ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)—This week the fight over the death penalty is back. Lawmakers will hear testimony on a bill to get rid of capital punishment in Maryland. Now there’s strong and surprising words on the controversial issue.
Praying for legislation. Opponents to the death penalty renew calls to end the punishment in Maryland. It comes just days before the General Assembly begins examing the controversial issue.
A little known confession, if you might call it, from Baltimore’s archbishop during a prayer service aimed at increasing support to repeal the death penalty . . .
”I was for the death penalty most of my life, then I looked into it more deeply. And I realized as a man of faith and a Catholic, I had to take life more seriously and respect it more,” said Archbishop Edwin O’Brien.
“The death penalty is not only injustice and expensive, but it doesn’t deter crime.”
More
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, March 14, 2011
Union Rally Expected To Draw Thousands In Maryland
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The director of Maryland's largest union for state employees says between 5,000 and 10,000 people are expected to attend a rally in Annapolis to protest pension changes.
Patrick Moran, director of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said participants in Monday evening's rally will walk from the Navy Marine Corps Stadium to the Maryland State House.
Gov. Martin O'Malley has proposed changes to address a troubling $19 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and $16 billion in retiree health liabilities. It would require increased contributions from state employees.
Source
Patrick Moran, director of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said participants in Monday evening's rally will walk from the Navy Marine Corps Stadium to the Maryland State House.
Gov. Martin O'Malley has proposed changes to address a troubling $19 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and $16 billion in retiree health liabilities. It would require increased contributions from state employees.
Source
Sacred Music
The Magi Fund’s 1st Annual “Spring Concert of Sacred Music”
featuring
The National Christian Choir
on
Saturday, March 19, 2011
4:00 p.m. (Doors open at 3:00 p.m.)
Holloway Hall Auditorium at Salisbury University
Tickets on sale at the following locations:
Gospel Shop, 800 South Salisbury Boulevard, Salisbury, MD
First Shore Federal Savings & Loan - all locations
For additional information or to order tickets by mail,
call Bonnie Luna at 410-749-1633
Tickets are $20.00
You may still use the ticket order form mailed to you in February.
Orders received by mail after March 13th will be held at “will call.”
All proceeds benefit the Joseph House Center & the Christian Shelter
$1,000,000,000
$1,000,000,000
This is too true to be funny. The next time you hear a politician use the Word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about Whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money. A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, But one advertising agency did a good job of Putting that figure into some perspective in One of its releases. A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959. B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were Living in the Stone Age. D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, At the rate our government Is spending it. While this thought is still fresh in our brain... let's take a look at New Orleans ... It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division. Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) Is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS To rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number... >What does it mean? A. Well.. If you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) You each get $516,528. B. Or.... If you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.. C. Or... If you are a family of four.... Your family gets$2,066,012. Washington , D. C HELLO! Are all your calculators broken?? Building Permit Tax CDL License Tax Cigarette Tax Corporate Income Tax Dog License Tax Federal Income Tax (Fed) Federal Unemployment Tax (FU TA) Fishing License Tax Food License Tax Fuel Permit Tax Gasoline Tax Hunting License Tax Inheritance Tax Inventory Tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax) IRS Penalties(tax on top of tax) Liquor Tax Luxury Tax Marriage License Tax Medicare Tax Property Tax Real Estate Tax Service charge taxes Social Security Tax Road Usage Tax (Truckers) Sales Taxes Recreational Vehicle Tax School Tax State Income Tax State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) Telephone Federal Excise Tax Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax Telephone State and Local Tax Telephone Usage Charge Tax Utility Tax Vehicle License Registration Tax Vehicle Sales Tax Watercraft Registration Tax Well Permit Tax Workers Compensation Tax (And to think, we left British Rule to avoid so many taxes) |
INVESTIGATION INTO BALTIMORE POLICE VEHICLE FOUND OFF I-95 COMPLETE
(JESSUP, MD) -- Maryland State Police at the Waterloo Barrack have concluded their investigation into the recovery of a Baltimore Police Department vehicle found off I-95 in Howard County last Sunday and no traffic charges will be filed against the driver.
Shortly before 7:00 p.m. on March 6, 2011, Maryland State Police responded to a call for a vehicle off the roadway on the westbound ramp to Rt. 32 from southbound I-95. The responding trooper found a 2006 Ford Taurus off the roadway on the left side of the off ramp. No one was around the car when the trooper arrived and no significant damage was noted. The vehicle was registered to the City of Baltimore and was stored by the investigating trooper.
Subsequent investigation revealed the car was being driven by Major Terrence P. McLarney, of the Baltimore Police Department. According to Major McLarney, as he was traveling onto the off ramp, the vehicle in front of him began swerving back and forth on the rain slick roadway. He said he braked hard and his vehicle began to slide and left the roadway. He was alone in the car and sustained no injury when the car slid off the road.
The investigation revealed no damage to any persons or property. What was earlier reported as minor damage to the front bumper of the vehicle may have been sustained previously and not when the car left the road. There has been no evidence identified to indicate that the vehicle did anything more than slide off the roadway.
The completed investigation was forwarded to the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office for review by Maryland State Police. State’s Attorney Dario J. Broccolino informed Lt. Dan Truitt, Commander of the Waterloo Barrack, that there are ‘no viable charges resulting from the incident.’
