20080411 News Clips

20080411 News Clips

NewsClips 04-11-2008

STATE NEWS

O'Malley backs U.S. aid for foreclosures

On Capitol Hill, governor seeks help for states

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/realestate/bal-md.foreclosure11apr11,0,6467737.story

Gov. Martin O'Malley appeared on Capitol Hill yesterday to urge passage of legislation that would direct federal dollars to augment state efforts to deal with a growing foreclosure crisis. Congress and the Bush administration have put forward a number of competing plans to help more homeowners head off foreclosure. The Senate passed a package yesterday that includes tax breaks for homebuilders, tax credits for people who buy foreclosed properties and other steps designed to help homeowners weather the housing crisis. Many of those new laws are "prospective," and more needs to be done to help borrowers who are already in trouble, O'Malley said. His administration has worked to extend financial assistance to homeowners, but some efforts have fallen short of expectations. Some lawmakers contend that a bailout for homeowners would give rise to "moral hazard," meaning that insulating those who bought homes they couldn't afford would not discourage such behavior in the future. Others say that some homeowners were victims of predatory lending and should be protected, and they point out that the government recently stepped in to bail out Bear Stearns Cos., an investment bank. O'Malley is firmly in the camp of policymakers who believe the government should play a role in fixing the foreclosure debacle.

Alonso plan shifts focus

Schools proposal redirects funds for principals, gifted

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/k12/bal-md.ci.schools11apr11,0,5619111.story

The Baltimore school system would more than quadruple the amount of money it spends on gifted students and funnel more money into high schools under a proposed funding formula that schools chief Andres Alonso unveiled yesterday. The proposal earmarks about $22 million for gifted students, $58 million for struggling students and $11 million for low-income high school students in the school system's budget for next academic year. The Board of Education is expected to adopt the budget Tuesday. In proposing to increase spending on gifted education from about $5 million to $22 million, Alonso is trying to stop a trend of students performing above grade level when they are young, only to lose that advantage as they age. "It is a tragedy that those numbers decline so drastically over time," he said at a school board work session yesterday. "Students don't go from gifted to needing remediation over time because of their contribution. ... It is the school system's failure." School board members were divided in their response to Alonso's proposal.

Tax credit seen as boon to Route 140

http://www.examiner.com/a-1333422~Tax_credit_seen_as_boon_to_Route_140.html

Merchants along Route 140 in Finksburg who fix up their businesses could cut their taxes by up to 75 percent, under a county proposal. The proposed “Gateway tax credit” would give the five-year tax credits to roadside businesses that invest more than 25 percent of their properties’ value in improvements to storefronts, lighting, sidewalks or pedestrian plazas. “We wanted to look at a place that’s most problematic for siting new businesses,” said Commissioner Dean Minnich. “Route 140 is, for the most part, our front door... It’s the first impression of Carroll County most people get.”

Lawmakers tout session wins, bemoan losses

http://www.examiner.com/a-1333416~Lawmakers_tout_session_wins__bemoan_losses.html

Howard’s state lawmakers introduced or co-sponsored more than 750 bills this session, varying from foreclosure relief to tech tax repeal to banning texting while driving. Some sailed through to passage, got caught up in committees and stalled as the clock ran out on the 90-day General Assembly session that ended Monday. Del. Gail Bates, - For Bates, repealing the tax on computer services took front and center for much of the session. Although she’s pleased it was repealed, substituting the so-called “tech tax” with one on millionaires didn’t sit well. “We proved multiple times over that tax could have been repealed without any further tax,” she said. The overall tone of the session wasn’t positive, Bates said, perhaps because of how soon it followed last fall’s special session. The state’s spending still is generating concern, she said. “We are still spending a lot more than I believe we should,” she said. Del. Warren Miller, R-District 9A - Miller’s triumph was the passage of his bill creating a Web site for government spending. Miller said he was still disappointed with the outcome of the special session in November, particularly the sales tax increase. Sen. Allan Kittleman, - Kittleman said he “saw a session where promises were unfulfilled.” “Many legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, came into the general session hoping to correct the errors in the special session.”

No money for Route 3 improvement

Greenip: BRAC siphons off state funding

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/04_10-47/GOV

Lawmakers were unable to scrape up funds for long-awaited improvements to busy Route 3 during the General Assembly session that adjourned this week, state Sen. Janet Greenip told the Greater Crofton Council. Instead, the thousands of federal jobs coming to Maryland's military installations took priority for transportation spending, the Crofton Republican said Tuesday. Improving Route 3, a state road and major artery through the Crofton area, has been a priority for local civic groups for decades. Mrs. Greenip also told the civic group that a bill that would allow more people to challenge developments failed during the 90-day session. The enabling legislation, which would have required the county's approval to take effect, would have allowed any person to protest a development anywhere in Anne Arundel, she said.

Mikulski seeks review of Army's lab

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080411/METRO/881319610/1004/metro

U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski said yesterday that she will seek a health and safety review of the Army's planned biodefense laboratory expansion at Fort Detrick, an installation virtually surrounded by homes and businesses. "While we continue to build the technology to keep us safe from new challenges and new threats from predators, we must also remember that public safety must be our top priority," said Miss Mikulski, Maryland Democrat. She issued the statement shortly after the Frederick Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 to ask her to request a National Research Council review of the project's public health and safety risks.

Wynn Takes Himself Off Committee

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/10/AR2008041003504.html

U.S. Rep. Albert R. Wynn, under pressure from congressional ethics watchdogs after announcing he will resign from Congress in seven weeks to take a job at a lobbying law firm, has stepped down from his congressional committee assignments. "While I believe I've complied with both the letter and spirit of the ethics laws, as well as engaged in the appropriate recusals, I am stepping down so that this issue will not be a distraction from the critical work of the committee to combat climate change, achieve energy independence, and protect our environment," he said in a statement. A number of Maryland politicians have blasted Wynn for forcing the state into a choice between paying as much as $2 million for a special election to fill his seat or leaving it vacant until a successor can take office in January 2009, after the regular general election in November between Edwards and Republican nominee Peter James. On Monday, the Maryland General Assembly passed emergency legislation designed to let the state forgo a special primary election before a special general election. The measure could halve the cost of the process to $1 million. If he signs the legislation, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) would then set a date for the special election.

