Rigell Working To Solve Parking Problem At Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

There's a parking problem at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Concerns of Beach erosion and interference with birds have prompted the National wildlife Refuge System to consider moving parking for the beach to a new location.

Congressman Scott Rigell has been working with the National Wildlife Refuge System to find the best solution on the issue. In a letter to Gregory Siekaniec, Rigell states that beach access is the single greatest driver of tourism in Chincoteague and has a direct impact on every aspect of the community's economy and that many of his constituents have expressed their concern about potential changes to the current parking lot that has capacity for 1,000 cars and is at a reasonable walking distance to the beach.

Rigell met with Siekaniec and said that left the that meeting with several "takeaways" including:

That Siekaniec recognizes recreational beach access within the CNWR is paramount to Chincoteagues economy and that any reduction in direct beach access will be detrimental to Chincoteague and Accomack County.



February 2010

While potential beach erosion many necessitate moving the recreational beach to a point further north, no decision will be made until after the list of alternatives is published for public comment.

If it is necessary to move the beach, the current parking lot will not be eliminated until new parking is established within a reasonable walking distance of the beach, with no shuttle service required.

Source; shoredailynews.com

Pocomoke Mayor and Council Meeting Tonight

REVISED AGENDA

POCOMOKE CITY MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING

7:30 P.M., MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2011

CITY HALL

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

2.                  Review and approval of minutes from meeting of May 2, 2011.

3.                  Review and approval of bills to be paid.

4.                  Introduction of new police officers, Jarmel Gibson and Jessica Villanueva.  Mayor to swear in new officers.

5.                  Presentation of plaque to former Mayor Michael McDermott in recognition of his six years of service as Mayor of Pocomoke City (2005-2011).

6.                  Special recognition of Mr. William Kerbin, of Pocomoke City, on his recent induction into the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association’s Newspaper Hall of Fame.

7.                  Public Hearing on proposed City budget for 2011-2012 fiscal year as required by Sec. 49 of Pocomoke City Charter.

8.                  First Reading of Res. No. 447 to set the tax rate for 2011-2012

9.                  First Reading of Res. No. 448 to adopt the proposed budget for fiscal year 2011-2012.

10.              First Reading of Res. No. 449 to establish certain City fees and other charges for fiscal year 2011-2012.

11.              Review proposal for architectural services for improvements to new police station building at 1500 Market Street.

12.              Review of bids for electrical pedestals and wiring services at City docks.  (DNR grant funding).

13.              City Attorney to present revised lease agreement between Pocomoke City and Bloosurf Broadband Co. regarding the placement of antennas on City water towers.

14.              City Attorney to introduce Emergency Ord. No. 407: An ordinance authorizing the issuance of Pocomoke City Water Quality Bond for Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements.

Comments from the Audience

Mayor and Council items.

Adjourn

AGENDAS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE UNTIL THE TIME OF CONVENING.

Cornhole Tourneys Help Band Hurt By Tornado

What a great idea for any kind of fundraiser!

By Eric Feber

The Virginia-Pilot

On Wednesdays, you can make a "cow pie" or an "airmail" or toss a "blocker" while helping a middle school get its tune back.

Ken Parsons, owner of Knot Hole Station in Driver, began weekly "Toss for Gloucester" cornhole tournaments May 18 to benefit the band department at the Col. Mitchell Paige Middle School which suffered severe tornado damage April 16.

The back of the Gloucester school collapsed and a storage facility was destroyed. Food service is gone, along with furniture and other items including band instruments, equipment and music.

"We called the city, they said the school needs help, so we called them," Parsons said. "The principal said the band room really took a hit; many of the instruments the kids were renting are gone. So we thought kids and education and extracurricular activities equals a good fit. All the money we raise we'll send directly to the school's band department, for them to use as they see fit."

Players pay $2 per person per tournament. Two to three tournaments, sanctioned by the American Cornhole Association, will take place every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. as long as the weather holds, Parsons said.

