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Friday, May 26, 2017

Anyone Remember These?


Reggae on the Railroad!

Always a fun event!

Steel drums, jerk chicken & cold beer!
Come join the fun ~ Sunday, June 4th!
REGGAE on the RAILROAD
Evolution Craft Brewing Company
Live "Steel Drums" from 5:00-8:00pm
Trinidad & Tobago Baltimore Steel Orchestra
Rain or Shine! No Cover!
Island Inspired Food Specials - All Day!
EVO Tropicale Drafts - Only $2
Railroad Rum Punch - Only $5 
201 E. Vine Street Salisbury, MD | 443.260.2337

Truth...


Fake Homeless Woman Arrested After Video Reveals Her New Car

A woman who was featured in a “Fake Homeless” video that went viral was arrested in Virginia on three counts of throwing a missile at moving vehicles, a violation of Virginia Statutes that could result in felony-level charges. Throwing missiles at moving vehicles? That allegation sounds serious.

As reported by WTVR, officers responded to a “disorderly situation” at the intersection of West Broad Street and Gaskins Road, a different location than the video was recorded, on Monday afternoon.

Henrico Police Lt. Richard Crosby, speaking about the incident, said, “Upon arrival, the officers located the female complainant in the parking lot near the IHOP restaurant,” continuing, “The complainant advised officers that while standing in the median, several people began harassing her and videotaping her.”

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Were MS-13 gang members intentionally released into US communities?

At least 16 self-proclaimed MS-13 gang members were transferred out of federal custody and into community placement centers across the country during the border surge in unaccompanied children from Central America in 2014, according to a new letter from the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

It was unclear what happened to the members of Mara Salvatrucha, one of the most brutal transnational gangs in the world, and that’s why Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., wrote the Office of Refugee Resettlement on Tuesday demanding answers.

Fox News has now learned that more than a dozen teenage gang members were captured during the surge. According to Johnson’s letter and documents obtained by Fox News, the gang members “freely admitted” that they were “active MS-13 gang members” and marked bathrooms inside a placement center in Nogales, Arizona with MS-13 associated graffiti.

One teenage gang member stated he “was a drug dealer” and “would continue to do the same in the United States with his family.”

“These documents appear to show that the federal government knowingly moved self-identified gang members from Nogales, Arizona to placement centers in communities across the country.." Johnson wrote in his letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

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Funding Available for Maryland Volunteer Fire Departments


Grants Provide Financial and Technical Assistance to 
Enhance Capabilities

In Maryland, about 5,000 wildfires start each and every year, and more than 300 volunteer fire departments across the state respond to these blazes.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now offering volunteer fire departments access to critical grant funding through its Volunteer Fire Assistance Program to help fortify and strengthen wildland firefighting capabilities.

“Volunteer firefighters rely on these grants to protect the citizens and communities they serve,” Maryland Forest Service State Fire Supervisor Monte Mitchell said. “This program enables emergency personnel and first responders to acquire and maintain the skills and specialized tools they need to battle wildfires in rural areas around the state.”

The grant program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, requires a 50/50 match with a maximum award of $3,000. Volunteer fire departments can submit one grant application per year. Grant applications will be accepted until July 17, 2017.

Interested applicants should contact 410-260-8503 or Monte Mitchell with any comments or questions.

Update: MSP Heroin Investigative Unit Arrests Seven More In Connection With Large Scale Illegal Opioid Distributors

(Pikesville, MD) – A combined law enforcement effort led to the additional arrests of seven more residents believed to have been heavily involved in a large scale distribution of opioids in the region.

The following seven individuals were indicted today:

  1. Troy Leonis Sommerville, 28, Worton, MD
  2. Roshana Sharnett Wright, 38, Middletown, DE
  3. Autumn Brittany Wiltbank, 30, Church Hill, MD
  4. Chandler Willis Stubbs, 21, Betterton, MD
  5. James Oliver Barrett Jr., 59, Chestertown, MD
  6. Anthony Allen Gibson, 46, Queenstown, MD
  7. Katherine Maryne Arrabal, , 31 Chestertown, MD

After consultation with the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, additional felony indictments were served on seven suspects located on the Eastern Shore and in Delaware today. All seven were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and various other felony charges. The total arrested to date in this investigation is now at 25 individuals, believed to be involved in the large scale distribution of illegal opioids. Additional arrests are still pending.

The first batch of the 25 search warrants was executed yesterday morning when 18 individuals were located and served with indictments during a well-coordinated takedown in Kent County, Queen Anne’s County, Caroline County, Anne Arundel County in Maryland and New Castle County in Delaware. All 25 people were transported to the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center for an appearance before the court commissioner.

The Maryland State Police Heroin Investigative Unit, assisted by multiple law enforcement partners began this investigation in the Fall of 2016, when investigators developed information about a large scale drug trafficking organization in Queen Anne’s County, importing and distributing large amounts of opioids on a daily basis including Oxycodone, Morphine, Fentanyl, Methadone and Heroin along with crack and powdered cocaine.

The Maryland State Police Heroin Investigative Unit coordinates with local law enforcement in gathering intelligence to combat the illegal distribution of opioids and heroin. This six week combined law enforcement effort involved police departments across Maryland.

