Friday, May 17, 2013

Accomack County Arson: Bundick Competent To Stand Trial

By Linda Cicoira
Eastern Shore Post


Accused arsonist Tonya Susan Bundick “appears to have above average intelligence,” battles depression and is competent to stand trial, according to a psychological evaluation filed in Accomack General District Court.

A report for her fiancĂ© and alleged accomplice, Charles Robert Smith III, also known as Charlie Applegate, has not yet been filed. Smith’s attorney has asked that it be kept sealed when it comes in.

Bundick, 40, who lived with Smith, 38, on Matthews Road in Hopeton before the couple was arrested, met with psychologist David H. Keenan of Virginia Beach on April 29 at Accomack
Jail, where both defendants are being held without bond, the record states.

“Bundick is clearly depressed at the present time,” Keenan wrote in information mailed to the court on May 8. “She has a history of long-term problems with depression. However, … Bundick’s current condition appears to meet the basic criteria for the finding of Competent to Stand Trial and Competent to Plead.” He said she should remain competent if she continues to take “her prescribed
mental health medications. She expresses the intent of doing so.”

She “understands the roles of the defense attorney, the prosecuting attorney and the judge,” the psychologist wrote. “She has a basic familiarity with most commonly used legal terms and procedures.

Tonya Bundick says that she intends to work with and to collaborate with her attorney. Ms. Bundick also understands the importance of maintaining appropriate conduct in court …
she is reportedly being maintained in a single cell in the Accomack County Jail.”

Keenan added, “Bundick … reportedly lived with her mother and father and older sister during her  developmental years.  She indicates that she was subjected to verbal and emotional abuse … (and) physically abused by her father at times.”

Source:

The evaluation of Smith notes that he was abandoned by his biological father.

The couple, who are engaged, had sought to keep sealed the reports, but General District Judge Gordon Vincent denied the motion on Wednesday.

From The Worcester County Sheriff's Office ~2013 Click It or Ticket

NEWS RELEASE
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office
 
2013 CLICK IT OR TICKET
Border to Border”

Glen Burnie, Maryland- As motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is urging everyone to buckle up.   Beginning Monday, May 20th, law enforcement officials will be out in full force, taking part in the 2013 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not belted.

“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of getting in a crash is even greater,” said Chief Michael Kundrat, Maryland Transportation Authority Police. “We want everyone to have a safe summer, but it requires an important step on the part of motorists – clicking that seat belt.”

On the morning of May 20th,   Maryland will be joining law enforcement agencies throughout the northeast in mobilizing the Click It or Ticket “Border to Border” Operation.

Law enforcement agencies that share State borders will team up to provide increased seat belt enforcement at border sites, sending a ‘zero tolerance’ message to the public: Driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what State.


According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. As noted, deaths involving seat belt nonuse are more prevalent at night than during the daytime.  According to the NHTSA, 62 percent of the 10,135 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. 

Tragically, these national statistics are mirrored locally.  Preliminary data for 2012 shows that, 108 unbuckled drivers and passengers in Maryland lost their lives.

“Maryland’s seatbelt law is about to get tougher.  Come October first, everyone must wear a seatbelt.  Everyone.  Those in the back seat as well as those in the front,” said John Kuo Administrator of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration and the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative for in Maryland. “Governor O’Malley just signed into law a bill that will require all occupants of a vehicle to be buckled.”
 
In 2011, seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide according to the NHTSA. While this year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs from May 20 through June 2, officers are out enforcing seat belt laws year-round.
 
Participating Law Enforcement Agencies: Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, Annapolis City Police, Baltimore County Police, Bel Air Police, City of Greenbelt Police, Crisfield Police, Cumberland Police, Frostburg Police, Gaithersburg Police, Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, Harford County Police, Havre De Grace Police, Landover Hills Police, The Maryland State Police, The Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Oakland Police Department, Ocean City Police, Ocean Pines Police, Prince George’s County Police, Princess Anne Police, Pocomoke City Police, Westminster Police, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office and Worcester County Sheriff’s Office.
 
 
For more on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.


