Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) articles from April 2004

Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) archives from April 2004

Mixed-use plans set at Parole Plaza.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Kara Kridler One of the state's oldest shopping centers will be razed and replaced with a mixed-used development, according to plans put forward by an Owings Mills-based developer that acquired the property. The project, from...

Commentary: Health Care - Seniors benefit from vascular screening.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Robert S. Coplan Last year the American Vascular Association, led by vascular surgeon Professor William Flinn of the University of Maryland and Dartmouth Medical School professor and vascular surgeon Dr. Robert Zwolak, sponsored a...

House amends budget to cut econ. development appropriations if tax loophole isn't closed.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Debra Siedt The House of Delegates upped the stakes on closing the Delaware tax loophole by linking it to a large portion of the state's economic development budget. The loophole allows companies to set up subsidiaries in...

Former MD man arrested for fraudulent securities activities.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Massachusetts authorities have arrested a former Potomac resident charged with selling more than $100,000 in fraudulent securities specifically to black residents in Maryland, according to the Maryland...

HMSHost Corp.'s presence at BWI Airport being reduced.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Andrea Cecil HMSHost Corp.'s 30-year presence at Baltimore/Washington International Airport already is being reduced, even before the new concessionaire takes over. Just three weeks after Maryland's Board of Public Works...

New chairman to take reins at Ober Kaler law firm.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Lawrence Hurley After 17 years as chairman of Baltimore law firm Ober|Kaler, John C. Baldwin has returned to his first love: practicing law full time. Emphasizing an untroubled transition between leaders, the firm announced...

Nursing home sued for $6M.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks A 74-year-old resident has filed a multimillion dollar tort action against a Catonsville assisted living facility, claiming she was assaulted by an employee who became irritated by her use of a call button. The...

Stipulation in kibbutz suit exonerates Silver Spring lawyer.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Peter Geier An Israeli kibbutz north of Tel Aviv dismissed a civil conversion/unjust enrichment complaint against a Silver Spring lawyer, admitting that its allegations against him were untrue a move some observers call highly...

NexTone Communications supplying equipment to PointOne.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports NexTone Communications Inc., of Germantown, a provider of advanced telecommunications network systems, supplied its equipment to PointOne, an Austin, Texas-based company that provides Voice over Internet...

FAA asking Ocean City officials to repay govt. for land.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Federal Aviation Administration is asking Ocean City officials to repay the government for land paid for with federal funds that was intended to be used for airport expansion but instead was used for a...

PharmAthene Inc. submits Investigational New Drug application.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports PharmAthene Inc., of Annapolis, a biotechnology company that is developing a range of countermeasures against biologic attacks, has submitted an Investigational New Drug application to the Food and Drug...

Maryland is fourth on list of state in best position with technology.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Maryland remains in fourth place, the same as last year, on a list of the 10 states considered to be in the best position to succeed in the technology-led information age, according to a new study by the...

ServicePower Field Service Solutions working on warranty claims system.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports ServicePower Field Service Solutions, a division of Annapolis-based ServicePower, which develops and markets field service scheduling software, is working with appliance maker Whirlpool Corp. on a system to...

MD to make funds available for repair of Port Deposit retaining wall.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said the state will make available $421,000 in grants for emergency repair and stabilization of the retaining wall along High Street in Port Deposit, where cracks threaten the road...

Lake at Hagerstown's City Park to be lowered by 2 feet.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The lake at Hagerstown's City Park will be lowered by two feet this summer, exposing the bottom in some spots, for repairs to the stone retaining walls, according to City Engineer Rodney Tissue. He said the...

Integral Systems announces contract with PanAmSet Corp.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Integral Systems Inc., of Lanham, which makes and operates satellite ground control systems, announced a contract with PanAmSat Corp., of Wilton, Conn., one of the world's largest communications satellite...

Primary care practitioners groups form new organization.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The National Alliance for Primary Care Informatics, a group that will work for the inclusion of the needs of primary care practitioners in the development of a national information infrastructure, was formed...

MD's nonprofit sector showing job growth.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Nonprofit organizations represent the only job sector in Maryland showing growth, according to a study jointly produced by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations and the Johns Hopkins Center for...

