DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Sunday Football At Caribbean Joe's
‘World’s Largest Offshore Wind Turbine’ Now Planned Off Ocean City
OCEAN CITY — One of the two companies holding permits for offshore wind energy farms off the coast announced it was planning on using 12-megwatt, 853-foot turbines described as the “world’s largest offshore wind turbine,” making the resort area a guinea pig of sorts for the fledgling industry in the U.S.
Last week, in response to a letter from Ocean City officials to Gov. Larry Hogan reiterating the town’s position not on renewable energy, but more specifically the distance of the proposed turbines from the shore, US Wind pointed out it was currently planning to use eight-megawatt turbines that would measure 643-feet in height. US Wind officials said despite the change in height, the increased capacity of the taller turbines would allow the company to reduce the number of turbines off the Ocean City coast by half, from the proposed 64 to 32.
Just days later, officials from the Danish company Orsted, which holds the permit for a second wind energy area (WEA) approved in 2017 by the Maryland Public Service Commission, announced it has chosen GE Renewable Energy as its preferred turbine supplier for two of its offshore wind energy projects in the mid-Atlantic region, including the Skipjack project off Maryland’s coast. Orsted’s other proposed project in its mid-Atlantic cluster is off the coast of New Jersey.
As a result, Orsted is now proposing to deploy GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X 12-megawatt wind turbines in its Skipjack project off Ocean City’s coast. The Haliade-X 12-megawatt has been described by GE Renewable Energy as the “world’s largest offshore wind turbine,” and its proposed use off the Ocean City coast would be the first commercial deployment in the world, according to a release from Orsted.
More
Last week, in response to a letter from Ocean City officials to Gov. Larry Hogan reiterating the town’s position not on renewable energy, but more specifically the distance of the proposed turbines from the shore, US Wind pointed out it was currently planning to use eight-megawatt turbines that would measure 643-feet in height. US Wind officials said despite the change in height, the increased capacity of the taller turbines would allow the company to reduce the number of turbines off the Ocean City coast by half, from the proposed 64 to 32.
Just days later, officials from the Danish company Orsted, which holds the permit for a second wind energy area (WEA) approved in 2017 by the Maryland Public Service Commission, announced it has chosen GE Renewable Energy as its preferred turbine supplier for two of its offshore wind energy projects in the mid-Atlantic region, including the Skipjack project off Maryland’s coast. Orsted’s other proposed project in its mid-Atlantic cluster is off the coast of New Jersey.
As a result, Orsted is now proposing to deploy GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X 12-megawatt wind turbines in its Skipjack project off Ocean City’s coast. The Haliade-X 12-megawatt has been described by GE Renewable Energy as the “world’s largest offshore wind turbine,” and its proposed use off the Ocean City coast would be the first commercial deployment in the world, according to a release from Orsted.
More
BREAKING: Pelosi to announce formal impeachment inquiry of Trump
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who for months resisted efforts to launch impeach proceedings against President Donald Trump, will announce a formal inquiry on Tuesday, according to two Democratic sources close to her.
Pelosi's change of heart comes as dozens of House Democrats — now more than two-thirds of the caucus — have come out in support of an impeachment inquiry in the wake of reports that Trump may have withheld aid to Ukraine to pressure officials there to investigate the son of political rival Joe Biden.
Pelosi is expected to announce the development after an all-caucus meeting she called for 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
More
Pelosi's change of heart comes as dozens of House Democrats — now more than two-thirds of the caucus — have come out in support of an impeachment inquiry in the wake of reports that Trump may have withheld aid to Ukraine to pressure officials there to investigate the son of political rival Joe Biden.
Pelosi is expected to announce the development after an all-caucus meeting she called for 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
More
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WICOMICO'S NEW ATTENDANCE RULES
Students should strive to be in school all day, every day. Consistent full-day attendance supports students in achieving academic success, graduation, and development into productive members of society.
Parents/guardians and students should review the Student Attendance Policy and Student Attendance Procedure to know the rules for excused and unexcused absences for everything from family vacations to college and employer visits to student illness or death in the immediate family.
Students who have more than 5 unexcused absences in a marking term must successfully complete an attendance intervention plan to avoid failing the marking term.