"We'll run it all the way through September, until the weather makes us stop," Parsons said.

The tournaments will feature different formats each week including teams formed from blind draws, teen afternoons, contests for various age groups and Boy Scout tournaments. Extending the competitions to Sundays to include children's bouts is also being considered.

"We're looking at ways to make more money for the school," Parsons said. "Last week we made $52. That's a small drop in the pot, but it all goes to the school. And if we can keep this up every week and build on it, who knows? It's one little baby step at a time."

Parsons asks any participants with their own boards to bring them along.

"We have five complete sets, but we'd be more than happy if other players could bring their own. The more we have, the more we grow," he said.

Parsons is holding these tournaments not only because he's a cornhole enthusiast himself - he's about to take the test to be certified as a sanctioned cornhole referee - but to help a nearby community that suffered the same fate he and his neighbors did a few years ago.

"I'm here in the heart of Driver and a tornado wiped us out three years ago," he said. "So we feel that connection with Gloucester. Through God's grace we're getting our lives back together and, with this tournament, we're having fun. It's amazing how much enthusiasm $2 will bring."

And that's music to Paige Middle School's ears.

Source: http://hamptonroads.com/node/602303

'In The Mix' Saves The Best For Crisfield

This mudbogging jeep really took a beating at the first mudbogging race in Gumboro a few weeks ago.  The mud combined with the speed actually caused some major parts to fall off and disappear into that thick mud.  Safety being a good reason the  driver and mechanic returned to the Gumboro grounds the next day to search for the parts left behind.  Somewhere and some how  deep in that gooey mud they found them.

With the Crisfield Mudhop not far off they worked quickly to get "In The Mix" back into racing condition just in time.  After all, the Crisfield Mudhop is where it all began for "In The Mix" many years ago. 

Now I say that this jeep is more motor than it is man and metal and Johnny makes me very nervous when it's his turn to speed through the mud!  We've all seen him plow though the mud from side to side, almost turn over, run the bank, head for the pits,  and who knows what else!   But he's good at what he does. He's very good.  (Yea, Johnnie, that's somewhat of an exaggeration).

But NOT last Sunday in Crisfield.  

It was almost as if the small jeep  (or motor on wheels) knew exactly where it was  -  back on home ground.

 Johnnie Edwards is owner and driver of "In The Mix"

GREAT JOB, JOHNNIE!

TIME MACHINE ... August, 1884

Real Life Soap Opera Near Pocomoke City

(The Denton Journal)

SHOT DEAD IN THE ROAD

Murdering His Sweetheart's Father Because He Prohibited A Drive

Princess Anne, Md., July 27.

This county of Somerset and the adjoining of Worcester are in a tumult of excitement over the brutal shooting of Captain L.Q.C. Davis, a respectable and wealthy resident of Pocomoke City, in the last named county. For the past two years Mrs. Mary E. Ross, daughter of Captain Davis, a beautiful young widow, has been residing with him and receiving the attentions of Irving J. Mills, a drummer for the Baltimore firm of Williams G. Bansemer & Co. Mrs. Ross is about 28 years old, and both before and since her marriage has been quite a belle in the lower peninsula. Her father some time ago, finding that she continued to accept the attentions of young Mills despite his protests, forbade the latter to come to his house. The lovers, however, frequently met clandestinely and yesterday, Mrs. Ross, during the absence of her father, went out driving with Mr. Mills. As they were returning home and were about to cross a small bridge in Dublin district near Pocomoke City, they were seen by Captain Davis, who was standing talking to his niece, Mrs. Marcellus Dickerson, in the latters yard near the bridge. Captain Davis ran out into the road and called to Mrs. Ross to leave the carriage. Mills objected to this and when Mrs. Ross tried to get out he whipped up the horse. Captain Davis sprang forward and seized the animal by the rein. Mrs. Ross then jumped out, when Mills, in a frenzy of rage drew a pistol and fired. When the daughter's feet touched the ground she almost fell over her father's corpse lying in the road.

