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Friday, June 30, 2017

One Of 7 Federally Indicted Officers To Plead Guilty



Maurice Ward's attorney said Ward will enter a guilty plea, but the attorney wouldn't say for which charge.
Fmr BPD Det Maurice Ward to plead guilty in fed corruption case. Atty will not comment on specific charge he will admit to. In court July 24
Ward would be the first of the seven officers to plead guilty. The officers are accused of falsifying overtime slips and stealing from residents.


Source WBAL

Armed Robbery At Well-Known Canton Bar Caught On Camera



RadioOnFire.com - Baltimore police are investigating an armed robbery caught on camera at a well-known Canton bar.
Andrew Carter, who became the owner of Smaltimore on Fait Avenue in Canton last month, said he was in no way prepared for what happened around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday. The bar was still open, but the bartender was preparing to close.
The bartender heard a knock at the side door, and a man asked if he could use the bathroom. After being inside for about 30 to 40 seconds, the man came out of the bathroom and pulled a silver revolver, forcing the bartender to take several hundred dollars in cash from the register.
"He handled it amazing. He was cool, calm. He wasn't rash. He did exactly what the gentleman asked for," Carter said.
The man then tried to leave, but because he has cash in one hand and a gun in the other, he asked the bartender to let him out, which he did.
"When I saw the tape, I was amazed at how calm he was. He did exactly what, probably, I would've done: Not fought back, give them the money. Money is replaceable. Your life's not worth it for several hundred dollars," Carter said.
Police described the robber as a bald white man in his late 30s to early 40s with an unkempt beard and tattoos on his arms.
Carter said the bar and restaurant community in Canton is on edge after the killing of a well-known bartender and robberies of several others, and some fear things are only getting worse.
"I think everyone's a little nervous, a little worried," Carter said. "It has been a rough June with the incident that happened on Boston Street with the shooting, two bartenders that were leaving local Canton bars off the square."
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-366-6341.

Source WBAL

Jay-Z Disses Kim K & Kanye on 4:44: "My Wife a Queen, Not a Kardashian"


RadioOnFire.com - Jay Z recently released his latest offering 4:44. The album is available exclusively through Tidal for a week and had many fans dissecting every one of his bars. One line, in particular, has caused fans to double back, with many taking it as a shot at the Kardashian clan. On the track “4:44,” Hov says, “And I was never a fan, my wife a Queen, not a Kardashian.”
The album has only been out for a few hours, and there is no word on if the Kardashians or Kanye West will respond. Jay gave insight into the song, saying, “It’s the title track because it’s such a powerful song, and I just believe one of the best songs I’ve ever written.”
Source: thewrap.com

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Voletta Wallace Calls Out Kylie & Kendall Over Their Biggie T-Shirts


RadioOnFire.com - Kylie and Kendall Jenner unveiled a t-shirt line featuring the likenesses of 2 Pac and the Notorious B.I.G. with the overlapping image of their own faces across them. The collection of t-shirts was supposed to be pushed as vintage items with a hefty
The collection of t-shirts was supposed to be pushed as vintage items with a hefty price tag of $125 each. Fans did not take too kindly to the announcement of these tees, with many calling the designs disrespectful. Since then, the mother of the late Notorious B.I.G., Voletta Wallace, chimed in and delivered some harsh words to the Jenner sisters via her Instagram. Ms. Wallace said, “I am not sure who told @kyliejenner and @kendalljenner that they had the right to do this. The disrespect of these girls to not even reach out to me or anyone connected to the estate baffles me. I have no idea why they feel they can exploit the deaths of 2pac and my Son Christoper to sell a t-shirt. This is disrespectful, disgusting, and exploitation at its worst!!!”


Since Voletta Wallace posted her statement on Instagram, Kendall Jenner has issued an apology, saying, “The tee shirts have been pulled from retail and all images have been removed.” Take a look above.

