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Thursday, January 04, 2018

Homeland Chief Pushes for Border Wall: ‘First and Foremost’ Before Any DACA Amnesty

In an interview with the Associated Press, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen said that President Donald Trump’s planned wall along the U.S. border with Mexico is “first and foremost” before any deal for amnesty for the recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The AP reported after interviewing Nielsen:

"The secretary said she was hopeful the White House and Congress can reach a deal that includes border and immigration enforcement measures. She said building a wall along the Mexico border was ‘first and foremost,’ and the administration wanted to end ‘loopholes’ on issues that include handling asylum claims and local police working with immigration authorities."

While the AP put a headline and lede on its piece that focused on what Trump is willing to do with so-called DREAMers who are recipients of the illegally granted DACA temporary executive amnesty that Trump’s predecessor, former President Barack Obama unlawfully bestowed upon several hundred thousand illegal aliens, the interview focused more on Trump’s efforts for a border wall.

More here

3 men arrested after attempted break-in at former NASCAR driver's home

Richard Childress' home broken into last month

DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. —
 Three people have been arrested after an attempted break-in at the home of Hall of Fame NASCAR driver and team owner Richard Childress.

Davidson County deputies said three men were arrested Friday.

Niquan Victorin, 20, of Winston-Salem; Chantz Hines, 18, of Winston-Salem, and Armeka Spinks, 18, of Salisbury, are charged with one count each of attempted first-degree burglary and first-degree trespassing.

After being contacted by the Winston-Salem Police Department, investigators learned that three firearms, matching the description of those used in the Davidson County attempted burglary, had been reported stolen on Dec. 15. Three suspects were then identified.

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Meadows Draws Line in Sand: No DACA Amnesty in Spending Bill

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, on Tuesday said there should be no Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) amnesty deal contained within the government funding bill coming up in January.

The important move by Meadows aims to take government shutdown leverage away from Democrats in the upcoming DACA battles — something that President Donald Trump alluded to on Tuesday morning on Twitter when he bashed Democrats for not being serious about DACA solutions.

“We have been working closely with the administration and some of my Democrat colleagues, even some Republicans that perhaps are more moderate than I would be, because the President set a deadline in March to deal with the 674,000 people that had deferred action,” Meadows said. “So, we’re going to get a deal. We have been working behind the scenes not only with members but with the White House as well to try to do that. But the president has been very specific on what he wants to see.”

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Desubsidize Electric Cars

The strangest argument has been put forward in defense of Senate Republicans – who might as well be Senate Democrats – not rescinding the titanic federal subsidization of electric vehicles – i.e., the $7,500 an individual can deduct from his taxes (to be made up for by someone else’s taxes) as a reward/inducement for buying an EV.

The argument is that the car industry must not be rattled by “regulatory uncertainty.” It is used to the subsidization of electric cars; therefore, ending the subsidies would be as wrong as – well, let’s see – dialing back the ethanol mandate or making a bother about stoners buying sushi with their EBT cards.

They are after all, used to it, too.

The ethanol make-workers might have to find productive work. Stoner sushi-eaters might have to just work.

It’s horrible. Someone might be Triggered.

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Sadiq’s London: Knife Crime, Gun Crime, Theft, Burglary, Rape, Homicide all MASSIVELY Up

Britain’s media celebrated in droves when London elected its first Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, in May 2016.

Now the cacophony caused by the “we’re not racist” backslapping has ended, the true implications of a Khan mayoralty are being realised.

In Britain’s capital over the past year, Khan presided over rises in knife crime, gun crime, theft, burglary, rape, homicide, and more. And not just by a little bit, either.

Some in the media — by which I mean basically just me — predicted Khan might be a disaster for London, but the extent to which this is true was beyond even our worst nightmares.

Parking the anecdotal evidence of Khan giving preference to genital mutilation-linked groups, and using his platform to agitate against the U.S. President, the statistics reveal a terrifying incompetence in keeping London safe — one of the mayor’s core areas of responsibility.

Data from the Mayor of London’s Police and Crime Office — led by former lobbyist-turned-Deputy Mayor Sophie Linden — reveals a sharp uptick in violent crime in Khan’s first year.

More here

Virginia court rejects Democrat's bid in tied state House race

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A lottery-style drawing to determine the winner of a tied Virginia House of Delegates race will go ahead after a recount court on Wednesday rejected a bid by the Democratic candidate to reconsider its ruling that the race was a tie.

The Newport News Circuit Court’s ruling clears the way for state election officials to hold a random drawing as planned on Thursday to choose Democrat Shelly Simonds or Republican incumbent David Yancey as the victor in the race.

Republicans hold a one-vote margin in the 100-seat House. If Simonds is picked, the chamber would be split 50-50 and force lawmakers into a rare power-sharing arrangement.

A recount had shown that Simonds won the Nov. 7 election by one vote, but a three-judge panel ruled that a disputed ballot should be counted for Yancey. Simonds filed a lawsuit asking the judges to reconsider the decision.

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Texas County ‘Concealing’ Non-citizen Voter Records, Says Group

A public interest watchdog put one Texas County on notice for failing to disclose noncitizen registered voter records, the group says.

Shortly before the holidays, the Indiana-based Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) sent a letter to attorneys representing Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacqueline Callanen to state her office is “hereby notified that it now faces federal litigation should [it] continue to deny access to requested” records related to voters that were later removed for failing to be U.S. citizens. The correspondence noted that Bexar County officials denied the group’s request to personally inspect or duplicate records on the matter in a letter sent on December 14.

