20070522 Former Maryland Secretary for Veterans Affairs George W. Owings

The Maryland Secretary for Veterans Affairs George W. Owings has enigmatically been replaced – and many are wondering why?

May 22, 2007

For those of us who follow the issues of our past and present men and women in uniform, news travels quickly.

So when the news that George W. Owings III, [a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant (1964-68) who served in Vietnam, 1965-68 (Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation with Bronze Star Device, Navy-Marine Corps Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Silver Star Device)], “was relieved of his duties as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs by Gov. Martin O'Malley on May 7,” it was one of those rare moments in Maryland when word-of-mouth was quicker than e-mail, if that could be possible.

The news was certainly not missed by Frederick and Washington County, Dist. 3B, Delegate Richard Weldon…

Hardly a week goes by when I don’t want to call to folks’ attention the work of Delegate Weldon in The Tentacle.

And this week is no exception. Those of us who follow the comings and goings of state officials were flabbergasted when Secretary Owings was let go. But no one explained it better that Delegate Weldon in his Monday, May 21, 2007 column, “Old Soldiers Don't Fade Away:”

George W. Owings, III, was relieved of his duties as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs by Gov. Martin O'Malley on May 7. Secretary Owings was not dismissed for any reason other than he had been appointed by former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.

Secretary Owings had become legend in his politically shortened four-year tenure. Veterans across Maryland fell in love with the cigarette-smoking, motorcycle-riding, straight-talking Southern Maryland Democrat.

That's right; Secretary Owings is a Democrat, the party of Governor O'Malley. His party affiliation clearly mattered not to Governor Ehrlich, who was looking for a soldier's soldier to lead state's veterans' outreach. In George Owings, Bob Ehrlich found the perfect guy!

Be sure to read Delegate Weldon’s entire column here: Old Soldiers Don't Fade Away.

In the past - now long-gone era when everything that the previous gubernatorial administration did was scrutinized to the letter of the 1981 movie “Absence of Malice;” the news of Secretary Owings losing his post would have been great food for fodder. Not so in the current Maryland media world.

Gov. Martin O’Malley got a pass. And perhaps justifiably so - for the governor has a right to pick his team - - folks who share his vision and want to move the governor’s initiatives forward.

Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that the Maryland mainstream media has ignored it – the scuttlebutt among veterans has continued unabated

I, for one, was willing to toss it up to another personal – personnel decision that the governor is certainly entitled to make – without any publicly stated reason or justification. It is his call. That is to be respected… And I am willing to give the governor the benefit of doubt.

Unfortunately that was a point totally missed when on July 8, 2005 a crass politically motivated witch-hunt devoid of any substantial basis was announced: “House Speaker Michael Busch today appointed a committee of four Democrats and two Republicans to join six state senators in an inquiry into the personnel polices of the Ehrlich administration.” (“Busch appoints 6 to panel probing Ehrlich firings - Bipartisan committee to assess personnel changes made after governor elected,” by Tom Stuckey, The Associated Press.)

It is in this context that the fires of discontent have been fueled among veterans, many of whom tend to be a bit more conservative than the present administration in the statehouse…

In spite of the fact that it was well known among insiders, including the leadership of the Calvert Street hallways, that there was no there – there, to the at-will employee probe; the Baltimore Sun piled on all through the balance of 2005 and 2006. Right up until the election - and yet, curiously enough – hardly a whimper has been heard since the Maryland gubernatorial election last November 2006…

Understandably so for it was then that the Sun realized, that in order for Governor O’Malley to make things happen he needed his own team – and that meant, jettisoning as many former Governor Robert L. Ehrlich appointees as possible…

Hmmm…

See: “Diluted Bills Anger Republicans” in Maryland Moment…

When a special legislative committee wrapped up an 14-month investigation last fall into then-Gov. Bob Ehrlich's hiring and firing practices, a special counsel decided no pursue no criminal charges. Instead lawmakers said they would rely on legislation to fix what was wrong with the state's personnel process.

Yesterday, the state Senate gave final approval to two of those bills. But Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles), who helped lead the legislative probe and sponsored the bills, acknowledged they were changed--and weakened-- at the request of now Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration.

[…]

"The bills do virtually nothing. . . . It was a political witch hunt with no substance," said Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert), the House minority leader. "They were trying to embarrass the Ehrlich administration, and in the end, no substantive changes were made in the law. It was a sham, and everybody knows it."

As I noted on July 21, 2005 in The Tentacle: “A Skunk by Any Other Name Still Stinks:”

The state workforce includes 80,000 employees. So what is the cause of all of this wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth?

According to a Washington Times article on May 25, 2005, by S. A. Miller (former Frederick News-Post scribe Steve), “Lawrence J. Hogan Jr., the governor's secretary of appointments, said the Ehrlich administration in three years has fired 280 of its 7,000 at-will workers. Mr. Ehrlich's Democratic predecessor, Gov. Parris N. Glendening, fired 309 at-will workers in a single year from the Department of Transportation alone…”

Paul E. Schurick, the governor's communications director, said it better than I could in a June 3, 2005, Gazette article by Thomas Dennison: "The double standard is as gross and as egregious as I have ever seen. The fact of the matter is dozens of legislators have made a career of trying to influence the hiring and firing of state employees."

