Ballman

Lesa Lynn Thamby grew up on Ballman Court in Brooklyn Park, and when the house next door to her childhood home was for sale, she snatched it up. She raised her three children there and operated a small day care business. Yesterday, longtime neighbors, who said Thamby always had a kind word and a smile, were reeling as word spread that the 35-year-old had been fatally stabbed and police had arrested her husband. "She was a very beautiful, very sweet young lady who would do anything for anyone," said Maria Wertz, a neighbor and friend.

It takes a block to raise a neighborhood - or at least that's what Anne Arundel County officials hope it will take in Brooklyn Heights. Last week, officials showed residents of the North County community what they were planning to do with a $400,000 Community Legacy grant from the state. The money will be available to homeowners along one street - Ballman Court - in the form of low-interest loans for home improvements and renovations. The county will expand the program to other streets as it secures more funds.

Is that Santa Claus we see riding up the street? Are you ready for Santa to visit your children?The Arundel Improvement Association is all set to kick off its Santa Claus Program tonight. Since 1948 theassociation has carried on this tradition. Santa will travel throughthe neighborhoods three evenings, Dec. 16-18, beginning at 7.Leave your porch light on if you would like Santa to visit. Santa's schedule for all three evenings is as follows:MONDAY: Sixth Street, Disney and Wasena avenues, Fourth Street, Patrick Henry Drive and Wood Street.

Baker, Rose M. On January 17, 2003, ROSE MELLOR BAKER of Columbia, formerly of Severna Park; beloved wife of the late Francis Dodd Baker; devoted mother of Dolly Smith, Sandie Rizzo, Lynn Wagner and Janice Weil and dear cousin of Bette Inman. Also survived by eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Friends may call at the Barranco & Sons P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home, Ritchie Hwy at Robinson Road on Tuesday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday at 5 P.M. at Woods Memorial Church, Severna Park.

The Anne Arundel Department of Planning and Code Enforcement has granted the owner of a 125-year-old historic Brooklyn Park house a demolition permit to raze the brick structure.Work on demolition of the house at the 10-acre site in the 5600 block of Ballman Ave. is expected to begin in two to four weeks, after a contractor is selected, said Thomas A. Pavlinic, a lawyer for owner Georgia O. Clift.The house has been vacant since 1985, has no running water, heat or electricity, and has extensive water damage from a leaky roof.

POLICE LOG* Brooklyn Park: Burglars stole $1,025 worth of stereo equipment from a home in the 5100 block of Ballman Ave. Friday.* Ferndale: Burglars broke into the Soda Pop Shop in the 7100 block of B&A Blvd. Friday and took several cartons of cigarettes. The value of the property was not known.

The Court of Special Appeals has upheld Anne Arundel County's refusal to rezone the last large undeveloped tract of land in Brooklyn Park to allow townhouses, giving neighborhood opponents of the plan a clear victory."

On April 7, 2003, EDWIN H. KESSLER; beloved husband of the late Amelia F. Kessler; loving father of Margaret A. Ballman. Dear brother of the late Helen Miller and Henry and John Kessler. Friends may call at the HUBBARD FUNERAL HOME, INC, 4107 Wilkens Avenue on Thursday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M., where services will be held on Friday at 10 A.M. at the funeral home. Interment Cedar Hill Cemetery.

On March 28, 2004 MARY (nee Cooper) of South Baltimore, retired and devoted employee of USF&G. Beloved mother of David A. Hamilton and loving grandmother of Benjamin Hamilton, dearest sister of Clara and Wilbur Cooper, Frieda Pfeifer, August B. Cooper, Sarah Beam and Lina Ballman. The family will receive friends at the family owned and operated MCCULLY-POLYNIAK FUNERAL HOME P.A., 130 E. Fort Ave. (South Baltimore) on Tuesday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. where services will be held on Wednesday at 1 P.M. Interment Meadowridge Memorial Park.