Provident Bankshares Corp. has a $131 million investment portfolio in securities backed by nonconforming mortgage loans. Provident announced Tuesday that it might write down as much as $14.9 million of that portfolio in the first quarter. An article in yesterday's Business section did not make that clear.

The headline of an article in yesterday's Maryland section on Annapolis High School incorrectly stated that the school was under threat of a state takeover. In fact, the school might have been subject to additional intervention by the state had Anne Arundel County not proposed a restructuring plan. The state is not authorized under current state law to step in and directly manage local schools.

An item in yesterday's Baltimore County Digest incorrectly reported that a town hall meeting on the Rosewood Center had been rescheduled because of a power outage in the Owings Mills area Tuesday afternoon. In fact, after power was restored, organizers decided to hold the meeting Tuesday night as originally scheduled.

The Sun regrets the errors.