FIELD NOTES By Delegate Mike McDermott

Observations and Reflections on Legislative Activities

By Delegate Mike McDermott

February 28st-March 4th, 2011

• Monday afternoon a joint hearing of the Judiciary and HGO (Health and Government Operations) Committees on the Medical Marijuana bill. As proposed, the bill would allow for the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in Maryland and would establish a permitting and growing process by the government. It would also establish strict rules governing the prescription process by the medical community. The hearing was beneficial and many questions were asked, but some of the issues remain very complex. There is great concern that Maryland would become like California and also about how the permitting process would actually function for growing marijuana for medical purposes. At the hearing, I presented by amendment to the bill which would provide that use of marijuana for medical purposes could only be done through vaporization, ingestion, pill form, injection, or by any doctor approved medical device. This would restrict marijuana from being smoked and would insure that it is utilized through best medical practices. The bill has a long way to go, but it is on the way.

• Tuesday morning during session, it was announced that the Judiciary Committee would meet immediately after the close of business for a vote on SB-116, the Gay Marriage Bill. Well, we all showed up…except for two missing democrats…and we waited to vote. It became clear after about 15-minutes that the missing delegates had gotten the Wisconsin flu and had flown the coop. Of course, we demanded to vote on the bill but were told by the Chairman that he wanted to wait until the other two delegates could be present. Clearly, he knew he did not have th votes he needed to pass the bill out of committee. We waited an hour to vote that day, but it never happened.

• On Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee conducted hearings on the following bills:

1. HB-408: This bill seeks to address a gap in identity fraud where criminals use false names to create fictitious identities. This has become a new form of identity theft being utilized to defraud businesses of millions.

2. HB-484: This bill seeks to correct an omission from compliance with the Federal mandates of Jessica’s Law by creating a Sex Offender Registry for Juvenile Offenders. This is required for Maryland to come into compliance and not place federal funds received from the Department of Justice at risk. It is not required that the Juvenile Registry be available to the public, but it would be accessible by the Criminal Justice system and the registrants would be required to comply with registration monitoring the same as adult offenders. There was a lot of discussion on this issue and some on the committee struggle with treating juveniles in the same way we deal with adults. There may be a compromise that will work for all members, but we will have to see how this one works out.

3. HB-507: This bill seeks to require law enforcement agencies to report on any deployment or use of an Electronic Control Device, commonly called a tazor or stun gun. This legislation is part of an attempt by some to thwart the use of these devices in Maryland by placing burdensome restrictions on their availability and use by law enforcement and civilians. This bill would treat these weapons differently than any other weapon utilized by law enforcement, and I do not see it coming out of the committee with a favorable ruling.

4. HB-568: This bill seeks to ban the use of any proceeds from drug trafficking from being utilized by a defendant to secure legal representation. The law already prohibits the use of ill gotten gain from being used to compensate to knowingly be received by an attorney for compensation, but it currently exempts money from drug sales. Go figure! This law would make it a crime to do so and was met with opposition by some on the committee who took exception to the notion that this practice was ongoing in Maryland. As the committee is composed of be many trial lawyers, I doubt this one finds its way to the House floor for a vote.

5. HB-588: This bill seeks to ban the use of portable scanning devices by criminals who use them to gather credit card information when they are simply in close proximity to a potential victim. We saw a display of how criminals use these devices to simply retrieve credit card information by simply standing near an unknowing victim. This is a relatively new method and it was hoped by the sponsors that the committee would allow law enforcement to be proactive with this law. The committee appeared to like the law, but the Chairman was skeptical at this point.

6. HB-594: This is my bill which would require a certain category of Top Tier Sex Offenders to be monitored by GPS technology by law enforcement. The hearing went well, and the only hold up is in the cost of implementation. I am working with Parole and Probation to see if something can be worked out within the current law to accommodate the provisions of this bill. The only opposition was from, of course, two registered sex offenders. Of course, they painted themselves as “victims” and did not feel this approach was needed.

7. HB-663: This is a simple bill which would make it a crime to commit a crime of violence in the presence of a minor. This would be an add on charge, but it would address the egregious way some of our children are traumatized by adults.

8. HB-682: This bill seeks to require bail bonding companies to pay the full bonds of defendants that fail to appear for trial on a sooner rather than later time table. Many of the bondsmen came to testify about how this type of legislation would injure their business and attempted to show how they currently comply and the system, in their opinion, is not broken. After listening to testimony, it is clear that this is a very competitive business where bondsmen are undercutting each other on a regular basis to garner customers. There was concern expressed for companies which only require a person to pay 1% of the bond as a fee.

9. HB-781: This bill would extend the prohibitions on the drug Salvia so it could not be sold or marketed in Maryland for adults. It is already illegal for juveniles. It would not make possession a crime, but it would eliminate distribution within the state. As Salvia is not on the federal DEA list, I am not sure if this one will be leaving the committee with a favorable ruling.

10. HB-845: This bill seeks the banning of the drug Mephedrone. This is another synthetic drug being utilized form frequently in the state, but it has not been placed on the federal DEA list. The committee tries to work with the federal banning list as this allows for a seamless application of the law. The federal government also conducts intense studies and testing to determine if a substance should be on the controlled substance list. I believe there will be a “wait and see” approach on Medthedrone.

• On Wednesday, we had been working behind the scenes in reaching out to any democrats on the committee who may be having a change of heart about the Gay Marriage Bill. We talked about Civil Marriage amendment issues and the like with the focus on preserving the definition of marriage as it is today. We seemed to gain some ground and it looked like we had two votes coming over, but the pressure was being well placed from the Democratic side of the aisle. I saw the Speaker of the House come into our Committee Room on more than one occasion that day, and he was not happy. There were numerous visits by the highest ranking members of the House as they caucused with the hold out democrats who desired to “vote their conscience” on the matter. Sadly for them, their “conscience” had little to do with the desire of the leadership…it was just getting in the way. There would be no vote today either.

I have to give a tip of the hat to Delegate Mike Smigiel and Delegate Don Dwyer. They both led the opposition effort in the Judiciary Committee and it was their actions that helped delay the vote and kept the liberals off their game.

• On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee conducted a hearing on the following bills:

1. HB-574: This bill would provide for punitive damages against a certain category of “high risk drunk drivers”. Those favoring the bill believe it would allow for monetary punishment of these drivers on a civil basis beyond the damages caused. While this seemed like a good idea, it was quite clear following testimony that this would undoubtedly result in higher insurance premiums for all Marylanders were it enacted.

2. HB-729: This bill seeks to preserve the rights of Marylanders who may sign onto a Class Action Agreement without full knowledge of their actions. It would tend to make these types of agreements unenforceable in many instances.

3. HB-765: This bill seeks to require the State of Maryland to claim the surplus funds established and held by the Attorney Grievance Commission and use them for general government purposes when those funds exceed a certain level. The account is currently at over 10 million dollars, but is apparently being addressed by the commission.