The PILF shared its original request dated December 1, 2017, with Breitbart Texas. In that document, the group sought a variety of records in the hopes of determining how many non-U.S. citizens managed to join the local voter registry; the duration of time until they were discovered; and how they came into contact with the voter registration system in the first place. Also requested was any evidence or indication that illegally registered individuals were actually forwarded to proper law enforcement.

More here

Let's Get Real...

If you've been following us since early this morning you know this has been yet another very long day putting up posts and moderating comments. 

One of my posts talked about how the local USPS decided not to deliver today and some of you, (rejected) just kept complaining about their decision.

We I live in Ocean City and didn't get mail delivery here as well, nor would I have ever expected one. 

I can tell you, UPS and FedEx come down my road twice a day and guess what, they haven't been out doing deliveries either.

Have a heart people. There comes a time when it's just too dangerous and even physically challenging, so lighten up.

Boom: 40 companies give Trump tax reform bonuses, up to $2,000

Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trump’s tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known.

According to the list from Americans for Tax Reform, “Thanks to tax cuts, growing list of companies announcing bonuses, wage hikes, charitable donations.”

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MSP Update

UPDATE: As of 4 p.m. today, the Maryland State Police has responded to 114 crashes, 223 disabled vehicles calls and 811 calls for service. The lower Eastern Shore is the area most heavily impacted by the winter weather. Also, the snow emergency plan remains in effect for 11 Maryland counties: Charles, Dorchester, Talbot, Caroline, Queen Anne's, Kent, St. Mary's, Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset and Garrett. Continue to be cautious if you venture out today.

Nine Reasons Why Democrats’ DACA Amnesty ‘Deadline’ Does Not Exist

Establishment advocates are insisting that January 19 is the drop-dead deadline for a DACA or Dreamer amnesty, just two weeks after the advocates insisted that December 22 was the drop-dead deadline.

The January deadline claim is based on the advocates’ claim that agency officials need a few weeks planning time to prepare and launch the amnesty by March 5 when the two-year work-permits invented by President Barack Obama will start expiring at a more rapid pace.

GOP leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, have described March as a deadline, even though hundreds of thousand of work-permits will remain valid after that date. For example, only half of the roughly 650,000 work permits will expire by November 2018, says a business group.

The last of the DACA work-permits granted by Obama to illegals will expire in in 2019, but the expirations will open up to 300,000 jobs — perhaps at decent wages — before November to some of the nine million working-age American men who have been sidelined by post-1990s wage-freeze.

Here are nine reasons why President Donald Trump should ignore the claimed January deadline —

A Viewer Writes: Hey Salisbury Repair the holes in the road!

Coming home last night I came down Beaglin Park Drive. Between Snow Hill Road and Parkside High School there was a traffic cone sitting beside the road. Not in the road but near the sidewalk. It looks like they dug up the road for something. Anyway they didn't fill it in very good. It takes most of the right side of the right lane. Probably about a 4 x 4 section. Thank God I was going slow due to the snow because even at a slow speed it was one heck of a bump. No warning or anything and by the time you could see how deep it was it was to late to even try to slam on the brakes. Yes this was in city limits. Just after I hit the hole there was a sign saying City maintenance ends. Hate to think what happens when a small car hits that hole.

‘Constitutional Crisis’: Deep State Versus Donald Trump Over Trans-Individuals in Military

The left and media are presenting a decision by elements of the Trump administration to not pursue an immediate stay in court as a win by LGBTQ forces seeking to force President Donald Trump, America’s Commander-in-Chief, to accept transgender recruits into the U.S. military.

But it might not be as big a win as they would have hoped for, as conservative forces rally behind the president with a variety of plans to crush the short-term leftist victory—though it does remain to be seen if the administration’s various departments responsible, primarily Justice and Defense, will follow through on efforts to get Trump another win.

As of Jan. 2, thanks to lower court rulings blocking implementation of President Trump’s directive to the Department of Defense, transgender individuals can legally enlist in the U.S. military. That is in direct contravention of an order the Commander-in-Chief handed down to Defense Secretary James Mattis back in August, one that has been challenged in court and blocked by a district judge by a preliminary injunction while the case is ongoing. On appeal, two U.S. courts of appeals—the Fourth Circuit and the D.C. Circuit—upheld two lower courts’ preliminary injunctions, blocking Trump’s transgender ban on military enlistment.

Perhaps most importantly, it sets up a potential constitutional crisis..

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Israel offers to pay African migrants to leave, threatens jail

Israel said on Wednesday it would pay thousands of African migrants living illegally in the country to leave, threatening them with jail if they are caught after the end of March.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in public remarks at a cabinet meeting on the payment programme, said a barrier Israel completed in 2013 along its border with Egypt had effectively cut off a stream of "illegal infiltrators" from Africa after some 60,000 crossed the desert frontier.

The vast majority came from Eritrea and Sudan and many said they fled war and persecution as well as economic hardship, but Israel treats them as economic migrants.

The plan launched this week offers African migrants a $3,500 payment from the Israeli government and a free air ticket to return home or go to "third countries", which rights groups identified as Rwanda and Uganda.

"We have expelled about 20,000 and now the mission is to get the rest out," Netanyahu said.

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Town of Berlin

Closings For Friday January 5th With Updates Regularly

Friday, Jan. 5: Wicomico Schools/Central Office remain closed due to severe weather conditions

The Salisbury School will be closed January 5th, 2018, due to weather conditions. Stay warm and safe!

Due to the continuing blizzard conditions and high winds, SU will remain closed on Friday, January 5. Essential personnel will be expected to report as required. 


Delmar Elementary and Delmar Middle/Senior High school are both closed tomorrow, Friday, January 5th.

