Thursday, November 7, 2024

The Truck in the House


 

We all hope for unexpected news that brings happiness or at least relief. If something is going to appear out of the blue it would be helpful if it didn’t do us any harm, right?

Alas, we don’t get to pick and choose.



Did you see this? An Amazon delivery truck went through a Howard County home yesterday! (No injuries.) Today, the homeowner spoke exclusively with @wbaltv11 about the bizarre incident. Skyteam 11 captured it all from above. I have the story @ 5:00 p.m. - - Tommie Clark, WBAL

Let’s zoom in on this, shall we?









Yep, that’s definitely an Amazon truck. In the house. 

Exclusive: Clarksville homeowners 'blessed' situation isn't worse after truck crashes into home, Tommie Clark, WBAL TV

CLARKSVILLE, Md. —
An Amazon truck crashed into a Howard County house's garage on Wednesday when nobody was home. 

The photos are dated October 31st. That’s one heck of a trick or treat experience, if you ask me. 

Now here’s where the story takes a twist, in my opinion. 

The homeowners are not angry — rather, they are glad the wreck wasn't any worse.

"I'm just blessed I still have a home that exists. At worst, you know, everything collapsed, or something exploded. But I'm thankful for God's grace that the house is still standing," the homeowner said.

That’s a very gracious attitude, under the circumstances. Maybe they felt it was the right thing to say to the television folks or perhaps they are absolutely sincere. But it occurs to me that being able to say that during a time of hardship comes from having a basic safety net of financial  (and overall) stability. This is not a criticicism. It’s an acknowledgment of some basic facts about life.

An example: during the early lockdowns of the COVID pandemic my husband and I were both able to work from home. Our kid, though unhappy about it, could go to college from home. I had a bit of money set aside that I was able to use toward making charitable donations in the community. 

It was a crisis situation and fraught with anxiety but we were, at least for that time period, okay. And we knew how fortunate we were. For other folks right here in Howard County those same circumstances were devastating.

The folks in Clarksville are not jumping for joy over a truck inside their house but they are in a position to survive. In a crisis that’s a very good feeling. Not everyone is in that position. One piece of unexpected news could mean losing one’s place to live, one’s job, one’s long term health prospects, one’s civil rights. 

This isn’t just about Amazon trucks. You know that, right?

If you know that you’ll be able to survive that metaphorical truck driving into your house please refrain from telling other people that they can, too. You may have no idea what their reality looks like. 

 

Village Green/Town² Comments


*****

In a different kind of Local HoCo Holiday Shopping recommendation: The Light the World Giving Machine will be back at the Mall in Columbia from December 5th - 18th. 

Using a #LightTheWorld Giving Machine is as easy as buying a candy bar. Except at the Giving Machine the sweet impact can last a lifetime. 

The Giving Machine Maryland comes to The Mall in Columbia December 5-18. Plan now to visit, make a donation, and vend joy to the world! 

This year’s recipients are as follows:

  • Grassroots Crisis Intervention
  • Bright Minds Foundation
  • The Franciscan Center of Baltimore
  • Bridges to Housing Stability
  • Digital Harbor Foundation
  • Mentors International
  • Days for Girls International

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

For the Teachers


 

Local stories, local stories…yeah. That’s the thing, right? Put everything else out of mind. Think local. 

Think, think, think.

In local news today, teachers will have to go to work and face students whose whole worlds have just been shattered in an election they couldn’t vote in. My heart is aching for them.

Students from all manner of marginalized and vulnerable groups will be fearful or numb.  LGTBQIA students will be feeling less safe. Young women demoralized. Very young children will probably be unaware but they will certainly pick up on how the adults around them are feeling. They are like little barometers. They may not be able to articulate what is going on but they feel it, sometimes very deeply. 

Teaching is hard enough on an ordinary day. Today is beyond comprehending. 

Those who think that school is just about reading and math and that teachers should stay in their lane have probably never been in a classroom longer than occasional parent teacher nights. Schools have to deal with the real students who show up every day. You can’t just say “I’m here for the reading and math” and ignore hunger, fear, poverty, injustice, or any of the stumbling blocks that our culture puts in front of children.

How do teachers hold it all together on a day like today? How do they explain a political victory by people who reject feeding hungry school children, seek to actively persecute those who are “different”, or plan to literally round up and deport children and families? Our kids spend a big chunk of every day, five days a week, with their teachers.  There no way that this won’t impact the school environment.

To be sure, some students will be from families that are happy about the election results. Some teachers will be, too. That does not render those who are suffering invisible. That doesn’t make getting through the school day any easier. It doesn’t matter where you live in Howard County or what your school looks like. Today those schools will open their doors and teach and care for children because that’s what they have committed to do.

