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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Yes Mr. President, This Is Who We Are

Weiner Is, Well, A Weiner

If you're running for mayor, you may want to be sure that the city pictured in your campaign materials is the city you're looking to lead. On Wednesday, former congressman Anthony Weiner announced he's running to be the next mayor of New York. He made the announcement in a video that directed viewers to visit his campaign website. The only problem – the beautiful bridge pictured on the site wasn't in Brooklyn – it was in Pittsburgh. The site has since been corrected. We imagine this wasn't the campaign roll-out that Anthony Weiner envisioned, but considering his problems with pictures on the Internet, it certainly could have been a lot worse.

The Congressional Budget Office Wants To Put A Price On Air Pollution

In a recent report, the CBO suggested that lawmakers "view a carbon tax as a reflection of society's willingness to pay to reduce the risk of potentially very expensive damage in the future." In other words, while dirty, last-century fossil fuels may be cheap in the short term – the long term the cost to our health and environment will be monumental. The CBO projected that a carbon tax of twenty dollars per metric ton would bring in over a trillion dollars in new revenue and cut carbon dioxide emissions by about eight percent over the next decade. This policy would finally put a price on the damage that carbon pollution is doing to our environment. It would also level the playing field, and allow green energy technology to compete with over-subsidized oil giants. It's time that we start accounting for the true cost of burning fossil fuels. Call Congress and tell them to take the CBOs suggestion – implement a carbon tax and end this de facto subsidy for big oil.

Accident On Zion Road Involving Off Duty Police Officer

There's been an accident on Zion Road involving an off duty police officer. They are calling in Parsonsburg and Pittsville. We do not have any more details at this time.


Chicago Made History By Closing 50 Public Schools In Under Two Minutes

People watching the vote did not even realize what had happened. Instead of reading the name of each school, the Chicago Board of Education secretary read a list of numbers assigned to resolutions to close each facility. Then, the board president used a parliamentary procedure to call for one group vote to decide the outcome. The entire vote lasted only 90 seconds. The Chicago Sun Times described the proceeding, saying "CPS makes history, closing scores of schools in less time than it takes to boil an egg." Because of the closings, about 27,000 children will be forced to change schools, and numerous teachers and staff will be out of a job. The President of Chicago's Teachers Union, Karen Lewis, criticized the deceptive procedure, saying the board "should have had the courage to do this deed in the open and correctly." And she's right. It's bad enough that Chicago's public education system is being gutted, but the cowardly way it was done adds insult to injury.

Obama's Vision For The Future Of Counter-Terrorism

[Thursday], President Obama spoke to a crowd at the National Defense University, and laid out his vision for the future of counter-terrorism. In his speech, the President addressed the controversial use of drones, the on-going fight to close Gitmo, and the need to repeal the Authorization for the Use of Military Force. President Obama invoked the words of James Madison, saying, "No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual war." While at times he appeared to justify the on-going use of drone strikes, the overall tone of the speech indicated the President's desire to put an end to perpetual war. He said, "Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue. But this war, like all wars, must end." And, he called on Congress to stop blocking efforts to close the torture facility at Guantanamo Bay – a prison he said "should have never been opened" in the first place. The speech drew criticism from both the Left and the Right. Madea Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group, Code Pink, interrupted the President during his remarks, criticizing his failure to close Gitmo, and the civilian drone-strike casualties. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss said the President Obama's remarks "will be viewed by terrorists as a victory." It will difficult, if not impossible, for our President to please both sides, and he will likely be met with resistance in his efforts to conclude this decade-long disaster. Most of that resistance will come from those on the Right, who refuse to acknowledge the damage that these policies have done to our nation, and the world. Those of us on the Left should continue to call for an end to the drone program, for the restoration of our right to privacy, and more. In the meantime, however, we must stand with President Obama as he attempts to close Gitmo, works to reduce executive power, and tries to restore the image of our nation throughout the world. If we don't fight for these changes now, they may never happen. Our President cannot do this alone.

Ocean City Lost A Tram Today


How Did The IRS Get Investigatory Authority, Anyway?

The IRS "scandal" involving the “targeting” of conservative Tea Party groups is metastasizing. Congressional Republicans are seeking to open a broader investigation into the agency, with which, according to the New York Times, they "hope to ensare the White House."

But an understanding of the true history of IRS scandals -- as documented in the mid-1970s Church Committee reports -- might better inform our understanding of this contemporary story.

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5 Signs That Your Computer Is Infected

Oh, the not-so-humble computer virus. For decades, it's been making computer users miserable.

It's like the common cold. You'd think someone would have cured both by now. Unfortunately, it looks like computer viruses are just getting stronger and smarter.

In the early days, a virus would delete your files and spread to other computers. It was annoying, but the effects were easy to detect and contain.

Today, in addition to traditional viruses, there are Trojans, worms, ransomware, spyware, adware and plenty of other "wares." The computer industry term for all this is "malware."

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THIS IS AN ARTIST'S DEPICTION OF THE MOOD THAT IS GRIPPING THE NATION RIGHT NOW


Thought I'd share a one sentence editorial that appeared in today's Peoria Journal Star....speaks volumes:
"A pen in the hand of this president is far more dangerous than a gun in the hands of 200 million law-abiding citizens."

The Story Of The Beads Of Courage

Jean Baruch, a pediatric oncology nurse, was good at hanging IV bags and checking vital signs, but she had a harder time helping her young patients deal with the emotional effects of having cancer. "I wanted to encourage them to express their pain and fear, but I didn't know how," she says. "It was very frustrating."

She discovered a solution while working at one of Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps. The camp, which hosts children and families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses, gave Baruch unique insight into how kids play. She noticed that campers of all ages love beading. They spend hours making necklaces and bracelets, then trade or share them with friends and family. "The kids wear the beads for days at a time, even in the shower," she notes. "It seems to make them feel good."

