joint ventures

• Baltimore County

Liquor license approved for new Italian bistro and wine bar in Catonsville

Franco's Italian Bistro and Wine Bar, a partnership between two Arbutus restaurant owners and a Catonsville financial advisor, is expected to be open in time for the Catonsville Arts and Crafts Festival Sept. 7

• Companies and Corporations

BDC backs $28 million in bonds for One Light Street garage

The development firm working on one of downtown¿s biggest conversions of offices to apartments wants to erect another 362-unit building across the street, city development officials said Thursday.

• Baltimore City Paper

City Hall Filmmaker Pulls Plug On Web Sites After Business Partner's Indictment On Drug Trafficking Charges

• Baltimore City Paper

The Hollywood Connection: Federal Drug Indictment Snares City Hall Filmmaker's Business Partner

• Baltimore City Paper

Five More Indicted in Drug Conspiracy of Hollywood in a Bottle Co-Founder

• Maryland

Foraging for Flavor: Blackwall Hitch's long journey

• Business

Tribune Co. looks for partner to develop Port Covington parcels

Tribune Company wants to find a partner to develop about 37 acres of unused land in Port Covington next to the Baltimore Sun printing plant, part of a broader push to make money from real estate holdings.

• Business

Berkshire Hathaway brings brokerage service to Maryland

Berkshire Hathaway's expansion of its residential brokerage is an example of broader consolidation in residential real estate, as the industry works to right itself after the recession and capitalize on changes wrought by the Internet. Despite changes for brokerage firms, analysts said it's also a vote of confidence that the real estate agent – and the standard agent commission extracted from each sale – is here to stay.

• Maryland

Water filter donations from Laurel resident make an impact on village in Ghana

In 2010, Laurel resident Beverly Hunt and friend and business partner Sylvia Baffour traveled to Ghana to distribute water filters they had purchased for villagers living without access to clean drinking water. In February, reporter Gwendolyn Glenn returned to the Ghanaian village to report on the health benefits residents experienced by having water filters.

• Business

Employees step up to save Elkridge company

A paper-thin sheet of polyester thousands of feet long was running nearly five miles an hour through a coating machine, filling the space at Elkridge Coating Technologies on Monday afternoon with a steady, low hum. It's the sound of chances taken, a business saved.

• Howard County

Urban streetscape planned for downtown Columbia's crescent

The new plan would concentrate 2,100 residential units, a 250-key hotel, 203,000 square-feet of retail, up to 4,360 parking spaces and 225,000 square-feet of civic uses – which would include a new county library, state-of-the-art swim center, conference center and concert hall – directly south of Merriweather Post Pavilion. In addition, the developer also plans to build 1,125,000 square feet of general and medical office space in three plots west of the pavilion.

• Opinion

Guilty until proven innocent [Commentary]

A record number of overturned convictions last year should remind law enforcement to build cases carefully and honestly

• Broadway Theater

5 questions for Dan Klein of Klein Enterprises

Klein Enterprises President Daniel Klein shared his thoughts on the family business, which had six projects in the works in 2013.

• Baltimore County

Old 7-Up plant in Catonsville a winning site for indoor sports

A 30,000 square foot warehouse at 6159 Edmondson Avenue that once served as a 7-Up bottling plant had fallen into disrepair after years of neglect. When bottling was discontinued at the facility in the early 1990s, the building's condition began to deteriorate, said Rich Beattie, who owns the building with his business partner, Fred Kawa.

• Harford

Amish vendors, supporters protest departure of two stands from Joppatowne market

Many regular customers of the Amish vendors at the Joppatowne Flea Market were upset to hear the news Saturday that at least two of those vendors will have to leave, the result of a legal battle between the Flea Market's neighbor in the Joppatowne Plaza Shopping Center, the Redner's supermarket, and the owner of the shopping center, the Cordish Cos. of Baltimore.

• Sports

Maryland's Janney shuns limelight, even with Derby favorite Orb

When his first Kentucky Derby horse, Orb, was named the favorite Wednesday night, Stuart S. Janney the III was not there to raise his hands triumphantly for the cameras.

• Health

Md. regent said to have used controversial therapy for autism

Two years after Dr. Mark Geier came under fire and lost his Maryland medical license for using a controversial treatment on autistic patients, the state Board of Physicians has suspended the medical license of his business partner, alleging he began writing the same dangerous prescriptions for Geier's patients.

• Rentals

Planners begin countywide zoning review

The patch of green on Montgomery Road across from the Long Gate Shopping Center in Ellicott City stands out amid all the asphalt, stores and homes. Behind a few small wood frame houses and garages, these nearly eight acres could almost be a suburban park, with a few trees and a small playground next to the Bethel Baptist Church.

• Business

RG Steel's creditors want Rennert to pay over $238 million

Bankrupt RG Steel's unsecured creditors are seeking permission to go after Ira Rennert — the billionaire whose company created RG to buy Sparrows Point — for allegedly worsening the steel mill owner's situation for his own benefit.

• Obituaries

Adam D. Cockey Jr.