Gilchrest to go his own way after nine terms

The outgoing Republican representative is not afraid to set himself apart from party

http://www.gazette.net/stories/041108/polinew200216_32359.shtml

Gilchrest, a Vietnam War veteran who used to grow all his own food and once took his family to live in the Idaho wilderness, is fascinating but quirky. Well read, yet simple. Reflecting on his 17 years in the House, Gilchrest said his legacy will be his support for the environment and effort to connect with lawmakers across the globe. But his colleagues will remember him for his character and thoughtfulness. Gilchrest became one of two Republicans voting to set a timetable for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq last year, because he was not afraid to separate himself from his party and his conservative district, said U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Dist. 6) of Buckeystown. ‘‘He knew that he was potentially alienating himself from his base, but that was the price he had to pay for being honest ...,” Bartlett said. ‘‘I have a few simple principles that guide my votes. If it’s bigger government or more taxes or more regulation, the answer is very easy. It’s no. Wayne really works, struggles over each vote.” ‘‘The thing that mattered most to his district was the Bay and the environment, and there Wayne was pre-eminent,” he said. ‘‘He was knowledgeable, thoughtful and caring.” But Gilchrest has had enough of campaigns and is planning his next move. He’s deciding between a number of offers, including teaching and traveling.

EDITORIALS/OP-EDS

Trying times? Wait till next year

http://www.gazette.net/stories/041108/poliras182642_32361.shtml

Let’s see if I’ve got this straight: The crowning achievement of the 2008 Maryland General Assembly was repeal of a $200 million tax on computer services that threatened to destroy the state’s burgeoning information technology industry. The key to making repeal possible: passage of a revenue offset — a three-year income surtax on Maryland’s super-rich. In other words, legislators tried to fix what they screwed up back in November. Plus, Gov. Martin O’Malley has been assigned the dirty work of cutting another $50 million from state agencies. How nice of lawmakers to leave the messy part of the deal to someone else! With this as the session’s high point, it’s hard to pick the low point. Last November’s special session and the just-concluded 2008 session amounted to a painful learning experience for freshmen lawmakers. Most of these liberal reformers came into office believing they could make sweeping changes. That’s why they were elected, right? Now they’ve developed a greater appreciation for the nuances and limitations of lawmaking. It’s not as simple as it looked from the outside. Program reforms often aren’t possible unless you raise taxes — a highly unpopular step. What lies ahead? A wobbly economy that could require more budget cuts. A battle royal over legalizing slot machines. A political donnybrook over presidential candidates. And the possibility of another major budget shortfall when the 2009 state budget is submitted next January. So forget about the positive spin put out by O’Malley and top lawmakers after the session’s conclusion. This could be a trying period for the governor and for lawmakers when they return to Annapolis. The 2008 session was merely a warm-up for what is coming our way.

Governor’s glass half empty?

http://www.gazette.net/stories/041108/polilee182643_32362.shtml

OK, everyone’s doing their obligatory post-session wrap-ups treating the 90-day general assembly session like it was a lacrosse game. Who won? Who lost? Who emerged as the big alpha male, who wimped out? Faced with a sinking economy and sinking approval ratings, O’Malley went with a modest agenda in January — public safety, fighting foreclosures and going green. Mistake No. 1 was going too green. O’Malley hooked up with the environmental crazies, people whose answer to climate change is never building another highway or home. Repealing the ill-advised computer services tax was a lose-lose situation for O’Malley. After staunchly opposing repeal for months, he flipped in mid-March and backed the ‘‘millionaires tax” substitute plan, which included a $50 million raid on the Transportation Trust Fund, something he vowed never to do. Nor was it democracy’s finest hour. As usual, instead of taking legislative votes and abiding by the outcome, votes were delayed until enough lawmakers were bludgeoned or bribed into producing the ‘‘correct” outcome desired by the legislative bosses. For instance, poor Sen. Donald Munson (R-Dist. 2) of Hagerstown, against his will, voted for the ‘‘millionaires tax” because leadership threatened to kill funding for Hagerstown’s university campus. And several Senate bills had to be reconsidered when wayward senators cast independent votes without their leaders’ approval. Hey, looking for deadwood and non-essential fat in the state budget? Let’s abolish all but two members of the 188-member assembly and let the governor, the speaker and the president run things alone. After all, democracy is so troublesome.

NATIONAL NEWS

Conservatives nix Bush at Olympics

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080411/NATION/541456569/1002

Conservatives are beginning to coalesce — with some notable exceptions — around the idea that the American athletes should not be penalized by a general boycott of the Beijing Olympics but that President Bush should not attend. No previous American president has attended an Olympic Games on foreign soil. Erick Erickson, founder of the conservative Web site www.Redstate.com, has enlisted readers to sign a petition urging Mr. Bush to boycott the Olympics. The petition said Mr. Bush "who has spent eight years liberating parts of the world from tyranny, should not give the seal of approval on China's behavior — approval his presence at the Olympics would most certainly give to the Chinese people." "If American athletes want to compete in China, we wish them well and hope they crush their Chinese opponents under the heavy weight of many gold medals," the petition adds. "But we call on the president to personally boycott Peking during the Olympics." Republicans in Congress also seem to be joining in the call for Mr. Bush to stay home. Others are not so sure. But Oliver North, founder of Freedom Alliance and a Fox News analyst, dismissed the idea of a presidential boycott as "too little, too late," explaining that when China was being considered as an Olympics host, he wrote a column saying conservatives should have acted.

New Historic Trail In Maryland... http://www.wcbcradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11102&Itemid=35

U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski applauded Senate passage of legislation to create a new National Historic Trail and a National Heritage Area to honor Maryland and the region’s historic past and links to the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War. The Senate bill contains Senator Cardin’s proposal to designate the route of the British invasion during the War of 1812 as the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. The Bicentennial of the War of 1812 will be celebrated in 2012, and Maryland is expecting a large increase in tourists who want to commemorate the historic event. U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes has also introduced similar legislation in the House. Some highlights from the area include homes of James Madison, Dwight Eisenhower, Zachary Taylor, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson, and Civil War battlefields at Manassas, Monocacy, Ball's Bluff, Antietam, South Mountain and Gettysburg.

