The History Of Pocomoke By Murray James (16)

110 History of Pocomohe City,

Our youthful readers cannot realize the advantages of
steamboat travel to the same extent that some of us can,
whose memory goes back to the time when there was no
steamboat plying between Pocomoke City and Baltimore,
and when it would require, at certain seasons of the year,
two weeks or more for a sail vessel to make a trip from
Pocomoke City to Baltimore and return.

Whereas with the present facilities of travel the trip can
be made in thirty-nine hours, and gives you eleven hours
of that time to attend to business in the city. With these
facts before us we can see clearly that progress is march-
ing onward.



Formerly New Town. Ill



CHAPTER XVI.

SHIP BUILDING, &c.

The shipbuilding, steam milling- and marine railway

business is carried on quite extensively in Pocomoke City.

Shipbuilding has been carried on in New Town from time

.immemorial, but the steam milling and marine railway

business is of more recent date.

The first steam mill ever erected in New Town was by

a man by the name of Hutchinson in 1839. This mill was
•employed at first to make shingles, but afterwards turned

into a saw mill.

It was severally owned by Hutchinson, Dr. Geo. S. D.
■ Shipley, Ricaud, then E. S. Young and Geo. Blades,

under the firm of Young & Blades, then E. S. Young and
and James H. Young, under the firm of Young & Brother,
.then Capt. James T. Young by himself, who carried on
the business until 1866, when he sold out to Polk & Powell.
They conducted the business about ten years, when they
sold out to James T. Young and Lewis W. Young, doing
"business under the firm of Young & Brother. Finally
James T. Young bought out his brother Lewis, and is now
conducting the business by himself.

I have been thus explicit in running out the history



112 History of JPocomoke City,

of th.s mill simply because it was the first ever established
in New Town.

But the year IS44 was marked as the beginning of a.
series of successes unprecedented in the history of New
Town. The circumstances which brought them about
were as follows : During that year Ezra B. Risley hap-
pened to be in a certain port in the State of New jersey,
when a vessel loaded with cypress fencerails arrived- He
saw the rails and enquired where the}' were from, etc.
The cargo of rails belonged to Jas. Daugherty and Levin
P. Bowland. In this case, like thousands of others, the
door of wealth was opened by the merest accident, and
the old adge holds good, "one sows and another reaps."
In as short a time as possible alter this two strangers were-
seen in New Town ; no one knew who thev were or what
was their business. They prospected awhile in the cypress*
swamps, made some purchases and went away. The
strangers proved to be John Ashcraft and Ezra B. Risley.
During the next year, 1S45, they established a large steam
saw mill at Harry Henderson's landing, the place now
owned by Littleton Waters. Here they commenced
operations. They brought down Jersey wood choppers and
employed our own men also. Like an electric shock,
they aroused the citizens of New Town and the entire
surrounding country to the idea of business which has
never died out. They infused r a spirit of industry and
enterprise in all, from the day laborer to the merchant
behind the counter and the farmer at the plow. They



Formerly New Town. 11%

raised the price of labor, paid their employees the money
for their work, and produced an entire revolution in busi-
ness life.

They engaged in ship building also, and built some
large sea vessels. They purchased all the cypress swamps
below New Town, and sent to market all their timber and
lumber in their own vessels, which they built. They
operated about twenty years, made about $i5o;ooo and

retired.

With them originated, in a great measure, if not entirely,

the practical idea of the steam mill business in this sec-
tion of country.

In 1854, JohnW, Ouinn, Jas. Murray and John Ashcraft

established a steam saw mill in New Town. In 1855,
Murray sold out his interest in the mill to Nicholas N.
Bosley ; the mill now being run by the firm of Quinn,
Bosley and Ashcraft. This firm continued two years, when
they sold out to Thomas W. Hargis and Ambrose Dixon,
doing business under the firm of Hargis & Dixon. They
continued two years and then sold out to Captain H. H.
Husted. Captain Husted conducted the business three
years, when in 1862 he sold out to Captain James H.
Young ; Captain Young, having already a fine mill, bought
this mill of Captain Husted to get it out of his way.

As history is always repeating itself I wish to present to
the reader a case illustrative of the fact, in which we have
an example of one, who, from the poorest walks of life
has attained, by hard work and good management to the
position of wealth and independence.



114 History of Pocomoke City,

I allude to Captain James H. Young, who, I am sure

will not take exceptions to this statement, for he takes a

pride in the knowledge of the fact that he has made his

mark in the world. \\ nile he seems to say to the youth

of the present day, by his independent step as he walks

the streets ; boys go work as I have done and take care of

your labor, and when you get old you will have something

to lean upon.

Captain Young's father died quite a young man, and

left a widow and three children to support themselves as

best they could. It is true they had a little home but it

was merely a staying place.

The mother and elder son Edward would work at any-
thing they could get to do. She at the spinning wheel,
hoeing corn, and sometimes in the fodder field saving
fodder at twenty-five cents per day. and he tending the
gardens in town and working on the farms for twelve and
a half cents per day.

After a while James grew old enough to work, also, and
would work, sometimes, for five cents per day. At the
age of sixteen he was put to the tailoring business ; he
continued at the trade two years, when his future pros-
pects seemed to be beclouded, and as sitting on the board
did not agree with him, he concluded to make a change.
At the age of eighteen, he engaged with Captain James
Riggin as cook on board a small vessel, similar to that of
a. ship's long boat, at four dollars per month.

This was the day of small things, but it was the begin-
ning of a successful course of life. At this period he was



Formerly New Town. 115

very destitute of clothing; he had saved, however, as he
thought, three months wages with which he intended to
clothe himself. When lo ! the tailor with whom he had
been living, had by some means collected his wages, and
he was still left destitute. This was a terrible blow to the
little fellow, for he was very small for his age. however he
continued persevering and became a hand before the mast,
in the bay and coasting trade. Some time after his
maturity, by his industrious habits and temperate course
of life, he won the respect and sympathy of John U.
Dennis, who one day told Captain Young that he ought
to buy a vessel or part of one. Captain replied that he
was not able. Mr. Dennis told him that he would make
him able, he would lend him the money, and did so.
Capt- Young then joined Thomas W. Hargis in the pur-
chase of a schooner. Mr- Hargis at that time was keeping
store at Wagram, Accomac County, Va. How long this
partnership lasted I cannot tell, but after their dissolution
he joined Col. Wm. H. Merrill in a schooner called the
Sarah Ellen. Finally he bought out Col. Merrill and run
the vessel in his own name until 1854, when he engaged in
the steam mill business.

Although Capt. Young had made up to this time $8,000
or $10,000, yet here was the gold mine which he struck.
The first few years of his milling life, however, were not
so successful, but after the war commenced the tide of
success set in, and money poured in upon him like a
f.ood.



116 History of Pocomoke City,

In 1866, after making money enough to satisfy his
ambition, he sold out to Polk & Powell, as before stated,
and retired.

In making a few desultory remarks relating to Capt.
Young, I will say he has been a great worker and has had
a constitution to stand it. He has been unyielding in his

perseverance until the prize was gained.

There is one feature of his business life which is spe-
cially worthy of record, and that was, Captain Young
never did business on the Sabbath day. This is worthy
of all praise and should be an example to other business
men to act likewise. He owns ten farms aggregating two
thousand acres of land, which cost him between forty and
fifty thousand dollars, he also owns about twenty houses
and lots, some of them valuable ones, besides his private

securities and other personal property.

