Area youth to compete in Major League Baseball® Pitch Hit & Run™ Competition

Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism will host a free Major League Baseball® Pitch Hit & Run™ Competition for area youth on April 5 (softball) and April 12 (baseball).

Each event will begin at 6 p.m. at the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex, located at 711 W. Naylor Mill Road in Salisbury.

Pitch Hit & Run™ is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball®. This grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete, free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball/softball skills.

Boys and girls are divided into four age divisions – 7/8, 9/10, 11/12 and 13/14 – and have the chance to advance through four levels of competition, including Team Championships at Major League ballparks and the National Finals during the 2019 MLB™ All-Star Week®. Each participant’s age is determined as of July 17, 2019.

The individual pitching, hitting and running champions and the all-around champion in each division at the local competition will be awarded and advance to the sectional level of competition.

All participants must bring a copy of a valid birth document for age verification and have their parent or guardian fill out a registration/waiver form prior to the start of the competition.

Registration is available at www.PitchHitRun.com. Direct links to register for the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex competitions can be found at www.WicomicoRecandParks.org.


For questions concerning the competition, contact your local coordinator, Brian Workman, at bworkman@wicomicocounty.org or Kaila Beach at kbeach@wicomicocounty.org.

OCPD Expecting Traffic Delays & Heavy Pedestrian Traffic During St. Patrick’s Day Festivities

OCEAN CITY, MD –: The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to expect traffic delays this St. Patrick’s Day weekend, as the Delmarva Irish-American Club host their Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival. The tradition, which has become the second largest St. Patrick’s Day parades in Maryland, will take place on Saturday, March 16, 2019. The parade begins at 12 noon at 57th Street and marches south on Coastal Highway to the 45th Street Shopping Center.

In order to offer an ample amount of space for the parade’s participating floats, bands and motorized units, southbound traffic with be reduced to one lane from 63rd Street to 43rd Street. Northbound traffic will remain open, however, no left turns or U-turns will be allowed along the parade route from the northbound lane including 62nd Street.

Residents and visitors will see traffic delays on southbound Coastal Highway as early as 9 a.m. and should expect congestion until after 2 p.m. To avoid traffic delays, viewers and visitors are urged to arrive before 10:30 a.m. Ocean City Police are recommending motorists entering the Town of Ocean City use Maryland Route 50, as traffic is not expected to be as heavy in the south end of town.

In addition, heavy pedestrian traffic is also expected along the parade route and in surrounding areas. Pedestrians are encouraged to use crosswalks and cross with caution.

Kentucky Becomes 16th Permit-less Gun-Carry State

Kentucky became the latest state to adopt a permit-less gun-carry system when Republican governor Matt Bevin signed Senate Bill 150 into law on Monday.

The law will allow anyone who is over the age of 21 to legally carry a concealed firearm on their person so long as they are legally allowed to possess a firearm under state and federal law. It eliminates the state's previous permitting system as well as the training requirements and fees associated with it. Kentucky is now the 16th state to adopt permit-less carry, often called "constitutional carry," and the third to do so this year.

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‘Zombie deer’ disease keeps spreading across country, hunters fear it could impact industry

STARKVILLE, Miss - At least 16 states have come up with new regulations to prevent hunters from transporting deer from areas where deer have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease.

The Carolinas are among the states that have stricter guidelines. In North Carolina for example, hunters must follow the state's new packaging and processing regulations which require meat from deer to be cut off the bone and wrapped before being transported through the state.

The state also forbids hunters from transporting any part of a deer's spinal column. In South Carolina the state Department of Environment and Resources now requires hunters to label carcass parts with identifying information like the name and address of the individual importing the carcass parts; the state and/or country of origin; the date the deer was killed and the hunter's license or permit number. It’s all a part of an effort to prevent the spread of so-called “zombie-deer” and wipe it out of existence.

