What we are about to cover comes from sources deemed valid, however, proof is not available so it falls into the category of word on the street. Therefore we report the following information more as a story of fiction based on information obtained.
Our first story is of one Gloucester official who used a county government issued credit card to finance a personal affair he was having with a person out of the area. County officials found out about the fraud when the guys wife turned him in. Charges on the card were for tickets and a county vehicle was being used for personal use in the affair. What did county officials do? Nothing from what we were informed other than protect him from the charges. County officials who wanted him charged were backed off from the case.
In another story, we have a county official who decided to go out and get plastered at one of the local establishments and at the end of the evening decided to pay for her private party with a county issued credit card. She made the mistake of leaving the credit card at the local establishment who had to trace her down to give her the credit card back. Lucky for all of us the establishment has such a professional and dedicated staff to perform such a duty as we all could have been stuck with all kinds of credit card fraud charges.
What happened to this employee? Well the employee still has her job. She just has to live with the story and hope that we never get our hands on it. How much corruption do we have to report here every week? Our county officials are out of control at every level and having a party on your dime. That dime used to be a nickle. That dime is about to become a quarter. It keeps getting worse the more we dig and it's now coming in from all over these days.
What's even worse? County officials are still balancing the books even with this kind of stuff going on. Can someone please explain that to us? And you wonder why your taxes are high and going ever higher? We never read this part of the Virginia Constitution.
As of November 1st, 2013, a new member of the Gloucester Animal Control department has joined the department. Laura Dickie has filled the position of Senior Deputy Animal Control Officer coming from an Animal Control position in Newport News.
Laura Dickie is a member of the Diamonds in the rough animal rescue group located here in Virginia and has been working with animals for some time.
We would like to welcome Laura Dickie to the Animal Control department and expect good things to come from her in her new position within the department.
Reading through this weeks tabloid paper, the Gloucester Mathews Gazette Journal proved to be hilarious. In the back part of the community section, "Gloucester County Department Reports" was a section titled "Three New Employees Join County In September". Well the third paragraph down is where the best part of the news was located for anyone who missed it.
"There were two workplace accidents/injuries reported during the month of September, Muricha said an employee of the sheriff's office suffered a bullet wound to the foot due to accidental discharge of a firearm during a training exercise".
This is what happens when you give Barney Fife a bullet. We had a local deputy shoot themselves in the foot. Was he trying to protect the floor and put his foot in the way to make sure that no harm would come to the floor? Will Darrel Warren be giving this deputy the purple heart? Maybe a lead foot award? Bravery in the line of duty? Will this deputy be getting a new bullet to replace the one discharged into the foot? Maybe the deputy should keep that bullet in the top pocket like Barney did? What should be considered is putting this deputy, when they come back to work from this injury, the job of holding the hands of the local judges while they get out of their personal vehicles and then when they go back and get into their vehicles from the courthouse.
But then again, maybe the judges would not be to comfortable with a deputy capable of shooting themselves in the foot? Welcome to Mayberry everyone. How do you live this down?
Publicity photo from the television program The Andy Griffith Show. Pictured are Don Knotts (Barney Fife) and Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Earlier this week we had the privilege of touring the Yorktown Victory Center and it's various areas of living history. Today we are going to cover the Continental Army Encampment. Again, a super job of recreating an historical view of what life was like during the American Revolution has been extremely well done and again, this one area alone is worth the visit for anyone seeking to further their knowledge of American History.
An interpreter, well versed in history, explains every step of preparing to fire a musket in a military lineup. He goes through all the steps and fires the musket into an area free from any form of endangerment to any humans or species. Once done, he further explains the steps for reloading and demonstrates the process until he once again fires a second shot.
Pictured above is part of a table of tools and weapons used during the period.
Multiple canons are on display and yes one of them does actually get fired.
There are a number of muskets on display and if you have never had the opportunity to hold one in your hands, you get a chance to do so here at the encampment. Again, this is a living museum and many areas are hands on. How often do you get such a grand opportunity?
There are numerous tents that you can go into and explore what life was like inside one of these.
Attention to detail is never lacking. There are surprises around each corner and if you have your camera ready, you have some great opportunities to take advantage of.
An entire area has been dedicated to what cooking for the troops was like and even includes the supply shed.
Foods and their preparations are fully demonstrated. The above is only a very small sampling of what you will see.
Pictured here is the troops laundry area and costs for having someone wash your cloths for you based on the money used during that period.
There is also the encampments doctor with all his tools and medicines used during the time and he covers their uses in full detail. Sure we have pictures, but the objective is to get you to pay a visit and see everything for yourself and start your own educational process. While we seek to educate as many people about our nation's history, we have found that taking a hands on approach gives a more true appreciation for such. With that said, this is why we are promoting area museums and sites and will continue to do so. It's a combined effort to bring our nations history to as many people as possible for a greater appreciate of what this country really is and can once again be.
RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell announced today the appointments of three board appointees to fill vacancies on the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors. The three appointees are: Lt. General Michael Rochelle (Ret.), Dr. Deborah DiCroce, and Mr. Bryan Cuffee.
Speaking about the appointments, Governor McDonnell noted, “Today I have made three appointments to fill vacancies on the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors. Each appointee brings unique strengths and experiences to the board that will be vital to carrying out an innovative, strategic path for the University’s future. Norfolk State University has a history of academic excellence, outstanding alumni, and strong community support. I have no doubt the University can overcome its current challenges and become a leader again in placing graduates in competitive, in-demand careers. I commend interim President Eddie Moore, Rector Tom Chewning, the administration, faculty, and the Board of Visitors for the steps already being taken to move the school forward.”
The Governor added, “In addition to these appointees, I have asked two individuals to serve as senior advisors to the board and administration on an as-needed basis. Jim Dyke, as a former Secretary of Education in Virginia, can provide the board and administration with counsel on an array of matters, assist the university with strategic implementation, and work with the administration to address SACS concerns. Professor Ervin Jordan, alumnus of Norfolk State and current professor at the University of Virginia, can provide counsel to the administration and faculty on matters related to the academic environment and lend expertise on academic excellence at NSU.”
Biographies of each of the board appointees are below:
Michael D. Rochelle (LTG, USA, Ret.) of Manassas, Founder, President, and CEO of MDR Strategies, LLC
Michael Rochelle is Founder, President, and CEO of MDR Strategies, LLC, a strategic human capital consulting and executive coaching firm. Rochelle retired from the US Army after 37 years. Rochelle earned a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language Education from NSU in 1972 and a Masters in Public Administration from Shippensburg State University in 1994. He is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Alumni for NSU and a member of the Boys and Girls of America Hall of Fame. Rochelle was honored as an NAACP “Barrier Breaker” award recipient in 2008.
Deborah M. DiCroce, Ed.D. of Chesapeake, President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation
Dr. DiCroce is President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. She has thirty-five years of experience in Virginia higher education, serving as President of Tidewater Community College for 14 years until 2012 and previously as President of Piedmont Community College in Charlottesville for nine years.
Dr. DiCroce is a past Trustee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and past member of the SACS Commission on Colleges. She has taught at the University of Virginia, The College of William and Mary, and Old Dominion University. Before her appointment to the NSU Board of Visitors, she served on the Board of Visitors at Christopher Newport University and Governor McDonnell’s Commission on Economic Development & Job Creation. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Old Dominion University and a doctorate in Higher Education from The College of William & Mary. Very active in the Hampton Roads region, the Chesapeake Rotary Club named Dr. DiCroce First Citizen of Chesapeake in 2012.
Bryan Cuffee of Virginia Beach, Vice President of Development for Gold Key/PHR Hotels and Resorts
Bryan Cuffee has worked at Gold Key/PHR Hotels and Resorts since 1995 and currently serves as Vice President of Development. He serves as an appointee to the Virginia Beach Development Authority, the Virginia Beach Resort Advisory Commission, and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance. He is also a member of the Norfolk Middle Town Lions Club and a charter member of the United Way African-American Leadership Giving Initiative. Cuffee earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Norfolk State University and a Masters in Business Administration from Old Dominion University.
getting arrested in Knoxville, Tennessee (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
MIKE RIGGSNOV 07, 2013
Dale Carson is a defense attorney in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as an alumnus of the Miami-Dade Police Department and the FBI. So he knows a thing or two about how cops determine who to hassle, and what all of us can do to not be one of those people. Carson has distilled his tips into a book titled Arrest-Proof Yourself, now in its second edition. It is a legitimately scary book—369 pages of insight on the many ways police officers profile and harass the people on their beat in an effort to rack up as many arrests as possible.
"Law enforcement officers now are part of the revenue gathering system," Carson tells me in a phone interview. "The ranks of cops are young and competitive, they’re in competition with one another and intra-departmentally. It becomes a game. Policing isn’t about keeping streets safe, it’s about statistical success. The question for them is, Who can put the most people in jail?"
Which would make the question for you and me, how can we stay out of jail? Carson's book does a pretty good job of explaining—in frank language—how to beat a system that's increasingly predatory.
Carson has four golden rules, the first of which is, "If police can't see you, they can't arrest you." The simplest application of this concept is that if you plan on doing something illegal, you should do it in the privacy of your home. Yes, you can be arrested while at home, but you can't be profiled sitting in your living room, and profiling is what you're trying to avoid.
