Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for vice president


Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for vice president

August 29, 2008 © Kevin Dayhoff

Courageous service, experienced leadership, and bold solutions.

20080829 Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for vice president

Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue in Westminster

Westminster Eagle column by Kevin Dayhoff: Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue in Westminster

Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue

Is rezoning for business development the right idea for a comeback on Pennsylvania Avenue?

By Kevin Dayhoff
kdayhoff@carr.org Posted on www.explorecarroll.com 8/27/08 (573 words)
At a recent meeting of the Westminster Common Council, it was announced that Councilman Greg Pecoraro will chair another Pennsylvania Avenue initiative, and that Councilwoman Suzanne Albert will serve as vice-chair.

You may recall it was on Sept. 18, 2002, that a previous Pennsylvania Avenue committee announced its findings.

Previously, there had been a number of community-based initiatives to address crime on Pennsylvania Avenue; which had started to become a matter of heightened public discussion in 1999.

One of the immediate impetuses to form the 2002 initiative was the February 2002 groundbreaking for the Carroll Arts Center. At the time, there was enthusiasm to unleash market forces on Pennsylvania Avenue and extend the Westminster business footprint back to the area by encouraging art and cultural venues and businesses.

The 2002 Pennsylvania Avenue initiative resulted in an extensive set of recommendations pertaining to various ways government could stimulate revitalization of this critical area of town. The recommendations addressed public safety, housing and economic development opportunities. It included changing the zoning of the area to open it up to art studios, professional offices, coffee shops, barber shops and beauty parlors and the like.

In short, it aimed to restore the area to what it looked like -- and what made the area of town successful -- before the disastrous November 1979 decision by the then-Westminster mayor and council to rezone this thriving business section of town to strictly residential.

Prior to 1979, Pennsylvania Avenue looked like East Main Street, with a successful mix of residential and business uses of property.
Almost 30 years later, East Main is flourishing with art shops, coffee houses, professional offices, and residential housing -- mixed together in an approach that looks like a traditional town in the 1800s and 1900s. It looks like the very recipe of property uses that made Westminster great.

Most, but not all, of the 2002 committee recommendations were adopted. However, the one proposal recognized as the best long-range systemic solution -- economic development -- never materialized.

As a result, since then, even more opportunities have been lost as constraints in water supply have stopped almost all economic development in Westminster. However, if rezoning efforts had been in place, adaptive reuse of properties on Pennsylvania Avenue could have presented wonderful opportunities for Westminster (because a property's existing water allocation could have been transferred).

Providing Pennsylvania Avenue property owners with the opportunities currently available to East Main Street would give owners alternatives in land use that they have been denied since November 1979.

How we treat an area that needs attention says a great deal about who we are as a community. And one of the best solutions to our budget problems is expanding our business footprint and the commercial tax base.

I recently spoke with Pecoraro, who is considered by many as a national authority on urban planning and public policy analysis. He says he has an open mind on the solutions for Pennsylvania Avenue, and emphasized that he wants to hear from citizens and explore any option that may help.

"I've put a great deal of thought into it. I want to build upon our successes; (and) be honest about what did not work," Pecoraro said.

The time has come to take a fresh look at the job creation and business opportunities on Pennsylvania Avenue. After many years, problems persist. It's time to try a different approach. The stakes are high for all of Westminster.


Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at
kdayhoff@carr.org.

“Paintings discovered donated” by Bryan Schutt for the Carroll County Times

“Paintings discovered donated” by Bryan Schutt for the Carroll County Times

Paintings discovered, donated

By Bryan Schutt, Times Staff Writer, Thursday, August 28, 2008

About 40 years ago, an upstart family with an upstart painting business was visiting Westminster for work. Commissioned by the Westminster Bank and Trust Co. to create three paintings, the artist did his work, then left the city and hasn’t returned.

The artist, Cedric Egeli, painted the scene at Westminster City Hall, McDaniel’s Big Baker Chapel and the Carroll County’s Court House.

And now, Egeli’s work was recently donated to the city and will be prominently displayed at McDaniel College, in the county offices and in City Hall.

