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Thursday, September 29, 2016

MSP Press Release Armed Robbery Parsonsburg MD 9-29-16


The 26th Annual Chesapeake Celtic Festival October 1st and 2nd, 2016

26th Annual Chesapeake Celtic Festival!

A great event for the whole family -- Celtic Dancing, Celtic Bands, Bagpipes & Drums, Storytelling, Sheep Herding with Border Collies, Artisans, Historic Ales & Speciality Beers, Whiskey Tasting, and much more!

http://celticfest.net/index.html

Sept. 11 Lawsuits Vote Could Be First Reversal Of An Obama Veto

The Senate will be voting on Wednesday on whether to override one of President Obama's veto for the first time in his presidency.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) would give families of Sept. 11 victims the right to sue Saudi Arabia for aiding or financing the terrorism attacks. The House is likely to take up the same vote by the end of this week.

Families of Sept. 11 victims have demanded a right to seek monetary compensation from Saudi Arabia since the attacks, and versions of this bill have been floating around the Capitol as far back as 2009 — but the legislation never reached the floor until this year.

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Deer Crashes in Delaware

deer-in-roadway
Presented by the Director of Public Information Sergeant Richard D. Bratz
The Delaware State Police would like to remind motorists that the deer rut and hunting season is fast-approaching during the months of October and November; therefore, we would like to help prevent the spike in deer-related crashes that typically occur every fall in Delaware. Our news releases will go out to inform travelers three different times in the next few months starting in September until December. The friendly reminders will hopefully keep our drivers safe, more alert and will also lead them to slow down during this specific time of the year.
In 2015, there were 876 deer crashes investigated in Sussex County; 391 in Kent County and 524 in New Castle County. Majority of deer activity resulting in crashes occurred during the dusk and dawn hour.
Overall, many of these animal or deer-related crashes occurred along the main corridors of SR 1, U.S. Route 13 and U.S. Route 113 during the 6:00 a.m. hour. During the 5:00 p.m. hour a significant number of crashes occurred on secondary roads.
Please be careful when traveling and keep a sharp eye out for deer crossing roadways, especially at dusk. Deer are even more active due to their annual mating season ‘rut’ in November with bucks chasing doe through fields, marshes and woods. The average white-tailed deer in Delaware weighs approximately 130 pounds, with larger bucks tipping the scales at 180 pounds or more. With the increased white-tailed deer activity, Delaware motorists are kindly reminded to stay alert and to be ready for a deer to dart out into the roadway from dusk to dawn.

Presidential debate: Clinton wins polls but loses votes in swing state of North Carolina

On September 26, 2016, The Charlotte Observer gathered 21 mostly undecided North Carolina voters to watch the first presidential debate. After it ended, political reporters Tim Funk and David Lightman led a discussion streamed in real time via Facebook live. Here is what happened. Justine Miller jmiller@mcclatchy.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Kae Roberts and Jay Eardly were leaning toward Hillary Clinton before Monday night’s debate.

By the end, they had both pulled away.

John Kokos and Hank Federal were undecided going in, potential Clinton backers.

By the end, they’d ruled her out.

Indeed, while polls found that Clinton had won the first general-election debate with Donald Trump on Monday, she may not have won actual votes. And she may even have lost some, at least in the battleground state of North Carolina.

In a focus group of 21 voters from around Charlotte conducted by McClatchy and The Charlotte Observer, four who had been up for grabs before the debate had moved away from her by the end.

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Volkswagen

Driver defaces Death Valley landmark with tire tracks

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — Federal investigators have identified a person of interest as they hunt a driver who took an illegal joyride on a fragile, dry lake bed in Death Valley National Park, leaving 10 miles of swerving tire tracks.

The damage was done about six weeks ago. Park spokeswoman Linda Slater said Tuesday that a witness to the off-road drive notified authorities. Park rangers are investigating.

Motor vehicles are banned from the site known as Playa Racetrack, where visitors can see how wind and ice push rocks that leave lengthy trails in the lake bed.

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Black Lives Matter vs All Lives Matter Supporters (Social Experiment)

IRS Says New Private Debt Collection Program to Begin Next Spring

IRS to Contract with Four Agencies, Focus on Keeping Taxpayer Rights Protected
ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced plans to begin private collection of certain overdue federal tax debts next spring and has named four contractors to implement the new program. They are:
• CBE Group, 1309 Technology Parkway, Cedar Falls, IA
• Conserve, 200 CrossKeys Office Park, Fairport, NY
• Performant, 333 N Canyons Parkway, Livermore, CA
• Pioneer, 325 Daniel Zenker Drive, Horseheads, NY
The program, authorized under a federal law enacted by Congress last December, enables the contractors to collect outstanding inactive tax receivables. The agencies must respect taxpayers’ rights, including abiding by the consumer protection provision of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
The IRS will give each taxpayer and their representative written notice that their account is being transferred to a private collection agency. The agency then will send a second, separate letter to the taxpayer and their representative confirming this transfer. Private collection agencies will be able to identify themselves as contractors of the IRS collecting taxes.
Private collection agencies will not request payment on a prepaid debit card. Taxpayers can learn about electronic payment options at https://www.irs.gov/. Payment by check should be made out to the U.S. Treasury and sent directly to the IRS, not the private collection agency.
For more information, visit the IRS’ Private Debt Collection web page.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Peter Hamm, 410-260-7060 (office), 443-414-3083 (cell) Alan Brody, 410-260-6346 (office), 443-924-1473 (cell)

How to fix a round cage

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE & E-CYCLING COLLECTION DAY ON OCTOBER 1

The Recycling Division of Worcester County Public Works, in conjunction with Maryland Environmental Services and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), will conduct Household Hazardous Waste and E-Cycling (electronics recycling) Collection Day on Saturday, October 1, 2016, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Showell Elementary School parking lot.

