Uncertainty

The oversized windows of Hans Wilhelmsen's house in Jacksonville command a view to the east of hills dotted with baled hay and stands of oak, maple and pine on the 70 acres he owns a mile south of where an Exxon station unleashed an underground flood of unleaded gasoline five years ago. Thirteen bison patrolled the fields then, but they're gone now, and Wilhelmsen is sure he knows why. "We saw six die at one time" about two years ago, Wilhelmsen said....

Hundreds of Filipino teachers in Baltimore face crucial visa deadlines, and the school district is scrambling to seek renewals — and to show the federal government that they're still needed despite a growing pool of U.S. teaching applicants. Anxiety has been building among Filipino teachers since March, when 15 were denied U.S. citizenship, school officials said. More than 25 teachers faced a May 31 deadline to file for renewals of their work visas, and 110 t eachers face a June 30 deadline.

Maryland needs a sustained hiring surge to recover from devastating job losses during the recession, but few businesses appear to be planning anything more than modest work-force increases this year. More than 80 percent of mid-Atlantic employers said they expected "limited" or "sluggish" hiring at their companies in 2011, according to a survey by employment-services firm Manpower released this week. An earlier survey of Maryland companies by the University of Baltimore found that about 85 percent expected to expand slightly or to hold the line in the near term, with 8 percent contemplating cuts.

The evaluation process that will determine the makeup of the Orioles' 25-man major league roster started two weeks ago, but it will heat up considerably when the team opens the Grapefruit League exhibition season Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at nearby McKechnie Field in Bradenton. There hasn't been a lot of attrition yet, even though the future of rotation candidate Justin Duchscherer was thrown into doubt by hip soreness Saturday, so there will be some real competition for several roles and even some intrigue over how the final roster will shake out. So, what's the biggest decision facing manager Buck Showalter as right-hander Brad Bergesen prepares to take the first turn in the spring rotation Monday and the Orioles get ready to debut the newly renovated Ed Smith Stadium on Tuesday?

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he has "one major issue" with the offensive line this offseason — re-signing Marshal Yanda. "That's going to be a priority for us," Harbaugh said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine. Yanda, the Ravens' most versatile offensive lineman, is expected to be an unrestricted free agent when the new collective bargaining agreement is signed. A third-round pick in 2007, he started at right guard in 2009 and at right tackle in 2010. "I think he's a good player obviously, a very good player," Harbaugh said.

Perhaps more than any other time in the past six years, there is a sense of optimism surrounding the Orioles as they head to spring training. There are four new starters in the everyday lineup, a deep, revamped bullpen and a rotation filled with young, talented pitchers. And the group is led by no-nonsense manager Buck Showalter, who directed the club to a 34-23 record after one of the worst four-month stretches in franchise history. But amidst the good feelings is the sobering truth that the margin for error remains slim for the Orioles if they are to compete with the behemoths of the American League East.

The Ravens solemnly cleaned out their lockers Monday morning, carrying bags out the door and the weight of uncertainty on their faces. Two days after the Ravens' excruciating 31-24 playoff loss at Pittsburgh, the players are unsure when they'll play their next game and how many of them will return when they do suit up again. One who will return is coach John Harbaugh, who will soon receive a contract extension from the Ravens. Many players are bracing for NFL owners to lock them out March 4 if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't reached.

The Ravens head into Saturday's divisional playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers carrying a simmering animosity toward their biggest rival and a growing sense of urgency spurred by their leader. When the Ravens opened the playoffs last weekend, linebacker Ray Lewis wore his Super Bowl ring for the first time since the team won the championship a decade ago. Players in the locker room quickly came to look at it, which is exactly what Lewis wanted — focus everyone's attention on the ultimate goal.

The 49ers' Mike Singletary was shown the door, and the Panthers have announced John Fox is out after Sunday's finale, but they certainly won't be the last NFL coaches to go. In fact, it seems there are more coaches on the hot seat in this season of remarkable competitive balance than in years when the line is more distinct between good teams and bad. Embattled coaches do have a bit of an advantage with all the labor unrest because...