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Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Subject: Somerset County Sheriff's Office reports most recent arrests

Ryan Franklin Waters Sr. of Crisfield, arrested 4-28-16 on a warrant for violation of probation. Waters was later released on personal recognizance.

Jasmine La”Shay Palmer of Princess Anne, criminal summons served for 2nd degree assault. Palmer was later released on signature.

Antasia Monea Gillespie of Salisbury, arrested 5-3-16 on a warrant for violation of probation. Gillespie was later held without bond.

Shane Louis Booth of Glen Burnie, arrested 5-3-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Booth was later held on a $2,000 bond.

Jeffrey Lamore Jones Jr. of Princess Anne, arrested 5-3-16 on warrants for failing to appear in court. Jones was later held on a $1,500 bond.

Tracey Martina Hutt of Crisfield, criminal summons served for harassment. Hutt was later released on signature.

Shay’Von Nacole Johnson of Princess Anne, criminal summons served 5-4-16 for 2nd degree assault. Johnson was later released on signature.

Brenda Louise James of Princess Anne, arrested 5-5-16 for driving while impaired by alcohol, driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, driving on a revoked license, driving without current tags, and negligent driving. James was later released on signature pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic accident investigation in the area of Rivers edge Drive, Mt. Vernon.

Loraine Tchango Eken Lanham Maryland, arrested 5-6-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Eken was later released on personal recognizance.

Kenneth Leon Collins Jr. of Princess Anne, arrested 5-10-16 on warrants for failing to appear in court. Collins was later held on a $2,300 bond.

Crystal Lynn Gale of Princess Anne, arrested 5-11-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Gale was later held on a $500.00 bond.

Timothy John Byrd of Pittsville, arrested 5-16-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Byrd was later held on a $300.00 bond.

Roger Ellis Lloyd Jr. of Middle River Maryland, arrested 5-16-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Lloyd was later held on a $500.00 bond.

Brooke Marie Ward of Crisfield, arrested 5-16-16 on a warrant for 1st, 3rd, 4th degree burglary, malicious destruct of property, and theft. Ward was later held on a $40,000 bond.

Top ten reasons why the Irish swear so much

Yes, the Irish swear more than Americans. I hear this a lot from my American friends, who find it disconcerting that Irish in Ireland, especially those of an older generation, swear so much.

This is an 'Irish in Ireland' thing. Sometimes it seems they are swearing every second word ... because they actually are. Here are the reasons why:

1. Irrational exuberance:

Being Irish means you use language like a flowing stream of consciousness, every word out of your mouth has to be bettered by the next word.

Hence a string of swear words come ripping off the tongue.

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A Viewer Writes: African Studies

Does it strike you as odd that with so many African Studies majors out there, so few (as in virtually none) of them do anything to actually help Africa and Africans?

Obama's Transgender Agenda

On National Public Radio, liberal pundit Cokie Roberts said Monday morning that President Obama's push to allow transgender people to use whatever bathroom they want—despite the gender on their birth certificate—is a way for the president to help the Democratic Party maintain control of the White House.

On NPR’s Morning Edition Roberts said, “You always wonder, though, at this stage in the year - in the calendar, why would these rules come out? And yes, the president wants to get a lot done before his time is up.”

“But it also might be a political ploy on the part of the administration to try to get young people excited and remind them that the Republicans, in many cases, are against transgender people, gay marriage, that kind of thing, just an attempt to keep the Obama coalition together going into the election,” Roberts added.

However, the Washington Post’s Kathleen Parker—also part of the discussion—disagreed with Roberts. “I don't think people are very interested in arguing about that right now,” Parker said. “I think they're much more concerned about, you know, who's going to be the president than they are about who's going to which bathroom.”

The discussion is related to the states and school districts deciding whether to comply with a directive from the Obama administration stating that transgender students may not be treated differently from other students. Both the Education and Justice Department warned the states not to discriminate against transgender students or else they risk losing federal education funds, though the guidelines aren’t legally binding.

Transgender usage of bathrooms has become a contentious issue this year. On Tuesday, Texas governor Greg Abbott posted on Twitter

The Democrats are trying to retain control of the Executive branch for another four years. The transgender bathroom issue may be their only lifeline in light of failed policies, domestically and internationally, under eight years of an Obama presidency.

Source: AAN

Journalist's Attorneys Blast FBI for Withholding Clinton Email Info

Attorneys for a VICE News reporter suing for access to correspondence between the FBI and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shot back at the agency on Monday, saying in a court filing that it should produce evidence about its investigation if it wants to withhold documents.

The filing, on behalf of reporter Jason Leopold by attorneys Jeffrey Light and Ryan James, argued that the FBI must say who or what it is investigating if it wants to keep the documents private, LawNewz.com reports.

Leopold filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking any correspondence between Clinton and the FBI regarding her use of a private email server for government business.

Court Orders Missi. School District to Desegregate

CLEVELAND, Mississippi — A federal court on Monday ordered the Cleveland School District to consolidate its segregated junior high and high schools, a decision that comes more than 60 years after the U.S. Supreme Court's legendary Brown v. Board of Education case.