Prosecutors: Baltimore Co. Police Justified In Shooting Dundalk Robbery Suspect



Baltimore County Deputy State’s Attorney Robin S. Coffin said video footage from police and MTA cameras show officers took proper action during their June 7 confrontation with Blaine Robert Erb, 35, on June 7.
Officer 1st Class Slocum, a 13-year veteran assigned to Precinct 12 in Dundalk, was shot twice in the lower extremity during the confrontation. She has been released from the hospital, police said June 13.
Police said officers were called around 2:49 p.m. June 7 for an armed robbery in progress on Dundalk Avenue near Avon Beach Road. Officers received information that a man robbed two people at gunpoint.
Police said the suspect got on an MTA bus at Belclare Road and Dundalk Avenue near the Logan Village Shopping Center. Officers surrounded the bus and tried to apprehend Erb before a shootout took place, police said.
Police said Erb tried to flee but collapsed a short distance from the bus, suffering at least one gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Source WBAL

NY Governor Declares State of Emergency Due to Failed MTA Subways


RadioOnFire.com - This past Tuesday, news broke of an MTA train in New York City derailing, injuring many riders. Since then, two supervisors have been suspended and service has been super delayed as a result of the mishap. Now, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in relation to the MTA. Along with that, the governor also handed over $1 billion to fix the MTA’s faulty system.
While speaking at the MTA’s Genius Transit Challenge event, Cuomo said, “The state has stepped up to the plate but it’s still not enough. I’ve asked local government to contribute more, and thus far they haven’t.” According to the NY Post, the $1 billion given to the MTA is supposed to be added to their capital to plan to help make repairs for all of their badly aging structures and equipment. Along with calling for a state of emergency, Cuomo has threatened to fine Con Edison if they were the ones to blame for the failing service and problems. Cuomo gave more insight into his statement, saying, “The power failures that have been going on, that have been sporadic and unpredictable, are becoming more and more frequent. Right now, it’s a finger-pointing game between Con Edison and the MTA. When there’s a power outage, both say it’s the problem of the other.”
Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio have not been able to see eye-to-eye on the issues plaguing the MTA.
Source: nypost.com

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

2Pac's Estate Reportedly Being Sued for Unpaid Royalties

RadioOnFire.com - Tupac's estate is reportedly being sued for unpaid royalties for the track entitled "Bury Me a G." Natasha Walker, a singer with the R&B group Y?N-Vee sang backup vocals on the song and is now seeking compensation for her role. Walker stated that she and Pac agreed upon a 50-50 split of the song's ownership, however, Walker has yet to receive any payments related to the track. According to Walker's attorney, Jennifer Harris, her client is entitled to revenue shares of the song. Walker is seeking both past and current compensation for her role as well as damages and attorney fees. Tupac's estate has yet to comment.
Source: TMZ

Nigerian Billionaire Spends £5 Million On Her Son's Wedding


RadioOnFire.com - Recently, a Nigerian billionaire from the oil industry dropped £5 Million on her son's wedding. For those who don't want to do the conversion on that amount, that equals almost 6.5 million U.S. dollars. The 66-year-old billionaire's name is Folorunsho Alakija and she was ranked the 18th richest person in Africa according to Forbes. She serves as the Vice Chair of the Nigerian oil company Famfa Oil. Previously, Alakija ousted Oprah Winfrey from having the top spot as being the richest black woman in the world.


The wedding took place earlier in the month and found her son Folarin Akakija marrying an Iranian model named Nazanin Ghaissarifa. The couple got married at the Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England--the same place where Winston Churchill was born. The decorations in the venue included one million white roses along with an extravagant cake that featured hundreds of white roses. The couple also had Robin Thicke sing at their ceremony for over $150,000 USD.


Source: instagram.com

Pugh Announces Members Of Police Oversight Body


RadioOnFire.comMayor Catherine Pugh on Wednesday announced the nine Baltimore residents who will serve on the Community Oversight Task Force.
The police consent decree demanded that a five-member task force be named by July 1 to recommend reforms to the police department task force. City officials say Pugh asked for a larger group to reflect the city's diversity. The Justice Department approved that request, and set forth no other selection guidance.
"To make the selection process as transparent as possible, I did not go through the normal channels to seek task force members," Pugh said in a statement. "I went straight to the community to solicit applications in hopes that we would assemble a group that accurately reflects the makeup of the city."
She said the members had previous policy development experience, a commitment to their community and an understanding of the task force's work. The task force will recommend police reforms.
The announcement is not to be confused with the search for a court-appointed monitor. Officials are still seeking feedback from community members on the applicants.

