TRANSMISSION BUILDER/MECHANIC NEEDED
We are looking for a Transmission Builder/Mechanic at our shop located in Salisbury. Must have own tools, transportation, and must be reliable. This is a position where you can be your own boss. This a 50/50 split on labor rates. For further details please contact Cecil Snyder @ 410-804-6721
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, April 16, 2012
City of Salisbury FY13 Budget
Mayor’s Budget Message
Citizens, Taxpayers and Salisbury City Council:
Citizens of Salisbury deserve a comprehensive assessment of the financial state of the City. This FY 2013 budget message explains the impact of assessable base losses over the past 3 years, the reduction in the size of the city government to offset those losses, the fiscally conservative spending directions of this administration, and the amount of surplus savings the City has banked in the recent past.
Fiscal Year Ended
Actual
% Change from
30-Jun
Value
Previous Year
2004
$1,458,135,767
6.1%
2005
$1,585,794,577
8.8%
2006
$1,679,233,266
5.9%
2007
$1,832,493,066
9.1%
2008
$2,079,779,681
13.5%
2009
$2,300,114,378
10.6%
2010
$2,501,327,556
8.7%
2011
$2,330,729,348
-6.8%
2012 (EST)
$2,130,550,825
-8.6%
2013 (EST)
$2,109,605,014
-1.0%
The chart above shows citizens the decrease in property values the City has experienced in 2011, and what the estimated losses are for the remainder of 2012 and 2013. Since FY 2011 there has been a decrease of $221 Million in assessable base. This equates to $1.728 million dollars in lost property tax revenue to the City. Our assessable base has shrunk 16.4% in 3 years.
In this FY 2013 budget, it is clear that my administration continues to shrink the size of government. Department heads have slashed $1.6 million from their operating budgets during the period of FY10-FY13. Again, our employees, through General Fund budget cuts, furlough days, and frozen or unfunded positions have saved taxpayers $4.622 million. City government is operating, this year, at 2008 levels with fewer employees yet with identical dollars.
I will not ask City employees to take furlough days again this year. I am proposing a 3% increase in health insurance costs to our employees.
Though the City is slowly emerging from the economic downturn, my priority continues to remain in the most critical areas of importance to our citizens: Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, Infrastructure and Neighborhood Integrity.
In the area of taxes and fees there will be no increase in water and sewer rates from the City this year. There will be no increase in landlord registration fees. After 4 consecutive years of no property tax increases, I am proposing a 1.5¢ increase on the property tax rate from 81.9 cents to 83.4 cents per $100 dollars of assessed property value.
This FY 2013 budget invests in city priorities in the following ways:
Law Enforcement
168K – 5 Police Vehicles and Equipment
31K – Police Officer 1 and Police Officer 1st class rank advancement
Emergency Medical Services
48K – 1 Ambulance
25K – Portable Radio Replacement (1/2 of radios)
Infrastructure and Neighborhood Integrity
50K – City-wide dam safety repairs
15K – S. Division Street bridge repairs
40K – 1 Sanitation Vehicle (Trash Truck)
35K – Waste Removable Vehicle (Dump Truck)
750K – Street Maintenance Program
512K – Street paving
201K – Street sweeping
864K – Street lighting
50K – Structural Inspection and repairs on Salisbury Marina piers/bulk heading
7.5K – City Wide Playground Maintenance
The City of Salisbury maintains, on behalf of its taxpayers, a budget surplus in both its General Fund and in the Water and Sewer utility. Since 2007 the City has put an average of $887K in General Fund surplus each year. The chart below indicates the calendar year and the amount of tax dollars put into surplus by the city.
General Fund
Change in Surplus
FY07-FY11
FY07
603,992
FY08
1,983,070
FY09
2,260,108
FY10
(1,048,161)
FY11
635,587
$886,919
Average addition to surplus for the last 5 years.
The fiscally conservative and responsible way the City departments spend taxpayer dollars has allowed us to return unspent monies to the City surplus each year. Due to general accounting rules of budgeting the amount of surplus is not officially known until after the City audit is completed, a full 8 months after the budget for the next fiscal year is approved. If the audited financial statements for June 2012, which the city does not receive until December 2012, reflects a general fund surplus addition that meets or exceeds the 1.5¢ property tax increase that I recommend this year, I propose to refund city property owners the amount of the tax increase or lower the tax rate by the same amount in the FY2014 budget year. Of the $9.5 Million that Salisbury has in surplus presently, I am proposing that we spend $1.24 Million on capital improvements, city-wide paving projects and as an offset to the loss in property tax revenue.
Mayor James Ireton, Jr.
City of Salisbury
Publishers Notes: Tax hike, hitting surplus, budgeting based on one of the years of highest revenue (2008) yet revenues from real property are down significantly and worse next year, less employees yet same cost as 2008…leaves one scratching their head.
The Mayor does have veto power, so whatever budget is passed will probably be on the heads of Jim Ireton, Shanie Shields and Laura Mitchell. Whatever they want, they will ultimately get.
On a side note: Laura Mitchell says that she fought hard for the flush tax and wished it had been more. For those of you who voted for her, Idiots!
Citizens, Taxpayers and Salisbury City Council:
Citizens of Salisbury deserve a comprehensive assessment of the financial state of the City. This FY 2013 budget message explains the impact of assessable base losses over the past 3 years, the reduction in the size of the city government to offset those losses, the fiscally conservative spending directions of this administration, and the amount of surplus savings the City has banked in the recent past.
Fiscal Year Ended
Actual
% Change from
30-Jun
Value
Previous Year
2004
$1,458,135,767
6.1%
2005
$1,585,794,577
8.8%
2006
$1,679,233,266
5.9%
2007
$1,832,493,066
9.1%
2008
$2,079,779,681
13.5%
2009
$2,300,114,378
10.6%
2010
$2,501,327,556
8.7%
2011
$2,330,729,348
-6.8%
2012 (EST)
$2,130,550,825
-8.6%
2013 (EST)
$2,109,605,014
-1.0%
The chart above shows citizens the decrease in property values the City has experienced in 2011, and what the estimated losses are for the remainder of 2012 and 2013. Since FY 2011 there has been a decrease of $221 Million in assessable base. This equates to $1.728 million dollars in lost property tax revenue to the City. Our assessable base has shrunk 16.4% in 3 years.
In this FY 2013 budget, it is clear that my administration continues to shrink the size of government. Department heads have slashed $1.6 million from their operating budgets during the period of FY10-FY13. Again, our employees, through General Fund budget cuts, furlough days, and frozen or unfunded positions have saved taxpayers $4.622 million. City government is operating, this year, at 2008 levels with fewer employees yet with identical dollars.
I will not ask City employees to take furlough days again this year. I am proposing a 3% increase in health insurance costs to our employees.
Though the City is slowly emerging from the economic downturn, my priority continues to remain in the most critical areas of importance to our citizens: Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, Infrastructure and Neighborhood Integrity.
In the area of taxes and fees there will be no increase in water and sewer rates from the City this year. There will be no increase in landlord registration fees. After 4 consecutive years of no property tax increases, I am proposing a 1.5¢ increase on the property tax rate from 81.9 cents to 83.4 cents per $100 dollars of assessed property value.
This FY 2013 budget invests in city priorities in the following ways:
Law Enforcement
168K – 5 Police Vehicles and Equipment
31K – Police Officer 1 and Police Officer 1st class rank advancement
Emergency Medical Services
48K – 1 Ambulance
25K – Portable Radio Replacement (1/2 of radios)
Infrastructure and Neighborhood Integrity
50K – City-wide dam safety repairs
15K – S. Division Street bridge repairs
40K – 1 Sanitation Vehicle (Trash Truck)
35K – Waste Removable Vehicle (Dump Truck)
750K – Street Maintenance Program
512K – Street paving
201K – Street sweeping
864K – Street lighting
50K – Structural Inspection and repairs on Salisbury Marina piers/bulk heading
7.5K – City Wide Playground Maintenance
The City of Salisbury maintains, on behalf of its taxpayers, a budget surplus in both its General Fund and in the Water and Sewer utility. Since 2007 the City has put an average of $887K in General Fund surplus each year. The chart below indicates the calendar year and the amount of tax dollars put into surplus by the city.
General Fund
Change in Surplus
FY07-FY11
FY07
603,992
FY08
1,983,070
FY09
2,260,108
FY10
(1,048,161)
FY11
635,587
$886,919
Average addition to surplus for the last 5 years.
The fiscally conservative and responsible way the City departments spend taxpayer dollars has allowed us to return unspent monies to the City surplus each year. Due to general accounting rules of budgeting the amount of surplus is not officially known until after the City audit is completed, a full 8 months after the budget for the next fiscal year is approved. If the audited financial statements for June 2012, which the city does not receive until December 2012, reflects a general fund surplus addition that meets or exceeds the 1.5¢ property tax increase that I recommend this year, I propose to refund city property owners the amount of the tax increase or lower the tax rate by the same amount in the FY2014 budget year. Of the $9.5 Million that Salisbury has in surplus presently, I am proposing that we spend $1.24 Million on capital improvements, city-wide paving projects and as an offset to the loss in property tax revenue.
Mayor James Ireton, Jr.
City of Salisbury
Publishers Notes: Tax hike, hitting surplus, budgeting based on one of the years of highest revenue (2008) yet revenues from real property are down significantly and worse next year, less employees yet same cost as 2008…leaves one scratching their head.
The Mayor does have veto power, so whatever budget is passed will probably be on the heads of Jim Ireton, Shanie Shields and Laura Mitchell. Whatever they want, they will ultimately get.
On a side note: Laura Mitchell says that she fought hard for the flush tax and wished it had been more. For those of you who voted for her, Idiots!
New Posts to fall below.
Look Who's Really Guilty in Trayvon Martin Case
Poll: 75% of Americans lay blame in not-so-surprising place
Editor’s note: This is another in a series of WND/WENZEL POLLS conducted exclusively for WND by the public-opinion research and media consulting company Wenzel Strategies.
Americans already have delivered a judgment in the death of Trayvon Martin in Florida, not so much on whether the blame falls on the black teen or on defendant George Zimmerman, but on the media’s coverage of the case.
A new Wenzel Poll conducted exclusively for WND by the public-opinion research and media-consulting company Wenzel Strategies, shows three in four registered voters believe the media’s coverage of the story has made the nation more racially divided.
In the national telephone poll, conducted April 9-12 with a margin of error of 3.42 percent, some 77 percent said the way the media has covered the case has produced a “more polarized nation.”
Only 11 percent of voters said the coverage increased racial harmony, and 12 percent said there was no effect.
The Biggest Tech Breakthrough In 50 Years
There are somewhere between two and three billion computers in the world right now.
And every last one is about to become obsolete.
Sorry, but yes, that goes for the computer you're using to read this.
It's a fundamental redesign of computing power that has been 50 years in the making.
You could probably manage to hang on to your current computer for a year or two, if you're patient.
But once your friends and neighbors start showing off the incredible speed and power of their new gadgets, or it turns out that incredible new software you've been eyeing won't run on your current computer, well, it's only a matter of time until you'll sign up this game-changing upgrade.
And consumer upgrades are just the beginning.
More
And every last one is about to become obsolete.
Sorry, but yes, that goes for the computer you're using to read this.
It's a fundamental redesign of computing power that has been 50 years in the making.
You could probably manage to hang on to your current computer for a year or two, if you're patient.
But once your friends and neighbors start showing off the incredible speed and power of their new gadgets, or it turns out that incredible new software you've been eyeing won't run on your current computer, well, it's only a matter of time until you'll sign up this game-changing upgrade.
And consumer upgrades are just the beginning.
