Baltimore City College

Baltimore City College is celebrating another historic title this week, as national champions of the prestigious National Association for Urban Debate League Championship, held in Washington, D.C. last week. The school's team won the title after engaging in a heated debate about whether the U.S. federal government should substantially increase its transportation infrastructure investment in the country, according to a release from the school. The school's debate team--students Sophie Bauerschmidt Sweeney and Dikshant Malla successfully--took on the affirmative, using the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina, to seal its victory against Chicago's Whitney Young High School in a 2-1 decision.

A Northwest Baltimore woman was nominated to the city's police civilian review board on Monday night, the first move in filling as much as eight positions on the beleaguered nine-member board.  The nomination of Sunny Luisa Cooper for the unpaid position represents the second time Cooper's name has been submitted to the board, which investigates citizen complaints of abusive language and excessive force by police. She was originally put forward along with two others by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in 2011, and confirmed by the council, but the swearing-in never took place.

Three Maryland men were convicted in U.S. District Court yesterday of trafficking hundreds of kilograms of cocaine across the country through private package-delivery companies for distribution in Baltimore. A jury delivered guilty verdicts for Bernard Christian, 34, of Pikesville, Kenneth Mitchell, 30, of Edgewood, and Ralph K. Williams Jr., 30, of Baltimore, accepting prosecutors' contentions that the men were part of a multimillion-dollar conspiracy to transport drugs from Los Angeles to Baltimore using Federal Express and United Parcel Service packages.

Baltimore teens Rickya'h Brooks and Marquise Robinson never really feel welcome at the Inner Harbor. They say police cast a judgmental eye on all kids who go there, especially African-Americans. And they're frustrated that the waterfront mall provides little entertainment for young people and restricts their access to shopping. They and a dozen other inner-city youths have been working for the past year on a proposal to change all that. Wednesday night, they gathered at West Shore Park to begin presenting the ideas of their Inner Harbor Project - recommendations to encourage a dialogue between youth and businesses, establish goodwill with police and limit youth-on-youth violence.

Baltimore teens Rickya'h Brooks and Marquise Robinson never really feel welcome at the Inner Harbor. They say police cast a judgmental eye on all kids who go there, especially African-Americans. And they're frustrated that the waterfront mall provides little entertainment for young people and restricts their access to shopping. They and a dozen other inner-city youths have been working for the past year on a proposal to change all that. Wednesday night, they gathered at West Shore Park to begin presenting the ideas of their Inner Harbor Project - recommendations to encourage a dialogue between youth and businesses, establish goodwill with police and limit youth-on-youth violence.

A Northwest Baltimore woman was nominated to the city's police civilian review board on Monday night, the first move in filling as much as eight positions on the beleaguered nine-member board.  The nomination of Sunny Luisa Cooper for the unpaid position represents the second time Cooper's name has been submitted to the board, which investigates citizen complaints of abusive language and excessive force by police. She was originally put forward along with two others by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in 2011, and confirmed by the council, but the swearing-in never took place.

Photo captions for the arts education article on Pages 1E and 4E of yesterday's Today section were inadvertently reversed. The Page 1E photo features Baltimore Del. James W. Campbell and student Corey Schreier at Baltimore City College. The Page 4E photo is of student Henry Odom and NEA Chairwoman Jane Alexander.The Sun regrets the errors.Pub Date: 10/31/96

Baltimore Lady of Guadalupe Mass planned today The Archdiocese of Baltimore's annual Mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe will take place at 3 p.m. today at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, 5200 North Charles St. Cardinal William H. Keeler will preside, and Auxiliary Bishop Felipe de Jesus Estevez of Miami will be principal celebrant and homilist. Auxiliary Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, the Baltimore archdiocese's vicar for Hispanics, will concelebrate the Mass. The program will begin at 2 p.m. with music, recitation of the rosary and a dramatization by young adults.

Norman Needle, 71, owner of real estate appraisal firmNorman J. Needle, a real estate appraiser and owner of Empire Realty & Appraisal Services, died Tuesday of cerebral amyloid angiopathy at Sinai Hospital. He was 71 and lived in Pikesville.Mr. Needle, who was semiretired at his death, had been president and owner of the residential real estate appraisal firm for 30 years.Mr. Needle began his appraisal career with Calvert Savings & Loan Association, which merged with Yorkridge Calvert Savings & Loan Association.

HERO AIDSWalk Lace up your walking shoes for "HERO AIDSWalk Maryland 2001" at Baltimore City College Sunday. This year's three-mile walk travels east on 33rd Street from the school, loops around Lake Montebello and leads back to the school. Registration begins at 7 a.m., followed by a warm-up at 8:45 a.m. and an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. The walk starts at 9:30 a.m. Post-walk activities get under way at 11 a.m., with live music, free food and giveaways. Walkers who raise $150 or more receive a free T-shirt.

