A Suggestion

 

There has been quite a bit of hubbub over the last year pertaining to Board of Education meetings and cell phones. I don’t intend to go into individual cases here. I am wondering if it is time to say no to cell phones during board meetings. I don’t think they are necessary and I think they do more harm than good.

Of course, right now our meeting are virtual, and I’m not sure how much Board Members are consulting their phones while live on video. I must admit I’m thinking of in-person meetings out on Route 108.

Why allow cell phones at all? Are they necessary for the Board to conduct business during their meetings? 

I can see why board members might need to be reached by family in case of emergency but couldn’t there be someone on staff who was responsible to be the communication point for calls like that so they could notify the board member if needed? Other than that, aren’t cell phones on the dais doing more harm than good?

I adore my smart phone and my tablet device and yet I also see how they can sometimes be a hindrance instead of a help. It is too easy to get sucked in to knowing and responding to everything immediately. It is difficult to put them aside and pay complete and total attention to what is right in front of me. Board members are only human. They have only so much focus to give during a given meeting and it seems counterproductive to add electronic devices into the mix.

Accusations abound of who is texting who during board meetings and whether this constitutes a violation of the rules. That makes me wonder. Haven't our schools have struggled with how to handle students and cell phones? We have revisited the policy at least once, if not more. Maybe it’s time to have a cell phone policy for the Board.

Errands

I left the house yesterday. (Alert the media.)  At long last I have returned my library books to the Columbia East Branch. I noticed there was a “farm stand” advertised when I pulled in to the parking lot. There were a few tents set up in the back. The Columbia East Branch used to be one of the official sites of the Howard County Farmers Market, but, no more. I don’t know how those decisions are made, but I was sorry to see them go.

Is the farm stand on Thursdays a regular thing now? I saw several cars headed in that direction while I was loading my books into the book return. If there’s a way to maintain access to Farmer-produced food at that location I think it’s a good thing. The nearest regular Farmers Market is in Oakland Mills on Sundays, but not everyone is available to shop on a Sunday morning. 

My other errand was dropping off an item to someone from my Buy Nothing Group who is immune-compromised and cannot leave the house. It was easy enough to do a contactless delivery while I was out and about. My destination was Hopewell, an area off of Snowden that you might not even know is there if you haven’t been to the Hopewell Pool (with it’s delightful splashpad.) 

I find Hopewell a fascinating little island of Columbia. At least, it feels like an island to me. I should consult a map. It feels disconnected from the rest of Columbia. Technically is it in Owen Brown. Here is a screen grab from Google Maps.

I see now that it’s Lake Elkhorn that the Hopewell neighborhood backs up to. So it’s equally valid to say that Hopewell is connected to the rest of Owen Brown by Lake Elkhorn. It always feels like an island unto itself to me. Of course, it’s an island that has quick access to Chinese Food, Indian Food, and the other businesses on Snowden River Parkway. So they are not exactly marooned apart from civilization over there.

As I home I noticed a sign placed facing the road. It was in the back yard of a house that backs onto Rustling Leaf. It read: Honk for Dr. Fauci.

I was sorely tempted. But it’s an extremely quiet residential neighborhood and I am not really a horn-honker. So, I thought good thoughts for Dr. Fauci all the way home.

The Doldrums

Every once in a while I hit a wall when it comes to writing a blog seven days a week. Apparently right now is one of those times. Perhaps it has something to do with largely self-isolating since March. It’s hard to say. 

I completed a County survey about possible uses for the old Columbia Flier building and it just make me sad. As you proceed through the questions you realize that none of them involve saving the building itself. Perhaps that is the most realistic outcome. It still feels like a community loss to me that we aren’t able to give that iconic building new life. People have been telling me for years that “it’s a teardown” so this is no surprise. 

I still hate it.

A recommended read this morning is this post from Howard County Progress Report:

Housing is a Human Right

Most people I know agree with those words in the abstract but when it comes to implementing them near where they live their support often evaporates. This is not purely a Howard County phenomenon. But it dominates many local arguments about land use and equity. 

I see no signs of need abating. I see no signs of the arguments abating, either. I’m tired of the ongoing impasse. I’d like to see Howard County doing something better.

Have you ordered your ballot for November’s election? You have to request one. Here’s a link to learn more. 