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https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/how-states-are-hoping-to-stop-the-spread-of-zombie-deer-after-disease-spreads-across-country

Finland's Government Collapsed Under Weight Of Socialized Healthcare

Finland’s government has collapsed just weeks before the general election. New socialist and communist reforms have failed due to the rising costs of healthcare.

Healthcare costs, which are high because of governments, have caused the collapse of the Finnish government. Prime Minister Juha Sipila and the rest of the cabinet resigned after the governing coalition failed to pass reforms in parliament to the country’s regional government and health services, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Finland, like much of the developed world, faces an aging population, with around 26 percent of its citizens expected to be over 65 by the year 2030, an increase of 5 percent from today. The strain on the socialized medical system is impossible to ignore, and cannot be fixed by more government interference.

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Black Lawmakers Blocking Legal Marijuana in New York Over Inequality Concerns

Black lawmakers are blocking a push to legalize recreational marijuana in New York, warning that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposal could perpetuate the racial inequality fostered under current drug laws.

The lawmakers say that unless people of color are guaranteed a share of the potentially $3 billion industry, there may be no legalization this year. They want to be assured that some of that money will go toward job training programs, and that minority entrepreneurs will receive licenses to cultivate or sell the marijuana.

Ten states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana, and as lawmakers elsewhere consider their own laws, they seem intent on not repeating what they see as other states’ mistakes.

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Ilhan Omar Violates House Bigotry Resolution She Helped Write, Denies Opponent’s Humanity

Anti-Semitic Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar has already violated the broad anti-hate resolution recently passed by the House by claiming President Donald Trump is not human.

After Omar’s absurd anti-Semitic tweets and comments put a magnifying glass on the Democratic Party and its ties to anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activists, the party’s response was to draft an anti-bigotry resolution.

But instead of addressing Omar by name and focusing on anti-Semitism specifically, the House Foreign Affairs Committee drafted a resolution that condemned all forms of “bigotry” and “persecution.”

It’s hard to take the Democrats’ bill seriously after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vigorously defended Omar.

Omar’s position on the Foreigh Affairs Committee, where she could help write the resolution, doesn’t help.

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Get Ready for a Dem Meltdown over Trump’s Latest Immigration Comment: ‘I Don’t Want People That Need Welfare’

As has been made abundantly clear over the past few years, orderly immigration of foreign nationals into the United States is an incredibly important topic for President Donald Trump, one he has sought to address in a myriad of ways since taking office.

Despite the insistence to the contrary of the president’s detractors, Trump has shown no signs of hating all foreigners and immigrants, or wanting to close the nation’s borders entirely to all newcomers.

He clearly understands the economic necessity of migrant workers for certain jobs, not to mention the longstanding American tradition of welcoming those who wish to contribute to this great nation.

Those two points — the economic need for migrant workers and a desire for them to be self-sustaining and productive members of society — were addressed by Trump in a recent exclusive interview in the Oval Office with reporters for Breitbart News.

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‘Press 2 for Spanish,’ Similar Programs Cost Billions, but Trump Could End It

The federal government recently shut down after Congress refused to approve the $5.7 billion requested by President Trump for a border wall … but what if it could be funded by ending one wasteful government program being used by foreigners?

A report from The Washington Times has revealed that billions and billions of dollars have been spent providing language support to non-English speakers. Most of those, ironically enough, speak Spanish — and Trump could redirect that funding with a few signatures from the Oval Office.

Back in August of 2000, less than six months before President Bill Clinton left office, he signed an executive order regarding “limited English proficiency,” or LEP. In basic terms, Clinton declared that it was the government’s job to make sure that people who don’t speak English could access federal services.

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WaPo Gives Ocasio-Cortez Three Pinocchios for ‘Misleading’ Claims About Trump, Opioid Crisis

The Washington Post‘s fact checker gave Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) "Three Pinocchios" for her "misleading" claims about President Donald Trump's use of federal funds to address the nation's opioid crisis.

"Amount President Trump has transferred from other agencies to fund his ‘Build the Wall’ Emergency: $10s of millions, & has identified billions more. Amount he’s transferred to address the Opioid National Emergency: $0," Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a tweet last week.

