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The Health Education Resource Organization (HERO) has been one of the most visible and active champions in fighting AIDS and providing hope to those infected and affected by HIV over the last 25 years in Baltimore, a city where the disease remains a severe problem. The city is beset by rising infection rates among adults in their 20s. African-Americans continue to bear the brunt of the disease, accounting for 90 percent of new HIV and AIDS cases.
At HERO a client can see a doctor, get legal advice, mental health counseling, housing assistance and help pay for their numerous prescriptions. HERO also provides free lunch and dinner to clients and offers free use of laundry facilities, showers and telephones.
On Friday evening the organization will commemorate it's 25th anniversary with a celebration at The Engineer's Club. There will be a reception at 5:30 pm followed by dinner at 6:45 pm. The keynote speaker for the evening is former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders. Also scheduled to speak: Dr. Joel Gallant from Johns Hopkins, Dr. Robert Redfield from the University of Maryland, Dr. Bernie Branson from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, the commissioner of Health for Baltimore City.
Tickets are available at $50. Click here for info
Comments on today's column have come in from all over the world. (Note to readers: If you want to send a dissenting opinion -- and, truly, I do appreciate them -- please refrain from addressing me by terms you would not use in front of small children. All that does is send my finger over to the Delete key, I guarantee you.)
This is one of several letters from readers who got the point I was trying to make about the future of our kids overriding the petty and ego-driven politics of of the moment:
I hope the point you've made gets legs with the mainstream media and the candidates are pressured to make "nice" as you say. Thank you for bringing up the point about what this younger generation will be facing due to climate change. It's chilling to realize that they may not live as long due to what's happening now, all over the world. Never before has a generation had to face the powerlessness of our earth in demise. It really hit home for me. These two candidates certainly would demonstrate their love of their country and commitment to serving us by doing exactly as you say. Stop the obscene spending on this campaign and form a united front now.
Personally, I prefer Hillary as the president and Barack as the VP. He still needs time to strengthen
his young muscles in national politics. If they did as you say we could get sixteen years of two great leaders and the talent that comes with them--perhaps enough time to save the planet.
Colleen Corrigan
Legislative Consultant
for the Wild Rockies
The O'Governor released the following statement regarding Virginia’s efforts to assist in the rebuilding of the Blue Crab population in the Chesapeake Bay:
“I want to thank Governor Kaine and his staff for their leadership and partnership with Maryland on their historic efforts to rebuild the Chesapeake Bay blue crab fishery. When Governor Kaine and I met in Colonial Beach on April 15, we made a commitment to work together to reduce the harvest of female crabs by 34 percent this year. By closing the winter dredge fishery and agreeing to close the fall crab fishery early, Virginia’s actions confirm that we are on the right course, and strengthens our resolve to ensure that our own regulatory measures, proposed earlier this week, are put in place according to plan. These are not easy decisions to make. We are greatly concerned about the impact of these actions on our watermen and our processing industry, and we remain committed to identifying opportunities to mitigate this economic impact. However, these actions are necessary if we are to ensure a sustainable blue crab fishery for future generations.”
Let them plant trees, in the meantime . . .
Should Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama form a ticket?
Between noon and 2 today, you have a chance to post comment, e-mail a question or call and speak about the Pennsylvania primary and where Obama and Clinton go from here. The Midday show is all politics -- with Paul West, the Sun's chief political writer, and Catherine Lucey, who's been covering the campaign for the Philadelphia Daily News. They're with us from noon until 1 p.m., then David Zurawik, the Sun's TV critic, talks about media coverage of the campaign. I'm also go to ask The Z about the recent piece he and Chris Kaltenbach wrote on local TV news operations no longer being "cash cows" for the companies that own the affiliates.
You can e-mail us at midday@wypr.org, or post comments here. The Midday show is available at 88.1-FM, WYPR, or through www.wypr.org
One part of the world wants biofuels to keep our cars running; another part of the world just wants to eat. Is the race to put more food crops in the biofuel stream contributing to the world-wide food crisis? And are biofuels the way to go to lower the amount of greenhouse gases causing global warming? In the first hour of Midday today: A talk with Timothy Searchinger, a Princeton-based scientist who contributed to a study that measured the efficiencies of biofuel production and concluded that corn-based ethanol, instead of producing a 20% savings, would nearly double greenhouse emissions over 30 years and increase greenhouse gases. Biofuels from switchgrass, if grown on U.S. corn lands, would increase emissions by 50%. This result raises concerns about large biofuel mandates in American agriculture.