Source WBAL

Baltimore Police Shoot Gunman In Curtis Bay


RadioOnFire.com - Baltimore police officers shot a man armed with a gun Tuesday evening in the Curtis Bay area, police said.
City police said officers on patrol around 8:25 p.m. in the area of Curtis Bay Park, in the 1600 block of Elmtree Street, saw a 23-year-old man with a gun.
The officers approached the man and a foot pursuit ensued, Baltimore police media relations Chief T.J. Smith said. During the pursuit, the suspect turned toward the officers, who fired at the man, Smith said.
"Once again today, uniformed officers were confronted by an armed gunman," Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said. The first incident occurred earlier Tuesday at a liquor store in northeast Baltimore.
"They went after this guy that they suspected to be armed and was found to be armed, and put themselves in harm's way, and fortunately, they were not struck," Smith said. "They were in this area trying to protect the citizens of this neighborhood, the residents of this neighborhood from people who are out to harm the neighborhood."
The suspect later jumped into a car and fled. About 10 minutes later, police got a call from Harbor Hospital about a man suffering from gunshot wounds.
The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody, and the suspect was taken to Shock Trauma.
Smith said the officers are a six-year veteran and a three-year veteran of the Baltimore Police Department. Both officers will be placed on routine administrative duty.

Source WBAL

Former Ravens Linebacker Zachary Orr Considering Return To NFL


RadioOnFire.com - Zachary Orr is exploring the opportunity of returning to the National Football League.
The former Baltimore Ravens linebacker told NFL Network's morning program Good Morning Football that he received numerous opinions from other doctors that countered those who advised him to end his football career in January because of a rare congenital spinal condition.
Orr, who landed a spot on Baltimore's 53-man roster after going undrafted out of North Texas in the 2014 NFL Draft, said doctors told him that he's at no more risk of serious injury than a player that doesn't have his condition. 
But the 25-year-old needs to jump one more hurdle.
"Medically, I just need to be cleared by a team doctor, any team doctor that wants to look at my situation and do their own research, like I said sit down and talk to me, that's all I'm waiting on," Orr commented.
As far as who he'd like to play for, Orr gave a broad answer but did mention Baltimore.
"I really don't know yet," he said. "I'm eager to see. ... Perfect situation, perfect scenario of course Baltimore. I have a great relationship with everybody in that organization, teammates that I've gotten to know really well that I'll talk to for the rest of my life. Obviously with C.J. Mosley, we cane into the league the same year and I feel like we had a chance to be one of the best tandems in the NFL -- we were working toward that."
He added, "I'm ready to give whoever and whatever my all out there on the field."
In a one-line statement, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome didn't tip his hand.
“I spoke with Zach [Orr] yesterday, and he informed me that he would like to continue to play football. He is a free agent.”
Orr started at inside linebacker for Baltimore in 15 games during the 2016 season. He led the team in tackles (132) and recovered two fumbles -- forcing one of them. The Texas-native deflected five passes and hauled in three interceptions.
The 25-year-old is excited for the second chance and knows that fear will not be a factor regarding his on-field play.
"I won't be tentative at all," he said. "The thing is that this [congenital spinal condition] was something I've been playing with my whole life. ... When I put on that helmet, it's like a switch. I only know how to play football one way, which is fearless. Now that I actually had a taste to maybe the game being taken away from me, I'm even more hungry to play and more hungry for success as well."
According to Mike Garafolo, the NFL Network reporter who broke the news, Orr could sign with any team, immediately, as an unrestricted free agent because the Ravens didn't place him on their reserved/retired list.

