20070906 Bethesda firm touting benefits of an incinerator by Sherry Greenfield

Bethesda firm touting benefits of an incinerator by Sherry Greenfield

Thursday, Sept. 6, 2007

Bethesda firm touting benefits of an incinerator

by Sherry Greenfield | Staff Writer

A political consulting and market research firm in Bethesda is contacting media in Frederick County to tout the benefits of incinerators.

Bill Holleran, vice president of Potomac Incorporated, called The Gazette last week to offer its services in the newspaper’s reporting of a proposed jointly built trash incinerator for Frederick and Carroll counties.

He wanted to talk about the positive attributes of the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility in Dickerson, which is similar to what Frederick and Carroll counties are considering building. The firm’s president, Keith Haller, confirmed that Covanta Energy, which built and operates the Montgomery County incinerator, is a client, but would not say specifically if Covanta paid Potomac Incorporated to call media in Frederick County.

Covanta Energy has placed a bid to build a similar incinerator for Frederick and Carroll counties.

[…]

Frederick County officials are looking into building an incinerator that burns trash and turns it into fuel to generate electricity that could be sold to an electric company, and turned to Praisner to learn about Montgomery’s experience in building one. Michael Marschner, director of Frederick County’s Utilities and Solid Waste Management, said Tuesday the county did not hire Potomac Incorporated to educate residents on the benefits of incinerators.

‘‘They are not working for Frederick County,” Marschner said. ‘‘I don’t think we need a public relations person. I think we need education.”

Marschner confirmed that Conventa is one of two waste management companies that bid for the job of building a joint incinerator for both Frederick and Carroll counties, a Frederick plant only, or a Carroll plant only.

The other company is Wheelabrator Technologies of Houston, Texas.

[…]

‘‘We do not need a public relations firm,” said Robin B. Davidov, executive director of the authority. ‘‘I can do that myself.”

Read the entire article here: Bethesda firm touting benefits of an incinerator

20070905 Westminster Eagle Week in Review

Westminster Eagle Week in Review

Wednesday, September 5th, 2007 - Posted Saturday, September 8th, 2007

Kevin E. Dayhoff

---

Day at State Fair fills us with Carroll County pride
What better way to spend one of the last hoorahs of summer than enjoying a day at the Maryland State Fair?

The fair, which ended its run on Monday, is always a sensory overload of lights, sounds, smells, food and the people watching, not to mention the traditional fair favorites such as the animal...
[Read full story]

Local News Saturday, September 08

Recreation

---

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

Balance is theme in Carroll County as 2007 football campaign begins

Two years ago, football teams at Westminster and South Carroll high schools reached Maryland state championship games in their respective classifications.

That same year, Francis Scott Key and Winters Mill also made postseason appearances as Carroll County placed four of its seven schools in the MPSSAA state playoffs.

It's possible that same scenario could happen in 2007.

While several teams were depleted by graduation, the quality of football in the county appears to be at an all-time high. Consider th...
[Read full story]

---

Test scores are in, but warrant a closer look
The results are in, but county education officials last week weren't quite sure whether they warranted a cheer ... or a more subdued pat on the back.

Just as students were settling back into school, Carroll County Public Schools staffers were diving last week into a detailed analysis of new High S...
[Read full story]

---

Family treasures at HSCC
Appraisal Day taps into history and family pride

It's interesting to see what people have in their attics, basements and stored away in closets.

For Timmi Pierce, executive director of the Historical Society of Carroll County, one of the most interesting "finds" during last year's HSCC Antiques ...
[Read full story]

Focus on People

---

Focus on People
Venturing Crew earns environmental honor

Representatives of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Boy Scouts of America this month presented the youth of Venturing Crew 202 with the William T. Hornaday Award for significant service in the field of natural resource conservation.

To ear...
[Read full story]

Business Briefs

---

Business Briefs
Primm takes new position at New Windsor

New Windsor State Bank has announced that Louna S. Primm recently joined the bank in the position of executive vice president and chief lending officer.

In the new role, she is responsible for NWSB's commercial, residential and consumer lending.

Primm h...
[Read full story]

Opinion

---

Commuter service trial run might be a way to test transit waters
Editorial

The Board of County Commissioners raised a few eyebrows recently with a reported discussion of the future of transit service in Carroll County and whether there's any desire to connect with neighborhoods closer to, or even in, Baltimore city.

In the wake of that discussion, a longtime ...
[Read full story]

Wolf at the Door

---

Commuters could milk the railway lines for all they're worth
I'm always fascinated about the words or sayings we use.

I once heard a man at a gathering say, "Well, I waited and took the milk train down to Baltimore."

I couldn't help but ask him if he knew where or how that expression started. I then had an opportunity to use some stored up facts.

Farmer...
[Read full story]

Culleton on Carroll

---

Taxpayers support those who spend in the wrong places
I think Ebenezer Scrooge must have been a Republican. And if he lived today, he would buy a McMansion in Carroll County.

