Laurel

Joe's Crab Shack will open its fourth Maryland restaurant at Hunt Valley Towne Center, the mall's developer, Greenberg Gibbons, said Thursday. The seafood restaurant will open this fall, adding to locations in Abingdon, Greenbelt and Gaithersburg. The 325-seat restaurant will feature a playground under an enclosed patio and a menu of crab and other seafood dishes. Earlier this week, Hunt Valley's developer had announced that women's apparel boutique Eilieen Fisher will open its first Baltimore-area store at the mall in September.

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.

Maryland's new inter-track betting system -- linking the state's thoroughbred and harness industries -- finally begins tomorrow after nearly a year of tedious negotiations and wearisome delays.The Maryland Racing Commission -- minus one member who was out of town -- unanimously approved the pact through a phone poll conducted this week. The vote had been postponed last week until after a final study of a minority business participation report, contracts between the track operators and security procedures.

Administrative Member Jessica Wehle was named Member of the Month by the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department during a recent department meeting. Wehle, who has experience in grant preparation and administrative management, was cited for bringing her skills to the administrative side of the fire department and helping with such tasks as data entry and spreadsheets. She received a certificate and gift card from President Vic Whipple and Chief Trey Kelso. Auxiliary members Janice Zook, Sue Fricke, Nancy Burdge and Irene Duff received recognition certificates from Auxiliary President May-Lynn Bayles at the Auxiliary's anniversary meeting.

TodayA small but well-matched group of sprinters has passed the entry box for the fifth Bowie Stakes, a six-furlong test carrying a $50,000 purse.Bristling, a Philadelpha-based runner which has successfully visited Laurel twice, heads the seven-horse field. The gelding, trained by Eugene Weymouth, is the recent winner of Philadelpha Park's Sprint Championship.TomorrowFillies and mares take the spotlight in the Contrary Rose Stakes, a $50,000 six-furlong sprint.Pallette Knife, which won her previous outing by daylight, heads the field which has attracted nine speedy distaffers.

Valecia Winston , of Laurel, received a Master of Arts from the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. Benjamin Cameron , a sophomore from Laurel, was named to the dean's list for the spring semester at Washington College in Chestertown. Alex Paxton , of Laurel, was named to the dean's list for the spring semester at Hood College in Frederick. Two Laurel students were named to the dean's list for the spring semester at McDaniel College in Westminster. Danika Allen was awarded highest honors and Gregory Nolen received honors.

First-time author wins award Amy Bonaccorso, of Laurel, author of "How to Get to 'I Do' - A Dating Guide for Catholic Women," won a 2011 Catholic Press Association Award in the first-time author category. Drawing on her 10 years on the Christian dating scene, her book, published in September 2010, offers spiritually based advice for single women. Now a married woman and convert to Catholicism, Bonaccorso is a government communications specialist and alumna of George Mason University and the Catholic University of America.

Prince George's County Prince George's County Public Schools will host its inaugural Back-to-School Fair on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, 7601 Hanover Pkwy., in Greenbelt. The event is open to all county students, teachers, staff, parents, community leaders and county agencies. The fair will provide parents and students with access to the resources needed for a successful school year. Guests will have the opportunity to speak with school representatives and get information on before- and after-school programs, school registration, PTA registration, school supplies and more.  For more information, call 301-780-6898 or 301-952-6095. 

St. Mary of the Mills basketball St. Mary rookie girls 10, Holy Redeemer, 0; St. Mary scorers: Isabella Justice, 4 points, Samantha Frederick, 2, Zoe DeGuzman, 2, Danielle Collman, 2. St. John's, 19, St. Mary, 6; St. Mary scorers: Isabella Justice, 2, Danielle Collman, 2, Zoe DeGuzman, 2. St. Mary girls mid-Atlantic varsity defeated St. Jerome. St. Mary scorers: Cecily Jackson, 9, Troi Eggleston, 7, Jetta Owens, 7. St. Mary 18, Holy Redeemer, 17; St. Mary scorers: Justice, 6, Maggie Dressman, 4, Jackie Smith, 4, Collman, 2, Jessie Chapman, 2. St.Mary boys junior varsity mid-Atlantic 46, St. Jerome, 32: St. Mary top scorers: Nick Eggleston, 14, Brandon Wise, 8, Evan Ellington, 7, Evnik Dossou, 7. St. Mary boys rookie team I, 34, St. Bernadette, 12; Dylan Wyandt - 11 points, two assists, two rebounds, seven steals, Jason Edokpayi,10 points, 18 rebounds, three steals, Logan Poulton, - four points, 12 rebounds, Connor Kenealy, defensive MVP. Maryland City basketball Maryland City 10U, 13, Cape Quillen, 12. Jazmine Washington, six points, 13 rebounds, eight steals, Jaila Canzater, three points, five rebounds, three steals, Jasmine Cheek, two points, five rebounds, one steal, Myah Martin, two points, three rebounds.

