Gov. O’Malley Disregards Nominating Committee and Taps Leonard Wheeler & Alysson Krchnavy for Board of Education

The Governor has chosen Alysson Krchnavy and Dr. Leonard Wheeler to fill the two open seats on the Board of Education, circumventing the recommendations of the Harford County Board of Education Nominating Committee.

The Committee, made up of representatives from the Office of County Executive David Craig, the Harford County State Senators, the Harford County House of Delegates and the Harford County Council who had recommended retired principal Nancy Reynolds and Dr. Mohammad Reza Shahab to fill those seats. Continue reading Gov. O’Malley Disregards Nominating Committee and Taps Leonard Wheeler & Alysson Krchnavy for Board of Education

Former Principal Nancy Reynolds and Dr. Mohammad Reza Shahab Recommended for Harford County Board of Education

The Harford County Board of Education Nominating Committee conducted interviews with the five candidates last night and voted 7-0 to recommend former Bel Air Middle School Principal Nancy Reynolds and voted 4-3 to recommend Dr. Mohammad Reza Shahab for the two open seats on the board.

Now that the public has the background on at least five candidates for the Harford County Board of Education, it’s too bad we couldn’t have voted to put some of these highly qualified individuals in place. But that decision remains with the Governor. Or more accurately, with whichever local politician has the Governor’s ear. Still, the public has an interest in what happens next. Continue reading Former Principal Nancy Reynolds and Dr. Mohammad Reza Shahab Recommended for Harford County Board of Education

Maryland’s Unheeded Memorial Day Moment of Silence

Several years ago, after asking a group of school children touring our nation’s Capitol what Memorial Day meant to them and getting the response, “That’s the day the pools open,” a distraught Carmella LaSpada knew she needed to do something. She needed to start a mission.

So LaSpada, founder of No Greater Love, an organization devoted to promoting the true meaning of Memorial Day, contacted Harford County Del. B. Dan Riley for help with her mission. That mission, quite simply, is get people to remember Memorial Day. Here is a description of the organization from the No Greater Love web site:

Founded in 1971, NGL is the only humanitarian, educational, non-profit organization in the United States solely dedicated to providing annual programs of friendship and care for those who lost a loved one in the service to our country or by an act of terrorism.

In response to her request, Riley headed to Annapolis and put together House Bill 111 during the 2000 General Assembly. Here is a synopsis of the bill: Continue reading Maryland’s Unheeded Memorial Day Moment of Silence

Remember, remember, the 11th of September

It’s September 11, 2007 and it’s going to be a big day in Baltimore, but here’s my question: what will be the biggest deal in Baltimore today - the city’s mayoral Primary Election, the much-anticipated, head-to-head double-release of the new Kanye West and 50 Cent albums or the ho-hum sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01?

Let’s take a closer look.

There is a lot at stake in today’s mayoral Primary Election in Baltimore. Sheila Dixon, who was city council president until former mayor Martin O’Malley was elected governor last year, has been interim mayor of Baltimore and looks to become the first woman ever elected to the office. Also at stake are the membership of the Baltimore City Council and the post of City Council President. Today is actually just the party Primary Election day - meaning Democrats run only against the other Democrats and Republicans against Republicans to determine which candidates will represent their respective parties in the Nov. 6 General Election. Because Baltimore City politics are dominated by Democrats, however, it is very likely today’s winner will be the city’s next mayor. About a half-dozen Democratic candidates are running, but it is largely acknowledged to be a two-horse race between Dixon and city councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. While Dixon leads in all the polls, neither candidate has been particularly stellar - Dixon is leading a city on pace for a record-breaking murder rate this year and Mitchell fired his father as his campaign treasurer after more than $50,000 disappeared from his campaign account. While you might not like the options, one of these people, by the end of the day, will be poised to become the next mayor of Baltimore. Continue reading Remember, remember, the 11th of September