Waiting

Greg Cantori plans to downsize when he retires. Really, really downsize. His retirement home is 238 square feet — one-tenth the size of the average new American house — and sits in his Anne Arundel County yard. He and wife Renee can hitch it to a truck and take it with them wherever they go. "It's so cheap — that's what's so cool about this," said Cantori, 52, who envisions a surf-and-turf future, alternating between the house and a sailboat. "We bought the house for $19,000.

For all of his laser focus on Saturday's Preakness, Claude "Shug" McGaughey couldn't help but dream ahead to the possibility of his colt, Orb, going for a Triple Crown at his home track of Belmont Park in New York. "I wouldn't be telling you the truth if I said I didn't think down the line a bit," McGaughey said. "I thought that if we could get it done today, going back to Belmont, we'd be comfortable there and we'd probably really have a big chance. " For McGaughey and Orb, the story ended the way it has for every other Triple Crown aspirant since 1978 - in defeat.

News item: The Orioles managerial search continues to move at a snail's pace, and Andy MacPhail has left open the possibility that it could be weeks before we know who will be the next permanent manager. My take: When you take a "wait and see" approach, you're really deciding to let the decision make itself, which would be fine if this frog hadn't already been in the frying pan for the past 12 1/2 years. News item: Marc Bulger said during a conference call Thursday that he's comfortable with his new role as the backup and mentor to Ravens starting quarterback Joe Flacco.

Horse racing fans talk about their sport not having a Triple Crown winner in nearly 35 years much the way baseball fans lament the fact that their favorite game has gone more than twice as long without a .400 hitter. Undoubtedly, in the days leading up to the 138th Preakness at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, there will plenty of discussion about Orb's chances to repeat what he did at the Kentucky Derby and, if victorious in Baltimore, what he might do next month in New York at the Belmont Stakes.

Many Baltimore-area private schools -- elementary and secondary -- are sending out notices this week, letting anxious parents know whether their sons and daughters have been accepted. If you're sitting on pins and needles waiting to learn whether your son or daughter has been accepted or placed on the dreaded waiting list, The Sun would like to talk to you about these anxious moments so many area parents share. Call Sundial, The Sun's telephone information service, at (410) 783-1800. In Anne Arundel County call 268-7736; in Harford County, 836-5028; in Carroll County, 848-0338.

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As a result of losing, 18-11, to No. 8 Ohio State in the semifinal round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament last Thursday night, No. 5 Loyola had no choice but to sit back and wait for the NCAA selection committee to decide the team's postseason fate. The reigning national champion (11-4) got the good news it was seeking when it was pitted against No. 4 and seventh-seeded Duke (12-5) in Sunday's first round. It was a huge relief, according to coach Charley Toomey.

Final exams begin Monday for students at Washington College and the upcoming weekend is a prime opportunity for them to review and study for the tests. But the members of the men's lacrosse team may find it difficult to look at a book as they await word from the NCAA selection committee about their postseason fate. The No. 10 Shoremen own a 12-4 record and are sixth in the South region rankings. But they got bounced by No. 2 Dickinson from the Centennial Conference tournament semifinals on Wednesday and will learn whether they have earned an at-large spot from the Pool C candidates when the 26-team field is unveiled late Sunday night.

I'm glad that the Baltimore Sun is speaking up about what readers have known for too long: Even though our economy is improving, this prosperity isn't reaching working families ("Labor reawakens," April 26). President Barack Obama is doing the right thing by trying to move Congress to increase the federal minimum wage. It would help millions of American families that are struggling to make ends meet. But we can't wait for Congress to get this done - it's too important. Right now, families in my community and across Maryland are struggling on minimum wage, making impossible choices like deciding between paying bills or getting medication.

SEATTLE - As a veteran of eight minor league seasons, right-hander Zach Clark has endured plenty of excruciating bus rides during his career. He had never been on a cross-country flight, however, until he flew to Seattle on Tuesday. The five-hour airplane ride seemed even longer knowing what was on the other side: The Safeco Field clubhouse and his No. 64 Orioles uniform hanging in his first big league locker. "I've never been on a long flight, so five hours on a plane was crazy," said the 29-year-old Clark, who was added to the Orioles' 25-man roster Tuesday as bullpen insurance.

When officials in Washington evaluate the consequences of the sequester, Tiara Bland wants them to consider the sixth-grade girls at Mother Seton Academy. Bland, a 22-year-old AmeriCorps member at the Baltimore academy for low-income children, said the decision by government leaders to impose across-the-board spending cuts will shortchange the urban youths who turn to her for advice on math problems and life. Bland, who aspires to be a school psychologist, is one of 17 AmeriCorps members performing education and literacy work in Baltimore for the Notre Dame Mission Volunteers.

Jamel Artis ' affinity for Pittsburgh was never a secret. Ever since the Baltimore native's recruitment began, the Panthers were “on top” of his list of potential college destinations. As Artis moved through four schools in five years, the Pittsburgh coaching staff stayed persistent in its recruitment of the 6-foot-6, 230-pound wing.   “They showed that they wanted me more than all the other schools,” Artis said Tuesday. “I was just waiting for the right time.” The right time came last weekend, when Artis - who recently achieved a qualifying SAT score - pledged to the Panthers during his official visit.

As the legislative session closed last week, I was happy to see that we made great progress on behalf of Maryland's children. We made strides in health, child welfare and education. However, one of the standout accomplishments was in juvenile justice. Before the General Assembly session began, juvenile justice public policy advocates came together to hammer out a five-piece legislative package aimed at right-sizing the Department of Juvenile Services and stopping the transfer of youths to the adult system.