Smoke Scare In the Statue Of Liberty Forces Evacuation

NEW YORK (WPIX) - A smoke scare prompted an evacuation at the Statue of Liberty Wednesday afternoon, PIX 11 News has learned.

According to National Parks of NY Harbor Superintendent David Luchsinger, a faulty sensor in an elevator shaft detected smoke, leading officials to evacuate the iconic monument at around 1:18 p.m.

An investigation later determined that there was never any smoke, despite what the sensor indicated.

Air 11 was over the scene as visitors were forced to leave the area. It is unclear how many people were visiting during the time of the incident.

The monument was later reopened after being declared safe, officials said.

No injuries were reported.

The Statue of Liberty reopened its doors to tourists on July 4 2009, after having been closed to the public for eight years following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Although the base, pedestal and outdoor observation deck were reopened in 2004, the crown remained off-limits to visitors.

Ironically, the crown remained closed because the narrow, double-helix staircases were deemed unsafe for evacuations, and didn't comply with fire and building codes. Officials have since installed new handrails to assist with the climb. Visitors - up to 30 per hour - are allowed up the dark, small staircase while being led by park rangers.
http://www.wpix.com/

Pizza Hut Dedicated To Mr. Johnny Strand

ONLEY -- Surrounded by family members and friends, Shakia Austin of Melfa sat inside the Pizza Hut restaurant patiently waiting to see the building be dedicated to her late uncle, Johnny Strand.

Matching her mother and several others in attendance Saturday, Austin wore a white T-shirt printed with a picture of Strand and the nickname, "Uncle J" written beneath in cursive letters.

"I came to celebrate my uncle and remember how kind he was to people, how kind he was to me," Austin said. "He tried to help anybody and everybody."

More than 30 people gathered inside the restaurant to attend the dedication ceremony to Strand, a former manager there well-known for his kind personality and generosity.

Strand, who had worked at Pizza Hut since it opened in 1990, was slain three months ago. Shortly after he was reported missing, the 49-year-old manager was found dead inside his Melfa home May 1.

Fernando Carrillo Sanchez, 23, of Accomac was charged with second-degree murder after being located by nearby residents, according to the Accomack County Sheriff's Office.

As a way to help remember Strand and his many contributions, a small plaque was recently made and affixed to a dining room wall inside the restaurant.

Pizza Hut employee Jason Bennett of Onancock, who had worked with Strand for five years, reflected on Strand's cheerful and encouraging attitude while he waited for the plaque to be unveiled by District Manager Gil Liberty.

"He had a smile on his face every morning," Bennett said. "And he always strived for the best in us."

Liberty's comments immediately mentioned Strand's importance.

"He meant so much not only to this restaurant but so much to our franchise as a whole," Liberty said.

In addition to the plaque, a scholarship fund in Strand's name is also in the process of being established.

According to Liberty, the fund will be awarded each year to one senior each from Nandua and Arcadia high schools who "understands what kindness is," just like Strand had.

Liberty hopes several individuals will make donations so students can apply for the scholarship next year.

Once the plaque's covering was removed by Liberty, Strand's former co-workers, friends and family members lined up to see the small nameplate on the wall beside the kitchen door --a spot where Strand stood as he greeted customers.

"Welcome to Johnny's Place," the plaque reads, written below a picture of Strand standing in front of the restaurant.

Last month, Austin began working at Pizza Hut because she felt that working there is what Strand would've wanted.

She's working toward following in her uncle's footsteps and "making the service great" for customers.

"I know he's smiling down on me telling me I'm doing a good job," said Austin.

www.delmarvanow.com

Record Your Childhood Memories At the Delmarva Discovery Center

This is a wonderful idea!

POCOMOKE CITY — Organizers want to document and record childhood stories or other memories that natives of the region want to share during a special taping at the Delmarva Discovery Center on the Pocomoke River in Pocomoke.

Libraries in Worcester and Somerset counties are partnering with the center to record the unique stories at a July 28 session. Stories that offer a look at the region before technology changed the lifestyles of its residents are especially welcomed. Participants also should bring along documents or photographs related to their stories.

The recording session will be between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the center, 2 W. Market St. near Pocomoke’s downtown. The project was made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, and recordings will be compiled and included in a Digital Storytelling Project conducted by libraries in the two counties.

www.delmarvanow.com

Eddie "Country Boy" Williams-- Radio Legend Dies

An Eastern Shore radio legend passed away Wednesday morning. Eddie"Country Boy" Williams died early Wednesday after a short illness. He was 92.

Williams had been at WESR for 42 years starting as the station's first high school football announcer in 1968, the same year WESR FM signed on the air. After the first football season, Williams approached then owner Brooks Russell about a special program featuring the music of the big bands. Thus began his signature Goldie Oldie show on WESR which ran for 40 years.

WESR manager Charlie Russell said, " Eddie and I started here at about the same time. I was 18 and Eddie was 48. His program was very popular in those days. I would come in sometimes on Friday nights and the phones never stopped ringing." Williams played the music of the 30s,40s and early 50s. "It was the music of the World War II era," Russell said. It was the music that got our nation through some of its darkest years. That generation loved the music and its makers."

As time moved on, and that generation passed, the number of calls dropped but many new listeners learned to appreciate the big bands and the mellow music of the Dorsey Brothers, the Ink Spots, Les Brown, Perry Como, Bert Kamfert and many more. His audience became younger as some of the rock and roll generation started listening as their parents had.

Russell said, "Eddie was a faithful long term employee who loved being on WESR. He survived the transition from vinyl to CD, and the computer age." Russell continued, "When we got our first computer system in 1997, I didn't think that Eddie at 79 would be able to adapt to the new technology. He not only learned the new system but learned another one eight years later. I used to kid Eddie that I had made up my pawl bearer list and he was on it."

Meanwhile, Williams became the station's main board operator for various sporting events including High School Football, Virginia Tech Football and NASCAR racing. Russell said," All I had to do was hand him the schedules at the beginning of the season and he took it from there. It's rare to find people who take their responsibilities that seriously. We're all going to miss him very much."

Williams last worked at the station on Sunday July 17 when he operated the NASCAR race on WESR AM.His last Friday night program was in late June.

