NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Friday Feb. 14
[Scroll down for full week’s compendia]
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Friday:
Legendary groundhog ‘Punxsutawney Phil’ was allegedly ‘arrested’ Thursday by the Anne Arundel County police. (Anne Arundel County Police Dept. mugshot)
Or so claim the Anne Arundel County police, who allegedly “arrested” the famed Groundhog Day celebrity from Pennsylvania in the midst of Thursday’s snowstorm and charged him with “excessive winter” and “failing to do right.”
The “excessive winter” charge apparently relates to “Punxsutawney Phil”’s Groundhog Day prognostication two weeks ago when he emerged from hibernation and saw his shadow, thereby predicting six more weeks of winter.
Media outlets were informed of the 127-year-old rodent’s arrest via a tweet from Anne Arundel police spokesman Lt. T.J. Smith.
Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States and Canada since 1887 and is rooted in the Celtic tradition that if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on February 2nd, winter will continue for another six weeks.
So if Phil had not seen his shadow this year, according to legend Spring 2014 would be coming early and the Anne Arundel County Police Department would not have had grounds for their alleged arrest of the Punxsutawney, Pa. celebrity, who is the most famous resident of the Jefferson County borough located 84 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and which claims to have popularized the legend for more than 127 years — or at least since the popular 1993 film “Groundhog Day,” in which the legendary rodent was captured by actor Bill Murray, who played a Pittsburgh TV weatherman condemned to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney again and again in perpetuity.
According to Punxsutawney elders, there is only one Phil, who has been providing annual weather prognostications since 1887, making him the longest living groundhog in history, since groundhogs typically only live from 9-14 years.
The Anne Arundel police mugshot shows him to be nearly seven feet tall. (Groundhogs typically measure 16 to 26 inches in length and weigh 4 to 9 pounds, although those that live in areas with fewer natural predators and large amounts of alfalfa have been known to grow to two-and-a-half feet in length and weigh up to 31 pounds.)
It was unclear at press time when or even if the centenarian rodent (also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig and ground squirrel) would be tried and/or incarcerated.
Or if Maryland law provides for prosecution of legendary animals.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun | The (Annapolis) Capital
• JETER’S FINAL HOME-GAME TICKET PRICE, AGAINST ORIOLES: $11K!
However the average cost, which jumped 278 percent when Derek Jeter announced his planned retirement at the end of the 2014 season, is “only” $1,153. The 39-year-old Yankee legend will play his final regular-season game at Yankee Stadium — against the Orioles — Sept. 25.
Read More at: New York Daily News
• SPECIAL APPEALS COURT NOMINEES’ LIST LANGUISHES ON GOVERNOR’S DESK
For more than four months, the list of 18 nominees for three vacant appellate court judgeships has been sitting on Gov. Martin O’Malley’s desk.
Read More at: Maryland Daily Record
• BALTIMORE GETS AT LEAST 15 INCHES OF SNOW, MORE ON WAY
Washington, D.C. got a foot Thursday, while Philadelphia was hit with nearly nine inches. Boston was expecting 4-6.
Read More at: Associated Press | WBFF Fox45-TV | Baltimore Sun
• BILL WOULD ALLOW CERTAIN CRIMINALS TO CLEAR RECORDS
A bill before the Maryland State Senate would allow expungement for most felonies other than murder, kidnapping and sexual crimes. Other bills under consideration would allow expungements for most or all misdemeanors.
Read More at: The (Annapolis) Capital
N.B.: NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS is a weekday/workday service. As such, Voice of Baltimore will not publish a compendium on Presidents’ Day (Mon. Feb. 17th).
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Thursday Feb. 13
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Thursday:
Calvin G. Butler Jr. will take the helm at Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. Feb. 28th.
His appointment as CEO was made Wednesday, as longtime Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. president/CEO Kenneth W. DeFontes Jr. announced his upcoming retirement set for Feb. 28.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• STRONGEST WINTER STORM TO DATE
COULD BRING FOOT OF SNOW TO MD.
A State of Emergency was in effect even before the first snowflakes began to fall, as more than 3,000 flights at BWI were canceled by early evening Wednesday. Six to eight inches of heavy wet snow was being forecast for Baltimore.
Read More at: WJZ-TV (Channel 13)
• RAWLINGS-BLAKE JOKES ABOUT MARIJUANA
The mayor insists however that her hard-line stance against legalization has not changed, even though “personally and as mayor” she is taking a look at and doing more research on the issue.
Read More at: WBFF Fox45-TV
• MD. TEACHER’S UNION AT ODDS OVER COMMON CORE
The implementation of Common Core State Standards in Maryland “has been a train wreck in far too many districts,” according to Betty Weller, of the Maryland State Teachers Association.
Read More at: WBAL-TV (Channel 11)
• REORGANIZATION IMPACTS MD. VERIZON WORKERS
The closing of customer service centers by Verizon Wireless in five states including Maryland will require affected workers to transfer to new offices or else find new jobs.
