Vendors

The clatter of hooves and clink of bells down a city street. The soulful voices proclaiming local cantaloupes and watermelons. For more than a century, Baltimore residents have associated these sounds with the street vendors they call "A-rabs," a long "A" followed by a short second syllable. But the name grates on the ears of some people of Arabic descent. "Arab-Americans like myself feel very strongly about this," said Bash Pharoan, the president of the local American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Every time something happens with the arabbers of Baltimore - the controversies and contretemps are cyclical - I think: When are we going to get our act together and give the produce ponies, their handlers, their customers and the city's tourism industry what they all deserve? Ten things should happen: 1. City leaders need to announce, boldly and clearly, that they want the produce ponies to thrive and that they are willing to promote them to the world. While the sight of the arabbers might be familiar to longtime Baltimoreans, they have a real wow factor among visitors and newcomers.

Carroll County Farm Museum officials agreed yesterday to explore a proposal that would change the fees that festival vendors must pay to sell their wares at the popular tourist attraction, saving many businesses money.Under the proposal, vendors would pay a flat fee to reserve a sales booth at farm museum events. Nonprofit organizations are required to give the Westminster museum 10 percent of the money they raise. All other vendors must give 15 percent."I've talked with several vendors, and I think they would favor a flat fee," said Commissioner Julia Walsh Gouge, who suggested the change during yesterday's Farm Museum Advisory Board meeting.

CHARLES CASSETTA of Hampstead has been recognized as a world leader among professionals who assess personal potential and direct it toward corporate success.Two weeks ago, Cassetta was chosen from 2,500 candidates for the International Trainer of the Year Award.This is the top achievement granted by Target Training International, a company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., that oversees professional distributors of training materials in 40 countries.Cassetta's award was based on frequent letters of appreciation the home office has received from people affected by the book and videotapes he has written.

Loehmann's Inc., the New York-based retailer that offers designer apparel at bargain prices, filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday in Wilmington, Del.The chain, whose first store opened in 1920, said it had assets of $188.7 million and liabilities of $184.1 million. On Monday, Loehmann's failed to make a $5.5 million interest payment to creditors.In a written statement, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Friedman said, "The decision to file for Chapter 11, while difficult, represents the most viable option for restructuring our company."

The 21st annual Westminster Fallfest begins tonight with the annual parade through town from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.Marching units, cars, floats, clowns and local personalities will wind their way west on Monroe Avenue, south on Pennsylvania Avenue, east on West Main Street, north on Longwell Avenue, and end at East Middle School.For four days, the city celebrates the start of a new season on the city playground off Longwell Avenue and surrounding area.Tomorrow's activities include a ride night -- six hours of rides for $12 ($10 with a coupon)

Anyone who attended the first Taneytown Home and Garden Show last year will not recognize the second and much bigger one scheduled for May 22 at Memorial Park.Last year's show featured about 12 vendors selling plants on the Jubilee grocery store parking lot, said Pam Harlow, a resident who is co-chairwoman of the event.At least, that's what she has been told. She didn't go last year."I didn't even know about it," Harlow said.This year, she and co-chairwoman Melissa Harris expect close to 70 vendors selling plants and crafts, demonstrations on bed planting and building a pond, and rides in a tethered hot-air balloon, weather permitting.

With just over a week before Opening Day at Camden Yards, concern about fan safety is again threatening to restrict where streets vendors can peddle their wares.The Maryland Stadium Authority wants to keep pushcart entrepreneurs from operating on the south side of Camden Street next to the stadium because of concern for the throngs of fans who use that walkway area to enter the stadium.Moreover, state regulations prohibit the street vendors from selling their merchandise on state property, the Stadium Authority said yesterday, and a recent land survey found that the south side of Camden Street is owned by the state.

EVER SINCE Harborplace opened in 1980, the "world famous Lexington Market" has played second fiddle in Baltimore.Its shabbiness will become more apparent as new Inner Harbor attractions open for the tourist season.The food and produce vendors of Lexington Market have been part of the city since at least 1803. Today, the market presents a dichotomy: Its occupancy is high and its quasi-governmental operating company is making a profit, but many merchants wonder about the emporium's future. Overall sales volume may have remained stable, but the client base is not expanding.

A turf battle over artisans, crafts people and food vendors is driving a wedge between the organizers of two Mount Airy community festivals that attract throngs of visitors to the town's picturesque Main Street.The Mount Airy Fall Festival, a two-day event held each October, and the Spring Fling, a one-day festival in May, have co-existed peacefully the past two years in this town of about 5,000 in southwest Carroll.The source of the feud is a letter circulated by the Mount Airy Fall Festival Committee to food and drink vendors and craft sellers.

