FIELD NOTES ~ By Delegate Mike McDermott

Observations and Reflections on Legislative Activities

By Delegate Mike McDermott

March 14th-18th, 2011

On Monday evening prior to session, there was a significant union rally on the Lawyer’s Mall which greeted us as we moved toward the State House. It was all about the Governor’s budget and their dislike for what has been proposed by the O’Malley Administration. I found it interesting that the governor actually came out and took the stage to speak to the crowd and proclaimed, “I don’t like the budget either!!!” Of course, the crowd was happy about this proclamation. So, I guess it may be true for democratic governor’s in Annapolis...you can have your cake and eat it too!

On Tuesday morning, the session was brief and we only voted on one bill:

HB-209: Vote 139-0 On Third Reader in Favor. Authorizing the purchase of agricultural land preservation easements if the land meets specified requirements and is subject to specified regulations governing the use of the land; clarifying that specified provisions of the Act do not exempt a landowner from complying with specified local laws or State or local requirements; prohibiting land subject to agricultural easement from being used for specified purposes; allowing a landowner to reserve up to three 1-acre lots to construct single-family residential dwellings, etc.

On Tuesday afternoon, I met with a sub committee to review the Child Neglect statute being championed by Lt. Governor Brown. We made many recommendations for changing the bill and hope to have it ready for committee soon.

On Tuesday, the following bills were heard in the Judicary Committee

HB-1174: Would give more power to the Division of Parole and Probation when it comes to reimposing sentences for violations of parole or probation. It would allow for lesser sentences on minor offenses and should reduce some prison costs.

HB-899: Would provide police powers to a unit within the Division of which deal specifically with the apprehension of offenders on Warrant Retake Orders. Currently, officers are not able to arrest for violations which occur in the process of their warrant service or other related actions.

HB-677: Would make it a crime in Maryland for any municipality or government to grant “sanctuary status” to illegal aliens. It would require the state to enforce federal laws addressing illegal immigration. It was argued clearly on both sides, but it is clear that Maryland is fast becoming a sanctuary for illegal immigrants due to our lax enforcement policies and the current lack of enforcement by authorities from ICE.

HB-724: Would increase the statute of limitations for 4th Degree Sex Offense from one year to three. This bill will probably be amended to allow for extended limitations in the case where a victim is a juvenile.

HB-898: Would not allow for Bondsmen to fail to collect the full amount of their bond premium through various finance arrangements made with bonding companies. It does not allow for these companies to finance bonds, merely have an arrangement for collecting payment over time.

HB-1207: Would allow local government entities to prohibit the sale of drug paraphernalia to a minor. It allows for the revocation of business licenses, etc by the local authorities for violations. It is believed that this type of tie in would impact the sale of drug paraphernalia items to minors locally. Based on questions asked, the bill may create confusion across county or municipal boundaries.

HB-1075: Would repeal the Death Penalty in Maryland. This bill seeks to respond to the finding of the Maryland Commission on Capitol Punishment completed in 2008 which recommended abolishing the death penalty in Maryland in favor of Life in Prison.

HB-1074: Would provide an exemption for any Division of Correction employee or other related service employee to exempt themselves from participating in the process of a state execution. This is a no brainer, though, in all fairness, we simply do not exercise the death penalty in Maryland.

HB-804: Would require the MVA to place a certain notation on the driver’s license and state issued ID’s of convicted sex offenders. It is said this may aid law enforcement officers in identifying potential bad guys who may be involved in an abduction when stopped for another violation.

HB-1128: Would alter the definition of sexual contact to include any penetration by any part of the body or object. The current law does not make provision for penetration by other parts of the human body. Some recent cases have made this an issue that needs to be addressed according to some state’s attorney’s who testified in favor of the bill.

On Wednesday, the following bills were heard in the Judiciary Committee:

HB-1277: Would set the policy of the State so as to encourage the use of special needs trusts or supplemental needs trusts by individuals with disabilities of all ages to preserve funds in order to provide for the needs of the individuals not met by public benefits and to enhance their quality of life. The bill encourages self reliance on the part of those with disabilities.

HB-1296: Would allow for the electronic transmission of Eviction related documents. This is currently being done manually by the Clerks and Sheriff’s Office personnel. This would save time and certainly speed up the process by which these papers are transferred and eventually served.

On Thursday morning, the following bills were presented for Third Reader:

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #18

HB 86

Third Reading Passed (104-33)

HB 110

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 263

Third Reading Passed (136-0)

HB 435

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 463

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 481

Third Reading Passed (137-3)

HB 486

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 507

Third Reading Passed (94-46)

HB 522

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 581

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #19

HB 621

Third Reading Passed (137-2)

HB 630

Third Reading Passed (135-5)

HB 634

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 667

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 674

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 679

Third Reading Passed (103-35)

HB 727

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 729

Third Reading Passed (108-32)

HB 749

Third Reading Passed (119-20)

HB 833

Third Reading Passed (130-3)

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #20

HB 837

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 849

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 864

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 877

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 913

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 972

Third Reading Passed (130-10)

HB 994

Third Reading Passed (122-9)

HB 1017

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 1018

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 1025

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 1088

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

On Thursday afternoon, the Judiciary Committee heard the following bills:

HB-1118: Requiring the juvenile court, in specified child in need of assistance hearings, to send written findings to specified individuals and agencies if the court finds that specified reasonable efforts were made but that a specified condition exists. Bills like this are generally procedural applications which may slightly modify one aspect of an existing law.

HB-1190: Seeks to expand a pilot program dealing with children in need of supervision to Cecil County and Prince Georges County. The program has been used successfully to divert children from the juvenile delinquency system. They wish to see it work in a more rural county. The bill carries a fiscal note of $250,000.00 and this may be a stumbling block.

HB-790: Seeks to create a crime of Home Invasion and see it classified as a violent crime. There was testimony that these crimes are often being treated as property crimes instead of violent offenses. We heard from several victims of home invasions.

HB-1305: Would expand the notification that a school receives when a student is arrested for certain offenses. It would add the charges of drug distribution to the offenses reported to certain school officials. This makes a lot of sense.

