Salisbury News

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Wells Fargo under fire again, for Tennessee pension fund snafu

Just as Wells Fargo tries to repair its image with a new “Re-Established” campaign in the wake of numerous improprieties, the bank is admitting it kept rebates that should have been deposited in a Tennessee public pension fund.

Wells Fargo, the trustee of the Chattanooga Fire & Police Pension Fund, took $47,000 in fee rebates that should have been passed on to the pension fund, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The fund has 1,600 members and $215 million.

As trustee, under a system known as revenue sharing, Wells Fargo received the fee rebates from third-party fund companies because of investments it held for clients. The bank was then expected to return the rebates to those clients.

In a statement, Wells Fargo acknowledged that it “made an error in setting up the revenue sharing” and “the revenue share rebates did not occur as intended.”

The bank, which apologized for the mistake, recently returned $15,000 to the fund, which is the amount it said was owed.

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https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/wells-fargo-kept-tennessee-pension-fund-money

Tesla Bursts Into Flames After "Violent Crash" In Switzerland, Killing Driver Trapped Inside

In the same week in which a Tesla Model S erupted in flames after a "horrific" crash in Ft. Lauderdale, fatally trapping the two teenagers who died inside, while a second Model S rammed a stopped Salt Lake City firetruck at 60mph, mercifully without any fatalities, the Swiss tio.ch reports that yet another Tesla burst into flames after crashing on the A2 highway near the town of Bellinzona, killing a 48-year-old German driver who was trapped inside.

According to the Swiss publication, the driver, a 48-year-old German motorist from Baden-Wurtermberg, lost control of the vehicle a few meters after the Monte Ceneri tunnel, crashing into the central guardrail, an accident that was remarkably similar to an October 2017 crash in Austria, in which a Model S also burned down, however without any fatalities.

The car then overturned and caught fire, fatally trapping the driver.

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Out of the Sea! A pirate story in 13 parts

Three centuries ago, any ship coming or going along the Virginia coast was at the mercy of pirates, and a righteous colonial governor had had enough. In the spring of 1700, in a historic encounter, forces of good and evil came face to face in Lynnhaven Bay. Sometimes, it was hard to tell which was which.

HAMPTON ROADS HISTORY

Out of the Sea! | Chapter 1

By Diane Tennant
The Virginian-Pilot
Aug 13, 2006

The mortal remains of a forgotten man lie along a busy street in Hampton. The epitaph on the gravestone has been erased by 300 years of time and weather.

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WALSH: The Only Thing Preventing Us From Descending Into Civil War

We’re told that “division” and “partisanship” and “bigotry” are destroying America. “Hate" is the cancer in our cultural bloodstream, they say. We must fight against hate speech and hate crimes and hate in every other form. There is so much hate, allegedly. Some people are even worried that another civil war might be on the horizon.

I think we flatter ourselves. There will be no civil war. We’re far too lazy for such an onerous pursuit. It’s easier to snipe at each other in the comments section or shoot off insults on social media. We much prefer a tweet war to an actual war because tweet wars don’t interrupt a Netflix binge.

During the real Civil War, men marched over mountains in bare feet in the winter. They lived on salt pork and black coffee made from acorns. They charged headlong into cannon fire. They used whiskey as an anesthetic while they had their limbs amputated. They had convictions, and they died for them.

We do not have that kind of conviction. We have enough conviction to participate in a hashtag campaign, or to hurl a snarky gif at our cowering adversaries, but civil war? We need not worry our silly heads about that. We spend literally billions of dollars on iPhone upgrades, porn, video games, tickets to superhero films, and accessories for our pets. How many people would be willing to jeopardize a life of such insane, stifling luxury for the sake of fighting a gruesome battle out in the street? Not many. Not nearly enough to get even a halfway respectable war together.

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Jim Smith Federal Vet Contracts Faulted

The VA barred a Democrat running for governor from receiving agency contracts after an audit found he may have misused his disabled-veteran status

Smith’s campaign said the decision was overturned but won’t say on what grounds

Smith is a representative in the state legislature, serves in the National Guard, runs a law firm, and owns and manages a business

A Democrat running for governor on his military and small business bona fides may have used his disabled veteran status to obtain government contracts and then hand off the work to non-veteran owned entities, a government audit found.

James Smith, a candidate for South Carolina governor in the state’s June 12 primary election, is a representative in the state legislature, serves in the National Guard, and runs a law firm in Columbia. He also finds time to operate the Congaree Group, a small company that has received millions of dollars in federal contracts. The company operates out of the same office as his law firm.

The firm boasted the capability to do everything from distributing pharmaceuticals to parking hundreds of cars per day as part of valet services at massive hospitals — all with Smith telling Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials he was its only employee, a 2013 document from the VA’s Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) shows, which TheDCNF obtained.

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Ex-congressman says he's 'given up on America' after sentenced for 3rd conviction

A former Democratic congressman from Chicago, heading to prison for the third time, says he has “given up on America” and plans to move to Africa after he serves his latest sentence.

At his sentencing Thursday, Mel Reynolds, 66, got six months in prison for failing to file tax returns on more than $400,000 he received for consulting work.

