Pedestrian struck, killed crossing Ritchie Highway

A man thought to have been under the influence of alcohol was killed when a car hit him as he tried to cross Ritchie Highway on foot Monday evening, Anne Arundel County police said.

Peter Stanley Schmitz, 48, of the 1500 block of Spruce St. in Baltimore was trying to cross the southbound lanes of the highway north of Bon Air Road at 6:15 p.m. when he was struck by a 2002 Nissan Xtara, police said.

The driver of the Nissan, Vicki Lynn Shockey, 53, of Elkridge, was not injured. She told police she did not have time to avoid Schmitz. Shockey has not been charged. Police said they believe Schmitz had been drinking before the accident.

Nonunion Arundel workers to get smaller merit raises

Anne Arundel County employees not represented by labor unions will receive much smaller merit raises than they did a year ago.

The employees will see pay increases of 3.4 percent on average; a year ago, some employees received raises of up to 10 percent. Unlike the past two years, no one-time bonuses will be given.

Matt Diehl, a spokesman for County Executive Janet S. Owens, said yesterday that officials altered the county's "pay-for-performance" program, which rewards deserving employees. Diehl said growing concerns over state and county budget projections played a role in the decision not to give larger raises and to forgo bonuses.

Last year, the county spent $1.84 million on raises and bonuses. This year, 845 employees who don't belong to labor unions will receive raises - most of them $1,866 a year - for a total of $1.1 million. The pay raises, which will go into effect this month, come on top of a 3 percent cost-of-living raise July 1. The employees will receive an additional 2 percent cost-of-living raise Jan. 1.