Clearance

For most of the last 32 years, James W. Anderson and his trash trucks have had the alleys of Knettishall and Loch Raven Village pretty much to themselves in the early morning hours.But not any more.Today, residents of the 40-year-old rowhouse communities east of Towson have more cars than ever and no room to park them all on the street. "So they park in the alley," Mr. Anderson said.The results are alleys repeatedly choked by parked cars, preventing trash haulers from getting through."It's getting to be a real pain in the neck for me and my men," Mr. Anderson said.

LANDOVER -- In what could well have been a sneak preview, forward Bernard King staged a 30-minute workout at the Capital Centre last night before the Washington Bullets' game with the Miami Heat.King, 36, who has not played for the Bullets since undergoing knee surgery in September 1991, successfully underwent a stress test yesterday.Team orthopedist Steve Grossman planned to examine King's knee last night, and King was expected to complete his physical examination by tomorrow, possibly making him eligible to return to action against the Philadelphia 76ers here Friday night.

WASHINGTON -- Defying a new ultimatum by President Bush, Iraq warned the United Nations yesterday that planes carrying weapons inspectors could be shot down, advancing the prospect of another, more punishing allied air strike at targets closer to Baghdad.Washington had given Baghdad until 4 p.m. yesterday to grant flight clearance to U.N. aircraft engaged in weapons inspection duties. Minutes before the deadline Iraq granted clearance but announced it could not guarantee the inspectors' safety in the air, saying the "responsibility lies with the United States, Britain and France, whose warplanes are violating Iraqi airspace."

Senator Theatre owner Tom Kiefaber, never one to turn shy when there's an opportunity to plead his theater's case, is turning documentary filmmaker. His topic: the ongoing fight between the Senator and the Charles over the right to show Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. The Charles is showing the film, and has used its right of clearance - that is, the right to prevent a film it is showing from also screening at a rival theater within a certain distance - to prevent it from being shown at the Senator.

Online option at imaging center Anne Arundel Diagnostics, the radiology and diagnostic imaging provider of Anne Arundel Health System Inc., allows patients to make requests for appointments online at its new Web site, www.AnneArundelDiagnostics.com. The site includes a form for patients to provide basic information, such as the kind of examination needed, the physician's name and the most convenient location for the appointment. Information is secure and protected, and can be viewed only by the customer service representative fielding the request.

Washington Blvd. has some convenient sites for moving merchantsI'd like to thank The Sun for its article on the possibilities for west-side merchants to relocate to West Baltimore Street and the Poppleton "village center" in the Baltimore empowerment zone ("Selling merchants on relocation," Aug. 10).However, I'd note some other relocation possibilities for these businesses. Washington Boulevard has several retail areas in the empowerment zone, including the area just west of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the Morrell Park retail area just off Interstate 95.Both are relatively clean, low-crime retail areas with properties that may be of interest to a downtown merchant.

Tradersmart picks up Mr. Goodbuys' old siteMr. Goodbuys has disappeared from the Glen Burnie retail scene, but the new tenants in its old building say there will still be plenty of good buys at the site.Tradersmart, a retail clearance center boasting more than 200 vendors, held a preview opening yesterday in the 80,000-square-foot building at Ritchie Highway and the Beltway, which has been vacant since the Mr. Goodbuys home improvement chain went bust last year.Before it was developed as a shopping center in 1988, the site was the home of the Glen Burnie Farmers Market, and Tradersmart's owners say the new venture will bring back some of the flavor of the old market.

TULSA, Okla. -- There was the standing-room gathering in May, when Paul Azinger discussed his battle with cancer during a heart-tugging 90-minute news conference here for the winner of last year's PGA Championship.There was the first tournament appearance in more than eight months at last week's Buick Open, an uplifting event that saw Azinger resume his brilliant career and, despite missing the cut, continue on his comeback story.And there was yesterday at Southern Hills Country Club, when Azinger seemed ready and more than willing to defend his one major title when the 76th PGA Championship begins tomorrow.

Light rail is too easy to cheat on faresIf hoodlums rode the light rail to county locations to commit crime, then merchandise is not the only thing that they are stealing. They are also stealing the ride.The fare system allows anyone to get on the train for free. I have ridden the light rail about 10 or 12 times, and my ticket has been checked exactly once.The chances are remote that anyone with larceny in mind will bother to buy a ticket. If they happen to get caught, they are put off and just get on the next train.

If the federal government's job application process seems impenetrable to you, take heart: There are people whose own jobs revolve around demystifying it. Sharon Dee McCrae, an employment specialist with the Susquehanna Workforce Network, a nonprofit that coordinates workforce development programs in Harford and Cecil counties, is one of those people. A certified federal job search trainer and career coach, McCrae runs workshops and works one-on-one with applicants. What are the big differences between applying for a federal job and applying for a private-sector one?