Lt. Edward C. Schreier
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office
 
 

Drug Arrests In Northampton County Virginia

EASTVILLE — The Eastern Shore Drug Task Force conducted a roundup Tuesday, May 16, 2013, to arrest multiple individuals that were indicted under seal for 19 counts of drug distribution by a Northampton County Grand Jury.

Arrested on drug charges were:

Corey Beckett,  34, Belle Haven, Virginia

Terrance Brisco,  38, Nassawadox, Virginia

Joseph Pae,  51, Exmore, Virginia

Antwine Twitty Reid,  32,  Machipongo.

Vashon Robinson,  37,  Cape Charles.

Nathaniel Fitchett,  35,  Cheriton.

Vincent Trackdown Stith,  34,  Cheriton.

Additional subjects were arrested on other criminal related charges according to   Special Agent C.S. Wade of the Virginia State Police.

The Eastern Shore Drug Task Force is still attempting to locate Harry Beau Anderson, 65, of Cape Charles. Anderson is wanted for one count of cocaine distribution.
WANTED
Harry Beau Anderson


Anyone having information in relation to ongoing drug activity may contact the Eastern Shore Drug Task Force at 757-414-0746. Call the respective Sheriff’s Department or 911 if it is currently occurring.

The Drug Task Force was created in 1989 and consists of the Accomack and Northampton County Sheriff’s Departments and the Virginia State Police.

The Task Force was assisted by:  Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Charles Police Department, Exmore Police Department, Northampton County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police.

 

Pocomoke Boat Docking Info

 



Pocomoke Boat Docking Association is 
looking for sponsors for the 1st year of the boat docking event.  If you are interested leave a message on their
facebook  page.
  
 
 
Vendor booth spaces are $50 for the day. If you are interested in being a sponsor, those details are as follows:

Bronze Dockers $100-$500
- Name on sponsorship banner
- 2 free tickets to event
- 25% off vendor booth space

Silver Dockers $501-1500
- Name on sponsorship banner
- 4 free tickets to event
- Business announced at event
- Secondary bleacher seating
- 50% off vendor booth space


Gold Dockers $1501-$3000
- Name on sponsorship banner
- 6 free tickets to event
- Business announced all day
- Representative brought in by boat
- Business on all radio PSA's
- VIP seating
- Free vendor booth space


Pocomoke Boat Docking is in it 1st year and will be held in beautiful downtown Pocomoke on the riverfront.

 The event will be held on Aug. 18, 2013 starting at 1 pm.

Gate will open at 10 am.

More information as it becomes available.

Nature Trail Construction Update / Name The Island.....

by Ritch Shoemaker MD,
project chairman
Posted Tuesday, May 6th 2013
 

 
  Nature Trail Construction Update


Construction:
Any case you missed it this weekend, the fast moving tornado that swept through the Nature Trail Loop construction project
was Larry Fykes (construction foreman) and Andy Clarke (transport foreman) scooping up very task we had to complete and blowing them away. Russ Blake
caught a few candid photos of our crew at the Saturday rack building session. I hope he had a fast lens to stop the action!
Let’s face it; this entire project is complex and heavy. The construction project now includes over 50 tons of materials that have to be organized, moved to the Trail site, staged and assembled. We are well on the way!

Saturday we had just a couple of hours to put together 38 racks, each 4 foot by 16 foot, with five cross braces. Done; the racks are now stockpiled at the City Public Works lot. Back in 1993, building flimsier versions of these racks took us old guys at least three sessions of hand hammering of three hours each to finish. Now that Larry and Andy are tooled to do the job, our work crew of Andy, Larry, Robbie Mills, Scott Tatterson and his 9th grade son Hunter, Mike Thornton, Rob Clarke (no kidding I have photos of Rob working) and I knocked out all the racks in 125 minutes. Don Malloy supervised. You had to see those guys crank out the racks! After a task decision-process that took at least 5 minutes, the racks were put together in 115 minutes. It is incredible to think that a rack could be finished and stacked in less than four minutes each.

