Owings Mills

Twenty-three Baltimore County Public Schools students from seven high schools have been named semifinalists in the 58th annual National Merit Scholarship Program coordinated by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Honored students from Franklin High School include Keenan Albee , Rebekah Green and Erin Smith and, from Pikesville High School, Jay Chernak . Taylor Parton , of Reistertown, and Dennis Rothouse , of Owings Mills, were recently accepted into Phi Eta Sigma, the national freshman honor society, at Salisbury University, Salisbury.

The idea was to make career counseling, addiction services, individual and group counseling and parenting resources more accessible to the northwest Baltimore community. And, so far, in the first week after the new Jewish Community Services office opened April 30 at the Jewish Community Center in Owings Mills, nearly 70 people inquired about services and hundreds more picked up brochures and other materials about the new facility. "Being at the JCC makes us much more visible and accessible to the community," said Barbara Levy Gradet, executive director of JCS, about the Owings Mills facility at 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave. "On an average Sunday, 1,000 people use the JCC. " JCS has existing offices in Baltimore and Howard County.

The body of an unidentified man was found early Sunday on the median strip near a Giant Food store in Owings Mills, and police believe he may have died of natural causes, Baltimore County police said. The man's body was found in the 9900 block of Reisterstown Road, around 8 a.m. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine a cause of death, authorities said. As part of its preliminary investigation, police do not suspect foul play. Gus.sentementes@baltsun.com Twitter.com/gussent Text BUSINESS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun Business text alerts

Owings Mills senior Bryan Richardson, considered the spark plug that makes the Eagles soar, started Thursday night's match against Baltimore County rival Catonsville with authority, pinning his opponent with 43 seconds left in the first period of his 130-pound match. That pin was the first of six for No. 7 Owings Mills - which was wrestling with two injured starters and several competitors stepping up to different weight classes - and set the stage for the Eagles' 45-21 victory.

Farmers Insurance is opening an agent recruiting and training center in Owings Mills as it breaks into the Maryland market. The Los Angeles-based company, which sells auto, home, life and other insurance products, has about 20 employees on staff at its new location on Red Brook Boulevard. It expects to double the number within 12 to 18 months with trainers, customer service representatives and clerical staff. Farmers wants to get at least 250 agents - independent contractors rather than employees - trained and working across the state in the next five years, said Gregor Scott, a regional vice president with the company.

A man initially thought to be sleeping in his car in Parkville Tuesday evening turned out to have been shot several times and was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Baltimore County police. The victim, identified as Miguiel Anthony Bailey, 22, was found about 6 p.m. in a dark Chevrolet Impala parked in the first block of Mopec Circle, off of Taylor Avenue and east of Belair Road. He lived in the 4700 block of Dark Start Way in Owings Mills. Police said a bystander called 911 and said it appeared someone had fallen asleep or was unconscious in the car. Officers and paramedics responded and said Bailey had been shot several times.

The 160-pound senior won all seven of his matches to lead the Eagles to a second-place finish at the two-day Bauerlein Duals this weekend at Manchester Valley. A Class 2A-1A state champion in the 145-pound class last year, the four-year starter has dominated at 160 this year, going 12-0 with 12 pins. Owings Mills finished second in the tournament with a 6-1 mark — Urbana from Frederick County was first with a 7-0 mark. Carr, a team captain, is 121-16 in his high school career. Maintaining a 3.65 GPA, he is undecided on a college but plans to wrestle at the next level.

A 23-year-old Owings Mills man stabbed his father multiple times during a fight in the family's home on Friday evening, according to Baltimore County police. When officers arrived at the home in the unit block of Melissa Court in Owings Mills shortly after 6:30 p.m., they found the father, who is in his mid-50s, with multiple stab wounds and the son subdued, said Det. Cathy Batton, a police spokeswoman. "I don't believe the fight was going on when (officers) arrived," Batton said.

Stevenson University has bought the Shire Pharmaceuticals plant next door to its Owings Mills campus, a $10.5 million deal that a school official said will expand the grounds by a third and help meet the goal of increasing full-time student enrollment to 4,000 in the next two years. "It was just a great opportunity we couldn't pass up," Tim Campbell, Stevenson's executive vice president for financial affairs and chief financial officer, said of the sale that closed Tuesday, expanding the campus in northwestern Baltimore County from 74 to 102 acres.

Midway through the third quarter of his team's 73-51 loss to No. 8 Dunbar Friday, Owings Mills coach Richard Epps sat on on the bench with his hands crossed and a look of disappointment on his face. Dunbar's defense had stuck again. In a game that featured a rematch of last year's Class 1A state championship, the Poets made sure this one wasn't as close as their 64-53 win at College Park. In a Basketball Academy game at Coppin State's Physical Education Complex, the Poets (11-0) turned up the defensive intensity to go on a 24-11 run in the third quarter, breaking open a game that was tight at the half.