FEATURES
By Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Carrie Wells, Tribune Newspapers | May 23, 2013
In an emotionally charged vote Thursday, the Boy Scouts of America lifted its ban on gay youth starting in January, the latest sign of a shift in American attitudes toward gays and lesbians. After months of debate in local districts, more than 61 percent of the Boy Scouts national council approved a resolution at its annual meeting, overturning the long-standing prohibition on openly gay youth, while retaining a ban on gay adult leaders. Of 1,232 votes, 757 were in favor. Gay advocates called the vote a step in the right direction for the 103-year-old group, among the nation's largest youth organizations, with more than 2.6 million youth members.
NEWS
By Ian Duncan, The Baltimore Sun | May 21, 2013
A Baltimore jury convicted a man of robbing, then killing his mentor in a youth program and shooting another man who survived, the State's Attorney's Office said. Antomar Jones, 21, was riding home with his mentor Corey Alexander, 31, and Anthony Taylor, 31, when he pulled out a handgun and robbed both men, according to prosecutors. He made them stop the car in the 5700 block of Nasco Place in the city's Loch Raven neighborhood, and Taylor attempted to flee. Jones shot at Taylor, hitting him in the cheek, but the older man carried on running - hearing a second gunshot as he did so - and made it to Good Samaritan Hospital to get help.
NEWS
AEGIS STAFF REPORT | May 16, 2013
A Middle River woman was sentenced last week to six months in jail for defrauding the federal government through the Freestate ChalleNGe Academy at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Lynn Carol Williams, 56, sentenced May 6 by U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett, will also serve six months of home detention with electronic monitoring as part of three years of supervised release for wire fraud in connection with a scheme to misuse the Freestate Challenge Academy corporate purchasing card, causing losses of more than $107,493. Freestate Challenge Academy is a Maryland National Guard program at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
NEWS
Dan Rodricks | May 15, 2013
The good news is that, in seven years of umpiring amateur baseball games in the Baltimore area, Frank Handley has had to give the thumb to only five adults. The bad news is he had to do it again a couple of weeks ago. But we're going to turn a negative into a positive today. We're going to get the message out - a reminder, really - that parents need to keep the ugly under control and set a good example for children. And parents who see and hear another behaving badly need to speak up. The story comes to us from Nancy Turner, who was so upset at what she saw during a Baltimore County recreational baseball tournament that she wrote me a detailed email about it. The game, on a Sunday morning in May, was for 11- and 12-year-olds.
NEWS
By Kathy Seifert | April 24, 2013
Gun control doesn't stop bombings, and it doesn't prevent violent people from buying nails, BBs or pressure cookers. While I am supportive of gun control - and applaud Maryland for being one of the few states taking a strong stance on gun possession - tighter regulations will not prevent all violent attacks from occurring. In order to reach a real solution, the national discussion must go beyond gun control. For instance, how can we better predict who is likely to become a violent perpetrator?
SPORTS
By Josh Vitale, The Baltimore Sun | April 22, 2013
LaVar Arrington was one of the nation's highest-rated linebackers in the nation during his high school and college career. He was named Parade National Player of the Year after his senior year at North Hills Senior High School in Pittsburgh, and he was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2000 NFL Draft after his junior season at Penn State. But the former Washington Redskins star said he never would have reached those heights if he didn't know the fundamentals. That's why he's teamed up with Heads Up Football to help teach youth football players the proper way to play the game.