Due to inclement weather conditions, Worcester County Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Friday, January 5, 2018. All afterschool, evening and Adult Education classes are also cancelled.

Salisbury – Snowfall remains heavy as of this release, but is forecast to begin to taper off in the early evening hours tonight. Snow removal operations have been underway in the City since the early overnight hours, but the relentless snowfall and high winds have necessitated the repeated plowing of the City’s Snow Emergency Routes. Given the nature and severity of this storm, Field Operations anticipates being able to transition over residential neighborhood plowing operations by mid-morning tomorrow (Friday, 1/5). We appreciate your patience and understanding.

All City offices will remain CLOSED tomorrow. If you have an emergency, please dial 911 immediately. For non-emergency issues after hours, call 410-548-3165

Trash removal and recycling operations remain suspended until the routes clear. Residents who typically have Thursday or Friday pickup will have their trash removed as soon as it is possible for crews to resume collection (Earliest, Monday.)

As of 1:00 p.m. today, SPD reported more than 60 vehicles stuck and/or stranded, and 4 motor vehicle collisions, with 1 resulting in injury. PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE.


Due to the winter storm, Berlin Town Hall Offices will be closed Friday, January 5, 2018 & there will be no trash/recycling pick-up.

WICOMICO COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED -1/5/2018

Snow Hill: Please be advised that due to treacherous roadways, Town offices will be closed tomorrow. Essential personnel, including Public Works will report at 6am.

Due to inclement weather, the Humane Society of Wicomico County will be closed on Friday , January 5th.

Convicted Felon Runs For Connecticut Governor

The Democratic Mayor of Bridgeport, Conn., who spent almost seven years in federal prison for political-corruption, announced a campaign for governor of the state Wednesday.

Joe Ganim, 58, filed the necessary paperwork to run for governor at the State Elections Enforcement Commission office in Hartford, Conn., joining a number of other Democratic candidates who have expressed interest in running for current Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy’s spot, who said in April that he would not seek re-election.

Ganim was convicted of 16 federal corruption charges in 2003 while serving as mayor and was sentenced to nine years in prison. After serving almost seven years, Ganim was released.

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Wicomico County Offices Closed Friday

Executive Culver has determined that Wicomico County offices will be closed on Friday, January 5, 2018. Essential personnel must report as scheduled.

The high winds have made it difficult to clear roads due to the continual drifting snow. Executive Culver has decided to close offices to put safety first. Use caution when driving and if you do not have to travel, please stay off the roads.

Department heads and supervisors are to adhere to the County declared emergency policy to compensate employees until further instructed. They must ensure that all county personnel with the exception of those determined to be essential, do not report to work tomorrow.

Missing Dog 1-4-18: Update

He probably begged himself into somebody's house. Cannon farm estates Bennett road. Call Gary 443-523-0029

Grassley: Comey Leaked Classified Memo

James Comey may have leaked at least one classified memo to a friend shortly after he was fired as FBI director.

That’s an assessment from Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley, who wrote a letter to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Wednesday demanding answers about the handling of memos that Comey wrote following his conversations with President Trump.

Grassley noted that he and his staff recently reviewed seven memos that Comey wrote after his meetings with Trump. Four of those documents contained information classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “SECRET.”

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Bundy Update

Old Barns and Old People

Hogan In Salisbury Today: Video

Breaking News: The Trump administration is freezing nearly all security aid to Pakistan, a sign of decaying relations with a vital counterterrorism partner

The Trump administration had delayed $255 million in State Department aid until Islamabad did more to crack down on terrorism. Relations between the United States and Pakistan have deteriorated since the summer, when President Trump accused the country of giving “safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror.”

Snow Drift In Salisbury


Ellison Posts Photo of Himself Posing With ‘Antifa’ Handbook, Says It Will ‘Strike Fear’ in Trump

Democratic National Committee deputy chairman chair Keith Ellison (D., Minn.) tweeted a photo of himself Wednesday posing with a copy of the radical left-wing book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.

"At @MoonPalaceBooks and I just found the book that strike fear in the heart of @realDonaldTrump," he wrote.

Antifa is a far-left organization that uses violence in the name of progressive goals and against perceived enemies. It came to attention this year for its thuggish tactics at Berkeley, when it attacked and assaulted right-wing protesters on the liberal college campus.

The book is by Mark Bray, an Occupy Wall Street organizer and Dartmouth professor who earlier this year defended violence against white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

"Fascism cannot be defeated through speech," Bray said in August.

According to the book, "militant anti-fascism is a reasonable, historically informed response to the fascist threat that persisted after 1945 and that has become especially menacing in recent years" and antifa members must be ready to physically confront fascists when necessary.

More here

Hogan In Da Bury Today

Upcoming Auction

After 47 years in the same location the owner has sold the real estate and is opening a brand new Arby’s next to Royal Farms on RT 50 East in Salisbury. All contents of the building will be sold including: Walk in coolers, slicer, tons of smalls, stainless tables, kitchenware, computer system, sinks, ovens, prep stations, booths, tables, packaging, French fry freezer, deep fryer, yogurt machine, racks, too much to list, the entire contents of an operating Arbys! Go to our Facebook page for photos and a walk through video!

Preview: January 7th, Noon- 2PM

Terms: Cash, Credit Card or good check on day of auction. Everything sold as is, where is. PROMPT REMOVAL. 10% Buyer premium and MD sales tax applied to all purchases.

Governor Larry Hogan......... Live update from Ocean City

Kobach: Voter Fraud Commission ‘Being Handed Off’ to DHS

Kansas Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach says the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity will be “handed off” to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “more effectively” investigate voter fraud without being “stonewalled” by Democrats.

