Pocomoke Crime Reports for the Month of September

THEFT

26 Sep 2010

100 BLOCK MARKET STREET

Distance: 1.11 miles

Identifier: 10-0005869

Time(24h): 16:13
THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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BREAKING & ENTERING

26 Sep 2010

1000 BLOCK MARKET STREET

Distance: 0.42 miles

Identifier: 10-0005868

Time(24h): 15:57
BURGLARY - FIRST DEGREE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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ASSAULT

25 Sep 2010

300 BLOCK SECOND STREET

Distance: 1.01 miles

Identifier: 10-0005830

Time(24h): 00:26
ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

25 Sep 2010

1000 BLOCK LYNNHAVEN DRIVE

Distance: 1.02 miles

Identifier: 10-0005832

Time(24h): 02:08
THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

24 Sep 2010

200 BLOCK SEVENTH STREET

Distance: 0.61 miles

Identifier: 10-0005819

Time(24h): 14:00
THEFT LESS THAN $100

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

24 Sep 2010

2100 BLOCK OLD SNOW HILL ROAD

Distance: 0.53 miles

Identifier: 10-0005821

Time(24h): 16:05
THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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BREAKING & ENTERING

24 Sep 2010

1300 BLOCK MARKET STREET

Distance: 0.33 miles

Identifier: 10-0005815

Time(24h): 10:40
BREAKING AND ENTERING

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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HOMICIDE

23 Sep 2010

703A CLARKE AVENUE

Distance: 1.14 miles

Identifier: 10-0005811

Time(24h): 22:36
ATT 1ST DEGREE MURDER

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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HOMICIDE

23 Sep 2010

400 BLOCK BANK STREET

Distance: 0.84 miles

Identifier: 10-0005809

Time(24h): 20:44
ATT 1ST DEGREE MURDER

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

21 Sep 2010

2100 BLOCK OLD SNOW HILL ROAD

Distance: 0.53 miles

Identifier: 10-0005773

Time(24h): 19:14
THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

17 Sep 2010

100 BLOCK SIXTH STREET

Distance: 0.66 miles

Identifier: 10-0005697

Time(24h): 11:59
THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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BREAKING & ENTERING

17 Sep 2010

1100 BLOCK MARKET STREET

Distance: 0.36 miles

Identifier: 10-0005696

Time(24h): 10:01
BURGLARY-4TH DEGREE THEFT

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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BREAKING & ENTERING

17 Sep 2010

1400 BLOCK LINDEN DRIVE

Distance: 0.3 miles

Identifier: 10-0005699

Time(24h): 13:09
BURGLARY - FOURTH DEGREE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

16 Sep 2010

1200 BLOCK MARKET STREET

Distance: 0.34 miles

Identifier: 10-0005676

Time(24h): 06:29
THEFT $1,000 - L/T $10,000

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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ASSAULT

15 Sep 2010

800 BLOCK LYNNHAVEN DRIVE

Distance: 1.02 miles

Identifier: 10-0005668

Time(24h): 10:14
ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

14 Sep 2010

300 BLOCK SECOND STREET

Distance: 1.01 miles

Identifier: 10-0005656

Time(24h): 08:50
THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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Corrections; Joel Todd Explains Nolle Prosequi

NOTE: I brought this back to the top do to reader request.


Read This LINK to see what sparked this letter

Dear  Mr. Ayres:
I enjoy reading your blog on a daily basis and appreciate your effort to keep the community informed.  I have been impressed that you do your best to be accurate in what you report. 

With that in mind, I thought you might like to know the details on today’s blog post about the entry of nolle prosequi on the cases you mentioned.  When we enter a nolle prosequi we usually state a reason, but those reasons don’t find their way onto Maryland Case Search so the public has no way of knowing why things happen the way they do.

The charges you mentioned about Honiss W. Cane, III were not prosecuted because there was no probable cause for the search of Mr. Cane.  Both the Maryland and US Constitution prohibit searches of individuals without probable cause so the entry of the nolle prosequi was in fulfillment of our constitutional duties.

 David Gambrell and Daniel Ng, who you listed separately, were codefendants.  Gambrell admitted the drugs were his and he was convicted but then placed on probation before judgment by the court.  A nolle prosequi was entered as to the charges against Ng because of the admission of Gambrell and there was no evidence to the contrary.

