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Thursday, April 06, 2017

“I-95 Drive to Save Lives” and “Drive to Save Lives in Delaware” Traffic Initiatives April 8-9, 2017

The Delaware State Police in partnership with the Delaware Office of Highway Safety have coordinated a multi-state traffic campaign to reduce serious and fatal crashes during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The Delaware State Police are joining forces with 14 other states and local allied partners to reduce traffic deaths and injuries through traffic enforcement. These initiatives will be a contributing effort to support the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) initiative, “The Drive to Save Lives Campaign.” The IACP leaders’ goal is to change the high-risk behaviors of motorists in order to decrease the number of collisions through a greater awareness, education, strong partnerships, and high-visibility traffic enforcement.
According to NHTSA, 2015 marked the largest increase in traffic fatalities since 1966. Also, the first half of 2016 revealed a similar pattern of increase.  The approximate 1,920 miles of I-95 has been ranked among the top 10 in fatalities for the past several years and furthermore, I-95 is the fifth most dangerous interstate in the U.S.
Distracted Driving fatalities increased 8.8% in 2015 and distracted driving is believed to be responsible for 10% of all fatal crashes. With the first six months of 2016 showing an increase in fatal crashes compared to the first six months of 2015, National Distracted Driving Awareness Month proved to be an appropriate time for this initiative.

Benghazi Hero Kris 'Tanto' Paronto: Susan Rice is a Pathological Liar

As controversy continues to mount regarding former National Security Advisor Susan Rice and the role she played in “unmasking” the names of Trump officials prior to the President taking office, former Army Ranger and Benghazi survivor Kris “Tanto” Paronto of the American Legacy Center simply believes “she’s a liar.”

“Pathological or not, she continues to lie. There needs to be some repercussions. The people in D.C., and these last three years with me dealing with this Benghazi issue, I’ve seen that a lot of them think they are untouchable,” Tanto said during an interview on the Fox Business Network. “Trump has really been given the opportunity to show, or set an example and show that these people are not untouchable.”

Rice has denied any foul play and defended her requests of Trump officials as routine. She was also responsible for advocating that an anti-Islam YouTube video was responsible for the Benghazi attack.

But Tanto says he is “mad as hell,” and hopes House Intelligence Committee Chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) can find the truth.

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SC House Passes “Constitutional Carry” Gun Bill

COLUMBIA, SC (WSPA) – The South Carolina House passed a bill Wednesday to allow anyone who can legally buy a gun to carry it without any kind of permit. It’s called Constitutional carry or permitless carry.

Rep. Mike Pitts, R-Laurens, sponsored the bill and told the House there’s no legal reason for the state to require a concealed weapons permit. “This is not a privilege like your driver’s license, granted by the bureaucracy of the state, it is a right guaranteed in your Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the United States,” he said. “By definition of the Constitution, the 2nd Amendment right, held up by two Supreme Court decisions, gives you the ability to keep and bear arms without being permitted by the government.”

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This guy tricked his wife into thinking he shaved their son's head

Bobby Wesson, 40, a writer from Birmingham, Alabama, pulled the best April Fools joke ever on his wife, Rayena, 34, this year.

Knowing that his wife was stressing about the annual family photo that they're due to take with their 3-year-old son, Deacon, in a few weeks, Bobby started hatching an evil plan to prank Rayena over a month ago.

Since his wife is a trauma nurse, she doesn't often get a chance to check her phone, so when a calm night in the hospital arrived, he seized his chance and sent her a photo that he had doctored himself that made it seem like he had accidentally buzzed off part of their son's hair.

"She went 0-100 quicker than Drake lyrics," Bobby told GoodHousekeeping.com. "I knew she would."

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Watch a huge buck come out of nowhere and jump over a driving motorcyclist

This video is not for the faint of heart

If you've ever driven on a country road, you've probably had a close encounter with a deer, whether late at night or in broad daylight—and you also probably know that the experience can be pretty terrifying.

In a heart-stopping video that's now going viral, a large white-tailed deer jumps across a busy street in Alexandria, Virginia right in front of a group of motorcyclists, almost causing a major crash. In the clip, a leaping buck jumps directly between two cyclists, somehow without getting hit. One of the men, though, is seen slamming on his brakes, swerving out of the way of the deer, ultimately going over the handlebars and onto the road. Thankfully he wasn't seriously injured, but it was definitely a close call for both the man and deer.

Ironically the group had just passed a deer-crossing sign right before the buck dashed out in front of them. The group was participating in the Distinguished Gentlemans' ride, a charity event for prostate cancer, and the man who crashed was luckily able to continue on with just a few minor scratches.

