House Takes Up NLRB Complaint Against Boeing

A congressional panel is holding a hearing in South Carolina on a National Labor Relations Board complaint against aircraft manufacturer Boeing over a non-union jet assembly line built in the state.

The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government convenes Friday in North Charleston with four GOP committee members.

Gov. Nikki Haley and the NLRB's chief attorney will testify. A judge in Seattle is hearing the complaint, but the committee is investigating what was behind it.

The NLRB says Boeing built an assembly line for its new 787 aircraft in South Carolina to avoid unionized workers in Washington state. Boeing has challenged the complaint, saying no union workers lost jobs. South Carolina is a right-to-work state, meaning workers don't have to join a union to work at a job site.

from FOXNews

Parris Island Receives First Woman General

For the first time in its 96-year history, a female general will lead the famed Marine Corps training installation at South Carolina's Parris Island.

The Marine Corps says Brig. Gen. Loretta Reynolds will take charge of the depot Friday. The one-star Naval Academy graduate is taking command from Brig. Gen. Frederick Padilla, who will lead the 3rd Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan.

Reynolds has been a Marine for 24 years. She's also going to be in charge of Marines' Eastern Recruiting Region, which covers the 23 states east of the Mississippi River. She has been a communications officer and commanded Marines from platoon to battalion levels.

The installation graduates more than 20,000 Marines every year.

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Mitt Romney Jeered

Mitt Romney feels your pain. 

The former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate shared a laugh Thursday with a group of jobless Floridians as he told them, "I'm also unemployed." 

Technically, that's true. Running full-time for president of the United States is, alas, not a job. 

But coming from a successful businessman and multimillionaire who surely has substantial investment income, the remark quickly became fodder for Democrats -- particularly amid a partisan fight over who's more serious about the economy. 

"Out of touch much ... ," declared an email from the Democratic National Committee. 

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Allen in Lead With Liberal Trackers

Former Sen. George Allen may be in the lead in the polls and money, but he’s WAY ahead in a special category – Trackers.  It seems that Allen has his own entourage of trackers from lefty groups just hoping for another “macacca” moment.

Bearing Drift’s J. R. Hoeft provides great analysis of George’s new found pals.  We’re pretty confident that they won’t get one this year, but I guess there’s no harm in them hoping.  As least if they’re following George around the Commonwealth with their little cameras they aren’t doing damage elsewhere.

New Castle Area Man Charged With PCP Possession

A 28-year-old New Castle area man faces drug charges after he was allegedly found with PCP while parked outside a New Castle business, police said today.

Tony Clark, of the 100 block of Parma Ave., was charged with possession of PCP and tampering with evidence and was committed to the Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $2,500 secured bond.

An officer spotted a suspicious vehicle at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of the Lukoil gas station at Del. 273 and Del. 141, said New Castle City police spokesman Lt. Adam Brams.

The gas station was closed at the time.

As the officer approached the vehicle, he saw a passenger, later identified as Clark, shove something down his pants.

The officer tried to stop him, and Clark poured the substance on his lap, Brams said.

A subsequent search of Clark yielded a small glass jar containing PCP, he said.

From the Wilmington News-Journal

Obama Mocked for Blaming Slow Recovery on ATM’s

Merciless mocking from Republicans hasn't put President Obama off his focus on the economy, as the White House insisted Thursday that the president is taking "enormously seriously" the hardships Americans are enduring.  

"It's patently obvious that the president is focused on the economy, that he takes enormously seriously the hardship that Americans continue to endure," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. 

Earlier in the week, at a jobs council meeting, the president was called out for saying that "shovel-ready projects' weren't quite as shovel-ready as he thought. Then later, in an interview with NBC News, Obama suggested that innovation and technology -- like job-stealing ATMs -- were reasons why the employment rate was not rebounding as quickly as he had hoped. 

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I Just Don't Get It

Yesterday, GA Harrison made the trip to Kent Island to cover an event we thought would be one of the most controversial meetings/stories so far this year.

Because we know how much the Daily Times, WBOC & WMDT are O'Malley supporters, we felt it was very important to share what we knew none of these other news sources would cover. That is, until the vote passes, then they'll cleverly come back acting like so many are upset after the fact. You know, when it's too late.

In the past 24 hours we have provided three different posts about this matter and I just can't believe what I'm seeing. The lack of comments brought me to go to Site Meter on a regular basis to see if perhaps our hits were down. Nope, that's not the case.

The debate on this matter is minimal. $2.50 each way to $8.00 each way. Are you people SLOW? Do you just not get the FACT that the state promised to remove all tolls once the Bridge was paid for 20 some odd years ago and instead raised it from $1.25 to $2.50!

Did you NOT get the fact that one of the representatives called it THEIR Bridge. It belongs to the taxpayers, not the state. We have one of the larger chicken producers going bankrupt. I have a family member working in Ocean City on weekend, (not even full time yet and summer is here) and they're telling me how slow it is out there.

If people can't realize that you can now buy a condo in Ocean City for $75,000.00 because so many foreclosures are happening and the market isn't worth a damn, charging $8.00 to cross a Bridge is NOT going to help matters.

Sure, you get the every so often redneck commenting, good, keep those people off the shore. Well, when your taxes are similar to Potomac, perhaps then you'll start complaining why your elected officials screwed things up so bad there's no way to turn it around.

The Eastern Shore needs growth to survive, like it or not. If you sit back and support all the luxuries and services Rick Pollit is so passionate about, you better get traffic in from outside of Wicomico and Worcester County or your rates WILL go through the roof.

We have ONE, I'll repeat, ONE resource that draws the second largest tax base in the state and that's the beach. If it turns into a ghost town, (and it could, like Las Vegas) and you do not get involved in this $8.00 toll fee at the Bay Bridge, you'll be screwed.

Let me throw some facts at you real quick. At $2.50 round trip, did you know the state made a net profit of more than $10,000,000.00 last year. I'll repeat, a NET Profit of ten million dollars. That means, (should they get the same traffic) they'll net somewhere around $40,000,000.00 next year!!!!!!

Maybe I'm wasting my time on this issue. The idea, (or so we thought) was to provide you with news, information and opinions you'll not get elsewhere. However, in order to make it successful, your opinion is vital. Have you all become so passive you have no opinion on this increase? Have you simply given up in disbelief? Does it not anger you that the local MSM could give a rats butt about issues like this. So much so they refused to attend?

Let's see what happens with this post and comments.

Greenwood Man Arrested After Drug Sting Operation

A 21-year-old Greenwood man was arrested Wednesday following a sting operation in which Harrington police posed as drug dealers, police said today.

Russell R. Thomas was charged with possession with intent to deliver a narcotic Schedule I controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle for keeping a controlled substance, possession of a Narcotic Schedule II controlled substance, marijuana possession and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, said agency spokesman Sgt. Earl Brode.

Officers posing as drug dealers contacted Thomas to set up a meeting, and he agreed to meet the would-be dealers on Benjamin Street near Smith Avenue.

When Thomas arrived, he was arrested.

During a search of his car, officers found 3.5 grams of heroin, 2.1 grams of cocaine, 2.7 grams of marijuana and assorted drug paraphernalia, Brode said.

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Frederick Commissioners – Outsource Core Services

A report delivered Wednesday night to theFrederick County Commissioners states that the county could save up to $109 million during a five-year contract period by outsourcing core services that it indicates are now provided by more than 500 government employees.

The core areas include management services, public works, interagency information technology, community development services, human resources, financial administration, parks and recreation, court and internal audit, according to a 27-page report by a Georgia-based company that has helped other local governments develop public-private partnerships.

More than $67 million went to those core services inFrederick County's fiscal 2011 budget, according to the report by PPP Associates LLC.

"Based upon the magnitude of the savings projected above, and the concurrent improvement in responsiveness to the citizens' needs that has been evidenced in other PPP governments, PPP Associates recommends that Frederick County begin the process of converting the array of 'core' services outlined herein at as early a date as possible," the report stated.

The county commissioners received the report at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, but it won't be available to the public until later today, when a consultant presents it to the commissioners. Commissioner David Gray gave a copy of the document to The Frederick News-Post on Wednesday night.

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STATE OF MARYLAND ASSISTS WORKERS AND BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY ALLEN FAMILY FOODS BANKRUPTCY

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 16, 2011) - Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that the Administration will be working to assist employees and businesses impacted by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of Allen Family Foods. 

“The poultry industry is critically important to Maryland, providing thousands of jobs and supporting many small businesses,” said Governor Martin O’Malley.  “Our Administration is working to pull together all available resources to help protect the growers and employees impacted by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Allen Family Food.  Poultry is Maryland’s top agricultural industry and critical to the economy, especially in communities on the Eastern Shore. We continue to fight for these jobs, preserve farmland and strengthen our family-owned farms and businesses.” 