In its 96-page decision filed on Friday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi said the district has "operated an inadequate dual system and failed to achieve the greatest degree of desegregation possible given the circumstances." (The full decision is below. Mobile users can read it here.)

It rejected two alternative plans proposed by the district, Reuters reports, saying they were unconstitutional.

"Six decades after the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education declared that 'separate but equal has no place' in public schools, this decision serves as a reminder to districts that delaying desegregation obligations is both unacceptable and unconstitutional," principal deputy assistant attorney general Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.

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Another Day, Another Left Wing Hate Crime Hoax

The Texas man who sued Whole Foods Market for allegedly writing an anti-gay slur on his cake has admitted that it was a hoax. Jordan Brown dropped his lawsuit against Whole Foods and has now apologized.

Brown alleged that he went to Whole Foods Market and bought a cake and had a bakery associate write “Love Wins” on it. He then claimed the associate wrote a homophobic slur instead.

From Fox News:

The Texas pastor who sued Whole Foods in April for allegedly writing a gay slur on a cake he bought withdrew his lawsuit on Monday and apologized to the supermarket chain for perpetrating a hoax, KVUE reported.

"The company did nothing wrong," openly gay pastor Jordan Brown wrote in a Monday statement. "I was wrong to pursue this matter and use the media to perpetuate this story."

Brown said in April that he requested a cake from Whole Foods with the phrase “Love Wins” written on it, but when he received his cake there was a homophobic remark added. Brown made the accusation in an Internet video and launched a lawsuit shortly thereafter.

But alert viewers quickly pointed out that the icing style used to write “Love Wins” and the gay slur appeared to differ, and Whole Foods released surveillance video showing the cake being purchased with the UPC code in a different location than Brown's video, suggesting the cake had been opened and tampered with.

The baker who sold Brown the cake is gay. A subsequent internal Whole Foods investigation cleared him of the allegations.

Brown did say why made up the story. Whole Foods has countersued Brown and there’s no word if they have dropped their own countersuit.
Hopefully, Whole Foods continues its suit against Brown. There has to be a public example made of those who invent these types of hoaxes.

Source: AAN

Lets Get To Know Trump.....

I found this on someone's FB page & thought it was quite interesting. We need to really get to know Trump.

I'm not going to put a link to it here because I'm not sure i it will give a link to my info too. But like I said.....it's from another person's page, I did not write it. I'm also not a friend of hers, so you won't find me there .

I'ts pretty interesting & a lot of info I didn't know about.

Joan Houck Parker
Yesterday at 5:31pm ·
Facts on Trump. I didn't know a lot of this!

Interesting
Subject: Mr. Trump
Specifications:
•Donald John Trump, was born June 14, 1946.
•He will be 70 years old on election day.
•From the Internet, he is 6'2" or 6'3' and weighs between 195 and 200 lbs.
•He has a full head of blond/brown hair (which is long and elaborately combed) and blue eyes.
•The Internet tells us he wears a size 12 shoe.

•Donald Trump was born the fourth of five children who were born over eleven years.
•The oldest, Mary Ann, was born in 1937 and is currently a Federal Judge.
•His older brother, Fred Jr, died in early adulthood as a result of complications from alcoholism.
•He has another older sister, Elizabeth and a younger brother, Robert.
•Donald Trump has been married three times.
•Trump's first wife, Ivana, was an immigrant from Czechoslovakia and a divorcee who has been married 4 times in her life. She is a lifelong avid skier and worked in design at the Trump Organization.
•Marla Maples, Trump's second wife is an actress and model
•Trump's third wife, Melania is an immigrant from Slovenia (born in Yugoslavia) and has been a super model.
•Two of Trump's children, Donald Jr and Ivanka, have gone to Penn. Son Eric, went to Georgetown.
•Donald Trump tells us that he is Presbyterian.
•Donald Trump does not appear to have had any interest in occults, mysticism or exotic mythologies.
•Donald Trump's oldest daughter, Ivanka, and her three children are Jewish.
•Trump's oldest daughter, Ivanka, is married to Jared Kushner who is, among other things, a newspaper publisher. The Kushner family is very successful in New York City area real estate.
•Donald's grandmother, mother, first wife, and third wife are all immigrants.

OC BikeFest & Delmarva Bike Week, September 15-18

Largest Motorcycle Events on the MidAtlantic Coast Rocks It Again! OC BikeFest & Delmarva Bike Week, September 15-18 

OCEAN CITY, MD – The final acts, Three Doors Down supported by Pop Evil with opening act Red Sun Rising round out the incredible lineup on the main stage, Saturday, during OC BikeFest, September 15-18 at the Inlet in Ocean City, MD. Earlier this year, the co-headlining trio of Autograph, Slaughter and KIX were announced for the main stage on Thursday, with Candlebox opening with STYX on Friday. 

