As an avid reader of food news and restaurant reviews, I’ve been a fan of Dining@Large since moving to Baltimore a year and a half ago.   I’m disappointed to hear that Elizabeth Large plans to retire soon.

In other news, perhaps you have read that the picture no longer looks so sunny for the popular bill allowing mail order wine purchases to be shipped to Maryland addresses. Is this really an issue of purchases by minors, or is the influence of the liquor lobby and regulators? In either case, Senator Conway has publicly stated that she doesn’t plan to allow the bill to even reach the stage of a committee vote.

There’s a winter storm watch in effect for Western Maryland tonight through tomorrow morning.

Four people are dead after a Wednesday evening rowhome fire in East Baltimore.

Patricia Hughes, former First Lady of Maryland, died yesterday morning.

A proposal to make committee votes in the General Assembly available online is gaining momentum.

State officials are reporting that last year’s tax amnesty program was 3 times more effective than expected.

Current polling shows incumbent Gov. Martin O’Malley up 9% in a race with former Gov. Bob Ehrlich.

A bill proposed in the legislature would ban keeping dead bodies in a freezer in a home.

Per the National Weather Service, today’s forecast is for a high of 55 degrees with 7-14 mph winds. Overnight lows will be around 34 with 15 mph winds.

Don’t forget to join us for an Inside Charm City happy hour/tweetup on December 21st from 6-8 pm at Pratt Street Ale House.

If you missed it last night, I posted a roundup of recent political news.

Baltimore city’s homicide rate for 2009 is on pace to be higher than 2008 and city officials think that they can lower that rate in 2010 by cracking down on guns and on armed robberies.

City police are investigating the third officer-involved shooting in 10 days that occurred yesterday afternoon.

In a hearing on a motion to dismiss, the judge presiding over the city’s lawsuit against Wells Fargo indicated that he may limit the damages the city could ask for in the suit.

A fare box repairman who worked for the MTA has been charged with stealing $400,000 from bus fare boxes.

A Maryland fugitive with pending federal drug charges was arrested on the border between Paraguay and Brazil over the weekend.

Former Morgan State head coach Stump Mitchell, now with the Washington Redskins, is a candidate for the head coaching job at Southern University.

Another news roundup for the day is at Maryland Reporter.

If you have Google Wave, you can discuss these news items and the rest of today’s news here.

Dense fog caused school delays in some areas this morning.

Over the weekend, the editorial board of The Baltimore Sun called on Mayor Sheila Dixon to step aside as mayor at least temporarily.

Baltimore City has been criticized for spending $24,000 on uniforms for staff at the 311 Call Center. City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake dismissed the criticism and said there was no discussion on the matter because,”she didn’t see the need to ‘micro-manage every agency’s expenditures.’ ”

The State of Maryland has been added as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by family members of a man killed in a 2008 fatal crash on the Bay Bridge.

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a hit and run driver Saturday evening in northwest Baltimore.

The Ravens kept their playoff hopes alive with a 48-3 shellacking of the Lions.

If you are a Google Wave user, you can discuss these stories and the rest of today’s news on our Monday News Wave.

A water main break in the 3400 block of Dundalk Avenue has resulted in the northbound lanes of that street being closed. MARC trains have been experiencing problems this morning on both the Brunswick and Penn lines, including a train that broke down in the B&P tunnel that had to transfer 300 passengers to another train.

Deborah Beard, who was injured last week in an attack that killed her teenage daughter, has died of her injuries.

Now that an initial warning period is over, drivers are now receiving tickets based on highway speed cameras.

The MTA has again delayed the rollout of smart cards for passengers on light rail, buses and the Metro subway system.

State data indicates that tourism revenue in Maryland has fallen $7 million in 2009 compared to 2008.

The state also lost out on receiving a grant from the Gates Foundation on education funding because the foundation thought the state gives tenure too quickly to teachers.

Local company BlueHippo, infamous for all the consumer complaints against it, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The Orioles have a new pitcher they appear to be building their starting rotation around. The team traded Chris Ray and a player to be named later to the Texas Rangers for Kevin Millwood and $3 million.

If you hadn’t heard already, Frederick native Michael Voltaggio beat his brother Brian out in the finale of Top Chef last night.

If you have Google Wave and want to discuss these news items or any other news, you can find today’s news wave here or do a search for with:public “Inside Charm City” and then selecting the wave dated today.