Teen Pleads Guilty In Hebron Brawl

From WaPo:

By Raymond McCaffrey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 31, 2008; B05

A 19-year-old former wrestling champ from Columbia pleaded guilty this week to voluntary manslaughter in the death of another teen during a brawl last year outside a Howard County high school, a confrontation that authorities now say involved about two dozen participants in a prearranged rematch of an earlier fight.

Kevin F. Klink, who was initially charged with murder, entered the plea Tuesday and, under the terms of his plea agreement, is to be sentenced Feb. 26 to 13 years in prison, said Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for the county state's attorney's office.

Robert Brazell Jr., 18, of Ellicott City was fatally injured when he was struck in the head with an aluminum bat during the fight outside Mount Hebron High School, which involved young men mostly connected to that school or to Hammond High School in Columbia. Klink, who graduated in 2006 from Oakland Mills High School in Columbia, also pleaded guilty to carrying a dangerous weapon.

According to a statement of facts attached to the plea arrangement, Klink said he was defending a friend under attack from the victim. The statement said that Klink "honestly, but unreasonably believed that the force that he used was necessary." According to the statement, one witness said he saw Klink "hold a black, aluminum bat with both hands, and use a full 'homerun' swing as the bat hit the back of Robert Brazell's head," though the victim was unarmed.

Kirwan said yesterday that prosecutors would not comment on the plea arrangement "because it is still an active case." Calls to Klink's family and his attorney, as well as to Brazell's parents, were not returned. A friend of Brazell's has been charged with assault and is being tried as a juvenile.

According to the statement, investigators learned that a group of male students at Mount Hebron were at a party earlier that night and "began to exchange phone calls with a student from Atholton High School," attempting to set up "a rematch of an altercation" that had occurred Feb. 19 near Town and Country Boulevard.

About 15 Mount Hebron students left the party and went to a field outside their school, where they encountered an opposing group that included Klink and an unidentified participant who "each carried a bat." The two groups began "yelling threats and profanities to each other," and the brawl ensued.

Klink told police that "he was standing on the outskirts of the fight, alert to anyone approaching him from behind when he saw that his friend . . . was being beaten by three males."

"The defendant said he then took a level swing with the bat and connected with what he thought was the male's shoulder area," the statement said. "The male then hit the ground, but maybe got back up. The defendant stated that he ran, telling his friends that things went bad."

Police Search For Missing Woman

From the HoCo PD:

Howard County Police are searching for a Columbia woman who was last seen more than a week ago. Investigators suspect foul play in the disappearance of Elda Vazquez, 28, and are asking anyone with information to contact police.

Vazquez was reported missing by a friend yesterday. She was last seen Jan. 22 around 10:30 p.m. entering a cab in the parking lot of Eggspectation restaurant on University Blvd. in Ellicott City, near Route 108 and Snowden River Parkway.

Detectives believe Vazquez was dropped off by the cab driver in the 8700 block of Tamar Drive near her home. Vazquez’s roommates told police she never came home that night.

Police are suspicious because Vazquez did not tell anyone she was planning to leave, nor did she pack any of her belongings. She worked two jobs, seven days a week, but hasn’t reported to work or contacted her employers in a week. Detectives have contacted Vazquez’s friends and family, and no one has heard from her since her disappearance.

Police are urging anyone with information to call police at 410-313-3200. Investigators are hoping to talk with anyone who knows Vazquez or who may have seen something suspicious on Tamar Drive Jan. 22.

See a picture of Vazquez here.

The Healing Arts

WaPo featured the Tai Sophia Institute, the local alternative medicine school, in its Health section this week. We found it informative, even if we might quibble with the story's description that the campus offers "an undeniable allure, blended into the woods and streams near Columbia."

Last time we were in the neighborhood, over off Johns Hopkins Road, we couldn't help notice the sterile office park and hum of traffic noise from Route 29.

Here's an excerpt:

Tai Sophia has grown in size and influence as interest in alternative therapies has increased. From a small healing-arts clinic founded in 1975, it has become an academic institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The Maryland Higher Education Commission has endorsed all three of Tai Sophia's master's degree programs: acupuncture, started in 1981; herbal medicine, begun in 2002; and applied healing arts, a general wellness degree, opened to students in 2002. Its 100 graduates a year practice in 40 states and eight countries around the world.

The institute sees itself as a bridge. Tai Sophia's name represents the joining of two ancient healing traditions: the Chinese word "tai," meaning "great," and the Greek word "sophia," meaning "wisdom." Similarly, it views its mission as bringing together different approaches to health: "We're committed to reuniting the science of medicine and the art of healing," said Robert Duggan, the institute's president. "Herbal medicine, for example, has elements of both."

