How Jail Time is Determined Sometimes OR.... Why A Five Year Sentence Isn't Five Years

This article was written in March 2009 by David Muhlhausen, the Senior Policy Analyst in the Center for Data Analysis at The Heritage Foundation. This is what he had to say when he spoke before the Judiciary Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates Senate.

This might give alot of us a better understanding towards the reason why so many brutal people are allowed to walk the streets that we pay tax dollars towards to be safe!

The Problem of Lenient Sentencing

A very likely explanation for Maryland's high violent crime rate may be its sentencing system that is too lenient, especially for violent crimes. The concern over high crime rates and a failed rehabilitative model of corrections led federal and many state governments to reform their correctional systems. Many states have adopted "truth-in-sentencing" laws, where the goal is to ensure that offenders convicted of violent crimes actually serve most of their incarceration sentences.

In authentic truth-in-sentencing states, violent crime offenders sentenced to prison are required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences with the possibility of early release for the remaining 15 percent of the sentence for good behavior. Upon completion of at least 85 percent of their prison sentences, offenders may be returned to society on supervised release.

While Maryland law requires violent crime offenders sentenced to prison to serve only 50 percent of their sentences, a recent case reported by The Baltimore Sun demonstrates the inadequacy of Maryland's system. One month after an offender was convicted of armed robbery, The Baltimore Sun reported that the son-in-law of the 66-year-old robbery victim was notified of the convicted offender's forthcoming parole hearing.[2] The armed robber was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but three years suspended by the judge. The parole hearing, set for this summer, will determine if the armed robber is eligible to be paroled in February 2010 because the time the offender served in jail awaiting trial counts toward his suspended sentence. Thus, a ten-year sentence was reduced by the judge to only three years. Now Maryland's corrections system may release the armed robber after only serving 1.5 years--15 percent of the original sentence. The General Assembly should consider ending the state's revolving door of justice that does not serve the interests of law-abiding citizens.

Reasons to Support Truth-in-Sentencing

Truth-in-sentencing can be justified for several reasons. First, long prison terms for serious and violent crimes are just. Second, incapacitation and deterrence works.

Longer prison terms for serious and violent crimes are just. Maryland's current sentencing system grants judges and parole boards too much discretion in sentence lengths and release decisions. This discretion all too often comes at the expense of public safety. In addition, Maryland's diminution credit system makes sentences too lenient for serious and violent offenders. The diminution credit system allows an inmate to earn up to 20 days off his sentence for every month of good behavior and participation in rehabilitation services. When the inmate's diminution credits equals the number of days remaining on the inmate's sentence, the inmate is eligible for mandatory release.

Real truth-in-sentencing laws make incarceration terms more meaningful by ensuring that offenders actually serve most of their sentences. The adoption of truth-in-sentencing by Maryland will help restore the credibility of courts by making sentencing more uniform and ensuring that offenders actually served almost all of their original sentences.

Incapacitation and deterrence works. During the 1970s and 1980s, state officials from across the nation recognized that the rehabilitative model of corrections did not work. Correctional systems no longer focused on the ideal of rehabilitation at the expense of public safety. Rehabilitation programs were deemed ineffective.[3] Deterrence and incapacitation became the primary mission of correctional systems. Thus, federal and many state governments adopted such reforms as determinate sentencing, truth-in-sentencing, and increased sentence lengths.

The switch to determinate sentencing and increased sentence lengths prevents crime through the effects of incapacitation and deterrence. The incapacitation effect reduces crime because offenders confined in prison from the rest of society are unable to harm innocent citizens. Criminals in prison simply cannot harm society.

In addition, determinate sentencing, combined with increased sentence lengths, produces greater levels of deterrence than occurred under the rehabilitative model. Deterrence theory supposes that increasing the risk of apprehension and punishment for crime deters individuals from committing crime. Nobel laureate Gary S. Becker's seminal 1968 study of the economics of crime recognized that individuals respond to the costs and benefits of committing crime.[4] In short, incentives matter.

Over the years, several studies have demonstrated a link between increased incarceration and decreases in crime rates. After controlling for socioeconomic factors that may influence crime rates, research based on trends in multiple jurisdictions (states and counties) over several years indicates that incarceration reduces crime significantly.[5]

Professor Joanna M. Shepherd of Emory University found that truth-in-sentencing laws that required violent felons to serve up to 85 percent of their sentence reduced violent crime rates.[6] These laws reduced county murder rates per 100,000 residents by 1.2 incidents. Assaults and robberies were reduced by 44.8 and 39.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, respectively. Rapes and larcenies were reduced by 4.2 and 89.5 incidents per 100,000 residents.[7]

Other studies demonstrate the crime-reducing effect of incarceration. Professor William Spelman of the University of Texas at Austin estimates that the national drop in crime during the 1990s would have been 27 to 34 percent smaller without the prison buildup.[8] In another study, Professor Spelman analyzed the impact of incarceration in Texas counties from 1990 to 2000.[9] The most significant factor responsible for the drop in crime in Texas was the state's prison expansion.

Professor Steven Levitt of the University of Chicago found that for each prisoner released from prison, there was an increase of almost 15 reported and unreported crimes per year.[10]

Two studies by Thomas B. Marvell of Justec Research in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Carlisle E. Moody of the College of William and Mary support these findings on the effects of incarceration. In a 1994 study of 49 states' incarceration rates from 1971 to 1989, Marvell and Moody found that about 17 crimes (mainly property crimes) were averted for each additional prisoner put behind bars.[11] In a study using national data from 1930 to 1994, Marvell and Moody found that a 10 percent increase in the total prison population was associated with a 13 percent decrease in homicide, after controlling for socioeconomic factors.[12]

The Cost of Corrections in Maryland

Opponents of adopting authentic truth-in-sentencing laws in Maryland may argue that the state cannot afford to implement such policies because of budget constraints. However, public safety is the primary responsibility of state government. In fiscal year (FY) 2007, corrections made up only 4.4 percent of Maryland's total expenditures (see Chart 2).[13] Comparatively, elementary and secondary education and Medicaid comprised 18.7 percent and 18.5 percent of total expenditures, respectively.[14] The amount of funds Maryland spends on corrections is little compared to other less important government activities.

Conclusion

Maryland faces a serious violent crime problem. Some members of society clearly need to be in prison for the safety of the rest. As long as that is the case, authorities must do what it takes to incarcerate those people who commit serious and violent crimes. Authentic truth-in-sentencing is one such policy that can make Maryland communities safer.