New York Knicks Reportedly Fire Team President Phil Jackson


RadioOnFire.com - The New York Knicks have reportedly ended ties with team president, Phil Jackson, ending his time in the big apple.
According to ESPN writer Ramona Shelburne, the Knicks on Wednesday decided to cut ties with their President of basketball operations amid his plans to ship stars Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony out of New York to build a roster centered around his triangle offense.
According to ESPN, Knicks owner James Dolan has been weary of Jackson after he confirmed fielding trade offers for their young star Porzingis last week before the 2017 NBA draft. Jackson also has been pushing to move superstar forward Carmelo Anthony who has a no-trade clause in his contract.
Jackson, the 11 time NBA champion head coach, was hired to oversee the front office of the Knicks organization in 2014. The first time front office executive had a turbulent tenure. In April he criticized Carmelo Anthony, saying the team can't win with him on the court. Last year he called business associates of Lebron James a "posse."
Alongside the added dysfunction, Jackson's hiring ushered in the triangle offense which has failed to resonate in New York. His constant need to implement his offense led to the firing of head coach Derek Fisher last offseason; however, their luck hasn't changed under new coach Jeff Hornacek.
With Jackson running the show, the Knicks have yet to win more than 32 games in a season, struggling with a disappointing record of 80-166 in three seasons. Jackson has two years left on his contract worth $24 million. No word on possible replacements, however, according to ESPN, Knicks GM Steve Mills will fill the void in the interim as free agency is fast approaching.
Source: nydailynews.com

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Nicki Minaj Asks "Did Nas Approve That ShETHER Record?" at NBA Awards


RadioOnFire.com - Nicki Minaj dug into Remy Ma again on Monday night, June 26, this time before a room packed with basketball's elite and an audience tuned in for the NBA Awards on TNT. The Young Money rap Queen was tapped to grace the Basketball City stage and came through with a medley of her most recent hits; a good number of which are laced with subs and straight shots at her Terror Squad rival.
Nicki was introduced to the stage in a fashion which Remy has expressed being adverse to, when midway through 2 Chainz's performance of "Realize" she was carried out on a royal litter. From there came her verse on the track, which ends with an assault of bars that meet Rem head on. "Your man wrote a Ether record/ But I broke Aretha records/ See this is chess, not checkers/ You can not check the checkers/ Did Nas clear that ether record?"
Right after "Realize" Nicki continued to slay with "No Frauds."
Source: youtube.com

Police Search For Suspect In Rosedale Triple Stabbing



RadioOnFire.com - Baltimore County Police are currently searching for the suspect in a Tuesday morning triple stabbing in Rosedale.
The suspect entered a room at the "El Rich" motel on Pulaski Highway around 2:45 a.m., and attacked three people, according to police.
A 26-year-old man was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, police say, but is expected to survive. The other two victims only suffered minor injuries, but are being treated at a hospital.
Preliminary investigation has led police to believe the attacker approached one of the victims outside the motel, and was escorted to the motel room, where a second victim was. An altercation broke out, resulting in the assailant using a knife to cut that victim. The other victim was cut while he tried to restrain the attacker. The attacker got away and encountered a third victim sitting outside a motel room. This person was stabbed, unprovoked, in the upper body. That victim remains in serious condition at an area hospital.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-887-5000 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

Source WBAL

City Bus Riders Express Frustration At BaltimoreLink Town Hall



RadioOnFire.com - Scores of Baltimore residents expressed their concerns Monday over the city’s new transit system.
The meeting at the War Memorial Building came just a week after the launch of BaltimoreLink. Baltimore Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1300, the union which represents transit workers, organized the event.
Frustration was evident among many bus riders when they were asked describe BaltimoreLink.
“Disastrous,” Linda Johnson said.
“Terrible, terrible,” Aaron Sims said.
“I can’t say it on TV,” Charlie Bowman said.
Residents packed the War Memorial Building and told officials that they fell short of the "comprehensive, efficient, and effective" mass transit system they promised.

