Millions Caught Abusing Federal Phone Program

WOW!  All these folks have FREE phones and I don't even have texting on my phone!

Photo/teapartypatriots.org

Next time you pay your cell phone bill, you may want to take a closer look at a charge called a universal access or service fee. The charge is money you pay so that people can have free cell phones. Now, a new report says that money may have been wasted.

The phones are obtained through a federal program called Lifeline funded by a charged on your cell phone bill that has handed out free phones to nearly 18 million people already receiving federal assistance.
Annual spending of Lifeline has nearly tripled since 2008 from $800 million to $2.2 billion last year.

But new details reveal the program is even more troubled.
A story published last week by the Wall Street Journal revealed that roughly two million people who already receive free phones could not prove they were eligible.

Since the report, federal agents stepped up efforts to reign in abuse by sending out notices to people who had received more than one phone.

The FCC is expected to issue citations to people who abuse the program next week.Millions Caught Abusing Federal Phone Program

Source:

Saturday Specials ~ Riverside Grill Pocomoke

Saturday, February 23, 2013

 -Seafood Gumbo w/ 1/2 deli sandwich or side salad 6.99
 -Cobb Salad- (iceberg, tomatoes, red onions, bacon, egg, chicken, bleu cheese) 7.99
 -NC Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich w/ cole slaw and hush puppies 6.99
 -Ale-Batter Fried Shrimp Basket w/ fries 8.99*
 -Fried Oyster Basket w/ fries 10.99

 *Take an extra $1 off shrimp baskets all day

 

Riverside Grill Photo
NC Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich

 

 

 $2.50 Bloody Mary's & Mimosas

 

 @ 5 pm: $4 burgers till close

 

 @ 8 pm: $3.50 Stoli drinks

$3 Corona

 Corona lights

 and Red stripes

 till close

TIME MACHINE ... This Sunday's Preview.

　 1941.. Fire rages in Shore forests;  1975..Recalling one of the most popular local gospel groups; 1877..Magazine reader gets advise for Eastern Shore duck and goose hunting trip; 1961..New band director for Pocomoke and Snow Hill high schools; 1944.. New plan can bring electricity in future to Eastern Shore farms; 1890- The letter that came in time.  
 
Although you may not find these items in a history book, they are a part of our local history and you can read more about it this Sunday right here at The Pocomoke Public Eye!




Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!

Engine Test A Success

If you thought you heard thunder and your windows rattled.  Or if your house shook and you thought it was an earthquake be advised you are safe. 

The engine of the Antare's rocket was tested for 30 seconds last night, just shortly after 6:00 PM,  from NASA's Wallops Flight Center.  I can't imagine what our friends- who live within sight of NASA and see every launch and testing that goes on from there- may have witnessed. 

And I don't want to think about what the sight and sound will be like when the Antare's rocket is  finally launched later this year.

 

NASA commercial partner Orbital Sciences of Dulles, Va., successfully conducted an engine test of its Antares rocket Friday, Feb. 22, from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Va. The company fired dual AJ26 rocket engines for approximately 30 seconds while the rocket was bolted down on the pad. Known as a "hot fire" test, it demonstrated the readiness of the rocket's first stage and launch pad fueling systems to support upcoming test flights. Credit: NASA

 

 

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. -- NASA commercial partner Orbital Sciences of Dulles, Va., successfully conducted an engine test of its Antares rocket Friday, February 22, at the nation's newest launch pad.

The company fired dual AJ26 rocket engines for approximately 30 seconds while the first stage of Orbital's Antares rocket was held down on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va. The test demonstrated the readiness of the rocket's first stage and launch pad fueling systems to support upcoming test flights.
"This pad test is an important reminder of how strong and diverse the commercial space industry is in our nation,” said Phil McAlister, director of Commercial Spaceflight Development at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “A little more than one year after the retirement of the space shuttle, we had a U.S company resupplying the space station, and another is now taking the next critical steps to launch from America’s newest gateway to low-Earth Orbit. Today marks significant progress for Orbital, MARS and the NASA team."

