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Saturday, April 20, 2013

Bongino Lets His Edge Show

He has said it before: "We are in trouble here in Maryland."

Dan Bongino, a U.S. senatorial candidate in 2012, is sticking to his message. Speaking Saturday before the Mid-Shore League of Republican Women, Bongino talked edgy politics openly and affably over lunch with a small group of Talbot County residents and Republican voters whose main concerns for him centered on health care, the economy, the future of the Republican party in Maryland and the country.
 

"I think we are unfortunately starting to see, not only at the Senate level, but at the federal level and the congressional level, as well, the ramifications now of what happened in the election," he said. "We are in a near catastrophic position, and I don't use that word lightly. I'm not an alarmist."
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Report: Student Debtors Under 30 Are Shying Away From Buying Homes, Cars

If life were a 1950s sitcom, college graduates would zoom out of school, get a job, buy a house, buy a car and get married. But these days, student loans are just one of many reason debtors under 30 are staying far away from the housing and auto markets. That, and life isn’t a sitcom. A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that this age group could be a drag on the economy by the very fact that they aren’t participating in it.

Trust Me....


The Tax Man

Will they or won’t they? That’s the question now as legislators over yonder in Washington, D.C. are considering perhaps finally voting on whether or not to allow businesses to collect online sales tax. As it stands now, retailers can only impose the tax on a customer if they have a physical location in that state. Amazon is all for the bill, but eBay, not so much. The Senate could vote next week, so now it’s all about waiting and then, seeing.

Boy Scouts Propose To Lift Gay Ban For Youth

NEW YORK (AP) -- Searching for compromise on a divisive issue, the Boy Scouts of America is proposing to partially lift its long-standing exclusion of gays -- allowing them as youth members but continuing to bar them as adult leaders.

The proposal, unveiled Friday after weeks of private leadership deliberations, will be submitted to the roughly 1,400 voting members of the BSA's National Council during the week of May 20 at a meeting in Texas.

The key part of the resolution says no youth may be denied membership in the Scouts "on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone." A ban would continue on leadership roles for adults who are openly gay or lesbian.

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When Flying, Maybe Leave Your Grenade-Shaped Lighter At Home

You might find your novelty weapon-shaped cigarette lighter hilarious and totally innocent, but do you know who doesn’t agree with you? The Transportation Safety Administration. This didn’t occur to a passenger changing planes in Miami on his way to Haiti from Boston, and an entire concourse at Miami International Airport got shut down briefly this morning when the TSA noticed a grenade-shaped object in his carry-on.

“…I came from Boston with it and I wasn’t stopped, and I forgot the lighter was in there,” he helpfully explained to CBS Miami.

Permanent Coast Guard Beacon Tower Installed Next Week

OCEAN CITY -- The familiar beacon at the end of the north jetty at the Ocean City Inlet will be replaced with a more permanent structure starting next week.

The original beacon tower, roughly 20 feet tall, which for years alerted boat traffic to the presence of the rock jetty and the entrance to the Inlet, along with its somber alarm that could be heard from miles around on the clearest of nights, was swept away by Hurricane Irene in August 2011 and was never seen again. When the height of the storm subsided, all that was left of the beacon was a rusty stub bolted to the giant rocks at the end of the jetty.

The Coast Guard beacon was one of over 500 aids to navigation destroyed during Hurricane Irene in the mid-Atlantic area alone and certainly the most conspicuous. In the wake of the storm, the Coast Guard discovered the tower had been swept away and a search for the 20-foot, 3,500 pound beacon was undertaken in the waters in and around the Inlet to no avail. In late 2011, sonar pings picked up by a search vessel appeared to indicate the massive structure was still on the sea floor just north and east of the Inlet jetty and a recovery operation was undertaken, but the apparent beacon on the bottom turned out to be a false alarm and the original tower was never found.

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CISPA Passes In The House But Senate Will Likely Knock It Down Due To Privacy Concerns

It’s baaaaaack: Last year we started paying attention to the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, otherwise known as CISPA, for its perceived similarities to the reviled SOPA and PIPA bills. Despite getting killed off last year, CISPA has now been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives by a huge margin.