HB-825: Would provide a method for a juvenile defendant who has been waived to adult court to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals. This may create some unnecessary delays in criminal trials for a very low number of instances annually in Maryland. I think it may need further review before implementation.

On Friday, the following bills were voted on during the morning session:

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #21

HB 124

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 128

Third Reading Passed (118-22)

HB 245

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 268

Third Reading Passed (138-1)

HB 279

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 376

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 417

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 466

Third Reading Passed (127-11)

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #22

HB 476

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 506

Third Reading Passed (136-2)

HB 535

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 637

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 643

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 944

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 1093

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #23

HB 38

Third Reading Passed (108-30)

HB 188

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 195

Third Reading Passed (102-36)

HB 203

Third Reading Passed (133-4)

HB 286

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 413

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 453

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #24

HB 456

Third Reading Passed (130-8)

HB 468

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 479

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 482

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 542

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 543

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 545

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 590

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #25

HB 596

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 597

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 600

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 741

Motion Special Order until 3/22 (Delegate Feldman) Adopted

HB 752

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 793

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

HB 888

Third Reading Passed (140-0)

Third Reading Calendar (House Bills) #26

HB 940

Third Reading Passed (133-6)

HB 953

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 973

Third Reading Passed (137-0)

HB 996

Third Reading Passed (139-0)

HB 1028

Third Reading Passed (125-14)

HB 1095

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

HB 1119

Third Reading Passed (138-0)

On Friday afternoon, the Judiciary Committee voted on the following bills:

Favorable: HB-921, HB-1072, HB-1118, HB-1174

Unfavorable: HB-835, H-872, HB-1037,

Don't Miss The FULL Full Moon

Mark your calendar. On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years.

"The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC. "I'd say it's worth a look."

Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit. It is an ellipse with one side (perigee) about 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other (apogee): diagram. Nearby perigee moons are about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the Moon's orbit.

"The full Moon of March 19th occurs less than one hour away from perigee--a near-perfect coincidence¹ that happens only 18 years or so," adds Chester. A perigee full Moon brings with it extra-high "perigean tides," but this is nothing to worry about, according to NOAA. In most places, lunar gravity at perigee pulls tide waters only a few centimeters (an inch or so) higher than usual. Local geography can amplify the effect to about 15 centimeters (six inches)--not exactly a great flood.

Indeed, contrary to some reports circulating the Internet, perigee Moons do not trigger natural disasters. The "super moon" of March 1983, for instance, passed without incident. And an almost-super Moon in Dec. 2008 also proved harmless.

Okay, the Moon is 14% bigger than usual, but can you really tell the difference? It's tricky. There are no rulers floating in the sky to measure lunar diameters. Hanging high overhead with no reference points to provide a sense of scale, one full Moon can seem much like any other.

The best time to look is when the Moon is near the horizon. That is when illusion mixes with reality to produce a truly stunning view. For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. On March 19th, why not let the "Moon illusion" amplify a full Moon that's extra-big to begin with? The swollen orb rising in the east at sunset may seem so nearby, you can almost reach out and touch it.

Don't bother. Even a super perigee Moon is still 356,577 km away. That is, it turns out, a distance of rare beauty.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/16mar_supermoon/

Don't Forget To Stop By Shore Beef and BBQ

While out running errands today stop by Shore Beef and BBQ for lunch or take something home for dinner.

Today's Special

Pulled chicken, one side and a drink - $7.50


Route 13 South~ Just before T's Corner

This Saturday At The Delmarva Discovery Center

The Delmarva Discovery Center

Saturday, March 19, 2011

12:00 PM until 4:00 PM

Vernal Pool Herp Search

"'Herps' are reptiles and amphibians. March is a great time to look for amphibians in vernal, or temporary spring pools. Join us for a fun afternoon and learn how to become a citzen scientist as you record your data for the Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas! Search will either be in Cypress Park or we will carpool to nearby areas. Meet at the DDC, and wear clothes and shoes that can get muddy! You may want to bring a camera to document your finds."

For more info go to: www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org

~Make Plans To Attend~

POCOMOKE COMMUNITY AWARENESS MEETING

SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2011

POCOMOKE LIBRARY, MARKET STREET

MEETING BEGINS AT 10:00 AM

Please make plans to attend and meet with other citizens to discuss the problems in Pocomoke. Your opinions are needed.

Sheriff Updates Worcester County Citizens

(From the Editor - The following letter was addressed to Worcester County residents and a request to publish sent to this paper. Maryland Coast Dispatch)

Dear Worcester County Residents,

I have been in office as your Sheriff for three months. As your sheriff, I ride our county roads every day and sometimes at night. One day a week, when possible, I leave the office and patrol the county the entire day, always looking at ways to better serve and make you safe.

In December 2010, I was sworn in as your sheriff. I immediately appointed my chief deputy, J. Dale Smack, and operations officer, Col. Doug Dods, two outstanding individuals and leaders.

I then met with my command staff about promotions in our agency. Promotions can be very difficult when you have so many good deputies and very few openings. I am blessed to have outstanding employees sworn and civilian.

In January, two sergeants were promoted to lieutenant, Lt. Andy McGee and Lt. Eddy Schreier. With these promotions, I am able to have someone in command until 3 a.m. and sometimes later. Previously, when command staff went off duty at 5 p.m., to speak with command you had to wait until the next morning. With the opening of slots at Ocean Downs, a commander is able to maintain the impact it has on our county and see if we need to address any issues.

Det. Sgt. Nate Passwaters was promoted. He is in charge of the Criminal Enforcement Team (narcotics, tobacco, high profile criminals). Team members are the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, feds, Virginia State Police, Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, and just recently, the Ocean City Police Department and the Maryland State Police have also joined with us. Having these agencies all working together to cross state lines and throughout our county targeting drug dealers is outstanding. Many arrests have been made and more will come.

Promoted to sergeant, Matt Crisafulli, our D.A.R.E. deputy assigned to our schools to teach the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and bullying of other students. More programs are being looked at by our School Resource Deputies, as we are reaching out to our students to be more productive in school and be model students.

Three deputies were promoted to corporal. Cpl. Katie Edgar, who now is in charge of our K-9 program, Cpl. Bethany Ramey, who is a member of our CET, and Cpl. Lisa Maurer, who is part of our civil division, as well as our agency quarter master. All of these promotions will better serve the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and our county.

