Governor Hogan Launches New Push for Clean and Renewable Energy

Advances Solar Energy Projects on State Properties, Establishes Task Force for Development and Siting

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Continuing his commitment to skilled environmental stewardship, Governor Larry Hogan today announced new initiatives to promote clean and renewable energy projects in Maryland.

Clean and Renewable Energy Initiatives. Governor Hogan signed Executive Order 01.01.2019.09, establishing the Governor’s Task Force on Renewable Energy Development and Siting, which will work to develop consensus-based recommendations on the siting of new solar and wind energy projects in the state. To jumpstart that process, the governor announced new initiatives aimed at advancing solar energy deployment and development on state-managed and -owned properties:

• The Maryland Department of General Services, along with the Maryland Environmental Service, will conduct a first-of-its-kind assessment and inventory of state properties that could be utilized for solar energy.
• The state is pledging an additional $4 million in grants to aid large public institutions, including community colleges and universities, to deploy solar arrays on existing infrastructure—such as parking lots and rooftops—while encouraging state agencies to incorporate solar energy into any future construction.

“In my most recent State of the State address, I pledged my strong support for clean and renewable energy solutions that are affordable, reliable, and produce jobs right here in Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “That is exactly what these announcements will help us to achieve. These innovative initiatives will provide millions of dollars in benefits to Marylanders and lower energy and maintenance costs, all while creating clean energy and green jobs opportunities.”

The Governor’s Task Force on Renewable Energy Development and Siting will include key stakeholders from state agencies along with representatives of Maryland’s agriculture community, local government, as well as the solar and wind energy sectors. The task force seeks to accelerate clean and renewable energy projects while minimizing and mitigating the impact on agriculturally or ecologically important, sensitive, and valuable areas. The task force will submit its initial findings in December 2019, with final recommendations due within a year.

The task force will be chaired by former Washington County Commissioners President Greg Snook, who currently serves on the boards of Hagerstown Community College, Meritus Medical Center, and Maryland State Roads Commission. Snook is the president and CEO of the Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation.

Bold Energy Strategy. In May, Governor Hogan outlined a bold energy strategy to set Maryland on a path to 100% clean electricity by 2040. The governor plans to submit the Clean and Renewable Energy Standard (CARES) plan to the General Assembly on the first day of the 2020 legislative session.

Environmental Stewardship. Governor Hogan’s record of skilled environmental stewardship includes:

• Committing an historic $5 billion toward Chesapeake Bay initiatives, fully funding restoration efforts for four years in a row.
• Fully funding Program Open Space for the first time in more than a decade.
• Fully funding the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund for the first time in state history.
• Pushing for and enacting clean air standards that are stronger than 48 other states.
• Joining the U.S. Climate Alliance and serving as a leader in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Philadelphia standoff: Police dispatch audio reveals tense moments during hours-long ordeal

Dramatic audio from police dispatchers reveals how two officers became trapped and six others were wounded as gunfire rang out during an hours-long standoff that turned one residential Philadelphia neighborhood upside down Wednesday.

Several officers with the Narcotics Strike Force were serving a warrant at the multifamily home -- in connection with what may have been a drug-related offense -- when things "went awry almost immediately," and the shooter opened fire, police Commissioner Richard Ross Jr. said.

“We’ve got several shot officers. We’ve got an officer down. They’re still getting shot – shots fired,” a female dispatcher said shortly after the gunfire began around 4:30 p.m.

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https://www.foxnews.com/us/philadelphia-shooting-police-dispatcher-audio-reveals-inside-look-in-hours-long-standoff 

Jeffrey Epstein had a painting of Bill Clinton wearing a blue DRESS and red heels

Jeffrey Epstein had a bizarre portrait of Bill Clinton in a dress hanging in his Manhattan mansion, DailyMailTV can reveal.

The picture depicting the former president apparently lounging on a chair in the Oval Office, wearing red heels and posing suggestively in a blue dress redolent of Monica Lewinsky was in a room off the stairway of the Upper East Side townhouse.

The dress is also strikingly similar to one worn by Hillary Clinton at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors.

The original painting is called 'Parsing Bill' and is by Australian-American artist Petrina Ryan-Kleid, although it is unclear if Epstein had bought the canvas or had a print mounted. Ryan-Kleid exhibited for her degree show when she graduated with an MFA in 2012 from the New York Academy of Art.

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Shootings at Two Texas ICE Facilities Were ‘Targeted’ Attacks, Says FBI

Officials from the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) say that Tuesday’s shootings at two federal facilities were each a “targeted attack.” A shooter fired multiple rounds at two ICE facilities in San Antonio, Texas, early on Tuesday morning.

