Real estate heir and suspected serial killer Robert Durst will spend seven years and a month in prison after he pleaded guilty to a weapons charge.
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the plea deal on Wednesday.
Durst came to that agreement in February shortly after he seemingly admitted to murder in an HBO documentary. And as the Two-Way has reported:
"Durst has waived extradition to Los Angeles to stand trial for the 2000 murder of his friend Susan Berman. Durst is suspected of killing her because he feared Berman could connect him to the disappearance of his first wife in 1982.
"Durst's longtime lawyer — who successfully defended Durst in 2003 after his client admitted killing and dismembering a neighbor in self-defense — says the California case will be challenging."
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Most High School Seniors Aren't College Or Career Ready, 'Nation's Report Card' Says
The latest results of the test known as the Nation's Report Card are in. They cover high school seniors, who took the test in math and reading last year. The numbers are unlikely to give fodder either to educational cheerleaders or alarmists: The average score in both subjects was just one point lower in 2015 compared with the last time the test was given, in 2013. This tiny downtick was statistically significant in mathematics, but not for the reading test.
But even though the changes are small, chances are you're going to be hearing about them in a lot of places.
Why is this test so widely reported on, widely cited and widely debated? And how does it line up with common-sense yardsticks of how students are doing? Let's take a closer look.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, has become a standardized test that even some critics of standardized tests rely upon. One big reason: It's a research project conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, not a state accountability test.
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But even though the changes are small, chances are you're going to be hearing about them in a lot of places.
Why is this test so widely reported on, widely cited and widely debated? And how does it line up with common-sense yardsticks of how students are doing? Let's take a closer look.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, has become a standardized test that even some critics of standardized tests rely upon. One big reason: It's a research project conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, not a state accountability test.
More
Supreme Court May Be Leaning Toward Voiding Ex-Va. Governor's Corruption Conviction
The Supreme Court appears to be leaning in favor of reversing the corruption conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, based on Wednesday's oral arguments.
At the case's core is how to determine a clean "official act" from a corrupt one, and where the line is.
Justice Elena Kagan said during oral arguments that the court is concerned both about overzealous prosecutors and giving a free pass to corrupt politicians.
Many of the justices — both liberal and conservative — appeared dissatisfied with the standard that the government is currently using to seek convictions on public corruption charges.
Justice Stephen Breyer said he doesn't want a situation where all of the power is in the hands of the Justice Department to decide who is prosecuted for a felony and who is not.
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At the case's core is how to determine a clean "official act" from a corrupt one, and where the line is.
Justice Elena Kagan said during oral arguments that the court is concerned both about overzealous prosecutors and giving a free pass to corrupt politicians.
Many of the justices — both liberal and conservative — appeared dissatisfied with the standard that the government is currently using to seek convictions on public corruption charges.
Justice Stephen Breyer said he doesn't want a situation where all of the power is in the hands of the Justice Department to decide who is prosecuted for a felony and who is not.
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FAIL: Busted Wind Turbines Give College Whopping Negative 99.14% Return On Investment
The turbines were funded by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, but the turbines lasted for less than four years and were incredibly costly to maintain.
“Since the installation in 2012, the college has spent $240,000 in parts and labor to maintain the turbines,” Kelly Allee, Director of Public Relations at Lake Land College, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
The college estimates it would take another $100,000 in repairs to make the turbines function again after one of them was struck by lightning and likely suffered electrical damage last summer. School officials’ original estimates found the turbine would save it $44,000 in electricity annually, far more than the $8,500 they actually generated. Under the original optimistic scenario, the turbines would have to last for 22.5 years just to recoup the costs, not accounting for inflation. If viewed as an investment, the turbines had a return of negative 99.14 percent.
“While they have been an excellent teaching tool for students, they have only generated $8,500 in power in their lifetime,” she said. “One of the reasons for the lower than expected energy power is that the turbines often need to be repaired. They are not a good teaching tool if they are not working.”
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The Price is Right Live!™ Coming to Salisbury, MD on October 16!
Tickets go on sale Friday, May 6 @ 10am !
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Salisbury, MD --- "The Price is Right Live!™ is coming to The WICOMICO YOUTH & CIVIC CENTER on Sunday, October 16 at 7pm!
TICKETS GO ON SALE Friday, May 6, 10am at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Box Office and online atwww.WicomicoCivicCenter.org. Tickets range from $33.50 to $55 plus applicable fees.