A nolle prosequi was entered as  the charges against Timothy McCoy Wilson  and Luis Rafael Ahorrio only after the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted them federally.  We conference with the U.S. Attorney’s office whenever we have a defendant with large amounts of CDS because often the defendant will get more time in the federal system than at our level.  That was the case with  Wilson  and Ahoriio and that is why we entered a nolle prosequi.  It certainly was not for the purpose of letting them get away with something, to the contrary, it was to assure that they got more time. 

The charges against Juergen D. Ervin, Jr. were handled appropriately.  The alleged victim in that case was allowed to stay in Ervin’s house while Ervin was out of town.  When Ervin returned, the “victim” had changed the lock on the house and wouldn’t allow Ervin in.  It is not a crime to break into your own house, particularly after someone has attempted to keep you out of it.  There was no evidence that an assault took place and the charges were not prosecuted for lack of evidence.

The details you listed for Gregory Secon are correct as far as they go, but again, there is more that you don’t know.  This was not the first case between this defendant and the same victim.  Upon review of the case, it was marked “DO NOT DROP”.  On the first scheduled trial date, as had happened before, the victim failed to honor her subpoena and didn’t show up for court.  Rather than drop the case, the State was able to get the case postponed and had to issue a show cause order to get the victim to show up for the next trial date.  At that time, it was clear that this victim, as is often the case in domestic violence prosecutions, did not want to assist in the prosecution of the case.  Rather than try the case and possibly lose everything with a recalcitrant victim, the State took a plea of guilty to 1 count of 2nd Degree Assault and entered a nolle prosequi  as to the second.

As to Jarrett R. Tillman, he was one of 3 codefendants.  In order to get a conviction in any of the 3  cases, we needed one of the other 2 to testify against him.   All 3 codefendants advised the state that they intended to invoke their 5th amendment right to remain silent if called as a witness.  Without a witness, it was impossible to get a conviction and so the charges were not prosecuted.

This leaves us with Lisa Bergling Kerstetter.  The prosecutor who handled that case is not available today.  I will respond to you tomorrow as to the details of that case.

I hope you can see from this rather long message that there are reasons for the entry of a nolle prosequi.    We certainly don’t sit around looking for ways to get out of prosecuting cases.  Questions about sentencing should be directed to the court and not to my office.  Anytime you have a question about why a case was handled the way it was, please feel free to call me. 

Thank you once again for the valuable service you provide the community.

Sincerely,
Joel J. Todd
State’s Attorney for Worcester County

‘You’re a Liar’: Student Who Heckled Obama Gets Roughed Up

The New York Times explains it this way:

“I’m going to need you just as fired up as you were in 2008,” Mr. Obama told them.
When a heckler yelled “You’re a liar!” in response, people nearby spent the next few minutes shouting the heckler down, making it difficult for many in the audience to hear what the president, who was flanked on the dais by Maryland’s top elected Democrats, was saying.

Now see it happen:


(via Breitbart.tv)
From the YouTube post:

President Obama came to Bowie State University and was met by a student that spoke out against his speak concerning how conservatives and Republicans are the reason for today’s economic condition. The student screamed out “you’re a liar”, causing the president to pause his speech. Then the student was physically beaten up by supporters, cursed down, and thrown side to side.
Obama then immediately changed his speech to start to defend himself and policies.

VIA: THEBLAZE

Sharron Angle TV ad says Harry Reid voted to buy Viagra for child molesters & rapists

In the ugliest ad so far in Nevada's contentious Senate race, Republican Sharron Angle accuses Democrat Harry Reid of helping to put Viagra in the hands of child molesters. The TV spot is the latest in a string of scare-tactic ads flooding the Nevada airwaves in the final weeks of the dead-heat contest.

Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, has portrayed Angle as extreme and crazy, using her own words and policy positions to try to undermine her credibility. But that strategy has not pushed him forward in the polls.
A recent wave of inflammatory attack ads has helped Angle remain steady.

"Want to know just how out of touch Harry Reid is?" the female announcer says at the beginning of the latest ad. "Spending $787 billion on a stimulus that failed is a start. Or Reid voting to give illegal aliens special tax breaks and Social Security benefits is another big clue. But here's the kicker: Reid actually voted to use taxpayer dollars to pay for Viagra for convicted child molesters and sex offenders."
The ad concludes, "What else could you ever need to know about Harry Reid?"     

