Mike Mitchell

Habitat for Humanity needs lots of help to build affordable homes for lower-income residents, but one particular volunteer is especially prized. Every year, former President Jimmy Carter dons a tool belt and joins construction efforts in a handful of communities for a week — and helps raise the profile of the international Christian charity. Every Habitat affiliate wants to be picked. This year, he's spending a day of his annual "work project" week in Baltimore and Annapolis, and leaders from the Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake are thrilled.

Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake's chief executive plans to step down mid-month after almost nine years at the helm of the nonprofit. Mike Mitchell said Tuesday that the Baltimore-based provider of affordable housing was in a strong position and that he wanted to try something new. He said he wasn't sure yet whether that would be at another nonprofit, at a business or in politics. Mitchell sits on the Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee. Mike Brennan, chairman of the Habitat chapter, said Mitchell "has really put a lot into the organization" and oversaw big changes.

Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake's chief executive plans to step down mid-month after almost nine years at the helm of the nonprofit. Mike Mitchell said Tuesday that the Baltimore-based provider of affordable housing was in a strong position and that he wanted to try something new. He said he wasn't sure yet whether that would be at another nonprofit, at a business or in politics. Mitchell sits on the Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee. Mike Brennan, chairman of the Habitat chapter, said Mitchell "has really put a lot into the organization" and oversaw big changes.

Habitat for Humanity needs lots of help to build affordable homes for lower-income residents, but one particular volunteer is especially prized. Every year, former President Jimmy Carter dons a tool belt and joins construction efforts in a handful of communities for a week — and helps raise the profile of the international Christian charity. Every Habitat affiliate wants to be picked. This year, he's spending a day of his annual "work project" week in Baltimore and Annapolis, and leaders from the Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake are thrilled.

Hometown: Baltimore Current members: Nancy Mitchell (right), vocalist; Mike Mitchell, bass; Jeff Knoll, drummer; Chris Oleynick, guitarist. Founded in: 2002 Style: Garage rock Influenced by: Love, Blue Cheer, Electric Prunes, the Pretty Things Notable: Three members of the band -- Mike Mitchell, Jeff Knoll and Chris Oleynick -- played together in a band called Major Bailey's Menagerie from 1979 to 2002. Nancy Mitchell -- Mike's wife -- filled in on vocals during a rehearsal, and they liked her so much they asked her to keep singing in the band.

CHEVY CHASE - Three golfers shared the lead with a 2-under-par 68, while those who teed off later were forced to play on a wet course after an hour's rain delay at the 79th Maryland Open yesterday at Columbia Country Club. Dirk Schultz, Bill Gombert and Michael Hudak each shot 68 to lead the field of 153. One group of three golfers will finish today at 7 a.m. Schultz was in a familiar position at the top of the leader board. Schultz led last year's Open for two rounds before losing to Mike Mitchell.

THE WOMAN screamed at 20 minutes after 5 on a weekday afternoon in the middle of Baltimore, but only a handful of people could hear her. That's because she was standing on an old, weed-fringed concrete platform in an industrial crevice of the city, a swath of almost nothing between rowhouses and railroad tracks on the edge of Carroll Park. The scream came from a place heroin addicts like for its seclusion, a half-mile southwest of Mount Clare Station and the famous B&O roundhouse-museum. A paramedic listed the location as Eagle Street and Fulton Avenue.

ROCKVILLE - Mike Mitchell, with a history of playing extremely well when in a particular groove, found that zone yesterday, as he went 6-under-par for the last 21 holes, winning 11 of them in a 10-and-8 conquest of Dave Rasley for the 84th Maryland State Amateur championship at Norbeck Country Club. Mitchell, from Columbia Country Club, posted a 2-under-par 69 in the morning round, and, coupled with a 4-over-par 75 by Rasley, went to lunch 6-up. The leader then played the 10 afternoon holes 2-under-par.

POTOMAC -- The view from Mitch and Bill's Exxon in these days of economic distress includes an occasional hint of trouble in this wealthy enclave, the telling of a worrisome tale usually involving exotic cars.When the Jaguars and the BMWs and the Ferraris pull in to fill up, the driver is likely to be Ted Koppel or Sugar Ray Leonard or the actress Linda Carter or Arnold Schwarzenegger or a big-time Capitol Hill lobbyist.Under a proposal still pending in Annapolis, automobiles would be hit with a 2 percent personal property tax. For the cars driven by these celebrities -- Mr. Koppel drives a fire-engine-red Mercedes 500, according to station owner Mike Mitchell -- that tax would be hefty.