Orbital is building and testing its new rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. A demonstration flight of Antares and Cygnus to the space station is planned for later this year. Following the successful completion of the COTS demonstration mission to the station, Orbital will begin conducting eight planed cargo resupply flights to the orbiting laboratory through NASA's $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract with the company.
Wallops, which has launched more than 16,000 rockets in its 67-year history, provided launch range support for the hot fire test, including communications, data collection, range safety and area clearance.

NASA initiatives like COTS are helping develop a robust U.S. commercial space transportation industry with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station and low-Earth orbit. In parallel, NASA's Commercial Crew Program is working with commercial space partners developing capabilities to launch U.S. astronauts from U.S. soil in the next few years.

**For more information about upcoming Orbital test flights, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/orbital**

Legislative Updates From Delegate Mike McDermott

 

Observations and Reflections on Legislative Activities

Feb. 22nd, 2013

Taxing Winds Blowing Offshore

 

There is a lot of hot air blowing around Annapolis these days regarding the viability of  Offshore Wind.  The governor and   his acolytes would have you believe that the cost will be limited to less than two bucks a month for ratepayers, and we should be thrilled with the prospect.

It would be bad enough if this was the only electricity tax we had to pay over the next 25-years, but it is just the beginning. While Businesses in Maryland will be charged the lion’s share of the taxes and fees associated with this boondoggle, it is the consumer who will actually be footing the bill. As a result, you will be paying much higher prices for every quart of milk and every piece of clothing you buy from a store as a result of the wind tax.

It was interesting to see the paper defend (and even call it straight up) “crony capitalism”  when it comes to wind development. The billions spent building these 50-story behemoths would only provide enough energy on a windy day to power 60,000 homes. Given that just one reactor at Calvert Cliffs provides enough clean energy for over half a million homes (with no surcharges or taxes), it is quite clear that offshore wind power is just not a good investment.

We refuse to develop our vast natural gas reserves or even include them in our “green” portfolio. Having a politically correct approach when crafting your energy policy has served to provide our people with rates which are 500% greater than we can purchase from other green sources.

I offered an amendment to this bill which would have required our energy providers purchase their green energy mandates from the cheapest source available so our families could be spared the high costs. This was rejected by those who are under their own mandate from the governor to advance this bill no matter the cost.

Instead of focusing on real energy policies that could move Maryland forward and make our region energy independent, those in charge will strap our future to a horse that can’t win, place, or show. These folks would not even allow us to pass an amendment that would require the equipment be manufactured in America, and they tell us this is a “jobs bill” for Maryland.

There is green energy that makes sense, and it is being produced without the need for subsidies which only serve to stymie innovation and limit our resource development.
Marylanders, don’t get “blown away” by the rhetoric…take back your state!
 

Delmarva Discovery Center ~ CREATING COMICS

 

Delmarva Discovery Center

Don't forget to visit the DDC tomorrow at 10a.m. sharp.

 

You won't want to miss a minute of our exciting event teaching children how to draw their own comics.

 

Maybe we will see a few environmental superheroes.

 

 

 

2013 Pocomoke Little League

2013 Pocomoke Little League Sign-ups start
 THIS Saturday, 23 February!!

Here is the Sign-up Schedule:

Saturday, Feb 23rd at the YMCA, 10AM-12PM
 Thursday, Feb 28th at the YMCA, 6PM-8PM
 Saturday, March 2nd at the YMCA, 10AM-12PM
 Saturday, March 9th at Eastern Shore Lanes, 9AM-12PM

Sign-up Fee: $50 ($45 for each addtional child)

 

Please bring with you:  1. Your child's birth certificate
 2. 3 proofs of residency/identification (or copies of these proofs). These can include, but are not limited to, Drivers Liscense, Utility Bill, Vehicle Registration, Check and/or Bank Statement. A link will be posted later today, which will show all acceptable forms of identification and proofs of residency.
 3. Cash or Check for form of payment. Please make checks out to Pocomoke Little League.

 

 

 Note: The uniforms will be provided by the same company as last year, so please be sure to take note if you will need a size adjustment for your child. A sizing chart will be listed on the application as well.

 

For more info go to POCOMOKE LITTLE LEAGUE  on Facebook.

 

Antares Rocket Engine Test Scheduled ~ Wallops Flight Facility

NASA's Wallops Flight Facility has scheduled

a Rocket Engine Test

 

The test of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket engine is scheduled between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, February 22, 2013 and should last approximately half a minute.

