Arundel County

Gov. Martin O'Malley told members of the state's horse-racing and breeding industry Thursday that Anne Arundel County's indecision on rezoning land adjacent to Arundel Mills mall was delaying the process of getting what is the largest proposed slots parlor under way. Speaking to a group of 250 during the Maryland Horse Forum at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, O'Malley said the entire slots initiative, which includes four other locations, "is...

Meade to get funds for road access Fort Meade will receive $3 million in federal funding to improve access to it and relieve area traffic congestion arising from the base closings and realignment program, Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski announced. The money is part of the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act that provides $22 million to four Maryland transportation projects related to impacted communities. The 2009 bill also provides for Army Corps of Engineers projects for two county water-related ventures: $483,000 for maintenance dredging of Herring Bay and Rockhold Creek serving commercial fishermen seafood operations in Deal; and $1.1 million to complete engineering and design for maintenance dredging for Parrish Creek, which serves area marinas.

Homeowners can qualify for rehab assistance An informational meeting on programs offering financial assistance to qualifying homeowners whose house needs rehabilitation or repairs will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Pascal Senior Activity Center, 125 Dorsey Road, Glen Burnie. Leanne Garabedian and Carson Arnold from Arundel Community Development Services will provide information about the property rehabilitation program services available through ACDS, a private nonprofit organization that administers federal, state and local housing and community development funds, as well as affordable housing initiatives.

Anne Arundel County police thwarted an attempt early yesterday to burn down a closed Pasadena movie theater that they say was led by two former employees. Nine people have been charged. About 12:30 a.m., a caller reported seeing people tampering with the doors of Jumpers Cinema in the 8000 block of Jumpers Hole Road. When officers arrived, they smelled smoke and gasoline and saw a small blaze in the theater, which they quickly extinguished, police said. Police arrested five people who were walking away from the movie theater, including one carrying a gasoline container.

As a Feb. 2 bid deadline for five Maryland slots licenses nears, developers interested in building a downtown Baltimore casino are indicating that the city's expectations of a financial windfall from a gambling project may be unrealistic. City officials have said they expect all companies interested in erecting a casino on city-owned land south of the Inner Harbor to pay at least $36 million in annual lease payments - on top of a 67 percent state tax on gambling proceeds. "It's a huge problem," said Kenneth R. Banks, a Baltimore developer who has teamed up with Hard Rock International Inc. to make a play for either a Baltimore or Anne Arundel County license.

Student candidates for county school board A record nine county high school juniors are vying to be the 2009-2010 student member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education. The candidates are: Chris Casey, Chesapeake High; Amber Ciemniewski, Kenneth Hickey, Arundel High; April Condon, Antonette Igbenoba, Maya McAllister, Meade High; Sara Fisher, Old Mill High; Maya Mundell, Northeast High; Alena Sanders, Southern High. The student member is elected by the Chesapeake Regional Association of Student Councils and appointed by the governor for a one-year term, and is the only student in the nation on a local school board with full voting rights.

Despite adamant opposition from local homeowners who say that a newly proposed slots parlor at Arundel Mills would attract crime, traffic and some unsavory company, elected county officials say they will work with community members to figure out the best way to pass slots zoning legislation. Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold said that although he is against expanding gambling, Marylanders voted for the referendum last fall, and he will work to draft legislation that accommodates the surrounding communities, should the state approve either or both of the proposed sites.

The year 2018 might seem a long way out, but Anne Arundel County residents appear to have clear visions of what life will be like then, according to survey conducted recently by Anne Arundel Community College's Institute for the Future. People are worried. Residents predict that energy costs will continue to rise, more population will lead to increased traffic congestion, and illegal immigration and crime will go up. And the economy won't recover significantly in 10 years, either. These were the major findings when AACC surveyed 312 county residents over the age of 18 about their expectations for 2018.

Some Anne Arundel County officials are calling for police to provide more information on their response to a report last month of possible sexual activity in a car that turned out to be County Executive John R. Leopold's government-issued vehicle. The request came the day after Anne Arundel County Councilman C. Edward Middlebrooks asked that Col. James Teare Sr., the Anne Arundel police chief, speak to the council at its next meeting about how officers are expected to respond to reports of suspicious activity in mall parking lots.

Man who scalded boy, 3, is convicted of child abuse An Annapolis man, 25, was convicted yesterday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court of first- and second-degree child abuse for placing his 3-year-old stepson in a tub of scalding hot water after the child wet his pants. The boy spent nearly a year undergoing treatments for burns that covered about 45 percent of his body. Clarence Bennett was also found guilty of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment, but he was acquitted of first-degree assault.

Preliminary design plans were revealed last week for a complex of mixed-use buildings that could be up to 10 stories high on a 64-acre property wedged between U.S. 1 and the Laurel Park racetrack in southern Howard County. The plans for the North Laurel parcel were presented at a public information meeting Wednesday by Jeff Hayes, development manager at Walter Lynch AIA, a Washington-based consulting firm. The property owners intend to submit a site plan to the county by year's end that tentatively calls for 775 residential units and 650,000 square feet of office space to be built above 120,000 square feet of first-floor retail shops, Hayes told an audience of 20 people.