FBI and ICE officials said a shooter directly targeted two separate ICE facilities in northeast San Antonio at about 3 a.m. on Saturday morning. Officials report shots being fired into a 14th floor ICE office and another building operated by an ICE contractor, the KTSA radio reported.

Here’s a photo of one of the bullet holes from this morning. @USCIS stands with @ICE as they work to enforce our laws and keep Americans safe! pic.twitter.com/AUvgpGJco6

— USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli (@USCISCuccinelli) August 13, 2019

“All the shots that we have found are on the floors where ICE had offices,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs told reporters during a Tuesday press conference. He said there is no question that the incidents were each a “targeted attack” that “could have resulted in the assassination of a federal employee.”

More here

Popular ADHD Drugs Ritalin, Concerta May Change Structure Of Children’s Brains

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has become an incredibly common diagnosis in American children. ADHD is characterized by a lack of ability to focus and concentrate, and most children diagnosed with the condition end up being prescribed a medication. A new study offers a warning to parents, however: one of the most popular ADHD meds, Methylphenidate (MPH), may be affecting the development of white matter in children’s brains. The drug does not appear to have the same neurological effects in adults.

According to the CDC, roughly 5.2% of all American children between the ages of 2 and 17 are currently taking ADHD medication. Many of those children will continue to take these medications, everyday, well into adulthood.

MPH is usually prescribed and sold under the names Ritalin or Concerta, and while it has been shown to be effective in treating ADHD, there hasn’t been enough research performed on how it influences the development of children’s brains.

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Milford Police Investigate a Burglary at Local Car Dealership

EDITOR'S NOTE:  This is an extremely long post. There are 2 press releases from 2 different police departments. 

On August 13th, 2019 at 0740 hrs, the Milford Police Department was called to investigate a burglary at IG Burton, located on N. Rehoboth Blvd. The investigation revealed that eight new vehicles were stolen from the dealership. The vehicles included 5-2019 Police Model Dodge Chargers with no emergency equipment, 2- 2019 Dodge Durangos and a Dodge RAM 2500 Quad Cab. The investigation quickly developed suspect leads. Those leads lead detectives to the Dover area. The Milford Police enlisted the assistance of Dover Police and the Delaware State Police as the investigation developed.

By 9:30pm on August 13th, the Dover Police Department had recovered ALL eight vehicles which were hidden throughout their city and the surrounding area. All eight vehicles are currently secured in various police impounds.

New Council Member Takes Office

SALISBURY – District 2 resident Nicole Acle was sworn in as the newest member of the Wicomico County Council last week.

On Aug. 6, Acle was instated as the new District 2 representative for Wicomico County.

Late last month, the Wicomico County Council held a special meeting to appoint a nominee to fill the District 2 seat left vacant by former Councilman Marc Kilmer’s resignation on June 15. During the special meeting, Acle was appointed to the position by a unanimous vote.

Prior to the start of last week’s council meeting, Acle was sworn in by the Wicomico County Clerk of Circuit Court James “Bo” McAllister.

For her part, Acle thanked her family and county officials for their support.

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Alexander: Indoctrinating and Radicalizing Mass Murderers

After three decades of researching the pathology of mass shooters, I’m convinced that four primary factors are almost universally associated with these murderers: a sociopathic predisposition; a history of violent media saturation that indoctrinates and desensitizes them; an opening to be self- or group-radicalized within an echo chamber of ideological influencers; and the means and opportunity to commit a mass attack. Most of the political and media focus has, predictably, been on the fourth factor — removing the means and opportunity. But this ignores the urgency and the systemic nature of the first three factors — the cultural factors.

More on these cultural factors after a brief summary of the two most recent attacks and the political response.

The mass murders in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, should concern all Americans. But our concern should be tempered by the reality that such attacks, while evoking highly emotive responses, are extremely rare in a country of 330 million people. Fortunately, they represent just a tiny fraction of our nation’s violent crime.

According to the FBI’s uniform crime reports on violent crime in 2018, the incidence of murder is declining, as are most other categories of crime. However, the public perception is that violent crime is on the rise and that “mass murders” are an almost daily occurrence. That perception is the result of the commercial wall-to-wall mass-media replays of sensational tragedies.

More here

Jeffrey Epstein autopsy reveals broken bones in neck, cause of death pending: report

An autopsy on the body of Jeffrey Epstein revealed the convicted sex offender had several broken bones in his neck, including the hyoid bone, according to a report.

The hyoid bone, which is near the Adam’s apple, can be broken in a suicide by hanging -- especially in older people -- but is more common in strangulation murders, The Washington Post reported.

Epstein, 66, was found hanging in his cell in an “apparent suicide” at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on Saturday where he was being held on sex trafficking charges.