Shortly before 7:00 p.m. on March 6, 2011, Maryland State Police responded to a call for a vehicle off the roadway on the westbound ramp to Rt. 32 from southbound I-95. The responding trooper found a 2006 Ford Taurus off the roadway on the left side of the off ramp. No one was around the car when the trooper arrived and no significant damage was noted. The vehicle was registered to the City of Baltimore and was stored by the investigating trooper.
Subsequent investigation revealed the car was being driven by Major Terrence P. McLarney, of the Baltimore Police Department. According to Major McLarney, as he was traveling onto the off ramp, the vehicle in front of him began swerving back and forth on the rain slick roadway. He said he braked hard and his vehicle began to slide and left the roadway. He was alone in the car and sustained no injury when the car slid off the road.
The investigation revealed no damage to any persons or property. What was earlier reported as minor damage to the front bumper of the vehicle may have been sustained previously and not when the car left the road. There has been no evidence identified to indicate that the vehicle did anything more than slide off the roadway.
The completed investigation was forwarded to the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office for review by Maryland State Police. State’s Attorney Dario J. Broccolino informed Lt. Dan Truitt, Commander of the Waterloo Barrack, that there are ‘no viable charges resulting from the incident.’
TROOPERS JUMP FROM PATH OF DUI DRIVER, BUT PATROL CAR STRUCK
(LAUREL, MD) – A Maryland state trooper with less than a week on patrol was jumping for his life early this morning as he and his field training trooper jumped out of the way of a suspected drunk driver who plowed into the back of their car that was stopped behind a disabled vehicle on I-95 in Prince George’s County.
The driver is identified as Scott A. Schwartz, 27, of Baltimore, Md. He is charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, negligent driving, failure to obey a traffic control device, failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision, and failure to display a registration card. He was taken to the Prince George’s County Detention Center in Upper Marlboro to await an initial appearance before a court commissioner.
Just before 1:00 a.m. today, TFC Elix Gerber, a field training trooper, and his trooper trainee, Trooper Thaddeus Allen, who just graduated from the State Police Academy last Friday, stopped their patrol car behind a disabled vehicle in the slow lane of northbound I-95, south of Van Dusen Road, south of Laurel. Their patrol car was unmarked, but the troopers activated the emergency lights to warn oncoming motorists.
Both troopers began lighting flares and setting them out behind the stopped vehicles. As they were placing flares, the troopers saw a Ford Escort headed toward them at a high rate of speed. TFC Gerber and Trooper Allen both jumped over the concrete barrier out of the way of the oncoming Ford, just as it slammed into the back of their patrol car and pushed it into the disabled vehicle. Neither trooper was injured.
The force of the crash broke a front tire off the Ford. The tire careened across the northbound lanes and struck two other vehicles.
Another trooper responded to the scene and, upon contact with the driver of the Ford, noticed signs indicating he may have been operating under the influence of alcohol. Further investigation was conducted and Schwartz was arrested for DUI. He received a minor cut on his lip in the crash, but did not require medical treatment.
There was one person in the disabled vehicle. Medical treatment was refused.
The driver is identified as Scott A. Schwartz, 27, of Baltimore, Md. He is charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, negligent driving, failure to obey a traffic control device, failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision, and failure to display a registration card. He was taken to the Prince George’s County Detention Center in Upper Marlboro to await an initial appearance before a court commissioner.
Just before 1:00 a.m. today, TFC Elix Gerber, a field training trooper, and his trooper trainee, Trooper Thaddeus Allen, who just graduated from the State Police Academy last Friday, stopped their patrol car behind a disabled vehicle in the slow lane of northbound I-95, south of Van Dusen Road, south of Laurel. Their patrol car was unmarked, but the troopers activated the emergency lights to warn oncoming motorists.
Both troopers began lighting flares and setting them out behind the stopped vehicles. As they were placing flares, the troopers saw a Ford Escort headed toward them at a high rate of speed. TFC Gerber and Trooper Allen both jumped over the concrete barrier out of the way of the oncoming Ford, just as it slammed into the back of their patrol car and pushed it into the disabled vehicle. Neither trooper was injured.
The force of the crash broke a front tire off the Ford. The tire careened across the northbound lanes and struck two other vehicles.
Another trooper responded to the scene and, upon contact with the driver of the Ford, noticed signs indicating he may have been operating under the influence of alcohol. Further investigation was conducted and Schwartz was arrested for DUI. He received a minor cut on his lip in the crash, but did not require medical treatment.
There was one person in the disabled vehicle. Medical treatment was refused.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
4 Deputies Shot In Va.; Suspect On Loose
Authorities search for man with rifle, possibly firing from mountains
GRUNDY, Va. — Authorities were searching Sunday for a man armed with a rifle who shot four sheriff's deputies, one fatally, local media reported.
The shooting happened about 3 p.m. near the town of Grundy in the Devils Branch area, WCYB reported.
According to emergency dispatchers, a man began firing at deputies with a rifle from a mountainous area It's unclear exactly why the officers were at the location, WCYB reported.
WVVA.com said the suspect, believed armed with a rifle, was shooting at the officers from the mountains.
Nuclear Crisis - Update
A former nuclear power plant designer has said Japan is facing an extremely grave crisis and called on the government to release more information, which he said was being suppressed.