4. HB-797: This bill would require proper investigations be conducted on judges and other officers of the court when a complaint is filed and found to have merit. Following testimony, it was clear that there is general reluctance for these type of cases to move forward as a general rule. We heard some egregious testimony of alleged improprieties by more than one victim concerning officers of the court.

5. HB-921: This would require insurance carriers to divulge the amount of coverage liability a plaintiff in a court case may have during prelitigation hearings. There was disagreement on the impact of this type of disclosure as to whether it would help or hurt the process.

6. HB-1120: This bill would allow for civil claims to be filed against those who sell or furnish alcohol to individuals who wind up damaging property or injuring another party as a result of their intoxication. It seems the bill would take away from individual responsibility and place more on restaurant and bar owners who may be unwitting victims themselves of a previously intoxicated patron. This is a bill which would drive up the cost of doing business in Maryland through the need for greater insurance premiums.

7. HB-1126: This bill seeks to make provisions for jurors in Baltimore City to receive some type of parking compensation. I guess the delegate thinks the rest of Marylanders should pay for Baltimore City jurors to park their cars. Well, why not? Don’t we pay for everything else over there? There is also a companion bill to this one, HB-1136 which seeks to increase the amount of money paid by Baltimore City for those performing their civic duty. It would further require all employers to provide paid leave time for those serving on jury duty in Baltimore City. My thought is, if Baltimore City wants these things, let them pay the bill. The state is broke.

8. HB-1129: This bill would define Contributory Negligence in Maryland. There is great concern by the business community and those practicing law in Maryland that certain recent inquiries and actions taken by Chief Judge Bell of the State District Court seem to indicate his desire to see the age old definition altered. There were many arguing and pleading for the General Assembly to take action rather than wait for the Judicial Branch of the government to legislate from the bench. I am not sure if we will get a chance to vote this one out, but I sure hope we do.

• On Thursday, when we showed up for our committee session, again several delegates were missing in action. It became abundantly clear that these freshmen democrats were holding firm, but one of them was beginning to cave to pressure. It became clear, as the day wore on, that we would not be voting on SB-116 today either.

• On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee held the following hearings:

1. HB-162: This bill would create a criminal penalty for Child Neglect whereas, till now, this has only been applied civilly by the Department of Social Services as a means of action. This bill was presented by Lt. Governor Brown and his task force. It was generally well received, but was too broad and left a lot of things to be worked out before it could be passed. As a result, a subcommittee was created by the Chairman to study the bill and recommend changes to the full committee. I was honored to be selected as a member of the subcommittee and we will meet next week to address the issues in the bill with the Lt. Governor.

2. HB -407: This bill seeks to create a specific charge of cruelty to animals during an incident of domestic violence. While this may be a problem area, it was thought that there was ample law in place to address this issue.

3. HB-510: This bill seeks to enhance the penalties ascribed to the charges involving stalking and other forms of harassment. We heard from two victims who provided compelling testimony on the need to get tough. I will be offering an amendment to this bill which would provide that District Court Commissioners could not release a person on bond who is charged with violating the provisions of a Peace or Ex-Parte Order.

4. HB-582: This bill seeks to broaden the definition of harassment to include electronic communications and applications. This would include social media sites, emails, text messages and the like. This bill was well received.

5. HB-667: This bill would provide that a Final Peace Order could be up to one year as opposed to the current limit of 6-months.

6. HB-819: This bill would include “strangulation and suffocation” under the current criminal definition of a “serious physical injury”. We received testimony which indicated that this type of injury often is underreported and not obvious to investigators, although it can be a very serious medical issue for the victim.

7. HB-859: This bill would broaden the use of out of court statements made by a victim of child abuse. It would allow caseworkers and counselors to testify as to hearsay evidence of a victim. During discussion, it was agreed that the language of the bill needed to be tightened up and amended before it would pass out of committee.

8. HB-872: This bill would require GPS tracking of Respondents under the decree of a Final Protection Order. This bill met with stiff opposition as the government would be tracking individuals who are not charged with a criminal act. I do not believe this one is coming out of committee. It was interesting to me that the ACLU showed up to protest the GPS tracking of Sex Offenders, but were a no show in this instance.

9. HB-968: This bill has been named, “Justice’s Law” by the sponsor in honor of the child who was murdered and charged under the Child Abuse statutes. Under the law, the defendant could only receive a maximum sentence of 30-years. This bill seeks to provide the judge the ability to sentence a defendant up to Life in prison if convicted. This bill makes a lot of sense and certainly would find application in the courts when it comes to sentencing bad guys.

10. HB-1018: This bill seeks to provide an applicable distance in a Protective Order issued by a court whereby a Respondent could not come within a designated distance of the Petitioner. After hearing testimony, this seemed to be more of a problem with court interpretation of the current law rather than a loop hole being exploited.

11. HB-1019: This bill seeks to create and define “reasonable corporal punishment” in Maryland. It was interesting to me as this bill was being proffered by advocates who believe this type of parental punishment should be banned in Maryland. Parents need to keep their radar up on bills such as these that seek to take away or limit their ability to correct their children in the way they deem appropriate. Abuse should never be tolerated, but these folks would eliminate spanking altogether if you gave them the chance.

• On Friday morning, the Eastern Shore Delegation met with several folks from the shore including representatives from the Salisbury Zoo. They provided us with information packets on updates and the pending expansion of their facilities as well as their ongoing capital campaign. They are seeking a bond grant of $200,000.00 (state debt) for an Animal Health Clinic and a new Visitor/Environmental Center. Zoo Director Joel Hamilton did a nice job presenting their progress and expressing their need for support. Del. Conway and Del. Cane have already forwarded a bond bill to address the request for funding.

Also making a presentation were folks from the Teackle Mansion in Somerset County. They are also engaged in a major renovation project and are attempting to secure some funding from the state through a bond bill. They recently completed work involving the replacement of their HVAC system and are now working on the interior restoration.

The more lively discussion we had at the meeting came from the various representatives from several Local Management Boards across the shore. We heard specifically from Caroline County’s board as well as Dorchester County. These boards assist local government in distributing funds for various programs providing services to children in our communities. Over the past two years, the administrative funding for these programs has been greatly reduced by the state and they have struggled to maintain personnel so as to adequately manage their programs. The boards were complaining that they have funding which they should be able to access to help cover these administrative costs while times are bad in the economy and their funding sources are so depleted. Rosemary King, the Executive Director with the Governor’s Office for Children was also in attendance and spoke to the delegation about the expressed concerns. She clearly sent a message that the available funds must be used for programs and not address administrative costs. She felt strongly that they had gone the extra mile in the past two fiscal years to allow the various boards to adjust their spending and personnel needs to meet the new normal and she was disinclined to make any further provisions for future requests. The exchange was back and forth with ideas being offered and it appears we will continue to negotiate with her office on ways to assist the LMB’s as they continue to provide these much needed services to our folks back home.

