Pocomoke Mayor and Council Vote On Sprinkler Installations

POCOMOKE CITY -- The mayor and council voted to opt out of a state regulation requiring the installation of sprinkler systems in new single-family homes in Maryland after Jan. 1.

Instead, the town will offer owners of a new home a rebate on property taxes if they decide to install a sprinkler system. The amount of the rebate will be decided later.

Two-family homes are not affected by the town's decision since they already come under the code that calls for structures with more than one family to have the systems.

Worcester County Commissioners have so far decided to let the state regulations stand, meaning they would go into effect in the new year. But the two newly elected commissioners who were sworn in Tuesday -- Merrill Lockfaw Jr. and Jim Bunting Jr. -- want to revisit the issue.

In Ocean City, the Town Council is on track to clear the way for the state regulations to take effect in the resort.

Other business

Chris B. Derbyshire, representing George, Miles and Buhr, also gave the mayor and council an update this week on the upgrade to the town's sewer plant.

He said work on the upgrade is 82 percent complete. The original completion date was Dec. 29, but an additional 48 days is needed because of a change order in the original contract. Because of the increase in time, the architects requested an additional $32,234 to monitor the construction. The request was approved.

City Manager Russell W. Blake said no local funds will be needed to cover this cost. Derbyshire also said bids should be opened in about two weeks on the UV disinfection project. This addition, costing about $225,000, will disinfect sewage leaving the plant and reduce the cost of operation because it will eliminate the need for chemicals. Again, no local funds will be needed to cover the cost of this project.

www.delmarvanow.com

Off Shore Wind Farms Discussed

A new authority promoting the development of wind farms off Virginia's coast met for the first time, reviewing a raft of reports on the emerging energy source.

The Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority met in suburban Richmond on Tuesday. The authority's eight members represent power companies, people involved in the financing of wind energy and others connected with industries and interests linked to offshore winds.

One report reviewed by authority members included an offshore wind study by Dominion Virginia Power . The study concluded that Dominion's transmission system in the Virginia Beach area can handle a potential interconnection from a large-scale offshore wind facility.
www.shoredailynews.com

Wo. Co. Commissioners Get To Work After Swearing-In Ceremony

SNOW HILL -- The first matter at the Worcester County Commissioners meeting was the swearing-in ceremony for new and seasoned commissioners. Some, such as James Purnell, took the oath for a fifth time and others, like Jim Bunting Jr. and Merrill Lockfaw Jr., were sworn in for their first terms.

"Ladies and gentlemen, are you prepared to take the oath of office for which you were elected," began Stephen Hales, clerk of the court, just before administering the oath to all seven commissioners.

After being sworn in, the commissioners adjourned for a brief recess to take pictures with family and friends, as well as mingle with colleagues and snack, before returning to business as usual.

Following up on a letter sent to commissioners by Lockfaw while he was still a commissioner-elect, members approved a measure to install a truck route in Pocomoke City by a 6-1 vote, with Virgil Shockley voting against it.

Specifically, no through truck traffic of 15,000 pounds or greater gross vehicle weight shall be allowed on Cypress Road, New Bridge Road, Hillman Road, Dun Swamp Road or Tulls Corner Road.

Shockley voiced opposition to the language in the bill, saying there is no way sheriff's deputies will be able to tell a 15,000-pound truck from a 18,000-pound truck from a 12,000-pound truck. He went on to say it would be easier to regulate based on the number of axles a truck has.

"The first ticket they write and someone challenges will end up in court," Shockley said.

County Attorney Sonny Bloxom responded to Shockley's concerns by noting that if the regulations become a problem, commissioners can revisit the bill and amend it as necessary.

The letter, originally sent to commissioners on Oct. 27 by Lockfaw, who served as road superintendent for the county for 19 years, expressed concern about potential damage to local roads and bridges due to trucks hauling from Vulcan materials.

In the letter, he said that if the usage of the roads went unaddressed, it could cost the county $92,000 for bridge repairs or replacement.

Although the agenda for the Dec. 21 meeting has not yet been set, Lockfaw and Bunting said they wish to revisit the possibility of opting Worcester County out of a Maryland law that would require all new homes built after Jan. 1 to contain a residential sprinkler system.
www.delmarvanow.com

Sellers Convicted Of First Degree Arson In Worcester County

A man with no permanent address has been convicted of First Degree Arson from a house fire that occurred on Keyser Point Road in Ocean City back on April 11th. Thomas Sellers was arrested on September 1st. Then earlier this month, Worcester County Circuit Court convicted Sellers of intentionally setting the blaze. A Pre Sentence Investigation has been ordered.
December 6, 2010 – West Ocean City Arson Conviction
Written by Matt Owens

Monday, 06 December 2010 12:45 The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office has been investigating an April 11, 2010 residential house fire at 10359 Keyser Point Road, Ocean City, Maryland in Worcester County. Evidence and information from interviews led to the September 1, 2010 arrest of Thomas W. Sellers, (no permanent address). On December 1, 2010, Worcester County Circuit Court convicted Sellers of First Degree Arson. A Pre Sentence Investigation has been ordered. Anyone with additional questions is asked to contact Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Matthew Owens at 410-632-5666 x 2 or at mowens@wcfmo.orgmowens@wcfmo.org.

www.wgmd.com

First Stage Of Taurus II Rocket Has Arrived At Wallops

WALLOPS -- The 90-foot-long first stage of Orbital Sciences' Taurus II rocket has arrived at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility after a journey that began Oct. 8 in Ukraine, continued across the Atlantic Ocean to Wilmington and finally traveled Delmarva's highways to Wallops.

A team of Ukrainian rocket engineers arrived at Wallops Flight Facility last month in advance of the rocket stage and will be working there on the Taurus II project.

Taurus II's first launch is scheduled for early 2011.

Orbital Sciences was one of two companies awarded a NASA contract for missions to take supplies to the International Space Station after the space shuttle program ends. NASA, in December 2008, awarded the company a $1.9 billion contract for eight missions.

The first Taurus II mission, under a NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement, will be a risk reduction test flight, followed by a demonstration mission to show the vehicle's capability to perform the commercial re-supply missions, which are slated to begin in early 2012.

The first stage core structure is nearly 13 feet in diameter and weighs 29,000 pounds with no fuel in it.

