Catonsville

An article in the March 16, 1912, edition of The Argus praised the power and speed of the fire department's new fire engine. Since the inauguration, several months ago, of automobile service in the Fire Department at Catonsville, the efficiency of the service in that suburb has been greatly increased and the big motor car has proved its superiority over the slower horse-drawn apparatus many times. The Catonsville Fire Department claims that their new automobile is the fastest in the State.

Pamela Furness Engel, an Anne Arundel County biology teacher and teaching adviser, died of pancreatic cancer May 16 at Baltimore-Washington Medical Center. She was 58 and lived in Linthicum. Born Pamela Furness in Baltimore and raised in Catonsville and Columbia, she was a 1971 Atholton High School graduate. She earned a degree in biology at what is now McDaniel College and had a second degree in education at the Notre Dame of Maryland University, as well as a master's degree in biology from Towson University.

JOHN E. WARFIELD, 83, retired Vice President of the former Equitable Trust Bank, died of lung cancer Saturday, May 28, 2005. Born in Baltimore, his mother persuaded him in 1940 to apply for a position in banking. After starting as a runner, he retired in 1985 as Regional Vice President with 45 years of service. Mr. Warfield was drafted in 1942 into the U.S. Air Corps, serving in the South Pacific for four years. After retiring, he took up decoy carving and won ribbons at the Timonium State Fair and Catonsville Senior Center.

Dr. Norman I. Zipper, a retired Baltimore optometrist active in the Jewish community, died of renal failure May 12 at his Pikesville home. He was 89. Born in East Baltimore and raised on South Ann Street, he was a 1940 City College graduate. As a young man, he worked at the Patterson Park swimming pool and was a 1943 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in suburban Philadelphia. During World War II, he was a Maritime Service pharmacist's mate and was stationed on Catalina Island.

Lotte Plaza is coming to Catonsville. The Columbia-based chain of Asian and international markets has signed a lease for a 46,000 square foot store in the One West Shopping Center on Baltimore National Pike. The space, formerly occupied by Toys R Us, will undergo a multimillion dollar remodel and renovation funded jointly by Lotte Plaza and the Owings Mills-based Fedder Company, which owns the property. Founded in 1989 in Silver Spring, Lotte Plaza operates stores in seven states including Maryland, California and Georgia.

A 14-year-old girl was struck and killed Friday night while crossing the Baltimore National Pike in Catonsville, a Baltimore County police corporal said. Cpl. John Wachter said the girl who has not been identified was struck by a Volkswagen Passat in the westbound lane about 9:30 p.m. as she tried to cross from the north to the south side of the road. She was pronounced dead on the scene. The pike is part of U.S. 40, which has been identified as one of the deadliest pedestrian corridors in the region.

The junior midfielder had a dominating week to lead the No. 12 Comets (14-1) to three wins and the Baltimore County championship. Milani opened last week with a four-goal, two-assist performance in an 11-10 win over previously-undefeated Towson on Tuesday, also winning six draws. On Thursday, she scored nine goals, added an assist and won six draws as the Comets defeated Dulaney, 16-7. With the Comets going up against Dulaney a second time in Saturday's Baltimore County championship game, Milani finished with four goals, two asssts and seven won draws in an 18-12 win. In her third varsity season, Milani has 70 goals and 15 assists for a team-high 85 points.

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all the considerate drivers in my Catonsville neighborhood of Oak Forest. Years ago, when I was able, I rode my bike with my then two small children. Thank God for the drivers who would slow down and make a wide arc around our small group. They obviously realized that, even with our caution, an extra amount of safety was needed. It would be easy for a young biker to drift into traffic. Now, after my stroke, I walk on Montrose Avenue for exercise and rehabilitation.

On behalf of Hillcrest Elementary School, I would like to thank everyone who supported the annual Box Tops program. Because of you, Hillcrest earned more than $1,750 this school year! Box Top funds helped the administration achieve the goal of supplying all classroom teachers with a document camera and projector for the upcoming school year. Also, a huge thank you to those who generously contributed prizes this year: Opie's, You Scream for Ice Cream, Caffyn family, Baltimore Ravens, Bellis family and WeLoveCatonsville.org.

An article in the May 27, 1911, edition of The Argus reported on the first of what would be a series of events marking the 50th anniversary of the ordination of James Cardinal Gibbons, one of the most famous and accomplished American religious leaders. In 1886, Cardinal Gibbons, for whom the now-closed all-boys Catholic high school was named, became only the second American named a cardinal.. Cardinal Gibbons was given his first college reception in honor of the approaching jubilee celebration Friday afternoon of last week at St. Charles' College, Cloud Cap, on the Maiden Choice road, near Catonsville.