Masashi Goto told a news conference in Tokyo that one of the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi plant was "highly unstable", and that if there was a meltdown the "consequences would be tremendous". He said such an event might be very likely indeed. So far, the government has said a meltdown would not lead to a sizeable leak of radioactive materials.
Mr Goto said the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant were suffering pressure build-ups way beyond that for which they were designed. There was a severe risk of an explosion, with radioactive material being strewn over a very wide area - beyond the 20km evacuation zone set up by the authorities - he added. Mr Goto calculated that because Reactor No 3 at Fukushima-Daiichi - where pressure is rising and there is a risk of an explosion - used a type of fuel known as Mox, a mixture of plutonium oxide and uranium oxide, the radioactive fallout from any meltdown might be twice as bad.
He accused the government of deliberately withholding vital information that would allow outside experts help solve the problems. "For example, there has not been enough information about the hydrogen being vented. We don't know how much was vented and how radioactive it was." He also described the use of sea water to cool the cores of the reactors at Fukushima-Daiichi as highly unusual and dangerous.
He described the worst-case scenario: "It is difficult to say, but that would be a core meltdown. If the rods fall and mix with water, the result would be an explosion of solid material like a volcano spreading radioactive material. Steam or a hydrogen explosion caused by the mix would spread radioactive waste more than 50km. Also, this would be multiplied. There are many reactors in the area so there would be many Chernobyls."
At the same time, Malcolm Crick, the secretary of the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, has told the Reuters news agency: "This is not a serious public health issue at the moment. It won't be anything like Chernobyl. There the reactor was operating at full power when it exploded and it had no containment."
Another Nuclear Plant Has a Problem:
A pump within the cooling system of one of the reactors at the Tokai nuclear power plant has stopped working, according to the Kyodo news agency. The plant is located in the Naka district of the central prefecture of Ibaraki, and is operated by the Japan Atomic Power Company.
The 1,100MW Tokai plant, about 120km (75 miles) north of Tokyo, was automatically shut down after Friday's earthquake.
Meanwhile, the Shinmoedake volcano in southern Japan has resumed eruptions of ash and rocks after a couple of weeks of inactivity, Japan's meteorological agency has said. It is unclear if the eruptions are linked to Friday's earthquake.
BBC
Masashi Goto told a news conference in Tokyo that one of the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi plant was "highly unstable", and that if there was a meltdown the "consequences would be tremendous". He said such an event might be very likely indeed. So far, the government has said a meltdown would not lead to a sizeable leak of radioactive materials.
Mr Goto said the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant were suffering pressure build-ups way beyond that for which they were designed. There was a severe risk of an explosion, with radioactive material being strewn over a very wide area - beyond the 20km evacuation zone set up by the authorities - he added. Mr Goto calculated that because Reactor No 3 at Fukushima-Daiichi - where pressure is rising and there is a risk of an explosion - used a type of fuel known as Mox, a mixture of plutonium oxide and uranium oxide, the radioactive fallout from any meltdown might be twice as bad.
He accused the government of deliberately withholding vital information that would allow outside experts help solve the problems. "For example, there has not been enough information about the hydrogen being vented. We don't know how much was vented and how radioactive it was." He also described the use of sea water to cool the cores of the reactors at Fukushima-Daiichi as highly unusual and dangerous.
He described the worst-case scenario: "It is difficult to say, but that would be a core meltdown. If the rods fall and mix with water, the result would be an explosion of solid material like a volcano spreading radioactive material. Steam or a hydrogen explosion caused by the mix would spread radioactive waste more than 50km. Also, this would be multiplied. There are many reactors in the area so there would be many Chernobyls."
At the same time, Malcolm Crick, the secretary of the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, has told the Reuters news agency: "This is not a serious public health issue at the moment. It won't be anything like Chernobyl. There the reactor was operating at full power when it exploded and it had no containment."
Another Nuclear Plant Has a Problem:
A pump within the cooling system of one of the reactors at the Tokai nuclear power plant has stopped working, according to the Kyodo news agency. The plant is located in the Naka district of the central prefecture of Ibaraki, and is operated by the Japan Atomic Power Company.
The 1,100MW Tokai plant, about 120km (75 miles) north of Tokyo, was automatically shut down after Friday's earthquake.
Meanwhile, the Shinmoedake volcano in southern Japan has resumed eruptions of ash and rocks after a couple of weeks of inactivity, Japan's meteorological agency has said. It is unclear if the eruptions are linked to Friday's earthquake.
BBC
Yet Another Nuclear Plant Going Critical
A state of emergency has been declared at a second nuclear power plant in Japan, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said.
"Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that the first, or lowest, state of emergency at the Onagawa nuclear power plant has been reported by Tohoku Electric Power Company," a statement said, according to the AFP news agency. The alert was declared "as a consequence of radioactivity readings exceeding allowed levels in the area surrounding the plant. Japanese authorities are investigating the source of radiation," it added.
The Onagawa nuclear power plant is located near the town of Onagawa and the city of Ishinomaki, in Miyagi prefecture, which was the region hardest hit by the earthquake. A fire broke out in the turbine building of one the reactors at Onagawa on Friday, but was put out. A water leak was also reported at another reactor on the site.