Later this year, more promotions are expected. With retirements this past year, I have hired four new trainee/deputy sheriffs — two from Pocomoke, one from Snow Hill and one from Somerset County — and they will graduate in June from the Police Academy. I want to give our young people the opportunity to begin their career with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and hopefully, they will end their career with us.
With retirements and the new positions, this is a savings in our budget. A new policy that I have enacted is, anyone I hire full time who resides outside of Worcester County has one year to relocate here, in order to have a take home vehicle.

I have hired a retired Worcester County Sheriff captain part time to manage our evidence room. This position was being held by a full-time lieutenant. This is another huge savings in our budget and frees up time for the full-time lieutenant to handle other duties. I have hired a retired detective/ Maryland State Trooper to work in the child advocacy center on crimes that are committed on our children. This detective worked many years in this field and we are very fortunate to have him on board. This position is funded by a grant and will cover costs of salary, vehicle and equipment.

I have assigned two part-time deputies to our sex offender program. We have reached a high of 84 and that figure is going to increase with new laws coming in effect. We constantly monitor these individuals, where they live and their work place.

More bars and stores will be checked throughout our county to make sure they are not selling alcohol or tobacco to minors. I expect businesses to train their employees to look for false ID’s.

At one time we provided court security for only two courts; today, we provide coverage for seven courts, plus our government center. The parttimers handling these duties do an outstanding job.

We recently met with the county on our budget for 2011-2012. We have been told not to ask for any additional money in the new budget. We will honor that request and our budget committee has shuffled money around in accounts to cover other accounts. Using our part-time deputies in differ- ent roles and reassignments of fulltime deputies makes our agency better. I will continue to look at ways to make our county a safer place.

Meetings are being set up throughout the county for county residents to come and voice their concerns. Please be a voice for your community. If you see any suspicious activity, give us a call. Be involved for a safer county.

This past week, our agency honored retired Sheriff Charles T. Martin at the Grand Hotel in Ocean City. Many of his relatives and friends and law enforcement attended this event to honor Sheriff Martin for 16 years of outstanding service to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and our residents. We will certainly miss him.

Reggie T. Mason

Sheriff of Worcester County

AMAZING, SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES:

THESE REALLY WORK!! and confirmed via Snopes.

AMAZING, SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES:

1. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.

2. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.

3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS.  REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.

4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.

6. YOU NEED ONLY TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE.  IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40.  IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE. 

7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

THOUGHT for the day:

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRINGA SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN THEY'RE PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.


SOME ADDITIONAL ADVICE:
NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, TAKE A LAXATIVE AND SLEEPING PILLS ON THE SAME NIGHT

Seafood Festival Canceled By Virginia Chamber of Commerce

The Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce announced Friday that it will not be holding the Seaside Festival that was advertised for June 3, 2011.

"It's in the best interest of all of our members to not hold this new event this year," said Jean Hungiville, Interim President. "When George McMath so generously offered his gorgeous property, Edgewater, we were excited to have the opportunity to have a festival on one of the most incredible settings one could possibly hope for; however we also realize the Festival should measure up to the beauty of the site.

She added, "People who are interested in attending a spring seafood festival, are encouraged to attend the Chincoteague Seafood Festival on May 7th. We strongly support the Chincoteague Seafood Festival. We've met with the Chincoteague Chamber and have offered to help with volunteers and the loan of equipment if needed."

The ESVA Chamber will be calling everyone who purchased Seaside Festival tickets to offer them a refund or the first tickets to the 19th annual Harvest Festival at Sunset Beach Resort on October 5th when they become available in the next few weeks.

Source; shoredailynews

Pocomoke Mayoral Candidate Accused of Mortgage Fraud

SALISBURY, Md. - Controversy surrounds a local businessman and candidate for Pocomoke City Mayor.
     Frank J. Ward, III is under investigation for allegations of mortgage fraud. The Commissioner of Financial Regulation issued Ward, his companies: The Money Centre, Ltd. & Ward Construction, Inc., and his employee: Annette Coston, a Summary Order to Cease and Desist. It states, "The Commissioner developed reasonable grounds to believe that the Respondents provided unlicensed mortgage lending, brokering, and loan origination services related to Maryland residential real property involving Maryland consumers, and engaged in a mortgage fraud scheme..."

     The Commissioner's investigation, which began last June --- is now looking into all 23 of Ward's mortgage loans involving Maryland property. Vicki & Lloyd Ivey are one of the 5 parties officially accusing Ward of mortgage fraud. "I gave that man my hard earned money, " says Vicki Ivey. "I just want it all clear.  I just want my home in the guidelines it's supposed to be." The Ivey's say 2 years ago they signed loan paperwork with The Money Centre in Salisbury to have Ward's construction company build their home in Princess Anne. It wasn't until last year, that they say they noticed something was off. The loan was not showing up on their credit report.  Ivey went to the State Attorney General's Office with this information.

     WMDT spoke with Maryland Attorney General, Doug Gansler. "When there's extraordinary economic times, as we've sort of gone through in the last few years, many people break the rules and they do it more often actually.  So mortgage fraud's an issue.  Medicaid fraud's an issue.  Just corporate fraud, in general, is an issue."
     A hearing is scheduled for Ward to appear before an administrative law judge on March 22nd through the 23rd.
     Ward is on the ballot for Pocomoke City Mayor. The city election is Tuesday, April 5.

     WMDT went to the Money Centre to talk to Ward --- who declined an on camera interview. He and his attorney say they deny all the allegations.

VIA: WMDT47 

Editors note; It's fairly clear that Ward is a planted candidate that is in place to absorb votes.  

"Promises" ~ Prom Boutique

"The "Promises" Prom Boutique purpose is to ensure, through community effort, that any young woman who wants to attend her prom - perhaps the most important social event of the high school years - has the attire to do so in spite of financial circumstances which otherwise might make attendance prohibitive; thereby inspiring poise and self confidence."


