Fair

Terrell Carr and his mother, Niesha Carr, have loved his experience at William C. March Middle School. From the Arabic classes in which he's excelled to the quality of the instruction, both have nothing but good things to say about the school. And they are disappointed that it might close at the end of the year. "It's kind of sad because it's the best school I've ever been to," said Terrell, a 13-year-old seventh-grader who was attending the fifth annual Baltimore City Public Schools Middle and High School Choice Fair, which brought the system's 64 middle and high schools together Saturday to showcase their offerings for parents and students.

Team Valor International, owner of 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, has announced that Maryland-based trainer Graham Motion is once again hoping to prep the horse for a run in the $10 million Dubai World Cup next spring. Animal Kingdom finished a charging second in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 3, despite not racing for 259 days while recovering from a small fracture -- his second such injury since the 2011 Belmont. The colt stood in Motion's barn in Fair Hill for the beginning of the year, as Motion trained his best 3-year-olds toward this year's Kentucky Derby.

For much of this election campaign, and during two previous two-term presidencies, I, like letter writer Alan Walden ("A stranger in his own land," Nov. 9), felt like a stranger in my own land. I have found myself asking, "Am I really this out of touch with what most Americans believe?" Faced with the apparent popularity of presidents and presidential aspirants espousing agendas rooted in fear, superstition, a rejection or ignorance of American history and science, and a blind faith in "business" as a cure-all for the nation's problems, I have felt dismayed.

I was 4 years old when I was picked up after a minor fall and had my tears brushed away with the words "You'll be OK. You'll heal long before you grow up and get married. " But by the time I reached puberty, that promise seemed to only be for my three sisters. I had come to the realization that I was gay, and gay people were not even thinking about getting married when I turned 12 in 1968. I hadn't even yet learned a word for being attracted to another boy. As a culture we have come a long way since then.

C.J. Fair considers himself "a top wing player in the country. " This season, the former City star will get a chance to prove it. Fresh off summer appearances at the LeBron James and Kevin Durant skills academies, Fair is confident that his junior season at Syracuse will be his best yet. “This year my role is much bigger than my previous two years,” Fair said. “I'm more of a focus this time. I'm one of the leaders on the team. It's just a different approach to the game.

Several recent editorials and commentaries criticize the new congressional districts. The opposition primarily focuses on the odd shapes of districts, without considering any of the other variables that come into play when drawing district lines. Simply making bald assertions about gerrymandering without any other facts and looking at the shapes of districts in isolation is extremely misleading. Common Cause asked the question in a recent article "are odd shaped districts good or bad?"

The Baltimore Washington Region Government Procurement Fair will be held Wednesday, Oct. 31, 8 a.m. to noon, at Martins Crosswinds, 7400 Greenway Center Drive, in Greenbelt. More than 50 government agencies will be present. Informational sessions and one-on-one sessions with buyers will be available. Registration begins 7:30 a.m. The prepaid price for Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber members is $65; nonmembers $95; all at the door, $125. Register at http://www.baltwashchamber.org/events and click on Government Procurement Fair.

The Dallas Cowboys may be America's Team, but the Ravens have the football gods on their side. Fate plays a part in every season as well as luck, but the Ravens seem to be getting divine intervention. And after the team's 31-29 win against the Cowboys in Baltimore Sunday, even the Ravens were starting to have some fun with it. They believe. "Before the game I said should I go into prayer in a closet for this one?" asked Ravens left guard Bobbie Williams. "I thought, 'Why not?

At considerable taxpayer expense, Gov. Martin O'Malley convened a special session of the General Assembly last month to expand gambling to a sixth site in Prince George's County. If his proposal is approved by the voters in November, this legislation will result in no real financial gain to the citizens of Maryland, oversaturate the state with casinos, and seriously jeopardize the revenue that state and local governments are receiving from operations at the current casino sites. Question 7, as it is known, also sends a pernicious message to potential investors that the state of Maryland is an unreliable business partner.

Election fraud strikes at the heart of our political system and threatens our freedom. When fraudulent votes cancel out legal votes, our rights as citizens are diminished. Free and fair elections are our American birthright, and citizen initiatives to safeguard voter integrity are a welcome development, supporting and supplementing the work of boards of elections across the country. In a state such as Maryland, where voter ID is not required, the administration of polls is critical to the success of an election that is free of irregularities.