Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned.
—William Butler Yeats, “The Second Coming”
Things are falling apart.
How much longer we can sustain the fiction that we live in a constitutional republic, I cannot say, but anarchy is being loosed upon the nation.
We are witnessing the unraveling of the American dream one injustice at a time.
Day after day, the government’s crimes against the citizenry grow more egregious, more treacherous and more tragic. And day after day, the American people wake up a little more to the grim realization that they have become captives in a prison of their own making. No longer a free people, we are now pushed and prodded and watched over by twitchy, hyper-sensitive, easily-spooked armed guards who care little for the rights, humanity or well-being of those in their care.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, August 02, 2017
Someone chartered a banner plane to fly "Call before you dig!
Someone chartered a banner plane to fly "Call before you dig! 811 - The Podojil Family" over the site of the cable cut at Oregon Inlet that took down power to Hatteras and Ocracoke islands on July 27
Body of Texas woman found buried in a hole in Maryland: Story Goes World Wide
Ashley O'Connor an artist from Plano, Texas, was on holiday in Maryland with her family when she became separated at around 2am on Monday morning.
The 30-year-old's body was discovered around 6:30am, and was removed after the scene was combed at 4:15pm Monday, in the busy resort town of Ocean City.
A representative for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who is conducting O'Connor's autopsy to determine cause of death, tells DailyMail.com: 'We can't discuss cases that are under investigation. There is no timetable or deadline for any of our investigations.'
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Maryland State Police Arrest New York Woman In Travel Scheme
The suspect, Carmela Evett Bolden, 52, of Elmsford, New York, is charged with 34 counts of theft of $1,000 to $10,000 and one count of theft scheme of $10,000 to $100,000. The charges stem from a complaint filed on Dec. 7, 2016 to the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division from members of the Greater New Hope Church and Ministries in Preston, Maryland.
The state police investigation determined the church paid Bolden, who owns the travel agency R U Ready To Travel, a total of $34,859, which was divided into monthly installments between December 2015 and September 2016. The money, which was sent each month by a certified check, was supposed to go toward a couples cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines. In all, 17 couples (34 church members) paid Bolden to book the cruise.
WHAT NICHOLS TOLD FBI ABOUT NOTE IN CHEF'S POCKET
LEARN WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. STORY WITH CHEF Walter Scheib FROM THE CLINTON DAYS AND WHY HE HAD LARRYS NUMBER IN HIS POCKET. The body of former White House executive chef Walter Scheib was found Sunday in the mountains of New Mexico where he had gone hiking, officials said.
Scheib, who served under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, has been absent since June 13 when he left to go for a hike alone on a mountain trail in Taos, New Mexico. He was later reported missing by a family member.
On Thursday, investigators tracked Scheib's cell phone signal to a mountain in Taos, according to a press release from the New Mexico State Department of Public Safety.
Scheib had recently moved to the area, according to Sergeant Elizabeth Armijo, a New Mexico State Police public information officer.
Scheib's car was discovered by investigators Tuesday in a parking lot at the Yerba Canyon Trailhead.
His body was discovered off the immediate trail approximately 1.7 miles from the base of a hiking trail.
Scheib served as White House executive chef from 1994 to 2005. Scheib was personally hired by then-first lady Hillary Clinton, according to Scheib's official website.
"Hillary and I are saddened by the tragic passing of former White House executive chef Walter Scheib," the Clintons said in a statement Monday.
"Our family was grateful to have Walter with us in the White House for six years, where we and visitors from around the world loved his delicious and creative meals," the statement said. "Walter used his immense talents not only to represent the very best of American cuisine to visiting leaders, but to make a difference in people's lives across the country through his support of numerous charities. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and many friends.
On Monday, former first Lady Laura Bush issued a statement expressing sympathy for Scheib's loved ones.
"Walter was an outstanding talent. He prepared magnificent dinners for world leaders and delicious family fare for our family and friends," Bush said.
Scheib, who served under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, has been absent since June 13 when he left to go for a hike alone on a mountain trail in Taos, New Mexico. He was later reported missing by a family member.
On Thursday, investigators tracked Scheib's cell phone signal to a mountain in Taos, according to a press release from the New Mexico State Department of Public Safety.
Scheib had recently moved to the area, according to Sergeant Elizabeth Armijo, a New Mexico State Police public information officer.
Scheib's car was discovered by investigators Tuesday in a parking lot at the Yerba Canyon Trailhead.
His body was discovered off the immediate trail approximately 1.7 miles from the base of a hiking trail.
Scheib served as White House executive chef from 1994 to 2005. Scheib was personally hired by then-first lady Hillary Clinton, according to Scheib's official website.
"Hillary and I are saddened by the tragic passing of former White House executive chef Walter Scheib," the Clintons said in a statement Monday.
"Our family was grateful to have Walter with us in the White House for six years, where we and visitors from around the world loved his delicious and creative meals," the statement said. "Walter used his immense talents not only to represent the very best of American cuisine to visiting leaders, but to make a difference in people's lives across the country through his support of numerous charities. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and many friends.
On Monday, former first Lady Laura Bush issued a statement expressing sympathy for Scheib's loved ones.
"Walter was an outstanding talent. He prepared magnificent dinners for world leaders and delicious family fare for our family and friends," Bush said.
Mother and Son Arrested for Stealing out of Cars
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| Teresa L. Morton |
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| Bradley P. Morton |
On Monday July 31, 2017 at approximately 2:15 a.m., troopers were dispatched to the area of the 36000 block of Wood Duck Way in the Swann Keys development for a reported theft in progress. The homeowner reported that a white male subject wearing camouflage pants was entering a vehicles in front of their house. When the witness yelled at the subject, he took off running. Troopers responding to Swann Keys observed a blue Ford Crown Victoria with a white male driving slowly through the neighborhood and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the car. The Crown Victoria failed to stop as the trooper activated the emergency equipment and continued driving through the development before finally coming to a stop in the area of the community pool.
Bradley P. Morton, 24 of Bishopville, Maryland, matched the description of the suspect rummaging through the cars and was taken into custody without further incident. As troopers continued to search the streets, Teresa L. Morton, 51 of Bishopville, Maryland, was observed walking alone and was taken into custody as well.
A computer inquiry revealed Bradley Morton was wanted by Troop 4 for Forgery and Thefts that occurred back in April of 2017 when he is alleged to have stole a check from a vehicle on Grant Avenue in Selbyville. He then wrote the check out for $150.00 to himself and forged the victim's name before cashing it at a bank. Bradley was charged with two counts of Forgery, Burglary 2nd, Identity Theft, seven counts of Theft, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Disregarding a Police Officer's Signal, Driving While Suspended or Revoked and other traffic related charges. He was arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $26,200.00 secured bond. Detectives are continuing to follow up on more thefts from vehicles in the area and more charges of Burglary and Thefts are forthcoming for Bradley.
Teresa Morton was charged with three counts of Attempted Theft, three counts of Criminal Trespass, and Conspiracy 3rd. She was arraigned at JP2 and released on $4,003.00 unsecured bond.
Senate Republicans Defy Trump, Will Work With Democrats On Stabilizing Obamacare
In a troubling sign for the president, who over the past several days has threatened to end "bailouts" for insurers and, according to Rand Paul, is contemplating executive action to pursue his quest of repealing Obamacare, some Senate Republicans are now openly defying Trump's directives.
