Question H telemarketers Sunday, October 31, 2004

Today (October 31) a telemarketer is making pre-recorded telephone calls supporting Question H. They are even calling people on the National Do-Not-Call list.

The telephone number that shows up on caller-ID apparently belongs to Global Marketing Solutions (or some related firm) in Florida.

Global Marketing Solutions is a known spammer and sender of junk faxes that has been sued by AOL in federal court. <http://legal.web.aol.com/decisions/dljunk/global.html>

A related company, BBDS Alliance, agreed to make restitution in a Nevada securities fraud case. <http://ag.state.nv.us/agpress/1999/99_628.htm>

The Question H special interest groups seem to be in bed with some unsavory people.

If these special interests had a legitimate case, wouldn't they be explaining in detail how at-large council members would improve education, healthcare, or whatever, instead of using telemarketers and spammers to make wild, unproven charges about the majority of our county's elected officials?

Hendershot SPAMS voters! Sunday, October 31, 2004

Shown below is a sample of the SPAM e-mails being sent out on behalf of Thomas R. Hendershot in support of Question H.

Note that the sender suggests that if you oppose Question H, you are supporting GANGS. This is a scurrilous misrepresentation, but coming from ethically-challenged, ex-attorney Hendershot, I'm not surprised.

These messages show the return addresses of apparently bogus senders, including:

"PAT LUEDKE" <pluedke@thepoliticalplatform.com> This domain is registered to Electronic Campaign, Inc., Chestertown, MD (which is neither the Alabama contact address in the message, nor the Florida one given on their website.). Clicking on the link in the message takes you to a website named http://www.thecounciliswrong.org/.

"Tom Patel" <tpatel@speedyinn.com> This domain is registered to Empire Communications of Fork River, NJ. Clicking on the link in this message also takes you to http://www.thecounciliswrong.org/.

"COLIN TAYLOR" <ctaylor@vivaciousdirective.com> This domain is also registered to Empire Communications of Fork River, NJ. Clicking on the link in this message takes you to http://www.thecounciliswrong.org/.

There is no contact information in any of the messages, or on the webites, for the alleged treasurer, Carol White.

On their face, all three would seem to be in violation of both the federal can-SPAM act and the new Maryland anti-APAM law.

Begin sample message:

A Message from Councilman Tom Hendershot

Our schools are under funded and overcrowded. We need more police officers on the street. Our hospital system needs help.

The County Councils gang of six delayed efforts to fund Prince Georges Hospital, and it voted down the school systems plan to relieve overcrowding. They've been motivated by politics, not your interests, and have acted to assert their own political power, at the expense of the public interest. They've even proposed measures to confuse voters.

Help change this by voting FOR QUESTION H. It will add at-large representation FOR you and provide elected leadership accountable to you. It will decrease the GANGS influence. Join 23,000 people who signed petitions seeking a greater voice in our government.

Voting FOR Question H a vote for education.

Voting FOR Question H a vote for health care.

Voting AGAINST Questions F, G and I votes against the gangs efforts to confuse.

Tell the Gang of Six For - Get It.

Learn more below
http://5652d6aaad1e4c9ad13a74386f88d04f.
thepoliticalplatform.com/
http://5652D6AAAD1E4C9Ad13a74386f88d04f.
thepoliticalplatform.com

By the Authority of Carol White Treasurer

If you are not interested in being updated on county issues write:
abuse@thepoliticalplatform.com or write to:

4319 Atlanta Highway,175 Montgomery, AL 36109

Update: Councilman Dernoga reports that Carol White <cwhite@co.pg.md.us> is Hendershot's legislative aide

Re: For the Future of PG County Friday, October 29, 2004

From: Jacob Andoh
Date: Fri Oct 29, 2004 12:55 pm
Subject: Re: For the Future of PG County

Thanks for the question.

Your question:

" ...... the PG County Education Assosciation is supporting the measure. So are the teachers in the pockets of the big developers or have they been bamboozled with dreams of sugar plums and classrooms?"