 The test will be visible and audible for those in and around Wallops Island.
                                         
A demonstration flight of Antares to the International Space Station is planned for later in 2013.

Riverside Grill - Pocomoke

Friday Specials

February 22, 2013

 

-Seafood Gumbo w/ 1/2 turkey sandwich or side salad 6.99
 -Shrimp, Spinach & Mandarin Salad (Spinach, diced tomatoes, red onion, mandarin oranges, and grilled shrimp)
 -Buffalo Chicken Sandwich w/ fries 7.99
 -Crab Melt w/ fries (Grilled rye w/ cheddar and crab dip) 10.99

 Happy Hour 3-7

 

w/ $1 off appetizers

 

 @ 8 pm:

 

$3.50 Captain Morgan or Sailor Jerry drinks

 $1.50 Yuengling, Coors light, and Bud light drafts

TIME MACHINE ... This Sunday's Preview.

　 1941.. Fire rages in Shore forests; 1975..Recalling one of the most popular local gospel groups; 1877..Magazine reader asks advise for Eastern Shore duck and goose hunting trip; 1961..New band director for Pocomoke and Snow Hill high schools; 1944- New plan can bring electricity in future to Eastern Shore farms; 1890- The letter that came in time.

Although you may not find these items in a history book, they are a part of our local history and you can read more about it this Sunday right here at The Pocomoke Public Eye!





Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!

Don's Seafood ~ Pocomoke

Try Our Homemade Smith Island Cake
 

Fridays & Saturdays N.Y. Strip Special $12.99

 Sunday BUFFET $12.99 includes :

 Baked and Fried Chicken, Dumplings, Steam Shrimp, Fried Flounder, Meatloaf, Chicken Salad
 Bake Corn, Green Beans, Mash Potatoes, Cucumber Salad , Coleslaw and Yeast Rolls.

Guest Bartender Night

Guest Bartender Night at Don's Chicken

and Seafood House

 

 

 

Friday, March 1, 2013

5:00pm until 9:00pm.

 

An evening of fun and fundraising

 

20% of proceeds go to the Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce.

***Chamber President Josh Nordstrom and Chamber board members will serve your drinks!***

The Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce is considering holding a plastic boat regatta made of homemade crafts.

This event would be held during the Pocomoke Cypress Festival 2013 (June 12-15).  The Pocomoke Area Chamber of Commerce is trying to determine if there would be enough interested in participating.

 Would your company, civic organization, or group of friends be interesting in entering a craft to race on the Pocomoke River?

 If you may be interested in entering a team click here.   This is not an entry form, it is only to indicate your interest.

Photo BW
Cypress Park 2012

"Swing into Spring" Golf

Youth Recreation Softball 2012

"A Minute With Mike" ~ Delegate Mike McDermott

"When there is no economic incentive, innovation stops,"

~Delegate Mike McDermott~

Published on Feb 21, 2013 

"A Minute with Mike" is an approximately one minute vlog (video blog) where Delegate Mike McDermott, who proudly represents the people of District 38B in the Maryland General Assembly, speaks on various topics in Maryland Legislature.

In this vlog, Delegate Mike McDermott shares his thoughts on offshore wind. "When there is no economic incentive, innovation stops," states McDermott.

 

 

www.delegatemcdermott.com
www.facebook.com/electmikemcdermott
www.twitter.com/Del_McDermott

 

Multiple Brands of Dog Treats Recalled

Kasel Recalls Multiple Brands of Dog Treats Due to Salmonella

February 20, 2013 – According to an updated FDA news bulletin, Kasel Associated Industries is voluntarily recalling all products manufactured at its Denver, CO facility from April 20, 2012 through September 20, 2012 due to contamination with Salmonella bacteria.


Salmonella can sicken animals that eat these products.
Humans are at risk for Salmonella poisoning from handling contaminated pet products, too.
This is especially true if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the pet products — or any surfaces exposed to these products.
Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Bloody diarrhea
• Abdominal cramping

Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms.
Consumers exhibiting these symptoms after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.
Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans.
If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has any of these signs, please contact your veterinarian.