More

https://www.foxnews.com/us/jeffrey-epsteins-autopsy-reveals-several-broken-neck-bones-cause-of-death-pending-report 

Easton Police Investigating Online Threat

Fruitland Police Press Release / Thefts from Unlocked Vehicles 8-15-19

https://neighbors.ring.com/n/dA4Yv

Attorney General Frosh Joins Lawsuit Against DHS “Public Charge” Rule

Under New Rule, Fewer Families and Children will Receive Food, Health Care and Shelter

BALTIMORE, MD – Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined 12 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over changes to the “public charge” rule that targets immigrants and their families. Under the changes, if an immigrant who is legally in the country uses benefits to which he or she is entitled ― such as food assistance to feed their U.S. citizen children or housing assistance ― even for a short time, the federal government may revoke their legal status, or even deport them.

Even if an individual does not use these benefits, the new rule expands the government’s ability to deny visa renewal or permanent residency to anyone they predict will use a broad range of short-term benefits, without any clear formula for making that determination.

Federal law allows many lawful immigrants to apply for public benefits if they have been in the country for at least five years. The new rule creates a “bait-and-switch” ― potentially punishing qualified immigrants for using the public assistance to which they are legally entitled..

“Wealth has never been, and should not now be, the primary determinant of an immigrant’s status in America,” said Attorney General Frosh. “America has always stood as a beacon of hope for those looking for a better life, and immigrants have lifted our country up as we have given them refuge. The ‘public charge’ rule is unlawful and un-American, and it jeopardizes the health and welfare of children and families.”

Montgomery County leaders, residents weigh in after two undocumented immigrants charged with raping girl

ROCKVILLE, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - FOX 5 is hearing on camera for the first time from Montgomery County leaders and residents after two undocumented immigrants from El Salvador reportedly raped an 11-year-old girl repeatedly in Germantown.

The county is now blaming the federal government and refusing to weigh in on if its sanctuary atmosphere attracted the two suspects to the area.

“If the system failed, it failed on the federal government,” said Barry Hudson, Public Information Director.

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“It’s like there’s a magic in the air. There are smiles and tears all day long. This is a day these kids remember.”

OCEAN CITY – Surfers Healing returned to the beaches of Ocean City this week for the 10th annual day-long surf camp for children with autism.

On Wednesday, more than 200 children, their families and surfers from Hawaii, New Zealand and California gathered on the beach in front of the Castle in the Sand Hotel for Ocean City’s 10th annual Surfers Healing camp.

Founders Israel and Danielle Paskowitz started the organization in 1996 as a way to help and connect with their youngest son, who has autism. Israel Paskowitz found that surfing calmed his son and soon began inviting other families to join them. Since that time, Surfers Healing has expanded to several yearly events around the nation and in other countries.

Camp Co-Director Kat Trammell shared her efforts to bring Surfers Healing to Ocean City more than a decade ago. She noted the impact the event had on her own son.

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Political Memes

Thursday Morning Funnies

Iilhan Omar Syndrome

PRICELESS, PRECISE, CONCISE AND SELF EVIDENT

They're not happy in Gaza ..
They're not happy in Egypt ..
They're not happy in Libya ..
They're not happy in Morocco .
They're not happy in Iran ..
They're not happy in Iraq ..
They're not happy in Yemen ...
They're not happy in Afghanistan ...
They're not happy in Pakistan ..
They're not happy in Syria ..
They're not happy in Lebanon ...

SO... WHERE ARE THEY HAPPY?
 
They're happy in Australia ..
They're happy in Canada ..
They're happy in England ..
They're happy in France ..
They're happy in Italy ..
They're happy in Germany ..
They're happy in Sweden ..
They're happy in the USA ..
They're happy in Norway ..
They're happy in Holland ..
They're happy in Denmark ..

Basically, they're happy in every country that is not Muslim and unhappy in every country that is!

AND WHO DO THEY BLAME?

Not Islam.
Not their leadership .
Not themselves.
THEY BLAME THE COUNTRIES THEY ARE HAPPY IN !

AND THEN-

They want to change those countries to be like, THE SH!THOLE COUNTRY THEY CAME FROM WHERE THEY WERE UNHAPPY!

Excuse me, but I can't help wondering... How damned dumb can you get?

Coast Guard boat crew medevacs man near Ocean City Inlet, Md.

BALTIMORE — The Coast Guard medevaced a man who was reportedly suffering from a heart attack on a charter boat near Ocean City Inlet, Maryland Wednesday morning.

Watchstanders at Station Ocean City received a distress call via VHF-FM radio Channel 16 at 9:40 a.m. from a person aboard the Judith M charter boat. The person reported that a man was suffering from chest pains and was being assisted by a nurse onboard. A 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Station Ocean City launched to assist.

