Action Plan

The Anne Arundel County teachers union called off its plans yesterday for a district-wide job action, saying it has reached a tentative agreement with the school board on a new contract after an initial disagreement over health care benefits. "There was some give and take on both sides," said union President Sheila M. Finlayson. "We worked hard to come up with an agreement for everybody." Two weeks ago, several hundred teachers voted to protest a school board proposal that would have raised their health care premiums.

The county liquor board yesterday declined to take action against the sponsors of a play in which a brief nude scene was believed to violate the county's liquor law."Upon conferring with the county attorneys, the board has been advised by them that we have a weak case in regards to the regulation that pertains to the play, 'Bent' . . . ," the board said in a prepared statement."Bent," which opened to a small crowd Thursday, chronicles a homosexual's self-discovery during the Nazi regime. The two-hour drama contains a 30-second scene in which a male actor walks on stage nude.

WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress plan to go to court today to try to stop further use of U.S. military forces in the war against Yugoslavia.In the lawsuit, which was being drafted late yesterday by lawyers for Rep. Tom Campbell, a California Republican, 10 or more lawmakers will ask a U.S. district judge in Washington to force President Clinton to end military action in the Balkans until he gets approval from Congress.Past attempts to persuade the courts to second-guess a president's use of military force have not fared well.

A federal judge expressed outrage yesterday at overheated conditions inside the Baltimore women's detention center and gave lawyers representing the state and jail detainees until tomorrow to come up with a medical plan for evaluating and treating the women. "This situation cannot be allowed to continue," Judge J. Frederick Motz of U.S. District Court in Baltimore said of conditions in the jail that have caused temperatures to rise to more than 110 degrees. "A civilized society cannot tolerate what has happened."

The names filled two scrolls at the front of John Wesley United Methodist Church yesterday morning. Bishop John R. Schol slowly began to read some of them to the hundreds of congregants filling the pews. "Ty'wonde Jones, age 13," he said, pausing. "Terrance Regan, 16 years old. "Virginia Jones, 81. "Troy Lamont Chesley Sr., a detective in the Baltimore City Department of Police." Each was a memory now, a life lost this year in the city's relentless cycle of homicides. "Each has a name," Schol said.

IN HIS SPEECH to the Congress and the nation 10 days ago, President Bush wisely announced the creation of a new Cabinet-level office devoted to homeland security and named Gov. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania to lead it. With his military background, wide experience and highly regarded political and personal skills, he is a promising choice. But what should Ridge do with his new job? Most discussion of the president's proposal to date has focused on process and personalities rather than substance.

WASHINGTON -- House Republican leaders will ask their members to vote today for a 1.4 percent cut in most government spending proposed for next year.If approved, the across-the-board cuts are expected to be vetoed by President Clinton and run the risk of opening the Republicans to criticism for cutting popular programs.The move would let the Republicans finish their budget work without raising taxes or borrowing from the Social Security trust fund."We can see the goal line now," said Tony Rudy, a top aide to House Majority Whip Tom DeLay of Texas.

A prominent Baltimore legislator is threatening to sue the state if Gov. Parris N. Glendening's legislative redistricting plan eliminates an African American-majority district in the city. Del. Howard P. Rawlings, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has called for a meeting Saturday of black city delegates and the Baltimore City Council to discuss legal options if a much-discussed redistricting proposal becomes reality. An attorney with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Legal and Educational Defense Fund will also attend.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The time for going easy on Steve McNair was over.Tennessee Oilers coach Jeff Fisher used a week off to upgrade the passing attack. They were to throw at all costs yesterday against the Ravens, and they paid for it with a 36-10 loss, thanks largely to the sputtering play of the Oilers' offense."

It's been proposed as a great idea, but a wary Sykesville Town Council remains to be sold on it.The Howard County developer of a 32-acre industrial-retail park is requesting this South Carroll County town take part in administering a $1.5 million package of state and county loans that would finance about half the project.To hear it from state and Carroll County officials who briefed the council at its regular meeting last week, the package offers the town -- which straddles the two counties -- a potentially significant gain while posing little risk.