Saturday, March 26, 2022

Senator Mary Beth Carozza's update from Annapolis

 


 2022 Maryland General Assembly Update

Week Eleven: Maryland Day Celebration, Century Farm Families, Women’s Veterans Day, Crime, & Abortion

Annapolis, MD – Crossover took place on Monday, March 21st, the deadline for bills to clear their original chamber to be considered in the opposite one has come and gone, and the work of the Senate of Maryland continues. All Senate and House Bills have already received the first hearing and are now awaiting the next hearing in the appropriate committee. Other highlights of the week include the celebration of Maryland Day and Maryland’s Century Farm families, Women’s Veterans’ Day, a Senate GOP press conference on crime, and the Senate taking up abortion legislation. Also, during the Senate Floor proceedings this week, Madison Knight from Pocomoke High School in Worcester County and Taylor Gray from Crisfield High School in Somerset County were recognized as Senate Pages.

 

Maryland Day Celebration

Maryland Day commemorates March 25th, 1634, when a group of Europeans, including many Catholics, arrived at St. Clement’s Island aboard the Ark and the Dove. This historic settlement helped bring Catholicism to the Thirteen Colonies and was considered the birthplace of religious freedom in the United States. The Maryland Society Sons of the American Revolution held a special presentation in the Senate Chamber showcasing the historic gavel set dedicated to the gallant soldiers of the Maryland 400, also known as George Washington’s Old Line. We also celebrated Maryland Day with Rural Maryland Council honoring the State’s farmers, watermen, and rural communities.

                                                                                

Maryland Century Farm Program

Governor Larry Hogan, Maryland Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder, along with Maryland legislators, including Senator Mary Beth Carozza, inducted eight Maryland farm families into the Century Farm Program as they celebrated Maryland’s proud agricultural history. Carozza visited with two farm families from District 38 including Lloyd Ben Brittingham Farm in Parsonsburg  (1915) and the Dryden Farm in Newark (1918), with both families traveling from the Shore for the State House event in Annapolis. “Our farm families work so hard to feed and support the entire State of Maryland, and they deserve to be recognized by the Governor and other state leaders for their many contributions,” said Carozza. “It’s quite an accomplishment to be a 100-year old farm family, and I am glad that the Brittingham and Dryden families from my district were honored.”

 

Women’s Veterans’ Day

On March 23rd,  a virtual Women's Veterans Day was held, giving members of the Maryland General Assembly and constituents the opportunity to hear firsthand from women veterans about the unique challenges they face and to explore legislative and community solutions. It was a celebration of women veterans in Maryland with tributes to women trailblazers and outstanding advocates who have made significant contributions to women veterans of Maryland.

 

Carozza, who made brief remarks, shared her unique experiences from her senior-level positions in Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense. She noted that many women veterans returning from overseas military services face challenges when they return home and often are not aware of the resources and services available to them in the areas of health, housing, employment and education. The Senator also highlighted the work of the Lower Shore Veterans Network members and their programs to assist veterans and their families.

 

“We have an obligation to ensure that our women veterans, who have been our leaders in the military, now have the opportunity to be leaders back home,” said Carozza.  “Given the severe work force shortage in every major industry, we should help position our women veterans to be leaders in their areas of interest.”

 

GOP Press Conference on Crime

On March 24th, Senate and House Republicans held a joint press conference to keep the pressure on passing meaningful anti-crime legislation in the closing days of the session. The members reviewed a long list of get-tough-on-crime legislation that remains stuck in the House, which includes legislation to close gun violence loopholes, make the theft of a handgun a felony and take away parole from those who intentionally kill a police officer.

 

Carozza, who attended the press conference, said, “Governor Hogan and Republicans in the Senate and House have been consistent in pushing for anti-crime measures to pass this session. Violence across the state has been out-of-control, and the only way to control it is to arrest, prosecute, and give tougher sentences to repeat, violent criminals.”  

 

“As we continue to urge the House of Delegates to take up the commonsense anti-crime bills that the Senate already has passed,  I fully support the Governor’s immediate actions this week targeting more funding and support for additional prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and fully funding the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants to support victim service providers.”

 

 

Abortion Bill

The Senate debated Senate Bill 890, Abortion Care Access Act, which received preliminary approval on the Senate Floor on Friday. This bill expands abortion providers beyond physicians to include other healthcare occupations, including nurses and physician assistants, even though they do have similar educational or practical experience and do not perform surgical procedures under their scope of practice.  Additionally, taxpayers would pay $3.5 million a year on abortion training plus the several millions dollars a year that Maryland taxpayers already pay each year for 4,000 abortions under Maryland’s Medicaid program.