As The Hill reports, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), head of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, announced Tuesday that he will hold hearings and would work with his Democratic colleagues to “stabilize and strengthen” the individual insurance market under the Affordable Care Act, which the president has urged the Senate to keep trying to repeal. Alexander also urged the White House to keep up payments to insurers that help low-income consumers afford plans, which Trump has threatened to cut off.
The hearings will give Democrats, particularly Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the committee’s ranking member, a seat at the negotiating table on healthcare for the first time, opening up a process that until now had been tightly controlled by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who however suffered a major loss last week when he failed to pass repeal following the holdout vote of John McCain.
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As The Hill reports, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), head of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, announced Tuesday that he will hold hearings and would work with his Democratic colleagues to “stabilize and strengthen” the individual insurance market under the Affordable Care Act, which the president has urged the Senate to keep trying to repeal. Alexander also urged the White House to keep up payments to insurers that help low-income consumers afford plans, which Trump has threatened to cut off.
The hearings will give Democrats, particularly Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the committee’s ranking member, a seat at the negotiating table on healthcare for the first time, opening up a process that until now had been tightly controlled by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who however suffered a major loss last week when he failed to pass repeal following the holdout vote of John McCain.
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Ladies of Light: Chesapeake lighthouses and the women who kept them
At a time when water was the most efficient mode of transportation, the lighthouse stood alone, often in isolation in remote, far-off locations. Eighty-two once marked the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, 45 of them in Maryland. Their sole purpose was to guide boats, goods and people to safety.
Today, 24 lighthouses and one replica remain standing in the state. Some are in better shape than others, and many owe their longevity to historians and volunteers, who work tirelessly to preserve these cultural and historic beacons.
Carrying the torch
For hundreds of years, lighthouses were operated by keepers, hearty men and women who kept the light burning. Their livelihood depended on hard work, rigid routine, long hours and dedication to duty, which often included long periods of isolation.
What is surprising, however, is the number of years women minded the lighthouses in Maryland, particularly at Point Lookout and Turkey Point.
Maryland’s first female light keeper, Ann Davis, was the daughter of James Davis who died about two months after he was hired at Point Lookout. Ann took over the job in 1830 and held the position for 17 years until her own death. Other women who served there include Martha A. Edwards and her daughter Permelia, who kept the light for 14 years after her mother’s death. These three women tended Point Lookout for all but six of its first 40 years of operation.
Canaanite Gene Study Actually Proves the Bible Right, But Don't Tell the Media
Last week, the American Journal of Human Genetics published a study connecting the DNA of ancient Canaanites to modern-day people in Lebanon. Various news outlets immediately reported that this study proved the Bible wrong, when nothing could be further from the truth.
Evolution News' David Klinghoffer compiled a helpful series of headlines:
“Study disproves the Bible’s suggestion that the ancient Canaanites were wiped out” (The Telegraph)
“Bible says Canaanites were wiped out by Israelites but scientists just found their descendants living in Lebanon” (The Independent)
“Bronze Age DNA disproves the Bible’s claim that the Canaanites were wiped out: Study says their genes live on in modern-day Lebanese people” (Daily Mail)
“Scientists Find Evidence That Ancient Canaanites Survive Today: Was The Bible Wrong?” (Tech Times)
“New DNA study casts doubt on Bible claim” (Mother Nature Network)
“The Bible was WRONG: Civilisation God ordered to be KILLED still live and kicking” (Express)
“Genetic evidence suggests the Canaanites weren’t destroyed after all” (Ars Technica)
“Canaanites Weren’t Annihilated by Ancient Israelites After All” (Newser)
“Study disproves the Bible’s claim that the ancient Canaanites were wiped out” (Click Lancashire)
“Canaanites survived Biblical ‘slaughter’, ancient DNA shows” (ABC Online)
“DNA vs the Bible: Israelites did not wipe out the Canaanites” (Cosmos)
“The Bible got it wrong: Ancient Canaanites survived and their DNA lives in modern-day Lebanese” (Pulse Headlines)
To be fair, The Telegraph corrected the headline to "Study shows ancient Canaanites survived divine call in Bible for them to be wiped out."
As Klinghoffer noted, the Bible does not say the Israelites wiped out the Canaanites — in fact, it explicitly says they survived.
God commands the Israelites to wipe out the Canaanites in Deuteronomy 20: "But in the cities of these people that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes ... the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites ... that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God."
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Evolution News' David Klinghoffer compiled a helpful series of headlines:
“Study disproves the Bible’s suggestion that the ancient Canaanites were wiped out” (The Telegraph)
“Bible says Canaanites were wiped out by Israelites but scientists just found their descendants living in Lebanon” (The Independent)
“Bronze Age DNA disproves the Bible’s claim that the Canaanites were wiped out: Study says their genes live on in modern-day Lebanese people” (Daily Mail)
“Scientists Find Evidence That Ancient Canaanites Survive Today: Was The Bible Wrong?” (Tech Times)
“New DNA study casts doubt on Bible claim” (Mother Nature Network)
“The Bible was WRONG: Civilisation God ordered to be KILLED still live and kicking” (Express)
“Genetic evidence suggests the Canaanites weren’t destroyed after all” (Ars Technica)
“Canaanites Weren’t Annihilated by Ancient Israelites After All” (Newser)
“Study disproves the Bible’s claim that the ancient Canaanites were wiped out” (Click Lancashire)
“Canaanites survived Biblical ‘slaughter’, ancient DNA shows” (ABC Online)
“DNA vs the Bible: Israelites did not wipe out the Canaanites” (Cosmos)
“The Bible got it wrong: Ancient Canaanites survived and their DNA lives in modern-day Lebanese” (Pulse Headlines)
To be fair, The Telegraph corrected the headline to "Study shows ancient Canaanites survived divine call in Bible for them to be wiped out."
As Klinghoffer noted, the Bible does not say the Israelites wiped out the Canaanites — in fact, it explicitly says they survived.
God commands the Israelites to wipe out the Canaanites in Deuteronomy 20: "But in the cities of these people that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes ... the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites ... that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God."
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Here's How Cities Are Subtly Hiding Their Homeless Populations
Homelessness is a major issue in most cities, and it's not likely to go away anytime soon. As of 2016, an estimated 549,928 people in the United States experienced homelessness on an average night; over one-fifth of that number was comprised of children. It isn't limited to one geographic area, either. Cities with high homelessness rates include New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC – though you might not know it if you're fortunate enough to rent or own a place there. The methods of how cities hide homelessness are as creative as they are morally questionable.
What are some of the ways cities erase homeless people? Local governments might install spikes on the ground outside of buildings, or design garbage cans so that they can't be rummaged through. Some places go even further by banning charity organizations from feeding the homeless and arresting people for sleeping outside. Homeless individuals often adapt to these new circumstances, though many end up pushed to the very outskirts of society.
Are these policies humane? Take some time to consider how towns control homeless populations, and come to your own conclusions.
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Hillary Bullied Bangladesh To Aid Donor
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attempted to bully tiny Bangladesh to force it to end a corruption investigation of Mohammad Yunus, a long-time Clinton family friend and Clinton Foundation donor, according to documents The Daily Caller News Foundation Investigative Group obtained.
The information comes from two Bangladeshi government documents generated as part of a request from the U.S. Congress. They shed new, disturbing light on Clinton’s use of hard-ball tactics against the poorest country in South Asia in order to help her millionaire friend and foundation donor.
The documents show Clinton deployed an array of high-powered Department of State, U.S. Embassy and World Bank officials to rescue Yunus, who faced financial mismanagement charges at a state-owned bank called Grameen Bank. He was eventually removed from the bank.