Interface Multimedia completes 3-D database of Washington D.C.
April 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Interface Multimedia, of Silver Spring, which provides three-dimensional predictive modeling for architectural, engineering and construction professionals, completed a comprehensive, three-dimensional...

Baltimore ad agency creates opera commercials for the masses.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Kara Kridler "This is the take of a man named Don Jose, who falls in love one sunny day. His girl, Carmen, has an angel face. Too bad she's a complete psycho case." The Baltimore Opera Co. found using a little bit of...

Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program can provide big tax write-off for home owners.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Ezra Fieser Big tax bill? What are you doing with the facade of your house? Depending on where you live, that facade could equate to a tax write-off worth tens of thousands of dollars. If you're having trouble...

Commentary: Educated Investor - Keep some powder dry.
April 2, 2004... Byline: David R. Clogg, ChFC Worldwide events occur every day that may or may not have a lasting effect on our stock and bond market valuations. It is important to recognize which occurrences will give rise to long-term reactions and...

Commentary: UB Viewpoint - Creating a work style for life.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Dorine C. Andrews With life expectancies hovering in the 90s, chances are most of us will be working well into our 70s. However, it looks like we're not as prepared as we should be. Why? Many baby boomers are not happy...

Family of personal CFOs serves ultra wealthy clients.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Nine framed degrees and certifications stare down at visitors in the conference room of Nazelrod & Associates Financial Services Inc. in Towson. Masters of Business Administration diplomas, Certified...

Beltsville-based company counts on its U.S. location to win federal parks contract.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Germans might make Spherix Inc.'s new low-calorie sweetener called tagatose. But Spherix's chief executive prefers to focus on the U.S. location of its call centers, which make up the other half of the...

Md. pension officials to increase the percentage dedicated to private equity and venture capital.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Robyn Lamb Although a bill mandating Maryland pension officials to invest in technology companies died, the agency controlling $30 billion in retirement funds said it voluntarily will up the amount it devotes to the sector. ...

Commentary: MoneyWi$e - Check list for clearing the March notebook.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Julius Westheimer CHECK LIST: Before buying any stock, ask these questions about the company: How does the company make its money? How is the firm doing, compared to its competitors? How does the broader economy up or down affect...

Economic Viewpoint - Md. leading index starts '04 with 1% gain.
April 2, 2004... Byline: John Hopkins The RESI Maryland Leading Index increased 1.0 percent in January following December's upwardly revised growth of 0.7 percent. This was the index's first two-month consecutive increase since June 2003. Increasing...

Eye on the Entrepreneur - Finding a way to work it out so everyone smiles.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Neil R. G. Young, CLU, ChFC In 1942, Abe Polakoff arrived in Baltimore. Trained as a lawyer, Abe had struggled with the grief he felt when his father died suddenly. Somehow, the joy had gone out of practicing law, and Abe came...

Jonathan Murray joins WBAL-AM's trio of financial analysts.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Nancy Kercheval Robert Sabelhaus would listen to his wife rave about this "darling broker with so much patience" who would attend the investment club meeting of "The Over the Lunch Counter Club." So much was this investment...

On the record with Marc S. Rosen, chairman of the board for K Capital Corp.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Nancy Kercheval Marc S. Rosen, chairman of the board for K Capital Corp. and K Bank, is only the second person in the bank's 42-year history to sit in the chairman's seat. One of his first challenges after Bernard Dackman stepped...

Web Sightings - Cell number directory.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Larry Fiorino The cellular phone industry's leading trade organization, Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (www.wow-com.com), is attempting to compile a list of cell phone numbers and user names to be utilized only...

Commentary: Teacher Appreciation Fund established by Baltimore Community Foundation.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Betsy Nelson Sometimes, I get overwhelmed by the problems around us. It seems that only huge amounts of money can make a difference. The Baltimore city schools funding crisis, with its millions of dollars of need, certainly seems...

Commentary: Raising the Bar - Experts and discovery.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Paul Mark Sandler The great thing about expert witnesses is they're, well, experts. Most likely, they know all there is to know about the subject matter your case involves or you wouldn't have hired them. You may well be tempted...

