Whatever happened to the trash chute deaths?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by atomictv

By Peter Hermann (The Baltimore Sun, 4/2/2012)

It remains one two of the more bizarre and mysterious deaths in Baltimore — two people on successive years, 2010 and 2011, plunged down a trash chute in the same downtown apartment building — the Park Charles high-rise.

And we still have no idea what happened in either case.

Police called the first one — of 30-year-old Harsh Kumar, an apparent accident. He worked for a technology company and attended Johns Hopkins University. But then came Emily Hauze, a 23-year-old Loyola University Maryland graduate.

Kumar died from his fall down the trash chute. It’s unclear how Hauze died. And police have kept a tight lip on their investigation. Rarely do details remain quiet this long, but the relatives of both victims have refused to talk publicly. And without new details, that means little public pressure is being put on police to reveal what they know.

Continue reading “Whatever happened to the trash chute deaths?” at The Baltimore Sun.

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Dundalk Eagle’s April Fool’s Day Prank

Posted on April 1, 2012 by almosthipguy

The following story originally appeared in the March 31, 2010 edition of the Dundalk Eagle newspaper. On the paper’s front page, the article was topped by a banner saying, “Unbelievable news!” Readers who saw the story on the Internet or who followed the print edition’s suggestion to read more on the Eagle web site were met with this message at the end of the online version: “April Fool’s! You didn’t actually believe this, did you?” The unbelievable news led to an unbelievable response, as many Eagle readers believed the hoax, prompting the Eagle to print a follow-up editorial explaining the joke. It was East Baltimore’s version of Orson Welles’ infamous 1938 “War of the Worlds” Mercury Theatre on the Air radio hoax!

CITY TO ANNEX DUNDALK-EDGEMERE
(Dundalk Eagle, Wednesday, 31 March 2010)

Expects to add tax revenue, population
Dundalk and Edgemere will become part of Baltimore City as part of a multijurisdictional attempt to improve efficiency and attract more federal dollars.

The news was announced Tuesday in a press release in which Baltimore County revealed that it was giving up its southeastern section for $25,000.

“It’s clearly the best thing to do,” county spokesman Bernard Madeup said in the release.

The annexation, which will become official on April 1, is on a fast track that avoids “those pesky public meetings that always slow things down,” Madeup said.

“Plus, we’ll streamline our operations and get more federal dough,” he said. “The city will pick up population and tax revenue. It’s a win-win.”

As part of the change, the county retains the rights to hold Dundalk’s 75-year-old Heritage Fair and its 34-year-old 4th of July parade, both of which will be moved to Essex.

The newly configured Baltimore City will take in all of ZIP codes 21222, 21219 and 21052 and the county portion of 21224.

About 75,000 people will become city residents instead of county dwellers. They will begin receiving city services and tax notices immediately.

“It’ll be fine,” city spokeswoman Lyla LaLala said. “They’ll even grow to love their new mayor.”

April Fool’s! You didn’t actually believe this, did you?

Continue reading a statement from the editor (“About our April Fool’s Day story”) at dundalkeagle.com.

Posted in 2010s, Dundalk, Holidays, Media, Neighborhoods, Pranks, Urban Legends | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Full Video (with Audio) of Batman getting pulled over by Police

Posted on March 30, 2012 by atomictv

Montgomery County Police:

“You can send me Robin if you wish.”

“How long does it take to put that outfit on?”

“What is your name other than Batman?”

“We thought we had a Gotham moment there.”

“And the Bat Signal summons him and he’s on his way.”

“Batman! Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da…”

FLASHBACK: Police Help Batman with Flat Tire on Halloween

(By Beth Parker, Myfoxdc, 11/2/2011)

HOWARD COUNTY, Md. – Halloween can be a spooky time. Strange things happen. Sometimes it gets so strange that even a super hero needs some help.

An operator at Howard County’s 911 center picked up a call around noon Monday. The call is from a motorist traveling on Route 29. The caller describes a car broken down on the southbound side of Route 29.

“He’s in the left lane. He’s in a Lamborghini. He is dressed in a Batman costume,” said the caller.

That’s right. Batman with a flat tire in his $200,000 Lamborghini. Two Howard County crime fighters, a.k.a. police helped get the Batmobile off the road. It turned out the high-end car eventually had to be towed.

This masked driver was not heading down Route 29 because he was returning to the Batcave. In fact, he was all dressed up because he was headed to visit sick children at a hospital to help them celebrate Halloween.

A friend gave Batman a ride, so he made it to his destination. He is a super hero after all.

Read more and listen to 911 call: http://www.myfoxdc.com

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When the Colts left town: the night that lives on in infamy

Posted on March 30, 2012 by atomictv

By Kevin Cowherd (The Baltimore Sun, 3/29/2012)

I was there that night. It was 28 years ago, in the snowy, pre-dawn darkness of March 29, that the Mayflower vans rumbled out of Owings Mills and the Baltimore Colts left for Indianapolis, ripping an entire city’s heart out in the process.

Just before midnight, we started getting calls on the sports desk at the old Evening Sun that there was unusual activity taking place at the Colts complex. At first we thought it was just a couple of crank calls. But more folks were calling in to report that the complex was lit up, with the sound of trucks echoing everywhere and security guards stopping anyone not authorized to enter.

I jumped in a car with two other Evening Sun reporters and a photographer and we went fish-tailing out of the Sun parking lot. We set a new land-speed record for the drive out there and arrived shortly after midnight.

The scene was absolutely surreal.

Our jaws dropped: it was true. The Colts were leaving town. Yes, it had been rumored for weeks that this might happen. But as one veteran TV sportscaster noted — this was the late, great Chris Thomas — it was like something out of a Fellini movie.

With the snow now blowing almost sideways, thick, white flakes were outlined against the dark green of the Mayflower moving vans as they roared out of the gates, one after the other in periodic intervals.

Continue reading “When the Colts left town: the night that lives on in infamy” at The Baltimore Sun.

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