consumer confidence

If you live in the City of Aberdeen and have noticed a different taste or odor to your water, don't be alarmed. City officials say it's perfectly safe to drink and use. The problem, which relates to the source and the weather, isn't a new one and typically crops up in the summer, city Public Works Director Kyle Torster said.

Home sales in the Baltimore area had their best January in eight years, and all signs point to a strong spring market, real estate analysts said. Numbers released by the RealEstate Business Intelligence and the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors — reflecting slightly different spans of time — show January sales up by 18.4 and nearly 17 percent respectively compared with a year before. The sales figure was the best since 2007, RBI reported.

Republicans seem confused as to whether they should stick to the theme that the economy is still weak — which they've been claiming since President Obama took office, even though the Great Recession was created on their watch — or whether they should acknowledge the obvious sharp improvement in the economy today and somehow take credit for it.

Freshman Del. Chris West, a Towson attorney, elected to represent District 42B, said his approach his first year in the House will be to listen, learn and develop relationships with fellow lawmakers, with staff and with constituents until he is fully acquainted with the legislative process.

My goal is not for bigger loans, or loan forgiveness. It is for colleges to come to their senses and start practicing cost containment.

Nearly 1 million Marylanders are expected to travel 50 miles or more for the Thanksgiving holiday, the largest number since 2007, according to driver advocacy organization AAA Mid-Atlantic.

Tough climate, GOP power surge add to challenges in enrolling consumers in health insurance

With volatility in the stock market shaking up investors, Jonathan Murray, a financial adviser at Hunt Valley-based UBS Financial Services, says people should keep a long-term outlook and accept such corrections as normal.

Loyola professor gets the math wrong

Holiday shopping is expected to be up over last season, with one retail group calling for a 4 percent increase in November/December sales, the strongest gain in three years.

The Harford County Council quickly voted Tuesday night to override a veto of legislation that will increase the base pay of the next county executive from $90,000 annually to $130,000.

As he had said he would, Harford County Executive David Craig vetoed legislation Tuesday that would raise the salary of his successor and others who hold his office in the future.

Harford County Council members said they are backing off plans to raise salaries for future council members and will instead recommend that the county executive give other county employees a raise.

Harford County Councilman Jim McMahan, who is running for re-election, says he supports bills to raise the salaries of the next county executive and county council, giving the measures a minimum of three prospective favorable votes among the seven member council.

Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation has perfected the glass-half-full view of the economy in its releases about state job growth.

The Harford County Council is planning to introduce legislation Tuesday night to raise the salaries of the next county council and county executive.

Leaders of Harford County unions say they are not happy to hear the County Council wants to raise the salaries of future council members and the County Executive by roughly 25 percent.

Washington should support economic growth and reduce student loan debt

Analysts are projecting the most expensive July 4th holiday weekend for motorists since 2008, attributing much of the rise to a surge of violence in Iraq. Gas in Maryland Monday averaged $3.69 per gallon, three cents more than the national average of $3.66, according to AAA, which tracks transactions throughout the state.

As one of summer's busiest weeks for holiday travel approaches, officials in Baltimore are warning visitors and commuters of multiple construction projects causing major congestion on several city thoroughfares.

Visitors trying to shake off a particularly snowy winter and rainy spring could give a boost to Maryland's tourist destinations this summer compared to last year.

It may not excite GOP primary voters (or her primary opponent), but Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman is doing the right thing to follow the tax cap to the letter.

The next Harford County state's attorney will not get the proposed salary increase introduced through legislation during the 2014 General Assembly, which wrapped up Monday night.

As Maryland prepares to scrap its problematic health exchange and adopt Connecticut's technology, lawmakers are raising concerns about oversight and risk for a second failure.

It's seven days and counting until the 2014 session of the Maryland General Assembly ends at midnight Monday, and the fates of a number of Harford County centered bills remain to be decided in those waning days.

The Maryland Senate passed legislation to increase the salary of the Harford County State's Attorney.

This month, the council is once again looking at salaries for the next four years, as required by the county's charter.

At an Annapolis rally to raise the minimum wage last month, the crowd chanted "10-10," a refrain that refers to the $10.10 hourly rate proposed by Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Bel Air residents will see an increase in their sewer rates, after the Bel Air Board of Commissioners voted to approved a rate hike during a town hall meeting Monday night

The Aberdeen City Council is once again going to consider raising the salaries for future mayors and council members.

After a year of record gains on Wall Street, it's time U.S. economic policies focused more on job growth and less on investor profits

Consumer confidence is on the rebound. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index increased to 78.1 in December from 72.0 in November, the Conference Board said Tuesday.

A citizens' commission created to review the compensation levels of the county executive and council is close to making its final recommendations.

Home prices in the Baltimore metro region continued a slow and steady climb in November, rising just over 4 percent compared to this time last year.

The gas tax's 'toll on America' is already too heavy

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The traditional kickoff to holiday retail spending drew smaller than usual hordes of bargain hunters in the Baltimore area Friday, probably because earlier Thanksgiving sales and staggered "limited supply" discounts spread shoppers out.

The next big battle for federal workers might not be over another government shutdown, but how to measure inflation.