Guess who's moving to town?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.marbella11apr11,0,2828480.column

First daughter Jenna Bush and her by-then husband, Henry Hager, are moving into a two-story, 128-year-old rowhouse in a lively neighborhood south of downtown. It's unclear when Jenna -- the blonde half of President and Mrs. Bush's 26-year-old twin daughters -- and Hager, a former aide to Karl Rove, will move in. If you take away the presidential link, the newlyweds would be just another couple of young professionals who have chosen the neighborhood for their first house. Close to the stadiums, nightlife and, increasingly, trendy boutiques, it has a younger vibe than nearby Federal Hill, and with more remnants of a less gentrified, Formstone-clad past. "I would move in yesterday," said neighbor Jen Kearney, who pronounced the house in "fantastic shape." She was tickled to learn who had bought the house, welcoming them -- and whatever fringe benefits they bring. "I'll love having her security," Kearney said of the Secret Service detail that guards members of the president's family.

DNA bill convicts before trial

http://www.examiner.com/a-1333401~DNA_bill_convicts_before_trial.html

Innocents and criminals alike, watch out. Starting next year, if you are charged with a violent crime, police will sample your DNA to enter into a database of offenders. Gov. Martin O’Malley hailed the legislation authorizing the taking of genetic evidence as “our top public safety priority.” For whom? The government or those it serves? DNA is no fingerprint or photograph. It is a sophisticated identification system that needs no witnesses to corroborate and is more accurate than fingerprints when — if — the people storing and analyzing the data work right. It also treats those charged as if they were criminals before a court reviews their cases. How does that mesh with “innocent until proven guilty”? The state could avoid both the civil liberties conflicts and financial burden by reverting back next year to the previous law permitting the collection of DNA only from convicted felons. Technological advances are no excuse to trample the rights of Maryland’s citizens.

Legislative session had fewer ambitions, some achievements

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/04_10-19/OPN

Last fall's General Assembly special session was supposed to let Gov. Martin O'Malley and the legislature take an unavoidable political hit for raising taxes and fees roughly $1.4 billion - and, by doing so, clear the decks for 2008. It didn't quite work out that way. In part, that's because of a blah economy. And in part it's because the legislature planted its foot firmly on a jumbo-sized banana peel called the "tech tax," an ill-considered 6 percent levy on computer services. The tech tax was scrapped, which should at least avert an exodus of computer services firms from the state. Most Marylanders won't mind that the legislature compensated for this by raising taxes on roughly 6,000 state households with $1 million or more of taxable income. But some will mind a lot when they realize that the legislature also grabbed $50 million a year from the transportation trust fund - money that was supposed to be used, in large part, to reduce the state's huge highway maintenance backlog.
It was not a great session. The legislature refused to require that driver's license applicants prove citizenship, to outlaw the use of handheld cell phones by drivers, or to allow jurisdictions to set up automated speed cameras. So, even if the roads are deteriorating, Marylanders can at least speed on them while gabbing on handheld cell phones. Is that supposed to be a comfort?

20080410 Update for the April 16th, 2008 Westminster Main Street Mile

Update for the April 16^th, 2008 Westminster Main Street Mile

April 10, 2008

For the folks who have asked questions about the upcoming Westminster Main Street Mile that will run on Wednesday evening, April 16, 2008 – the web site for the Westminster Road Runners Club is here: http://www.carr.org/%7Ewrrc/

However, according to the web site, “Registration for the 2008 Main Street Mile is now closed. The 700-runner limit has been met.”

20070418 Westminster Maryland Main Street Mile

http://youtube.com/watch?v=16U48TUjSB8

http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff

www.kevindayhoff.net

For other posts on running or the Westminster Road Runners Club please click on: Sports Running or Westminster Road Runners Club or Westminster Sidewalks and Trails or westminster road runners club or westminster sidewalks and trails. or westminster annual main street mile or sports running The Westminster Road Runners Club web site is here: http://www.carr.org/%7Ewrrc/

Other posts which mention Dr. David Herlocker may be found here: For other posts on running or the Westminster Road Runners Club please click on: Sports Running or Westminster Road Runners Club or Westminster Sidewalks and Trails or westminster road runners club or westminster sidewalks and trails. or westminster annual main street mile or sports running or dave herlocker. The Westminster Road Runners Club web site is here: http://www.carr.org/%7Ewrrc/

Other posts which mention Dr. David Herlocker may be found here: 19401030 20080321 David Webb Herlocker, Westminster Road Runners Club or westminster road runners club

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff

http://www.livejournal.com/

http://gizmosart.com/dayhoff.html

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

Accept differences, Be kind, Count your blessings, Dream, Express thanks, Forgive, Give freely, Harm no one, Imagine more, Jettison anger, Keep confidences, Love truly, Master something, Nurture hope, Open your mind, Pack lightly, Quell rumors, Reciprocate, Seek wisdom, Touch hearts, Understand, Value truth, Win graciously, Xeriscape, Yearn for peace, Zealously support a worthy cause. (Author; Renee Stewart)

20080410 Meet Westminster Maryland Artist Sarah Abel DeLuca

Meet Westminster Maryland Artist Sarah Abel DeLuca

The other day over at Gizmos I met another Westminster, Maryland artist, Sarah Abel DeLuca. She has a web site here: http://www.abelartist.com/

Check it out.

