Sunday, May 19, 2013
What advice did the first lady give graduates? Will electricity rates go up - again? Get all the Maryland news with one click on Patch.
By Patch Staff It was a big news week in Maryland last week, with a visit by the first lady, a commuter nightmare in Montgomery and a heads up for a sixth casino in the state. All the headlines from 48 Patch sites across Maryland: Berliner Calls for Better Electricity Service with 'Utility 2.0' Montgomery County Council Member Roger Berliner asked the Maryland Public Service Commission to require that substantial changes be made to electricity services in the state. Meanwhile, Pepco is asking for permission to raise rates. Michelle Obama to Bowie State Grads: It's Time to Feel Hungry Again In a speech rich with historical references, the first lady reminded the BSU class of 2013 why education is important. Report: Quince Orchard Students…
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Howard County Parks and Recreation set a date for June 15 for the $15 million center's opening.
The opening date for Ellicott City's state-of-the-art, $15 million community center is set for June 15, according to Howard County Recreation and Parks. Residents who drive down Ellicott Mills Drive to get to Main Street have probably seen the large, glass facade rising from the ground over the past year. In the front window, the rock climbing wall is clearly visible. On the inside, a large pool is the centerpiece of the facility. According to the center's website, the pool consists of six swimming lanes, an attached shallow area, and a dedicated diving section. In addition, the pool area has a retractable roof, allowing the center to let the air in on balmy summer days. The two-story center also features indoor and outdoor basketball …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The redevelopment of Columbia's first village center is expected to complete construction in about two years, said officials Wednesday.
Officials gathered Wednesday to break ground at the Wilde Lake Village Center, a $17 million redevelopment project that will bring new retail space, offices and apartments to the property that was built in 1967. "This is a marathon and we're in the final stretch," said Geoff Glazer, vice president of Kimco Realty, the development company handling the construction. At the event on Wednesday, Kimco staff, local residents, and public officials mingled under an event tent. Glazer spoke about the delays in beginning development due to a vocal Wilde Lake community that criticized the company's plans throughout the process. "This is not a shy village," said Glazer. "They have an opinion and they will share it with you." Plans to develop the …
Restrictions and limitations will be lifted for wineries wanting to participate in farmers' markets, though access to markets is not guaranteed.
Local wineries will no longer face restrictions that have prevented them from participating in more than three farmers' markets per year throughout Maryland. Beginning on June 1, Maryland wineries will be able to attend an unlimited number of farmers' markets to sell wine by the bottle and offer samples. The new policy allows wineries to apply for an off-site permit, which grants access to any farmers' market. However, wineries will still have to be approved, and invited, by markets and event organizers before they are allowed in. In addition, wineries cannot sell wine by the glass at these markets. Previously, responsibility was placed on farmers' market managers and property managers to fill out the paperwork for each individual event. …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
From crime - hear about the backhoe bandits? - to politics and new places for Mexican food, be well-informed with one click.
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Sunday, May 12
By Patch Staff Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown Kicks Off Gubernatorial Bid In a speech highlighting his military and government service, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown announced in his home county of Prince George's Friday night that he is running for governor of Maryland in the November 2014 election. Dan Bongino’s Home Burglarized Wednesday Night While Family Slept A spokeswoman says computers, purses and a wallet were taken from the Severna Park home of Bongino, the former Secret Service agent who ran for U.S. Senate in 2012. Report: Anne Arundel County Top in State for Generating Tourism Money The county saw a more than 7 percent increase in money from tourism between 2010 and 2011, according to a new report. Businesses Look to Marketplace Fairness…
Friday, May 10, 2013
Miami and Portland, Maine are the two newest chapters of Choose Civility, an organization that began in Howard County.
Choose Civility, an organization led by the Howard County Library System, has welcomed two new chapters on opposite ends of the East Coast. The cities of Miami and Portland, Maine have joined the Choose Civility movement, which began in Howard County as an initiative put forward in 2006. Originally a local campaign, it has since spread; Miami and Portland are the fourth and fifth cities to take part in Choose Civility. “In our everyday lives we all experience (turmoil) in one form or another,” said Christie Lassen, the director of public relations with the Howard County Library. “Whether it’s something that happens on a one-on-one basis or what you’re seeing on the national scene with maybe politics or other news -- often you ask the …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
A poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press reports that state and local government fare well as public opinion of federal government declines.
How do you feel about Howard County Government? Chances are that if you like a majority of those surveyed by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press then your answer is "pretty good." A poll released last month found that 63 percent of those surveyed looked favorably on their local governments. That percentage is roughly unchanged from last year when the group conducted a similar survey. State governments are enjoying similar public approval with 57 percent of those surveyed saying they look favorably upon their state governments—a five-point increase over last year. Meanwhile, public opinion of the federal government decreased by five points to 28 percent—the lowest point ever in a Pew poll, according to the center. The …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Columbia resident, a graduate of Wilde Lake High, said she decided to run after talking with Liz Bobo.
After all three incumbents from District 12 announced they would retire from the state legislature, it didn't take long for candidates to begin announcing their intention to run in 2014. One of those candidates is Columbia's Terri Hill, a Democrat and plastic surgeon as well as a graduate of Wilde Lake High School and a resident of Harper's Choice. Hill said "politics is something I've always been fruitfully involved in" and that she decided to run after talking with Delegate Liz Bobo. She previously worked on Liz Bobo's 2010 election campaign and President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, according to an Explore Howard report. Hill has a degree in bioelectric engineering from Harvard and a medical degree from Columbia University, according …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Duane Davis, known for leaving toilets as political protest outside the Historic Courthouse in Towson, is running as a Republican in 2014.
A Milford Mill man known for political protests involving putting toilets in front of a county government building in Towson has filed as a candidate for Lt. Governor in 2014. Duane "Shorty" Davis has filed as the running mate with Brian Vaeth, a Perry Hall man. Davis was charged in February 2011 with planting a fake destructive device in the form of a toilet outside the Historic Courthouse in Towson and making false statements about a fake destructive device. He was acquitted of those charges seven months later. Davis, a caterer, said in a February 2013 article that the incident in 2011 was a protest of alleged corruption in Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration. He claims that he had made political statements using toilets previously, …
The results of the Quinnipiac University poll come as proponents of reinstating the death penalty in Maryland say the law is needed because of incidents such as the Boston Marathon bombing.
Americans support the death penalty for terrorists, according to a national poll released by Quinnipiac University. The national survey found that 63 percent favored the death penalty for someone convicted of murder involving an act of terrorism compared to 32 percent who said they opposed capital punishment. The results of the poll come as political leaders including Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger, a Democrat, and Washington County Republican Del. Neil Parrott announced a plan to collect more than 55,000 signatures in order to reinstate the death penalty in Maryland. "One only has to look back to Oklahoma City, Aurora, CO, Newtown, CT, and the recent massacre in Boston to recognize that if these crimes were …
Columbia Watcher
9:30 am on Friday, May 17, 2013
Bill Santos has it all wrong. It wasn't about fear at all. It was about keeping the vision of the Village Center intact as it changes and not rolling over to the developer's insistence. more ›