Hoping that beads could cheer up young cancer patients in hospitals the same way they do at camp, Baruch founded Beads of Courage in 2004.

Children who participate in the program receive colored beads that represent milestones, procedures, and acts of bravery. For instance, they get a yellow bead for an overnight hospital stay, a white one for chemotherapy, and a glow-in-the-dark bead for radiation treatment. It's not uncommon for children to amass 10, 20 -- even 35 -- feet of beads. It helps young patients track and celebrate their progress, but it also gives them a way to get through upcoming procedures.

Today the nonprofit organization supports children in more than 150 hospitals in the United States, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It is funded exclusively by private donations. With the help of participating hospitals, Beads of Courage is also constantly evolving. Baruch and her team have expanded the program to include many conditions and diseases. They also focus on other ways the arts can help families dealing with a serious illness.

On June 1, 2013 Hill Street Productions is proud to present an event tin Salisbury to support The Beads of Courage program for local children.

http://www.beadsofcourage.org/
For event information call Steven Rumney (Hill Street Productions) at 410-251-2804.

Troopers Investigate Dewey Beach Pedestrian Crash Involving State Police Patrol Vehicle

Location:
Coastal Highway (SR 1) at Rogers Avenue, Dewey Beach, DE

Date of Occurrence:
Sunday, May 26, 2013 at 1:19 a.m.

Pedestrian:
Brian T. McDermott-24 of Bryn Mawr, PA

Operator/Vehicle:
27 year old male Delaware State Trooper assigned to Troop 7, Lewes
2011 Ford crown Victoria, fully marked patrol vehicle

Resume
Dewey Beach-The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is investigating a serious crash in which a pedestrian was struck on Coastal Highway north of Dewey Beach, earlier this morning.

Preliminary investigation has determined that the crash occurred at approximately 1:19 a.m. this morning as Brian T. McDermott-24 of Bryn Mawr, PA was walking in a northbound direction, straddling the edge of the shoulder and right travel lane of Coastal Highway southbound. McDermott was struck by the right front corner of a southbound 2011 Ford Crown Victoria, fully marked patrol vehicle, operated by a 27 year old male Trooper assigned to Troop 7, Lewes. After the impact, McDermott was thrown to the roadway. The Trooper was able to provide emergency medical care until the arrival of Fire and EMS responders.

Brian T. McDermott was transported by Delaware State Police Aviation Helicopter Trooper 2 to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center where he was admitted in critical condition.

The Trooper was properly restrained and not injured.

Preliminary indications have determined that alcohol does appear to be a factor on the part of the pedestrian.

Coastal Highway southbound at Rogers Avenue was closed for approximately 3 hours while the crash was investigated and cleared. The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate this crash.

Obama Surrenders Just As Islamic Jihad Intensifies

War On Terror: As jihadists bomb Boston, behead a soldier in London and firebomb police in Sweden, President Obama has decided America's actions have offended them and it's time to retreat.

In arguably the weakest national security speech by a commander in chief, Obama denied Thursday that our terrorist enemy is inspired by Islam — while at the same time appeasing Islamic critics by apologizing for drone strikes and agreeing to throttle back on such precision bombings, and close down the terrorist prison at Guantanamo.

He vowed to wind down further military actions in the war on terror, arguing he can protect America through law enforcement actions, instead, as if the threat comes from bank robbers or other common criminals.

His mea culpas and capitulations will only embolden the Islamist enemy. In case you missed the interminably long and rambling speech, here are some of its many pusillanimous lowlights:

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Do You Know This Young Man?



Hi Joe:

Attached are images of two subjects that did significant damage to one of my vending machines at the Wash 'N Vac Car Wash on Northwood Drive, behind Pep-Boys. This happened on Monday, May 20th between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Both subjects were on bicycles.

The guy in the brown shirt is approximately 5'8"-5"10" in height, 175-185 lbs.

The guy in the red shirt is approximately 5'9"-5'11" in height, 210-220 lbs. Unfortunatley, there is not a facial view of the guy in the red shirt.

I am offering a $100 cash reward for any information that leads to the arrest of either subject. I am hoping someone may have seen these guys or know where they hang out in Salisbury. There has been other vandalism in the area, and these may be the same subjects responsible.

Thanks in advance for any help.

I can be contacted at 302-745-4476 or washnvac@mail.com

Failing Grade? US School Spending Falls

The amount of money spent per public school student fell in 2011 for the first time since the Census Bureau began keeping records more than three decades earlier, as economic woes finally caught up with educational realities.
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Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Racially Profiled Latinos, Federal Judge Rules

PHOENIX, May 24 (Reuters) - Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio violated the constitutional rights of Latino drivers in his crackdown on illegal immigration, a federal judge found on Friday, and ordered him to stop using race as a factor in law enforcement decisions.

The ruling against the Maricopa County sheriff came in response to a class-action lawsuit brought by Hispanic drivers that tested whether police can target illegal immigrants without racially profiling U.S. citizens and legal residents of Hispanic origin.

Oregon Teen Planned To Blow Up His School In 'Columbine-Style' Attack, Authorities Say

An Oregon teenager was arrested Saturday after he allegedly built bombs with the intent of waging a "Columbine-style" attack on his high school, authorities say.

17-year-old Grant Acord will be charged as an adult with attempted aggravated murder and also faces six counts of manufacturing and possessing a destructive device after investigators found six bombs in a secret compartment in his bedroom, Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said.

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Florida Teen Rejects Plea Deal In Controversial Same-Sex Case

(CNN) -- Eighteen-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt, charged with a crime for having sex with a 14-year-old girl, rejected a deal Friday that would have required her to plead guilty to child abuse, according to Hunt's attorney.

Hunt was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery after the parents of the 14-year-old went to authorities. Hunt's family says their relationship was consensual, but in Florida a person under the age of 16 is not legally able to give consent to sex.

