Gubmint and How Gubmint Works

Once upon a time, the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.  Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night."  
So they created a night watchman  position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?"  So they created a planning department and hired two
people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?"  So they created a Quality Control department  and hired two people.  One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following  positions, a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"  So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a  Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cut back overall  cost."

So they laid off the night watchman.

NOW slowly, let it sink in.

Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.

Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY during the  Carter Administration?

Anybody?

Anything?

No?

Didn't think so!

Bottom line.  We've spent several hundred  billion dollars in support of an agency... the reason for which  not one person who reads this can remember!

Ready??

It was very simple... and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.

The Department of Energy was instituted on August 4, 1977, TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN  OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???

AND NOW IT'S 2010 -- 32  YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR.  THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE!  THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"


 Thirty-two years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports.  Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports.

Ah, yes -- good ole bureaucracy.
AND, NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE BANKING SYSTEM,  HEALTH CARE, ACHIEVING CO2 EMISSION REDUCTIONS AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?

HELLOOO!  Anybody Home?

Hat Tip; Mrs. M

upcming bluegrass gospel sing

Don't forget the upcoming bluegrass gospel sing at Klej-Grange Fellowship Church August 29th at 7:00pm, located on Betheden Church Rd.

 This was sent in by a reader;

There will be a hymn sing at Klej Grange Fellowship Church on Betheden Church Rd. August 29 at 7:00 PM.

This sing is to benefit the renovations for the fellowship hall at the Horntown Baptist Church. It  features local gospel bluegrass artists Eric White and his group Second Chance.

Appearing with Eric and Second Chance as a guest, will be Bobby Chesser from Chincoteague. Bobby as many know, has played gospel music with his family for many years. I saw him perform with Second Chance last month, and it was one of the best performances I've seen from either artist(s).

Don't Forget: TONIGHT AT MELSON !

Events for Saturday August 14, 2010

Truck & Tractor Pulling

Mud Hop

Admission: $5.00
Registration for events begins at 5:00 p.m.

Racing starts --- 7:00 p.m.

Refreshments available
Bring a lawn chair and come enjoy yourself this evening.

9343 Guy Ward Road
Parsonsburg, Md.

Berlin Man Faces Federal Drug Charges

BERLIN -- A Berlin man is facing federal charges of drug possession and distribution after he was allegedly found with more than 3 pounds of suspected cocaine.

Tyrone D. Lawson, 37, has been charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland for allegedly being a major distributor of cocaine on the Lower Shore. Similar charges against him in Worcester County Circuit and District Court have been dropped to allow the federal case to proceed.

According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore last week, the Worcester County Sheriff's Office Criminal Enforcement Team began an investigation last summer into drug distribution in and around the county. Their work led them to Lawson.

"During the investigation, it was learned that (Lawson) was distributing cocaine from his brother's residence," the complaint reads. In May of this year, police issued a search warrant on the property. There, they found a locked shed containing large speakers.

"Two speakers were removed from inside of the speaker box, and approximately 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine was found," according to the documents. Officials also located a scale with suspected cocaine residue and other distribution paraphernalia.

Tyrone Lawson and his brother, Tony Lawson, were arrested around the time of the search. Tony Lawson was later released on bail. At this time, no federal charges have been filed against him.

"The focus of the investigation is not Tony; it was his brother, Tyrone," said Cpl. Nathaniel Passwaters, head of the Criminal Enforcement Team. "We never made any direct purchases from Tony, although the bulk of the drugs that were found were in his shed."

Tyrone Lawson has been incarcerated since May and is in federal custody. Police said they have evidence that links him to the shed. In addition, police are in the process of seizing three vehicles owned by the men.

Passwaters said investigators took the case to federal court to take advantage of longer minimum and maximum penalties for the drug crimes, not an uncommon practice for the Sheriff's Office in drug cases. Recently, two Pocomoke City men were found guilty in federal court on distribution of crack cocaine. They will be sentenced later this year.

"The overall thing is the enhanced penalties," Passwaters said. And in Tyrone Lawson's case, this "is a large scale investigation that reaches out beyond Worcester," he said. The investigation is ongoing.

www.delmarvanow.com

Woman Tries To Depost Cocaine At Her Bank

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. (WTNH) - A Wethersfield woman is facing charges after police say she handed a bank teller an envelope containing cocaine.

It happened at Rockville Bank in South Windsor Thursday afternoon.

Kendl Murphy, 43, pulled up to the drive-up teller and handed over a deposit envelope that contained a small bag with white powder. Bank staff asked Murphy to wait for her transaction to be completed and called police.

A field test of the substance revealed that it was cocaine.

Murphy has been charged with possession and possession within 1,500 feet of a school or day care. She was later released on a $1,000 bond.

www.wavy.com

Prosecutors Not Allowed To Revive Dismissed Drunk Driving Charges

SMITHFIELD, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina judge says prosecutors cannot revive charges against more than 30 people whose drunken driving charges were dismissed several years ago as part of a ticket-fixing case.

Multiple media outlets reported that Judge Joseph Setzer denied the request on procedural grounds.

Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle had argued that the cases were improperly dismissed with the signature of an assistant prosecutor who had resigned. Setzer said the cases couldn't be reactivated under a "motion for appropriate relief" because that's only supposed to be used after a verdict has been issue.

Four defense attorneys and a prosecutor pleaded guilty this year as part of the ticket-fixing case.

www.wavy.com

Obama Supports Mosque At Ground Zero

WASHINGTON (AP) - After skirting the controversy for weeks, President Barack Obama is weighing in forcefully on the mosque near ground zero, saying a nation built on religious freedom must allow it.

"As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," Obama told an intently listening crowd gathered at the White House Friday evening to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

"That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances," he said. "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."

The White House had not previously taken a stand on the mosque, which would be part of a $100 million Islamic community center two blocks from where nearly 3,000 people perished when hijacked jetliners slammed into the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001. Press secretary Robert Gibbs had insisted it was a local matter.

