$2.5 million awarded to avert foreclosures
Gov. Martin O'Malley has announced more than $2.5 million in federal, state and local awards to be used toward home foreclosure prevention in Maryland. The awards Wednesday include $1.8 million from National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling and $500,000 from the state of Maryland. Federal funds will be distributed among 30 nonprofit housing counseling agencies and two statewide legal service providers, Civil Justice Network and the Pro Bono Resource Center. Nine nonprofit organizations, including three city groups - Belair-Edison Neighborhood, St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center and Druid Heights CDC - will also receive state money. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development supports the 30 nonprofit groups and legal service providers in its Home Ownership Preserving Equity initiative, which offers help for struggling homeowners through refinancing, legal help and housing counseling.
Students face weapons charges
Two Fallston High School seniors were arrested and charged with possession of a concealed deadly weapon when Harford County sheriff's deputies found each with a fixed-blade knife at the school Monday, authorities said. Nathan Gee and Victor Gee of Fallston, twin brothers who are 18, were released on their own recognizance Monday afternoon. Police said administrators called the county sheriff at 9:30 a.m. with a report that Nathan Gee had been seen with a weapon. A deputy pulling the student from class found a 7-inch fixed-blade knife on him, along with two smaller knives, police said. A similar 7-inch knife was found in Victor Gee's locker, said Sgt. David Betz. The Gees described themselves as knife collectors who brought the weapons to school for protection, Betz said. Police turned up "no credible threat" to the brothers. Betz said rumors the brothers possessed bomb-making instructions at the time of arrest were false, as were reports that either had made threats to the school. Spokeswoman Teri Kranefeld said the school system's policy in weapons-possession cases is an automatic 10-day suspension.
Jonathan Pitts
UMBC's president honored for leadership