In an interview with Breitbart News, Kobach said the news that President Trump is dissolving the voter fraud commission should not be grounds for leftist organizations and Democrats — who sought to stop the investigations into double voting and ballots cast by non-citizens — to celebrate, as the investigations will continue under DHS.

“What’s happening is a tactical shift where the mission of the commission is being handed off to Homeland Security without the stonewalling by Democrats,” Kobach told Breitbart News.

“I’ll be working closely with the White House and DHS to ensure the investigations continue,” Kobach continued.

Kobach, who served as vice chairman of the voter fraud commission, blasted organizations like the ACLU and NAACP, along with Democrats in Congress and on the commission who attempted to halt the panel in its tracks.

“They have absolutely no interest in stopping voter fraud,” Kobach said. “It’s truly extraordinary that one party in our system has made clear that they don’t care.”

“Some people on the Left were getting uncomfortable about how much we were finding out,” Kobach continued.

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Local USPS Deliveries Canceled For Today

There will be no mail delivery today for the 218 area. We're not sure about other areas, (as of yet) but the roads are simply impassable and impossible to negotiate at this time. 

We Got A Ton Of Snow In Ocean City

It's pretty rare we get the kind of snow here in Ocean City the way we did but it is sure is peaceful and quiet.

I happen to live on a one lane private road, so we'll never see a county snow plow and for what it's worth, who cares. A select few of us can honestly say we are snowed in, (of all places) in Ocean City, Maryland. 

Depending on how well Wicomico County can clear the roads, I hear they are considering at least a delay for all employees. I'll keep you posted. In the mean time, stay off the roads and let these drivers plow them without disruption. 

Immunotherapy and a virus could cure breast cancer

A combination of immunotherapy and a virus could treat aggressive breast cancer, an 'absolutely amazing' study has revealed.

Breakthrough research showed the pairing cured up to 90 per cent of mice plagued by triple negative breast cancer - deemed the deadliest form.

Canadian scientists are hopeful the findings will lead to a potential cure, as survival depends on how early the disease is caught.

The trial, led by Ottawa University scientists, comes as a separate study found that an injection of a virus could also treat aggressive brain tumours.

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Breaking News: The Trump administration will allow new offshore oil and gas drilling in most U.S. waters, opening access to more than 100 million acres

The reversal deals a serious blow to President Barack Obama’s environmental legacy and signals that the Trump administration is nowhere near done unraveling the environmental restrictions of its predecessor in an effort to promote domestic energy production.

The new plan will not immediately green-light drilling. Finalizing it could take as long as 18 months, experts said, and in the meantime a number of states are expected to challenge it in an effort to protect their coastlines.

Robocalls cause $350MILLION worth of telemarketing fraud

About 30 per cent of phone calls placed in the United States are fraudulent 'robocalls,' amounting to about 30billion total each year that cost U.S. consumers $350million in telemarketing fraud costs, according to figures from multiple sources.

The Federal Trade Commission noted that it received more than 3.4million robocall complaints in 2016 and, between January 2017 and August 2017, had received more than 3.5million.

The increase in complaints about robocalls - automated voice calls used by scammers to try to take people's money - came despite consumers adding themselves to 'Do Not Call' registries that make such calls illegal.

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Florida mom shot at gas station pleads 'Don't let me die'

A one-year-old's mother who was fatally shot outside a Florida gas station pleaded 'Please don't let me die' to an attendant who came to her aid.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says 24-year-old Sahara Barkley was killed late on New Year's Day.

Barkley apparently left her car running outside a BP gas station at 10.30pm on Monday when a man and a woman attempted to steal it.

The man drove off, leaving the woman behind.

Barkley confronted the woman, who then shot her.

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What Does A “State of Emergency” Mean?

What does a “State of Emergency” mean?

In anticipation of heavy snowfall, winds, and freezing temperatures, potential power outages, hazardous travel conditions, and potentially impassable roadways, Governor Larry Hogan has declared a State of Emergency for Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties beginning Wednesday, January 3, 2018. This executive order will allow the state to efficiently coordinate support and provide additional assistance to those communities.

Here is information on what a state of emergency means.

Not all states of emergency are the same. Each state of emergency is different and can change depending on the severity of the event or emergency. Be sure to check with your local news and with MEMA for updated information related to states of emergency.

A state of emergency is declared in order to allow Maryland to coordinate and request emergency resources and support. A state of emergency allows the Governor to access certain resources in order to increase the State’s response.

A state of emergency is a good indicator that residents should remain alert and follow officials’ orders, news stations, and weather forecasts in order to be informed of the situation. In this particular case, residents are being advised that they should prepare for a significant winter storm and that motorists should avoid nonessential travel after the snow begins to fall. Here is additional information about this state of emergency:

Will schools be closed?

States of Emergencies typically do not mandate school closures. It usually is the local school district’s decision to stay open or to close.

Will stores and businesses be open?

This state of emergency does not require employers to close. We ask that all employers consider employee safety at all times.

Can I drive on the roads?

Motorists are not prohibited from driving on the roads at this time. Use common sense–if you must drive and cannot change your plans, please do so carefully. Give yourself extra time to get to your destination. Let family or friends know your route and expected arrival time.

Drawing names Yancey winner in disputed 94th House District

WASHINGTON — Republican David Yancey won a drawing to break a tie in the disputed 94th District race in Newport News Thursday however his opponent is expected to challenge the decision, possibly seeking yet another recount.

Control of the House of Delegates is at stake. A win by Yancey in the race would give Republicans enough votes to lead the chamber and decide what legislation makes it to the floor for a vote.