Mrs. Ross sprang toward Mills and began to wrestle with him for the possession of his weapon, for he was preparing for a second shot. Mrs. Dickerson went to her aid and the two finally succeeded in making Mills desist. Mrs. Ross then fell fainting on her father's body. Mills glanced at the body and turned away muttering, without offering any explanation. He left the scene and went to the residence of his uncle and requested to be sent to Princess Anne jail. Unable to get a conveyance and fearing that the community would take the law into its own hand he started to walk to jail. He proceeded this way eight miles and then got a friend to take him to his destination. When called upon in jail to-day he appeared perfectly cool and refused to make any statement.

Mrs. Ross, in speaking of the affair today, denounced Mills in bitter terms and cried and sobbed piteously. She states positively that she saw no attempt at violence on her father's part and that he never carried a pistol in his life. Mill's bullet passed directly through Captain Davis' heart. The son of Captain Davis married the sister of his father's murderer about eight months ago.

Footnote: When the case was being heard in court in October the sudden death of a juror resulted in postponement of proceedings until a new jury could be be seated. The case was concluded in November with Mills being sentenced to eight years in prison.

UK Spies Hack al-Qaida, Replace Bomb Info With Cupcake Recipes

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - British spies hacked into an al-Qaida website to replace instructions on how to build a bomb with recipes for making cupcakes, newspapers reported on Friday.

The cyber offensive took place last year when the English language magazine called Inspire, aimed at Muslims in the West, was launched by supporters of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

British intelligence officers based at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the state eavesdropping service, attacked the 67-page magazine, leaving most of it garbled, British newspapers said.

Instead of being able to read how to "Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom," readers were greeted with computer code which actually contained recipes from The Best Cupcakes in America, published by U.S. chat show host Ellen DeGeneres.

The Washington Post reported that the British action followed a dispute between the CIA and the newly formed U.S. Cyber Command.

The cyber unit had wanted to block the al Qaeda magazine but the CIA, which had countered such an attack would expose sources and intelligence methods, won the debate and declined to allow an attack on Inspire.

The paper reported that it took almost two weeks for AQAP to post a corrected version of the magazine after it had been sabotaged.

A British security source said the Post's report was accurate but could not confirm details of the reported cupcake operation.

Last year, Britain's new National Security Strategy placed cyber attacks as one of the top threats to the country, and ministers have repeatedly spoken out about the danger posed by extremist Islamist websites.

Source; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43265659/ns/technology_and_science-security/

Soap Box Derby In Federalsburg This Saturday

By JOHN HELTMAN
Staff Writer The Star Democrat

|

FEDERALSBURG — Federalsburg youths are gearing up for the sixth annual Soapbox Derby to be held on West Central Avenue this Saturday.

The event, which also was held in town in the 1960s and 1970s, returned six years ago. It is sponsored by the Federalsburg Volunteer Fire Company, Preston Ford and Provident State Bank, will begin at 9 a.m. with weigh-in beginning at 7 a.m.

The competition has two classes — Stock, for drivers aged 8 to 13 and with a combined weight of driver and car of 200 pounds, and Super Stock for drivers aged 10 to 17 with a combined weight of 230 pounds. Drivers will compete against each other twice with wheels and lanes swapped after the first race. The driver with the best cumulative time will advance to the next round. Last year, Police clocked some of the drivers going as fast as 19 miles per hour.

Forty-four drivers have registered for the race. Registration is now closed.

Winners of each class will receive a trophy and a $500 savings bond, and will advance to the World Championship Soapbox Derby in Akron, Ohio, in July. Last year, Crystal Loudon of Seaford, Del., finished sixth in her division in Akron — an accomplishment that was broadcast live on ESPN.

Danny Phillips, who is coordinating the event, invites kids who haven’t registered for the race this year to “come and scope it out” to see if they want to compete next year.

Burgers and hot dogs will be provided on-site by the Federalsburg Volunteer Fire Company ladies’ auxiliary.