Capt. Gerry Frischkorn of the Westminster Police Department discovered the paintings about two weeks ago and he found out they were among the furnishings that were getting replaced at the old Westminster Union bank building on 117 E. Main St.

PNC acquired Mercantile Bank in 2007, which owned Westminster Union, and has since turned the building into a PNC location.

Instead of letting them sit around outside the offices of the building anymore, Frischkorn persuaded the bank to donate them to the city.

Read the entire article here:
Paintings discovered, donated

20080828 “Paintings discovered donated” by Bryan Schutt for the Carroll County Times

Armed robbery at the Jiffy Mart on Magna Way in Westminster

Armed robbery at the Jiffy Mart on Magna Way in Westminster

Westminster Police Department
36 Locust Street
Westminster, Maryland 21157
410-848-4646
410-876-3100

Andrew Hundertmark
Sergeant-Field Services Bureau
News Release

August 30, 2008

On August 30, 2008 at approximately 3:19 A. M., Westminster Police Department responded to Jiffy Mart, 1 Magna Way for a report of an armed robbery.

A male subject entered the store, displayed a handgun and demanded money from the cash register. The cashier gave the subject an undisclosed amount of money and the suspect fled the area on foot.

The suspect was described as a white male wearing black clothing. The victim could not provide any further information on the suspect at this time.

The incident is still under investigation by the Westminster Police Department.

###########################


20080830 Armed robbery at the Jiffy Mart on Magna Way in Westminster

Washington Post: GOP Considers Delaying Convention

Washington Post: GOP Considers Delaying Convention

Tropical Storm Gustav Is Forecast to Hit U.S. Next Week as Hurricane


By Dan Eggen and Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, August 29, 2008; A21
Staff writer Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report.

Republican officials said yesterday that they are considering delaying the start of the

GOP convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul because of Tropical Storm Gustav, which is on track to hit the Gulf Coast, and possibly New Orleans, as a full-force hurricane early next week.

The threat is serious enough that
White House officials are also debating whether President Bush should cancel his scheduled convention appearance on Monday, the first day of the convention, according to administration officials and others familiar with the discussion.

[…]

Senior Republicans said images of political celebration in the Twin Cities while thousands of Americans flee a hurricane could be dubious. "Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crisis," said McCain spokesman
Tucker Bounds, noting that the senator postponed announcing his presidential candidacy in 2000 because of the war in the Balkans. "We are monitoring the situation very closely."

Read the entire article here:
Washington Post: GOP Considers Delaying Convention

Related:

20051005 Three Tentacle columns on Hurricane Katrina

2005 Aug 23-30 2005 Hurricane Katrina

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/28/AR2008082803165.html?hpid=topnews

20080829 Washington Post GOP Considers Delaying Convention

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/08/washington-post-gop-considers-delaying.html

National Geographic: Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

20080825 Hurricane Gustav formed Aug 25

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/20080825%20Hurricane%20Gustav%20formed%20Aug%2025

20080827 National Geographic: Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/08/national-geographic-hurricane-gustav-to.html

Washington Post GOP Considers Delaying Convention

Friday, August 29, 2008

McCain campaign press release on Gov Sarah Palin selection





McCain campaign press release on Gov Sarah Palin selection

For Immediate Release August 29, 2008

John McCain Selects Alaska Governor Sarah Palin As Vice Presidential Running Mate

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/b1a33b7f-5388-4ab9-99a4-95d9d35268ce.htm



ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.

Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.

Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us -- Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.

In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.

As the head of Alaska's National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.

Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today.



20080829 McCain campaign press release on Gov Sarah Palin selection

Could it be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin?




Could it be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin?

August 29, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff



Of course, in a matter of hours we will know for sure; however, could it be that Arizona Sen. John McCain will choose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate?

It would be a brilliant choice.

Here’s a screenshot of the McCain Palin website. Could it have been put up as a red herring to throw us off?

