Boys, 3 and 4, Found Dead in Parked Car

The dead bodies of 3- and 4-year-old Wisconsin brothers were found in a parked car early Wednesday morning and the boyfriend of the children's mother was arrested, Madison police said.

The children's names have not been released and a cause of death has not been determined pending autopsies, said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. He said investigators are treating the case as a double homicide and the boyfriend is their primary suspect.

Police said the boys' 22-year-old mother arrived at police headquarters Tuesday afternoon and reported she had an altercation involving a knife a day earlier with her 28-year-old boyfriend at their apartment. Police didn't offer any further details.

The Associated Press is not identifying the boyfriend because he has not yet been formally charged. Police have not named the mother.

READ MORE …

Malaysian Police Rescue Kindergarten Hostages

Malaysian police stormed a kindergarten and subdued a man who took some 30 children and teachers captive Thursday, ending a nearly seven-hour hostage drama.

District police officer Suhaimi Ahmad said all the hostages were safe. He said the man barged into the kindergarten in a residential area of southern Johor state early in the morning, sparking a standoff with police.

The Star newspaper said in its online edition that police shot tear gas before entering the school. It said the man was believed to have been injured.

It said the man earlier told negotiators to give him a gun or he would kill the children.

from FOXNews

Wilmington Arson Suspect Arrested in Maryland

A suspect in an arson in Wilmington was arrested by Maryland State Police on Monday morning in Cecil County, fire officials reported today.

Darryl Cotton is being held as a fugitive in the Cecil County Correctional Center awaiting extradition to Delaware to face charges of first-degree arson and three counts of attempted murder, Wilmington Fire Capt. Richard Danner said.

Cotton, 49, is accused of setting a fire about 6:30 a.m. Sunday in the bedroom of a home in the 3000 block of W. Second Street.

The two adults and a child inside the home were alerted by a smoke detector and escaped unharmed before firefighters arrived.

READ MORE …

Commotion Down the Ocean

Ocean City, MD welcomes the Commotion Down the Ocean July 20, 2011

Celebrate Skateboarding History, Help People With Cancer and Welcome the Dew Tour!

Skateboarders and fans unite at the Ocean Bowl Skate Park July 20, 2011. This event will feature Amateur Skateboard competitions hosted by MASS (Mid Atlantic Skateboard Series). The day will offer an interactive Vendor Village with various industry sponsors and local businesses, great food, music and Dew Tour Pro Athlete appearances including Bucky Lasek, Andy Macdonald, Pierre Luc Gagnon, Adam Taylor, Elliot Sloan and other Dew Athletes, plus local pro and legendary East Coast skaters.

The event will celebrate and create awareness of the storied history of the Ocean Bowl Skate Park (now entering its 36th year), the arrival of the first stop of the Dew Tour to Ocean City and “Helping People with Cancer” via Grind for Life.

“This event will appeal to all levels and ages of skateboarders, fans and families offering exciting action, a free vendor village and opportunities to meet with Dew Tour Athletes while creating awareness and raising funds for Grind for Life and their ongoing mission of Helping People with cancer, ” said Event Organizers and Grind for Life Board Members Paul Wisniewski and Chris Conway.

For more information and updates please visit: www.commotiondowntheocean.com. For Sponsorship support please email: info@commotiondowntheocean.com.

About the Ocean Bowl: The Ocean Bowl Skate Park of Ocean City, Maryland was first founded in 1975, making it the oldest running municipal skate park worldwide. Learn the history of the Ocean Bowl and join in celebrating 36 years of skateboarding: http://oceancitymd.gov/Recreation_and_Parks/oceanbowl

About Grind for Life: Grind for Life was founded by two-time cancer survivor and pro skater Mike Rogers in 2003. Since then, Grind for Life hosts skate events, competitions and promotions to raise funds to help families who need support while traveling long distances for cancer care. For more information go to:www.grindforlife.org.

About the Dew Tour: This will be the first year that the Dew Tour stops at Ocean City, Maryland and The Commotion Down the Ocean is proud to support such a great event. For more information on Dew Tour events, please visit: www.allisports.com

Four Year Old, Shot at Inner Harbor, Now “Running Like a Maniac”

A stick-on bandage is the only thing covering Kavin Benson's dime-size bullet wound.

It hasn't stopped the rambunctious 4-year-old, who was shot moments after the July 4 fireworks ended at the Inner Harbor, from dancing, jumping and climbing all over his family's Brooklyn apartment. And it hasn't stopped the child, sporting a red T-shirt and Dr. Seuss shoes, from seeking revenge.

When he finds the person who shot him, Kavin said, he's going to "punch him in the face."

The small-caliber slug, possibly from a celebratory shot fired into the air, entered the top of his right thigh near his hip. It seared its way down inside the length of his leg and lodged behind his femur, where doctors were forced to leave it.