Scanning the local papers I find that the wealthier people get the stingier they are. For example, our commissioners get paid about the same as the beginning salary for a comput...
[Read full story]

[Local news archives]

YMCA weighing options

Walking through the Westminster Inn last week, Jeff Sprinkle couldn't help but remember his days in the building as a student.

Both he and his father, Sprinkle said, attended school at the Inn when it was a schoolhouse. Despite the fact that the classrooms have been converted to bedrooms and the d...
[Read full story]

---

Test scores are in, but warrant a closer look
The results are in, but county education officials last week weren't quite sure whether they warranted a cheer ... or a more subdued pat on the back.

Just as students were settling back into school, Carroll County Public Schools staffers were diving last week into a detailed analysis of new High S...
[Read full story]

---

Teens' creativity reaps reward from library
For the fifth year, middle school and high school youth of Carroll County were given an opportunity to show off their writing chops during the Carroll County Public Library's Summer Shorts contest.

The five county library branches collected a total of 70 entries over the course of the summer.

La...
[Read full story]

---

News Briefs
Steam and Gas show at Farm Museum, Sept. 7-9

The Mason Dixon Historical Society Inc. will host its 45th annual Steam and Gas Round-Up at the Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St., Friday-Sunday, Sept. 7, 8 and 9, 7 a.m. to dusk each day. The day starts with breakfast, 7-10 a.m., and a flag...
[Read full story]

---

Fun and games for a good cause: Youth Services Bureau
The second annual Day to Play on Saturday, Sept. 8, in Westminster promises a fun time for children and adults alike, but also has a serious mission in mind -- helping raise money for the Carroll County Youth Services Bureau.

The Day to Play fund-raiser calls on teams of participants to scour the ...
[Read full story]

---

More Headlines

Family treasures at HSCC

Education Notes

Education Notes

09/05/07
By Heidi Schroeder

Email this story to a friend

Mad about Monarchs at Bear Branch

Carroll County Outdoor School and Bear Branch Nature Center will sponsor "Monarch Madness" on Sunday, Sept. 23, noon to 4 p.m. at Bear Branch Nature Center.

Participants will celebrate the arrival of autumn by learning about the annual migration of Monarch butterflies to and from Mexico. They will also have the chance to meet a life-sized Monarch butterfly and caterpillar while enjoying butterfly and native plant walks, a monarch life cycle exhibit, monarch migration tag and release, native plants and butterfly items for sale. Discussions during the day will include monarch "stations," native gardening and Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly restoration.

There will also be crafts, games, face painting and butterfly storytelling. Food, beverages and souvenirs will be for sale.

Call 410-848-2517 or e-mail bbnc@carr.org for more information. Bear Branch Nature Center is located at 300 John Owings Road in Westminster.

> The Carroll County Board of Education will meet on Monday, Sept. 10, 5 p.m., in room 007 of the board offices, 125 N. Court St., Westminster. The public is invited to attend. The agenda and back-up materials for the meeting will be available for review on BoardDocs at the CCPS Web site at www.carrollk12.org.

> The Westminster Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization will meet at the school on Monday, Sept. 17, 3:30 p.m. For more information, e-mail WestminsterPTO@yahoo.com.

> Westminster High School's Instrumental Music Boosters will hold an indoor-outdoor Craft Fair, Flea Market and Yard Sale on Saturday, Sept. 8, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Westminster High School, 1225 Washington Road in Westminster. There will be food and door prizes, as well as a children's corner with baby sitting.

For more information, call Annette at 410-857-9673. Proceeds benefit Westminster High Instrumental Music.

> A public hearing on the boundary line changes for Ebb Valley Elementary School and the new northeast high school will be held Monday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. at North Carroll High School, 1400 Panther Drive, Hampstead.

I want to hear about upcoming events and achievements at your school. Share items with me by phone at 410-386-0334 or by e-mail at hschroeder AT patuxent.com.

Sports Notes

'Beastlax' seeking players for grades 10-12

The Beastlax 7-on-7 Fall Lacrosse League is looking for high school age players in 10th, 11th and 12th grades.

All games will be held in Westminster on Saturday afternoons, Sept. 15-Oct. 20. E-mail or call for information, at [Read full story]

---

Reporter's Notebook

* BIG SHOES TO FILL ... Graduation took many top players from 2006. Just two of the county's top five rushers and two of the top 10 receivers return, so this could be a rebuilding year for several teams. Also, only two regular quarterbacks are back for 2007: Liberty's Colton Weaver and North Carroll...
[Read full story]

Key Games to Watch
From cross-county road trips to cross-town rivalries, the 2007 Carroll County high school football schedule has several critical matches at key times. For some, these contests could set the tone of the 2007 campaign early on; for others, a late-season road game or poor weather could make the differe...
[Read full story]

More Headlines GAME FACES

Coffee, doughnuts and ice cream in Boston by Kevin Dayhoff
My wife and I recently spent our annual "history week trek" in Boston, Mass.