Funeral services are being completed at the Doughty Funeral Home.

www.shoredailynews.com

Virginia's Governor and President At Odds Once Again

Governor Bob McDonnell and President Barack Obama are at odds again, this time over the new EPA regulations attempting to lower pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Opponents are worried the feud will lead to legal action by Virginia or a withdrawal by the Commonwealth from the 30-year old partnership with the Federal government in the effort.

Governor McDonnell's Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech said a more effective strategy would be to continue approach the problem through a voluntary program designed to educate farmers on best practices and actions for cleaner farming, rather than expanding the regulatory scope of the Environmental Protection Agency. The plan adopted by President Obama would allow the EPA to impose fines and punishments on land developers and farmers. Domenech also stated the computer models the EPA is basing its plan on are flawed. New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia have also complained inconsistencies in the EPA computer models.

The Chesapeake Bay suffers from eutrophication, which is an abundance of chemicals and nutrients causing murky waters. The Bay also has high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediments, which the EPA's plan specifically hopes to reduce. The three pollutants are cited as the chief culprit in the Bays low water quality, which has made it difficult for plants, fish and shellfish to thrive.

It remains clearly ultimately the two sides have the same goal in mind, a cleaner Chesapeake Bay. Better water quality would lead to increased fish and shellfish harvests, as well as farm harvests. However, the two sides are approaching the problem with far different ideas. Domenech responded to questions of why Maryland has not complained about the Obama plan saying "they're highly regulated already. But in Virginia, we have a different mentality."
www.shoredailynews.com

Weekend of Remembrance Unites Families of The Fallen

For thousands of families Memorial Day isn't a picnic, but a day to try and fill the gap at the table left by a fallen loved one. These families, who cope daily with the lost of their personal heroes, Gold Star Families, will be honored and celebrated on July 23-24 in Washington, DC, and given a national support system to make it possible to move forward.

Families United, http://www.familiesunitedmission.com/, the nation's largest military family support organization, is hosting the 2nd Annual Weekend of Remembrance honoring and celebrating America's fallen Heroes from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Weekend of Remembrance is the nation's largest gathering of families of the Fallen - 2,000 families are expected to attend. Gold Star Family Dinner

The National Gold Star Family Dinner will seat families together by state for an evening honoring their Heroes and allowing them to share their stories with each other. To the families gathered, they won't be recognizing another brave Soldier, Marine, Airman, Sailor, or Guardsman, but they will be remembering a father, a wife, a daughter, a brother. Families will be able to tell their Hero's stories and to find a comfort that can only be offered by those who have known similar loss. Rita Cosby, television news anchor and correspondent, radio host, and author, will emcee the event and the evening's keynote speaker will be General James Cartwright, USMC, Vice Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff. Members of the Honorary Dinner Host Committee, including over 60 Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, will also be in attendance. Wayne Newton will headline the evening with a performance highlighting his support for the military since the days of Vietnam.

Wreath laying at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery
July 24, 2010 10:30 AM

On Saturday, families will have the opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery to participate in a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a visit to Section 60 where loved ones lost in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried.

American Heroes Festival
July 24, 2010 Six Flags America 12:00 pm-8:30 pm

This Saturday event will include Gold Star families, active duty military and their families, veterans, and supporters of our military. The American Heroes Festival is a day full of live music, exciting rides, and family fun that honors the lives of our nation's military Heroes and their families. Families will be greeted with a red carpet and military honor guard. Country music stars Aaron Tippin and Mike Corrado will perform an exclusive concert. Tickets are available at http://www.americanheroesfestival.org/ for $20, more than half off regular general admission.

National Gold Star Family Registry

The new Gold Star Family Registry website, http://www.goldstarfamilyregistry.com/, will connect families who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Meant to serve as a "virtual memorial" to lost loved ones, the site's searchable database is the first, comprehensive record of fallen heroes ever developed. Whether soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and guardsmen gave their life in WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq or Afghanistan or another conflict, the registry will be a place to ensure their memory will live on. Up to this point, there has not been one place where all heroes who gave their lives can be found either in print or online. There is no national registry or public database that serves as a perpetual memorial to all those who paid the ultimate price for this nation.

www.newsblaze.com

Please DO NOT Burn

The BURN Ban is still in effect in

ACCOMACK COUNTY

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

Please check in your local area before you burn!

Michael Vick's Uncle Sentenced To Prison For Heroin Distribution

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Michael Vick's uncle, Joseph Vick Jr., was sentenced Wednesday to serve 12 years in prison for his involvement in a heroin distribution ring that spanned the Virginia Peninsula, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Vick, 57, was one of 22 people busted by federal agents in December 2009 for distributing bulk heroin to Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson and Williamsburg, as well as Gloucester, James City, Matthews, Middlesex and York counties.

Agents say Vick was a mid-level dealer who typically distributed between 10 and 20 "bundles" or 10-packs of heroin per day.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said back in December the bust was part of a year-long investigation into the organization.

FBI agent Phil Mann told WAVY.com the investigation began in September 2008, when an inmate died of a heroin overdose at the Newport News Police Department. An investigation was then launched, which revealed a startling trend, according to investigators.

"Within the past two years there were about 15 deaths as a result of heroin overdoses, as well as 27 heroin overdoses leading to something less than death," said Mann.

According to Mann, several of those overdoses have been attributed to heroin distributed by members of the drug trafficking organization.

Alleged ring leader Darryl Wright, 44, of Hampton was indicted January 13. Wright had allegedly brought heroin from New York and New Jersey to the Peninsula since at least January 2007.

According to the indictment, members of the heroin ring generally traveled by bus to New York or New Jersey, purchased 200 grams of heroin, and brought the heroin back to a "table top" home allegedly set up by Wright in the southeast community of Newport News. There, according to the indictment, the heroin would be cut and repackaged for street-level distribution.

www.wavy.com

Boaters Stranded Nearly Three Hours Near Bay Bridge

Five boaters spent hours stranded in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay after their 14-foot power boat capsized Saturday, floating in the water before they were rescued by the crew of a sailboat returning from a regatta.

Though a child on board was wearing a life preserver, none of the other passengers were. The boaters broke no laws, but state officials said the incident should serve as a reminder that everyone is safer when wearing a life vest.

