Maryland

Planting Predicted,724

ANNAPOLIS – Maryland farmers will try to cut their losses caused by low market prices and last year’s drought by planting less corn this year, according to an agricultural report released Wednesday

Online Boom Could Mean Sales Tax Bust for Local Governments

WASHINGTON – State officials have long conceded that it is virtually impossible to collect taxes on out-of-state sales such as mail-order purchases: That headache may now go high-tech with the projected boom in online sales

Child Abuse and Neglect Cases On the Rise in Maryland

WASHINGTON – Child abuse and neglect investigations in Maryland have risen steadily from 1994 to 1998, state statistics show, mirroring similar increases on the national level

Pepsi Pulls Commercial filmed at University of Maryland

ANNAPOLIS – Pepsi officials yanked a television commercial filmed at the University of Maryland-College Park after school officials complained that it tarnished campus fraternities’ image and made light of alcohol abuse

Schaefer Supports Tax-Free Week

ANNAPOLIS – Comptroller William Donald Schaefer — the head of Maryland’s tax-collecting agency — said Monday that he supports a bill suspending the sales tax on purchases of clothing and lodging for one week

Tobacco Protection,613

ANNAPOLIS – In an effort to protect cigarette makers involved in last year’s national tobacco settlement, key legislators have proposed a bill that would set up an emergency fund to cover payments to the state if the tobacco industry’s profits drop

Unity Walk,681

ANNAPOLIS – A class of screaming kindergartners, a small pack of sun-baked family and friends, and one red-faced governor welcomed seven walkers and a dog to Annapolis on Tuesday

University Officials Upset By Pepsi One Ad

COLLEGE PARK – University of Maryland officials said they are disappointed with a recent national ad for the soft drink Pepsi One that spoofs the college’s students engaging in stereotypical fraternity drinking activities, using the cola instead of alcohol

State’s Prison Population Boom Becoming an Echo

WASHINGTON – The growth of Maryland state prison populations has taken a nose-dive, after a decade of booming growth

Growth in Maryland Prison Population Takes Sudden Nose-Dive

WASHINGTON – The growth rate of Maryland’s prison population dropped dramatically in recent years after an extended period of rapid increase, according to statistics from the Department of Justice