Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) articles from December 2008

Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) archives from December 2008

Maryland Port Authority says it will relax access card requirement.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Andy Rosen The Maryland Port Administration is relaxing its requirements as it moves Monday to become one of the largest public terminal owners to implement a new, federally mandated worker identification program. By April, all...

Court Proceedings - Maryland Court of Appeals: December 1, 2008.
December 1, 2008... Byline: The Daily Record MARYLAND COURT OF APPEALS Estates & Trusts Inter vivos transfer BOTTOM LINE: Court of Special Appeals erred in holding that an inter vivos transfer constituted a per se violation of a surviving spouse's...

Legal Opinions - U.S. District Court, Maryland: December 1, 2008.
December 1, 2008... Byline: The Daily Record U.S. DISTRICT COURT, MARYLAND Civil Procedure Class action certification BOTTOM LINE: District Court granted plaintiffs' motion to conditionally certify a class action where plaintiffs demonstrated, by...

Law Digest.
December 1, 2008... Byline: The Daily Record MARYLAND COURT OF APPEALS Estates & Trusts: Inter vivos transfer: Court of Special Appeals erred in holding that an inter vivos transfer constituted a per se violation of a surviving spouse’s right to a...

Commentary: Of Service: St. Ambrose works for sustainable homeownership.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe Surkiewicz With the possibility that one out of every 26 Maryland homeowners may face foreclosure in the next two years, there's not much good news to report. But here's something positive: Reality is sinking in and...

My First/Gold medal: In snowboarding and law, it's best to be adaptable.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Brendan Kearney When Nadine Osinski arrived at Mount Snow on the morning of the U.S. Amateur Snowboard Association's national championship in the spring of 1996, she was met with an 11th-hour surprise. Instead of the giant...

Baltimore County jury orders lender to pay couple $84K.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs A Baltimore County jury has awarded $84,001 to a couple after they were charged additional, undocumented fees on their mortgage by a lender who also hindered their ability to sell their home. Vincent S. Serio was...

Dana Mark Levitz steps down after 23 years on Baltimore County Circuit Court bench.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs By the time Dana Mark Levitz was 13, he knew he wanted to be a judge. It was that summer -- the first he was permitted to use public transportation by himself -- he took buses and streetcars downtown and watched trials...

$207M suit against Bowling Brook Preparatory School dismissed.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs A $207 million federal lawsuit filed by the family of a teenager who died at a now-closed Carroll County school for juvenile offenders has been voluntary dismissed so it can be moved to state court. Steven D....

Harford County truck driver injured by forklift awarded $305K.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Brendan Kearney A Baltimore jury has awarded $305,000 to a Harford County truck driver who suffered broken bones and a torn rotator cuff when he was struck by a loaded forklift at a spice warehouse almost two years ago. After a...

Lawsuit takes aim at Md. State Highway Administration's rules on contracts.
December 2, 2008... Byline: Steve Lash A 67-year-old Frederick construction company has taken the State Highway Administration to court, claiming its program to ensure diversity in public contracts discriminates against firms that are controlled by white men....

The Daily Record News Briefs: December 2, 2008.
December 2, 2008... Byline: Daily Record Staff and Wire Reports Money market funds update Legg Mason Inc., of Baltimore, a global asset management firm, said Monday it will prop up four money market funds with $420 million. The funds had exposure to...

Developer Struever Bros. puts Baltimore's Tide Point up for sale.
December 2, 2008... Byline: Robbie Whelan Developer Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse has announced that Tide Point, one of its largest and most prominent commercial projects, is for sale for $102 million, putting into play more than half a million square feet of...

On Cyber Monday, a hint of cautious optimism.
December 2, 2008... Byline: Liz Farmer With Black Friday weekend sales going better than many predicted, online retailers entered Cyber Monday feeling cautiously optimistic. But after the dust of the holiday shopping season's official launch settles, some...

The Daily Record News Briefs: December 3, 2008.
December 3, 2008... Byline: Daily Record Staff and Wire Reports Weinberg grants: $99M in '08 The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, of Baltimore, one of the nation's largest private foundations with approximately $2 billion in assets, said Tuesday it...

Utilities balk at Maryland Public Service Commission's 25% minority contracting goal.
December 3, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman Local utilities balked at signing an agreement with regulators Tuesday, and argued that a suggested goal for doing business with diverse suppliers might not be attainable. The Maryland Public Service Commission...