It was already much more than that, sparking debate around the country as top Republicans including Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich announced their opposition. So did the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights group.

Obama elevated it to a presidential issue Friday without equivocation.

While insisting that the place where the twin towers once stood was indeed "hallowed ground," Obama said that the proper way to honor it was to apply American values.

Harkening back to earlier times when the building of synagogues or Catholic churches also met with opposition, Obama said: "Time and again, the American people have demonstrated that we can work through these issues, and stay true to our core values and emerge stronger for it. So it must be and will be today."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent who has been a strong supporter of the mosque, welcomed Obama's words as a "clarion defense of the freedom of religion."

But some victims' advocates and Republicans were quick to pounce.

"Barack Obama has abandoned America at the place where America's heart was broken nine years ago, and where her true values were on display for all to see," said Debra Burlingame, a spokeswoman for some Sept. 11 victims' families and the sister of one of the pilots killed in the attacks.

Building the mosque at ground zero, she said, "is a deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of Allah."

Added Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.: "President Obama is wrong. It is insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of ground zero."

Entering the highly charged election-year debate, Obama surely knew that his words would not only make headlines in the U.S. but be heard by Muslims worldwide. The president has made it a point to reach out to the global Muslim community, and the over 100 guests at Friday's dinner in the State Dining Room included ambassadors and officials from numerous nations where Islam is observed, including Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

While his pronouncement concerning the mosque might find favor in the Muslim world, Obama's stance runs counter to the opinions of the majority of Americans, according to polls. A CNN/Opinion Research poll released this week found that nearly 70 percent of Americans opposed the mosque plan while just 29 percent approved. A number of Democratic politicians have shied away from the controversy.

Opponents, including some Sept. 11 victims' relatives, see the prospect of a mosque so near the destroyed trade center as an insult to the memory of those killed by Islamic terrorists in the 2001 attacks.

www.wavy.com

Sanctuary Swap For Oystermen?

DEAL ISLAND -- Somerset County watermen are protesting a state plan to create oyster sanctuaries in the Manokin and Nanticoke rivers -- a measure that would ban them from working the productive oyster bottoms.

"It's one of the areas where we can finally make a living on," said Danny Webster of Deal Island. "It's frustrating."

The two rivers were not originally set aside as sanctuaries under an oyster restoration plan announced by Gov. Martin O'Malley in December, but were created to take the place of one near Smith Island, said Frank Dawson, an assistant secretary of the state Department of Natural Resources.

When the plan was introduced, watermen objected to the sanctuary proposed for the highly productive area near the island, so DNR officials swapped it for areas in the Manokin and Nanticoke, Dawson said.

But at a recent public hearing on the state oyster plan, some watermen expressed interest in going back to the original proposal to place the sanctuary in the Tangier Sound, he said.

"We hope to hear back from them," Dawson said. "We hope they can come together with some sort of consensus."

Webster said Somerset watermen are consulting with oystermen in Dorchester County, who work in some of the same waters, to come up with a proposal on which they can all agree.

Delegate Carolyn Elmore, R-38A-Wicomico, said she attended a recent meeting of the Somerset County Watermen's Association during which the issue was discussed.

"Their concerns are this is already written in stone," she said.

Webster said he and other watermen are anxious about the possible creation of sanctuaries in rivers that have been making a comeback in recent years.

"We're scared to death," he said. "We don't know if we're going to be making a living or not."

DNR officials are open to going back to the original proposal for a sanctuary off Smith Island, if that's what watermen want, said Tom O'Connell, DNR's director of fisheries.

Since January, DNR has held public meetings throughout the state to gather input from watermen and other stakeholders on the plan, which uses a three-prong approach for oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay.

"It's been a very challenging process for us," O'Connell said.

In addition to creating sanctuaries, the plan includes opening part of the bay for commercial aquaculture and maintaining 167,720 acres of oyster bars for harvest by watermen.

On Sunday, O'Malley plans to join other state, regional and university leaders to dedicate a new $11 million facility at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Laboratory in Dorchester County that will allow the lab to double its annual production of oyster spat for Chesapeake Bay restoration.

www.delmarvanow.com

White Powder Found In Letter To Candidate's Office

RICHMOND, Va. - Hazardous materials teams and investigators combed the headquarters of a Republican congressional candidate in Chatham after a letter containing white powder was opened.

Robert Hurt's congressional campaign spokesman Sean Harrison says the powder was found in an envelope Hurt opened Friday afternoon.

Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor said results of tests conducted on the substance will be available in two to three days. Taylor said the U.S. Postal Service is leading the investigation.

"It is a criminal offense to mail a suspicious material, even if it is nontoxic," Taylor said. "... It did give rise to concern. Unfortunately in today's society, you can't take any chances with these things."

Harrison said Hurt followed decontamination procedures after opening the envelope, including washing thoroughly and changing his clothes, before going home to his family Friday evening.

Hurt is trying to move from Virginia's state Senate to the U.S. House of Representatives.

He is challenging first-term Democrat Tom Perriello for Virginia's 5th Congressional District seat.

The race is one of the nation's most closely watched midterm House races.

www.wtkr.com

Liberal Democrats Wish Sarah Palin Dead

New Hampshire Democrats Gone Wild -- One Apology, One Resignation Over Palin Comments

A New Hampshire state representative has resigned his position and announced he will not run for re-election after writing that a dead Sarah Palin is "more dangerous than a live one."

State Rep. Timothy Horrigan stepped down Thursday after posting a Facebook page in which he described the "myth" of the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate. 

His resignation comes after another New Hampshire Democratic candidate apologized the same day for his Facebook post in which he wished Sarah Palin and the father of her grandchild, Levi Johnston, had been on the plane that crashed Tuesday, killing former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens.

"Just wish Sarah and Levy [sic] were on board," Keith Halloran originally wrote in reference to Palin and Johnston, her daughter Bristol's ex-boyfriend.

