Harford Road

On February 21, 2009, JAMES C. STRANEY; beloved husband of Stephanie C. Straney (nee Warfield); devoted father of Dawn Straney Tesar and her husband Raymond; the family dog Duke, and the late James Carroll Straney; dear brother of Paul C. Straney. Also survived by four grandcats, Drano, Tiger, Tiny, and Toby. A Funeral Service will be held at the family owned Leonard J. Ruck, Inc. Funeral Home, 5305 Harford Road (at Echodale), on Thursday, 10 A.M. Friends may call on Tuesday and Wednesday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. Interment Gardens of Faith Cemetery.

Thomas Goon, A memorial service will be held at 11 A.M.0 March 28, 2009 at Loch Raven Presbyterian Church, 9318 Old Harford Road. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Thomas Goon to China Outreach Ministries, 555 Gettysburg Pike, #A200, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

Latino restaurants are clearly the Next Big Thing, but authentic places haven't exactly proliferated in this area except for the small businesses in East Baltimore. That may be changing. We saw the excitement generated by the Mari Luna Latin Grille in Pikesville. Now the South American Grill (574 Cranbrook Road, 410-628-0188) has opened in the Cranbrook Shopping Center in Cockeysville. (This is where the Ugly Muffin used to be.) Owner/chef Arlin Bleclic's wife, Anna Paula, is a native of Brazil, so the menu, he says, "leans toward Brazilian dishes."

A 12-year-old girl reported being raped yesterday evening by a taxicab driver near Baltimore's Clifton Park, and police were combing the city in search of the vehicle and driver, a police spokesman said. The girl told police she was in a Yellow Cab near Harford Road and East 32nd Street about 6 p.m. when the driver raped her, said Officer Troy Harris, the spokesman. Harris said the girl told police that she hailed the cab. He said the girl, whose clothing was bloodied, was taken for treatment to Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Sparked by complaints from politicians and neighborhood residents, the city liquor board suspended the liquor license of a Northeast Baltimore nightspot and set a 90-day deadline for the transfer of the license to a new location. The board's action was the climax of a long-standing battle neighborhood residents waged against the Cameo Restaurant in the 4700 block of Harford Road. Neighbors complained for years about the bar's loud music and its patrons, who blocked driveways and urinated in the streets.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.Baltimore CitySoutheastern DistrictShooting: A male, 16, was standing outside a tavern in the 100 block of N. Glover St. on Sunday when two men asked him for a light. Before the youth responded, one of the men pulled a handgun and struck him in the face with it. The youth began to flee and the gunman shot him in the left shoulder. The men fled and the youth was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital.Western DistrictShooting: A man, 36, was walking in the first block of N. Pulaski St. about 1 a.m. yesterday when he heard several gunshots and then fell to the ground after he suffered a graze wound to the side of the head.

Trust workshop will discuss financing for historic homesThe Baltimore County Historical Trust Inc. will sponsor a workshop entitled "Where is the Money?" -- an overview of grants, loans, tax credits and financing for historic homes, plus 203(k) loans from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Goucher College.Speakers will be Tom Hess, a mortgage loan officer with Mortgage Finance Corp., and William C. Pencek Jr., deputy director of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's Division of Historical and Cultural Programs.

Manjusree `Dipu' Basu, 43, officer at Harbor BankServices were held Tuesday for Manjusree "Dipu" Basu, 43, a Baltimore banker and Woodlawn resident.Mrs. Basu, who was an assistant vice president at Harbor Bank of Maryland, took her own life Saturday . She had been suffering from bipolar disorder.She joined the bank as a teller in 1986 and was promoted several years ago to assistant vice president.The former Manjusree Roy was born and raised in Calcutta, India, where she graduated from high school.

A viewing for Martin E. "Mike" Curran Sr., 64, former Baltimore City councilman who died Thursday at Good Samaritan Hospital, will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and tomorrow at Leonard J. Ruck Funeral Home, 5305 Harford Road.A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church, 5310 Harford Road.

A former Baltimore councilman and member of one of the city's most politically influential families suffered an apparent heart attack while driving in Northeast Baltimore yesterday morning, ran off a road, crossed an apartment complex parking lot and crashed into a house, police said.Martin E. "Mike" Curran, 64, of the 3700 block of Echodale Ave. was in critical condition at Good Samaritan Hospital, police said.Police said Curran was driving a 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo north on Old Harford Road about 10 a.m. when he slumped over the wheel and lost control near Northern Parkway.

Memorial service for PAUL PLATT to be held from 2 to 4 P.M. Friday, October 23rd. at Calvary Tabernacle Church, 6008 Old Harford Road, Across from Glenmore and Harford. 410-254-1104.