Captain Young has been a member of the Methodist

Protestant Church, in Pocomoke City, for many years, has
been twice married ; has eight children living, four by
each wife. He is now living in a green old age at about
three score and ten years, and looks back upon his life-
work as master of the situation.

In 1869, Levin J. M. P. Broadwater and Thomas R. P.
S. White established a steam saw mill, in Xew Town, and
run it until 1869, when it was purchased by James T.
Young, and he run it until 1876, when he sold it to W. J.
S. Clarke, and it was moved to Nashville, Accomac County,
Virginia.

In 1864, \Y. J. S. Clarke and John H. Clarke, his brother^



formerly New Town. 117

established a Marine railway, and in 1869 they built a
steam saw, planing and grist mill, in New Town. They
also commenced ship building and repairing at the same
time.

In 1869, Hall, Bro. & Co. commenced the steam saw
mill business. In 1873, they built their Marine railway
and carry on ship building, also, in connection with these
two branches of business.

James T. Young, as has already been stated, is carrying-
on the steam mill business. Is running a steam saw,
planing and grist mill, and carries on ship building in
connection.

Clarke & Co. and Hall, Bro. & Co. have three steam
saw mills in the country, but the business ot those ' mills
centers here, so that I associate them with the steam mill
business of Pocomoke City.

In 1865, Thomas F. Stevenson commenced the business

of steam milling in New Town. In 1866 he took as a

partner his son, Riley M. Stevenson ; the firm is now doing

business under the firm of Thomas F. & R. M. Stevenson.

Theirs is a flour, grist and planing mill. It will afford

any one pleasure to go into their establishment and witness

the mechanical skill and neatness that characterizes every

department. The father and grandfather of this firm is

with them and works daily at the age of between 80 and

90 years. They are all natural mechanics and merit the

praise that is accorded to them for the exhibition of such

a talent.

In 1872, James T. Hearn, Allison Fleming and Charles



118 History of Pocomoke City,

G. Dale established a steam flour and grist mill in this
place. How long they continued I am not able to say.
They, however, sold out to H. H. Dashiell, of Princess
Ann, Somerset County, Md. The mill is still owned by
Mr. Dashiell, but it is rented by R. T. Dixon, who is a
live man, and is doing a heavy business in the manufacture
of flour and meal.

In summing up the steam saw, planing and grist mill

business, together with the marine railway and shipbuild-
ing business of Pocomoke City, we now have seven steam
mills, including those in the country whose business is
identical with the business of Pocomoke City. Five are
saw mills, two of which have planing and grist mills
attached ; two are flour and grist mills, one of which has a
planing mill attached. There are three shipyards and
two marine railways. They employ in the aggregate 160

hands annually, and do an annual aggregated business
of $166,000.

Before concluding this part of the history of New Town,

now Pocomoke City, I would do injustice not to mention

the case of Captain John H. Clarke, who is equally

deserving of a liberal notice in this historv.

He was born in 1828 and lived with his father until
1846, at which period his lather died. He was then 18
years of age. He farmed for two years and then engaged
as hand on board of Captain Elijah Taylor's vessel, which
engagement lasted two or three years, during which time
he married Captain Taylor's oldest daughter.

After this he engaged in partnership with his brother,



Formerly New Town. 11 9*

W. J. S. Clarke, in the vessel business, and they owned sev-
eral vessels together. This firm continued, when they
entered into the steam mill, Marine railway and ship
building business, finally ending in their large transactions..
He has served one term, and is at present on his second,
as commissioner of the county, with great acceptability.
Above all he is recognized as a good and honest man.

He owns ten or twelve hundred acres of land, eight or
ten houses and lots.

Captain Clarke has been an acceptable member of the

Methodist Episcopal Church, in Pocomoke City, for many
years, has been twice married ; has eight children, five by
his first wife and three by his second. He is now fifty-two
or three years of age, in the prime of his strong man-
hood, with the prospects of the future looming up brightly
before him. His oldest son, William E. Clarke, is a whole-
sale dry goods merchant in the City of Baltimore, and as
he is a native of this place, and as it was here that he
received his first business ideas, it is but right and proper
that his history should be known. He was born on the
20th day of March, 1851. After receiving such an educa-
tion as he was able to get here, he was taken at the age of
12 years into the store ol his uncle, W. J. S. Clarke, where
he remained three or four years, during which time he was
thoroughly drilled by his sagacious uncle, whose business
ability is proverbial.

At the age of 15 or 16 years his uncle, seeing he had

great business qualifications beginning to develop them-
selves, took him to Baltimore and placed him with that



120 History of Pocomoke City,

popular and well-known house, Hurst, Purnell & Co.,
where he arose step by step from office boy to book-
keeper, and has been for several years a partner in that
gigantic establishment.

Mr. Clarke is' quite popular, and as a recognition of that
fact, a new steamboat, which was built by Hall, Bro. & Co.
and Clarke & Co., which cost $25,000, which has just
made its first trip and which will ply between this place
.and the various tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, has
been named after him. William E. Clarke is recognized
by all as one of the leading business men of the Monu-
mental City. He is 31 years of age, is scarcely in the
prime of life, with success and emolument knocking at
his door.



Formerly Mew Town. 121



CHAPTER XVII.

HOTELS. LIVERY STABLES, &c.

Hotels existed in New Town at an early date in its his-



was kept by Josiah Long, my wile's father. How long he

'was engaged in the business I cannot say. He died in

1813. About the same time, or shortly after Josiah Long

commenced the business, Bennett H. Clarvoe engaged in

it also. After Mr. Clarvoe died, the widows of Mr. Long

and Mr* Clarvoe carried the business on for some time

and then retired ; and in succession the following persons

kept hotel, in New Town, now Pocomoke City, until the

present time, 1882 : Captain John Merchant, Littleton Cot-

tingham, Sally Jones, Francis Mezick, Thomas Evans,

Edward F. Mezick, Robert Silverthorn, Joseph Lanklord,

Henry Dryden, John Allen, Rosa Young, Peter Corbin,

Robert Marshall, John Adair, L. J. M. P. Broadwater,

Ralph Ross, Littleton Sturgis, Charles Rider, W. J. S.

Clarke, William W. Quinn, Titus I. West, Captain Wm.

H. Comegys, George Twilly, Levin P. Bowland and H.

<1 Powell. Mr. Powell is the proprietor of the Clarke

House, and is a popular hotel keeper. Report says he

'.keeps the best table of any house on the shore.



12:2 History of Pocomoke City,

The Livery Stable business has been connected with the-
Hotel business from time immemorial, until 1869, when,
the Messrs. William and Samuel Twilly commenced it as
a separate business. As the Messrs. Twilly are the pio-
neers in this business, it is but right that an extended
remark should be made concerning them here. These
gentlemen, having had long experience in the livery stable
business, have become experts, and are widely known as
reliable men, and are very popular, it is a real pleasure-
to see the fine teams and splendid carriages which go out
from their stables. It is thought they can challenge the
whole Eastern Shore, if not the State, for a successful.
rival in their line.

