Jeff Salkin 2011 Packages

Frederick County school officials say many of their athletic fields are in need of an overhaul. A recent report says 31 of the system's 59 high school and middle school sports fields needs substantial work. 17 May need to be rebuilt completely. The report recommends that officials designate certain fields for Spring or Fall use and restrict helium. It also calls on the school system to spend two million dollars more on a six year renovation program. But some local community sports associations which organize the elementary and middle school football soccer and lacrosse teams object to the proposed restrictions pointing out that they also provide money for sports field improvements to community athletic associations represented the school board with a petition to not impose playing restrictions. The measure to require helmets for children inline skating or riding a scooter was

prompted by the death of a Baltimore County boy in 1998. He was killed while in line skating at the time. He was not wearing a helmet. Inline skating is becoming more popular both as entertainment and as transportation. The number of inline skaters has increased by 300 percent since 1992. However the sport is not without risk. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says about one in every twenty five inline skaters is injured seriously enough to have to go to the hospital. Almost half of those injuries occur in people who are not wearing helmets. But opponents of the bill say it infringes on parental rights that parents should decide how best to protect their children. They also point out that the law will be very difficult to enforce. You can't tell from looking at the beautiful sunny pictures of the Inner Harbor that Maryland has some of the

worst smog in the country for the second year in a row. The American Lung Association is giving Maryland and 10 of its counties a letter grade of F as a measure of its smog problem. The results were published yesterday in their annual State of the report. Studies show that smog can cause chronic illness especially among the elderly and people with asthma. In Maryland nearly a third of residents are under the age of 14 or over 65. Placing them at increased risk. Experts say there are several reasons for the increase in ozone pollution. Everything from coal burning power plants to longer commutes. Could use my Maryland. On the. Vastus. Hagar's town's police chief agrees with the county's top health officer and questions why the Florida company wants to open a clinic in a county that does not have a serious housing problem. An official for the Orlando based group pushing for the facility says methadone clinics

actually help reduce crime in the neighborhood and that many people don't understand addiction problems and treatment and suffer from methadone phobia. Police Chief Arthur Smith is a proponent of drug treatment but doesn't see the need for a heroin treatment center in Hagerstown. He says while working on the Baltimore police force there was a methadone clinic on his foot patrol area that was a problem for the neighborhood. Both sides do agree on one thing. There would be a full time security guard on duty. Under the bill passed by the House it would be a federal crime to harm or kill an unborn child

in the course of assaulting a pregnant woman. Supporters of the measure say it was prompted by the rising incidence of violence against pregnant women but opponents mostly Democrats called it a thinly disguised effort to undermine Roe v. Wade. That is the 1973 Supreme Court decision that struck down state laws against abortion. Supporters of the measure say this is not an abortion bill but President Clinton threatened to veto a similar piece of legislation when it was passed by the House in 1999. The measure never reached the Senate floor for debate. And this bill is expected to face an uphill fight in the Senate this year. I'm John Roberts here on NEWSNIGHT Maryland. We've known for some time that the nursing shortage has put a pinch on hospitals and patients alike.

But a new survey by the Federation of nurses and health professionals finds that the predicted shortage of nurses may turn out to be worse than expected. One out of every five nurses plans to leave the profession within the next five years because of unsatisfactory working conditions. As if the loss of nurses isn't bad enough by the year 2008 another 450000 nurses will be needed to meet demand. Since the early 90s the number of licensed nurses in Maryland has dropped more than 17 percent and each year there are fewer and fewer people entering nursing school. For News Night Maryland I'm Yolanda Vohs. Guess. Not.

A million perhaps but three quarters of a million moms and their supporters gave this group some clout in its mother's day march in Washington last year. But the organization says Real Change begins at home in cities and states. So activities on this Mother's Day will be locally focused. The Million Mom March is not out to ban guns but does support mandatory trigger locks on guns. Similar legislation in Maryland already has passed. It also wants background checks required for all guns firearms purchases and a repeal of laws that allow the carrying of concealed weapons. In D.C. this year the group is promoting a church bell ringing starting at 11:00 Sunday morning and a parade up Pennsylvania Avenue. The Million Mom March now has 240 chapters around the country. I'm John oarfish on NEWSNIGHT Marilyn.

