Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Ted Williams Detained By Police

LOS ANGELES – Ted Williams, the Ohio homeless man whose smooth radio voice made him an internet sensation, had to do some quick talking to Los Angeles police.

Officers were called when Williams and his daughter got into a heated argument Monday night at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa, Officer Catherine Massey said.

"I don't know how loud they were" but the argument at about 9 p.m. led to a disturbance report, Massey said Tuesday.

"It was minor. Both parties were angry but there were no signs of visible abuse," Massey said. "They were brought in, calmed down, talked to and released."

She said she did not know the nature of the argument.

Williams and his daughter, whom Massey declined to name, were held at the Hollywood police station for less than an hour and they were not arrested, she said.

It was not known whether the two returned to the hotel. "Due to guest privacy laws, we don't share details of our guests or their stays," said Dan Shaughnessy, director of sales and marketing for the Rennaissance.

Williams' manager, Al Battle, declined to comment about or provide details of the incident but said a statement would be issued soon.

"Once we get all the facts, it'll be out there for everybody to have," he said in a brief phone interview with The Associated Press.

Williams was in town to tape an appearance on TV's "Dr. Phil" show.

The two-part episode was taped over the weekend to air Tuesday and Wednesday. On the Wednesday segment, Williams meets with his ex-wife, Patricia, and five of his nine children, according to a statement from the show.

"In this emotional reunion, Williams talks openly with his family about the man he is today, the influences that threaten his sobriety and what his children can expect from him in the future. His children respond in a very raw and candid manner," the statement said.

"Everyone is pulling for Ted, but his 15 minutes are going to be over and then he'll be left to manage a life filled with temptation," host Phil McGraw said. "We're going to try and help him prepare for that because it would be a real tragedy if he did not make the most of this extraordinary second chance."

Williams, 53, trained to be a radio announcer but found his life derailed by drugs and alcohol in the 1990s. He has served time in prison for theft and forgery and has been cited with numerous misdemeanors, including drug abuse.

Williams became famous almost overnight after The Columbus Dispatch newspaper posted a web video of him last week. Viewers were enthralled to hear a deep, honeyed professional voice coming from the shabbily dressed man.

Since then, he has done a TV commercial for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, appeared on various news shows, recorded voiceover promos for cable news and was offered an announcing job with the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team.

Although he says he has been clean for more than two years, the recovering addict has acknowledged that it has been challenging dealing with sudden fame.

"I wanted a nerve pill yesterday, to be honest with you," he told CBS on Friday.

www.yahoo.com

Suspect Identified On Surveillance Camera

BISHOPVILLE -- An Ocean Pines man faces criminal charges after he allegedly broke into a Bishopville business in order to buy drugs.

Police charged Shane William Lewis, 26, with theft over $1,000, malicious destruction of property and three counts of second-degree burglary after he allegedly broke into Northern Waterproofing and Restoration on Industrial Park Drive in Bishopville.

At about 9 p.m. on Jan. 6, an officer from the Worcester County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to Industrial Park Drive in response to a complaint of a disorderly individual, who was determined to be Lewis. Police charged him with trespassing, making a false statement to an officer and failing to obey a lawful order.

The following morning, police returned to the business park to investigate broken windows at United Technologies and Atlantic Moving Systems, according to charging documents. At Northern Waterproofing and Restoration, the front door and a secondary door had been forced open and a flat-screen television was removed from the office wall.

According to court documents, police found the TV outside, along with a flashlight that was still turned on. Upon reviewing the business's surveillance video, police saw an above-average height white male gain entry into and begin looking around inside Northern Waterproofing at 8:17 p.m.

About two minutes later, the individual noticed the surveillance camera and knocked it off the wall.

Police showed the video to the person who had reported Lewis the night before, and the man positively identified him. When he was arrested later that day, Lewis "admitted to breaking into the three businesses and stealing the flat screen in order to obtain crack cocaine," according to charging documents.

The television was valued at $60, while the surveillance camera was valued at $300. The damage to the doors at Northern Waterproofing is estimated at $1,000.

Lewis has a preliminary hearing in Worcester County District Court scheduled for Feb. 4.

www.delmarvanow.com

Todd E. Godwin Announces Candidacy For Sheriff

Longtime deputy for the Accomack County Sheriff's Office Todd E. Godwin has announced his candidacy for Sheriff in the upcoming November election.

Godwin, a 20 year member of the Accomack County Sheriff's Office, announced on Monday he will run as an independent for the post, which has been held by Sheriff Larry Giddens since 2008 until the end of this year when he will retire.

Godwin's other experience includes being a member of the Parksley Police Department as well as the Virginia State Police. He has been in law enforcement for 25 years and is currently a Major, the second in command in the Accomack County Sheriff's Department.

No one else has publicly announced they will run for the Sheriff's seat in November.

www.shoredailynews.com

PEPSI Plant To Stop Making Beverage In Baltimore

The Pepsi plant in Baltimore will no longer make soda, and the company plans to lay off 77 people as officials have decided to stop manufacturing operations — a decision they blame in part on a controversial new beverage tax in the city.

The last cans and 2-liter bottles of Pepsi-Cola, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew and other sodas ran through the production line Monday morning. Executives at Pepsi Beverages Co. told workers in meetings later in the day that production would be halted for good. Pepsi officials said they would work out details regarding the layoffs, including potential severance, with the local Teamsters union.

The company will continue most other functions at the plant on Union Avenue in Hampden. An additional 318 workers with positions in sales and in the warehouse will keep their jobs. Pepsi will continue making soda in other parts of the state and the Baltimore plant will get beverages from those facilities as well as others in the Mid-Atlantic region to distribute.

Kristine Hinck, a company spokeswoman, said a number of factors played into the closing of the production side of the business — including the 2-cent tax on bottled beverages passed by the City Council last year. The need to streamline operations was another factor in the decision.

"While the decision to close the manufacturing line was not easy — nor made without considerable thought for our employees — it is necessary to control costs for our customers and consumers and strengthen our core operations, which will continue to provide good employment opportunities in the area," the company said in a statement.

Hinck also said: "Given the climate, making a beverage in a city where there is a beverage tax certainly doesn't help."

The Baltimore plant is known for the digital clock and sign that can be seen from Interstate 83. During last year's contentious debate about the bottle tax, Pepsi used the sign to broadcast its protest. The sign will be unaffected by the halt in production.