Response:

Teachers? No, not necessarily. (I am one of them). I regulartly meet with many teachers in my community and elsewhere in our County who oppose Question H are
appalled by what ACORN and PGCEA appear to be condoning.

The union? Absolutely! PGCEA appears to be hypnotized by ACORN which was, in turn, funded by big moneyed-interests to carry water for them.

Ordinarily, I would admire the merits of your point (anti-parochialism) but facts on the ground and the reality existing in our County classrooms and communities speak otherwise.

Remember the new, huge, mixed-use residential-retail development that is supposed to come soon to Pennsylvannia Avenue?

How many apartment buildings planned? Way too many! How many new homes planned? Way too many! How many new schools planned for the area? You guessed it .... ZERO!

If you live in this affected area will your child's school be overcrowded such that he/she would have to share his/her seat with a recent arrival brought in by
the mega-developers and their brand new, mega development?

Certainly looks like it.

Is concern with parochialism the REAL issue here or acting unilaterally to thwart the expressed will of County voters?

It does not take much research to uncover the fact that Question H is bound to replace existing District-based parochialism benefitting smaller communities with heavily-funded and deep-pockets-distorted parochialism benefitting developers and their paid (read: ACORN) agents and others.

I am casting my NO vote on Question H for one major reason.

To ensure that community residents such as exist in Suitland/Oxon Hill/South County and Hyattsville/Laurel/North County and Kettering/Bowie/Central County get to maintain their single-member Council seats.

Such a seat occupied by a resident who lives in their midst at a minimum will guarantee that a Council member is one totally available and responsive to
them, sees and understands their plight first hand, and is totally responsive to them, not to Rikker and Co, Michael Cos and other big-moneyed, special interests. Parents of small children see this even if you do not.

If parochialism bothers you, you have the right and the opportunity every four years (as afforded by our current single-district representatation) to vote to unseat such (if any) narrow-visioned representative on the Council.

However, do not ask others and I to accept to be represented by an at-large Council member responsible for over 850,000 persons when we can have one responsible for about 90,000 persons.

Vote NO on Question H!

No matter your opinion on the issue, do vote on November 2. Thanks for the dialogue.

Jacob Andoh
jyandoh@yahoo.com

Re: For the Future of PG County Friday, October 29, 2004

From: Charnay Latasha Washington
Date: Fri Oct 29, 2004 11:33 am
Subject: Re: [PG-Politics] Re: For the Future of PG County

First and foremost Mr. Andoh,

I take delight and pleasure in standing up for change and for what's right. I find your arguments against the proponents of Proposition H quite interesting. On one hand, you call the proponents of the Amendment "big moneyed interests", yet you point out that PG County Education Assosciation is supporting the measure. So are the teachers in the pockets of the big developers or have they been bamboozled with dreams of sugar plums and classrooms?

The opponents of this measure point out that this is the work of moneyed interests and call those supporting this matter are enganged in misinformation forget that the current County Council has become a haven of cronyism. I don't mind the Legislature pulling the Executive on the mat, but the fact is that when the Chairman of the Council is a member of the Governing Board that the County Council makes laws that affect it. So this principled stand is all dog and no bark.

It is time to end the cronyism and parrochialism of the County Council of the past. I'm proudly supporting Proposition H as it is time to break the grasp of the Gang of Six and have a County Council that responds to the needs of all the citizenship in PG County, not the narrow interests of each district.

Re: For the Future of PG County Friday, October 29, 2004

From: "jyandoh"
Date: Fri Oct 29, 2004 9:57am
Subject: Re: For the Future of PG County

Good morning, all:

Whew! What an exasperating election season! What a glaring campaign of misinformation! Thankfully, it will be over in a few days - and the majority would have spoken definitively.

Mr. Scroggins made several good and critical points of fact and logic, something apparently lost on Charnaylatashawashington@yahoo.com, who as a contrarian makes several errors of fact and of logic.

"Standing up" to the County Executive or to any elected official for that matter is part and parcel of the political process. Legislatures and courts do that daily and is par for the course. It is called checks-and-balances in a democracy!

