TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalEx-USA Gymnastics CEO's deposition in sex abuse case delayed so he can attend Indy 500
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge agreed to delay a deposition the former USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny was to give in relation to sex abuse allegations brought against Team USA’s former physician by a former member of the team. The reason for the delay? Penny’s legal team told Judge Susan Bryant-Deason that Penny needed to attend the Indianapolis 500 later this month to network to find a new job, the Orange County Register reports.
The request originated from Daniel White, Penny’s attorney, who initially sent an email to the former gymnast’s attorney Vince Finaldi on May 3 explaining that because Penny was no longer employed, Penny, who lives in Indiana, would need to attend the race and other race festivities to look for new opportunities.
The email obtained by the Register, however, failed to disclose the reason Penny left his position as USA Gymnastics’ chief in March was because he was heavily criticized over the way his organizations handled allegations of sex abuse, including complaints from the alleged victim in this case.
That detail did not appear to be forgotten by Finaldi, who the Register reports replied “within minutes” to White’s email with disbelief.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/05/10/ex-usa-gymnastics-ceos-deposition-in-sex-abuse-case-delayed-so-he-can-attend-indy-500/
Jefferson Davis disappears as New Orleans removes another tribute to the Confederacy
Source: Washington Post
Jefferson Davis served as the first and only President of the Confederate States of America, though his legacy as rebel leader does not exactly shine in the historical record. The Civil War Trust notes that “Davis’ popularity and effectiveness were not enhanced by the growing numbers of Confederate defeats,” and Davis was captured in the waning days of the war by Union soldiers after he had fled the Confederate capital in Richmond.
Still, Davis is celebrated in pockets of the South for his part in the Confederate cause, with highways, high schools and more named in his honor.
For more than 100 years, there was also a prominent statue of Davis in New Orleans.
But that changed overnight, as the statue was removed from its longtime perch — along Jefferson Davis Parkway, no less — following days of tension and protests.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/05/11/jefferson-davis-disappears-as-new-orleans-removes-another-tribute-to-the-lost-cause-of-the-confederacy/
Employee Pleads Guilty to Selling NIH Equipment on eBay
A former employee of the National Institutes of Health pleaded guilty Wednesday to theft of government property.
Christopher Dame, 50, admitted storing equipment he took from the agency in storage units in Montgomery County, Maryland, and selling them on eBay.
A former 20-year employee of NIH’s Medical Arts Division, Dame worked as a visual information specialist, designing, photographing and displaying informational posters on its Bethesda campus.
Dame admitted regularly stealing medical research equipment, photography equipment and printing supplies from January 2013 through January 2017, according to his plea agreement. He also tricked coworkers into buying surplus ink for him to steal and sell online.
Read more: http://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/Employee-Pleads-Guilty-to-Selling-NIH-Equipment-on-eBay-421478013.html
Some D.C. Renters Make Tens of Thousands of Dollars Exploiting Decades-Old Law
Some D.C. renters are holding homes hostage for high-dollar payouts and blocking sales by exploiting a decades-old law, the News4 I-Team learned.
If you live in a rental that's going up for sale, you can get a piece of the profit.
"I would estimate it's essentially about a $100 million a year industry," said attorney Andrew McGuire, who has converted his entire law practice to have only tenants as clients.
The law was designed to keep longtime renters from being forced out of gentrifying neighborhoods or to help them afford a new lease in a different building. It basically gives the renters the first right to buy the place where they rent when it goes up for sale.
Read more: http://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/Some-DC-Renters-Make-Tens-of-Thousands-of-Dollars-Exploiting-Decades-Old-Law-421942054.html
Jury awards $1.26M to Glen Burnie family whose dog was shot by police
A jury awarded a Glen Burnie family $1.26 million Tuesday after deciding that an Anne Arundel County police officer wrongly shot and killed their dog in 2014, attorneys for the family said.
Attorney Cary J. Hansel called the shooting of Michael Reeves' dog, Vernon, by Officer Rodney Price "senseless, unnecessary and unconstitutional."
"The verdict sends a strong message to the police about ... community expectations," Hansel said in a prepared statement. "The duty to serve and protect extends to our animal family members as well."
Anne Arundel County officials declined to comment. In 2014, an internal investigation exonerated Price and found that the dog was aggressive. Price is still an officer with the department, according to a police spokesman.
Read more: http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/for_the_record/ph-ac-cn-vern-lawsuit-0510-20170509-story.html
Hogan vetoes redistricting bill, calling Maryland Democrats' measure 'phony'
Gov. Larry Hogan on Monday vetoed a bill passed by the General Assembly that he said would block true redistricting reform in Maryland.
