RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A U.S. Department of Education judge has ruled that Virginia Tech did not violate federal law in its response to the campus massacre that left 33 people dead in 2007.
Administrative Judge Ernest Canellos overturned a $55,000 fine against the school and determined that the university's actions on April 16, 2007, didn't violate the Clery Act, which requires schools to issue timely warnings of campus threats.
"This was not an unreasonable amount of time in which to issue a warning. .. if the later shootings at Norris Hall had not occurred, it is doubtful that the timing of the email would have been perceived as too late." the ruling said.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, March 30, 2012
Democrat Judge Targets Tea Party Group
A Texas judge has ruled to strip a Tea Party-aligned group of its non-profit status. The judge ruled that the group, King Street Patriots (KSP), was actually a political action committee (PAC) for engaging in anti-voter fraud efforts.
In reality, the True the Vote campaign is separate from KSP; while both were founded by Tea Party activist Catherine Engelbrecht, the two entities operate separately. “Everyone labels us as the same organization and I think they do that because it’s a political maneuver to create the impression that the facts are other than what they actually are,” says Catherine Englebrecht, the founder of both organizations. “If we were to argue this on the facts they wouldn’t have a case.” Engelbrecht said that although she is the founder of both groups, they have acted completely apart from one another. “We’re taking a number of actions to make sure that it’s clear the groups operate independently from one another, which they always have.”
The Democratic Party has charged that True the Vote made unlawful political contributions to the Texas Republican Party by working with the party to train poll watchers and by holding candidate forums that were limited to GOP candidates. “Neither group has ever given a political campaign contribution to a political candidate or party,” said Engelbrecht.
Councilwoman Campbell Responds To My Request Referencing Ethics Commission
Mr. Albero,
Thank you for calling with your questions regarding the ruling of the ethics commission. As I confirmed, we were notified individually by Chariman Lyster on Tuesday regarding the outcome of the commission’s deliberation and the decision that there was not an ethics violation. Council President Cohen inquired of Mr. Bloxom, attorney to the commission for this matter, whether or not the discussion reported during the call should be treated as confidential. In a written response, Mr. Bloxom indicated that while the information conveyed by Chariman Lyster was not confidential he did recommend that we consider waiting to release the determination because it would be better accomplished with the written opinion which will give an explanation as to why there are no violations, and was hopeful that it would answer a lot of the speculation and questions of the public regarding the allegations. A good outcome for the public that will set the record straight is what is most should be most important. It appears that Mr. Dunn and or the Daily Times went ahead with an article prior to the finalization and release of the commission’s formal report and applied their own sets of filters rather than allowing the public to process the findings of the commission as published in the commission’s own words. I will not comment further on the matter until the formal findings of the commission are released.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond. I trust that you will print my comment unedited and in its entirety.
Regards.
Debbie Campbell
Thank you for calling with your questions regarding the ruling of the ethics commission. As I confirmed, we were notified individually by Chariman Lyster on Tuesday regarding the outcome of the commission’s deliberation and the decision that there was not an ethics violation. Council President Cohen inquired of Mr. Bloxom, attorney to the commission for this matter, whether or not the discussion reported during the call should be treated as confidential. In a written response, Mr. Bloxom indicated that while the information conveyed by Chariman Lyster was not confidential he did recommend that we consider waiting to release the determination because it would be better accomplished with the written opinion which will give an explanation as to why there are no violations, and was hopeful that it would answer a lot of the speculation and questions of the public regarding the allegations. A good outcome for the public that will set the record straight is what is most should be most important. It appears that Mr. Dunn and or the Daily Times went ahead with an article prior to the finalization and release of the commission’s formal report and applied their own sets of filters rather than allowing the public to process the findings of the commission as published in the commission’s own words. I will not comment further on the matter until the formal findings of the commission are released.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond. I trust that you will print my comment unedited and in its entirety.
Regards.
Debbie Campbell
New Posts to fall below.
Old Jeans Will Become Home Insulation
Blue jeans are the common denominator of American closets.
But what is popular in the world of denim pants -- flared, skinny, distressed, dark-washed -- can change with the blink of an eye. And it is not uncommon for children to outgrow a pair of jeans over the course of one school semester.
That's the idea behind the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore denim drive.
Not many people can donate an appliance or a piece of furniture, said project organizer Chelsea Boice, "but a lot of people have denim."
"You Might Be Establishment" Tea Party vs GOP
Recently I’ve been troubled by the results of these GOP primary beauty pageants. More specifically by the fact that Ron Paul has been getting 10-20% of the “Tea Party” vote. Ron Paul started the Tea Party. Ron Paul is the Tea Party. He is the only one who follows its mantra – Taxed Enough Already!!! The reality is that some of the less educated folks in the Tea Party have been sucked up by the GOP establishment. So, in light of this, I’ve compiled a list for those folks to see if they are really Tea Party, or if they’ve been fooled and become part of the very machine we are fighting. If you believe just one of these things you are NOT Tea Party and you need to rethink before we totally lose the Country.
If you think the Patriot Act protects US Citizens from terrorists, you might be establishment.
