DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Be Here Tomorrow Morning At 8:00 AM
Happy Mother's Day
My Mother kept a garden,
a garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things
that gave my life it's start.
She turned me to the sunshine
and encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
the seeds of self-esteem...
And when the winds and rain came,
she protected me enough-
But not too much because she knew
I'd need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
always taught me right from wrong-
Markers for my pathway
that will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother's garden.
I am her legacy-
And I hope today she feels the love
reflected back from me...
Happy Mother's Day
a garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things
that gave my life it's start.
She turned me to the sunshine
and encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
the seeds of self-esteem...
And when the winds and rain came,
she protected me enough-
But not too much because she knew
I'd need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
always taught me right from wrong-
Markers for my pathway
that will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother's garden.
I am her legacy-
And I hope today she feels the love
reflected back from me...
Happy Mother's Day
Fire Department Funding
Members
John T. Cannon, (R) Council President At-Large 30303 Dixon Road, Salisbury, MD 21804 Office: 410-548-4696 Cell: 410-251-3282 | Larry W. Dodd (R) Council Vice President District 3 P.O. Box 1285 1009 Bell Ave. Salisbury, MD 21802Office: 410-548-4696 Home: 410-860-8032 | Ernest F. Davis,(D) District 1 8500 N. West Road, Salisbury, MD 21801 Office: 410-548-4696 Cell: 443-397-4247 | Marc Kilmer, (R) District 2 27350 Nanticoke Rd, Salisbury, MD 21801 Office: 410-548-4696 Cell: 410-845-5149 |
Matt Holloway, (R) At-Large 27585 Little Lane Salisbury, MD 21801 Office: 410-548-4696 Cell: 443-366-5490 | John Hall (R) District 4 414 Forest Lane Salisbury, MD 21801 Office: 410-548-4696 Cell: 443-365-5918 | Joe Holloway (R) District 5 32928 Shavox Road Parsonsburg, MD 21849 Office: 410-548-4696 Home: 410-749-4010 |
bculver@wicomicocounty.org
or
Submit a message using the Web Form
Send a Message to Bob Culver
edavis@wicomicocounty.org
jholloway@wicomicocounty.org
jcannon@wicomicocounty.org
johnhall@wicomicocounty.org
ldodd@wicomicocounty.org
mkilmer@wicomicocounty.org
mholloway@wicomicocounty.org
Use this link to send an email to all council members: Email All Council Members
After SFD Station 1 Claimed They Were In Route, This Video Proves They Lied
GO HERE
Publishers Notes: Let me clear something up here for ALL of you. Yes, this was the PAID Firefighters and not the Volunteers.
Publishers Notes: Let me clear something up here for ALL of you. Yes, this was the PAID Firefighters and not the Volunteers.
HOWEVER, I believe the POINT here is, it doesn't matter WHO it was, it's UNACCEPTABLE, period!
Day Trippin'
Last week, the news heralded Headquarters Live would be no more and the downtown fire station would now become the central office for the failing Daily Times. During the newscast, WMDT interviewed Mayor Jake Day and he offered up a brighter picture of sunshine and roses by stating the City has big plans for a snazzy new amphitheater which will accommodate 700+ on the River Walk!
Wow! Just Brilliant Indeed!
It would seem our mayor has no logical thought chain whatsoever. Instead, he just goes from one mess to another much like a seagull; making little piles of dung everywhere while never fixing anything to any kind of satisfaction for the community.
Salisbury needs an amphitheater but not a working waste and sewage plant or more jobs to help with the area's failing economy?
Now join me in a little reality break. If Salisburians were spending their money on entertainment, then why did Headquarters Live fail? And if this smaller venue cannot manage to stay afloat, how can Day and his band of liberal minded groupies expect a larger venue like an amphitheater fair any better (if not worse?) What about the already existing, underutilized venue, the Civic Center?
Salisbury doesn't have the services or attendance to attract large known acts to generate the revenue for any promoter to be interested! We are no more than a one-off - meaning second tier acts playing some place like Washington or Baltimore, can come here for a quick gig. However, this place is too small to guarantee the attendance needed to fulfill their contracts. Bands tour to make money on music sales not ticket sales. If no one attends a show then the effort an exercise in futility.
