The Star-Democrat from Easton, Maryland • Page 6

MARYLAND FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15,2006 A6 THE STAR DEMOCRAT STATE BRIEFS T.L. Morris Seafood Choptank River 38 bu. (while supplies last) 410-476-4811 1-888-879-1140 GatewayMarina (Foot of the Choptank River Bridge) Sun.10-6 Baby falls from moving 85 feet WESTMINSTER (AP) A 15- month-old boy suffered head injuries Wednesday afternoon when he was dragged 85 feet after falling out of a moving car and getting caught on a seat belt, police said. The toddler was in guarded condition Wednesday evening at the Johns Hopkins Center in Baltimore, where he was flown by statemedevac, according to Capt. Randy Barnes of the Westminster Police Department.

The accident occurred about 12:30 p.m. in downtown Westminster when the car, in which the toddler was a pas- senger, was making a left turn. The rear passenger door opened, and the child, who was not in a car seat, fell from the vehicle. passenger door flew open and a 15-month-old got caught on the seat belt and was dragged through the parking lot of AnneMarie Anderson of Hampstead, who saw the accident, told the Carroll County Times. Barnes said the 16- year-old mother was a passenger in the car being driven by another 16-year-old.

They were not identified. Police said charges may be brought in the incident. Steele turns down offer to debate Cardin on ANNAPOLIS (AP) Lt. Gov. Michael Steele turned down an invitation to appear on a national television show Thursday with Democratic Rep.

Ben Cardin in what would have been the first joint appearance by the two U.S. Senate candidates since primary elections. Doug Heye, spokesman for the Republican campaign, said Steele is his conversation with Maryland on his bus tour that made stops in Aberdeen and Chesapeake City Thursday. The invitation to appear on the MSNBC news talk show with Chris Matthews, came a day after Steele sent the Democratic candidate a letter proposing debates between the two men. very clear that despite Michael rhetoric, he does not want to truly debate Ben Cardin on the Bush agenda and the issues facing Maryland Oren Shur, spokesman for Cardin, said.

are real differences Michael Steele does not want the people of Maryland to know Heye noted that Cardin has not been certified as the winner of the Democratic nomination and that his opponent, Kweisi Mfume, has not conceded. No winners from the primary have been certified and will not be certified until absentee and provisional ballots are counted. With 99 percent of precincts counted, Cardin had a 15,681 vote lead, polling 235,801 votes to 220,183 for Mfume. In first debate, Gov. Ehrlich, trade barbs on utilities By KRISTEN WYATT Associated Press Writer TIMONIUM (AP) Electricity rates across Maryland have been settled for now.

But higher rates were very much on the minds of voters Thursday at the first gubernatorial debate of the election season. The debate between Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich and Baltimore Mayor Martin a Democrat, was sponsored by the American Association for Retired Persons. And audience questions about utility rates came up early and often. Electricity rates have gone up across most of Maryland because price caps put in place when the market was deregulated in 1999 expired for most residential customers.

brought up the higher rates when answering an early question about helping seniors afford to stay in their homes in retirement. Seniors on fixed incomes themselves in a really scary because of higher electricity bills, said. Taking a veiled jab at the Ehrlich administration, which he has said work hard enough to bring down rates, said higher rates are what happens we stand up for Ehrlich responded that rates went up because of the deregulation law, which was passed before he was governor. He said that people he appointed to the utility-regulating Public Service Commission warned of looming price hikes but were ignored by a Democratic legislature. But when talking about the PSC, Ehrlich referred to chairman Kenneth Schisler as That remark invited more jabs from who has said PSC was too cozy with electricity companies.

voted to turn your Public Service Commission into the utility profit said to applause from many of the 250 AARP members who attended. Ehrlich said was wrong to try the commission. The mayor did not say exactly what he would do about electricity rates if he were elected. The governor threw verbal punches of his own. When said he would push for lower tuition at community colleges, Ehrlich responded, think you want this to devolve into a schools debate, though we would welcome that at any referring to the dispute between Baltimore and the state over whether some low-performing high schools should be taken over.

Most of the hour-long debate, however, was congenial. Ehrlich said he has increased assistance to seniors and should be elected to another term. said Maryland in great shape, that the middle class is being squeezed by higher taxes and that bring a change to state government. A light moment came when an AARP member asked the candidates to disavow negative campaigning. and Ehrlich agreed not to take the pledge.

are about Ehrlich said, in this sense, kind of lucky, because we agree on Few voters in the audience seemed swayed by the debate. AARP members interviewed said they supported one man or the other when they came, and the debate change their minds. Ehrlich is going to win, no said Paul Jennings, 59, of Cockeysville in Baltimore County. the last four years, demonstrated leadership in On the other side, Harford County retiree Carol Lienhard said she liked message. The mayor impressed me with his broader philosophy and commitment to the betterment of she said.

AP PHOTOS Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich, right, gestures as he answers a question during an election debate with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Baltimore Mayor Martin left, Thursday in Timonium. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Baltimore Mayor Martin gestures during an election debate with Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich Thursday in Timonium. Serial killer, rapist gets life without parole BALTIMORE (AP) A serial killer and rapist was sentenced Thursday to life without the possibility of parole for a series of attacks, mostly on elderly women, that terrorized the west Baltimore neighborhood where he grew up.

Raymont Hopewell, 35, issued a halfhearted apology after listening to statements from two women who survived his attacks and relatives of his murder victims. He pleaded guilty to five murders, four rapes and various other crimes and was sentenced to four consecutive life terms. just want to tell everybody that sorry for their said Hopewell, who sat slumped in his chair through much of the sentencing hearing. Rose Ellen McDavid, an elderly woman who was raped by Hopewell and whose description to a police sketch artist led to his arrest, described the attack in harrowing detail and said she thought he would kill her. She credited her faith for saving her life.

used me as an instrument to stop his rampage of rape, murder and evil McDavid said. Attorney Patricia Jessamy, who rarely seeks the death penalty, offered the plea deal after consulting with the families, said Margaret Burns, a spokesman for Jessamy. Many, but not all, said they would prefer a swift sentence of life without parole to a drawn-out series of death penalty appeals. The state offered the plea deal in August and Hopewell pleaded guilty the next day. he not done that, the state was prepared to seek the death Burns said..