See also: “20050712 This year Halloween comes early in Maryland.”

And - - my November 22, 2006 Tentacle column, “Now Comes The Hard Part:”

… It has not gone unnoticed that the Sun is already practically his public relations office; telling and re-telling glowing, gooey and heart-warming stories of Norman Rockwell beginnings, childhood friends and Camelot-on-the-horizon.

Then there is the not so small matter of the upcoming personnel shake-up that occurs when a new governor and administration takes office in Annapolis - especially when there is also a party change.

In days gone by this transition was relatively unnoticed. However, the Baltimore Sun and the Maryland Democratic Party leadership politicized it ad nauseam during the Ehrlich Administration; and it may have been a dead skunk that should have been left alone.

After the announcement that the Democrats were going to conduct a witch-hunt of the Ehrlich administration's hiring and firing of at-will employees, it was prophetically observed that Maryland Democrats should think past their noses about making so much fuss about staffing changes.

As the at-will employee investigation began in early July 2005, even some Democrats were whispering that if a Democrat were to prevail in the November 2006 gubernatorial election, the new governor would want to replace many folks and the residual hyper-scrutiny would be unwanted.

Now that a Democrat has been elected governor it will be interesting to see how much scrutiny the Baltimore Sun and Democratic Party leadership pay to how many folks from the Ehrlich Administration get pink slips.

Remember, the Ehrlich administration fired only 280 of 7,000 at-will workers in four years. Governor Glendening fired 309 at-will workers in the Department of Transportation in a single year.

In a recent Gazette article, Governor-elect "O'Malley said there will be no wholesale firing of political appointees from the Ehrlich administration. Governor Ehrlich drew criticism for allegedly seeking to identify and fire Democrat. 'I am going to go after professionalism, and we're going to recruit the most professional people we can find,' O'Malley said."

The operative word in the proceeding was "allegedly." And, of course, the implication is that Governor Ehrlich did not hire "professionals."

Well not only was former Secretary Owings a consummate profession – he was a veteran’s veteran who wore his respect for his fellow veterans on his sleeve and worked tirelessly for their benefit and welfare.

By all accounts, his replacement, the former deputy of Veterans Affairs, James A. Adkins, will do a fine job.

In a testament to former Secretary Owings’ professionalism; in a published account, he “said that he had applied anew for the job in O'Malley's Cabinet, but that he backs the selection of Adkins… My presence here today is evidence I agree with that choice," Owings said after the State House announcement. "The governor could not have made a better selection.”

This too shall pass. But Secretary Owings will be missed.

Thank you for your service Secretary Owings, we will all look forward to future leadership from you.

For Corps and Country,

Kevin Dayhoff

20070523 Westminster Police Stop on Main Street in Westminster

Daily Photoblog - Westminster Police Stop on Main Street in Westminster

May 23, 2007

May 23, 2007 Westminster Police Department stops a motorist on Main Street - and Anchor Street.

www.kevindayhoff.net

20070522 TimeWatch Tracker

TimesWatch Tracker

Documenting and Exposing the Liberal
Agenda of the New York Times

TimesWatch Tracker: Our Latest Analysis

Tuesday, May 22 , 2007

Today in TimesWatch:

(Headlines link to online postings with links to cited articles & sources)

Make sure to check out our sleek new website at www.timeswatch.org, now updated throughout the day.

Top Book Critic Loves Gore's "Fiercely Argued" Anti-Bush Screed

Liberal book critic Michiko Kakutani's review of the eco-activist (and former veep's) newest screed against Bush, "The Assault on Reason," lead Tuesday's Arts section. You can tell Kakutani liked the book because, as is her habit in such circumstances, instead of actually critiquing it, she simply pulls out chunks and strings them together into paragraphs.

"In 'The Assault on Reason' Al Gore excoriates George W. Bush, asserting that the president is 'out of touch with reality,' that his administration is so incompetent that it 'can’t manage its own way out of a horse show,' that it ignored 'clear warnings' about the terrorist threat before 9/11 and that it has made Americans less safe by 'stirring up a hornets’ nest in Iraq,' while using 'the language and politics of fear' to try to 'drive the public agenda without regard to the evidence, the facts or the public interest.'"

But don't think that Gore's book is some kind of hyper-partisan hit piece, like the kind those nasty neocons write. (Back in January 2004, Kakutani described "An End to Evil" by conservative hawks David Frum and Richard Perle as having "all the subtlety of a pit bull on steroids…smug, shrill and deliberately provocative.")

Far from it: "And yet for all its sharply voiced opinions, 'The Assault on Reason' turns out to be less a partisan, election-cycle harangue than a fiercely argued brief about the current Bush White House that is grounded in copiously footnoted citations from newspaper articles, Congressional testimony and commission reports -- a brief that is as powerful in making its points about the implications of this administration’s policies as the author’s 2006 book, 'An Inconvenient Truth,' was in making its points about the fallout of global warming."

As good as "An Inconvenient Truth"? Truly a Times' stamp of approval.