It was transported on a 95-foot-long trailer specially designed by Diamond Heavy Haul Inc. of Shandon, Ohio -- a company that specializes in arranging transportation for unusual supersized cargo -- along Route 13 and Chincoteague Road to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, where it will remain in the payload processing facility until a new horizontal integration facility under construction near the launch pad on Wallops Island is completed.

The stage likely will be moved to the island in January, NASA Wallops Flight Facility spokesman Keith Kohler said.

It was shipped by rail from the city of Dnepropetrovsk in Ukraine to the Black Sea port of Oktyabrsk, from where it was transported by ship to the United States. It arrived at the Port of Wilmington on Nov. 21, but transport to Wallops was delayed for nearly two weeks due to highway restrictions associated with the Thanksgiving holiday.

Two Ukrainian companies, Yuzhnoye and Yuzhmash, designed and manufactured the rocket component, which includes a liquid oxygen tank, a kerosene fuel tank, an intertank assembly and an aft bay where the main engine interfaces with the booster, according to the Orbital Sciences website.

Other aspects of the Taurus II program also are coming together around the world, including the delivery in September of the first Taurus II AJ26 engine to NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, where it is being tested before being sent to Wallops, and the production in Turino, Italy, of the Cygnus cargo modules at the Thales/Alenia Space facility.

The cargo modules will carry up to 4,400 pounds of supplies during missions to the International Space Station. The first payload fairing for the rocket was manufactured in Stockton, Calif., by Applied Aerospace Structures.

www.delmarvanow.com

Who's your Baby's Daddy?

The following are all replies that Detroit women have written on Child
Support Agency Forms in the section for listing 'Father's Details,' or putting it
another way...  Who's your baby's Daddy?  These are genuine excerpts from
the forms.  Be sure to check out #11, it takes 1st prize and #3 is runner up.
 
1.  Regarding the identity of the father of my twins, Makeeshia was
fathered by Maclearndon McKinley I am unsure as to the identity of the father of
Marlinda, but I believe that she was conceived on the same night. 
 
2. I am unsure, as to the identity of the father of my child as I was
being sick out of a window when taken unexpectedly from behind.  I can provide
you with a list of names of men that I think were at the party if this helps. 

3.  I do not know the name of the father of my little girl.  She was
conceived at a party at 3600 East Grand Boulevard where I had sex with a man I met
that night.  I do remember that the sex was so good that I fainted.  If you do
manage to track down the father, can you please send me his phone number?
Thanks... 

4.  I don't know the identity of the father of my daughter.  He drives a
BMW that now has a hole made by my stiletto in one of the door panels.  Perhaps
you can contact BMW service stations in this area and see if he's had it
replaced.

5.  I have never had sex with a man.  I am still a Virginian.  I am
awaiting a letter from the Pope confirming that my son's conception was ejaculate and
that he is the Saver risen again. 

6.  I cannot tell you the name of Alleshia's dad as he informs me that to
do so would blow his cover and that would have cataclysmic implications for the
economy  I am torn between doing right by you and right by the country..
Please advise. 

7.  I do not know who the father of my child was as they all look the same
to me. 

8.  Tyrone Hairston is the father of child A.  If you do catch up with him,
can you axe him what he did with my AC/DC CDs?  Child B who was also borned at
the same time.....  well, I don't have clue.. 

9.  From the dates it seems that my daughter was conceived at Disney World.
 Maybe it really is the Magic Kingdom . 

10.  So much about that night is a blur.  The only thing that I remember
for sure is Delia Smith did a program about eggs earlier in the evening.  If I
had stayed in and watched more TV rather than going to the party at 8956 Miller
Ave, mine might have remained unfertilized. 

11.  I am unsure as to the identity of the father of my baby, after all,
like when you eat a can of beans you can't be sure which one made you fart.

Two Feet of Snow

.















.

Crippen Two Day Trial Begins

SNOW HILL -- The first day of what is expected to be a two-day court trail for Alexander Crippen began with testimony from about a dozen people, including Torrance Davis, whom Crippen is charged with trying to kill.

Crippen is charged with the first- and second-degree attempted murder of Davis, along with first- and second-degree assault charges and other related offenses.

Deputy State's Attorney Michael Farlow and Crippen's attorney, Arthur McGreevy, presented opening statements before Judge Richard R. Bloxom before the state began to call its witnesses.

Davis testified that on the night of the shooting he heard a "boom, then pop, pop, pop, pop."

Police found a Bushmaster assault rifle, AR-15, at 503 Laurel St., about one block away from where the shooting took place.

Davis also testified that he had been at the scene of the shooting for about 10 minutes when, he said, Crippen "just started shooting."

"I think he emptied his clip ... maybe six or seven shots," said Davis. "I seen the fire come out of the gun."

An officer from the Pocomoke City Police Department, who was one of the first officers on the scene, testified that when she asked Davis to tell her who shot Handy, he was unable to.

"As I was tending to the victim, I said, 'If you know who did this,' you need to tell me," the officer testified, indicating she lowered her voice so people standing in the crowd could not hear her. "He just kept saying 'R.J., breathe' ... he didn't answer me or say anything in response to the question."

Crippen was previously charged with the shooting death of Reginald Jerome Handy Jr., Davis's cousin, who was found dead at the scene the night of the events now being discussed at trial. But the charge of murder was dismissed at a pretrial motions hearing last week, leaving the lesser attempted murder and assault charges, which are still felonies.

www.delmarvanow.com

Second Major Fire In Baltimore Within 24 Hours

A five-alarm fire tore through a pair of historic buildings facing Mount Vernon Place early Tuesday, causing heavy damage to restaurants and offices in the heart of the city's cultural district.

The blaze broke out about 1:30 a.m. in the 800 block of Charles Street in a pair of four-story brick buildings that house Donna's Coffee Bar, restaurants Indigma and My Thai, and several offices.

More than 150 firefighters, many of whom had battled a five-alarm fire on The Block earlier in their shift, worked to control the fire.

Swirls of thick smoke were silhouetted against the twinkling holiday lights on the Washington Monument. Shattered glass rained down on the street as firefighters, perched high on ladders, smashed open windows with axes. Flames crackled along the second and fourth floors of the two buildings as window blinds, wooden window casings and papers swirled down to the ground.

It was unclear early Tuesday in which building the fire had originated. The cause of the fire was not known.