READ MORE …

Baltimore Co. School Board Task Force Hold First Meeting

Frustration with the Baltimore County Board of Education spilled over Wednesday to the first task force hearing on potential changes to the board's structure.

Approximately 25 people attended the meeting, many expressing negative views about the board's communications policies and recent decisions, along with concern that shifting to a partly elected board may not resolve all issues.

The task force, convened after the last legislative session, will hold two more hearings this month to solicit input on ways to improve the board member selection process, along with accountability and transparency.

READ MORE …

TRAFFIC ALERT - Crossroad Pipe Replacement Will Require the Closure of O'Neals Road

The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that the contractor, D.W. Talley, will close O'Neals Road between Gum Branch Road and Route 13A/Seaford Road at 7 a.m. on Monday, July 11. The closure is needed to remove and replace a large crossroad pipe for improved drainage. The road will reopen by 3 p.m. or sooner on Friday, August 19, pending weather.

Detour signs will be in place to assist motorists around the closure. At all times, local residents and emergency response vehicles will have access.

Detectives Probe Bank Robbery

Location: PNC Bank, 5325 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE

 

Date of Occurrence: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 at 9:15 a.m.

 

Suspect:  White male, 30-40 years of age, 6’00”-6’02” tall, 210-230 lbs, with a muscular build. He was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, sunglasses, a black Philadelphia Phillies t-shirt, jeans, and work boots. He was also wearing a fake mustache and beard and was armed with a handgun.

 

Victims:

 

-52 year old female employee

-55 year old female employee

-35 year old female employee

-55 year old female customer

-59 year old female customer

-31 year old female customer

 

Resume:  

Pike Creek- Delaware State Police detectives are currently investigating the armed robbery of a Pike Creek area bank that occurred this morning.

 

The incident occurred at approximately 9:15 a.m. this morning as a male suspect entered the PNC Bank Branch located in the 5300 block of Limestone Road. The suspect, who was armed with a handgun, then ordered several bank employees as well as customers to the ground. He then approached several bank tellers and demanded cash from their drawers. The tellers complied and turned over an undisclosed amount of cash to the suspect. The suspect then fled and was last seen heading to the rear of the bank. There were no injuries.

 

The Delaware State Police are asking anyone who may have any information in reference to this incident to contact robbery detectives at Troop 2 at 302-834-2630 ext. 6 or ext. 214.  Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES).  Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

The Changing Face Of America's Youth

(CNN) -- The United States is walking a path to greater diversity. And younger people are leading the way.

For the first time in national history, the majority of young people in two states -- California and New Mexico -- now identify as Hispanic, according to census data released this year.

In eight additional states -- Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Maryland and Hawaii -- white children are in the minority compared with peers from other racial and ethnic groups combined, according to data analyzed by William Frey at the Brookings Institution.

The number of white children in the United States actually shrank by 4.3 million kids from 2000 to 2010, according to the analysis.

Meanwhile, the number of Hispanic and Asian children grew by a total of 5.5 million. Hispanics made up the bulk of this growth.

"Were it not for Hispanics, the nation's child population would have declined," Frey writes in his report, titled "America's Diverse Future."

The trend is expected to continue, with changes first hitting people younger than 18, then spreading as generations age.

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UPDATE RE: SEARCH FOR ARMED MAN ON BW PARKWAY

(HANOVER, MD) – The search is continuing this evening for an armed man who vandalized a speed camera vehicle parked along the Baltimore Washington Parkway in Anne Arundel County late this morning.

The suspect is described as a white male, aged 60-65 years, approximately 5’8” tall and 150 lbs, with gray hair. He is said to have been wearing a red and blue plaid shirt, possibly flannel, with blue jeans.

The male victim is not being identified at this time. He was not physically injured in the incident. He is an employee of the company contracted by the State Highway Administration to conduct speed camera enforcement in construction zones on Maryland interstates.

Shortly before 11:30 a/m. today, the victim was parked in his white Jeep SUV, with cameras mounted on the hood, along the southbound shoulder of the BW Parkway, just north of the Rt. 195 exit. The victim said the suspect walked out of a wooded area to his right and was armed with a shotgun and a hammer.

The suspect tapped on the rear window of the Jeep with his shotgun. Alarmed, the victim began blowing his horn. The suspect then walked to the front of the Jeep and struck the windshield repeatedly, leaving large spider web type breaks in the glass.

In fear for his safety, the victim jumped out of his vehicle and crouched near the guardrail. He said the suspect was yelling, but it sounded incoherent and he could not understand what the man was saying.

Moments later, the victim said the man walked back into the woods the same way he came, still carrying the shotgun and hammer. No shots were fired.

