Village Green/Town²

As I watch the progress of the Elevate Maryland podcast I've been thinking a lot about who I would want to interview if I had a local "Talk Show". Now this is where my brain gives to "If I had a talk show" to the tone of "If I had a hammer", and then to the tune of "If I were a rich man." Doesn't everybody? So, without further ado, my top ten list of HoCo locals that I think would make fabulous interview subjects. This is in no particular order of value, by the way. 1. Jean Moon. She's well known for publicizing other peoples' events but I think her own personal story would be fascinating. 2. Jonathan Edelson, chair of the Oakland Mills Village Board. What makes an under-50 with kids in elementary school get involved in what has traditionally been a haven for Pioneers? 3. Bonnie Bricker, educator, writer, and community activist. I'd like to hear more about her present venture to work with parents and infants to supp...

You may or may not be old enough to remember the man in the Ed Sullivan show who would come out and manage to keep an entire row of plates spinning atop long sticks. For some reason I found this hilarious as a child. Now it seems more like life. Keep everything going without anything falling. Steady one while another slows and wobbles. It almost seems to be the precise activity for which the phrase "teetering precariously" was invented. The image of the spinning plates came to mind this morning as I was reading the news that Howard County intends to make a pitch for the new Amazon facility. Clearly having an Amazon facility is the new community fidget spinner. Everybody seems to want one. No matter that we're already spinning school redistricting, de facto segregation in our schools, a Downtown Plan, recovery from a flood, and APFO legislation. Let's add Amazon to the mix! The catch, from what I can tell, is that Amazon is looking for a place with robust public t...

The Columbia 50th birthday festivities are drawing to a close. This Sunday brings the official farewell event from the Columbia Birthday folks: They'll be dedicating the Gail Holliday poster trees, located along Lake Kittamaqundi in the Kennedy Gardens. From Barbara Kellner of the Columbia Archives: On Sunday, Oct 1 starting at 5 pm there will be special celebration of Columbia's 50th.  Starting at the Kennedy Gardens, on the path around Lake Kittamaqundi, with a dedication of the newly-installed restored poster trees that once graced Wincopin Circle. The fete continues at the lakefront with performances by Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Misako Ballet Company, Columbia Orchestra and Columbia's own Zach Brown.  Please join me as Columbia's celebration of the 50th birthday draws to a close. Weather for Sunday is likely to be mostly sunny, with a high of 70. Perfect weather for a walk around the Lake and some family fun at the Lakefront. It's all ...

Seen in Howard County: First off, I have no use for the term "Alt-right". Let's call it what it is: fascism. And it's flying it's ugly little flag over Route 70 in Howard County. (FYI: it's no longer there.) And what about that slogan? "They will not replace us." It's easy to do a basic Google search. I found an interesting opinion piece in the New York Tines, entitled, "White 'Power' and the Fear of Replacement".  The words, "You will not replace us" and "Jews will not replace us" were chanted by white nationalists in Charlottesville. From the article: While on some level the people who marched in Charlottesville were motivated by a perverse, exceptional hate, they were also, on another level, driven by a very ordinary desire for power. But that desire is based in an impoverished understanding of power as the replacement and domination of others. It appears that these people have friends in Ho...

Destruction, pure and simple. From Pam Watkins Long: Hey friends, I have a very special request. PLEASE SHARE. A lovely friend, a fellow biz owner that recently reopened after last year's devastating flood, walked in to her business, Sweet Cascades Chocolatier, this morning to realize it was badly vandalized last night. Such a shame after an incredible day of celebrating our town with the Main Street Music Fest. Tables, chairs, planters, plants, umbrellas, were thrown over the balcony into the river! The idiots even ripped the lights off the walls and tossed those over as well! Without disclosing what the police already know, I'm asking if you've heard or know anything about this, please contact the non-emergency police number at 410.313.3200 or the store at 410.750.8422 ASAP. Any information is appreciated. Please be part of the solution. Thank you.  And here is my second request. Sweet Cascades has incredible, delicious choices of pure goodness. This week, plea...

Have you lost a locket? This post is about a week old. The locket looks like it probably holds some wonderful stories. It would be cool if we could help it get back home. Have you ever lost something of sentimental value and then had it returned?

