Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) articles from November 2004

Daily Record (Baltimore, MD) archives from November 2004

Commentary: Planning Ahead - Baby Boomers facing retirement odds.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Dena Frenkel While baby boomers have enjoyed a generally improved quality of life over the past decade, as many as 25 million, or nearly one third, have virtually nothing saved for retirement and face a shaky retirement picture,...

Commentary: Maryland administrative law coming of age.
November 1, 2004... Byline: The Daily Record Editorial Advisory Board This week, when the National Association of Administrative Law Judges holds its annual conference here, our state will receive some quiet and well-earned recognition. Administrative...

Study seeks details on Baltimore-area's economic drivers.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Sofia Kosmetatos Seeking a clearer picture of the region's information technology and communications industries, a Washington-based economic development cooperative is launching a major study. The data compiled from interviews...

New attorney with Baltimore County law firm posts $48M win in fraud/breach of contract suit.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Barbara Grzincic Kenneth M. Suggs, president-elect of the American Trial Lawyers Association who started with Janet, Jenner & Suggs in September, posted a $48 million win in late October in a fraud and breach of contract suit, well...

Bush vs. Kerry advertising no help to Md. media's economy.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Kara Kridler The presidential election is hours away, yet Jay Newman, general manager and vice president of Baltimore's WJZ-TV 13, said his station has yet to receive dollar one from either of the candidates. "It's pretty well...

Smyth Jewelers of Baltimore County to open its new store at 2020 York Rd. in Timonium.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Andrea Cecil Smyth Jewelers of Baltimore County will throw open the doors today of its new store, the largest jewelry store in America. So, can an advertising campaign emphasizing size be far behind? Not even close, says Mark...

Federal prosecutors in Maryland get approval to seek capital punishment.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Lawrence Hurley The Department of Justice has authorized the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland to pursue the death penalty against one of three defendants who allegedly kidnapped and murdered the son of a Washington police...

Rockville Economic Development Inc. promoting women in business.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Sofia Kosmetatos When comparing male to female business owners, the numbers simply don't match the population, said Sally Sternbach, executive director of Rockville Economic Development Inc., the city's economic development arm....

IRS investigation of Baltimore-based NAACP threatens organization's tax-exempt status.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Ezra Fieser A loss or change in tax-exempt status for the nation's largest and oldest civil rights group could trigger an influx of small donations from an outraged public, but jeopardize large donations from corporate foundations....

Md. Legal Briefs: November 1, 2004.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Grace under pressure W.R. Grace & Co., of Columbia, a specialty chemical company, said it has been notified that it has been named as a target of a federal grand jury investigation involving possible...

Baltimore jury awards Belcamp-based food export executive $1 million in unpaid wages.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Peter Geier A federal jury in Baltimore awarded a Belcamp-based international food export executive $1 million in unpaid wages under the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law against Bellboy Import Corp. and Bellboy Corp. of...

Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Group reports third-quarter net income.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Constellation Energy Group, of Baltimore, parent of Baltimore Gas & Electric Co., among others, reported third-quarter net income of $210.4 million, or $1.19 per diluted share, on revenue of $3.4 billion,...

Silver Spring-based Choice Hotels International reports third-quarter net income.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Choice Hotels International Inc., of Silver Spring, a hotel franchise company, reported third-quarter net income of $24.9 million, or 73 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $127.5 million, versus net...

Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin to acquire Massachusetts-based Sippican Holdings.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Lockheed Martin Corp., of Bethesda, the nation's largest defense contractor, said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sippican Holdings Inc., a Massachusetts-based supplier of naval...

Bethesda-based Opnet Technologies reports net income for second quarter.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Opnet Technologies Inc., of Bethesda, a manufacturer of network management software, reported net income for the fiscal second quarter ended Sept. 30 of $494,000, or 2 cents per diluted share, on revenue of...

Magellan Health Services reports third-quarter net income.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Magellan Health Services Inc., of Farmington, Conn., formerly of Columbia, a behavioral managed health care insurer, reported third-quarter net income of $26.6 million, or 73 cents per diluted share, on...