The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), Talbot County Economic Development, Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board, and Upper Shore DLLR (Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) offices are prepared to offer a rapid response for displaced workers, and assistance with job training, information on job retention/creation incentives and marketing any Maryland industrial properties. The State is also working with the other poultry companies in Maryland to determine if they can hire additional employees and growers. 

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is looking into USDA programs that could benefit these producers as well – including the Poultry Loss Contract Grant Assistance Program (PGAP), which has provided up to $60 million in as­sistance to poultry growers whose contracts were terminated because of the bank­ruptcy of a poultry company. MDA is also in contact with Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit to determine available resources.

The poultry industry is Maryland’s leading agricultural sector, accounting for $640 million (40 percent) of farm income in 2009.  Maryland broiler production ranked eighth among states in broilers produced in 2010.  Most of the grain grown on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is used for chicken feed. According to the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., poultry companies operating on the Delmarva Peninsula employ 14,700 people.  There are over 1,660 family farms that raise chickens in association with the five poultry integrators operating on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Allen Family Foods, based in Seaford, Delaware, was founded in 1919.  An auction is scheduled at the end of this month to sell the company’s assets and the new ownership will determine the fate of the Cordova, MD plant.  According to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, Allen Family Foods employs 500 people in Maryland and the Cordova facility is the largest private employer in Talbot County.

High School Students Win “Free Speech” Case

This past Monday the federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled, En banc, that public schools cannot punish students for online speech made off-campus.

In two separate cases two students created online social profiles of their respective principals at the website Myspace.com. The profiles contained vulgar language and lewd suggestions.

In 2005, Justin Layshock, created a MySpace profile his principal’s name and completed a survey saying he was too drunk to remember his birthday, smokes “big blunts” and under “Interests” listed “Transgender, Appreciators of Alcoholic Beverages.”

The other student, named “J.S.” created a MySpace profile of her principal in 2007. J.S. said the principal’s interests are “detention, being a tight ass, spending time with my child (who looks like a gorilla).” And in the “about me” section said, “For those who want to be my friend, and aren’t in my school[,] I love children, sex (any kind), dogs, long walks on the beach, tv, being a dick head, and last but not least my darling wife who looks like a man (who satisfies my needs ) MY FRAINTRAIN….”

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It’s a sad commentary on our society that one of our most precious rights is litigated so that two brats can ridicule their teachers with impunity. – Ed.

CHAIR YVETTE LEWIS RESPONDS TO VOTER SUPPRESSION INDICTMENTS

ANNAPOLIS (June 16, 2011) –  Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis issued the following statement today after the indictment of Julius Henson and Paul Schurick. Each face three counts of conspiracy to violate Maryland election laws, one count of attempting to influence a voter's decision and one count of failing to provide an authority line on campaign material. Shurick also faces one count of obstruction of juctice. The charges stem from automated "robocalls" made to Maryland voters by the Ehrlich Campaign on Election Day intended to suppress voter turnout.

"Voter intimidation, voter suppression, and voter deception are cancers that threaten our Democracy, and they cannot be tolerated in our society. I was a target of this reprehensible call and remain outraged by any action intended to disenfranchise voters and subvert our democratic process."

"The Ehrlich campaigns have a long history of using dirty campaign tactics, including this automated call, false and misleading campaign materials, and the disgraceful episode in 2006 when homeless African-Americans were bused in from Philadelphia to confuse Maryland voters and suppress turnout.”

"The right to vote is at the heart of our American democracy and these types of dirty tricks and deceitful campaign tactics have no place in America. We must fight to ensure that every vote is counted, every voter is respected, and every person has the confidence that their vote will matter."

