I found myself involved in an internal debate regarding the professionalism of publishing a rumor, and after nearly 6 minutes of deliberation, I have determined that publishing rumors is acceptable for the following reasons:
1. I offer a disclaimer and do not claim such rumors to be facts.
2. Publishing a rumor offers the readership of this blog a chance to research the rumor to see if it's true, and if it is true, we have contributed to the body of knowledge. In other words, if I publish a rumor about something crazy going on, then like 8 people keep their eyes peeled for crazy goings on, we are more likely to find out the craziness if it is really happening.
3. 'Professionalism' implies a profession--i.e. a money making exercise--and seeing that this blog is a consuming asset rather than a producing asset--i.e. I don't get a red cent for doing this--I can be as professional or unprofessional as I want.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Mayor Crime Bickering
Mayor's crime plan turns to bickering : Police, housing authority officials not sure how to implement ideas
By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
Published September 16, 2007
It started with a plan to fight crime in Annapolis.
Responding to citizen concerns, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer announced a series of public safety initiatives last month to make Annapolis safer.
One month later, however, police and housing authority officials say they haven't received guidance on how to implement her ideas.
And questions about her initiatives have met with quick barbs from the mayor.
"We need to sit down," said Police Chief Joseph S. Johnson, explaining he has several questions for the mayor.
He said Friday he doesn't know how to pay for the four Segways and horse that are part of the mayor's plan, let alone when Ms. Moyer expects them to be on the streets.
"How do we put this in the budget, secure these things, train these people ... It's not something we can run out and do in the next month," Chief Johnson said. "What timeline is she expecting?
"And Annapolis Housing Authority President Eric Brown wrote Ms. Moyer a letter on Wednesday asking for "additional direction" on what she wants in a new agreement of understanding to address crime in the city's public housing communities.
"This is the kind of disconnect we really don't need," said Alderman David Cordle, R-Ward 5. Mr. Cordle is head of the city's Public Safety Committee and a possible mayoral candidate in 2010.
Ms. Moyer said Friday she's still upbeat about her plans, and that her staff already is working to recruit new officers to fill 23 open positions and change the number of shifts officers work from five to three.
Still, she said most of the purchases she called for are a year away.
"He (Chief Johnson) needs to advise me on the budgetary issues," she said.
As for the housing authority agreement, Ms. Moyer said she's sent two letters to Mr. Brown about what she wants.
"I guess he doesn't know how to read," she said.
A short news release put out by the city Tuesday revealed the first cracks in Ms. Moyer's public safety plan.
Ray Weaver, a city spokesman, said the city Police Department was preparing to implement a key element of her new public safety plan - teaming with the Drug Enforcement Administration to fight the drug trade in Annapolis.
Mr. Weaver said the mayor was confident that this new membership in a DEA task force would let the city's police officers double the 275 drug arrests they made in 2006.
The announcement, however, was a decade late and in the eyes of Chief Johnson, overly optimistic.Local and federal officials confirmed this week the city joined the DEA's State and Local High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force at least 10 years ago.
And Chief Johnson said Friday the task force will not accomplish what the mayor wants."It's not going to double the arrest rate," he said.
"It's going to enhance the quality of investigations."
Ms. Moyer backed off her spokesman's statements Friday, saying she always knew the department worked with the DEA task force. She said last week's news release, as well as another Aug. 23 release asking police to initiate a "new illegal drugs and illegal guns task force" - were about the city ramping up their old "liason" relationship with the DEA and the chief signing a new two-year agreement with the federal authorities. She said the new agreement will bring a "renewed emphasis" to Annapolis and take down the city's larger drug dealers.
"I want a more vigorous dedication to undercover activities," she said Friday, noting federal authorities haven't had a large scale drug bust in the city for about four years.
City police Lt. Brian Della said the city is asking the DEA to put more of an emphasis on Annapolis, but stressed there is no guarantee.
Chief Johnson said an officer has been detailed to the task force for a "majority" of the past several years and that to an outside observer, little will change under the "new" agreement.
"They (the DEA) have always been a good partner to us," Chief Johnson said.
Special Agent Ed Marcinko, a DEA spokesman, reiterated the task force is not changing how it investigates drugs and identifies drug dealers.
"It's business as usual," he said.
As for the city doubling the number of drug arrests - and the chief's skepticism - Ms. Moyer remained upbeat it will happen.
"Is that practical? I don't know. I think it is practical," she said.
Critics say Ms. Moyer's gaffe in announcing a task force 10 years late illustrates how out of touch she is with what is happening at her police department.
"It (the task force) has been happening and everyone seems to know it besides her," said Mr. Cordle, echoing the private comments of several other local officials.Mr. Weaver and Ms. Moyer blamed Chief Johnson for the flub. They said the chief forwarded Ms. Moyer a copy of the DEA agreement last week, along with a hand-written note.
"In keeping with the objectives of your 5-pt plan in fighting crime, I've already established a federal and state drug task force with our narcotics people," he wrote.
