Final Edition

Steve Buttry meditated yesterday on recapturing the joy and excitement of journalism , offering some valuable suggestions. I have another. Relish the work.  I mean the real work, not the attend-multiple-meetings, pretend-crap-is-better-than-it-is routines that eat into the day, and I have fresh examples.  Last night, as we were closing the final edition of the paper, word started leaking out that an arrest had been made in the killing of Phylicia Barnes, a teenager from North Carolina who disappeared and whose body was subsequently found in the Susquehanna River, a story we had been following for months.  Kim Walker, on the metro desk, was taking information from Justin Fenton, our crack police reporter.

For the first time in 38 years of the state football tournament, three Baltimore-area teams won championships over the weekend. No. 3 Old Mill took the Class 4A title in certainly one of the best games state tournament history, 36-35 in overtime, over Quince Orchard. No. 5 River Hill won the 3A crown, 41-13, over Thomas Johnson. Dunbar took its second straight Class 1A title, 32-11, over Perryville. Here's a numerical look at the state championships with thanks to Sheldon Shealer, who compiles state records for the MPSSAA.  2 State championships in the last three years for Old Mill 3 State championships in the last five years for River Hill 4 Most consecutive state titles - Urbana from 1998-2001 6 Of Dunbar's eight state titles won in the last eight years 9 Turnovers by Thomas Johnson against River Hill's relentless defense 10 Straight games won by River Hill to finish the season 12 Most state championships - Seneca Valley, which won its last title in 2002 13 Combined state titles won by Old Mill, River Hill and Dunbar 14 Straight wins for Old Mill, the area's longest active winning streak 34 Unanswered points scored by River Hill against Thomas Johnson 40 Playoff wins in Dunbar history, closing in on Seneca Valley's record 41 49 Touchdowns scored this...

This is the third installment of the fourth Grammarnoir serial. The final installment will be posted on National Grammar Day, March 4, a Sunday, because grammar never takes the day off. You can read Part 1, "A Belle in the Night," here . Part 2, "The Mission," is here.   Part 3: The belly of the beast The Greyhound bus nosed through a darkened landscape as flat and barren as a corporate vice president's conscience.

Maggie Wunderlich and Kristen Trumpler scrolled through the copy on the computer screen, just as they had during the past six months of editing Freedom Elementary School's bimonthly newspaper.But this day they were in no hurry. There were no deadlines to meet or reporters to hound for late copy to fill the pages of the Freedom News. Now it was just fun -- the last issue of the year had been put to bed."We had a good time," Kristen, 10, said Friday of her job as co-editor of the paper."Yeah," Maggie agreed.

Carole Pickett is full of stories. In her line of work, she has to be. As publisher of The Business Monthly, a newspaper she almost single-handedly built, she has been known around town as the photographer at awards ceremonies, the board member at numerous business and charity meetings and the saleswoman on the phone. In her world, which spans Columbia, Ellicott City, Laurel and the BWI business district, Pickett is everything to everyone except what she wants to be: retired. At age 59 - she'll be 60 next month - she's trying hard to get out of the business.

Kweisi Mfume returned to Television Hill last night to tape one last edition of The Bottom Line, the WBAL-TV public affairs show that he has headlined for nine years. Executives with WBAL's corporate owner, Hearst-Argyle, were joined by talk-show host Iyanla Vanzant and others last night to toast Mfume. Over the years, his topics have ranged from presidential politics to televised wrestling, and attracted political figures, actors, comics and activists. The show's cancellation resulted from its seeming promise.

Carole Pickett is full of stories. In her line of work, she has to be. As publisher of The Business Monthly, a newspaper she almost single-handedly built, she has been known across the area as the photographer at awards ceremonies, the board member at numerous business and charity meetings and the saleswoman on the phone. In her world, which spans Columbia, Ellicott City, Laurel and the BWI business district, Pickett is everything to everyone except what she wants to be: retired. At age 59 - she'll be 60 next month - she's trying hard to get out of the business.

Due to an editing error in yesterday's final edition, a quote from the Orioles' Roberto Alomar was attributed to his brother, the Cleveland Indians' Sandy Alomar Jr., incorrectly stating his free-agent status. Sandy Alomar is signed with the Indians through next season with a club option through 2000.The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 7/09/98

The final edition of The Evening Sun Thursday incorrectly identified Commissioner of Pretrial Detention and Services LaMont W. Flanagan, who oversees the Baltimore City Detention Center for the Maryland Department of Safety and Correctional Services.The Evening Sun regrets the errors.