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Thursday, May 12, 2016

House Fire In Salisbury

SFD has been dispatched to the 500 block Collins Street for a structure fire. Reporting party says smoke is showing and people are jumping out of windows. 

SFD on scene with fire showing on the first floor of a 1400 sq foot duplex.

Update: This is a 3 unit apartment building. 

The Fire Marshal has been requested.

Situation is under control at this time. 

MPT announces national entertainment lineup for LZ Maryland Vietnam veterans tribute event

National name acts from Vietnam era include The Association and The Lovin’ Spoonful

Motortown All-Stars, U.S. Air Force Band, and USO/Bob Hope style show on tap

OWINGS MILLS, MD –
Maryland Public Television’s public event saluting the region’s Vietnam veterans, LZ Maryland, will feature a variety of music and entertainment acts from the Vietnam era during its two-day run on June 18 - 19 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

The Father’s Day weekend event welcomes and honors Vietnam veterans and their families from Maryland and nearby states and is part of the multi-million dollar MPT Salutes Vietnam Veterans initiative. LZ Maryland admission is free for veterans, active-duty military, Gold Star survivors, and those age 12 and under. Entry is only $5 for all other attendees. Free and paid tickets are available at mpt.org/lzmaryland.

The Association, one of the most popular bands of the 1960s, take the LZ Maryland stage on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Inducted recently into America’s Pop Music Hall of Fame, The Association had numerous hits at or near the top of the Billboard charts including "Windy," "Cherish," “Never My Love” and "Along Comes Mary" and were the lead-off band at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group The Lovin’ Spoonful performs its set on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Combining folk music and rock ‘n’ roll, with a touch of country, The Lovin’ Spoonful produced such memorable 1960s hits as "Do You Believe in Magic," "Daydream," "You Didn't Have to be So Nice," "Nashville Cats" and the 1966 anthem "Summer in the City."

The Motortown All-Stars perform on Saturday at 8 p.m. The group comprises vocalists drawn from several acts that made the Motown sound famous. The Motortown All-Stars features members of The Capitols, The Miracles (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees) and former members of The Temptations. In addition to their former groups’ hits, they perform songs made famous by The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder.

On Sunday, June 19, the LZ Maryland entertainment lineup includes the 50th Anniversary Tribute to the 1966 USO Show that featured Bob Hope’s troupe of Hollywood gypsies at Da Nang, Cu Chi, Pleiku, Saigon and Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam. The 11 a.m. show features Bob Hope tribute artist Bill Johnson, USO veteran performer Michelle DellaFave, as well as Kim Walters re-creating the role of Anita Bryant and Camron Robertson as Vic Damone as they visited the front lines during Christmas 1966. Robertson is an Elkton, MD, native.

The United States Air Force Band, one of the world’s most respected, versatile and accomplished musical organizations, performs at LZ Maryland on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. From its beginnings in 1941 to today's 179-member premier musical organization, The U.S. Air Force Band continues the tradition of representing the Air Force and its more than 400,000 dedicated active-duty and Air National Guard members to a global audience.

LZ Maryland also will feature solemn ceremonies to salute Marylanders killed or missing in action; the stirring conclusion of a nearly 1,100 motorcycle “Honor Ride”; a helicopter flyover; “The Wall That Heals,” the traveling half-size replica of Washington, D.C.’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial; a memorial of 1,017 empty white chairs on the racetrack infield in silent tribute to Marylanders killed or missing in action; a 120’ x 140’ “Tour of Duty” map of Southeast Asia manufactured so that veterans, family members and other attendees can walk on it, sign it, or make other notations; and displays of Vietnam-era aircraft, vehicles and other artifacts. Refreshments, reunion areas, and educational activities are also on tap.

Information on the MPT Vietnam project can be found at mpt.org/vietnam and at social media sites @MPTSalutesVets on Twitter and MPT Salutes Vietnam Veterans on Facebook.

Congressman Andy Harris Announces 2016 Congressional Art Competition Winner

Queen Anne’s County Student Wins Congressional Art Competition-

WASHINGTON, DC:
Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) is pleased to announce the winner of the 2016 Congressional Art Competition: Nuobing Amy Fan, a junior at The Gunston School in Centreville, Maryland. Amy’s water color painting, which is untitled, depicts a marsh scene on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year.

“I was impressed by Amy’s ability to illustrate the beauty of the Eastern Shore through her painting, and I am proud to see her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for all to enjoy,” said Congressman Harris. “All of this year’s participants were impressive and I thank every student who submitted their work. An abundance of imagination, creativity, and talent was evident in each piece.”