Yunus’ net worth is estimated at $10 million and his own U.S.-based nonprofits donated up to $300,000 to the Clinton Foundation, according to the foundation’s website.
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The information comes from two Bangladeshi government documents generated as part of a request from the U.S. Congress. They shed new, disturbing light on Clinton’s use of hard-ball tactics against the poorest country in South Asia in order to help her millionaire friend and foundation donor.
The documents show Clinton deployed an array of high-powered Department of State, U.S. Embassy and World Bank officials to rescue Yunus, who faced financial mismanagement charges at a state-owned bank called Grameen Bank. He was eventually removed from the bank.
Yunus’ net worth is estimated at $10 million and his own U.S.-based nonprofits donated up to $300,000 to the Clinton Foundation, according to the foundation’s website.
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Campaigns in Maryland: What Does It Take to Win?
With candidates already gearing up for the 2018 elections, Common Cause Maryland released an analysis today of legislative candidates’ fundraising totals from the 2014 election cycle. The data helps document how fundraising expectations for candidates are rising across the state.
From 2011–2014, senators received an average of $290,070 in contributions, compared to a $79,878 average for delegates.
“Interestingly enough, the data showed no universal trend,” said Susan Radov, Summer Research Associate for Common Cause Maryland and author of the report. “Geographical location greatly influenced the average amounts raised by candidates; however, the competitiveness of a seat as well as a candidate’s leadership position and political aspirations greatly impacted candidates’ fundraising efforts.”
Fundraising by individual candidates certainly drove up the averages. Fifteen successful Senate candidates each raised over $250,000; 11 broke $300,000 and seven raised over $400,000. In the House, 28 candidates raised over $150,000, 14 broke $200,000 and two raised more than $300,000.
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WCSO Press Releases - August 2, 2017
Incident: Disorderly Conduct
Date of Incident: 31 July 2017
Location: 800 block of Booth Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspects:
Male Juvenile, 13, Salisbury, MD
Male Juvenile, 15, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 31 July 2017 at 12:23 PM, a deputy responded to the 800 block of Booth Street in Salisbury for the report of a subject reportedly observed carrying a firearm. Upon arrival, the deputy located the subject in question who was discovered to be a 13-year-old juvenile. The deputy would recover what was observed to be a very realistic looking .BB gun from this juvenile’s waistband. The .BB gun was fashioned to look like a semi-automatic handgun.
Another juvenile associate that was with this subject began acting disorderly and proceeded to make threats against deputies on the scene and this tempestuous behavior began drawing a crowd.
Both juveniles were placed under arrest and transported to the Sheriff’s Office. Both were subsequently released to their respective guardians pending action by the Department of Juvenile Services.
Charges: Disorderly Conduct
Date of Incident: 31 July 2017
Location: Kiowa Avenue, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Wendell Ross Dale, 33, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 31 July 2017 at 2:30 PM a deputy arrested Wendell Dale in connection with a reported assault. According to the complainant in this case, Dale poured bleach over her during an argument. This reportedly caused injury to the victim that required medical treatment. It was also alleged that Dale damaged the victim’s Xbox and smartphone.
Upon arrest Dale was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, Dale was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of a $25,000.00 bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree, Reckless Endangerment, Malicious Destruction of Property
Date of Incident: 31 July 2017
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: Kaitlin Brook Eaton, 23, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 31 July 2017 at 4:15 PM, a deputy arrested Kaitlin Eaton on two outstanding District Court Bench Warrants. The warrants were issued after Eaton violated the terms of her probation in two cases where she had been convicted of CDS Possession.
The deputy transported Eaton to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Eaton without bond in the Detention Center.
Charges: Violation of Probation
Date of Incident: 1 August 2017
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: Laura Sue Cooper, 37, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 August 2017 a deputy arrested Laura Sue Cooper on an outstanding District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Cooper violated the terms of her probation in a CDS Possession and Reckless Endangerment case.
The deputy transported Cooper to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Cooper was detained without bond pending a bond review.
Charges: Violation of Probation
Date of Incident: 1 August 2017
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: Christopher Eugene Simmons, 26, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 August 2017 a deputy arrested Christopher Simmons on an outstanding District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Simmons violated the terms of his probation in a case where he had been convicted of CDS Possession and Fake CDS Distribution.
The deputy transported Simmons to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Simmons was detained on a bond of $20,000.00 in the Detention Center.
Charges: Violation of Probation
Date of Incident: 1 August 2017
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: John Hogan Schury, 21, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 August 2017 a deputy arrested John Schury on an outstanding District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Schury violated the terms of his probation in a case where he had been convicted of Forgery and Theft.
The deputy transported Schury to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Schury was detained without bond in the Detention Center pending a District Court Bond Review.
Charges: Violation of Probation
Date of Incident: 1 August 2017
Location: 500 block of W. Salisbury Parkway, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Tevin Jamar Marrow, 23, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 August 2017 at 2:09 PM a deputy stopped a vehicle in the 500 block of W. Salisbury Parkway after observing a passenger discard litter onto the roadway. Upon stopping, that passenger, later identified as Tevin Marrow, exited the vehicle and attempted to run away but was successfully detained by the deputy. During a subsequent pat down search, the deputy discovered that Marrow had hidden a handgun in his pants.
Marrow was placed under arrest and transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Marrow in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.
Charges: Handgun on Person, Handgun in Vehicle, Possession of CDS not Marijuana, Removal of a Prescription Label
Date of Incident: 1 August 2017
Location: 800 block of Booth Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Micheline Joassaint, 18, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 August 2017 at 3:02 PM a deputy responded to a residence in the 800 block of Booth Street for a reported altercation. Upon arrival, the deputy located a male victim with obvious signs of injury to his head and upper torso that suggested he had just been the victim of an assault. During the investigation, the deputy learned that this subject had been assaulted by an older family member, Micheline Joassaint.
The deputy placed Joassaint under arrest and transported her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Joassaint without bond in the Detention Center pending a District Court Bond Review.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
New Details on 173-Man Islamic State Terror Team Headed Towards Europe
A report released two weeks ago by Interpol publicized identifying information of 173 Islamic State operatives suspected to be headed towards -- or already in -- Europe. The report warns that it's easier for non-European operatives to slip into the continent than for European citizens of the terror group.
Today, a new report from Belgian media outlet HLN provides additional details on these ISIS operatives, and on one known Belgian operative in particular:
Belgian Islamic State terrorist on his way to Europe
On the list of 173 IS terrorists who would be on their way to Europe to commit suicide bombings there is also a Belgian. He is a 24-year-old with Moroccan roots who is called "Abu Omar Al-Belgiki." The Belgian with dual nationality remained until recently in Mosul, the Iraqi bulwark where IS has recently been expelled. He never appeared in public before.
His nickname appears to be a tribute to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Molenbeek commander of the Paris terror attack who used the same alias. Where the Belgian is currently is not known. But of the other Europeans for whom Interpol expressly warns in a document we have obtained, one could certainly escape the siege of Mosul and now try to get from Syria to the West through neighboring countries.
Most on the list are Iraqis, but that does not make the threat any less dangerous. It is feared that IS is again trying to get terrorists through the refugee stream into Europe -- and people without any history on our continent have better chances of success entering than European IS operatives.
