Save $$$$ On Trees

Here's a money saving environmental idea we received from the folks in Town Center, courtesy of the county's master gardener:

Consider planting native trees, shrubs, vines and perennials. Plants adapted to our local environment, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and require little maintenance once established. Currently the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has a coupon worth $25 off the purchase of one native tree with a retail value of $50 or more at participating retail nurseries and garden centers. Check out their Web site for coupon, list of trees, retail nurseries and much more.

Howard County Master Gardener
Pat Harrington

WL's Dead Fish Toll Hits 2,000

From CA:

The Columbia Association (CA) has been working with the Maryland Department of the Environment and the community on the fish kill at Wilde Lake. It was first reported to CA on May 6, and for the past 2 weeks CA has removed an estimated 2,000 fish from the lake. As CA reported on May 8, 2009, 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 and indicated the sample fish had a gill fluke (parasite) and Saprolegnia (a fungal infection), both commonly found in freshwater.

Likely stressors to the fish population that contributed to the fish kill at Wilde Lake this spring are population stress (crowding), spawning stress and/or sudden temperature change. When fish undergo these types of stressors, they are more susceptible to bacteria, fungus and parasites.

Field reports on 5/20/09 reveal that the event appears to be concluding; however, CA will continue to monitor the lake for any changes.

HoCo Council Adopts Budget

The Sun reports the only vocal disagreement was how much money to set aside for Healthy Howard, a program that seeks to provide access to health care for the uninsured.

Howard County taxpayers will see slightly higher property tax bills and higher water and sewer charges, but no increases in local tax rates with a $1.4 billion operating budget approved Wednesday. The budget, approved by a 4-1 vote, also calls for employee furloughs and nine layoffs.

Healthy Howard gets a grant of $500,000.

Gang Themes

UPDATE: The ExploreHoward blog reports that for the second time in almost two months, Howard County prosecutors failed to gain a murder conviction in an Oakland Mills shooting death last year.

Daymar Wimbish, 19, of Owings Mills, was found not guilty Wednesday afternoon of first-degree murder of Jason Pridgen Batts by a Howard County jury, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Howard County State’s Attorney Dario Broccolino.


The Sun reports closing arguments in what prosecutors call a gang-related killing last year in Stevens Forest...even the defense attorney's statements sound scary.

Daymar Wimbish, the defendant, is an admitted Bloods gang member; his attorney argued he was merely present at a botched robbery attempt in the early hours of May 17, 2008, that ended in the shooting death of Jason Batts, 23.

"The whole gang theme was a substitute for motive," Wimbish's attorney, Spencer Hecht, said in closing arguments to the jury on Tuesday. "These were neighborhood friends who thought it was cool to be in a gang. They weren't like these older, rougher, Columbia gang members."


According to the Sun:Prosecutors and police said Wimbish did not shoot Batts but was one of three men who tried to rob Elijah Jackson in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Stevens Forest Road in Oakland Mills.

The alleged shooter is still awaiting trial. A third defendant was acquitted of murder charges but convicted of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and two other gun charges, the Sun says.

Mappin' It

We came across this map view of planning board cases while noodling around the HoCoBlogs site. We love the concept here, though the case summaries could be a little more forthcoming:

Here's a sample of the data for a Thunder Hill case:

Case Information(Sign Code: H50)
Name: Thunder Hill, LLC
Number: BA-661-D
Category: Administrative Appeal
Case Comments: Appealing PB Decision of of 2/09
Hearing Type: Board of Appeals
Hearing Date: 5/26/2009
Hearing Time: 10:30 am
Decision: In Process

Property Information
Tax Map: 30
Parcel: 362
Lot: 3/1, PAR. A

Petitioner
Name: Thunder Hill, LLC
Address: 1966 Greenspring Drive, Ste. 508
Timonium MD 21093
Phone: (410) 560-0300

Counsel
Name: Erskine E William
Address: Reese and Carney, LLP, 10715 Charter Drive
Columbia MD 21044
Phone: (410) 964-5108

Life After "Last Lecture"

This story about Randy Pausch, the "Last Lecture" prof and Oakland Mills grad brought a smile to our face.

We were hunting for a link to a story in last week's People Magazine about how Randy's family is doing since he died of cancer when we came by this bit of trivia regarding the new "Star Trek" movie. (We're still looking for the People link; mom and the kids seem to be doing well).

Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch -- whose lecture "The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" became a viral YouTube hit and a best-selling book -- did a lot of living in the few months he had after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.

Pausch, a longtime Trekkie, recalled on his blog that his first reaction to his diagnosis was, "I don't believe in the no-win scenario" -- a quote from Kirk in the second "Trek" film, "The Wrath of Khan" (1982).

One of his dreams came true when the director of the new "Star Trek," J.J. Abrams, sent Pausch a letter asking him if he wanted a small part in the film.

In his blog, he described the experience: "Naturally, I presumed this was one of my friends, playing a prank. But after a little sleuthing, it was clear it was for real. Jai (Pausch's wife) & I hopped a plane to L.A., where I got a custom-made 'Star Trek' uniform and my own station on the bridge, where I had lots of buttons and controls. I even got a LINE!!!!"

As Pausch noted in his blog, look for a guy who walks across the ship's bridge and says, "Captain, we have a visual!"

Coyotes In Town Center!

From Town Center's listserv:

In response to a report we received from a Town Center resident who spotted some coyotes in the Vantage Point neighborhood, the village office contacted the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and was given the following information:

1. Coyotes have been spotted in all Maryland counties. They are not new to Howard County.

2. Coyotes are sandy/gray in color and are about the size of a German shepherd (30-35 pounds). In contrast, foxes are reddish in color and weigh about 15 pounds.

3. Although they are generally nocturnal, it is not uncommon to see them during the day.

4. Coyotes' main activity is scavenging for food. Do not leave pet food outside. Secure trash cans with bungee cords. To make trash cans less enticing to coyotes, place an ammonia-soaked rag in the trash can to mask the aroma of food.

5. If you see a coyote, the DNR officer recommended "harrassing" it, by throwing something or spraying water at the coyote.

6. Coyotes prey on small wild animals such as squirrels and rabbits, but they will also prey on pet cats and small-breed dogs if the opportunity arises.

7. The DNR officer stated that she knows of no case in Maryland in which a child was harmed by a coyote. She further stated that such an occurrence is very rare in the east coast of the United States.