How Things Have Changed in the SFD

How things have changed! The first photo here shows the Salisbury Fires Department's Headquarters Station when it was brand new. (this is currently station 16) It is believed this photo was taken in 1928 when this station opened because the flag buntings around the doors and windows indicate that some event of significance was about to, or had recently occured. The equipment pictured here easily falls into the era of the late 20's. Take note of all the open space and the lighting. Near the front of the building is a pendant style schoolhouse lamp and in th foreground you can just see the globe of a ceiling lamp. Also note the four double doors in the front. These doors swung open to the outside on hinges. It was all done manually, no automatic overhead systems here. These doors are replicated in the new Station 16 Heritage center & museum. In the 1950's these doors were removed and the building was altered for the installation of two large overhead doors w/ electric openers.


This photo was taken recently. I tried to take the photo from about the same position on the stairway that the top photo was taken from but of course the camera lenses today are far different than those in 1928 and the field of view with my camera today differs somwhat. None the less I think the angle and view is quite close.

The free space and open areas from 80 years ago is gone. Flouresent lighting long ago replaced the chain pendant fixtures and the "Air-Vac" units are suspended from the ceiling to assist in removing diesel fumes are very evident. The air vacs are in fact quite new and were installed since I retired in 2000. An air cascade system (yellow tanks) is seen in the lower right. This is just one of several necessary systems used to replenish the air bottles used by the firefighters on the fire scene.

The height of the newer vehicles is also certainly noticable. Also seen here are the racks used for the personal protective gear for the firefighters. Long gone are the rubber raincoats and hip boots once issued and required nothing more than a coat hook on the wall for storage . Personal Protective Gear today requires it to be hug and dried after use. This protects the integrity of the gear, provides a comfort level for the next time it is worn, and preserves the layered material built in to protect the firefighter from extreme the temperatures encountered.

These photos only revel a thumbnail of the overall needs for a new and enlarged facility. More than anything the SFD moved from it's house on Church Street 80 years ago to the current house because it needed room for the equipment at the time and for future expansion. Now, eighty years the SFD has once again outgrown its current house. A new station on Cypress Street, built for current needs and with an eye to future is about to open. With any luck it too will serve the citizens for a long and derisive time.

More on the new station to come.

Strange Trees (Updated)

O.K. No more Mr. Nice Guy. These gnarley looking trees were actually alive during the Civil War. They are located on the grounds of an estate that has quite a history in itself. The estate itself dates back to colonial times and was visited by George Washington. It was also visited by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. The trunks of these trees are for the most part hollow and these two have had rods placed in them to prevent them from snapping.

What estate grounds are thes tree located on and which Civil War battles took place here?

What kind trees are they?




UPDATE

Catalpa Trees.

These trees are indeed located at Chatham Manor on a hill, across the Rappannock River, overlooking the town of Fredricksburg VA. In April of 1862 Union General Irvin McDowell brought 30,00 troops here to repair the railroads and bridges over the Rappahannock in order to facilitate a march on Richmond. McDowell made Chatham Manor his headquarters. In November of 1862 fighting erupted in Fredericksburg and Union General Ambrose Burnside moved 120,000 troops to quell the rebel onslaught. Chatham Manor again was used as his headquarters. Burnsides men built pontoon Bridges to cross the Rappahannock and soon seized Fredericksburg.

But Lee’s forces held the high ground beyond the town and the Union forces were repeled. It was disastrous for Burnsides' Army as they lost over 12,000 men. Most of the wounded were removed to Chatham Manor, as it was now used as a hospital.

The union Army camped for the winter nearby in Stafford County. In the spring fighting resumed with a major battle at Chancellorsville, and at the same time on the hills around Fredericksburg know as Maryes Heights.

There is much more to Chatham Manor than can be written here. I can tell you from personal experience it is fascinating place to visit as is Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Co. There is little “battlefield” to see such as Gettysburg except in your minds eye, but the area has a lot to offer non-the less. It is a visit I will make again.

Want to learn more? Check this link:

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/chatham.htm

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the photo link for the Manor.

Civil War Site

This house served as a valuable resorce in two significant Civil War battles.
As in most Civil War battles the Union had one name for the battle and the South had another name.
What are both names used to identify the action that occured here?

What name is this building refered to?

