Suspect Arrested For Brooklyn Park Murder
07-29-WNAV-
One person has been arrested and another is being
sought for a murder earlier this month in Brooklyn
Park. County Police
announced Thursday that they have arrested 22-year old Ricky Lamont Mason for the
killing of Adam Ray Bucklew. Bucklew was found
shot to death in a car outside his home on Audrey Avenue back on July 1st. Police immediately began looking for two
suspects and spokesman Justin Mulcahy says they caught
up with Mason Wednesday night in the Curtis
Bay area of Baltimore City. Mulcahy says they are not releasing the name
of the second suspect until he is in custody.
He also revealed that the motive for the killing was robbery.
Armed Robbery Suspect Caught by Off
Duty Officer
07-29-WNAV-
An off-duty Anne Arundel County Police Officer was at the right place at the
right time, apprehending a robbery suspect Wednesday. About 10:15 in the morning
the off-duty officer arrested 23-year old Annapolis
resident Richard Parker. Moments before,
Parker had allegedly robbed employees of the Birthright Pregnancy
Center located in the 600
block of Ridgely
Avenue at gun-point. Parker has been charged
with two counts each of armed robbery, robbery and first degree assault.
Fire Damages
City Apartment
07-29-WNAV-
Fire damaged an apartment in Annapolis
this week. Wednesday night at 8:46 City
firefighters responded to an alarm at 312
Severn Ave.
When firefighters arrived at the apartment complex
they found smoke in the living room and hallway of an unoccupied unit. Within
15 minutes the fire was extinguished. No one was injured. The residents are away on
vacation. The cause of the fire remains under investigation
Woman Arrested Following Disturbance
at Hotel
07-29-WNAV-
Throwing all your furniture out of the room, then standing in the doorway nude
while yelling, will most likely draw some attention. And that's exactly
what an Annapolis woman is accused of doing
today at a hotel near Ocean
City. Police say 45-year old Maureen Queen caused
the disturbance at the Francis Scott Key Motel a little after three in the
morning. Queen was
arrested and later released on personal recognizance.
BPW Okay's
Funding For Turf Fields at County High Schools
07-29-WNAV-
The Maryland Board of Public Works approves $2 million to add turf fields at
Southern and South River High Schools, as well as expand the Lake Shore
Athletic Complex. Southern and South River High will receives over 1.5 million
dollars and $522,000 goes towards the expansion of Lake Shore's
Athletic Complex. With the completion of
Southern and South River turf fields, eleven
out of twelve high school stadiums in the county will include synthetic
turf. The Northeast High School
field will be installed as part of the Northeast High
School Renovation project currently under construction. County
Executive John Leopold says "These facilities will help address the increased
participation in youth and adult athletics in the southern and northeast sectors
of the County,"
Fire Destroys Millersville Shack
07-29-WNAV-The
cause of an Anne Arundel County
fire remains under investigation. The blaze broke out early Wednesday morning
and was reported by a motorist driving by the site
near the intersection of Oakwood
Road and Old
Mill Boulevard in the Millersville area according
to Battalion Chief Steve Thompson.
Thompson says the structure was a complete loss. No dollar amount of damages was tabulated because the building was vacant.
Credit Limit Public Hearing This
Afternoon
07-29-WNAV-
Today will provide the newest hurdle for Mayor Josh Cohen's plan to fix Annapolis' money woes. A
public hearing is slated for 4:30 this afternoon with
a vote to follow on Cohen's proposal to amend the city charter. The amendment would double the current
borrowing limit to 20-million dollars.
The mayor says it's not a budget issue, in that
the 12-month spending plan is balanced.
Earlier this year, Cohen got council to up the borrowing limit to
10-million dollars, but it appears that cash infusion will not keep the lights
on a city hall past October.
Transportation Public hearing
scheduled for today
07-29-WNAV-Annapolis
residents will have a final opportunity to voice comments and concerns
regarding the proposed elimination of the C-40 bus route today when a public
hearing takes place at 6pm. In addition, fare increases and other transit wide
serve adjustments will be addressed. A joint meeting of the City Council
Transportation Committee and the Citizen run Transportation Board is also open
to the public. That hearing gets under
way at 8pm. Both will be
held in City Council Chambers and can be viewed live on City TV channel
34 or 99.