881. WYPR-FM, noon to 2 p.m.
Many readers reacted strongly to recent stories in The Sun about problems with the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore -- its accreditation status, for one thing, and the need to boost attendance and fundraising. Today on Midday at 1 pm: Don Hutchinson, the zoo's president, answers questions about the 132-year-old institution's future. You can e-mail a question at midday@wypr.org, or call during the show.
Midday, noon-2 pm, Monday through Thursday, WYPR-FM, 88.1
Cynthia Tucker, whose Atlanta Journal Constitution columns have appeared on the Sun's op-ed page for four years, is schedule to hook up with us by phone today at noon to talk Pennsylvania presidential primary politics. Also on the schedule: Jean Marbella, my Sun columnist colleague, and Nell McCormack Abom, host of the Smart Talk public affairs program on WITF-TV in Harrisburg.
88.1 WYPR-FM
Questions, comments welcome at midday@wypr.org
A Ron Paul supporter wrote to me to complain that the Sun had not covered the failed Republican presidential candidate's appearance at Goucher College the other night. "I took my 15-year-old to see Ron Paul at Goucher the other night," she said. "It was packed -- standing room only, probably between 500 and 1,000 people there. He was sublime, rational, cogent and amazing. The Sun coverage of the event was comprehensive. . . . Duh-oh, there WAS no Sun coverage!"
Well, it was a Monday evening, 7:30 pm., speech. By that hour, the only news The Sun would have an interest in covering on evening deadline -- for Tuesday's paper -- would be important, breaking news. That's how things work at this newspaper and many others. Another Ron Paul speech is just not that important.
I'm not saying there isn't value in what he has to say about the state of the nation. I'm saying to expect the Sun or other daily news organizations to, at this point, drop what they're doing to capture his words or positions for readers is unrealistic.
Aside from the logistical issue, there's the question of whether Ron Paul is still newsworthy -- any more than any other failed candidate for president. I'm not involved in these decisions at The Sun, and don't presume to speak for my editors. But Paul got about 19,000 votes in the Maryland Republican primary two months ago, so, whether Paul supporters like it or not, that result diminishes interest in him as a candidate. What can I tell you? We've moved on. Not even the Examiner covered his speech the other night. Print news space is at a premium these days. (At least we had a digest item announcing Paul's speech in advance of the event, so that his supporters could know when and where he was appearing.)
Nonetheless, the posting of this item has led to all kids of negative comments about the media's coverage of Ron Paul. Have at it, folks. It's a free country, and the Sun is so generous with its on-line space, we allow a constant barrage of criticism of how we do things.
One of the world's leading journals declares Baltimore "back from the brink."
"Television dramas such as 'The Wire' may give the impression that Baltimore is a hellhole. It is not. Most of the city is calm and pleasant. Only a couple of areas are crime-ridden. And even in these areas, relatively few young men commit—and are the victims of—the most serious crimes. Last year, 89% of those murdered in Baltimore had a criminal record."
Reader Matt Gonter created a more professional invoice for Representatie Al "Hot To Lobby And Make The Big Bucks" Wynn:
| INVOICE | |||
| Comptroller of Maryland | DATE: | April 10, 2008 | |
| 80 Calvert St | INVOICE # | 1 | |
| P.O. Box 466 | |||
| Annapolis, MD 21404 | |||
| Phone: (410) 260-7801 | |||
| Bill To: | |||
| Rep. Albert Wynn | |||
| 2470 Rayburn Building | |||
| Washington, DC 20515 | |||
| DESCRIPTION | AMOUNT | ||
| 2008 Special Election- 4th Congressional District | $500,000.00 | ||
| TOTAL | $ 500,000.00 | ||
| Make all checks payable to Comptroller of Maryland. | |||
| If you have any questions concerning this invoice, please contact Peter Franchot at 410-260-7801. | |||
THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS! | |||
The twin brothers who run Baltimore Trophy House in Highlandtown, Todd and Brooks Bennett, have invented and pattented a game for tailgaters. They call it Cool Toss, a bean-bag toss game with small, round wells in the lids of beer coolers as the targets. They set up a demo area near Sliders on Orioles Opening Day, and a video of the beer-injected fun has been YouTubed. Click here to check it out . . . . Brooks says the Coleman company is producing 1,000 CoolToss coolers and they'll be on sale in May.
