September 7, 2008
Annapolis
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Business Notes
The Entrepreneur's Exchange will hold its monthly luncheon meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Severn Inn, 1993 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., Annapolis.
Anne Arundel Education Notes
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education will meet for a workshop on the fiscal 2010 capital improvement budget and capital budget at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the administration building, 2644 Riva Road, Annapolis.
State braces for Hanna
Marylanders were tying down and tightening up yesterday as they braced for the heavy wind, torrential rain and high water predicted to arrive today with Tropical Storm Hanna, the first such storm to menace the state since Ernesto in 2006.
Annapolis Triathlon canceled after organizers were forced to scale down the Sunday event
Organizers of the Annapolis Triathlon - who had been forced to pare down the event - have canceled a race that had been set to draw 1,500 participants to the city Sunday.
2 young men found shot at complex in Annapolis
Annapolis police are investigating the shooting of two young men found yesterday afternoon near a stairwell at Bay Ridge Gardens Apartments in the first block of Bens Drive. Police responded to a report of shots fired about 4:30 p.m. and found the two men bleeding. Police said one victim was flown by helicopter to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, while the other was taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center. Neither suffered life-threatening wounds. Both are Annapolis residents but did not live in the apartment complex where the shooting occurred, police said. Their names are being withheld until family members are notified. Anyone with information is asked to call Annapolis police at 410-268-9000.
Streetcar vision vies for funds
Imagine an old-fashioned electric streetcar rumbling along Rowe Boulevard, then onto West Street and down Main Street to the City Dock - transporting residents and visitors and transforming the jewel of Annapolis' maritime heritage into a pedestrian mall and promenade.
Land donated for Wellness House
The campaign to build a support center for Annapolis cancer patients moved a step closer to reality with the donation of land three miles from Anne Arundel Medical Center.
Health notes
Bull roast and auction planned for ill child
A bull roast and auction is scheduled Oct. 19 at Michael's Eighth Avenue to help pay medical costs for Cormac "Mac" Murray, 3, the son of Brian and Aimee Murray of Sykesville. The child has been diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy, a rare disease that affects the nervous system and for which there is no known cure.Volunteer notes
CASA seeks court advocates for kids
Anne Arundel County CASA is seeking volunteers for court-appointed special advocates and Friends of CASA. Each advocate for abused or neglected children is screened and trained.Senior Notes
Scamming talk Steven Silverman of the Maryland attorney general's office will discuss scams used by con artists at 10:30 a.m. today at the O'Malley Senior Center, 1275 Odenton Road, Odenton. 410-222-6227 or 301-621-9515.
Gilchrest backs Kratovil for House
Working to become the first Democrat in a generation to represent Maryland's 1st Congressional District, Frank M. Kratovil Jr. said he is depending on a nonpartisan message and the backing of the low-key Republican who has held the job for the past 18 years - Wayne T. Gilchrest.
Annapolis is working to blunt spike in crime
Laura Townsend, a loser in her election bid for the Annapolis City Council, wrongly accuses the city administration of not caring about crime ("Annapolis leaders were unresponsive on crime," Aug. 27).
Gilchrest to support Democrat in the 1st District
Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest, ousted after nine terms in a bitter Republican primary campaign last winter, will cross party lines today to endorse Democrat Frank M. Kratovil Jr. in the 1st Congressional District.
Police Blotter
Three visitors robbed the residents of a Glen Burnie home of their wallets and money and a Lexus on Wednesday, Anne Arundel County police said. Residents of a home in the 200 block of 3rd Ave. SW invited three people who were known to them into the house about 11:30 a.m. The visitors produced an assault-type rifle and demanded wallets and money from five residents, police said. The suspects drove off with a black 2005 Lexus IS 300 that belonged to one of the residents. The suspects had not been found, police said last week.
Business Notes
The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and the Fort Meade Morale Welfare and Recreation will sponsor a community job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 24 at Club Meade, 6600 Mapes Road, Fort Meade.
Anne Arundel Education Notes
St. John's College is offering a number of continuing education and fine arts courses starting Sept. 13. Registration deadline is Thursday. Tuition is $210 for preceptorials. In preceptorials, up to 15 students meet with a St. John's tutor for a close reading of one book or several works relating to a theme. Preceptorials this fall include works by psychologist William James, Plutarch's Lives, the first two novels in Paul Scott's historic epic, The Raj Quartet, and film director Akira Kurosawa's classic Seven Samurai. Fine arts workshops and seminars also are available for $185. Offerings include "Painting Light" and "Life Drawing," Raku firing and hand-building with clay, and fiction writing. To receive a brochure and registration card, call the Community Programs Office at 410-626-2881, or visit www.stjohnscollege.edu.
