Cops and Bloggers Part II: The Dagger Double-Teams Ed Norris on WHFS
April 18, 2008
UPDATE: Did you listen in? Tell us what you thought about Cindy and Mark’s appearance on The Ed Norris Show!
Back by popular demand, The Dagger will venture into the WHFS 105.7 FreeFM studios Friday, April 18 for its second appearance on the Ed Norris Show.
This time around, exactly three months from our last appearance on the the Ed Norris Show, it will be Cindy and Mark representing The Dagger as part of the panel for the popular Friday news Roundtable discussion.
The Roundtable segment, which features former Baltimore City top cop, Maryland State Police Commissioner and convicted felon Ed Norris and super-producer Maynard rehashing the hottest stories of the week with Cindy and Mark of The Dagger, will air from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the show’s new afternoon drive-time radio slot. Continue reading Cops and Bloggers Part II: The Dagger Double-Teams Ed Norris on WHFS
I Have Seen The Future Of Harford, And It’s Going To Snow! A Recent History Of The City of Aberdeen’s Internet Presence
April 16, 2008
“Has hell finally frozen over?” That was my first thought when visiting the City of Aberdeen’s new web site. Of course that may be due to being presented with a header graphic depicting a snow-covered evergreen with Aberdeen’s new slogan, “The Future of Harford”, perhaps a final bit a legacy from the city’s previous mayor.
As promised by the current administration in its transition report, Aberdeen has a fancy new home page. It certainly is a departure from the city’s previous attempts at entering this brave new world. Before we get to the highlights and lowlights of the new site, let’s take a trip down memory lane… Continue reading I Have Seen The Future Of Harford, And It’s Going To Snow! A Recent History Of The City of Aberdeen’s Internet Presence
Maryland Global Warming Bill Frozen as Session 2008 Ends
April 7, 2008
State Delegate Donna Stifler (District 35A), tells The Dagger that Senate Bill 309 has been killed by the House Economic Matters Committee.
The bill would have required the Department of the Environment to develop plans, adopt regulations, and implement programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% from 2006 levels by 2020. It also would have set goals of reducing emissions 90% by 2050.
To read more about the now-defeated bill, you can see it here: http://mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/billfile/SB0309.htm.
Glengarry (Wetlands Redux): Aberdeen Considers a Softer, Gentler 500-acre Annexation Request
April 2, 2008
Take the Aberdeen Annexation Survey and let them know what concerns you the most!
The Aberdeen Planning Commission will entertain a request next week for the city to annex the nearly-500-acre Glengarry Community, which is basically a rebranding of the already-once-defeated Wetlands Golf Course property annexation attempt - minus a key group of Locksley Manor residents.
Before addressing the planning commission next week, the development team, led by engineering firm KCI Technologies, will present their annexation proposal in Aberdeen City Hall on Wednesday, April 2 during a 6:30 p.m. community input meeting.
It remains to be seen how the new look city hall, helmed by Mayor Mike Bennett and his chief booster Art Helton, will deal with the return of the annexation request, which was largely responsible for booting former mayor S. Fred Simmons from office and ushering Bennett into his seat.
In anticipation of the community meeting, Wetlands/Glengarry development partner Chris Michel issued a letter through KCI to select property owners, apprising them of the situation, informing them of Wednesday’s meeting and also presenting a questionnaire regarding citizen opinions in specific areas: Continue reading Glengarry (Wetlands Redux): Aberdeen Considers a Softer, Gentler 500-acre Annexation Request
Life and Death in the Havre de Grace Yacht Basin: What’s Going on in the City’s Tydings Park Marina?
April 1, 2008
Much like the Hatfields and McCoys, this feud is over territory and owners’ right, but, rather than Kentucky backcountry, this fight takes place on the waters of Havre de Grace’s Yacht Basin.
First came the complaints of nuisance and negligent boat owners causing problems with fellow mariners at the Yacht Basin. Then came assertions of unequal treatment, unfair punishment and even unlawful operation and expenditure of taxpayer money at the city marina. Next we heard about improperly designed and incorrectly installed railings, parking spaces and other equipment.
And now we have a dead body.
Missing since late February, 53-year-old Donald Walter McGlothlin was found Monday on Swan Creek by a pair of fisherman. He had died from drowning and hypothermia, or perhaps some combination of the two.