Day never thinks ahead of time and it's painfully obvious. Mind you, no more than a few feet away he's proposed Section 8 housing. No tour manager in his right mind would let his client play in an area that close to the ghetto because security considerations would be a nightmare. Given the above about the purpose of touring, Salisbury is just not worth the additional headache.
I'm just a man asking questions and pointing out the obvious!
Local Lawsuit Filed
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WICOMICO COUNTY
Plaintiff *
ROBERT W. HEARN, SR.
v.
Defendants *
JOHN J. BARRANGER
and *
COASTAL AUTO RECOVERY, INC. *
Serve: John M. Comegys, Resident Agent *
2805 Philadelphia Ave.
Ocean City, MD 21842 *
Plaintiff *
ROBERT W. HEARN, SR.
v.
Defendants *
JOHN J. BARRANGER
and *
COASTAL AUTO RECOVERY, INC. *
Serve: John M. Comegys, Resident Agent *
2805 Philadelphia Ave.
Ocean City, MD 21842 *
COMPLAINT
Now comes Plaintiff, Robert W. Hearn, Sr., by and through undersigned legal counsel Luke A. Rommel and Rommel and Associates, LLC, and files this Complaint against Defendants, John J. Barringer and Coastal Auto Recovery, and as causes of action state as follows:
VENUE AND JURISDICTION
1. Plaintiff, Robert W. Hearn, Sr., is a resident of Wicomico County, Maryland.
2. Defendant, John J. Barringer, is a resident of the State of Delaware.
3. Defendant, Coastal Auto Recovery, Inc., is a Maryland corporation, with its principal office in Ocean City, Maryland.
4. Venue is appropriate in this jurisdiction because the cause of action which is subject of this Complaint occurred in Wicomico County, and Defendants actively do business in Wicomico County. The amount in controversy exceeds the jurisdictional limits of this court.
FACTS COMMON TO ALL COUNTS
5. This case, in many ways, is similar to the oft-cited, Maryland punitive damage case: Darcars Motors of Silver Spring, Inc. v. Borzym, 379 Md. 249 (2004). Plaintiff, Robert W. Hearn, Sr., was employed by Defendants, Coastal Auto Recovery, Inc. and John J. Barranger. Mr. Hearn’s job responsibilities, generally, included towing, repossessing and storing vehicles on behalf of third-party clients, usually lien-holders. Defendants have been in this industry for several decades, and are very experienced and profitable in this field.
6. Mr. Hearn is the owner of a 2007 Ford F250. Mr. Hearn purchased the vehicle in December of 2015, for a purchase price of $25,224.20. Since purchasing the vehicle, Mr. Hearn has made many mechanical and cosmetic improvements and upgrades, which have likely increased the value of the truck. In addition, for reasons known to Defendants, the vehicle has great sentimental and emotional value to Mr. Hearn. A picture of the vehicle is below:
7. In June of 2016, Defendants loaned Mr. Hearn $600.00. The loan agreement, albeit simplistically, was in the form of a signed, written contract. It provided: “Loan $600.00 cash on 2007 F250 – 30 day no interest[,] just clean tow truck.” Defendants paid $600.00 in cash to Mr. Hearn.
8. Mr. Hearn has recently been diagnosed with skin cancer, and has been actively treating at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury. The process has been financially challenging. Regardless, Mr. Hearn initially made two separate efforts to repay Defendants: 1) in $100.00 installments; and 2) to come out of his paycheck, which he received from Defendants. For unknown reasons, Defendants did not accept either of these suggested repayment options.
9. Important to this litigation, on or around April 15, 2017, Mr. Hearn quit his job with Defendants, and went to work for River City Recovery, a competitor of Defendants located in Mechanicsville, Virginia.
