DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, January 07, 2017
Rep. Bobby Rush Paid Family Over $100K From Campaign Funds in 2016
Wellness center associated with church Rush founded also received more than $2 million in government grants last year
Rep. Bobby Rush (D., Ill.) made payments to four family members that combined to more than $100,000 during the 2016 election cycle, campaign finance records show.
A wellness center associated with the church the congressman founded also received more than $2 million in government grants last year.
Rep. Rush, who was first elected to Congress in 1992, made $50,000 in payments to his wife, Carolyn, during the 2016 cycle for “consulting fees.” This was not the first time Carolyn has received money from the campaign committee.
Since 2002, the year Carolyn first appeared on the committee’s payroll, she has been the top recipient of expenditures from the campaign numerous times and has since collected more than $550,000 in payments from her husband’s campaign.
Marlon Rush, Rep. Rush’s brother, was paid $34,082 throughout the course of the 2016 campaign to act as his campaign manager. Rush, who defeated Barack Obama by more than 31 percent during a Democratic primary in Chicago’s 1st congressional district in 2000, has faced no real challenge since being elected in the early 1990s. Rush defeated his Republican challenger by nearly 50 points in the 2016 election.
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Rep. Bobby Rush (D., Ill.) made payments to four family members that combined to more than $100,000 during the 2016 election cycle, campaign finance records show.
A wellness center associated with the church the congressman founded also received more than $2 million in government grants last year.
Rep. Rush, who was first elected to Congress in 1992, made $50,000 in payments to his wife, Carolyn, during the 2016 cycle for “consulting fees.” This was not the first time Carolyn has received money from the campaign committee.
Since 2002, the year Carolyn first appeared on the committee’s payroll, she has been the top recipient of expenditures from the campaign numerous times and has since collected more than $550,000 in payments from her husband’s campaign.
Marlon Rush, Rep. Rush’s brother, was paid $34,082 throughout the course of the 2016 campaign to act as his campaign manager. Rush, who defeated Barack Obama by more than 31 percent during a Democratic primary in Chicago’s 1st congressional district in 2000, has faced no real challenge since being elected in the early 1990s. Rush defeated his Republican challenger by nearly 50 points in the 2016 election.
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Baltimore Police Commissioner To Shift 100 Officers To Patrol Duty
Commissioner Kevin Davis said at a news conference Friday that patrol is the backbone of effective policing.
The Baltimore Sun reports that earlier this week, the Fraternal Order of Police said the department deploys about 700 officers on patrol. Lt. Gene Ryan, the union president, said that number was too few to protect the city.
Mayor Catherine Pugh said at the news conference that she agrees that there are not enough officers patrolling the city. But she added the more arrests won't necessarily reduce the violence in Baltimore.
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Washington's Farewell Address 1796: How To Say Goodbye
Friends and Citizens:
The period for a new election of a citizen to administer the executive government of the United States being not far distant, and the time actually arrived when your thoughts must be employed in designating the person who is to be clothed with that important trust, it appears to me proper, especially as it may conduce to a more distinct expression of the public voice, that I should now apprise you of the resolution I have formed, to decline being considered among the number of those out of whom a choice is to be made.
I beg you, at the same time, to do me the justice to be assured that this resolution has not been taken without a strict regard to all the considerations appertaining to the relation which binds a dutiful citizen to his country; and that in withdrawing the tender of service, which silence in my situation might imply, I am influenced by no diminution of zeal for your future interest, no deficiency of grateful respect for your past kindness, but am supported by a full conviction that the step is compatible with both.
The acceptance of, and continuance hitherto in, the office to which your suffrages have twice called me have been a uniform sacrifice of inclination to the opinion of duty and to a deference for what appeared to be your desire. I constantly hoped that it would have been much earlier in my power, consistently with motives which I was not at liberty to disregard, to return to that retirement from which I had been reluctantly drawn. The strength of my inclination to do this, previous to the last election, had even led to the preparation of an address to declare it to you; but mature reflection on the then perplexed and critical posture of our affairs with foreign nations, and the unanimous advice of persons entitled to my confidence, impelled me to abandon the idea.
I rejoice that the state of your concerns, external as well as internal, no longer renders the pursuit of inclination incompatible with the sentiment of duty or propriety, and am persuaded, whatever partiality may be retained for my services, that, in the present circumstances of our country, you will not disapprove my determination to retire.
The impressions with which I first undertook the arduous trust were explained on the proper occasion. In the discharge of this trust, I will only say that I have, with good intentions, contributed towards the organization and administration of the government the best exertions of which a very fallible judgment was capable. Not unconscious in the outset of the inferiority of my qualifications, experience in my own eyes, perhaps still more in the eyes of others, has strengthened the motives to diffidence of myself; and every day the increasing weight of years admonishes me more and more that the shade of retirement is as necessary to me as it will be welcome. Satisfied that if any circumstances have given peculiar value to my services, they were temporary, I have the consolation to believe that, while choice and prudence invite me to quit the political scene, patriotism does not forbid it.
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The period for a new election of a citizen to administer the executive government of the United States being not far distant, and the time actually arrived when your thoughts must be employed in designating the person who is to be clothed with that important trust, it appears to me proper, especially as it may conduce to a more distinct expression of the public voice, that I should now apprise you of the resolution I have formed, to decline being considered among the number of those out of whom a choice is to be made.
I beg you, at the same time, to do me the justice to be assured that this resolution has not been taken without a strict regard to all the considerations appertaining to the relation which binds a dutiful citizen to his country; and that in withdrawing the tender of service, which silence in my situation might imply, I am influenced by no diminution of zeal for your future interest, no deficiency of grateful respect for your past kindness, but am supported by a full conviction that the step is compatible with both.
The acceptance of, and continuance hitherto in, the office to which your suffrages have twice called me have been a uniform sacrifice of inclination to the opinion of duty and to a deference for what appeared to be your desire. I constantly hoped that it would have been much earlier in my power, consistently with motives which I was not at liberty to disregard, to return to that retirement from which I had been reluctantly drawn. The strength of my inclination to do this, previous to the last election, had even led to the preparation of an address to declare it to you; but mature reflection on the then perplexed and critical posture of our affairs with foreign nations, and the unanimous advice of persons entitled to my confidence, impelled me to abandon the idea.
I rejoice that the state of your concerns, external as well as internal, no longer renders the pursuit of inclination incompatible with the sentiment of duty or propriety, and am persuaded, whatever partiality may be retained for my services, that, in the present circumstances of our country, you will not disapprove my determination to retire.
The impressions with which I first undertook the arduous trust were explained on the proper occasion. In the discharge of this trust, I will only say that I have, with good intentions, contributed towards the organization and administration of the government the best exertions of which a very fallible judgment was capable. Not unconscious in the outset of the inferiority of my qualifications, experience in my own eyes, perhaps still more in the eyes of others, has strengthened the motives to diffidence of myself; and every day the increasing weight of years admonishes me more and more that the shade of retirement is as necessary to me as it will be welcome. Satisfied that if any circumstances have given peculiar value to my services, they were temporary, I have the consolation to believe that, while choice and prudence invite me to quit the political scene, patriotism does not forbid it.
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Suspects in custody following non-fatal shooting in Columbia
Howard County police have two suspects in custody following a non-fatal shooting this evening in the Long Reach area of Columbia.
Police were called to Old Dobbin Road around 5:15 p.m. for a report of a male subject in the roadway who had been shot in the leg. Officers arrived and quickly located the victim and two suspects in the area, and recovered a handgun.
The victim was airlifted to Shock Trauma from the parking area of Long Reach High School, but the crime is unrelated to the school and did not happen on school property. The victim's condition is unknown at this time.
Police are working to identify the two suspects in custody and the victim.
Biden: Certifies Trump’s Election and Declares ‘It is Over’ to Dems Objections
Protests were on grounds varying from complaints that members of the Electoral College in various states were illegitimate, to voting rights violations on Election Day to Russia’s interference in the election, reports the Washington Examiner.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) cited Russia’s interference during the election in the first Democratic objection to Trump’s Electoral College victory. Vice President Biden ruled McGovern’s objection out of order because it wasn’t backed by a senator.
Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin (Md.) and Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) also raise objections, though Biden shut them down.
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WBOC "Delmarva's Fake News Leader"
Many employers saw the stats from Friday night and put out the call, COME TO WORK.
Thank God Wicomico and Worcester County no longer depend on WBOC's forecasts, that's a fact.
Press Release - Light of Literacy Awards Breakfast
FRIENDS OF WICOMICO PUBLIC LIBRARIES
TO HOST FIFTH ANNUAL
LIGHT OF LITERACY AWARDS BREAKFAST
The Friends of Wicomico Public Libraries will host their Fifth Annual Light of Literacy Awards Breakfast on Thursday, April 20th, from 8-10 a.m. at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. Nominations are now being accepted and can be submitted online until February 28th at www.lightofliteracy.org. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at all Library locations and online.
The Light of Literacy Awards recognize the power of everyday individuals doing extraordinary work in promoting the power of literacy throughout the community. The Light of Literacy Awards bring together leaders from around the area to recognize those who are luminaries in our community, lighting the way for others by their example. Literacy, the ability to take in information and use it to improve a life, includes not only tutoring someone to improve their ability to read but also consists of instructing someone on how to use a computer, teaching them to manage their finances, assisting them in understanding their doctor’s orders, or working with them in finding a career. Literacy encompasses a realm of skills, all of which are necessary for life in today’s world.
By recognizing individuals and organizations who promote literacy and by raising public awareness of their work, the Friends hope to multiply their efforts and the effect they have in the community. This will benefit those who do the work, those who gain assistance from this work and also those with literacy needs who are seeking assistance.
The Great Eastern Shore Deep Freeze in the Winter of 1976-77
In order to top the Eastern Shore deep freeze of 1976/77, you pretty much have have to go back to the winter George Washington and his men spent at Valley Forge. On its website nowadays, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency’s history of Maryland weather rates 1977/78 the “coldest winter on the East Coast since maybe the founding of the Republic.”
By Christmas Day, 1976, the ice had already started inching out from creeks and rivers and into the Bay. As you can see from the photo up top here, the expanse that ice soon covered reached proportions that seem unfathomable to many of us living on the Eastern Shore today. Some of the scenes in old photos have an almost magical quality of winter wonderland, don’t they?
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Fraudsters Used Dead People’s Social Security Numbers for $29 Million in Wages
Identity thieves used the Social Security numbers of hundreds of dead individuals to earn nearly $30 million, according to a federal watchdog.
The Social Security Administration’s inspector general found over $200 million in questionable earnings over a five-year period that were earned using SSNs of people at least 85 years old or individuals who are deceased.
“Although SSA had controls in place to prevent and detect SSN misuse, we found individuals were using elderly individuals’ identities for work purposes,” the audit released Tuesday said. “Our review of a sample of 126 elderly individuals showed that 37 of their identities had been used to earn about $4.6 million during Tax Years (TY) 2009 to 2014.”
The administration was only aware of eight instances where SSNs of elderly individuals were being used to earn wages. The inspector general uncovered more than 800 dead persons’ SSNs that were stolen by others to attempt to work legally in the United States.
“In addition, we assessed wages reported after death using SSNs that had belonged to elderly individuals and found that 817 deceased elderly individuals’ identities were being misused for work purposes,” the inspector general said. “For [Tax Years] 2009 to 2014, someone other than the numberholders used their SSNs to earn about $29 million in wages.”
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The Social Security Administration’s inspector general found over $200 million in questionable earnings over a five-year period that were earned using SSNs of people at least 85 years old or individuals who are deceased.
“Although SSA had controls in place to prevent and detect SSN misuse, we found individuals were using elderly individuals’ identities for work purposes,” the audit released Tuesday said. “Our review of a sample of 126 elderly individuals showed that 37 of their identities had been used to earn about $4.6 million during Tax Years (TY) 2009 to 2014.”
The administration was only aware of eight instances where SSNs of elderly individuals were being used to earn wages. The inspector general uncovered more than 800 dead persons’ SSNs that were stolen by others to attempt to work legally in the United States.
“In addition, we assessed wages reported after death using SSNs that had belonged to elderly individuals and found that 817 deceased elderly individuals’ identities were being misused for work purposes,” the inspector general said. “For [Tax Years] 2009 to 2014, someone other than the numberholders used their SSNs to earn about $29 million in wages.”
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Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirement for Maryland Rental Properties
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Carbon Monoxide Alarms – Maryland Rental Properties
In 2016, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 0849 and its companion Senate Bill 0182. Both bills require the installation of carbon monoxide alarms for any new and existing rental dwelling units. This includes any type of dwelling unit that can be rented to an individual or family.
This legislation requires that a carbon monoxide alarm (CO) be installed outside of each sleeping area and on every level to include the basement in a building that contains any fuel burning equipment, wood burning appliance or has an enclosed attached garage. They are not required in rental dwelling units that are powered solely by an electric power supply.
Carbon monoxide alarms can be hardwired with a battery backup, battery powered that has a ten year battery with a sealed tamper resistant compartment or connected to an on-site control unit that monitors the carbon monoxide alarm remotely so that a responsible party is alerted when the device activates the alarm signal and receives its primary power from a battery or the control unit. Our recommendation for multi-family units is to replace the current hard wired smoke alarm with a combination smoke alarm/carbon monoxide alarm unit. The applicable requirements of Title 9 of the Public Safety Article regarding the installation of smoke detection systems would still apply for this installation.
The installation of the carbon monoxide alarms shall be in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations and NFPA 720 for the Installation of Carbon Monoxide Warning Equipment in Dwelling Units. Carbon monoxide alarms must be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory that is approved by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, and potentially toxic gas that is produced by the incomplete combustion of liquid fuels, solid fuels, or natural gases. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause symptoms similar to the flu, such as: headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, and irritability. High concentrations of CO can cause vomiting, loss of consciousness, and even death. Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in small amounts over a long period of time and in large amounts in a short period of time.
Although earlier is highly recommended, carbon monoxide alarms must be installed in all rental dwelling units by April 1, 2018.
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Rep. Bobby Rush Paid Family Over $100K From Campaign Funds in 2016
Wellness center associated with church Rush founded also received more than $2 million in government grants last year
Rep. Bobby Rush (D., Ill.) made payments to four family members that combined to more than $100,000 during the 2016 election cycle, campaign finance records show.
A wellness center associated with the church the congressman founded also received more than $2 million in government grants last year.
Rep. Rush, who was first elected to Congress in 1992, made $50,000 in payments to his wife, Carolyn, during the 2016 cycle for “consulting fees.” This was not the first time Carolyn has received money from the campaign committee.
Since 2002, the year Carolyn first appeared on the committee’s payroll, she has been the top recipient of expenditures from the campaign numerous times and has since collected more than $550,000 in payments from her husband’s campaign.
More
Rep. Bobby Rush (D., Ill.) made payments to four family members that combined to more than $100,000 during the 2016 election cycle, campaign finance records show.
A wellness center associated with the church the congressman founded also received more than $2 million in government grants last year.
Rep. Rush, who was first elected to Congress in 1992, made $50,000 in payments to his wife, Carolyn, during the 2016 cycle for “consulting fees.” This was not the first time Carolyn has received money from the campaign committee.
Since 2002, the year Carolyn first appeared on the committee’s payroll, she has been the top recipient of expenditures from the campaign numerous times and has since collected more than $550,000 in payments from her husband’s campaign.
More
House Dem Pushed Muni Bond-Friendly Legislation, Then Invested Herself
Rep. Maloney bought bonds after House approved bill that would encourage banks to buy them
A House Democrat who oversees financial markets traded as much as $1.3 million in government-backed securities in the months after authoring legislation to encourage banks to buy such securities, public records show.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D., N.Y.) bought and sold municipal bonds nearly two-dozen times in 2016, personal financial disclosure forms show. Her first purchase came in February, when the House passed a bill coauthored by Maloney to change federal law to encourage large banks to buy such bonds.
That legislation directed federal regulators to count investment grade municipal, or “muni,” bonds towards banks’ liquidity requirements. The House passed Maloney’s bill, which was cosponsored by Rep. Luke Messer (R., Ind.), on Feb. 1, 2016. It awaits consideration by the Senate.