In spite of what I wrote on April 2, 2008, or here; the popular Alaska governor would certainly be my first choice – just slightly ahead of Florida Governor Charlie Crist; or South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. My second choice would be either South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham or Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Related:

April 2, 2008, “The McCain Vice President Decision” by Kevin E. Dayhoff:

Speculation persists as to who presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain will choose as a running mate. This upcoming decision has sparked a growing debate among many political pundits for a number of reasons…



May 17, 2008

20080317 Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin on the vice-presidency

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UAfBo1gNj8







20080829 Could it be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin?

Don Surber on Senator Barack Obama acceptance speech

Don Surber on Senator Barack Obama acceptance speech

August 29, 2008

Fact-checking Obama
August 28th, 2008 by donsurber
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama makes history tonight, but mars his speech with a few errors.
Read the rest of this entry »

Obama’s 5 biggest mistakes
August 29th, 2008 by donsurber
The major errors that Democratic Sen. Barack Obama that could cost him the presidency.
Read the rest of this entry »

Text of Sen. Barack Obama August 28, 2008 Democratic National Convention Acceptance Speech

Text of Sen. Barack Obama Democratic National Convention Acceptance Speech

August 28, 2008

Hat tip:
Greg Sargent at TPM Election Central: Obama's Historic Speech: The Full Text

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/the_full_text_of_obamas_speech.php


To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;

With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest -- a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.

To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia -- I love you so much, and I'm so proud of all of you.

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story -- of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.

It is that promise that has always set this country apart -- that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

That's why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women - students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.

We meet at one of those defining moments - a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.

Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.

These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.

America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.

This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.

This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he's worked on for twenty years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.

We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.

Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."

Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.

But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.

The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on health care and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this President. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisors - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners."

A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.

Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than one hundred million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?

It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.

For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.

Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.

You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.

We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was President - when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.

We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honors the dignity of work.

The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great - a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.

Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton's Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.

In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.

When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.

And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States.

What is that promise?

It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.

It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.

Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.

That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.

That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.

Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.

Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.

I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.

Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.

As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.

America, now is not the time for small plans.

Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American - if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.

Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.

And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.

Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime - by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.

And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America's promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can't replace parents; that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need.

Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise.

And just as we keep our keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America's promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.

For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.

And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.

That's not the judgment we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a President who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.

You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice - but it is not the change we need.

We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.

As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.

But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.

The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.

So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.

America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things.

And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.

For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

America, this is one of those moments.

I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.

And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.

This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.

20080828 SDOSM text of Obama DNC Acceptance Speech

20080828 Boston Globe - Political Intelligence: Excerpts of Obama's speech

20080828 Boston Globe - Political Intelligence: Excerpts of Obama's speech


Hat Tip: Don Surber - Fact-checking Obama: The Boston Globe broke the embargo on his speech:”


Obama: 'We are a better country than this'


http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/08/obama_we_are_a.html


EmailLinkComments (43)

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor August 28, 2008 06:45 PM

Senator Barack Obama will promise change -- and spells out specifics such as tax cuts for the middle class and an end to dependence on foreign oil in 10 years -- as he accepts the Democratic presidential nomination tonight.

Obama also warns that Republican John McCain would mean four more years of President Bush's flawed policies, declaring “America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.”.

Here are excerpts of the speech, titled "The American Promise," just released by Obama's campaign:

“Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story – of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.

“It is that promise that has always set this country apart – that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

“It is why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women – students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.

“We meet at one of those defining moments – a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.

“Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit card bills you can’t afford to pay and tuition that is beyond your reach

“These challenges are not all of government’s making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed presidency of George W. Bush.

America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.”

***

“This moment – this election – is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: “Eight is enough.”

“Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we’ll also hear about those occasions when he’s broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.

“But the record’s clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush was right more than ninety percent of the time? I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.”

***
“You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.

“We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put away a little extra money at the end of each month so that you can someday watch your child receive her diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was President – when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.

“We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job – an economy that honors the dignity of work.

“The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great – a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.”

***

“That’s the promise we need to keep. That’s the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.
.
“Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.

“Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship our jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.