More
Obama in Colombia: ‘Part of My Job Is to Scout Out Where I May Want to Bring Michelle Back Later for Vacation’
Just two days after President Barack Obama gave a sharply edged response to news anchor Larry Conners of KMOV in St. Louis after Conners had asked the president about Americans who “get frustrated and even angered when they see the first family jetting around [to] different vacations and so forth,” Obama told a panel at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia that part of his job there was to scout out locations for a future vacation with First Lady Michelle Obama.
Obama was speaking on a panel with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff when he made the remarks. The panel was moderated by Chris Matthews of MSNBC.
More
Obama was speaking on a panel with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff when he made the remarks. The panel was moderated by Chris Matthews of MSNBC.
More
Gannett Stock Plummets - The Daily Times Parent Company
Today - Gannett Corportion stock - (GCI Trading symbol) - took a bath as the 1st Quarter 2012 earnings declined by a whooping 25%. Gannett cannot seem to get a handle on their declining sales and thus their stock value continues an abysmal performance. Today's stock value dropped 7.65% on declining revenues. For more information click here: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/gannett-q1-profit-declines-25-but-tops-view-shares-down-20120416-00929
Cheney: Obama "Has Been An Unmitigated Disaster To The Country"
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney walked onstage without any assistance and spoke for an hour and 15 minutes without seeming to tire in his first public engagement since he underwent a heart transplant three weeks ago.
"He has been an unmitigated disaster to the country," Cheney said of President Barack Obama.
More
"He has been an unmitigated disaster to the country," Cheney said of President Barack Obama.
More
Tobacco Cos. Make Payments Under State Settlement
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The nation's top cigarette companies have made their payments as part of the 25-year settlement in which some cigarette makers are paying states for smoking-related health care costs.
Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest cigarette maker owned by Altria Group Inc., said Monday that it made its full annual payment of about $3.5 billion as part of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement.
The Richmond-based maker of Marlboro, Virginia Slims and Parliament cigarettes said the payment includes about $206 million that it says it doesn't owe that was deposited into a separate account and will try to get back through negotiations or arbitration.
Insight: Top Justice Officials Connected To Mortgage Banks
(Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, were partners for years at a Washington law firm that represented a Who's Who of big banks and other companies at the center of alleged foreclosure fraud, a Reuters inquiry shows.
The firm, Covington & Burling, is one of Washington's biggest white shoe law firms. Law professors and other federal ethics experts said that federal conflict of interest rules required Holder and Breuer to recuse themselves from any Justice Department decisions relating to law firm clients they personally had done work for.
Both the Justice Department and Covington declined to say if either official had personally worked on matters for the big mortgage industry clients. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Holder and Breuer had complied fully with conflict of interest regulations, but she declined to say if they had recused themselves from any matters related to the former clients.
Reuters reported in December that under Holder and Breuer, the Justice Department hasn't brought any criminal cases against big banks or other companies involved in mortgage servicing, even though copious evidence has surfaced of apparent criminal violations in foreclosure cases.
The evidence, including records from federal and state courts and local clerks' offices around the country, shows widespread forgery, perjury, obstruction of justice, and illegal foreclosures on the homes of thousands of active-duty military personnel.
More
The firm, Covington & Burling, is one of Washington's biggest white shoe law firms. Law professors and other federal ethics experts said that federal conflict of interest rules required Holder and Breuer to recuse themselves from any Justice Department decisions relating to law firm clients they personally had done work for.
Both the Justice Department and Covington declined to say if either official had personally worked on matters for the big mortgage industry clients. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Holder and Breuer had complied fully with conflict of interest regulations, but she declined to say if they had recused themselves from any matters related to the former clients.
Reuters reported in December that under Holder and Breuer, the Justice Department hasn't brought any criminal cases against big banks or other companies involved in mortgage servicing, even though copious evidence has surfaced of apparent criminal violations in foreclosure cases.
The evidence, including records from federal and state courts and local clerks' offices around the country, shows widespread forgery, perjury, obstruction of justice, and illegal foreclosures on the homes of thousands of active-duty military personnel.
More
Don't Wait for Social Security Check in the Mail
Starting next year, the check will no longer be in the mail for millions of people who receive Social Security and other government benefits.
The federal government, which issues 73 million payments a month, is phasing out paper checks for all benefit programs, requiring people to get payments electronically, either through direct deposit or a debit card for those without a bank account.
Can The Daily Times Be Any More Desperate?
CRIME: Blogger pleads guilty in traffic caseSALISBURY — A local blogger pleaded guilty in Wicomico County District Court on Thursday to a charge of failure to control speed to avoid a collision.
Joe Albero, a 49-year-old Delmar resident, received probation before judgment for causing a Jan. 31 two-vehicle crash that sent a 57-year-old man to the hospital. The victim was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center and treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Albero was issued a traffic citation and requested a trial in late February. On Thursday, he was ordered to pay a $97 fine and $33 in court costs.
Link
REALLY, CRIME?
Have you ever been made to feel a criminal for being in an accident? Were you published in the Daily Times for an accident?
The Daily Times fails to mention I have no points on my license. They failed to mention this is the first accident I've been in over the 35 years I've been behind the wheel.
Oh well, obviously I'm a bigger celebrity that I ever felt I deserved to be but hey, it's whatever.
Keeping The News In Perspective
An easy guide to keeping political news in perspective...
1. The Wall Street Journal is read by the people who run the country.
2. The Washington Post is read by people who think they run the country.
3. The New York Times is read by people who think they should run the country, and who are very good at crossword puzzles.
4. USA Today is read by people who think they ought to run the country but don't really understand The New York Times. They do, however, like their statistics shown in pie charts.
5. The Los Angeles Times is read by people who wouldn't mind running the country, if they could find the time - and if they didn't have to leave Southern California to do it.
6. The Boston Globe is read by people whose parents used to run the country.
7. The New York Daily News is read by people who aren't too sure who's running the country and don't really care as long as they can get a seat on the train.
8. The New York Post is read by people who don't care who is running the country as long as they do something really scandalous, preferably while intoxicated.
9. The Miami Herald is read by people who are running another country but need the baseball scores.
10. The San Francisco Chronicle is read by people who aren't sure if there is a country or that anyone is running it; but if so, they oppose all that they stand for. There are occasional exceptions if the leaders are handicapped, minority, feminist, atheist dwarfs who also happen to be illegal aliens from any other country or galaxy, provided, of course, that they are not Republicans.
11. The National Enquirer is read by people trapped in line at the grocery store.
12. The Salisbury Daily Times is read by people who have recently caught a fish and need something to wrap it in.
1. The Wall Street Journal is read by the people who run the country.
2. The Washington Post is read by people who think they run the country.
3. The New York Times is read by people who think they should run the country, and who are very good at crossword puzzles.
4. USA Today is read by people who think they ought to run the country but don't really understand The New York Times. They do, however, like their statistics shown in pie charts.
5. The Los Angeles Times is read by people who wouldn't mind running the country, if they could find the time - and if they didn't have to leave Southern California to do it.
6. The Boston Globe is read by people whose parents used to run the country.
7. The New York Daily News is read by people who aren't too sure who's running the country and don't really care as long as they can get a seat on the train.
8. The New York Post is read by people who don't care who is running the country as long as they do something really scandalous, preferably while intoxicated.
9. The Miami Herald is read by people who are running another country but need the baseball scores.
10. The San Francisco Chronicle is read by people who aren't sure if there is a country or that anyone is running it; but if so, they oppose all that they stand for. There are occasional exceptions if the leaders are handicapped, minority, feminist, atheist dwarfs who also happen to be illegal aliens from any other country or galaxy, provided, of course, that they are not Republicans.
11. The National Enquirer is read by people trapped in line at the grocery store.
12. The Salisbury Daily Times is read by people who have recently caught a fish and need something to wrap it in.
Optical Illusion
If you take a look at the following picture, let me tell
you .... it is not animated. Your eyes are making it move. To test
this, stare at one spot for a couple seconds and everything will
stop moving. Or look at the black center of each circle and it will
stop moving. But move your eyes to the next black center and the
previous will move after you take your eyes away from it Weird ?
Tax Deadline Delayed
Emancipation Day is providing you with a little more time to file your taxes.
This year’s tax deadline is tomorrow, April 17th, two days later than the typical April 15th deadline.
More
This year’s tax deadline is tomorrow, April 17th, two days later than the typical April 15th deadline.
More
House Panel Kicks off Wave of Hearings on GSA Spending Controversy
Congress will kick off a wave of what are likely to be contentious hearings Monday on the spending habits of the General Services Administration, as lawmakers try to uncover how the agency blew through $820,000 on a Las Vegas conference.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, one of four panels probing the incident, has set the first hearing for Monday afternoon. The panel has called some of the top current and former GSA officials to testify, though at least one is expected to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to answer questions.
Key In Ignition Of Parked Car Ruled Enough For Drunken-Driving Charge
A routine case in Alexandria of an intoxicated man apparently asleep behind the wheel of his parked car has led to an unprecedented ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court that going forward, if someone is intoxicated behind the wheel of a parked car and the key is in the ignition, the driver automatically is guilty of drunken driving.
Alexandria police officers found Jean Paul Enriquez apparently asleep behind the wheel of a Toyota, illegally parked in a bus zone, early in the morning on Sept. 18, 2009. Knocking on the driver’s side window, sun roof and roof did not arouse him — nor did a flashlight shined in his face.
When he finally was roused and got out of the car, Officer Aloysius Asonglefac “could smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and “a strong odor of marijuana” coming from the car. Mr. Enriquez appeared “confused,” “didn’t seem to [k]now where he was,” thought “he was in Arlington,” was “going to see his girlfriend” but was not sure “as to where his girlfriend was,” according to court documents. He failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest.
A drunken driving conviction was upheld by the state Court of Appeals.
More
Alexandria police officers found Jean Paul Enriquez apparently asleep behind the wheel of a Toyota, illegally parked in a bus zone, early in the morning on Sept. 18, 2009. Knocking on the driver’s side window, sun roof and roof did not arouse him — nor did a flashlight shined in his face.
When he finally was roused and got out of the car, Officer Aloysius Asonglefac “could smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and “a strong odor of marijuana” coming from the car. Mr. Enriquez appeared “confused,” “didn’t seem to [k]now where he was,” thought “he was in Arlington,” was “going to see his girlfriend” but was not sure “as to where his girlfriend was,” according to court documents. He failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest.
A drunken driving conviction was upheld by the state Court of Appeals.
More
This Day In History
Apr 16, 1943: Hallucinogenic effects of LSD discovered
In Basel, Switzerland, Albert Hoffman, a Swiss chemist working at the Sandoz pharmaceutical research laboratory, accidentally consumes LSD-25, a synthetic drug he had created in 1938 as part of his research into the medicinal value of lysergic acid compounds. After taking the drug, formally known as lysergic acid diethylamide, Dr. Hoffman was disturbed by unusual sensations and hallucinations. In his notes, he related the experience:
"Last Friday, April 16, 1943, I was forced to interrupt my work in the laboratory in the middle of the afternoon and proceed home, being affected by a remarkable restlessness, combined with a slight dizziness. At home I lay down and sank into a not unpleasant, intoxicated-like condition characterized by an extremely stimulated imagination. In a dreamlike state, with eyes closed (I found the daylight to be unpleasantly glaring), I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors. After some two hours this condition faded away."
Obama Raises $53 Million In March
President Obama's re-election campaign pulled in $53 million in March, Obama for America announced Monday morning.
The campaign, now required to report fundraising figures to the Federal Election Commission each month, featured individual, small donors in a video announcing the March figure.
More
The campaign, now required to report fundraising figures to the Federal Election Commission each month, featured individual, small donors in a video announcing the March figure.
More
New Health-Care Mandate: Send Parents to Doctor
There’s a potential new health-care mandate developing in the state of California, where lawmakers want to crack down on parents to have concerns over the state-required vaccine injections for their children.