Grants Awarded Throughout the State
for Environmental Protection
07-29-WNAV-
The State Board of Public Works has awarded the latest round of grants aimed at
protecting the environment and the Chesapeake Bay.
This round of grants totals more than 353-thousand dollars. Some of that money will help fund two
projects in Anne Arundel County
for roof runoff collectors. In all, the agricultural cost-share grants go to 11
counties for 42 projects that will prevent soil erosion, manage nutrients and
safeguard water quality in streams, rivers and the Chesapeake
Bay. Together, these projects will prevent approximately 6,008
pounds of nitrogen, 1,294 pounds of phosphorus and 1,283 tons of soil from
entering the Bay and its tributaries.
AACC Seeks Help to Celebrate 50th
Anniversary
07-29-WNAV-
With a major birthday looming, Anne
Arundel Community
College is looking for help with setting up a
celebration. AACC has put out a request for proposals, seeking an event
consultant to coordinate the 50-th anniversary celebration for the two-year
institution in Arnold.
Proposals will be taken until August 18th, but the
school should have an idea of how many bids it may receive at a pre-proposal
conference on August 4th. On Jan. 2, 1961, the county
Board of Education established Anne Arundel
Community College. The
college opened in September that year for 270 students in temporary quarters at
Severna Park High School. There are now more than
20-thousand students.
Jet Ski Fatality Due to Lightning
Strike
07-28-WNAV-
A preliminary report says an Annapolis man recently killed in a jet ski
accident, died from electrocution. The Maryland Natural Resources Police
released the results today regarding the July 25th death of 63-year old Warren
Douglas Smith. The boating accident
occurred one-half mile south of the Chesapeake
Bay Bridge
during Sunday's severe thunderstorm. The investigation indicated that Smith,
who was riding a jet ski prior to the accident, was caught
in the storm as he raced back to port. NRP investigators believe Smith was not struck directly by lightning but was electrocuted by
a nearby lightning strike. The information was released
after the preliminary autopsy of Smith was performed on July 26th. The final
autopsy will occur within the next month.
Police Seek Victim of Attempted
Car-Jacking
07-28-WNAV-
Police are looking for the victim of an attempted carjacking near the Annapolis
Mall. It was just after three Tuesday afternoon officers were
called to the mall, where a man reportedly stole a cell phone and MP3
player from Sears. The suspect was chased by store
loss prevention officers and ran into the parking lot and across Bestgate Road,
where he approached a car at Industrial
Drive. The female driver of the vehicle attempted
to drive off, but the suspect opened the driver's side rear door and jumped
inside. The car began to drive again, stopped about 50 yards later and the
suspect jumped out. Annapolis
resident Arthur Tyler Felton was arrested, but police
say the victim drove away from the scene and has not been reached. They are asking her to come forward.
Local Wells Test Positive for
Arsenic
07-28-WNAV-
Well water tested just outside Annapolis and in parts of Talbot and Queen
Anne's counties was found to contain arsenic. The revelation is in a new water
quality report from the Maryland Geological Survey, who with the Maryland
Department of the Environment, studied more than four-thousand public and
private wells in the state. In addition
to the local results, two of the aquifers that provide water to numerous wells
in Maryland were found exceeding federal standards of arsenic levels. In
those places the arsenic naturally occurs. Aquifers that are affected include
the eastern shore's Piney Point aquifer, as well as another that runs from the
eastern shore under the bay and into southern Maryland.
Senior Citizen Arrested for Drug
Dealing
07-28-WNAV-
A Senior Citizen has been arrested for allegedly
dealing drugs in Anne
Arundel County.
County Police say that 69-year old Franklin E. Kleinsmith was arrested and charged after
a raid on his Brooklyn Park Home earlier this month. Police say that
inside the residence in the 200-block of 11th Avenue, they recovered prescription
pills and guns. Seized were a quantity
of Oxycodone and Xanax as
well as a .38 caliber revolver and a 12 gauge shotgun. Kleinsmith
is charged with five counts in all, including charges
of intending to distribute both drugs he was allegedly caught with.