If Hunt is convicted, she could go to prison for 15 years -- a reality that touched off a maelstrom of controversy across the country this past week. The case became widely known when Hunt's family began an online campaign in defense of their daughter.

What The Data Didn’t Show

Martin O’Malley’s vaunted management techniques missed the massive corruption in the Baltimore jail.
Harvard professor Robert Behn, who writes about the “Performance Stat” style of governing, says that although StateStat is well equipped to tackle things like staff corruption, “Measuring corruption is not a role for performance stat until the leaders decide to focus on it, or until someone brings it to their attention.” If an agency’s struggling to tackle a problem, there’s no incentive to point it out in StateStat meetings. When agencies don’t tell StateStat what it wants to hear, the agency heads face inquisition-style grillings by the governor’s staff—or by the governor himself.
It’s part of why state employees often refer to the governor by his initials—MO’M. With StateStat, the executive branch plays a heavy-handed role in even the nitty-grittiest of agency operations. It’s an approach that O’Malley says he’d like to see taken to the next level.

“I think the truth is we need FedStat,” O’Malley told Washington Monthly. “At a time when people are so very cynical about what our public institutions are capable of delivering .  .  . the willingness of leaders to make themselves vulnerable by declaring goals could well restore that essential trust that we need in order to bring forth a new era of progress.”

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What’s In That Big Mac? More Than You Think

Apparently, fast food frequenters have no idea how many calories they’re ordering up at the counter.

Researchers conducted a large cross sectional study of 1,877 adults and 330 school age kids who regularly visited fast food chains including McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, Subway and Dunkin’ Donuts. The investigators collected receipts from the participants in order to calculate how many calories the participants consumed from their meals. They also asked the volunteers to estimate the number of calories they had just ordered. At the time of the study, none of the restaurant chains included calorie information on their menus, as many now do.


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Europe Plagued With Islamic Attacks

(Reuters) - A French soldier patrolling a business neighborhood west of Paris was stabbed in the neck and injured on Saturday by a man who fled the scene and is being sought by police, President Francois Hollande said.

The 23-year-old was patrolling in uniform with two other soldiers as part of France's Vigipirate anti-terror surveillance plan when he was approached from behind around 6 p.m. and attacked with a knife or a box-cutter.

A police union spokesman said surveillance footage of the attacker showed him as tall and bearded, aged about 35, possibly of North African origin and wearing a white Arab-style tunic.

Hollande, in the Ethiopian city of Addis Ababa, commented on the stabbing to say police were hunting for the attacker but did not provide any details about his identity or any possible motivation for the attack.

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Fire At Easton Walmart

EASTON -- A fire outside of the Easton Walmart, 8155 Elliott Road, forced an evacuation of the building about 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

According to Assistant Chief of Easton Volunteer Fire Department C.R. Chance, a ''mess'' of cardboard boxes to the left of the front of the building caught on fire, but firefighters didn't know what caused the fire as of press time on Saturday.

''There was a lot of fire when we got here,'' Chance said.

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Top Posts For The Week

Below are all of the top Posts for the past week.

Day Selected To Next American Vanguard

Mayor James Ireton Jr., is pleased to announce that Salisbury's City Council President Jake Day has been selected to the 2013 Class of the Next American Vanguard. The Vanguard is a competitive fellowship, hosted by Next City (www.nextcity.org), gathering the country’s best and brightest urban leaders. This year’s event is made possible with support from The George GundFoundation, Positively Cleveland and Downtown Cleveland Alliance.

According to Next City, Vanguard members are high-level, creative and ambitious
people under 40 who seek to improve their cities and work for local non-profit organizations, in city government, as social entrepreneurs, artists and in other related fields. Each year, they select 40 people who have demonstrated their ability to have an impact on their city or the national dialogue about urban issues and bring them together for an inspiring series of presentations, workshops, tours and other activities.

This year’s group is more geographically diverse than ever, with members hailing
from 28 cities — including, for the first time, a Canadian city (Vancouver). The 2013 Vanguard class, along with Vanguard alumni, will meet in Cleveland in June for workshops, local tours and an “unconference” to collectively learn and think about how to improve their cities. "I am honored to be selected and to join an incredible class of leaders from cities around the country," said Council President Day. "I hope to bring back lessons in revitalizing our city from attending entrepreneurs, community leaders and even 2 other city council members."

Obama Thinks We Won War On Terror And It's Time To Move On

President Obama delivered what was billed by the White House as a “major” speech on national security Thursday at the historic National Defense University. In short, Mr. Obama thinks the War on Terror is over, and he won it. There may be a few final details to mop about, but it's time to move on to more important things.

The speech was typical of Mr. Obama: Open with a broad sweep of history from the beginning of the republic to today.

Follow that with a laundry list of all the great things he has done to reverse the bad things his predecessor did.

Brush failures under the rug, blame them on others, or marks them as the inevitable course of history.

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Be Careful Traveling East Bound On Rt. 50


East bound Rt 50 just BEFORE Willards
Radar

A Comment Worthy Of A Post 5-24-13

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Salisbury Fire Department Enjoying Lunch At Taylor...":