BBC
"Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that the first, or lowest, state of emergency at the Onagawa nuclear power plant has been reported by Tohoku Electric Power Company," a statement said, according to the AFP news agency. The alert was declared "as a consequence of radioactivity readings exceeding allowed levels in the area surrounding the plant. Japanese authorities are investigating the source of radiation," it added.
The Onagawa nuclear power plant is located near the town of Onagawa and the city of Ishinomaki, in Miyagi prefecture, which was the region hardest hit by the earthquake. A fire broke out in the turbine building of one the reactors at Onagawa on Friday, but was put out. A water leak was also reported at another reactor on the site.
BBC
Field Notes By Delegate Mike McDermott
Field Notes
Observations and Reflections on Legislative Activities
By Delegate Mike McDermott
March 7th –March 11th, 2011
- Monday evening the Republican Caucus met prior to the evening session to discuss the upcoming debate and votes on the Gay Marriage legislation. We reviewed the previous weeks work in the Judiciary Committee and debated the proper strategy to utilize. At this time, the matter remains a matter of great debate.
- HB- 24 : Third Reading Passed (138-2)
- HB- 101: Third Reading Passed (89-50)
- HB -302: Motion vote previous question (Delegate Minnick) Adopted Third Reading Passed (74-66)
- Tuesday afternoon, the Judiciary Committee heard testimony concerning the following bills:
- HB-161: This bill would enhance the penalties when someone uses a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence or a felony. Further, it would expand the definition of “firearm” used in these types of crimes to include long guns and shotguns. This bill is supported by both sides as a way to get tougher on thugs.
- HB-172: This bill would eliminate diminutive credits for inmates who violate firearms laws or commit crimes of violence. These are those “good time” credits inmates receive just for being incarcerated. These often serve to shorten their sentences. This bill received no opposition testimony.
- HB-241: This bill would expand the definition of a firearm to include long guns and antique firearms and would place mandatory minimum sentences for the unlawful possession of these firearms. This bill is also supported by both sides and received no opposition.
- HB-252: This bill would enhance the penalties for possession of a firearm that was loaded under any circumstances. It carries with it mandatory minimums. This bill had some problems as it could cause problems for those who make honest mistakes in the possession or transportation of a firearm under otherwise lawful purposes. It received significant opposition and will need to be amended if it has a chance of making it out of committee.
- HB-382: This bill would remove diminutive credits when a firearm is used in the commission of any crime. It is simple and straightforward and goes further than HB-172 (which only removed one-half of the time).
- HB-343: This bill would change the right to carry a firearm in Maryland from a “may issue” position by the State to a “shall issue” position. It would provide for law abiding Marylanders to be issued a concealed carry permit upon request if there was no clear reason why the permit should not be issued. Several folks testified from around the state. At issue is the position by the Maryland State Police interpreting the need for citizens to have “good and substantial” reasons for being issued a handgun carry permit, and that definition not being clear.
- HB-803: This bill would make it a crime to possess a firearm in a hospital or institute of higher learning if they did not have a permit to do so. Of course, it is already a crime, but this bill would serve to place an exclamation point on the issue. I do not see that it is necessary, and I, for one, would rather have a professor armed on a campus that may be able to take immediate action to protect life than one who is a victim in waiting. This bill received significant opposition.
- HB-519: This bill would copy the Federal regulations dealing with the removal or attempted removal of a serial number on a firearm which is currently not addressed by the state. It would also provide for additional regulations on ammunition for unregulated firearms. It would also criminalize some of the statues relative to those less than 21 years of age. The bill simply goes too far in many aspects and replicates what the feds are already performing now.
- HB-1043: This bill again seeks to replicate many of the standards already in place and required by the federal government. This bill would allow the Maryland State Police to further regulate the licensing requirements of firearms dealers. The state seeks to increase enforcement in this area due to problems with some firearms dealers in the past. It increases reporting requirements in Maryland, many of which are already required under law.
11. HB-730: This bill seeks the creation of a task force to examine the issue of mental illness when applied to the purchase or control (sales) of firearms in Maryland. The bill is being amended to this end and the task force will include a variety of professionals who can weigh in on this issue. I can say that I am concerned about the study of one particular industry or particular customer base as being genuine in application. We need to keep our eye on the results of any sanctioned study.
- On Wednesday morning, the House began the debate on Senate Bill 116 which seeks to legalize gay marriage. This was the Second Reading of this bill and this is the time when the House offers and debates amendments to a bill. Several amendments were offered by both sides of the aisle. The first three addressed the following areas of concern:
- Amendment 1 (543121/1) would address certain religious exemptions for adoption services and social service programs. It was simple and would have recognized the need for these objections for deeply held convictions. It was defeated on a vote of 58/79;
- Amendment 2 (483026/1) would have provided for exemptions for religious held convictions as pertaining to training by teachers and participation by students in K-12 public school programs. This would address homosexual sex education and make provision for teachers, parents, and students not to participate in this type of training. It was voted down 54/86;
- Amendment 3 (873228/1) would simply change the title of the bill to the “Same Sex Marriage Act” as opposed to its present title (Civil Marriage Protection Act). It was argued that the name was very deceiving and would continue to misdirect people when the bill goes to referendum. This amendment was defeated 52/85; and
- Amendment 4 (223923/1) was offered by a democrat member and would require a statewide referendum be conducted prior to the law taking effect. This reasonable attempt was also shot down on a tight vote with a couple of democrats speaking out on the floor. The vote was 63/72.