Naval Academy Superintendent’s Exit
Set
07-28-WNAV-
Embattled U-S Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Jeffrey Fowler will be
relieved of duty August 3rd. The academy
announced plans for the change of command ceremony Tuesday, saying that Vice
Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert
will be the guest speaker at the event.
Fowler's retirement had originally been planned for September, but the
date was pushed up after allegations of wasteful spending and an off the books
slush fund surfaced. At the time,
Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations says
that it would better position the Naval
Academy for success in
the upcoming year if Fowler left sooner.
Vice Admiral Michael Miller will take over the Superintendent's post.
Deeper Look at City Unemployment
Rate Finds More Residents, No New Jobs
07-28-WNAV-A
closer look at Annapolis'
unemployment numbers show June might not have been as bad as the eight-tenth of
a point increase may suggest. On the
surface, the jobless rate would have you believe that the city shed jobs in a
major way between May and June, but that's not what
the numbers bear out. According to the
report from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, the
number of Annapolitans that held down jobs in June were virtually unchanged
from May...just four less. Where the
city ran into trouble was an increase to the civilian labor force, but no new
employment to support it. Annapolis registered a
6.8 percent jobless rate in June, slightly better than the statewide rate of
7.1 percent.
Annapolis Among Cities Pro-Life
Group will Distribute Flyers
07-28-WNAV-
Annapolis will be among the stops as Pro-Life
activists from across America
have begun the Defend Life 2010 "Face the Truth" tour. The group says
the tour is to educate the citizens of West Virginia,
DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania,
and Delaware
about the grave injustice of Abortion and the killing of innocent
children. To reach their ends, hundreds
of volunteers will gather at 15 locations over 5 days carrying large
photographic images of aborted Pre-Born babies. Today Defend Life supporters
will be distributing flyers in the Annapolis
neighborhood of long time abortionist Romeo Ferrer,
who the group is asking have his medical license revoked due to several
malpractice claims.
Court Date Set in Iraq War Vets Death
07-28-WNAV-
A preliminary court appearance has been set for a Glen Burnie man accused of
causing the death of an Iraq War veteran. Twenty-five year old Ryan Richard Hynson will appear August 4th on counts of manslaughter,
2nd degree assault and reckless endangerment. July 3rd, police found 23-year
old Robert Raeke lying in the road in the 900-block
of Princeton Terrace. Raeke was taken to the hospital and
pronounced dead as the result of head trauma. Police say that Hynson and Raeke, who had been
friends since high school, were involved in a fight while at a pool party when Raeke fell and struck his head. Raeke
was a 2005 Glen Burnie
High School graduate.
Suspect in Glen
Burnie Stabbing Arraigned, Set for Trial
07-28-WNAV-
A Severn man accused in a stabbing has been arraigned
and a trial date has been set. Court records show that a
October 19th trial has been scheduled for 20-year old Johnathan
Dean Hunter. He faces three counts,
including attempted murder. The charges stem from a June 16th incident near the
intersection of Century Towne and Hardmore Court in Glen Burnie.
Police say Hunter and an 18-year old man got involved in a heated argument that ended with the victim being stabbed
multiple times.
Report Says Some Bay Water Dirtier
than Toilet Water
07-28-WNAV-
A new report compares the Chesapeake
Bay to an unflushed toilet, and not favorably. Testing was done by students
at the University of Maryland and the results were analyzed by Anne Arundel
Community College biology
professor Sally Horner. Bay water was
compared to that from toilets and in some places following a strong rain, bay
tributaries were six times dirtier than an unflushed toilet. Horner says that is a safety hazard. The
report says the while the Bay is already impaired; the test results show how
much worse storm water runoff can make things.
City Appoints First Members to
Economic Development Corporation
07-28-WNAV-
Lost in the "Bar Wars," credit increase and Markethouse
negotiations was the fact that Annapolis took another step towards having a
functioning Economic Development Corporation.
