Cooper-Booth 'Victim of Unfortunate Circumstances'

C-store distributor files for bankruptcy following customer's cigarette smuggling indictments

MOUNTVILLE, Pa. -- In business since 1865 and one of the top 20 convenience store distributors in the country, Cooper-Booth Wholesale Co. LP, a wholesaler in the Mid-Atlantic region, has become collateral damage over an investigation and indictments in the state of New York involving cigarettes it sold to a customer, smuggled into the Empire State and sold without tax stamps. The federal government froze Cooper-Booth's main bank account, which has forced it to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 21, executives said.
 
According to the bankruptcy court declaration of Barry Margolis, Mountville, Va.-based Cooper-Booth's president and CEO, Cooper-Booth and its two corporate partners "were experiencing sales growth, were operating profitably and the future was bright and prosperous."
 
The bankruptcy was not in response to the company's business practices; rather, they were the "victims of unfortunate circumstances."

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Man Wins Appeal But Remains On Sex Offender List

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A man who successfully petitioned Maryland's highest court to be removed from the state's sex offender registry is still on the list.

That's according to the lawyer for the unidentified man, who has filed a motion for contempt.

The man identified in court documents as John Doe pleaded guilty in 2006 to sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl in 1984. The Court of Appeals ruled in March that he couldn't be placed on the sex offender registry because it didn't exist when the crime was committed.
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Internet Auction Planned For WOC Property

WEST OCEAN CITY -- A vast West Ocean City multi-family rental complex and associated restaurant site known for decades as the Villanova community will be put up for sale next month with an Internet-only auction.

The somewhat historic mixed-use, income generating property will be sold via a one-day Internet-based auction by the Max Spann Real Estate and Auction Company beginning Wednesday, June 19 at 1 p.m. and concluding at the same time on the next day, Thursday, June 20. The entire auction will be conducted online and there will previews to provide potential buyers with a tour held on May 29, June 7 and June 14.

The property includes 27 year-round cottages along with eight apartment units and the large restaurant facility currently home to the Station 7 Bar and Grill. For decades, the site housed the old Villanova bar and for years hosted the 707 Bar and Grill. The new ownership opened Station 7 on the site last fall. The 27 year-round cottages, eight additional apartments and the restaurant were all completely renovated in recent years.
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I Wish For

New State Law Will Impact Police, Suspects; Some Offenses Now Could Now Result In Citations, Not Arrests

OCEAN CITY -- With the arrival of another summer season and the pending invasion of the June Bugs, Ocean City will certainly see a spike in the number of lower level crimes, such as simple marijuana possession and disorderly conduct, for example, but the resort’s holding cells will not likely be filled with young revelers on most nights.

A change in Maryland law that took effect on Jan. 1 allows law enforcement officers in Ocean City and across the state to issue criminal citations instead of arrests. The intent is to streamline the booking process and keep officers on the street instead of spending hours filling out paperwork and processing defendants charged with certain simple offenses that traditionally have been arrestable offenses.

While the change has been in effect for months, perhaps nowhere in Maryland will it be tested more than in Ocean City in the coming weeks when thousands of high school seniors, college students and summer workers descend on the resort. With them comes a traditional spike in the number of low-level crimes.
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Good News On Health Care Benefits, And Pensions

Good News

From the White House

Concerning Pensions

and Benefits

نور اگر رفت سايه پيدا نيست نقش ديوار و چشم خيره
ما نقش سايه دگر نمي دان نور اگر رفت سايه. ر رفت 
نور اگر رفت سايه پيدا نيست نقش ديوار و چشم خيره ما نقش سايه دگر نمي دان نور اگر رفت سايه. ررفت ديوار و چشم خيره ما نقش سايه دگر نمي دان نور اگر رفت سايه پيدانيست نقش ديوار و چشمخيره ماسايه 
ديوار و چشم خيره ما نقش سايه دگر نمي دان نور اگر رفت سايه پيدانيست نقش ديوار و چشم خيرهماپيدا

نيست نقش

If I Hear

Anything Else,

I'll Let You Know.

Md. Delegate Looks To Close Loophole In New Gun Legislation

A Maryland delegate launches a campaign to close what he calls a loophole in Maryland gun laws.

Pat Warren reports–the problem affects getting firearms out of the hands of convicted criminals.

New legislation signed into law this month bans assault-style weapons and requires gun purchasers to be licensed and fingerprinted.

But according to Montgomery County Delegate Luiz Simmons, it skipped one common sense point he plans to address next year. 
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Yard Sales 5-24-13

Saturday, May 25th 7 to Noon Salisbury, MD. Westbury Dr (Off Nanticoke Rd). Baby Clothes girls sizes 0 to 18 months. Baby toys, swing, diaper bag, tub, etc. Boys clothes size 8 - 10 and Junior Girls Clothes size 7 and M.

Other household items.
Saturday, May 25th. Household yard sale at 25561 Rising Eagle Rd., Mardela Springs, MD 21837 from 7am. - 11am. General household merchandise included one loft bed, early (pre -2nd) home school curriculum and more!

Salisbury Gives OK For Police To Seek Grant

SALISBURY -- The Salisbury Police Department (SPD) received permission this week to apply for a federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant that could yield a total of $455,046 to the city to pay for three new officers.

If awarded and accepted, the grant would require a 25-percent match from Salisbury, an expensive prospect that made a few City Council members uneasy.