With New Job Numbers Out Tomorrow, O’Malley’s Policies Have MD Floundering

No matter what the new job figures are, Maryland’s job growth is among the worst in the Nation

Maryland ranks 49^th in private sector job creation over the past year

Maryland businesses have only created 500 private sector jobs between April 2010 and April 2011.  As of April 2010 Maryland’s private sector employed 2,010,300 individuals, a year later that number has only increased to 2,010,500.  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/24/11)

Maryland’s lackluster private sector growth of 500 jobs ranks 49^th among all states, last among our neighbors , excluding Washington DC.  Private sector job growth in neighboring states over the past year: Pennsylvania (94,700); Virginia (25,600); West Virginia (9,800); Delaware (2,900). (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/24/11)

Even Delaware created nearly six times more private sector jobs than Maryland.  Since April 2010,Delaware has created 2,900 private sector jobs compared to Maryland, despite having nearly five million less people.   (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/24/11)

Maryland  ranked 44^th total job creation

Maryland ranked 44^th  in the nation for percent change in job growth from March 2010 through March 2011; last among neighboring states. Pennsylvania (1.37%), Delaware (1.37%), Virginia, (1.02%), Washington D.C. (0.76%), West Virginia (0.71%), Maryland (0.22%).  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,www.bls.gov, Accessed 4/25/11)?Maryland ranked 38^th  in the nation for annual employment gains through the end of the first quarter.  (G. Scott Thomas, “Maryland adds 5,400 jobs in the past year,” Baltimore Business Journal,  4/25/11)

Maryland  ranked 38^th in the nation for jobs created from March 2010 through March 2011, second to last among neighboring states.  Jobs created: Pennsylvania (76,500), Virginia (37,000), Delaware (5,600), Washington D.C. (5,400), Maryland (5,400), West Virginia (5,300). (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 4/25/11)

With more job losses coming…

Lockheed Martin to lay off 95 in Greenbelt. (“Lockheed Martin to lay off 95 in Greenbelt,” The Baltimore Sun, 6/15/11)

General Dynamics to close Aberdeen, Md. Office. The defense contractor says it will lay off 52 people. ("General Dynamics to close Aberdeen, Md. Office," Business Week, 6/14/11)

The parent company of Superfresh grocery stores warned the state on Monday it could cut nearly 1,500 jobs in Maryland if it closes 22 stores instead of selling them.  (Ryan Sharrow, “Superfresh could cut nearly 1,500 Maryland Jobs, Baltimore Business Journal, 5/16/11)

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. expects to lay off about 200 employees at the end of the month, most of them in the Baltimore area. (Jamie Smith Hopkins, “Northrop Grumman to lay off 200, mostly in Baltimore area,”  Baltimore Sun, 5/13/11)

Acme Markets announced Thursday that it is laying off about 900 of the 14,000 employees at its 117 stores in and around Philadelphia, South Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.  (Maria Panaritis, “Acme to lay off about 900 part-time workers,”  Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/28/11)

Making matters worse Maryland’s manufacturing earned a D in a recent report

Maryland gets 'D' in manufacturing ("Maryland gets 'D' in manufacturing," Baltimore Business Journal, 6/14/11)

But in O’Malley’s “Fantasy Land” 49^th worst and 44^th worst means Maryland Is still doing better than other states.

“Last month’s jobs report shows that Maryland employers continue to outperform the rest of the nation.(Governor O’Malley, “Statement from Governor Martin O'Malley on the Gain of 11,600 Jobs in April,”  Press Release, 5/20/11)

O’Malley is right about Maryland being better than most states in one area, big government spending

Maryland spending growth ranks fourth highest in nation. Maryland continuest to spend while other states cut back. (Dave Sherfinski, “Maryland spending growth ranks fourth highest in nation,” Washington Examiner, 6/2/11)

The “New” Anchor Babies

The question of children born of illegal immigrants - so-called “anchor babies” - was re-injected back into America’s national discourse late last year when a U.S. study found that an estimated 340,000 of 4.3 million babies born in the United States in 2008 – or every 1 in 15 - had an illegal-immigrant parent.

While much of the debate – and a healthy dose of vitriol – was focused on immigrants of Hispanic background,stories of upper-class Chinese women flying to the United States in style and staying at private clinics to have their babies to take advantage of citizenship laws soon began to appear in the news cycle.

With them, a new breed of anchor baby was born, and their very existence changed the dynamics of the controversy completely.

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Rep. Harris To Testify In Opposition Of Massive Job-Destroying Toll Hikes In Perryville

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Andy Harris will testify in opposition to the massive job-destroying toll hikes proposed by the O’Malley Administration at the MdTA public hearing in Perryville. The Hatem Bridge and the Interstate 95 toll will be raised from $5 to an outrageous $8 – a 60% hike. The popular and convenient decal system on the Hatem Bridge will be eliminated and users will be forced to purchase EZ Passes at a cost of $90 per year.

