Arundel Digest

City tree-lighting event postponed

Annapolis - The Grand Illumination ceremony, which culminates with the lighting of the city's 50-foot holiday tree, was postponed until Thursday evening because of inclement weather.

The ceremony, originally scheduled for Sunday night next to Market House near City Dock downtown, was pushed to 6 p.m. Thursday. There will be live music and Santa will hand out treats for children.

The tree-lighting will coincide with the annual Midnight Madness late-night shopping event organized by the Annapolis Business Association.

The city will provide free parking at its Hillman and Bladen/Calvert Street garages after 6 p.m. Thursday. Parking also is available at the Gotts and Knighton garages for $2 after 4 p.m., said Rhonda Wardlaw, city spokesman.

There also will be parking available at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for $5, with a free shuttle to and from downtown until 12:30 a.m. Visitors must use Gate 5 off of Taylor Avenue. The shuttle will stop downtown and at Park Place at West Street and Taylor Avenue.

Metered parking downtown is free until Jan. 1.

QA commissioners pick new leaders

Centreville - Queen Anne's County Commissioner Gene M. Ransom III announced that he has been selected to serve as the next president of the Board of County Commissioners.

Commissioner Courtney M. Billups, a Democrat from Ingleside, was elected vice president.

The two will be sworn in at the commission's next meeting Dec. 9. The five-member commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in Centreville.

Mr. Ransom, a Democrat from Grasonville, was first elected to the commission in 2002. He was re-elected in 2006, the only incumbent who was re-elected that year. Mr. Ransom will take over for Dr. Eric S. Wargotz, the outgoing president.

Big-screen TV taken from senior home

ANNAPOLIS - Someone walked off with a 58-inch plasma TV on Thursday from a senior apartment complex, city police said.

Officers were called Friday morning to The Gardens of Annapolis on Edgewood Road for the report of a stolen TV. Officials at the complex told police that someone stole the TV, which would have weighed at least 140 pounds, from a theater room. The TV was valued at about $5,500 and its wall-mounting bracket also was taken, police said.

One resident told police he happened to look out his window at 2 a.m. and saw two men driving away in a white pick-up. The thief or thieves left a DVD player behind, police said.

Crabs, rockfish to be discussed

Annapolis - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will hold a joint meeting of two advisory committees this week to discuss blue crab and rockfish regulations.

The Tidal Fish Advisory Committee and the Sport Fish Advisory Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday in the cafeteria of the DNR headquarters building, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis. The meeting is open to the public.

Blue crabs and rockfish, also called striped bass, are two of the key species managed by DNR. The DNR is considering requiring licenses for all recreational crabbers, which is one of the items that could be discussed at the meeting.

The advisory committees give input to the DNR on new policies. For information, visit www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries.

- From staff reports