“We’re asking to hire three officers after much consultation with finance,” SPD Chief Barbara Duncan told the council Monday. “This is what the city can afford. Most of that is coming, from my understanding, from collection of delinquent property taxes.”
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Jodi Arias Trial Update: Hung Jury In Convicted Killer's Sentencing Phase, New Panel Must Be Chosen

PHOENIX - The jury in the penalty phase of the trial of convicted killer Jodi Arias was unable to reach a unanimous decision on sentencing, and was dismissed by the judge in a Maricopa County courtroom late Thursday afternoon, in Phoenix, Ariz. The judge said the retrial of the penalty phase only will commence July 18 with a new panel of jurors.

The same jury that convicted Arias of first-degree murder for the killing of her onetime boyfriend Travis Alexander was weighing whether the 32-year-old former waitress should be sentenced to life in prison, or to the death penalty.

CBS affiliate KPHO reported that some jurors were crying as they left the courtroom late Thursday after being unable to determine a sentence, including mouthing the words "I'm so sorry."" 
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Student Loan Bill Passes House, Setting Up Face-Off

WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday passed legislation to head off a doubling of student loan interest rates on July 1, instead tying rates to prevailing market trends and ending federal subsidies.The bill, approved largely along party lines, 221 to 198, kicks off what is sure to be the next showdown involving House Republicans, Senate Democrats and President Obama, with a hard deadline looming in little more than a month.

Republicans said they had come up with a long-term plan that would get the government out of the business of setting interest rates.

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Thank God Its Friday 5-24-13

What will you be doing this weekend?

Boehner: House Won’t Pass Senate Immigration Bill

House Speaker John A. Boehner on Thursday flatly ruled out chances of the House passing the Senate’s immigration bill, saying his chamber will debate its own bill instead.

Mr. Boehner and his top GOP lieutenants issued a joint statement that seemed designed to tamp down some of the momentum behind the Senate bill, which emerged from a Senate committee on a bipartisan 13-5 vote earlier this week, and to stake out a House GOP position.

“While we applaud the progress made by our Senate colleagues, there are numerous ways in which the House will approach the issue differently,” the GOP leaders said in their statement. “The House remains committed to fixing our broken immigration system, but we will not simply take up and accept the bill that is emerging in the Senate if it passes. Rather, through regular order, the House will work its will and produce its own legislation.”

Read more

Cops Go Undercover at High School to Bust Special-Needs Kid for Pot: Why Are Police So Desperate to Throw Kids in Jail?

Californians Doug and Catherine Snodgrass are suing their son’s high school for allowing undercover police officers to set up the 17-year-old special-needs student for a drug arrest.

In a video segment on ABC News, they say they were "thrilled" when their son -- who has Asperger's and other disabilities and struggled to make friends -- appeared to have instantly made a friend named Daniel.

“He suddenly had this friend who was texting him around the clock,” Doug Snodgrass told ABC News. His son had just recently enrolled at Chaparral High School.

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Leopold Pays $75,000 Fine To Anne Arundel County

ANNAPOLIS - Former County Executive John R. Leopold has paid his court-ordered fine, choosing to give the money to the county he once led.

By doing so, he reduced the fine to $75,000, instead of the $100,000 he was ordered to pay in March by retired Circuit Court Judge Dennis Sweeney.

Leopold, 70, was serving his second term in office when he was convicted of two counts of criminal misconduct in office for ordering his executive protection detail to do campaign work for him and to empty his catheter bag following his back surgery. He resigned from office in February. 
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Military Calls UK Attack Victim A Model Soldier

LONDON (AP) -- The soldier brutally murdered in a suspected terrorist attack in London was a popular 25-year-old ceremonial military drummer and machine gunner, a father and a passionate fan of the Manchester United soccer team, the British military said Thursday.

Lee Rigby, of 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, who had joined the army in 2006, was posted in Cyprus, Afghanistan and Germany before becoming a recruiter, assisting with duties in the Tower of London.

"All he wanted to do from when he was a little boy was be in the Army," Rigby's family said in a statement issued through the Ministry of Defense. "He wanted to live life and enjoy himself."
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Swim Coach Sentenced To 7 Years For Sex Abuse

ROCKVILLE — A once-prominent swimming coach who trained thousands of children was sentenced to seven years in prison Thursday for sexually abusing one of the girls he instructed.

Richard J. Curl, who last year was banned for life from the sport by USA Swimming, apologized for abusing the girl over a four-year period in the 1980s. The abuse started when she was 13 and took place in their respective homes, at the private school where he worked and in hotels where they stayed for swim meets. He was charged last year after the allegations of abuse against the woman, Kelley Davies Currin, became public.

Turning to the woman, Curl said, “Every day of my life has been spent thinking and feeling awful about my behavior.”

Read more

Coast Guard Evacuates Man From Tanker off Md.

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) -- The Coast Guard rescued an oil tanker crewman after he suffered a head injury about 60 miles east of Ocean City.

The Coast Guard says one of its helicopters picked up the 47-year-old man Thursday from the Hellas Endurance, a 500-foot, Greek-flagged tanker.

The tanker contacted the Coast Guard about 6:50 a.m. to report the man needed immediate medical attention. The Coast Guard sent a helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City in New Jersey. Fog created low visibility, so pilots used radar to find the ship.
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Smoke In Gallery Building Downtown

A report of smoke in the building just came in at 212 W. Main Street.

