Blog Arundel

• Wishing Rock

  Everyone knows about Anne Arundel County's great rivers and Bay frontage, but there are many other sites of interest that many people, including quite a few who have lived here for decades, aren't aware of.
  
  This is the first in an occasional series of pieces that I will write [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 28, 2008, 4:09pm EST
  

• Newsflash: Bay Clean-Up Efforts Have Failed

  Approaching the 25th anniversary of the first Chesapeake Bay Agreement, several local media outlets have decided to run pieces outlining its miserable failure.
  
  The Washington Post has a series called Failing the Chesapeake.
  
  Today's Capital features an article trying to determine whether EPA deliberately lied' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 28, 2008, 1:27pm EST
  

• Tragedies vs. Statistics

  "The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic." Joseph Stalin
  
  A Monday Sun article beautifully re-affirms Stalin's maxim. We are presented with a portrait of "suburban" violence as being deliberate and rational, whereas urban murders are "drug-fueled" and "impersonal."
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 27, 2008, 3:05pm EST
  

• [nt]

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 15, 2008, 3:29pm EDT
  

• Peared Down

  For several decades now, Prince George's County has had the Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) as its County tree. This has been a source of some embarrassment for the botanically inclined, as this cultivated pear tree is both extremely weak-wooded and a non-native invasive.
  
  Now, County residents are' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: May 19, 2008, 1:33pm EDT
  

• DNR Blunders, Guided By Politics Rather than Science

  Tuesday's Capital reported that the Department of Natural Resources is poised to remove a "botched" oyster reef in Sillery Bay, in the Magothy River. The truth of the matter is there is nothing "botched" about the recently installed reef at all, aside from the fact that at least three' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 24, 2008, 10:09pm EDT
  

• Impact Fee Committee's Modest Proposal

  According to today's Capital, the Impact Fee Committee appointed by the County Council, has arrived at a proposal. Unfortunately, for the residents of the County, it both waters down the basis on which the impacts were estimated by Dr. Nicholas, it also only recommends taking them up to' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: April 18, 2008, 2:36pm EDT
  

• You Gotta Know When to Sue 'Em...

  Late last week, the Capital reported that the South River Federation had reached a settlement with the developers of Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole over their discharge of sediment-laden water into the River during construction. The lawsuit claimed that the development project had violated the Clean Water [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 31, 2008, 3:21pm EDT
  

• Some Relief at the Water's Edge

  Looks like the General Assembly is poised to grant some much needed relief to our weary shorelines. Rather than continue to allow the rocking (and to a lesser extent, bulkheading) of our shorelines, the new law, requested by MDE, would require shoreline stabilization take the form of [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 23, 2008, 2:09pm EDT
  

• Potomac Tests Bode Ill for Local Waterways

  Today's Post reports that man made pesticides, herbicides and fragrances are making their way into the Potomac River and wreaking havoc on the hormone systems of aquatic life.
  
  The River is so polluted with hormone disrupting chemicals that some male fish have begun to produce eggs.
  
  This' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 18, 2008, 11:01am EDT
  

• South River Federation Releases Scorecard

  Like the Magothy, Severn, and Patuxent, the South River had a rough 2007. The South River Federation's latest report gives the River a 34 out of 100.
  
  The full report can be found here.' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 18, 2008, 10:55am EDT
  

• Council Appoints Advisory Committee

  This evening, the County Council appointed an impact fee advisory committee to help them sort out the issue. Thankfully, there are no representatives from the homebuilders association on the committee. The committee is being headed up by former County Executive, Robert Neall, and will include, among others:
  Bob [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: March 03, 2008, 8:09pm EST
  

• Virginia, Maryland Contemplate Restricting Crab Harvest

  Both Maryland and Virginia are seriously contemplating major restrictions on crab harvesting in the Bay, and it's not a moment too soon. Let's just hope it's not too late.' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 29, 2008, 10:42am EST
  