Jose Reyes and four others were aboard the 1967 Appleby returning to Sandy Point State Park when a large wave caught their boat, causing it to flip around 9 p.m. Saturday, said Sgt. Art Windemuth of the Department of Natural Resources Police.

Reyes, 12-year-old Oscar Flores, and his father, Oscar Samuel Flores, 32, all of Silver Spring, were able to cling to the overturned boat and keep their heads above water. But two other passengers, Anna Daci Garcia, 36 and Carlos Eskabar, 31, of Hyattsville were not able to make it back to the boat and instead clutched a cooler, Windemuth said.

Only the 12-year-old was wearing a life vest, Windemuth said. He said Reyes told rescuers that the abrupt wave hit before the adults could grab vests. The law requires only children under 13 to wear one, but Windemuth said adults should always do the same.

In the 17 boating fatalities last year, 16 people were not wearing life vests and eight fatalities were the result of alcohol or drug use while boating. In Saturday's incident, Windemuth said, no alcohol was involved. But even though Reyes had some boating experience, Windemuth said that "part of boating is knowing how to operate a vessel in certain sea conditions."

Windemuth said Reyes used a battery-operated light to attract passing vessels. He was unsuccessful until Captain Larry Vazzano and four crew members aboard the Wharf Rat, a CS 40 sailboat returning from the Eastport Yacht Club's Solomons Island Invitational race, came across the capsized boat around 11 p.m.

Vazzano, 59, a retired teacher from Mt. Airy, said his crew was passing the Magothy River and the Baltimore Light lighthouse when he and several others heard faint cries.

"We heard, 'Help. Help. Help us,'" Vazzano recalled, saying at first they thought the sound might have been a bird in the distance. Then, Vazzano said, he saw the flashes of light. "We motored over and saw three people clinging to a small overturned boat," Vazzano said. The crew on the Wharf Rat called mayday, alerting the Coast Guard of the capsized boat near the Bay Bridge. They then threw a "man overboard line," a U-shaped ring with a nylon rope. The boat circled the three stranded boaters, picking them up.

After Reyes was pulled aboard, he told Vazzano that Eskabar and Garcia were still in the water and had drifted away from the boat.

"I thought, 'These folks are done for it,'" Vazzano said. But after offering the three blankets, food and water, Vazzano said they heard that Garcia and Eskabar were rescued by Department of Natural Resources Police.

Cpl. Aaron Parker with the Maryland Natural Resources Police was the first to find the pair who had been buoyed by the cooler for close to three hours and called another patrol boat to assist with the rescue. They were taken to Gibson Island Marina, where they were then taken to Baltimore Washington Medical Center and treated for shock and chills, Windemuth said.

Each year, the Natural Resources Police receive close to 3,000 maritime-related calls, according to Windemuth. Of those calls, 301 required boating assists with 201 serious enough that they caused more than $200,000 in damage or required more than first aid treatment to boaters involved.

"I've never done a real rescue," said Vazzano, who belongs to the Rock Creek Racing Association and is a licensed Coast Guard captain who owns the Atlantic Sailing Experience LLC. The 25-year veteran sailor said he regularly attends safety seminars, including one this past spring, practicing the technique the crew used to pick up the group Saturday.

"It was a textbook case," he said. "I imagine they would've lasted another hour."

He said that when the crew returned to shore, the rescued boaters gave them hugs.

"We were ecstatic that we were in the right place at the right time," Vazzano said.

For safety tips, Windemuth said boaters should check out http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating.
www.baltimoresun.com

Man Sentenced In Hijacking Senator's Daughter

WASHINGTON - A man was sentenced to nine years in jail Tuesday for carjacking a U.S. Senator's daughter last December.
Steven Alston, 25, plead guilty to carjacking and assault in April.

On December 2, 2009, Alston and 22-year-old Dewalden Connor, carjacked the daughter of Tennessee Senator Robert Corker.

Alston carjacked the 22-year-old woman after seeing her SUV parked on the side of the 700 block of D Street NW. The two men approached the car, ordered the woman out of the car and then choked and threw her from the car when she did not exit.

The two men drove off in the SUV, but were tracked down by police using the OnStar system in the car.

Connor will be sentenced Thursday on robbery charges.

www.wtop.com

30 Alleged Gangsters and Associates Arrested In VA.

WASHINGTON - Federal and local authorities have arrested 30 suspected gang members and associates over the weekend in northern Virginia as part of a three-day enforcement sweep.

Officials at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say the arrests were part of an ongoing effort to target foreign-born gang members.

Of those arrested, 21 are facing only administrative immigration violations. The remainder face criminal charges.

All but one of the 30 are foreign nationals who face deportation. ICE says those arrested include 10 from Honduras, seven from El Salvador, nine from Guatemala and three from Mexico. Those arrested were associated with the MS-13, Mexican Pride and Southside Locos gangs.

Fairfax County Police and the county sheriff's office also participated in the arrests.

www.wtop.com

Historic Strasburg On The Auction Block

STRASBURG, Va. - Strasburg is for sale.

No, not Stephen Strasburg.

Almost the entire town of Strasburg, Va. (population: 6,200) goes on the auction block on Thursday. Strasburg is in the Shenandoah Valley.

According to the auction house, the deals include the Museum of the American Presidents and the Jeane Dixon museum - a 14-room historic estate, complete with a carriage house. A warehouse-size antiques complex is among the parcels.

The town is being listed as one of the top 10 real estate deals in the country.

The seven different parcels, including an entire city block, can be sold separately or all at once. The minimum bids vary from $15,000 to $865,000.

The entire property is the estate of the late Leo M. Bernstein, a D.C. banker. The Bernstein Foundation, a philanthropic organization, is the seller.

Bernstein is known for putting Strasburg on the map as an antiques destination.

Situated at the intersections of Virginia Routes 11 and 55, Strasburg is billed as "Virginia's Antiques Capital."

And, yes, it's received some free publicity recently, thanks to Washington Nationals phenom pitcher with the same last name.

There was even talk of changing the town's name to Stephen Strasburg, Va., to honor the pitcher.

You can see the full auction by visiting the auction house's Web site.

www.wtop.com

Elvis Statue Taken From Diner Roof Has Been Found

Ever since Elvis Presley's death 33 years ago, people have breathlessly reported Elvis sightings here, there and everywhere. On Tuesday morning, he was spotted again, hanging out in a cemetery with a pair of angels.