Related:

Art in Carroll County

Art in Carroll County - Gizmos

03/26/2008

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff

http://www.livejournal.com/

http://gizmosart.com/dayhoff.html

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

Accept differences, Be kind, Count your blessings, Dream, Express thanks, Forgive, Give freely, Harm no one, Imagine more, Jettison anger, Keep confidences, Love truly, Master something, Nurture hope, Open your mind, Pack lightly, Quell rumors, Reciprocate, Seek wisdom, Touch hearts, Understand, Value truth, Win graciously, Xeriscape, Yearn for peace, Zealously support a worthy cause. (Author; Renee Stewart)

20080410 News Clips

NewsClips 04-10-2008

STATE NEWS

Land environmental controls tightened

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-md.ar.trail10apr10,0,1287989.story

Following a report by the Anne Arundel County auditor that questioned the purchase of Odenton land where hundreds of tons of trash was dumped, County Executive John R. Leopold yesterday announced he is ordering new environmental controls over land acquisitions and capital projects. County officials, he said, must conduct a full environmental impact review of any such projects before accepting gifts or buying or leasing land. County officials acquired the property with state Open Space money in 2004 and since last year have spent more than $47,000 removing 230 tons of solid plastic wires, melted plastic material, plastic bags and powder. An additional $38,000 is needed to finish the job, according to a purchase order submitted last month. "My first priority was to get this area cleaned up," said Leopold.

Little joy for Baltimore Co. in 2008 legislative session

Safety, green bills salvaged amid the cuts

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_county/bal-md.co.wrap10apr10,0,7347276.story

Some years, legislation and projects backed by Baltimore County lawmakers fare especially well in the General Assembly. This year wasn't one of them. State budget woes resulted in less money for schools, roads and other projects and programs. Elected officials sought $7.25 million in bond bill funding for projects in Baltimore County. Only a fraction -- $2.55 million -- was approved. The county executive and other lawmakers vowed to work next year on the measures that failed to win approval, including a bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Delores E. Kelley that would allow law enforcement agencies to seize the illegal profits of identity theft.

O'Malley provides a personal touch

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.omalley10apr10,0,859195.story

Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said he got a phone call from Gov. Martin O'Malley the night before the legislative session ended that left him "pumped up" for what promised to be an arduous day of getting final approval for the rest of the governor's legislative agenda. "He thanked me for all my hard work, and it felt great," Miller said. "Then I come to work the next day and found out that everybody in the Senate got the same call." Though he had to accept compromises to get legislation through, the goodwill helped O'Malley win approval for all but one of the bills he submitted. While O'Malley put forth a modest agenda this year with few big-ticket spending items, it did include significant policy changes. Republicans, however, took the occasions when the legislature resisted as a sign that O'Malley's agenda was too liberal. They point to the death, in the final hours of the session, of a greenhouse-gas reduction proposal, which the administration didn't draft but ended up backing. Nonetheless, Republicans said they expect Democratic leaders will continue to deliver victories for O'Malley. "They were certainly more accommodating to this administration than when Ehrlich was here," said Senate Minority Whip Allan H. Kittleman, a Howard County Republican. "We fully expect they will work to protect each other for fear of having a Republican comeback in 2010."

Success of Environmental Legislation Mixed in Tough Economic Times

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/04_09-49/OUD

The 2008 Maryland legislative session kicked off with optimistic rallies and press conferences to support a slew of bills designed to help the state's environment, including addressing climate change and allocating money to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, among other things. Though some of the bills passed, the session ended up being a mixed bag for environmentalists, who saw the climate change legislation die in committee on the last day and the language of other bills weakened in the face of tough economic times and concerns from businesses and citizens alike. But more bills succeeded this year than in 2007, including a measure requiring certain public school and state-funded buildings to be constructed using environmentally-friendly practices, one that increases critical area buffer zones, and a piece of legislation that allocates a $25 million Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund. Still, political analysts said that passing any environmental legislation in times of financial strife is an accomplishment.

Maryland plans cut in blue crab harvest

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080410/METRO/508047132/1004

Maryland will cut its female blue crab harvest up to 40 percent this year to address fears the crabs are reaching dangerously low levels in the Chesapeake Bay. An initial draft of proposed regulations released yesterday laid out plans by Maryland fisheries regulators to safeguard full-grown females, which biologists say need more protections to replenish the Chesapeake's population. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, both Democrats, are scheduled to announce details about the Chesapeake's low crab population next week. Regulators say hard times are on the way for crabbers, as well as crab houses and restaurants that process and sell Chesapeake crabs. But they say the cutbacks are needed to prevent the Chesapeake's signature critters from going into serious decline.

Lawmakers Agree To Outlaw Video Bingo

Bill Bans Most Machines Starting July 1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/AR2008040900229.html

In the waning minutes of their 2008 legislative session late Monday night, Maryland lawmakers dramatically amended, revoked the amendment and then passed emergency legislation that outlaws the hundreds of video bingo machines that have proliferated in St. Mary's and a few other counties. Establishments that have had the devices for more than five years will be allowed to keep their machines until Jan. 1. Those that have had machines for more than 10 years will have until July 1, 2009, to remove the devices. The emergency legislation has been a top priority for Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert), who has condemned video bingo machines and similar devices for generating money for private entrepreneurs with no revenue going to the state. The Senate approved the legislation in March.

Economy Woes Are Evident As Legislative Session Ends

Lawmakers Prioritize Foreclosure Assistance

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/AR2008040900130.html

Despite fiscal challenges that limited big-ticket spending on new initiatives, the Maryland General Assembly took action this year to help residents with electricity bills and home foreclosures and staved off a tax on computer services companies that the technology industry said could be damaging. Lawmakers also approved a long-sought plan to keep the Prince George's hospital system afloat, an effort to ensure that patients will not be relocated from a health-care facility of last resort for thousands of county residents. Among the session's biggest accomplishments was a sweeping revision of mortgage-lending practices and emergency help to homeowners facing foreclosure. Energy costs figured heavily in debate and action. A package of energy conservation bills that was a priority for O'Malley was approved as a step toward ratcheting down the state's demand for power. Opponents countered that the costs of efficiency programs are passed on to electric customers, whose bills are soaring.

CARDIN REMINDS MARYLANDERS TO FILE TAX RETURNS EARLY TO RECEIVE STIMULUS REBATES
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1340938/

U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) released a public service announcement today urging all eligible Marylanders to file their tax returns early so they can receive their stimulus rebates. "Most Americans are aware that Congress passed an economic stimulus package, including a modest rebate, to help families struggling in our slow economy. However, many, like veterans who rely on VA disability benefits, seniors who rely on Social Security, or others who would not otherwise need to file a tax return, will need to do so this year to receive their rebate," said Senator Cardin. "These are difficult times for Marylanders and families nationwide. No one who is eligible for a rebate should pass up this opportunity." Filing an extension beyond April 15 will not change your eligibility for a stimulus rebate, but your rebate will not be processed until your complete return is received by the IRS. Filing a tax return when you do not owe taxes will not change your status with Social Security or the Veterans Administration.