"Promises" Prom Boutique
Boutique Hours

Friday, March 18, 2011 - 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM
Sunday, March 20,2011 - 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM

Location: Clubhouse of the Woman's Club of Accomack County
25405 Richmond Avenue
Onley, Virginia 23418

Contact person for questions or more info: Lynne Calvert calvert72@verizon.net

NO GUYS ALLOWED !!

Mud Bog Event Schedule

Please make note that the mudbog races are split this year between Crisfield, Maryland and Gumboro, Delaware.

2011 Mud Bog Event Schedule

Location: Gumboro Mud Bog

Saturday April 9th
Saturday September 24th
Saturday October 8th

Location: Crisfield Mud Bog

Sunday May 29th
Sunday July 31st
Saturday September 3rd

For more information: www.gumboromudbog.com

Con. Scott Rigell Opposes New Budget Extension

The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to pass a measure to keep the government operating for three more weeks. The continuing resolution gave house members more time to negotiate a permanent budget.

Voting against the continuing resolution was Eastern Shore Congressman Scott Rigell. According to an article in the Virginian Pilot Rigell who supported a previous resolution said he opposed the new budget extension for two reasons. The government fiscal crisis is too important to put off, and he was hearing from military leaders that the short term budgets were hurting the militarys ability to make long-term plans to prepare and procure what it needs. Rigell said, The time is truly precious.

Prospects for an agreement are uncertain due to the insistence by House Republicans that any final agreement mixing steep spending cuts with various provisions including banning federal funding for Planned Parenthood and striking funds from Obama Care.

Source; www.shoredailynews.com

~St. Patrick's Day~

Irish Blessing

"May your neighbors respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you."

~ Reminder~ Community Awareness Meeting

POCOMOKE COMMUNITY AWARENESS MEETING

SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2011

POCOMOKE LIBRARY, MARKET STREET

MEETING BEGINS AT 10:00 AM

Please make plans to attend and meet with other citizens to discuss the problems in Pocomoke. Your opinions are needed.

~At the Marva Theater This Weekend~

Fri, Mar 18th
Sat, Mar 19th
Time: 7 p.m.

Tickets: $5

PLOT: Garden gnomes Gnomeo and Juliet have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness?

Rated G

Gumboro Mudbog Annual Banquet

The second Gumboro Mudbog Banquet for drivers and guests was held on Saturday, March 5, 2011. After a nice meal the drivers that finished with points during the 2010 racing seasons were presented trophies. What really made the evening enjoyable was when the emcee managed to find some odd or unusual stories to tell on quite a few of the drivers and presented them with an award and some hilarious gifts! The banquet committee really outdid themselves this year.

Bowden Racing

I am proud to tell you that The 187 East Performance Team took a few trophies and a few awards.

Front Row, left to right: Barry Long-driver of "Sod Buster" - "Smoker Award"

Lori Ann Long-Sturgis - driver of "Grey Ghost" - "Flat Tire Award"

Lee Sturgis - driver of "Grey Ghost"

Back Row,
Patrick Long - driver of "All Night Soldier" - 1st place Small Tire Prostock and 2nd place Big Tire Prostock

Johnny Edwards - driver of "In The Mix" - 2nd place Mini Open and 3rd place Unlimited

Barry Wise - driver of "Short and Sassy" - 2nd place Small Tire Prostock

Donald Bowden - Mechanic and the guy that keeps these trucks running week after week and year after year! He's the "go to" guy for the team even if a truck has the hiccups and can be seen alot of times in the pits at Gumboro or Crisfield just about spinning in circles! He gets the job done for the guys. In fact on some race days last season he was so busy that the committee this year awarded Donald with the "Pencil Me In" Award! And I'll bet he uses the little notebook this new season, if he hasn't already!

Thanks Donald for a great racing season last year and for being there for all of us!

And many thanks to the Gumboro Mudbog Committee for another wonder banquet to end another wonderful and fun year of mudbog racing.

Gumboro Mudbog opens April 9th for the first race of the season.

Coming Soon.....

~~DON'T FORGET~~
The Miss Hope Eastern Shore Pageant
with
Miss America 2010,
Caressa Cameron

Join us for our inaugural year of the Miss Hope Eastern Shore Pageant.

Time & Date: Saturday March 26, 2011

7:00 PM until 10:00 PM

Lots of fun! Very nice auction items, 50/50 and more!

100% of the proceeds go to the Courtney Bloxom Fund.

For tickets and more information go to: http://www.bringyourbling.net/

Two Survivors In Japan Reunited......

Sometimes through tragedy in life families and pets lose their way and become lost from one another. Yet no matter how horrible the situation, no matter how tragic, or how long it takes we never give up the search to find each other again...................Not even in Japan.

Two survivors in Japan, reunited by a rescuer. March 13, 2011

"Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all." – Emily Dickinson

For Michelle.

Motorist Who Drove Off Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnell Identified

VIRGINIA BEACH — A motorist's body was recovered Tuesday from a vehicle that went off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

Virginia Beach police spokesman Adam Bernstein said investigators believe there was only one body in the vehicle, after previous reports indicated there may have been two. The victim was driving in a Toyota Avalon.

The victim was identified as Jean Calcagno, 51, of the 2500 block of Kentucky Derby Drive, Virginia Beach.

Bernstein said that the vehicle was found by a private diving company, which was brought in during the joint search effort that involved bridge tunnel personnel, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Virginia Marine Police, the Virginia Beach police and fire departments, and other agencies.

The body was recovered during the third diving attempt by the private company, Croft Diving Corporation. “They had better equipment than us and were able to perform longer dives,” Bernstein said Tuesday evening.

The bridge was closed to southbound traffic for several hours. It was not clear how far in the water the car had traveled before divers were able to spot it.

Tom Anderson, deputy director for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel said it appeared the car was going at least the speed limit, 55 mph, when the crash occurred and that the vehicle had crossed through guardrail into the water.

Source: www.wtkr.com

Teased Kid Snaps! Body Slams Bully

By Brad Cohen, SportsGrid
Australian student Casey Heynes became the latest YouTube sensation—and unofficial anti-bullying PSA posterboy—when he was captured on video bodyslamming a bully that had hit him in the face.
The (much smaller) bully taunted and hit Casey after school while other kids laughed and videotaped the whole incident. Eventually, the much-bigger Casey could take no more, as he picked up the scrawny antagonizer and smashed him hard onto the concrete.

