In case you missed it, Harford County Schools showcased its infrastructure problems this week in three separate incidents.
Homestead/Wakefield students were exposed to asbestos because technicians tore off an asbestos ceiling sending fibers into the air. The air was contaminated and school was closed. Students got Wednesday off, but after they'd been exposed to the asbestos on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Joppatowne High students were forced to leave their building because of a suspected gas leak. BGE arrived and examined the site while students waited outside in the cold.
Also this week, Edgewood High students were forced to endure a stench from a pipe underneath the kitchen that cracked, causing wastewater to spill into a crawl space and leaving behind an unpleasant odor in the cafeteria and locker room areas, school officials told The Sun.
The Sun reported that county health inspectors determined that there were no health concerns but that the odor presents a "human comfort situation," spokesman Don Morrison said. You can fill in your own comments on that one.
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
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Finally...The Best Picture Arrives
Only months after its initial release (note sarcasm here) multiple Oscar winner "No Country for Old Men" is hitting the Regal in Constant Friendship. It starts tomorrow with its first showing at 12:40. Another Oscar winner, "Juno," has its last showing tonight at 9:10.
I'm constantly dismayed at how this large multiplex RARELY has Oscar-caliber movies. While we were treated to such gems as "The Hottie and the Nottie," we completely missed movies such as "La Vie En Rose." I guess they don't think out in the 'burbs we could possibly handle subtitles?
When I went to see "The Queen" last year, it was absolutely packed. But this year, good movies have been hard to come by. Which could explain why the last several times I've frequented Regal haven't been to watch anything but children's movies: Happy Feet, Bee Movie and Harry Potter.
I'm constantly dismayed at how this large multiplex RARELY has Oscar-caliber movies. While we were treated to such gems as "The Hottie and the Nottie," we completely missed movies such as "La Vie En Rose." I guess they don't think out in the 'burbs we could possibly handle subtitles?
When I went to see "The Queen" last year, it was absolutely packed. But this year, good movies have been hard to come by. Which could explain why the last several times I've frequented Regal haven't been to watch anything but children's movies: Happy Feet, Bee Movie and Harry Potter.
Lead Paint & More
This is not specifically Abingdon-focused, but I saw an article today about how there was a rise in injuries from nursery products in 2006. I clicked on the link in the article to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and was surprised to see all the recalls in just the last few months for everything from space heaters to hoodies.
When I switched my e-mail I forgot to sign up again for the CPSC's e-mail newsletter. You have a choice to get alerts about everything, or just specific products categories (e.g. infant/child products.) If you subscribe, you'll get e-mails about what's being recalled directly from the CPSC. Some of these don't get any media attention, so it's a good resource.
There's still so much lead paint out there -- not getting all the attention it was a few months ago -- but there are still many products being recalled because of it.
When I switched my e-mail I forgot to sign up again for the CPSC's e-mail newsletter. You have a choice to get alerts about everything, or just specific products categories (e.g. infant/child products.) If you subscribe, you'll get e-mails about what's being recalled directly from the CPSC. Some of these don't get any media attention, so it's a good resource.
There's still so much lead paint out there -- not getting all the attention it was a few months ago -- but there are still many products being recalled because of it.
Friday, February 22, 2008
It's Not Just About A Principal
I’ve been waiting to write about the Edgewood Middle School Alternative Governance Board meeting on Feb. 7 in the blog because I’ve been considering writing a letter to the newspaper or contacting someone to try to get what’s happening into the mainstream media. I still may do that, because I can’t believe that nothing’s been written about the actions being taken at this school. I know they have a small staff, and failure’s not as exciting as contaminated well water in a more well-heeled neighborhood, but I can’t believe that the items written by The Aegis gloss over the fact of why the school is looking for a new principal.
The Aegis’ coverage of a search for a new principal at Edgewood Middle School misses an important aspect of the process. Because of the school’s failure to meet testing standards for several years in a row, it is required by the state to choose among four different actions; one choice is hiring a distinguished principal. The state is required to supply candidates, but had only three available to the entire state. None were available with middle school experience.