If you think the TSA is helping “keep us safe” while molesting little girls and grandmothers, you might be establishment.
If you think bombing defenseless women, kids, houses, and villages in the name of “democracy” is a good idea, you might be establishment.
If you don’t know the difference between National Defense and starting unprovoked wars repeatedly, you might be establishment.
If you think The Golden Rule is outdated, you might be establishment.
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If you think the Patriot Act protects US Citizens from terrorists, you might be establishment.
If you think the TSA is helping “keep us safe” while molesting little girls and grandmothers, you might be establishment.
If you think bombing defenseless women, kids, houses, and villages in the name of “democracy” is a good idea, you might be establishment.
If you don’t know the difference between National Defense and starting unprovoked wars repeatedly, you might be establishment.
If you think The Golden Rule is outdated, you might be establishment.
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Prostitute Blames McDonald's For Driving Her Into Profession
We've heard of people blaming McDonald's for getting them fat or burning their grandchildren with hot liquid, but rare is the occasion that the fast food giant is accused of leading one into a life of prostitution. But if you live long enough, you see everything, hence a federal court case in which a woman accuses McDonald's and her franchisee ex-husband of pushing her into the world's oldest profession in the 1980s.
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Beef Company Insists Pink Slime Doesn't Exist, While Critics Say It Ain't Ground Beef
The makers of the ground beef filler we all know now as "pink slime" aren't taking this nickname lying down. After losing business from grocery stores, Beef Products Inc. is fighting back in the media, insisting pink slime isn't even a real thing. Opponents of the stuff are firing right back.
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Buy Israeli Goods Weekend Gets Underway
Pro-Israel organization StandWithUs announces 'BIG' day for March 30, urges shoppers to purchase Israeli-made products in bid to counter global anti-Israel boycott day
For the past few years, storeowners worldwide who chose to sell Israeli made products and their customers have had to face a daily gauntlet of protestors seeking to boycott Israeli goods through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which is actively seeking to operate against Israel on a global level.
For the past few years, storeowners worldwide who chose to sell Israeli made products and their customers have had to face a daily gauntlet of protestors seeking to boycott Israeli goods through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which is actively seeking to operate against Israel on a global level.
Now, StandWithUs, a pro-Israeli organization is fighting back. StandWithUs is urging schools, campuses, synagogues, community organizations, and individuals to celebrate Israel by designating March 30 as the day to buy up Israeli goods at local stores - the BIG weekend.
Company Behind Billions Of Phony "Auto Warranty" Robocalls Shut Down By FTC
Have you ever answered a call from an unfamiliar number only to hear a recording tell you there is important information about your automobile warranty? You're not alone, as the folks at the FTC have shut down an operation it says was responsible for billions of instances of deceptive dialing.
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Passengers Can Fight, Too: Woman Allegedly Attacks Crew Mid-Flight
Although it's been flight attendants and captains making the headlines lately for disrupting flights with scary and sometimes violent outbursts, let's not forget that passengers can exhibit wild behavior as well. A woman flying on US Airways yesterday had to be restrained after attacking the flight crew, say cops and airline officials.
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OCPD RECOGNIZES NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IN APRIL
The Ocean City Police Department is supporting the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) by recognizing April as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The 2012 Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) campaign centers on promoting healthy sexuality to prevent sexual violence by proclaiming “It’s time…to talk about it!”
“This year’s campaign encourages individuals and communities to participate in the conversations on how we connect with and respect one another in order to prevent sexual violence,” said Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette A. DiPino. “By talking about this topic we are making the connection that promoting a healthy behavior encourages relationships that are consensual, respectful and informed.”
Sexual violence, including child sexual abuse, crosses all ages, genders, races, ethnicities and economic backgrounds. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, among college women, nine in ten victims of rape and sexual assault knew their offender. In addition, almost 12.8 percent of completed rapes, 35 percent of attempted rapes, and 22.9 percent of threatened rapes happened during a date.
The Ocean City Police Department, in partnership with Atlantic General Hospital, Worcester County SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) and the Life Crisis Center, raise awareness for sexual assault year-round through the Sexual Offense/Assault and Rape Reduction Project, also known as SOARr. “The purpose of SOARr, is to educate people about the dangers of sexual assault and teach ways it can be prevented. It targets teens and young adults, those at highest risk of a sexual assault, by providing messages such as “No means No,” “No Friend Left Behind,” and “Hand Over Your Drink,” Chief DiPino continued. “We want to help people to use good judgment, remind them not to trust strangers and encourage them contact the police immediately if they are the victim of a crime.”
For more information about National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please visit http://www.nsvrc.org/. In addition, victims seeking help should visit http://rainn.org, for live, one-on-one advice, support and information helplines. The service is anonymous, secure and available 24/7 – providing victims with the help they need, via online, telephone or text message.
“This year’s campaign encourages individuals and communities to participate in the conversations on how we connect with and respect one another in order to prevent sexual violence,” said Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette A. DiPino. “By talking about this topic we are making the connection that promoting a healthy behavior encourages relationships that are consensual, respectful and informed.”
