Cinder Block

On a summer night 15 years ago, 10-year-old Adam Edward Faulkner slipped out the back door with his new fishing rig and a comforter, in search of adventure. Four days later, his nude, battered body was found tied to a piling in the Middle River near Hawthorne Park.Yesterday, two Essex men long suspected in the case were arrested, Baltimore County police said. Roger Allen Stump, 32, of the first block of Haley Road and his brother, John Ellwood Stump, 30, of the 600 block of Dunwich Way were charged with first-degree murder, authorities said.

Nearly two dozen occupants of the Rainbow View Apartments in the 400 block of Summer Wind Way were evacuated last night after a maintenance worker called police and reported a possible bomb in a mailbox, a county fire official said.Battalion Chief Gary Sheckells of the county Fire Department said a maintenance worker heard a ticking sound coming from a mailbox in a hallway about 6: 30 p.m. and called police.At 10 p.m., a bomb-disposal squad from the State Fire Marshal's Office was trying to dismantle the mailbox to determine whether an explosive device was inside, Sheckells said.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Northeastern DistrictBank robbery: A man gave a teller at the Heritage Savings Bank in the 4200 block of Harford Road a holdup note about 1: 20 p.m. yesterday and escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash. No weapon was displayed.Southern DistrictStolen car: A 4-door 1987 Chevrolet with tags DTK 186 was stolen Wednesday in the 3000 block of Ascension St.Stolen car: A 1986 Pontiac Fiero with tags CKV 011 was stolen Wednesday in the 1600 block of Plum St.Burglary: Cash, a TV, videocassette recorder, answering machine and a clock-radio, all valued at nearly $600, were stolen Wednesday from a house in the 300 block of S. Calhoun St.Theft: A mountain bike valued at $300 was stolen Wednesday in the 100 block of E. Fort Ave.Northwestern DistrictTheft: A man stole jewelry valued at more than $400 from display shelves at M & G Jewelry in the 6500 block of Reisterstown Road shortly before closing Wednesday night.

A smoky three-alarm fire that burned out of control for more than two hours yesterday morning destroyed a West Baltimore grocery store that had been a neighborhood fixture for years."

Today, Lenny Hobbs gets his very own parade.For 50 years, the 74-year-old has run Hobbs Service Station in the western Howard County hamlet of Dayton, a dusty local landmark where bubble gum still costs a penny, "self-service" is a four-letter word and regulars gather to discuss the Zen of fly fishing and the Tao of baseball.At 12:30 p.m., Dayton's rural solitude will be broken by its first parade in memory: A marching band, children riding streamer-decked bicycles alongside their grandparents' antique cars and a banner declaring: "Dayton Honors Lenny Hobbs 50 Years of Service."

Three Umbro jackets were stolen from a Dakota Sports store in the 500 block of Ritchie Highway Monday night after someone threw a cinder block through the store's plate glass window, police said.The jackets were worth $240 and had been hanging on a rack by the window. Damage to the window was estimated at $900, police said.Police went to the store in the Park Plaza after the alarm sounded about 9:30 p.m. Officers searched the area, but could not find a suspect, police said.POLICE LOG* Shipleys Choice :Someone stole golf clubs and golf clothes worth more than $3,000 from a garage in the 500 block of Whitehorse Court sometime Monday or Tuesday, police said.

Annapolis scientist honored for his workDr. Appajosula Srinivasa Rao of Annapolis has been honored by the Washington Academy of Sciences for his outstanding achievement in the field of physical sciences.He also received a one-year honorary membership in the academy. Dr. Rao is an employee of the Carderock Division ofthe Naval Surface Warfare Center in Annapolis.POLICE LOG* Annapolis: Someone threw a cinder block through the front door of Jennison Fashion, at 167 Jennifer Road, Tuesday morning and stole 40 summer suits worth about $4,000.

Baltimore CityBURGLARY: Southwestern District -- Police were seeking a teen-age boy who entered a relative's home in the first block of S. Beechfield Ave. over the weekend and stole a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun valued at $300.THEFT/ARREST: Northern District -- Police arrested a woman who allegedly entered offices at Union Memorial Hospital in the 200 block of E. University Parkway Sunday and stole a wall clock, clock radio, a recorder and other items. The items were found inside a trash bag the woman was carrying when she was arrested.

Nearly 17 years after the first residents moved to Coldspring, site preparation is progressing for extensions on the hills overlooking the Jones Falls Valley between Cold Spring Lane and Greenspring Avenue.Unless last-minute hitches develop, more than a hundred individual homes and townhouses will soon start rising in that city-sponsored "new town" that was introduced with great fanfare in the 1970s but then quickly stalled.The 252 existing Coldspring homes were built of cinder block on common areas known as decks.

POLICE LOG* Owen Brown: 6500 block of Dobbin Road: Clothing was taken from the Ross store after someone threw a cinder block through a front windowearly Monday, police said.