• Wayson's Corner Purchase Completed

  Earlier in the week, the Board of Public Works approved $5.75 million in Program Open Space funds to purchase 30 acres of forested property in Wayson's Corner. The land, which is nearby the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, and was zoned to be developed as a Target-centered commercial complex,' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 29, 2008, 9:27am EST
  

• Chief Johnson Steps Down

  Police Chief Joseph Johnson is leaving the Annapolis City Police Department after almost 14 years of service. While embattled at times, he has generally been well-respected. This probably won't make hiring the 20 or so officers the Department needs to get to full force any easier.' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 29, 2008, 9:23am EST
  

• Council Votes to Approve Commercial Recycling

  At last week's County Council meeting, the Council unanimously approved a move to expand recycling pick up to small businesses in the County. The plan is to have the program launched by July.' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 25, 2008, 4:11pm EST
  

• Leopold Aide Embarrasses Boss

  As soon as I began the second paragraph of the Sun article, I knew exactly who was behind the Administration's request for expense reports from the State Delegation - Erik Robey. Turns out Robey, a former aide to Ron Dillon and long time Republican Party flak, put one' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 21, 2008, 1:29pm EST
  

• Magothy in Decline

  In what appears to be a pretty consistent trend, the health of the Magothy River declined last year, according to the just released State of the Magothy Report Card. Among the worst performing indicators was underwater grasses, which experienced a 165 acre drop from 2006. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 21, 2008, 1:04pm EST
  

• A "Work Group"? Uh oh.

  Apparently overwhelmed by having to make a decision where the facts are lining up against their impulses, the County Council last night announced that, rather than hire another expert to study the impact fee issue, they will form a "work group."
  
  What's wrong with a "work group", you' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 20, 2008, 7:23pm EST
  

• Frederick County Adopts Moratorium

  Fed up with new development outstripping its infrastructure, the Frederick County Commissioners have put a 2-year moratorium on some new construction in unincorporated portions of the County.
  
  Something for Anne Arundel's developers to keep in mind when cry foul about finally having to pay their fair share.[...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 20, 2008, 3:53pm EST
  

• Examiner Laments Poor Public Turnout on Impact Fees

  By all accounts the last Council hearing on impact fee increases was packed with shills for the development industry. Housebuilders, realtors, and business interests enumerated the reasons why it's a "bad idea" to make new growth pay its own way. Testimony was so one-sided, it began to concern the' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 19, 2008, 9:19am EST
  

• Leopold Appeals to Legislature

  Sunday's Sun includes a list of the items that the County Executive is hoping to procure during the 2008 legislative session. Included are:
  
  Allowing the County to re-coup the $100,000 the Health Department spent in testing well for fly ash contamination from the $1 million fine' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 18, 2008, 1:33pm EST
  

• State of the Magothy Presentation

  It's that time of year when each of the river organizations is releasing its State of the River report. The Magothy is no exception. The announcement is below:
  
  2008 State of the Magothy River Meeting
  
  Do you, family, or friends enjoy spending time on the Magothy River?' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 16, 2008, 11:23am EST
  

• Severn River Report Released

  Today's Post reports on the recent release of the Severn Riverkeeper's state of the River report. Bad news, particularly for the yellow perch. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 14, 2008, 12:09pm EST
  

• Edgewater K-Mart Bombed?

  According to the County Police Report dated February 11th, two white males and a white female placed a small device on one of the shelves in the back of the K-Mart in Edgewater, which shortly thereafter exploded.
  