Chief Johnson said Friday he never intended to mislead the mayor into thinking this was a new task force. He said he used the word "already" last week to imply this was in place before she asked for it.Chief Johnson agreed with Mr. Cordle that Ms. Moyer doesn't always know how the department works, but said "it's not her place to know."
That said, Chief Johnson said he doesn't always know what the mayor wants when she issues orders and launches public safety initiatives.
He said when Ms. Moyer returned from Europe in August, she proposed a five-point public safety plan, called for a new agreement with the City's Housing Authority, asked him to join the task force and to form a special police recruitment committee. The orders, he said, were short on guidance.
For example, Chief Johnson said he met with Mr. Brown and City Attorney Shaem C. Spencer Tuesday about the new agreement Ms. Moyer wants with the housing authority. When they got in the room together, no one understood what they were really supposed to be doing, he said.
Ms. Moyer said she's not yet heard what happened at that meeting, but said she's been clear and quipped about Mr. Brown not knowing how to read.
Mr. Brown said such comments are "beneath the dignity of her office."
"I consider it offensive and insulting," he said.Mr. Brown added he's tried to meet face-to-face with the mayor for the past month, but been unable to schedule a meeting.
Ms. Moyer's public safety plan itself isn't getting the warmest reception either.
Chief Johnson said he's not sure about the horse, although he can see some use around City Dock and for community relations.
And Mr. Cordle said he flat out opposes her proposed Segways and mounted unit.
"It (a horse) is ridiculous from a cost stand point," he said, proposing that money would be better spent raising the entry level salaries of city police officers.
"I think we need to get to the basic root of the problem by getting more officers on the streets."
"Detective Jim Lee, the president of the city police union, likes that the mayor is focusing on crime and "applauds" the city's continued dedication to working with the DEA.
"We are certainly glad that everyone has jumped on the crime wagon," he said.
He said the key to success is in more feet on the street though - not "new" task forces, Segways, and horses.
"The way to really change is by filling the (23) vacancies," he said.
By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
Published September 16, 2007
It started with a plan to fight crime in Annapolis.
Responding to citizen concerns, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer announced a series of public safety initiatives last month to make Annapolis safer.
One month later, however, police and housing authority officials say they haven't received guidance on how to implement her ideas.
And questions about her initiatives have met with quick barbs from the mayor.
"We need to sit down," said Police Chief Joseph S. Johnson, explaining he has several questions for the mayor.
He said Friday he doesn't know how to pay for the four Segways and horse that are part of the mayor's plan, let alone when Ms. Moyer expects them to be on the streets.
"How do we put this in the budget, secure these things, train these people ... It's not something we can run out and do in the next month," Chief Johnson said. "What timeline is she expecting?
"And Annapolis Housing Authority President Eric Brown wrote Ms. Moyer a letter on Wednesday asking for "additional direction" on what she wants in a new agreement of understanding to address crime in the city's public housing communities.
"This is the kind of disconnect we really don't need," said Alderman David Cordle, R-Ward 5. Mr. Cordle is head of the city's Public Safety Committee and a possible mayoral candidate in 2010.
Ms. Moyer said Friday she's still upbeat about her plans, and that her staff already is working to recruit new officers to fill 23 open positions and change the number of shifts officers work from five to three.
Still, she said most of the purchases she called for are a year away.
"He (Chief Johnson) needs to advise me on the budgetary issues," she said.
As for the housing authority agreement, Ms. Moyer said she's sent two letters to Mr. Brown about what she wants.
"I guess he doesn't know how to read," she said.
A short news release put out by the city Tuesday revealed the first cracks in Ms. Moyer's public safety plan.
Ray Weaver, a city spokesman, said the city Police Department was preparing to implement a key element of her new public safety plan - teaming with the Drug Enforcement Administration to fight the drug trade in Annapolis.
Mr. Weaver said the mayor was confident that this new membership in a DEA task force would let the city's police officers double the 275 drug arrests they made in 2006.
The announcement, however, was a decade late and in the eyes of Chief Johnson, overly optimistic.Local and federal officials confirmed this week the city joined the DEA's State and Local High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force at least 10 years ago.
And Chief Johnson said Friday the task force will not accomplish what the mayor wants."It's not going to double the arrest rate," he said.
"It's going to enhance the quality of investigations."
Ms. Moyer backed off her spokesman's statements Friday, saying she always knew the department worked with the DEA task force. She said last week's news release, as well as another Aug. 23 release asking police to initiate a "new illegal drugs and illegal guns task force" - were about the city ramping up their old "liason" relationship with the DEA and the chief signing a new two-year agreement with the federal authorities. She said the new agreement will bring a "renewed emphasis" to Annapolis and take down the city's larger drug dealers.
"I want a more vigorous dedication to undercover activities," she said Friday, noting federal authorities haven't had a large scale drug bust in the city for about four years.
