Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Unintentionally Funny Quote of the Day
"Harford County is beyond race." State Sen. Nancy Jacobs in today's Aegis.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Happy Birthday to Us!
Today is TAA's first anniversary. It seems like just yesterday we started writing about traffic, over-development and hopes for an elected school board.
As always, we welcome your feedback and are interested in what you'd like to read about in TAA.
Thanks -- and keep reading!
As always, we welcome your feedback and are interested in what you'd like to read about in TAA.
Thanks -- and keep reading!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Voting FAQ
The Maryland Board of Elections has posted a helpful FAQ on its site to address some of the rumors concerning your odds being turned away at the polls. If you are concerned about any of these issues it might be helpful to print out this page and take it to the polling place with you. Don't assume that the poll workers are familiar with these issues. We at TAA are not encouraged, especially after the primary and the confusion over the voting machines, and the expected high turnout for the general election.
The FAQ addresses what you can wear to the polls, provisional ballots, absentee ballots, etc. To check it out, click here.
The FAQ addresses what you can wear to the polls, provisional ballots, absentee ballots, etc. To check it out, click here.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Book Sale
The Friends of the Library will hold a book sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Abingdon Library. They had lots of books last year at reasonable prices. Support the library and do some Christmas shopping. Many of these books are in really good shape. TAA loves getting books for Christmas!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Abingdon Armed Robbery
It's an acknowledged pattern that when the economy goes down crime goes up. We just wish it wasn't happening so close to us here at TAA.
On 12:30 a.m. Sunday while a couple slept in their townhome on Longridge Court in Abingdon, two armed men entered through a basement door. According to The Aegis, the couple heard a noise and the man went to investigate and saw the intruders. The robbers brandished a handgun and ordered the resident upstairs, and the intruders ransacked the bedroom and the rest of the house. Police aren't detailing what was stolen and are asking anyone with information call 1-888-540-TIPS.
The police told The Aegis they believe the home was targeted. Police also said they didn't think the crime was gang-related, but there could be a possible drug connection.
Not to be alarmist, but keep those doors locked.
On 12:30 a.m. Sunday while a couple slept in their townhome on Longridge Court in Abingdon, two armed men entered through a basement door. According to The Aegis, the couple heard a noise and the man went to investigate and saw the intruders. The robbers brandished a handgun and ordered the resident upstairs, and the intruders ransacked the bedroom and the rest of the house. Police aren't detailing what was stolen and are asking anyone with information call 1-888-540-TIPS.
The police told The Aegis they believe the home was targeted. Police also said they didn't think the crime was gang-related, but there could be a possible drug connection.
Not to be alarmist, but keep those doors locked.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Last Chance to Register to Vote
Got this from the Maryland Board of Elections:
The deadline to register to vote is October 14th at 9:00 p.m. The Voter Registration Application must be delivered in person to the State Board of Elections, a Local Board of Elections, or must be postmarked by October 14th to be eligible to vote in the 2008 Presidential General Election.
For more information click here.
The deadline to register to vote is October 14th at 9:00 p.m. The Voter Registration Application must be delivered in person to the State Board of Elections, a Local Board of Elections, or must be postmarked by October 14th to be eligible to vote in the 2008 Presidential General Election.
For more information click here.
Delaying the Uniforms Again
Just got this in our inbox:
Dear Parents:
Due to economic constraints, all School Uniform Parent Community Meetings are cancelled and will be rescheduled. At this time, the Board of Education of Harford County is deferring the school uniform exploration process, as well as other new initiatives, in order to focus on current budgetary issues. The Board is analyzing all current initiatives in the operating budget and realize the need to focus their energies at this time. No decisions have been made regarding school uniforms and the process will continue at a later date. As soon as that timeline is available, it will be communicated promptly. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Teri Kranefeld, manager of communications
Harford County Public Schools
Dear Parents:
Due to economic constraints, all School Uniform Parent Community Meetings are cancelled and will be rescheduled. At this time, the Board of Education of Harford County is deferring the school uniform exploration process, as well as other new initiatives, in order to focus on current budgetary issues. The Board is analyzing all current initiatives in the operating budget and realize the need to focus their energies at this time. No decisions have been made regarding school uniforms and the process will continue at a later date. As soon as that timeline is available, it will be communicated promptly. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Teri Kranefeld, manager of communications
Harford County Public Schools
Thursday, October 9, 2008
I-95/MD 24 Meeting
The Maryland Transportation Authority is holding workshops to discuss the improvement project for I-95/MD 24. It says the project will begin this fall and continue through spring 2011. The workshops are from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Abingdon Fire Hall.
