Family

Greg Cantori plans to downsize when he retires. Really, really downsize. His retirement home is 238 square feet — one-tenth the size of the average new American house — and sits in his Anne Arundel County yard. He and wife Renee can hitch it to a truck and take it with them wherever they go. "It's so cheap — that's what's so cool about this," said Cantori, 52, who envisions a surf-and-turf future, alternating between the house and a sailboat. "We bought the house for $19,000.

Among the daily text messages, thrice-a-week Skype sessions and actual once-a-week phone conversations, Jason and Jeremy Noble openly wondered how neat it would be if they met in a national title game. The twin brothers are one step away from realizing that dream. Jason Noble, a senior defenseman, and Cornell (14-3) will meet seventh-seeded Duke (14-5) in the first of two NCAA tournament semifinals at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia this Saturday. Jeremy Noble, a junior midfielder, and fourth-seeded Denver (14-4)

If you're a big fan, you already knew what was coming in the season finale. But it didn't make it any easier -- or less heartbreaking -- to watch. The majority of the Season 3 "Downton" finale, or the "Christmas special" as its called in the U.K., took place in Scotland, where the whole family (minus Branson) visits the Highlands home of the Dowager's niece, Susan, and her husband, Shrimpy. Most of the trip included bagpipes, hunting, more bagpipes and Scottish reel dancing. But more on that later (and more on O'Brien meeting her Scottish lady's maid doppelganger)

Gene Iager and Chris Pereira live on opposite sides of Scaggsville Road in Fulton, and take conflicting views of a 91-acre expanse of grass and woods that lies between them. Iager looks out his front window and across the road at the land and sees a future development of apartments, townhouses and single-family homes that would let his farming family cash in on years of hard work, while also suiting the goals of local and state planners. Pereira looks at the green field out her back door and sees a potential suburban mess — what she believes will be too many people on too little land, generating more traffic than roads can handle, packing schools and spilling runoff into a stream that runs through the property not far from Triadelphia Reservoir.

A cabal of corrupt corrections officers and members of the Black Guerrilla Family gang enjoyed nearly free rein inside the Baltimore City Detention Center, federal authorities allege, smuggling drugs and cellphones into the jail and having sexual relationships that left four guards pregnant. An indictment unsealed Tuesday names 25 people - including 13 women working as corrections officers - who face racketeering and drug charges. Twenty of the accused also face money-laundering charges.

Just when Washington looked like it was completely preoccupied with the scandals, real and imaginary, swirling around the White House, a group of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate managed the unexpected (and, these days, extraordinary): They agreed on something. The vote Tuesday night in the Senate Judiciary Committee to forward to the floor a massive overhaul of the nation's immigration system was, to be sure, a small step and doesn't guarantee success in the full Senate, much less the House of Representatives.

You don't hear the phrase the "man of the family" anymore. It's gone the way of Girl Friday and other remnants of a bygone, politically incorrect era. You remember the movies, though, of that time. The father is going off to war. Or, sometimes, he has a dread disease against which he has fought a valiant and yet inevitably unsuccessful fight.Anyway, it's your basic departure scene. Dad calls in the male child, cues the music and intones, "Son, you're going to have to be the man of the family now."

A perennial jokester known for his tendency to break into song, Sean Gamble was the one his friends turned to when they needed cheering up or had an occasion to celebrate. With his two brothers and two sisters, he filled his parents' home with church songs and improvised melodies, making friends and family laugh with his tunes about cold-cut sandwiches and feta cheese. So it was only natural that Sean Gamble would accompany his cousin, Martin Gamble, and their friends during Martin's 23rd birthday celebration last Saturday at Select Lounge.

Four generations of Nellie Plott's family got together recently. Plott is great-grandmother to Kylie Riha and Aiden Riha, grandmother to Jay Riha, and mother to Donna Riha. All reside in Abingdon.

Forest Hill resident Thomas Franklin Keller earned the rank of Eagle Scout on Nov. 6, 2012. A ceremony was held on May 4 in recognition of his accomplishment. "I'm honored to be an Eagle Scout," said Keller, who spent 201 hours collecting more than 2,000 food items that were donated to Centre United Methodist Church in Forest Hill. "It felt good giving back to the community that's helped me," said Keller, a member of Troop 809 out of Jarrettsville. Keller has received numerous certifications, including a letter from former President Bill Clinton, a Harford County proclamation and Maryland flag, a Maryland Senate Resolution and a Maryland General Assembly official citation.

Two people were seriously injured after a fire was intentionally set in a Family Dollar store in East Baltimore on Wednesday morning, Baltimore fire officials said. The people were taken to a hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns, fire Capt. Roman Clark said. The fire was reported in a Family Dollar store at 2020 Harford Road at about 11:40 a.m. A suspect has not yet been apprehended for the suspected arson, Clark said. The building suffered at least $10,000 in damage, in addition to the loss of $6,000 worth of the store's contents, Clark said.