County SAT scores fall for third year
Anne Arundel County students continue to score higher on SAT tests than their peers across the state and nation, but their results on the critical college indicator test fell for the third consecutive year, according to data released this week by the test administrator.
Economic pinch hits Maryland tax coffers
A sluggish economy and housing market continued to undercut nearly every source of tax revenue for the state over the past year, with collections falling $73.5 million short of expectations, setting the stage for tighter budgets in the coming years.
Maryland steps up commuter bus runs
Maryland transportation officials will beef up commuter bus service from Kent Island to Annapolis and Washington next week to help relieve congestion on the Bay Bridge as it undergoes an estimated 10 weeks of emergency repairs to its corroded barrier walls.
Senior Notes
Variety show The Severna Park Bums, a group of musicians and comics, will perform their annual Labor Day show at 12:30 p.m. today at the Pascal Senior Center, 125 Dorsey Road in Glen Burnie. 410-222-6680.
Health notes
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health and the Annapolis Quilt Guild are accepting entries for the fourth annual Cup of the Month Challenge. Contestants will create Art Bras, decorated bras that inspire and support breast cancer awareness, screening and treatment.
A voice silenced in 1996 is brought back to life
During her short life of 33 years, singer Eva Cassidy was hardly known beyond her gigs at Blues Alley in Washington and at Pearl's, Reynolds Tavern and the Maryland Inn in Annapolis. Her two recordings, a 1992 CD called The Other Side that featured go-go legend Chuck Brown and 1996's Live at Blues Alley, got radio play only in Maryland and the D.C. area.
'A tinge of star quality'
Longtime Annapolis sailor Jason Stearns sailed into his debut role as that most famous sailor - Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman - at the prestigious summer opera festival in Savonlinna, Finland, last month.
6 decades of flying high
Mary Feik remembers all too well the day she applied for admission to the engineering department at the University of Buffalo in 1941. The registrar looked her up and down several times, she recalls, and turned her down without looking at her credentials.
Sailing hall pact is near
More than three years after sailing enthusiasts began searching for a suitable site in Annapolis for a museum and hall of fame, the project's boosters say they are close to reaching agreements with preservationists that could allow construction to begin at a historic home at the foot of City Dock.
Jay Hancock: A simple, honest version of the slots referendum
Supporters and opponents of Maryland slot machines are arguing over the wording of a slots-approval measure on November's ballot. The language goes on and on about education but says nothing about horse racing. Here's how an honest version would read:
Annapolis leaders were unresponsive on crime
A recent Baltimore Sun editorial about crime in Annapolis, crediting a response by government, couldn't be more wrong. Years of apathy by the local government spawned double-digit increases in the most serious categories of crime, despite the fact that Annapolis is largely affluent, with a healthy tax base.
Business Notes
Hensel Phelps Construction Co. will hold a meet and greet, "Subcontracting Opportunities for Small and Minority Businesses, from 7:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 4 at the Marriott BWI, 1743 W. Nursery Road, Linthicum.
Annapolis police unveil online crime map
The Annapolis Police Department and CrimeReports.com have announced a new online crime alerting and mapping service designed to provide easy-to-read incident crime maps and automated alerts to citizens.
Anne Arundel Education Notes
Anne Arundel County juniors and seniors taking part in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme performed better than their North American and world colleagues again in the 2007-2008 school year, with the county's two fully accredited schools scoring 100 percent pass rates in 11 subjects.
2 shooting victims file lawsuit
Two people who were shot outside a 2005 party at the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company's banquet hall have filed a $7 million lawsuit claiming the shooter was reckless and the organizer of the party and county officials and fire company officials did not provide adequate security.
Annapolis race loses bikes, athletes
Two-thirds of the nearly 1,500 athletes who had signed up for the former Annapolis Triathlon on Sept. 7 have withdrawn since Anne Arundel County officials refused to issue permits for the 40-kilometer bicycle portion of the race.