What’s Being Recalled?

The recalled Products of Dog Treats were distributed nationwide through various retailers from April 20th to September 19th.
Kasel Industries is recalling the following brands…

• Boots & Barkley
• Bixbi
• Nature’s Deli
• Colorado Naturals
• Petco
• Best Bully Stick items

Lot numbers as shown in 1 Year Best By Date Table and 2 Year Best By Date Table, which are attached.

 

Kasel Industries has not received any reports of illnesses to date in connection with these products.
No other products made by Kasel Associated Industries are included in the recall. Specifically no products with best by dates after the specified ranges are included in the recall.

What to Do

Consumers who have purchased any listed products are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Kasel Associated Industries at (800) 218-4417 Monday thru Friday from 7am to 5pm MDT.
You can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.
Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.
 

Boehner to Obama: You created Spending Cut Crisis, You Fixit

House Speaker John Boehner had a simple message Wednesday for President Obama after he used the bully pulpit to blame Republicans for the "meat cleaver" of looming spending cuts: You created it, you fix it.

"Having first proposed and demanded the sequester, it would make sense that the president lead the effort to replace it," Boehner wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

The "sequester" is the Washington word for the $85 billion in 2013 spending cuts set to hit starting March 1, with more than $1 trillion in cuts on tap over the next decade. Boehner and Obama both agree that the federal budget needs that level of deficit reduction and more, but sharply disagree over how to achieve it. In the absence of any compromise, the set of indiscriminate cuts which would hit the military hardest are set to take hold in less than two weeks.

The president on Tuesday, surrounded by first responders who are among those who would see cutbacks, called on House Republicans to drop their resistance to tax increases and steer the country away from the budget "meat cleaver."

But Boehner reminded Obama that the automatic cut idea was originally proffered by the White House during the debt-ceiling talks of 2011. He said Congress "reluctantly accepted the president's demand" and claimed it's now up to Obama to find the escape hatch.

"So, as the president's outrage about the sequester grows in coming days, Republicans have a simple response: Mr. President, we agree that your sequester is bad policy. What spending are you willing to cut to replace it?" Boehner asked.

White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer rejected what he described as "revisionist history." The White House acknowledges the "sequester" came from their office, but argues that Congress was on board at the time. The original plan was to tee up cuts so Draconian that Congress would be compelled to strike a deal to replace them -- Congress, though, failed to do so.

While Boehner blames Democratic resistance to spending and entitlement cuts, Obama blames GOP resistance to closing tax loopholes.

"(Obama) is willing to make tough choices. Now it's time for the speaker to do the same. The speaker has yet to name one tax loophole he's willing to close. Not one," Pfeiffer said.

Continue Reading....

Dog-Bite Responsibility Passes In the House

Sprout and Judge
Photo/BW-DN

House Passes Bill on Dog-Bite Responsibility

 

WBOC

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)- The Maryland House of Delegates has unanimously approved a measure that would reverse a court ruling designating pit bulls as an "inherently dangerous breed."

The House voted 133-0 on Thursday for the bill, which is a compromise measure negotiated between House and Senate lawmakers.

Last year, the state's highest court ruled that pit bull owners and landlords would be held to strict liability standards for dog bites without previous evidence a dog was dangerous.

The measure increases protections for dog-bite victims by presuming all dog owners, regardless of the breed, are presumed liable for attacks.

A dog owner who becomes a court defendant after a bite will have a chance in court to try to prove the dog was not dangerous.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

Source:

 

Antares Engine Test Scheduled For Wallops Space Flight Facility

Antares Engine Test Scheduled for Feb. 22

 

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. – NASA's Wallops Flight Facility will provide launch range support for an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket engine test scheduled for Feb. 22 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport's Pad-0A.

 

The window for the engine test, or hot fire, is 6- 9 p.m. EST.

The test will fire the Antares' dual AJ26 rocket engines, which will generate a combined total thrust of 680,000 lbs., for about 30 seconds while the first stage of the test rocket will be held down on the pad. The hot fire will demonstrate the readiness of the rocket's first stage and launch pad fueling systems to support upcoming flights.