The tax was part of a package of new fees intended to help close a $121 million hole last year in the city's $1.2 billion budget. City officials said earlier this month that they now face an $81 million gap in the budget.

While retailers have said they feel the brunt of the beverage tax, Pepsi officials said the levy also affects manufacturers and distributors, and signals an unfriendly business environment. As sales for retailers decline because of the tax, they buy less from the manufacturers, Pepsi spokesman Mark Dollins said.

"When we're looking at where to do business … we look at what we believe is an environment where we can invest and production lines where it makes the most economic sense," Dollins said.

A spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said that Pepsi officials were hinting that the Baltimore plant might not remain open for other economic reasons at a spring meeting regarding the bottle tax — before it was approved.

"I asked them — hypothetically — if the bottle tax were not approved, could you guarantee you could stay another few years," said spokesman Ryan O'Doherty. "They couldn't say 'yes.'"

He also stressed that the tax is levied on the distribution of bottled beverages, not the manufacturing. And he pointed out that the tax is generally passed along to stores and shoppers.

"Who is this tax really affecting? The retailers are saying it's affecting them. The distributors ran ads saying it's affecting working families and now the manufacturers are saying it's them," O'Doherty said.

The 2-cent tax is slated to expire in 21/2 years.

Ellen Valentino, a beverage industry lobbyist, said the decision by Pepsi is another example of how the tax has hurt local business. Grocers said last month that they had seen a sales decline because of the tax.

"This has been a local burden," Valentino said. "We are going to continue to try to meet with the mayor's office and city leaders to make a case and outline why this law should be repealed."

The decision by Pepsi is the latest hit to the local manufacturing industry, which has seen declines for years as the country's manufacturing base has declined in general.

"I just think it's the continuation of a trend," said Gene Burner, president of the Manufacturers' Alliance of Maryland. "It's a wake-up call. We need to make sure we don't continue to lose these kinds of high-quality manufacturing jobs."

www.baltimoresun.com

Virginia Delegate Wants Alternative Currencies For State

The Commonwealth of Virginia would begin minting its own gold and silver coins as an alternative currency to the U.S. dollar under a bill that Virginia Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William) says he will file in coming days.

Marshall will ask the General Assembly to consider the idea when it convenes for its annual legislative session Jan. 12. It is a companion bill to a proposal he has already filed to establish a study committee to examine alternative currencies to that distributed by the Federal Reserve System "in the event of a major breakdown of the Federal Reserve System."

Marshall said his intention is to inject competition into the national economy and force the federal government to change monetary policy he believes is leading to hyperinflation. According to his bill, "many widely recognized experts predict the inevitable destruction of the Federal Reserve System's currency through hyperinflation in the foreseeable future." His critique mirrors that of the Tea Party movement, some of whose members have called for the end of the Federal Reserve system.

"State legislatures have to get a little more creative and savvy to counter the buffoonery that's been plaguing Washington," Marshall said in an interview.

Asked what he might say to people who believe the proposal is, well, a little wacky (after all, the last time Virginia used currency other than the U.S. dollar was during the Civil War), Marshall said he believes the Constitution allows for alternative currencies.

"The only people who would say that are people who don't understand or reject the clear language of the Constitution, of the law and of court decisions," he said. "We want to provide competition and some restraint on the profligates that have been running the Federal Reserve and the people in Congress who don't know the word 'no.' "

Marshall is one of the most conservative and controversial members of the Virginia legislature. He delights in proposing legislation that helps him advance his conservative philosophy and is considering running for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

But Marshall's bills aren't always embraced by the rest of the legislature, even his fellow Republicans. He is also sponsoring legislation this year to bar gays and lesbians from serving in the Virginia National Guard.

www.washingtonpost.com

Monday, January 10, 2011

Poof The Light Goes On

POOF and the light goes off 

An 8
6-year-old man goes for a physical.  All of his test results come back normal.   
 

The doctor says, "Gary everything looks great. How are you doing mentally and emotionally?  Are you at peace with God?"

Gary  replies, "God and I are tight. He knows I have poor eyesight, so he's fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, *poof* the light goes on.  When I'm done, *poof* the light goes off."

"Wow, that's incredible," the doctor says.

A little later in the day, the doctor calls  Gary's wife. "Marianne, he says, Gary is doing fine but I had to call you because I'm in awe of his relationship with God.  Is it true that he gets up during the night and *poof * the light goes on in the bathroom, and when he's done, *poof* the light goes off?"

 




"OH MY GOD!" Marianne exclaims.   
"He's peeing in the refrigerator again!!!!"
Hat Tip: Eric

Jordan McCabe - Now this kid's got game



VIA: KOMONEWS

NOMINEES OF USA TODAY'S "MOST HEROIC DOG OF 2010" TURN THEIR VOTES INTO VOICES FOR FELLOW NOMINEE, TARGET.

TARGET WAS ERRONEOUSLY EUTHANIZED AFTER SAVING LIVES IN AFGHANISTAN

SAN DIEGO, CA, January 10, 2011… USA Today has narrowed the field down to five dogs in the running for Most Heroic Dog of 2010.  Surf Dog Ricochet, the SURFice dog, and Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog have made the top five, along with Target, the Afghanistan dog who saved many soldiers lives, only to lose hers to an erroneous euthanization.  Ricochet & Sparkles have turned their votes into voices for Target, and are now raising funds and awareness for her.

Voting for the five nominees in USA Today's Most Heroic Dog of 2010 started on Friday, January 7th. Ricochet and Sparkles were honored to be among the five nominees. They began asking their supporters for votes, but quickly joined together, and turned their energy toward fellow nominee, Target.  They are asking people to turn their votes for them into voices by helping with their fundraiser for Target's cause, Target's Bunker, a no kill shelter founded by Target's family.

On the night of February 11, 2010, Target saved the lives of many soldiers in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber walked into a Border Patrol compound.  Target, along with two other stray dogs, sensed something was wrong, and attacked the bomber.  Despite the bombing... she survived.  SGT Terry Young adopted Target, and brought her back to live with him in Arizona. One Friday afternoon, Target got out of the yard, and ended up in a shelter.  Tragically, by Monday morning, she was erroneously euthanized.  "Target's Bunker" has been formed with the hope of keeping another tragedy like Target's from happening ever again.

