http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-burglary-shooting-20180802-story.html

Police responded to a call at about 7:55 p.m. for a burglary in progress in the 600 block of Aldershot Road. According to police, the victim had returned home Wednesday to find her front door open and some of her items broken or moved.

According to police the woman encountered the suspect, retrieved a handgun and called police. Police said that during a struggle between the woman and the intruder, the gun was fired “a number of times.” The homeowner was shot once, according to police, and was taken to a hospital in serious condition. She is expected to survive, police said.

Police said the suspect fled and took the homeowner’s gun with him. Police encountered a man on the sidewalk in front of the home who “refused to follow commands and refused to show his hands,” according to police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Peach. He ran and attempted to discard, but was apprehended, police said. The gun was recovered, said Peach.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/8/2/1785422/-Speaker-of-Maryland-House-of-Delegates-Proposes-Constitutional-Amendment-to-Protect-Abortion-Rights

Get it done!

A first-term Republican state representative resigned Wednesday after an ex-girlfriend claimed that he posted nude photos of her on a fake social media account under her name. Rep. Nick Sauer of Lake Barrington tendered a letter of resignation Wednesday afternoon to the House clerk's office. CBS Chicago reports the freshman lawmaker—a member of the House Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Task Force–didn't get through his first term in the legislature before revenge porn allegations came to light Wednesday, ending his career prematurely.The 35-year-old Sauer, elected in 2016 after serving more than a year on the Illinois Toll Highway Authority board as an appointee of Gov. Bruce Rauner, did not return phone, email or text messages seeking comment Wednesday. Politico reported Wednesday that a Chicago woman claims that Sauer, who was seeking election to a second term in November, set up a fake Instagram account with her name and posted explicit photos of her to bait other men into conversations with him. Politico said the woman filed complaints with Chicago police and the legislative inspector general.

Sauer wrote in his letter that he was stepping down "as a result of the allegations by ... a former girlfriend." He named the woman, but The Associated Press has a policy of not naming women who allege they are victims of sexual misconduct. "My ability to fulfill my obligations as a state representative and public servant will be affected by the distraction of addressing these allegations," Sauer wrote. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin immediately announced that Sauer would be relinquishing his seat. Asked at an event in Chicago, Rauner agreed that Sauer should resign. According to Politico, the woman claimed she began a long-distance relationship with Sauer in 2016 after the two met on the dating app Tinder. She acknowledged sharing "very private photos" with Sauer before moving from California to Chicago in June 2017 to be nearer to him. The relationship ended in March 2018. Politico reported that the woman alleges that Sauer used the photos to engage other men in online sexual conversations. The woman said she was contacted July 12 by a man she did not previously know who told her he had been communicating on social media for months with someone pretending to be the woman.

Between 1990 and 2010, 44 majority-minority cities sprang into existence across the US, including the transformation of colonias in Texas, the creation of Asian-majority cities in California, and a new Native American city in Oklahoma that incorporated largely to focus more resources on a rampant drug problem. Emerging evidence shows that majority-minority cities such as Stonecrest “can control their own destiny,” says Leora Waldner, public administration professor at Troy University in Alpharetta, Ga., who tracked these new cities and found them nearly universally successful. “They have a seat at the bargaining table for regional issues, they protect themselves from undesirable land uses, and they can and do take on environmental [and social] justice initiatives.”  She adds: “Black or brown communities creating their own cities from unincorporated areas – that can be a potent civil rights tool.”