Commentary: The Art of Appellate Advocacy - How not to write a judicial opinion.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Andrew H. Baida In writing this article, I have decided, for reasons I may regret, not to follow the sage advice of a person who has infinitely more wisdom, intelligence, and judgment than I possess. After informing my wife of the...

Commentary: On Second Thought - Regis, welcome to Maryland.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Mark Cheshire With little more than a week remaining in the 2004 session of the Maryland General Assembly, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s proposal for slot machines appears headed for the legislative guillotine, again. If two...

AAA - not just a roadside assistance club anymore.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Debra Siedt Nearly 500,000 Maryland AAA members may not notice new commercials urging them to take full advantage of the club, preferring instead to stick with the notion that AAA is only for roadside assistance. AAA, however,...

Constellation takes huge leap to 203 in Fortune 500 rankings.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Daily Record Staff Business Writer If Constellation Energy Chairman, President and Chief Executive Mayo Shattuck III was a betting man, he would have lost this one, but only by a smidge. Shattuck recently referred to...

4th Circuit upholds streamlined process for immigration appeals.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Alisa Bralove The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the U.S. Department of Justice's streamlined regulations governing immigration appeals, affirming the decision to deny political asylum to a Guatemalan woman and her...

University of Maryland law school marks 30 years of clinical programs.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Lawrence Hurley Legal scholars will be descending on the University of Maryland School of Law today to mark the 30th anniversary of its well-regarded clinical law program. What began as a solo juvenile law clinic in the early...

Md. Legal Briefs: April 2, 2004.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Got her back? Lisa Allender of Baltimore filed a $100,000 negligence action against the FBI in Baltimore's federal court, alleging that Special Agent James J. Costigan rear-ended her car while she was...

Man sues for share of lottery winnings in Baltimore City Circuit Court.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Peter Geier A Baltimore man claims a woman who agreed to split any winnings she got buying lottery tickets with his money tried to abscond with a $30,000 scratch-off lottery ticket she won. Michael Steven Blair of Baltimore...

View from the Lege - 'Lord of the Ka-Chings'.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Debra Siedt The legislative follies returned to Annapolis this year with the theme "Lord of the Ka-Chings." The follies, dubbed the biggest legislative inside joke, is a presentation of skits and songs, with playful jibes and...

Companies reposition in face of global competition.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Chet Dembeck While relatively inexpensive foreign labor and rapidly developing technology are forcing some U.S. manufacturers to close their doors, other companies are developing strategies to keep themselves alive and well in the...

Advice about who can qualify for the alternative minimum tax rates.
April 2, 2004... Byline: John Rachlin Tax day is just around the corner, and while tax planning should be a year-round consideration, there are still some things you may not be aware of as a taxpayer. In addition, there are tax implications that may not...

Baltimore Orioles to open its schedule on Sunday evening instead of Monday afternoon.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Ezra Fieser No sudden case of "spring flu." No noontime meeting from which you will not return. No full day to digest the hot dogs, recover from a fermented overload and get back to work Tuesday morning. Not this year. The...

ABC drama series'The Service' films pilot in Baltimore.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Kara Kridler Baltimore could be transformed into the setting of yet another television series this one the ABC drama series, "The Service." The plot for the series involves a young woman learning to balance her personal life...

Transit expert picked for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's board.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Sofia Kosmetatos Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan named Gordon Linton, a federal transit administrator under President Clinton, as the county's alternate representative to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit...

Taking Stock - Opnet Technologies gains.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Stocks in the Bloomberg Maryland Index have climbed with the broader indexes this week. Shares in the 92 Maryland companies forming the index have gained 2.6 percent since Friday's market close, while the...

University of Baltimore to raze historic auto showroom to make way for a student center.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Ezra Fieser Despite the recommendation of a state advisory council and protests from community members, the University of Baltimore has decided to raze a historic auto showroom, to make way for a student center in Baltimore's Mount...

Md. Court of Appeals addresses whether the 180-day Hicks requirement was violated.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks Yesterday in Annapolis, the Court of Appeals addressed the question of whether the 180-day Hicks requirement was violated when the prosecutor nol prossed assault and robbery charges against a defendant due to the...