One impossible choice presented by the state was making EMS a charter school – a two-year process that no probationary school can make because of its short time frame. EMS must have a plan approved by the spring. Another choice was to hire an outside agency to run the school. However, no agencies available have any middle school experience. The last option available was dismissing inadequate staff and hiring new staff.
These somewhat false choices shine a light on the institutional failure of the state to provide options for really improving failing schools. The group working on improving the situation at EMS, while well-intentioned, was never presented with a chance to make the real changes needed. This is not an attack on the group working to rectify the situation or EMS students. If EMS qualified for Title 1 status, which it is close to doing, students would then be presented with school vouchers and Harford County Public Schools would have to let them attend another school in the county. Faced with students heading to Patterson Mill, with its state-of-the art equipment or a school with broken water fountains – what would happen? The school system, because of overcrowding issues, would have to act and really improve the schools.
The Aegis’ coverage of a search for a new principal at Edgewood Middle School misses an important aspect of the process. Because of the school’s failure to meet testing standards for several years in a row, it is required by the state to choose among four different actions; one choice is hiring a distinguished principal. The state is required to supply candidates, but had only three available to the entire state. None were available with middle school experience.
One impossible choice presented by the state was making EMS a charter school – a two-year process that no probationary school can make because of its short time frame. EMS must have a plan approved by the spring. Another choice was to hire an outside agency to run the school. However, no agencies available have any middle school experience. The last option available was dismissing inadequate staff and hiring new staff.
These somewhat false choices shine a light on the institutional failure of the state to provide options for really improving failing schools. The group working on improving the situation at EMS, while well-intentioned, was never presented with a chance to make the real changes needed. This is not an attack on the group working to rectify the situation or EMS students. If EMS qualified for Title 1 status, which it is close to doing, students would then be presented with school vouchers and Harford County Public Schools would have to let them attend another school in the county. Faced with students heading to Patterson Mill, with its state-of-the art equipment or a school with broken water fountains – what would happen? The school system, because of overcrowding issues, would have to act and really improve the schools.
Weather Update
Here in Abingdon at 11:15 it's 32 degrees with a clear road in front of my house. I'm saying this because the speeders on my road don't seem to be slowing down at all, not because I've actually been out.
Just wanted to check with readers to see if it's worse where you are. I saw there was an accident at the 77A exit of I-95 earlier, but really haven't seen too much since then.
I agree with the decision today to cancel school, but come on Harford County, take one of the spring break days away. You're cutting too far into our summer!
Also, is anyone getting the feeling that eSchoolnewsletter is really spam in disguise? Did I really need to get an e-mail before the school closing notification about titled "Emergency School Closing Information" with a link to an eSchoolnewsletter site page with the school closing information. (My newly updated Internet Explorer wouldn't even let me open the link because of certification problems.) I thought the idea of having an e-newsletter was not having to check a Web site. You can always just check the HCPS site for school closings. It's posted on the site almost immediately.
Just wanted to check with readers to see if it's worse where you are. I saw there was an accident at the 77A exit of I-95 earlier, but really haven't seen too much since then.
I agree with the decision today to cancel school, but come on Harford County, take one of the spring break days away. You're cutting too far into our summer!
Also, is anyone getting the feeling that eSchoolnewsletter is really spam in disguise? Did I really need to get an e-mail before the school closing notification about titled "Emergency School Closing Information" with a link to an eSchoolnewsletter site page with the school closing information. (My newly updated Internet Explorer wouldn't even let me open the link because of certification problems.) I thought the idea of having an e-newsletter was not having to check a Web site. You can always just check the HCPS site for school closings. It's posted on the site almost immediately.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Election Results
The Maryland Board of Elections has a complete, although unofficial, tally of voting results for Harford County on its Web site. The county votes are tallied, and then it's broken out into congressional districts.
Interesting to see how many voted and for whom. People are still voting for Alan Keyes? Surprising.
To see the results -- no spin included -- click here.
Interesting to see how many voted and for whom. People are still voting for Alan Keyes? Surprising.
To see the results -- no spin included -- click here.
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