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On 11 August 2004, the National Ensign was proudly displayed for the 35th. time since 9/11,on the I-695 overpass on Frederick Road in Catonsville.

The purpose of that continuing demonstration is to encourage remembrance of the vile and tragic events of that day. It is all too easy to become so absorbed in the hectic routines of our daily lives that the horrible scenes we saw on the morning of the murderous assault on the World Trade Center Towers gradually dim. Coupled with the frenetic pace of events and personal involvements there is a need to deny or distance oneself from the sights and sounds of that day. That is why we go the I-695 overpass on the 11th of every month from 0845 - 1145. WE MUST NEVER AFFORD TO FORGET!

As I stand there and display our beautiful flag, I shudder at the memory of the those whose leap from those towers I saw on my television screen. I hear again the sirens and imagine the acrid smoke and fumes and crushing debris that enveloped so many innocent people and pray.

Each time we do this we are greeted with a wonderful response from thousands of motorists who honk and wave and give us the "thumbs up" or "V" as they pass under the overpass or traverse Frederick Road. Often we have been the recipients of cold water, pastries, treats of various kinds (Once hot coffee by a generous young police officer and cold water from a State Roads crew) from people who want to show us they care about what we are trying to do. We appreciate these responses and are encouraged that we might be contributing in however small a way to the spirit of patriotism and resolve we must maintain as a nation if we are to remain a nation. We believe we know what those who honk and encourage us are thinking.

On two occasions in nearly three years we have received the one finger salute from some chap in a red corvette, and on 11 August we were visited by a Baltimore County Police Officer responding to a complaint from a "citizen" which claimed that three people on the sidewalk holding aloft the American Flag were creating a distraction and potentially contributing to traffic accidents. What were THEY thinking?

Sincerely,
Harry J. F. Korrell, Jr.
410-747-7480

Insurance agent testifies to businesses' need for liability reform

The frequency and high cost of litigation in our country's civil justice system is a matter of growing concern to small businesses. Liability reform would inject a measure of fairness into a legal system that preys on business, often without regard to legal merit. Liability reform also would help reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits and the exorbitant costs of defending a frivolous lawsuit that can drive a business to financial ruin.

Civil litigation was once a last-resort remedy to settle limited disputes and quarrels, but recent years have brought a litigation explosion. The number of civil lawsuits has tripled since the 1960's. Litigation has become big business, and it is putting small companies out of business. When the typical cost of a lawsuit that goes to trial is at least $100,000, the economic pressures to settle are enormous. National Federation of Independent Business members say that being sued is one of the most threatening experiences for a small business owner. It is even more frightening for the smallest of the small, which can be put out of business by one lawsuit.

NFIB supports the Small Business Liability Reform Act because it would significantly improve the legal climate in which small businesses operate. Most importantly, the bill caps punitive damages at $250,000. This cap is needed because, while compensatory damages - referred to as economic and non-economic damages - are usually covered by liability insurance, punitive damages are not. Defendants must pay them in full. Because of the fear of unlimited punitive damages, many business owners settle out of court, even if the claim is unwarranted. Capping punitive damages will protect small businesses by limiting this fear.

I would like to share with you two examples in which my clients were affected by law suits. In each case, the business owner was informed by Nationwide Insurance Co. that the amount of suit was greater than the liability limit of his or her policy - in excess of $1 million in both cases.

Example No. 1

A local family operates a grain farm and has won numerous awards for production and conservation. In 1997 they were sued for $5 million for incorrectly planting their corn.

In September of that year a lady approached an intersection with a stop sign. She proceeded to "roll through" the stop sign, claiming her vision was impaired by corn planted to the edge of the road, and was struck by oncoming traffic. She sued the owner of the property, the local county and state jurisdictions, and my client, the farmer who rented the ground and planted the corn. He received a letter from Nationwide stating that the amount of suit was greater than his $3 million liability coverage and recommending that he seek legal counsel.

The Circuit Court found for all the defendants and all claims were dismissed. Within weeks, however, the plaintiff's attorney filed an appeal and Nationwide settled the claim for $600,000.

Example No. 2

A client owns and operates a local farm roadside market. He has been in business for 25 years at the same location.

One day in early spring, a woman fell in the parking lot. The farm stand owner gave her first aid (consisting of two bandages on her knee) and, to promote good will, some freebies.

A year later, Nationwide notified him that the woman and her husband were suing him for $1.7 million each. The woman was claiming soft tissue damage in her back and neck from the fall. She even appeared in court in a neck brace! The insurance company investigated and found that the woman was part of a winning foursome at a local golf course and had not missed any of her club tournaments the summer of her alleged injury, nor in the following summer while awaiting trial.

The scary part is that when the business owner received the notice that he was being sued, he also received a letter from Nationwide indicating that he needed to hire outside counsel. A frivolous lawsuit threatened to put his family-owned business out of business and threatened the jobs of 18 employees.

Legitimate legal claims should be heard. If someone's behavior is negligent, then he or she should be held responsible.

But these outrageous cases serve only to enrich plaintiffs' lawyers and people with baseless claims.

