Gomer

"Celebremos La Herencia Latina!" Exhibit of books on Latin American topics and authors in Anne Arundel Community College's Truxal Library, 101 College Parkway, Arnold, runs through Oct. 15 as part of the college's celebration of National Hispanic Month. Information: 410-777-2211. 'The Best of the Chesapeake' Annual exhibit of paintings and sculptures by marine and landscape artists focused on the Chesapeake Bay area runs through Sunday, Oct. 3, at McBride Gallery, 215 Main St. in Annapolis.

'Shaping History Through Service: The Walter S. Mills Story' Exhibition explores Walter Mills' pursuit of education and fight for the rights of others from his childhood and his career teaching and serving as principal at Parole Elementary School. The exhibit tells about the lawsuit that changed the way teachers, black and white, were paid. The exhibit opens Sunday, Oct. 31, with a reception from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and will be displayed through April 2 at the Banneker-Douglass Museum, 84 Franklin St., Annapolis.

For its single, full-length production of the 2003-2004 season, the Annapolis Opera opted for a romp on the lighter side, with the Gilbert and Sullivan satirical masterpiece The Mikado. Premiered in New York City and Queen Victoria's London in 1885, this frothy operetta spoofing feudal Japan (and feckless functionaries everywhere) is one of the great delights of the musical stage. When voices and acting are good enough to do full justice to the genius of the score, it's hard to imagine a more congenial night at the opera.

GOV. ZELL MILLER of Georgia has struck his colors. He did so by giving up trying to strike his colors.He had tried to get his state legislature to remove the Confederate battle flag from the state flag. Tuesday he said he didn't have the votes to get the flag changed this year.Call it Lost Cause III. Lost Cause I was the war in which the original battle flag waved. Lost Cause II was the fight against federal civil rights laws in the 1950s, which is when the Georgia flag was adopted.As to Lost Cause III, Governor Miller expressed regret that the debate over changing the flag had stirred up pretty strong and divisive feelings, Klan marches and student flag burnings.

This one is for Doug. He was one of maybe 2,000 readers who fired off e-mails in response to a recent column criticizing that paragon of political analysis, Rush Hudson Limbaugh III. I excoriated Mr. Limbaugh for saying of Barack Obama's presidency, "I hope he fails." As is generally the case when you exact a pound of flesh from Brother Limbaugh's hide, his legions of listeners were vociferous and unstinting in his defense. They claimed I misquoted him (the quote was cut and pasted directly from his Web site)

Gray squirrels, mockingbirds and other wildlife won't have to flee their nests when a housing development opens next month in Laurel.Patuxent Springs, a 70-lot residential community, has been designated Howard County's first urban wildlife sanctuary by the National Institute for Urban Wildlife in Columbia."