State Board of Elections 

In a blast from the past, today I received an answer to a question I asked on Facebook in 2012. I had asked the folks from Mumbles & Squeaks Toy Shoppe if Howard County had a reputable doll hospital. It felt almost other worldly to read a response today, since Mumbles & Squeaks closed in 2013 and its owners retired to Florida.

I wonder if I’ll ever receive Facebook messages from a long-departed Flier building. Who knows?

A New Focus

It’s one of those days where one cup of coffee is not enough. Perhaps it’s the gray skies and all the rain. It feels as though the best course of action is back to bed. One thought before I climb back under the covers, though.

I’ve been meaning to tell you about a Zoom presentation I attended recently led by Columbia Archives manager Lela Sewell-Williams. Entitled “Columbia: the Vision, The Reality”, it was hosted by the Kings Contrivance Community Association. The information presented was mostly familiar to me, but there was one topic I really knew nothing about: minority-owned businesses. Ms.Sewell-Williams mentioned that Rouse put an emphasis on supporting Black-owned business and shared numbers that outlined their growth as Columbia evolved.

This was by far the most interesting thing I learned that day. In fact, I wished I could have learned more.

As it turns out, I’m in luck. The Columbia Archives, in collaboration with the Howard County Library System, is hosting a virtual event called “New Town Entrepreneurship Early Black-Owned Businesses in Columbia, 1967-1977.”  The event will take place on Thursday, August 6th, from 6 to 7:30 pm. From the announcement:

The evening will include a presentation featuring archival materials maintained within Columbia Archives, followed by a panel discussion with Howard County Black business owners: Brian K. SmithFounder of EduSerc), Funlayo Alabi (Co-founder and CEO of Shea Radiance) and Lakeysha Claxton (Homeland Custodial Services), moderated by Nathaniel Alston (founder of the Horizons Group and Ujamaa Business Roundtable), concluding with an audience Q&A. 

Choosing to focus on stories that aren’t usually told and highlight voices that aren’t usually heard from is such a timely choice for the Archives, and I’m excited to see it happen. I’m grateful to the Library System for partnering on this event as well. If you want to attend, here is the link to RSVP.

Our Annual Rite of Recognition

It’s that time again. It’s time to submit your nominations in Howard Magazine’s 2020 Best of Howard Readers’ Choice Poll. You have from now until August 10th, so get going. 

2020 Best of Howard Readers’ Choice Poll (Rules and link to poll)

Howard Magazine is accepting nomination in the following categories:

Of course I’m naturally interested in local recognition for bloggers, which falls under “Personalities”. Last year the winner was Scott Ewart for Scott E’s Blog. (Truth in advertising: I won the year before that.)

There aren’t as many active blogs as there used to be in Columbia/HoCo. Some of my favorites post only rarely. I’ve enjoyed new food blog HoCoNomNom over the last year but of course the pandemic has thrown a wrench into the restaurant world.   Howard County Progress Report has truly lived up to its slogan, “bringing social justice and snark to Howard County.” The Merriweather Post made a big splash at its inception, aiming to be a local blog with a Downtown Columbia focus. And be on the lookout for more from the new blog from the Friends and Foundation of the Howard County Library.

Some folks feel that the era of the blog is over. My, that was short. Podcast are the “in” thing now. Alas, Howard Magazine hasn’t caught up with that trend yet. Maybe next year.

A new category this year is the Howard County Pandemic Hero. I nominated Erika Strauss Chavarria of Columbia Community Care. Who would you suggest? 

Voting will be from September 3rd to September 14th. It’s a click fest, so if there’s someone you support you need to vote every day and get friends, family, and acquaintances to do the same. That’s the way it works. It’s a bit of a local logrolling contest: you need to keep the momentum going the whole time or you’re out of contention.

Perhaps with the many limitations on our recreational options we’ll have more time to get excited about the Readers’ Poll. Or maybe we all have bigger things to worry about.

One more thing: you do subscribe, don’t you?

