BAN

To Del. Curtis S. Anderson's extreme consternation, despite repeated attempts, he couldn't log on to Facebook from his Annapolis office Thursday night. He walked out into the hallway in frustration and ran into an equally stymied woman. When the Baltimore Democrat got to work yesterday morning, he realized it was no fluke: The Maryland General Assembly had blocked all elected officials and staff from Facebook and MySpace - apparently the first legislature in the country to ban the popular online social networks.

Seeking to head off legislation that would ban smoking in bars and restaurants statewide, a Baltimore County senator has revived a proposal to give tax breaks to businesses that voluntarily go smoke-free. Sen. Katherine A. Klausmeier, a Democrat, said she wants to offer a "carrot instead of a stick," in an effort to blunt pressure for a mandatory smoking ban. "This bill is a compromise to allow restaurants and bars to voluntarily go smoke-free, but to allow them to make a business decision on whether or not to do so," Klausmeier said.

In a major setback for Maryland authorities trying to control drugs flowing through public housing projects, a federal judge ruled yesterday that Frederick officials may no longer arbitrarily ban nonresidents from its properties.Though the order is temporary, it has broad implications for how crime is fought in housing projects in Maryland and perhaps beyond. The issue boils down to the right of tenants to choose their friends and associates vs. the need to control the violence and destruction that comes with the drug trade.

South Carroll residents whose addresses end in odd numbers will be permitted to water their lawns and wash their cars today for the first time in two weeks.The county modified its June 1 ban on outside watering yesterday to allow use on alternating days. Even-numbered addresses will be permitted to resume outdoor water use tomorrow and continue on even-numbered days. The restriction will continue indefinitely.The outdoor water-use ban gave the county time to fill a new $750,000, million-gallon storage tank.

Mount Airy residents can turn on the lawn sprinklers and wash their cars.The town lifted its three-month ban on all outdoor water use at noon yesterday.The town of 5,800 faced severe water shortages caused by the worst drought in 70 years. Voluntary conservation failed, forcing imposition of a ban June 11 and the threat of fines.On Monday, Mayor Gerald R. Johnson had said the ban would remain in effect until a new well -- the town's eighth -- came on line late this month. But another heavy rain yesterday apparently ended the town's water problems.

Hurricane Floyd dumped nearly 5 inches of rain on Carroll County last week, helping add 1.3 billion gallons to Liberty Reservoir, but the storm could not muster enough power to eradicate summerlong bans.The reservoir is down about 24 feet and at 60 percent of its 43 billion-gallon capacity. At the height of the drought, capacity dipped to about 50 percent. Normal capacity this time of year is 65 percent.From Eldersburg and Sykesville to Mount Airy, residents have been coping for more than three months with bans on car washing and lawn sprinkling.

Hurricane Floyd dumped nearly 5 inches of rain on the county last week, helping add 1.3 billion gallons to the Liberty Reservoir, but the storm could not muster enough power to eradicate summerlong bans.The reservoir is down by about 24 feet and at 60 percent of its 43 billion-gallon capacity. At the height of the drought, capacity dipped to about 50 percent. Normal capacity this time of year is 65 percent.From Eldersburg and Sykesville to Mount Airy, residents have been coping for more than three months with bans on car washing and lawn sprinkling.

Calling the water shortage in South Carroll "critical," the county commissioners enacted an immediate ban on outdoor water use yesterday for the Freedom District, the county's most populous region.The ban extends only to the 6,500 households that use the Freedom water system. The district, which encompasses Sykesville and unincorporated Eldersburg, is home to more than 28,000 people.Residents must discontinue "lawn watering, car washing and outside water usage until further notice," according to a news release issued late yesterday.

U.S. housing officials have banned a Baltimore contractor and a key employee from working on federally funded projects for three years, because they flouted an earlier ban on the employee.The bans confirm temporary suspensions imposed April 2 on Botech Inc. and Timothy Lanocha, the employee, by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development because the company used Lanocha on city housing agency jobs while he was barred. When suspended, Botech was preparing to undertake an additional $1.5 million worth of work for the city housing agency.

Smoking will be barred on Carroll County General Hospital property starting today, even in outdoor areas and parked cars."We wanted to take the lead in sending a strong message that we're in the business of health care," said Deanna J. Dell, the hospital's vice president of operations.Carroll County General is the third Maryland hospital to ban smoking on its property, following the lead of neighboring Frederick Memorial and Washington County hospitals.Smoking inside hospital buildings was banned by Maryland law six years ago.At Carroll General, the new policy means no more lighting up in the three outdoor areas that have been used by smokers since 1992.