Gather up those old or unusable cans of pesticides, pool chemicals, gas and other fuels, oil-base paints, thinners and everyday hazardous wastes accumulating in and around the home and bring them to Showell Elementary School for safe disposal. Electronic items, such as computers, monitors, keyboards, printers, radios, televisions and VCR’s, will be collected and later recycled.

Household hazardous waste and electronics don’t degrade readily, and recycling them saves much-needed landfill space. Many of the items also contain poisonous materials that could seep out of the landfill and contaminate surrounding soil and groundwater. Proper disposal of these items is among the many simple tasks we can practice to help protect the environment and ultimately our own health.

This event is open to Worcester County residents only. A representative from Maryland Environmental Services will be on-site checking vehicle registration. Clean Ventures of Baltimore will be responsible for the safe disposal of all hazardous waste collected. The electronics will be shipped to an electronics recycler for dismantling. For more information, contact Worcester County Recycling Coordinator Mike McClung at (410) 632-3177.

Say What!


Why wasn't Bill Clinton Called A Racist?

Why Europe Secretly Roots For Donald Trump

Careful observers of European politics might be forgiven for asking if — behind the exclamation of shock and horror over the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency — they don’t detect the occasional wry smile or hint of giddiness when the conversation turns to the U.S. Republican presidential candidate.

To be sure, hardly a day goes by without some senior European official voicing grave concerns over the possibility that Trump might win the elections. European Parliament President Martin Schulz warned recently that Trump “would be a problem not just for the EU but for the whole world.”

And yet, in some quarters at least, the Trump cloud carries with it at least a sliver of silver lining. No European politician will say so publicly, but to some on the Continent, Trump presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for emancipation from American influence.

To varying degrees, America-bashing has been a mainstay on both the Right and Left of European politics for decades.From GMOs to Guantanamo, from the drone war to the death penalty, European politicians have rarely had difficulty finding reasons to rail against the U.S.
In fact, the evils of U.S. influence is one of the few things that European politicians from nearly every slice of the political spectrum can agree upon. In Germany, for example, one is just as likely to see an “Ami Go Home” (Ami is German slang for American) poster at a rally for the Left party as at a gathering of the far-right Alternative for Germany.

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THERE ARE NO ROAD CLOSURES IN WICOMICO COUNTY AT THIS TIME

I was just informed that the water is receding in Wicomico County and there are no roads closed at this time. You can now travel home without any issues. 

Nanticoke Road is open with no issues.

Ocean City Beach Ball Adds Fun Flair to Downtown Skyscape



Ocean City, Maryland – : Residents and visitors will notice a new view in downtown Ocean City, as the highly anticipated beach ball water tower received its final coat of paint this weekend. The brand new landmark, which has been under construction since June of 2015, will replace two aging water towers and is expected to enhance fire flow, improve water quality and reduce maintenance costs.

The beloved beach ball, which is slated for completion in November, will hold one million gallons of water, allowing the town to remove existing towers on Worcester Street and 15th Street. Located at 1st Street, the project cost approximately $4.9 million dollars and was funded by general obligation bonds. The removal of the aging water towers not only improves the water distribution but will allow for future expansion of the Ocean City Fire Department Headquarters and approximately 30 additional parking spaces on Worcester Street.

With the paint job complete, Ocean City’s public works department will continue to work with Chicago Bridge and Iron (CB&I) subcontractors to finish site work, including fencing, landscaping and the eventual in-service placement of the tank, once sterilization is complete. Ocean City officials are optimistic that the water tower will not only improve the water distribution but will also add a fun and memorable charm to Ocean City’s downtown horizon.

NOI 9 29 16 Wicomico Accidental Outbuilding Stockyard Road Eden


Articles: Dr. Lisa Bardack’s Faustian Bargain

“Oh what tangled webs we weave, when we first practice to deceive.” Sir Walter Scott

When Dr. Lisa Bardack[*] was asked to become Hillary Clinton’s personal physician in 2001, it had to have been a crowning moment in the career of the Mt. Kisco internist. Dr. Bardack could have anticipated little downside. She already had the responsibility -- and legal obligation under HIPAA -- to protect the privacy of her patient. She and her staff would have to be especially scrupulous in the case of a senator with presidential ambitions, but this should not have posed a serious problem.

Unfortunately, Hillary Clinton corrupts everyone who serves her. And this year Bardack encountered difficulties she could not have foreseen in 2001:

1. Clinton developed serious medical issues.

2. The candidate was being videoed, not only during campaign stops, speeches, townhalls, and the rare press conference, but before and after events -- by individuals with cell phones who were under no obligation to obey orders given to servile journalists to turn off their cameras.

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NOI 9 28 16 Wicomico Accidental S/F Dwelling Westchester Street Salisbury


BREAKING NEWS: ARMED ROBBERY IN PARSONSBURG

There's been an armed robbery in Parsonsburg at the Quick Stop on Old Ocean City Road.

Subject last seen running towards the Post Office on foot. An employee tried to push the silent alarm but it didn't activate. They had to call it in. 

Subject was seen running behind the old firehouse.  They are not sure if he got into a vehicle there or remained on foot. 

