Donations

The eyes of dozens of Harlem Park children twinkled yesterday when William Henderson wheeled a shiny new deluxe hot dog cart into a concrete park lined with ruined homes, vacant lots and drug addicts. Fatima Knight, 11, said the cart was the nicest thing she had seen in Harlem Park since five years ago, when she got a new pair of roller skates. Her brother, 10-year-old Rasheem, said it was the nicest thing he had seen since last summer, when neighborhood boys let him touch a new dirt bike.

WASHINGTON -- More than 60 percent of the money from large contributions to Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski's re-election campaign is coming from outside Maryland, according to federal records.Of the funds from donations larger than $200, $57,450 of $92,552 -- or 62 percent -- was contributed from other states for the first three months of this year, according to the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).During 1991, 71 percent of her large contribution funds -- $294,465 of $412,100 -- came from supporters beyond the state, according to FEC records.

Businesses, churches, schools, community groups and individuals came together this year to help almost 900 needy families celebrate Christmas through a countywide charity drive."

Four legislative leaders who championed an emergency bill that may help Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos in the wake of the baseball strike received thousands in campaign donations from Angelos-controlled interests, records show.Sens. John A. Pica Jr., Norman R. Stone Jr. and Thomas L. Bromwell and Del. Gerald J. Curran -- all Baltimore-area Democrats -- were instrumental in passing the bill, which bars replacement teams from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.The measure was signed into law Monday by Gov. Parris N. Glendening and took effect immediately.

State Comptroller Peter Franchot has returned $54,000 in contributions he received from a Hollywood film producer who broke Maryland's campaign finance law during the 2006 election, according to the comptroller's campaign manager. Producer James G. Robinson was fined $119,000 in October by the Maryland state prosecutor for giving larger donations than the law allowed to Franchot, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown. Under Maryland law, an individual or corporation may give no more than $4,000 to a candidate and no more than $10,000 overall during any four-year election cycle.

At the Salvation Army thrift store in Southwest Baltimore, the loot beckons from the lawn -- a like-new stair stepper, wooden chairs, a dinette set with a retro look that now is cool again.The store started placing some of its best goods outside about two months ago, hoping to lure passersby inside and to unload the flood of castoffs that now frequently fill its 20,000-square-foot warehouse to the bursting point.As the holiday season begins, the Salvation Army's windfall is shared by charities throughout the region and nation -- the beneficiaries of an booming that encourages the weeding out of yesterday's goods.

James Blair "Jim" Stein, a New Windsor man stricken with acute lymphocytic leukemia 17 months ago whose plight was embraced by many in the Carroll community, died Tuesday evening at Carroll County General Hospital. He was 40. Mr. Stein, a self-employed auto-body repairman who had to quit work when he became ill, and his family were the recipients of thousands of donations to the Jim Stein Foundation. The foundation placed donation jars around the county and held fund-raisers for the family.

When 3-year-old Ross Cochran was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in October 1991, his parents, Laurie and Dan, suddenly found themselves on a harrowing emotional and financial roller coaster.The ride isn't over for the Columbia family yet, but thanks to the unexpected outpouring of generosity and concern of a lot of strangers during the past three months, the couple's faith in human nature has been bolstered.Along with an outpouring of emotional support from friends, family and strangers, more than $25,000 has been raised to assist the couple with medical debts that won't be covered by the couple's insurance.

Federal investigators have closed a preliminary inquiry into state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller's slots-related fund-raising activities after finding no evidence of wrongdoing. FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin L. Perkins notified Miller's attorney yesterday that authorities had stopped investigating two $100,000 donations in the fall of 2002 from a racing group controlled by track owner Joseph A. De Francis to a national legislative committee headed by Miller. "It was alleged in published reports that the contributions were made in an effort to influence your client to provide support of pending legislation permitting slot machines in Maryland racetracks," Perkins wrote.

Donations are dribbling into Neighbors in Need in Westminster. The charity, which provides holiday food and presents for 500 local families, is praying for a flood."