Two alarms of fire trucks, engines and other equipment initially arrived at the fire, but three additional alarms were called as the fire raged for more than an two hours. Police spokesman Chief Kevin Cartwright said that two firefighters suffered minor injuries, were treated at the scene and taken to local hospitals for treatment. One woman suffered minor chest pains and a man had a slight knee injury, he said.

Just before 3 a.m., fire commanders could be heard on a fire scanner announcing that flames had gone through the roof and ordering all firefighters out of the buildings.

"Be aware there are houses across the street," a commander said. "Be sure no embers go over there."

Firefighters stood on the roofs of adjacent buildings across Charles Street, prepared to extinguish flames if heavy winds carried them across the street.

State property records indicate the building on the corner dates to 1900 and is owned by the 800 North Charles Street Limited Partnership. It was assessed at $1.7 million this year. The second building is owned by a Connecticut company, TMDSD Inc., and was recently assessed at just under $400,000. That building was constructed in 1995, according to property records.

Despite being blasted with water for hours, the blaze intensified around 4 a.m., leading commanders to call for a fifth alarm. Crews arrived from as far away as Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties and commanders could be heard radioing directions to firefighters unfamiliar with the downtown area.

The fourth-floor windows of the buildings glowed bright orange and flames shot up from the roofs.

Equipment filled at least six blocks surrounding the Washington Monument, with crews arriving at a steady pace. The hum of big trucks, whine of sirens and crackling radio transmissions could be heard in the Mount Vernon neighborhood throughout the early morning.

As of 6:45 a.m., streets were still closed within at least two blocks of the fire. Drivers should avoid Charles Street, which is closed between Centre and Eager Streets, as well as Cathedral Street -- closed between Eager and Madison -- and Madison Street, which is closed between Park Avenue and St. Paul Street.

The MTA has diverted routes 3, 11, 61, 64 at Charles and Centre streets, according to the MTA website. Buses will resume their regular routes at Chase and Charles. The Hopkins shuttle has been rerouted to the alternate northbound stop, which is at St. Paul Street and East Mount Vernon Place.

The cold temperatures complicated the firefighters' work as water from hoses froze. Thick layers of ice coated that the streets made sidewalks slippery. Fire commanders had been calling for a salt truck since around 2:30 a.m.; it did not appear that one had arrived two hours later. Firefighters tumbled on the slick streets and grabbed the sides of trucks to keep from falling.

As of 6:45 a.m., slippery conditions still were apparent in that area.
www.baltimoresun.com

New Worcester County Sheriff And Chief Deputy Sworn In

SNOW HILL -- A standing-room-only crowd watched as, for the first time in more than a decade, a new law enforcement leader took the reins in Worcester County as Sheriff Reggie Mason was sworn in.

Mason, who was elected sheriff in November, was sworn in by Clerk of Court Stephen Hales as Mason's family, sheriff's deputies and a crowd of supporters watched.

"It's an honor to be in front of you," Mason said. "This is a special day for me and my family."

Mason -- a 28-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office who most recently served as chief deputy -- defeated Democratic candidate Bobby Brittingham in last month's election to take over as head of county law enforcement for Charles Martin, who chose not to run for re-election. Mason thanked Martin, who has held the post for 12 years, and said he hoped his health improved so he could do some traveling in his retirement. In January, Martin publicly disclosed he has Lyme disease and cited that as a reason he wouldn't run again.

Mason, a Republican, thanked his array of supporters, many of whom were in the crowded quarters, as well as those who taught him about police work. He said being elected sheriff meant a lot to him, especially since he lost a sister and his father-in-law during the campaign.

He assured those present that he would continue to ride the county's roads day and night.

"I will continue to make Worcester County safe," he said.

In light of recent fatal accidents on Route 113 in Worcester, Mason said the road's safety would be one of his priorities.

"We've got to do something about 113," he said. "The Worcester County Sheriff's Office will be involved."

Following Mason's installment as sheriff, John Dale Smack III was sworn in as chief deputy of the Sheriff's Office. He said he was looking forward to the opportunity.

"I will do the best I can for you," he said.

www.delmarvanow.com

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

When I was a child my Mother would always tell me about Pearl Harbor. She was just a child of 8 years old at the time but she remembered it well. I never understood why she sounded so sad when she spoke about it and it wasn't until I was much older that I realised that Pearl Harbor day must truly have been one of the scariest days in the lives of many Americans.

Here was something so huge happening to America and the only way for Americans to hear of those horrific bombings was to hear the United States President through only medium the radio. The only pictures at the moment were the ones imagined in ones own mind.

Years later when I finally heard the crackling radio broadcast made by President Roosevelt on that day did I finally understand just how dark that day must have been for so many Americans.

And on an odd note, I understood why no Japanese goods were sold in America when I was young (that I ever saw) and why nothing was ever allowed in our home made by the Japanese.

Please give thought today about the men and woman who fought that battle and for those who lost their lives on this day, December 7, 1941, and for the families that lost them. Say a prayer for those in harms way, fighting today to keep FREEDOM in America. ~ jmmb~

President Franklin D. Roosevelt described December 7, 1941, as a “date which will live in infamy.” It was early Sunday morning when Imperial Japanese naval aviation forces attacked Pearl Harbor. 2,400 service men and women lost their lives that day and more than 1,100 were injured during the surprise attack on Hawaii. The event led to the escalation of World War II. The day after the attack, the United States declared war on Japan.

December 7th is known as Pearl Harbor Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Memorial events are held across America in honor of the brave men and women who lost their lives that day and fought for America.
www.examiner.com

Elizabeth Edwards - Gravely Ill

Chapel Hill, N.C. — Elizabeth Edwards' cancer has spread, and her health has deteriorated, her family said in a statement Monday.

Edwards, 61, the estranged wife of former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, was briefly hospitalized recently, but she is now at home, where her family and friends, including John Edwards, are lending their support.

"I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces – my family, my friends and a faith in the power of resilience and hope," Edwards wrote in a message posted Monday on her Facebook page. "These graces have carried me through difficult times, and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that."

Edwards was first diagnosed with cancer in the final weeks of the 2004 presidential campaign, when her husband, who was at the time a U.S. senator from North Carolina, was the Democratic nominee for vice president. The couple didn't disclose her illness until after the election.