Ricochet and Sparkles agree... not only is Target USA Today's Most Heroic Dog of 2010, but she is THEIR hero!  After contacting Target's family, they began reaching out to their voters, supporters, donors, and the world to help them raise awareness.  Since "Target's Bunker" is still in it's infancy stages of development, the fundraising campaign is being held through Puppy Prodigies/Surf Dog Ricochet, a 501(c)3 non profit organization.  Tax deductible donations are being accepted on behalf of "Target's Bunker".  Please visit http://www.SurfDogRicochet.com/Target for more information, to make a donation, and to help Ricochet and Sparkles raise awareness of their hero, Target.

Ricochet and Sparkles thank USA Today for giving them such an amazing honor, but more importantly for pointing them in the direction of Target!

For more information, contact Judy Fridono/SurfDog Ricochet at pawinspired@aol.com, 707-228-0679, or Dayna Hilton at dayna@sparklesthefiresafetydog.com 479-979-7328.

http://www.Targetsbunker.org
http://www.sparklesthefiresafetydog.com/
http://www.SurfDogRicochet.com

Mayor McDermott To Oversee His Last Council Meeting

POCOMOKE CITY -- Mike McDermott will oversee his last City Council meeting as mayor, resigning the position as he moves into the role of state delegate.

Scheduled for the meeting is routine business, including the review of minutes, a second reading of legislation and the city manager presenting project bids.

Also on the agenda is discussion of the 2011 Cypress Festival. Denise Wagner, executive director of the Pocomoke City Chamber of Commerce and event organizer, said the Chamber had previously spoken with the council and is expected to return with more information.

"It's more preliminary than anything," Wagner said. "(The council) asked for some additional information. ... We didn't have the sketches with us before."

The Cypress Festival is scheduled to enter its 37th year this summer, expanding once again, according to Wagner. She hopes to include life-saving demonstrations from the U.S. Coast Guard, expanded food and craft booths as well as a fishing tournament in Cypress Park.

"We haven't had our first Cypress meeting yet," Wagner said. "But we would like some additional space and to rearrange some things."

The council is also scheduled to discuss incentives for new homebuilders who install sprinkler systems in single family homes.

McDermott is specifically scheduled to present a deed for industrial property at the corner of Broad and Eighth streets to Dan Boyle of Beretta and Benelli Corp. The property was originally sold to Beretta on a lease-purchase contract in 1990.

After McDermott resigns, Robert Hawkins will fill in as mayor until city elections are held in April.

www.delmarvanow.com

Ocean Pines Man Behind Bars Charged With Burglary

A 26-year-old Ocean Pines man is behind bars today charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property and theft for allegedly breaking into Northern Waterproofing and Restoration in Bishopville last Friday.

Maryland State Police say Shane Lewis broke several windows to gain entry into the business. He then stole a flat screen TV.

Lewis is being held at the Worcester County Detention Center in lieu of $15,000 bail.

NEWS RELEASE

Worcester County Bureau of Investigation 13070 St. Martins Neck Rd Post Office Box 199 Bishopville, Maryland 21818-0199

#410-352-3476


NEWS RELEASE

DATE & TIME: 01/07/11

Case # 11-0005

LOCATION: 12010 Industrial Park Drive, Bishopville, Maryland 21813

CRIME: Burglary, Theft, Malicious Destruction of Property

VICTIM: Northern Waterproofing and Restoration, Atlantic Moving Solutions, United Tech.

ACCUSED: Shane William Lewis, W/M, DOB 1/19/84, of Ocean Pines, Maryland.

CHARGES: Burglary First Degree, Theft Over $1,000 and Malicious Destruction of Property.

NARRATIVE: On January 7, 2011, Detectives from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation were contacted by the Maryland State Police Berlin Barracks in reference to a burglary to Northern Waterproofing and Restoration at 12010 Industrial Park Drive, Bishopville, Maryland.

It was determined that the suspect had broken several business windows and actually made entry into Northern Waterproofing and Restoration where he removed a flat screen television and did over $1,000 in damages.

Through further investigation, the suspect was determined to be Shane William Lewis of Ocean Pines. The suspect was subsequently charged with three counts of Burglary-Second Degree, two counts of Malicious Destruction of Property under $500, one count of Malicious Destruction of Property under $500 and one count of Theft over $1,000. Shane William Lewis, is currently being held at the Worcester County Detention Center of $15,000. Bond.

www.wgmd.com

Mayor and Council Meeting Tonight


POCOMOKE CITY MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING

7:30 p.m., Monday, January 10, 2011

City Hall

1. Call to Order, Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Review and approval of minutes from meeting of December 6, 2010.

3. Review and approval of bills to be paid.

4. Mayor McDermott to present deed for industrial property at the corner of Broad Street and Eighth Street to Mr. Dan Boyle, representing Beretta/Benelli Corp. USA. (property originally sold to Beretta USA on lease purchase contract in 1990)

5. Mr. Chris Derbyshire, of GMB Engineers, Inc., to present summary of bids received for ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system for new ENR sewage treatment plant.

6. Representatives of Chamber of Commerce to follow up discussion regarding 2011 Cypress Festival.

7. Second Reading of Res. No. 440 – to revise Personnel Policy Manual.

8. Discuss possible incentive for new homeowners who include sprinkler systems in initial construction of single family homes.

9. City Manager to present summary of bids received for two projects:

a. Ambulance Garage Building (Grant funding from State CDBG and from USDA)

b. Cypress Park Concession/Restroom building (Grant funding from State DNR)

10. Discuss proposed disposal of surplus public works equipment and acquisition of used plow.

11. City Manager to present six-month budget status report.

12. Discuss possible appointments to various City boards and commissions.

Comments from the Audience.

Mayor and Council Items.

Adjourn to Executive Session to discuss personnel and real estate matters as permitted under the provisions of Sec. 10-508 (A), (1), (7), (8) of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and to perform executive actions.

AGENDAS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE UNTIL THE TIME OF CONVENING.

Cats and the Christmas Clean Up!

At the end of the Christmas holiday as you prepare to take down the tree are you like me and just hope and pray that you removed all ornaments and left none hanging? Do you not like sticking you arm into the half dead tree because you know its needles are going to poke you (again) and your hands will be sappy.