With the help of Coach Jonathan Kehl, we're following the Patterson High School boys' varsity lacrosse season. Last year at this time, Kehl's Clippers started their season without one of their leaders -- Christopher Clarke, the promising senior who had been a bystander victim of a street shooting in northeast Baltimore. The '07 Clippers dedicated their season to Clarke. (Here's a link to an earlier blog post and my column of May 2007).
Here's Coach Kehl's latest report: The thing I love about Patterson and our team is that you never really know what you’re gonna get. Everyday is something new and monotony is nonexistent. This week saw the return of Tyrell Addison who is unquestionably one of most athletic and passionate young men I’ve ever met. Of course this would mean I would have to stick my head out for him and vouch that he would keep his affairs in order. The week also saw the loss of another clipper. Eric, half of the ‘Latin Heat’, had to step up as a man and down as a Clipper. Because of circumstances beyond his control, he needs to take leave from the team and being a freshman, to instead run the family business. Yeah a ninth-grader, like so many others in Baltimore City, was pushed into adulthood a bit too early. I love that kid and I hope he comes back as soon as he can. And how about the Castro family?! Talk about a pleasant surprise. It has been overwhelming how many people are touched by and support Patterson Lacrosse. The Castro family is about as selfless as they come. As tight as things are for everyone, they graciously donated $200 to the team’s discretionary fund (which until now only consisted of my money). I think the only appropriate way to spend the extra cash is to finally create a Christopher Clarke scholarship fund. Castro’s you have the honor of the first endowment. As the scholarship project develops, I will keep everyone up to speed. I know there are a lot of you out there who will be interested. Last Friday, we had the pleasure of playing Forest Park in west Baltimore. It was the first of a five game road series for the Clippers. We were caught off guard and found ourselves down 3 nil in the first few minutes. From there it was all Patterson with 5 unanswered goals. We were plagued with penalties for most of the match and played man-down for nearly 10 minutes in all. Needless to say, Forest Park also rallied and the game would end with the Clippers going into overtime, man-down, without possession. Forest Park capitalized and won the match 8-7. Tuesday’s match would take us to W.E.B. Dubois in Northeast Baltimore. The outcome wasn’t much different with a loss by one goal. Jazmon Harris had an amazing late game and Charles Karaberis had the game of is young career. It really was a good match and as heartbreaking as these one goal losses are, I guess it has got to be better than getting blown out. We are so close, but we just can’t seem to finish. Maybe it’s the coaching. Digital Harbor is this Friday; they beat Dubois by one so maybe we will return the favor. Thanks for all of your continued support and tolerance of my grammatical errors. Coach Kehl --------- Clippers get first win
April 7:
Wow, What a week… Due to travel circumstances beyond my control (US Airways) I was in Charlotte NC while the Clippers were playing there first regular season game against Edmondson. As you can imagine, I was disappointed to say the least, but the Clippers came through and played very well against Edmondson under the Supervision of Assistant Coach Rudy Wagoner and Coach Chris Stalker. They were tied at the half but came up a little short and finished down by two. Not a bad effort with the absence of their Head Coach. In any event, we were back at it Wednesday and Thursday making adjustments to prepare for Douglas.
I came as no surprise to see more rain and cold weather at our first home game. I told the boys we’d be cursed with bad weather until we get that ‘W’. Everything was in place, the boys were warmed up, fed, and ready to play. The weather wasn’t miserable but definitely cold, wet and windy. Just when we are ready to take the field… No opponent. It is a relatively well known and frequent occurrence that busses run late in Baltimore City, but try telling that to a team whose stomach is in knots waiting to size up their opponents and get the match underway. To make it even worse when their bus finally did arrive they are wearing their ‘white’ or ‘home’ jerseys. No problem right, just throw on our away jerseys… now remember we just finished an away game on Wednesday and many of our away game jerseys are somewhere is a washing machine because the boys didn’t bring them back to school to let the Coach wash them because the Coach was God only knows where trying to get on a flight to get to the game.
