Unlicensed

ANNAPOLIS -- Almost one-third of the state's child-protection workers are barred from providing hearsay evidence in abuse cases, a city prosecutor told senators yesterday.But the Department of Human Resources wants to change that in a bill that would allow testimony from unlicensed social workers.While a 1988 law allows licensed psychologists, educators, doctors and social workers to testify about statements made by children under age 12, it does not extend to unlicensed social workers.Yet unlicensed workers make up almost one-third of the state's protective services staff -- 170 out of 550, according to the Department of Human Resources.

WASHINGTON -- After telling horror stories about how thei children were abused and killed by unlicensed day-care providers, a group of angry and impatient mothers implored Congress to put a child-care bill on President Bush's desk before adjourning."

For the second time in a month, the state health department has warned a suspected unlicensed assisted-living facility that it has 30 days to apply for a license or face possible criminal charges. The operator of the group home, Toni L. Jones, was cited by the health department's Office of Health Care Quality for providing assisted-living services to five residents, each of whom has mental disorders. In a letter informing Jones last week that she was in violation of licensing regulations, health officials reported finding five men at 7094 Macbeth Way in Eldersburg.

A Glen Burnie contractor who reportedly used unlicensed workers to install an air-conditioning system that caused $4,000 damage to an Arnold home, was blasted Monday by an advisory board for contractors."

Not selling drugs but hailing hacks One of the letters offering a suggestion for "A better Baltimore" (Readers speak out, March 23) displayed a bit of ignorance. Those "people allowed to stand on main streets waving their fingers" are not selling drugs. They are trying to hail a cab or a hack (unlicensed taxi driver). Having lived in various parts of Baltimore for most of my life, I have known several cab drivers, hacks and people trying to hail a ride. If the writer of the letter had simply spoken to a few of the folks "waving their fingers," she would have realized that most Baltimoreans are just going about their business getting from A to B. John Williams, Towson Unlicensed cabs still pose a danger A writer recently asked "why people are allowed to stand in the road on main streets and wave their fingers to traffic as a signal that they are selling drugs" (Readers speak out, March 23)

A Baltimore man who tried to cover up the killing of his infant daughter by telling police she had been taken by an unlicensed cabdriver pleaded guilty yesterday in city Circuit Court to unintentionally smothering the baby. Kenneth Gabriel Jenkins Jr., 21, caused Maryland's first Amber Alert highway warning system in February by telling police one of his 2-month-old twin daughters, A'Shia, had been kidnapped. Yesterday, he entered an Alford plea to one count of involuntary manslaughter in A'Shia's death.

A Woodbine couple's failure to obtain a rental permit does not entitle their former tenants to a $15,000 refund of rent payments, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals has ruled.The decision ends an unusual landlord-tenant dispute, which began two years ago when Tammy and Michael Citaramanis sued for the return of 18 months of rental payments upon learning that their landlords had no rental permit for their Columbia town house.Circuit Court Judge James B. Dudley found that the landlords, Eustace and Portia Hallowell, had violated the Consumer Protection Act, and awarded the Citaramanises their rent in full.

There are words for unlicensed towing companies that prey on injured motorists and charge exorbitant fees to redeem a wrecked vehicle. Unscrupulous or scurrilous will do. These predatory towers have been known to charge as much as $1,000 to release a car that's been involved in an accident. That's 100 times the legal rate for towers summoned to the scene by police. Baltimore Councilman Robert W. Curran has introduced legislation to discourage predatory towing. His bill would withdraw a driver's right to call whomever he or she wants and allow only towing companies that have city-issued medallions, motor clubs and insurance companies to respond to an accident scene.

Calvary United Methodist Church is a dignified old building, a gray stone structure that presides over a gritty section of west Philadelphia. On a chilly night last weekend, this house of worship was the site of an odd spectacle.Inside the church, a Jolly Roger flag glowered from the dais and the walls bristled with homemade placards denouncing -- of all things -- the Federal Communications Commission."FCC Thugs Back Off," read one.Sitting in front of the skull-and-bones banner, an FCC official fielded angry questions from a young, spirited crowd of more than 100. The air was thick with accusations of "goon-squad tactics" and "SWAT-type raids" on the part of the agency.

Maryland health officials are investigating the recent death of a mentally ill man who was residing in an unlicensed assisted living facility in Northeast Baltimore, one of "dozens" suspected of operating around the state without adequate staff or training to care for residents. The 14-room house on Halcyon Avenue in Lauraville had been home for up to seven unrelated people with mental disabilities and other health problems for nearly two years. All the residents required the care of a medical professional or certified nursing assistant, officials said, but the facility was run by two people without proper training, including a man with a criminal record.