 

During the Senate Floor debate, Carozza said, “I rise with a heavy heart in opposition… and to share many objections to Senate Bill 890 which makes a dramatic change in Maryland’s health policy that will negatively impact the health and safety of women across the state. This is NOT a debate about abortion being legal.  This is about deep opposition to moving Maryland’s already liberal abortion laws to the extremes, especially when it comes to late-term abortions and places women’s health at risk.”

 

Commonsense amendments were offered by several Republican Senators, including Carozza, and rejected by the Democrat majority. These include requiring life-saving care for babies born alive during an abortion procedure, removing taxpayer funding for abortion training, and requiring a provider to notify a parent or guardian if the minor is 13 years or younger and not use the “mature or best interest” exception to avoid notification.

 

Carozza offered two parental notification amendments during the Senate Floor debate on SB 890. The first one stated that in those cases where a provider is required to notify a parent or guardian before performing the abortion that the delivery of the notice must be received by the parent or guardian before the date the abortion was performed. “This amendment simply makes the notification meaningful and real, and not just checking the box,” said Carozza.

 

The second parental notification amendment offered by Carozza states that the provider must notify the parent or guardian if the minor is under 13 years of age and NOT use the exceptions that a minor is mature and capable of giving informed consent to an abortion and that notification would not be in the best interest of the minor. “These two exceptions are so broad that a provider can easily use them to NOT notify parents and guardians,” said Carozza. “This is a reasonable amendment that would not allow the provider to use these two exceptions if the minor is under the age of 13 years old.”

 

“I am deeply saddened that this extreme abortion bill (SB 890) is moving forward in the Maryland General Assembly, but I was glad to hear Senate President Bill Ferguson announce that the Constitution Amendment to place abortion in the Maryland Constitution is dead for the session,” said Carozza.

 

Brittingham Farm Family from Parsonsburg


Dryden Farm Family from Newark


GOP Press Conference on Crime


Pocomoke Public Eye note: We will publish press releases received from all General Assembly members representing our area.


History making natural event in Antarctica

 


(NPR)

An ice shelf the size of New York City has collapsed in East Antarctica, an area long thought to be stable and not hit much by climate change, concerned scientists said Friday.

The collapse, captured by satellite images, marked the first time in human history that the frigid region had an ice shelf collapse.

View the full news story:

In Antarctica, a previously stable ice shelf collapses : NPR


Friday, March 25, 2022

Tidal Health visitation changing

 

As TidalHealth works to balance patient safety and support and the desire to reunite loved ones with family members who are hospitalized, starting on Monday, March 28, the health system will be increasing visitation opportunities at both TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury, Maryland and TidalHealth Nanticoke in Seaford, Delaware.

View details:

Visitation expands on Monday, March 28 at TidalHealth hospitals | TidalHealth


Time Machine Preview

This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye:

1959  ..  What was this big event?


1933  ..  Injuries not serious but pumper overturns- 

1847  ..  Teacher/supervisor needed at Berlin Female Seminary-

2002  ..  "Dry club" regs-

1886  ..  Earthquake shock on Virginia Eastern Shore-

Plus TV segment with Eastern Shore history author Jim Duffy looking back at the 1920's.


Thursday, March 24, 2022

 

Community garden at Clarke Avenue and Willow Street.  

Gardening volunteers needed on Tuesday afternoons.

cornersanctuary@gmail.com


Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Girls soccer coming to Crisfield High as an official sport this fall

 (Crisfield-Somerset County Times)


Coming this fall, for the 2022-2023 school year, Crisfield High School will have the first ever girls varsity soccer team in Somerset County history.

It’s something Somerset County has needed for a while.

Coaching the team will be Erin Walbert, eighth grade social studies teacher. She graduated from Salisbury University and has been teaching at Crisfield High for four years. Ms. Walbert played soccer and lacrosse while she was in high school and wanted to coach a girls soccer team ever since she started teaching. For the past two years, she ran a women’s soccer club in anticipation of becoming a recognized team.

According to Greg Bozman, athletic director for both Crisfield and Washington high schools, the decision was made official by the directors of the Bayside Athletic Conference and then the schedule was reworked to include the CHS team.

“I think it’s a monumental moment,” said Bozman. “It gives our girls another sport to participate in. They are excited to be working on the design for the uniforms.”

For the girls participating, it will definitely be a huge moment when they step on the field this fall as the first girls soccer team in Somerset County history.


 


Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Picture perfect Wallops launch

 
          Photo Credit: NASA Wallops/Allison Stancil

 A two-stage Terrier- improved Malemute suborbital sounding rocket lifts off from the NASA launch range at Wallops Monday evening. The Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research managed the mission.  