“When I was given this assignment to paint anything that I wanted, I thought about the local scenery. My hometown in China is surrounded by mountains. When I moved to Centerville, Maryland I was instantly drawn to the water views,” said Amy. “Every day on the way to school we cross a bridge that is surrounded by a marshy creek which inspired this painting.”

“As an artist, Amy works tirelessly on the details until she is completely satisfied. She often re-works an area several times until she is happy with it,” said Ben Dize, Amy’s art teacher at The Gunston School.

Both the Congressman and a professional artist from his district, Ric Conn of the Queen Anne's Arts Council, judged the artwork and the winner was decided by a vote by constituents on Facebook. The Congressman and Mr. Conn, with the help of constituents throughout the district, also selected a 2nd- and 3rd-place winner, while the Congressman’s Facebook followers voted for a “Social Media Fan Favorite” winner. They are as follows: “Spoon” by Matthew Hoffstetter of The Gunston School (2nd place), and “Angry Lewis” by Sydney Kay of Queen Anne’s County High School (3rd place). The “Social Media Fan Favorite” winner was “Eye of Nefarious Book Cover” by Dominique Ramsey of James M. Bennett High School. You can see all submissions and winning pieces on Congressman Harris’ Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AndyHarrisMD.

Since 1982, the U.S. House of Representatives has sponsored this competition to acknowledge the artistic talents of high school students from each Congressional district throughout the country. Each Congressional district selects one winner, and that student has the opportunity to display his or her artwork for one year in the U.S. Capitol building. The student’s pieces are displayed alongside other gifted high school artwork from across the country.

Massachusetts teacher killed in mall stabbing remembered as hero who confronted attacker

The Massachusetts school teacher killed in Tuesday’s stabbing rampage at a mall was remembered as a hero for confronting the knife-wielding assailant who was attacking a waitress.

George Heath, a 56-year-old teacher in New Bedford, was eating dinner with his wife at Bertucci’s restaurant when they were interrupted by screaming. A waitress was being stabbed by 28-year-old Arthur DaRosa.

Heath, a father of two, confronted DaRosa and after some grappling was stabbed in the head, Thomas Quinn, the Bristol County district attorney said. DaRosa was later shot in the abdomen by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy and died from his wounds at a nearby hospital. Heath died minutes later.

Heath’s wife, Rosemary, recalled the attack on WCVB-TV. She said DaRosa had the back of the waitress’ shirt in his hand and kept stabbing the woman.

“I think [Heath] went down low, to try and get him around the elbows, and [DaRosa] pulled her arm back and stabbed my husband in the head.”

“We lost a good man,” she said.

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Retired men are deep thinkers

I mowed the lawn today, and after doing so I sat down and had a
cold beer. The day was really quite beautiful, and the drink facilitated
some deep thinking. My wife walked by and asked me what I was
doing, and I said 'nothing'.

The reason I said 'nothing' instead of saying 'just thinking' is because
she then would have asked 'about what?' At that point I would have
had to explain that men are deep thinkers about various topics, which
would lead to other questions.

Finally I pondered an age old question:  Is giving birth more painful
than getting kicked in the nuts?  Women always maintain that giving
birth is way more painful than a guy getting kicked in the nuts, but
how could they "know"?

Well, after another beer, and some more heavy deductive thinking,
I have come up with an answer to that question.

Getting kicked in the nuts is more painful than having a baby, and
even though I obviously couldn't really "know", here is the reason
for my conclusion.  A year or so after giving birth, a woman will
often say, "It might be nice to have another child."

On the other hand, you never hear a guy say, "You know, I think
I would like another kick in the nuts."

I rest my case.  Time for another beer,
and then maybe a nap in that hammock.

USPS calls on Congress to fix its ‘fundamental financial challenges’

The U.S. Postal Service fared better this financial quarter than it did last year, but the Postmaster General says Congress has been slow to remove a weight around the agency’s neck.

USPS increased its “controllable” income in the second quarter to $576 million, compared to $313 million last year. These figures account for operational costs like workers’ compensation and benefits.

However, Postmaster General Megan Brennan said that progress shouldn’t “mask the fundamental financial challenges” that the Postal Service faces.

Factoring in the USPS’ obligation to pre-fund health benefits for future postal retirees, however, the agency actually registered a $2 billion net loss this quarter. Combined with the Postal Regulatory Commission’s reduction of postal rates on April 10, Brennan said the agency can’t go on like this without major postal reform from Congress.

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Senate panel keeps military pay raise at 1.6 percent, reforms TRICARE

The House and the Senate may have to do some compromising in the near future over funding for military pay increases in 2017.

The Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee is funding military pay raises next year to the President’s request of 1.6 percent.

That’s in contrast to the House Armed Services Committee’s 2.1 percent increase in its version of the 2017 defense authorization bill.

