Frederick

Some years back, Carroll County Republicans, lacking serious competition from the county's Democratic Party, divided into what I consider two factions — a pro-growth group and the slow-growth group. The pro-growth faction dominated the legislative delegation, while the slow-growthers dominated the Board of County Commissioners. But the pro-growthers dominated the primary process. So to break up the monopoly of the slow-growthers in county government, they pushed through the five commissioner system, and created a district map that made it difficult for the incumbent commissioners at the time to win. Many of those who voted for five commissioners thought that they would have the opportunity to vote for all five.

As of 9 a.m. Friday, traffic was slow on Frederick Road westbound near I-695 in Baltimore County, due to an accident. Accidents were slowing traffic on Telegraph Road near Mayfield Road in Anne Arundel County, Route 648 near Amberly Road in Anne Arundel County and Riedel Road near Westport Lane in Anne Arundel County. Monument Street is closed between Wolfe Street and Patterson Park Avenue in East Baltimore, due to sinkhole repairs. Maryland Transit Administration bus 35 has been diverted.

The premise of the lead anecdote in Sirine Shebaya's op-ed ("Local police, federal law," Dec. 11) is incorrect. The deputies who questioned the referenced Hispanic woman were not acting, and did not purport to act, pursuant to the Section 287(g) immigration enforcement provisions. The two deputies who were involved in fact knew nothing about Section 287(g). They were simply on routine patrol when they spotted the woman eating a sandwich next to a container storage pod behind a building.

A Hispanic woman was eating her lunch near a pond outside her workplace when deputies from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office arbitrarily accosted her. They questioned her about her immigration status, arrested her and placed her in detention, where she remained for 46 days, separated from her 1-year-old child. This 2008 incident has been echoed countless times across the country, as local police officers - deputized as immigration enforcers - engage in racial profiling to fulfill their mandate to detain undocumented immigrants for deportation.

Fall behind a goal, don't panic, score two goals before the half and successfully go from there. For the Manchester Valley girls soccer team, it proved to be a winning pattern against Brunswick in two meetings this season. The latest, coming Saturday at UMBC Stadium, gave the Mustangs their second straight Class 1A state championship. Senior Karlyn Warzinski and junior Jamie Rickabaugh scored goals less than two minutes apart near the end of the first half, and Rickabaugh added a goal after halftime to complete a 3-1 win over the Railroaders from Frederick County.

Two people were killed on Route 75 in Frederick on Monday afternoon when a tractor trailer loaded with oranges overturned and collided with the pickup truck they were riding in, according to Maryland State Police. Three people were also injured, one of them critically. The deceased victims are identified as Hector N.C. Henriquez, 46, of Gaithersburg, Md., and Jose R. Diaz, 54, of Derwood, Md. Henriquez was the driver of a Ford F-450 truck. Diaz was a passenger in that truck and was sitting in the left rear seat.

The Board of County Commissioners this week approved creation of a shuttle bus service to transport veterans from two locations in Carroll County to Veterans Administration hospitals in Baltimore City and Frederick. The commissioners voted 4-0 on a measure proposed by Board President Doug Howard. In addition to Howard, commissioners Robin Frazer, Haven Shoemaker and David Rous voted in favor. Commissioner Richard Rothschild was absent. The Veterans Shuttle Service will operate three days a week and will begin on Nov. 13. Riders will be able to board the shuttle at either TownMall in Westminster or Carrolltown Center in Eldersburg.

Sometimes the only barrier separating a pastoral paradise from hell on earth is a thin line of birch trees. Before she died in 2001 at age 74, Frederick dressmaker Esther Krinitz created 36 oversized fabric panels that provide persuasive proof that both worlds exist - sometimes within the same frame. In scraps of fabric and cheerily colored yarns, the panels tell the story of how young Esther and her sister escaped from the Holocaust during the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II. The panels went on display this weekend at the American Visionary Art Museum as part of a new exhibit, "The Art of Storytelling: Lies, Enchantment, Humor and Truth.

A 36-year-old Frederick man died after being found with multiple gunshot wounds in a Frederick alley early Sunday morning, according to police. Lamont George-Lee Ellis, of the 3700 block of Hope Commons Circle, was pronounced dead at Frederick Memorial Hospital after being found shortly before 2 a.m. in Mullenix Alley, near West All Saints Street, Frederick police said. The shooting is being investigated as a homicide, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Rob Marker at 301-600-1242.

The beauty of a good neighborhood bar usually lies in its simplicity. Serve some interesting drinks in a low-key, approachable atmosphere, and patrons will have a hard time finding reasons to complain. Frederick's on Fleet — which opened in late August on the corner of South Duncan and, appropriately, Fleet streets in Canton — followed this formula on a recent Friday night. It's a solid addition to an area that cherishes comfort — Kisling's and Johnny Rad's are within walking distance — over stuffiness.