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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
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Wicomico County Schaefer Award Presentation Scheduled for Friday Evening
Weekly Downtown Fireworks Displays Questioned
OCEAN CITY — Resort tourism officials this week waffled somewhat on the idea of weekly fireworks in the future, instead agreeing to explore other special events that will enhance the summer visitor experience.
During Monday’s meeting, the Ocean City Tourism Commission continued its piecemeal section-by-section review of the town’s tourism strategic plan with a focus on enhancing the visitor experience. The town offers many free, value-added special events throughout the season including weekly fireworks shows downtown at the Boardwalk and uptown at Northside Park during the Sundaes in the Park events.
The latter has been highly successful in enhancing Sundaes in the Park, which has reached record numbers in recent years. However, tourism commission members questioned if weekly fireworks on the Boardwalk downtown have grown stale and wondered if there could be other events to increase the “wow” factor for visitors.
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During Monday’s meeting, the Ocean City Tourism Commission continued its piecemeal section-by-section review of the town’s tourism strategic plan with a focus on enhancing the visitor experience. The town offers many free, value-added special events throughout the season including weekly fireworks shows downtown at the Boardwalk and uptown at Northside Park during the Sundaes in the Park events.
The latter has been highly successful in enhancing Sundaes in the Park, which has reached record numbers in recent years. However, tourism commission members questioned if weekly fireworks on the Boardwalk downtown have grown stale and wondered if there could be other events to increase the “wow” factor for visitors.
More
Romney casts lone GOP vote against Trump judicial pick because of a ‘disparaging’ comment about Obama
On Tuesday, the Senate voted to confirm Michael J. Truncale of Texas as the United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas by a vote of 49-46.
The vote was mostly along party lines in the upper chamber, with Sens. Cassidy, R-La., Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Hirono, D-Hawaii, Kennedy, R-La., Rounds, R-S.D., not voting; there was, however, one party defection, as Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, voted with Democrats against the nominee.
For Romney, it wasn’t a matter of jurisprudence or legal qualifications, but remarks made about former Democratic President Obama Truncale made in 2011, calling him an “un-American imposter.”
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The vote was mostly along party lines in the upper chamber, with Sens. Cassidy, R-La., Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Hirono, D-Hawaii, Kennedy, R-La., Rounds, R-S.D., not voting; there was, however, one party defection, as Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, voted with Democrats against the nominee.
For Romney, it wasn’t a matter of jurisprudence or legal qualifications, but remarks made about former Democratic President Obama Truncale made in 2011, calling him an “un-American imposter.”
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America Deserves Spygate Answers
Attorney General William Barr has appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. That’s a good thing, as is the inclusion of the heads of both the CIA (Gina Haspel) and FBI (Christopher Wray), along with Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. Given that Robert Mueller’s report cleared President Donald Trump of collusion, investigating the investigators is also a very necessary thing. No wonder Democrats are panicking.
Why? Because the considerable resources of the United States intelligence community and federal law-enforcement agencies were turned on the political opponents of those in power before the 2016 election. As Barr put it last month, “Yes, I think spying did occur.” This is the sort of thing we’d expect from the likes of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, and, of course, Vladimir Putin in Russia. In America, such abuse should raise grave concerns … even if the administration had a good reason for doing so, which it clearly didn’t.
Case in point: In 2007, Charles Stimson, a DOD official in George W. Bush’s administration, criticized the Gitmo Bar — a name for the attorneys representing the terrorists detained at Guantanamo Bay — and suggested that clients of those firms should make them choose between representing al-Qaida or corporate retainers. He was run out of office for that “offense,” even though the Gitmo Bar provided al-Qaida with far more than Jane Fonda gave the North Vietnamese.
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Why? Because the considerable resources of the United States intelligence community and federal law-enforcement agencies were turned on the political opponents of those in power before the 2016 election. As Barr put it last month, “Yes, I think spying did occur.” This is the sort of thing we’d expect from the likes of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, and, of course, Vladimir Putin in Russia. In America, such abuse should raise grave concerns … even if the administration had a good reason for doing so, which it clearly didn’t.
