Paraphernalia

Death of woman in Havre de Grace ruled homicide Police said Monday that they had identified an 83-year-old woman who was found dead in her Havre de Grace home March 21 and that they were investigating her death as a homicide. Havre de Grace police were called about 10 p.m. Sunday to the 200 block of N. Adams St., where they found the body of Hazel E. Jones in the living room, said Maj. John Van Gilder. She apparently had suffered trauma to the head and neck, he said. The death has been ruled a homicide.

Harford County police announced yesterday the arrest of two people at an Edgewood convenience store on charges of selling drug paraphernalia. Jayesh A. Patel, 46, of the 1100 block of Clover Valley Way in Edgewood, whom police identified as the owner of Express Deli Mart in the 600 block of Edgewood Road, was charged with maintaining a common nuisance, and with possession and intent to sell drug paraphernalia. Danielle N. Nevins, 21, of the 1200 block of Windy Branch Way, Edgewood, was charged with possession and intent to sell drug paraphernalia.

Howard County police have charged a North Laurel man they had sought since last month with several drug and firework violations after he was arrested Friday by Montgomery County police in a domestic assault, police said yesterday. On Saturday, Howard police charged Gregory K. Fries, 43, with multiple counts of drug and drug paraphernalia possession, and with intent to sell drugs. They also charged him with possession of commercial-grade fireworks for which he did not have a license. Police found 11 2-inch Class B firework mortars in a safe that was removed from his home in the 9800 block of Gorman Road during a search, according to police charging documents.

City Council President Sheila Dixon and Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. introduced a bill yesterday to expand the city's ban on drug paraphernalia to outlaw the sale or possession of pipes or glass tubes used to smoke crack cocaine and other illegal substances. Before submitting the legislation at last night's City Council meeting, the council members held a news conference in front of a liquor store at North and Monroe streets on the city's west side, in an area overwhelmed by the illegal drug trade.

The heap of old tires was still there near the baseball fields in Leakin Park, as were the chairs dumped nearby, the busted computer terminal peeking up through the weeds, the electric fans, graffiti, drug bags and dozens of rusty oil barrels. A week after Mayor Martin O'Malley's administration promised to make rapid improvements in the cleanliness of the west-side park and dozens of others around the city, Reggie Wilson Sr. returned to see only a cursory response - at best - to his complaint of illegal dumping.

An employee at Longfellow Elementary School was charged with three drug offenses last month after Howard County police discovered what appeared to be cocaine and marijuana paraphernalia in her Columbia home. Police were executing a search warrant at the home of Longfellow media specialist Michelle N. Feldmesser as part of an investigation into potentially misappropriated book vouchers, according to a statement of charges. Feldmesser, 30, was charged with one count of drug possession and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

A Southwest Baltimore liquor store owner who authorities say had more than 150,000 tiny plastic bags that often are used to package drugs was fined more than $8,000 yesterday by the Board of Liquor License Commissioners and ordered not to sell liquor for at least 40 days, beginning Monday. Jeanne Wei, 50, also was cited for selling alcohol to a minor. Wei owns Sunny Liquors Inc. in the 2000 block of Frederick Ave. She testified that she purchased the bags - commonly used to package marijuana and cocaine - so customers could use them for jewelry.

Two Mount Airy men were arrested on drug charges early Monday after a Carroll County sheriff's deputy found them sleeping in a car at Mount Airy Shopping Center on East Ridgeville Boulevard. During an investigation, Deputy Robert Sokolinski smelled burnt marijuana and discovered two smoking pipes with marijuana residue and a small quantity of the drug in the car, authorities said. Anthony James Neafsey, 22, of Jack's Court and David Gregory Harrison, 21, of Mullinix Mill Road were charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Reggae music filled the air at Bohager's in Fells Point. Folks in Hawaiian shirts milled around the club's thatched-roof bar, or lined up for autographs and photos with several Baltimore Ravens players at Mac's Reggae Sunsplash 2001. Ravens player Michael McCrary played host at the party for his nonprofit organization, Mac's Miracle Fund. And who knew purple was such a tropical color? Folks sported plenty of Ravens paraphernalia -- and then some. Fans Vicki Williams and Colleen Martin had even painted their toenails purple.