UPDATE: Apparently it was coming from the Downtown Deli. All 150 units have been called back to their stations. The call was downgraded. 

Friday, June 7 Is Last Day Of School For Students Of Wicomico County Public Schools

The last day of school for Wicomico County students will be Friday, June 7 to make up for one winter weather day. June 5, 6 and 7 will be half-days.

On half-days, dismissal will be 2 hours early for each school EXCEPT dismissal will be 3 hours early for students attending Delmar Elementary, and Delmar-area Magnet students attending North Salisbury Elementary.

Other schedule notes for the end of the 2012-12 school year:

Tuesday, June 4: Last day for PM prekindergarten students

Wednesday, June 5-Friday, June 7: Choices I will operate 8-11 a.m. Choices II will operate 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 6: Last day for ATEX, CTE I, high school orchestra, Latin, JROTC, VPA, full-day prekindergarten, Wicomico Early Learning Center, and AM Prekindergarten (all AM Prek will dismiss at regular time and ride their normal mid-day buses home EXCEPT for Westside Primary; Prek students of Westside Primary will dismiss at 11:15 a.m. and ride their normal prek buses)

Friday, June 7: Last day of school for Wicomico students. Elementary report cards sent home with students.

Monday, June 10: Last day for teachers

Thursday, June 13: Secondary report cards mailed

Department of Homeland Security: Selling Counterfeit Goods Is Now “Terrorism”

If the IRS scandal wasn’t enough to convince you that bloated, corrupt, bureaucratic government institutions pose a greater threat to our freedoms than any terrorist attack ever could, this story should settle it once and for all. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is not only wasteful, power hungry, and entirely unnecessary, it is also rapidly transforming itself into the Vampire Squid of government. In light of the fact that pretty much every terrorist plot the U.S. government has “thwarted” since 9/11 has been either FBI or CIA hatched schemes rooted in entrapment, the DHS has a lot of spare time on its hands to hunt frightening acts of “domestic terrorism.” You know, like fake Gucci bags. This story is beyond unacceptable. From WIVB Channel 4 News:

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) – Federal agents swept through two shopping malls Monday, seizing fake merchandise and shutting down stores.

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Ramadan Brothers Extradited One Week After Local Arrests; 300-Page Indictment Details Lengthy Conspiracy

Basel Ramadan                        Samir Ramadan

OCEAN CITY -- Two local business owners, indicted by a New York grand jury last week for enterprise corruption and money laundering, were extradited to New York Wednesday and were expected to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.

Last week, federal officials concluded an investigation into a vast multi-million dollar cigarette smuggling operation with raids on two locations in and around the resort area, including the West Ocean City homes of residents Basel Ramadan, 42, who is being called the “boss” of the enterprise, and Samir Ramadan, 40, who is Basel Ramadan’s brother and has been called the “enterprise treasurer.” Federal officials also raided the Ramadan’s offices over the Subway restaurant they own at Sunset Drive near 26th Street in Ocean City on the same day.

At the Ramadan’s West Ocean City homes in the Oyster Harbor community, $1.4 million in large black bags was recovered, along with 20,000 cartons of untaxed cigarettes. Also seized were numerous vehicles and other property belonging to the Ramadans. The Ramadans allegedly conducted the vast cigarette smuggling operation out of their Ocean City properties, but 14 other co-conspirators, from transporters to distributors to resellers, were also rounded up at locations all over the mid-Atlantic region.
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MAN WHO HELPED RESCUE 3 KIDNAPPED WOMEN IN OHIO GETS AWESOME HOMETOWN SURPRISE

The man who famously put down his Big Mac to help rescue three women held captive for years in a Cleveland house will get free McDonald’s for the next year, a company spokeswoman confirmed Thursday.

Local franchisees in Charles Ramsey’s neighborhood have offered him free food at their restaurants, said Heidi Barker, a spokeswoman for Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s Corp.

Ramsey was called a hero after helping Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight break out of the house May 6. Homeowner Ariel Castro faces charges. His defense team has said he will plead not guilty.
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Breaking News Bridge Collapse In Washington State

BREAKING: People and vehicles are in the water after the I-5 Bridge over Skagit River in WA state has collapsed

UPDATE 
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — An Interstate 5 bridge over a river north of Seattle collapsed Thursday evening, dumping vehicles and people into the water, the Washington State Patrol said.

The four-lane bridge over the Skagit River collapsed about 7 p.m., Trooper Mark Francis said. There was no immediate estimate of how many people were in the water or whether there were any injuries or deaths, he said.

It also was not known what caused the collapse of the bridge about 60 miles north of Seattle in Skagit County, which stretches from the North Cascades National Park to a cluster of islands off the Washington coast. More

Carrie Underwood Donates $1 Million To Red Cross For Disaster Relief

Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood is giving back in a big way by making a major donation.

On Thursday, she revealed she is donating $1 million to the Red Cross for disaster relief.

