Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) articles from July 2003

Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) archives from July 2003

Report, 15 hours after rape, deemed 'prompt complaint'.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Barbara Grzincic A report of rape made several hours after the event was admissible under the "prompt complaint" exception to the hearsay rule, the Court of Special Appeals has held. The appeals court rejected Christian...

Court of Special Appeals affirms that Baltimore street shooting created 'kill zone'.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Barbara Grzincic A shooting on a Baltimore street can be compared to placing a bomb on an airplane or the drive-by spraying of a crowd with an automatic weapon, the Court of Special Appeals found yesterday in a case in which an...

Ten buses owned by Downtown Partnership of Baltimore break down on first hot day of summer.
July 1, 2003... Byline: John O'Connor Baltimore commuters facing the first sticky swelter of summer were surprised to find that some of the year-old buses that shuttle workers downtown were missing a key modern convenience -- air conditioning. When...

Md. and other mid-Atlantic states prepare for a busy Fourth of July weekend.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Daily Record Staff Business Writer Maryland and the rest of the mid-Atlantic are bracing for a busy holiday weekend that is expected to draw the highest nationwide Fourth of July travel in at least nine years, according to AAA. ...

Md. veteran banker chosen to oversee state's banks, lenders, and other financial services.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Charles W. Turnbaugh, 58, will oversee Maryland's banks, lenders and other financial service businesses as the next commissioner of financial regulation come August 1. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and...

Columbia marketing firm expands by targeting firms looking to get work in nearby states.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Andrea Cecil A Columbia marketing firm whose clients include small and medium businesses is growing regionally to serve Maryland firms that want to get work in nearby states. Web-based SmallCompanies.com is building on its...

Md. court rules Homeowners Assn. can't recover fees for taking family to court.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Peter Geier An Olney home owners' association that spent $33,000 to successfully sue a family for parking in the wrong place and putting up a basketball hoop failed to follow its own rules in seeking to recover its attorneys' fees,...

Catonsville businesses in line for revitalization resources.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Heather Coppley Thirteen became a lucky number for Catonsville businesses yesterday when Baltimore County made the area the 13th on its list of commercial revitalization districts. County Executive James T. Smith Jr. said the...

Standard & Poor's Rating Services downgrade Univ. System of Maryland's debt.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Bobby White Standard & Poor's Rating Services downgraded the rating outlook on the University System of Maryland's outstanding debt to negative from stable. The change reflects the system's increased debt burden, in addition...

Maryland launching Medicare prescription assistance plan.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Patrice Dickens While Congress debates prescription drug coverage for the 40 million senior citizens covered by Medicare, Maryland today will implement a stop-gap measure to provide some 40,000 to 50,000 Medicare patients a 35...

Md. Ethics Commission suspends Annapolis lobbyist.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Maryland Ethics Commission suspended Annapolis lobbyist Bruce Bereano from lobbying activities for 10 months after deciding Bereano broke state rules by striking a contingency contract with a client....

Hunt Valley-based Sinclair Broadcast Group estimates second-quarter revenues.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc, of Hunt Valley, said it estimates second-quarter net broadcast revenues from $174 million to $174.2 million, up slightly from last year's net broadcast revenues of $173.7...

Gaithersburg-based DRS Technologies' Electronic Systems subcontracts with General Dynamics.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports DRS Technologies' Electronic Systems Group, based in Gaithersburg, is part of a team formed by General Dynamics to provide U.S. military computer specialists with next-generation hardware and software. DRS...

Rockville-based Manugistics Group selected by French manufacturer to upgrade supply operations.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Rockville-based Manugistics Group Inc. has been selected by Bacou Dalloz, a French manufacturer of personal protective gear, to provide systems and technology to upgrade Bacou's worldwide supply chain...

Eastern Shore low-income housing development bought by Baltimore property owner.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Quail Run, a low-income housing development in Berlin on the Eastern Shore, has been bought by a Baltimore property owner in an auction that garnered $1.16 million for the 60-unit apartment complex. The new...

Owings Mills-based Aether Systems unveils enhancements to mobile and wireless platform.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Owings Mills-based Aether Systems Inc. unveiled several key enhancements to Aether Fusion, its core mobile and wireless platform. Aether is introducing FusionIT, which for the first time provides Fusion users...