Turning Away

The story that dominated the local news yesterday might have been this piece from John Blake of CNN:

How ‘good white people’ derail racial progress 

But when it comes to getting those multiple clicks and retweets, nothing beats:

Pregnant woman dies, baby in critical condition after shooting into Columbia home, Howard County Police say,Wilborn P. Nobles III for the Baltimore Sun 

I’m finding myself in horror at the loss created by this local shooting, but also disgusted by how quickly stories like this go viral on social media. It almost looks as though no one wants to be left out. A quick search of the words “Columbia Maryland “ on Twitter brings up account after account sharing the same story. Wanting to inform? Maybe. Looking for clicks? Very likely.

So much to lure you in:

Pregnant woman

Shooting

Baby

Death

Suburban Columbia

Police

Are there people who click on stories like this the way that people rubber-neck at accident scenes on the highway? 

I find something about this phenomenon disturbing. The victim of this crime was a real human being with hopes and dreams and people who loved her. She doesn’t deserve to be turned into clickbait. There are legitimate issues to address here, most notably gun violence and how our culture could be doing a much better job to address it. 

In the old days they used to say that lurid stories sell newspapers. Perhaps this phenomenon is not new. But I find myself turning away from the churning waters of social media, the frenzy of tweet and retweet. 

A mother will never hold her child. A child will never know her mother. 

How do we respond to that? 

Removing a Stumbling Block

In March I packed up anything from my classroom that belonged to me and loaded it into my car. It joined the other teacher items that normally live in my car: dancing scarves, egg shakers, stretchy bands, pom poms. I drove away with enough materials to outfit a small classroom: paper, washi tape, acrylic paints, sharpie markers, collage materials, loose parts, science materials, books from my personal collection. 

I didn’t know when I would be returning but I did know that my school was going to be deep-cleaned in reponse to the coronavirus and my classroom needed to be as empty as possible. You would be amazed at what a classroom looks like once all the materials purchased by the teachers are removed.

One more category of items that has been sitting in my car: library books. I’ve been using library books to augment our science units this year. Since March I’ve had about twenty sitting in my car, waiting for word that the library was ready to accept returns. This week I got a notice. I’m excited to bring them back.

This week also marks the announcement that the Howard County Library System will no longer charge overdue fines. Here’s the article by Jacob Calvin Meyer in the Sun.

Howard County Library System removes overdue fine policy

While there are a few exceptions (materials from the Art Collection and DIY items) the new policy covers everything else. In May, Library System President and CEO Tonya Aikens decribed the rescinding of fines in the context of the pandemic:

We’re not looking to reinstate fines even when we open our facilities because we’ll still be in this economic recession caused by the pandemic. We don’t want to place any barriers on our customers that would limit their ability to access our resources and recover themselves.

Nationwide, there’s a growing trend to abolish library fines. In this piece for NPR, Emma Bowman describes how library fines primarily target poor and vulnerable communities, setting up barriers that prevent them from accessing library materials and services. 

'We Wanted Our Patrons Back' — Public Libraries Scrap Late Fines To Alleviate Inequity

Acknowledging these consequences, the American Library Association passed a resolution in January in which it recognizes fines as "a form of social inequity" and calls on libraries nationwide to find a way to eliminate their fines.

A recent study of what happens when libraries do away with library fines shows the following benefits:

1: Librarians and staff can provide better service to patrons

2: Being fine-free is more aligned with the real mission of the library

3: Libraries seeing an increase in item returns

4: Libraries can use their resources better

5: Eliminating fines can lead to a renewed appreciation for the library (or at least provide some good PR)

The Baltimore Sun article states that library fines have accounted for two percent of the library’s budget. Not a lot, but still an amount that represents funds that support the library’s mission. In difficult economic times, that decrease is probably not going to be made up by the County. So here’s a thought: join the Library’s Friends and Foundation organization. Make a donation. It doesn’t need to be large. Perhaps it can be a gift of gratitude for all those overdue fines you won’t be paying. Or maybe a vote of confidence for the library’s decision to put low income residents and children before income.

No-fine libraries are the wave of the future, and for good reason. The Howard County Library System is yet again choosing to put relationships with communty first. I love that about them.

Check out the new website for the Friends and Foundation of the Howard County Library System.  They’ve started a new blog, as well. As Mickey Gomez, Chair of the Friends and Foundation of HCLS says in her letter to the community:

Each and every one of us are touched by and benefit from our remarkable Howard County Library System. Together, we are all Friends of the Library.

Show your friend some love today. And you can return those books now, too.