DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, December 09, 2016
'Thousands' of geese die in toxic Montana pit mine
Thousands of migrating snow geese died after landing in contaminated pit mine waters in Montana, mine officials have said.
Officials estimate that as many as 25,000 birds landed in the Berkeley Pit last week, and since then have been seen dropping dead in the area.
Mine workers tried to prevent the birds from landing in the acidic wastewater, but were overwhelmed by their number.
Each year several birds are found floating dead there, but never so many.
"I can't underscore enough how many birds were in the Butte area that night," said Mark Thompson, an environmental affairs manager for Montana Resources, which controls the pit mine along with Atlantic Richfield.
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Officials estimate that as many as 25,000 birds landed in the Berkeley Pit last week, and since then have been seen dropping dead in the area.
Mine workers tried to prevent the birds from landing in the acidic wastewater, but were overwhelmed by their number.
Each year several birds are found floating dead there, but never so many.
"I can't underscore enough how many birds were in the Butte area that night," said Mark Thompson, an environmental affairs manager for Montana Resources, which controls the pit mine along with Atlantic Richfield.
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Traffic Stop Results in Two Criminal Arrests After Interstate Pursuit
The suspects are identified as Aaron Logan Jordan, 27, of Easton and Daniel Dylan Hicks, 23, of St. Michaels. After consultation with the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, both were charged with second degree burglary, theft over $1,000, motor vehicle theft, fleeing and eluding, and other pending criminal and traffic charges. Both are currently at the Glen Burnie Barrack waiting to be seen by a court commissioner.
At 2:45 a.m. this morning, a trooper from the Glen Burnie Barrack initiated a traffic stop for a speed violation on a white 1996 Dodge Ram pickup truck traveling northbound on Route 10 at Route 170. As the trooper exited his patrol car and approached the truck, the driver accelerated and fled the scene. The trooper ran back to his vehicle and a police pursuit ensued.
Hicks, the alleged driver of the truck, continued northbound on Route 10 to northbound I-695 and attempted to take the ramp to northbound Route 295, but swerved on the approach. The truck hit the guardrail, flipped and came to rest on it’s roof. Moments later, the two occupants escaped and continued to flee on foot in two different directions.
Troopers were able to apprehend both occupants a short distance away from the crash. They were transported by ambulance: one occupant was transported to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and the other was transported to Baltimore Washington Medical Center. Both were examined and released and transported to the Glen Burnie Barrack for processing.
Troopers on the scene noticed a large number of power tools and farm equipment that was ejected from the truck as a result of the crash. Items included chain and circular saws, nail guns, a sander and an air compressor, among other tools and equipment.
A cooperative investigation between the Criminal Enforcement Division in Easton and troopers from the Glen Burnie and Easton Barracks, led to the identification of the truck’s owner which Hicks and Jordan were driving at the time of the crash. The truck was registered to an owner in St. Michaels, Maryland.
When investigators from the Easton Barrack attempted to locate the owner at his home in the 9,000 block of North Claiborne Road in St. Michaels, they noticed his detached garage appeared to have been burglarized. Crime scene technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensics Division immediately responded to process the scene for evidence.
Once the owner was contacted by investigators, he advised the items found at the crash scene were stored in his detached garage and in his truck. The owner advised police he had not known his truck had been stolen nor his garage burglarized.
No police officers or other citizens were injured during the incident. The investigation continues.
Life Expectancy In U.S. Drops For First Time In Decades, Report Finds
One of the fundamental ways scientists measure the well-being of a nation is tracking the rate at which its citizens die and how long they can be expected to live.
So the news out of the federal government Thursday is disturbing: The overall U.S. death rate has increased for the first time in a decade, according to an analysis of the latest data. And that led to a drop in overall life expectancy for the first time since 1993, particularly among people younger than 65.
"This is a big deal," says Philip Morgan, a demographer at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the new analysis.
"There's not a better indicator of well-being than life expectancy," he says. "The fact that it's leveling off in the U.S. is a striking finding."
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So the news out of the federal government Thursday is disturbing: The overall U.S. death rate has increased for the first time in a decade, according to an analysis of the latest data. And that led to a drop in overall life expectancy for the first time since 1993, particularly among people younger than 65.
"This is a big deal," says Philip Morgan, a demographer at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the new analysis.
"There's not a better indicator of well-being than life expectancy," he says. "The fact that it's leveling off in the U.S. is a striking finding."
