Rainy Day

No sunshine today. Most of Greater Baltimore is under a flood warning as of 6:59 p.m., through 10 p.m. The National Weather Service in Sterling, Va., is calling for isolated thunderstorms to pass through the area, and I'm hearing reports in the Twittersphere that they're already here. Further west, Hagerstown is under a flood watch and Cumberland is under a flood warning, with flash flood warnings out at Deep Creek Lakeand in West Virginia. It comes on top of a dreary day. The rain gauge topped an inch at BWI Airport, hitting 1.05 inches as of about 6 p.m. Downtown seems to have seen a little less -- we recorded 0.84 inches here at the Sun weather station.

I think it's time we changed our state's name to Marytaxland. We are supposed to "watch our pennies" and save for a rainy day, but in the meantime, Maryland is finding ways to spend our pennies. Apparently, they do not understand the word, "budget. " It has to stop. Enough already! Senora McGuire, Dundalk Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

When it's raining and pouring, a beach vacation doesn't have to turn boring. After all, a rainy day at the beach is still better than being at home. While shopping at the outlets and catching a movie are always an option, here are a few others. Ocean City Ice skating at the Carousel Beachfront Resort Hotel and Condominiums. After all, summer is the perfect time to enjoy an afternoon of cool ice-skating. (118th St. on the Ocean, 410-524-1000, carouselhotel.com) Bowling at Ocean Lanes Put down the Wii and go to a bowling alley.

When I first heard about the rain tax ("Anger grows over stormwater fees," April 16), I laughed. Not because of the increase in living costs, or the fact that were being taxed on an uncontrollable environmental factor, it's the fact that Gov. Martin O'Malley got away with doing it. This bill has allowed legislators to cross into a new territory of taxes which makes me wonder if summer will have a tax next year due to the increased temperature causing...

Thursday's rain showers, plus more expected Saturday, could bring lacking April showers closer to par for the month. About a quarter of an inch of rain fell at BWI Marshall Airport on Thursday morning. More fell downtown, with 0.33 inches measured at the Maryland Science Center. Another band of showers is expected Thursday afternoon, some of which could include thunderstorms. That could bring at least another quarter of an inch, according to the National Weather Service. While a more than 4-inch rainfall deficit remains in the Baltimore area, even after a rainy weekend, the deficit for April is about an inch.

Rainy days at the beach are a bummer - if you let them be. There are still some fun, indoor, things to do with the family when dark clouds hover over the shore. Here are a couple good places to go, perfect for days like today. Indoor mini-golf. An Ocean City staple, moved indoors. Old Pro Golf has two indoor locations in town. The uptown location at 136th St. has an indoor course with a safari theme. The location on 68th St. is underwater themed and packed with sea creatures.

One of the joys of late summer in Maryland is a good soaking rain, one that washes away the heat and, for a few moments, transforms the landscape in sweet and subtle ways. Many of these changes escape the notice of drivers and others in a hurry. But for those of us willing to slow the pace, there is beauty to be found: in the sparkle of a pokeberry plant, in reflections in water pooling on a deck. Sun photographer Jed Kirschbaum captured these images on a rainy Tuesday at the Promenade in Havre de Grace.

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has proposed tighter restrictions on a city reserve fund that some City Council members want to tap to ease the effects of budget cuts. Under the new policy - up for a Board of Estimates vote today - the so-called "rainy day" fund must be maintained at an amount equal to at least 8 percent of the combined value of the city's general fund and motor vehicle fund. That would be roughly $30 million more than its current value of $92.3 million. The proposed rules would restrict spending from the reserve account until other leftover money is spent, and the funds would have to be used only to "avoid a budget deficit in any given year."

ANNAPOLIS -- Gov. William Donald Schaefer laid out plans yesterday to practically deplete his "rainy day" fund this year and severely cut help to local governments next year to balance his 1991 and 1992 budgets in the wake of the state's latest deficit projections.Acting two days after deficits estimated at $88 million more for the current year and another $115 million for next year were figured, the governor told legislative leaders he hoped to close the gaps without raising taxes or laying off state employees.

County Executive Robert R. Neall wants permission to create a "rainyday" fund to help Anne Arundel County weather future recessions."If the current recession has taught us anything, it's that the localgovernments have to have a hedge against a downturn," Neall told state delegates from Anne Arundel County Friday.At Neall's request, Del. John Gary, a Republican from Millersville, has introduced legislation that would allow Baltimore, Anne Arundel and others counties to set aside money to guard against lean budgetyears.

MANCHESTER, England -- There is a story about Margaret Thatcher that is probably apocryphal but speaks volumes about the strength of Britain's first female prime minister, who died Monday at age 87. Following her election in 1979, the story goes that Mrs. Thatcher took her all-male cabinet out to dinner. The waiter asked what she would like. "I'll have the beef," she said. The waiter asked, "What about the vegetables?" "They'll have the same," Mrs. Thatcher replied. "Thatcher Saved Britain," read a headline in the Daily Telegraph.