Once on scene, the Coast Guard crew transferred the man to the Motor Life Boat and transported him to Station Ocean City to meet an awaiting ambulance.

“Channel 16 can be heard by anyone nearby, and that is how we were able to communicate and make it on scene,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Zackary Schultz, coxswain during the case. “Understanding how your VHF radio works and using it in times of distress can save your life and get help to you as soon as possible.”

Delmarva History Lecture Series Returns

Delmarva History Lecture Series Returns

After a summer break, Westside Historical Society is very pleased to return this popular series with a talk by Kellee Blake, the retired Director of the National Archives-Mid Atlantic Region on September 9, 2019 at 2:00 in the MAC Center in Salisbury MD. Director Blake will be speaking on the topic, “Unbroken Reeds: Eastern Shore Women and the American Revolution.” 

This promises to be an interesting and provocative topic, as she brings to life the stories of remarkable actions of Patriot and Loyalist women alike! The remarkable actions of women who were caught in the challenging years of the nation’s revolt against British rule, will be explored, including those of Virginia’s Margaret Cropper and Maryland’s Arianna Margaretta Chalmers. This talk is especially timely, coming just as the nation moves toward the 250th commemoration! 


Ms. Blake is a Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude graduate of Mary Washington College with a graduate degree in American History (Revolution/National Period) from Villanova University. She has worked from coast to coast with the National Archives, processing and administering records from the Founding Fathers to the Robert F. Kennedy Assassination. Kellee has been a regular speaker at national historical and genealogical conferences and is the author of two historical plays and multiple articles on the Federal Census, Civil War loyalties, and the law practice of Abraham Lincoln. She currently serves on the Board of Virginia Humanities and is writing a book about the Civil War occupation of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. 

She is an entrancing and spell-binding speaker, and this Lecture is one not to be missed! As with all of the Society’s lectures in this series, it is open, free of charge, to the public. Following the talk, members of the audience are invited to ask questions, make comments, and discuss the topic. The MAC center is easy to reach and parking convenient. All lectures will be in the MAC Center, 909 Progress Ave. Salisbury. 

For more information go to Westside Historical Society’s web page, www.westsidehistorical.com or phone 410-726-8047; email westsidehistorical@gmail.com or mail to Westside Historical Society, P.O. Box 194, Mardela Springs MD 21837.

Washington Post Shreds Democrats’ Claim That Mike Brown Was ‘Murdered’

On Friday, the fifth anniversary of the death of Michael Brown, Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Kamala Harris (CA) and Elizabeth Warren (MA) promoted the Department of Justice-debunked narrative that Michael Brown was "murdered" by white police officer Darren Wilson.

Most mainstream media outlets failed to correct the Democrats — a trend that didn't go unnoticed by many conservative pundits, including Rush Limbaugh — but early Tuesday morning, The Washington Post published a much-welcome fact-check on the candidates' statements. In his analysis, fact-checker Glenn Kessler determined that both Harris and Warren deserved the Post's worst rating: Four Pinocchios, which it defines as a full-fledged "whopper."

On the anniversary of Brown's death Friday, Harris tweeted: "Michael Brown's murder forever changed Ferguson and America. His tragic death sparked a desperately needed conversation and a nationwide movement. We must fight for stronger accountability and racial equity in our justice system."

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Survey: Majority in US Holds Dim View of China

Rising tensions over trade have dimmed Americans' opinions of China.

A new Pew Research Center poll finds that 60% say they have an unfavorable view of China — up from 47% last year to the highest proportion since Pew started asking the question 14 years ago.

The survey results being released Tuesday found that 24% of Americans regard China as America's top threat for the future, the same percentage that said so of Russia. North Korea (12 was the only country to draw double-digit concern.

The Trump administration and Beijing have been clashing for more than a year over allegations that China steals trade secrets, pressures foreign companies to hand over technology and unfairly subsidizes the country's own companies.

Respondents were worried about China's rising military power: 81% said it was bad, 11% good.

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Alison Lundergan Grimes' father funneled corporate money into Senate campaign, prosecutor says

A prosecutor says the father of Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes funneled corporate money into her failed U.S. Senate campaign in violation of federal law.

Jerry Lundergan’s attorney told a federal jury on Tuesday that mistakes were made in reporting the contributions, but no laws were broken.

The opening arguments raised the curtain on a trial expected to last about four weeks. The charges stem from Grimes’ unsuccessful 2014 campaign against Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell.

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Man arrested after threatening to stab schoolchildren in Florida

A man in Florida has been arrested after law enforcement officials were alerted to his plot to stab children at an elementary school this week.