City police Lt. Brian Della said the city is asking the DEA to put more of an emphasis on Annapolis, but stressed there is no guarantee.
Chief Johnson said an officer has been detailed to the task force for a "majority" of the past several years and that to an outside observer, little will change under the "new" agreement.
"They (the DEA) have always been a good partner to us," Chief Johnson said.
Special Agent Ed Marcinko, a DEA spokesman, reiterated the task force is not changing how it investigates drugs and identifies drug dealers.
"It's business as usual," he said.
As for the city doubling the number of drug arrests - and the chief's skepticism - Ms. Moyer remained upbeat it will happen.
"Is that practical? I don't know. I think it is practical," she said.
Critics say Ms. Moyer's gaffe in announcing a task force 10 years late illustrates how out of touch she is with what is happening at her police department.
"It (the task force) has been happening and everyone seems to know it besides her," said Mr. Cordle, echoing the private comments of several other local officials.Mr. Weaver and Ms. Moyer blamed Chief Johnson for the flub. They said the chief forwarded Ms. Moyer a copy of the DEA agreement last week, along with a hand-written note.
"In keeping with the objectives of your 5-pt plan in fighting crime, I've already established a federal and state drug task force with our narcotics people," he wrote.
Chief Johnson said Friday he never intended to mislead the mayor into thinking this was a new task force. He said he used the word "already" last week to imply this was in place before she asked for it.Chief Johnson agreed with Mr. Cordle that Ms. Moyer doesn't always know how the department works, but said "it's not her place to know."
That said, Chief Johnson said he doesn't always know what the mayor wants when she issues orders and launches public safety initiatives.
He said when Ms. Moyer returned from Europe in August, she proposed a five-point public safety plan, called for a new agreement with the City's Housing Authority, asked him to join the task force and to form a special police recruitment committee. The orders, he said, were short on guidance.
For example, Chief Johnson said he met with Mr. Brown and City Attorney Shaem C. Spencer Tuesday about the new agreement Ms. Moyer wants with the housing authority. When they got in the room together, no one understood what they were really supposed to be doing, he said.
Ms. Moyer said she's not yet heard what happened at that meeting, but said she's been clear and quipped about Mr. Brown not knowing how to read.
Mr. Brown said such comments are "beneath the dignity of her office."
"I consider it offensive and insulting," he said.Mr. Brown added he's tried to meet face-to-face with the mayor for the past month, but been unable to schedule a meeting.
Ms. Moyer's public safety plan itself isn't getting the warmest reception either.
Chief Johnson said he's not sure about the horse, although he can see some use around City Dock and for community relations.
And Mr. Cordle said he flat out opposes her proposed Segways and mounted unit.
"It (a horse) is ridiculous from a cost stand point," he said, proposing that money would be better spent raising the entry level salaries of city police officers.
"I think we need to get to the basic root of the problem by getting more officers on the streets."
"Detective Jim Lee, the president of the city police union, likes that the mayor is focusing on crime and "applauds" the city's continued dedication to working with the DEA.
"We are certainly glad that everyone has jumped on the crime wagon," he said.
He said the key to success is in more feet on the street though - not "new" task forces, Segways, and horses.
"The way to really change is by filling the (23) vacancies," he said.
Monday, September 10, 2007
9/10/07 Homicide Press Release
For immediate release
Annapolis Police Chief Joseph Johnson has high praise for the Bay Ridge Gardens Resident Council Association and Management Team for working closely with the Annapolis Police Department.
"They are directly responsible for the quick arrests made in the two latest homicides in Annapolis," said the Chief.
The two homicides occurred on the same block and involved people who did not live in the community. Five residents of Bay Ridge Gardens were witnesses to both homicides and all five immediately identified themselves as potential witnesses. They assisted police investigators, identified the crime scene to technicians and helped with recovery of additional evidence. Many of the witnesses to the first homicide testified before the Grand Jury regarding the case.
"These actions were unprecedented," said Chief Johnson. "And I hope they continue."
"Greater citizen involvement can greatly reduce the potential for criminal activity," the Chief continued. "Citizen involvement sends a clear message that communities will not tolerate illegal activity within their boundaries."
Chief Johnson went on to discuss the challenges his Department faces policing the Public Housing Communities in Annapolis.
"A review of recent crime statistics indicates that 4 of the 6 homicides that have occurred in the City during 2007 happened on or near public housing. Many secondary and regular duty police officers responded to these incidents. The large number of officers working in and around public housing has resulted in a decrease in violent crimes on those properties. Both the victim and the suspect the latest homicide had previously been arrested for drug offenses and were banned from public housing properties. However, criminals from those areas are spilling into surrounding areas and Bay Ridge Gardens seems to be one of the communities being affected. The Annapolis Police Department is aware of, and working on, the problem. Once again, we want to make it clear that we applaud the sacrifices the citizens of Bay Ridge Gardens made in coming forward to assist their police department and we hope it becomes an epidemic."