Unrelated to Obamacare, but instead coming from a state health-care push, the proposal, AB 2109 by Assemblyman Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, “seeks to rein in parents who object to mandatory vaccines for students,” according to officials with the Pacific Justice Institute.
British Member Of Parliament Puts $16 Million Bounty On Obama, George W. Bush
British Lord Nazir Ahmed put a £10 million ($16 million) bounty on both President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush Friday, according to The Express Tribune, an English language Pakistani newspaper.
Nazir, who is of Pakistani heritage and a member of the British House of Lords, reportedly made the comments while at a reception in Haripur, a Pakistani city 4o miles north of Islamabad. Nazir told the audience that he was putting the bounty out for the capture of the American leaders in response to the bounty placed on Hafiz Muhammad Saeed by the United States.
“If the U.S. can announce a reward of $10 million for the captor of Hafiz Saeed, I can announce a bounty of 10 million pounds on President Obama and his predecessor George Bush,” Nazir reportedly said.
More
Nazir, who is of Pakistani heritage and a member of the British House of Lords, reportedly made the comments while at a reception in Haripur, a Pakistani city 4o miles north of Islamabad. Nazir told the audience that he was putting the bounty out for the capture of the American leaders in response to the bounty placed on Hafiz Muhammad Saeed by the United States.
“If the U.S. can announce a reward of $10 million for the captor of Hafiz Saeed, I can announce a bounty of 10 million pounds on President Obama and his predecessor George Bush,” Nazir reportedly said.
More
What If The Prostitutes Were Male?
I’m confused about this scandal developing over Secret Service and U.S. military personnel paying for sex in a country where prostitution is legal.
Would it be all right with U.S. authorities and the media if the same personnel had non-commercial consensual sex with women in their hotel rooms?
What if the prostitutes were male?
Exactly what is the current ethos for sexual impropriety among Secret Service agents and U.S. military personnel in 2012?
For instance, is it all right for U.S. military service members to fool around with members of the same sex, but not the opposite sex?
Is the exchange of money the problem?
The Hatch Act
A bill to reform the Hatch Act could get a hearing this week. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) is pushing his Oversight and Government Reform Committee to consider the Hatch Act Modernization Act. The bill would give the government new options for dealing with feds who break the rules about political activity. It would also let state and local government employees run for elective office. Cummings is the committee's ranking member. He's written a letter to Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) asking the panel to consider the bill in its Wednesday business meeting.
Irene Officially Retired
The World Meteorogical Organization retired the name "Irene" from the list of possible storm names. Storm names are usually reused every six years, but they decided not to recycle Irene because of the widespread damage and fatalities associated with the storm. The hurricane killed 49 people, covering a wide swath from the Dominican Republic to the Northeastern U.S.
The Agriculture Department To Back Off Poultry Plants
The Agriculture Department defended its plan to reduce inspections at poultry plants. Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator Alfred Almanza said the proposal would allow inspectors to focus on food-borne illnesses. He wrote a blog post in response to widespread fears that the plan could endanger food safety. Almanza said the proposal came after 13 years of study. It would save USDA $90 million over three years and cut up to 800 government inspectors.
Secret Service Scandal Deepens; 11 Placed on Leave
CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) - An embarrassing scandal involving prostitutes and Secret Service agents deepened Saturday as 11 agents were placed on leave, and the agency designed to protect President Barack Obama had to offer regret for the mess overshadowing his diplomatic mission to Latin America.
The controversy also expanded to the U.S. military, which announced five service members staying at the same hotel as the agents in Colombia may have been involved in misconduct as well. They were confined to their quarters in Colombia and ordered not to have contact with others.
Dog Found On Meadow Brisge Road In Fruitland
Please call Charley 302 604 2022 or George 410-603-7032.
Former GSA Officials To Appear Before House Committee Today
Oversight and Government Reform Committee subpoenaed Jeff Neely, PBS region 9 commissioner, to appear today. PBS Deputy Commissioner David Foley and former Administrator Martha Johnson are also on the witness list. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also is expected to hear from GSA Deputy Administrator Susan Brita, CFO Alison Doone and event planner Lisa Daniels.
More
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Maryland Metal Scrap Law May Still Have Holes
WASHINGTON — They’ve robbed graves and construction sites, churches and schools. They’ve taken statues from bases and ordinary pipes right out of the walls. But even a new law designed to curb scrap metal thieves seems to have barely slowed them down.
Brian Sclar, the president of the metal recycling business Frederick Reliable, has his workers follow the law, viewing and recording full identification of sellers and photographing all the scrap they’re selling, but said it doesn’t seem to have put a dent in the problem.
Brian Sclar, the president of the metal recycling business Frederick Reliable, has his workers follow the law, viewing and recording full identification of sellers and photographing all the scrap they’re selling, but said it doesn’t seem to have put a dent in the problem.
“I don’t think it has been a huge deterrent,” he said, referring to the number of copper thefts in Maryland. “But I do think it has been very effective in solving a number of copper theft crimes.”
In February, six men were arrested for the theft of about $31,500 worth of copper wire belonging to Verizon in Aspen Hill, the most recent in a long string of copper thefts in Maryland. The suspects were caught in the act, using a bucket truck to take more than 1,800 feet of copper wire from telephone poles.
Simple Tax Advice For Filing Late
WASHINGTON - The clock is ticking toward the midnight tax filing deadline. But, if you haven't done your taxes yet or a complication has arisen, don't panic.
Just file an extension.
"Rather than stressing to make sure you get it in on time and make mistakes, file an extension," says Eva Rosenberg, known on the Internet as TaxMama.
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Just file an extension.
"Rather than stressing to make sure you get it in on time and make mistakes, file an extension," says Eva Rosenberg, known on the Internet as TaxMama.
More
Weak Job Numbers Raise Pressure on Fed to Consider New Stimulus
Disappointing jobs data is driving fresh speculation over whether the Federal Reserve might take extra moves to boost the economy.
If recent reports are an indication that the economy may be losing steam, the central bank could feel compelled to act with another policy move that could boost markets but also expose it and its chairman, Ben Bernanke, to even more political scrutiny.
The Labor Department reported earlier this month that the economy added just 120,000 jobs in March, well below expectations and snapping a three-month streak of strong job gains.
Gay Marriage Referendum: Churches, Politics, And Tax Exempt Status In Maryland
Since 1954, when congress passed a law that prohibited tax exempt charities and churches from political campaign activity, there has been an increasingly hands-off relationship between churches and politics. Churches until that time were the leaders of the great movements in American history, including the issues of our independence from Britain, slavery, women’s suffrage, labor law, and civil rights.
In Maryland, the Democrats have always and continue to utilize the black churches as a platform, while churches outside of Baltimore City and the most liberal districts cower under the threat of losing tax exempt status. How this polarity came to pass in one-party Maryland can only be surmised, but this year may see the start of a closing of that partisan gap in pastoral fear.
The Maryland Marriage Alliance (MMA), which is not a tax-exempt organization, has partnered with MDPetitions.com to lead the referendum petition against the Gay Marriage bill in the state. Its primary strategy has been to work through the churches across Maryland to hold petition training and signing events after masses and at other church functions. It has reached black churches which have been out-of-reach to the Republican Party for decades, although blacks very often agree with conservative issues, especially in the religious black community.
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In Maryland, the Democrats have always and continue to utilize the black churches as a platform, while churches outside of Baltimore City and the most liberal districts cower under the threat of losing tax exempt status. How this polarity came to pass in one-party Maryland can only be surmised, but this year may see the start of a closing of that partisan gap in pastoral fear.
The Maryland Marriage Alliance (MMA), which is not a tax-exempt organization, has partnered with MDPetitions.com to lead the referendum petition against the Gay Marriage bill in the state. Its primary strategy has been to work through the churches across Maryland to hold petition training and signing events after masses and at other church functions. It has reached black churches which have been out-of-reach to the Republican Party for decades, although blacks very often agree with conservative issues, especially in the religious black community.
More
Filipino Aactivists Deface Entrance of US Embassy
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Left-wing protesters in the Philippines have splattered paint on the seal of the U.S. Embassy to demand a pullout of American troops taking part in annual war games.
About 70 student activists took police and embassy guards by surprise early Monday when they threw blue-and-red paint at the seaside mission's main gate and scrawled "U.S. troops out now." They also chipped away letters from the bronze signage and burned a mock American flag.
No arrests were made as protesters outnumbered police and later walked away.
Yesterday's Daily Times Article Whereby The DT Endorses Severe Tax Increases For Wicomico Residents
Take-a-look at the last sentence in yesterday's Daily Times whereby they endorse severe tax increases!
One can visually see the liberal agenda emanating from The Daily Times editorial staff.
Once again - The Daily Times holds true to their liberal bias - read on
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120415/OPINION01/204150324/Wicomico-gets-double-budget-fun-FY-2013?odyssey=modnewswelltextfrontpagep
One can visually see the liberal agenda emanating from The Daily Times editorial staff.
Once again - The Daily Times holds true to their liberal bias - read on
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120415/OPINION01/204150324/Wicomico-gets-double-budget-fun-FY-2013?odyssey=modnewswelltextfrontpagep
Report: Labour Probes Lord Over Obama Bounty Claim
LONDON (AP) - Britain's Press Association and other British media say a Labour Party member of the House of Lords has been suspended while the party investigates reports that he offered a 10 million pound ($16 million) bounty for the capture of President Barack Obama.
Nazir Ahmed has denied making the comments, which were reported by press in Pakistan during a visit to that country.
17 Wicomico Teams To Compete In Destination ImagiNation State Tournament At UMBC Saturday, April 14
Seventeen teams from Wicomico County Public Schools will compete in the Maryland Destination ImagiNation State Tournament on Saturday, April 14 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in Catonsville. The event is open to spectators to watch the central challenge of all teams.
You will see many clever solutions to this year’s challenges. Teams that finish on top at states can then earn the right to advance to represent the state of Maryland at Global Finals in May at the University of Tennessee. Destination ImagiNation (DI) is a student centered, technology friendly, international organization for kindergarten through college students. It teaches life skills and expands imaginations through team-based creative problem solving. Destination ImagiNation emphasizes creativity, teamwork and problem solving.
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You will see many clever solutions to this year’s challenges. Teams that finish on top at states can then earn the right to advance to represent the state of Maryland at Global Finals in May at the University of Tennessee. Destination ImagiNation (DI) is a student centered, technology friendly, international organization for kindergarten through college students. It teaches life skills and expands imaginations through team-based creative problem solving. Destination ImagiNation emphasizes creativity, teamwork and problem solving.
More
Maryland Delegate Wants Special Judges for Traffic Offenses
WASHINGTON - The District led the way. Maryland almost followed suit.
Hearing officers control the fate of people in D.C. when it comes to almost all traffic cases, including red light and speed camera tickets.
Tiffany Alston, a Prince George's delegate to the General Assembly, sponsored a bill calling for special masters in Maryland to judge non-jailable traffic offenses.
"Right now in the state, we have a deficit in judges," she said.
SU MEN’S LAX STAYS UNDEFEATED, BUT BARELY: UPDATE
Under the lights last night at Stevenson, the top ranked Sea Gulls capped a real come-from-behind rally in the fourth quarter with a goal in the final seconds to beat the number 4 ranked Mustangs 11-10.
A podcast of the game is on-line at SFMsports.net. Here’s a recap of the action.
Salisbury's Matt Cannone scored his fourth goal of the game with just 11 seconds remaining to cap an 8-1 rally, as the No. 1-ranked Sea Gulls rallied from a six-goal deficit over the final 15:45 to post an 11-10 victory over fourth-ranked Stevenson Saturday night at Mustang Stadium.