The final outcome remained unknown and both sides were working hard. As a result, I strongly encouraged citizens to participate in the process with a focus on the House Democrats.
- On Wednesday, the following bills were heard in the Judiciary Committee:
- HB-806: This bill would consolidate several existing charges concerning suspended or revoked driver’s license and would reduce the number of points assigned by the MVA to a person’s license. State’s Attorney’s spoke out against making the change as a lesser charge already exists in the law.
- HB-657: This bill would allow the MVA to create a special registration plate for persons convicted 3 or more times with DUI convictions. This was an interesting proposal that has come to the committee for several years in a row now. It is a Scarlet Letter for drunk drivers and I like it.
- HB-698: This bill would allow the MVA to accept valid US Military Identification as one of their valid IDs when securing a driver’s license. This one seems like a no brainer and I cannot imagine why the MVA would not accept a military ID as opposed that are of a more questionable nature.
- HB-1069: This bill would allow the MVA to place a special notation on a person’s driver’s license once they have been convicted of DUI three times. It was testified that this bill would help those who sell alcohol act with greater caution when someone seeks to purchase alcohol.
- HB-957: This bill would make it a separate offense for anyone previously convicted of DUI to refuse to take a breath or blood test for alcohol on a subsequent arrest. I like the idea of this bill as it would provide a greater penalty when someone refuses a test.
- HB-318/360/1012/1276: All of these bills address additional requirements for the mandatory use of ignition interlock devices for those convicted of drunk driving. These are devices which require the driver submit a breath sample which is alcohol free before the vehicle can be operated. All of these bills propose variances with the same goal. Most of the bills focus on action being taken by the MVA, while one of the bills (360) requires the judge in the case mandate the interlock device. It appears clear that the committee is going to embrace a modified bill which takes all of these issues into account.
- On Thursday morning, the following bills were passed on Third Reader in the House:
2. SB -455: Third Reading Passed (138-0)
- On Thursday afternoon, the following bills were heard by the Judiciary Committee:
- HB-878: This bill would require a defendant in a court proceeding to receive notification of their right to having their records expunged under certain conditions. It would simply clarify for defendants the rights they are assured under law but with which they may not be familiar.
- HB-1072: This bill would require further regulations on the sale of Salvia requiring those who sell the product to verify the age of the purchaser and to post various regulations in their store addressing Salvia sales. This is just one of several bills addressing certain aspects of Salvia sales and distribution.
- HB-919: This bill would institute a pilot program in Maryland similar to one already in existence in Texas. It is aimed at reducing the prison population by developing enhanced standards of parole and probation supervision. It provides various programs and incentives for inmates and reduces the technical violations often the reason for probationers being violated. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of inmates and create an incentivized program for success for probationers. If it is as successful as it has been in Texas, it would reduce the cost of corrections in Maryland.
- HB-862: This bill would create a separate theft statute for the theft of mail. It is already covered under the current theft article, but the sponsor wanted to make provision for mail theft as a separate offense.
- HB-964: This bill would create a pilot program called Recidivism Reduction Program and is designed to reduce the recidivism rate in Maryland prisons. It is a foundation program for HB-919 working in concert to achieve the same end results.
- HB-971: This bill seeks to change the charge for abandoning a refrigerator from a criminal charge to a civil offense. It was testified that the modern refrigerators do not latch as the former models for which the law was established in the 1950’s and it would be more appropriate to charge as a civil infraction as opposed to a misdemeanor crime.
- HB-967: This bill would increase the penalties for Malicious Destruction of Property. This bill would essentially double the current penalty for a violation.
- HB-794: This bill would mandate a date certain by which the Division of Parole and Probation would have to conduct hearings for inmates incarcerated in local jails. The timeliness of these hearings has been brought into question in recent months. This bill seeks to rectify this issue.
- HB-874: This bill would create a Truth in Sentencing Task Force. The task force would report on the use of diminution credits, early parole, and other aspects used in controlling inmate behavior.
11. HB-1024: This bill seeks to expand the protection of a pregnant woman and her fetus by expanding the time period whereby a person could be charged with Murder or Manslaughter of a Fetus. Currently, the law only applies to acts committed against a fetus who is “viable” outside of the womb of the mother. The law is constructed so as not to inhibit abortion. It is supported by Maryland Right to Life and the Maryland Catholic Conference. It was opposed by NARAL (pro abortion) and the ACLU. Needless to say, they turned it into an “abortion bill” even though the Attorney General has ruled that this bill would not violate the current abortion standards in Maryland.
12. HB-879: This bill would expand the venue of counterfeiting laws so charges could be filed in other jurisdictions.
- On Friday, we voted on a number of bills which lacked any controversy as follows:
· HB-354 : Third Reading Passed (137-0)
· HB -357:Third Reading Passed (139-0)
· HB- 378:Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB- 460: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -503: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -529: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -709: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -37: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -61: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -68: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -204: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
· HB -281: Third Reading Passed (138-0)
· HB -306 : Third Reading Passed (139-1)
· HB -329: Third Reading Passed (140-0)
- The final vote of the day was to be on SB-116, the Gay Marriage Bill. The debate was civil and primarily taken on by democrats opposing and democrats in favor. Only a couple of Republicans spoke. It became quite clear that the votes to pass it were not on the floor. They stalled the vote as long as they could and then Chairman Vallario (Judiciary Committee) requested the bill be remanded back to the committee. Essentially, that ends the bill as it is highly unlikely it will be brought back out during the session and this can be interpreted as modest victory of the process.