The veto shoots down a plan backed by leading Democrats that would have enacted nonpartisan redistricting in the state if five nearby states also agreed to do so. Hogan viewed the legislation as a political move that actually would have prevented reform of the way congressional and legislative districts are drawn.
"We decided we're not going to wait for other states to act," the Republican governor said. He said the legislature was ignoring the "overwhelming majority of the people of Maryland" who support nonpartisan redistricting.
"Instead of choosing fairness and real nonpartisan reform, they pushed through a phony bill masquerading as redistricting reform," Hogan said. "It was nothing more than a political ploy designed with one purpose in mind: To ensure that real redistricting reform would never actually happen in Maryland."
Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-redistricting-veto-20170508-story.html
Sen. Madaleno says he's running for governor of Maryland
Maryland state Sen. Richard Madaleno Jr. says he'll run for governor of Maryland.
The Washington Post reports that the Montgomery County Democrat announced Sunday that he will seek the party's nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in 2018. He made the announcement during a rally around dedicated Metro funding.
Hogan has said he'll seek a second term, but hasn't formally launched his campaign.
Madaleno is one of eight Democrats to express interest in the race, more than a year before the June 2018 primary. The leading Hogan critic has been a member of the Senate since 2007, after spending four years in the House of Delegates. He was the first openly gay lawmaker elected to the Senate.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-madaleno-governor-20170508-story.html
State awards lucrative lottery contract to highest bidder over protest
State officials awarded a lucrative contract Wednesday to operate the Maryland Lottery to the highest bidder, over the objections of the company that offered the state the lowest price.
The Board of Public Works voted 2-1 to award the contract to Scientific Games International Inc., which currently runs the lottery. Gov. Larry Hogan was joined by Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp in approving the recommendation of the State Lottery & Gaming Agency. Comptroller Peter Franchot dissented.
Scientific Games, of Alpharetta, Ga., made an offer valued at $263 million over 10 years. That was $50 million more than Gaming Innovations LLC of Lanham, which bid $212 million. A representative of Gaming Innovations protested the award to the board, but was turned down after lottery agency director Gordon Medenica told members that Scientific Games was the most technically qualified bidder.
A third company, IGT Global Solutions Corp. of Providence, R.I., finished second in both technical and financial scores, but did not contest the agency's decision after dropping a protest in January. Its offer was valued at $238 million.
Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-lottery-contract-20170510-story.html
Maryland prosecution of environmental crimes at 20-year low
Maryland is prosecuting its fewest environmental crimes in at least two decades as Gov. Larry Hogan fulfills promises to ease regulatory burdens on businesses.
The work force dedicated to enforcing laws and regulations that protect air quality and the Chesapeake Bay has been shrinking since the second term of former Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat. The trend prompted Democrats in the General Assembly to force the Republican administration to spend $400,000 to hire more environmental inspectors in the coming fiscal year.
"It doesn't do any good to pass a law if it's going to sit on the books and be ignored," said Del. Brooke Lierman, a Baltimore Democrat. "It doesn't make the bay any cleaner."
Business owners and their advocates call the trend of less prosecutions a positive one, saying the administration is removing barriers to economic growth without compromising air or water quality.
Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/environment/bs-md-environmental-inspectors-20170509-story.html
Governor's budget dilemma: Gutting teachers, staff isn't the answer
What follow are the feelings and observations of one long term school board member and are my opinions only. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other board member or boards.
We are all aware of the extreme problems facing the state of Delaware this year financially. It would seem that the previous governor did not do enough to assure that our state would have sufficient revenues to operate as it felt it needed to.
Cuts are needed to balance the budget and thank God we have a balanced budget state.
As a local school board member, we were advised months ago that the state would be cutting our budgets by a certain amount of money and we properly prepared for that. The public supported the IRSD referendum and based on what we were told was coming, we could have made out nicely. We had cuts in place that accounted for that million plus and there were no issues.
Then the governor lobbed a bombshell at every district in the state by a surprise move. There is a pot of money that every district counts on called Ed Sustainment, that simply disappeared at the stroke of a pen. While this is a huge problem for IRSD it is a bigger problem for small districts like Delmar, Woodbridge and others.
Read more: http://sussexcountypost.com/viewpoints/governors-budget-dilemma-gutting-teachers-staff-isnt-answer/
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
Home country: United States
Current location: Bryan, Texas
Member since: Sun Aug 14, 2011, 03:57 AM
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