Moral Equivalency Between Israel, Palestinian Terrorists

Business as usual in the Middle East yesterday, as Israel killed four terrorists, while Palestinians killed an Israeli citizen. Yet the headline to the Tuesday story by Taghreed El-Kohdary and Steven Erlanger treated the incidents as if they were morally equivalent acts -- "Israel and Palestinian Militants Carry Out Deadly Attacks."

"The Israeli Air Force continued its strikes in Gaza on Monday, killing four members of Islamic Jihad who the Israeli Army said were preparing to launch rockets against Israel, and one member of Hamas at what it said was a bomb-making factory.

"On Monday night, an Israeli woman was killed when a Qassam rocket launched from Gaza hit a car in the Israeli town of Sderot. Two men were wounded, one moderately and one slightly. The woman, who was standing next to the car, died in a hospital. She was the ninth Israeli to die from Palestinian rocket attacks in the past seven years and the first since November; her name was not immediately released."

"Saint Albert" Ministers to the Environmental Heathens

Contributing writer James Traub went to Al Gore's Nashville mansion and talked to him by the pool for the Times' Green-centric Sunday Magazine (no mention of carbon footprints or carbon offsets) and came out with "Al Gore Has Big Plans." Sounds scary already.

But first, a little historical revisionism: "Six years after the Supreme Court declared him the loser of a presidential race that seemed his for the taking, Al Gore has attained what you can only call prophetic status; and he has done so by acting as he could not, or would not, as a candidate -- saying precisely what he believes, and saying it with clarity, passion, intellectual mastery and even, sometimes, wit. Everywhere he goes, people urge him, almost beg him, to run for the presidency. He probably won’t -- though he might. ('It’s complicated,' he told me, 'but it’s not mysterious.') He says he thinks he’d be better at it this time than he was last time. And he probably would be: Gore really does know how to hold 6,000 people in a room. But sometimes one person is one person too much for him. Given his druthers, he’d really rather talk about complexity."

Bush actually won the official vote count in Florida, the Supreme Court simply declared the decision valid.

Once he delved into the science, Traub made some unscientific leaps, extrapolating current phenomena into future hazards:

"By 2005, climate science had advanced to the point where the urgency of reducing CO2 emissions had become manifest, though only to the small circle of cognoscenti. And that was the problem. Gore had talked himself blue on the subject without making much headway. In mid-2005, he began talking to members of 'the green group,' as the environmental lobby is collectively known, about marshaling a popularizing effort. Nature has a way of chipping in on climate change, and the apocalyptic images of Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans at the end of August 2005, made such a campaign seem not only more urgent but also more compelling. Gore was the obvious candidate to lead the crusade.

But the Al Gore of September 2005 was not the Saint Albert of today. That Al Gore was a harsh partisan, and all too apt a symbol of the hectoring, holier-than-thou stance of the environmental movement….And Gore says he believes that once people understand the science, they’ll share his sense of urgency. Thanks to Hurricane Katrina, and balmy winters, and animals evacuating their habitats, and all those terrifying pictures of melting glaciers, that sense may already be taking hold."

Traub strengthened the flattering image of Gore (who once likened Internet critics to "digital Brownshirts" and calling the internal combustion engine the greatest enemy of mankind) as a high-minded avatar of sweet reason.

"The very fact that Gore feels that this requires an explanation shows what a high-minded rationalist he is. He says he believes that ideas were given a fair hearing on their merits until television came along and induced a kind of national trance. This is a hoary line of argument, but Gore adds a novel neuropsychological twist, explaining that the brain’s fear center, the amygdala – 'which as I’m sure you know comes from the Latin for ‘almond’ ' -- receives only a trickle of electrical impulses from the neocortex, the seat of reasoning, while sending back a torrent of data in return. This explains why 'we respond to spiders and snakes and claws and fire, but we are less likely to feel urgency and alarm if the threat to our species is perceptible only by connecting a lot of dots to make up a complex pattern that has to be interpreted by the reasoning center of the brain' -- well, it’s quite a challenge for the explainer."

(Gore's new book is "The Assault on Reason;" much of his interview with Traub is an assault on Times Watch's patience.)

"Gore used his last dram of political capital to persuade Clinton to sign the Kyoto pact; it was never sent to the Senate, where it surely would have died an ugly death. The Clinton administration thus surrendered without firing a shot. For Gore, it was a humiliating denouement."

Traub ignored the inconvenient truth that the Senate rejected the Kyoto Protocol by a 95-0 vote.

Newsbusters' Noel Sheppard has more on the Times' going ga-ga over Gore.

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Quotes of Note

NYT In Denial on Terror Plot

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Elsewhere on the Web

Parody: New York Times' "most e-mailed list" tearing newsroom apart (The Onion). :more...

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20070522 Quote of the day

Quote of the day - Does it fit?

Tuesday, May 22^nd, 2007

“[W]hen the shoe fits, the foot is forgotten; when the belt fits, the belly is forgotten; when the heart is right, for and against are forgotten.”

