Village Green/Town²

Yes, it was an earthquake. Right here in Howard County, Sunday evening. You can learn more from meteorologist Justin Berk here  . He uses this map to pinpoint the location. From what I am seeing on social media, the earthquake was felt well into Columbia. Yikes. Luckily, this was a minor event. It raises a question, though. Just exactly who do you call when your house goes boom?

Yes, I know this has been done to death. But today it jumped right off the page. From Sara Toth's article on middle school re districting, this quote really bugs me. "I was pretty upset that Emerson was going to be split from the majority of the Murray Hill community, but even more furious that you would send our kids to a school with significantly lower standards," said one parent. "How would you feel about your children attending the school with one of the lowest (Maryland School Assessment) scores in the county?" - - October 30, 2013 Plus ça change plus c'est la même chose... There are many factors at play in our redistricting process in 2017. There is frustration that the Board of Education put us in this difficult situation by a lack of proactive involvement. There is concern that over-development is placing a burden on school facilities that we are not keeping up with. Neighborhoods that have enjoyed a long-time connection with a particular s...

Questions of the day: Why is Laurel in two  four different counties? What is the best Halloween candy? The worst? Would you live in a tiny house? (Why or why not?) Best new stores in old EC? And, finally, answer the following: “If I were going to move from my present home it would be because _______________.” Feel free to send your questions my way, too. Comments are welcome here: https://www.facebook.com/VillageGreenTownSquared/?ref=bookmarks

Ticked off, cranky, angry about everything. Ah...steroids. So, what’s up, Howard County? Apparently there’s a Tiny House Expo at the Howard County Fairgrounds this weekend. Wonder if there will be a protest continingent asking “Where are we going to put all those tiny children?” You still have a chance to book tickets for CarnEvil at Merriweather Park in Symphony Woods and support equipment for First Responders. Truth in advertising: I am petrified of all things scary so maybe I should just write them a check. Speaking of writing a check, it’s time to jump on the turkey bandwagon! The Community Action Council is raising funds to provide 1000 Thanksgiving dinners to 1000 families in Howard County, turkeys included. Learn more here and donate . Prism Concert Tonight At River Hill High School featuring Choirs, Bands, Strings, Guitars and no pauses! Pretty sure this is a free concert but you can certainly spend some money on Bake Sale items at intermission. 7 pm. Three...

Dear Bloggers who used to blog, I miss you. I wake up at five am and face the darkness in a lonely little world that doesn’t have your voices in it anymore: Sarah Says, Annathema, Lisa B Mrs. S, Life’s Little Comedies, HoCoRising, Tales of Two Cities, HoCo Hayduke, Do I Amuse You?, Rocket Powered Butterfly, HowChow, Dinosaur Mom... Boo hoo, you say. Sad trombone, or the world’s tiniest violin. Blogging is a hobby largely of the privileged. Most likely one isn’t doing it without some other resources that make the time to write available. So forgive my tiny little pity party over here. I suppose this post is to say that I am happiest as a blogger when I’m in a bustling community of ideas. I miss that. Howard County still has some excellent community and/or political bloggers, for instance: HoCo House Hon, Is This Thing On?, Spartan Considerations, HoCoMDcc, Civility and Truth but they don’t post regularly. (I don’t want to overlook Scott E’s Blog but in truth it’s sort of a com...

Maybe we’re truly into Fall now. Hard to be sure. Each time we swing in that direction it’s followed by a prolonged summery spell. In the hopes that we’re really here, this local list: Thumbs up: Gorgeous trees with changing leaves in Oakland Mills Walks on the pathways Autumn treats during the last few Farmers Markets When it’s cool enough to open the house and let fresh breezes in A trip to Clarks Elioak Farm for a pumpkin and a hayride The craft fair at Oakland Mills High School Fall plays at the high schools The urge to hit the Howard County Library and curl up with some good books and a cozy blanket Thumbs Down: Slipping on wet leaves Yellow jackets Steroids (see above) Pumpkin Spice anything Back to back political fundraisers Driving to work in the dark What’s on your local list?

Spotted this photo on Twitter with the caption, “There are still nice people in the world.” Somewhere in Columbia someone has a sense of humor and a gentle spirit to go along with it. I’d love to know the backstory.