He also received a scolding from federal Judge Robert Gettleman, who told the Harvard graduate he could recall thinking to himself in the early 1990s that Reynolds had tremendous promise.

“It's a tragedy that you squandered the opportunities you had and the type of person you could have become," Gettleman said.

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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/11/ex-congressman-says-hes-given-up-on-america-after-sentenced-for-3rd-conviction.html

Mueller Indicted A Russian Company That Didn't Even Exist, Court Transcripts Say

This week, one of the Russian companies accused by Special Counsel Robert Mueller of funding a conspiracy to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election was revealed in court to not have existed during the time period alleged by Mueller's team of prosecutors, according to a lawyer representing the defendant.

U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey asked Eric Dubelier, one of two lawyers representing the accused Russian company, Concord Management and Consulting LLC, if he was representing a third company listed in Mueller's indictment.

"What about Concord Catering?" Harvey asked Dubelier.

"The government makes an allegation that there's some association. I don't mean for you to – do you represent them, or not, today? And are we arraigning them as well?"

"We're not," Dubelier responded.

"And the reason for that, Your Honor, is I think we're dealing with a situation of the government having indicted the proverbial ham sandwich."

"That company didn't exist as a legal entity during the time period alleged by the government," Dubelier continued.

"If at some later time they show me that it did exist, we would probably represent them. But for purposes of today, no, we do not."

The term "indict a ham sandwich" is believed to have originated from a 1985 report in the New York Daily News when New York Chief Judge Sol Wachtler told the news publication that government prosecutors have so much influence over grand juries that they could get them to "indict a ham sandwich."

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Rest In Peace My Old Friend Chuck Campbell

It was an incredible journey working with a man who desperately needed lung transplants several years ago. Unfortunately Chuck passed away yesterday. Till we meet again.

DeSantis May Know Who Was Spying On Trump

Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis of Florida thinks he may know who was spying on President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, but said further investigation is needed to get to the truth.

Rumors of an FBI mole planted within the campaign have surfaced and DeSantis, a Florida gubernatorial candidate, believes the accusations have merit.

“I know that we’re actively trying to get the underlying documents that would tell us — did they spy on the Trump campaign or not?” DeSantis said on “Fox & Friends” Monday. “The reason why a lot of us were suspicious was because Glen Simpson at one point, the head of Fusion GPS, testified that there was a human source inside the Trump campaign, based on his conversations with Christopher Steele. So it suggests that Steele as a British agent, may have been working with somebody who the FBI was also working with.”

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The Deep State Mob Targets Nunes

In an absurd tweet on Wednesday, Lawfare’s executive director suggested that Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) should be replaced as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee:

That wasn’t even the most moronic tweet in Susan Hennessey’s arsenal. She went on to warn how “the intelligence oversight system is based on trust. Without trust it is irretrievably broken. The [Intelligence Community] and [Department of Justice] don’t trust Nunes and he cannot perform his job functions.” Get that? The Intelligence Community and the Justice department—which have proven to be as political and devious as a Chicago ward boss—are the white hats and Nunes is the black hat.

That is not ignorance on Hennessey’s part: it’s calculated deception.

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Nunes, Gowdy accuse DOJ of launching anonymous attacks on congressional investigator

Two senior House Republicans are accusing the Justice Department of being behind “anonymous attacks” in the press targeting a House Intelligence Committee GOP staffer who helped author the committee’s well-publicized memo alleging surveillance abuse by the FBI and DOJ during the 2016 election.

The same House staffer is also a driving force behind the latest Russia records standoff.

"I would have a lot more respect for DOJ or House committee Democrats if they would take out their frustrations on members of Congress, and leave staffers alone,” South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told Fox News on Monday. “The members make the final decision and are responsible for them, not staffers."

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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/14/nunes-gowdy-accuse-doj-launching-anonymous-attacks-on-congressional-investigator.html

Shock Study: Major Depression Diagnoses Spike 33 Percent Since 2013

Teens, millennials showing largest jump in diagnoses due to social media, electronics

Major depression cases skyrocketed by 33 percent from 2013 to 2016, according to a study by health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA).

The spike is even more serious for young people, with a 47 percent jump in millennials and a 63 percent jump in adolescents.

“The high rates for adolescents and millennials could have a substantial health impact for decades to come,” BCBSA chief medical officer Trent Haywood said in a press release.

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Breaking Down America's Worst Long-Term Challenges: #1- Debt

On October 22, 1981, the national debt in the United States crossed the $1 trillion threshold for the first time in history.

It took nearly two centuries to reach that unfortunate milestone.

And over that time the country had been through a revolution, civil war, two world wars, the Great Depression, the nuclear arms race… plus dozens of other wars, financial panics, and economic crises.

Today, the national debt stands at more than $21 trillion– a milestone hit roughly two months ago.

This means that the government added $20 trillion to the national debt in the 37 years between October 22, 1981 and March 15, 2018.

That’s an average of nearly $1.5 BILLION added to the national debt every single day… $62 million per hour… $1 million per minute… and

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Boy Scouts Lose 425,000 Members After Announcing Name Change-Truth! & Unproven!