Baltimore-based BulkRegister accepts registrations for the dot-LA domain.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Baltimore-based BulkRegister, a wholesale provider of high-volume domain name registration services, said it is accepting registrations for the dot-LA domain, which is being promoted as "Los Angeles' Internet...

Gaithersburg-based BroadSoft Inc. selected to provide services to New Zealand market.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Gaithersburg-based BroadSoft Inc., a provider of hosted communications platforms, has been selected by TelstraClear, one of the largest full-service telecommunications companies in New Zealand, to supply...

Associate dean at Univ. of Md. School of Medicine receives career achievement award.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Dr. Robert A. Barish, associate dean for clinical affairs at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, was awarded the George Washington University Medicine Residency's Career Achievement Award for his...

Antkowiak appointed asst. secretary in Md. Dept. of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Bernard L. Antkowiak has been appointed assistant secretary for workforce development in the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, effective July 7. Antkowiak is well versed in work force...

Md.'s governor announces plans to open office to streamline federal grant-writing.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. announced plans to open an office aimed at acquiring a larger share of federal grant money for the state. The office, with a budget of $300,000 and five staff members, has been...

Md. Chamber of Commerce names tax policy advisor.
July 1, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Maryland Chamber of Commerce named Karen T. Syryl, as tax policy advisor for the chamber. Syryl, a CPA, is a state tax advisor in Baltimore. She will work with the chamber's public policy team on a...

Commentary: Convertible preferred stocks can get it both ways.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Julius Westheimer In this uncertain stock market climate, where should you put your money? Bonds? James Grant, publisher of Grant's Interest Rate Observer, says no. He explains, "People believe that bonds are inherently...

Governor's Office of Homeland Security created by executive order.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. signed an executive order creating the Governor's Office of Homeland Security as Maryland's liaison with the federal Department of Homeland Security, and to work with state agencies...

Columbia-based Maxim Healthcare Services buys CareFocus.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Maxim Healthcare Services Inc., of Columbia, purchased CareFocus, a network of 20 licensed home care agencies in North Carolina, in an all-cash transaction from Beverly Enterprises Inc., of Fort Smith, Ark....

Owings Mills-based Aether Systems launches new product.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Aether Systems Inc., of Owings Mills, a provider of wireless products and services, launched 20/20 Delivery, a new package tracking and proof of delivery application, and said it has supplied the product to...

Towson-based Black & Decker locks up two Masco product lines.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Heather Coppley While known primarily for its power tools, Towson-based Black & Decker Corp. is seeking to expand its share of the hardware and home improvement market through the purchase of two companies specializing in...

Court determines dual purpose no bar to medical treatment exception.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Barbara Grzincic An ice-cream break during a neighborhood "safe sex" instructional meeting took a terrible turn when one of the children decided to use her neighbor's bathroom, where, she claimed, a "strange man" came in and...

Baltimore-based PharmaKinetics Laboratories Inc. acquired.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Bioanalytical Systems Inc., of West Lafayette, Ind., completed its acquisition of Baltimore-based PharmaKinetics Laboratories Inc., following approval of the transaction by PharmaKinetics' shareholders on...

Baltimore Orioles's outreach touches Hispanics.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Andrea Cecil The Baltimore Orioles have teamed up with two organizations associated with Catholic Charities for the second consecutive year. For the charities, it means raising money for their cause. For the Orioles, it means...

Lanham Ford dealership attempting to remain open, despite Ford Motors' attempt to close its doors.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Daily Record Staff Business Writer Lanham Ford Inc. may not be nearing its end, despite a U.S. District Court ruling last week that cleared the way for Ford Motor Co. to close the Maryland dealership. The Lanham dealership sued...

Rockville's Telenor Satellite Services signs contract with Scottish firm.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Telenor Satellite Services, of Rockville, signed a contract with Fugro Survey Limited of Aberdeen, Scotland, to provide high-speed maritime data communications aboard three of Fugro's survey and research...

Elkridge-based General Physics Corp. gets military contract.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports General Physics Corp., of Elkridge, a work force development and training company, joined a team headed by a subsidiary company of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. that will deliver operations, maintenance and...

Annapolis-based TeleCommunication Systems Inc. will provide E-911 service to Western No. Carolina.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports TeleCommunication Systems Inc., of Annapolis, a developer of wireless messaging software and data systems, signed a contract with Carolina West Wireless to provide enhanced 911 service to serve the...