Source; http://www.stardem.com/news/article_d18c28e2-c463-54d3-b7c2-e5850a208b1e.html

Kitten Rescued From 12-year-old's Abuse Dies

Jamarea Mills

This kitten was grossly abused by a twelve year old on a neighborhood playground.  The 12 year old took the kitten to the top of a piece of equipment where he dropped it to the ground, continued to abuse the tiny defenseless creature and then pulled out a knife to cut the kitten. Jamerea Mills asked the 12 year old what he was doing to the cat and the older boy replied he wanted to kill it.  Jamerea smacked the knife from the boys hand, placed the lifeless kitten in a cardboard box then the 9 year old and his friends  took it home.

Jamerea Mills has been called a hero and even has a facebook page (Jamaera Mills is a hero) set up in his honor and one day hopes to become a veterinarian.

SUFFOLK, Virginia – A 7-week-old kitten that was rescued by children from an abusive 12-year-old has died.

The foster home caring for the kitten notified animal shelter personnel around 1am that the kitten was experiencing difficulty breathing and rushed the animal to an emergency vet. The kitten passed away shortly after arriving at the vet.


The unnamed tabby kitten was scheduled to be available for adoption Friday.

  A necropsy will be performed to determine if the death was a result of the injuries sustained in the assault.  If that is determined to be the case, the animal cruelty charge against the 12-year-old could possibly be upgraded to a felony.  

Suffolk Police and Suffolk Animal Control would like to thank the foster care provider who gave the kitten around the clock care, as well as Suffolk Humane for their willingness to provide future care for the kitten.

Source;  http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-kitten-rescued-from-12yearolds-abuse-dies-20110603,0,4770294.story





Jack Kevorkian Dies At 83

Associated Press

DETROIT — Jack Kevorkian, the retired pathologist who captured the world's attention as he helped dozens of ailing people commit suicide, igniting intense debate and ending up in prison for murder, has died in a Detroit area hospital after a short illness. He was 83.

Kevorkian, who said he helped some 130 people end their lives from 1990 to 1999, died about 2:30 a.m. at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, close friend and prominent attorney Mayer Morganroth said.

He had been hospitalized since last month with pneumonia and kidney problems, Morganroth said.

An official cause of death had not been determined, but Morganroth said it likely will be pulmonary thrombosis.

“I had seen him earlier and he was conscious,” said Morganroth, who added that the two spoke about Kevorkian's pending release from the hospital and planned start of rehabilitation. “Then I left and he took a turn for the worst and I went back.”

Nurses at the hospital played recordings of classical music by composer Johann Sebastian Bach for Kevorkian before he died, Morganroth said.

Kevorkian was freed in June 2007 after serving eight years of a 10- to 25-year sentence for second-degree murder. His lawyers had said he suffered from hepatitis C, diabetes and other problems, and he had promised in affidavits that he would not assist in a suicide if he was released.

In 2008, he ran for Congress as an independent, receiving just 2.7 percent of the vote in the suburban Detroit district. He said his experience showed the party system was “corrupt” and “has to be completely overhauled from the bottom up.”

His life story became the subject of the 2010 HBO movie, “You Don't Know Jack,” which earned actor Al Pacino Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for his portrayal of Kevorkian. Pacino paid tribute to Kevorkian during his Emmy acceptance speech and recognized the world-famous former doctor, who sat smiling in the audience.

Pacino said during the speech that it was a pleasure to “try to portray someone as brilliant and interesting and unique” as Kevorkian and a “pleasure to know him.”

Kevorkian himself said he liked the movie and enjoyed the attention it generated, but told The Associated Press that he doubted it would inspire much action by a new generation of assisted-suicide advocates.

“You'll hear people say, `Well, it's in the news again, it's time for discussing this further.’ No it isn't. It's been discussed to death,” he said. “There's nothing new to say about it. It's a legitimate ethical medical practice as it was in ancient Rome and Greece.”