During a May 10 markup, the Senate personnel subcommittee unanimously passed its section of the 2017 bill.

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SHOCKING Fox Sex Scandal Just Got WAY WORSE

Married White House chief correspondent for Fox News Ed Henry’s future with the network is in doubt following a report that he sent a picture of his manhood to Las Vegas hostess Natalia Lima.

Henry — wed to NPR deputy Washington editor Shirley Hung — is off the air following a story saying he had an affair with Lima in 2015.

Now the National Enquirer‎ is reporting Henry sent Lima raunchy sexts plus a picture of his penis — which, mercifully, the publication pixilated.

Sources say Henry has a “morality clause” in his contract, which means he could be fired if he does anything to embarrass the network.

Source: Page Six

ISIS Sleeper Found in New York

I hope these young men like Guantanamo Bay:

An Uzbek citizen has become the sixth individual to be charged for participating in a New York-based conspiracy to provide support to the militant group Islamic State, U.S. prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Azizjon Rakhmatov, 28, was arrested earlier in the day and charged in an indictment filed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to Islamic State and conspiring to use a firearm.

U.S. authorities have charged at least 85 people since 2014 with crimes related to Islamic State, which controls territory in Syria and Iraq and has claimed responsibility for attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people.

In court papers, prosecutors said Rakhmatov belonged to a domestic support network for individuals seeking to join Islamic State, donating his money and working to raise funds to help others to travel to Syria to join and fight for the group.

The investigation began when Abdurasul Juraboev, an Uzbek national living in Brooklyn, came to law enforcement's attention after making a post on an Uzbek-language website that supported Islamic State, prosecutors said.

The probe revealed that Juraboev and a Kazakh national living in New York, Akhror Saidakhmetov, planned to travel to Turkey and then to Syria to join Islamic State, prosecutors said.

Source: AAN

Broadway in Salisbury's 42nd Street Cancelled

Salisbury, MD – The May 16th performance of 42nd Street has been cancelled. Ticket holders who paid with credit card will be automatically refunded within five working days. Ticket holders who paid with cash will have to return their tickets to the box office to receive a full refund.

We apologize for any inconvenience. If you have any questions, please call 410-548-4911.

Detroit Public Schools principal: Kickbacks spent on jewelry, perfume

A former principal who spent 28 years working for the Detroit Public Schools pleaded guilty to bribery today, admitting she accepted roughly $22,000 in kickbacks from a vendor and spent the money two ways: buying jewelry, perfume and clothing for herself and helping her school.

"Other than the gift cards, it was used for the schools," ex-DPS principal Gerlma Johnson said today in U.S. District Court, where she sought to explain how she spent the rewards she received for helping a vendor submit phony invoices for paper and other school supplies.

Johnson, 60, former principal at Charles Drew Academy and Earhart Elementary-Middle School, admitted that she accepted $22,884 in kickbacks as a thank you for helping school supply vendor Norman Shy bill DPS for materials that were not delivered. Under the terms of her plea agreement, she faces 24-30 months in prison when she is sentenced in September.

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Subject: BREAKING: SMOKING GUN Docs Show What Hillary Clinton Knew About Benghazi All Along (WHOA!)

The conservative lawyers at Judicial Watch just blew the lid off of the massive Obama White House cover-up after the Islamic terrorist attack at the American Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. This is Earth shattering news, and has devastating consequences for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.


The damning files obtained by Judicial Watch show State Department officials under Hillary Clinton’s command blatantly lied about the attack which killed four Americans in November 2012. It was not, as once stated, an escalation of a demonstration against an absurd YouTube video but rather a coordinated assault by Islamist terrorists on the US Embassy in Tunisia.

The State Department’s Diplomatic Security Command Center, also know DSCC, produced a memo obtained by the Washington-based government watchdog group entitled, “Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Demonstrations.” The DSCC would have known the true nature of the attack since it monitored the situation via drone.

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Man invents toilet seat that glows to help you go in the dark

LEBANON, Pa. (WENN) — When American man Dave Reynolds hurt himself in the bathroom one night, he decided that no one should ever have to go through the same ordeal. So, he invented the world's first glow-in-the-dark toilet seat that can be spotted and used safely in the dark. Thanks to his creation, you don't need to worry about fumbling with the light switch or tripping in the dark anymore.

"It eliminates the problem of not knowing where you are or where you're going," said Reynolds, a former employee of Virgin Records. "This could help anyone from a grandparent to children."

He first got the idea for the unique product when he suffered a bathroom mishap shortly after moving to Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 2012. "I went to the bathroom one night and literally fell off the toilet in the dark," he recalled. "On my way down, I felt something was wrong. I bounced off the toilet, fell to the ground and halfway into the bathtub. The next morning I was all banged and bruised and I told my family what had happened and, of course, they all laughed at me."