In 1878 and 1879, Emerson Melvin kept a livery stable,.
in Pocomoke City, and in 1880 and 18S1, John J. Jones^
was engaged in the business ; both of these establishments,
however, continued but a short time.

In 1881, Edwin F. Causey and Herbert H. King estab-
lished a livery stable, in Pocomoke City, and continue
the same to the present. These gentlemen are polite and.
accommodating ; they keep constantly on hand a supply
of horses and carriages, and no one need fear disappoint-
ment in getting a good team at their stable.

We now have two livery stables in Pocomoke City, kept
by the Messrs. Twilly and Causey & King. These two
stables keep constantly on hand about twenty horses and
fifteen carriages, and can scarcely supply the the demand
at that.



Formerly New Town. 12



Q



CHAPTER XVIII.

PHYSICIANS.

Ol the physicians of New Town (now Pocomoke City),
Dr. John Stevenson was the first that we have any knowl-
edge of. He settled in New Town about the year 1800, and
practiced medicine until he died, which event occurred in
in 1 8 26. He was buried in the family burying ground on
the farm, which now belongs to Thomas W. Hargis, he
being at the time of his death 50 years of age. Dr.
Stevenson had no competition in the practice of medicine
until a few years before his death, consequently he had a
large practice and made money. He had a genial spirit,
was very popular both as a physician and citizen, and was
highly cultured. He was a member of the Pitts Creek
Presbyterian Church, and as has already been intimated,
became independent, and when he died he left a fine
estate to his widow and children.

Dr. Morrison settled here for a short time and practiced
medicine. Dr. Johnson also practiced medicine in New
Town for a short time and then moved to Salisbury, where
he died. The first name of these two gentlemen I have
forgotten ; they practiced in New Town in the latter part
of Dr. Stevenson's life.



124 History of Pncomoke City,

Dr. John B. H. W. Clarvoe commenced the practice of
medicine in New Town in the latter part of Dr. Steven-
son's life. He built up an extensive practice ; he was
sociable, intelligent and one of the most popular physicians
and citizens. The tidy little Doctor's image is before me
in my memory while I write. Seated upon his Teaboy or
Catahulean — for these were the names of his horses — hav-
ine his saddlebags with him, he would ride away to visit
his patients. The Doctor was a cousin to Bennett H.
Clarvoe, and consequently a relative of the celebrated and
well-known detective John Clarvoe, of Washington City,
who has recently deceased. The Doctor died compara-
tively a young man, and left a widow and three children,
all of whom have since passed away,

Dr. James B. Horsey settled in New Town in the prac-
tice of medicine a while after Dr. Stevenson's death. He
married the Doctor's youngest daughter, Elizabeth, and
occupied the homestead while he lived. He died in 1838,
aged 30 years. Dr. Horsey was a native of Snow Hill.
His lather died when he was quite small. The independ-
ent and generous-hearted David Hopkins, of Snow Hill,
who was a bachelor, took a liking to the sprightly lad and
assumed his education. He gave him a thorough college
course all at his own expense. After the doctor's gradua-
tion Mr. Hopkins gave him a physician's outfit, consisting
of horse, carriage, etc. Dr. Horsey had a bright intellect,
was a good physician, and a ready off-handed speaker
when the occasion called him out.



Next; Formerly New Town. 125 


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THE YEAR IS 1910

THE YEAR IS 1910

************ ********* ***********

The year is 1910
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1910:

************ ********* ************ 

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only. 

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower !

The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which

Were condemned in the press AND the government as 'substandard.'

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas , Nevada , was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and 

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.

Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind,

Regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health'

( Shocking? DUH! )

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. ! 

   

I am now going to forward this to someone else without typing it myself.
From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD - all in a matter of seconds!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years. 

Taliban Says It Captured Two U.S. Service Members In Afghanistan

KABUL -- Two U.S. service members went missing after driving off their base in Kabul on Friday, and the Taliban later claimed to have captured them in eastern Afghanistan, NATO officials said Saturday, the same day five U.S. troops were killed in the south.

Coalition forces launched a manhunt by ground and air for the two missing troops but did not immediately release information about their identities or what is known of their whereabouts. The Associated Press reported that the two were Navy personnel, citing a NATO official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

"Every available asset is being brought to bear" to find them, said Lt. Col. Joseph T. Breasseale, a NATO spokesman in Kabul.

Afghan officials in Logar province, which borders Kabul to the south, said the two service members were driving an armored sport-utility vehicle when they were captured in Matinai, a village in the Charkh district. A spokesman for Logar's governor, Din Mohammad Darwish, said the area is "totally under control of the enemy."

A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, called Afghan reporters in Logar on Saturday and told them that the militant movement had captured the two Americans and killed one of them, according to an Afghan reporter and the governor's spokesman. NATO officials said they could not confirm the statements of the Afghan officials or the Taliban.

The announcement of the two service members' disappearance came on a difficult day for NATO forces, as five U.S. troops were killed in bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan, the volatile region where the Taliban is strongest. Four of the troops died in one bomb blast, and one died in a separate attack, NATO officials said.

The deaths pushed NATO's death toll in July to 75 troops, including 56 Americans. Last month was the deadliest of the war for NATO troops, with more than 100 killed.

President Obama has sent 30,000 new U.S. troops to Afghanistan, and commanders attribute the growing violence to the push into Taliban strongholds where the coalition previously had a minimal presence. Others say that the Taliban has grown stronger by the year and that it now controls wide swaths of the country.

Kidnappings of U.S. troops in Afghanistan are rare. One American soldier, Spec. Bowe Bergdahl, from Idaho, has been held captive since June 2009.

www.washingtonpost.com

HOT! HOT! HOT!

Another hot day!!

Just stretch out and stay cool wherever you find a comfortable spot.....

and chill.................

Crisfield Mud Bog

Races will be held behind the Crisfield Elk Lodge

Pit is dug and waiting for racers and the racing fans.....................
Gates open at 8:00 AM
Races begin at 12:30 PM

Admission: $7.00 Children 10 and under FREE
Bring an easy chair or blanket.

SEE YOU THERE!!

Cable Snaps On OC Roller Coaster

OCEAN CITY -- Three people were injured by an Ocean City roller coaster accident, but how the injuries occurred isn't completely clear.

A preliminary investigation report from state officials claims all three injured were bystanders, but an amusement park staff member said only one was injured waiting in line while the other two were aboard the coaster.

The accident late Thursday led to three girls being hospitalized with nonlife-threatening injuries. No one fell off the roller coaster.

"The ride actually worked as it should -- it protected everybody who was on it," said Shannon Davis, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

DLLR inspectors found that a mechanical malfunction caused a cable to snap.

The Tidal Wave ride at Trimper's Rides & Amusements, a single-loop coaster located at the corner of South First Street and Baltimore Avenue, will remain closed and under DLLR control until the investigation is complete.

Ocean City Police spokeswoman Jessica Waters said the injured riders were a 15-year-old from Brunswick, Md.; a 15-year-old from Annapolis; and a 10-year-old whose hometown was unavailable.

Police first received a call at 9:32 p.m. Thursday for a building fire, said Ocean City Police spokesman Mike Levy, but it was soon determined there was no fire.

Dennis Ketlinger of Union Bridge, Md., was an eyewitness to the accident.