Columbia-based Martek Biosciences contributes to new beverage for diabetics.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Martek Biosciences Corp., of Columbia, which manufactures and sells products from microalgae, said PBM Products Inc., a manufacturer of store-brand infant formulas, introduced the first beverage containing...

Commentary: E-mail and Internet services no longer enough in cutthroat world of wireless.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Arlene Karadis The concept of bigger and better, or actually smaller and better, is attracting all sorts of potential buyers to wireless products. On-the-go businesspeople want compact devices that allow them to "pack up" their...

Commentary: Good incubators guide fledgling companies to success.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Donald Fry We are fortunate in the Greater Baltimore region to have good incubators for our bioscience companies. They give startups and more mature companies the chance to get knowledge and resources that would be unavailable to...

Commentary: Though slowly, legal community embraces electronic evidence.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Robert L. Rager "As a profession, they're just starting to come into the '90s." John W. Simek, vice president of Sensei Enterprises Inc. in Fairfax, Va., was somewhat joking when he said this about the country's legal...

Commentary: Secrets can help build your business.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Chuck Morton Technology companies spend countless dollars each year developing and defending important intellectual property portfolios. Along the way, however, they often ignore one of the most basic and valuable ways to defend...

Commentary: MD biotechs receive VC funding.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Shelly Schwartz As venture capitalists regain their appetite for risk, they're being drawn to the rich pipeline of drug products that Maryland research labs are developing. So far this year, many local biotechnology and...

Climate for VC funding stirs back to life throughout Maryland and region.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Barnaby Wickham Four years after the Internet bubble burst, venture capitalists are stirring back to life. Investments by VC firms nationwide rose 22 percent in the second quarter, to $5.8 billion from $4.7 billion a year earlier,...

Interview with Donald Poorman, chief technology officer of Columbia-based Evolution LLC.
November 1, 2004... Byline: Special to The Daily Record The Greater Baltimore Technology Council recently interviewed Donald Poorman, chief technology officer of Columbia-based Evolution LLC, to discuss his company in greater detail. In plain English,...

Commentary: If the game (or game developer) ain't broke ...
November 1, 2004... Byline: Alan Dessoff Shoppers looking for video games for holiday gifts this year will find a broad selection of sports contests, historical battles and other role-playing adventures. If some of them look familiar, it's no surprise....

Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute opens new, free clinic.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute will celebrate on Nov. 9 the official establishment of a new, free clinic in East Baltimore that serves people without health insurance by its count, about 25,000 area...

Profit down at First Health Group.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Citing higher costs and the effect of a decline in revenue from the federal employee sector, First Health Group Corp., of Downers Grove, Ill, which has agreed to be acquired by Bethesda-based Coventry Health...

Fifth edition of Stedman's Medical Dictionary released.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, of Baltimore, an international publisher of professional health information resources, introduced the fifth edition of its popular Stedman's Medical Dictionary for the Health...

MGH Advertising lands three new accounts.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports MGH Advertising & Public Relations, of Baltimore, said it picked up three new accounts for national companies, for activities that include designing a direct mail communication for Merrill Lynch; managing a...

V-One Corps. supplies security appliances to U.S. Army.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports V-One Corp., of Germantown, a provider of network-based security products, supplied 80 of its SmartGuard security appliances to the U.S. Army, to enable rapid deployment of secure mobile applications using...

Johns Hopkins Univ. gains NIH grant.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University received one of 14 biodefense grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, part of the National Institutes of Health, to study how certain...

Sherwood Brands posts net loss of $4.1M.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Sherwood Brands Inc., of Rockville, which manufactures, markets and distributes branded confectionery products and gift items, reported that, for its fiscal 2004 year ended July 31, it posted a net loss of...

Telectronics International completes Phase 1 of contract in Panama.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Telectronics International Inc., of Rockville, which designs, develops and distributes wireless products, systems and services, in partnership with a Panamanian system integrator and communications service...

Agentsmith Inc. unveils new software to help networks increase profits.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Agentsmith Inc., of Baltimore, which develops revenue, yield and price management software for media companies, unveiled Deal Manager, designed to help television networks, cable networks and their affiliates...

Frederick County Board of Education approves plan for new office.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Frederick County Board of Education approved a plan to construct a new office building in downtown Frederick, at a cost of $17.3 million, to consolidate widely scattered offices. The Frederick County...

