County Officials

Proponents of expanded gambling have enlisted four leading political figures — including Gov. Martin O'Malley — to make television ads assuring voters that the additional tax revenue expected to flow into state coffers will go to education. The 30-second spots aim to counter what is apparently an effective argument by opponents of Question 7 on the Nov. 6 ballot: That voters can't trust politicians not to divert the additional revenue away from the schools. The latest ads show O'Malley, Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and former Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith telling Marylanders that if they stop the flow of gambling dollars to neighboring states, the money will be used in the classroom.

Anne Arundel County hired a private, $450-an-hour lawyer to defend County Executive John R. Leopold in a discrimination lawsuit, ringing up a $20,743 bill to taxpayers within two weeks and raising questions about whether the embattled politician should pay the growing tab. Before August, county attorneys spent two years defending Leopold and the county government against a claim that Leopold created a hostile work environment for women and fired a...

A Carroll County commissioner has drafted legislation that would make English the county's official language — and if it passes, Carroll would become the third Maryland locality to enact such legislation this year, following Frederick and Queen Anne's counties. Commissioner Haven Shoemaker, who represents the Hampstead area, said he will ask his colleagues to introduce the proposal at the board's session Thursday. If they are amenable, a public hearing would be scheduled before a vote.

This is in response to the Sept. 6 letter to the editor, "County's policy on lightning well-intentioned but misguided. " The National Weather Service applauds Howard County's lightning safety education effort to protect its residents. The safety message on the sign, "When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors" can be a matter of life or death. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike and you should seek shelter immediately. If a substantial building is not close by, a vehicle provides very safe shelter.

WESTMINSTER — County officials and the Westminster Road Runners Club are alerting residents that several roads in greater Westminster will be part of the route for a half marathon being run on Sunday, Sept. 23, between 8 and 10:30 a.m. The event will be staged in the area of Old Bachmans Valley, Lemmon, Sullivan, Beggs, Old Fridinger Mill and Fridinger Mill roads. Roadways will remain open to traffic, but motorists should use caution and be aware of the runners.

Baltimore County schools dealt with reported threats on three separate campuses Thursday morning, as officials worked to quash rumors and assure parents their children are safe. The schools were not placed on lock down and all the rumors proved to be unfounded, officials said. "It appears at this point that a flurry of rumors is circulating on social media," said Charles Herndon, county schools spokesman. "People are understandably on edge because of recent events and these threats are really playing on people's nerves.

Perry Hall High School is more than 20 miles from Catonsville High, where Principal Deborah Bittner announced Monday, Aug. 27, on the school intercom, "There's been a tragic situation ... " "It's made us think and rethink how we would handle something like this," Bittner said an interview, reflecting on the shooting at Perry Hall High that morning. There, a male student was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center after being shot by a fellow student with a shotgun during the first lunch period of the school year, according to county police.

Baltimore County has hired consultants to review how it promotes police officers, amid a federal investigation into its hiring practices for minorities in public safety agencies. Officials said the contract, approved this week by the County Council, was unrelated to the probe. Under the $70,000 deal, the McLean, Va.-based Fields Consulting Group will, among other things, review the Police Department's promotional policies for corporals and sergeants, analyze job tasks and develop exams for promotions, according to the county auditor's analysis of the contract.

Walmart should rethink its plans to move from Abingdon to a site closer to Bel Air off of Route 924 and Plumtree Road, Harford County Executive David Craig said Tuesday. "I have serious concerns regarding the proposed construction of a Walmart at the site discussed," Craig said in a written statement issued by his office early Tuesday afternoon. The statement comes 12 days after several hundred angry people attended a community input meeting on the plan for the Walmart, at which many of them shouted at Walmart representatives and denounced Craig and other county officials, many under the belief they were supporting the project.

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz plans to host a community forum next week in Landsdowne. Kamenetz said in a statement that the event – called "Coffee with Kevin" -- would be an opportunity for citizens to speak out about issues that are important to them. The hour-long forum is scheduled for Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. at Bakery Express, located at 4711 Hollins Ferry Road in Lansdowne. It is open to the public, and people do not need to pre-register. County officials said Kamenetz plans to host a series of forums, but a date for a second event has not been set. alisonk@baltsun.com twitter.com/aliknez