Eleven years earlier, he was sentenced in the 1998 death of a Lou Gehrig's disease patient — a videotaped death shown to a national television audience as Kevorkian challenged prosecutors to charge him.

“The issue's got to be raised to the level where it is finally decided,” he said on the broadcast by CBS' “60 Minutes.”

Nicknamed “Dr. Death” because of his fascination with death, Kevorkian catapulted into public consciousness in 1990 when he used his homemade “suicide machine” in his rusted Volkswagen van to inject lethal drugs into an Alzheimer's patient who sought his help in dying.

For nearly a decade, he escaped authorities' efforts to stop him.  His first four trials, all on assisted suicide charges, resulted in three acquittals and one mistrial.

Murder charges in earlier cases were thrown out because Michigan at the time had no law against assisted suicide; the Legislature wrote one in response to Kevorkian. He was also stripped of his medical license.

Source:  http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/breaking-news/2011/jun/03/jack-kevorkian-dies-83-ar-1083380/?sc_cid=RTD-BNEWS-Breaking

Pocomoke RELAY FOR LIFE Kicks Off This Saturday

Written by

Bill Kerbin

POCOMOKE CITY -- Participants in the 11th South Worcester Relay for Life are looking forward to another successful event when the activities kick off at the Lower Shore Family YMCA Saturday night.

Teams have now raised more than $500,000 since the first relay was held in Pocomoke City.

Activities begin at 6 p.m. with the opening ceremonies. The presentation of the colors will be followed by the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner" by the Island Boys. Jay Pittman will speak to the participants and guests from the point of a caregiver.

Survivors have a special place the night of the relay. Following the opening ceremonies, they are given the honor of walking in the opening lap. These are the people who have faced cancer firsthand. After they complete their lap, they will be treated to a special dinner given by the Lynnhaven Baptist Church. Any cancer survivor who has not registered is asked to do so online at www.relayforlife.org/southworcester.

Although early registration is suggested, survivors do not have to register in advance. They can just show up and register the night of the event.



A highlight of the evening will be the Ceremony of Hope usually held at dusk. As the light dims over the campsites, the night is brightened by the glow of lighted bags called luminaries, each of which has a special meaning to the donor. Some celebrate the life of a survivor who has battled cancer and lived to tell the tale.

Members of the PMS Glee Club were among the performers for the 2010 Lower Worcester Relay for Life. They will again be on the stage for this year's event. / BILL KERBIN/WORCESTER COUNTY TIMES

Others are lighted in memory of loved ones who have lost the battle. Anyone who wishes to purchase a luminary for a $10 contribution or a gold luminary for $25 can do so online at the relay website.

In addition to the Island Boys, other entertainers will include the Pocomoke Middle School Glee Club, Darlene Dean, the Glad Tidings Worship Band, Brittany Lewis, the Dance Loft and ARA Barrett.

According to Jennifer Holland, co-chairman, contributions can be accepted up to and including the night of the relay. "We will accept contributions all night," she said.

Relay For Life began in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Wash., ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Since then, the relay has grown from a single man's passion to fight cancer into the world's largest movement to end the disease.

Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with communities in 20 other countries, gather to take part in this global phenomenon and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer.

Source; http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110602/WCT01/106020335/Pocomoke-Relay-for-Life-kicks-off-Saturday?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Worcester County Times|s

Circuit Court Judge Appointed For Virginia Eastern Shore

The Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus announced today that it will vote to appoint Accomac attorney W. Revell Lewis, III as thecircuit court judge for the Counties of Accomack and Northampton on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The appointment will be made when the General Assembly reconvenes to continue its special session on redistricting June 9th and 10th. Lewis has been endorsed by the Eastern Shore Bar Association and approved by the House of Delegates.