In his post, Horrigan wrote, "a dead Palin wd [sic] be even more dangerous than a live one...she is all about her myth & if she was dead, she cldn't [sic] commit any more gaffes."

In his apology Thursday, Horrigan didn't say much about being wrong for the sentiment. 

"I apologize to anyone who feels they need an apology from me. And anyone who feels the need to be angry at me is free to be angry at me. I made some mistakes, but I am not ashamed of who I am. I am not ashamed of anything which I am. Nothing anyone says to me is going to change the way I feel about myself -- especially if you don't know me," he wrote on his website.

He then went on to say he's not going to take the blame for any other Democrats except maybe former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Dukakis. 

"I take no blame whatsoever for anything any national Democrat has ever done, with the possible exception of Dukakis. I used to work for Dukakis, so maybe I am partially responsible for him. I might also add that I was born in 1956 and didn't start to become politically active till 1968 or thereabouts -- and I didn't turn 18 till 1974. Any political events before that time period happened without my involvement," he wrote.

Halloran posted an apology Thursday on his Facebook page saying he wishes the best for Palin, Johnston and their families.

The New Hampshire Republican State Committee denounced Halloran's comment and called on Gov. John Lynch and other state Democratic leaders to condemn it.

"The widespread fixation among New Hampshire Democrats with Governor Palin's death proves that there is a full blown epidemic of hatred and derangement festering in Governor Lynch's party," Ryan Williams, a spokesman for the committee, said in a written statement.

Mike Brunnelle, director of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, told FoxNews.com that Halloran should have apologized.

"We don't condone this type of rhetoric," he said. "We condemn it. It's wholly inappropriate. ... They have no place in the political dialogue in New Hampshire or anywhere in the country," he said.

Brunnelle was initially unaware of Halloran's apology when asked for reaction. He said he wasn't sure whether Halloran apologized because of the immediate backlash his comments caused.

But New Hampshire Democrats responded differently to the Horrigan resignation, saying GOP Rep. Steve Vaillancourt should also be taken to task by the New Hampshire Republican Party for defending Horrigan in an e-mail to media and fellow lawmakers. 

"Rep. Horrigan didn't wish anyone dead; he simply stated a political truth," Vaillancourt reportedly wrote. "Were Sarah Palin to die today, her myth, like actor James Dean, would surpass anything she's done in life. If Dem officials took Rep. Horrigan to the woodshed for these remarks, they rather than he should be resigning."

"If the New Hampshire Republican Party is really concerned with abhorrent political speech, they should immediately denounce Rep. Vaillancourt's comments and ask him to resign. Will they remain silent or practice what they preach?" asked Harrell Kirstein, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.

Horrigan issued a terse resignation letter to New Hampshire House Speaker Terie Norelli, and before he apologized, Halloran had sent a snarky message to The Associated Press through Facebook saying, "It's just a tempest in their Tea Pot."

Republican state Rep. D.J. Bettencourt, who wrote the original post that Halloran commented on, said he "was just absolutely shocked and disgusted by that post."

And prior to Horrigan's statement, Ryan Williams, spokesman for the state Republican Party, called Halloran's remarks "a new low."

"His publicly stated death wish for Governor Palin and her family is abhorrent, and has no place in our public discourse," he said.

A spokeswoman for Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, said the governor's thoughts are with the families of those killed in the crash.

"He finds the comments appalling and believes they have no place in the public discourse," Pamela Walsh said.

VIA: FoxNews.com

Hat Tip; Joe C

1st Official Female Gondolier For Venice

VENICE, Italy (AP) - Venice is on its way to having its first official female gondolier.

City Hall said Friday that Giorgia Boscolo had passed the practical exam to become a gondolier. She is the first woman to pass this test, considered the most difficult of those required to pilot a boat on Venice's canals.

Boscolo must pass one further test, a written, multiple-choice exam, in order to join the guild of official gondoliers.

Deputy Mayor Sandro Simionato says her success breaks "900 years of male dominance" in the profession, and that it will likely inspire more women to try.

A German woman once won the right to transport guests of a Venice hotel, but only aboard the hotel's gondola.

According to the ANSA news agency, Boscolo is a 24-year-old mother of two.

www.wtop.com

US Aid Being Sent To Russia To Battle Wildfires

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is sending firefighting equipment to Russia to help officials there respond to the 500 wildfires burning across the country.

The White House says President Barack Obama called Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (dih-MEE'-tree med-VYEH'-dyev) Thursday morning to express his condolences for the losses his country has suffered. The wildfires have been sparked by the hottest summer ever recorded in Russia, and Moscow's death rate has doubled to 700 people a day.

The White House says several U.S. agencies, including the Defense Department, and the state of California are airlifing firefighting equipment to Russia to help combat the fires.

www.wtop.com

Virginia Zoo Opens New Exhibit This Friday

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk is about to gain some weight - 700 pounds to be exact.

Five Aldabra tortoises – the second largest land tortoise in the world – are moving into in a brand new exhibit at the Virginia Zoo on Friday at noon. The largest, a male named A.J., weighs 475 pounds.

The zoo's second largest tortoise, a female named Lynn, weighs 150 pounds.

A.J. and Lynn are estimated to be around 80 to 90 years old. The youngest turtles of the five, Dottie, Bubbles and Jackson, hatched in the spring of 2006. The lifespan of Aldabra tortoises is estimated to be over 100 years.

The zoo says Aldabra tortoises are native to the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean. The cluster of coral islands is part of the Seychelles’ Islands in the Indian Ocean.

The tortoise exhibit was built by Virginia Zoo staff. Officials say its low barriers will help visitors feel even closer to the animals.

www.wavy.com

Environmentalists Urge Drilling Ban In Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia cannot risk the kind of economic calamity the Gulf Coast is experiencing as a result of the BP oil spill, the leaders of two environmental groups in the state said Thursday.

President Barack Obama suspended planned exploratory gas and oil drilling off Virginia's coast shortly after the April spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but Mike Tidwell of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and J.R. Tolbert of the Virginia Sierra Club said that doesn't go far enough. They favor a permanent ban.