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Council Looks To Eliminate Town’s $5K Prize For Season’s First White Marlin Release

OCEAN CITY — The “White Marlin Capital of the World” got a little less fishing-friendly this week when resort officials voted to eliminate the long-standing practice of awarding a $5,000 check to the angler who catches the first white marlin of the season each year.

For decades, the Town of Ocean City has awarded a $5,000 check to the angler who catches the first recorded white marlin of the season off the coast of the resort to honor the kick-off of another summer offshore fishing season and as a nod to the resort’s reputation as the “White Marlin Capital of the World.” While the Town of Ocean City awards $5,000 to the winning angler, the Ocean City Marlin Club adds a $5,000 contribution of its own if the angler who catches the first white marlin of the season is also a club member.

However, at the end of a budget work session on Wednesday, Budget Manager Jennie Knapp presented the Mayor and Council a list of supplementary budget appropriations or requests that don’t fit easily into any other department’s budget. Included on that list was the town’s $5,000 contribution to the first white marlin of the season caught and released off the coast of the resort.

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New Research Suggests Sinus Problems & Depression Are Linked

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – New research suggests that chronic sinus problems may be linked to depression.

More than 12 percent of adults have been diagnosed with sinusitis. Many report calling out sick from work or school because they can’t breathe, can’t focus and feel miserable.

More than 100 people, with an average age of 52, were entered into a study. They filled out questionnaires about their sinusitis symptoms, including things like sleep, pain and emotional function.

The study’s results show that most people missed an average of three days of work or school, and the days they missed were most strongly linked with symptoms of depression.

Some doctors say they plan to pay more attention to quality of life issues, including depression, when treating patients with chronic sinusitis. One allergist worries some patients don’t voice their concerns.

“I think very few of them make a direct connection between the depression and the sinus symptoms, or why they’re depressed,” says Dr. James DeAngelo of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Associates.

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GOP calls for IRS Commissioner John Koskinen to be fired

Congress’s top tax expert led Republicans Wednesday in demanding President Trump fire IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, saying the tax agency cannot be repaired as long as he’s at the helm.

“Trust in the IRS is hitting rock-bottom,” the Republicans, led by Rep. Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a letter calling on Mr. Trump to take action.

The 15 committee Republicans said not only did the IRS destroy evidence from key figure Lois G. Lerner’s computer in the tea party targeting probe, but the agency also “intentionally” made the tax experience painful for customers in order to make a political point to the GOP.

The Republicans said Mr. Koskinen, who was installed as commissioner in 2013 and charged with cleaning up the agency, has shown he can’t do it.

Mr. Koskinen’s term is scheduled to expire in November already, but the Republicans said Mr. Trump can’t wait that long to oust him — particularly at a time when Congress is trying to rewrite the tax code.

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Matthew Burton pleads guilty to rape, murder

Killer of Nicole Bennett to serve 30 years

Five years after he raped and killed Nicole Bennett before dumping her body off a dirt road near the Maryland-Delaware border, Matthew Burton took only five seconds to put his case to rest.

“Did you rape and murder Nicole Bennett,” asked Delaware Superior Court Judge E. Scott Bradley.

“Yes,” Burton answered.

Burton, 33, pleaded guilty April 5 to second-degree murder and second-degree rape in the slaying of Bennett in 2012. Upon the recommendation of state prosecutors, Burton was sentenced to 15 years for the murder and 15 years for rape for a total of 30 years behind bars with credit for time served. Following his sentence, Burton will have 20 years combined of probation and will have to register as a sex offender.

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Rand Paul: Susan Rice Committed a "Big Crime"

Senator says spying on Trump was politically motivated

Senator Rand Paul says that former Obama official Susan Rice committed a “big crime” when she unmasked Trump team members and then lied about it on national television.

Appearing on Fox News with Sean Hannity, Paul slammed Rice’s mealy mouthed answer to whether or not she would testify before a congressional inquiry about why she unmasked the identities of Trump campaign officials collected during intelligence intercepts.

Rice first said she knew nothing about the unmasking of transition officials but later walked that back to claim she didn’t ask for the names to be revealed “for political purposes”.

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SHOULD FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAY FOR HEALTH CARE? YOUNG AMERICANS THINK SO, POLL FINDS

If young Americans had it their way, the federal government would spend a whole lot more to ensure that people across the U.S. had health care coverage.

A recent GenForward poll found most young adults in the country were satisfied with former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act—plus or minus a few provisions—and they believed whatever President Donald Trump and the GOP has in store for health care going forward, it should require the federal government to shell out more money to guarantee all Americans have more than just “access” to coverage, as Republican lawmakers suggested in their recent unsuccessful health care legislation.

The poll, which surveyed 1,833 18-to-30-year-old adults before Trump's health care bill was rejected, found 67 percent of young adults said it was the federal government’s duty provide all U.S. residents with health coverage, and 63 percent of young Americans wanted the government to increase spending to help citizens afford health insurance, even though they acknowledged such measures would cost the U.S. more money.