  The store was evacuated and minor damage to merchandise occurred. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 12, 2008, 11:04am EST
  

• Middlebrooks Wises Up...Sort of

  A curious thing happened on the way to the Council, it appears Ed Middlebrooks finally got a clue. During the discussions, late last year, about a dedicated fund for stormwater repairs, certain "anti-tax" Republicans like Ed Middlebrooks asked, "why not a dedicated fund for schools, or other infrastructure?" The question [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 12, 2008, 10:36am EST
  

• County Buckles on Church Case

  Pieces in the Sun and Capital re-count how, apparently, Riverdale Baptist Church, put Anne Arundel County over a barrel regarding the development of their mega-church in Lothian. The deal, struck between the County attorney and the Church, would require:
  
  • The County Council must remove zoning rules [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 07, 2008, 10:57am EST
  

• Last Year's Crab Harvest Miserable

  According to DNR officials, last year's crab harvest is the second lowest in 30 years, about 22 million pounds.
  
  Can anyone say "moratorium?" [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 04, 2008, 1:32pm EST
  

• Innocent Victims of the War on (Some) Drugs

  Sunday's Capital exposed a heartbreaking injustice going on at Animal Control Centers across the state. As a result of state controlled substance laws and a federal rule regulating control of ketamine, a narcotic used in euthanizing animals, Animal Control Centers, like the one in Anne Arundel County, are [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: February 04, 2008, 12:29pm EST
  

• Perspective on Chesapeake Science Point

  Last week's post on Chesapeake Science Point (CSP), a County charter school, drew this thoughtful response from a reader close to the issue:
  
  It has indeed been a tough month at the Chesapeake Science School. The administration and teachers are spread too thin while they deal with students [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 31, 2008, 9:17pm EST
  

• Homestead Application Repeal Considered

  A couple of weeks ago, I pointed readers to the new application that the State requires to extend the Homestead property tax credit this year. Now, faced with a public backlash regarding the application requirement, some in the General Assembly are seeking its repeal. Just to be on [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 31, 2008, 10:57am EST
  

• Water Worries

  The southeast US was ground zero for diminished drinking water supplies in 2007. That was in due in large measure to a near record drought, but it was also exacerbated by unsustainable water use practices. There were numerous reports, for instance, of homeowners in Atlanta watering their lawns [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 31, 2008, 10:11am EST
  

• Felling Oak Hill

  Yesterday's Sun had an interesting piece on the expansion of the Oak Hill Juvenile Detention Center in Laurel. The facility, nominally a branch of the Washington, DC public school system exists in a precarious position, both physically and philosophically.
  
  Its history goes back to 1929, when [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 30, 2008, 1:50pm EST
  

• Get Back to Where You Once Belonged

  It was a little over 2 years ago that it was reported that a St. Margaret's couple had filled in a 1/4 acre of Bay under the guise of reclaiming land lost by Hurricane Isabel.
  
  Today, we get the good news from the Capital that all that [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 29, 2008, 7:29pm EST
  

• Judge Charged with Illegal Dumping

  Doug Gansler, Maryland's Attorney General, has joined Anne Arundel County in filing charges against Baltimore City District Judge Askew Gatewood, claiming that the Judge unlawfully dumped material into a wetland, undertook construction without a sediment control plan, and caused water pollution.
  
  The charges stem from accusations [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 26, 2008, 1:11pm EST
  

• County Steps Up on Commercial Recycling

  According to a Capital report, the County Executive has submitted a bill to the County Council to expand curbside recycling service to businesses in the County. Already, 70 percent of homes in the County recycle, but the cost of additional recycling service has kept most businesses from joining [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 26, 2008, 12:27pm EST
  

• Charter School Crackdown

  What in the heck is going on with the Chesapeake Science Point charter school? It's been an extremely tough month for the charter school, a rare breed in Anne Arundel County. First, the principal, Fatih Kandil, was re-assigned by the school system. Then, a popular physics teacher, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 24, 2008, 7:57pm EST
  

• Making Room for the Rivers

  When one thinks of a nation that has been successful in holding back the encroachment of the oceans, the Netherlands, perched precariously on the edge of the North Sea inevitably come to mind. So, when the Dutch decide that after hundreds of years of trying to wall the Sea [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 22, 2008, 10:32am EST
  

• West Street Arts District Proposed

  Today's Capital discusses a proposal by the Mayor to create an arts and entertainment overlay zone along the West Street corridor, from Monticello Avenue to Chinquapin Round Road. If created, the district would exempt arts venues from local amusement and admission taxes, and would provide tax breaks to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 21, 2008, 7:57pm EST
  

• College Creek Then and Now

  Following up on the last post, I am going to post a snippet from a 1913 Maryland Geological Survey map of Anne Arundel County. But first things first. Apparently, what we now know as College Creek was then called "Dorsey's Creek."
  