The House adopted CISPA by a 288-127 vote today, reports CNET, which is an improvement over the response it received the last time it was in the House. But the White House already threatened to veto it if it goes any further, and since the Democrats control Senate, it’s unlikely to survive a vote there.

No Smoking For Senior Citizens At County Centers

Senior citizens in Worcester County are being told to butt out, literally.

The Worcester County Commissioners voted Tuesday to add property owned or used by the County Commission on Aging to its list of smoke-free sites.

Rob Hart, the commissioner’s executive director, said he wanted the policy to be in effect July 1 at the four buildings used for seniors. The request included the grounds.

Senior centers in Ocean City, Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke will be smoke-free. The policy applies not only to the senior citizens, but also to staff, visitors and others who might be on the property.

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Debt

"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.

We must make our election between economy and liberty
or profusion and servitude.

If we run into such debt, as that we must be taxed in our meat and
in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and
our amusements, for our calling and our creeds...
[we will] have no time to think,
no means of calling our miss-managers to account
but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves
to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers...
And this is the tendency of all human governments.

A departure from principle in one instance
becomes a precedent for [another ]...
till the bulk of society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery...
And the fore-horse of this frightful team is public debt.

Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression."
-- Thomas Jefferson

(1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President

Source: Letter to Samuel Kercheval, Monticello, July 12, 1816

Three Carvers To Score Awards At Ocean City Event

SALISBURY – The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, the carving community’s recognized leader, has announced that carvers Delbert “Cigar” Daisey, Robert “Bob” Guge and Ernest “Ernie” Muehlmatt will be honored with the museum’s inaugural Living Legends Award.

The presentation will take place in conjunction with the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival award ceremony on Saturday, April 27 at 5 p.m., at the Roland E. Powell convention center in Ocean City.

The award recognizes individuals who have been long-time advocates for wildfowl art and the Ward Museum; are generous in spirit and commitment to teaching others and passing on their knowledge, skills and talents; and have created an impact on the field of wildfowl art and/or the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition.

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Gun Control Bill


City Sees Signs Of Hope For Construction Economy

Development in the resort, both statistically and anecdotally, seems to be making its strongest comeback since the 2008 economic slump, with last month setting a post-decline record for building permit valuations, as well as the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission this week approving two new major projects.

The commission gave the go-ahead Tuesday on plans for a massive expansion of the Crab Bag restaurant on 131st Street, which will now be expanding into the property immediately to its north, which was recently vacated after the Kite Loft moved its store to the new shopping center being built at 67th Street.

“They’ve now acquired all the property with the Kite Loft and the offices in that area,” said Zoning Administrator R. Blaine Smith. The Crab Bag already has a take-out operation in the old Aquarius Condo building, which is connected to the former Kite Loft.

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Cell Phone Violation Leads To 1/4 Kilo Cocaine Seizure On SR 1

Location:
SR 1 southbound at Pole Bridge Road, St. Georges, DE

Date of Occurrence:
Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 12:55 p.m.

Defendant/Charges/Bond Information:
Orishafemi Swint-36 of Philadelphia, PA (photo attached)
Possession of Cocaine in Tier 5 Quantity
Possession with intent to deliver Cocaine
Additional Traffic violations including Cell Phone violation
Arraigned and Released after posting $22,650 Secured Bond

Resume:
St. Georges-The Delaware State Police arrested and charged a 36 year old Philadelphia man for cocaine charges after a traffic stop for a cell phone violation on SR 1 last week.

On Thursday, April 11, 2013 at approximately 12:55 p.m. Troopers patrolling SR 1 in the area of St. Georges, observed the operator of a Pontiac Grand Prix utilizing a cell phone while traveling SR 1 southbound. Troopers performed a traffic stop and made contact with the operator, Orishafemi Swint-36 of Philadelphia, PA.

During the investigation a police K-9 detected the presence of illegal drugs in the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, Troopers located a quarter kilo of cocaine (252 grams) in the trunk. Total street value of cocaine seized is approximately $10,000.

Swint was taken into custody without incident and charged with the above crimes. He was arraigned and released after posting $22,650 Secured Bond.

Sunny TV: Obama Is Awesome...Duh!

What Does Glenn Beck Know That We Don't?