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TRANSGENDERS PRESS VA TO COVER OPERATIONS

Transgender veterans have sent a petition to the Department of Veterans Affairs demanding the feds cover sex-change operations as part and parcel of their medical offerings.

“I served my country with pride and I should be treated just like my fellow veterans who have access to the treatment they need,” said Dee Fulcher, one of the petitioners, the Hill reported.

Lambda Legal joined with the Transgender Law Center to file the petition on behalf of Fulcher and another transgender who served in the military, Gio Silva. Other petitioners include the Transgender American Veterans Association, a group that boasts 2,200 or more members.

VA benefits already give some care for transgenders, including hormone replacement therapy and before-after surgical attention. But the feds don’t cover mastectomies or implants for transgenders and this is what petitioners are fighting to receive. Their argument: The VA covers mastectomies and penile implants for veterans suffering cancer and injuries, so why not for transgenders as well?

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Parents fight back after social worker confiscates newborn

Lawyers representing a Pennsylvania mom and dad whose newborn daughter was confiscated – reportedly without reason – when she was born are arguing a trial is needed in the case to assign liability, injury and damages.

The case developed a few years back when the social worker, Angelica Lopez-Heagy, came to the new mom’s hospital room and announced she was investigating.

When the mom wanted to know the allegations, Lopez-Heagy refused to answer, and when the mom said she couldn’t answer without knowing what was happening, the social worker called police and took custody of the newborn.

A judge returned custody to the parents within a day, but officials with the Home School Legal Defense Association have been fighting for the parents’ rights since then because of the egregious nature of the constitutional violations.
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Lawsuit: Annapolis police detained wrong man, beat him and used racial slur

A Hyattsville man sued the City of Annapolis and two city police officers in federal court Monday, claiming he was unlawfully detained, beaten and insulted with racial slurs by police officers in 2014.

Towhee A. Sparrow Jr. claims in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore that the incident has left him with lasting injuries and is part of a pattern of police abuse already the subject of three previous lawsuits dating back to 2008. He is seeking in excess of $75,000, the minimum threshold for a damage complaint to be filed in federal court.

Rhonda Wardlaw, city spokeswoman, said the city has not been served and has not seen the lawsuit. The Annapolis Police Department declined to comment on the pending litigation.

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Quarter Auction To Benefit Terry Franz




We are holding a Quarter Auction on Saturday June 1 1, 2016, at VFW in Federalsburg, MD. The purpose of this quarter auction is to raise much needed funds for medical treatment for Terry Franz.

Terry Franz is a hard working man,-husband, father, son, brother, uncle and much more who was diagnosed with bone cancer April of 2016. As a family and close knit community we have come together to fight this terrible disease with him. Terry was taken out of work for the time being as the bone cancer has made him weak and very ill. Since he was just di-agnosed 2 weeks ago this has been a life altering event and there is now only one income coming into the household. The family will be making trips for his appointments and depend-ing on where they send him may have to go across the bridge for those doctor's appoint-

ments. This quarter auction is to raise funds for medical treatments and mounting costs of di-agnostics. His medical insurance may not cover everything and the bills can get overwhelm-ing.

We are asking for any type of donation that we can auction off at this quarter auction. This could be in the form of a gift certificate, monetary, gift baskets or merchandise. No do-nation is too small.

If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact Jennifer Henry at

410-603-2244 or Jessica Minton at 443-786-4547. The mailing address for items will be P.O. Box 24 Hurlock MD 21643 Attention Jennifer Henry or Jessica Minton or we can pick up items if we need to, just contact Jessica or Jennifer.

Thank you for taking the time to consider a donation!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Henry and Jessica Minton

Delmarva Power Launches New Easy-Access Solar Application



Improved process will assist customers and vendors 
interested in solar power

SALISBURY, Md. – Delmarva Power is making it easier for customers to install solar panels on their rooftops and connect them to the electric distribution system. The changes will allow customers, who are interested in installing solar panels, to bypass the paper process and instead complete a convenient online application. The other change allows an authorized contractor who is selling, leasing or installing the solar panels to quickly get customer information they need to enable installation.

“This quicker and easier access to solar power is another benefit of our company’s recent merger with Exelon,” said Gary Stockbridge, Delmarva Power region president. “We’re responding to customer feedback and helping support the growth of solar power in Delaware and Maryland.”

As part of the merger, Exelon agreed to a number of commitments to foster the development of solar power in Delaware and Maryland.