This position was left vacant when Judge Glen A. Tyler stepped down at the mandatory retirement age of 70 last December. Originally, the seat was subject to a judicial hiring freeze due to budget cuts in Richmond, but Senator Ralph S. Northam (D-Norfolk) worked with others to have the funding restored during the 2011 General Assembly session. As the Eastern Shore is part of the 2nd judicial circuit, The Virginia Beach General Assembly delegation was responsible for picking the new judge, and selected Lewis. Until now however, the position had not been filled.


"I have always contended that the Eastern Shore is a very unique place and needs a resident circuit court judge," said Northam. "I am very pleased that my colleagues in the Senate and House have agreed with me, and that we are going to move quickly to ensure that the courts operate efficiently and effectively."


Had the position remained vacant, a judge from Virginia Beach would have traveled to the Eastern Shore periodically to hear cases.

Source;  shoredailynews.com

Mayor and Council Meeting

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING

Pocomoke City Hall

MONDAY ~ JUNE 6, 2011

 Meeting begins ~7:30 PM

Friday Is National Donut Day

On Friday, June 3, Krispy Kreme will give back to its guests by offering one FREE Krispy Kreme Doughnut on National Doughnut Day.

The free doughnut offer is good for one doughnut of any variety per customer at participating U.S. Krispy Kreme retail shops.

National Doughnut Day was established in 1938 by The Salvation Army to raise funds to help people in need.

New Church Man Pleads Guilty To Store Hold Up

Written by

Nancy Drury Duncan
ACCOMAC --A presentence report was ordered for an Accomack County man who pleaded guilty to robbery and use of a firearm in Circuit Court here.

Montrell Cropper, 19, of New Church, admitted to going into an Oak Hall convenience store at five in the afternoon, putting a loaded shotgun to the head of a store clerk and demanding money.

The robbery occurred on Dec. 15 of last year. Commonwealth's attorney Gary Agar told the court that the clerk said, "Do not shoot me it's Christmas time."

He said Cropper just laughed, put the gun to the man's face and said, "Don't tell police, or I'll shoot you."

Agar said the police received several reports that the robber, dressed in black, ran off into nearby woods.

He was soon captured and the sawed-off shotgun was found.

Agar told the court that DNA evidence tied Cropper to the crime.

He said Cropper was cooperative and that he did not pursue separate charges for the use of the sawed-off shotgun.

Agar said that text messages showed that Cropper had planned the crime ahead of time and that the robbery was not a spur-of- the-moment decision.

"This shotgun was loaded," he told the court.

Defense attorney Carl Bundick asked that his client be considered for a youthful offender program. He said Cropper "was high on cocaine" when he committed the robbery.

H. Thomas Padrick Jr. said it was "highly doubtful" Cropper would be eligible for that program. He told Cropper the punishment for his crime could be life in prison.

Source; http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110601/ESN01/106010305/New-Church-man-pleads-guilty-to-store-holdup?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Eastern Shore News|s

MarVa Theater This Weekend

Fri, June 3rd   

Sat, June 4th 

Time: 7 p.m.  

Tickets: $5  

PLOT:  

The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

 Rated PG-13

Delmarva Discovery Center

Do you own a business?

Are you looking for a way to become involved in the community?

 Become a sponsor of our Fintastic Festival!

 Our Fintastic Festival is our second annual aquarium event. Join us in making this event a success!

www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org.

Walmart Theft Case Postponed In Worcester County

Delmarvanow.com

SNOW HILL — The criminal motions trial for the woman charged with several counts of theft and theft scheme for allegedly conning the Pocomoke City Walmart has been postponed until next week.

Tia Johnson, 30, of the 2400 block of Worcester Highway, allegedly created false returns and would under-ring merchandise when friends and family were in the store, according to police documents. She is charged with theft less than $100, theft less than $1,000, theft scheme less than $1,000 and theft scheme from $1,000 to $10,000.

Johnson’s criminal motions trial was postponed, because her lawyer was reportedly in a car accident Wednesday morning. Motions are expected to completed on June 7.