Suing on behalf of residents who say their invited guests and relatives are barred from coming to their homes, the American Civil Liberties Union is challenging the Annapolis Housing Authority's practice of banning people from the public housing agency's property. The lawsuit against the authority, the city and others was filed Wednesday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court by 11 people. It comes as the housing authority is in the midst of reworking its banning policy, which was enacted in 1994 and which allows the agency to ban from its 10 complexes "non-residents who are detrimental to the overall quality of life for public housing residents."

Maryland senators delayed a vote yesterday on a proposed texting-while-driving ban to give time for a Republican lawmaker to offer a change that would reduce the suggested $500 maximum penalty to a warning. The legislation is expected to come up again today, as lawmakers discuss banning the practice of sending and receiving text messages while behind the wheel. Maryland now bans texting and cell-phone use only by drivers younger than 18. Sen. Andrew P. Harris, a Republican who represents Baltimore and Harford counties, said he worried that the maximum $500 proposed fine was too onerous because it could require drivers to miss a day of work and hire an attorney to appear in court.

To Del. Curtis S. Anderson's extreme consternation, despite repeated attempts, he couldn't log on to Facebook from his Annapolis office Thursday night. He walked out into the hallway in frustration and ran into an equally stymied woman. When the Baltimore Democrat got to work yesterday morning, he realized it was no fluke: The Maryland General Assembly had blocked all elected officials and staff from Facebook and MySpace - apparently the first legislature in the country to ban the popular online social networks.

The Maryland Senate moved forward yesterday with legislation intended to improve traffic safety by banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving and by allowing law enforcement agencies to post cameras to catch speeders. After days of parliamentary moves and ardent debate, the Senate gave preliminary approval to the cell phone measure, which had appeared dead last week but now heads to a final vote in that chamber. Senators also approved the speed camera legislation after several days of debate.

Come January, lighting up in a restaurant or bar in Baltimore will be banned. In February, the ban goes statewide. With the limits, Maryland will join more than 2,200 communities and 17 states now smoke-free - covering more than half the country's population. And many local restaurants have already gone smoke-free. Airplanes are out. And other facilities, such as Howard County General Hospital, are getting in on the ban early. So why not get a jump on things by quitting now? Today is the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout.

Less than three months before the state's sweeping smoking ban will go into effect, supporters and opponents of the ban tackled the details of the proposed regulations at a public hearing yesterday, focusing on a provision allowing for temporary waivers. The waivers would give bars and restaurants that prove financial hardship a three-year extension to comply with the smoking ban. State officials are proposing that, to obtain a waiver, businesses would have to show that the first two months of the smoking ban caused gross sales of food and beverages to decline at least 15 percent compared with the same period over the two previous years.

With just minutes to go before the Baltimore area's first smoking ban in bars and restaurants took effect yesterday, Steve Miller shouted a final rallying cry into the microphone at the crowded Phoenix Emporium on Main Street in historic Ellicott City. "Last call for cigarettes! Smoke 'em if you got 'em!" At the back of the room, Bradley Arnold, who turned 22 yesterday, lit up and shouted back, "Chainsmoke till midnight!" Arnold, a bar employee, said he had looked forward to having a beer and a smoke last year, on his 21st birthday, but the pizza place where he celebrated voluntarily outlawed smoking that very night.

A top Maryland senator predicted yesterday that a statewide smoking ban would not exempt private clubs such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, even though his chamber has approved such a provision. Sen. Thomas M. Middleton, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which handled the legislation, said senators would likely agree to drop language exempting private clubs with employees. But clubs where members or volunteers serve themselves beverages or food still wouldn't fall under the smoking ban. Members of the Senate and House of Delegates are set to negotiate a compromise measure after both chambers in recent days passed bills to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

Compromise needed for smoking bills Two days after the House of Delegates passed a statewide smoking ban in bars and restaurants, the Maryland Senate approved a similar measure yesterday - leaving negotiators to hash out differences over what kind of exemptions might be granted. "The gap is not that big between these bills," said Sen. Robert J. Garagiola, a Montgomery County Democrat and sponsor of the Senate measure. The two main sticking points are whether to exempt private clubs, and whether the state or local officials should decide when to issue hardship waivers to businesses that demonstrate the ban has harmed them financially.

It's always interesting to see what articles attract attention from readers. In recent days two subjects have generated the most interest; smoking and pets in bars and restaurants and the closings of the maximum-security prison at Jessup and a juvenile offender facility in CarrollCounty. On Tuesday The Sun reported that a state Senate panel had given preliminary approval to a ban on smoking in bars and resturants following Baltimore City, where a similar ban was enacted in February. By late in the week the bill was being debated in Senate and the House.