The cancer went into remission after months of treatment, but it resurfaced in early 2007, as John Edwards was mounting a second run at the White House. The Edwardses agreed at the time that they wouldn't allow the cancer to derail his candidacy.

Because the cancer had moved into her bones in 2007, her doctors said at that time that it was no longer curable but could be treated.

Doctors now have recommended she not receive further treatment, according to the statement from her family.

Elizabeth Edwards has written two books about how she has overcome adversity in her life, "Resilience" and "Saving Graces."

She and her husband separated about a year ago after more than 30 years of marriage. The split followed John Edwards' affair with a campaign staffer.

The couple has four children: Wade, who died in a vehicle wreck in 1996; Cate, a lawyer in Washington, D.C.; and Emma Claire, 12, and Jack, 10, who both live in Chapel Hill with their mother.

www.wral.com

CHICKEN SALAD IS RECALLED

LOS ANGELES -- The discovery of hard plastic inside packages prompted a nationwide recall of 72,000 pounds of canned chicken salad sold nationwide under several labels.

The Suter Company is recalling 8.2-ounce packages of the "Bumble Bee Lunch on the Run Chicken Salad Complete Lunch Kit" and 3.5-ounce packages of "Bumble Bee Chicken Salad with Crackers," according to a statement released Sunday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

While the company is headquartered in Sycamore, Illinois, its products are sold from coast to coast.

The recalled products -- which have a August 2011 "best-by" date for the lunch kit, and February 2012 corresponding date for the cracker package -- were put together and shipped out to distributors and stores between August 14 and 28 of this year.

The recall was prompted by complaints from people who found pieces of loose plastic inside their Bumble Bee packages.

The federal agency noted in its release that it hasn't received any reports of people getting hurt or sick as a result.

www.wtkr.com

AMBER ALERT For 12-year old Girl

(CNN) -- After finding her mother dead inside their home, police issued an Amber Alert for a 12-year-old Virginia girl who they believe has been kidnapped.

Brittany Mae Smith was last seen "several days ago," according to a Roanoke County statement issued Monday. Police launched a search for Jeffrey Scott Easley, 32, described by authorities as a friend of the dead mother.

"Police have said that the young lady is in extreme danger," said Teresa Hamilton Hall, public information director for Roanoke County.

Roanoke County police went to a Salem, Virginia, residence around 9:30 a.m. Monday after being contacted by concerned co-workers of Tina Smith, the girl's mother. They found the 41-year-old woman's body inside, and police said they were investigating the death as a possible homicide.

Police soon got information that Brittany Smith's whereabouts were unknown, leading them to issue the statewide alert.

"We found out pretty quickly that (Brittany) had not shown up for school. Nobody seemed to know where she was. We're concerned that her disappearance is going to be, at least a good possibility, it has something to do with the homicide," Roanoke County police Lt. Chuck Mason said, according to CNN affiliate WSET of Lynchburg, Virginia.

Virginia's Amber Alert website noted early Monday evening that Easley's car, a 2000 red Chevrolet SUV, has been found. But authorities are still looking for Tina Smith's vehicle, a silver 2005 Dodge Neon four-door sedan with Virginia license plates.

Easley, a 265-pound white male, is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, has brown hair and hazel eyes, the Amber Alert says.

Brittany Smith is 5 feet tall, weighs 100 pounds, and has straight brown hair and brown eyes.

Hall said authorities don't yet have a specific search area, as they are uncertain which direction Easley might be heading or how far he might have gotten. They have asked anyone with information to call 911 or Roanoke County police at 540-777-8641.

www.cnn.com

Immigration Protesters Desecrated US Flag in Arizona

If this doesn't make you mad nothing will. Why didn't we see this on any of the news channels, news papers, any MSM?


I just now learned of this through an email from a friend. I then tried to research it for more information only to find that there's not more than a couple of paragraphs anywhere other than blogs. What a dadgum shame. 


This happened 4 months ago, have you heard anything about it?

This photo was taken at a rally at the state capitol yesterday. The news will not show it and the Capitol Police and Homeland Security would not let Americans or any of the Veterans that were there do anything about it.

PHOENIX - NO AMERICANS OR VETS COULD DO ANYTHING!!! 
 http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/azflag.asp

My husband and his friends were threatened to be arrested and were told they would be booked under federal charges if they did anything. I am sending this to you so that you in turn can start Emailing it to every one on your list. It is totally uncalled for and people need to see it.
This is not about politics and rhetoric, it is about a direct threat to our country. Those of you that don't live in Arizona will maybe get a chance to see the other side of what the news is telling you. If this offends you great, then I have truly accomplished what I set out to do.

I understand that sometimes we don't see eye to eye on certain things, but that is the right our forefathers fought for. I am an American before I am anything else. For those of you who choose to dismiss this. If you believe that this is okay I believe you are a traitor to this country and everything it stands for.
I am not a racist and I am not a Nazi this has nothing to do with race, it has to do with respect to the country that is continually taking you in and turning a blind eye to your agenda.

Homeland Security was designed to identify and defend America from Terrorist acts yet yesterday it let illegal and legal citizens of this country desecrate the Flag.  People were spitting on it, stomping on it and burning it with cigarettes. One soldier who had just returned from Iraq tried to grab the flag and was thrown to the ground by the Capitol Police and Homeland Security.

It amazes me how many people will stand against the American People while all the while prospering from our system and our government. 


Watch and listen



Yes, indeed, the desecration to the American Flag you see in the picture above is illegal. Nobody was punished, however, and nobody will be. The crime of desecrating the American Flag is a federal crime, but the U.S. Government is not willing to enforce the immigration laws, so why would they be willing to prosecute people spray painting and walking on the American Flag who are doing so in support of the illegal aliens the federal government won't go after?

The thing to really consider is if that had been a Mexican flag being desecrated, there would have been an uproar in the press, and the offenders would have been fined and jailed.

No doubt in my mind.

TruthOrFiction.com 

Snopes.com Capture The Flag

Hat Tip; Eric

Ceremonies Take Place This Morning In Snow Hill

Sheriff-elect Reggie T. Mason will be sworn in today as the Sheriff of Worcester County by The Honorable Stephen Hales, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Worcester County.

Following the swearing in of Sheriff-Elect Mason, John Dale Smack III will be sworn in as the Chief Deputy of the Sheriff's Office, followed by the swearing in of the Deputies of the Sheriff's Office.