On Feb. 26, Maloney began a spate of municipal bond trades totaling between $363,000 and $1.3 million. Members of Congress are only required to disclose the range of an asset’s value, making specific measures of the trades’ values difficult.
The bonds in which she traded included ones issued by the city and state of New York and local bridge, transit, and toll authorities.
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A House Democrat who oversees financial markets traded as much as $1.3 million in government-backed securities in the months after authoring legislation to encourage banks to buy such securities, public records show.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D., N.Y.) bought and sold municipal bonds nearly two-dozen times in 2016, personal financial disclosure forms show. Her first purchase came in February, when the House passed a bill coauthored by Maloney to change federal law to encourage large banks to buy such bonds.
That legislation directed federal regulators to count investment grade municipal, or “muni,” bonds towards banks’ liquidity requirements. The House passed Maloney’s bill, which was cosponsored by Rep. Luke Messer (R., Ind.), on Feb. 1, 2016. It awaits consideration by the Senate.
On Feb. 26, Maloney began a spate of municipal bond trades totaling between $363,000 and $1.3 million. Members of Congress are only required to disclose the range of an asset’s value, making specific measures of the trades’ values difficult.
The bonds in which she traded included ones issued by the city and state of New York and local bridge, transit, and toll authorities.
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Berlin Restaurant Week To Begin Monday
BERLIN – The town will once again celebrate its array of eateries with Berlin Restaurant Week.
The event, in its second year, takes place from Jan. 9 to 15. Nearly all of the town’s restaurants are offering specials to encourage residents and visitors alike to dine in Berlin.
“Berlin has so many unique restaurants and a restaurant week is the perfect opportunity to try those you’ve never been to before,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic development director.
The idea of a Berlin Restaurant Week was put forth last year by resident and business owner Cam Bunting. She said she’d seen how popular restaurant week was in Bethesda and thought that, with its growing number of dining establishments, Berlin should do something similar. It proved to be a hit with merchants and visitors alike.
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The event, in its second year, takes place from Jan. 9 to 15. Nearly all of the town’s restaurants are offering specials to encourage residents and visitors alike to dine in Berlin.
“Berlin has so many unique restaurants and a restaurant week is the perfect opportunity to try those you’ve never been to before,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic development director.
The idea of a Berlin Restaurant Week was put forth last year by resident and business owner Cam Bunting. She said she’d seen how popular restaurant week was in Bethesda and thought that, with its growing number of dining establishments, Berlin should do something similar. It proved to be a hit with merchants and visitors alike.
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Send in the Head Clowns
Democrats have been in power for so long that they’ve forgotten how to oppose. Their party has been on a roll since 2005 when the botched Social Security reform, the slow bleed of the Iraq war, and Hurricane Katrina sent the Bush administration into a tailspin. The Democrats won the Congress the following year and the White House two years after that. And while they lost the House in 2010 and the Senate in 2014, Democrats still had the advantage of retaining the White House, a president seemingly immune from criticism, the courts, the bureaucracy, and large portions of the media. The correlation of forces in Washington has weighed heavily in favor of the Democrats for a decade.
No longer. The election of Donald Trump has brought unified Republican government to Washington and overturned our understanding of how politics works. Or at least it should have done so. The Democrats seem not to understand how to deal with Trump and the massive change he is about to bring to the nation’s capital. During the general election they fell for the idea that Trump can be defeated by conventional means, spending hundreds of millions of dollars in negative television advertising and relying on political consultants beholden to whatever line Politico was selling on a given day. This strategy failed Trump’s Republican primary opponents, but Democrats figured that was simply because the GOP was filled with deplorables. It was a rationalization that would cost them.
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No longer. The election of Donald Trump has brought unified Republican government to Washington and overturned our understanding of how politics works. Or at least it should have done so. The Democrats seem not to understand how to deal with Trump and the massive change he is about to bring to the nation’s capital. During the general election they fell for the idea that Trump can be defeated by conventional means, spending hundreds of millions of dollars in negative television advertising and relying on political consultants beholden to whatever line Politico was selling on a given day. This strategy failed Trump’s Republican primary opponents, but Democrats figured that was simply because the GOP was filled with deplorables. It was a rationalization that would cost them.
More
Police/Courts 01/06/2017
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Maryland Delegate Rick Impallaria, R-7, representing Baltimore and Harford counties, was found guilty of DWI in Worcester County Circuit Court by a jury. He is subject to a presentencing investigation before sentencing occurs following the legislative session.
Impallaria was arrested in August in Ocean City. He was charged with driving while impaired, a lesser charge than driving under the influence. As reported in the Baltimore Sun, Impallaria had attended an event thrown by GOP senators at a mid-town restaurant earlier in the evening.
Continue/More Cases
News commentators defend Facebook hate-crime video
Some news panelists are rushing to the defense of the four black people in Chicago who kidnapped and tortured a mentally disabled white man — saying the savage attack was not, in fact, a hate crime and that Donald Trump is ultimately to blame.
NBC News correspondent Ron Mott and CNN political commentator Symone Sanders have both gone on the air and claimed that they believe the suspects were simply acting out of stupidity, rather than racism.
“You look at it on the surface, you think kids can make some really poor decisions from time to time,” Mott said Thursday during an interview with MSNBC’s Craig Melvin. “They made so many errors, if they were truly trying to be criminal, to obviously broadcast your crime is not a smart thing to do.”
Speaking during a panel discussing on Wednesday night, Sanders argued that the suspects’ actions were the result of a hate-filled election season — and that the media should be blaming President-elect Trump for stirring up emotions of anger and hostility in people across the country.
“I just want to remind folks that we cannot sit here and ignore that — at least for the last year on very public display — the worst parts of America have been brought from the fringe into the mainstream,” the former Bernie Sanders spokesman explained. “That affects people on both sides. We’ve talked about white nationalists and white supremacists and the KKK, but there also, when this inflammatory rhetoric is out there, when someone is repeatedly telling you that your community is the worst of the worst, it brings out the worst of the worst in people.”
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NBC News correspondent Ron Mott and CNN political commentator Symone Sanders have both gone on the air and claimed that they believe the suspects were simply acting out of stupidity, rather than racism.
“You look at it on the surface, you think kids can make some really poor decisions from time to time,” Mott said Thursday during an interview with MSNBC’s Craig Melvin. “They made so many errors, if they were truly trying to be criminal, to obviously broadcast your crime is not a smart thing to do.”
Speaking during a panel discussing on Wednesday night, Sanders argued that the suspects’ actions were the result of a hate-filled election season — and that the media should be blaming President-elect Trump for stirring up emotions of anger and hostility in people across the country.
“I just want to remind folks that we cannot sit here and ignore that — at least for the last year on very public display — the worst parts of America have been brought from the fringe into the mainstream,” the former Bernie Sanders spokesman explained. “That affects people on both sides. We’ve talked about white nationalists and white supremacists and the KKK, but there also, when this inflammatory rhetoric is out there, when someone is repeatedly telling you that your community is the worst of the worst, it brings out the worst of the worst in people.”
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Roofless and homeless in Delaware: 2017
Every day in Southern Delaware, I work in the trenches and on the front lines of poverty, fear, homelessness, loneliness, isolation, addiction and mental illness.
People ask me about what I am seeing and experiencing out here on the front lines. In my opinion, there are the “roofless” and then there are the “homeless.” Being roofless means living rough. You are living outside with no cover. It also means most times…..ROOT-less with little or no ties, living away from the grid of detection and accountability. Another expression I use is “they are living off the grid.”
Being roofless mostly means living in active addiction and/or enduring an untreated mental illness. Living roofless is extremely exhausting, very fluid, dangerous, dark and unpredictable. It also costs about $10 a day to be roofless because of the needed supplies and provisions that you normally would NOT buy if you had a hard roof overhead. Many of the roofless are also smokers so you can add at least another six or more dollars to the $10 dollars a day cost of being roofless. Living roofless is also ruthless. It is brutal. If you are chronically roofless living outside, then you will die 25 years earlier than the average person who lives inside.