To read the entire report and see the charts on crime go to http://www.heritage.org/Research/Testimony/Why-Maryland-Needs-Truth-in-Sentencing

http://www.heritage.org/

Man Charged With Fatal Stabbing In Pocomoke Had Just Been Released

Why was this man back into the streets of any city or town? Why are any of them set free and allowed to roam the streets helping themselves to anything they feel entitled to? What is it going to take to get these people actually punished for the crimes they commit? My guess is that repeat offenders know how to work the system..........

Someone clue the average citizen in on all of this so that we NO longer become victims!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His move and the arrests violated the terms of his probation. As a result, a judge sent him back to jail in November 2009.

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

www.delmarvanow.com

Man Dies In Somerset County Vehicle Accident

WESTOVER -- A 26-year-old man was killed on Thursday night after a van he was riding in was broadsided by a tractor trailer, police say.

The Princess Anne barrack of the Maryland State Police say the victim, Marino Cordova, was a backseat passenger in a Chevrolet Venture driven by Abdiel Velasquez, 21. Police say that at 7:17 p.m., the Chevy Venture failed to yield the right-of-way to a 2003 Peterbilt tractor and trailer, which was traveling northbound on Route 13 at Camp Road. The tractor/trailer struck the van and the van then left the roadway, overturning several times and ejecting Cordova.

Cordova was pronounced dead at the scene. Driver Velasquez was admitted to Peninsula Regional Medical Center for what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. Charges are pending as the investigation continues.

www.delmarvanow.com

Gene Simmons Predicts 'Major Change' In Midtern Elections

Gene Simmons has never been one to shy away from voicing his political opinions and the KISS frontman tells Pop Tarts he is anticipating some serious power shifts to take place as a result of the midterm elections in November.

"There is going to be major change. The American public is very, very angry. I believed in this administration, and I voted for President Obama, I also voted for President Clinton, and I also voted for President Bush,” Simmons said this week at the launch of Activision’s “Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock” in Los Angeles. “I will vote my conscience, and I'll be damned if anybody is going to point a finger at me and say ‘vote along party lines.’ America is like me – sometimes they vote this way, sometimes they vote that way."

But when it comes to certain issues, Simmons isn’t afraid to admit his allegiances aren’t exactly in keeping with Hollywood’s stereotypes.

"I am fiscally and in terms of foreign policy, very conservative. Like everybody, we want to pay less taxes not more,” he continued.

And on that note, Simmons is taking the Tea Party movement very seriously.

“You have to take any movement that expresses the will of the public seriously. You can't point to any direction and say ‘this is nonsense’ because the people who are involved in any movement, are doing it because they believe,” he explained. “Who am I to say that what they're doing is right or wrong? At the end of the day, no matter what anyone believes in, no matter what side of the aisle you’re on, you have the opportunity to vote, and express your feelings.”

So what’s Simmons’ message to those in power? Zip the lip and just do the work.

“I resent the fact that the Democrats are making fun of the Tea Party, and likewise, I don't like the Republicans making fun of Democrats. Basically, shut up; don't tell me what's wrong with the other party. Tell me what you're going to do for me, then I'll let you know who I'm going to vote for,” he told us. “This is why America is like me – sometimes Republicans get in, sometimes Democrats get in. As soon as one messes up, we throw them out. Watch what's going to happen this election."

And in a different form of competition, Simmons admitted that he has been approached about being a contestant for an upcoming season of the ABC hit “Dancing With the Stars”, and that he is entertaining the possibility.

Stay tuned.
www.foxnews.com

Patients of Suspended Lyme's Disease Doctor Defend His Practice

In wake of the AMA finding against Eastern Shore Lyme's disease specialist Dr. Geoffrey Gubb, several of Gubb's patients have come out in support of the specialist.

In a letter sent to WESR from Dianne Nickel, local resident and current Lymes disease patient of Dr. Gubb, she said that Dr. Gubbs contributions vastly outweigh the allegations against him.

Nickel said "A year ago I could not see to drive my car, and I had chronic fatigue, leaned on walls to stand, had migraine headaches, joint pain and swelling in my wrists, night sweats and so on. I lost 5 months of work due to these ailments. I am glad to say that Dr. Gubb's treatment has me back on my feet, exercising 10 miles each night on my exercise bike, working 8 hours a day, driving anywhere I want to and feeling great with no pain."

Nickel also addressed the AMA's allegations, saying "I understand that he gave pain killers to patients and did not follow their cases and treatment. All I can say is for sure that he did not give anyone a pain killer unless they absolutely needed it. I trust him completely. He sent me to an herbal store to purchase milk thistle, probiotics and other herbal remedies. He is a naturalist."

The letter also says the review of Dr. Gubb by the AMA was only a 3 man review. A more formal 9 person review could overturn the ruling in this case. Gubb still plans on closing his family medical practice at the end of the month. He is the only Lymes disease specialist on the Eastern Shore.
www.shoredailynews.com

The Rural Sign Painter

***Now in the egg business! *** He always amazes me.

SEVERE WEATHER ALERT

SEVERE: COASTAL FLOOD WARNING KENT COUNTY - FLOOD WARNING KENT, SUSSEX, QUEEN ANNE'S, CAROLINE, AND TALBOT COUNTIES

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 7:00 PM FOR KENT COUNTY, DE. A FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 7:45 PM FOR KENT, SUSSEX, QUEEN ANNE'S, CAROLINE, AND TALBOT COUNTIES.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR KENT, SUSSEX, QUEEN ANNE'S, TALBOT, AND CAROLINE COUNTIES UNTIL 7:00 PM. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR DORCHESTER, SOMERSET, WICOMICO, WORCESTER, AND ACCOMACK COUNTIES UNTIL 9 PM.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR SUSSEX COUNTY AND THE DELAWARE BEACHES UNTIL MIDNIGHT; FOR KENT, QUEEN ANNES, TALBOT, AND CAROLINE, ACCOMACK, AND THE MARYLAND BEACHES UNTIL 8 PM.

A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR DORCHESTER, SOMERSET, AND WICOMICO COUNTIES FROM 4 PM UNTIL 2 AM FRIDAY.
www.wboc.com

NEW STATE CELL PHONE LAW TAKES EFFECT TOMORROW, OCTOBER 1

Here is a fact sheet about tomorrow’s change in the law regarding cell phone use while driving.

Maryland Cell Phone Law Fact Sheet – Effective October 1, 2010

1.      What is Maryland’s Cell Phone Law that takes effect on October 1, 2010?

Maryland Senate Bill 321 and House Bill 934 were signed into law by Governor O'Malley.  The new law will prohibit all Maryland drivers from using a cell phone without a hands free device while operating a motor vehicle in motion on a street or highway.  In addition, the new law would prohibit a school bus driver or a holder of a learner’s permit, or provisional license who is 18 years of age or older, from driving a motor vehicle while using a handheld telephone.  A driver under 18 already is prohibited from using any cell phone.