I have been known, a time or two........or three or four.......to leave a couple of ornaments inside the branches only to find them the next day, still clinging to the tree that is now outside.

Well, not this year!! My faithful companion was very grateful and extremely eager to assist me. Keep in mind this was her first experience with a pine tree.
After she jumped into the tree she went from limb to limb....................Even checking the drapes..........

Done! No ornaments left on the tree! All it cost me was some nice warm cuddle time and lots of praise.

She didn't bother to stay around for the rest of the clean up!!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Delegate-Elect McDermott Speaks To Committee

OCEAN CITY – Resort business leaders this week got a formal introduction to their newest representative in the House of Delegates, and if they didn’t know recently elected Mike McDermott before, they certainly got an appreciation of what he is all about.

The Ocean City Economic Development Committee (EDC) held its annual legislative breakfast. With Senator-elect Jim Mathias on a pre-session hiatus and Delegate Norman Conway and Chamber of Commerce lobbyist Dennis Rasmussen absent, Delegate-elect McDermott had the committee’s ear almost exclusively.

McDermott, like many others elected in November, will be a relative newcomer to Annapolis when the session opens next week and he appears to be embracing the role. He was decidedly self-deprecating at times during his introduction to the EDC on Wednesday although he made it known in no uncertain terms he would be no shrinking violet.

“I’m still waiting to find out where my office is going to be,” he said. “They’re probably going to put me in a hallway somewhere, but that’s okay.”

The freshmen Republican from Pocomoke will be part of a large new contingent of recently elected Delegates participating in their first session and said on Wednesday he expects change to come slowly in Annapolis.

“They keep talking about transitions, but they’ve been slow on the uptake in Annapolis,” he said. “There will be 30 new Delegates in Annapolis this year, and that’s a considerable amount of change, but there doesn’t seem to be the will to change.”

McDermott did not resist the opportunity to take a friendly jab at Governor Martin O’Malley, who was in the resort area the day before for the grand opening of the Casino at Ocean Downs.

“He told everyone how he felt relief when he came across the bridge, like a burden had been lifted,” he said. “That burden is higher taxes and stringent business regulations. I told him we’re tired of carrying that pack and asked him to please take it back with him.”

On a more serious note, McDermott said increased regulations, fees and taxes on business in Maryland was causing many to take their business elsewhere.

“There’s a real breakdown in Annapolis,” he said. “They keep piling more and more regulations on businesses and farming and they’re driving business out of the state. They’re driving millionaires out of the state.”

McDermott told resort business leaders to be alert for increased taxes and regulations during the upcoming session.

“The governor says there are no new taxes in his budget, but he’s going to force the General Assembly to look like the bad guys,” he said. “They’re talking about a gas tax to replace the money stolen from the Transportation Trust Fund and an alcohol tax to pay for health issues. We need to be vigilant about these.”

McDermott said the state’s habit of taking dedicated funds from one source to pay for shortcomings in another would not fly at the county or municipal level.

“When you raid one fund to pay another, we’re not allowed to do that on the local level,” he said. “They tell us over and over it’s not a raid, it’s a transfer.”

In not so many words, McDermott likened the raiding of the TTF and other “transfers” to fiscal piracy, using an analogy residents in maritime areas such as Worcester and Ocean City could understand.

“When you board my boat with a parrot on your shoulder, a patch over your eye and a sword in your hand, that’s called a raid on the Lower Shore,” he said.

With just nine Eastern Shore delegates and three Senators, McDermott said it would likely be difficult to overcome the numbers game, particularly in the 141-member House of Delegates.

“We need relief,” he said. “There are nine Delegates on the Eastern Shore and just three Senators and we’re going to have to fight the dragon that is the 141 number. I’m hopeful and optimistic going into it.”

McDermott said bringing his fellow Delegates around to his rural, conservative values on some issues could be difficult.

“Many of my colleagues in the House are myopic and have very urban perspectives,” he said. “For many of them, the Eastern Shore is drive-through country on their way to the beach and vacation.”

He related a recent story of a tour of the various departments in the state capital for freshmen delegates including the Department of Natural Resources, when some of the incoming legislators were asked if they were bird watchers. McDermott said he spoke up when no one else did.

“I told them, ‘yes, I am,’” he said. “I like to watch birds and identify them right before I shoot them. You can see how I will likely have my office in a hallway.”

McDermott promised EDC officials he would work hard on their behalf, even in his own self-deprecating way.

“I look forward to working on your behalf,” he said. “My office, or my hallway, is always open to you. I will not be shy or bashful about standing up for what we value most on the shore.”

www.mdcoastdispatch.com

Mother Gets 25 Years In Prison For Murder of Daughter

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A Norfolk woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison in the death of her 4-year-old daughter.

Jathiya Wooden received the sentence Friday on the first-degree murder conviction in the death of her daughter Tamera, who suffered years of abuse. Prosecutors had sought a life term.

Wooden, 28-year-old mother of six, falsely reported that Tamera had disappered from a playground in August 2008. She later admitted that the child was hidden in a closet, and police found her body there. Prosecutors said Wooden admitted stabbing Tamera with an umbrella after the child tried to break free from being pinned behind a dresser as punishment.

Doctors said the child was starved, deprived of water and forced to stay in confined spaces. An autopsy found injuries on every part of the child's body.

www.wavy.com

Six Killed In Arizona Shooting

(AP) TUCSON, Ariz. — A gunman nearly unloaded a semiautomatic weapon at a busy supermarket Saturday during a public gathering for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, wounding the Democrat and killing Arizona's chief federal judge and five others in an attempted assassination that left Americans questioning whether divisive politics had pushed the suspect over the edge.

The shooting targeted Giffords and left the three-term congresswoman in critical condition after a bullet passed through her head. A shaken President Barack Obama called the attack "a tragedy for our entire country."

Giffords, 40, is a moderate Democrat who narrowly won re-election in November against a tea party candidate who sought to throw her from office over her support of the health care law. Anger over her position became violent at times, with her Tucson office vandalized after the House passed the overhaul last March and someone showing up at a recent gathering with a weapon.

Police say the shooter was in custody, and was identified by people familiar with the investigation as Jared Loughner, 22. U.S. officials who provided his name to the AP spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release it publicly.