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Kansas dad admits he killed son fed to pigs

A Kansas man pleaded guilty to killing his 7-year-old son and feeding his emaciated body to pigs.

Michael A. Jones, 46, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty on Friday in Wyandotte County District Court to one count of first-degree murder in the death of little Adrian Jones, whose remains were found in a barn at a property rented by Jones and his wife, the Kansas City Star reported.

Judy Conway, the boy’s grandmother, told the newspaper she had been prepped to testify in Jones’ trial, but was “relieved” to learn of the guilty plea.

“It makes me pretty happy,” she told the newspaper. “I’m relieved that [Jones] and Heather [Jones] will hopefully be behind bars for the rest of their life. It won’t bring Adrian back, of course, but it makes me feel really good that neither one can hurt another child again.”

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Berlin shocked by passing of local icon, Jesse Turner

Former Berlin Shoe Box owner Jesse Turner passed away on Friday, following an apparent battle with cancer.

The Accomack, Virginia native operated the iconic shop in downtown Berlin for several decades. He worked in the industry – in the town – since the late 1940s.

His influence, however, was more than business owner and cobbler. People in the community fondly referred to him “The Mayor of Germantown.”

Turner was honored by the Berlin Town Council and by members of the community at separate ceremonies following his retirement in February. He was born in 1930.

Berlin Mayor Gee Williams reacted to the news on Mondays, saying, “Shock is an understatement.”


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Your first medical diagnosis is probably wrong: study

For only 12%, the diagnosis remained unchanged with a second opinion

When you’re dealing with a serious medical condition, don’t think twice about seeking a second opinion.

It could save your life, according to a new study from the Mayo Clinic. The investigation, published online in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, found that 88% of patients who came to the medical institute for a second opinion, left with a different medical determination.

The study team, led by James Naessens, a Mayo Clinic health care policy researcher, compared the referring diagnosis to the final diagnosis. In 21% of the cases, patients got a completely different diagnosis, while around two-thirds of patients got a modified diagnosis. For 12%, the diagnosis remained unchanged.

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New Showell Elementary Design Results In Price Savings

BERLIN – As plans for a new Showell Elementary School continue to move forward, county leaders this week praised the school system’s efforts to cut costs.

School system officials presented the Worcester County Commissioners with the schematic design for the new Showell Elementary School on Tuesday. Joe Price, the school system’s facilities planner, said changes to the design have resulted in $1.2 million in projected cost savings.

“It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we’re working together,” Commissioner Chip Bertino said.

The replacement of 40-year-old Showell Elementary School has been a cause of contention between county and education officials in recent years. County leaders balked at the project’s $54 million price tag in 2015, later agreeing to approve it as long as it cost less than $37 million. The project again hit a standstill last fall when education officials presented plans for a $46 million school.

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Major Lyme Disease Outbreak Forecast, With Cases Rising

Now that spring has sprung, Lyme disease is breaking out of its winter’s slump. And experts are predicting an outbreak this year that will be unprecedented in scope.

A bumper crop of acorns has caused an exploding population of mice, which are common carriers of the tiny tick that transmits the insidious disease. And that could translate into a dramatic spike in the number of cases in 2017.

“I’m sorry to say, that’s the scenario we’re expecting,” disease ecologist Richard Ostfeld, who’s been studying Lyme for more than 20 years, told NPR.

And that’s bad news for an ever-increasing number of Americans.

Although some 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported every year, experts say that’s just a fraction of people who are actually being infected with the tick-borne bacteria.

More here

New Outdoor Sports Complex Nears Opening Between OC, Salisbury


BERLIN – Three local businessmen have announced their plans to open a multi-use outdoor sports complex between Ocean City and Salisbury later this summer.

Business partners Jay Phillips, John Barrett and Mitch Parker are joining forces to launch the Mid-Atlantic Youth Sportsplex (MAYS) at a former church property on Morris Road in Pittsville.

Since purchasing the 50-acre property early last year, the team has been quietly working to prepare the fields and buildings for game play this summer.

“We are waiting for the grass to green,” Phillips said.

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JUST IN: Don Rickles, Legendary Comic With a Gift for the Insult, Dies at 90

"Mr. Warmth" forged a career when he turned the table in his hecklers, going on to insult everyone he encountered — even Frank Sinatra.

Legendary comic Don Rickles, a rapid-fire insulting machine who for six decades earned quite a living making fun of people of all creeds and colors and everyone from poor slobs to Frank Sinatra, has died. He was 90.

Rickles died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles of kidney failure, publicist Paul Shefrin announced.