Members of the Annapolis Public Safety Committee-a standing committee appointed by the Mayor to review legislation and make specific recommendation on ordinances that effect public safety-also praised the community action. The current committee is made up of the Chairman, Alderman Dave Cordle, along with Aldermen Ross Arnett and Sheila Finlayson. Chairman Cordle said that he encourages citizen involvement on all levels within the public safety arena, particularly violent crime and quality of life issue crimes. Alderman Finlayson recently attended a public meeting at Bay Ridge Gardens and congratulated the citizens for their efforts and listened to their concerns.
Mayor Moyer also applauded the citizens of Bay Ridge Gardens efforts and said,
"It takes all of us- the public, elected officials and the police department- working as partners to make our community safe. These quick arrests reflect the excellent work of the Annapolis Police Department and the success of our continuing Neighborhood Watch efforts. They are a real-world example of how people getting involved can help make our City a safer place to be."
Ray Weaver
Public Information Officer
City of Annapolis
Annapolis Police Chief Joseph Johnson has high praise for the Bay Ridge Gardens Resident Council Association and Management Team for working closely with the Annapolis Police Department.
"They are directly responsible for the quick arrests made in the two latest homicides in Annapolis," said the Chief.
The two homicides occurred on the same block and involved people who did not live in the community. Five residents of Bay Ridge Gardens were witnesses to both homicides and all five immediately identified themselves as potential witnesses. They assisted police investigators, identified the crime scene to technicians and helped with recovery of additional evidence. Many of the witnesses to the first homicide testified before the Grand Jury regarding the case.
"These actions were unprecedented," said Chief Johnson. "And I hope they continue."
"Greater citizen involvement can greatly reduce the potential for criminal activity," the Chief continued. "Citizen involvement sends a clear message that communities will not tolerate illegal activity within their boundaries."
Chief Johnson went on to discuss the challenges his Department faces policing the Public Housing Communities in Annapolis.
"A review of recent crime statistics indicates that 4 of the 6 homicides that have occurred in the City during 2007 happened on or near public housing. Many secondary and regular duty police officers responded to these incidents. The large number of officers working in and around public housing has resulted in a decrease in violent crimes on those properties. Both the victim and the suspect the latest homicide had previously been arrested for drug offenses and were banned from public housing properties. However, criminals from those areas are spilling into surrounding areas and Bay Ridge Gardens seems to be one of the communities being affected. The Annapolis Police Department is aware of, and working on, the problem. Once again, we want to make it clear that we applaud the sacrifices the citizens of Bay Ridge Gardens made in coming forward to assist their police department and we hope it becomes an epidemic."
Members of the Annapolis Public Safety Committee-a standing committee appointed by the Mayor to review legislation and make specific recommendation on ordinances that effect public safety-also praised the community action. The current committee is made up of the Chairman, Alderman Dave Cordle, along with Aldermen Ross Arnett and Sheila Finlayson. Chairman Cordle said that he encourages citizen involvement on all levels within the public safety arena, particularly violent crime and quality of life issue crimes. Alderman Finlayson recently attended a public meeting at Bay Ridge Gardens and congratulated the citizens for their efforts and listened to their concerns.
Mayor Moyer also applauded the citizens of Bay Ridge Gardens efforts and said,
"It takes all of us- the public, elected officials and the police department- working as partners to make our community safe. These quick arrests reflect the excellent work of the Annapolis Police Department and the success of our continuing Neighborhood Watch efforts. They are a real-world example of how people getting involved can help make our City a safer place to be."
Ray Weaver
Public Information Officer
City of Annapolis
Monday, August 27, 2007
Press Release 8/27/07
For immediate release
Mayor Ellen Moyer is asking Annapolis Police Chief Joseph Johnson to expand hisDepartment's recruiting efforts. She is requesting that he augment currentdepartment-based recruiting efforts with a committee that will act asambassadors and positive advocates for the police department."
The most effective tool for recruiting is personal advocacy," said the Mayor."I am asking the Chief to enhance his officers' ongoing efforts with a team thatwill include Director of Human Resources Kimla Milburn, Public InformationOfficer Ray Weaver and the members of the City's Public SafetyCommittee-Aldermen Ross Arnett, Dave Cordle and Alderwoman Sheila Findlayson. Iam calling on this committee to meet within the next two weeks."
Ms. Milburn recently returned from a National personnel conference where sheobserved,
"In speaking with my colleagues from around the country, it is evident that weare all facing a tremendous challenge in recruiting police officers," she said."Positive statements about the department will go a long way in encouragingpeople to consider a career with the APD. Negative articles and Letters to theEditor bashing the Department simply do not help. We need to work together toincrease the level of interest in working for the Annapolis Police Department."
The Annapolis Police Department currently maintains a ratio of 3 officers per1000 residents. The national average is 1 officer per 1000 residents
Mayor Ellen Moyer is asking Annapolis Police Chief Joseph Johnson to expand hisDepartment's recruiting efforts. She is requesting that he augment currentdepartment-based recruiting efforts with a committee that will act asambassadors and positive advocates for the police department."