Tidwell and Tolbert were joined on a news teleconference by former Navy Capt. Joe Bouchard of Virginia Beach, who said drilling platforms off the state's coast also would interfere with military training exercises.

"The industry claims 'we have a great working relationship with the military and we don't interfere with their activities.' You can't believe that for a minute," said Bouchard, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

The push to make Virginia the first East Coast state to explore offshore oil and gas resources has been led by Gov. Bob McDonnell. That hasn't changed.

"The governor supports a comprehensive approach to Virginia's energy needs," McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin said in an e-mail Thursday. "He is a proponent of offshore energy exploration and development that is environmentally responsible and economically viable. That includes oil, natural gas and wind."

Tidwell and Tolbert touted wind as a viable alternative to drilling in the Atlantic. Tidwell said enough offshore wind could be harvested to power 3.6 million electric cars and 750,000 homes.

Tolbert said that beats risking an oil spill like the one in the Gulf, which he said has put 300,000 jobs in jeopardy and wrecked the region's tourism industry. BP's Deepwater Horizon oil well spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf before it was successfully capped last month.

Bouchard said the spill reached three of the four Navy training areas in the Gulf, but exercises in two of those areas have been limited to aviation since the 2005 base realignment process. The spill did make a portion of the Panama City operations area unavailable for surface and underwater vessel exercises, he said.

"That should stand as a very clear warning to those of us here in Virginia," Bouchard said.

He said sailing through oil spills also can ruin expensive and sensitive equipment on Navy ships.

www.wavy.com

Take Precautions/Use Common Sense When Swimming In the Chesapeake Bay

High temperatures and pollution have made conditions ripe for a potentially dangerous bacteria carried in Chesapeake Bay waters, leading state and local health officials to warn swimmers, fishermen and shellfish eaters to take precautions.

The naturally occurring bacteria, vibrio, can cause gastrointestinal illness as well as nasty skin infections — and sometimes can kill. So far this year, 24 Maryland cases of vibrio have been recorded, close to the average annual count of 30, but the season is far from over and officials say many cases likely go unreported.

"It's a summertime event in the sense that the organism lives in brackish water and really multiplies in the water when it gets hot," said Frances Phillips, Maryland's deputy secretary of public health services. "As expected, we're seeing an increasing number of cases."
Vibrio enters the body through cuts in a swimmer's skin or when undercooked shellfish is eaten. It's a problem every year in the bay and area rivers, but public health officials worry that this year could be worse.

Officials say swimmers and fishermen should avoid ingesting water from the bay and its tributaries, and should stay out of the water if they have an open wound. Parents should check their children for cuts and scrapes, and should wash them immediately with soap if the water gets near the wound.

Consumers, meanwhile, should make sure their shellfish is thoroughly cooked, and not eat raw shellfish such as oysters. It's not oyster season on the bay, but imported oysters could also be infected with vibrio.

Visitors to Gunpowder State Park in northern Baltimore County said Thursday that they had not heard about the warnings. But some took precautions anyway because they assumed there was some bacteria in the water.

"We always wash off when we get home," said Angela Neff of Perry Hall, who was swimming with her husband, Tom, her two children and three nieces and nephews. "We always think about what may be in the water, but we're not worried enough about it not to swim."

Sonia Austin of Northeast Baltimore said she checked the park website for warnings before bringing her 3-year-old grandson, Khalil Lawson, to swim. She said she didn't see any current advisories. After hearing about the alert, she still felt that the water was safe enough.

"He is having a ball," she said of Khalil. "I'll just keep an eye on him."

Health officials said they were not trying to discourage swimming by healthy people, who generally recover from an infection.

But vibrio can be deadly for people with compromised immune systems, including those with cancer and diabetes. They should avoid the water.

There have been no Maryland deaths this year attributed to vibrio infections, according to state data, but there have been seven deaths since 2007 and 66 hospitalizations. Eight people have been hospitalized this year.

Anyone with symptoms should seek medical attention, health officials said. They usually surface in a day or two and include watery diarrhea with abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever and skin lesions.

Some local health offices plan to put warning signs at local beaches, including those in Calvert County, where a handful of cases have drawn media attention.

Dr. David Rogers, Calvert County Health Officer, said there have been four infections locally — three from contact with water from the bay and area rivers, and one from ingesting vibrio. He said he didn't consider that a lot of cases, but he issued an alert because the infections got some media attention after the Patuxent Waterkeeper, an environmental group, sought to alert the public to the dangers.

Rogers did not identify those infected, but they included a man who had fallen on a dock and cut himself before coming in contact with the water and a 10-year-old girl who got an ear infection.

"These are potentially very serious infections," he said. "If you get an area with redness, swelling and pus, it needs to be properly treated. In general, though, I don't consider this an alarming public health situation."

State health officials say that the official count of vibrio cases has not risen much in recent years — there were 29 in 2004 and 33 in 2009. But Phillips acknowledges that many people probably don't see a doctor or the doctor doesn't test for vibrio or report the findings to state health officials, as required by law.

Nationally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are about 4,500 reported cases annually, but the agency also says that cases are underreported.

A 2009 Chesapeake Bay Foundation report on water quality found vibrio and other contaminants in the bay waters becoming an increasing problem. Normally associated with warmer waters such as the Gulf of Mexico, vibrio has become more common in the bay as the world's waters have warmed. In the last year or so, it has even been found in Alaska.

Contributing to that report was Rita Colwell, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and University of Maryland, College Park, who has studied vibrio for decades.

In an interview, she said the bacteria thrives because the salty waters are warming and because runoff polluted with nutrients is fueling growth of plankton, which feeds critters that host vibrio. In dense concentrations, the vibrio make people sick.

If the waters continue to warm and pollution increases, the bacteria will remain out of balance and cases will tick up, she said.