Glenn Beck: Govt Has Till Monday To Come Clean About The Boston Marathon Bombing Cover-Up

(Before It's News) What does Glenn Beck know that he hasn’t shared with the rest of the world about the Boston Marathon bombing ‘cover-up’? According to Glenn, this could be the most important story that he has ever covered.
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Berlin Plans To Reduce Spending While Giving Raises

BERLIN -- The town of Berlin is proposing a balanced budget even though the Mayor and Council are currently including a 2-percent salary raise for all employees.

“We’re not between a rock and a hard place. I think it’s going to be a tight budget but I don’t think it’s going to make anybody miserable,” said Mayor Gee Williams.

The proposed general fund for the upcoming fiscal year will be $4,775,001, a 2-percent reduction from last year’s budget of $4,869,001. While expenditures are down, Williams did note that revenues have also seen a slight dip due mainly to recent property assessments that lowered values in Berlin. However, though revenue on that front decreased $172,000 or about 6 percent, the mayor took a positive look at the overall picture.

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TED NUGENT: Obama Is The NRA Man Of The Year

I like my journalism the same way I like my music: rare, raw, close to the bone, no holds barred, brutally honest.

Rare is just what the real conservative GOP doctor ordered. My gut instincts tell me that bold, unapologetic, independent conservatives will have found a new journalistic juggernaut that goes straight for the journalism jugular. It’s about damn time.

This is the critical good in the face of the politically incorrect liberal bad and ugly. What’s lacking in America is a media pit-bull that has been trained to sniff out corruption, lies, double-speak, and to stand on point for the truth, then chomp into it and not let go.

You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a story or a topic that has been glossed over or outright ignored by the lapdog media who is in the tank for the president and the Democrat Party. Mainstream media has bastardized the 1st Amendment. Shame on them.

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City Pilot Program Offers Larger Surfing Beaches, More Inlet Time

In an attempt to address the highly variable nature of both the demand for surfing and the supply of decent waves, the city will be piloting a system this summer that will allow for considerably more flexibility in the size and scope of its surf beaches.

“The people I’ve talked to would rather have more space than a third separate beach,” said K-Coast owner Chris Shanahan, a member of the city’s surf beach subcommittee.

Although the idea had been floated of adding a third, rotating surfing beach on weekends during the summer, the option was found to be untenable this week after Ocean City Beach Patrol Captain Butch Arbin presented an outline of how such a rotation would look.

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Antares Launch Attempt Set for Today


Antares Range Count Begins

The Range count started on time at 9 a.m. EDT in preparation for
today's launch at 5 p.m. of Orbital Sciences Corporation's test flight
of its Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va. The pad close out crew is completing final configuration of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's Pad-0A. The team will verify the operation of critical pneumatic and cryogenic components before leaving the pad and allowing the remote control operations to begin.

The launch will be broadcast live on NASA Television beginning at 4:30 p.m.

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the launch, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/orbital.


More information available HERE 

Launch now is scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. EDT

Caption This Photo 4-20-13


Family Of Slain Bombing Suspect's Widow: 'Our Hearts Are Sickened'

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. -- The family of the widow of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev confirmed Friday that their 24-year-old daughter was married to the Chechen immigrant who died in a confrontation with police earlier in the day, saying, “We cannot begin to comprehend how this horrible tragedy occurred.”

“Our daughter has lost her husband today, the father of her child,” Warren and Judith Russell, whose daughter Katherine was married to Tsarnaev, said in a statement distributed to about a dozen reporters who gathered outside their home in this well-landscaped, upper middle class neighborhood outside Providence.

“In the aftermath of the Patriot’s Day horror, we know that we never knew Tamerlane Tsarnaev,” the statement said, using an alternative spelling of the suspect’s first name. 

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Sexual Predator Sign

The Florida county where police post 'sexual predator' road signs outside homes of convicted rapists and child molesters

The sheriff of Bradford County, Florida, decided the reflective signs, which have each offender's name, should be planted on the roadways outside the houses of convicted sexual predators to ward off children.
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New OC Beach Toys Sought; Safety, Age Concerns Leads Resort To Seek Alternatives

OCEAN CITY – The popular wooden playgrounds will not be returning to the beach this summer as city staff are in the midst of searching out safer replacements.