Source;  http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110601/NEWS01/110601022/WORCESTER-Walmart-theft-case-postponed?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|frontpage

Legislative Updates- By Mike McDermott

PRESS RELEASE

 Jun. 1st, 2011

For Whom the Bridge Tolls…

By Delegate Mike McDermott

Recently, the O’Malley administration and the MD Transportation Authority have decided that, after 35-years, we are due for a toll increase on the Bay Bridge. Their answer was not an incremental adjustment to be absorbed over time, but rather an immediate 100% increase. This is to be followed the next year by an additional 60% bounce taking the toll from the current $2.50 all the way to $8.00. This meets a good definition for “excessive”.

While this may have a negligible impact on vacationers making their annual trek to Ocean City, it appears little thought has been given to the impact on commerce this will have for the mid and upper shore areas.

Consider that when Virginia built their Bridge-Tunnel, the toll was set high and has remained so from the beginning. Clearly, Virginia did not build it for commuters and North Hampton County remained relatively quiet when compared with the Virginia Beach/Norfolk metro area. It was a clear choice, and many would say a “good one”.

On the Maryland side, quite the opposite has been the case. A toll which amounts to $1.25 one way would surely encourage commerce and development on the Eastern Shore. It would insure a rapid expansion of the metro area by creating a readily available suburb for those willing to simply drive a few extra miles and pay a small toll for the privilege of living on the Eastern Shore. The rest of the shore would benefit from increased commercial traffic and day trips would become common. Maryland’s Eastern Shore would never be the same.

By maintaining a low toll, Maryland made the choice to potentially subsidize repairs to the bridge, as needed, beyond the revenue stream provided to insure the successful industrial, commercial, and residential development of the shore. Our prosperity has resulted in multiplied tax revenues for state coffers from that development far beyond that which would have been realized from any increased toll.

Now, after nearly four decades, we are going to raise the toll by nearly 300%. It looks like the proverbial “bait and switch” for the Eastern Shore. Queen Anne’s and Kent Counties will take it on the chin while the rest of us get bruised. At a time of economic pain and uncertainty, this tax increase should be on the back burner.

The time is now to weigh in with the Maryland Transportation Authority and the Governor’s Office as the “proposal” will become a reality very soon.

 As it stands, we will pay for that toll in every loaf of bread, in every lost day tripper, and in just one more hurdle to tourism and commerce. For those commuters who sought a refuge on the shore, your discretionary income just took a big hit and many in Annapolis are choosing to look the other way.

THE NEVER ENDING SOAP OPERA OF MARGARET & BERT

Bert always wanted a pair of authentic cowboy boots, so, seeing
some on sale, he bought them and wore them home.

Walking proudly, he sauntered into the kitchen and said to his wife,
"Notice anything different about me?"

Margaret looked him over. "Nope."

Frustrated, Bert stormed off into the bathroom, undressed and walked back into
the kitchen completely naked except for the boots.

Again he asked Margaret, a little louder this time, "Notice anything
different NOW?"

Margaret looked up and said in her best deadpan, "Bert, what's different?
It's hanging down today, it was hanging down yesterday, it'll be hanging down
again tomorrow."

Furious, Bert yelled, "AND DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S HANGING DOWN,
MARGARET?"

"Nope.  Not a clue", she replied.

"IT'S HANGING DOWN, BECAUSE IT'S LOOKING AT MY NEW BOOTS!!!!"

Without missing a beat Margaret replied, "Shoulda bought a hat, Bert.
Shoulda bought a hat."

Man Sentenced For Gun Trafficking On the Eastern Shore

The Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J.

A man who led a network that smuggled guns from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to the New Jersey capital has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Trayle Beasley, 30, of Trenton pleaded guilty in April to being a leader of a firearms trafficking network. He was sentenced Tuesday.

Beasley admitted he arranged to smuggle approximately 50 guns into New Jersey. The state Attorney General's Office said he resold them to drug dealers and gang members.

Prosecutors said guns linked to Beasley have been used in at least two homicides in Trenton, including the shooting death of a 13-year-old girl at a block party in June 2009.