Chrysler takes its case for a bailout on the road to Maryland.
December 3, 2008... Byline: Andy Rosen One of Chrysler Motors LLC's top executives is in Maryland this week, pushing to raise public support for the U.S. automotive industry as Chrysler and other top carmakers continue to lobby Congress for a bailout to help...

Greater Baltimore Committee calls for swift action on proposed Red Line.
December 3, 2008... Byline: Andy Rosen Business leaders rallied Tuesday for swift action on the proposed Red Line transit link between East and West Baltimore, calling the project a necessary improvement to the region's transportation system. More than...

Baltimore lawyer heads to Ghana for 3rd African campaign.
December 3, 2008... Byline: Steve Lash Larry S. Gibson will be jetting off to Ghana Wednesday night to give a presidential candidate closing days' advice in advance of the African nation's election on Sunday. It's a trip that Gibson, a University of...

Homeowners testify in gas-leak lawsuit in Baltimore County Circuit Court.
December 3, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs The Twardziks, DePasquales and Fritzes moved to the Jacksonville area in different decades but for the same reason: to raise families in their dream homes. But their dream has become a nightmare since a massive...

Baltimore Court of Special Appeals rules Workers' comp law no bar to negligent-hiring claim.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Steve Lash A woman who says she was fired for complaining that a co-worker grabbed and kissed her is entitled to a new trial in her lawsuit against her former employer, the Court of Special Appeals has held. The decision...

Maryland-based Iridium Satellite LLC sees profit rise.(Financial report)
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff Iridium Satellite LLC, of Bethesda, a supplier of mobile voice, data and Internet services worldwide, reported third-quarter net income of $16.9 million, an 8 percent increase over net income of $15.7...

The Hodson Trust gives $3M in grants to four Maryland colleges.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff A trust that benefits four Maryland colleges has given $3 million to each of the schools. The Hodson Trust announced the grants Wednesday. The money goes to Hood College, St. John's College, Washington...

Maryland-based American Capital Ltd. cuts staff.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff American Capital Ltd., a Bethesda-based asset manager that suspended its dividend last month, said it will cut 19 percent of its U.S. and European staff, or 110 workers, to reduce costs. After the...

Libertytown Shopping Center sale slated.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff A trustee's sale is set for the Libertytown Shopping Center on Route 26 on Tuesday. The center in Frederick County is currently held by Damascus Community Bank. Sunset Supply Hardware is one of two stores...

Baltimore-based Laureate Education Inc. to provide 100 full scholarships for master's degrees.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff Walden University, an online university that is owned by Baltimore-based Laureate Education Inc., announced it will provide 100 full scholarships to selected teachers to help them earn a master's degree...

Maryland school system receives "A-".
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff The Maryland school system received an A- in a new report ranking states' effectiveness at preparing their students for college. Measuring Up: 2008, a report from the nonprofit National Center for Public...

Community College of Baltimore County gets $18K dental grant.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff The Community College of Baltimore County has received $18,000 from the Baltimore Community Foundation to help in the school's efforts to improve the oral hygiene of local Head Start students....

Downtown Partnership of Baltimore issues a congestion alert.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore issued a congestion alert due to performances of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular through Sunday at the 1st Mariner Arena. With thousands of people expected for...

Port of Baltimore gains 10-year agreement with a Finnish paper manufacturer.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff The Port of Baltimore is entering into a 10-year agreement with a Finnish paper manufacturer. Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to sign the agreement on Thursday guaranteeing continued shipment of...

Maryland's universal health care proposal to be discussed in legislative session is doubtful.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff Maryland lawmakers doubt that the General Assembly will take action next year on a proposal to bring universal health care to the state. Montgomery County Sen. Robert Garagiola said Tuesday the plan is...

Baltimore City Circuit Court refashions motor tort mediation mandate.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff The Baltimore City Circuit Court said it has refashioned aspects of its scheduling and procedural requirements for motor tort cases, to require mediation in all such cases with claimed damages exceeding...

Frederick County Commissioners decide to allow booze in parks.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff The Frederick County Commissioners have voted to get rid of a two-year ban on alcohol in parks. But despite Tuesday's 3-2 vote, the ban will stay until new rules have been adopted, possibly next month....

Washington D.C. Metro ads spark complaints.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Maryland Daily Record Staff More than 200 people have complained to Washington, D.C.'s Metro about an ad campaign that questions believing in God. One person praised the campaign. The ads by the American Humanist Association first...