2.      What exceptions are allowed?

Phone calls placed to 9-1-1, ambulance, hospital, fire, or law enforcement agencies are allowed, as are calls made by emergency and law enforcement personnel.  A driver is allowed to turn a handheld phone on or off and to initiate or terminate a call.

3.      Is the law a primary offense? 

The new law is a secondary offense, meaning that a driver must first be detained for another offense, such as speeding or negligent driving, before he or she can be ticketed for a cell phone offense.  However, be advised that “negligent driving” is a primary offense in Maryland and can be used as a precursor to citing violators of the new cell phone law.

4.      What is the fine for the offense? 

The fine for a first offense would be $40 and subsequent offenses would be $100.  Points will not be assessed to the first-time violator’s driving record, except, three points are assessed if the violation contributed to a crash.  One point is assessed for a second or subsequent offense.

5.      Is this the same law as the texting law?

No, Maryland also bans texting while driving.  This law prohibits an individual from writing or sending a text message while operating a motor vehicle that is in motion or in the travel portion of the highway. If convicted of violating this law a person may be assessed a fine not exceeding $500. This law does not apply to texting 9-1-1 or using a global positioning system.

6.      Why is this law needed?

Studies indicate that cell phone conversations distract a driver and delays reaction time, which can cause and increase the severity of a vehicular crash.  The National Safety Council has estimated that cell phone use is responsible for 1.6 million crashes a year, nationally -- about 28 percent of all crashes.  Maryland now joins 7 other states (Calif., Conn., Del., N.J., N.Y., Ore. and Wash.), D.C. and the Virgin Islands in banning handheld cell phone use while driving.  For more information, please visit www.ChooseSafetyForLife.com

Hal Clark Funerl Information Concerning Traffic

The funeral tomorrow for Atlantic Fire Department fireman "Hal" Clark is expected to be enormous. Please allow a little extra travel time.For the funeral on Friday.....

The company is expecting a large number of firefighters and motorcyclists to gather to pay their respects to Hal Clark. With this large number, we anticipate the procession to the cemetery to be quite lengthy. Roads may be blocked and traffic may be stopped temporarily at various locations on Chincoteague and in the towns of Atlantic and Temperanceville.

Below is an estimated time of arrival at various locations: (please note that times are all approximate)

* Approximately 3:15 p.m. – Depart Union Baptist Church, Chincoteague.

* Approximately 3:45 p.m. – First vehicles arrival at the intersection of Chincoteague Road and Atlantic Road

* Approximately 4:00 p.m.- First vehicles arrive at John W. Taylor Cemetery in Temperanceville

Please note that these times are estimates for the first vehicles arriving to locations. The exact length of the procession is unknown. Expect anything from 10-60 minutes of delay.

***Also note that motorcycles are to meet in the parking lot across from the church.

Remembering Firefighter William Harold "Hal" Clark

William "Hal" Harold Clark

(March 13, 1956 - September 24, 2010)

Firefighter William "Hal" Clark, 54, of Atlantic, VA. passed away in the line of duty Friday, September 24th, 2010.

Hal was born in Salisbury, Maryland on March 13, 1956, the son of the late Bill and Virginia (Shields) Clark.

He worked for the Town of Chincoteague in the public works and water department.

He was the president and lifetime member of the Atlantic Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company and past member of Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company as an engineer.

He was very dedicated to volunteering at the Chincoteague Carnival. He was also a member of the Sons of American Legion Post # 159 and the American Legion Riders.

He is survived by a daughter Valerie Merritt and her husband Keith of Chincoteague, Va; a grandaughter Jenna Merritt of Chincoteague, VA; a fiance' Mary Snead of Atlantic, VA and her son Michael; a brother Skibo Clark and his wife Cristy of Chincoteague; a sister Shelia Gallagher of Chincoteague, VA; a step mother Jean Clark of Chincoteague, VA; three nieces Sandy Daisey, Melissa Clark, and Taylor Clark; three nephews Buster Dennis, Matt Clark, and Mason Karafa; several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He was predeceased by a son Todd Clark.

Friends are invited to call Thursday 7-9 PM. at Union Baptist Church on Church Street in Chincoteague, VA.

Funeral Service with full Firefighter Honors will be held at Union Baptist Church, Chincoteague Island, VA, at 2 PM on Friday, October 1st, with Rev. Maurice Enright and Rev. Bob Reese officiating.

All firefighters and motorcycle riders are welcome and encouraged to participate.

Interment will be held at John W. Taylor Memorial Cemetery Temperenceville, VA.

The family would like to invite everyone to join them for a reception after the service at the Chincoteague Center on 6155 Community Drive on Chincoteague, VA. Flowers accepted or donations may be made to Fire Company of Your Choice.

Services entrusted to Salyer Funeral Home, Inc., where condolences may be made online at www.salyerfh.com<>

Drug Smiffing Dog Sniffs Out Pot Hidden In Dog Food Bag

GRANDY, N.C. (WAVY) - Sheriff's Deputies arrested a man for having more than 10 pounds of marijuana inside his car at the Food Lion parking lot in Grandy Saturday.

Currituck County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Lucio Obet-Pasos Barrios of Columbia, N.C. They charged him with two counts of trafficking marijuana, felony possession of marijuana and maintaining a vehicle for felony drug distribution.

Acting on a tip, members of the department's Interdiction Narcotics Unit approached Barrios' 2002 Dodge Neon at 11:18 a.m., according to a news release. The unit's drug-sniffing dog alerted deputies to the presence of drugs. A search of the car uncovered a dog food bag in the trunk that contained 10 one-gallon plastic bags filled with marijuana, according to the release.

Barrios is currently being held at the Currituck County jail under $4,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday.

www.wavy.com

Wind Restrictions At Bay Bridge Tunnel

Wind restrictions on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel have been lifted.


As of 6 AM there were Level 2 wind restrictions posted at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
The following types of vehicles are not allowed to cross:

- motorcycles

- large pick-up campers

- camper trailers

- house trailers

- anything being towed

- vehicles with exterior cargo or anything being towed

- empty tractor-trailers, not including empty tanker trucks

- small, six-wheel trucks

Tractor trailers must gross 30,000 pounds of payload in addition to the rigs weight, according to the facilitys Web site. Six-wheel trucks must gross 15,000 pounds of payload in addition to the weight of the rig.

Tractors without trailers will be allowed to cross the span, the site says.
http://www.shoredailynews.com/

Pocomoke Middle School Pride Shown On The "Today Show"

Here's the video of Pocomoke Middle School as it was filmed last week for the "Today Show" and aired Wednesday morning. "The school gained the notice of producers working on the series after being named one of the country's 10 NASSP Breakthrough Schools for its improvements in student achievement in 2008, and then being profiled on the U.S. Department of Education's website in 2009."

