Feel The Love

The Dagger was offline this past weekend, quite literally at a wedding and a funeral. For everyone who’s still with us, a word of note: We received angry, angry emails from The Aegis and The Examiner over the past few days.

The Examiner editor reminded us that he’s worked for The New York Times, etc., and has “more than a dozen major awards to show for it.” The Aegis bristled and issued threats: “you guys are in way over your heads, but at least you have given more legitimacy to institutions like this one.” And, in a more sincere offering from a local newspaperman: “I believed you guys really had your hearts in it. But now I feel like it’s gone right to your heads.”

If we keep posting stories about ourselves, you’re sure to soon agree. And so, back to the election, folks…

An Offer They Couldn’t Refuse?

Speaking of benefactors, could The Aegis newspaper, Harford County’s community newspaper of record, have been helping the cause of an Aberdeen annexation opposition group behind the scenes last year?

More disturbing details from the testimony of a member of the annexation opposition, as part of the lawsuit that group filed against the City of Aberdeen, indicate the group, formerly known as Say No Annex or unofficially as ‘the redshirts,’ may have had an anonymous “Godfather” pampering them with services, support and cold hard cash – everything the group needed to take on the Wetlands annexation proposal.

It was long speculated such a “Godfather” existed, especially when the opposition group, which consists of Aberdeen and non-Aberdeen resident volunteers, was suddenly outfitted with matching shirts and signs, began distributing information pamphlets and mailers and purchased expensive advertisements in local newspapers. Continue reading An Offer They Couldn’t Refuse?

Candidate Zero’s condition upgraded to Candidate Maybe (update)

Forced to keep quiet before the court of public opinion during last week’s Aberdeen candidate forum, Steve Johnson will get a chance to speak out today (Monday) in a much more official court when he makes his plea to be certified as a candidate for city council in the Nov. 6 election.

Johnson, chairman of Aberdeen’s Economic Development Commission, owner of Johnson Family Pharmacy in downtown Aberdeen and, until recently, thought to be a resident of Perryman, was invalidated by the city’s Elections Board last week, but will take the issue today (Monday) before the Harford County Circuit Court.

Under the city charter, candidates for elected office in Aberdeen must have resided within the municipal boundaries of the city for a minimum of two years. It is well known Johnson has been living outside the city (he acknowledged as much before us and a group of exasperated city residents a year or so ago). It is just as well known that this particular piece of election law is easily worked around. Continue reading Candidate Zero’s condition upgraded to Candidate Maybe (update)

Former Aberdeen police corporal-turned-council candidate challenges mayor’s “law enforcement strategy”

By Rick Denu (candidate for Aberdeen City Council)
http://www.rickdenu.net/

The “Aberdeen Model” isn’t a Model at all!

The Aberdeen Mayor claims to have a “model law enforcement strategy”, which was only placed on paper weeks ago, that eliminates crime and now he wants to impose that ridiculous notion outside City limits; has crime been eliminated from Aberdeen?

Let me start by saying that Aberdeen’s Mayor is not a law enforcement professional, he is an insurance salesman whom became Mayor. He has absolutely no basis of knowledge to create, nor implement any crime model; that is the job of the Chief of Police. Continue reading Former Aberdeen police corporal-turned-council candidate challenges mayor’s “law enforcement strategy”

Introductions

Dagger: The double-edged blade. We have built and launched this blog as an experiment, and test case for what might happen when we distill years of conversation into published material. It is our hope not to fire missives from the distance, but to get up close to each subject; so close that we might twist a blade in its side.

We will publish news, rumor, opinion, style, substance, informal correspondence. We are a group of like-minded writers, musicians, photographers and agitators living in and around Baltimore; we are The Dagger and you can’t mess with us.