Threshold

One day soon, the Division I lacrosse powers might be recruiting middle school players. It sounds impossible, but unless the NCAA does something soon, that's where lacrosse is headed. Loyola High coach Jack Crawford and Boys' Latin coach Bobby Shriver say recruiting is one of the sport's biggest problems. "It's gotten out of hand," Shriver said. In some respects, lacrosse recruiting is worse than big-time college football and basketball because the sport is played in the spring. At least football and basketball players get to play through their senior seasons in high school.

Two dead in shootout at California toy store PALM DESERT, Calif.: Two men pulled guns and shot each other to death in a crowded toy store yesterday after the women with them got into a bloody brawl, witnesses said. Scared shoppers fled but no one else was hurt. The violence erupted on Black Friday, the traditional post-Thanksgiving start of the holiday shopping surge, but authorities indicated the shooting wasn't related to a shopping frenzy. Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said the fight was not over a toy. He said handguns were found by the men's bodies, but he released little other information.

Is your retirement plan ready for 2009? Whether you're saving for retirement or already living in it, you will need to be aware of the annual adjustments to tax brackets, retirement-plan rules, Social Security thresholds, pension limits and health-care savings plans. Most of those numbers are available, so it makes sense to make some plans for the coming year: IRAs and workplace plans: Individual retirement account contribution limits are holding at $5,000 for 2009 (plus another $1,000 if you are 50 or older)

WASHINGTON - In the strange world of politics, the worse your party does, the better its top job looks. The chairmanship of the Republican National Committee grew a lot more attractive recently, after John McCain failed to win the presidency and the percentage of voters who call themselves Republicans fell to the lowest level in nearly 30 years. Republicans are without an obvious leader - Sarah Palin's celebrity notwithstanding - and the job of RNC chairman, which comes up in January, is a valuable perch for someone with national ambitions.

In an effort to spare some homeowners the loss of their properties in municipal tax sales, lawmakers are proposing several reform measures. State Sen. George W. Della Jr. has introduced legislation to cap legal fees at the end of the court process and to improve notification. The Baltimore Democrat says he hopes to cut expenses and save homes. Legal costs in these lawsuits have soared in recent years, making it harder for homeowners to regain the rights to their properties by paying back taxes and accumulated fees.

It was sometime in the second quarter when I started to like the points. Pardon the Hunter S. Thompson riff, but when you consider the fear and loathing that has attended Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots during their march toward an undefeated season, well, I just couldn't help myself. The Ravens were 19-point underdogs when last night's game began, down from 20 because of the whistling wind that figured to let some of the air out of Tom Brady's high-powered offense. The way things have been going around here, coming in under the point spread figured to be some kind of moral victory, though it certainly didn't feel that way after a real victory came apart in the final minute at M&T Bank Stadium.

Gov. Martin O'Malley rolled out a health care plan yesterday that would expand medical coverage for uninsured residents and commit funding for data exchanges that connect the state's hospitals and allow them to share records. More than 100,000 Marylanders would get coverage under the proposal out of nearly 800,000 residents who lack coverage. The plan would cost about $500 million, including $250 million in new state revenue plus federal matching dollars and funds redirected from other areas.

A growing number of candidates in this year's election - including the current president of the City Council - now say they oppose a charter amendment that would make it easier for City Hall to spend money but would lessen public oversight of that spending. The proposal, introduced by Mayor Sheila Dixon's administration, also appears to be facing increasing opposition in the City Council, where it is expected to receive a crucial vote today. At least four members of the 15-member council have stated their opposition to the bill.

A proposed change to Baltimore's charter that would make it easier for city officials to spend taxpayer money - but that would reduce public oversight on hundreds of contracts each year - advanced in the City Council yesterday despite criticism from one member who said the legislation cuts the public out of the process. On a 3-1 vote, the council's Judiciary and Legislative Investigations committee approved a proposed amendment to the city charter - which is akin to a local constitution - proposed by Mayor Sheila Dixon's administration.

A proposed charter amendment that would make it easier for Baltimore to buy goods and services - but that would also lessen public oversight of how taxpayer money is spent- is set to receive a hearing by a City Council committee today. The charter amendment, which needs approval by the City Council so it can be placed on the ballot, would cut from two to one the number of times the city would be required to publicly advertise for companies to bid on any work over $25,000 - an announcement that comes in the form of newspaper advertisements (including in The Sun)