We expect teachers to do far too much in not enough time and for nowhere near enough compensation. And today they will be holding the world together in ways we cannot possibly imagine.  This post is dedicated to them. 


Village Green/Town² Comments 






Tuesday, November 5, 2024

More Than You Know - - Election Day Guest Post by Cindy Vaillancourt



Cindy Vaillancourt posted the following on social media yesterday and I immediately knew I wanted to share it here. She has graciously given her permission. - - jam

*****

I hear a lot of extremely negative comments about our elected representatives at all levels.

There is no doubt there are a lot of just icky-yucky-gross, unavailable, corrupt, buffoonish, porcine, and truly dishonorable people running for office, holding office, or even retiring from office.  

I would just like to take a minute to share with my Maryland neighbors some insight I gained as a result of my activism, and service as an elected official.

With very few exceptions, the people on all levels who represent Howard County work harder than most folks know.  I could not maintain the schedules these folks keep.  I was exhausted just trying to keep up with the obligations of my office - but, without fail, wherever I went on BOE business, many other elected representatives were already there, and stayed longer.

Anyone who complains that their representative is unavailable to them is just not trying.  Before his death, you could not go to a community event without tripping over the late, great Representative Elijah E. Cummings.  You want to have a word with Ben Cardin, or John Sarbanes?  Attend any one of hundreds of meetings or events. I had a lovely conversation with Jamie Raskin not long ago - and he doesn't even represent HoCo.  Chris Van Hollen inexplicably remembered my name after I first met him. Barbara Mikulski gave me an arm squeeze and said to keep up the good work. (ok, that one may have been pretty generic ;) ).

Our state delegation is even more visible and accessible.  Speaking of tripping over people,  have you been to any event in Howard County where you did not see Howard County Executive Calvin Ball?  or Allan Kittleman when he was a councilman, state senator, or county exec? Or Ken Ulman?  Or Jim Robey?  Even now that he is retired, Frank Turner is still everywhere supporting the community.  

I guarantee if you call Vanessa Atterbeary, or Senator Guy Guzzone, or Jen Terrasa - Howard County, or Katie Hester, or Courtney Watson, or Chao Wu you will get a callback. If you grab them at an event they will listen attentively.  I am sure that is also true for Terri Hill, Jessica Feldmark, Pam Guzzone, Natalie Zeigler and Clarence Lam- though I haven't tried to call them myself.

Our local council people are easy to reach, and in spite of many interactions being quite fraught for the BOE members, most of them (sure, there are exceptions) are responsive if you reach out, write, call, or happen upon them in the community at the dozens of events they attend each month.

I don't agree with all of them.  I don't agree with everything any of them do, or positions they take.

But with few exceptions, they put in more hours than you know, take more abuse than you would believe, and (for the most part) do it graciously.

So when you go to the polls and you see a candidate, a sitting official, or a retired official --- feel free to share your priorities, ask questions, or just make eye contact and smile.

UPDATE: I forgot to add former Governor Hogan, who stood with the BOE in our fight with a previous superintendent - and who could be counted on to attend functions and mingle.... and former Governor O'Malley who visited HoCo often and freely chatted with anyone around ... and speaking of electeds to trip over ...if you haven't tripped over Wes Moore yet, you probably don't get out much.

*****

Cindy Vaillancourt served on the Howard County Board of Education from 2010 - 2018. In my opinion she “put in more hours than you know, took more abuse than you would believe, and (for the most part) did it graciously.” 

I have very strong opinions about today’s election, both national and local. It would have been easy to fill this space with words to that effect. Like many of my neighbors, friend, and family, I have fears about today and the days to come. The humanity in Ms. Vaillancourt’s words felt like the right touch in a troubled moment.

If you have other thoughts to share, let me know.


Village Green/Town² Comments

Monday, November 4, 2024

The Gift of Human Kindness




 

Despite the enormity of Tuesday’s election bearing down on us, I’ve seen some lovely things unfold on social media in the last twenty four hours. Not political, but examples of genuine human kindness. They aren’t my stories to tell but I would if I had permission. We’ll see if I can swing that.

In the meantime, perhaps that’s a reminder that there’s never a bad time for acts of kindness, no matter how small. 

That brings me to this announcement from the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services:

Project Holiday needs your help! #HoCoAging's 50+ centers are accepting new, unwrapped items now through December 6 to add to gift bags for local older adults. For a list of suggested items or to make a monetary donation, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/projectholiday.






“…who would not otherwise receive a gift.”

Oof. That struck me. I’ve had some rough times in my life, especially during the holidays, but I’ve always been connected in some way with people who invited me to share a meal or remembered me with a gift of some kind. The need for this initiative speaks not only to poverty amongst older residents but also profound human disconnection. 

What does it mean when you have no one?

Holiday gifts cannot magically cure that but they can be a light in the darkness, as it were.