This statement from a Howard County parent has been burning a hole in my brain for several days. Why don't you create some new rules? No child should have to attend a school with lower rating than their current. Stop redistricting. "No child should have to go to a school with a lower rating than their current." Well, wait a minute. Who do you think should go to that "lower-rated school"? My guess it that you don't really care so long as it's not your child. Watch my brain explode. The purpose of public school education is to benefit all children. I am strongly opposed to efforts to use the school system to protect some children at the expense of others. Solutions should be for everyone. While searching for this particular tweet to share this morning, I ran across another, from the U.K., which is equally relevant to our situation. The modern purpose of education is to exclude the children who might lower a school's rating. Hmm . I fe...

Today's post comes from my friend Mike Lawson who has written to local authorities of his community in Tennessee about appropriate training for first responders when it comes to dealing with  citizens who are developmentally disabled and/or on the autism spectrum. I think he has extremely valid concerns and I hope to learn more about what training our officers receive here in Howard County. ***** I emailed this letter to the City of Fairview, TN's mayor, vice-mayor, three commissioners, city manager, police chief, fire chief, and copied my contact at The ARC of Williamson County, the local paper and a TV station. I hope I get a good reply: Dear Mayor Carroll and Fairview Government; What specific training do our police and other first responders get in recognizing and interacting with the autistic and others in the developmentally disabled community here in Fairview?  Is this training mandatory for new recruits, and is it an ongoing continuing education refresher co...

So tired. Like, fall asleep sitting up in a chair tired. Let's make this brief. Go see Dune, the Ballet tonight at the Chrysalis. It's free. 7-9 pm. Here's the event page on Facebook. Bring blankets to sit on or chairs. And bring your appetite because there'll be food from  http://www.pablostocotruck.com   and  http://www.mikesgelato.com  .   Celebrate the arts in the park with a cool science fiction ballet.

Last night I started hearing private rumblings that something was up with the MSDE appointment of Dr. Renee Foose. Had she withdrawn her name from consideration? What was up? I reached out privately to a few people I know to have reliably good information. I was looking for confirmation. I had a lead on a great story but I didn't have enough to be sure. So I waited. Shortly thereafter, the Baltimore Sun posted their article , followed by the Maryland Daily Record's account . Ah, well. So, I didn't get the scoop. I got excited for a few minutes there. And then I remembered that I'm a blogger, not a journalist. Journalists are trained to do this job. They follow a certain protocol and are bound by journalistic ethics. Whether it's a story about an appointment to the MDSE, or efforts to repeal healthcare, journalists are doing the unglamorous work day in and day out to keep the public informed. We need them. I love having this blog and that I have been able...

Governor Hogan:   There’s a palpable loss of trust between many parents and the county school system,  and in particular with the superintendent. MSDE: You're hired. Me: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Let's have a disaster. A great, big natural disaster that brings out the best in everyone. Because apparently it's the only thing that causes folks in our OneTrueHoward to care about other peoples' neighborhoods and other peoples' children. Somehow a disaster reminds us that the condition we are in is the human condition, and it is meant to be shared. Not so with redistricting. Our community has been splintered into an odd assortment of factions, including, but not limited to: the no polygon people, the t-shirt people, the "we paid a lot for our house" people, the "they're out to get us because we're poor and under-represented" people, the anonymous Twitter account people,  the people who are afraid of The Next Town, the "developers are in league with the Devil" people, and probably more. We did this to ourselves. We have no one to blame but ourselves. It is human nature to be fearful of change. It is also human nature to le...

We all know that person who wants to go back to "the time when things were better." Heck, most of us have moments when we wish we could return to a kinder, gentler world. I'm happy to announce that the Chrysalis is offering a one-night time-traveling experience which will take your mind off politics, world events, and day-to-day woes.  On Tuesday, September 26th, (that's tomorrow)  the Inner Arbor Trust will present Stary Olsa in concert at 6:30 pm. Admission is free. An evening in the Middle Ages could be just the thing to clear your head of twenty-first century stress. About Stary Olsa: Belarusian band Stary Olsa occupies a unique position at the intersections where past meets present, tradition mingles with innovation, and contemporary creative expression has demanded the cultivation of skills that date back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Much like their namesake (a wandering brook in the Mahilou region), Stary Olsa's path has be...