- The following bills were voted on in the Judiciary Committee Friday afternoon:
Favorable: HB-507, HB-667, HB-729, HB-749, HB-837, HB-1018
Obama Tells GOP: Nice Try On Health Care Contacts
President Barack Obama once promised that negotiations over his health care overhaul would be carried out openly, in front of TV cameras and microphones. Tell that to the White House now.
Republican congressional investigators got the brush-off this past week after pressing for details of meetings between White House officials and interest groups, including drug companies and hospitals that provided critical backing for Obama's health insurance expansion.
Complying with the records request from the House Energy and Commerce Committee "would constitute a vast and expensive undertaking" and could "implicate longstanding executive branch confidentiality interests," White House lawyer Robert Bauer wrote the committee. Translation: Nice try.
It's one more roadblock for Republicans who tapped into widespread anxiety about the scope and costs of the new health care law to regain control of the House in last fall's elections.
"We are both concerned and disappointed by your response," the committee chairman, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., wrote back to Bauer. "The American public deserves the information we have requested. The secret meetings conducted by (White House officials) are a perfect example of why transparency in government is so important."
White House visitor records released at the request of The Associated Press in late 2009 show that Obama's top aides met frequently with lobbyists and health care industry leaders during the marathon congressional debate over health care overhaul.
The list included George Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Health Plans; Scott Serota, president and CEO of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; Kenneth Kies, a Washington lobbyist representing Blue Cross/Blue Shield, among other clients; Billy Tauzin, then head of PhRMA, the drug industry lobby; Richard Umbdenstock, chief of the American Hospital Association; and numerous others.
Read more
Republican congressional investigators got the brush-off this past week after pressing for details of meetings between White House officials and interest groups, including drug companies and hospitals that provided critical backing for Obama's health insurance expansion.
Complying with the records request from the House Energy and Commerce Committee "would constitute a vast and expensive undertaking" and could "implicate longstanding executive branch confidentiality interests," White House lawyer Robert Bauer wrote the committee. Translation: Nice try.
It's one more roadblock for Republicans who tapped into widespread anxiety about the scope and costs of the new health care law to regain control of the House in last fall's elections.
"We are both concerned and disappointed by your response," the committee chairman, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., wrote back to Bauer. "The American public deserves the information we have requested. The secret meetings conducted by (White House officials) are a perfect example of why transparency in government is so important."
White House visitor records released at the request of The Associated Press in late 2009 show that Obama's top aides met frequently with lobbyists and health care industry leaders during the marathon congressional debate over health care overhaul.
The list included George Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Health Plans; Scott Serota, president and CEO of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; Kenneth Kies, a Washington lobbyist representing Blue Cross/Blue Shield, among other clients; Billy Tauzin, then head of PhRMA, the drug industry lobby; Richard Umbdenstock, chief of the American Hospital Association; and numerous others.
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Gaza Celebrates; Fayyad Condemns Terror Attack
Gaza residents from the southern city of Rafah hit the streets Saturday to celebrate the terror attack in the West Bank settlement of Itamar where five family members were murdered in their sleep, including three children.
Residents handed out candy and sweets, one resident saying the joy "is a natural response to the harm settlers inflict on the Palestinian residents in the West Bank."
Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said he "clearly and firmly denounces the terror attack, just as I have denounced crimes against Palestinians."
According to an unverified report, Fatah's military wing – the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades – claimed responsibility for the attack. A group spokesman told a Palestinian news agency that a terror cell infiltrated the settlement of Itamar and committed the attack.
The spokesperson stressed that the attack "came as a response to Israel's continued hostile policy toward the Palestinian people."
Ynet News
Both Sides Vow To Renew Gay Marriage Fight
The longer the debate about same-sex marriage went on in the House of Delegates on Friday, the worse Scott Bowling felt.
A gay Annapolitan who has run for City Council, Bowling had been optimistic about witnessing history by going to the State House and watching the chamber head for a final vote on the bill.
"I never got the sinking feeling until I sat in the gallery," he said. "The pit in my stomach just got deeper and deeper."
In the end, for Bowling and other gay marriage advocates, the foreboding turned out to be foreshadowing. Faced with an uncertain vote count and growing desires to spend more time studying the issue, the House decided to send the legislation back to committee.
The move essentially ends any chances for passage this year and puts some finality on what had become the overshadowing issue for this General Assembly session.
Yet even in the hours following that decision, advocates on both sides of the issue recognized there is still a fight left to be had on marriage in Maryland.
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A gay Annapolitan who has run for City Council, Bowling had been optimistic about witnessing history by going to the State House and watching the chamber head for a final vote on the bill.
"I never got the sinking feeling until I sat in the gallery," he said. "The pit in my stomach just got deeper and deeper."
In the end, for Bowling and other gay marriage advocates, the foreboding turned out to be foreshadowing. Faced with an uncertain vote count and growing desires to spend more time studying the issue, the House decided to send the legislation back to committee.
The move essentially ends any chances for passage this year and puts some finality on what had become the overshadowing issue for this General Assembly session.