Mayor Josh Cohen signed legislation last week creating the EDC, but
Monday night, Council appointed the first four members, including Chairman Midgett Parker. The EDC is a public-private entity launched
with $400,000 of seed money the City Council approved as part of the fiscal
year 2011 budget. Ultimately, there will
be an 11-member board and an executive director.
Bar Wars End With
Repeal of 2am Ban
07-27-WNAV-
The so-called Bar Wars are over...who the winner is has yet to be
determined. Annapolis City Council voted
6-3 Monday night to overturn current city policy and allow more bars and
restaurants to stay open until 2 a.m.. Bars and restaurants had lobbied for the
chance to remain open for the additional two hours between midnight and 2am
since it's considered a lucrative time to be open and since some grandfathered
establishments were already allowed to be open until the traditional 2am
"last call." Local residents
fought against the additional hours, complaining of drunken patrons and the
problems they cause in the surrounding neighborhoods. Mayor Josh Cohen and Aldermen Dick Israel and
Ross Arnett cast the dissenting votes.
Georgia Fugitive Arrested in
Stevensville
07-27-WNAV-
A fugitive from Georgia
has been apprehended in the WNAV listening area. According to the Queen Anne County Sheriff's
Office, 45-year old Robert Allen Miller was taken into
custody in Stevensville. The Warner
Robbins, Georgia
resident was wanted on four counts of child
molestation and a count each of aggravated sexual battery and solicitation of
sodomy. The Sheriff's Office says it got a tip that Miller was working on a
construction project in Stevensville. Miller was subsequently
charged on a Fugitive Warrant and held without bond pending extradition back to
Georgia.
Separate Court Dates in Armed
Robbery Case
07-27-WNAV-
A pair of Glen Burnie residents accused of
robbing a gas station together will go their separate ways in court. Online records show 22-year old Julia Anne
Craver will be tried November 9th on numerous counts
including armed robbery. Seventeen year
old Robert Edwards Jr. will be tried as an adult five
days earlier. It was June 14th police say that Edwards robbed a cashier at the
Ron Meadows Service Station in the 700 block of Aquahart Road
in Glen Burnie at gunpoint. Craver allegedly drove the getaway car.
Travel delays expected on Ritchie
Highway in Arnold
07-27-WNAV-Sunday’s
storm is still having an effect on this morning commute on Ritchie Highway between College Parkway and
Moore Road
as various utility crews remain on site removing toppled trees and erecting
downed power lines. While crews
continue to work motorists can expect one lane of travel in both directions
with intermittent closures. Drivers are urged to avoid the area if possible or take alternate
routes.
City Issues Tips in Wake of Severe
Storm
07-27-WNAV-
In the aftermath of the Sunday storm, the City of Annapolis has issued some
safety tips for the coming days and for the next time Mother Nature shows her
might. Some in the area lost power for the better part of a day or more and
City Spokesman Phill McGowen
says there is some concern when it comes to food. The tips also say if a
streetlight is not functioning, drivers should treat the intersection as a
four-way stop. They should bring their vehicles to a complete stop and look
both ways before proceeding carefully through the intersection.
Cohen Proposes Upping Borrowing
Limit to $20M
07-27-WNAV-
Two weeks ago, Annapolis Finance Director Tim Elliott told City Council that
money was tight, Monday night Mayor Josh Cohen announced his plans to deal with
the situation. Cohen requested a change to the city charter to allow a
10-million dollar increase in what the city can borrow. The move comes not long after Cohen had the
charter changed to allow a 10-million dollar limit. A public hearing on the
measure will be held at a special meeting Thursday,
with a likely vote to follow.
Two Suspects Sought Following Armed
Robbery in Severn
07-27-WNAV-
A Monday armed robbery in Severn
has police looking for a pair of suspects. A man and woman called police just
before one in the morning, reporting they were approached by
two men as they were sitting on the patio of their residence in the 1700
block of Carriage Court. The couple told officers that both of the
men pointed handguns at them and robbed them of personal property and keys.
Both men ran from the scene and were not located despite the efforts of
officers who canvassed the area.