The ceremonies will be held today, Monday, December 6, 2010 in the County Commissioner' Meeting Room, County Government Center in Snow Hill, Maryland.

Snow Hill will be bustling today with activity.

I'm sure Worcester County citizens are looking forward to the changes that can only make Worcester County an even greater place to live.

CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!

3rd suspect arrested in laxative robbery

Laxatives were probably not what they had in mind.

Early Oct. 26, a group of men forced their way into an apartment in the 1000 block of W. Casino Road. They threatened the people inside with a handgun and struck a man across the head with a crutch, according to court records.

The robbers made off with jewelry, cell phones and prescription medication — but probably not the kind they sought.

“This was not random,” Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said Thursday. “It appeared they were looking for prescription medication, but pretty much all they got were laxatives.”

Police in November arrested two men in connection with the robbery. On Thursday, they picked up a third man in the north Broadway neighborhood, Goetz said.

He was booked into Snohomish County Jail for investigation of first-degree robbery.

The other suspects also were being held for investigation of robbery and other charges.

A judge in Everett District Court on Monday refused to reduce bail for the first two suspects. Both are being held on $100,000 bail.

Bail for the third man was not set Thursday afternoon

VIA: HeraldNet

Pocomoke Crime Reports for the Month of November

Other    12/04/2010    300 Block SECOND STREET    WARRANT

Theft from Vehicle    12/04/2010    UPPER DECK    THEFT LESS THAN $500

Traffic    12/04/2010    SECOND AND CEDAR STREET    (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) MOTOR VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT REQUIRED LICENSE OR PERMIT...

Theft    12/04/2010    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD   

Breaking & Entering    12/03/2010    800 Block MARKET STREET    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Theft    12/03/2010    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT $1,000 - L/T $10,000

Other    12/03/2010    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    WARRANT

Drugs    12/03/2010    800 Block FOURTH STREET    CDS POSSSESSION - NOT MARIJUANA.

Other    12/03/2010    800 Block MARKET STREET    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Traffic    12/02/2010    OCEAN HIGHWAY    FAILURE TO STOP AFTER ACCIDENT INVOLVING DAMAGE TO ATTENDED (VEHICLE, PROPERTY)...

Other    12/01/2010    600 Block MARKET STREET    CHILD NEGLECT

Assault    12/01/2010    500 Block BONNEVILLE AVENUE    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Other    11/30/2010    200 Block BONNEVILLE AVENUE    VIOLATE EXPARTE/PROT ORDER

Other    11/30/2010    NO ADDRESS PROVIDED    ROGUE AND VAGABOND

Theft    11/30/2010    800 Block CEDAR STREET    THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Assault    11/30/2010    200 Block CARSONS COURT    ASSAULT - FIRST DEGREE

Other    11/30/2010    700 Block NINTH STREET    WARRANT

Theft    11/30/2010    1500 Block UNIONVILLE ROAD PO BOX...    THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Theft    11/29/2010    300 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    11/29/2010    WAL MART SUPERCENTER    THEFT $1,000 - L/T $10,000

Weapons Offense    11/29/2010    300 Block SECOND STREET    ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF REGULATED FIREARM

Vehicle Stop    11/27/2010    STOCKTON ROAD AND RT 13    (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) MOTOR VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT REQUIRED LICENSE OR PERMIT...

Weapons Offense    11/26/2010    100 Block NEWTOWNE BOULEVARD    DANGEROUS WEAPON-CONCEAL

Traffic    11/26/2010    800 Block SECOND STREET    PERSON DRIVING M/V ON ROADWAY ON A SUSPENDED OUT OF STATE LICENSE

Other    11/26/2010    600 Block CLARKE AVENUE    DISTURB THE PEACE

Assault    11/26/2010    700 Block CEDAR STREET    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Theft    11/24/2010    100 Block 5 NEWTOWNE BOULEVARD    THEFT LESS THAN $100

Other    11/24/2010    900 Block ACORN CIRCLE    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Family Offense    11/24/2010    1000 Block CEDAR STREET    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Breaking & Entering    11/23/2010    200 Block CARSONS COURT    BURGLARY - FIRST DEGREE

Other    11/23/2010    600 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft from Vehicle    11/23/2010    400 Block A & B WALNUT STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    11/22/2010    700 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $500

Assault    11/22/2010    100 Block FOURTH STREET    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Robbery    11/22/2010    POCOMOKE MARKETPLACE PLAZA    ROBBERY

Theft    11/21/2010    100 Block AMES PLAZA    THEFT $1,000 - L/T $10,000

Vehicle Stop    11/21/2010    ROUTE 13 SOUTHBOUND    PERSON DRIVING M/V ON ROADWAY ON A SUSPENDED OUT OF STATE LICENSE

Other    11/20/2010    LAUREL & SEVENTH STREET    TRESPASS-POSTED PROPERTY

Theft    11/20/2010    700 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Other    11/20/2010    MARKET STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    11/20/2010    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    11/19/2010    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT LESS THAN $100

Vehicle Stop    11/19/2010    800 Block LYNNHAVEN DRIVE    DRIVING VEH. ON HIGHWAY WITH SUSPENDED REGISTRATION

Theft    11/19/2010    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Other    11/18/2010    800 Block LYNN HAVEN DRIVE    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Other    11/18/2010    WAL MART PLAZA    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Assault    11/18/2010    200 Block 12TH STREET    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Theft from Vehicle    11/18/2010    2100 Block POCOMOKE BELTWAY    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft from Vehicle    11/18/2010    1800 Block OLD VA ROAD    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    11/17/2010    1 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft from Vehicle    11/17/2010    900 Block ACORN CIRCLE    THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Other    11/17/2010    700 Block CEDAR STREET    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Other    11/16/2010    1 Block CLARKE AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Other    11/15/2010    RT 13 SB AT VIRGINIA LINE    DRIVER FAILURE TO YIELD RIGHT-OF-WAY AT INTERSECTION YIELD SIGN

Traffic    11/14/2010    RT 13 AT LEWIS AUTO    (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL...

Traffic    11/14/2010    WALMART PLAZA PARKING LOT    (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) MOTOR VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT REQUIRED LICENSE OR PERMIT...