We had already completed our obligatory family vacation at the beach. For the additional annual week away, often in the past we have headed south to the "grits belt" for a "history-and-working" vacation. Williamsburg, Va....
[Read full story]

20070905 Song of the South: No grits, no glory

Song of the South: No grits, no glory

Note: This column first appeared in the Westminster Eagle on August 1^st, 2007. Since it ran I have had several requests for copies… This is a longer version of that column. It is cross posted on my Westminster Eagle blog. "The Winchester Report":

Winchester Report: Song of the South: No grits, no glory

(Also see: “20070802 Welcome to the Outer Banks Grits Grill”)

Please enjoy.

08/01/07 – September 5^th, 2007 By Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently, my family ventured on our annual sojourn south. It's a combination family reunion and vacation, as folks rendezvous from literally all over the world to a house with its very own ZIP code in Nags Head, N.C.

Many are aware of North Carolina's Outer Banks as a family values-oriented destination of sun, beach and unhurried afternoons reading a book -- not to mention the leisurely romantic walks on the beach at sunset.

But of course, the real reason I like to go is to watch the Tour de France and the readily-available access to the most northern reaches of the "Georgia Ice Cream" belt ... which runs from Louisiana to North Carolina.

What's that, you ask? What is "Georgia Ice Cream?" Honey child, I am so glad you asked. It's perhaps the most misunderstood of Southern delicacies: grits.

Many folks from Carroll County are not familiar with grits -- and that's a crying shame. The South is known for its gentile politeness and friendliness, and there's little doubt that there's direct cause and affect between being accommodating and friendly and the consumption of grits.

Indeed, the state of South Carolina decreed grits its "state food" in 1973. The reverential state declaration proclaimed, in part, that, "grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this state, but also the world."

You may very well consider standing, placing your hand on your heart, and re-reading the previous sentence.

In the past, northerners have come up with many well-documented ways of annoying southerners. Lengthy historic and economic dissertations will give the uninformed a certain insight that disagreements over the manufacture and distribution of grits could be considered one of the causes of the “War of Northern Aggression.”

But one of the best sure-fire ways of having “Fort Sumter moment” is to suggest, gasp, that grits is somewhat akin to cream of wheat. Not.

In 1952, the Charleston News and Courier proclaimed that grits, "an inexpensive, simple and thoroughly digestible food, should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of (grits) is a man of peace."

The singular noun, "grits" has its roots from the Old English word, "grytta" meaning a coarse meal of any kind.

Native Americans introduced ground maize -- grits -- to the early English settlers many hundreds of years ago when the colonists were illegal aliens and did not speak the language of the land.

Outside the South, folks attempt to make the word "grits" plural. Not so. Consider the word, spaghetti, which is considered to be plural in form but takes a singular verb. (One does not, for example, write "spaghetti are.") Anytime you hear "grits are good," that is a sure-fire sign you're dealing with a Yankee who is not properly schooled in the fine art of grits.

According to one of my holiest Outer Banks destinations, the Grits Grill: "There are two basic types: corn grits and hominy grits. Corn grits (is) made from dried, milled corn kernels. Hominy grits (is) made by soaking corn in lye water for several days and then dried."

Of course, it's worth mentioning that the Grits Grill also serves another Southern delicacy, Krispy Kreme Donuts.

Many folks consider grits to be solely a breakfast food. Wrong. Grits is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In the traditional South, grits automatically comes with breakfast. Once while traveling in the South, I specifically asked for an order of grits. The waitress glanced at me sideways and chewed her gum at a faster pace as she decreed, "Honey, grits just comes."

Many folks simply eat grits with a touch of salt and butter. Of course the real grits aficionado eats 'em smothered with bacon grease with their pinkie finger extended. I like grits mixed lightly ... with steak and eggs over-light. Please consult your cardiologist for additional consumption instructions.

As you can now easily understand, in a world pre-occupied with conflict and environmental perils, if more grits were served at mealtime, this food of love and peace could very well save the planet.

The Carroll County commissioners should consider passing an ordinance requiring, at a minimum, grits be served in all county restaurants for six months prior to all elections. They should certainly be served at all public hearings.

The Maryland General Assembly might consider going one-step further than South Carolina and passing legislation requiring grits to be a mandatory menu item in all state restaurants.

No grits, no glory.

Have you ever heard of folks arguing while sharing a meal of grits? I rest my case. At the Westminster Eagle, all we are saying is:

Give grits a chance.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster, and welcomes recipe ideas for grits.

E-mail him at kdayhoff AT carr DOT org or kevindayhoff AT gmail DOT com

http://www.kevindayhoff.net/

His columns appear in The Tentacle, http://www.thetentacle.com/; Westminster Eagle Opinion http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ and Winchester Report.