Check the bottom of this flier for gift suggestions. 


I’ve enthusiastically participated in toy drives for kids over the years and I have to admit I haven’t really noticed initiatives like this one in the past. It’s fun to buy toys, to remember your own childhood excitement. Imagining kids with toys gives us that unmistakable dopamine rush of unadulterated delight. Shopping for older people who may have no one reminds reminds us that aging comes to us all and that this could someday be us. 

This reminds me a bit of my musings that small children with special needs are often deemed adorable when the same people, grown, are considered undesirable and inconvenient.

I have found that my readers are a well informed and compassionate bunch. You may already know all this. For some reason it’s really hitting me hard this morning. 


*****


Today’s local HoCo shopping recommendation is Feet First, located in the Wilde Lake Village Center. You, or someone you know, has been spending long hours walking in the community and/or standing at the polls. A pair of truly comfortable new shoes might be a godsend. I’ve written about Feet First in the past. They’ve been in business since 1979 and are good neighbors in the community. Despite which you may think, they are not only a store for runners. 

If you haven’t been there, check them out. Maybe you will find yourself walking around the Wilde Lake Village Center afterwards with a new spring in your step.

Sunday, November 3, 2024

The Land of Pleasant Living



I’ve been mulling over an article about the Board of Education race for the past few days. 


The piece focuses on the District 5 school board seat, where the candidates are Andrea Chamblee and Trent Kittleman. 

One section stood out.

Kittleman takes issue with accusations that she’s an extremist. As a state delegate, she said, “Primarily I was looked at as a levelheaded conservative but not as a conservative that upset everybody.”

Democrats in the State House can attest to that, she said.

Del. Vanessa Atterbeary, a Democrat, said Kittleman was always cordial and never rude when they served as delegates together.

“She was pleasant to work with but certainly had values that do not align with Democratic values for sure,” Atterbeary said.

There’s a lot going on there.

First, Kittleman seems be claiming that being pleasant is proof that she is not an extremist. Some people do make this mistake (not just in politics but in life) but it is a big one. 

How could so and so do terrible things? They are always so nice when I run into them at the grocery store!

Being nice can be purely performative. It can be effective in greasing the skids in political life. But it is not by itself an indicator of goodness, kindness, fairness, commitment to justice, or even good leadership. Niceness is a thing one can put on like makeup or an expensive suit. 

Also, it’s hard to say if Kittleman’s colleagues actually viewed her as “not a conservative that upset everybody” because in politics people are not going to say these things to your face. Or they are going to word things very carefully so as not to gum up the works.

That’s why I was surprised to see a quote from Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary. I wonder how many of those colleagues Ms. Nocera had to reach out to before she found someone willing to go on the record. And you will see she has chosen her words very carefully.

“She was pleasant to work with but certainly had values that do not align with Democratic values for sure,” Atterbeary said.

Are we grading her on pleasantness? Atterbeary appears to be saying. Okay, she’s pleasant. But can we talk about values? Because that’s what matters.

I thought a lot about how Black women in leadership roles are perpetually being labeled as “angry” and admonished to be “nicer.” And then I thought about what it would feel like to be Vanessa Atterbeary being asked to pass judgement on a well-connected white woman.

Honestly, I probably don’t fully understand what a minefield that is. 

Many of us, most especially white women, I might add, have been conditioned to believe that “niceness” is a positive indicator of goodness. Niceness is a language we have been acculturated to trust. When presented with new or uncomfortable things we so often seize on the way it was presented to us rather than do the work of wrestling with challenging ideas.

If they only hadn’t been so mean, so loud, so angry, so unpleasant…

What matters about who is going to serve on the school board is not who is cordial and never rude. Our schools need board members who are going to work to support and defend the value of public education and who will not actively work to promote policies which will hurt students and families. Someone who claims that they are not an extremist because they can “make nice” on the outside is probably someone who is hoping that you won’t check their record.

You should always check their record, no matter how nice they are.











Saturday, November 2, 2024

HoCoLocal Video Vignettes



I’ve got two local videos worth watching for you this morning. They’re both engaging, brief, and informative. 

From WMAR-2 News, reported by Jonathan Hunter:

Local Historian Explains the Significance of Emancipation Day in Maryland

I’m not sure I knew that November 1st was Emancipation Day in Maryland. This piece explains how it all came about and it’s especially noteworthy since Hunter interviews HoCo’s own Marlena Jareaux to shed some light on the bare facts and put them into context. 

Do Howard County schoolchildren learn about Maryland’s Emancipation Day? I wonder.

From HoCo OHRE and be.luminus, a video about DĂ­a de los Muertos.