EDITORIALS/OP-EDS

Wynn can go lobby -- for $500,000

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.rodricks10apr10001520,0,5709695.column

On behalf of the people of Maryland, I am sending Rep. Albert R. Wynn a bill for $500,000 -- his share of the cost of a special election that must be staged on account of Wynn quitting his congressional seat seven months early to take a fat-juicy job with a Washington lobbyist. Wynn is in such a rush to take his new job -- and his next employer is so eager to get him -- that certainly they can split the cost of a special election to fill Wynn's seat. Wynn holds a seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "With one of the broadest legislative jurisdictions at the Capitol," Congressional Quarterly reported the other day, "the committee deals with plenty of issues -- including health care, pollution and telecommunications -- of vital interest to Dickstein Shapiro, Wynn's next employer. A congressman's term of office doesn't end when he loses a primary. It's supposed to end just before the next Congress convenes the following January. Federal law prohibits Al and other former House members from directly lobbying their old buddies in Congress for a year. By not serving out his full term, Wynn starts the clock on that prohibition six months earlier. But Al shouldn't make his constituents pay $1 million to have representation in Congress because he chose to skip senior year and enter the lobbyist draft early. He should split the cost of the election with the state and the counties.

‘Pork’ projects swell budget

http://www.examiner.com/a-1331164~_Pork__projects_swell_budget.html

We need to amend our list of recommended budget cuts. We found another $25 million — at least — to add to the list: Every single legislative pet project added to the State Capital Budget Bill. In a time of fiscal crisis, it hardly seems prudent of Sen. Douglas Peters and Del. James Hubbard, Democrats from Prince George’s County, to sponsor bond legislation to give $20,000 to the Belair Swim and Racquet Club so its members can enjoy a renovation that will “enhance the safety and appearance of the pool by providing a smooth durable pool surface. Or how about $325,000 to the YMCA of Central Maryland thanks to the largesse of Del. James Malone and Sen. Edward Kasemeyer,. A preliminary investigation by The Examiner found at least two instances in which lawmakers sponsored bond legislation to direct money to organizations with which they are affiliated. Gov. Martin O’Malley should veto all “pork.” It would be better to return the $25 million to we the people to decide how to use that money. And in the spirit of full disclosure, legislators must list their affiliation with groups they seek to fund through bonds in bill documents to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Slots battle won, but war still looms County, state let the sun shine in

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/04_09-13/OPN

Although the sine die confetti could still be obscuring the view, it seems likely that an eleventh-hour effort by House Speaker Mike Busch to remove slots-like video machines from the county's three commercial bingo parlors may be a temporary - if not pyrrhic - victory. The move was part of an effort to stem the proliferation of the questionable gaming devices because they would sap the state of needed gambling revenue if slot machines are approved in a statewide referendum in November. All 14 other local members of the House backed an amendment to allow the machines to stay at Bingo World in Brooklyn Park, Wayon's Bingo in Lothian and Delta Daily Double Bingo in Laurel, where they are already under strict regulation by the county. They argued that if the machines are removed, jobs and county amusement tax revenue will be lost. Ironically, Mr. Busch - who along with State Comptroller Peter Franchot are the most powerful crusaders against slot machines - succeeded in rolling back organized gambling in his backyard may have made the statewide choice more urgent for some voters.

Highway robbery

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_editorial.htm?StoryID=73556

The General Assembly passed a computer services tax during last November's special session. It was only a matter of days, it seems, before the new tax started taking flack. During the just-concluded 2008 session, lawmakers decided the tax was a bad idea, one that would be a burden in various ways to business and commerce statewide. But repealing it would require a ton of money be found somewhere else. Some suggested cutting back on spending. Others argued that the money could be raised by other taxes. As it turns out, the anticipated $200 million from the computer tax will be replaced by some more budget trimming, a three-year surcharge on $1 million-plus earnings, and a five-year annual cut of $50 million in the state's Transportation Trust Fund. That last part, dipping into this critical fund, is the worst part of the solution. Who thinks borrowing millions from Maryland's transportation trust fund is OK? The Annapolis crowd, apparently, and Gov. Martin O'Malley. Frederick County Commissioner Charles Jenkins, however, sees things differently. He terms the raid a "colossal mistake"; so does Maryland Department of Transportation spokeswoman Erin Henson, who says, "It's no secret that this region has the second-worst congestion in this country." Then there's AAA MId-Atlantic spokeswoman Ragina Averella, who asserts, " ... it's clear that major projects will certainly be impacted by these cuts."

20080406 Politics versus Petraeus

Politics vs. Petraeus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR8p0bro9RM

Added: April 06, 2008

Politics vs. Petraeus. The latest video from the Republican National Committee

I still wonder… see:

20080324 McCain asks when Clinton will apologize to Petraeus

March 24, 2008

Hat Tip:

http://www.memeorandum.com/080326/p10#a080326p10

Brianinmo / BLOGS FOR JOHN McCAIN:

McCain Asks When Hillary Clinton Will Apologize to Gen. Petraeus - Video — Here is Sen. John McCain on March 24, 2008 asking when Sen. Hillary Clinton will apologize to Gen. David Petraeus for her remarks last year ridiculing the idea that “The Surge” strategy in Iraq was working.

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Courtesy of “Blogs for McCain”

McCain Asks When Hillary Clinton Will Apologize to Gen. Petraeus - Video

http://blogsforjohnmccain.com/mccain-asks-when-hillary-clinton-will-apologize-gen-petraeus-video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXcXzoHjqhE

Here is Sen. John McCain on March 24, 2008 asking when Sen. Hillary Clinton will apologize to Gen. David Petraeus for her remarks last year ridiculing the idea that "The Surge" strategy in Iraq was working. McCain also said both Clinton and Obama are advocating a policy of "disaster and defeat" in Iraq.