Sarcastically nicknamed “Mr. Warmth,” Rickles had mock disdain for stars, major public figures and all those who paid to see him, tweaking TV audiences and Las Vegas showroom crowds with his acerbic brand of takedown comedy. A good guy and devoted husband away from the stage, Rickles the performer heartlessly laid into everyone he encountered — and they loved it.

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Susan Rice unmasking scandal cries out for a grand jury

Each day brings new headlines about the troubling surveillance of President Trump and his team by the Obama Administration. It’s time for an independent investigation--and a grand jury.

The more we learn the worse it gets. This week bombshell revelations show that President Obama’s National Security Adviser, Susan Rice, unmasked the names of Trump transition members caught up in Obama Administration surveillance. That unmasked intelligence was then widely disseminated and leaked to numerous media organizations in direct criminal violation of the Espionage Act.

Unmasking U.S. citizens in surveillance requires very specific legal and factual circumstances. By all appearances, the unmasking of Trump transition members was done for political, not national security reasons – a direct violation of agency policies and likely of federal law.

But beyond Susan Rice, there needs to be an investigative spotlight focused directly on former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who signed off on the troubling expansion of the distribution of intelligence materials in the final days of the Obama Administration.

More here

BREAKING NEWS: Autopsies of victims of the chemical attack in Syria indicate the banned nerve agent sarin was used, Turkey said

The poison used in the deadly chemical bomb attack in a rebel-held part of northern Syria this week was the banned nerve agent sarin, the Turkish Health Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement from Turkey, where many of the stricken Syrians were taken after the assault on Tuesday, was the most specific about the cause.

“According to the results of preliminary tests,” the statement said, “patients were exposed to chemical material (Sarin).”

Fighter jet crashes, narrowly misses homes in Pr. George’s Co.


WASHINGTON — A National Guard fighter jet experienced mechanical problems just a few minutes after taking off from Joint Base Andrews and crashed before the pilot could return to the base Wednesday morning, guard officials said.

The pilot, whose name was not released, was on a training mission with three other F-16 jets when the plane crashed, narrowly missing a cluster of homes off Temple Hill Road about 9:15 a.m. He was taken to the base for medical treatment of minor injuries and later released. The National Guard pilot, who has flown with 121st Fighter Squadron for about a year, was said to be in good spirits.

The pilot ditched fuel tanks in an effort to keep the F-16C aloft and maneuvered to a wooded area about 6 miles from the base in Prince George’s County trying to avoid the densely populated area below, said Brig. Gen. George Degnon, who serves as the acting adjutant general for the D.C. National Guard.


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Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 4-6-17

On April 5, 2017 at approximately 4:31pm a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy observed a Gray Kia Optima fail to stop at the stop sign in the area of Young St. and Short St. in Pocomoke City, Worcester County, Maryland.

The Deputy initiated a traffic stop when the vehicle pulled into a residence driveway on 7th St. The passenger, identified as Eric Vincent Bishop (23) of Pocomoke immediately exited the vehicle and took off running on foot.

Another Deputy and a Pocomoke City Officer in the area located Mr. Bishop approximately a block away when Mr. Bishop took off running again. After a brief foot pursuit Mr. Bishop was placed under arrest. The Deputies located approximately 20 grams of suspected cocaine and a loaded handgun.

Bishop was charged with CDS-Not Marijuana, CDS-Paraphernalia, CDS- Intent to distribute within 1,000feet of a School, CDS- Intent to Distribute,

Possession of a Firearm in Commission of a Drug Trafficking Crime,

CDS Distribution with Possession of Firearm, Possession of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony, and Handgun on Person.

Mr. Bishop was taken before a District Court Commissioner where he was held without bond.

Speical Weather Statement Wicomico/Somerset Counties

Event:Special Weather Statement
Alert:
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN 
SOMERSET...WICOMICO AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES... 
 
At 1254 PM EDT, radar indicated strong thunderstorms were located 
along a line extending from 12 miles southeast of Taylors Island to 
near Tylerton. Movement was northeast at 70 mph. 
Wind gusts in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with 
these storms. In addition...rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are 
possible with these storms. 
Locations impacted include... 
Salisbury, Fruitland, Princess Anne, Hurlock, University Of Maryland 
Eastern Shore, Salisbury University, Delmar, Hebron, Sharptown, 
Secretary, Vienna, Westover, Parsonsburg, Deal Island, Pittsville, 
East New Market, Mardela Springs, Galestown, Brookview and Eldorado. 
Strong wind gusts are possible with these storms. These wind gusts 
are capable of knocking down tree limbs...small or weakened trees... 
and blowing around trash cans...potted plants...lawn furniture and 
other light outdoor objects. 
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio 
stations and available television stations for additional information 
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
Instructions:
Target Area:
Somerset
Wicomico