They explain: 

When the OHRE originally pitched this video concept to La Alianza Latina Commissioner and Luminus CEO Gabriel Moreno, we were planning on turning out a quick and humorous video about how DĂ­a de los Muertos is not a Halloween costume. Instead, Gabriel approached this theme with a deep reverence for the meaning of DĂ­a de los Muertos, not only for the Mexican diaspora, but for the Howard County community. He focused on the roots of shared community, warmth, and welcoming in Mexican culture, choosing to invite his Howard County community members into this tradition as honored guests. We are proud to stand with Commissioner Moreno in delivering this message focused on inclusion, cultural sharing, and what it truly means to be a multicultural community here in Howard County. 

Some of us know more than we used to about this annual remembrance and celebration tradition because of the movie Coco. But I think it makes a big difference to be invited in to the meaning of DĂ­a de los Muertos by a member of our own community. The collaboration between Moreno and the Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity makes our understanding more personal and local.

Seen any good HoCoLocal videos lately?




*****

For your Local HoCo shopping pleasure - - don’t forget the pets! (Or your friends with pets.) One of my readers recommends Clipper’s Canine CafĂ© in Old Ellicott City. From their website:

Clipper's Canine Cafe is a family owned and operated pet boutique and natural pet food store located in the Historic district of Ellicott City, Maryland. We carry a great selection of all natural pet foods including raw food diets, supplements and gourmet bakery treats. We feature unique toys, spa products and apparel for pets. 


Friday, November 1, 2024

F ³: The Parable of the Subscription


 

And now for something completely different. It’s a point of view you probably haven’t been seeing since the Great NonEndorsement Debacle at the LA Times and Washington Post.

Tanzina Vega (Journalist/Host/Educator: Boston Globe, NYU, The New York Times, CNN, WNYC and more)

Telling subscribers not to vote with their subscriptions is wild to me. So you want them to ignore what just happened, cancel their *entire* Amazon account for you but not pull a subscription...! love journalism but this is asking a lot. People are angry that Bezos has influence.

This resentment has been boiling among news consumers for a while now. So they are taking action in the way they know how.

News consumers have choices today that they didn't have before. They can choose where to spend their money and they are doing that. That's the part of the equation folks aren't considering. They can take their $ elsewhere.

That's capitalism folks.

I don't want to see anyone lose their jobs but that's the organization’s issue to figure out, not readers. This is a Bezos problem and he doesn't seem to care.

It also assumes that subscribers haven't considered any of these issues and aren't smart enough to decide when they've had enough.

So what happens when you cancel that subscription and choose to put that money somewhere else? You will be helping to grow something better.


(Elie Mystal is Justice Correspondent: @thenation. Alfred Knobler Fellow: @typemediacenter
Author: Allow Me To Retort)


Which brings us to Baltimore. 



In light of last Friday’s post concerning cuts to humanities programs nationwide, this action by Sun/Sinclair owner feels painfully apropos. 

Studying topics within the humanities (this includes the arts, remember) provides us with the tools to think creatively and critically, to reason, and ask questions. Additionally, it fosters the ability to look at things from different points of view, which, in turn, develops empathy. All of these things are crucial in becoming active and informed in civic engagement. They contribute to building better informed and more consistent voters plus they are strong motivators for community engagement and volunteering. F ³: The Numbers Will Shock You, Village Green/Town² 

Removing arts and culture coverage from the Sun is more than sneering at their importance or an arrogant dig that Baltimore doesn’t have any culture worth covering. 

Until now, I had assumed that Smith’s goal was to shape the Sun into a media outlet that would appeal to low-information voters. With this week’s action it becomes apparent that it’s far more than that. He’s attempting to grow low-information voters. To create them. How do you do that? A quick and dirty way would be to take away their access to information, most especially: the tools to think creatively and critically, to reason, and ask questions.

Taking away the parts of the newspaper that remind us that Baltimore is a place worth loving and caring about, the stories that show how much Baltimore has to be proud of - - that’s a crucial strategy if you want to create a demoralized and fearful electorate.* Those are the people who will reliably support the kind of ballot initiatives that Smith has been backing to change how Baltimore governs (and taxes) itself.

This is more than distasteful. This calls for more than a wistful sigh about how far local journalism has fallen. If you don’t like what the Sun ownership is selling, you do not have to buy their product. You absolutely have the right to take your money and invest it in the local journalism you believe in. 

May I recommend Baltimore Beat. They are writing the stories that no one else is covering in Baltimore and they are empowering the writers that no one else platforms in Baltimore. What’s more, they are a true nonprofit with absolutely no paywall plus they distribute free paper copies throughout the community.

I also subscribe to the Baltimore Banner and find myself enjoying a lot of what they are doing these days. But, if you already subscribe to the Banner and want to find a place where your Baltimore Sun dollars will do the most good, it is absolutely Baltimore Beat. 

It’s your money. What do you want to grow?





*Absolutely a page right out of the Fox News playbook.