Three Charged In Security Guard Shooting

From HoCo PD:

Howard County police have charged three men in the assault and attempted shooting of a Columbia security guard Wednesday night. Rick Britton, 20, of Odenton, was charged with attempted murder; Derrod Peterson, 18, and Darnell Furby, 16, both of Columbia, were charged with assault. Furby was charged as an adult.


Police were called to the 8800 block of Flowerstock Row around 9 p.m. Wednesday for reports of shots fired. Upon their arrival, they located a 27-year-old male security guard on-duty who had been confronted by a group of young men. The guard reported to officers that he had been punched in the face and that one of the men had fired multiple gunshots at him. He was not struck by the gunfire. As the guard fled, the suspects entered his security vehicle and stole money.

Detectives launched an investigation which led them to identify Britton, Peterson and Furby as suspects. The three were located and arrested at various residences, not their own, without incident.

Britton was charged with attempted murder in the first and second degree, assault in the first and second degree, attempted armed robbery, theft and handgun violations. He is currently being held at the Howard County Detention Center on no bond.

Peterson was charged with second degree assault, attempted robbery and theft. He is currently being held at the Howard County Detention Center on no bond.

Furby was charged as an adult with second degree assault and robbery. He is currently being held at the Howard County Detention Center on $25,000 bond.

HoCo Offers Reverse Mortgage Counseling

This sounds like a clever idea to provide counseling for what can be a risky proposition. HoCo offers free counseling to people who are considering a "reverse mortgage" in which they typically receive annual payments that are charged against the equity of the home. If the homeowner goes through with a loan, then a fee is collected as part of closing costs.

From HoCo PR:

The Howard County Office on Aging, through Maryland Access Point (MAP), is offering Reverse Mortgage Counseling to Maryland residents age 62 and older who are considering this as an option. The counseling, a collaborative effort with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is targeted to seniors who may be able to pay for their everyday expenses but are struggling to cover the costs of health care, home repairs and modifications, increased property taxes and other unexpected expenses.

MAP of Howard County currently has four specialists who are trained Reverse Mortgage Counselors. Seniors who receive reverse mortgage counseling through MAP of Howard County will not be charged the counseling fee of $125 unless they choose to apply for a reverse mortgage and then secure a loan. When they do, the fee will become part of the closing costs.

The fee will be waived for seniors who are facing financial challenges such as foreclosure, and for those with modest incomes (under $20,000 for single homeowners, and under $30,000 for couples). To schedule a counseling session or learn more about the costs and features of a reverse mortgage, call MAP of Howard County’s toll free number: 1-800-506-5806.

MAP Specialists provide counseling by telephone to clients throughout the State of Maryland based on each individual’s needs and circumstances. They can also review with seniors the benefits and challenges of living at home and help homeowners find other benefit programs they may qualify for through the National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp®.

Going After The Gypsy Moths

State officials were scheduled to begin spraying the county with insecticide aimed at gypsy moths today (May 12), according to the ExploreHoward blog.

The department will spray nearly 1,100 acres in Howard County using bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring soil bacterium that has been authorized for use as a pesticide since 1961. It can cause irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract if encountered by humans, but any serious adverse health effects are not likely, according to a study prepared in 2004 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Maps showing the 20 spray locations in the county can be found here.

Wilde Lake's Dead Fish Mystery

From CA:

The Columbia Association (CA) is aware of the fish kill at Wilde Lake and the current estimate is approximately 400-500 dead fish. CA contacted the Maryland Department of the Environment fish kill response team and met with a representative at Wilde Lake on May 7. Water quality was assessed and did not indicate that there was an acute water quality problem. A fish sample was taken back to a MDE lab for analysis. The preliminary analysis indicates the sample fish had both a gill fluke and a fungal infection (Saprolegnia), both are commonly found in freshwater.

Likely stressors to the fish population that contributed to the fish kill at Wilde Lake this week are population stress (crowding), spawning stress and/or sudden temperature change.

CA will continue to remove the dead fish from the lake and monitor the lake for any changes. CA will keep the community informed of any new information as it arises. For more information on fish kills in Maryland please visit the MDE web site.

Holiday Trash Collection Gets Easier

From the HoCo exec's office:

Effective Memorial Day 2009, Howard County will implement a new “slide” schedule for trash, recycling and yard waste collection on the six major holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The “slide” schedule means that when one of the above major holidays falls on a weekday (Monday-Friday), ALL trash, recycling and yardwaste collection scheduled on or after the holiday that week will “slide” one day.

“In the past, people could put trash out on the day following a holiday but had to hold on to recycling and yardwaste until the following week. We hope this new schedule will be easy to remember and more convenient for our residents,” said County Executive Ken Ulman

For example, under this new system, if your regular collection day falls on Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day), trash, recycling and yard waste will be collected on Tuesday, May 26. Those scheduled for Tuesday will “slide” to Wednesday and so on through the week through Saturday.

Triathlon Comes To Town

A word of warning from HoCo PD: More than 2,000 people are coming to town for the Columbia Triathlon this Sunday on May 17 and traffic expected to be bad on Route 108:

From 8:30-10:30 a.m., Md. 108 will be closed to eastbound traffic from Harper’s Farm Road to Ten Mills Road. Delays are anticipated along the following roadways, where participants will be given the right of way:

Running Route (6.2 miles)
• Old Annapolis Road
• Carillon Drive
• Cross Country Drive
• Century Drive
• Colonial Drive

Cycling Route (25.2 miles)
• Homewood Road
• Folly Quarter Road
• Triadelphia Road
• Triadelphia Mill Road
• Green Bridge Road
• Howard Road
• Linthicum Road

Howard County police officers will direct traffic at all major intersections. Motorists are advised that race participants have the right of way.

OM Educator Is Teacher Of The Year

From HoCo school system:

The Howard County Public School System has announced its new Teacher of the Year, as well as the winners of four other awards for educational staff.

Kimberly Feldman, an English teacher at Oakland Mills High School, was named Howard County Teacher of the Year for 2009. This award exemplifies the highest standards in teaching and educational leadership. Feldman will represent HCPSS in the Maryland Teacher of the Year competition, sponsored by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Tara Brown, a kindergarten teacher at Talbott Springs Elementary, and Brian Sackett, an English teacher at Atholton High School, were named HCPSS First Year Educators in the elementary and secondary categories respectively. This award recognizes new teachers who demonstrate exceptional skill in instruction, communication, and interaction with students.

Kristie Dietrich, an elementary inclusion paraeducator at Cedar Lane School, and Erik Burnett, a Black Student Achievement Program transition assistant at Atholton High School, were named winners of the annual Distinguished Assistant Award in the special and general education categories respectively. This award recognizes outstanding educational assistants who serve a critical role in students’ success.

Gary Williams, night building supervisor at Rockburn Elementary School, is the winner of the Excellence Award for Building Operations. This award recognizes an employee who demonstrates outstanding performance, professionalism, and resourcefulness while helping to ensure a well-managed, smoothly running infrastructure.

Nancy Duffy, principal’s secretary at River Hill High School, is the Office Professional Recognition Award winner for 2009. This award recognizes the important contributions of administrative assistants and other office staff in creating a positive educational environment.

Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin made surprise visits to each winner’s school to announce the awards. The winners will also be honored at the annual HCPSS “In Honor of Excellence” celebration on May 19.

Here's a link to Sun story on the award.