Drugs    11/13/2010    500 Block MARKET STREET    CDS: POSS PARAPHERNALIA

Theft    11/13/2010    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    11/13/2010    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT LESS THAN $100

Other    11/12/2010    1400 Block PRINCESS ANNE LANE    ROGUE AND VAGABOND

Theft from Vehicle    11/12/2010    500 Block FIFTH STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Breaking & Entering    11/12/2010    400 Block WALNUT STREET    BURGLARY - FOURTH DEGREE

Vehicle Stop    11/11/2010    FIFTH STREET    FAILURE TO DISPLAY LICENSE

Theft from Vehicle    11/11/2010    900 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    11/11/2010    500 Block LINDEN STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Assault    11/11/2010    800 Block WHITE OAKS LANE    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Vehicle Stop    11/11/2010    WALMART PLAZA PARKING LOT    DISPLAY EXPIRED REGISTRATION PLATES

Theft from Vehicle    11/09/2010    200 Block 10TH STREET    WILLFUL MOTOR VEHICLE (DAMAGING, TAMPERING) WITHOUT OWNERS CONSENT...

Theft    11/09/2010    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT SCHEME L/T $1,000

Theft from Vehicle    11/07/2010    1 Block CLARKE AVENUE    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    11/07/2010    1 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft from Vehicle    11/07/2010    900 Block MARKET STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Traffic    11/07/2010    FOURTH & LAUREL STREET    DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE

Theft    11/07/2010    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft from Vehicle    11/07/2010    200 Block ELEVENTH STREET    THEFT $1,000 - L/T $10,000
Missing Person    11/06/2010    200 Block BONNEVILLE AVENUE    RUNAWAY

Other    11/05/2010    700 Block MARKET STREET    BURGLARY - FOURTH DEGREE

It's A Cats World Too!

Kittens don't know how to read the warning on step ladders. And they know absolutely nothing at all about painting ceilings nor the amount of time it can take. They just know they have things that need to be done first..............

And if there is anything a kitten knows it's how to give themselves a manicure! P.S. The ceiling did get done.

And after all her hard work.................She takes a catnap! I call it a power nap.

Election Behind Them- New State's Attorneys Prepare For New Duties

PRINCESS ANNE -- Dan Powell, the state's attorney-elect in Somerset County, is preparing for a demanding month in the courtroom when he takes office in January.

Within three weeks, Powell's office will try a first-degree murder case. They will try Jason Joerell Phillips, a 31-year-old Princess Anne man accused of beating his former girlfriend, Melissa Morris, so severely in May that she died of the injuries three months later.

Currently, Powell is juggling his job as an assistant state's attorney in Dorchester County while also developing the framework for the Somerset State's Attorney's Office. Powell contends that Kristy Hickman, the Democratic state's attorney he defeated in the election, hasn't been cooperative with the transition.

"Regardless, I want the residents of the county to know I'm not sitting on my hands waiting for Kristy to reach out to me. I'm doing as much as I can ethically, within the rules of the bar, to get ready," Powell said.

Hickman did not return several calls for comment.

State's attorney shake-up

Powell is one of three Republican state's attorneys on the Lower Shore that will be sworn in Jan. 3. Beau Oglesby will take office in Worcester County after defeating four-term incumbent Joel Todd, and Matt Maciarello will take over in Wicomico County, replacing Davis Ruark, who had been in office since 1987.

A shake-up of top prosecutors concentrated in one region is unusual. Statewide, only seven of the 24 state's attorney's offices won't have an incumbent returning, and that's counting the three new prosecutors on the Lower Shore.

Awaiting the new state's attorneys is batch of important cases, ranging from murder trials and rape cases to cases involving armed robberies, first-degree assault and drug transactions.

Adam Hoffman, a political analyst with Salisbury University, said the Republican sweep of Lower Shore state's attorney elections can be attributed to the anti-incumbent mood that swept much of the nation. He also said Republicans often have a built-in advantage in prosecutorial races because of the GOP's reputation as the law-and-order party.

"And as people are more concerned about the rising crime rates on certain parts of the Eastern Shore, Salisbury and whatnot, they may turn to what they perceive as representative from a party that might be able to do a better job," he said.

Starting early on the job

No case has a higher profile than April's death penalty trial of Thomas Leggs Jr. in Cecil County. He is accused of kidnapping, molesting and murdering 11-year-old Sarah Foxwell of Salisbury.

"This case is so involved that it needs the time and attention of at least two full-time attorneys," Maciarello said.

Maciarello got a head start on the case when Ruark swore him in as the deputy state's attorney Nov. 8. Under that status, Maciarello can receive privileged information about any case. He's traveled to Cecil County to participate in the Foxwell case's discovery hearings. The hearings determine what evidence will be admitted for the case.

There are four additional murder cases pending in the Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office, not to mention several unsolved murders under investigation.

Maciarello said he won't shake up how the cases are prosecuted. That goes for the first-degree murder trial of Kenneth Lee Burke Jr., who is accused of killing his girlfriend, Taheerah Sabr, in August by shooting her twice in the head. No date has been set for the trial.

"All these cases have been pending for some time. Those assistant state's attorneys will handle them. I have no plans to reassign them," Maciarello said.

Maciarello said he's focused his attention on wrapping up his partnership at Hearne & Bailey in Salisbury. But that hasn't stopped him from diving into the administrative duties in the State's Attorney's Office.

With Ruark's blessing, Maciarello has begun reviewing the office's $1.75 million budget, scheduling attorney case loads for January and meeting with his staff, individually and as a group.

Ruark said he hasn't explored his career options in depth because his focus right now is on the Foxwell case. Maciarello has offered Ruark the chance to be the lead counsel in the case.

"I am committed to Sarah's case above all else," Ruark said.

Putting politics aside

Worcester County State's Attorney Joel J. Todd said the campaign against Beau Oglesby was "a long, hard battle." With that behind them, the two share a common goal: pursuing justice in hundreds of pending cases, including four murder trials.

"When I took the oath of office, in my opinion, that includes getting the next person ready, whether I pass the baton voluntarily or the voters decide it's time for someone else," Todd said.

Oglesby said he and Todd have met several times to discuss the job, personnel matters and upcoming cases.

"There's a bigger issue and that's public safety and the effective and successful prosecution of cases," Oglesby said. "I've got nothing but favorable things to say about not only Joel, but his entire office in the way the transition is going. We'll be ready. I'm as intimate as you could be with the cases at this point."

