Police probe Lothian crash
Anne Arundel County police believe speed and alcohol were factors in a traffic accident early Tuesday that left a Clinton man seriously injured, according to a spokesman for the department. Robert Francis Burdette, 74, was driving a 1995 Ford Ranger pickup south on Route 4 near Plummer Lane in Lothian when it was struck from behind about 2:30 a.m. by a Chevrolet Malibu driven by Sean Kevin Fitzgibbon, 27, of Friendship, said spokesman Justin Mulcahy. The pickup went off the road and hit a tree head-on, according to police. Burdette was taken to Prince George's Hospital Center with life-threatening injuries.
- Liz F. Kay
Balto. County holds off on ID policy for tobacco
The Baltimore County Council deferred a proposal this week that would require retailers of tobacco products to ask for proof of age from "anyone who looks to be 26 or younger." The legislation was written to make it easier for police officers to enforce the county's ban on distribution of tobacco products to those under the age of 18. "It automatically says a retailer needs to card, and it will help us reduce teenage smoking," said Don Mohler, county spokesman. But several council members said the regulation put too great an onus on retailers. "If the buyer is of legal age, is the seller breaking the law by not asking for proof of age?" asked Councilman John Olszewski.
- Mary Gail Hare
Baltimore County gets grant to reduce lead exposure
Baltimore County will use a $4 million federal grant to create lead-safe, energy-efficient homes and to safeguard children from lead exposure. The county Office of Community Conservation will use the funds, awarded Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to help reduce childhood lead poisoning. Although lead-based paint has been banned from use in homes since 1978, HUD estimates that about 24 million homes nationwide still have significant lead-based hazards. Lead-contaminated dust, the primary cause of lead exposure, can lead to a variety of health problems in young children, including reduced IQ, learning disabilities, developmental delay and impaired hearing. HUD's Lead Hazard Reduction Program will provide lead inspections and risk assessment of 350 homes throughout the county, targeting older communities. Inspectors will look for lead-based paint and other hazards; perform lead hazard control, including window replacements; and conduct 150 outreach and education events that could reach about 16,500 residents.
- Mary Gail Hare