Yet even in the hours following that decision, advocates on both sides of the issue recognized there is still a fight left to be had on marriage in Maryland.
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Parents, Three Israeli Children Butchered In Bed
The initial findings of the investigation into a terrorist massacre in the Israeli town of Itamar in Samaria Friday night show that Palestinian Fatah ‘Freedom Fighters’ stabbed the Fogel family's sleeping three year old in the heart and slashed the throat of his three-month-old sister. An 11-year old child and both parents were also brutally murdered.
The IDF and police forces are conducting widespread searches in the vicinity of the community.
It is not yet clear how many terrorists took part in the massacre. About 20 Arabs have been arrested so far.
One area in which the IDF is concentrating its investigations is whether there were any intelligence warnings of terrorist plans before the attack that might have alerted residents.
The community of Itamar has had no terrorist attacks since 2002, when an advanced protection and security system called the Special Security Area was installed.
The IDF investigation of the attack has discovered that at 20:59, terrorists entered the community. They jumped over the fence and an alert sounded. The guard on duty went to the spot from which the warning was heard, but saw no evidence of infiltration and therefore, made the erroneous decision that an animal had activated the electronic fence’s warning signal.
The terrorists first entered one home, which was empty. They found a weapon there, which they do not seem to have used. A group of youngsters was having a Sabbath evening party at the Fogel house nearby, and at 22:20 they left, along with the Fogel’s 12-year-old daughter, for an activity at the local Bnei Akiva youth group.
Between 22:20 and 22:30 the terrorists entered the house through the living room picture window, did not notice the 6-year-old boy sleeping on the couch and continued on to the bedroom where they slashed the throats of the father and newborn baby who were sleeping there. The mother came out of the bathroom and was stabbed on its threshold. The evidence shows that she tried to fight the terrorists.
They then slashed the throat of the 11-year old-son who was reading in bed. They did not notice the 2-year old asleep in his bed, but murdered the 3-year old with two stabs to his heart. After that, they locked the door, exited through the window and escaped.
Exactly two hours after the infiltration, there was another warning signal from the same spot on the fence, as the terrorists left the way they had come. Once again, the patrol did not identify the source of the signal as infiltration.
The 12-year-old daughter returned home at 00:30 and found the door locked. She asked a neighbor, Rabbi Yaakov Cohen, of the Itamar Yeshiva, to help her. He brought a weapon with him once he noticed tracks and mud near the house. The two woke up the 6-year old sleeping in the living room by calling through the window and when he opened the door, the Rabbi returned to his home.
When she entered the bedrooms, the young daughter saw the horrific bloodsoaked scene and ran out of the house screaming. The neighbor ran back and fired several shots in the air to alert security personnel. Within a short time, large police and IDF forces arrived and began intensive searches to see if the terrorists were still in the community. At 03:30 a.m., military trackers discovered footprints leading to the Arab village of Avrata.
“Sky Rider” Israeli UAV’s (unmanned aerial vehicles), continued the search Saturday morning.
The IDF Chief of Staff, General Benny Gantz, arrived at the family’s home during the morning hours and said: “We will not rest until the murderers are in our hands. This is a bestial act perpetrated by barbarians. It is impossible to grasp the horrendous scene before us. We are working non-stop on the intelligence and operational fronts.”
In a televised speech Saturday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences and encouragement to relatives of the victims and to Judea and Samaria settlers.
Netanyahu also demanded that the international community condemn the brutal killing.
"I noticed that some of the states that rushed to the Security Council to condemn Israel, the Jewish State, for planning to build a home somewhere, are slow in issuing a harsh condemnation over the murder of Jewish babies," he said.
"There' is no justification whatsoever, no excuse and no forgiveness for the murder of babies," the PM said.
INN
Justice Dept. Demands City Lower Passing Police Test Scores
DAYTON, OHIO — The city’s Civil Service Board and the U.S. Department of Justice have agreed on a lower passing score for the police recruit exam after it was rejected because not enough blacks passed the exam.
The city lowered both written exams a combined 15 points that resulted in 258 more people passing the exam, according to a statement released Thursday by Civil Service officials. The agreement allows the city to immediately resume its plans to hire police and firefighters.
The original passing scores determined by Civil Service required candidates to answer 57 of 86 (66 percent) questions correctly on one portion and 73 of 102 (72 percent) on the other.
The lowered benchmark requires candidates to answer 50 of 86 (58 percent) questions correctly and 64 of 102 (63 percent) of questions on the other.
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The city lowered both written exams a combined 15 points that resulted in 258 more people passing the exam, according to a statement released Thursday by Civil Service officials. The agreement allows the city to immediately resume its plans to hire police and firefighters.
The original passing scores determined by Civil Service required candidates to answer 57 of 86 (66 percent) questions correctly on one portion and 73 of 102 (72 percent) on the other.
The lowered benchmark requires candidates to answer 50 of 86 (58 percent) questions correctly and 64 of 102 (63 percent) of questions on the other.
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New Video: NPR Would Accept Muslim Center Donation And Hide It From The Government
New video released Thursday afternoon indicates National Public Radio intended to accept a $5 million donation from fictitious Muslim Brotherhood front group Muslim Education Action Center (MEAC) Trust – and that the publicly funded radio network might have helped MEAC make the donation anonymously to protect it from a federal government audit.