The freshman congresswoman's comments came in response to a C-SPAN tweet, which included a video of her questioning James W. Carroll, the White House’s director of drug policy.

"So, we’ve got two emergencies, one is treated with an actual action and the other is just to raise awareness," Ocasio-Cortez was quoted as saying in the C-SPAN tweet.

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Former Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes dies at 92

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —Former Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes has died.

Hughes served as the state's 57th governor. He was 92.

According to the Maryland State Archives, Hughes was born in Easton and grew up in Denton. He attended Mercersberg Academy in Pennsylvania and Mount St. Mary's College.

During World War II, Hughes enlisted with the U.S. Navy Air Corps and later entered the University of Maryland where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1949. He received his law degree from George Washington University School of Law in 1952.

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Greenpeace Co-founder: ‘Climate Crisis’ Not Only ‘Fake News’ — ‘It’s Fake Science’

Patrick Moore, the co-founder of Greenpeace, appeared Tuesday on “Fox & Friends” to discuss Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) Green New Deal.

Moore, who called Ocasio-Cortez a “pompous little twit,” slammed the so-called “climate crisis,” calling it “fake news” and “fake science.”

“[Ocasio-Cortez] really rubbed me the wrong way when she said she’s the boss because she can make up a proposal that’s completely ridiculous and no one else did,” Moore said. “That is what is wrong about this. In fact, the whole climate crisis as they call it is not only fake news, it’s fake science. There is no climate crisis. There is weather and climate all around the world, and in fact, carbon dioxide is the main building block in all life.”

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Seek Treatment, Access to Naloxone: Three Suspected Heroin Overdose Deaths in Sussex Co. Involving Same Packet Stamp

NEW CASTLE (March 13, 2019) – Health and public safety officials are urging people in active use of heroin or other opioids and their families to seek immediate treatment and acquire the overdose-reversing medication naloxone on hand in the wake of three suspected heroin overdose deaths in five days in Sussex County involving the same packet stamp.

Through death investigations, the Division of Forensic Science identified the same stamp on packets that are suspected of being used by the three individuals or were found at the scenes of their deaths. The division is doing toxicology testing of the substances involved. The stamp is not being identified to prevent people in active use from seeking it.

The three suspected overdose deaths happened in Sussex County between March 9 and March 13, the Division of Forensic Science staff reported. As of today, March 13, the Division of Forensic Science has reported a total of 50 suspected overdose deaths in Delaware this year. Preliminary estimates for 2018 indicate 419 overdose deaths across the state, an increase of 21 percent from the 2017 total of 345 deaths.

“While the Division of Forensic Science determines the particular chemical make-up of the substances involved in these deaths, it is critical that people be aware of the dangers,” Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker said. “If you have a loved one in active use, please have naloxone in your home. If you see someone overdose, call 9-1-1 immediately, begin rescue breathing and administer naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and save the person in distress.”

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LISA PAGE: EVERYONE AT FBI OPPOSED LETTING HILLARY’S LAWYERS ATTEND FBI INTERVIEW

Former FBI attorney Lisa Page said in congressional testimony that she and her colleagues disagreed with the decision to allow the aides of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to attend her FBI interview.

Republican Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, the former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, released 370 pages of closed-door testimony from Page to his committee in July 2018. One answer from Page that caught people’s attention was a reply to former Republican South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy.

Gowdy questioned why Clinton’s lawyers were allowed to sit in on her FBI interview when they were potential witnesses, and Page agreed that was odd.

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Students to demand action on climate change at State House on March 15th

Maryland students will gather steps from the State House from noon to 2 p.m. on March 15 to hold a climate strike to demand legislative action to address the effects of climate change.

The youth-led rally aims to give high school students, many of whom can’t vote yet due to their age, a voice in supporting policies to limit the negative effects of a warming climate.

