Annapolis And Anne

Chamber to host power breakfast The Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce will hold a power breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Buddy's Crabs & Ribs, 100 Main St., Annapolis. The cost is $17 in advance and $22 at the door for members, $35 for others. Information: 410-266-3960; 410-626-1100 for directions only. AACC's Spanish program highlighted Anne Arundel Community College President Martha A. Smith and members of the college's Center for Workforce Solutions will host a reception Wednesday to showcase its Spanish-language and cross-cultural training available to businesses, organizations and government agencies in Washington.

Representatives of several nonprofit groups showed up at an Annapolis city council public hearing last night to rail against a controversial bill that would charge event organizers for city services.Protesters argued that the bill would make it more difficult to stage events and would hurt the city economically rather than help it.Directors and board members of First Night Annapolis, Cultural Arts Foundation of Anne Arundel County, Annapolis and Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce and former Mayor Alfred A. Hopkins -- in a rare appearance at a city council meeting -- were among the more than dozen people who took turns at the podium.

Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce Inc. will hold an after-hours mixer from 5: 30 p.m. to 7: 30 p.m. Thursday, sponsored by St. John's College, 60 College Ave., Annapolis. The event will be held in the Francis Scott Key Auditorium.Cost for members is $15 at the door and $20 for nonmembers. The chamber serves as the business voice for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.Information: 410-757-6709 or 410-268-7676.Businesswomen's group offers $2,000 scholarshipMaryland Capital Chapter of the American Business Women's Association will sponsor a scholarship through the Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund.

Civic activist is chosen to lead orchestra's boardAnna Greenberg, a well-known civic activist and longtime supporter of the arts community, was chosen as president of the board of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra at its annual meeting last month.Greenberg earlier served two terms as board president during a period that saw significant growth in the company's artistic quality and professional management.She was recently honored as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women in recognition of her many years of volunteer service.

JUST THE OTHER evening we were celebrating the passing of the first winter storm when Capt. Bill O'Gara came sailing in on a gust of chilly wind. "What is it about a snowstorm," O'Gara wondered, "that gives people the urge to make French toast?"We wondered if the cold had turned the captain's brains into tutti-frutti. He has been working extra hard to bring the classic Chesapeake Bay buy boat, Half Shell, to Annapolis in the spring. Maybe too hard. This talk of weather and French toast had us concerned.

Representatives of several nonprofit groups showed up at an Annapolis city council public hearing last night to rail against a controversial bill that would charge event organizers for city services.Protesters argued that the bill would make it more difficult to stage events and would hurt the city economically rather than help it.Directors and board members of First Night Annapolis, Cultural Arts Foundation of Anne Arundel County, Annapolis and Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce and former Mayor Alfred A. Hopkins -- in a rare appearance at a city council meeting -- were among the more than dozen people who took turns at the podium.

Public relations group to meet in AnnapolisThe Annapolis-Anne Arundel Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America will meet at 8: 30 a.m. Thursday at the Annapolis Holiday Inn on Riva Road.Louise Hayman, executive director of Maryland 2000, will describe plans for the statewide millennial celebration with some insights about the public relations aspect of the event.Cost is $15 for members and $17 for nonmembers with a buffet breakfast. Information: 410-626-2102.Workshop to be held on starting a businessSCORE Chapter 390 will conduct a one-day workshop on "How to Start and Manage Your Own Business" from 8: 45 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 14, at the lower level of the CONTE building, 116 Defense Highway.

We have many African-American heroes to brag about in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Frederick Douglass, Benjamin Banneker and Thurgood Marshall are the best-known, but the Barge House Museum in Eastport wants to help bring some of our everyday heroes to light.That's why it's invited Philip Merrill to speak at Eastport Elementary School at 7 p.m. Feb. 16. Merrill, a nationally renowned museum consultant and owner of Nanny Jack & Co. in Baltimore, travels with the Antiques Road Show television series on PBS.He describes himself as a "36-year-old African-American collector with as many as 20,000 pieces of Black Americana."

Proof's in the printsBACK IN October 1991, Leanetta Little Blue pulled a no-show for sentencing on a guilty plea to arriving at BWI Airport with 13 pounds of marijuana.Apprehended nearly eight years later, she appeared Friday before Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Clayton R. Greene.Except it wasn't she.Assistant State's Attorney John LeCornu asked officials to pull fingerprint cards for Blue and for the woman standing in the courtroom -- whose lawyer was claiming the wrong person was about be sentenced for possession with intent to distribute drugs.

AT LAST, Annapolis will honor one of its most famous sons in proper fashion. After years of plodding debate over whether to erect a statute at the point where author Alex Haley's ancestor landed in chains at Annapolis, officials have finally agreed on a fitting memorial.The question of whether to do so should never have been so labored.Haley's ancestor, Kunta Kinte, was made famous in his classic novel, "Roots." Kinte got his first bitter taste of America when he arrived in bondage at the Annapolis docks.