UPDATE: For reference, here is Hillary Clinton's statement to Gen. David Petraeus on Sept. 11, 2007:

Hillary Calls Petraeus Report Unbelievable

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0isifAC8IQ

Sen. Hillary Clinton told GEN Petraeus Tuesday in the Senate Armed Services Committee testimony that his testimony required the "willing suspenion of disbelief." After naming it a failed policy in Iraq, Petraeus pointed out that she knows Congress...

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20080409 News Clips

NewsClips 04-09-2008

STATE NEWS

The cost of being rich

New tax bracket for Md. millionaires becomes law

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.millionaire09apr09,0,1722614.story

With the General Assembly's passage of the new 6.25 percent top tax rate on incomes above $1 million, and Gov. Martin O'Malley's signing of the bill yesterday, Maryland has apparently become the first state to create an actual millionaires' bracket. To join the Maryland club, you have to be a real millionaire - earning $1 million a year you can't offset with deductions. Just owning a big house that's appreciated won't cut it. Some sole proprietorships, limited liability corporations and other small businesses will pay, however. Howard Rensin, a successful Howard County businessman and developer, thinks many Maryland millionaires will decamp for less taxing locales. But others who move in affluent circles think most of those privileged enough to feel the additional burden will just "grin and bear it." By the end of the session, the idea of taxing the rich wasn't looking so bad to many of the Assembly's leaders. O'Malley jumped aboard the repeal bandwagon and re-endorsed the millionaires' tax.

Wrap-up for 'grueling' time

Officials complete session by signing foreclosure, computer tax bills

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.laws09apr09,0,5132764.story

Gov. Martin O'Malley and top General Assembly leaders capped off a whirlwind legislative session yesterday, signing into law the final piece of a foreclosure reform package and legislation that repealed Maryland's new computer services tax. Asked whether Marylanders would feel the effects of the additional budget cuts passed this year, O'Malley said, "Hopefully, if we've done our job, we'll be able to do cuts without biting into their priorities." "The 2008 legislative session has been another disappointing example of Gov. O'Malley's failure to provide responsible fiscal leadership," Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the House minority leader from Southern Maryland, said in a written statement. "Government continues to grow virtually unchecked, and the appetite for taxes has not been satisfied."

Global warming fight goes on

Success of other bills leaves O'Malley camp unfazed by failure of greenhouse measure

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.warming09apr09,0,1509972.story

The O'Malley administration plans to move forward with efforts to combat global warming, despite the legislature's rejection of a high-profile bill that would have curbed Maryland's greenhouse gas emissions, officials said yesterday. Secretary of the Environment Shari T. Wilson said that even without the bill mandating a 25 percent emissions reduction by 2020, Gov. Martin O'Malley secured enough of his energy policy priorities during the legislative session that ended Monday to make progress on climate change. Environmentalists, though disappointed by the failure of the Global Warming Solutions Act in the final hours of the 90-day legislative session, took heart in the energy legislation, which they say should advance the cause significantly. "I think the problem was that obviously there were a large number of us, including most prominently labor, who were very concerned about the potential impacts of what was, after all, one of the most far-reaching pieces of legislation the General Assembly has ever considered," said Michael C. Powell, a lobbyist for the Maryland Industrial and Technology Alliance, a group of manufacturers. With a batch of amendments being offered by proponents and opponents alike and the session ticking to a close, members of the House Economic Matters Committee opted to let the bill die.

Equal-access bill passes

Within three years, schools must allow disabled to compete

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-sp.disabled09apr09,0,6049210.story

Amid its flurry of final-day action, the General Assembly unanimously approved a bill requiring schools to provide disabled students access to sports programs, either among themselves or with able-bodied students. Under the measure known as the Fitness and Athletics Equity for Students with Disabilities, schools have three years to fully implement the requirements. The legislation, which takes effect in July, requires local school systems to submit their plans to the state education department, which would investigate complaints and could sideline noncompliant teams or withhold money from schools or school systems.

Carroll executive expansion OK'd

Bill will add two commissioners; police-force issue to go to referendum

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/carroll/bal-md.ca.govern09apr09,0,3351847.story

Carroll voters can expect an expanded Board of Commissioners, and a say in creating a county police force, with the approval of two bills aimed at helping to resolve both issues. The General Assembly passed the measures Monday - one requiring a referendum on a local ordinance to create a county police force, the other designing districts for five commissioners. "It was a struggle, but we got it out," said Del. Tanya Thornton Shewell, a District 5A Republican. But several Carroll state legislators, including Shewell and Sen. Larry E. Haines, said they favored giving residents a say - something Tregoning and others have supported. "The people needed to have a chance to weigh in on public safety issues," Shewell said. "I'm happy the people have won." Del. Susan W. Krebs said she had hoped the issue would be resolved locally, not in the Assembly. "Unfortunately, this just punts the ball down the road," Krebs said. "Now the commissioners have to go out and sell their plan. ... It's going to take a lot of good information being put out ... so that people can understand what their choices are." Also passed Monday was redistricting legislation that paves the way for a five-member Board of Commissioners.

Speed-camera, property bills fail during Assembly session

Funds for 3 parks, Healthy Howard plan approved

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/howard/bal-ho.bills09apr09,0,3163193.story

Bills allowing speed cameras and mobile home park residents the right to buy the land under their homes before a park is sold failed to win General Assembly approval before the 90-day session ended Monday night. The two bills represented the biggest issues local legislators faced this year, but they weren't the only local bills approved by the county delegation that failed to be enacted. A third measure offering liability protection, enjoyed by county government, to the new Howard County Revenue Authority under a self-insurance program also failed.