“I have watched the devastation in my home state of Oklahoma over the past several days with great sadness,” Carrie said in a statement. “With the help of my fans who attended my concerts over the past year, we can offer the Red Cross a little extra help in comforting those affected by the recent tornados.”
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How The IRS's Nonprofit Division Got So Dysfunctional

The IRS division responsible for flagging Tea Party groups has long been an agency afterthought, beset by mismanagement, financial constraints and an unwillingness to spell out just what it expects from social welfare nonprofits, former officials and experts say.
The controversy that erupted in the past week, leading to the ousting of the acting Internal Revenue Service commissioner, an investigation by the FBI, and congressional hearings that kicked off Friday, comes against a backdrop of dysfunction brewing for years.

Moves launched in the 1990s were designed to streamline the tax agency and make it more efficient. But they had unintended consequences for the IRS’s Exempt Organizations division.

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NOAA Predicts Active 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season

In its 2013 Atlantic hurricane season outlook issued today, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Centeris forecasting an active or extremely active season this year.

For the six-month hurricane season, which begins June 1, NOAA’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook says there is a 70 percent likelihood of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 7 to 11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher).

These ranges are well above the seasonal average of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes.
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IRS Official Lois Lerner Placed On Leave

Lois Lerner, the head of the tax-exempt organizations division of the IRS, has been placed on administrative leave, an administration official has confirmed to CBS News.

Lerner has come under fire for failing to alert Congress of the undue scrutiny that some IRS officials in her division had placed on conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status.

Thursday afternoon, Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and John McCain, R-Ariz., the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Government Affairs investigations subcommittee, called on Daniel Werfel, the new acting IRS commissioner, "to suspend immediately Lois Lerner from her office as Director of the Office of Exempt Organizations."
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Judge Declares Mistrial In Penalty Phase Of Arias Trial

Judge declares a mistrial in the penalty phase of the Jodi Arias murder trial and schedules a retrial for July after jurors deadlocked on a life or death verdict.
From Fox News 

Police Force Shows Support For 5-Year-Old To Honor Her Dad's Memory

Her Daddy couldn't be here for kindergarten graduation because he was killed 3 days ago in the line of duty. So her Phoenix Police family showed up and lined the walkway, cheering on Tatum Raetz, who managed to smile... even for a little.
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Corporate Power Is Out Of Control

Western & Southern Insurance Group in Cincinnati decided it was buying the 104-year-old inn across the street from it's headquarters, even though the property was not for sale. Several years ago, Western & Southern offered to buy the Anna Louise Inn, a home for struggling women, for $1.8 million dollars – less than half its value.

But, the women wouldn't sell. So, the company sued the women of Anna Louise over a zoning issue, and tied them up in court for over two years. Eventually, the costs of the legal fight became to much to bear, and the women were forced to sell the property to Western & Southern for $4 million dollars. They will soon be relocated to a new building in a shabby neighborhood two miles away. 

For decades, the Inn has been home to women leaving abusive husbands, recovering from drug addiction, or transitioning from foster care to adulthood. But, that's all about to change because this huge corporation could afford a legal fight, and the Anna Louise couldn't. Western & Southern used our court system as their personal sword, to wield power over those without the means to fight. They should be ashamed, and we should be outraged.

How America Became A Third World Country

The streets are so much darker now, since money for streetlights is rarely available to municipal governments. The national parks began closing down years ago. Some are already being subdivided and sold to the highest bidder. Reports on bridges crumbling or even collapsing are commonplace. The air in city after city hangs brown and heavy (and rates of childhood asthma and other lung diseases have shot up), because funding that would allow the enforcement of clean air standards by the Environmental Protection Agency is a distant memory. Public education has been cut to the bone, making good schools a luxury and, according to the Department of Education, two of every five students won’t graduate from high school.

It’s 2023 -- and this is America 10 years after the first across-the-board federal budget cuts known as sequestration went into effect. They went on for a decade, making no exception for effective programs vital to America’s economic health that were already underfunded, like job training and infrastructure repairs. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

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‘WE’RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE IT’: COLO. SHERIFFS UNITE TO BLOCK ‘UNENFORCEABLE’ GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION

In the wake of the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado passed some of the strictest gun control measures in the country.

But in recent months, an overwhelming 55 of the state’s 62 county sheriffs have joined a lawsuit aiming to block the measures.

“These bills do absolutely nothing to make Colorado a safer place to live, to work, to play or to raise a family,” Weld County Sheriff John Cooke explained at a recent press conference. “Instead these misguided, unconstitutional bills will have the opposite effect because they greatly restrict the right of decent, law-abiding citizens to defend themselves, their families and their homes.”
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The Butt Dial

Many of us have experienced the embarrassment of a butt dial, however, two California men found themselves in jail after their cellphone mishap. One of their phones accidentally dialed 911 from a pocket, right at the exact moment the pair was breaking into a car. The 911 operator who took the call heard one of the men say, "get the bolt and give me the hammer just in case," and then heard a window shatter. Little did the men know that as they drove away, police were already in the area searching for them based on the clues the dispatcher was providing. The pair was arrested, and charged with burglary. Perhaps they'll think twice before breaking into a car again, or at least consider that somebody may be listening.

Senator Vitter Passes 'No Food Stamps For Murderers And Rapists' Amendment to Farm Bill

The amendment was agreed to by unanimous consent. Thank God we can all agree that taxpayers shouldn't be forced to feed murderers, rapists, and pedophiles.

Vitter’s amendment would prohibit convicted murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from receiving food stamps. Under current law, there is a lifetime ban only for convicted drug felons, though many states have opted out of or modified that ban. Vitter’s amendment would extend the lifetime food stamp ban to dangerous sex offenders and murderers, and would not allow states to opt out or modify this ban.