  
  1913
  The road crossing the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 20, 2008, 9:07pm EST
  

• The Great Glenwood Gorge

  For three years, the sinkholes in front of the Glenwood Apartments, located off Clay Street in Annapolis, have been expanding. And, for three years, the Annapolis Housing Authority, who owns the property, and the City of Annapolis have dawdled on how to handle the situation.
  
  Below are [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 20, 2008, 2:03pm EST
  

• The Mayor Strikes Back

  Confronted with Alderman Dick Israel's charter amendment to strip the mayorship of some of its power over the City Administrator, the Mayor has decided to take the argument to the court of public opinion. Today's Sun has an editorial by Mayor Moyer decrying the move as "an assault [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 20, 2008, 1:17pm EST
  

• Fort Meade to Burn Gas from Garbage

  Discussed here almost a two years ago, the idea of Fort Meade utilizing landfill gas to fuel operations at the base appear close to being formalized.
  
  According to the Sun, county officials have confirmed that methane gas, produced as a result of garbage decomposition at the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 19, 2008, 10:13pm EST
  

• Homestead Head's Up

  The Homestead Tax Credit was put in place to limit the amount of assessment increase that homeowners can expect on their property tax bill. Any homeowner, regardless of income level, is eligible to take the credit on their primary residence.
  
  However, in an effort to avoid individuals taking the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 18, 2008, 2:51pm EST
  

• Council Flinches on Impact

  Yesterday, the County Council had their work session on the County Executive's impact fee proposal. The bold plan, predictably, drew quite a bit of heat from the Council, for reasons ranging from the disingenuous (see Ed Middlebrooks feigning concern about "affordable housing"), to bad-faith misdirection (see Cathy Vitale: "The [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 16, 2008, 8:07pm EST
  

• Advisory Commission Recommends End to Oystering the Commons

  According to a piece by the Post, the Maryland Oyster Advisory Commission, set up by the State of Maryland is prepared to release a report dramatically changing the nature of oyster harvesting in the Bay.
  
  The report recommends that, in order to help the oyster population bounce [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 15, 2008, 7:48pm EST
  

• A Brief History of the Ratrie Property

  A review of the Fourth Circuit decision in Crofton Ventures v. G & H Partnership (2001) has an extensive description of the property that adjoins the County trail segment through Odenton.
  
  Initially, the property was intended to be 32 acres peeled off from an existing 55-acre tract of [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 14, 2008, 7:26pm EST
  

• Maxwell Offers Home for Artwork

  It's no secret that John Leopold and Kevin Maxwell don't play well together. So, it wasn't surprising when Superintendent Maxwell grabbed the opportunity to embarrass the County Exec in the latest drama surrounding the display of children's art work on the Calvert Center.
  
  Maxwell has extended an [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 14, 2008, 1:56pm EST
  

• BREAKING NEWS: Odenton Dump Just the Tip of the Iceberg

  Several new facts have come to light since Sunday's story on the plastic dump just "recently discovered" along the right-of-way for the WB&A Trail connecting the Anne Arundel County system to the trailhead in Prince George's County.
  
