Americans

Eleven local girls lacrosse players, including three from No. 1 McDonogh, are among 45 girls selected as Under Armour All Americans to play in the seventh annual Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic June 30 at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium. Last season's All-Metro Player of the Year Taylor Cummings along with Corinne Etchison and Liz Bannantine, from McDonogh's IAAM A Conference championship team, will play for the South along with John Carroll's Erica Bodt, St. Paul's twins Brooke and Kelly Boyd, Maryvale's Sam Darcangelo, Century's Alice Mercer, St. Mary's Megan Ward, Bryn Mawr's Molly Wolf and Marriotts Ridge's Anne Zabel.

Tanger Outlets is celebrating its grand re-opening after renovations with today's Summer Savings Bash. The daylong event at the former Ocean City Factory Outlets includes a concert at 7:30 p.m. featuring Kris Allen, the winner of American Idol's 8th season, along with games, face-painting, rock-climbing, prizes and special savings for shoppers. Fireworks will top off the evening. Go to http://www.tangeroutlet.com/oceancity/events for more info.

Passing health reform is a historic victory for all Americans -- for families, seniors, young people, workers, and small businesses alike. All Americans will now have the security of knowing that they don't risk losing the American dream if they get sick or are in an accident. It guarantees all Americans affordable health insurance options, extending coverage to 32 million who are currently uninsured. Thank you to all who voted for this legislation. Wilton Taylor, Baltimore

Loyola sophomore goalie Jack Runkel has been a pleasant surprise this season, starting 14 of 16 games. He is 14-1 and has a goals-against average of 7.75 and a .536 save percentage. But on a team which has the best starting talent of the four semifinalists, how Runkel will hold up this weekend is the major question for the No. 1 seed Greyhounds, who will play No. 4 seed Notre Dame in a semifinal game on Saturday. Fortunately, Runkel has Charley Toomey as a head coach, a former All-American goalie at Loyola.

WASHINGTON - A million and a half more Americans volunteered during the span of a year ending in September 2009, a period marked by job losses and a faltering economy. About 63.4 million people ages 16 and older volunteered at least once between September 2008 and September 2009, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's about a 1.6 million increase compared with the 61.8 million people who helped their communities in 2008, but not as many as the 65.4 million who lent a hand in 2005.

Regarding the article crowing about the increase of Chinese students at Maryland Institute College of Art ("MICA enjoys an Eastern influx" May 25): Does this mean that MICA allowed in all talented and eligible American students and there were many spots left over? That in a country of 300-plus million there weren't enough Americans interested in a prestigious art institute? And no deserving citizen was turned away? Of course, it's probably like those hundreds of unwanted slots that will go to illegal immigrants under Maryland's Dream Act. Apparently college admission isn't competitive anymore and our own people have no problem getting a spot where they deserve.

Marriage is a choice that two people make, and the legal system shouldn't be a third party to the decision. Making same-sex marriage illegal is akin to criminalizing a black person's marriage to a white person or an American's right to marry a Mexican. The law has no business in the personal choice of who to marry. An American should have the right to marry the person of their choice. I am disgusted by the self-righteous, pious church-going Americans who want to "protect the sanctity of marriage" by forbidding gay people the right to marry.

I would like to know if anyone still darns socks. Please call and leave your name and number at 410-332-6166. It's for a study I've launched — how many Americans darn socks in the 21st Century. Please specify if you've always been a darner or if you've taken up the craft since the Great Recession. That's important to the study. Of course, if you're of a certain age, you don't even know what I'm talking about. In downloading the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," you might have heard reference to Father McKenzie "darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there.

In all of the sadly predictable hype, excuses, and speculation which followed last week's election, one reality mostly got left out of the mix. That being that the American people are very nervous. Beyond scared in fact. So scared that they were willing to take a flyer on some unknown, untested, and inexperienced candidates. Of course, some would argue — myself included — that such a strategy gave them a president clearly over his head and flailing for help. Regardless, panic, a growing sense of doom and false hope make some desperate to gamble on the unknown.

WASHINGTON - Americans are recovering their shrunken wealth - gradually. Household net worth rose last quarter, mainly because the healing economy boosted stock portfolios. But the gain was slight and was less than in the previous two quarters. The Federal Reserve said Thursday that net worth rose 1.3 percent in the fourth quarter to $54.2 trillion. It marked the third straight quarter of gains. Even with that increase, Americans' net worth would have to rise an additional 21 percent to get back to its pre-recession peak of $65.9 trillion.