Now, what does homeless mean?
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People ask me about what I am seeing and experiencing out here on the front lines. In my opinion, there are the “roofless” and then there are the “homeless.” Being roofless means living rough. You are living outside with no cover. It also means most times…..ROOT-less with little or no ties, living away from the grid of detection and accountability. Another expression I use is “they are living off the grid.”
Being roofless mostly means living in active addiction and/or enduring an untreated mental illness. Living roofless is extremely exhausting, very fluid, dangerous, dark and unpredictable. It also costs about $10 a day to be roofless because of the needed supplies and provisions that you normally would NOT buy if you had a hard roof overhead. Many of the roofless are also smokers so you can add at least another six or more dollars to the $10 dollars a day cost of being roofless. Living roofless is also ruthless. It is brutal. If you are chronically roofless living outside, then you will die 25 years earlier than the average person who lives inside.
Now, what does homeless mean?
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TOWN OF OCEAN CITY: The first winter storm of 2017
Financial Dispute Turns Violent In Front Of Child; First-Degree Assault Charge Filed
OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man was arrested on first-degree assault charges last week for allegedly strangling and threatening to kill his girlfriend in front of her 4-year-old son at a resort condominium during a dispute over finances.
Around 10:50 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a condominium on 120th Street for a reported assault. The officer met with a female victim who told police her boyfriend, identified as Andrew Stevens, 42, of Baltimore, had become physically violent during a verbal confrontation between the couple.
The victim told police the couple had been consuming alcohol and having a normal conversation when the discussion turned to financial affairs. As the discussion turned to each member’s financial contributions to their relationship, Stevens allegedly became more abusive and angry, according to the victim’s testimony.
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Around 10:50 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a condominium on 120th Street for a reported assault. The officer met with a female victim who told police her boyfriend, identified as Andrew Stevens, 42, of Baltimore, had become physically violent during a verbal confrontation between the couple.
The victim told police the couple had been consuming alcohol and having a normal conversation when the discussion turned to financial affairs. As the discussion turned to each member’s financial contributions to their relationship, Stevens allegedly became more abusive and angry, according to the victim’s testimony.
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Looting, Riots In Mexico Spiral Out Of Control Over 20% Gas Hike; Hundreds Arrested
Four days after the first sporadic protests emerged in Mexico City, following the infamous "gasolinazo", or mandatory 15%-20% increase in Mexican gas prices which went into effect on January 1, the mood across the country has significantly deteriorated, with hundreds of demonstrators blocking highways, snarling traffic, raiding gas stations, jeopardizing critical supplies, and looting stores as angry but impotent motorists lashed out at the price surge, which is only going to get worse as inflation spikes even more following the record plunge in the Mexican Peso.
As a reminder, the price of oil rose Sunday by as high as 20.1% to 88 cents per liter, with diesel at 83 cents — the equivalent of 12 days of a minimum wage to fill a tank of gas - compared to the U.S.’s seven hours — and the price ceiling will be adjusted daily starting Feb. 18, before letting supply and demand determine them in March.
The unrest has caused some gas stations to close altogether. Antonio Caballero, who heads a network of 800 gas stations, said at a press conference this week he will temporarily close any filling station threatened by violent protesters. According to unconfirmed reports, even the local drug cartels warned ahead of the price hike they would burn down gas stations should the price increase come into effect.
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As a reminder, the price of oil rose Sunday by as high as 20.1% to 88 cents per liter, with diesel at 83 cents — the equivalent of 12 days of a minimum wage to fill a tank of gas - compared to the U.S.’s seven hours — and the price ceiling will be adjusted daily starting Feb. 18, before letting supply and demand determine them in March.
The unrest has caused some gas stations to close altogether. Antonio Caballero, who heads a network of 800 gas stations, said at a press conference this week he will temporarily close any filling station threatened by violent protesters. According to unconfirmed reports, even the local drug cartels warned ahead of the price hike they would burn down gas stations should the price increase come into effect.
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Ted Cruz Introduces Constitutional Amendment on Congressional Term Limits
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) introduced a constitutional amendment Tuesday that would impose term limits on members of Congress, following up on a proposal made back in December.
“D.C. is broken,” Cruz said in a statement Tuesday evening. “The American people resoundingly agreed on Election Day, and President-elect Donald Trump has committed to putting government back to work for the American people. It is well past time to put an end to the cronyism and deceit that has transformed Washington into a graveyard of good intentions.”
The amendment would limit senators to two terms (12 years total) and representatives to three terms (6 years total), the Washington Examiner reported.
President-elect Donald Trump made it a campaign promise that he would implement term limits on Congress, but it’s unclear if the incoming Trump administration has worked with Congress on the proposal, which was introduced during Congress’ first week in session of the new year.
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“D.C. is broken,” Cruz said in a statement Tuesday evening. “The American people resoundingly agreed on Election Day, and President-elect Donald Trump has committed to putting government back to work for the American people. It is well past time to put an end to the cronyism and deceit that has transformed Washington into a graveyard of good intentions.”
The amendment would limit senators to two terms (12 years total) and representatives to three terms (6 years total), the Washington Examiner reported.
President-elect Donald Trump made it a campaign promise that he would implement term limits on Congress, but it’s unclear if the incoming Trump administration has worked with Congress on the proposal, which was introduced during Congress’ first week in session of the new year.
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"We're At The Edge Of A Terrible Period" - Chicago Cops Condemn "Sickening" Social Media Video Of Teen Kidnap, Attack
Following the disgusting images broadcast live on Facebook of a teen white male being kidnapped, cut, and abused by several African-American youths yelling "F*** Donald Trump," Chicago Police confirm the four people, who are all 18, were taken into custody but have not been formally charged.
The video has since been removed from YouTube but this is a clip:
As Reuters reports, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters the video that surfaced on Tuesday showing the attack was "sickening."
"It makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that," Johnson said.
Police said the young man was tied, gagged and beaten.
The superintendent added that the victim has "mental health challenges."
While police officials did not confirm the races of the suspects or victim, video from Chicago media outlets appeared to show someone off-camera using profanities about "white people" and President-elect Donald Trump.
More/Video
The video has since been removed from YouTube but this is a clip:
As Reuters reports, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters the video that surfaced on Tuesday showing the attack was "sickening."
"It makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that," Johnson said.
Police said the young man was tied, gagged and beaten.
The superintendent added that the victim has "mental health challenges."
While police officials did not confirm the races of the suspects or victim, video from Chicago media outlets appeared to show someone off-camera using profanities about "white people" and President-elect Donald Trump.
More/Video
House Passes New Rules Enhancing Its Constitutional ‘Power of the Purse’
(CNSNews.com) – The House of Representatives adopted changes to the chamber’s standing rules on Tuesday that “enhance the House’s ability to exercise its ‘power of the purse’,” according to House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA).
The vote was 234 to 193 along party lines, with three Republicans siding with Democrats against the rule changes, which include a restoration of the Holman Rule during the first session of the 115th Congress.
The Holman Rule, which originally dates back to 1876, allows lawmakers to bring an amendment to an appropriations bill directly to the House floor that “retrenches expenditures by (1) the reduction of amounts of money in the bill; (2) the reduction of the number and salary of the officers of the United States; or (3) the reduction of the compensation of any person paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”
Griffith, who spearheaded the successful effort to reinstate the Holman Rule, told CNSNews.com that the rule applies to so-called “mandatory spending” bills before Congress, adding that it was part of the House rules until 1983.
But House Speaker Tip O’Neill axed it during President Ronald Reagan’s first term to thwart Republicans and Reagan Democrats from cutting federal programs, Griffith told CNSNews.
Another rule change adopted by the House requires committee chairmen to make a list all federal programs that are unauthorized but still receiving federal funding.
More here
The vote was 234 to 193 along party lines, with three Republicans siding with Democrats against the rule changes, which include a restoration of the Holman Rule during the first session of the 115th Congress.