Source; http://hamptonroads.com/node/601899

Blackbeard's Anchor Recovered

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (AP) - Archaeologists recovered the first anchor from what's believed to be the wreck of the pirate Blackbeard's flagship off the North Carolina coast Friday, a move that might change plans about how to save the rest of the almost 300-year-old artifacts from the central part of the ship.

Divers had planned to recover the second-largest artifact on what's believed to be the Queen Anne's Revenge but discovered it was too well-attached to other items in the ballast pile, said project Mark Wilde-Ramsing. Instead they pulled up another anchor that is the third-largest artifact and likely was the typical anchor for the ship.

Apparently, pirates had everyday anchors and special anchors just as the rest of us have everyday dishes and good china.

"That's a big ship to be putting that out to stop it," Wilde-Ramsing said admiringly as a pulley system of straps and men holding ropes moved the anchor from a boat to the back of truck. It's the first large anchor that divers have retrieved; they earlier brought up a small, grapnel anchor.

The anchor is 11 feet, 4 inches long with arms that are 7 feet, 7 inches across. It was covered with concretion -- a mixture of shells, sand and other debris attracted by the leaching wrought iron -- and a few sea squirts. Its weight was estimated at 2,500 to 3,000 pounds.

The anchor's size is typical for a ship the size of the Queen Anne's Revenge, while the two other anchors probably were used in emergencies, such as storms, Wilde-Ramsing said.

Archaeologists had planned to remove the second-largest anchor, which is 13 feet long with arms that are 8 feet across, from the top of the ballast pile. But it was too well-attached, so instead the divers went in from the side to retrieve the everyday anchor. That means that future dives may involve going in from the side of the shipwreck rather than the top, he said.

Divers will work four days next week, when they'll decide how to proceed.

State officials hope the anchor and other artifacts will attract tourists. The largest exhibit of artifacts from the shipwreck, which was discovered in 1996, will be shown starting June 11 at the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort. Wilde-Ramsing has said the team hopes to recover all the artifacts by the end of 2013.

And the timing of the recovery of the anchor couldn't be better for North Carolina officials, trying to increase tourism interest in the shipwreck. The Disney film "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" starring

Johnny Depp was released earlier this month and features both Blackbeard and the Queen Anne's Revenge.

The only remaining parts of the ship -- the wooden hull structure, ribs and a plank -- are at the bottom of the pile, protected by ballast that kept the ship upright. Six cannon and three other anchors are also in the pile.

Wendy Welsh, field conservator and QAR lab manager, and archaeologist Chris Southerly dived in the Atlantic to hook up the anchor for its lift to the ocean surface. "It lifted great," said Welsh, who has worked with the project for nine years. "I didn't think I'd see this day so soon."

Southerly compared the retrieval to the child's game of Pick-Up-Sticks, where players toss plastic sticks on a hard surface and then remove them one at a time without disturbing the ones underneath. "It's really satisfying that I've had privilege of seeing it," he said.

In 1717, Blackbeard captured a French slave ship and renamed it Queen Anne's Revenge. Blackbeard, whose real name was widely believed to be Edward Teach or Thatch, settled in Bath and received a governor's pardon. Volunteers with the Royal Navy killed him in Ocracoke Inlet in November 1718, five months after the ship thought to be Queen Anne's Revenge sank.

The Queen Anne's Revenge shipwreck site, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, has already yielded more than 250,000 artifacts.
Source;  http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/north_carolina/blackbeard's-anchor-recovered-

Shore Bank Announces Closing Of Parksley Branch

Shore Bank has made the decision to consolidate their Parksley branch with the Onley branch on August 31st of this year.


According to their spokesperson, the decision to consolidate the Parksley branch was based on Shore Bank's analysis of potential market growth in the Parksley area and current economic conditions.


Affected employees will be redeployed to other available positions within the bank, as possible.

Source; shoredailynews.com