SFD in the Past

This is a photo of what is believed to be a 1941 Dodge AX Coupe. This was the Chiefs car for the Salisbury Fire Department when Kido Disharoon wore the Chiefs badge for the Department. I'm not sure but I believe Kido in the gentleman pictured to the rear of the car wearing a suit and hat. A reciept for this vehicle is still in the archives at the SFD and the total price paid was $922.00. Extras on the vehicle were a siren, a spotlight, windshield wipers, and sun visors. Paint and door embelms were also extras. I assume the paint was extra because it was a custom color but that is not verified.

The car is being fueled at "Macks Esso Servicecenter" on the cornor of E. Main St and Babtist St.

If anyone is familar with Kido Disharoon please e-mail me. We would like to know more of his history with the SFD as well as his personal life and family.

Kettles, Pots, and Racism

joealbero said...
"YOU keep his Wife, Children and other allegations out of it and they will get Posted. I have been extremely fair but some of you (expletive deleted) want to purposely be suggestive without ANY evidence."


Can the kettle possibly be blacker than the pot?

Also on Alberos BLOG by G.A. Harrison:

"Perhaps Mrs. Shields will one day understand that Lincoln freed the slaves and she can move off the plantation."

A little innuendo there? And it's posted on a site whose owner claims to abhor racism.

Albero the Attorney Part Deux

So let’s take another look at this. In my original post I stated that Mr. Todd had officially placed handgun charges on Mr. Davis Ruark. I did so after reading Albero’s post on his BLOG in which he accused Mr. Todd of being despicable and not adhering to the “brotherhood” of law enforcement. With those accusations in place I proceeded to express my take on the situation without delving into its particulars. For that I apologize. But then again, I was merely commenting to inept drivel Albero professes to be fact.

It has come to my attention that Mr. Todd did not charge Mr. Ruark with the handgun violation. The OCPD did so after conferring with Mr. Todd and obtaining an understanding of the current laws covering the situation. In my opinion this was a commendable effort on the OCPD as it now shows they wish to remain above board and to be certain of charges they prefer. Does this make them evil or vindictive against Mr. Ruark? Absolutely not.

It is the OCPD that has taken the high road on the issue and have chosen to be overt. There may well be arguments for both side of the issue especially that of “professional courtesy”, but by taking the action they have the OCPD has placed themselves well into the realm of legitimacy and that is a much easier battle to fight than that of malfeasance.
By conferring with Mr. Todd before being hasty shows a concern to correctness. It is the job of OCPD to make the charge without prejudice, it is the States Attorney’s concern to prosecute or dismiss the charge.

This only makes Albero’s accusations of desperation and despicable attitudes towards Mr. Todd even more preposterous.

Albero the Attorney

I have just read with some interest Albero's post concerning the handgun Davis Ruark had in his possession during his DWI stop the other evening and the fact that Joel Todd, States Attorney for Worcester County, has officially charged Mr. Ruark with that infraction of the law. I can't figure out where Albero stands concerning legal issues with public officials. For anyone in the City of Salisbury it would certainly be an “Off with their Heads” stance and yet with Mr. Ruark he denounces Mr. Todd for taking the high road. Albero’s proclamation of the guns location does not hold water either. It was in Mr. Ruark’s possession—period. The fact that Mr. Ruark declared its presence is irrelevant as well. That’s what he was supposed to do and by not doing so he may have incurred even more charges on himself.

Albero also proclaims that Mr. Todd is “desperate for attention after he totally screwed up the 4 dead baby case last summer….”. I would like for Albero to provide us with a resume of his legal education so that he can substantiate that statement. Possibly a synopsis on how he would have convicted those involved is also in order. Maybe Albero can offer counseling and guidance to the States Attorney’s office in Worcester County so in the future the staff there would not be so desperate. I feel it is quite safe to say that sharper minds than Albero’s determined the case was not winnable and therefore dropped the charges thereby saving thousands of dollars in taxpayer money. Albero also claims Mr. Todd’s actions are despicable. Again I ask Albero to please elaborate. Mr. Todd is well within the bounds of the law; indeed to ignore the fact the handgun was in Mr. Ruark’s possession would be far more reprehensible. Would ignoring the handgun issue not be also unlawful on Mr. Todd’s part? Would not then there be two States Attorney’s in violation of the law.

The charges can always be pled out. The States Attorney’s office can consider all the circumstances and determine if the handgun charge truly needs to be prosecuted considering the person involved and the co-operation offered. This, though not acceptable to some, is at least the overt manner to handle situation.