His motivation was not immediately known, but Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik described him as mentally unstable and possibly acting with an accomplice.

Dupnik said Giffords was among 13 people wounded in the melee that killed six people — including 9-year-old Christina Greene, 30-year-old Gifford aide Gabe Zimmerman, and U.S. District Judge John Roll. The 63-year-old judge had just stopped by to see his friend Giffords after attending Mass. Dupnik said the rampage ended only after two people tackled the gunman. Also killed were 76-year-old Dorthy Murray, 76-year-old Dorwin Stoddard, and 79-year-old Phyllis Scheck, investigators said.

The sheriff blamed the vitriolic political rhetoric that has consumed the country, much of it occurring in Arizona.

"When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous," he said. "And unfortunately, Arizona, I think, has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."

Giffords expressed similar concern, even before the shooting. In an interview after her office was vandalized, she referred to the animosity against her by conservatives, including Sarah Palin's decision to list Giffords' seat as one of the top "targets" in the midterm elections.

"For example, we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is, that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action," Giffords said in an interview with MSNBC.

In the hours after the shooting, Palin issued a statement in which she expressed her "sincere condolences" to the family of Giffords and the other victims.

During his campaign effort to unseat Giffords in November, Republican challenger Jesse Kelly held fundraisers where he urged supporters to help remove Giffords from office by joining him to shoot a fully loaded M-16 rifle. Kelly is a former Marine who served in Iraq and was pictured on his website in military gear holding his automatic weapon and promoting the event.

"I don't see the connection," between the fundraisers featuring weapons and Saturday's shooting, said John Ellinwood, Kelly's spokesman. "I don't know this person, we cannot find any records that he was associated with the campaign in any way. I just don't see the connection.

"Arizona is a state where people are firearms owners — this was just a deranged individual."

Law enforcement officials said members of Congress reported 42 cases of threats or violence in the first three months of 2010, nearly three times the 15 cases reported during the same period a year earlier. Nearly all dealt with the health care bill, and Giffords was among the targets.

The shooting cast a pall over the Capitol as politicians of all stripes denounced the attack as a horrific. Capitol police asked members of Congress to be more vigilant about security in the wake of the shooting. Obama dispatched his FBI chief to Arizona.

Giffords, known as "Gabby," tweeted shortly before the shooting, describing her "Congress on Your Corner" event: "My 1st Congress on Your Corner starts now. Please stop by to let me know what is on your mind or tweet me later."

"It's not surprising that today Gabby was doing what she always does, listening to the hopes and concerns of her neighbors," Obama said. "That is the essence of what our democracy is about."

Mark Kimball, a communications staffer for Giffords, described the scene as "just complete chaos, people screaming, crying." The gunman fired at Giffords and her district director and started shooting indiscriminately at staffers and others standing in line to talk to the congresswoman, Kimball said.

"He was not more than three or four feet from the congresswoman and the district director," he said.

Doctors were optimistic about Giffords surviving as she was responding to commands from doctors. "With guarded optimism, I hope she will survive, but this is a very devastating wound," said Dr. Richard Carmona, the former surgeon general who lives in Tucson.

Giffords spokesman C.J. Karamargin said three Giffords staffers were shot. One died, and the other two are expected to survive. Gabe Zimmerman, a former social worker who served as Giffords' director of community outreach, died. Giffords had worked with the judge in the past to line up funding to build a new courthouse in Yuma, and Obama hailed him for his nearly 40 years of service.

An uncle of the 9-year-old girl told the Arizona Republic that a neighbor was going to the event and invited her along because she had just been elected to the student council and was interested in government.

A former classmate described Loughner as a pot-smoking loner, and the Army said he tried to enlist in December 2008 but was rejected for reasons not disclosed.

Federal law enforcement officials were poring over versions of a MySpace page that included a mysterious "Goodbye friends" message published hours before the shooting and exhorted his friends to "Please don't be mad at me."

In one of several Youtube videos, which featured text against a dark background, Loughner described inventing a new U.S. currency and complained about the illiteracy rate among people living in Giffords' congressional district in Arizona.

"I know who's listening: Government Officials, and the People," Loughner wrote. "Nearly all the people, who don't know this accurate information of a new currency, aren't aware of mind control and brainwash methods. If I have my civil rights, then this message wouldn't have happen (sic)."

In Loughner's middle-class neighborhood — about a five-minute drive from the scene — sheriff's deputies had much of the street blocked off. The neighborhood sits just off a bustling Tucson street and is lined with desert landscaping and palm trees.

Neighbors said Loughner lived with his parents and kept to himself. He was often seen walking his dog, almost always wearing a hooded sweat shirt and listening to his iPod.

Loughner's MySpace profile indicates he attended and graduated from school in Tucson and had taken college classes. He did not say if he was employed.

"We're getting out of here. We are freaked out," 33-year-old David Cleveland, who lives a few doors down from Loughner's house, told The Associated Press.

Cleveland said he was taking his wife and children, ages 5 and 7, to her parent's home when they heard about the shooting.

"When we heard about it, we just got sick to our stomachs," Cleveland said. "We just wanted to hold our kids tight."

High school classmate Grant Wiens, 22, said Loughner seemed to be "floating through life" and "doing his own thing."

"Sometimes religion was brought up or drugs. He smoked pot, I don't know how regularly. And he wasn't too keen on religion, from what I could tell," Wiens said.

Lynda Sorenson said she took a math class with Loughner last summer at Pima Community College's Northwest campus and told the Arizona Daily Star he was "obviously very disturbed." ''He disrupted class frequently with nonsensical outbursts," she said.

In October 2007, Loughner was cited in Pima County for possession of drug paraphernalia, which was dismissed after he completed a diversion program, according to online records.

"He has kind of a troubled past, I can tell you that," Dupnik said.

Giffords was first elected to Congress amid a wave of Democratic victories in the 2006 election, and has been mentioned as a possible Senate candidate in 2012 and a gubernatorial prospect in 2014.

She is married to astronaut Mark E. Kelly, who has piloted space shuttles Endeavour and Discovery. The two met in China in 2003 while they were serving on a committee there, and were married in January 2007. Sen. Bill Nelson, chairman of the Senate Commerce Space and Science Subcommittee, said Kelly is training to be the next commander of the space shuttle mission slated for April. His brother is currently serving aboard the International Space Station, Nelson said.