"Now you're raising the prices on the busses but you're not helping us get back and forth to work,” one rider said. “So my question is Gov. Hogan whenever you give him this message is he going to pay my bills when I get fired because my boss has a problem with me getting to work late?”
Acting Maryland Transit Administration Administrator Kevin Quinn said BaltimoreLink isn't a done deal.
“Something that we've said loud and clear throughout this whole process is that we want public feedback and we want public input,” Quinn said.
“I pay my tax dollars for these things and i just want some respect,” Sims said.
Quinn agrees, saying residents deserve better.
“We've been responsive to changes just a few days ago,” Quinn said. “You heard some frustration tonight about some early morning trips on some of our city link lines and already we're responding. We've added a couple extra early morning trips on the city link orange and city link blue.”
Still, some bus riders said the MTA isn't making things right fast enough.
“It's unfortunate,” Johnson said. “It's really unfortunate. These are hard-working people who are getting to work late who could lose their jobs and the people who should be here answering the questions are not."

Source WBAL

Monday, June 26, 2017

UFC Fighter Justine Kish S*** Herself While Fighting in the Octagon



RadioOnFire.com - UFC fighters Justine Kish and Felice Herrig faced off during the UFC Fight Night showdown in The Octagon. Both fighters were going at it until Herrig managed to get Kish in a gruesome choke hold. From there, things literally got sh*tty as Kish lost control of her bowels. As Kish attempted to get out of the hold and was dragged across the floor, more feces began to come out. Despite the nasty mishap, Kish was able to get out of the hold, with one analyst named Kenny Florian giving her praise by saying, "I have no idea how Kish got out of this. Just pure toughness and strength. Just amazing determination from Justine." Kish's undefeated streak was broken by Herrig as a result of the chokehold.
The fighter was pretty lighthearted about the situation, taking to Twitter to say, "I am a warrior, and I will never quit #ShitHappen haha be back soon." 
Watch above.
Source: youtube.com

Kenny Smith Makes Ghostwriting Joke After Drake's NBA Awards Opener


RadioOnFire.com - Former NBA star and TNT analyst Kenny Smith made a joke at Drake's expense after the rapper's opening monologue for the first-ever NBA Awards. Kenny complimented Drake's opener, but followed up with a jab by asking his fellow co-hosts if it was ghostwritten.
Hip-hop fans will remember the controversy surrounding Drake in 2015 after Meek Mill claimed that the Toronto rapper used a ghostwriter. The beef has waged on through the years, with Drake taking shots at Meek at recently as this year.
Check out Kenny's comment above.
Source: YouTube

Howard County Government: Data, Personal Information Not Compromised In Hacking


RadioOnFire.com - Howard Co. officials released a statement on the recent website hacking via Facebook.
Officials say the site was restored at 9:45 a.m. after being offline since Sunday evening.
There was no breach of data and no personal information was compromised, according to the post.
An investigation is underway between the Howard County government and law enforcement agencies

Source WBAL

Supreme Court Reinstates Most Of Travel Ban, Will Hear Case In October



WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is letting a limited version of President Donald Trump’s ban on travel from six mostly Muslim countries take effect, a victory for Trump in the biggest legal controversy of his young presidency.
The justices will hear full arguments in October in the case that has stirred heated emotions across the nation. In the meantime, the court said Monday that Trump’s ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen can be enforced if those visitors lack a “credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.”
Trump said last week that the ban would take effect 72 hours after being cleared by courts.
The administration has said the 90-day ban was needed on national security grounds to allow an internal review of screening procedures for visa applicants from the six countries. Opponents say the ban is unlawful, based on visitors’ Muslim religion. The administration review should be complete before Oct. 2, the first day the justices could hear arguments in their new term.
A 120-ban on refugees also is being allowed to take effect on a limited basis.
Three of the court’s conservative justices said they would have let the complete bans take effect.
Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, said the government has shown it is likely to succeed on the merits of the case, and that it will suffer irreparable harm with any interference. Thomas said the government’s interest in preserving national security outweighs any hardship to people denied entry into the country.
Some immigration lawyers said the limited nature of the ban and the silence of the court’s liberals on the issue Monday suggested that the court had not handed Trump much of a victory. The White House did not immediately comment.
The court’s opinion explained the kinds of relationships people from the six countries must demonstrate to obtain a U.S. visa.
“For individuals, a close familial relationship is required,” the court said. For people who want to come to the United States to work or study, “the relationship must be formal, documented and formed in the ordinary course, not for the purpose of evading” the travel ban.
The opinion faulted the two federal appeals courts that had blocked the travel policy for going too far to limit Trump’s authority over immigration. The president announced the travel ban a week after he took office in January and revised it in March after setbacks in court.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, said the ban was “rooted in religious animus” toward Muslims and pointed to Trump’s campaign promise to impose a ban on Muslims entering the country as well as tweets and remarks he has made since becoming president.
The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the travel policy does not comply with federal immigration law, including a prohibition on nationality-based discrimination. That court also put a hold on separate aspects of the policy that would keep all refugees out of the United States for 120 days and cut by more than half, from 110,000 to 50,000, the cap on refugees in the current government spending year that ends September 30.
Trump’s first executive order on travel applied to travelers from Iraq and well as the six countries, and took effect immediately, causing chaos and panic at airports over the last weekend in January as the Homeland Security Department scrambled to figure out whom the order covered and how it was to be implemented.
A federal judge blocked it eight days later, an order that was upheld by a 9th circuit panel. Rather than pursue an appeal, the administration said it would revise the policy.
In March, Trump issued the narrower order.