Chuang Tzu (c. 369-c. 286 B.C.) Theologian and writer

Thanks TC

20070522 CyberAlert

CyberAlert

A usually-daily report, edited by Brent H. Baker, CyberAlert is distributed by the Media Research Center, the leader since 1987 in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias.

The 2,413^th CyberAlert. Tracking Liberal Media Bias Since 1996

12:25 pm EDT, Tuesday May 22, 2007 (Vol. Twelve; No. 86)

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1. NBC Impugns Limbaugh Over 'Barack the Magic Negro' Parody Song On Monday, NBC's Today allowed itself to be used as a publicity machine for a left-wing attempt to whip up an Imus-style campaign against conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh for daring to air the parody song "Barack the Magic Negro" -- a parody inspired by a black writer who used that term in March in a Los Angeles Times op-ed about Obama -- in which an Al Sharpton impersonator sings about how Barack Obama isn't an authentic black. The song has been around for two months, but NBC acted like they just found out about it. Co-host Matt Lauer charged: "Rush Limbaugh airing a racially-charged parody about presidential candidate Barack Obama. Is the radio talk show host getting a free pass? We'll have more on that in our next half-hour." The on-screen graphic also asked: "Obama Parody, Is Limbaugh Getting A Free Pass?" The story by NBC reporter Michael Okwu presumed Limbaugh guilty of some great offense, and suggested his conservative audience is also culpable: "Media watch dogs say there's no hue and cry to stop Limbaugh because he speaks to a niche audience who either expects this or is willing to let him slide." Okwu ominously wondered: "Legitimate satire, or something darker?"

2. Stephanopoulos Marvels with Pelosi About First Female President Catching up with George Stephanopoulos' interview on Sunday's This Week with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Stephanopoulos took the opportunity to banter with Pelosi about the possibility of a woman President in front of her on the podium at the next State of the Union. Over video of Congressman John Boehner back in January handing the gavel to Pelosi, Stephanopoulos, one once toiled for the administration of the only woman candidate, marveled: "Seeing you up at the podium, first female Speaker of the House. Do you ever think what it would be like to be standing at that podium as the first female President of the United States comes up to give the State of the Union?" A giggling Pelosi exclaimed: "Wouldn't that be exciting to have the woman as the President and woman as the Speaker of the House? It'd be pretty exciting..." When Pelosi soon contended that "it's harder to become Speaker of the House than President of the United States for a woman," Stephanopoulos empathized with how "you had to prove you were tough enough."

3. After a Week of False Reports of 'Record High' Gas, Reality Noted After a week of inaccurate reports about the "record high" price for gas when, adjusted for inflation, the price was still below the cost in March of 1981, on Monday night ABC, CBS, and NBC again touted a "record high" price, but at least NBC acknowledged it simply matched the real 1981 price, while CBS alluded to a 1981 comparison. With "Record Prices" on screen, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric reported that "gas is up another 12 cents in just the past week to a nationwide average tonight of $3.22 a gallon. Adjusting for inflation, that beats the all-time high set more than a quarter century ago at the start of the Iran-Iraq war." In fact, it does not beat it but only "matches" it, as NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams relayed: "For the second week in a row gas prices have hit a record high. The feds say the average price for unleaded regular soared eleven-and-a-half cents over the last week to a new record of $3.22 a gallon. That matches the peak price reached during 1981 during the Iran-Iraq war when the figures are adjusted for inflation." ABC anchor Charles Gibson, however, continued to deliver distorted reporting in which he refused to adjust for inflation.

4. GMA and Early Show Tout Immigration Bill Deal as 'Historic Day' On Friday, both CBS and ABC skewed their coverage of the Senate's immigration bill to the left. Neither network featured a conservative talking head that opposed the legislation, instead The Early Show and Good Morning America simply referred to the "critics" who believe the bill would amount to amnesty for those who came to the country illegally. However, while both networks also interviewed Senator Ted Kennedy, ABC anchor Diane Sawyer actually pressed the liberal legislator with several conservative points. GMA used flowery language to discuss the Senate's action, describing the legislation as "landmark." Co-host Sawyer asserted, "It was a historic day to see Republicans and Democrats coming forward on something together." ABC even queried illegal aliens as to what they think of the Senate's action: "Everyone taking sides. But sometimes it's good to hear the voices from the people who are at the center of the debate. And some of these illegal 12 million have been phoning in to Talk Back, which is our Web site..."

5. Couric Celebrates Cronkite for Opposing 'Another Unpopular War' Friday's CBS Evening News plugged its prime time special on Walter Cronkite with a story, as introduced by Katie Couric, about a "journalist who stood up to the Commander-in-Chief" during a time of "another unpopular war," as Couric was transitioning from a story about the debate over Iraq war funding. Couric was referring to Cronkite's decision in February 1968 to declare on the air that America would have to negotiate without victory to end the Vietnam war.