The vote refers to the federal health care law.
Before it passed, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., proposed an amendment barring federal expenditures for supplying Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs to sex offenders. Democrats called it a political stunt aimed at killing the legislation. The amendment died.
The health care law does not single out convicted sex offenders.
Angle's campaign defended the ad.

"Harry Reid was so intent on passing ObamaCare that he was even willing to give Viagra to child molesters to do it," campaign spokesman Jerry Stacy said.

Previous Angle ads have claimed that Reid backed special benefits for illegal immigrants. Numerous reports have debunked the allegations, but the campaign continues to push it while boasting that linking Reid to illegal immigrants has swayed independents.
Reid spokesman Kelly Steele called the ad proof that Angle, "will do or say anything she thinks will help get her elected."

Reid was the first to go negative, unleashing a chain of cutting ads after Angle's upset primary win in June. But Angle, a tea party favorite and former state legislator, soon raised enough cash to fight back.

In other factually shaky ads, Reid said Angle supports sending jobs overseas and Angle called Reid the best friend illegal immigrants ever had.

VIA: RCP.com

Finally Drill Breaks Through to Trapped Chilean Miners

Rescuers have successfully drilled down into the deep chamber where 33 Chilean miners have spent more than two months trapped half a mile underground, but officials say the miners won't see the light of day until at least Tuesday.

Sirens and bells rang out across the Chilean desert at around 8 a.m. local time today, signaling that one of three drills safely penetrated an underground pocket where the miners have survived for the past 66 days. Cheers went up through crowds at "Camp Hope," a cluster of tents and kiosks where relatives have kept a vigil for their loved ones. Children lit candles for hope, and women applied makeup ahead of tearful reunions.


Ecstatic well-wishers sprinted up to the crest of a misty hill where 33 flags have flown as symbols of hope for the miners' rescue.

"God be willing, in a few days the whole country will be weeping with joy... when we see these miners emerge from the depths of the mountain to embrace their wives, children, mothers and fathers," said President Sebastian Pinera, according to Agence-France Presse.

But the hardest part may well be ahead. Officials now must decide whether to line the rocky rescue shaft with a heavy steel casing, or try to pull the miners up through the narrow passageway one-by-one without reinforcing it first. Both options have pitfalls. The steel pipe would shield the miners from falling rocks, but inserting the heavy apparatus itself is risky, and could potentially cause a collapse or get jammed in the rescue hole.

"You would have to put though a 600-meter hole a lot of pipes that weigh more than 150 tons," Golborne warned, according to The Associated Press. "And this structure can be set in a position that also could block the movement of the Phoenix (escape capsule). It's not an easy decision to make."

Read More HERE>

RAPIST LOOSE IN SNOW HILL?

I found this on Craigslist so I have know idea if it's true or not, but if it is I sure hope this guy is behind bars by now. He has a very extensive record, probably one of the worst I've ever seen.

After reading his arrests on Maryland Judiciary Case Search
there is no way that this 30 year old man should be out on the streets, he should be locked away for good, he is a menace to society at the very least.

Posted below is the rant I found on Craigslist.

"Last Saturday at 4 AM a man/animal broke into my sister's house in the quiet historic town of Snow Hill. He tried to rape her, then said he had to piss, and went out side, she locked the door, and he broke in again before she could call for help.

By this time her daughter and 3 children were up, ages 4, 3, and 2. Come to find out his name is Robert Costen, goes by Lil' Bug. He is on the loose still in Snow Hill.

My sister's checks were found in a nearby yard as well. He has 2 counts of rape before, according to my mom, and has not been out of jail long for that.

I have not heard this on the news or in the paper, maybe they don't want to cause a panic. He has been known to impersonate a security guard in Ocean City.

He is a tall black male, 30 years old, with a tatoo of Jesus on his back, which he showed to my sister before he tried to rape her. Please turn him in if you know him."

Below is the link to see a copy of His criminal record.
Just type in Costen in the first box for last name then Robert in the first name box, then select Worcester County in the drop-down box

CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE Maryland Judiciary Case Search

Pocomoke Community Awareness Meeting (10-9-10)

I was in attendance at today's (10-9-10) community awareness meeting, it started out pretty well and trickled down to a fizzle.