A. Report from the Texas Transportation Institute which looks at the nation's biggest metro areas ranks Metro D.C. third in rush hour traffic

congestion. The study says people heading to work here spend an average forty six hours a year stuck in traffic jams. Only Los Angeles and San Francisco were higher. Baltimore drivers spend about thirty one hours in traffic. The study said it would be worse in metro D.C. but for the above average use of mass transit. And that's where Governor Glendening wants to focus resources. He's proposed a summit meeting involving the District Maryland and Virginia. Those areas often disagree on priorities. Mr. Clendenning is backing a new purple line that would create a new metro line running parallel to the Capitol Beltway. Jeff Socan reporting for news night Maryland. Two summers ago area rivers wells and reservoirs were critically low it

was the climax of a 15 month drought that ushered in a 55 day drought emergency in Maryland. Statewide watering restrictions were imposed for a month as Maryland D.C. and Virginia officials bickered over how to husband dwindling water supply. The signs this spring are not good. According to agricultural officials nearly half of the state's farm topsoil is rated as short or very short of water. Crops are already being that. We can barley planted last fall. For conditions. And the corn planted the rain rain. Now take hold. Right now Wells and reservoirs are in good condition but stream flows are causing concern only about three billion gallons of water are flowing daily down the Potomac River. Forty percent of its regular flow rate. It's estimated there are five to six thousand pitbulls in Baltimore. Initially

the city council voted in favor of the ban 11 to 8. But Councilman Nick Adama voted against it saying this fall he's going to introduce legislation requiring all dogs to wear muzzles when outdoors. City health commissioner Peter Bjornsen opposed the ban saying it would overburden his already limited staff of 17 animal control officers. Meanwhile dog owners say banning any breed doesn't work because you're not changing the owner's behavior. It's the owners they say who are responsible for how a dog behaves. Similar bans are in place in Cincinnati Denver and Miami. However Prince George's County which does have a pit bull ban is thinking now about rescinding it. With gas prices as high as they are many say now is not the time for the

governor to sign a bill that would prohibit large retail stations such as sheets or Wah-Wah food stores from selling gasoline below wholesale cost. The legislation was introduced during the session and approved by the governor. But aides say he is still deciding whether or not to sign or veto it. Those in support of the bill say it will help small independent gas stations remain competitive. Opponents insist it will simply drive up the costs for motorists. Under the bill a station can sell gasoline at wholesale prices but if it drops below the station will be subject to review by the cop trollers office for news night Maryland. I'm Yolanda Vasquez. Right. Gay rights activists immediately attacked the study claiming that many of the 200 x gays and lesbians who participated were

referred by religious groups that condemn homosexuality. The Columbia University professor who headed the study says he can't estimate what percentage of highly motivated gay people can change their sexual orientation. Dr. Robert Spitzer says he spoke to 143 men and 57 women who say they changed their orientation. His research found that 66 percent of the men and 44 percent of the women reached good heterosexual functioning. That is to say they had a sustained loving heterosexual relationship and they received enough emotional satisfaction to rate at least a seven on a ten point scale. Supporters of medical marijuana say that by smoking the banned substance many seriously ill people can get relief from pain and nausea and can

avoid the weight loss that complicates many illnesses. But efforts to allow a medical exception for marijuana use. Hit a wall this week at the Supreme Court. There were no dissent says justices found that despite what eight state legislatures have done. Federal law allows no exceptions that would allow marijuana use. Legislation failed in the 2001 Maryland General Assembly but sponsors say they are undeterred by the Supreme Court action and plan to continue pushing for a compassionate use Bill noting that the vast majority of marijuana prosecutions are under state rather than federal law. Jeff Socan reporting for NEWSNIGHT Maryland. Mary Pegg's says rather than providing immediate solutions to the current energy problems President Bush's plan will make the U.S. even more dependent on expensive and dirty energy