Charnaylatashawashington@yahoo.com evidently takes delight in being part of the minority in Prince George's supporting the infamous Question H.

The only persons/entities on record as supporting Question H are:

1. Councilman Tom Hendershot - He is the only council member who would benefit directly by circumventing the will of the majority of Prince Georgians who have voted, twice, to enforce term limits on our Council representatives.
2. ACORN - This organization paid solicitors for each signature they obtained in favor of putting Question H on the ballot. They did not engage in a grassroots movement at all.
3. Large, moneyed, and politically connected developers and real estate interests who evidently are seeking a larger role in deciding what they can build, where, and when, in Prince George's County.
4. PGCEA: Interesting that an educators' association would support moneyed interests whose actions thus far have overcrowded classrooms all over the County with few or no consequences. the union is supposedly paying a politiucal debt to Tom Hendershot for his support over the years while he was a member of the previous Board of Education.

On this ballot question, ACORN is not speaking for parents, schools, communities and parents. On the other hand, members of the citizens group, the "Vote NO on Question H" Committee are true volunteers; they exist in all communities and County Districts, and have been going door-to-door and passing out "Vote NO on Question H" flyers in churches, homes, malls and shopping centers all across this County. This is true grass-roots activism.

Several published media reports and questions are being raised about ACORN's supposedly role in dubious electioneering practices all over the country.

Politics is a contact sport, often derided as a "dirty game." It behooves everyone not to confuse the interests of a single politician (Mr. Tom Hendershot) with those of parents, communities and children crying for relief from overcrowded schools created largely as a result of the over-building of homes and apartments in our County by these moneyed and powerful developers and real estate magnates.

There is reportedly not a single developer initiative that Mr. Hendershot has not supported while on the current County Council. One need not be blind to the possibility that he would not stop doing so as an at-large Council member.

To all County voters:

On November 2, please "Vote NO on Question H" and tell the lone Council member fighting against voter-imposed term limits to fuggedaboutit.

Send a powerful message to the so-called "Gang of Six" that on this issue of allowing term-limited politicians to come back in through the back-door of Question H, they (the Gang) do represent the voices of communities, parents and children.

Vote NO to special interests and efforts to void term-limits in favor of one politician!

Question: Charnaylatashawashington@yahoo.com, you sound awfully similar to Amberjohnsondc@hotmail.com who also supports Question H and exhibits lack of basic information about our County. Amberjohnsondc@hotmail.com referred to Jack B. Johnson as "Chair of the County Council" and Charnaylatashawashington@yahoo.com refers to
our County using a disrespectful abbreviation.

If I am wrong forgive my asking but you would not be one and the same person, would you?

In any case, I am hoping that you would come around to accept and respect the wishes of Prince George's residents and refer to our County as "Prince George's," not that other disrespectful abbreviation.

I certainly hope that the majority of Coiunty voters, on Tuesday, November 2, will vote to respect the wishes of Prince George's voters who, in their collective wisdom, imposed term-limits on council members, something which Question H seeks to nullify.

Vote NO on Question H!

Thank you.

Jacob Andoh
jyandoh@yahoo.com
301-499-5636

For the Future of PG County Thursday, October 28, 2004

From: "charnaylatashawashington"
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2004 7:08 pm
Subject: For the Future of PG County

Mr. Scroggins makes an erroneous assumption on the Prince George's County standing up to the executive on the matter of the PG County Hospital. If standing up to the PG County Executive means going back on an agreement because your cronies are not named to the State-County standing up to the County Executive, then please continue standing up while the medical indigents in PG County suffer. Sure, it is all well and good to grill and oversee the PG County Executive, that is the role of a Legislature, but do not sell me PG Council's cronyism over the needs of the poor in our county as principles.

Opponents of Proposition H raise the special interests. Isn't the Council's cronyism a special interest in itself. What about the Council Member who was denied $1.5 million in funding for parks and recreation just because this person supported the County Executive? Isn't that special interests? The two at-large members will represent the interests of the COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, and not the petty parrochialism that has been the rule in the Council ever since we reverted to the current system.