Advanced tickets are on sale now at ocbikefest.com through June 1st at the following prices: Adult Event Passes (16yrs and older) $45 (reg $50), Adult One Day Pass (16yrs and older) $25 (reg $30), Child Event Pass (6 yrs to 15yrs) $15. Prices listed here do not include convenience fees or tax when purchased online. Children, 5yrs and younger, are free. Visit the event website for more information on the many benefits of purchasing an Event Pass. Tickets are also on sale at all participating Rommel Harley-Davidson locations and Rommel’s Ace Hardware Stores. 

OC BikeFest and Delmarva Bike Week owner and producer Kathy Micheal says “each year gets better and better. We have great music, something for everyone, on the main stage at the Inlet, as well as, stunt and skills riders, vendors, food, plenty of beverages and so much more”. 

Rommel Harley-Davidson, presenting sponsor for both OC BikeFest and Delmarva Bike Week, will once again serve as the Official Welcome Center for OC BikeFest and Delmarva Bike Week. Don’t miss the first look at the new model year with over 50 new 2017 Harley-Davidson motorcycles for sale at the Ocean City Convention Center. 

“We are honored to work with Kristen Goller, Director of Tourism, Wicomico Tourism, and the Shorebirds Stadium again this year to create unique experiences at Winterplace Park and the stadium,” said Micheal. “For details, schedules and more information, check out delmarvabikeweek.com.” 

Hours vary by location and can be found at www.ocbikefest.com and www.delmarvabikeweek.com.

Ocean City Bus Driver Recruitment Goal Reached

OCEAN CITY — In an effort to continue the momentum from last year’s increased municipal bus system deployment schedule, the resort has surpassed a goal for qualified drivers for this season.

A few years ago, the public’s confidence in the resort’s bus system was shaken somewhat by unreliable time schedules and long waits at stops, largely due to a declining number of qualified drivers available. Last year, the Public Works Department’s Transportation Division made a concerted effort to hire and train more drivers and improve the level of service and the proof was in the pudding with soaring ridership numbers during the 2015 season.

Hoping to keep that momentum going, the Transportation Division stepped up bus driver recruitment again this offseason and has already exceeded the numbers from last season.

“The good news is we have met our goal and we have the licensed drivers in training classes right now,” Acting Superintendent of Transportation Wayne Pryor said. “We’re in great shape to meet our deployment levels from last year. We should be good to go with the drivers we have.”

From a five-year low of just 120 drivers in 2014, the number has steadily increased to meet the demands of the stepped-up deployment schedule. For example, there were 138 drivers in 2012, 137 in 2013 and 120 in 2014. However, the number of hired and trained bus drivers spiked up to 150 in 2015 and 160 qualified drivers have been hired for the 2016 season.

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DONALD J. TRUMP RELEASES LIST OF POTENTIAL UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT JUSTICES

(New York, NY) May 18, 2016 - Today Donald J. Trump released the much-anticipated list of people he would consider as potential replacements for Justice Scalia at the United States Supreme Court. This list was compiled, first and foremost, based on constitutional principles, with input from highly respected conservatives and Republican Party leadership.

Mr. Trump stated, “Justice Scalia was a remarkable person and a brilliant Supreme Court Justice. His career was defined by his reverence for the Constitution and his legacy of protecting Americans’ most cherished freedoms. He was a Justice who did not believe in legislating from the bench and he is a person whom I held in the highest regard and will always greatly respect his intelligence and conviction to uphold the Constitution of our country. The following list of potential Supreme Court justices is representative of the kind of constitutional principles I value and, as President, I plan to use this list as a guide to nominate our next United States Supreme Court Justices.”

BREAKING: Arrest Made In Wicomico County Homicide Investigation

(SALISBURY, MD) – Maryland State Police homicide investigators arrested a Wicomico County man yesterday and charged him with the murder of Irvonte Jones on April 3, 2016.

The accused is identified as Shaquille Gaskins, 22, of Salisbury, Maryland. Gaskins is charged with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, possession of a firearm, use of a firearm in a violent crime and home invasion. Gaskins was served the indictment while in the Wicomico County Detention Center, where he is awaiting trial for a separate incident. He is currently being held without bond and will remain at the Wicomico County Detention Center.

Irvonte C. Jones, 24, of Salisbury, Maryland was the victim in a shooting that occurred on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at the home of his girlfriend. Shortly before 10:00 p.m. that night, troopers from the Salisbury Barrack were dispatched to a single family home in the 1000-block of Pierce Avenue in Salisbury for the reported shooting. Upon their arrival, Jones was found lying unresponsive in a bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds. He was immediately transported by EMS to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

State police investigators continue to urge anyone with information about this case to contact Lower Eastern Shore Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776 or the Salisbury Barrack at 410-749-3101. Callers may remain anonymous.

The investigation continues…

OCPD: Wanted Wednesday

It's Wednesday and that means another#WantedWednesday! This week, our featured fugitive is wanted out of Queen Anne's County and is believed to be staying in the southern end of Ocean City. If you have information, please call our Tip Line at 410-520-5136 or leave an anonymous tip at oceancitymd.gov/police.

Deadline For Non-Conforming Signs Extended Six Years In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY — Dozens of non-conforming signs along Baltimore Avenue got a stay of execution of sorts last week when a divided Mayor and Council voted to extend a sunset provision set to expire next month for another six years.