Principal No. 7: I scammed DPS, too, for $58,000

Offering no explanation or apology, another Detroit principal pleaded guilty today to accepting kickbacks from a vendor who billed the cash-strapped district for supplies that were never delivered.

Ronnie Sims, ex-principal of Fleming Elementary and Brenda Scott Middle School, faces nearly three years in prison after admitting that he accepted $58,519 from businessman Norman Shy as a thank you for signing off on Shy's fraudulent invoices for supplies. All of the money was delivered in checks, said Sims, who also admitted setting up a sham consulting company, which was how Shy funneled him the payments, records show.

"I would submit documents to the district that were basically fraudulent," Sims told U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts. Shy "then, in return, would give me kickbacks."

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Dagsboro Man Arrested in Theft from Millville Fire Company

Millville, DE- Delaware State Police have arrested a 36-year-old Dagsboro man after an audit of a local fire company’s accounts reveal he stole more than $190,000.00 in funds

Justin K. Oakley turned himself into detectives Tuesday May 10, 2016 after the Troop 4 Financial Crimes Unit received a forensic audit from the State of Delaware Office of Auditor of Accounts. This audit indicated former Millville Volunteer Fire Department Treasurer, Justin Oakley, had conducted over $190,000.00 in personal transactions using fire department funds, while acting as the organization’s treasurer between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2015. The information came to light after Oakley admitted to Millville volunteer officials in a meeting around May of 2015 that he used the company’s money for personal transactions.

Justin Oakley was charged with Theft over $100,000.00 and 100 counts of Falsifying Business Records. He was arraigned at JP3 and released after posting $12,500.00 secured bond.

To view the State Auditor's report, please click on the follwoing link:http://auditor.delaware.gov/…/Millville%20VFC%20Inspection%…

Atheist Group's Anti-Ark Encounter Billboard Rejected

Two billboard companies have refused to display an advertisement by an atheist group to protest the Ark Encounter amusement park in Kentucky.

Tri-State Freethinkers president Jim Helton tells news outlets the group recently raised $10,000 for a billboard. The proposed design depicts Noah's Ark with people drowning around it and the words, "Genocide and Incest Park: Celebrating 2,000 years of myths."

Helton says the group is considering erecting the billboard outside of Kentucky, if it can find a taker.

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Measles Outbreak in Memphis Began at Mosque

The first reported case of a person with measles in the recent Memphis outbreak, which now numbers seven confirmed cases, was at a local mosque on April 15, according to the Shelby County Health Department.

“The first public place where there was a public exposure potentially [to measles] was the Masjid Al-Noor Mosque on April 15,” Dr. Alisa Haushalter, Director of the Shelby County Health Department, tells Breitbart News.

“The mosque is one location we know that individuals who were infectious were during their infectious period, but that’s not necessarily where the first case occurred. I don’t want you to draw conclusions without sufficient information,” she added.

Haushalter acknowledged, however, that the measles outbreak could have originated with an un-vaccinated-for-measles adult or child brought to Tennessee under the federal refugee resettlement program, something she called “a possibility amongst many.”

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Dr. Manny: Trump is the right candidate to tackle America's drug problem

America is in the midst of a drug and mental health epidemic. The crisis before us has spiraled completely out of control under the Obama administration, and the numbers are staggering. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of heroin-related overdose deaths nearly quadrupled between 2002 and 2013, with more than 8,200 deaths in 2013. While the headlines tend to focus on the rising levels of heroin addiction, this one drug is not acting alone. All around us opioids, prescription drugs and other illegally purchased drugs are claiming the lives of mothers, fathers, children, neighbors and teachers at alarming rates.

If we do not act quickly to get a handle on these issues, they will endanger our future generations to come. I know that the solutions will require input from physicians, pharmaceutical companies, health care workers, church leaders and the like, but we will need the voice of a true unifying leader to make any one policy work. I believe that voice is Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Before I am attacked for believing that Trump is the best-suited candidate to tackle this issue, let us first consider the facts.

Indiana's 'baby boxes' save abandoned newborns

On an April night in 1973, a teenage mother, scared and alone, handed her newborn girl to a nurse at an Ohio hospital and walked out the door.

Forty-three years later, the woman abandoned as a child is on a national crusade to spare moms and babies the shame, pain and danger that can follow a newborn being left on church steps, in trash bins or out in the elements to die.

Monica Kelsey, of Woodburn, Ind., founded the Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization to install depositories around her state ensuring the safety and care of newborns who otherwise stand no chance.

As soon as the box, typically built into the exterior wall of a firehouse or hospital, is opened and a baby placed inside, a 911 alert is sent. Inside the box, the baby is protected in a climate-controlled, padded and locked container until help arrives. Motions detectors trigger a second call to 911, and paramedics arrive within minutes to take the baby to a hospital. Mothers are given an option to press a button that would ensure a third emergency call.

