LETTER: Apology from District 1 Councilman Peter Smith

In a letter to the editor, the councilman from Severn said he is hopeful that the council will hold itself to a higher standard.

Anne Arundel County, The last few months have been very trying for me. In the few short weeks I have been appointed to this seat, many of you have reached out to me and expressed your displeasure of the current state the leadership in our county has created.  If you have not been told, I want to officially apologize for our behavior. We are not perfect and we will stumble and like any steadfast servant, we will rise and continue to travel in the direction to move Anne Arundel County forward. Much like every other environment, it is filled with individuals who are only human and whose decisions can be clouded with lenses that are forged with a lifetime of diverse struggles. Recent events have lead us to make some tough choices —choices that…

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What New Restaurant Would You Like To See?

Patch asks readers what they'd like to see at Westfield Annapolis mall.

There could be a new dining option this fall at Westfield Annapolis mall. If it were up to you, what restaurant would you like to see come to town? Wayne Tolx, general manager of Four Seasons Grille, told Patch the restaurant is considering opening a new location at the mall in October. County residents currently must travel to Gambrills for the opportunity to dine at Four Seasons Grille, which specializes in American and Mediterranean cuisines. However, it appears the deal isn't done yet. "We have not yet confirmed that the Four Seasons Grille is coming to the center yet, as we do not have a signed lease," wrote Christi Wallace, marketing director at Westfield Annapolis, in an email to Patch. Austin Grill closed its doors in December and …

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Romney Wins County Patch Poll

The Republican front-runner was selected as the nominee of choice by local readers in a non-scientific poll.

Patch readers in Anne Arundel County have declared their choice for a Republican presidential candidate: Mitt Romney. Here are the results for each site. Annapolis: Fred Karger received the most votes, proving that the Patch polls are indeed non-scientific and can be manipulated. Romney received 20 percent of the votes. Broadneck: Romney received 66 percent of the votes. Crofton: Romney received 35 percent of the votes. Edgewater-Davidsonville: Romney received 32 percent of the votes. Glen Burnie: Romney received 42 percent of the votes. Odenton-Severn: Romney received 31 percent of the votes. Pasadena: Romney received 62 percent of the votes. Severna Park: Romney received 57 percent of the votes.

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The Cheapest Fitness Alternative in Annapolis

Over the years road races have become extraordinarily expensive. Fortunately the Annapolis Striders have found a way to counter that.

Twenty years ago, when my husband and I decided we wanted to start our married life healthy, we took up running. It was the cheapest way we could find to lose weight and get fit. After an initial purchase of a couple of pairs of running shoes, some shorts and tank tops, we knew we would not have to spend much more. Unfortunately, shortly after entering the world of running, we discovered the best way to stay motivated was to register for races. Suddenly we had a new expense to add to our budget. As we started running longer distances, moving from 5Ks to 10-milers to half-marathons and finally marathons, this expense began to grow. Each year, as the New Year approaches we begin to plan our races for the next season and each year we are …

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Local Runners Start the Year Together

Annapolis runners who have been highlighted by Patch from the beginning gathered Sunday morning for the first run of the year.

Annapolis is a different sort of town. Whereas most cities remain quiet on the morning after New Year’s Day, downtown Annapolis was teeming with almost 200 runners by 8:30 on Sunday morning. Local athletes from the Annapolis Striders, Blue Point Timing, the Annapolis Triathlon Club, the Annapolis Trail Runners and a handful of local Daily Mile runners came together to put in their first miles of the year in the Annual Resolution Run, an unofficial gathering of runners that has grown by leaps and bounds over almost 30 years. As I stood on the dock looking at the gathering I realized it was a bit of a Patch reunion, with runners and triathletes who have shared their stories with Patch over the past year all coming together to discuss their …

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POLL: Who Do You Want the Ravens To Play?

The Baltimore Ravens will take the field next Sunday in the Divisional Round. Who do you want to see them play?

Thanks to a first-round bye, the Baltimore Ravens will be watching this weekend’s playoff games from their couches, and so should you. When the Ravens take the field next Sunday in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, they could face three very different opponents, depending on what happens Saturday and Sunday.   Here’s a look at the potential foes: Houston Texans How: If they beat Cincinnati. Likelihood: Could happen. Houston already defeated Cincinnati once this year, 20-19, without injured quarterback Matt Schaub. Analysis: This is probably one of the better options for Baltimore. Houston has been plagued by injuries this season. They lost Schaub to a foot injury, and have struggled to replace him. It looks like they will be starting T…

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Tim Lemke

9:13 am on Friday, January 6, 2012

When do my Eagles play? Oh, wait....   more ›

The Athletic Annapolitan

Spice Up Your Work Outs With Fresh Resolutions

Tired of the same New Year's Resolutions? Annapolis has a lot of options to make things more interesting.

With Christmas behind us and the new year, looming many of us are starting to work on goals and resolutions for 2012. There are the old standbys—lose weight, eat healthier, work on being better organized. These are all great goals, but they are also—if I might speak frankly, just a little boring. This year, instead of the standard set of resolutions, why not push the limits a little? Why not aim high? This year, instead of resolving to simply workout more, aim high by scheduling a race and telling all of your friends and family about it. If you have 100 pounds to lose, look at a 5K. If you have less to lose, look at a longer distance—a 10K or even the Annapolis 10-miler. If you have already run a race or two, sign up for the Annapolis …

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POLL: Is Your Office Having a Party This Year?

Extravagant holiday parties are making a comeback according to some reports, but many are still curtailed.

I'm sure many of us remember some pretty good years at work—several years ago—and some equally good Christmas parties to go along with them. Unfortunately, many of us can remember those parties fading away, becoming stories you talked about while trying to enjoy some watered-down, scaled version of a holiday get-together. A recent blog post in The Baltimore Sun discussed a survey that found nearly 70 percent of companies are planning to throw a party this Christmas, which is about the same as last year. Still, it's quite different from 2007, when 90 percent of companies surveyed held holiday parties, according to the blog. So, Patch wants to know what are your work party plans this Christmas? Are you being treated to a good time this year…

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The Athletic Annapolitan

Annapolis Striders Championship Series Draws to a Close

Runners complete the Anniversary Run 15k in Quiet Waters Park on Sunday, wrapping up this year's Championship Series.

  It has been 12 years since I last participated in the Annapolis Striders Championship Series. Melissa Currence is to blame for setting me on that path and for that I am grateful. Unfortunately, life took over and the next 10 years, try as I might, something always got in the way. I had almost given up on the chance of ever running the series again. But when I sat down this year with the race schedule and my calendar, I realized—barring accidents and unforeseen mommy duties—I could do it. No vacations, marathons, triathlons or major family events were standing in my way. Finally, I was able to make my return to the series. The eight-part race series started in January with a 5k in Severna Park and continued throughout the year with races …

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