• Friday, the drama surrounding the committee vote on Gay Marriage came to a head. The bottom line is, the democratic leadership was able to stiff arm the votes they needed in the committee to get it to the floor, so they quickly scheduled the vote Friday afternoon. There was a spirited debate from both sides, but I believe the compelling arguments were with those in opposition to the passage of SB-116. There were so many television cameras in the committee room, you could see little else. Clearly we were a divided committee. The Republicans on the committee were joined by three (3) Democrats in opposition, while those in favor were all Democrats. The final vote was cast by the Chairman to pass the bill on to the House floor.

I watched and participated all week long as our committee members worked to sway votes. I can tell you that if those votes were cast by secret ballot, there would have been several more “no” votes cast on Friday and it would have been defeated. On the floor when the entire House votes next week, I believe one or more of our committee members who voted for the bill will vote against it for Third Reader. I also do not believe the supporters of SB-116 have the needed votes for passage at the present time. The floor debate will, no doubt, be long and arduous. In the end, it would have always been better to let the voters decide at the polls in 2012; and, if the vote is favorable in the House, I’m quite sure the bill will be petitioned to referendum in Maryland.

I have to say after this week, the meetings were long and exhausting and the Eastern Shore never looked so good as when I crossed that bridge late Friday afternoon.

Afghan President Rejects US Apology Over Killings

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan's president on Sunday rejected a U.S. apology for the mistaken killing of nine Afghan boys in a NATO air attack and said civilian casualties are no longer acceptable.

According to a statement from his office, Hamid Karzai told Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan, that expressing regret was not sufficient in last week's killing of the boys, ages 12 and under, by coalition helicopters.

NATO has also apologized for the mistaken killings. Civilian casualties from coalition operations are a major source of strain in the already difficult relationship between Karzai's government and the United States, and they generate widespread outrage among the population.

"President Karzai said that only regret is not sufficient and also mentioned that civilian casualties during military operations by coalition forces is the main reason for tension in relations between Afghanistan and United States," the statement said. "It is not acceptable for the Afghan people anymore. Regrets and condemnations of the incident cannot heal the wounds of the people."

The killing of the nine boys took place on March 1 in the Pech valley area of Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan.

Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, who directs day-to-day operations of coalition forces across Afghanistan, later issued a video statement of apology.

Hundreds of people from a left-wing political party marched through Kabul to protest U.S. military operations and demanded the withdrawal of foreign troops

They chanted "death to America, death to the American government" and carried pictures of Afghans killed or wounded in recent airstrikes. They burned an effigy of Obama.

TO READ MORE GO HERE>>

Muslims Call for Demolition of Statue of Liberty

If flying jets full of innocent civilians into the World Trade Center wasn't perfectly symbolic of Islam's relationship to America, how about this — Muslims are calling for the demolition of the Statue of Liberty. From Shariah 4 America:

The Statue of Liberty, designed by Frederic Bartholdi, stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor; representing Libertas, the Roman (false) goddess of Freedom, it is symbolic of the rebellious nature of the US constitution that elevates the command of man over the command of God.

In Islam, the public veneration of idols and statues is strictly prohibited. This has forced sincere Muslims to develop realistic plans that will aid in the removal of the Statue of Liberty.

Due to the scale of the task at hand, it is highly likely that rigorous safety checks will need to be employed before the demolition of the Statue of Liberty can commence; thus as a temporary measure, it is proposed that a large burkha is used to cover the statue, thereby shielding this horrendous eye sore from public view as well as sending a strong message to its French creators.

Post demolition, it is recommended that a minaret be built as a fitting replacement, allowing the glorification of God to be proclaimed daily as well as act as a powerful reminder of the superiority of Islam over all other ways of life.

It reads like a joke at the expense of Islamic arrogance, but the site actually seems to be on the level. Not that this will dissuade any liberals from reflexively siding with Muslims against the Americans they want to kill or enslave.

VIA:Moonbattery.com>>

Teen rises to fame channeling Johnny Cash

Summary

Discovered singing on a Seattle street, Vince Mira, 15, is a somewhat shy kid who looks uncomfortable during a TV interview. But when he steps up to the microphone to sing Johnny Cash's classic "Ring of Fire," the result is downright spooky. He performs the song in this Good Morning America segment.




VIA: KATU.com

Hat Tip; REE

MD. State Police Looking For Hit and Run Driver

Maryland State Police from the Berlin Barracks are looking for the public’s help after a disabled Vietnam veteran was hit by an SUV while walking his dog on Route 113 in Pocomoke City.

Paul Hudson, 71, was walking his dog near Smitty’s Garage on Route 113 when he was hit by a black SUV and knocked out of his wheelchair. Hudson was helped back into his wheelchair, his dead dog placed into his lap and left. He was taken to PRMC in Salisbury to be treated for his injuries. Hudson’s dog was killed in the accident.

HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES, REQUEST PUBLICS HELP

CASE # MVAR 1196001255

DATE & TIME: 3/5/11 2:50 – 3:00 PM

LOCATION: Southbound US 113 at Smitty’s Garage

VEHICLE / OPERATOR #1. Unknown Black Sports Utility Vehicle

INJURIES & TRANSPORTED LOCATION:

Paul Franklin Hudson Sr, 71 YOA of Pockomoke, MD

Extent of Injuries are being evaluated at this time, and is being transported to PRMC.

On 3/5/11 at approximately 3:00 PM, 71 year old Pocomoke resident Paul Hudson was walking his dog in the area of US 113 & Smitty’s when a black SUV struck him. Hudson is a disabled Vietnam war veteran and is confined to a wheelchair. He was knocked out of his wheelchair and his dog was killed. Unknown individuals assisted him back into his wheelchair, placed his deceased dog in his lap and left the area. The victim was transported for treatment at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. Anyone who has information about this incident is requested to contact the Maryland State Police at 410-641-3101, extension “0”. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Pocomoke Police Department are both helping in the investigation.

Pocomoke Crime Report For The Month Of February

Theft    2011-01-31    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Other    2011-01-31    300 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    2011-01-31    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100

Other    2011-01-31    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    ...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    2011-02-02    RT 13 NB AT 366    (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) MOTOR VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT REQUIRED LICENSE OR PERMIT...

Vehicle Stop    2011-02-02    NO ADDRESS PROVIDED    PERSON DRIVING MOTOR VEHICLE ON HWY.(PUBLIC USE OR PROPERTY) ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE AND PRIVILEDGES

Traffic    2011-02-03    CEDAR STREET AND FOURTH STREET    (KNOWINGLY DRIVING, OWNER KNOWINGLY PERMITTING TO BE DRIVEN) UNINSURED VEHICLE...


Traffic    2011-02-03    ROUTE 13 @ NOCKS    FAILURE OF VEH. TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY

Other    2011-02-03    1100 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.