Simonds said that she may seek a second recount, a contest in the House of Delegates or “other legal options.”

Yancey did not make it to Richmond in time for the 11 a.m. drawing, delayed by heavy snow in Newport News, elections officials said.

The candidates’ names were written on slips of paper and placed in black film canisters, which election officials said were ordered fresh from Amazon for the occasion.

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Do You See The Two Faces?


Proposed House bill would prohibit Virginia taxpayer subsidies for a new Redskins stadium

Republican State Del. Michael J. Webert has a message for Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder: We’d love for your NFL team to move to the commonwealth ... as long as taxpayers don’t shell out a dime.

Webert, who represents parts of three counties just west of Northern Virginia, introduced a bill Tuesday night that would prohibit the use of taxpayer money to fund a new stadium for the Redskins.

While the bill doesn’t mention the Redskins by name, it would forbid the state and cities and counties from subsidizing the construction or operation of any stadium or other facilities used by a professional sports team, including offices and training facilities.

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If You Remove Snow, Use Comments Here To Let People Know Who's Available

Name and number in comments.

Can shoveling snow put your heart at risk?

The risk is small, but not shoveling as a preventative practice is worth considering

When it comes to heart disease, there’s lots of advice. There are heart-healthy diets and exercise programs to follow. Of course, if you smoke, you’re urged to stop. For those at highest risk or who already have heart disease, there are medications to take and monitoring of your condition to keep track of.

A recent study suggests that for people who are at high risk for heart disease or who already have it, there’s a bit of new advice: don’t shovel snow.

According to past estimates, about 100 people — mostly men — die during or just after shoveling snow each year in the US. Many more are admitted to the hospital with chest pain or other heart problems. This latest research further explored the details of this connection. Researchers correlated admissions to the hospital and deaths due to heart attack the day after it snowed in Canada during the years 1981 to 2014. This included more than 128,000 hospital admissions and more than 68,000 deaths due to heart attack. Here’s what they found:

2018 has to be the year Maryland ends parental rights for rapists

LEGISLATION THAT would allow a rape victim to terminate the parental rights of her attacker has been introduced into the Maryland General Assembly nine times. Nine times it has died — making Maryland one of the dwindling few states in the country that requires a woman who becomes pregnant as the result of rape to negotiate custody and adoption decisions with her assailant. As a result, Maryland has been reduced — rightly — to an object of national and international ridicule.

Leaders of the General Assembly are promising a different outcome when lawmakers reconvene next week. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) have signed on as co-sponsors of legislation that would establish a court process to terminate rapists’ parental rights when a child is conceived through rape. “Senate Democratic leadership is going to make clear this is a priority,” Mr. Miller explained in a posting on Facebook, noting “we can make sure victims of rape are protected and not forced to co-parent with their rapists.”

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Frustrated Democrats threaten to move on from Nancy Pelosi, leadership if party falls short in midterms

If Democrats somehow fail to flip the House in November, rank-and-file members in increasing numbers say they are going to clean shop, demanding House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and other party leaders step aside.

Democrats are heavily favored to win back the House in the 2018 midterms but anything can happen in 11 months. And even if Democrats manage to win the 24 seats needed to secure the majority, there’s a growing chorus of members who want to see change at the top.

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Hogan judicial pick, state’s attorney Beau Oglesby, was accused of racial misconduct

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) appointed a Worcester County prosecutor embroiled in a highly publicized racial discrimination lawsuit to become a circuit court judge on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The Dec. 28 appointment has provoked the ire of the General Assembly’s Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, whose leader said the group will discuss it at an executive committee meeting on Thursday.

“We can do a whole lot better than this,” said Del. Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore City), who chairs the Black Caucus. “This is not 1950s Mississippi.”

State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby (R) was accused three years ago of creating a racially hostile work environment by allegedly repeating the n-word over and over in front of several law enforcement officers, some of whom were African American. The allegation is part of a broader group of complaints about how African American police officers were treated on the job in Pocomoke City, Md., and in Worcester County.

A federal lawsuit against the city, the state’s attorney’s office, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland State Police is pending.

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FBI Thought Hillary Broke the Law, Drafted Acquittal despite Ongoing Investigation

The FBI believed Hillary Clinton and her aides broke the law by using an insecure server to email classified data, yet drafted an exonerating statement even before the probe was over, according to several Republican senators.

The unnamed Republicans on key congressional committees looking into the Clinton probe have uncovered passages in FBI documents stating that large amount of classified data that passed through Clinton’s private emails was proof of criminality, The Hill reported. By doing so, the lawmakers have confirmed and expanded on earlier reports in the US media.

“The sheer volume of information that was properly classified as Secret at the time it was discussed on email (that is, excluding the “up classified” emails) supports an inference that the participants were grossly negligent in their handling of that information,” said a draft FBI statement from May 2, 2016, according to a source who has seen it. The “grossly negligent” wording, supporting a criminal charge for mishandling classified information, was changed to the more palatable “extremely careless” in later versions of the statement, according to The Hill.

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Study: Nearly 25 Percent of DACA Illegal Aliens Are ‘Functionally Illiterate’ in English

Nearly 25 percent of illegal aliens eligible for former President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are “functionally illiterate” in the English language, a researcher says.

According to Center for Immigration Studies Director of Research Steven Camarota, about 24 percent of illegal aliens who are eligible for DACA — which President Trump administration will officially end in March 2018 — overstate their English proficiency skills and are “below basic” or “functionally illiterate.”

Additionally, the research found that about 46 percent of DACA illegal aliens only have “basic” English proficiency skills, despite narratives from corporate interests and the open borders lobby that recipients of the program are vastly highly-educated.

