Dear Editor: Now that the dust has settled and the Twittersphere has moved on to Romney's hidden tax returns, we should take an objective look at what the Affordable Care Act really does for Americans. As for me, a healthy 23-year-old woman with no pre-existing conditions who is luckily insured through my parents' generous plan, the act doesn't seem to change much. Sure, I now know that if I develop a health condition it won't stop me from obtaining insurance later on, and I can now stay on my parents' plan until the age of 26-that everyone knows. But what is so often forgotten in these …

  The Columbia Wegmans' liquor license application should be denied for: 1) violating state law, 2) violating county zoning, 3) eroding the business viability of the neighboring Columbia Villages, and 4) inconsistency with the General Plan.   1)  MD state law requires retail liquor operations to be separate from grocery and chain stores.  Wegmans is obviously both, and their application is a blatant attempt to circumvent the existing law.  Liquor retailers statewide are rightfully incensed that the rules under which their businesses were started and grew are about to be swept away.   2)  The …

Dear Editor, It is not hard to tell from previous Howard County Board of Education elections that incumbents have a significant advantage. The reason for this is often name recognition. The reason that voters can't vote on candidates based on their merit is because the media hasn't done adequate coverage of them. The two incumbents that were reelected in 2010 won by large margins. It could be argued that part of the reason for this was Board Member Frank Aquino's top position on the ballot and Board Member Sandra French's name recognition throughout the county. I ask this of voters and the …

Dear Editor, I can’t remember leaving an emergency room thinking that my experience there was pleasant. Nor have I been motivated to praise a hospital by writing a letter to the editor. Until now. I had the unfortunate need to visit the ER department at Howard County General Hospital in late January. Even more unfortunate was that I needed to go there twice in the same week. But as agonizing as was the injury that forced me to go that route, much of that pain subsided with the graciously pleasant bedside manner and professionalism of the physicians, nurses, aides and other HCGH staff members …

Letter to the Editor I am proud that so many of Maryland’s forward-thinking leaders are working to expand broadband internet access across the state (“Maryland Officials Have High Hopes for Broadband Initiative,” June 14, 2011). Governor Martin O’Malley, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Representative John Sarbanes, and our very own County Executive Ken Ulman (among others) have all fought to make sure that our state can connect schools, libraries, emergency response centers, community colleges, and businesses through the high-speed Inter-County Broadband Network.Our leaders recognize that those …

Letter to the Editor The Columbia Association—operating 23 outdoor swimming pools, including two mini water parks, plus four indoor swimming pools and a hot water therapy pool—is in the beginning stages of developing an aquatics master plan. This plan will look at many things, including our community's changing demographics, trends in aquatics facilities and the future needs of residents and other users of Columbia aquatics venues and programs. We'll also be looking at future investments in aquatics venues and associated programs, and much more. Developing our aquatics master plan encompasses…

letter to the editor Although Maryland’s budget is likely to be the biggest challenge facing legislators this session, some important and thorny energy and environmental issues will garner attention as well. Chief among them is a proposed offshore wind power complex, the future of which is predicated on securing commitments from local utilities to buy the power it will generate.  Obtaining a long-term purchase commitment from our “regulated utility” seems like a small hurdle considering all of the benefits that this clean, renewable and local power supply would offer, including a reduced …

letter to the editor Last week’s snowstorm was one of the worst winter storms in BGE’s history.  More than 236,000 customers lost power – 65 percent more than during the back-to-back-blizzards of last February combined. The heavy wet snow took its toll on trees and tree limbs which fell onto power lines and other electric delivery equipment.  To the customers affected by this storm, BGE extends its sincere thanks for your patience and understanding.  More than 2,300 dedicated BGE and contract employees, out-of-state linemen and support staff, worked around-the-clock to ensure service was …