Pikesville

A note was found with the Pikesville man wanted in connection with his grandparents' death that read, "I am sorry for everything. Please forgive me," police said Tuesday. Matthew Long, 31, who was found unresponsive in a hotel room in Weatherford, Okla., on Sept. 11, was transported from an Oklahoma City hospital to the local county jail and is in the custody of the Oklahoma County sheriff's office, according to a spokeswoman for Integris Baptist Medical Center. Baltimore County police were en route to Oklahoma to interview Long on Tuesday afternoon, said Elise Armacost, a police spokeswoman.

The head of a Pikesville-based realty company wants to buy the Owings Mills Mall, saying the site would be ideal for a discount supermarket and big-box stores such as Costco and Lowe's. Carl Verstandig, president and CEO of America's Realty LLC, says he has made an offer to Kimco Realty. His company - whose shopping centers cater to "the blue-collar type" - has been talking with a deep-discount supermarket interested in opening a 65,000-square-foot store at the site, he said. Verstandig said he would demolish most of the mall but keep anchors JC Penney and Macy's, as well as the nearby movie theater.

Local police in Oklahoma said a Pikesville man identified as a suspect in his grandparents' deaths was unresponsive when they found him in a motel just off Interstate 40 last week. Matthew Long, 31, was scheduled to check out of the Travel Inn on historic Route 66 in Weatherford, Okla., on the morning of Sept. 11, but, when he did not leave his room, the motel's owner called police. "We found Mr. Long basically unresponsive," said Detective Todd Doyals with the Weatherford, Okla., Police Department.

Baltimore County is conducting mosquito sprayings this week in Catonsville and next week in Pikesville in the wake of two human cases of West Nile Virus being discovered in the county. Weather permitting, sprayings are scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 19, in parts of Catonsville (click for map); and Mondays, Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, in parts of Pikesville (click for map). Officials said spraying would take place after 7:30 p.m. and residents in those areas should stay indoors during spraying to minimize direct contact with the spray.

Pikesville and Catonsville are the next area locations to be sprayed for mosquitoes in response to cases of West Nile Virus, Baltimore County Department of Health officials said Friday. The Maryland Department of Agriculture will spray parts of Pikesville Sept. 18 and parts of Catonsville Sept. 19. Officials recommend residents and their pets stay inside during the spraying, after 7:30 p.m., of Biomist 30-30, though the active ingredient permethrin is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The live-in grandson of a slain elderly couple from Pikesville has been named a suspect after Baltimore County detectives located the 31-year-old in Oklahoma. Police said Matthew Long lived with his grandparents, Vaughn and Marjorie Pepper, who were found dead Monday in their Sudbrook Park home. Authorities in Oklahoma alerted Baltimore County homicide detectives when Long was found in need of medical treatment. Baltimore County police had issued a missing-person alert on Long, which prompted Oklahoma authorities to contact Baltimore County.

A man who was shot by a Baltimore County police officer Wednesday and later found in a Catonsville High School parking lot has been charged and remains hospitalized. Steven David Gary, 45, of Pikesville was shot when he attempted to drive toward the officer, police said. The officer fired at least one shot. The department identified the officer only as Officer Boone, a 13-year veteran assigned to Precinct 1/Wilkens patrol. He has been placed under administrative duty, which is the department policy while police-involved shootings are investigated.

Adella "Alli" Russel, a retired Pikesville travel agent who made her way out of Nazi-controlled Germany in the 1930s, died of congestive heart failure Sept. 3 at the North Oaks retirement community. She was 96. Born Adella Zipser in Leipzig, Germany, she was the daughter of a wholesaler of milk and dairy products. She received a grade school education and worked in a department store while in her teens. A practicing Jew, she and her family came under increasing scrutiny by Nazi authorities.

Not sure what to expect, I signed up recently for my first class in barre, a combination of Pilates, yoga and ballet. I wasn't too worried about the physical challenge because I am a runner and in good shape. I've also danced and am no stranger to the ballet barre. But let's just say that neither of these activities quite prepared me for this class. The Barre studio at Quarry Lake in Pikesville is beautiful - soft, warm colors and low lights. But once we got started, there was no looking around.

WEATHER The National Weather Service is calling for Tuesday to be sunny in the Baltimore area, with a high near 79 and northeast winds 6 to 8 miles per hour. Tuesday night is expected to be clear, with a low around 64. TRAFFIC Check our traffic updates for this morning's issues as you plan your commute. FROM LAST NIGHT Ravens cruise to win in season opener : Joe Flacco was in complete command from his first pass to his last in the Ravens' 44-13 rout of the Cincinnati Bengals.