VIA: FoxNation

SUV Goes Off Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

VIRGINIA BEACH A sport-utility vehicle went off the side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel on Tuesday morning.

Emergency crews are on the scene, and all southbound traffic from the Eastern Shore has been stopped.

Debbie Cooley, spokeswoman for the bridge-tunnel administration, said the vehicle - identified by the U.S. Coast Guard as a silver-colored SUV - went into the bay around 8:25 a.m. She said the motorist was traveling southbound and had passed through the tunnel closest to the Eastern Shore. The SUV went off the side of the bridge near the 8-mile marker.

Crews are on scene trying to locate the vehicle in the water. In addition to the bridge-tunnel's own crew, the search effort includes the U.S. Coast Guard, the Virginia Marine Police, the police and fire departments from Virginia Beach, and other agencies.

Police spokesman Adam Bernstein said investigators believe there were two occupants in the vehicle.
Source: http://www.dailypress.com/

Selling Marijuana-Laced Baked Goods On Face Book Will Get You Busted

I'm thinking that if Alice B. Toklas were alive today she wouldn't be smiling.... for alot of reasons.

PAYNE COUNTY, Okla. -- A Stillwater woman is arrested after selling baked goods that came with an illegal special ingredient. Stillwater police say the suspect had been selling food laced with marijuana.

She's now facing several felony charges.

"It's not something we see everyday," said Captain Randy Dickerson with the Stillwater police department.

Dickerson says investigators arrested the suspect, Sarah Probasco, this week for running the illegal home bakery.

"It looked like what she was doing was extracting marijuana, putting it into some butter, and then using it to produce baked products," Dickerson said.

Probasco would also allegedly sell the illegal food over the internet; she even advertised on Facebook.

"Apparently she had a bakery business called "Basco Bakery" she was promoting. She even had some apparel she was trying to market promoting marijuana-laced baked goods," said Dickerson.

Police found marijuana when searching Probasco's home.

She now faces several charges of possession and distribution.
No one's laughing about that.

"Just because they're putting it in cookies and other baked goods, doesn't make any less of a crime," said Dickerson.

Stillwater police say they had been investigating the case for several months.

Over that time, they were able to make several purchases from the suspect.

Source; kfor.com

www.kfor.com

The Rural Sign Painter

One simple syllable can be used so many different ways. HA! - for simple discovery. HA. HA!-because something was funny. Or HA. HA. HA.!!! repeated over and over into an evil laugh.

Think about it.

Girl Friends Dinner

This came in an email yesterday and I got the biggest laugh from it thinking about how all of the writings seem to be talking about me or will apply to myself and my other girl cousins now that we are ALL in the ages of 55 and up!! Hear me GIRLS?? If there's an Ocean View Restaurant in Ocean City by the time were 85 that's where we will be.

I wonder though, who will be leading who and who's hearing will be the first to go, followed by eyesight. With any luck my sister will still be able to drive at the age of 85. That's the only way I'll be able to get there! And we'll be late because I will have to stop and pee......twice!

I love you girls!!!

Girl Friends' Dinner

A group of 15-year-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Dairy Queen next to the Oceanview restaurant because they had only $6.00 among them and Jimmy Johnson, the cute boy in Social Studies, lived on that street.

10 years later, the group of 25-year-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the beer was cheap, the restaurant offered free snacks, the band was good, there was no cover and there were lots of cute guys.

10 years later, the group of 35-year-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the cosmos were good, it was right near the gym and, if they went late enough, there wouldn't be too many whiny little kids.

10 years later, the group of 45-year-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the martinis were big and the waiters had tight pants and nice buns.

10 years later, the group of 55-year-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the prices were reasonable, the wine list was good, the restaurant had windows that opened (in case of a hot flashes), and fish is good for cholesterol.

10 years later, the group of 65-year-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the lighting was good and the restaurant had an early bird special.

10 years later, the group of 75-years-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the food was not too spicy and the restaurant was handicapped-accessible.

10 years later, the group of 85-years-old girlfriends discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally, they agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they had never been there.

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way we cope with it, is what makes the difference.

State Wide Tornado Drill For Virginia Today

REMINDER- FOR THOSE REGISTERED

Virginians will conduct the annual statewide tornado drill on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 (today) at 9:45. Throughout the Eastern Shore and the rest of Virginia, emergency services staff, schools and hundreds of other state and county agencies will participate in the drill.

March 15 was designated by Governor McDonnell as Tornado Preparedness Day in Virginia. The state will send a test tornado warning that will trigger a tone alert and broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio, simulating what will be heard during a genuine emergency. That message will be broadcast on radio and tv stations across the Commonwealth.

Virginians are encouraged to use the test as an opportunity to rehearse plans of what to do to protect your family during an actual tornado alert, make sure you have adequate emergency supplies at hand and know where you will go quickly should a tornado approach.

In the past three years 62 tornadoes touched down in Virginia injuring 220 and causing nearly $50 million in property damage, according to the emergency management department.


For more information: www.vaemergency.com
www.shoredailynews.com

Who Will Be Our Next Mayor?

As you know I published 9 simple questions to our candidates running for Mayor. I allowed more than ample time for their answers to be sent in yet not one single candidate responded. I was hoping that they would take the time to send in their answers because I was going to do follow-up questions that were asked by our readers.

It is very disappointing to learn that not one candidate took the time to send in their answers and to think they will be running our City. Will they answer our questions when we have a problem if they couldn't/wouldn't answer a few questions that they had a few weeks to think about? 

BTW: Who is Frank Ward?

More to come

You can see Dr. Duffy's answers on her website HERE>>

Questions For The Candidates Running For Mayor Of Pocomoke

 TODAY is the deadline to submit your answers. 

As of today I have NOT received any replies. 

It is very disappointing that not one candidate has taking the two minuets it would take to answer the few simple questions posted. These questions have been posted for over a month and so far we have only one candidate that has taken any interest at all. 

If they can not take the time to answer these questions what kind of support can we expect from them as our Mayor.

These questions will be removed today followed by a article of disappointment in those candidates that did not respond, we know that you read this blog so that is not an excuse.   


