Halethorpe

Among the 68 calls the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department received for medical and fire-rescue service Jan. 8-15 were the following: Gateway Terrace, 4700 block, 8:33 p.m. Jan. 13. Crews from the Arbutus volunteer station and Halethorpe career station responded to the report of a carbon monoxide alarm in Arbutus. A low level of carbon monoxide was discovered, and the scene was secured for BG&E. Frederick Road, 6300 block, 3:27 p.m. Jan. 13. Crews responded to the report of an person with health problems in Catonsville and transported one critically ill person to a local hospital.

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon, the flagship beer of Clipper City Brewing Co., hasn't stayed on shelves of stores across 18 states and Washington, D.C., for long. The thirst of beer drinkers for the India pale-ale-style beer showed no signs of diminishing this year as it made up nearly 50 percent of the brewery's sales, according to a company spokeswoman, Kelly Zimmerman. To meet the demand, the Halethorpe-based brewery stopped production of its imperial cream ale, called Davey Jones Lager, until next summer.

MARC rider Suzanne Lurie's knees were hurting her, so of course she wrote her local transportation columnist. Who would you consult - an orthopedist? Lurie had some questions about the MARC station in Halethorpe. She thought I could get some answers out of the Maryland Transit Administration. As it turns out, tormenting the MTA is one of my specialties. But let's let Lurie tell her (lightly edited) story: I began working in DC a little over 3 years ago. I live in Owings Mills so, all things considered, Halethorpe is the best choice MARC train station for me. As you probably are aware, in order to access the southbound side of the tracks from the northbound side, a person must ascend about 50 steps to an overpass, cross the tracks via the overpass, then descend at least another 50 steps on the other side.

Police have identified the man struck and killed in Halethorpe by a speeding passenger train as a 35-year-old Arbutus resident.The victim, William Gary Zinck, was struck about 7:20 a.m. yesterday by the two-engine train, No. 67 "Night Owl," that was en route to Washington, D.C., from Boston.The train's engineer spotted Zinck walking along the tracks and sounded the horn, but Zinck didn't respond, police said.Howard Robertson, a spokesman for Amtrak, said Zinck was wearing only a hospital band when he was found.

An Amtrak passenger train en route from Boston to Washington today struck and killed a man walking on the tracks near Halethorpe.Baltimore County police said the No. 67 Amtrak "Night Owl," consisting of two engines and 11 cars, was traveling about 105 mph when it struck the man at 7:20 a.m. just north of the Halethorpe Maryland Rail Commuter station.It rolled another two miles before it came to a complete stop.County police asked Amtrak to close all four tracks in the area while rescue workers searched the two miles of track for the man's remains, police said.

The state has approved parts of Halethorpe and nearby areas in southwest Baltimore County for "enterprise zone" status, a switch that will give tax breaks to companies that make investments and boost employment in the economically stagnant area.Gov. Parris N. Glendening, who has said he wants to control sprawl and steer growth to developed areas, was expected to announce the change today, along with enterprise zone status for downtown Silver Spring."The Baltimore County zone is, in fact, a perfect example of where growth should occur," Glendening said.

The streets in Baltimore's County's Halethorpe have always gotten me twisted into pleasant knots. This unincorporated community looks like a life-size Baltimore Christmas garden, with whistling trains passing the tidy bungalows, front porches, and lilacs and crape myrtles. I'll confess to low (none, really) resistance to the sound of a train.

It is fitting that a swing beneath an arbor occupies a prominent place in Hanna's cottage garden. Considering all the work he did to transform his small back yard into a flowering oasis, this 51-year-old manager for Verizon deserves a front-row seat from which to admire his handiwork. You can read about his efforts tomorrow at baltimoresun.com/gardener

It seemed so clear cut - at first. The White House announced that President Bush would stop in Halethorpe after his Baltimore fund-raiser, shooting pride - and not a small bit of wonder - into a small corner of Baltimore County. But then, after days of secrecy, the White House announced the exact location of his appearance: the Home Depot on Commerce Drive. Was that, in fact, the Lansdowne Home Depot? The Arbutus Home Depot? Or was it in Halethorpe after all? It was a question for the highest levels of government.

The village of Halethorpe developed as a community where workers could easily commute to jobs in the city by rail. Today, it still offers residents a convenient retreat, but with the welcomed familiarity of a well-established neighborhood. "The community is largely blessed with many multi-generational families and that has been the hallmark of and a great contribution to the stability of the community," said Sandra Cullen, president of the Halethorpe Improvement Association. Her family has been in Halethorpe since 1896.