Baltimore-based Legg Mason's heavy hitters say prospects for another depression are very unlikely.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman The current economic situation does not resemble the Great Depression of the 1930s, according to Harry Hersh Cohen. I have a house full of prints from the 1930s, and let me tell you, this is not the 1930s, people...

Baltimore County Circuit Court judge rules for lawyer in former client's countersuit.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs Wednesday was supposed to mark the start of a jury trial in the case of a Hunt Valley lawyer seeking $35,000 in attorneys' fees from a former client and the client's $78,000 countersuit against the lawyer for...

Electricite de France SA proposes $4.5 billion deal to Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Corp.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Ben Mook In a second attempt to prevent the sale of Constellation Energy Group to MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., Electricite de France SA Wednesday proposed a $4.5 billion deal that would keep the Baltimore-based energy company...

After good 3rd quarter, Maryland-based Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. slows growth plan.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Liz Farmer Beating analysts' expectations, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. posted a 31 percent increase in third-quarter profits Wednesday and reported a net of $9.3 million -- but the company warned the slumping retail economy would...

News Briefs - 12/04.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Staff and wire reports Iridium sees profit rise Iridium Satellite LLC, of Bethesda, a supplier of mobile voice, data and Internet services worldwide, reported third-quarter net income of $16.9 million, an 8 percent increase...

World Stem Cell Summit coming to Baltimore in September.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Andy Rosen Maryland has landed an international trade show that focuses on stem cell research, which officials say could help boost the city's profile abroad. Gov. Martin O'Malley announced Wednesday that the Baltimore...

Baltimore-based Legg Mason to cut 8 percent of its workforce.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman Legg Mason Inc. joined the list of companies to downsize staff, eliminating about 200 employees from its corporate business, including 99 from its Baltimore and Owings Mills offices Friday. The layoffs will...

Regulators give environmental OK to LNG plant at Sparrows Point.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman A proposed liquefied natural gas terminal at Sparrows Point would have little environmental impact if developers implement numerous changes to their plan, according to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission report...

Solo Cup cuts 29 jobs at Owings Mills corporate offices.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Ben Mook As part of a planned 9 percent cut in its corporate work force, Solo Cup Co. said Friday it had eliminated 100 salaried positions and 25 contractual positions. Of the cuts, 29 came from the Owings Mills corporate offices....

Ficker fights for right to practice law in Maryland.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Steve Lash Saying he has finally learned his lesson, a contrite and oft-disciplined Robin K. A. Ficker asked the Court of Appeals on Thursday to reinstate the law license it has withheld from him for 17 months for leaving several...

Maryland Court of Special Appeals sends rural project back to planning board.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs The Prince George's County Planning Board must do more than cut and paste a staff report when approving development plans, the Court of Special Appeals has ruled. The court sent the matter back to the planning...

Hunt Valley lawyer, home builder square off over unpaid attorneys fees.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs The opening statements in the trial of a Hunt Valley lawyer seeking unpaid attorney's fees from a former client boiled down to a pair of homophones -- the fax versus the facts. Charles R. Diffenderffer's lawyer...

Marylanders on the Move: December 5, 2008.
December 5, 2008... Byline: The Daily Record Staff Report AWARDS Jane Lipscomb, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, has been honored with the university's 2008 Founders Day Research Lecturer Award. Lipscomb is internationally...

Commentary: Get ready to take advantage of refinancing 'moments'.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Robert Nusgart It's been a little more than a week since the Federal Reserve announced that it plans to buy up to $600 billion of debt issued or backed by mortgage giants Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae and the Federal Home...

Commentary: Shop Savvy will surf the Internet to find the best price while you keep shopping.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Larry Fiorino During this holiday shopping season, all of us are looking for the best possible deal. To find it, we'll spend hours looking through Internet Web sites, advertisements in the paper and even drive from store to store...

Commentary: Homeownership Preservation Coalition helps Baltimore families at risk of foreclosure.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Betsy Nelson In 2005, when a group of foundation, bank and nonprofit colleagues created the Baltimore Homeownership Preservation Coalition, few of them realized that unsustainable loans and increasing foreclosures were a serious...

In Baltimore, condemnation drives urban renewal.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Robbie Whelan For many people, the words condemned building bring to mind a creaky, dilapidated house with boarded-up windows and caution signs posted: somewhere you don't dare go without a hard hat. But in Baltimore, the use of...

