PG Post 03.31.05 Vol.73#13F
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Pri nce Ge orge’s Pos t A C OMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FOR PRINCE GEORGE ’S COUNTY Since 1932 Vol. 76, No. 4 January 24 — January 30, 2008 Prince George’s County, Maryland Newspaper of Record Phone: 301-627-0900 25 cents State Officials Grapple MD Kids With Foreclosure Crisis Have By LAURA SCHWARTZMAN Maryland had 6,969 foreclo - to keep their houses. Capital News Service sures in October and November Foreclosure spikes across Lowest 2007 alone, said Department of the country are the fallout from ANNAPOLIS - A dramatic Labor, Licensing and a boom in subprime lending rise in foreclosures and related Regulation Secretary Thomas where borrowers were offered Poverty scams is expected in Maryland Perez, in a briefing this week loans beyond their means, said in the coming year, prompting before the House Economic Bruce Marks, chief executive Fewer Maryland the governor and the General Matters Committee. The fore - officer of the Boston-based Assembly to roll out several closure rate statewide increased Neighborhood Assistance Children Under initiatives intended to help peo - by 639 percent between the Corporation of America. The Five Are Poor ple keep their homes and avoid third quarter of 2006 and the loans quickly became unafford - mortgage fraud. third quarter of 2007, he said. able and homeowners lost their By BEN MEYERSON Gov. Martin O’Malley this Foreclosures not only hurt houses. Capital News Service the individual homeowners, “These mortgages were week proposed a set of emer - WASHINGTON - Maryland they also affect the state’s tax structured to fail,” he said. gency regulatory reforms and had the lowest percentage of revenue, further straining an Several of O’Malley’s emer - bills to target predatory lending children younger than 5 living already tight budget situation. gency regulations are aimed at and mortgage fraud, more effi - in poverty of any of the United Officials are not optimistic tightening licensing require - ciently inform homeowners States in 2005, according to about 2008, with Perez predict - ments for mortgage brokers. about foreclosures and create new estimates from the Census ing more than 23,000 foreclo - One would require more expe - stricter licensing regulations. In Bureau. sures this year. Others are con - rience for mortgage lender addition, there are at least five PHOTO BY STAFF The survey said 12.2 percent cerned that scam artists will use more foreclosure-related bills Governor Martin O’Malley talks with Chris Eddings, of children under 5 lived below the crisis to prey on vulnerable that have originated in the leg - President of the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association. the poverty line in Maryland, homeowners who are desperate islature this year. See CRISIS, Page A 7 compared to a national average of 21.3 percent, according to a survey released by the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income MD Education System In Top Three and Poverty Estimates pro - gram. School Superintendent Has Lost The Support of Top Elected Officials Maryland also had the sec - ond-lowest overall poverty rate By VEENA TREHAN vice chairman of the Maryland Senate Nancy Grasmick in a prepared statement. in the nation, as well as the sec - Capital News Service Education, Health and Environmental Last month, the state’s top three elected ond-highest median household Affairs Committee. “We have achievement officials opposed her reappointment. Now income, according to the sur - WASHINGTON - A well-known national gains spanning from pre-K to 12th grade.” they are considering ways to rescind her vey. education survey ranked Maryland among In the category specifically measuring K- new term. But on Wednesday Grasmick The state moved up the lad - the top three states at a time when the 12 education, Maryland earned the second- took credit for the survey accolade. der in each of these categories PHOTO COURTESY INFORMATION school superintendent has lost the support highest grade in the nation, a B versus the “I think it represents a very sustained from 2004’s survey, which OFFICE of Maryland’s top elected officials. D+ national average. Maryland ranked effort that has occurred in Maryland over a might lead some to believe the National Harbor is an enor - Education Week’s “Quality Counts” sur - above the average for transitions and align - long period of time,” said Grasmick. “It’s a state’s welfare programs are mous dream, coming true vey grades all states on their performance ment (between different school levels) and tribute to the State Department of over the next few years. outcomes and policy efforts. The annual school finance. Maryland was below the Education which set in place the policies survey, considered one of the nation’s most average in a category that measures teacher which yielded these results.” comprehensive, uses six categories contain - attraction, recruiting, and retention. In June, Grasmick will start a fifth term, a See POOR KIDS, Page A 7 ing more than 100 total