The Holman Rule, which originally dates back to 1876, allows lawmakers to bring an amendment to an appropriations bill directly to the House floor that “retrenches expenditures by (1) the reduction of amounts of money in the bill; (2) the reduction of the number and salary of the officers of the United States; or (3) the reduction of the compensation of any person paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”
Griffith, who spearheaded the successful effort to reinstate the Holman Rule, told CNSNews.com that the rule applies to so-called “mandatory spending” bills before Congress, adding that it was part of the House rules until 1983.
But House Speaker Tip O’Neill axed it during President Ronald Reagan’s first term to thwart Republicans and Reagan Democrats from cutting federal programs, Griffith told CNSNews.
Another rule change adopted by the House requires committee chairmen to make a list all federal programs that are unauthorized but still receiving federal funding.
More here
Vermont Supreme Court Sets New Precedent for Power of Outgoing Governors
In a unanimous decision, the Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that outgoing Gov. Peter Shumlin lacks the authority to act this week to replace a justice who will retire at the end of March.
The ruling came Wednesday afternoon, less than 24 hours before Shumlin was scheduled to leave office.
Shumlin was unveiling his official portrait at the Statehouse in Montpelier at the time of the announcement. He later told reporters he disagreed with the high court's interpretation of the law but would abide by the decision.
The case concerned the retirement of Associate Justice John Dooley, who first was appointed to the bench in 1987 and has announced plans to retire when his term ends March 31.
The ruling came Wednesday afternoon, less than 24 hours before Shumlin was scheduled to leave office.
Shumlin was unveiling his official portrait at the Statehouse in Montpelier at the time of the announcement. He later told reporters he disagreed with the high court's interpretation of the law but would abide by the decision.
The case concerned the retirement of Associate Justice John Dooley, who first was appointed to the bench in 1987 and has announced plans to retire when his term ends March 31.
City Of Salisbury: Declaration of State of Emergency
Declaration of State of Emergency
Worsening conditions have led to the declaration of a State of Emergency in the City of Salisbury.Salting operations began overnight, and will continue through the day as warranted. Plowing of the City’s seven (7) snow emergency routes is already underway. If you are unsure of which roads are snow emergency routes, please see the images which accompany this post.
Pursuant to Chapter 10.12.040 of the Municipal Code of the City of Salisbury, it is unlawful for any person to park a vehicle on any city street that is designated and appropriately signposted as a snow emergency route and for which a snow emergency has been declared and is in effect.
Additionally, pursuant to Chapter 10.12.050, during the time when a snow emergency is in effect, the police department shall have the authority to take possession of, issue citations for, remove, tow away and impound any vehicle found parked, stalled, incapable of proceeding under its own power or left unattended upon any street designated as a snow emergency route; and, before the owner thereof may thereafter obtain possession of such vehicles, he shall first pay the cost of removing such vehicle and any storage charges.
Citizens are urged to stay at home and avoid driving if at all possible. If you must drive during this snow event, it is important to realize that the most slippery surfaces do not appear as hazardous as they actually are. Bridges, overpasses and intersections are common areas where the pavement freezes faster than on ordinary roadways. Please slow down, and allow extra distance when braking.
For service calls after normal business hours, please contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165.
For information on snow emergency routes and plowing/salting operations, visit www.salisbury.md, or https://goo.gl/TblReS.
#SBY #SBYNEWS Jacob Day
Editors Note: Thanks for advertising for us!
A Viewer Writes: 7" Plus
We have 7" plus on Johnson Rd out near the airport. And another 5 hrs to go.
Few pics of Tidy enjoying the snow and checking on George and Girlie.
Rt. 13 R/R Overpass Bridge Freezes
Hillary Clinton Urged to Run for New York Mayor
Barely two months after Hillary Clinton lost the presidency to Donald Trump, she is being urged by major Democratic donors and leaders to make a bid for New York City's mayor and challenge incumbent Bill de Blasio, Newsmax has learned.
"She's talking about it," a former city Democratic elected official admitted to Newsmax over the weekend, saying the idea has not been dismissed by the former first lady's inner circle.
He and other sources say Clinton is being pushed to run by Democrats dissatisfied over de Blasio's mayoralty.
"If she ran, she'd win," another source with deep ties to the Democratic and media establishment said.
Some Clinton advisers are reportedly predicting Trump will stumble badly in his first term, encouraging Hillary to stay on the sidelines in case she wants to make another bid for the White House in 2020.
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"She's talking about it," a former city Democratic elected official admitted to Newsmax over the weekend, saying the idea has not been dismissed by the former first lady's inner circle.
He and other sources say Clinton is being pushed to run by Democrats dissatisfied over de Blasio's mayoralty.
"If she ran, she'd win," another source with deep ties to the Democratic and media establishment said.
Some Clinton advisers are reportedly predicting Trump will stumble badly in his first term, encouraging Hillary to stay on the sidelines in case she wants to make another bid for the White House in 2020.
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Sex Offender Ruling May 'Send a Signal to States'
A federal appeals court in St. Louis has declared that Minnesota's sex offender treatment program is constitutional -- handing a major victory to the state but potentially derailing long-awaited reforms to its system of indefinite detention for sex offenders.
In a decision released Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower-court ruling and found that Minnesota's system of committing sex offenders beyond their prison terms serves a "legitimate interest" in protecting citizens from dangerous sexual predators.
The ruling is a major setback for civil rights attorneys and a host of lawmakers who have spent much of the past five years pressing for reforms that would put offenders on a faster path toward release from the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP). The appellate panel essentially has given Minnesota's program a clean bill of health, relieving immediate pressure on state officials to make major reforms to a program that has long been criticized as inhumane.
A class of sex offenders sued the state in 2011, arguing during a prolonged trial that Minnesota's system violated their due-process rights under the U.S. Constitution by depriving them of access to the courts and other basic safeguards found in the criminal justice system.
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In a decision released Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower-court ruling and found that Minnesota's system of committing sex offenders beyond their prison terms serves a "legitimate interest" in protecting citizens from dangerous sexual predators.
The ruling is a major setback for civil rights attorneys and a host of lawmakers who have spent much of the past five years pressing for reforms that would put offenders on a faster path toward release from the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP). The appellate panel essentially has given Minnesota's program a clean bill of health, relieving immediate pressure on state officials to make major reforms to a program that has long been criticized as inhumane.
A class of sex offenders sued the state in 2011, arguing during a prolonged trial that Minnesota's system violated their due-process rights under the U.S. Constitution by depriving them of access to the courts and other basic safeguards found in the criminal justice system.
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After Losing One of Their Own to Corruption, Pennsylvania House Revises Ethics Rules
The Pennsylvania House on Tuesday made it possible to more quickly expel members who are convicted of certain crimes.
The change in House rules came on the day Rep. Leslie Acosta, D-Philadelphia, resigned, following a March plea to a federal corruption charge.
The expedited process would apply to a legislator in Ms. Acosta's circumstance before her resignation, said spokesmen for the House Republican and Democratic leaders.
Under the new rules, if a House member pleads guilty or no contest or is found guilty of a crime related to the office or a crime that renders a legislator constitutionally ineligible, then the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Ethics Committee would be authorized to request a resolution of expulsion that would appear on the voting calendar for the next session day.
"If a member has pled guilty or no contest or is convicted by a court of law and a jury, then there can be a vote to expel them immediately, as opposed to waiting until they are sentenced," said House GOP spokesman Steve Miskin. "This streamlines it and gives the committee a little extra oomph to be able to do it."
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The change in House rules came on the day Rep. Leslie Acosta, D-Philadelphia, resigned, following a March plea to a federal corruption charge.
The expedited process would apply to a legislator in Ms. Acosta's circumstance before her resignation, said spokesmen for the House Republican and Democratic leaders.
Under the new rules, if a House member pleads guilty or no contest or is found guilty of a crime related to the office or a crime that renders a legislator constitutionally ineligible, then the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Ethics Committee would be authorized to request a resolution of expulsion that would appear on the voting calendar for the next session day.
"If a member has pled guilty or no contest or is convicted by a court of law and a jury, then there can be a vote to expel them immediately, as opposed to waiting until they are sentenced," said House GOP spokesman Steve Miskin. "This streamlines it and gives the committee a little extra oomph to be able to do it."
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Union: Baltimore Police in ‘Crisis’ Due to Officer Shortage
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City’s Police Union is sounding the alarm because they say the department is in crisis due to the fact that it has too few officers.