Tornado Watch for Several Eastern Shore Counties

Event:Tornado Watch
Alert:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED TORNADO WATCH 132 TO 
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AREAS UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON 
IN MARYLAND THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES 
IN SOUTHEAST MARYLAND 
DORCHESTER            SOMERSET              WICOMICO 
WORCESTER 
IN VIRGINIA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES 
IN EASTERN VIRGINIA 
NORTHAMPTON 
IN SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA 
ACCOMACK 
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF CAMBRIDGE, CAPE CHARLES, 
CHINCOTEAGUE, CRISFIELD, EXMORE, GREENBACKVILLE, HORNTOWN, 
NEW CHURCH, OCEAN CITY, ONANCOCK, PRINCESS ANNE, AND SALISBURY.
Instructions:
Target Area:
Dorchester
Somerset
Wicomico
Worcester
Forecast Office:NWS Wakefield (Eastern Virginia and Southern Maryland)

SBY Restaurant Week

Join us for great specials next week!

Southern Boys Concepts is proud to be participating again this year...
#SBYRestaurantWeek


Dems. Block Cloture Motion to Allow vote on Gorsuch -- Nuke Option Done!

The "father of judicial filibuster" Schumer and his fellow Democrats (with a few exceptions) voted against cloture, so the motion failed (55-45) to get the necessary 60 votes under the Senate's current rules. In a little while, the motion will be made to change the rule so that only a majority is needed.

All 6 Dem. senators from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia voted against cloture -- thus to allow a filibuster under the current rules.

The vote was taken twice, the second on a motion to reconsider the cloture motion.

Schumer tried to delay further proceeding until April 24, but that was voted down. Then he tried a couple more delay tactics that did not work (voted down). And then the 60 vote rule was scrapped.

Standby for base surge and heavy fallout -- we're going nuclear now by a 52-48 vote!!

Border Patrol Agents Feel Betrayed by the Trump Administration

The Trump Administration rewarded Border Patrol agents for their support of Trump as president by picking an Obama holdover whom they despise to be their boss. Trump chose the Obama-hired Customs and Border deputy who was tasked with enacting Obama’s open border vision to lead the parent agency of Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection (CBP). All of the Border Patrol agents who spoke with Breitbart Texas Managing Director Brandon Darby from all nine Southwest border sectors expressed feeling betrayed or otherwise hurt by Trump choosing a man who did so much damage to them to be their new boss. Many expressed regret for having supported Trump in the first place and for having believed he would actually listen to them and care about what they experienced while risking their lives for other Americans.

The feelings of betrayal come just days after the announcement of Obama-hire Kevin McAleenan as the next Commissioner of CBP.

More here

JUST IN: Republicans invoke 'nuclear option' to move Neil Gorsuch nomination

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday set in motion the so-called "nuclear option," a Republican-directed change to Senate precedent aimed at confirming Judge Neil Gorsuch over the objections of Democrats.

McConnell's proposed change would set a new precedent in the Senate that will allow all Supreme Court nominees to more easily win confirmation by eliminating the 60-vote filibuster, and allowing them to advance with just 51 votes.

McConnell set in motion that change just before noon on Thursday, after Democrats voted to block the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the high court. It also came after Democrats proposed delaying the consideration of Gorsuch until after the two-week Easter recess.

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$4.6M In State Funds Approved For OC Beach Replenishment

OCEAN CITY — State officials on Wednesday morning approved roughly $4.6 million for beach replenishment project in Ocean City.

On Wednesday, the three-member Board of Public Works (BPW), which includes Governor Larry Hogan, Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp, unanimously approved the $4.6 million for the beach replenishment project in Ocean City scheduled to begin sometime after Labor Day this fall. The latest installment of the beach replenishment project was expedited after the resort’s beaches took a significant hit during Winter Storm Jonas in January 2016.

The Ocean City beaches are routinely replenished every four years with periodic emergency projects as needed following storms and other natural events. Beach replenishment began in Ocean City in 1994 through a 50-year agreement with the town, Worcester County and the state of Maryland partnering with the federal Army Corps of Engineers, which provides over 50 percent of the funding for the massive undertaking.

The last beach replenishment project in Ocean City occurred in 2014 following Hurricane Sandy, making the next phase in the typical four-year cycle set for 2018.

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Week Twelve: Sine Die is Near

Session Winding Down

What an awesome week!

I have to start this newsletter off by offering my gratitude to Governor Hogan and staff, especially Deputy Chief of Staff Jeannie Haddaway-Ricco, Speaker Busch, and the House leadership team for helping put our priorities in the budget and keeping them there. We are very blessed to be able to report that with the passage of the Governor’s budget, all of the local projects that were presented to our office were funded!

