Controversy

A controversial court ruling in April that pit bulls are "inherently dangerous" is not yet in effect and must survive an appeal before it can be applied as Maryland law, according to an opinion released this week by the state attorney general's office. The opinion, written by Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Rowe in response to a request from Montgomery County Del. Heather Mizeur for advice on how to understand the ruling, says a motion for reconsideration of the ruling now before the Maryland Court of Appeals "delays the effect of the decision.

Embattled Anne Arundel County Police Chief James Teare Sr. agreed to retire next month, ending the criminal investigation of his role in the misconduct case against his boss, County Executive John R. Leopold. The sudden announcement Wednesday by the Maryland State Prosecutor's Office marks the highest-profile departure from government in the wake of the probe into Leopold's use of his police security detail. Within hours, Leopold named an acting chief. The prosecutor's office in March obtained a five-count indictment against Leopold, accusing him of ordering officers to do personal and political favors that included keeping his girlfriends from meeting each other and driving Leopold to uproot an opponent's campaign signs.

The public rumble over pit bulls, provoked by the Maryland Court of Appeals' ruling in April that the breed is "inherently dangerous," could spill into the legislature should the General Assembly decide to take up the matter in a special session this summer. In the meantime, the state's highest court has been asked to reconsider its decision, or to at least delay it until the legislature gets a chance to act. In a motion filed last week, attorneys from the high-powered Venable law firm claim the court's decision against their client - a Towson landlord whose tenant owned a pit bull that mauled a 10-year-old boy in 2007 - was based on "unsound science" and "misperceptions" about the breed.

It was while she was serving dinner to her kids in 2008 and their dad was out campaigning for president, that Michelle Obama hatched a modest daydream: a vegetable garden on the White House grounds. She'd recently had a conversation with her children's pediatrician about their eating habits, and the poor health of children he was seeing in his practice. It shook her up — he was treating obesity and diabetes in kids — and she resolved to make better food choices for her family. She never said anything to Barack Obama about a vegetable garden (she told interviewers this week that she didn't want to jinx things with a "what if" question)

The extension of Cedarday Drive to Cedar Lane near the regional park entrance is open to traffic, the Harford County Department of Public Works announced. The road extension project has been in the works for several years and was once strongly opposed by many residents of the Cedarday community, who said extending the main street through their community would cause Cedarday Drive to become a cut through for people using Wheel Road to get to Cedar Lane Regional Park. Despite that opposition, the county pushed ahead with the extension project last year.

Indie bands, be careful - advertising agencies want your sound, and if you say no, they'll hire studio musicians to do their best impression. Patrick Carney, the drummer for the Black Keys, complained of several big-name companies doing this exact procedure. Now, Baltimore duo Beach House - a band whose new album, "Bloom," hit stores this past Tuesday to strong reviews - is the latest act claiming to be kinda-copied. In a new ad for Volkswagen's Polo, there's a familiar, haunting croon over a light, springy organ.

While Doug O'Neill has been able to enjoy everything Baltimore has to offer during the past week and a half, his time in town hasn't been devoid of controversy. The trainer of Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another has been accused of “milkshaking” his horses -- giving them an illegal mixture that makes them feel less tired -- four times in his career. His record has been the center of some attention on O'Neill this week, who said he will answer questions in greater detail once the Triple Crown ends and California racing officials, who have yet to announce their ruling on a 2010 incident (the most recent)

Last year, when Gov.Martin O'Malley signed an executive order establishing a commission to study the impact of drilling for natural gas in Western Maryland's Marcellus Shale deposit, he promised the state would be guided by "scientific knowledge. " Yet gathering that much-needed information costs money, something the state doesn't have at the moment. That lack of funds will likely mean many months of delay for the fact-finding efforts of the governor's advisory commission. The alternative - to simply not do a thorough study of such issues as the potential economic effects of fracking, the disposal of toxic waste water, and the impact on local ground water - would be wholly unacceptable.

Nearly 3,600 people ran or walked in the rainy and slippery inaugural Susan G. Komen breast cancer race in Ocean City Sunday, despite early concerns that a controversy involving Planned Parenthood could hurt attendance. Breast cancer survivors, their families and supporters showed up on Ocean City 's boardwalk just after sunrise, ready to race in rain and cool temperatures. Pink was the color of the day, on everything from sneakers to bandannas and wigs. Planned Parenthood wasn't on most attendees' minds two months after Komen officials pulled funding from the national organization, then changed their minds after a public outcry.

As one potential Kentucky Derby favorite dealt with the changing color of his tail, another breezed to probably the most impressive win of the prep season over the weekend. Hansen, the white colt and 6-5 favorite at the Blue Grass Stakes, finished second after having dye applied to -- and then washed out of -- his tail. The bizarre mini-controversy overshadowed Dulluhan's stirring charge over the last three furlongs . Under Kent Desormeaux, the Dale Romans-trained colt went from 10th to first and set a new stakes record on Keeneland's Polytrack.  At the Arkansas Derby, late-comer Bodemeister overwhelmed the field, racing out from the No. 11 post and taking an early lead.