According to a new report, there are more than 100 fewer Baltimore City PD officers than last year, with the union saying this poses a safety concern as officers are being overworked.
The police union president calls the situation “dire.”
“You get in a crisis mode like we’re in right now with crime out of control and not enough uniformed officers on the street,” said Lt. Gene Ryan, president of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police. “I would say it’s at a crisis point.”
Police would not comment, but plan to the address the union’s blunt criticism on Friday.
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According to a new report, there are more than 100 fewer Baltimore City PD officers than last year, with the union saying this poses a safety concern as officers are being overworked.
The police union president calls the situation “dire.”
“You get in a crisis mode like we’re in right now with crime out of control and not enough uniformed officers on the street,” said Lt. Gene Ryan, president of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police. “I would say it’s at a crisis point.”
Police would not comment, but plan to the address the union’s blunt criticism on Friday.
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Poll: 41 percent of Maryland residents personally touched by opioid epidemic
Another 42 percent who participated in the Gonzales Poll said they had not personally felt the impact of the deadly wave of heroin and other overdoses that has swept through urban and rural parts of Maryland. Seventeen percent gave no response. Among Baltimore city residents, 68 percent said they had been affected – far more than anywhere else in Maryland.
The poll, released Thursday, also confirmed previous surveys showing that Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is extremely popular among Maryland voters while GOP President-elect Donald Trump is not. Hogan's job approval rating stands at 74 percent. Thirty percent have a favorable view of Trump compared with 56 percent unfavorable.
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2017-2018 Governors' Races: Where Power Is Most and Least Likely to Flip
With elections in dozens of states, the leading parties have reason to worry in almost half of them.
It may be a bit on the early side to be handicapping the upcoming governors' races when all but two are basically two years away. But with Democrats now shut out of the White House and Congress, the large crop of gubernatorial races on tap in 2017 and 2018 has become crucial to the party’s survival as a significant player in American politics.
Unsurprisingly, the Democrats have a lot of ground to make up. Currently, the GOP holds a historically wide edge of 33-16 in gubernatorial offices, with one governor -- Alaska’s Bill Walker -- an independent.
The gubernatorial battleground in 2018 will be especially important because it offers Democrats the biggest potential haul of governorships in advance of the once-every-decade legislative and congressional redistricting process that will begin after the 2020 Census. In most states, governors play a role in redistricting, and with the Republicans currently controlling the majority of legislatures, the Democrats will need a seat at the table to avoid being drawn out of most of the maps.
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It may be a bit on the early side to be handicapping the upcoming governors' races when all but two are basically two years away. But with Democrats now shut out of the White House and Congress, the large crop of gubernatorial races on tap in 2017 and 2018 has become crucial to the party’s survival as a significant player in American politics.
Unsurprisingly, the Democrats have a lot of ground to make up. Currently, the GOP holds a historically wide edge of 33-16 in gubernatorial offices, with one governor -- Alaska’s Bill Walker -- an independent.
The gubernatorial battleground in 2018 will be especially important because it offers Democrats the biggest potential haul of governorships in advance of the once-every-decade legislative and congressional redistricting process that will begin after the 2020 Census. In most states, governors play a role in redistricting, and with the Republicans currently controlling the majority of legislatures, the Democrats will need a seat at the table to avoid being drawn out of most of the maps.
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Netanyahu thanks US Congress for opposition to UN resolution
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed members of the United States House of Representatives in a video statement Friday afternoon, thanking them for their support of Israel in the face of the anti-Israel resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council in December.
“After the outrageous anti-Israel resolution at the UN, the US House of Representatives voted yesterday resoundingly to support Israel and reject this one-sided resolution.
“Democrats and Republicans alike know that the Western Wall isn't occupied territory. They voted to either repeal the resolution at the UN or change it—and that's exactly what we intend to do.
“I want to thank the US House of Representatives which reflects the tremendous support Israel enjoys among the American people. Thank you, America. Thank you, Congress.”
More here/video
“After the outrageous anti-Israel resolution at the UN, the US House of Representatives voted yesterday resoundingly to support Israel and reject this one-sided resolution.
“Democrats and Republicans alike know that the Western Wall isn't occupied territory. They voted to either repeal the resolution at the UN or change it—and that's exactly what we intend to do.
“I want to thank the US House of Representatives which reflects the tremendous support Israel enjoys among the American people. Thank you, America. Thank you, Congress.”
More here/video
Maryland Casinos Generate Record-Breaking $133.5 Million in Revenue During December
Highlighted by the opening of MGM National Harbor, Maryland’s six casinos combined for a record-setting month in December 2016, generating $133,477,706 million in statewide gaming revenue. December surpassed the previous revenue record set in May 2016, when five casinos totaled $104,351,219 million.
MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County, which held its grand opening on Dec. 8, generated $41,934,028 from both slot machines and table games in just over three weeks.
Under Maryland law, casino revenue supports the Maryland Education Trust Fund as well as small-, minority- and women-owned businesses, local impact grants and the state’s horse racing industry.
Van Flein: House Ethics Reform Necessary to Stop Left’s Alinsky Tactics
On Friday, Tom Van Flein, chief of staff to Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and one-time legal counsel to former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, discussed with Breitbart News Daily SiriusXM host Raheem Kassam the recent effort to overhaul the House ethics system.
Flein said the problem with the reform package presented, and then withdrawn, this week was that “it lacked transparency, so it was sort of dropped on the American public without any hearings, without any discussion, and that ultimately led to its failure.”
“It was a failure of process and the lack of transparency,” he emphasized. “It wasn’t because it did not have merit, however. And it was not, as the New York Times falsely stated in their Fake News, that it was ‘gutting’ the OCE [Office of Congressional Ethics] at all. It was modifying that agency to install some basic due process rights.”
“As it’s been going now, members of Congress have been subjected to secretive proceedings, abusive proceedings,” he explained. “There is a presumption of guilt. There’s a failure to disclose charges so people are not even aware of what the details are of the charges against them. They’ve been punished for simply hiring an attorney to represent them. And it’s being used for partisan purposes to get bad headlines and make people look bad. So the reforms were needed.”
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Flein said the problem with the reform package presented, and then withdrawn, this week was that “it lacked transparency, so it was sort of dropped on the American public without any hearings, without any discussion, and that ultimately led to its failure.”
“It was a failure of process and the lack of transparency,” he emphasized. “It wasn’t because it did not have merit, however. And it was not, as the New York Times falsely stated in their Fake News, that it was ‘gutting’ the OCE [Office of Congressional Ethics] at all. It was modifying that agency to install some basic due process rights.”
“As it’s been going now, members of Congress have been subjected to secretive proceedings, abusive proceedings,” he explained. “There is a presumption of guilt. There’s a failure to disclose charges so people are not even aware of what the details are of the charges against them. They’ve been punished for simply hiring an attorney to represent them. And it’s being used for partisan purposes to get bad headlines and make people look bad. So the reforms were needed.”
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A WBOC Comment Worthy Of A Post
You have no clue and this is nothing like the "lake effect" I was there for the 1977 storm. Nice try hyping up a bit of snow. This may be a catastrophe for southerners that get 2 snow storms a year, but in the real world this is nothing but, snow. And it will be gone by Wed. Get over yourselves.
This Horse Saying Goodbye To Best Friend At His Funeral Will Break Your Heart
“[Sereno] began to walk around the coffin, smelling the coffin. Then he neighed,” funeral attendee Kyioshi Abreu commented to The Dodo. “It was a very strong emotion. Everyone who was there was moved. I cried myself when I saw that scene.”
Next thing the horse stopped and placed his head against the coffin, making for a final farewell. “All the way to the cemetery, he would whimper and beat with his hooves on the ground,” says late man’s brother.
This is just one of the examples that animals also mourn. The grieving horse will be staying with Wando’s family as he promised himself to provide Sereno with a loving home. The man added: “This horse was everything to him”.
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It’s All About Me: The Cult of Megyn Kelly
You’d have to be deaf, blind or both, but a story of such significance bears repeating – so here it is:
BREAKING NEWS – Megyn Kelly is leaving Fox News Channel.