Target Logistics reports increased profits.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Target Logistics Inc., of Baltimore, a freight forwarding and logistics services company, reported net income for its first fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30 of $245,723, or 1 cent per diluted share, on revenue...

CompuDyne Corp. reports net loss of $1.85M.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports CompuDyne Corp., of Annapolis, a provider of products and technology for the public security market, reported a third-quarter net loss of $1.85 million, or 23 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $33.4...

Building that used to house Babe Ruth's father's bar may be put on National Historic Register.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Kara Kridler When Babe Ruth bought a bar for his father in Baltimore City in 1916, he probably had no idea that his name could potentially save the institution from condemnation more than 85 years later. That's what the bar's...

Divorce lawyer can be paid from 401(k), within reason.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks A husband did not dissipate marital assets when he borrowed money from his 401(k) plan to pay his attorney's fees in his divorce case, the Court of Special Appeals has held. In a case of first impression in Maryland,...

Greater Baltimore Committee spotlighting successful minority-majority business alliances.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Andrea Cecil Alliances between minority-owned businesses and majority-owned firms are increasingly one of the best ways to grow small companies. The Greater Baltimore Committee has noticed and will make strategic alliances the...

Omnicare continues fight for NeighborCare.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Tim Lemke For a fifth time, Omnicare Inc., the nation's largest seller of drugs and pharmacy services to nursing homes, yesterday extended the deadline for its hostile takeover bid for Baltimore-based NeighborCare Inc. The...

Theater company staging gay bridal/election bash.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Sofia Kosmetatos Baltimoreans seeking an alternative way to count the votes tonight need look no further than Calvert Street theater company Centerstage. Televisions, drinks and appetizers will be plentiful, but this will be no...

With stem cells, Md. biotech helps paralyzed rats to walk again.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Robyn Lamb Even as the storm over stem cell research continues to rage, a Maryland company is on the brink of a breakthrough. Neuralstem Inc. possibly the state's only private firm doing research on controversial fetal-derived...

New trial ordered for burglary.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Peter Geier A convicted burglar will get a new trial because the state failed to disclose a witness' statement directly implicating him in a crime, the Court of Special Appeals has held. The statement, in which Tracy Hanna told...

Money manager Nathan Chapman gets 71/2 years, docked $5M.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Money manager Nathan A. Chapman Jr. yesterday received a 71/2-year sentence for defrauding the Maryland pension system of millions and stealing from his public companies. A Baltimore federal judge also...

MD Legal Briefs November 2, 2004.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Killer sentenced to life Ray Sharonnie Davis III, 50, of Baltimore, now serving a 10-year prison sentence for robbery with a deadly weapon, was sentenced yesterday in Baltimore City Circuit Court to life...

Confidence told to friend was prompt complaint.
November 2, 2004... Byline: Alisa Bralove A teen-age girl's revelation to a friend that her half-brother had sexually assaulted her that month is admissible as a prompt complaint of sexual assault even though the abuse spanned nine years, the Court of Special...

Subcontractor must pay $20K for backing out of roofing bid.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Barbara Grzincic A subcontractor must pay more than $20,000 for backing out of its bid to supply the roof for the Winfield Police Athletic League Center in Baltimore County, the Court of Special Appeals has held. Citiroof Inc....

McCormick & Co. expands in central Europe with $73.7M purchase.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Tim Lemke McCormick & Co. Inc. yesterday said it paid $73.7 million for Holland's leading maker of food seasonings, a move expected to boost the Baltimore County-based spice maker's profile in Europe. McCormick, of Sparks,...

National Aquarium in Baltimore nears deal for city land.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Ezra Fieser In need of space to expand its animal care and educational facilities, the National Aquarium in Baltimore is nearing an agreement to buy a former industrial waterfront plot in South Baltimore. The aquarium has...

Commentary: Understand the Fed system to understand the economy.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Gary Williams The Federal Reserve System, commonly know as the "Fed", is simply an independent central bank established by Congress in 1913 that steers the economy by periodically raising and lowering federal fund rates. ...

