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.
Showing posts with label Maryland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maryland. Show all posts
Friday, October 17, 2008
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
Friday, June 20, 2008
Change in Booster Seat Law
Just saw this and thought I'd pass it along. As of June 30, the Maryland booster seat laws will change. The new law requires that every child younger than 8 years old must ride in a booster seat or other appropriate child safety seat unless the child is 4 feet, 9 inches or taller, or weighs more than 65 pounds.
"Child safety seat” includes infant seats, convertible seats, forward-facing seats, booster seats,or other federally approved safety devices.
TAA's 6-year-old weighs around 40 pounds soaking wet so she's still in a booster seat, although she's itching to get out. Now we can say, "you can't get out, it's the law."
We lived in Pennsylvania when that state passed a similar law. I've never heard so much complaining about anything. The residents of Doylestown (i.e. well-heeled) decrying the law because of the "hardship" cost of a new booster seat. FYI -- you can get a booster at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, etc. for about $20.
"Child safety seat” includes infant seats, convertible seats, forward-facing seats, booster seats,or other federally approved safety devices.
TAA's 6-year-old weighs around 40 pounds soaking wet so she's still in a booster seat, although she's itching to get out. Now we can say, "you can't get out, it's the law."
We lived in Pennsylvania when that state passed a similar law. I've never heard so much complaining about anything. The residents of Doylestown (i.e. well-heeled) decrying the law because of the "hardship" cost of a new booster seat. FYI -- you can get a booster at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, etc. for about $20.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Survey Question (not mine)
Our e-mailing delegate Rick Impallaria just sent me this survey. He asked to forward it to anyone who might be interested in responding, so I'm posting it. Feel free to cut and paste. I'm printing it in its entirety:
Opinion Survey - March 14, 2008
Each year I like to do a survey of Maryland residents to determine how they feel on certain issues. After I receive your responses (which are kept confidential), I tally the results, which I share with the Caucus, the Governor's Office, and, of course, with you, the respondents. This way you can see how others in the community react on these issues. I hope you will enjoy participating in this survey and seeing the end results.
1. Do you believe that the Special Session of November 2007, which raised taxes, is now helping or hurting the Maryland economy?
Helping Hurting
2. Do you intend to support slots in the upcoming election? Yes No Undecided
3. Do you support re-regulation of the utility industries? Yes No Undecided
4. Do you support the building of nuclear power plants to supplement our energy sources?
Yes No Undecided
5. Do you support the death penalty? Yes No Undecided
6. On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you rate the performance of Gov. O'Malley?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I will not take personally the rating for the General Assembly, so please answer honestly. We will tally the results and send them back to you as soon as we can. Please feel free to forward this survey to others you think may like to participate.
Rick Impallaria
Delegate, District 7
rick.impallaria@house.state.md.us
Mailing Address: 310 Lowe House Office Bldg., Annapolis, MD 21401
Opinion Survey - March 14, 2008
Each year I like to do a survey of Maryland residents to determine how they feel on certain issues. After I receive your responses (which are kept confidential), I tally the results, which I share with the Caucus, the Governor's Office, and, of course, with you, the respondents. This way you can see how others in the community react on these issues. I hope you will enjoy participating in this survey and seeing the end results.
1. Do you believe that the Special Session of November 2007, which raised taxes, is now helping or hurting the Maryland economy?
Helping Hurting
2. Do you intend to support slots in the upcoming election? Yes No Undecided
3. Do you support re-regulation of the utility industries? Yes No Undecided
4. Do you support the building of nuclear power plants to supplement our energy sources?
Yes No Undecided
5. Do you support the death penalty? Yes No Undecided
6. On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you rate the performance of Gov. O'Malley?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I will not take personally the rating for the General Assembly, so please answer honestly. We will tally the results and send them back to you as soon as we can. Please feel free to forward this survey to others you think may like to participate.
Rick Impallaria
Delegate, District 7
rick.impallaria@house.state.md.us
Mailing Address: 310 Lowe House Office Bldg., Annapolis, MD 21401
Friday, February 29, 2008
Annapolis Update: Nukes
Ever since I e-mailed him about something a month ago, my District 7 delegate has been flooding my inbox with e-mails. Here's an interesting update on Nuclear Energy I thought I'd share.