Lil Kim Named Person of Interest in Robbery During Weekend Before BET Awards


RadioOnFire.com - According to TMZ, Lil Kim and her entourage rented a house for a BET weekend party, but the house was not up to par for the Brooklyn-born rapper. After speaking with management in an attempt to get her deposit back, the discussion went awry, the police were called to help settle the dispute. Authorities informed Kim that the matter was a civil suit and that there was nothing they could do about it, after which, Kim and her crew left.

Around 4 am, a group of people showed up to the house with ski masks and weapons and ended up stealing Lil Kim's deposit and some cash, totaling about $20k all together. L.A. law enforcement has launched a full investigation. Stay tuned.

Baltimore Man Promotes His Mixtape While Getting Arrested


RadioOnFire.comIn these times of heavy social media presence, every detail of a person's life can be documented and shared, including being arrested. One rapper named Tru Gwap took it upon himself to make sure his situation was documented, and also took the time to promote his mixtape and the videos to come along with it. The Baltimore rapper's Instagram page is full many recent moments from his life, including awkward arrest by Baltimore police. While being cuffed, Gwap wasted no time and said: "I'm still ready to drop that mixtape, I'm still gon' drop that sh*t." The mixtape he plugged is his upcoming project called Get Gwap Or Die. 

Watch Here.
Source: instagram.com

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Prince George's Co. Police Department Investigates Murder-Suicide


RadioOnFire.com - The Prince George's County Police Department is investigating is murder-suicide that occurred in Hyattsville and Riverdale Park on Friday morning.
Hyattsville City police were called to the 5500 block of 45th Avenue around 10 a.m. for a report of a shooting. The victim, later identified as 29-year-old Delonta Surratt, was found suffering from gunshot wounds in an apartment building hallway. He died at the scene.
Around 10:30 a.m., Riverdale Park police responded to the 5700 block of 48th Avenue for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found a man, who has been identified as 20-year-old Jabari Ball -- the decedent -- suffering from a gunshot wound. Ball also died at the scene. 
The preliminary investigation reveals that Ball and Surratt, both of the 45th Avenue in Hyattsville, were involved in an argument before Ball shot and killed the victim. Police say the decedent fled the scene, where he was found by Riverdale Park police with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police also say that the Surratt was involved in a relationship with Ball's mother. 

Source WBAL

President Trump Questions Obama's Response To 'Election Meddling By Russia'



RadioOnFire.com - Hours after a Washington Post article detailing the Obama administration’s response to Russian cyberattacks was published, President Donald Trump reacted to the issue on Twitter saying 

"Just out: The Obama Administration knew far in advance of November 8th about election meddling by Russia. Did nothing about it. WHY?"