And everyone over at Fox said-- amen. In fact, it’s very likely that many of the Fox viewers vociferously echo that amen chorus. All this breathless hyping of a news anchor moving to another network feels a little like a mother bragging that her kid just got into Harvard.
As of late, Ms. Kelly has not been reporting the news as much as she has made herself the news. And therein lies the dilemma: From a cover spread in the Hollywood Reporter to a book she’s written (about herself) there’s practically nowhere you can run and hide and not find Megyn lurking around the corner. Bookstores. Check. Your 55-inch flat screen. Check. Your computer. Check. Your smartphone. Check. Check. Check.
But before we go too far down this road and you think this is a hit piece on Ms. Kelly, it is not.
Sadly, Ms. Kelly’s stardom as a “journalist” is emblematic of a serious problem within the broadcast journalism industry that has metastasized into an Ebola-style plague across the airwaves. And she is Exhibit A of this bilious condition.
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BREAKING NEWS – Megyn Kelly is leaving Fox News Channel.
And everyone over at Fox said-- amen. In fact, it’s very likely that many of the Fox viewers vociferously echo that amen chorus. All this breathless hyping of a news anchor moving to another network feels a little like a mother bragging that her kid just got into Harvard.
As of late, Ms. Kelly has not been reporting the news as much as she has made herself the news. And therein lies the dilemma: From a cover spread in the Hollywood Reporter to a book she’s written (about herself) there’s practically nowhere you can run and hide and not find Megyn lurking around the corner. Bookstores. Check. Your 55-inch flat screen. Check. Your computer. Check. Your smartphone. Check. Check. Check.
But before we go too far down this road and you think this is a hit piece on Ms. Kelly, it is not.
Sadly, Ms. Kelly’s stardom as a “journalist” is emblematic of a serious problem within the broadcast journalism industry that has metastasized into an Ebola-style plague across the airwaves. And she is Exhibit A of this bilious condition.
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Senator Scott: 'No indication at all' that Sessions is racist
In the weeks since President-elect Trump nominated Sessions to become the chief law enforcement officer of the land, Democrats and many liberal civil rights organizations have renewed allegations of racism that sunk Sessions' nomination to a federal judgeship 30 years ago
Scott hasn't shied away from speaking out against racism, talking publicly last year in very personal terms about several instances in which he believes police have treated him unfairly because of the color of his skin. He relayed one instance in which a Capitol Police officer stopped him even though he was wearing a member's pin and said police have pulled him over seven times in one year.
When it comes to the allegations against Sessions, Scott said he has done his homework..
More here
Cruz: Trump Is Filling Cabinet With Conservative 'All-Stars'
Sen. Ted Cruz told Washington, DC radio host Larry O’Connor Wednesday that Donald Trump is filling his cabinet with “all-star” conservatives.
The Texas Republican noted that Republicans have been handed a “historic opportunity” to do a “great deal of good” in repealing “the disaster that is Obamacare.”
“It was one of the fundamental reasons why I ran for the Senate and promised the people of Texas that I would fight everyday to repeal Obamacare,” he continued. “I cannot tell you how gratifying it is to see us on the verge of delivering on that promise.”
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The Texas Republican noted that Republicans have been handed a “historic opportunity” to do a “great deal of good” in repealing “the disaster that is Obamacare.”
“It was one of the fundamental reasons why I ran for the Senate and promised the people of Texas that I would fight everyday to repeal Obamacare,” he continued. “I cannot tell you how gratifying it is to see us on the verge of delivering on that promise.”
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IAFF and city back to collective bargaining
That is the union’s conclusion, following the failure last month of the two parties to work out their differences in mediation.
The shift schedule has been the point of contention between both parties since first negotiations broke down in February 2016. At the moment, the “best and final” offer that was accepted by the City Council as the three-year contract includes 12-hour shifts.
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BREAKING NEWS: Shooting In Howard County: UPDATE: Male Suspect Deceased
Howard County Police shooting moments ago,
male suspect shot.
Domestic related, Suspect on PCP
6378 Woodland Forrest Dr Elkridge Md.
Medics on scene treating suspect.
Publishers Notes: Just wait until the official report comes out on this. You'll understand then why I refrained from telling any details but this is almost unbelievable. Good work Law Enforcement.
Ken Blackwell: Media ‘Borking’ Sessions Because He’s Southern ‘White, Conservative, Evangelical’
“The Washington Post and L.A. Times spent more than a month working on stories that were exclusively about Senator Sessions and race. Their attempt to define him not by his last twenty years in the Senate, but by the notion that he was white, conservative, evangelical, and from the South meant, in their view, that he could not escape the label of being a racist,” said Blackwell.
“They don’t use facts,” he added. “They don’t use measurable, observable behavior and activity. They, in fact, create this false image of a guy who they would like to bring down because they see him as the tip of the spear of moving us back to a system that respects the rule of law … that respects the Constitution.”
More here
Palestinians Reject John Kerry’s Two-State Solution
Outgoing Secretary of State John Kerry outlined a plan last week at the State Department for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on “a broad consensus on balanced principles that would satisfy the core needs of both sides.”
Kerry’s plan was criticized by Israelis for focusing on settlements and giving away Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem. This week, a senior Palestinian figure rejected it for a more fundamental reason: Palestinians refuse to accept a Jewish state.
Palestinian Media Watch notes that Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee member Hanan Ashram — a frequent spokesperson for the Palestinian cause in American media — told official Palestinian Authority television that Kerry’s plan was too “Zionist” because it accepted the principle of Israel as a Jewish State. Ashrawi stated that Palestinians had never recognized Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and still refused to do so..
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Kerry’s plan was criticized by Israelis for focusing on settlements and giving away Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem. This week, a senior Palestinian figure rejected it for a more fundamental reason: Palestinians refuse to accept a Jewish state.
Palestinian Media Watch notes that Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee member Hanan Ashram — a frequent spokesperson for the Palestinian cause in American media — told official Palestinian Authority television that Kerry’s plan was too “Zionist” because it accepted the principle of Israel as a Jewish State. Ashrawi stated that Palestinians had never recognized Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and still refused to do so..
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GOP to Dems: Assault on Sessions will carry a price
Republican senators are warning Democrats that their efforts to resurrect racism charges against Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination for attorney general won't derail his confirmation and will only serve to poison the well for future bipartisanship early this Congress.
Since Sessions' nomination, Democrats and liberal civil rights groups have reiterated racism charges from 1986 that sunk the Alabama senator's appointment to a federal judgeship by President Reagan. Sessions' supporters and those who believe some of the charges are overblown have spoken out on his behalf in recent weeks in an attempt to debunk the 30-year-old claims.
Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., who calls Sessions a friend of 18 years even though he doesn't agree with all of his policy positions, has said Democrats' decision to re-level charges of racism against the Alabama senator could poison the well for any chance of cross-party cooperation this year.
"I think it's very questionable what the Democrats are doing," he told the Washington Examiner. "It has a way of pulling our string of comity in the Senate — it's been pulled pretty hard and it looks like we're going to go through some more pulling."
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Since Sessions' nomination, Democrats and liberal civil rights groups have reiterated racism charges from 1986 that sunk the Alabama senator's appointment to a federal judgeship by President Reagan. Sessions' supporters and those who believe some of the charges are overblown have spoken out on his behalf in recent weeks in an attempt to debunk the 30-year-old claims.
Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., who calls Sessions a friend of 18 years even though he doesn't agree with all of his policy positions, has said Democrats' decision to re-level charges of racism against the Alabama senator could poison the well for any chance of cross-party cooperation this year.
"I think it's very questionable what the Democrats are doing," he told the Washington Examiner. "It has a way of pulling our string of comity in the Senate — it's been pulled pretty hard and it looks like we're going to go through some more pulling."
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LEGENDARY COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 1-7-16
First Bike
The traffic back in 1953 was nothing like it is now and I quickly gravitated to maneuvering the streets of our neighborhood with my mother’s permission and admonition that I “be careful”. Mothers always tell you that even though if you got hurt, you would be the one who suffered.