Robbie Mills has another nickname now: call him Hammer, the nail gun man. These racks are stronger than our old ones, with four nails per side (not three) and five cross braces not four. Hunter wasn’t too thrilled at first (it seemed) to be volunteering to carry 70-pound boards when the rest of his class mates might be still sleeping. And Mike was inscribing nailing lines as fast as he could bend over to do so.

Sunday afternoon Larry, Andy, Don and I had to clear out underbrush from our proposed staging area on the island in Stevenson’s Pond. I had no idea this site was an island. But the island apparently has no name; maybe because no one has visited! I hope that readers can help me with the name of the island, or if none is known, suggest reasonable names. I tend to think that we should honor Don by naming the island for him. Don’s Watery Den, anyone? Malloy’s Mire? Understanding that no man is an island, and only one island is named for Man, what should we call this island? “Trail Staging Area Island” doesn’t have a real clever sound to it.

Please don’t be bashful about suggestions.

 
But since the access bridge to the island is now sturdy, we have to get ready for hauling in our materials for the Memorial Day weekend construction. Remember, we need you to help! If you aren’t interested in hauling wood for the actual construction, how about a nice donation? Or buy a famous Bird T-shirt!

Andy is so in to tools. He is often reminded of his uncle’s suggestion to invest in tools that will save labor immediately and for the days to come. Here again, the advances of the next generation need recognition. There I was, sweating for 10 minutes to use loppers to clear out a 30 square foot area of greenbrier, scrubby alder and gum. Andy had his metal blade on a device that looked like a trimmer. In 10 minutes, Andy is barely breaking a sweat and 70 square feet are clear. Meanwhile Larry has figured out how the Trail will traverse the creek and the wetlands beyond. Don has supervised. All told, 60 minutes passed and the entire site is cleared and is ready to go.

Monday afternoon the rocket pace of Trail work continued. This time, all it took was 90 minutes for the delivery of 50 trimmed railroad ties to the island site. Think about it. Take a chain a saw, cut through a sandy, creosoted railroad tie without significantly dulling the chain. First, though push the 200 pound tie far enough away from its stack to cut off 30 inches using a simple template to mark the 30 .inches mark. Nice work, Andy and Larry.

Meanwhile Larry is scrounging pallets for the (bound to be useful) 30 inch pieces. Scott Tatterson and son Hunter are joined by Mike Redden, who seems to be everywhere lifting ties and organizing them on Andy’s trailer. Almost immediately the trailer is loaded with 7500 pounds of ties, the pieces are on three pallets and we are off to the island. Don has supervised.

The ties don’t jump off the trailer by themselves and they sure don’t make a neat and tidy pile in the forward staging area by themselves. Amazing. The whole job only took 90 minutes.

Donations! Don agrees it is a good idea to show civic pride to help this project.
Mayor Bruce Morrison donated a foot as did Jennifer and John Rafter. Dr. John Whittaker (and Suzanne) donated two feet, as did Don Malloy; and also Jim and Dee Norton.


 Just about every business in town has received a donation packet by now, complete with free Trail book and a nifty bumper sticker (this one was designed by Debbie Waidner). If you don’t have a packet, call the Chamber at 410-957-1919 or my office at 410-957-1550. We will get one to you right away.

Next up is the rest of the railroad ties. We need strong backs and a willingness to work fast. And have a good time! We have started building bridges over deep holes in the island entry way to the new Trail construction; that work will be done soon. We need to transport the 38 racks and over 950 pieces of boardwalk decking.

Please join us in this worthy cause. We would like to be done by Memorial Day.


DEA Makes Three More “Fake Pot” Drugs Temporarily Illegal Today

MAY 16 (WASHINGTON) –Today the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the synthetic cannabinoids UR-144, XLR11, and AKB48 Schedule I, illegal drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) for the next two years.  These cannabinoids are often seen in so-called “fake pot” products that are falsely marketed and sold as “herbal incense” or “potpourri” products on the Internet and by a variety of retail stores.  