An inventory of the signs advertising all manner of businesses along Baltimore Avenue revealed as many as 60 did not conform to code changes put in place in 2004 when the upper downtown overlay district was created. Some are too tall or too wide, while others are placed in the city’s right-of-way along Baltimore Avenue. Others are situated in such a way as to obstruct sight lines for motorists along the roadway.

When the ordinance was changed in 2004, property owners of the non-conforming signs along Baltimore Avenue were given 12 years to bring them into compliance. That “sunset” provision is set to expire on June 5, leaving the Mayor and Council last week with a decision to extend the sunset provision or take almost immediate steps to bring the signs into compliance. After a lengthy debate, the council voted 4-2 to extend the deadline for bringing the signs in from 3rd Street to 17th Street for another six years to coincide with an established similar deadline for non-conforming signs in the downtown area.

This issue is complicated. On one hand, the right-of-way on the state-owned Baltimore Avenue is not clearly established and the property lines in many cases are blurred and extend well into the originally platted roadway. In other cases, the existing signs are just a couple of feet too tall or too wide and fall just out of the specifications defined in the ordinance.

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Philadelphia congressman orchestrated series of frauds: prosecutor

Representative Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania and several associates orchestrated a series of fraudulent schemes to enrich the congressman and preserve his political career, federal prosecutors said at the start of his corruption trial on Monday.

"The congressman stole from federal agencies, from taxpayers, from nonprofit educational groups he created," Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Gray told a Philadelphia jury. "He even stole from his own political campaigns."

But defense lawyers said the government's case relied almost entirely on the word of two convicted felons who received favorable plea deals.

"Congressman Fattah had nothing to do with any of it," said Mark Lee, a lawyer for Fattah.

The 59-year-old Fattah, an 11-term congressman who represents parts of Philadelphia, lost the Democratic primary in April under the cloud of a wide-ranging indictment charging him with racketeering, bribery and fraud.

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Court weighs uncle’s statement in birthday cake beating

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — The uncle of a 9-year-old Maryland boy who was fatally beaten over a missing piece of birthday cake is asking a judge to throw out his statement to police.

The hearing for 24-year-old Jacob Barajas (bah-RAH’-hahss) ended Tuesday in Hagerstown with no immediate ruling. Barajas is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse stemming from Jack Garcia’s death last July.

Hagerstown Police Detective Anthony Fleegal testified Barajas was not considered a suspect when he told investigators he handcuffed Jack to a chair as punishment for stealing. Barajas told police Jack was then beaten by the mother’s boyfriend, Robert Wilson. Wilson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March.

Defense attorney Stephen Sacks contends the questioning of Barajas amounted to an interrogation, so Barajas should have been read his rights.

Source 

Wicomico Recreation’s Free Youth Fishing Derby is back on June 4

Salisbury, MD – The water at the Salisbury City Park will be packed with fish for children to catch during Wicomico Recreation’s Annual Free Youth Fishing Derby.

This year’s Fishing Derby is set for Saturday, June 4, at the Salisbury City Park. Registration opens at 8 a.m., with fishing from 9-11 a.m. Food and drinks will be provided for youth participants after that, and there will also be trophies awarded. Among the categories children can compete in are Most Fish Caught, Most Unusual Catch and Biggest Fish.

The Fishing Derby is for boys and girls age 15 and younger, and participants should bring their own bait and rods. The Department of Natural Resources will be adding about 500 blue gills to the pond’s catfish, largemouth bass, perch and carp.

For more information, visit www.WicomicoRecandParks.org or contact Allen Swiger at 410-548-4900 x108 or aswiger@wicomicocounty.org.

High School Bans Flags, Including Old Glory, in Effort to Not Offend Students — but Officials Were in for Quite a Surprise

Students at Fruita Monument High School in Colorado launched a patriotic rebellion last week after school officials banned all flags in the school parking lot, including the American flag.

The order to prohibit flags came after Fruita Monument senior Colt Chatfield was told he couldn’t fly a Confederate flag, which school leaders deemed offensive to others, the school’s principal told KKCO-TV.

“They said we can’t fly a Mexican flag, Confederate flag, American flag, any flag at all,” senior Paxton Streeter told KKCO.

Another senior, Keegan Bogart, told KKCO that the school was prepared to take action against students who violated the ban: “My buddy was kicked out for having [a flag] in his truck, and they threatened to expel Colt Chatfield for it, and they told all seniors that they would not walk [in graduation] if we continued to display flags in the school’s parking lot.”

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Rubio Blasts Union Involvement in VA Reform Bill

Sen. Marco Rubio warned the Senate against passing a reform package aimed at cleaning up the Department of Veterans Affairs, arguing the current legislation is too weak on VA employees who abuse veterans.

"The VA 'reform' bill as it stands today should not be rammed through Congress without real accountability reforms being added to it," Rubio said in a statement Tuesday. "It's simple: If you work at the VA and work against the interests of our veterans through your negligence, indifference, incompetence or corruption, the VA secretary should be able to fire you."