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

20070905 Song of the South: No grits, no glory

Song of the South: No grits, no glory

Note: This column first appeared in the Westminster Eagle on August 1^st, 2007. Since it ran I have had several requests for copies… This is a longer version of that column. It is cross posted on my Westminster Eagle blog. "The Winchester Report":

Winchester Report: Song of the South: No grits, no glory

(Also see: “20070802 Welcome to the Outer Banks Grits Grill”)

Please enjoy.

08/01/07 – September 5^th, 2007 By Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently, my family ventured on our annual sojourn south. It's a combination family reunion and vacation, as folks rendezvous from literally all over the world to a house with its very own ZIP code in Nags Head, N.C.

Many are aware of North Carolina's Outer Banks as a family values-oriented destination of sun, beach and unhurried afternoons reading a book -- not to mention the leisurely romantic walks on the beach at sunset.

But of course, the real reason I like to go is to watch the Tour de France and the readily-available access to the most northern reaches of the "Georgia Ice Cream" belt ... which runs from Louisiana to North Carolina.

What's that, you ask? What is "Georgia Ice Cream?" Honey child, I am so glad you asked. It's perhaps the most misunderstood of Southern delicacies: grits.

Many folks from Carroll County are not familiar with grits -- and that's a crying shame. The South is known for its gentile politeness and friendliness, and there's little doubt that there's direct cause and affect between being accommodating and friendly and the consumption of grits.

Indeed, the state of South Carolina decreed grits its "state food" in 1973. The reverential state declaration proclaimed, in part, that, "grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this state, but also the world."

You may very well consider standing, placing your hand on your heart, and re-reading the previous sentence.

In the past, northerners have come up with many well-documented ways of annoying southerners. Lengthy historic and economic dissertations will give the uninformed a certain insight that disagreements over the manufacture and distribution of grits could be considered one of the causes of the “War of Northern Aggression.”

But one of the best sure-fire ways of having “Fort Sumter moment” is to suggest, gasp, that grits is somewhat akin to cream of wheat. Not.

In 1952, the Charleston News and Courier proclaimed that grits, "an inexpensive, simple and thoroughly digestible food, should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of (grits) is a man of peace."

The singular noun, "grits" has its roots from the Old English word, "grytta" meaning a coarse meal of any kind.

Native Americans introduced ground maize -- grits -- to the early English settlers many hundreds of years ago when the colonists were illegal aliens and did not speak the language of the land.

Outside the South, folks attempt to make the word "grits" plural. Not so. Consider the word, spaghetti, which is considered to be plural in form but takes a singular verb. (One does not, for example, write "spaghetti are.") Anytime you hear "grits are good," that is a sure-fire sign you're dealing with a Yankee who is not properly schooled in the fine art of grits.

According to one of my holiest Outer Banks destinations, the Grits Grill: "There are two basic types: corn grits and hominy grits. Corn grits (is) made from dried, milled corn kernels. Hominy grits (is) made by soaking corn in lye water for several days and then dried."

Of course, it's worth mentioning that the Grits Grill also serves another Southern delicacy, Krispy Kreme Donuts.

Many folks consider grits to be solely a breakfast food. Wrong. Grits is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In the traditional South, grits automatically comes with breakfast. Once while traveling in the South, I specifically asked for an order of grits. The waitress glanced at me sideways and chewed her gum at a faster pace as she decreed, "Honey, grits just comes."

Many folks simply eat grits with a touch of salt and butter. Of course the real grits aficionado eats 'em smothered with bacon grease with their pinkie finger extended. I like grits mixed lightly ... with steak and eggs over-light. Please consult your cardiologist for additional consumption instructions.

As you can now easily understand, in a world pre-occupied with conflict and environmental perils, if more grits were served at mealtime, this food of love and peace could very well save the planet.

The Carroll County commissioners should consider passing an ordinance requiring, at a minimum, grits be served in all county restaurants for six months prior to all elections. They should certainly be served at all public hearings.

The Maryland General Assembly might consider going one-step further than South Carolina and passing legislation requiring grits to be a mandatory menu item in all state restaurants.

No grits, no glory.

Have you ever heard of folks arguing while sharing a meal of grits? I rest my case. At the Westminster Eagle, all we are saying is:

Give grits a chance.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster, and welcomes recipe ideas for grits.

E-mail him at kdayhoff AT carr DOT org or kevindayhoff AT gmail DOT com

www.kevindayhoff.net

His columns appear in The Tentacle, www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion www.thewestminstereagle.com and Winchester Report.

20070904 How to Avoid the Freshman 15

How to Avoid the Freshman 15

September 4^th, 2007

This post is dedicated to everyone who just dropped-off a loved-one at college.

I try and follow nutrition issues because a younger family member wants to be a nutritionist and I felt that a good uncle would wanna participate in meaningful conversations… I’m not sure that it’s working, but that might be the stuff of another conversation.

I was howling when I read the part “Unfortunately, as a diet plan, 47 bowls of cereal per day doesn't work so well.”