Camarota writes:

"Even those numbers could exaggerate the level of assimilation. As mentioned above, a high-school diploma has become so commonplace among today’s youth (due in large part to watered-down standards) that it is no longer a strong indicator of skills. Similarly, CIS research has shown that immigrants tend to overstate their English ability. When Hispanic immigrants, who make up some 80 to 90 percent of DACA recipients, recently took an objective test of English literacy, 44 percent of those who said they speak English “well” or “very well” actually scored “below basic” — a level sometimes described as functional illiteracy. "

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President Trump Recognized as ‘Pro-Life Person of the Year’ for 2017

One of the most prominent pro-life groups in America has given its annual award to President Donald Trump, declaring him the 2017 “Pro-Life Person of the Year.”

“Since Trump took office, he has accomplished more for the pro-life agenda than any other president,” according to Operation Rescue, one of the most visible and effective pro-life activist groups in the country.

Operation Rescue gives its annual Malachi Award “to recognize individuals who sacrificially work to advance the cause of protecting the pre-born,” their website states.

The group’s president, Troy Newman, had high praise for Mr. Trump, announcing that he “has proven to be the most pro-life president we have had in modern history and has backed up his pro-life rhetoric with action like no other before him.”

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Michigan bowling alley under fire for 'racist' dress code

A Michigan bowling complex is reviewing its dress code after receiving complaints that the policy targets black men.

A sign at Spare Time Entertainment Center in Lansing prohibited excessively baggy pants, hoodies and do-rags, the Lansing State Journal reported .

It also bars gang colors and insignia, and clothing with vulgar language or pictures.

The company has removed the signage and is reevaluating its policies, said Spare Time spokeswoman Meredith Assande.

Do-rags and other hats are now acceptable if they don't impede vision or have gang colors, she said.

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Breaking News: In a move that may jeopardize states' legalization of marijuana, the Justice Dept. is rescinding a policy discouraging federal prosecutions

The Trump administration on Thursday will free federal prosecutors to more aggressively enforce marijuana laws, effectively threatening to undermine the legalization movement that has spread to six states, most recently California.

Influx of young male migrants fueled rise in violence

A study funded by the German government has found that the recent influx of mostly young, male migrants has led to an increase in violent crime.

The study by criminologist Christian Pfeiffer uses figures from the northern state of Lower Saxony to examine the impact of refugee arrivals on crime in 2015 and 2016.

Published Wednesday, the study attributes a 10.4 percent rise in violent crimes in the state during those two years almost exclusively to refugees.

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Live Webcams in Ocean City, Maryland

Hi Joe,

Some of these cams are working...

1500 out of power from Fenwick to South Bethany


WCSO CID PRESS RELEASE

Incident: Robbery
Date of Incident: January 1, 2018
Location: 100 Block of South Main Street, Hebron, MD 21830
Suspect: White male, short, stocky/heavyset build

On January 1, 2018 at approximately 0714 hrs. Deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Food Rite convenient store located at 100 S. Main Street, Hebron, Maryland in reference to a robbery.

Due to the nature of the case, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division was contacted and detective responded to the scene. It was learned, an employee had just opened the business when the male suspect entered and demanded money from the store clerk. The suspect pushed the threatened the victim employee during the robbery. Several items were stolen prior to the suspect fleeing the business. The victim was not injured.

The suspect vehicle is described as a dark colored small SUV or crossover like vehicle. The suspect is described as a white male, short, stocky to heavyset build.

Anyone with information in reference to this case, please contact Detective Oakley at the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division at 410-548-4898 or call Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.

Suspects Charged For Stealing Standpipe Valves

OCEAN CITY, MD – Ocean City Police have charged a Taneytown couple with 19 counts of theft, malicious destruction of property, and 4th degree burglary after officers recovered multiple brass fire standpipe valves earlier this month.

On December 2, 2017, officers began investigating the theft of a standpipe valve after a citizen reported suspicious behavior of two people in a white work van who claimed to be working on the condominium’s sprinkler system. When the caller made contact with the suspicious persons, they quickly fled the area, however; the caller was able to record a partial license plate tag number of the van.

Later that evening, officers encountered the vehicle and suspects, John A. Hurley, 37, and Amy Logsdon, 36, both of Taneytown, MD, matching the description of the standpipe valve theft. Officers approached Hurley, who was later identified by the caller, and conducted a probable cause search of the van. They located 10 brass standpipe valves, a brass fire hose valve and multiple tools.

With the assistance of the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office, dozens of properties were searched in order to identify victims. After a thorough investigation by the OCPD and OCFMO it was determined that seven locations throughout Ocean City were victims of the theft, with a total of 23 valves that were stolen.

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A stand pipe valve allows fire personnel to quickly provide water from ground level to upper levels of a building. A missing valve from the fire standpipe system renders the system inoperative. Ocean City police are encouraging citizens and condominium associations to inspect their systems in an attempt to identify any missing valves.

Immigrant Tried To Rape Woman In Labor

A Somali immigrant allegedly tried to rape a woman while she was in labor at a hospital in Rome, according to a Tuesday report.

Alì Abdella, 38, has been accused of sexual violence and theft by attempting to rape an unidentified woman, 43, while she was in labor at the Sant’Eugenio Hospital in Rome, reported Italian outlet Il Libero Quotidianno. Abdella allegedly stole and donned a green hospital uniform, entered the woman’s hospital room, and began groping her thigh and masturbating in front of her,reported La Stampa.