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OCPD Arrest Drunk Driver After Short Pursuit

Shawn Josef Martin

On May 20, 2013, at approximately 11:20 p.m. Ocean City Police observed a vehicle being driven erratically northbound on Coastal Highway. Based on police observations, the driver was suspected to have been under the influence of alcohol. Police attempted to stop the vehicle near 74th Street; however, the vehicle fled.


Police pursued the vehicle at which time the driver, later identified as Shawn Josef Martin, 29, of Eldersburg, MD, turned into a parking garage on 77thStreet. Martin then sped through and exited the garage at which point struck a bush. Police attempted numerous times to have Martin stop; however, he continued to flee driving through several stop signs and traveling at a dangerously high rate of speed. Martin turned back onto Coastal Highway and crossed four lanes of traffic where he lost control and nearly struck the center median. He then turned east onto 79th Street, drove onto the sidewalk and struck a street sign at which time his vehicle stopped. Martin exited his vehicle and attempted to flee the crash scene on foot but was taken into custody shortly after by responding officers. During the on-scene investigation, police confirmed their suspicion that Martin was intoxicated. Officers also noted that there were no injuries during the incident.
 
Ocean City Police have charged Martin with 49 citations for various reckless/aggressive driving charges. Martin must appear in court for 12 of those citations.

Martin was released on his own recognizance on $25,000 unsecured bond.

Tractor Trailer Flips On Whitehaven Road

The road is temporarily closed.

BREAKING NEWS: Building Collapse At Westfield Montgomery Mall

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services officials and Montgomery County Police are responding to reports of a building collapse at the Westfield Montgomery Mall.

There is reportedly one person trapped and one person unconcsious at the site, where scaffolding and a beam fell.

The collapse reportedly occurred near the Macy’s entrance to the mall, where construction of a new food court and luxury movie theater is ongoing.

UPDATE
Two people are trapped following a partial parking garage collapse at the Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Montgomery County Fire officials say.

Montgomery County Fire Department spokesman Scott Graham says that the collapse happened at about 2 p.m. Thursday in a 40-foot area between the second and third levels of the three-level garage outside the Macy's entrance to the mall, at the corner of Democracy Boulevard and Westlake Drive.

The parking garage was not open to the public at the time of the incident. Fire officials are describing the incident as a construction accident.
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UPDATE: Fire Department spokeswoman Beth Anne Nesselt says one man died. Rescuers are trying to free another man who has serious injuries.

Four Billion Dollar Cut To The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Last week, the Senate Agriculture Committee approved the FARRM Act of 2013, which includes a four billion dollar cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as "food stamps." Yesterday, that bill was introduced in the full Senate, and one lawmaker is going to great lengths to convince his colleagues to reject all of the proposed cuts. Democrat Chris Murphy of Connecticut will attempt to eat for one week, using only $3 dollars a day, which is about the same amount that SNAP recipients have to survive on. In addition to the four billion in cuts proposed by the Senate Agriculture Committee, the Republican-led House Agriculture Committee wants to see another $20 billion cut from the program. Senator Murphy won't have to deal with other difficulties experienced by those who rely on SNAP benefits, like social stigma, but his effort will demonstrate how hard it will be for the vital program to absorb these draconian cuts proposed by Congress. It's shameful that Congress is even considering cuts to SNAP, which exists solely to ensure people aren't starving in the streets, all so they don't have to ask the wealthy to pay a little bit more in taxes. Hopefully, lawmakers will learn something from Senator Chris Murphy's experience, and reject all cuts to this important program.

A Baby Elephant Sees The Sea For The First Time!

Military Quietly Grants Itself The Power To Police The Streets Without Local Or State Consent

The lines between the military and law enforcement have blurred even further.

The manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombing suspects offered the nation a window into the stunning military-style capabilities of our local law enforcement agencies. For the past 30 years, police departments throughout the United States have benefitted from the government’s largesse in the form of military weaponry and training, incentives offered in the ongoing “war on drugs.” For the average citizen watching events such as the intense pursuit of the Tsarnaev brothers on television, it would be difficult to discern between fully outfitted police SWAT teams and the military.

The lines blurred even further Monday as a new dynamic was introduced to the militarization of domestic law enforcement. By making a few subtle changes to a regulation in the U.S. Code titled “Defense Support of Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies” the military has quietly granted itself the ability to police the streets without obtaining prior local or state consent, upending a precedent that has been in place for more than two centuries.

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National Zoo Welcomes New Elephant Into Herd

WASHINGTON - A female Asian elephant named Bozie had a rough night in March: her only companion passed away.

Officials at the Baton Rouge Zoo, her home at the time, worked hard to find her a new place to live, one where she could interact with other elephants and maintain social connections that researchers say are crucial for the creatures.

They finally settled on Elephant Trails at the National Zoo as Bozie's new home. After traveling more than 1,100 miles in a truck with Elephant Manager Marie Galloway, Zoo Veterinarian Nancy Boedeker and a keeper from the Baton Rouge Zoo, the 37-year-old elephant arrived safely in Washington on May 22.
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Watch As City Changes Parking Signs Then Issues Tickets To Cars That Had Been Parked Legally

Finding a parking spot in many major cities can be a pain in the butt, as you not only navigate the streets but have to be mindful of “No Parking,” “No Standing,” and any other number of signs that regulate where, and for how long, you can deposit your car. So once you find a spot and check all the signs, you should be good, right? Not if the city comes by and changes the signs on you.