Civil War Places

Here is another site from our Civil War History. I first visited here with my family when I was in elementary school. I been back several times and a future visit once again is not out of the question. Two states are pictured here as well as two significant structures.

Fire away history buffs.

Interesting Rocks

I have really strayed a bit from the American history trivia I so love. So much going on in my personal life and with all the distractions of certain errant BLOGers it has been easy to fall behind. Our counrty is so full of rich history and I fear todays generations are letting so much of it slip past them. I truely hope some of these posts may spark some interest in our past.

I took this picture while on vacation a year or so ago. This rock formation holds quite a story in our history. Anyone care to guess where this can be found and it's significance?

SFD Training From the Past (updated again)

Wow, How things have changed. It seems this is a group of Salsibury Firefighters is attending a training class on auto extracation. I say that because I recognized the vehicle in the background as an early Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute (MFRI) moblie training lab equiped for such a class. My best guess is this photo was taken in the early or mid seventies. The person in the very center of the photo I believe is Harry Waller, now retired. I can't say I know any of the others pictured. The three like helments you see were made of fiberglass and were made by MSA co. Those helmets were basicly just a shell withsome webbing inside to adjust to you head. They wern't even close to the helments in use today. I don't remember what company made the coats but they were made of canvas with emphasis on being water repellent rather than fire resistant. Those things were heavy too especially when the water resistance material wore away with use and the coats absorbed water. It took quite a while to dry them out as well.

Can anyone ID the fellows in this pic? It certainly would be nice to have some names for the faces. Thanks again to BC for the photo.

UPDATE #1:

Most everyone agrees the person in the center is Hary Waller. The "Tall Boy" is Leslie "Josh" Thompson (by his own admission) and the firefighter to Harry's right and in front of Josh is Tim Keenan. (also by his own admission) Some debate on where this photo was taken, but most agree it was probably a regional fire school held in Pocomoke.

That leaves the instructor, in the white hat, and young man to Josh's left. Any ideas?

UPDATE #2:

I have recieved a couple of e-mails recently as well as one phone call concerning the identity of the gentleman in the white hat and the location of this picture. Without a doubt this photo was taken at the SFD training center located on Isabella Street in Salsibury. Other photographs taken that day bear this out. I have also been assured by an individual I trust that the Instructor in the white hat is none other than Edwin "Boots" Raynor.

Boots was an instructor for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institiute, U of MD, and taught the first total Rescue Class on the Eastern Shore. If my memory serves me correctly he also assisted in developing this entire program. Boots was the Chief of Station 13, Rivera Beach over on the Western Shore.
Sadly, Boots died in the line of duty while fighting a natural cover fire in 1986 . I had a photo of the plaque with Boot's name on it at the National Fire Academy but I am unable to locate it right now. Boots was a great friend to all of us in Salisbury and surrounding fire departments. He was also an awesome instructor.

There remains one person unidentifies in the photo. That is the person to the far right. It has been suggested that this may be Bobby Bell. I remember Bobby but I am unsure if this is him.

Also--Thanks to Tony Sterling for stopping by the soapbox and leaving a nice comment. Please feel free to stop by and comment anytime Tony.

New Blogger in Crabtown

Theres a new BLOGer in Crabtown. "Barnacle Butt" has launched a BLOG in the Town of Crisfield titled "Crisfield Crab Review". So far he seems to be on top of the game down there in slower Somerset County. It's going to be an interesting BLOG to watch.

http://crisfieldcrabreview.blogspot.com/

This address is also now in my link list.

A New Adage

From Salisbury News

"A man is not guilty until proven innocent, this is America. "

Say what Albero???

If you meant to say, "A man is innocent until proven guilty", than the question I have for you is why have you basicly tried and convited the man on your BLOG and for the most part allowed your readers to do the same?

Albero's "Shadow Jounalism"

Albero has some “Massive Breaking News” concerning the apparent theft scheme with Ray Lewis and some employees at Wicomico County Solid Waste & Recycling Center. I have nothing to offer on the issue itself but I feel Albero has once again exposed his posterior in another of his “Heard it Here First” self-ego boosts. He has, in the past, cried long, loud and hard about his family being included in the blather that he himself creates. Yet, in this so-called “news” he so urgently publishes, he has seen fit not only to mention Mr. Lewis’s parents but to photograph them as well. Not that this in itself is any violation of privacy necessarily, but Mr. Lewis‘s parents as of yet are not charged (so far as I can tell) with any wrong doing in this case. Therefore why is their presence so prominently noted?