Auditions workshop Spaces are still available in the Children's Theatre of Annapolis' "Preparing for an Audition" workshops being held 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at 1661 Bay Head Road in Annapolis. Workshops are for ages 12-18 and include tips on preparing for an audition, and the opportunity to do a mock audition and have it critiqued by a director. Students will also be guided on selecting and presenting a song, mental preparation, what a director would look for, how to prepare for a reading from a script and how to dress.

Baltimore police have seized 96 young turtles from street vendors who illegally sold the animals. Two men were arrested on separate occasions, one May 30 in the 100 block of N. Eutaw St. and the other Monday in the 1700 block of Pennsylvania Ave. They are being charged with attempting to sell an exotic animal and vending without a permit, offenses that carry fines of up to $1,750 and prison time of up to a year. "It's been an ongoing problem [in Maryland] for the past two years or so," Maryland Natural Resources Officer K. Michael Lathroum said.

The Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department, 6275 Old Washington Blvd., Elkridge, will hold Quartermania, a combination of bingo and a raffle, at 7 p.m. Thursday and Jan. 15. Home-party vendors will be on hand; each consultant will have at least 10 products on which to bid. The cost to bid depends on the cost of the item. Take quarters for bidding. Tickets, which cost $3, are limited. A Craft & Vendor Show, with home-party vendors and local artisans, is planned from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 22. A holiday craft workshop for children will be available.

Johns Hopkins Hospital, the University of Maryland Medical Center and nearly a dozen other health care and retirement facilities are working to eliminate toxic pesticides from their pest control efforts, a move that environmental advocates say is the first like it in the country. The Maryland Pesticide Network launched the effort in 2005 after conducting a survey of pest-control products and practices in state health care facilities statewide. While the chemicals are legal and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, advocates point to studies showing that 25 of the most commonly used pesticides are harmful to animals and marine life or have links to cancer, birth defects and neurological problems.

It is a landmark building on some of Annapolis' most valuable waterfront property, steps from the tourist-magnet that is City Dock. It's been called the "cafeteria of Annapolis." But with the market stalls now nearly empty, the future of the Market House seems bleaker than ever - and some are saying a drastic change in direction might be needed. Mayor Ellen O. Moyer and members of the city council, who have faced fierce criticism over the market's failures, have floated solutions aimed at remedying the situation: buying out the management company's 20-year lease and taking over management duties or selling the market.

3 more vendors vacate Annapolis' Market House Three more food vendors have vacated Annapolis' Market House, a second wave of departures that leaves only a few tenants at the troubled city-owned landmark. The owners of Galway Bay, Fresh Stop and Auntie Annie's Pretzels moved out of their stalls in the 19th-century building at City Dock on Sunday night, said Robert O. Schuetz, director of the city's central services administration. The owners could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Galway Bay released a statement saying its departure was the "the result of on-going failures and wrongful conduct" on the behalf of the city and the landlord, Market House Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Site Realty Group.

In 1993, Defense Secretary Les Aspin invited more than a dozen CEOs of big weapons and aerospace companies to dinner at the Pentagon. In what has become known as the Last Supper, he shocked them by saying that, with the end of the Cold War, America had too many defense contractors and that the companies needed to merge or die. Merge they did. But 15 years later, as the fiasco with the Air Force's tanker contract and widespread Pentagon procurement dysfunction...

Towson Lifelong learning courses offered The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University will hold a fall preview of courses at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the conference center at Sheppard Pratt, 6501 N. Charles St. Check-in for the free program starts at 10 a.m. Information: 410-704-3688. Cockeysville Medicare course at senior center The Cockeysville Senior Center will hold a program on "When I Turn 65, What Do I Need to Do to Get Medicare?" at 1 p.m. Thursday at 10535 York Road.

The Kings Contrivance Village Board is seeking two new members. Residents, ages 18 and older, who are interested in the position should send a letter of interest to Amherst House, 7251 Eden Brook Drive, Columbia, by July 30. The board meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Information: Anne Brinker, 410-381-9600. Community theater to present musical The Drama Learning Center's Summer Stage, a new community theater, will present the musical, Songs for a New World, July 31 through Aug. 9 at the center, 9130-I Red Branch Road.

Havre de Grace Main Street is seeking artisans and crafters for its annual festival, the Graw Days, to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11. The Graw Days commemorate the construction of the Havre de Grace Racetrack, called "The Graw," which was started in 1912. The track was considered one of the best racing strips in the country and was the main training ground for owners who hoped to win the Kentucky Derby. The theme of the festival will be the Roaring Twenties, with emphasis on horse racing and horse-related items.