Below I have compiled a short list of questions for the candidates running for Mayor of Pocomoke, if any readers have questions to add to this list please send your questions to pcitypubliceye@gmail.com 

Directions on how to answer the questions; Simply copy and paste the questions in whatever Doc. you wish. Then place your answers under each question (use double space) then use the email address above and send in your questions and answers.

When every candidate sends in their answer I will at that time publish those answers. If I get the answers early I will post another set of questions and set a deadline for the second set of questions to be answered. If any candidate does not answer these first set of questions in a timely manner they will be disqualified and the next set of questions will be published.

The deadline for this set of questions will be 3/14/11 

SORRY TIMES UP, NO ANSWERS WILL BE ACCEPTED OR PUBLISHED AS OF NOW!

Please send all answers to pcitypubliceye@gmail.com

Hymn Sing For Courtney Was A Wonderful Event!

Well, good news travels fast and I am hearing what a success and what a wonder time so many people had last night at the hynm sing held at the First Baptist Church in New Church, Virginia for Courtney Bloxom.

It's so wonderful to know that so many people congregated together to lift their voices and hearts to help Courtney and her family. What wonderful communities we live in!

If you would like to give a donation to benefit Courtney the information can be found on her facebook page..."Prayers For Courtney Bloxom". Donations and even words of encouragement are always welcomed.

And as always........

Please continue to keep Courtney Bloxom and her family in your prayers.

FIELD NOTES By Delegate Mike McDermott

Field Notes

Observations and Reflections on Legislative Activities

By Delegate Mike McDermott

March 7^th –March 11^th, 2011

• Monday evening the Republican Caucus met prior to the evening session to discuss the upcoming debate and votes on the Gay Marriage legislation. We reviewed the previous weeks work in the Judiciary Committee and debated the proper strategy to utilize. At this time, the matter remains a matter of great debate.


• On Tuesday morning, the House began the debate on Senate Bill 116 which seeks to legalize gay marriage. This was the Second Reading of this bill and this is the time when the House offers and debates amendments to a bill. Several amendments were offered by both sides of the aisle. They addressed the following areas of concern:

1. Amendment 1 (543121/1) would address certain religious exemptions for adoption services and social service programs. It was simple and would have recognized the need for these objections for deeply held convictions. It was defeated on a vote of 58/79;


2. Amendment 2 (483026/1) would have provided for exemptions for religious held convictions as pertaining to training by teachers and participation by students in K-12 public school programs. This would address homosexual sex education and make provision for teachers, parents, and students not to participate in this type of training. It was voted down 54/86;


3. Amendment 3 (873228/1) would simply change the title of the bill to the “Same Sex Marriage Act” as opposed to its present title (Civil Marriage Protection Act). It was argued that the name was very deceiving and would continue to misdirect people when the bill goes to referendum. This amendment was defeated 52/85; and


4. Amendment 4 (223923/1) was offered by a democrat member and would require a statewide referendum be conducted prior to the law taking effect. This reasonable attempt was also shot down on a tight vote with a couple of democrats speaking out on the floor. The vote was 63/72.

With these amendment defeats, the bill remains intact and will next appear for Third Reader and a final vote. I must say I was very disappointed, particularly with the failure of amendments 3 and 4. The House is clearly divided and I have never seen good legislation pass under these circumstances. Clearly the ruling party’s leadership had been whipping their caucus and twisting arms to secure these votes. On the amendment votes, many of the delegates chose not to even vote! That was more shocking that all the rest. What a colossal failure of courage and conviction. This same legislative body debated slots and agreed to let the people decide “this monumental issue”, and then fails to think the people of Maryland should weigh in on the definition of “marriage”? What an outrage!

At this time on Tuesday, the final outcome remained unknown and both sides continued working hard. As a result, I strongly encouraged citizens to participate in the process with a focus on the House Democrats.

• On Tuesday, there were three Third Reader votes cast on the following bills:

1. HB- 24 : Third Reading Passed (138-2)


2. HB- 101: Third Reading Passed (89-50)


3. HB -302: Motion vote previous question (Delegate Minnick) Adopted Third Reading Passed (74-66)

• Tuesday afternoon, the Judiciary Committee heard testimony concerning the following bills:

1. HB-161: This bill would enhance the penalties when someone uses a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence or a felony. Further, it would expand the definition of “firearm” used in these types of crimes to include long guns and shotguns. This bill is supported by both sides as a way to get tougher on thugs.


2. HB-172: This bill would eliminate diminutive credits for inmates who violate firearms laws or commit crimes of violence. These are those “good time” credits inmates receive just for being incarcerated. These often serve to shorten their sentences. This bill received no opposition testimony.


3. HB-241: This bill would expand the definition of a firearm to include long guns and antique firearms and would place mandatory minimum sentences for the unlawful possession of these firearms. This bill is also supported by both sides and received no opposition.


4. HB-252: This bill would enhance the penalties for possession of a firearm that was loaded under any circumstances. It carries with it mandatory minimums. This bill had some problems as it could cause problems for those who make honest mistakes in the possession or transportation of a firearm under otherwise lawful purposes. It received significant opposition and will need to be amended if it has a chance of making it out of committee.


5. HB-382: This bill would remove diminutive credits when a firearm is used in the commission of any crime. It is simple and straightforward and goes further than HB-172 (which only removed one-half of the time).


6. HB-343: This bill would change the right to carry a firearm in Maryland from a “may issue” position by the State to a “shall issue” position. It would provide for law abiding Marylanders to be issued a concealed carry permit upon request if there was no clear reason why the permit should not be issued. Several folks testified from around the state. At issue is the position by the Maryland State Police interpreting the need for citizens to have “good and substantial” reasons for being issued a handgun carry permit, and that definition not being clear.


7. HB-803: This bill would make it a crime to possess a firearm in a hospital or institute of higher learning if they did not have a permit to do so. Of course, it is already a crime, but this bill would serve to place an exclamation point on the issue. I do not see that it is necessary, and I, for one, would rather have a professor armed on a campus that may be able to take immediate action to protect life than one who is a victim in waiting. This bill received significant opposition.