Troopers from the Maryland State Police and officers from the Anne Arundel County Police responded quickly and established a perimeter around the area. SWAT teams from both departments responded, as did support units that included K-9 teams and State Police helicopters. Due to the proximity of an armed suspect to the BW Parkway, troopers closed the road both north and southbound for the safety of motorists. State Highway Administration personnel responded and diverted traffic at I-695 to the north and Rt. 100 to the south. Maryland Transportation Authority Police officers also assisted with the search and in securing the area perimeter.

The immediate search of the area did not lead to the location of the suspect. The BW Parkway was reopened to traffic at about 2:45 p.m. today.

The search is continuing in the area tonight. Anyone who thinks they may have seen the suspect or know him, is urged to contact 911 immediately, or the Maryland State Police at the Glen Burnie Barracks, at 410-761-5130.

Appeals Court Orders Immediate Halt To Gay Military Ban

Ruling comes after Obama administration says 'don't ask, don't tell' policy is unconstitutional

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court ordered the U.S. government on Wednesday to immediately cease enforcing the ban on openly gay members of the military, a move that could speed the repeal of the 17-year-old rule.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said the "don't ask, don't tell" policy must be lifted now that the Obama administration has concluded it's unconstitutional to treat gay Americans differently under the law. The appeals court noted that Congress repealed the policy in December and that the Pentagon is preparing to certify that it is ready to welcome gay military personnel.

Court order on gay military ban (PDF)

Pentagon officials said Wednesday that they will comply with the court order and are taking immediate steps to inform commanders in the field. Col. Dave Lapan, Pentagon spokesman, said the department is studying the ruling.

Gay rights advocates said without an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court — which seems unlikely since the Pentagon already is committed to repealing the rule — the government now is barred from discharging gay or lesbian servicemembers anywhere in the world.

“The ruling...removes all uncertainty — American service members are no longer under threat of discharge as the repeal implementation process goes forward,” R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, said in a statement to msnbc.com. Cooper is a captain in the Army Reserve.

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Government Office Building Heat Issue

Hi,

I have friends in the  Government Office Building and they told me temperatures reached over 100 degrees in their office yesterday afternoon.   They are afraid of retaliation for sending to the media - but I am sending it in because I believe we are working with a very dangerous situation and the only way to improve things is to expose this via media.  The Wico Co Health Dept,  Daily Times, and TV stations have all visited the office and taken temperatures in the morning when temperatures are much lower.  The situation has been frequently dismissed by many as under control, but it is far from the case. 

It is now approaching two weeks with no A/C.  Employees are not allowed to work from home and if they choose to go home, they must use vacation time.   To me, this is beyond unreasonable and inhumane.   There is no timeline for getting the unit fixed or replaced, and no one seems to care.  The decision makers (executives) are upstairs enjoying full air conditioning since their A/C system is working properly.    The outcome would likely be very different if they were suffering through the heat like their lower-rank employees.

Obviously, the city/county officials are so concerned with saving money by not fixing/replacing the A/C unit ..they are not thinking about lost productivity (who can focus on desk work in 100+ degree heat?) as well as cost of probable lawsuits if someone gets very sick or dies. 

Thank you.

Publishers Notes: It should be noted that the freon arrived at the GOB today. IF that does not work they will be making arrangements to RENT an A/C System until the City/County can afford a completely new unit. THAT IS A FACT.

PUBLIC NOTICE

RESCHEDULED CITY COUNCILWORK SESSION

The City Council work session that was originally scheduled for July 5, 2011 has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 7, 2011, at 4:30 p.m.


The work session will be held in the Fire Station #16 Training Room located at 325 Cypress Street.

Md. foreclosure prevention program falls short

WASHINGTON -- Foreclosing on a home is never pleasant. The state of Maryland is attempting to ease the burden by offering mediation programs that let homeowners meet with an arbitrator and their mortgage company to help modify loans and come up with a deal.

Maryland's program is now one year old and has not been as popular or as successful as was originally thought. State officials were expecting about 5,000 claims to be filed, but less than 1,000 have been heard.

The Washington Post reports that only 100 homeowners have received a loan modification. Of the 829 closed cases, about 150 people have been allowed to remain in their houses until a final resolution is made. Roughly 120 cases have ended in defaults because homeowners missed their hearings, and 50 people were declared ineligible for the program.

A judge involved with the program tells The Washington Post not enough people know about it, while others don't realize how helpful it can be even if they are already late on payments.

Source

There Are No Ugly Women-----Just Fixeruppers

Look carefully, they're in the same order. Their makeover pictures are below their regular pictures.

It's just amazing what money can do. Also read below the picture. 

They had every possible beauty treatment available to them over a period of 12 hours before the contest. 

Look at the before and after photos. Conclusion - there are no ugly women only poor women.

