House

The mass shootings in Newtown cannot stand. Our congressional leaders need to do everything in their power to provide more logical gun restrictions in our country. We have been under assault for years and - at the very, very least - the ban on assault-style rifles, etc. must be reinstated. Guns do kill people, and semiautomatic guns kill more. There also needs to be additional legal, judicial, and police-aided options available to people who know there is a troubled or dangerous person in their family or community, similar to the Baker Act in Florida (which temporarily commits people at risk of hurting themselves or others)

A Baltimore homeowner wrote in recently with an attention-grabbing subject line: "My house is going to ruin my life, and the city let it happen. " Mike says he bought his Pigtown rowhome four years ago and quickly discovered the rehab work done by the seller left a lot to be desired. "Within 6 months of purchase I had a major roof leak, and severe termite damage which cost me upwards of $15,000 to repair," he writes. Naturally he's frustrated with the seller, who appeared to be an inexperienced real estate investor.

Six employees at an Essex haunted house were taken to a local hospital after they became sick from spilled formaldehyde Friday night, Baltimore County police said. The chemical was used in the display at Kim's Krypt Haunted Attraction on Eastern Boulevard, police said. Firefighters were called around 9:15 p.m. to clean up the spill. The haunted house was closed for the evening, police said. Nov. 3 is the attraction's last scheduled day for the season. jkanderson@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

On July 13, 2008, EVELYN PETTAWAY- HOUSE; beloved mother of Angela Baskerville, John W. House, Jr., Teresa Sivels, Jerome House and Antonia House Daniels. On Friday, friends may call at the VAUGHN C. GREENE FUNERAL SERVICES 5151 Baltimore National Pike from 4 to7 P.M. On Saturday, Mrs. House will lie instate at Good Sheppard Baptist Church, 3459 Park Heights Avenue, where the family will receive friends fro 10:30 to 11 A.M. with services to follow. Inquiries to (410) 233-2400.

Visit the new City of Laurel Community Garden and meet one-on-one with Laurel City Council members at a garden open house Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to noon. The CLCG garden is located behind Laurel Presbyterian Church, 7610 Old Sandy Spring Road. Representatives from the University of Maryland's Master Garden Program will attend, and there are activities planned for children. During the garden open house, City Council members will hold Bagels with the Council as an informal way to meet with constituents outside of regular City Council meetings.

On April 13, 2005, ROXIE HOUSE. Friends may call at the family owned MARCH FUNERAL HOME EAST, 1101 East North Avenue on Saturday after 8 A.M. The family will receive friends at Eastern United Methodist Church, 1429 E. North Ave. on Monday at 10:30 A.M. Funeral Services will follow at 11 A.M. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in memory of Roxie House Eastern U.M. Church, 1429 E. North Avenue, Balto., MD 21213. See www.marchfh.com

County officials weren't surprised there were no bidders on the Green Street house built by Carroll County Career and Technology Center students."It's an excellent home with (its) bedroom space and all the amenities," said Commissioner Julia W. Gouge. "But we're in a depressed economy."The county sought a minimum bid of $165,000 for the three-bedroom, Victorian-style house. The deadline to submit bids was 5 p.m. Monday. Commissioners received one bid -- mistakenly meant for unrelated project.

A man and a woman who were reported missing in a three-alarm house fire Sunday in Anne Arundel County were later found dead inside the dwelling, firefighters said at the scene. Battalion Chief Steve Thompson of the county fire department said that a relative of the two people, a 70-year-old woman who lived in the house, managed to escape the fire and was taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center "for a checkup." Thompson said she appeared to be uninjured but was being examined as a precaution.

Harford Day School students and staff recently performed several activities to help others, including families in New Jersey affected by Super Storm Sandy and Harford Family House.

The House version of Gov. Martin O'Malley's same-sex marriage bill was introduced in the House of Delegates this morning shortly before the governor gave his annual state of the state address. The House bill went in with 56 co-sponsors, including House Speaker Michael E. Busch, who rarely puts his name on legislation. New cosponsors this year also include Baltimore County delegates Jon Cardin and Adrienne A Jones, both Democrats. Some names dropped off, including Baltimore City delegates Jill Carter and Frank Conaway Jr., both Democrats.