Synthetic cannabinoids refer to a family of substances that act on the brain similar to delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis.  The actual chemical names of today’s controlled cannabinoids are:
·
         (1-pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)(2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropyl)methanone (UR-144);
·      
   [1-(5-fluoro-pentyl)-1H- indol-3-yl](2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropyl)methanone (5-fluoro-UR-144, XLR11); and
·        
N-(1-adamantyl)-1-pentyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (APINACA, AKB48).
 
This action is based on a finding by DEA’s Deputy Administrator Thomas Harrigan that the placement of these synthetic cannabinoids into Schedule I of the CSA is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to the public safety.  
 
The DEA published a notice of its intent to do this and issued a press release about it on April 12, giving makers, sellers, and other possessors of these drugs a month to rid themselves of their current stocks and to cease making or buying more.
 
Over the past three years, smokable herbal blends containing synthetic cannabinoids have been marketed under the guise of being “legal” and have become increasingly popular, particularly among teens and young adults.  These products consist of plant material that has been laced with these cannabinoids. These substances have not been approved by the FDA for human consumption or for medical use.  The long-term physical and psychological effects of these substances and their associated products are unknown but are potentially severe, and psychotic and violent behavior has been observed in short-term users of these products. 
 
During the next two years, DEA will work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to determine if these chemicals should be made permanently illegal.
 
 
Click here for a copy of the Final Order and here for an explanation of the process under the CSA for temporarily and permanently scheduling drugs and chemicals.  

"DRUMS ON THE POCOMOKE" ~ Assateague Peoples Powwow

"DRUMS ON THE POCOMOKE"Assateague Peoples Powwow
 
Photo/Assateague People
 
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Sunday,  May 19, 2013
Pocomoke  Cypress Park
Pocomoke City, Marylad
 
MC:  Doug "Deer Dreamer"Vass
Host Drum:  Na Ma Wo Chi

Guest Drum:  Red Storm Drum
 And Dance Troupe from New York
The song that they sing and drum too, are hundreds of years old and are about the Native religion and sung in the native language.
 
Photo/ Assateague People
Lead Dancers:  Matt Clair and Chris Wheeler
Traditional Native dancing also Fancy Jingle and Hoop
 and Drumming
 
Photo/ Assateague People
Sacred Friends - Wildlife Rehabilitation
Hawk Demonstrations
Get up close to a Red Tailed Hawk
 
Native Food Vendors
Also,  Eastern Shore favorites
  ~ Oyster Fritters, Fried Clams and Fish to mention a few
 
MANY Craft Vendors
 
The list goes on....
 

If you have never been to the "Drums on the Pocomoke" Powwow this is the one time you do not want to miss this great opportunity.
 
Admission
$5.00 for Adults
 Ages 5 to  11 ~ $3
children 4 and under FREE
 
**Veterans and Active Duty Military are Free with I.D. **
 
**The Pocomoke Discovery Center will offer half price admission to everyone who attends the pow wow with a hand stamp.**

  For more info:  Assateague People on Facebook
Click here:  Drums On the Pocomoke

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Local Raids Linked To Cigarette Smuggling Ring ........

..... That Funded Terrorist Groups

BERLIN -- At least two properties owned by two local businessmen were raided Wednesday by Homeland Security officials and New York authorities and the brothers have been linked to an organized effort to fund terrorist groups.

The Ramadan family owns several local businesses in the area, including convenience stores in Berlin and Ocean City, the Village Market in Ocean City and has at least partial stakes in several local franchises, according to business records.

In Ocean City Wednesday morning, authorities stormed a condominium above the Subway on Sunset Drive and Coastal Highway and were seen confiscating items and seemed to be working a crime scene. In West Ocean City, in the Oyster Harbor community, a similar scene played out at the home of Basel and Samir Ramadan. Personal property was seized and vehicles were stripped and seized during searches.

According to the New York Daily News, “Since 2004, law enforcement has warned that groups smuggling cigarettes from Southern states like North Carolina and Virginia, where they are cheaper, to sell them tax-free up north have funneled millions of dollars in profits to terrorist groups.

