Austin

Dunbar junior running back Tavon Austin continued his march toward the state career touchdowns record during the Poets' rout of Forestville in the Class 1A South semifinals Saturday. Austin, who rushed for 249 yards and four touchdowns in No. 2 Dunbar's 66-29 win over the Prince George's County school, has 33 touchdowns this season and 86 for his career, one shy of the state record held by Old Mill's Ryan Callahan (2003-05). "His performance ... was remarkable," Dunbar coach Lawrence Smith said of Austin's play against Forestville.

On October 8, 2007 VERA D. AUSTIN (nee Carr) of Forest Hill, MD, formerly of Dundalk; beloved wife of the late Thomas C. Austin; devoted mother of Robert W. Austin, Carolyn D. Chester and the late Thomas C. Austin, Jr.; loving sister of Walter Carr, Jesse Carr, and Dorothy Roberts. Also survived by five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Services will be held at the family owned McComas Funeral Home, P.A., Abingdon, MD on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 2 p.m. Interment will be in Oak Lawn Cemetery, Baltimore, MD. Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday from 12-2 p.m. prior to the service.

When you think cyber-savvy cities, the wired streets of San Francisco no doubt leap to mind. Or perhaps San Jose, the birthplace of Silicon Valley.But don't forget Baltimore.That's right -- we have seen the geeks and they are us. A new survey of the nation's metropolitan areas named Baltimore the 20th most plugged-in city in the country as it surged ahead of larger cities such as Philadelphia, Houston and Los Angeles. The survey appears in the March issue of Yahoo! Internet Life, which hit newsstands last week.

Maj. James Melvin Austin will work his last shift for the Westminster Police Department in 12 days and mosey into retirement, never having missed a day in 30 years.In case anyone is counting, the 61-year-old officer hasn't missed a day of work or school since 1947, when he was 10 years old. He drove a bread delivery truck for 12 years before joining the police force in 1969.He also worked on a milk truck before before going to classes at the former Taneytown High School. He graduated in 1957.

It would seem to be a crushing weight for a toddler to bear.At almost 2 years old, Austin Brittain has endured more than most adults. He was diagnosed with Down syndrome when he was born. Three days later, doctors discovered a bowel disorder that left Austin's tiny body arched with pain and saddled with a colostomy bag. Shortly afterward, the Brittains were told he might have leukemia.Now Austin is facing his most difficult challenge -- a possible bone marrow transplant from his 4-year-old brother, who has been identified as a donor.

Kim Brittain has cried plenty over the past few months, but yesterday she wept tears of joy.That's because doctors have scheduled a bone marrow transplant for her 2-year-old son, Austin, after neighbors and strangers rallied to raise $56,000 to pay for the operation. Brittain tearfully thanked everyone who sent money, cards and letters."The response was overwhelming, more than we thought," Brittain said yesterday from her Norrisville home in Harford County. "I just want to let everyone know that Austin is doing well, that he is strong, and that we are so grateful."

AUSTIN, Texas -- A figure in the mysterious disappearance of atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair was ordered held without bond yesterday after being arrested the day before on federal weapons charges.David R. Waters, 52, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Stephen Capelle after federal agents raided his Austin apartment and confiscated more than 100 rounds of ammunition."Federal firearms charges are being filed against Mr. Waters based on ammunition seized at his residence," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerald Carruth in Austin.

Empty seats. Fewer television appearances. Unknown players.The Florida Marlins? No, the Chicago Bulls.Just like the Marlins after they won the World Series, the Bulls have been dismantled. But unlike the Marlins -- who were basically a one-year wonder -- the Bulls have been the dominant team in the NBA with six championships this decade. Watching a Chicago team that will have sunk to the level of, say, the Toronto Raptors, will be tough to stomach."They're obviously planning to bottom out and rebuild," said guard Steve Kerr, who signed with the San Antonio Spurs.

LAST WEEK'S COLUMN discussed why smart growth, a worthy concept of focusing new development away from sprawl and toward existing communities, has a long way to go in Maryland.But I also said smart growth would become the norm, whether Maryland led or followed. My optimism sprang from a recent four-day national conference of smart growth interests in Austin, Texas.Its strength lay precisely in the fact that it wasn't mainly enviros convening to rehash how sprawl is harmful economically, socially and environmentally.

HOLLYWOOD -- Silence. It's what made Hollywood. But these days, it's all but disappeared from the town it helped build.For six years, Lawrence Austin operated the Silent Movie theater, probably the last motion-picture house in the nation devoted exclusively to silent films. Local film fans loved it, and tourists who wanted a taste of Hollywood history had to look no further than the unassuming stucco structure on Fairfax Avenue. It was as though the calendar had stopped in 1927, "The Jazz Singer" had never been released and Mary Pickford was still America's sweetheart.