10. On Monday, May 1, 2017, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Defendants sent one of their employees to Mr. Hearn’s residence in Willards, MD, with the intention of secretly towing and taking possession of Mr. Hearn’s F-250. Defendants did not anticipate anyone would be at the residence, as they expected Mr. Hearn to be working. Mr. Hearn was not home, but was not working; he was receiving cancer treatments at PRMC. Mr. Hearn’s girlfriend was at the residence, and she told Defendants’ employee that Defendants did not have permission to take the truck. In response, Defendants’ employee simply stated “fuck you and fuck [Mr. Hearn] too,” and towed the truck away. A picture of the truck being towed by Defendants is below:
11. On Sunday, May 7, 2017, Mr. Hearn asked Defendants to return the F-250. Defendants attempted to extort Mr. Hearn by threating to “press [criminal] charges” unless Mr. Hearn “sign[ed] the title over to [Defendants].” These threats were sent by Defendants to Mr. Hearn in the following text messages:
12. In this text message exchange, Defendants also acknowledge that Mr. Hearn tried making payments on the loan, but that Mr. Hearn had “no way to prove [it]” and that Defendants “told you I would get you and I did.” In addition, Defendants sent Mr. Hearn a voicemail, which has been saved by Mr. Hearn, where Defendants say “I guess both of your balls are locked in a box now.” This message is a crude double-entendre where Defendants are referencing both Mr. Hearn’s cancer treatments and Defendants’ extortion efforts.
13. On May 9, 2017, Mr. Hearn sent a certified check in the amount of $600.00 to Defendants. Mr. Hearn also requested, by telephone, that Defendants simply return his vehicle and the contents within the vehicle to its rightful owner. Defendants indicated that they would not accept the check and would not return the vehicle. This lawsuit followed.
COUNT I – CONVERSION
14. Plaintiff incorporates by reference the facts and allegations of paragraphs 1-13 as if fully set forth herein.
15. Beginning on or around May 1, 2017, Defendants wrongfully exercised dominion and control over Mr. Hearn’s 2007 F-250 vehicle, and personal property within the vehicle, which include: a) Mr. Hearn’s Ocean City Volunteer Fire Department gear and helmet; b) a G5 fire pager; c) stereo equipment; d) commercial tool box; e) clothes, shoes and boots; f) two I-pads; g) a digital Motorola radio; h) emergency dash lights; i) two check books; j) photographs of Mr. Hearn’s late father; k) wedding rings from Mr. Hearn’s parents, both of whom are deceased.
16. Defendants acted intentionally and with actual malice, and with knowledge of the wrongfulness of their acts. Defendants’ conduct was improperly motivated by efforts to punish and extort Mr. Hearn.
17. Mr. Hearn is the rightful owner of the 2007 F-250 vehicle and its contents. He demanded that the vehicle be returned, and this demand was refused by Defendants.
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff, Robert W. Hearn, Sr., demands judgment against Defendants, Coastal Auto Recovery, Inc. and John J. Barranger, in an amount exceeding $30,000.00, plus punitive damages exceeding $30,000.00, plus attorneys’ fees, costs, and any further relief determined to be appropriate by this Court.
JURY DEMAND
Plaintiff demands a jury trial in the above-captioned matter.
A Letter To The Editor: Salisbury Fire Department Response Times
In light of everything that has taken place over the last few months dealing with the Salisbury Fire Department, I felt the need to share.
The city claims they had to supplement the volunteers by adding more paid staffing because of response times. If they are so worried about response times, can someone please explain to me why my taxes are paying for these men and women to sit down and have lunch at a restaurant way OUTSIDE of the Station 1 fire district? Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with them having lunch or whatever but the issue is that they are INSIDE Five Guys eating lunch when there are SEVERAL other places within their territory to eat. What happens if an emergency comes in over on Mt. Hermon Rd. During lunch time, traffic is horrible in this area anyways and trying to maneuver through traffic is already going to slow the response time, but now since they are out of their district it will take that much longer.
The ones that are objecting to funding Company 1 needs to realize there is going to be a delay no matter who is responding. The volunteers simply because they have to leave their homes or jobs to respond, which they do for free versus these career fire fighters who have a delay simply because they choose to be anywhere but at their station waiting for a call. Even when they are at the Station, we have already seen proof there is a delay of almost 3 minutes for an EMS call.
There seems to be a lot of pointing fingers and childish actions being taken by the ones that do not wish to see Company 1 succeed. However, the very things they are accusing these VOLUNTEERS of, they are almost certainly guilty of themselves if not worse.
