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Saturday, September 01, 2012

Labor Department Announces $75 Million in Education Grants for ‘Out of School’ ‘Youth’ Ages 16-24

Labor Secretary of Hilda Solis announced on Wednesday that $75.7 million in grants are being distributed to organizations that help “out of school youth” earn a high school diploma and learn occupational skills.
The “at-risk individuals” who will benefit from the grants are ages 16 to 24.

“Many participants have been in the juvenile justice system, are aging out of foster care, have dropped out of high school, or are otherwise at-risk of failing to reach key educational milestones and opportunities that lead to career fulfillment,” the press release states.

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Police: Suspect couldn't get to stepdad's guns

Baltimore County police say the high school student suspected of critically wounding a classmate knew about the cache of guns at his stepfather's house but couldn't get to them because they were locked in a safe.

Fifteen-year-old Robert Wayne Gladden Jr. has been charged as an adult with attempted murder and assault in the shooting Monday morning at Perry Hall High School.

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Veterans Group Vows To Get To The Bottom of 'Autopen-gate'

A veterans group is vowing to get a handwriting expert to determine if the letters sent to parents of Navy SEALs killed in Afghanistan were signed by President Obama himself or an electronic autopen that can replicate his signature. 
Karen and Billy Vaughn, whose son Aaron Vaughn was one of 17 SEALs and 13 other Americans killed in a helicopter crash Aug. 6, 2011, raised the issue at a Tea Party rally in Tampa during the Republican National Convention. Karen Vaughn said she compared the signature on her letter, dated Sept. 23, 2011, with those received by other families of SEALs and determined the signature was mechanical.
But the White House insists every letter sent out to the families of fallen service members is signed by the hand of the Commander-in-Chief.
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CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $1 MILLION GRANT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF MARTIN STATE AIRPORT’S 5-YEAR IMPROVEMENT PLAN

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) announced today that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a $1 million grant to Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) for an environmental assessment of Martin State Airport’s five-year capital improvement plan.
“Martin State Airport is home to the Maryland Air National Guard and it is an important relief airport for our region,” said Senator Cardin, who is a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. “The Airport’s growth and success means it needs a strong capital improvement plan for the future.  I am committed to making sure it has the resources it needs to assess and address any environmental issues associated with its five-year plan to upgrade and improve the airport.”
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Sequestration could spell $39B in cuts to civilian agency budgets

Civilian agencies may lose almost $40 billion dollars in top-line funding if sequestration goes into effect on Jan. 2, according to a new analysis by the Professional Services Council.

Using fiscal 2012 funding as a baseline, PSC calculated overall civilian discretionary spending would decline by $39 billion and that individual agency budgets would decline by 7.8 percent.

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National Atheist Party Cancels Convention Over Lack of Funding

The National Atheist Party has announced that it has canceled its upcoming convention due to a lack of sufficient funds.

The political organization states that it had planned to host its second annual rally in October of this year in Boston, Massachusetts, but  the lack of ample donations threatened the financial stability of the party.

“NAPCON 2012 was supposed to be our biggest and best public event; our chance to show the U.S. that we could fund and organize a large, noteworthy and impressive ‘Secular Summit’ that would attract media buzz and even more interested members and donations,” National Atheist Party president Troy Boyle explained. “The reality is that we can’t. The donations simply aren’t there and if we went ahead with the event as planned, it would bankrupt us.”

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Look Who Parks Their Cash At Bain

Democrats convened in Charlotte, NC, will double down on their claim that Bain Capital is really the Bain crime family. They will accuse Republican nominee Mitt Romney and Bain’s other “greedy” co-founders of stealing their winnings, evading taxes and lighting cigars with $100 bills on their yachts.

But Bain’s private-equity executives have enriched dozens of organizations and millions of individuals in the Democratic base — including some who scream most loudly for President Obama’s re-election.

Government-worker pension funds are the chief beneficiaries of Bain’s economic stewardship. New York-based Preqin uses public documents, news accounts and Freedom of Information requests to track private-equity holdings. Since 2000, Preqin reports, the following funds have entrusted some $1.56 billion to Bain:

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New Fences Erected At Site Of Fatal Train Derailment

Howard County authorities and CSX have already taken steps to try to prevent another tragedy like the one that left two women dead when a coal train derailed earlier this month in Ellicott City. 

For one, a new fence is now in place at the top of the concrete stairs leading to the elevated tracks over Main Street near where the two women were sitting when the rail cars tipped over and buried them last week

County Executive Ken Ulman said county police have increased patrols around the tracks to discourage anyone from trespassing on railroad property.  

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Obama and That Empty Chair: Mitt Goes to Israel and NOLA While Obama Won't

While the media take potshots at American icon Clint Eastwood for his non-teleprompter speech last night at the GOP convention and talking to an empty chair representing President Obama, they seem to be missing the point. Or more likely, they "get it" but are sweeping it under the rug.

GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney recently visited U.S. ally Israel, while President Obama refuses to do so until/unless he is reelected. Empty chair.

President Obama has no plans to visit New Orleans post-Isaac, but Mitt Romney is on his way there. Obama continues to fundraise and campaign instead. Empty chair.

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From Janesville to Jilin

A bailed out General Motors expanded its small truck and SUV manufacturing in China soon after closing down similar facilities in Janesville, Wisconsin—the plant Barack Obama pledged to save and keep open for “another hundred years” in 2008.

GM has increased its manufacturing capacity in China by 55 percent since emerging from bankruptcy thanks to a $50 billion bailout from taxpayers. An important piece of that increased capacity has taken place in Changchun, Jilin Province in China.