The students will gather at the Revenue and Treasury Courtyard at 80 Calvert Street in Annapolis for the rally. Around 1 p.m. they plan to march from the courtyard to the Annapolis City Dock. They’ll be supporting legislation in the Maryland General Assembly such as the Healthy Green Amendment, as well as bills that protect oysters in the Chesapeake and the state’s forests. More than 50 students as well as other environmental advocates are expected to attend the rally and march.

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Trump says FAA will ground Boeing 737 Max 8, 737 Max 9 planes following deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday ordered two Boeing 737 Max jets — one model of which was involved in the fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people — to be temporarily grounded in the U.S.

The agency said the decision was made to ground both the Boeing 737 Max 8 and 737 Max 9 models "as a result of the data gathering process and new evidence collected at the site and analyzed."

"The grounding will remain in effect pending further investigation, including examination of information from the aircraft's flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders," the FAA said.

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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-faa-will-ground-boeing-737-max-8-737-max-9-planes-following-deadly-ethiopian-airlines-crash

California governor to block more than 700 executions with executive order

Sacramento, Calif. -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom is halting the execution of more than 700 condemned inmates on the nation's largest death row for at least as long as he's governor. California hasn't executed anyone since 2006.

Newsom's office told The Associated Press he will issue an executive order Wednesday granting a reprieve to every condemned inmate.

He's also withdrawing the lethal injection regulations that death penalty opponents have already tied up in court. And he's shuttering the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison that has never been used.

Voters have narrowly supported the death penalty, most recently in 2016 when they voted to speed up the process. California hasn't executed anyone since 2006, under then-Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and inmates are far more likely to die of old age.

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Trump's budget calls for ending student loan forgiveness program

President Trump's 2020 budget proposal calls for eliminating a loan forgiveness program for public employees and advocates other changes that could cost struggling students more.

The budget blueprint released by the White House on Monday says "streamlining and improving student loan repayment" is a priority, but includes proposals cutting several current programs and initiatives. That includes an elimination of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which was created under President George W. Bush in 2007. The program forgives student loans for workers in the government and some nonprofits after they make payments for 10 years.

Under Mr. Trump's proposal, the program would no longer apply to new student loans taken out after July 1, 2020, which the White House projects would save about $53 billion over nine years.

The president's budget also suggests for additional education cuts, including:

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Rep. Chip Roy Bill Declares Specific Mexican Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Orgs

Two congressmen filed a bill in the House to direct the U.S. State Department to designate specific Mexican cartel factions as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The bill follows a letter from lawmakers to Secretary Mike Pompeo calling for the designations. President Donald Trump said he is considering the matter in an Oval Office interview on Monday.

“Cartels are the problem and it is time we started acting like it,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said in a written statement. “My colleague Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) and I are asking Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to conduct a review in order to designate these specific Mexican drug cartels Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).”

The bill from the Republican representatives calls for the designation of the following cartel factions as FTOs:

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Idiot

Internet Collapses in Venezuela with 80% Offline; Twitter, YouTube, SoundCloud Blocked

In the midst of a second nationwide power outage in Venezuela, the vast majority of the country is engulfed in a massive internet outage. The first electrical blackout, which swept across the nation on Thursday, left Venezuela with only two percent connectivity amid the ongoing presidential crisis. Most of the country has been offline since Thursday with limited or no connectivity being reported across large swaths of the South American nation. The NetBlocks Group, a private internet watchdog organization based in the UK, reported on Saturday that 96 percent of the country was offline:

The group provided an update on Sunday noting that 20 percent now have connectivity.
Gains in connectivity have been lost through a series of three distinct new outages as shown in NetBlocks’ network connectivity charts.

Internet-scale network measurements indicate which regions have been affected and to what extent. During previous network and power outages, concerns have been raised about attacks and military activity, and the risk of human rights violations perpetrated under the cover of darkness.

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I Was America’s First ‘Nonbinary’ Person. It Was All a Sham.

Four years ago, I wrote about my decision to live as a woman in The New York Times, writing that I had wanted to live “authentically as the woman that I have always been,” and had “effectively traded my white male privilege to become one of America’s most hated minorities.”