Md. cuts rate Verizon may charge competitors.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Bobby White In hopes of cultivating more competition in Maryland's telephone market, the state's top regulatory agency this week cut the rental rate Verizon Communications Inc. charges smaller providers for access to its phone...

Suit filed over unfinished Baltimore-area AutoZone.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Daily Record Staff Legal Affairs Writer A Cockeysville-based commercial landowner filed a $102 million lawsuit against a former general contractor for an alleged farrago of negligent and fraudulent behavior relating to the...

Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp. gets $30M military contract.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Lockheed Martin Corp., of Bethesda, was awarded a $30 million contract by the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command in Huntsville, Ala., to begin producing the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System. The...

SEC target at Mercantile Bankshares Corp. not talking.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Mercantile Bankshares Corp.'s approach to dealing with a wealth management employee charged with falsifying quarterly reports and antifraud violations at his previous job is unclear. The bank refused to...

Calhoun named president of OAO Healthcare Solutions.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports OAO Technology Solutions Inc., a Greenbelt-based information technology consulting company, named Zan F. Calhoun as president of its wholly owned subsidiary, OAO HealthCare Solutions Inc. Calhoun was a...

SunTrust Bank opening three new branches in Baltimore County.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports SunTrust Bank, Maryland, said it will open three new branches in Baltimore County in July, in Perry Hall at the Perry Hall Shopping Center, 4301 Ebenezer Road; Hunt Valley at 124 Shawan Road; and Pikesville...

Prince George's County saved millions by refinancing 90s bonds.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Prince George's County saved $9 million by refinancing bonds issued in the mid-1990s, County Executive Jack Johnson said. Last week, the county sold $190.7 million of general obligation bonds. Goldman, Sachs...

New VP at BankAnnapolis.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports BankAnnapolis named Barbara N. Copeland as a vice president in its business development group. Copeland was a vice president at Allfirst Financial Inc. in its Chesapeake market, where she was the bank's...

Man's conviction based on obliterating gun's ID number overturned.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Lawrence Hurley A man was unlawfully convicted of obliterating the identification number on a handgun because the judge's instruction improperly shifted the burden of proof, the Court of Special Appeals has held. Under Maryland...

Maryland Legal Briefs July 2, 2003.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Securities dealer barred A Florida businessman has been permanently barred from the securities and investment advisory business in Maryland because of fraudulent transactions, the Maryland attorney...

Baltimore City primary elections filing deadline passed.
July 2, 2003... Byline: John O'Connor Baltimore City primary elections are not until September, but already the city has seen wild speculation, leaders leap into to races only to back out at the last minute and campaigns run on behalf of candidates yet to...

State gap financing program for conversion of commercial bldgs. to residental spaces is gone.
July 2, 2003... Byline: Ezra Fieser When the 100-year-old Congress Hotel closed its doors in the mid-1990s, it was clear that the eight-story Baltimore landmark's days as an elegant hotel had passed. Similarly, for a block of aging retail buildings on...

Mid-Atlantic states prepare for record-breaking Fourth of July travel.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Maryland and the rest of the mid-Atlantic are bracing for a busy holiday weekend that is expected to draw the highest nationwide Fourth of July travel in at least nine years, according to AAA. The projection...

Bethesda-based company finds most investors unaware of effects of rising interest rates on bonds.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports A survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of ProFund Advisors LLC, a Bethesda-based mutual fund company, finds that, although most U.S. investors (57 percent) believe interest rates will rise in the...

Commentary: Ode to a trial court clerkship.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Jason Beaulieu It's common knowledge among attorneys and law students that there's an unofficial hierarchy of judicial clerkships. The creme de la creme, of course, is landing a clerkship for a U.S. Supreme Court Justice....

Commentary: Legal aid - When will Maryland catch up?
July 3, 2003... Byline: Robert J. Rhudy Over 200 years ago, a bunch of successful revolutionaries in the former British colonies of North America (sans Canada) startled the world by proclaiming, "Equal justice for all!" Has that lofty goal been met?...

Maryland works to be No. 1 in nation's biotechnology sector.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Patrice Dickens Maryland officials at the recent Biotechnology Industry Organization conference touted the state's strength as the nation's No. 3 in concentration of biotech companies behind California and Massachusetts. But...