Tie-breaker: Mother wins last word in joint custody arrangement.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks Declaring that "the law should never be the prisoner of ideas," the Court of Special Appeals has upheld a decision, in a joint custody case, to give a mother "tie-breaking" power in the event she cannot agree with her...

Biotech firm reports progress in search for AIDS vaccine.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Robyn Lamb Human Genome Sciences Inc. has identified an antibody the company says holds promise for a possible vaccine for HIV and AIDS. The Rockville-based company said yesterday it has chosen for further study one of 38...

Court of Appeals finds federal magistrate had jurisdiction over Baltimore teens.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks Two juveniles convicted separately in federal court of drug possession and reckless driving along Baltimore-Washington Parkway have failed to convince the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that a federal magistrate judge...

Voter turnout was high; how about worker productivity?
November 3, 2004... Byline: Sofia Kosmetatos Honestly, how much work got done at your place of business yesterday, Election Day 2004? The delays and distractions yesterday were historic. There were record lines and waits at voting places across the...

Phase II clinical trial for new ulcers drug to begin.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of Bethesda, which develops products for repair and healing of chronic wounds and injured tissues, said it will begin its first Phase II clinical trial of its drug, Thymosin...

Baltimore School for the Arts kicks of renovation, expansion.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Baltimore School for the Arts on Friday will kick off "Act II," a three-year-long renovation and expansion of both its current facility at 712 Cathedral St. in Baltimore and an adjacent building at 704...

Several retailers announce new store openings in Baltimore.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Several major retailers have announced new store openings in the area. Marshall's, a clothing, home decor and gifts merchant, will open in a 30,500-square-foot space tomorrow at 8 a.m. at the Westminster...

NY-based Bovis Lend Lease completes preconstruction for Baltimore-based hospital.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Bovis Lend Lease, a New York-based construction company with an office in Bethesda, completed preconstruction and construction management services for the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Cancer Institute at...

Lanham-based Vocus Inc. supplies BJ's Wholesale with software.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Vocus Inc., of Lanham, which makes Web-based software for the corporate communications and public relations markets, supplied BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. with its Vocus PR software to help manage its public...

Baltimore-based Constellation Energy renames wholesale origination, risk management arm.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Constellation Energy, of Baltimore, a diversified energy company, announced that its wholesale origination and risk management arm, formerly called Constellation Power Source, has been officially renamed...

Hunt Valley-based Sinclair Broadcasting's license-renewal application challenged.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports A Massachusetts-based nonprofit group, called Free Press, is challenging license-renewal applications filed by Sinclair Broadcasting Group Inc., of Hunt Valley, with the Federal Communications Commission for...

Germantown-based Hughes Network Systems expands relationship in Ukraine.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Hughes Network Systems Inc., of Germantown, a provider of broadband satellite services marketed under the DIRECWAY brand, said it has expanded its relationship with Ukrainian Satellite Systems, and will...

Baltimore-based NeighborCare acquires TX-based Quest Total Care.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports NeighborCare Inc., of Baltimore, a provider of pharmacy and medical supply services for the long-term care market, which is itself the target of a hostile takeover bid, said it closed the acquisition of Quest...

Merrill Lynch analyst downgrades Baltimore-based Legg Mason, T. Rowe Price.
November 3, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports A Merrill Lynch analyst downgraded the ratings of shares of Legg Mason Inc. and T. Rowe Price Group Inc., both Baltimore-based financial services companies, to "neutral" from "buy," according to Bloomberg...

Some dealers skeptical of newly-created Maryland Antiques Council.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Andrea Cecil The brand new Maryland Antiques Council, aimed at uniting tens of thousands of antique dealers and collectible shop owners statewide, is being met with some skepticism and confusion by the people it purports to...

Despite costs, holiday travel expected to increase this year.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Kara Kridler In a sign that travelers are again ready to spend, many Maryland travel agents and industry officials are seeing the highest early bookings for the Christmas holidays since 2001. AAA Mid-Atlantic said its gross...

Appraiser, lender in Baltimore flipping scheme head to top court.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Lawrence Hurley One of Baltimore's longest running real estate flipping cases will rumble on today when the Court of Appeals addresses the question of who, exactly, was knowingly involved in the fraud. An independent appraiser...

