River Road

Preparing residents for the storm, Howard County officials have released a list of roads and intersections that have a history of flooding, because they are near a river or are low-lying.Officials recommended using alternative routes, predicting yesterday 4 to 5 inches of rain and heavy winds between tonight and tomorrow morning.Residents were urged to monitor news broadcasts for changes and closings, securing loose items outside homes and businesses in case of strong winds, and preparing a home emergency kit. The kit should consist of 3 gallons of water per person, a battery-operated radio, extra batteries, flashlights, protective clothing, a first-aid kit, blankets and nonperishable food.

James Withrow has taken his house off the market, Linda Felts may lose her dream home, and Russell Rose is not sure how much longer he will have his backyard vegetable garden.The neighbors along Bird River Road in the Middle River area are angry that their homes could be demolished because they are in the path of one of five routes proposed for Route 43, a $60 million highway connecting White Marsh with the Middle River corridor."Our lives are completely on hold by what the state is doing here," said Felts, 38.They plan to argue against the highway at a public hearing in Essex on Wednesday night, launch a petition drive and lobby state and county officials to keep the highway from being built.

The house at 5925 River Road -- known as Hockley after its first owner more than 200 years ago -- has a leaky bathtub, no heat, rotting ceilings, and a bumpy driveway that would make all but the newest four-wheel-drive rattle and sigh.But Danny Fowler, the new resident curator, couldn't be happier there. In his wildest dreams, he never expected to live on 3 acres in the Patapsco Valley State Park, north of the historic town of Elkridge, where his neighbors are birds and deer, and the Patapsco River flows through the trees.

William and Henry Boyer hadn't walked down Boyer Road in years.Their old family homes are long gone, even the barns and other outbuildings. The picnic area along Boyer Beach is gone, too. Almost every sign of the once-proud Boyer Farm has vanished, or been destroyed by vandals.But when William, 74, and Henry, 69, tromped through the old farm last week they could still see it all: the fine old brick home their grandfather, Henry Boyer, built in 1905 for $15,000; the barns, and outbuildings and tenant houses.

FIRE* Eldersburg: Sykesville responded after a tree fell on a house in the 6300 block of Oak Hill Drive at 1:31 p.m. Friday. Units were out for 26 minutes.* Sykesville: Sykesville assisted Howard County in investigating a fire alarm in a building on River Road at 10:49 a.m. Thursday. Units were out for 15 minutes.

POLICE* Sykesville: Someone drove onto a lawn in the 800 block of River Road, leaving tire tracks, between 11 p.m. May 22 and 7 a.m. May 23.FIRE* Gamber: Engines from the Gamber station were out for five minutes investigating an automatic fire alarm in a building on Deer Park Road at 5:49 p.m. Monday.

Pam Haley and Kelli Punte were tired of seeing trash piled along River Road. So they organized a cleanup in November. The sisters-in-law and 124 volunteers picked up 61,480 pounds of trash along 1.6 miles of River Road, which is part of the Patapsco Valley State Park. They called it the River Road Clean Up Recovery Project.Now, the trash is back. But not for long, because the women are determined to keep the area clean."People seem to be angry that the place was cleared, and they are now dumping closer to the road," Ms. Punte said.

If April makes you think of spring cleaning, here are some ideas for cleaning your home, your car and the environment.*North County High School Band students will be waiting on Saturday with water, soap and buckets to clean the dirt and grime from your car. They will be at the Hardee's at Cromwell Field Shopping Center and on Morgan Road behind Little Caesar's at the Ritchie Highway Shopping Center. Take your car to either location from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.The car wash is free, but donations will be accepted.

Along the River Road, La. -- To the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the collection of dilapidated plantation homes, slave cabins and Creole cottages along the Mississippi River are the black-footed ferrets, Florida panthers, Santa Cruz cypresses America's landmarks.In a phrase, "endangered" places.There are dozens of them on this 70-mile stretch of river, forlorn and forgotten structures that join an illustrious group of historic landmarks on the endangered places list: The Civil War battlefields at Gettysburg, Detroit's Tiger Stadium, a vintage gold mining town in Virginia City, Mont.

Volunteers sought for River Road cleanup projectVolunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday for a cleanup of River Road in Linthicum.Local residents organized the cleanup along the Patapsco River, near Patapsco State Park, after the two-lane, wooded road became a dumping ground.The two-mile road is littered with dozens of discarded tires and piles of trash, old couches and armchairs, rolls of carpet, a baby stroller, a barbecue grill, rusted appliances, even a toilet. Residents have seen junked cars, dishwashers, washers and dryers in the woods along the road.