There was a school bus accident yesterday; you’ve probably already read about it. If not, here you go. I have never given much thought to the proper etiquette to responding to such news, but after yesterday I have a few thoughts. In the unfortunate event that school children’s well being is in danger, it is recommended that you: Express concern for the students. Say something that shows empathy for the families of said students. What NOT to do: Use the accident as a springboard to say why your child should not be redistricted. I mean, really now, folks. Everything is not about you. Other people deserve some sensitivity and respect.

A letter in the Flier caught my eye this week: Dispersing surplus funds to Columbia villages’ budgets It’s written by Tom O’Connor, who has served a number of terms in the CA Board as a representative of Dorsey’s Search. You can read it here . It describes what is to become of the $500,000.00 in the  Villages Contingency Fund: Now, it is agreed by the villages and association [that] the VCF is no longer needed and should be disbanded. CA is proposing that the VCF should be prorated between the 10 villages, with CA getting half of the money, $250,000. Mr. O’Connor feels that this money belongs to the villages alone. The VCF was funded from the villages’ excess funds over the 17 percent allowable at the end of their fiscal year. These excess funds were, and are, a direct result of proper budgeting and oversight by villages’ managers and boards. So what’s up with this? I’d love to know more. Since this is an advocacy letter, and not a news article, there’s a strong motivat...

There’s an old, worn out expression (used far too often) that asserts that “God doesn’t give us anything that we can’t handle.” I clung to this expression for dear life as my quirky GPS took me on a seven-hour ride to Stamford, Connecticut that involved back roads and scenic overlooks, hair pin turns in the dark and road changes every five minutes or so. Perhaps God and GPS don’t mix. The trip is supposed to be between 4 and 5 hours and should be more or less a straight shot up 95. I’ve made the trip many times in my life, but never as a driver alone. So, once I decided to put my trust in the GPS, I was stuck. In fact, I was so daunted by the whole ordeal that I didn't stop once. Seven hours with no breaks is a bit of an effort. The middle finger on my left hand is numb. But, I’m here. I pulled up after midnight to a hotel that didn’t exist when graduated from high school and more or less left this town for good. When I awoke and looked out the window I realized that none of th...

As if the poisonous and infuriating tales of Harvey Weinstein’s victim’s were not enough, Howard County is having some reminders that criminal sexual behavior can come much closer to home. Police: Girl Scouts leader in Ellicott City arrested on child porn charges. HopeWorks rolls out advanced human trafficking survivor services. Sexual abuse, assault, harassment, human trafficking. It’s a mistake to think of these purely in sexual terms. They are all examples of an abuse of power. Those with the upper hand manipulating and overpowering the weak. These are crimes that perpetuate the dominance of one group over others. Survivors of sexual abuse are forever changed. They carry within them the damage of their violation. That damage is often compounded by people who don’t believe their story. “He’s really a nice guy.” “Why are you making this into such a big deal?” “What were you wearing?” It’s clear to me that serious change in our culture won’t happen unless witnesses of que...

Today is Spirit Day. Learn more about the goals of Spirit Day here and take the pledge. From the GLAAD website: Spirit Day is a means of speaking out against LGBTQ bullying and standing with LGBTQ youth, who disproportionately face bullying and harassment because of their identities. Pledging to "go purple" on Spirit Day is a way for everyone — forward-thinking companies, global leaders, respected celebrities, neighbors, parents, classmates, and friends — to visibly show solidarity with LGBTQ youth and to take part in the largest, most visible anti-bullying campaign in the world. It’s appropriate that HCPSS has chosen this day to unveil a new PSA about bullying prevention. You can learn more about today’s event here . Worth noting: the participation of Christine McComas, mother of late student Grace McComas , in these new efforts to combat bullying. What a transformation has taken place within the school system. Even one year ago such a partnership would have been imp...

