Monday, August 13, 2012
The festival's officials are considering changing locations next year as a cost-savings measure.
The Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival isn't just about great food, drinks and an all-star cast of musicians. The concert also helps to raise money for local charities. In May, the 15th annual Bay Blues Festival helped raise $30,000 for local charities, according to a release issued this week. However, the amount raised was referred to as, "somewhat disappointing" by festival staff in the release. According to the festival website, more than $900,000 has been raised since the event began in 1998. "Although the income was somewhat disappointing, we are still pleased that we were able to make contributions to these worthwhile causes," the release stated. "Next year, we will be looking for ways to better control expenses including looking for a …
Friday, July 6, 2012
The bill would have increased pay for members of local police unions by up to 3 percent.
A bill that would have raised police unions’ pay was pulled by the councilman who introduced the legislation, saying it lacked support. Anne Arundel County Councilman Peter Smith (D-1st District), of Severn, said he reluctantly pulled Bill 56-12 on Monday, two weeks after introducing it. The bill would have paved the way to a 3 percent merit raise for members of local police unions—amounting to an estimated payment of between $800,000 to $1 million. That amount was not funded within the 2013 fiscal year budget approved in May. When he first introduced the legislation in June, Smith said it was the right thing to do. Now, a few days after pulling it, he said his mind hasn’t changed. “Let me just say that it was not an easy decision,” Smith …
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Chief customer officer provides customers an update on power restoration efforts.
- OPINION
-
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The following letter to the editor was sent to Patch on Sunday night: If you witnessed the thunderstorms that hit the area late Friday night, you might have thought that they seemed more intense than normal—stronger winds, more frequent lightning. But almost as suddenly as they formed, they were gone again, and the rain and wind had even temporarily exchanged the scorching heat for some slightly more tolerable temperatures. Your lights may have flickered or you lost power altogether, but to many, it may have seemed to be a summer storm like any other. However, what was soon evident was this was no average thunderstorm. High winds peaked at 70 mph, downing limbs and uprooting trees. Unlike a thunderstorm that might hit a few isolated areas…
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Amanda Shank celebrated four months cancer free just hours before Friday night's storm brought a tree and the roof crashing down on top of her.
Nancy Shank had just laid down in bed Friday night when she saw a flash of lighting out the window of her home on Coachway at approximately 11 p.m. "The next thing I knew I heard a huge boom and a scream," Shank said. The scream came from her daughter Amanda Shank. A large poplar tree on their property had fallen tearing through the house, and it came to a stop right above her bed. "It actually felt like an earthquake," Amanda Shank said. "I actually didn't see the tree at first. I tried to sit up; that's when the trusses from the roof and all the insulation fell on me. I didn't think; I just ran out." Amanda Shank lives in Arlington, VA. She was in Annapolis this weekend for her three month checkup with her oncologist. She is four months…
Homeowner Bill Bryant said he asked Annapolis' arborist Jan van Zutphen to remove trees two months ago.
Two large poplar trees fell on a home at 140 Monticello Ave. in the Murray Hill neighborhood ripping up the sidewalk Friday night—after the city's arborist deemed the trees sound. Next door neighbors Phil and Noelle Richmond woke up when their house on Monticello Avenue shook. "I didn't realize how bad it was. I thought maybe we lost some limbs," Phil Richmond said. "Then, I went outside with a flashlight and saw that the trees were down." No one was injured, but homeowner Bill Bryant said his female tenant was very rattled by the whole situation. Bryant was frustrated by the situation because he asked the city to remove those very trees weeks ago. "About 10 to 12 weeks ago I went down to the city and met with the arborist, and asked …
It could take days to restore power to more than 93,000 residents after a severe storm swept through Anne Arundel County on Friday night.
UPDATE (9:25 p.m.)—A wind and rain storm that many weren't expecting hit Anne Arundel County about 10 p.m. Friday and roared through the area leaving toppled trees, scattered debris and power outages. On Saturday just before 6 p.m., Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) showed more than 93,000 outages in the county—with power restored to nearly 18,000 customers since Friday—on the BGE online outage map. At 9:25 p.m., the map showed that 28,758 had power restored. BGE warned that it could take days to fully restore power. More than 500 out-of-state utility workers will assist but BGE said the majority of those resources will not be available until Monday and Tuesday. The Washington Post reported there is a possibility for more severe storms in …
Friday, June 29, 2012
The City Dock Advisory Committee worked in tandem with private consultants to develop three different approaches to renovating downtown Annapolis.
If you couldn't make the City Dock Advisory Committee's public meeting Thursday night, here's a look at the three maps Annapolis residents had the opportunity to evaluate. The renovations focus on Market Space, City Dock and Compromise Street. Each map offers a varying amount of public space, pedestrian walkways and parking. "These are not plans nor are they intended to be three options," said Chris Jakubiak, an urban planner hired by the city. "Their intent is to provide a tool for generating discussion and input from people participating in the workshop, and to offer a variety of ideas for the purpose of getting input that we can use later when preparing a draft plan," he said. What do you like, or not like about the three ideas? Read …
From the city's parade to the fireworks at night, here's a list of what is happening in Annapolis to celebrate Independence Day.
Parade Time: 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Location: Downtown Annapolis According to the city's website, you don't want to "miss a step back in time with the Annapolis Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade! Moving through historic downtown Annapolis, this parade includes floats, fire trucks, bands, color guards, old cars and cool cars and maybe a few politicians!" Mayor Josh Cohen said he plans to walk in front of the circulator to highlight its one-year anniversary. USNA Concert Time: 8 to 9:15 p.m. Location: Susan Campbell Park The USNA Band plays a Summer Concert Series, which kicks off on the 4th of July with a selection of patriotic songs and marches. Fireworks Time: 9:15 to 9:45 p.m. Location: Annapolis Harbor The fireworks go up from a barge in …
Thursday, June 28, 2012
26 Market Space has been vacant since 2007, and construction has been stalled until recently.
To pedestrians passing by 26 Market Space, the building looks much as it has for the last several years. But on the inside, a construction crew is hard at work. They're working long hours in extreme summer temperatures to transform the former Riordan's Restaurant into a new, downtown dining destination called Factors Row. “When it’s all said and done the only thing that will be old is the beams and the brick and some of the old windows,” said building tenant Bruce Gardner. The building was constructed in 1771, and it has been vacant since 2007 when Riordan's closed its doors. Gardner, an Eastport resident, has been trying to build Factors Row since 2009. Crumbling walls, structural dammage and governmental red tape had slowed and even …
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Approximately 1,190 men and women will start their new lives as "plebes."
The U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) will induct its class of 2016 Thursday, and approximately 1,190 young men and women will take their oath of office. This year's Induction class should feel extra special because due to a recording breaking number of applications, less than 6 percent of the 20,500 who applied were accepted. Those who made the cut will start their "I-Day" at USNA’s Alumni Hall where the incoming "plebes" (freshman) will receive uniforms, be given medical examinations, complete registration, receive haircuts and be taught to salute. "They walk in as civilians, but they leave the building as plebes dressed in their uniforms with their hair cut," USNA spokesperson Jenny Erickson said. At 6 p.m. the plebes will take their oath of …
hawkeye
1:22 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Mr. Smith can certainly try this again during the budget deliberation process which is the appropriate time to introduce legislation that will require funding. After the budget has been passed is just bad timing! more ›