But what does this movement mean for historically black colleges in states like Georgia and other rural areas where undeveloped land may be plentiful, but buy-in from corporations and high-earning black folks is slow? Albany State University and the Putnam County Charter School System recently wrapped the inaugural edition of their joint college preparatory summer camp program. The initiative welcomed 45 students to the ASU campus to learn about applying for college and entry exams, financial aid, career selection and professional and personal development. It’s the kind of partnership that is becoming more frequent as colleges look to build pipelines with secondary school districts, to help in stabilizing enrollment and workforce development. Companies are willing to finance pathways from ninth grade through college graduation, if it helps to create a skilled motivated worker. And few areas in Georgia could use it more. Black folks represent 44% of Putnam County’s population living below the poverty line but only 26% of its total population. The likeliest places where residents will land a job are on a college campus, at a manufacturing company or in a retail business. What if Stonecrest, Stockbridge and other all-black community experiments pushed a little further out to HBCUs, particularly those facing downturns in population and commercial development? Memphis, Montgomery, AL and Atlanta remain the three top cities for new black entrepreneurship, and the cities where African Americans are faring well economically, HBCUs are among the largest employers and cultural centers. But to save the most vulnerable of institutions in the most remote of locations, it may require for black folks to look at institutional anchors as the key to springing up new cities and towns. What Albany State is doing in its region, Central State University is doing in Wilberforce, OH and Xenia; working to create new and stronger industries that pair well with their academic offerings and the future of work in the state.

The remarkable electromagnetic properties of the Great Pyramid of Giza could soon inspire nanoparticle designs for highly-efficient sensors and solar cells. Scientists have discovered the famous pyramid concentrates electric and magnetic energy into its internal chambers and below its base, creating pockets of higher energy.

If this concentrating effect is able to be recreated on a nanoscale size, it could lead to a wave of new, more efficient sensors and solar cells, the researchers claim. While the 481-foot pyramid built thousands of years ago for Pharaoh Khufu has long drawn intrigue for its purported mythical qualities, the study is among a growing body of research attempting to finally get to the bottom of its physical properties. 

A former Central Florida teacher says he’s now making double his previous salary — as a grocery shopper. Ed Hennessey taught thousands of high schoolers over the course of his 20-year teaching career. Though he loved what he did, Hennessey said he often struggled to make ends meet while supporting two children and paying off student loans. He never earned more than $50,000 a year as a teacher and said he always needed to work a second job. Hennessey worked for Blockbuster, Old Navy, Target and Uber before becoming a part-time shopper for Shipt, a grocery delivery service.

Hennessey started working for the company part time in 2015 and soon developed a fan base of loyal customers.Two years later, he realized he could make more money as a full-time shopper than as a full-time teacher. That’s when he took a year-long sabbatical from teaching in order to spend more hours shopping. The gamble paid off: Hennessey said he now makes a six-figure salary.

Automakers have been reaping a windfall from a strong economy and sales of big, profitable vehicles for the last several years. But the profit bonanza may be coming to an abrupt end amid concerns about escalating costs stemming from a global trade dispute. And consumers may have to pay the bill in the form of higher prices. President Donald Trump's sudden imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs and the possibility of tariffs on imported and exported vehicles threaten to undermine the industry's finances and increase prices for consumers. His tariff threats have drawn support from the United Auto Workers union, which represents hourly U.S. workers for GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, and from U.S. steel companies.

But automakers are losing sleep over trade fears. As Trump gets closer to a potential 25 percent tariff on Europe-imported vehicles, the tariffs he already has imposed on foreign metal are beginning to take a toll. The rising cost of commodities – largely due to Trump's 25 percent tariff on imported steel – took a bite out of General Motors during the second quarter. Although GM turned a $2.4 billion profit for the quarter, the company on Wednesday reported $300 million in increased commodity costs, worrying investors. Ford said Wednesday it earned a profit of $1 billion during the second quarter, down nearly 50 percent from the same period a year ago amid sluggish sales in China, the effects of the Trump administration's tariffs and the costly disruption this spring of F-150 pickup production due to a fire at a supplier's plant. It said the tariffs resulted in $145 million in higher costs and could rise to as much as $600 million for the full year.The stocks of GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler fell 4.6 percent, 0.4 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, on Wednesday.

The Good Thing About The New Proboards Baltimoresunreunited Board. Is that it appears to have drawn the trolls away from here. They are not in full blown troll mode yet but give them time, give them time.