The Florida Republican has been a critic of the Veterans First Act, the omnibus legislation that cleared the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee late last week.

In March, Rubio and Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, penned a letter expressing their concerns that Sen. Johnny Isakson, chairman of the Senate VA Committee, was cutting a deal with the Obama administration that would ultimately water down the reform bill.

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Dad's Post-Kid-Puking Texts to Mom Are So Awful They're Funny

"So this just happened," dad Ben Patterson texted his wife Stephanie, who had gone out with friends, along with a photo of his son covered in barf while strapped into his car seat. "I just pulled over and am trying not to throw up myself."

No answer from Stephanie.

Then, unfortunately, while cleaning up Declan, Ben got sick himself. "It smells SO BAD," the desperate father writes.

Still, no answer from Mom.

The urgent pleas for help continue:

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Obama the Rainbow Warrior

“On May 17, Americans and people around the world mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia by reaffirming the dignity and inherent worth of all people, regardless of who they love or their gender identity,” Barack Obama proclaimed in a White House statement. There was not a companion statement from anywhere in the Muslim world.

“[T]here is much work to be done to combat homophobia and transphobia,” Obama said, and he’s certainly waging that combat — mandating school bathroom polices, suing North Carolina, social engineering the military, lighting up the White House in rainbow colors to celebrate same-sex marriage, etc.

In another recent example of Obama’s agenda, he appointed a man who identifies as a woman to his Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships. That man, former husband and father of three, now goes by the name Barbara Satin. Let’s just say we find his surname particularly … interesting in the context of a faith-based organization. “Given the current political climate,” Satin said in a statement, “I believe it’s important that a voice of faith representing the transgender and gender non-conforming community … be present and heard in these vital conversations.” This miniscule group suffering from gender disorientation pathology has a far outsized voice.

Often left not only unheard but shamed or silenced are the views of doctors like Paul McHugh of Johns Hopkins, who says simply, “Transgendered men do not become women, nor do transgendered women become men.” Such scientific truth is considered “transphobic” by this administration.

More here

Princeton Prof: Transgenderism ‘Superstitious Belief’

A noted Princeton University professor has attacked the very notion of transgenderism, saying that the belief “that a woman can be trapped inside a man’s body” is ludicrous and superstitious, with no basis in medical fact.

Robert P. George, the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton, sent out a tweet late Sunday evening questioning the science behind the transgender movement, in reaction to the Obama administration’s threatening letter to educators mandating accommodation of gender-confused teenagers.

There are few superstitious beliefs as absurd as the idea that a woman can be trapped in a man’s body & vv. But in the Age of Feeling . . .

— Robert P. George (@McCormickProf) May 15, 2016

George, who is also the Chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, sent our another tweet warning of the effects of the Obama letter on parents’ rights to educate their children in a safe environment.

With Obama’s bathroom edict, the right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of children is in graver peril than ever. Vouchers!

— Robert P. George (@McCormickProf) May 15, 2016

George’s concerns over the transgender movement echo the recent statement by the American College of Pediatricians, which argued forcefully against encouraging young people to question their own biological sexuality.

More here

Study Reveals Police Officers Wearing Body Cameras Are More Likely To Be Assaulted

Though body cameras may seem like a net win for everyone, a new seemingly counter-intuitive analysis of body camera usage by police in the U.S. and the U.K. reveals that police officers are actually more likely to be assaulted when they use them.

The new studies, published simultaneously Tuesday by the European Journal of Criminology and the Journal of Experimental Criminology, show that the jury is still out on the effectiveness of body cameras, raising questions about how they should be implemented by law enforcement.

On average, assaults against police officers increases by 15 percent when body cameras are worn, according to the new research. In addition, the rate of violence imposed on citizens by officers remained largely unchanged. However, if officers turned their cameras on and off during their shift, using the technology at their own discretion, the likelihood they would use physical force spiked.

But, if the officers left their body cameras on throughout the duration of their work, the rate of violence decreased.

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Many States Offer Online Voting; Experts Warn It Isn’t Secure

The popularity of voting online is growing and will be in place for the presidential election in more than 30 states, primarily for voters living overseas or serving in the military.

But security experts and some senior Obama administration officials fear there is not enough protection for any ballots transmitted over the Internet. They are warning states that any kind of online voting is not yet secure and most likely will not be for years to come.

Thirty-two states have some form of electronic transmission of ballots over the Internet, compared with no states with online voting in 2000. In Alaska, for example, all voters can submit an absentee elections ballot online from computers in their own homes.

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22 Percent of Resettled Refugees in Minnesota Test Positive for Tuberculosis

One of every five refugees resettled in Minnesota by the federal government tested positive for latent tuberculosis in 2014, according to the state’s Department of Health.

Only 4 percent of the general population in the United States tested positive for latent tuberculosis in the most recent report provided by the Centers for Disease Control.

The April 2016 edition of the Refugee Health Quarterly, published by the Minnesota Department of Health reports that Minnesota had 150 cases of TB in 2015, compared to 147 cases in 2014 (a 2 percent increase).