The test will be visible and audible in the Wallops Island local area. Given the broad window and non-operational nature of the test, no live webcast or formal public viewing is planned. NASA's Wallops Flight Facility will provide range support for the hot fire, including communications, data collection, range safety and area clearance.

The test is a key milestone leading up to the first flight of the Antares rocket, which is preliminary scheduled for about four to six weeks following the completion of the engine test.

Orbital is building and testing its new rocket and Cygnus cargo spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. NASA initiatives like COTS are helping develop a robust U.S. commercial space transportation industry with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit.

A demonstration flight of Antares and Cygnus to the space station is planned for later this year. Following the successful completion of the COTS demonstration mission to the station, Orbital will begin regular cargo resupply flights to the orbiting laboratory through NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract.

The launch pad is the first of its kind constructed in the United States in decades. Preparations at the pad for the hot fire test were enabled through partnership between the Spaceport, Orbital and NASA, including representatives from Wallops; NASA's Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Miss.; NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida; NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Hunstville, Ala.; and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

For more information about Orbital Sciences Corp. and the Antares rocket, visit:

http://www.orbital.com/SpaceLaunch/Antares/

Coast Guard Searches For Missing Marriner Off NC Coast

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard is searching for a man Wednesday who reportedly fell overboard from a merchant vessel approximately 50 miles east of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

The master of the 478-foot merchant vessel Ice River contacted Coast Guard watchstander's via satellite phone at approximately 10:30 a.m. stating that a 33-year old male crewmember was missing from the ship.

Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector North Carolina diverted a crew aboard an HC-130 Hercules from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., which was conducting training in the vicinity, to commence a search.

A second Hercules crew took off from the air station at approximately 1:30 p.m. to join the search.

A Navy E-2 Hawkeye crew from Squadron VAW 124 was also diverted to help in the search.

"Coast Guard and Navy aircraft are conducting a joint search to locate the missing person," said Lt. Cmdr. James Weaver, the chief of Incident Response at Sector North Carolina.  "It is our hope that our combined efforts and resources will bring the missing person home safely."

The Ice River's crew is also assisting in the search.

It's LOVE YOUR PET DAY

The wonderful and caring  team at Pocomoke Animal Hospital say that today is....

"LOVE YOUR PET DAY" !!

That means today is the official day for pampering your pet with a little extra love and affection to show them just how much you care.

Worcester County Sheriff's Office ~ Arrest Report

 

 

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office

 

Press Release

 

On Monday, February 18, 2013 a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy was dispatched to Wal-Mart, Berlin for a reported employee theft.

During the investigation and subsequent interview it was learned Ms. Tykia Taylor 20 years of age form Stockton Md., allegedly stole money from Wal-Mart on eight  separate occasions.  The total amount stolen was approximately $3,144.00.

Ms. Taylor was charged with Theft Scheme $1,000-$10,000, two counts of theft $1,000-$10,000, and four counts of theft less than $1,000, and two counts of theft less than   $100

 Ms. Taylor appeared before a District Court Commissioner and was released on a $5,000.00 unsecured bond.

 

####

 

 On the evening of Sunday, February 17, 2013 Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Maryland State Police responded to the Francis Scott Key Motel for a domestic incident.

 

Both parties were separated and made arrangements for a ride.  While waiting for their individual rides Mr. William Thomas 31 of Delmar Md. confronted the female victim after being ordered to stay away.  Mr. Thomas was again ordered to stay away from the female victim and failed to do so.  Deputies attempted to place Mr. Thomas under arrest. Mr. Thomas began to resist their efforts. Mr. Thomas was subsequently subdued and handcuffed without further incident.

 

Mr. Thomas was charged with failure to obey a lawful order of police and resisting arrest. Mr. Thomas appeared before a District Court Commissioner and was released on his personal recognizance.

 

 

Lt. Edward C. Schreier

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office

 

 

Wednesday

February 20,2013

 

-Peas N Dumplings Soup w/ 1/2 ham sandwich or side salad 5.99
 -NC Pulled Pork BBQ w/ cole slaw and hush puppies 6.99
 -Pear-Mango Salad (Spinach, pears, mangoes, candied pecans, feta w/ raspberry vinaigrette) 7.99
 -Crabby Chicken Sandwich (grilled chicken sandwich w/ crab dip on top, served w/ fries) 10.99

 

 

 Happy Hour 4-7

 

w/ $1 off appetizers

 

@ 8 pm:

 

$5 crab dip

 $5 cosmos

$2 house wines

 $2 Coors light drafts

Accomack County - New Tip Line Number

Pocomoke City~ Exciting and Successful !

