Duties

WASHINGTON -- Taking on a case with wide consequences for U.S. companies that send goods overseas for assembly, the Supreme Court said yesterday that it will rule on the government's power to impose import fees when those goods are brought back to the United States for sale.The court, accepting new cases it will decide in the term that begins Monday, agreed to hear a Treasury Department appeal in a dispute with Haggar Clothing Co. The dispute involves trousers that are made of U.S. goods but are assembled in Mexico and treated during the assembly process to make them into wrinkle-free, wash-and-wear garments.

The U.S. housing industry appealed to the Bush administration last week to drop tariffs on Mexican cement, saying those duties of 81 percent are causing a shortage of the building material that could undermine the U.S. housing market. Forty-one percent of builders reported a shortage of cement compared with 11 percent in May, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders. The short supply of cement, steel framing, insulation and other materials is adding as much as $7,000 to the cost of a new home and leading to construction delays, the group said in a statement.

The Carroll County Health Department is about to lend one of its departmental leaders to the military. Edwin Singer, 39, director of the Health Department's environmental health division and a major in the Army Reserve, has been called to active duty and is to serve a year in Afghanistan. Friday will be his last day at his Westminster office. "It is no fun going to a combat zone in a Third World country that has been at war for decades," he said. "This is a tough area of the world, and the living conditions will be lousy.

The hostages in Iran won the presidency for the Republicans in 1980 and may take it away from them now.Whoever can most accurately define the city comptroller's duties gets the job.

The Orioles today will announce that manager Frank Robinson will be replaced by first-base coach Johnny Oates. Robinson will assume a variety of front-office duties. The Orioles have a 13-24 record and are trailing the first-place Boston Red Sox by 10 games in the AL East.The coaching staff will remain intact. Robinson became the Orioles manager in April 1988 replacing Cal Ripken Sr. He previously was relieved of managerial duties in Cleveland and San Francisco.

LOCALLY United TherapeuticsThe Silver Spring developer of drugs to treat vascular diseases fell 3 percent yesterday, its third straight losing day after gaining nearly 25 percent Tuesday and Wednesday. NATIONALLY Brink's Co. Shares of the armored-truck and home security company rose 6 cents to $26.47 after the company said it had a $2.1 million charge in the second quarter to cover an overseas unit's failure to pay duties and taxes. Losses for penalties could reach as much as $50 million related to unpaid customs duties, the company said.

WASHINGTON -- Two Japanese automakers have asked the Commerce Department to extend reduced duties they pay on imported parts for their American-made cars.The companies want to expand their factories in the United States without paying higher tariffs on the additional parts they will need to import.Since opening U.S. factories in the 1980s, Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co., like Detroit's Big Three automakers, have held an exemption that lets them pay duties of no more than 2.5 percent on parts they import for assembly.

The hazards of the job caught up with the Sykesville building inspector Friday.Bill Oler, hired on a two-year contract in January, fell down a hill at the Shannon Run tot lot on Norris Avenue. He broke his leg in two places."It was a very bad and painful break," said Town Manager James L. Schumacher. "We had to get the ambulance."Mr. Oler, who has earned about 500 hours in safety training, added safety inspection to his duties about six weeks ago.After a brief hospital stay, Mr. Oler was recuperating at his Hampstead residence, Mr. Schumacher said.

Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding is conducting a volunteer orientation Oct. 29, from 2:30 p.m. to 5 at Tuckaway Farm in Havre de Grace. Volunteers are needed for various duties such as horse leading, side walking, horse care, facility maintenance and administrative duties. Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding offers therapeutic riding lessons to people with special needs. Volunteer forms can be found at http://www.chesapeaketherapeuticriding.org on the volunteer page. Originals must be submitted prior to attending the the volunteer orientation.

Andre Lake has been appointed to the student leadership organization of cadre within the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Randolph-Macon Academy, in Front Royal, Va. A senior, Lake received the rank of first lieutenant and performs duties assigned to the Echo Flight commanding officer. He is the son of Linda Howe-Lake, of Laurel.