"I don't anticipate a large outbreak," she said. "But people need to take precautions, use common sense."
www.thebaltimoresun.com

Body Found In Apt. Trash Shoot - No Signs of Trauma Or Foul Play

City homicide detectives were investigating the discovery of a body that appeared to have gone down the trash chute of a downtown apartment building.

An unidentified man's body was discovered in a trash compactor in the 200 block of N. Charles St. at about 10:15 a.m. Thursday by building employees, said Anthony Guglielmi, the police department's chief spokesman.

Guglielmi said a preliminary review showed no obvious signs of foul play or trauma, but detectives were awaiting the results of an autopsy by the state medical examiner's office.


The trash compactor appeared to be on the parking lot level of the Park Charles apartments. A resident said he observed police dusting a trash chute for fingerprints, and that a fire alarm had twice gone off earlier in the morning.
www.baltimoresun.com

Health Education Office Name In Memory of Sharone White Bailey

The Late Rural Health Secretary

To memorialize the untimely death of a person who cared deeply about the Eastern Shore, the Health Education office in the new Onley Community Health Center was named after the late Sharone Bailey.

Reverend Don Broad held a moment of silent in memory of Bailey shortly before reading the invocation of the grand opening ceremony Wednesday afternoon.

"She was a colleague, she was a friend, and mostly recently secretary of our Board of Directors," commented Nancy Stern, CEO of Eastern Shore Rural Health. "We continue to try and accept the unthinkable with Sharone's tragic death Today at this wonderful event we are honoring her She worked hard and steadfastly for Eastern Shore Rural Health. She looked forward to this day."

Bailey was murdered on Friday, July 9. Derrick Epps, a man who Bailey had reached out and helped, was arrested and charged with her murder.

"Let us continue her good work to reach out and take care of people on the Eastern Shore," Stern said emotionally. "Let us forever keep her in our hearts and memorialize her by naming the Health Education Office after Sharone."

www.shoredaileynews.com

Crisfield Mud Hop July 25, 2010

Race Results For Classes From Crisfield Hop - Sunday- July 25,2010

Street Stock:
1st Kameron Lohmeyer 96 Chevy 116ft.
2nd Charles Betts 78 Ford 109ft.
3rd Chris Stubbs 81 Chevy 108ft.
4th Cliff Taylor 69 Chevy 107ft.
5th Danny Breding Ford F150 106ft.
6th Clarrence Morris 77 Chevy 105ft.
7th David Jones 86 Chevy 104ft.
8th Katherine Marshall Miss Behavin 103ft.
9th Bryan Johnson Blazer 100ft.
10th Brian Stevens 82 K2500 36ft.
11th David Humphreys 86 CJ7 36ft.
12th Paul Tyler 88 Chevy 35ft.
13th Chris Willy 01 Dodge Ram 26ft.

ProStock:
1st Barry Wise Blue Chevy 112ft.
2nd Lori Ann Long Grey Ghost 111ft.
3rd Bryan Johnson Blazer 108ft.
4th Chris Stubbs 81 Chevy 107ft.
5th David Jones 86 Chevy 112ft.
6th Trey Milligan Out of Order 103ft.
7th Richie Knox Dirty Money 36ft.
8th Orville Wells Digger 31ft.
9th Ed Vogel No Shame 11ft.


Big Tire ProStock:
1st Patrick Long All Night Soldier Full 7.740sec.
2nd Mike Rodriguez 83 Chevy P/u Full 9.504sec.
3rd Wayne Jones 92 Chevy p/u Full 10.228sec.
4th Kevin Hackett Black Primer Full 15.139sec.
5th Matt Hanes 91 Ford 125ft.
6th Sarah Clifton 69 Jeepster 118ft.
7th David Blough 86 Chevy 117ft.
8th James Bennett 79 Toyota 116ft.
9th Kevin Lohmeyer 96 Chevy 114ft.
10th Kim Watson Cowpatty 114ft.
11th Danny Breding 113ft.
12th Lee Sturgis Grey Ghost 31ft.
13th Randy Willey 79 Blazer 19ft.

Small-Tire Modified:
1st Aaron Ellis Bog Hog Full 4.144sec.
2nd Patrick Long All Night Soldier Full 6.324sec.
3rd Kelly Hubbard 90 s10 Full 9.019sec.

Big Tire Modified:
1st Jared Collins Orange Crush Full 5.149sec.
2nd Rodd Owens Mud Mistress Full 5.413sec.
3rd Sarah Clifton 69 Jeepster Full 7.211sec.
4th Kelly Hubbard 90 Chevy s10 Full 7.361sec.
5th Bryan Watson Cowpatty Full 7.520sec.
6th Mike Rodriguez 83 Chevy p/u 7.797sec.
7th Wayne Jones 92 Chevy p/u Full 11.345sec.

Mini-open:
1st Wright Townsend Mud Dobber II Full 3.059sec.
2nd Johnny Edwards In The Mix Full 3.556sec.
3rd Aaron Ellis Bog Hog Full 3.733sec.
4th TJ Bernard Equal Justice Full 4.953sec.

Unlimited:
1st Greg Noonan Can't Stop Full 2.554sec.
2nd Melvin Deavers Neighborhood Nuisance Full 2.731sec.
3rd Mike Scheifley Over The Top Full 2.750sec.
4th Wesley Ward Git-n-Busy Full 2.890sec.
5th Larry Joslyn Equal Justice II Full 3.260sec.
6th Aaron Ellis Bog Hog Full 3.719sec.
7th Johnny Edwards In The Mix Full 3.980sec.
8th Barry Long Sod Buster Full 4.443sec.
9th Chris Johnson Da Shiznit Full 4.977sec.
10th Ed Hoffman Equal Justice Full 5.559sec.

X class:
1st Jerry Pitman Big Buck$ Full 3.828sec.
2nd Jesse Ellis Big Red Full 5.006sec.
3rd Richie Lewis Big Poppa Full 5.136sec.
4th Jimmy Hall 99 Problems 127ft.

Thanks Kim!

How twins are made...

