Tobacco Companies

"For the person who wanted to know a recipe for homemade window cleaner. I use equal amounts of alcohol, clear ammonia and water. Mix together in a spray bottle, add a few drops of blue food coloring and you have a window cleaner much better and much cheaper than you can buy in a store. I have been using it for years and it works great. " "Honestly, what is wrong with the current hospital we have? We are remodeling it and it has everything we need. Why do you want to go and tear down people's houses?

Put a stop to Peter Angelos' money grab To the editor: Much controversy surrounds the legal settlement between the tobacco companies and the states. Maryland is a part of that settlement and stands to gain about $4.4 billion over the next 20 years. As someone who has first-hand knowledge of Maryland's budget process, I am absolutely certain that there will be at least $10 billion worth of requests for the state's $4 billion share of the tobacco settlement. Granted, a lot of good will come from this huge influx of cash.

Washington County bucks back Shuster By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer Washington County residents contributing $200 or more to federal campaigns gave more to Pennsylvania Congressman Bud Shuster in the last two years than to any other candidate, according to Federal Election Commission records. continued Shuster, a Republican, received $11,500 in 12 donations of more than $200 from county residents. U.S. Rep Roscoe G. Bartlett, R-Md., who represents Washington County, had 11 contributions of $200 or more totaling $7,300 from county residents.

You may be worried about Y2K. Me, I think we've got our hands full with Y99. I say this because more and more things are getting weird as we close in on the end of 1998. For example, this week I heard an advertisement from Philip Morris urging people not to smoke cigarettes. And two days later I heard an anti-smoking advocate blasting Philip Morris for airing advertisements telling people not to smoke. There were kids basically saying, "Hello, I just want to tell all you other kids out there that I am secure enough with myself that I do not need to smoke.

HCC is best site for new campus To the editor: Apparently, Scott Butki neglected to ask Gov. Parris Glendening's office how many letters the governor had received in support of the HCC site for the University of Maryland Campus (Letters lobby for campus site, July 29). Or, at least, he did not report any such letters. It appalls me that The Herald-Mail continues to promote this false debate between the Baldwin House and the Allegheny Power site. It is painfully obvious that this debate was created to deflect interest and attention away from HCC. To choose the Allegheny Power site over HCC is unfortunate, even if there were sound reasons for it. But to create a smoke screen so that we would forget that HCC was even considered smells despicably of politics.

Editor's Note: This is the third of a five-part series featuring black men and women who are making a difference in their communities. andrews@herald-mail.com Finally, an ally. Andy Smith didn't know Paul Stark, his eldest son, existed until 1998, when Stark introduced himself. Smith - the current president of Brothers United Who Dare to Care, a black advocacy group - saw shades of someone he knew, someone pugnacious. "I went back in time and met myself," he said.

ANNAPOLIS (AP) - Democratic legislative leaders, ignoring veto threats from Gov. Robert Ehrlich, put together a medical malpractice insurance reform package Wednesday that they said will solve the state's malpractice crisis and ensure that doctors will be available when Marylanders need them. The bill would provide immediate relief from the 33 percent average increase doctors will have to pay for malpractice insurance coverage in 2005, lowering the hikes to 5 percent. It also would put new restrictions on malpractice lawsuits, a measure that lawmakers said will hold the line on future rate increases by reducing the cost of malpractice settlements.

julieg@herald-mail.com ANNAPOLIS - Washington County's delegation to the Maryland General Assembly voted along party lines on a malpractice reform bill, with Democrat John P. Donoghue the only local legislator voting yes during the special session this week. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is expected to veto the bill, local lawmakers said. He opposes a 2 percent tax on HMO premiums that would underwrite part of the malpractice insurance premiums physicians pay. The House of Delegates and the Senate could override Ehrlich's veto if the lawmakers who approved the bill vote for an override.