Village Green/Town²

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F ³: Going On A Treasure Hunt

My mother-in-law checks the news on her iPad each morning. It’s rare that she finds anything there that doesn’t depress her or make her angry. I know exactly how she feels. “Isn’t there any good news?” she asked me the other day. “There probably is, but that’s not what the news outlets are feeding you,” I suggested. “They’re highlighting the stories that they think will make you click.” Isn’t there any good news? Her plaintive request gnawed at me. I started looking. You can do a Google search for “good news stories today.” I got about a page of websites to check. One of them, the Goid News Network, put me onto stories like the following: Bruce Springsteen Celebrates His New Center for American Music Opening Soon with All-Star Concert for the Ages Heartwarming ‘Sock-er’ News: Arsenal Donates Old Football Socks to Sick Horses and Donkeys US Nonprofit Again Wipes Out Millions in Hospital Bills–This Time for 97,000 Residents of Connecticut I don’t really know much ...

It’s Not a Secret

It’s not a secret. But it isn’t exactly front page news, either. Where I usually learn about upcoming county special events: County Executive FB account HoCoGov FB account Local FB events page Instagram accounts of the above Local media Where I learned about the opening tomorrow of a new skatepark facility at Blandair: Columbia Reddit , which linked to hoco.skateboarding on Instagram I finally broke down and searched the County website. Here it is: Ribbon Cutting & Special Event Blandair Park Phase 6 If you look carefully you’ll see that this isn’t just about skateboarding. Phase 6 also includes pickleball courts and (long-awaited) basketball courts. I would have mentioned this earlier but I was looking for confirmation from an official source. Rec and Parks has a ton going on this time of year - - just check out their Instagram . The skate park opening at Blandair may not be at the top of their list for social media publicity, I get that. But, for HoCoLoca...

So Much Columbia

Where to begin? The Columbia Association is often thought of as the Pools, Parks, and Pathways people. I see they are not done with the alliteration game. Apparently they held a People, Plants, and Purpose event last Friday. Any guesses as to what snappy alliteration will be next? CA is doing a membership study of some sort. I’m curious as to how they will select participants and whether they can get a representative sampling by only offering two dates midweek for their focus group sessions. But, hey, if they choose you and you participate, you’ll get a gift card. There’s an entire ode to the pathway system on Reddit right now, including a cool view of the pedestrian bridge over Route 29. It’s fun to read if you’re tired of the current political grind and need some cheering up. Love the Columbia Pathway System , Columbia Reddit Remember when I noticed that The Metropolitan was no longer the Metropolitan? Guess what? Ten M Flats is now Versa Merriweather. True co...

The Real Question

I’m not sure that I’ve ever sent you over to read something at Business Monthly. Today’s the day. I have to admit I sometimes forget they are there. Glancing through their website this morning, I realize I need to bookmark it for a more regular look-through. If you’re curious about this local publication, here’s some background information: The Business Monthly covers the business, government and people of Howard and Anne Arundel counties, the BWI Business Corridor, and Laurel. We report on local companies, economic development, and the people building businesses in our region : monthly in print and more frequently online at bizmonthly.com. They’ve been in business since 1993. Want to know more? Here’s a piece on their founding and history by Len Lazarick. I’m strongly recommending a piece by Howard County’s own Lisa Markovitz, who is asking a question I think more people should be asking: Why did a Columbia community center become a campaign issue? Here is is. Go rea...

Three Things with a Twist

Three Things I Wish I Could Do Today: Howard County Government is again inviting the community for a flag raising to celebrate the beginning of Pride Month. I was there last year and it was a much-needed reminder to me of what good people are doing in community. This evening at the Main Library branch: Scribble is holding a hangout - - all art styles, all levels - - in the Maxine White Warfield Room from 6-8 pm. One of these days I’m going to be able to make one of their events. Third thing: hanging out with my spouse, a rarity these days. But summer is coming soon, right? If you are a teacher: hang in there! Speaking of which: Have a great Monday. Village Green/Town² Comments

School Days/Golden Rule Days

Let me bring you up to date. There’s even more disingenuous campaigning going on right now and I want you to think about what it really means. I’m jumping in because I feel uniquely qualified to comment, by virtue of personal experience. I’ve been seeing negative campaigning based on where candidates’ children go to school. Some years back I had a sudden and ongoing problem with people who claimed I didn’t have the right to express my own opinions on this blog because of where one of my children went to school. Eventually they went after both children. And my spouse. What would you do? What would you think? Choices you make for your own children are personal, mostly because they concern the privacy of a minor. No one has the right to ask you to betray that child in order to justify family choices. Here’s the thing: this didn’t really have anything to do with where my kid went to school. It was solely because these folks didn’t like what I was writing and they we...