  First, contrary to the claims of officials quoted in the Capital [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 14, 2008, 1:14pm EST
  

• WB&A Trail Extension Opening Delayed

  Ask anyone who lives in Anne Arundel County, particularly anyone who lives along the Route 2 corridor, what they think of the WB&A Trail, and chances are, they think it's a tremendous community resource. Sure, there were initially reservations about whether or not it would bring "unsavory" elements into [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 13, 2008, 9:35am EST
  

• Alderman Proposes Empowering City Administrator

  Ward One Alderman, Dick Israel (D), has proposed a charter amendment to significantly broaden the the powers of Annapolis' City Administrator. Among the proposed changes are: allowing the Administrator the power to take charge of hiring and firing decisions in the City bureaucracy and the ability to set the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 13, 2008, 8:17am EST
  

• Maryland Schools Ranked Among Highest

  A report just released by Education Week ranks Maryland's public schools among the top in the nation. The report, Quality Counts, ranks Maryland third best in the nation, behind only New York and Massachusetts. Each of the States and DC were ranked according to 17 indicators in six broad [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 10, 2008, 9:57pm EST
  

• Compromise Forged on Subdivision Bill

  At Monday's County Council meeting, Councilman Reilly's bill to exempt so called "minor subdivisions" from school adequacy of public school provisions ran up against considerable opposition, and faced substantive amendments by Councilman Cohen.
  
  The bill, ostensibly designed to address cases where local landowners are being held up [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 09, 2008, 9:01pm EST
  

• Lifeguard Removal Bill Beaten Back

  On Monday, the County Council defeated one of the more bizarre pieces of legislation in recent memory. Councilman Reilly sponsored a bill, apparently at the behest of a local hotel owner, to remove the requirement that hotels with pools of a depth of 5 feet or less have a [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 09, 2008, 12:24pm EST
  

• Turning Table Scraps Into Topsoil

  Last month, I discussed a report that Anne Arundel County was seeking ways to reduce its waste stream. I mentioned the opportunities for recycling and composting, but it wasn't until just today that I realized Anne Arundel County has a large-scale, commercial composting operation right in Crofton.
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 08, 2008, 3:58pm EST
  

• Let's Get Ready for the 2008 Session

  Today's Capital has profiles and contact information for the entire Anne Arundel County Legislative Delegation.
  
  Anne Arundel County's Delegates and Senators are a strange mix. We are represented by the Speaker of the House, one of the most powerful individuals in the Assembly, but also by the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 07, 2008, 2:48pm EST
  

• More Market House Madness

  Just when you didn't think things could get any worse with the Market House situation in Annapolis, the management company operating the facility sues the City for $2 million. Site Realty Group, which won the lease for the prime property on Annapolis' harbor a couple of years ago, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 06, 2008, 1:15pm EST
  

• Leopold Proposes Bold Hike in Impact Fees

  According to today's Capital, last night the County Executive unveiled a sweeping proposal to raise impact fees on new development to make it cover its full cost, as recommended by a consultant to the County. The impact fees would be raised for both residential and commercial projects, with residential [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 04, 2008, 2:29pm EST
  

• Our Own Sweet Lord Deemed Dumbest on Wall Street

  Own very own Albert Lord, he of the personal golf course in South County fame, was awarded "Dumbest on Wall Street for 2007" by business website TheStreet.com. Why, you might ask?
  
  Mr. Lord, the CEO of Sallie Mae, the nation's leading provider of student loans, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 03, 2008, 1:22pm EST
  

• Pork as "Protection"

  Chalk up another local pork barrel project masquerading under the guise of "security spending." First, it was the tank that would protect Annapolis from the famed Al Quaeda Panzer Division. That was $1.4 million down the drain. Now, the County is applying for a $670,000 federal "grant" to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 02, 2008, 2:57pm EST
  

• Oystered Out

  According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, the current population of oysters in the Bay is around 1 percent of where it was when Europeans explored the area in the early 1600s. How did we get from a situation where there were so many oysters in the Chesapeake that they [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 02, 2008, 10:41am EST
  

• Upcoming Hearing on Impact Fees

  The Planning Advisory Board will meet on Thursday, January 3, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. in the Chesapeake Room, Second Floor, Heritage Office Complex, 2664 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD.
  