Wonderful article written in Delmarva Now about Pocomoke City!

Photo BW

Written by
Elaine Bean
POCOMOKE CITY — The state of the city is “successful and exciting,” according to an end-of-the-year report issued by Pocomoke City manager Russell Blake.

Photo BW

Highlights of the year in Pocomoke included the opening of a new waterfront restaurant downtown and new headquarters for the police department, and the appointment of a new police chief.

“Pocomoke residents can take pride in the fact that our community continues to improve and provide necessary services, events and activities for all of our residents,” said Mayor Bruce Morrison.

The merchants in town are seeing an upward turn in their businesses and in activity in the town in general.

“(The state of the city) is probably the best it’s been in 20 years, said Marc Scher, long-time owner of Scher’s Bridal Shop in downtown Pocomoke. “We’ve got the restaurant. The Mar-Va Theater — 10 years ago it was falling apart — is thriving with movies and shows, and is very much self-sustaining.
“We’ve got some new businesses in town and more coming. It’s definitely on the upswing.”

Several new businesses opened their doors in Pocomoke in 2012, including Lin’s Asian Restaurant, C.J.’s Country Corner Antiques, A Second Time Around and Aurora Agronomy, as well as a new liquor store and laundromat.

In July, the city celebrated the opening of the Riverside Grill on the banks of the Pocomoke River, next door to the Delmarva Discovery Center. The restaurant was built by the city for $1 million, with 80 percent covered by grants.



The town received Maryland Community Legacy Grants to fund a new DVD projector at the Mar-Va Theater, a new back-up generator at the Discovery Center, and roof and window repairs at the Sturgis One-Room School.

The downtown revitalization grant is “the biggest of all of those,” said Blake, and will be used to encourage continued upgrades to properties in the downtown area. With $50,000 in funds available, the grant is a 50/50 matching, deferred loan program that can be used by property owners to renovate their buildings or by new business owners for start-up costs.

In June, the police department vacated its out-of-date home in the old armory building and relocated into a remodeled commercial building at 1500 Market St. The $1 million project was financed by the USDA, and includes state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for the 16-person force.

Another major change for the police department was the installation of Kelvin Sewell as police chief. A former Baltimore homicide detective and author of the book “Why Do We Kill,” Sewell’s walk-the-beat techniques significantly lowered crime in Pocomoke, with murders decreasing 200 percent and theft and larcenies down 87 percent.

In October, the city celebrated the 75th anniversary of its City Hall building, built in 1937 by the federal government’s Works Progress Administration.

Other major projects completed by the city in 2012 were improvements to Cypress Park equipment and its nature trail system; new stop signs and street repairs; and the annexation of the Pocomoke Animal Hospital and Hertrich Ford businesses. The city also built a new mini-park and gazebo on Market Street.

In 2012, the city made capital improvement purchases of a new ambulance, a new trash collection truck, a mower, a generator and two new police vehicles.


Source:

Rigell Responds to President's Remarks

Sequestration: The House and Senate Should Return to Washington to Focus on Urgent Issue

February 19, 2013
Rigell Responds to President's Remarks
Congressman Scott Rigell made the following comments on President Obama’s sequestration speech at the White House today:
“The House of Representatives has passed with my support the Sequestration Replacement and Reconciliation Act and the Spending Reduction Act, both of which would stop sequestration. They were promptly sent to the Senate for consideration. Sadly, both bills have not been taken to the Senate floor, nor has the Senate initiated an alternative itself to sequestration. While the President in today’s press conference accurately described the impact sequestration will have on our nation if enacted, he failed to mention those two legislative solutions that passed the House.

During the campaign the President made this definitive statement: ‘Sequestration will not happen.’ The reality however is that until now he has been largely silent on an issue that directly impacts national security, and our national and local economies. Although his involvement comes at the 11th hour, it is welcomed and desperately needed.