Oglesby's office, not Todd's, will handle the Feb. 8 murder trial in the death of Christine Sheddy. A 20-year-old Texas man, Justin Michael Hadel, is accused of killing Sheddy, who first went missing in 2007 and whose remains were found this February.

When asked if his successor would be ready for the demands of the job, Todd instead reflected on his own career.

"I hadn't been on the job a week before I realized there was a lot more to being state's attorney than when I was the deputy," he said. "I suspect that's true of anybody that takes over."

Oglesby, 41, leaves his job as deputy state's attorney for Caroline County to take over in Worcester. He has spoken with Maciarello and Powell about formalizing a Lower Shore collaboration of law enforcement that would meet to share information among task forces, combined criminal units and child advocacy centers.

Todd has no major trials pending in his remaining three weeks. He said he has no idea what his next move will be, saying it's too early to tell, but promised he won't run for public office again.

In Somerset, Powell said he is "disappointed" that Hickman and he aren't having a smooth transition with the office. But that hasn't stopped Powell from working on the office. He's selected Edmund L. Widdowson Jr. as his assistant state's attorney. Powell said Widdowson has 30 years of experience and will make a great deputy state's attorney.

"It's my ship now," Powell said. "I will take an active role in the cases."

www.delmarvanow.com

Warmth........

Who needs a Snuggy to keep you warm......

When there is someone within reach to snuggle with?

Santa Pictures

          Santa is coming to It's a Shore Thing Photography on Dec. 11th from 11:00 to 3:00. Pets are welcome.
                             Get (1) 8x10 or (2) 5x7 for $10.00.
Across from Bonnie's Bounty in New Church, in the former Nascar building which is now our new studio.              
                 For more info. call 757-894-9637 or 757-894-1104.

Ben Sifrit Denied Latest Appeal By Federal Judge

OCEAN CITY – Convicted killer Benjamin Sifrit, who, along with his wife Erika, brutally murdered a Virginia couple vacationing in Ocean City on Memorial Day weekend in 2002, this week had his latest attempt at an appeal shot down by a federal court judge.

After U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett struck down Sifrit’s bid for a new trial in late October, the convicted killer embarked on a new path, filing an appeal last week with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth District, using the same basic argument as his earlier attempts.

Throughout the lengthy appeal process, Sifrit has argued he was denied his right to due process because prosecutors presented inconsistent theories against he and his wife during their separate trials in 2003. Essentially, Sifrit argued prosecutors used slightly different versions of the same facts during the two trials in order to get convictions for both defendants.

After his latest appeal was denied on Oct. 21 at the U.S. District Court level, Sifrit quickly filed an appeal for relief from the higher U.S. Court of Appeals, arguing the same basic premise.

However, Judge Bennett this week issued an order denying Sifrit the “certificate of appealability” needed to move forward with his appeal to the higher court.

“A habeas petitioner has no absolute entitlement to appeal a district court’s denial of his motion,” the judge’s order reads. “A certificate of appealability may issue only if the applicant has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right. A petitioner must demonstrate that reasonable jurists would find the district court’s assessment of the constitutional claims debatable or wrong.”

In his order, Bennett said Sifrit had not met the requirements for the court to issue the certificate. However, he did not entirely close the door on any future appeal.

“This court will not issue a certificate of appealability because Sifrit has not made the requisite showing,” the judge’s order reads. “Denial of a certificate of appealability does not prevent Sifrit from seeking a certificate of appealability from the appellant court.”

In April 2003, Benjamin Sifrit was convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and accessory after the fact for his part in the killing of Martha Crutchley in an Ocean City condominium on Memorial Day weekend in 2002 and was sentenced to 38 years in jail. His wife, Erika, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Joshua Ford, and second-degree murder in the death of Crutchley in a separate trial in Frederick, Md. that same year and was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years.
By: Shawn J. Shoper
www.mdcoastdispatch.com

'Old-Fashioned Christmas' Parade On Chincoteague Tonight

Chincoteague Island Old Fashioned Christmas Parade
Saturday December 4, 2010 Beginning at 7:00 PM

Nighttime parade featuring fire trucks, floats, horses, antique autos, and marching groups. Parade will begin on Main Street /Maddox Blvd. intersection and end at the Chincoteague fire house where Santa will be on hand.

Refreshments will be served and trophies and monetary prizes will be awarded.

Prizes will be given to winners in commercial, noncommercial, junior marching groups, equestrian units, marching bands, decorated boats and miscellaneous.

The very best in the nights event will receive the Judges' Award.

Yellow Cab In "It's A Wonderful Life" On Display

For me this is one of two greatest classic Christmas movies! It's good to know that the yellow cab George was chauffeured around in on the night of finding "new hope" is now restored and is now available for its first public viewing.

In the classic Christmas movie " It's a Wonderful Life," the angel Clarence tells Jimmy Stewart's character, George Bailey: "Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"

Now George Bailey can touch your life too, thanks to Italian jewelry retailer and famed car collector Nicola Bulgari, who's having the America on Wheels museum in Allentown display a prop from the 1946 movie: the Yellow Cab that taxi driver Ernie uses to shuttle George around Bedford Falls.

The 1930 GMC Yellow Cab was in parts when Bulgari bought it in May 2008 from an elderly California man who had long intended to restore it.

After 21/2 years of work, the car arrived at the museum last Friday, driven from Bulgari's garage in Allentown on its first voyage under its own power in decades, said Keith Flickinger, Bulgari's curator. It will be displayed through December in the lobby of the museum, which also is showing the film.

Museum Executive Director Linda Merkel said it was Bulgari's idea to have the museum give the restored cab its first public viewing.

"We're very, very lucky to have such a wonderful collector who believes the museum is a jewel," Merkel said. Several other vehicles from Bulgari's collection of 1930s and '40s classic American-made vehicles were on display at the museum earlier this year and he has become a staunch supporter of the facility.

When the car's restoration was nearly complete, Bulgari suggested displaying the taxi for the holidays.

"It's a Wonderful Life" has been voted the No. 1 most inspirational American film of all time and No. 11 Greatest American Movie of All Time by the American Film Institute. A staple of Christmastime television around the world, it tells the story of how George Bailey, on the brink of suicide, finds redemption and new hope after the angel shows him what the world would have been like without him.

