Compact Discs

Among the most hated people in Maryland may be commuters who drive with cellular phones to one ear, slowing to a crawl or swerving into adjacent lanes while lost in conversation.Phone-happy drivers were the focus of a three-hour legislative hearing in Annapolis yesterday, as delegates debated a bill that would forbid drivers from using hand-held phones in moving cars.The proposal, by Del. John S. Arnick, a Baltimore County Democrat, won immediate endorsement from angry residents who jammed the hearing hall to tell horror stories of roadway encounters with distracted gabbers.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Baltimore CityWestern DistrictRobbery/shooting: A gunman shot a man in the back and robbed him of his bicycle about 1: 15 p.m. yesterday at West Baltimore and North Poppleton streets. Ronald Gene Watson, 40, of the 1300 block of Gorsuch Ave. was in serious condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center.Central DistrictShooting: A man, 45, was shot in the left side of the chest about 11 p.m. Monday as he was entering his mother's house in the 2100 block of Mount Royal Terrace.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Baltimore CityNortheastern DistrictArrest: Monte F. Jones, 35, of the 1100 block of N. Milton Ave., who was charged in a warrant Jan. 6 with burglary, was arrested yesterday and charged with trespassing in the 4300 block of Brehms Lane. Police said nearly 20 additional burglary charges were pending against Jones.Southern DistrictTheft: A leg brace, a radio and tennis shoes, all valued at $880, were stolen Tuesday from a 1991 Honda parked in the 900 block of S. Charles St.Southwestern DistrictShooting: A man, 19, was in the 2000 block of Hilton St. on Saturday when a man shot him in the left hand during an attempted robbery.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Baltimore CityCentral DistrictRobbery: A man armed with a knife pressed the weapon to the chest of the owner of Sherman's Market in the 700 block of N. Howard St. about 10: 35 a.m. yesterday and forced him to give up the contents of the cash register. When the owner tried to grab the weapon, the man struck him in the face with his fist and fled. Police recovered the knife in the store.Eastern DistrictBurglary: Cash and a case of cigarettes, all valued at nearly $3,300, were stolen overnight Monday from the Crown gas station in the 1900 block of Orleans St.Robbery: Two men, one with a handgun, robbed a man, 34, of $30 in the 1600 block of N. Gay St. about 3 a.m. Monday.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Baltimore CitySouthern DistrictTheft: A 16-foot ladder was stolen Tuesday from a Fire Department emergency vehicle parked in the 700 block of Carroll St.Burglary: An 8 mm camcorder, two pagers, 11 videotapes and clothing, all valued at more than $1,300, were stolen Tuesday from a house in the 100 block of E. Fort Ave.Burglary: At least 150 compact discs valued at more than $2,000...

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore city and county.Baltimore CityNorthwestern DistrictArrest: Responding to a report of a man selling narcotics in the 3400 block of Oakmont Ave. in Pimlico about 11 a.m yesterday, officers saw a man who matched a description provided by witnesses and arrested him as he was about to enter his residence in the 3500 block. Inside the residence, officers recovered three pounds of suspected marijuana valued at more than $3,000, suspected drug-packaging material and more than $300.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Baltimore CitySoutheastern DistrictTheft: Speakers, tools, flares, a flashlight and a fire extinguisher, all valued at more than $120, were stolen overnight Monday from a boat docked at a marina in the 2700 block of Boston St.Rape: A woman, 20, was forced into a house in the 600 block of N. Linwood Ave. on Tuesday and raped by a man armed with a handgun and a knife. The victim was treated at Mercy Medical Center.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Baltimore CityCentral DistrictRobbery: A man, 64, was shutting the rear gate of his home in the 900 block of N. Calvert St. about 4 p.m. Tuesday when another man, armed with a pair of grass clippers, robbed him of $20.Robbery: A gunman robbed SHS Mini Mart in the 700 block of Dolphin St. of $150 and nearly $200 worth of cigarettes Tuesday afternoon.Theft: A compact disc player and 35 compact discs, all valued at nearly $800, were stolen Tuesday from a 1999 Ford Expedition parked on Eutaw Street near Camden Street.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore city and county.Baltimore CityNortheastern DistrictRobbery: After a driver for Sedan Service arrived in the 1800 block of Maulsby Court at Hollander Ridge with three male passengers about 2: 40 a.m. Wednesday, one of the men pulled out a handgun and ordered the driver to give up his money. After robbing the driver of $53 and his pager, police said, the gunman and his two accomplices ran.Southern DistrictAssault: A boy, 17, was walking in the 3800 block of Ninth St. in Brooklyn about 5: 30 p.m. Wednesday when an occupant of a passing white car shot him in the right forearm with a dart from a blow gun. The victim refused medical treatment.

Fear not, chatty drivers. You can keep talking on your cellular phones.The House Commerce and Government Matters Committee killed a bill yesterday that would have banned drivers in Maryland from using their phones while driving.The measure drew support from only two of the committee's 23 members -- Del. John S. Arnick, the Baltimore County Democrat who sponsored the bill, and Del. Adrienne A. Mandel, a Montgomery County Democrat.Arnick said he proposed the bill because of the dangers of distraction and of having one hand busy with a phone rather than the steering wheel.