James Fitzpatrick leans back in a huge black office chair with wheels and points at a projection on a screen in the front of the classroom, not far from the Soccer Barbie dolls and a clock featuring the portrait of French writer Voltaire. "Here is the question," he says in a deep, booming, intense voice. "Is postimpressionism a movement of art or artists?" ("Artists," of course, is the answer he elicits from a student.) Fitz, as he is called by everyone, has been teaching for decades, the last 10 years at Catonsville High School.

The Rev. John Wesley Bowen, a Roman Catholic priest and church historian who advocated sainthood for a 19th-century Baltimore woman, died of pneumonia Sunday at St. Agnes Hospital. He was 87 and lived in Catonsville. Born in Baltimore and raised on Linden Avenue, he attended Mount St. Joseph High School before entering the old St. Charles College, a seminary. He earned degrees in philosophy and theology at St. Mary's Seminary and the Catholic University of America, where he also earned a second master's degree.

Catonsville native Carolyn Vidmar is completing a second year of service with College Possible Milwaukee, a nonprofit, dedicated to helping low income students achieve college success. Through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, she coordinates media relations, contributes to the writing, design and photography for communications materials and maintains the website, along with social media accounts. An alumna of McDonogh School, Vidmar earned a journalism degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The junior midfielder had a dominating week to lead the No. 12 Comets (14-1) to three wins and the Baltimore County championship. Milani opened last week with a four-goal, two-assist performance in an 11-10 win over previously-undefeated Towson on Tuesday, also winning six draws. On Thursday, she scored nine goals, added an assist and won six draws as the Comets defeated Dulaney, 16-7. With the Comets going up against Dulaney a second time in Saturday's Baltimore County championship game, Milani finished with four goals, two asssts and seven won draws in an 18-12 win. In her third varsity season, Milani has 70 goals and 15 assists for a team-high 85 points.

For the second time in three days, Catonsville's girls lacrosse team enjoyed a convincing victory over Dulaney. Senior Rachel Schwaab scored six goals and added two assists and junior Deb Milani added four goals and two assists as the Comets upended the Lions, 18-12, in the Baltimore County championship game Saturday at Franklin. Catonsville (13-1) raced to a 6-0 lead in the first seven minutes and never looked back as the lead expanded to 14-4 by halftime. Dulaney (9-6)

Memories of two bad losses last season to Dulaney, and a berth in the Baltimore County championship game, were motivators for Catonsville senior Rachel Schwaab in the Comets' 16-7 win Thursday night. "I think we were psyched because the counties were at stake, but, because we lost to Dulaney twice last year (including the county championship) and got blown out twice, that was a huge factor," said Schwaab, who collected two goals and two assists. Schwaab's biggest play came with the Comets (13-1)

I am not entirely unsympathetic to homeowners who live on South Rolling Road. I know, all too well, the frustrations of living on a major roadway. I live on Old Frederick Road, which also receives a lot of traffic — most of it well over the posted speed limit. I can't park at the curb in front of my own home; parking there is legal, but not wise. My last car was totaled on a beautiful Sunday afternoon during the spring by a young, distracted driver. Mine was not the first car to be hit while parked there.

Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway need 100 volunteers to plant 70 new trees and 10 bushes along Thistle Run in Catonsville. Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway need 100 volunteers to plant 70 new native trees and 10 bushes Saturday. The Nov. 5 effort from 9 a.m. to noon will provide a buffer along a section of Thistle Run, a small stream in Catonsville off Route 144 (Frederick Road), west of the intersection with North Rolling Road. Pre-register at http://www.patapscoheritagegreenway.org/eventcal.html to help determine amount of supplies needed.

Locations, by school zone, of speed cameras in Baltimore County 1. Arbutus Middle School, 1200 block of Sulphur Spring Road (eastbound) 2. Catonsville High School, 400 block of South Rolling Road (both directions) 3. Dulaney High School, 200 block of Padonia Road (southbound) 4. Dundalk Middle School/Dundalk Elementary School, 7000 block of Dunmanway (westbound) 5. Eastern Technical High School, 1100 block of Mace Avenue (both directions) 6. Halstead Academy, 7500 block of Hillsway Road (southbound)

Nick James Nopulos, former co-owner of Catonsville's venerable Double T Diner, died Saturday of complications from chronic lymphoma and leukemia at Howard County General Hospital. He was 91. The son of a barber and a homemaker who were Greek immigrants, he was born and raised in Weirton, W. Va., where he graduated in 1938 from Weir High School. In the late 1930s, he moved to Baltimore and took a job working for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and completed his training at Fort Devens, Mass.