Stevenson led 9-3 with 52 seconds remaining in the third quarter following the second goal of the game from freshman Stephen Banick off an assist from sophomore defender Warren Pumphrey.
However, Salisbury (15-0, 7-0 CAC) scored the next three goals in a span of just 1:01, including two from Tony Mendes, to pull within three at 9-6. Mendes, Matt Cannone and Ryan Clarke combined to score the last eight goals for the Sea Gulls with three each coming from Cannone and Mendes. Cannone also had a game-high five points with four goals and one assist while Mendes also netted four goals. Clarke had two goals and two assists.
Salisbury outscored the Mustangs 6-1 in the fourth quarter while winning 6 of 7 face-offs and holding a 13-2 edge in shots. For the game, the Sea Gulls won 14 of 21 face-offs and outshot Stevenson 39-28, including 24-11 in the second half.
The game featured 18 penalities including for a total of 16:30, but neither team could capitalize as they went a combined 3-17 on extra-man opportunities. The two teams also combined for three man-down goals.
Stevenson sophomore Chris Dashiell (Salisbury, Md./Parkside High School) had two goals for the Mustangs.
A podcast of the game is on-line at SFMsports.net. Here’s a recap of the action.
Salisbury's Matt Cannone scored his fourth goal of the game with just 11 seconds remaining to cap an 8-1 rally, as the No. 1-ranked Sea Gulls rallied from a six-goal deficit over the final 15:45 to post an 11-10 victory over fourth-ranked Stevenson Saturday night at Mustang Stadium.
Stevenson led 9-3 with 52 seconds remaining in the third quarter following the second goal of the game from freshman Stephen Banick off an assist from sophomore defender Warren Pumphrey.
However, Salisbury (15-0, 7-0 CAC) scored the next three goals in a span of just 1:01, including two from Tony Mendes, to pull within three at 9-6. Mendes, Matt Cannone and Ryan Clarke combined to score the last eight goals for the Sea Gulls with three each coming from Cannone and Mendes. Cannone also had a game-high five points with four goals and one assist while Mendes also netted four goals. Clarke had two goals and two assists.
Salisbury outscored the Mustangs 6-1 in the fourth quarter while winning 6 of 7 face-offs and holding a 13-2 edge in shots. For the game, the Sea Gulls won 14 of 21 face-offs and outshot Stevenson 39-28, including 24-11 in the second half.
The game featured 18 penalities including for a total of 16:30, but neither team could capitalize as they went a combined 3-17 on extra-man opportunities. The two teams also combined for three man-down goals.
Stevenson sophomore Chris Dashiell (Salisbury, Md./Parkside High School) had two goals for the Mustangs.
Dole Recalls Bagged Salad for Salmonella Risk
MONTEREY, Calif. - Dole Food Co. said late Saturday that its fresh vegetables division is recalling 756 cases of bagged salad, because they could be contaminated with salmonella.
The bags of Seven Lettuces salad are stamped with a use-by date of April 11, 2012, UPC code 71430 01057 and product codes 0577N089112A and 0577N089112B, the company said.
The product code and use-by date are located in the upper right-hand corner of the package, while the UPC code is on the back of the package, below the barcode.
The salads were distributed in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
SU MEN’S LAX STAYS UNDEFEATED, BUT BARELY
Under the lights last night at Stevenson, the top ranked Sea Gulls capped a real come-from-behind rally in the fourth quarter with a goal in the final seconds to beat the number 4 ranked Mustangs 11-10. More to follow.
A podcast of the game is on-line at SFMsports.net
Senator Mark Chelgrin Wants Child Support Recipients To Be Drug Tested
Iowa State Senator Mark Chelgrin introduced legislation to require people who receive child support payments to be drug tested too. Chelgrin said he's introducing the legislation on behalf of an anonymous constituent who believes their ex is using child support money for drugs.
Small Businesses Are Getting Shafted
Giant transnational corporate tax dodgers are costing small businesses thousands of dollars. Not only have 26 major American corporations used tax loopholes to avoid paying any federal taxes over the last four years, but roughly $60 billion in revenue is lost every single year thanks to corporations stashing cash in offshore bank accounts. And guess where that money has to be recouped from – working people and small businesses.
According to a new report by the U.S. PIRG – corporate tax dodgers cost every small business more than $2,000 each every year. As the PIRG report says, "Instead of competing on a level playing field, small businesses and those without offshore tax havens must pick up the extra tax tab and compete against the artificially lower costs of multinational companies using tax havens." You can see the effect of this unfair competition in Main Streets across America – where small businesses have shuttered – and massive corporate chains have set up shop. These giants are eating our towns.
According to a new report by the U.S. PIRG – corporate tax dodgers cost every small business more than $2,000 each every year. As the PIRG report says, "Instead of competing on a level playing field, small businesses and those without offshore tax havens must pick up the extra tax tab and compete against the artificially lower costs of multinational companies using tax havens." You can see the effect of this unfair competition in Main Streets across America – where small businesses have shuttered – and massive corporate chains have set up shop. These giants are eating our towns.
Court Rules In Favor Of Allowing Political Ads On Public Television
The public airwaves are about to get inundated by corporate political ads. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down an FCC ban on political advertising on public TV and radio stations – arguing that the ban violates the First Amendment. Originally the ban was imposed to protect the educational nature of public broadcasting stations – keeping the airwaves free from advertising for goods and services and issue advocacy. But as Judge Carlos Bea wrote in his ruling, "Public issue and political speech in particular are at the very core of the First Amendment's protection." This is essentially the same reasoning that the Supreme Court used to give corporations unlimited power to spend as much money as they'd like in our elections. So now – when you listen to NPR expect a wave of corporate ads pushing to repeal Obamacare, expand fracking, and cut down Wall Street regulations. The public airwaves are about to become Karl Rove's litter box. This could also mean the death of investigative journalism – as more and more public media outlets become beholden to corporate sponsors and decide not to bite the hand that feeds them. Our public TV and radio airwaves are just the latest portion of our commons to be hijacked by corporations that are solely interested in boosting their profits rather than providing for the common good. Stay tuned.
Romney Assures NRA of Support For Gun Rights
St. Louis - As he seeks to inspire the conservative base ahead of the general election, Mitt Romney spoke to the National Rifle Association on Friday, seeking the support of a powerful group that has not always warmed up to him.
As governor of Massachusetts, he backed laws that are anathema to the national gun lobby — an assault weapons ban and a waiting period to buy firearms — and once engendered skepticism, if not outright hostility, from some gun owners.
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As governor of Massachusetts, he backed laws that are anathema to the national gun lobby — an assault weapons ban and a waiting period to buy firearms — and once engendered skepticism, if not outright hostility, from some gun owners.
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Secret Service Agents Relieved In Colombia Amid Prostitution aAlegations
Cartagena, Colombia (CNN) -- A group of Secret Service agents and officers sent to Colombia ahead of President Barack Obama were relieved of duty and returned home amid allegations of misconduct that involved prostitution, according to two U.S. government sources familiar the investigation.
The 11 Secret Service members -- both agents and uniformed officers -- were interviewed Saturday at the agency's Washington headquarters, after which they were placed on administrative leave, Assistant Director Paul Morrissey said in a statement.
They are under investigation after preliminary findings revealed that they brought back several prostitutes to the Hotel Caribe in Cartagena, sources told CNN on Saturday.
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The 11 Secret Service members -- both agents and uniformed officers -- were interviewed Saturday at the agency's Washington headquarters, after which they were placed on administrative leave, Assistant Director Paul Morrissey said in a statement.
They are under investigation after preliminary findings revealed that they brought back several prostitutes to the Hotel Caribe in Cartagena, sources told CNN on Saturday.
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Outrageous Frequent Flyer Perks For Preferred Airlines Customers
Airlines these days are trying to lure in preferred customers with frequent flyer rewards programs that have some pretty unusual perks. IdeaWorks, an airline consulting firm, recently reviewed the programs of over 150 airlines to find the world’s most unique rewards and come up with a list of some of wackiest. They almost make it worth it to spend $10,000 and more on a first class flight.
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Why The U.S. Is In So Much Trouble
A DC 'airport ticket agent' offers some examples of why the US is in so much trouble!
1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)
2. I got a call from a Kansas Congressman's (Moore) staffer (Howard Bauleke), who wanted to go to Cape Town. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information, and then he interrupted me with, ''I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Cape Town is in Massachusetts ..''
Without trying to make him look stupid, I calmly explained, ''Cape Cod is in Massachusetts , Cape Town is in South Africa ..''
His response -- click..
3. A senior Vermont Congressman (Bernie Sanders) called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state.
He replied, 'Don't lie to me!, I looked on the map, and Florida is a very THIN state!!'' (OMG)
4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife (Landra Reid) who asked, ''Is it possible to see England from Canada ?''
I said, ''No.''
She said, ''But they look so close on the map'' (OMG, again!)
5. An aide for a cabinet member (Janet Napolitano) once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas .. I pulled up the reservation and noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas ... When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, ''I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.'' (Aghhhh)
6. An Illinois Congresswoman (Jan Schakowsky) called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 a.m., and got to Chicago at 8:33 a.m.
I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.
7. A New York lawmaker, (Jerrold Nadler) called and asked, ''Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?'' I said, 'No, why do you ask?'
He replied, ''Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight. I think that's very rude!''
After putting him on hold for a minute, while I looked into it. (I was dying laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno , Ca. is (FAT - Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on his luggage..
8. A Senator John Kerry aide (Lindsay Ross) called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, ''Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii ?''
9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman, Bobby Bright from Ala. who asked, ''How do I know which plane to get on?''
I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ''I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.''
10 Senator Dianne Feinstein called and said, ''I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?''
I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola and fly on a commuter plane.
She said, ''Yeah, whatever, smarty!''
11 Mary Landrieu, La. Senator, called and had a question about the documents she needed in order to fly to China . After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded her that she needed a visa. "Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those.''
I double checked and sure enough, her stay required a visa. When I told her this she said, ''Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!''
12 A New Jersey Congressman (John Adler) called to make reservations, ''I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York .''
I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, ''Are you sure that's the name of the town?''
'Yes, what flights do you have?'' replied the man.
After some searching, I came back with, ''I'm sorry, sir, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a rhino anywhere."
''The man retorted, ''Oh, don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!''
So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, ''You don't mean Buffalo , do you?''
The reply? ''Whatever! I knew it was a big animal.''
Now you know why the Government is in the shape it's in!
Could ANYONE be this DUMB?
YES, THEY WALK AMONG US, ARE IN POLITICS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREED.
1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)
2. I got a call from a Kansas Congressman's (Moore) staffer (Howard Bauleke), who wanted to go to Cape Town. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information, and then he interrupted me with, ''I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Cape Town is in Massachusetts ..''
Without trying to make him look stupid, I calmly explained, ''Cape Cod is in Massachusetts , Cape Town is in South Africa ..''
His response -- click..
3. A senior Vermont Congressman (Bernie Sanders) called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state.
He replied, 'Don't lie to me!, I looked on the map, and Florida is a very THIN state!!'' (OMG)
4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife (Landra Reid) who asked, ''Is it possible to see England from Canada ?''
I said, ''No.''
She said, ''But they look so close on the map'' (OMG, again!)
5. An aide for a cabinet member (Janet Napolitano) once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas .. I pulled up the reservation and noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas ... When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, ''I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.'' (Aghhhh)
6. An Illinois Congresswoman (Jan Schakowsky) called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 a.m., and got to Chicago at 8:33 a.m.
I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.
7. A New York lawmaker, (Jerrold Nadler) called and asked, ''Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?'' I said, 'No, why do you ask?'
He replied, ''Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight. I think that's very rude!''
After putting him on hold for a minute, while I looked into it. (I was dying laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno , Ca. is (FAT - Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on his luggage..