The taxi is in several of the film's important scenes, such as when George and his bride, Mary ( Donna Reed), are smooching on their honeymoon and see the run on the town's bank from the cab's rain-streaked windows.

The yellow-and-black taxi is built on a truck chassis marked "GMC" — Flickinger noted GMC owned Yellow Cab and produced its vehicles as a separate line. The doors are emblazoned with "Yellow Cab Co." and list rates of 15 cents for the first half-mile and 5 cents for each additional mile.

The roomy back seat and a meter beside the single front seat are intact and original, Flickinger said. But work was needed on the car's straight-8-cylinder Buick engine, and other parts of the car were missing, Flickinger said. Its exhaust system, for example, is new. There are scratches and rust beneath the paint on its doors, but Flickinger said those flaws won't be fixed.

"We will not restore the outside," he said. "You would lose the patina, the continuity, the heart and soul of the vehicle. This way the pedigree, it stays alive."

Flickinger said the cab's existence was well-known among collectors, but the owner for years declined to part with it. Finally, at 82, he decided he wasn't likely to ever restore it and sold it, Flickinger said.

In addition to the restoration, the 21/2 years was spent substantiating the taxi's lineage — researching documents and collecting evidence it was the car used in the movie, Flickinger said.

He said Bulgari intends to eventually take the cab to New York and "have fun," driving it around and transporting Bulgari and his companions as any taxi would.

Merkel said more than 1,000 people have toured the museum since the taxi's arrival, and "people already are reacting to it — sitting and talking about the movie. Everyone has a story."

America on Wheels will show "It's a Wonderful Life" at 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday in the museum's Amp Theatre/South Gallery, and at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Dec. 17 and Dec. 28 as part of "Oldies but Goodies" days, with free coffee for all seniors. "It's a Wonderful Life" also will be sold in the museum's gift shop.

www.mcall.com

One Year In Jail For Marijuana Possession In Worcester County

SNOW HILL -- Darnell Kelley will spend one year in prison and three years on supervised probation after pleading guilty to possessing drugs with the intent to distribute them.

Kelley was charged with felonies in May after police found 75 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of the rental car he was driving during a traffic stop.

"My client was by no means the only one involved," said James V. Anthenelli, Kelley's lawyer, saying the Infiniti Kelley drove was rented by Kelley's father, Modis L. Chandler, who was in the car when police stopped the vehicle for speeding.

Anthenelli said he was "very pleased" with Circuit Court Judge Richard R. Bloxom's decision to suspend four years of Kelley's five-year sentence, which will be served in the Worcester County Detention Center.

"This is my client's first criminal offense," said Anthenelli. He presented tax return records to the court, showing Kelley had a steady income in 2007 and 2008 until the "wheels fell off the bus" after he became unemployed.

Kelley, 24, and Chandler, 40, both of Newport News, Va., were traveling south on Route 113 near Old Virginia Road when they were stopped for speeding.

Maryland State Police called in a K-9 unit, which alerted police to the trunk of the car, where they found 75 pounds of marijuana in two gym bags, according to court records.

Worcester County Assistant State's Attorney Julie Guyer presented the case in front of Bloxom on Thursday. She declined to comment on Kelley's sentencing because charges against Chandler are still pending.

Chandler, who is charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, possession of marijuana and possession of a large amount of marijuana with intent to distribute, is scheduled to attend a criminal motions hearing on Jan. 7 followed by a jury trial on Jan. 12.

www.delmarvanow.com

Body Discovered On Assateague Still Unidentified

(Dec. 3, 2010) Investigators are still trying to determine the identity of a man whose body washed up on Assateague Island four weeks ago.

A park ranger found the body Nov. 6 while patrolling a remote stretch of Assateague Island National Seashore near the north end of the island. The body was badly decomposed and clad only in a pair of jeans and a belt when it was found in the surf.

Cpl. Jon Johnson of the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation, the lead detective working the case, said the body did not match any current missing persons cases from the area.

Investigators continue to check with law enforcement agencies in the region when new missing persons reports are made. Johnson said no new reports filed in the weeks since the body was found matched the description.

Police described the body as an adult white male, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing between 140 and 160 pounds.

The body was clothed in Levis denim blue jeans and a black Patagonia belt.

The body was sent to Baltimore for an autopsy at the Medical Examiner’s Office to make an identification and to determine the cause of death.

The condition of the body when it was found prevented police from determining whether foul play was involved.

The medical examiner has not yet completed the examination of the body so police are still waiting for those results, Johnson said Tuesday.

The area where the body was found is considered one of the most remote areas of the park, located almost seven miles north of the state park and two kilometers south of the Ocean City Inlet.

The area can only be reached by boat from Ocean City or by traveling along the sand in a vehicle.

www.oceancitytoday.net

Three of 4 Accused of Robbing Convenience Store From Virginia

WILLARDS, Md.- Police in Wicomico County have arrested four suspects accused of robbing a Willards convenience store late Wednesday night.

Jordan Jamar Criner, 23, of Berlin; Dalton Earl Entzminger, 17, of Accomack, Va.; Akeem Samir Mason, 17, of Painter, Va., and Takeyah La'Day Mason, 23, of Melfa, Va., are charged with robbery, conspiracy and related offenses.

Shortly before midnight, troopers from the Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack responded to a reported armed robbery that had just occurred at the Dash In located on 7201 Main St. While this was happening, a deputy with the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office was on patrol in the area of Willards when he observed two males run from the Dash In and get into a vehicle that quickly drove away.

Police say the deputy stopped the vehicle with the suspects inside and observed cash on the floor of the vehicle and numerous cartons of cigarettes in its passenger compartment, which matched what was stolen from the Dash In.

According to police, the clerk from the Dash In was able to positively identify two of the occupants of the vehicle as the suspects who had robbed him a short time before and who had stolen cash and cigarettes during the robbery.

Detectives with the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation, which took over the case, say a further investigation indicated that all four suspects were also potentially involved in a convenience store robbery that had occurred earlier in the evening in Worcester County.

Detectives also obtained video surveillance from the Dash In. All four suspects were turned over to Wicomico County Central Booking for processing. Both juveniles were charged as adults due to the nature of the offenses.

Anyone with additional information pertaining to this or any other investigation is asked to contact the WBI at (410) 548-4898 or Crime Solvers at (410) 548-1776.

www.wboc.com