During a Recreation and Parks Committee meeting last Tuesday, Public Works Director Hal Adkins gave an update on the playground equipment that have been placed on the beach seasonally since the Mayor and City Council approved in 2000.

What is referred to as “beach toys” are five wooden playgrounds spaced out from Talbot Street north to 4th Street on the beach downtown. The toys were donated by several individuals and/or businesses, the latest being by Fisher’s Popcorn in 2005.

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To Realize

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:
LOSE ONE.

Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Loses One of Their Own

Incident: Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Loses One of Their Own

Narrative: On behalf of the men and women of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Michael A. Lewis regretfully announces the passing of a long time canine assigned to our explosive detection team. On 18 April, K9 Britt passed away while on active duty after a brief illness in the company of his long time handler Deputy First Class Dennis Taylor.

K9 Britt and DFC Taylor had worked side by side since 2003 on a vigilant mission to keep our buildings and citizens safe. Not only did K9 Britt provide loyal and dedicated service to Wicomico County, but he was routinely called upon to assist neighboring jurisdictions throughout the region to include providing security scans at major events and conventions in nearby Ocean City and even the United States Naval Academy football stadium in Annapolis, MD.

K9 Britt regularly trained not only here in Wicomico County but he also trained alongside other K9 teams from Dover Air Force Base that had been involved in seeking out IED type explosives in both Iraq and Afghanistan, all in an effort to constantly improve his working ability.

K9 Britt was also a popular ambassador to our community as he often demonstrated his unique ability to seek out and find explosives at county fairs and for any groups that visited the station to learn about the Sheriff’s Office.

We thank K9 Britt for all of his years of active duty service to the Sheriff’s Office and he will be sorely missed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson Date: 19 April 2013

N Korean Carrier Group Departs To Attack California & Hawaii


But Wait....


That Smarts


Assateague Superintendent Leaving For Missouri Post

ASSATEAGUE - National Park Service officials last week announced Assateague Island National Seashore Superintendent Trish Kicklighter was leaving the position after nearly four years to become superintendent of the New River Gorge National River in Missouri.

Kicklighter became the superintendent at Assateague Island National Seashore in 2009 and shepherded the federal park through changing times. During her tenure as Assateague, Kicklighter led the park in developing an innovative General Management Plan that addresses the potential impacts from climate change and sea level rise and oversaw various construction projects such as the seashore’s new visitor center and island ranger station, and helped with the creation of an environmental education facility.

Kicklighter also oversaw repairs from storm damage from four different storm and hurricane events at Assateague, most notably Hurricane Sandy last fall. She also led the effort to reduce the park’s carbon footprint by establishing a recycling program and increasing the use of solar power.

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Dog Wants A Kitty

Paper Nuggets From Chick-Fil-A

My husband went to chick fil a (north) tonight and in his nuggets he discovered this paper nice and fried into a nugget. Just thought I'd share this because we thought was horrible...

Beware of Gov. Martin O’Malley

Maryland made national news recently for a “rain tax” to start July 1.

The tax, an unfunded mandate originating with the Environmental Protection Agency and cemented by the state legislature and governor last year, means homeowners, businesses and nonprofits in certain counties will pay a fee based on the amount of “impervious surfaces” on their property. It is supposed to raise about $482 million annually. Satellite imagery will help counties comply with the law, designed to reduce runoff into the Chesapeake Bay.

Call it the ‘Drones for the Bay’ program. The “Free State” is a Petri dish for progressive causes and perpetually tries to out-California California for increasing the size and reach of government, so the new law is not surprising to those of us who live in Maryland even as it may seem laughable to people across the country.

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Leading The Region In Job Creation

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released monthly jobs numbers today and Maryland’s private sector continues to lead Maryland’s jobs recovery. Here’s what the numbers tell us:
In the first three months of 2013, Maryland led the region in job creation. Together with Maryland’s businesses, we created 22,000 new jobs in the first quarter of the year at the 4th fastest rate in the nation. Maryland’s dynamic private sector led our job growth creating 9 out of every 10 of our new jobs at the 5th fastest rate in the nation.