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Today, a new report from Belgian media outlet HLN provides additional details on these ISIS operatives, and on one known Belgian operative in particular:
Belgian Islamic State terrorist on his way to Europe
On the list of 173 IS terrorists who would be on their way to Europe to commit suicide bombings there is also a Belgian. He is a 24-year-old with Moroccan roots who is called "Abu Omar Al-Belgiki." The Belgian with dual nationality remained until recently in Mosul, the Iraqi bulwark where IS has recently been expelled. He never appeared in public before.
His nickname appears to be a tribute to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Molenbeek commander of the Paris terror attack who used the same alias. Where the Belgian is currently is not known. But of the other Europeans for whom Interpol expressly warns in a document we have obtained, one could certainly escape the siege of Mosul and now try to get from Syria to the West through neighboring countries.
Most on the list are Iraqis, but that does not make the threat any less dangerous. It is feared that IS is again trying to get terrorists through the refugee stream into Europe -- and people without any history on our continent have better chances of success entering than European IS operatives.
More
Watermen Ply Chesapeake Bay With Oyster Babies That They Can Harvest Later
WJZ’s Alex DeMetrick reports on the investments watermen are making now so they can harvest oysters in the future.
What nature does effortlessly when conditions are ripe, takes lots of effort by people when conditions are less than ideal.
“I think we’re probably putting out like 7 million a day,” says Wayne Wilson of the Kent County Watermen’s Association.
Not oyster shells, but baby oysters, called spat, attached to the shells.
“I think we’ve put 112 million spat on shell out here in the last four years,” Wilson says.
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John Kelly Pushed Obama’s Jihad Policy Chief Out of DHS
The holdover official responsible for implementing former President Barack Obama’s failed “Countering Violent Extremism” policy at the Department of Homeland Security finally resigned just before DHS Secretary John Kerry departed for the White House.
George Selim headed the now-defunct CVE program which tried to offer federal support and legal autonomy to Islamic political groups if they redirected Islamic immigrants and youths away from Islamic militancy and jihad. His resignation spotlighted Kelly’s decision to replace Obama’s failed policy with more direct government involvement in Islamic communities. Kelly may use his new White House job to make his anti-jihad strategy a government-wide policy.
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George Selim headed the now-defunct CVE program which tried to offer federal support and legal autonomy to Islamic political groups if they redirected Islamic immigrants and youths away from Islamic militancy and jihad. His resignation spotlighted Kelly’s decision to replace Obama’s failed policy with more direct government involvement in Islamic communities. Kelly may use his new White House job to make his anti-jihad strategy a government-wide policy.
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George N. Ball, Police Chief for Trappe, Maryland, Charged with Two Counts of Misconduct in Office
State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt announced today that George N. Ball, Chief of Police for Trappe, Maryland, has been indicted by the Talbot County Grand Jury on two counts of misconduct in office. The charges allege that Chief Ball deliberately mishandled two criminal matters; one involving a theft of jewelry and one involving the illegal possession of a handgun that was reported stolen, for the personal benefit of a personal acquaintance
State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt stated: “Police officers take an oath to uphold the law without prejudice or partiality. Nobody is above the law and any violation of that oath is a betrayal of the public trust and cannot be tolerated.”
Although charged, the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until there is a conviction
Wasserman Schultz Scandal Is a Story ‘the Press Doesn’t Want Out There’
Dan Gainor, vice president of Business and Culture at the Media Research Center, spoke with Breitbart News Daily SiriusXM host Alex Marlow on Monday about various issues, including the media’s ignoring of the Debbie Wasserman Schultz IT staffer scandal.
Gainor’s latest item at FoxNews.com reads:
Watching news outlets go out of their way to hide a potentially huge Democratic scandal is almost funny. So-called journalists are too busy covering presidential tweets to report on a topic that might embarrass their friends.
Welcome to the Imran Awan-Debbie Wasserman Schultz scandal or Compugrab, as I like to call it.
Awan was the top IT aide to Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The FBI reportedly “seized smashed computer hard drives” from his home. He was “arrested trying to flee to Pakistan after wiring almost $300,000 to the country,” according to The Daily Caller, which has owned the story because it does actual news reporting.
Gainor said Monday, “This is a story that the press would generally like. But instead, when it came out when he was arrested, ABC and NBC ignored it completely in the first 24 hours.”
Gainor went on to say, “CBS covered it for all of 37 seconds and, of course, ended the story with their famous catchphrase anti-Muslim bigotry because that’s the allegation from his lawyer..
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Gainor’s latest item at FoxNews.com reads:
Watching news outlets go out of their way to hide a potentially huge Democratic scandal is almost funny. So-called journalists are too busy covering presidential tweets to report on a topic that might embarrass their friends.
Welcome to the Imran Awan-Debbie Wasserman Schultz scandal or Compugrab, as I like to call it.
Awan was the top IT aide to Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The FBI reportedly “seized smashed computer hard drives” from his home. He was “arrested trying to flee to Pakistan after wiring almost $300,000 to the country,” according to The Daily Caller, which has owned the story because it does actual news reporting.
Gainor said Monday, “This is a story that the press would generally like. But instead, when it came out when he was arrested, ABC and NBC ignored it completely in the first 24 hours.”
Gainor went on to say, “CBS covered it for all of 37 seconds and, of course, ended the story with their famous catchphrase anti-Muslim bigotry because that’s the allegation from his lawyer..
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Lighthouse On The Chesapeake Up For Auction For $15K
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — For about the cost of a new car, you can own a lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay.
Our media partner, The Baltimore Sun, reports The Craighill Channel Lower Range Front Light Station is up for auction, with a current bid of $15,000.
The lighthouse is about two miles off shore from North Point State Park. There isn’t an actual address, but it’s located at 39.188614, -76.394399
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Three Lawsuits Seek Communications of Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe
These past few days saw a significant advance in Judicial Watch efforts to plumb the depths of what was going on at the top of the FBI during the late stages of the Obama administration and during the early days of the Trump administration.
The advance includes three Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Justice seeking records for FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe relating to his political activities, travel vouchers, and employment status. The first two lawsuits specifically seek records of McCabe’s political activities involving his wife’s failed campaign for political office and interactions with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
The first FOIA lawsuit, filed on July 24 (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:17-cv-01494)), seeks the following:
The advance includes three Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Justice seeking records for FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe relating to his political activities, travel vouchers, and employment status. The first two lawsuits specifically seek records of McCabe’s political activities involving his wife’s failed campaign for political office and interactions with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
The first FOIA lawsuit, filed on July 24 (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:17-cv-01494)), seeks the following:
Does Maryland’s Flag Have Confederate Ties? Social Media Campaign Sparks Controversy
“What a lot of people don’t know is that the Maryland flag is half confederate,” @benjancewicz wrote, using the hashtag #NoConfederate.
And, he’s right.
Yes, even though Maryland was a Union state, the flag — which is featured on the state’s license plate and is a popular adornment for clothing and accessories — does contain some Confederate symbolism.
The flag’s older history is tied to George Calvert, an English politician and colonizer who more or less founded the Maryland colony, although he died just weeks before the charter for the state was approved in 1632. The settlement of the area was left to his firstborn son Cecil and his second son Leonard Calvert was the first colonial governor of the province.
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Three Rescued After Early Morning Ocean Swim; One Hospitalized In Serious Condition
Around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Ocean City Fire Department rescue swimmers were dispatched to the beach at North Division Street for swimmers in distress. Upon arrival, first-responders learned four swimmers had entered the still-rough ocean and began to struggle. One of the swimmers made it to shore and called 911, prompting the rapid response from the OCFD rescue swimmers.