sources that created the current situation. Vice President Dick Cheney says the answer to long term price stability lies in building more oil refineries in the United States. And in reviewing a system where different states require different blends of fuel to meet clean air standards. Critics say the Bush plan calls for building at least one new power plant every week over the next 20 years. More drilling on public lands and increasing taxpayer subsidies for coal and nuclear power. Bush officials say capping electricity prices or pressuring all Pitt to cut oil prices will not solve U.S. energy problems. The report says the number of children under 18 rose to 72 million

since 1990. That's a 14 percent increase. Experts say this dramatic growth is due in large part to immigration traditionally. The kids count report looks at 10 key indicators ranging from low birth weight to high school dropouts to children living in poverty. This year the well-being of kids improved in seven of the 10 indicators during the past decade. Among the good news the infant mortality rate child and teen deaths declined as did the high school dropout rate. The bad news the low birth rate has gone up and the number of children living in single parent homes has increased as well. A new report by the National Safety Council gives more than a third of the states in their country a

below average grade for their efforts to protect against highway deaths. 19 states receive these deaths mostly because those states refused to pass seatbelt laws. The highest grades went to states with primary enforcement safety belt laws which Maryland adopted in 1997. Maryland received a B-plus grade in the report. Seatbelt proponents say it's no coincidence that people use belts more often and die in traffic accidents less frequently. In the 17 states and the District of Columbia that allow police officers to stop and ticket unbuckled motorists. The National Safety Council president says the U.S. ranks behind virtually every other developed country in the world when it comes to seatbelt use. This is the third oldest zoo in the country and it shows. In fact the zoo already was in the midst of a $60 billion campaign to upgrade its infrastructure when the

latest crises hit the trams that take visitors around this 160 acre park roll down. Replacement is a $400000 tap and a century old pipe gave out which left animals dry and visitor's restrooms closed for a time. The state has pledged 28 million dollars to help out but it's matching money and the Baltimore City has cut its proposed contribution in half to 7 million. So the stakes here could be lost if that gap can't be filled. Zoo officials say there are really 28 million short overall. So nickle and dime gifts figuratively speaking will have to add up in a hurry. Zoo gets about 600000 visitors a year. This is executive director says that should be drawing almost twice the crowd. But money's the problem now. And he says bluntly we'll have to close our doors if we cannot deal with these issues. I'm John obviously on NEWSNIGHT Maryland. The. Maryla natural resources police force can put up to 100 80 officers

on the water in 32 vessels. They'll be patrolling this weekend and throughout the summer to enforce rules on drinking having an adequate number of life jackets and other safety issues. Last year 13 people were killed in accidents on the state's waterways an increase from eight the previous year. The total number of accidents though has been steady the last three years at about 200 each year and arrests for operating while intoxicated have declined sharply over the last decade. DNR officials credit improved awareness of the risks in driving a car or a boat while under the influence. Boaters may also want to consider getting a free safety check from the Coast Guard Auxiliary boats passing the inspection or making needed repairs are given a sticker that shows compliance may be good for a discount on marine insurance. Our daily bread soup kitchen is located at 4:11 Cathedral street

directly across from the main public library in Baltimore. Operated by Catholic Charities. The soup kitchen recently celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1991. Our daily bread expanded and local business owners say that's when problems began. They say soup kitchen clients Panhandle vandalized buildings and cars and generally create a nuisance. Business owners say as a result customers are hesitant to come to this part of downtown. Two years ago Catholic Charities announced it would move the kitchen if it could find a suitable location that would allow our daily bread to expand its job training services the potential sites have not worked out however because of neighborhood opposition and concerns that the new locations are too far for clients. It's nothing but smooth sailing for the competitors of this year's boat us Santa Maria cop

a five day marathon of intense one on one contest that is considered to be the premier match racing yacht competition for women in the West. All this week the waters near Annapolis will be teeming with sailboats as past and present Olympians compete for the cup. Eastport yacht club is home to the big event. Which is now in its 11th. The Santamaria Cup is different from most regattas. Not only is it one of the area's only all female races. It is a showcase for the growing popularity of women's match racing for news night Marilyn on the line to boss. The.

