Shelter

As a 44 year resident of Baltimore City, I cannot think of a better use of my taxes than paying to temporarily house the homeless individuals who are about to be evicted by the city from their meager camp in motels while they wait for permanent housing ("Homeless eviction plan criticized," March 5). Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's comments that doing so is "not a responsible use of taxpayer money," and Councilwoman Rikki Spector's reference to the camp as "toxic," made this proud resident of Baltimore feel shame that publicly elected officials would so openly demonstrate their contempt and lack of compassion for our most vulnerable citizens.

Venus Wiles would rather sleep in a tent stuffed with blankets and all her worldly possessions on the side of the Jones Falls Expressway with her boyfriend, Michael Spence, than stay the night in an emergency shelter. The encampment - a collection of tents on a sliver of land between the northbound roadway of the JFX and the Fallsway, where as many as 18 homeless men and women live with their cats and dogs - feels more like home. Wiles and Spence say they don't know where they'll go Friday when the city plans to clear the site, which has been used by the homeless for the past five years.

Mildred E. "Millie" Banwell, an artist who was a longtime supporter of the Light House shelter and an active member of Calvary United Methodist Church, died Sunday of pulmonary fibrosis at Hospice of the Chesapeake in Pasadena. The longtime Annapolis resident was 75. "I have a very high regard for her and we will miss her terribly. She was a great Christian lady and a leader at Calvary," said the Rev. Byron P. Brought, who pastored Calvary in Annapolis from 1992 until 2010, when he retired.

The relationship between some members of the Baltimore Ravens and the community runs deeper than just on-field victories. And Friday, the USA cable channel features one of the those players, linebacker Jameel McClain, in a film about the way he reached out to a homeless boy in our city. "NFL Characters Unite," an hour-long documentary of professional football players sharing stories of obstacles they have overcome, features Justin Tuck (New York Giants), Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh Steelers)

On Dec. 7, students from The Highlands School presented a check to the Humane Society of Harford County for money raised from their service club project. From baking cookies, to washing cars, to selling popcorn, they raised $480 for the needy animals of Harford County. This amount exceeded their goal of $400. Along with the money raised, they also collected a "wish list" of items such as food, treats, bedding, and toys which were also presently to the shelter staff. "We were honored to accept donations from the youth of the service project club from The Highlands School.

A year ago, if you'd asked David Moore to generalize about homeless people, he'd have said most were probably addicted to drugs or alcohol, lacking in ambition and unworthy of the general public's trust. Then he became homeless himself. "I'll be honest with you, I wasn't prepared for that to happen," said Moore, a 46-year-old Arnold native who lost his job and his apartment last fall, only to end up living in his car. He might have lost his hope as well, he said, had he not heard about Winter Relief, a program sponsored by the Arundel House of Hope in Glen Burnie that offers a select group of more than 90 homeless people a warm place to sleep every night through the winter months.

Her story: Liz Ehrlich, 31, grew up in Glen Rock, N.J. She is a care manager for CIGNA. Her mother, Jackie Ehrlich, is an executive assistant at a law firm in downtown Baltimore. Her stepfather, Alan Davis, is the owner of Princeton Sports in Columbia. Her father is deceased. His story: Matt Wyman, 31, grew up in Towson. He is a lawyer. His father, Steve Wyman, is a District Court judge in Baltimore County. His mother, Jacqui Dawson, is a Circuit Court master in Baltimore County.

A contemporary three-bedroom Colonial on the Annapolis waterfront sold recently for $1.35 million after being on the market for about eight months, according to the home's listing agent. The 3,100-square-foot home at 56 E. Lake Drive in the Bay Ridge neighborhood backs against the sheltered waters of Lake Ogleton, on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay. It was originally listed for $1,795,000. Pat Ogle, who sold the house for the owners, said the home's top selling points were its water views and the second-story deck off the master bedroom that overlooks the half-acre property, including a private pier on the waterfront.

To keep its animals safe, the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) moved all of its dogs and cats to a temporary home at 1st Mariner Arena on Monday morning. Because the shelter lies in a flood-prone part of South Baltimore, BARCS convened a team of volunteers for the emergency evacuation. In a matter of hours, they safely moved more than 100 cats and nearly that many dogs. The animals will ride out the storm at the arena.

Here are some tips to help you keep safe as the storm plows through the region over the next few days: •Dr. Rick Knabb, writing for the Weather Channel, suggests keeping at least three days' worth of water per person (a gallon each per day) on hand. Seven days' worth is preferable. •You should also be sure to have nonperishable food and a manual can opener on hand. •Put together a first aid kit, keep extra toiletries on hand, and be sure to have a supply of prescription and non-prescription drugs at the ready.