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Thursday, June 11, 2009
The County Times
Army Corps Releases Final Plan For Oyster Restoration
A final oyster restoration strategy released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wednesday advises that the native oyster be the only animal used to restore the population in the Chesapeake Bay. The proposition in the report, which is open for public comment for the next 30 days, is actually a combination of enhancing efforts to restore the native Eastern oyster, in lieu of the Asian
oyster, and imposing a temporary moratorium on harvesting the animal, with compensation for the oyster industry workers. The final document is available on-line at www.nao.usace.army.mil/ OysterEIS/homepage.asp. The hard copy is available at the Leonardtown public library.
Laurel Racing Argues For Slots Reconsideration ANNAPOLIS (AP) - Lawyers for Laurel Racing went to Maryland’s highest court on Tuesday to argue that its rejected bid for a slot machine license should be put back into consideration by a state commission. But attorneys for the state contended that Laurel Racing’s failure to put up a $28.5 million licensing fee simply disqualifies the company from consideration because it failed to play by the rules defined in law. Michael Berman, an attorney for Laurel Racing, argued before the Court of Appeals that Laurel Racing did not submit the license fee, because the law did not adequately guarantee a refund if a state commission did not grant the license. He said the lack of clarity was a big concern, considering the amount of the fee. “One of the problems with this statute is the uncertainty that
it created for companies trying to operate in the marketplace,” Berman told the court. But Austin Schlick, an assistant attorney general, emphasized that the money is refundable and that Laurel Racing failed to raise its concern about whether the fee was refundable before a February deadline. Schlick said Laurel Racing mentioned ``market reasons’’ for why it wasn’t submitting the fee. “It never suggested that the fees were unconstitutional and never suggested that they were nonrefundable,” Schlick said. Laurel Racing, which is a subsidiary of bankrupt Magna Entertainment Corp., has expressed interest in putting 4,750 slot machines at Laurel Park, a horse racing track in Anne Arundel County.
Staff Blamed for Escape of 14 Juvenile Offenders SABILLASVILLE (AP) - The escape of 14 youths last month from the Victor Cullen Center near Sabillasville reflected a failure by staff and not the reform school’s security measures, a Maryland Department of Juvenile Services spokeswoman said. Had workers acted more quickly and used restraint techniques more effectively, “that entire incident could have been avoided,” agency spokeswoman Tammy M. Brown said in a telephone interview. However, department secretary Donald W. DeVore said later Monday after a community meeting at the center that the workers acted properly and were simply overpowered by the boy who started the disturbance. “He’s a big, strong kid,” DeVore said. “This incident started with one young man that was out of control and a lot of the kids who were near him became very hyper as a result of this incident,” DeVore told about three dozen area residents. DeVore said six staff members had minor injuries, the worst, a cut across the bridge of the nose. Two juveniles attacked staff members, but no weapons were involved, DeVore said. He said the youths who escaped on the night of May 27 were recaptured within an hour and immediately moved to other detention centers. He said he would remain at the center Tuesday to oversee a daylong training session. Brown said the training would be on
proper restraint techniques. Brown has said the juveniles escaped after leaving their unlocked cottages, breaking into a locked maintenance building and using tools they found to cut the 14-foot fence surrounding the 48-bed facility in northern Frederick County, about 60 miles northwest of Baltimore. DeVore said capacity has been reduced from 48 beds to 36 beds because of the escape and will remain at that level “for a while.” He said perimeter security has been increased. Brown said the episode began when a youth refused to give the telephone back to staff members after a routine call home. “They ended up taking the phone from him and that was kind of the cause for him to get angry and really start getting aggressive toward the staff,” Brown said. She said staff members acted too slowly and ineffectively in trying to restrain him. “They used the correct technique, but not effectively,” Brown said. Detainee Jackson J. Blaire, who turned 18 about two weeks before the uprising, has been charged as an adult with second-degree escape. Authorities will seek to charge eight or nine juvenile detainees as adults, Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith III said. The Victor Cullen Center is a staterun detention center for boys convicted of crimes ranging from minor offenses to armed assaults, but not with firearms. Philip Merson, the state attorney general’s Juvenile Justice Monitoring unit ad-
ministrator, said his investigation should be finished within a week. “We have many concerns about the way this was handled as well as it how it could have been prevented,” Merson said.
Md. Looks To Plant 1 Million New Trees By 2011 ANNAPOLIS (AP) Maryland officials are making progress toward their goal of planting 1 million new trees across the state by 2011. As of May 30, agencies including the State Highway Administration and the Department of Natural Resources had completed the plantings of about 152,000 trees. The trees, which were planted by inmates, comprise nearly 250 acres at eight state parks across Maryland. Funds for the trees’ purchase come from the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Enhancement Program. Officials say the trees are being planted during the spring and fall so they can survive hot, dry summers and harsh winters.
Former Volunteer Firefighter Charged with Arson UPPER MARLBORO - (AP) A Silver Spring man has been charged with arson for a fire set at a vacant Landover Hills home last year. Fire officials say Anthony J. Sellers was arrested last week. The 26-year-old is charged with second-degree arson for a June 2008 fire. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $30,000 fine. Firefighters were called to the two-story home for heavy fire coming from the second floor and roof. One firefighter suffered burns to his leg while battling the blaze. Prince George’s County fire officials say additional charges are pending against Sellers for fires set in two other vacant structures in Laurel and Riverdale last summer. Sellers used to be a volunteer firefighter in the county but left before the fires were set.
Philip H. Dorsey III Attorney at Law
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Ocean City Considers Stun Gun Ban OCEAN CITY (AP) - Ocean City’s Town Council is considering a ban on stun guns. The council is expected to review the proposed ban at Tuesday’s meeting. Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino recommended outlawing electronic weapons at a police commission meeting last month, citing concerns that they could be used against police officers. DiPino says police officers receive extensive training on the use of stun guns, but little training is required before a person can purchase one. The proposed law would ban the sale, possession, discharge or activation of any instrument capable of temporarily incapacitating another by the discharge of electrical current, through a projectile or direct contact. Violators could be subject to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
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