6. O'Donnell:'655,000 Iraqi Civilians Dead. Who Are the Terrorists?' On last Thursday's The View, Rosie equated the United States with terrorism, strongly implying U.S. soldiers have committed terrorist acts: "I just want to say something. 655,000 Iraqi civilians are dead. Who are the terrorists?" An appalled Elisabeth Hasselbeck demanded: "Wait, who are you calling terrorists now? Americans?" O'Donnell stood her ground: "I'm saying if you were in Iraq, and the other country, the United States, the richest in the world, invaded your country and killed 655,000 of your citizens, what would you call us?" Then on Monday's show, O'Donnell responded to the fallout from her moral equivalency rant as she claimed some cable news outlets "twisted" her words, and then got personal with token non-liberal Hasselbeck, calling her critics the "crappy shows" that "Elisabeth watches."

Check Out the MRC's Blog

The MRC's blog site, NewsBusters, "Exposing and Combating Liberal Media Bias," provides examples of bias 24/7. With your participation NewsBusters will continue to be THE blog site for tracking and correcting liberal media bias.

Come post your comments and get fresh proof of media misdeeds at: http://www.newsbusters.org

20070522 News Clips

News Clips

May 22, 2007

State News

New legislation to help preserve farms and aid the environment

http://www.examiner.com/a-741056~New_legislation_to_help_preserve_farms_and_aid_the_environment.html

Gov. Martin O'Malley wants to keep homes on the range.

Expressing a desire to keep farmers on their property and preserve land, O'Malley has signed four bills since he took office in January to champion the cause. Most recently, he signed legislation removing a five-year waiting period for a farm to be permanently preserved through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.

And with 372,650 acres of farmland in the Baltimore region, the preservation of farms and the $1.3 billion agriculture industry is a growing concern.

Lawmaker renews call for increasing tax on alcohol

Revenue raised would go toward treating substance abuse, Bronrott says

http://www.gazette.net/stories/052107/polinew171308_32338.shtml

A Montgomery County lawmakers efforts to help prevent and treat substance abuse might increase your bar tab.

Raising the state excise tax on adult beverages by 5 cents would generate approximately $90 million a year for drug and alcohol treatment programs, said Del. William A. Bronrott, who chairs the House Special Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Revenues would be directed to a dedicated fund for substance abuse initiatives.

Pimlico CEO Speaks Out On Preakness Stakes

http://www.wcbcradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7422&Itemid=35

The CEO of the company that owns Pimlico says the Preakness Stakes is "at the relative end" in Maryland -- unless lawmakers approve slot machine gambling.

But Magna Entertainment CEO Michael Neuman says he's optimistic the political stars are aligned to legalize slots soon enough to keep the race in Maryland. He says he's "not going to draw a line in the sand" about moving the Preakness. He told WBAL that the aging track is "just above water" financially. In January, the prestigious Pimlico Special was canceled because of limited purse money. Governor Martin O'Malley supports limited slot machines at racetracks to help the racing industry and keep the Preakness in Maryland. Senate President Mike Miller says he hopes O'Malley calls a special session to get a slots bill passed this year

Gas prices hit record

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=60432

Some motorists seem to equate warm weather with high gasoline prices. Others appear resigned to paying more for gas, saying the cost is beyond their control.

"You can't do anything about it. You either pay the price or stay home," said Marion Whittier of Braddock Heights, filling his tank Monday at the Sunoco gas station on West Patrick Street.

'Public safety' plan halted

Opposition pressure in City Council leads to withdrawal of idea

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-md.ci.safety22may22,0,6466561.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

Baltimore's City Council overwhelmingly rejected a proposal yesterday that would have allowed the mayor to lock down streets and close businesses in areas declared an emergency - taking the unusual step of pressuring the bill's sponsor to withdraw the measures before they were fully introduced.

Eleven members of the City Council spoke against the legislation - proposed by City Council Vice President Robert W. Curran - that would have allowed police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks and halt traffic in areas declared "public safety act zones."

National News

Former Mayor to run for 6th District Spot

http://www.wcbcradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7426&Itemid=35

Former Cumberland Mayor Frank Nethken tells WCBC News that he plans to challenge incumbent Sixth District Congressman Roscoe Bartlett in next years primary.

Nethken, a republican, has run for public office a number of times in the past 30 years, including a 1992 run for the sixth district seat. Nethken says while he likes Bartlett, he believes he broke promises when he said he would only serve three terms. The Frederick County republican is now in his seventh term in Congress. Describing himself as a Reagan Republican, the former mayor says he felt a calling to run for the office after speaking with a local pastor.

Gilchrest votes make him a target

http://washingtontimes.com/metro/20070521-113247-3387r.htm

House Republican Wayne T. Gilchrest's votes to stop funding the war in Iraq has challengers saying the long-term congressman may have run his course.

Two Democrats -- Eastern Shore lawyers Frank M. Kratovil Jr. and Christopher R. Robinson -- announced they will run for Mr. Gilchrest's seat, and state Sen. Andrew P. Harris, a Baltimore County Republican, is expected to announce that he is running.

"I think everyone will tell you Wayne is a nice guy," Mr. Kratovil said. "I think I'm a nice guy, too. It's easy to be a nice guy when you're not pushing or fighting for things."

Gilchrest appointed to help democracies

http://www.hometownglenburnie.com/vault/cgi-bin/gazette/view/2007G/05/19-49.HTM

U.S. Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest was named last week to a committee of 20 lawmakers who help other nations nurse fledgling democracies.

