Primary Offense? Bill Targets Phone Use While Driving. Maryland lawmakers want to enable police to pull someone over if they are talking on a handheld cellphone while driving.The House Environmental Matters Committee held a hearing on the issue Tuesday. The bill would make it a primary offense, instead of a secondary one.That means a police officer could pull someone over after observing a driver talking on a handheld cellphone. Under current law, police can only issue a citation for talking on a cellphone while driving after another violation is observed.
Police: Stillborn Fetus Found In Dumpster. A woman who gave birth to a stillborn baby put the body in a Dumpster in Harford County, police told WBALTV 11 News.The fetus was found in the 900 block of Sablewood Road in Bel Air, 11 News has learned.Investigators said the woman called police just before 6 p.m. Tuesday to report her baby was in a Dumpster. Police said they later found the baby in the Dumpster at about 8:30 p.m.
Man Pleads Guilty On Theft Of 4000+ Historical Documents. A New York City man accused of stealing historical documents from museums throughout the Northeast pleaded guilty in Baltimore Tuesday to conspiracy and theft charges.Barry Landau, 63, entered his plea in federal court. According to his plea agreement, Landau admitted to stealing the valuable documents and manuscripts from several museums in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut.A co-conspirator — Jason Savedoff, 24, of New York — pleaded guilty to the same charges in October. Both men could face a possible maximum sentence of five years for conspiracy and 10 years for theft.
Catholic Church Outraged By Birth Control Mandate. Catholic clergies said they were outraged by President Barack Obama’s administration’s decision to require religious organizations to include birth control coverage in their health care plans for employees.The Catholic Church said the Obama administration is denying Catholics their First Amendment right to religious freedom.Catholic leaders rallied against a new federal policy that forces every health plan to cover contraceptives. The mandate sets up Catholic institutions, including universities and hospitals, to pay for medications like pills that go against the faith.