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A secret to sustainable development might be right before our eyes
George Washington had Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson had Monticello.
Now President-elect Donald Trump has his eponymous Manhattan skyscraper, Trump Tower.
Our first and third presidents saw their plantations as both productive and symbolic of American identity that was rooted in the land itself.
President-elect Trump looks out from his tower onto a dense, dynamic cityscape that represents American capitalism.
Washington lavished huge amounts of attention and money on building and furnishing Mount Vernon. Jefferson spent practically his entire adult life constructing, expanding and renovating Monticello. Trump Tower is loaded with polished metal and stone and clad in reflective glass.
Will it stand just for the questionable taste of the one percent, or could it stimulate more creative, sustainable approaches to urban development?
Initially, this might sound far-fetched. After all, Donald Trump, during the recent presidential campaign, refuted many of the environmental movement’s tenets, most notably climate change. Commentators have worried that he will, at best, fail to provide leadership on environmental issues and, at worst, embolden polluters and climate change deniers.
But especially now that we know that Trump’s wife and son, Barron, will continue to reside in Manhattan, the president-elect is at least bringing attention to the urban tower as a residential building type. And some architects and urbanists believe that the skyscraper offers one important solution to climate issues.
Yes, building and operating tall buildings require massive amounts of energy. But skyscrapers can also provide adequate housing in high-demand areas, reduce energy use and pollution when built over transportation hubs and preserve green space and agricultural land through their relatively small footprints.
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Now President-elect Donald Trump has his eponymous Manhattan skyscraper, Trump Tower.
Our first and third presidents saw their plantations as both productive and symbolic of American identity that was rooted in the land itself.
President-elect Trump looks out from his tower onto a dense, dynamic cityscape that represents American capitalism.
Washington lavished huge amounts of attention and money on building and furnishing Mount Vernon. Jefferson spent practically his entire adult life constructing, expanding and renovating Monticello. Trump Tower is loaded with polished metal and stone and clad in reflective glass.
Will it stand just for the questionable taste of the one percent, or could it stimulate more creative, sustainable approaches to urban development?
Initially, this might sound far-fetched. After all, Donald Trump, during the recent presidential campaign, refuted many of the environmental movement’s tenets, most notably climate change. Commentators have worried that he will, at best, fail to provide leadership on environmental issues and, at worst, embolden polluters and climate change deniers.
But especially now that we know that Trump’s wife and son, Barron, will continue to reside in Manhattan, the president-elect is at least bringing attention to the urban tower as a residential building type. And some architects and urbanists believe that the skyscraper offers one important solution to climate issues.
Yes, building and operating tall buildings require massive amounts of energy. But skyscrapers can also provide adequate housing in high-demand areas, reduce energy use and pollution when built over transportation hubs and preserve green space and agricultural land through their relatively small footprints.
More
Prince George's liquor chair gets DUI on MGM casino opening night
Prince George’s County police responded to a report of an accident around 11:40 p.m. When they arrived, officers found Charles W Caldwell, III, behind the wheel with a “strong odor” of alcohol. Caldwell, 72, refused to take a breathalyzer test and police said he failed a field sobriety test.
He was arrested and charged with DUI and was released a few hours later.
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Michael Jordan just won a landmark case over Chinese copycats
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's highest court has ruled in favor of former basketball star Michael Jordan in a long-running trademark case relating to a local sportswear firm using the Chinese version of his name, overturning earlier rulings against the athlete.
The former Chicago Bulls player sued Qiaodan Sports in 2012, saying the company located in southern Fujian province had built its business around his Chinese name and famous jersey number "23" without his permission.
In 2015 a court ruled in favor of Qiaodan Sports over the trademark dispute, a ruling which was then upheld by the Beijing Municipal High People's Court. After that ruling Jordan's legal team said they would take the case to China's top court.
The Chinese characters for Jordan's name read as "Qiaodan" in basketball-mad China, which also has a homegrown superstar in former Houston Rockets player Yao Ming.
On Thursday, China's Supreme People's Court overturned earlier rulings in favor of Qiaodan Sports using the characters for Jordan's Chinese name, although upheld a ruling allowing the firm to use the Romanized version "Qiaodan".
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The former Chicago Bulls player sued Qiaodan Sports in 2012, saying the company located in southern Fujian province had built its business around his Chinese name and famous jersey number "23" without his permission.