When a man posing as Ibrahim Kasaam asked, “It sounded like you were saying NPR would be able to shield us from a government audit, is that correct?” NPR’s senior director of institutional giving, Betsy Liley, responded, “I think that is the case, especially if you are anonymous. I can inquire about that.” According to conservative James O’Keefe, whose Project Veritas organization conducted the NPR sting organization, the man posing as Kasaam made two follow-up phone calls to Liley after their lunch.
Liley said a $5 million donation would amount to about “10 years of support.”
Kasaam follows up by asking: “The fact that NPR is not only a tax-exempt organization, but also receives direct contributions from the government — does that invite some sort of government oversight or government examination of contributions, et cetera?”
Liley answered: “They have audited our programs at times and, I think, as part of that, they can look at our audited financials. If you are concerned in any way about that, that’s one reason you might want to be an anonymous donor. And, we would certainly, if that was your interest, want to shield you from that.”
Liley mentioned a precedent at NPR — in more than $80 million in donations from universities.
“As I said, like this guy that I used to work with who gave – where I used to work for the university, I don’t know, $5 or $10 or $12 million, he was just entered into the database as anonymous,” Liley said. “I knew who he was and about five other people did, but there was no paperwork in any official place that identified him as that donor.”
Lots more details and video here
More Trouble At Fukushima No. 1
The Japanese cabinet secretary, Yukio Edano, has been speaking on state TV. He said a third reactor at the Fukushima No. I plant was in danger but attempts were under way for a controlled release of air.
Sea water is also being pumped in to attempt to cool the reactor core.
US nuclear experts warn that pumping sea water to cool a quake-hit Japanese nuclear reactor is an "act of desperation" that may foreshadow a Chernobyl-like disaster, AFP reports. "The situation has become desperate enough that they apparently don't have the capability to deliver fresh water or plain water to cool the reactor and stabilize it, and now, in an act of desperation, are having to resort to diverting and using sea water," said Robert Alvarez, who works on nuclear disarmament at the Institute for Policy Studies.
"I would describe this measure as a 'Hail Mary' pass," added Alvarez, using American football slang for a final effort to win the game as time expires.
What occurred at the plant was a "station blackout," which is the loss of offsite air-conditioning power combined with the failure of onsite power, in this case diesel generators.
"It is considered to be extremely unlikely but the station blackout has been one of the great concerns for decades," said Ken Bergeron, a physicist who has worked on nuclear reactor accident simulation.
"We're in uncharted territory," he said.
The reactor has been shut down but the concern is the heat in the core, which can melt if it's not cooled. If the core melts through the reactor vessel, Bergeron explained, it could flow onto the floor of the containment building. If that happens, the structure likely will fail, the experts said.
"The containment building at this plant is certainly stronger than that at Chernobyl but a lot less strong than at Three Mile Island, so time will tell," he said.
Peter Bradford, former head of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said that if the cooling attempts fail, "at that point it's a Chernobyl-like situation where you start dumping in sand and cement."
The two worst nuclear accidents on record are the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine and the partial core meltdown of the Three Mile Island reactor in the US state of Pennsylvania in 1979.
Another expert said the Japanese accident will rank as one of the three worst in history.
"If it continues, if they don't get control of this and... we go from a partial meltdown of the core to a full meltdown, this will be a complete disaster," Joseph Cirincione, the head of the Ploughshares Fund, said in an interview on CNN.
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Sea water is also being pumped in to attempt to cool the reactor core.
US nuclear experts warn that pumping sea water to cool a quake-hit Japanese nuclear reactor is an "act of desperation" that may foreshadow a Chernobyl-like disaster, AFP reports. "The situation has become desperate enough that they apparently don't have the capability to deliver fresh water or plain water to cool the reactor and stabilize it, and now, in an act of desperation, are having to resort to diverting and using sea water," said Robert Alvarez, who works on nuclear disarmament at the Institute for Policy Studies.
"I would describe this measure as a 'Hail Mary' pass," added Alvarez, using American football slang for a final effort to win the game as time expires.
What occurred at the plant was a "station blackout," which is the loss of offsite air-conditioning power combined with the failure of onsite power, in this case diesel generators.
"It is considered to be extremely unlikely but the station blackout has been one of the great concerns for decades," said Ken Bergeron, a physicist who has worked on nuclear reactor accident simulation.
"We're in uncharted territory," he said.
The reactor has been shut down but the concern is the heat in the core, which can melt if it's not cooled. If the core melts through the reactor vessel, Bergeron explained, it could flow onto the floor of the containment building. If that happens, the structure likely will fail, the experts said.
"The containment building at this plant is certainly stronger than that at Chernobyl but a lot less strong than at Three Mile Island, so time will tell," he said.
Peter Bradford, former head of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said that if the cooling attempts fail, "at that point it's a Chernobyl-like situation where you start dumping in sand and cement."
The two worst nuclear accidents on record are the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine and the partial core meltdown of the Three Mile Island reactor in the US state of Pennsylvania in 1979.
Another expert said the Japanese accident will rank as one of the three worst in history.
"If it continues, if they don't get control of this and... we go from a partial meltdown of the core to a full meltdown, this will be a complete disaster," Joseph Cirincione, the head of the Ploughshares Fund, said in an interview on CNN.
More
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