DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, January 29, 2015
The Arizona National Guard is mobilizing for this weekend's Super Bowl
The Arizona National Guard is mobilizing to ensure safety at this weekend's Super Bowl. The event is expected to attract millions of people. Guard leaders have assembled what they call Joint Task Force Super Bowl. Air National Guard F- 16 pilots from the 162nd Wing in Tuscon will enforce the no-fly zone around the University of Phoenix Stadium. They'll be refueled by tankers from the 161st Air Refueling Wing. Arizona Army National Guard soldiers from the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion have trained and plan to have UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters on standby. They they'll help emergency responders who need airlift and transport capability. Military police and communications specialists from the 158th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade are also rehearsing possible support operations.
White House drops 529 college savings proposal
(CNN) The White House is giving up on a costly fight with Congress over the Obama administration's increasingly unpopular proposal to effectively end 529 college savings plans.
A White House official confirmed the move on Tuesday as fierce opposition to the provision was building in Congress, even among fellow Democrats.
READ: Obama proposes scaling back benefits of 529 college savings plans
"Given it has become such a distraction, we're not going to ask Congress to pass the 529 provision so that they can instead focus on delivering a larger package of education tax relief," the official said.
Also known as "qualified tuition programs," 529 college savings plans are typically offered by the states and allow holders to save money and withdraw it tax-free, as long as the proceeds are used towards approved college costs -- typically tuition, fees, room, board and other required supplies. Another kind of 529, prepaid tuition plans, let savers prepay for future tuition and lock in current prices, but they typically do not cover other expenses.
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A White House official confirmed the move on Tuesday as fierce opposition to the provision was building in Congress, even among fellow Democrats.
READ: Obama proposes scaling back benefits of 529 college savings plans
"Given it has become such a distraction, we're not going to ask Congress to pass the 529 provision so that they can instead focus on delivering a larger package of education tax relief," the official said.
Also known as "qualified tuition programs," 529 college savings plans are typically offered by the states and allow holders to save money and withdraw it tax-free, as long as the proceeds are used towards approved college costs -- typically tuition, fees, room, board and other required supplies. Another kind of 529, prepaid tuition plans, let savers prepay for future tuition and lock in current prices, but they typically do not cover other expenses.
More
Is the world really getting nastier? - In 60 seconds
Human Rights Watch has just released its annual report - and it describes this era as "the worst tumult in a generation", with wars raging in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine.
But is the world really becoming a nastier place? BBC News explores the issue in 60 seconds.
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But is the world really becoming a nastier place? BBC News explores the issue in 60 seconds.
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The Smithsonian is working to establish its first international museum outpost
It would be located in the 2012 London Olympic Park. The city is redeveloping the park into a cultural center. London's mayor and developers for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park site have secured $50 million in private contributions for the Smithsonian. A 40,000 square foot museum would help anchor the new Olympicopolis. It would open in 2021, and feature exhibits rotated in and out of the Smithsonian's collections in the United States.
Wicomico County Public Schools Power Outage Update
Wicomico Middle’s power has been restored. Bennett Middle, Parkside and Fruitland Primary are without power but we are now anticipating that it may be restored by 9am. If it is not restored by 9am a SchoolMessenger call will be sent to parents notifying them that they can pick up their children. We will update at about 9 am.
UPDATE: 9:20am
Power is back on at Bennett Middle and the school day will continue. Students are not being dismissed. Parkside, Wi Middle and Fruitland Primary we're already brought back on line.
As You Drive, So You Are Watched
The Justice Department’s plan may be legal, but it’s politically unacceptable.
Another day, and another of Leviathan’s tentacles is exposed for all the world to see. This time the culprit is the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the target is the American motorist. The Wall Street Journal has the scoop:
The Justice Department has been building a national database to track in real time the movement of vehicles around the U.S., a secret domestic intelligence-gathering program that scans and stores hundreds of millions of records about motorists, according to current and former officials and government documents.
The instant reaction to this news has been mixed. As might be expected, the civil libertarians have cast the measures as the latest chapter in America’s slow descent into ubiquitous security theater. Before long, they have proposed, we will be living in Richard Brautigan’s country; still free in many ways, yes, but living our lives on camera rather than in camera, and raging impotently as we are woven slowly into an irreversible “cybernetic ecology” and “all watched over by machines of loving grace.” The government is spying on cars? Naturally. And soon they will have graduated to ankle bracelets, and then . . .
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Felony Conviction of Reid Contributor Upheld By Ninth Circuit
In the midst of his recovery from a serious accident at his home in Nevada, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has gotten some more bad news: the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the felony conviction of Harvey Whittemore, a big financial supporter of the senator.
According to the Ninth Circuit’s opinion, which was released on Jan. 26, Whittemore is “a prominent attorney, developer and lobbyist who has long been active in Nevada politics and political fundraising.” In 2007, he was the chairman of “a holding company with significant interests in golf courses, land development, oil and gas properties, and dairy operations.” The Federal Election Commission website records him as having made tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions to various candidates as well as party organizations such as the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
According to the court opinion, in Feb. 2007 after a personal meeting with Reid, Whittemore promised to raise $150,000 for Reid before the upcoming March 31 campaign finance filing deadline. When Reid’s campaign had not received any of the promised funds by late March, Reid’s fundraiser Jake Perry “twice followed up with Whittemore.” On March 27, 2007, the “day of the second follow-up call, Whittemore transferred a total of $145,000 to seventeen relatives and employees through wire transfers and checks.” Individuals who were not married received $5,000 and married couples received $10,000.