Suspect could possibly be a male with a beard that was seen leaving the area in a blue car headed west. 

Homeowner's Daughter Faces Murder Charges in Arson That Killed 2 Wilmington Firefighters

A fire that killed two Wilmington firefighters and others burned has been ruled an arson and a woman who lived in the home has been arrested on murder charges, said the Wilmington Fire Department.

Beatriz Fana-Ruiz, the 27-year-old daughter of the homeowner at 1927 Lakeview Road, was arrested without incident Thursday morning, said the fire marshal.

Fana-Ruiz was temporarily living in the home when it caught fire early Saturday, said the fire marshal. The blaze left Wilmington Fire Lt. Christopher Leach, 41, and Wilmington Senior Firefighter Jerry Fickes, 51 dead.

Fana-Ruiz faces two counts of 1st-degree murder for the firefighters' deaths. She also faces four counts of assault for injuries sustained by Lt. John Cawthray, Senior Firefighter Ardythe Hope, Senior Firefighter Terence Tate and Firefighter Brad Speakman.

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ALLEN B WEST: Look what campus liberals are planning at my speech tonight

Note: Col. West has just landed in St. Louis as he is scheduled to speak this evening at Saint Louis University (SLU) sponsored by YAF’s Fred Allen Lecture Series at 7:00 p.m. CST. You can find the live stream of this event here.

In the meantime, we’re delighted to bring you this little tidbit. It’s both hilarious and disturbing at the same time.

Just to bring you up to speed on the story so far… per YAF, An administrator banned members of the campus conservative club from including the words “radical Islam” on advertisements for the event, claiming Lt. Col. West, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, did not have enough “experience” to speak on that topic.

Second, administrators sent out multiple campus-wide emails trashing West for allegedly “offending” the school’s Muslim Students Association. The president of the school even referred to him as “distasteful” and diminished his credentials by calling him a “provocateur.”

The school then attempted to further cave by demanding a liberal professor speak before Col. West in order to “contextualize” his commentary. As he said this morning, I will not consent. I do not recall ever hearing of any liberal speaker on a campus having their remarks “put in context” before they spoke. I just have to ask, do we still live in America? Do we still have free speech, or are we only allowed to speak when the leftist progressives are accepting? If we’re in a country where we are censored from saying two words — “radical Islam” — then the enemy has already won. But I am not surrendering.
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Lester Holt: The Third Debater?

At last night’s debate, Donald Trump faced off not just against Hillary Clinton, but against moderator Lester Holt.

The game of two-on-one saw Holt ask no questions about:
Hillary’s emails
Benghazi
The Clinton Foundation

While ignoring these issues, Holt grilled Trump on stop-and-frisk, the birther story, his comments about women, his many bankruptcies, why he hasn’t released his tax returns — and a host of other issues the media sees as unfriendly to the Republican candidate.

Holt also repeatedly attempted to “fact check” on some of Trump’s positions, such as his claim to have opposed the Iraq War from the beginning. Holt interrupted Trump several times to interject, but rarely succeeded (and may have come across as weak and impotent).

The Twittersphere has taken note:

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Environmental Health Officials Urge Residents to Take Health and Safety Precautions After Flooding

Additional rainfall is expected through tomorrow and Health Department officials are reminding residents to take certain health and safety precautions. Residents should make every effort to limit contact with any potential flood water due to the possibility of contamination associated with raw sewage and other hazardous materials.

WELL AND SEPTIC PROTECTION IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS
If you have an individual well and know or suspect floodwaters have entered your well:

·       Do not turn on the pump. There is a danger of electrical shock and damage to the well;
·       Do not drink or wash with well water. People drinking or washing with water from a private well that has been flooded and not properly disinfected, risk getting sick;
·       Assume the well is contaminated;
·       Check electrical components;
·       Check pump operation and remove debris prior to sustained use of pump;
·       Pump off any muddy or cloudy water until the water is clear, but do not allow the water to be discharged into your septic system;
·       Contact a licensed well driller to perform an emergency disinfection of the water system.
·       Do not use the sewage system until water in the soil absorption field is lower than the water level around the house;
·       Well disinfection will not provide protection from pesticides, heavy metals and other types of non-biological contamination. If such contamination is suspected, special treatment may be required.

PREVENTING FOODBORNE ILLNESSES
Preventing illnesses from food borne contamination is another major concern for health officials following flooding or periods of utility outages. Residents should throw away any food that comes in contact with flood or storm water. Any canned foods that are bulging, opened or damaged must be discarded, as well as any food with an unusual odor, color or texture. Thawed food that contains ice crystals or is ≤ 41°F or below can be refrozen or cooked.  
If power goes out, residents should keep their refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. It is recommended to add block ice or dry ice to your refrigerator if the electricity is expected to be off longer than 4 hours, but individuals should remember to wear heavy gloves if handling ice.
Residents with concerns about well water should contact the Health Department at 410-546-4446.

Fan Drops Ring During Televised Yankee Stadium Engagement

NEW YORK (AP) — In the end, Andrew Fox wasn’t charged with an error.

The 29-year-old had everything he needed to make one of life’s biggest decisions on Tuesday night: the engagement ring, the perfect woman and a beautiful early autumn night at Yankee Stadium, which focused a camera on the couple and broadcast the big moment on the center field video board.

What the New Castle, Pennsylvania, resident didn’t have was steady hands.

When Fox pulled the precious item from his pocket and dropped to one knee before girlfriend Heather Terwilliger to propose during the middle of the fifth inning, the ring fell to the ground in the second row of section 228 in the ballpark’s second deck.