The OCFD rescue swimmers arrived on scene and assisted two of the victims to shore. During the rescue, a fourth swimmer began suffering from an apparent cardiac arrest. The victim, a 22-year-old J-1 visa student from Ireland, was brought to shore and was immediately give CPR and then transported to Atlantic General Hospital in “very serious” condition, according to a release.
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DHS waives environmental laws to begin building Trump border wall
Homeland Security triggered a waiver Tuesday allowing the department to bypass environmental and other land protection laws in order to begin building and testing President Trump’s new border wall.
The waivers apply to San Diego, where officials already plan to upgrade miles of existing fence, but where they’ll also stage a competition this summer to build and test prototypes for Mr. Trump’s wall.
It’s the first in what’s likely to be a series of waivers that will be needed as wall construction ramps up.
Officials insisted they will still try to be mindful of local impacts as they work on the wall.
“While the waiver eliminates DHS’s obligation to comply with various laws with respect to covered projects, the department remains committed to environmental stewardship with respect to these projects,” the department said in a statement.
The Bush administration repeatedly used the waivers during the last major round of fence-building from 2005 to 2008. Waivers at that time granted exceptions to laws ranging from the Endangered Species Act to Native American grave protections laws.
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The waivers apply to San Diego, where officials already plan to upgrade miles of existing fence, but where they’ll also stage a competition this summer to build and test prototypes for Mr. Trump’s wall.
It’s the first in what’s likely to be a series of waivers that will be needed as wall construction ramps up.
Officials insisted they will still try to be mindful of local impacts as they work on the wall.
“While the waiver eliminates DHS’s obligation to comply with various laws with respect to covered projects, the department remains committed to environmental stewardship with respect to these projects,” the department said in a statement.
The Bush administration repeatedly used the waivers during the last major round of fence-building from 2005 to 2008. Waivers at that time granted exceptions to laws ranging from the Endangered Species Act to Native American grave protections laws.
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Wasserman Schultz under pressure to testify on ex-IT aide
Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is coming under mounting pressure to explain why she kept an IT aide on the payroll for months after a criminal investigation was revealed, facing calls from Republicans to testify as well as a newly filed ethics complaint.
Wasserman Schultz, the Florida congresswoman who led the Democratic National Committee until last year, terminated Imran Awan’s “part-time” employment last week, when he was arrested at Dulles International Airport trying to fly to Pakistan. He was charged with a bank fraud count.
But he and other former IT aides for House Democrats have been on investigators’ radar screen for months over concerns about possible double-billing, alleged equipment theft and access to sensitive computer systems. Most lawmakers fired Awan in March, but Schultz kept him on, though he was barred from the House IT network.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), run by former U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker (a George W. Bush appointee), also filed a complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics on Monday. The complaint urged an investigation, questioning why Schultz kept paying Awan after he was barred from the House computer system, noting “Members are directly responsible for ensuring their staff are only paid for official public work.”
“There is something quite amiss as to why Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz continued to use taxpayer funds to employ former technology staff member, Imran Awan, even months after he was barred from accessing the House’s computer systems and a number of her colleagues severed ties with Awan,” Whitaker said in a statement.
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Wasserman Schultz, the Florida congresswoman who led the Democratic National Committee until last year, terminated Imran Awan’s “part-time” employment last week, when he was arrested at Dulles International Airport trying to fly to Pakistan. He was charged with a bank fraud count.
But he and other former IT aides for House Democrats have been on investigators’ radar screen for months over concerns about possible double-billing, alleged equipment theft and access to sensitive computer systems. Most lawmakers fired Awan in March, but Schultz kept him on, though he was barred from the House IT network.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), run by former U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker (a George W. Bush appointee), also filed a complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics on Monday. The complaint urged an investigation, questioning why Schultz kept paying Awan after he was barred from the House computer system, noting “Members are directly responsible for ensuring their staff are only paid for official public work.”
“There is something quite amiss as to why Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz continued to use taxpayer funds to employ former technology staff member, Imran Awan, even months after he was barred from accessing the House’s computer systems and a number of her colleagues severed ties with Awan,” Whitaker said in a statement.
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Leftists who once despised McCain cheer him as hero
Not long ago, Sen. John McCain was reviled by leftists as a war-mongering hothead, but now he’s their hero, thanks to his vote to preserve Obamacare.
The left-wing feminist group UltraViolet announced Monday that it would fly a plane banner over Phoenix to thank the Arizona Republican for his vote last week against the so-called “skinny repeal” of the Affordable Care Act.
UltraViolet also plans to fly banners to thank GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, but the about-face on Mr. McCain was especially striking, given that he was the left’s top target when he ran for president against Democrat Barack Obama in 2008.
Mr. McCain’s position also wasn’t a sure thing leading up to the early Friday vote, while Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski had made their opposition known.
“Senator John McCain is a man of his word and a true hero,” said liberal Hollywood director Rob Reiner on Twitter. “Compassion and heart wins the day.”
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The left-wing feminist group UltraViolet announced Monday that it would fly a plane banner over Phoenix to thank the Arizona Republican for his vote last week against the so-called “skinny repeal” of the Affordable Care Act.
UltraViolet also plans to fly banners to thank GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, but the about-face on Mr. McCain was especially striking, given that he was the left’s top target when he ran for president against Democrat Barack Obama in 2008.
Mr. McCain’s position also wasn’t a sure thing leading up to the early Friday vote, while Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski had made their opposition known.
“Senator John McCain is a man of his word and a true hero,” said liberal Hollywood director Rob Reiner on Twitter. “Compassion and heart wins the day.”
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A Viewer Writes: Congressional Healthcare
We'd be sure to see some changes in VA levels of care and performance if congressmen and women were direct recipients.
US to Launch Another Test Missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base
The unarmed Minuteman III missile will be launched between 12:01 and 6:01 a.m. PDT from the base, about 12 miles northwest of Lompoc, according to Vandenberg's 30th Space Wing team.
The Air Force Global Strike Command's missile launch is designed to test the weapon system's effectiveness, accuracy and readiness, the Air Force said.
The test comes after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday -- the second in less than a month. The two-stage missile crashed off the coast of Japan's northernmost island, Hokkaido. Independent defense analysts say the missile may be capable of reaching California and other parts of the West Coast.
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, said Monday that the Vandenberg test launch "must be viewed as a direct response to the North Korean launch." The organization has called for diplomacy, not military provocations.
The test would be the fourth ICBM launched from the Santa Barbara County base this year.
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Army Demonstrates a New Age of Night Marksmanship Technology
By pressing a button on the side of an M4 carbine, soldiers can wirelessly transmit the Family of Weapon Sights-Individual’s sight reticle into the wide display screen of the helmet-mounted Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and quickly fire at enemy targets.
“This is the first time that we have deliberately taken a weapon-mounted targeting sensor and integrated with a helmet-mounted mobility sensor to provide that rapid target acquisition capability,” said Dean Kissinger, electronics engineer for Soldier Maneuver Sensors at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
The Army first announced the effort in 2015. On Thursday, experts demonstrated a working low-rate initial production model at a special test-firing range, complete with a fog machine to obscure targets.
The weapon-mounted FWS-I “talks wirelessly to a smart battery pack that’s on a soldier’s helmet that then transmits a signal [to] the ENVG III, which now displays a reticle” the soldier can use to engage targets, said Master Sgt. Lashon Wilson, senior enlisted adviser for Soldier Maneuver Sensors.
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Fake Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Flooding the Market: How to Stay Safe
Update: The Federal Trade Commission has released a statement with safety guidlines for solar viewing glasses.