A Wiki For Your Thoughts

This is pretty cool -- an Oakland Mills Group is using a wiki to trade ideas on what should be done with a public space near the village's community center, the Other Barn.

We'll let them take it from here:

Hello All!

This is your opportunity to help to shape the PUBLIC ART component of the Oakland Mills Robert Oliver Place Enhancement project. We are very excited to hear from you! It's easy and it will only take as long as you'd like to spend on our wiki offering feedback.

We've compiled a group of pictures of public art and put them up online on a website called a "wiki."

Please come check them out and let us know what you think. And hey, if you come across pictures of public art that you'd like to add to the wiki, please do!

Here's what you do:

1. Go to this page.
2. Read the home page of the "wiki" for on how you can review, add comments, or add new photos to the website. HINT - You can use the EasyEdit button.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS! SHARE YOUR CREATIVE IDEAS! LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

We will be reviewing input on this website through Wednesday March 5th.

Thanks!

The ROPE Project Public Art Team

Saving Those Banners

Looks like there is controversy afoot over the advertising banners displayed at HCYP's youth baseball complex. The folks at the park say money from the banners supports scholarships, operational and capital expenses and athletic programs.

Here's a letter sent out by HoCo Council chairwoman Courtney Watson. She suggests the concerns could also affect sponsorships at SAC's soccer complex near Centennial High:

Dear Resident,

Recently a complaint was filed against Howard County Youth Program for its display of sponsorship banners on field fences. The Howard County Department of Licensing and Permits has determined through the Howard County Office of Law, that the banners do not comply with Howard County's sign laws. The sign laws are complaint driven, so Howard County will only enforce the law if a complaint is made.

Upon learning of this situation, I consulted with the Office of Law, the leadership of HCYP, its outside attorney Sang Oh, as well as the attorney for the business who filed the complaint.

After gathering all of the information, it was my determination that the best way to remove the threat to this source of funding for HCYP and other similar organizations that count on this type of revenue to help fund youth programs, was to file legislation.

Yesterday, I filed Council Bill 8-2008, which allows certain banners on playing fields on a temporary basis. This bill (pdf) creates an exemption in the sign law for youth sports organizations that operate and maintain fields to hang temporary banners on field fences. To our knowledge, there are two county youth organizations that maintain their own fields either through ownership or lease. One is HCYP and the other is Soccer Association of Columbia. Council Bill 8 would allow these organizations to continue what has long been the practice of displaying sponsorship banners on their fields during the season, thus protecting a revenue source for these organizations. Revenues are used to support the program in a variety of ways including offering scholarships, or waivers to player fees, for children who otherwise would not be able to participate.

It is my belief that all youth sports leagues provide a tremendous service to our community as research shows that children involved in athletics are less likely to use drugs and alcohol, less likely to be involved in youthful criminal activity, and more likely to be successful in school. Where possible our laws should support and assist independent youth leagues that operate without assistance from the taxpayers.

Council Bill 8-2008 will be introduced on Monday, Feb 4, 2008, followed by a public hearing on the bill on Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 7:30 at the George Howard Building. If the bill proceeds without delay, there will be a Council vote on Monday, March 3, 2008 by the County Council.

Citizens may voice their position on the bill at the public hearing on Feb 19th. Please note that the County Council welcomes youth to attend meetings and learn about the legislative process, particularly if the bill is relevant to them. If you have any questions on this bill, please contact me, or my special assistant, Terry Chaconas at 410-313-3110.

Sincerely,
Courtney

Courtney Watson
Chairperson - Howard County Council
District 1 Representative

Snuffing Out Not All Bad

The state's smoking ban went into effect and we saw this item in the Annapolis Capital. The state's Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 prohibits anyone from smoking in indoor places such as bars and restaurants, taxis, offices and motels among other areas where people are employed:

Although some worried about the ban's impact on sales, businesses that have already made the conversion in other areas saw an increase in sales.

Stephen McLaughlin, restaurant manager of Sonoma's Bar and Grille in Howard County, where smoking was banned last year, said his bar knocked out a wall that separated the smoking and nonsmoking sections, put in new TVs and gave the bar a "good scrub down to remove the smoke residue."

"Overall, I think people are excited, we've had people come in here and say we wanted to give this place a try, but it was always too smoky," he said. "It's definitely increased our client base."

Howard Schools Propose New Holiday!

They are throwing in the towel at the HoCo school system and proposing that "Take Our Daughters (and Sons) to Work Day" become an official holiday. OK, OK, technically they are calling it a professional work day, meaning teachers and staff still need to get up early. But so many kids were calling in absent that day that the board voted to just give students Thursday, April 23 off.

It won't be long before retailers catch wind of this!

Of course, in the Columbia Talk household our kids have long complained that the day was a virtual holiday anyway, whether they showed up at school or not. Apparently, it was one of those days where you watched movies in class (which was probably a lot more exciting than watching dad stare at a computer, talk on the phone, and go in and out of meetings all day).

We have always thought the system could suck the life out of the movement by simply requiring kids to write a 1,000-word essay on their experience and get their parents and offices to submit in triplicate proof of their attendance.

The Mall Gets Its Money

In these credit troubled times, the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that General Growth Properties was able to refinance its mortgage on the mall by going to so-called balance-sheet lenders -- those that make loans and hold on to them, such as life insurers, some regional banks and pension funds.

TIAA-CREF and MetLife recently teamed up to provide General Growth Properties Inc., a real-estate investment trust, a $400 million loan to refinance Columbia Mall in Columbia, Md. The deal might have gone to Wall Street before the credit-market turmoil.

Sounds like the good old days, when big life insurers help Rouse get his start here. It also is a reminder that not everyone is putting their money under a mattress these days...deals are getting done, they just might be tougher to come by.

Is Healthy Howard Insurance?

The Sun and others report that the start of Howard County's innovative health access plan for the uninsured will be pushed back three months to Oct. 1 because state legislation is needed to distinguish Healthy Howard as a private, nonprofit corporation, not an insurance company.

The program would use a combination of existing health programs and public and private donations and services to let about 20,000 uninsured residents get comprehensive medical care for a small fee,
the Sun says.

If it were deemed an insurance company then it would have to meet requirements such as maintaining a multimillion dollar reserve against losses -- which now that we think about it presents an interesting question.

Of course, if we were the suspicious type, we might think that the insurance lobby is somehow trying to glom onto the effort for its own interests. But that just seems so unlikely, doesn't it?

Guvmn't TeeVee

It's hard not to read this blog post and not feel a little nostalgic about the pending loss of the GTV team in HoCo. It's not that we were dedicated fans of the channel -- though there was a time long ago we found ourselves weirdly addicted, waiting for some train wreck or petty dispute to erupt on the County Council. What we miss is the promise of the channel, real public engagement.

Way back when cable television was born, all sorts of business groups competed to win the first franchise, and they loaded their bids with offers to give away channels for the schools, government and public access. But the offerings never really caught on (although one could argue that the original public access shows, sparking send-ups like "Wayne's World," were a forerunner for YouTube and other user-generated fare).

There's lots of reasons why these channels fail to impress. The local cable franchises of yore are now part of big national corporations. Some say government control is at the root of the problem, and perhaps Ulman's plan to turn the channel over to the community college might change things.

Here's Geren's view on the blog Blather de la Semaine:

From what we were told, any GTV shows will go out of production, and Howard Community College will take over broadcast of “critical programming.” That’s typically defined as County Council meetings, hearings and legislative sessions.

Of course, the reason for cutting the station is as a cost saving measure — it costs about $500K per year to run the station with a staff of 7 full-time and 3 part-time employees.

Interestingly, the franchise fees that Comcast and Verizon pay to Howard County originally went into an account to offset the operational cost of GTV. Several years ago, that account was “temporarily eliminated,” and the funds redirected to the county’s general fund. And, it seems that no thought was ever given to the possibility of GTV developing a plan to become self-sustaining, at least in part.

GTV has been an award-winning cable television production facility, including Emmy Awards, Telly Awards, at least one Cable ACE award and many, many more in its 24 year existence. One would think that one of the richest counties in the state and the nation would want to keep such an asset operating.

More and more locally run institutions are under assault these days, and the GTV team now joins Bun Penny and the multitude of other small enterprises struggling in this global economy.

Recycling 101 And Other Exec Excerpts

Here's excerpts from HoCo exec Ken Ulman's 19-page state of the county speech to the chamber of commerce. The caps are his:

WE INITIATED THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE COUNTY’S FLEET OF VEHICLES TO HYBRIDS WHEREVER POSSIBLE AND WE NOW, IN ONE YEAR’S TIME, HAVE MORE HYBRIDS THAN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN MARYLAND, INCLUDING THE STATE ITSELF. WE ARE DEVELOPING SOLAR AND OTHER ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPTIONS AT PUBLICLY OWNED FACILITIES. WE ARE ACTIVELY AND STRATEGICALLY PURSUING PRESERVATION AGREEMENTS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE PARCELS, ALREADY RESULTING IN OVER 150 ACRES BEING PRESERVED.

WE ARE CONDUCTING A CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS AND INVESTIGATING EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO LIMIT OUR CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS TO PREVENT FURTHER HARM TO OUR ATMOSPHERE.

WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH RESIDENTS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF RECYCLING, BECAUSE DIVERTING WASTE FROM LANDFILLS IS GOOD FOR OUR PLANET AND OUR POCKETBOOKS.

WE ESTABLISHED A PILOT PROGRAM IN ELKRIDGE, WHERE WE HAVE PROVIDED RESIDENTS WITH LARGE, COVERED CONTAINERS WITH WHEELS THAT MAKE RECYCLING EASIER. ALREADY, IT HAS RESULTED IN AN 18% INCREASE IN RECYCLING, AND WE HOPE TO EXPAND THIS INITIATIVE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

SOME OF YOU MAY THINK THIS IS LEADING IN A LIBERAL, TREE-HUGGER DIRECTION. NOT THAT THERE’S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT, BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTY’S BUDGET AS WELL AS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

WE HAVE A CHALLENGE BEFORE US — IN JUST FIVE YEARS, THE LOW FIXED RATE THAT HOWARD COUNTY PAYS FOR TRASH DISPOSAL WILL EXPIRE, AND THAT RATE WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY, BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. LET ME EXPLAIN. WHEN YOUR TRASH IS COLLECTED, IT’S TAKEN TO A FACILITY AT ROUTE 1 AND 32 WHERE IT IS TRANSFERRED ONTO A TRAIN AND TAKEN TO VIRGINIA. AT THIS FACILITY, WE ARE CHARGED BY WEIGHT FOR OUR TRASH.

BUT RIGHT UP THE ROAD AT ROUTE 1 AND KIT KAT ROAD, WE HAVE A STATE OF-THE-ART SINGLE-STREAM RECYCLING SORTING FACILITY WHERE THEY PAY US BY WEIGHT FOR OUR RECYCLABLES.

JUST TO RECAP…FOR TRASH, WE PAY THEM; FOR RECYCLING, THEY PAY US. SO CLEARLY, IT IS IN EVERYONE’S BEST INTEREST TO INCREASE OUR RECYCLING AND MINIMIZE OUR TRASH.

....

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE COUNTY FUNDS FOUR SEPARATE TELEVISION STUDIOS, EACH WITH ITS OWN FULL STAFF? IT’S TRUE. WE HAVE ONE FOR GTV, ONE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, ONE FOR HOWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND ONE FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, COSTING COUNTY RESIDENTS OVER 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY, AND THAT NUMBER DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT EQUIPMENT AND SPACE COSTS.

WE HAVE EXAMINED EACH STUDIO AND HAVE ASSEMBLED A CONSOLIDATION PLAN THAT WILL SAVE OVER $500,000 A YEAR WHILE MAINTAINING THE SERVICES THESE STUDIOS PROVIDE. AND BY PARTNERING WITH HCC, WE WILL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN VALUABLE, REALWORLD EXPERIENCE WITH TELEVISION PRODUCTION.

....

TECHNOLOGY IS ANOTHER AREA RIPE FOR EFFICIENCY GAINS. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF OUR TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR, IRA LEVY, WE ARE MAKING A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL LEAD TO SAVINGS OF OVER 2 MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR, INCLUDING EMAIL SPAM FILTERS, UPDATED 17 SOFTWARE, REPLACEMENT OF INEFFICIENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND STREAMLINING OUR PRINTING OPERATIONS.

WHEN DONE RIGHT, HOWEVER, INVESTMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY ALLOW SAVINGS TO ACCRUE YEAR AFTER YEAR. LOCALLY, WE ARE INVESTING IN A FIBER OPTIC WIDE AREA NETWORK THAT WILL ALLOW US TO OFFER ADDITIONAL WEB SERVICES, BETTER DISASTER RECOVERY AND DATA BACK UP, AND VOICE OVER IP. THAT LAST PART IS MOST IMPORTANT. INSTEAD OF PAYING VERIZON OVER $20 PER MONTH PER PHONE LINE – AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS OVER 4000 PHONE LINES – OUR WIDE AREA NETWORK WILL ALLOW US TO OVERLAY PHONE SERVICE AT A COST OF ONLY $4 PER
MONTH PER EMPLOYEE. THIS CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS BACKBONE WILL ALLOW US TO BETTER CONTROL THE OPERATIONS OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT AT COSTS THAT ARE DRAMATICALLY LOWER THAN WHAT WE PAY TODAY.

When Is It Gonna Be Winter?

Last week's blogger meetup at the new Victoria Gastropub coincided with a gathering of the Columbia Ski Club, which made us think of snow, which made us pine for the good old days when the lakes would freeze for what seemed like weeks on end and we could go skating all night.

What good is cold if you can't have a little snow and ice?

Anyway, we tide ourselves over by looking at some Deep Creek Web cams here and here.

BTW, what's your favorite Web cam?

Police Chase

We always wonder about the wisdom of police chases like this. No one was hurt but a car was struck and the pursuit passed through residential and crowded commercial areas:

Here's the Sun's short account:

Maryland State Police took a man into custody after he refused to stop for a traffic violation and led police on a chase on southbound U.S. 29 in Howard County late yesterday afternoon, police said.

The chase started near Route 108 about 5 p.m. and ended about 15 minutes later at the Snowden Square shopping center in Columbia, in the parking lot of Boston Market restaurant, according to state police at the Waterloo barracks.

Police laid out spike strips, which the man drove over. In the course of the chase, the driver struck another vehicle, but no major injuries were reported, police said.

The Examiner reported that Robert Turner, 21, of the 4600 block of Wallington Avenue in Baltimore, was driving with a suspended license about 5 p.m. Saturday when he ran several red lights on eastbound 175 and refused to pull over, according to state police at the Waterloo barracks.

Turner, who lied about his identity, is charged with giving a false statement to a police officer and with several traffic violations.

Preserving The People Tree

The Flier had a curious note in a story about CA plans to to spend $1.4 million over the next two years on projects to upgrade several downtown Columbia landmarks, including the People Tree, "The Hug" statue on Lake Kittamaqundi and the boardwalk on the lake itself.

However, officials do not yet know if those plans will conflict with those of General Growth Properties Inc., which will soon release a draft of a detailed master plan to guide downtown's redevelopment over the next 30 years.

Please tell us nothing is going to happen to the People Tree!

Here's more from the Flier piece:

CA's projects are contained in the association's proposed budget for its 2009 and 2010 fiscal years, which officials released last month.

The spending plan allocates $90,000 to potentially repair the "Tree of Life," commonly known as the People Tree, which was sculpted by Pierre Du Fayet and placed on the lakefront in 1967.

The tree, which serves as the symbol of Columbia and is one of the planned community's most recognized landmarks, is made of a plastic-like material gilded in 24-karat gold and is supported by an internal steel frame. The funding is needed to study the tree's condition and to make anticipated repairs to it, CA officials said.

The budget also would spend $45,000 to renovate the sitting area around "The Hug," which depicts a man hugging a girl. The project would involve adding new seating and pavement in 2009 to make the area surrounding the statue more attractive to visitors.

Officials also want to spend $585,000 to replace the 40-year-old boardwalk and gazebo on Lake Kittamaqundi and $235,000 to replace the 40-year-old bell tower on the lake. CA hopes General Growth would match the bell tower funding.

Maybe $30 Was Not Enough

OMG! We couldn't resist this story in the Sun:

A lunchroom food fight at a Howard County high school got so out of hand that the principal took an unusual step - promising a cash reward to anyone who would name names.

Wilde Lake High School Principal Restia Whitaker offered $30 for information on who participated in the December incident, which officials said quickly escalated to an unsafe, not to mention messy, situation.

It "was not just food being thrown. There were water bottles, trays and utensils," school system spokeswoman Patti Caplan said yesterday. "It got to be very dangerous. Kids started running out of the cafeteria, and it got very chaotic and quite disruptive."

No reward money was paid to students, according to school officials. And now, after criticism from students, Howard school officials are taking a look at whether such offers are a good idea.

Update: 2 Charged In Mall Stabbing

From HoCo PD:

Howard County Police charged two suspects last night in the stabbing incident at the Mall in Columbia yesterday. Bernardo Leconte, 18, of 9677 Basket Ring Rd. in Columbia and Cordero Taylor, 16, of 5026 Silver Hill Ct. in Forrestville, who is charged as an adult, each face attempted murder charges, among others.

Just before 4 p.m., police responded to the mall, located at 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, for a report that a male victim had been stabbed multiple times in the parking lot near JC Penney. The 17-year-old victim was transported by helicopter to Shock Trauma. He is in critical but stable condition today.

Police quickly detained Leconte and Taylor, who were seen running from the mall. After further investigation, both were charged with attempted first degree murder, first and second degree assault and carrying a concealed weapon.

Police believe the incident was drug-related.

Stabbing At The Mall

We wondered what all the helicopters were out for yesterday afternoon. Here's the release (pdf) from HoCo PD:

Howard County Police are investigating a stabbing incident that occurred at the Mall in Columbia this afternoon. The incident occurred in the parking lot just outside of JC Penney.

Just before 4 p.m., police responded to mall, located at 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, for a report that a male victim had been stabbed multiple times. The victim, age 17, whose identity is not being released, was transported by helicopter to Shock Trauma. His condition is believed to be critical at this time.

Police are detaining two teenage male subjects a short distance from the mall and believe they are involved in the incident. Police believe there was a dispute, but do not have any additional details at this time.

Investigators are working to determine whether the suspect and victim are known to one another.

A story in the Sun said General Growth Properties Inc., which runs The Mall in Columbia and a chain of malls nationwide, said the incident would spark a review of the mall's safety measures.

"Upping the amount of security at a property is always an option," David Keating, director of corporate communications for General Growth, which is based in Chicago, told the paper. "But that mall is very quiet. It's one of our top malls. I know that customer safety has always been a priority."

Don't Let 'Em Take Your Tax Credit

We saw this over at HoCoFreemarket, via the Sun, and thought it was worth passing the word:

Freemarket says a paragraph in a Sun story "caught my attention, and if you pay Howard County property taxes, it should be of interest to you as well:

'There is a new twist this year because of a change in Maryland law in 2007 that requires taxpayers to apply for the Homestead Tax Credit Program, better known as the assessment caps that keep most homeowners' tax bills from rising to the full value of their home's retail worth.'

"I recall getting my new property tax assessment in the mail, and other than cursing at the increase in assessed value, I basically threw it in my 'tax stuff drawer'. Lesson learned: look at this stuff much closer. The Homestead Tax Credit application was in the envelope. It will save you some money, but only if you file it.

"You can also apply for the credit by following the appropriate links here."

Thanks for the tip.

New Town Stem Cells

We always like passing on news about Columbia companies doing interesting things. Here's one in today's WaPo:

By Zachary A. Goldfarb

For 16 years, a Columbia biotechnology company has been developing a drug, consisting of adult stem cells derived from healthy bone marrow samples, to treat severe inflammatory diseases that can destroy the body's organs.

On Thursday, publicly traded Osiris Therapeutics scored a new customer it hopes will help it bring the treatment to market. It won a contract from the Defense Department potentially worth $224.7 million to develop the drug Prochymal to treat military personnel who are exposed to radiation from nuclear or radiological attacks.

News of the contract helped Osiris shares jump $1.29, or 10.3 percent, to close Friday at $13.86.

Chief executive C. Randal Mills said the Pentagon contract would help facilitate the company's efforts to aim the treatment at a variety of diseases. "If you can clear the hurdles to get into the market, you make it easier for the rest of the therapies to reach patients," Mills said.

Prochymal is in late-stage human trials to treat graft-versus-host disease, a severe inflammatory condition afflicting some leukemia victims who reject bone marrow transplants, and a more common though less severe condition, Crohn's disease. It is in an earlier stage of testing for treatment of Type 1 diabetes. The drug is administered intravenously.

William Tanner, an analyst with health-care research firm Leerink Swann, said other government agencies, notably the Department of Health and Human Services, might be interested in stockpiling the drug as a precaution against a terrorist attack.

"The commercial opportunity can be very big," Tanner said. Osiris is a client of his firm.

Osiris expects to apply for Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of graft-versus-host by the end of the year and within the next 18 months for radiation treatment. Most of the money in the Pentagon contract is contingent on the company receiving FDA approval for the radiation treatment.

Osiris won the contract over Cleveland Biolabs, whose shares fell 58.6 percent Friday, to $3.31. Cleveland Biolabs said in a statement that it was "very surprised" by the decision and would ask the Pentagon for a debriefing.

Retired Maj. Gen. John S. Parker, a doctor and an Osiris adviser, said Prochymal, while a good step forward, is not the ultimate medical treatment for a mass radiological attack.

"The holy grail would be that we could give something to a population like a vaccine that would give them a long-term protection," he said. "The other thing is this drug has to be given by an intravenous route. The holy grail would be that you could give it by tablet or orally . . . so we could distribute it in a mass way."

Treatment with Prochymal costs $10,000 per dose, and the Pentagon plans to buy up to 20,000 doses. Osiris will pay a 15 percent commission from the Pentagon contract to a Massachusetts biotech company, Genzyme, which is helping to develop the drug.

Osiris sells Osteocel, a stem cell treatment to stimulate bone growth after injury, which was approved by the FDA in 2005. Osiris sold $4 million of the drug in the third quarter and reported a loss of $10.4 million in the same period.

While showing strength last week, Osiris's stock has lagged over the past year, down more than half from its peak.

To create Prochymal, Osiris scientists in labs in Baltimore and Walkersville spend six months extracting mesenchymal stem cells from adult bone marrow and then test it.

The mesenchymal stem cells lessen inflammation by replacing damaged cells, and therefore repairing damaged tissue. Recovery for graft-versus-host disease can take three to 10 days.

The company declined to say how much it has spent on research and development.

Shop Local

More signs of the times. Below is a clip from WaPo earlier this week about Scan, the furniture chain, with a longtime store in Columbia, planning to liquidate. And here's a note from Produce Galore in Wilde Lake, bemoaning the loss of Bun Penny.

Like many, I was stunned last week to hear that Bun Penny is closing. White it is true that they are our competitor, I feel a sadness for several reasons.

Firstly, as the co-owner of a small retail business, I know the hard work involved. Years of working seven days a week aren't easy on the body, on the mind, and on the family.

In the bigger picture, the closing of one more small business in this community puts Columbia a little closer to being just another anonymous American city. To me, it is the small, unique stores that help make one city different from another.

Finally, recognizing the value of keeping our community unique, what can Produce Galore do to encourage customers to "shop local"?

Margaret

She says you can e-mail your suggestions or comments to producegaloremd@yahoo.com


Here's the Scan news:

Scan International, a Rockville-based seller of contemporary Scandinavian furniture, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week and outlined plans to close.

In papers filed with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Baltimore, Scan blamed its troubles on "the decline in the housing market and the loss of business as a result of other furniture retailers ceasing operations and liquidating inventories at deep discounts."

The 47-year-old company, which operates five stores in Virginia and Maryland, will sell its inventory, said Stephen F. Fruin, a lawyer for Scan. He added: "The company does not plan to remain in business after this is over," but is keeping its options open.

Scan International began in 1960 as part of the Greenbelt Cooperative, which grew into the largest nonprofit co-op on the East Coast but fell into financial disarray after a 10-month employee strike. The co-op went into bankruptcy in 1988 and in 1989, Scan was formed from the co-op's furniture arm and taken private.

Scan's revenue for the year was down to $17.5 million from $25 million in 2005, according to court documents.

The company has proposed hiring Texas-based American Recovery Group to conduct a "going out of business sale," Fruin said. If the court approves American Recovery as a liquidator during a hearing set for Thursday, then Scan will begin a 60-day liquidation sale. The company will pay employees salary and benefits throughout the process, Fruin said.

-- Alejandro Lazo

Redskins Feel The Glow

From the HoCo exec's office:

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman today announced that, in a show of equal support and enthusiasm, he has ordered the County’s main office building in Ellicott City to glow burgundy and gold in honor of the Washington Redskins’ playoff hopes. The George Howard Building’s exterior will glow burgundy and gold beginning tonight, courtesy of existing flood lights used for nighttime illumination. The nightly display will continue as long as the Redskins are in the running for Super Bowl XLII.

One year ago Ulman, a longtime Baltimore Ravens fan, had the exterior of the Gateway Building spotlighted in purple in support of the Ravens’ playoff run. At that time the Executive promised to do the same if the other “local” team were to make the playoffs; this past Sunday the Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys to make the NFL playoffs.

"As a longtime Baltimore Ravens fan, this season has not been pleasant, but I am well aware of my promise and realize there are many Washington Redskins fans in Howard County---and even more now that the Skins' playoff bandwagon has started its engine," said Ulman. "The Redskins are on an inspired run, and I hope to see a burgundy and gold glow on the Howard Building until February 3, 2008."

*** The bitter thoughts and remarks of County Executive Ulman are not necessarily endorsed by the Public Information Office and its Director, a lifelong Washington Redskins fan. ***

Prisoner Escapes Laurel Hospital, Shot By Police

from WaPo:

By Ruben Castaneda, Rosalind S. Helderman and Nelson Hernandez
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, January 2, 2008; 5:13 PM

The state prisoner who escaped from Laurel Regional Hospital this morning by overpowering four correctional officers and then carjacking a vehicle was fatally shot this afternoon.

Kelvin D. Poke was shot during a confrontation with Prince George's County police about 3:30 p.m. just inside the county line, police said, and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A woman who was with him at the time of the shooting was being questioned, county police said, and it was unclear whether she knew Poke.

Poke, 45, was serving life plus 40 years in prison for a series of violent crimes. He was admitted to the hospital Monday after complaining of chest pains and then fled this morning in a blue 1993 Toyota Camry after shooting the driver, who was hospitalized in good condition.

The search effort moved to the District after police recovered the Toyota, on fire, in the 1100 block of First Street NW. Police said Poke is believed to have then carjacked a white Ford Explorer.

Earlier in the day, the hospital was placed on lockdown after Poke escaped, with employees instructed to remain in their offices. School system officials said five area schools were locked down: Laurel High School and Laurel, Deerfield Run, Oaklands and James H. Harrison elementary schools.

Greg Shipley, a state police spokesman, said Poke overpowered two correctional officers -- under Department of Public Safety protocols, only one was armed -- who were assigned to guard him on the hospital's fourth floor. Two other correctional officers who were guarding another inmate responded and were also overpowered, Shipley said.

According to court documents, Poke was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 215 pounds in late 2005. At the time of the escape, he was wearing prison-issued jeans and no shirt.

Poke fired several shots, Shipley said, but none of the officers was injured and it was unclear whether he fired at them or to break his leg shackles. Shipley said a private security guard then arrived, and Poke escorted him down a staircase and ordered him to lie on the ground.

Poke then fired through the driver's side window of the Toyota, striking the 51-year-old driver in the head, and fled in the vehicle.

One of the officers' .38-caliber handguns was later found in the stairwell, police said.

Poke was serving a sentence of life plus 40 years at the maximum-security Jessup Correctional Institution for kidnapping, carjacking and robbery, according to a news release from the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

In his last criminal case, authorities alleged that Poke jumped a Hyattsville woman in the parking lot of her apartment building as she loaded luggage into her car just after midnight one night in October 2005, according to court documents.

They said she fought back, but he overpowered her, forcing her into the passenger seat of her silver Mazda 626. He then demanded cash, taking $500 from the woman, before forcing her to the floor of the car and driving off with his hand clasped around her neck.

According to the documents, Poke told the woman that he was armed and threatened to rape her. Ultimately, he left her on the side of the road in Northeast Washington. U.S. Park Police found Poke with the car broken down on the side of George Washington Memorial Parkway in Virginia two days later.

Suzanne Almalel, a spokeswoman for Dimensions Health, which manages Laurel Regional Hospital, said hospital officials have been reviewing security since November, when another prisoner escaped police custody there, sparking a five-hour manhunt. Almalel said a meeting this month with corrections and police officials will address standardizing prisoner control.

Patrick Moran, the director of the state council of the union that represents correctional officers, said today's incident proves that officers should not carry weapons inside hospitals. The union has been pushing for a change in policy that would allow them to transport prisoners for medical attention under armed guard but to leave their guns out of hospitals, where they believe risks rise.

"It's a closed setting," he said. "There's distraction. There's a lot of activity."

Moran also said corrections officials should review what kinds of hospitals they contract with for inmate medical care.

"These local hospitals have contracts for medical services and they're not prepared if a situation like this is to happen," he said.

Mark Vernarelli, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, said the commissioner of corrections will look into the union's suggestions, including that officers not be armed in hospitals.

"We're going to look into every aspect of this incident and see if any changes need to be made," he said.

Staff writer Howard Schneider and researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.

Solar Questions

The Howard County library wants to put solar panels on the roof of its East Columbia branch, part of a $100,000 budget request by HoCo exec Ken Ulman to put the equipment on county-owned buildings, according to a brief item in the Examiner (sorry we could not locate a link).

The Examiner reported that the panels would be similar to those installed at Merriweather, which are projected to save the venue 15 percent on its electricity bill. And they could go up on the library in 2008.

We've got a big flat roof here at Columbia Talk headquarters and we've curious about the math. How long would it take to recoup the cost of the panels in energy savings? What's the life expectancy?

Any solar experts out there?

Resolutions

Happy New Year. Here's our top eight resolutions for '08:

8. Lose weight by cutting in half our visits to FoodLion -Giant- TraderJoes- Costco- BJs- WalMart- Moms- Davids- ProduceGalore- Safeway- BagelBin- HarrisTweeter - Wegmans - Bloom - Sams Mart - etc ect.
7. Get out of debt by cutting in half our visits to FoodLion - Giant - TraderJoes - Costco - etc etc
6. Quit smoking over traffic.
5. Make new friends somewhere other than Facebook.
4. Get organized and spruce up this blog (and maybe even finish that online bike map by spring!)
3. Get in shape before Lance Armstrong's next visit, or at least before next season's Symphony of Lights fun run.
2. Help others embrace their inner poinsettia.
1. Stop asking what would Rouse do.