Mr. Gilchrest, R-Kent, joined the House Democracy Assistance Commission, which was established two years ago to help foster democracy around the world. The commission offers legal expertise and assistance as countries such as Haiti and the Republic of Georgia as they try to establish transparent, democratic governments.

Veterans, National Guard, recruits represented at Reeders Memorial Day program

http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=166217&format=html

The past, present and future of the American military were well represented Monday morning at the Reeders Memorial Home Memorial Day holiday program.

Seventeen residents of Reeders were honored as veterans during the outdoor ceremony, where they received recognition personally from U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett.

$8B of pork: Dems take 60 percent

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/8b-of-pork-dems-take-60-percent-2007-05-21.html

The House last week approved about $8 billion in earmarks as part of the 2008 defense authorization bill, with the wealth shared by both Democrats and Republicans.

Given their majority, however, Democrats claimed close to 60 percent of the bills earmarks.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) had five projects approved as part of the defense authorization bill, totaling almost $20 million. Among Hoyers beneficiaries are the Honeywell Corp in La Plata, Md., for the so-called Blossom Point Satellite Facility; the Naval Air Warfare Center Air Craft Division at Patuxent River, Md., for a communications upgrade on the DDG-ship; the Navys Special Warfare Center at Indian Head, Md., for high-energy conventional energetics; and Virginia-based Infosystems Technology Inc., which builds the Rubix multi-level security database.

Brooke Gunning: The lost art of reading aloud

http://www.examiner.com/a-741052~Brooke_Gunning__The_lost_art_of_reading_aloud.html

If you are reading this column, then you are not one of the estimated 1.5 million (yes, you read that correctly, million) Marylanders between the ages of 16 to 59 who, according to the Maryland State Department of Education, have significant literacy needs. Some people are working hard to reduce that number. Doro Bush Koch, sister of President George W. Bush and daughter of George H.W. Bush, is one of them. She runs The Maryland Initiative of The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

President Bush Says Failure In Iraq Would Embolden Al Qaeda. "Bush said he had directed White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten to negotiate with lawmakers on what consequences should be imposed to pressure the Iraqi government to meet measurements of progress. 'There is a way forward, there's a compromise to be had. My hope is that the Democrat leader sees it,' Bush said. Lawmakers need to understand that a failed Iraq would embolden al Qaeda, Bush said, adding that he would underscore the point in a speech on Wednesday that 'al Qaeda is public enemy number one in Iraq and is public enemy number one for America.'" (Steve Holland, "Bush: September 'Important Moment' In Iraq," Reuters, 5/22/07)

President Bush Calls Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki To Mark The One-Year Anniversary Of His Inauguration. "Bush, who telephoned Maliki to mark a year since his inauguration, 'reaffirmed his confidence in the prime minister and noted the courage he has shown during a challenging and difficult year,' said spokesman Tony Fratto. At the same time, Fratto said as Bush spent a long weekend on his Texas ranch, Iraqi progress towards national reconciliation is 'not moving as quickly as anyone wants.' Bush and Maliki 'discussed the importance of political progress in Iraq and the need to move forward with key reconciliation initiatives to secure Iraq's democratic gains,' said Fratto. 'Prime Minister Maliki stressed his commitment to national reconciliation and provided an update on legislative initiatives including the hydrocarbon law and constitutional review process,' the spokesman said." ("Bush Affirms Confidence In Iraqi PM," Agence France-Presse, 5/21/07)

Multi-National Force Iraq Commander Gen. Petraeus Issues Open Letter To Iraqi People. "Meanwhile, the Pentagon on Monday released an open letter from Petraeus to the Iraqi people, in which he urged them to reject violence, turn in insurgents in their midst and work for reconciliation. 'We need your help if we are to quell the violence,' he said in the letter. 'Deny the enemy shelter, report any information you may have regarding his whereabouts, and be proud of and support your nation's security forces.' He asked them to understand that restrictions imposed on their freedom are designed to make their neighborhoods safer and promised that unpopular security barriers will come down as security improves. 'Now, more than ever, is the time for Iraqis to come together and embrace reconciliation over confrontation.' he said. 'It is time to choose peace.'" ("Bush Reaffirms Confidence In Iraqi PM," The Associated Press, 5/21/07)

Democrats Drop Insistence On Iraq Withdrawal Timeline. "Scrambling to send President Bush an emergency war spending bill he will sign, Democratic leaders have decided to drop their insistence on a timeline for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq. The move which comes just days after senior Democrats insisted that White House officials should support nonbinding timelines is a significant concession to the president and his Republican allies on Capitol Hill, who have steadfastly rejected any dates for bringing U.S. troops home. White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten emphatically rejected any timelines at the meeting, signaling White House support only for a far less restrictive proposal linking economic aid to the performance of the Iraqi government. That approach, which senior Democrats are looking at incorporating into the bill being finalized this week, has already won broad support among GOP lawmakers." (Noam N. Levey, "Democrats Drop Insistence On Iraq Withdrawal Timeline," Los Angeles Times, 5/22/07)

