Paca House

Associated Catholic Charities of Baltimore yesterday took one of the final steps toward building a 106-unit housing complex for low-income residents, despite fears it would bring more problems to the ailing Lexington Market business area.For five years, Catholic Charities has been trying to build the 45,000-square-foot complex, which would extend from an old city firehouse across a vacant lot to what is now the shell of a warehouse in the 100 block of N. Paca St.The project, called Paca House, would provide efficiency apartments for 30 elderly residents, and 76 single-room-occupancy units for other tenants who pledge to stay drug and alcohol-free.

'UNPREDICTABLE' JAMIE FOXX Multitalented Jamie Foxx has earned almost every accolade available to a modern performer. He's been loved as a comedian, honored as an actor and praised as a vocalist. The Oscar winner and Grammy nominee combines his many talents for a music and comedy show Sunday at 1st Mariner Arena. Foxx's Baltimore show is one stop on his 30-city "Unpredictable" tour. Fresh from an acting role in the critically acclaimed Dreamgirls, Foxx has put together a combination of songs from his hit album Unpredictable and the comedy talents that lifted him to stardom.

David B. Baker Jr., 74, owner of Reese Press David B. Baker Jr., owner and chairman of the board of Reese Press and restorer of a historic Eastern Shore home, died Monday of heart failure at Memorial Hospital in Easton. The Talbot County resident was 74. At the time of his death, Mr. Baker was chairman of the Baltimore-based printer of high-quality marketing materials, which he had owned since 1970. Born and raised in Roland Park, Mr. Baker was a 1945 graduate of Gilman School and received his bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1949.

Annapolis was bursting with centennial celebrations as it hosted a 100-year birthday party for the nation, The Sun reported on July 5, 1876. The pomp and circumstance began at midnight on the Fourth of July with "the booming of cannon and the spat of small arms," which lasted until sunrise, and ended with a gun salute at the Naval Academy and chimes from church bells throughout the city. At 10 p.m. a procession of former soldiers firing horse pistols marched to the State House, where they gathered for a meeting that included speeches, prayers and a recitation of John Greenleaf Whittier's centennial hymn.

WILL THERE BE a holiday season beyond the parking lots of Arundel Mills? Folks at five area museums insist there will be. They promise historic exhibits, special programs for kids and good food. Here's what they say will be going on: Historic Annapolis Foundation will offer something new in its very old centerpiece, the William Paca House at 186 Prince George St. Its "Colonial Revival Christmas" will run from Dec. 15 to Dec. 31. Opening festivities on the 15th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., will included a choir, period music by David and Ginger Hildebrand, and special activities for children.

The wreath on the door, the sprigs of holly on the mantle, the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling or the garland wrapped around the stair rail -- these evergreen decorations have become an integral part of our image of Christmas. But the midwinter practice of sprucing up the home with greenery -- such as the modern Christmas tree -- has a much longer history than some might expect and, with roots in ancient winter solstice festivals, predates the celebration of the birth of Christ. At the William Paca House museum in Annapolis, curator Heather Ersts Venters chose to decorate the home of the Declaration of Independence signer with the long history of holiday traditions in mind.

At the Paca House in Annapolis, scene of dozens of weddings each year, chief horticulturist Mollie Ridout is sighing with relief: The hemlock hedges that line the bride's walk down the aisle look like they survived. But at Baltimore's Cylburn Arboretum, some of the 100-year-old boxwoods might not have. The heavy snow splayed open the upright hedges as if they were roses past their prime. Homeowners all over Maryland are assessing the damage to their trees, shrubs and gardens from nature's one-two punch this week.

Four of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were Marylanders. Those four men - William Paca, Samuel Chase, Charles Carroll and Thomas Stone - had all been trained as lawyers. They were all in their 30s when they signed, and they all had homes in Annapolis. Remarkably, all four of those homes are standing today. According to Glenn E. Campbell, a historian with the Historic Annapolis Foundation, Annapolis is the only city in the nation with surviving homes from all its Declaration signers.

All summer under the Annapolis sun, Maisha Washington taught archaeology and history techniques to two dozen African-American children -- secretly hoping that digging into the past will inspire a few of them to choose a future in one of those fields. "We need to broaden the career options we give our children," said Washington, the education administrator at the Banneker-Douglass Museum, which sponsored the program for low-income youths with the University of Maryland. Yesterday, in a carriage house overlooking the historic Paca House garden on the last class day, Washington said the program already had produced results.

Post office to open today in EdgewaterA big new post office is ready to open its doors to the public today in Edgewater."Our customers are going to like this new facility because of the many customer conveniences, such as the ample parking area, larger lobby and the ease in which customers can enter and exit," said Postmaster Joyce B. Edwards.At 39 Stepney's Lane, the 14,000-square-foot post office is more than four times the size of the old building.Annapolis orchestra, ballet receive grants from TargetTwo Annapolis arts groups have won awards from Target stores.