The crowd gasped and then jeered the fumble. Fox and Terwilliger scrambled to find the jewelry, and the search was televised between pitches by the Yankees’ YES Network. The hunt under the chairs went on for nearly five tense minutes as Fox began to cry, fearing the ring was lost. Several other fans joined the search, rooting around on the ground, some using lights on their mobile phones.

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This Is Why They Closed Schools In Wicomico County Today

The image above is Poplar Neck Road. South Division Street is closed between Morris Mill Rd. & Emily Drive. More to come...

How Trump won over a bar full of undecideds and Democrats

YOUNGSTOWN, Pa. — Ken Reed sat down at the main bar of the Tin Lizzy tavern with two things in mind: to dig into the tavern’s oversize cheese steak, and watch the presidential debate.

“I am hungry and undecided, in that order,” he said, digging into the savory dish in a bar that dates back to 1746.

Kady Letoksy, a paralegal by day, a waitress and bartender at night at the Tin Lizzy, sat beside him. At 28, she has never voted before, and she is now thinking it might be a good idea to start.

Letosky entered the evening undecided in a town that is heavily Democratic in registration. Her sister and father are on opposite sides of the political aisle. Donald “Trump had the upper hand this evening,” she said, citing his command of the back-and-forth between him and Hillary Clinton.

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Good Job Salisbury Police!

While most of you were sleeping last night during this storm the SPD was busy closing off flood roads and assisting citizens. One conversation on their radio involved a woman that was in labor and trying to get to the hospital. Using their radios and their knowledge of what roads were and were not flooded they were able to coordinate a safe route so the vehicle could get to the hospital.

Free movie night-It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

Mt. Hermon United Methodist Church would love for you to join us for a free movie night Saturday October 1st at 7pm.
Light refreshments will be served


34929 Columbia Rd, Delmar, DE 19940



Worcester County Public Schools Cancellations for Tonight


Please be advised that due to anticipated road conditions, Worcester County Public Schools has cancelled all afterschool, evening and Adult Education classes and activities for today, September 29, 2016. Thank you.

Hannity Confirms Trump's Anti-War Stance

Fox News host Sean Hannity confirmed Republican nominee Donald Trump’s claims that he always had a negative view on the Iraq war Monday evening.

“I had numerous conversations with Sean Hannity at Fox,” Trump said during the Monday debate. “He and I used to have arguments about the war. I said it’s a terrible, stupid thing. It’s going to destabilize the Middle East, and that’s exactly what it’s done.”

Hannity interviewed Trump after the debate, when he confirmed the pair had private debates on the war. “You know how many times we had conversations about that? You told me I was wrong, in fairness,” Hannity said on Fox News.

“It was respectful and I understood where you were coming from,” Trump replied. “I was against the war, I thought it would destabilize the Middle East. I didn’t realize it would be managed so badly,” he added.

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PAYBACK: Obama Admin Sues Peter Thiel’s Palantir for Bogus ‘Racial Discrimination’

Palantir Technologies co-founder Peter Thiel is evidently paying the price for backing Republican nominee Donald Trump, as the Obama administration has slapped his company with a frivolous lawsuit alleging “racial discrimination” against Asians.

The lawsuit, filed and announced Monday by the Department of Labor, threatens the complete cancellation of every contract Palantir has with the federal government — a penalty worth $340 million, the lawsuit claims, which would end the company.

The claims in the lawsuit are laughable. The Obama administration alleges that Palantir discriminated against Asians. But it has to admit that Palantir, in fact, hired many Asians — 11 out of 25 software engineers, for example. The government does not even bother to claim that Palantir deliberately excluded Asians. Rather, it argues that since only 44% of Palantir’s software engineers are Asian, but 85% of the applicant pool was Asian, Palantir must, statistically, have discriminated against Asians.

In other words: almost all of the software engineers at Palantir have to be Asian, or else it is guilty of “racial discrimination.” Apparently left-wing concern for “diversity” in the workplace is a flexible concept, based on political expediency.

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Roads Are Starting To Close In Wicomico County & Salisbury

Several roads are very close to being closed throughout the county. A portion of South Division Street is now closed. We were told Nanticoke Road is compromised in the same location as the last storm and may be closed soon. Portions of San Domingo are having major issues as well. 

As soon as each road is closed we will update you. I can tell you, (obviously) things are really bad throughout the county. More to come... 

The Nuclear Option: Trump Was Very Good - And Will Be Even Better

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Monday night’s debate here was a tremendous victory for Donald Trump, but his performance left plenty of room for improvement.

Big picture: Polls show support for Hillary Clinton is collapsing, and she desperately needed to stanch the bleeding. She did nothing during the debate to change the trajectory of those increasingly bleak polls.
With states like Pennsylvania and Colorado in play this week, we could be talking about states like Michigan and Wisconsin in play next week. That would put the race away early for Mr. Trump.

Mrs. Clinton’s primary charge against Mr. Trump is that he lacks the “temperament” to be president. In an easy glide Monday night, Mr. Trump demonstrated otherwise.

He was perfectly presidential, even if a bit unpolished at times — just the way so many of his supporters love him. He was poised and even a bit mannerly at times.

Perhaps a bit too mannerly. But we’ll get to that.