I was driving home from dropping my daughter off at a choral rehearsal and I decided to pop in to David’s Natural Market to pick up some dinner. I was hoping for some of their delicious curried chicken salad. I can’t remember the last time I went to the Wilde Lake Village Center. Maybe a year ago. The first thing I noticed is that the long-awaited Starbucks (formerly KFC) is really and truly open. Must go back another time to check that out. Then I realized how different the visual elements are as you turn off the main road. One’s view used to go straight back across the parking lot to the tennis courts. Now Alta Wilde Lake rises up, at a bit of an angle, to fill the sky. Out of the corner of my eye it almost looked like a hospital with a centrally located Emergency Room drop off. A second look makes it clear that it is nothing of the sort. There’s a deliberate variety in the facade, giving the impression of more of a block of related rowhouses, giving it a sort of urban neighborho...

I recently rewarded myself after a particularly long work week with a trip to HomeSlyce. I wasn’t there for the pizza, though. Baba ghanouj. Food of the gods. That heavenly roasted eggplant dip I used to get regularly at Egyptian Pizza in Baltimore. Quite rare locally. Wegmans sells something they call baba ghanouj which looks more like hummus and has mayonnaise as an ingredient. Sacrilege! Back to HomeSlyce. I arrived well before the dinner hour and had my choice of tables. I received excellent service. Sometimes a woman alone can feel less than welcome in a restaurant. Not so here. Service was helpful and attentive but not over-solicitous. The beer? A Dogfish 60 minute IPA. My appetizer was the aforementioned baba ghanouj. It could have easily been a main course in my point of view. It makes your tongue tingle with garlic. Nothing shy about it. I ordered a Homie Salad for my main course. While there was absolutely nothing wrong with it, the ingredients just didn’t hang toget...

Today’s recommended reading: How a mall-turned-public park saved downtown Columbus I especially like this quote, describing green spaces: They are an experience you cannot get online,” Dunham-Jones said. “It’s that direct experience with nature. It’s that direct experience of social activities,” she said. Of course the revitalization of the Symphony Woods land as Merriweather Park in Symphony Woods comes to mind. The response to programming at the Chrysalis has been overwhelmingly positive. But this article looks at what happens to failing Malls in the middle of a Downtown area. Ours is doing fine right now, but what would happen if it weren’t? What if Columbia were not a city built around a mall? What then? I certainly don’t wish for the Mall’s failure. But surely there are folks out there somewhere who have to consider what would happen if it did. That’s a whole lot of land and a boatload of challenges.  How important to Columbia’s well being is the continued success ...

I’ve been reading a lot online recently about stress and anxiety in teenagers, especially high school students. Instead of addressing that directly today, I have a question for you. What got you through? What was the thing (or things) that you lived for during those difficult years of your life? What made it possible to get up in the morning? What was the respite for you from the stress of school and adolescence? For me, it was music. Listening to music, and singing in choral groups. Playing the guitar and writing songs at the piano. Oh, and creative writing. Much poetry, some short stories. Journaling. What was it for you? And what is it now for your child, if you have one in this age group? How can they release stress? What brings them joy? What gets them out of bed in the morning even if many things seem bleak? Learning (and living) are meaningless without joy and the capacity to experience it. What are we doing to ensure our teens get enough of this essential ingredient...

I look forward all week to Saturdays, when I will have more time to write. Today I woke up with that tell-tale pressure behind my right eye: migraine. Ugh. The sky still looks as gray as yesterday. Hopefully it will clear a bit and we’ll get a bit of blue sky. Here’s an event that will benefit from a little sunshine: All are welcome: 17th Annual PFLAG Picnic Saturday, October 14, Noon to 3 p.m. Location: Rockburn Branch Park Pavilion (6105 Rockburn Branch Park Rd., Elkridge, MD 21075) - located on same road as Rockburn Elementary School, at end of road to the left. What to Expect: Parents, family members, friends, LGBTQ+, allies and children of all ages Lots of seating for relaxing and chatting A large pavilion to protect us in case of rain Cutest Dog Contest !! What is Provided: Charcoal and cooking utensils Soft drinks and ice Cups, plates, eating utensils and napkins What to Bring: Something to barbecue and a dish to share Dogs on leashes welcome Suggested Donati...

