National Coalition

BALTIMORECall the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association at (410) 659-7300 within Maryland or (800) 343-3468.* Nov. 7-13: National Coalition of Title 1/Chapter 1 Parents at Omni Inner Harbor. Contact: Lewis King, 648 Center Way S.W., Birmingham. Ala. 35211. Expected attendance: 1,200.* Nov. 10-15: National Council on Family Relations at Hyatt Regency. Contact Cynthia Winter, 3989 Central Ave., Suite 550, Minneapolis, Minn. 55421. Expected attendance: 1,000.

The Maryland Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure yesterday that would extend the state's hate-crimes law to cover acts against the homeless. The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Alex X. Mooney of Frederick, was approved, 38-9, after limited debate. "We should get to a point in America where we don't need hate crimes and we don't need special classes, but we're not there yet," said Sen. Lisa A. Gladden, a Baltimore Democrat who voted for the proposal yesterday. Mooney introduced the bill last session, but it was voted down because some lawmakers believed that Mooney, who had opposed the statute's expansion in 2005 to include gays and lesbians, was only attempting to dilute the impact of the hate-crimes law. Sen. E.J. Pipkin, an Eastern Shore Republican, said yesterday that he opposed the measure because he believes that distinctions should not be made for particular groups.

No parade was more delicious than the one that kicked off Gourmet Men of Distinction (Men Who Cook), sponsored by the Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. As chapter chair, Dr. Thelma T. Daley announced each gent's name and gourmet specialty, he took a bow replete in chef's hat and apron. As soon as the last chef had taken his position at a Martin's West buffet table, with serving spoon in hand, a hungry horde of 800 descended. "Taste it, taste it," said William Hankins, urging guests to try his peanut butter soup.

A national fair housing group has filed a federal complaint against American International Group Inc., accusing one of the nation's largest lenders of discriminating against African-American homeowners in metropolitan Baltimore. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition, in its complaint to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Justice Department this week, said AIG and its American General Finance subsidiary have a policy of denying home-equity loans on houses worth less than $70,000.

In an article on a survey of Internal Revenue Service officials -- a copy of which was released last Thursday by the National Coalition of IRS Whistleblowers, a group founded by the Church of Scientology -- The Sun reported erroneously that 21 percent of the officials replied "no" when asked if they had been "completely honest" in their responses to questions in the survey.In fact, less than 13 percent of the officials replied "no." Thatfigure is less than average for such a question on such surveys, according to the Joseph & Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics, which conducted the study.

WASHINGTON - Having no home and no money should not exclude someone from voting, according to two national groups that are trying to register thousands of homeless people to vote in the presidential election. "The message that the poor and homeless are voting is part of a bigger strategy to get the issues of the poor heard," said Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. On July 22, his group and the National Low Income Housing Coalition registered roughly 1,150 homeless people nationwide in a one-day drive in 16 states and the District of Columbia.

The Maryland Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure yesterday that would extend the state's hate-crimes law to cover acts against the homeless. The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Alex X. Mooney of Frederick, was approved, 38-9, after limited debate. "We should get to a point in America where we don't need hate crimes and we don't need special classes, but we're not there yet," said Sen. Lisa A. Gladden, a Baltimore Democrat who voted for the proposal yesterday. Mooney introduced the bill last session, but it was voted down because some lawmakers believed that Mooney, who had opposed the statute's expansion in 2005 to include gays and lesbians, was only attempting to dilute the impact of the hate-crimes law. Sen. E.J. Pipkin, an Eastern Shore Republican, said yesterday that he opposed the measure because he believes that distinctions should not be made for particular groups.

Baltimore's chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women brought together nearly 10 times that number yesterday at Martin's West to honor five African-American women for distinguished community service.The award recipients included one Baltimorean, Carla D. Hayden, in her second year as director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The Library Journal, the nation's premier publication for library news, named Hayden Librarian of the Year in January. She is the author of "Ventures into Cultures: A Multi-Cultural Bibliography and Resource Book" and, as Dr. Patricia L. Schmoke pointed out yesterday, is personally responsible for bringing her husband, Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke, online.

Amid a flurry of protests of censorship from across the country, Carroll County's school superintendent said yesterday that he is struggling with whether to keep a popular book for teens out of the district's libraries or to return it to the bookshelves. Superintendent Charles I. Ecker said yesterday that he will decide next week the fate of Carolyn Mackler's The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things. "I'm agonizing over the decision. You always question yourself," Ecker said. "I'm not leaning in any direction.