Our loved-one, whom we just dropped-off at college, immediately bypassed the fresh fruit, tempting wraps, and salads and began wolfing-down bowls of cereal… As much as I am also a cereal-lover myself, cereal must be a college freshman thing.

Me, I was addicted to macaroni and cheese in college. We would purchase it by the case.

Anyway… I just received this in an e-mail…

from Jen Hubley

When I was in school, there was a rumor going around that the cafeteria meat arrived in large crates marked: GRADE D. SUITABLE FOR PRISONS AND STATE UNIVERSITIES. The taste of the food did nothing to dispel the myth.

In the Spotlight

5 Ways to Get Fat in College

Surprisingly, the general yuckiness of the food did nothing to prevent me from overeating. If anything, it made me stuff food down faster and pig out on desserts more than I normally would. And, of course, all of that led to a common college student disorder: The Mysterious Shrinking Pants Syndrome.
- Exercise Guide Paige Waehner

Fight the Freshman 15

The real culprit was probably the overabundance of carbs we were all eating. If dinner is lousy, it makes sense to load up on free cereal. Unfortunately, as a diet plan, 47 bowls of cereal per day doesn't work so well.

Weight Loss Guide Jennifer R. Scott

Stress and the Freshman 15

If you're an emotional eater, freshman year of college is extra hard. For most of us, it's the first time we were away from home and responsible for ourselves.
- Stress Management Guide Elizabeth Scott, M.S.

####

20070827 News Clips

News Clips

August 27, 2007

STATE NEWS

Triathlon organizers win use of county roads
Group will pay an undisclosed fee for an increased police presence Sept. 9
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.triathlon26aug26002635,0,2390475.story
Organizers of Annapolis' first triathlon, who first struggled to win over some angry downtown merchants, have climbed over another obstacle: the possibility of the race being kept off county-owned roads. The Annapolis Triathlon Club last week agreed to pay Anne Arundel County an unspecified fee for a beefed-up police presence during the Sept. 9 event, which is expected to draw 1,500 athletes and thousands more spectators to the city.
Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, a vocal proponent of the event, said s he had asked state Sen. John C. Astle and Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch, who both live in Annapolis, to intervene in last week's controversy to ensure it would go on as planned. She said that the city can and should work to accommodate such events that draw attention to the historic city.

Ulman hopes state funding cuts will be 'reasonable'
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-ho.politics26aug26,0,2234346.story
With General Assembly leaders talking about local governments sharing the pain of the state's $1.5 billion projected revenue shortfall next fiscal year, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman knows his next budget could take a big hit -- up to $40 million -- despite Gov. Martin O'Malley's promise to keep local governments in the clear.
The final decisio ns won't come until next year's General Assembly session is nearing an end in the spring, but Ulman is saying he is not likely to raise county property taxes to compensate for any state cuts.
"If anyone thinks we can easily raise revenue, they're mistaken," he said. "We're at our maximum on the piggyback [income tax]. Raising the property tax is not something I would consider lightly. People need to be prepared that these are cuts that will not be backfilled with local taxes." But County Councilman Greg Fox, a western county Republican, is not buying Ulman's argument."We knew that the state was looking at us as being part of the solution, and we shouldn't have been spending and spending as if we weren't going to be part of it," Fox said.

Craig backs camera plan
County executive supports putting surveillance tool on Edgewood streets
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/harford/bal-ha.crime26aug26002635,0,3502240.story
A crime-fighting tool that has paid dividends when put to use in Baltimore and Aberdeen now is the focus of Harford County officials looking to turn back the tide of crime in Edgewood. The use of surveillance cameras, the topic of frequent discussion in the community in recent weeks, took an important step forward last week when County Executive David R. Craig offered his support for the plan."This won't happen overnight, but I have asked the sheriff to look into the cameras," Craig said Friday.In Aberdeen, two surveillance cameras have been mounted in the town's higher-crime areas. The cameras rotate 360 degrees and are monitored from the city's police station. Harford County State's Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly said prosecutors have used footage from the cameras i n a drug case. "Because of that film, we had enough to get a conviction," Cassilly said. "So it just seemed like an idea that should be explored for Edgewood."

Craig unveils plan for new school
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/harford/bal-ha.elementary26aug26002635,0,5851205.story
An open house at the county's first new high school in 27 years gave County Executive David R. Craig the chance to announce more school construction. As he was about to tour the $70 million Patterson Mill complex Friday, Craig heralded the $1.4 million purchase of 23 acres in Churchville for another elementary school. Harford County will have 34 elementary schools when the two new schools open in 2011 and relieve crowding in the Bel Air area. Although the new schools have long b een needed, the county has been stymied in its efforts to find affordable land.

