Village Green/Town²

In recent episode of the podcast “Elevate Maryland”, co-host Tom Coale suggested that recent national scandals concerning sexual harassment were bound to show up on a more local level. I think he’s right. That reminded me of his own post on HoCo Rising in 2015: Get Your (Stuff) Together, Annapolis!  And, the piece that started it all, by Josh Kurtz of Center Maryland: Annapolis Mad Men Despite the avalanche of evidence that sexual harassment and just plain old sexual assault have been poisoning women’s experiences in the workplace, I keep seeing mealy-mouthed excuses that “society’s attitudes about certain kinds of behavior have changed.” I suppose that is meant to say, “It wasn’t wrong when I did it. I’m only catching flack now because the world has changed.” Um, no. Those behaviors have always been wrong. What has changed is that people are believing the victims. And, in an environment where victims will be listened to and believed, more victims will take the risk to ...

Kudos to BaltSun for putting Jacques Kelly in charge of writing Carol Gralia’s obituary. It’s beautifully done. Take the time to read it here .  It occurs to me that the importance of the passage of Title IX in 1972 cannot be underestimated when we look at the number of local young women that Ms. Gralia covered  during her career. Title IX: Title IX  of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal  law  that states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Howard County was extremely fortunate to have someone who treated the coverage of young women’s sports with the same dedication and focus as those of young men. I imagine that the presence of a local journalist who truly understood sports, who worked collaboratively with area coaches, and who made sure th...

Who: High School Students  What: WBAL Concert for Kids When: Saturday, December 2nd at 1:00 pm and 7 pm Where: Oakland Mills High School Why: to support WBAL Kids Campaign How Much: $12.00 and $8.00 matinee; $20.00 evening If the Macy’s Parade and displays at area stores haven’t clued you in, the arrival of the WBAL Concert for Kids at Oakland Mills High School will surely convince you that the holiday season is upon us. This weekend will be their tenth anniversary presenting the best in local entertainment which is given by kids for kids. Orchestra Conductor Philip Hale describes the event: The Oakland Mills Performing Arts Department believes that, in addition to the direct contributions made through the Concert for Kids, our students learn the joy and gratitude that comes from doing good in our community.  This is a learning experience for our students and all who contribute to our efforts. We believe our community has benefited far beyond the monetary donations to...

In what is most certainly a first for my family, we got the entire bunch together to see Symphony of Lights during its opening weekend. Last year we kept dithering about dates and missed it all together. So that means we hadn’t been for two years, due to its one-year hiatus.  I was particularly curious to see the layout this year since I had witnessed some of the early set-up right after Halloween . A few notes: you can buy tickets in advance online now.  If you come with cash you will pay five dollars more. They have set up separate lanes at the entrance to expedite this process, so worry not. My husband and son-in-law were sad that the “spot the letters” quiz is no more, but the rest of us were fine. They have done away with the paper program, which is great from a conservation standpoint, but there’s a good bit more talking on the special radio channel to make up for that. Oh, and you can access Symphony of Lights both from LPP as well as the old way on Broken Land. As ...

I enjoy following a Facebook page called Western Howard County Shares. It gives me a taste of life “way out West”, if you will. Earlier this month I smiled when I saw this post: Wild turkey strutting and chasing cars down Daisy Rd this afternoon . It was followed by comments like: That was the same one that stoped my car today. It kept blocking us from going by. Kids were cracking up. I think he is the neighborhood watch turkey. We love our neighborhood turkey! Yeah, that thing tried to square off with my car and I literally had to push him off the road! He was doing a great job enforcing the STOP sign the other day. I finally had to get out of the car to move him away from the front bumper. He better check his calendar! I was wondering how long it would take for him to appear on Facebook lol. Kinda hoping he stayed off FB he might be tempting to a unethical hunter. And then, bad news: On the 17th I shared a post/photo of a wild turkey walking along Daisy Road....

Did you know that former employees of Patuxent Publishing have their own alumni page on Facebook? This company photo is from that page, and it’s probably as close as I will ever get to knowing what the inside of that iconic building looks like. Look at all the people in this photo. In an age when newspapers are continually thinning staff, this picture speaks volumes about a world that is most likely gone forever. The alumni of Patuxent Publishing lost one of their own this week: former sports editor Carol Gralia. Ms. Gralia came to Howard County in the late 1970’s, working as a sports writer. She eventually became Sports Editor. If your children played on local teams during those years, you already know her name. She retired in 2012, and in 2013 she was named to the Howard County Community Sports Hall of Fame. In her retirement she trained and received certification as a yoga teacher, with additional certification in yoga for Seniors. She went on to serve on the board of the Ret...

