Adelman

Fire officials probe blaze that destroyed houseFire investigators were trying to determine the cause yesterday of a two-alarm fire that destroyed a house in the 200 block of Newberry Road in Berrywood Sunday night.The blaze, which apparently began in the garage and raged out of control for nearly an hour, caused more than $300,000 in damage to the house.Lt. Robert Kornmann, a spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, said Harry Adelman Jr. and his wife, Linda, were at home when the fire broke out around 8:30 p.m., but escaped unharmed.

Alliances LPP Combustion LLC, headquartered in Columbia, announced that it will form a strategic alliance with Dynoil LLC, of Houston, for the sale and use of clean bio-fuel technology. Awards American Towman Magazine awarded its ACE Award, for achievement in service performance, to Malik Stuckey of Universal Towing of Baltimore. A. Hoffman Awning Co. received the Industrial Fabrics Association International's 2006 International Achievement Award for its exceptional specialty fabric project.

Bernard Bliden affixed the blue label to the downtown map, marking his old stomping grounds. It was just a piece of paper scrawled with his last name, but Bliden felt a sense of pride placing it there at the corner of Lombard and Spring streets - the heart of his old Jewish neighborhood. "It was a phenomenal place," he said. "We always had friends in and out of the house. A family friend lived around the corner and would always make this big, huge apple cake. Things like that were so great."

Baseball Brewers: Announced that entire coaching staff will return for 2001 season. Schaumberg (Independent): Re-signed former Orioles OF Ron Kittle as manager. Basketball Bucks: Signed F Mark Pope and G Roberto Bergesen. Waived F Maceo Baston. Cavaliers: Waived C Lari Ketner. Celtics: Signed F Jerome Moiso, first-round draft pick, 11th overall. Kings: Extended contract of coach Rick Adelman through 2001-02 season. College James Madison: Signed men's basketball coach Sherman Dillard to contract extension through 2004-05 season.

About 70 seniors and their pets -- including Coco, a 16-year-old mocha-colored poodle -- were evacuated from their homes yesterday after a morning fire tore through a Reisterstown apartment building and left the four-year-old structure uninhabitable. More than 70 engines, ladder trucks and medic units from Baltimore and Carroll counties responded to the four-alarm blaze at the Meadows at Reisterstown, a four-story senior citizen building a few blocks from Reisterstown's historic downtown.

Rockets star Tracy McGrady made his season debut in a 107-96 win over the Pistons on Tuesday, about nine months after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee. Coach Rick Adelman announced the decision to play McGrady about an hour before tipoff. He said McGrady would play about seven minutes, all in the first half, and he did. "It's been so long since I've played, it was just a great feeling to be back on the court," McGrady said. "Just to get up and down the court with these guys and to be back out there competing is what I missed."

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Playing with what he termed "controlled anger," Michael Jordan scored 46 points and the enraged Chicago Bulls led from start to finish last night in defeating the Portland Trail Blazers, 119-106, to move within a victory of clinching a second straight NBA title.The Bulls, leading the best-of-seven series, 3-2, can repeat by winning one of the remaining two games at home tomorrow and Wednesday, if necessary. The odds are definitely in their favor. They have not lost two in a row at Chicago Stadium since April 5 and 7, 1991.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- He can't keep any weight on. He often looks tired. And he's started wearing glasses.Seven weeks into his pro career, Joe Smith has discovered the NBA can make someone age in a hurry. The process apparently is particularly harsh if that someone is a No. 1 pick and undersized power forward, playing for the talented but struggling Golden State Warriors.Smith, though, appears to be weathering the sudden demand to mature physically, in large part because of his emotional and mental maturity.

Coach: Chris Marsiglia, fifth season1991 record: 3-7-2Returnees: Seniors Stacey Lillis (F), Amity Bednarzik (L), Mandy Miller (D), Jill Sammons (SW), Lacie Koppelman (F), Carrie Petcovic (D), Elizabeth Stier (D), Jenny Carrigg (L), Maura Gallagher (GK), Denise Atkins (D); Juniors Angela Menegay (F), Kelly Naylor (GK).Newcomers to watch: Juniors Xochitl Strobehn (D/L), Alicia Feldman (F), Karissa Cooke (D), Sara Adelman (D), Karen Kezmerski (D), Amy Zirkle (SW), Nina Tucker (F).Coach's outlook: "The team has matured a lot since last year.

Cheers for NorwoodBuffalo fans gave the Bills a heroes' welcome yesterday and saved the biggest cheers for kicker Scott Norwood, who failed to make a last-second field-goal try that would have given the Bills a victory over the New York Giants."