  The Board’s agenda is:
  
  6:00 - Call to Order; Public Hearing on Legislation regarding Impact Fees
  
  Speakers that have [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: January 01, 2008, 12:57pm EST
  

• Capital Homicides

  The nine murders in Annapolis this year mark an unfortunate record. The Capital has deemed it the top local story of 2007, and I'm inclined to agree. The nonchalance with which this sort of violence is accepted by both the City and the communities in which it is occurring [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 31, 2007, 11:45am EST
  

• Eradicating English Ivy

  Many people plant English ivy (Hedera helix) in their yard thinking that it's a nice, easy-to-maintain, evergreen ground cover, or will help stabilize steep slopes (it won't). They're correct that it's low maintenance and green year round, and that's part of the problem. The plant, which is native to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 30, 2007, 8:50am EST
  

• Comparing County Tax Rates

  While making my way around other state blogs, I came across this informative tax table from the Maryland Department of Taxation and Assessments.
  
  There's an awful lot of discussion about Anne Arundel being a "tax cap, tax averse" County. In fact, the County Executive seems to [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 29, 2007, 12:49pm EST
  

• Historic Eastport in Pictures

  As is so often the case, wonderful treasures that give us a glimpse back into the past of our beloved region were sitting buried away in someone's forgotten storage pile.
  
  Thankfully, when the owner's of the Dawson Gallery came across their stack of photos of 1930s Annapolis [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 29, 2007, 12:24pm EST
  

• Leopold Vows Firm Stand on Impact Fees

  Today's Sun has an article on decreasing home sales in the County, dovetailing that finding with Executive Leopold's increasingly firm stand in favor of a significant increase in impact fees. Predictably, the homebuilders got on the record mewling that "higher impact fees would limit their opportunities to provide affordable [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 28, 2007, 10:00pm EST
  

• Dairy Farm Dithering

  The ink has hardly dried on the County's contract with the Naval Academy for the former Gambrills Dairy Farm, and already local residents are "worried" about the fate of the farm. The terms of the lease require the County to pay $320,000 (about $373/acre) per year to rent the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 28, 2007, 3:05pm EST
  

• Treating Oysters Like Royalty

  Today's Capital reports that a local inventor, Andrew Murdza, has devised a new way to raise oysters to help replenish the Bay's decimated bivalve population. Murdza founded Oyster King several years ago and established a base of operations at Discovery Village in Shady Side.
  
  He is [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 27, 2007, 1:47pm EST
  

• Whole Foods Bags Plastics

  Despite a public relations campaign that extended to interviews with the highest echelons of the national press, Annapolis Alderman Sam Shropshire was unable to muster the votes necessary to get his plastic bag ban bill passed in the Annapolis City Council. At the same time, however, the Whole [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 27, 2007, 11:10am EST
  

• Bay Clean-Up Estimates Too Optimistic, If You Can Believe It

  A recent analysis of Bay pollution reduction models by the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) found that half (18) over-estimated progress, most of the rest (15) were accurate, and a few more (3) under-estimated progress. I suspect this isn't much of a surprise to anyone who has spent any prolonged [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 26, 2007, 10:06am EST
  

• Recycling Your Tree - Recycled

  From the archives: What to do with your Christmas Tree after the holiday. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 25, 2007, 12:59pm EST
  

• Talking Trash

  Yesterday's Sun reports that with trash disposal contracts coming up for renewal in the not to distant future, Anne Arundel and Howard Counties are contemplating options to reduce their waste stream. The County's waste disposal contract with Waste Management Inc . expires in 5 years, and it is expected [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 25, 2007, 12:36pm EST
  

• It's been almost 4 years since Blog ...

  It's been almost 4 years since Blog Arundel began, and in that time, some pretty impressive blogs have popped up in the area. The City of Annapolis, in particular, is well represented. Here are some of the prominent (and prolific) blogs focused on life in the City:

  
  
  • Annapolis [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 23, 2007, 10:45am EST
  

• When the Bay Restoration Fund (aka ...