Case in point: In 2007, Charles Stimson, a DOD official in George W. Bush’s administration, criticized the Gitmo Bar — a name for the attorneys representing the terrorists detained at Guantanamo Bay — and suggested that clients of those firms should make them choose between representing al-Qaida or corporate retainers. He was run out of office for that “offense,” even though the Gitmo Bar provided al-Qaida with far more than Jane Fonda gave the North Vietnamese.
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Poll: Sanders support among young voters drops sharply
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has seen his support drop sharply among the young voters that have powered his rise in Democratic politics, according to a new poll.
The survey from Morning Consult finds that Sanders’s support among people between the ages of 18 and 29 has dropped from 45 percent in March to 33 percent in May.
Sanders’s support with the youngest voters, who propelled his surprising challenge to then-Democratic contender Hillary Clinton in 2016, has steadily declined in the poll since topping out at 46 percent in late February.
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The survey from Morning Consult finds that Sanders’s support among people between the ages of 18 and 29 has dropped from 45 percent in March to 33 percent in May.
Sanders’s support with the youngest voters, who propelled his surprising challenge to then-Democratic contender Hillary Clinton in 2016, has steadily declined in the poll since topping out at 46 percent in late February.
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Nadler’s latest admission shows the House Democrats’ subpoena fight is all about the headlines
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., has admitted something that really ought to make the American people reconsider what last few weeks’ drama about the Mueller report was really supposed to be about.
Nadler now says that it was never really his intention to demand that the Department of Justice hand over secret grand jury information when his committee subpoenaed the full, unredacted Mueller report and its underlying evidence.
When asked why there was nothing in the subpoena to clarify that it didn’t demand the federally protected information, Nadler told the Washington Times, “The subpoena doesn’t have to say it,” and added that concern is “a red herring that the Republicans are raising.”
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Nadler now says that it was never really his intention to demand that the Department of Justice hand over secret grand jury information when his committee subpoenaed the full, unredacted Mueller report and its underlying evidence.
When asked why there was nothing in the subpoena to clarify that it didn’t demand the federally protected information, Nadler told the Washington Times, “The subpoena doesn’t have to say it,” and added that concern is “a red herring that the Republicans are raising.”
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Maryland Coastal Bays Seeks Volunteers for Annual Terrapin Turtle Count
Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP) is looking for volunteers to participate in the Annual Diamondback Terrapin count from May 28 through June 1.
The diamondback terrapin is Maryland’s state reptile and the mascot for the University of Maryland, but its current population status in the Coastal Bays is poorly understood. In an effort to better understand its status, both organizations coordinate annual counts.
Trained volunteers will conduct these surveys throughout the week of May 28 through June 1. Those who are interested in becoming a trained volunteer to conduct surveys should attend training classes, which will be held at the MCBP office on Monday, May 13 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. RSVP to Katherine Phillips at kphillips@mdcoastalbays.org if you would like to attend. The class will take place at the Maryland Coastal Bays Program office, located at 8219 Stephen Decatur Highway Berlin, Maryland.
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The diamondback terrapin is Maryland’s state reptile and the mascot for the University of Maryland, but its current population status in the Coastal Bays is poorly understood. In an effort to better understand its status, both organizations coordinate annual counts.
Trained volunteers will conduct these surveys throughout the week of May 28 through June 1. Those who are interested in becoming a trained volunteer to conduct surveys should attend training classes, which will be held at the MCBP office on Monday, May 13 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. RSVP to Katherine Phillips at kphillips@mdcoastalbays.org if you would like to attend. The class will take place at the Maryland Coastal Bays Program office, located at 8219 Stephen Decatur Highway Berlin, Maryland.
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Berlin Council Officially Approves 18% Tax Hike In 4-1 Vote
BERLIN – After months of discussion, town officials approved an 18% property tax increase.