An attendance intervention plan may involve the student staying after school for up to two hours a day, with parents/guardians responsible for alternative transportation home if needed. Student attendance is a family responsibility.
For 2019-2020, the 1st marking term will be a “no fault” period as students and parents/guardians become familiar with the new attendance policy and procedure; attendance will not impact 1st marking term course grades. However, students who have 5 or more unexcused absences in the 1st marking term will have to complete an attendance intervention plan.
Parents/guardians and students should review the Student Attendance Policy and Student Attendance Procedure to know the rules for excused and unexcused absences for everything from family vacations to college and employer visits to student illness or death in the immediate family.
Students who have more than 5 unexcused absences in a marking term must successfully complete an attendance intervention plan to avoid failing the marking term.
An attendance intervention plan may involve the student staying after school for up to two hours a day, with parents/guardians responsible for alternative transportation home if needed. Student attendance is a family responsibility.
For 2019-2020, the 1st marking term will be a “no fault” period as students and parents/guardians become familiar with the new attendance policy and procedure; attendance will not impact 1st marking term course grades. However, students who have 5 or more unexcused absences in the 1st marking term will have to complete an attendance intervention plan.
The 'OK' Hand Gesture Is Now Listed As A Symbol Of Hate
The "OK" hand gesture, commonly seen as a way of indicating that all is well, has now been classified as something else: a symbol of hate.
On Thursday, the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights organization, added 36 symbols to its "Hate on Display" database including the index finger-to-thumb sign that in some corners of the Internet has become associated with white supremacy and the far right.
Oren Segal, director of the ADL's Center on Extremism, told NPR that for years on fringe online message boards such as 4chan and 8chan, the "OK" sign has been deployed in memes and other images promoting hate. Given the number of white supremacists who have adopted it, he said it can now carry a nefarious message.
More
Mattel launches new gender-inclusive doll line
The new line of dolls will be sold in a kit with two hairstyle options (one shorter and one longer) and several styling possibilities.
Mattel, the company most known for its line of Barbie dolls, has just released a new line of customization, gender inclusive dolls. The new line, called "Creatable World" promises "endless combinations" of dolls so that "kids can just be kids."
Six different kits will be available in the new line. Each kit includes one doll, two hairstyle options (one longer and one shorter). and several styling possibilities. The dolls come in a variety of skin tones as well. The hair and clothing options for the dolls range from more feminine presenting to more masculine presenting, allowing children to combine the different elements however they want.
Mattel developed the new line of dolls alongside parents, physicians and kids themselves. The company has released more diverse dolls in the past, including a Barbie who uses a wheelchair and a Barbie with a prosthetic limb.
More
"Master Developer" or Good Ol' Boys, You Decide...
'I support impeachment': Hillary Clinton says Donald Trump 'has betrayed our country'
Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that she agrees with congressional Democrats who aim to impeach Donald Trump and remove him from office.
Trump threw a rhetorical pitch at her chin hours later, telling reporters at the United Nations that the nation of Ukraine 'could very well' have copies of tens of thousands of emails Clinton and her lawyers famously deleted while they were under subpoena.
'I think that one of the great crimes committed is Hillary clinton deleting 33,000 emails after Congress sent her a subpoena,' Trump said. 'You can't get rid of evidence like that,' he added.
Clinton had blasted him on Twitter, writing that '[t]he president of the United States has betrayed our country.'
More
Trump threw a rhetorical pitch at her chin hours later, telling reporters at the United Nations that the nation of Ukraine 'could very well' have copies of tens of thousands of emails Clinton and her lawyers famously deleted while they were under subpoena.
'I think that one of the great crimes committed is Hillary clinton deleting 33,000 emails after Congress sent her a subpoena,' Trump said. 'You can't get rid of evidence like that,' he added.
Clinton had blasted him on Twitter, writing that '[t]he president of the United States has betrayed our country.'
More
Maryland Comptroller, Peter Franchot's Chief of Staff, Len Foxwell, caught berating another County Liquor Board.