Mike Sawyer would take the high road and never lower himself to criticize an individual achievement, but I think the Loyola junior attackman was snubbed in the voting for the Division I All-American first team. Colgate junior Peter Baum and Virginia senior Steele Stanwick were locks for the first team. It's the third spot occupied by Massachusetts junior Will Manny that is disputable. Statistically, Manny is the better all-around player, ranking third in the nation in points per game (4.8)

Retired Lt. Cmdr. Wesley A. Brown, who broke the color barrier at the Naval Academy and was its first African-American graduate in 1949, died Tuesday of cancer at Springhouse of Silver Spring Assisted Living. He was 85. "It's important for America to remember Wesley A. Brown. He was a pioneer like Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson," said Navy historian Robert J. Schneller Jr., who wrote about Commander Brown's years at the Naval Academy in his book "Breaking the Color Barrier: The U.S. Naval Academy's First Black Midshipmen and the Struggle for Racial Equality.

ESPN analyst Paul Carcaterra was the sideline reporter for unseeded Maryland's 11-5 stunner against No. 2 seed Johns Hopkins on Saturday. On Monday, he offered what he liked and what he didn't like in the Terps' victory in the NCAA tournament's quarterfinal round. Wednesday feature Carcaterra's assessment of No. 1 seed Loyola's 10-9 decision against unseeded Denver, but here is what he thought of Maryland's win. What Carcaterra liked: “I liked the way that they really initiated the offense from the midfield - not only from up top, but also from behind.

Former Navy coach Richie Meade is expected to be named the first men's lacrosse coach at Furman, Inside Lacrosse reported Tuesday. Meade and an official in Furman's athletic department declined to comment when reached; however, the Furman athletic department has confirmed that it has planned a news conference for Saturday in Boston to name its first head coach. Inside Lacrosse reported on April 20 that Meade led a list of candidates that the newly formed South Carolina Division I men's program was considering, and sources have told Inside Lacrosse that Meade visited campus last week and has been in negotiations with the university.

Salisbury will meet SUNY-Cortland in Sunday's NCAA tournament final with an unblemished 22-0 record, a 29-game winning streak and a history that includes capturing nine national championships including last year's crown. Perhaps as a reward for their season, the Sea Gulls led all Division III programs by placing seven players on the All-American first team as published by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association ( via Inside Lacrosse). Senior Matt Cannone, who leads the country in assists (64)

As part of ESPN's coverage of the NCAA tournament's quarterfinal round this past weekend, Paul Carcaterra was the sideline reporter for all four contests. The former Syracuse All-American midfielder, who can be followed on Twitter via @paulcarcaterra, provided his thoughts on the most stunning result in the quarterfinals, the hottest team in the Final Four and the race for the Tewaaraton Award. Which was more exciting: the first round or the quarterfinal round? I thought both rounds wre entertaining and provided fans with different styles in lacrosse.

I agree with the decision that President Obama made to extend health coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans. First of all, this is a good thing for everyone in the U.S.A. no matter who you are. Second of all, this bill will help a lot of poor people in the who are unable to pay for health insurance but need it. Finally, I think President Obama and everyone who voted for this bill made the right decision for the first time in recent years to really help out ordinary Americans. This is a great thing happening to us, and we all will benefit in the long run!

Dan Rodricks ' recent column ("Immigrants: We detest them — and need them," June 30) unjustly slams legal immigrants and American citizens. By his column comments, it appears Mr. Rodricks does not understand there are drastic differences between Americans' attitude about legal as opposed to illegal immigration. American citizens appreciate the hard work that legal immigrants do in our country in all occupations especially those in the agricultural industry. What is not appreciated are citizens from other countries who illegally cross our borders (many with drugs tied to their back)

Parkton American Legion Post 256 received 129 essays from students at Prettyboy, Fifth District and Our Lady of Grace schools for its annual Americanism essay contest. This year's title was "How Can I Show My Patriotism in My Community" Jonathan Marker, a fifth-grader at Fifth District and Joshua Beach, in eighth grade at Our Lady of Grace, were honored at a banquet on May 3 in Baltimore for their third-place finishes in their grade levels in competition against 18 legion posts in the northern central district.