"Your Business" provides a chance for readers to comment on business-related subjects.

Chris Cavey, a Baltimore County resident, is an insurance agent for Nationwide Insurance Company and the owner of Cavey Insurance Agency in Hampstead. This column is excerpted from his testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives' Small Business Committee, on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business, in July.

In the Aug. 4 Towson Times, County Executive Jim Smith gave his pitch for the Democrat Party and implored Baltimore Countians to support John Kerry for president.

Never before have I seen a county executive so active in partisan activities. Say what you will about former County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, but while county executive he tried to remain above politics and work with all elected officials, Democrats and Republicans.

From the very beginning of his administration, Jim Smith has been a different political animal. He antagonized the eleven Republican legislators who represent our communities from Towson to Middle River. He played politics with the tropical storm Isabel disaster, attacking the state insurance commissioner whom he regards as a future opponent. Now he uses his perch in the County Courthouse to rally the county for John Kerry.

I would have no problem if the chairman of the Baltimore County Democratic Party wrote such a column, but you would think our county executive might have other things on his mind.

While Jim Smith was partying in Boston, Baltimore County shipped more trailers to Baltimore County's overcrowded schools. The schools' overcrowding crisis is the problem that won't go away for the Democrats who run Baltimore County _ and it gets worse every day.

This is a direct result of the unholy alliance between the Baltimore County Democrat Party and big money developers who have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrat campaigns. Throughout the county, schools get more crowded and more land gets consumed for development.

By contrast, when Republicans ran Baltimore County in the 1990s, the county established the community conservation program to restore older neighborhoods. Baltimore County halted development in the northeast until new infrastructure was put in place. Sadly, the Democrats have squandered the opportunity to build on these reforms.

On behalf of the Baltimore County Republican Party, I hope Jim Smith had a fun time hobnobbing in Boston. Maybe he even shared a cocktail with Michael Moore and Jerry Springer. When he got back, however, all the problems his party created are still waiting for him, right here in Baltimore County.

Chris Cavey

It is easy for Jay Hidden ("Recognizing illegal immigrants as the sympton, not the problem," The Jeffersonian, July 27) to criticize some elected officials for being active on issues such as illegal immigration because many of our other elected officials have not done much to improve their local communities for many years ... which leaves nothing positive for Hidden to discuss.

Dels. Richard Impallaria and Patrick McDonough have been a fresh air of change to the hardworking people they represent in the 7th District.

In fall 2003, after tropical storm Isabel struck Baltimore County, Impallaria and McDonough, along with Del. J.B. Jennings and state Sen. Andrew Harris, responded within 24 hours to host the first of five town meetings at which thousands of people received information and assistance.

Later, during the 2004 General Assembly session, the 7th District delegation sponsored and supported legislation beneficial to victims of tropical storms.

These legislators' approach is to be both lawmakers and community leaders. This is the only delegation that combines all of its state scholarship funds to provide financial aid to a greater number of young people.

Its members host a scholarship open house so that family members can meet their legislators and receive special citations. More than 400 people attended the event this year.

The delegation also created the first citizen's advisory board related to a major highway project (the extension of Route 43) so that the community would have input and oversight on this project.

They have also been leading the fight to build a new Northeast-area high school that would benefit students in overcrowded schools from Perry Hall to Middle River.

I call this Republican leadership that puts people first!

What we have had in the state of Maryland for the past 40 years is a Democratic machine that has churned out a society with higher taxes, more crime, polluted waters, overcrowded schools, while watching industry and good jobs disappear.

I am excited watching new, fresh Republican leadership at work in Baltimore County and around the state. I applaud Gov. Ehrlich for standing his ground and not allowing the House of Delegates' Democratic leadership to push through a last-minute, $1 billion tax hike, without a public hearing _ especially when Maryland has some of the highest gasoline taxes in the country already.

While the Democratic leaders in this state were leading the charge at the Democratic National Convention in Boston last month, our Republican leaders were in the trenches with the people whom they represent, trying to make life better for them and their families.

By the way, where's the bounce?

Isn't the presidential nominee supposed to get a bounce in the polls after his national convention? Or did the story about the CPR that John Kerry gave to his daughter's hamster to save its life not do the trick?

Steve Dishon is the president of the East County Republican Club. E-mail him at sdishon@eastcountyrepublicans.org

I would like to say thanks to all the good folks who made this year's Riverview Community Association annual community clean-up another fantastic success, filling four roll-off dumpsters.

Special thanks go to Tony Myers and his group of young men and women, who not only helped load the dumpsters but also cleaned the entire school grounds at Riverview Elementary.

Thanks to Albert Nalley for the use of his truck from A.L.N. Metals and to Paul Nalley for his donation of sodas and bottled water.

Thanks to Michele's Kitchen for supplying coffee, ice, sodas and bottled water.

And thanks for the doughnuts that somehow came all by themselves!

We thank the Arbutus Times for posting our clean-up date and time.

We filled the dumpsters so quickly that we stopped accepting trash at 11 a.m., one hour early. So next year, six dumpsters!

Ron Whitehead, vice president
Riverview Community Association

This page last updated September 9, 2004