Impact

Several government agencies gave their blessing yesterday to Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church's planned 3,000-seat church in Granite, as a hearing resumed on the project. The hearing, which could last several days, was delayed last week when the church introduced new access road designs that had not been reviewed by community leaders or the State Highway Administration. Yesterday, state highway engineer Larry Gredlein testified that "we've approved the traffic impact study." He also said the state had approved the design of the entrance on Old Court Road.

Enthusiasm and camaraderie are the weapons an area youth group is using to combat peer pressure and low self-esteem among youngsters.The group, called Impact Youth Ministry, is a ministry of the Westminster Church of God, and welcomes youths ages 12 to 25.The enthusiasm is evident, as members of the group wear black T-shirts emblazoned with their logo in vibrant orange lettering.Similarly, book covers the group made have sold briskly, with only 25 remaining from the original order of 2,000.

I am directly opposed to Fort Howard Development LLC's plans to build a 1,473-unit complex on the tip of the peninsula at Fort Howard. The impact of this project on local residents would be extreme. The highway leading into Fort Howard isn't adequate for its current usage, and this proposal would add at least five times more traffic, sewage and water disposal to this area. The resulting pollution and impact to our local waterways and on our local environment would be profound. Developers want to expand this area with a new medical clinic, restaurants, offices and living complexes to meet the needs of 1,500 families.

Seeking to balance the needs of residential communities with realities of work in the 1990s, the Baltimore County Planning Board will hold a public hearing today on proposed regulations governing home-based businesses.At a time when an estimated 40,000 Marylanders work at home, planners say changes are needed in the county's laws -- rules so archaic that they make it illegal for residents working at home to operate fax machines and computers.County planners are proposing laws regulating two categories of home-based business: those with no neighborhood impact and those with minor impact.

CollegeLiberty: Announced that basketball coach Jeff Meyer has accepted position as assistant to president. Promoted Randy Dunton to interim coach.HockeyBruins: Recalled D Dean Chynoweth and RW Kirk Nielsen from AHL Providence.Canucks: Recalled D Chris McAllister from AHL Syracuse.Hurricanes: Assigned D Steve Halko to AHL New Haven.SoccerImpact (NPSL): Signed former Maryland Bays D Jean Harbor.Pub Date: 11/02/97

Cincinnati Bengals First minicamp: Friday through Monday Free-agent gains: Tom Barndt, NT (Kansas City); Vaughn Booker, DE (Green Bay); Darryl Williams, S (Seattle); Scott Mitchell, QB (Ravens). Free-agent losses: Jeff Blake, QB (New Orleans); Kimo von Oelhoffen, DT (Pittsburgh). Impact draft selections: Peter Warrick, WR (Florida State); Mark Roman, CB (LSU); Ron Dugans, WR (Florida State). Pressing question: If they cannot persuade holdout running back Corey Dillon to return, whom will they hand the ball off to?

A report shows that Carroll County could legally double the fees it charges for building a new single-family home and add nearly $4,000 to the cost of a new townhouse. According to the draft Impact Fee Study and Analysis, delivered to the county commissioners yesterday, the maximum justifiable amount for a new detached house could be $13,745. The fee is now $6,836. The buyer of a new townhouse pays a $7,610 impact fee today, but that charge could rise to $11,510. Impact fees pay for additional classrooms needed because of residential growth, and for parks and recreational services.

Until recently, I did not think I had much in common with Jupiter. It had its worries -- major ventilation problems from the look of things -- and I had mine -- an old house, aging cars and a demanding family.But my attitude changed recently when the planet began taking those hits from fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. It took a lickin' and kept on emittin', which is what veteran planets are supposed to do.I became sympathetic with the old planet, and even began to see parallels between Jupiter's life and those of people like me. After all, when you have a house, a car, kids or pets, daily bombardment is a part of life.

Here is an editorial from the Boston Globe, which was published Sunday.A NEW national report on gambling has sound advice, making it hard to ignore gambling's many problems, from addiction and youth gambling to the industry's financial hold on elected officials. We hope the findings will not go unheeded.Issued by the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, the report observes that too many governments make patchwork decisions about gambling. Instead of hasty action, the commission suggests, there should be a moratorium on any expansion of gambling so policy makers can take time to think.

The mother of one victim of a Glen Burnie man serving three years in prison for molesting young boys has sued her son's assailant for $100 million.The suit, filed Monday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, claims the boy suffered "excruciating pain" during the abuse and later became depressed and suicidal.It asks for $50 million each in compensatory and punitive damages from Thomas Dalton Estes III, 59.Estes, who lived in the 500 block of Joy Circle, pleaded guilty in August 1992 to sexual child abuse of the boy, who was 10 at the time.