Maryland Feels Pinch of Thinning Federal Dollars

BALTIMORE -- Where Anthony Hurt once saw rubble and litter, he now sees a bright mural. From his second-story window, the view of drugs and decay has given way to sunflowers and trees.

More than 150 formerly vacant lots in this city, which is often derided for its high rate of violent crime, have been transformed into community parks — in part with the help of federal grants.