Village Green/Town²

  The Good: twenty-seven years ago I walked down the aisle of Grace and Saint Peter’s Church towards the most beatific smile I have ever seen. I am so grateful. Married life being what it is, we are all going out tonight to celebrate the birth of our youngest, born one year (and two days) after our wedding day.  No complaints. Time with family is precious. I try not to go on and on about my marriage because I distinctly remember what it was like to be lonely and struggling with feelings that my worth was defined only by “having a man.” It was bleak. I keep in mind that it’s one thing to acknowledge one’s happiness but it’s quite another to wave it around in a way that feels to others like a slap in the face.  I do think that my outsized feelings of gratitude are influenced by surviving a disastrous first marriage and then - - somehow - - finding an enduring love after all that suffering. It’s not magic and it’s certainly not because I was more “deserving” in any way. Ever...

  I am so tired. I have written about this so many times, most recently in February of this year. A Poolside View , Village Green/Town², February 12, 2026 I feel like CA has long wondered why people don’t use the Talbott Springs Pool the way that the largely white, more or less affluent suburban folks were always expected to use them when Columbia was established. Or, to be less pointed, I feel as though they are operating on expectations and assumptions that may be counterproductive to a solution to this problem today. And here we go again. Columbia Association board mulls trying to save money by converting pool into splash park , Kiersten Hacker, Baltimore Sun CA uses the term “low foot traffic.” I don’t doubt that they have counted. What I would like to see is a look at the numbers that show all the Columbia Villages by income level. And then I would like the see the most monetary investment in the poorest areas and the cost-cutting initiatives in the most affluent areas.* Why? ...

  Sometimes I save something because it speaks to me, or because I see within it the seed of a future blog post. If I’m lucky, another thing comes down the road and reminds me of the first thing. Remember this? Remember how you wanted to talk about how this could be relevant right here in Howard County? Case in point, this September 7th piece from NPR:  Missed shifts were costly to this McDonald's. An app has fixed the problem. Unexpected absences can cost employers tens of thousands of dollars a month. An app that helps workers with last-minute transportation, food and childcare is making a difference. - -  Andrea Hsu, NPR In order for us to understand why this story mattters, we have to acknowledge that some people experience barriers and challenges in their daily lives that we do not.  Period. For example: we have to understand that if we want parents to engage in school events that we need to provide childcare. If we want neighbors to come to community meetings w...

  Once upon a time - - in 2019 - -  County Executive Calvin Ball was accused of destroying the universe because he proposed discontinuing the county’s aviation program.  Fruit Salad , April 2019 Even though his (Republican) predecessor had advocated for the very same thing, Ball’s recommendation was interpreted as a threat to the well-being of the entire county rather than the responsible fiscal decision it was: one piece in a comprehensive response to a pre-existing 108 million budget deficit. I might add that posts on social media for some time after this showed those folks singing this same song over and over. The helicopter brouhaha seemed to be an agreed-upon “public safety” talking point, even though:  Howard County will continue to have aviation coverage from other partner agencies, 24 hours a day. The availability of aviation service to officers and the public will not be affected.  In addition, the Howard County Police Department will continue to explor...

  I just realized that lots of folks were down at the Lakefront this weekend and I haven’t seen any photos of the People Tree. Well, now that it’s specifically a commercial symbol wholly owned by HHC, perhaps it doesn’t feel as aspirational as it used to. At any rate, here’s something for sale in Facebook Marketplace that gave me that old People Tree vibe. You’re welcome. I’ve had a bunch of Columbia-centric things piling up in my bag of tricks lately. There’s a local real estate agent who has taken it upon himself to explain the whole, entire deal about the New American City in a series of videos. I am not kidding! This is not an endorsement nor have I watched all of them. I am merely noting his commitment to the bit. Scott Moran, Maryland’s Tallest Realtor It’s at least good to see someone making the effort? Are you a Pioneer? Do you know any? I saw this comment on generational affiliation on Bluesky recently and wondered if I knew any Columbia Gen X-ers who’d disagree. Some folk...

  First things first: if you weren’t able to attend last night’s celebration at the Lakefront, Delegate Chao Wu posted video of the drone show. It’s on YouTube in two parts.  Part One.   Part Two. Also shown last evening was a video from the Howard County Veterans Foundation celebrating the official opening of the Howard County Veterans and Military Families Monument at Vivian C. "Millie" Bailey Park. If I can find a link to that anywhere I'll add it here. Continuing with the theme of honoring our veterans - - today’s Veterans Day Parade. In case you find white text on a dark background difficult to read: THE HOWARD COUNTY VETERANS DAY PARADE & CELEBRATION - Sunday, November 8, 2026 Downtown Columbia Parade: 9:30 a.m. Ceremony: Immediately Following Parade Save the date for the 12th annual Howard County Veterans Day Parade & Celebration! Each year, this event is an opportunity to celebrate our county's Veterans and honor their profound dedication and service t...