Friday, May 18, 2012
Ruling stems from divorce case filed by a couple married in California in 2008.
Same-sex marriages legally performed out of state must be recognized by Maryland Courts, according to a decision issued Friday by Maryland’s highest court. “Maryland courts will withhold recognition of a valid foreign marriage only if that marriage is ‘repugnant’ to State public policy,” wrote Court of Appeals Judge Glenn Harrell Jr. in the 7-0 decision. The case stems from a 2010 divorce case filed in Prince Georges County. Two women, Jessica Port and Virginia Cowan, were legally married in October 2008 in California. Eight months later, the couple separated and ultimately filed for divorce in July 2010. The judge in that case ruled that recognizing “the alleged marriage would be contrary to the public policy of Maryland” and declared it …
John Powell, new administrator for the Office of Transportation, spoke of the need to prioritize transit during a meeting with Howard County nonprofits.
When Wegmans opens in Columbia next month, the nearest bus stop will be on Stanford Boulevard at Magaw Road—which is not close enough, according to John Powell Jr., administrator of Howard County's newly created Office of Transportation. “Right now the bus stop for Wegmans is not at Wegmans," Powell said at the May 16 meeting of the Association of Community Services. "There wasn't somebody like an administrator from an Office of Transportation that was at the table during the planning process,” said Powell. "Transportation needs to be at the table." The Wegmans bus stop was symptomatic of a larger issue, namely lack of consideration given to transportation in Howard County, said Powell, who started his position April 23. Moving forward, …
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The building will be the first in a long-term development plan for Town Center.
A $100 million luxury apartment and retail building planned for downtown Columbia will be introduced to the public at a pre-submission county meeting at Howard Community College on Tuesday, according to the Downtown Columbia website. The building will include 380 apartments and 14,000 square feet of retail, according to an article in the Howard County Times. It will be the first step in a 30-year plan to develop Town Center into a more walkable, urban downtown. The Metropolitan Downtown Columbia building will include one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury apartments that range in price from $1,500 to $2,800 as well as first floor retail shops, according to the Howard County Times article. The meeting for the development of Parcel D, the …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Governor calls budget package "good for all Marylanders." Republicans say burden to local governments may force county governments to increase taxes.
The Maryland House of Delegates gave final approval Wednesday to a package of three bills that increases taxes on some state residents, shifts part of teacher pensions to local governments and undoes the so-called "doomsday budget." The votes Wednesday afternoon capped the three-day special session called by Gov. Martin O'Malley in order to override more than $500 million in cuts made in a budget passed in early April. The Senate approved the same three bills Tuesday. As part of the package, legislators approved by a vote of 86-51 what amounts to a 50-50 split of teacher pension costs with local governments. The split will be phased in over the next four years beginning July 1 with the new budget year. That bill also includes a doubling of…
Protestors argued that pit bulls are being unfairly targeted by the Maryland Court of Appeals.
Annapolis resident Stehle Harris is afraid she won't have a home. As the owner of a bull terrier, Harris said the recent Maryland Court of Appeals opinion that pit bulls and pit bull crossbreeds are dangerous could lead to a slippery slope. It holds owners and landlords liable for attacks involving a dog believed to be a pit bull. "I think pit bulls' capacity to do damage is no greater than a chihuahua," she said. "I'm more apprehensive about smaller dogs." Harris was one of a group of Marylanders protesting the court's opinion at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis on Tuesday afternoon. Erin Harty of Baltimore said Harris' fears aren't unfounded. As a volunteer at Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, she said the center is already being …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Two locations are being examined inside the new park for an off-leash dog park.
The Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks is considering creating a dog park at the newly opened Blandair Park in Columbia. In a public hearing notification, the department wrote that due to popularity of the dog park in Ellicott City and multiple residents asking for one in Columbia, the county is considering locating one at Blandair Park. “We have investigated various possibilities, including Blandair Park,” the statement says. “Two areas one on the north and one on the south, could be well suited for this usage.” The area in the north is located between a flexible use area and an open meadow, just behind the festival lawn. The area in the south is between the playground and the multi-purpose fields. A public hearing on the …
"I'm humbled and honored," said Ball, who was recognized for his work assisting local residents and increasing community pride.
Howard County Council Member Calvin Ball was awarded the William Donald Schaefer Helping People Award Wednesday in Ellicott City. Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot presented the award to Ball for his work assisting local residents, enhancing opportunities and increasing community pride. “I’m humbled and honored," said Ball. "It’s particularly fulfilling to receive an award that reflects what we should all really be involved in doing and that’s actually helping people.” The awards were created in honor of William Donald Schaefer, who died in April of 2011. Schaefer previously served as the mayor of Baltimore (1971-1987), governor of Maryland (1987-1995) and state comptroller from (1999-2007). Ball’s recent work includes teaming up with …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Plan to fix "Doomsday Budget" includes $247 million in tax increases and elimination of exemptions for single filers earning $100,000 or more and joint filers earning $150,000 or more.
UPDATE (5:59 p.m.)—Some Maryland residents will pay more taxes in the coming year under a plan worked out between Gov. Martin O'Malley and legislative leaders. O'Malley, accompanied by House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, announced the nearly $35.8 billion plan during a Wednesday morning news conference in Annapolis to discuss the upcoming special session. "To leave this budget incomplete, to leave this budget as it stands right now, would damage the very forward motion that all of us, together, have worked so hard to achieve for our state," O'Malley said. What do you think about the special session? Tell us in the comments. "Progress is a choice," O'Malley said. "Job creation is a choice. Building …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
The proposed liquor store in Wegmans has sparked the debate.
The proposed 10,000-square-foot liquor store inside the new Columbia Wegmans has reignited the debate on whether wine, beer and liquor should be sold in Maryland grocery and convenience stores. In an expansive article on Saturday, the Baltimore Sun examined how multiple grocery stores are trying to find ways around rules that generally ban chain grocery stores from selling wine, beer and liquor. (There are some exceptions, such as an Eastern Shore Giant location that has a license that has been grandfathered.) Adam Borden, the president of Marylanders for Better Beer & Wine Laws, said the bans are antiquated. “Our culture has evolved,” said Borden. “It used to be one where temperance and orderly tax collections were our most paramount …
Friday, May 4, 2012
As part of our series on veterans and jobs, we're posting veterans' resumes on Patch. If you're a potential employer, we invite you to take a look.
If you're a veteran or have a veteran in your family, you know that the job market for those formerly in the military can be worse than for civilians. In Maryland, the 8.9 percent unemployment rate among the 28,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is higher than the state’s overall average. Veterans often get preference in hiring from government agencies but it's still tough out there. Patch has begun telling some of the stories of the struggles of veterans facing fewer employment opportunities, and the successes, too. We want to do more. If you are a veteran and are looking for work, we invite you to contact us so we can put your job search information on our sites. We'll feature you in your hometown Patch among hometown employers. We'll …
Ohai
3:52 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
This is one of the richest counties in the nation. We are a suburban community that owns cars. Why must the county government engage in this sort of stupidity? more ›