manufacturing and engineering

WASHINGTON — Leaks about secret National Security Agency surveillance programs made by an intelligence contractor reopened a debate Monday over how much the government relies on companies for spy work and whether the firms must do more to vet employees and protect classified information.

Nearly 400 contractors, investment bankers, engineering firms and rail-car makers packed a forum at the Baltimore Convention Center Monday to learn what kinds of opportunities might be available if the state makes the $2.6 billion Red Line mass transit project a public-private partnership.

Manufacturing engineers in Baltimore for a conference gave boosters a chance to get people thinking of local manufacturing in present and future tense rather than past.

Once again, the Orioles pitching prospect showed flashes of his immense promise, but Gausman's night ended prematurely on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Rays

The MARC commuter lot at Laurel American Legion Post 60 was closed Thursday and is expected to remain closed through Friday because of raised water levels from excess water released at Duckett Dam by WSSC, city officials said.

Residents of the communities surrounding a Bel Air-area property, slated for 258 apartment units, made it clear Wednesday that they do not favor building the apartment complex in their neighborhood.

Under new leadership, Baltimore's Transportation Department must prioritize bicycling, walking and public transit

One day after a violent train derailment exploded into a giant plume of smoke and fire and sent powerful shock waves through a large commercial and residential stretch of Rosedale, business owners and neighbors took stock of the widespread damage — including blown-out windows, cracked foundations and a loss of structural integrity in some nearby buildings.

Frank B. Ober Jr., a lifelong farmer and World War II veteran, died Sunday from heart failure at Hope Hollow Farm, his Monkton farm. He was 94.

Ann K. Crane, who went to the wrong place in Dundalk to apply for a job and ended up staying there for about 25 years until retiring as personnel director, died Wednesday from heart failure at Oak Crest Village. She was 93.

Firemen arrive too late to save building

About 718,200 Marylanders are expected to leave town for the beach or mountains, a 1.2 percent decrease from a year ago, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

The Military Bowl, held at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., since 2008, is moving to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis this December.

A team of more than 40 volunteers from Tower Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Laurel, and the Gilbane Building Co. helped renovated the Laurel home of a disabled Navy veteran April 27 during Prince George's County's Christmas in April effort.

Port of Baltimore officials used the Saturday observance of National Maritime Day to throw open a pier at the Canton Marine terminal and invite 28 waterfront businesses and agencies to hold a career day.

'So You Think You Can Dance' opens with auditions in Los Angeles and Detroit

Preakness favorite Orb had an uneventful morning Wednesday at Pimlico

William J. "Bill" Turcovski, a Northrop Grumman electrical engineer who enjoyed antiquing, died May 7 from pneumonia at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis. He was 52.

A line of thunderstorms passed through Harford County Saturday afternoon, knocking down trees – including one at the Harford County Courthouse – and causing sporadic power outages

Physician-inventor Robert E. Fischell says taxing medical devices will hurt industry's ability to develop products

Pietro "Pete" Rugolo, the popular owner of Jerry's Belvedere Tavern on York Road in Govans, died May 8 of pancreatic cancer at Gilchrist Hospice Care. The Lutherville resident was 75.

The Port of Baltimore's sales plan, built several years ago, targets autos, containers, farm and construction equipment, forest products and passenger cruises. The sales brochure consists of the port itself: its location in the middle of a pocket of prosperity, its efficient workforce and tranquil labor relations, its sense of maritime community built over generations.

The course is "Introduction to Casino Gambling," but upon entering the classroom one might be tempted to place a bet at the makeshift roulette wheel, the craps table or any of the other table game layouts.

Now that a reasonable starting point has been enacted, at least from a financial standpoint, it's time to figure out exactly what needs to be done to improve water quality and go from there, without further name calling, complaining or grandstanding.

On Friday, May 3, Lincoln Tech bestowed 195 certificates and degrees to the next generation of skilled trade workers at Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia.

Two members of the Harford County Council wanted to give Harford residents a tax break 25 years ago, and were proposing amendments to the executive's budget that would reduce the property tax rate by 10 cents.

The Harford County Sheriff's Office has stepped up patrols in the Bel Air-area Cedarday community after a man driving a van reportedly chased several children as they were walking home from school last Wednesday.

Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin and its partners bring an F-35 "cockpit demonstrator" to the Baltimore area to show elected officials and the media what the fighter jet can do — a counter to years of stories and Congressional hearings about delays, technical problems and massive cost overruns.

Now that the General Assembly has approved a gas tax hike expected to generate $4.4 billion over the next six years, transportation officials see an opportunity to address some of the region's chronic trouble spots.

Harford police blotter

A proposal to reshape City Dock in Annapolis is drawing criticism from traditionalists, who say taller buildings and other ideas to spur economic development could spoil the Colonial-era character and Chesapeake Bay views of the historic waterfront.

Give the outdoors a sporting chance by trying a new activity -- without investing in the equipment. Find Baltimore-area outfitters that rent out bikes, canoes, paddleboards and more.

Give the outdoors a sporting chance by trying a new activity without investing in the equipment.

Maryland employers added 4,700 jobs in March, gains driven by the private sector, the U.S. Department of Labor estimated Friday.

Cash rewards help fire the competitive spirit that leads to scientific advances

Baltimore officials announced Tuesday they have suspended the city's troubled speed camera program amid fresh reports of erroneous tickets, this time involving a new multimillion-dollar camera network. The Baltimore Sun found that one of those new cameras has been issuing invalid tickets to motorists on The Alameda, apparently because the camera was programmed with the wrong speed limit.

General Motors officially launched its new electric motor in White Marsh Tuesday, a milestone in domestic manufacturing — and a key part of the company's bet that the electric-vehicle market is poised to grow.

Prettyboy Dam Day celebrates natural treasure in Baltimore County

Taking a page from organizations that offer members discounts, a residents' association in the northern end of the county is now offering more than the usual neighborhood advocacy and updates on zoning: The Linthicum-Shipley Improvement Association added discounts at area businesses.

Four people were rescued from second-story apartments by firefighters on ladders after a fire broke out in an apartment building in Northwest Baltimore on Tuesday night, according to the Baltimore Fire Department.

With just six days left in the General Assembly session, a House committee is expected to vote Wednesday on a bill that would reform speed camera programs in Maryland by increasing oversight, tightening rules on camera placement and more clearly barring government contracts that pay vendors on a per-ticket basis. But the legislation, drafted after The Baltimore Sun documented problems in Baltimore's program, doesn't include two key provisions recommended by independent experts.

Maryland's competition for startup companies — with three grand prizes of $100,000 each — narrowed to nine finalists on Monday.

It's a tumultuous time for the game-development industry, with the implosion of local studios on the one hand and the rise of the indie movement on the other.

An anti-speed-camera organization has taken aim at Laurel's speed camera program, claiming the city circumvented state requirements for independent calibration of the cameras.

Even as he tended to orange-clad ballplayers as the Orioles' top team doctor, Dr. William H. Goldiner diagnosed thousands of blue-collar men with asbestos-related illnesses in cases handled by prominent lawyer and team owner Peter G. Angelos.

Public should support driver's licenses for all immigrants as a matter of self-interest

David A. Mack, a retired Bethlehem Steel Corp. floating drydock operator, was killed Thursday after being struck by two hit-and-run drivers in eastern Baltimore County. He was 77.