“I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

“I will cut taxes – cut taxes – for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

“And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Washington has been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he’s said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.

“Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.

“As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I’ll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy – wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can’t ever be outsourced.”

***

“We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don’t tell me that Democrats won’t defend this country. Don’t tell me that Democrats won’t keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans – have built, and we are to restore that legacy.

“As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

“I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing so that America is once more the last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.”


Why you should never drive through water flowing over a road

Why you should never drive through water flowing over a road

Retrieved August 28, 2008

Extended Video: Freeport Road Collapse

News 8 chief photojournalist Kevyn Fowler was rolling his camera when flooding took out a road in Freeport. Watch this amazing video!

Hat Tip: James E. Slater, Jr. AICP, QEP, Environmental Compliance Officer, Carroll County Government - - I received this from SHA, If you ever needed a reason not to drive through water flowing over a road, this will give that to you. The video is of a culvert pipe collapse. It lasts 3:30 minutes.

http://www.wmtw.com/video/17144859/index.html

20080828 WMTW TV 8 Freeport Road Collapse

Carroll County Times Editorial: City was wasteful in spending

Carroll County Times Editorial: City was wasteful in spending

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

City was wasteful in spending

No matter how the mayor or Westminster or council members want to spin it, sending 15 people to a conference and then racking up a $1,500 bill for an expensive meal of lobster and alcohol is not prudent given the city's dire financial situation.

In fact, it was just a month ago that Mayor Thomas Ferguson, in announcing the elimination of several positions and firing of several employees, said, "[The layoffs] are clearly driven by the economic environment we're in. Revenue is not growing."

He also said, "The city is looking at all aspects of the government to find productivity gains and cost savings."

Well, perhaps not all aspects.

In all it cost the city $19,000 to send 15 people to the Maryland Municipal League conference. The conference itself can be a good, learning experience. But the city could have done as most companies watching dollars do and saved money by sending half as many people and having them report back to everyone else about what they learned.

And then there's the matter of the extravagant dinner at the expensive Fager's Island restaurant and Bar, which some on the council have tried to pass off as worthwhile for its "team building" value, at a cost of almost $1,500.

Most families, when faced with mounting bills and difficulty paying, don't go out for extravagant dinners or engage in other wasteful spending. Perhaps a cookout with hamburgers and hotdogs would have been better for the "team building" atmosphere than throwing money around like there's no tomorrow, even as these same officials lamented the lack of money that is forcing them to fire people.

The mayor says he will pay the bill out of his own pocket. He says he has done that in the past. But the council members and others who spent the evening drinking alcohol and eating lobster amount to a slap in the face to the employees who were terminated, supposedly, because of budget woes. It's also a slap in the face to taxpayers, who all through the budget season listened to them moan and groan about how tight money was - to the point that the council never did hold a public hearing on the final budget.

Westminster voters today should be asking themselves about the decision-making abilities of the people who they have elected to office.

In front of the public, they whine about having no money in the budget. Then they scoot off in droves to a conference where money - that same tax money - flows quite freely. And upon being questioned, they defend their extravagance as somehow necessary and helpful to the city.

This conference is just one example, but if it is indicative of the way Westminster handles its finances, it is no wonder money is tight and people need to be laid off to pay for the alcohol and lobster.


20080827 Carroll County Times editorial: City was wasteful in spending

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2008/08/27/news/opinion/editorial/editorial533.txt

Chris Cavey gives us a glimpse at the upcoming Republican National Convention in his most recent Tentacle column

Chris Cavey gives us a glimpse at the upcoming Republican National Convention in his most recent Tentacle column

August 28, 2008

On To St. Paul

Chris Cavey

By the time this article is posted I will be crammed into one of the cheap seats of a popular domestic airline. At o-dark thirty when the fares are cheap, with my knees against the seat in front of me and my shoulder pressed against the person in seat 19B, I’ll be winging my way to the Twin Cities for the 2008 Republican National Convention.

The reason for my early Thursday journey is my position on the Republican National Committee’s Credentials Committee….