A mild, rainy day is in the forecast for the Baltimore area on Monday, as a low-pressure system that spawned blizzard conditions in the upper Midwest moves eastward, according to the National Weather Service. Rain is likely in the morning hours, tapering off by midday. Overnight lows are expected in the upper 30s to around 40, with afternoon highs around 50 degrees. North of the Mason-Dixon Line, there was a chance of freezing rain in the morning, but southerly winds were expected to keep temperatures warm enough for Maryland to avoid any ice. Breezes of 10-15 mph are expected during the day, increasing to 15-20 mph after the rain moves off the coast.

This week on "The Amazing Race," Moscow will kill all of your dreams. You will find sadness and despair. You won't get engaged, you won't get invited to go clubbing, you won't be able to wear a bow tie in a swimming pool, it's just dreary. Cold and gray, like Seattle, but it's Moscow, people. The capital of hopelessness. Don't forget your passport. Before we dive into all that, though, remember last week when the Twins picked up Rock On's money and kept it? Phil Keoghan was getting all sorts of flak on Twitter for not mentioning it during their Pit Stop interview.

Cold and rainy weather greeted attendees, but did not dampen the mood, at Laurel's 17th annual Riverfest on Sunday, Oct. 7. The Laurel Board of Trade, Laurel Museum and the Laurel Arts District Committee organized this year's Riverfest, helped out by the new Board of Trade administrative coordinator, Roxana Bangura. "I'm really pleased with the turnout," Bangura said. " I thought there would be less people because of the inclement weather. " The festival highlighted Laurel's Riverfront Park, which runs alongside the Patuxent River, and offered a variety of arts and food vendors and entertainment stretching from Ninth Street toward Avondale Street.

Now what would vacation be without a few trinkets to remember the trip? There is a multitude of gimmicky t-shirts, cups and other pieces of beach memorabilia, but very few of the gimmicky trinkets allow for a personal touch. If you want that, grabbing telescope photos or "scopes" with your friends and family is the way to go. I know what you might be thinking. "Those things? The ones with the annoying people that run up to you on the beach and try to sell you pictures?" Yes, you might be right to a point, but stay with me. You are on vacation.

Rainy days at the beach are a bummer - if you let them be. There are still some fun, indoor, things to do with the family when dark clouds hover over the shore. Here are a couple good places to go, perfect for days like today. Indoor mini-golf. An Ocean City staple, moved indoors. Old Pro Golf has two indoor locations in town. The uptown location at 136th St. has an indoor course with a safari theme. The location on 68th St. is underwater themed and packed with sea creatures.

When County Executive Robert R. Neall presents his budget May 1, themost controversial element promises to be a new $10 million "rainy day fund."The fund proposal has union leaders seething. Even some County Council members who support the concept say they question whether so much should be put into a surplus account at a time when moneyfor programs, projects and employee salaries is so tight."It's absolutely ludicrous," said Tom Paolino, president of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County.

IT'S ABOUT TIME the U.S. government caught up with the 50 states. All of those smaller governments -- and most counties and cities, too -- know the importance of having rainy day funds fund to handle emergencies and sudden dips in the economy. Now Vice President Al Gore has recognized the need for Washington to set up its own safety net. Why not, he asks, use surpluses to build up a $300 billion cushion against the potential shock waves of a bad recession? It's the prudent thing to do. It's also the advice that Wall Street's bond-rating houses regularly give local governments.

Thursday's rain showers, plus more expected Saturday, could bring lacking April showers closer to par for the month. About a quarter of an inch of rain fell at BWI Marshall Airport on Thursday morning. More fell downtown, with 0.33 inches measured at the Maryland Science Center. Another band of showers is expected Thursday afternoon, some of which could include thunderstorms. That could bring at least another quarter of an inch, according to the National Weather Service. While a more than 4-inch rainfall deficit remains in the Baltimore area, even after a rainy weekend, the deficit for April is about an inch.

No sunshine today. Most of Greater Baltimore is under a flood warning as of 6:59 p.m., through 10 p.m. The National Weather Service in Sterling, Va., is calling for isolated thunderstorms to pass through the area, and I'm hearing reports in the Twittersphere that they're already here. Further west, Hagerstown is under a flood watch and Cumberland is under a flood warning, with flash flood warnings out at Deep Creek Lakeand in West Virginia. It comes on top of a dreary day. The rain gauge topped an inch at BWI Airport, hitting 1.05 inches as of about 6 p.m. Downtown seems to have seen a little less -- we recorded 0.84 inches here at the Sun weather station.