8. A Senator John Kerry aide (Lindsay Ross) called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, ''Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii ?''
9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman, Bobby Bright from Ala. who asked, ''How do I know which plane to get on?''
I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ''I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.''
10 Senator Dianne Feinstein called and said, ''I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?''
I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola and fly on a commuter plane.
She said, ''Yeah, whatever, smarty!''
11 Mary Landrieu, La. Senator, called and had a question about the documents she needed in order to fly to China . After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded her that she needed a visa. "Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those.''
I double checked and sure enough, her stay required a visa. When I told her this she said, ''Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!''
12 A New Jersey Congressman (John Adler) called to make reservations, ''I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York .''
I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, ''Are you sure that's the name of the town?''
'Yes, what flights do you have?'' replied the man.
After some searching, I came back with, ''I'm sorry, sir, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a rhino anywhere."
''The man retorted, ''Oh, don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!''
So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, ''You don't mean Buffalo , do you?''
The reply? ''Whatever! I knew it was a big animal.''
Now you know why the Government is in the shape it's in!
Could ANYONE be this DUMB?
YES, THEY WALK AMONG US, ARE IN POLITICS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREED.
Detectives Investigate Accidental Death
Location: Savanna Auto Care, 74 Albe Drive, Newark, DE
Date of Occurrence: Friday, April 13, 2012 at 9:30 p.m.
Victim:
Nicholas P. Njenga, 31, Middletown, DE
Resume:
Newark, DE- Delaware State Police detectives are investigating the accidental death of a Middletown man that occurred Friday night.
The incident happened at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Friday (4/13) as Nicholas Njenga and a second subject were working on the hydraulic lift gate of a truck owned by Savanna Auto Care located in the unit block of Albe Drive in Newark. Detectives learned that as the victim was on top of the lift gate, the second subject crawled under the truck in order to troubleshoot a new hydraulic pump that the two had just installed. It was at this time that the hydraulic pump activated which caused the lift gate to rise. Nicholas Njenga was then pinned in between the gate and the truck. He was subsequently removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
This incident remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police.
Date of Occurrence: Friday, April 13, 2012 at 9:30 p.m.
Victim:
Nicholas P. Njenga, 31, Middletown, DE
Resume:
Newark, DE- Delaware State Police detectives are investigating the accidental death of a Middletown man that occurred Friday night.
The incident happened at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Friday (4/13) as Nicholas Njenga and a second subject were working on the hydraulic lift gate of a truck owned by Savanna Auto Care located in the unit block of Albe Drive in Newark. Detectives learned that as the victim was on top of the lift gate, the second subject crawled under the truck in order to troubleshoot a new hydraulic pump that the two had just installed. It was at this time that the hydraulic pump activated which caused the lift gate to rise. Nicholas Njenga was then pinned in between the gate and the truck. He was subsequently removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
This incident remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police.
Wilmington Man Arrested Following Carjacking And Pursuit
Location: Rite Aid, 2034 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, DE
Date of Occurrence: Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 2:20 p.m.
Victim:
43 year old New Castle, DE woman
Defendant and Charges:
Corey R. Bowers, 31, Wilmington, DE
Robbery 1st Degree
Carjacking
Numerous Traffic Charges
Arraignment information is not available at this time.
Resume:
New Castle, DE- Delaware State Police detectives have arrested a Wilmington man following a carjacking and vehicle pursuit that occurred this afternoon.
The incident began at approximately 2:20 p.m. this afternoon (4/14) as a 43 year old New Castle woman was entering her vehicle in the parking lot of the Rite Aid Pharmacy located in the 2000 block of New Castle Avenue in New Castle. It was at this time that a male suspect entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle and confronted the victim with a handgun. The suspect then demanded the victim’s keys and personal property and ordered the victim out of the car. The suspect then fled from the parking lot in the victim’s vehicle.
A short time later, officers responding to the area were advised by police dispatchers that a witness was following the victim’s vehicle and was relaying the location of the car to the 911 call center. Responding officers from the Delaware State Police, New Castle City Police Department, New Castle County Police Department, and the Wilmington Police Department located the vehicle on I-95 and began pursuing it into the city of Wilmington. The suspect collided with a number of vehicles in the area of Concord Avenue and Washington Street. He then fled from the vehicle on foot in the area of 23rd and Washington Streets before being apprehended by an officer from the Wilmington Police Department.
Corey Bowers was arrested and charged with the above listed crimes. His arraignment information is unavailable at this time. The victim was not injured.
Date of Occurrence: Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 2:20 p.m.
Victim:
43 year old New Castle, DE woman
Defendant and Charges:
Corey R. Bowers, 31, Wilmington, DE
Robbery 1st Degree
Carjacking
Numerous Traffic Charges
Arraignment information is not available at this time.
Resume:
New Castle, DE- Delaware State Police detectives have arrested a Wilmington man following a carjacking and vehicle pursuit that occurred this afternoon.
The incident began at approximately 2:20 p.m. this afternoon (4/14) as a 43 year old New Castle woman was entering her vehicle in the parking lot of the Rite Aid Pharmacy located in the 2000 block of New Castle Avenue in New Castle. It was at this time that a male suspect entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle and confronted the victim with a handgun. The suspect then demanded the victim’s keys and personal property and ordered the victim out of the car. The suspect then fled from the parking lot in the victim’s vehicle.
A short time later, officers responding to the area were advised by police dispatchers that a witness was following the victim’s vehicle and was relaying the location of the car to the 911 call center. Responding officers from the Delaware State Police, New Castle City Police Department, New Castle County Police Department, and the Wilmington Police Department located the vehicle on I-95 and began pursuing it into the city of Wilmington. The suspect collided with a number of vehicles in the area of Concord Avenue and Washington Street. He then fled from the vehicle on foot in the area of 23rd and Washington Streets before being apprehended by an officer from the Wilmington Police Department.
Corey Bowers was arrested and charged with the above listed crimes. His arraignment information is unavailable at this time. The victim was not injured.
Senator David Brinkley's Monthly Newsletter
After ninety long days, the 2012 Legislative Session has come to an end. It was a very tough session that concluded in a haze of confusion after Democratic leaders could not come to an agreement on some very important budgetary concerns. There were positives and there were negatives for the taxpayers of Maryland. I've attempted to provide you with the "highlights" of the session below. Some of the major legislative issues brought before the House and Senate were:
2012 Budget: The Maryland taxpayer benfits from this year's legislative session. The operating budget that passed, contains only cuts in spending: a "live within your means budget." The revenue bill (SB 523) which contained income tax hikes and the elimination of personal exemptions for taxpayers did not pass. The partial shift of teacher pension costs to the counties did not pass either. The budget conference committee reduced the Governor's proposed budget by $730 million, but it still grows by $950.9 million over last year. The budget that passed includes $72 million in "entitlement cuts", $63 million in state agency cuts and $173 in cuts to local governments.
Gas Tax Failed: SB 971 MD Transportation Financing & Infrastructure Investment Act of 2012: The Governor failed to pass his gas tax legislation. His proposal would have increased the cost of gasoline by adding a 6% sales tax on top of the existing 23.5(cent sign) per gallon excise tax we currently pay. The drastic hike was thinly veiled as an "investment in transportation infrastructure." Since 2003, over $1.0 billion of dedicated transportation revenue has been raided for the General Fund. Any discussion of a gas tax hike is entirely premature until the motoring public can be guaranteed that gas tax revenues are only going towards roads through a constitutional amdendment that prohibits the transfer of money out of the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF).
Flush Tax Passed: HB446 Environment - Bay Restoration Fund - Fees: This Administration bill is a 100% tax increase to provide an estimated $385 million in additional revenue into the Bay Restoration Fund by 2017. The "flush tax" doubles from $30 a year to $60. However, the Bay Restoration Fund, like the TTF, has been subject to mulitple raids by this Governor. Since 2010, O'Malley has taken $290 from the Fund to help pay for his operating budgets.
Septics Bill Passed: SB236 Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012: The Governor's plan to curb sprawl and stop growth in the rural portions of the State will soon become law, albeit without key provisions that would have given the State power to override some local zoning decisions. This watered-down bill requires counties to divide their jurisdictions into "tiers" of development and incorporate them into their comprehensive plans before any major subdivisions served by septic systems can be approved. I served on the "Septic Task Force" during the last interim. The task force was the result of the failure of the Administration's septic ban during the 2011 legislative session. We met 10 times from July to November and only managed to produce a 13 page report on our work. Despite the anemic report, the Governor ignored the recommendations of the task force and introduced a bill that was far more egregious than what passed. This bill is a direct attack on the ability of the rural parts of the State to develop in a way that makes sense for them. It is another failure of a "one size fits all" approach.
Gay Marriage Passed: Same-sex marriage has been legalized, as Maryland is the eigth state to sign the bill. However, the new law which does not take effect until January 1, 2013 is expected to face a referendum challenge in the November general election.
Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 Failed: SB 237/HB441: The Governor's proposal to develop offshore wind energy using subsidies such as fees imposed through Marylanders' electric bills over a 20-year period to pay for the offshore wind development was rejected for a second time. The proposal although guaranteeing a revenue stream had no guarantees that ratepayers would not see continual fee increases after 2022.
The issues above were well documented in the media but there were some positive pieces of legislation which passed that did not recieve a lot of attention. Among them were:
Family Farm Preservation Act of 2012 - SB294: This bill which had overwhelming bipartisan support passed both chambers unanimously. I led the workgroup in the Senate Budget and Taxation committee that put the finishing touches on SB294. Maryland is one of the few states that imposes an estate and inheritance tax on property. The bill exempts qualified agricultural property from the estate tax up to $5.0 million. Anything over $5.0 million will be assessed at 5%. This was a major step forward in ensuring that Maryland family farmers keep farming for generations to come.
Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Veteran's Organizations - SB19: This bill repealed the termination of the sales and use tax exemption on veteran's organizations like the VFW and American Legion.
Boat and Hunting Fee Increases HB1307 and HB1419: Both of these bills introduced at the request of the Department of Natural Resources would have significantly increased the costs to boaters and hunters throughout the State. The boat fee increase (HB1307) recieved a hearing in the House Ways and Means committee but never saw any further action and failed. The hunting fee increase (HB1419) faced a rare defeat on the House floor after Republicans spoke out against the proposed changes to the fee structure.
For a more comprehensive viewing of this years session legislation please click http://mlis.state.md.us/2012rs/Wrap_up/current_issue.pdf
On a lighter note, I would like to take you behind the scences to introduce you to my staff. These folks keep the wheels turning in both my Annapolis and District offices. If you need assistance, please feel free to contact me or my staff at anytime.
We look forward to serving you!
Sincerely,
Senator David R. Brinkley
2012 Budget: The Maryland taxpayer benfits from this year's legislative session. The operating budget that passed, contains only cuts in spending: a "live within your means budget." The revenue bill (SB 523) which contained income tax hikes and the elimination of personal exemptions for taxpayers did not pass. The partial shift of teacher pension costs to the counties did not pass either. The budget conference committee reduced the Governor's proposed budget by $730 million, but it still grows by $950.9 million over last year. The budget that passed includes $72 million in "entitlement cuts", $63 million in state agency cuts and $173 in cuts to local governments.
Gas Tax Failed: SB 971 MD Transportation Financing & Infrastructure Investment Act of 2012: The Governor failed to pass his gas tax legislation. His proposal would have increased the cost of gasoline by adding a 6% sales tax on top of the existing 23.5(cent sign) per gallon excise tax we currently pay. The drastic hike was thinly veiled as an "investment in transportation infrastructure." Since 2003, over $1.0 billion of dedicated transportation revenue has been raided for the General Fund. Any discussion of a gas tax hike is entirely premature until the motoring public can be guaranteed that gas tax revenues are only going towards roads through a constitutional amdendment that prohibits the transfer of money out of the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF).
