Elk River

Four members of a tugboat and dredging crew are missing and feared dead in the cold Elk River after the tug collided with a 520-foot freighter yesterday morning in fog 40 miles northeast of Baltimore. Five others from the tug Swift were rescued after narrowly escaping from the sinking vessel. The 60-foot tug rolled and sank within 20 seconds, apparently trapping some men inside, crew members told rescuers. The search for survivors was called off by evening and is scheduled to resume this morning.

Eleanor K. Kahle, an avid hiker and world traveler who with her husband restored an old farmhouse overlooking the Elk River, died of respiratory failure Monday at Ivy Manor Assisted Living in Ellicott City. She was 90. Born and raised Eleanor Kennedy in Philadelphia, she graduated from West Philadelphia High School, where she was an accomplished athlete. After earning her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1937, she taught home economics for 12 years in Philadelphia public schools.

EUREKA, Calif. -- Bureau of Land Management workers bustled about the trail head that leads to the Headwaters Forest Reserve Friday, slapping rust-colored paint over the word "Private" scrawled on a metal gate that demonstrators used to chain themselves to and pulling down a "No Trespassing" sign nailed to a redwood.Today, for the first time, the public will be invited into the forest, home to ancient redwoods and, for more than a decade, battleground for environmentalists and the Pacific Lumber Co.For the next three months, however, only a hardy few will be able to enjoy the reserve, which lies about 250 miles north of San Francisco.

In Prince George's Body of missing Laurel man found in Duckett Reservoir LAUREL - The body of a Laurel man who disappeared after playing with his dogs in a Prince George's County reservoir Friday was discovered yesterday morning, Prince George's police said. Michael Robert Marcus, 43, of the 100 block of Irving St., had been playing with his two dogs Friday evening in the T. Howard Duckett Reservoir in Supplee Park, near Laurel, police said. When one of the dogs had trouble swimming, Marcus went to help and disappeared under the water.

Cleanup crews worked yesterday to capture oil-soaked ducks and to remove oil from boats and beaches in the Elk River and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, fouled early Saturday when hundreds of gallons spilled from a barge.Officials said the cleanup may take a week and had no cost estimates. But the damage to wildlife and the Chesapeake Bay should be modest, officials said."In terms of impact, I think they were lucky, and they responded very quickly," said Joyce Ponsell, who surveyed the spill for Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, a nonprofit organization based in Newark, Del.She and colleagues spent three hours yesterday unsuccessfully trying to catch seven oil-soaked mallard ducks, which she said would die if not cleaned.

Howard Councilman Rakes says he will resign A key member of the Howard County Council announced late yesterday that he will resign Friday for "reasons of health." David A. Rakes, 69, an east Columbia Democrat, revealed his plans to step down in a brief letter distributed to other members of the council. Rakes' vote recently gave Republicans a 3-2 council majority to kill a bill to ban smoking in all Howard bars and restaurants, and he also made a Republican chairman of the majority-Democratic council.

ELK NECK STATE PARK - Coast Guard officers continued their inspection of a sunken tugboat on the Elk River yesterday, preparing to return the vessel to its owners, who will tow it back to Virginia. The bodies of two missing crew members, Ronald L. Bonniville of Hayes, Va., and Clarence McConnell of McClellanville, S.C., were recovered Saturday night. Two others, captain William Bryant, of Virginia Beach, Va., and his nephew, deckhand Justin Bryant of Supply, N.C., were still missing yesterday.

Prettyboy Reservoir -- Joe Butta describes the bass as lethargic, with the recent cold front driving them down to 25-35 feet, suspended over deep water. White perch can still be found on trolling spinners and night crawlers. Liberty Reservoir -- Doug Geis at Old Reisterstown Bait and Tackle reports that rockfish are starting to come up the reservoir. For now, blue gills, crappies and walleye are plentiful for anglers using small worms and night crawlers near the Nicodemus Bridge. Susquehenna River -- Mike Benjamin of Herb's Tackle Shop reports that rockfish near Susquehanna flats are being caught on live bait and top water.

The breeze chills the face. Spring arrives just a little later here in the mountains. There is a briskness to the air, but the sun's warmth is soothing. As far as the eye can see, mountain ridge is stacked against mountain ridge. It is not in vain that Webster County in West Virginia is called "The Mountain Park." Taking in the view from atop Elk Mountain, one may be inclined to believe it is a park for mountains. There are no signs of civilization from this vantage point. Far below, on the valley floor is the famed Elk River.

When Randall Romig was towed into Baltimore Arena last evening, the crowd rose largely as one and cheered. Romig, you see, was last and he had a chance to be first.He missed by 3 ounces, and Ken Cook of Meers, Okla., won the BASS Masters Classic and the $50,000 first prize with a three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 33 pounds, 2 ounces.Cook entered the day tied for fourth place behind Romig, Woo Daves and Zell Rowland.Cook, who was fishing a grass bed in the Elk River and another area of grass "behind the Susquehanna flats," caught 11 of his 15 keepers on a half-ounce spinnerbait of his own design called the Hart-Throb.