The most effective tool for recruiting is personal advocacy," said the Mayor."I am asking the Chief to enhance his officers' ongoing efforts with a team thatwill include Director of Human Resources Kimla Milburn, Public InformationOfficer Ray Weaver and the members of the City's Public SafetyCommittee-Aldermen Ross Arnett, Dave Cordle and Alderwoman Sheila Findlayson. Iam calling on this committee to meet within the next two weeks."
Ms. Milburn recently returned from a National personnel conference where sheobserved,
"In speaking with my colleagues from around the country, it is evident that weare all facing a tremendous challenge in recruiting police officers," she said."Positive statements about the department will go a long way in encouragingpeople to consider a career with the APD. Negative articles and Letters to theEditor bashing the Department simply do not help. We need to work together toincrease the level of interest in working for the Annapolis Police Department."
The Annapolis Police Department currently maintains a ratio of 3 officers per1000 residents. The national average is 1 officer per 1000 residents
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Capital Articles Re: Mayor's HACA plan
Moyer targets public housing
By NICOLE YOUNG, Staff Writer
Published August 23, 2007
Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said she wants to work with the Annapolis Housing Authority to beef up security efforts at the 10 public housing properties around the city and put more police officers in each community.
Ms. Moyer announced the plan yesterday to install surveillance cameras, create a police substation and assign undercover police in each public housing neighborhood. She also wants to make sure a community service program for residents, as required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is enforced.
She said that for this to happen, the housing authority will have to handle the majority of the costs, sharing the camera and substation costs with the city Police Department.
It's the latest of several recent efforts by Ms. Moyer to address escalating fears of crime and violence in the city. But the plan isn't all that new.
Housing authority leaders had requested the same things last year, only to be rebuffed by the mayor.
"We proposed this to the mayor and she rejected it," said Eric Brown, executive director of the housing authority. "But personally, I'm elated that she's come around to our way of thinking. I just wish she would have done this earlier."
The city has provided the housing authority with $200,000 since 2004 to hire Annapolis police to work as off-duty security, Ms. Moyer said. But she now contends that the authority hasn't used the city's contribution and has been unsuccessful in recruiting officers for the program, calling it "sketchy at best."
Mr. Brown said that although the mayor claims the housing authority needs to manage public safety and money itself, the city didn't simply give it a lump sum of $200,000.
"They would reimburse us for the money we put out, up to $200,000," he said. "It actually ends up costing us money with that kind of arrangement."
Police Chief Joseph S. Johnson said he supports any efforts Ms. Moyer wants to put in place, and said she's right to challenge the housing authority to pay a portion of the substation costs.
"We already co-op secondary employment to them, but we need more manpower," he said.
The housing authority also has the space for police substations in the property management offices and community centers, Mr. Brown said.
In May, HUD called the housing authority "troubled," citing problems with its record-keeping and safety hazards in its dwellings, and gave it a score of only 38 out of a possible 100 points during an evaluation.
Mr. Brown said the authority has worked to fix those problems and announced plans to redevelop four of its most troubled properties - College Creek Terrace, Obery Court, Bowman Court and Annapolis Gardens - as well as appointing a new chairman for the board of directors, Howard Pinskey. Mr. Pinskey replaced Trudy McFall, who resigned in July.
One of the mayor's requests - placing the housing authority in accordance with HUD community service guidelines requiring residents to complete eight hours of community service each month was already in place, although it hadn't previously been enforced.
Mr. Brown said he and the housing authority are willing to go forward on these measures, but it will take time and money to put them in place.
He also would like to see a special detachment of Annapolis police officers specifically assigned to the housing authority, as well as a bigger push on the Neighborhood Watch program, which he said would be a more immediate solution.
He said he's hoping to meet with Ms. Moyer as soon as possible, but has yet to hear from her.
"It's been on the table, and if it is something that they want to explore, we are certainly open to it, as we have proposed this before," Mr. Brown said. "This is something that is viable and we are elated."
Eric Hartley:Mayor's crime focus welcome, if overdue
Published August 23, 2007
Eric Brown, who runs the Annapolis Housing Authority, seemed a bit surprised when he heard Mayor Ellen Moyer's latest suggestions for tackling crime in public housing.
It wasn't that the ideas were so odd or revolutionary; rather, it was that they sounded awfully familiar.
Police substations, surveillance cameras, more undercover officers assigned to the communities - weren't some of these the same steps Ms. Moyer's police chief, Joseph Johnson, dismissed as "garbage" earlier this year when Mr. Brown's agency proposed them?
Choosing his words carefully, Mr. Brown said: "Many of the things that from what you tell me are being proposed are things that we have placed on the table before, and they up to this point have been rejected by the city."
Still, Mr. Brown - executive director of the housing authority, which is mostly independent of city government - said he was glad to hear the suggestions and added, "I think those are things we could embrace."