The interviews are wonderful! The students and staff are so proud of themselves! And listen to what Principal Bloxom has to say about what she requires of her teaching staff.

And for any of you "long ago Pocomoke Middle School students (like my children and their friends) see if you recognize any of those teachers. I guarantee it will bring back memories.

This is a wonderful thing for the middle school and for Pocomoke City too.

Arrest Has Been Made In Pocomoke Stabbing

Reported around 1:00 a.m.

*UPDATE* The Worcester County Bureau of Investigation has made an arrest in the stabbing death of a teenager in Pocomoke City.

Authorities say 29-year-old James Ballard murdered 18-year-old Russell Bailey near 9th St. in Pocomoke Wednesday. Ballard is behind bars this morning.
www.wboc.com

POCOMOKE POLICE ALERT NOTICE

Pocomoke City Police are seeking the assistance of it’s citizens by reporting any 

suspicious activity or unknown persons in their neighborhood during the day time 

and evening hours.  Person(s) unknown have broken into private homes during 

these hours by entering thru the rear doors.  Items of interest are laptop 

computers, X-Boxes, and Video Games.  Should you observe any suspicious 

activity/persons in your neighborhood, please call 911 or the Pocomoke Police 

directly at 410-957-1600.  Affected areas are Eighth Street, Pocomoke Heights, 

and White Oaks areas.

                                 J. D. Ervin

                           Chief of Police

VIA: CityofPocomoke.com

Letter To The Editor

Sent to Pocomoke Public Eye
September 29, 2010

Dear Pocomoke,

This letter notes concern for changes quietly considered in Pocomoke City. This information, to my knowledge and attendance at 2 recent town meetings, and denied at a community awareness meeting in June, has not been discussed nor input received from city residents, business owners, or the community.

The possible relocation to the opposite end of town, even relocation of the Police Department, is a safety concern. Another concern is will all services be eventually relocated, without public input, toward the new Firehouse? And a substation won’t do; they are usually underfunded, undermanned, and eventually closed. If our government services move from downtown Pocomoke, what will become of this area, the residents who live here and the businesses?

Already, references can be frequently overheard of certain parts of Pocomoke in derogatory terms that will be further encouraged if services relocate south.  We need to do more then simply give a small building to a group like “Save the Youth”.  As I’ve said for several years, we need to do more in this community for our young people.

As I grew up here, I know both the good and the poor choices.  We have to offer more positive choices!
This is troubling for all involved and now the stabbing today, makes this, at times, for our children seem unreal.  My heart goes out to all of those involved and to our community. At the end of last week, as President of the Pocomoke Ministerial Association, I prayerfully requested of our association members that our city enter a time of ‘city wide prayer’. It is time!


What I don't understand is why these crimes aren't discussed with the media. I applaud States’ Attorney Todd for mentioning the one today. Why aren't people being encouraged to talk about this with their children and teens? We need to encourage our children and teens to talk openly about these events and their feelings.

Furthermore, by inviting an open discussion, receiving input from our community, and considering future impact on residents and business owners, especially relocating the Police Department away from the Downtown Business and Historic Districts, our local government would demonstrate consideration for community input.

If our government opened the door for discussion with the community, modeled an open and transparent government, our leaders would not loose this opportunity to demonstrate true ‘change’ in Pocomoke. This is a serious and disappointing concern for a town experiencing a surge in crime of several thefts, B & E’s and now 4 homicides in about 30 days.  As our community is changing, we need to address these times and we need to encourage input from everyone.  This is one battle we can’t afford to lose!

author notes correction of 2 homicides and 2 attempted
Sincerely,

Dr. Lynn Duffy, Psy.D., D.Min.(H), LCPC, NCC
and Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor
-a Pocomoke City Resident and Downtown Business Owner

Teen Dies After Stabbing

POCOMOKE CITY — An 18-year-old man died Wednesday after being stabbed, and Worcester County law enforcement officials are calling it a homicide.

The victim was stabbed around 3 p.m. in the area of Ninth Street and Laurel Street in Pocomoke City, according Worcester County State's Attorney Joel Todd. The victim was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, where he was pronounced dead.

Todd said the victim has been identified but declined to give the boy's name. Todd said the victim's body was found behind a home and showed no signs of life. He said the Worceter County Bureau of Investigation and Pocomoke City Police are investigating. Todd said it was the third homicide this year in Pocomoke.

Pocomoke City District 3 Councilman Bruce Morrison said the body was found across the street from the town's middle school. As a result, the town's elementary, middle, and high schools were put on lockdown for a brief time as classes were about to be let out, as a matter of protocol.

"It's getting scary," he said, noting the incident occured near his home. "I don't want to see things like this happening my town. I'm very concerned about it. I'm going to talk to the City Manager about it, and we're going to see what we can do about getting it under wraps."

www.delmarvanow.com

Kudos to Councilman Morrison! I hope he will continue to work on this and all crime in the wonderful city of Pocomoke. The citizens deserve to know. The citizens NEED to know about ALL crime in the area. How can they fight something they do not have a full grasp on?

(UPDATE) Breaking News..... Pocomoke Middle School Stabbing

I don't know if it's true but the word on the street is that a person got stabbed to death at or near the Pocomoke Middle school.

The person that supposedly got stabbed is a well known young man that was raised in Pocomoke and has been in quite a bit of trouble, I'm withholding the name pending a news release.

(UPDATE) The Pocomoke Middle School was locked down today at or around 2:30 pm.

From an eyewitness; At or about 2:30 pm. The stabbing occurred on 8th street in or behind one of the small bungalows across from the Middle School.

The eyewitness reports a young man came running from in-between the houses and ran into the street where he started staggering and then fell to the ground in the roadway.

As he lay in the roadway another person came from the same location and stood over the victim for a short time then ran away while 2 other subjects went in another direction walking toward 7th street through the middle school parking area.

It's said that nearby patrons tried to do CPR on the victim and the ambulance and Pocomoke Police arrived on the scene very quickly. The Pocomoke Police apprehended the 2 subjects that were walking in the 7th street direction the other subjects whereabouts are unknown by the eyewitness.

The ambulance quickly removed the victim. The Pocomoke Police are still on the scene.

 I will reserve the victims name pending a police report.

(UPDATE2) It seams the word is out so I can now provide the name of the victim, It was Russell Bailey he was 17 or 18 years old.

Our prayers and condolences go out to the family.

If you have more information you would like to share please contact us @ 
bwbw@hughes.net or pcitypubliceye@gmail.com

True Or False???

