Pace

Baltimore outpaced the national rate of restaurant growth in 2012, according to a recent restaurant census conducted by the NPD Group, a leading global information company. There were 4,442 more restaurants in the U.S. in fall 2012 than there were in fall 2011, according to the Fall 2012 Recount survey, which includes restaurants open as of Sept. 30, 2012. The percentage increase was .7 percent. Baltimore, according to the survey, had a total of 5,662 restaurants as of Sept.

COLLEGE PARK -- During his college career at Kansas, Mark Turgeon can remember Jayhawks coach Larry Brown constantly barking in his ear, more often telling the young point guard what he had done wrong than what he had done right. "Every day, he was on me," the second-year Maryland coach recalled. A quarter-century later, Turgeon is doing the same with his point guards, junior starter Pe'Shon Howard and freshman reserve Seth Allen. Despite Howard's lack of scoring and Allen's occasional turnover binges, Turgeon is much happier with his team's point guard play than he was a year ago. "Our point guard play has been a lot better to this point than I thought it would be, but it has to be better once league play starts," Turgeon said recently.

No. 8 Maryland @No. 15 North Carolina Tonight, 7 Online: ESPN3.com Radio: 1300AM Women's college basketball Terps add volleyball player Adams to roster The No. 8 Maryland women's basketball team announced Wednesday that it will welcome volleyball player Caitlin Adams to its roster, effective immediately. Adams, a 6-foot-3 forward from Leawood, Kan., played for the Terps' volleyball team the past two seasons after transferring from Texas A&M. Adams played for her high school and Amateur Athletic Union teams in Kansas City before focusing on volleyball.

As the Ravens' new offensive coordinator, Jim Caldwell's responsibilities have grown considerably over the past five days, extending far beyond his old role overseeing quarterback Joe Flacco. Set to call plays for the first time at the NFL level after replacing Cam Cameron, who was fired Monday morning, Caldwell has to rapidly absorb the big-picture details that accompany this high-profile assignment. Everything from devising game plans, deciding when and how to run and pass, implementing protection and run-blocking schemes and pulling the trigger on the no-huddle offense he helped install is under his control.

Ray Rice had just topped 100 rushing yards in a game for the first time since early October, but the frustration showed on his face. As the Ravens packed their bags before making the short drive back to Baltimore, he couldn't help but feel as if they had left yards and points - and a victory - out on the field. "It's the way you finish games," Rice said. "As a leader on this team, I like to finish teams out. " The Ravens rushed for a season-high 186 yards on 35 carries Sunday, including 121 from Rice, his highest total of 2012, and a career-high 53 yards from rookie backup Bernard Pierce.

A favorite holiday tradition has come to Toby's Dinner Theatre of Columbia for the first time in a musical production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol. " Toby's has chosen the version by Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, known for his work in Disney films, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens of "Ragtime" fame. The show ran for a decade of holiday seasons at New York's Madison Square Garden, where it consistently played to capacity audiences. Menken's music brings an upbeat quality to Dickens' familiar tale of stingy, nasty Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by several ghosts on Christmas Eve to bring about his transformation by Christmas Day. More relevant to contemporary tastes, this fast-paced version is suitable for all, from grandparents to children.

When offensive coordinator Cam Cameron watched tape of the Ravens' first seven games during the bye week, one thing repeatedly stood out, and it wasn't the workload of Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice .  “We are at our best obviously when we execute, but when we get everybody involved,” said Cameron. “The more continuity we have, the more guys we keep involved. Obviously, we know Ray Rice is a huge part of that. But we're at our best when [ Anquan Boldin ] is getting the ball, when Jacoby [ Jones ]

The opportunity to vote in a highly charged presidential election and on several closely contested ballot questions drew Marylanders back to the polls Wednesday, keeping the state's early voting turnout on a record pace. After a two-day break for Hurricane Sandy, polling places reopened to crowds that in some locations approached weekend levels, with waits of up to an hour and a half. "I want to give the president another vote," Beatrice Greene said as she stood in a 45-minute line at the Public Safety Training Facility on Northern Parkway in Northwest Baltimore.

Each month this year, climate data have shown one of the warmest starts to any year on record, and that continued in September across the country and state and in Baltimore. Across the contiguous U.S., January through September was the warmest first nine months of a calendar year on record, with an average temperature of 59.8 degrees. The average temperature in September was 67 degrees, tying September 1980 as the 23rd warmest on record. In 25 states, including Maryland, it has been the warmest start to a year on record.

With an announced crowd of 46,067 on Saturday, the Orioles have officially outdrawn 2011. Last year, they drew 1,755,461 fans in 80 home dates (they had one, one-admission doubleheader). This year the Orioles are at 1,778,041 through 69 home dates. They will have 79 home dates in 2012 because of two, one-admission doubleheaders that were caused due to previous rainouts. The Orioles are on pace to exceed two million fans for the first time since 2007.