"I heard a big 'pow!' and everybody took off running," he said. "My uncle, who's 70, he was freaking (out). He was like, 'run, run!' I turned to look. I'm watching it, I see this cable snap. I'm like, 'oh my God,' and I see it whipping."

Ketlinger said the flailing cable punched a hole in the roof of a wooden structure that covers people waiting in line for the ride. As bystanders yanked open the cart doors to release the passengers, smoke and sparks surrounded them.

"Now my kids are devastated. They wouldn't sleep last night. They're like, 'I can never ride a roller coaster again,' " Ketlinger said.

Park manager Brooks Trimper said there has never been an accident of any sort on the Tidal Wave, which opened in 1985. The rest of the park will remain open during the accident investigation.

www.delmarvanow.com

Judge Affirms Somerset Deputy's Firing

SALISBURY -- A former Somerset deputy who filed a civil lawsuit stating he was wrongfully terminated lost his most recent court battle when a judge affirmed the sheriff's decision.

If James Troy Durham, a 42-year-old Pocomoke City resident, does not appeal the Circuit Court judge's decision, this could mean the end of his law enforcement career.

"I have a right to appeal this decision in the Maryland Special Court of Appeals," Durham said. "I thank God for blessing me with a great 20-year career and I thank my family, friends and the community that I served for all of their love and support they provided me through this."

The former sheriff's deputy has been fighting a legal battle for almost two years since filing a grievance against the Sheriff's Office in September 2008. The grievance alleged internal corruption and accused co-workers of forcing him to change a police report.

Five days after filing the grievance with the County Commissioners, Durham was placed on administrative leave and eventually terminated.

Durham alleged the sheriff, Robert "Bobby" N. Jones, fired him in a retaliatory move for the grievance he filed against the Sheriff's Office.

But in the court order ruling on the civil lawsuit, the judge was not persuaded to support Durham's claims.

"There is no evidence that retaliation by Sheriff Jones played any part in (Durham's)termination," wrote Judge W. Newton Jackson III, a visiting Circuit Court judge from Wicomico County, in his opinion dated July 13. "At best, it is speculation."

Durham said he was shedding light on police corruption by filing the grievance and circulating it among other agencies in an attempt to solicit help. But a police hearing board found him guilty of disseminating departmental information and engaging in unbecoming conduct after Durham sent a copy of his grievance to outside agencies -- including the Maryland Attorney General's Office, Maryland State Police, local media and a U.S. senator from Virginia -- according to a copy of the hearing board report obtained by The Daily Times.

Durham said he only disseminated information outside the agency after he was told the grievance he filed against Jones would be investigated by Jones.

The police board convened a two-day hearing July 16 and recommended a five-day suspension for disseminating department information and another five days for unbecoming conduct, according to a report on the hearing proceedings.

The sheriff deviated from the board's recommendations and terminated Durham for reasons stated in a hearing Sept. 16.

According to transcripts from the September hearing, Jones said Durham undermined the public's trust and hampered the Sheriff's Office's ability to protect the public when he distributed copies of the grievance.

Durham is accepting donations to help cover the cost of a court appeal and may be contacted at 1235 Cedar Hall Road, Pocomoke City, Md. 21851 or 443-614-8965.

www.delmarvanow.com

Take It Easy Today In This Heat................

MAKE IT A LAZY DAY !!

CRISFIELD MUD BOG THIS SUNDAY

Virginia;s Senator Webb.......

Va. Sen. Webb restates opposition to some affirmative action programs in op-ed

Just as racial issues have returned to the forefront of political debate, Virginia Sen. James Webb (D) on Friday reiterated his opposition to some affirmative action programs and suggested that white Americans are being "marginalized" by current government policies.

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed headlined "Diversity and the Myth of White Privilege," Webb writes: "Forty years ago, as the United States experienced the civil rights movement, the supposed monolith of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant dominance served as the whipping post for almost every debate about power and status in America. After a full generation of such debate, WASP elites have fallen by the wayside and a plethora of government-enforced diversity policies have marginalized many white workers."

This is not a new topic for Webb, whose complicated views on race-based programs were an issue in his 2006 Senate campaign, when some of his fellow Democrats complained that Webb sounded like a Republican. In a 2000 book review, also published in the Wall Street Journal, Webb wrote that affirmative action "has within one generation brought about a permeating state-sponsored racism that is as odious as the Jim Crow laws it sought to countermand."

Webb has said he supports some preferential programs for African Americans but not for other ethnic and immigrant groups. He reiterated that point in Friday's op-ed.

"I have dedicated my political career to bringing fairness to America's economic system and to our work force, regardless of what people look like or where they may worship," Webb writes. "Unfortunately, present-day diversity programs work against that notion, having expanded so far beyond their original purpose that they now favor anyone who does not happen to be white."

Webb's latest airing of his views comes during a week when racial issues have dominated the headlines, after the firing of Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod sparked debates on alleged "reverse racism" and whether the Obama administration -- and society as a whole -- is capable of engaging in mature discussions of racial issues without descending into acrimony.

Asked whether Webb's latest piece was prompted by the racial controversies of recent days, Webb spokesman Will Jenkins said Webb would let the article speak for itself.

Though Webb's position on affirmative action has long been known, at least one prominent Virginia Democrat -- former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder -- was highly critical of Friday's column.

"If it's not for the civil rights movement and diversity programs, he would not be a United States senator today," Wilder told the Associated Press, referring to Webb's 2006 victory with the help of minority voters. "Things are tough enough without having people you thought were friends do things like this."

In recent weeks, some conservatives have cited the controversy over the New Black Panther party and comments by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to promote the idea that the current White House is biased against whites.

Webb makes no such allegation in his op-ed, although he does complain that immigrants who have come to America in recent decades "have frequently been the beneficiaries of special government programs. The same cannot be said of many hard-working white Americans, including those whose roots in America go back more than 200 years."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

The Delmarva Discovery Center Conducting Presentations At Public Libraries

The Delmarva Discovery Center wildlife educators will be visiting the Eastern Shore Public Libraries in Accomack, Chincoteague, Cape Charles, and Nassawadox, VA.

Meet amazing cold-blooded (ectothermic) sea creatures and reptiles from the Eastern Shore. Learn how a sea urchin is like an eyeball and what a horseshoe crab uses its tail for, plus much more!

The presentations will last approximately 45 minutes and will include live local animals and are appropriate for all ages.

For more information please contact the Eastern Shore Public Library at 757.787.3400.

Thursday, August 12 at 1:30 Nassawadox Public Library

Thursday, August 12 at 4:30 Cape Charles Public Library

Thursday, August 19 at 1:30 Accomack Public Library

Thursday, August 19 at 4:00 Chincoteague Public Library

~~CAR WASH TODAY~~

CAR WASH

Saturday July 24, 2010

9:00 AM until 1:00 AM

Location: Saxis Firehouse

Saxis Island, Virginia

Proceeds from the car wash will go to the family of Courtney Bloxom.


For those of you that do not know, Courtney is a local teenage girl that has been hospitalized and in a coma since May 2010 due to an automobile accident just a few weeks shy of her high school graduation from Arcadia High.


She continues to make remarkable progress, and her doctors along with family and friends are very proud of her. However, expenses that occurr everyday can be overwhelming.


Please help in anyway you can.


Prayers, of course, are always accepted too.