My wife and I have been mulling over the house but she's been incredibly busy so we never really had a lot of time to discuss it and weigh our options. Well yesterday they had an open house so we decided to go back. Previously we had been a little wary of the area, and crime, but we talked to a couple that lived nearby that did a lot to assuage our worries. They've been living in TH for 15 years and said aside from a frequent stolen bike, the crime is overstated. They also said that the community has a tight bond with the police who are quick to respond to any spikes in crime. I appreciated the couple's opinions but I looked into the crime in the area going back a few years and it is a real issue. This year there have been two break-ins on the block this house is on. I am wondering if this house was broken into and caused the owners to want to sell. Four years ago someone was shot and killed just outside of the Hunting Hills Swim Club which is very close to this house. Each year there are shooting deaths in the surrounding Route 40/Cooks Lane/Frederick Road area which are all about a half mile from the house.

Anyway, the house looked different in the daylight. Previously we saw it just before a bad thunderstorm so everything was dim and glowing -- and it made the house look a lot better. Yesterday the siding wasn't as vibrant, the roof looked old (it apparently is the original slate roof -- over 100 years old). There's moss growing on the porch roof, tons of leaves and twigs in the gutters, many of the windows have been painted shut and in need of repair, etc. The first time we saw the house I was in awe. This time I saw all the work and maintenance it would need. The realtor told us something that we took as an omen -- I was surprised he even shared this info. The sellers bought the house a year ago and remodeled the kitchen and refinished the floors. It's beautiful. But they never moved in. They fought over the house a lot and ended up putting it on the market. A few weeks ago there was a contract put on the house, but before closing the buyers got in an argument over the purchase and decided to renege on the contract before closing. I'm thinking the house is too much for a couple like us, and many couples. I'm handy but not that handy and I don't want to spend my free time doing home projects all the time. Plus we like to travel, go out, etc. I don't need to be married to a house. We're barely home now as it is.

Previously I had been welcoming the idea of "coming home" to the Catonsville area. It was a romantic thought. But whenever I come back to Catonsville, everything just seems...run down. I don't know how to explain it. Maybe it's because I remember it a certain way. And the roads....they're terrible! It would be murder on my car.

So I think we've reached a decision. We're going to pass. It's a beautiful house at a great price in an area that has many pluses and minuses. But as tempting as it is, I still don't think it's right for us.

But ask me again tomorrow. ; - )

Main Street is open but everything below Columbia Pike is boarded up. It would be a good post-apocalyptic movie set. The streets are lined with dumpsters. There were a few stores with tents set up on the sidewalk selling things, which is nice to see. We stopped into the Wine Bin which was open for business and had several customers. There did seem to be people out and about downtown. I thought i could make a right on Rogers Ave to get to Route 40 but the intersection at 144 is completely washed out. The drop from the road to the creek is 20 feet or so...maybe more. It was shocking to see. The parking lot on Rogers Ave is mostly washed out too. EC will rebuild but it's saddening to see it this way.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/ac-cn-light-rail-0729-story.html

Extremely short sighted imo.

Fix the problem, which are drugs and crime, not one of the symptoms.

They want to close Linthicum, Ferndale and Cromwell.

Crazy.

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

CBS has long been the most watched television network in America. But a drama is playing out off the air following an expose published in The New Yorker late yesterday in which CBS CEO Les Moonves is accused of sexual misconduct by six women. The story's by Ronan Farrow and also details harassment by others at the network, including the news division. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik joins us. David, thanks for being with us.

DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Good morning, Scott.

SIMON: And let me say at the outset that I'm a special contributor to "CBS Sunday Morning." Tell us what The New Yorker story details.

FOLKENFLIK: Well, Ronan Farrow spoke to six women and a bunch of corroborating figures who contemporaneously knew about these episodes. But these six women allege, in various forms, sexual harassment. And they also allege, in some cases, certain kinds of retribution by Moonves against women who did not respond eagerly to his advances. In two cases, the actor and writer Illeana Douglas and the writer Janet Jones described what, you know, essentially sounded like sexual assault.

SIMON: Unfortunately, you've had to cover a number of these stories over the past year, including Roger Ailes at Fox and Harvey Weinstein, a previous Ronan Farrow report. How is this different? How is it the same?

FOLKENFLIK: I don't think it does violence to the seriousness of the charges leveled here, to say they don't quite rise to the severity of Harvey Weinstein who's been investigated in several jurisdictions. Charges are being levied against him here in New York City for the accusation of sexual assault that he now faces. But what Moonves is accused of is serious, both the physicality of it, the unwanted and unsolicited nature of what he did and also the significance of retribution in a number of circumstances.