Assistance was provided by the Queen Anne’s County Drug Task Force, the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office, the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, The Talbot County Drug Task Force, the Caroline County Narcotics Task Force, the Kent County Narcotics Task Force, the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, the Chestertown Police Department, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division Central South, the Maryland State Police Gang Unit, Homeland Security investigations, the Metro Area Drug Task Force, the Centreville Police Department, the Department of Natural Resources Police and the Delaware State Police.


EDITOR'S NOTE: Original Press Release can be found HERE

Mercedes Benz Starts Glc Class Production In China

Mercedes-Benz has begun building the all-new GLC-Class SUV model together with its joint venture partners BAIC in China. The factory located near the capital is called Beijing Benz Automotive Co. and also produces the smaller GLA-Class.

Despite continued weakness in many segments of its economy, China remains the world's largest car market by volume. A bigger, more sumptuous off-roader wearing the famous Mercedes-Benz logo should be popular.

Let's not forget that the 2015 edition of the Shanghai Auto Show was chosen for the debut of the striking GLC Coupe design study, which preceded the normal production model by a few months. So there is a good chance that once the BMW X4 rival is ready for production, it too will get the “Made in China” sticker.

“China is already our number one market for the GLA and GLK. The GLC will undoubtedly continue our SUV success story here as it tops its predecessor. The all-new GLC is also the latest proof for the tremendous development of our local production footprint. In 2015, BBAC will see for the first time ever an annual output of over 200,000 units,” said Hubertus Troska, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Greater China.

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Above-normal Atlantic hurricane season is most likely this year


Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center say the Atlantic could see another above-normal hurricane season this year.

For the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30, forecasters predict a 45 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 35 percent chance of a near-normal season, and only a 20 percent chance of a below-normal season.

"As a Florida resident, I am particularly proud of the important work NOAA does in weather forecasting and hurricane prediction," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. "These forecasts are important for both public safety and business planning, and are a crucial function of the federal government."

Forecasters predict a 70 percent likelihood of 11 to 17 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 2 to 4 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher). An average season produces 12 named storms of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.


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President Trump Full Speech at NATO Summit in Brussels

Rep. Jim Jordan blasts student loan official's $433,000 in bonuses despite failing grades


WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Education official responsible for student loans resigned Tuesday to avoid facing a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee inquiry into billions of dollars in loan overpayments and underpayments made on his watch.

It was easy to see why former Office of Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer James Runcie quit instead of complying with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' order to attend Thursday's hearing.

Republican congress members including Champaign County GOP Rep. Jim Jordan spent much of the proceeding lambasting Runcie for accepting $432,814 in performance bonuses over six years despite his office's failure to correct improper payment problems.

"Today's hearing highlights exactly what American taxpayers hate about the federal government," said Jordan, who suggested the committee should subpoena Runcie to testify. "Why was he given this kind of bonus of taxpayer dollars when there's billions of taxpayer dollars that go unaccounted for that are under his watch?"

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Governor Hogan: We Can - And We Must - Come Together

Mail that baby: A brief history of kids sent through the U.S. Postal Service

Decades before the first unaccompanied child was put on a plane to grandma’s in the care of a flight attendant, a few resourceful parents accomplished the same end by simply dropping their kids in the mail.

This was in the earliest days of the parcel post service, which launched in 1913. Before that, U.S. Postal Service packages were capped at four pounds, which limited the goofy things people tried to send by post.

But when the parcel service began, all kinds of cargo showed up in the mail stream, including coffins, eggs, dogs and, in a few cases, human young.

According to National Postal Museum historian Nancy Pope, the first known case of a mailed baby was in 1913 when Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Beauge of Glen Este, Ohio, shipped their 10-pound infant son to his grandmother’s home about a mile away, paying 15 cents in postage and springing for $50 in insurance (because they were worriers). Records do not indicate whether Grandmother Beauge received her mail in a mailbox or through a letter slot.

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We Must Not Turn Back The Clock

Cops And Courts – May 26, 2017

Assault Arrest After Shoving Young Child
OCEAN CITY — A Baltimore man was arrested on assault and theft charges this week after allegedly shoving and knocking down his six-year-old daughter on the Boardwalk and later being found in possession of merchandise stolen from the Boardwalk store.
Credit Card Receipt Leads To Suspect’s Arrest
OCEAN CITY — An Eldersburg, Md. man was arrested for pulling a fire alarm at a midtown condo building this week after police were able to connect him to the incident with a credit card slip from a nearby restaurant left at the scene.
Burning Hat Tossed In Road
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested for malicious burning last weekend after allegedly tossing a baseball-style hat fully engaged in flames into moving traffic on Baltimore Avenue near 9th Street.
Kicking Chairs, Damaging Cars
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania man was arrested on multiple counts of malicious destruction of property last weekend after allegedly damaging two vehicles and busting up two plastic chairs at a motel parking lot on 9th Street.

Wicomico County Government Offices

Salisbury, MD … Wicomico County Government Offices will be closed Monday, May 29, 2017, in observance of Memorial Day.

Baltimore Group Calls For Illegal Immigrant To Be Released From Jail

BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A local group is calling on immigration officials to make an exception and release an illegal immigrant after he was arrested in Baltimore.

Since the new administration has been in power, tens of thousands of illegal immigrants have been detained, but there are now protests that good people are getting caught in a drag net.