Benjamin Lipsitz, whose commitment to the spirit and letter of the law led him to defend a would-be assassin, a Nazi sympathizer and a craven murderer during a career that spanned more than a half-century, died May 10. He was 94. "He was so fundamentally devoted to justice. He was Atticus Finch all over again," said retired Baltimore County Circuit Judge John Fader II. "To me, he was what lawyering and what representation are all about. " Lipsitz was chosen to defend Arthur Bremer, accused of shooting Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace and three others, including a Secret Service agent, at a Laurel shopping center in 1972.

Baltimore City school officials say the nearly $1.2 billion budget the system unveiled last week will fund a raft of new academic endeavors, among them a new team to upgrade instruction in the sciences to meet the higher standards of the new national "core" curriculum and additional programs for academically gifted students. This is all to the good if it helps the city attract and retain more young families with children for whom strong public schools are often the most important factor in choosing where to live.

Baltimore City College is celebrating another historic title this week, as national champions of the prestigious National Association for Urban Debate League Championship, held in Washington, D.C. last week. The school's team won the title after engaging in a heated debate about whether the U.S. federal government should substantially increase its transportation infrastructure investment in the country, according to a release from the school. The school's debate team--students Sophie Bauerschmidt Sweeney and Dikshant Malla successfully--took on the affirmative, using the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina, to seal its victory against Chicago's Whitney Young High School in a 2-1 decision.

For the 72 nd year, the area's most deserving unheralded football and girls basketball players will be honored at the McCormick Unsung Heroes Award Banquet Monday night at the Hunt Valley Inn. One male and one female will receive the 2012 Charles Perry McCormick Scholarships, which are valued at $36,000 over four years of college. The athletes - 112 seniors - come from 68 schools in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland.

Rep. Elijah Cummings wants folks to know that he's keeping it real. Like really, really, really real. Starting with where he lives. He told a crowd at Howard University Wednesday just how down-and-dirty real his Baltimore neighborhood is. “I live in the inner, inner, inner-city. I'm one of the few congresspeople who live in the inner, inner city," The Hill reported Cummings saying. "You know, I ain't living close to the inner city, I'm right there on the 'Do the Right Thing' block.

Carolane Williams does not flinch when confronted with the particulars of her difficult year, which included an employee uprising and unwanted scrutiny from the leader of the state. "I knew I was going to have to tough it out," says the woman who has led Baltimore City Community College for the past five years. She regards the backlash as a natural byproduct of bold leadership, though others have accused her of pressing ahead on questionable decisions without regard for useful input.

Charles Abbott Jr.Painter, City alumnusCharles Winfield Abbott Jr., a self-employed painter, died June 16 at his home in Monkton after a long illness. He was 48.Born at the Presidio in San Francisco, an Army installation, he spent most of his life in Baltimore, moving in 1990 to Monkton. He graduated from Baltimore City College in 1964.Mr. Abbott is survived by a brother, Hunter Abbott of Greencastle, Pa.; and a stepfather, Malcolm Steele, and a stepsister, Sandra Heck, both of Santa Cruz, Calif.

Benjamin Lipsitz, whose commitment to the spirit and letter of the law led him to defend a would-be assassin, a Nazi sympathizer and a craven murderer during a career that spanned more than a half-century, died May 10. He was 94. "He was so fundamentally devoted to justice. He was Atticus Finch all over again," said retired Baltimore County Circuit Judge John Fader II. "To me, he was what lawyering and what representation are all about. " Lipsitz was chosen to defend Arthur Bremer, accused of shooting Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace and three others, including a Secret Service agent, at a Laurel shopping center in 1972.

At a time when increasing numbers of Baltimore City high school graduates are choosing to attend community colleges instead of traditional four-year institutions, Gov. Martin O'Malley was right to try to shake up the leadership of the faltering Baltimore City Community College. BCCC desperately needs an infusion of new ideas and leadership if it is to fulfill its mission of preparing students for the academic rigors of a traditional college or university, or of giving them the skills they need to succeed in the work world.

Concerned about the academic achievement of students at Baltimore City Community College, Gov. Martin O'Malley has overhauled its board of trustees, replacing the majority of its members. "The governor has been monitoring the overall situation at BCCC, particularly student achievement and the relationships between faculty, students and administration," said Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for the governor. "The governor has been disappointed with the lack of progress, and he believes now is the time to infuse the board with new leadership.