I was driving home from yesterday morning's event at the Chrysalis and a sign caught my eye. It went by quickly and I only had a glimpse in my peripheral vision. Reuse Parkway "Re-use Parkway?" I thought, trying to make sense of it. Oh. Rouse Parkway Funny how a bit of "creative" vision took me to a whole different place. It seems to me that, as Columbia turns 50, we are challenged to decide how we will re-use the New American City. It isn't new anymore. Some of its foundational ideals are refreshingly revolutionary, but it is still a product of its time. And times change. Buildings get old and need repair or even replacing. Concepts can become dated as well. We are living in the age of Columbia's creative adaptive reuse . We are engaged in the process of deciding what has stood the test of time and should be preserved exactly as it is, what is not working and should be replaced, and what can get new life through creative reuse. Think of ...

At long last, the weekend. I have plenty of catching up to do. First I have a gig at the Chrysalis. But you knew that. Then a brief crash-out, recovery time in the comfy chair. Possibly a bubble bath. Then, it's catch-up time. Laundry Dishes Grocery Shopping Library A book to read for work The last several episodes of the Elevate Maryland podcast I have my work cut out for me. What's on your catch-up list for this weekend?

We have a saying here in early childhood-world. If you see a child persist in a certain kind of behavior, say, screaming when they don't get what they want, it usually means that someone, somewhere, is rewarding that behavior. So let's talk about matching tshirts. The t-shirt printing companies must be making a killing in Howard County what with all the community groups wanting to turn out for meetings, hearings, and protests in gear that matches their cause. If one person holding a sign is good, ten are better. If they all wear the same color, it has visual impact. If they wear matching t-shirts, it presents an imposing visual message. Looks great in photos and on the tv news. At some point people observed the goings-on in the County Schools and perceived that the groups with the matching t-shirts got better service than those who didn't. And once that cycle of rewarding behavior began, it has dominated the scene. I have nothing against t-shirts in and of themselve...

Social media lit up last night wth the news that missing Wilde Lake High School teacher Laura Wallen had been found dead. Like many others in our community, although I did not know her, I feel deeply sad. I just can't get it out of my mind. It cast a long shadow over the rest of my day. Any death due to intimate partner violence is horrific. But something about a teacher, whose job it is to build relationships and inspire trust in young people, makes this news even harder to fathom. The goodness that was Ms. Wallen spread through her teaching and touched the lives of her students. The pain of her loss will do the same. I read something yesterday on a different topic that I think applies equally well here: This shows just how fragile teens are.  The amount of pressure teens are under these days is absurd.  Kids hold a lot of pain inside and are not taught proper coping mechanisms. I know that the school system is springing into action to provide grief counseling to stud...

Let's do it again! When I'm not blogging or offering my two cents at public meetings, I have another life as an early childhood educator. While I'm working as a generalist these days, for many years my primary focus was music and movement. So, when I heard that the folks at the Inner Arbor Trust were looking for family-friendly programming this summer, I realized I had something to offer. So, here goes: Saturday, September 16th, rain or shine! A free family event for parents and preschoolers. Chrysalis Kids: Music and Movement on the Chrysalis Stage. Come experience the beauty of Columbia's newest performance space with your little ones. From 10 to 12,  Early Childhood Music Specialist Julia McCready will play DJ with your favorite Kids Tunes. There will be plenty of room to move and groove, and hands-on materials to explore! Admission is free. Tell your friends. Come along if you have young children and grandchildren. To be clear: this is not a sho...

The other evening at the Chrysalis event, I bumped into my County Council representative, Calvin Ball. I actually walked towards him with arms outstretched because by now I know he's a hugger. I mean, I don't think he would ever hug anyone who didn't want to be hugged, but in general he's a hugger. and I'm fine with that. Later on I came across County Execituve Kittleman and he shook my hand in a friendly manner and actually knew my name (I'm in awe of people who can remember names, because I can't anymore.) The piece de resistance was seeing Dr. Ball and Mr, Kittleman greet each other in an effusive, hug-plus-handshake combination. At least I think that's what it was. I was distracted by thinking about how people who have such opposing viewpoints must maintain a pleasant outward face in social settings. It's an art. At my school we practice the Responsive Classroom curriculum, where children learn and practice many kinds of social interactions. ...

