The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page B3

The Sun Friday, Dec. 10, 2004: Page 3b BALTIMORE CITYCOUNTY CityCounty Digest City Council members take oath of office In Baltimore City Ceremony today 15-member panel meets for first time amid flurry of bills to mark iiainim By Laura Vozzella SUN STAFF sister-in-law to AIDS. "She is one of the best persons that you would ever want in your life. Thank you, Janice." Dixon thanked departing council members for their service. Four council seats were eliminated by redistrict-ing that was brought about by a November 2002 ballot initiative known as Question which forced some incumbents to run against each other in 14 new, single-member districts.

She also thanked O'Malley "for being in partnership with" the council, adding that they did not always agree but did work together to move the city forward. Dixon said the city Baltimore's outwardly tough-as-nails City Council president began her second term yesterday showing a softer side in a speech during which she was moved to tears at moments, gave heartfelt thanks to God and suggested that she is not nearly as fearsome as her black belt in karate might suggest. "Sometimes they think I'm the toughest of all," Sheila Dixon said, referring to her council ANDRE F. CHUNG SUN STAFF City Council President Sheila Dixon signs the Oath Book while her children Jasmine and Joshua look on. Council members were sworn in at City College.

In Baltimore County Fire museum featuring train garden, open house LUTHERVILLE The Fire Museum of Maryland will hold a holiday train garden and open house every Saturday this month and Dec. 27-31. The display of 1940s-style 027 trains and an O-gauge track is more than 26 feet by 16 feet. The museum, at 1301 York Road, also will showcase 40 antique fire engines, a fire alarm office and audio-guide tours. The museum is open 11 a.m.

to 4 p.m. for the display. Admission is $6 for adults; $5 for seniors and firefighters; and $4 for children ages 2 to 12. Admission is free for children younger than 2. Information: 410-321-7500.

Death of man, 77, in garage called suicide ROSEDALE A man whose wife died in May was found dead in his garage early yesterday morning, an apparent suicide, authorities said. A state medical examiner de-termined that Lawrence Buttion, 77, died of carbon monoxide poisoning and listed the cause of death as suicide, said Elise Armacost, a Fire Department spokeswoman. Firefighters found Buttion inside a car that had been running and caught fire in his detached garage in the 1000 block of Ches-aco Ave. shortly before 1:30 a.m., she said. Fire investigators have determined that the garage fire started accidentally, Armacost said.

Damage was estimated at $55,000. Fork Montessori school plans craft festival FORK The Free State Montessori School will hold its Winter Craft Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow at the school, 12536 Harford Road. The annual holiday event will feature artisans, crafts, games, prizes and food.

The event is free, and all proceeds benefit the school, organizers said. Information: Leigh Salkowski, 410-893-8490 or From staff reports of park for Brailey The late Troy Brailey, a civil rights champion, longtime legislator and union leader in the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, will be honored today with the renaming of a park in West Baltimore. The ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. at what will become Senator Troy Brailey-Easterwood Park and Recreation Center, at 1530 N. Bentalou St.

The renaming effort was headed by East-erwood Boys Club whose approximately 175 members spent a good bit of their youth at the 7-acre park on land sold to the city about 1900 by the family of Hamilton Easter. Brailey, a West Baltimore Democrat who served in the state legislature for 24 years, died a decade ago. Morgan police arrest 4 in string of robberies Morgan State University Police said yesterday that they had made four arrests in more than 10 armed robberies around the campus since October. The arrests, made over the past few weeks, appear to have stemmed the gunpoint robberies, police said. One of the men arrested was a student, police said.

They did not release the names of the suspects. Holiday Poinsettia Show to end 2-year hiatus The Holiday Poinsettia Show will return to the Baltimore Conservatory and Botanic Garden starting tomorrow, city Department of Recreation and Parks officials said. The show returns after a two-year absence resulting from the renovation and expansion at the conservatory, in Druid Hill Park at Gwynns Falls Parkway. The show will continue through Jan. 2 from 10 a.m.

to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. An open house will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

staff. "I'm actually the gentlest of anyone you can imagine. But I want the best for Baltimore." Dixon and the 14 other members of the smaller, reconfigured council were sworn in during a two-hour ceremony at City College, a location Dixon said she chose to highlight their commitment to Baltimore public schools. Five hours later the new council held its first meeting, at which members unanimously reelected Councilwoman Stephanie C. Rawlings Blake as vice president and introduced several bills, five of them from Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, a former council president who left office in 1995 and was elected this year in the 14th Dis- had made significant progress during the past five-year term, with school test scores up, violent crime down and development booming.

But Dixon also said that city schools remain "woefully underfunded" and that homicides, after falling for several years, are back on the rise. She said the new council is ready to address those and other problems. "This council will not be deterred. We've come too far to turn back now," she said. Sun staff writer Doug Donovan contributed to this article.

For a transcript of Sheila Dixon's speech, go to www. baltimoresun.comcouncil. the City College choir, and soloist Steffan Carter from Baltimore School for the Arts. Carter sang "Center of My Joy," a song praising Jesus that Dixon said was performed at her request. "If it weren't for Jesus being the center of my joy, I could not stand here today," Dixon said, adding that she draws strength from her faith.

Accompanied on stage by her children Jasmine, 15, and Joshua, 9 Dixon cried as she recalled the moment in 2001 when she learned her sister, Janice, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. "She has been a four-year survivor of breast cancer," said Dixon, who lost her brother and trict. "I've been waiting nine years," Clarke said, explaining the flurry of legislation. More than 200 people attended the swearing-in, including U.S. Sen.

Paul S. Sarbanes, U.S. Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, and state Attorney General J.