Responding to concerns from Howard County residents after a pair of well-publicized fatal crashes, the State Highway Administration said it will launch an $800,000 project Sunday to add new left-turn lanes at three intersections along Route 32 north of Interstate 70. The highway agency said it will build the new turn lanes on Maryland 32 at the intersections with Day Road, Amberwoods Way and the southern end of River Road - all of which lie between Old...

An investigation into how a large water main that burst and flooded River Road in Montgomery County last year was allowed to be installed improperly has found that inspection records for the pipe might have been thrown away inadvertently, leaving the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission unable to determine whether other pipes could have similar problems, WSSC officials said Thursday. Officials said three months of searching have failed to turn up daily inspection reports that would have revealed what the utility's inspectors witnessed as the 66-inch concrete pipe was laid in the ground in 1965, or at least what they recorded.

At first glance, the western Howard County intersection of Route 32 and River Road looks much like any other along the busy corridor heading toward the nearby Carroll County line. Cars and trucks zoom in both directions, most not heeding the 50-mph speed limit, many not adhering to signs advising headlights for better visibility and nearly every one of them ignoring cars trying to inch into traffic. To those who live in the Howard Lodge neighborhood tucked inside that intersection, the confluence of high-speed driving and a quick turn into traffic was, quite literally and tragically, an accident waiting to happen.

River Road in Bethesda, which flooded Dec. 23 after an underground water main burst, reopened to traffic at 3 a.m. yesterday. The 66-inch-diameter pipe ruptured during morning rush hour, submerging the street and stranding commuters, some of whom had to be plucked from their vehicles by rescuers in helicopters. The unusual scene was carried live on CNN. Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission contractors worked nearly around the clock to repair the damage, replacing five 16-foot sections of pipe that weighed 14 tons each, officials said.

On November 19, 2008, CLYDE A.; beloved husband of the late Lucille P. (nee Pittman); devoted father of David Lee and wife Kara, Susan Foy and husband Terry, Sharon Honeycutt and husband Andy; devoted brother of Carl Lee, Elsie Smalling and Zoe Hatchett, all of Tennessee. Also survived by seven grandchildren. Friends may call at the Lassahn Funeral Home, Inc., 7401 Belair Road on Saturday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. and Sunday from 4-7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at the Middle River Baptist Church on Monday at 11 a.m. Interment Holly Hill Memorial Gardens.

On June 25, 2007, GEORGE ROSS MARTIN; beloved husband of the late Gloria Martin (nee Bauers); devoted father of John, William, Catherine and George Martin, Jr.; loving son of the late John and Thelma Martin. Grandfather of Christopher, Jessica and Candice Martin. A Memorial Service will be held at Middle River Baptist Church, 610 Middle River Road on Saturday, at 12 Noon. Interment private. Arrangements by the Connelly Funeral Home of Essex.

Murder charges refiled in student's 2004 death Three Baltimore County men have been charged again with first-degree murder in the killing of a 16-year-old Milford Mill Academy student in 2004, county police said yesterday. Sean Raynard Mosley, 20, of the 2500 block of Barnesley Place; Devin Ross Handy, 22, of the 4700 block of Windsor Mill Road; and Michael Anthony Hawkins, 22, of the first block of Deveraux Court, all of Woodlawn, were indicted this week in the fatal shooting of Renard Jawon Graves on April 11, 2004, police said.

On April 27, 2006, RICHARD ARNOLD; beloved husband of Virginia Gibson, (nee Hartsock); devoted father of Donna Gardner, Carla Karagiannis and Roy Gibson; dear brother of William Gibson, Lois Ford, Margaret Dane, Reginald Gibson, Charles Gibson, Bernard Gibson, Catherine Vanness, Joanne Moffat and the late Evelyn Childs and Eleanor Kendt. Also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Friends may call at the Bruzdzinski Funeral Home, P.A., 1407 Old Eastern Avenue, Essex, at Rt. 702, (beltway exit 36)

On January 28, 2006, JOHN DELANO YOUNG; beloved son of the late Martin L. and Vallie A. Young; devoted brother of Maryens Lindsay; dear uncle Robert Lindsay. Burial private. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 4th, at 4 P.M. at the First Church of God of Middle River, 1001 Middle River Road. Arrangements by Cvach/Rosedale Funeral Home, 1211 Chesaco Avenue (21237).

ROCKVILLE - Two men were killed in separate car accidents in Montgomery County during the weekend, police reported yesterday. David Cruces, 17, of the 2700 block of Finley St. in Wheaton was killed early yesterday in a collision on River Road at Persimmon Tree Road. Cruces was traveling east on River Road about 2 a.m. when his car collided with a westbound vehicle. A third car also was involved. The other drivers suffered minor injuries, police said. Another accident about 10 p.m. Saturday killed Slawomir Kikolski, 30, of the 13600 block of Grenoble Drive in Rockville, police said.