The woman 2nd from the left won the contest

This photo above was taken at a competition in June 2008 involving 9 women for best makeover.

Catholic Church Pledges Support For Maryland DREAM Act

The Maryland Catholic Conference -- the legislative lobbying arm of the state's bishops -- has urged for parishioner support of the Maryland DREAM Act amid a petition-drive to suspend the the newly minted law and force it to a state-wide referendum.

The MCC on Thursday announced the creation of an Interdiocesan Immigration Task Force meant to gather support for the DREAM Act among Maryland parishioners. On Friday, it became clear that the bill will likely be put on the 2012 ballot for referendem.

MCC Communications Director Kathy Dempsey, MCC said in an interview with The Catholic Review earlier this week that the new organization was looking beyond the June 30 deadline “in anticipation of the referendum for next year."

“We want to engage parishioners and Catholics on this issue over the next 16 months,” she said.

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It’s Now Okay To Criticize Sussex Council Members

GEORGETOWN — Sussex County Council has modified its public participation policy following a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union that part of the policy was unconstitutional.

At its June 28 meeting, council voted 5-0 to eliminate the section barring criticism of county officials by members of the public who sign up to speak at the end of council meetings.

In addition, council’s president can stop comments if a speaker digresses from time restrictions, if the subject is not deemed county business or if the speaker becomes disruptive.

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Fed Releases Details On Secret $855 Billion Single-Tranche OMO Bailout Program: Just Another Foreign Bank Rescue Operation

A month ago [1]we reported about Bob Ivry's discovery that the Fed had been conducting a secretive bailout operation between March and December 2008, under which banks borrowed as much as $855 billion over the time frame for a rate as low as 0.01%. As the Fed itself explains following a just disclosed launch of a page dedicated to this Saint OMO [2], "The Federal Reserve System conducted a series of single-tranche term repurchase agreements from March 2008 to December 2008 with the intention of mitigating heightened stress in funding markets. These operations were conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York with primary dealers as counterparties through an auction process under the standard legal authority for conducting temporary open market operations. In these transactions, primary dealers could deliver any of the types of securities--Treasuries, agency debt, or agency MBS--that are accepted in regular open market operations. By providing term funding to primary dealers, this program helped to address liquidity pressures evident across a number of financing markets and supported the flow of credit to U.S. households and business." Well, not really. As the chart below shows the banks, pardon primary dealers, that benefited the most from this secret iteration of Fed generosity were once again foreign banks, with the Top 5 borrowers being Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, RBS and Barclays.
Together these five accounted for $593 billion of total borrowings, or 70% of the total. So perhaps the Fed should rephrase the last sentence to "supported the flow of credit to U.S. European households and business" which is to be expected. After all, as we have demonstrated before, the European banking system's liabilities are orders of magnitude greater than the US. So in order to preserve the global Ponzi (a main reason why Greece must never be allowed to fail), the biggest weakness that has to be addressed constantly is and will be in Europe.

Below is a summary of who borrowed how much in total from the Fed's ST-OMO program.

And lest someone thinks that Goldman did not somehow benefit, the firm was i) the single biggest US-based borrower under the program; ii) it was the single biggest one time borrower for $15 billion on December 10, 2008, and iii), it received the smallest borrowing rate affored to anyone at the laughable 0.01% on December 30, 2008.

The full excel breakdown [4]can be found here.

Source

Drunk Puppy Buying Banned

You've heard of drunk dialing and drunk Facebooking, but drunk puppy buying?

Inebriated passers-by are falling in love with playful pooches frolicking in the window of a West Village pet store, and the problem has become so bad the owner has banned them from taking the pets home.

"I feel like they always come in drunk," said Fernanda Moritz, the manager of Le Petite Puppy at 18 Christopher St. which has implemented a policy against letting customers buy -- or even hold -- animals if they've been drinking.

The shop is surrounded by bars, and Moritz said many of her would-be customers stop in after happy hour around 6 p.m.

"They come from there and say 'let's stop by to see the puppies,'" said Moritz.

Amazingly the store, which has supplied puppies to celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Jackman, isn't the only one in the neighborhood forced to implement the ban.

Christopher Street's Citipups also forbids intoxicated customers from purchasing puppies after watching too many booze-fueled purchases go bad.

from Weird News

ANNUAL BERLIN BATHTUB RACES

THAT'S RIGHT! The Berlin Chamber of Commerce is hosting the ANNUAL BERLIN BATHTUB RACES THIS FRIDAY, July 8, 2011 as part of Berlin's 2nd Friday Celebration!

Local businesses construct a "Rolling Bathtub"

One Person Pushes, One Person is the passenger

Businesses compete one on one in heats....until there is a winner!

ONLY IN BERLIN!

A MUST SEE EVENT