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Maryland Taxpayers Could See Refunds As Attorney General Weighs Appeal

Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler is weighing an appeal of a decision by the state's highest court that would cost the state's counties and Baltimore City $128 million in taxes.

Maryland's Court of Appeals ruled in January that the state must offer credits to taxpayers whose out-of-state income is subject to local piggyback taxes, and it rejected Gansler's request to reconsider the ruling on May 17. Gansler has 90 days to decide whether to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Montgomery County would be hit hardest if the court's decision stands, due to the county's high concentration of wealth. Of the $128 million in piggyback taxes collected over the past three tax years, Montgomery County would have to return $72.5 million to taxpayers. The ruling would affect about 56,000 taxpayers statewide.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY 5-23-13

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

Aldous Huxley

Maryland Judiciary Promotes Civics Education

Judge Pamila Brown saw a need for more civic education.

A few years ago, Brown, a Howard County District Judge, attended an American Bar Association meeting where the organization discussed implementing a national civics and law program for high schoolers lacking civics education.

In 2011, the Maryland State Department of Education dropped an assessment in social studies as a graduation requirement because of funding issues. When that happened, Brown decided it was time to start a local civics and law academy to Maryland.

“I thought what a perfect opportunity,” said Brown, chair of the Maryland Judiciary Public Awareness Committee.

Read more 

WHY WERE DHS AGENTS SEEMINGLY MONITORING MULTIPLE TEA PARTY IRS PROTESTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON TUESDAY?

There were multiple reported sightings of agents with the Department of Homeland Security at several Tea Party-led IRS protests in states like Missouri, Florida, Illinois and Indiana. The rallies that occurred across the country on Tuesday were sparked by the IRS’ unfair targeting of conservative groups — one of the several scandals the Obama administration is dealing with.

What is unclear though is why federal officials felt the Tea Party presence required more than the attention of local law enforcement.

These photos, one showing “armed” DHS guards, were reportedly taken at the St. Louis IRS protest:

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Caption This Photo 5-23-13

14th Annual C.O.P.S Ride

Please join the Sheriff for the 14th Annual C.O.P.S. Ride on Sunday, June 9, 2013.

All riders will be escorted to FOP Lodge #89, 2905 Old Largo Rd. Upper Marlboro, MD. For lunch and C.O.P.S. Ride T-Shirt, a minimum donation of $25 per person is required.

The Sheriff will meet those who wish to ride along at the Salisbury MVA at 0800 hours for departure to Cambridge.

For more information please contact, http://mdcops.org/

Click to Enlarge

Ocean City Town Manager David Recor Saga Continues: Divorce

Case Information

Court System:	Circuit Court for Worcester County - Civil System
Case Number:	23C13000658
Title:	David L Recor vs Maria A Recor
Case Type:	Divorce-AbsoluteFiling Date:05/17/2013
Case Status:	Open/Active

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Plaintiff/Petitioner Information

(Each Plaintiff/Petitioner is displayed below)

Party Type:

PlaintiffParty No.:1

Name:

Recor, David L

Address:	9104 Mediterranean Drive
City:	Ocean CityState:MDZip Code:21842

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff/Petitioner

Name:	Almand, Esq, James W
Appearance Date:	05/17/2013
Practice Name:	Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy & Almand, P. A.
Address:	6200 Coastal Highway
	Suite 200
City:	Ocean CityState:MDZip Code:21842

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Defendant/Respondent Information

(Each Defendant/Respondent is displayed below)

Party Type:

DefendantParty No.:1

Name:

Recor, Maria A

Address:	9104 Mediterranean Drive
City:	Ocean CityState:MDZip Code:21842

Attorney(s) for the Defendant/Respondent

Name:	Mathers, Esq, Carolyn P
Appearance Date:	05/17/2013
Practice Name:	Law Offices Of Fine & Mathers, P.A.
Address:	P.O. Box 4626
	217 E. Main Street
City:	SalisburyState:MDZip Code:21803-4626

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Document Tracking

(Each Document listed. Documents are listed in Document No./Sequence No. order)

Doc No./Seq No.:	1/0
File Date:	05/17/2013Close Date:Decision:
Party Type:	PlaintiffParty No.:1
Document Name:	Complaint for Divorce and Related Relief

The Daily Times has an excellent article on this matter HERE.

Post Office Buildings For Sale

The US has entered into a contract with a real estate firm to sell 56 buildings that currently house U.S. Post Offices. The government has decided it no longer needs these buildings, many of which are located on prime land in towns and cities across the country. The sale of these properties will fetch billions of dollars and a handsome 6%commission to the company handling the sales. That company belongs to a man named Richard Blum. Who is Richard Blum you ask?Why the husband of Senator Dianne Feinstein, that's who. What a bunch of crooks we have running this country!Senator Feinstein and her husband, Richard Blum, stand to make a fortune. His firm, C.R. I., is the sole real estate company offering these properties for sale. Of course, C.R.I. will be making a 6% commission on the sale of each and every one of these postal properties. All of these properties that are being sold are all fully paid for. 

