March 2013: Bel Air payroll firm abruptly closes; top teacher named

AccuPay, Inc., a Bel Air payroll company, permanently closed after a local business filed suit against the company. AccuPay collected and withheld client's payroll taxes, but did not pay the full amount to the state and federal governments. AccuPay ended up filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy listing debts of between $100,001 and $500,000. Chapter 7 allows for an orderly liquidation of a company's assets to pay off creditors.

The Harford County Board of Education agreed to approve a cost of living increase for teachers for the 2013-14 school year. The 1 percent cost of living adjustment and a step increment raise, for those eligible, was included in the union contract. Prior to this year, Harford teachers went without any cost of living adjustments or step raises for the past three years.

Cal Ripken Jr. appeared at Barnes & Noble in Bel Air to sign his new young people's book "Wild Pitch" for eager fans.

The Bel Air Town Commissioners approved a new sewer service agreement with the county. It calls for the town's users to pay a quarterly fee of $2.41 per 1,000 gallons and a biological nutrient removal fee of 17 cents per 1,000 gallons. The current fees are $2.55 and 16 cents.

Aberdeen Proving Ground's Super Pond was closed indefinitely while investigations continued into the deaths of three divers in the underwater test facility that occurred between Jan. 30 and Feb. 26.

After signing his new $120 million contract, Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco was spotted by employees of the McDonald's on Beards Hill Road at Route 22 in Aberdeen in the drive-thru ordering a meal.

The Harford County Council approved a law that required all swimming pools to have automatic external defibrillators. Harford became the third county in Maryland to pass such a law.

Harford County escaped a large snowstorm that left much of the Eastern Seaboard with wet heavy snow. The predicted 10-plus inches of snowfall closed schools and put highway crews on alert, but all the storm mustered was high winds and mixed rain and snow.

About half of the Harford County Public Schools graduating Class of 2013 would be using the new APGFCU Arena as their venue for graduation this year. Five of the 10 public high schools in the county chose Harford Community College's new facility for their graduation ceremonies.

Looney's Pub in Bel Air was the host of a cancer fundraiser. More than 50 people volunteered to have their heads shaved to raise money for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, which funds childhood cancer research. The head shaving was designed to show solidarity with those who have lost their hair because of cancer treatments.

Bells sounded at Saint Margaret Church, the largest Catholic church in Harford County as the announcement was made that a new Pope was chosen by the College of Cardinals. Elevated to the position was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires. He chose Francis I as his papal name.

Aberdeen High's girls basketball team overcame a big deficit in early going to beat River Hill, 51-47, at UMBC's RAC Arena, and capture its second straight 3A State Championship. The Eagles were led at both ends of the floor by Kierra Palmer, who had a game-high 22 points and numerous steals in her team's furious stretch run to victory.

Ryan Twentey, a Bel Air resident and an advance placement photography teacher at Parkville High School, won $10,000 as one of two national honorees of the ASCD 2013 Outstanding Young Educator Award.

The Harford Creamery Road bridge over Little Deer Creek in White Hall is being replaced. The existing bridge was deteriorating and would be completely removed and rebuilt.

Three massive mobiles were dedicated at Fallston High School at the entrance to the school's library. Approximately 75 students designed and fabricated the mobiles under the direction of Kevin Reese, their teacher and resident artist, of Washington, D.C.

Even though the first day of spring had passed, winter gave Harford County one more blast of winter weather when 4 inches of wet snow fell.

The Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company received a $278,711 Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance grant to be used to replace 40 of its firefighter's self-contained breathing apparatus used by first responders.

The proposed RV park and campground on the undeveloped portion of the Aumar Village shopping center in Fallston has been called off. The developer, Michael Euler Sr., went before the Fallston Community Council to hear the community's thoughts on his new plan to use the available land for a youth sports facility.

Kristin Schaub, Havre de Grace Elementary School teacher, was named Harford County's Teacher of the Year for 2013-2014.