As it turned out, it was a fiberglass Elvis, a 6-foot-tall statue that had gone missing a couple of weeks ago from the roof of a diner on Pulaski Highway in Baltimore County, much to the consternation of the restaurant's owners and regular customers.

When found, the white-suited Elvis, his coiffure intact but his microphone gone, was propped between two angelic statues in the Gardens of Faith Cemetery, a few miles north of Rosedale's Happy Day Diner, whose roof he had graced for a decade.

Whether or not the real Elvis is communing with angels, his earthly appearance in the cemetery's Garden of Wisdom was a brief one, according to the man who found him, George Kropkowski, who lives nearby. He called his son Steve, who provides uniforms to the diner, said he thought he'd spotted the missing statue, and told him he'd better come and take a look.

"It was put there last night," Steve Kropkowski said by phone Tuesday afternoon. "My dad would have seen it if it had been put there before that."

Steve Kropkowski, whose grandfather is buried at the cemetery, drove over, verified that the statue of the rock 'n' roll legend was indeed the diner's — it was missing its right foot, which had remained bolted to the building's roof when the thieves yanked Elvis free — and called Maria Pigiaditis, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Dimitrios.

"Are you sure it's the right one?" she recalled asking him. "At first, I thought he was playing around."

She asked Kropkowski to wait while she called the detective who had worked on the case. She was told that he was on vacation and was eventually connected to another detective and was talking to him when Kropkowski — having loaded the 90-pound statue into the back of his Ford Expedition and driven the four miles to the diner — pulled into the parking lot. He couldn't wait, he said.

"They're nice people, and I wanted to surprise them," Kropkowski said of the Happy Day's owners. "They deserve it."

Apart from the damage to his foot and his missing microphone, Elvis suffered no serious harm that a coat of paint might not fix, said Dimitrios Pigiaditis, whom everyone calls Jimmy. But he is worried about whether he can reattach the foot, which is clad in what is supposed to look like a black suede shoe (it was unclear why it wasn't blue).

If the statue cannot be repaired to his satisfaction, he will replace it, Pigiaditis said. Even before his Elvis was recovered, he knew of two identical statues, one on eBay and the other in an antique store in Virginia Beach, Va. — the latter asking $1,200.

"I have no choice," he said. "My customers ask me every day, 'Where's Elvis?' If worse comes to worst, I'm going to have to buy a new one."

The statue had been placed atop the entrance by the restaurant's previous owner, who purchased the figure for $1,500 from a Harford Road antique shop. Pigiaditis, who also owns a construction business, said his insurance company has agreed to cover the cost of the statue's repair or replacement as well as the approximately $4,000 it will take to replace the neon lights the thieves broke during the abduction.

Whichever Elvis ends up on the roof, Pigiaditis is not taking any chances. "I'm going to put two cameras up on the roof," he said, "so if they try to do it again they'll be on camera, big time."

In any event, Pigiaditis will not be addressing the Elvis issue anytime soon. On Thursday, he is leaving for a month's vacation in his native Athens, which he left in 1978.

"I was always a fan of Elvis, even before I left Greece," said Pigiaditis, who remained perplexed by the theft, especially since it occurred next to a busy road. "I would like the police to find out who did it and why."

His daughter Georgia, 15, who works at the diner on weekends, had a theory. "I think it was kids," she said. "They just wanted to be cool by stealing a statue of Elvis."

Alice Rader, who has worked at the Happy Day for eight years, was relieved that Elvis was back, even if only leaning on a table in the diner's smoking room.

"I'm glad they didn't break him up and put him in a trash can," she said. "Elvis is in the house."

www.baltimoresun.com

Nearly 3,000 SSNs Posted Online By State Employee

A Maryland Department of Human Resources employee was placed on administrative leave after posting the Social Security numbers and other personal information of nearly 3,000 clients of a state agency on a third-party website, a spokeswoman for the agency said.

There's no evidence that the information was used for identity theft, said DHR spokeswoman Nancy Lineman, but DHR, which provides benefits such as food stamps and other aid, will offer affected clients a year of credit monitoring. They will receive a letter that was mailed Monday with further details about the data breach.

Under state law, businesses that expose the data of Maryland residents must inform them in writing, but governments are not required to do so, Lineman said. The employee is on administrative leave during the investigation of this incident and could face disciplinary action, she said.
The breach was discovered by staff of the Liberty Coalition, a nonprofit that promotes individual freedoms, including privacy. The group's privacy director, Aaron Titus, said the information was posted from April 27 to July 14. They tried to notify DHR officials July 9, he said, but were not successful until July 12. The data was taken down Wednesday, Lineman said.

"We take the privacy of the data that's entrusted to us very seriously," she said.

Titus said he was pleased that the government was offering credit monitoring, but he recommended that all affected clients contact credit reporting agencies to place a security freeze on their credit to prevent misuse of their data. Identity theft victims may do this for free, but state law prohibits residents from being charged more than $5.

DHR clients can enter their names at http://www.nationalidwatch.org/, a Liberty Coalition website, to see if they were among those affected.
www.baltimoresun.com

Michelle Obama To Speak On Obesity At Camden Yards

Will promote baseball's participation in her anti-obesity campaign

First Lady Michelle Obama is due at Camden Yards this morning to enlist Major League Baseball in her campaign to end childhood obesity within a generation.

Obama will join Orioles players and team majority owner Peter Angelos to announce a joint initiative between the White House and professional baseball that will address what has become her signature issue. The "Let's Move!" campaign promotes healthy eating and increased activity for children.

Orioles players, including Matt Wieters and Adam Jones, and Tampa Bay Rays players, including All-Star Carl Crawford, are expected to join Obama in announcing the new initiative. Sue Selig, the wife of Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, and several MLB and players' union officials are also expected to attend.

After the announcement, the players are scheduled to conduct a baseball clinic for 50 kids from the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities leagues and the Boys & Girls Clubs. Whether or not the First Lady would jump into the action herself was unknown, although in the past, she has hula-hooped and jumped rope to promote kids' health.

