Thanksgiving

The sun was barely creeping over the horizon on Thanksgiving morning, but already hundreds of cars were parked outside the Boscov's store at White Marsh Mall as shoppers hustled in and bustled out — getting a pre-turkey jump on Black Friday. On a holiday morning that in bygone years meant deserted mall parking lots, crack-of-dawn consumers lugged packages to their cars and wrestled flat-screen TVs into minivans shortly after the department store's opening at 7 a.m. By nightfall, a crowd of several hundred people anxious to get their hands on discounted HDTVs and appliances rushed into the Sears at Security Square when the doors opened at 8. Thanksgiving Day is now Black Thursday.

The Harford County Sheriff's Office says it has arrested one man and has a warrant out for another in connection with a stabbing in Edgewood on Thanksgiving night. The man who was arrested is facing assault and sexual assault charges, according to police. Harford County sheriff's deputies were called around 7:20 p.m. Thursday to the 1700 block of Fountain Rock Way in Edgewood for a report of a stabbing. The victim, 41, had been stabbed in the facial area with an unknown weapon, according to an initial news release from the sheriff's office, which also stated the stabbing appeared to be domestic related.

I view most efforts to coerce people into doing a particular thing on a particular day with suspicion. Consider Christmas. It can be great, but I'm not sure little baby Jesus would need an Xbox. And why did President Ronald Reagan make June 25 National Catfish Day? Salmon tastes so much better. It's the commercialization of commemoration, which is why I love Thanksgiving. There's no profit motive. You've got family and gluttony. That's it. And I like the nonprofit group StoryCorps' effort to wrest the day after Thanksgiving from Mammon with a National Day of Listening, an opportunity to share stories with those close to you. So, family, friends, and friends whom I have yet to meet, here's my story.

A record-breaking storm struck on Thanksgiving Day in 1938 across Maryland. While November had started off mild, the storm brought as much as 14 inches of snow in Harford County, with 8.5 inches in Baltimore over two days, according to an article on Baltimore winter storms on the National Weather Service's Baltimore/Washington website. "Hundred of automobiles were snowbound on the highway during the Thanksgiving Holiday travel period," according to the article . The storm still holds the records for snowfall in Baltimore for the dates of Nov. 24-25.

A man was fatally shot Thursday in the Franklintown section of Baltimore City, according to police. Baltimore Police Det. Vernon Davis said police officers responded at 2:16 p.m. to a call about a man shot in the 2000 block of Forest Park Avenue. The victim was transported to Sinai Hospital , where he died. Davis said he could not provide information about the man's name, age or address. He said officers have made no arrests and are investigating the shooting. A previous version of this article provided the incorrect neighborhood name.

Anthony Clark hadn't even gotten a plate of food and already he was overcome with emotion, just seeing friends, having a medical student check his blood pressure and knowing hundreds of people had given their time to make sure those needier had a taste of Thanksgiving. "Without them, a lot of people wouldn't have no meal," said the 53-year-old from Glen Burnie, tears rolling down his cheeks. "This is really a beautiful place to come. " Clark meets his adopted holiday family every year at Project Feast, in what's become a tradition organized by University of Maryland School of Medicine students.

Falita Liles marked Thanksgiving eve by inviting some of her best friends to what could be grimly described as a condemnation party. The Upper Fells Point resident hauled possessions out of her tiny historic rowhouse Wednesday, after a city inspector ordered it vacated because an unexplained water flow had undermined the foundation. "You can see I'm not real thrilled right now," she said. Liles' home was one of two condemned in the 200 block of South Madeira St., an alley street of roughly century-old homes near Patterson Park.

Affectionately titled “Dranksgiving,” Thanksgiving Eve has become one of the most popular holidays for hitting the bars. Can you imagine a better way to cure a hangover than spending the day on the couch, eating turkey and watching football? Me either.   In the spirit of giving, Baltimore bars are offering some pretty generous specials for Dranksgiving. Homecoming Bull roast Free-4-All at Power Plant Live! For $20 you get open bar and no cover at seven bars and clubs from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. Open bar?

Can't crimp? The pros at the Crisco Pie Hotline are back to serve up expert pie-baking advice, recipes and tips year round and for extended hours during the Thanksgiving season. I like this one. The InSinkErator site has a good page on how to repair a broken garbarge disposal . You can also find tips ontthe InSinkErator Facebook page on how not to clog your garbage disposal up in the first place. Through Nov. 21, live pie experts can be reached from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. by calling 1-877-FOR-PIE-TIPS (1-877-367-7483)

Thursday morning, when Sue Schmincke preheats her ovens at Paul's Place, she'll kick off her 20th Thanksgiving at the Pigtown soup kitchen and community outreach center. In those 20 years, Miss Sue (as she's known around the neighborhood) has served hundreds of meals a day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year. She rarely misses a day of work. And in the 16 years she's been the kitchen manager and head chef, she's never run out of food, even when the line outside Paul's Place stretches to 500 hungry Southwest Baltimore residents.