I’d like to bring two worthy causes to your attention this morning. The first is quite simple. A friend of mine has taken on a charitable project to benefit residents at Grassroots. Here is her appeal: I will be collecting body wash for Grassroots. I have a goal of collecting 100 bottles. Please help. Just drop it off on my porch.  (Or find the list on amazon and you don't even have to leave your house.) https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1B768FBYUZFTM?type=wishlist&filter=unpurchased&sort=default I will be collecting through December 2, 2017.  Mission: Grassroots provides supportive and professional 24-hour crisis intervention, suicide prevention, shelter, and outreach services to individuals and families experiencing a personal, situational, mental health, or shelter crisis. Something so simple as being able to get clean can mean so much when your life is in crisis. Readers of the blog obviously won’t be dropping anything off at her house, that’s meant for...

Racism doesn’t take a day off for Thanksgiving. Three years ago, twelve year old Tamir Rice was killed by a police officer while playing with a toy gun in a park. He should be celebrating Thanksgiving with his family today. His killer went free. In an end of the day announcement from Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis yesterday the public learned that “he has dismissed administrative charges against Sgt. Alicia White, the last officer facing discipline in the Freddie Gray case.” (Quote from Justin Fenton, Baltimore Sun) No one will bear the consequences for Gray’s death. No one. Yesterday a friend shared this video , “Groundhog Day for a Black Man”. I’m embarrassed to say I couldn’t make it to the end; I found it so upsetting. Thanksgiving, which we now know to be founded upon both little lies and bigger ones, has become more difficult for me through the years. This is not because I have nothing to be thankful for. It is precisely because I am no longer able to ignore ...

Well, not the serious news. But news just the same. These might be more fun to talk about at the dinner table tomorrow than national news. From Twitter: Howard County, MD.  approx. 4:06pm.  7 adolescent boys seen pouring ice down their driveway and sledding down it on trash can lids. Anyone out there who is the parent of an adolescent boy should feel free to explain this to me. I’ve just had girls and the craziest thing that has happened so far involved our dining room light fixture and a makeshift Xena Warrior Princess “staff” fashioned from an old broom handle. From Facebook:  At the Board offices- a small herd of lovely black horses gallop across the ARL and through the BOE yard.  When I left the police had traffic stopped, the horses were calmly munching grass, and the security and risk management people were looking for rope.  I would pay money to see them lassoing those sweeties.  As long as they are safe, all's well that ends...

Doing an unscientific survey today, folks. What local blogs do you read? What local podcasts do you listen to? Newspapers? (Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, Maryland Daily Record...) What do you get from blogs that you don’t get from traditional news sources? I’m pondering the place of hyperlocal voices this morning. You can chime in here: https://www.facebook.com/VillageGreenTownSquared/

Matthew Winner is a Howard County educator who is probably more well known nationally than around town. I first became aware of him when I was traveling to different locations around the school system. Mr. Winner is a Media Specialist at Swansfield Elementary. He’s also the creator of the All the Wonders podcast , where he interviews authors and illustrators of children’s literature. I’m sharing a guest post from Mr. Winner written for Kurt Stroh’s blog in his “Power of the Picture Book” blog series for November (picture book month).  The Power of a Picture Book He writes: The more I talk of picture books being mirrors and windows to readers, the more I've realized how many books I read that are mirrors of my own culture and experiences. The more I realize the books I read aloud at school are mirrors of my own culture and experiences. The more I realized the books I was featuring on my  children's book podcast  were mirrors of my own culture and experiences...

This morning I’m pondering this seasonal urge I have to “hunker down” this time of year. Who am I kidding? I’ll usually take hunkering down at any time of year. I’m looking out the back window where I can see beautiful blue sky and the tops of trees still clinging to brightly colored leaves. I hear the sound of wind whistling around the house. I contemplate a day of crafting, of ordering the few groceries I need and having them delivered. The urge to “hunker” is strong. All the more reason to read this post from HoCo blogger Mike Hartley, who is making the case for why I should Get Out. Mike writes the blog Threw Mike’s Eyez. “Get out,” he writes. “It’s a great idea.” This morning is the last Farmer’s Market of the season in Oakland Mills. This afternoon is the Dazzle Dash which kicks off the Symphony of Lights. And another thought: when I recently asked readers what their new favorite store was in Old Ellicott City, no one had an answer. So, maybe get out on Main Street and noo...

