Mallard

First the white-tailed deer. Then the Canada goose.Now comes the latest case of suburban ecosystems run afoul: mutant ducks.In Columbia, officials want to trap ducks to weed out the domestic white ones and their hybrid offspring, as part of a larger effort to reduce the drake population quacking along the planned community's three lakes.Exactly how the white ducks got there isn't clear. The most likely suspects are people who buy cute little Easter ducklings for the children -- and two months later find themselves with a problem.

A photograph of ducks in a net published with the On the Bay column in yesterday's editions should have been labeled a 1963 file photo.The Sun regrets the errors.IT WAS a rainy, winter evening several years ago, about this time of year, that I passed with an old waterman and his wife.I had taken some pains to win their confidence in previous meetings, and this night the dam had broken, and the tales of their lives and times rolled out in a rich torrent.Until I mentioned ducks -- the shooting and trapping of them, to be specific.

Sometimes, your most valuable asset is a sense of skepticism, especially when people are telling you things you want to hear. That's what Kim Mallard discovered after a Las Vegas-based company came calling, offering access to grants from government agencies and nonprofit foundations in exchange for a fee — a pitch that the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general have repeatedly warned consumers to avoid. Mallard, who owns Hickory Station Pizzeria and Grill in Bel Air, said she got a call this summer from a man who said he helps small-business owners apply for grant money.

On Friday, October 15, 2004 CHARLES E. WISCOTT, age 78, passed away at Mallard Bay Nursing Center, Cambridge, MD. Beloved husband of Mary G. Wiscott; loving father of Amy Wenck and John Wiscott; brother of Ruth Caldwell and Doris Pittman; grandfather of four. Calling hours are from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M., Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, P.A. Interment will be in MD VA Cemetery, Hurlock, MD on October 20, 2004 at 1 P.M. See www.fhnfuneralhome.com

New Life Christian Center, 9800 Mallard Drive, in South Laurel, will hold a free Community Health Fair on Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will offer free screenings for hypertension, glucose and cholesterol; nutrition advice on subjects such as diabetes and heart health; and Zumba, yoga and weight training demonstrations. Refreshments will be served. The Community Health Fair is sponsored by Foreign Affairs Recreation Association, Suburban Hospital John Hopkins Medicine and Adventist Healthcare.

Americans are increasingly unplugged, using on average five cordless electronic products every day. In just three years, says Ralph Mallard, executive vice president of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp., America's reliance on cordless electronics has increased nearly 75 percent. Everything from cell phones, camcorders and laptop computers to razors, toothbrushes and remote-controlled toys are powered by rechargeable batteries. That means a heap of toxic material, including cadmium and lead, to dispose of once the batteries are spent.

On January 9, 2004, HELEN S., 84, of East New Market, formerly of Baltimore passed away at the Mallard Bay Care Center. She is survived by a son, J. Daniel Fitez and his wife Barbara of East New Market; a grandson, Jason G. Fitez and his wife Katherine of Denver; a great-grandson, Grant Fitez of Denver; a brother, Henry Sullivan of Annapolis. A funeral service will be held on Monday, January 12, 2004 at 2 P.M. at the Thomas Funeral Home in Cambridge with Rev. Adam Kegel officiating. A visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

Quantico, Va.--It's no wonder actor Scott Glenn, who portrays the FBI's expert on serial killers in the movie "The Silence of the Lambs," still has nightmares.He and co-star Jodie Foster spent a week at the FBI Academy with John Douglas -- the real-life expert on serial killers and the head of the FBI's National Center for Analysis of Violent Crime -- and got a taste of what Mr. Douglas does for a living.For starters, Mr. Douglas, 45, and far more engaging and jollthan the movie character based on him, played audio and video tapes for Mr. Glenn of killers torturing their victims.

Baseball Marlins: Assigned OF Cliff Floyd to Triple-A Calgary on rehabilitation assignment. Optioned P Brent Billingsley to Calgary. Rangers: Optioned P Corey Lee to Triple-A Oklahoma. Basketball Kings: Signed director of player personnel Jerry Reynolds to multi-year contract. Colleges Alabama: Suspended LB Miguel Merritt, LB Chris Horne and LB Canary Knight for season opener Saturday vs. Vanderbilt for team violation last year. Binghamton: Changed nickname from Colonials to Bearcats.