WEDDING NIGHTS GALORE AS SAME-SEX COUPLES TIE KNOT TONIGHT; GET DAY OFF TOMORROW... Same-sex couples in Maryland are preparing for their marriages to become official. Maryland's new law allowing same-sex marriage takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is scheduled to attend ceremonies at City Hall, not long after participating in festivities at the Inner Harbor ringing in the New Year. On Tilghman Island in the Chesapeake Bay, six couples plan to get married at the Black Walnut Point Inn Tuesday afternoon. Owners and same-sex couple Bob Zuber and Tracy Stables will be marrying as well. Stables says the island community has been highly supportive. Same-sex couples in Maryland have been able to get marriage licenses since Dec. 6. However, they do not take effect until Tuesday.
QA STEPS UP POLICE AT SCHOOLS The Star-Democrat
Students of Queen Anne's County returning from winter break Wednesday should expect to see an increased police presence at all public schools after a decision was made by the Queen Anne's County Board of Education with the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office to create a safer learning environment for school children. The board of education announced Friday there would be enhanced police presence at all school buildings starting Jan. 2 the first day back from break. Police are expected to closely patrol the buildings for the remainder of the week. The decision followed a series of alarming incidents at county schools during the same week as the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., that claimed the lives of 20 students and six adults. MORE
Students of Queen Anne's County returning from winter break Wednesday should expect to see an increased police presence at all public schools after a decision was made by the Queen Anne's County Board of Education with the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office to create a safer learning environment for school children. The board of education announced Friday there would be enhanced police presence at all school buildings starting Jan. 2 the first day back from break. Police are expected to closely patrol the buildings for the remainder of the week. The decision followed a series of alarming incidents at county schools during the same week as the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., that claimed the lives of 20 students and six adults. MORE
SEVERAL ES COPS APPARENT ASSASSINATION TARGETS
Wicomico County officials are investigating apparent assassination attempts on several police officers along the Eastern Shore. Officials say there have been three similar cases since last week involving a Wicomico County police officer, a Worcester County police officer and a Delaware State Trooper. All three shootings reportedly happened between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. at the private homes of each officer. Two shootings happened in Eastern Salisbury earlier this morning. One shooting happened last week in Western Sussex Co. Police say each case is related at this time because each house had a marked police car at the officers' home. There have been no reported injuries and the suspects are unknown at this time. Police are taking additional precautionary measures, but are no specifying at what extent.
Officials are asking for the public's help as they continue to investigate and if you have any information on suspects or the case, the number for the Wicomico County Bureau of Investigation is 410-548-4891.
Wicomico County officials are investigating apparent assassination attempts on several police officers along the Eastern Shore. Officials say there have been three similar cases since last week involving a Wicomico County police officer, a Worcester County police officer and a Delaware State Trooper. All three shootings reportedly happened between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. at the private homes of each officer. Two shootings happened in Eastern Salisbury earlier this morning. One shooting happened last week in Western Sussex Co. Police say each case is related at this time because each house had a marked police car at the officers' home. There have been no reported injuries and the suspects are unknown at this time. Police are taking additional precautionary measures, but are no specifying at what extent.
Officials are asking for the public's help as they continue to investigate and if you have any information on suspects or the case, the number for the Wicomico County Bureau of Investigation is 410-548-4891.
STEAMER POTS STOLEN
Authorities on the Eastern Shore are investigating the theft of crab steamer pots worth 170-thousand dollars. The 55 stainless-steel pots were stolen in Cambridge last week, along with a Peterbilt truck and a tractor-trailer containing the pots. The truck was recovered in Glen Burnie on Christmas Eve.
Authorities on the Eastern Shore are investigating the theft of crab steamer pots worth 170-thousand dollars. The 55 stainless-steel pots were stolen in Cambridge last week, along with a Peterbilt truck and a tractor-trailer containing the pots. The truck was recovered in Glen Burnie on Christmas Eve.
GA TO INVESTIGATE BALKY SPEED CAMERAS
The Maryland General Assembly will be reviewing the state's law allowing speed enforcement cameras in their upcoming session. The chairman of the House Environmental Matters Committee says they will be calling Baltimore city leaders and their speed camera contractor to discuss problems in the city program. In Baltimore, there have been many complaints of tickets issued in error, and in one case a vehicle stopped at a light was ticketed for speeding. No bills regarding the camera program have been filed yet.
The Maryland General Assembly will be reviewing the state's law allowing speed enforcement cameras in their upcoming session. The chairman of the House Environmental Matters Committee says they will be calling Baltimore city leaders and their speed camera contractor to discuss problems in the city program. In Baltimore, there have been many complaints of tickets issued in error, and in one case a vehicle stopped at a light was ticketed for speeding. No bills regarding the camera program have been filed yet.
TAVERN MARKED FOR DEATH?
A man has died after being shot outside a tavern in Glen Burnie. Anne Arundel County Police say 31-year-old Keith Jones was found dead from a gunshot wound outside Dietrich's Tavern on East Furnace Branch Road at around 5:30 last night. This marks the third deadly shooting at Dietrich's Tavern since 2009. Police have not made any arrests, and the killing remains under investigation.
A man has died after being shot outside a tavern in Glen Burnie. Anne Arundel County Police say 31-year-old Keith Jones was found dead from a gunshot wound outside Dietrich's Tavern on East Furnace Branch Road at around 5:30 last night. This marks the third deadly shooting at Dietrich's Tavern since 2009. Police have not made any arrests, and the killing remains under investigation.
SNOWDEN RETIRES; COURT DATE NEXT WEEK
The head of the Maryland attorney general's civil rights office has announced he is retiring, a decision that comes in the aftermath of legal problems. Carl Snowden released a statement by email Friday saying that he plans to retire effective Jan. 8. Snowden, a longtime Maryland civil rights leader, has a Jan. 7 court date on charges of violating his probation in a 2010 drunken driving case. Snowden also was convicted last month by a Baltimore jury of misdemeanor possession of marijuana. He received a suspended 60-day sentence and a year of probation. Snowden had been given probation before judgment in the 2010 case, but the judge erased that after being told it was an illegal sentence because of Snowden's previous probation for driving under the influence in 2003.
The head of the Maryland attorney general's civil rights office has announced he is retiring, a decision that comes in the aftermath of legal problems. Carl Snowden released a statement by email Friday saying that he plans to retire effective Jan. 8. Snowden, a longtime Maryland civil rights leader, has a Jan. 7 court date on charges of violating his probation in a 2010 drunken driving case. Snowden also was convicted last month by a Baltimore jury of misdemeanor possession of marijuana. He received a suspended 60-day sentence and a year of probation. Snowden had been given probation before judgment in the 2010 case, but the judge erased that after being told it was an illegal sentence because of Snowden's previous probation for driving under the influence in 2003.
POST: ALSTON WENT BANKRUPT BEFORE BEING ELECTED AS DELEGATE A newspaper is reporting that a former delegate to the Maryland state House declared bankruptcy while she was running for her seat and just before using state money for personal expenses. The Washington Post reports former delegate Tiffany Alston filed for bankruptcy in May 2010 as she was campaigning for election to the Maryland House of Delegates. She won and took office in 2011. The paper reports Alston's $182,758 in debts included $26,000 she owed her former law partner. She declined to comment when contacted by the paper. The former Prince George's County Democrat pleaded no contest earlier this year to using campaign money to pay for wedding expenses. A jury also found her guilty of using $800 in state money to pay an employee in her law firm.