Protestors in Baltimore brought the pressure to immigration and customs enforcement. They want ICE to release Jesus Peraza.

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A Look at Trump's Trip Abroad - Day 3 & 4

Ocean City Business Owner Fined for Selling Out of State Cigarettes

OCEAN CITY, MD – (May 25, 2017): Following a complaint from a local resident, the Ocean City Police Department uncovered a cigarette smuggling scheme that resulted in the criminal citation of a local businessman for violating Maryland tax regulations.

Rustam Pachev, 30, was fined by the Maryland Comptroller’s Office for intentionally selling out-of-state cigarettes from Delaware in his Maryland store, the Smoky Shop at 106 Baltimore Avenue, in order to evade duties imposed by the state. The tobacco product was not affixed with the proper Maryland tax stamp, and the sale of smuggled cigarettes prevents the state from receiving any revenue from those transactions.

The joint investigation, led by the Ocean City Police Department, included assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Maryland Comptroller’s Office.

Maryland Legislation to Limit Testing in Schools Signed into Law


Gov. Larry Hogan signed the unanimously-approved More Learning, Less Testing Act (SB452) into law. The legislation limits mandated testing to 2.2% of the year in Maryland public schools—or 23.8 hours in elementary and middle schools and 25.7 hours in high schools—except in eighth grade, where the limit is at 2.3% or 24.8 hours.

Maryland State Education Association President Betty Weller, a middle school science teacher from Kent County, released the following statement:

“Today is a huge step in rolling back the disruptive and counterproductive over-testing culture in our schools. By eliminating more than 700 hours of unnecessary district-mandated testing across the state, our kids will get back days—and in some cases weeks—of instruction time to learn well-rounded skills and gain valuable problem solving ability. We thank legislators for their leadership on this issue and for listening to educators, parents, and students.

A Catholic Man

A bus on a busy street struck a man, a Catholic. He was lying near death on the sidewalk as a crowd gathered.

"A priest…... Somebody get me a priest!" the man gasped. Long seconds dragged on but no one stepped out of the crowd.

A policeman checked the crowd and finally yelled, "A PRIEST, PLEASE! Isn't there a priest in this crowd to give this man his last rites?"

Finally, out of the crowd stepped a little old Jewish man in his 80’s.

"Mr. Policeman," said the man, "I'm not a priest, I'm not even a Christian. But for 50 years now, I'm living behind the Catholic Church on Second Avenue , and every night I'm hearing their services. I can recall a lot of it, and maybe I can be of some comfort to this poor man."

The policeman agreed, and cleared the crowd so the man could get through to where the injured man lay. The man knelt down, leaned over the man and said in a solemn voice:

B-5 .... I-19 ... N-38 ... G-54 ..... O-72

Maryland State Police Heroin Investigative Unit Arrests Large Scale Distributors of Illegal Opioids in Five Counties

EDITOR'S NOTE: An update to this press release can be found HERE
 

(Pikesville, MD) – A combined law enforcement effort led to the arrests of 18 residents in four Maryland counties and one Delaware county, one of whom is believed to have been heavily involved in a large scale distribution of opioids in the region.

After consultation with the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, 22 residential search warrants were executed this morning and 18 individuals were served with felony indictments during a well- coordinated take-down that encompassed suspects located in Kent County, Queen Anne’s County, Caroline County, Anne Arundel County in Maryland and New Castle County in Delaware. All 18 were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and various other felony charges. They were transported to the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center for an appearance before the court commissioner. Additional arrests are pending.

The Maryland State Police Heroin Investigative Unit, assisted by multiple law enforcement partners began this investigation in the Fall of 2016, when investigators developed information indicating Paul Standsbury Roberts, 46, of Worton, MD was involved in a large scale drug trafficking organization in Queen Anne’s County, importing and distributing large amounts of opioids on a daily basis including Oxycodone, Morphine, Fentanyl, Methadone and Heroin. The investigation further revealed that Roberts was also selling large amounts of crack and powdered cocaine while dealing with several suppliers of cocaine.

One of the persons supplying Roberts was identified as Roma Scott, 52, of Worton, Maryland. A separate, parallel investigation began and it was determined he was also selling cocaine, crack cocaine and opioid pills on a daily basis for more than twelve years.

Discoverer Of DNA's Double-Helix Banned From U of I For "Failing Test Of Decency"

The University of Illinois has capitulated to faculty complaints and rescinded a speaking invitation to Nobel Laureate James Watson, who has ruffled feathers with past comments about race.

Watson is famous for co-discovering the double-helix structure of DNA, but even a preemptive email stating that he would be giving a "narrowly focused scientific talk" failed to assuage faculty concerns.

The issue is that outside of the research lab, Watson isn't the same admirable figure: He has made all manner of offensive and racist comments. In a 2007 interview he said he was "gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours — whereas all the testing says not really." He also said he hopes everyone is equal but "people who have to deal with black employees find this not true." He apologized but has made other tasteless, sexist comments that call into question his character and judgment — but not his scientific expertise.

As CampusReform.org's Adam Sabes reports, Watson is known primarily for co-discovering the double-helix structure of DNA along with Francis Crick, but had offered to give a “narrowly focused scientific talk” at the school’s Institute for Genomic Biology about his recent cancer research, Institute Director Gene Robinson told The News-Gazette of Champaign-Urbana, adding that he considered the offer “carefully” before deciding to accept.