It’s not just Albero’s photo and ever so subtle insinuation and casting of shadows that makes this notable, as it is the comments that accompany his posts. Comments are both pro and con about the parents but until or unless something is officially documented about their involvement, if any, they should be excluded from any conjecture in this matter

Albero continues to allow comments that are defamatory to persons not yet accused of any wrongdoing. It's not like these comments are posted automatically because Albero claims to moderate hundreds of comments daily. Why does he allow such inflamatory invectives? Right or wrong the Lewis family has the right to personal privacy on this issue. Although Albero has not made any accusations concerning Mr. Lewis’s parents himself, he has once again provided and allowed a forum for others to cast dispersions on those who may be innocent.

I’ll bet his little chest is bursting with pride while he basks in his counterfactual sagacity.

SFD in the Past

Fire fighters from Salsibury Fire Dept work valiently to save the life of an elderly lady removed from house fire in the Fruitland/Allen area. I am not sure of the exact date but it was quite a few years ago. Unfortunately the victim sucumbed to her injuies despite the efforts of Tony Sterling (left) and Fulton Bagwell (right) and an unknown person in the center.

The dedication these two men had for the service is quite memorable. Tony left the SFD several years ago but was without a doubt one of the most influential persons in recent history ever associated with the service. Fulton rose to the rank of Assistant Chief in the volunteer division and was also very knowledgeable & an asset to the department. Sadley Fulton lost a heroic battle with cancer a few years ago and he is sorely missed by family and friends.

More on "Friends of NRA" @ Delmar

The bucket auction (shown here) is always popular with the guests. More of a drawing than an auction I suppose but the items up for "Bid" are always nice and are of good quality. Knifes, scopes, binoculars, gun cases, & knapsacks are just a few of the things to found on these tables.

50/50 tickets are sold for much of the evening and as I remember the take for that this year was nearly $500.00. Side games are set up at several tables as well as "roaming" games around the room. Yes--there always seems to someone asking for money but again the prizes are of good quality, and after all it is a money raising event for the programs sponsored by the "Friends of NRA". Many of the programs I am speaking of center on youth shooting sport and firearm safety. Want to know more about "Friends of NRA"? Check this link:

http://www.nrafoundation.org/friends/states/?state=Maryland


This picture was taken early on in the evening. By the time all was said and done there were over 120 folks at the event. The dress is casual and so is the atmosphere. It's a good time to see familiar friendly faces and old friends.

Notably absent this year were Dave & Shelia Watson of "Daves Sport Shop" in Quantico. I'm sure many of you remember them as their business was really an institution on the lower shore. Dave and Shelia always supported the event and were heavily involved with putting it on each year. Dave & Shelia closed the SportShop last year shortly after this event and moved to Colorado to retire. They are certainly missed.
Also absent this year was the local artist Mr. Robert Barnes of West Ocean City. Mr Barnes has for several years donated an original painting to the event which always brought a tidy sum. I know Mr. Barnes was not in the best of health and possibly this event was more than he was able to handle this year.

Joe Dixon of Delmar fills his plate from the buffet table. Patrons to the event moved down both sides of the table as the VFW members kept the food coming. I don't believe there was any hesitation in the line and everyone had plenty to eat. Chicken, ham, crabcakes, veggies and rolls were the fare for the evening and it was grand.

Once again I have to commend the VFW members for providing a great evening for all to enjoy.

Friends of NRA @ Delmar VFW

Last night the annual "Friends of the NRA" dinner was held in Delmar at the VFW on State Street. This is the second year the event was held there and as usual the hospitality of the VFW members was extrodinary. They prepared a fine dinner with oven roasted chicken, ham, crabcakes, green beans & mashed potatoes. The food was served buffet style and lines moved quickly as the staff made sure there was always ample supply of food on the table.

The event itself consisted of a silent auction, a live auction, a long table of bucket auction items plus several side games for a huge variety of prizes. The first picture you see here was the "Ladies Table". This was a whole lot of the Fru-Fru stuff that the ladies get excited about. You know what I mean, candles and scents, pretty pictures & stuff.