In 2015 a court ruled in favor of Qiaodan Sports over the trademark dispute, a ruling which was then upheld by the Beijing Municipal High People's Court. After that ruling Jordan's legal team said they would take the case to China's top court.
The Chinese characters for Jordan's name read as "Qiaodan" in basketball-mad China, which also has a homegrown superstar in former Houston Rockets player Yao Ming.
On Thursday, China's Supreme People's Court overturned earlier rulings in favor of Qiaodan Sports using the characters for Jordan's Chinese name, although upheld a ruling allowing the firm to use the Romanized version "Qiaodan".
More
Life Sentence For Nephew’s Death
On Saturday, May 2, 2015, a Virginia couple dropped off their son at the Pocomoke home of Kevin M. Sewell, then 27, and his wife. Sewell was the child’s uncle and the couple had dropped the 3-year-old off at his house for an overnight visit. When the child was returned to the couple the following day at their home in Accomack County, he had suffered severe trauma to his head and abdomen along with other injuries. The child was taken to Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter in Norfolk where he died of injuries sustained while in his uncle’s care.
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Giraffes are facing extinction after a devastating 40% drop in population
Giraffes are at risk of becoming extinct after numbers have plummeted by up to 40 per cent in 30 years, conservationists have warned.
The global population of the world’s tallest mammal has declined from more than 150,000 in the 1980s to less than 100,000 in 2015.
Growing human population, loss of habitat through agriculture and mining, illegal hunting and human conflict in the Africancountries they habituate are all taking their toll on the animal.
Now the species has been classed as “vulnerable to extinction” on the latest global Red List of Threatened Species.
The assessment, done by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), also revealed a worsening situation for African grey parrots.
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The global population of the world’s tallest mammal has declined from more than 150,000 in the 1980s to less than 100,000 in 2015.
Growing human population, loss of habitat through agriculture and mining, illegal hunting and human conflict in the Africancountries they habituate are all taking their toll on the animal.
Now the species has been classed as “vulnerable to extinction” on the latest global Red List of Threatened Species.
The assessment, done by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), also revealed a worsening situation for African grey parrots.
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Lawsuits against JC Penney, Sears, Kohl's, Macy's claim retailers duped customers
The separate lawsuits alleging deceptive advertising were filed against J.C. Penney, Sears, Kohl's and Macy's, according to the Los Angeles city attorney's office.
"Customers have the right to be told the truth about the prices they're paying — and to know if a bargain is really a bargain," Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a statement.
Feuer said the retailers falsely advertised higher regular prices for merchandise so customers believed they were getting bigger bargains.
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Why you should take advantage of this widely ignored part of Amazon to save money
Whether you're a geek or not, you have to admit there's something satisfying about buying something that's brand new. Even if it's something that millions of people own, like a smartphone or TV, this one is yours.
It was for that reason, and a couple of others, that I was always wary of buying refurbished or open-box products — especially tech.
Refurbished means it was broken, right? Isn't it just going to break again? Ditto for open-box products; if someone bought something and didn't like it, why should I?
Those questions, and the last one in particular started to become more flimsy the more I started thinking about them. Yes, something may have been broken once, but would a manufacturer go through the process of fixing and recertifying it just to have it returned again? If someone I've never met and will never know returned a product, how could I know why they did it?
For example, I don't like bass-heavy headphones. If you do and bought a more neutral-sounding pair, you might return them because they don't work for you. If I picked up the same pair you returned as an open-box item, I might be perfectly happy with them, and save some money. Money-saving became a big reason I started to think about buying used, refurbished, and open-box products, especially after realizing my arguments against them didn't hold up.
It also helped when I realized that retailers like Best Buy and Amazon sell open-box and refurbished items with the same return policy as their normal products. That means I wouldn't have a fight ahead of me if my former fears about used tech came true.
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It was for that reason, and a couple of others, that I was always wary of buying refurbished or open-box products — especially tech.
Refurbished means it was broken, right? Isn't it just going to break again? Ditto for open-box products; if someone bought something and didn't like it, why should I?
Those questions, and the last one in particular started to become more flimsy the more I started thinking about them. Yes, something may have been broken once, but would a manufacturer go through the process of fixing and recertifying it just to have it returned again? If someone I've never met and will never know returned a product, how could I know why they did it?