“Prosecutors will allege the ring was run by brothers Basel and Samir Ramadan of Ocean City, Md., according to sources familiar with the investigation.

“In the last year, the group allegedly bought $55 million worth of virtually every brand of cigarettes in Virginia, trucking 20,000 cartons a week north and selling them — tax-free — in New York City and upstate.”


Both Basel, 41, and Samir Ramadan, 39, were being held yesterday in Worcester County on the charge of fugitive from justice -- New York.

Witnesses in the Oyster Harbor community reported to The Dispatch 15 police vehicles from Maryland, New York and New Jersey surrounded the home at 12648 Whisper Trace. and two suspects were reportedly handcuffed and seen face down on the lawn. Additionally, at one point, a suburban rolled into the community and six armed agents ran into the house. Four flatbed trucks were also spotted on site and towed all of the vehicles at the home.

CONTINUE READING....

UPDATE: HSI arrests 'John Doe'

UPDATE: HSI arrests 'John Doe' child pornography suspect, rescues child from ongoing sexual abuse

WASHINGTON – The nationwide manhunt for a "John Doe" suspected child pornographer ended a little more than 24 hours after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) issued a public appeal for information about his identity and whereabouts.

 John Doe was arrested Wednesday afternoon after a tip from the public was called in to the ICE tip line. Additional details about the arrest and the identity of John Doe are being withheld pending his initial appearance in federal court.




The criminal complaint and arrest warrant for John Doe was signed Friday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. At that time, HSI had no information about the identity of John Doe, but he was believed to be located somewhere in the United States. The victim he recorded being sexually abused is believed to be 7 to 9 years old.


According to the criminal complaint filed by HSI, four videos of child pornography with date stamps of April 14 and 27 were first discovered by the Danish National Police on May 3. They referred the case to U.S. law enforcement for further investigation.

O'Malley Signs Gun Control Bill

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)- Gov. Martin O'Malley has signed a comprehensive gun control measure that supporters say makes Maryland's gun laws among the strictest in the nation.

O'Malley signed the bill on Thursday. One of the strongest provisions requires people to submit fingerprints to the state police to get a license to buy a handgun.

The measure also bans 45 types of assault weapons, but people who own them now will be able to keep them.

Gun magazines will be limited to 10 bullets.

The measure also bans gun ownership by people who have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility.

The bill is scheduled to take effect Oct. 1. Opponents hope the law can be overturned in court.


Source:

Midway Chevrolet ~ BILINGUAL SALES CONSULTANTS NEEDED

Midway Chevrolet

***BILINGUAL SALES CONSULTANTS NEEDED ***

Want to increase your earnings potential?

Midway is looking for Spanish speaking, driven individuals to join our sales force.

Experienced sales professionals are encouraged to apply, however, we will accept entry-level applicants who show the drive and energy that we desire. Competitive salary and benefit packages, as well as bonus pay!

Please bring us your resume in person, or email our general manager, Wib Davenport, at wibdaven@gmail.com.

Assateague Peoples Powwow This Weekend


TIME MACHINE ... This Sunday's Preview.



1962 & 1993.. "Misty" and "Stormy;" 1884.. There's a new railroad route from Delmar to Cape Charles; 1943.. Maryland's new "work or fight" law brings Pocomoke arrest; 1906.. A spring school project for Eastern Shore children; 1900.. An automobile is coming to the Eastern Shore!  
 
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!

Plenty To Do In Pocomoke This Weekend !!

Photo/BW
 
A  mix and match weekend in downtown Pocomoke!

Saturday, May 19th is ARMED FORCES DAY !

Lots of bargains for the Veteran's and military personnel.

Photo/Assateague People
Great bargains for the families to visit  the Delmarva Discovery Center after visiting     "Drums On The Pocomoke"which celebrates its 20th year on the Pocomoke River.

Delmarva Dicovery Center
FREE admission to all active, reserve, and retired member of the Armed Forces and their families.

The Pocomoke Discovery Center will offer half price admission to everyone with a hand stamp from the pow wow.