I had APFO on my mind when I opened up Facebook this morning. Those thoughts were soon swept away by a multitude of posts commemorating 9/11. I've written about it before . I don't think I have anything exceptionally new or valuable to share. Just one thing, though. As I scanned the section for things that happened "On This Day" I realized how glad I am that that 9/11 occurred before the advent of Facebook. Can you imagine the searing pain of accumulated posts, including photos and video, of that day? We have become used to sharing everything on Facebook, in good times and in bad. But in my opinion it is a blessing that we don't have the vivid accumulation of pain and devastation of that day coming back at us in our "memories". There's such a thing as too many memories. I don't think there's any lack of documentary evidence. I don't think we are in any danger of forgettting. Life has changed in so many ways since that day in 200...

What can I tell you that you don't know already? Probably not much. The season is beginning to turn and there will be wonderful Fall events all over Howard County. Redistricting and APFO concerns continue to roil community discussions with some folks believing that neighborhood is against neighborhood, school against school. Students have gone back to school and there have been some interesting discussions about homework. Political season continues to heat up with more candidates opting in or opting out. Oh! Here's something you may not know: Did you know that there's a coffee shop in the new MedStar Building? You know, the one everyone likes to complain about, on the corner of LPP and Broken Land? It's nothing to write home about at this point, but I'm sure it's quite convenient for those who work in the building. I got together with local blogger Harry Schwarz recently to discuss blogging and the local news scene. He suggested we meet up at the ...

The kids are having a party . They've invited everyone. There will be food and drink and music and dancing and even a s'mores pit, whatever that is. I'm going. I don't generally do the big gala things. But this sounds fun. The kids are having a party at the coolest new venue in Columbia: the Chrysalis. I'm no kid but I've caught their enthusiasm and I want to be there. It won't be the same-old, same-old. It won't be the same people one always sees at such events. The kids are having a party. Makes a parent feel so proud, you know? Never mind that the kids are actually adults with children of their own. In Columbia-world where the real grown-ups make documentary movies about how things used to be, people who celebrate the present and the future are Just Kids. Tonight I'll be celebrating what is truly right about Columbia and Howard County with some amazing people. But somewhere else there will grumblings about "no vision" and  ...

It's a big weekend in Howard County, beginning with: This event will be held at Harper's Choice Middle School from 9-5 tomorrow. Do you have issues you really care about? Want to learn how to put ideas into action? This is the event for you.  Next up: Under the Harvest Moon, a fundraising event to support Merriweather Park in Symphony Woods. 7 pm at the Chrysalis. It sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun and the weather looks promising!  If you're looking for something for Sunday afternoon, may I recommend the Columbia Big Band concert at the Chrysalis. It's free to the public, 3 pm. Of course if you want to want to take a look at other things happening in Howard County, take a look at Totally HoCo. What am I doing this weekend? Well, I'd love to participate in all these events but experience tells me that one event will be more than enough for this introvert. I'll be celebrating under the harvest moon on Saturday night. ...

In Defense of Development in Columbia, MD By David Saunier* Our city was the brainchild of one of our country’s most brilliant humanitarians of the last half century. James Rouse, a real estate developer, envisioned a new kind of city that was carefully planned to avoid many of the pitfalls common to our country’s non-urban core—namely the haphazard and impersonal development known as urban sprawl. He believed that a thoughtfully considered city plan would enable a place that enriched the lives of its citizens, allowing everyone who lived there the opportunity to become the best that they could be. Columbia would become a place that married nestled-in residential cul-de-sacs, beautiful open space and walkways, and clusters of commercial and public cores that would allow for pedestrian and bike-friendly access to all that was needed—shopping, entertainment, worship, and education. Columbia would have a downtown gathering place that residents would enjoy—providing more commercial op...