Flush Tax Passed: HB446 Environment - Bay Restoration Fund - Fees: This Administration bill is a 100% tax increase to provide an estimated $385 million in additional revenue into the Bay Restoration Fund by 2017. The "flush tax" doubles from $30 a year to $60. However, the Bay Restoration Fund, like the TTF, has been subject to mulitple raids by this Governor. Since 2010, O'Malley has taken $290 from the Fund to help pay for his operating budgets.
Septics Bill Passed: SB236 Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012: The Governor's plan to curb sprawl and stop growth in the rural portions of the State will soon become law, albeit without key provisions that would have given the State power to override some local zoning decisions. This watered-down bill requires counties to divide their jurisdictions into "tiers" of development and incorporate them into their comprehensive plans before any major subdivisions served by septic systems can be approved. I served on the "Septic Task Force" during the last interim. The task force was the result of the failure of the Administration's septic ban during the 2011 legislative session. We met 10 times from July to November and only managed to produce a 13 page report on our work. Despite the anemic report, the Governor ignored the recommendations of the task force and introduced a bill that was far more egregious than what passed. This bill is a direct attack on the ability of the rural parts of the State to develop in a way that makes sense for them. It is another failure of a "one size fits all" approach.
Gay Marriage Passed: Same-sex marriage has been legalized, as Maryland is the eigth state to sign the bill. However, the new law which does not take effect until January 1, 2013 is expected to face a referendum challenge in the November general election.
Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 Failed: SB 237/HB441: The Governor's proposal to develop offshore wind energy using subsidies such as fees imposed through Marylanders' electric bills over a 20-year period to pay for the offshore wind development was rejected for a second time. The proposal although guaranteeing a revenue stream had no guarantees that ratepayers would not see continual fee increases after 2022.
The issues above were well documented in the media but there were some positive pieces of legislation which passed that did not recieve a lot of attention. Among them were:
Family Farm Preservation Act of 2012 - SB294: This bill which had overwhelming bipartisan support passed both chambers unanimously. I led the workgroup in the Senate Budget and Taxation committee that put the finishing touches on SB294. Maryland is one of the few states that imposes an estate and inheritance tax on property. The bill exempts qualified agricultural property from the estate tax up to $5.0 million. Anything over $5.0 million will be assessed at 5%. This was a major step forward in ensuring that Maryland family farmers keep farming for generations to come.
Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Veteran's Organizations - SB19: This bill repealed the termination of the sales and use tax exemption on veteran's organizations like the VFW and American Legion.
Boat and Hunting Fee Increases HB1307 and HB1419: Both of these bills introduced at the request of the Department of Natural Resources would have significantly increased the costs to boaters and hunters throughout the State. The boat fee increase (HB1307) recieved a hearing in the House Ways and Means committee but never saw any further action and failed. The hunting fee increase (HB1419) faced a rare defeat on the House floor after Republicans spoke out against the proposed changes to the fee structure.
For a more comprehensive viewing of this years session legislation please click http://mlis.state.md.us/2012rs/Wrap_up/current_issue.pdf
On a lighter note, I would like to take you behind the scences to introduce you to my staff. These folks keep the wheels turning in both my Annapolis and District offices. If you need assistance, please feel free to contact me or my staff at anytime.
We look forward to serving you!
Sincerely,
Senator David R. Brinkley
Trayvon Martin Case: Hearing Raises Possible Conflict Of Interest For Judge
A brief court hearing Friday in the case of George Zimmerman, the Florida man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, focused on the possibility that the judge could be replaced because of a possible conflict of interest.
Seminole County Circuit Judge Jessica J. Recksiedler disclosed that her husband, an attorney who deals with civil cases, works in the same firm as Mark NeJame, a criminal lawyer who had been previously contacted by Zimmerman for counsel.
NeJame did not take Zimmerman as a client, but he now has a contract with CNN to provide analysis on the case.
More
Seminole County Circuit Judge Jessica J. Recksiedler disclosed that her husband, an attorney who deals with civil cases, works in the same firm as Mark NeJame, a criminal lawyer who had been previously contacted by Zimmerman for counsel.
NeJame did not take Zimmerman as a client, but he now has a contract with CNN to provide analysis on the case.
More
Singer Robin Gibb Of Bee Gees Fame In Coma
LONDON (Reuters) - Singer Robin Gibb, a founding member of the disco-era hit machine the Bee Gees, is in a coma after contracting pneumonia, his official website said on Saturday.
A spokesman for the 62-year-old, who has been battling cancer, was not immediately available to comment on reports in the British media that Gibb had been surrounded by close family in a London hospital and may have only days to live.
More
A spokesman for the 62-year-old, who has been battling cancer, was not immediately available to comment on reports in the British media that Gibb had been surrounded by close family in a London hospital and may have only days to live.
More
Ex-Md. Teacher Faces Prison For Sex With Students
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Anne Arundel County prosecutors are seeking a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for a former high school teacher charged with having sexual encounters with female students.
Jeffrey R. Sears Jr. is scheduled to be sentenced later this month. He entered pleas Friday to charges of sexual encounters with three students.
More
Jeffrey R. Sears Jr. is scheduled to be sentenced later this month. He entered pleas Friday to charges of sexual encounters with three students.
More
Best Time To Trade In Your Car Is Now
WASHINGTON - If you're thinking of trading in your old car for a new one, there may be no better time to do it than right now.
Consumer Reports says the average trade-in price of used small and mid-sized cars has risen an average of $500 since January.
More
Consumer Reports says the average trade-in price of used small and mid-sized cars has risen an average of $500 since January.
More
BREAKING NEWS: At Least 5 Dead In Oklahoma Tornado
Authorities say five people are confirmed dead after a tornado swept across the northwest Oklahoma town of Woodward.
From Fox News
From Fox News
Saturday, April 14, 2012
BREAKING NEWS: Dozens Of Tornadoes Reported In Midwest States
The National Weather Service says more than three dozen tornadoes have been reported Saturday. As of 8:00pm ET there were 48 tornado sightings across four states, with the first wave clustered in southwest Kansas. There were reports of damage to homes in the town of Hanston and Kansas-based KWCH-TV reported a number of overturned cars and downed power lines in three counties. There is high risk for severe weather into the overnight hours extending into Sunday when the same storm system moves east, the Fox Extreme Weather Center says.
Car Accident On The Bypass
There's been an accident just off Naylor Mill exit on the Bypass. The vehicle flipped off the roadway and caught on fire along with the field it stopped in. The driver was assisted out of the burning vehicle by other drivers on the Bypass who witnessed the accident.
Dullihan Edges Hansen In Kentucky Bluegrass Stakes
One hour ago -
Dullihan edged out Hansen in the Toyota Kentucky Bluegrass stakes race.
Dullihan is Mine that Bird's half brother and was the horse that previously won the Kentucky Derby. Dullihan ran down Hansen in the final stretch to win the $750,000 stakes race.
Today's race is the last stakes race before the infamous Kentucky Derby - slated in May.
Dullihan edged out Hansen in the Toyota Kentucky Bluegrass stakes race.
Dullihan is Mine that Bird's half brother and was the horse that previously won the Kentucky Derby. Dullihan ran down Hansen in the final stretch to win the $750,000 stakes race.
Today's race is the last stakes race before the infamous Kentucky Derby - slated in May.
Alert - Counterfeit Currency Showing Up Around Delmarva
At the Shell station on Route 13 - a $50 counterfeit bill just passed and was discovered to be counterfeit. This is not the first time this has happened in and around Salisbury in recent months. There have been reported $5, $10, $20, and $50 dollar denomination bills. The currency appears to be laundered and washed out in an attempt to mask the counterfeit bills.
So keep you eyes on anything that looks to be laundered as it is not real currency.
So keep you eyes on anything that looks to be laundered as it is not real currency.
You Can't Handle The Truth
I expect this piece might be a bit more lengthy that our usual Posts but I felt it necessary to publish.
I started Salisbury News more than 7 years ago. My goal was to get information out to the public the rest of the Main Stream Media, (MSM) wouldn't, or were too afraid to publish.
While there are many examples of what we have accomplished, I'll use a quick one because it will help every one to better understand where I'm going.
One area that bothered me was all the crime going on, yet we weren't seeing any of it show up in the MSM. So I started publishing Press Releases from all of our local law enforcement agencies. The next thing we knew, all of a sudden comments were flying in, where the heck did all this crime come from.
I tried to explain that it had always been here, the local media simply refused to publish it. Then we came out with Salisbury being the 4th most dangerous city, (per capita) in America. Well every one went nuts over that, especially our former Mayor and Police Chief. The information we published came right from the FBI, yet they, (the Mayor and Chief) immediately denied it as being fact. They came up with every possible excuse, similar to there are NO GANGS in Salisbury and we're 99% compliant with the MDE at the Waste Water Treatment Plant, all untrue, all lies.
OK, all that being said, I have always expressed to every one of you that Salisbury News would NEVER be influenced by our advertisers or politicians. Even though I had been sued by the former Mayor, the Police Chief and even the Warden of the Detention Center, I fought back and ultimately won each case. My own legal fees were over $40,000.00 and every day I run Salisbury News it cost me a small fortune in personal expenses. I say this not to gain any pity from any of you. I say this because I know what I'm doing and I personally believe that what I'm doing does in fact and has in fact made a huge difference keeping politicians in check AND the public more aware of the TRUTH.
There's no denying, you do NOT want to be on the bad side of Joe Albero and they all know that. Because of you, (thank you, by the way) the power of Salisbury News is now stronger than ANY local MSM outlet. So much so, now they are publishing the crime information and quite a bit more of what we put out there every day.
Yesterday I received a phone call from one of our advertisers stating they didn't like an article I recently published about Sheriff Mike Lewis. Mind you, this advertiser has always been somewhat skittish about certain articles we have published and we have always held at length discussions over the intent of the article, (at the time) and yesterday was simply going to be different.
I will not, nor will I ever, be encouraged by ANY advertiser as to the content we put on Salisbury News. We do not put up naked pictures of people, we are not racist, heck, we even publish ALL of Governor O'Malley's Press Releases because I believe it is only fair that each and every one of you know what's going on in our state.
I may not agree with everything we publish, (just like many of you feel) but in order to make good solid judgement decisions as to how we all make decisions or even vote, I feel its important we get it out there.
Nevertheless, while I was on the phone, (knowing what was coming) I instantly removed that advertiser from Salisbury News before they could ever say anything. I then told them while we were on the phone I was no longer going to take any more crap from them as we have NEVER done any of this for the money and we will NOT be influenced as to what we do based on their ad.
Now, I could have sat back and never said a word about any of this to you. However, I feel it is extremely important that every one of you know that I do this at my own expense for all of you. I haven't mentioned all of the time, (YEARS) this has taken away from my Family and the price they pay for the personal attacks, threats and even loss of employment because of the Anti Albero people. We have paid a heavy duty price to do what I do.
If you do not like what we do, do NOT return. Don't stand face to face with me at an event, shake my hand or even speak to me IF you're going to talk behind my back when I walk away. I do NOT need your friendship/association to feed my ego. As many of you know, we live a very good clean life. I can shut down Salisbury News in an instant and happily move on with our lives. However, I'll do so on my own terms and not because I'm being pressured into it.
Because of all of you we have achieved so many great things. Because of our advertisers we have been able to "Pay It Forward" by feeding families and so many great things too numerous to mention. You have stood by my side ringing bells and volunteering to do so many uplifting things for our communities and I truly can't thank you enough.
I created this Post to insure that I will not only continue to publish Salisbury News, I will do so the way I see fit. I will never be influenced by politicians or advertisers and I apologize for being repetitive but I must make it very clear.