There will be no formal presentation but staff will be available to answer questions. Our first question would be, we thought a specific plan wasn't approved so how can construction be starting already?
For more info click here and then click on "Capital Projects."
There will be no formal presentation but staff will be available to answer questions. Our first question would be, we thought a specific plan wasn't approved so how can construction be starting already?
For more info click here and then click on "Capital Projects."
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Are You on the List?
A disturbing article from The Washington Post:
The Maryland State Police classified 53 nonviolent activists as terrorists and entered their names and personal information into state and federal databases that track terrorism suspects, the state police chief acknowledged yesterday.
Police Superintendent Terrence B. Sheridan revealed at a legislative hearing that the surveillance operation, which targeted opponents of the death penalty and the Iraq war, was far more extensive than was known when its existence was disclosed in July.
The department started sending letters of notification Saturday to the activists, inviting them to review their files before they are purged from the databases, Sheridan said.
"The names don't belong in there," he told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. "It's as simple as that."
The surveillance took place over 14 months in 2005 and 2006, under the administration of former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R). The former state police superintendent who authorized the operation, Thomas E. Hutchins, defended the program in testimony yesterday. Hutchins said the program was a bulwark against potential violence and called the activists "fringe people."
Sheridan said protest groups were also entered as terrorist organizations in the databases, but his staff has not identified which ones.
The article continues:
But Sen. James Brochin (D-Baltimore County) noted that undercover troopers used aliases to infiltrate organizational meetings, rallies and group e-mail lists. He called the spying a "deliberate infiltration to find out every piece of information necessary" on groups such as the Maryland Campaign to End the Death Penalty and the Baltimore Pledge of Resistance. When Hutchins called their members "fringe people," the audience of activists who filled the seats in the hearing room in Annapolis sighed....
The police also entered the activists' names into the federal Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area database, which tracks suspected terrorists. One well-known antiwar activist from Baltimore, Max Obuszewski, was singled out in the intelligence logs released by the ACLU, which described a "primary crime" of "terrorism-anti-government" and a "secondary crime" of "terrorism-anti-war protesters."
To read the entire article
click here
The Maryland State Police classified 53 nonviolent activists as terrorists and entered their names and personal information into state and federal databases that track terrorism suspects, the state police chief acknowledged yesterday.
Police Superintendent Terrence B. Sheridan revealed at a legislative hearing that the surveillance operation, which targeted opponents of the death penalty and the Iraq war, was far more extensive than was known when its existence was disclosed in July.
The department started sending letters of notification Saturday to the activists, inviting them to review their files before they are purged from the databases, Sheridan said.
"The names don't belong in there," he told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. "It's as simple as that."
The surveillance took place over 14 months in 2005 and 2006, under the administration of former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R). The former state police superintendent who authorized the operation, Thomas E. Hutchins, defended the program in testimony yesterday. Hutchins said the program was a bulwark against potential violence and called the activists "fringe people."
Sheridan said protest groups were also entered as terrorist organizations in the databases, but his staff has not identified which ones.
The article continues:
But Sen. James Brochin (D-Baltimore County) noted that undercover troopers used aliases to infiltrate organizational meetings, rallies and group e-mail lists. He called the spying a "deliberate infiltration to find out every piece of information necessary" on groups such as the Maryland Campaign to End the Death Penalty and the Baltimore Pledge of Resistance. When Hutchins called their members "fringe people," the audience of activists who filled the seats in the hearing room in Annapolis sighed....
The police also entered the activists' names into the federal Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area database, which tracks suspected terrorists. One well-known antiwar activist from Baltimore, Max Obuszewski, was singled out in the intelligence logs released by the ACLU, which described a "primary crime" of "terrorism-anti-government" and a "secondary crime" of "terrorism-anti-war protesters."
To read the entire article
click here
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Spellcheck at Work
Did anyone else notice in the A1 story in The Aegis yesterday the Democratic Presidential nominee was named "Barrack Obama" ?
Ed note: However, this is not as bad as absentee ballots mailed in upstate New York with candidate Barack "Osama" listed.
Ed note: However, this is not as bad as absentee ballots mailed in upstate New York with candidate Barack "Osama" listed.
Friday, October 3, 2008
October Odds and Ends
Here at TAA we've been distracted by our new Facebook account and have been ignoring the blog. We've also been out and about and here are some random thoughts/ideas we've been having.