You may not know Lina by name, but if you followed the #hocostudentwalkout at Mount Hebron High School, you know something about what she stands for. I first became aware of her during that time as students challenged us to #stopthesilencestartaconversation . I’ve been following her on Twitter since then and have found her to be refreshingly honest and insightful. She’s a straight-talker. You want the truth, unvarnished? That’s Lina. Lina is now asking for help so that she can settle some debts and begin an education in the arts. You can read her story here . I have donated, and I encourage you to read her appeal and consider helping out. She’s an activist with the soul of an artist. Or maybe it’s the other way around. So is another product of Howard County Schools, Bree Newsome. Who knows what great things Lina’s future may hold? The arts inspire, empower, transform. Lina is choosing this path for herself and is willing to pursue it even if her family can’t/won’t understand and ...

I look forward to Thursday mornings when I get the Columbia Flier in my inbox and can see what’s happening around town. This morning’s came with pointers about how to use the New Digital Edition. Along with stories on redistricting, a Hopeworks vigil, high school sports, campaign finance reform, and a first responders expo, there was an article I was surprised to see. Oops. This must be quite the important article, because it also appears on page 33.  (And on page 32 in black and white.) Everybody makes mistakes. Most of us don’t have ours splashed on the pages of newspapers. As a teacher, I talk a lot with children about how it’s okay to make mistakes. My co-teacher likes to ask the students, “Is this a big deal or a little deal?” to help them put things in perspective. Often they come to the conclusion that ”hardly a deal at all.” I’m torn about the new digital edition of the Flier. As my mother always used to say, “If something says New and Improved !, it probably isn...

And odd by-product of yesterday’s post about togas was an off-shoot about something called Colonial Day. Parents were lamenting the disappearance of said yearly event from the curriculum.. I had never heard of it. I’m pretty sure there was no Colonial Day at my daughter’s elementary school. Fill me in, oh gracious readers. Did your child’s school ever have a Colonial Day? What did they do? Is your school still doing this as an annual event? While the idea of dressing up, doing hands-on activities and even cooking (and getting to eat what you cook) sounds awesome, I can also see some issues around the “Colonial” theme that could be problematic. Not all of us identify with whites of the American Colonial period. Native Americans had land stolen. Africans were brought here as slaves. We don’t spend a day re-enacting those historical experiences. Also, I wonder if an event like Colonial Day is something that depends on the involvement of many parent volunteers. In less affluent are...

Now, here’s an unusual tweet: Seniors, Do not wear a Toga to school tomorrow. It is against Howard County School Policy. Thank You. I wonder what the story behind that might be? You see, I’ve read the Howard County Schools Dress Code and there is absolutely nothing about togas.  So what was so important about this that the school in question posted on Twitter and sent emails to parents? Are they worried that togas might expose “undue flesh or undergarments”? There’s got to be a reason. I don’t doubt that. But I’m pretty sure it’s not against policy. Correct me if I’m wrong. I entered the word “toga”into the HCPSS website and the only hit was for the GT Research Program. (No, I don’t understand that connection, either.) I ran this by some parents online and the response was, by and large, laughter. Some found it puzzling, as other schools have allowed togas, but overall it just struck folks as silly. And sometimes, when all the news is mind boggling and upsetting, a bit ...

Yesterday afternoon I was scanning Twitter for possible blog post topics and I saw this: Shots fired inside Ellicott City Walmart. There were a handful of tweets from different sources, clustered in a one-hour period. My impression was that this was an ongoing situation. I went to Facebook to see if anyone knew anything. I posted: Shots fired in Ellicott City Walmart? The response was immediate. Are you there? I realized my mistake too late. Friends were seeing my post and assuming I was in danger. After a few minutes of trying to explain the situation, I deleted the entire post. I’ve always thought I was a responsible user of social media but yesterday I was lazy. I didn’t do the additional research that would have shown that the event took place Saturday evening.   And I posted to Facebook in a way that caused friends unnecessary alarm. It was the social media equivalent of shouting “Fire!”  in a crowded theater. In short, I screwed up. The combination of...

Is there a word for what it means to be genuinely happy for other people?  Last night my husband and I dropped off my daughter and her date to the Homecoming Dance and headed down to Opus 1 at Merriweather Park in Symphony Woods. I thought that the timing, as it was just getting dark, would be perfect. It was.  However, I wasn’t alone in my thinking. We found ourselves in a long, measured spiral up the MedStar building parking garage. And, as we drove, it sunk in just how many people were going to be at this event. Neither one of us is big on crowds. By the time we reached the top and a few spaces appeared we had lost the will to park, get out of the car, wend our way through the darkness to the event.   Did I mention there were a lot of people? We looked at each other, weighing the pros and cons. And then we took the turn down through the parking garage and went home.  Lame, I know. Two middle aged introverts on the brink of a once-in-a-lifetime experien...