The public doesn't know that even though the fire department got those 12 additional paid firemen through the free money grant that they had more than enough paid firemen alread. During the night half of the shift there is 3 medic crews on at stations 1, 2 and 16 and there is a paid fire crew for the engine and a paid fire crew for the $1 million dollar tower truck at station 16. The paramedic crews on the ambulance run all night long while the two fire crews get to sleep at night unless the engine is chasing ambulances. The engine crews don't self dispatch themselves at night because they want a whole night of uninterrupted sleep so they can go to their next full time job fully rested and wide awake. The self dispatching themselves on ambulance calls is done during the day so they can brag about being a busy fire department and running 12,000 call per year. In reality those 12,000 calls are mainly EMS calls which are running the paramedic crews ragged. Don't let the firemen full you when they spout off they are a busy department that runs 12,000 calls every year. Those 12 paid firemen they hired were to staff fire truck and not paramedics for the ambulance. The staffing went on the fire engines while the ambulances were slighted again and always have been. The paramedic crews have always been short staff even when they were granted permission to hire new paramedics they refused to and hired firefighters instead. New state of the art radios with more of that free grant money. What a joke. With all the paid firemen staffing the fire trucks the volunteer firemen are starting to realize that Hoppes and Co. are doing their best to run the volunteers out of town. This has been his motive ever since he became a paid fireman himself. With all the paid firemen taking every piece of equipment to the calls there is no need for the volunteers to show up and just stand around. When the rare opportunity arises for the volunteers to be called on they may not show up and I don't blame them. They are treated like second class citizens and they are only used to clean up. Mayor Ireton made a big mistake when he promoted Rick Hoppes to fire chief. The volunteers made a big mistake when a few of them voiced their support for Hoppes as their fire chief, especially after they didn't support him the first time.

Women Escorted From Mall For Wearing “F--- CANCER” Hats

Two sisters were escorted from a mall in King of Prussia, Pa., on Sunday because they were wearing hats reading “F--- CANCER” with the “C” in the expletive replaced by a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon, the Philadelphia Daily News reported.

Zakia Clark, 29, and Tasha Clark, 27, said that they were wearing the shirts to honor their mother, Jackie Underwood, who had passed away on May 14 at the age of 51 after a battle with breast cancer.

The women, both from Philadelphia, were at the King of Prussia Mall with a group of friends and relatives, shopping for a dress for Zakia’s daughter to wear to their mom’s funeral. After two-and-a-half hours of shopping, the women were approached by a security guard in the mall’s food court.

"New Chief In Over Her Head Already!"

Aparently Chief DiPino Is Not Liked At Sarasota Police Dept. GO HERE to learn more.

Photo of Gun Retrieved From Trayvon Martin's Cell Phone

Defense attorneys for George Zimmerman have released new photos that they say will help prove their client's innocence in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The murder case against Zimmerman is set to begin in just three weeks, and the Florida man's defense team has just released photos retrieved from Martin's phone. Some of those images were even taken on the night he was killed.

The defense also asked the judge to allow information on Trayvon's history of drug use to be admissible in the trial.


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Response To Councilman Culver's Allegations: Plus Publishers Comment

Wicomico County Councilman Bob Culver recently made public statements about the bid process for the new State’s Attorney’s Office. We, the Wicomico County Executive’s Office, the Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matthew Maciarello and the majority of the Wicomico County Council, feel portions of Mr. Culver’s statements do not reflect the truth and need to be corrected.

Any suggestion that the site for the new State’s Attorney’s building was selected prior to the Request 
for Proposal process reaching completion is absolutely false. The County, through its Purchasing
Agent, executed to completion a Request for Proposal process that followed all County rules and regulations. All bids were evaluated and the Executive branch recommended to the County Council
that the most responsive and lowest cost bid be awarded the project. That the bid process was followed properly was confirmed by the County Council on April 2, 2013, by a vote of 5 to 2, when they determined that there was no flaw in the process. Following a public hearing on the Executive’s recommendation, the Council unanimously approved the award of the project to G Plus Properties, LLC.

Subsequent to being informed by the County Attorney of the issue, on March 8, 2013, Executive 
and Council staff met to discuss the fact that there had been an obvious release of confidential information from the closed Council session of March 5,2013. At this meeting, no decision as to what action would be taken in response to Mr. Culver’s breach of confidentiality was reached, as this is only a decision for the Wicomico County Council as a body. The County Council then decided to have a closed session on March 18, 2013 to discuss Mr. Culver’s actions, whether those actions constituted a breach of confidentiality and the possible penalty. In that meeting and in that meeting alone it was determined by the Council body that there was a breach of the confidentiality of the closed session and the decision to reprimand Mr. Culver privately was made.

The County Executive, the State’s Attorney and the majority of the County Council feel strongly 
that public confidence in a clear and transparent bidding process is absolutely essential. We reject outright and repudiate Councilman Culver’s allegations that there was anything illegal or unethical about the bid process which led to the decision to award the bid for the new offices of the State’s Attorney.

Publishers Notes: It turns out, most of the representatives supporting the above press release were more upset that Mr. Culver delivered his side of the story to Salisbury News and they want to make an example out of him. This is NOT the first time this has happened.

First of all you should know, Mr. Culver also sent the exact same letter to multiple news outlets, including the Daily Times. They refused to publish it. Now I'd like to know, how is this "public confidence" statement from the County Executive actually true?

Mr. Culver was ELECTED just as ALL of the others mentioned here. I see, unless you PLAY BALL with a certain group, (especially the majority, as mentioned) they will black ball you for voicing your opinion as how you see it.

The witch hunt started back when Mr. Culver shared ADVICE to interested parties given by the County Attorney. There was nothing wrong with the information Mr. Culver provided and there was never any intent to harm anyone. Mr. Culver was simply respecting those taxpayers who had a product they felt offered a better solution, more towards what the original rfp asked for. 

To watch the Council majority, County Executive and the States Attorney produce a press release such as the one above simply tells me personally that they are paranoid. IF they had done nothing wrong they simply would have ignored Mr. Culver's message. 

Our elected officials need to STOP using people like Bob Culver as an example for having the stones to get their opinions out to the public. Clearly the Daily Times is in the pockets of our majority of public officials. I'm one man, are you people really that scared of me?

Funny how MOST of the majority of public officials refuse to send out public information to Salisbury News but I WAS the recipient of THEIR/THIS message. I'm good for them when they NEED me but I'm NOT good for them when an elected official wants to get their version out to the masses. 

