Arundel Digest

Drug sweep nets 102 arrests, cash

Brooklyn Park - A five-day investigation by county police netted 102 arrests and the seizure of $9,052.15 worth of drugs on Aug. 8, county police announced this morning.

The investigation, dubbed Operation No Let Up, is an ongoing initiative created in 2007 to address quality-of-life issues in specific communities. This operation was executed by police from the Northern, Eastern and Western district stations, police said.

In addition to the drugs and arrests, authorities found $5,236 in drug money, two cars connected to drug trafficking, three stolen cars, 31 abandoned cars and 11 illegal license plates.

The investigation also resulted in charges on four animal rights violations and one arrest for solicitation of a minor, police said.

The task forces are used in target areas with specific criminal trends and quality-of-life issues.

Since its creation, the program has been enforced in Brooklyn Park, the Bellegrove Road/Pumphrey corridor and the Marley, Freetown, Point Pleasant, and Country Club communities, police said.

They plan to implement it in other Northern District areas in the future.

DUI checkpoint set for south county

Edgewater - This Friday and Saturday, county police will increase patrols in south county and will set up a DUI checkpoint on Muddy Creek Road - Route 468.

In 2007, the area near the Muddy Creek Road corridor accounted for 6.3 percent of all DUI arrests in the county. Almost a quarter of those arrests were due to crashes, police said.

Anyone who sees someone who they suspect is driving while impaired, should call the police non-emergency number at 410-222-8610.

City gets higher rank as art city

Readers of a national magazine recently have listed Annapolis among the top arts destinations in the country.

In the most recent annual poll, readers of AmericanStyle magazine ranked Annapolis 13th among small cities as a destination for art collectors and patrons of galleries and festivals.

Last year, the magazine ranked Annapolis 14th.

In 2006 the city came in 21st among urban areas with populations of under 100,000.

Santa Fe, N.M., ranked first among small cities in the 2008 annual survey, while Asheville, N.C., ranked second.

A magazine reader from Denver praised Annapolis for having an "abundance of smaller decorative arts venues supporting local craftsmen."

A reader from North Carolina said, "Art is an integral part of the community."

Cumberland was the only other small Maryland city to make the top 25 arts destinations.

Among large cities, New York City finished first, Chicago finished second and Washington, D.C., third.

Baltimore finished ninth in the large-cities category.

Buffalo, N.Y., was the top-ranked mid-sized arts venue.

AmericanStyle magazine was founded in 1995 and is published in Baltimore.

- From staff reports