BUSINESS
Eileen Ambrose | May 21, 2012
Maryland dog lovers are upset by a ruling in the highest court in the state that says pit bulls are “inherently dangerous,” which means owners and landlords can be liable for the first bite a pit bull makes. But dog bites of all breeds turn out to be expensive. The Insurance Information Institute reports that last year insurers paid out nearly $479 million in dog bite claims with the average claim reaching $29,306. That's an increase of $3,230 per bite over last year. The number of bite claims last year totaled 16,292, up by 522 from the year before.
SPORTS
By Sandra McKee,The Baltimore Sun | May 19, 2012
As jockey Joe Bravo slid off Teeth of the Dog to talk to trainer Michael Matz after Saturday's Preakness, he was smiling. It might have seemed an odd expression for a jockey whose horse had just finished fifth. But Teeth of the Dog was the highest-finishing Maryland-trained horse in the race - and it had been a glorious race. Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another came from 31/2 lengths back down the stretch to forge ahead of the betting favorite, Bodemeister, by a neck at the finish.
NEWS
By Kevin Rector, The Baltimore Sun | May 18, 2012
A routine traffic stop in Annapolis on Monday led to the discovery of a large stash of heroin and three arrests, police said in a Friday news release. The 80.3 grams of heroin seized, which would have been worth $16,000 on the street, were not found in the vehicle stopped but in a rental vehicle parked nearby, police said. The woman and two men arrested were all from Annapolis. According to police, officers first stopped a bright green Lincoln in the 1100 block of Medgar Evers Street for undisclosed traffic violations at about 4:40 p.m., and discovered the driver, Deon Matthews, 20, had a suspended license.
NEWS
May 16, 2012
I wonder why strict liability is limited to pit bulls ("Pit bull fans schedule a rally today in Annapolis," May 15)? Blame becomes an issue only after a person is injured. If a dog is as loving and benign as most owners claim, why fear strict liability? William S. Ramsey, Columbia
FEATURES
By Catherine Mallette | May 15, 2012
Dog-lovers, get out your calendars and save the date for the annual Lab Rescue Dog Walk in Annapolis. The 2.25-mile walk raises money for the nonprofit Lab Rescue organization, which last year rescued 904 dogs. The goal this year is to raise $50,000 so the group can continue to have a big impact in helping vet and find foster and permanent homes for homeless labs. Carol Lagundo, VP of Lab Rescue, says they are expecting more than 250 owners and more than 150 dogs at this year's walk.
NEWS
May 10, 2012
I devoted my entire professional career to working with individuals stigmatized by drug addiction. Yet during that time I saw the pendulum swing from addiction being treated as a moral weakness to the disease-based model backed by science. I'm now witnessing a similar evolution in my volunteer work with an animal rescue group that over the years has become very familiar with pit bulls. The recent Maryland Court of Appeals decision designating all pit bull type dogs as inherently dangerous is based on myths, not facts.