Furthermore, it is quite interesting that the proponents of Propositions F, G, and I forget mentioning that these were introduced by the County Council to counteract the possibility of the only proposition that was brought through a signature process
winning. In other words, let's make really sure that Proposition H never is implemented despite the will of the people by adding these three other questions. Where is the principle in that?

I am wholeheartedly in favor of H and I urge everyone to tell the "Gang of Six" fuggedabouit on F, G, and I.

Re: [PG-Politics] For the future of Prince George's county... Thursday, October 28, 2004

From: "John M. Scroggins"
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2004 4:14 pm
Subject: Re: [PG-Politics] For the future of Prince George's county...

Responding to one of the charges by Amber Johnson, I must say that I was very happy when the "Gang of Six" initially blocked Johnson's plans for a bailout of Prince George's Hospital.

It was refreshing to see the majority of council members show an unusual sense of financial responsibility and require management improvements and accountability by the hospital management. This council has, by and large, demonstrated that it is serious about holding county officials and their agents accountable for how they spend our tax money.

It will be a shame if the special interest groups pushing Question H manage to give county government back to the big spenders and incompetents.

Vote NO on Question H!

For the future of Prince George's county - A Response Thursday, October 28, 2004

From: Jacob Andoh
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2004 2:44 pm
Subject: For the future of Prince George's county - A Response

Question F - vote YES
Question G - vote YES
Question H - vote NO
Question I - vote YES

====================================================
Election Alert! DO NOT BE CONFUSED!
VOTE "NO" ON QUESTION H !!
====================================================

To:

Prince George's Young Professionals,
Prince George's County citizens and voters,
Prince George's County taxpayers:

The letter entitled "For the future of Prince George's County" that was sent to pgcyoungpro cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged.

Said letter (which I am responsing to) contains more of the same obfuscation, deliberate "spinning" and hapless twisting of the facts that continue to surround the attempt to thwart the will of Prince George's County voters who, on two different occasions, have voted to impose term limits on its politicians and elected County Council representatives.

Most County residents, fortunately, know better and will not be swayed by electoral acts that are clearly not in the majority's own interests.

PLEASE: remember,

Question F - vote YES
Question G - vote YES
Question H - vote NO
Question I - vote YES

Until and unless the real-estate and deep-pocketed developers and their paid agents completely fund and pay for the construction and operation of BRTAND NEW SCHOOLS in every part of our dear prince George's County to undo the over-crowding and severe damage caused by their many years of rampant housing over-building and rapacious profiteering, remember to
vote NO on Question H on Tuesday, Novemeber 2, 2004.

On November 2, please vote "NO" on Question H on the ballot in Prince George's County - and vote YES on Questions F, G, and I.

We must beat back this attempt to dilute the power of communities to elect their own representatives who are accountable to them.

Reasons to VOTE "NO" include the following:

• It is not true that at-large representation removes parochialism from elected politics.
• Parochialism in favor of communities and neighborhoods is often replaced by back-door parochialism in favor of developers and corporate interest, not citizens!
• At-large districts are often too large and they effectively dilute representation for single-member districts, communities and neighborhoods.
• It is often too costly to mount a credible at-large campaign for most persons who are not funded by developers and big-money corporate interests.
• Developments - and more developments - are overcrowding our schools!
• Developers are building homes - and more homes - and they are NOT building schools (or fire stations or police stations or community green spaces!)!
• Developers have paid individuals (and A.C.O.R.N.) to collect signatures to put Question H on the ballot. The two elected at-large members will be at their beck and call.
• Prince George's already has far more low-to-moderate income housing than all of the neighboring jurisdictions combined. Yet, developers want to inappropriately influence our County Council representatives to build even MORE and lower-quality apartments and homes.
• Enough is enough!
• Montgomery County is working now to vote to remove its at-large County Council seats. Prince George's County must move forward, not backwards.
• It is often prohibitively expensive to raise monies to run for at-large seats (unless one is financed by developers, corporate and moneyed interests).
• At-large councilmanic seats often works to the disadvantage of minorities and economically disadvantaged areas and residents.

