Congratulations to the University of Baltimore on the groundbreaking for their new law school !

The University of Baltimore broke ground on what promises to be a splendid new law school.

GAO Investigation of For Profit Colleges Shows Deceptive Recruiting Practices and Fraud

GAO investigation of For Profit Colleges reveals deceptive recruiting practices and fraud in the recruitment process.

Prominent Hispanic Lawyer Named to Howard County Bench

Ricardo Zwaig, a prominent Hispanic lawyer was named to the Howard County District Court by Governor O'Malley.

Students File Lawsuit Against Fila Academy Claiming Fraud and Violations of Maryland's Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act

Several former students of the Fila Academy, Inc. filed a lawsuit seeking class certification in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County alleging that the school and its owner, Larry Fila, misrepresented material facts and defrauded them into enrolling at the for profit barber school at a cost of over $16,000.00. The students seek class certification because they believe many other former students were similarly defrauded and harmed by the school.

Did You Feel It ?

Where were you when the great Maryland quake of 2010 hit? Or, did you even notice it?

Jessup, Maryland Lancaster Foods recalls bags of spinach due to listeria

Lancaster Foods of Jessup, Maryland is recalling some of their bagged spinach products as they may contain harmful Listeria Monoctogenes.

Flaming Dishwasher Recall

Maytag recalls More than a million dishwashers for a propensity tocatch on fire.

One Step Ahead Recalls Stacking Toys Due to Infant Choking Risk

One Step Ahead recalled their animal crackers giant stacking toy as a choking hazard for infants and toddlers.

Big Foot Sighted!

Think we are kidding?

Big Foot Sighted!

Think we are kidding?

More Toyota Problems. Top Model Lexus sales halted

Toyota, briefly the worlds largest automaker has shut down sales of its most expensive and prestigious car, the Lexus LS.

Washington D.C. Safest Driving City is also Nation's Fittest City.

We know from past reporting here that Washington, D.C. and its environs are the safest place to drive in the United States. Now we learn that for the third year in a row we are the fittest.

Redskin Fans: A New Era?

Clark and Steinhorn are long-time fans of the Washington Redskins Football Club. Will the hiring of Mike Shanahan bring back the glory days?

Glory days to Return? Redskins Fire Vinny Cerrato.

Washington Redskins Fire Vinny Cerrato and hire Bruce Allen. Yahooooo

Toyota Announces Recall of Four Million Vehicles Due to Defective Gas Pedals

Totyota Recall Affects Four Million Vehicles: Safety of Drivers At Issue; Fatalities Reported

Off-Road Vehicles, ATVs and Rollovers

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a vigorous effort to reduce deaths and personal injuries associated with misuse of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and other Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs). http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10020.html

The campaign is buttressed by a an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to address problems with ATV and ROV steering problems, insufficient lateral stability and inadequate protection during rollover crashes.

At Clark and Steinhorn, we have seen the dangers of recreational vehicles and are hopeful that a "proposed  American National Standard for Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles" as proposed by the ATV/ROV industry, is strengthened to protect consumers .

E. Coli Outbreak Kills Two, Sickens Many More

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention report that as many as 28 people have become ill as a likely result of E.-Coli bacterial exposure. The ground beef which is at the root of the outbreak was a product of Fairbank Farms in New York.

A recall of some 546,000 pounds of ground beef has resulted from this occurence. This is the third recall by Fairbank Farms since 2007. Among the retail outlets pervaying this meat were Trader Joes, B.J.'s, Giant and Price Chopper.

The meat was packaged from September 15th to 16th, 2009.

Reducing Motor Vehicle Deaths" The Three E's

In an era when roads are steadily more crowded every day, efforts to enhance public safety are essential. We have discussed the use of data bases such as SAFER, NOPUS and CODES and the fact that wrongful deaths on our roadways in Maryland, The District of Columbia and nationwide are down.

Still, thousands die every year and in Maryland the State Highway Administration has defined its focus on the three e's.
The e's are engineering, enforcement, and education. http://www.marylandroads.com/Index.aspx?PageId=684&d=69

This integrative approach is being used nationwide and its success is difficult to dispute. Car and truck crash deaths and injuries are down and we are all safer for it.

The first 'E', engineering focuses on several avenues. Obviously, speed limits, intersection configurations and traffic signs and signals are important. Unsafe bridges, railroad crossings and road surfaces also are prominent concerns. (see http://www.maryland-law.com/blog/route-32-gets-sorely-needed-safety-attention.cfm 

Enforcement includes not only police actions to ensure compliance with Maryland traffic safety laws but also new automatic safety measures (ie. red light cameras and photo speed cameras), and such anti-drunk driving programs such as checkpoint strikeforce.

The third 'E' is education and its importance is sometimes underappreciated. The KISS program (kids in safety seats) is invaluable as the majority of booster and safety seats are misused. Programs to encourage safety belt use and to discourage aggressive driving are essential.

The bottom line is that we as a society can reduce traffic fatalities and injuries if we obey the laws, stay off our cell phones while driving and disdain aggressive driving.

Route 32 Gets Sorely Needed Safety Attention

As discussed here recently, a rash of deadly accidents on Maryland Route 32 near Sykesville, has galvanized action on the part of both Howard County and the State of Maryland. http://www.maryland-law.com/blog/physicians-wrongful-death-in-howard-county-motivates-safety-improvements-on-route-32.cfm

The county and state announced jointly a series of measures designed to eliminate many of the conditions which led to several wrongful deaths on 32.

These include the placement of three large signs both Northbound and Southbound advising motorists to "Pay Attention-Watch For Left-Turning Traffic". The provision of rumble strips near 32's intersection with Amberwoods Way, River Road and Day Road and later this fall construction of left turn lanes at each of these intesections.

Additionally, speed trailers will tell motorists how fast they are going.