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Limbaugh: Media using leaks as ammo for ‘political assassination’ of Trump

Radio host notes that stories often acknowledge — very late — that they aren’t confirmed

Radio host Rush Limbaugh says regular intelligence leaks are being used by the media as ammunition in a “political assassination” campaign against President Trump.

High-profile but anonymous leaks of classified information to The New York Times, The Washington Post and others have convinced the man behind “the golden EIB microphone” that a political hit job is underway to destroy the president.

Mr. Limbaugh says caveats embedded within reporting on the president’s private conversations with world leaders, along with his associates’ possible connections to Russia, demonstrate an underlying agenda.

“Every day, four o’clock to 5:30 in the afternoon, there is a new blockbuster … and if you read the entire story, you will find that the details suggested by the headline and the early reporting in the story actually cannot be backed up,” Mr. Limbaugh said. “It’s the most amazing thing.”

“There’s an allegation about Trump and the Russians or whatever,” the host continued. “At the end of the story, they basically say, ‘But we can’t confirm any of this. Nobody has any solid evidence to confirm.’ Well, then why do the story in the first place? … It’s all happening under the guise of journalism, under the pretext that it’s journalism and reporting of news, but it isn’t. This is not journalism. This is political and character assassination.”

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OMG: Top Russian Aides Discussed How To Influence Trump Aides!!!!!!!!

This is super serious, you guys! Top officials of countries have never discusses attempting to influence people in foreign nations!

American spies collected information last summer revealing that senior Russian intelligence and political officials were discussing how to exert influence over Donald J. Trump through his advisers, according to three current and former American officials familiar with the intelligence.

The conversations focused on Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman at the time, and Michael T. Flynn, a retired general who was advising Mr. Trump, the officials said. Both men had indirect ties to Russian officials, who appeared confident that each could be used to help shape Mr. Trump’s opinions on Russia.

Some Russians boasted about how well they knew Mr. Flynn. Others discussed leveraging their ties to Viktor F. Yanukovych, the deposed president of Ukraine living in exile in Russia, who at one time had worked closely with Mr. Manafort.

The intelligence was among the clues — which also included information about direct communications between Mr. Trump’s advisers and Russian officials — that American officials received last year as they began investigating Russian attempts to disrupt the election and whether any of Mr. Trump’s associates were assisting Moscow in the effort. Details of the conversations, some of which have not been previously reported, add to an increasing understanding of the alarm inside the American government last year about the Russian disruption campaign.

But, um, see, there’s a problem

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A haunting reminder of POW torture

Since 1990, Army veteran Gerald McCullar has joined Rolling Thunder, Inc. demonstrations in a most memorable way: Rain or shine, he travels the route seated inside a bamboo “tiger cage” to remind others of the suffering and torture of U.S. service members who were held as prisoners of war in Southeast Asia.

Mr. McCullar’s flowing white beard and raggedy clothes are by design. It “makes a statement,” he said, adding he has met people who remembered seeing him in the cage when they attended an event as children.

The POW “tiger cage” journey started with the help of a local chapter of Rolling Thunder, Mr. McCullar said.

Having a man ride inside a cramped cage helped people imagine the kind of isolation, confinement, starvation, brutality and torture that was meted to POWs during the Vietnam war. “I did it one time” and it got people talking, he said. “And it just went on from there.”

More here

Trump Moves To Protect American Taxpayers- Draws RED Line For NATO

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m most certainly not one of Donald Trump’s biggest fans. That being said, I’m also not one of those people who complains about every single thing Trump says or does for the sake of doing it. Those people are annoying as all get out and they’re not helping anyone.

Apparently the outrage of the day is Trump setting up clear boundaries with NATO and demanding that its participants pay their fair share because we simply can’t afford to take care of them for free anymore.

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30 years later, still roaring for POW/MIA freedom

For three decades, they have faithfully fired up their machines, raised up Old Glory and taken off on a mission of freedom, remembrance and resolve. This is the true essence of Rolling Thunder, an annual event which draws 500,000 motorcyclists to the nation’s capital each year to underscore the rights and importance of veterans who fought our wars, those soldiers missing in action, and the POWs who never made it home.

It is a riveting display. And a noisy one.

Rolling Thunder is the perfect name: These riders do roll, and there is thunder. Faith is not overlooked. There’s a “blessing of the bikes” at Washington National Cathedral and a candlelight vigil for the fallen. Camaraderie and remarkable spectacle is paramount. When the 30th annual “Ride for Freedom” begins on Sunday, the half-million stalwarts will gather at dawn in a staging area at the Pentagon. In a process that can take five hours, the biker battalion slowly but surely assembles in a unique but efficient formation — lines of four ready to roll, a million chromed wheels set to make the short journey to the National Mall.

And so it begins..

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'Mother Of All Landslides' In Big Sur Buries Section Of California's Highway 1

Skirting California's coastline, Highway 1 offers a popular and dramatic drive through the Big Sur region. On a normal day, a drive along the winding two-lane road gets one's heart pumping with fears of plunging down the hillside.

But a weekend landslide has reshaped the coastline and closed part of the route, as a third of a mile of highway is now covered with dirt and rocks at an area called Mud Creek.

