Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 --

• Scott Robertson, President of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, announced a $1,000 reward was being offered through CrimeSolvers for information that might help police solve the murder of Abdul Choudhry. The 49-year-old owner of the Shell gas station on North Salisbury Boulevard was shot to death in a robbery on June 22. 

• The Salisbury City Council has approved a continued tax deferral for Gateway Village. The west Salisbury housing complex for low- to moderate-income individuals has new ownership. The deferral was approved following a series of amendments offered by Councilwoman Deborah Campbell.

• Kano, the pit bull that bit a young girl last August but was given a second chance by county officials, was euthanized by Animal Control after it bit a man several times on July 18. Sheriff Mike Lewis said the animal inflicted “significant injury” on the unidentified man. Humane Society Director Linda Lugo said Kano was euthanized at the dog owner’s request.

• West Salisbury’s sixth-inning comeback against District 4 champions South Maryland was thwarted by a sliding catch. With the bases loaded and two outs, Brett Taylor it a fly ball that --  if it had dropped -- would have advanced West Salisbury to the state championship final. 

•  Salisbury boxing sensation Fernando Guerrero is recovering from a bruised knuckle and has scheduled an Aug. 29 bout in Mississippi against Louis Turner. Like Guerrero, Turner is a rising star with a 12-3 record with eight KOs. Guerrero is 14-0 with 12 KOs. Hal Chernoff, Guerrero’s manager, called the fight another step in his boxer’s outstanding progression.

• Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt will unveil a new task force report designed to outline the future for the 30-year-old Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. A group of architects, business leaders and citizens completed the report earlier this summer. Ideas for the facility range from just making repairs, to building a new center at a cost of more than $100 million. Given the national and local economy, Council President John Cannon said he and his colleagues will receive the report and ask pertinent questions, but will be unable to make any financial recommendations.

• Foreclosure rates in the city of Salisbury were up slightly in June, compared with rates from 2008. According to First American Core Logic, a collector of real estate data, 2.2 percent of mortgages in the city are in foreclosure. The national rate is 2.6 percent. Delinquency rates have also increased, with 5.9 percent of mortgages within the city being reported as 90 days or more behind.

• County and city officials are split on where to possibly locate a new Wicomico Public Library. Proposals include building a new facility across the street on the city Lot 1, or behind the Courthouse on Lot 10. The City Council is split on the matter. Developer Palmer Gillis said he is hoping officials will consider different options, including Lots 11 and 12 near Market Street Inn.