Sky High, a movie about an American superhero high school that floats in the clouds, turns out to be a lighter-than-air comedy. It should tickle everyone. The target audience may be kids who are enduring the same central crisis as the main teen characters: Just what are these fantastic powers that arrive at roughly age 13? How do I control them? What am I supposed to do with them? But as it pokes fun at cliques and crushes and favoritism and smug, unthinking hierarchies, it may hit home to adults who see their workplace as high school on acid.

Sky High, a movie about an American superhero high school that floats in the clouds, turns out to be a lighter-than-air comedy. It should tickle everyone. The target audience may be kids who are enduring the same central crisis as the main teen characters: Just what are these fantastic powers that arrive at roughly age 13? How do I control them? What am I supposed to do with them? But as it pokes fun at cliques and crushes and favoritism and smug, unthinking hierarchies, it may hit home to adults who see their workplace as high school on acid.

ROCKVILLE - Mike Mitchell, with a history of playing extremely well when in a particular groove, found that zone yesterday, as he went 6-under-par for the last 21 holes, winning 11 of them in a 10-and-8 conquest of Dave Rasley for the 84th Maryland State Amateur championship at Norbeck Country Club. Mitchell, from Columbia Country Club, posted a 2-under-par 69 in the morning round, and, coupled with a 4-over-par 75 by Rasley, went to lunch 6-up. The leader then played the 10 afternoon holes 2-under-par.

Hometown: Baltimore Current members: Nancy Mitchell (right), vocalist; Mike Mitchell, bass; Jeff Knoll, drummer; Chris Oleynick, guitarist. Founded in: 2002 Style: Garage rock Influenced by: Love, Blue Cheer, Electric Prunes, the Pretty Things Notable: Three members of the band -- Mike Mitchell, Jeff Knoll and Chris Oleynick -- played together in a band called Major Bailey's Menagerie from 1979 to 2002. Nancy Mitchell -- Mike's wife -- filled in on vocals during a rehearsal, and they liked her so much they asked her to keep singing in the band.

CHEVY CHASE - Three golfers shared the lead with a 2-under-par 68, while those who teed off later were forced to play on a wet course after an hour's rain delay at the 79th Maryland Open yesterday at Columbia Country Club. Dirk Schultz, Bill Gombert and Michael Hudak each shot 68 to lead the field of 153. One group of three golfers will finish today at 7 a.m. Schultz was in a familiar position at the top of the leader board. Schultz led last year's Open for two rounds before losing to Mike Mitchell.

THE WOMAN screamed at 20 minutes after 5 on a weekday afternoon in the middle of Baltimore, but only a handful of people could hear her. That's because she was standing on an old, weed-fringed concrete platform in an industrial crevice of the city, a swath of almost nothing between rowhouses and railroad tracks on the edge of Carroll Park. The scream came from a place heroin addicts like for its seclusion, a half-mile southwest of Mount Clare Station and the famous B&O roundhouse-museum. A paramedic listed the location as Eagle Street and Fulton Avenue.

POTOMAC -- The view from Mitch and Bill's Exxon in these days of economic distress includes an occasional hint of trouble in this wealthy enclave, the telling of a worrisome tale usually involving exotic cars.When the Jaguars and the BMWs and the Ferraris pull in to fill up, the driver is likely to be Ted Koppel or Sugar Ray Leonard or the actress Linda Carter or Arnold Schwarzenegger or a big-time Capitol Hill lobbyist.Under a proposal still pending in Annapolis, automobiles would be hit with a 2 percent personal property tax. For the cars driven by these celebrities -- Mr. Koppel drives a fire-engine-red Mercedes 500, according to station owner Mike Mitchell -- that tax would be hefty.

Dirk Schultz, playing the best golf of his life, put up the low score for the second straight day, and opened a five-stroke bulge on the field in the 78th annual Maryland Open at Hillendale Country Club yesterday.Schultz eagled the par-5 18th to finish with a 6-under-par 66, and a 36-hole tournament-record 131.The last-hole heroics thwarted a mid-nine rally by amateur Mike Mitchell, 19, from Columbia CC, who threw four successive birdies at the leader (Nos. 13-16). A bogey at 18 left him with 70136.

Two area players with collegiate eligibility remaining will battle through a scheduled two rounds today at the Elkridge Club for the Maryland State Amateur men's championship. Jarrod Page of Pylesville and Jeff Castle of Ellicott City will strive to succeed Mike Mitchell as the titlist after persevering through the quarterfinals and semifinals with extra-hole victories. Castle, a rising senior at Towson who plays out of Turf Valley, completed the twosome with a 1-up, 20-hole victory over Greg Rodgers.