As you can see in the before-and-after graphic below, where the coast used to form roughly a straight line, it's now a rocky bulge into the Pacific.

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Random Act of kindness in memory of our daughter.

As many of you know we lost our daughter 6 years ago this coming May 31st. She passed one day after her 26th birthday from her life long battle with cystic fibrosis. We find it difficult enough that she is gone but happening so close to her birthday makes for a roller coaster of emotions. So we have decided after having a very successful event last year to have another one this year. This event is just a way to try and do something that would represent Heather's kind heart and give us some joy knowing that she is still making a difference and touching lives in a positive way. We are inviting anyone who would like to join us from wherever you are on May 30th and / or May 31st to help make a positive difference in the lives of others. 

While we know that many of us do such acts everyday and not just certain days or events this is something we want to do to help keep our daughters memory. So if you are interested please join us and buy someone a cup of coffee, a meal or what ever you choose to do to brighten someone else's day. And please feel free to tell who ever you are giving to who your act of kindness is for if you choose. She would love it ........and so would we.

Thousands dropped from food stamps due to work requirements

Thousands of Georgians have lost their food stamps after the state gave them an ultimatum: Get a job or lose your benefits.

Is that good news or bad news? Depends who you talk to. Placing work requirements on food stamps has proven controversial across the country, with opinions often divided along political lines.

Georgia has been rolling out work requirements for food stamp recipients for over a year. The latest round affected some 12,000 people in 21 counties, several in metro Atlanta, who are considered able-bodied without children.

When the April 1 deadline came around for them to find work, more than half — 7,251 — were dropped from the program, according to state figures released this week. Essentially, the number of recipients spiraled down from 11,779 to 4,528, or a drop of 62 percent.

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Cambridge Historic District Court House Up For Auctio0n

The Historic District Court House is 100% occupied, fully stabilized, office building located at 310 Gay Street in Cambridge, Maryland. The Property is situated within the downtown core of Cambridge and is just two blocks from the waterfront. The Property is currently 100% occupied and leased to the State of Maryland with The District Court occupying ±69.33% of NRA and ±72.48% of the annual base rent with a current lease expiration of July 2026 with one, five-year renewal option. The remaining ±6,483 SF is occupied by Parole and Probation, Public Defender, and Department of Juvenile Services with a current lease expiration of February 2020 with one, five-year renewal option.

There is additional garage and storage space, not included in occupancy calculations, that present a value add opportunity through lease-up and can generate an additional $36,000 in income per year. Although the Property is improved with surface parking for ±17 vehicles and is surrounded by free public parking for additional parking needs, there is an additional value add opportunity through future expansion with room to build a ±2,000 SF garage.

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Media Matters May Have Messed With The Wrong Guy!

For Sean Hannity fans. Could this be the beginning of the end of Liberal's Fake News trend? One can only hope.

 Media Matters should be aware!

Definition of tortious inference in a legal sense:
An informed, educated voter is one who embraces the responsibility of voting!

Notice of School Board Openings


Notice of School Board Openings

The Wicomico County Board of Education Nominating Commission is accepting applications for three board vacancies. Candidates can obtain applications by emailing boenominations@yahoo.com or the following application link. A copy can also be obtained at the Office of the Wicomico County Council located at 125 North Division Street, Salisbury, Maryland 21801.

Applicants must live in Wicomico County, Maryland and be a Registered Voter. All applications must be received and/or post marked by June 5, 2017.

The Nominating Commission reserves the right to submit the applicant information for a criminal background check including a search of the Maryland Sex Abuse Registry.

All applicants will be interviewed by the Commission prior to the Commission making a decision to send the names to the Wicomico County for Consideration.

PAMELA ANDERSON LOOKS UNRECOGNIZABLE ON THE RED CARPET

Pamela Anderson was unrecognizable when she appeared on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival this week.

The 49-year-old model debuted a new look in France that may have confused some of her fans. She was dressed in a floor-length black gown with her hair slicked back and a minimal amount of of makeup on. Let’s just say it was not the Anderson that fans are used to seeing.

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After being charged with assaulting a reporter, the Montana Republican Greg Gianforte won a special election for a U.S. House seat

Greg Gianforte, a wealthy Montana Republican who was charged with assaulting a reporter on Wednesday, nonetheless won the state’s lone seat in the House of Representatives on Thursday, according to The Associated Press, in a special election held up as a test of the country’s political climate.

Mr. Gianforte, 56, was widely seen as a favorite to win against Rob Quist, a Democrat and country music singer. But he seemed to imperil his own candidacy in the final hours of the race after he accosted a journalist for The Guardian.

Voters here, though, shrugged off the episode and handed Republicans a convincing victory. Mr. Gianforte’s success underlined the limitations of the Democrats’ strategy of highlighting the House health insurance overhaul and relying on liberal anger toward President Trump, at least in red-leaning states.

Publishers Notes: Conservatives have had enough of the "Fake News" media and voters proved they're not taking it any more as well. 

Obama intel agency secretly conducted illegal searches on Americans for years

The National Security Agency under former President Barack Obama routinely violated American privacy protections while scouring through overseas intercepts and failed to disclose the extent of the problems until the final days before Donald Trump was elected president last fall, according to once top-secret documents that chronicle some of the most serious constitutional abuses to date by the U.S. intelligence community.