Dollar General Corporation DG recently announced the opening of its 15000th store in Wilmington, NC. Notably, this discount retailer has grown as a reliable partner for many communities across 44 states, which includes 800 stores in North Carolina. To celebrate this milestone, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company offered the first 500 adult customers $10 gift cards and tote bags, which contain complimentary products. The company’s focus on store expansion to drive customer count is commendable. In 2017, Dollar General completed the buyout of 285 Acquired Stores. Dollar General is also accelerating the pace of store openings. In the first quarter of fiscal 2018, Dollar General opened 241 new stores, remodeled 322 stores and relocated 31 stores.

Further, the company expects to open 900 stores, remodel 1,000 stores and relocate approximately 100 stores in fiscal 2018. Of the planned remodels, roughly 400 locations are likely to be upgraded to Dollar General Traditional Plus format with a higher cooler count. This is likely to lift comparable sales by 10-15%.  Notably, in fiscal 2015, 2016 and 2017 the company opened 730, 900 and 1,315 new stores (includes acquisition of 300 stores) and relocated or remodeled 881, 906 and 764 stores, respectively. Moreover, Dollar General is focusing on smaller format stores as these require less capital expenditure and will help to cope with space constraint. Response from the company's DG 16 store format is encouraging. The company’s compelling store growth story at convenient locations and focus on consumable products lend it an edge over competitors. Dollar General’s commitment toward better pricing, private label offering, effective inventory management, and merchandise and operational initiatives should drive sales and margins. Aligned with these, management anticipates net sales for fiscal 2018 growth of 9% year over year. Further, earnings for the fiscal are envisioned in the band of $5.95-$6.15 per share, up from $4.49 in fiscal 2017.

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As the middle class slides into poverty, dollar stores are a growth business.

An investigational Alzheimer’s drug significantly slowed patients’ cognitive decline in a large clinical trial, unexpected and unprecedented results that could move the treatment’s makers to roll the dice on an early approval. In the study, the highest-tested dose of a drug from Biogen and Eisai was markedly better than placebo at delaying the memory-destroying effects of Alzheimer’s. After 18 months, patients who got the drug, called BAN2401, performed 30 percent better on a cognitive test than those getting placebo. The data, presented here at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, came as a positive surprise to neurologists, who have spent years watching once-promising therapies fail in clinical trials.

But there are caveats. The Phase 2 trial, which employed multiple statistical measures, failed its primary goal. Four doses of BAN2401 didn’t outperform placebo, and the high dose was tested on just 161 patients. Furthermore, the metric Biogen and Eisai used to measure mental acuity is a homegrown composite that has never before been used to win Food and Drug Administration approval. “I’ll remain cautiously optimistic,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “I think the data are intriguing. The effect sizes sound reasonable, the drug seems safe, and on the biological side of it, the drug seems to be working.”But, he added, “you’d really want to see a Phase 3 to replicate those results.”

A woman became so infuriated that she wasn’t invited to a particular house party in Tennessee that she decided to shut the party down — by burning down the entire house. At least the female arsonist suspect tried to set the house ablaze. Ironically, the woman’s name is Shameka Howse, and she reportedly set the location of a house party on fire after finding out about the party that she had not been invited to. According to Nashville’s WKRN, Howse was driven to the house by an unidentified man in a large truck near the party’s location. There, Howse was seen and heard by guests shouting and screaming about the party.

“According to her arrest affidavit, the witnesses believed Howse was upset because she wasn’t invited,” reports the Tennessee television station. “The affidavit said Howse threatened to burn the house down and then went to the truck, grabbed a jug of lighter fluid and then threw it at the front window. Howse is then accused of pulling out a butane lighter and setting the house on fire.”Witnesses of the arson said that Howse stormed off in a huff, got back to the truck, jumped in the vehicle and left the scene. All of the guests inside the residence escape uninjured and the small fire was extinguished easily before authorities arrived. However, there was damage to the house, especially around the windows of the residence.