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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Tonight's Sunset

We hope you had as nice a day as we enjoyed.

Wanted Subject Sought By Governor's Task Force


The Governor's Task Force is a unit comprised of State Troopers and Probation and Parole Officers. During the course of their routine duties, they attempt to locate wanted subjects and also check on active probationers.

GTF members are currently seeking the whereabouts of Mr. Michael Holland, 27, of Smyrna, Delaware. He is currently wanted by Kent County Superior Court for Violation of Probation. His probation status stems from a 2004 offense of Aggravated Menacing.

Anyone who may know of Holland's whereabouts is asked to call GTF members at 302-697-4454 ext. 619 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.

Co-Worker Dispute Erupts In Gunfire


Location of Incident: Pinnacle Foods, 30012 Pinnacle Way (off of Iron Branch Way), Millsboro, Delaware, Sussex County

Date and Time of Occurrence: Saturday, May 23, 2009, at approximately 4:30 a.m.

Suspect: Gerald Walters, 60, of Millsboro, Delaware

Resume: At approximately 4:30 a.m. this morning, Troopers were called to Pinnacle Foods, off of Iron Branch Road in Millsboro, for the report of a shooting.

This investigation revealed a 38-year-old male supervisor at the plant had an ongoing dispute with another employee- Gerald Walters, 60, of Millsboro. Earlier in the shift, the two engaged in a heated argument and Walters threatened the supervisor. Walters eventually left work.

At about 4:30 a.m., Walters returned to the plant. He was intoxicated and armed with a .22 caliber handgun. He confronted his supervisor and shot his three times, striking the supervisor in the upper body.

Walters remained at the scene. When Troopers arrived, they confronted Walters who immediately produced the gun. He complied with officers commands and put the weapon down. He surrendered without incident and was taken into custody.

The supervisor was flown from the scene to Christiana Hospital where he was conscious, alert and speaking with the hospital staff. He was last listed in stable condition.

Walters is currently at Troop 4 where he will be charged with Attempted Murder and related weapons offenses. Because of his intoxicated state, his processing won't be completed until this afternoon. An additional release will be provided at that time.


Update #1 DSP News Release: Saturday, May 23, 2009- Co-Worker Dispute Erupts in Gunfire

Millsboro- Warrants have been completed charging Mr. Walters with Attempted Murder, Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited.

Additional details: After the initial argument, Walters left the plant at 1:00 a.m. and responded to his residence. He then returned at 4:30 a.m. There were three total shots fired and the victim was shot three times. At the time of the shooting, the victim was actually operating a fork lift. Once he was wounded, the victim stepped off of the fork lift and walked out to the plant's guard shack where he collapsed. After the shooting, Walters fled the crime scene, however, he remained on the plant property until he was located and arrested by Troopers.

An additional release will be provided upon Walter's arraignment which will include bail. This won't be available until later this afternoon.

Salisbury Police Press Release

May 22, 2009
On May 21, 2009 at approximately 2:38 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police Department were on routine patrol in the area of
Baker St. and observed the below listed suspect trespassing on posted property. The officers met with the suspect, who was checked and found to be in possession of a bag of suspected marijuana.
ARRESTED: Daniel Marcus Mapes, 20 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Possession of marijuana
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 200900017279

On May 21, 2009 at approximately 3:26 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police were on the three hundred (300) block of Lake St. and observed the below listed suspect in possession of a vehicle reported stolen to the Salisbury Police on May 19, 2009. The investigation of the motor vehicle theft revealed that the suspect possibly worked at a business located on Lake St.
ARRESTED: Deangelo Clark Maddox, 44 years of age
Princess Anne, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft of a motor vehicle
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 200900017110

On May 21, 2009 at approximately 8:50 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center for the report of a trespasser. Upon arrival the officers were advised by hospital personnel that the below listed suspect was refusing to leave their property after a number of requests to do so. Officers also attempted to have the suspect leave the property but were unsuccessful.
ARRESTED: Timothy Raynard Mitchell, 30 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Trespassing
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 200900017485

More And More Children Sexting

GO HERE and watch this brief video where a 12 year old from Texas was recently snagged. The local who sent this to me asked, when will this strike our communities? It must be a problem here as well.

Court House Fools

By: Chelsea Reid
A Salisbury University Student


Recently I was called as a witness for the State in a case against a Salisbury University student. The student was arrested for destruction of property out side a student housing area, and I was asked to testify on the States behalf. This account is not of the trial. It is of the appalling behavior of the people I saw in the courthouse that day.