And for the record, I am NOT affiliated with any fire department. I am a COUNTY citizen and because this situation effects me, I have been trying to stay up to date on it.
I SUPPORT COMPANY NO.1!
Salisbury Middle School UPDATE
That being said, there have been NO FIGHTS. I have been asked by Salisbury Middle School to remove the original article as their phones have been "ringing off the hook". I agreed and removed the original article.
When An Artist Wants $60.00 A Seat, (minimum) This Is What Happens!
SALISBURY, Md. – We respectfully regret the R. Kelly "After Party" concert at the WYCC in Salisbury, MD on May 14, 2017, has been cancelled due to unexpected circumstances. This cancellation is solely the decision of the organizers.
Ticket holders who paid with credit card will be automatically refunded within seven working days.
Ticket holders who paid with cash must contact the Box Office concerning their refund. These ticket holders will receive a refund check. Please allow at least two weeks to receive your check.
If you have any questions, please call the Box Office at 410-548-4911.
A Viewer Writes: Hebron Fire
Wicomico Sheriff To Seek Grant For Crime Camera
SALISBURY – Officials in Wicomico County will allow the Wicomico County’s Sherriff’s Office to seek grant funding for a $17,035 portable surveillance camera.
In last week’s meeting of the Wicomico County Council, Lt. Rich Wiersberg and 1st Sgt. Mark Wagner approached councilmembers seeking approval to submit an application and receive grant funds, if chosen, that would pay for a high definition camera that will monitor crime activity in needed areas.
Wiersberg said the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention was accepting white paper applications with a two-page narrative and budget requirement between $15,000 and $200,000 to fund certain projects that target opioids and violent crimes.
“We quickly sat down with the sheriff and went over some needs,” he said. “It’s been on our goal list for quite some time when this came up. We are just waiting for Mr. Culver’s (Bob, county executive) signature and your approval to make it formal.”
He explained that the $17,035 the sheriff’s office has requested will be used to purchase a surveillance camera and its various components.
More
In last week’s meeting of the Wicomico County Council, Lt. Rich Wiersberg and 1st Sgt. Mark Wagner approached councilmembers seeking approval to submit an application and receive grant funds, if chosen, that would pay for a high definition camera that will monitor crime activity in needed areas.
Wiersberg said the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention was accepting white paper applications with a two-page narrative and budget requirement between $15,000 and $200,000 to fund certain projects that target opioids and violent crimes.
“We quickly sat down with the sheriff and went over some needs,” he said. “It’s been on our goal list for quite some time when this came up. We are just waiting for Mr. Culver’s (Bob, county executive) signature and your approval to make it formal.”
He explained that the $17,035 the sheriff’s office has requested will be used to purchase a surveillance camera and its various components.
More
WCSO CID Press Releases May 10, 2017
Incident: Manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of CDS: not marijuana, possession of ammunition by persons prohibitedDate of Incident: May 9, 2017
Location: 27000-Block of Patriot Drive Salisbury, Maryland
Suspects: Rory John Casale, 30 years old, Salisbury, MD
Crystal Lynn Stephens, 33 years old, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On May 9, 2017 members of the Sheriff’s Office Community Action Team, assisted by members of the Criminal Investigative Division, executed a search and seizure warrant in the 27000-block of Patriot Drive Salisbury, MD. During the course of the search, Deputies located items in the garage of the home that were consistent with a methamphetamine laboratory. These items included beakers, glass rods, tubing, chemicals, flammable liquids, filters, utensils, and other items used to manufacture methamphetamine. Members of the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. A further search of the residence revealed syringes, heroin, and other unknown substances that will be forwarded to the State Police crime lab for testing. Ammunition was also located in the residence. The occupants of the residence, Rory Casale and Crystal Stephens, were charged with numerous offenses. Both subjects were seen by a District Court Commissioner and detained on bond.
Charges: Manufacturing methamphetamine, Possession of CDS: not marijuana, Possession of ammunition by persons prohibited, Maintaining a common nuisance: residence.