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Trump dissolves voter fraud commission after states balk at data requests

President Trump announced late Wednesday that he had disbanded his controversial "election integrity" commission and blamed a refusal by more than a dozen states to provide what he called "basic information."

"Rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, today President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to dissolve the Commission, and he has asked the Department of Homeland Security to review its initial findings and determine next courses of action," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

The commission, led by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, had asked all 50 states and the District of Columbia to hand over reams of personal voter data, including voters' names, voting histories and party affiliations.

Trump's decision Wednesday "was a change in tactics," Kobach told USA Today, vowing investigation into voter fraud will move forward.

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Poll: Voters Show Massive Support for Trump Immigration Policies

A poll of likely 2018 voters shows two-to-one support for President Donald Trump’s pro-American immigration policies, and a lopsided four-to-one opposition against the cheap-labor, mass-immigration, economic policy pushed by bipartisan establishment-backed D.C. interest-groups.

The poll for NumbersUSA is another reminder to politicians that the business-funded ‘Nation of Immigrants” polls distract attention from voters’ private views, which were shockingly displayed on the evening of November 8, 2016.

The voters’ attitudes are critical as business groups, Democrats and some GOP legislators renew their push to persuade Trump to accept an amnesty of the 3 million ‘dreamer illegals — and thus drop his election-winning, pro-American policies before the 2018 election in favor of business-friendly, high-immigration/low-wage policies.

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Marylander Advisory - New Maryland Homeowners Had Better Get Use to This Occurrence - as the Residential Sprinkler Law Is Now in Effect

Publishers Notes: I just received information that yet another structure - this time in Cape Charles - Coach House Tavern whereby fire sprinkler pipes froze and burst.
Onancock building suffers damage after sprinkler pipe bursts

ONANCOCK, Va. (WAVY) –
A fire sprinkler that had burst caused damage to a building on Friday.

The Onancock Volunteer Fire Department were called at around 2:31 p.m. for a report of a building collapse on Hartman Avenue.

When crew arrived, they learned a fire sprinkler pipe had burst in the ceiling of Building A and caused a collapse of the ceiling, with flooding throughout the building.

Crews secured the water and utilities to the building. The building was condemned.

Officials say another building also suffered major damage from a similar incident around 6:52 p.m. and that building was condemned.

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A Viewer Writes: This was as far as I could manage outside my front door.


Wicomico County Board of Education Work Orders

Update on heating issues through the county schools. There are many heating work orders that were put in on Tuesday that are still being addressed, I just want to let everyone know that the HVAC department is hard at work this morning. Remember we will be prioritize with the youngest students first we will be responding to you work orders, it just may take some time to get there. Thanks for you for understanding.

Two Stabbings In Salisbury Last Night

There were two very aggressive stabbings last night at two different locations. We're told these were very brutal attacks. We are awaiting a release from the Salisbury Maryland Police Department. Crime is up for 2018, not down. 

Snow Accumulating in Ocean City, As Winter Storm Travels Through the Area

Ocean City, Maryland - (January 4, 2018): The first winter storm of 2018 has brought wintery weather to the resort area, with strong winds and snow covering the sand and roads in Ocean City. As the winter storm continues to travel through the East Coast today, January 4, the freezing temperatures and snow should result in approximately 8-12 inches of accumulation at the beach. Along with the snow accumulation, Ocean City will continue to experience sustained winds of 35 to 40 miles per hour, and gusts upward of 52 miles per hour for the remainder of the storm.

The Town of Ocean City’s winter storm plan is in effect as crews continue the plowing efforts. Ocean City Recreation and Parks daytime programs have been canceled for today. In addition, public transportation service has been suspended until road conditions improve.

The Ocean City Public Works Department is working diligently to clear roadways and parking lots, however; citizens are encouraged to limit travel. If it is essential to travel, drivers should use extra caution and reduce speed if they must be on the road. In addition, emergency management officials are encouraging residents to avoid parking on streets until cleanup is complete.

The Town of Ocean City’s Emergency Services Department is continue to monitor the storm and will continue to update residents and visitors as services change. Residents should program their radios to 99.5 and follow @townofoceancity on twitter or visit https://www.facebook.com/TownOfOceanCity for updates.

Total Snow Forecast from NOAA


Wicomico County Closed Today

Executive Culver has determined that Wicomico County offices will be closed on Thursday, January 4, 2017. Essential personnel must report as scheduled.

Blizzard conditions with 50 miles per hour winds are expected from 3:00 a.m. until Thursday afternoon. For that reason, we believed it is important for travelers to be at home and off County roadways. 

Department heads and supervisors are to adhere to the following county declared emergency policy to compensate employees, and to ensure that all county personnel with the exception of those determined to be essential, do not report to work tomorrow.

2018 Blizzard Update

The low is just off of Va. Beach and moving more toward the NE now (more 'out-to-sea'), so things might start to moderate fairly soon.

Supervisor of Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force set to plead guilty

The former supervisor of the corrupt Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force is set to plead guilty on Friday, according to court records and his attorney.

Court records show former Sgt. Wayne Jenkins is scheduled for a rearraignment on that morning in U.S. District Court, and his attorney, Steve Levin, confirmed he will be entering a guilty plea.

Jenkins will become the sixth Baltimore officer charged in the federal racketeering case to plead guilty. He was one of three officers slated to go to trial on Jan. 22.

Levin declined to comment further, including specifying which counts Jenkins is pleading guilty to and whether he is cooperating with authorities.