Monday, March 21, 2022

Press Release from State Senator Mary Beth Carozza



2022 Maryland General Assembly Update

Crossover Week Ten: Gas Tax Suspension, Budget and Carozza Bills Passing, Hearings on Parental Notification and Crisfield Police Bills

 Annapolis, MD – Crossover is Monday, March 21st which is the deadline for each chamber to pass its bills over to the other, without having to jump through extra procedural hoops. There has been a flurry of activity leading up to Crossover including passage of emergency legislation to suspend the gas tax for 30 days, Senate passage of the Fiscal Year ’23 Budget and four of Senator Carozza’s bills, and committee hearings on Carozza’s bill on parental notification of medical procedures and a priority local bill to support the Crisfield Police Department.

 

Gas Tax Suspension & Push to End Automatic Gas Tax

On March 18th, emergency legislation to suspend the .36 cents gas tax for 30 days was signed into law. “While this a great first step and show of bipartisanship, I have joined with my colleagues in the Senate Republican Caucus in cosponsoring legislation to end the automatic and never-ending tax increase that was passed back in 2013,” said Carozza, who noted that Marylanders would save $37.5 million in FY ’23 and $117 million by FY ’27. “With gas prices at a seven-year high and inflation at a 30-year high, the time is now to end the automatic gas increase,” said Carozza.

 

Senate Passes FY 2023 Budget

The Senate passed the amended version of Governor Hogan’s $58 billion fiscal year ‘23 budget that reflects a $7 billion surplus due to federal COVID relief funds and higher than expected tax revenues. The fiscal year ’23 budget is structurally sound with no deficits and also replenishes Maryland’s Rainy Day Fund.

 

“This budget funds many of our Shore priorities including boosting tourism, ongoing COVID 19 relief and needed funding for our local health departments, and additional funding for law enforcement and education,” said Carozza.

 

Carozza noted that $350 million has been reserved for tax relief but the specifics of how those funds will be used has not yet been determined. “I will continue to push for retiree tax relief to keep Marylanders living, working, and retiring in Maryland,” said Carozza.

 

The Budget now heads over to the House and its Appropriations Committee. The final version of the budget must be agreed upon by both chambers and passed by April 4th. Passing the budget is the only constitutionally-mandated obligation of the Maryland General Assembly each year. Next week, the Senate will take up the Capitol Budget which funds infrastructure projects throughout the State, and it will follow the same process for final passage.

 

Carozza Bills Pass the Senate Unanimously

This week, four of Carozza’s bills passed the Senate by a unanimous vote. These include Senate Bill 64 Beach Erosion Control District that would provide a mechanism to repair, replace and, with specific limitations, add on to these existing facilities and bring the Ocean City Life-Saving Museum, built in 1891, into compliance with the federal Americans for Disabilities Act and current fire safety codes; Senate Bill 537 Shrimp Fishery Regulations that would allow the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to establish regulations for the new shrimp fishery approved last yearSenate Bill 538 Land Use - Agritourism - Definition that would include special events and occasions within the statewide Agritourism definition to give our farm families more options to diversify and expand rather than selling their valuable farm land for development; and Senate Bill 695 Natural Resources - Voluntary Firewood Treatment Certification Program - Establishment that would allow the Department of Natural Resources the authority to establish a Voluntary Firewood Treatment Certification Program to allow Maryland’s forest operators to continue to export their firewood products to other states.

 

Maryland Parental Involvement Enhancement Act

On March 16th, Senate Bill 891 was introduced by Senator Carozza in the Senate Finance Committee, which would require parental notification of non-emergency medical procedures including abortion and would allow physicians to waive the requirement during a medical emergency or if the minor requests a judicial waiver. During her testimony, Senator Carozza testified, “that the purpose of Senate Bill 891 is to protect our children and to let parents be parents. Many well-respected medical organizations like the Maryland Psychological Association and the Maryland Board of Nursing, to name a couple, agree that most pre-teen and teen age children do not have the cognitive capacity to make medical decisions without parental involvement, and it is not developmentally appropriate to expect them to do so.”

 

During her testimony, Carozza referenced the written testimony of Dr. Peg Naleppa, former Chief Executive of the Peninsula Regional Medical Center and now TidalHealth, registered nurse, mother of two daughters and nana to two granddaughters. “...as a registered nurse with 45 years of experience, I have on numerous occasions personally witnessed or have been informed by a minor of a decision he/she made independently, without parental discussion and consent. Their narrative is often- if only I had known -of both short- term and long-term unintended consequences, I would have chosen a different outcome. These comments beg the question of why didn’t informed consent act to advise the minor at the time of a procedure?”.

 

Michelle Talkington, a mother of six children, Debra Brocato, a Registered Nurse, and Eileen Roberts, Founder and President of Parents for Life testified on Carozza’s panel in strong support of SB 891. 

 

Crisfield Police Department Bill

On March 16th, Carozza’s Senate Bill 958 was heard in the Senate Pensions Subcommittee. SB 958 would allow the members of the Crisfield Police Department to participate in the Law Enforcement Officers’ Pensions System (LEOPS). It also entitles current Crisfield law enforcement officers to eligibility and creditable service in LEOPS for their prior service in the Crisfield Police Department. “This is a local priority bill that would allow the Crisfield Police Department to retain and recruit qualified officers, and to remain competitive with neighboring law enforcement agencies and jurisdictions, during a rampant law enforcement shortage across the Shore and State of Maryland” testified Carozza. 