If you're planning to view the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, make sure you've got the right safety gear.
Phony eclipse glasses are currently flooding the marketplace, according to the American Astronomical Society (AAS). This counterfeit equipment falsely claims to meet the international standard for safe solar viewing, which is known as ISO 12312-2 (also written as ISO 12312-2:2015).
So how do you know that your eclipse glasses or handheld viewers are safe? You can't really check them yourself; doing so requires pretty high-tech lab equipment. But the AAS has done such legwork for you and identified a number of reputable suppliers, including (but not limited to) American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Celestron and Daystar. You can also trust the businesses and other organizations that sell gear made by these companies, AAS representatives said. (There are many such retailers, including Wal-Mart, Lowes and Toys R Us.) [The Best ISO-Certified Gear to See the 2017 Solar Eclipse]
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If you're planning to view the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, make sure you've got the right safety gear.
Phony eclipse glasses are currently flooding the marketplace, according to the American Astronomical Society (AAS). This counterfeit equipment falsely claims to meet the international standard for safe solar viewing, which is known as ISO 12312-2 (also written as ISO 12312-2:2015).
So how do you know that your eclipse glasses or handheld viewers are safe? You can't really check them yourself; doing so requires pretty high-tech lab equipment. But the AAS has done such legwork for you and identified a number of reputable suppliers, including (but not limited to) American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Celestron and Daystar. You can also trust the businesses and other organizations that sell gear made by these companies, AAS representatives said. (There are many such retailers, including Wal-Mart, Lowes and Toys R Us.) [The Best ISO-Certified Gear to See the 2017 Solar Eclipse]
More here
Questions Grow Over Wasserman Schultz's Connection to Arrested IT Employee
Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s IT guy Imran Awan was arrested last week over allegations of bank fraud. But that may be serving merely as a pretext for nailing him on a much bigger and more insidious crime. The details are still rather sketchy, but there are several issues that don’t quite add up.
First, why after the fraud allegations against members of the Awan family did Wasserman Schultz maintain his employment? Blackmail?
Did Awan have dirt on Wasserman Schultz or the DNC? This is hardly an illegitimate question when one considers her strange demand that the Capitol Police return smashed hard drives collected from one of the Awans’ properties because she claimed it to be her property.
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First, why after the fraud allegations against members of the Awan family did Wasserman Schultz maintain his employment? Blackmail?
Did Awan have dirt on Wasserman Schultz or the DNC? This is hardly an illegitimate question when one considers her strange demand that the Capitol Police return smashed hard drives collected from one of the Awans’ properties because she claimed it to be her property.
More here
BREAKING: Four More Arrested For Wicomico Co. Murder
(SALISBURY, MD) – Four additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a man three days ago in Wicomico County.
The suspects are identified as Hammond C. Taylor, Jr., 23, Edward T. Winder, 24, Eddie D. Smith 2nd, 34, and Raymond J. Murray, Jr., 27, all of Salisbury, Md. Each suspect has been charged with first degree murder, second degree murder, conspiracy to commit first and second degree murder, first degree assault, second degree assault and reckless endangerment. They were transported to the Wicomico County Detention Center for booking and an initial appearance before a court commissioner.
State Police investigators obtained arrest warrants for the four suspects. Taylor was arrested about 3:00 p.m. yesterday in the Salisbury area. Winder turned himself in at the Salisbury Police Department about 4:00 p.m. yesterday. Smith was arrested when he showed up at the Salisbury Police Department late yesterday afternoon. Murray was arrested by Salisbury Police Department officers about 1:00 a.m. today while riding a bicycle in West Salisbury. All were arrested without incident.
The suspects are charged in connection with the murder of Tavin T. Molock, 32, of Salisbury, Md. Molock was found injured in the 400-block of Bethel Street by responding Salisbury Police Department officers shortly before 11:30 a.m. on July 30, 2017. Molock later died at the hospital. An autopsy confirmed the manner of his death was homicide. The cause of death is being withheld by investigators at this time due its importance to the ongoing investigation.
The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit investigation led to the identification of the four suspects in addition to the two arrested earlier this week. The investigation indicates Molock was assaulted by several individuals while he was on-foot in the 400-block of Bethel Street in Salisbury.
The Homicide Unit investigation is continuing. Additional arrests and charges are possible. Investigative assistance has been provided by the Salisbury Police Department, the drug task forces from Wicomico and Dorchester counties, the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit.
A soccer star from Gaithersburg won a college scholarship. But ICE plans to deport him.
On Monday night, they stood with other members of their elite Bethesda Soccer Club outside Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Northwest Washington, protesting the arrest and pending deportation of a beloved teammate: Lizandro Claros Saravia.
Claros Saravia, 19, who had a scholarship to play college soccer in North Carolina, was detained along with his older brother, Diego, in Baltimore on Friday following one of their regular check-ins with immigration officials.
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Breaking News: President Trump signed a bill imposing sanctions on Russia, escalating tensions.
| Without even waiting for Mr. Trump to act, Russia seized two United States diplomatic properties and ordered the American embassy and consulates to reduce its overall staff by 755 people, which will mostly be Russian nationals employed by the United States.Read More » |
| Without even waiting for Mr. Trump to act, Russia seized two United States diplomatic properties and ordered the American embassy and consulates to reduce its overall staff by 755 people, which will mostly be Russian nationals employed by the United States. |
| Read More » |
| Without even waiting for Mr. Trump to act, Russia seized two United States diplomatic properties and ordered the American embassy and consulates to reduce its overall staff by 755 people, which will mostly be Russian nationals employed by the United States.Read More » |
Sorry Joe Biden And Eric Holder, Obama Just Picked His 2020 Candidate And It's Not You
For months now rumors have circulated over who might step forward to lead "The Resistance" for the Democrats and make a run for the White House in 2020. While many names have been tossed around, two candidates from Obama's administration, VP Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder, are the only ones to have seemingly taken the next step of directly hinting they would be interested in a run.
Biden made his most direct expression of interest back in May at the SALT conference when he said "at this point, no one in my family or I have made the judgment to run...I may very well do it."
Meanwhile, Eric Holder recently raised some eyebrows about his future political aspirations when he told Yahoo News that he was looking "to be more visible." Here's more from the Washington Times:
“Up to now, I have been more behind-the-scenes. But that’s about to change. I have a certain status as the former attorney general. A certain familiarity as the first African-American attorney general. There’s a justified perception that I’m close to President Obama. So I want to use whatever skills I have, whatever notoriety I have, to be effective in opposing things that are, at the end of the day, just bad for the country.”
“Now is the time to be more visible. Now is the time to be heard. … I thought, frankly, along with everybody else, that after the election, with Hillary Clinton as president, I could walk off the field. So when she didn’t win, I thought, ‘We’ll have to see how this plays out.’ But it became clear relatively soon — and certainly sooner than I expected — that I had to get back on the field and be in effective opposition.”
But, while Joe and Eric may be interested in a 2020 bid, we suspect that neither potential candidate will get very far along the campaign trail without the blessings of their former boss. Unfortunately, according to Politico, Obama seems to have gone all-in on his long-time friend and former Massachusetts governor, Deval Patrick.
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Biden made his most direct expression of interest back in May at the SALT conference when he said "at this point, no one in my family or I have made the judgment to run...I may very well do it."