A push for minorities
The U.S. Naval Academy unveiled yesterday new, edgy marketing tools - including a graphic novel and a fast-paced promotional video featuring African-American, Asian and Hispanic midshipmen - in a bid to increase the number of minorities on its Annapolis campus.
Strife eroded UMMS goals
The University of Maryland Medical System started planning a $350 million ambulatory care center in Baltimore more than two years ago to treat patients on an outpatient basis, but disputes and infighting at the organization have helped to stymie the project.
Officer, 2 others hurt after car hits cruiser
An Anne Arundel County police officer and two others were injured when their car struck his cruiser as he responded to a call, police said yesterday.
A 'consummate professional'
For nearly all of the 15 years of the Chesapeake Music Hall, Annapolis native David Bosley-Reynolds was a bedrock of its productions, starring in everything from Little Shop of Horrors to Oklahoma!
Senior Notes
Zoomobile program The Maryland Zoo Zoomobile will visit the South County Senior Center, 27 Stepney's Lane in Edgewater, at 1 p.m. today with a "Living Places, Living Planet" program. Grandchildren are welcome to come along and learn about the global resources that animals and humans share. 410-222-1927 or 410-798-4802.
Health notes
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health, along with Wildlife Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin its annual oral rabies vaccination project Sept. 2.
Phased rise in fees considered
Four months after shelving a contentious plan to increase impact fees on new construction, the Anne Arundel County Council is considering a less drastic proposal at a time when the development industry is reeling.
$186,000 in grants offered to four groups in Four Rivers
The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority has approved more than $186,000 for four grant project proposals within Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County.
Family, friends rally to help chef fight back from injury
It happened in an instant. Dave Hartung was driving home from work the day after Christmas when a car darted from the shoulder of Interstate 97 and across two lanes to reach a ramp to U.S. 50.
AACC promising an eclectic season
This season, Anne Arundel Community College will continue its tradition of offering performing arts events that range from Broadway musical favorites to dramas to operas sung in English, from orchestral and jazz concerts to classical, jazz and tap dance.
Art exhibits
Painting show Brinton/Jaecks Studio, 1646 Isabella Court, Millersville, will offer an exhibit of Breton paintings by Jean Brinton Jaecks from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. www.brintonjaeck sstudio.com.
Guitar maker wins grant for factory expansion
Paul Reed Smith Guitars, the Eastern Shore company that makes guitars for Carlos Santana and other well-known musicians, has received a $10 million private equity bond from the state to help pay for a major expansion of its headquarters, company and economic development leaders said yesterday.
Business Notes
O'Herlihy Law is offering free, weekly workshops on "What You Should Know If You Are Considering Bankruptcy," 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday beginning Aug. 28 at the law office, 100 Ridgely Ave. in west Annapolis.
Chefs urged to enter soup contest
Organizers of next month's Ultimate Crab Soup Cook-Off are urging chefs in Maryland restaurants to register to enter their cream of crab, vegetable crab or alternative crab soups, including gazpacho, stew and chowder.
Annapolis pool hours adjusted
The Annapolis Recreation and Parks Department is adjusting the hours of the Truxtun Park Pool due to the closing for maintenance of the Arundel Olympic Swim Center and the start of classes in Anne Arundel County public schools.
Dan Thanh Dang: A chance encounter
There are no such things in life as a free lunch, or a $100 house.
2 congregations become 1
Two area Jewish congregations that are facing declining or aging populations will officially become one today, and are celebrating the merger with the dedication and consecration of their Torah scrolls.
Police blotter
An Annapolis man has been arrested after he was accused of pinning his ex-girlfriend against a wall and cutting her thigh with a knife, city police said.
A different kind of homework
When Jade Wells spotted her middle school guidance counselor in the parking lot of her apartment complex, her eyes widened and a surprised smile spread across her face. The rising ninth-grader at Annapolis High School won't have Neasah Jones this year and missed seeing her welcoming face.
Community graced by touch of glass
Sunshine enters the back windows of Viki Keating's Riva home and penetrates an assemblage of colored glass. As light is refracted from every angle, Keating thinks back to her childhood. She wanted to be an artist for as long as she can remember.
Need rises as giving falls
More people than ever are calling the Salvation Army's Baltimore offices this year, asking for help paying their utility bills or for food to feed their families. And contributions from individuals, the charity says, are down $100,000 from a year earlier.
Md. students fare better
A greater percentage of Maryland's elementary and middle schools met federal achievement standards than in recent years, even as the state raised the bar by requiring more students in each school to pass the yearly tests in reading and math.