Salisbury City Taxpayers Expect A 16% Tax Increase, County Residents, 8% Increase

The Wicomico County Council unexpectedly chose today on the Budget and raised taxes to the maximum amount. Even though a couple Council Members weren't present during this decision, the Council went ahead anyway and the majority chose they would move forward with the increase in the final final budget proposal. They were supposed to have one more session but they canceled it.

County Employees will get a 1.7% raise and a select many will get $1,000.00 to $5,000.00 a year raises by being reclassified. 

With the City/Ireton tax increase and the County's, expect a 16% increase overall.

This is how you get rid of the inventory tax, you charge it back on the taxpayers, including the businesses you claimed to remove the tax from in the first place. 

They also raised the sticker fee for the transfer stations from $55.00 to $60.00. 

They are also discussing raising health department fees on restaurants and builders.  

There was over $3,000,000.00 carried over from last year, proving they raised YOUR taxes too much last year already. "Prior year revenue" is what it's called. 

You people better get your heads out of your collective asses and start getting involved. Rick Pollitt and the Council majority are raping all of us and you do NOTHING. The public hearing the county held last week, only ONE person showed up to complain about the tax increase. The rest of the people were all from the school board supporting the tax increase. 

Boy Scouts of America Lifts Ban On Gay Youth

GRAPEVINE, Texas — In a highly anticipated vote Thursday, the Boy Scouts of America lifted its ban on gay youth starting next year, the latest sign of a shift in American attitudes toward gays and lesbians.

The resolution was adopted with more than 60% of the vote.

The vote to allow gay youth in Scouting — but not gay adult leaders — was held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central time during the group’s annual meeting in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine.

After about 1,400 members of the Boy Scouts national council voted by secret ballot, their votes were tallied by an outside balloting firm, Washington, D.C.-based True Ballot, and delivered to Boy Scouts President Wayne Perry, who announced the results to the gathering shortly after 5 p.m. Central time, according Boy Scouts spokesman Deron Smith.

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Salisbury Fire Department Enjoying Lunch At Taylor's BBQ Today

"Salisbury's finest at lunch in one of the trucks at Taylor's BBQ".

Welfare Map

These 11 States now have More People on Welfare than they do Employed! 

Last month, the Senate Budget Committee reports that in fiscal year 2012, between food stamps, housing support, child care, Medicaid and other benefits, the average U.S. Household below the poverty line received $168.00 a day in government support. What's the problem with that much support? Well, the median household income in America is just over $50,000,which averages out to $137.13 a day. To put it another way, being on welfare now pays the equivalent of $30.00 an hour for a 40-hour week, while the average job pays $20.00 an hour.

Today's Survey Question 5-23-13

Should states lower the blood alcohol content levels for drunk driving?

UPDATE ON DENTON TRAFFIC INCIDENT INVOLVING OFF-DUTY TROOPER

(DENTON, MD) – The condition of the off-duty trooper injured in Caroline County last night has improved and no charges are being filed at this time in connection with the incident.

The off-duty trooper, assigned to the Easton Barrack, has been upgraded to serious condition, according to officials at the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. The trooper is continuing to receive treatment at the hospital.

After interviews by State Police investigators and a review of information by the Caroline County State’s Attorney’s Office, no charges are being filed at this time against the three teenagers who were questioned overnight. All three were released after they were interviewed.

At this point in the investigation, information indicates the teen driver and his two companions may have encountered one or more trash cans in the roadway as they traveled in the area of 7th Street and Market Street in Denton, at about 7:15 p.m. yesterday. According to information developed during the investigation, the driver may have been attempting to push a trash can out of the way with the car. Then, a passenger reached out and grabbed the can, attempting to move it further out of the path of the car.

When the off-duty trooper drove up behind this scene in his personal car, it appeared the three may have been tampering with the trash can and possibly moving it into the roadway or turning it over. When the off-duty trooper approached the car, he was wearing plainclothes and was not displaying his badge or identification card.

The investigation indicates the 17-year-old driver was startled and unsure of whom the off-duty trooper was and may have instinctively accelerated away out of concern for his safety. The trooper was in contact with the car and was dragged down the street until he became dislodged and was injured as the car continued on.

The investigation is continuing.

Prayers For Brooke



Brooke's in for surgery today so please send your prayers up to our little angel!

UPDATE: The Doctor said the procedure went well and Brooke's doing great. Thanks everyone!

BREAKING NEWS: Boy Scouts OK Plan To Accept Openly Gay Boys

Boy Scouts of America's National Council votes to ease long-standing ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted as Scouts.
From Fox News

SHOCK VIDEO SURFACES: MEAT CLEAVER-WIELDING MAN SHOUTS ‘YOU PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE SAFE!’ MOMENTS AFTER GRUESOME LONDON ATTACK


A man with blood-soaked hands holding what appeared to be a meat cleaver and a machete spoke out at the gruesome scene of a suspected terror attack that left one man dead in broad daylight in London on Wednesday, telling a cameraman, “you people will never be safe.”

According to reports, two men attacked and killed a third man near a London military barracks, shouting“Allahu Akbar.” The London Daily Telegraph characterized the attack as “Islamist terror.” Unconfirmed reports stated the man killed was a soldier. Two U.K. government officials told the Associated Press the attack seemed to be motivated by radical Islam.

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Day/Ireton – “City Moving Forward Quickly”

Mayor James Ireton, Jr. and Salisbury City Council President Jacob Day are pleased to announce forward movement on many Salisbury fronts;

Law Enforcement

· Cops Grant – 3 new Cops applied for by Salisbury

· Safe Streets grant submitted to GOCCP

Business Development

· Capacity Fee Amendment for easier payments

· Wastewater Credit Allowance – Helping Pepsi and Perdue save money and stay in Salisbury

· Discussion of EDU Free Zone downtown and possibly beyond for economic development

Cycling in Salisbury Taking Off

· Funding to construct bike lanes on South Blvd. between Riverside Drive and Camden Avenue (which will connect to the bike route leading downtown!)

