Senior Center

An Ellicott City senior living facility is being sued for allegedly violating federal law for failing to hire a Muslim woman who would not remove her head scarf. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Morningside House on behalf of Khadijah Salim on Monday. The lawsuit says Morningside House's director of health and wellness asked if Salim during a June 2010 interview if she would remove her religious headscarf, called a hijab, if she worked at the facility.

Last season, Laurel High's boys soccer team felt it could be their time to win a regional championship. However, after a 10-5 regular season that earned them the No. 10 seed in the 4A regional playoffs, Laurel's season ended with a bitter 1-0 loss to second-seeded Parkdale in the second round of the playoffs. Players have put that playoff loss and last year behind them and have focused on the promise of this year's team. Some of the senior leaders say this could be Laurel's best team in years, despite their youth and the loss of many seniors from last year's team.

The long-awaited Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center, 7120 Contee Road, officially opens Friday, Aug. 26 at an invitation-only ribbon cutting. The center will be open to the public Monday, Aug. 29. To become a center member, apply for a membership card at the front desk. Prince George's County and Montgomery County residents ages 60 and up receive a free ID, which provides access to the fitness room, fireside lounge, billiards room and more. Out-of-county residents and those ages 50 to 59 can join the center by paying a nominal fee. A wide variety of classes will be offered seasonally, and registration is through the automated SMARTlink registration system.

(Open letter to Mayor Craig Moe and Laurel City Council): As we finally reach the long-sought goal of a new senior center in the Laurel area (11 years in the making), we of ATLAS — All Together for Laurel/Beltsville Area Seniors — would like to express our most sincere thanks for the help and support that the city of Laurel has provided. You have been with us from the very beginning. In fact, you helped launch the project when you joined with the District 21 team and the Prince George's County Council in establishing the task force, which confirmed the need for, and feasibility of, the program.

Interested in martial arts? How about yoga? Would a class in alternative medicine appeal to you? What if a place offered all of these, along with a well-equipped fitness center? Such places exist in Baltimore County. They're called senior centers. The leading edge of the baby boom generation crossed the age-60 threshold of senior center membership a few years ago. Now, men and women approaching retirement age are looking to incorporate the senior centers into their active lifestyles.

Activity Pals For single seniors. Get together with others to attend events, shop, go sightseeing, dine out and more. 301-596-6385. The Bain Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia. 410-313-7213. •Another Way to See It Laughter Club. Mondays, 9 a.m. $2 instructor fee at class each week. •Bain Friday Documentaries. Aug. 5, 1 p.m. "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. " •Bain Thursday Afternoon Movies . Aug. 11, 1 p.m. "Red.

Basketball English to try out for World University Games team Missouri rising senior Kim English (Randallstown) is among 22 college players who have accepted invitations from the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee to attend the World University Games team training camp July 29 to Aug. 7 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Twelve of the players will represent the United States at the games Aug. 13-23 in Shenzhen, China.

Ben Vereen didn't miss his calling. He was born to be an actor, singer and dancer, and he has enjoyed considerable success in the entertainment business for at least 40 years. But it seems that he would have been just as well cut out for an entirely different career — motivational speaker. "A lot of my friends are not here, but I'm still here," Vereen said by phone from Los Angeles, the words coming in rapid-fire fashion. "I lost a daughter. I got hit by a car and was pronounced dead.