While funding of highway user revenues (HUR) went up this year, our office is still working hard on bills that would make sure the funding will remain on an upward trajectory, until they ultimately fully funded based upon the formula that goes back decades. Thursday, we met with Maryland Municipal League leadership regarding the status of several HUR bills, including two that I submitted. We are still working to get it accomplished and hope to be able to push them through before the end of session.
Testifying in support of HB0942 & HB0946
We had our last Eastern Shore Delegation meeting of the 2017 Legislative Session on Friday. We had the honor of welcoming Senator Ben Cardin as well as our dear friend, Bunky Luffman, from the Office of the Governor. Senator Cardin pledged to continue to work with Governor Hogan on several issues. He also said that he thought the corporate tax rate in the United States is too high and he would like to see it lowered. Bunky explained his role in the Governor’s office to the Delegation. As a liaison for the local elected officials of the Eastern Shore he is visiting the council meetings of all 56 municipalities and 9 counties.
We concluded the week with the Fruitland Easter Parade and Mt. Hermon PLOW Days on Saturday. I am blessed to have been able to spend the beautiful weather in the district and even take in the sight of more improvements at our very own Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
This week is our last full week in Annapolis. The last day of session, Sine Die, is on Monday, April 10. There is a lot of work still to do, so I am very much looking forward to continuing to push for good bills and trying to stop bad legislation.

 
Our 2017 Scholarship Application is now available! If you live in District 38B and are interested in applying, please send an email to Carl.Anderton@house.state.md.us. Applicants must have plans to attend college in Maryland.
Thank you for your continuous support! If you would like to contact us with an idea, issue, or concern, please either call: 410-841-3431 or emailcarl.anderton@house.state.md.us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

These high school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials. Days later, she resigned.

Connor Balthazor, 17, was in the middle of study hall when he was called into a meeting with his high school newspaper adviser.

A group of reporters and editors from the student newspaper, the Booster Redux at Pittsburg High School in southeastern Kansas, had gathered to talk about Amy Robertson, who was hired as the high school’s head principal on March 6.

The student journalists had begun researching Robertson, and quickly found some discrepancies in her education credentials. For one, when they researched Corllins University, the private university where Robertson said she got her master’s and doctorate degrees years ago, the website didn’t work. They found no evidence that it was an accredited university.

“There were some things that just didn’t quite add up,” Balthazor told The Washington Post.

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Court documents: Md. man recorded sexual abuse of girls younger than 5

WASHINGTON — A Maryland man is facing multiple sex abuse charges in a case prosecutors are calling “horrific.” Court documents outline the man’s abuse of girls younger than 5 years old, including a relative.

By day, 31-year-old Kyle Stephen Thompson was a commercial HVAC technician out of Sterling, Virginia.

But for years in a wooded area near his apartment in Burtonsville, Maryland, court documents outline Thompson’s alleged rampant sexual abuse of three young girls dating back to October 2015.

Thompson showed videos he’d recorded of the abuse to another person who then reported it to Montgomery County police, the documents said. One of the videos shows Thompson raping a 4-year-old relative “who was crying and yelled, ‘I want my mommy,'” the documents said.

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JW Background on Susan Rice -- Obama advisor accused of spying on Trump

Former US Attorney: Susan Rice Ordered Spy Agencies To Produce ‘Detailed Spreadsheets’ Involving Trump

Source: The Daily Caller

Former President Barack Obama’s national security adviser Susan Rice ordered U.S. spy agencies to produce “detailed spreadsheets” of legal phone calls involving Donald Trump and his aides.

BREAKING NEWS: The embattled House Intelligence Committee chief, Devin Nunes, will step aside from an inquiry on Trump aides’ ties to Russia

Representative Devin Nunes, the embattled California Republican who is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, announced on Thursday he would step aside from leading his committee’s investigation into Russia’s efforts to disrupt last year’s presidential election.

Eberly: Sorry Sen. Cardin, but Judge Gorsuch is mainstream

By Todd Eberly
For MarylandReporter.com

In a recent interview, Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin argued that Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch was no mainstream judge and described him in some cases as “more extreme” than Justice Samuel Alito.

Maryland’s other senator, Chris Van Hollen, has echoed Cardin’s statements and has announced his intent to filibuster the Gorsuch nomination as the well.

The Democratic filibuster is expected to trigger the so called “nuclear option” where Republicans change Senate rules with a simple majority vote and eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees.

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WILMORE STERLING HONORED AS 2017 OUTSTANDING PUBLIC HEALTH LEADER

(Salisbury, MD.) Wilmore “Bunky” Sterling from Lower Shore Friends was recognized as the 2017 Outstanding Public Health Leader for WicomicoCounty at a ceremony held April 4, 2017 at the Fritz Health Center in Salisbury. The 21st annual award ceremony was held in recognition of National Public Health Week, April 3-9, 2017.

