Poll

No. School Last season 1. Atholton — 2. Gilman 1 3. Mount St. Joseph — 4. Archbishop Curley 5 5. Carver 4 6. Hereford — 7. Oakland Mills 9 8. Century — 9. Old Mill — 10. Glenelg ...

//UPDATE: This post has been changed to add more information about the methodology of the poll. A new automated poll released today by gay advocates shows 57 percent of Marylanders would support same-sex marriage at the ballot box and 37 percent would oppose it -- a stunning 20 point gap in favor of the new law. It is by far the most optimistic survey on the issue. The numbers put Maryland's support for same-sex marriage ahead of national figures. A more traditional poll released Wednesday by Washington Post-ABC News shows 53 percent of Americans favoring same-sex marriage, which is a new high.

Job Performance 1. During Martin O’Malley’s time as governor, have things in Maryland generally (randomize): [gotten better, gotten worse, (or) stayed about the same]? Better: 25% Worse: 38% Same: 28% Not sure: 9% 2. Looking back now on Bob Ehrlich’s time as governor, did things in Maryland generally (randomize): [get better, get worse, (or) stay about the same] while he was in office? Better: 28% Worse: 33% Same: 26% Not sure: 13% 3. As far as you are concerned, do most of your incumbent officeholders at the state and local level deserve to be re-elected this year, or are you likely to vote mostly for new people?

Boys lacrosse No. School   Record   Prev.   1. Calvert Hall  16-2  1  2. Loyola  16-4  2  3. Boys' Latin  14-7  4  4. Gilman  12-4  3  5. McDonogh  9-8  5  6. Severn  15-7   6  7. Hereford  18-1  7  8. South River  ...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is back in the news for another seemingly crazy statement: Claiming that capitalism ended life on Mars .  "I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived and finished off the planet," Chavez said in speech to mark World Water Day, according to Reuters. "... Careful! Here on planet Earth where hundreds of years ago or less there were great forests, now there are deserts.

1. Severna Park 2. River Hill 3. Century 4. McDonogh 5. Hereford 6. Bel Air 7. John Carroll 8. Oakland Mills 9. Broadneck 10. Liberty OTHERS CONSIDERED: Broadneck, Dulaney, Howard, Mount Hebron, South Carroll

No. School Last season 1. McDonogh (1) 2. Liberty (2) 3. Hereford (10) 4. Old Mill (unranked) 5. Milford Mill (unranked) 6. Chesapeake-AA (unranked) 7. Mount Hebron (7) 8. Severna Park(unranked) 9. Franklin (unranked) 10. Northwestern (unranked) OTHERS CONSIDERED: Archbishop Spalding, Broadneck, Digital Harbor, Dulaney

Team (record)/Last season's rank 1. Northwestern (21-2)/1 2. Maryland (21-2)/2 3. Florida (16-4)/5 4. Duke (15-5)/4 5. North Carolina (15-6)/3 6. Princeton (12-7)/9 (tie) 7. (tie) Loyola (17-3)/6 7. (tie) Penn (11-6)/9 (tie) 9. Dartmouth (11-5)/13 10. Boston College (12-7)/12 11. Virginia (9-9)/15 12. Syracuse (10-8)/16 13. Georgetown (9-8)/18 14. James Madison (15-4)/11 15. Harvard (10-6)/NR 16. Albany (18-1)

An internal poll conducted by Democrat John Delaney's campaign for Maryland's 6th District race shows the Potomac financier is gaining ground against State Sen. Robert Garagiola and is tied in a head-to-head matchup, according to a summary of the survey. The poll, conducted during the first week in February, shows both Delaney and Garagiola receiving 20 percent of the vote. Those figures represent momentum for Delaney, who was down four points in the same poll in November. Both candidates took 21 percent of the vote when undecided respondents were asked if they are leaning toward one candidate or another.

Maryland wants more of my money. It may not seem like a big tax increase being presented, but how much money does the state need? I am the so-called wealthy American who must pay more in taxes. Well I pay plenty of taxes so my politicians can yuk it up in their sky boxes. I pay 23.5 cents per gallon in gasoline taxes per fill-up. That's about $400 per year for two cars. I paid $300 in tolls to get to and from work. There was $41 to park for meetings in Baltimore, $180 to register my car, $1,600 in miscellaneous school fees (field trips, sporting events, uniforms, yearbook, prom, homecoming)

The hunter-backed effort to bring wild elk back to western Maryland is gaining some steam, though fierce resistance remains in key quarters. A survey done by pro-hunting groups finds that nearly three-fourths of Marylanders asked favor restoring the large, majestic ungulates to the state's mountainous region, which hasn't seen any of the animals since the 1700s. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has been working with the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to review the biological, social and economic feasibility of restoring the species in the state.  The telephone survey, done by Responsive Management , a Virginia-based polling firm, was underwritten by the two foundations, according to a DNR press release about it. While the survey found widespread public support for bringing elk back to Maryland, the survey also found a strong current of opposition among some western Maryland farmers and others  who feared the large animals could jeopardize their livelihood, spread disease or damage their property.

Severn made the biggest splash in a quiet week that led to little change in the poll. In coming away with a 9-6 win over St. Mary's on Friday, the Admirals traded spots with the Saints -- moving up to No. 6 from No. 8 -- and, more importantly, claimed the sixth and final playoff spot in the upcoming Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoffs. Elsehwere, Gilman's thrilling 11-10 overtime win at Boys' Latin moves the Greyhounds to No. 3 and drops the Lakers to No. 4. Tuesday's District V championship delivers an interesting match-up with No.

A new poll commissioned by an Anne Arundel County police union shows a majority of county residents who are "aware" of the scandal involving County Executive John R. Leopold think he should resign. The survey showed that 58 percent of the respondents think Leopold should step down, while 44 percent said Police Chief Col. James E. Teare, Sr. should stay in his job. The poll was sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, the union representing the county police's sergeants and lieutenants.