 

Carozza also publicly thanked Crisfield Police Chief David Dalfonso for  making the trip to Annapolis to testify in person in support of SB 958 and for his determination in working with the Maryland Retirement and Pension System through the process of bringing LEOPS to the Crisfield Police Department.

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Friday, March 18, 2022

Pocomoke's Follow the Gold Treasure Hunt drawing.

 


View Friday's drawing for the winner in Pocomoke's Follow the Gold Treasure Hunt:

(2) Worcester County Economic Development | Facebook



Maryland's gas tax is suspended through April 16th

(WMDT) 


ANNAPOLIS, Md. – On Friday, Governor Larry Hogan signed a 30-day suspension of Maryland’s gas tax.

View news story:

Gov. Hogan suspends Maryland's gas tax for 30 days - 47abc (wmdt.com)


Time Machine Preview

This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye:

1952  ..  Proposed Pocomoke Heights housing project-


1940  ..  


1989  ..  


1909  ..  


Plus TV segment with local history author Jim Duffy commenting on the Sallie Kaye Shipwreck.


Thursday, March 17, 2022

 (Salisbury Independent)


OSPREYS HAVE RETURNED TO SALISBURY. A newly arrived osprey lands atop a Citizens Alert Warning System siren in Salisbury, which was a former nesting location. Volunteers from the Salisbury Fire Department's Station 16 removed the former nest and built a new osprey box with a perch about 50 feet away from the siren.

Virginia governor wants 26.2 cents per gallon gas tax suspension

 (Shore Daily News)


RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that he would send a bill to the General Assembly in the upcoming special session to suspend Virginia’s gas tax for 3 months. The Governor proposes using over $437 million in unanticipated transportation revenues to support the gas tax holiday. Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics this week showed a 38.8% surge, year over year, in the gasoline index, and inflation on all items is at a 40-year high.

(View more of this story)

Governor Youngkin to submit bills to suspend Virginia's gas tax for 3 months - Shore Daily News

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Chincoteague Seafood Festival in May!

 (Shore Daily News)


 Long Time…No Sea! That’s the theme of the 52nd Annual Chincoteague Seafood Festival to be celebrated on May 7, 2022 at Tom’s Cove Park Campground. The chamber-sponsored event is held the first Saturday in May to promote the seafood industry on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
The festival offers fresh, local seafood and signature dishes from local restaurants as well as old and new Eastern Shore favorites prepared by famous festival cooks, volunteers, and professionals.

View more info:


Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Pocomoke Fire Company's 2022 Boat and Cash Bash this Saturday, March 19.

 



Grand prize is a 2021 184 Coastal Skiff with Trailer and 90hp Tohatso Motor provided by Scott's Cove Marina


1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
(Doors Open at 12:30 pm)

At the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company
All You Can Eat & Drink
Beer (must be 21) & Sodas

Tickets are $40 per. or 3 Tickets for $100.

Current CDC Guidelines will be followed. 

More ticket info:

https://www.pocomokefire.com/messageCenter/detail?id=44191


Brad Paisley's OC concert cancelled


                                                                                                                                                                    

Keith Demko

Salisbury Daily Times

After first being postponed from its original September 2021 date, Brad Paisley's rescheduled Ocean City concert set for June 12 has now been canceled.

The announcement by Special Events Productions Inc., which stages entertainment events for the town of Ocean city, cited "unforeseen circumstances."

All tickets will be refunded through the original point of sale beginning March 14, according to the announcement. Contact Ticketmaster for refunds on tickets purchased through that agency. Refunds for tickets purchased through the Roland E Powell Convention Center  box office can be picked up there.

Tri-state traffic enforcement on Rt.13 this week

 (Shore Daily News)


GLEN BURNIE, MD (March 14, 2022) – A collaborative law enforcement effort called Border-to-Border kicks off, March 15, 2022,...

View news story:

Virginia, Maryland and Delaware join forces to enhance traffic enforcement on Rt. 13 during St. Patrick's Day week - Shore Daily News

Monday, March 14, 2022

                         


(City of Pocomoke Facebook page)



Pocomoke City's 1922 fire to be commemorated

 


On Saturday, April 16th, 2022 the Pocomoke Fire Company is opening its doors from 1-4p.m. to mark a century since the April, 17, 1922 fire that devastated much of Pocomoke's business district and dozens of residences, and to recognize the numerous area fire departments that came to assist the Pocomoke firemen.

On Sunday, April 17th view a Special Edition about the 1922 fire on "The Time Machine" here at The Pocomoke Public Eye.