NEWS
By [ELIZABETH LARGE] | March 18, 2007
STORE OPENING ATOMIC POP 3620 Falls Road, Hampden, 410-366-1004 Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Tuesday. When the designer art toy trend threatened to overwhelm their bookstore, Benn Ray and his partner Rachel Whang decided to go with the flow. "It was time to give the toys their own space," Ray says. The result is Atomic Pop, located in Hampden around the corner from their incredibly cool bookstore, Atomic Books (not to be confused with Atomic Comics or any other Atomic anything)
NEWS
By Chicago Tribune | December 27, 2007
Dear toy manufacturers: I write to you as a parent curious about the robust product-restraint systems employed in your packaging. In particular, I am inquiring about the wires, clips, tapes and molded plastic shells used to keep your articles safe, secure and out of the hands of my children. As I opened the Handsome Groom doll (Barbie's fiance) to put under the Christmas tree for my 5-year-old daughter, I quickly discovered that the young man's arms, legs, torso and throat were tightly bound to the box with eight pairs of meticulously twisted, impossibly thin wires.
NEWS
By Marc Lifsher and Abigail Goldman | November 20, 2007
LOS ANGELES -- The California attorney general and the Los Angeles city attorney filed a lawsuit yesterday against Mattel Inc., Toys R Us Inc. and 18 other companies, accusing them of making or selling products that contain "unlawful quantities of lead." The move follows major recalls of toys, lunch boxes, children's jewelry and other goods during the past year by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in Washington. The suit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court under California's Proposition 65 law, would force manufacturers and retailers to adopt procedures for inspecting products to make sure they are safe.
NEWS
By GREGORY KANE | December 22, 2007
The heat descended on the building about 9 p.m. Thursday, sirens blaring, red and blue lights flashing and creating an almost hypnotic, strobe-light effect. The cops emerged from their cars and entered Mason Memorial Church of God in Christ in the 2600 block of Frederick Ave. "I thought they were raiding the church," observed Wayne Thomas, who was standing nearby. "I've never seen a church get raided before." In a way, Thomas was right: Mason Memorial was being raided. But the cheers, the applause, the whoops of sheer glee and delight from church members as police went into the church should have been the tip-off: these churchgoers loved this kind of raid.
NEWS
By Thomas W. Waldron | December 23, 1999
Lynda Siggers figured many of the children at St. Katharine's Child Care Center in West Baltimore would simply have to do without many presents this Christmas.That was until some of the giants of the toy industry got nailed for price-rigging.As part of the settlement of a national antitrust suit against Toys `R' Us Inc., Mattel Inc. and Little Tikes Co., Maryland received toys worth $350,000 this year. Yesterday, the United Way helped distribute the mountain of toys to more than a dozen community groups from around the state.
NEWS
By Tom Pelton | January 2, 1999
Jean Sykes, who for 40 years was known as ``Mrs. Santa Claus'' because she repaired thousands of toys for needy children at Christmas, died of lung cancer Thursday at her home in Owings Mills. She was 79.Using paintbrushes, drills and glue, Mrs. Sykes restored dolls, games and athletic equipment donated by local stores and civic organizations so the gifts could be distributed anonymously to families receiving public assistance in Baltimore County.The Sun wrote articles about the ``Toy Lady'' in 1975 and 1993, although Mrs. Skyes was reluctant to be interviewed and disliked having her work publicized, according to family and friends.
NEWS
By Donna Abel | January 22, 1999
THE MOUNT AIRY Middle School staff wishes to thank the pupils and the Mount Airy community for supporting the "Toys for Tots Sock Hop" last month.Even though the disc jockey was a no-show, PTSO President Robin Radoci reports, "The kids were wonderful, and everyone made the best of the situation. In the spirit of giving, when the Marines arrived, over 200 toys were donated."Because of the pupils and staff who helped at the sock hop, Christmas morning was brighter for many children.Indoor yard sale/dinnerAn indoor yard sale and fried chicken dinner will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Warren United Methodist Church, 807 E. Ridgeville Blvd.
ENTERTAINMENT
By Laura Lippman | March 28, 1999
The voice on the voice mail was a familiar one, my husband's, and the message was the one he always leaves: Call me when you get a chance. Not: "Have you heard the news, call me!" -- the life-shortening message he left the day the Yankees traded David Wells for Roger Clemens. Just: "Call me when you get a chance."I got a chance."I broke your labyrinth," he said, without preamble. "I'm sorry. I was dusting, and I knocked it over. I don't think it can be fixed.""Oh," I said. And then I didn't say anything for a very long time.
NEWS
By Frederick N. Rasmussen | November 23, 1999
For Haven E. Hoffman, who lived in the small Washington County community of Chewsville, Christmas was a year-round event.For more than 50 years, Mrs. Hoffman, who was known locally as "Mrs. Santa Claus," repaired and painted toys to make sure that needy children had gifts on Christmas morning and their parents had a holiday dinner to serve.Mrs. Hoffman, a deeply religious woman who had hoped to be a missionary and succeeded in becoming one dispensing seasonal joy, died Thursday of congestive heart failure at Washington County Health Systems in Hagerstown.
NEWS
By Tom Pelton and SUN STAFF | January 2, 1999
Jean Sykes, who for 40 years was known as "Mrs. Santa Claus" because she repaired thousands of toys for needy children at Christmas, died of lung cancer Thursday at her home in Owings Mills. She was 79.Using paintbrushes, drills and glue, Mrs. Sykes restored dolls, games and athletic equipment donated by local stores and civic organizations so the gifts could be distributed anonymously to families receiving public assistance in Baltimore County.The Sun wrote articles about the "Toy Lady" in 1975 and 1993, although Mrs. Skyes was reluctant to be interviewed and disliked having her work publicized, according to family and friends.