Cardin communications director Sue Walitsky said the nice-guy prize couldn't have gone to, well, a nicer guy.
"It's certainly one of the reasons why I went to work for him," she said. "He's known as a gentleman."
Mikulski spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz, who happened to announce yesterday that she's leaving the job after three years, declined to comment.
"You sure?" I asked.
"I'm positive."
Steps, not stoops, and no cobblestones
Just finished opening the last of the angry mail inspired by my description of those marble things in front of Baltimore rowhouses as "stoops" instead of "steps." Now this, set off by my recent reference to Fells Point's "cobblestone" streets.
"As a city tour guide, former manager of the Baltimore Civil War Museum and currently crew for the historic ships in Baltimore, I wanted to take the time to correct a 'myth' as I do with every tour I give in the Fells Point area," writes Paul O'Neil. "There are no cobblestones.
"The streets are made up of Belgian Block, 25 to 50 pound blocks of granite that came to town as ballast stone in ships. Load up a cargo and you don't need the stones, so you leave them lying about. They do make good paving stone, but they are not cobblestones. Cobblestones are technically round, small and smooth, having been taken from stream and riverbeds.
"It is true that most literature about the area does call the paving 'cobblestone' but only due to the writers not being better informed."
Count me, belatedly, among the informed.
An ethics bill looking to find a good home
Frederick County Commissioner Lennie Thompson wants to amend Maryland's public ethics law to make it a conflict of interest for lawmakers, judges and other state officials to have sexual relations with state employees they supervise. "I call it my 'No Paramours on the Payroll' bill," he said.
Thompson told The Baltimore Sun's Laura Smitherman that he was inspired by a specific situation. Which one?
"I don't want to drag anyone's name into this," he said.
Thompson's plan hasn't found favor with the other county commissioners, who he said eliminated it from their legislative package for the next General Assembly session. But he still hopes he can get someone in Annapolis to sponsor his bill.
Connect the dots
Just because you grow up to be governor doesn't mean you can't still play dress up. When he was mayor, Martin O'Malley joined War of 1812 re-enactors at Fort McHenry. Back then, he dressed as a colonel in the Maryland militia. He was back in military regalia last week for Defenders' Day. Has O'Malley's rank bumped up, now that he's governor? Nope. Colonel is the fort's highest honorary rank. At least so far. "That isn't to say we couldn't create a general in the Fort McHenry guard," says Ranger Vince Vaise. ... Holding court at Paul's Restaurant in Arbutus the other day: former mayor, governor and comptroller Schaefer. He professed little interest in the presidential campaign but reminisced about spending time with the first President Bush.