The most common risk factor for TB cases in Minnesota is being from a country where TB is common.

TB screening is offered to all refugees during the domestic refugee health exam. In 2014, 22 percent of refugees screened tested positive for LTBI (latent tuberculosis infection).

Twenty-six percent of all foreign born cases of tuberculosis in Minnesota were from people born in Somalia. Somalians almost exclusively enter the state through the refugee resettlement program.

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Court Rules Second Amendment Extends to Gun Sales

Constitutional protections afforded by the Second Amendment include the right to buy and sell firearms, a federal appeals court ruled Monday in a decision that reinstates a lawsuit over zoning laws that limit where gun stores can be located.

In a 2-1 ruling, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived Second Amendment challenges brought by three California businessmen who had sought to open a firearms store in Alameda County, but filed suit after they were denied a zoning permit based on laws that they claimed prevented them from opening a store anywhere in the county.

Monday’s ruling did not strike down the local zoning ordinance, but it does declare that the right to buy and sell firearms “is part and parcel of the historically recognized right to keep and to bear arms.”

The majority opinion, authored by Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain, indicates a higher level of scrutiny should have been used to assess the constitutionality of the law and that the county government should have been required to present evidence justifying its restrictions.

More here

College Debt: School Bernie Sanders' Wife Once Ran Is Forced to Shut Down

The tiny Vermont college that Bernie Sanders' wife used to run is going out of business — done-in by a $10 million real estate deal that she spearheaded.

Burlington College, which had been crushed beneath weight of the property purchase made in 2010 while Jane Sanders was college president, will close at the end of the month, the college confirmed on Monday.

"These hurdles are insurmountable at this time," Dean of Operations and Advancement Coralee Holm said in a statement. "It is with a great sense of loss to the educational community that Burlington College's progressive and unique educational model will no longer be available to students."

In a letter to students and parents, College President Carol Moore said the closure brought a "deep sense of loss and sadness." Current students, she said, will be able to transfer credits and continue their education at a neighboring college.

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Senate votes to allow 9/11 lawsuits against Saudi Arabia

The Senate on Tuesday easily passed a bill President Obama opposes that would allow the families of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to sue the Saudi Arabian government.
The legislation passed by voice vote and encountered no objections from anyone in the Senate chamber, despite opposition from Obama and a strong signal recently from House Speaker Paul Ryan that the bill will go nowhere on the other side of the Capitol.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said if the House takes up and passes the bill, there would be enough support in the Senate to override a presidential veto.

"We would easily get [the two-thirds majority] should the president veto it," said Schumer, the number-three Democrat.

New Bill to Withhold Funds, Travel Visas from Countries That Refuse to Repatriate Criminal Aliens

(CNSNews.com) – Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) introduced a bill on Friday to withhold foreign aid and travel visas from countries that refuse to take back illegal immigrants who have been given a final order of removal from the United States.

The Criminal Alien Deportation Enforcement Act of 2016 or H.R. 5224 was filed in response to a House Oversight Committee hearingon criminal aliens. As CNSNews.com previously reported, 86,288 criminal aliens were released by the Obama administration from 2013-2015 after committing over 231,000 crimes.

One of those criminal aliens was Jean Jacques, who served over 10 years for attempted murder. Haiti refused to take him back, and six months after he was released from prison, Jacques killed Casey Chadwick in New London, Conn.

“My bill puts the interests of American citizens, like Casey Chadwick, first,” Babin said in a statement.

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Obama Spending Millions To Find Summer Jobs — For Refugees

The Obama administration wants to make sure Utica, New York’s young refugees aren’t without a job, so he’s spending millions to make sure it doesn’t happen.

“Access to a job in the summer and beyond can make all the difference to a young person – especially those who don’t have access to many resources and opportunities,” President Obama said of his new Summer Opportunity Project.

The project spends a total of $21 million on a variety of programs in 11 communities nationwide with the focus of helping young people find summer work, and permanent part-time jobs, the White House and U.S. Department of Labor announced Monday.

At least $2 million of the total will be set aside to help 400 refugee students in Utica, New York get to work through the New Americans Career Pathways Project, the Utica Observer-Dispatch reports.

“The New Americans Career Pathways project will provide in-school youth with summer jobs and academic support for 400 students in the refugee populations of Utica, NY,” according to a White House Fact Sheet. “The students will receive summer job work experience and academic tutoring in English and Math, and support in finding part-time jobs.”

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Millions To Be Eligible For Overtime Under New Obama Administration Rule

Millions more American workers will soon be eligible for overtime pay under a rule being finalized Wednesday by the Labor Department.

The rule says anyone who makes less than $47,476 per year must receive time-and-a-half pay if they work more than 40 hours a week. That's roughly double the current threshold.

The measure is one of the most sweeping moves the Obama Administration has made so far in its efforts to boost slow-growing incomes. But it's sure to face opposition from some business-owners.

According to the Labor Department, the higher income threshold will make 4.2 million salaried workers newly eligible for overtime pay. The rule could also benefit millions of others who are already technically eligible but not receiving overtime.