Here you see a wooden , hand painted Bald Eagle. This statue stands about 19 inches tall and was produced exclusively for "Friends of NRA" by "Big Sky Carvers"
http://www.bigskycarvers.com/default.aspx

This is only one of 1100 made and each one is numbered and personalized. This was one of the many live auction items sold last night.















The last photo is Ms. Michelle Philips with a bust of Teddy Roosevelt in his Rough Rider garb. Mr. Roosevelt was a staunch supporter of the 2nd amendment and the NRA. Each attendee that purchased sponser tickets recieved one of these busts plus a mini-multi tool, and a "Friends of NRA" cap.

A good time was had by all especially by this household. We won several prizes last night including handgun cases, Leupold folding pocket knife, Longaberger purse and a Remington .22 magnum rifle.

I certainly hope the dinner returns to the Delmar VFW next year. Once again the folks there provide excellent hospitality and service.

Thank You Delmar VFW!

I'm On Notice.

Albero has his panties in a twist again because someone (me) borrowd one of his precious photographs. An unlawful photo I might add. In the comment section of one of his post titled "The Joke of the Year" he states in part:

.....Joe Perdue is on notice. Should he do it one more time he'll find himself in court and facing a jury because I will not allow him defaming me and lying to the public as well as stealing my photos regularly.

This is not the first time Albero has threatened me with a lawsuit. To the best of my recollection he has also made similar threats to Gunpowder, Straight shooter, Tom Cat, and recently Bud the Blogger. The biggest difference between me and these other bloggers is simply that he knows my name and he uses it any chance he gets in order to augment his swaggering. So be it.

The legality of his photos may be debatable on Alberos part, but check over on "Off the Cuff" and see what the Maryland Board of Elections has to say about cameras and electronic devices in the polling places.

Who has lied any more than Albero? His half truths and out right falshoods about the fire department alone are enough for him to earn the big "L" moniker.
So far as me defaming him, no one has done any more defaming than he. The list of people he has defamed is quite extensive as evidenced in his archieves. Finally, I fail to see why questioning the legality of two of his pathectic photographs constitutes "Stealing Regularly", since his posts are full of copywrited material on a much more extensive level than mine.
If this is his idea of "regular" than he may need more fiber in his diet.

I borrowed the following from Bud the Blogger over at "The No BS Zone":


§ 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair useNotwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;

(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.

Kindly be sure to show this to your lawyer before he contacts me Albero. He should have all the facts for the jury.

And finally---Thanks to all for offering to contribute to my defense fund. I'll be in touch. LOL

Another Illeagal Photo?

Albero proclaims to have been at the location for the Harris victory party last Tuesday when the word was recieved of extended voting hours. Although not specificly stated as such the photo at right certainly appears to be a polling place. Once again the quality of the photo shows the flash as being dis-abled as not to draw attention to himself as he snapped the picture.

Harris must be very proud to be associated with such a individual that considers himself above the law. So much for Albero's family values and honesty.

Albero Breaks the Law!

Yesterday when I went vote at Parkside High School there were signs prominently posted informing everyone to turn off their cell phones and that "No Cameras" were allowed in the voting area. Albero, seeing himself above the law, saw fit to slip in the voting area at Parkside on the heels of a legitimate news agency and proceeded to operate the shutter of his camera. He cleverly did this after he had removed the lens cap from the camera and snapped the pictures in what he thought was an indiscreet manner as it hung around his neck. He never raised the camera to eye level, as anyone would do if taking legitimate photos. He also disabled the flash in order to not draw attention to himself. This is clearly evident by the quality of the photo posted here, which is the same photo he has posted on his BLOG. His actions were noted by one of the voter assistants, but before a voting Judge could be alerted Albero left the room.

Having professed loud and long his "honest and truthful", reporting this blatant act of violating election laws clearly proves he believes himself to be above the law. As a resident of Delaware his presence in a Maryland polling place was completely unwarranted. Had his intentions been honest and honorable, he would have asked the election officials if he would be allowed to take photos for the purpose of legitimate journalism. Knowing that any such request would more than likely be denied he chose illegally snap the pictures and then quickly leave before his presence was noted.

Albero has in the past professed much distaste for persons he believes to be less than honest. Even those that have paid their debts to society have, in his opinion, remained less than honorable in today’s world. Now with this violation of the rules the rest of the citizens are compelled to live by, I wonder what level of dishonesty is now acceptable by "Albero Standards"?