She is, however, scheduled to throw at least one ball during her time in Baltimore — later in the evening, she is scheduled to throw out the first pitch before the O's-Rays game.

www.baltimoresun.com

Discrimination Lawsuit Against Town And Fire Department

CRISFIELD -- A woman who claims she was turned down three times by the Crisfield Fire Department to serve as a volunteer firefighter has filed a gender discrimination lawsuit.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Juanita Nelson claims fire department members voted against her because if a woman was in the department, "it will never be the same."

The lawsuit names the fire department, the city of Crisfield -- because it owns the department building and equipment -- and members Ronnie Hinman, Larry Tyler and Charles Cavanaugh.

But city attorney Robin Cockey said the fire department uses a democratic process to admit new members, and that events "did not occur as the plaintiff alleges."

"The fire department and the city vehemently deny any misconduct or wrongdoing," he said.

According to the lawsuit, Nelson enrolled in a firefighter training course and passed in the Top 10 in her class. She also met all of the physical requirements.

Nelson is a 9-year member and volunteer EMT with the Lower Somerset County Ambulance and Rescue Squad in Crisfield.

She first applied for membership in the Crisfield Fire Department in January 2008 but was told she did not receive the necessary two-thirds majority vote from members.

She was turned down again in August 2008 and February 2009, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges Hinman, known as "Pork Chop," began soliciting older, nonactive members of the fire department who don't normally attend meetings to turn out to vote against Nelson's application.

Among the older members reportedly attending were Bobby Tawes, Larry Tyler and Richard Scott, a former mayor of Crisfield.

"One of them openly expressed that 'if we let a female in here, it will never be the same again,' " the lawsuit claims.

But Scott said Monday he has not been to a fire department meeting in the past six or seven years.

After Nelson was denied for a third time, she asked Fire Chief Bill Reynolds for another application but was reportedly told the department was not accepting new applicants. The department allegedly admitted two male members the month before, according to the lawsuit.

Nelson is seeking $3 million in compensatory damages, $1.5 million in punitive damages and attorney fees and expenses.
www.delmarvanow.com

A Way To Happiness

"There is only one way to happiness............

And that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will."

~~Epictetus~~

Perdue Frozen Chicken Nuggets Recalled

SALISURY -- Perdue Farms Inc. is recalling thousands of pounds of frozen chicken nugget products officials say could contain pieces of plastic.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Monday that the products include 1-pound, 13-ounce bags of "GREAT VALUE Fully Cooked Chicken Nuggets."

The recall involves only Great Value-branded fully cooked chicken nuggets with a "Best If Used By Date" of June 9, 2011 and the numbers "89008" followed by the letter "A" and the numbers "0160" printed on the backside of the package. The package also bears Establishment number "P-33944." No other Great Value-branded chicken products or Perdue products are involved in the recall.

Officials are recalling approximately 91,872 pounds of the nuggets after the Salisbury-based company discovered small pieces of blue plastic following consumer complaints.

Agriculture authorities have not gotten any reports of injuries. Consumers with the affected product should return it to the retailer for a full refund.

www.delmarvanow.com

New Wal*Mart Opens Wednesday

A new Walmart opens this month in Onley, bringing approximately 350 planned new jobs, savings on a full line of groceries and an increase in tax revenue to support the area's economy. Nonprofit organizations will also benefit from the retailer's ongoing charitable contributions and support for community projects. The Walmart, located at 26036 Lankford Highway, will be open to customers at 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 21.

"We are excited to have Walmart here on the eastern shore of Virginia. For years our residents had to travel to Tidewater or Maryland to enjoy shopping at these stores," said Jeff Davis, president, Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce. "Not only will it now mean greater product selection and competitive pricing, it will mean important jobs to our workforce. We look forward to a long and positive relationship with Walmart and are pleased that they have elected to join our Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce."

Store Designed to Improve Customer Experience
In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandising and customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company's newest stores, such as the Onley Walmart.

The new Walmart features wide aisles, enhanced service and a layout designed to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers. Walmart aligned the departments that customers shop most frequently. The pharmacy, for example, is adjacent to food making it easier for customers to pick up their prescriptions while shopping for their groceries.

"The layout of the store is easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities," said store manager Frank Durst. "By grouping the products that our customers most often purchase including health and beauty and pet supplies, we are making one-stop shopping even easier."

A bright interior color palette creates an inviting shopping experience and helps define the store's merchandise areas. Lower shelving creates an improved sightline and directional signage on every aisle helps customers find what they are looking for quickly. Walmart also combined the customer service desk, Site-to-Store pick-up location and photo lab in one area near the entrance. Customers now have easy access to these services, as well as associates on hand to help meet their needs.

The store's opening has created approximately 350 new jobs. Three of the stores associates have worked for Walmart for more than 10 years. Durst began his Walmart career in 1993 as an hourly associate at a store in La Vale, Md.

Store Design Incorporates Environmentally Friendly Features:
The Onley Walmart, like all new Walmart stores, includes energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste. The store's skylights harvest daylight and reduce the amount of energy required to light the store by up to 75 percent daily. LED lighting in the store operates 70 percent more efficiently than traditional fluorescent lighting.

The cement used in the concrete flooring is made with recycled materials, and the floors finish reduces the need for chemical cleaners. Low-flow toilets and faucets reduce the water used in the bathrooms. The new store also operates a recycling program and will promote sustainable product purchases.

Ribbon-Cutting Celebration 7:30 a.m., July 21
Community and business leaders will join Walmart associates at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Store associate Kendra Townsend will perform the national anthem and representatives from the Virginia Marine Resource Corporation will present the colors.

Community Organizations Benefit from Grand-Opening Grants:
Walmart is continuing its support of the community by giving $19,000 in grants from the Walmart Foundation to local organizations. The grant recipients include Accomac County Sheriffs Department, Eastern Shore Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Eastern Shore Rural Health, Lighthouse Ministries Food Bank, Olney Police Department, Southeastern Virginia Food Bank, Special Olympics and the YMCA.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed $2 billion to U.S. hunger relief efforts through 2015. The Fighting Hunger Together campaign will also engage Walmart customers and associates in the fight against hunger. More information can be found at walmart.com/fightinghunger.
www.shoredailynews.com

Teen Injured In Bomb Blast Remains In Intensive Care

Emily Kerstetter, the 16-year-old Ellicott City resident who was injured in the July 11 terrorist bombings in Uganda, had her sixth surgery in South Africa Monday, and it is still uncertain when she will return to the United States, according to her grandmother, Trish Becker.