Now I may be only 21 years old, but I consider myself an old fashioned kind of girl. I was taught to be respectful of officers of the law, considerate of others feelings, polite to strangers, and to respect the court of law. My Mother always taught me to look presentable when going to court, and to dress as one would when for an occasion where nice clothing is expected. So when I got out of my dance class that morning and went home to change, I made sure what I was wearing was nice. I ironed my dress, cleaned my shoes so there would not be any scuffs on them, took a shower, made sure my nails were clean, make-up was tasteful, and hair appropriate, and I arrived 15 minutes early to court (I was expected to be there at 1pm) to make sure I could check in with plenty of time to speak to the State’s Attorney about the case I was speaking on, as I was not aware of court procedure.

When I walked in I went through security. Now I knew based on what my Mother told me and the numerous signs posted throughout the grounds that cell phones were not allowed in the building for security reasons. But for some reason, many of the citizens on Salisbury fail to notice or care about this, and when asked to leave their phones in their car, make a fuss and cause a scene. The security folks at the courthouse were some of the nicest people I had ever met, and through speaking with them for the brief moment I could, I learned that the people they see were not as pleasant as they said I was to deal with. They curse, yell, scream, and threaten to have them fired. All because they are merely doing their jobs and the citizens coming to the court house that day (for a variety of reasons I learned that day) cannot be bother to follow the rules. I noticed that those treating the workers at the courthouse in this appalling manner were typically there that day for breaking the law as well, and those who followed the rules and were polite, decent human beings were there as I was, duty their civic duty.

After this, I went to check in with the State’s Attorney, and sat down to wait for the courtroom doors to open. This is when my love of people watching came in to play. I was taught over the years to never judge a book by their cover, but with the way some of these people presented themselves in a court of law meant that they were either a diamond in the rough, or that the old adage I had been taught was not necessarily true. I saw torn and tattered jeans, or pants that were either too tight of too loose. If it was a male, they were sometimes hanging so low I could see their boxers, which is a look I never understood to begin with. If the person I observed was a female, they were typically so tight, they would not fit to their body properly. I saw women in dresses one would wear to a club out dancing, not to a court of law. Denim mini skirts, sneakers, tank tops, and stained clothing were all in abundance.

Few people I saw that I knew through overhearing them speak were there for breaking the law, were dressed for the occasion. The ones that were, were their for either speeding tickets or in the case of someone I knew personally, something they knew they had to chance of getting out of, and were doing the best they could to make their case seem better. I saw the person whom I was testifying against, and he was dressed very nicely in a well-fitted, freshly pressed suit.

I encountered many police officers in my time their, and when I approached one (their for an unrelated case involving a traffic incident I learned) to ask a few questions as to what I should expect during my time that day, he was polite and as courteous as one would expect any person to be. I wish I had his name remembered, as he was a wonderful person. When I asked him if the people coming in each day for hearings are always rude and obnoxious like they were today, he said that sadly yes they are.

Our conversation turned to University student life when I told him I was an SU student. I learned that the bed reputation they have earned amongst students is mostly untrue and unfair, and I would have to agree.

I live in a house right outside Cynthia Place, a notoriously college student filled area. Weekend nights are typically the worse of them all, but on any given night, I would see property destroyed and trash left about for the neighbors who are not college students, or in my case that are but have a sense of respect for others, to clean up each morning. I have seen street signs taken down and tossed about, couches set on fire, trashcans overturned, beer bottles broken in the street, and private property damaged.

Now what I see does not involve all SU students, let me make that as clear as possible. It is a select few, typically boys I have observed, who do this. At it is usually the same few week after week. They make loud noises well in to the wee hours of the morning, and sometimes I am amazed that the police are not called sooner for the borderline riots I have seen occur, with over a hundred people in a small area. I sit on my back porch watching the madness occur as police enter the area, and a mass exodus occurs, people throwing bottles on the ground and breaking them, yelling profanities at the police, and in general making the officers jobs harder then they should be.

This officer, once he realized where I lived and that he knew my roommates and I and thanked us for cooperating with them when they ask us questions and in general being pleasant people to deal with. We have never given them trouble, and never intend to, and I can not understand why any does.

My conversation with this officer was a pleasant as any I would have with a close friend, and I wish him the best in his career. I only wished he wouldn’t have to deal with the things he was dealing with in regards to my fellow students did not occur.

