Ex-employee of academy pleads guilty to thefts
A 34-year-old former civilian employee of the Naval Academy pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to stealing government property and being a felon in possession of a gun, according to federal prosecutors.
Gerard A. Hyman of Glen Burnie was a food-services employee at King Hall when he stole boxes of steaks, ribs and condiments in December and placed them in his Mercedes.
Police officers recovered the items, valued at more than $3,500, from Hyman's car on a loading dock.
A stun gun and a box containing 20 unfired cartridges also were confiscated.
According to the plea agreement, police later searched Hyman's residence and recovered from a shed a 46-inch flat-screen television monitor, valued at $4,500, that had been reported stolen from King Hall.
Hyman is scheduled to be sentenced June 13. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Brent Jones
Anne Arundel
: Lawsuit
Developer agrees to fund erosion control
The developers of a town center under construction outside Annapolis have agreed to fund $45,000 in erosion-control projects to settle a federal lawsuit filed by two environmental groups, the parties announced yesterday.
While not admitting any violations, Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. will spend the money to help preserve Church Creek, into which storm water flows from the $400 million project site.
The South River Federation and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation had alleged that construction runoff had damaged the waterway.
The developer also will invite the South River keeper to attend weekly meetings with officials of the project and Anne Arundel County; pay for an independent consultant to monitor for compliance; and report to the watchdog groups, a joint statement said.
"Construction storm water runoff is one of the biggest sources of pollutants to the Chesapeake Bay," said Drew Koslow, the South River keeper.
The lawsuit is not the only one concerning the town center's developer. Greenberg Gibbons sued K. Hovnanian Land Investment Group last month, alleging that Hovnanian had breached its contract by backing out of plans to build a condominium high-rise on the 35-acre site.
When completed, the project is to include high-rises of 10 and 12 stories, a P.F. Chang's restaurant, a Whole Foods store and a Target store.
Phillip McGowan
Baltimore
: Housing
Two landlords to remove lead hazards
Two Baltimore landlords have agreed to remove lead hazards from their housing units and pay civil penalties as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, federal officials announced yesterday.
HUD officials said their investigation found that the landlords had failed to tell their tenants of the potentially dangerous levels of lead. Exposure to lead has been shown to cause health problems in children, including learning disabilities.
Lewis Coley Jr. and Helena Coley have agreed to install lead-safe windows at 11 single-family properties and one duplex as part of the agreement, at an estimated cost of $62,725, according to HUD. Kenneth B. Mumaw and K&M; Associates will do similar window work at 13 properties - a total of 19 units - at a cost of $77,650.
Both owners have also agreed to pay $2,000 in civil penalties.
Traffic
Block of Fayette St. to close tomorrow
A block of Fayette Street in West Baltimore is scheduled to be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow so that construction workers can get a large crane into place.
The 2000 block of W. Fayette St., between North Payson and North Pulaski streets, will be affected, the city Department of Transportation said.
"Motorists can expect possible congestion and are urged to use caution when traveling in the vicinity," the department said in a statement.