"Our whole mission here is about strengthening and growing the middle class," Labor Secretary Tom Perez told NPR. "In order to do that, we need to ensure that middle class jobs pay middle class wages."

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Event Shines Light On National Foster Care Month

BERLIN – Alison Tinker and her husband never intended to adopt. They wanted to provide a child in need with a safe foster home.

“I was a stay-at-home mom with two girls,” she said. “We thought we could help with one more.”

That was 30 years ago. Since then, the Tinkers have adopted five children and acted as foster parents for dozens of others.

“Kids grow better in families,” Tinker replied simply when asked why they’d done it.

Local children need more people like the Tinkers. As May marks National Foster Care Month, the Worcester County Department of Social Services entertained families interested in opening their homes to children in need with an information session at the Main Street Enchanted Tea Room in Berlin. Four families interested in providing foster care and several families who already do so were in attendance.

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22 Percent of Resettled Refugees in Minnesota Test Positive for Tuberculosis

One of every five refugees resettled in Minnesota by the federal government tested positive for latent tuberculosis in 2014, according to the state’s Department of Health.

Only 4 percent of the general population in the United States tested positive for latent tuberculosis in the most recent report provided by the Centers for Disease Control.

The April 2016 edition of the Refugee Health Quarterly, published by the Minnesota Department of Health reports that:

Minnesota had 150 cases of TB in 2015, compared to 147 cases in 2014 (a 2 percent increase). The most common risk factor for TB cases in Minnesota is being from a country where TB is common.

TB screening is offered to all refugees during the domestic refugee health exam.

In 2014, 22 percent of refugees screened tested positive for LTBI (latent tuberculosis infection).
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Report: Family of Del. Teen Beaten At School Questions Autopsy

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A spokeswoman for the family of a teen who died during a fight in a Delaware high school bathroom says they believe the autopsy results were faulty, according to CBS News Radio affiliate WDEL.

Three teens were charged last week in connection to the death of Amy Joyner-Francis.

One of the teens in the video is charged with criminally negligent homicide. The other two are charged with criminal conspiracy because they didn’t hit Joyner-Francis.

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Medical First: Blood Test Detects Parkinson's Disease

Bankrolled by TV and movie star Michael J. Fox’s foundation, a major research project is poised to change the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease — and has already yielded its first important breakthrough.

In a major advancement announced this month, an Australian scientific team has developed the first blood test confirming whether a patient has Parkinson’s — a development that can speed treatments that can help slow the condition.

A research team, led by Dr Paul Fisher, a microbiology professor at La Trobe University in Melbourne, has developed the diagnostic blood test enabling accurate detection of abnormal Parkinson’s-causing blood cells. The team is being funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

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Millions more workers would be eligible for overtime pay under new federal rule

The Obama administration will unveil a new rule Wednesday that would make millions of middle-income workers eligible for overtime pay, a move that delivers a long-sought victory for labor groups.

The regulations, which were last updated more than a decade ago, would let full-time salaried employees earn overtime if they make up to $47,476 a year, more than double the current threshold of $23,660 a year. The Labor Department estimates that the rule would boost the pockets of 4.2 million additional workers.

The move caps a long-running effort by the Obama administration to aid low- and middle-income workers whose paychecks have not budged much in the last few decades, even as the top earners in America have seen their compensation soar. The last update to the rules came in 2004, and Wednesday’s announcement is the third update to the salary threshold for overtime regulations in 40 years.

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Report card: Chesapeake Bay 'C' grade is one of the highest since 1986

The health of the Chesapeake Bay improved in 2015, according to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

The bay earned a 53 percent, or a C, which is one of the three highest scores since 1986. It scored a 50 percent in 2014 and a 45 percent in 2013.

The scores in 1992 and 2002 were higher than 2015, but they were both years with major droughts that caused fewer nutrients to enter the bay through storm runoff, said Bill Dennison, vice president for science applications at the center.

All regions increased their 2014 scores, with strong improvements in the Choptank River, Upper Eastern Shore, Lower Western Shore and the Rappahannock River, according to a news release.

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In trial over prisoner’s death, seat belt policy is examined

BALTIMORE (AP) — A police sergeant who says he mentored an officer now on trial in the arrest and subsequent death of Freddie Gray testified Tuesday that he didn’t train the officer about putting seat belts on prisoners, and didn’t tell his subordinates about a new mandatory seat belt policy.

Sgt. Warren Stephens said he went out on assignments with Officer Edward Nero to teach the young policeman the ropes. But Stephens said he didn’t tell his subordinates about a policy that had been updated days before Gray’s arrest, making it mandatory to put prisoners in seat belts.

Also on Tuesday, Officer Aaron Jackson said he worked with Nero and was on the scene of Gray’s arrest. He testified that he could see Gray “violently shaking” the van, and that he’d made arrests but never buckled prisoners into the transport van’s seat belt.

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Nikki Haley: Virginia has taken ‘nose dive’ under McAuliffe

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says Virginia has taken a “nose dive” under Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s leadership and is no longer economically competitive.