Former Senator And 9/11 Commission Member Bob Kerrey (D-NE) Says "Unilateral Withdrawal From Iraq Would Hand Osama Bin Laden A Substantial Psychological Victory." "American lawmakers who are watching public opinion tell them to move away from Iraq as quickly as possible should remember this: Concessions will not work with either al Qaeda or other foreign fighters who will not rest until they have killed or driven into exile the last remaining Iraqi who favors democracy. The key que stion for Congress is whether or not Iraq has become the primary battleground against the same radical Islamists who declared war on the U.S. in the 1990s and who have carried out a series of terrorist operations including 9/11. The answer is emphatically, 'yes.' This does not mean that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11; he was not. Nor does it mean that the war to overthrow him was justified though I believe it was. It only means that a unilateral withdrawal from Iraq would hand Osama bin Laden a substantial psychological victory." (Bob Kerrey, Op-Ed, "The Left's Iraq Muddle," The Wall Street Journal, 5/22/07)

20070522 Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Salutes Veterans at Reeders Memorial Home

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Salutes Veterans at Reeders Memorial Home

The Herald-Mail ONLINE

http://www.herald-mail.com

Tuesday May 22, 2007

Veterans, National Guard, recruits represented at Reeders Memorial Day program

by MARLO BARNHART
marlob@herald-mail.com

BOONSBORO - The past, present and future of the American military were well represented Monday morning at the Reeders Memorial Home Memorial Day holiday program.

Seventeen residents of Reeders were honored as veterans during the outdoor ceremony, where they received recognition personally from U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett.

See photos and the complete text at:

http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=166217&format=html

20070521 CCBOC Agenda

The agenda for the Carroll County Commissioners for the week of May 21, 2007

Agenda for the Week of May 21, 2007~ Revision 2

Please Note: This weekly agenda is subject to change. Please call 410-386-2043 to confirm a meeting you plan to attend. All meetings will be in Room 300A, (Unless otherwise noted) Carroll County Office Building.

• Indicates Outside Activities

Monday – May 21, 2007

8:00 a.m. MoMEntum Awards Ceremony

Carroll Community College

Commissioners Minnich & Zimmer

11:00 a.m. Groundbreaking Ceremony for Freedom Water Treatment Plant

Eldersburg, MD

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

12:00 p.m. Luncheon

South Carroll Community & Senior Center

Commissioner Zimmer

Tuesday – May 22, 2007

10:00 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Open Session

FY 08 Budget Adoption

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Briefing on Upcoming Public Hearing ~ Airport Draft Master Plan

Office of Performance Audit & Special Projects ~ Mr. Gary Horst

Status Update on Westminster Environs Community Comprehensive Plan

Department of Planning ~ Mr. Steve Horn

Tuesday – May 22, 2007 ~ Continued

Deliberation and Possible Adoption of Amendments to Chapter 103

Related to Traffic Impact Studies

Department of the County Attorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender

Department of Planning ~ Mr. Steve Horn

Hampstead Annexation No. 30 ~ Summit Street/Taylor Street

Department of Planning ~ Mr. Steve Horn

Workforce Development Professionals Month ~ Presentation of Proclamation

Denise Beaver, Deputy Director of Department of Economic Development

Denise Rickell, Manager, Business Employment Resource Center (BERC)

Bid Approval ~ STV/Bridge Condition Inspections for Eighteen (18)

Small Structures

Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton

Department of Public Works ~ Mr. J. Michael Evans

Bid Approval ~ Nortel Routers and Maintenance Agreements

Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton

Office of Information & Technology Services ~ Mr. Mark Ripper

Chief of Staff Time ~ Mr. Steve Powell

CLOSED ~ Legal Advice

Department of the County Attorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender

4:00 p.m. Carroll County Chamber of Commerce PM Connections

Westminster, MD

Commissioner Zimmer

Wednesday – May 23, 2007

11:00 a.m. Employee Appreciation Day

County Office Building

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

1:00 p.m. Carroll County Board of Education Meeting

Board of Education Offices

Commissioner Zimmer

Wednesday – May 23, 2007 ~ Continued

2:00 p.m. Carroll Community College Commencement Ceremony

at McDaniel College

Commissioners Gouge & Zimmer

7:00 p.m. Public Hearing ~ Airport Draft Master Plan

Carroll Community College ~ The Scott Center

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

Thursday – May 24, 2007

10:00 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Open Roundtable Discussion

1:30 p.m. Board of County Commissioners Open Session

Presentation Highlights of the Carroll Arts Center

Sandy Oxx, Executive Director

Lisa Breslin, President

2:00 p.m. Public Hearing ~ Community Development Block Grant for

Youth Services Bureau

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Department of Citizen Services ~ Mrs. Jolene Sullivan

Request Final Approval of Community Development Block Grant for

Youth Services Bureau

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Department of Citizen Services ~ Mrs. Jolene Sullivan

Request Approval ~ Byrne Justice Assistance Year 2 ~

Adventure Diversion Grant ~ Local Management Board

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Department of Citizen Services ~ Mrs. Jolene Sullivan

Request Approval ~ Comprehensive Domestic Violence Grant Application

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Department of Citizen Services ~ Mrs. Jolene Sullivan