VOTE "NO" ON QUESTION H !! (and YES on Questions F, G,
and I).

Questions F, G, and I were added to the ballot to neutralize the deleterious effects of the developer-funded Question H ballot initiative.

Just remember to vote NO on Question H. This single act alone (voting NO on Question H) will make moot the issues of Questions F, G, and I.

We imposed term limits at the ballot box and we expect all of our politicians to abide by the will of the people.

One term-limited county Council member cannot and does not know better than all of us, County residents.

It is time for us to begin grooming other persons such as budding and successful young professionals, to serve our County and represent our communities.

Question F - vote YES
Question G - vote YES
Question H - vote NO
Question I - vote YES

Thank you.

Jacob Andoh
MLK Education Coalition
jyandoh@yahoo.com
301-499-5636

For the future of Prince George's county... Thursday, October 28, 2004

From: "amberjohnsondc"
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2004 1:50 pm
Subject: For the future of Prince George's county...

For the future of Prince George's County…

Chairman of the Prince George's County Council Jack Johnson certainly his hands full this year. A coalition on the County Council, dubbed the "Gang of Six," have successfully obstructed several pieces of crucial legislation this year and, for this Prince Georgian, enough is enough. The Gang of Six initially blocked the Chairman's plan to save Prince George's Hospital Center from financial ruin. They also raised park and planning taxes without distributing the money to each district. All because they weren't consulted prior to the Chairman's proposals. Is it really necessary to sacrifice decent healthcare and social services for Prince Georgians to placate six people's egos? I, for one, don't think so.

On November 2, the people of Prince George's County have to ability to end these Councilpersons' irresponsible leadership. On the ballot is a proposition for two at-large representatives that would end the Gang of Six's majority. For everyone in Prince George's County, it is imperative that this proposition passes. We can't let the Gang of Six continue to obstruct the passage of legislation that has clear benefits for all Prince Georgians.

People of Prince George's County, please vote FOR Question H, and AGAINST Question F, G, and I.

PG House delegation elects officers Thursday, October 28, 2004

Apparently unreported by the "mainstream" press:

Delegate Carolyn J.B. Howard Elected to Second Term as Chair of the Prince George’s County House Delegation

On October 21, 2004, Prince George’s County House Delegation Members convened in Bowie, Maryland to elect delegation leadership positions. Delegate Carolyn J.B. Howard was reelected to serve a second, two-year term as Chair. Delegate James E. Proctor, Jr. and Delegate Marvin E. Holmes, Jr. were re-elected Vice-Chair and 2nd Vice-Chair respectively.

Journal opposes Wynn! Thursday, October 28, 2004

Surprisingly, and unlike most area newspapers, the Journal newspapers have today endorsed John McKinnis, the Republican opponent of incumbent 4th district Rep. Albert R. Wynn. The main reason seems to be Wynn's support for casino gambling.

The Journal argues that casinos would bring organized crime and corruption that would "tend to scare away legitimate businesses that are needed to provide a secure tax base and good, long-term jobs for local residents."

Organized crime, even if it did accompany casinos, would not make much difference. Just look at what has happened in the greater Oxon Hill, Fort Washington, Temple Hills, Suitland, Clinton area in the last few years.

• Numerous murders, including business owners killed on the job, most unsolved.
• Many major stores have closed and have not been replaced by other revenue-producing businesses.
• The Marlow Heights theaters recently closed--a loss that was ignored by the press amid the hoopla surrounding new theaters in another part of the county.

We already have the crime, corruption, and scared legitimate businesses, but without the revune casinos would bring. It's hard to see how they would make things worse.

Post, Questions, Hendershot, ACORN Wednesday, October 27, 2004

The Post's Oveta Wiggins leads with "To opponents, Question H on the Prince George's ballot Tuesday could also be called the Hendershot Amendment." She goes on to discuss how PG council member Thomas R. Hendershot could benefit from Question H to amend the PG county charter, and quotes an official of Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which was largely responsible for putting that question on the ballot.

