With the arrival of warm weather, county officials are warning Howard residents to beware of traveling scam artists who promise home improvement projects.

Often, the home improvement scam artist will go door-to-door offering to pave driveways, repair roofs, trim trees or perform other household tasks for what seems like a good price.

"The sales pitch may come in the form of 'we have a little material leftover from a job down the street,' and the price quoted usually sounds like a good deal," Rebecca Bowman, administrator of the county's Office of Consumer Affairs, said in a statement.

Often, the work is shoddy or is never done at all after a deposit is collected, Bowman said.

The scam artists usually give customers little time to consider their offers and rarely offer a written contract. Even if a contract is offered, it is usually vague and contains bogus contact information, Bowman said. In the past, con artists also have engaged in house burglaries while the repair scams were in progress, she added.

Legitimate door-to-door salespeople are required to have an identification card issued by the Office of Consumer Affairs. Also, contractors are required to have a Maryland Home Improvement Contractor's License to do paving, painting and other home improvement work. Before paying a down payment, verify a license number by calling the Maryland Home Improvement Commission at 410-230-6309. Under Maryland law, home improvement contractors cannot ask for more than one-third of the contract price as a down payment.

County officials urge residents to report suspicious solicitations immediately to the Office of Consumer Affairs at 410-313-6420. -- Sarah Daniels

New process for zoning changes adopted

The Howard County Council this week approved a new process for considering requests for zoning changes.

Under the new process, proposed by council member Courtney Watson, an Ellicott City Democrat, the council will restrict landowners' requests for zoning amendments to two designated months each year.

Watson said the change is designed to streamline the rezoning process and to help residents to more easily track the status of proposed zoning changes.

Amendments to the county's zoning law result in changes to an entire zoning district. Prior to the adoption of Watson's proposal this week, requests for zoning amendments were accepted year-round.

Under the new process, zoning proposals drawn up by developers and landowners would have to be filed during two specified months. The bill would not, however, prevent officials from considering zoning amendments outside those times that they deem urgent.

The director of the Department of Planning and Zoning or any member of the council would be allowed to file a zoning proposal at any time as long as the change is considered to be in the public interest.

The council approved Watson's bill with some changes by a unanimous vote May 5. The council determined that zoning changes will be considered only during February and August, and added a "sunset clause" under which the bill will expire Jan. 31, 2011.

At that time, the council would reevaluate the bill's effectiveness and decide whether to continue it.

-- Jennifer Broadwater

83-year-old charged with assaulting wife

Howard County police arrested an 83-year-old Hickory Ridge man May 5 for allegedly trying to kill his wife by striking her in the head with a hammer, police said.

Police have charged Calvin Ralph Payne, 83, of the 6200 block of Satinwood Drive, in Columbia, with attempted murder and assault for striking his wife, Alma Payne, 81, in the head with a hammer, police said.

According to police, Alma Payne called 911 May 5 at 7:50 p.m. to report that she had been assaulted.

At the couple's house, patrol and tactical officers found Alma Payne with a severe head injury, police said in a press release.

Alma Payne was transported to The University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where she was listed in serious but stable condition May 6.

Calvin Ralph Payne remains held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center, a District Court spokeswoman said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

'Choose Civility' event slated for May 14

The Howard County Library will hold a symposium promoting civility next week.

The symposium, sponsored by the library and 40 partner organizations in the countywide "Choose Civility" campaign, will take place Wednesday, May 14 at Grace Community Church, in Fulton.

The symposium will feature U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings and Joe Ehrmann, former Baltimore Colts defensive lineman and co-founder of Building Men and Women for Others, an organization dedicated to helping people better themselves.

The countywide Choose Civility campaign kicked off in February 2007 after an appearance at the Howard County Library by P.M. Forni, author of "Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules for Considerate Conduct." Since that time, several seminars and workshops have been offered on the subject, said Christie Lassen, director of public relations for the library.

Lassen said the upcoming symposium will offer people "a great way to learn more about civility and how to apply it to their lives."

The symposium will be held May 14 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at Grace Community Church, at 8200 Old Columbia Road, in Fulton. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to register by Monday, May 12 by calling 410-313-7762 or by e-mailing carol.murray@hclibrary.org.

For more information, go to www.hclibrary.org/choosecivility.

-- Sarah Daniels

Columbia driver in police fatality pays fines

The Columbia woman who was driving a car that police said struck and killed a Howard County police officer last year paid fines for speeding and negligent driving May 2, according to a spokesman for the county's state's attorney's office.

Stephanie LaToya Grissom, 25, of Columbia, paid a speeding fine of $130 and was given three points on her driver's license for exceeding the speed limit on Route 32, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for State's Attorney Dario Broccolino.

Grissom also paid a $280 fine for negligent driving from the same event, Kirwan said.

Grissom could have appeared in Howard County District Court April 7 to face a trial on the traffic citations, Kirwan said.

On June 16, 2007, police said Grissom's car was traveling on Route 32 near Savage when Cpl. Scott Wheeler stepped out into the road to attempt to pull over her car. Grissom's car then struck Wheeler, police said.

Wheeler, of Millersville, died two days later of injuries he received in the accident.

On March 5, police served Grissom with citations for negligent driving and speeding after the grand jury declined to indict her. Grissom had been cited for speeding for driving 71 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone, police said.

A Howard County grand jury declined to indict Grissom on a single count of manslaughter by automobile on March 5, according to Kirwan. Police and prosecutors had sought the indictment.

Grissom could not be reached for comment.

-- Mike Santa Rita

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