Western Maryland

With many important issues before the Maryland legislature this year, it is a shame to see time and effort being wasted on unnecessary proposals regarding natural gas development in our state. Pursuing such legislation right now is putting the cart before the horse — and could have a significant negative impact on our economy and efforts to create new jobs. Let's look at the facts. Today, there is no natural gas development under way in Maryland. In fact, there currently is a moratorium on gas development in place until summer 2014, due to an executive order signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley.

When the marathon ended Thursday, when Maryland senators voted decisively to pass a sweeping gun control bill, Sen. Brian Frosh kissed his wife. Then he hugged the governor's chief lobbyist. In the marbled gallery of the State House, a gun control advocate turned to Frosh and shouted, "Our hero!" The soft-spoken Montgomery County Democrat shepherded Gov. Martin O'Malley's top legislative priority through the Senate, leading the more than 12 hours of floor debate on the plan to strengthen Maryland's gun laws in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shooting.

An article in the March 1, 1913, edition of The Argus reported on the dreams of young runaways. James Rubin , 12 years old, Lakewood avenue; Louis Susosky , 11 years old, Hudson street, and John Noroacki , 15 years old, Hudson street, Baltimore, were locked up Saturday night at the Catonsville Police Station charged with being runaways. The boys were picked up by Patrolman Dennis Cavey near Ellicott City, where they were to board a freight train for Western Maryland. They had been reading dime novels and said they were going to the mountains for adventure.

Feb. 11, 1987: The Orioles sign free-agent Ray Knight, a third baseman who becomes the first player to change teams after winning the World Series Most Valuable Player award. Knight, 34, who is coming off a banner year with the New York Mets, gets $500,000. He plays one season here, hits .256 and is traded. Feb. 11, 1978: Maryland upsets No. 2 North Carolina State, 89-82, to win the inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference women's basketball tournament. Tara Heiss scores 30 points to lead the No. 7 Terps , who avenge an earlier loss to the Wolfpack.

High winds are forecast across the region Saturday with a gale warning in effect on the Chesapeake Bay until noon, according to the National Weather Service. A gale warning means winds of 34 to 47 knots (39 to 54 mph) are expected. Forecasters say that could mean dangerous conditions for anyone venturing out onto the bay, especially in smaller boats. Even after the gale subsides, condtions will remain treacherous for inexperienced sailors, according to the Weather Service. In response to conditions, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is operating under a wind warning, with the Maryland Transportation Authority urging drivers to use caution while crossing.

Maryland communities affected by Super Storm Sandy will receive $8.6 million in federal funding under an emergency spending measure approved by Congress last month. The money, which is in addition to the roughly $1.5 million in assistance the federal government has provided to individuals affected by flooding on the Eastern Shore, has few strings attached. The state must submit a plan within 90 days to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for how they intend to use it. State and federal officials in Maryland were outraged by an initial White House decision to deny individual aid to Eastern Shore residents affected by the storm -- a decision that was later reversed.

While Maryland lawmakers debate whether to subsidize a large wind energy project in the Atlantic Ocean off Ocean City , an Annapolis company is moving ahead with plans for the state's third land-based wind "farm. " Synergics Wind Energy LLC, which built Maryland's second wind project along a mountain ridge near the West Virginia border, is seeking state and local permits to erect 24 turbines on similar terrain just west of Frostburg in Garrett County. But the proposal is renewing concerns raised by some western Maryland resident about the state's first two wind projects, in particular the towering windmills' proximity to homes and their potential to kill birds and bats, including one listed as endangered in Maryland.

State officials were right last week to postpone approval of a Department of Juvenile Services contract to increase the capacity of the privately owned Silver Oak Academy juvenile residential treatment facility in Carroll County. The department wants to double the number of beds there, from 48 to 96, in order to reduce the backlog of youthful offenders awaiting treatment in overcrowded lockups. Getting more troubled young people out of detention centers and into treatment where they can receive the help they need is certainly a worthy goal.

Most of us have probably seen or heard the ubiquitous ads promoting domestic natural gas drilling. While they don't tend to use the word "fracking," their message about hydraulic fracturing of shale is clear enough - little kids playing happily on green patches of grass and the promise of bountiful clean energy, jobs and all-around happiness all rolled into one. Two things can be inferred from the ads. First, that those in the oil and gas industry...

A month after Hurricane Sandy crashed ashore, hundreds of Marylanders affected by the storm are still waiting for the federal government to provide funding for housing and living expenses. Federal assistance has been flowing for weeks to families in hard-hit counties of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency is still reviewing a formal request for aid that Gov. Martin O'Malley submitted to the White House on Nov. 8. That has left hundreds of Eastern Shore residents affected by Sandy in Worcester, Dorchester and Somerset counties waiting for relief.