So this is how they do it... One of life's great mysteries solved.

MELSON POWER SHOW This Weekend

Accomack County Court

Richard Copes, 31, of Withams was found guilty of robbery, grand larceny and abduction. A presentence report has been ordered.

Christopher Barcroft, 21, of Cheriton was found guilty of two counts of burglary and two counts of grand larceny. A presentence report has been ordered.

Steve Kilgore, 25, of Exmore was found guilty of armed burglary, attempted robbery, use of sawed-off shotgun and firearm by felon. A presentence report has been requested.

Douglas Bragg, 26, of Painter was found guilty of possession of cocaine and was sentenced to 12 months with all but 30 days suspended.

Kerwin Mears, 25, of Accomac was found guilty of second-offense possession of cocaine with the intention to distribute and second-offense possession of marijuana. A presentence report has been ordered.

Edward Trader Jr., 28, of New Church was found guilty of credit card larceny and obstruction of justice. A presentence report has been ordered. Daniel Mains, 34, of Norfolk was found guilty of driving while habitual offender. Sentence guidelines have been requested.

Carl Wingender, 40, of Belle Haven was found guilty of credit card fraud and credit card theft. He was sentenced to 12 months with all time suspended on each count.

Davon Davis, 21, of Painter was found guilty of armed burglary, attempted robbery and possession of sawed-off shotgun. A presentence report has been requested.

Gail Byrd, 59, of Onancock was found guilty of felony shoplifting and was sentenced to 12 months, with all but 60 days suspended.

Brittany Edwards, 20, of Hallwood was sentenced to five years with all but two days suspension on each count of burglary and grand larceny, to serve concurrently.

Rahiam Hope, 21, of Tasley was sentenced to five years with all but six months suspended in each count of leaving scene of accident and eluding, to serve concurrently.

Lavar Crawford, 24, of Norfolk was sentenced to five years with three years and 12 months suspended for eluding and reckless driving. He was also sentenced to 12 months for driving without a license, to serve concurrently.

Joseph Davila, 22, of Onancock was sentenced to 30 days with all suspended for bad checks.
Charles Shields, 51, of Painter was sentenced to five years with all but seven months suspended for distribution of cocaine.

Charles Miller Sr., 61, of New Church was sentenced to five years with all but one month suspended for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and was sentenced to five years for possession of a firearm while in possession of cocaine, to serve consecutively.

John Marshall Jr., 47, of Horntown was sentenced to five years with all but two years and four months suspended for third-offense assault and battery.

Martese Creekmore, 19, of New Church was sentenced to youthful offender program for robbery, grand larceny and abduction.

Dashon Scarborough, 25, of Atlantic was sentenced to five years with three years suspended for burglary and five years with three years suspended for grand larceny, to serve consecutively. He was also sentenced to five years with all time suspended on each two counts of conspiracy to uttering, to serve concurrently.

Christopher Phillips, 27, of Parksley was sentenced to 10 years with seven years and three months suspended for grand larceny. He was also sentenced to three years with all time suspended on each five counts of obtaining money by false pretenses, to serve consecutively.

Thomasena Capers, 39, of Oak Hall has had his probation revoked.

Robert Paskill Jr., 33, of Onancock has had his probation revoked.

Tony Linton, 48, of Sanford has had his probation revoked.

A grand jury in Accomac on Monday indicted 15 people, including three Painter men who police say have admitted involvement in a string of break-ins in that town in March and April.

James Phillips Johnson, 37, and Spencer Lee Sample, 53, both were indicted on eight counts of burglary and grand larceny related to a string of break-ins in March and April at two Painter residences and the Gravities Light clothing store.

Michael Lee Sample Jr., 25, was indicted on six counts related to break-ins at the residences.

Also indicted were:

Troy Wayne Beacham, 43, of Cheriton, maiming.

Storm Carter, 59, of Keller, grand larceny.

George G. Gaskill Jr., 45, of Onley, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Keenan S. Goodwine, 18, of Atlantic, robbery and use of a firearm.

Leroy Handy, 63, of Bloxom, grand larceny.

Shawn Lamont Harmon, 24, of Onancock, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance.

Wanda D. Stratton, no age or town given, seven counts welfare fraud.

Keith Leander Parker, 41, of Onley, grand larceny.

Victor Manuel Scott, 20, of Bloxom, carnal knowledge.

Devric Jamar Hinmon, 25, of Temperanceville, attempted burglary, felony property destruction, maliciously shooting at an occupied dwelling.

Jennie Net Tumblin, 58, of 25241 Estate Lane, Parksley, shooting at an occupied dwelling.

Joseph Lamont Washington, 33, of Exmore, grand larceny.

www.delmarvanow.com

Man Arrested in Michigan Serial Killer Case

(Aug. 12) -- A "person of interest" linked to the three-state knife attacks that killed five people in Michigan has been taken into custody, authorities said today. Media reports said he was arrested at Atlanta's commercial airport as he tried to fly to Israel.


"He is currently being held on unrelated charges," Leesburg, Va., police spokesman Chris Jones told reporters. "While this is a key step in the investigation, there are still many issues that need to be addressed before we identify this individual as the person responsible for this horrific crime spree."


The case garnered national media attention last week, when authorities in Flint, Mich., announced that a lone serial killer was responsible for more than a dozen stabbings in the city since mid-May. The case expanded this week, and officials now believe the same person is responsible for attacking 20 men in Michigan, Ohio and Virginia, killing five.


All but two of the 20 victims were black.


During the past week, investigators from law enforcement agencies including the Michigan Task Force, the FBI and police in Leesburg and Toledo, Ohio, have been working to identify the serial killer. A composite sketch was released this week.


The task force received hundreds of tips during the investigation, and one of them led to a beer store in Beecher, Mich., north of Flint, where the person of interest previously worked, according to media reports.


The manager of Kingwater Market told Detroit's WDIV-TV the man started working there on July 5 and hadn't been seen since Aug. 1. He said the man was polite and didn't treat blacks differently than other customers.