Results, entries and comments provided by the Maryland Jockey Club. For automated results by phone, call 410-792-0278. Thursday, Oct. 20 results First - Purse $20,000, Maiden Claiming $25,000-$20,000, 2 yo, One Mile 5 Her Way Vega H. $6.60 $4.60 $2.80 4 Will n' Pat Whitacre G. $9.40 $3.60 3 Bobjonclairenalice Rook S. $2.20 Time: 1:42.18 Exacta (5-4), $58.80; Trifecta (5-4-3), $195.20 Owner: John E. Salzman, Jr., Danny Divver & Fred Wasserloos Trainer: Salzman, Jr., John E. Breeder: Lickity Split Services, Inc. Also Ran: Garden Gate, High Top Sneakers, Aspen Blush, Youcancountonme Second - Purse $19,000, Claiming $15,000-$12,000, 3 yo's & up, Six Furlongs 1 Fancy Leap Pimentel J. $4.80 $2.80 $2.20 6 Congaree Princess Navarro J. $2.40 $2.10 2 Falcon's Flight Pino M. $2.10 Time: 1:13.40 Daily Double (5-1)

Beginning Monday morning, the Maryland Welcome Center on northbound Interstate 95 in Howard County will be closed for paving, the State Highway Administration said. The northbound rest area lots and the travel plaza will be closed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays. The facility will be open overnight. No work will take place on Memorial Day or May 28 and the rest area will be open those days. The paving will be complete by June 30, weather permitting. Last week, crews repaved the southbound rest area as part of the $1.2 million renovation project.

A team of more than 40 volunteers from Tower Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Laurel, and the Gilbane Building Co. helped renovated the Laurel home of a disabled Navy veteran April 27 during Prince George's County's Christmas in April effort. Because of roof and foundation leaks, up to 2 feet of water had damaged the first-time homeowner's house after a heavy rainfall. The volunteers repaired roof leaks and gutters; replaced a storm door; installed a new front porch and repaired and painted the back porch; removed dead bushes and trees in the front yard; and added new flower beds.

College baseball Butler's single in 9th sends Towson to win Sophomore Brendan Butler singled in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as host Towson (25-27, 14-12 Colonial Athletic Association) edged Northeastern, 7-6, in the second game of their three-game weekend series Friday afternoon. The Huskies (27-24, 11-15), who were trying to clinch a berth in the CAA tournament, had overcome a 6-4 deficit in the ninth inning to tie the game. More Division I: Mount St. Mary's (10-35, 5-24 Northeast Conference)

Flea market The Howard County NAACP Youth Council sponsors a spring flea market and yard sale beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 25, at Ridgely's Run Community Center, 8400 Mission Road in Jessup. Antiques, jewelry, toys, clothing, household items, sports items, baby furniture, books and more will be on sale. Vendor space is $20. Bring your own table. Information: 443-280-1935. Historical Society meets The Savage Historical Society meets at 7 p.m. Monday, May 20, at the Faith and Ministry Center, 9032 Baltimore St., Savage.

The Laurel Volunteer Fire Department will hold its second annual EMS Open House on Saturday, May 18 from noon to 3 p.m. at the fire station, 7411 Cherry Lane. Activities include meeting Laurel's licensed emergency medical technicians, blood pressure screening and learning about injury prevention. Visitors can also take an ambulance tour. The Laurel Volunteer Fire Department was formed four years after an 1898 fire on Main Street destroyed 12 buildings, including the Presbyterian Church.

No new leases have been announced for Town Centre Laurel — the development that is planned for the site where Laurel Mall once stood — but agreements with tenants already announced have been officially finalized, and the project is said to be on track. The developers of the $130 million project gave City Council members an update at the meeting on Monday night, May 13. Officials with Greenberg Gibbons Commercial, the project's lead developer, said asbestos removal and the demolition work of the existing structure went as planned.

Join in the Big Sit! and celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week, Sunday, Oct. 9, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at the National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop. Chairs will be set up in a 17-foot diameter circle and volunteers will use binoculars to identify as many birds as they can. No experience needed and no registration necessary.

In the first week of her reporting internship for a horse-racing newspaper, Gabby Gaudet nervously approached one of the most celebrated figures in the sport. "Can you tell me how you first got involved in the game?" she asked Kelly Breen, who trained the winner of the 2011 Belmont Stakes. "Terrible question. Get back to me when you think of a better one," he replied.  She flinched but thought fast. "How about if I ride your horse?" she asked. He said yes, they fell to talking, and the story she wrote ran above the fold in The Saratoga Special.

Laurel Police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. Anne Arundel County Police report major crimes City of Laurel Baltimore Avenue, 14100 block, May 5. Theft. Armstrong Court, 400 block, May 5. Motor vehicle theft. Main Street, 600 block, May 5. Theft from motor vehicle. Washington Boulevard, 900 block, May 5. Shoplifting. Main Street, 300 block, May 4. Attempted burglary.