Other    2011-02-03    400 Block BANK STREET    WARRANT

Theft    2011-02-04    700 Block CLARKE AVENUE    THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Other    2011-02-05    600 Block WALNUT 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    2011-02-07    NO ADDRESS PROVIDED    WARRANT

Breaking & Entering    2011-02-08    700 Block NINTH STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    2011-02-11    400 Block OXFORD STREET    UNAUTHORIZED USE OF M/V

Other    2011-02-11    200 Block BROAD STREET    WARRANT

Breaking & Entering    2011-02-08    700 Block NINTH STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    2011-02-11    400 Block OXFORD STREET    UNAUTHORIZED USE OF M/V

Other    2011-02-11    200 Block BROAD STREET    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-11    700 Block FOURTH STREET    FALSE STATEMENT TO OFFICER

Theft    2011-02-13    200 Block WALNUT STREET    THEFT: LESS $500VALUE

Other    2011-02-13    800 Block LAUREL STREET    MAL DESTR PROP/VALUE- $500

Drugs    2011-02-13    CYPRESS PARK    CDS: POSS PARAPHERNALIA

Assault    2011-02-13    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Other    2011-02-13    1 Block FRONT STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    2011-02-15    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT SCHEME L/T $1,000

Theft from Vehicle    2011-02-16    1000 Block LYNNHAVEN DRIVE    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Other    2011-02-16    500 Block MARKET STREET    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-16    100 Block NEWTOWNE BOULEVARD    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-17    WILLOW STREET    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-19    1 Block SOMERSET AVENUE    ...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    2011-02-19    SHORT STREET    ATTEMPT BY DRIVER TO ELUDE UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER BY FAILING TO STOP VEHICLE...

Traffic    2011-02-20    RT 13 SB AT POCOMOKE REST    DRIVING VEH. ON HWY AT SPEED EXCEEDING LIMIT

Traffic    2011-02-21    ROUTE 13    WARRANT

Theft from Vehicle    2011-02-22    600 Block LAUREL STREET    THEFT: LESS $500VALUE

Theft    2011-02-22    100 Block MARKET STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100

Arson    2011-02-22    500 Block LAUREL STREET    ARSON/THREAT

Other    2011-02-23    300 Block SECOND STREET    WARRANT

Vehicle Stop    2011-02-23    300 Block SECOND STREET    VIOLATE EXPARTE/PROT ORDER

Other    2011-02-24    300 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    2011-02-24    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT SCHEME $1,000 - L/T $10,000

Theft    2011-02-25    900 Block MARKET STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Other    2011-02-26    900 Block LAUREL STREET    WARRANT

Theft    2011-02-27    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Other    2011-02-27    1000 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.

Mudbogging Goes Indoors

MudBogging, for the first time, was taken inside the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in January, through the efforts of Checkered Flag Productions.

Some of the regular drivers from the Gumboro Mudbog were on hand to put their trucks through the last tracks of thick mud before settling down and concentrating on the upcoming season of racing which is just now a few weeks away.

Jared Collins (no photo) driving Orange Crush, in the Modified Class, took first place in the Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Saturday evening shows.

Kelly Hubbard driving High Voltage, in Modified Class, took fourth place Friday night, first place Saturday afternoon and second place Saturday night.

Lee Sturgis who drives Grey Ghost and

Patrick Long the driver of All Night Soldier finished somewhere in the mix of it all but had a great time participating. This put an end to the mudbogging for a few weeks for these guys. The new racing season in Gumboro begins in April and since the first of February the drivers have been busy preparing for the summer of mudbogging.

More stories and photos on mudbogging in our archives........please feel free to browse.

Nancy Grace~ '50 People In 50 Days'

The PPE has been asked to share this information to our readers:

On tonight's episode of Nancy Grace: America's Missing - a show that aims at finding 50 people in 50 days - on HLN

Grace will be conducting an in-depth expose of 32-year-old Venus Stewart from Colon Township, MI, who is thought to have been murdered by her husband after vanishing in April 2010. Venus Stewart walked out to her mailbox to mail a letter on the morning of April 26, 2010. She was never seen again. Drag marks in the yard pointed to signs of a struggle.

Venus Stewart

"Search warrants later revealed blood believed to belong to the 32-year-old mother in her estranged husband’s truck along with a receipt for a shovel, tarp, and gloves. Police believe the young mother of two little girls is dead, but a body has yet to be found. The estranged husband Doug Stewart is now on trial for Stewart’s murder – charged with first degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit first degree premeditated murder. While Venus’s family finds solace with the justice system they want to find their daughter to give her a proper burial."

TIPLINE: 269-483-7611
Missing Since: April 26, 2010
Missing From: Colon Township, Michigan
Classification: Endangered Missing
Age at Disappearance: 32
Height: 5’4”
Weight: 130 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

Warrants Issued

Is it just ironic?

Action seems to continue since the arrest of the Walmart employee Tia Johnson. Johnson was arrested last week and charged with theft from Walmart that had been ongoing in the store for two years. In her statement she admitted to not charging family and friends for some purchases when they shopped at the store and turning in bogus return receipts for cash.

Warrants were issued on February 25, 2011 and served March 2, 2011 on Byrdie Johnson Gibbs and her husband TimmothyL. both of Fruitland, Md. The couple was charged with five counts of con-theft scheme.

Trial date is 4/22/11.

Pictures of Bombs Posted On Facebook Can Get You Alot Of Attention

( March 4, 2011) When a picture or comment is posted on the Internet, it could be there forever for anyone to see. One Ocean City man learned this the hard way last week, when he was arrested and charged with a serious crime because of a picture he posted on his Facebook page.

Authorities contend that Ernesto Garcia-Bristo, 26, posted a picture of himself holding two pipe bombs, along with a comment that he made the bombs to use against another person. The Ocean City bomb squad arrested him Feb. 24 and charged him with possessing a destructive device.

The investigation into Garcia- Bristo’s activities was started by an agent with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement because Garcia-Bristo was supposed to have been deported in 2008, according to the police report. The agent began conducting surveillance of Garcia- Bristo after learning that he was still living in Ocean City.

As part of the investigation, the ICE agent examined Garcia-Bristo’s online Facebook page. The agent was concerned by some of the pictures posted on the page, and contacted the local bomb squad.

According to the statement of charges written by Deputy Fire Marshal Cliff Christello, one picture depicted a Hispanic male with a black ski mask over his face holding “two metallic, oblong cylindrical objects (one approximately half the size of the larger) attached together by what appears to be black electrical tape and connected on top by a thin item similar in size/consistency to a fuse or electrical wiring.” These were believed to be pipe bombs.

A string of online comments below the picture led police to believe Garcia-Bristo was the man in the picture holding the suspected bombs, that he made the suspected bombs in Ocean City and that he threatened to use them against another person.