"The Price Is Right Live™ is the hit interactive stage show that gives eligible individuals the chance to "Come On Down" to win. Prizes may include appliances, vacations and possibly a new car! Play classic games from television's longest running and most popular game show from Plinko™, to Cliffhangers™, to The Big Wheel™, and even the fabulous Showcase.
Playing to near sold out audiences for nearly nine years, The Price Is Right Live! has given away more than 10 million dollars in cash and prizes and sold more than 1.2 million tickets. If you enjoy the rush of emotions experienced while watching the show on television, just imagine the possibilities if you were actually in the audience watching it live.
The Price Is Right is produced by FremantleMedia North America and licensed by FremantleMedia.
EVENT: The Price is Right Live!
DATE/TIME: October 16 @ 7pm
VENUE: WICOMICO YOUTH & CIVIC CENTER, Salisbury
TICKETS ON SALE: Friday, May 6 @ 10am
Want to play? No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of 50 United States and Canada (excluding Puerto Rico & Quebec), 18 years or older. Ticket purchase will not increase your chances of being selected to play. To register for chance to be a contestant, visit registration area at or near the venue box office 3 hours prior to show time. For complete rules & regulations, including eligibility requirements, visit or call the box. To enter theater to watch show, a ticket purchase is required. Sponsored by Good Games Live, Inc. Void where prohibited. Price is Right Live™/© 2016 FremantleMedia. All Rights Reserved.
For more information call the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center at 410-548-4911 or visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.
Change At Oasis During Bike Week
Congressmen Question FDA on Loosening of Abortion-Inducing Drug Standards
(CNSNews.com) – Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent a letter Monday, together with 73 of their colleagues to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, expressing concern and seeking information regarding the recent loosening of regulation of the abortion-inducing drug Mifeprex or RU-486.
The FDA announced a change in their guidelines for Mifeprex in March. The new guidelines reduce the dosage from 600 milligrams to 200 milligrams, decrease the number of required doctor’s visits from three to two, and allow the pill to be taken later in pregnancy, at 10 weeks of pregnancy from 7 weeks.
“We are deeply disappointed to learn that you have loosened FDA standards governing use of the abortion drug mifepristone, also referred to as Mifeprex or RU-486,” the lawmakers wrote. “This powerful abortion drug has been associated with serious adverse events including hemorrhaging, severe infections and even deaths of mothers who have taken it.”
“The Obama Administration’s gift to the abortion industry disregards the safety and lives of women.."
More here
The FDA announced a change in their guidelines for Mifeprex in March. The new guidelines reduce the dosage from 600 milligrams to 200 milligrams, decrease the number of required doctor’s visits from three to two, and allow the pill to be taken later in pregnancy, at 10 weeks of pregnancy from 7 weeks.
“We are deeply disappointed to learn that you have loosened FDA standards governing use of the abortion drug mifepristone, also referred to as Mifeprex or RU-486,” the lawmakers wrote. “This powerful abortion drug has been associated with serious adverse events including hemorrhaging, severe infections and even deaths of mothers who have taken it.”
“The Obama Administration’s gift to the abortion industry disregards the safety and lives of women.."
More here
Election and Appointment of Members of the Board of Education
Additional Info...
Protesters Pepper Spray Trump Supporters, Hitting 8-Year-Old Girl
No serious injuries and no arrests were reported in Tuesday’s clash as about 50 people confronted each other in the Orange County community.
Backers waving U.S. flags and pro-Trump signs were met by opponents and a shouting match began before a City Council meeting where an anti-Trump resolution had been proposed that the council eventually chose to take no action on.
At one point, an opponent unleashed a hand-held pepper-spray device on the pro-Trump crowd.
Five people, including two girls ages 8 and 11, were exposed to the eye-stinging spray, police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said. Three were treated at the scene by paramedics.
The man fled, but police were looking for him, Wyatt said.
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Not Drug Money, Just Christian Cash for Orphans
We’ve previously noted how the practice of civil asset forfeiture needs serious reform because it’s little more than an unconstitutional windfall for law enforcement. Jason Snead of the Heritage Foundation defines forfeiture as “a policy that enables law enforcement authorities to seize property or currency if they suspect it is involved in, or is the result of, a crime.” With that, we now offer the latest entry in the annals of “justice.”