  When the Bay Restoration Fund (aka The Flush Fee) was passed in 2004 by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ehrlich, there was great hope for the impact it would have. Several years on, we are now seeing the results of its implementation.
  
  Today's Capital [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 22, 2007, 8:07pm EST
  

• I heard this tune again recently, and ...

  I heard this tune again recently, and was reminded what a delightful sentiment that it is, particularly during this time of year:
  
  'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
  'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
  
  And when we [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 22, 2007, 7:58pm EST
  

• The failures of the Owens' Administration

  The failures of the Owens' Administration continue to haunt the County as the latest twist in the unspent impact fee saga unfolds. Circuit Court Judge Paul Harris ruled earlier this week that two former County officials can remain in their case charging that Anne Arundel County misspent (or [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 21, 2007, 3:24pm EST
  

• The Environmental Law Institute just released a ...

  The Environmental Law Institute just released a report on "Halting the Invasion in the Chesapeake Bay: Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Introduction through Regional Cooperation". May be worth a read. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 20, 2007, 11:07am EST
  

• Anne Arundel County Prosecutor, Fred Paone (R), ...

  Anne Arundel County Prosecutor, Fred Paone (R), won yesterday's special election in Ward 2 with a plurality of the vote. Vote totals (and percentages) are below:
  
  Paone (R) 427 (45%)
  McKerrow (D) 358 (38%)
  Jennings (G) 162 (17%) [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 20, 2007, 9:25am EST
  

• According to today's Capital, the County Council ...

  According to today's Capital, the County Council is seeking to "address" crowded schools. Of course, for the development community pushing the bill, "address" means "remove the school capacity related obstructions to new home construction by any means necessary." Council members Dillon, Vitale, and Benoit are developing a new methodology [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 18, 2007, 3:08pm EST
  

• Yesterday, the Patuxent Riverkeeper released ...

  Yesterday, the Patuxent Riverkeeper released its latest report [pdf] on the health of the Patuxent River.
  
  Among the recommendations the report makes to restore the health of the river, are:
  

  
  
  • Implement low-impact development strategies based on the Stormwater Management Act of 2007 [pdf].
    [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 18, 2007, 9:14am EST
  

• On the heels of the Metropolitan Washington ...

  On the heels of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' call for green building standards throughout the region, Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer has introduced a bill that would "require all new construction and major renovations of any buildings greater than 10,000 square feet meet green building standards set by [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 14, 2007, 2:26pm EST
  

• Fire Suppression in Annapolis The Capital said ...

  Fire Suppression in Annapolis The Capital said it in Friday's paper, and I would like to affirm it and add to it here: The City Council and Mayor absolutely have to find a way to get sprinkler systems installed throughout the commercial corridor of historic Annapolis. Sure, there will be some complaints [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 11, 2007, 2:15pm EST
  by N.D. Sproll

• In the wake of yet another

  In the wake of yet another shooting in the City of Annapolis, again in one of the public housing neighborhoods, it's long past time to start wondering if we shouldn't change the way that we approach violence in our communities, particularly drug-related violence. The capacity of local municipalities [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 08, 2007, 3:52pm EST
  

• Earlier this week, the Maryland Court ...

  Earlier this week, the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled [pdf] against the Olde Severna Park Improvement Association, and for homeowners wanting to build a 610-foot bridge/pier across extremely sensitive wetlands on the Severn River.
  
  The decision essentially set forth that waterfront homeowners have riparian rights [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 06, 2007, 9:29pm EST
  

• On Monday night, the Council took the ...

  On Monday night, the Council took the final step in approving the County's 30-year lease of the Naval Academy Dairy Farm. The County intends to keep renting some of the property out to Maryland Sunrise Organic Farm, and will likely make community parcels available to County residents at [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 05, 2007, 8:57am EST
  

• Last night's Council meeting was surely one ...