According to the police report, one comment asked, “And is that one of your creations?” The reply, which police said was written by Garcia- Bristo, said, “C’mon, don’t you remember, Fat Boy, it’s the one we did in 76th, it was a gift for that [expletive]. Thank god they understood, because otherwise BBBBUUUMMM to hell.”


Read more HERE>>

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Standoff In West Ocean City Ends Peacefully

March 04, 2011
Written By: News Editor, Shawn J. Soper

WEST OCEAN CITY -- A West Ocean City man was charged with assault, false imprisonment and other charges this week after a nearly two-hour standoff at his home on Wednesday resulted in one of the largest mobilizations of local law enforcement and emergency services manpower and equipment in recent memory.

Around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported domestic assault in progress on Blue Marlin Drive in West Ocean City. The initial investigation revealed the suspect, identified as Jasun V. Weistling, 37, of Ocean City, had been involved in a domestic altercation involving family members including his children and was highly intoxicated and possibly under the influence of prescription medication, according to police reports.

When deputies arrived, Weistling had fled from the home to the second floor of his detached two-car garage where he kept an office. According to sources, Weistling was self-employed as a day trader on the stock exchange from his home office. The perimeter was quickly secured and the victims of the assault were extracted from the home.

Over the next two-plus hours, Weistling remained in the garage office as the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Maryland State Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) and the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office, continued to deploy massive amounts of manpower and equipment to the scene. SWAT teams in full regalia mobilized along with the Bomb Squad and its robot. Marked and unmarked police cars along with emergency services vehicles lined both sides of the otherwise peaceful street on both sides and in both directions as concerned neighbors looked on from a safe distance.

It was uncertain at the scene if Weistling was armed, or the extent of his arsenal, but Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Colonel Doug Dods confirmed yesterday the suspect was believed to be armed and potentially dangerous.

“When we got a hold of him, he wasn’t armed,” he said. “Family members told us he had a shotgun and a handgun in the garage office, so that raised a whole lot of concerns.”

Multiple attempts to establish communications with Weistling were made by law enforcement officials to no avail. At one point, the suspect’s father implored his son to come out peacefully over a loudspeaker, but the standoff continued. At another point, the Bomb Squad robot was deployed and officers on the scene called for a boom camera, presumably to gain visual access to the interior of the garage.

Finally, around 7:21 p.m., Worcester County Sheriff’s Office deputies were able to take Weistling into custody without further incident. He was transported to PRMC in Salisbury for evaluation. He was later charged with two counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, false imprisonment and alcohol intoxication endangerment. Weistling made an initial appearance in District Court yesterday morning and was ordered held on a $50,000 bond.

Dods said the incident had a fairly successful outcome despite concerns for Weistling, and more importantly, the family members involved.

“We’re hoping he gets the help he obviously needs, but he has to answer for his actions,” he said.

Source; mdcoastdispatch.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'JMMB'

Pocomoke City Community Awareness meeting

The next Pocomoke City Community Awareness meeting will be March 19th at 10 am at the Pocomoke Library.

Hat Tip; Dr. Duffy for keeping us informed on these meetings.

Where Can He Work

Better yet who would hire this dude? Why would anyone want to do this to their body?

There's zero chance of getting a decent job anywhere not to mention how sorry he will be that he did this to his body about the time he reaches 50.

Click on the video screen to go to the youtube page and check-out some of the freaks on the right of that page.

A Little More Pocomoke History

Do you remember Dr. Hall?

How about W. H. Clarke & Co. Druggist?

While I was digging through some of my junk I came across this old bottle that I had long forgotten about. We found the bottle in this old house while cleaning up after we bought the house.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The medicine bottle is still about 1/2 full of it's original contents. It smells like a hybrid concoction of maybe 12% Vicks, 8% Robitussin and 80% 90 proof moonshine, yeah that's about right.

All and all it's in pretty good shape for it's age, the label is still very legible even through all the grime and 53 years of collecting dust.

The label that is still attached firmly to the bottle clearly says as follows;

155-969                4-12-58 

Grady Powell

One (1) Teaspoon full in water Three Times A Day

Dr. Hall

W. H. Clarke & Co.

Druggist

Phone 124                   Reg. No. 8141

Pocomoke City                    Maryland

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

 CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

*Miss Hope* Eastern Shore

~COURTNEY BLOXOM BENEFIT~

Last day to register to be in the pageant: March 5th

Tickets on sale now. For more info go to www.bringyourbling.net

100% of the money from this event will be donated to the very special Courtney Bloxom

Try Shore Beef & BBQ For Lunch Today~

Here's the newest place to eat that everyone is talking about

SHORE BEEF & BBQ

THURSDAY SPECIAL

pulled bbq chicken sandwich

1 side order and drink $7.50

While you're there check out the new menu and new specialty sandwiches.

Route 13 South just before T's Corner

**March 26th - special lunch for the local fireman.

details soon.**

Virginia Senator Ralph Northam ~ General Assembly Wrap Up

Legislative Update-

Over the weekend, the General Assembly was able to agree on a package of amendments to the biennial budget, and left Richmond only one day behind schedule. While there were definitely compromises made, I am happy to report that we were able to restore $100 million for health insurance for low income Virginians, $75 million for our public schools, and over $20 million for local law enforcement, to include funding to fill vacant judgeships on the Eastern Shore and in Virginia Beach. We also made significant investments in higher education, community-based services for the disabled, and shoring up the rainy day fund. Looking locally, we provided funding increases for ODU, EVMS, and CHKD.

Aside from the budget, there were some other legislative successes this year. We mandated that insurance providers cover services for many children with autism, protected the Chesapeake Bay by banning phosphorus in lawn fertilizer, and took a major step toward fighting childhood obesity by requiring 150 minutes of PE per week in grades K-8. We also managed to pass an important - though temporary - fix for transportation funding which will allow for the construction of long overdue projects in our area.

There are still many challenges ahead as we begin to emerge from the economic downturn, and I am committed to working with you all to improve our transportation network, increase opportunities for education and employment, and protect our natural resources. I am excited to return to Hampton Roads and spend time listening to your ideas about how we can build on the progress we are making in these areas and others. Maybe most importantly though, I am eager to do my part to help ensure that Virginia stays above the raw politics and negativity that currently characterizes many debates at the national level. Ours is a diverse state within a diverse nation, and we all have our differences. However, I am focused on what we can accomplish together, not what can push us farther apart.

As I begin my bid for re-election to the Senate, I will be making every effort to visit all the communities of the 6th District, and will keep you posted as we put together local public meetings. Please also let us know if there is an event or gathering you would like me to attend. Additionally, I will need your help to return to Richmond, so please contact my aide Matt Strickler at (757) 818-5172 or matt@ralphnortham.com if you would like to volunteer on my campaign between now and November 8. I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Source; www.shoredailynews.com

Saturday At Delmarva Discovery Center

DELMARVA DISCOVERY CENTER

Dr. Seuss Day!!

