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More than 150 Baltimore County firefighters tackled a fire in a Rosedale strip mall Saturday afternoon, which appeared to have started in Jackie Chen's Chinese Restaurant, officials said. At least six stores were involved in the three-alarm fire in the 8400 block of Philadelphia Blvd., officials said. Firefighters, who were dispatched around 12:40 p.m., got it under control around 3:05 p.m. No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Baltimore County officials are asking for public participation in a six-day planning effort to address homelessness. Government leaders, joined by the clergy, businesses and nonprofit organizations, will be working to find solutions to what is a growing problem throughout the county. The opening session runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Trinity Episcopal Church, at 120 Allegheny Avenue, Towson. Consultants on health, housing, employment and transportation will lead panel discussions throughout the day Thursday and Friday at the Towson Library, at 320 York Road.

Two men were fatally shot in separate Baltimore County incidents within 24 hours this weekend, doubling the number of county homicides recorded this year, police said. A man was found fatally shot outside of an Exxon gas station at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday in the 7300 block of McClean Boulevard, just north of the city line in Parkville, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An earlier shooting occurred in the southwestern part of the county, where officers from the Wilkens precinct found a man shot in the back in a field near at the intersection of Illinois Avenue and Annapolis Road in Lansdowne Saturday morning, police said.

Baltimore County police are investigating a non-fatal shooting in Dundalk. Police were called around 8 p.m. Tuesday to the 2000 block of Guy Way, where an adult was shot in the upper torso. He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for what are not considered life-threatening injuries, police said. No arrests have been made. jkanderson@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

Closely divided Baltimore County lawmakers decided Tuesday morning not to back a plan to add elected members to the local school board, likely dooming the legislative effort this year. The county's delegates had narrowly endorsed a similar proposal this month, though County Executive James T. Smith Jr. opposed it. Sen. Bobby A. Zirkin had sought a "hybrid" school board of eight appointed and seven elected members as a way to add new voices to a board that is now selected by Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Baltimore County Council members on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill to bring public hearings on proposed developments closer to residents in nearby neighborhoods. The new legislation now requires meetings to be held within three to eight miles of proposed developments, or in Towson if other sites are unavailable. The hearings, known as community input meetings, allow residents to get information — about a proposed development's size and effect on traffic, schools and infrastructure — before the plan is submitted for approval.

The Baltimore County Health Department has received an additional $160,930 in federal funding to provide more rental assistance to people with AIDS, bringing the total appropriation through 2010 to nearly $2 million. The program offers transportation, education, employment services and counseling to low-income residents coping with HIV and AIDS. The additional funds will mean at least eight more housing vouchers for a total of 100 in 2010, in addition to other support services. No county matching funds are required.

Baltimore County police are investigating the destruction of a speed camera that was ripped from the ground at Sparrows Point High School this week. Police received a call around 10:48 p.m. Wednesday that a Dodge truck was used to pull the camera in front of the school in the 7400 block of North Point Blvd., according to Corporal John Wachter. WBAL-TV reported that two juveniles were charged with destruction of property and theft in connection to the incident and released. A third person, an adult, is being sought by police, according to WBAL.

A 43-year-old man who police say held up a bank in Pikesville is being sought for questioning. Baltimore County police said Tuesday that they have obtained an arrest warrant for Curtis Maurice Wright of the 3400 block of Walbrook Ave. in Baltimore. In a statement, the department said Wright robbed the SunTrust Bank at 103 Reisterstown Road on Dec. 23. Detectives said a man entered the bank, walked up to a teller and, implying that he was armed, demanded money. The teller gave him an undisclosed amount of cash.

Baltimore County Public Library's summer reading club had the most participants ever this year, with more than 48,400 taking part. That was an increase of more than 2,400 participants over last year's program, library officials said. The program began 35 years ago and is designed to help students keep up their reading over summer vacation. People of all ages could join the reading club, which ended in August. The program had about 3,500 participants in 1984, when officials began keeping statistics.