8. HB-519: This bill would copy the Federal regulations dealing with the removal or attempted removal of a serial number on a firearm which is currently not addressed by the state. It would also provide for additional regulations on ammunition for unregulated firearms. It would also criminalize some of the statues relative to those less than 21 years of age. The bill simply goes too far in many aspects and replicates what the feds are already performing now.


9. HB-1043: This bill again seeks to replicate many of the standards already in place and required by the federal government. This bill would allow the Maryland State Police to further regulate the licensing requirements of firearms dealers. The state seeks to increase enforcement in this area due to problems with some firearms dealers in the past. It increases reporting requirements in Maryland, many of which are already required under law.

10. HB-330/HB-1043: This bill seeks to limit the magazine capacity of firearms in Maryland. The magazine capacity is currently set at 20 rounds, but this bill would reduce that limit to 10 rounds. Reflecting on the previous Assault Weapons Ban conducted federally, these limitations simply do not do as they are intended, and that is control crime. This is the type of bill that is introduced which makes the delegate’s who provide them feel good, but they do nothing to stop violence in Maryland. As you would expect, many spoke against this type of ban.

11. HB-730: This bill seeks the creation of a task force to examine the issue of mental illness when applied to the purchase or control (sales) of firearms in Maryland. The bill is being amended to this end and the task force will include a variety of professionals who can weigh in on this issue. I can say that I am concerned about the study of one particular industry or particular customer base as being genuine in application. We need to keep our eye on the results of any sanctioned study.

• On Wednesday morning, the House began the debate on Senate Bill 116 which seeks to legalize gay marriage. This was the Second Reading of this bill and this is the time when the House offers and debates amendments to a bill. Several amendments were offered by both sides of the aisle. The first three addressed the following areas of concern:

1. Amendment 1 (543121/1) would address certain religious exemptions for adoption services and social service programs. It was simple and would have recognized the need for these objections for deeply held convictions. It was defeated on a vote of 58/79;


2. Amendment 2 (483026/1) would have provided for exemptions for religious held convictions as pertaining to training by teachers and participation by students in K-12 public school programs. This would address homosexual sex education and make provision for teachers, parents, and students not to participate in this type of training. It was voted down 54/86;


3. Amendment 3 (873228/1) would simply change the title of the bill to the “Same Sex Marriage Act” as opposed to its present title (Civil Marriage Protection Act). It was argued that the name was very deceiving and would continue to misdirect people when the bill goes to referendum. This amendment was defeated 52/85; and


4. Amendment 4 (223923/1) was offered by a democrat member and would require a statewide referendum be conducted prior to the law taking effect. This reasonable attempt was also shot down on a tight vote with a couple of democrats speaking out on the floor. The vote was 63/72.

With these amendment defeats, the bill remains intact and will next appear for Third Reader and a final vote. I must say I was very disappointed, particularly with the failure of amendments 3 and 4. The House is clearly divided and I have never seen good legislation pass under these circumstances. Clearly the ruling party’s leadership had been whipping their caucus and twisting arms to secure these votes. On the amendment votes, many of the delegates chose not to even vote! That was more shocking that all the rest. What a colossal failure of courage and conviction.

The final outcome remains unknown and both sides are working hard. As a result, I strongly encourage citizens to participate in the process with a focus on the House Democrats.

• On Wednesday, the following bills were heard in the Judiciary Committee:

1. HB-806: This bill would consolidate several existing charges concerning suspended or revoked driver’s license and would reduce the number of points assigned by the MVA to a person’s license. State’s Attorney’s spoke out against making the change as a lesser charge already exists in the law.


2. HB-657: This bill would allow the MVA to create a special registration plate for persons convicted 3 or more times with DUI convictions. This was an interesting proposal that has come to the committee for several years in a row now. It is a Scarlet Letter for drunk drivers and I like it.


3. HB-698: This bill would allow the MVA to accept valid US Military Identification as one of their valid IDs when securing a driver’s license. This one seems like a no brainer and I cannot imagine why the MVA would not accept a military ID as opposed that are of a more questionable nature.


4. HB-1069: This bill would allow the MVA to place a special notation on a person’s driver’s license once they have been convicted of DUI three times. It was testified that this bill would help those who sell alcohol act with greater caution when someone seeks to purchase alcohol.


5. HB-957: This bill would make it a separate offense for anyone previously convicted of DUI to refuse to take a breath or blood test for alcohol on a subsequent arrest. I like the idea of this bill as it would provide a greater penalty when someone refuses a test.


6. HB-318/360/1012/1276: All of these bills address additional requirements for the mandatory use of ignition interlock devices for those convicted of drunk driving. These are devices which require the driver submit a breath sample which is alcohol free before the vehicle can be operated. All of these bills propose variances with the same goal. Most of the bills focus on action being taken by the MVA, while one of the bills (360) requires the judge in the case mandate the interlock device. It appears clear that the committee is going to embrace a modified bill which takes all of these issues into account.

• On Thursday morning, the following bills were passed on Third Reader in the House:


• On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the following bills:

1. SB- 454: Third Reading Passed (138-0)

2. SB -455: Third Reading Passed (138-0)

1. HB-878: This bill would require a defendant in a court proceeding to receive notification of their right to having their records expunged under certain conditions. It would simply clarify for defendants the rights they are assured under law but with which they may not be familiar.


2. HB-1072: This bill would require further regulations on the sale of Salvia requiring those who sell the product to verify the age of the purchaser and to post various regulations in their store addressing Salvia sales. This is just one of several bills addressing certain aspects of Salvia sales and distribution.


3. HB-919: This bill would institute a pilot program in Maryland similar to one already in existence in Texas. It is aimed at reducing the prison population by developing enhanced standards of parole and probation supervision. It provides various programs and incentives for inmates and reduces the technical violations often the reason for probationers being violated. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of inmates and create an incentivized program for success for probationers. If it is as successful as it has been in Texas, it would reduce the cost of corrections in Maryland.


4. HB-862: This bill would create a separate theft statute for the theft of mail. It is already covered under the current theft article, but the sponsor wanted to make provision for mail theft as a separate offense.