Lawmaker wants to remove Md. assets from Iran, North Korea, Syria
http://www.examiner.com/a-898459~Lawmaker_wants_to_remove_Md__assets_from_Iran__North_Korea__Syria.html
State retirement and pension assets would be removed from companies doing business in Iran, Syria and North Korea, under a bill an Anne Arundel County lawmaker plans to bring back for the General Assembly's next session.
Delegate Ron George, a Republican, said lawmakers have a responsibility to divest about $1.7 billion Maryland has in those countries to make sure the money is not helping nations that the federal government has designated as state sponsors of terrorism.

O'Malley faces tough choices Taxes , transportation, slots are challenges
http://www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/08_26-38/TOP
Tax bills will be going up while spending goes down, slots at destination locations near Maryland's borders could become an issue, and nobody should expect a new span for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as long as Gov. Martin O'Malley is in the State House.Leading the state is a much different task than taking over Baltimore, the governor said, especially since the city was going "code blue" and Maryland is strong. Mr. O'Malley - who has a fiery reputation - said the State House has to have a more patient leader to forge compromises. The governor has taken heat from Republicans and Democrats alike for not trying to solve the budget deficit last session, but Mr. O'Malley saw the 90 days of the General Assembly session and the months afterwards as a time to build partnerships. Maryland doesn't have to overcome the "culture of failure" that pervaded in Baltimore, but the challenges ahead will need to be solved by a united front, he said.

Leggett's Strategy On Slots: Hushed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/25/AR2007082501174.html
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett has been quietly urging local lawmakers to take a low profile in the statewide debate over slot machine gambling even though polls have shown repeatedly that county residents are the state's most ardent opponents.Leggett's decision to lower the decibel level on slots marks a new approach for Montgomery Democrats in a debate that for years has divided state political leaders. The payback, Leggett hopes, would be a state budget package that plugs an estimated $1.5 billion shortfall without making Montgomery residents shoulder what county leaders say would be a disproportionate share of the costs.

Rail Projects at the Mercy of U.S. Agency
Federal Guidelines, and Funds, Direct Plans for Dulles, Purple Lines
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/26/AR2007082601189.html
The key decisions about Maryland's proposed Purple Line -- the route it takes, the type of rail cars it uses, the possibility of tunneling underground -- will be determined not by public opinion or political pressure.
Rather, a single agency that controls the limited federal money set aside for transit projects will shape the rail or bus line that could eventually link Bethesda and New Carrollton.
The Federal Transit Administration, which helped sink plans for a tunnel through Tysons Corner and is demanding further cost accounting for the proposed Metro line through Dulles International Airport, will likewise dictate what any new transit line through suburban Maryland would look like and when -- or whether -- there will be money to build it.
"It's the driving force behind the planning process," Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari said of the competition for federal money. "You can have the best conceived transit project in the world, and it's not going forward if it doesn't qualify for federal funding."


EDITORIALS/OP-EDS

Keeping up
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.transpo26aug27,0,585401.story
Since 1971, Maryland has financed its road and transit projects thro ugh a self-sustaining account known as the Transportation Trust Fund. It's proved a highly successful formula. A variety of user fees including the state gas tax, vehicle titling tax, registration fees and the like have fueled billions of dollars of investment in needed infrastructure. But the system is in danger of breaking down. Various alternatives to replenishing the trust fund - from raising the vehicle titling tax (particularly for gas guzzlers) and increasing the trust fund's share of the state tax on corporate profits, to applying the state sales tax to transportation-related transactions like car repairs - deserve serious consideration. But indexing the gas tax - arguably the fairest of all the highway user fees, because those who drive the most also pay the most - ought to be the starting point for next year's debate.

Under new schools CEO, reason for optimism amid the challenges
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.alonso27aug27,0,5381120.story
I'm excited about the new school year in Baltimore, which starts today. And I'm not alone. The appointment of Andres Alonso as CEO has generated hopeful anticipation. One thing's for sure: Under his leadership, city school bells will be chiming a different tune. National as well as local eyes will be on us. He represents a new breed of urban school superintendent, one with potential to bridge traditional and nontraditional schools of thought about what it takes to be a successful superintendent. There's a fighting chance. Mr. Alonso chose to come to Baltimore because he felt the circumstances were ripe: the manageable scale of our city's school population compared with larger cities; the shared vision with the school board; the relative stability of local and state politics; and the school s ystem's foundation of progress in recent years.

Get politics, therapy out of classrooms
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.hanson26aug26,0,1907705.story
Last week I went shopping in our small rural hometown, where my family has attended the same public schools since 1896. Without exception, all six generations of us - whether farmers, housewives, day laborers, businesspeople, writers, lawyers or educators - were given a good, competitive K-12 education. But after a haircut, I noticed that the 20-something cashier could not count out change. The next day, at the electronics outlet store, another young clerk could not read - much less explain - the basic English of the buyer's warranty. At the food market, I listened as a young couple argued over the price of a cut of tri-tip, unable to calculat e the meat's real value from its price per pound.
As another school year is set to get under way, it's worth pondering where this epidemic of ignorance came from.
Our presidential candidates sense the danger of this dumbing down of American society and are arguing over the dismal status of contemporary education: poor graduation rates, weak test scores and suspect literacy among the general population. Politicians warn that America's edge in global research and productivity will disappear, and with it our high standard of living.

