.
Centeno was brought to the U.S. as a baby and worries everything she’s worked for could disappear.
“This is my home. My friends are here. I grew up here,” said Centeno.
More
The sanctuary campus movement has spread to more than 100 schools across the country, including a few in Maryland.
Comments from the president-elect sparked fears.
“It’s scary. This whole situation has been very scary,” said Towson University student Maria Centeno.
Centeno was brought to the U.S. as a baby and worries everything she’s worked for could disappear.
“This is my home. My friends are here. I grew up here,” said Centeno.
More
Obama, Clinton, And Sanders Could Stop The Riots But They Just Watch
Is it just me or have you also noticed that Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and President Obama have been silent about the protests?
The very people who have the power to stop these protests and riots with just a few well-spoken words have been completely silent on the issue.
Hillary Clinton
During her concession speech, Clinton said, “We must accept this result, and then look to the future. … Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.”
After that, she has been mum on the entire thing.
Hillary Clinton could have asked her followers to stop this nonsense, and they probably would have listened out of respect for her. (Misplaced respect but that’s a whole different article.) Instead, her silence makes me think that she is hidden away, relishing the chaos. That she has done nothing to attempt to calm the situation underlines the fact that she was not fit to govern. A leader would look out for the best interests of a country they love, rather than watching from afar to apply balm to her wounded ego.
Instead, her Twitter is full of Bible quotes (huh?) and mentions nary a word about the protests. It has not been updated since the day after her failed bid.
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders, the one from whom the Democratic primary was fraudulently stolen, the one who backed up Hillary Clinton anyway, has also been uncharacteristically silent, especially for an aging peace-and-love hippie kind of guy.
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The very people who have the power to stop these protests and riots with just a few well-spoken words have been completely silent on the issue.
Hillary Clinton
During her concession speech, Clinton said, “We must accept this result, and then look to the future. … Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.”
After that, she has been mum on the entire thing.
Hillary Clinton could have asked her followers to stop this nonsense, and they probably would have listened out of respect for her. (Misplaced respect but that’s a whole different article.) Instead, her silence makes me think that she is hidden away, relishing the chaos. That she has done nothing to attempt to calm the situation underlines the fact that she was not fit to govern. A leader would look out for the best interests of a country they love, rather than watching from afar to apply balm to her wounded ego.
Instead, her Twitter is full of Bible quotes (huh?) and mentions nary a word about the protests. It has not been updated since the day after her failed bid.
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders, the one from whom the Democratic primary was fraudulently stolen, the one who backed up Hillary Clinton anyway, has also been uncharacteristically silent, especially for an aging peace-and-love hippie kind of guy.
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Obama twists the knife in Hillary Clinton's disastrous campaign
Hillary Clinton's allegedly tense and stormy relationship with President Obama is likely to become a lot more complicated now that the commander in chief is out publicly criticizing her disastrous 2016 campaign.
The failed presidential candidate's greatest mistake was that she ceded white rural voters to her opponent, Donald Trump, Obama told reporters this week.
The former secretary of state and her campaign team focused all of their time and energy on targeting urban areas, while ignoring voters in surrounding rural territories, many of whom had supported Obama. In certain states — Wisconsin, for example — she did not even bother to campaign because polling showed that she was far ahead.
For Obama, whose 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns included staff dedicated specifically to rural outreach, Clinton's strategy was, for lack of a better word, lazy.
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The failed presidential candidate's greatest mistake was that she ceded white rural voters to her opponent, Donald Trump, Obama told reporters this week.
The former secretary of state and her campaign team focused all of their time and energy on targeting urban areas, while ignoring voters in surrounding rural territories, many of whom had supported Obama. In certain states — Wisconsin, for example — she did not even bother to campaign because polling showed that she was far ahead.
For Obama, whose 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns included staff dedicated specifically to rural outreach, Clinton's strategy was, for lack of a better word, lazy.
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Study: Obamacare premiums to jump 27%
Actual increases higher than government projections
(FREEBEACON) — A new study obtained by the Washington Free Beacon shows premium increases under Obamacare will actually be higher than the federal government’s projections.
Obamacare premiums will increase by 27 percent next year, according to the center-right policy institute the American Action Forum. The Department of Health and Human Services announced last month that premiums would increase an average of 22 percent in 2017, with the health care law’s Silver plans rising to $296 per month. Premiums will increase as much as 145 percent in some states.
The American Action Forum found that the average increase is likely to be higher than predicted because the agency did not factor in that nearly half of Obamacare plans no longer exist, forcing enrollees to switch to costlier plans.
(FREEBEACON) — A new study obtained by the Washington Free Beacon shows premium increases under Obamacare will actually be higher than the federal government’s projections.
Obamacare premiums will increase by 27 percent next year, according to the center-right policy institute the American Action Forum. The Department of Health and Human Services announced last month that premiums would increase an average of 22 percent in 2017, with the health care law’s Silver plans rising to $296 per month. Premiums will increase as much as 145 percent in some states.