measures. Maryland was among the top six in “chance feat attributed to what many consider her National Overall Maryland received a B, along for success,” a measure started last year that unusual political savvy. with Massachusetts and New York. The evaluates the importance of education from Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley has Harbor average grade for all states was a C. “cradle to career.” been clear that he wants Grasmick out of “Learning that Maryland schools are “Our education system’s strength augurs the job she’s held since 1991. Today he ranked among the top in the nation gives us well for continued state job growth through Little Grants all a reason to be very proud of our school base realignment and other business opportu - Announced system,” said Sen. Roy Dyson, D-Calvert, nities,” said Maryland Schools Superintendent See EDUCATION, Page A 7 Gym Of Courtesy Press Office Community Foundation Wynn Advocates Whistleblower Protection Bill The Prince Clinton George’s Community The Legislation Would Improve The Existing “No Fear Act of 2002” Foundation Announces year-old Bernice King, when recess. National Harbor Grants 2007 talking about the obstacles to The No Fear Act was a Opens LANDOVER, MD — — The her success. good start, Wynn’s Press The Franchise Prince George’s Community His dream hasn’t come Secretary Eriade Hunter said, Foundation (PGCF), a regional true in her own experiences, but it’s vague and workers are Owners Are affiliate of The Community Berry said, because the U.S. still complaining about discrim - Foundation for the National Patent and Trademark Office ination and retaliation. Fletcher And Capital Region, has approved fired her twice for what she “Yes, it’s on the books. 30 grants totaling $329,000 thinks was discrimination and But, it’s not being enforced vig - LaSonya White Press Office from the National Harbor retaliation. orously enough,” Hunter said. Courtesy Southeastern University Community Outreach Grant “Here we are in the 21st “There’s a gap there, and it fills Fund for 2008. The grants, century and it’s like the tables in the gap.” ranging from $5,000 to have turned backward,” Berry Wynn’s bill calls for complaint Washington, DC— Two $15,800, will support 30 non - said. “It’s no longer the glass cases to be sent directly to fed - alumni from Southeastern profit organizations in the areas ceiling. You hit a concrete eral court, ensuring each work - University’s Center for of workforce development, arts wall.” er is provided legal counsel, Entrepreneurship and new fran - and culture, education, recre - Berry is one of several whistle - and tripling plaintiff awards for chise owners, Fletcher and ation and social services for blowers who joined Rep. Albert damages and attorney fees. LaSonya White, credit the children, youth, young adults Wynn, D-Mitchellville, at a Agencies will also be required launch of their own business, and senior citizens. PHOTO BY STAFF The Little Gym of Clinton, Congressman Albert R. Wynn news conference Tuesday intro - to release how much they spend Artis Hampshire-Cowan, ducing legislation to improve addressing workers’ com - Maryland, to the help and President of PGCF’s board By WILL SKOWRONSKI four children would be judged an existing whistleblower pro - plaints. encouragement they received remarked, “As a Board of Capital News Service on the content of their charac - tection law for federal workers, Berry began work as a patent from their Washington, DC Directors, we are very proud to ter, not the color of their skin. the No Fear Act of 2002. Wynn examiner in 1996 and said she alma mater. The door of their be a part of the important WASHINGTON - Martin Renee Berry, of Washington, announced the bill in new franchise, The Little Gym movement of helping organiza - Luther King Jr. is often remem - D.C., brought up the speech and December, but is drawing atten - tions reaching out in our Prince bered for his “I Have a Dream” said she’s the same age as tion to it now that the House is George’s County neighbor - speech and the hope that his King’s youngest daughter, 44- back in session after its holiday See WYNN, Page A 7 See GYM, Page A 5 hoods to better serve our peo - ple in need. The National Harbor Community Outreach Grant Fund helps us to expand INSIDE our services to nonprofit orga - nizations. We are grateful to our County Executive, Mr. Jack Neighbors Columns: Going Green in the Bedroom— Environmental Defense “The Bucket” List Could Johnson, our County Council Morningside, Brandywine, Where We Spend a Third of Appeals Intercounty Have Been Titled Grumpy under the leadership of Ms. Clinton And Suitland Our Lives Makes Sense. Connector Ruling Old Sick Guys Neighbors Page A2 Community , Page A3 Business, Page A5 On The Town, Page A6 See HARBOR, Page A 3 A2 — January 24 — January 30, 2008 — The Prince George’s Post Towns and N EIGHBORS In and Around Morningside-Skyline by Mary McHale 301 735 3451 “Steadfast, outspoken California, Connecticut, Admission is $30 at the door, or Republican” honored on Virginia and Maryland to honor $25 if reserved earlier.