Haley attended an event in Richmond Tuesday hosted by 2017 Virginia gubernatorial hopeful Ed Gillespie’s political action committee.

Haley is a GOP rising star who said Tuesday that Gillespie would make Virginia competitive again.

McAuliffe, a Democrat, has made economic development a top priority, but Virginia has been hurt by a slowdown in federal spending.

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The amazing story of a 4,000-year-old necklace found in a dumpster

Among the many rare and precious items at the The National Museum of Ireland sit a 4,000 year old necklace and two discs which were found in a dumpster.

The necklace, called a lunala, was worn by the early kings of Ireland. It is thought to date from between 2,300 and 1,800 BC.

It was first discovered in March 1945 in Coggalbeg, County Roscommon by farmer Hubert Lannon. He found it in a bog while he was cutting turf and kept it in his home.

Two years later he passed the necklace on to a local chemist Patrick Sheehan, in Strokestown, who kept the priceless piece of history in his shop's safe. There it remained until February 2009, when two thieves grabbed the safe during a burglary.

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The 3 Big Things We’ve Learned About Your Cable Bill

Over the last few months, we’ve reviewed cable and internet service bills for seven of the nation’s largest providers in an attempt to make sense of all those fees and charges. So what did we learn from these bills covering cable, satellite, and fiber customers from Connecticut to California? 

2016 Hebron Fireman's Carnival Starts TONIGHT!

The 2016 Hebron Fireman's Carnival will start on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Kitchen opens at 6:30 pm and rides open at 7:15 pm. The following is a list of dates/weeks that the 2016 Hebron Fireman's Carnival will be open (weather permitted).

May 18, 19, 20, 21
May 25, 26, 27, 28
June 23, 24, 25
June 29, 30, July 1, 2
July *4*, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (July 4th times are 5 pm - 9 pm, Fireworks at 9:30 pm)

Please visit this website for further information as it becomes available.

'Miracle on Ice' goaltender is selling gold medal

The American flag that goalie Jim Craig wrapped around his shoulders after the U.S. Miracle on Ice victory at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics is on the auction block.

The flag is one of 19 items in ''The Jim Craig `Miracle on Ice' Collection,'' which also includes Craig's Olympic gold medal, the jersey he wore against the vaunted Soviet Union and in the gold-medal win against Finland. Also included are the only mask Craig wore during the Winter Games, his skates and goalie equipment, and the goalie sticks from the games against the Soviets and Finland.

Asking price for the collection is $5.7 million. The items are on display through Sunday at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago.

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Government Warns Eye Doctors: Provide Prescriptions After Eye Exams Or Else

It’s really easy to find eyeglass stores that also offer eye exams. You get your eyes checked, pick out the frames, and get the final product all from the same place, so you might not notice that you didn’t get a copy of your prescription after the exam. That’s against the law, and one federal agency is reminding eye doctors of the costly penalty for failing to provide prescriptions.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Eyeglass Rule requires that patients receive a copy of their new prescription after an exam — even if the patient doesn’t request it. Nor can the eye doctor charge a fee for releasing the prescription.

Eye doctors are also barred from offering exams only to people who buy glasses from them, so if you go to an eyeglass store and just want the eye exam, they can’t turn you away.

Finally, the prescription can’t include any sort of language that the eye exam is only accurate for the glasses sold by the eye doctor’s store.

Violations of the Eyeglass Rule can result in fines of $16,000 per violation, which is why the FTC recently sent warning letters to 38 eyeglass prescribers [sample PDF] with warnings that the Commission had received complaints about patients failing to receive copies of their prescriptions.

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Delta Flight Attendant Charged With Sneaking 1,500 Mini Liquor Bottles To Sell On Craigslist

According to the police in Memphis, TN, when a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines left work, she would sometimes pick up some mini liquor bottles from the plane and bring them home. Taking a few bottles every day really adds up, and ultimately she has been charged with taking 1,500 bottles –– not to drink, but to sell on Craigslist. 

Why Is JCPenney Trying To Be More Like Sears, When So Many Sears Stores Are Closing?

In a previous era, JCPenney and Sears competed against each other for sales in just about everything from apparel to appliances to towels and sheets. Gradually, the rivals’ paths diverged somewhat: JCPenney focused on clothing, while Sears lowered its price point to push its core business of tools and appliances. So why, with Sears in the process of closing so many of its stores, is JCPenney once again going head-to-head with its old nemesis by getting back into the appliance game

The new normal: Late for work every day!

If you are constantly late for work there are things you can do other than think up creative alibis. Such as “the dog ate my alarm clock!” You can:
Go to bed earlier.
Lay out your clothes the night before.
If you were in the military, you could revert to the old days and shave the night before.

Those are all good, nay great, ideas.

But what if you shave at night, sleep in your clothes, get extra shuteye and leave an hour or two earlier, and you are still late for work?

Unlike some members of Congress who sleep, shave, shower and live in their offices, civil servants aren’t allowed to live, rent free with free maid service, where they work. So what to do? It’s a timely question because more people are finding that their commute times are getting longer and longer. How come?

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