In a few minutes time we rustled together as many black jerseys we could find in that locker room. They weren’t all game jerseys, some weren’t even Lacrosse jerseys but we had enough. All but one. Terrell Howard was the only one left without a black jersey with a number on it. Still scrambling, Mike pointed over to our memorial of Chris, where displayed was his black game jersey. We asked, and everyone agreed that Chris would have demanded that we use his jersey just as we had used his stick, gloves, and whatever else we needed in the past. I think in many ways Chris still is a Captain for our team and he always shows up on the days we need him the most. Terrell wore it well and the rookie had a great game. By the way we led the entire game. And while it wasn’t the most graceful match, we played our hearts out and brought home a victory. Joseph “Speedy” Hawkins, Felix Almoza, & Jazmon Harris found the back of the net and Freshman Aaron Overton found it twice. Our defense remains to be a force to be reckoned with and Mike led them with another 16 saves. Next Match, @ Forest Park this Friday.
----
Had I know that my casual email to Dan would be the first of a series of ‘Blog’ entries I would have written a little less casually. I must say that I am flattered that Clipper Lacrosse is ‘Blog’ worthy. In any event I would be more than happy to include highlights of the Clipper’s season that may not appear in the sports section of The Sun.
We played a great tournament @ Parkville the Saturday before Easter. Patterson, Western Tech, and Chopticon from St. Mary’s County were all invited to play. The Knight’s Coaches and AD were great hosts and it was some well played lacrosse on a cold day before Easter. While Patterson didn’t come away with a win they played some hard-fought Lacrosse with only about half the roster of the other teams.
Patterson drew Parkville and played them first. The Clippers came out strong but struggled to keep up with the Knight’s quick midfield. Mike Collins’ goal-keeping has become a bit of a metaphor for Clipper Lacrosse -- passionate, rough, aggressive, yet in the end disciplined and respectful of the game and other teams. It is easy for a team to get frustrated when you are being outplayed and there is little you can do. At halftime Mike and I pulled the team together, calmed them down, and readied them for the rest of the day. After that, the Clippers came out and played tired, cold, bested, but well. And they had fun.
The next match against Western Tech was about the same. It was a much closer game but the Clippers were exhausted and it showed. I knew we would be stretching ourselves thin when we accepted the invitation to play in the tournament, and consequently the scoreboard would reflect that. However the guys stuck together, played hard, and represented our fallen teammate as they always do. The Knights were great hosts and sportsmen. We look forward to participating in next year’s tournament.
We invite you all to attend our first home game against Douglas Friday. It should be a great match.
---------------
Here's Coach Kehl's first report of the '08 season:
"All is well here in Clipper country. The boys are really coming along. We are definitely much further ahead than we were this time last year. We just scrimmaged Dundalk Wednesday, and it was a really good match. Dundalk is decent, and we finished 10-7 -- not a victory but we worked real well together and moved the ball around nicely. Had we been selfish and forced it we could have won but everyone played and it was a real good learning experience. Our first home game against Douglas (April 4) should be a good one. Thanks for all of your continued support and we hope to see you all soon."
Regarding America's sports culture -- the youth side of which was discussed on yesterday's Midday show -- our old friend Bush Hog comments:
"Viewers of sport at all levels have become inured, upon the slightest achievement on field or floor, to exhibitions of fist-pumping, chest-pounding, ball-spiking, endzone-dancing and in-your-face howling. The simple dictum uttered by former Steelers coach Chuck Noll ("Son, if you happen to get into the endzone, act like you've been there before") is old hat. Self-adulation is the rule of the day and league officials count angels on the heads of pins in an effort to determine when the conduct has spilled over into 'taunting.'
"Thus, it was striking on Sunday to see Trevor Immelman, as he walked up the fairway toward the 17th green to the cheers of the gallery, unobtrusively motion to his playing partner of the day to join him in the walk. Mr. Immelman's parents were waiting for him at the 18th green and, no doubt, they were quite proud of his victory. They could be equally proud, however, of their son's simple act of grace on the 17th--an act so slight and quiet that it did not even rate a notice or a mention from the jabberwockies broadcasting the event. His parents, or somebody-sometime, had taught this kid graciousness. It was a lovely moment from a bygone time when sportsmanship and sport appeared together."