Sexual violence, including child sexual abuse, crosses all ages, genders, races, ethnicities and economic backgrounds. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, among college women, nine in ten victims of rape and sexual assault knew their offender. In addition, almost 12.8 percent of completed rapes, 35 percent of attempted rapes, and 22.9 percent of threatened rapes happened during a date.
The Ocean City Police Department, in partnership with Atlantic General Hospital, Worcester County SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) and the Life Crisis Center, raise awareness for sexual assault year-round through the Sexual Offense/Assault and Rape Reduction Project, also known as SOARr. “The purpose of SOARr, is to educate people about the dangers of sexual assault and teach ways it can be prevented. It targets teens and young adults, those at highest risk of a sexual assault, by providing messages such as “No means No,” “No Friend Left Behind,” and “Hand Over Your Drink,” Chief DiPino continued. “We want to help people to use good judgment, remind them not to trust strangers and encourage them contact the police immediately if they are the victim of a crime.”
For more information about National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please visit http://www.nsvrc.org/. In addition, victims seeking help should visit http://rainn.org, for live, one-on-one advice, support and information helplines. The service is anonymous, secure and available 24/7 – providing victims with the help they need, via online, telephone or text message.
Va. Man Who Received New Face Never Gave Up
MARTINSVILLE, Va. - A single blast from a 12-gauge shotgun changed former Henry County resident Richard Norris' life forever, but he refused to give up, his father said.
"At times he would be depressed. He had a hard time. But he got on the Internet and started researching hospitals," Frank Norris said Wednesday while traveling through Henry County on his way home to Hillsville from the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.
Norris said he left his son, Richard Lee Norris, 37, and his son's mother, Sandra Norris, at the medical center. There, Richard Norris got a new lease on life after undergoing an extensive, 36-hour face transplant earlier this month.
Working Around The Drawbacks Of Line-Drying Your Clothes
One way to cut down on gas and electricity use is to abandon your dryer in favor of a clothesline. That's easier said than done, however, because the old-fashioned method poses a bunch of negatives.
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Salisbury Man Pleads Guilty to Using ATM Skimming Devices
BALTIMORE - The U.S. attorney's office say a Moldovan man has admitted to using an ATM skimming device to get debit and credit card numbers.
Twenty-two-year-old Serghei Rotaru, who lives in Salisbury, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore to conspiracy to commit access device fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of 7 1/2 years in prison at sentencing for May 11.
According to his plea agreement, a Cambridge police officer questions Rotaru after he walked away from an ATM that ahe had accessed with a counterfeit device. Officers found $800 in cash, and a department store gift card with a pin number.
Prosecutors say Rotaru also had several other gift cards encoded with stolen information.
Yard Sale
Mutli-family yard sale Sat. March 31, from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Rising Eagle Rd., Mardela Springs, MD. Around the 102 mile marker on Route 50 Eastbound. Wide variety of household items, toys, tools, etc. Come on out and find some new "treasures" for You!
Marijuana Dispensaries to Have State-Of-The-Art Security
WASHINGTON - Medical marijuana growers and sellers will have to take thorough measures to ensure their product doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Measures from state-of-the-art surveillance systems to panic buttons for employees.
Applicants for licenses to either sell or grow medical marijuana were required to submit detailed security plans to the Department of Health and the Metropolitan Police Department. The final rulemaking, issued by the mayor's office, set forth some basic requirements.
Mideast officials: Obama in secret talks with Iran
JERUSALEM – President Obama has been engaged in secret, back-channel talks with Iran in which he informed Tehran’s leaders he is completely opposed to any Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to informed Middle Eastern officials.
The officials told WND the behind-the-scenes talks aim to secure a guarantee from Iran that it will not retaliate against the U.S. in the event of any Israeli military strike, the officials said.
It was unclear what, if anything, Obama offered Iran in exchange for a pledge against targeting U.S. installations, including in the Gulf.
The State Department did not immediately return a WND request seeking comment on the alleged back-door talks.
In a wide-ranging interview March 9 with Al-Monitor, an Arab website founded in the wake of the Middle East revolutions, former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel hinted that private approaches to Iran were already occurring.
No Settlement in Law School Clinic Poultry Pollution Suit
Lawyers have not reached a settlement in a poultry pollution case filed by a University of Maryland environmental law clinic.
U.S. District Judge William Nickerson said in a filing Thursday that while a settlement had not been reached, some progress was made in a settlement conference before Judge Paul W. Grimm on Wednesday. Attorneys in the case met for the closed-door settlement conference in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
The clinic represents plaintiffs suing Perdue Farms Inc. and Hudson Farm, claiming the Salisbury-based poultry company and the Worcester County contract grower are polluting a nearby waterway. Farm groups say the suit could bankrupt Hudson Farm and set a harmful precedent for other family farms.
Fellow Citizens Pitch In Over $25K To Help America's Tallest Man Afford Special Shoes
We've gotten a few tips about the plight of America's Tallest Man, who lives in Rochester, Minn. Igor is 7'8" tall, and after 15 foot surgeries to help support his body, needed special shoes. The only problem — they cost about $15,000, an amount he just didn't have.
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