Guidelines

In his January 18th piece, "New Md. Rules on Stormwater Assailed," Tim Wheeler describes the content of a Smart Growth Task Force meeting at the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) where members of the development community came out to oppose new regulations aimed at tightening pollution control standards on re-development sites. Having been at the meeting, I wasn't surprised so much by the overwhelming sentiment from the development community; they don't want to have to pay the cost of making their projects pollute less.

On the third Saturday in May, generations of Baltimoreans marched onto the infield at Pimlico Race Course with their coolers in tow, an image that helped define the Preakness Stakes. No longer. The Maryland Jockey Club has unveiled enhanced security plans for the 138th Preakness Stakes in the wake of recent deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon. And coolers are among the casualties. Fans will be subject to electronic wand searches at all gates for the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 17 and the Preakness on May 18. They will not be allowed to carry backpacks or duffel bags into the races and only smaller, see-through-plastic containers will be permitted.

Some leading AIDS experts have issued the first guidelines aimed exclusively at getting those newly diagnosed with HIV into treatment and keeping them in it. Thirty one international experts, including three Johns Hopkins faculty members, used 325 studies involving tens of thousands of people infected with HIV to develop the guidelines for the International Association of Physician in AIDS Care .  HIV, which infects about 50,000...

In the wake of the deadly bombings in Boston and the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, the Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday approved new emergency planning guidelines meant to help local school systems better prepare for disaster. "It's very timely that we're here today, given the events that occurred last week," said Chuck Buckler, executive director of the student services and strategic planning branch of the Maryland State Department of Education. The 218-page document updates safety guidelines developed a decade ago and emphasizes the creation of individualized plans that address multiple hazards, from school shootings to tornadoes.

In the wake of the deadly bombings in Boston and the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, the Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday approved new emergency planning guidelines meant to help local school systems better prepare for disaster. "It's very timely that we're here today, given the events that occurred last week," said Chuck Buckler, executive director of the student services and strategic planning branch of the Maryland State Department of Education. The 218-page document updates safety guidelines developed a decade ago and emphasizes the creation of individualized plans that address multiple hazards, from school shootings to tornadoes.

A consecutive-game playing streak shall be extended if the player plays one half-inning on defense, or if he completes a time at bat by reaching base or being put on. A pinch-running appearance only shall not extend the streak. If a player is ejected from a game by an umpire before he can comply with the requirements of this rule, his streak shall continue.

Harford's cable TV operators would have to answer customers' telephone calls within 30 seconds during regular business hours, restore cable outages within 24 hours and hook up service for new customers within seven business days under proposed guidelines.County Council members reviewed new Federal Communications Commission guidelines, based on the 1992 Cable Act, on Tuesday.As the franchising authority for Harford County, the council has the authority to enact regulations based on the FCC guidelines.

A U.S. District Court judge in Baltimore has rejected federal sentencing guidelines and refused to impose a prison term on a Bethesda man who stole TV rating equipment from Arbitron Co. for an attempted sale to the A.C. Nielsen Co., Arbitron's chief competitor.Judge William N. Nickerson, the newest judge on the federal bench here, accepted defense arguments yesterday that the theft was "aberrant behavior" by the defendant, former Arbitron employee Barry D. Glick, who suffers from an unspecified personality disorder.

LOS ANGELES -- The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is accusing Hughes Aircraft Co. of violating federal guidelines that require government contractors to diversify their work forces and management.Officials of the civil rights group said they would present evidence at a news conference in Washington today that Hughes, which employs 55,000 people, has only two black vice presidents and that blacks are grossly underrepresented in its work force.The move by the NAACP reflects its new strategy of scrutinizing industries that do business with the federal government to assure that they comply with affirmative-action requirements.