I did want to ask a couple of questions but I was unable to get them in unless I wanted to talk over another person(s) so I sat quietly and took notes, I must say it was very interesting so keep checking back here for the full report. I will have the minuets I jotted down organized and posted a little later today.

Stay tuned.

Meet and Greet Jimmy Schoolfield

Candidate for Worcester County Commissioner

Click image to enlarge

~~Just A Reminder~~

Why not head out today and pick up some pumpkins for Halloween. And while you are out stop by Melson's and see just how much fun these events are!

Admission is only $5.00 And they have refreshments there! So grab the lawn chairs...........

See you there!

Birthday Today

HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY

JOHN LENNON
Born: October 9, 1940 Died: December 8, 1980

"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace."
— John Lennon

"There are places i'll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends i still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life i've loved them all"
— John Lennon

Still missing you................

Anti bullying video: You're perfect the way you are!

Like many people, our hearts are breaking for the families and kids who are being bullied, and those who have committed suicide because of it.

We re-did Ricochet's SURFice dog video a little, gearing it towards teens in an effort to help kids deal with being "different", and help them realize they are "perfect just the way they are". We know many people have been touched by the video this past year, but now we're hoping we can reach more kids, and potentially make a life-saving impression if/where needed.

Message of hope: You're perfect just the way you are! Anti-bullying

Community Awareness Meeting

There is a Community Awareness Meeting at 9 am at New Macedonia Church - Bishop Jenkin's in Pocomoke.

  At the 1st meeting, Lighthouse Counseling & Police Dept. provided donuts...and tomorrow Lighthouse Counseling is providing fall assorted donuts/munchins and coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

Please try to attend these meetings, the community needs to be aware and more so know what is going on in and around Pocomoke. People need to demand that press releases be published in a timely manor not weeks after the crime or in most incidences NEVER.

Speak your mind, this is the place to do it.

A Comment Worthy Of a Post

This commenter has asked some very good questions so I thought I'd bring it out to a post because a lot of visitors do not read the comments under the articles. Hopefully it will gain more attention here, and maybe it will bring some answers. 


Comment;

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Corrections; Joel Todd Explains Nolle Prosequi":

As a registered Democrat it pains me to even think about voting for the "other" candidate. In 30 years I've only done this once.

After searching and reading about the Candidates in the State's Attorney race this is bothering me the most. I"ve talked with many fellow Democrats and I find that I'm not alone in my concerns.

Mr. Todd you've eloquently answered citizens concerns over the cases mentioned in the original post. Why are you not answering other questions especially about this Clarence Jackson case? Why are you letting other's speak for you?

It's no big secret about the crimes that this criminal has comitted and I'm sure that there are more crimes that he has done that we all don't know about because he didn't get caught.

I just don't understand why Mr. Todd didn't put him away for a very long time in September (someone mentioned 30 yrs.) when he had the opportunity to do so.

As a resident of Worcester County it concerns me that this person will be back on our streets and in our community more than likely in about 1 year.

This person is a repeat offender as is evidenced by his criminal record. Whose home will he invade and steal from next? Where will his next fire be set? Who will be his next vitim of his terror?

The disturbing part of all of this is that my candidate let this happen and then refuses to answer legitimate questions about it. The people he has chosen to speak for him have no credibility and this is even more disturbing.

Who should I vote for as State's Attorney for Worcester County come November?

Prostock Points At Gumboro

The Prostock Class will be exciting for everyone this Saturday!

At the present time 187 East Perfomance trucks take 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in Prostock.
Who will be the first place winner?
Will it be one of the three or someone else?

Be there on Saturday to see who will take 1st place in this class for the season.........


Prostock class

All Night Soldier Patrick Long 34 pts.
Blue Chevy(Short 'n' Sassy) Barry Wise 28 pts.
Gray Ghost Lori Ann Long 23 pts.
Friends n Low Places Daniel Harrison 22 pts.
81 Chevy Chris Stubbs 22 pts.
Mud Hog Wayne Downes 19 pts.
Mean Green Danny Smith 16 pts.
Dirty Money To Tony Kosar 16 pts.
No Shame Ed Vogel 13 pts.
Digger Orville Wells 13 pts.
The Animal Steve Wisbeski 12 pts.
Outta Order Trey Milligan
Nothin Special Allen Stephens 10 pts.
Gray Chevy Roger England III 10 pts.
86 Chevy David Jones 8 pts.
Blazer Bryan Johnson 8 pts.
Ridin Dirty Greg Stephen Jr. 5 pts.
Nothin But Truth Cliff Taylor 5 pts.
Wh Bronco Fred Wriston 4 pts.
Dirty Money Richie Knox 4 pts.
The Gator Vince McMahon 3 pts.
Miss Behavin Katherine Marshall 2 pts.
Blue Ramcharger Matt Gibson 2 pts.
Prime Example Thomas Jackson 1 pt.
Back & Black Mike Payes 1 pt.
Blue 89 Bronco Scott Carmean 1 pt.
Big Blue Skip Fleischut 1 pt.
Goldrush Bruce Vogel 1 pt.
Patrick Long "All Night Soldier"