They were purchased with U.S. taxpayers dollars, and they are allowed free and clear by the U.S.P.S. The only cost to keep them is the cost to actually keep the doors open and the heat and lights on. The United States Postal Service doesn't even have to pay property taxes on these subject properties. Would you sell your house just because you couldn't afford to pay the electric bill? Well, the Post Office is. How does a powerful U.S. Senator from San Francisco manage to get away with such a sweet deal? A powerful United States Senator's husband is standing by, all ready to make millions from a U.S. taxpayer funded enterprise. No one in the mainstream media is even raising an eyebrow over his 6%commission on the sale of hundreds of millions of dollar's worth of quasi-public assets. Pass this info on before it's pulled from the internet.

True on Snopes:http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/blum.asp--

SUSPECT SOUGHT IN QUEEN ANNE'S CO. JEWELRY STORE ROBBERY

(QUEENSTOWN, MD) – Maryland State Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying an armed robbery suspect who disguised himself before robbing a Queen Anne’s County jewelry store last weekend.

The suspect is described only as a male, about six feet tall, with a thin build, possibly weighing 180-200 pounds, and possibly having short dark hair. He was wearing an oversized suit jacket, a backpack on his chest, a dark wig, a fake beard, sunglasses, and a ball cap. He was operating a white Yamaha sport motorcycle with silver stickers.

At about 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, 2013, the suspect entered the Ultra Diamonds jewelry store, in the 100-block of Outlet Center Drive, Queenstown, Md. He displayed a handgun and stole dozens of pieces of jewelry from the store. No one in the store was injured during the robbery. The suspect left the store on foot to an area behind the shopping center where he took his disguise off. He fled the area on the Yamaha motorcycle and was seen wearing a green and black riding jacket, with a multi-colored helmet that had yellow/green duct tape holding the face shield on.

The suspect was seen abandoning the motorcycle and fleeing into a wooded area on Nesbit Road in Grasonville. Maryland State Police, Natural Resources Police, and Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office personnel set up a perimeter around the area. K-9 units and a State Police helicopter responded to assist with the search. Although an intense search of the area was conducted, the suspect was not located.

The motorcycle was recovered where the suspect abandoned it. It was found to have been stolen from Washington, D.C. in 2010. The motorcycle also had a stolen registration plate displayed on it.

State Police investigators believe the suspect was seen by a number of people in the shopping center parking lot before he committed the robbery. According to evidence developed, the suspect obviously turned his head and attempted to avoid people he encountered while making his way toward the store. His actions may have made his appearance and behavior even more obvious to people in the area.

Investigators believe the suspect’s ‘disguise’ was clearly fake and would attract the attention of people who encountered him. Police are hoping anyone who saw him or who was in the area of Outlet Center Drive in Queenstown on the evening of May 19th will call them immediately at the Centreville Barracks, at 410-758-1101. Callers may remain confidential. Investigators would also like to speak with anyone who observed any suspicious vehicles or persons in the area of the Chesapeake Motel, Nesbit Road, Blackbeard Road, Winchester Creek Road, Hissey Road and Route 50 in the Grasonville area during the past weekend. Citizens should not consider any information or observation they have to be insignificant.

Sewage Spill?

A viewer writes, Nasty sewage spill/overflow or something on Fitzwater. Crews on the scene.

Maryland Attorney And 4 Clients Indicted For Conspiracy To Bribe An Immigration Official

BALTIMORE – A federal grand jury has indicted an immigration attorney and four of his clients in connection with a conspiracy to bribe an immigration official in order to obtain lawful permanent residence, employment authorization documents and green cards. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Baltimore District Office and the Baltimore County Police Department.

The "immigration official" was actually an HSI special agent acting in an undercover capacity.

Indicted are Kiran Dewan, 59, of Woodbine, Md., a Maryland attorney, who operated the Law Offices of Dewan and Associates, P.C., in Windsor Mill, Md; and clients Amjad Israr, 46, of Cheshire, Conn.; Mohammad Khan, 58, of Baltimore; Khazar Nadar, 55, of Catonsville, Md.; and Narayan Thapa, 51, of Perry Hall, Md. The indictment was returned Jan. 8 and unsealed Wednesday upon the HSI arrests of Dewan, Israr, Khan and Thapa.

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Thought Of The Day

From a hard working Home Builder from Brunswick Maine, who is 66 yrs.old 

"A GOOD WAY TO STARVE THE OBAMA SUPPORTERS, HIDE THEIR FOOD STAMPS UNDER WORK-BOOTS."

Audit: Schools Spent Stimulus Money On Cruises, Catering

A federal audit is pointing fingers at the way public schools in Maryland spent federal stimulus money.

The U.S. Department of Education audited the way the state spent its stimulus money,and it found Baltimore City Schools spent $4,352 on a pair of dinner cruises for parents school volunteers and staff, plus $1,575 for catering for school events, and $1,336 for theater tickets.

Prince George's County Schools are also criticized for similar spending.
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Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate And Princess Adventure

TICKETS TO All-New Stage Show,

ON SALE MAY 28th IN SALISBURY

Salisbury, MD - Feld Entertainment, Inc., producers of Disney On Ice and Disney Live!, is taking top performing cable TV series for preschoolers to the stage in Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure. Featuring characters from the smash hitsSofia the First and Jake and the Never Land Pirates, this brand new production launches a 90-city national tour in July 2013. Tickets for the Salisbury performances at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center, August 11th, 2013, go on sale May 28th, 2013.