A 40-year-old Texas man was pulled over in Oklahoma for driving with a busted tail light. Police dogs alerted deputies to a stash of cash (which often bears trace amounts of drugs), so law enforcement escorted the man to the station for further questioning. The man, a refugee from Burma who became a U.S. citizen more than a decade ago, speaks English as a second language, so communication with the deputies wasn’t always clear, but officers found no evidence of any crime — except the mere possession of $53,249 in cash. So they took all of it, marking the receipt “Possession of drug proceeds.” They then let him go, busted tail light and all, though five weeks later, he was finally charged with a felony: “acquir[ing] proceeds from drug activity.”
The worst part is that the cash was earned by a Christian band, of which the Texas man was a part, and the majority of it was earmarked for a religious college in Burma and an orphanage in Thailand. No drugs, just music and charity.
More here
A 40-year-old Texas man was pulled over in Oklahoma for driving with a busted tail light. Police dogs alerted deputies to a stash of cash (which often bears trace amounts of drugs), so law enforcement escorted the man to the station for further questioning. The man, a refugee from Burma who became a U.S. citizen more than a decade ago, speaks English as a second language, so communication with the deputies wasn’t always clear, but officers found no evidence of any crime — except the mere possession of $53,249 in cash. So they took all of it, marking the receipt “Possession of drug proceeds.” They then let him go, busted tail light and all, though five weeks later, he was finally charged with a felony: “acquir[ing] proceeds from drug activity.”
The worst part is that the cash was earned by a Christian band, of which the Texas man was a part, and the majority of it was earmarked for a religious college in Burma and an orphanage in Thailand. No drugs, just music and charity.
More here
Cal Ripken Jr., wife Kelly Ripken have divorced
Orioles Iron Man and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and Kelly Ripken finalized their divorce this morning in the Baltimore County Circuit Court.
A statement released by Kelly Ripken's lawyer, Sanford Ain, said:
"Kelly has been a great mother to two fabulous children and a wonderful, faithful wife for the duration of the parties' relationship, which lasted more than 30 years. This is a difficult time for her and she asks that her privacy and the privacy of her children be respected. Kelly looks forward to the next chapter in her life, which will be focused on philanthropy and her commitment to promoting women's health, most currently through A Woman's Journey at Johns Hopkins Medicine."
Ain said that the pleadings are sealed.
“Everything is private, so we’re not saying anything about the cause,” Ain said.
Ain also said that the divorce process has been going on for “quite some time” and that there was a one-year separation. The couple, who were married for 29 years, have two children.
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A statement released by Kelly Ripken's lawyer, Sanford Ain, said:
"Kelly has been a great mother to two fabulous children and a wonderful, faithful wife for the duration of the parties' relationship, which lasted more than 30 years. This is a difficult time for her and she asks that her privacy and the privacy of her children be respected. Kelly looks forward to the next chapter in her life, which will be focused on philanthropy and her commitment to promoting women's health, most currently through A Woman's Journey at Johns Hopkins Medicine."
Ain said that the pleadings are sealed.
“Everything is private, so we’re not saying anything about the cause,” Ain said.
Ain also said that the divorce process has been going on for “quite some time” and that there was a one-year separation. The couple, who were married for 29 years, have two children.
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Hero: Dog Dies from Exhaustion After Rescuing Seven People From Ecuador Quake
Dayko, a rescue dog for the Ibara fire service, died last Friday, having spent the previous days searching for survivors in the rubble left by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake which hit Ecuador last week.
According to a post on Ibara fire service's Facebook page the cause of death was "massive coronary myocardial infarction and acute respiratory failure." He had been working as a rescue dog for three and a half years.
More here
Delmar Little League Events
This Saturday is our Bull Roast
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/750983731705674/
May 14th is our MLB Pitch Hit & Run and MLB Jr Homerun Derby (both events are free)
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/978204898935964/
May 14th is our 1st BBQ Cook Off Competition
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1767958526774816/
Little League Website: delmarlittleleague.com
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/750983731705674/
May 14th is our MLB Pitch Hit & Run and MLB Jr Homerun Derby (both events are free)
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/978204898935964/
May 14th is our 1st BBQ Cook Off Competition
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1767958526774816/
WBOC Said, "Many Consider The Convention Center The Hub Of Ocean City"
We can start with, who are "MANY"? I can tell you, I live in Ocean City and the majority of people I have spoken to are quite upset that they are considering expanding the convention center.
WHY does WBOC refuse to show people who DISAGREE? Oh, that's right. They sell commercials for things like Springfest and many other events. Why bite the hand that feeds you, right?