2:56 vote to cut the funds for the jail is a blow to county executive Dutch Ruppersberger spending priorities get announced plans last summer to double the size of the detention center located on Kenilworth drive over the next two decades. Right now the county detention center holds 770 beds. And the plan was to increase it to one thousand seven hundred fifty facility. Lucas Bergeron's can criticize my own. House in residence for what they call a lack of public input. In the proposal to expand the jail. The county executive says council members voted against his plan and not on the merits but on the redistricting proposal for news night Marilyn. I'm going on to Boston. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says more than forty nine hundred teenagers died in crashes in 1999 and over half a million young people were injured.

Alcohol was a factor in more than a third of the deaths. Safety experts say other contributors to teen age accidents are driving too fast. A lack of driving experience and distractions like music other passengers in the car and cell phones. A recent study by students against driving drunk found that constructive family discussions about driving expectations can significantly affect teen behavior and ultimately reduce driving accidents. The same study also found that teenagers are significantly more concerned about the threat of drinking and driving than their parents. Since the epidemic began AIDS has claimed the lives of more than a quarter of a million gay men

in the United States according to the CDC. Gay men account for 42 percent of new HIV infections overall and 60 percent of new infections among men. The trend researchers say is highest among young African-American men. Four times the rate among gays of all races in the CDC's survey researchers interviewed men in bars restaurants and social clubs about their sexual and drug use practices. Although the study indicates a growing epidemic among gays in Baltimore. Intravenous drug use remains the principal cause of infection in the city and in Maryland one CDC researcher called the numbers explosive suggesting the infection rate among gay black men is similar to rates in eastern and southern Africa. In the early 1990s. The cash bonuses come from the State Department of Education the grants are part of an

annual recognition program which spotlights schools who scores have improved on Ms. Pap. The Maryland school performance assessment program tests the cash bonuses also recognize other achievements by the schools in all the Department of Education awarded two point seven million dollars to 61 schools statewide. Baltimore County got 460 $3000 this year in past years. State school superintendent Nancy Grasmick held an awards ceremony with representatives of all 24 school districts. But this year state officials decided to let each district hold its own event. First the bad news. There will be no Baltimore Washington Olympics in 2012. The International Olympic Committee requires the name of a single city not to. So it

looks like Baltimore will have to bow out. The good news is that if Washington D.C. is chosen Charm City would still benefit because of its proximity to the capital. Seven other U.S. cities have also submitted bids for the 2012 Olympics including New York. What happens in 2012 greatly depends on what city is chosen for the 2008 Olympics. Beijing Paris and Toronto are the favorites but if Toronto gets it Washington can kiss their big goodbye. There's almost no chance the IOC will hold back to back Olympics in North American cities for news night Maryland. LA DE VOS guess. I'm working with local law enforcement government and community leaders on new efforts to study and combat gang violence. We can't do it alone. We need you. I have established an anonymous tip line in my office where you can safely report

information concerning gang violence. Please call for 10 to 3 go 17:00. It's your neighborhood. Take it back. The tip line was established in response to the shooting of 12 people at an outdoor party in his Baltimore last month. One woman died in the shooting spree. The Memorial Day party was being held in memory of a man who was shot and killed in November. Police blame a gang war that's been brewing for months on the multiple shootings. About 60 people were gathered along East North Avenue to remember Keith Hamlett who police say was a member of one of the gangs when he was shot to death last year in the same neighborhood. Police are still looking for witnesses to the shootings. The survey finds that obese adults are likely to have more chronic health

problems than smokers heavy drinkers or poor people. The Rand research institute in California did the study and concluded that obese people have an average of nearly twice as many chronic health problems as those of normal weight women. Smokers meanwhile had about 40 percent more problems than non-smokers while male smokers had about 30 percent more. The study's authors say the research indicates that public health officials should focus on fighting fat at least as much as they discourage smoking. The survey found 59 percent of Americans are overweight and while not classified as obese overweight people still have almost 20 percent more chronic health problems than people of normal weight. Jeff Socan reporting for Newsnight Maryland. For many Americans who oppose the death penalty. Timothy McVeigh was a poor poster boy