I notice in my encounters with locals in Salisbury and in reading comments on the Salisbury News Blog, that many locals lump us all in together with the few I mentioned above who actually cause the trouble and this saddens me. Many like me are here to earn a good education at a fine school. I admit I go out to drink. But I am part of the group of people who don’t go to or throw wild parties that cause damage to the surrounding neighborhood, and annoy the people living nearby who want nothing to do with it. I have learned to have fun while respecting others and respecting the law as well. Many of us manage to make it through college with out a noise violation, an underage drinking citation (whether by sheer luck or by not being obnoxious about it), not having to go to court for destroying property, and not making a bad name for the school we are attending.

My entire time in the Salisbury City Court House was enlightening. I learned that not all of us were taught to present themselves nicely in court, to respect officers and court employees who are only doing their job, and to follow and respect the law in general. I also learned that those that were, either follow that advice to lead a happy life, or ignore it and have to deal with the consequences.

Propane Suppliers Quietly Reduce Size Of Refills

DENVER -Backyard grillers may get a little steamed this holiday weekend when buying refilled propane tanks: They will be getting less fuel for their money than last Memorial Day.

When oil prices soared in 2008, propane suppliers quietly reduced by two pounds the amount of gas pumped into each 20-pound tank, saying they wanted to avoid raising prices.

Since then, propane prices have been cut in half as the price of oil has dropped. But smaller refills are still being sold nationwide by many dealers, and most buyers are unaware because the tank is the same size.

"It's a price increase," retired lawyer Stuart Barr said Friday as he swapped a tank at a Home Depot store in Denver. "I'm a great believer in full disclosure. Give me the information."

The problem, consumers say, is that no one tells them they're getting less propane.

Companies have adopted similar practices in the packaging of coffee, sugar and laundry detergent.

"I'm not surprised," said Tammi Dorsey of Denver. Carrying a tank of propane from a store Friday, initially unaware that she got less this time.

For the past year, tank exchanges at retail stores have generally cost $20 to $25. For a few bucks less, consumers can take their tanks to some stores to get them refilled instead of exchanging them. Those refills usually contain the full amount of fuel allowed by law.

Until last year, Blue Rhino and Amerigas, two major suppliers, put 17 to 18 pounds of propane in each 20-pound tank. Tanks should not be filled completely for safety reasons.

About a year ago, that amount was cut to 15 pounds to save consumers a price hike, Blue Rhino spokesman Chris Hartley said.

"There are a number of companies in different industries across the country addressing product packaging, just because of the soaring costs," he said.
Last year, all energy costs increased sharply, as did the price of steel used in tanks. Crude prices soared past $100 per barrel at the start of 2008 and climbed toward $150 by July. Propane futures hit $1.95 per gallon in the same month.
Those prices have all fallen this year, which would suggest bigger profits for propane distributors.

Hartley would not say if there were plans to return propane refills to the same levels as before the 2008 price spikes, but he did say that energy markets remain volatile.

In the last year, propane futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange have dropped from about $1.73 per gallon to just above 71 cents. They have climbed 11 cents since January.

Retailers who offer propane say they have not increased the volume of fuel in each tank because propane companies have not reduced prices.
Home Depot, which offers propane tank exchanges, said cutting the amount of propane in 20-pound tanks was an industrywide measure.

There have been no customer complaints, spokeswoman Jean Niemi said.

But Jose Rivera of Denver did the math in his head and concluded that the extra money spent on propane could have helped pay for other cookout supplies.
"That's some steaks," he said.

(This version CORRECTS that Home Depot offers tank exchanges, not refills

The Buses Return To The Beach


DelDOT Secretary welcomes DART to the beach for another summer of transit service

Rehoboth Beach
-- Rehoboth Beach-On behalf of the governor, Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Secretary Carolann Wicks stood near the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, and unveiled a set of bus seats that she declared are the ''Best Beach Chairs in Delaware.''

Joined by Stephen Kingsberry, director of Delaware Transit Corporation, a division of DelDOT, Secretary Wicks said residents and vacationers alike should use the bus when they arrive at the beach, to ease congestion and to make the streets safer.

Markell had to miss the event because of a last-minute scheduling change, but issued the following statement. ''We need to do everything we can to get Delawareans out of their cars and into alternative means of transportation,'' Markell said. ''The Resort Transit Service is a great way to visit the beach without sitting in traffic.''