Meanwhile, Eric Holder recently raised some eyebrows about his future political aspirations when he told Yahoo News that he was looking "to be more visible." Here's more from the Washington Times:
“Up to now, I have been more behind-the-scenes. But that’s about to change. I have a certain status as the former attorney general. A certain familiarity as the first African-American attorney general. There’s a justified perception that I’m close to President Obama. So I want to use whatever skills I have, whatever notoriety I have, to be effective in opposing things that are, at the end of the day, just bad for the country.”
“Now is the time to be more visible. Now is the time to be heard. … I thought, frankly, along with everybody else, that after the election, with Hillary Clinton as president, I could walk off the field. So when she didn’t win, I thought, ‘We’ll have to see how this plays out.’ But it became clear relatively soon — and certainly sooner than I expected — that I had to get back on the field and be in effective opposition.”
But, while Joe and Eric may be interested in a 2020 bid, we suspect that neither potential candidate will get very far along the campaign trail without the blessings of their former boss. Unfortunately, according to Politico, Obama seems to have gone all-in on his long-time friend and former Massachusetts governor, Deval Patrick.
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Governor Hogan: Conowingo Dam Maxed Out, Can No Longer Stop Pollution
The dam has a reservoir that is meant to catch sediment and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, which wash down from New York and Pennsylvania and pollute the Bay. But a study by the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed Assessment shows that reservoir is essentially at capacity, and can no longer stop the pollution that is flowing right into the Susquehanna and the Bay.
The study also found that without addressing this problem, the states can't meet the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay restoration goals required by 2025.
At the state's first-ever Conowingo Dam Summit in early July, Governor Hogan formed a work group to seek solutions. It includes members from the Maryland Departments of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Planning; the Port Authority; the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; the U.S. Geological Survey; the Army Corps of Engineers; the Susquehanna River Basin Commission; and Maryland Environmental Service.
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Justice Dept. to Take On Affirmative Action in College Admissions
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is preparing to redirect resources of the Justice Department’s civil rights division toward investigating and suing universities over affirmative action admissions policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants, according to a document obtained by The New York Times.
The document, an internal announcement to the civil rights division, seeks current lawyers interested in working for a new project on “investigations and possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.”
The announcement suggests that the project will be run out of the division’s front office, where the Trump administration’s political appointees work, rather than its Educational Opportunities Section, which is run by career civil servants and normally handles work involving schools and universities.
The document does not explicitly identify whom the Justice Department considers at risk of discrimination because of affirmative action admissions policies. But the phrasing it uses, “intentional race-based discrimination,” cuts to the heart of programs designed to bring more minority students to university campuses.
Supporters and critics of the project said it was clearly targeting admissions programs that can give members of generally disadvantaged groups, like black and Latino students, an edge over other applicants with comparable or higher test scores.
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The document, an internal announcement to the civil rights division, seeks current lawyers interested in working for a new project on “investigations and possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.”
The announcement suggests that the project will be run out of the division’s front office, where the Trump administration’s political appointees work, rather than its Educational Opportunities Section, which is run by career civil servants and normally handles work involving schools and universities.
The document does not explicitly identify whom the Justice Department considers at risk of discrimination because of affirmative action admissions policies. But the phrasing it uses, “intentional race-based discrimination,” cuts to the heart of programs designed to bring more minority students to university campuses.
Supporters and critics of the project said it was clearly targeting admissions programs that can give members of generally disadvantaged groups, like black and Latino students, an edge over other applicants with comparable or higher test scores.
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The Trump administration wants to investigate colleges for discriminating against white applicants, an internal memo suggests
The Trump administration is preparing to redirect resources of the Justice Department’s civil rights division toward investigating and suing universities over affirmative action admissions policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants, according to a document obtained by The New York Times.
The document, an internal announcement to the civil rights division, seeks current lawyers interested in working for a new project on “investigations and possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.”
The document, an internal announcement to the civil rights division, seeks current lawyers interested in working for a new project on “investigations and possible litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.”
Gov. Larry Hogan sued by ACLU for deleting comments, blocking Facebook users
The blocked Facebook users, who are represented by the ACLU of Maryland, argue that Hogan “arbitrarily” censored their free speech by deleting their comments and blocking them from his Facebook page after they questioned his position on education policy and President Trump’s controversial travel ban.
It is the latest effort to test in court how much control government officials may have over what is posted on their official social media sites.
“The highest purpose of the First Amendment is to protect the right of Americans to engage in political speech and to petition the government to address their concerns,” said Deborah Jeon, legal director for the Maryland ACLU. “It violates both the First Amendment and Maryland’s own social media guidelines for government officials to block out any voices of dissent or those simply raising questions about positions taken by public officials sworn to serve.”
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Attempted Abduction In Girdletree Update
Friends and family I just wanted to make you guys aware of something that happened to us today. I was inside the house cleaning up stuff from lunch-Johnathan and Jason were outside jumping on the trampoline, all of a sudden Johnathan and Jason came running inside. Johnathan was very upset, he told me that a man in a light brown Chevy truck with a cab pulled up and asked them if they wanted candy- Jason got excited and tried to get out the trampoline to run to this vehicle. Luckily Johnathan was able to grab him and they came inside and told me. Johnathan said the man looked to be in his late 40's or early 50's possibly mixed or Hispanic. Johnathan said he was sure it wasn't anyone he knew. Just wanted everyone to be aware and vigilant just in case! It has been reported to the sheriff's department and they are looking into it as well.
Murkowski Refuses To Explain Why She Campaigned On Obamacare Repeal But Voted Against It
WASHINGTON–Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski refused to explain why she voted against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act when she previously supported similar proposals in her campaigns.
Following the failed “skinny repeal late Thursday night, Murkowski, one of the three Republican senators who voted against it, told The Daily Caller she was not ready to respond to why she campaigned on repealing Obamacare in her last election but reversed her position on the matter recently.
“I am really very tired and so you’re asking for a really thoughtful response and I actually appreciate your question but rather than respond to each and individual request with all of these cameras around me, I’m gonna take a pass,” she said.
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Following the failed “skinny repeal late Thursday night, Murkowski, one of the three Republican senators who voted against it, told The Daily Caller she was not ready to respond to why she campaigned on repealing Obamacare in her last election but reversed her position on the matter recently.
“I am really very tired and so you’re asking for a really thoughtful response and I actually appreciate your question but rather than respond to each and individual request with all of these cameras around me, I’m gonna take a pass,” she said.
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Is This Dog Dangerous? Shelters Struggle With Live-or-Die Tests
Bounding into the evaluation room, Bacon seemed like an affable goofball, ready for adoption. But as he gulped down food, Dr. Sara Bennett, a veterinary behaviorist, stuck a fake plastic hand attached to a pole into his bowl and tugged it away. Instantly, Bacon lunged at the hand, chomping down on it hard.
Shelters have used this exercise and others for some 20 years to assess whether a dog is safe enough to be placed with a family. For dogs, the results can mean life or death.
“If you failed aggression testing, you did not pass go,” said Mary Martin, the new director of Maricopa County animal shelter in Phoenix, which takes in 34,000 dogs annually. Between January and June 2016, 536 dogs were euthanized for behavior, most because of test results.
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A Viewer Writes: Why Doesn't Eastside and Westside Wicomico County Matter?
Man shot Indiana doc because he wouldn't give wife drugs
A man turned a gun on himself after police claim he shot dead a doctor who wouldn't prescribe his wife opioids.
Michael Jarvis, 48, gunned down Dr Todd Graham, 56, in what Indiana officials are describing as a targeted attack on Wednesday.