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According to the Ninth Circuit’s opinion, which was released on Jan. 26, Whittemore is “a prominent attorney, developer and lobbyist who has long been active in Nevada politics and political fundraising.” In 2007, he was the chairman of “a holding company with significant interests in golf courses, land development, oil and gas properties, and dairy operations.” The Federal Election Commission website records him as having made tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions to various candidates as well as party organizations such as the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
According to the court opinion, in Feb. 2007 after a personal meeting with Reid, Whittemore promised to raise $150,000 for Reid before the upcoming March 31 campaign finance filing deadline. When Reid’s campaign had not received any of the promised funds by late March, Reid’s fundraiser Jake Perry “twice followed up with Whittemore.” On March 27, 2007, the “day of the second follow-up call, Whittemore transferred a total of $145,000 to seventeen relatives and employees through wire transfers and checks.” Individuals who were not married received $5,000 and married couples received $10,000.
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GoDaddy Pulls 2015 Super Bowl Ad After Slew Of Negative Feedback From Animal Advocates
The recently released GoDaddy 2015 Super Bowl ad generated a whole lot of outrage from animal advocates and was quickly retracted Tuesday.
The ad, called "Journey Home," features a golden retriever puppy named Buddy who bounces out of the back of a truck before traveling through a series of harrowing environments to get to a bright red barn.
"Buddy! I'm so glad you made it home!" a curly-haired blonde exclaims. "Because I just sold you on this website I made with GoDaddy."
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Power Outage In Salisbury
State Police Detectives are Investigating the Death of a 10 Month Old Child
Millsboro- Detectives with Delaware State Police Major Crimes Unit are currently investigating a death of a 10 month old male that occurred Wednesday afternoon at a Millsboro daycare.
On Wednesday January 28, 2015 around 2:15 p.m., troopers were dispatched to Handy's Little Disciples daycare located at 28194 Layton-Davis Road after a 9-1-1 call was received from the home stating a 10 month old was unresponsive. Preliminary investigation suggests a daycare worker attempted to wake the 10 month old male from a nap, and upon doing so, observed the infant unresponsive. The young child was transported by EMS to Beebe Healthcare in Lewes where he was eventually pronounced dead. The child was turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science to determine the exact cause and manner of death.
Detectives are continuing their investigation into this incident.
On Wednesday January 28, 2015 around 2:15 p.m., troopers were dispatched to Handy's Little Disciples daycare located at 28194 Layton-Davis Road after a 9-1-1 call was received from the home stating a 10 month old was unresponsive. Preliminary investigation suggests a daycare worker attempted to wake the 10 month old male from a nap, and upon doing so, observed the infant unresponsive. The young child was transported by EMS to Beebe Healthcare in Lewes where he was eventually pronounced dead. The child was turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science to determine the exact cause and manner of death.
Detectives are continuing their investigation into this incident.
Wait — What Did The Guy In This FarmersOnly.com Ad Just Say?
Why Are Gas Prices Falling, But Trash Collection Fuel Surcharges Staying The Same?
It makes sense for a business or a government service to impose a fuel surcharge During a time when fuel prices are rising out of proportion to the rest of the economy. What about when fuel prices are falling, though, as they are right now? A trash pickup customer in Modesto, California dared to ask that question, and got…a pretty reasonable answer, actually.
Allegedly Terrible Person Accused Of Drowning Puppy In Airport Bathroom In Order To Board A Flight
Are you having a good day so far? Then you might not want to ruin it by reading on, because holy crap, there are some really awful, terrible people in the world. Allegedly: Police in Nebraska say a woman drowned a three-week-old puppy in an airport bathroom after being told she couldn’t board her flight with the dog. Deep breaths. Must take deep breaths.
Verizon Fined $2 Million For Failing To Investigate Rural Calling Problems
Verizon and other operators of copper wire landline service have been accused in recent years of letting these old networks fall into disrepair in order to shift consumers over to wireless and fiberoptic services. It certainly doesn’t help Verizon’s case when the company spends months failing to investigate problems with rural phone service that its own data showed existed.
Your Pork Prayers Have Been Answered: Bacon Prices Are Falling
The choice between money in your wallet and savory, melt-in-your-mouth bacon has just gotten a lot easier, my bacon-loving friends: The pork industry is coming through a recent porcine diarrhea epidemic that slowed down business for awhile, meaning your next bacon fix won’t be quite as costly.
Poll: Ride-Sharing Services Are Cutting Down On Drunk-Driving Incidents
Times used to be, if your friend was drunk and threatening to drive, you’d have to deal with the inconvenience of actually calling up a cab while hiding their keys. But now due to ride-sharing services that can summon vehicles with a swipe on an app, drunk-driving incidents are down. This, according to a poll by one of those services, Uber, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
University Of Phoenix’s Risk-Free Trial Might Not Cost You, But Is It An Accurate Taste Of College?
From diet pills to dating websites, it’s not hard to find someone offering a “risk-free” trial membership, and thanks to the University of Phoenix, that “try before you buy” model now applies to college courses. But while one might admire the idea of giving potential students a taste of the school before committing to an expensive education at the for-profit online university, consumer advocates are concerned about the program’s benefits.
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