Come dressed as your favorite Dr. Seuss character!

A reading of Dr. Seuss' book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish at 2:00 PM with a costume contest immediately following.

Winner of the costume contest will receive a free family membership to the Discovery Center

Saturday March 5, 2011
1:00 PM until 3:00 PM

50% OFF admission for locals.

www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org

Supreme Court Votes In Favor Of Westboro Baptist Church

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled today that the First Amendment protects fundamentalist church members who mount attention-getting, anti-gay protests outside military funerals.

The court voted 8-1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. The decision upheld an appeals court ruling that threw out a $5 million judgment to the father of a dead Marine who sued church members after they picketed his son's funeral.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the court. Justice Samuel Alito dissented.

"What Westboro said, in the whole context of how and where it chose to say it, is entitled to 'special protection' under the First Amendment," Roberts wrote, "and that protection cannot be overcome by a jury finding that the picketing was outrageous."

Matthew Snyder died in Iraq in 2006 and his body was returned to the United States for burial. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, who have picketed military funerals for several years, decided to protest outside the Westminster, Md., church where Snyder's funeral was to be held.

The Rev. Fred Phelps and other family members who make up most of the Westboro Baptist Church have picketed many military funerals in their quest to draw attention to their incendiary view that U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

They showed up with their usual signs, including "Thank God for dead soldiers," ''You're Going to Hell," ''God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11," and one that combined the U.S. Marine Corps motto, Semper Fi, with a slur against gay men.

The church members drew counter-demonstrators, as well as media coverage and a heavy police presence to maintain order. The result was a spectacle that led to altering the route of the funeral procession.

Several weeks later, Albert Snyder was surfing the Internet for tributes to his son from other soldiers and strangers when he came upon a poem on the church's website that attacked Matthew's parents for the way they brought up their son.

Soon after, Albert Snyder filed a lawsuit accusing the Phelpses of intentionally inflicting emotional distress. He won $11 million at trial, later reduced by a judge to $5 million.

The federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., threw out the verdict and said the Constitution shielded the church members from liability.

Forty-eight states, 42 U.S. senators and veterans groups sided with Snyder, asking the court to shield funerals from the Phelps family's "psychological terrorism."

While distancing themselves from the church's message, media organizations, including The Associated Press, urged the court to side with the Phelps family because of concerns that a victory for Snyder could erode speech rights.

www.2.timesdispatch.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS !!

Theodor Geisel Seuss, better known as the beloved Dr. Seuss
Born: March 2, 1904 In Springfield, Massachusetts
Died: September 24, 1991

"Those who mind don't matter and
Those who matter don't mind." ~Dr. Seuss~

At the time of his death Dr. Seuss (known as Ted) had written and illustrated 44 children's books, including all-time favorites as Green Eggs and Ham and There's a Wocket In My Pocket, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and The Cat in the Hat. His books had been translated into more than 15 languages. Over 200 million copies had found their way into homes and hearts around the entire world.

His honors included two Academy awards, two Emmy awards, a Peabody award and the Pulitzer Prize.

Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book or quote?

Scott Rigell 'Working' For Virginia's Eastern Shore

Working to restore the economic viability of Virginia's Eastern Shore communities, Representative Scott Rigell (VA-02) called on Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar to address issues impacting recreational opportunities at NASA/Wallops Flight Facility in Accomack County and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. In two separate letters to the Secretary, Rigell called on the Department to work with the Eastern Shore on a land swap agreement as well as preserve vital beach parking that plays an integral role in the local economy.

In working to implement a land swap between Accomack County and the NASA/Wallops Flight Facility which would help preserve a local park while moving forward on a new Wallops Research Park, Rigell urged Secretary Salazar to "consider relaxing or modifying" policies that regulate land deals in accordance to monetary gains. Rigell recommended the Department adhere to an acre for acre land swap rather than a dollar for dollar land swap, allowing for the development of a new Wallops Research Park that Accomack has agreed to lease at market rates.

"Accomack County officials are working to create good jobs in their community and NASA is a partner in this effort," wrote Representative Scott Rigell. "Accomack County is committed to building a 32 acre recreational park nearby. I see this course of action as a "win-win" for everyone involved," added Rigell. This proposed expansion would create new, quality jobs for people of the Eastern Shore.

Rigell also petitioned Secretary Salazar on efforts by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to move beach parking on Assateague Island. This is part of FWS's fifteen year conservation plan for the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the Virginia portion of Assateague Island. In his letter, Rep. Rigell emphasized the local communities' desire to meet the Refuge's purpose as a wildlife sanctuary while at the same time preserving all beach parking and public recreation at the National Seashore.

"Our local communities, as well as visitors from across the country, have been alerted to several proposed alternatives that would significantly change the current conservation management plan to reduce direct recreational beach access and eliminate parking facilities for individual vehicles. I am concerned that these alternative parking ideas, to include introducing trolleys or busses to ferry families to and from the beach, are not in the best interests of the people of Accomack County or our country's visitors to the Chincoteague NWR."

There is a concern that this could potentially impact the local and regional tourism based economy of the Eastern Shore.

"Economic viability for Virginia's Eastern Shore communities and recreational opportunities for the Mid-Atlantic Region rely on a continued public investment that must be successfully managed at the Refuge and Seashore. It is essential that any alternative presented during the NEPA EIS Review not negatively impact the local and regional tourism based economy."
www.shoredailynews.com

Last Surviving U.S. WWI Veteran Dies At 110 Year Old

Frank Buckles, the man believed to be the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I died Sunday at the age of 110 at his farm in West Virginia, surrounded by his family.

Frank Buckles, who celebrated his 110th birthday on February 1, lied about his age in order to join the army at age 16. He became one of nearly 5 million Americans who enrolled and served in the war from 1917 to 1918.

In 1941, while working as a civilian in the Phillippines, he was captured by Japanese forces and held prisoner for 38 months during World War II before being rescued by a military raid.

With Buckles' death, only a 109-year-old Australian man and a 110-year-old British woman are believed to still be alive from the estimated 65 million people who served in the war.

Walmart Employee Was Writing Her Own Statement When Officers Arrived

According to Monday's Daily Times newspaper the Walmart employee, Tia Johnson, who was arrested last week while at work was writing her own statement, admitting to the thefts when officers arrived. The arrest took place on February 24th at the Walmart store in Pocomoke City.

Ms. Johnson admitted to helping family and friends steal merchandise from the store and had over a period of two years, faked returns in exchange for money. She also admitted that she would underring some merchandise for her family and friends at check out time. This allowed them to leave without paying for many items.

According to court records, Ms. Johnson is charged with four counts of theft of amounts ranging from $100 to under $10,000, and one count of theft scheme that she had carried out for TWO years.

She was taken before the District Court Commissioner, released on $10,000 bail pending trial. A court date is scheduled for April 12.