Jarvis allegedly became upset when Graham wouldn't prescribe his wife opioid painkillers and then later returned to St Joseph Rehabilitation Institute in Mishawaka.
During the confrontation in the center's parking lot, Jarvis shot Graham twice in the head before fleeing the scene and turning the gun on himself, police said.
The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon after Jarvis and his wife Petra visited Graham at the medical center, reported the South Bend Tribune.
Petra was reportedly a new patient of Graham's and took Jarvis with her to the appointment, looking for a remedy for her pain.
Graham allegedly informed the couple that although Petra did suffer from pain he would not prescribe an opioid painkiller.
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Michael Jarvis, 48, gunned down Dr Todd Graham, 56, in what Indiana officials are describing as a targeted attack on Wednesday.
Jarvis allegedly became upset when Graham wouldn't prescribe his wife opioid painkillers and then later returned to St Joseph Rehabilitation Institute in Mishawaka.
During the confrontation in the center's parking lot, Jarvis shot Graham twice in the head before fleeing the scene and turning the gun on himself, police said.
The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon after Jarvis and his wife Petra visited Graham at the medical center, reported the South Bend Tribune.
Petra was reportedly a new patient of Graham's and took Jarvis with her to the appointment, looking for a remedy for her pain.
Graham allegedly informed the couple that although Petra did suffer from pain he would not prescribe an opioid painkiller.
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Pentagon investigators find ‘security risks’ in government's immigrant recruitment program, ‘infiltration’ feared
After more than a year of investigation, the Pentagon’s inspector general recently issued a report – its contents still classified but its existence disclosed here for the first time – identifying serious problems with Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI), a DOD program that provides immigrants and non-immigrant aliens with an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for military service.
Defense Department officials said the program is still active but acknowledged that new applications have been suspended.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/08/01/pentagon-investigators-find-security-risks-in-governments-immigrant-recruitment-program-infiltration-feared.html
An Ohio Factory Owner Is Eager To Hire Workers, There Is Just One Problem...
In April, the Fed's otherwise boring Beige Book revealed a striking anecdote about the current state of the US labor market: as the Boston Fed commented at the time, the qualified labor shortage had gotten so bad, that the hit rate on hiring after a simple math and drug test, has collapsed below 50%. To wit:
Labor markets in the First District continued to tighten somewhat. Many employers sought to add modestly to head counts (although one manufacturer laid off about 4 percent of staff over the last year), while wage increases were modest. Some smaller retailers noted increasing labor costs, in part driven by increases in state minimum wages being implemented over a multi-year period. Restaurant contacts, particularly in heavy tourism regions, expressed concern about possible labor shortages this summer, exacerbated by an expected slowdown in granting H-2B visas. Half of contacted manufacturers were hiring, though none in large numbers; several firms said it was hard to find workers.
One respondent said that during a recent six-month attempt to add to staff for a new product, two-thirds of applicants for assembly line jobs were screened out before hiring via math tests and drug tests; of 400 workers hired, only 180 worked out.
Fast forward to today when we have a practical example of how severe this quandary has become for employers.
According to WTVR, an Ohio factory owner said on Saturday that although she has numerous blue-collar jobs available at her company,she struggles to fill positions because so many candidates fail drug tests. Regina Mitchell, co-owner of Warren Fabricating & Machining in Hubbard, Ohio, told The New York Times this week that four out of 10 applicants otherwise qualified to be welders, machinists and crane operators will fail a routine drug test. While not quite as bad as the adverse hit rate hinted at by the Beige Book, this is a stunning number, and one which indicates of major structural changes to the US labor force where addiction and drugs are keeping millions out of gainful (or any, for that matter) employment.
Speaking to CNN’s Michael Smerconish, Mitchell said that her requirements for prospective workers were simple: “I need employees who are engaged in their work while here, of sound mind and doing the best possible job that they can, keeping their fellow co-workers safe at all times,” she said.
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Labor markets in the First District continued to tighten somewhat. Many employers sought to add modestly to head counts (although one manufacturer laid off about 4 percent of staff over the last year), while wage increases were modest. Some smaller retailers noted increasing labor costs, in part driven by increases in state minimum wages being implemented over a multi-year period. Restaurant contacts, particularly in heavy tourism regions, expressed concern about possible labor shortages this summer, exacerbated by an expected slowdown in granting H-2B visas. Half of contacted manufacturers were hiring, though none in large numbers; several firms said it was hard to find workers.
One respondent said that during a recent six-month attempt to add to staff for a new product, two-thirds of applicants for assembly line jobs were screened out before hiring via math tests and drug tests; of 400 workers hired, only 180 worked out.
Fast forward to today when we have a practical example of how severe this quandary has become for employers.
According to WTVR, an Ohio factory owner said on Saturday that although she has numerous blue-collar jobs available at her company,she struggles to fill positions because so many candidates fail drug tests. Regina Mitchell, co-owner of Warren Fabricating & Machining in Hubbard, Ohio, told The New York Times this week that four out of 10 applicants otherwise qualified to be welders, machinists and crane operators will fail a routine drug test. While not quite as bad as the adverse hit rate hinted at by the Beige Book, this is a stunning number, and one which indicates of major structural changes to the US labor force where addiction and drugs are keeping millions out of gainful (or any, for that matter) employment.
Speaking to CNN’s Michael Smerconish, Mitchell said that her requirements for prospective workers were simple: “I need employees who are engaged in their work while here, of sound mind and doing the best possible job that they can, keeping their fellow co-workers safe at all times,” she said.
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Berlin MSP Needs Help Identifying This Subject
Do you know the man in this picture or how to reach him? Troopers at Berlin Barrack are attempting to identify this subject in regards to an ongoing investigation. If you can identify or have any information on this subject please contact the Berlin Barrack at 410-641-3101 EXT 0 and reference this post
Staff for Barack Obama reveals how he forced dating advice
The former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Barack Obama claimed that the President once gave her dating advice in 2006 when they were on a return trip to Chicago from Iowa.
In an interview with The Times, Alyssa Mastromonaco shared how the at-the-time Illinois Senator once threatened to text one of Senator Tom Harkin's staffers on her behalf when he saw him checking her out.
'Obama turned to me and said, "Look, he was really into you. And if you don't email him, I will.",' she writes in her book about her time working with Obama called Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?.
And the up-state New York native doesn't have an idea of what the email would have entailed.
'I can only imagine,' the 41-year-old said in the interview.
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In an interview with The Times, Alyssa Mastromonaco shared how the at-the-time Illinois Senator once threatened to text one of Senator Tom Harkin's staffers on her behalf when he saw him checking her out.
'Obama turned to me and said, "Look, he was really into you. And if you don't email him, I will.",' she writes in her book about her time working with Obama called Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?.
And the up-state New York native doesn't have an idea of what the email would have entailed.
'I can only imagine,' the 41-year-old said in the interview.
More
WCSO CID Press Release - August 1, 2017
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| Cutler, Garnett and Wootten |
Incident: Handgun Possession/ Firearm Drug Trafficking Crime
Date of Incident: July 31, 2017
Location: E Main St/ N Park Drive
Suspects:
- Kaevon Quishi Cutler, 22 of Princess Anne, MD
- Nicholas Tyler Garnett, 17 (Charged as an adult) of Princess Anne, MD
- Joshua James Wootten, 16 (Charged as an adult) of Princess Anne, MD
Charges: Possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, Use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, Possession of a regulated firearm by a prohibited person, Possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, Illegal possession of ammunition.