from him came no apology no testimony of mental distress or an anguished childhood. Instead the 168 people killed in the Murrah Federal Building blast were in his words collateral damage in his war against the government. That notwithstanding opponents of capital punishment and even many who in principle supported believed the present system is flawed. In Maryland where just under 20 men are waiting for execution by lethal injection in the state's death chamber. The debate over whether to declare a moratorium on executions continues. Former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke who as the state's attorney sought the death penalty for a number of killers thinks there are legitimate concerns about the system's accuracy and fairness. I've just been concerned about the evidence that's come out over the last few years particularly using DNA studies and seeing that number of people released from death row close to the time of the imposition of the penalty.

Even some conservative thinkers wonder if the death sentence in America needs to be re-examined given the potential for mistakes and the finality of the punishment. Law enforcement officials say the lack of police officer candidates has even spurred a

recruiting war with some departments and agencies aggressively raiding other smaller city and county police departments for experienced officers. As a result. Those departments have had to cancel academy classes because they don't have the new recruits to fill them. In addition to a shrinking pool of applicants. Law enforcement officials say attractive retirement packages are causing police departments to lose their most experienced officers. The Maryland State Police meanwhile is offering incentives to new college grads to attract candidates. Local taxpayers fed up with Peter Angelos claim that he should receive over a billion dollars

for representing the state against Big Tobacco have joined forces to form projects 1.1 billion dollar recovery. The group contends that Angelos fee of 25 percent of the more than 4 billion dollars Maryland expects to receive from tobacco companies is unreasonable. The group's leaders say they will challenge Angelo's claim in court persuade local lawmakers to join the fight and even boycott Orioles games if they have to. For News Night Maryland I'm Yolanda Vasquez. Oxycontin is used for treatment of chronic pain and cancer related pain a time released drug containing oxycodone as its active ingredient with effects similar to heroin medically it's a central nervous system depressant drug enforcement officials say Oxycontin abusers often get their pills from

pharmacies with insurance companies picking up the tab. As we heard a year ago from a doctor who runs a drug treatment clinic I had many patients and tell me the stories about how they've got the lame foot talk down or the dental pain talk down the intractable anxiety talk down and they go into a new doctor and they get a month or two years worth of prescription at the pharmacy one OxyContin pill cost about $4 today. And if that in turn is resold on the streets and cans go for like 25. 40 60 dollars. So it's it's more expensive than heroin or cocaine. I think they're wrong. And Maryland researchers say that fact now is leaving people hooked on Oxycontin and unable to afford it to switch to heroin as their drug of choice. I'm John all of you on NEWSNIGHT Maryland. A variety of studies have demonstrated the challenges step kids face compared to kids who live in

traditional families with their two parents stepkids are more likely to repeat a grade in school. Have disciplinary problems and drop out of school altogether. But in fact these studies indicate that step children on average do about as well as kids who live with a single parent which is to say not as well as kids in traditional nuclear families before divorce rates exploded in the 1970s. Step families were usually formed after the death of a parent. But modern step families are mostly the product of divorce or out of wedlock births. Supporters say it must be for the future economic health of the region. The tech way would provide a new and speedy link between the high tech firms on both sides of the Potomac. It would relieve growing traffic congestion proponents argue but can that proposition ever be proved. Following the withdrawal of support by Congressman Frank Wolf the

federal highway administration dropped plans to complete a feasibility study of the tech way that moved delighted the project's opponents who contend a new bridge and highway would ruin the rural character of Upper Montgomery County and eventually lead to more development more congestion. Still tech way proponents vowed to press on with the project. School administrators are calling it a very bold step but one that will hopefully benefit the children this summer. More than 30000 Baltimore City students are being asked to take part in a remedial program that will help them improve their academic skills in both reading and math. Officials say the students have failed to meet new promotion standards that were introduced last year. Baltimore is one of a handful of school systems nationwide that have set tougher standards in hopes of raising academic achievement levels for NEWSNIGHT.