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Only cameras that I can find that you can see anything. The rest are snow covered.

http://www.chart.state.md.us/video/video.php?feed=c1000a2d004700e700498436cf235d0a

http://www.chart.state.md.us/video/video.php?feed=2700e18300fd00f30056fa36c4235c0a


Send Us Your "Blizzard" Images

A Viewer Wrote: Not going anywhere for a while?

alberobutzo@wmconnect.com

Just In From Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver



BREAKING NEWS: Bay Bridge Tunnel Closed

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is currently closed to all traffic also due to inclement weather conditions.

Thursday, Jan. 4: Wicomico/Worcester/Delmar Schools/Central Office closed due to inclement weather

Worcester County Public Schools MD
Due to anticipated inclement weather conditions, Worcester County Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, January 4, 2018. All afterschool, evening and Adult Education classes are also cancelled.

Wicomico County Public Schools and Central Office will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 4 due to inclement weather. Please stay safe in this winter weather.

Major Issues With Blogger Today

While I am doing my very best to publish articles today, Blogger is causing major delays. Each article takes about 15 minutes to publish. Thank God I start at 3 AM because it seriously will take all day long to keep things going at our regular scheduled times. Hopefully I can keep things going. If you are having problems publishing comments, just be patient and they will eventually go through. Stay inside today, stay warm and enjoy the day off.

Snow Emergency Plan January 2018

Salisbury Barrack “E”

Due to the recent weather The Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack has activated the agency Snow Emergency Plan. Once the snow Emergency plan is in effect Maryland State Law requires certain precautions.

Some includes:

Prohibited parking on roads and streets designated as snow emergency routes. Once the Snow Emergency Plan has been placed in effect, motorists are required to operate vehicles that are equipped with snow tires as designated by the manufacturer or equipped with chains. The use of snow tires/chains (most cars now use all weather tires, so changing to "snow" tires is unnecessary);

Motorist are reminded to travel only when necessary and when driving to use extreme caution. Please be aware in the event your vehicle becomes disabled you are to notify your local police for assistance. Vehicles that are left unattended or disabled will be towed, in order to allow for the State Highway Administration equipment to prepare and clear roadways for travel.

The following highways have been designated as Snow Emergency Routes in Wicomico County:

U.S. 50 Business
U.S. 50 Bypass
U.S. 13 Business Alternate
U.S. 13 Bypass
MD. Rt. 12

If you've never seen how our bay looks frozen, here you go! Chris Parypa Photography


Governor Larry Hogan Signs Executive Order Declaring State of Emergency for Lower Shore

Governor Larry Hogan today signed Executive Order 01.01.2018.01 declaring a state of emergency in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties beginning Wednesday, January 3rd in anticipation of heavy snowfall, winds, and freezing temperatures as a result of a winter storm, creating potential power outages, hazardous travel conditions, and potentially impassable roadways. 

The executive order will allow the state to efficiently coordinate support and provide additional assistance to those counties.
“I urge all Lower Shore residents – and all Marylanders – to stay warm, stay safe, and avoid unnecessary travel. Freezing temperatures and heavy winds mean increased danger on our roads, even after the snow has stopped falling,” said Governor Hogan. “The state stands ready to offer any and all necessary resources to impacted counties.”

The Hogan administration has directed state agencies to stand ready to respond to the effects of this storm, including the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Wintry weather and dangerous conditions may continue throughout Thursday, January 4th.

Power Outage In Downtown Ocean City

At approximately 2:15 am 742 people lost power in downtown Ocean City. Delmarva power has estimated power will be restored by 4am.

How a Maryland bank is quietly solving the marijuana industry’s cash problem

Most banks refuse to open accounts for cannabis-related businesses even in states where pot is legal, citing federal laws that outlaw the drug and consider it on par with cocaine and heroin.

In Maryland, however, at least one community bank is working with the state’snewly launched medical marijuana industry, offering growers and stores a way to avoid the security concerns and extra costs of a cash-only approach.

Two marijuana dispensaries and two growers told The Washington Post they have opened business accounts with Severn Savings Bank, an Annapolis-based community bank owned by the publicly-traded Severn Bancorp. Three other businesses involved in the industry say they know of additional cannabis companies also banking with Severn.

Account holders have to pay hefty fees to Severn and can’t write checks or seek loans from the bank, because doing so might trigger scrutiny from federal regulators that could prove problematic. The businesses say they go to extraordinary lengths to prove that they aren’t violating any of Maryland’s strict medical pot regulations.

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Martin O'Malley in no hurry for his State House portrait

During eight years as governor, Martin O’Malley earned a reputation for tardiness in convening meetings of the Board of Public Works. Delays of 20 to 30 minutes were common.

Nearly three years after leaving office, in the same room where the board meets, O’Malley is still running late.

It is a State House tradition to display the portraits of Maryland’s eight most recent governors on the walls of the Reception Room on the second floor of the historic capitol. But on the wall opposite where Gov. Larry Hogan presides over the public board meetings, O’Malley is absent.

Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., the Republican who served from 2003 until 2007, is still the most recent governor to have his portrait hung in the room.

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Scientists Find Alzheimer’s Treatment While Trying To Cure Diabetes

Although their goal was to cure diabetes, scientists may have stumbled onto a new medication to help treat the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to a press release from researchers at Lancaster University, a new drug being tested for diabetes patients was found to have “significantly reversed memory loss” in test subjects and is now being examined as possible treatment for neurodegenerative disorders.

The medication, known as a triple receptor drug — or “triple agonist” — reportedly works in multiple ways to protect the brain against degeneration and promote growth. Researchers say that a study of mice being given the drug found that the animals had an increased ability to learn and retain memories.

“These very promising outcomes demonstrate the efficacy of these novel multiple receptor drugs that originally were developed to treat type 2 diabetes,” Professor Christian Holscher said in the release.

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