Incident: Distribution of crack cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine
Date of Incident: May 5, 2017
Location: Cedar Drive @ Mt. Hermon Road Salisbury, MD
Suspects:
Tyquan Jamal King, 19 years old, Salisbury, MD
Brianna Nicole Dashiell, 22 years old, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On May 5, 2017 a member of the Sheriff’s Office Community Action Team conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being operated by Tyquan Jamal King. The Deputy learned that King was currently wanted on two (2) warrants. The owner of the vehicle, Brianna Nicole Dashiell, was also a passenger in the vehicle during the stop. During the arrest of King, probable cause to search the vehicle was developed. A search of the vehicle revealed crack cocaine located throughout the vehicle. Deputies arrested both King and Dashiell for possession of crack cocaine. Once back at the Sheriff’s Office, Dashiell advised Deputies that she had a bag of crack cocaine on her person. Deputies retrieved this bag and identified it to be approximately 8.8 grams of crack cocaine. Both King and Dashiell were seen by a District Court Commissioner and released on bond.
Charges: Distribution of crack cocaine (King only), Possession of CDS: not marijuana, Possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine
 |
| Thompson, Collick, Bradley, Smith and Parsons |
Incident: Drug Investigation
Date of Incident: April 22, 2017
Location: 1100-Block of Lake Street Salisbury, MD 21801
Suspects:
1. Trico Deangelo Thompson, 20 years old, Salisbury, MD
2. Markeith Donnell Collick, 30 years old, Delmar, MD
3. Antonio Ali Bradley, 34 years old, Salisbury, MD
4. Patricia Ann Smith 48 years old, Salisbury, MD
5. Thomas Earl Parsons, 22 years old, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: Over the course of the last several months, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Community Action Team (CAT) conducted an investigation in to the illegal sales of controlled dangerous substances from a house located in the 1000-block of Lake Street, Salisbury, Maryland. Probable cause was developed, and a search and seizure warrant was authored for the residence. On Saturday April 22, 2017, the search warrant was executed with the assistance of the Salisbury City Police TAC team. Deputies located a loaded stolen 9mm Springfield XP handgun, a large bag containing marijuana along with scales, bags, oxycodone, cocaine and a large sum of US currency. All subjects were released to the Wicomico County Detention Center. The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division assisted with the investigation.
Charges: Possession with the intent to deliver Marijuana, Possession with the intent to deliver marijuana in a school zone, Possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, Maintain a common nuisance residence, Possession of cocaine, Possession of marijuana.
Breaking News: President Trump has fired James Comey, the F.B.I. director
A Viewer Writes: "Daily Dumbass"
Another Week, Another Rape In Salisbury Maryland
And how about the rest of your Main Stream Media covering it all up!
WHEN are you people going to finally get fed up? WHEN are you going to stop listening to their BS. How many women have to get RAPED before the Red Flag goes up in your heads before you demand answers?
Put a BOY in a mans job and this is what you get. Remember, this is documented. Last week they called another crime a sexual assault on a 90+ year old woman.
IMAGINE one of your family members, (mother, grandmother, great grandmother) being sexually assaulted or raped, especially that late in life.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
A Viewer Writes: Gander Mountain Is A Scam
I saw signs on displays for 10, 15 and 20%, but didn't find anything marked down by 30%.
And if anyone's interested in firearms or ammunition, forget getting any part of that "storewide" discount, 'cause there isn't any.
Things the public need to know about the SFD and Corporation #1
• Public safety is really in mind here - The chief stopped alerting volunteers for all calls. When approached by Chief Polidore requesting that we at least get alerted for medical emergencies like nonbreathing, cardiac arrests etc. and the chief said No. He felt as though they were not important enough to him to alert an emergency responder that could be across the street from the incident. The mayor said that there was 105 volunteers in the city. Which means there is a chance there are people scattered all throughout the city and parts of the county at all times of the day. They could have been closer to someone having that medical event than what the nearest Fire Truck or Ambulance was. Every minute that goes by the chance of saving that person rapidly deteriorates.
• Nutter’s Crossing the city has proved they don’t care about you. The Chief and Mayor said If Station 1 wants their own territory they can operate outside the bypass. The city doesn’t get enough calls out there to justify our time or revenues. Look at a map Nutter’s Crossing you are outside of the bypass that is what the city thinks about you.