Summary of eRumor:

After announcing it would change its name to Scouts BSA and start welcoming girls, Boy Scouts lost 425,000 members in just over a week.

The Truth:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been one of the Boy Scouts of America’s biggest supporters over the year, with about 425,000 church members belonging to the group as of 2014. The church announced that it would sever ties with Boy Scouts of America in 2019 days after the name change.

These development led to reports that the Boy Scouts of America lost 425,000 members within a week of announcing that it was changing it’s name. That might not be the case, however. It’s not clear that all 425,000 Mormon boys will quit scouting — only that the church will no longer automatically enroll each boy who attends a Mormon church as a Boy Scout beginning in 2019.

And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been discussing the possibility fo ending its relationship with Boy Scouts for years. In 2017, the church announced it would leave Boy Scouts of America teen programs — but denied that it was because of inclusiveness or LGBT issues. “The BSA has always allowed the Church to operate its programs in ways that are consistent with our standards and beliefs, and they have been very supportive,” the church said in a statement.

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Governor Larry Hogan Announces Federal Approval of “Maryland Model” All-Payer Contract

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Maryland Department of Health Sign New Five-Year Contract for Innovative Provider Payment System, $1 Billion in Savings Expected

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan, together with the Maryland Department of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), today announced the federal approval of Maryland's Total Cost of Care All-Payer Model, known as the “Maryland Model,” contract. This innovative approach to health care provider payment is unique to Maryland and made possible via a contract between CMS and the state. Maryland’s current model has already saved Medicare more than $586 million through 2016, compared to national spending, and the new model is expected to provide an additional $300 million in savings per year by 2023 and a total of $1 billion over five years.

Under Maryland’s current All-Payer Model, approved in 2014, hospitals have successfully reduced unnecessary readmissions and hospital-acquired conditions while decreasing the growth in hospital cost per capita. The new Maryland Model will expand this successful approach across the health care system when it takes effect on January 1, 2019 and will extend through the end of 2023. The contract can then be extended for an additional five years, pending a review of the terms.

“The new Maryland Model will expand health care access and affordability – and ultimately improve quality of life – for Marylanders, especially those with chronic and complex medical conditions,” said Governor Hogan. “Maryland continues to lead the nation in innovative health care delivery, and the expansion of our successful model is a huge step forward in our efforts to ensure that every Marylander has access to quality care.”

The Maryland Model aims to control the growth in health care costs, both at hospitals and community providers, while improving patient outcomes and quality of care. To achieve this comprehensive coordination across the entire health care system, the Maryland Model will:

Dick Morris: Forget About ‘Blue Wave’ in 2018 Midterms --- Get Ready for ‘Red Wave’

Sunday on New York AM 970 radio’s “The Cats Roundtable,” political commentator and former Bill Clinton adviser Dick Morris shot down the idea that there will be a “blue wave” in the 2018 midterm elections, instead saying a “red wave” is on the way.

Morris told host John Catsimatidis he believes “Democrats are overplaying their hand” by going after President Donald Trump for the Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels scandals, adding it will show in the 2018 elections.

“I think that [Democrats] see fool’s gold in these scandals,” Morris stated. “They’re putting everything behind the Stormy Daniels scandal and Michael Cohen … and the country doesn’t give a damn.”

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Breaking News: North Korea, in a surprise late-night call, postponed high-level talks with South Korea, objecting to the South's military drill with the U.S.

North Korea indefinitely postponed high-level talks with South Korea scheduled for Wednesday, citing a joint South Korean-United States air force drill, South Korean officials said.

Senior officials from the two Koreas had been scheduled to meet in the “truce village” of Panmunjom on their border on Wednesday to discuss putting in place an agreement to improve ties between the countries that their leaders signed in a meeting on April 27.

ICE worksite enforcement investigations already double over last year

WASHINGTON – Less than seven months after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Thomas Homan issued a directive that called for increased worksite enforcement investigations to ensure U.S. businesses maintain a culture of compliance, the agency’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has already doubled the amount of ongoing worksite cases this fiscal year compared to the last fully completed fiscal year.

From Oct. 1, 2017, through May 4, HSI opened 3,510 worksite investigations; initiated 2,282 I-9 audits; and made 594 criminal and 610 administrative worksite-related arrests, respectively. In comparison, for fiscal year 2017 – running October 2016 to September 2017 – HSI opened 1,716 worksite investigations; initiated 1,360 I-9 audits; and made 139 criminal arrests and 172 administrative arrests related to worksite enforcement.

“Our worksite enforcement strategy continues to focus on the criminal prosecution of employers who knowingly break the law, and the use of I-9 audits and civil fines to encourage compliance with the law,” said Acting Executive Associate Director for HSI, Derek N. Benner. “HSI’s worksite enforcement investigators help combat worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices.”

ICE is the federal agency responsible for upholding the laws established by the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, which requires employers to verify the identity and work eligibility of all individuals they hire. These laws help protect jobs for U.S. citizens and others who are lawfully employed, eliminate unfair competitive advantages for companies that hire an illegal workforce, and strengthen public safety and national security.

Attention