Man Charged With Murder Is No Stranger To Jail

SNOW HILL -- Police arrested a Pocomoke City man for the stabbing death of a teen, charging him with murder.

James Edward Ballard, 29, of Pocomoke City, was ordered to be held without bond by Judge Gerald Purnell in Worcester County District Court.

Police charged Ballard with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 18-year-old Russell Matthew Bailey III, also of Pocomoke City. Police also charged him with second-degree murder, manslaughter and first-degree assault.

The circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear. First-degree murder is a charge that implies premeditation; Ballard told police he was defending himself.

According to court documents, Pocomoke City Police and Maryland State Police responded at 2:30 p.m. to a reported stabbing in the 700 block of Eighth Street in Pocomoke City, across the street from the middle school.

Police found the victim lying on the ground, bleeding from a chest wound. In charging documents, police said "numerous witnesses" said they saw Ballard stab Bailey.

Investigators telephoned Ballard to come in for an interview. At the Pocomoke City Police station, he confessed to stabbing Bailey, calling it an act of self-defense. In charging documents, police allege that Ballard killed Bailey with premeditation, based upon their investigation.

Pocomoke Mayor Mike McDermott said the event was sad and unfortunate.

"It's always a tragedy when people resolve anger and frustration with this kind of violence," said McDermott. "I'm glad we know who the bad guy is and we have dealt with the criminal."

Bailey had graduated from Pocomoke High School in June. Tyrone Mills, the school's principal, said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened to learn of Russell's death. It is a tragedy to lose a young man who had his whole life ahead of him."

Mills described Bailey as a student who enjoyed working on vehicles in the auto tech program who had aspirations to continue his education after he graduated last spring.

At Snow Hill District Court early last Thursday, Ballard, the suspect in Bailey's killing, sported a bushy beard and shiny white Air Jordan sneakers with his a navy blue prisoner jumpsuit. He told the judge that he has "a lot of stuff going on" in his life, that he needed a lawyer, and asked for a preliminary hearing.

Ballard also told the judge he had barely been home two weeks after having spent 18 months in jail for a probation violation.

In September 2008, a Worcester County Circuit Court judge sentenced Bailey to a year in jail and two years on probation on charges of second-degree assault.

Months later, authorities learned not only had Ballard moved from Pocomoke City to Philadelphia, but he had been arrested there in February 2009 on drug charges. They also learned of his July 2009 arrest in Hampton, Va., also on a drug charge.

Both his move and the arrests violated the terms of his probation. As a result, a judge sent him back to jail for another 18 months in November 2009.

Ballard's criminal record in Worcester and Wicomico counties dates to 1999 and includes other charges for burglary, drug possession, armed robbery, assault and escaping from police custody. No date has been set yet for Ballard's next court appearance.

www.delmarvanow.com

Sentences Given To Four In Accomack County Circuit Court

Accomack County Commonwealths Attorney Gary Agar reports the following cases were heard in Accomack County Circuit Court:

Bruce Meilhammer, 18 of Chincoteague, was sentenced to 90 days imprisonment, suspended but time served, and restitution for 3 counts of grand larceny.

Kerwin Mears, 25 of Accomac, was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for a second offense of possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute.

Kenneth Simpkins, Jr., 26 of Greenbush, was sentenced to one year and three months imprisonment for distribution of cocaine.

Bruce Johnson, 52 of Mappsville, was sentenced to three years imprisonment for possession of cocaine. Johnson was also reimposed a suspended sentenced of one year for possession of cocaine.
www.shoredailynews.com

Reading is Fundamental

Watch this video and when they pan in on Bill Cosby look at the book he is supposedly reading.