Mr. McGlothlin was also one of the few residents of the Tydings Park Marina - he lived in a house boat on Pier 4. Continue reading Life and Death in the Havre de Grace Yacht Basin: What’s Going on in the City’s Tydings Park Marina?
Billion Dollar Man David Craig Reduces Harford County’s FY 2009 Budget, but Includes a Hefty Employee Raise
March 29, 2008
County Executive David Craig announced his proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget for Harford County last Thursday, March 27. With all the fanfare that went along with the proposed $34,184,425 decrease in budget, I couldn’t help but wonder what about the 9 percent total increase in salaries for eligible county employees.
The 9 percent was broken up very carefully across 3 different raise categories:
- A wage package consisting of a three percent merit increase and three percent COLA for all eligible staff.
- A Classification and Market Adjustment of three percent for all eligible staff. Members of the Cabinet will not receive a merit raise or market adjustment.
In total the proposed FY 09 budget is $895.8 million dollars with the general fund making up over half of this amount at $472 million. County Executive Craig states that this is the smallest increase over the last 10 years at 4.3 percent. This includes the very large raise for county employees. What is the average raise for county employees across the state?
Harford County’s Hotel Tax Tanked by State Senate; Identity of the Bill’s Assassin Remains Unknown
March 27, 2008
This news was passed along this morning by Delegate Dan Riley:
“Hotel tax, for Harford County, killed in the Senate.
It is with great disappointment I’ve learned the hotel tax for Aberdeen was killed in the Senate.
The bill was doing well until someone offered an amendment. The amendment was accepted and became part of the bill thus killing Aberdeen’s chances of getting the hotel tax this year. I do not know what Senator was behind the amendment, I can only guess…maybe a friend of Hess?
I will bring the bill back next year, and the next year, and the next year…until it passes or the opposition, in the Senate, to the bill is retired by the voters.” Continue reading Harford County’s Hotel Tax Tanked by State Senate; Identity of the Bill’s Assassin Remains Unknown
Bill To Make Day After Thanksgiving “American Indian Heritage Day” in MD Close to Passing
March 20, 2008
Del. B Dan Riley (D - District 34A) tells The Dagger that the House of Delegates managed to come together around an issue today. “Think we finally passed a bill, in the House Of Delegates, which will be acceptable by those of any political persuasion,” Riley wrote in an email today. “The day after Thanksgiving, which most people have off, will now be a holiday honoring Native Americans. Only 2 delegates voted against the bill.” The bill effectively makes Black Friday a paid state holiday. See it for yourself here: http://mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/billfile/HB0083.htm
HB 83 was sponsored by Delegate Talmadge Branch, District 45, Delegate Kumar P. Barve, District 17 and Delegate James E. Proctor, Jr., District 27A. The state senate has not acted on this measure.
Candidate Cavalcade: A Flurry of Late Filings Fill the Havre de Grace Election Ballot with 8 Names
March 18, 2008
As last week came to a close, there weren’t enough people interested in running for Havre de Grace City Council to even hold its election this May.
That changed in a big way this week when a late stampede of candidates, including some well-known names and political heavyweights, charged to city hall and registered to appear on the May 6 Election Day ballot.
When the dust settled and the doors of city hall were locked at 5 p.m. Tuesday, eight men had officially declared their intentions to run for the three Havre de Grace City Council seats. Continue reading Candidate Cavalcade: A Flurry of Late Filings Fill the Havre de Grace Election Ballot with 8 Names
HELP WANTED: As Two City Councilmen Step Aside, Candidates Are Needed To Fill Out Havre de Grace’s Election Ballot
March 13, 2008
Two of the three Havre de Grace City Councilmen whose two-year terms expire this spring, Steve Gamatoria and Garrett Lyttle, will not seek re-election, which leaves the ballot thin on candidates heading into the city’s May 6 election.
As of Thursday, only two people had filed to appear on the ballot - incumbent city councilman Jim Miller and former city councilman Fred Cullum. Both are assured a return to city hall unless at least two more candidates file for office, but city officials indicated Thursday evening no one had even picked up an application for candidacy recently.
Last year, the Havre de Grace election ballot was brimming with four incumbents running for mayor, eight candidates seeking three city council seats and a question about the future of city park property.
The Havre de Grace election will be held May 6 and candidates for city council have until Tuesday, March 18 to file for office. Continue reading HELP WANTED: As Two City Councilmen Step Aside, Candidates Are Needed To Fill Out Havre de Grace’s Election Ballot