Maryland's utility contract has opt-out option if standard rates turn out to be lower.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Robyn Lamb Maryland officials' claims of saving $3 million in electricity costs during the next two years might prove to be a wash in the long run, according to one energy industry analyst. The state yesterday inked a contract...

Bethesda-based RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals reports net loss for 2003.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of Bethesda, which develops products for repair and healing of chronic wounds and injured tissues, reported a net loss for 2003 of $1.7 million, or 6 cents per diluted share,...

Elkridge-based General Physics to provide e-learning services to agency of U.S. Treasury Dept.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports General Physics Corp., of Elkridge, a provider of training and e-learning services, was awarded a blanket purchase agreement by the Office of the Controller of the Currency, an agency of the U.S. Treasury...

Rockville-based Federal Realty Investment Trust acquires Westgate Mall in Calif.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Federal Realty Investment Trust, of Rockville, a real estate investment trust that specializes in shopping centers and street retail properties, said it acquired Westgate Mall, a 637,000-square-foot shopping...

Bethesda-based Chindex International to sell 1.5 million shares of its common stock.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Chindex International Inc., of Bethesda, which sells health care products and services in China, said it will finance future growth through a private sale to several unidentified institutional investors of...

Gaithersburg-based Sodexho USA to offer weight-monitoring devices to clients.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Sodexho USA, of Gaithersburg, a provider of food and facilities management services to the corporate, education and health care markets, and HealtheTech Inc., of Golden, Colo., agreed to make HealtheTech's...

Rockville-based 20/20 GeneSystems receives grant from Md. Technology Development Corp.
April 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Rockville-based 20/20 GeneSystems received a $20,000 grant from the Maryland Technology Development Corp. to support development of a rapid, accurate test that would determine whether an individual has been...

Two Baltimore women find success writing romance novels.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks Jessie looked up into Blake's eyes, now misted like gray smoke. "I love you, Blake Randall." Blake saw the dark, smoldering fire of emeralds in her eyes. Together they both shared the overpowering emotions of love and...

Commentary: It's a Gimme - Solid drives equal early season success.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Joe Rahnis Getting your game back in shape for the springtime is a daunting task for any golfer. And while pros (myself included) will preach to you about concentrating on putting and chipping to get your scores down, we all know...

Signature Special Event Services names new VP.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Signature Special Event Services, of Frederick, an event rental company serving the corporate, sporting and social event markets, named Cathy Montez as vice president and director of national events. Montez...

Health Care for the Homeless presents awards.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and the Baltimore Ravens have received Community Partnership Awards from Health Care for the Homeless, recognizing their dedication in supporting the statewide nonprofit...

Under Armour Performance Apparel to launch ad campaign.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Under Armour Performance Apparel, of Baltimore, which makes apparel for athletes, will launch its first-ever spring advertising campaign, in conjunction with the first pitch of the 2004 Major League Baseball...

Ace*Comm named Product of the Year winner for 2003.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Ace*Comm Corp., of Gaithersburg, a telecommunications and Internet service company, was named a Product of the Year winner for 2003 by Communications Solutions magazine, a communications industry newsletter...

MD Transit Authority unveils new Light Rail Double Track Project Web site.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Maryland Transit Administration unveiled a new Light Rail Double Track Project Web site, www.mtadoubletrack.com, a comprehensive resource to keep residents and riders of light rail updated as construction...

Ritz-Carlton to open 320-room hotel in Beijing.
April 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., of Chevy Chase, a unit of Marriott International, said it will open a 320-room luxury hotel in Beijing, its first in mainland China, in late 2006. The hotel will be designed by...

Md. Court of Appeals hears topless dancing case.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Lawrence Hurley The owner of a restaurant in Prince George's County who was told by the liquor licensing board there that he had to ask for permission before staging topless dancing had his case challenging the decision heard at...

Md. Legal Briefs: April 5, 2004.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Child abuse widespread More than 15,000 children in Maryland were the victims of child abuse or neglect in 2002, and 33 of them died as a result, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of...