Three years ago, I decided that I was neither male nor female, but nonbinary—and made headlines after an Oregon judge agreed to let me identify as a third sex, not male or female.

Now, I want to live again as the man that I am.

I’m one of the lucky ones. Despite participating in medical transgenderism for six years, my body is still intact. Most people who desist from transgender identities after gender changes can’t say the same.

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Attorneys General Reach Settlements with Four Fast Food Chains to End Use of No-Poach Agreements

Multistate Settlement Agreements with Dunkin’, Arby’s, Five Guys, and Little Caesars Drop Provisions that Limit Recruitment and Hiring of Fast Food Workers

BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today announced multistate settlements with four national fast food franchisors, ending their use of “no-poach” agreements. Those agreements restrict the right of fast food workers to move from one franchise to another within the same restaurant chain.

The agreements with Dunkin’, Arby’s, Five Guys, and Little Caesars settle an investigation announced by the states in July 2018 over concerns that no-poach agreements hurt low-wage workers by limiting their ability to secure better paying jobs.

“No-poach agreements limit a worker’s job opportunities and earning potential,” said Attorney General Frosh. “These settlements mean fairer hiring practices for thousands of workers in Maryland and across the country.”

Read more in the full press release:http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2019/031219.pdf

Senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee unveil new paid family leave proposal: "It's time to catch up with other countries"

Republican Senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee are unveiling a new proposal for paid family leave. The Cradle Act would allow new parents to tap into their Social Security savings, and later delay their retirement, to take paid time off after the birth or adoption of a child.

"I think most people would look at this as an opportunity that they might not otherwise have, an opportunity to benefit from payments that they've been making already for years," Lee told CBS News chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes.

"Why is the U.S. so far behind the rest of the industrialized world on this issue?" Cordes asked.

"I think that is a really great question and that's why we have decided now is the time to step up and really do something about this," Ernst said. "We think it's time to catch up with other countries."

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BOOST Scholarship Program Accepting Applications for 2019-20 School Year

Financial Aid Program to Attend Nonpublic Schools 

Now in Fourth Year

BALTIMORE (March 12, 2019) – The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) today announced the opening of the application process for a scholarship program designed to help income eligible students attend nonpublic schools.

The Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) Program, entering its fourth year, will provide scholarships for students who are eligible for the free- or reduced-price lunch program. The BOOST program was the result of a bipartisan compromise during the 2016 session of the Maryland General Assembly, and received widespread support from legislators in both parties.

“Our administration is committed to ensuring that every single child in Maryland has the chance to get a world-class education, regardless of what neighborhood they happen to grow up in,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “This innovative program, forged through bipartisan cooperation with the support of the legislature, offers expanded options and opportunities for Maryland families and students.”

More than 3,100 students were awarded BOOST Scholarships for the 2018-19 school year. Scholarships ranged from $1,400 to $4,400 each, with the highest award amount going to students who had qualified for the Free Meal Program and attended a public school the previous year.

BOOST provided $6.5 million for scholarships during the 2018-19 school year. Governor Hogan has proposed increasing the budget to $10 million for the 2019-20 school year, but the General Assembly at this time has not completed work on the budget.

The BOOST program is available for students either already attending or hoping to attend a nonpublic participating school. Students must be enrolled in – or have applied to – a potential participating school before completing the BOOST application.

All applications will be reviewed by MSDE to ensure completion and income eligibility. MSDE will compile a list of applicants that ranks eligible students by family income expressed as a percent of the most recent federal poverty levels. MSDE will then provide a count of eligible students by category to the BOOST Advisory Board. The categories reflect whether the student attended a public or private school the prior year and whether the student qualifies for Free Meals or Reduced Meals. Also, the BOOST law governing the 2019-20 awards specifies that some funds are reserved for students with disabilities.

The BOOST Advisory Board will determine how the scholarship funds are allocated among the categories.