Sterling was recognized for his leadership and tireless efforts in providing peer support and recovery services to individuals with behavioral health disorders in our community. Sterling, known as “Bunky,” has served as Executive Director of Lower Shore Friend’s Wellness and Recovery Center since 1995. Under his direction, Lower Shore Friends was a pilot site in implementing Wellness and Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) classes. WRAP is an evidence-based, prevention and wellness process one can use to get well and stay well. Lower Shore Friends was one of the first in Maryland to implement smoking cessation classes for individuals with behavioral health disorders, through partnership with the health department Prevention program. In 2012, Lower Shore Friends expanded services to individuals with addiction disorders, and now offers one of the only support groups in the county for individuals in medicated assisted treatment programs.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCES PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET

Salisbury, MD ... Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver invites all citizens to participate in a Public Hearing on the FY 2018 Operating Budget. The meeting will be held on April 13, 2017 in the Midway Room of the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center beginning at 6:00 PM.

The public is encouraged to present their comments and questions. County Executive Culver and his staff will consider the suggestions of the citizens when creating the Fiscal Year 2018 operating budget. Final decisions will be based on prioritization of need and available funding sources.

WHO: Wicomico County Residents
County Executive Culver and Staff

WHAT: Public Hearing Notice
Proposed Operating Budget

WHEN: Thursday, April 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM

WHERE: Wicomico Youth and Civic Center
500 Glen Avenue, Salisbury MD
Midway Room

Md. sheriffs oppose proposed ‘sanctuary state' bill

FREDERICK, Md. - A pair of Maryland’s top sheriffs are blasting the state’s General Assembly about a bill being considered by lawmakers in Annapolis which they say will create a “sanctuary state” for illegal immigrants. While Gov. Larry Hogan is promising a veto if the bill hits his desk, law enforcement officials warn that some damage may have already been done with Maryland now at the center of the sanctuary debate.

This bill, which now sits at the State Senate Committee, has already passed the House. Supporters call it the “Trust Act” and is aimed at easing the fears of undocumented immigrants. Police officials are calling it something else – a “sanctuary bill” that would block local police from cooperating with federal immigration officials when they arrest an illegal alien who has committed a crime. While this debate goes into limbo, the sheriffs of both Frederick and Harford County warned on Monday that word of this bill is spreading thought the illegal immigrant pipeline, putting Maryland as a prime destination for individuals wanting to avoid federal immigration laws.

“Not only will it make it a sanctuary state, but a magnet state,” said Sheriff Chuck Jenkins with Frederick County. “Meaning anybody can come into this state, commit a serious crime, a violent crime without any fear of removal. That’s a bad thing, so not only will we become a sanctuary, we will become a magnet for criminal activity.”

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Rothschild: 'Mont-Balti-George's' illegal sanctuary

Maryland should be renamed the "Kingdom of Mont-Balti-George" in recognition of the fact Montgomery County, Baltimore City and Prince George's County exploit their raw voting majorities in the Maryland House and Senate to "rule" all of Maryland.

Let's review some rural county grievances from the past six years:

and property owners of millions of dollars of development rights without any due process or compensation;

•Mont-Balti-George passed the Maryland Firearms Safety Act. During hearings, citizens opposing the bill outnumbered supporters at least 10 to 1, but Mont-Balti-George crammed it through anyway;

•Mont-Balti-George has confiscated rural counties' fuel tax monies for years, and redirected them to subsidize expensive, urban mass transit systems.

Now, in open rebellion against President Donald Trump and federal immigration laws, Mont-Balti-George is no longer content to simply pass rules that restrict our freedoms and expropriate fuel taxes. The Kingdom is now attempting to expand its oligarchic powers to new heights.

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Spring Break In Florida

Here is a real picture of Key West after spring break. Anyone find it odd that college kids act like they are concerned about the environment and pollution...then go and do this?

World War I forever changed the state of Maryland

Elizabeth Cuff stood on farmland near Annapolis Junction a century ago and watched a new military community arise.

Congress had approved President Woodrow Wilson's request for a declaration of war against Germany. Now the Army was building a center between Baltimore and Washington — a messy, improvised, sprawling installation, arising with astonishing speed — to train hundreds of thousands of troops for the global conflagration they called the Great War.

"Camp Meade was all hustle and bustle," Cuff later recalled. "There were stacks of raw lumber everywhere, and the camp rang with the noise of hammering and sawing and other building sounds. Later, there were boardwalks, but in the beginning you waded ankle deep in dust in dry weather, in mud when it rained."