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Delmar School District To Close At 12:45 PM


8.1 Million Taxpayers Paid $1.7 Billion in Obamacare Penalties in 2014

New data reveals $200 million more in penalties than previous estimates

Nearly 8.1 million taxpayers paid $1,694,088,000 in Obamacare penalties for not having health insurance in 2014, the first year the penalty was in effect, according to the most recent data from the Internal Revenue Service.

“Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that individuals must have had health care coverage, qualified for a health coverage exemption, or made a shared responsibility payment with a tax return,” the IRS said. “A health care individual responsibility payment was made on 8.1 million returns for $1.7 billion, an average of $210 per tax return paying this penalty.”

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen told lawmakers in 2015 that preliminary data from the IRS found that approximately 7.5 million taxpayers paid a total of $1.5 billion in penalties. This means about 560,000 more taxpayers paid about $200 million more in penalties than was previously reported.

In 2014, individuals were required to pay either a flat penalty of $95 for each uninsured adult or one percent of their household’s adjusted gross income in excess of the threshold for mandatory tax filing, whichever is greater. In 2016, those penalties rose to a flat fee of $695 or 2.5 percent of the AGI measure.

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Maryland ranks 23rd for women and children's health

Maryland ranks among the top 10 states for children's health measures, but drops when looking at women and infants, according to the United Health Foundation's 2016 America's Health Rankings Health of Women and Children Report.

The report looks at health and wellness for each state and Washington, D.C., by evaluating more than 60 measures selected by a group of women's and children's health experts.

Maryland ranked in the middle to upper-middle range for multiple health indicator categories: 18th for general population health, 14th for senior citizen health and 23rd for women and children's health — including a No. 7 ranking for children's health, No. 21 for women and No. 41 for infants. But the state also fell in the bottom 10 for lifetime partner violence and unintended pregnancy, and ranked 40th in neonatal mortality.

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2003 clip backs up Trump on Iraq War opposition

After all the clamor for moderators to fact-check the candidates during Monday night's presidential debate, Donald Trump flipped the script on Lester Holt by rejecting his assertion Trump backed the war in Iraq - and history backs The Donald.

Holt began one question by stating that Republican nominee Trump “had supported the war in Iraq before the invasion,” a frequent claim from critics that Trump has adamantly disputed during the primary and general election seasons. Holt on Monday, and many in the media before him, pointed to a September 2002 interview Trump gave to Howard Stern in which he said “Yeah, I guess so” in response to a question about whether President Bush should go to war.

When Trump pushed back on Holt, saying “I was against the war in Iraq,” Holt countered: “The record does not show that.”

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North Park near Beaglin is closed to any through traffic

N. Park Road (off Beaglin Park Drive) being evaluated after storm damage/avoid this area


Evacuation Continues At Canal Park Drive

FBI Director Explains Why Clinton Aide Received Immunity

The Justice Department granted immunity to Hillary Clinton lawyer Cheryl Mills in order to gain access to a laptop computer that would have otherwise been tied up in litigation for years, FBI Director James Comey testified Tuesday.

“Having done this for many, many years, a grand jury subpoena for a lawyer’s laptop would likely entangled us in litigation over privilege for a very long time,” Comey told Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse during a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing.

“And so by June of this year I wanted that laptop, our investigators wanted that laptop, and the best way to get it was through negotiation.”

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Important Update for Thursday, Sept. 29: Wicomico Schools Will Dismiss 2 Hours Early Today

Wicomico County Public Schools
 

This is an important school status update for Thursday, September 29. Due to current weather and road conditions and anticipated heavy rainfall later this afternoon, we will be dismissing students two hours early to get everyone home safely. Students will be served lunch before dismissal. There is no afternoon Prekindergarten. All after-school and evening activities are canceled for today. Student safety is our highest priority.

Please note that we have made the decision to close Wicomico Middle School on Friday, September 30th due to water issues from the overnight storm and the possibility of additional heavy rain later today. School and school system staff will work on preparing classrooms for the return of Wicomico Middle students on Monday.

If needed, further countywide updates will be provided as we monitor weather conditions and their impact on schools and the community. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please be safe.

New Information Released In Keith Lamont Scott Shooting

New information has emerged in the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott that, if accurate, undercuts the prevailing narrative about the Charlotte man who was shot and killed by police.

The gun that police say the 43-year-old Scott had on him at the time of last Tuesday’s shooting was reportedly stolen in a residential burglary, news station WBTV reports.

As a felon, Scott, who was black, was legally prohibited from owning a firearm, much less a stolen one. Police also said that they observed Scott smoking marijuana in his vehicle and then wielding a gun outside of his apartment complex before he was approached by officers.

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Clinton confidant's immunity deal looms over debate: Jonathan Turley

FBI appears to have undermined its own investigation with ill-considered witness agreements.

When FBI Director James B. Comey announced that there would be no criminal charges in the Clinton email scandal, there was an outcry by many who saw glaring contradictions, attempts to destroy evidence, and knowing failures to protect classified or sensitive information. At the time, I acknowledged that Comey’s decision was understandable and, while criminal charges might have been possible, this was not out of bounds of prosecutorial discretion. However, the news this week of a previously undisclosedimmunity deal with a top Clinton aide raises serious questions over the handling of the FBI investigation.

The latest recipient of an immunity deal from the Justice Department is one of Clinton’s closest aides and a figure at the heart of the email scandal, Cheryl Mills. She joins two other central figures in benefiting from such deals: former State Department staffer, Bryan Pagliano and tech specialist Paul Combetta. In addition to at least two other immunized witnesses according to the Associated Press, they represent the big three of officials involved in the underlying allegations of Clinton’s potential criminal conduct. Their collective immunization is baffling.