Students who received a BOOST Scholarship in the 2018-2019 school year and who still meet the eligibility criteria must complete an application to receive an award in 2019-2020.

The application deadline is midnight on April 17 for the 2019-20 school year. The electronic application and a list of potential participating schools is available at

http://marylandpublicschools.org/Pages/boost/index.aspx

Trump: We’re Thinking ‘Very Seriously’ About Designating Mexican Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

President Donald Trump told Breitbart News on Monday that his administration is thinking “very seriously” about labeling violent Mexican drug cartels, or factions of these cartels, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).

Asked by Deputy Political Editor Amanda House during a wide-ranging, exclusive Oval Office interview with Breitbart News whether his administration is considering designating factions of cartels, or cartels as a whole, as terrorist groups, Trump replied that he is.

“We are. We are,” Trump said. “We’re thinking about doing it very seriously. In fact, we’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”

“It’s psychological, but it’s also economic,” Trump continued. “As terrorists — as terrorist organizations, the answer is yes. They are.”

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Berlin Residents Hammer Council On Major Tax, Fee Increase Plan; Special Budget Meeting Planned For March 26

BERLIN – Calls for the town to cut expenses and sell Berlin Falls Park highlighted a town council meeting Monday.

Dozens of Berlin residents attended a Berlin Town Council meeting this week, primarily to voice their concerns about the potential 34-percent tax increase being discussed by elected officials.

“Berlin Falls Park is a boondoggle,” resident Jim Meckley said. “It is dragging this place down.”

Mayor Gee Williams told those in attendance this week that the budget process had only just begun. Expenses had been greater than expected in recent years, he explained, and the town had been forced to use its reserves to supplement utility operations. He pointed out that 57 percent of the town’s costs related to public safety and capital expenses.

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LEE R. BRABOY CONVICTED OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER

"I'm Giving It A Shot" - Biden Reportedly Confirms Run For Presidency

In perhaps the least-surprising political headline of the day, The Hill reports that a senior Democratic lawmaker told them today that former Vice President Joe Biden will run for president in 2020.
 
“I’m giving it a shot,” Biden said matter-of-factly during a phone call with a House Democratic lawmaker within the past week - a conversation the congressman recounted to The Hill and interpreted as a sure sign that Biden will run in 2020.

However, Biden spokesman Bill Russo refuted the idea that the former vice president is absolutely running:

“He has not made a final decision. No change.”

But, as The Hill notes, at an event with firefighters Tuesday morning, Biden teased a 2020 presidential run as the crowd chanted, “Run, Joe, run!”

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Southern Poverty Surpasses Half Billion in Assets; $121 Million Now Offshore

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a far-left nonprofit known for its "hate group" designations, has surpassed a half billion dollars in total assets and now has $121 million parked offshore, according to the group's most recent financial statements.

The SPLC, which is based in Montgomery, Ala., has not publicly posted its most recent financial statements on its website. However, the organization applied for renewal in the state of California days ago and submitted a number of documents pertaining to its financial standing including its most recent audited statement and tax forms for calendar year 2018, which covers Nov. 1, 2017 to Oct. 31, 2018.

According to the filings submitted to California's Office of Attorney General, the group reported total assets of $518 million from November 2017 to the Oct. 31, 2018, an increase of $41 million from the $477 million in total assets it reported on its previous year's tax forms.

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Study: Migrants Using Nearly 2X the Welfare of Native-Born Americans

Households headed by foreign non-citizens living in the United States, including legal and illegal aliens, use nearly twice as much welfare as native-born Americans, research finds.

In recently released research by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), analysts discovered that about 63 percent of non-citizen households, those who live legally and illegally in the U.S., use some form of public welfare while only about 35 percent of native-born American households are on welfare.

Likewise, roughly 50 percent of naturalized citizens — those who legally immigrated to the country and became citizens — use taxpayer-funded welfare, as well as about 55 percent of all households headed by legal immigrants, those who are naturalized citizens and those who are not yet citizens.