This Weekend At Melson Power Show

Make plans now to join in on the excitement this Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Melson's !!

No kidding!

The folks at Melson's have planned an entire day (and into the evening) of racing events! They have combined Friday night events with Saturday night events and rolled them into one great day of nothing but exciting racing........

200 foot Dirt Drag ~~ Most trucks travel this muddy track in a matter of a few seconds!

With the recent rainfall how will the mud on this track effect the speeds of those trucks?

Garden Tractor Pullin' ~~ This young lady just started competing this season. Since she is the only girl with alot of foolish men I give her lots of credit! I think she will go far with garden tractor competition! Let's see how she does this week.........against all those silly guys. (They can't even keep their tractors running sometimes)

Truck and Tractor Pullin' ~~ This a big favorite for everyone.

How much weight will they pull?

Mud Hop ~~ Will Brian in "Cowpatty" be there to race through the mud? Who else will brave this hill and come crashing into the mud on the other side?

With the amount of rain recently any truck is bound to make a big splash! Head over to Melson's Saturday, October 9th to find out!
Bring a chair and sit back and relax. Good clean fun for the whole family. Kids love it!

REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE

Registration for events: 4:00 PM
Events begin @ 5:30 PM
Admission: $5.00 ~~ Remember: You will be seeing two nights worth of events all in one afternoon and evening.

9343 Guy Ward Road
Parsonsburg, MD.

www.melsontractorpull.webs.com For more information!

Rain date... October 16th

PSST ! Have you heard the latest?

The Democrats are standing back because they KNOW they can't touch a Republican

like Mike McDermott !!

Don't Forget to VOTE MIKE!!

Pharmaceutical Advertising in Doctor's Office

I'm sure that you have seen 

pharmaceutical advertising in 

doctor's offices on everything from

tissues to syringes to note 

pads.   This one pushing Viagra 

should get First prize....

I e-mailed it to my Chinese doctor 

friend; he e-mailed back: "If light 

stay on more than 4 hour, 

call erectrician.

Hat Tip; Ree

Last Mudbog Of The Season At Gumboro

Your last chance to see mudbogging in Gumboro, Delaware is approaching fast!

So get ready!

Be sure to be there on Saturday, October 9, 2010

Gates open @ 11:00 AM
Races begin @ 1:00 PM

Admission: $7.00 ( Children under 10 FREE but must be with an adult)
Pit Admission: $5.00 per person

Registration will be held from 11:00 AM until 12:30 PM
KIDS POWER RACING EVENT AT EVERY RACE!

Refreshments available.......

From Rt. 13 Take Rt. 24 East Right onto Lowes Crossing Rd. Left on Fox Hound Lane.

From Rt. 113 Take Rt. 24 West Left onto Lowes Crossing Road. Left on Fox Hound Lane.

187 EAST PERFORMANCE WILL BE THERE!

See you there !!...............

ACLU Files Lawsuit Over Nose Piercing

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union claims in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that a North Carolina school violated the constitutional rights of a 14-year-old student by suspending her for wearing a nose piercing.

The lawsuit from the state chapter of the ACLU seeks a court order allowing Ariana Iacono to return immediately to Clayton High School, which has kept her on suspension for four weeks since classes started.

The complaint hinges on Iacono's claim that her nose piercing isn't just a matter of fashion, but an article of faith. She and her mother, Nikki, belong to a small religious group called the Church of Body Modification, which sees tattoos, piercings and the like as channels to the divine.

"This is a case about a family's right to send a 14-year-old honor student to public school without her being forced to renounce her family's religious beliefs," wrote lawyers from the ACLU and the Raleigh firm Ellis & Winters in a brief supporting the lawsuit.

The Johnston County school system has a dress code banning facial piercings, along with short skirts, sagging pants, "abnormal hair color" and other items deemed distracting or disruptive.

But the dress code also allows for exemptions based on "sincerely held religious belief," and says, "the principal or designees shall not attempt to determine whether the religious beliefs are valid, but only whether they are central to religious doctrine and sincerely held."

That's where the school stepped over the line, the lawsuit alleges, saying officials repeatedly dismissed explanations of the Iaconos' faith by the family and their Raleigh minister.