The mayor of Philadelphia has announced a tax credit plan for city businesses that hire ex-offenders. Click here for the Inquirer story.
Baltimore doesn't have such a credit, but Maryland and the federal government offer them.
Maryland State Tax Credit: Long-Term Employment of Ex-Felons Tax Credit
Maryland businesses that hire and employ an ex-felon for at least one year may be entitled to a credit. The company must also obtain certification from the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation that the individual is a qualified ex-felon.
The credit can be claimed for two years, for the following amounts:
• Year 1: 30% of the first $6,000 in wages
• Year 2: 20% of the first $6,000 in wages
If the credit is more than the state tax liability, the unused portion may be carried forward for the next five tax years.
http://business.marylandtaxes.com/taxinfo/taxcredit/lteoef/default.asp
Federal Tax Credit: Work Opportunity Tax Credit
This program is pending reauthorization, but potentially eligible employers should contact the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation to get more information and apply.
An employer who hires an ex-felon may be eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). This federal tax credit provides an incentive for employers to hire, train, and retain job seekers who often experience barriers to employment. The credit is worth up to $2,400 per qualified worker based on the following criteria:
• Up to 25% of the first $6,000 in wages if the individual works a minimum of 120 hours but less than 400 hours.
• Up to 40% of the first $6,000 in wages if the individual works 400 hours or more.
There is no limit on the number of workers an employer can claim.
MARYLAND DEPT OF LABOR, LICENSING & REGULATION
TAX CREDIT PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
1100 NORTH EUTAW STREET, SUITE 201
BALTIMORE, MD 21201
410-767-2080
www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/wotc.htm
Sunday's column about Darryl Russell's efforts to find a job prompted a round of the usual ignorant comments from do-nothings who think -- or prefer to think -- that this is about coddling violent criminals. But, far and away, the comments for readers are positive and supportive, and readers show themselves to understand that more jobs for ex-offenders means, in the long run, more Baltimore men getting straight and going straight, supporting their families and not contributing to the city's -- and the metropolitan area's -- crime problem.
Here's an interesting letter on the subject from Ashley Corbin, an employment counselor at the Marian House in Baltimore:
"I just recently moved to Maryland from Boston and my job here since October is an Employment Counselor for a non-profit in East Baltimore. We provide transitional housing for 28 women who are in recovery, most of which arrive here from various prisons. I work with each one of them on building a resume, getting in to specific training classes, interview skills and provide support in whatever area they need help in.
"I have seen too many circumstances when many of my residents had been offered a job, even given a start date, only to get a call right before letting them know their criminal records would not allow for them to be hired. It is so frustrating to see this cycle continue, and despite employers making the statements that they are willing to hire ex-offenders it is usually not the case.
"People who do not have to face this issue do not really realize the volume of people that are impacted by this barrier everyday. I am not suggesting that every person who has committed crimes and is now out of prison is going to make a positive contribution to society, but who can make that decision unless a chance is given?
"Since I get to work with every resident on an individual basis, and for anywhere from 6 to 8 months, I can see that they genuinely want the chance to feel like a productive member of society, and when the chances are given to them, it makes going through this process all worth it. There are a few other non-profits in the city, as well as the Mayors Office of Employment and the Re-Entry Centers that we have partnered up with in order to create a stronger network to assist ex-offenders. Any new information that any of us get, we share with each other and we always appreciate insight and resources from anyone who can help. I hope that Darryl Russell is able to find a job!"
Today on the radio show we're diving fully into the subject of kids and sports -- the need for them to play, have fun and stay fit and healthy . . . and the pressure on the more athletic ones to pick a sport, excel and grab a college scholarship. Finding the right balance of all that is key for each child. Are parents pushing their kids too hard? Is single-sport focus a healthy idea? Why do so many kids drop out of organized sports at 13? What kind of injury trends are sports docs seeing? And, regarding college scholarships -- how realistic are they? On the show today: Dan Doyle, author of the The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting; Mike Buchanan, coach and contributor to DigitalSports.com; Kim Clark, a reporter for US News and World who covers the college scholarship scene, and other guests.
WYPR FM, 88.1-FM, Noon to 2 pm
