Front Yard

Baltimore County Police said they are investigating a homicide in Woodlawn Tuesday. An unidentified man was found dead on the front lawn of a single-family home in the 3500 block of Woodmoor Road. An unknown caller told police about the body at 7:19 a.m., police said. Officers remained on the scene throughout the morning. As of noon, police had not identified the victim. Police ask that anyone with information call 410-307-2020. mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com

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. Southwestern Boulevard, 4300 block, between Nov. 16, 6 p.m., and Nov. 17, 5 a.m. Copper cable stolen from Winkler's Welding. Rear siding pried off. Washington Boulevard, 3300 block, Nov. 17, 1:03 a.m. Man cut during altercation at Borderline Bar. Assailant arrested and charged with first-degree assault.

BIG MAN and Crazy Eddie were over again the other night, and it was party time in the front yard, when things got as ugly as ever. See, Big Man and Crazy Eddie are the names my family has given to the two deer who've been ravaging our crab-apple tree for weeks. That's because these are two of the biggest, toughest-looking deer you could ever see. They're like, I don't know, biker deer or something. The only thing missing are tattoos and little doo-rags around their antlers. And a couple of Harleys parked at the curb.

The following is compiled from police reports. It is the Baltimore Messenger's policy to include descriptions only when there is enough information to make identification possible. If you have any information about these crimes, call the Baltimore City Police Department's Northern District at 410-396-2455. Brambleton Road 2400 block, between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. July 12. Men's blue hybrid bike stolen from garage. Entry gained through side door. Chancery Road 200 block, between 7 p.m. July 10 and 6 a.m. July 11. Fuji and Trek bikes stolen from shed.

A Rotweiler puppy valued at $250 was stolen Tuesday from the front yard of a home in Glen Burnie, county police said.Beverly Loretta Franklin, 28, of the 300 block of Henson Road called police about the theft at 11:20 a.m. The thieves had unleashed the puppy from its chain in the front yard and stolen it between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., Ms. Franklin told police.

EACH CHRISTMAS, I try to identify the hot new item in outdoor home decorations, just to see how far behind the decorating curve I've fallen. This year, of course, the hot item is: illuminated reindeer. If you don't have an illuminated reindeer on your front lawn, brother, you're not with it at all. Last year, it was icicle lights; this year, it's reindeer that light up. Yes, sir, for around 100 bucks, you can get a 57-inch reindeer with 300 twinkling lights made in that hotbed of Christmas spirit and lore: China.

Chancy Wilkens built his little yellow clapboard home just outside Annapolis near the South River in 1952. Back then, repairs came easily to the contractor.But now he's 90, and the old one-story house near the end of Kitty Duvall Drive is slowly falling apart. The roof sags, and heat escapes through the cracked, uninsulated walls.A few weeks ago, Mr. Wilkens tried to crawl around in the basement to fix old water pipes, and the metal disintegrated in his hands.Soon, Mr. Wilkens and his wife, Reatha, 82, will move from the crumbling old place to a house being built on their front lawn.

Washington -- Mail call in Lafayette Park.William Thomas, who has lived in the park since 1981 -- the better to be close to the White House, the better to exercise his right of free expression in what serves as the nation's front yard -- has returned from the post office to his home, on the sidewalk.He has company.There is his wife, Ellen, fellow park resident. There usually are tourists. There always are the homeless waiting out the day on the benches. Morning is the time for presidential aides; on their way to work they hurry past Andrew Jackson, the president tipping his hat from a rearing bronze horse.

Maria S. Taylor, a gardener called the "Picasso of privet hedges" after she transformed a suburban front yard into a topiary menagerie, died Saturday after a fall at her home in the Lake Falls section of Baltimore County. She was 71. "Though it's rush hour, traffic slows to a crawl along Lake Avenue as motorists study the exotic wildlife — and the well-dressed woman who gives the creatures haircuts and shaves," a 1994 Baltimore Sun article said of her. Born Maria Swandell in Glasgow, Scotland, she was raised by nuns in an orphanage.

We can't do anything to change the weather, so we might as well accept it. Complaining about record high temperatures is so yesterday. According to the forecast it could also be so today, so tomorrow and possibly so Friday. Instead of whining about big heat, members of previous generations used it to improve their powers of humorous description. When the temperature soared, they said it was hotter than a hen in a wool blanket, hotter than a burnt boot, hotter than the hinges of Hades, hotter than the devil's underwear, hotter than love in haying time, or hotter than blue blazes.