Leopold stands up for the law
http://www.examiner.com/a-901298~Editorial__Leopold_stands_up_for_the_law.html
Law-abiding businesses with Anne Arundel County contracts have nothing to fear from a new local government rule. County Executive John R. Leopold, a Republica n, recently signed an executive order requiring all firms with county contracts to certify no illegal immigrants work for them. Why should taxpayers be forced to pay contractors who break the law?
Unlike Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, who earlier this month "forgot" to file tax forms for his housekeeper until days after firing her for being an illegal immigrant, Leopold showed symbolic courage in signing the executive order. Just because everybody else may be ignoring the law does not make it right nor good policy. County executives across the state should reaffirm their local government's commitment to its own laws by issuing similar orders. If it's OK to flout one law, it's a slippery slope to governments choosing to enforce only those laws they find palatable.

Budget to deflect O'Malley's key issues
http://ww w.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070827/METRO/108270041/1004
Maryland's budget problems are likely to push aside many of the special interests that dominated Gov. Martin O'Malley's first General Assembly session. "There's a buffet of issues to keep the voter and the taxpayer angry," said Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley, Frederick Republican. "I think the trick will be to see how the legislature and the governor fill their plates and hope to be rewarded in 2010. There will be a lot of bitter food." Mr. Brinkley said it would help to hold a special session to close the deficit before the next session, which convenes in January. But he expressed little optimism that House Speaker Michael E. Busch, Anne Arundel Democrat; Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., Prince George's Democrat; and Mr. O'Malley, also a Democrat, will agree on a solution before the next session.

NA TIONAL NEWS

Gilchrest swings by Lower Shore
Stops on the congressman's agenda today include Crisfield dock, Salisbury fundraiser
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070827/NEWS01/708270306/1002
U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-1-Md., plans a firsthand look at a Crisfield dock in need of a complete overhaul today during stops in all three Lower Shore counties. He will tour the 97-foot dock at the end of Broad Street with Somerset County officials at 3 p.m., between visits to Ocean City and Salisbury. Several months ago, Somerset County officials turned to lawmakers in Washington for funding help after learning it will cost $450,000 to repair the dock. Gilchrest has written $150,000 of federal transportation funds into the House-vers ion of the Appropriations Bill, which has been approved. The bill, however, has not been approved by the Senate, and the congressman will have to ensure the money is not cut, said Tony Caligiuri, Gilchrest's chief of staff.


Poultry farmers fall under plan for terror watch
http://washingtontimes.com/article/20070827/METRO/108270037/1004
Poultry growers are protesting proposed Department of Homeland Security regulations that would label propane gas a "chemical of interest" and require anybody with 7,500 pounds or more of the fuel to register with the agency. At that amount, poultry farmers who use propane to heat chicken houses would have to fill out the forms. British police last month thwarted a terrorist plot in which two vehicles were loaded with nails packed around canisters of propane and gasoline, then set to deto nate. In Iraq, the military has seen propane tanks used in homemade bombs. Still, U.S. Sens. Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin, Maryland Democrats, and Sen. Thomas R. Carper, Delaware Democrat, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking that the rule be shelved.
"Given the serious threats that are currently facing our country and the limited resources of the Department of Homeland Security, please explain why this initiative is a good use of federal dollars," the senators wrote earlier this month.

20070827 CyberAlert

CyberAlert

Monday August 27, 2007 (Vol. Twelve; No. 148)

---

1. Shields: 'Overkill' by 'Right-Wing Radio' Will Help Hillary "Overkill" from "right-wing radio," in criticizing Senator Hillary Clinton, is her "secret weapon" that will "transform her into a figure of sympathy by a majority of people" -- and presumably help elect her President -- syndicated columnist and PBS NewsHour political analyst Mark Shields contended Friday night. On Inside Washington, a weekly panel show produced by ABC's Washington, DC affiliate which airs it on Sunday mornings after it first runs Friday night at 8:30pm on DC's PBS affiliate, WETA-TV channel 26, Shields argued: "I think the secret weapon for Senator Clinton, if she is the Democratic nominee, is not simply Rudy's shortcomings, the perceived shortcomings of her opponent, I think you'll see on the part of right-wing radio -- conservative talk, however you want to call it -- such overkill that it will make her, transform her into a figure of sympathy by a majority of people." NPR's Nina Totenberg then chimed in: "That happened in her first Senate run."