“Emily just today had another surgery and the doctors felt very positive about it,” Becker said, adding that the surgery has also given the family a “more optimistic feeling.”

But this surgery is not the end of Emily’s medical complications resulting from the blast that occurred while she on a mission trip to help build a wall around a church and school in a poor area of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.

In addition to a shattered tibia, Emily has suffered from “a great deal of other complications” from the blast, Becker said, though she wouldn’t specify what the complications were out of respect for Emily’s parents’ wishes.

“Her future is going to be filled with a lot of surgeries,” she said.

Emily left for the mission trip with her other grandmother, Joanne Kerstetter, and 13 other members of the Christ Community United Methodist Church in Selinsgrove, Pa., on June 15. Nine of the group members left Uganda on July 7, but Emily, her grandmother and four others extended their trip until July 13.

The remaining six group members were having dinner and watching the final match of the World Cup at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant on July 11 when the blast occurred. Emily, one of the five members of her group that was injured, was flown to a trauma center in Johannesburg accompanied by her grandmother, who had a broken arm.

Becker asked the community to keep Emily in their thoughts.

“Please just keep sending a prayer for her because she needs it,” she said.

Emily, who is going into her junior year at Mount de Sales in Catonsville, is staying in the intensive care unit of Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg. When she is stabilized, she will be moved to Johns Hopkins, but Becker said it is still uncertain when that will be.

“Our biggest fear right now is infection,” Becker said. “She’s got a lot of exposed tissue.”

Having talked to Emily’s mother, Jennifer Kerstetter, who is at the hospital with Emily, on Sunday, Becker said Emily has amazed everyone with the amount of pain she has been able to bravely endure.

“She has a very positive attitude,” she said, “and she’s in relatively good spirits.”
www.explorehoward.com

Special Ocean City Treatment For Wounded Warrior

OCEAN CITY – A U.S. serviceman wounded in Iraq last month got a hero’s welcome in Ocean City last weekend, thanks in large part to the local American Legion post and an always generous resort community.

First Lieutenant Dan Shoemaker got some well-deserved treatment last weekend in Ocean City after a request from the Wounded Warrior Project on his behalf. Shoemaker was wounded in a suicide bomber attack in Iraq on June 11 and was ultimately sent to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. for treatment and recovery.

While at Walter Reed for treatment of injuries sustained in the attack in Iraq, Shoemaker was discovered to have a cancerous brain tumor, which might not have been discovered had it not been for his war injuries. On his behalf, Sgt. Major Dan Thompson of the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that advocates for men and women wounded in action, put the word out that Shoemaker was in desperate need of some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Thompson called Ocean City American Legion Post 166 Commander-Elect Sarge Garlitz, who, in turn, quickly called upon his considerable resources to intercede on the wounded first lieutenant’s behalf. A short time later, the Harrison Group responded with a complimentary stay at the Quality Inn on the Boardwalk and General Manager Chris McFarland and his staff gave Shoemaker the VIP treatment all weekend.

Shoemaker was also feted at the American Legion Post 166 by Garlitz and his crew and received a hero’s welcome everywhere he went in Ocean City all weekend.

According to Garlitz, Shoemaker was in awe of the warm reception and supporting comments he received from everyone he came in contact with during his weekend at the beach.

www.mdcoastdispatch.com

Motorist Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter

A man from Friendship (MD) admitted guilt Monday in the drunken-driving death of an elderly motorist, a man who was on his way to the home of a disabled friend whom he drove to work almost every day for more than 15 years.

Sean Kevin Fitzgibbon, 28, pleaded guilty to automobile manslaughter in the death of Robert Francis Burdette, 74, of Clinton, before Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge William C. Mulford II. Assistant State's Attorney Brian Marsh said prosecutors intend to seek a jail term followed by five years of supervised probation when Fitzgibbon is sentenced in September.

Outside the courtroom, John Hutchinson said no sentence can soften the loss of the uncle he affectionately called "Dad," who helped raise him since birth and with whom he and his single mother lived.

"He spent most of his day taking care of others," said Hutchinson, a resident of Mechanicsville. On the morning of the crash, Burdette was driving from Clinton to Dunkirk to help a disabled man he knew from church get out of bed and ready for work, Hutchinson said. Burdette generally drove the man to work at the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, returned to Clinton at 6:30 a.m., did custodial work at the Clinton United Methodist Church, then drove back to Washington around 2 p.m. to bring his friend home to Dunkirk.

Hutchinson said that since retiring from work as a cashier supervisor at an A&P grocery store, Burdette also helped several neighbors with shopping and medical appointments. After Burdette's death, others have told him of Burdette's kindness toward them, Hutchinson said.

Mulford is expected to hear about the victim at sentencing.

State sentencing guidelines recommend up to two years in jail. A typical sentence for a first-time offender in the county is no more than 18 months. Hutchinson said he hoped state legislators would increase penalties for automobile manslaughter.

About 2:30 a.m. last Oct. 7, Fitzgibbon's Chevrolet Malibu, estimated by witnesses to be going 80 mph in a 55-mph zone, rear-ended Burdette's pickup truck on rain-slickened southbound Route 4 near Plummer Lane in Lothian, launching the pickup into a tree. Burdette died Nov. 1 after 25 days in intensive care in Prince George's Hospital Center, said Carol Hutchinson, the wife of Burdette's nephew.

Fitzgibbon's blood-alcohol level was 0.21 percent at the time of the crash, more than twice the level required for a drunken-driving conviction. Defense lawyer Kevin Joyce said Fitzgibbon was waiting to be called for Navy boot camp, but the crash likely ended his enlistment. Fitzgibbon, who has been on house arrest since he was charged in March, acknowledged having an alcohol problem and completed an outpatient treatment program, Joyce said.

The Burdette family's civil suit against Fitzgibbon is pending.

www.baltimoresun.com

REMINDER~~~Parts Of Rehobeth Road To Be Closed

REHOBETH — On Sunday, July 18, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration will temporarily close Route 667 (Rehobeth Road) from Route 13 to Peach Orchard Road in Somerset County for a small structure replacement project.

Weather permitting, the closure will last approximately one week and will allow crews to replace a small structure on Rehobeth Road over Puncheon Landing Branch.
Motorists will be directed to use Peach Orchard Road and Route 13.