Read More at: WBAL-Radio (1090AM)
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Wednesday Feb.12
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-
breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Wednesday:
The three candidates running in the Democratic gubernatorial primary this spring are in complete agreement: possession of small amounts of marijuana should be decriminalized.
The three Democrats seeking to be Maryland’s next governor want to make possession of marijuana a civil, rather than criminal, offense.
Read More at: WJZ-TV (Channel 13)
• O’MALLEY DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
The governor’s edict preceded a National Weather Service upgrade which issued a winter storm warning in anticipation of the heaviest snowfall of the current season for much of Maryland. A powerful nor’easter is expected to begin late Wednesday and end sometime late Thursday evening, bringing 6-10 inches of heavy wet snow to the area.
Read More at: The (Annapolis) Capital
• SMOKING IN CITY, COUNTY PARKS
COULD BECOME ILLEGAL
Bills under consideration in Baltimore City and County would impose fines for lighting up on play- grounds, athletic fields and other areas in public parks, with a $50 fine to be imposed by the county and $500 by the city.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE CALLS FOR SPECIAL COUNSEL
Del. Ron George, a Republican running for governor, wants a special counsel named to investigate the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange.
Read More at: WBAL-Radio (1090AM)
• MD. GOVERNOR, LT. GOV., ATTY. GENERAL LEAD CHARGE TO RAISE MINIMUM WAGE
The state’s top three officials testified before a House of Delegates committee Tuesday in support of raising the Maryland minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.
Read More at: Maryland Daily Record
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Tuesday Feb. 11
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Tuesday:
Philanthropist Willard Hackerman, longtime head of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., the multibillion-dollar international construction company based in Towson, died Monday at Johns Hopkins Hospital at age 95.
AS WHITING-TURNER CEO BY TIMOTHY REGAN
Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.’s CEO for nearly 60 years, Willard Hackerman, died Monday morning at Johns Hopkins Hospital. A philanthropist who transformed the small Towson construction firm into an international giant with $5 billion in annual billings, Hackerman was 95.
Whiting-Turner built such notable local landmarks as the University of Baltimore School of Law, the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, the National Aquarium in the Inner Harbor, and M&T Bank Stadium at Camden Yards.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• 1st MARINER BANK’S PARENT COMPANY
FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY
1st Mariner Bancorp filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday and will sell the bank to a group of investors, recapitalizing it with $100 million. The bank will operate separate from the holding company and will not file for bankruptcy.
The holding company’s shares lost 78 percent of their value Monday following news of the bankruptcy filing, closing at 15 cents after opening the day at 68 cents. Over three million shares were traded, a huge increase over the company’s average daily trading of 39,000 shares.
Read More at: Maryland Daily Record
• MAYOR UNVEILS ANTI-CRIME INITIATIVES IN STATE OF CITY ADDRESS
Among other things, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is proposing year-round 24-hour curfew centers modeled after similar programs in Washington, D.C. and Miami.
Read More at: WBAL-TV (Channel 11)
• CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS SPEED-CAMERA PROGRAM DETAILS FROM MAYOR
The Baltimore City Council’s Judiciary and Investigation Committee Chairman James B. Kraft hand delivered a formal request Monday to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the opening salvo in an investigation that could lead to subpoenas and testimony under oath.
Read More at: WBFF Fox45-TV
• BWI POSTS SECOND-BUSIEST YEAR FOR PASSENGER TRAFFIC
Nearly 22.5 million passengers passed through BWI Marshall Airport gates last year, 0.8 percent fewer than in 2012 and just short of a fourth consecutive annual record.
Read More at: Baltimore Business Journal
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Monday Feb. 10
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Monday:
Five Neighbor Care pharmacies in the Baltimore area closed abruptly at week’s end, with customers being directed to get their existing prescriptions filled at nearby Walgreens stores.
It happened without notice at week’s end. Customers are being directed to get existing prescriptions filled at nearby Walgreens locations.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• MONTGOMERY CO. STUDENTS EXPOSED TO TB
They’ll be tested for tuberculosis in the wake of revelations that a student at Watkins Mill High School carried the disease between October and January.
Read More at: Associated Press
• FROSH PROPOSES PRE-TRIAL RELEASE SYSTEM
The Maryland State Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee Chairman Brian E. Frosh introduced at week’s end a bill to create a statewide pre-trial release system housed in every police station in the state, modeled after similar programs in Montgomery County and Washington, D.C.
Read More at: Maryland Daily Record
• GANSLER OPENS CAMPAIGN OFFICE IN BROWN’S TERRITORY
The gubernatorial hopeful opened a campaign office Saturday in Prince George’s County on his rival’s home turf.
Read More at: Washington Post
• MARYLAND GETS MORE SNOW SUNDAY NIGHT
Up to two inches fell in most places except south of Baltimore City.
Read More at: WJZ-TV (Channel 13)
Click here to return to top of page