Giffords is known in her southern Arizona district for her numerous public outreach meetings, which she acknowledged in an October interview with The Associated Press can sometimes be challenging.

"You know, the crazies on all sides, the people who come out, the planet earth people," she said with a following an appearance with Adm. Mike Mullen in which the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was peppered with bizarre questions from an audience member. "I'm glad this just doesn't happen to me."

www.timesdispatch.com

SUNDAY BRUNCH at The Bay Queen Restaurant and Bakery

DON'T FORGET!!

The BAY QUEEN RESTAURANT AND BAKERY is now open!

Stop by today for SUNDAY BRUNCH


"Home cooked comfort food" Daily special for $5.95.
Restaurant Hours:
MONDAY THRU SATURDAY 6:00 AM until 9:00 PM
SUNDAY 6:00 AM until 7:00 PM

While you're there check out the bakery.

Located on Rt. 13 North at the Days Inn just before the Ford dealer.

Suspicious Package Found In Pocomoke

At the request of the Pocomoke City Police Department, the Worcester County Fire Marshal's Office assisted with a suspicious package found at a PNC Bank.

The incident was reported at 1:30PM in the 600 Block of Linden Avenue in Pocomoke City, Maryland.

An arriving Officer found the device and requested assistance from the Fire Marshal's Office.

The Ocean City Bomb Squad was requested and with the use of a robot, the device was examined and found to be a discarded electrical component left behind by a contractor.

Anyone with questions may contact the Fire Marshal's Office at the number listed above or email jmcmahon@wcfmo.org.

worcester county firemarshall

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Beau Oglesby Takes Office As State's Attorney for Worcester County

SNOW HILL – State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby was sworn into office Monday in front of a crowd of officials, friends and family.

“It’s no secret why Beau has ascended,” said Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis, who worked with Oglesby when he was a prosecutor for Wicomico County.

Lewis pointed out the great working relationship Oglesby had with law enforcement
“I could quickly see that he’s what most law enforcement officers call a ‘masterful prosecutor,’” said Lewis. “I’m so, so proud to stand here today…it’s a great day for law enforcement and a great day for justice.”

Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Karen Jensen also opted to give Oglesby a few words of introduction. Jensen spoke of Oglesby’s time serving in Caroline as an assistant State’s Attorney, calling him a “fierce and able advocate.” She informed him that he would be coming into a lot of power in his office, which carried an equivalent amount of responsibility. Finally, she thanked him on behalf of Caroline County and forecasted a bright future for Worcester with Oglesby’s transition.

“You can’t imagine the journey this has been,” said Oglesby after being introduced. “I’ve been through a lawsuit … lost an election by 14 votes … turned it around this time and won by 93.”

Oglesby went on to thank everyone that supported him, especially his family, who joined him during the swearing in.

“I look around the room and I’m so overwhelmed,” he said.

Joking that at least part of his introduction was wrong, Oglesby admitted to not being as organized as Jansen had claimed him to be.

“I’ve prepared some comments, they’re around here somewhere,” he said.

Choosing to speak from memory instead, Oglesby offered a special thanks to the members of law enforcement in attendance.

“You make me want to be a better prosecutor each and every day,” he said. “I can’t imagine you [the police] doing the job halfway and seeing someone fall down on the other half.”

Oglesby also spoke about his life growing up.

“Mom was judge and jury, dad was the executioner,” he said.

Despite the light attitude, Oglesby stressed that his family life helped him learn values.

“There’s right and wrong. There’s black and white. But there’s also an area of gray,” he said.

Finally, he took a moment to address his own family, telling his children that he would still be busy even after the campaign, but promising them, “it won’t take me as long to get home.”

Oglesby then thanked his wife for her support. The whole experience managed to choke Oglesby up toward the end of his speech.

“This is the first time I’ve cried in court,” he said.

Lewis joked, “It won’t be the last in this county.”

Oglesby concluded by once again thanking everyone who supported him.
“God bless you and God bless Worcester County,” he said.

Car Theft Lands Teen One Year In Jail

SNOW HILL -- An 18-year-old charged with stealing cars and joyriding down to Georgia with two other people will spend a year in jail.

Dennis John Cross Jr. of Greenbackville was sentenced to four years in jail with all but three suspended. He also will be on three years of supervised probation. He agreed to plead guilty to unauthorized removal of property -- that is, someone else's car -- in exchange for prosecutors dropping other charges of theft and burglary.


He also will have to pay restitution to his theft victims, a figure which has yet to be determined, prosecutors said. Pending drug charges of marijuana possession and possession with intent to distribute were dropped in the plea agreement in Worcester County Circuit Court on Thursday.

Cross and two other teen boys stood accused of motor vehicle theft and burglary in a case police said involved several missing vehicles and an attempted escape to Atlanta. Police said the three stole cars in May and June in and around Whiton and Public Landing, rural areas in central Worcester County.

One man, Jacob Tyler Derr, 19, of Snow Hill entered into a plea agreement in October on burglary charges in which additional charges of burglary and theft were dropped. He also was sentenced to three years in the Worcester County Jail with all but one suspended.

A third accomplice was a juvenile at the time, and police have not released his name or his disposition, though detectives with the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation traveled to Atlanta to detain him. Police said they found the juvenile in possession of the stolen cars.

Authorities searched for Cross for a month last summer after he evaded police when found in a stolen car in Georgia during a traffic stop. In late July, he was arrested as he allegedly tried to escape another traffic stop in Berlin; police had stopped the SUV he was in for a broken headlight.

www.delmarvanow.com

Friday, January 7, 2011

NASA Hosts Robotics Events Saturday

Students from the Eastern Shore will gather this weekend at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility for the start of a national robotics competition.

Students interested in robotics will meet Saturday morning at the facility to get details of the first challenge in the 2011 FIRST Robotics season, which kicks off this weekend.

NASA said a live event will be held in Manchester, N.H., and will be televised at numerous locations nationally, including at Wallops. The mission will be a game created by FIRST Robotics. Teams across the U.S. will then receive a kit of parts with which to build a machine used to accomplish the mission.

