Errors

City and state lawmakers called Monday for stepped-up scrutiny of property tax credit programs in Baltimore, after a Baltimore Sun investigation found that chronic errors have cost the city millions of dollars in lost revenue, despite warnings stretching back more than a decade. "There should be an audit of both the state and city side," said City Councilman Carl Stokes, chairman of the taxation committee, who called on the city's elected leaders in Annapolis to become involved. Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg, vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, asked the state Office of Legislative Audits to examine the repeated mistakes made by the state assessments agency in calculating the city's historic property tax credit.

Adam Jones had a simple request for the South team of the Brooks Robinson All-Star Game at Camden Yards on Sunday. A day after his walk-off home run in extra innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, and minutes after he scored the winning run in extra innings Sunday, another walk-off win, Jones had some more walking on his mind. This time, it concerned his dog. And there came the request. "He just wanted us to score and get ahead so he had a reason to leave and go home to walk his dog," said Cody Acker (Blake)

From a statement issued by the office of the mayor of Baltimore: "Baltimore is fortunate to be home to some of Maryland's premiere art museums and performing arts centers, as well as thriving communities of young and independent artists that attract people from throughout the region and world.”            Premier  is an adjective meaning "foremost" or a noun meaning "prime minister....

The Orioles' 8-6 loss to the Blue Jays Tuesday night ended with catcher Matt Wieters watching his team's failed comeback from a seven-run deficit in the visiting clubhouse of the Rogers Centre, banished from the field after receiving the first ejection of his big-league career. It ended with Orioles manager Buck Showalter heading to the trainer's room to get an update on his Gold Glove starting right fielder, Nick Markakis, who tweaked his right wrist attempting a swing that tried to keep the Orioles comeback hopes alive.

A game anticipated because of the perfection demonstrated by North Harford and James M. Bennett that got them to the 3A Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association championship game Saturday, was anything but perfect. By the end of the third inning there were six errors split between the teams . But Bennett was able to rely on its pitcher Canaan Cropper to help the Clippers beat North Harford, 4-2, and secure their second straight championship. Cropper had 10 strikeouts by the fourth inning, while the errors behind him resulted in nothing for the Hawks.

A recent article about two former Department of Public Works meter readers did not accurately reflect the proactive steps taken by DPW to reduce water meter billing errors ("City official: Lazy workers faked water meter readings," May 15). The agency's new quality control processes were instrumental in identifying, addressing and resolving the issue by removing the two employees from government service before the reporters' inquiry. The truth is that when a pattern of errors emerged in December of 2011, the former employees were confronted, and they were quickly removed.

News Roundup •••• Just when you thought it was safe to think about football again, “Madden” confirms that “Tebowing” will be included in this August's release of the game. Look, this is getting out of hand. Everyone knows that Monty Python invented “Tebowing” when King Arthur fought the Black Knight. [ NFL ] •••• A partnership between Newcastle University and Limbs Alive, Ltd. uses a specially-designed video game with “next-gen” motion control technology to help stroke victims recover their motor skills.

First baseman Chris Davis was not in the starting lineup on Tuesday with lefty CC Sabathia on the mound. That alone probably is enough to sit the slugging left-hander, who is 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against Sabathia. But Davis has also been in a deep slump. Counting his 0-for-8 performance in Boston on May 6 - the 17-inning game in which he picked up a win by throwing two scoreless innings - Davis has just three hits in his past 28 at-bats, dropping his average from .326 to .274.

If a team is going to have one of those unforgettable, ridiculous, are-you-kidding-me kinds of seasons, then it has to beat clubs it's not supposed to beat and get contributions from players no one was counting on. It's too early to proclaim that these upstart Orioles are going to make noise all year, but as the quarter pole of the season grows closer, they are starting to win games in a manner that can make even the most cynical Orioles fan start...