"I am pleased to work with the Mayor and my fellow City Council members on moving so many important initiatives forward. I have been overwhelmed with the collaborative spirit of everyone in City leadership and believe that bright days are ahead for us. I believe that compromise is not to be avoided but creates a formula for all of our community to grow," said City Council President Day.

“Monday’s work session was so productive, and I thank each council member for their efforts. Staff is starting to see that hard work and perseverance will show results. On behalf of Salisbury employees and Salisbury residents, I express my gratitude for the Council’s work,” said Salisbury Mayor James Ireton, Jr.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE!

-Jim

Jeff Brabitz Found Not Guilty

Joe,Remember the Beaver Run School Teacher who was arrested for videotaping co-workers breastfeeding? His name is Jeff Brabitz. You posted the article when he got arrested.
Will you kindly post this update? He was tried and found not guilty by a jury of his peers. I think it's only fair you update your blog to reflect this verdict.

New Maryland Law Requires Smoke Alarms With Long-Life Batteries

A new law in Maryland aims to increase the likelihood that people's lives will be saved by smoke alarms during a fire, officials said.

Legislation approved by Gov. Martin O'Malley on Thursday requires that battery-operated smoke alarms in homes have sealed-in batteries designed to last 10 years. The alarms also need to have a "hush" button that allows people to silence the alarms without removing the batteries.

The law goes into effect July 1. Homes must have the alarms with long-life batteries by Jan. 1, 2018.

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Turkey Stakes Claim In America With $100 Million Mega-Mosque


The building of this center takes Turkey's "outreach" in America out of the realm of the subtle.
The Islamist government of Turkey is building a 15-acre, $100 million mega-mosque in Lanham, Maryland. Prime Minister Erdogan visited the site on May 15 in a ceremony that was attended by the leaders of two groups linked to the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood.

The state of Maryland was officially represented at the event by its Secretary of State John McDonough.

The event was also attended by the leaders of two U.S. Muslim Brotherhood entities.

The mega-mosque is called the Turkish American Culture and Civilization Center and, according to the Muslim Link, it “will likely become the largest and most striking examples of Islamic architecture in the western hemisphere” when it is finished in 2014. The Muslim Link explicitly says it is “a project of the government of Turkey.”

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Robbery + Assault + Battery At Pinehurst School SBY

Joe, 

I scanned your new articles but didn't see this, pardon me if you posted something and I missed it. The maintenance man at the Pinehurst Elementary School was beaten and robbed by three men last Wednesday night, May 15th. I was walking my German Shepherd up Russell Ave around 9 pm and spotted two young, slender black men walking fast up Russell, away from Cleveland Ave, on the opposite side of the street. I thought they were looking to steal something by their body language. I crossed the street to follow them, and they ran up Pinehurst Ave towards Camden, picked up bicycles they must have stashed, and took off. When I came back to my block of West College, the Sheriff had cordoned it off to search the area with a K9 unit. I told him what I had seen and he told me about the robbery. I don't know if they caught these guys: I only saw two of the three. They put the maintenance man in the hospital. They are some very bad actors and were dressed in dark clothes so as to make a better getaway.

Just wanted to let you know..

Kaitlyn Hunt, Florida Teen, Faces Felony Charges Over Same-Sex Relationship

A Florida teenager faces criminal charges stemming from her relationship with another young female student.

Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, faces two felony counts of "lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16" after the parents of her 15-year-old girlfriend pressed charges earlier this year, according to Examiner.

"These people never came to us as parents, never tried to speak to us... and tell us they had a problem with the girls dating," Kaitlyn Hunt's mother, Kelley Hunt-Smith, wrote in an statement posted to Facebook. "...They were out to destroy my daughter. [They] feel like my daughter 'made' their daughter gay."

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The United States is Looking More Like NAZI Germany or the Former Soviet Union

Nazi Germany was a totalitarian police state that constantly monitored everything that German citizens did.  Today, the bureaucrats that run things in the US are obsessed with constantly trying to monitor us.  

Example 1 - 

Just this past week we saw this play out when the Director of the IRS, Steven Miller, announced his resignation amid allegations that his office obstructed the granting of Section 501(c)3 applications for numerous conservative groups like the Tea Party, and, other affiliated church groups such as James Dobson - Christian Family Org.  Then - there were other significant revelations whereby the IRS requested these groups to turn over their donors, and email addresses, and evidence that they further suppressed the granting of their tax exempt status. 

Example 2 -


What Nazi German officials did in the 1930s & 40s is exactly what some US agencies are currently doing - by allowing the IRS officials to abuse their positions of power to force others to do dehumanizing things.  Another recent example - look at the Justice Department's seizure of Associated Press phone records and the administration's editing of talking points about the deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya, last year.

Example 3 -

Under Hitler's rule, there were massive increases in government spending.  We all saw the famous Autobahn freeways constructed during this period.  We saw handouts for virtually every conceivable thing - According to eyewitness Kitty Werthmann Newlyweds immediately received a $1,000 loan from the government to establish a household. We had big programs for families. All day care and education were free. High schools were taken over by the government and college tuition was subsidized. Everyone was entitled to free handouts, such as food stamps, clothing, and housing.  

Isn't this the exact same thing that is happening here in the US.  First we had an extension of unemployment benefits, in most states of 26 weeks, to unprecedented 99 weeks - and out even further - according to the latest Fiscal Deal plan that included yet another round of extensions to unemployment benefits.  How about the free cell phones, independence cards, section 8 housing.  Under the current regime - there is now more incentive to not work than there is to work.

