Deadline

No one knows what will happen if Iraq does not withdraw from Kuwait before the Jan. 15 deadline set by the United Nations.The confusion surrounding the situation in the Persian Gulf and what might happen raises many questions. The Sun will go to the experts to try to answer as many of your questions as possible about the gulf crisis and what may follow the deadline authorizing the use of force against Iraq.Tell us your questions by calling Sundial, The Sun's audio information service, today or tomorrow.

For the next three weeks, the Ravens will have three-day, organized team activities that will undoubtedly attract many of the team's veteran players along with the rookie class. Ray Rice, the Ravens' star running back who has stayed away from the team's facility this offseason as his agent attempts to secure a contract extension for him, is not expected to be there, but that should not be taken as a sign that the negotiations are going poorly. While no deal is imminent and there remains plenty of work to do, there has been some progress in the contract talks in recent weeks between Rice's agent, Todd France, and the Ravens, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Sept. 7 is the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail, fax or e-mail for the Sept. 14 primary. Requests can be printed from the State Board of Elections website at http://www.elections.state.md.us , or requested by telephone, in writing, or in person at the voter's local board of elections. After Sept. 7, all requests for an absentee ballot must be made in person at a local board of elections. Starting the second Friday before the election (Sept. 3) through the Thursday before the election (Sept.

I believe to this day that I accepted the job I was offered at the Evening Sun in 1981 because of the Bromo Seltzer clock. The route from the airport took us right past the downtown tower that (at the time) still defined the Charm City skyline, and I was immediately taken by it. It was retro. It was kitschy. And it seemed real. Just like Baltimore in 1981. Although I'd come to town for an interview at the morning paper, Bob Keller, then the editor of the afternoon paper, was clever enough to snatch me up at the airport.

The deadline for the annual Eldersburg Photo Contest, sponsored by the Carroll Eagle and Eldersburg.Net, is today, Sunday, Dec. 4. The contest is open to residents in the 21784 ZIP code and the Carroll County portion of Marriottsville. The original deadline was Nov. 27, but was extended to Dec. 4. The contest includes a first prize of $100, second prize of $50 and third prize of $25, with addition prizes in categories of Landscapes, Still Life and Architecture, People, and Ages 13 and under.

Magna Entertainment Corp. has pushed back by a week the deadline for the second round of bids for Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park. Bids will now be due Dec. 11 instead of Dec. 4, according to court papers. Magna announced last week that the auction of the two Maryland thoroughbred tracks will proceed without a lead bidder. A representative of the financial firm handling the sale indicated last week that the deadline for the second round of bids could be extended. Magna filed for bankruptcy protection in March.

Baltimore County is reminding residents who live in single-family houses and town homes that Saturday is the deadline to put Christmas trees out for recycling. Residents should place undecorated trees at the front curb or street, not in alleys, no later than Saturday. Crews will collect trees only. No decorations, bags or tree stands will be accepted. Information: 410-887-2000. mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

Listings are accepted on a space-available basis. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday prior to date of publication at the latest. To submit contest items, mail to Contests, Patuxent Publishing Co. Editorial, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278; email hccalendar@patuxent.com ; fax 410-332-6336; or call 410-332-6497. Cultural Arts Showcase 2012 Call for Applicants — Howard County Arts Council is seeking artist applications for its annual Cultural Arts Showcase, a program to assist school and civic organizations in identifying performing, visual and literary artists for workshops, performances, demonstrations and in-school residencies. Attendees of Showcase include cultural arts representatives, PTA Representatives, festival and special event coordinators from Recreation and Parks and other members of the community.

Have you ever seen a picture of food that just made your mouth water? The light was just right, the food was just so, and let's face it, it made you a little weak in the knees. I'm in search for more food porn! The amateur food photography contest has now been extended to May 29! Send in your best food photography to Project Fresh for a chance to win the Show Me Your Food Porn contest. First place winner will take home some b swag and of course, all-time bragging rights.