NASA says Saturday's Eastern Shore event will feature speakers from Eastern Shore robotics teams, NASA and the Navy.

www.shoredailynews.com

Accomack County Board of Supervisors Meeting

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday, January 5th at the Board Chambers in Accomack. This was an organizational meeting and but was also opened up for public comment on a proposal for the Mary N. Smith Middle School building in Accomac.

Supervisor Donald Hart has been elected as the new Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Out-going Chair, Laura Belle Gordy, was elected to serve as Vice-Chair. The new Chairman presented Supervisor Gordy with a plaque of appreciation, calling her a lady of class and thanking her for her service.
The Board voted unanimously to keep regular meetings for the upcoming the year the same, which is the third Wednesday of each month beginning at 5:00 p.m. Work sessions will be held quarterly or when called.

Ethan Brenner of Painter, and a member of the FIRST Robotics Team, was allowed to address the board and invited them to an upcoming Season Kickoff. That event will be held locally for the first time and will be Saturday, January 8th at 9:00 a.m. at the NASA Wallops Visitor Center. The board congratulated Brenner on the Teams Efforts.

Wednesday nights meeting was Supervisor Steve Malletes last. Mallette resigned from the board of supervisors in November. The board discussed how to fill the position and voted unanimously for the following process: The position is now open to interested parties from district 6. Anyone who would like to be considered must submit a letter and or resume to the County Administrator by 5:00 p.m. on January 10th. There will be a Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, January 12th at 5:00 p.m. so the board can meet and talk with each interested individual. These people are allowed to bring supporters who wish to speak on their behalf. Chairman Hart emphasized that he wants a positive meeting and that negative remarks about those seeking the position will not be tolerated. Should the board decide to appoint a Supervisor, that person will be sworn in on January 13th, and will have the necessary materials to prepare him or her for the regular January 19th meeting. The newly appointed supervisor will fulfill Mallettes term and the seat will be up for reelection in January 2012.

Hart also reminded the board that he would like them to make a decision with the publics input to avoid a judge from Virginia Beach having to appoint one, due to the fact that the eastern shore has no resident judge at this time.

Several citizens attended this meeting concerning the fate of the Mary N Smith Middle School building. A presentation was made by Mr. David Koogler of Mark-Dana Corporation and numerous residents of what is known as the Mary N. Smith Community as well as other shore citizens made their opinions known.
www.shoredaylynews.com

Berlin Has New Year's Eve Celebration

The Berline Chamber of Commerce and the Berlin people in general always seem to have the brightest ideas. What a great idea this was! And, as with anything they seem to attempt, they had the best of luck. How wonderful for Berlin. jmmb
A crowd of approximately 1,000 people watched as a large disco ball descended from above Town Center Antiques in Berlin late last Friday. As the glittery silver ball reached its destination near a clock on North Main Street, the giant crowd roared, welcoming the New Year with palpable excitement.

“It was incredible,” said Barb Stack, a Berlin business owner who instituted the town’s inaugural New Year’s Eve celebration. “It was much better than we ever anticipated. Everybody just had a ton of fun. We were just overwhelmed by the response.”

Organized by the town and the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, the Dec. 31 party was expected to draw a small crowd — only about 100 or 200, according to Michael Day, the town’s director of Community and Economic Development. Undoubtedly, organizers were surprised when hundreds of revelers gathered along Main Street and its side streets, sidewalks and on the porch and front yard of the Atlantic Hotel.

“It was unpredictable as to how many people would show up,” Day said. “There were some things we didn’t think about.”

For instance, Day said, the town should have arranged for portable toilets and for street vendors to sell food and coffee. He added that perhaps the deejay should have been asked to remind people to use the trashcans, or perhaps those trashcans should have been placed in the streets instead of up against buildings.

Day and others had also not anticipated that people would take confetti to the event. Two members of the Public Works Department cleaned it up hours later, but soon after the crowd headed home it was Day, Town Administrator Tony Carson and Stack, owner of Design Resources, assisted by several town residents who picked up the larger trash items such as beverage cups and cans on the street.

Carriage rides were scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m., but approximately 30 people were in line 30 minutes earlier, so they began at 8 p.m.

The giant crowd was a pleasant surprise for Berlin businesses open that evening.

The Atlantic Hotel had its own New Year’s Eve event in its ballroom, but people attending the outside ball-drop could buy a drink at a bar set up on the porch. The hotel also had free hot chocolate and cider for the revelers.

Every room at the hotel was booked, either as part of the special two-night package to go with the New Year’s Eve soiree or otherwise booked in advance.

“It was the best weekend the hotel has had since Mr. Fager took over,” said hotel employee Jude Robinson.

The Globe was so packed with people that owner Jen David instituted a “one in and one out” policy for the night. As one person left, another could enter. She did it, she said, “to make sure everybody was comfortable and that we could serve everybody.”

David was not only pleased with the business at The Globe, but the response to the town’s new event.

“For us, it was wonderful. And we were really, really happy to see locals as guests and attending the event,” she said.

Prior to the New Year’s Eve event, Tim Lawrence, director of the town’s Electric Utility, and lineman Fred Litchfield practiced a trial run for the ball drop on Thursday. Other advance preparations included building a device to swing the ball away from the building’s exterior, clearing snow from the streets and setting up the outdoor stage in front of Rayne’s Reef Luncheonette.

A meeting of town department heads will be held this week to discuss what would be needed to make next year’s event even better.

www.oceancitytoday.net

Obama Oks Joint Forces Command Closure

Hampton Roads stands to lose at least another 160 jobs as part of Defense Secretary Robert Gates' plan to overhaul defense spending.

The details of Gates' plan, announced Thursday, raised red flags among some area leaders and regional advocates, who argued that Gates didn't offer enough specifics about how the cutbacks would save money or improve national defense.

Gates said he plans to decommission the Navy's Norfolk-based Second Fleet, turning over control of its ships and operations to Fleet Forces Command. Both are headquartered at Norfolk Naval Station. President Barack Obama on Thursday night also approved an earlier plan to shut down the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk and Suffolk.

None of the more than 120 ships would leave Norfolk, Gates said during a Pentagon news conference, but about 160 military positions could be eliminated.

"During the Cold War, this command had distinct and significant operational responsibilities," he said. "Today, its primary responsibility is training and mission preparation."