As the readers of this BLOG know I do not allow name-calling and profanity. However since Albero has graciously supplied us with a taste of his true colors, I see no reason a few descriptive words or phrases that the readers may wish to supply in the comment section should be disallowed for this post.

No vulgarity please. Lay it on me!

Christine Sheddy

Straight Shooter has brought Christines Sheddy's story up to the top again and I feel obliged to do the same. A fund to assit the family in their quest for closure has been set up. I borrowed the following information from Shooters Site.......


"Christine Sheddy Fund, c/o PNC Bank, 600 Linden Avenue, Pocomoke City, MD 21851."

A contribution, however, can be made at any PNC bank. Please specify that the contribution is for The Christine Sheddy Fund. Please also reference Jennifer Dolan as the account holder. Jennifer is Christine's sister.

Please consider a contribution to this fund. Shooter has more of an update on his site "Off the Cuff". A link to that site is provide in the link list to the left.

I Voted!

Now maybe Harris, Pipkin and Gilchrest will stop killing so many many trees and my mailbox will again accept worthwhile mail and of course the dreaded bills. And maybe---just maybe, the stupid phone solicitations will slow just a bit. Wasn't it nice of the politicians to exclude themselves from the do not call program?

Linked!!!

It seems WMDT decided to allow at least one Pro-Maryland BLOG (aka Anti-Albero) to their BLOG links.

Salisbury Soapbox can now be viewed through WMDT's web site by clicking on the BLOG links feature. Guess Albero hasn't quite got the influence he claims to

Certificate of Thanks to Crisfield Fire Company. 1886

A friend of mine from the Crisfield Fire Department sent this photo as he was sure I would be interested. How right he is. After the great fire that all but wiped Salsibury off the map in 1886 the "Commissioners of Salisbury" sent this thank you certificate to the Crisfield Fire Department for their assistance in fighting that fire. It seems the call went out for assistance and a "Special Train" was rapidly employed to move the horse drawn steamer to Salisbury. I believe another steamer was sent from the city of Wilmington Delaware to assist as well.
Twenty acres of the city was laid to waste by that fire but the citizens endured and the town was rebuilt. The area that burned is today known as the "New Town" area and is in reality the oldest section Salisbury. The entire story of that fire may be the topic of a future post.

This is a photo of the actual certificate and remains in the possesion of the Crisfield Fire Department, and I believe is on public display at their firehouse. Thanks go out to S. Ward for this picture. He has also shared some other photos I will share with you at a later date.

Turkey Shoot in Delmar (Updated)

Nope! Albero was not running around downrange. I'll leave it at that.

We had heard that the Delmar VFW held a weekly Turkey Shoot behind their facility on State St. in Delmar. With little else on the agenda today, I and my better half, decided to give them a try. We got there a little early and had an opportunity to meet with the folks that ran the event and I must say we were treated magnificently. They explained the rules of the game, (every place is just a little different) and were genuinely interested in our participation.
Sooooooo- we paid the entry fee for ten regular rounds and waited for the games to begin. As other shooters arrived we were introduced to the regulars and everyone was friendly.

The VFW supplied the shells we used and they were very light loads. This was a refreshing change from some other shoots we have participated in. No-one was getting slammed by recoil and the playing field was much more even for everyone. Another refreshing idea they use—you shoot from inside! That’s right!, inside and comfy out of the wind and weather.

We were held at bay on the prize list until the 5th round when the wife, in a shoot-off, scored a first and brought in a spiral sliced ham. In round six I took a second and tucked away 3 ½ pounds of mild kielbasa sausage. I topped the field in round eight for a package of 10 center cut pork chops and in the final round, after another shoot-off the lady of the house took a strong second for another 3 ½ pounds of spicy kielbasa.

The VFW awards prizes for 3 places in each round for a total of 30 prizes. We brought home 4 of the 30 and that amounts to just a tad over 10% of the total take for the day. Not bad for the first time shooting there. The nice thing about it all is---they thanked us for coming and invited us back!

We will return. Probably not every week but you can believe this will be a great addition to our personal shooting schedule for years to come.

Oh, and just so you know. There is a lot of entertainment factor to be considered in the entry fee. Although we did very well in the prize department, the food we won did not add up to the $70.00 we paid for the two of us to shoot, but the friendship and camaraderie is as they say—“Priceless” Also, each shooter is granted two shots per round for that price and if you are so inclined there are additional “Free for All” rounds for cash payouts as well as “Dollar a Box” & "Five dollars a Box” shot cards.