Change coming to avoid huge Bay Bridge backups
After horrendous Friday backups at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that lasted hours and stretched for 14 miles approaching the bridge on U.S. 50, the Maryland Department of Transportation will change what happens in the future.
When eastbound traffic backs up to Interstate 97, the department will hold westbound traffic on the bridge for short periods of time to allow three lanes of traffic headed to the Eastern Shore and Delmarva beaches, unless prevented by severe weather conditions.
The backups occurred on the first weekend that the bridge did not have two-way operations on the westbound span because of a long-term, $27 million maintenance project.
The backups were so bad that they prompted the Maryland Transportation Authority to temporarily waive tolls on the bridge.
More
When eastbound traffic backs up to Interstate 97, the department will hold westbound traffic on the bridge for short periods of time to allow three lanes of traffic headed to the Eastern Shore and Delmarva beaches, unless prevented by severe weather conditions.
The backups occurred on the first weekend that the bridge did not have two-way operations on the westbound span because of a long-term, $27 million maintenance project.
The backups were so bad that they prompted the Maryland Transportation Authority to temporarily waive tolls on the bridge.
More
A Viewer Writes: Double Work is Costly
READ: White House transcript of Trump call with Ukrainian president
The transcript of the July 25 phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioning former Vice President Joe Biden and allegations of corruption was released today following an intelligence community whistleblower complaint centered around the conversation.
A whistleblower with knowledge of the phone call made a complaint to Trump-appointed intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson, who deemed the complaint “serious” and “urgent," but acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire declined to release the contents of the whistleblower complaint to Congress after consulting with the Justice Department. This set off a firestorm on Capitol Hill, and lawmakers called for President Trump to be impeached, following claims that Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate the 2020 Democratic presidential front-runner and his son Hunter Biden.
More
A whistleblower with knowledge of the phone call made a complaint to Trump-appointed intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson, who deemed the complaint “serious” and “urgent," but acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire declined to release the contents of the whistleblower complaint to Congress after consulting with the Justice Department. This set off a firestorm on Capitol Hill, and lawmakers called for President Trump to be impeached, following claims that Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate the 2020 Democratic presidential front-runner and his son Hunter Biden.
More
Attorney General Frosh Joins Coalition Opposing Trump Rule That Would Take Food Assistance Away from Millions of People
Proposed Changes to SNAP Would Violate Federal Law; Harm Low-Income Families, Children, Seniors, and the Economy
BALTIMORE, MD (September 24, 2019) - Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined a coalition of 24 Attorneys General opposing the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The proposed changes would take basic food assistance away from more than three million people, disqualify hundreds of thousands of children from free school meals, and punish working families with modest savings.
The coalition filed a comment letter against a proposed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule, the “Revision of Categorical Eligibility in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” that would end states’ ability to set rules for SNAP eligibility based on the unique needs of their communities.
The SNAP program is the country’s most important anti-hunger program. The program provides people with limited incomes the opportunity to access nutritious food, and is a crucial component of federal and state efforts to help lift people out of poverty. In their letter, the attorneys general argue that the proposed rule would violate federal law and harm the states, their residents, their local economies, and public health.
“This Trump Administration action will cause millions to go hungry,” said Attorney General Frosh. “SNAP lifts people out of poverty. It reduces food insecurity and malnutrition. Each state must have the ability to feed its children, its elderly, and its poor. That is why we will fight these heartless policies.”
Based on federal guidelines, each state designs its own process for how low-income people can apply for SNAP benefits. The states must track whether participants meet the income and asset requirements for the program on a monthly basis. The Trump administration’s proposed rule would eliminate a long-standing policy known as “broad based categorical eligibility” (BBCE). BBCE allows states to consider local economic factors, like high costs of living or costs of childcare, when determining eligibility for SNAP. It also lets states adopt less restrictive asset limits so that families, seniors, and people with disabilities can have some savings without losing food aid. BBCE is used by 39 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This proposed rule is the latest in a series of unlawful attempts by the Trump administration to cut important safety-net programs for vulnerable populations. In the comment letter, the attorneys general argue that the proposed rule harms the states by:
- Taking food assistance away from 3.1 million vulnerable people: If finalized, the proposed rule would cause 3.1 million low-income people, including working poor families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities, to lose critical nutrition assistance. According to the administration’s own calculations, the rule would cause low-income Americans to lose at least $10.5 billion in SNAP benefits over four years.