Week in Review.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Staff and wire reports Tide Point for sale Developer Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse has announced that Tide Point, one of its largest and most prominent commercial projects, is for sale for $102 million, putting into play more than...

Fired Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Group workers will have some job options.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman As Constellation Energy Group Inc. looked to reshape its business, the company announced job cuts that could reshape the careers of some of its employees. Constellation told employees in a letter Wednesday that it...

The Daily Record News Briefs: December 5, 2008.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Daily Record Staff GBC's Fry to head slots panel Gov. Martin O'Malley has appointed Donald C. Fry, president of the Greater Baltimore Committee, to head a state commission on slot machine licensing. Fry is the first appointment...

Maryland Legal Briefs: December 5, 2008.
December 5, 2008... Byline: Daily Record Staff Labor Dept. sues 401(k) plan trustees The U.S. Department of Labor said it has sued the trustees of the Maryland Sound & Image Inc. 401(k) profit-sharing plan in Baltimore for violating their fiduciary...

Commentary: As medical expenses rise, don't miss key deductions.
December 6, 2008... Byline: Gary S. Williams There are plenty of horror stories about uncovered medical expenses these days, and the truly horrifying part is that many of them belong to people who actually have health insurance. But anytime you or a family...

Maryland Court of Appeals hears post-election firing case.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Steve Lash In an apt case for a political year, the Court of Appeals on Friday heard arguments on whether a winning candidate for office may fire civil servants who campaigned for his opponent. At issue is the validity of...

The Daily Record News Briefs: December 9, 2008.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Daily Record Staff and Wire Reports More work for Profectus Profectus BioSciences Inc. a biopharmaceutical company that is developing proprietary prime/boost vaccines and small molecules to treat and prevent viral infections...

Md. Court of Appeals reinstates former delegate's law license.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Barbara Grzincic It's not as though Robin K.A. Ficker has been idle these last 17 months. Suspended indefinitely from the practice of law, Ficker has run a Bethesda real estate office, successfully spearheaded a ballot...

Baltimore County parents waive jury trial in starvation of two-year-old son.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs The Rodgers Forge husband and wife accused in the starvation death of their 2-year-old son waived their rights to a jury trial in Baltimore County Circuit Court. John and Susan Griffin instead will have their cases...

Maryland Business Roundtable to boost its outreach in Baltimore City.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Andy Rosen A statewide business group that advocates for education reform says it is boosting its career education outreach in Baltimore City public schools. The Maryland Business Roundtable for Education said Monday it is...

Chicago-based Tribune Co. files for bankruptcy.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Liz Farmer Tribune Co., the Chicago-based parent company of The Baltimore Sun, filed for bankruptcy Monday in an effort to manage its nearly $13 billion in debt. The company will continue to operate its media businesses during...

Md. Court of Appeals grapples with online anonymity.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Steve Lash The Court of Appeals took a trip to cyberspace Monday, as the judges heard arguments in a clash between the First Amendment right of people to speak anonymously and the ability of a businessman to pursue a claim of...

Baltimore-based Constellation Energy to begin talks with EDF on $4.5B bid.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman Despite its merger agreement with another firm, Constellation Energy's board of directors Monday authorized the company to begin talks with the firm that offered to buy half of its nuclear holdings last week. ...

Elkton settles suit brought by homeless residents.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Brendan Kearney The Town of Elkton has settled a federal lawsuit brought by a group of homeless residents whose lives were upended when their camp in the woods was bulldozed in August 2006. Elkton will pay each of the eight...

Mark E. Fetting elected chairman of Baltimore-based Legg Mason.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman Legg Mason Inc. elected Mark R. Fetting its chairman of the board of directors of Monday, succeeding company co-founder Raymond A. Chip Mason, the Baltimore-based company said in a statement. Fetting became...

Liberal use of eminent domain in Baltimore poses threat to independent property owners.(Company overview)
December 9, 2008... Byline: Robbie Whelan There is a white dry-erase board in the conference room of Fleet Transit Inc.'s main offices in the Fairfield industrial district of Baltimore, with notes left over from a business strategy meeting scrawled on it: ...

Columbia Bank parent company approved for $375M.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman The Columbia Bank's parent company received preliminary approval Wednesday for U.S. Treasury funding of $375 million, the company said in a statement. Fulton Financial Corp. will sell the Treasury Department...