Working together, we drove down Maryland’s unemployment rate to a four-year low and brought Maryland’s private sector employment to its highest level in nearly five years. And we have recovered 97% of the jobs lost in the Bush recession.

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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 4-20-13

African-American History in Salisbury – Part 1

The history of business in Salisbury is laced with threads of the African-American presence. This history has to be extracted from many sources and much research has to be done to get a clear picture.

James F. Stewart Funeral Home

One business that goes back to 1909 is the James F. Stewart Funeral Home. This can be verified by an 8 x 10 wall thermometer that was put out in the early 1950’s. By this time, James F. Stewart was deceased and the owners were listed as Mary A. Stewart and Thornton B. Jolley. The phone number was 6461.

Although the business was established in 1909, there is no listing in either the 1913 or 1916 telephone books for such a business. The first listing I found was in the 1921 Salisbury City Directory. James F. and Mary Stewart were listed as having a funeral home at 402 E. Church St. with a phone number of 816. A postcard from 1925 shows James F. Stewart, his family, his home and the vehicles for his business. This address of 402 E. Church St. was changed to 324 E. Church St. when the City changed all the street numbers in October, 1952. The phone number was still 6461 in the 1954 phone book. At some point in time, the need for expanded numbers added a 2 or a 9 to all 4-digit numbers with the addition of the prefix Pioneer (PI or 74). The 1957 City Directory still has a listing for James F. Stewart Funeral home at the newly numbered address of 324 E. Church St. with a phone number of PI9-6461.

The block that this business was located fell to the progress of the new road when Route 50 was built. It was on the south side of Church St. between Cathell St. and N. Salisbury Blvd.

There is still a Stewart Funeral Home listed in Salisbury, but the phone number of PI9-6461 is presently assigned to the Jolley Funeral Home.

Houston Savings Bank

In the 1982 edition of Charles Truitt’s “Historic Salisbury”, under financial institutions, he makes mention of the Houston Savings Bank, Salisbury, as “established by the black community in 1911, operated only a few months.” In his original edition in 1932, he makes no mention under financial institutions of the Houston Savings Bank.

Even though Mr. Truitt stated that it opened in 1911, a savings pass book attests to the fact that one Mamie A. Birckhead did open an account on July 20, 1911 with a deposit of $1.00, the only entry in the book.

Now the mystery thickens. Even though they were reported to have operated for only a few months, there is a listing in the 1913 telephone book for the Houston Savings Bank with a phone number of 681. This same number is also assigned to John T. Ellis & Son, stone yards and shops, Camden Ave. & Dock (Market) St. The connection remains a 
mystery.

(Part 2 next week)

SPD Press Release 4-20-13




Muslim Teen Arrested In NYC

Subway chaos caught on camera as NYPD arrest Muslim teen for allegedly threatening and abusing Jewish rider

New York Police faced an angry crowd at a Brooklyn subway station as they attempted to arrest a teenager accused of hate crimes. Stephan Stowe, 17, allegedly abused and taunted a Jewish rider.
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The First Photos Of The Suspected Boston Bomber Being Apprehended

REVOKED DRIVER FROM PA FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES AFTER CRASH IN FREDERICK CO.

(LIBERTYTOWN, MD) – A man driving on a revoked license and two people in another car were injured tonight in a Frederick County crash that ended the man’s 30-minute ride through two counties during which he attempted to run down a deputy and a state trooper and sideswiped another trooper.

The suspect is a 27-year-old man from Pennsylvania. He is not being identified because he has not been charged at this time. He is facing multiple criminal and traffic charges. Troopers have determined his license is revoked.

State Police investigators are still compiling detailed information about the incident and will not have more complete information until tomorrow. The preliminary investigation indicates the incident started at about 7:30 p.m. today when a Taneytown Police Department officer stopped the suspect on Rt. 194 south of Crouse Mill Road for expired tags. As the officer approached the Ford F150, the suspect sped off. Maryland State Police at the Frederick Barrack and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office were notified and units responded to the area of Rt. 194 as the suspect drove into Frederick County.

The crew of Maryland State Police helicopter Trooper 3, based in Frederick, were notified and launched immediately. The crew of Trooper 3 quickly located the speeding vehicle and began calling out its location to ground units. All police cars were ordered not to directly pursue by supervisors from both the State Police and Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. Troopers and deputies set up at locations along various roads to deploy stop sticks as the suspect passed by.