- Causing 265,000 children to lose free school meals: Children in households that receive SNAP are eligible for free meals at school. This rule change would mean an estimated 265,000 children would lose access to free school meals, leading to food insecurity and malnourishment. According to studies, food-insecure children are more likely to have learning difficulties and reduced academic performance, stomachaches, frequent headaches and colds, iron deficiency anemia, asthma, and mental health problems.
- Disproportionately taking SNAP benefits from seniors: According to estimates, this rule change would have a disproportionate impact on seniors. More than 13 percent of all SNAP households with elderly members would lose food assistance, which could potentially force low-income seniors to choose between paying for necessary medication and food.
- Harming public health and increasing health care costs: States’ medical, disability, and other systems will be burdened when people who lose SNAP benefits become food insecure or malnourished. Food insecurity is linked to some of the most potentially costly health conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, and complications in pregnancy. Studies have shown that SNAP is associated with better health and, correspondingly, reduced health care costs.
- Harming state economies: SNAP benefits are provided to low-income individuals with immediate spending needs, and SNAP boosts local economies by increasing consumer demand, injecting money directly into the economy, creating jobs, and supporting national and local retailers and the food industry generally. If 3.1 million people lose SNAP benefits, these cuts will have negative ripple effects across the nation’s economy.
- Increasing administrative burdens on states: The Government Accountability Office has consistently found that polices like BBCE can save state and federal resources and improve productivity. The proposed rule will eliminate these efficiency gains and increase administrative costs—and every dollar that states spend on administrative costs is money taken away from needy families.
The attorneys general also argue that the proposed rule violates the federal Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which governs how federal agencies implement rule changes. Among other violations of the APA, the proposed rule fails to provide a legitimate justification for changing longstanding USDA policy, conflicts with the clear intent of Congress, and exceeds USDA’s authority.
In addition to Maryland, the letter was signed by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
BOMBSHELL: Photographs Provide Additional Evidence Rep. Ilhan Omar Married Her Brother
Newly uncovered photographs of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s family provide even more evidence that she married her brother as part of an immigration scam.
Earlier this month, a tweet resurfaced in which Rep. Omar linked to a now-deleted Instagram post where she referred to her father by the name Nur Said.
In 2009, Rep. Omar married a man named Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.
In most Muslim countries a person’s surname is actually the father’s name. This means that Ahmed Nur Said Elmi is the son of Nur Said — and Rep. Omar’s brother.
More
Earlier this month, a tweet resurfaced in which Rep. Omar linked to a now-deleted Instagram post where she referred to her father by the name Nur Said.
In 2009, Rep. Omar married a man named Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.
In most Muslim countries a person’s surname is actually the father’s name. This means that Ahmed Nur Said Elmi is the son of Nur Said — and Rep. Omar’s brother.
More
'She was charged with battery!': 6-year-old girl arrested for 'tantrum'
A Florida grandmother is livid after her 6-year-old granddaughter was arrested and charged with battery after throwing a "tantrum" in class.
Meralyn Kirkland said her granddaughter Kaia's incident began at her school, Lucious and Emma Nixon Elementary charter school.
“[I said] What do you mean she was arrested? He said, ‘there was an incident and she kicked somebody and she is being charged and she is on her way,'” Kirkland told WFLA. “She has a medical condition that we are working on getting resolved. So he says, ‘What medical condition?' I said, "She has a sleep disorder, sleep apnea,’ and he says, ‘Well I have sleep apnea and I don’t behave like that."
More
Meralyn Kirkland said her granddaughter Kaia's incident began at her school, Lucious and Emma Nixon Elementary charter school.
“[I said] What do you mean she was arrested? He said, ‘there was an incident and she kicked somebody and she is being charged and she is on her way,'” Kirkland told WFLA. “She has a medical condition that we are working on getting resolved. So he says, ‘What medical condition?' I said, "She has a sleep disorder, sleep apnea,’ and he says, ‘Well I have sleep apnea and I don’t behave like that."
More