Three More Die From Heat In Maryland

Three heat-related deaths were confirmed Friday by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, bringing this year's total to 16, surpassing 2009's year total of 6.

Two of the three deaths were seniors, one of which was a Baltimore City resident found at home without air conditioning. The other senior was found outdoors in Prince George's County when temperatures exceeded 90 degrees, said David Paulson from the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

The third death was one of only three non-senior heat-related deaths this year, according to Paulson. This individual was found inside an un-air conditioned automobile in Prince George's County.

All three victims suffered from hypertension or heart conditions. So far this year, 15 of the 16 heat-related deaths were in individuals with underlying heart conditions.

With heat index values forecasted to exceed 100 degrees Friday and Saturday, Paulson reminded people to look after their neighbors.

"Please check on your neighbors," Paulson said. "Especially seniors, to make sure they're doing okay. Maybe even more than once a day."

www.baltimoresun.com

Lexington Market Drug Investigation-- 85 Pounds of Pot

A drug investigation that started at Lexington Market led to a raid last night in Northeast Baltimore that netted 85 pounds of suspected marijuana and the seizure of more than $2,100 in cash, police said.

The raid occurred at about 5 p.m. in the 1600 block of Waverly Way, located within the Renaissance Club apartments. Det. Kevin Brown, a city police spokesman, said David Andrews, 48, and Dwayne Jackson, 51, are believed to have been supplying dealers at the downtown market.

Jackson was being held on $2 million bond, while Andrews was held on $500,000 bond, according to court records. Those are high bails - I couldn't find any prior arrest history for either man in the city.

Lexington Market was recently the focus of a CNN report about prescription drugs. The footage of the bust isn't great, but the DEA apparently allowed the reporter to do an on-camera interview with a man who had been taken into custody. The report concludes that prescription drug sales at the market are "booming."And who could forget the Utz potato chip stall owner accused of selling guns to gang members?

I've got a hankering for a Faidley's crab cake just writing about the market...

Speaking of marijuana: prosecutors filed documents in federal court seeking to seize a Woodstock, Md. home after police discovered 10 pounds of marijuana and 660 marijuana plants in a kennel on the property of Roger Alan Smith at 10820 Furman Lane, near Marriottsville Road. The Carroll County drug task force had received a tip in June that Smith was growing large amounts of marijuana, and police used a thermal scan to detect an unusually large amount of heat coming from an area of the kennel, court records show. It does not appear Smith has yet been charged in connection with the raid.

Baltimore Crime Beat/by Peter Hermann

www.baltimoresun.com

HEAT ADVISORY FOR ACCOMACK COUNTY

Same old weather...........different day!

Most people are tired of this heat and high humidity. In fact they have been tired of it!

As for myself, the true lover of this high humidity and heat, would welcom a nice cool breeze and an all night steady, but gentle cool rain.

Here's a Heat Advisory Warning that continues into Friday. Please use good judgement when you are outside. And try to stay away from sodas and alcohol. Water is best.......even if you don't like it. You wouldn't like a heat stroke either!

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY FOR ACCOMACK COUNTY FROM NOON UNTIL 7 PM FRIDAY. A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF EXCEPTIONALLY HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED.

THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND SPORTS DRINKS, TRY TO STAY IN BUILDINGS WITH AIR CONDITIONING, AND TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS IN THE SHADE IF YOU MUST BE OUTSIDE...

Remember: The BURN BAN IS STILL IN EFFECT IN ACCOMACK COUNTY AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTY.

Fate Of the USNS Comfort

There was a rare instance of sweet harmony this week in the normally bitter realm of Maryland politics. The possibility that the Navy might move the USNS Comfort's home port from Baltimore to Norfolk, Va., in 2013 brought Republicans and Democrats together. From both sides of the aisle came the call to keep the 1,000-bed hospital ship berthed in Canton.

Helen Delich Bentley, who as a Republican member of Congress was instrumental in bring the ship to Baltimore in 1988, this week was working with Democratic Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski and Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger to block the move. Mrs. Bentley called the 894-foot-long ship "an icon," part of the local landscape. "When you are driving in any direction you can see the Comfort, and it is a comfort," she told The Baltimore Sun.

Mr. Ruppersberger praised the ship as a longstanding "source of pride and jobs" for the Baltimore area. He wants to require the Navy to do a cost-benefit analysis before making a decision. Senator Mikulski called for a federally funded study to examine how moving the ship would affect its mission.

The Comfort has become, to steal a phrase from former President George W. Bush, a uniter not a divider.

How long, we wonder, will this kinship last?

What if moving the Comfort to Norfolk proves to be a better use of taxpayer dollars? The last time we looked, Norfolk was closer to the Atlantic Ocean, where the ship sails, than to Baltimore, which sits in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, Congress is considering spending $10 million to fix up a pier in Norfolk, which could be the Comfort's new home.

Putting the ship in Baltimore makes it an easy drive to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, where many Navy medical personnel are stationed. Moreover, the Navy spent $5 million two years ago to upgrade the pier in Canton that the Comfort now calls home. Why move out just after you fixed up the place?

The Comfort has done good work. It has provided emergency medical care for U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf War and Iraq. It has responded to domestic disasters, sailing to New York after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Last January, it went on a two-month mission to Haiti, providing humanitarian relief to victims of a devastating earthquake.

Quick it isn't. Once it is called to duty, it has five days to get ready. Maybe the half day it spends steaming down the bay to get to the ocean does not matter that much.

Mrs. Bentley is right: It does look good in our harbor. Mr. Ruppersberger is correct: The Comfort is a source of local pride. Rallying to keep it here has produced an extraordinary accord between our Democrats and Republicans. But the decision of where to put the Comfort should be made on what is best for the country, not on what makes Marylanders happy.

www.baltimoresun.com

Officers Fatally Shoot Man At Maryland Hotel

PIKESVILLE, Md. — Baltimore County police have identified a man shot to death by officers in the parking lot of a Pikesville hotel.

Police say 34-year-old Erik Stokes of Milford Mill was involved in a suspected counterfeiting ring. Police say he fired at officers who confronted him early Thursday outside the Ramada Inn on Reisterstown Road. Officers returned fire, killing Stokes.

Police and the U.S. Secret Service had been watching the hotel as part of an investigation into a counterfeiting operation. Inside a room, officers found a printing machine, paper and counterfeit bills.

Two other men were arrested, and charges are pending against them.

Online court records show Stokes has a criminal history, including convictions for second-degree assault, drunken driving and possession of drugs with intent to distribute.

www.delmarvanow.com

Mayors Speak Out About Tipping Fees

Mayors from Saxis, Hallwood and Sanford are currently at odds with the County of Accomack over tipping fees being charged to the town by the County.

Saxis Mayor Charles Tull spoke to the Accomack County Board of Supervisors Wednesday night in Accomac calling the tipping fees illegal. Tull cited it had been ruled by the same Accomack County Board of Supervisors 10 years earlier, when only Wanda Thornton and Donald Hart were already Supervisors, that the County charging tipping fees to the townships was illegal.

Furthermore, Tull challenged the Board of Supervisors and Accomack County Attorney Mark Taylor to produce the statute or code giving the County the authority to charge fees for waste collection, where he could find none.

