Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Signing up for something can be a perilous, but rewarding experience.
Earlier this week, I interviewed Matthew D’Angelo, one of the candidates for the open seats on the Anne Arundel County Board of Education. We had a nice chat, as he outlined his credentials and his desire to serve. Six hours later, he announced via email that he was withdrawing his application. What happened? In short, it seems that life got in the way. He realized that it would be a challenge to juggle the responsibilities of a board position with a full-time job and being a father of five. It’s hard to blame him, and you have to give him credit for stepping aside before he got in too deep. “I recognized that the board may put strains on my family time,” he told me. “It was just a matter of priorities.” The withdrawal leaves just two …
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Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-21) says the state legislature should get back to work in order to avoid a major hike in college tuition rates.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, May 2
Much of the coverage of the need for a special budget session of the Maryland legislature has focused on the political machinations of its leaders. That's understandable. But we should not ignore the impact on ordinary people if the legislature fails to finalize the budget. Major victims will be thousands of middle income college students from every community in Maryland. The budget package proposed by Governor O'Malley and already endorsed by both houses of the legislature caps tuition hikes at 3 per cent for this fall at all the public 4 year campuses. If the budget package is not finalized soon, students from College Park and Morgan to Frostburg and Towson (and Maryland's nine other public colleges) will face big tuition hikes, probably…
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
In comments on Patch and Facebook, readers expressed anger and disgust at the alleged treatment of "Cola," a Golden Retriever puppy.
Readers of Odenton-Severn Patch expressed outrage Tuesday after hearing about "Cola," the Golden Retriver puppy from Severn whose owners allegedly tried to neuter him using a rubber band. Many readers said the owners should not be allowed to keep the dog, which is currently in foster care after undergoing care at the Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital. Officials said Cola is recovering after being properly neutered and has been given pain medication. He was also treated for an infection and is on antibiotics. Police said charges are pending against Cola's owners, who have not been identified. Readers sounded off in comments on Odenton-Severn Patch and on the Odenton-Severn Patch Facebook page. "I know the economy is bad, but that is …
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
In a letter to the editor, the councilman from Severn said he is hopeful that the council will hold itself to a higher standard.
Anne Arundel County, The last few months have been very trying for me. In the few short weeks I have been appointed to this seat, many of you have reached out to me and expressed your displeasure of the current state the leadership in our county has created. If you have not been told, I want to officially apologize for our behavior. We are not perfect and we will stumble and like any steadfast servant, we will rise and continue to travel in the direction to move Anne Arundel County forward. Much like every other environment, it is filled with individuals who are only human and whose decisions can be clouded with lenses that are forged with a lifetime of diverse struggles. Recent events have lead us to make some tough choices —choices that…
Thursday, April 12, 2012
To moderate or not to moderate? That was my question.
Many of you may have noticed a recent change in how comments were being dealt with on Odenton Patch. Instead of allowing users to post comments freely and immediately, I began the practice of reviewing comments before approval. This so-called “moderation queue” is a brand-new capability that rolled out nationwide on all Patch sites on Tuesday. It is a completely optional function, and Patch left it up to local editors to decide whether they wanted to use it or not. I decided to give it a try. But late Wednesday night, I decided to go back to the previous policy of allowing comments to post immediately. I’d like to take this time to explain my thinking over the last couple of days. First, it’s important to know why I elected to use the …
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Republican front-runner was selected as the nominee of choice by local readers in a non-scientific poll.
Patch readers in Anne Arundel County have declared their choice for a Republican presidential candidate: Mitt Romney. Here are the results for each site. Annapolis: Fred Karger received the most votes, proving that the Patch polls are indeed non-scientific and can be manipulated. Romney received 20 percent of the votes. Broadneck: Romney received 66 percent of the votes. Crofton: Romney received 35 percent of the votes. Edgewater-Davidsonville: Romney received 32 percent of the votes. Glen Burnie: Romney received 42 percent of the votes. Odenton-Severn: Romney received 31 percent of the votes. Pasadena: Romney received 62 percent of the votes. Severna Park: Romney received 57 percent of the votes.
Maryland's Republican "moderate middle" will matter on Tuesday.
Will former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s lead in Maryland turn into a win in Tuesday’s GOP presidential primary? Patch is offering readers the opportunity to vote and leave a comment about how they voted. Romney has a 17-point advantage over former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in Maryland, according to a poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports on Wednesday. It showed Romney is supported by 45 percent of Maryland Republicans, Santorum by 28 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich by 12 percent and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) by 7 percent. Although officials aren’t predicting a high turnout in Maryland on Tuesday, it is expected to be an important day in the presidential race, when the “moderate middle of the Maryland GOP will be relevant,” …
Monday, March 19, 2012
Recent events suggest that when it comes to teachers and students, social media creates a tricky landscape.
A teacher at Arundel High School was reassigned after interacting with a student on Twitter. School officials confirmed an ongoing investigation involving the teacher, but declined to discuss details. Many students have defended the teacher, arguing that he was simply communicating with students in a way they feel comfortable. And many experts said social media applications can be used to enhance education. But other officials said teachers should avoid communicating with students on Twitter and Facebook, because there are too many ethical and legal pitfalls. We want to know what you think. Should teachers and students be allowed to interact on social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter? Vote in the poll below and leave a comment.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Peter Smith offers his thoughts on why he's seeking to fill the open vacant seat for District 1 of the Anne Arundel County Council.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, February 27
The following letter was submitted by Peter Smith, a Severn resident who is seeking to fill the open seat for District 1 on the Anne Arundel County Council. The council has scheduled a vote regarding the seat on March 5. It is often said that anything worth having is worth fighting for. This has been the story of my life. Since I was a child, my efforts to do well and help others were often fraught with steep hills and long roads. I’ve learned along the way that despite the difficulties and strong head winds it is important to always focus. My candidacy for the vacant seat on the County Council has thrust me into those same winds once again. This hasn’t been a typical campaign where candidates would have visited with prospective …
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Help Patch editor Tim Lemke organize the ultimate road trip around town, by suggesting places and events indicative of Odenton and Severn.
I've decided it's time to get out on the town a little more. I want to see and do and experience everything about the communities of Odenton and Severn. My goal is to find 50 things to do, places to visit or people to see. And then I want to do all of those things in one day. I'll have someone film my fast-paced journey around town and post the video here. But I need your help. What 50 things should I do? What are the can't-miss places to go? I'm looking for the ordinary and the extraordinary. But they have to be things that are truly indicative of the experience of living, working or playing in Odenton and Severn. Like riding the MARC train. Or buying batteries at Ace Hardware. Maybe it could be grabbing a doughnut at Carlson's or bowling…
Ronald
9:00 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Public participation is great. The problem usually occurs when unqualified individuals with person agenda try to inflict their opinions on those they 'represent'. HOA's are a particular problem. Take a look at POCA - the majority of the Board members have been 'elected' through the use of proxies from 3 individuals that control the apartment complexes there. POCA decides who get their name on the… more ›