In closing, sure, I'd love to publish far more uplifting news and information. Unfortunately, trust me, if it was out there we'd be publishing it. I can't be everywhere and in some cases we have to depend on YOU to deliver us such uplifting news and events. If an organization doesn't deliver us their Press Releases there's a very good chance we're not going to know about it. We do our best to keep you up to speed with these type of events and information and we have never denied any one from publishing fundraisers and events for FREE.
So I thank you for taking the time to allow me to vent. Many may not like the Howard Stern's of the world but top Fortune 500 Companies advertise there because they're SMART. They know a huge volume of people listen to the guy and where better to spend your advertising money than where every one truthfully goes.
Most Expensive Sprinkler System
A Salisbury News Viewer just called to inform me that Salisbury Fire Station 1 is out on Rt. 50 and Tilghman Road, (get this) watering the grass and plants in the median strip near K-Mart. Your tax dollars hard at work.
A Letter To The Editor On Downtown Parking
Joe,
I thought I would pass this along to you. I am a disabled veteran that just had a multi level spinal fusion. I recently visited downtown Salisbury to run into a store to get a present for my wife. There was no HandyCap parking available where I needed to run in, so I spotted a parking lot located next to the Powell Building that had about 40-50 spots with only about 5 cars parked. I put my HandyCap tag up and went into the store, I was in and out in no more than 3-4 minutes. When I came back I had been ticketed for a parking violation from the City of Salisbury. Someone must have run out and stuck it on my car in a 4 minute period and ran away. I was really disappointed in the City for not allowing parking for HandyCap and then ticketing me. I understand now why the growth of Downtown Salisbury will never happen, and I have no interest in returning to downtown Salisbury.
Disappointed Citizen
Publishers Notes: I couldn't agree with you more. Allow me to expand on your concern. I think most of our readers here will agree, parking and especially metered parking Downtown needs to end. The Downtown businesses are suffering enough with this economy and quite frankly if they eliminated the parking meters to encourage more traffic the City would easily make up the difference in tax revenue.
As a property owner Downtown, believe me when I tell you, I pay outrageous taxes already. The meters need to go, better handicapped parking needs to be put in place and there are quite a few businesses operating Downtown that are not ADA compliant.
Please contact your elected officials and express your thoughts and concerns on this matter. Maybe with enough pressure we can get them to change their minds on parking meters and handicaped parking spaces, in which there really are next to none and not one of them is convenient.
I thought I would pass this along to you. I am a disabled veteran that just had a multi level spinal fusion. I recently visited downtown Salisbury to run into a store to get a present for my wife. There was no HandyCap parking available where I needed to run in, so I spotted a parking lot located next to the Powell Building that had about 40-50 spots with only about 5 cars parked. I put my HandyCap tag up and went into the store, I was in and out in no more than 3-4 minutes. When I came back I had been ticketed for a parking violation from the City of Salisbury. Someone must have run out and stuck it on my car in a 4 minute period and ran away. I was really disappointed in the City for not allowing parking for HandyCap and then ticketing me. I understand now why the growth of Downtown Salisbury will never happen, and I have no interest in returning to downtown Salisbury.
Disappointed Citizen
Publishers Notes: I couldn't agree with you more. Allow me to expand on your concern. I think most of our readers here will agree, parking and especially metered parking Downtown needs to end. The Downtown businesses are suffering enough with this economy and quite frankly if they eliminated the parking meters to encourage more traffic the City would easily make up the difference in tax revenue.
As a property owner Downtown, believe me when I tell you, I pay outrageous taxes already. The meters need to go, better handicapped parking needs to be put in place and there are quite a few businesses operating Downtown that are not ADA compliant.
Please contact your elected officials and express your thoughts and concerns on this matter. Maybe with enough pressure we can get them to change their minds on parking meters and handicaped parking spaces, in which there really are next to none and not one of them is convenient.
Women Supporting Women Donation
Rota Knott, Worcester County coordinator, accepts a check for a $200 donation from Shelly Bruder of Bruder Hill boutique in Berlin for Women Supporting Women, the local breast cancer support and awareness organization. Bruder Hill donated a percentage of jewelry sales for one month to the WSW Worcester County Chapter.
2 Maryland Petitions For Your Consideration
We have the opportunity to allow voters in Maryland to cast their ballots on two very important issues this year. The only way we can get them on the ballot is to gather enough signatures on a petition. If you have not already done so, I URGE you to get your ballots signed and mailed in. It's easy.
#1. Traditional Marriage: You've heard from me on this issue in the past. Regardless of your opinion on marriage, we all agree that voters should have the final say by voting on this issue. You can view the peition here.
#2. Congressional Redistricting: Maryland has some of the worst gerrymandered congressional districts in the country. Maryland should have districts that represent communities and groups of people, not crafted for purely political purposes.The map needs to give fair representation to all, and we have the power to overturn this severely gerrymandered map through the referendum process. Let’s demand true representation and overturn the current map by signing the petition TODAY.
Please go to https://mdpetitions.com/ and do your part for these very important issues.
Thank you for your time.
Andy Harris
24 TAX FACTS TO PISS YOU OFF
The U.S. tax code is a complete and utter abomination and it needs to be thrown out entirely. Nobody in their right mind would ever read the whole thing – it is over 3 million words long. Each year, Americans spend billions of hours and hundreds of billions of dollars trying to comply with federal tax requirements. Sadly, it is the honest, hard working Americans in the middle class that always get hit the hardest. The tax code is absolutely riddled with loopholes that big corporations and the ultra-wealthy use to minimize their tax burdens as much as possible. Many poor people do not pay any income taxes at all. The dishonest are rewarded for cheating on their taxes (if they can get away with it) and the ultra-wealthy have moved trillions of dollars to offshore tax havens where they can avoid U.S. taxation altogether. Our system is incredibly unfair to the millions of hard working people in the middle class and upper middle class that drag themselves out of bed and go to work each day and try to do the right thing. In addition, the current U.S. tax system is incredibly inefficient, it diverts a tremendous amount of resources away from more valuable economic activities, and it has chased thousands of businesses and trillions of dollars out of the United States. The U.S. tax code is such a complete and utter mess at this point that it can never be “fixed”. The only rational thing to do is to abolish it completely, and any politician that tells you otherwise is lying to you.
The following are 24 outrageous facts about taxes in the United States that will blow your mind….
1 – The U.S. tax code is now 3.8 million words long. If you took all of William Shakespeare’s works and collected them together, the entire collection would only be about 900,000 words long.
2 – According to the National Taxpayers Union, U.S. taxpayers spend more than 7.6 billion hours complying with federal tax requirements. Imagine what our society would look like if all that time was spent on more economically profitable activities.
3 – 75 years ago, the instructions for Form 1040 were two pages long. Today, they are 189 pages long.
4 – There have been 4,428 changes to the tax code over the last decade. It is incredibly costly to change tax software, tax manuals and tax instruction booklets for all of those changes.
5 – According to the National Taxpayers Union, the IRS currently has 1,999 different publications, forms, and instruction sheets that you can download from the IRS website.
6 – Our tax system has become so complicated that it is almost impossible to file your taxes correctly. For example, back in 1998 Money Magazine had 46 different tax professionals complete a tax return for a hypothetical household. All 46 of them came up with a different result.
7 – In 2009, PC World had five of the most popular tax preparation software websites prepare a tax return for a hypothetical household. All five of them came up with a different result.
8 – The IRS spends $2.45 for every $100 that it collects in taxes.
9 – According to The Tax Foundation, the average American has to work until April 17th just to pay federal, state, and local taxes. Back in 1900, “Tax Freedom Day” came on January 22nd.
10 – When the U.S. government first implemented a personal income tax back in 1913, the vast majority of the population paid a rate of just 1 percent, and the highest marginal tax rate was just 7 percent.
More
The following are 24 outrageous facts about taxes in the United States that will blow your mind….
1 – The U.S. tax code is now 3.8 million words long. If you took all of William Shakespeare’s works and collected them together, the entire collection would only be about 900,000 words long.
2 – According to the National Taxpayers Union, U.S. taxpayers spend more than 7.6 billion hours complying with federal tax requirements. Imagine what our society would look like if all that time was spent on more economically profitable activities.
3 – 75 years ago, the instructions for Form 1040 were two pages long. Today, they are 189 pages long.
4 – There have been 4,428 changes to the tax code over the last decade. It is incredibly costly to change tax software, tax manuals and tax instruction booklets for all of those changes.
5 – According to the National Taxpayers Union, the IRS currently has 1,999 different publications, forms, and instruction sheets that you can download from the IRS website.
6 – Our tax system has become so complicated that it is almost impossible to file your taxes correctly. For example, back in 1998 Money Magazine had 46 different tax professionals complete a tax return for a hypothetical household. All 46 of them came up with a different result.
7 – In 2009, PC World had five of the most popular tax preparation software websites prepare a tax return for a hypothetical household. All five of them came up with a different result.
8 – The IRS spends $2.45 for every $100 that it collects in taxes.
9 – According to The Tax Foundation, the average American has to work until April 17th just to pay federal, state, and local taxes. Back in 1900, “Tax Freedom Day” came on January 22nd.
10 – When the U.S. government first implemented a personal income tax back in 1913, the vast majority of the population paid a rate of just 1 percent, and the highest marginal tax rate was just 7 percent.
More
Most Americans Back Gun Lobby, Right To Use Deadly Force
(Reuters) - Most Americans support the right to use deadly force to protect themselves - even in public places - and have a favorable view of the National Rifle Association, the main gun-lobby group, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.
However, there was also strong support from respondents for background checks as well as limiting the sale of automatic weapons and keeping guns out of churches, stores and workplaces.
The online survey showed that 68 percent, or two out of three respondents, had a favorable opinion of the NRA, which starts its annual convention in St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday.
Eighty-two percent of Republicans saw the gun lobbying group in a positive light as well as 55 percent of Democrats, findings that run counter to the perception of Democrats as anti-NRA.
Most of the 1,922 people surveyed nationwide from April Monday through Thursday said they supported laws that allow Americans to use deadly force to protect themselves from danger in their own home or in a public place.
"Americans do hold to this idea that people should be allowed to defend themselves and using deadly force is fine, in those circumstances," said pollster Chris Jackson. "In the theoretical ... there's a certain tolerance of vigilantism."
More
However, there was also strong support from respondents for background checks as well as limiting the sale of automatic weapons and keeping guns out of churches, stores and workplaces.
The online survey showed that 68 percent, or two out of three respondents, had a favorable opinion of the NRA, which starts its annual convention in St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday.
Eighty-two percent of Republicans saw the gun lobbying group in a positive light as well as 55 percent of Democrats, findings that run counter to the perception of Democrats as anti-NRA.
Most of the 1,922 people surveyed nationwide from April Monday through Thursday said they supported laws that allow Americans to use deadly force to protect themselves from danger in their own home or in a public place.
"Americans do hold to this idea that people should be allowed to defend themselves and using deadly force is fine, in those circumstances," said pollster Chris Jackson. "In the theoretical ... there's a certain tolerance of vigilantism."
More
Some Things Detwaddled
Nobody starts a fist fight with a man holding a gun. Nobody holding a gun starts a fist fight with his left hand. Nobody who is winning a fist fight pulls a gun.
Journalism in America, and perhaps everywhere, works according to unacknowledged templates in which the reporter fills in blanks, thus saving him the nuisance of thought, for which he is generally not well suited anyway. In matters of race, it also saves him from being drawn and quartered for Crime Thought. If he follows the template, he is safe. Stupidity, sloth, and cowardice are thus fertilized.
A favorite template is: evil racist white cop shoots meritorious black because the cop hates blacks.