"He was friendly. He was a nice guy," manager Abdullah Farrah told the TV station.


Steve Cornell, manager of the Family Dollar store next door, agreed.

"He was very nice to the ladies and walked them to their cars at night," Cornell told AOL News by telephone. "With guys, when you went in there, if he didn't know you, he was a little bit [standoffish]."

"I was quite shocked," Cornell said of the arrest. "You never expect anything like that."


Once the man was identified, investigators were able to electronically track him to Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly on a Delta flight preparing to fly to Israel.


The man was traveling with an expired Israeli passport, according to CNN, citing anonymous law enforcement officials,


The most recent attack occurred in Toledo on Saturday, when a minister was stabbed outside his church. Investigators were initially hesitant to link the attack to the serial killer but have since announced their suspicions that he is responsible, WSUA 9 News reported.
VIA: AOLNews

Man That Killed Nun In Vehicle Crash Was Getting Legal Aid -- From the Catholic Church

Prince William, Va. --

Carlos A. Martinelly Montano was being represented in deportation proceedings by Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Arlington when he allegedly struck and killed a Benedictine sister and wounded two other Richmond-based nuns in Prince William County while driving drunk this month.

Hogar Immigrant Services, an arm of Catholic Charities in Arlington County, was providing legal help to Martinelly Montano, 23, whom federal officials have described as an illegal immigrant, the organization said yesterday.

A deportation hearing is scheduled for Martinelly Montano next week in Falls Church, but a statement released last night by Catholic Charities indicates that deportation proceedings will be put on hold pending resolution of Martinelly Montano's criminal charges.

The representation by the Catholic-based immigrant service adds another development to the death of Sister Denise Mosier. Her Benedictine order has decried the politicization of Martinelly Montano's case, which has become part of the debate over illegal aliens and diverted what the order has described as the more relevant issue of drunken driving.

Police say Martinelly Montano's car crashed head-on into a vehicle carrying the sisters Aug. 1 as the nuns were traveling from Richmond to a retreat at their monastery near Bristow in Prince William.

Martinelly Montano is facing charges of driving under the influence for the third time in five years, a felony, and involuntary manslaughter. He is being held without bond.

Sister Charlotte Lange and Sister Connie Ruth Lupton remained in critical condition yesterday, according to the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia.

It is not clear why Martinelly Montano, a native of Bolivia, has been classified as illegal. The father of two young children, he was living with his parents and a sister.

In the statement issued last night, Art Bennett, president of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Arlington, said Hogar "accepts only clients who are eligible to apply for lawful immigrant status or other benefits under federal immigration law."

www.timesdispatch.com

What you might not know is that the Catholic Church receives federal grants to assist people like this. The assistance is for those that have fled their country due to persecution NOT severe hardships. I wonder how much money the taxpayer has spent buying this man his booze!

Enjoy Some Smith Island BabyCakes While At The Fair

While at the Worcester County Fair this weekend look for The Bay Queen Bakery Stand. Try one of those BabyCakes if you never have. And if you have, well, have another one!

It will be the best treat your mouth has ever had. Flavors on hand are Traditional, Strawberry, Oreo, and Chocolate Peanut Butter.

If you are unable to make it to the fair remember that the BabyCakes are sold at the Galley Bakery in downtown Pocomoke.

"Made from scratch with love"

Worcester County Fair This Weekend

SNOW HILL -- Each day of the Worcester County Fair brings something new, along with the three-day standard features.

Held in Snow Hill's Byrd Park Aug. 13-15,

Fairgoers enjoy free parking and free admission

Standard features available each day include:

Livestock pavilions, the rabbit and poultry tent, livestock shows

A variety of product and craft vendors

Safe Kids Vendors

Public Interest Booths

Children's Activities

Demonstrations

Entertainers

River Cruises

Indoor Exhibit Tent

Friday Features Include:

Horse Show

Popular Cake and Pie Auction

Youth Talent Show

Saturday Features:

Classic Car and Truck Show

The Red Knights motorcycle show

The youth pet fair

The adult talent show

Sunday begins with a church service, and features include a Breyer horse show; open karaoke; and Cow Pie Bingo.

For a full listing of activities and events as well as entry information, visit http://www.worcestercountyfair.com/ or pick up a copy of the Fair Tabloid at any branch of the Worcester County Library.

Subject: History: Fair and Balanced

    For those that don't know about history ... Here is a condensed
      version:

      Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic
      hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the
      summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the
      winter.

      The two most important events in all of history were the invention of
      beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get
      man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and
      together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two
      distinct subgroups:

      1 . Liberals
      2. Conservatives.

      Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the
      beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can
      were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around
      waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the
      brewery. That's how villages were formed.

      Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at
      night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what
      is known as the Conservative movement...

      Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live
      off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ's and doing
      the sewing, fetching, and making art. This was the beginning of the
      Liberal movement.

      Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. They became
      known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the
      domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs,
      and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat
      and beer that conservatives provided.


      Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest,
      most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are
      symbolized by the jackass for obvious reasons.

      Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer
      white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like
      their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard
      liberal fare..
      Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have
      higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers,
      personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in    Hollywood and
      group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated
      hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.

      Conservatives drink domestic beer, mostly Bud or Miller. They eat red
      meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big game
      hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen,
      medical doctors, police officers, engineers, corporate executives,
      athletes, members of the military, airline pilots and generally
      anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire
      other conservatives who want to work for a living.

      Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers
      and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans
      are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals
      remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to  America  . They
      crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of
      trying to get more for nothing.

      Here ends today's lesson in world history:

      It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to
angrily respond to the above before forwarding it.

      A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute
      truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other
true believers and to more liberals just to piss them off.

      And there you have it. Let your next action reveal your true
      self.....I'm going to have another beer!!!

Hat Tip; Kack

Maybe Pet Owners Need To Be Left In Hot Cars So The Dogs Can Shop !