State called ‘an embarrassment’ for failing to pass anti-immigration bills

http://www.examiner.com/a-1328836~State_called__an_embarrassment__for_failing_to_pass_anti_immigration_bills.html

Bills seeking to deny many state benefits to illegal immigrants never made it out of committee this session. But Senate Republicans in the final hours almost succeeded in passing a floor amendment that would have made applicants for commercial driver’s licenses prove their legal presence in Maryland. Senate GOP leader David Brinkley of Frederick and Carroll counties said Maryland is now one of only five states that allow undocumented aliens to get a license. “Even the District of Columbia requires legal presence,” Brinkley told his colleagues. “We need to make sure they’re here legally.” Sen. Lowell Stoltzfus, a Lower Shore Republican, called the state “an embarrassment.” “We have become a mecca” for illegal aliens and a potential haven for terrorists, he said. Stoltzfus said a relative who works at the Motor Vehicle Administration told him that “van loads of out-of-state people” come to MVA offices for licenses. Responding to a question from The Examiner, O’Malley said he thought it was appropriate to wait three years to implement the documentation requirements of the REAL ID Act.

Electronic gambling device ban could affect jobs, boost slots

http://www.examiner.com/a-1328839~Electronic_gambling_device_ban_could_affect_jobs__boost_slots.html

The General Assembly late Monday enacted a ban on electronic gambling devices that supporters called necessary to combat competition to slot machines and the state lottery. Supporters of the ban, including House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, said the games compete with the state lottery and legitimate slot machines that could be legalized in a November referendum. “The fact of the matter is, you lose revenue by not voting on this for the state of Maryland,” Busch said. Opponents of the ban, including most lawmakers from Anne Arundel County, say the machines are tightly regulated. Anne Arundel is home to about 200 devices in three commercial bingo halls. If signed by O’Malley, the county stands to lose about $1.6 million in annual taxes and fees, and some parlor employees could lose their jobs.

Session wraps up on a green note

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080409/METRO/516368290/1004

Maryland lawmakers approved broad environmental and energy initiatives to close the 2008 General Assembly session but delayed tough decisions on the state's persistent budget problems until they return in January. Critics cautioned against celebration, noting the slowing economy and a series of one-time fixes — such as cutting payments to a retiree benefits fund — to balance the state's $31.2 billion budget. "Government continues to grow virtually unchecked, and the appetite for taxes has not been satisfied," said House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell, Southern Maryland Republican. "The Democrat leadership is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the taxpayers with empty rhetoric about spending cuts and sound fiscal management." Budget writers left $250 million in the state's cash reserves in expectation of deepening budget troubles before the 2009 session begins in January. Officials began preparing for a fight over a referendum to legalize slots gambling. Voters will decide in November whether to approve the placement of up to 15,000 slot machines across the state.

Strife Sinks National Harbor Bill

Showdown Engulfs Liquor Licenses

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/08/AR2008040803252.html

A bill to create new liquor licenses for the massive National Harbor development in Prince George's County died in the waning hours of Maryland's legislative session Monday night, torpedoed amid heated arguments about minority contracting at the project that escalated into a showdown between Gov. Martin O'Malley and a state senator. The bill would have allowed for 40 liquor licenses at National Harbor's entertainment complex on the Potomac riverfront, 20 of them to be issued by the county's liquor board in the next year. The bill also would have allowed liquor licenses at nightclubs that do not serve food, otherwise banned in the county, and alcohol at outdoor festivals for 120 days each year. A compromise worked out at the tense meeting Monday afternoon among O'Malley and senators would have capped licenses at 13. Soon after, National Harbor representatives requested that the bill be killed. Monday's unraveling of long-sought legislation -- a similar bill failed last year -- left some county politicians deeply concerned about elected leaders' inability to work out disputes.

Compromises Play Key Role in O'Malley Legislative Wins

Compromises Play A Major Role in Legislative Success

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/08/AR2008040803095.html

By the time the confetti fell at the close of Maryland's 90-day legislative session Monday night, Gov. Martin O'Malley had racked up far more wins than losses. But some of those victories arguably should be recorded with asterisks. O'Malley's willingness to compromise does not always guarantee success. His bill to expand the use of speed cameras statewide unexpectedly died Monday night as lawmakers raced toward their midnight adjournment. And an O'Malley-backed bill to curb greenhouse gases collapsed on the session's final day even after it had been watered down. Senate Minority Whip Allan H. Kittleman (R-Howard) said Democratic leaders engaged in a "24-7 attempt" to embarrass Ehrlich, making cooperation difficult. What appears to be compromise by O'Malley, Kittleman said, is often a realization by the governor that he is overreaching. "I think it is the legislature saying you can't go that far, even in the liberal Maryland legislature," Kittleman said. O'Malley's plan to compensate for lost revenue from the repealed computer services tax includes a $50 million cut in funding for transportation projects. Given that lawmakers increased spending on projects by more than $400 million a year during the special session, O'Malley said he considered the loss of $50 million a reasonable compromise.

Howard Community College gets Senate productivity award

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/college/bal-ho.hcc09apr09,0,5438610.story

Howard Community College has earned the U.S. Senate Productivity Award, announced earlier this week by the University of Maryland and U.S. Sens. Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin. The award, part of the university's Maryland Performance Excellence Awards Program, honors organizations for successfully implementing systematic processes for continuous improvement and achieving outstanding results. "Howard Community College is an incredible institution -- but an institution is only bricks and building. What makes it great is determined students, powerhouse faculty and consistent leadership," Mikulski said in a statement. "Community colleges are the gateway to the future. Howard Community College is an example of everything we want for our higher education facilities in Maryland." "I am very impressed by Howard Community College's commitment to offering its students the highest standards of quality, and by its continuous monitoring of student success and employee satisfaction," said Cardin in a statement.

Lawmakers pass bill to fill District 4 seat

Supporters say process will save money; opponents say congressman failed commitment to constituents

http://www.gazette.net/stories/040908/montnew62559_32355.shtml

Minutes before the General Assembly session ended Monday, lawmakers passed emergency legislation allowing a special summer general election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of U.S. Rep. Albert R. Wynn. Wynn had represented the district since 1993. Donna F. Edwards of Fort Washington, who defeated him in the Feb. 12 primary, still faces Republican Peter James in November. Current law would have required Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) to leave the seat vacant or to call special primary and general elections. O’Malley said the single special election will save taxpayers money As part of the legislation, candidates for the special general election would be chosen by the local central committees for each party, which would then submit their recommendations to the state committees. But the reduced cost of the one special election was not enough to sway some GOP lawmakers. ‘‘This is an important piece of legislation, one that will choose the next congressional representative and one that will cost citizens $1.2 million because one individual decided he didn’t want to fulfill his obligation to his office,” said House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Dist. 29C) of Lusby. ‘‘Citizens of Maryland should not pay this bill and we don’t need it if [Wynn] ... stays in office till the normal time.” Others — including James — have questioned whether the process gives Edwards an unfair advantage in securing the seat.