The Wiggins piece completely ignores two points that seem to be relevant.

• Hendershot's background: He was a very long-time member of the discredited former elected school board--the one that was thought by many to be so bad that reformers, supported by the Post, abolished it. And he lost his license to practice law due to charges that he failed to represent clients diligently and commingled client money with his own.
  • Post: 20 Oct, 2000 (B1);
  • DC Bar website
    
  • Supreme Court


• ACORN: According to various press reports over the past week, ACORN is under investigation in several states for voter registration fraud.

Both of these points raise siginificant questions about the honesty of the people behind Question H. Are they worthy of our trust? Why did the Post ignore this information? Is it just sloppy reporting, or is the Post deliberately suppressing information that might lead voters to question the Post's editorial position on the Question H issue?

Schools In Eight Counties At Risk For Sanctions Tuesday, October 26, 2004

According to an AP report picked up by many news outlets, and a separate Post report
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62543-2004Oct25.html],
school systems in Prince George's and seven other counties have been added to the Maryland Department of Education "watch list."

As a result, a third of Maryland's school systems, including two of the largest, are now labeled as failures.

The Department of Education seems to be placing all the blame on local school systems, but the high rate of failure suggests that this is a statewide, not just local, problem.

So why isn't the press making the connection? Shouldn't the state education officials be held accountable for the spreadring statewide failure?

Reply: Why does the school system have ethics rules? Sunday, October 24, 2004

1. Mr. Andoh is correct. There have been several print, TV and Radio articles published the locally and nationally on this issue. Also published and distributed at least among my network was a multi-level process over and above the board of education already in motion to address these types of issues. However, it appears that some folks may not be aware of this or how the processes work. It appears that some may be those who wrongly "assume" some folks are not concern or do not care.
2. One who attempts to accuse or use the name of an organization or a person, should check their motives, agenda and/or facts, before making interpretations of words based on such associations. One may twist words and use spin to improperly and wrongly assume an opinion or position of an official organization is treading very dangerous waters. This may especially apply if one who makes such a statement does so without discussing the statement directly with the person and/or the organization directly. One could also assume that there is a a lack of concern for the facts, if that is their agenda. However, it is not mine. I have found that such methods usually are not productive or positive. I hope it is not the way the majority desires to resolve such issues if they are true leaders or models for children. If this is the way, we may have issues larger than one listed.

Just a thought,
Rick Tyler
arteerick@aol.com

Why does the school system have ethics rules? Sunday, October 24, 2004

Both the Sun and the Post have run a number of stories about the appearence of improper behavior by PG school CEO Andre J. Hornsby.

The school board's ethic rules prohibit "even the appearance of improper influence."

According to press reports, Beatrice Tignor, chair of the non-elected patronage school board is not concerned by Hornsby's apparent violation of the rules. There is no indication that the board plans to enforce its own rules.

Quoted by the Post, Howard Tutman, president of the County Council of PTAs, said the inquiries into Hornsby's conduct are "another distraction."

As far as the school board and PTA folks are concerned, Hornsby's apparent violation of the ethics rules is unimportant. That's a great message for the CEO and his employers to be communicating to the staff and public.

Obviously, the messages here are

• the rules are not important, and
• if rules are made to be broken, it's ok to violate the other rules too, right?

Wouldn't we be better off without the rules and accompanying hypocrisy?

Florida looks into vote fraud Friday, October 22, 2004

The Associated Press has widely distributed a Tallahassee Democrat report on voter registration fraud by ACORN.

By BILL COTTERELL

Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced a statewide investigation of fraudulent voter registration Thursday, and Leon County elections chief Ion Sancho said college students seem targeted for electoral dirty tricks.

County officials and the Secretary of State's office have received numerous complaints of forged voter registration, voters' party affiliation or addresses being switched, bogus absentee ballot applications and other types of fraud in recent weeks.

Since early voting began Monday, there have also been reports of callers telling voters they can cast a ballot by phone or that someone will come to their house to pick up their absentee ballot.