For the Obama Administration, the criminal investigation into the Democratic presidential nominee and its prior secretary of State came with a heightened level of public scrutiny and skepticism. Many doubted that the administration would seriously pursue the Clintons, a family of political royalty in both Democratic and establishment circles. The easiest way for prosecutors to scuttle a criminal case is to immunize those people who are at the greatest risk of criminal indictment. Often prosecutors will avoid immunity deals in favor of offering plea bargains to key players, tying their cooperation against others to reduced sentences. Although a witness can lose an immunity deal by withholding evidence or lying, a witness can undermine cases against superiors by tailoring their accounts or memories to avoid statements showing intent or knowledge.

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The FBI’s Hillary email probe is looking even more like a coverup

It’s bad enough that FBI Director James Comey agreed to pass out immunity deals like candy to material witnesses and potential targets of his investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s illegal private e-mail server.

But now we learn that some of them were immunized despite lying to Comey’s investigators.

In the latest bombshell from Congress’ probe into what’s looking more and more like an FBI whitewash (or coverup) of criminal behavior by the Democratic nominee and her aides, the Denver-based tech who destroyed subpoenaed e-mails from Clinton’s server allegedly lied to FBI agents after he got an immunity deal.

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Berlin Walmart Evacuated

Unknown cause. Berlin EMS standing by.

Donald Trump Zones in on Populist Contrast with Hillary Clinton Post-Debate: ‘Follow the Money’

NEW YORK CITY, New York — In a series of three campaign events post debate, Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump rolled out a new campaign theme highlighting his populist nationalism and contrasting that with Hillary Clinton’s elitist globalism.

Angel Mom Michelle Root, whose daughter Sarah Root was killed by an illegal alien, joined Trump on stage in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to help paint the picture of what the world be like if Hillary Clinton were elected president.

“I just wanted to say thank you everybody for turning out for Mr. Trump,” she said. “Hillary called me deplorable and irredeemable. She is not a friend to women, I just want to tell you that right now. The Obama-Clinton policies released the man that killed my daughter after he showed up at the borders. Then after he killed my daughter, they released him again. Now where is he? Nobody knows. Donald Trump is the only person that cared about us when no one else could and would. If Hillary wins, how many more girls are going to die? How many more women will die at the hands of their policies? Thank you, thank you Mr. Trump.”

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Davis criticizes Freddie Gray officers' appearance at gala

BALTIMORE —Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis criticized Wednesday a decision by three officers who had been charged in the Freddie Gray case to make an appearance at a gala last week.

Lt. Brian Rice, and Officers Edward Nero and Garrett Miller, were honored by the conservative media group Media Research Center. Davis said he doesn't condone their appearance.

"I look at this as an opportunity to take a look at our policy to make sure it is stringent enough that will preclude police officers from engaging in that type of off-duty activity," Davis said. "I was certainly disappointed by their appearance there, and any time a person in public safety appears for or with a group that society looks at as a fringe group, and the group is divisive and doesn't speak to the values of Baltimore, I think that's a problem."

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IRS Report Reveals How Obamacare "Spread [$11 Billion] Of Wealth Around"

If folks don't like their healthcare then they can give us all their money so we can give it to other folks.

New IRS disclosures from the 2014 tax year reveal the specifics of how the so-called "Affordable Care Act" helped to facilitate Obama's desire to, as he famously told "Joe the Plumber", "spread the wealth around." To be precise, in 2014, Obamacare spread $11.2BN of wealth around, in the form of healthcare premium tax credits, with nearly 80% going to taxpayers reporting less that $35,000 of adjusted gross income. Moreover, the average tax filer received $3,600 of healthcare premium support with those in the lowest tax bracket receiving over $5,500 per person.

Equally disturbing is the fact that 8.1mm tax filers, those who elected to forgo health insurance, were hit with $1.7BN in Obamacare penalties...call it the "young and healthy tax". Ironically, 40% of the penalties fell upon people making less than $35,000 per year...the very same people that Obama apparently intended to "help".

Here's how the subsidies and penalties broke down by tax bracket (the original IRS table can be found here):

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Endorsements


A Comment Worthy Of A Post 9-29-16 NOT TRUE (See Comments)

Anonymous said...

What's funny about this whole situation is that the Pittsville, Parsonsburg, Delmar, Hebron and Fruitland Fire Departments ran most of the calls for the Salisbury Fire Department all night long. Then the left and had to come back into Salisbury.

Now if someone would be kind enough to let our County Executive know how the Volunteer Fire Companies in the County had to bail out(no pun intended) the City of Salisbury out again. The County handled hundreds of calls for the City last night. Now tell me again how much Wicomico County owes Salisbury with this fire service agreement? How about the City of Salisbury pony up the money for all these calls that were handled by the Wicomico County Fire Companies.

Newt Gingrich: Trump won the debate. Don't believe the Intellectual Yet Idiot class

After all my years in public life I am sickened by the intellectual dishonesty, arrogance, and smugness of what Nassim Taleb calls the Intellectual Yet Idiots.

The IYI's showed up immediately after the debate.

They stacked the deck against Trump with Lester Holt's one-sided questions and interventions.

The Holt-Clinton team was glib, articulate, and self-congratulatory. However, they lost.

Trump wins strategically because in a blunt, clear style, he is saying things most Americans believe. Trump's opponents, including Holt and Clinton, felt good after the debate because their side was glib, articulate, and said things they and their friends believe to be true.