SHA will provide advance notice of the closure using variable message signs. Work includes replacing the existing corrugated metal pipe with two 72-inch concrete box culvert pipes, constructing new headwalls, new guardrails and resurfacing the roadway.

http://www.delmarvanow.com/

Widow Of D. Page Elmore Is Sworn In

Del. Carolyn J. Elmore was sworn in at noon today, taking the seat held for seven years by her husband D. Page Elmore, who died in June of cancer.

Carolyn Elmore, a Republican and longtime educator, will represent parts of Somerset and Wicomico counties until the new crop of 188 lawmakers takes over in January. Elmore is not running for the seat.

After Speaker Michael E. Busch administered the oath of office on the House floor, Elmore posed for photographs with friends and new colleagues and stood by her husband's desk, which was adorned with a single white rose.

Elmore said it was her husband's wish that she fill the seat in the interim between his death and the 2011 legislative session.

"I want to honor him and continue his good works on the Eastern Shore," she said. "This also helps my family make the transition, too."

The Wicomico and Somerset County Republican Central Committees submitted her name to Gov. Martin O'Malley earlier this month.

She said her appointment is also a point of fairness; this way, none of the four Republicans who have filed to run gets the advantage of holding the office. A Democrat also is running for the seat, in District 38A.

Carolyn Elmore is retired from the Wicomico County School System, according to a biography released by Busch's office. Her most recent position was director of curriculum and professional development.

"Dr. Elmore is active with Salisbury University, including serving on the Advisory Board for the University’s Eastern Shore Institute for the Advancement of Thinking and on the Salisbury University Foundation Board," the release states.

www.baltimoresun.com

Two Accomack County Men Arrested and Charged With Car Hijacking

ACCOMAC –– Two men suspected of a carjacking in Accomack County three weeks ago have been arrested and charged, according to the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office.

Issac Scarborough, 26, of Parksley, and Larry Payton, 39, of Parksley have been accused of carjacking a red, four-door Jeep Cherokee and forcing a man to withdraw money from an ATM June 28.

Around 1 a.m., the vehicle’s owner offered a ride to one of the suspects, who was standing near Lankford Highway.

After dropping the passenger off in Parksley, the driver was approached by the second assailant. The two men assaulted the driver and drove to a nearby bank ATM, where they demanded money be withdrawn from his account.

Scarborough and Payton released the victim near Mappsville and drove off in the stolen vehicle, Sheriff Larry Giddens said in a prepared release.

Scarborough was arrested on the charges of abduction, robbery, grand larceny and credit card larceny July 14.

Two days later, Payton was arrested and given the same charges.

Scarborough is currently being held in the Accomack County Jail with bond denied.

Payton is incarcerated at the Eastern Shore Regional Jail with bond also denied.

www.delmarvanow.com

No Burning Allowed

BURN BANS are still in effect for

ACCOMACK COUNTY

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

Suspected Female Arrested After 7 Bank Robberies

A woman who used heavy makeup as a disguise and is suspected of robbing seven Baltimore area banks was arrested on Saturday when a teller hit a panic button, trapping her inside a vestibule until police arrived.

Special Agent Richard J. Wolf, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore FBI office, said the 27-year-old suspect became "extremely aggitated" while stuck Saturday between the entrance way doors of the Madison Bank in the 6800 block of Harford Road.

Wolf identified the suspect as Darion Randle of Lansdowne. She had been sought since early July after the FBI says six banks were robbed by a woman wearing a long black wig and used notes to threaten tellers that bank employees and customers would be injured if she didn't get money. Authorities say that female bank robbers are "rare."

Police say that they've linked four bank robberies in Baltimore County and three in the city to the woman.

The latest occured Saturday about 11 a.m. at the Madison Bank on Harford Road. Wolf said the woman -- who sometimes wore an Arab head covering, but not this time -- handed a teller a note and got money. The teller pushed the alarm button as the suspect left, trapping her in the vestibule.

A city police officer said cops rushed to get a picture of her before her makeup came off. Wolf said her makeup was melting in theheat. "She was extremely agitated," he said. ""She tried to bang the glass off. She pulled some weather stripping. Her make-up was running because of the heat. There was a lot of make-up."

Peter Hermann

www.baltimoresun.com

Kids Reading Event At Chincoteague Library

CHINCOTEAGUE -- The Chincoteague Island Library invites all children ages 3-8 years old to "Make a Splash @ Your Library!" this summer. The weekly reading and crafts program takes place on Thursdays and includes books and activities on beach and island-related themes. The next session on Pirates is today from 10-11 a.m.

A special evening program will take place July 22 at 7 p.m. with Rob Wescott performing magic, puppetry and more. Celebrate Pony Swim Week with a session about Chincoteague Ponies at 1 p.m. on July 29.

For more information and a complete summer schedule, call the library at 757-336-3460, visit the website at www.chinco teagueislandlibrary.org or check out the Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Island Library-Children's-Programs. Please note that parents are required to accompany their children to the program. The Island Library is located at 4077 Main St., Chincoteague Island.

Atlantic Boy Scout Troop Inducts Four New Eagle Scouts

Atlantic Boy Scout Troop 311 inducted four new Eagle Scouts over the weekend at Atlantic United Methodist Church. Ryan Charnock, 18, Sam Broyles, 18, Rob Borowitz, 16, and Frank Borowitz, 18, were inducted in the special ceremony Saturday afternoon.

Many distinguished guests were at the ceremony to speak and present awards. Representing Congressman Glen Nye was Sylvia Parks, who gave letters of commendation to the Eagle Scouts from Congressman Nye. Delegate Lynwood Lewis and Accomack County Supervisor Ron Wolf also gave letters of commendation to the Scouts.

The keynote speaker of the event was former Virginia Secretary of Agriculture Robert Bloxom. In his address, Secretary Bloxom spoke of the determination of the first settlers who landed in Virginia in 1607. Citing their ability to work together as a reason for their survival, Bloxom urged the new Eagle Scouts to do the same and to give back to the community.

