Herndon

Eight graduating seniors at Owings Mills High School, including the king of the prom, were barred from last night's graduation ceremonies after being expelled earlier in the day for prom-night drinking.The students, whose last day of school was Friday, will receive diplomas but could not participate in last night's commencement. Angry parents -- some of whom had relatives coming from as far away as the Philippines to see the ceremony -- called the decision unfair because only half of the students involved were punished.

In the face of ballooning cost estimates, Baltimore County school officials have decided to rebid additions at two of their most crowded elementary schools -- a move that could delay the projects as much as six months."

A third-grade teacher at Logan Elementary School in Dundalk was charged yesterday with child abuse and sexual assault after three 9-year-old girls told authorities he had touched them inappropriately.Stephen Douglas Vaught, 34, of the 8500 block of Harris Ave. in Parkville, remained in police custody in Essex last night. Bail had been set at $150,000 and a bail review hearing was expected today, police said.Teacher put on leaveVaught was placed on administrative leave with pay by the Baltimore County school system, said spokesman Charles A. Herndon, and will remain there until the criminal case is resolved.

B.B. KingListen to the legendary B.B. King when he participates in "Waterside '98" Saturday at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons. During the past five decades, the King of Blues has released more than 50 albums, won seven Grammy Awards, was inducted into three halls of fame, received three lifetime achievement awards and has been Guitar Player's guitarist of the year for five consecutive years. Saturday's concert commemorates the grand opening of the Washington Gas Pavilion, an outdoor venue on the museum grounds.

In making points about his team's strengths, Morgan State coach Stump Mitchell surprised even a player he was praising.Out of nowhere, while introducing quarterback Donald Green and strong safety Warner Herndon, he told those at a luncheon last week that Herndon, a junior, was thinking about leaving school after this season to go to the NFL.It was almost enough to make Herndon choke on his dessert during the media luncheon for the Towson-Morgan State game...

Carol Herndon surveyed the voters making their way down Roland Avenue to the Hampden fire station, polling place for Ward 13 of Baltimore's Second Precinct."

Plyas William Herndon Jr., who was named county personnel administrator Monday after serving 13 years as second in command, honed his people skills pulling weekend riot duty as a District of Columbia National Guardsman in 1970.It was not an easy job for anyone, much less a young black man who had been born and raised in the nation's capital and had participated in civil rights demonstrations, such as the 1963 march on Washington led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr."Going from someone who participated in demonstrations to the National Guard on the other side made a lasting impression on me," the Howard County resident says.

Scores of sweaty, yelling, grease-covered midshipmen inched their way up the 21-foot Herndon Monument yesterday, the annual rite of passage from freshman year.Peeling off T-shirts and shedding sneakers, the freshmen -- or plebes -- encircled the granite obelisk and in one human mass lifted their classmates to the top.Legend has it that the first to reach the "dixie cup" hat perched on the top and replace it with an upperclassman's hat will be the first admiral in the class.After 1 hour, 44 minutes and 21 seconds of grunting, sliding and near grabs, Ross Scott, 20, of Hawkinsville, Ga., stood precariously on the shoulders of a classmate and plopped the cap on top."

A former state senator and a Supreme Court employee are among the 157 people who have applied to become the next executive secretary of the County Council.The names and resumes of all 157 will be presented to the council Tuesday."A number of military people about the rank of captain applied along with several people from the federal sector and some people who worked for senators in Annapolis," said P. William Herndon, county assistant personnel director.Mr. Herndon did not disclose the names of the applicants.

Baltimore County police were searching for leads in the death of a 32-year-old Baltimore woman whose bound and gagged body was discovered yesterday in the back seat of her car on Park Heights Avenue north of the Green Spring Valley.The dead woman was identified as Yvette Ann Herndon of the 3100 block of W. Belvedere Ave. Family members had reported her missing to city police.Sgt. Stephen R. Doarnberger, a county police spokesman, said a resident of the area spotted the woman's fully clothed body about 10:25 a.m. in the back seat of her Hyundai automobile, parked on the shoulder of Park Heights Avenue just north of Caves Road.