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Police: School Bus Aide Yanked MAGA Hat Off Student’s Head

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. (CBS Local) — A Florida bus aide who allegedly yelled at a middle school student to take off a Trump hat and then grabbed it off of his head, may face criminal charges, according to officials.

Surveillance video shows a bus aide yelling at Gunnar Johansson, 14, over his “TRUMP: Make America Great Again” hat and then grabbing the hat off of his head.

“Boy, if you don’t that hat off this bus. Take it off,” the unidentified bus aide is heard to say on the surveillance video.

The incident happened last week as a Martin County school bus was en route to Hidden Oaks Middle School in Palm City.

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Bill would give some Md. students free eyeglasses and exams

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland — Students in Maryland public schools who fail required vision screenings and do not receive recommended services would be provided free eye examinations and eyeglasses by a new Maryland Department of Health program, under legislation expected to be heard by a Senate committee on Wednesday.

Senate bill 915 and House bill 1242 would create the Vision for Maryland Program, which would coordinate with Johns Hopkins University, local boards of education and local health departments to carry out the eye exams for students and give glasses to them if necessary.

The Ways and Means committee had a hearing for the House bill on March 7, but it has yet to receive a committee vote.

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Congressman Andy Harris Announces Wicomico County, Harford County, and Queen Anne’s County Town Halls

WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) will host brick-and-mortar town hall meetings in Wicomico County, Harford County, and Queen Anne’s County on Monday, March 18th, Tuesday, March 19th, and Wednesday, March 20th, respectively. All residents of Maryland’s First District are welcome to attend the town halls to ask questions and voice their concerns about issues under consideration in Congress.

Wicomico County Town Hall

Date: Monday, March 18th

Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Location: Black Diamond Lodge

219 Fruitland Boulevard (Rt. 13), Fruitland, MD 21826

Harford County Town Hall

Date: Tuesday, March 19th

Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Location: Joppa-Magnolia VFH

1403 Old Mountain Road South, Joppa, MD 21085

Queen Anne’s County Town Hall

Date: Wednesday, March 20th

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Location: Grasonville VFW

203 VFW Ave., Grasonville, MD 21638

For questions about the event, please contact Congressman Harris’ Washington, DC office at 202-225-5311. Media outlets interested in attending the event must RSVP by March 15th to Julia Nista at Julia.Nista@mail.house.gov.

Man Faces Drug Distribution, Assault, False Imprisonment Charges

WEST OCEAN CITY — The hits kept coming this week for a man already facing felony drug distribution and assault charges following a raid on a business he partially owns in December.

Last Dec. 18, allied local law enforcement agencies executed search and seizure warrants at a screen printing and promotional products company in West Ocean City that is owned in part by Matthew John Brown, 35, as well as his wife and mother in-law. As a result, Brown was later indicted by a Worcester County grand jury on multiple drug possession and distribution charges after the investigation revealed he was allegedly dealing marijuana, LSD and PCP out of the West Ocean City business after hours, unbeknownst to his family and business partners.

The Worcester County grand jury indicted Brown on four counts, the most severe of which is felony possession with intent to distribute LSD and PCP, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine. Brown also faces felony marijuana distribution charges, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine. Brown also faces two misdemeanor charges for possession of LSD, PCP and marijuana.

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Md. lawmakers push prison immigration bill

A Maryland lawmaker says it’s time to require every state and local jail to hand over immigrants who are in the country illegally to federal officials.

Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga, a Republican whose district includes Harford and Baltimore counties, wants her colleagues to pass House Bill 817. She calls it a very simple bill.

“The bill simply says that, if asked, local law enforcement will turn a criminal alien over to Homeland Security,” Szeliga said.

Szeliga held a news conference in Annapolis with the family members of two men who were killed in a crash on I-270 in Dec. 2017. FBI agent Carlos Wolff was killed along with arson investigator Sander Cohen when a car driven by 28-year-old Roberto Garza Palacios, a Guatemalan immigrant in the country illegally, struck and killed them both.