The publisher of the Baltimore Jewish Times and its key creditor have been given until Friday morning to file a plan to get the company out of bankruptcy or face a hearing on a motion to appoint a trustee to run the business. Alter Communications Inc., which also publishes Style magazine, and its former printer, H.G. Roebuck & Son, Inc., are negotiating a revision of a plan that Alter filed in December that involves an investor group headed by Dr. Scott Rifkin, a Baltimore physician turned health care enterpreneur, said Maria Ellena Chavez-Ruark, Alter's attorney.

With today being the final day that NFL teams can sign restricted free agents to offer sheets, it is pretty much a formality that cornerback Cary Williams, who was given a second-round tender by the Ravens, will be back in Baltimore this season even though he has yet to sign his restricted tender and technically isn't under contract. Williams presumably hasn't signed his tender because he and the Ravens are in advanced talks on a contract extension, which is something team officials recently said was a priority this offseason.

On deadline day at Liberty Tax Service on Harford Road, a young woman in a green Statue of Liberty costume stood out front waving frantically at passing cars. But on Tuesday morning, you'd never know a deadline was looming from the relative calm inside the Parkville storefront office. Two tax preparers sat across desks from customers, methodically entering information into forms on their computers. Manager Neil Riordan figured most people had no idea they had two extra days to file their tax returns, since the 15th fell on a Sunday and Monday was a local holiday in Washington, D.C. Riordan said the office saw a rush of down-to-the-wire filers last week.

The sky is a bright blue over the State House dome, and the weather couldn't be more pleasant. A gentle breeze stirs the early morning air, and the House and Senate still aren't talking -- at least in any public way. On Sunday night, House SpeakerMichael E. Buschsaid the House members of the conference committees on the budget would be ready to meet as of 7:30 a.m. in an effort to wind up the 2012 session by midnight and avoid having to go...

School transfer requests in Prince George's County Public Schools for 2012-13 will be accepted through April 20. Transfer requests will not be considered for schools that exceed state-rated capacity. For a list of schools eligible to receive transfer students and the transfer request form, go to www1.pgcps.org . Only schools on the list can be selected as a transfer option. This list will change as the school's enrollment reaches capacity. There is no guarantee that a student will gain admission to a listed school.

L.A. comes out ahead Shandel Richardson Sun Sentinel The city of Los Angeles was the biggest winner at the trade deadline. The Clippers and Lakers both made deals that moved them closer to competing with the Thunder. The Clippers acquired Nick Young from the Wizards for almost nothing (Brian Cook and a second-round pick). Young gives them another scorer in the backcourt to help offset the loss of Chauncey Billups. The Lakers made similar progress with the acquisition of point guard Ramon Sessions.

The publisher of the Baltimore Jewish Times and its key creditor have been given until Friday morning to file a plan to get the company out of bankruptcy or face a hearing on a motion to appoint a trustee to run the business. Alter Communications Inc., which also publishes Style magazine, and its former printer, H.G. Roebuck & Son, Inc., are negotiating a revision of a plan that Alter filed in December that involves an investor group headed by Dr. Scott Rifkin, a Baltimore physician turned health care enterpreneur, said Maria Ellena Chavez-Ruark, Alter's attorney.

The Crofton Civic Association is looking for candidates for its board of directors. The deadline to submit applications is Sunday. Forms are available at Town Hall or by calling 721-2301.The board of directors runs the special tax district. The president, secretary, director of operations, maintenance and public safety, director of recreation and youth, director of education and civic affairs, director of planning and zoning and neighborhood representative for each of the six districts are elected, as are three members of the rules committee.

The latest news in Washington on the payroll tax cut is that there's not much news. To the surprise of no one, negotiators in Congress are exactly where they were last December when the tax break was extended two months - gridlocked. So once again, the clock is ticking. Congress has three weeks to decide whether to extend the tax holiday for some period of time (preferably the remainder of the year but at least enough time for businesses to adjust their withholding calculations)

For the soldiers of Task Force Raven in Afghanistan, the tempo is high, the roads are rough, and the work is dangerous. The Maryland National Guardsmen, members of the 1297th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, carry equipment through insurgent-infested territory to combat troops in southern and western Afghanistan. Such work is helping to create the conditions for the coming handover of the country's security to Afghan forces, U.S. military officials say. As the United States winds down its decade-long conflict, Maryland soldiers and Marines who have served in Afghanistan say they hope their contributions will outlast the American military presence.