According to the most recent census, Howard County is: 62.2% white, 17.5% black or African American, 14.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.0% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.8% . According to the HoCo Gov website, Howard County has approximately 20,000 military veterans. You can find information about the breakdown by race/ethnicity of Howard County veterans here . You can view photographs and video footage of this year’s Veterans Day parade in Old Ellicott City here .  This is County Executive Allan Kittleman’s Facebook page. You’ll need to scroll down past more current posts. One thing I noticed after looking at all the videos and photographs was how really, really white this event is. Look at who is marching. Look at who is lining the streets. Look at the officials giving speeches. If one were to imagine Howard County from these pictures alone, I don’t think we’d come close to picturing the actual diversity...

If you were to go by Twitter mentions alone, the big news this week was the woman who broke into an area McDonalds by climbing through the drive-through window. Dubbed the “Howard County Hamburglar”, her crime has been the source of much amusement on social media. I don’t know why, but I just don’t find it funny. It feels sad to me. At the age of twenty-seven, this young woman believed this was a viable plan. What motivated her? What is her story? Perhaps I am more inclined to care about her story because no one was physically injured during the crime. Maybe it’s because she is not that much younger than my older daughter. What kind of a life do you have if you think that crawling into a McDonald’s is a risk worth taking? What kind of education did you have? What kind of job opportunities are available to you? Was there one definitive point along the way that she needed guidance or a mentor and didn’t have one? Or were there a million tiny stumbles along the way that led to this...

This week’s Columbia Flier is sad, just sad. As a local blogger I should probably go into detail for you explaining why. At the moment I’m too demoralized by its awfulness. Let me just say that it is not the fault of our local journalists. This problem is far bigger than they are. Big surprise: no men commented on yesterday’s post about the lack of men engaging with posts by women bloggers. (Specifically my post on Tuesday about sexual harassment.). I know we’re all surprised about that. My husband is being honored this afternoon at the BOE meeting for being chosen one of School Band and Orchestra Magazine’s 50 Directors Who Make A Difference. I haven’t been to a Board Meeting since this particular board was sworn in. It will be interesting to get a feel for how things are going. Yesterday the faculty of the Lower School where I work had a very frank discussion about not perpetuating long-established falsehoods about the Thanksgiving narrative. We were encouraged to go through ou...

I noticed something interesting about the response to yesterday’s post about sexual harassment and how we raise boys and young men in Howard County. Out of all the “likes”, only one was from a man: my husband. The comments? All women. I have gotten used to the fact that, by and large, my blog is supported by women. I think that there are men who read it, but as far as liking, sharing, and engaging, it’s overwhelmingly women. Yes, I know there are “some men”. Don’t @ me. I don’t think of this blog as one that focuses on “women’s issues”. It’s a community blog. I sometimes talk about equal rights for women but that’s not my main reason for being here. And yet, year after year, I see men online engage with and promote local male bloggers more consistently. Sometimes I wonder why that is. I try not to get too hung up on it, but sometimes it really gets my goat. Right now, especially. When I started to write yesterday’s post, I began, “Mothers, teach your sons.” And then I t...

Mothers and fathers: teach your sons. Teach them that it’s not okay to ask a girl to send them nudes. Teach them that no one really wants to see a picture of their parts. Teach them that touching without consent is an aggressive act. Teach them that no means no. Teach them empathy. Teach them to love unselfishly. Why? Because those of us who are the mothers and fathers of daughters are really, really tired of teaching: Be careful. Look out. Protect yourself. Don’t go alone. Be careful what you say. Don’t laugh at him. Don’t let down your guard. Just smile and hope it stops. Don’t make a big fuss because that might make it worse. Don’t make him angry. In case you are wondering, this is a local post. It’s not directed at what’s happening on the national scene. We’ve got work to do right here in blissful Howard County.

I’d like to start out the week by thanking whoever nominated me for a spot in Baltimore Sun’s Crabbies . (Formerly the Mobbies) I’m not actively campaigning this year, but seeing the blog mentioned was a lovely boost to my spirits. Today is my eighteenth wedding anniversary, which means that I have lived in Columbia for eighteen years. Where do I go to pick up my “I’ve lived here long enough to speak out on local issues” card? Eighteen years seems weighty enough to have one’s opinions heard at a resident speak-out. My husband and I enjoyed an early anniversary dinner at Flavors of India on Friday night. You may already know that they are under new management. The side room that was once reserved for private parties is now open and brightly lit. A little too bright, for my tastes. However, when we requested a table in the other, gently lit dining room, they rushed to comply, moving tables and chairs to make it possible. If I have any complaints about the new Flavors of India it wo...

