Around The Region

- Timothy B. Wheeler

Essex teacher wins grant for environmental education

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Courtney Rohde, an earth science, animal behavior and physical science teacher at Chesapeake High School in Essex, is one of 19 high school educators in the country to be awarded an environmental education grant from the National Environmental Education Foundation and the Weather Channel. The award, announced Wednesday, is designed to bring environmental issues to the classroom. The grant allows Rohde to take two online graduate-level courses offered by the Environmental Education and Training Partnership through the University of Wisconsin, Steven's Point; the tuition credits are worth about $1,500. Rohde hopes to learn new ways to educate her students about the environmental issues they face locally and globally, according to the foundation.

Proposal calls for coins to commemorate War of 1812

Commemorative $1 and $5 silver coins recognizing the War of 1812 would be minted in 2012 under a resolution sponsored by Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger that passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Under Ruppersberger's proposal, proceeds from coin sales would fund the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, which is planning a series of celebrations, including one at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The resolution awaits Senate approval before it can become law.

- Baltimore Sun staff

PSC rejects request to build high-voltage power line

The Maryland Public Service Commission has rejected an application to run a high-voltage, multistate power line across southern Frederick County. The regulators said in a split decision Wednesday that the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline application was improperly filed and must be revised before it can be considered. The project is planned by American Electric Power Co. of Columbus, Ohio, and Allegheny Energy Inc. of Greensburg, Pa.

- Associated Press