MD Dept. of Business and Economic Development blames old computers for incorrect numbers.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Ezra Fieser Maryland's second-highest ranking economic development officer said an antiquated computer system is to blame for the Department of Business and Economic Development's overstatement of the job and investment numbers...

U of Baltimore panelists examine confrontation rights after Crawford case.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Ann Parks Students weren't the only ones heading to class yesterday at University of Baltimore School of Law yesterday. Practicing attorneys came, too, to hear a half dozen of their colleagues try to untangle a March 8 Supreme...

Auto parts maker Peake Plastics shuts down, idling 220 workers.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Kathleen Johnston Jarboe Peake Plastics Corp., a large Harford County employer, has closed its doors, leaving as many as 220 workers without jobs. The plant shut down last Friday after losing key contracts and lacking...

Timonium-based Omega Healthcare Investors closes on $78.8M in new investments.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Omega Healthcare Investors Inc., of Timonium, a real estate investment trust that invests in the long-term care industry, said it closed on $78.8 million worth of new investments that include the purchase of...

Silver Spring-based United Therapeutics reports third-quarter net income.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports United Therapeutics Corp., of Silver Spring, which develops pharmaceuticals to combat chronic and life-threatening cardiovascular, infectious and oncological diseases, reported third-quarter net income of...

Gaithersburg-based Digene Corp. reports net loss for first quarter.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Digene Corp., of Gaithersburg, a biotechnology company that manufactures and markets tests for diseases afflicting primarily women, reported that, in its fiscal first quarter ended Sept. 30, it had a net loss...

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers plans expansion of its Hampstead headquarters.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Upscale menswear manufacturer and retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. leased 289,000 square feet of space near its Hampstead home base to expand its headquarters and distribution center, according to the...

Emerging Technology Center's business incubator at Johns Hopkins Eastern has two new tenants.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Bonsal Capital LLC and Education Capital Group LLC are the newest tenants of the Emerging Technology Center's business incubator at Johns Hopkins Eastern the former Eastern High School one of three ETC...

Rockville-based Amisys to include Benny debit card in its product offerings.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Amisys Synertech Inc., of Rockville, which offers information management services to health care payers, said it will include the Benny debit card from Evolution Benefits Inc., of Avon, Conn., in its suite of...

Germantown-based Telkonet retained by Inn/Touch Services for high-speed Internet access.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Telkonet Inc., of Germantown, which develops products for high-speed Internet access over electrical power lines, said it has been retained by Inn/Touch Services, a provider of telephone and network...

Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Group announces promotion of Jonathan W. Thayer.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Constellation Energy Group, of Baltimore, announced the promotion of Jonathan W. Thayer, from director, investor relations, to managing director-corporate strategy and development. Thayer succeeds Mark Huston...

Washington County opposes state of Md.'s plan to make stretch of I-81 a toll road.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports The Washington County Commissioners are opposing a state plan to make Maryland's 12-mile stretch of Interstate 81 a toll road. Placing toll booths near the Pennsylvania and West Virginia borders would hurt...

BSCO Inc. moves to Bynum Business Center in Forest Hill.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports BSCO Inc., a startup manufacturing firm specializing in small fire-suppression systems, has moved to the Bynum Business Center in Forest Hill. The company manufacturers pre-engineered fire suppression systems...

Hagerstown City Council approves increased level of security at City Hall.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Staff and Wire Reports Hagerstown is beefing up security at City Hall. The Hagerstown City Council gave its approval to placing a guard desk and possibly some video cameras in the downtown building to keep better tabs on visitors....

Court of Special Appeals revives slip-and-fall case.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Barbara Grzincic A 79-year-old grandmother who fell while stepping on a movable rug at a Baltimore County restaurant will get another chance to pursue her negligence claims against the owners. The Court of Special Appeals...

Michigan-based anthrax vaccine maker sets up Frederick shop.
November 4, 2004... Byline: Robyn Lamb The nation's only maker of the anthrax vaccine is building a manufacturing plant in Frederick County, bringing about 200 new jobs to the state. Lansing, Mich.-based BioPort Corp. recently bought a...