Village Green/Town²

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Columbia DOESN’T Vote

On Thursday I stated that the Banner article about Columbia elections missed the biggest reason why Columbia residents don’t vote. I did not anticipate Thursday evenings happenings at the CA Board meeting but they pretty much prove my point. Let’s look back a bit. The Ugly Truth , April 26, 2014 Columbia in a way, was an experiment. Well, folks, the experiment has failed. Where James Rouse saw possibilities of a diverse community, the truth is that Columbia is enchained in segregation. Segregation by age. (And, furthermore…) Important decisions about Columbia's present and future are largely being determined by one generation. One angry generation, I might add. I have heard too many stories of younger residents trying to get involved at the Village level and being scorned, spurned, dismissed, and beaten back by angry "Pioneers". It is no wonder to me that younger residents feel disenfranchised. I have lived here since 1999 and am still treated by some as a newcomer with...

F ³: No Spoilers!

A fond salute to Jamie Ding The current Question-Asking King On Jeopardy, each night at seven, Just watching him is quiz-show heaven. Not loud or showy, bold or sassy Our Jamie daily keeps it classy. His geeky anecdotes each day Somehow enhance his stellar play. A “Cheery Assassin” says WSJ - - (A gently goofy pal, I’d say.) As each day’s contest meets its end You kinda wish he were your friend. Not fierce, not perfect, he gets in trouble When chancing on a Daily Double. Though he may risk and we may doubt, Each night he seems to pull it out. So far he reigns, his crown still gleaming. (We watch on delay because of streaming.) Tonight we’ll watch the day before And cheer as he runs up the score. So, let us daily raise our voices To praise his wit and wardrobe choices. Come, gather round! Long may we sing Of brilliant buzzer Jamie Ding. Image from Wall Street Journal, no artist credited Village Green/Town² Comments

Don’t Read This

Don’t read this. (If you don’t care about Columbia elections, that is.) Columbia Association can’t get residents to vote , Lillian Reed and Jess Nocera, Baltimore Banner I don’t have enough time to write about this today, but look for something on Saturday. I can tell you that this article misses what I think is the biggest factor in why Columbians don’t vote. If they had asked me, I would have told them. Come back on Saturday. I’ll tell you. ***** Perhaps it would be more fun to learn about Quirky Ellicott City. Maryland History Tours is going to be offering a Quirky themed tour in May and I’d tell you more but their helpful link directs me to April events. Blah. Village Green/Town² Comments

Your Mother is Calling

Images from HoCo Rec & Parks social media accounts In honor of Earth Day, here’s an opportunity from Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks: Do you love nature? Want to make a difference in your community while exploring the beauty of Howard County parks? We need YOU to help document the amazing plants and wildlife that thrive in our parks! The City Nature Challenge is a global initiative that uses the iNaturalist app to document local flora and fauna in urban areas. No previous experience needed — just a passion for nature and a smartphone! The challenge runs from Friday, April 24 - Monday, April 27. You can participate at your convenience, anytime during those four days! To get involved, sign up at https://tinyurl.com/HCRP-NatureChallenge A Park Ranger will reach out with your assigned park and instructions. If you are curious about the iNaturalist app, you can learn more at their website. Interested in Howard County’s natural ...

An Accidental Tourist?

This, my friends, is a chukar. Chukar sighting in Howard County, 2026 via Western Howard County Shares And here’s another one. Chukar sighting in Washington County, 2025 via MD Birding I had never seen nor even heard of a chukar before coming across the image posted on the Western Howard County Shares Facebook Group. This chukar was seen at Glenwood Middle School, this morning in case anyone is missing a member of their flock! On the basis of two images and absolutely no research I concluded that the chukar is short and round. No, it’s upright and skinny. What’s going on with the neck here? It’s okay. You can laugh. My knowledge of birds is limited. What I know now is that the chukar is a partridge . It is not native to Maryland. Usually when you see one it’s because it is being used as a “bait bird” in recreational hunting activities. Sigh. As far as the particular chukar spotted in Howard County, I don’t think they were able to ascertain where it came from. According to ...

The Trouble With Renters

The trouble with renters is that they are looking for a decent place to live that they can afford. That’s it. That’s the problem. They’re not inherently “less than” homeowners. They aren’t guaranteed to represent a transient/bad element in a neighborhood. They don’t care less about where they live. Renters do valuable, necessary jobs in a community and by valuable I mean something you need that you couldn’t do yourself. That could be teachers or nurses or firefighters but can also be the cook in your favorite restaurant, a mechanic, janitorial staff at the hospital or the check out clerk at the grocery where you like to shop. But, in fact, it doesn’t matter whether any particular homeowner thinks that renters are worth including. It’s ridiculous to think that anyone needs to make a case to include them. How would you like it if your sense of belonging in any given place was dependent upon someone else’s opinion? Renters belong in Howard County and yet so many fo...