As home equity loans have gained popularity among Americans, the National Home Equity Mortgage Association has offered a number of guidelines for borrowers to follow. They include: Borrow within your income and budget: A home equity loan is a major financial undertaking. Borrow for necessities or to take advantage of lower interest rates: NHEMA does not recommend taking a home equity loan to finance a luxury item or trip. Don't refinance too frequently: Refinancing a home loan can mean additional closing costs and fees.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the role of government regulations. Many Democrats will argue that we don't have enough. Many Republicans will argue that we have too many. So who's right? I don't think either is inherently right or wrong. I liken the government to a boss, and the economy to a job. The way the government and the economy interact is like an employee/manager relationship. So we must ask, what kind of boss do we feel successful with? Do we like a boss who is breathing down our necks, one who gives us a set of guidelines and allows us to work, or one who is totally absent?

Baltimore's oldest cab company and the Maryland Transit Administration are updating their fleets for wheelchair-using customers, replacing small buses and minivans with an SUV-like vehicle that provides a smoother, more civilized ride. The MV-1 is designed specifically to transport disabled passengers and already is in use in cities such as Pittsburgh, Chicago and Dallas. Built in Indiana, it is the only production vehicle that meets Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. Yellow Cab and sister company 1010 Sedan purchased 10 MV-1s and began using them this week.

Prosecutors will not charge the Baltimore police officers involved in arresting and fatally injuring a man — after finding that they did not use excessive force and followed police procedure when a detective tackled Anthony Anderson in a vacant lot last September. Baltimore State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein made the announcement Thursday, in a case that has roiled Anderson's East Baltimore community and sparked accusations of police brutality against black men. "I said to the family this morning, there's no question Mr. Anderson's death is a tragedy," Bernstein said.

The Sun has focused on the inaccuracies of speed cameras and the city's inadequate response to those problems ("Restoring trust," Dec. 11). These are issues, certainly. I find it more egregious that the city elected to ignore the guidelines regarding the placement of cameras within 500 feet of a K-12 school and chose to instead adopt their own standards, placing them within a half-mile of any place of learning, including colleges. When this was pointed out to them, they tried to justify it by quoting other regulations.

Homeowners across the city could see their property rights altered by the first zoning code overhaul in more than 40 years. City officials said the sweeping revisions, dubbed Transform Baltimore, would preserve the character of neighborhoods and make it easier for homes to be modernized. "If your zoning is changing, it doesn't necessarily mean your neighborhood is going to change," said Tom Stosur, Baltimore's director of planning. Stosur and his staff, who spent the past four years writing and rewriting the proposed code, want to assure people that the changes would not allow businesses to spring up in the middle of tree-filled blocks of single-family homes.

State health officials are seeking the public's advice on how to deal with new federal guidelines expanding the number of young children deemed at risk of harm from low-level lead exposure. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is considering whether to have local health departments follow all young children testing positive for low levels of toxic lead in their bloodstream, or to leave the least exposed youngsters to doctors and other health care providers to track. Earlier this year, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention effectively halved its long-standing threshold for acting on low-level lead exposure in young children.

Baltimore County's next major planned community will be an old-fashioned village with pathways, alleys and a town square, according to new guidelines crafted by county officials.The guidelines for Honeygo, to be discussed for the first time tonight by the planning board, govern everything from street widths to the distance between streets and homes. They are designed to give the 3,000-acre, 5,600-unit community near White Marsh a small-town feel."The whole idea is to go back to a community that has some sort of feel of an interrelationship, not just you pull into your driveway, go into your house and shut your door and that's your world," said Arnold "Pat" Keller III, the county planning director.

Baltimore's top leadership called on the school system Monday to tighten oversight of its expenditures after a Baltimore Sun investigation found central office staff spent roughly $500,000 during the past year and a half on items such as a $7,300 office retreat at a downtown hotel and a $1,000 dinner at an exclusive members-only club. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she believed the school board should review credit and procurement card expenditures incurred by administrators at city schools headquarters after a Sun review of statements and receipts found administrators charged about $300,000 on procurement cards.

Back to school can also mean back to germs, breaks, sprains and concussions. While most of us know kids need a good night's sleep and a good breakfast, just what exactly do experts define as "good"? And what other basics should parents put on their checklist to ensure a more healthful year ahead? Here are a dozen rules to help you help your kids better prevent schoolhouse maladies. 1. A recipe for a good day. It's easy to pop your late-waking, picky eater in the car with a box of dry cereal or a toasted plain bagel for the drive to school.