For example, I don't like bass-heavy headphones. If you do and bought a more neutral-sounding pair, you might return them because they don't work for you. If I picked up the same pair you returned as an open-box item, I might be perfectly happy with them, and save some money. Money-saving became a big reason I started to think about buying used, refurbished, and open-box products, especially after realizing my arguments against them didn't hold up.
It also helped when I realized that retailers like Best Buy and Amazon sell open-box and refurbished items with the same return policy as their normal products. That means I wouldn't have a fight ahead of me if my former fears about used tech came true.
More
Commission puts $3B price tag on improving public education in Maryland
Nearly four months into a new academic year and money is still a very important topic of conversation in the schoolhouse , and among members of a newly-appointed Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education.
The group, appointed by the governor and top lawmakers, now has a pretty good idea of the price tag for improving Maryland schools.
The group is led by retired University System of Maryland Chancellor Dr. William Kirwan. The group got its first official report from a Denver-based consulting firm. The firm said it'll take close to an extra $3 billion to begin the process of improving public education.
"It's not just about money. It's how you spend the money, and we'll be very focused on that as we go forward with our work because that's how we are going to make a difference in the kids," said Dr. William Kirwan, chairman on the commission.
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The group, appointed by the governor and top lawmakers, now has a pretty good idea of the price tag for improving Maryland schools.
The group is led by retired University System of Maryland Chancellor Dr. William Kirwan. The group got its first official report from a Denver-based consulting firm. The firm said it'll take close to an extra $3 billion to begin the process of improving public education.
"It's not just about money. It's how you spend the money, and we'll be very focused on that as we go forward with our work because that's how we are going to make a difference in the kids," said Dr. William Kirwan, chairman on the commission.
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Accident At Sixty Foot Road
It's becoming less and less likely that Sears can save itself
Sears reported its 20th straight quarterly decline on Thursday and acknowledged that the company has "fallen short" of expectations for a recovery.
The company said revenue fell 12.5% to $5 billion in the third quarter.
Same-store sales dropped 7.4%, including a 10% decrease at Sears stores and a 4.4% decrease at Kmart stores.
Sears' cash and equivalents fell 12% to $258 million in the period.
The company said it will continue to accelerate store closures to help stop the bleeding.
Sears is shutting down 64 Kmart stores this month, following the closure of nearly 80 Sears and Kmart stores in July.
"We understand the concerns related to our operating performance," Sears Chief Financial Officer Jason Hollar said in a pre-recorded conference call. "We have fallen short on our own time-table for achieving the profitability that we believe the company is capable of generating. With that said, the team remains fully committed to restoring profitability to our company and creating meaningful value."
Addressing widespread speculation about a potential Sears bankruptcy, Hollar reiterated that the company has a "rich asset base" to draw from in order to stay in operation.
"We believe that our liquidity needs will be satisfied through the foreseeable future using the levers available to us through our portfolio of assets," Hollar said.
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The company said revenue fell 12.5% to $5 billion in the third quarter.
Same-store sales dropped 7.4%, including a 10% decrease at Sears stores and a 4.4% decrease at Kmart stores.
Sears' cash and equivalents fell 12% to $258 million in the period.
The company said it will continue to accelerate store closures to help stop the bleeding.
Sears is shutting down 64 Kmart stores this month, following the closure of nearly 80 Sears and Kmart stores in July.
"We understand the concerns related to our operating performance," Sears Chief Financial Officer Jason Hollar said in a pre-recorded conference call. "We have fallen short on our own time-table for achieving the profitability that we believe the company is capable of generating. With that said, the team remains fully committed to restoring profitability to our company and creating meaningful value."
Addressing widespread speculation about a potential Sears bankruptcy, Hollar reiterated that the company has a "rich asset base" to draw from in order to stay in operation.
"We believe that our liquidity needs will be satisfied through the foreseeable future using the levers available to us through our portfolio of assets," Hollar said.
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Ohio lawmakers pass Republican 20-week abortion ban proposal
Abortions would be banned after 20 weeks under a bill Republican lawmakers passed Thursday, adding to legislation already on its way to Republican Gov. John Kasich that would prohibit abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
The House voted 64-29 to pass the bill already approved by the Senate.
During early debate the House rejected a Democratic proposal to add rape and incest to exceptions in the bill.
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The House voted 64-29 to pass the bill already approved by the Senate.
During early debate the House rejected a Democratic proposal to add rape and incest to exceptions in the bill.