I had that bike for three years when my grandfather bought me a new one. This was the bike to die for – a Schwinn Phantom. This bike was the red model (they only made four colors –red, blue, green and black). It had a light mounted on the front fender, a huge saddle seat, a horn in the tank between the cross bars, two baskets hanging over the rear fender and a suspension system that moved up and down and allowed you to go faster. I rode that bike all over town. In those days, you could go anywhere, leave your bike outside and be assured that it would be there when you returned. I went to St. Francis, on the other side of town, but Mom let me my bike every Thursday. This was my “sub day”. I rode to Sid’s Subs over on Division Street and had a cold cut sub and an orange drink with the dollar Mom had given me.
One night, coming home from Pony League, I was racing my friend’s father down Truitt Street when I didn’t see the flat green painted pick-up truck parked by the curb. Luckily, I didn’t get hurt, but I can’t say the same for my front fender or the streamlined light on it. I sure didn’t want to tell my parents so I hid it in my grandfather’s garage until the weekend. I still had the old 24” bike and my friend rode that and I rode my Schwinn to Messick’s, a bicycle shop on Old Fruitland Road. I then rode both of us home, with him on the handlebars. Seven miles of hard pedaling was made even harder knowing that I would have to carry him back the same way to pick my bike up. I didn’t mention the bike all week and thought I had pulled it off. When I picked the bike up, the light was all wrong and it was mounted on a fender that was not as large as the original one. That has always been a mystery to me. Did my parents know? I can’t imagine my father not noticing the difference. But they never mentioned it and neither did I.
I wonder how many of us have done a similar thing in their youth and their parents just look the other way. I know later on in my youth, when I tore up a car, my Dad would only say one thing, “Are you O.K.?” He said they made cars every day and I was only depriving myself of the use of it. Why do we get smart only with age?
Obama Seized Enough Land and Water in 8 Years to Cover Texas Three Times
Last week, in one of his final moves out of the Oval Office, Obama executively designated more than 1.5 million acres of land as national monuments, preserving their untouched façade while closing them to human expansion, development, energy use, ranching or state or local jurisdiction.
In a move ignored by the liberal media last week, Obama unilaterally seized more than 1.3 million acres from Utah to establish the Bears Ears Monument, preserving it at the behest of conservationist groups and Native American tribes who claimed the land was sacred. Utah’s state legislature, however, opposed the unilateral land grab across party lines, with many speculating that Obama’s move is the latest in an attempt to limit efforts from incoming President Donald Trump to expand domestic energy production.
Obama also claimed 300,000 acres in Clark County, Nevada, as the Gold Butte National Monument, effectively closing the area off to future development for uranium mining, oil drilling or natural gas production.
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In a move ignored by the liberal media last week, Obama unilaterally seized more than 1.3 million acres from Utah to establish the Bears Ears Monument, preserving it at the behest of conservationist groups and Native American tribes who claimed the land was sacred. Utah’s state legislature, however, opposed the unilateral land grab across party lines, with many speculating that Obama’s move is the latest in an attempt to limit efforts from incoming President Donald Trump to expand domestic energy production.
Obama also claimed 300,000 acres in Clark County, Nevada, as the Gold Butte National Monument, effectively closing the area off to future development for uranium mining, oil drilling or natural gas production.
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Hillary Clinton emails show how Sultan of Brunei treated Bill 'like part of his family'
Among the thousand cuts Donald Trump delivered to Hillary Clinton en route to her political death was the accusation that she was cozy with the repressive Sultan of Brunei. A 2012 email released Thursday by the U.S. State Department seems to back him up.
In the message, Clinton aide Huma Abedin told the then-presidential candidate that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, worth a reported $20 billion, wanted to see her and husband Bill for an intimate 'family style dinner.'
Brunei government officials 'say [the] sultan sees wjc [William Jefferson Clinton] as part of his family and this is treating you in this "informal" way,' she wrote.
The sultan's embrace of brutal Muslim Sharia law to guide his nation's criminal justice system made him the center of controversy two years later when Hollywood celebrities discovered that it criminalized homosexuality – and imposed a potential death penalty for 'sodomy.'
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In the message, Clinton aide Huma Abedin told the then-presidential candidate that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, worth a reported $20 billion, wanted to see her and husband Bill for an intimate 'family style dinner.'
Brunei government officials 'say [the] sultan sees wjc [William Jefferson Clinton] as part of his family and this is treating you in this "informal" way,' she wrote.
The sultan's embrace of brutal Muslim Sharia law to guide his nation's criminal justice system made him the center of controversy two years later when Hollywood celebrities discovered that it criminalized homosexuality – and imposed a potential death penalty for 'sodomy.'
More
Webcam and Traffic Cams in the Area
Downtown Berlin Skycam
RT 50 at 611
Ocean City Boardwalk Cam
Ocean City Beach/Boardwalk Cam (This one moves back and forth from the beach to the boardwalk)
Route 50 and Sixty Food Road
Route 13 at SBY MSP
SBY Bypass 50 at 50 business
RT 50 at 611
Ocean City Boardwalk Cam
Ocean City Beach/Boardwalk Cam (This one moves back and forth from the beach to the boardwalk)
Route 50 and Sixty Food Road
Route 13 at SBY MSP
SBY Bypass 50 at 50 business
PLA’s 'Hacker Hotel'
According to an open-source intelligence report produced by the Army’s Asian Studies Detachment, “the Headquarters/Jintang and Seasons Hotel appear to be located in the same or at least adjacent buildings, both of which are, according to available information, owned by or connected to the People’s Liberation Army 4th Department.”
The Fourth Department, known as 4PLA, until recently was part of the military’s General Staff Department and is also known as the Electronic Countermeasures and Radar Department. The unit was reorganized into a new PLA service called the Strategic Support Force. The roll of the department is to conduct offensive electronic warfare and information warfare, including offensive cyberattacks.
The electronic and information warfare are among China’s most secret operations, and the location of the headquarters at the hotels appears to be following the strategic dictum of hiding in plain sight.
The 4PLA is considered one of China’s most threatening spy agencies because of its mandate for high-technology warfare and intelligence-gathering.
Its capabilities extend into space and include disrupting enemy communications, navigation and synthetic aperture radar satellites.
More here
Governor Markell Issues Limited State of Emergency for Sussex County, with Level 1 Driving Warning
Here is all of the info:
Governor Markell Issues Limited State of Emergency for Sussex County, with Level 1 Driving Warning
Wilmington, DE –With significant snowfall accumulating in Sussex County, Governor Markell has issued a Limited State of Emergency and Level 1 Driving Warning for Delaware's southernmost county effective at 8:00 a.m. today. [See text of the Governor's order below and attached.]
According to state law, a “Level 1 Driving Warning” means that any person operating a motor vehicle on Delaware roadways must exercise extra caution. All nonessential employees, public and private, are encouraged not to operate a motor vehicle unless there is a significant safety, health, or business reason to do so.
With snow accumulation forecasted throughout the state, the Governor also urges all Delawareans to drive cautiously as conditions can result in poor visibility and icy roads.
SU Closed 6 a.m. January 7 to 6 a.m. January 8 for Winter Storm
SALISBURY, MD --- Salisbury University will close 6 a.m. Saturday, January 7, to 6 a.m. Sunday, January 8, in anticipation of the impact of Winter Storm Helena on the Delmarva Peninsula.
All campus activities and student services during that time are canceled. The SU basketball games originally scheduled on Saturday, vs. Frostburg State University, will move to Sunday, with the women playing at 1 p.m. and the men at 3 p.m. at Maggs Physical Activities Center. The SU men’s and women’s swim meet originally scheduled for Saturday at McDaniel College has been rescheduled for Sunday.
Students with vehicles on campus are asked to move them to the Wayne Street parking garage to allow plowing of campus lots.
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All campus activities and student services during that time are canceled. The SU basketball games originally scheduled on Saturday, vs. Frostburg State University, will move to Sunday, with the women playing at 1 p.m. and the men at 3 p.m. at Maggs Physical Activities Center. The SU men’s and women’s swim meet originally scheduled for Saturday at McDaniel College has been rescheduled for Sunday.
Students with vehicles on campus are asked to move them to the Wayne Street parking garage to allow plowing of campus lots.
More
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