At one location, the suspect tried to strike a deputy who was deploying stop sticks. At Rt. 550 and Clive Young Road, the suspect sideswiped a State Police car from the Westminster Barrack. Another trooper near Libertytown was deploying stop sticks when the suspect swerved toward him.

Trooper 3 maintained visual contact overhead and continually called out the suspect vehicle location to troopers and deputies in the area. No police cars were pursuing the suspect.

Shortly after 8:00 p.m., the crew of Trooper 3 saw the suspect’s truck strike a passenger car on Old Annapolis Road at Rt. 26. After striking the car, the suspect’s vehicle hit a tree and came to rest in a yard. Troopers and deputies responded to the scene and summoned EMS personnel.

The two people in the car struck by the suspect sustained minor injuries. They were taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital where they were treated and released. The suspect sustained more serious injuries and was flown by Trooper 3 to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. No troopers or deputies were injured in the incident.

The investigation will continue throughout the night. Investigators will be consulting with the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office regarding charges. Additional details will be made available tomorrow.

Encore Ghost Walk In Crisfield Set For May 3rd At 7:00 PM

Overwhelming Response Signals 2nd Tour

MARION STATION, MD
- 32 people attended a Ghost Walk in Crisfield on April 13th led by Mindie Burgoyne, of Marion Station. Later that night LeeAnn Linton, a guest on the tour, posted a ghostly photo she took to Burgoyne’s Facebook page, and over 9000 people viewed and shared it. The picture created such an interest in haunted Crisfield that Burgoyne has scheduled a second Ghost Walk for Friday, May 3rd at 7:00 pm.

Mindie Burgoyne is the author of Haunted Eastern Shore: Ghostly Tales from East of the Chesapeake and she’s been doing ghost tours around the Eastern Shore since her book was published in 2009. This year she developed the Chesapeake Ghost Walks, a series of walking tours focused on nine historic towns on the Shore. Crisfield is the third walk in the series. Upcoming walks include Snow Hill, Berlin, Pocomoke, Ocean City, Princess Anne and Denton.

Burgoyne states, “We sold out three ghost walks in Easton and two in Cambridge. I knew the Crisfield walk would do well, but being such a small town I didn’t expect it to sell out or to do a second tour. Once that picture hit Facebook, we had huge exposure.”

LeeAnn Linton shot the image in front of the Orrie Lee Tawes House on Main Street, a white Victorian with a round tower built by a Crisfield merchant in 1895. The picture has two shadowy figures in the foreground, but the 82 commenting Facebook fans pointed out other figures, including children that appear in the windows, doorways and a bride on the porch. Burgoyne says she didn’t even have a haunted story about the Tawes House. “We pass it on the way to the Crockett House. I stopped in front of it to say that strange things have show up in pictures of this house, and I showed a picture of the house on my iPad. LeeAnn snapped her picture while I was saying that.”

Other stops on the tour included Cedar Croft, Gossamer, the Tawes Library, Marquis Manor, the Corbin Library and the Crisfield Cemetery. Guests came from as far away as Easton, Ocean City and Girdletree. Burgoyne gave all guests a map with each location noted, including sites that are nearby but not on the walking route. Those included the Ira Todd House, the LaVallette House, Old Island, and McCready Hospital. The map also identified four sites in Marion Station including Burgoyne’s own house. Stories for those sites are on her website.

The folklore collection at the Nabb research center was Burgoyne’s primary resource for crafting these Ghost Walks. She also read dozens of books, scanned vertical files, photos and newspapers in the public libraries, and conducted over one hundred interviews. The tours are packed with local history. “When you tell real-life stories, it’s important to put characters in the proper setting” Burgoyne states. “Crisfield is such a fun Walk because of its rich history. What other town has a cast of characters like the Coasting Captain, Dr. RR Norris, Governor Tawes, Miss Adeline Hall, Richard Christy and Old Ailsey?”

People interested in joining the tour on May 3rd can find more information at www.travelhag.com or on the Haunted Eastern Shore Facebook page. Advanced registration is required.