These poor innocent dogs were like children to this couple? They claim (he does, anyway) that there is no way in hell "they" would do anything to jeopardize them. Huh? Maybe you need some cheese with your whine. I don't buy your story for one minute. Isn't the Humane Society of Wicomico County closed on Sunday? I wonder if these people have any idea as to what goes on in a poor dogs body when he is dying in the heat? They probably don't and they could probably care less.

Here's a news flash! People that LOVE their pets and consider these animals their children and as part of the family DO NOT leave them unattended for ANY amount of time. Vaccinations, flea treatments and hair loss? These poor animals were neglected long before they were left unattended in a vehicle. I don't even want to think what this would be like if they had been real children.

Maybe the two of you should be made to take these helpless animals to a doggie spa for treatment while YOU BOTH wait in a hot vehicle for a few hours! Unthinkable? Cruel?


SALISBURY -- A Berlin couple charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty after city officers found six dogs locked in their Dodge Durango parked outside the mall denies allegations that they left the canines in the car for several hours.

Shannon Mecall Hussain, 34, and her fiance, Kirt Barren Greenberg, 45, of West Street, were taken into police custody after officers used a department issued baton to unlock the doors and release the dogs.

"We raised them from babies," Hussain said. "They were our children. There's no way in hell we would do anything to jeopardize them."

An unresponsive German shepherd lying on the floor of the vehicle had a weak pulse, according to police. An officer was able to revive it two times after performing CPR, but was unsuccessful a third time.

Police expect a necropsy report on the deceased dog to be completed sometime next week.

"The others seem to be fine, luckily," said Officer Edward Stewart, a Salisbury Police Department animal control officer.

Hussain said the couple drove the six dogs to the Humane Society of Wicomico County on Sunday morning before driving to The Centre at Salisbury. She said Greenberg's necklace broke while they were at the Humane Society, so they drove to the mall to have it repaired.

Hussain said she waited in the vehicle with the dogs while Greenberg went inside. She left the dogs to take Greenberg his wallet but denies leaving the animals for more than 20 minutes.

"I thought I was a little quicker," Hussain said. "I rushed as fast as I could."

People often leave their dogs in the car while shopping or running errands, but leaving a pet in the vehicle during extreme weather "can literally be a death sentence," said Nicole Forsyth, United Animal Nations President and chief executive officer.

UAN is a nonprofit national organization that provides pet-related financial assistance, emergency and temporary shelter, and educational materials.

"People are under the misconception that dogs are tougher than humans are; that they can handle the heat," Forsyth said. "But the reality is they are more susceptible to high temperatures and depend on us to keep them safe. Even a few minutes in a hot car, let alone three hours, can be deadly."

The surviving dogs --a German shepherd mix, a golden retriever mix, a terrier mix and two Labrador retriever mixes --were weak and fighting amongst each other for water, according to police.

Witnesses reported to police that the vehicle had been parked since 2 p.m., according to charging documents. When witnesses checked back an hour and a half later, the dogs were still alone.

Hussain and Greenberg returned to the vehicle around 5:18 p.m., about an hour after police at the mall located the vehicle at about 4:17 p.m., according to court records.

After the dogs were released from the vehicle, they were transported to the Humane Society, where they were vaccinated and given flea treatments, according to Linda Lugo, the executive director of the Humane Society. One of the canines who was suffering from hair loss was sent to a veterinarian.

Hussain and Greenberg, who have since been released from the Wicomico County Detention Center, have not given up the dogs for adoption so the canines will remain at the Humane Society until the animal cruelty case for the couple has been adjudicated.

"Whether they get the dogs back or not, they will owe us restitution for (the) time they were in our care," Lugo said.

Meanwhile, Lugo cautions pet owners to think twice about allowing animals to travel with them during extreme weather in the summer months.

"Leave your pet at home," Lugo said. "Sometimes people think they'll keep the car running, but the car can turn off. Leave your pet at home. They'll be happy, safe and alive."

www.delmarvanow.com

Everyone Loves The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking !!

The Mar-Va Children's Theater presents: PIPPI LONGSTOCKING Friday, August 13th Time: 7 p.m. Tickets: $5 This is directed by the fabulous duo of Gwen Skeens and Janice Boettger This will make you laugh until your sides hurt for sure. Don't Miss It!

MarVa Theater - Saturday Night

Md. Sen. Ben Cardin Scheduled To Tour Smith Island

SMITH ISLAND-- U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., was scheduled to tour Smith Island on Sunday to meet with residents and tour federally funded projects as a kickoff to a three-day visit to the Eastern Shore.

It was his first trip to the island.

"I know he's really looking forward to it," Susan Sullam, the senator's communications director, said last week.

Upon arrival in the morning, Cardin was scheduled to see Army Corps of Engineers erosion management projects by boat before attending Sunday services at Rhodes Point United Methodist Church, Sullam said.

After that, he was expected to tour the new Rhodes Point pump station which has been online since December.

Last year, the Rhodes Point Southern Water Works was awarded federal stimulus funds, with Cardin's support, through the Maryland Department of the Environment, Sullam said.

"It's something the senator worked hard on and supported," she said.

In addition to a new well and pumping station, the federal grant paid for new water lines.

After touring Rhodes Point, Cardin was to head over to the neighboring village of Ewell for a chicken barbeque and a meet-and-greet with residents.

Accompanying him on the trip were his wife, Myrna, and Somerset County Commissioners Mike McCready and Paul Ward.

Cardin did not have a public schedule on Monday, but on Tuesday, morning, he was scheduled to tour the NASA Wallops Flight facility. to see the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and the U.S. Navy's Surface Combat Systems Center.

After that he was to travel to the Salisbury-Wicomico Senior Service Center to discuss the new health care law and how it will affect seniors with members of the senior advocate and health care communities.

Later in the afternoon, he also was scheduled to visit the Choptank Community Health System's Cambridge Dental Center and Fassett Magee Health Center, which recently received a grant award of $1 million in recovery funds that to expand dental services.

www.delmarvanow.com