The Daily Record News Briefs: December 10, 2008.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Daily Record Staff and Wire Reports Ford dealership closes Miller Brothers Ford Lincoln Mercury in Ellicott City has laid off its 55 employees and merged with Columbia's Apple Ford. According to owner Robert Miller, Ford Motor...

Study recommends short-term fix for Ocean City center.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Liz Farmer A study presented Tuesday to the Ocean City Town Council has recommended the city approve a $5 million, short-term renovation project for its convention center, but advised delaying an expansion that could cost between...

Baltimore County jury awards lawyer $44K in fee dispute.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Danny Jacobs A Baltimore County jury has awarded $44,000 in unpaid attorney's fees to a Hunt Valley lawyer from his former client. The day-and-a-half trial involving solo practitioner Charles R. Diffenderffer and home builder...

Md. Court of Special Appeals says seller can keep house built during failed escrow.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Christina Doran A Montgomery County man is entitled to keep more than he bargained for -- including the keys to a brand-new house. Real estate developer Royal Investment Group LLC was trespassing when it knocked down the...

The Daily Record News Briefs: December 11, 2008.
December 11, 2008... Byline: Daily Record Staff and Wire Reports Officials back Red Line route Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. plan to announce Thursday that they are supporting a light rail system for the...

Study: Md. colleges need funding to stay competitive.
December 11, 2008... Byline: Andy Rosen A state report on higher education spending calls for hundreds of millions in spending increases over the next decade, but members of the commission that studied the state's college funding say the state can start to...

'YouTube' skateboarder can sue cop, rules Baltimore City Circuit judge.
December 11, 2008... Byline: Brendan Kearney The first time Eric Bush ran afoul of the rules -- by skateboarding in Baltimore's Inner Harbor in July 2007 -- he received a tongue-lashing and a headlock takedown, courtesy of Baltimore City Police Officer...

Md. Office of the Public Defender resumes paying panel attorneys.
December 11, 2008... Byline: Brendan Kearney Two months after the state Office of the Public Defender announced it could no longer afford to pay private defense attorneys, the office announced it has received $3.5 million for that purpose. The private...

Baltimore's hotel tax lawsuit part of larger litigation strategy.
December 11, 2008... Byline: Brendan Kearney Baltimore's bid to collect another $1.5 million a year in hotel taxes from online travel sites is just one piece of affirmative recovery litigation the Baltimore City Law Department is pursuing, the mayor and other...

Sun Life building in downtown Baltimore sold in $9.2M deal.
December 11, 2008... Byline: Robbie Whelan In the year's first sale of a downtown Baltimore commercial office property, White Marsh-based CSG Partners has purchased 20 S. Charles St., a 12-story building in the heart of the central business district, for $9.2...

2008 Maryland Book of Lobbyists: The evolving role of lobbyists.
December 12, 2008... Byline: Mary Medland Abraham Lincoln -- lawyer, civil rights champion and 16th president of the United States -- was a lobbyist. He worked on behalf of the Illinois Central Railroad to help it acquire a state charter, and subsequently...

Baltimore-based Legg Mason cuts SIVs by $1.7B.
December 12, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman Legg Mason Inc. sold its total holdings in Axon Financial Funding Ltd. Thursday, in a move to decrease the company's exposure to risky securities. The sale reduced Baltimore-based Legg's holdings in Structured...

2008 Maryland Book of Lobbyists: Nonprofits harness power of the lobby.
December 12, 2008... Byline: Karen Nitkin The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, like other nonprofit organizations, relies on lobbyists to track, shepherd, promote and sometimes help defeat legislation. So does the American Lung Association of Maryland. Their...

Md. Public Services Commission: No full re-regulation, cites uncertainty of benefits for ratepayers.
December 12, 2008... Byline: Danielle Ulman The Public Service Commission recommended against full-scale re-regulation in its final report on the state's deregulated electricity market Thursday, citing the risk of uncalculated consequences to Maryland's...

Week in Review.
December 12, 2008... Byline: The Daily Record Talks open Electricite de France SA started talks this week with Constellation Energy Group Inc. about its effort to buy half of the U.S. utility owner’s nuclear business, a challenge to the agreed-upon...

Commentary: The Pursuit of Justice: It's time to reconcile constitutional rights with terrorism.
December 12, 2008... Byline: Steven I. Platt The U.S. Constitution is certainly the most celebrated government charter document in the world and perhaps in the history of the world. It is, therefore, the most venerated, notwithstanding that its meaning --...