Garza Palacios had previous criminal convictions in the county, and at one point, ICE asked officials with the Montgomery County jail to put a hold on him. That request was not honored.

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House Democrats introduce bill to protect undocumented immigrants

WASHINGTON – In a rebuke to rollbacks issued by the Trump administration, House Democrats introduced the Dream and Promise Act Tuesday, which would afford protection to millions of undocumented residents.

The proposed bill, H.R.6, would provide a direct path to permanent residence to approximately 3.6 million immigrants brought into the United States as minors, also called DREAMers.

“The American people are overwhelmingly for this legislation,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Mechanicsville, said in a press briefing. “We hope that many of our Republican friends will join us.”

President Donald Trump announced in September 2017 that he was planning to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. The future of the program remains uncertain. While new applicants can no longer apply, existing recipients are allowed to renew their status as the issue is litigated in the courts.

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Organ donation could be taught in Md. schools

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland — Several bills progressing in the Maryland General Assembly would provide support for living organ or tissue donors, and educate high school students about becoming a donor.

Sponsored by Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, D-Baltimore City and County, Senate bill 954 could require county boards of education to begin teaching students about organ donation in public schools starting in the 2020-2021 school year.

That bill, and an identical piece of legislation sponsored by Delegate Pam Queen, D-Montgomery, are intended to begin teaching students about organ donation at the age of 14, before they receive their driver’s licenses and decide whether they want to be a donor, Queen said.

This bill is intended to get more young people registered as organ donors to combat the long waiting list for organ donation, Queen said. The bill is also aimed to promote awareness of live organ donation, she said.

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Dick Cheney Criticizes Pence Face-to-Face on Foreign Policy. Trump Jr. Fires Back.

At a recent private retreat with the American Enterprise Institute, former Vice President Dick Cheney criticized Vice President Mike Pence face-to-face for a string of recent foreign policy decisions. In particular, Cheney shared his concerns about the troop withdrawal from Syria, and how Trump is treating our NATO allies. Cheney insisted that the Trump administration is causing our friends to lose confidence in us and even told Pence that their foreign policy is on par with Obama's, according to the Washington Post.

“I worry that the bottom line of that kind of an approach is we have an administration that looks a lot more like Barack Obama than Ronald Reagan,” he said.

That last charge is what got Donald Trump Jr. into the debate. He defended his dad's VP on Twitter Tuesday morning.

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‘Jexodus’ May Pose Problems for Democrats

President Donald Trump’s claim that “the Democrats hate Jewish people” is giving a boost to what appears to be an embryonic movement encouraging Jews, traditionally a key Democrat voting bloc, to abandon the Democratic Party.

Axios reported the president made the comments to Republican donors March 8, based on statements by attendees. Trump also reportedly said he couldn’t grasp how any Jew could vote for a Democrat these days, given the party’s track record.

The news report didn’t mention if he referenced numerous comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a Muslim, that were widely perceived as anti-Semitic. Congressional Democrats refused to condemn Omar by name and instead, on March 7, the House approved a watered-down resolution denouncing “anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism and other forms of bigotry.”

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Morning Memes

Democrats to hold 2020 convention in Milwaukee

Democrats have chosen a key battleground state to hold their 2020 national convention, where they will select a nominee to challenge President Trump.

The Democratic National Committee announced Milwaukee will host the July 13-16, 2020, convention. It's the first time the party has held a national convention in the Midwest outside of Chicago since 1916.

Holding the convention in Wisconsin is significant for Democrats after 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton declined to campaign in the state during the general election. Clinton narrowly lost the state to Trump, which along with small vote deficits in Pennsylvania and Michigan, decided the election in his favor.

"After a decade of Republican attacks on working people, labor unions, and communities of color, Democrats saw some of their biggest and most historic gains last year in Wisconsin with the election of Governor Tony Evers, Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, and Attorney General Josh Kaul, and the reelection of Senator Tammy Baldwin. Today’s announcement signals that the party is doubling down on its winning strategy in this critical battleground state," the DNC said in a statement.

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