As I had hoped he would, the County Executive had something to say about the recent hateful posts referencing Democratic candidates. To be honest, I’ll admit I had thought he would remain silent and hope the issue would go away. That appears to be the preferred response of HoCo Republicans. So, I must give Mr. Kittleman credit, he took the political risk of standing up to the bully: Recent social media memes referencing several local candidates, including my opponent, over the past few days are disturbing and totally unacceptable.  As the son of a Howard County civil rights leader, and as someone who has worked to support equality for all people, I denounce the use of race or sexual orientation in any way to attack or discredit anyone.  No matter how much we may disagree on a topic or issue, these personal attacks are hurtful, insulting and have no place in Howard County. I certainly don’t mind be shown to be wrong when it means that people are being braver and truer to ...

In case you’ve been wondering what’s up with #OneHoward lately, I did a little online research for you. It turns out that one of the most ardent users of the #OneHoward hashtag on Twitter is the man who created this: And this: And this: I must admit, I have been wondering if the #OneHoward initiative was creating any real enthusiasm out there in HoCoLand, but clearly it has. The creator of these images is practically foaming at the mouth to let us know what #OneHoward means to him. And he appears to be backed by some group called PUSH HoCo. The race for the next County Executive wasn’t even 24 hours old and he just couldn’t help himself. Can’t wait for the next episode of Humans of #OneHoward. This one’s going to be a doozy. Comments are welcome here: https://www.facebook.com/VillageGreenTownSquared/?ref=bookmarks

Calvin Ball declared his candidacy for County Executive last night at Kahler Hall in Columbia and I was home in bed, sick. Blah. Thanks to the magic of photographs on social media, however, I can almost feel as though I was there. It’s not the same, but it helps. Let me tell you what I see from looking at the pictures: the diversity of the people gathered in the room.  I think that Howard County is best served by public servants who empower the disenfranchised, lift up those who are often ignored or taken for granted. If we are on a journey to face our own implicit bias and dismantle institutionalized racism we will need to be willing to have uncomfortable conversations and listen to people who are different than we are. That’s what will ultimately bring about a sense of “One Howard”. Sure, it’s messy, but it’s the real deal. Discussions of diversity amongst the comfortable and privileged look nice, but they can’t possibly change the status quo. Why does this matter? ...

Howard County Republicans had much to say during the last election for County Executive about what they perceived as negative campaign tactics from the Democrats. They were shocked, just shocked. Republican Allan Kittleman was touted as the Nice Guy candidate. I guess they are done being shocked because this week they released a little video portraying County Councilman Calvin Ball as being, more or less, the Devil incarnate. (All that development you don't like? It’s all Dr. Ball’s fault, they say. All by his lonesome.) Now Ball hasn’t even announced he is running for anything, so perhaps the Republicans can coyly say this isn’t negative campaigning. Then what is it? Character assassination? This move, clearly planned to appear during the same week that Dr. Ball is believed to be making his announcement to run against Allan Kittleman for County Executive, is the height of “negative campaigning.” They may have been “just shocked” in the last election. Now they’ve come...

I was running an errand over by the Chrysalis yesterday, so I thought I’d stop by and see how she was doing. (Are buildings “she” like ships?)  As I drove up the hilly drive off of South Entrance Road I saw signs of the upcoming Symphony of Lights lining the roadway. I have so many happy family memories of driving through the lights. Those candy canes feel like old friends. When I reached the parking lot there was a definite change in mood. The decorations from CarnEvil were still on site. I went from Christmas to Halloween in seconds. Move over, candy canes. The skeletons are holding the fort at the Chrysalis, at least for now. The late afternoon light gave an eerie feeling to the scene. I fully expected zombies to emerge from an abandoned tent. I should have taken photographs but I’m not sure I could have done the juxtaposition of Christmas/Halloween justice. It was truly creepy. It made me wonder if those work trailers are populated with Nightmare Before Christmas types who ...