Thursday – May 24, 2007 ~ Continued

Update on Recent Ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court Case Regarding Solid Waste Flow Control

Department of the County Attorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender

Chief of Staff Time ~ Mr. Steve Powell

CLOSED ~ Pending Litigation

Department of the County Attorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender

Friday – May 25, 2007

Saturday – May 26, 2007

11:00 a.m. William Winchester Chapter, NSDAR

Grave Marking of Soldier/Patriot Cornelius Sullivan

Krider’s Church Cemetery, Westminster, MD

Commissioner Gouge

Sunday – May 27, 2007

1:30 p.m. Eagle Scout Ceremony

Hampstead

Commissioner Zimmer

8:05 a.m. “The Commissioners’ Report” – WTTR

Commissioner Minnich

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to the Carroll County Government and its programs, services, activities, and facilities. If you have questions, suggestions, or complaints, please contact Ms. Jolene Sullivan, the Carroll County Government Americans With Disabilities Act Coordinator, at 410-386-3600/1-888-302-8978 or TTY No. 410-848-9747. The mailing address is 225 North Center Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157.

Posted: 07/07/06

CARROLL COUNTY

a great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play

20070521 May 21 2007 Biennial Organizational Meeting of the Westminster Common Council

May 21 2007 Biennial Organizational Meeting of the Westminster Common Council

City Council

Minutes of City Council Meetings | Agenda for next City Council Meeting

Minutes of City of Westminster Council Meeting

May 21, 2007

QUORUM:

The Biennial Organizational Meeting of The Mayor and Common Council and the Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 Tax Rate (Ordinance No.764), the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget, and the Capital Improvement Program took place in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, on the evening of May 21, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Ferguson; Council President Chiavacci; Council Members Wack, Utz, and Pecoraro; City Administrator Wolf; Acting Planning and Public Works Director Glass; City Treasurer Unger; City Attorney Walsh; Major Stevens; Recreation and Parks Director Schroers; and City Clerk Taylor were present.

PUBLIC HEARING:

Mayor Ferguson conducted a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 Tax Rate (Ordinance No.764), the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget, and the Capital Improvement Program.

City Treasurer Unger summarized the proposed Budget and Capital Improvement Program. Mr. Unger also explained the constant yield tax rate.

City resident Rebekah Orenstein suggested several cost-saving measures. She complimented Ms. Wolf and Mr. Unger on the budget process.

City resident Ronald Powers expressed concern about rising taxes and costs.

There being no further comment, Mayor Ferguson closed the hearing and the record at 7:27 P.M.

BIENNIAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING:

The Chief Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court for Carroll County, Theresa Mozzano administered the oath of office to Council Members Wack and Pecoraro.

Mrs. Albert, who was out of town, had taken the oath separately the preceding Thursday.

Mayor Ferguson and Mr. Chiavacci congratulated the successful candidates.

On Motion of Mr. Pecoraro, seconded by Mr. Utz and unanimously passed, Mr. Chiavacci was elected Council President.

On Motion of Council President Chiavacci, seconded by Dr. Wack and unanimously passed, Mrs. Albert was elected President Pro Tempore of the Common Council.

Council President Chiavacci read a list of his and the Mayor’s recommendations for appointments to standing committees and other bodies:

Finance and Personnel – Dr. Wack, Chair, and Mr. Pecoraro Vice-Chair;

Economic Development and Community Affairs – Mr. Pecoraro, Chair, and Dr. Wack, Vice-Chair;

Public Works – Mrs. Albert, Chair, and Mr. Utz, Vice-Chair;

Public Safety – Mr. Utz, Chair, and Mr. Chiavacci,

member; Planning and Zoning Commission – Mrs. Albert;

Parks Board – Mr. Chiavacci;

Cable Regulatory Commission – Dr. Wack;

Westminster Town Center Corporation – Mayor Ferguson and Mr. Chiavacci;

Greater Westminster Development Corporation – Dr. Wack;

County Arts Council liaison – Mr. Pecoraro;

Council of Governments – Mrs. Albert and Mr. Pecoraro as co-representatives;

and the Westminster Cemetery Board – Mrs. Albert.

Mr. Pecoraro made a Motion to approve all of the recommended appointments.

Mr. Utz seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:

Mr. Walsh noted that Ordinance No. 764 – Levy of Taxes for Fiscal Year 2008 – needed an amendment to correct the hearing date in the second “Whereas,” paragraph. Dr. Wack moved to adopt the Ordinance as amended. Mr. Pecoraro seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Mr. Utz moved to adopt the Budget for Fiscal Year 2008 and the Capital Improvement Program. Dr. Wack seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

Council President Chiavacci adjourned the Meeting at 7:40 P.M.

Laurell E. Taylor, City Clerk

20070520 Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates signs copies of his book

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates signs copies of his book

May 20, 2007

http://www.defenselink.mil/multimedia/

05/20/07 - Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates signs copies of his book, "From the Shadows," before speaking at the commencement ceremony of his alma mater, the college of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Va., May 20, 2007. DoD photo by Cherie A. Thurlby. (Released)

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