More than 5 percent, or one out of every 20 searches seeking upstream Internet data on Americans inside the NSA’s so-called Section 702 database violated the safeguards Obama and his intelligence chiefs vowed to follow in 2011, according to one classified internal report reviewed by Circa.

The Obama administration self-disclosed the problems at a closed-door hearing Oct. 26 before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that set off alarm. Trump was elected less than two weeks later.

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John Podesta: ‘I See No Sign’ Donald Trump Will Be Impeached

In a one-on-one interviewwith the Washington Post’sDaily 2020 Live on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton’s former campaign chief John Podesta said he does not see any indication that President Donald Trump will be impeached, despite the fact that so many in his party are calling for it.

“I see no sign that there’s any likelihood that he’ll be impeached,” Podesta, who recently joined the Washington Post as a columnist, told the publication’s Karen Tumulty. Issuing an indirect testament to the loyalty of the GOP, Podesta added:

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Governor Hogan Announces Additional Legislative Actions


ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced additional actions on legislation passed during the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly:
Governor Hogan vetoed Senate Bill 543/House Bill 694 - Higher Education – Admissions Process – Criminal History. As detailed in his veto letter, the governor has and will continue to champion policies that recognize the innate potential of each and every Marylander no matter their criminal history, like the Second Chance Act of 2015 and Justice Reinvestment Act of 2016. However, this bill jeopardizes student safety by dictating how and when schools can ask about and use criminal history information about potential students. Read the governor’s veto letter here.
Governor Hogan allowed House Bill 631 – Public Health – Essential Off-Patent or Generic Drugs – Price Gouging to become law without his signature. In a letter to Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch, the governor expressed his reservations about the bill, writing that, while the legislation has the laudable goal of combatting price-gouging for consumers, “I am not convinced that this legislation is truly a solution to ensuring Marylanders have access to essential prescription drugs, and may even have the unintended consequence of harming citizens by restricting their access to these drugs.” Read the governor’s letterhere.
The governor also allowed House Bill 1283 Alcoholic Beverages - Class 5 Brewery License to become law without his signature, praising the economic development potential of the upcoming Diageo facility in Baltimore County enabled by the bill, while stating that the legislation “contains several troubling provisions, which will more than likely prove detrimental to Maryland’s burgeoning craft beer industry - hampering the economic growth, job creation, and tax revenue it produces.” Read the governor’s letter here.
The governor allowed Senate Bill 488 and House Bill 1317 – Prince George’s County – Alcoholic Beverages Regulation Reform Act of 2017 to go into law, stating his strong support for reforming the board and providing much greater levels of independent oversight, while noting that the recent ethical violations were allowed to fester under the watch of Prince George's County local government. Read the governor’s letter here.
Additionally, the governor allowed Senate Bill 1034 – Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission – Funding and Video Streaming to go into law without his signature, calling it a “pitifully small step toward transparency” and pointing to the legislature’s refusal to take up the administration’s bill to livestream the entire legislative session. Read the governor’s letter here.
For a complete list of Senate bills that Governor Hogan allowed to become law without his signature, click here.
For a complete list of House bills that Governor Hogan allowed to become law without his signature, click here.

HUD Secretary Ben Carson calls poverty a state of mind

Housing Secretary Ben Carson sparked outrage by saying poverty is a 'state of mind.'

The former neurosurgeon made the controversial remarks during a radio interview on Wednesday,

The ex-Presidential candidate also said parents need to instill the 'mindset of a winner' in their children.

'If you take somebody with the wrong mindset,' Carson said, 'you can give them everything in the world and they'll work their way back down to the bottom.'

He made the remarks in an interview with Armstrong Williams on SiriusXM.

Carson, who grew up poor in inner-city Detroit with a single mother who had a third-grade education, says if people don't have a defeatist attitude, then there's hope.

'I think the majority of people don't have that defeatist attitude, but they sometimes just don't see the way, and that's where government can come in and be very helpful,' he said.

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Democrats Walk Back Impeachment Talk Because They’re Scared to Death of What They’ve Created

RUSH: Last week — late last week, Thursday and Friday — there appears in various media stories about how one, two, and then three prominent Democrats expressed the need for the Democrat Party to start walking back all this talk of impeachment. First, it was just one, and then another one. It ended up being three people. I don’t remember their names right off the bat; doesn’t matter. And it caught my attention, obviously.

Why walk back this notion of impeachment? And there were two reasons. One reason is, there is not a crime here. Despite all of this irresponsible reporting, there isn’t a crime, and there isn’t any collusion. Second thing is just that. There are people who have, over the course of the last three weeks, on the Democrat side, tiptoed into the water and said, “We haven’t any evidence.” Dianne Feinstein to Wolf Blitzer twice, for example. There was another Democrat on Grassley’s committee that said, “Yeah, no, we don’t have any evidence. We haven’t seen any evidence yet.” Former CIA director for Obama, Michael Morell, about two weeks ago was on MSNBC.

He said there isn’t any evidence of any collusion.

So they’ve been tiptoeing around this. You put that together with the talk by the Democrats that they need to walk back impeachment, and what do you have? You have, I think, a potentially explosive and destructive thing awaiting the Democrats. What have they done? Let’s go back to the campaign. Why did everybody think that Hillary Clinton was gonna win in a landslide, particularly her supporters and her and her campaign? They were so confident, they didn’t even campaign in states they thought were a lock. They were arrogant, overly confident. And why? Because they believed their own media.