            “I oppose these massive, job-destroying toll hikes proposed by the O’Malley Administration, as they will disproportionately hurt rural and suburban Maryland families,” said Rep. Andy Harris. “We simply cannot afford another job-destroying tax hike in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression.”

Other toll locations will be affected as well – the Fort McHenry and Harbor Tunnels in Baltimore will double and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge will more than triple, from $2.50 to $8.  All of these facilities have already fully paid for themselves and their maintenance. As a result, these are not user fees – this is a tax hike.

Pat McDonough – Extremist?

State Del. Pat McDonough says he’s been called a lot of things in his political career, but he takes exception to being characterized as an extremist who turns off Democrats and moderates.

Jon Herbst, a Baltimore County Republican Central Committee member, used words to that effect indiscussing the problems that led to chairman Tony Campbell's ouster this week:.

"We've got to address the underlying problem and it was not all Chairman Campbell's doing," Herbst said. "The reality is the Republican Party has been hijacked by the religious right, not just in Baltimore County but across the country. As long as Pat McDonough, Brian Murphy and Sarah Palin are the face of the Republican Party, the party is simply not going to appeal to mainstream voters."

McDonough points to his own efforts in leading the petition drive against the new state law that gives in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants, noting that he leads the ticket in votes in his district and attracts more Democrats and independent voters than any of his fellow Republicans.

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Are You Ready For 3rd World America?

Today, the Federal Government accounts for 35% of incomes and salaries in the US. That’s over one third of all income in the US coming from the Government’s ability to dole out funds.

What supports this largesse?

Money printing and our ongoing debt-orgy. And today, these are one and the same. The US Federal Reserve and Treasury have enacted policies so insane that the US Federal Reserve is now the single largest holder of US Debt with a balance sheet of $2.8 trillion.

Let’s give that number some perspective. Germany, the world’s FOURTH largest economy is only $3.3 trillion in size. At $2.8 trillion the Fed’s balance sheet is larger than the economies of France, the UK, and Brazil.

Why is the Fed’s balance sheet so huge? Because US Treasuries are so unattractive to foreign Governments that the Fed has had to pick up the slack and buy our debt (usually within a week or two of it being issued).

Let me rephrase that: the US Fed is now printing money so it can buy US Debt because other investors are no longer interested in buying it.

This is just one of the various schemes Washington is employing to maintain its fiscal insanity. Another is the active raiding of pension funds to buy new US Debt (YES, the Treasury is doing this).

So… the US Government is now paying over 1/3rd of US incomes… and it’s financing this by having the Fed buy new debt from the Treasury.

Do you think this entire system might end up collapsing in a horrific manner?

And this is just ONE ASPECT of the nightmare that is the US Financial system. I’m not even detailing the $600 TRILLION in derivatives, the clear insolvency of the big banks (you know who I’m talking about), the FDIC running a deficit (are our deposits REALLY insured?), erupting inflation in food and energy prices, (Fed data CLAIMS prices FELL in the last four months) and the hundred other issues all of which will end very, VERY badly.

Regardless of how we look at the US’s current situation, it is clear that 2008 will NOT go down in history as THE Financial Crisis for the US. No, 2008 will be considered the “warm-up.”

More

700 Cited in HOV Crackdown

More than 700 drivers were cited and two unlucky commuters were slapped with $1,000 tickets as part of a crackdown on HOV violators Tuesday, authorities said.

Police from a handful of jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia handed out tickets during the morning and evening rush hours on interstates 95, 66, 270, 395 and other major arteries. The enforcement effort was dubbed the “Capitol Region HOV Awareness Day.”

The $1,000 tickets were given to two Virginia drivers for their fourth HOV offenses, officials said. The penalty also includes three points on the drivers’ records.

Officers also cited 32 drivers for reckless driving, 25 drivers for speeding and one driver for drunk driving.

from Justin Jouvenal @ the Washington Post

BREAKING NEWS: Embattled N.Y. Rep. Anthony Weiner Resigns

N.Y. Rep. Anthony Weiner, caught in a growing online sex scandal, resigns.

BREAKING NEWS: Salisbury Politicians Threaten Racial Discord

At a press conference this morning, Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton and Councilwoman Shanie Shields cited three members of the city council and threatened racial discord in the city because the council’s refusal to approve “The Bricks” project.

MORE TO FOLLOW…