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors have tabled the issue until next meeting in order to gather more information about the tipping fee situation.
www.shoredailynews.com

Ocean City Roller Coaster Accident

OCEAN CITY — Ocean City police say three children were hurt in a roller coaster accident.

Police and fire personnel were called to Trimper's Rides on South Atlantic Avenue around 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The Tidal Wave roller coaster had an apparent mechananical problem that police say injured several passengers.

Paramedics took three children between the ages of 10 and 15 years old to area hospitals with injuries that do not appear to be life theatening.

The park stayed open, but the roller coaster is closed until it can be checked by an amusement park ride safety inspector with Maryland Department of Labor and Licensing.

The park's website calls the double-loop boomerang roller coaster the most popular ride in the outdoor park.

www.delmarvanow.com

Chincoteague And Neighborhood Nicknames

CHINCOTEAGUE -- John Jester realized younger generations on Chincoteague Island have forgotten about some of Chincoteague's neighborhood names and their origins.

Jester, a 67-year-old town councilman, is a native of Chincoteague who moved back in 2006. Soon after, he saw this first-hand when he asked a youth if he lived in the neighborhood called "Up the Neck."

"The young guy didn't know what I was talking about so I could tell that the culture was disappearing," said Jester.

Today, placed throughout Chincoteague are small aluminum signs adorned with the names of the island's oldest neighborhoods.

Since the 1930s, locals have been referring to neighborhoods by their quirky and legendary titles -- "Snotty Ridge," "Chicken City" and "Tick Town." They now are designated with signs that serve as a testament to the town's rich history.

During his 2008 term as chairman of Chincoteague's 100th Anniversary Committee, Jester came up with the idea of putting up neighborhood signs as a way to offset the island's lost folklore.

"I thought the signs would be a good way to promote the history and culture of the island," said Jester.

Jester contacted Ollie Reed, a sign designer who works with the town, and they discussed a design for the neighborhood signs.

Jester and Reed agreed upon having an illustration of a Chincoteague pony and the Chincoteague lighthouse right above the name of the neighborhood.

They felt that the famous symbols of Chincoteague would "tie the signs to the community."

In 2009, the town and many locals, including Jester, bought signs to place in some of the neighborhoods.

Jester bought the sign for his neighborhood, "Mad Calf," located on Clark Street.

According to Jester, the neighborhood's name derived from an old tale, just like some of the other neighborhood names.

One night, a boy was walking down Clark Street heading toward his girlfriend's house. As he was walking, he tripped over what he thought at the time was a stump. But to his dismay, it turned out to be a small calf.

The calf quickly jumped up and knocked the young boy down in a frenzy, hence the name "Mad Calf."

Other names, like "Tick Town" and "Chicken City," describe some of the largely populated inhabitants of the area long ago.

For Jester, the signs not only help spread the history of the island, but they also help to remind locals and tourists of what it used to be like on the island many years ago.

"(The signs) bring memories back to people. They take you back to a different era," said Jester.

http://www.delmarvanow.com/

The President Without A Country. By: Pat Boone

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT COMMENTARY AND SHOULD BE READ BY EVERY AMERICAN ! 

 

The President Without A CountryBy Pat Boone

 "We're no longer a Christian nation." - President barack obama, June 2009

" America has been arrogant." - President barack obama

"After 9/11, America didn't always live up to her ideals."- President barack obama

"You might say that America is a Muslim nation."- President barack obama, Egypt 2009

Thinking about these and other statements made by the man who wears the title of president. I keep wondering what country he believes he's president of.

In one of my very favorite stories, Edward Everett Hale's "The Man without a Country," a young Army lieutenant named Philip Nolan stands condemned for treason during the Revolutionary War, having come under the influence of Aaron Burr. When the judge asks him if he wishes to say anything before sentence is passed, young Nolan defiantly exclaims, "Damn the United States ! I wish I might never hear of the United States again!"

The stunned silence in the courtroom is palpable, pulsing. After a long pause, the judge soberly says to the angry lieutenant: "You have just pronounced your own sentence. You will never hear of the United States again.. I sentence you to spend the rest of your life at sea, on one or another of this country's naval vessels - under strict orders that no one will ever speak to you again about the country you have just cursed."

And so it was. Philip Nolan was taken away and spent the next 40 years at sea, never hearing anything but an occasional slip of the tongue about America. The last few pages of the story, recounting Nolan's dying hours in his small stateroom - now turned into a shrine to the country he fore swore - never fail to bring me to tears.  And I find my own love for this dream, this miracle called America , refreshed and renewed. I know how blessed and unique we are.

But reading and hearing the audacious, shocking statements of the man who was recently elected our president - a young black man living the impossible dream of millions of young Americans, past and present, black and white - I want to ask him, "Just what country do you think you're president of?"

You surely can't be referring to the United States of America, can you? America is emphatically a Christian nation, and has been from its inception! Seventy percent of her citizens identify themselves as Christian. The Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were framed, written and ratified by Christians. It's because this was, and is, a nation built on and guided by Judeo-Christian biblical principles that you, sir, have had the inestimable privilege of being elected her president.

You studied law at Harvard, didn't you, sir? You taught constitutional law in Chicago? Did you not ever read the statement of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and an author of the landmark "Federalist Papers": " Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers - and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation - to select and prefer Christians for their rulers"?

In your studies, you surely must have read the decision of the Supreme Court in 1892: "Our lives and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian."

Did your professors have you skip over all the high-court decisions right up till the mid 1900's that echoed and reinforced these views and intentions? Did you pick up the history of American jurisprudence only in 1947, when for the first time a phrase coined by Thomas Jefferson about a "wall of separation between church and state" was used to deny some specific religious expression - contrary to Jefferson' s intent with that statement?

Or, wait a minute . were your ideas about America's Christianity formed during the 20 years you were a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ under your pastor, Jeremiah Wright? Is that where you got the idea that " America is no longer a Christian nation"? Is this where you, even as you came to call yourself a Christian, formed the belief that  "America has been arrogant"?

Even if that's the understandable explanation of your damning of your country and accusing the whole nation (not just a few military officials trying their best to keep more Americans from being murdered by jihadists) of "not always living up to her ideals," how did you come up with the ridiculous, alarming notion that we might be "considered a Muslim nation"?

Is it because there are some 2 million or more Muslims living here, trying to be good Americans? Out of a current population of over 300 million, 70 percent of whom are Christians? Does that make us, by any rational definition, a "Muslim nation"?

Why are we not, then, a "Chinese nation"? A "Korean nation"? Even a "Vietnamese nation"? There are even more of these distinct groups in America than Muslims. And if the distinction you're trying to make is a religious one, why is America not "a Jewish nation"? There's actually a case to be made for the latter, because our Constitution - and the success of our Revolution and founding - owe a deep debt to our Jewish brothers.

Have you stopped to think what an actual Muslim America would be like? Have you ever really spent much time in Iran? Even in Egypt? You, having been instructed in Islam as a kid at a Muslim school in Indonesia and saying you still love the call to evening prayers, can surely picture our nation founded on the Quran, not the Judeo-Christian Bible, and living under Shariah law. Can't you? You do recall Muhammad's directives [Surah 9:5,73] to "break the cross" and "kill the infidel"?