Trump’s response comes amid an ongoing investigation of his current and former administration members’ activities with Russians. The president has been quick to defend himself against any allegations suggesting his personal involvement with Russia in terms of the election, tweeting that after months of investigation, there has been no evidence of “collusion.”
While Trump’s tweet in response to the Washington Post story questions why the Obama camp “did nothing” about Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the article itself indicates otherwise.
According to the article, Obama’s actions in response to findings that the Russians were specifically targeting Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president in an effort to elect Trump were “modest,” not non-existent.
Though some staffers of the former president reportedly believe the Obama administration could have been more aggressive in its response to the threat, others stand by his actions.
Obama issued economic sanctions on Russia in late 2016, in addition to approving a “cyber-weapon” to be used on Russia to defend America from further threats. That cyber weapon was never used, and is now under the jurisdiction of Trump for release.
Additional efforts by the former president have been released in the months following the election, including Obama verbally telling Russian President Vladimir Putin to “cut it out” in terms of hacking at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China in September.

Source WBAL

New Maryland Laws Take Effect July 1



RadioOnFire.com - New laws taking effect in Maryland include steps to provide funding for Planned Parenthood to mitigate potential federal cuts and require schools to teach about the dangers of opioid addiction.
A state tax break for emergency services personnel also is going into effect, along with measures aimed at protecting bees and opening the nation's only Guinness brewery.
Here's a look at new laws taking effect on July 1:
___
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Maryland's legislature, which is controlled by Democrats, was the first in the country to pass legislation this year to backfill potential federal cuts to Planned Parenthood. Supporters say it will help protect access to preventative care services for nearly 25,000 Planned Parenthood patients at nine health centers in the state, if the federal government cuts funding.
It directs $2 million from Maryland's Medicaid budget and $700,000 from the state's general fund to family planning services. The legislature passed the bill with enough votes to override a veto from Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, and the bill became law without his signature.
___
TAXPAYER PROTECTION
Safeguards aimed at protecting Maryland taxpayers from tax fraud and identity theft take effect. The law strengthens the ability of the comptroller's office to stop tax fraud, protect taxpayer information and hold fraudulent filers and tax preparers accountable.
The law gives added responsibilities to the Field Enforcement Division of the Comptroller's Office to investigate potential tax fraud. It also allows the agency to seek injunctions against tax preparers suspected of fraudulent and criminal practices.
___
OPIOID EDUCATION
The Start Talking Maryland Act requires Maryland schools to have specific education programs on opioid addiction.
It requires public schools to include the dangers of heroin and opioids in drug education starting as early as third grade and into college. It also requires public schools to have naloxone, which can reverse opioid overdoses. Schools also are required to have staff trained to use naloxone.
___
HOMETOWN HEROES
A state tax break is going into effect on retirement income of law enforcement, fire, rescue or emergency services personnel who are 55 or older. The law exempts the first $15,000 of retirement income from state taxes.
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MINIMUM WAGE
Maryland's minimum wage will increase from $8.75 to $9.25, part of incremental increases approved in 2014 to take place over several years.
___
CRAFT BREWERIES
Breweries will be able to sell up to 2,000 barrels of beer annually, up from 500 barrels. The change in the law was made to pave the way for Diageo to put a Guinness brewery in the former Seagram's bottling plant in Baltimore County.
The estimated $50 million project will be the only Guinness brewery in the United States. A small-scale brewing operation and taproom is expected to open this fall, with a full brewery and visitor experience slated to open in the spring of next year. The facility will brew Guinness Blonde American lager for national supply. Guinness hasn't had a brewery in the United States in more than 60 years.
In addition to being able to sell 2,000 barrels of beer a year, Maryland breweries throughout the state can ask for permission to buy another 1,000 barrels from distributors for sale in their taprooms. Breweries now open will be able to keep their hours, but new breweries will have to close at 10 p.m.
___
POLLINATOR PROTECTION
In another step to help bees, pesticides known to harm them will be prohibited on state land designated as pollinator habitat. Last year, Maryland approved a law to designate pollinator habitat on state agency lands, but it did not prohibit the use of harmful pesticides.
The new law allows exceptions for public health emergencies. It also gives state agencies freedom to designate which of their lands are protected and which are not. Last year's Pollinator Protection Act made Maryland's legislature the first in the country to restrict consumer use of neonics, pesticides known to harm bees.
___
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
The state health department is changing its name from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to the Maryland Health Department.

Source WBAL