Today: Oakland Mills Fall Festival , 11 am - 4 pm OPUS 1 Merriweather  , 4 - 11 pm Tomorrow: Behind the Scenes at the Chrysalis : a tour with the designers, 1 pm Out of the Darkness Community Walk , 1 - 3pm ***** Going a bit far afield this morning. This photo popped up in a Facebook group I belong to about my old elementary school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. The beautiful old school was torn down in the mid-seventies to be replaced with a one-level, open classroom space.  This photo is from a soft cover “yearbook” that the photo company sold every year. I have long ago parted with all of mine. Today when I looked at it something leapt out at me that I had never seen before. Do you see? The list at the bottom tells me her name is Tessie Martin. I have absolutely no recollection of her. Was she really in our class? Was she there for the whole year? I have plenty of memories of most of the other children in this picture. The fact that I don’t have any ...

Imagine that you're driving along and a light comes on. You know, one day of those dashboard lights. What do you do? Many of us might keep on driving, hoping the issue will resolve itself, or promising in our heads to get it checked later. Well, that very situation happened to HoCo community activist and blogger Lisa Markovitz . Sharing with permission: Very bad and scary news today. Someone cut my ABS, Tire control, Stability control and other safety features from my brake system, on both front brakes, with a clipper. It is even worse than cutting the brake lines, as that would have not gotten me very far. This was a very bad accident waiting to happen. A warning light went on that I luckily decided to have checked out right away, and this was found. The police are investigating, and the officer and the service people have said they have not seen anything like this. It was insidious and targeted. The officers have recommended certain safety issues for us, and we are very co...

Since I seem to be on an Oakland Mills kick this week, now would be a good time to invite you to the Oakland Mills Fall Festival, happening this Saturday.  Entertainment Schedule: 10:55 a.m. – Oakland Mills High School Band 11:15 a.m. – SoulTET, Soul, Funk, R & B and Jazz 12:30 p.m. – Unity Reggae Band,  Reggae 1:45 p.m. – Tracey Eldridge and Friends,  Children’s Music 3:00 p.m. – FunDrum Rhythm Circle,  Drum Circle You can click the link here to learn more at the Facebook event page. Once upon a time it was an International Festival. Then it was a Cultural Arts Festival. Now it is a Fall Festival. It doesn't matter what the name is, it is 100 per cent pure Oakland Mills at its finest and you should stop by and have some fun. Bring the family. Eat some festival food, dance to the music.  It's a little slice of Columbia awesomeness and it's free. Hope to see you there.

A Civil War story: A woman journeys to a hospital in order to advocate for better care for her son, who is wounded. Day after day she ask nurses to assist in his care. Finally, an exasperated hospital worker says, "Madam, your son is not the only one in the hospital." She replies, "He is the only son of mine in the hospital." I begin in this manner to say that, when I write about Oakland Mills in the context of CA assessment share, I am keenly aware of my own bias. I cannot pretend to have a disinterested view. I am engaging in the discussion as a resident of Oakland Mills. Trying to find the most equitable distribution of CA assessment share is a highly complex issue and it has been going on for quite some time. There are some Villages, Long Reach, for example, which feel they have been chronically underfunded. (I think it is probably safe to say that no one ever thinks that their Village is overfunded.) All this being taken into consideration I can...

Equal versus Equitable in CA assessment share allocation: Sharing this presentation (with permission) from the Chair of the OM Board to the Columbia Association. I'll write more about this tomorrow. --jam September   28,   2017 TO:         CA   Board   Meeting FROM:  Jonathan   Edelson,   Chairman,   Oakland   Mills   Board   of   Directors  Subject:  Proposed   Assessment   Share   Formula,   Resident   Speak-Out   Remarks  Good   Evening.   My   name   is   Jonathan   Edelson   and   I   am   the   Chairman   of   the Oakland   Mill C ommunity   Association.   I   am   here   to   talk   to   you   about   the   proposed changes   to   the   assessment     share   formula. ...