The FDLE singled out an organization known as ACORN, which was behind the petition drive for a constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage by $1 an hour. That proposal on the Nov. 2 ballot is expected to boost turnout among poor and blue-collar voters, which would probably help presidential contender John Kerry and other Democrats. . . . More

Who is ACORN??? Friday, October 22, 2004

PR Newswire has a report on ACORN, the special-interest group behind Question H to amend the Prince George's County charter.

Illegalities, Fraud and Contradictions Detailed in
Report on Lead Organizer of Florida's Amendment 5,
According to Employment Policies Institute

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has announced a statewide investigation into widespread fraudulent voter registrations, many of which have been tied back to the leading organizer of Florida's Amendment 5 ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage. But this is just the tip of an iceberg of illegalities, fraud and contradictions connected to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). In recent days, ACORN has been at the epicenter of reports of potentially fraudulent voter registrations across the nation -- including many by ex-felons -- submitted by ACORN employees in the presidential swing states of Ohio, Colorado, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Minnesota. . . . More

Journal MIA again! Friday, October 22, 2004

Today is Friday, October 22, 2004, but if you go to http://www.jrnl.com and select the online Prince George's Journal, you get the October 1 issue. Obviously the Journal management don't care enough to get their website right. I can't help wondering if that attitude carrys over to their news operations.

Rosecroft Foreclosure Notice Filed Friday, October 22, 2004

This has not yet appeared on any of the local newspaper or broadcast sites indexed by Google News.

Friday's (October 22) edition of the Baltimore Sun is reporting that Northwind Racing, the mortgage holder at Rosecroft Raceway, outside Washington, DC, has begun foreclosure proceedings against the track.

Northwind filed a foreclosure notice on Monday in Prince George's (MD) County Circuit Court.

Mark Ricigliano, who heads Northwind, contends the track is in default of payments on their $7.2 million mortgage.

He has asked the Maryland Racing Commission to appoint an outside monitor to oversee operations at the track. The Commission has asked Ricigliano to make the request in writing.

Mary Manney, spokeperson for Rosecroft Raceway, which is currently on hiatus until late November but open for simulcasting, says the track, "vehemently disputes what they base the default on. We are taking legal action to respond to this action."

Courtesy Of Harness Racing Communications, A Division of the United States Trotting Association

Education Doctor's website updated Friday, October 22, 2004

From: Educationdoctors@aol.com
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004
Subject: Eddoc's WebSite Update - Pass it on

Dear All:

I am sending this notice to inform you that I have updated my Home Page with Ballot Questions and Community meetings, events, and/announcements. I am working on a comprehensive email workshop, I plan to send it over the weekend. In the meantime, please visit my site and mark your calendars for events, projects, and services that interest you.

Take care, Zalee

http://members.aol.com/eddocweekly/4U.html

Post: Cleared of Charges, Johnson Lashes Out Friday, October 22, 2004

"Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson, who was cleared of wrongdoing in an inquiry into a delayed payment to Prince George's Hospital Center, yesterday called the charge against him the 'dirtiest form of politics,' designed to 'smear' his reputation."

Related stories:

• Gazette, 21 Oct 2004
• Post, 20 Oct 2004
• WJLA, 20 Oct 2004

Sentinel: Police Brutality Case Cost County Over $1 Million in Insurance Thursday, October 21, 2004

So the taxpayers are out over a million bucks because county police savagely beat someone nearly to death, and when he sued, county bureaucrats didn't bother to tell the county's insurance company.

Journal Newspapers MIA Monday, October 18, 2004

It is Monday, October 18, 2004. Go to the Journal Newspapers' website <http:://www.jrnl.com/>. Select any of the three editions. Then select "Monday." The Monday October 4 issue will be displayed. The new management is really impressive!

Update: The above was posted at 1:50 pm, the October 18 issue was placed online later in the day.

PG election office unresponsive Sunday, October 17, 2004

The October 17 issue of the Sunday Journal* <http://www.jrnl.com>
has a roundup of information by Drew F. Bush about absentee ballots throughout the area. Unfortunately for us in Prince George's County, the Journal reports "Prince George's did not return calls."