NEWS
By Arthur Hirsch, The Baltimore Sun | May 7, 2012
Wooden stakes mark the path that a proposed underground gas pipeline would cut through Jonathan Guth's property in Baltimore County along its 21-mile route northeast to Harford County. The project would take out about half a stand of woods that Guth says makes a fine noise and privacy buffer between his four-bedroom house and the main road, and he's not happy about it. "If all that wasn't here, we probably wouldn't have bought the house," said Guth, pointing to about an acre of 50-foot-tall trees along Ridge Road that provide accommodations for deer, cardinals, blue jays, foxes and at least one red-tailed hawk Guth has grown rather fond of. He and his wife moved in 2009 to this spot southwest of Oregon Ridge Park from a more densely populated county neighborhood, in part for "all the benefits of the natural environment.
NEWS
The Baltimore Sun | May 2, 2012
WEATHER Today's forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies and a high temperature near 81 degrees. Showers are likely before 8 a.m. There is also a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Tonight is expected to be mostly cloudy, with a low around 62 degrees. TRAFFIC Check our traffic updates for this morning's issues as you plan your commute. FROM LAST NIGHT... Pit bull ruling concerns dog and property owners : The Maryland Court of Appeals' decision that the breed is inherently dangerous could have far-reaching implications for landlords and dog owners who rent, experts said.
NEWS
By Jessica Anderson, The Baltimore Sun | May 2, 2012
Erica Carter's move from Pasadena to Baltimore was difficult, she said, not because of the lack of housing options, but because many places would not allow her pit bull Bailey. Though Carter has settled into a rental near Patterson Park, she said the search was daunting. And she fears it will only get worse with her next move after last week's Maryland Court of Appeals ruling that pit bulls are inherently dangerous animals. The court's decision could have far-reaching implications for landlords and dog owners who rent.
NEWS
April 30, 2012
Baltimore's property tax rate is high (that's one thing that everyone that owns a home or business in the city can agree on) so nothing makes the blood boil quite like news that someone has successfully avoided paying their fair share — except, perhaps, finding out it wasn't a case of avoidance so much as lax enforcement. That's what appears to have happened in the case of some of the city's priciest condos, as recently uncovered by reporter Jamie Smith Hopkins . Baltimore lost out on more than $10 million in property tax revenue over the last several years because some 200 luxury condos were assessed as if they were little more than holes in the ground.
NEWS
By Rod J. Rosenstein | April 25, 2012
April 26 is "World Intellectual Property Day," a day designated to increase public awareness about how intellectual property rights promote innovation and creativity. The federal government is working to prevent counterfeiting and piracy, but the government needs help from vigilant citizens who understand why intellectual property rights matter. In order to promote economic, scientific and creative progress, the Constitution expressly empowers Congress to give authors and innovators the exclusive right to profit from their writings and discoveries.
NEWS
By Scott Calvert, The Baltimore Sun | April 20, 2012
Many Baltimore City property owners may have a hard time comprehending the size of their tax bills, but the bills themselves should make more sense when the new batch goes out in the mail in a couple of months. City tax bills are getting something of a makeover. “We are in the process of redesigning some elements of the tax bill to the extent that our current systems allow,” mayoral spokesman Ryan O'Doherty said this week in an email. O'Doherty said details won't be available for another couple weeks, but added: “We are generally pleased with the efforts the city plans to implement this year to make bills more transparent.” Vague wording has confused some taxpayers , particularly when it comes to property tax credits.