Secretary Carolann Wicks said she agrees that DART seats are the best beach chairs in Delaware. ''For as low as one dollar, you can rent a spot on a DART seat that will take you all over the resort area,'' Wicks said. ''For people vacationing here for the week, a Delaware local who wants to spend a day at the beach, or someone who works at the beach, this is a bargain, and clearly the best beach chair in Delaware.''

Wicks said that increased use of public transit in the resort will help ease congestion. ''Unfortunately, there is not much more that my engineers and planners can do to make traffic move more efficiently in some areas within Dthe resort communities of Delaware,'' Wicks said. ''We can make relatively small changes, but certainly, no one wants us to bulldoze all those beautiful, historic properties to make way for a four-lane road. Public transit is clearly one of the solutions to this problem.''

Winners Of The 3rd Annual Wicomico County Math 24 Game Tournament

Congratulations to the winners of the 3rd Annual Wicomico County Math 24 Game Tournament May 21

The 3rd Annual Wicomico County Math 24 Game Tournament was held Thursday, May 21, at Salisbury University. The following elementary and middle school students were winners:

Grade 1

1st place- Abigail Hill- Westside Primary
2nd place- Megan Branton- Pemberton
3rd place- Eli Prushansky- Beaver Run
4th place- Esha Sachdeva- West Salisbury

Grade 2

1st place- Kye'Ron Christopher- Chipman
2nd place- Alontae Uptegrow- Fruitland Primary
3rd place- Hassan Ansari- Pemberton
4th place- Ja'Myron Cannon- Westside Intermediate

Grade 3

1st place- Rajat Sharma- Prince Street
2nd place- Skylar Stinson- Northwestern
3rd place- Jong June Peck- Pemberton
4th place- Kamar Hamad- Pittsville

Grade 4

1st place- Gabrielle Cormier- Pemberton
2nd place- Anjali Sachdeva- North Salisbury
3rd place- Brooke Bennish- Fruitland Intermediate
4th place- Josh Hershberger- Westside Intermediate

Grade 5

1st place- Kevon (pronounced Kevin) Turnamian- North Salisbury
2nd place- Ryan Willey- Pittsville
3rd place- Ryan Shockley- Northwestern
4th place- Tyler Dunn- Westside Intermediate

Grade 6

1st place- Malik Sims- Wicomico Middle
2nd place- Robert Travis- Pittsville Middle
3rd place- Jason Smithson- Salisbury Middle
4th place- Zachary Richardson- Bennett Middle

Grade 7

1st place- Sayli Korde- Wicomico Middle
2nd place- Austin White- Bennett Middle
3rd place- Megan Harman- Salisbury Middle
4th place- Keshaun Hinmon- Salisbury Middle

Grade 8

1st place- Josh Davis- Wicomico Middle
2nd place- Kevin Stanford- Bennett Middle
3rd place- Maria Abraham- Bennett Middle
4th place- Kenny Kelly- Wicomico Middle

Mathletes were in the spotlight at the school system's 3rd Annual Wicomico County Math 24 Game Tournament at The Commons at Salisbury University. This year's event was made even more special because the inventor of the Math 24 Game, Robert Sun, attended the tournament and also visited several schools. At Northwestern and East Salisbury schools, he presented certificates to students who scored in the top 100 in the state on First in Math. For Thursday night's tournament, each elementary school sent one champion per grade level (grades 1-5) for a total of 55 contestants, and middle schools sent two student winners per grade level (grades 6-8) for a total of 30 contestants. These grade-level champions from throughout Wicomico County competed to become county champion. M&T Bank donated $4,500 to the school system for this year's Math 24 Game program, and the Wicomico Public Library provided support.

Classified Ads

Don't miss today's Classified Ads. The link is on the right hand side of the Blog.

Another Black Eye for Maryland Motorist

On June 30, 2009 Marylanders will soon be in for yet another surprise. Speed trap cameras.

Where was the UAW union - United Parcel Workers . . . .where was FedEx, the Postal Service, Independent truckers, and other Maryland Motorist when these laws were crafted.

Well guess folks, Maryland has made National news yet again. You see we are now ranked near the top for being one of the most unpopular motoring States in the Union according to the National Motorist Association.

On the bright side of their latest legislative motoring effort, we now have some of the best Politicians that money can buy. Literally!!!

Have an nice memorial day weekend.

Beezer