Maryland I'm Yolanda Vasquez. Law enforcement agencies are stepping up their search for sexual predators on the Internet and the new study says there's good reason. Parents find it almost impossible to monitor their children's Internet activities screen by screen site by site. And the study says around 20 percent of the online youngsters at some point are solicited to meet for sex. The study paid for by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also says that of the children who did get solicited by predators only one in 10 reported it. Three fourths of the youngsters in fact simply didn't pay any attention to the solicitations. But the other fourth according to the researchers were upset or afraid. Many in this group

were younger say 10 to 13 years old. Instant messaging the Internet technology that allows almost simultaneous chat back and forth between two computers has given the predators a new weapon researchers say opening up a new way of reaching and seducing young people they might have first met in more public chat rooms and the study says it's not just troubled youngsters who fall prey to the predators and even children who use the Internet safely can run into them. But researchers said the key to fighting back is getting more young people to report problems like this. I'm John oarfish on NEWSNIGHT Maryland. The painkiller OxyContin and other drugs are increasingly winding up as street drugs abused rather than being used for their intended

purpose partly to address that problem the Baltimore County Health Department substance abuse unit is starting a campaign to focus physicians on the problems of drug and alcohol abuse. Doctors will be asked to pay special attention to indications that their patients have substance abuse problems problems that may be compounding other medical issues. One study found that one in five hospitalized older adults are alcoholics. The county is mailing nearly 4000 doctors information about the new educational intervention program. It includes resource lists and an update on the current legal and illegal drugs that are most often being abused. Jeff Socan reporting for news night Maryland. At age 36 Chris Warner has long dream of scaling Everest the Avid

mountaineer had tried last year but a blinding snow storm at 25000 feet forced the team back at that time. They were the last off the mountain for the climbing season. This springs trip ended much better. Warner and two other Americans joined the team led by Russell Brice of New Zealand. They took a hard route up the north face which is less used and more technically challenging before they return from the mountain. Warner and his team participated in a dramatic rescue of four members of two other climbing teams stranded on Everest. Now Chris Warner is back with the stories of the ascent of the world's highest peak and what climbers leave behind. Once they've made the attempt. The reservoirs located in piny run park the park and the reservoir are popular

recreation spots for anglers boaters and hikers surrounding residents are worried about the impact the new water treatment plant will have on the area. They see the plant as another step to increase growth in South Carol. But the Carroll County Commissioners say the plant is needed to increase the water supply in this populous part of the county. South. Routinely suffers from seasonal water shortages. The group which sponsored the petition the freedom area council says there are more common sense alternatives to increasing the water supply. Meanwhile the county commissioners say the petition is not legally binding because the signatures followed. No formal framework and so will not be verified. One county commissioner says while the petition will not change his mind he doesn't plan to ignore it. For News Night Maryland Yolanda Vasquez. You can always tell when it's summertime in this city. Fire hydrants such as this one become a prime target for kids looking for relief from the heat. According to the Department of Public Works

more than 400 fire hydrants has been cracked open so far this year a number far greater than last year. City crews have been scrambling to shut off the hydrants some of which are capable of spewing forth nearly a thousand gallons of water a minute. Officials say each hour a hydrant is open it costs nearly sixty two dollars in water. DPW has been trying to solve the problem by putting locks on the hydrants. Another option they say is with a sprinkler system which releases a steady flow of water. For News Night Maryland one of. The survey conducted for the Association of Maryland hospitals and health systems shows that more than two thirds of 42 job categories had vacancy rates of 10 percent or higher. About half of the nearly 4000

vacancies are for nurses but there are also high vacancy rates among laboratory and radiology personnel. The surveyed track turnover rates as well as the average number of days it took to fill key positions in all areas of the hospital workforce. One MSHA official says the demand for personnel exceeds supply and because of the years of training required there is no quick fix. The survey found that even unskilled workers are becoming difficult to find and vacancies among dietary aides and housekeeping staff are also growing.