On Monday, the Berlin Town Council voted 4-1, with Councilman Zack Tyndall opposed, to approve a tax rate of $.80 per $100 of assessed value. The approved increase is lower than the 34% tax hike initially discussed but citizens continued to express frustration this week.
“The compromise you’ve reached is probably unacceptable to a majority of us, but we understand that at some point something has to be done and you guys have a hard decision to make,” resident Jeff Smith said. “Make what decisions you feel you need to make and know that we’re still watching.”
Resident Tracey Albrecht said that council members were supposed to be stewards of the town. She questioned their decision to purchase “a $3 million dog park” as well as the need for a multi-million-dollar police station. She said many of her neighbors felt the same way.
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On Monday, the Berlin Town Council voted 4-1, with Councilman Zack Tyndall opposed, to approve a tax rate of $.80 per $100 of assessed value. The approved increase is lower than the 34% tax hike initially discussed but citizens continued to express frustration this week.
“The compromise you’ve reached is probably unacceptable to a majority of us, but we understand that at some point something has to be done and you guys have a hard decision to make,” resident Jeff Smith said. “Make what decisions you feel you need to make and know that we’re still watching.”
Resident Tracey Albrecht said that council members were supposed to be stewards of the town. She questioned their decision to purchase “a $3 million dog park” as well as the need for a multi-million-dollar police station. She said many of her neighbors felt the same way.
More
Barr Trolls Pelosi at the Capitol: ‘Madam Speaker, Did You Bring Your Handcuffs?’
Attorney General William Barr asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) if she brought "handcuffs" for him Wednesday at the Capitol, following her accusing him of lying to Congress earlier this month.
According to multiple reporters, Barr approached Pelosi following the National Peace Officers Memorial Service in Washington, shook her hand, and asked, "Madam Speaker, did you bring your handcuffs?" Pelosi smiled and said the House Sergeant at Arms was present if an arrest was necessary, to which Barr laughed and walked away.
Some congressional Democrats have called for Barr to be jailed after the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold him in contempt when he ignored a subpoena for the unredacted Russia report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
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According to multiple reporters, Barr approached Pelosi following the National Peace Officers Memorial Service in Washington, shook her hand, and asked, "Madam Speaker, did you bring your handcuffs?" Pelosi smiled and said the House Sergeant at Arms was present if an arrest was necessary, to which Barr laughed and walked away.
Some congressional Democrats have called for Barr to be jailed after the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold him in contempt when he ignored a subpoena for the unredacted Russia report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
More
Prevent a worm by updating Microsoft Remote Desktop Services
Microsoft has released fixes for a critical Remote Code Execution vulnerability, CVE-2019-0708, in Remote Desktop Services – formerly known as Terminal Services – that affects some older versions of Windows. The Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) itself is not vulnerable. This vulnerability is pre-authentication and requires no user interaction. In other words, the vulnerability is ‘wormable’, meaning that any future malware that exploits this vulnerability could propagate from vulnerable computer to vulnerable computer in a similar way as the WannaCry malware spread across the globe in 2017. While we have observed no exploitation of this vulnerability, it is highly likely that malicious actors will write an exploit for this vulnerability and incorporate it into their malware.
Now that I have your attention, it is important that affected systems are patched as quickly as possible to prevent such a scenario from happening. In response, we are taking the unusual step of providing a security update for all customers to protect Windows platforms, including some out-of-support versions of Windows.
Vulnerable in-support systems include Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008. Downloads for in-support versions of Windows can be found in the Microsoft Security Update Guide. Customers who use an in-support version of Windows and have automatic updates enabled are automatically protected.
Out-of-support systems include Windows 2003 and Windows XP. If you are on an out-of-support version, the best way to address this vulnerability is to upgrade to the latest version of Windows. Even so, we are making fixes available for these out-of-support versions of Windows in KB4500705.