2. Kristol Astounds Lauer by Rejecting Media Touting of Warner & NIE Matching the theme of NBC Nightly News from the evening before, the Today show on Friday morning portrayed Republican Senator John Warner's call for 5,000 troops to return home by Christmas as "a major defection" and "sharp rebuke" to President Bush, but to the astonishment of co-host Matt Lauer, who described Warner as "a pretty heavy domino" falling against Bush, guest Bill Kristol rejected the media's presumptions about the importance of Warner's stand. Andrea Mitchell trumpeted "a major defection from the most authoritative Republican Senator on all things military. It is a sharp rebuke to the President" from "the Senate's most influential Republican on the Armed Services Committee." When Kristol made clear he didn't think Warner's comments were such a big deal since he remains opposed to a pull-out timetable, Lauer argued: "What about the signal it sends to moderate Republicans in Congress? You know everybody talks about some sort of large scale defection. Isn't John Warner a pretty heavy domino?" Kristol countered: "No, because it hasn't fallen. He's not going to vote against the President in September, that's the more important thing." Turning to the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iraq, which Mitchell had described as "grim," Kristol highlighted positive findings about defeating al-Qaeda, prompting an incredulous Lauer to wonder: "Are they looking at the same country that you just saw?"

3. Newsweek's Michael Hirsh Ridicules 'Harsh' Vietnam Aftermath In a "Web-exclusive" commentary posted Thursday, Newsweek Senior Editor Michael Hirsh ridiculed President George W. Bush's warning that a precipitous pull-out from Iraq could lead to the humanitarian horrors that followed the American pull-out from Vietnam. Recalling a trip he made to Vietnam in 1991, Hirsh reported that he found a nation looking to the West and capitalism, adding that "today Vietnam remains" only "nominally communist." He then snidely asserted: "This was the 'harsh' aftermath that George W. Bush attempted to describe this week when he warned against pulling out of Iraq as we did in Vietnam." James Taranto, in his Friday "Best of the Web Today" posting for OpinionJournal.com, asked: "Could that last sentence be any more disingenuous? To Hirsh, the 'aftermath' of America's withdrawal from Vietnam didn't begin until 1991, more than 16 years after Saigon fell. About events between 1975 and 1991, he has only this to say: 'Yes, a lot of Vietnamese boat people died on the high seas; but many others have returned to visit in the ensuing years.'"

4. CBS: Mass. Health Insurance Mandate, Subsidy Don't Go Far Enough A year and a half after the CBS Evening News celebrated the then-upcoming Massachusetts mandate requiring everyone to buy health insurance and the state subsidizing it for those with lower incomes -- "Imagine this: Virtually everyone guaranteed health insurance coverage. It's happening in one state, and it could be a model for the rest" -- Friday's newscast found it has come up short. Anchor Katie Couric teased the upcoming story on how the law didn't go far enough in providing subsidies, "Universal health insurance: It is supposed to mean everyone is covered. But in the only state that has it, hundreds of thousands are not. That story next." Reporter Wyatt Andrews highlighted how state-subsidized coverage saved one man's life, trumpeting that as "the state's achievement. Out of 400,000 uninsured residents last year, around 170,000 now have insurance." But, he continued, "the gap that remains is huge. It includes some 130,000 young adults, most of them middle income men who have to pay their own premiums. They either don't want insurance or can't afford it." For expert advocacy, Andrews turned to the head of a liberal group, Health Care for All: "Health care advocate John McDonough praises the state for a good start but says that gap in affordability has to be filled."

5. CNN's 'God's Warriors' Reflects MSM's Bias Against 'Big 3' Faiths Christiane Amanpour's six-hour "God's Warriors" mini-series first aired Tuesday-Thursday nights last week on CNN reflected less of the reality of "fundamentalist" monotheists -- Jews, Muslims, and Christians -- and more of liberals' attitudes about these faiths. It is clear, given how CNN and Amanpour covered each faith, that they have sympathy towards Muslims in the U.S., "concern" with the Jewish settlers in the West Bank, and are uncomfortable towards the beliefs and practices of Christian evangelicals. Tuesday night's "God's Jewish Warriors" focused on the cause of the "right-wing" Jewish settlers. The term "right wing" was used seven times to describe the settlers and/or their supporters in Israel and in the United States, and "fundamentalist/-ism" was used three times, once in reference to Christian supporters of the settlers in the U.S. On Wednesday night's "God's Muslim Warriors," "fundamentalist/-ism" was the more prevalent term, used 11 times. "Right wing" was used twice, only to describe Geert Wilders, a member of the Dutch Parliament.

6. FNC's Fox News Watch Shows MRC Home Page with CyberAlert Headline You saw it here first. FNC's Fox News Watch on Saturday set up a segment, on a Pew Research Center for the People and the Press poll on how Americans distrust the media and see it as biased, by showing screen shots of the home pages of a couple of media watchdog groups, including the Thursday CyberAlert headline on the MRC's home page, "Networks: Bush's Vietnam Lesson Hypocritical & Invalid."

A usually-daily report, edited by Brent H. Baker, CyberAlert is distributed by the Media Research Center, the leader since 1987 in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias.

The 2,475^th CyberAlert. Tracking Liberal Media Bias Since 1996
11:15am EDT, Monday August 27, 2007 (Vol. Twelve; No. 148)