Donna May Bradley registered 13 homeless people to vote yesterday. And although that number may not sound like much, Bradley is helping to build a voting bloc of homeless men and women from Maryland to Hawaii that could number more than 25,000 before the November election. Worried that recent changes in federal voting regulations could shut out the homeless -- and fed up with President Bush's administration, which some say has turned its back on the poor -- advocates for the homeless have stepped up voter registration efforts, launching rallies such as the one at Baltimore's Health Care for the Homeless in cities across the nation.

Amid a flurry of protests of censorship from across the country, Carroll County's school superintendent said yesterday that he is struggling with whether to keep a popular book for teens out of the district's libraries or to return it to the bookshelves. Superintendent Charles I. Ecker said yesterday that he will decide next week the fate of Carolyn Mackler's The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things. "I'm agonizing over the decision. You always question yourself," Ecker said. "I'm not leaning in any direction.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military accelerated one of its biggest disaster-relief efforts in decades yesterday as President Bush declared that the South Asian earthquake and tsunamis had "brought loss and grief to the world that is beyond our comprehension." With top U.S. and Red Cross officials predicting that the death toll from Sunday's disaster would climb beyond 100,000, Bush announced that the United States, India, Australia and Japan would coordinate relief efforts and said the United States' pledge of $35 million in aid was "only the beginning of our help."

Donna May Bradley registered 13 homeless people to vote yesterday. And although that number may not sound like much, Bradley is helping to build a voting bloc of homeless men and women from Maryland to Hawaii that could number more than 25,000 before the November election. Worried that recent changes in federal voting regulations could shut out the homeless -- and fed up with President Bush's administration, which some say has turned its back on the poor -- advocates for the homeless have stepped up voter registration efforts, launching rallies such as the one at Baltimore's Health Care for the Homeless in cities across the nation.

WASHINGTON - Having no home and no money should not exclude someone from voting, according to two national groups that are trying to register thousands of homeless people to vote in the presidential election. "The message that the poor and homeless are voting is part of a bigger strategy to get the issues of the poor heard," said Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. On July 22, his group and the National Low Income Housing Coalition registered roughly 1,150 homeless people nationwide in a one-day drive in 16 states and the District of Columbia.

Black state troopers who gathered in Baltimore for their national convention say gains have been made in diversifying statewide police agencies, but recruitment efforts need to be stepped up. The leaders of the National Black State Troopers Coalition say it is increasingly difficult for police agencies to recruit black troopers, and many states are not doing enough to address the problem. Nine states - mostly in the West and New England - have no black troopers within the ranks of their statewide police forces, officials said.

No parade was more delicious than the one that kicked off Gourmet Men of Distinction (Men Who Cook), sponsored by the Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. As chapter chair, Dr. Thelma T. Daley announced each gent's name and gourmet specialty, he took a bow replete in chef's hat and apron. As soon as the last chef had taken his position at a Martin's West buffet table, with serving spoon in hand, a hungry horde of 800 descended. "Taste it, taste it," said William Hankins, urging guests to try his peanut butter soup.

SEEN ON THE SCENE: Tomorrow night, HBO subscribers all over the country can tune in "The Josephine Baker Story," starring Lynn Whitfield, ("The Women of Brewster Place" and "Equal Justice") at 8 p.m. (The show will be aired at off and on through April 5.) The film traces the life of a woman born in a St. Louis ghetto who rose to become the toast of Europe in the '20s. More than 1,000 Baltimoreans got a sneak preview of the film at the Meyerhoff at a recent benefit for the Baltimore Metropolitan Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

A national fair housing group has filed a federal complaint against American International Group Inc., accusing one of the nation's largest lenders of discriminating against African-American homeowners in metropolitan Baltimore. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition, in its complaint to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Justice Department this week, said AIG and its American General Finance subsidiary have a policy of denying home-equity loans on houses worth less than $70,000.

Banks and mortgage companies in the Baltimore area rank 12th among the nation's top 20 cities in lending money to minorities.The finding was revealed yesterday at a special hearing of the City Council, which has expressed concern about the lack of small business and mortgage lending for minority and low-income populations in Baltimore.John E. Taylor, president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, told council members that Baltimore banking institutions should rank higher.A majority of Baltimore residents -- 60 percent -- are African-American, according to 1990 U.S. Census figures.

Baltimore's chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women brought together nearly 10 times that number yesterday at Martin's West to honor five African-American women for distinguished community service.The award recipients included one Baltimorean, Carla D. Hayden, in her second year as director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The Library Journal, the nation's premier publication for library news, named Hayden Librarian of the Year in January. She is the author of "Ventures into Cultures: A Multi-Cultural Bibliography and Resource Book" and, as Dr. Patricia L. Schmoke pointed out yesterday, is personally responsible for bringing her husband, Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke, online.