• Retired Chief Brezler – He was the one who got rid of SFD’s Tankers during his first year or so in service. He can be quoted as saying we are in the fire service not Tanker business. These tankers were needed and still are needed for our County area. I hope Nutter’s Crossing likes listening to him in their community meetings. By the way the only Tanker in the city has now been taken out of Station 1(where it was needed the most) and put downtown surrounded by fire hydrants. Brezler retired from the city when it needed him the most. He singlehandedly stirred up more controversy and then when things started to point at him, he simply tucked in his tail and ran away. What a great leader he was!
• This is not nor has it ever been a career vs volunteer situation as now being reported by various news articles. Why did the city wait 4 months to say that is what it was?
• Parsonsburg needs to open their eyes too and stop supporting the City of Salisbury! The chief has it in his 5-year plan to have a station out by Perdue Stadium. That is why they annexed in RT 50. Your territory is next to be taken if you don’t start helping fellow brothers and sisters out like you said you would. By the way thanks for your vote at the Chiefs meeting too. Chief Hoppes was happy to see you vote with 16, 7 and 11 against your own brethren.
• Let’s talk about Parody within the City of Salisbury Fire Dept- 2 career Firefighters (James Jester & Zachary Bridges) were tried and plead guilty to either a DUI or DWI both have since been promoted to higher ranking positions. A volunteer plead guilty to Driving while impaired, in between the time of both career officers’ incidents, and was discharged from service. It was stated Salisbury could not be represented in a bad light.
• A volunteer member of station 1 was discharged for not being able to meet with Chief during the hours of 8-5 Mon thru Friday due to the current work load from his full-time career. This member tried to meet the chief during more suitable hours and the chief declined them. Later then charged the member with insubordination for allegedly refusing to meet with the Chief all together. By the way this was all over a Facebook post when the Chief and other Career Officers ranted about the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet. Isn’t there a policy in the city about Communications on public forums? A volunteer member from station 2 was discharged for carrying a box out of the station. They could not provide video evidence but they just said there was some evidence and forced the member out. Does this sound like a place you want to volunteer your time?
• Volunteers from Station 1 have handled calls all throughout the city when other stations (2 and 16) could not get out and the duty crew were all out on their own calls.
• Chief Hoppes has been put on record in a county meeting that there are volunteers still at station 1. Why is Brian records being quoted to a SU news reporter saying there aren’t any volunteers there? Who is lying? • Throughout this event of station 1 leaving the city Those members have not been in the media trash talking in retaliation to what the members of the city have been saying.
• Let’s address the chief so called scratch comments about the Station 1 volunteers. In the event they were realerted (which per the chief a city re-alert happens at 4 mins unlike the county station’s 5 min protocol) the career staff were automatically put on the call and the station 1 volunteers were told to remain in quarters and wait for the next call. His stats do not show that they did show up at 4 mins and 10 secs. It just shows they didn’t make it out in 4 mins.
• While we are on the subject of response times let’s talk about how the city pads their numbers. Medics and certain other people can respond from their bunk room, kitchen and for all we know even the toilet. There is video evidence for this later to be revealed how a medic unit went responding but didn’t leave the firehouse until almost 3 minutes later on a patient who was going through multiple seizures. What this is doing is slowly killing people and or making it less likely that people will survive the medical event they are going through at that time.
• The volunteers of the city were also told they are not allowed to respond directly to the scene. They were told if the incident was on their way to the firehouse they were to go past the incident and to the firehouse to get the apparatus out. In the county, they can respond directly to the scene and do a proper size up then have 1 person bring the correct apparatus needed for the situation. Which again increased station 1’s response times.
• During the time of stations 1’s worst performance time was not all their fault. It has come to our attention that a lot of it could have been the cites in take process. It, during that time, was taking the city anywhere from 4 to 8 months to complete the intake process of new members. That was only if they didn’t keep losing the applications. There were countless applications that kept getting lost in the process. At the point of one person’s retirement there were a stack of applications found that were years old. During this time station 1 was at its all time low in membership. They only 17 members then let’s applaud those member’s efforts.