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Peer power provides hope to ‘hidden hero’ caregivers

“I never knew anyone else felt this way. There are so many who don’t understand. Some even judge. I thought I was all alone — I was about to give up — until you shared. Now I have hope.” The frustration and fervent thank you expressed in these words from a caregiver spouse to a caregiver supporter captures the essence of the connection those providing care for our veterans seek — the consoling compassion and trustworthy truthfulness of peers who are also walking their journey. Their challenge has been to find these peers. That challenge is being further addressed this week with the launch of what we are calling the Peer Mentor Program to strengthen the secure, caregiver-only, Online Community of the Military and Veteran Caregiver Network (MVCN).

An informal, self-help underground has existed among many of the caregivers of our nation’s wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans. They are problem-solvers who are champions at applying every ounce of their ingenuity and tenacity to support those they love, keep their families intact and do what’s right and best. But spread out across the country and frequently alone in their community, the veteran family has found it hard to locate and truly connect with others living a similar experience.

Now these caregivers can find, and be found, by their peers through a site that offers best-practice peer support training and matching, as well as access to a master calendar and resource library that lists thousands of activities and resources available across the country. Regardless of their veteran’s era of service, their relationship to their veteran or their location, they can now come together in safety to share their most private of fears and be matched with a peer who has walked in their shoes..

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FACTS

What I'm about to tell you is only the facts - historical facts, not rumors, not hearsay just plan undeniable facts.

(This is just a small percentage of a much longer list )

Of the two candidates running for president...

Only Hillary Clinton was caught lying to congress.

Only Hillary Clinton was fired from a job for being unethical.

Only Hillary Clinton deleted 30 some thousand emails after she was ordered to hand them over to the Fed.

Only Hillary Clinton had that same computer wiped clean by professionals.

Only Hillary Clinton got the rapist of a teenage girl off on rape charges then laughed about it.

Only Hillary Clinton lied to the American people about Benghazi.

Only Hillary Clinton lied to the American people about her emails.

Only Hillary Clinton lied about being under sniper fire.

Only Hillary Clinton lied about lying to the American people.

Only Hillary Clinton was involved in " Cash Cow "

Only Hillary Clinton has a long list of scandals.

Only Hillary Clinton nationally belittled her husband's sexual harassment ( and rape ) accusers.

Only Hillary Clinton is a career politician.

Only Hillary Clinton will not release her speeches to Goldman Sachs and other banks.

Only Hillary Clinton is tied to Monsanto.

Only Hillary Clinton was labeled " Extremely careless " about national security by the FBI !

Only Hillary Clinton said she will raise taxes on the middle class.

Only Hillary Clinton benefited from the DNC rigging an election !

Only Hillary Clinton had to return stolen items from the White House.

Only Hillary Clinton said the Benghazi victims parents where lying.

Only Hillary Clinton wants you to vote for her based on her gender.

Only Hillary Clinton has no real accomplishments after a lifetime in politics.

Only Hillary Clinton has never created any jobs.

A French Soldier's View of US Soldiers in Afghanistan

Recently, we stumbled upon a French newspaper that had an op-ed from a French soldier that had served with US soldiers and marines in Afghanistan. His appraisal of U.S. servicemembers is gushing with praise; so much so that many commentators claim that this is simply a propaganda piece by U.S. interests. The debate continues! We invite the reader to decide for yourself.

What follows is an account from a French ISAF soldier that was stationed with American Warfighters in Afghanistan sometime in the past 8 years. This was copied and translated from an editorial French newspaper and was originally posted last year at the American Veteran site Warrior Lodge. Due to its popularity, dozens of other military-themed websites started re-publishing it, some giving proper attribution to Warrior Lodge and others stealing it outright.

Incorrect grammar from the translation remains intact to preserve authenticity.

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Berlin Mayor Candidates Differ Mostly On Growth Issues

BERLIN — Standing in the way of a third term for Berlin Mayor Gee Williams is Councilmember Lisa Hall, who has given up her elected position to challenge him in the Oct. 4 town election.

Williams was appointed mayor in 2008 after then-Mayor Tom Cardinale died. He was elected to the mayor’s seat later that year and has twice been re-elected to four-year terms in 2012 and 2016. Hall was elected to represent District 2 in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012.

Staff Writer Charlene Sharpe presented a few questions to each of the candidates this week and here are their responses.

Q. As mayor, how do you see your role in guiding the town’s future, specifically in regard to development and the possibilities of future annexation? Do you support annexation to grow the town’s population?


Councilwoman Lisa Hall
Hall: The only development, I can support, in the immediate future, would be homes priced in the $150,000-$200,000 price range. We desperately need housing in Berlin for the young families that want to raise their families in their hometown. Properties, in Berlin, are selling for approximately 35% more than other homes in Worcester County. We need to address the needs of the community in providing housing for our seniors and young families, so they can continue to live in Berlin.
 

Berlin Mayor Gee Williams
Williams: I firmly believe the town should continue to grow incrementally during the remaining decades of this century. Not grow willy-nilly, or allow anything to be built anywhere, or embrace every proposed annexation. But by using the proven principals of Smart Growth America we should grow and annex strategically and thoughtfully to make it possible to provide affordable housing for the majority of working families that are the foundation of Berlin. And to support growth, targeted annexation should also be considered to create opportunities that support thriving businesses and create good, stable jobs. I see my role as keeping a community conversation ongoing that seeks to balance economic opportunity and environmental responsibility. Growth and its impact on the quality of life are not an all or nothing situation as a few people try to portray these decisions.