Md. Court of Special Appeals vacates awards in divorce case.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks An ex-husband's challenge to an award of indefinite alimony, a monetary award and various property divisions has met with some success in the Court of Special Appeals. The court vacated a 2002 judgment of the...

Oriole Park stadium workers seek Angelos' aid for wages.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Andrea Cecil Baltimore Orioles majority owner Peter G. Angelos has agreed to organize a meeting between the union representing day laborers at Oriole Park and the Maryland Stadium Authority, said a senior attorney at his law firm....

Mediator to help resolve building height dispute along Baltimore's Charles Street corridor.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Ezra Fieser Baltimore officials have called on a mediator to help resolve a long-running dispute over building height restrictions along the city's Charles Street corridor. The Charles Street Development Corp., a nonprofit...

Anne Arundel County Council nears approval of Odenton area development plan.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Sofia Kosmetatos The Anne Arundel County Council is expected to vote tomorrow to adopt zoning maps for Odenton, one of the two designated growth areas in the county. The vote would complete the administrative process for...

Md. Court of Special Appeals rules agreement to assemble cabin not a custom home contract.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Peter Geier A contract to furnish labor in the construction, erection or completion of a custom home is not the same as a custom home contract that requires the contractor to furnish labor and materials, the Court of Special...

Living Classrooms gains two Baltimore-based promotional partners.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Kara Kridler Two Baltimore-based companies are partnering to promote the Living Classrooms Foundation's multiple Inner Harbor venues to mid-Atlantic event and conference planners. P.W. Feats Inc., an events management firm, and...

Army awards Rockville-based InHand Electronics $100K to develop electronic information device.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Robyn Lamb Taking advantage of the growing defense sector, InHand Electronics Inc. said it is developing two products that will be used to outfit a technologically advanced soldier. The U.S. Army awarded the 13-employee,...

Md. Dept. of Agriculture removes restrictions on movement of poultry and sale of live birds.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Maryland Department of Agriculture said Friday it intends to lift, as of today, its restrictions on the movement of poultry and poultry litter as well as the prohibition on the sale of live birds....

Mustard agent residue could delay weapon stockpile cleanup at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports A goopy residue of mustard agent could delay the cleanup of the chemical weapon stockpile at Aberdeen Proving Ground beyond a December deadline, the General Accounting Office said. A GAO official told a House...

Carefirst BlueCross BlueShield now offers Health Coverage Tax Credit products.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports After obtaining regulatory approvals, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield said it now offers Health Coverage Tax Credit products to an estimated 6,000 individuals and their families from Maryland, Northern...

Cal and Bill Ripken embark on nine-city tour to promote their new book.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Brothers Cal and Bill Ripken, long-time Baltimore Orioles' players, are embarking on a nine-city book tour, starting today in New York, to promote their new book, "Play Baseball The Ripken Way, the complete...

Pepco and Conectiv to raise electricity rates in July, according to Md. Public Service Comm.
April 5, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Residential customers of Pepco and Conectiv who do not choose another electricity supplier will pay more for their electricity come July 1. According to the Maryland Public Service Commission, the average...

Top court rejects challenge to judicial primaries.
April 6, 2004... Byline: Alisa Bralove After hearing arguments Friday on whether unaffiliated voters should be able to participate in primary elections where judicial candidates are on the ballot, the Court of Appeals quickly issued a per curiam order...

Nonprofit opening new, free housing for critically ill kids, parents.
April 6, 2004... Byline: Chet Dembeck A Catonsville nonprofit foundation is opening new, free housing for critically ill children and their parents in Canton and Deep Creek Lake. The Canton facility will be the first of its kind, created to make it...

Assembly deadlocks make overtime likelier.
April 6, 2004... Byline: Debra Siedt Nothing is sacred anymore in the General Assembly, not even Easter Sunday, as lawmakers scramble to pass and kill bills in an attempt to adjourn on April 12 and avoid a special session. Senate President Thomas V....

Restaurateur/attorney disbarred.
April 6, 2004... Byline: Barbara Grzincic A lawyer/restaurateur who failed to pay sales taxes to the District of Columbia for 30 months was disbarred yesterday by Maryland's highest court. The Court of Appeals rejected James Grafton Gore Jr.'s...