Gee, what was she thinking all this time while stealing for her friends and family? How do you walk out of Walmart after stealing something without those annoying beepers going off? And didn't she know that after a time all of this would show up when the books had to be balanced if not at the end of the day certainly at the end of the month? Thieves don't think that far ahead. In fact, thieves don't think at all!

For those of you that don't know, Tia Johnson (along with her boyfriend Clarence Butch Jackson) were the last two people to see Christine Sheddy alive back in 2007 when the young woman went missing.

Her theft scheme probably isn't enough to get her sentenced to jail. Let's just hope this latest incident will make her think back a few years...........

It's on everyone's mind so I may as well say it. After all, we're all wondering the same thing..... where will all this lead and will it lead to anything more?

Widespread Flu Warning Issued For Virginia

The CDC has placed Virginia under a widespread flu alert.

If you're looking to avoid the flu there are several ways the CDC recommends going about it. Their "Take 3" approach to fighting flu is the best way to protect yourself and others against the flu virus.

Number one, the CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine. If you haven't gotten it yet, it's not too late.

Second, the CDC says take the appropriate preventative actions to stop the spread of germs. For example, wash your hands, cover you mouth when you cough and stay home when you're not feeling well.

A recent survey revealed 66 percent of polled Americans disregard the sudden onset of flu symptoms fever, aches, chills, extreme tiredness and instead of seeing a doctor, attend work, school and social events. At the same time, 75 percent of those Americans were aware of the possibility of spreading the flu to others.

Lastly, the CDC says to take your medicine. If the doctor prescribes medication, follow those orders.
www.shoredailynews.com

Virginia General Assembly Adjorns, Passes Budget

Virginia's House and Senate unanimously passed amendments to the state's $80 billion budget Sunday, ending the 2011 General Assembly one day late.

The compromise government spending blueprint through June 2012 offers more aid for public schools, for the profoundly disabled and for state and local government pensioners. It also provides state aid to brake the meteoric rise in tuition at state-supported colleges and universities.

However, Gov. Bob McDonnell ended up with only about a fifth of the $150 million he asked for in December for transportation from last year's general fund budget and reductions he sought for school funding were reversed. Plums he proposed for the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and a 2012 sailing regatta were rejected by House and Senate members.

McDonnell said he was strongly considering restoring some of the funding for transportation when he sends the budget bill back to legislators for the April 6 veto session.

The House and Senate did give the Democratic governor a victory by passing the transportation funding package he proposed, including about $3 billion in debt. It represents the biggest state cash infusion for Virginia highway upkeep and construction in 25 years.

It passed on a 97-0 vote in the House and a 40-0 vote in the Senate, the first time in years that it cleared without dissent. Before they left, legislators reconvened in a special session and recessed until April 4, the day they return to begin redrawing the state's House and Senate districts.

The budget does some deferred state fiscal housekeeping, depositing $114 million into the "rainy day" reserves depleted by a three-year economic downturn. That was $64 million more than McDonnell sought.

It also gives a break to most of the state's merchants by ending the accelerated sales tax. That means that only the largest retailers still have to send the state two checks -- for June and July sales tax collections -- instead of one. The sales-tax speedup was enacted at the depth of the recession to help cover a budget shortfall.

Public schools receive about $75 million more than the $5.5 billion that McDonnell had proposed while the House wanted to cut McDonnell's proposal by about $93 million.

Also included in the sweetened sum is about $16 million that prevents continued losses among the state's smallest and poorest school districts.

Public television's state support was cut by about $400,000, or one-tenth, but it survived the elimination of all state aid the House had proposed.

Teachers and state employees hired before last July 1 avoid a 2 percent net pay cut they would have taken under McDonnell's budget. The new budget places on employees the responsibility for paying a 5 percent share of their retirement into the Virginia Retirement System. But it provides $7 million to offset the burden by providing a 5 percent public employee raise, their first since 2007. McDonnell's budget provided only a 3 percent raise.

To slow recent state college tuition spikes, the budget allocates more than $100 million for financial aid and to increase the number of slots for in-state students at flagship state universities such as Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia.

Also addressed was a scathing Justice Department report on major deficiencies in the outmoded hospital-style institutions where the intellectually disabled are warehoused. The budget provided at least $30 million more in emergency funding.

The money goes into a new Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Trust Fund that McDonnell proposed to take urgent steps to head off a federal lawsuit alleging Virginia has flaunted the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It also provides nearly $47 million to help the disabled and mentally ill move into community care facilities supported under Medicaid.

The budget restores more than $64 million for reimbursements to Medicaid providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and dentists, who were facing reductions on July 1.

Businesses get some breaks. About $6 million in fees are eliminated, including fees the Health Department imposes for inspections that are as high as $285 for restaurants and $100 for other businesses.

There are about $10 million worth of tax incentives for Virginia vineyards and ports and for research and development.

But McDonnell got only about half of the $3 million increase he wanted in a discretionary fund his administration could use to romance Hollywood into filming blockbusters in Virginia.

Lawmakers rejected McDonnell's proposal to spend nearly $70 million to keep up with explosive growth in the state's civil commitment program for sexually violent predators. Instead, they authorized the double-bunking of up to 150 of the more than 200 sex offenders being held at a Burkeville psychiatric facility for treatment after their prison sentences have ended.
Source; www.shoredailynews.com

A Comment Worthy Of a Post

" This bill is a true game changer on how we monitor the worst of the worst."
In response to the statement above currently 90% of registered offenders in Maryland, are grouped into the tier III status, currently there are over 4,000 in that group. Not any one case is the same, not every person who is tier III is the worst of the worst. In fact many of these individuals are working very hard to reclaim their lives, and be productive members of society. This is why this bill will not work:
RE: HB 594/ SB 208

To provide a brief background on why I feel so passionately about this, my husband is a three time combat veteran, a Maryland, citizen, and a registered offender. He is grouped as a tier three offender, however he is not what Delegate Mcdermott is illustrating in the proposition of this HB 594.
I understand that HB 594 was created to aide law enforcement in ensuring the safety of children. We have a three year old son ourselves, and want the utmost safety for him as well. However there are many issues with HB 594; which outnumber the benefit of this bill for the community.