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Clintons’ Payments To Email Technician Match Up With Tax Deductions

Tax deductions that Bill and Hillary Clinton took for computer maintenance expenses match up closely with payments they made to Bryan Pagliano, Hillary Clinton’s personal email technician, a Daily Caller investigation reveals.

The payments to Pagliano were revealed in notes released on Friday from his Dec. 22 interview with the bureau. Investigators cited documents showing that the Clintons made a $5,000 transfer to Pagliano in 2009, and another in June 2011 for $8,350.83.

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Diamond and Silks Take After The 1st Presidential Debate. Round 1

Papers Backing Clinton Hit With Flood of Cancellations

Newspapers that have broken with tradition to endorse Democrat Hillary Clinton are paying a price – in subscriptions, the New York Times reported.

The Arizona Republic, The Dallas Morning News, The Cincinnati Enquirer, and The Houston Chronicle have all eschewed traditional support they would have been expected to extend to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to instead endorse Clinton.

"We're feeling the weight of our history," Phil Boas, the editorial page editor of The Arizona Republic, told The Times, which reported a flood of subscription cancellations followed the paper's decision.

Mike Wilson, editor of The Morning News, told Poynter the newspaper "paid a price for our presidential recommendation."

Boas noted he expected "a lot of cancellations" – and noted the Enquirer, also owned by Gannett, also felt the heat from subscribers.

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EXCLUSIVE -- Behind The Scenes Footage Of Donald Trump Touring New Washington, D.C., Hotel

Donald Trump won the first presidential debate, CNBC, Time magazine online polls say

Two major news organizations were quick to say their online polls conducted after the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are not scientific. But both surveys found that Donald Trump was perceived as the winner by respondents.

“The presidential debate is over and both candidates have made their case to the American voter. We heard their positions on homeland security, the economy and the future direction of the country. Now it’s your turn to tell us who the big winner was,” CNBC asked in their poll.

A current total of 960,300 people voted. The results: 67 percent said Mr. Trump won the bout, 33 percent voted forMrs. Clinton.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off at their first presidential debate Monday. Who do you think won?” asked Time in their version.

Over 1.6 million people responded. The results: 55 percent sided with Mr. Trump, 45 percent with Mrs. Clinton.

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Rudy Giuliani: Hillary Clinton 'Too Stupid' To Be President

Former New York Mayor and Donald Trump supporter Rudy Giuliani told Politico Monday night that Hillary Clinton is too stupid to be president because she decided to stay with her husband Bill Clinton despite his infidelities.

Trump alluded to the Clinton White House scandal involving Lewinsky at the Monday night debate against Hillary Clinton but decided to hold back on the issue instead. Giuliani, however, told Politico he would have attacked Clinton over the controversy.

“I sure would’ve talked about what she did to Monica Lewinsky, what that woman standing there did to Monica Lewinsky, trying to paint her as an insane young woman when in fact Monica Lewinsky was an intern,” Giuliani said. “The president of the United States, her husband, disgraced this country with what he did in the Oval Office and she didn’t just stand by him, she attacked Monica Lewinsky. And after being married to Bill Clinton for 20 years, if you didn’t know the moment Monica Lewinsky said that Bill Clinton violated her that she was telling the truth, then you’re too stupid to be president.”

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Rawlings-Blake Says Mosby Mis-Characterized Conversations On Gray Case

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on Wednesday accused State's Attorney of mis-characterizing their conversations following the death of Freddie Gray.

Mosby was the subject of a lengthy piece Wednesday in The New York Times Magazine that went into her background and included reflections by the state's attorney on the Gray case. Gray was the 25-year-old black man who died of injuries suffered in the back of a Baltimore police van. Six officers were charged--three were acquitted in bench trials, while charges against the remaining three were dropped in July.

Mosby, in the magazine interview, accused Rawlings-Blake and former police Commissioner Anthony Batts of releasing misinformation to the public.

“First Batts said there were three stops, and we knew at that point there were four or five,” she said. “So I sat down with them and said: ‘You know, we’ve got to stop putting misinformation out into the media and giving that to the public. It’s going to be to our detriment.’ They didn’t listen.”

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"The Donald Nailed It" Stockman Screams "We Are In A Big Fat Ugly Bubble"

Most of the 90 minutes last night was a waste - with both candidates lobbing well-worn clichés, slogans and sound bites at the audience and each other.

But there was one brief moment that made it all worthwhile. That was when Donald Trump peeled the bark off the Fed’s phony recovery narrative and warned that the stupendous stock market bubble it has created will come crashing down the minute it stops pegging rates to the zero bound.

“……Typical politician. All talk, no action. Sounds good, doesn’t work. Never going to happen. Our country is suffering because people like Secretary Clinton have made such bad decisions in terms of our jobs and in terms of what’s going on.

Now, look, we have the worst revival of an economy since the Great Depression. And believe me: We’re in a bubble right now. And the only thing that looks good is the stock market, but if you raise interest rates even a little bit, that’s going to come crashing down.

We are in a big, fat, ugly bubble. And we better be awfully careful. And we have a Fed that’s doing political things. This Janet Yellen of the Fed. The Fed is doing political — by keeping the interest rates at this level. And believe me: The day Obama goes off, and he leaves, and goes out to the golf course for the rest of his life to play golf, when they raise interest rates, you’re going to see some very bad things happen, because the Fed is not doing their job. The Fed is being more political than Secretary Clinton.

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