Mark Alan Kusiak, vice president of General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Herndon, Va., and an avid bicyclist, died of brain trauma Monday at George Washington University Hospital in Washington. The former Brooklyn resident was 45. "He was found injured on Sept. 13 on the grounds of the Washington Monument after a biking accident," said his father, Clement F. Kusiak of Linthicum. "The medical examiner ruled Mark's death an accident. Based on information from an observer, he said he fell from his bike after hitting a curb."

Delayn Partlow had a question. Looking at the empty seat beside him, Delayn put up his hand yesterday morning at Hilton Elementary School. He wanted to know whether his friend, Siedah Fields, 5, was coming to school. No, replied Patricia Barrett, the children's kindergarten teacher. Speaking quietly but clearly, Barrett told Delayn and the rest of the class that Siedah would not be coming back because she had died in a fire. "At first he just looked at me," Barrett recalled later, "and then his eyes teared and he started to cry."

online See a photo gallery of the Herndon Monument climb at baltimoresun.com

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Belmont. Belmont? Is that a hotel, or a British luxury sedan? A cigarette, or maybe a backup singer in an old doo-wop group? No, this Belmont is in the NCAA men's tournament, just like North Carolina and Georgetown, its first-round foe today (approximately 2:45 p.m., chs. 13, 9) in the East Regional at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum. Unlike the Hoyas, Tar Heels and other haughty contenders, these Bruins are a bear of a different color. For the second straight year, they're a No. 15 seed, but the Belmont Bruins aren't the wide-eyed group that got blitzed by UCLA, 78-44, in their first NCAA tournament appearance last March.

Before he entered the Quantum Opportunities Program, Darwin Ajin said he was about to quit school. Ajin, 16, is a junior at Herndon High School in Virginia. His parents are immigrants from Guatemala who moved to the Washington suburb. Two years ago, before he joined QOP, Ajin said he was making F's and D's in all his subjects. He noticed some of his friends went to QOP, located in an apartment complex three miles from the high school, to get help with their homework. One of his teachers asked Ajin if he wanted to be part of the program.

On September 25, 2005, CHARLES WILBERT HERNDON, Ornamental Tree and Shrubery Expert and beloved son of the late Harry and Mabel Herndon; loving brother of Billie Delores Harris and May Irene Ayers. Also survived by nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Family and friends are invited to attend an Graveside Service on Saturday at 10 A.M. at the Lorraine Park Cemetery. Those desiring may meet at the Burgee-Henss-Seitz Funeral Home, Inc., 3631 Falls Rd at 9:15 A.M. on Saturday to follow the hearse to the cemetery.

On September 23, 2005, HELEN C. (nee Corbin), beloved wife of Donald F. Herndon, Sr.; devoted mother of Donald F., Jr., Trevor Glen and his wife Tina and Ross Owen Herndon; devoted grandmother of Tyler Dalton and Mason Lawrence Herndon; devoted sister of Nelson and Clarence Corbin, Jr., Clara Dobry, Kenely Goonan and Michaleen Cort Dorsey. Family will receive friends at the family owned and operated Mc CULLY-POLYNIAK FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 3204 Mountain Road, Pasadena on Monday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M., where funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 12 noon.

On June 30, 2005, CARRIE HERNDON. Friends may call at the FAMILY OWNED MARCH FUNERAL HOME EAST, 1101 East North Avenue, on Wednesday after 8 A.M., where the family will receive friends on Thursday at 11:30 A.M. Funeral Services will follow at 12 noon. See www.marchfh.com

The Ravens are making progress in restocking their depleted secondary. Denver Broncos cornerback Kelly Herndon, a restricted free agent, said yesterday that the Ravens made him an offer and his agent could deliver a counterproposal as early as today. "Everybody knows about the Baltimore defense," Herndon told the Rocky Mountain News. "They're always top in the league. I have a lot of respect for how they play football." A two-year starter with the Broncos, Herndon is considered a second- or third-tier talent.

Old Court Middle School pupils aboard a bus were so rowdy Tuesday that the driver apparently was not aware that a boy had fallen out the rear emergency door, police and school officials said yesterday. The boy was identified as Sedrick Alexander Bailey, 11, a seventh-grader who lives in the 7800 block of Kenbridge Road in the Windsor Mill area of Baltimore County. He remained in the critical care unit of Sinai Hospital last night and was listed in serious condition, a hospital spokesman said.