Wednesday, December 26, 2012
It was a scorching month, and the news was hot as well. Check out these top stories from June.
- GOVERNMENT
- Tim Lemke
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
It's December now, so it's easy to forget the sweltering days we endured in June. But take a look at these big stories from the month for a reminder of what went down. Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law “Obamacare” got a boost when the Supreme Court said the new Affordable Care Act was constitutional. Patch got reaction from residents of west Anne Arundel County. Town Center Committee Supports New Apartments Another apartment development got the go-ahead from Odenton’s development review board. The 239-unit project at Nevada and Hale Streets is one of many similar projects in the pipeline. Derecho Storm Plows Through A powerful storm band raced across the eastern half of the United States and hit Maryland hard, with hurricane-force …
Thursday, September 6, 2012
It's hurricane season, and we're not too far from the onset of winter.
- BUSINESS
- Tim Lemke
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Thursday, September 6, 2012
Hurricane Isaac's battering of the Gulf of Mexico reminds us that Mother Nature can be a nasty lady. A year ago, this area got nailed by Irene, and it's impossible to forget the impact of the derecho storm in June. As we know, this area is not immune to power outages. Are you prepared to deal with a hurricane or other disaster if it strikes. Here are some local places to go to get what you need: Odenton Ace Hardware—Ace has the basics down pat. There are always plenty of batteries. There are flashlights. There are power cords. There is duct tape. And you know your money is going to support a local, family-owned business. Here's a tip: Sign up for the Ace Rewards card. They send you $5 discount cards frequently, and that can save you some …
Friday, August 3, 2012
"It is important to note that no utility east of the Mississippi River could have anticipated the raw strength of this storm system," stated the BGE report.
UPDATED (2:12 p.m.)—The unpredictability of the June derecho was an important factor in the scope and length of power outages across service area of Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), according to a new report filed with the state. BGE filed its Major Outage Event Report with the Public Service Commission on July 30 as is required by Maryland law after a "major outage event." The derecho, which hit on June 29, left more than three quarters of a million Maryland customers in the dark—62 percent of BGE’s customer base in Maryland. More than 100,000 BGE customers in Anne Arundel County lost power in June in the days after the storm. The investigation was initiated by a letter sent by Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and six other elected …
Monday, July 30, 2012
Here's a look at the top stories for the month of the July in Odenton, Severn and the surrounding area.
Wow, what a busy month. We entered July recovering from a major storm, and there were plenty of news stories to follow. Here's a look at the biggest stories of the month in Odenton and Severn. The Two Rivers Story We'll be writing about this for a while. Developers want to build 2,060 homes down near the south edge of Odenton. They also say they'll build a new elementary school. And Evergreen Road may also get extended. It's a complex story with a lot of moving pieces. Pay attention to upcoming meetings with the Piney Orchard Community Association and the school board, among other groups. Woman Dies in Fire in Chapelgate The second floor of a duplex caught fire and one woman did not escape. Firefighters said there were no working smoke …
Friday, July 20, 2012
The increase will raise a household's monthly electricity bill by about $2, according to a statement issued by the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Of the $68 million rate increase requested by Pepco, the Maryland Public Service Commission has rejected $50 million. Still, the $18 million rate increase "translates into a $2.02 typical residential monthly bill impact" (a 1.69 percent increase), according to a statement issued by the Maryland Public Service Commission on Friday afternoon. In the rejection order, the commission "noted its overall dissatisfaction with Pepco’s performance, and characterized its request to increase returns to shareholders 'before Pepco corrects its sub-par performance' as 'backwards,' " according to the statement. Pepco filed the request on Dec. 16, 2011. "The full record in the case included testimony from 31 witnesses and 11 days of evidentiary hearings, …
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
The library has been dealing with air conditioning problems.
The West County Area Library is back open Wednesday after being closed due to air conditioning problems. The library had closed on Tuesday due to a lack of air conditioning and high building temperature. It was previously closed for several days due to power outages following the major derecho storm. Any holds placed on books will extended based on the number of days the library was closed, library officials said on the system's Facebook page. The library will be open Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Miss the news last week? Get caught up here.
- LOCAL CONNECTIONS
- Tim Lemke
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Sunday, July 15, 2012
If you missed any news last week, this should get you caught up. Click on the links to read more. Developers Pitch New School South of Piney Orchard Koch Homes and Classic Communities Corp. want to build 2,060 homes west of Maryland Route 3 in the area of the Capitol Raceway. To move things along, they've said they will pay $38 million for an elementary school. Read our follow-up story and analysis of the Two Rivers proposal. Fire Displaces Family; How to Help T.J. and Jennifer Hontz and their four children have been left searching for a new place to live after a fire damaged the townhouse they were renting in Hanover. Patch offered information on how to help. The family's oldest boy is scheduled to have heart surgery next month. Police…
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
In a letter to the utilities' regulatory agency, leaders of seven jurisdictions outline changes they said need to be made in light of the power failures during the derecho storm.
Less than two weeks after a massive storm disabled power to more than three quarters of a million Maryland residents, elected leaders wrote in a letter to a state regulatory agency that utility companies need to improve their performance and disclose critical outage information when government agencies request it. In the letter to the Public Service Commission, officials urged the regulatory agency to consider changes to the way utilities operate, including burying some power lines underground, mandatory staffing levels and improved disclosure of outage information to local municipal officials. The letter was signed by Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold, Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, and the executives of …
Friday, July 6, 2012
Once again, many local residents lost power after a major storm. Are some neighborhoods cursed?
Once again, hundreds of residents in Odenton, Severn and Gambrills struggled without electricity over the last week, after a major derecho storm blew through the area. For some, power came back on quickly, but in other pockets of Odenton, service was still not restored even as of Friday afternoon. There are some pockets of this area that always seem to lose power. Piney Orchard loses power frequently. Four Seasons was out for days after the derecho and lost electricity on Thanksgiving morning last year. In Maple Ridge, some residents are still waiting for power, just as they did following Tropical Storm Irene. It could be the density of trees in the area, or the age of some electric lines. Or maybe there are evil forces at work. Which …
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Delegate Cathy Vitale (R-District 33A) is personally informing BGE of any outages among her constituents.
Delegate Cathy Vitale (R-District 33A) is urging anyone who is still without power to contact her to ensure that Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. is aware of the outage. Vitale said she plans to personally hand BGE officials a list of homes where electricity service has yet to be restored. Residents can contact Vitale at Cathy.Vitale@house.state.md.us or 410-841-3510. As of 2:15 p.m. Thursday, there were 5,512 BGE customers in Anne Arundel County without power. BGE crews have been assigned to work Thursday to restore service in Odenton and west Crofton, according to a list on the company's website. To report a power outage directly to BGE, call 1-800-778-2222.
Patrick H.
10:56 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Don't forget your bible. Good reading in times of trouble. Thanks for the list. more ›