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Mexican Cartel Manufactured Grenades in Texas, Say Police
McALLEN, Texas — Federal authorities have arrested five Texas men and one Mexican national for their alleged roles in the manufacturing of grenades destined for Mexican drug cartels.
On Tuesday, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 40-year-old Pedro Vega, 24-year-old Alfredo Rivera, 23-year-old Celin Javier Montoya, 20-year-old Anthony Ozuna, and 19-year-old Noe Gonzalez, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed. Authorities also arrested 19-year-old Jonathan Sanchez Torres, a 19-year-old illegal alien from Mexico.
The arrests come after an undercover investigation where BATFE and HSI agents posed as buyers for dozens of homemade grenades. The explosives were made after the group allegedly spent six months purchasing various items to complete the order from local stores and online merchants, information from the DOJ revealed. The items reportedly purchased included grenade hulls, spring kits, fuses, and black powder.
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On Tuesday, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 40-year-old Pedro Vega, 24-year-old Alfredo Rivera, 23-year-old Celin Javier Montoya, 20-year-old Anthony Ozuna, and 19-year-old Noe Gonzalez, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed. Authorities also arrested 19-year-old Jonathan Sanchez Torres, a 19-year-old illegal alien from Mexico.
The arrests come after an undercover investigation where BATFE and HSI agents posed as buyers for dozens of homemade grenades. The explosives were made after the group allegedly spent six months purchasing various items to complete the order from local stores and online merchants, information from the DOJ revealed. The items reportedly purchased included grenade hulls, spring kits, fuses, and black powder.
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Drought persisting across Maryland despite recent rain
A burst of wet weather to end November did not ease a drought that continues to develop across Maryland.
About 42 percent of the state is in a moderate drought, according to an update posted Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The drought stretches from Prince George's County to the south, Washington County to the west and Cecil County to the east. That includes Baltimore City, all of Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties and the northern half of Anne Arundel County.
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About 42 percent of the state is in a moderate drought, according to an update posted Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The drought stretches from Prince George's County to the south, Washington County to the west and Cecil County to the east. That includes Baltimore City, all of Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties and the northern half of Anne Arundel County.
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Report: Advisers Working On Mid-January ‘Farewell Tour’ for Obama
On Wednesday’s broadcast of “Fox & Friends,” Fox News Chief National Correspondent reported, “I’m hearing this morning that, quietly behind the scenes, advisers to President Obama are working on sort of a farewell tour in mid-January.”
Henry said, “I’m hearing this morning that, quietly behind the scenes, advisers to President Obama are working on sort of a farewell tour in mid-January. I’m told there’s at least three cities, that President Obama will be giving major speeches in arenas. one of them is Chicago, his sort of adopted hometown. they’re looking at the United Center there, where the Chicago Bulls play.”
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Henry said, “I’m hearing this morning that, quietly behind the scenes, advisers to President Obama are working on sort of a farewell tour in mid-January. I’m told there’s at least three cities, that President Obama will be giving major speeches in arenas. one of them is Chicago, his sort of adopted hometown. they’re looking at the United Center there, where the Chicago Bulls play.”
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Evergreen won’t renew individual health benefit policies
 Important Announcement about Evergreen Health Cooperative Inc. | |
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Baltimore — Evergreen Health Cooperative Inc. (“Evergreen” or “company”) will not be issuing or renewing individual health benefit policies, both on and off Maryland Health Connection (“Exchange”).
“After many months of working closely with Evergreen management, leadership at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and outside investors to find a workable solution, we have run out of time to meet the deadline for a January 1 effective date. We remain committed to a viable, competitive insurance industry in Maryland,” said Commissioner Al Redmer, Jr.
Evergreen is a start-up health maintenance organization (HMO) organized as a not-for-profit Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (“CO-OP”) under the Affordable Care Act and was licensed by the Maryland Insurance Administration on March 28, 2013. CO-OPs were sponsored by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) to increase competition among insurance companies.
This means that Evergreen Health plans are not available on Maryland Health Connection for the 2017 plan year (for policies effective January 1, 2017). |
Federal defense bill has $83 million for Dover base
DOVER — The National Defense Authorization Act passed by the Senate Thursday includes $83 million for Dover Air Force Base.
The bill, which passed the House of Representatives last week, is expected to be signed into law soon.
The measure allocates $39 million for a new hangar that can fit an entire plane and $41.1 million to replace Welsh Elementary School and Dover Middle School, both of which are located on Dover Air Force Base’s grounds.
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