Series of vehicle fires is being investigated

FREDERICK -- The state fire marshal's office is investigating a series of suspicious fires that damaged at least six vehicles earlier this week in Frederick.

Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Allen Ward said five vehicles were damaged Monday in a 3 a.m. fire at 40 West Exxon's auto repair shop.

A second fire was reported at 3:38 a.m. at Waverley Elementary School, where a bus equipped to transport disabled students was destroyed.

At 4:50 a.m., burning shipping crates and debris damaged a semitrailer parked at Meadows Van and Storage Inc.

"We believe they're all related," Deputy Chief Ward said.

The fire marshal's office is looking for a man seen around the van and storage business. The suspect is white, with a medium build, 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 10 and about 150 pounds. He has bushy brown hair, a beard and glasses, Deputy Chief Ward said.

State reform school allowed more inmates

SABILLASVILLE

SABILLASVILLE -- Sixty more juvenile inmates will be allowed at a state reform school here, according to Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Joseph Newman.

The Victor Cullen Academy, run by Youth Services International, a private contractor, currently has 125 juvenile inmates, ages 13 through 18. It will now be allowed to incarcerate 184 juveniles.

Newman said the additional offenders were being allowed because the facility meets the state's licensing requirements.

While he approved of the expansion, Sen. John Derr, a Frederick Republican, said he wants Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. to decide whether the Department of Juvenile Services can sign a legally binding agreement that would forbid them from changing the type of juvenile offender now housed at Cullen. The facility currently does not accept the most violent offenders.

The agreement was requested by resident Ron Sulchek, a longtime opponent of the reform school.