If you ever wondered WHY SBYNews is so successful, it is because we aren't afraid to tell the TRUTH. We will not allow our our advertisers to direct us in what we will or won't post. Finally, people can publish their honest opinion anonymously. ALL other news sources use Facebook Comment because you must use your real identity. Guess what, you are NOT going to get the TRUTH from people that way in fear of retaliation.
Finally, I think the OCEAN is the HUB OF OCEAN CITY, how about you?
Police Seek Public’s Help In Somerset Co. Home Invasion
Shortly after 1:00 a.m. yesterday, Maryland State troopers from the Princess Anne Barrack responded to the 30000 block of Eden Allen RD, Eden, MD, for report of a armed home invasion/robbery. This call was placed by one of the victims.
Preliminary, the investigation revealed that three, unknown black males, entered the residence by a rear window leading into the kitchen area of the residence. Once inside the residence, the suspects accosted the residents who were inside asleep and demanded money from them. During the course of the incident the suspects assaulted the three adult’s in the residence and held the juvenile’s at gunpoint. After assaulting the residents, the suspects fled the home through the rear door on foot. Two cell phones and a set of car keys were taken by the suspects. Two adult victims were transported to PRMC by ambulance for treatment of their injuries.
The suspects are described as three black males wearing all black clothing and having either masks or hoodie’s covering their faces. One suspect was described as being a “light skinned black male weighing approximately 170-180 lbs and was estimated to be 5’09” tall. No further suspect descriptions were provided to responding troopers. All three suspects were armed with handguns. One of the handguns described by the victims as being the same color as army fatigues, possibly camouflaged or being a combination of tan and green.
Wicomico County Sheriff Deputy K-9 unit responded to the scene to assist and conducted a track with negative results. Maryland State Police Crime Scene responded to the incident as well and processed the scene for evidence.
State Police investigators are hoping anyone with information will come forward. Callers may remain anonymous. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barrack at (443) 260-3700. This investigation is still active and ongoing.
Contact: Tfc. C. Tyler, Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barrack, (443)-260-3700
Cruz Doubles Down on Challenge To Trump
Ted Cruz suffered a significant loss to Donald Trump last night, going down in five different states. But the Texas Senator has a slew of favorable primary contests ahead of him, and he's decided that backing down is out of the question. Today, he issued another challenge to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump:
Ted Cruz on Wednesday demanded a debate with Donald Trump and accused the Republican presidential front-runner of trying to avoid campaigning in Indiana by dropping into The Hoosier State "like Mick Jagger."
The demand came hours after Cruz was crushed by Trump in five primary states — mathematically ending his chances of winning the GOP nomination outright — and faced the daunting task of trying to stop the billionaire developer from sweeping next Tuesday’s Indiana primary.
"I believe the people of Indiana deserve a debate. I accepted two debate invitations in Indiana to give Hoosiers the chance to compare and make this choice. I think that is a simple act of respect to the voters," Cruz said at a press conference in Indianapolis.
The Texas senator said he plans to make a "major announcement" at 4 p.m. Wednesday, in which he is expected to name his vice presidential running mate.
As we mentioned yesterday, there's little reason for Trump to debate. Yet Cruz is likely to continue his calls all the way up until the Indiana primary. Will Trump answer Cruz's call for debate, or will he continue to ignore him and urge him to drop out? What do you think?
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Ted Cruz on Wednesday demanded a debate with Donald Trump and accused the Republican presidential front-runner of trying to avoid campaigning in Indiana by dropping into The Hoosier State "like Mick Jagger."
The demand came hours after Cruz was crushed by Trump in five primary states — mathematically ending his chances of winning the GOP nomination outright — and faced the daunting task of trying to stop the billionaire developer from sweeping next Tuesday’s Indiana primary.
"I believe the people of Indiana deserve a debate. I accepted two debate invitations in Indiana to give Hoosiers the chance to compare and make this choice. I think that is a simple act of respect to the voters," Cruz said at a press conference in Indianapolis.
The Texas senator said he plans to make a "major announcement" at 4 p.m. Wednesday, in which he is expected to name his vice presidential running mate.
As we mentioned yesterday, there's little reason for Trump to debate. Yet Cruz is likely to continue his calls all the way up until the Indiana primary. Will Trump answer Cruz's call for debate, or will he continue to ignore him and urge him to drop out? What do you think?
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