System

THE ROLAND PARK Second Presbyterian Church looked absolutely stunning last Saturday for the wedding of Natalia Pia Melanie Sommer and Richard Matthew Dohler. Thousands of wildflowers, miles of lace ribbons and tulle, and window sills decorated with Singapore orchids set the stage for the nuptials of the daughter of pop music star Donna Summer and her first husband, Helmut Sommer,and the son of Dick and Bonna Dohler, he's an Ellicott City builder.The church was filled with the music of German trumpeteer Langston Fitzgerald and selections of Bach, Beethoven and Vivaldi, played by the church's music director Margaret Budd on the organ.

As of 8:30 a.m. Thursday, traffic was slow on U.S. 50 westbound at the Capital Beltway, due to an accident involving six vehicles. According to the Maryland Transit Administration, light rail service is suspended between the Timonium and Hunt Valley stations due to construction work. A shuttle bus service is available instead. There are no other major delays reported on Baltimore area transit systems.

The story of a 24-year-old Georgia graduate student fighting a flesh-eating disease has prompted a microbiologist with the Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System to speak out about the infection. Aimee Copeland lost most of her left leg after the flesh-eating bacteria necrotizing faciitis is believed to have entered a cut on her leg, according to the Associated Press, which reports she may also have to have her fingers amputated. The waterborne bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila is believed to have caused the infection.

State officials approved more than $161 million in school construction funding Wednesday that will allow school systems in the Baltimore area to undertake renovation projects, tackling problems that include sweltering and overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings and amenities. The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the last round of construction dollars being doled out to schools for fiscal year 2013. The state approved $187.5 million in funding in January, bringing the total amount for school construction projects to nearly $350 million, a more than $85 million increase from fiscal year 2012.

Roberto Pagan-Franco didn't have a bank account for decades. His employer paid him in cash or with a check that the Baltimore resident took to a check-cashing store. A few years ago he lost his job after a severe illness and for a time was homeless. Not exactly the type of customer you'd expect a big bank to court. But Pagan-Franco enrolled in a PNC Bank program that targets consumers who otherwise might be shut out of the banking system. And today, the 54-year-old has checking and savings accounts at PNC and is in the process of getting a credit card.

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailiani was found guilty on just one of 285 terror related counts ( "The system worked," Nov. 19). If this shows the system worked," the bar for claiming success must be very low. Ken Waters, Ocean Pines

I just returned to the U.S. from a pastorate in British Columbia, Canada, where for the past 10 years health care cost me $56 a month. I am very healthy. I only used the Canadian system once. Now I face huge expenses every month because I am over 61. Having experienced both systems, I am definitely in favor of a nationalized health care program now! Yes, it will have glitches as the public and the government get used to it, but I believe soon we will all be saying, "What took us so long?"

Kudos to Jamie Smith Hopkins and Julie Scharper for their excellent article on the misuse of the homestead tax credit by our elected representatives ("Rawlings-Blake, husband collected homestead tax breaks on two properties," Aug. 31). Might I suggest that anyone running for office in the upcoming municipal election be subjected to the same kind of scrutiny? It would be very useful for Baltimore voters to know - before the election rather than after - which candidates for office already have a penchant for gaming the system.

One of my favorite things about running the old-school Virtual Vensanity blog -- moment of silence please -- was my interaction with the readers, especially the regulars. You guys kept the conversation going, sent me random links and videos and helped me pull off my goofy contests, and I thank you for that. Hopefully you haven't forgotten about me over the past four days. Anyway, as we bust out our new blog platform here at The Baltimore Sun (starting with this blog and eventually carrying over to the rest of the bunch)