"We followed all the rules, so I don't understand why the school is being so unreasonable," Nikki Iacono said. "The dress code policy allows for a religious exemption, and I explained to the principal and various school officials how my daughter's nose stud is essential to the expression of our family's religious values."

Terri Sessoms, spokeswoman for Johnston County schools, said the district had received notice of the lawsuit, but officials can't comment on disciplinary actions involving individual students.

Ariana Iacono has been suspended four times since fall classes started, missing 19 out of 28 school days so far. On Monday, the school system denied an appeal of her most recent suspension, and told her she'd have to attend South Campus Community School, an alternative facility for students with disciplinary and other problems. She still wouldn't be allowed to wear the nose piercing in the other school.

Nikki Iacono, 32, joined the Church of Body Modification in 2009, and her daughter followed a year later. Their minister, Richard Ivey, thinks school officials are dismissing a little-known belief system simply because it's unfamiliar.

"I'm shocked that it's gone this far, but I guess I'm not surprised they'd be so quick to stick with their first judgment and not hear anyone else's reasoning," he said.

www.wavy.com

Buyer's Choice Caroler Bingo

NEW CHURCH -- The New Church Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company will host its ninth annual Byers' Choice Caroler bingo on Friday at the New Church firehouse.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and bingo starts at 7 p.m.

Oyster fritter sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and desserts will be on sale.

Homemade cakes will be awarded as door prizes.

The bingo game prizes will be Byers' Choice Carolers.

Admission for the 21 bingo games is $20.00. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling 757-824-3038.

Accomack Man Indicted In Shooting Death Of Delaware Man

ACCOMACK COUNTY
A 23-year-old man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges including capital murder and robbery in connection with something that initially appeared to be a fatal traffic crash but was actually a shooting, a Virginia State Police news release said.

Brian Marquis Northan, of Accomack County, was being held in the county jail on unrelated charges. These new charges stem from a June vehicle crash.

On June 24 at 7:27 a.m., state police were called to the 20000 block of Bailey Road in Accomack County and found a 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck had run off the road and hit an embankment. Trooper K.J. Johnson found a body outside the vehicle, later identified as Anthony W. Wilson, 46, of Fenton, Del.

The trooper determined evidence at the scene was not consistent with a traffic crash, the news release said, and notified state police special agents. Further investigation revealed Wilson had been shot to death.

No additional details about what led to the fatal shooting were released.

Northan was indicted Monday and also faces charges of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Police said the investigation with the Accomack County Sheriff's Office continues.

www.hamptonroads.com

The "Conan Blimp" Visible Over Virginia On Saturday

Did anyone happen to see this huge orange blimp floating northbound over Route 13 this past Saturday afternoon (October 2)?


It seems TBS is flying their "Conan Blimp" over the Major League Baseball Postseasons games to promote the new Conan O'Brien late night show on the TBS channel beginning November 8th.

The blimp pilot must have been taking the Eastern Shore scenic route to a city further north.

Kids words of wisdom....

1.  HOW  DO YOU DECIDE WHOM TO   MARRY?   (written by kids)   

You  got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if  you like sports, she should like it that you like  sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.   --  Alan, age 10
-No  person really decides before they grow up who they're  going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you  get to find out later who you're stuck with.   --  Kristen, age  10   

2.  WHAT IS  THE RIGHT AGE TO GET   MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know  the person FOREVER by then.  --   Camille, age 10  

3.  HOW CAN A  STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE   MARRIED?   You  might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be  yelling at the same kids. --  Derrick, age  8   

4.  WHAT DO  YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN  COMMON?   Both  don't want any more kids.    --  Lori,  age 8   

5.  WHAT DO  MOST PEOPLE DO ON A  DATE?
-Dates are  for having fun, and people  should use them to get to know each other. Even boys  have something to say if you listen long enough.   --  Lynnette, age  8    (isn't  she a treasure)

-On  the first date, they just tell each other lies and that  usually gets them interested enough to go for a second  date.  --  Martin, age  10   

6.  WHEN IS  IT OKAY TO KISS   SOMEONE?    -When  they're rich.   --  Pam, age  7

-The  law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to  mess with that.  -  - Curt, age   7
-The  rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you  should marry them and have kids with them. It's the  right thing to do.    -  - Howard,  age 8   

7.    IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR   MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for  boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.  --  Anita, age 9   (bless you child )  

8.  HOW  WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE  DIDN'T  GET  MARRIED?    There  sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?  --  Kelvin, age 8   
And   the #1 Favorite is .......   