Police reports in baltimore city: and county: Southeastern Baltimore Burglary Two laptop computers, a DVD player, video games and their accessories, and cash, all valued at $4,550, were stolen Monday from a house in the 600 block of Fagley St. by someone who entered through a rear window. Southwestern Baltimore Stolen vehicle A maroon four-door 2006 Hyundai Sonata with tags 4DT A39 was parked in the 1600 block of Sexton St. early Monday with its engine running when someone stole it. Police said the owner was given a traffic ticket for leaving a motor vehicle unattended with its engine running.

For a time it seemed as if Wal-Mart Stores Inc. had a wall of steel wrapped around it rather than red, white and blue cinder block - always a step ahead of competitors with its buying power and low prices. But like other consumer giants that once seemed invincible - from Sears to McDonald's to General Motors - Wal-Mart is discovering that it is vulnerable to changing consumer habits and tastes. The world's largest retailer stumbled through the holiday season, turning to an emergency advertising campaign to rescue sales after consumers snubbed the company known for "everyday low prices" for charging more than competitors on certain items.

Cinder block walls may have their place in the urban landscape, but it's not necessarily in Baltimore's historic districts. When a rowhouse collapses or gets torn down in an older neighborhood, it's jarring to see a cinder block wall go up on the side of the adjacent property, especially if the rest of the building is faced with brick or stone. In recent months, Baltimore's Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation has been working to make sure any replacement walls built by city crews in historic districts comply with the same design guidelines the commission asks private property owners to follow.

Police Mount Airy: Owners of Ridgeville Car Wash told police Wednesday that a window was broken by a cinder block and money was taken. Damage and loss were estimated at $2,100. Fire Winfield: Firefighters responded at 10: 32 p.m. Wednesday to a trash fire at Route 26 and Klees Mill Road. Units were out 30 minutes.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Northeastern DistrictBank robbery: A man gave a teller at the Heritage Savings Bank in the 4200 block of Harford Road a holdup note about 1: 20 p.m. yesterday and escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash. No weapon was displayed.Southern DistrictStolen car: A 4-door 1987 Chevrolet with tags DTK 186 was stolen Wednesday in the 3000 block of Ascension St.Stolen car: A 1986 Pontiac Fiero with tags CKV 011 was stolen Wednesday in the 1600 block of Plum St.Burglary: Cash, a TV, videocassette recorder, answering machine and a clock-radio, all valued at nearly $600, were stolen Wednesday from a house in the 300 block of S. Calhoun St.Theft: A mountain bike valued at $300 was stolen Wednesday in the 100 block of E. Fort Ave.Northwestern DistrictTheft: A man stole jewelry valued at more than $400 from display shelves at M & G Jewelry in the 6500 block of Reisterstown Road shortly before closing Wednesday night.

On a summer night 15 years ago, 10-year-old Adam Edward Faulkner slipped out the back door with his new fishing rig and a comforter, in search of adventure. Four days later, his nude, battered body was found tied to a piling in the Middle River near Hawthorne Park.Yesterday, two Essex men long suspected in the case were arrested, Baltimore County police said. Roger Allen Stump, 32, of the first block of Haley Road and his brother, John Ellwood Stump, 30, of the 600 block of Dunwich Way were charged with first-degree murder, authorities said.

Nearly two dozen occupants of the Rainbow View Apartments in the 400 block of Summer Wind Way were evacuated last night after a maintenance worker called police and reported a possible bomb in a mailbox, a county fire official said.Battalion Chief Gary Sheckells of the county Fire Department said a maintenance worker heard a ticking sound coming from a mailbox in a hallway about 6: 30 p.m. and called police.At 10 p.m., a bomb-disposal squad from the State Fire Marshal's Office was trying to dismantle the mailbox to determine whether an explosive device was inside, Sheckells said.

A smoky three-alarm fire that burned out of control for more than two hours yesterday morning destroyed a West Baltimore grocery store that had been a neighborhood fixture for years."

Today, Lenny Hobbs gets his very own parade.For 50 years, the 74-year-old has run Hobbs Service Station in the western Howard County hamlet of Dayton, a dusty local landmark where bubble gum still costs a penny, "self-service" is a four-letter word and regulars gather to discuss the Zen of fly fishing and the Tao of baseball.At 12:30 p.m., Dayton's rural solitude will be broken by its first parade in memory: A marching band, children riding streamer-decked bicycles alongside their grandparents' antique cars and a banner declaring: "Dayton Honors Lenny Hobbs 50 Years of Service."

Nearly 17 years after the first residents moved to Coldspring, site preparation is progressing for extensions on the hills overlooking the Jones Falls Valley between Cold Spring Lane and Greenspring Avenue.Unless last-minute hitches develop, more than a hundred individual homes and townhouses will soon start rising in that city-sponsored "new town" that was introduced with great fanfare in the 1970s but then quickly stalled.The 252 existing Coldspring homes were built of cinder block on common areas known as decks.