Some people have lived in Baltimore for decades and have never been summoned to jury duty. Others have lived here just a few years and seem to get the notices as frequently as annual tax bills. Frank M. Conaway, the clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, is tired of the complaints. He said dead people have been called to pass judgment on their fellow citizens, and summonses have been delivered to empty lots and to addresses of people who moved years earlier. And so Conaway - a one-time mayoral candidate - is now trying to stage a legislative coup at the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, traffic was slow on the inner loop of I-695 near Reisterstown Road, due to an accident. Accidents were slowing traffic on I-695 at the Curtis Creek Drawbridge in Baltimore County, Oliver Street and Milton Avenue in Baltimore City, and Darien Drive and Parkland Place in Glen Burnie. A disabled vehicle was blocking traffic on U.S. 50 westbound at the Bay Bridge. Debris in the road was blocking traffic on I-95 northbound at Route 100 in Howard County.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, traffic was slow on Route 543 at Prospect Mill Road in Harford County, due to an accident. Light rail service is suspended between the Timonium and Hunt Valley stations due to construction work. A shuttle bus service is available instead. There are no other delays reported on Baltimore area transit systems.

Some rain showers left over from the cloudy, wet system that has moved through early this week could pass through today. But otherwise, there should be an about-face in the weather. Beautiful weather is expected to arrive and stick around through the weekend and the Preakness. The sun is out Wednesday morning, but humidity remains high. Dew points have been in the 60s all week at BWI Marshall Airport, which means most people perceive an uncomfortable stickiness in the air. Of course, any rain is welcome.

Baltimore city students will have a plethora of options for education and recreation this summer, under a new partnership between city agencies and school system that will expand the scope and length of programming for city youth. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blakeand City schools CEO Andres Alonso announced Wednesday that with the help of non-profit and philanthropic communities, the city's recreation efforts will converge with the system's summer learning initiatives to create a unique structure of a full-day of summer programming.

The young boys involved in the shooting death of Monae Turnage, whose body they hid under trash bags in an East Baltimore alley, were sentenced in juvenile court Wednesday. The 13-year-old who said he pulled the trigger will be committed indefinitely to a treatment facility; the 12-year-old who helped him move the body will be monitored by the Department of Juvenile Services while living with a relative in Harford County. But the family of Monae — the bubbly 13-year-old who wanted to be a pediatrician — sat outside the downtown Juvenile Justice Center after the hearing, stunned at the outcome.

Baltimore city CEO Andres Alonso told city council leaders Tuesday that the school system is not in the financial position to inherit recreation centers that are slated for closure in the city budget, after being peppered by council members about the system's ability to bail out endangered youth programs. Following a presentation on the school system's $1.31 billion budget-- presented last week and due to be approved by the school board on May 22-- Alonso was asked by City Council President Bernard"Jack" Young to clarify the system's stance on taking over rec centers, saying that he was dubious about the option given that the system doesn't even have enough money to maintain its own school facilities.

Johns Hopkins is in discussions to integrate Washington-based Sibley Hospital into its health system, they announced Thursday. Both boards have expressed intent to join and said they expected Sibley to be absorbed in early fall. There will not be any financial exchanges. Sibley will keep its name and leadership and day-to-day operations are not expected to change, but Sibley will operate under Hopkins' governance structure and gain access to its clinical medicine and professionals. Hopkins would add patients.

A key statistic was not pursued in Tom Schaller's thought provoking essay of 18 May concerning whether we are (or should be) sliding toward socialism. He states that our economy comprises 25 percent of the worlds output. But we only make up 4 percent of the population. Apparently, something about our system works well. The idea of redistribution of wealth has been debated, and attempts to put it into practice have been a dominant theme over the last two centuries. It is hard to implement the theory because it runs counter to the laws of nature — some people are simply more gifted and productive than others, and people have a natural instinct to guard what is theirs.

As of 9 a.m. Monday, traffic was slow on I-95 southbound near White Marsh Boulevard, due to an accident involving two vehicles. Accidents were slowing traffic Reisterstown Road and Garrison Boulevard in Baltimore County, Dorsey Road and Aviation Boulevard in Anne Arundel County, Route 22 at Tudor Lane in Harford County, Wise Avenue at Lynch Road in Dundalk, and Washington Boulevard at Freestate Drive in Elkridge. Debris in the road was blocking traffic on Route 2 northbound near Dover Road in Anne Arundel County.