POLICE REPORTS IN BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY: Central Baltimore Thefts A navigational system valued at $300 was stolen Wednesday from a 2008 Honda parked in a garage in the first block of Frederick St. At the same location that day, someone broke into a 2004 Jeep Cherokee and stole a laptop computer, an iPod, an iPod charger, a pair of sunglasses and 12 compact discs. Total value of the property was $1,330. Theft A 2005 Tri-Cross bike valued at $2,000, with serial number P54N41871, was stolen Aug. 26 or Aug. 27 from outside Peabody Institute at Mount Vernon Place.

CHICAGO - Guitars at Best Buy. Frozen pizzas at Menards. Yoga pants at Walgreen's. As the economy slows and the retail industry cuts back on investment in new-store construction, the time is ripe for dusting off a tried-and-true retail strategy: Sell more products in the stores you have. Sometimes it works. For instance, Barnes & Noble Inc. changed the bookselling business by putting coffee shops in its stores. Other times, it is a strategy that sends merchants far into the weeds. Midwestern shoppers may remember when supermarket chain Jewel sold lumber.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore and Baltimore County. Baltimore Eastern Assault/arrest -- Police responding to a report of a man armed with a gun in a house in the 2300 block of Aiken St. about 11 a.m. Wednesday were told by a female resident that the man had struck and kicked her a few minutes earlier and threatened her with the weapon. Arrested and charged with assault was Derron Burston, 29, of the same address. The woman was not seriously injured.

A 26-year-old Street man has been convicted of 12 counts of possession of child pornography, investigators said yesterday. Frederick H. Garrity, who was convicted Monday in Harford County Circuit Court, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, according to the Harford County state's attorney's office. Acting on a tip, investigators searched Garrity's residence and seized a laptop and compact discs that contained pornographic images of children.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore and Baltimore County. Baltimore Eastern Armed carjacking -- Moments after picking up a man she knows near Johns Hopkins Hospital about 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, a 56-year-old woman was forced from her vehicle at gunpoint by her passenger in the 1800 block of N. Milton Ave. The man drove off in the vehicle, a green 1995 Jeep Cherokee with tags 548M802. Northern Burglary -- A 7-month-old pug dog, an iPod, a digital camera, video games and compact discs - all valued at $3,100 - were stolen Wednesday from a house in the 2300 block of Guilford Ave. Western Armed carjacking -- A man was entering his gold-colored 2000 Jeep outside a McDonald's in the 2500 block of W. Franklin St. about 8 p.m. Tuesday when two men, one with a handgun, pulled him out, robbed him of $79 and rode off in the vehicle, which had tags 532M027.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore and Baltimore County. Baltimore Northwestern Shooting -- A woman was shot in the thigh about 8:20 p.m. yesterday in the 3700 block of Woodbine Ave. and was taken by ambulance to Sinai Hospital. Details of the shooting were not available. Central Robbery -- A 49-year-old Towson woman was about to enter a private art museum in the first block of E. Lafayette Ave. with her husband about 8 p.m. Tuesday when a gunman threatened to shoot her and stole her purse containing $30 and a cell phone.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Baltimore Eastern Arrests -- Officers were about to stop the driver of a 2006 Nissan in the 3600 block of E. Monument St. about 11 p.m. Tuesday because of a faulty tail light when they noticed him and a passenger placing something under the front seat, police said. During subsequent questioning, the officers found a loaded 9 mm Beretta handgun and .40-caliber Colt handgun under the seat.

Tommy Bahama executives weren't dreaming of a white Christmas when they decided to sell custom compact discs in their stores this holiday season. More like something in tropical pastels. Aiming for a compilation of songs that would best reflect the resort-style clothier's relaxed, sand-between-the-toes image, they turned to Jeff Daniel, a 36-year-old "lifestyle music" consultant who helps upscale retailers select the music that goes into compact discs sold at their checkout counters. "Tommy Bahama customers want to be transported to tropical places," Daniel said.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Baltimore City Western District Shooting: An unidentified man was shot about 5 p.m. yesterday in the first block of Wheeler Ave. and was being treated at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center for a wound that was not life-threatening, police said. Details were not available. Southeastern District Victim identified: Dionne Sanders, 25, of the 1600 block of Kingsway Road was named by police yesterday as the man who was fatally shot early Tuesday in the 600 block of N. East Ave. No arrest had been made.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Baltimore City Northwestern District Arrest: Gary Royster, 26, of the 3300 block of Burleith Ave. was arrested Sunday on West Forest Park Avenue by members of the Warrant Apprehension Task Force on warrants charging him with two counts of first-degree murder in the shootings of two brothers. Vincent Lee Wright, 25, and Landreth Bowser, 20, both of the 3800 block of Bonner Road, were shot about 5:30 p.m. Dec. 30 in the 3600 block of Lucille Ave. in the central Park Heights section.