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The Baltimore Sun

Contaminated dog food may be on Md. shelves

Dog food contaminated with botulin may be on Maryland shelves, state agriculture authorities warned yesterday, asking dog owners to discard certain types of Natural Balance dog food. The food was made by Castleberry's Food Co. of Augusta, Ga., which has recalled about 90 products for humans and animals because of a risk of botulism, a rare but serious illness that can cause paralysis or death.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture said yesterday that the dangerous dog foods possibly sold in Maryland are Natural Balance Eatables: Irish Stew with Beef; Chinese Take-Out with Sauce with Vegetables and Chicken; Southern-Style Dumplings with Gravy with Chicken; and Vegetables and Hobo Chili with Chicken Pasta.

The recalled cans should be wrapped in two plastic bags, taped tightly and thrown away. Dogs that have eaten the recalled food should be monitored for 10 days to see if they have drooping eyelids or tongues, difficulty swallowing or muscle weakness.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says health officials in Texas and Indiana have each reported two human cases of botulism in the past month. Canned chili sauce made by Castleberry's has been blamed for those cases.

Associated Press

Allegany County

: Cumberland

Thieves break into railroad cars, cause damage worth $10,000

Thieves broke into two Western Maryland Scenic Railroad cars, cleaned out the on-board gift shop and escaped with the merchandise and 50 cases of soda in a stolen pickup truck, a railroad official said.

The tourist railroad is offering a $1,000 reward for information about the break-in, which occurred Tuesday night at the railroad's shop in nearby Ridgeley, W.Va. The losses and damage to the cars totaled about $10,000, General Superintendent Frank Fowler said Wednesday.

Associated Press

Washington Co.

: Hagerstown

Escaped inmate believed to be in Baltimore area

A medium-security state prison inmate who drove away from a work detail in a stolen pickup truck remained at large yesterday, state police said.

Raymous Little, 43, disappeared Monday afternoon from a crew of inmates cleaning the Washington County Roads Department shop near Hagerstown, police said. The missing Chevrolet S-10 truck belonged to a department worker who had left the keys in it, Ed Plank, the department director, told The (Hagerstown) Herald-Mail.

Little was serving 18 months at the Maryland Correctional Training Center for theft, according to the state Division of Correction. Little is believed to be in the Baltimore area, where he has family, state police Sgt. Dave Bowers said.

Associated Press

Cecil County

: Elkton

Body discovered in ditch by roadside on Wednesday

A Cecil County roads crew discovered the body of a man in a roadside ditch Wednesday, but foul play was not suspected. Police say they are not sure how Enrique Acosta III, 25, died. He was found fully clothed and a half-mile from his home. Investigators found cash and several prescription drug bottles in his pockets.

When members of Acosta's family arrived, some of them became unruly. Two cousins of Acosta were arrested and charged, one accused of pushing a sheriff's deputy and the other accused of punching the deputy, the Cecil Whig reported.

Associated Press

Arundel County

: Annapolis

Vice president set to speak at Naval Academy ceremony

Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to speak at the Naval Academy today at a retirement ceremony for a top Pentagon official. Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is retiring after 37 years of commissioned service in the Navy. He graduated with leadership distinction from the academy in 1970.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace also are scheduled to speak at the ceremony, which is to take place at Worden Field.

Associated Press

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