Real estate broker was the 1996 Maryland Realtor of the Year and was active in fund raising for the GBMC

• Maryland

Columbia Association board meeting preview

Here's a look at a what's on the agenda this week for the Columbia Association's board of directors meeting.

• Environment

State levies fines against private, public entities for pollution violations

Maryland levies fines for pollution violations, some of them years old; Lehigh Cement pays $50,000 for 2009 soot emissions

• Business

Joint venture buys Glen Burnie plaza for $17.6 million

Joint venture buys Arundel Plaza in Glen Burnie for $17.6 million.

• Business

New company emerges as Sparrows Point's high bidder

New court records show that the high bidder for the Sparrows Point steel mill is a Missouri redevelopment firm called Environmental Liability Transfer.

• Gambling

Caesars-led group expected to get city casino license Tuesday

After months of planning, a group led by gambling giant Caesars Entertainment is expected to get the green light today to build a 3,750 slot-machine casino ringed with restaurants a few blocks from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

• Business

With new casino opening, a look back at Cordish's gambling record

The short life spans of Cordish's prior gaming undertakings raises the question of how long the developer will maintain a stake in Maryland Live, especially if it fails to stop a large casino from being built in Prince George's County.

• Wines

Owner repositioning Green Spring shopping center for 'national tenants'

Green Spring Tower Square shopping center in Hampden is repositioning itself to attract national tenants, now that it has Giant has an anchor, says Mark Manzo, whose family owns the center. Manzo also says he wants to be a partner in redevelopment of the Rotunda and the building of 25th Street Station. And he hopes to get the on-again, off-again Skyview condo development off the ground, on land that overlooks the center, and that that project is closely linked with the repositioning of the

• Latest

Baltimore Grand Prix group in turmoil

IndyCar executives met with Baltimore officials Monday to discuss the future of the company planning the city's Grand Prix — and whether the leader of the group should depart.

• Restaurant and Catering Industry

Long planned and discussed, Fallston shopping center finally coming to life

Aumar Village shopping center in Fallston coming together after years of trials and tribulations

• Latest

Mall owner to increase stake in two Mills shopping centers

Mall owner Simon Property Group to increase its stake in Arundel Mills Mall and Arundel Mills Marketplace in Hanover as part of a $1.6 billion deal.

• Business

Constellation reports 4Q loss

Constellation Energy Group, which is selling itself to Exelon Corp., reported Friday a loss in the fourth quarter in what is expected to be the energy giant's last earnings release as a publicly traded Baltimore company.

• Mergers

State energy regulators to decide on Constellation merger

Maryland energy regulators are expected Friday to issue a decision on the proposed sale of Constellation Energy Group to Chicago-based Exelon Corp.

• Latest

Nuclear agency approves Constellation sale

The federal nuclear regulator approved Thursday the proposed sale of Constellation Energy Group to Chicago-based Exelon Corp.

• Business

The Interview: Steve DiBiagio, PHH Arval's senior vice president of strategic alliances

The Baltimore Sun recently spoke with Steve DiBiagio, PHH's senior vice president of strategic alliances, about distracted driving and the company's new technology.

• Latest

EDF withdraws opposition to Constellation, Exelon merger

EDF withdraws opposition to merger of Exelon and Constellation

• Plant Openings

Brewery planned near 32nd Street Farmers Market

North Baltimore's first brewery planned in old bottling plant in Abell/Waverly

• Business

O'Malley: Benefits of Exelon-CEG merger go beyond rate credit

Gov. Martin O'Malley said that BGE customers would benefit more from the creation of new power in Maryland than the immediate $100 rate credit if the proposed merger between Constellation and Exelon approved.

• Business

Governor gets concessions in Exelon deal

In a settlement with Gov. Martin O'Malley, Exelon Corp. promised to develop significantly more natural gas, wind and solar power in Maryland, contribute more money to help low-income electricity customers and provide more protection for Baltimore Gas and Electric.

• Casino and Gambling Industry

Would-be casino operators unveil ideas for Rocky Gap

Representatives of the two competing bidders descended on the long struggling Rocky Gap resort in Western Maryland Tuesday afternoon and presented vying plans to transform a state-backed development failure into a revenue generating casino.

• Opinion

Grace expanding Middle East joint venture

Columbia-based chemical maker W.R. Grace & Co. is expanding one of its joint ventures to provide more products and services to petroleum refiners in places such as the Middle East.

• TV

Mother + Daughter: Partners in business

From cupcakes to pilates, yarn to fashion, these mother-daughter duos thrive in Howard County

• Business

McCormick expanding into emerging markets

Long known for spicing up American food, McCormick & Co. is taking its food flavorings abroad, with plans to peddle masala powder in the open-air markets of India and borscht seasoning in the stores of Eastern Europe.

• Features

Firms in highway audit deny improprieties

The Maryland engineering companies that auditors referred to in a scathing report on the State Highway Administration last week denied any knowledge Thursday of improprieties in the way they were awarded contracts and insisted their dealings with the agency have been aboveboard.