Preliminary design plans were revealed last week for a complex of mixed-use buildings that could be up to 10 stories high on a 64-acre property wedged between U.S. 1 and the Laurel Park racetrack in southern Howard County. The plans for the North Laurel parcel were presented at a public information meeting Wednesday by Jeff Hayes, development manager at Walter Lynch AIA, a Washington-based consulting firm. The property owners intend to submit a site plan to the county by year's end that tentatively calls for 775 residential units and 650,000 square feet of office space to be built above 120,000 square feet of first-floor retail shops, Hayes told an audience of 20 people.

Seven women were honored this month for their contributions to racial justice, equal opportunity and community service during the 14th annual Fannie Lou Hamer Awards Reception at St. John's College. This year's honorees are U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski; Vanessa Bass, senior manager of recruitment and staffing for Anne Arundel public schools and vice president of the Anne Arundel County Alliance of Black Educators; Jan Chapman, founder, owner and CEO of an investment advisory firm; Victoria Bruce, an author and filmmaker with a background in science whose second book, "Hostage Nation," will be published next year; Karin Hayes, a writer, director and producer who co-wrote "Hostage Nation" with Bruce; Caldonia Johnson, a volunteer who works with the Anne Arundel County Red Cross, Lincoln Heights Community Association and Foster Grandparent program; and Alice Wright, a registered nurse who retired in 1997 after a 43-year career.

They worked at a Walmart in Laurel, Bibi Karpaiya in customer service and Mary Hummel in the garden section, often walking across busy Route 198 together to reach the store. As they crossed on Feb. 12, a car struck them, killing Karpaiya. On Friday, the driver, Patricia Ann Rowland, 48, was convicted of reckless driving, a traffic violation, saying that the sun's glare was so strong that she did not see that the traffic light on Route 198 at Russett Green East had turned red. The Anne Arundel County jury found her not guilty of the criminal charge of automobile manslaughter, in a case that is reigniting calls for legislation to address what prosecutors say is a gap in the law. "If you are negligent and somebody dies, there should be possible jail time," said Anne Arundel County Deputy State's Attorney William Roessler, who prosecuted the case against Rowland.

Anne Arundel police officer is injured after traffic stop An Anne Arundel County police officer suffered minor injuries after being involved in a shooting Saturday evening in Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County police reported. Police said the officer had observed a traffic violation in Anne Arundel County while patrolling in the area of Route 4 about 6 p.m. The officer tried to stop the vehicle, which traveled a short distance and halted just over the Prince George's County line, police said.

Bone marrow donor drive The Zoe Quinn Francis Fund along with Be the Match Registry and the Big Vanilla Athletic Club is sponsoring a bone marrow drive from 11 am. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the upstairs community room at the club, 26 Magothy Beach Blvd., Pasadena. Participants should be between ages 18 and 60 and be in good health. A cheek swab will be taken. Go to bethematch.org for more information. To join online through Oct. 31, go to: join.marrow.org/ND119. FluMist vaccine for students Free FluMist vaccine will be offered to all Anne Arundel County public school students through a partnership with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Monday through Oct. 15. Administered to healthy children between the ages of 5 and 11, the nasal spray vaccine contains the live but attenuated flu virus.

Randallstown man, 55, found fatally stabbed inside home A 55-year-old Randallstown man was found stabbed to death in his home Wednesday afternoon, according to Baltimore County police. Another resident of the house in the 9500 block of Liberty Road discovered Rodney Lewis' body in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor, police said. Homicide detectives have yet to determine a motive, but police said Lewis' 1998 silver Lincoln Navigator was stolen. Baltimore police found the sport utility vehicle Thursday morning in the city, according to county police.

Despite a decrease in poverty among city children, nearly one in five Baltimore residents were living below federal poverty levels in 2008, according to Census Bureau data released Tuesday. Census Bureau data showed that 19 percent of Baltimore's population lived in poverty last year, putting Maryland's most populous city well above the national rate of 13 percent. The city data are in line with figures from 2007, but a 3 percent decrease in the number of city children living in poverty last year left local analysts searching for answers to what they call a statistical anomaly amid a sagging economy and the rise of unemployment in the area.

FluMist vaccine for students Free FluMist vaccine will be offered to all Anne Arundel County public school students through a partnership with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Oct. 5-15. Administered to healthy children between the ages of 5 and 11, the nasal spray vaccine contains the live but attenuated flu virus. Students must provide a written parental consent form. Permission forms must be returned to the school no later than Sept. 25. Forms can be found on the schools Web site at aacps.

Attempted kidnapping reported by Jessup mother A woman told Anne Arundel County police that while she was waiting in her car Tuesday for the arrival of a school bus in Jessup, another woman picked up her 4-year-old son and tried to abduct him. Police said the youngster had been playing outside the car shortly before 12:30 p.m. in the 7800 block of Clark Road. A woman whom the boy did not know picked him up and began to walk away with him, according to police. The boy insisted on being put down, and the woman complied, police said.