5. HB-964: This bill would create a pilot program called Recidivism Reduction Program and is designed to reduce the recidivism rate in Maryland prisons. It is a foundation program for HB-919 working in concert to achieve the same end results.


6. HB-971: This bill seeks to change the charge for abandoning a refrigerator from a criminal charge to a civil offense. It was testified that the modern refrigerators do not latch as the former models for which the law was established in the 1950’s and it would be more appropriate to charge as a civil infraction as opposed to a misdemeanor crime.


7. HB-967: This bill would increase the penalties for Malicious Destruction of Property. This bill would essentially double the current penalty for a violation.


8. HB-794: This bill would mandate a date certain by which the Division of Parole and Probation would have to conduct hearings for inmates incarcerated in local jails. The timeliness of these hearings has been brought into question in recent months. This bill seeks to rectify this issue.


9. HB-874: This bill would create a Truth in Sentencing Task Force. The task force would report on the use of diminution credits, early parole, and other aspects used in controlling inmate behavior.

10. HB-875: This bill would allow for prosecution of drug dealers who are laundering money less than $10,000.00 by creating a misdemeanor charge for transactions of less than $10,000.00. There is already a felony charge for transactions exceeding this amount.

11. HB-1024: This bill seeks to expand the protection of a pregnant woman and her fetus by expanding the time period whereby a person could be charged with Murder or Manslaughter of a Fetus. Currently, the law only applies to acts committed against a fetus who is “viable” outside of the womb of the mother. The law is constructed so as not to inhibit abortion. It is supported by Maryland Right to Life and the Maryland Catholic Conference. It was opposed by NARAL (pro abortion) and the ACLU. Needless to say, they turned it into an “abortion bill” even though the Attorney General has ruled that this bill would not violate the current abortion standards in Maryland.

12. HB-879: This bill would expand the venue of counterfeiting laws so charges could be filed in other jurisdictions.

• On Friday, we voted on a number of bills which lacked any controversy as follows:

· HB-354 : Third Reading Passed (137-0)

· HB -357:Third Reading Passed (139-0)

· HB- 378:Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB- 460: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -503: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -529: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -709: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -37: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -61: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -68: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -204: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

· HB -281: Third Reading Passed (138-0)

· HB -306 : Third Reading Passed (139-1)

· HB -329: Third Reading Passed (140-0)

• The final vote of the day was to be on SB-116, the Gay Marriage Bill. The debate was civil and primarily taken on by democrats opposing and democrats in favor. Only a couple of Republicans spoke. It became quite clear that the votes to pass it were not on the floor. They stalled the vote as long as they could and then Chairman Vallario (Judiciary Committee) requested the bill be remanded back to the committee. Essentially, that ends the bill as it is highly unlikely it will be brought back out during the session and this can be interpreted as modest victory of the process.

I must say, there was an awful lot of political capital spent in the past two weeks on this issue. The broken and twisted arms are clearly apparent. The process also showed that a dynamic minority working together can build bridges with other members across the aisle. We will need to keep this matter before us while it remains in committee until the end of the session. The other interesting thing to watch is the long term impact the actions of the past week will have on many members and their relationship with House leadership. So much pressure was brought on freshmen members and those in various junior leadership positions, the failure to move the bill on the floor looks like a wasted fight. The matter is not going away, but for today in Maryland, the definition of marriage being between one man and one woman remains the law of the land.

• The following bills were voted on in the Judiciary Committee Friday afternoon:

Unfavorable: HB-137, HB-256, HB-423, HB-501, HB-797, HB-892, HB-1019, HB-1126, HB-1136

Favorable: HB-507, HB-667, HB-729, HB-749, HB-837, HB-1018

HYMN SING THIS SUNDAY

HYMN SING

SUNDAY MARCH 13, 2011

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

31027 Depot Street

New Church, Virginia

6: 00 PM until 9:00 PM

FCB Praise Team and Greg Fentress leading off with praise and worship.

Singers for the evening: Brian and Monique Linton, Kindred Spirit, Cliff Jester, Earnie Ray Mears.

Refreshments will follow.

A love offering will be taken for Courtney Bloxom. Please plan to attend and bring a friend so that the family will know that the community cares and are praying so very hard for Courtney's recovery.

~BRING YOUR VOICE OF PRAISE~

For information: (757)824-0493

Please continue to pray for Courtney. She is making progress every day but recovery is slow. Your prayers do help and continue to be uplifting for the family.

Pocomoke Warrior's Still Winners Even If They Did Lose In Semifinals.

Pocomoke High School Warriors Boy's Basketball team took their game to the University of Maryland Comcast Center on Friday to play the Williamsport Wildcats in the MPSSAA 1A semifinals.

Our Pocomoke Warriors lost that game with the final score of 67-48. Here's a quote I found in the Daily Times from the Warrior's coach Derrick Fooks and what he had to say about his hardplaying team. "We just never got anything going today, no rhythm at all."

Gosh! No rhythm?? Coach Fooks you made those boys sound like they went onto the arena floor with two left feet and minus thumbs to play the game! Surely you could have said something better than that!

Let's just call it an "off" day on the wrong day. There's no doubt in my mind that the members on that team worked themselves into exhaustion to get ready for Friday. And it's very apparent that they worked quite hard all season to achieve once again this year what has been achieved so many years before in the name of basketball and for Pocomoke High School.

Eight members of the basketball will probably return next year for another chance at the playoffs and the title. Sadly, four seniors played for the last time and leave with no championship under their belts for the 2011 Basketball season. That's very disappointing.

But what comes out on top is that the members on the Pocomoke High School Warriors Basketball Team are NOT losers at all! THEY are the winners too! In order for a team to get as far as they did and to have accomplish what they did two things have to go right while making the formula for winning: You need a great team that is willing to work hard, care about themselves and care about others to make all things work. And you need a great coach to make sure it gets done! That's just what happened.

Pocomoke Warrior's team ended the year with a 18-6 record. To have gone so far all of you had to be dong everything right. You should all be very proud.

Williamsport lost to Dunbar on Saturday - 64-43

~Don't Forget!~ Time Changes Sunday

The old adage is "Spring ahead, fall back."

Daylight Savings Time begins early Sunday morning at 2:00 AM so don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour.

REMINDER: NOW is the time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.