The Second Fleet was established in 1950 in Norfolk and has participated in several historic military operations, including a 1962 naval blockade during the Cuban missile crisis. It also trained more than half the Navy's ships that were deployed during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991.

Under the new arrangement, the Second Fleet ships would be under the direct command of Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., the four-star head of Fleet Forces Command.

In a memo from the White House, the president said he accepted Gates' plan to shut down JFCOM - a move he announced in August - on a date to be determined by Gates.

Pentagon officials have said they expect that some parts of the command could remain in the region but have not specified how many of JFCOM's 3,760 jobs in the region might remain.

Gates said that officials are "still refining the details but expect that roughly 50 percent of the capabilities under JFCOM will be kept and assigned to other organizations."

The statement doesn't shed light on how many jobs might be lost and what kinds of positions might remain, said Craig Quigley, who heads the taxpayer-funded Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, which lobbies to protect the region's military assets.

Local members of Congress said they don't have enough information to judge whether the cuts proposed by Gates are defensible.

U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, whose district includes the Second Fleet and JFCOM headquarters, said Gates' decision about Second Fleet is troubling because he didn't provide any data to justify the change.

U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, was more emphatic, saying he believes Gates' efforts are part of a larger effort by the Obama administration to restrict military spending so that the funds can be spent elsewhere.

"You have no analysis, no documentation," Forbes said. "You simply have the cut, and then you back fill the analysis."

Forbes, who has become chairman of the readiness subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, has said he wants Congress to have a more direct role in setting defense priorities.

"We're going to be demanding audits of the Department of Defense," he said.

Gates also said the Navy will cut costs by reducing land-based staffs for submarines, patrol aircraft, destroyer squadrons and an aircraft carrier strike group.

The Navy was careful to point out that no ships, subs or aircraft will depart Norfolk or any other homeport as a result of the changes.

"We're going to streamline shore-based infrastructure by consolidating," said Lt. Courtney Hillson, a Navy spokeswoman. "But we're not moving any ships or planes - just people."

Gates said the Navy will use the savings to develop a new generation of electronic jammers and unmanned aircraft, and to buy more F/A-18 fighter jets, a new destroyer, a littoral combat ship, an ocean surveillance vessel and fleet oilers.

www.hamptonroads.com

Virginia 911 Center Guides Distressed Pilot To Land

ACCOMAC -- The Eastern Shore of Virginia 911 Center staff successfully faced an unusual emergency situation the evening of Dec. 27, when it was contacted to provide assistance in landing to a pilot in distress over Accomack County.


The emergency situation was further complicated by the recent snowstorm. It was a time in which a caller was assisted and no local fire trucks or ambulances were called.

"It was a very unique call," said Jeff Flournoy, 911 Center Director.

Flournoy said at 9:30 p.m. last Monday, the 911 center received a call from the pilot of a Cessna 150 airplane requesting assistance to land his airplane after he experienced an electrical failure losing lighting, communications, and navigation equipment functionality while flying from Norfolk to Atlantic City, N.J.

The situation was dire, Flournoy said. "He told me he has a flashlight in his hand, looking at a map," Flournoy said of the pilot.

After contacting several airports for an "open and available runway," one was located at the Salisbury Airport in Maryland and the plane landed safely at 10:18 p.m.

Working with multiple agencies, the communications officers at the 911 center remained on the telephone with the pilot until he safely landed.

Flournoy recognized 911 staffers Susan Linton, Krista Kilmon, Ashley Mapp, Rudy Hudson and Tonya Taylor, all of whom had a role in the successful landing.

He said his staff handled the call with a great degree of skill -- it already was busy with the snow-related vehicle incidents.

"We were handling all the numerous calls from the snow and its aftermath and during that time, this call came in and involved us making a lot of phone calls and bring committed to this pilot."

In addition to locating an available runway and working to keep contact with the pilot, which was lost at times and then regained, the 911 center staff's assistance included providing the estimated distance to the airport, wind check information, and even contacting his family during the incident and just after the incident to report a safe landing.

The center report said they process thousands of 9-1-1 calls each year, but "9-1-1 calls from pilots flying an airplane are rare."

www.easternshorenews.com

Thursday, January 6, 2011

18-Month Sentence For Ocean City Man

SNOW HILL -- An Ocean City man who set fire to an abandoned concrete plant was sentenced to 18 months in jail for second-degree arson.

John Edward Cropper, 46, was first given a harsher, 10-year sentence by Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Thomas C. Groton III. The judge suspended all but 18 months of the sentence, telling Cropper if he slipped up again, he'd face the remaining years behind bars.

Additional charges of malicious destruction of property and trespassing merged with the arson charge. Cropper's sentence also includes five years of supervised probation and $1,170 in fines and court fees. The judge authorized the 18 months to be served on work release.

Assistant Worcester County State's Attorney Diane Cuilhe sought a harsher sentence -- second-degree arson carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $30,000 fine -- based on Cropper being charged with a string of arsons in 1987.

According to Joel Todd, who was a deputy state's attorney at the time, Cropper became the main suspect in a series of Ocean City arsons in the 1980s. Officials eventually found probable cause to charge him, but in court he was found not criminally responsible.

Cuilhe said prosecutors believe Cropper poses a risk as a repeat offender based on comments he made to authorities at the time of the 1987 incidents: "I light 'em and I fight 'em."

In court, Cropper apologized for the fires set this spring, saying he's raising a 13-year-old son who "would greatly resent it" if his father were jailed. He also said he works full-time as an engineer on a clamming boat and can't miss work.

The judge noted Cropper's record of minor offenses, which include arrests for theft, burglary and drug possession.

Ocean City Police said on the evening of March 28, an officer on patrol stopped Cropper as he was walking near the Cropper Concrete plant. Though they share a name, the plant's owners and the defendant are unconnected.

Cropper, who rents a home on nearby St. Louis Avenue, claimed he was looking for his dog. The officer testified to noticing a strong smell of lighter fluid or gasoline on him. The officer let Cropper go and, with another officer, did a property check of the plant.

Inside a maintenance building, the officers smelled smoke and eventually found two small fires burning. The officers put out the fires and quickly brought Cropper back for questioning.

Cropper at first denied that he had been on the concrete plant grounds. But police found dirt on his boots that matched that of the property, and found his hands reeking of a flammable liquid, as well as black marks on his hands.

www.delmarvanow.com