Andrew Ivan Aman, 22, allegedly planned to attack the Tampa area school because he "hated America" and despised the large American Flag mural on the front of the school building. Aman packed a large kitchen knife in his bag with the intent to "stab as many children as possible" at Bellamy Elementary School, according to a document released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

"If adults get in the way, he planned to stab them as well," the document also stated.

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Green Card Rule Dates Back Many Years

The Trump administration's new Green Card rule that people who want to come to the United States legally must be able to support themselves is the same that was in effect for decades dating back at least to former President Bill Clinton's time in office, National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said Tuesday.

"It's going to send a clear message around the world that you have to be able to come to the United States and if you want to come here legally, you're going to have to support yourself,' Judd told Fox News' "America's Newsroom."

He added he finds it interesting "hard-left groups" are complaining about the rule and saying it should not be implemented.

"I'm sorry, but if you go back to the Clinton administration, when I was a very young Border Patrol agent, this is exactly the rule," Judd said.

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'The Five' reacts to CNN anchor Chris Cuomo's viral dispute

Eat to Beat Cancer

A report on “The State of U.S. Health” published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), ranked “dietary risks” as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, surpassing even tobacco smoking.

When Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine,” in circa 400 BCE, he knew that what we eat can dramatically affect our health. Today, a few forward-thinking physicians have taken up the battle, urging us to use diet to deter many chronic diseases —including cancer.

A leading integrative oncologist, Dr. Donald I. Abrams M.D., chief of hematology-ncology at San Francisco General Hospital and a professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, reports that his cancer patients who have changed their diet to include low fats, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fiber, calcium and seafood sources of omega-3 fatty acids “report they feel great and have more energy.”

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TRUMP USES CUOMO OUTBURST TO HIGHLIGHT “RED FLAG” CONCERNS

President Trump may have laid to rest any concern he was going to enact gun control via a controversial “Red Flag” law when he slammed CNN anchor Chris Cuomo’s latest meltdown.

In a single tweet, the president seemed to highlight the dangers raised by gun rights advocates who’ve been warning that “Red Flag” laws set an unconstitutional precedent for gun confiscation.

Would Chris Cuomo be given a Red Flag for his recent rant? Filthy language and a total loss of control. He shouldn’t be allowed to have any weapon. He’s nuts!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2019

The so-called ‘Red Flag’ laws allow law enforcement to seize Americans’ guns if a court rules them at risk to themselves or others, a protocol that champions of the Constitution are slamming as a violation of the document.

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Chris Cuomo's TOXIC MASCULINITY!

US Attorney General William Barr bashes progressive prosecutors with lists of crimes they won't prosecute

Attorney General William Barr bashed progressive district attorneys taking office around the country, a group that includes Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins, by calling decisions to decline prosecutions “demoralizing to law enforcement and dangerous to public safety.”

Barr, speaking Monday to the Fraternal Order of Police conference in New Orleans, didn’t mention Rollins by name, instead referring broadly to lefty prosecutors elected in big cities where Rollins, along with Philadelphia’s Larry Krassner, have campaigned and taken office with controversial lists of offenses their offices will default to not prosecuting as standalone charges.

For Rollins, that includes drug possession, theft, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Barr lambasted such decisions from these prosecutors, saying, “Once in office, they have been announcing their refusal to enforce broad swathes of the criminal law. Most disturbing is that some are refusing to prosecute cases of resisting police. Some are refusing to prosecute various theft cases or drug cases, even where the suspect is involved in distribution. And when they do deign to charge a criminal suspect, they are frequently seeking sentences that are pathetically lenient. So these cities are headed back to the days of revolving door justice.”

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New Hampshire Democratic voters say let Trump speak, activists say no

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Anti-Trump activists are applying pressure to the arena where the president will speak Thursday, but the city’s Democratic mayor and voters on the street — honoring the Granite State’s tradition of listening to the candidates — say they want to hear him out on issues from guns to immigration.

As many as 11,500 Trump supporters are expected to fill the SNHU Arena for the 7 p.m. rally Thursday, while Democratic protesters plan to show up in force outside with a giant Trump baby balloon. But a social media campaign by progressive activists is urging Trump opponents to flood the arena management with phone calls, as well the arena’s sponsors — Digital Federal Credit Union, Coca Cola, Auto Fair and Southern New Hampshire University.

“We can’t stop him from coming, but we can let the SNHU Arena know that New Hampshire people do not want Trump’s message of racism and violence in our communities,” Maggie Fogarty wrote on Facebook Monday. “Call the SNHU Arena and any of their sponsors.”

“These rallies serve as a breeding ground for racism and bigotry that inspire white nationalist attacks like the one in El Paso,” said Erin Turmelle, Cory Booker’s state director. “They are despicable and have no place in New Hampshire, or anywhere in our country. That’s why Trump must cancel this rally.”