Has anyone heard anything this afternoon about the Pocomoke Middle School being on lock down?

It has been told that someone walking in the school area shot someone sometime this afternoon.

If so........let us know.

I have also heard that this was a STABBING.

Flash Flood Watch In Effect For Eastern Shore of Md. and Va.

A Flash Flood Watch has been issued to for Onancock, VA by the National Weather Service.

The flash flood watch will be in effect from this evening through Thursday evening and will be in effect for portions of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia.

The following counties are under the watch: Worcester County, Somerset, Wicomico, Accomack and Northampton.

Showers will overspread the area from the south by this afternoon, possibly becoming heavy at times by the early evening. Rain will increase in intensity overnight with periods of heavy rain continuing into Thursday as a Subtropical low pressure system tracks along the Florida peninsula today and lifts north across the Mid-Atlantic Coastal plain region on Thursday.

Rainfall amounts from this system are expected to range between 3 and 4 inches over the watch area. However there is potential for higher amounts in local areas, especially in areas that receive thunderstorms.

A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. People living in areas that are prone to flash flooding should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued. Motorists tonight and Thursday should be aware of the possibility of flooded roads.
www.shoredailynews.com

Old Tyme Days At Greenbackville Fire Department

8th Annual

* Greenbackville / Franklin City Olde Tyme Days *

Fall Craft Show

Saturday, October 2nd - Noon until 5 pm. *

Greenbackville Fire Department/Banquet Hall

There will be pig pickin' and all the fixins', hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks all you can eat for just $11.

There will be memorabilia displays of antiques, photos, tools, local authors, selling and autographing books, children's activities, including games and crafts.

There will also be a Fire Department Open House and Truck Display with free admission.

For more details call Frank Merrill at (757)824-5507.

Tourists Return To Eiffel Tower After Bomb Scare For Second Time In Two Weeks

PARIS -- Visitors returned to the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday night after French police closed the landmark for the second time in less than a month due to a bomb threat, witnesses said.

The tower and the surrounding Champ de Mars park were briefly evacuated after police received the alert, the fourth in the Paris region in as many weeks. A search, however, turned up nothing, police told Reuters.

The threat, which claimed a bomb had been placed at the base, was called in from a phone booth near the Paris icon, police told CNN. No further details of the threat were immediately available, but the tower reopened about 2 1/2 hours later.

Niki Cheong, a Malaysian tourist, told CNN he was standing beneath the 1,063-foot tower when police began running crime-scene tape around the base of the structure.

"Everybody was told to cross the street and move ... away from the tower," he said. The officers said only that an unspecified "problem" caused the evacuation, he said.

The tower remained illuminated, and onlookers applauded when the tower began its routine sparkling at the top of the hour, Cheong said. Tourists were allowed to return shortly before 9 p.m.

It was also the second evacuation of the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars due to a bomb alert -- which also failed to turn up any explosives -- in two weeks.

French security officials said last week the country was on heightened alert after receiving a tip-off of a planned suicide attack on the Paris metro.

Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said on Sept. 20 France faced a real terrorism threat due to a backlash from al Qaeda militants in North Africa, with fears growing of an attack from home-grown cells within French borders.
www.wtkr.com

This Weekend At the Mar-Va Theater

Friday, Oct 1st Sat, Oct 2nd
Time: 7 p.m.
Tickets: $5


PLOT:
A seasoned team of bank robbers successfully complete their latest heist and lead a life of luxury while planning their next job. When a former member of their team is released from prison he convinces the group to strike an armored car carrying $20 million. As the "takers" carefully plot out their strategy and draw nearer to exacting the grand heist, a reckless police officer inches closer to apprehending the criminals.
Rated PG-13

Report Boasts Benefits of Offshore Wind Energy, Calls for Ban of Offshore Drilling

Offshore wind power in Atlantic waters could supply nearly half the current electricity generation of the East Coast and create up to 200,000 jobs or more, an environmental group concludes in a study released Tuesday.

The study by Oceana, an environmental group focused on oceanic issues, predicts winds along the East Coast have the potential to deliver 30 percent more electricity than "economically recoverable" offshore oil and gas in the same region.

The study also estimates that the emerging offshore wind industry would create between 133,000 and 212,000 jobs annually in the U.S. -- more than three times the estimated future job creation through expanded offshore oil and gas drilling.

The authors of "Untapped Wealth: The Potential of Offshore Energy to Deliver Clean, Affordable Energy and Jobs" said they studied potential offshore wind tracts 3 to 24 miles off the East Coast in depths of 30 meters (98 feet) or fewer and used conservative estimates to arrive at their conclusions.

Many of the assumptions, such as job generation, are based on experience in Europe, which has a far-advanced offshore wind industry.

The U.S. has approved only one offshore wind farm, off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

"The technology exists. We just need to have the will to do it," said Simon Mahan, one of the Oceana study authors and is now with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Among the study's other findings:

-- Delaware, Massachusetts and North Carolina could exceed all their current energy needs through offshore winds, while New Jersey, Virginia and South Carolina could achieve 64 percent or more of their energy needs.

Much of a state's ability to generate offshore winds hinges on its location and length of its coastline. Georgia, for instance, is located farther south, which has lighter winds, and a smaller coastline. Its potential for offshore energy is in the single digits.

-- U.S. offshore wind generation capacity on the Atlantic Coast is at least 127 gigawatts. That is approximately equal to European projections for offshore wind energy on that continent in less than 20 years.

More than 24,000 wind turbines would have to be scattered in East Coast waters to achieve that level of generation.

East Coast states have been giving offshore winds a closer look following the BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. President Barack Obama suspended planned exploratory gas and oil drilling off Virginia's coast shortly after the April spill. The state was first in line to begin drilling.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has reached agreement with 10 East Coast governors to work together to develop windmills in the Atlantic.

The jobs would be created for a nearly nonexistent U.S. industry to fabricate giant turbines, as well as ships needed to build and service them and related industries.

Oceana also recommended the elimination of federal subsidies for fossil fuels; a permanent ban on new oil and gas development in the Atlantic; and other measures to encourage offshore wind development.

www.shoredailynews.com

Ex-Air Force Personnel Speak About UFO Sightings At Press Conference

Whatever the mysterious lights in the sky were, they seemed to have an interest in our nukes.

One of the more out-of-the-ordinary press conferences held in Washington this week consisted of former Air Force personnel testifying to the existence of UFOs and their ability to neutralize American and Russian nuclear missiles.