I should also mention today they offered Beef stew and biscuits for the shooters at “No Charge.” However there is a donation jug set up to help off set the cost of food.

Thank you Delmar VFW. For the service of your members, for the service of your organization, and for the community recreation & friendship you offer and provide

(Update)
Seven pounds of Kielbasa is a lot of sausage for a family of two, so we decided to share. It seems a memeber of the duty shift at SFD Station 16 today has a definite penchant for Kielbasa and can apprantly prepare it to perfection. Maybe now they won't have to take the Engine to Panera for their supper and the fuel savings will pay for the new Station on Cypress St.

Enjoy the sausage my friends!

Albero's Traffic Woes

WOW! Albero posted this photo showing the traffic on eastbound Rt.50 at about 3:30 (or so) proclaiming the folks living in the Camden area are now in danger becuse the new fire station is on the opposite side of the river. This is so unfair to that neighborhood!

Answer me this Albero. How fair has it been to the folks on the westside for the past 130 years or so with the fire station on Church St., and later Division St.? This traffic problem through the city is far from new and it's dilemma works in both directions. Maybe you should take a closer look at the access to the westside from any of Salisbury's 3 stations. There are only 3 routes across the river in town, two of which are over draw bridges that may be open any time. The third, when the bridges are up becomes extremely congested. The next access to that part of town is Naylor Mill Road well to the north. Access to the Camden area from station 1 and station 2 does not require the crossing of a drawbridge and the access routes are many and varied. Yes, there may be a small delay in the Camden area but does it compare to the delay that may, and has been experienced by the westside.

Are you putting the Camden area above the properties on the westside? Is the population of that area any less deserving of rapid fire protection? Kinda' sounds like your being a little biased to me. Maybe just a wee bit racist?

Christine Sheddy

There is a tragic mystery afoot in Pocomoke MD. It seems last November Christine Sheddy of Bowers Beach DE. was visiting friends in Pocomoke when on the 13th she went missing. Without a trace, unexplainable, she simply disappeared, leaving her three children with the friends she was visiting. Her disappearance was reported in a timely manner and the details of her visit and other pertinent information was forwarded to authorities.

It seems to become even more tragic if the reports of impropriety with in the sheriffs department concerning this case are true. It seems virtually nothing was done to advance the investigation for over a week and little new information has come forth since.

I am not close to this incident in the least but I have been asked to share this information as a service to the family. It is hoped that the more information and posting that can be made on this case the better the chances of getting answers. There is a reward of $5000 offered for information leading to the finding of Christine. If anyone has any information, please contact the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office.

As a final note I will add there have been some allegations made concerning Ms. Sheddy’s character and past. As in any case such as this the validity of such allegations are questionable at best. I ask everyone to look past those careless statements and consider what is absolutely real, that being, Ms. Sheddy is a human being and is missing. There are three children without a mother, and there is a family grieving for closure.

If anyone has any information, Please---Please come forward.



More details to this story can be found on "Off the Cuff" BLOG. A link to that that BLOG is in the link list to the left.

SFD Recruit Class

Say hello to Tevona Lamboy. Tevona is soon to graduate in the latest SFD recruit class. Tevona comes to us from California where she was a EMT for about ten years. She worked at a level one Trauma Center in San Jose for five years and four years with a private ambulance co. Tentativly she plans to continue her education in the Paramedic program at Wor-Wic Tech.

There is no doubt Tevona will be a great asset to the department and to the community.

Welcome Tevona and best of luck in this endeavor.

SFD in the Past

Shown to the right are two photos of the Salisbury Fire Department and City Hall located on W. Church St. I do not know when these photos were taken, but I am sure they are pre 1920. The first photo is actually a postcard of the era and shows the building pretty much in it’s original form. The second is a photograph taken from the opposite direction of the first, and you can see that two of the main doors have been replaced with a double door making the entrance to that part of the bay wider. It is my guess this was done to accommodate motorized equipment or possibly it was needed for the extra length of a ladder vehicle, horse drawn or motorized. If I can find out more about this I shall post it.

I do know after the fire department left this building in the late 20’s it remained as the City Hall until the current City/County building opened. For a period of time after that it was used as the Police Station for the City after they left the building across Rt. 50 on Lemon Hill Lane.