But Manchester Alderman Barbara Shaw, a Democrat, said she sees no reason to cancel the presidential event.

“This country was built on freedom of speech. Nobody should stop it from going on,” Shaw said. Though she added, “Hopefully he’s not extremely negative and stays away from name-calling people. I hope it’s positive messages, so we can say we’re glad he came.”

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Huawei Planned to Covertly Sell Smartphones in U.S.

China's Huawei Technologies, the world's No. 2 smartphone maker, planned to covertly sell its smartphones in the United States disguised as non-Huawei devices, according to U.S. officials.

U.S. intelligence agencies learned of the plans last month and alerted senior policymakers.

According to the officials, the Shenzhen, China-based company planned to ship a large number of its smartphones to Mexico where the smartphones would be re-labeled and shipped into the United States.

As non-Huawei devices, there would be no prohibition on selling them in the United States.

The phones, however, could be identified as Huawei devices by examining their electronic components that can be traced to the Chinese telecom.

No other details of the secret smartphone operation could be learned.

More here

Self-Sufficient Immigrants Proficient in English Favored for Green Cards

Under a regulation set to be enforced by the Trump administration, self-sufficient immigrants who are proficient in American English will be favored for green cards to permanently remain in the United States over those who are non-English speakers and reliant on welfare.

During a press conference on Monday, Acting United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ken Cuccinelli said the Trump administration will establish what is known as the “Public Charge” rule — a regulation whereby legal immigrants would be less likely to secure permanent residency in the U.S. if they have used any forms of welfare in the past, including using subsidized healthcare services, food stamps, and public housing.

The rule will take into account a number of negative and positive factors when assessing an immigrant’s qualification for a green card.

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Family of Couple Who Died in El Paso Threatened for Posing with Trump

The family of a couple who died in the El Paso, Texas, shootings protecting their baby is receiving death threats for associating with President Donald Trump on his trip to El Paso to console victims of the shooting.

The brother of the killed couple and uncle of the injured two-month-old, Tito Anchondo, spoke out against the criticism and the hate-mongering in the wake of the shooting.

“We should be coming together as a country at this time instead of threatening each other with hate messages,” he told the Houston Chronicle.

Anchondo, who posed in a photo with Trump and Melania at the hospital with the child, said that the president was there to console the victims of the shooting and not there to push a “political agenda.”

“He was just there as a human being, consoling us and giving us condolences,” Anchondo said. The president “wasn’t there to be pushing any kind of political agenda.”

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Virginia man pleads guilty to conspiracy to produce fraudulent Maryland Driver's Licenses

GREENBELT, Md. — A 34-year-old man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to produce and transfer ID documents without lawful authority.

According to his plea agreement, from at least July 2015 to March 2016, Warner Antonio Portillo of Manassas, Virginia conspired with two employees of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration who worked in the Largo, Maryland branch office to produce and transfer Maryland driver's licenses without lawful authority.

Specifically, Portillo and others met with prospective Maryland driver’s license applicants who were willing to pay money to obtain a driver’s license illegally, typically because the applicants were aliens without legal status in the United States or were otherwise unable to obtain a lawfully issued driver’s license.

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The number of fake emotional support dogs is exploding – why?

It’s easy to get your pet designated an emotional support animal. But abuse of the system takes a toll on those with genuine needs

According to her owner, Nick, 40, Rosie – a 50lb, eight-year-old yellow labrador retriever – is a very good girl. (Both man and dog are using a pseudonym for reasons which will be soon made clear.)

Much of Rosie’s goodness is inherent, by virtue of her being a dog. But Rosie is not just a lovable creature, she is a helpful one, too. Rosie can open Nick’s fridge for him. She can press handicap door activation buttons, heel off-leash on busy New York sidewalks, and she’s even dabbled in a little search and rescue. She exhibits extreme self-control, especially when wearing her assistance animal vest, which she knows means she’s on duty.

Nick doesn’t fly with Rosie anymore, but when he did, she’d take up to 20 flights a year.