On September 6, 2009, BRODERICK AUSTIN; devoted son of Pearl Burlark. Visitation at THE DERRICK C. JONES FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 4611 Park Heights Avenue, on Monday, September 14th 2 to 7 PM. Family will receive friends on Tuesday September 15th at 10:30 AM with funeral service to follow at 11.

Reaching their maximum athletic potential with hard work, dedication and gifted skills, Dunbar senior running back Tavon Austin and St. Paul's senior volleyball standout Bailey Webster set themselves apart in their respective sports throughout their prolific high school careers. Austin and Webster were rewarded for that excellence Tuesday by being named The Baltimore Sun's boys and girls Athletes of the Year at the 43rd annual high school awards luncheon at the newspaper's headquarters.

Tavon Austin, the record-setting football player who led Dunbar to three straight state championships, has committed orally to play for West Virginia. "It felt like I was home. It just felt good to be there," Austin said of his recruiting trip. "I thought it was a real good situation for me. I can be a running back there, or I can also play in the slot. "Most of the running backs at West Virginia are small, fast, shifty, and that played a big part in my decision. It's where Steve Slaton [now of the Houston Texans, who has a similar running style]

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR MATT HEACOCK Loyola On a team that allowed just 6.9 points a game and set a school record for wins (11-0), Heacock was not only the leader on the field but also off it. "He is obviously Loyola's inspirational leader," Mount St. Joseph coach Chip Armstrong said of the linebacker, a three-year starter. As Loyola faced the challenge of dealing with the death of kicker Dennis Woolford in a car accident the morning of Sept. 26 and playing that afternoon against Archbishop Curley, Heacock stepped before his teammates and delivered an uplifting speech.

Tavon Austin, the highly recruited Dunbar running back, said he would not make his final college selection until the official signing day in February. But he did say he has a current favorite. "West Virginia," he said. "You know how you just go somewhere and get a good feeling about someone? That's what it was like for me there. It was a warm place. I really liked the coaches and the players. It was so good. It reminded me a lot of Dunbar." Austin said he will take all of his allowed visits in an effort "to figure out which coach and team is best for me."

Tavon Austin looked up at the scoreboard. It would be the last play of his Dunbar football career, a career that had mesmerized observers of the high school sports scene for four years. His team was losing by a point in the Class 1A state title game to Fort Hill, and somehow, someway, the Poets needed to make this last-ditch two-point conversion with two seconds left. "Tavon told me: 'Give me the ball. Give me the ball,' " said Dunbar quarterback Jonathan Perry, who held the team together and led the 89-yard drive to the touchdown that set the stage for this one play.

Tavon Austin, Dunbar's star running back, has set the state all-time record for rushing yards with 6,002 and counting. Five games into his senior season, Austin passed Ben Tate of Snow Hill, who gained a record 5,920 yards from 2003 to 2005. Austin carried 19 times Friday night for 125 yards in a 30-18 victory over City to set the mark. "He's excited," offensive coordinator Travis Blackston said, "but not nearly as excited as his offensive line. Tavon is a humble player." The offensive line that has opened so many holes for Austin is made up of Joshua Melton, Antonio Brown, Michael Mayo, Devin Clark and Anthony Walters.

Anyone with a doubt about who drives the offense of No. 3 Dunbar need only take a glance at the team's official roster. Name: Tavon Austin. Position: Athlete. Lining up as a running back, wide receiver and kickoff and punt returner, the elusive and highly recruited senior juked and stutter-stepped his way to a pair of first-half touchdowns as the Poets built a commanding lead against upset-minded City before holding on for a 30-18 win in front of an estimated crowd of 2,000 at Poly. "Tavon's a phenomenal athlete.

When No. 3 Dunbar took the field last night against No. 15 Poly, it had just one thing in mind: to take another step toward removing a stigma the players believe they acquired in their season opener. Last night, Dunbar used a tremendous first half in which it shredded Poly's defense like so much confetti and won, 42-8. Dunbar quarterback Jonathan Perry was 8-for-8 in the first two quarters for 183 yards and one touchdown. "After that first game," said Dunbar coach Lawrence Smith, referring to the Poets' 33-32 loss to Gwynn Park, "everyone felt we didn't have it anymore and things like that.

LEON RHODES AUSTIN, 74 James Brown's hair stylist Leon Rhodes Austin, a musician and associate of James Brown who once styled the singer's famous hair, died Thursday at his home in Atlanta, according to C.A. Reid Memorial Funeral Home. A cause of death was not given. Mr. Austin maintained the hair of the "Godfather of Soul" off and on before stage and media appearances for 20 years. Mr. Brown died in Atlanta on Christmas Day 2006. Mr. Austin, a professional stylist, also owned Leon's DeSoto Club in Augusta DANNY DAVIS, 83 Band leader Danny Davis, a Grammy-winning band leader and record producer who blended swing music with a country style, died Thursday at a hospital in Nashville, Tenn.