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Open Mic Night Poplar Hill Mansion

For Immediate Release:

Open Mic Nite, Poplar Hill Mansion

Friday May 13th 2016, 5:30-7:30 ish

117 Elizabeth St. Salisbury, MD 21801
410 749 5168 

allmanor@comcast.net 
www.poplarhillmansion.org

Poets, writers, singers or musicians, come join us at Poplar Hill Mansion on Friday, May 13th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Read a poem or an excerpt from your book, sing, or play a piece of music. This is a chance to meet other artists and read or perform your own original works. This is a free event, but donations to Poplar Hill will be gratefully appreciated. Guests are welcome. Refreshments will be served. Come join the fun and have a chance to shine! All proceeds go toward the preservation of Poplar Hill Mansion, Salisbury’s oldest and only Federal house museum. Host is author Gwyn G. Harris and musical guest, Revive Sound Productions.

DNA Evidence Exonerates Man Convicted In Teen's 1998 Murder

DNA evidence has exonerated a man convicted decades ago in a teenager's killing.

Malcolm Jabbar Bryant, who was found guilty of the 1998 murder of 16-year-old Toni Bullock, had charges dropped Wednesday because of DNA evidence. He had been serving a sentence of life plus 10 years. Rather than opposing a motion for a new trial, Mosby said the state instead asked for the conviction to be vacated.

She said it's the first exoneration under her administration, but that she hopes it won't be the last. In a press conference Wednesday, she apologized to both Bryant and to the victim's family.

"My heart also breaks for Malcolm Bryant, who was only 25 years old when he was sentenced," Mosby said. "So on behalf of the criminal justice system, I would like to apologize to Malcolm Bryant and his family."

Mosby said Bryant maintained his innocence (backed up by a number of witnesses in his trial), exhausting his appeals and working for post-conviction relief. Eventually, the University of Baltimore Innocence Project brought the case to her office's attention.

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Wicomico County Emergency Services Recognizes These Three Fine Children

A very special group of young people were recognized by Emergency Services for their bravery during a crisis within their homes during 2015.. They were awarded the Wicomico County 911 VIP Medal. The children were accompanied by their families for the award ceremony held last night in the Council Chamber. Those brave youngsters were Alana Foskey, Aden Richardson, and Daleon O'Garro.

ICE arrests 84 in PA, DE, WV during operation targeting criminal aliens

PHILADELPHIA — Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO)  arrested 84 individuals during a weeklong operation that concluded May 7 targeting criminal aliens and other immigration violators.
This enforcement operation, which concluded Saturday, is the latest effort by ICE to prioritize the arrest and removal of convicted criminal aliens and other enforcement priorities living illegally in the United States.
All of those arrested have been convicted of crimes in the United States, or otherwise fall within ICE’s enforcement priorities for deportation.  Convictions include the following crimes: corruption of a minor, child pornography offenses, indecent assault, robbery, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, DUI, cocaine and heroin possession, felony fraud, among other crimes.
Following are criminal summaries of four aliens arrested during this operation:

Traffic Advisory: Replacement of Fire Hydrant, Pennsylvania Ave.

On Thursday, May 12, 2016, The Department of Public Works will be replacing a fire hydrant located 418 Pennsylvania Avenue. Federal Street from Pennsylvania Avenue through South Boulevard will be non-passable to all through traffic. Work began at 9:00 a.m. and is expected to conclude by 4:30 p.m. today.

All locators and Central Alarm will be notified of this event. We appreciate your patience and consideration. Please contact the Public Works Utilities Branch at 410-548-3105 for more information if needed.

An easy A? Under new rules, these high school students could see grades soar

Maryland’s largest school system just made it easier for high school students to get A’s.

Just months after deciding to eliminate traditional final exams, Montgomery County has announced significant changes to its method of calculating grades starting in the 2016-2017 school year, most notably that final course grades will be rounded up after a student’s two quarterly grades are averaged. If a student gets, say, an A for the first quarter in geometry and then a B for the second quarter, the student’s semester course grade would be an A. If a student gets an A in one quarter and then a D in the next quarter, they would end up with a B.

The move is a departure from the county’s previous grading scheme, which generally relied on a student’s two quarter grades and a final exam grade. When a course had no final, the grading trendline prevailed, so that if students slumped from an A in one quarter to a B in the next, their semester grade fell to a B. No longer.

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Memorial Services For ‘The Old Pro’ Announced

OCEAN CITY — One day after his 95th birthday, Herb Schoellkopf, founder of the Old Pro Golf courses, passed away from natural causes. The following is the full obituary from Burbage Funeral Home.