The American Action Forum found that the average increase is likely to be higher than predicted because the agency did not factor in that nearly half of Obamacare plans no longer exist, forcing enrollees to switch to costlier plans.
East Side Salisbury School In Lockdown
Radio station dumps atheists for Christmas music
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a motley crew of atheists, agnostics and free-thinkers just got a lump of coal in their Christmas stockings.
WXXM, the progressive talk radio station in Madison, Wisconsin, has flipped formats – leaving the uber-liberal city without a place to converse about micro-aggressions, plot protest marches or swap quinoa recipes.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Liberal Talk "92.1 The Mic" will now be called "92.1 BestFM" -- "Madison's Home for the Holidays."
Yes, good readers -- progressive talk was replaced with around-the-clock Christmas music. Ho! Ho! Ho!
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WXXM, the progressive talk radio station in Madison, Wisconsin, has flipped formats – leaving the uber-liberal city without a place to converse about micro-aggressions, plot protest marches or swap quinoa recipes.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Liberal Talk "92.1 The Mic" will now be called "92.1 BestFM" -- "Madison's Home for the Holidays."
Yes, good readers -- progressive talk was replaced with around-the-clock Christmas music. Ho! Ho! Ho!
More
Trump supporter, 15, beaten during Rockville protest
Hundreds of students from Richard Montgomery High School were carrying signs reading, “Love Trumps Hate,” and chanting near the Rockville courthouse on Maryland Avenue in a protest that began at about 10 a.m. when a 15-year-old boy wearing one of the Trump campaign’s “Make American Great Again” hats was attacked by about four students.
The group surrounded the teen, punching him repeatedly, then threw him to the ground and kicked him repeatedly in the ribs. It is not yet clear what led up to the incident, but Maj. Michael English with Rockville police said the victim was not the aggressor.
“They jumped him and beat him up pretty bad,” Max Stucky, a bystander who witnessed the attack, told WTOP.
The teen, who wasn’t seriously hurt, was seen clutching the back of his head in pain. He was helped to his feet by medics and taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
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House votes 419-1 to extend Iran sanctions
The House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to extend an Iran sanctions law for another 10 years, amid growing worries that the U.S. needs to keep some leverage over Iran as it pushes for that country to implement the nuclear agreement.
Lawmakers voted 419-1 in favor of extending the Iran Sanctions Act, the foundation of a range of U.S. sanctions against Iran.
The only vote against the bill came from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
The vote is a sign the bill should easily pass the Senate. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said passage shows that Congress is ready to take a tougher stance on Iran than that of President Obama. While Obama has moved to ease sanctions against Iran, Republicans and even some Democrats say the U.S. needs to impose tougher measures to ensure Iran's compliance.
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Lawmakers voted 419-1 in favor of extending the Iran Sanctions Act, the foundation of a range of U.S. sanctions against Iran.
The only vote against the bill came from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
The vote is a sign the bill should easily pass the Senate. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said passage shows that Congress is ready to take a tougher stance on Iran than that of President Obama. While Obama has moved to ease sanctions against Iran, Republicans and even some Democrats say the U.S. needs to impose tougher measures to ensure Iran's compliance.
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This Should NOT Be Legal
One more block over on Walnut street lives a registered sex offender that was found guilty of child pornography possession. How is this legal?! The site says he moved here in October. I'm appalled and sickened to know a sex offender now lives a block from my 9 year old daughter and two blocks away from over 900 elementary students.
Will you please make our community aware of this? Every parent deserves to know.
Tech Company Founder Resigns Over Apparent Threats to Donald Trump
The founder of a California tech company has resigned after he appeared to post threats to kill President-elect Donald Trump on social media last week, the company confirmed Tuesday.
Matthew Harrigan, who founded PacketSled, a network security company, in 2012, apologized for what he called "a flawed joke" that had been taken out of context. He stressed that his "poor judgment" doesn't represent the views of PacketSled, a startup headquartered in Del Mar, near San Diego.
In a statement Tuesday, the company's board of directors said it "does not condone the comments made by Mr. Harrigan" and had accepted his resignation as president and chief executive, effective immediately. Earlier, the company said that it had placed Harrigan on leave and that it had reported the remarks to the Secret Service.
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Matthew Harrigan, who founded PacketSled, a network security company, in 2012, apologized for what he called "a flawed joke" that had been taken out of context. He stressed that his "poor judgment" doesn't represent the views of PacketSled, a startup headquartered in Del Mar, near San Diego.
In a statement Tuesday, the company's board of directors said it "does not condone the comments made by Mr. Harrigan" and had accepted his resignation as president and chief executive, effective immediately. Earlier, the company said that it had placed Harrigan on leave and that it had reported the remarks to the Secret Service.
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Holiday Bazaar THIS Friday, November 18th!
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