EDITORIALS/OP-EDS

A session of compromise

Our view: Lawmakers wrap up a curative, cautious 90 days

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.session09apr09,0,6978191.story

There's likely enough good news coming out of the recently completed legislative session to soften the blow of last fall's tax increases and return a bit of luster to the image of Gov. Martin O'Malley, who took a subsequent beating in opinion polls. The $2 billion settlement with Constellation Energy Group (including the $170 credit for BGE customers), the rollback of the much-reviled tax on computer services, the imposition of greater controls on development around the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, and an anti-crime initiative that expands the state's DNA databank all are likely to sit well with the public. Still, there were limits to the General Assembly's willingness to tackle the controversial. Lawmakers failed to pass a global warming bill that ran afoul of labor unions. Meaningful campaign finance reform died in the Senate once again despite widespread support - and a willingness to defer its still-modest costs until after 2010. But there's also a pattern of cooperation and compromise that was often missing in Annapolis during the last term. Whether voters will see and appreciate this bigger picture remains to be seen; it's never easy for elected officials to brag about cutting public services a little bit instead of a lot. Yet that may be exactly what these challenging times require.

Children victims in latest session

http://www.examiner.com/a-1328827~Children_victims_in_latest_session.html

Shame on Del. Sheila Hixson. The Montgomery County Democrat held a bill in committee that could have helped boost education funding by millions throughout the state for both private and public school students. The Building Opportunities for All Students and Teachers, passed the Senate with bipartisan support. But thanks to Hixson, the House never voted on the measure, which would have given tax credits for up to 75 percent of donations by corporations to private scholarship funds and to public schools to start innovative programs. The Maryland State Teachers Association, which endorsed Hixson and whose political wing has donated more than $4,000 to her campaigns since 2001, opposed the bill because the group claimed it would take money away from public schools. True, it would reduce the number of students attending public schools and the funding following them. But fewer students require less money. Besides, is quantity of students the only thing that the unions care about? What about giving each student in Maryland a quality education? By killing the bill, Hixson basically said that if public schools can’t get every cent of funding, no one should.

Maryland's downhill slide

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080409/EDITORIAL/89573083

The Maryland General Assembly ended its regular 2008 session Monday night with confetti, and Gov. Martin O'Malley, Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch all congratulated themselves on their accomplishments. But only a half-hearted thank you is in order. Perhaps the most important success was the decision to repeal the 6 percent "tech tax" on computer services companies that lawmakers passed during the fall special session. The tax would still be on the books if it had not been for a superb public-relations campaign launched by high-tech businesses to educate Marylanders about the fact that the tax would drive computer firms out of state. Unfortunately, during the final hours of the session, lawmakers decided to replace the job-destroying tech tax with a different plan to chase job producers to places like Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania. On other issues the just-completed session was a mixed bag. On other issues the just-completed session was a mixed bag.. But in other areas, lawmakers failed miserably: They failed to bar violent sexual predators from receiving "good time credits," which can substantially reduce their prison sentences; and, despite a valiant effort by Senate Minority Leader David Brinkley, the legislature failed to require that driver's license applicants prove that they are legally in the country.

20080409 Carroll Arts Center’s “Peep Show” winners announced

Carroll Arts Center’s “Peep Show” winners announced

MEDIA RELEASE

April 9, 2008

Contact: Sandy Oxx

(Attached photo is of winning entry “Peeps with Wings” by the Megan Taylor Foundation)

Carroll Arts Center’s “Peep Show” winners announced

Ants to invade soon……………..

A standing room only crowd was on hand Tuesday evening to hear the announcements about which Peep ® creations had received the most votes from the public.

A total of 111 marshmallow masterpieces were on display for the past week, far exceeding the organizers’ original estimates and expectations.

“The works were engineering marvels, artistic masterpieces, hilarious social commentaries on pop culture and incredible gestures of financial generosity,” reports Executive Director Sandy Oxx. “Carroll County is to be applauded for their imagination. They’ve truly started a new tradition that will only grow.”

Thousands of visitors to the event purchased vote chips to acknowledge their favorites. Nearly $4,500 was raised through the event.

The over-all audience favorite was “Peeps with Wings” by the Megan Taylor Foundation.

The other results are as follows:

Audience Favorites (in no particular order)

“Amazing Peep Show Circus” by Alannah Van Horn

“Peep Posse” by Ruth Perkins

“Peep Pyramid” by North Carroll Community School

“Proud Peepcock” by Heather Hodge & Clark Shaffer, Esq.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)

“Tin Grin Peeps” by Dr. Edward Goldman & Staff

“Chesapeep Bay Crabs” by the Lowe & Adams Families

“Corbit’s Charge” by Gabby Hash

“Easter Parade” by Grace Woo

“Peep my Pumps” by Carroll Hospital Center’s White Rabbit Thrift Shop

Winning decorators were awarded prizes packages from the Just Born Company of Bethlehem, PA, maker of PEEPS ®.

Five emerging film makers submitted movies starring Peeps ® A panel of judges from the community reviewed them, and the winner in the film category was Tom Walker for his charming stop-action entry entitled “World Peeps.”

Some special awards were also announced. Most hilarious entry was awarded to Danielle May-West for “Split Peep Soup.”

Best entry using a single Peep went to Elizabeth Ellis for her touching photograph “God Peeps all his Children in his Hands.”

Best hi-tech entry went to Jim Voter of Gizmos Art for his power point entry “Peeps on Wheels,” and the Spirit of Generosity Award went to Dutterer’s Flower Shop for their amazing entry “Peeps a Bloomin’ that used more than 400 Peeps, and their creation of other magnificent entries for the Megan Taylor Foundation and the Night Rider Foundation.

The Arts Council staff and board are now planning for an ant invasion, as well as next year’s event which is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

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