Charter Amendment Proposed to Deal
with County Council Vacancies
07-27-WNAV-
An amendment to the Anne
Arundel County
charter is being proposed that would call for
additional elections. The resolution would draw a line of distinction between
when a seat can be filled by appointment and when a
special election would be required.
Under the proposal, a vacancy on County Council would require a special
election if it took place within the first three years of the term of the
person leaving the seat. If the vacancy
occurred in the final year of a term, council would simply be able to make an
appointment to the post. A public hearing on the charter amendment is set for
August 2nd.
Suit against Local Cosmetology
School Seeks 35 Million
Dollars
07-27-WNAV-
A multi-million dollar class action lawsuit has been filed against a Glen Burnie cosmetology school. Several students claim
the Fila Academy, and its owner, Larry Fila Jr., made false promises to get them to sign up for
one of the school's programs. They claim
they were forced to clean toilets and to sell the
school's products. The suit also says
that Fila falsely claims to be associated with Paul
Mitchell, all reportedly part of a plan to get the students to obtain federal
loans for the more than 16-thousand dollar tuition. The students are seeking
$15 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in punitive damages for
five counts of fraud, unfair trade practices, and breach of contract and
infliction of emotional distress.
Kidnapping Arrest Made
07-26-WNAV-
A woman abducted from a Hanover
home early this morning has been found unharmed. About 3:45 this afternoon, police found Sherry Lane in the
1400 block of Houghton Road
in Glen Burnie. Additionally, her
ex-boyfriend, Roy Albert Thomas, was taken into
custody without incident. Police say
that Lane was abducted at gunpoint from her home in the 7700
block of Pinyon
Road just before 4:30 this morning by Thomas and
several other men. County Police
spokesman Justin Mulcahy says Lane was not injured,
but is being offered Mobile Crisis. The
investigation is described as "very active" and ongoing at this time.
BGE Continues To Work on Power
Restoration
07-26-WNAV-
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), spokesperson Linda Foy says that it
has restored electric service to more than 90,000 customers since severe
thunderstorms began to affect its Central Maryland service area Sunday
afternoon. Foy says crews worked around-the-clock and continue working to
ensure the vast majority of customers are back in service by late Tuesday
evening. As of 3:00 this afternoon,
nearly 15,000 residents remained without power in Anne Arundel
County. That number is down from the 55,000 that
suffered a power outage during the height of the storm.
Annapolis Man Dies During Severe Thunderstorm
07-26-WNAV-
The Maryland Natural Resources Police are
investigating the death of Annapolis
resident Warren Douglas Smith. The
63-year old died during Sunday's fierce thunderstorm while he was riding a jet
ski one-half mile south of the Bay Bridge in the Chesapeake Bay. Smith and a friend, 65-year old Elmer
Sappington of Severn, who was riding another jet ski, encountered a storm that
produced winds estimated at 60 miles per hour, waves five to six feet in
height, and strong lightning. Sappington and Smith were racing back towards Sandy Point
State Park as they saw
the storm approaching but were unable to reach the safety of the park.
Sappington was knocked off his jet ski by the force of
the storm and when he got back onto his jet ski, he noticed Smith laying face
down in the water. Sappington picked up Smith, who was unconscious, headed
towards Sandy Point and flagged down a passing tug
boat. The tug boat operator called NRP, and officers responded and transported
Smith to Sandy Point. From there, Smith was transported to Anne Arundel
Medical Center,
where he was pronounced dead. NRP's Special Operations Division is continuing the
investigation.
Woman Kidnapped From Hanover Home
07-26-WNAV-
Anne Arundel County Police are investigating a kidnapping. Officers were called
just before 4:30 this morning to a home in the 7700 block of Pinyon Road in Hanover for a report of
a home invasion. Police say that an
ex-boyfriend of one of the residents of the home had arrived with some other
men and demanded that his ex-girlfriend come out. The woman's housemates report at least one of
the men had a gun and that they forcefully removed 26-year old Sherry Anne Lane,
put her in a car and left. One suspect has been identified as Roy Albert Thomas. Police spokesman
Justin Mulcahy says Thomas is the ex-boyfriend and that he and the other men
are considered "armed and dangerous" and that they believe that
Lane's welfare is in jeopardy. Anyone
knowing the whereabouts of Lane or Thomas is urged to
call police.