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In Ocean City, Comptroller to Present WDS and Cornerstone Awards, Stroll Boardwalk with Governor Hogan

Former OC Mayor and State Senator Mathias to receive Schaefer Award; Jolly Roger Amusement Park will receive Cornerstone Award

WHO: Comptroller Peter Franchot

WHAT: Mr. Franchot will begin his time at the Maryland Association of Counties’ (MACo) Summer Conference on Thursday by presenting the William Donald Schaefer Helping People Award for Worcester County to longtime public servant James N. Mathias on the boardwalk outside the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. For more than 30 years, Mathias has demonstrated his lifelong commitment to helping people as a city councilman, mayor, state delegate, and state senator, fully embracing Schaefer’s mantra to help the little guy. On Thursday afternoon, the Comptroller will attend the MACo Taste of Maryland Reception, which celebrates Maryland’s tourism industry, and highlights local foods, beverages and products made in the state. On Friday morning, Mr. Franchot will present the Cornerstone Award for Local Business Excellence for Worcester County to Jolly Roger Amusement Parks, owned by Charles “Buddy” Jenkins. The award recognizes small and family-owned businesses that have stood the test of time and are committed to the communities where they are located. At noon, Mr. Franchot will take a boardwalk stroll with Gov. Larry Hogan starting at Marty’s Playland, owned by Chris Trimper. The two leaders will walk to Dolle’s Candyland, where the Comptroller will present a proclamation to Anna Dolle Bushnell and Andrew Dolle, to recognize this nearly 110-year-old family-owned business serving handmade salt water taffy, buttery caramel popcorn and other sweets. The Governor and Comptroller then will greet patrons at Thrasher’s French Fries, before walking to Piezano’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant, where the Comptroller will present a proclamation to owner Kemal Unal for serving pies from scratch for more than 50 years. On his return trip Friday afternoon, Mr. Franchot will make a pit stop to present the Cornerstone Award for Local Business Excellence in Dorchester County to Emily’s Produce near Cambridge. Owned by Kelly Jackson for 20 years, the business exemplifies an operation that has adapted to economic challenges and continually responds to customer requests, while offering a wide selection of farm-fresh produce, prepared foods and more.

WHEN: August 15-16, 2019

WHERE: 11:15 a.m. Thurs. Ocean City Life-saving Museum 813 S. Atlantic Ave. Ocean City, MD 21842 Noon Fri. Marty's Playland 5 Worcester St.  Ocean City, MD 21842 12:45 p.m. Fri. Piezano's Pizza & Italian Restaurant 300 S. Atlantic Ave. Ocean City, MD 21842 3:45 p.m. Thurs. Convention Center 4001 Coastal Hwy. Ocean City, MD 21842 12:15 p.m. Fri.Thrasher's Fries  401 S. Atlantic Ave. Ocean City, MD 21842 2:30 p.m. Fri. Emily's Produce 2206 Church Creek Road Cambridge, MD 21613 11 a.m Fri. Jolly Roger Amusement Park 2901 Philadelphia Ave. Ocean City, MD 21842 12:30 p.m Fri. Dollie's Candyland 500 s. Atlantic Ave. Ocean City, MD 21842

Man pushes BMW birthday gift into a river because he was angry it wasn't a Jaguar

A man in India has pushed a brand new car into a river because he was upset his parents gifted him a BMW instead of a Jaguar for his birthday.

The young man, only known as Akash, from Haryana in northern India, was given a BMW M3 car by his mother and father.

In an act of protest over not getting the vehicle he wanted, the man ditched the car, but later jumped into the river and joined drivers to try and save it.

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Senators Ask Google for Answers About Huawei Relationship

Republican senators Tom Cotton (Ark.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), and Marco Rubio (Fla.) are demanding in a letter that Google provide details about its relationship with Chinese tech firm Huawei.

The letter released Wednesday followed reports that the two firms were working together on a smart speaker prior to the Trump administration's ban on the importation of Huawei technology. According to the Information, Huawei was planning to sell a Google Assistant-enabled speaker in markets outside of China, including in the United States.

"These devices can enable untrustworthy companies to listen in on Americans' conversations," the letter says. "What due diligence did Google perform before agreeing to help Huawei put a listening device into millions of American living rooms?"

According to the senators, this news came just weeks after a Google representative denied, under oath, "that Google has been conducting any substantial business in China."

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The Toxic Blue-Green Algae Responsible For Killing Dogs Around The US Has Been Found In Maryland

Caution, Marylanders! You may have heard about a toxic blue-green algae has been responsible for killing dogs in a handful of southern states. Now, it’s been found in Maryland. Read on for the details and be on the lookout this summer, especially if you’re a dog owner.

Over the past several weeks, news has spread about dogs dying after swimming in water infected with toxic blue-green algae. 

So far, dogs have reportedly perished in Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. There could be more unreported cases out there.  

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Click here to see a map of testing sites around the bay area and beyond. 

After ICE Raids, US Citizens Flock To Jobs

Less than one week after ICE raided 7 food processing facilities in Mississippi apprehending nearly 700 illegal workers, American citizens are rushing to freshly-available jobs.

Koch Foods is headquartered in Chicago but maintains a chicken processing facility in Mississippi that employed 243 of the 680 undocumented Latino workers arrested in the raids last Thursday. Koch has since collaborated with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES), holding a job fair to recruit new, legal, workers, according to the Associated Press.

