Paraphernalia

From Civil War notables to Harry Truman and the Duchess of Windsor, the Maryland Historical Society has celebrated plenty of history-makers in its 156 years, but apparently nobody has yet lectured on the art of making up history. Now comes Julia Fair, historian of the twitchy horror film "The Blair Witch Project," a purported documentary that frightened millions of moviegoers last summer. She'll lecture on faking history for a fake documentary. "There are now real answers about the true fake Blair Witch history," she says.

A 16-year-old Manchester boy was arrested late Monday after more than 50 suspected marijuana plants were found growing in his bedroom, Carroll County authorities said. The youth, who was not named because of his age, is being held in Baltimore County at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School, a juvenile detention facility. Carroll sheriff's deputies Cpl. Timmie Schaeffer and Michael Zepp went to the boy's home at 6: 10 p.m. to serve court papers for an emergency evaluation of the youth, said Sheriff Kenneth L. Tregoning.

Three Westminster High School students were arrested yesterday on marijuana charges after troopers searched the juveniles' vehicles parked near the school, state police said. State police received an anonymous call at 7: 30 a.m. about possible drug activity on Marydell Drive, a block north of the high school, said Sgt. Andrew Winner. School officials were contacted, and troopers responded with assistance from the Carroll County Drug Task Force, a sheriff's police dog unit and a prosecutor from the state's attorney's office.

In the first case of its kind, three Maryland businessmen were charged yesterday under the federal drug kingpin law with supplying Baltimore heroin dealers with supplies and chemicals needed to manufacture drugs. The case is unique because each of the men, if convicted, could face life in prison on charges usually reserved for drug dealers. The FBI and federal prosecutors said they want to send a message that anyone linked to the drug business will face a long prison term. "These men have been charged with the same statute that drug dealers are," said Lynne A. Battaglia, the U. S. attorney for Maryland.

Police armed with search and seizure warrants raided a North Baltimore rowhouse late Thursday and arrested six people they accuse of being linked to at least 20 drug-related shootings in the Pen Lucy neighborhood this year. All are accused of multiple felony drug violations, police said. After entering a two-story rowhouse in the 600 block of Dumbarton Ave. about 8: 30 p.m., the Northern District drug enforcement unit seized $10,000 worth of cocaine, $1,000 worth of marijuana, $5,000 in cash, two handguns and drug paraphernalia.

Two Westminster men were arrested on drug charges early Sunday after a police officer stopped a 1994 Chevrolet on a traffic charge and found bags of suspected marijuana, city police said.Joseph D. Mroczka, 19, of the 2300 block of Mayberry Road and Jonathan G. Kelvey, 18, of the first block of Westmoreland St. were stopped near Union Street and Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after 1 a.m., court documents show. Mroczka, the driver, allegedly drove into the eastbound lane of Union Street, while turning west from Pennsylvania Avenue, according to court records.

Marijuana, firearms, bulletproof vests and suspected laughing gas were seized in a raid Tuesday night at a Pasadena home, police said, as they executed a search warrant and arrested five young people. The raid at the rented home in the 700 block of 201st St. resulted from an investigation sparked by community complaints, police said yesterday in announcing the arrests. Officers reported seizing 74.2 grams of marijuana, four marijuana plants, two handguns, two assault rifles, a shotgun, two bulletproof vests, about $1,400 in cash and several pieces of drug paraphernalia.

4 men arrested on drug charges in two incidents in WestminsterWestminster police arrested four men on drug charges in unrelated incidents early yesterday.The first arrest occurred about 2: 10 a.m. at an apartment in the 200 block of E. Main St. A woman told police that a man called her about drugs.The woman made arrangements to buy $50 worth of cocaine.According to charging documents, a man came over and they argued about the prices of the bags he brought as officers watched and listened.

A Westminster man accused of possession of suspected cocaine and maintaining a common nuisance at his apartment was ordered held yesterday on $5,000 bail. He was arrested along with a Hampstead woman, a Baltimore resident and two Baltimore County residents during a raid of his residence Saturday, police said.The others were also arrested on drug offenses and released Sunday on personal recognizance, court records show.The apartment's tenant, Steven J. Bynion, 28, of the 100 block of W. Main St. was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, court records show.

Annapolis Housing Authority employees will spend two hours immersed in the drug culture this morning, learning how a crack cocaine pipe can be crafted from a soda can and what a "Loveboat" is (marijuana sprinkled with PCP).Far from being illegal, the drug and paraphernalia class has been ordered by their boss, Patricia Croslan. And their instructor -- Annapolis City Police Lt. Robert E. Beans -- is on the right side of the law."It's of great importance for people to be able to identify drug paraphernalia, particularly when they work in an environment where they might come across it," said Croslan, the Housing Authority director.