  Last night's Council meeting was surely one of the lower points in recent County Council history. With scores of individuals testifying on behalf of the amended SMART fund (over 60 by the Capital's estimate) and only a handful speaking against, the four councilmembers who have opposed the bill since its [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 04, 2007, 4:45pm EST
  

• The Chesapeake Bay Foundation just released ...

  The Chesapeake Bay Foundation just released its 2007 State of the Bay Report, and the results aren't good. This year's score is 28 out of 100, one point lower than last year's score. Three of 13 indicators fell, phosphorus, blue crabs, and water clarity. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 03, 2007, 12:01pm EST
  

• At this point, the news is a ...

  At this point, the news is a bit dated (it happened in November), but it still deserves comment (and praise). Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, who represents the eastern shore of Maryland, and a small area of the western shore in District 1, has introduced legislation that would create a [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 03, 2007, 11:06am EST
  

• On Friday, the Sun reported that one ...

  On Friday, the Sun reported that one of the families in Gambrills that has been affected by the toxic groundwater plume caused by fly ash contamination has filed suit against Constellation Energy, claiming the contaminated water killed her husband. It's a good first step. Litigation against MDE and the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 03, 2007, 10:48am EST
  

• It's no secret that the last County ...

  It's no secret that the last County Administration acted irresponsibly, bending to the will of the development community, and refusing to raise impact fees to the level recommended by the County's consultant. In fact, the fee was levied at about 40% of the recommended level. County Executive Leopold has decided [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 02, 2007, 9:50am EST
  

• The filing deadline was yesterday, and it ...

  The filing deadline was yesterday, and it now looks like the field is set in the special election to replace Alderman Mike Christman (R).
  
  Karen Jennings - Green Party
  Debbie R. McKerrow - Democrat
  Fred Paone - Republican
  
  The special primary election will be held in Ward 2 [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 06, 2007, 9:39am EST
  

• Monday's County Council meeting held several pleasant ...

  Monday's County Council meeting held several pleasant surprises. Most notable among them was Ron Dillon's recent effort to champion a stormwater utility that would build upon the County Executive's SMART fund effort.
  
  Councilman Dillon appears to have gotten religion on the issue, declaring, "We have been 30-plus [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 17, 2007, 3:05pm EDT
  

• No, that's not a ...

  
  
  No, that's not a photoshop job from an Onion article, that's the real deal. In an effort to get around setbacks on small lots, developers in Anne Arundel County are now building 12-foot wide, free-standing house slivers. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 15, 2007, 11:50am EDT
  

• Several Republican Councilmembers last night stonewalled the ...

  Several Republican Councilmembers last night stonewalled the Leopold administration's effort to ban the dumping of fly ash in Anne Arundel County. Rather than move to protect public safety, Councilmen Middlebrooks and Dillon seem to be having second thoughts on the matter. After Middlebrooks amended the bill from a ban [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 18, 2007, 2:30pm EDT
  by N.D. Sproll

• The Leopold administration today announced that it ...

  The Leopold administration today announced that it is seeking to start levying a fee of $.25 on each new square foot of impervious surface created by development projects. It is estimated that this will generate something on the order of $5 million additional dollars per year for restoration [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 13, 2007, 11:40am EDT
  by N.D. Sproll

• County Takes Action to Stop Poisoning of Wells Ex...

  Executive Leopold has introduced emergency legislation to stop a practice that has been decried on this site a number of times, the storage of fly ash in soils where it can leech into groundwater.
  
  Fly ash, a particularly nasty by-product of burning coal, is an amalgam of [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 01, 2007, 5:55pm EDT
  by N.D. Sproll

• County Helps Conserve Crownsville This week, the ...

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 28, 2007, 9:11am EDT
  by N.D. Sproll

• Sturgeon Makes First Cameo in Three Decades Accor...

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 07, 2007, 4:51pm EDT
  by N.D. Sproll

• County Wins Naval Academy Farm Initial word is th...

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 05, 2007, 11:39am EDT
  by N.D. Sproll