Village Green/Town²

I keep a calendar on Google, an additional one on my iPad. I used to be really good at writing things on them. Updating them. Checking them, even. Recently I have fallen off the calendar habit. So I hope that everything I need to know will be in my facebook events or in my email. I keep a back-up of my work schedule in Dropbox. And, for the most part, it has been okay. But today I am going to jump back on the calendar bandwagon because I have an important date to remember: Wednesday, April 11th, from 6-8 pm. The next HoCoBlogs Party is coming our way at The Second Chance Saloon in Oakland Mills. Hosted by Sarah Husain of sarahsays , and me--YAY!--of VG/TS, we're looking foward to getting the blogsters and readers back to this hometown hangout where the nachos, wings, burgers, and chili dogs are legendary. And the beer selection is awesome! You might just want to join their Beer Club while you're there. So, today is Sunday. You're beginning to think about the week ahe...

You may recall that, as a result of the councilmanic redistricting process, some rather vocal folks came out to detail their objections to being moved into a district that included Columbia.  (I believe that would be District 2, represented by Calvin Ball.)  I found the hostility disheartening. While I don't believe that Columbia is the center of the universe or that it holds any innate superiority over other parts of Howard County, it is where I live, and it is difficult to see it kicked around in this manner. Well, I had just about gotten over that unpleasantness, until this morning.  I attended the opening of Blandair Regional Park. It was a beautiful day, and it is a beautiful park.  I have been waiting with excitement for this day since I moved here in 1999. As my daughter ran for the play equipment, I felt the kind of joy that only a parent can have, watching a child take flight in play. Okay, that's the good part, you say.  What could be unpleasant a...

I hope you all have been following LisaB.Mrs.S. as she has examined the ins and outs of the Howard County School System.   She has been encouraging fellow Howard Countians to educate themselves about the upcoming race for the Board of Education.   This past Saturday, she took that role one step further by hosting a meet and greet session for two of the candidates:   Leslie Kornreich and David Gertler. A small group of interested parents gathered—between six and eight; I didn’t make an exact count. Lisa helped start out the session with some questions for the candidates to answer.   It didn’t take much to get the conversation going.   The candidates were ready, and the group had plenty of questions and concerns. Here is a list of things that the parents were interested in discussing: 1. Improving communication and openness-- 2. Embracing social media to include stakeholders 3. School overcrowding and the redistricting process 4. Involving ...

John McCoy, Columbia Association Watershed Manager, is a man with a mission.  He is charged to reduce run-off and he is willing to employ a variety of methods to make it happen. One of those ways is through the planting of trees. Lots of them. The fact that CA can use grant money to pay for these trees is an added incentive.  Many other methods for reducing run-off are costly. The Village of Oakland Mills has some lovely Open Spaces just perfect for homing a good portion of these free trees.  In some cases, volunteers are willing to do the planting.  It seems like a win-win for Columbia, our environment, and the Chesapeake Bay, doesn't it?  There's just one problem. That land belongs to the citizens of Columbia (Oakland Mills) and they are using it. Most of the areas designated for tree planting are used in active recreation by families and children. In some cases the lack of trees in a given area provides an openness for walkers on neighborhood paths, a f...