“The Feld Entertainment mission of providing quality live entertainment experiences that the entire family enjoys starts with Disney Live! because it is often a young fan’s first theatrical experience,” said producer Alana Feld. “Children everywhere are falling in love with Sofia and Jake, and we are thrilled to bring these popular Disney Junior characters to the stage for the first time ever."
In this original storyline, Mickey and Minnie lead the audience on an exciting adventure that will have families rooting for their favorite pirate Jake and Disney's first little girl princess Sofia. Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure begins with a special interactive pre-show featuring the loveable 6-year-old doctor to toys and stuffed animals, Doc McStuffins. Children and their parents will sing “The Check-Up Song” along with Doc as she provides tender love and care.
Audiences will then embark on a journey to the magical world of Enchancia, where Sofia, her step-siblings Amber and James, and the entire kingdom are preparing for the annual friendship festival. Sofia has the honor of delivering the perfect gift to her royal subjects at the celebration, and the one-and-only Cinderella visits the castle to help Sofia in her mission to find just the right present.
The excitement continues when families cast away to Never Land where Jake and his Yo Ho pirate friends Izzy and Cubby are in a race against time to locate a mysterious treasure-filled volcano. Danger, thrills and adventure lurk around every turn when our swashbuckling friends battle Captain Hook for the ultimate prize. Peter Pan makes a special appearance, aiding the team in their heroic quest, and with the help of Tinker Bell’s pixie dust, Jake and his crew fly above the stage in their journey.
In 2012, “Doc McStuffins” and “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” ranked as cable TV’s Top 2 series for all kids ages 2-5, reaching 46.7 million and 36.5 million unique total viewers, respectively, throughout the year. Launching at the top 2013, “Sofia the First” is cable TV’s #1 series year to date among Kids 2-5 and Girls 2-5, and is the #1 preschool cable TV series in Total Viewers and Women 18-49. In fact, the November 18, 2012 premiere of its introductory TV movie, “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess” became the #1 cable TV telecast ever in Kids 2-5, and #1 preschool cable TV telecast of all time in Total Viewers (8.2 million) and Women 18-49.

LIBERAL COLUMNISTS QUIETLY GATHER AT WHITE HOUSE

NPR's Ari Shapiro posted an interesting Tweet on May 21. He discovered that a cadre of well-known lefty columnists and journalists visited the White House together, three of whom he mentioned by name.

Shapiro reported that Jonathan Capehart and Ezra Klein of the Washington Post, and Josh Marshall of the left-wing website TalkingPointsMemo.com were attending a meeting together at the White House.

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House Approves Keystone Pipeline Bill

House Republicans pushed through a bill Wednesday to bypass the president to speed approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas. Democrats criticized the legislation as a blatant attempt to allow a foreign company to avoid environmental review.

The bill was approved, 241-175, largely along party lines.

Republicans said the measure was needed to ensure that the long-delayed pipeline, first proposed in 2008, is built.

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OFF-DUTY TROOPER INJURED IN HIT AND RUN IN CAROLINE CO.

(DENTON, MD) – An off-duty state trooper is being treated for injuries he sustained when he apparently confronted vandalism suspects in a car and was dragged by the car when the driver accelerated and fled the scene in Caroline County earlier this evening.

Maryland State Police are still investigating the incident. Details are incomplete at this time.

The trooper is an eight-year veteran of the Maryland State Police assigned to the Easton Barrack. He is currently undergoing treatment at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center where hospital officials say he is listed in critical condition.

The preliminary investigation by the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division indicates that at about 7:15 p.m. today, the trooper was traveling off-duty in the area of 7th Street and Market Street in Denton when he observed several people in a car ahead of him who appeared to be involved in some type of vandalism. The trooper exited his car and approached the car ahead of him on foot.

While the trooper was talking with the three individuals in the car, all apparently juveniles, preliminary information indicates the driver accelerated and the trooper was somehow dragged by the vehicle an undetermined distance down the road. The trooper became dislodged from the vehicle and fell to the roadway. The suspect vehicle fled the scene.

The trooper was flown by a Maryland State Police helicopter to the Shock Trauma Center. State and local police began a search for the suspect vehicle. A suspect vehicle has been located and three individuals are currently being questioned by State Police investigators.

No further information is available at this time. Additional information will be provided when it becomes available, probably at some point tomorrow morning.

The investigation is continuing.

A Product We All Want

MILITARY SUFFERS WAVE OF 'GAY' SEX ASSAULTS

'We've got a male-on-male problem here'
A recent military report on sexual assault in the military shocked many in Washington and around the nation, but a leading expert on military personnel revealed the prevalence of men assaulting other men is one of the major headlines in this study.

The extended analysis of the report first appeared in Monday’s edition of the the Washington Times.

The Defense Department survey of sexual assault in the military during fiscal 2012 estimated 26,000 assaults took place in the armed forces. Nearly 3,000 of them were formally reported. Just more than 6 percent of women reported being victims of assault and 1.2 percent of men said the same. Given the much larger number of men in the military, those numbers suggest 14,000 of the assaults in the Pentagon study happened to men.

Among the assaults formally reported, 88 percent of reports came from women and 12 percent from men. The numbers are getting dramatically worse.

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