Deal

Editor: Every day the media reports more crime, more violent crime, all kinds of pointless crimes. I can think of at least three excellent deterrents to crime – any crime: • The moral/religious compass, based on the Judeo-Christian principles found in America's foundation that was once taught by parents, teachers and clerics.  • The fear of punishment after arrest, trial and conviction – particularly execution.    ...

A deal environmentalists thought had been worked out to stop mostly out-of-state paper mills from cashing in on Maryland's renewable energy law by burning so-called "black liquor" has come unglued. The state's only paper plant in Allegany County has backtracked on a pledge not to oppose the move in return for being allowed to keep collecting from the state's utility customers for another five years. The New Page mill in Luke and several others out of state have reaped millions of dollarsfrom Maryland ratepayers over the past eight years by taking advantage of an obscure provision in the "renewable portfolio standard" law, passed in 2004 to reduce the state's reliance on climate-warming fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. Under the law, Maryland's electricity suppliers must increase the amount of power generated  from renewable sources to 20 percent by 2022.

The union representing 14,500 East Coast and Gulf longshoremen and the representative of 43 port operators and shipping companies completed negotiations on a six-year deal, a federal mediator announced Wednesday afternoon. The terms of the Master Agreement will now go to the respective memberships of the International Longshoremen's Association and U.S. Maritime Alliance for ratification, said George Cohen, director of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The Port of Baltimore has about 1,200 dockworkers represented by four locals.

Former Baltimore prep basketball star Aquille Carr will announce his intentions for next season after his final high school game on Saturday, said his coach at Laurel's Princeton Day Academy, Van Whitfield. Carr set off a new round of speculation about his plans with a series of tweets early Tuesday that seemed to indicate he will seek a professional deal. Carr strongly hinted in a February interview that he planned to test the overseas market instead of attending Seton Hall , the school to which he had been orally committed since early last year.

Marah Strickland didn't have any idea she was sick. She played two years at St. John's Catholic Prep in Frederick, two years at Towson Catholic, two seasons at Maryland and one season at South Carolina, and it's possible she was symptomatic the entire time. She just didn't know. A little more than two years ago, she finally found out. Doctors diagnosed Strickland with hypothyroidism before the 2011-12 season, and they told her it was something she might have had for a long time.

The Orioles have signed the remaining 17 players on their 40-man roster that had zero to three years service time. All received one-year contracts. They are: Right-handers Jake Arrieta, Zach Clark, Miguel Gonzalez, Steve Johnson, Pedro Strop and Chris Tillman; Lefties Zach Britton, Mike Belfiore and T.J. McFarland; catcher Luis Exposito; outfielders L.J. Hoes and Xavier Avery and infielders Ryan Flaherty, Manny Machado, Yamaico Navarro, Jonathan Schoop and Danny Valencia. All players on the 40-man roster are now signed for 2013.

Joe Flacco had just put his signature ona six-year contract that could pay him as much as $120.6 million and the NFL's newly-minted highest paid player had big plans to celebrate. “I'm going to drive home tonight and just go out to dinner with a couple of people,” said the Ravens' quarterback. “I'm buying, yeah.” Those who know Flacco best insist the 28-year-old is unfazed by fame and fortune but that will now be put to the test. In a little over a month's span, Flacco led his team to their second world championship by playing one of the best ever postseasons by a quarterback, won Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLVII and signed a contract that he hoped will make him a Raven for life.

Now that quarterback Joe Flacco is poised to become the highest paid player in the NFL by virtue of a $120.6 million contract, the Ravens aren't expected to use the franchise tag on any of their other unrestricted free agents. Although Monday afternoon marks the league deadline to use the designation, general manager Ozzie Newsome has already stated that Flacco was the Ravens' lone candidate to be named a franchise player. The Flacco contract, which includes a record $62 million payout during the first three years, won't become official until the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player takes and passes a physical and signs his contract Monday.

Don't look for a $3,000 suit or slicked-back hair. Don't expect to hear empty flattery or bragging about an extensive list of superstar clients. None of that is Joe Linta. "If you met him and he told you he was a sports agent, you wouldn't believe him," says recently retired Ravens center Matt Birk, a client of Linta's for all 15 of his NFL seasons. Linta built his Connecticut-based agency around guys like Birk, who were drafted in the later rounds and became excellent players at unglamorous positions.

Harford County Public Schools announced Thursday the county school board has reached a tentative contract agreement for next school year with the county's teachers union, the Harford County Education Association. Though the school system did not immediately approve details, the contract calls for teachers to receive a 1 percent cost of living adjustment and a step increment raise, for those eligible, that is typically about 3 percent, the union's president said. Step raises are typically earned during first 15 years of service, after which smaller longevity increases are provided beginning at 20, 25 and 30 years and so on. The Harford County Education Association, or HCEA, represents approximately 3,200 Harford County Public Schools employees, including teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists, media specialists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech and hearing clinicians.