City Bar Catches Shellenberger's Eye

Concerns about underage and binge drinking associated with a bar just over the city line have caught the eye of Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

Shellenberger, in an April 27 letter, asked the city Board of Liquor License Commissioners to investigate Favorites' Pub saying the bar "reinforces the stereotype of 'the drunken college student' by creating a culture that promotes irresponsible drinking and over consumption."

Shellenberger writes that between Jan. 31 and Feb. 3, three Towson University students were taken to area hospitals "after returning from a night of heavy drinking at Favorites' Pub."

The letter says that officials at Loyola University Maryland have attempted to work with the bar to resolve some of the issues but owners have not responded positively, according to Shellenberger.

Happy Birthday to Luke Broadwater, 31, managing editor at B and a top-notch cops and courts reporter.

Congratulations to Del. Steve DeBoy on the marriage of his daughter Mandy to Keith Walsh. The couple was married at Holy Cross Church in Baltimore on Saturday.

Diversity in Redistricting: Richard Cross offers his own look at recent calls to add more diversity to the Baltimore County Council on his Cross Purposes blog.

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger is a man who can keep a secret. So says Jean Marbella and John Fritze in The Baltimore Sun today. Ruppersberger, who likes to remind us that he's on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, was one of a handful of people who got a heads up on the impending raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden.

Farewell to Tom LoBianco, a Lutherville native and Towson High School graduate, who becomes a former Associated Press Maryland State House reporter in order to become a current statehouse reporter in Indianapolis. LoBianco, who also covered Annapolis for the Washington Times, is a two-time winner of the semi-coveted Stuckey awards handed out each year by House Speaker Michael Busch. LoBianco's exuberance will be missed in Annapolis but might be a blow of Baltimore revenge for a city that is now home to the Colts.