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17 Men Arrested in Md. In Immigration Sweep

Seventeen illegal immigrants or immigrant fugitives have been arrested in Maryland.

The arrests, announced Friday, took place in Prince George's County and surrounding areas and are part of a 3-day enforcement operation run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

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Bidding Opens for Trapping Privileges on Select Eastern Shore Wildlife Management Areas

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is currently accepting bids for the 2012-2013 trapping seasons at LeCompte, Linkwood, Taylor’s Island, Fishing Bay, Idylwild, Ellis Bay, Wetipquin and Nanticoke River wildlife management areas.

Applicants must pick up bid packages in person at LeCompte Wildlife Management Area, 4220 Steeles Neck Road, Vienna, Md. 21869.

Applicants must return sealed bids to Lecompte Wildlife Management Area by 12 p.m. on October 19, 2012. DNR will award annual trapping leases to the highest bidder, as determined during the bid opening, to be held at 1 p.m. on October 19, 2012.

More information is available by calling 410-376-3236 ext. 302 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

House Panel Probing Stimulus Cash for MSNBC Ads

A House panel is calling on the U.S. Department of Labor to turn over all records involving a half-million dollar contract funded through President Obama’s $831 billion stimulus program that paid for more than 100 commercials on MSNBC touting a “green jobs” initiative.

The contract with McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations LLC in 2009 resulted in more than 100 commercials on cable shows hosted by Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman to raise awareness about the Job Corps program’s training in environmentally-friendly career areas.

But spending reports showed that no jobs were created through the contract. The Washington Times first reported on the contract earlier this month, quoting one taxpayer watchdog who questioned not only the lack of jobs but why the commercials aired only on MSNBC, considered the most liberal of the major cable news outlets.

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Bernanke: With Unemployment High, Fed Can Do More

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear Friday that the Federal Reserve will do more to boost the economy because of high U.S. unemployment and an economic recovery that remains “far from satisfactory.”

He also argued that the Fed’s moves so far to keep interest rates at record lows and encourage borrowing and spending have helped bolster the economy.

Bernanke stopped short of committing the Fed to any specific move, such as another round of bond purchases to lower long-term rates. But in a speech at an annual Fed conference in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bernanke said that even with rates at super-lows, the Fed can do more.

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Clint Eastwood

NRP Urges Safety over Holiday Weekend

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) reminds citizens to make safety a priority during the last holiday weekend of the summer.

“Labor Day is the beginning of fall,” said Col. George F Johnson IV. “And as the cooler weather sets in, Marylanders will continue to enjoy camping, boating and fishing in the cooler September weather, and, as various hunting seasons begin. We urge everyone to make safety the top priority while enjoying these activities.”

As in the past, NRP will step up its enforcement in an effort to maintain safe waterways. Over the weekend, NRP will focus their enforcement effort on those activities that contribute to boating accidents, such as alcohol, negligent operation, bow riding and navigational violations.

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Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Release 8-31-12

Incident: CDS Possession
Date of Incident: 29 August 2012
Location: Pittsville / Willards, MD

Suspect: 1. Brandon Murry Ehrisman, 25, Pittsville, MD
               2. Dawn Elizabeth Miller, 45, Willards, MD
               3. Joshua Thomas O’Brien, 25, Pittsville, MD
               4. Matthew Brandon Wells, 22, Willards, MD
               5. John W. West, 35, Pittsville, MD
               6. Victoria Christina Smith, 21, Pittsville, MD
               7. Marion Lee Atkinson, 35, Salisbury, MD
               8. Carrie Lynn Schwab, 23, Nanticoke, MD
                                
Narrative: On 27 August 2012 members of the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force wrapped up a
six month undercover investigation into the illicit use of forged and fraudulent prescriptions that were
used to obtain Oxycodone illegally. During the investigation investigators identified several individuals in
the Pittsville and Willards area that were determined to be principal players in this investigation. At the
conclusion of the investigation, the findings were presented to a Grand Jury and Indictments for those
involved were returned.
Those indictments were served on 28 August 2012 with the apprehension of the above listed individuals.
Upon arrest all were transported to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and detained in
the Detention Center without bond.
Charges: CDS Possession with the Intent to Distribute
                 Obtain CDS by Forged Prescription
                 CDS Possession
                
               
                                                                                          
Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson        Date: 31 Aug 2012


Anti-Obama doc '2016' doing well in Ohio, Texas

Here are the five strongest U.S. theater markets in terms of ticket sales for "2016: Obama's America," based on box office data from Rentrak, a media measurement and research company. The film's distributor plans to expand the film from 1,091 theaters to nearly 1,800 theaters this weekend. Ohio and Colorado are key presidential battlegrounds:
1. Lima, Ohio
2. San Angelo, Texas
3. Tyler-Longview, Texas
4. Harrisonburg, Va.-W.V.
5. Grand Junction-Montrose, Colo.

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Fruit Products at Wawa Stores In 4 States Recalled

NEW YORK - Taylor Farms New Jersey is recalling products that contain mangoes or that might have been processed on the same equipment as mangoes potentially tainted with salmonella.

The company said Friday that it is recalling nine products that were distributed to 127 Wawa stores in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania and sold under the Wawa brand. Most have a sell-by date of Aug. 30 or earlier.

Federal health officials are currently investigating 103 known cases of salmonella infection and other food producers have pulled products.

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Suicide blasts hit U.S.-Afghan base; 12 killed

- Two suicide bombers struck a joint U.S.-Afghan military base in central Afghanistan early Saturday morning, killing 12 people, authorities said.

The attack also wounded 57 others, said Shahidullah Shahid, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

A majority of the casualties included civilians, but four Afghan police officers were among those killed, he said.

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