UFO researcher Robert Hastings of Albuquerque, N.M., who organized the National Press Club briefing, said more than 120 former service members had told him they'd seen unidentified flying objects near nuclear weapon storage and testing grounds. Star & Stripes quoted former Air Force Capt. Robert Salas, who was at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana in 1967 when 10 ICMs he was overseeing suddenly became inoperative - at the same time base security informed him of a mysterious red glowing object in the sky.

Robert Jamison, a retired USAF nuclear missile targeting officer, told of several occasions having to go out and "re-start" missiles that had been deactivated, after UFOs were sighted nearby.

Similar sightings at nuclear sites in the former Soviet Union and in Britain were related.

CBS Affiliate KSWT describes "Britain's Roswell," a case of unidentified phenomena in December 1980 incident near two Royal Air Force Bases in Suffolk, England.

Several U.S. Air Force personnel reported seeing a strange metallic object hovering in Rendlesham Forest near RAF Woodbridge, and found three depressions in the ground.

Speaking at Monday's press briefing, retired USAF Col. Charles Halt said that in December 1980, when he was deputy base commander at RAF Bentwaters, strange lights in the forest were investigated by three patrolmen.

Halt said they reported approaching a triangular craft, "approximately three meters on a side, dark metallic in appearance with strange markings. They were observing it for a period of time, and then it very quickly and silently vanished at high speed."

Two nights later, Halt investigated another sighting near the base when he was told by the base commander, "It's back."

Halt found indentations in the ground, broken branches, and low-level background radiation. He and his team also witnessed various lights moving silently in the sky, of one which was "shedding something like molten metal." Another shined a beam of light down towards them.

The incidents were never officially explained.

Several of the ex-servicemembers speaking Monday said when they'd brought their concern of such appearances to superiors, they'd been told it was "top secret" or that it "didn't happen."

Hastings suggested the presence of such phenomena meant that aliens were monitoring our weapons, and perhaps warning us - "a sign to Washington and Moscow that we are playing with fire," as he was quoted in the Telegraph. Hastings predicted a "paradigm shift" in the mindset of humanity owing to the existence of alien life.

"Traditional institutions such as religions, governments, other social institutions may be threatened by what is coming. That is just the logical consequence of what is about to occur."

The U.S. Air Force ended its 22-year-long "Project Blue Book" investigation of UFO sightings after investigating 12,618 sightings; all but 701 were explained, and the reminder categorized as "unidentified" due to sketchy
reports, a Pentagon spokesman said in 1997.

"We cannot substantiate the existence of UFOs, and we are not harboring the remains of UFOs," said Pentagon spokesperson Kenneth Bacon in 1997. "I can't be more clear about it than that."
www.cbsnews.com

Pocomoke Middle School To Be On TV Today

Don't forget!

This morning the Pocomoke Middle School will be one of the handful of schools in the nation featured in this weeks "Education Nation" series on NBC's "Today Show."

Film crews were at Pocomoke Middle last week to gather footage for the feature.

Pocomoke Principal Caroline Bloxom was interviewd and filmed along with teachers and students.

Congratulations Principal Bloxom, Pocomoke Middle School students, teachers and staff !!

Twas the night before elections

And all through the town

Tempers were flaring
Emotions all up and down!

I, in my bathrobe
With a cat in my lap

Had cut off the TV
Tired of political crap.

When all of a sudden
There arose such a noise

I peered out of my window
Saw Obama and his boys

They had come for my wallet
They wanted my pay

To give to the others
Who had not worked a day!

He snatched up my money
And quick as a wink

Jumped back on his bandwagon
As I gagged from the stink

He then rallied his henchmen
Who were pulling his cart

I could tell they were out
To tear my country apart!

'On Fannie, on Freddie,
On Biden and Ayers!

On Acorn, On Pelosi'
He screamed at the pairs!

They took off for his cause
And as he flew out of sight

I heard him laugh at the nation
Who wouldn't stand up and fight!

So I leave you to think
On this one final note-

IF YOU DONT WANT SOCIALISM

GET YOUR butt OUT AND VOTE!

Shift Cancellations At Tyson Foods

Tyson has announced shift cancellations for today. First and second shifts are cancelled and all other shifts are asked to report on time.

The shifts are due to power glitches.
www.shoredailynews.com

Bomb Threats - Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth

Courthouses in Newport News, Hampton and Portsmouth were evacuated this morning following a bomb threat this morning, according to police.

Hampton police spokeswoman Allison Quinones said that city's courthouses reopened around 11:15 a.m. The Newport News Courthouse reopened at 11:45 p.m. Portsmouth remains closed.

Kathleen Carey, spokeswoman for the Newport News Sheriff's Office, said two threats were phoned in to 911 this morning - one at 9:23 and the other at 10:01 - regarding bombs at courthouses in Newport News, Hampton and Portsmouth. The caller, who wasn't specific about which courthouses, threatened to bomb them at 10:30 a.m., according to Harold Eley, a spokesman for the Newport News police department.

Police in Newport News and Hampton have evacuated all courthouses, with the exception of the federal courthouse in Newport News. Portsmouth Circuit Court has also been evacuated. In Newport News, K-9 units arrived around 10:30 a.m. to begin checking for explosives.
In Hampton, police closed the blocks of King and Lincoln Streets and Pembroke Avenue surrounding the courthouses. In Newport News, police have shut down 25th and 26th streets as well as Huntington Avenue to West Street.

www.dailypress.com

Republican Headquarters Opens In West Ocean City

Supporters and candidates gathered Friday evening for the opening of Republican Headquarters on Route #50 E, 1 mile East of Walmart in West Ocean City.

The headquarters will be open from noon until 6:00 PM Monday through Saturday until the general election is over.

The headquarters will be kept supplied with campaign signs and literature as well as important voting information such as: registration forms, change of party forms, absentee ballot applications, early voting information and facts about all Republican candidates.

The phone number is 410-213-1183. Voters are welcome to stop in and pick up materials, sign up to work at the polls and/or request information.

For additional questions, contact Pat at 410-726-1234.

31 Year Old Bottlenose Dolphin 'Shiloh' Dies At National Aquarium

The gentle bottlenose dolphin that was the mother of the first dolphin calf to be born at the National Aquarium in Baltimore in 1992 died over the weekend after doctors and technicians worked for about a year to nurse her through an array of illnesses. Aquarium officials estimated that the dolphin, named Shiloh, was 31 years old.
"It's an incredibly difficult time" for members of the aquarium staff who care for the dolphins, said Brent Whitaker, deputy director of biological programs at the aquarium. "These animals become their families. … Anybody who has an animal or a pet knows what we're talking about."

He said Shiloh, who measured 9 feet long and about 400 pounds, was not responding to treatments and had stopped eating before doctors made the decision to have her euthanized. She died in the medical pool late Sunday morning surrounded by three doctors, two veterinary technicians and eight trainers.
Whitaker said doctors who specialize in comparative medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine are conducting an autopsy.