'All Shook Up' for the season
Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre completes its season with the third in a fresh trio of less-familiar musicals with music from the 1940s to 1960s: All Shook Up, which celebrates the music of Elvis Presley and offers light, fun fare for a summer evening.
New season, new challenge
Now starting its seventh season, Bay Theatre is known for professional excellence, innovatively produced within the confines of its 20-foot-wide stage.
Urban gardens gain ground
Bob McKenney drives up to Kinder Farm Park in Millersville three times a week to tend his squash, cucumbers, green beans, carrots, cantaloupes and watermelons. The Annapolis retiree lives in a condominium and doesn't have anywhere else to garden.
Senior Notes
Computer workshop Ted Armour will present "Quickshop: Buying a New Computer" at 9 a.m. today at the South County Senior Center, 27 Stepney's Lane in Edgewater. 410-222-1927 or 410-798-4802.
Art exhibits
Art festival Twenty galleries are scheduled to participate in the annual Annapolis Art Walk from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 21. They will be open with new exhibits and artists who will demonstrate their skills. Free. www.artinannapolis .com/artwalk.html
Police Blotter
A Halethorpe man was charged with burglary after officers said they found him in a Linthicum office at 3 a.m. holding a television, Anne Arundel County police said.
'Pip and Zastrow' wins film award
A movie about the relationship of two Annapolis men during the civil rights era has won the Target Filmmaker Award to Dream in Color at the American Black Film Festival.
Volunteer notes
The Salvation Army is seeking volunteers Aug. 19-21 to help reorganize and clean the food pantry, storage areas and refrigerator/freezers at the Annapolis facility at 351 Hilltop Lane.
'EZ' focuses on energy efficiency
The city of Annapolis has announced a pilot program aimed at providing residents and small-business owners with funding for affordable, energy-efficient improvements to their homes and shops.
Annapolis crime down
Annapolis leaders were frustrated, and residents were growing angry: After a record eight homicides in 2007, five people were killed in the state capital in the first three months of this year. Community groups mobilized to protest, one alderwoman suggested bringing in the National Guard and the mayor considered a youth curfew.
Bond fund drive begins
As national authorities step up immigration enforcement through workplace raids, advocates for immigrants are raising bond money to prevent people from routinely being detained while awaiting trial.
Firms vie for anthrax pacts
Drug companies based in Annapolis and Rockville are battling for potentially lucrative federal contracts to supply at least 25 million doses of new, improved anthrax vaccine to protect Americans against another bioterror attack like the one in 2001.
Perjury case in official's history
The man recently promoted to be chief of the state Department of General Services Police had once been recommended for termination from the Baltimore Police Department after an administrative board found him guilty of perjury and making a false statement in a court document.
Home tax benefits wrongly accepted
Several state legislators have been receiving thousands of dollars in undeserved property tax breaks under the Homestead Tax Credit program, records show.
Youngsters get a taste of Hollywood
Demontrae Easton was doing his best Martin Lawrence impression when one of the owners of Filmsters Academy dropped by the Bates Boys & Girls Club in Annapolis. Patti White wanted to offer scholarships to a few kids for her two-week summer film camp.
Correction
An article in Thursday's Anne Arundel section on the Annapolis Triathlon misidentified the source of $5,000 given to Anne Arundel Community College to start an endowment for students from at-risk neighborhoods. The money came from the Annapolis Triathlon Club.
Police blotter
Two employees at an Annapolis McDonald's were assaulted by customers Monday night, city police said.
Worker at kids' club is charged with rape
A 28-year-old employee at a newly opened Boys and Girls Club in Annapolis has been charged with raping a 13-year-old girl there, police said yesterday.
In business
Appointments
•Paul D. Edmeades, president of Edmeades & Stromdahl Ltd. Architects/Planners in Bel Air, has been named vice chairman of the Maryland State Board of Architects. The board licenses architects in Maryland and issues architectural work permits.Crane changes sought
Three months after a fatal crane accident near Annapolis, the state's labor department is proposing sweeping new crane safety regulations that would make Maryland's rules among the strictest in the country.
A beef with 'pre-meetings'
Before Gov. Martin O'Malley gavels the Board of Public Works to order, he and Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp regularly meet outside the public's view in a separate conference room. These days the third board member - Comptroller Peter Franchot - is conspicuously absent.