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STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE MONEY EDITOR

A Viewer Comments: Interesting tidbit: Does this look familiar? The student loan levels - mainly due to subsidies and exorbitant college spending- are looking similar to mortgage loans in 2007-2008. The ROI (return on investment) just isn't there anymore. Another white elephant handed to the Trump administration from Barry Obama and friends. Why not blame this on the Russian's, too?

It's the $1.4 trillion elephant in the room. That's the amount 44 million Americans owe on their federal student loans for higher education. That ever-growing amount of debt is creating a huge drag on the larger economy — with delayed purchases of homes and cars because buyers can't qualify for additional loans and young people still hanging out in their parents' basements because they can't afford to strike out on their own. And President Donald Trump's budget, unveiled on Tuesday, proposes to end subsidized interest on student loans and cancel a program known as public service loan forgiveness. Don't despair, though. If you find yourself falling behind, there are steps you can take and we show you how.

Thank God Its Friday 5-26-17

What will you be doing this weekend?

Breaking News: Gunmen attacked a bus carrying Egyptian Christians, killing at least 20 people

Gunmen attacked a bus carrying Egyptian Christians south of Cairo on Friday, killing at least 20 people, according to government officials. The attack in Minya Province was the latest in a series of deadly assaults on Egypt’s embattled Christian minority.

The Islamic State bombed the main Coptic cathedral in Cairo on Dec. 11 and attacked a church in Alexandria on Palm Sunday, April 9, killing dozens of people. Violence is not the only problem for the Christian population in Egypt, many of whom have left the country in recent years. Official discrimination makes the practice of Christianity so difficult that some churches operate virtually in hiding.

Poplar Hill Mansion hosts Exhibit Ribbon Cutting and Federal Tea June 22

The Friends of Poplar Hill Mansion will present a very special Federal Period Tea to honor the Hustons, the first family living in the Mansion in 1805. Our servers will be dressed in Federal apparel as the family would have worn at the time, and guests are welcome to come as you are or dress in the clothing of the Federal period. The tea will include period food: White Soup, Ham on Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cucumber Sandwiches, Egg Salad with Dill on Mini Corn Muffins, Honey Oat Scones with jam and homemade clotted cream, White Potato Pie (a Maryland staple), Newport Lady Cakes, Queen Cakes, Jumbles, and Earl Grey Tea. Door Prizes and lots of fun! The cost is $22.00 per person. Seating is limited, so be sure to make your reservation as soon as possible. All proceeds go towards the preservation of Salisbury's Oldest House, Poplar Hill Mansion, a 501(c)-3. Call 410-749-1776 for more information or to RSVP.

Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 5:00

The evening of June 22nd, be sure to join Poplar Hill Mansion and the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of a brand new exhibit at Poplar Hill Mansion, Dr. Huston's Surgery Room. Dr. Huston was Salisbury's first surgeon and practiced medicine in the house. We have transformed the rear room of the house into a typical surgical room of 1820 complete with furnishings, fashion, and surgical instruments. Come learn about the history of surgery in the early 1800s, join local officials and businessmen, and enjoy some light refreshments. This is a FREE event and all are welcome! Please call 410-749-1776 for more information.

Manchester Arena attack will change the concert experience

Analysis: Going to a concert will become more time-consuming and more expensive

Tighter security will be brought in for live concerts, following last night’s terrorist attack at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena. While it remains unclear exactly where the bomber was positioned (just outside or just inside the venue) at least 22 people were killed and dozens more injured at last night’s show and many of the victims – given the US singer’s fanbase – were teenagers.

After the Bataclan massacre in Paris in November 2015, Isis released a statement that the popular music venue had been deliberately selected as music concerts, in their words, were “packed with polytheists” and were displays of “fornication and debauchery”.

Whereas previously airports and train stations were prime targets for terrorists, last night’s attack taken in conjunction with the Bataclan one, indicate that any entertainment venue which attracts a large number of people is a target.

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Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

During the past weekend during the spring car Cruise, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office added supplemental patrols to address the many issues that present themselves during the Car Cruise event. Over the weekend the Sheriff’s Office responded to 772 calls for service and made 252 traffic stops. 5 DUI related stops were investigated. There were 19 incidents where citizens complained about traffic problems related to the event.

7 crashes were investigated. The Sheriff’s Office provided assistance to other Law Enforcement agencies 42 times.

Governor Larry Hogan Signs Legislation to Combat Heroin and Opioid Crisis

Also Signs Bills to Streamline State Procurement, Protect Victims of Domestic Violence, Expand P-TECH Schools

ANNAPOLIS, MD -
Governor Larry Hogan, along with Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller and Speaker of the House Mike Busch, today signed 210 bills into law during the eighth bill signing ceremony in the State House following the conclusion of the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly. The bills signed include legislation to strengthen the state’s response to Maryland’s heroin and opioid crisis, as well as important state procurement reform initiatives, protections for victims of domestic violence, and an expansion of the administration’s innovative P-TECH schools program.