He said tests conducted over the past few months showed that Shiloh — one of the first six dolphins to be displayed in the new Marine Mammal Pavilion when it opened in 1990 — was suffering from an infection and iron storage disease. He said "next to nothing" is known about iron storage disease in dolphins, but it appeared that Shiloh was accumulating excessive amounts of iron in her liver, and treatments had begun about a year ago.

She was one of the aquarium's nine dolphins, ranging in age from 2 to 38 years. Whitaker and Sue Hunter, director of animal programs, said life expectancy for a bottlenose dolphin is about 25 years. Shiloh was captured in the Gulf of Mexico in 1981 and was estimated to be 2 or 3 years old at the time, said Whitaker. The dolphin was captured in the wild, a practice condemned by animal rights groups. Whitaker said the aquarium's policy has since changed, and "we don't condone capture of bottlenose dolphins for display."

Hunter described Shiloh as a "gentle" and "calm" dolphin who was attentive to the other dolphins and helped to raise the calves born at the aquarium, showing "very motherly behavior and instincts."

In March 1992, Shiloh gave birth to Chesapeake, the first dolphin to be born at the aquarium.
www.baltimoresun.com

Georgia Executes Convicted Triple Murderer

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Georgia executed a triple murderer by lethal injection on Monday despite pleas from his lawyers for a delay on the grounds of mental incompetence after he tried to commit suicide last week.

Brandon Rhode, 31, was convicted in 2000 of killing a father and his two young children during a burglary in Georgia's Jones County, state authorities said.

He was declared dead at 10:16 p.m. after an execution witnessed by family members of the condemned, a member of the clergy and a paralegal, said state prison authorities.

He made no special request for a last meal and was given a chili hot dog, fruit cocktail, round potatoes, coleslaw, carrots and a slice of cake, the authorities said.

The execution at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification prison near Jackson, central Georgia, was delayed from 7 p.m. while the Supreme Court considered a final request for a stay, said Sara Totonchi, director of the Southern Center for Human Rights.

Earlier, the state supreme court rejected an appeal for a stay. That court had granted a stay last week after Rhode was discovered in his cell having slashed his throat in a suicide attempt and was hospitalized.

"This is a particularly grizzly case. They rushed him to the hospital to revive him only to reschedule his execution," said Laura Moye, spokeswoman for Amnesty International, USA.

"He is not an innocent man but he is a human being and it is outrageous for the state of Georgia to execute him without determining his competency," Moye said in an interview.

Rhodes is the 25th inmate executed by lethal injection in the state. The drug sodium thiopental was used in the execution as part of the lethal cocktail.
www.latimes.com

Octo Mom Has Yard Sale/Auction

LA HABRA - Nadya Suleman made $2,600 at her yard sale/auction this weekend, and it's not over yet. You can still bid on her personal items until midnight tonight.

The auction can be found by clicking on Rick.com and then on the "Dees Sleaze" tab. Items that have yet to sell include a signed sonogram, a diaper bag signed "Octomom" and the octuplets' handprints and baby blankets.

As of Monday afternoon the item with the highest bid, $280, was the red bikini Suleman wore on the cover of Star Magazine.

The auction and yard sale were dreamed up by radio personality Tattoo, of the Rick Dee's Internet radio show Tattoo and Crew, in a last-ditch effort to keep his friend Suleman, and her 14 kids, off welfare.

The yard sale, held Saturday at her La Habra home, drew so many people that police had to close off her street to vehicle traffic.Items sold included a sofa billed as the sofa where Suleman was sitting when she first heard the news that she was pregnant with octuplets. Someone paid $150 for it. Others paid to have their picture taken with La Habra's most famous resident.

"She was very happy ... we are talking about someone who didn't have that money the day before," Tattoo said.

The goal, though, is to raise $10,000. Suleman is facing foreclosure and said Saturday, while sitting on the sofa before it sold, that if she becomes homeless she will have no choice but to go on welfare. Tattoo is arranging for her to make a club appearance this weekend for money.

"At the end of the day, Nadya is an attraction," Tattoo said.

He's also trying to get her a gig guest hosting on his radio show. "I'm not politically correct," he said.

www.ocregister.com

Husband Kills Estranged Wife And Four Stepchildren

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla.

A man who terrorized his estranged wife for months, threatening her with a knife and telling her she would end up in the morgue, killed the woman and four of his stepchildren during a middle-of-the-night rampage, police said Monday.

Patrick Dell, 41, and his wife, 36-year-old Natasha Whyte-Dell, had been going through a bitter divorce, and it appears he targeted her and his stepchildren, police said. However, Dell spared his biological 1- and 3-year-old children. A fifth stepchild, 15-year-old Ryan Barnett, also was shot in the house but was expected to survive.

Friends and neighbors said Whyte-Dell time after time took the man back — even though he had installed cameras to keep an eye on her and stalked her when she went to work and nursing school. She filed a restraining order against him in May after learning he was trying to get a gun.

The horror that unfolded around 2 a.m. Monday was the culmination of a lengthy dispute that came to a head Dec. 20, when Whyte-Dell said her husband came after her with a knife, slashed her tires and scratched an "X" into the concrete driveway.

He made a particularly chilling threat: "You will be going to the morgue," he told her, according to a police report. "Your family is going to cry today."

After that incident — five days before Christmas — Whyte Dell told police she feared for her life. Dell was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. But he was released hours later without bond, said Riviera Beach Police spokeswoman Rose Ann Brown.

The Department of Children and Families investigated after the knife attack, but closed the case in February without removing the children, spokeswoman Elisa Cramer said.

Still, time after time, friends said Whyte-Dell took her husband back, hoping things would get better.

"She was supposed to stay away from him," Lydia Smith, a friend of the victims, said Monday as she stood in front of the crime scene crying. "He was extremely jealous, obsessive and possessive."

Dell seemed paranoid, a neighbor said, always thinking someone was against him. On Sunday, while he was at a club, he was asked to leave after making a drunken threat.

"He was talking about chopping up somebody," said neighbor Keisha Gordon, 30.

Gordon said she left the club with Dell and went to a nearby park, the last place Gordon saw him before the shootings.

A police officer was checking a suspicious vehicle around 2 a.m. when he heard what sounded like muffled gun shots, Riviera Beach Police spokeswoman Rose Anne Brown said. When officers approached the home, Dell went outside and shot himself, she said.

Inside the home, officers found the bodies of the woman and her four children: 10-year-old Daniel Barnett; 11-year-old Javon Nelson; 13-year-old Diane Barnett; and 14-year-old Bryan Barnett.