So why does Ms. Moyer, fresh off her six-week summer vacation jaunt through Annapolis' sister cities in Europe, suddenly seem so focused on crime? Was there something in the water in Dumfries, Scotland?
"The first thing I get hit with when I get back in town after meeting with sister cities is, 'We've got a crime problem. We've got a crime problem. We've got a crime problem,' " the mayor said.
So first, there was a five-point plan on general public safety issues; next, a four-point plan on public housing specifically; and a forthcoming proposal (alas, no word on the number of points) to beef up partnerships with federal and state authorities on gun and drug prosecutions.
It's hard to keep it all straight, and I'm not even going to talk about the horse the mayor wants the police department to buy. The ideas are a mixture of the small and concrete (better lighting in dark areas, more Segways so officers can zip around downtown faster, juggling police work schedules) and the ambitious (more money for drug treatment, enhanced neighborhood-watch training).
Ms. Moyer acknowledged that many of the ideas aren't new. But she said, "It's a way to focus and get everybody talking and working together."
A nice thought, but why now? Ms. Moyer has been mayor for nearly six years, and while she has talked about crime many times, little seems to have changed.
Accurate or not, there's a perception that her administration has been more interested in talking about tourism, sailing and the city's 300th anniversary bash than wading into thornier problems like crime and drugs.
Ms. Moyer called that charge unfair and said she's been working with residents on crime issues for 20 years, going back to her 14 years as an alderman from Eastport.
Of course, just about every elected official in America is expected to "solve" some crime problem, even though there's only so much one city's politicians and police can do to combat national societal trends.
It's not fair to blame Ms. Moyer for not solving a problem that can probably never be solved. But it is fair to ask whether her latest plans will accomplish very much, or just make it look like she tried.
Let's hope we're not in for another round of all talk and no action.
As they're doing now, housing authority and city officials pledged to work together earlier this year. But when the housing authority offered its ideas in March, including a substation and foot patrols in Robinwood and license plate scanners, Chief Johnson sent a clear message: Leave police work to the professionals.
As Ray Weaver, a city spokesman, said at the time: "We have to get by our own turf wars we all seem to be having if we're going to help people having problems on theirs."
Elected Official and Moyer Administration Quotes
After the meeting, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer criticized the group's strategy, saying that instead of acting as "problem solvers," they were acting as "rhetorical bomb throwers." "What I don't get from them is an indication that they want to partner in any way," she said. "To assert that we're ignoring the issue is plain folly." Baltimore Sun article, 1/16/08, regarding Mayor Moyer's reaction to citizen concerns over crime.
We do not want the capital city to be a drug haven. This is an 18-year-old man whose life is over. Another (17-year-old) man whose life is ruined. Public Information Officer Ray Weaver, Capital article, 11/3.
Can we afford (a drug program)? I say we cannot afford not to have one. We're calling to help prevent deaths in our community. Classie Hoyle, 11/3 Capital article
Hopefully it will be successful. Mayor Moyer, 10/6/07, holding high hopes for a proposed open air market.
While much has been made recently of the numbers of police officers that are currently employed by the City, the fact is that the APD maintains a ratio of 3 police officers to every 1000 citizens-the national average is only 1 officer per thousand. Mayor Moyer, 8/16/07 press release
The war in Iraq and retirement have both greatly impacted the number of qualified people that are available for and interested in police work. Jurisdictions nationwide are drawing from the same talent pool and facing the same challenges. Mayor Moyer, 8/16/07 press release
As I outlined in the plan for Robinwood that the City submitted to the County Executive some months ago, I believe a comprehensive drug treatment and prevention program to be an important long term solution to reducing crime in the City. Mayor Moyer, 8/16/07 press release
It's easy for people to talk about the fear of crime, but I have yet to hear any solutions using the resources we have. This begins the process of looking at solutions rather than rhetoric. 8/17/07 article
Our goal, with the unified effort I am requesting, is to double the number of arrests and to make it crystal clear that the Capital City is not a Drug Capital. Mayor Moyer, 8/23/2007
Surveillance for some nuisance crimes may have to be reduced, but available personnel must be utilized to deal directly with serious crime. Mayor Moyer, 8/23/07
We already co-op secondary employment to them, but we need more manpower. Chief Johnson, 8/23/07
The first thing I get hit with when I get back in town after meeting with our sister cities is "We've got a crime problem. We've got a crime problem. We've got a crime problem. Mayor Moyer, 8/23/07
While she said she doesn't use a computer herself, Ms. Moyer acknowledged the popularity of Wi-Fi, noting that some hotels offered it on her recent trip to Europe. "It's the technology of today, that and Podcasts and iPods. Mayor Moyer, 8/26/07
The most effective tool for recruiting is personal advocacy. Mayor Moyer, 8/27/07
Negative articles and Letters to theEditor bashing the Department simply do not help. We need to work together toincrease the level of interest in working for the Annapolis Police Department. Mayor Moyer, 8/27/07
In speaking with my colleagues from around the country, it is evident that weare all facing a tremendous challenge in recruiting police officers. Kimla Milburn, 8/27/07
We need to sit down. Chief Johnson, regarding confusion over orders from the mayor, 9/16/07.