Lisa and Eric Grevin's southern Anne Arundel County home bustles with activity, with six children playing, doing homework and getting ready for dinner. With three adopted children and three foster children, it's not exactly what the Grevins pictured when they decided to start a family — but now they say they couldn't imagine life any other way. "It changed our lives," said Eric Grevin, 41, of the couple's decision to serve as foster parents. "It made our lives richer and fuller, and I'm so glad we did it. " The Grevins recently were named Foster Parents of the Year for Anne Arundel County and will be honored at a reception with Maryland first lady Katie O'Malley at Government House in Annapolis in June.

The city's spending panel on Wednesday approved a $72,000 payout to three family members who accused Baltimore police of assaulting and falsely arresting them outside of a Federal Hill bar. The Board of Estimates voted to award the money to Rony, Ronnie and Eileen Reyes to settle a $99 million suit brought against the police department after a 2010 incident at Mad River Bar & Grille. On Oct. 16, the Reyes family went to the bar and stayed there until closing time, according to board documents.

Hey there! My name is Mattia Tomay, and I'm a World Heritage Italian exchange student in Aberdeen. Did you know that April was National Volunteer Recognition month? I bet in every community there is someone that with his/her goodwill and talent help some other people, and that many times we forget to thank. I want to take this opportunity to thank the people who have been so important and fundamental to the great experience that I'm living in the USA. Firstly, to my amazing American family: My mom and dad (Tom and Cindy Beilman)

Ten protesters gathered Tuesday morning in front of The Baltimore Sun's office on North Calvert Street, rallying against a possible sale of the newspaper to Koch Industries. Headed by brothers David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch, the private company has emerged as a potential buyer in Tribune Co.'s possible sale of its newspapers, according to a New York Times report last month. The Kochs are known for their support of conservative and libertarian advocacy. Similar protests have occurred outside other newspapers owned by Tribune, including the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune.

Nikki McGowan is no stranger to half-pints in the kitchen. The Howard County chef teaches kid-centric cooking classes in schools all over the region, making her a perfect fit to help us kick off Maryland Family's brand new Kids' Cooking Club. Each week during June, check the Maryland Family website for a new kid-friendly recipe designed by a local chef. Make the recipes with your child, and tell us about it (see the next page for how to join). Once you've completed all four, we'll mail your budding chef a congratulatory certificate.

A day after his housemate was reported missing in Harford County, Alexander Kinyua went to church with his family and asked the pastor if he could borrow a Bible. "I said, 'Sure, take it, but bring it back,' " Pastor Eric T. Campbell, of Baltimore's Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church on East North Avenue, recounted Sunday. Campbell said he was unsure whether Kinyua did take a Bible with him last Sunday, three days before the Morgan State University electrical engineering student was charged with killing 37-year-old Kujoe Bonsafo Agyei-Kodie and confessed to eating some of the man's internal organs.

ELK LICK, W.Va. -- The six children of Ronald and Eileen Jarvis came of age in treehouses over swamps and in a rickety 60-year-old boat.For seven years they lived a real-life version of "Swiss Family Robinson." No one knew where they were. And while they traveled from West Virginia to Maryland to Florida, they never stepped into a classroom or visited a doctor's office. They made money doing odd jobs and selling handmade wooden carvings.Then, in June, U.S. marshals caught up with them.Ronald and Eileen Jarvis are back in West Virginia, in jail awaiting trial on drug charges.

Forest Hill resident Thomas Franklin Keller earned the rank of Eagle Scout on Nov. 6, 2012. A ceremony was held on May 4 in recognition of his accomplishment. "I'm honored to be an Eagle Scout," said Keller, who spent 201 hours collecting more than 2,000 food items that were donated to Centre United Methodist Church in Forest Hill. "It felt good giving back to the community that's helped me," said Keller, a member of Troop 809 out of Jarrettsville. Keller has received numerous certifications, including a letter from former President Bill Clinton, a Harford County proclamation and Maryland flag, a Maryland Senate Resolution and a Maryland General Assembly official citation.

The following is compiled from local police reports. Our policy is to include descriptions when there is enough information to make identification possible. If you have any information about these crimes, call the Wilkens Police Station at 410-887-0872. Old Frederick Road, 5600 block, 4 a.m. May 17. Car radio and TV monitors stolen from unlocked cars at Varsity Auto. Mountain Ridge Road, 6300 block, 1:09 a.m. May 17. Four men entered house through unlocked basement door then attacked residents and demanded money and marijuana and stole an xBox 360. Edmondson Avenue, 5500 block, 4:35 a.m. May 16. Van ran into Family Dollar, two men got out then drove away.