Md.Republicans change traditions of judicial appointments, Democrats weigh their next move.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Lawrence Hurley They won't admit it, but Maryland's two Democratic senators might just be wondering whether their decision to oppose a Bush administration nominee for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals two years ago was such a...

Maryland Legal Briefs: July 3, 2003.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports An assistant state's attorney from Baltimore is jetting to London, England, next week to pass on her experiences to British criminal justice officials. Jennifer K. Etheridge has been invited by Britain's Home...

U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirms judgment in lawsuit over teen/dog tapes.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Lawrence Hurley Two men who videotaped a minor while he engaged in sexual acts with their dogs -- then turned the tape over to the Montgomery County Police Department -- had no grounds to sue the police and other officials after...

Cambridge off-track betting proposal headed back to court in Open Meetings fight.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Peter Geier The Court of Special Appeals has revived an Open Meetings Act challenge to a proposed off-track betting establishment in Cambridge. Last week's reported opinion is the first in Maryland to address the issue of...

Clash of two of Baltimore's heavyweight developers comes to an end.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Ezra Fieser The clash of two of Baltimore's heavyweight developers has come to an end. Developer David Cordish has dropped his $55 million lawsuit against C. William Struever, the founder of the development firm Struever Bros....

Lawsuit filed over jurisdiction in Baltimore developers' lawsuit against Arena Ventures.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Ezra Fieser The week brought another wrinkle to the ongoing controversy over whether billboards should be allowed on the 1st Mariner Arena. Lawyers for 1st Mariner Bancorp Chairman Edwin F. Hale Sr. -- who was granted...

Hunt Valley-based call center to add 150 workers.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Bobby White Absolute Quality, a Hunt Valley based firm that provides technical support for hardware and software companies, is set to hire more than 150 new employees during the next three months to staff a call center for...

Baltimore's waterfront promenade extension will serve black history.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Daily Record Staff Business Writer The City of Baltimore and the Living Classrooms Foundation Inc. will soon begin construction on a waterfront promenade that will serve as part of the Inner Harbor's first attraction focused on...

Md. Board of Public Works clarifies rules of electronic bidding procedures.
July 3, 2003... Byline: John O'Connor The Board of Public Works moved to clarify how state contractors may electronically submit sealed bids, receive payment, protest and handle other aspects of procurement. New regulations approved yesterday allow...

Md. comptroller hints honeymoon may be over with governor.
July 3, 2003... Byline: John O'Connor Reporters and observers were disappointed there were few fireworks between Comptroller William Donald Schaefer and Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. at yesterday's Board of Public Works meeting -- the first since Ehrlich's...

Md.'s Washington Gas Light seeks increase to raise $30 million.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Maryland residents in the Washington suburbs could see their energy bills rise more than $55 next year if Washington Gas Light Co. gets its way in a rate hearing this summer. The Washington-based...

Baltimore City nonprofits warn that payment-in-lieu-of-taxes deal was one-time only.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Patrice Dickens As Baltimore City officials get ready to work on their fiscal year 2005 budget, the Maryland Hospital Association as well as other state nonprofits are warning city officials the payment in lieu of taxes deal they...

Baldwin letter carrier wins inter-state Mega Millions in lottery.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Bernadette "Bernie" Gietka, a resident of Baldwin in Baltimore County, is the hither-to unidentified winner of the inter-state Mega Millions lottery game. Gietka, a part-time letter carrier for the U.S....

Northrup Grumman's extension of defense contract keeps 137 people in Frostburg employed.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Northrop Grumman Corp. received a 60- to 90-day extension of a defense contract, keeping 137 people employed in Frostburg. The company notified state officials in early May it would close its Frostburg call...

Sparks-based McCormick & Co. sells assets of brokerage business in UK.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Spice refiner McCormick & Co., of Sparks, sold the assets of Jenks Sales Brokers, a brokerage business in the United Kingdom, to Jenks' senior management for $5.9 million in cash. McCormick acquired the...

Owings Mills-based Medifast reports record second-quarter revenue.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Medifast Inc., an Owings Mills-based company that manufactures and markets dietary supplements, reported record second-quarter revenue of approximately $6.5 million, a 116 percent increase over the same period...