[…]

By Sunday afternoon, however, the entire Maryland delegation will be on the ground in St. Paul. After some in-house check-in and credentialing, it will be off to Minneapolis for an “all states pep-rally” at the Minneapolis Convention Center. There we’ll have our official delegation picture taken for all posterity to enjoy.

The Republican National Convention is actually a two-week ordeal. Just as I traveled to Minnesota early, so will all members of the five standing committees. The week before is where the work is accomplished. Committee meetings about things like rules, platform and credentials are ironed out and prepared before the voting body arrives for a short four days.

Read Mr. Cavey’s entire column here: On To St. Paul

20080828 SDOSM Cavey TT On to St Paul

National Geographic: Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

National Geographic: Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

Willie Drye for
National Geographic News (Willie Drye is author of Storm of the Century: the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, published by National Geographic Books.)

August 27, 2008
See more recent Hurricane Gustav coverage >>

The once and future Hurricane Gustav—currently a tropical storm over Haiti—could attack the U.S. Gulf Coast as a major hurricane this weekend. Or not.

The Gulf Coast's fate depends largely on a developing high-pressure system, whose southern edge extends roughly from the eastern Gulf of Mexico to the western Atlantic Ocean. (See a
map of the region.)

High-pressure "ridges" repel storms, so if the developing ridge north of
Cuba is strong, Gustav could be deflected westward and into the central Gulf of Mexico, where vast stretches of warm water could supercharge the storm as it heads for the U.S. coast.

[…]

(Related:
"Hurricane Bertha's Burst of Strength Stumps Experts" [July 8, 2008].)

[…]

Gustav is expected to turn toward the U.S. sometime Friday or Saturday, and the high-pressure system will decide how sharp Gustav's turn will be.

[…]

There is "no way of knowing" at present how the high-pressure ridge is going to evolve, Waddlington said. The present long-range forecast says Gustav could come ashore anywhere from the central
Florida Panhandle to the Texas-Mexico border.

[…]


Read the entire article here:
National Geographic: Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

20080827 Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

20051005 Three Tentacle columns on Hurricane Katrina

2005 Aug 23-30 2005 Hurricane Katrina

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/28/AR2008082803165.html?hpid=topnews

20080829 Washington Post GOP Considers Delaying Convention

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/08/washington-post-gop-considers-delaying.html

National Geographic: Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

20080825 Hurricane Gustav formed Aug 25

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/20080825%20Hurricane%20Gustav%20formed%20Aug%2025

20080827 National Geographic: Hurricane Gustav to Become Gulf Coast Monster?

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/08/national-geographic-hurricane-gustav-to.html

Washington Post GOP Considers Delaying Convention

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Westminster Council meeting minutes for August 11 2008

Westminster Council meeting minutes for August 11 2008

http://www.westgov.com/citygovernment/minutes/081108.asp

Approved August 25, 2008

City Council

Minutes of City Council Meetings Agenda for next City Council Meeting

Minutes of City of Westminster Council Meeting

August 11, 2008

QUORUM:

A meeting of The Mayor and Common Council was held in the John Street Quarters of the Westminster Fire Company, 28 John Street, on the evening of August 11, 2008 at 7:00 P.M. Mayor Ferguson; Council President Chiavacci; Council Members Albert, Wack, Utz, and Pecoraro; City Administrator Wolf; Chief Spaulding; Director of Public Works Glass; Director of Recreation and Parks Schroers; City Attorney Walsh; and City Clerk Taylor were present. Director of Planning, Zoning and Development Beyard and City Treasurer Unger were excused from attending.

Robin Ford, the developer of the King’s Overlook subdivision, presented the City with a check in the amount of $35,000 for renovation and expansion of the tot lot at King’s Park.