Joseph Curran whose brother, Robert W. Curran, was among those taking the oath of office. Del. Salima S. Marriott introduced Dixon, calling her "an outstanding daughter of Baltimore." Mayor Martin O'Malley swore in each council member individually during a program filled with religious references and performances by the Winston Middle School jazz band, Zenith tower construction might begin next month By Jill Rosen SUN STAFF Police Construction could begin as soon as next month on a long-awaited luxury apartment tower at a prestigious downtown corner.

The Zenith, a high-rise planned for Pratt and Paca streets, overlooking Oriole Park at Camden Yards, was announced more than two years ago. Since then, the project, heralded by city officials as an example of its efforts to reach out to minority-owned businesses, has stumbled on a variety of development potholes. Yesterday, the building's developers said they expect to break ground next month, even though the city's Urban Design and Architecture Review panel has recommended last-minute design changes. "We just want to get started," said Brian D. Morris, chief executive officer of Legacy Harrison Enterprises.

Though Morris and his business partner, Dean S. Harrison, were hoping to walk away from yesterday's meeting with a building permit, they said the panel's request for refinement of the Zenith's entryway and street-level landscaping was not much of a setback. "It allows us to stay on our schedule," Harrison said. Legacy Harrison ran into many stumbling blocks, some big, some relatively minor. Foremost was its trouble finding financing for the $37 million project, which it secured this summer.

The developers also learned that they would have to scale back the building's height so that it wouldn't interfere with helicopters landing at nearby Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Next came a change of architects. Now there are the city design panel's aesthetic recommendations. "We still have concerns about a couple of things," panel member Mark Cameron told Legacy Harrison. "But we are in approval of everything else you've shown." The developer is scheduled to return to the panel with the changes on Dec.

23. M.J. "Jay" Brodie of Baltimore Development Corp. said he is confident that construction will begin soon. "It's a strong building," he said, "on an important corner." Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

Baltimore City Southern District Arrest: Anthony Bowers, 19, was arrested yesterday morning at his home in the 600 block of Bridgeview Road by members of the Warrant Apprehension Task Force on a warrant charging him with attempted murder. He is charged with shooting Tatar-ian Jessup, also 19, on Nov. 27 in the 2700 block of Norland Road. Assaultarrest: Santo Grasso, 33, of the 1300 block of Hull St. was chased down his street about 1 p.m.

Wednesday by a man to whom he allegedly owed $300 and was struck several times with a baseball bat. Arrested and charged with aggravated assault was Jose Claros, 36, of the 100 block of N. Curley St. Stolen vehicle: A 1988 Mazda 626 with tags MTK 108 was parked at Cherry Hill Auto Works in the 600 block of Cherry Hill Road for repairs Wednesday when it was stolen. Central District Theft: While a 27-year-old woman left her seat at St.

Jude's Shrine in the 300 block of N. Paca St. to take communion about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, a man stole her purse, which she had left on the pew. Moments later, the purse was found nearby missing $15.

Southeastern District Shooting: William Dixon, 24, was shot in the left shoulder by an unknown person Tuesday night in the 3100 block of E. Baltimore St. He was released after treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Burglary: A burly male intruder who broke into a house in the 2400 block of Fait Ave. about 3 a.m.

Wednesday and stole a wallet was attacked by an occupant, a much smaller woman who shoved him through the front door and beat him on the porch until he fled. Burglary: Someone broke into a house in the 900 block of Fell St. through a front window Wednesday and stole a 27-inch flat-screen television. Southwestern District Church burglary: The Rev. Charles L.

Wilder pastor of St. Thomas Lutheran Church in the 300 block of S. Pulaski reported that someone broke into the church Tuesday and stole food and cleaning supplies. Baltimore County Cockeysvflle Precinct Bank robbery: A man who implied that he was armed with a handgun gave a holdup note to a teller at 1st Mariner Bank in the 1700 block of York Road about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday and fled with an undisclosed sum.

Essex Precinct Burglary: A television, VCR, cable TV box, guitar and clock radio all valued at $1,180 were stolen Wednesday from a house in the first block of Shaffer's Road. Franklin Precinct Purse snatch: A woman, 45, was standing at a bus stop at Liberty and Old Court roads about 3:20 p.m. Wednesday when a man stole her purse containing $90 in property and cash. Burglary: A DVD player, laptop computer and cell phone all valued at $2,700 were stolen Wednesday from a house in the 700 block of Berrryman's Lane. Woodlawn Precinct Robbery: A man, 53, was walking on the grounds of Motel 6 in the 1600 block of Whitehead Court about 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday when an apparently unarmed man robbed him of his wallet. Towson Precinct Burglary: Someone entered a house in the 600 block of Re-gester Ave. through an unlocked rear door Wednesday and removed a wallet containing $100 from a purse in the dining room. Richard Irwin AMY DAVIS SUN STAFF Billie Holiday mural At Booker T. Washington Middle School, art teachers Volker Schoenfliess of the Baltimore School for the Arts (left) and Mark Poole of Booker T.

Washington (right) watch Darius Johnson, a seventh-grader at Francis Scott Key Middle School, position a tile for a ceramic mural honoring Billie Holiday. The 10-by-13-foot mural, sponsored by the Museum of Ceramic Art and scheduled for completion in February, is to be installed at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center next year. 30 laptop computers stolen from city high school donated this summer to the innovative public high school, which is housed in Lombard Middle School, just east of downtown. School police were investigating the theft of the laptops, which were valued at a total of about $50,000. The school received them from the Centre for Management and Technology, a Baltimore-based nonprofit group that helps schools and other nonprofits improve their technology and efficiency.

BY A SUN STAFF WRITER Thieves broke into Baltimore Freedom Academy last week and stole 30 laptop computers, school officials said yesterday. The laptops, which have wireless Internet capabilities, were.