"How do we put this in the budget, secure these things, train these people ... It's not something we can run out and do in the next month," Chief Johnson said. "What timeline is she expecting? Chief Johnson, on the mayor's crime plan, 9/16/07.
I guess he doesn't know how to read. Mayor Moyer, speculating as to why HACA president Eric Brown didn't understand what she wanted, 9/16/07.
It's not going to double the arrest rate. Chief Johnson, dismissing the mayor's expectations of her new crime plan, 9/16/07.
Is that practical? I don't know. I think it is practical. Mayor Moyer, doing her best to defend her confidence that drug arrests will double, 9/16/07.
Chief Johnson said he doesn't always know what the mayor wants when she issues orders and launches public safety initiatives.He said when Ms. Moyer returned from Europe in August, she proposed a five-point public safety plan, called for a new agreement with the City's Housing Authority, asked him to join the task force and to form a special police recruitment committee. The orders, he said, were short on guidance. From The Capital, 9/16/07.
I learned early on, we (police) couldn't make a community safe by ourself. You will never hear me say no to a community group. Chief Johnson, 9/28/07
We don't have enough eyes and ears to make you safe. Chief Johnson, 9/28/07
We do not want the capital city to be a drug haven. This is an 18-year-old man whose life is over. Another (17-year-old) man whose life is ruined. Public Information Officer Ray Weaver, Capital article, 11/3.
Can we afford (a drug program)? I say we cannot afford not to have one. We're calling to help prevent deaths in our community. Classie Hoyle, 11/3 Capital article
Hopefully it will be successful. Mayor Moyer, 10/6/07, holding high hopes for a proposed open air market.
While much has been made recently of the numbers of police officers that are currently employed by the City, the fact is that the APD maintains a ratio of 3 police officers to every 1000 citizens-the national average is only 1 officer per thousand. Mayor Moyer, 8/16/07 press release
The war in Iraq and retirement have both greatly impacted the number of qualified people that are available for and interested in police work. Jurisdictions nationwide are drawing from the same talent pool and facing the same challenges. Mayor Moyer, 8/16/07 press release
As I outlined in the plan for Robinwood that the City submitted to the County Executive some months ago, I believe a comprehensive drug treatment and prevention program to be an important long term solution to reducing crime in the City. Mayor Moyer, 8/16/07 press release
It's easy for people to talk about the fear of crime, but I have yet to hear any solutions using the resources we have. This begins the process of looking at solutions rather than rhetoric. 8/17/07 article
Our goal, with the unified effort I am requesting, is to double the number of arrests and to make it crystal clear that the Capital City is not a Drug Capital. Mayor Moyer, 8/23/2007
Surveillance for some nuisance crimes may have to be reduced, but available personnel must be utilized to deal directly with serious crime. Mayor Moyer, 8/23/07
We already co-op secondary employment to them, but we need more manpower. Chief Johnson, 8/23/07
The first thing I get hit with when I get back in town after meeting with our sister cities is "We've got a crime problem. We've got a crime problem. We've got a crime problem. Mayor Moyer, 8/23/07
While she said she doesn't use a computer herself, Ms. Moyer acknowledged the popularity of Wi-Fi, noting that some hotels offered it on her recent trip to Europe. "It's the technology of today, that and Podcasts and iPods. Mayor Moyer, 8/26/07
The most effective tool for recruiting is personal advocacy. Mayor Moyer, 8/27/07
Negative articles and Letters to theEditor bashing the Department simply do not help. We need to work together toincrease the level of interest in working for the Annapolis Police Department. Mayor Moyer, 8/27/07
In speaking with my colleagues from around the country, it is evident that weare all facing a tremendous challenge in recruiting police officers. Kimla Milburn, 8/27/07
We need to sit down. Chief Johnson, regarding confusion over orders from the mayor, 9/16/07.
"How do we put this in the budget, secure these things, train these people ... It's not something we can run out and do in the next month," Chief Johnson said. "What timeline is she expecting? Chief Johnson, on the mayor's crime plan, 9/16/07.
I guess he doesn't know how to read. Mayor Moyer, speculating as to why HACA president Eric Brown didn't understand what she wanted, 9/16/07.
It's not going to double the arrest rate. Chief Johnson, dismissing the mayor's expectations of her new crime plan, 9/16/07.
Is that practical? I don't know. I think it is practical. Mayor Moyer, doing her best to defend her confidence that drug arrests will double, 9/16/07.
Chief Johnson said he doesn't always know what the mayor wants when she issues orders and launches public safety initiatives.He said when Ms. Moyer returned from Europe in August, she proposed a five-point public safety plan, called for a new agreement with the City's Housing Authority, asked him to join the task force and to form a special police recruitment committee. The orders, he said, were short on guidance. From The Capital, 9/16/07.