It seems increasingly and painfully obvious that you are more influenced by your upbringing and questionable education than most suspected.. If you consider yourself the president of a people who are "no longer Christian," who have "failed to live up to our ideals," who "have been arrogant," and might even be "considered Muslim" - you are president of a country most Americans don't recognize.

Could it be you are a president without a country?

All who love their Christian Belief's and your Country. Forward to all in your address book.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/patboone.asp

 

Hat Tip; Mrs. M.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

TO MY WONDERFUL SISTER AND HER WONDERFUL HUSBAND!

Where has the time gone? It just seems like yesterday that we celebrated your wedding on a hot day just like today.

We love you both...........

Laser Use/Abuse In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY -- Laser pointers are more likely found in the boardroom than the Boardwalk, but this summer they're selling so quickly that beach retailers can't keep up with demand.

Resort officials and police, however, say the green laser pointers, more powerful than their red-hued predecessors, are becoming a public safety problem.

"This year, it is out of control," said Police Chief Bernadette DiPino. "The Boardwalk is just inundated with these green lasers."

She said citizens are complaining that beams are being shone in their faces. One family complained their child had a seizure after getting zapped in the eyes.

People are also shining the beams on the chests and private parts of passers-by, which in turn starts fights "because the boyfriend would get mad," DiPino said.

Not to mention how the horses of the police department's mounted unit are skittish to cross any laser's beam of light, which they see as a solid object.

The issue is not new to the resort. In July 1998, in an emergency measure, the Ocean City Council banned any harassing or annoying shining of laser pointers on a person.

Less than a year later, when state lawmakers were on their way to passing an identical ban, DiPino testified in Annapolis by shining, side-by-side, a regular laser pointer on the wall alongside a handgun sight.

"I said, 'Can you tell the difference?' That was enough," recalled DiPino, who keeps in her office the pen used to sign that bill into law.

Recorded abuse of laser pointers has increased with their availability in the last several years, according to a 2001 Federal Aviation Administration report. It also says lasers reportedly have been shone on athletes during sporting events, mistaken for weapon sights, and blinded pilots in cockpits of planes and helicopters.

"The misuse of laser pointers involving exposure greater than 10 feet is not likely to cause permanent eye injury," the report said. "However, at very close range, the light energy that laser pointers can deliver into the eye may be more damaging than staring directly at the sun."

Richard Drake, 29, of Ocean City, can attest to that. Last summer, he sustained serious damage to his left eye after having a red laser shone purposefully in the face. Now he sees everything with a pinkish hue. His eye doctor said it will gradually go away. Drake already wears glasses and has a condition that makes his eyes extra-sensitive to light.

He said he's been traumatized by the experience, doesn't like walking on the Boardwalk at night anymore, and wants laser pointers banned from resort retailers.

"What is the purpose of them selling these at stores -- so they can shine them in people's faces?" he said. "Because that's the only reason I can think of. This is very personal to me. As long as the stores are selling it, it's going to be a problem."

Said DiPino: "These really shouldn't be in the hands of young people; they don't know what they're doing. It's not a flashlight. These do have the potential to cause lasting physical damage."

From May through mid-July, resort police reported 15 incidents of people breaking the laser pointer law, with seven arrests.

DiPino herself led the way on one such arrest. On June 12, she spotted a green laser zipping across the chest of a person she'd stopped for drinking in public on the Boardwalk.

She stood back to find its source. She saw it coming from inside a store, Tres Place, where clerk Elisabeth Mesfin was shining it onto passers-by. DiPino had Mesfin arrested and charged with prohibited use of a laser.

Guy Ayres, the resort's attorney, said laser pointers, while problematic, still have a lawful and legitimate use as a presentation tool.

"You can use a hammer to beat somebody over the head and kill them. Should we outlaw hammers?" he said.

However, the Town Council made plans at its July 19 meeting to mandate that any shop selling laser pointers clearly posts the law, and give customers a verbal reminder of it.

At the Boardwalk shop T-Shirt Factory, clerk Slavena Koleva Harrell said before laser pointers became an epidemic, the most popular fad this summer was Silly Bandz. Once her shop started stocking laser pointers, however, they were already behind the curve and quickly sold out of their limited supply.

She said it doesn't matter that the law prohibits shining lights on other people, and expects people will continue to abuse them.

"You cannot stop it," Hareell said. "Everything is very popular for a couple of weeks, then they gonna shut it down."

DiPino said by the time state lawmakers enacted their law in 1999, laser pointers had already fallen off the map. They weren't cool anymore.

"That next season, they just went away," she said.

www.delmarvanow.com

Snyder's of Hanover To Merge With Lance, Inc.

Snyder's of Hanover Inc., one of the largest makers of pretzels in the country, said it plans to combine with Lance Inc., a North Carolina snack food maker, in what the companies described as a "merger of equals."

For Snyder's, based in Hanover, Pa., the merger is the second attempt to join forces with another snack maker in less than a year. In October, Snyder's announced a merger with Utz Quality Foods Inc., a potato chip maker in Hanover, which would've created a combined company with $800 million in sales.

But Snyder's and Utz gave up their plans a month later after they expected a long and costly review of the deal by the Federal Trade Commission.

The deal between Snyder's and Lance would create a larger company, with $1.6 billion in combined sales, the companies said. Shares of Lance, which trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange, were up more than 29 percent, to $20.77, in morning trading.

Snyder's, which is privately held, has 2,250 employees and had sales of $652 million in 2008. That same year, Lance had revenue of $852 million and profit of $17.7 million. In 2009, Lance's profit grew to $35.8 million on revenue of $918 million. Lance has 4,800 employees in the United State and Canada.

In the past two years, Lance has bought the Stella D'Oro and Archway brands.

Snyder's traces its history to 1909 and is known for its pretzels, but also makes other types of snack food such as potato chips. Lance, founded in 1913, is based Charlotte, N.C. and makes sandwich crackers, cookies and popcorn.

As part of the merger, existing Lance shareholders will receive a one-time $3.75 special cash dividend, the company said.

The new company would be called Snyder's-Lance. Snyder's current chairman, Michael A. Warehime, will serve as chairman of the new company. David V. Singer, current president and chief executive of Lance, will become the CEO of the new company.

The merger is subject to shareholder and federal regulatory approvals, the companies said.
www.baltimoresun.com

Worcester County Court Briefs

The following selected cases were heard in Worcester County District Court in Snow Hill by Judge Gerald V. Purnell on July 9 and July 13

Donald Sturgis, 28, of the 700 block of Sixth Street, Pocomoke City, was charged with animal cruelty: failure to provide, restrain dog - limit movement and animal cruelty: inflict. The verdict was guilty for the first charge. Nol pros was entered for the other charges.

Corey Lee Jackson, 40, of the 30000 block of Withams Road, Oak Hall, Va., was charged with violating exparte/protective order. The charge was placed on the stet docket.

Jacob Flatley, no date of birth listed, of the 2000 block of Worcester Highway, Pocomoke City, was charged with assault second degree. The charge was placed on the stet docket.

Clayton James Entwistle, 20, of the 8000 block of Cedar Lane Road, Berlin, was charged with theft of less than $1,000 value. Nol pros was entered.

Kateryna Grechanovska, 23, of the 900 block of Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City, was charged with alcoholic beverage: sell/furnish minor. Nol pros was entered.