The fair raked in 200 applications before noon, according to local media. The company says it will require applicants to present two forms of identification before being hired, according to CNN. MDES will also vet all Mississippi workers for legality using the state’s E-Verify system, according to USA Today.

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Don Lemon sued for alleged assault at Hamptons bar

A lawsuit filed in Suffolk County, New York, claims that CNN host Don Lemon inflicted "emotional pain and suffering" on a man during a July 2018 incident.

The lawsuit details last summer's incident by alleging that after placing his hands down his own pants and "vigorously rubbing his genitalia," Lemon "intensely pushed his fingers against Plaintiff’s face under Plaintiff’s nose, forcing Plaintiff’s head to thrust backward." He allegedly further harassed the man, Dustin Hice, with aggressive sexual questions.

A statement issued by CNN denies the claims and says Hice had a history of antagonizing CNN and its employees on social media. "The plaintiff in this lawsuit has previously displayed a pattern of contempt for CNN on his social media accounts,” a representative for CNN said to Mediaite. “This claim follows his unsuccessful threats and demands for an exorbitant amount of money from Don Lemon. Don categorically denies these claims and this matter does not merit any further comment at this time."

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Americans ‘Fleeing’ Obamacare Exchanges ‘Sky-High’ Premiums

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma said Monday that Americans continue to flee the Obamacare exchanges because the “sky-high premiums” are too “unaffordable.”

The CMS released two reports Monday that found that Obamacare enrollment remained steady in both 2018 and 2019, while average 2019 exchange premiums declined by a small degree.

However, Obamacare state exchanges faced significant challenges for Americans that do not qualify for the Obamacare advance premium tax credit (APTC) and must pay the entire health insurance premium themselves. One study found that, between 2016 and 2018, 2.5 million Americans without Obamacare subsidies left the exchanges, which represents a 40 percent drop.

Administrator Verma said that the current exodus proves that Obamacare’s premiums remain too expensive for millions of Americans.

“As President Trump predicted, people are fleeing the individual market. Obamacare is failing the American people, and the ongoing exodus of the unsubsidized population from the market proves that Obamacare’s sky-high premiums are unaffordable,” said Verma in a statement Monday.

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We Don't Have a Problem with White Supremacy. We Have a Problem with Leftist Supremacy

The left is obsessed with white supremacists the way that children are obsessed with Santa Claus, and for more or less the same reasons.

You see, if they manage to convince people that the alternative to their own crazy, race-obsessed, power-centralizing, socialist policies is white supremacy, then they get everything they ever wanted, plus a pony.

In an America as mixed as we are, the idea that white supremacists are the only ones who will do well is scary to most people. Beyond that, it is the most antithetical thing to American beliefs you can imagine. The nation that banned nobility of birth, and which fought a war to free slaves would never codify a regime where your genetics at birth determines what kind of happiness you can even think of pursuing. In America, equality under the law has always been the goal, even when honored in the breach.

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ICE: Undocumented immigrants in Md. rape friend's 11-year-old sister on separate occasions

GERMANTOWN, Md. (ABC7) — Two undocumented immigrants are accused of raping an 11-year-old girl on different occasions, the common denominator being a friendship with the victim's older brother.

Montgomery County Police have arrested Mauricio Barrera-Navidad, 29, of Damascus, and Carlos Palacios-Amaya, 28, of Gaithersburg, and charged each with second-degree rape.

Last month, the victim — now 12-years-old — spoke with a social worker at her middle school in Germantown. Talking through tears, the girl shared the painful details about what both men allegedly did to her.

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Gun Deaths Have Increased 78% in Maryland Since 2013

While the Baltimore Sun and other anti-gun groups are having fever dreams of further limiting gun rights, data paints a picture that further restrictions will make Maryland’s gun violence problem worse.

There has been a 78% increase in gun deaths in Maryland since 2013. That isn’t a coincidence: 2013 was when Maryland Democrats passed their signature Firearms Safety Act of 2013, colloquially known as SB281.

There’s not much more to say than that. The data speaks for itself. But the numbers don’t lie: gun control kills.

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Monthly Crimes Reported to the WCSO (July 2019)

Updated by the 7th of Each Month for the Month Prior

• Sector 1- Salisbury, Allen, Deer Harbour, Fruitland, Fox Chase
• Sector 2- Parsonsburg, Delmar
• Sector 3- Delmar, Log Cabin Road, Adkins Road
• Sector 4- Nanticoke, Waterview, White Haven, Tyaskin
• Sector 5- Booth Street, Reservation
• Sector 6- Hebron, Mardela Springs, Sharptown
• Sector 7- Pittsville, Willards, Powellville

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