Germantown-based Microlog reports net income for second quarter.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Germantown-based Microlog Corp., a designer of interactive communications software, reported net income of $1,000, or zero cents per diluted share, on revenue of $1.3 million for its fiscal second quarter...

Former Univ. of Md. professor being considered for U.S. Treasury deputy secretary.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Susan C. Schwab, a University of Maryland professor and a former Commerce Department assistant secretary in the first Bush administration, is under consideration by President Bush to be deputy Treasury...

Commentary: Despite low interest rates, beware of high-yield instruments.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Julius Westheimer Quiz: Where was the Dow Jones industrial average on Independence Day in 1953, 50 years ago? Answer below. With money market funds, Treasury bills, CDs, etc. paying tiny interest rates, many people are tempted...

Commentary: Identity verification and the public good.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Arthur M. Ahalt Editor's note: This is the third of three articles on privacy and public records. There are more than 280 million Americans, and close to 20 million of us are named Smith, Jones or one of eight other very common...

Md. Dept. of Environment regulations can kill brownfields acquisitions.
July 3, 2003... Byline: John O'Connor Baltimore developers have been able to transform empty manufacturing hulks into commercial hubs, turn poisonous waterfront parcels into gleaming neo-industrial office space and build airy apartments out of old mills....

Towson officials not sure new liquor licenses affordable.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Heather Coppley Towson is betting on restaurants to help kick start its revitalization, but liquor license laws continue to be a frustration. Sen. James Brochin, D-Baltimore County, was able to get Towson three more liquor...

Baltimore aquarium and zoo revenues down, search continues for new funding resources.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Daily Record Staff Business Writer For the thousands of overly enthusiastic Maryland school children who visit the National Aquarium in Baltimore for free every year, watching the male seahorse give birth to hundreds of babies is...

Commentary: Univ. of Baltimore Viewpoint - Changing roles of fatherhood.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Jane C. Murphy The recent celebration of Father's Day triggered the usual commentary about the expanded role of today's fathers. Most agree that men are participating more in family life than did their fathers and the once...

Holding company issue to be appealed to Md. Supreme Court.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Attorneys for retailer Syms Corp. plan to appeal Maryland's high court ruling last month barring the use of Delaware holding companies to avoid state taxes. Documents are still being prepared, but the...

Commentary: Technology certifications and myth of the 'computer guy'.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Jared Goralnick The road toward a career in technology is unlike most professional paths. As such, when soliciting technology vendors or workers, employers have difficulty deciphering qualifications and often make poor hiring...

Baltimore Inter. College's Hospitality Olympics give students a preview of cooking world.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Daily Record Staff Business Writer Pan-seared pork loin bathed in white wine sauce, resting atop red bell pepper and tomato-pesto angel hair pasta. Cashew-coated salmon with stir-fried rice and bread herbed with chives and...

Commentary: Eye on the Entrepreneur - The importance of "connectors" in the business world.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Neil R. G. Young, CLU, ChFC LISTEN, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of William Dawes. On the 18th of April in '75, hardly a man is now alive. Stop! Hold it! Dawes? Who's William Dawes? What midnight ride...

Census Bureau celebrates 4th of July in statistics.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Daily Record Staff Business Writer Menus for tomorrow's Fourth of July barbecues probably include the following staples: hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, ribs, garden salads, potato salad, chips and watermelon. Did you ever...

Energy Star program & products means more energy efficiency for businesses, consumers.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Nancy Kercheval Kathleen Hogan, director of Climate Protection Partnerships Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is on a mission to promote Energy Star to Maryland businesses. Hogan says $1.1 billion is being saved...

Commentary: Simple tips for buying a computer.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Larry Fiorino I very often get questions regarding some simple tips for buying a computer. Buying a computer is a lot like buying a stereo. Whether you're buying the newest, state-of-the-art model, or one that just does the job,...

Annapolis lobbyist Bereano disciplined by Md. Ethics Commission.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Maryland Ethics Commission suspended Annapolis lobbyist Bruce Bereano from lobbying activities for 10 months after deciding Bereano broke state rules by striking a contingency contract with a client....

New HGTV series offers to bring handymen to your door.
July 3, 2003... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Has one of your home improvement projects gone awry? Could you use the help of a handyman, plumber, electrician, or carpenter to pull you out of a jam? A new HGTV series, What Have I Done, will respond to SOS...