Hot Line

Spawned by the success of the public's response to a Carroll County Most-Wanted Program, Sheriff Kenneth L. Tregoning's office began a toll-free hot line yesterday so residents can anonymously report criminal activity in their communities.Callers will be advised to dial 911 for emergencies, or leave a recorded message regarding any type of crime. They may remain anonymous or ask for a law enforcement officer to return their call.All calls will be handled by deputies, or forwarded to appropriate police agencies.

MVA establishes hot line to catch license violatorsMaryland residents can assist the Motor Vehicle Administration in its efforts to locate vehicles whose owners have been avoiding Maryland taxes. If citizens notice a vehicle with out-of-state license plates that has been parking in the same residential complex or area for more than 30 days, they are asked to call the hot line number.Maryland law requires that all residents have their vehicles registered in Maryland within 30 days of moving to the state.

BY OPENING a telephone hot line to report "waste, fraud and abuse," Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens hopes to improve the management of government.I have no problem with county employees reporting their suspicions about wrongdoing. Who better would know if a fellow employee is stealing equipment, office supplies or money from the county till, or throwing a contract to an in-law?My concern is that by guaranteeing anonymity to the callers, the county investigators may be overwhelmed with useless information rather than useful tips on corruption.

The Baltimore FBI office and the Maryland U.S. attorney's office have established a 24-hour hot line for citizens to report environmental crimes, especially those involving the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.Local, state and federal law enforcement officials also have formed the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Enforcement Coalition, which held its first meeting Wednesday at the Naval Academy in Annapolis.The coalition seeks to improve conservation efforts and environmental compliance in the bay area.

THE SUDDEN destruction of Maj. Gen. John E. Longhouser's 32-year Army career over an affair he had with a civilian five years ago while separated from his wife provokes the question: How many more will the military sacrifice before the frenzy ends?The nationwide telephone hot line set up in the wake of the Aberdeen Proving Ground scandal involving drill sergeants having sex with female recruits -- to the point of rape -- has snared one of the Army's rising stars because of an unrelated personal indiscretion.

Starting this week, callers to the Maryland AIDS information line will be temporarily referred to the National AIDS Hotline as state officials seek a new vendor to operate the service.By the end of the week, calls will be automatically routed to the national number. Until then, callers will hear recorded instructions directing them to call the National AIDS Hotline at 1-800-342-AIDS, Ext. 2437.The national line is operated by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC operators will have access to a resource guide to acquired immune deficiency syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus services available in Maryland.

When Baltimore public schools open Wednesday, a teen hot line run by students and guidance counselors will resume operation.Student volunteers trained in counseling will provide advice about peer pressure, relationships, loneliness, grades, health and homework.Beginning Sept. 1, Students Helping Students can be reached at 410-396-8659, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.Pub Date: 8/28/97

WASHINGTON -- The Army hot line that was set up last fall after a sexual misconduct scandal erupted at Aberdeen Proving Ground shut down last night, after having fielded so many dubious complaints that some Army officers dubbed it "1-800-REVENGE."An anonymous call to the hot line led to the forced resignation this month of Aberdeen's commander, Maj. Gen. John E. Longhouser. The caller disclosed that Longhouser had had an affair with a civilian while he was going through a divorce in the early 1990s.

Child care providers throughout Maryland have a new toll-free hot line where they can receive help taking care of children.Friends of the Family Inc., a nonprofit statewide network of 27 family support centers, has scheduled a trained child care specialist to answer questions about children's behavior, working with parents and recommending solutions to problems.The service is available from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays at 888-341-CARE (2273). For more information about the agency, at 1001 Eastern Ave., call 410-659-7701.

What's on everybody's grills these days? The No. 1 choice is chicken -- at least according to a survey of callers to a toll-free grilling hot line offered by Weber, the grill manufacturer. Chicken was followed by steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, fish, pork, ribs, vegetables, roasts and whole meals.The No. 1 question grillers asked was, "How do I light the fire?" And the No. 1 state in callers to the hot line was Illinois. California was second, then Pennsylvania, New York and Florida.Weber also found that 71 percent of callers used charcoal, and 29 percent used gas for grilling and that men were responsible for 60 percent of the household grilling activities, while women were responsible for 19 percent.