Stephanie Wisnon, 31, of the 700 block of Ninth Street, Pocomoke City, was charged with credit card/another charge less than $100, credit card-personation less than $500, theft of less than $100, credit card personation less than $500, credit card/another charge less than $100, theft of less than $100 and theft scheme: less than $1,000. The verdict for the first charge was probation before judgment. Nol pros was entered for all other charges.

Shinquira Reenea Ayers, 23, of Accomac, Va., was charged with disorderly conduct and theft of less than $100. Nol pros was entered for the first charge. The verdict for the second charge was probation before judgment.

Michael Vincent Carey II, 29, of the 100 block of Cedar Avenue, Berlin, was charged with driving on highway at speed exceeding limit at 61 mph in a 40 mph zone, driving under the influence of alcohol per se, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while impaired by alcohol, driving on revoked license and privilege, attempt by driver to elude police by fleeing on foot, driver consuming alcohol in passenger area of vehicle on highway, driving without owner's consent with intent to deprive owner, taking vehicle without owner's consent with intent to deprive owner and operating motor vehicle with operator or occupant under age 16 not restrained by seatbelt or child safety seat. The verdict for the third charge was guilty. Nol pros was entered for the other charges.

Michael Vincent Carey II, 29, of the 100 block of Cedar Avenue, Berlin, was charged with motor vehicle/unlawful taking, driving on revoked license and privilege and failure of driver to stop after unattended vehicle or property damage accident. The verdict was guilty for the first charge. Nol pros was entered for the other charges.

Alfonso Edward Byrd, 26, of Pocomoke City, was charged with peace order: failure to comply. The verdict was probation before judgment.

Aaron L. Million, 18, of the 10000 block of Ruffian Lane, Berlin, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. Both charges were placed on the stet docket.

Maranuita Holland, 45, of the 300 block of Purnell Street, Snow Hill, was charged with possession of controlled dangerous substance - not marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. The verdict was guilty for the first charge and merged for the second charge.

You Mi Voss, 56, of the 3000 block of Blackbeard Road, Greenbackville, Va., was charged with theft under $100. The verdict was probation before judgment.

Sophia Lekeys Reid, 19, of Nassawadox, Va., was charged with stealing property less than $100. The verdict was probation before judgment.

Casey Logan Harmon, 25, of the 300 block of Calvin Drive, Salisbury, was charged with possession of marijuana and driving on highway at speed limit exceeding limit at 70 mph in a 55 mph zone. The verdict for the first charge was probation before judgment. The verdict was merged for the second charge.

Joseph Victor Reddick, 24, of the 10000 block of Flower Street, Berlin, was charged with acting in disorderly manner. The verdict was guilty.

Clavolon Austin Crippen, 53, of the 500 block of Bay Street, Berlin, was charged with trespassing on private property, failure to obey and alcoholic beverage/intoxicate: endanger. The verdict was guilty for the first charge and not guilty for the other two charges.

Cecilia Justine Briddell, 48, of the 200 block of Cypress Lane, Snow Hill, was charged with trespassing on private property. The verdict was guilty.

Cecilia Justine Briddell, 48, of the 600 block of Clark Avenue, Pocomoke City, was charged with trespassing on private property. The verdict was guilty.

Tommy James Cloyd, 83, of the 100 block of Branch Street, Berlin, was charged with sex offense fourth degree and assault second degree. Both charges were placed on the stet docket.

Denzel Maurice Timmons, 40, of Bradley Court, Pocomoke City, was charged with peace order: failure to comply. Nol pros was entered.

Theodore Gerard Conlon III, 37, of the 30 block of Nottingham Lane, Berlin, was charged with assault second degree. The charge was placed on the stet docket.

Ethan Cord Truitt, 18, of the 500 block of South Bedford Street, Georgetown, Del., was charged with theft of less than $100. The verdict was probation before judgment.

Robert Boyd Hayman, 63, of the 400 block of Bank Street, Pocomoke City, was charged with assault second degree. Nol pros was entered.
www.worcestercountytimes.com

Boyfriend of Missing Mother Being Sought

Richmond, Va. --

The discovery of a toddler wandering in a Chesterfield County apartment complex alone Tuesday night has set off a large police search for the boy's mother.

Richmond police said Tameka L. Claiborne, 27, may have disappeared under suspicious circumstances the day her son, Malik, was found standing on a truck bumper in the parking lot at 11:30 p.m.

"She would never, ever leave her baby," said Claiborne's aunt, Barbara Gillison. Gillison and other family members gathered at Gillison's Chesterfield home were hoping Tameka was safe but feared the worst yesterday evening.

Richmond and Chesterfield investigators searched Claiborne's apartment in the 700 block of Blandy Avenue in South Richmond yesterday afternoon and said she may be in danger.

Richmond homicide detectives were involved in the investigation.

Earlier yesterday, Chesterfield detectives conducted a door-to-door search of the apartment complex where the 2-year-old boy was found, and police handed out fliers of the smiling boy wearing clothes provided by authorities.

Yesterday morning, the boy's father contacted police. He is not the primary caregiver but is expected to get formal custody of the boy from Child Protective Services, said police spokeswoman Ann Reid.

Police have searched in Richmond and Chesterfield for Tameka Claiborne. Yesterday afternoon, police crime tape blocked the driveway leading to Claiborne's apartment.

Chesterfield Capt. Terry Patterson said the boy was in good health when he was found.

Gillison said she last saw her niece on Saturday. "And then I talked to her last night around 5:30," Gillison said.

"I tell you one thing, this is not good," she said. "She's my baby. . . . I been taking care of Tameka since she was 13."

Police are looking for Michael Solomon, age 28, Police say he drives a 2008 gold Malibu with Virginia tags XTU-2530.

www.timesdispatch.com

Kennedy Heirs And Pelosi Health Care Push

WASHINGTON (AP) — Heirs to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy are giving $185,000 from his campaign account and their personal wealth to Democratic House candidates in gratitude to Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her role in enacting a landmark health care law.

Kennedy's son, retiring Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island, said Wednesday he persuaded the estate's executors that Pelosi embodied his father's passion for public service and achievement. Patrick Kennedy is giving the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee $30,000 of his personal money in addition to $155,000 from his father's re-election fund.

Party officials said no other House member this year has given the campaign committee $30,000, the legal maximum for an individual.

The longtime Massachusetts senator died last August while Congress was debating the health care bill, his top legislative priority. His death nearly derailed the bill in January, as Massachusetts voters replaced him with a Republican who opposed the measure.

But Pelosi persuaded dozens of House Democrats to accept unpopular compromises with the Senate, enabling President Barack Obama to sign the bill into law.

In an interview Wednesday, Patrick Kennedy called Pelosi's actions "a stroke of political genius."

The DCCC is spearheading efforts to maintain the Democrats' majority in the Nov. 2 elections.

www.wtkr.com

Dolle's Celebrates 100 Years On The Boards

DOLLE'S WANTS YOUR MEMORIES......

OCEAN CITY -- In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Dolle's Candyland in Ocean City, a commemorative book will be published. The store's owners are interested in hearing from residents and vacationers who would like to share photographs and happy memories of going to Dolle's on vacation, with family or friends for possible inclusion in the book.

Employees who worked at Dolle's, especially those employed there decades ago, are also encouraged to send memories. Please e-mail dollesmemories@hotmail.com and include a telephone number.