Riverside Grill Pocomoke
*Armed Forces Day May 18th: military personnel 15% off your check with valid military ID
ALSO
Since it is National Police Week from May 12th to 18th the River
Grill will deduct  15% off a police officer's  check with ID.





Remembering Our Brave Men and Women In the Military
If you are planning to be downtown Pocomoke this weekend DON'T FORGET that you can leave donations and non-perishable goods for our troops at  ENCHANTED FLORIST POCOMOKE.

        TEAM BRITT'S SUPPORT OUR TROOPS PROJECT  has been accepting donations for our troops for quite a while now.  When one soldier returns home she manages to find another....and the kindness continues.  This is a wonderful way to let those away from home protecting us that we care and we continue to support them. 

Be sure to visit TEAM BRITT'S SUPPORT OUR TROOPS PROJECT  to see for yourself what a lot of these amazing men and women are doing.


Be sure to stop by the many other stores in downtown Pocomoke! 

Delmarva Discovery Programs This Weekend

 


Delmarva Discovery Center

Come join us for this weekend's interpretative programs...

Saturday, May 18th 1 PM - 2 PM - Critter Corner - Snake, Rattle & Roll! Come slither and slide while learning about our own snake friends and make your own snake craft.


 Sunday, May 19th 2 PM - 3 PM - A Walk to Remember. Join Aquarist Sarah for a relaxing walk on the beautiful nature trail.
 
 

Programs are free with paid admission &
with Armed Forces Appreciation Weekend admission.
 
 

Nature Trail Progress Report ~ Be A Volunteer


WOW!  There are SO many great things going on in Pocomoke City I can't keep up with all of it!

Sadly, I have missed a few of  Ritch Shoemaker's informative stories and progress on what has been done on the Pocomoke Nature Trail.  I'm sure you will find his writings quite humorous and if I do say so myself, the volunteers are working so hard but still having fun. 

 Tentative supply moving and construction date  Friday May 17- from what I can determine.  Phone numbers are listed at the bottom the post- just give one of those numbers a call. jmmb

Nature Trail Progress Report

Photo/BW


April 28, 2013

 by Ritch Shoemaker MD, project chairman


So far, we have obtained a line of credit to purchase the materials we need for the 600 foot long “Missing Link” that will let us walk around Stevenson’s Pond and loop back to the main Trail in the high ground. We have our first buyers of a “Foot of the Loop,” as Pamela and Professor Matthew Hudson donated double the cost of two feet. Don’t be bashful about buying the Famous bird T-shirt! We will have an excellent selection next week to complement our dwindling supplies.

Why donate to the Trail? Simple. It is a magnificent project. With all the talk about government doing dumb things with tax dollars, here is a model for community self-help. Keep the gubmint out of here! We can do this work privately just fine.

Just think, walkers will now be able to see flame azaleas of the banks of Stevenson’s Pond (blooming right now) up close and touch massive cypress knees growing from the root systems of cypress trees that might have not been touched by people for a long time. The origin of our Trail is blazed through a logged-over cypress swamp but the missing link doesn’t have any cypress stumps that I can find. The swamp is just too deep to cut and drag out huge cypress trees. I wonder who has visited this unfound ground in the last 50 years.

And yet we would like to open access into this hidden forest to anyone who can walk on a boardwalk. The job really is a bit ambitious for old men like Don Malloy, Jim Norton and me. Larry Fykes has already volunteered for the job of construction foreman and now his fellow volunteer fireman, Andy Clarke, has agreed to be in charge of transporting materials from our stockpile at the City Works lot to the loop site. I can almost feel a passing of the hammer here and this is a good thing. Andy was 10 years old when the original Trail was build yet even back then he was helping out. Larry was right at the “Head of the Trail” for the section of 300 feet of boardwalk we added several years ago to join the Trail to the City Dock in Cypress Park.

The guys at the Head get wet, dirty and lots of satisfaction by setting in the “sleepers,” long structural beams, which are then held together by 16 foot racks of cross-braced 2x8 boards. As the developing structures weaves its 16 foot lengths through the swamps, avoiding disturbing the vegetation as much as possible, the “mules” bring in the materials for the joist layer of more 2x8x16 foot boards.