Herbert John Schoellkopf, Jr., known to most as Herb, and also as “the Old Pro,” passed away peacefully of natural causes May 5, 2016 at age 95 surrounded by his family.

He was a loving and well-loved family man, a hardworking businessman with great creativity and imagination, a very patriotic veteran, and a playful man who loved athletics, music, tropical travel, scuba diving, humor, and dancing. Of his many sayings and mottos his standout advice to all was “work hard, play hard”. He was generous in many ways and was especially supportive of organizations that serve those with disabilities.

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Debate Over Welcoming Syrian Refugees Into Md. Heating Up

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — The debate over welcoming Syrian refugees into Maryland is heating up. Almost 80 Maryland lawmakers are pushing the governor to allow refugees to come to the state, but the governor says, right now, it’s not a good idea.

Ava-joye Burnett found out one of the biggest concerns is that extremists could sneak into the country along with innocent refugees.

The debate to allow refugees into the United States reached a fever pitch after the Paris attacks. There are Syrian refugees living in Maryland right now, and there’s a push to allow even more.

Their homeland has been ripped apart amidst a civil war. As hundreds of thousands of Syrians continue to flee their home, lawmakers want Maryland’s governor to do something.

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Berlin Mayor, Council Approve Own Pay Raises; Mayor To Receive $15K (From $5K), Council Members to Get $7,500 (From $2,000)

BERLIN – The town’s mayor and council members are set to receive a raise for the first time in 25 years.

The Town of Berlin’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2017 includes funding to increase the mayor’s salary from $5,000 to $15,000, a 200-percent increase, and funding to raise each council member’s pay from $2,000 to $7,500, a 275-percent jump.

“The new salary levels are recommended after comparing Berlin’s salaries to other municipalities on the Eastern Shore of Maryland based on comparative population and size of budget,” Mayor Gee Williams said.

Williams said Councilman Thom Gulyas suggested a pay increase at the start of this year’s budget process, as he believed the salaries were low compared to those paid by similar towns. According to data the town was provided by the Maryland Municipal League, council members in Pocomoke City — population 4,184 — are paid $6,000 a year while the mayor is paid $7,500. In Snow Hill, which has a population of 2,103, council members are paid $1,800 and the mayor receives $2,400.

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Lawyers Vigorously Questioned In Appeals Hearing On Maryland Gun Control Law

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A federal appeals court spent more than an hour Wednesday vigorously questioning lawyers about the constitutionality of Maryland's assault weapons ban and whether a judge who upheld it applied the correct legal standard.

Gun rights supporters claim the ban violates the Second Amendment because it applies to firearms that many Maryland residents keep in their homes. The state argues that lawmakers had authority to prohibit the weapons because they are rarely used for self-defense and are disproportionately used in mass shootings and killings of police officers.

The appeals court typically takes several weeks to issue a ruling.

Maryland lawmakers passed the sweeping Firearms Safety Act after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Connecticut. Gun rights advocates went along with most of the law but challenged the provision banning 45 assault weapons and the 10-round limit on gun magazines

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Heroin Dealer Convicted Of Manslaughter After Berlin Man’s Overdose Death

SNOW HILL — In what could be the first of many similar cases in the ongoing battle against the growing heroin epidemic, a Berlin man was found guilty of manslaughter and other counts this week for supplying the drug to a fatal overdose victim last November.

Robert Franklin Skinkle, 26, of Berlin, on Tuesday was found guilty on all counts including manslaughter, distribution and possession of heroin and reckless endangerment, after an investigation determined he supplied the drug to another Berlin man who fatally overdosed at his residence last Nov. 13. Skinkle faces as many as 20 years for the distribution conviction and 10 years for the manslaughter conviction pending the outcome of a pre-sentence investigation. Judge Thomas C. Groton III later said “this was an easy decision” for him after hearing the defense attorney’s closing statements.

Holding a known distributor accountable in fatal overdoses is certainly not a new tool in the tool box for prosecutors. There was a case in Ocean City in 2011 when a heroin addict on vacation in the resort knowingly supplied a female companion with methadone on which she fatally overdosed while the defendant watched.

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Hogan Withholding School Funds Until Baltimore City, County Install AC

TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) — The Board of Public Works voted Wednesday to withhold some of Baltimore City and Baltimore County school construction funds unless they plan to install portable air conditioners by the start of the next school year.

Pat Warren has more on this latest response to a continuing problem.

Heading into the summer months has some city and county parents wondering if their children will again be sweltering in classrooms without air conditioning. They argue it shouldn’t continue to happen.

Baltimore City and Baltimore County are the only jurisdictions in the state with large numbers of schools that have no air conditioning.