Boating safety course Course and test to be held 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. June 16 and 18 cover guidelines of law to operate a boat in Maryland waters. Ages 10 to adult. Cost is $25 per person. Register with the Annapolis Recreation and Parks Department by calling 410-263-7958 or go to annapolis.gov/recreation. Kids' bubble festival Event will be held 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Chesapeake Children's Museum, 25 Silopanna Road in Annapolis. Admission is $3 for ages 1 and older. 410-990-1993.

Belly dancing classes Classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced dancers will be held 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., starting June 10 and continuing each Wednesday through July 29 at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 801 Chase St. in Annapolis. Cost is $145. Call 410-263-5544 or go to marylandhall.org. Family activities Annapolis Recreation and Parks Department offers activities for children and families at the recreation center, 9 St. Mary's St. "Eight Ways to Protect the Bay": Learn about some of the Chesapeake Bay's biggest pollution problems and ways to be part of the solution.

Glen Burnie Bancorp declares share dividend Glen Burnie Bancorp's Board of Directors has declared a regular dividend of 10 cents per share of common stock. The dividend is payable on Oct. 6 to shareholders of record at the close of business Friday. . Arundel Federal Savings donates $15K to AACC Arundel Federal Savings Bank donated $15,000 from its third annual charity golf tournament at Compass Pointe Golf Course in Pasadena to the Anne Arundel Community College Foundation. The Anne Arundel Community College Foundation's mission is to secure and steward private funds to enhance the educational endeavors of the college.

Former state senator and county executive Robert R. Neall will lead a panel that will offer recommendations on a sweeping set of impact-fee increases proposed by County Executive John R. Leopold. The Anne Arundel County Council has also named the eight other members of the advisory committee, which represents business, environmental and community interests, and has been asked to produce a preliminary report for the March 17 council meeting and submit a final document by April 21. The council voted last month to put a hold on the impact-fee bill until April 21 to review a report by county consultant James C. Nicholas, whose findings served as the basis for the proposed increases in the fee. The bill expires at the end of April.

The Maryland Capital Chapter of American Business Women's Association will hold its monthly membership meeting from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Sheraton Barcelo, 173 Jennifer Road, Annapolis. Featured speaker Adam Santavicca will talk about how small businesses can succeed in today's economy, and Dana Delikat will share a presentation on ways to improve Valentine's Day. The cost is $35 for members; $45 at the door and for nonmembers. Information: 443-463-5913. Chamber to discuss new Maryland laws The North Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce will offer a seminar on Maryland laws that went into effect Jan. 1. The educational brown bag lunch seminar, "Data Protection and Identity Theft: Action Steps for Maryland Businesses," will cover state and federal data protection laws, sanctions if businesses fail to comply, identity theft risks and steps that businesses can take to protect data.

Nike has the swoosh, Target has the bull's-eye, and soon Anne Arundel County government will have a you-know-you-want-to-work-here logo of its own. At least that's the aim of a design contest that the county has launched to find an image that brands the county government as an attractive career option. County Executive John R. Leopold, who more than 30 years ago dabbled in abstract expressionist oil painting, said the effort will also be an opportunity for an artist to "participate in an artistic adventure."

Former Maryland basketball forward LaRon Cephas died yesterday, according to a school spokesman and a news release from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, where Cephas worked. Cephas, 29, collapsed while getting ready to go to work, according to his high school coach, Stan Waterman. Ed Kelley, who worked with Cephas at the clubs, said employees who went to Anne Arundel Medical Center yesterday morning were told Cephas died of a seizure. "He's going to be a serious loss as an individual as well as a quality employee," Kelley said.

Leadership group plans breakfast Leadership Anne Arundel, which provides training, information and networking opportunities aimed at developing community leaders, will hold a free information breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesday in Rooms 114 and 115 of the Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute, Anne Arundel Community College, Glen Burnie Town Center, 7438 Ritchie Highway. Del. Pamela G. Beidle, a Linthicum Democrat who is a graduate of the program, will speak. Information: www.leadershipaa.

As the county grapples with the traffic, housing and schooling challenges accompanying the expansion of Fort Meade, more than a dozen state and local organizations will meet this week in hopes of making sure that small businesses don't get left behind. Thursday's summit, organized by the county's economic development agency, aims to improve opportunities for small and minority business owners around Fort Meade, which through the base realignment and closure process, also known as BRAC, will add 12,000 jobs by 2011.

Signature Breakfast to feature Mikulski Booz Allen Hamilton will sponsor the BWI Business Partnership's Signature Breakfast at 7:45 a.m. Tuesday at Four Points by Sheraton, 7032 Elm Road, Linthicum. U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski will be the keynote speaker. The breakfast meeting is free for members and $40 for others. Reservations are required. Information: 410-859-1000. Chambers to host after-hours mixer The Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly after-hours mixer in conjunction with the Greater Severna Park Chamber of Commerce from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Big Vanilla, 540 Ritchie Highway.