Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Saturday, April 12, 2008

20080414 Town of Sykesville - Mayor & Town Council Agenda for Monday April 14

MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF SYKESVILLE

AGENDA FOR

MONDAY, April 14, 2008, 7:00 P.M.

QUORUM: Mayor

MINUTES: Town Clerk

TREASURER’S REPORT: Town Clerk

PUBLIC CONCERNS

BUSINESS

  1. South Branch Park – Charrette continuation – Sean Davis
  2. Solid Waste and Recycling Initiatives – First Public Workshop
  3. Public Safety Report
  4. Infrastructure Financing – Recommendation
  5. Providing Wireless Access in the Town House Meeting Room
  6. Water Conservation Resolution
  7. Commercial Solid Waste Rates – Adjustment for Inflation for FY 2009
  8. Economic Development Committee - Appointment
  9. Irma Bast – Completion of Probationary Period

OTHER:

CLOSED SESSION: Legal Consultation – Property Acquisition – Personnel

Budget Committee Meeting

Tuesday April 15, 2008

7 pm at the Town House

The Budget Committee will prepare a draft budget

for the Mayor and Town Council’s consideration

There will be another meeting on

Tuesday April 22

The public is welcome to attend

The Sykesville Mayor and Town Council are sponsoring a poster contest to celebrate Earth Day, April 22, 2008.


This contest is open to Sykesville residents grades K-5 and students of Piney Ridge Elementary School.

Posters are due at the Sykesville Town House by 5 pm on April 22, 2008

Spring Clean-Up Day

Saturday May 10, 2008

on Friday night May 9, place items curbside

Bundle items no larger than 4'x4'

No chemicals, solvents, paints, rubble, auto parts,

pallets, yard waste, or tires. We cannot take items that

are too heavy or won't fit in our trucks

Metal items, refrigerators, appliances, and furniture

will be picked up Monday May 12, 2008

20080414 CCBOC Agenda for the week of April 14, 2008

Carroll County Board of Commissioners Agenda for the week of April 14, 2008

Agenda for the Week of April 14, 2008

Please Note: This weekly agenda is subject to change. Please call 410-386-2043 to confirm a meeting you plan to attend. All meetings will be held at the Carroll County Office Building

Room 311. (Unless otherwise noted)

  • Indicates Outside Activities

Monday ~ April 14, 2008

9:00 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Budget Agency Meetings

County Office Building ~ Room 311

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

7:00 p.m. Board of County Commissioners Budget Agency Meetings

County Office Building ~ Room 311

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

Tuesday ~ April 15, 2008

9:00 a.m. Planning & Zoning Commission

County Office Building ~ Room 003

Commissioner Gouge

10:00 a.m. East Middle School Third Annual Shakespeare Festival

Westminster, MD

Commissioner Zimmer

Wednesday ~ April 16, 2008

10:00 a.m. Defense Information System Agency (DISA) Groundbreaking Ceremony ~

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)

Fort Meade, MD

Commissioner Gouge

Wednesday ~ April 16, 2008 ~ Continued

12:00 p.m. Volunteer Recognition Ceremony & Luncheon

South Carroll Sr. Center

Eldersburg, MD

Commissioner Gouge

1:00 p.m. Proposed Budget Work Session

County Office Building ~ Room 311

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

6:30 p.m. Carroll Community College Board of Trustees Meeting

Westminster, MD

Commissioner Gouge

Thursday ~ April 17, 2008

9:30 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Open Community Discussion

Closed ~ Land Acquisition

Department of Planning ~ Mr. Steve Horn

10:00 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Open Session

Presentation of Proclamation

Good Will Industries Week

Mr. Gary Naill, Director of Asset & Protection

Public Hearing ~ Proposed Gateway Tax Credit

Amendment to Chapter 209, Taxation

Department of the County Attorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender

Public Hearing ~ Proposed Ordinance for Small Wind Energy Systems

Amendment to Chapter 223, Zoning

Department of the County Attorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender

Overview Presentation on Recycling ~ The "Green Team"

Parr's Ridge Elementary 2nd Grade Students

Request Approval of MD Victims of Crime Grant Application

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Office of the State's Attorney ~ Mr. Jerry Barnes

Thursday ~ April 17, 2008 ~ Continued

Request Approval of the Carroll County Community

Resource Development Grant

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Department of Citizen Services ~ Mrs. Jolene Sullivan

Discuss an Amendment to the FFY 2006 Homeland Security Grant

Memorandum of Agreement

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Office of Public Safety ~ Mr. Scott Campbell

FY09 Tip Fee for Solid Waste

Department of Public Works ~ Mr. J. Michael Evans

Bid Approval

Fire Suppression Water Storage Tank Project for Harney, Maryland

Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton

Office of Public Safety ~ Mr. Scott Campbell

Chief of Staff Time ~ Mr. Steve Powell

Administrative Session ~ Closed

11:30 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Deliberate on

the Future of Solid Waste

County Office Building ~ Room 311

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

2:30 p.m. Carroll Community College Groundbreaking Ceremony

Classroom Building #4

Westminster, MD

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

5:30 p.m. Historical Society of Carroll County ~ Spring Meeting

Pleasant Valley Fire Company ~ Westminster, MD

Commissioner Gouge

6:30 p.m. Carroll County Land Trust Annual Recognition Dinner Meeting

Westminster, MD

Commissioners Gouge & Zimmer

Friday ~ April 18, 2008

9:00 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Proposed Budget Work Session

County Office Building ~ Room 311

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

Saturday ~ April 19, 2008

Sunday ~ April 20, 2008

8:05 a.m. “The Commissioners’ Report” – WTTR

Commissioner Gouge

2:00 p.m. Habitat for Humanity Home Dedication

Westminster, MD

Commissioner Zimmer

Farm Museum Spring Volunteer Appreciation

Westminster, MD

Commissioner Zimmer

Friday, April 11, 2008

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 16th, 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."