Be Invisible to Police
Carson has four golden rules, the first of which is, "If police can't see you, they can't arrest you." The simplest application of this concept is that if you plan on doing something illegal, you should do it in the privacy of your home. Yes, you can be arrested while at home, but you can't be profiled sitting in your living room, and profiling is what you're trying to avoid.
The rule extends to activities that are perfectly legal. "In 21st century America," he writes, "as long as you're not committing a crime, you should be able to wear the wildest clothes you want, roam the streets when you feel like it, and lean on a light post or hang out at some wild club if it amuses you." "Should" is the key word. In reality, cops love hassling people who stand out, even though it's not illegal to, say, have a Buckeyes bumper sticker that looks like a pot leaf. If you drive a sports car or a lowrider, you're more likely to attract a cop's attention than if you drive, say, a gray Honda Civic. Same goes for clothes, hairstyles, tone and volume of voice. Be boring.
So try to blend in. Beat cops who patrol the same routes day after day are "incredibly attuned to incongruity." But don't be too reactive when you see cops. "Police are visual predators," Carson writes. "Any sudden change in motion, speed, direction or behavior immediately attracts their attention." That means even if you're doing something you think might attract a cop's attention, quickly doing something else will attract even more attention. "Don't alter the pattern," Carson advises. "Keep on keeping on."
Also, if you can help it, don't go out after dark.
What if I can't be invisible to police?
If police want to hassle you, they're going to, even if you're following the above tips as closely as possible. What then? Every interaction with a police officer entails two contests: One for "psychological dominance" and one for "custody of your body." Carson advises giving in on the first contest in order to win the second. Is that belittling? Of course. "Being questioned by police is insulting," Carson writes. "It is, however, less insulting than being arrested. What I'm advising you to do when questioned by police is pocket the insult. This is difficult and emotionally painful."
Winning the psychological battle requires you to be honest with cops, polite, respectful, and resistant to incitement. "If cops lean into your space and blast you with coffee-and-stale-donut breath, ignore it," Carson writes. Same goes for if they poke you in the chest or use racial slurs. "If you react, you'll get busted." Make eye contact, but don't smile. "Cops don't like smiles." Always tell the truth. "Lying is complicated, telling the truth is simple."
He also says you should be dignified—unless it looks like you're about to lose both the psychological contest and the one for custody of your body. In which case, you should be strategically pitiful.
First off, you should ask for a notice to appear as an alternative to being arrested. You still have to go before a judge, but you can go under your own power without first going to jail. Carson says the least degrading way to get a cop to issue you a notice in lieu of arresting you is to tell them that you're not a hardened criminal and that being arrested (and having your mugshot taken) is going to impact your employment, education and/or family.
And if that doesn't work? It's debasement time. Start with crying. Bawl hard while begging for a notice (the option here is a notice or jail, not notice/jail or getting off scot free). "Don't waste time worrying about what your friends will think," Carson says. "If they're with you, they're getting arrested too." If they're not with you, they won't know.
If crying fails, and you're willing to do whatever it takes to not go to jail, Carson advises you to "foul yourself so that the police will consider setting you free in order not to get their cruiser nasty." Vomit on your clothes. Defecate and urinate in your pants. Then let the officers know what you've done. If they arrest you anyway, you'll get cleaned and reclothed at the jail.
Reasonable things you should never do
If you're driving too fast and see a police car up ahead, don't hit the brakes. "If you suddenly hit the brakes," Carson writes, "cops in front of you will see your front end dip, a tip-off that you were speeding." Don't drive perfectly, or too slow. Don't slouch or put too much heavy stuff in your trunk, causing your car to ride low. If you're a dude, and you want to roll around town with your fellow dudes, be prepared for a stop. "When cops see four young males in a car, they immediately wonder if this is a crew of criminals out to do a job." If you're going to ride four deep, have one member of your car wear a highly visible item of clothing indicating what you do for a living. For instance, if you're all construction workers car-pooling on the way home from a job site, someone in the car should wear a hard hat. Seriously.
Another reasonable thing you should never do? Allow a cop to search your car. There are many loopholes that allow cops to search your car without probable cause or a warrant, but Carson advises you to say no every time. You should still follow all the rules of a traffic stop—keep hands where cops can see them, give them your paperwork, get out of the car if they ask you to—but never let them search. Always, always, always say no (politely).
Link back to original story at The Atlantic Cities
Our Notes:
Violations to the United States Constitution continue to prevail throughout the nation. Citizens are now the hunted. We have all become pry to our government at so many levels and the insults continue to grow each year. It's a sad state of affairs when a book like this becomes critical to daily survival. We continue to head towards being nothing more than a major banana republic. If you do not know your Constitutional rights, you do not see all the violations that exist in the above story.