 

We initially walk on the joist layer placed flat until such time as we can attach the boards on end to the racks and then attach the treads to make the top layer of the boardwalk. By staggering the angle of attachment of one rack to another the entire structure can wind sinuously on top of the floor of the wooded wetland, as the Trail interlaces by trees and hummocks, it can resist forces of winds and tide that could tear apart a straight line structure.

Here is where the next generation of builders comes in. We’ve got to access the loop staging area by crossing a 40 foot-wide stream (or gut, as they are called around here). The bridge we built 20 years ago that crosses the gut lasted until Hurricane Sandy surged the bridge abutments up onto the bank, twisting the 4 foot wide structure into a good imitation of a salt treated Mobius strip. I have no decent plan for what to do to fix the bridge. If we can’t cross the gut, the idea of finishing the loop is just an old man’s fantasy.

Andy looks at the bridge and talks with Larry for a moment. “We can use a come-along like the house movers do. We can move the four-ton bridge back into position, level it up and we are then set to start moving materials in. Shouldn’t be much of a problem.”

And it wasn’t. The next day when Larry and Andy started finagling with the come-along, using different trees to be the solid end, we could get the free end of the bridge levered out of the swamp only to have it slip back when the tension increased on the come-along. Andy didn’t get frustrated, just looking for a place to attach the come-along with a different chain angle and a different height of the solid end on the tree. “Let me try just one more time. If I can’t get it then, I will be surprised.”

With Larry guiding the free end of the bridge (but not pinning his leg between the nearby tree and the bridge abutment), Andy cranked her up one more time. Slowly the bridge eased past the roots, and up the bank. Larry yelled out, “Just a little more, Andy, we are almost there.”

And then the job was done. The bridge dropped right where it had to be in its new perfect position. The structure is solid and it will carry the weight of hundreds of 2x8s and 100 200-pound sleepers, not to mention a herd of mules.

Well done, Larry, good job! And the gold star goes to the Come-Along King, Andy Clarke. Next weekend we will start on building the racks.

Come out and help us. There is hard work ahead but we sure have a good time. Call the Chamber at 410-957-1919 or Dr. Shoemaker’s office at 410-957-1550 for more information.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Arson Reward Funds To Be Distributed Among Fire Companies

WESR
The Accomack County Board of Supervisors will have their regular monthly meeting tonight. The Board will consider distributing some $25,000 in reward money from the arson fire reward fund plus other monies donated to help defray the costs of responding to the fires.

Tonya Bundick and Charles R. Smith were arrested on April 2 and charged with arson after they were caught in the act of setting a residence on fire outside of Melfa.

Since the arrest was not the result of a public tip,the Board agreed to distribute the money to the volunteer fire companies to help defray the costs of responding to the 76 arson fires over a five month period starting in November. 

The Supervisors are considering distributing the money on a per call basis for each fire company that responded to the arson fires. Parksley, Bloxom, Onancock, Tasley and Onley were the units that responded to the largest number of calls during the string of arsons.


 Both Bundick and Smith remain behind bars in the Accomack County jail awaiting a preliminary hearing on the Melfa arson charge. Numerous other charges are pending against the couple. The Virginia State Police continues its investigation into the case.


 Both Smith and Bundick are scheduled for preliminary hearings on charges of arson and conspiracy to commit arson in Accomack County General District Court at 1:30 PM on June 17.

Source:

Warrant Issued For Recently Released Sex Offender/


The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has obtained a warrant for Delmar James Cubbage, a white male date of birth 08-27-1990 for failing to register as a convicted sex offender.


Mr. Cubbage was released from the Worcester County Detention center on 05-02-13 after serving a nearly yearlong sentence for failing to register as a sex offender and violation of probation. 

Since his release Mr. Cubbage has absconded and moved to an unknown location.

Mr. Cubbage was originally convicted of fourth degree sex offense in July 2010. Mr. Cubbage has two prior convictions for failing to register as a sex offender.


Submitted:
Lt. Edward C. Schreier
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office