Complaints

In his op-ed "Annapolis dines at federal expense" (June 13) Sean Kennedy wrote: "The more Maryland taxes federal employees, the less money Uncle Sam can ask from them in taxes. " I have issues with this on several points. First, this applies to all workers, not just federal, and it is an attempt by the IRS to eliminate income taxes on money that is spent to pay other income taxes. Second, it only applies if one itemizes and does not take the standard deduction. Third, the alternative minimum tax eliminates this subsidy since it does not recognize either the standard or itemized state tax deduction (or personal exemptions either)

Two customers of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Hampstead-based men's apparel chain, accusing the retailer of using deceptive marketing by claiming merchandise is on sale when it is actually being offered at regular price. James Waldron and Matthew Villani filed the complaint April 5 in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, seeking a jury trial. The plaintiffs filed on behalf of themselves and others who bought Jos. Bank merchandise from April 5, 2006, to the present.

Howard County school board member Allen Dyer had four of his fellow board members served with a legal complaint moments before the panel recessed during Tuesday night's meeting. Dyer, who is currently battling the school board's request that the state board of education oust him from the panel, filed the lawsuit May 4 in Howard County Circuit Court against fellow members Janet Siddiqui, Ellen Flynn Giles, Sandra French and Frank Aquino. The four voted in favor of a June 9 resolution requesting his ouster.

Baltimore County businesses that let customers bring their own alcohol would need a "BYOB" license under legislation spurred by complaints about hookah lounges that are raucous late into the night. The bill, introduced Monday by Lutherville Republican Todd Huff, would make all BYOB establishments close by 2 a.m. The businesses would have to apply for licenses from the county and could face fines of up to $500 for not doing so. Huff said he introduced the bill because of "multiple complaints" about hookah lounges that allegedly become loud very late and don't enforce laws on underage drinking.

Reaction to the draw at Churchill Downs for the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby was almost universally positive. None of the favorites were put in an unfavorable position. Union Rags isn't in the most perfect spot at No. 4, but if he's really going to become the horse he was projected to become he'll have to prove he can get through traffic at some point. Why not the Kentucky Derby? With all of the horses seemingly healthy -- and you know how quickly that can change -- the focus here will be on the style of the race.

The Maryland medical society and attorney general's office launched a website Saturday aimed at helping doctors file complaints with the state when insurance companies refuse to cover patient care. "Essentially, our goal was to educate our patients and our physicians that there is an avenue for these complaints," said Gene Ransom III, CEO of MedChi, the state medical society. "We thought, 'Let's make it easier.'" The site, called Insurance Watch, is hosted on the Internet by the medical society.

Two years ago, the Sun's Arthur Hirsch profiled Baltimore County resident Mike Pierce and his obsessive drive to fight illegal signage . At the time, Pierce was responsible for a third of the county's complaints about nonpolitical signs. The Kingsville man is still on the case today. Pierce emailed me about today's article, “ Baltimore County cracks down on nuisance road signs .”  He said he was responsible for the complaints that led to fines against two of the businesses mentioned in the story - Cash for Cars and All-Star Automotive.

An Anne Arundel County elementary school principal has asked for a transfer to another school after district officials began investigating concerns that she did not respond to complaints about a student before he ended up threatening a teacher. In a letter to the school community this week, Crofton Elementary School principal Shauna Kauffman said Superintendent Kevin Maxwell had approved her request for a transfer to another school. She will be moved at the end of the school year.

The signs shout advertisements from the sidewalks: $1 crabs, day care open until midnight, cherry wood furniture and fresh starts after bankruptcy. They cover telephone poles and sprout up in medians, sometimes getting swept away by wind. And they really get under some people's skin. "It irritates me to no end," said Ed Bard, president of the Rockdale Civic & Improvement Association, who called fighting illegal signs "one of my passions. " Baltimore County code enforcement officials say they are cracking down on the common nuisance.

An adult movie and accessory store in Halethorpe that has been the target of neighbor complaints and Baltimore County penalties for years was ordered by a judge on Monday to stop showing videos and to dismantle viewing booths. Circuit Judge Dana M. Levitz's preliminary injunction ordered the Lovecraft store on Southwestern Boulevard to stop showing videos as of 5 p.m. Monday; it will soon have to remove the video booths. "It's about time," said Mike McAuliffe, president of the Halethorpe Improvement Association, which has been complaining about the store since it opened in 1999.