Mayor Ferguson presented a Proclamation to William Ehmann commending him for the award of his Eagle Scout Badge after some fifty years of lost paperwork establishing that he had completed the requirements was found through the efforts of his family. The Mayor next presented Mr. Ehmann with a full-sized flag of the City.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION:

Mr. Schroers introduced the Ad Hoc Committee for renovations to the Westminster Skate Park: Steve Vogel, Bob Lloyd, Jim Marks, Brice Foxwell, Bryan Vana, and Kate Engel. Mr. Schroers added that several of the students and staff at the Career and Vocational Technology had been actively and enthusiastically involved in the planning and design of the center. Mr. Marks and Mr. Vogel summarized the history of the Skate Park and presented the plan for its renovation. They further thanked the students and staffl. Ms. Engel, Principal of the Center, thanked the Mayor and Common Council for the giving students the opportunity to help with the planning and renovations. She noted that they were quite eager to return to school in the fall and resume work on the project. Council President Chiavacci thanked everyone for their involvement and added that he looked forward to the ribbon cutting in the spring. He commended the Committee members for their expertise and dedication.

MINUTES:

Mrs. Albert moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of July 28, 2008. Mr. Utz seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES:

Council President Chiavacci announced that he requested Mr. Pecoraro and Mrs. Albert to serve as the chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the recently re-formed Pennsylvania Avenue Committee. Mr. Pecoraro indicated he would meet with Ms. Wolf the following week to discuss the Committee’s schedule. He remarked that he was pleased by the number of people interested in participating.

Mrs. Albert thanked Mr. Glass for working to resolve the security lighting problems at the Westminster Cemetery.

Mr. Utz thanked Chief Spaulding and his staff for the National Night Out the preceding Tuesday.

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:

Ms. Wolf summarized Resolution No. R08-9, which would approve submission of an application to the Department of Housing and Community Development of the State of Maryland for funding under the Main Street Improvement Program and the Maple Street Initiative. The funding would consist of $12,000 Main Street Improvement funds for new trash receptacles and $15,000 in Maple Street Initiative funds for a “Paint Up, Fix Up” residential façade improvement program. Dr. Wack moved to adopt the Resolution. Mr. Pecoraro seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS:

Council President Chiavacci asked Ms. Wolf to convey the congratulations of the Mayor and Common Council to Mr. Beyard for receiving his Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Ms. Wolf reported that a meeting with the auditors for the annual audit would take place the next morning.

Chief Spaulding announced that the police would be conducting their first sobriety checkpoint in the City.

Mr. Schroers noted that Fallfest would take place between September 24 and September 28.

Mr. Glass announced that well drilling on the Gesell property began the preceding Wednesday. So far, one well is yielding 250 gallons per minute.

With regard to the road repaving contract, Mr. Glass noted that the bid opening had been rescheduled for September in the hopes that the price of asphalt would improve.

President and C.E.O. of the Westminster Fire Company gave a report on the number of calls responded to in July.

CITIZEN COMMENTS:

City resident Gerald Sheeler spoke in favor of imposing a curfew on minors. He also expressed concern about the expense of obtaining peace orders.

City resident Debbie Hawke asked that consideration be given to increasing the fine for illegal parking in handicapped spaces. Council President Chiavacci responded that the Police Chief and the Public Works Committee would make a recommendation at the next regular meeting.

Council President Chiavacci adjourned the meeting at 8:03 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,
Laurell E. Taylor
City Clerk


20080811 Westminster Council meeting minutes for August 11 2008

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Minneapolis SWAT Team honored for raiding wrong house

Minneapolis SWAT Team honored for raiding wrong house


This is bizarre… I’m NOT making this up!:


WCCO-TV Minneapolis MN: July 29, 2008 Minneapolis SWAT Team honored for raiding wrong house


http://wcco.com/iteam/swat.team.honored.2.783216.html


WCCO-TV Minneapolis, MN: “On Monday, Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan handed out honors to a team of officers involved in a botched raid at an innocent family's home more than seven months ago…


“Just days before Christmas, the sound of intruders breaking into their home in North Minneapolis prompted Vang Khang to grab his shotgun to protect his six children. His terrified wife called 911.


“Khang fired several shots at the "intruders" who turned out to be members of the Minneapolis Police Department's SWAT team. The officers returned fire. Their protective gear prevented them from being harmed by the bullets.