The four new Eagle Scouts gave Atlantic Troop 311 a total of 10 Eagle Scouts since 1997 and 21 all time. According to the Boy Scouts of America, less than 3% of Scouts attain the rank of Eagle.

www.shoredailynews.com

Saturday Night At Melson Power Show

The events that were canceled at the Melson Power Show last Saturday were held Saturday, July, 17th. A "best ever" crowd attendance was on hand even though the weather was still hot, humidity remained high and the events extremely dusty. The crowd didn't seem to care!

TRACTOR PULL

The crowd didn't seem to mind that the sun was going down........

MUD HOP

Next events for Melson Power Show will be:
Friday August 13, 2010
Saturday August 14, 2010

For more information on Melson Power Show go to: www.melsontractorpull.webs.com

We will also provide more info on this sight.

Hope to see you there next time!!

Here Is What Alot Of People Have Been Waiting For..........

There's been alot of talk about the Crisfield Mud Bog this summer and here it is!!
See you there!!!

Two Virginia Men Arrested In Delaware For Marijuana

BRIDGEVILLE — Two Virginia men were arrested on trafficking charges Thursday when Bridgeville police stopped their car for a traffic violation and found 10 pounds of marijuana in the trunk.

Jerome M. Middlebrook, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Antwon L. Robinson, 34, of Norfolk, were charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, trafficking marijuana, maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy, police said.

The men were stopped for following too closely and speeding on U.S. 13, north of Del. 18.

Police said that during the stop, officers noticed the smell of burnt marijuana coming from the car. A further search uncovered 10 pounds of marijuana in the trunk, police said.

Middlebrook, who was also charged with the two traffic offenses, is being held in the Sussex Correctional Institution in lieu of $19,000 bail. Robinson is jailed on $18,250 secured bail.

www.delmarvanow.com

Ice Cream Today For Me!

In 1984 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month and since ice cream is consumed more in the United States than in any other county. The third Sunday in the month of July has been declared National Ice Cream Day!



So......since today is NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY across America what better thing to do than eat all the icecream you want today!!

HAPPY NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY!!!!

Baskin- Robbins Retires Ice Cream Flavors

Baskin-Robbins is putting five of its signature 31 flavors in the deep freeze.

The company, which has thousands of outlets around the globe, is replacing some old flavors with new ones to celebrate National Ice Cream Day in the U.S. on Sunday, and Baskin-Robbin's 65th anniversary.

Caramel Praline Cheesecake, Campfire S'mores, Apple Pie a La Mode and Superfudge Truffle are leaving the list. French Vanilla, a staple since 1945, is out, too.

Srinivas Kumar, chief brand officer at the company, said "over the decades we have retired some of our iconic flavors into our deep freeze -- like 'Miami Ice' from the 1980s and 'Beatlenut' in the 1960s -- but never before have five flavors gone into the deep freeze at one time."

That's cold. And it's ice cream lovers in the United States who'll likely miss the flavors most. The Illinois-based National Ice Cream Retailer's Association says the U.S is the world's top ice cream-consuming nation.

The U.S. ice cream industry generates more than $21 billion in annual sales, and about 9 percent of all the milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers is used to produce ice cream, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

There's no word yet on what the new Baskin-Robbins flavors will be. And as for the old ones -- get them while you can. They'll only be available as supplies last.

www.cnn.com

Cruelty Charges Filed In Death of Dog

This is just sickening! Come on people! Use some common sense and think before you leave your animal in this type of situation. Stop and think! Would you want to sit in a car and have this happen to YOU?

Animal cruelty charges have been obtained against a woman whose dog died from being left in a car in 104-degree heat July 6, according to charging documents filed in Frederick County District Court.

A summons has been issued charging Cathryn Cordyack Washington, 67, of Fairmont, W.Va., with two cruelty charges for failing to provide adequate food, water and shelter and infliction of unnecessary suffering and pain, documents state.

Harold Domer, director of Frederick County Animal Control, said the investigation by Sgt. David Luckenbaugh found that Washington arrived at the Frederick Costco parking lot about 9:30 a.m. and found that the store did not open until 10 a.m.

Once the store opened, she left her 14-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, Delta, in the car and shopped until about 11:15 a.m.

When Washington returned to her car, she found Delta in distress and the dog died, Domer said.

Washington then went back into the store and returned dog products she had purchased, he said.

An Aug. 31 court date has been set for Washington in District Court.

A car interior on a sunny day can reach a temperature of 130 degrees within minutes, officials said.

Leaving animals unattended in vehicles in conditions that endanger their health and safety is a violation of state law, authorities said.

http://www.wtop.com/

Construction On Sunday Night To Close Bay Bridge Span

Maryland transportation officials are warning motorists they will shut down the eastbound span of the Bay Bridge late Sunday.

They will close one-lane of the eastbound span of the Bay Bridge at 9 p.m. Sunday evening, and close the entire eastbound span before midnight Sunday, according to a transportation department official. The span will remain closed until 5 a.m. Monday morning to accommodate repairs. Two-way traffic will operate on the westbound side of the bridge when the entire eastbound portion is closed.

Transportation officials also warn motorists to expect single-lane closures on both the eastbound and westbound portions of the bridge from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday while maintenance work and routine annual inspections occur.

www.wtop.com

The Mar-Va Theater Performing Arts Center

Theater to present 'Pippi Longstocking'

POCOMOKE CITY -- From Aug. 2-13, the Mar-Va Theater Performing Arts Center will offer young actors an opportunity to perform in a musical adaptation of "Pippi Longstocking." The famous stories about the girl wonder were created by Swedish author, Astrid Lindgren, and are among the most translated children's books in the world. The musical adaptation, including lyrics, music and stage play, are written by local composer Gwen Skeens, whose musical adaptation of Tom Sawyer was presented last year by members of Mar-Va's Theater Academy. Assisting Skeens as accompanist will be Janice Boettger, retired music teacher and noted pianist and organist at Antioch Methodist Church in Princess Anne. The cast for this production will require both male and female actors, ages 8-15, and will feature multiple actresses in the role of Pippi.

Throughout the two-week workshop, students will have instruction in singing, movement, improvisation, elocution and many other skills related to the development of stagecraft. The cost for the musical session is $200 for Mar-Va members and $250 for non-members. On the evening of Aug. 13, at 7 p.m., a public performance of the musical will be given. For further information regarding registration or tickets, call 443-614-0830.

www.delmarvanow.com