Example 4 - 

Under Hitler, taxes were raised dramatically in order to pay for all of these social programs.  Look at what we are currently experiencing here in Maryland.  First - we had a flush tax imposed upon our citizenry.  It started out as $30 - then doubled.  Now - we will soon be burdened - yet again - with a new storm water fee - or 'rain tax'.  Not to mention all of the other associated ancillary fees including; increases in car title, registration, and even a new offshore windmill subsidy fee that every Maryland electric ratepayer will be required to pay. 
I could go on and on and recite a plethora of evidence that suggest we are on a collision course to the exact consequences of what happened in Germany and Russia.  Fact is - we may already be to late to change that direction.  Our founding fathers tried to warn us - time and time again - of the dire consequences - and yet our political machinery has failed to keep the checks and balances in tact.  
Article by SBYnews Contributor - Beezer 

FRANCESCA KNIGHT OF OCEAN CITY SPEAKS OUT


I Was Cyberbullied By Adults


I wanted to share a valuable lesson I learned recently. First, let me explain who I am. I am the daughter of a city council woman in my hometown, of Ocean City, MD. I’ve had my fare share of fake smiles, loose-gripped handshakes, and condescending tones. Small towns can, at times, be brutal. Well, this isn’t an article about how wonderful my Mom is, nor is this article about someone being mean to her, or how cut throat politics can be. This is an article about bullying.

Salisbury, MD. (close to Ocean City) has a new blog called sbynews.blogspot.com, which recently posted a copy of a peace order against Ocean City’s city manager and the alleged reasons for which the order was procured. Regardless of political affiliation, how you feel about Ocean City, or how you feel about peace orders, the purpose of this blog is to incite comments from citizens in an open forum. These comments are written by citizens with the option of using their real names, fake names, or “anonymous”, and must be pre-approved by the blog site owner. Comments are intended to be well thought out, insightful, and civil, and people from all sides are welcome to comment.

As a Towson University family science student, I pride myself on the skill set my degree has to offer; good communication skills, a commitment to families, a dedication to helping others, adequate research ability, and the push to make the world a better place. My educational path has taught me a lot of lessons, but I’m constantly amazed at the life lessons I come across that no classroom can teach.

Enter the lesson plan: In reading the comments on this particular blog post about my towns city manager, I realized the undertone was that of disgust. No one was questioning the facts, but rather attacking this man as a husband and father, and assuming his personal familial life has anything to do with his work. The comments were hurtful, immature, and judgmental. I kept reading. The comments then turned against the current council majority, blaming them for things that were out of their control, and demonstrated a clear lack of understanding and research. I read on further. The rest of the comments started attacking the former city manager, and even went so far as to bring up his divorce, claiming “it must come along with the job”, a comment so inappropriate- I realized I had to step in to say something positive. These comments were not only irrelevant, and judgmental, but also mean spirited. What was worse- was that not a single person had said that it is a personal matter and should not be widely publicized. So, thinking it would be alright in public forum to disagree with someone else’s comments, I wrote in.

I gave my name in my comments, yes, I was not afraid to do so, but in doing so- I opened up the floodgates for people with differing opinions to personally attack me, a 24 year old college female, who loves her family and her hometown. Rather than have a civilized discussion backed up by factual information and research, I was accused of being “drunk”, “out of control”, “stupid- like my mother”, that I think “I have all the answers to the world”. I was accused of using my father’s name to establish credibility, badgered about my political party affiliation, which candidate I voted for in the past election, and was told I was “up passed my bed time” with “my mother looming over my shoulder”. None of these retorts were relevant to the subject of the original post, nor were they relevant to my comment in defense of my mayor and council, and former and present city manager. Maybe I’m idealistic; maybe college has made me that way, but at 24, I was under the impression in a blog forum; you are allowed to have differing opinions. Apparently, I was wrong.

At first, I let the personal attacks get to me. I started thinking they were right: I am stupid, I am meddling, I don’t know what I’m talking about. There were at the time 15 posts about me, not the original subject of the blog post. And then I realized it: letting my emotions take a hold of me was exactly what they wanted, and what’s even more saddening is that this is the same practice school bullies use on young vulnerable girls, girls who end up hurting themselves for far less. With teen suicide and bullying, a common topic in Family Science, we seem to only focus on “kids” as the problem. They haven’t been brought up right, they don’t know any better, they’re over-medicated, the environment is hostile for a child to grow up in, but maybe we should start discussing the bullying of adult to adult. I realized that all the names I was called could only be true if I let them be, if I believed them too, and as long as I didn’t- then those people couldn’t hurt me.

So yes, at 24, I may stay up too late, maybe even passed my bedtime, I may go out with my friends, sometimes I even think I’m invincible, and I’m sure at times my parents may agree- that I do think I have all the answers, but there is one thing that ruthless badgering of another human being, bullying, finger pointing and name-calling cannot take away from me; and that’s my unconditional love for my family, my craving to want to help others, and my respect for my hometown of Ocean City, MD.


Publishers Notes: I want you to read the following comments and decide, has Francesca been bullied?



A 24 year old citizen of OC said...
Has anyone on this blog commenting actually met Dennis Dare or David Recor? let alone even from Ocean City, Maryland?

David Recor's hiring process was complex, yes, there were issues that were brought up that made people question whether or not he was an adequate candidate for the job, but his experience in ft. Pierce proved to be exceptional. He is a very kind man, loves his wife and four daughters, and having met him and spoken to him on numerous occasions, and having a family member working close with him, I can honestly attest to his character. I do not believe he would hurt his wife or children. And more so, this matter is a domestic issue, not one that directly interferes with his capabilities to perform the task of city manager at hand. It is no ones place here to suggest otherwise- this matter will be, as it should be, attended to internally within his family.