Annapolis Update #4: Follow-up to Nuclear Energy
Thank you for the great number of responses you sent to the last update -- it was overwhelmingly positive, and has set up a great dialog on this important topic. Many people had questions and comments, and I'm doing this follow-up to give you the answers.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? There are a number of things you can do to help generate public and political support for nuclear power: write letters to your local newspapers; contact your local, state and federal elected officials and voice your support for nuclear energy; call in to talk radio programs; spread the truth about nuclear power and our need for it to re-educate people who are fearful and debunk the negative myths.
WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE SPENT FUEL? Europe, especially France, is much more advanced than the U.S. in nuclear technology -- we are 30 years behind the times. The French reprocess spent fuel. Their new, modern fleet of nuclear reactors is state-of-the-art. They are constantly researching ways to reprocess, recycle, and dispose of nuclear waste. Each year the technology gets better, and it is concievable that what we now consider "waste" will in future be a valuable resource. And as a side note, the disposal facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada can probably handle 1000 years of waste, not taking into account any coming advances in treatment of nuclear waste.
CAN NUCLEAR WASTE BE SAFELY TRANSPORTED BY ROAD? It is safer to transport nuclear waste than gasoline or chlorine. This is because the same safeguards used for nuclear weaponry are also used in the transportation of nuclear materials. We know that a nuclear warhead can be dropped from an airplane and fall safely to earth without detonating or causing environmental damage, unless it is intentionally detonated.
WOULD YOU LIVE NEAR A NUCLEAR PLANT? Yes. I would have no qualms for my family. And a good bill to propose would discount electricity for those living in proximity of a nuclear plant, the amount of the discount depending on distance from the plant.
IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAPABLE OF SAFELY REGULATING NUCLEAR PLANTS? The government already safely regulates them. The government has its own reactors. The Navy has had nuclear submarines for 50 years without incident.
HOW MANY OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS FAVOR NUCLEAR POWER? I took a straw poll of our 23 members, and 75% are pro-nuclear, and 25% have an open mind about it. I don't believe anyone is totally opposed to it.
ARE THERE ANY OUTSTANDING NUCLEAR POWER COMPANIES? There are only a handful of companies that operate nuclear facilities. My personal feeling is that by re-regulating electricity production the energy industry in Maryland and throughout the country, the federal and state governments could play a very large role in moving toward clean, safe, and economical nuclear power.
IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THE POWER GENERATED BY CALVERT CLIFFS PLANT AVAILABLE TO MARYLANDERS? There is a bill in this session (House Bill 624 - Energy Consumer Protection Act) to sell the cheap electricity produced by the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant to Marylanders first, rather than selling it out-of-state. This would help our electric rates to go down.
Rick Impallaria
Delegate, District 7
rick.impallaria@house.state.md.us
Annapolis Update #4: Follow-up to Nuclear Energy
Thank you for the great number of responses you sent to the last update -- it was overwhelmingly positive, and has set up a great dialog on this important topic. Many people had questions and comments, and I'm doing this follow-up to give you the answers.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? There are a number of things you can do to help generate public and political support for nuclear power: write letters to your local newspapers; contact your local, state and federal elected officials and voice your support for nuclear energy; call in to talk radio programs; spread the truth about nuclear power and our need for it to re-educate people who are fearful and debunk the negative myths.
WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE SPENT FUEL? Europe, especially France, is much more advanced than the U.S. in nuclear technology -- we are 30 years behind the times. The French reprocess spent fuel. Their new, modern fleet of nuclear reactors is state-of-the-art. They are constantly researching ways to reprocess, recycle, and dispose of nuclear waste. Each year the technology gets better, and it is concievable that what we now consider "waste" will in future be a valuable resource. And as a side note, the disposal facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada can probably handle 1000 years of waste, not taking into account any coming advances in treatment of nuclear waste.
CAN NUCLEAR WASTE BE SAFELY TRANSPORTED BY ROAD? It is safer to transport nuclear waste than gasoline or chlorine. This is because the same safeguards used for nuclear weaponry are also used in the transportation of nuclear materials. We know that a nuclear warhead can be dropped from an airplane and fall safely to earth without detonating or causing environmental damage, unless it is intentionally detonated.
WOULD YOU LIVE NEAR A NUCLEAR PLANT? Yes. I would have no qualms for my family. And a good bill to propose would discount electricity for those living in proximity of a nuclear plant, the amount of the discount depending on distance from the plant.
IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAPABLE OF SAFELY REGULATING NUCLEAR PLANTS? The government already safely regulates them. The government has its own reactors. The Navy has had nuclear submarines for 50 years without incident.
HOW MANY OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS FAVOR NUCLEAR POWER? I took a straw poll of our 23 members, and 75% are pro-nuclear, and 25% have an open mind about it. I don't believe anyone is totally opposed to it.
ARE THERE ANY OUTSTANDING NUCLEAR POWER COMPANIES? There are only a handful of companies that operate nuclear facilities. My personal feeling is that by re-regulating electricity production the energy industry in Maryland and throughout the country, the federal and state governments could play a very large role in moving toward clean, safe, and economical nuclear power.
IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THE POWER GENERATED BY CALVERT CLIFFS PLANT AVAILABLE TO MARYLANDERS? There is a bill in this session (House Bill 624 - Energy Consumer Protection Act) to sell the cheap electricity produced by the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant to Marylanders first, rather than selling it out-of-state. This would help our electric rates to go down.
Rick Impallaria
Delegate, District 7
rick.impallaria@house.state.md.us
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Interesting Bookmarks
Picked up two interesting items at the Bel Air library. The first is an easy way to support the library while doing your Christmas shopping.
At the Bel Air library (not sure if this is available at Abingdon) you can pick up a voucher for the Barnes & Noble Bookfair supporting the Harford County Public Library Foundation.
On Dec. 7 at the Bel Air Barnes & Noble if you present the voucher to the cashier while making your purchase, a percentage of the net sale will be donated to the foundation. It doesn't say how much, but any bit will help.
Two new interesting titles we're interested here at TAA are The Letters of Noel Coward and Options, by the Fake Steve Jobs.
Another bookmark takes us back to one of our favorite topics, road construction. The bookmark asks readers to "Help Shape the Future of Transportation in Maryland" by going online and completing a 10-minute survey. The answers "you provide will be used to shape Maryland's 20-year vision for transportation."
Here's the link.
Take the survey
At the Bel Air library (not sure if this is available at Abingdon) you can pick up a voucher for the Barnes & Noble Bookfair supporting the Harford County Public Library Foundation.
On Dec. 7 at the Bel Air Barnes & Noble if you present the voucher to the cashier while making your purchase, a percentage of the net sale will be donated to the foundation. It doesn't say how much, but any bit will help.
Two new interesting titles we're interested here at TAA are The Letters of Noel Coward and Options, by the Fake Steve Jobs.
Another bookmark takes us back to one of our favorite topics, road construction. The bookmark asks readers to "Help Shape the Future of Transportation in Maryland" by going online and completing a 10-minute survey. The answers "you provide will be used to shape Maryland's 20-year vision for transportation."
Here's the link.
Take the survey
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Disenfranchisement--Education Version
It's American Education Week and I could not be much less hopeful about education in my part of Harford County. Don't get me wrong -- Abingdon Elementary where my children attend is a wonderful school. The teachers are great and the test scores are among the highest in the county.
I guess this goes back to my earlier column about being disenfranchised. I've seen photos of the new high school where my children will not attend. Instead, I'm looking at a 29.4 assessment rate for 8th-grade math at Edgewood Middle School. I see Jacqueline Haas named superintendent of the year for Maryland while the middle AND high school my child is slated to attend have not met the Average Yearly Progess goals for consecutive years. So instead of a plan detailing what the school board is implementing to improve the situation, we're treated to a "rally day" at the high school featuring the Ravens Busboys.
A rally day does not take the place of a comprehensive plan to improve the schools. We're not idiots. Cal Ripken, Jr. memorabilia and some balloons aren't answers to these problems.
At the rally day, Haas is quoted as saying, "You are the model for the rest of the county because of the close connection that already exists among Edgewood-area schools, this feeder system was chosen to pilot the program for the rest of the county. I know you are proud of your schools and the work done by your teachers every day."
Speaking for myself, I feel as close to the Edgewood community as I do to the Fallston community. I don't. I'm in Abingdon/Emmorton. My community is on this side of 95. Districting our school into another community doesn't make us part of another community.
I've been asking for answers about a comprehensive plan and so far have gotten none. I know there are great kids at Edgewood/Edgewood Middle. I don't think it's unsafe or a drug haven. I think they deserve more than just being safe. They also deserve the education that we are paying all these taxes for. You know, the same education that the kids at C. Milton are getting.