NSA Expansion Planned to Bring Thousands
to the Area
07-26-(AP)-
A draft environmental impact statement says a project by the National Security
Agency will bring 6,500 workers to the Fort Meade area - challenging the area's
infrastructure. The NSA statement says the planned expansion will cost at least
$2 billion. The project - called Site M - will include a 1.8
million-square-foot building on land at Fort Meade
currently used by two golf courses.
While local officials are excited about the job growth and benefits to
the local economy, they are also worried whether the county can accommodate the
growth. Roads, schools and other infrastructure could become
congested - and Anne
Arundel County
does not have money for major projects.
(Copyright 2010 by The
Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Armed Robbery in Glen
Burnie
07-26-WNAV-
A weekend robbery in Glen Burnie has police
looking for a suspect. A man told police
that as he was walking along a foot path near the 6900 block of Glen Ridge Circle, he was approached by a man with a gun. The victim says he turned over an undisclosed
amount of cash. The suspect, described
as a black male in his 20's, about six feet tall with a thin build, was last seen running from the
area towards Wellham Avenue.
Robbery at Park Probed
07-26-WNAV-
Anne Arundel County Police are looking for four people after a Sunday night
robbery. The incident took place about
six-PM in the 300 block of 10th
Avenue in Brooklyn
Park. The
25-year old Glen Burnie resident told
responding officers that he was at the 10th Avenue Park when a dark-colored SUV
pulled behind him. Two men got out and forcefully removed money from the
victim's pockets while displaying a handgun. During the incident, two other men
remained in the SUV. The men left after
the robbery and headed towards Ritchie
Highway.
Numerous officers searched the area, but were unable to locate the
suspects.
Three Charged With Tampering With
Cars
07-26-WNAV-
Three Pasadena
residents have been arrested, charged with tampering
with and stealing from cars. Police got
the report early Saturday morning from the community of Elizabeth Landing. Officers arrived and quickly saw three people
on Marblehead Way
that matched the general description provided by the witness. Further
investigation revealed stolen property on and near the suspects. They were subsequently taken into custody. The investigation
revealed several vehicles had been tampered with and
some had items such as Ipods removed from them. Twenty-one year old Brittany Kelly, 19-year
old Corey Sawyer and 18-year old Eric Markley were all charged.
Residents left without power
07-26-WNAV- A huge portion of Anne Arundel
County residents remain
in the dark this morning. The power was
lost when severe thunderstorms brought winds topping 60 miles an hour, downing
both trees and power lines. Baltimore Gas and Electric is reporting in Anne Arundel
County as many as 55,000
residents lost power. As of Nearly
21,000 are still waiting for restoration. About 10,000 homes in the PG County
are affected.
BGE
experiencing widespread power
07-26-WNAV-Baltimore
Gas and Electric is experiencing wide spread outages after yesterdays storms.
Crews are actively engaged in restoration efforts. Anne Arundel and Prince Georges
County were
hit the hardest when a huge storm blasted the area Sunday evening. It lasted less than ten minutes producing
winds in excess of 50 miles an hour toppling trees, snapping branches and limbs
causing power lines to snap. BGE reports more than 35,000 residents in Anne
Arundel and Prince
Georges County
remain without electricity. According to
BGE’s website all available crews are actively
engaged in restoration efforts and service will be restored
as safely and quickly as possible
Transportation officials urge
caution
07-26-WNAV-
Transportation officials are cautioning motorists to be on the lookout for some
non-working traffic signals and some road closures. State Highway
Administration spokesman, Chuck Gischlar
says crews have been working all night since the storm. If you travel Ritchie Highway
expect delays and detours. Traffic is being rerouted south bound at College Parkway and Northbound at Arnold Road. Defense Highway at St. Stephens Church road
is closed and several traffic lights are out throughout the area. Authorities say drivers should follow
temporary stop signs which have been placed at some
locations.