Former Orioles outfielder Danny Clyburn was shot and killed early this morning in his home town of Lancaster, S.C., according to a report in the Rock Hill (S.C.) Herald. According to police reports, Clyburn, who played sparingly for the Orioles in 1997 and 1998, was seen by witnesses arguing with a man shortly before he was shot. He was found dead in the front yard of a home at 2 a.m. Derrick Lamont Mcilwain, 36, has been arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

The following is compiled from police reports from the Towson and Cockeysville precincts. Our policy is to include descriptions when there is enough information to make identification possible. Timonium York Road , 2200 block. The State Fairgrounds in Timonium was broken into twice between 4 p.m. Dec. 30 and 10:01 p.m. Jan. 1. Fence at rear of the fairgrounds cut and window at rear of Exhibition Hall broken. Racing bike stolen. A patrol officer saw person with bike, who ran away.

Maria S. Taylor, a gardener called the "Picasso of privet hedges" after she transformed a suburban front yard into a topiary menagerie, died Saturday after a fall at her home in the Lake Falls section of Baltimore County. She was 71. "Though it's rush hour, traffic slows to a crawl along Lake Avenue as motorists study the exotic wildlife — and the well-dressed woman who gives the creatures haircuts and shaves," a 1994 Baltimore Sun article said of her. Born Maria Swandell in Glasgow, Scotland, she was raised by nuns in an orphanage.

Harford County sheriff's deputies and Maryland State Police report: Aberdeen Derek William Strickland, 29, of the 600 block of Curtis Street, was arrested on a bench warrant Wednesday in a case in which he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol per se. Martin Antoine Fisher, 21, who has addresses in the 700 block of Clayton Street and 400 block of Edmund Street, was arrested on a bench warrant Wednesday in...

A body was found in a burned car near Hunt Valley Thursday morning, according to Baltimore County Police. The 2010 Toyota Camry went across the front yard of a house in the 1300 block of Phoenix Road in Phoenix, went down a slope, crashed into a tree and eventually burst into flames shortly before 9:30 a.m., said Cpl. George Erhardt. Police did not identify the victim, believed to be a woman, Erhardt said. Crash, arson and homicide teams are investigating the incident.

Beech Avenue 3300 block, between 7 p.m. Nov. 14 and 9 a.m. Nov. 15. Garmin Nuvi GPS stolen from vehicle. Cloverhill Road 3900 block, between 9:30 p.m. Nov. 15 and 6:30 a.m. Nov. 16. Rear House of Delegates tag stolen from State Del. Maggie McIntosh's car. Cylburn Avenue 2500 block, between 9:50 and 10 p.m. Nov. 16. Stolen black, 2002 Suzuki wit Maryland tags 840M002 recovered after accident. Falls Road 3900 block at 11:12 p.m. Nov. 15. Man robbed by two assailaints, but chased and caught one and held him for police.

POLICE LOG* Chesterfield: A bicycle was stolen from the front yard of a home in the 8000 block of Round Table Court Friday.* Venice on the Bay: Burglars broke into a home in the 7600 block of Third St. between Wednesday and Sunday and took tools valued at $1,518.

POLICE*Harpers Choice: 5000 block of Cedar LAnd; Someone smashed the driver's side window on a 1991 Plymouth Voyager between 8 p.m. Tuesday and 3 p.m. Wednesday. But entry wasn't gained.10800 block of Olde Woods Way: Someone stole a $350 bicycle from a front yard between 4 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday.

Baltimore County Police said they are investigating a homicide in Woodlawn Tuesday. An unidentified man was found dead on the front lawn of a single-family home in the 3500 block of Woodmoor Road. An unknown caller told police about the body at 7:19 a.m., police said. Officers remained on the scene throughout the morning. As of noon, police had not identified the victim. Police ask that anyone with information call 410-307-2020. mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com

Hurricanes Irene and Lee have created horrible flooding, damage, displacement and loss of life. Lives are forever changed by their fury.   North Baltimore, except for power outages and substantial property damage from falling trees, has been fortunate. At our house, a surprise leak in the flat kitchen roof occurred during Irene.  It was just a steady drip, drip, drip for a few days. By last Friday when someone came to take a look, he said that the corner of the ceiling was about to fall.