This is twaddle. Why is it twaddle? Because every white cop knows that if he shoots a black, he will first be savaged in the local and quite likely the national media. He will then be suspended and probably fired, losing both income and years toward retirement. An ambitious prosecutor will charge him with murder and, in the cities, a black jury will lynch him. A civil suit may follow, led by a lawyer seeking a national reputation. The cop, freshly fired, will not be able to pay his legal bills or his mortgage.
Do you really think he is going to do this to himself intentionally?
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Journalism in America, and perhaps everywhere, works according to unacknowledged templates in which the reporter fills in blanks, thus saving him the nuisance of thought, for which he is generally not well suited anyway. In matters of race, it also saves him from being drawn and quartered for Crime Thought. If he follows the template, he is safe. Stupidity, sloth, and cowardice are thus fertilized.
A favorite template is: evil racist white cop shoots meritorious black because the cop hates blacks.
This is twaddle. Why is it twaddle? Because every white cop knows that if he shoots a black, he will first be savaged in the local and quite likely the national media. He will then be suspended and probably fired, losing both income and years toward retirement. An ambitious prosecutor will charge him with murder and, in the cities, a black jury will lynch him. A civil suit may follow, led by a lawyer seeking a national reputation. The cop, freshly fired, will not be able to pay his legal bills or his mortgage.
Do you really think he is going to do this to himself intentionally?
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What If The Government Rejects The Constitution?
What if the government never took the Constitution seriously? What if the same generation – in some cases the same human beings – that wrote in the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech," also enacted the Alien and Sedition Acts, which made it a crime to criticize the government? What if the feds don't regard the Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land?
What if the government regards the Constitution as merely a guideline to be referred to from time to time, or a myth to be foisted upon the voters, but not as a historic delegation of power that lawfully limits the federal government? What if Congress knows that most of what it regulates puts it outside the confines of the Constitution, but it does whatever it can get away with? What if the feds don't think that the Constitution was written to keep them off the people's backs?
What if there's no substantial difference between the two major political parties? What if the same political mentality that gave us the Patriot Act, with its federal agent-written search warrants that permit unconstitutional spying on us, also gave us Obamacare, with its mandate to buy health insurance, even if we don't want or need it? What if both political parties love power more than freedom? What if both parties have used the Commerce Clause in the Constitution to stretch the power of the federal government far beyond its constitutionally ordained boundaries and well beyond the plain meaning of words?
What if both parties love war because the public is more docile during war and permits higher taxes and more federal theft of freedom from individuals and power from the states? What if none of these recent wars has made us freer or safer, but just poorer?
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What if the government regards the Constitution as merely a guideline to be referred to from time to time, or a myth to be foisted upon the voters, but not as a historic delegation of power that lawfully limits the federal government? What if Congress knows that most of what it regulates puts it outside the confines of the Constitution, but it does whatever it can get away with? What if the feds don't think that the Constitution was written to keep them off the people's backs?
What if there's no substantial difference between the two major political parties? What if the same political mentality that gave us the Patriot Act, with its federal agent-written search warrants that permit unconstitutional spying on us, also gave us Obamacare, with its mandate to buy health insurance, even if we don't want or need it? What if both political parties love power more than freedom? What if both parties have used the Commerce Clause in the Constitution to stretch the power of the federal government far beyond its constitutionally ordained boundaries and well beyond the plain meaning of words?
What if both parties love war because the public is more docile during war and permits higher taxes and more federal theft of freedom from individuals and power from the states? What if none of these recent wars has made us freer or safer, but just poorer?
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PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION’S ACTION TO CONSTRUCT NEW NATURAL GAS PLANT IN CHARLES COUNTY
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Martin O’Malley issued the following statement on the Public Service Commission’s action to construct a new natural gas plant in Charles County:
“The Public Service Commission is required to ensure an adequate supply of electricity so that Maryland families and businesses can live and prosper. In light of the fact that 70 percent of Maryland’s existing power plants are more than 30 years old, I applaud the decision by the Public Service Commission that will lead to the construction of a new natural gas plant in Charles County.
“Expected to be operational by June 2015, this plant will be the first of this size to be built in Maryland since June 2003. This new facility will bring a new energy supply to a significantly congested area of Maryland, create at least 350 jobs during construction and an estimated 30 jobs when fully operational, and directly save Marylanders over $170 million throughout the life of the contract. Analysis by state agencies indicate that new generation in central Maryland can also bring hundreds of millions of dollars of savings in lowered energy, capacity, and congestion prices in the State. The PSC’s action helps diversify Maryland’s power supply.
“With this new addition, natural gas will account for over nine percent of Maryland’s energy generation.”
“The Public Service Commission is required to ensure an adequate supply of electricity so that Maryland families and businesses can live and prosper. In light of the fact that 70 percent of Maryland’s existing power plants are more than 30 years old, I applaud the decision by the Public Service Commission that will lead to the construction of a new natural gas plant in Charles County.
“Expected to be operational by June 2015, this plant will be the first of this size to be built in Maryland since June 2003. This new facility will bring a new energy supply to a significantly congested area of Maryland, create at least 350 jobs during construction and an estimated 30 jobs when fully operational, and directly save Marylanders over $170 million throughout the life of the contract. Analysis by state agencies indicate that new generation in central Maryland can also bring hundreds of millions of dollars of savings in lowered energy, capacity, and congestion prices in the State. The PSC’s action helps diversify Maryland’s power supply.
“With this new addition, natural gas will account for over nine percent of Maryland’s energy generation.”
Justice Department Settles American Indian Tribe Case
The Justice Department settled a long-standing case brought by American Indian tribes.
The 41 tribes altogether will receive more than $1 billion. Some of their claims date back more than a century. The tribes said the Interior and Treasury departments mismanaged the money and natural resources held in trust for them. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the settlements would strengthen the government's relationships with tribes.
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The 41 tribes altogether will receive more than $1 billion. Some of their claims date back more than a century. The tribes said the Interior and Treasury departments mismanaged the money and natural resources held in trust for them. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the settlements would strengthen the government's relationships with tribes.
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Maryland's Budget Not Balanced
Enacting a balanced budget is General Assembly's primary constitutional requirement
Maryland's General Assembly failed to pass a balanced budget, according to a memo obtained by The Baltimore Sun. Enacting a balanced budget is the legislature's primary constitutional requirement.
"The [fiscal year] 2013 budget is nearly $70 million out of balance," wrote Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster in a memo to all of Gov. Martin O'Malley's Cabinet secretaries. She recommended that the governor not sign any legislation that reduces revenues "until the imbalance is addressed."
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Maryland's General Assembly failed to pass a balanced budget, according to a memo obtained by The Baltimore Sun. Enacting a balanced budget is the legislature's primary constitutional requirement.
"The [fiscal year] 2013 budget is nearly $70 million out of balance," wrote Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster in a memo to all of Gov. Martin O'Malley's Cabinet secretaries. She recommended that the governor not sign any legislation that reduces revenues "until the imbalance is addressed."
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Unusual Amount Of Naval Officers Being Fired
The Navy has seen a disturbing trend in the number of commanding officers fired because of behavioral issues. About 22 were dismissed last year. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert said the specific causes run the gamut — from drinking to fraud to adultery. In response, the service is boosting leadership training at command schools. It's using the recent firings as case studies. Greenert said sexual assault also continues to be a problem among all ranks. The Navy averages one or two episodes daily.
Budget Secretary: "Doomsday" Budget Not Balanced
It turns out the budget that lawmakers approved before ending their session Monday night is not balanced.
That conclusion comes in a memo sent to all state department heads on Friday, by Budget and Management Secretary T. Eloise Foster.
Governor Martin O'Malley's office provided a copy of the memo to WBAL News.
In it, T. Eloise Foster tells agency heads that the budget is still $70-million out of balance, and the Board of Public Works will have to make further cuts to the budget before June 30, to fulfill the state constitutional requirement for the budget to be balanced.
The memo reads in part, "...despite the inclusion of $512 million of doomsday cuts in the budget approved by the General Assembly on Sine Die , the FY 2013 budget is nearly $70 million out of balance. Given the imbalance and the uncertainty about the ultimate resolution, DBM is recommending to the Governor’s Office that it defer the signing of any bills that will reduce general fund revenues in FY 2013 until the imbalance is addressed."
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That conclusion comes in a memo sent to all state department heads on Friday, by Budget and Management Secretary T. Eloise Foster.
Governor Martin O'Malley's office provided a copy of the memo to WBAL News.
In it, T. Eloise Foster tells agency heads that the budget is still $70-million out of balance, and the Board of Public Works will have to make further cuts to the budget before June 30, to fulfill the state constitutional requirement for the budget to be balanced.
The memo reads in part, "...despite the inclusion of $512 million of doomsday cuts in the budget approved by the General Assembly on Sine Die , the FY 2013 budget is nearly $70 million out of balance. Given the imbalance and the uncertainty about the ultimate resolution, DBM is recommending to the Governor’s Office that it defer the signing of any bills that will reduce general fund revenues in FY 2013 until the imbalance is addressed."
More
Mail Volume Has Plummeted
A new Government Accountability Office report said the Postal Service has more mail processing centers than it needs. But the watchdog agency stopped short of making new recommendations to Congress. Mail volume has plummeted with the growth of email and online bill payments. The Postal Service wants to close at least 200 processing facilities starting next month. Many lawmakers don't like the idea, however. They may consider legislation to help the Postal Service when they return to Washington.
FBI Checking Out Coast Guard Murders
FBI agents are trying to unravel the shooting deaths of two Coast Guard members on an island off of Alaska. A coworker found the two Coast Guard members dead Thursday at their work areas inside the Kodiak Island communications station. A spokesperson said it appears to be a double homicide, and officials believe a third person was involved. Security was increased at the base after the shooting, which is located about 8 miles from the island's largest city of Kodiak.
HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 4-14-12
The Jewish MerchantsSalisbury has had many merchants come and go throughout the years but three of the first Jewish families in Salisbury left an indelible mark. None of them are still in business but they are certainly remembered by many people in Salisbury.
Probably the most influential in the community was Israel Benjamin. Not only did he have a retail outlet that expanded to other communities on the Shore but he was instrumental in the building of the first free standing synagogue on the corner of Camden and Wicomico Streets. Having moved up here from Exmore, Virginia, he made the Benjamin name synonymous with women’s fashion for a hundred years.
Another Jewish name familiar to many around Salisbury is Feldman Bros. They sold furniture to several generations of families in the area. Started in 1906 by two brothers, Sam and Bill, their first store was located on East Church Street. They moved to Market Street when their business grew and over the years other members of the family operated a section of the store as Ethan Allen furniture. Just recently has the last business at this location closed, that being Market Street Antiques.
Probably the most enduring of the first Jewish families were the Ulmans. The brothers, Simon and Isaac, had come to Salisbury in 1868 and opened their establishment in January, 1888. By the fact that several traveling opera companies put on shows there, it became Ulman’s Opera House. The arrangement was for the opera company to receive 70% of the proceeds and the opera house receiving the remaining 30%. It remained the only place in Salisbury to have permanent seating, so it was used for a variety of occasions such as high school graduations, plays and even the dedication ceremony for the new hospital in 1905. The first floor was originally a saloon and retail liquor store. When alcohol was prohibited in the County in 1900, they opted to change their operation to selling furniture, carpet and other sundries. When they opened again, they made a movie theater out of it. The building burned down in 1968, but not before it had given many a youngster in Salisbury their dose every Saturday of cowboys, cartoons, serials and news. The original seating for 610 occupants was far surpassed on a Saturday when a Roy Rogers film was on the marquee. Roy Rogers’ films were the only westerns shown in color and this was quite marvelous to a young fan in those days.
So, looking at the history of these three businesses, it is obvious that they had a long and successful run in downtown Salisbury.
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