The small home where the killings happened was a popular hangout for neighborhood kids, who loved using the front-yard basketball hoop and closeness to a trim cemetery across the street that often was used as a park. Just a few doors down sits an immaculate red-brick church.

On Monday, a silver chain-link fence had been tangled with yellow crime-scene tape. A black mailbox was on a post outside with a single balloon in the shape of a red heart tied to it.

Neighbors said gunshots had become an all-too-common sound in the area. Jeanette Walker, a 56-year-old hairstylist who lives nearby, said she thought nothing of the gunfire because she heard no sirens.

"They over there shooting at each other again," she remembered thinking.

www.npr.org

Possible Tornado Slams Into Mans Home And Shed

MACHIPONGO, Va. (WAVY) - A possible tornado touched down Monday afternoon in Northhampton County, according to the NOAA's National Weather Service.

The NOAA reported that the damage was 30 yards wide and one quarter mile long.

In that swath sat the remains of a mobile home off Langford Parkway. A brown recliner stood in the middle of what was the living room. It was also the spot where an 86-year-old man rode out a possible tornado.

"He was home. He was sitting in the chair, and he actually said he used his laptop to protect his head," said Assistant Chief Adam Zieger of the Eastville Fire Department.

The man walked away with just a bump. However, it wasn't until the World War II vet shut off the gas and called his family did he call 911."It was called in as a house exploded," said Zieger.

Viewers sent daylight photos to WAVY.com which showed the roof gone and the walls collapsed. Two sheds in the backyard were destroyed.

"You can see the trail through the tomato fields south of where that house is. You can see a path through the woods where the tree branches and tops of trees taken off," said Zieger.
It's not everyday nature's fury pays a visit to the Eastern Shore. Zieger said something like this hasn't happened since he was a child. "..You start seeing tree roots uprooted, pieces of the man's trailer roof," said Zieger.

The man is currently staying with his family.

www.wavy.com

Internet Wiretaps Would Be Made Easier In The US

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is pushing to make it easier for the government to tap into internet and e-mail communications. But the plan has already drawn condemnation from privacy groups and communications firms may be wary of its costs and scope.

Frustrated by sophisticated and often encrypted phone and e-mail technologies, U.S. officials say that law enforcement needs to improve its ability to eavesdrop on conversations involving terrorism, crimes or other public safety issues.

Critics worry the changes are an unnecessary invasion of privacy and would only make citizens and businesses more vulnerable to identity theft and espionage.

The new regulations that would be sent to Congress next year would affect American and foreign companies that provide communications services inside the U.S. It would require service providers to make the plain text of encrypted conversations — over the phone, computer or e-mail — readily available to law enforcement, according to federal officials and analysts.

The mandate would likely require companies to add backdoors or other changes to the systems that would allow a wiretap to capture an unscrambled version of a conversation.

Those affected by the changes would include online services and networking sites such as Facebook and Skype, as well as phone systems that deliver encrypted e-mail such as BlackBerry.

"The way we communicate has changed dramatically since 1994, but telecommunications law has not kept up. This gap between reality and the law has created a significant national security and public safety problem," said Valerie E. Caproni, the FBI's General Counsel.

She said the changes would not expand law enforcement authority and would involve legally authorized intercepts on calls or e-mails sent by terrorists or other criminals. The changes would allow companies to respond quickly to wiretap requests from local, state and federal authorities.

The New York Times first reported Monday about White House plans to submit the new bill next year.

Law enforcement is already able to monitor regular telephone conversations.

"In the old days, the technology was simple to wiretap," said cybersecurity expert James Lewis, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "As technologies have gotten better and faster and bigger, it's harder and harder for law enforcement to intercept communications."

Lewis said law enforcement officials have long been pushing for the expanded access. He said the technology is available to make the changes and allow authorities to tap into conversations encrypted by communications companies as they move from one person to another.

Communications companies, he said, may have concerns about the costs of modifying their systems or software to allow the intercepts. The government may have to provide some funding aid.

Companies may also balk if the government tries to tell them how to alter their systems.

But Lewis said many companies are already providing similar capabilities to law enforcement in other countries in Europe and the Middle East.

Wiretapping is vital for law enforcement agencies, said Lewis, because "it provides crucial evidence that wins a lot of their convictions. As technology changes, as the Internet changes, they have to keep up or they'll lose an important tool in their arsenal."

Civil rights and privacy groups were quick to condemn the plan, warning that the administration faces an uphill battle.

"This is a shortsighted and ill-conceived power grab by some in the administration," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center. "The balance has swung radically toward enhanced law enforcement powers. For them to argue that it's still not enough is just unbelievable. It's breathtaking in its hubris."

He said that over the past 15 years — particularly since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks — the standards for warrants have been lowered. And he said law enforcement has many new technologies, ranging from biometric tracking to DNA databases, to enhance its information gathering.

Christopher Calabrese, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that mandating that all communications software be accessible to the government is a "huge privacy invasion."

"Under the guise of a technical fix, the government looks to be taking one more step toward conducting easy dragnet collection of Americans' most private communications," Calabrese said. "This proposal will create even more security risks by mandating that our communications have a 'backdoor' for government use and will make our online interactions even more vulnerable."

http://www.yahoo.com/

Tax Holiday For Energy Efficient Items In Virginia

Virginia is holding its fourth annual tax holiday on energy-efficient products.

Gov. Bob McDonnell said Monday the tax holiday will begin on Oct. 8 and run through Oct. 11.

During that time, residential consumers can save money by buying sales-tax exempt heat pumps, dishwashers, washing machines, insulation, toilets, showerheads and other products.

Items must be priced at $2,500 or less and certified as being energy efficient with the Energy Star and WaterSense designations. Used items, as well as those purchased online, also will be exempt from sales tax.

McDonnell said everyone needs to do their part to use energy more wisely and conserve natural resources.
www.shoredailynews.com

Pocomoke Fire Dept. Battles Blaze On Rehobeth Road

REHOBETH — A fire that damaged three outbuildings at a Rehobeth Road property is under investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal.

The fire at 10:30 a.m. Saturday caused $250,000 in damages to two pole buildings and a masonry outbuilding on property owned by William Beauchamp III. The glow from the fire could be seen miles from the scene.

Some of the buildings housed farm equipment, vehicles, straw and hay.

Other company responding with Pocomoke Fire Dept. were: Girdletree, New Church, Marion, Princess Anne and Stockton.
No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control in two hours.


Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the fire marshal’s Salisbury office at 410-713-3780.

More photos and news about all this wonderful fire department does: http://www.pocomokefire.com/
photos Pocomoke Fire Dept.