By Sonia Shah. Over the past decades, Baltimore county has steadily diversified. In 1980, we were 10 percent black; in 2000, we were 20 percent black. Today we are 30 percent black. Forty-seven percent–nearly half of us–are non-white. Our diversity is a strength that benefits all of us in the county. And thanks to the Voting Rights Act, by law it must be reflected in … Continue reading County must reject pro-incumbent, anti-voter map
By David Plymyer. The award of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize to the staff of the Baltimore Sun for local reporting on the “Healthy Holly” book scandal was cause for celebration in the Sun newsroom. For the rest of us it has been an occasion to reflect upon the irreplaceable role of local newspapers, and how close we may be to a time when newspapers like … Continue reading Local Newspapers Struggle for Survival
By David Plymyer. Nothing will reveal the character of Marylanders more than the COVID-19 pandemic now facing us. It is like using a bathroom mirror in the brightest and harshest of lights, reflecting every little flaw and imperfection in the social fabric that binds us together. The pandemic also places strain on that social fabric, threatening to tear it apart as selfishness and indifference compete … Continue reading A Test of Our Character
By Pete Munsey. I remember the 1970s poster with the cat. It was of course for purely inspirational purposes. No cat was harmed in the making of it. But it came to mind the other week in our neighborhood. This was the week actually before the week that everything changed. We had received the first news of deaths in Washington State. We had heard of … Continue reading Hang in there, baby
By Corey Johns. The last three election cycles – 2016 presidential, 2018 midterm, and the current 2020 presidential – the Democratic Party and Republican Party in Maryland have both been faced with huge lists of candidates for a primary election, yet voters could only select one candidate as their vote. In 2016, Republican primary ballots in some states featured 12 candidates. In 2018, Maryland Democrats … Continue reading It is Time to Adopt Ranked Choice Voting
By Sachin Hebbar. Abandoned Walmart shopping carts are a common sight at the bus stop at the intersection of Prince Rd and Goucher Blvd in Towson. Carts on the median are also a frequent occurrence here. The carts’ presence is unsightly. However, they serve as a tell-tale reminder of inadequacies in our public transit system. Walmart and other one–stop shopping locations are popular among public … Continue reading Transit Users Face Hurdles to Shop in the County
By David A. Plymyer. Baltimore County Councilman Tom Quirk has proposed a change to county zoning law to allow live musical entertainment in restaurants, bars and other venues located in areas designated as the “commercial cores” of Catonsville and Arbutus. His bill, Bill 44-19, is a good example of how zoning law is best used when it builds upon existing resources in communities to strengthen … Continue reading Catonsville Live Music Bill is on the Right Track
By Ron Lambert. Just before New Year’s day, 2018, a dog named Oscar died in his yard in Arbutus. Concerned citizens had contacted BCAS about Oscar many times in the past several years. On December 30, with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees, a citizen called BCAS once again. Instead of responding physically, BCAS called Oscar’s owner and accepted his promise to bring the dog inside. … Continue reading Just What DID Happen at Baltimore County Animal Services??
By Corey Johns. Future tenants for the Towson Station development have been announced, and they make up a less than inspiring group of businesses. Last year MOD Pizza, Mission BBQ, Nail Trix, and Men’s Warehouse were announced as tenants for the new site. Recently added to the list are a Chase Bank, The Habit Burger Grill, European Wax, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. To recap, of … Continue reading Towson Plagued with Uninspiring Development
By Pete Munsey. To most people nowadays, the idea of a presidential candidate espousing somewhat nominal religious views is just part of the set design, in the same way one meets retired farmers at a coffee shop in Ames, Iowa, on a July morning, at 8.34 am (precisely). But in 1976, it was all new. Jimmy Carter was contesting for the Democratic nomination and helped … Continue reading Progressives Should Reclaim the Mantle of Faith
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