Camp Meade would grow into Fort Meade, Maryland's largest workplace, an economic force for the region and a key defense center for the nation.

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Rand Paul: Rice Should Testify Under Oath If Obama Ordered Her To "Unmask" Trump Team

After it emerged courtesy of Mike Cernovich that former National Security Advisor Susan Rice had made numerous requests to “unmask” the identities of Americans associated with President Trump in intelligence reports, senator Rand Paul who in recent days has been on increasingly better terms with the president and even went golfing with him this weekend, said Rice should testify under oath about her involvment in a potentially illegal scandal that she herself denied she had any knowledge of as recently as 2 weeks ago.

The Kentucky senator called the unmasking an “enormous deal” and indicated that it should be illegal.

“I think she should be asked under oath, did she reveal it to The Washington Post. I think they were illegally basically using an espionage tool to eavesdrop or wiretap — if you want to use the word generally — on the Trump campaign,” Paul said.
The report about Rice is linked to Devin Nunes’s claim that the Trump transition team was "accidentally surveilled" and associated information was widely disseminated in intelligence community reports.

Nunes made the claim nearly two weeks ago, infuriating his Democratic colleagues by briefing the media and Trump on the information before revealing it to his committee. Nunes said he was particularly concerned with the possibility that Trump associates were “unmasked” in the intelligence reports. Nunes revealed the information weeks after Trump accused Obama of having his “wires tapped” at Trump Tower ahead of the presidential election.

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WaPo Caught in Big Bible-Bashing Lie, Tries to Quietly Overhaul Entire Piece

The Washington Post quietly rewrote a story about a Congressman using the Bible to bash poor people Friday, after a writer at the Federalist published a systematic break down of the piece that exposed major holes and mistakes in the story.

Caitlin Dewey’s initial write-up in the paper (which recently adopted the slogan “Democracy Dies In Darkness”) did not include a single quote from the Texas representative she basically accused of using the Bible to justify taking food from starving people. The story also incorrectly referred to “2 Thessalonians 3-10,” and wildly mischaracterized Rep. Jody Arrington’s statements on the verse.

While Arrington did reference 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat) in a discussion of food stamps, he did not, as the WaPo article suggested, use it to argue unemployed people should not be allowed to eat.

After Sean Davis pointed out these mistakes and others in a piece for the Federalist Friday, someone at The Washington Post went through and majorly reworked the story. In fact, it appears the stealth edits are a direct answer to his piece. The story now includes the full quote from Arrington and other adjustments, although the incorrect verse reference remains.

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Cow Fart Regulation Passed Into California Law

SACRAMENTO (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation that regulates emissions from dairy cows and landfills for the first time as California broadens its efforts to fight climate change beyond carbon-based greenhouse gases.

Brown’s move Monday targets a category of gases known as short-lived climate pollutants, which have an outsize effect on global warming despite their relatively short life in the atmosphere.

Environmentalists hope that tackling short-lived pollutants such as methane now would buy time to develop new and more affordable technology to reduce carbon emissions.

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Have you ever thought about what comes after the bubble? In 2008 we got a short preview of what life will be like, but most Americans seem to have come to the conclusion that the last financial crisis was just a minor bump in the road toward endless economic prosperity. But of course the truth is that the ridiculously high debt-fueled standard of living that we are enjoying now is not sustainable, and after this bubble bursts it will be an extremely painful adjustment for our society.

Since the last financial crisis, the U.S. national debt has nearly doubled, corporate debt has doubled, stock valuations have reachedexceedingly ridiculous extremes, the student loan debt bubble has surpassed a trillion dollars, we are facing the largest unfunded pension crisis in U.S. history, and in many parts of the country (particularly the west coast) we are facing a housing bubble that is even worse than the one that burst in 2007 and 2008.

And even with all of these bubbles, U.S. GDP growth has been absolutely anemic. Even if you believe the grossly manipulated numbers that the federal government puts out, the U.S. economy grew at a “miserably low” rate of just 1.6 percent in 2016…

In terms of GDP, the fourth quarter was revised up slightly, but there were adjustments for prior quarters, and overall GDP growth for the year 2016 remained at a miserably low 1.6%. We’ve come to call this the “stall speed.” It’s difficult for the US economy to stay aloft at this slow speed. As Q4 gutted any hopes for a strong finish, GDP growth in 2016 matched the worst year since the Great Recession.

And corporate profits, despite a stock market that has been surging for years, are even worse. A lot worse. They’ve declined for years. In fact, they declined for years during the prior two stock market bubbles, the dotcom bubble and the pre-Financial-Crisis bubble. Both ended in crashes.

Things have continued to get even worse early in 2016. At this point, it is being projected that U.S. GDP will grow at an annual rate of just 0.9 percent during the first quarter of 2017.

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