Customers running Windows 8 and Windows 10 are not affected by this vulnerability.
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Now that I have your attention, it is important that affected systems are patched as quickly as possible to prevent such a scenario from happening. In response, we are taking the unusual step of providing a security update for all customers to protect Windows platforms, including some out-of-support versions of Windows.
Vulnerable in-support systems include Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008. Downloads for in-support versions of Windows can be found in the Microsoft Security Update Guide. Customers who use an in-support version of Windows and have automatic updates enabled are automatically protected.
Out-of-support systems include Windows 2003 and Windows XP. If you are on an out-of-support version, the best way to address this vulnerability is to upgrade to the latest version of Windows. Even so, we are making fixes available for these out-of-support versions of Windows in KB4500705.
Customers running Windows 8 and Windows 10 are not affected by this vulnerability.
More
Aaron Howell & The Band Will Be Playing Sunday May 19th At Caribbean Joe's @ 2 PM
As promised, we'll continue to provide Live Music and Arron Howell is one of the very best.
A customer just told me that the pool and this whole area looks a lot nicer in person then is does on the Internet pictures.
Call for Charter Review
Considering all the amendments that the County Council has put forward the last two elections, we believe it is now time to review the Charter as a whole.
We have sent a request to the County Council for them to appoint a Charter Review Committee at this time.
Eric Trump blasts New York mayor: ‘Our great city has gone to s--t under your leadership’
Eric Trump, the son of President Trump, traded barbs with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Tuesday, telling him the “city has gone to shit.”
“Spare me? First you have never created a job in your life. Second, our great city has gone to shit under your leadership. Crime is up, the men & women of the NYPD detest you, homelessness is rampant, our streets are dirty and people are leaving our city in record numbers,” Trump said on Twitter.
The son of the president and executive vice president of the Trump Organization had earlier criticized de Blasio for targeting his father’s business in New York City.
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“Spare me? First you have never created a job in your life. Second, our great city has gone to shit under your leadership. Crime is up, the men & women of the NYPD detest you, homelessness is rampant, our streets are dirty and people are leaving our city in record numbers,” Trump said on Twitter.
The son of the president and executive vice president of the Trump Organization had earlier criticized de Blasio for targeting his father’s business in New York City.
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Councilman Says Recovery From Ransomware Attack Could Take Up To Three Months
A Baltimore City councilman said Wednesday he's been told recovery from the ransomware attack on city government could take anywhere from three weeks to three months.
"It's been, I would say, frustrating--from the government side, it's been very frustrating," 4th district Councilman Bill Henry said. "I'm sure it's just as if not more frustrating from the side of constituents who are trying to reach us."
Hackers demanded 13 Bitcoin. At the start of the hack, that was equivalent to around $75,000. However, the same amount of Bitcoin ran more than $100,000 on Wednesday.
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"It's been, I would say, frustrating--from the government side, it's been very frustrating," 4th district Councilman Bill Henry said. "I'm sure it's just as if not more frustrating from the side of constituents who are trying to reach us."
Hackers demanded 13 Bitcoin. At the start of the hack, that was equivalent to around $75,000. However, the same amount of Bitcoin ran more than $100,000 on Wednesday.
More
Joining 2020 Presidential Race, Montana Governor Becomes 23rd Democratic Candidate
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock just became the 23rd Democratic candidate to enter the presidential race Tuesday, seeking to distinguish himself from the crowded field by highlighting his record as a Democratic governor in a state that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump in 2016.
"We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone," Bullock said in a video announcement.
The Montana Democrat joins the largest and most diverse Democratic primary field in modern history. Relatively unknown at the national level, Bullock must now compete with candidates like former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; and Kamala Harris of California.
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"We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone," Bullock said in a video announcement.
The Montana Democrat joins the largest and most diverse Democratic primary field in modern history. Relatively unknown at the national level, Bullock must now compete with candidates like former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; and Kamala Harris of California.
More
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