• To continue with the cities intake process members are required to have Firefighter 1, Hazmat Ops and Awareness and EMT before they can count for minimum staffing. Which by the way the total hours to complete the necessary training needed is over 300 hours plus you must schedule ride-alongs, which it can take weeks to get the number of calls needed, in competition with all the others in your class, while you maintain your current job and family life. We are not arguing some of this training is not necessary but there have been some that have either been turned off by being forced to be an EMT, and others being refused the chance to ride and help where they can because they can’t complete EMT either do to the inability to pass the national registry or just can’t complete the course because the schedule change. Let’s face it not all of us can be a doctor, but some of those people can be a nurse. Allowing people to help where they can that is why we have volunteers right?
• Plus, all new members are now being assigned shifts to work on. It doesn’t matter about your availability, you need to fill the shift yourself or find a replacement. If you don’t fill the shift there is disciplinary action leading all the way up to discharge. How is this volunteer? They are being forced to do the same job for free and the guy next to them is making a salary to do so. They work the required hours then they still must go to their other full time career. Again, while the guy next to them gets the next 3 days off!
• Now allow me a minute to talk about this funding a new station. Where is this new station? The corporation of station 1 has always been funded by the county. It just looks different on paper this year because instead of each individual station getting a check, the county decided to group them all together and just give the check to the City of Salisbury. Why is the city getting the county funding that the volunteers are supposed to be getting? There is a reason that money went to the volunteers. The payment needs to be divided back up like it always was for the system of checks and balances. The county needs to give the corporation of station 1 the same amount as all the other county stations as well as station 2 and 16.
• The Corporation of Station 1 has a plan to not only increase the number of first responders in their area. They also have a plan to increase water supplies in strategic places throughout their county assigned territory. The public is just not able to hear about it because of the city screaming about everything else.
Harvard to Hold BLACKS ONLY Graduation Ceremony
Martin Luther King Jr. must be rolling over in his grave right about now. Being the progressive, leftist campus that Harvard is these days, they are now segregating their graduating ceremonies. Frankly, it should not be allowed, but it will be. It’s a disgrace and does a huge disservice to black students. It’s also divisive and racist in the extreme.
The segregation will include only graduate students this year, but there are plans to expand such racial separation next year to all university students, including undergrads. Next stop, high schools. If your kids were going to Harvard, would you stand for this? Would this be okay with you? It sure as heck isn’t okay with me. Michael Huggins, a Harvard graduate student who helped orchestrate the separate ceremonies, told The Root that the segregation “is not about segregation. This is an opportunity to celebrate Harvard’s Black excellence and Black brilliance,” said Huggins. “It’s an event where we can see each other and our parents and family can see us as a collective, whole group. A community.
More
The segregation will include only graduate students this year, but there are plans to expand such racial separation next year to all university students, including undergrads. Next stop, high schools. If your kids were going to Harvard, would you stand for this? Would this be okay with you? It sure as heck isn’t okay with me. Michael Huggins, a Harvard graduate student who helped orchestrate the separate ceremonies, told The Root that the segregation “is not about segregation. This is an opportunity to celebrate Harvard’s Black excellence and Black brilliance,” said Huggins. “It’s an event where we can see each other and our parents and family can see us as a collective, whole group. A community.
More
Barack Obama: Americans must eat less steaks because it contributes to global warming
Former President Barack Obama wants to warn you that you’re eating too much meat, and that’s contributing to global warming. Er, climate change. Yeah, that’s what we’re calling it now.
So according to some study somewhere, cow flatulence is contributing to climate change, but killing them and eating them is also contributing.
Is there anything that DOESN’T make the planet hot?
“People aren’t as familiar with the impact of cows and methane,” Obama said, “as people want to increase more meat consumption, that in turn is spiking the growth of greenhouse emissions coming out of the agricultural sectors.”
Despite his preaching, Obama’s personal chef interjected that the President himself wasn’t exactly a vegetarian.
More
So according to some study somewhere, cow flatulence is contributing to climate change, but killing them and eating them is also contributing.
Is there anything that DOESN’T make the planet hot?
“People aren’t as familiar with the impact of cows and methane,” Obama said, “as people want to increase more meat consumption, that in turn is spiking the growth of greenhouse emissions coming out of the agricultural sectors.”
Despite his preaching, Obama’s personal chef interjected that the President himself wasn’t exactly a vegetarian.
More