I guess this goes back to my earlier column about being disenfranchised. I've seen photos of the new high school where my children will not attend. Instead, I'm looking at a 29.4 assessment rate for 8th-grade math at Edgewood Middle School. I see Jacqueline Haas named superintendent of the year for Maryland while the middle AND high school my child is slated to attend have not met the Average Yearly Progess goals for consecutive years. So instead of a plan detailing what the school board is implementing to improve the situation, we're treated to a "rally day" at the high school featuring the Ravens Busboys.
A rally day does not take the place of a comprehensive plan to improve the schools. We're not idiots. Cal Ripken, Jr. memorabilia and some balloons aren't answers to these problems.
At the rally day, Haas is quoted as saying, "You are the model for the rest of the county because of the close connection that already exists among Edgewood-area schools, this feeder system was chosen to pilot the program for the rest of the county. I know you are proud of your schools and the work done by your teachers every day."
Speaking for myself, I feel as close to the Edgewood community as I do to the Fallston community. I don't. I'm in Abingdon/Emmorton. My community is on this side of 95. Districting our school into another community doesn't make us part of another community.
I've been asking for answers about a comprehensive plan and so far have gotten none. I know there are great kids at Edgewood/Edgewood Middle. I don't think it's unsafe or a drug haven. I think they deserve more than just being safe. They also deserve the education that we are paying all these taxes for. You know, the same education that the kids at C. Milton are getting.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Flu Shots in Harford County
Just in case you're worried about the flu:
Harford Co. Health Dept. will hold clinics on the following dates and times for the general population. Cost is $20
Oct 25 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Ripken Statdium (rain date 11/2)
Oct 27 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Bel Air Middle School
Nov 1 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Fallston High School
Nov 14 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM Edgewood Middle School
Nov 16 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM North Harford Elementary
Nov 30 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Level Fire hall
Harford Co. Health Dept. will hold clinics on the following dates and times for the general population. Cost is $20
Oct 25 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Ripken Statdium (rain date 11/2)
Oct 27 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Bel Air Middle School
Nov 1 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Fallston High School
Nov 14 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM Edgewood Middle School
Nov 16 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM North Harford Elementary
Nov 30 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Level Fire hall
A New Look at Abingdon
I'm surprised at the dearth of news in the area, so being a former newspaper-type I thought I'd start writing about topics that interest me, and probably at least a few others in the area.
Let's get started.
I'm relatively new to the area, we moved here from Philly burbs about 3 1/2 years ago and one thing I've noticed -- Abingdon is looking a lot more like Philly in the last few years. And I'd like to add, I don't mean that in a good way.
I live near the Wal-Mart, Target complex and am surprised by the two recent additions -- yet another self-storage space and a pet mega-store.
Where is the good sit-down restaurant I was hoping for? Are there others out there as disappointed as me? I guess the rumors about Outback going there were just that. And maybe readers could tell me if they are allowed to build on every available space in that complex? The traffic is getting terrible and there's no end in sight.
Getting back to the Philly reference, I was thinking as I was driving away from BJ's that in 5 years the place was going to look even dumpier, which reminded me of a strip mall near my house in Philly. There was so much trash you couldn't even see the grass. There were dead plants from discarded "beautification" efforts. Look at this complex and you can see, it's not long in coming.
Let's get started.
I'm relatively new to the area, we moved here from Philly burbs about 3 1/2 years ago and one thing I've noticed -- Abingdon is looking a lot more like Philly in the last few years. And I'd like to add, I don't mean that in a good way.
I live near the Wal-Mart, Target complex and am surprised by the two recent additions -- yet another self-storage space and a pet mega-store.
Where is the good sit-down restaurant I was hoping for? Are there others out there as disappointed as me? I guess the rumors about Outback going there were just that. And maybe readers could tell me if they are allowed to build on every available space in that complex? The traffic is getting terrible and there's no end in sight.
Getting back to the Philly reference, I was thinking as I was driving away from BJ's that in 5 years the place was going to look even dumpier, which reminded me of a strip mall near my house in Philly. There was so much trash you couldn't even see the grass. There were dead plants from discarded "beautification" efforts. Look at this complex and you can see, it's not long in coming.
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