Arundel Digest | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

BALTIMORE - The Maryland Transit Administration says light rail trains in the Baltimore area are running up to 30 minutes behind schedule because of emergency inspections that are keeping some trains out of service.

The MTA announced over the weekend that it would be inspecting the wheels aboard all of 53 of its light rail trains after one of them cracked last month. Some trains are being operated with fewer cars than usual.

Besides the delays, the MTA said a service disruption Monday prevented trains from running between the Mt. Royal Station and Penn Station. A bus bridge was used to get passengers between the stations.

Check scam targets county police chief

MILLERSVILLE - An enterprising criminal tried to bilk Col. James Teare Sr., chief of the county Police Department, in a check fraud scam.

They sent the check to his office at police headquarters in Millersville in an envelope addressed directly to the chief. Col. Teare realized it was a scam and gave the bogus check to his department's Criminal Investigation's Check Squad.

This "serves as proof that no one, including law enforcement, is immune to such scams" a statement from police said.

Thieves typically send a fake check - usually veiled as prize money for some sweepstakes - to the victim along with instructions to cash it and mail an additional check to another address, often overseas in Nigeria. The victims later learn the check they cashed was a fake, but only after they sent their real check, leaving them without its value.

Police urge people who are targets of this scam to call them immediately at 410-222-8610.

Firehouses open for Boy Scout Day

MILLERSVILLE - Eight fire stations will open their doors tomorrow to the Boy Scouts and youth of the community.

Activities will include firehouse tours, classes on fire safety and the latest innovations used in firefighting.

Kids can see what life is like at a functioning fire station.

Boy Scout volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about Scouting. Four Rivers District currently serves more than 3,000 youth and supports over 100 units.

Participating fire stations include the Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company, Ferndale Volunteer Fire Company, Maryland City Volunteer Fire Department, Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company, and the Anne Arundel County Fire Department headquarters.

For more information on "Fired Up For Scouting" please contact the local firehouse or e-mail Mike Norris at mikenorris@verizon.net or Peter Ressler at pressler@baltimorebsa.org.

Health care provider facing fraud charges

BALTIMORE - A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Severna Park health care provider in connection with a $578,000 fraud where clients were billed for services that weren't rendered.

Virginia Vought Acree, a state-licensed clinical specialist in child and adolescent psychiatric and mental health, was arrested Friday on charges of health care fraud. She faces the possibility of 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

According to the 10-count indictment, Ms. Acree, 49, of Linstead Road, worked by herself treating patients in their homes and at assisted-living facilities. From January 2003 to November 2007, Medicare, the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield paid Ms. Acree $578,780 for medical services not rendered, the indictment said.

Prosecutors said Ms. Acree billed for face-to-face psychotherapy sessions with patients in Glen Burnie and Severna Park while she was on vacation in another state or country. Prosecutors want Ms. Acree to pay back all $578,780.

Forums to focus on graduation

ANNAPOLIS -Civil rights advocates and school officials are expected to discuss the impact tomorrow night of a new state graduation requirement on African American and other county students in 2009.

School officials will lead a series of public forums around the county to get people talking.

The forums are part of a deal negotiated three years ago between the school system and the county NAACP, in which the schools agreed to raise achievement of black students.

Forums will run from 6 yo 8 p.m. at:

New Life Fellowship Baptist Church, 7605 Harmans Road in Hanover.

Asbury Town Neck United Methodist Church, 429 Asbury Dr. in Severna Park.

Jacobsville Elementary School, 3801 Mountain Road in Pasadena.

Lloyd Keaser Community Center, 5757 Belle Grove Road in Pumphrey.

Boys and Girls Club at Freetown Village, 7820 Darrell Henry Court in Pasadena.

For more information, call Carlesa Finney at 410-222-5353.

Gas line leak forces site evacuation

PAROLE - A gas leak at the Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole forced the evacuation about 600 people Monday morning and prompted the closing of several roads.

At 9:17 a.m. county firefighters received a call that a gas line was struck during construction at 1910 Annapolis Towne Centre Drive.

The line was nicked while crews were chopping-up the cement pad that had been used to stabilize the crane involved in a fatal accident last week, said Lt. Frank Fennell, a county Fire Department spokesman. Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. workers had the gas line shut off by 11 a.m..

Emergency crews evacuated the entire site as well as nearby areas, said Lt. Fennell.

Forest Drive between Route 2 and Riva Road was closed, as were all entrances to the project.

Corrections

A Mother's Day gift story in Saturday's Maryland Gazette contained incorrect phone numbers for Wildflowers of Pasadena and Edible Arrangements of Glen Burnie. The correct numbers are: Wildflowers of Pasadena, 410 255-2800; Edible Arrangements, 443-749-7959.

We regret the errors.