“No one was hurt in the shootout last Dec. 16 and the Minneapolis Police Chief ordered an internal investigation. The house was left riddled with bullet holes and broken glass. Two days later, Dolan apologized to the family and launched an internal investigation to find out how the SWAT team wound up in an innocent family's house in the middle of the night.


“The investigation determined that the team had gone there looking for a gang member's guns after an informant gave investigators in the department's Violent Offenders Task Force bad information. The investigation is ongoing.


“On Monday, Dolan recognized members of the SWAT team for their bravery and how they handled the raid. With Mayor R.T. Rybak and other city officials looking on, the chief handed out medals and commendations.


Read the entire account here: http://wcco.com/iteam/swat.team.honored.2.783216.html


See also:


20080730 Berwyn Hghts Mayor home invaded


Law and Order Lunacy


More: I-TEAM: Raid Tipster Gave Police Wrong Name (2/14/2008)


I-TEAM: Investigating Police Raid At Wrong House (2/13/2008)


I-TEAM: 911 Tapes From Police Raid At Wrong House (2/12/2008)


Property Records Search May Have Prevented Raid (12/18/2007)


Chief Apologizes To Family Over Mistaken Raid (12/19/2007)


Experts: Raid Mistake A 'Fact Of Police Work' (12/18/2007)


Police: Not To Blame For Raid Into Wrong House (12/18/2007)


20080729 Minneapolis SWAT Team honored for raiding wrong house



PG Police overstep authority by Haven Shoemaker

Prince George's County Police overstep authority by Haven Shoemaker

Hampstead mayor Haven Shoemaker has weighed-in with his take on the home invasion by Prince George’s SWAT officers in the last days of July 2008.

If you will recall; after a small army of heavily armed SWAT team members attacked the home of Berwyn Height’s mayor Cheye Calvo, they tied the mayor and his mother-in-law up and shot and killed his two dogs - - only discover it was all mistake.

No word as to whether or not the Prince George's County SWAT team will get an award or not - as just occurred in a similar situation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, q.v.: 20080729 Minneapolis SWAT Team honored for raiding wrong house.

Mayor Shoemaker is an excellent writer and his recent column, in the “Other Voices” section of the
Carroll County Times is a must read:
*****

PG police overstep authority

By Haven Shoemaker, Other Voices Monday, August 25, 2008

On July 29, the Mayor of Berwyn Heights, Cheye Calvo, came home from work and saw a package addressed to his wife sitting on the front porch.

If he's anything like me, he probably assumed his wife had been watching the Home Shopping Network, so he brought the package in and put it on the table.

Unbeknownst to him, the box actually contained 32 pounds of marijuana, one of the few things you can't buy on QVC.

While changing his clothes, Calvo heard his mother-in-law scream. According to media reports, she saw and reacted to police officers rushing the house. The police burst into the home without warning. In the ensuing chaos, officers shot and killed the family's two dogs. According to Calvo, one of two black Labradors was running away from the officers when it was killed.

Apparently, the officers did not believe that Calvo was the Mayor of Berwyn Heights. They kept him handcuffed for two hours, in his boxer shorts, lying next to his dead dogs. As it turns out, Calvo and his family were most likely the random victims of a scheme by real drug dealers.

Apparently, the police have already arrested people behind the plan to smuggle millions of dollars of marijuana via deliveries to unsuspecting citizens. Unfortunately, that little bit of law enforcement intelligence wasn't available to help Calvo or save his dogs.

[…]

But what bothers me the most about the Calvo mess is the dogs. If for the public good it becomes necessary to handcuff me in my briefs for two hours, well, OK. If the police want to take my mother-in-law into custody, I can promise my full cooperation.

[…]

It's not like the anyone was going to flush 32 pounds of dope down the toilet in the time it took for the police to announce the entry. I could add my thoughts on the modern low water capacity toilet, but as the kids today say, TMI, or "Too Much information."


Read Mayor Shoemaker’s entire column here:
PG police overstep authority

20080825 PG Police overstep authority by Haven Shoemaker