***Construction equipment is now located on Rte. 24 near the 1-95 interchange. Could the Rte. 24 project be about to start? We are doubtful, as there is no money anywhere for anything.
11 a.m. UPDATE: Maybe we're wrong. There are two construction workers with surveying equipment standing in the intersection of Tollgate/Constant Friendship Blvd. Watch out for them!
***The Aegis is reporting that Wegman's is indeed looking at the site on Rte. 24/Plumtree. Wegman's has no comment. We are skeptical about that particular site and believe the county council is trying to do some PR after completely disregarding the zoning board/board of appeals decision about that site. We could be wrong, but the timing of the leak doesn't seem coincidental.
***Uniform meetings are coming to a school near you. We would just like to add to our earlier post. The current dress code is not being enforced properly. Some children are sent home for wearing the same exact clothing as other children who are allowed to remain. It happens and it's not fair.
***Starbuck's has Wi-fi now, but good luck trying to use it. You either have to be an AT&T customer or another carrier we cannot remember, because it is not ours. The baristas said we did not need a password but we did. If any readers can help us with this technical problem we would be grateful. Also, the pumpkin spice latte is delicious.
***In an area this size it is a crime that we do not have a paid fire department. This is not 1960, 1970 or 1980 when people lived/worked in Abingdon. The reality is, people work far away and are pressed for time. Volunteer firefighters should be commended, they go far beyond normal public service. But the county needs to be realistic. There is a limited pool of possible volunteers to draw from. Nobody wants to pay a penny more than they need to for anything, while at the same time complain they have no services.
***Cokesbury Manor, the fairly new subdivision off Abingdon Road, is being used for Section 8 housing because there are no buyers for the homes. Reason: Edgewood school district. The houses are being subdivided and more than one family is living in some of them. We're not speaking against housing for people who need it. The point is, this is tax money that is being lost on these houses. Inadequate schools hurt everyone, not just the students. Everyone.
***Random thought: where is this Main Street everyone keeps talking about? Politicians and pundits keep talking about how the economic crisis is affecting the folks on Main Street. It's not 1950. Main Street is boarded up. And I know Bel Air has a Main Street, but it's not the same idealized version they're referring to. How about this phrase, "the folks in the cul-de-sac"? No?
***Construction equipment is now located on Rte. 24 near the 1-95 interchange. Could the Rte. 24 project be about to start? We are doubtful, as there is no money anywhere for anything.
11 a.m. UPDATE: Maybe we're wrong. There are two construction workers with surveying equipment standing in the intersection of Tollgate/Constant Friendship Blvd. Watch out for them!
***The Aegis is reporting that Wegman's is indeed looking at the site on Rte. 24/Plumtree. Wegman's has no comment. We are skeptical about that particular site and believe the county council is trying to do some PR after completely disregarding the zoning board/board of appeals decision about that site. We could be wrong, but the timing of the leak doesn't seem coincidental.
***Uniform meetings are coming to a school near you. We would just like to add to our earlier post. The current dress code is not being enforced properly. Some children are sent home for wearing the same exact clothing as other children who are allowed to remain. It happens and it's not fair.
***Starbuck's has Wi-fi now, but good luck trying to use it. You either have to be an AT&T customer or another carrier we cannot remember, because it is not ours. The baristas said we did not need a password but we did. If any readers can help us with this technical problem we would be grateful. Also, the pumpkin spice latte is delicious.
***In an area this size it is a crime that we do not have a paid fire department. This is not 1960, 1970 or 1980 when people lived/worked in Abingdon. The reality is, people work far away and are pressed for time. Volunteer firefighters should be commended, they go far beyond normal public service. But the county needs to be realistic. There is a limited pool of possible volunteers to draw from. Nobody wants to pay a penny more than they need to for anything, while at the same time complain they have no services.
***Cokesbury Manor, the fairly new subdivision off Abingdon Road, is being used for Section 8 housing because there are no buyers for the homes. Reason: Edgewood school district. The houses are being subdivided and more than one family is living in some of them. We're not speaking against housing for people who need it. The point is, this is tax money that is being lost on these houses. Inadequate schools hurt everyone, not just the students. Everyone.
***Random thought: where is this Main Street everyone keeps talking about? Politicians and pundits keep talking about how the economic crisis is affecting the folks on Main Street. It's not 1950. Main Street is boarded up. And I know Bel Air has a Main Street, but it's not the same idealized version they're referring to. How about this phrase, "the folks in the cul-de-sac"? No?
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