20070621 Press Clips

Press Clips

June 21, 2007

STATE NEWS

Viewing Today For Howard Co. Police Officer

http://wbal.com/news/story.asp?articleid=59567

A viewing is set for this afternoon for a Howard County police officer who died earlier this week, after he was struck by a speeding motorist on a traffic detail Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, Wheeler had been working a routine traffic detail on Route 32 near Route 1 when he was hit by a car he and other officers had been trying to stop for an alleged speeding violation.

Schools seek $25 million

Funds pledged in '06 are sought from city amid repair scandal

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal timore_city/bal-te.ci.schools21jun21,0,7879635.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

Baltimore school officials met with City Council members yesterday and confirmed that incomplete or shoddy repair work was done at 40 schools, then asked for $25 million from the city surplus to help pay for repairs and renovations.

City Council President Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake and Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke asked school officials to explain why spot checks by state inspectors revealed that school employees had falsely reported making repairs and had permitted shoddy work. The irregularities were reported this month by The Sun.

Teacher Turnover Costs Systems Millions, Study Projects

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/20/AR2007062002300.html

An independent report released yesterday estimates that the high rate of teacher turnover in U.S. school systems costs more than $7 billion a year, with systems including the District and Prince George's and Fairfax counties hardest hit.

In Maryland, a state study of teacher staffing issued in October showed an attrition rate in Prince George's of 11 percent. It was 5.5 percent in Montgomery County and 7.7 percent in Anne Arundel County. But the figures did not include teachers who transferred from one county to another; Florie Bozzella, director of human resources for the Anne Arundel system, said its turnover rate for the 2005-06 school year was 11 percent.

Taxpayers foot hefty pension for MTA chief
http://www.examiner.com/a-791652~Taxpayers_foot_hefty_pension_for_MTA_chief.html
A former Baltimore City deputy police commissioner who is currently employed in Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration has reportedly used his former boss' influence to bend the city's police pension rules and land himself a lucrative retirement package. At age 42, Maryland Transportation Authority Chief of Police Marcus Brown, a staunch supporter of O'Malley when he served as Baltimore mayor, is now set to receive about $125,000 a year in pension benefits, plus health care for the remainder of his life - all at taxpayers' expense.

Smith unveils his BRAC proposal

Blueprint includes overhaul of U.S. 40 and job training for students

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_county/bal-md.co.brac21jun21,0,5914666.story?coll=bal-local-baltimorecounty

Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. unveiled a plan yesterday that calls for steering new homes and businesses to sites along U.S. 40 in preparation for the expansion of regional military bases -- and the influx of jobs and residents to come with it.Smith vowed to work with neighboring counties and Baltimore City to seize what he called a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.""We plan to make Central Maryland the center of defense communications for the nation," said Smith, a second-term Democrat.

Aldermen study election options

New polling places, all-mail system considered during board meeting
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=61613

In 2009, Frederick city voters might find themselves casting their ballots at one of two or three new vote centers, rather than in their old precincts.The county's school system has said it does not want schools to be used for city elections in 2009 and beyond, Frederick County Election Director Stuart Harvey told the Board of Aldermen on Wednesday.

Emmitsburg commissioners hold tax rate steady

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=61604

The town's property tax rate will hold steady through June 2008.
Emmitsburg has a broader tax base this year, said town manager David Haller, so the property tax rate of 36 cents per $100 of assessed value will yield more revenue than in fiscal 2007, making a tax increase unnecessary.

Conflict said to cloud inquiry

Critics question political profile of investigator in Aberdeen probe

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/harford/bal-md.ha.aberdeen21jun21,0,5206322.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

The state investigator heading a probe involving the Aberdeen city government has deep political roots in Harford County, leading some of those subpoenaed in the case and watchdog groups to raise questions about a potential conflict of interest.

Stephen M. Wright, an accountant whose no-bid contract with the city is among the documents subpoenaed by the office of the state prosecutor, said he has contacted State Prosecutor Robert A. Rohrbaugh and the agency's chief investigator to complain, while the city's mayor is calling the investigation politically motivated.