The governor signed the administration’s 2017 Heroin and Opioid Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement Initiative legislation, including The Prescriber Limits Act of 2017 (HB 1432), which requires health care providers to prescribe the lowest effective dose of an opioid, and the Distribution of Opioids Resulting in Death Act (SB 539), which allows prosecutors to seek an additional 10 years for drug dealers who knowingly sell fentanyl and its analogs, including carfentanil, which recently caused at least four overdose deaths in the state.

“These critical initiatives will help us continue to lead the charge against Maryland’s heroin and opioid crisis in our state,” said Governor Hogan. “Our administration remains committed to treating this crisis like the emergency that it is, and I thank the legislature for working with us to provide additional tools to save the lives of Marylanders – before it’s too late.”

Governor Hogan also signed the Heroin and Opioid Prevention Effort (HOPE) and Treatment Act of 2017 (HB 1329/SB 967), a bipartisan omnibus bill that contains provisions to improve patient education, increase treatment services, and includes the administration’s Overdose Prevention Act, which enables all citizens to access life-saving naloxone. The Start Talking Maryland Act (HB 1082/SB 1060), also signed today, will increase school and community-based education and awareness efforts to continue to bring attention to the crisis and to equip our state’s youth with knowledge about the deadly consequences of opioids.

Nominations for Outstanding Maryland Volunteers Due June 2

The Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism is currently accepting nominations for the 2017 Governor's Service Awards. In its 34th year, the Governor's Service Awards honor individuals and groups for exemplary service and contributions to Maryland's communities.

New categories this year are Emerging Leader, focused on volunteers 18 to 30 years old, and Member of the Board.

Nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 2, 2017. A panel of community leaders, volunteers, and Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism staff will review the nominations, which will be scored and ranked based on the eligibility criteria listed in the nomination form. Each recipient will be notified of selection near the end of summer and invited to an awards ceremony in the fall. To submit a nomination or to learn more, visit http://gosv.maryland.gov/governors-service-awards.

Community partners recognized at annual Wicomico County tourism reception

Salisbury, MD – Wicomico County’s tourism division recognized its strongest partners during a reception and awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 24 at the Wicomico County Visitor’s Center. Held annually since 2000, the reception recognizes community members and businesses who have dedicated themselves to supporting tourism initiatives in Wicomico County.

In Fiscal Year 2017, Wicomico County’s tourism division sold or held 50 events, 7 of which were of regional or national caliber. These events generated over 35,000 hotel room nights, 130,000 visitors and an estimated economic impact of $50 million. This success is due in part to tourism’s many community partners. These partners help the county recruit new events, retain and grow current events and welcome event attendees into the community. This year’s tourism award recipients included:

Tourism Volunteer Award: The Rotary Club of Salisbury (accepted by Dan Williams and Art Cooley)

The Rotary Club of Salisbury has been an integral partner in supporting the Governor’s Challenge Basketball Tournament held at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center each December. In 2016, the Rotary Club of Salisbury brought Governor’s Challenge sponsorship sales to record levels, raising awareness of the event and contributing to its success. The benefits of their work extended beyond the tournament. Their new 3-Point Initiative grant recycled the commission earned from sponsorship sales back into the community to support local non-profit organizations.

Smart Kid!


Passport Application Letter

ACTUAL PASSPORT APPLICATION LETTER SENT BACK TO STATE DEPARTMENT

Dear Mrs.. Ms. Or Sir: I'm in the process of renewing my passport and still cannot believe this. How is it that Radio Shack has my address and telephone number and knows that I bought a cable TV from them in 1987 (23 years ago), and yet, the Federal Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date. For Christ sake's, do you guys do this by hand? Ever heard of computers?

My birth date you have in my social security file. It's on EVERY income tax form I've filed for the past 30 years. It's on my Medicare health insurance card and my driver's license, it's on the last eight damn passports I've had, it's on every stupid customs declaration form I've had to fill out before being allowed off the plane for the last 30 years. And it's on all those census forms that we have to do at election times. Would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother's name is Maryanne, my father's name is Robert and I'm reasonably confident that neither name is likely to change between now and when I die.

Between you an' me, I've had enough of this bureaucratic bullshit! You send the application to my house, then you ask me for my #*&#%*& address. What is going on? You must have a gang of bureaucratic Neanderthal morons working there! Look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? And "No," I don't want to dig up Yasser Arafat, for shit sake's. I just want to go and park my ass on a sandy beach. And would someone please tell me, why would
you give a damn whether I plan on visiting a farm in the next 15 days? If I ever got the urge to do something weird to a chicken or a goat, believe you me, I'd sure as hell not want to tell anyone!

Well, I have to go now because I have to go to the other end of the city and get another #*@&#^@*@& copy of my birth certificate to the tune of $100. Would it be so difficult to have all the services in the same area so I could get a new passport the same day? Nooooo, that would require planning and organization. And it would be too logical for the @&^*^%@% government. You'd rather have us running all over the place like chickens with our heads cut off. Then, we have to find some asshole to confirm that it's really me in the damn picture - you know, the one where we're not allowed to
smile...Hey, you know why we can't smile? We're totally pissed off!

Signed - An Irate Citizen.

P.S. Remember what I wrote about getting someone to confirm that the picture is me? Well, my family has been in the United States of America since 1776. I have served in the military for something over 35 years and have had security clearances up the ying yang. However, I have to get someone important to verify who I am - you know, someone like my doctor....WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN INDIA!

And you a-holes want to run our health care system?????