Anne Arundel to start swine flu vaccinations 1 The Anne Arundel County Department of Health will distribute its first batch of H1N1 vaccinations free of charge to county residents today and Friday. The Health Department has received about 1,400 doses of the nasal spray vaccine for the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, for distribution to county residents. The vaccines will be available at the Annapolis Health Center, 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Call 410-222-4896 for an appointment, which is required.

On August 25, 2009, MINNIE C. HALEY (nee Darr); beloved wife of the late James Edward Haley and devoted mother of Patricia Simmons and her husband Greg, Caroline Dobbs and her husband Leo and Cindy Haley; loving sister of Helen Trainor and Marie Finch. Also survived by grandchildren, Nicole and Collin Dobbs, Kristina Simmons, Jimmy and the late Josuha Haley. Relatives and friends may call at the family owned MARZULLO FUNERAL CHAPEL, P.A., 6009 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD, 21214 on Sunday, August 30, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Funeral services will be held on Monday, August 31, at 11 A.M from St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 7001 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD, 21234.

Police reports in Baltimore city and county: Northeastern Baltimore Shooting/arrest : Two men were arguing outside a house in the 4900 block of Harford Road about 8:30 a.m. Sunday when one pulled out a handgun and shot the other man multiple times, once in the face. The victim, 39 and a resident of the house, was taken by ambulance to an area hospital and was reported in serious condition. Agent Donny Moses, a police spokesman, said the victim was expected to survive. Arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder and related charges and being held at Central Booking and Intake Center was Conti Mims, 47, of the 1600 block of Ruxton Ave. Western Baltimore Burglary : Police were seeking the person or persons who broke into a deli over the weekend.

On June 25, 2009, EARL M. MONROE., JR., beloved husband of Mary Patricia (nee Fischer), devoted father of Kathleen Monroe, Michael Monroe and his wife Jan and Ann-Marie Monroe, loving grandfather of Kyle, Morgan and Shay and dear brother of Dorothy Linz. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. A Vigil Service will be held at the family owned Leonard J. Ruck Inc., Funeral Home, 5305 Harford Road (at Echodale) on Sunday at 7:30 P.M. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Shrine of the Little Flower on Monday at 11 A.M. Interment private.

On June 6, 2009, KYLE BIANCHI; beloved son of Richard and Robbin Bianchi; loving brother of SKSN Shane Robert Powers, USN, and Joshua Logan Bianchi; cherished grandson of Mauro and Linda Bianchi, and great-grandson of the late Frank and Lucy Sciabarrasi; dear nephew of Gina Bianchi. Kyle will also be missed by numerous other relatives and friends. Friends may call at the family owned Leonard J. Ruck Inc. Funeral Home, 5305 Harford Road (at Echodale) on Tuesday and Wednesday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Dominic Catholic Church on Thursday, 10 A.M. Interment Moreland Memorial Park.

THE PROBLEM: Lake Montebello lacks restroom facilities. THE BACK STORY: Bruce Paris feels the urgency of the problem. He is one of hundreds of people who run, walk or bike on the path around Lake Montebello on warm summer nights. But where do they go to the bathroom? "Where have you ever been with five or 600 people and no bathroom?" asked Paris, 60. The Hamilton resident, who has been jogging or walking at the lake for about 20 years, praised repairs to the path, which reopened two years ago for exercisers.

Man fatally shot near O'Donnell Heights 2 The body of a man was found Wednesday afternoon on a street near the O'Donnell Heights community and police said he had been shot to death. No arrest had been made. The man's identity was being withheld pending notification of family members, police said. Southeastern District police responding to a 911 call of a shooting in the 1400 block of Anglesea Street between Boston Street and Cardiff Avenue about 2 p.m. found the man, who was later pronounced dead at the scene from at least a single gunshot wound to the upper body.

The teddy bears, all 80 of them, are piled in a living room at a home in Northeast Baltimore. Most are hand-me-downs - "pre-loved," Faith Bocian calls them - each representing one of the persons who has lost a life to violence in the city this year. Wednesday night, the bears will be displayed as part of a vigil called "Teddy Bears Crying" at the Baltimore branch of the NAACP at 8 W. 26th St. Each will be wearing a laminated name tag of a victim: "Andre Thorpe, 17, Jan. 2, 2009, 800 block of N. Kenwood Ave., shot; Andrew Goodwyn, 22, 11:10 p.m., March 13, 2009, Normandy Ave. Shot."

On May 8, 2009, ANDREW JOSEPH CURRERI; beloved husband of Mary Teresa (nee Voeglein); devoted father of Sara Lassiter and her husband Thomas, Paula Curreri and her husband Barry, Gail Gordon and John Curreri and his wife Christine; loving grandfather of Thomas III, Andrew, Steven, Kate, Emily, Benjamin, Jackson, and Isabelle, and great-grandfather of Deanna, Ryan, Kayla, Jordan, Miranda, Keegan, Colin, Tara, and Nathan; dear brother of Kitty and Margie....