Meekins

Franklin coach Larry Meekins believes it's not a coincidence that the number of outstanding pitchers in the metro area is at a high point as more and more high school pitchers seek personal instruction and strength training in the offseason. Meekins, who serves as a pitching coach at former Oriole Larry Sheets' Players School and Clinic in Westminster, said he is amazed at the number of parents who are seeking personal instruction for their kids. "When I started with Larry seven to eight years ago, I thought it might not be worth it for kids to get the extra personal instruction, but I was wrong," said Meekins, an All-Metro pitcher at Franklin in 1970 who went on to pitch at Clemson and in the minor leagues.

Gene Ward Meekins Sr., a retired salesman and collector of military memorabilia, died of cancer Thursday at his Catonsville home. He was 81. Mr. Meekins was born in Baltimore and raised on Elm Ridge Road in Arbutus. After graduating from City College in 1944, he enlisted in the Navy. He served as a boatswain aboard the destroyer USS Duffy and participated in the Leyte Gulf, Mille and Maloelap Atoll campaigns. After the war, Mr. Meekins became a furniture salesman for Shaivitz. In 1970, he joined the old Hutzler's department store, where he worked in the rug department at Westview Shopping Center and later in Towson.

After two failed attempts to attract bids that match Hampstead's budget for a new police station, officials say the third round of bids to be opened tomorrow might yield a contract.Plans call for the former First National Bank building at 1112 Main St. to be renovated and transformed into a station by the spring, said Police Chief R. Kenneth Meekins Jr.The project would accomplish three goals: give a growing police force in a growing town a real station; preserve a historic and stately downtown building; and enhance Main Street with a public agency.

The Hampstead Town Council has unanimously approved a $1.7 million operating and $2 million capital improvement budget for fiscal 2000.The council adopted the budgets after a brief discussion Tuesday night. The spending plans call for no new taxes in fiscal 2000, which begins July 1.Major projects in the capital budget include $750,000 for a water tower, $650,000 for a new police station, and $400,000 for adding a well to the town system, according to budget figures released by the town.Reviewing the operating budget, Councilman Wayne Thomas questioned what appeared to be a 35 percent increase in police department salaries.

Counterfeit $10 bills are circulating in Hampstead and Manchester, prompting police to warn merchants to watch for bogus bills bearing serial No. C59929868A.Hampstead Chief Kenneth Meekins said Friday that one counterfeit bill was passed at the Jiffy Mart on Main Street and that two were found in a bank deposit from a Manchester business.Meekins said information obtained on counterfeit bills is routinely forwarded to the Baltimore office of the Secret Service for investigation.Jim Mackin, a spokesman for the Secret Service, said his agency does not discuss ongoing investigations.

A turn-of-the-century red-brick building that was a former seat of Hampstead's government is likely to fill a municipal role again as the Carroll County town's new police station.The Town Council is scheduled to vote today on a contract to buy the building and an adjoining frame house on South Main Street at Shiloh Avenue for $155,000.Moving the police station to Main Street from its site adjoining Town Hall on South Carroll Street would make it more visible and accessible, said Police Chief Ken Meekins.

Hampstead, Police Chief Ken Meekins is quietly working to modernize the small town's law enforcement agency.Meekins, who came to the job after more than 23 years with the Baltimore County police, is confident that by this time next year, his force of three officers will grow to five, a police-dog unit will be added and the Police Department will be housed in new, spacious headquarters on South Main Street."

The Hampstead Police Department is about $3,000 short of the money it needs to establish a K-9 unit, officials said Friday.Police Chief R. Kenneth Meekins said the department has applied for a state grant that would cover 75 percent of the expenses associated with establishing a K-9 unit.The state grant would cover $28,722 of the $38,296 it would cost for the dog, training, veterinary care and a four-wheel-drive vehicle.To qualify for the state funding, the police department has to raise the remaining $9,574.

Many Baltimoreans knew William J. Meekins as the reserved vice president of Baltimore Life Insurance Co., but to more than a dozen Thai exchange students who shared his home over the years, he was their American Dad.The prominent businessman and husband died Thursday of Alzheimer's disease at the Charlestown Care Center in Owings Mills. He was 78.Since 1968, Mr. Meekins and his wife, Martha, 72, had taken in students from Thailand who came to the United States to study English. The students have been more like family, Martha Meekins said.

A Taneytown mother's statements to police after she led them to the body of her 4-month-old daughter in August can be used against her, a Carroll County judge said yesterday.Circuit Judge Luke K. Burns Jr. ruled that because Lisa E. Ruby, 20, was handcuffed did not mean she was under arrest. Her taped confession and other statements made to state police are admissible as evidence at her trial, which is scheduled next month, he said.Burns said state police acted properly -- at first handling Ruby's case as a suspected drug overdose before finding the body of Tabitha Leann Meekins -- during their investigation.