I didn’t need to read about  this  on Patch. My teen daughter had already told me. The headline from the story by Elizabeth Janney reads: Racist Social Media Post at Oakland Mills HS Under Investigation   The school principal is quoted as saying the post was “racist in nature.” The article states that police, as well as the school system, is involved. That’s because the post wasn’t merely racist. It was violent. Yes, I’ve seen it. No, I’m not going to share it. And, folks, just because they say that Snapchat posts disappear doesn’t mean that they do. Screenshots are forever. Students are sharing it to call out and condemn it. I’m going to ask you to take my word for it. Every time this happens it makes it harder for parents of students of color to trust that their children will be safe at school. Can they receive the best possible education if they are continually defending themselves from the million tiny cuts of micro aggressions or recoiling from racis...

This upcoming event at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center caught my eye. As you may recall, Heather Mizeur is a former member of the State Legislature who ran unsuccessfully to be the Democratic candidate for governor in 2014. She recently launched a new website called MizMaryland: Soul Force Politics. This event is clearly a part of her new venture. When I first took a look at the photo above, it brought to mind the Halloween years ago when my fourth grade daughter wanted to be Xena, Warrior Princess for Halloween. Despite the fact that I had no particular costume-making skills, I lovingly recreated a Xena outfit from materials we had on hand. I knew that fourth grade is the peak of a young girl’s confidence before it is often eroded by the challenges of puberty. If she wanted to be a warrior, so be it. Many failed political candidates reappear on the scene as inspirational/motivational speakers. That is nothing new. What is new is this particular invitation to women with a st...

So I just discovered that the Baltimore Sun celebration of blogs, etc, is no longer called the Mobbies. It’s called The Crabbies. Hmm. You can read more here . They are in the nomination phase right now. Wondering if there is a category for best independent Baltimore City coverage killed by a union-busting corporate entity? One year I suggested we ought to have a local version of the Mobbies called The Hobbies. Not sure we have enough blogs anymore in Howard County to support such a contest, though. Recommended reading this week in the local blogosphere is this heartbreaking post from BonneVivanteLife. Fun story in Sun would be this piece about Gunther Miller and his camera in Howard County Magazine. Finally, a big cheer and congratulations to AnnieRie on the six year anniversary of her blog , AnnieRie Unplugged !

It’s going to be peak Oakland Mills around here this weekend. Consider adding one or both of these events to your calendar. “Peter and the Star-catcher” is the fall play at Oakland Mills High School. They opened last night and there are two more performances, tonight and Saturday at 7 pm. Tickets are ten dollars and you can learn more about the play here .  Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm is the annual Oakland Mills High School Craft Fair. Check out their website here . From the OMHS PTSA: Come shop, socialize, & grab a bowl of chili for lunch! We have expanded this year & will have vendors in the cafeteria too! Get a jump on holiday shopping! Be sure to stop by and visit the From Momma’s Kitchen table for some delicious baked goods while you are there. It’s an Oakland Mills business started by a former Talbott Springs Elementary School Teacher. Buy some dessert for yourself or a snack to keep you going while you shop. Hop on over and see some of the be...

Today’s post takes us out of the bubble to Chestertown. Harry Schwarz of HoCoMDcc first told me about the Chestertown Spy. Take a look here . You’ll also notice this link takes you to information about an upcoming play in Chestertown. It’s worth the drive. I know because I’ve seen it. ”A Time To Speak”is a dramatic adaptation of the story of dancer Helen Lewis and her experience during the Holocaust. Adapted for the stage by Sam McCready. Acted by Joan McCready. They knew the author and were determined to tell her story. They’re also my inlaws. (Truth in advertising.) So, read the article. Take a look around the Chestertown Spy while you’re there. What do you think? And one more thing. If you know of a local organization that would like to bring “A Time to Speak” to Columbia/Howard County, let me know. Right now feels like an important time to speak out about the Holocaust.

Today a light is going out and henceforth there will be a little more darkness in the world. This is the cover of the last issue of the Baltimore City Paper. The Baltimore Sun bought it, then killed it. Way to go, silencing independent views, Baltimore Sun. It seems odd that they decided to shut down what was a profitable enterprise. Perhaps not so odd when you realize that the City Paper newsroom employees had just voted to unionize. Hmm. You can read the Sun’s write-up here but there’s absolutely no mention of the unionizing issue. It seems that the Sun wasn’t interested in covering all sides of this story. That doesn’t feel very journalistic of them. Losing an independent voice is local journalism is a loss for Baltimore. The City Paper has been the source of some important reporting and an outspoken editorial voice through the years. Every time one of these small papers ceases production a light goes out. The Washington Post reminds us that democracy dies in darkness...