First, Article 16 of the Maryland constitution states,” No law to inflict cruel and unusual pains and penalties ought to be made in any case or anytime hereafter.” The GPS ankle bracelet inflicts pain, and I could not imagine the horrendous suffering it would cause as a lifetime requirement. I witnessed my husband have difficulties walking, sleeping, and bathing on a daily basis. He also sustained scars from multiple skin abrasions to the same area, from wearing the GPS ankle bracelet. This bill would make daily life and maintaining gainful employment impossible for the registrant.
This also raises the issue of how to successfully manage homeless registrants. There is a large population of homeless individuals currently on the registry. The GPS unit would require the homeless wearer to have ready access, at least every twenty four hours, to an electrical outlet. There would be simply to many issues to introduce this requirement to homeless registrants. However it would be unethical to subject certain tier III offenders to the requirement, and not others, solely based on their housing status. In fact the idea of lifetime monitoring may make the idea of homelessness an attractive alternative, and we could end up with more registrants who are difficult to track.
In fact GPS monitoring would provide no real deterrent for crime. Where the GPS system can inform law enforcement about the whereabouts of the registrant, the GPS can not track the actual activities the registrant is doing. The GPS has no possibility of predicting a new crime before it is committed, or of telling while it is happening.
The GPS technology is also not infallible. The GPS technology relies on cell phone towers, and would be subject to many dead zones, which would render a false alarm signal. Just like any computerized hardware it would also require constant updates, and maintenance The cost of manpower to maintain and repair such equipment would be astronomical.
The requirements of this bill would end up costing our tax payers billions, it is not possible to assume the offender will be able to pay for it. If they are not able to function, they will not be able to work. Is this worth paying billions for when we know it will not deter crime?
I believe our tax dollars are better spent on something that would. I strongly recommend that more emphasis be placed on the funding of mental health treatment programs, prison outreach, community reintegration, for registered offenders. With such programs actively in place, our crime rates would significantly lesson, and we would all benefit.

Pocomoke City Police and WCBI Investigate Incident

NEWS RELEASE:  DATE & TIME:    Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:25PM  
CBI Case #  11-0054  
LOCATION:  900blk Laurel Street, Pocomoke City, Worcester County, Maryland
CRIME:   Assault and CDS Distribution
VICTIM:   Edward Schmidt – Snow Hill, Maryland 
ACCUSED:  Darryl Kyshek WISE, Jr. – 900blk Laurel Street, Pocomoke City, Maryland   Black / Male / 19 years of age
CHARGES:   First & Second Degree Assault
                      Reckless Endangering
                      Possession with Intent
                      Possession of Marijuana
                      Possession of Cocaine
                      Wearing  & Carrying a Weapon
                      Distribution within 1000’ of a school

NARRATIVE:  On the evening of Friday, February 25, 2011 members of the Pocomoke City Police Department began an investigation into a First Degree Assault and requested the assistance of the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation.

It was learned that as a result of a drug deal gone bad, the victim was struck multiple times with a hammer and then stabbed in the back.  The victim was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center where he was admitted and is being treated for multiple injuries.

In the early morning hours following the assault WISE was taken into custody without incident at his home.  The significant amount of CDS which was recovered on his person also supports the Charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute.

WISE appeared before a District Court Commissioner and is being held at the Worcester County Detention Center on a $250,000.00 bond.

Why we shoot deer

Why we shoot deer in the wild (A letter from someone who wants to remain anonymous, who farms, writes well and actually tried this)

I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and transport it home.

I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my rope. The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes, my deer showed up - 3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope. The deer just stood there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the end so I would have a good hold.

The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step towards it, it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope .., and then received an education. The first thing that I learned is that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that rope.

That deer EXPLODED. The second thing I learned is that pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some dignity. A deer-- no Chance. That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly as good an idea as I had originally imagined. The only upside is that they do not have as much stamina as many other animals.

A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the big gash in my head. At that point, I had lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil creature off the end of that rope.

I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that the feeling was mutual. Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where I had cleverly arrested the deer's momentum by bracing my head against various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation we were in. I didn't want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder - a little trap I had set before hand...kind of like a squeeze chute. I got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope back.

Did you know that deer bite?

They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when ..... I reached up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they just bite you and slide off to then let go. A deer bites you and shakes its head--almost like a pit bull. They bite HARD and it hurts.

The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My method was ineffective.

It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now), tricked it. While I kept it busy tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose.

That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day.

Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, and their hooves are surprisingly sharp ... I learned a long time ago that, when an animal -like a horse - strikes at you with their hooves and you can't get away easily, the best thing to do is try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape.

This was not a horse. This was a deer, so obviously, such trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried to turn and run. The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit you in the back of the head. Deer may not be so different from horses after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head and knocked me down.

Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on you while you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering your head.

I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went away. So now I know why when people go deer hunting they bring a rifle with a scope......to sort of even the odds!!

All these events are true so help me God... An Educated Farmer

I would like to buy this dog but as you can see it's not for sale!

GENERAL PUBLIC NOTICE:

Please be advised I am sick to death of receiving questions about my dog who mauled 3 Muslims sitting on a rug next to my back wall, 6 illegal's wearing Obama T-shirts, 4 Democrats wearing Pelosi T-shirts, 2 rappers, 5 phone operators who asked me to press #1 for English, 9 teenagers with their pants hanging down past their cracks, 8 customer service desk people speaking in broken English, 10 flag burners, and a Pakistani taxi driver.

FOR THE LAST TIME ... THE DOG IS NOT FOR SALE !!!

Ongoing Investigation Finally Gets The Thief Arrested!

Tia Lynn Johnson was arrested on Thursday by WCBI officer,Frank Wright, at her place of employment -- Walmart.Once handcuffed, she was escorted and paraded through the store to her ride to jail. She was released the same day on a $10,000 bond.

Apparently WCBI has been working on this case with the cooperation from Walmart since 2009 and have Tia on video. This time she can't she can't lie her way out of it and this time she WILL have to talk!

For those that don't know, Tia is the girlfriend (or former girlfriend)of Jr. Jackson who is being housed at ECI in Westover, sentenced to 3 years for burglary. These two, it has always been believed, were two of the last people to ever see Chistine Sheddy alive back in 2007.


WCBI, no doubt, must have become suspicious when Tia came up with quite a bit of money to bail Jr. out a few years ago and then somehow found more money to retain former assistand State's Attorney Kathy Smith to represent Jr.


Regardless of what she did with the stolen money it was the WCBI this entire time that has been lying low in the "trenches" trying to nail Tia with something, anything to get her to talk.......short of prying it out of her mouth!


Great job Investigator Frank Wright and the rest of the WCBI! What a great group you are to have been working on this for so very long and never losing sight that justice must always remain supreme.

And a giant step, perhaps, for the Christine Sheddy case.

The Beautiful Eastern Shore

Yesterday was one of the disagreeable  days on Delmarva! If you had to be out in the weather you know just exactly what I am talking about. Oh, that wind and the pelting rain. Put simply, the day was just plain miserable!

I noticed  around 2:00 that the clouds had parted in some areas and the skies turned that beautiful color of Delmarva blue and the sun,  in all
 of its brightness, warmed us.                                                       

And, as always, remarkable beauty appeared in the skies...................

These were taken yesterday in the beautiful rural countryside of Preston, Maryland.  The photographer of these photos waited all day after the rain to snap these photos.

When you have lived on the Eastern Shore all your life sometimes you just know what comes next.

~Thanks for the photos Jordan!~