Two women from the Brooklyn area of South Baltimore were sentenced Wednesday to time served for second-degree assault in a triple stabbing last year in Federal Hill that sent one victim to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center with seven stab wounds. Prosecutors said that the alcohol-fueled melee involved so many people that the victims, some of whom had blood alcohol levels more than double the legal limit, couldn't be sure who stabbed them. "No one can really say with any level of certainty who started what, who was with whom, who had any weapons, and which fight - of several that were occurring around the street - was which," according to Joseph Sviatko, a spokesman for the Baltimore state's attorney's office.

On April 2, 2008 JOHANNA R. SCHNEIDER (nee Rohe), 86 of Catonsville, MD; beloved wife of the late James C. Schneider; loving mother of James C. Schneider Jr. (Robin), Thomas J. Schneider, Mary Jo Meekins (Charles), Terri Gibadlo (John), Cathy Roland (Ken), Stephen J. Schneider (Karen) and Mary Elizabeth Kwedar (Michael); cherished grandmother of 25 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her dear sisters, Frances Amos and Mary Donohue. Family will receive friends on Friday and Saturday from 3-5 & 7-9PM at STERLING-ASHTON-SCHWAB-WITZKE FUNERAL HOME OF CATONSVILLE, INC.; 1630 Edmondson Avenue; Catonsville, MD 21228.

Has Del. Melvin Stukes ever had any bones broken, like the woman who was brutally beaten on the No. 27 bus? He didn't let on. But the former Baltimore city councilman let it be known that he'd had his heart broken. Which is why he could relate to Sarah Kreager's attackers. "Please tell me what you would do if someone SPAT on you," Stukes wrote in an e-mail. "In a heat[ed] exchange of words. If you don't think words can hurt you then I am sure you have never been in love. Words and [names]

Quitely on October 31, 2007 Nicholas S. Meekins, Jr., beloved husband of the late Ellen Dowling Meekins, loving father of Robert Blyth and his wife Kay and the late Gary Meekins, cherished grandfather of Kristen O'Boyle, Nicholas Meekins and great grandchildren, Shannon and Kevin O'Boyle. A Graveside service will be held at the Mt. Olive United Methodist Cemetery, 5111 Old Court Road, Randallstown, MD. on Saturday at 11 A.M. For further inquires, Please call Ambrose Funeral Home, Inc., 410 242-2211.

Gene Ward Meekins Sr., a retired salesman and collector of military memorabilia, died of cancer Thursday at his Catonsville home. He was 81. Mr. Meekins was born in Baltimore and raised on Elm Ridge Road in Arbutus. After graduating from City College in 1944, he enlisted in the Navy. He served as a boatswain aboard the destroyer USS Duffy and participated in the Leyte Gulf, Mille and Maloelap Atoll campaigns. After the war, Mr. Meekins became a furniture salesman for Shaivitz. In 1970, he joined the old Hutzler's department store, where he worked in the rug department at Westview Shopping Center and later in Towson.

On March 29, 2007, LYDIA H. MEEKINS (nee Patureau), beloved wife of the late William A. Meekins, devoted mother of Susan Smith and her husband Ron and Roger Meekins and his wife Sherrill, dear sister of Ned and Donald Patureau, Sadie Cansler and the late Lenora Cansler, Ann Fontenot and Annette Peterson. Also survived by five grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A Catholic Prayer Service will be held at the Connelly Funeral Home of Essex, 300 Mace Avenue on Monday at 11 A.M. Visiting hours on Sunday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Interment Gardens of Faith Cemetery.

Franklin coach Larry Meekins believes it's not a coincidence that the number of outstanding pitchers in the metro area is at a high point as more and more high school pitchers seek personal instruction and strength training in the offseason. Meekins, who serves as a pitching coach at former Oriole Larry Sheets' Players School and Clinic in Westminster, said he is amazed at the number of parents who are seeking personal instruction for their kids. "When I started with Larry seven to eight years ago, I thought it might not be worth it for kids to get the extra personal instruction, but I was wrong," said Meekins, an All-Metro pitcher at Franklin in 1970 who went on to pitch at Clemson and in the minor leagues.

On February 27, 2007, DONALD D. MEEKINS, dear sister of Wadena Johnson and her husband Larry. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held at the Connelly Funeral Home of Essex, 300 Mace Avenue on Friday at 1 P.M. Visiting hours on Thursday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Interment Gardens of Faith Cemetery.

GARFIELD MEEKINS, was last seen on September 6, 1999. Garfield leaves wife Dorothy, daughter Rubie, sister Maude Banks of Cambridge, MD, brother-in-law Alford Banks, nieces, nephews and friends. Daughter Regina Meekins and sister Irene Chester predeceased him in death. A Memorial Service has been scheduled for Saturday, September 9, 2006 at 11 A.M. The service will occur at First Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 1142 N. Fulton Ave., Baltimore, MD.

On May 5, 2006, CATHERINE V. (nee Johnson); dear wife of Albert Thyr; beloved mother of Judy A. Harden and her husband Joseph; loving sister-in-law of Edward Meekins; aunt of Michael Meekins; sister of the late Janice Meekins. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday at 7 P.M. at Fink Funeral Home, P.A., 426 Crain Highway S.W. (at 5th Avenue). Donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 415 N. Charles Street, Balto., MD 21201.