Sometimes you just need to ask somebody one question about your finances. Should I consolidate my student loans? Why did my credit card interest rate double to 28 percent? What do I do about the collection agency coming after me for an old bill I already paid? Marylanders now have a new resource to call and find the answers to these or any other money questions. Three nonprofits - Maryland CASH Campaign, Baltimore CASH Campaign and Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Maryland and Delaware - have created a financial counseling hot line.

Not sure what the strange vine that's taking over your garden is or how to get your grass looking green without drowning it in chemicals? Can't figure out what the odd splotches are on the holly tree or where they came from? If you have garden and landscape questions such as these, you're in luck. The Home and Garden Information Center in Ellicott City, part of the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, offers personalized solutions to quandaries about pests, plants and landscaping.

On election night, Mayor Martin O'Malley joked that one of his first chores in Annapolis would be to install a hot line to Towson. His meaning was obvious. Four years ago, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend lost to Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. largely on his 65,000-vote margin of victory in Baltimore County. That margin virtually evaporated Tuesday thanks in no small part to County Executive James T. Smith Jr.'s blitz of commercials complaining that Mr. Ehrlich never returns his calls. The lessons in this are numerous - and buck the conventional wisdom that Mr. Ehrlich lost simply because he was caught in the tsunami of voter disdain for President Bush.

There has not been a major internal scandal in Howard County government for more than two decades, but county auditor Ronald Weinstein wants to set up a fraud, waste and abuse hot line, just in case. "It's becoming more and more something that's recommended," in professional accounting circles, said Weinstein. "A lot of audit tips come through employee hot lines." Weinstein said he is waiting before implementing the program, which would allow reports either by telephone or computer, to get a legal opinion on whether Howard needs new whistleblower legislation to protect employees who report abuses.

Howard County police receive about one or two calls a week on their "party buster" hot line that takes tips about coming parties involving underage drinking, police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said. Mark Heron, the county's alcohol enforcement officer, checks the phone line's voice mail every day. People can leave anonymous messages or include their names. "Oftentimes, once word gets out that someone has tipped off the police, the party gets canceled," Llewellyn said. "Rumors spread pretty fast, and we'd rather have the party not happen at all. We think the line is serving our goal when that happens."

HAMPSTEAD American Legion robbed; post employee is injured The American Legion post in Hampstead was held up by an armed robber early yesterday, state police said. About 5 a.m., a man armed with a handgun forced an employee of Post 200, in the 4600 block of Legion Lane, into the building and then forced the employee to open the post's safe. The robber took an undisclosed amount of money and drove off in a car that was waiting outside. The employee was treated for minor injuries. Anyone with information is urged to call the Westminster barracks of the state police at 410-386-3000.

The tax bill that every Carroll County property owner receives contains a packet with the number of a hot line to call for information on what to do in case of an emergency. But when that number was dialed this week, as authorities warned of a potential terrorist attack, callers heard a recording outlining evacuation procedures and a suggestion to call another number for more information. That phone just rang and rang. Told that no one was answering the hot line, county officials say they are taking steps to resolve the problem.

The tax bill that every county property owner receives contains a packet with the number of a hot line to call for information on what to do in case of an emergency. But when that number was dialed this week, as authorities warned of a potential terrorist attack, callers heard a recording outlining evacuation procedures and a suggestion to call another number for more information. That phone just rang and rang. Told that no one was answering the hot line, county officials say they are taking steps to resolve the problem.

BWI traffic lane shifted because of construction A traffic lane on the lower-level, adjacent to the Southwest Airlines baggage claim area at Pier B of Baltimore-Washington International Airport, has been shifted to accommodate construction. Workers will be restriping traffic lanes between midnight and 5 a.m. for the next 30 days. The work is part of a $1.8 billion expansion program. Airport security hot line to be set up in December Starting in December, suspicious activities that may have security implications for air travel can be reported to the Airport Watch hot line.

State board OKs rental car center plans for BWI The state Board of Public Works has approved plans for a customer service building within the new consolidated rental car center at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Under the $10.2 million contract, Atlantic Builders Group Inc. of Baltimore will build a 46,000-square- foot administrative facility with reservation counters and offices for 10 rental car agencies, lobby areas, seating, restrooms and support areas. "The construction of this new facility will allow the fastest-growing major commercial airport in North America to continue to meet the needs of the more than 20 million travelers who use BWI each year," Gov. Parris N. Glendening said in a statement.