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Scotland rated most 'gay friendly' country in Europe

GLASGOW, Scotland — This country would be rated as the most gay friendly and tolerant nation in Europe if it were separate from the rest of the United Kingdom, new research has found.

A survey measuring equality and human rights found that Scotland would top a European league table after meeting 90% of the 52 criteria looked at by the advocacy group International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association-Europe, better known as ILGA-Europe.

The Rainbow Index, compiled each year, placed the entire United Kingdom in third place at 81% behind Malta at 88% and Belgium at 82%, mostly because of Northern Ireland's refusal to adopt same-sex marriage laws. In the single digits were Azerbaijan at 5%, Armenia and Russia at 7% and Turkey at 9%.

Malta made it to the top after scoring 77% in 2015 when it enacted a number of laws favorable to gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people in the past year. The United Kingdom as a whole was in first place last year with an 86% rating, and Belgium was at 83%.

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This chart shows how Amazon is totally crushing its retail competitors

Big box retailer stocks are getting hit hard Wednesday, following Macy's dismal earnings report.

Macy's shares are down 13%, while some of the largest retailers like Sears, Target, and Nordstrom all dropped by at least 5% during the day.

Amidst all this, Amazon, the online retailer that just opened its first physical store last year, is trading at an all-time high, reflecting a clear shift in consumer behavior.

The growth of online shopping is nothing new. But this chart that compares the 12-month stock movement of Amazon, Walmart, Macy's, Target, and the retail index fund "XRT" clearly illustrate the online retailer's growing dominance in this space:

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Amazon Launches Its Own YouTube-Like Service: Amazon Video Direct

Amazon already squares off against Netflix and iTunes in the streaming video subscription and rental marketplaces, so it’s probably not a shock that Amazon now has YouTube in its sights with a new platform for amateur moviemakers called Amazon Direct Video. 

Entertainment Lineup At Oasis For May

Every Thursday - from 8 PM to 12 Midnight
DJ Tim & Lisa Karaoke

Friday from 8 PM to 11 PM
DJ Last Call and his brand of BAR BINGO....The Hottest Bar Game across the Country - No entry fee to play - Prizes and Gift Certificates given away every night PLUS on Fridays..
It's CAMMO NIGHT! - Any customer that comes in on Friday night between the hours of 8 PM and 11 AM, wearing ANY camouflage clothing, recieves $2 Domestic Drafts OR $3 Rail Drinks!

Saturdays are Band Nights:

May 14 - This Saturday DIRT ROAD OUTLAWZ
Joe, please feature this evening - showing No Cover and Band starts at 9 PM.

May 21 - The Real Deal Duo

May 28 - Black Tide Rising--

Oasis Bar 'N' Grill
7539 Old Ocean City Road
Whaleyville, MD 21872
(410)641-4488
Oasis Facebook

Salisbury Fly In Update

Thanks Joe for running the notice about the fly in at Salisbury on
Saturday may 14th. The weather forecast calls for rain on Saturday, I forgot to mention a rain date was to be on Sunday May 15th.

NATIONAL SAFE BOATING WEEK EVENT TO BREAK GUINNESS WORLD RECORD

OCEAN CITY, Md. — Are you ready for recreational boating season? National Safe Boating Week kicks off efforts to limit on-the-water injuries and fatalities during the 2016 boating season. It will be celebrated locally at the West Ocean City commercial channel public boat ramp from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 21.

Safety on the water is every boater’s responsibility. Keeping your boat shipshape and knowing what to do—not only in an emergency but also when docking, anchoring and passing another boat—is key to having fun and developing a culture of safety on the water.

"You always wear a life vest, adhere to all navigation rules, keep a sharp lookout and be courteous to other boaters," said Art Flora, Flotilla Commander for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

A major focus of National Safe Boating Week is encouraging everyone to wear a life jacket. Year after year, statistics reveal that most people who die when entering the water from a recreational boat were not wearing a personal flotation device, or a life jacket. The law mandates wearing a life jacket in certain situations—water skiing; riding a jet ski; children under 13 years old on power boats less than 21 feet; all children under four years old—but everyone should wear a life jacket at all times to ensure safety. We all know that “Seat Belts Save Lives” on our highways. Well, “Life Jackets Save Lives” on the water.

Trump Says He Wants Ryan to Chair Republican Convention

Donald Trump, the presumptive U.S. Republican presidential nominee, said on Tuesday he would like House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan to chair the party's July convention, Fox News Channel reported.

"He is a very good man. He wants what's good for the party and I think we're going to have very positive results. I'd love frankly for him to stay and be chairman," Trump said of Ryan in an interview with Fox, according to excerpts released by the television channel.

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