9.  HOW  WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE   WORK?    Tell  your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like  a dump truck.
 --  Ricky, age  10 

Hat Tip; Mrs M.

Picture of the year

Click to enlarge

Hat Tip; Kack

Firefighters Let Home Burn Because Of Unpaid Fee

-Tennessee--A small rural community in western Tennessee is outraged and the fire chief is nursing a black eye after firefighters stood by and watched a mobile home burn to the ground because the homeowner hadn't paid a $75 municipal fee.

South Fulton city firefighters -- equipped with trucks, hoses and other firefighting equipment -- didn't intervene to save Gene Cranick's doublewide trailer home when it caught fire last week. But they did arrive on the scene to protect the house of a neighbor, who had paid his fire subscription fee.

"I just forgot to pay my $75," Cranick told ABC News. "I did it last year, the year before. ... It slipped my mind."

Later that day, Cranick's son Timothy went to the fire station to complain, and punched the fire chief in the face.

"He just cold-cocked him," Police Chief Andy Crocker told the Union City Daily Messenger. The younger Cranick was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault, and South Fulton Fire Chief David Wilds was treated and released from a hospital, Crocker said.

Firefighters in South Fulton city are under orders to respond only to fire calls within their city limits, as well as to surrounding Obion County, but only to homes there where people have signed up for a fire subscription service.

Because Cranick hadn't paid his fee, firefighters doused the border of his neighbor's property to protect that house in case the flames spread, but wouldn't help him. He lost all his possessions, plus three dogs and a cat.

"They could have been saved if they had put water on it, but they didn't do it," Cranick told MSNBC.

The fire began when Cranick's grandson set fire to some trash near the house, and the flames leapt up. Cranick said he told the 911 operator that he'd pay whatever fee was necessary, but it was too late.

"I have no problem with the way any of my people handled the situation. They did what they were supposed to do," South Fulton City Manager Jeff Vowell told the Messenger. "It's a regrettable situation any time something like this happens."

But one firefighting expert said the fee system isn't fair to homeowners or firefighters.

"Professional, career firefighters shouldn't be forced to check a list before running out the door to see which homeowners have paid up," Harold Schatisberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said in statement excerpted by MSNBC. "They get in their trucks and go."
www.aolnews.com

Concerns From An Accomack County Resident And Taxpayer

What's going on in Accomack County? More robberies in the local area......two within a few days of the other.

I wonder what happened to the suspect (see photo below) back around the 20th of August 2010 who walked into the Corner Mart in Oak Hall, Virginia and robbed the clerk of money and merchandise and then fled the scene in a black step-side Checrolet step-side pickup.
Did they arrest him yet?

And then sometime around September 7th of 2010 another face appears!

Again, the Accomack County Sheriff's Office is asking for the publics help in finding Kenneth Corneal Birch, Jr. of Saxis, Virginia. A felony warrant had been obtained for Birch in connection with the robbery at Corner Mart in Oak Hall.

Has he been located? Are these photos of the same person?

To be sure he isn't on Saxis, Island anymore. But this creeps me out. Major Godwin, you and I both live near the island and I think the people in the area along with the rest of Accomack County deserve to know what is happening.

You need the communities support just as we need the support from the Accomack Sheriff's Office. What baffles me is why there is such a time lapse between the robberies before the public is alerted.

Now there are at least a half dozen men running around somewhere that are accused of robbing two Corner Marts both of which are not far from each other.

We have a scanner in our home and we are aware of what goes on most times. We are VERY aware of the home invasions that occur.

Why aren't the people told?

Body Found On Beach In Ocean City Is Identified

OCEAN CITY — Ocean City police have identified a woman whose body was recovered from the ocean over the weekend. Police spokesman Pfc. Michael Levy identified the woman on Tuesday as 32-year-old Tara Chanise Taylor of Lanham, Md.

Officers called to the beach near 74th Street around 2 a.m. Saturday for a report of a missing person found a friend performing CPR on Taylor. Levy says Taylor appeared to have just been in the ocean. Paramedics took Taylor to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin where she was pronounced dead.

Levy says police are still investigating the incident, which is not believed to be suspicious.

Taylor’s body has been taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Maryland in Baltimore for an autopsy.

www.delmarvanow.com