Ultimatum For Prince George's Hospital

County Seeks 4 Resignations

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/20/AR2007062002301.html

The ailing Prince George's hospital system will receive no more public money until four members of its board of directors resign, County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) said this week.

Johnson's comments were the first to tie county funding to a shake-up of the board of Dimensions Healthcare System, the nonprofit company that runs Prince George's Hospital Center and four other county health facilities.

The county executive and some key County Council members have argued that the Dimensions board has mismanaged the hospital system, compounding its fiscal problems.

Charter schools advocate wins White House fellowship

Arnold resident will spend year learning from top officials

http://www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/06_20-25/CBN

Arnold resident Andy Smarick has won a prestigious White House fellowship, catapulting the young charter school advocate into a group whose alumni include Colin Powell and Wesley Clark."Sometimes I look at the people who won and wonder how I slipped through the cracks," said Mr. Smarick, 31. "I'm just a guy who tries to make schools better for low-income children."

NATIONAL NEWS

Stem cell veto spurs Md. Alarm

Bush restrictions slowing progress, researchers say

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.md.stem21jun21,0,4668080.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

President Bush vetoed legislation to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research yesterday, prompting officials at Maryland research institutions to issue warnings that restrictions on the science are slowing medical progress.
Democrats in Congress, including several from Maryland, criticized Bush for impeding medical progress and said they would keep the issue before the public through the 2008 presidential election. "Democrats will continue to fight to lift the current restrictive policy on federal funding for research on em bryonic stem cells so that we can look back on this administration's approach as nothing more than a regrettable, temporary anomaly," said House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland.

Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, a Maryland Republican who sponsored legislation that would require federal funding of research into methods of obtaining stem cells without creating or destroying human embryos, welcomed the Bush veto. "Science and medical research should serve life, not sacrifice life," Bartlett said before going to the White House to stand at Bush's side.

Gilchrest faces tough re-election battle

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070621/METRO/106210045/1004

Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest officially announced yesterday that he will seek re-elec tion in what likely will be the Republican's toughest run in Maryland's 1st Congressional District.

"We are at a political crossroads in this nation, and the public is looking for political leaders who will ignore partisan attacks and extremism and work for common-sense solutions to our nation's biggest challenges," Mr. Gilchrest said. "I believe I can offer the experience and perspective to do just that."

Gilchrest files for a tenth term

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070621/NEWS01/70621002/1002

U.S. Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest filed this week for re-election to Congress, citing a desire to use his nearly two decades of experience to advance legislation on protecting the Chesapeake Bay, fighting efforts to increase federal taxes and supporting tougher border security legislation, according to a statement released Wednesday. If Gilchrest wins, it would be his tenth-term in office. But he needs to defeat a likely primary challenger and state legislator from the Western Shore, and a current state's attorney.

BRAC Planning Brings Jurisdictions Together

Region Is Cooperating to Prepare for Growth Brought by Military Realignment

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/20/AR2007062000664.html
The Pentagon's base realignment plan will launch what has been called the single largest job expansion in Maryland since World War II and will fuel a building boom needed to expand schools, modernize roads and develop housing to accommodate up to 60,000 new workers. Yet, counties and cities aren't fighting over the spoils, at least for now, but rather are w orking together in unusual fashion to ensure the region as a whole is prepared for the growth caused by the Base Realignment and Closure plan, known as BRAC.

The spirit of cooperation extends to members of Maryland's congressional delegation, who are working to bring what they say is badly needed federal funding to the table. More than $719 million for BRAC projects in Maryland was included in a spending bill that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 14, according to the office of Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.).

Senate rejects LNG plant measure

Amendment would have allowed state to stop Dundalk terminal

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.lng21jun21,0,7300920.story?coll=bal-local-headlinesThe Senate has rejected a measure that would have allowed opponents of the liquefied natural gas terminal proposed for Sparrows Point to defeat the project. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin had introduced the measure to restore to states the authority to block new LNG terminals after residents rose up against plans to build the facility on the former site of the Bethlehem Steel shipyard in Dundalk.
Gov. Martin O'Malley, Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. have joined local residents in opposing the project proposed by AES Corp. of Arlington, Va. Maryland's other senator, Democrat Barbara A. Mikulski, co-sponsored and voted for Cardin's amendment.