As for Dennis Dare- how dare any of you suggest he was anything less than exceptional for his position as former city manager. Have any of you ever spoken with that man and had a bad experience? Has he ever been anything less than respectful, calm, polite, and prompt in his responses to anyone? No. Maybe taxes didn't fare as well as you had hoped, but the economy is cyclical, and not under full control of the city manager. How dare any of you bring up his own personal family matters as you are Davids. People get divorced, it happens. It is nobody's business but their own, and to shame them for it- or to take sides in another families personal occurrence is simply demonstrating judgmental behavior, and a lack of understanding of privacy.

Neither of these men are "fake", nor is city council. the current council majority has done a great job at accommodating it's citizens hopes for the town. If you have your doubts, please feel free to sit in on, or bring up your concerns at the next city council meeting. 
Francesca Knight said...
"Anonymous"- maybe you could bear a little skin and give us your real name? For now, I'll refer to you as "coward".

On a happier note- glad I could be of service! Sorry to keep you waiting.

Let me help you out with your little bet here- This is in fact, Francesca M. Knight, 24, of Ocean City MD, daughter of "toothless Knight". But don't let that deter you! Feel free to comment back- I welcome it!

And as for your claim of me "loosing all credibility", is it so wrong of me or any other person to try to find the good in Mr. Recor, Mr. Dare, and the current council majority? I have had nothing but good experiences personally, and heard nothing but good experiences from others in dealing with them.

And as for your sweet nickname- "toothless Knight", on account of my Father being a Dentist, don't you think it's a little invalidated? Maybe something with more of a play on words using Knight would be more suitable. 
I rarely go back into comments but in this case I did. Mind you, there are some unjustifiable comments but really, Francesca drew herself right into this Post and then came back for more. 
After speaking to some people about it I learned she then went to another Blog and sent the above letter. I was told she went on to say how she no longer likes Salisbury News because of the comments. Her Mother then allegedly came into comments and said how much she loves her Daughter and the two started having a love fest in comments.
Don't play victim Francesca. Your an adult who got involved in something perhaps you shouldn't have. At first, (when I read your original letter sent to me by someone on Facebook) I actually felt sorry for you. Then I read the comments.  
Women say they want equal rights but as this Posts clearly shows its a double edge sword. Now Francesca is playing the victim because she's a woman. Francesca said: "Preface: I am NOT trying to receive a backlash on the people who attacked me, I am trying to explain a lesson I learned, and express a distaste for bullying, especially to females". I'll add, Francesca stated elsewhere that there were 15 comments attacking her. That's just not true. There are 15 comments that DISAGREED with her. I'm sure in time, (in life) when she gets older she'll better understand. 
Francesca also attacks others using "anonymous" when in fact she started out as "A 24 year old citizen of OC" which is anonymous. She goes on to say, "For now, I'll refer to you as "coward". What really gets me is when she INVITES others to comment by saying the following, "Feel free to comment back- I welcome it"
Please tell me how this is a victim of cyberbullying? Unfortunately in Public Forums/Blogs/Grapevine anonymous comments can at times be harsh. Many, (if not most) fear retaliation from Public Officials, (like her Mother) therefore they comment anonymously. To blame Salisbury News without mentioning ALL of the other Forums out there as being bad simply because people disagree with your opinion is just wrong.

Hofstra Student Was Killed By Police, Authorities Say

MINEOLA, N.Y. – A Hofstra University student being held in a headlock at gunpoint by an intruder was accidently shot and killed by a police officer who had responded to the home invasion at an off-campus home, police said Saturday.

Junior public relations major Andrea Rebello was shot once in the head early Friday morning by an officer who opened fire after the masked intruder pointed a gun at the officer while holding the 21-year-old student, Nassau County homicide squad Lt. John Azzata said.

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June And July Are Peak Months For Grilling Fires

NFPA urges grillers to be mindful of safety

As the Memorial Day Weekend kicks off the unofficial start of summer, grillers everywhere are dusting off their spatulas and are eager to let the grilling season commence. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is recommending that grillers be mindful of safety, especially as the peak months for grilling fires, June and July, approach. While gas grills contribute to a higher number of home fires than their charcoal counterparts, all grills pose a risk for fires and burns.

Gas grills were involved in an annual average of 7,100 home fires in 2006-2010, while charcoal or other solid-fueled grills were involved in an annual average of 1,200 home fires, according to a 2012 NFPA report on cooking fires. More than one-quarter (28 percent) of home structure grill fires started on a courtyard, terrace or patio, 28 percent started on an exterior balcony or open porch, and 6 percent started in the kitchen.

Hannah Storm, ESPN SportsCenter anchor was severely burned in a grill fire. She worked with NFPA to record several videos to share her storyand raise awareness for grilling safety in hopes that others will avoid similar incidents. Video PSA (:30) also available.

Grills should be placed well away from the home and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches. If there is a fire involving grilling equipment, any fuel for the fire should not be near the home or any other structure.

Grilling season is a great time of year for friends and families to have cookouts and tailgate, but before starting the season, be sure your grill is working properly and review safety tips,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Communications for NFPA. “Leaks or breaks were the leading factors contributing to gas grill fires. It is good practice to check for damage before using it for the first time each year, and better practice to clean and check on the state of the grill regularly.”

Some other grilling safety tips from the NFPA are:
Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.
Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
Never leave your grill unattended.
Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before igniting it.

· Check the gas tank hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. Apply a light soap and water solution to the hose. A propane leak will release bubbles. If your grill has a gas leak, by smell or the soapy bubble test, and there is no flame, turn off the gas tank and grill. If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again. If the leak does not stop, call the fire department.

· If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill.

· If the flame goes out, turn the grill and gas off and wait at least 15 minutes before re-lighting it.

Charcoal grills
There are several ways to get the charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow you to start the charcoal using newspaper as a fuel.

If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.
Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.

There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. Be sure to use an extension cord for outdoor use.

When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container.