America

Local farmer Rick Holloway and America's Farmers Grow Communities is supporting the Community Foundation of Harford County Inc. to help better serve the area. Sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, which is the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, Grow Communities provides eligible farmers the chance to win a $2,500 donation for a local nonprofit organization of their choice. Holloway selected Community Foundation of Harford County Inc. to receive the $2,500 donation. The foundation will use the donation for the Memorial Fund of Benjamin Boniface.

Albany last played in the NCAA tournament in 2007. That drought may end this spring. The No. 19 Great Danes improved to 7-3 after edging No. 12 Johns Hopkins, 10-9, at Homewood Field in Baltimore Friday night. Already 1-0 in the America East, they warrant consideration as the favorite to win the conference tournament and earn the automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament. But even if an upset were to occur, Albany may have moved closer to getting an at-large berth courtesy of wins against No. 9 Syracuse and the Blue Jays.

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. " - Thomas Jefferson My recent column on the challenges associated with the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program elicited numerous and very personal stories from readers about how individual (disabled) recipients depended on the program for daily maintenance. And, many asked, how dare I (and others of my ilk) question such a vital program?

Maryland's two senators should not vote for ratification of the international arms trade treaty recently adopted by the United Nations ("U.N. approves landmark global arms trade treaty," April 3). This U.N. power grab is not just aimed at gaining control over all the weapons in the world but also includes a proposal to tax the Internet, which would give the U.N. control of our freedom of speech. I urge Maryland's senators to reject such appeals. Our country is the United States, not the United Nations.

Last Saturday's 15-14 overtime loss to Hartford saddled UMBC with a 0-1 start in the America East. The team is just one game behind the Hawks, No. 19 Albany and Stony Brook in the conference standings, which is why coach Don Zimmerman said Saturday's home contest against Vermont (3-7 overall and 1-0 in America East) is critical. “That's the way we're approaching it,” he said Thursday morning. “You don't want to go 0-2 in the conference. So with that said, I would say that this is a must-win.” The Retrievers (3-6)

Al Jazeera America Thursday announced that veteran business reporter Ali Velshi will join the Qatar-owned channel to develop and host a daily prime-time business show. The announcement comes one day after news that Velshi was leaving CNN where he served as business reporter and show host for almost 12 years. Velshi's last day at CNN will be Friday, according to TVNewser. Here's the release from Al Jazeera America: Al Jazeera America, the new US-based news channel set to launch later this year, today announced that Ali Velshi, CNN's former chief business correspondent and anchor of “Your Money” and CNN International's “World Business Today,” has joined Al Jazeera America to develop and host a daily primetime business program.

College basketball Benimon, Hawkins, Thomas get AP honors Towson junior forward Jerrelle Benimon was selected as an honorable-mention All-American by the Associated Press on Tuesday after ranking second in the nation with 20 double doubles. The 6-foot-8 transfer from Georgetown was the fourth-leading scorer in the Colonial Athletic Association with 17.1 points per game, and he reached double figures in 27 of 31 outings. Women's honors: Maryland junior Alyssa Thomas was named to the AP All-America second team, and senior Tianna Hawkins earned honorable mention.

UMBC opens play in the America East this Saturday with a visit to Hartford. The Hawks began the season with three consecutive losses, won three straight and then dropped a 13-11 decision to Massachusetts last Saturday. Despite Hartford's uneven campaign thus far, the Retrievers (3-5) are fully aware of how much improvement the Hawks have made since February. “I see a vastly improved team from the beginning of the year to where they are now,” coach Don Zimmerman said. “If you look at their first three games, I think their offense averaged a little under six goals per game.

The Internet is changing how leaders talk. Leaders from Rome to Beijing and beyond are helping usher in a new era of plain speaking. But American leaders are lagging behind, stuck in old patterns of windy and obfuscatory speech. Around the globe, what's in? Plain words, concision, and speech that is clear on who does what. Consider the Catholic Church's new leader, Pope Francis. In just two weeks, he's made a deep impression with simple robes, plain shoes, and direct speech. On Palm Sunday, in his first major address before a crowd of a quarter-million people, Pope Francis drew on the homespun wisdom of his "nonna" to argue that Christians must resist the temptations of material wealth: "My grandmother used to say to us, 'Children, the burial shroud has no pockets!

UPDATE (March 28): Meaghan McCracken, 1st Mariner Arena's public relations manager, confirmed today that Lil Wayne's "America's Most Wanted" tour will take stop at the arena on July 17. The presale for CITI Card members begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. --------------- Posted March 25: Lil Wayne will bring his "America's Most Wanted" tour to Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena...