Here's Who Students Pick For Top Teachers

From HoCo Public Schools:

Each year the senior class at each Howard County high school selects their Teacher of the Year from their school's faculty. This year HCPSS-TV tagged along with senior class representatives as they surprised their school's winner. On March 12, the teachers were honored by the Howard County Association of Student Councils at their annual spring luncheon with the Board of Education and top school officials. During the luncheon, each teacher relived that surprise moment as the video was shown to those in attendance.

The Teachers of the Year as selected by the Class of 2009 are Barry Beerman of Glenelg HS; Linda Blakeslee of Centennial HS; Mary Curtin of Reservoir HS; Jack Dibler of River Hill HS; Shanae Fant of Wilde Lake HS; Rick Gardner of Howard HS; Ben Grabenstein of Hammond HS; Dale Harriman of Atholton HS; Laura Herbers of Homewood (Gateway); Paula Mee, Homewood (Bridges); Renard Parson of Marriott's Ridge HS; Eric Sandersen of Long Reach HS; Tom Sankey of Mount Hebron HS; and Donald Shea of Oakland Mills HS.

Are Gov't Furloughs Coming?

It seems so based on HoCo Exec Ken Ulman's comments during a Baltimore radio show.

Ulman said a dozen or so people could be laid off and other workers furloughed if the state legislature follows through with budget cuts.

The Sun offered this excerpt from the conversation:

"Everything is on the table," Ulman said, speaking on Dan Rodricks' call-in radio show on WYRP. "You're going to see some reductions in services - parks not maintained, some reduction in library hours."

Nothing Routine About Money In The Road

So often we take news of traffic accidents for granted. But the ExploreHoward blog's straightforward account of an accident involving an armored truck that left quarters spilled across the interstate reminds us how these things are never routine.

Here's how it starts:

Soon after the sudden string of brake lights, a large cloud of dust mushroomed into the air above a relatively clear stretch of Interstate 95 Monday morning.

Shortly after 9 a.m., a Loomis armored truck had veered off the highway just south of the I-195 exits for Catonsville and the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and overturned.

Within seconds, drivers of other vehicles headed north on the interstate had jumped out of their vehicles and run up to the truck.

With the tires still spinning on the upside-down truck, a door was pried open and two men scrambled out, obviously shaken.

Arrest In Bob Evans Robbery

How is it we didn't hear about this at the time, we wonder.

From HoCo PD:

Howard County police have charged a man for a March armed robbery of a Bob Evans restaurant in Ellicott City. John Davis Waters II, 29, of Columbia, is facing 34 counts, including armed robbery, robbery, false imprisonment, use of a handgun in commission of a felony, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and a theft charge.

On March 18, police believe Waters escorted an employee into the restaurant, pointing a handgun at him. Waters demanded money from a safe and robbed employees of cell phones and an iPod. He then placed the employees in a walk-in freezer. The employees waited a few minutes, exited and called police.

Detectives conducted area checks for a suspect matching the description given by the employees and located Waters at a hotel nearby.

While executing a search and seizure warrant for a hotel room in which Waters was staying, police also found marijuana. Waters, along with three other men, was also charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The other men are Michael Harding, 30, of Columbia; Christen Brooks, 29, of Columbia; and Titus Strong, 29, of Baltimore.

Waters is being held at the Howard County Detention Center with no bail.

Will 60,000+ Virgin-fest Relocate Here?

For those who think Symphony Woods is a bit too sleepy, we say be careful what you ask for...

HoCo Exec Ken Ulman is telling folks that the promoter of the big Virgin Mobile Festival, previously held at Pimlico, is considering Merriweather as an alternative venue. The music festival is one of the largest on the East Coast...

Check out this story in the Baltimore Business Journal. The Sun also blogged on the possibility here.

CA Election Preview

The Sun offers a preview on the upcoming elections for the Columbia Association board of directors.

Each of the 10 villages has one seat on the board, and half could elect new board members when the two days of voting end April 25. Three villages - Owen Brown, Town Center and Harper's Choice - have no board contest this spring, while incumbents in Oakland Mills and River Hill are running unopposed. The other five each have two candidates vying for one seat.

Now It's Our Turn For Cherry Blossoms

Who says DC has to have all the fun?

We like cherry blossoms, too. Check out this site for a whole host of events -- including restaurant discounts, garden tours and philanthropic efforts -- scheduled this month to celebrate cherry blossoms and the arrival of spring.

Here's an explanation of the effort, from the county's Web site:

In 2003 Howard County’s Office of Tourism proposed a tree planting program that would beautify the county’s attractions, its parks and its roadways with Kwanzan cherry trees. The project was inspired by Washington D.C.’s annual tidal basin spectacular and designed to capitalize on the blossom-mania that descends each year in the neighboring Capital. With Howard County’s Kwanzan cherries blooming two weeks later than D.C.’s Sakura trees, tourism officials hoped that cherry tree enthusiasts would extend their viewing pleasure by taking a quick trip just 30 minutes just down the road to visit Howard County. The goal was 1,000 cherry trees in the ground at select locations in five years.

Equally important as the beautification component of the proposal was the desire for the project to also give back to the community in a meaningful way. The trees would also be used to both raise awareness of breast cancer prevention each spring and raise money to benefit those within the community coping with cancer.

The concept was taken to former Howard County Executive Jim Robey who agreed to champion the project and also provide resources from within both the Department of Recreation & Parks and The Department of Public Works to kick start the initiative on public lands. Thus Blossoms of Hope… the Howard County Cherry Tree Project began.

Four Years Later, thanks to BLOSSOMS OF HOPE...

* 219 Blossom of Hope trees now grow in 18 different groves planted on public land in Howard County. Over half of the trees have been sponsored and six of the groves are fully sponsored. The groves range in size from five to 26 trees and are located at county libraries, local parks, historic attractions, as well as the county office building in Ellicott City, the seat of local government.
* Over 300 Blossoms of Hope Trees have been planted along State & County roadways.
* 50 additional Blossoms of Hope Trees have been planted on open space in Columbia.
* Corporate partners have planted over 300 of the trees on private properties
* Individual homeowners have planted 65 new Blossoms of Hope trees in yards across the county as a result of the programs bi-yearly, residential tree sale that began in 2006.

Overall, approximately 1,275 new trees are now blossoming across Howard County as a result of Blossoms of Hope… the Howard County Cherry Tree Project ! AND…

Over $50,000 has been contributed to the Howard Hospital Foundation earmarked for Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource and Image Center,, a special place that helps individuals and their families cope with cancer. AND…

CHERRYBRATION, a new outdoors spring festival that celebrates the blossoming of the trees premiered in 2007 to further promote the important role that nature and outdoor activity has to individual wellness.