The Senate’s failure to act is the principal reason that we are in this predicament; however, attributing responsibility does not stop the sequester or protect local jobs. What is required, and what I focus on daily, is advancing a wise legislative alternative to sequestration.

I again call on the leadership of Congress, Republican and Democrat, House and Senate, along with the President to advance an agreement that would spare the nation from these unwise cuts.

The House and the Senate should come back into session immediately so that we can focus exclusively on this urgent issue.

America cannot afford more dysfunction from Washington. We must put our country first by finding and advancing common ground. We owe this to those who have paid such a heavy price for our freedom, our men and women in uniform, past and present.

And we owe it as our duty to the next generation of Americans.”

Some ‘Special K Red Berries’ Cereal Being Recalled

Kellogg’s Recalling Some ‘Special K Red Berries’ Cereal

(CBS) – Kellogg’s is recalling some boxes of its Special K Red Berries cereal, due to possible contamination by glass fragments.

Anyone who has Special K Red Berries in their home should check the size and UPC code on the box to see if they might have a package that has been recalled.

The recall affects the following three sizes of the cereal:

11.2 Ounce package
 UPC Proof Of Purchase Code: 38000 59923
Better If Used Before Date: DEC 02 2013 KNC 105 00:13 through DEC 02 2013 KNC 105 02:30

37.0 Ounce package
UPC Proof Of Purchase Code: 38000 20940
Better If Used Before Date: NOV 30 2013 KNB 107 17:31 through NOV 30 2013 KNB 107 20:05

22.4 Ounce Twin Pack
UPC Proof Of Purchase Code: 38000 78356
Better If Used Before Date: NOV 30 2013 KNA 105 07:00 through NOV 30 2013 KNA 105 08:51
Better If Used Before Date: NOV 30 2013 KNB 105 15:00 through NOV 30 2013 KNB 105 17:05

Anyone who has one of the packages above should not eat the food, and can contact Kellogg’s for a replacement coupon, and to make arrangements to have the cereal retrieved for further evaluation.

Click here for more information.

If your package is any size other than 11.2, 22.4 or 37 ounces, it is not affected by the recall.

If your package has the letter code KXA, KXB, or KXC following the Better if Used Before Date, it is not affected by the recall.

No other Kellogg products, including products sold in Canada, are part of the recall.

Worcester County Library ~ March Programs

Accomack County School Bus Crash

NEW CHURCH, Va. - A Virginia State Police spokesperson says that around 7:30 AM this morning an Accomack County school bus crashed after it hit a pole and ran into a ditch in the area of Sign Post Rd. and Kelly Road. 

No other vehicles were involved.

Some students were taken to the hospital (for observation) but only one had non-life threatening injuries.

The accident is under investigation.

Media Advisory: Change Maryland

 

Media Advisory: Change Maryland

 

Note to press: if you already reserved a seat, it is not necessary to reply.  If you have not, and still want to attend, you may contact Change Maryland as noted above.  The event is sold out.  Due to space limitations, we need to obtain a final count by 3 p.m. today to try and accommodate additional press members.
What: Business Summit on Improving Maryland's Economic Competitiveness

When: Thursday, February 21:  8:00am - 10:00am

Where: Westin Hotel Annapolis, MD

Who:

Larry Hogan
Former Cabinet Secretary, Founder and Chairman of The Hogan Companies, Change Maryland

Anirban Basu
Economist and Chairman of SAGE Policy Group

Allan Kittleman
Senator, Howard County

Aris Melissaratos
Johns Hopkins University, Former Economic Development Secretary

Marta Mossburg
Baltimore Sun Columnist

Steve Schuh
Delegate, Anne Arundel County

Christopher Summers
President, Maryland Public Policy Institute

More info:

changemaryland.org/summit

NO BURNING BEFORE 4 P.M. IN VIRGINIA

The Commonwealth’s 4 p.m. Burning Law went into effect Feb. 15, 2013 – the start of spring fire season in Virginia.

This law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. each day (Feb. 15 – April 30) if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of, woodland, brushland or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials.

A violation of this law is a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine. In addition to the criminal violation, those who allow a fire to escape are liable for the cost of suppressing the fire as well as any damage caused to others’ property.