Recently one of the members of the CA Board posted an artist's rendering of what future Columbia might look like. I'm assuming this comes from Howard Hughes. He asked what people thought. So far the response looks largely negative. I don't know much about the particular presentation from which this photo is taken, but I do know that it would have consisted of more than one photograph. There's got to be a lot more information where this came from. There are two things I think when looking at this photograph: 1. What is the context here? What is the supporting documentation that explains what we see in this photo? 2. Do all the people up in arms about this photo know that Columbia was always meant to be a city? I look forward to a more comprehensive explanation of what the future holds. This picture is enough to pique my curiosity. I don't think it's cause for mass panic.

Today is the first day of school in the Howard County Publc Schools. There's an air of excitement as a new Superintendent has a chance to share his priorities with staff and students. I see a lot of excitement out there from teachers. Right now, however, it is six seventeen at my house and one tired teacher and one tired teen are up and getting ready. I have taught many things throughout my career: elementary school French, preschool music, three year olds, kindergarten. And yet there's one thing I have not successfully taught, and it's on my mind today. I have not taught my family members how to make their own lunches. This hearkens back to when I worked part time and had much more time to get ready in the morning. Now we are all on the same schedule and I'm scrambling. And writing a blog. Who makes the lunches at your house? Does anyone buy lunch? Is anyone excited to try the new healthier options at school this year? To all students and teachers going bac...

Today's late post brought to you by a monster migraine. The less said about that, the better. I've got a bit of a HoCo Holler vibe going on over here. I've been observing, more than participating, in online discussions about school redistricting this summer. And one thing that has been consistent throughout is the calm, reasoned voice of Board Chair Cindy Vaillancourt. Ms.Vaillancourt has made herself available online to answer all questions, explain, elaborate, correct misbegotten conspiracy theories--you name it. While she undoubtedly has her own personal opinions on how this is all playing out, she has worked diligently to maintain an even, neutral presence in the face of some serious unpleasantness. I hope that our community realizes how much work this has been to field everyone's fears and woes for the last few months. I also hope they realize the level of respect, responsiveness, and transparency Ms. Vaillancourt is modeling. Can you imagine some of our pr...

It made me smile the other day to read that someone else shares my sentiment about the former Patuxent Publishing building on Little Patuxent Parkway. Did I mention I love the Flier Building and hope it is preserved?? Call me crazy, but I have a soft spot in my heart for that building. I don't even particularly like architecture from that time period, but it's so quintessentially "Columbia" that I love it anyway. When the late blogger Dennis Lane wrote about its closure in 2010, I was one of the many to chime in in the comments section. I'm trying to imagine a creative re-use for this building. Ideas? At the time  I was imagining the space would make a great church, or, truth be told, a signature Columbia residence.  (I still think it would be a great project for HGTV's Extreme Homes.) Or perhaps a Howard County home for Kennedy Krieger outreach. Dennis didn't think the building would be preserved. As I recall, he suggested it was probably...

Shlogged through the work week looking forward to Saturday when I'd have the time to write a decent blog post. Woke up at 5:30 am with a serious case of the "I don't wannas." In the meantime, a second cup of coffee feels essential and the sound of rain outside is not helping. On my mind this morning: Opioid addiction is now a heartbreaking national health crisis because victims are white. Police brutality and over-reach may now actually be considered to be a problem because the nurse is white. Also, someone out there is floating the theory that Howard County Government has actively promoted segregation of schools as a way to isolate high test scores in areas of affluence in order to promote more land development in those same areas. Any other bloggers out there working on this? Feels more like a conspiracy theory than a fact-based one. State Comptroller Peter Franchot is ever so proud of himself for promoting craft beer and adding a week to summer vacation...

As if by magic, in response to yesterday's post about thanking road workers a photograph appeared so we can finally give credit where it is due. Oh, wait. This isn't Route 29, it's Route 32. And it isn't actually legitimate road workers. It's elected officials mugging for a ceremonial photo opp. Looks like I got all excited for nothing. I know that, in the world of politics, ceremonial photo opps are just a part of the job, but for some reason I find the ones with all of the shovels to be particularly objectionable. How many of the people  in this photo would last ten minutes doing the kind of hard physical labor involved in road work? (Not to pick on them; I wouldn't, either.) If one's livelihood depends on running for re-election then having one's likeness reproduced in multiple photographs becomes a highly desirable goal. Just once, though, I'd like to see the spotlight shining on the people who do the real work. As that fellow on ...