I learned early on, we (police) couldn't make a community safe by ourself. You will never hear me say no to a community group. Chief Johnson, 9/28/07
We don't have enough eyes and ears to make you safe. Chief Johnson, 9/28/07
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The Mayor Proposes Changes to HACA Crime Fighting
To continue to address public safety concerns in the City of Annapolis, Mayor Ellen Moyer is requesting changes be made to the current agreement between the City and the Housing Authority.
"Since 2004 Annapolis has provided the Housing Authority with $200,000to employ police officers to work as off duty security," said Mayor Moyer. " This money was to be matched with HACA funds for a $400,000 public safety program. HACA has not utilized all of the City's contribution. It has also been unsuccessful in recruiting from other law enforcement agencies. Accountability for public safety expenditures on a $400,000 program is sketchy at best.
I am, therefore, requesting that the City change its grant commitment and manage its own resources dedicated to HACA.
Recognizing that HACA is federal property and that their consent is needed for partnership, I propose a new and separate agreement of understanding be negotiated to do the following:
1. The Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis and the Annapolis Police Department share to outfit each HACA neighborhood with surveillance cameras.
2. HACA and APD share costs for a sub-station program.
3. APD, if HACA agrees, assign undercover police to the area and enhance neighborhood watch training.
4. HACA to implement the community service program for all residents as required by HUD.
This program will clarify accountability for services and clarify roles and responsibility. The goal is to enhance public safety.
Additionally, I am requesting the City's Community and Housing Board to review successful housing programs in other jurisdictions, research opportunities for home ownership and social service needs, and to recommend changes in our federal housing program required to enhance public safety. Some changes may require federal or state legislation.
Money will be allocated for a staff consultant to assist in the task." Mayor Moyer is requesting a meeting with HACA Executive Director Eric Brown to discuss the changes.
"Since 2004 Annapolis has provided the Housing Authority with $200,000to employ police officers to work as off duty security," said Mayor Moyer. " This money was to be matched with HACA funds for a $400,000 public safety program. HACA has not utilized all of the City's contribution. It has also been unsuccessful in recruiting from other law enforcement agencies. Accountability for public safety expenditures on a $400,000 program is sketchy at best.
I am, therefore, requesting that the City change its grant commitment and manage its own resources dedicated to HACA.
Recognizing that HACA is federal property and that their consent is needed for partnership, I propose a new and separate agreement of understanding be negotiated to do the following:
1. The Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis and the Annapolis Police Department share to outfit each HACA neighborhood with surveillance cameras.
2. HACA and APD share costs for a sub-station program.
3. APD, if HACA agrees, assign undercover police to the area and enhance neighborhood watch training.
4. HACA to implement the community service program for all residents as required by HUD.
This program will clarify accountability for services and clarify roles and responsibility. The goal is to enhance public safety.
Additionally, I am requesting the City's Community and Housing Board to review successful housing programs in other jurisdictions, research opportunities for home ownership and social service needs, and to recommend changes in our federal housing program required to enhance public safety. Some changes may require federal or state legislation.
Money will be allocated for a staff consultant to assist in the task." Mayor Moyer is requesting a meeting with HACA Executive Director Eric Brown to discuss the changes.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Mayor Moyer's New Ideas
Mayor's trip yields historical, transit ideas
By NICOLE YOUNG, Staff Writer
Published August 20, 2007
Six weeks, hours upon hours aboard boats and trains and more than 3,000 photos later, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer is back. She was on a goodwill mission to Annapolis' sister cities in Europe.
Near the top her list is lifting some transportation ideas from Paris, including more underground parking and increased public transportation on the water.
Beginning in Rochefort, France, Ms. Moyer's trip took her through Europe, including stops in Paris; Richmond, Yorkshire, England; Dumfries, Scotland; Newport, Wales; and Wexford, Ireland.
Ms. Moyer said she's now armed with a "whole notebook of ideas" - and she's ready to go through it and find out which are viable options for the city.
The Annapolis Sister Cities program, similar to having a pen pal on a municipal level, has led to governmental, economic and cultural collaborations, as well as student exchange programs.
Annapolis has sisterly ties to more than 10 cities around the globe, including Tallinn, Estonia; and Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia.
Many of the mayor's experiences were documented in a blog - ellenmoyer.blogspot.com - with historical backgrounds of each town, ties to Annapolis and the efforts of the local government.
She said transportation options in Paris were numerous, and seemed like something Annapolis could look to for guidance in the future.
She described bicycles lined up in the main tourist areas; with the swipe of a credit card, a bike could be unlocked for use. A public "boat bus" stops at eight locations aroundthe city and car lots are kept out of sight in underground parking garages.
"Public transportation is totally different," Ms. Moyer said. "No Taj Mahal (parking) garages there. But useful exchange of skills will be a natural occurrence."
Giving back to the sister cities overseas, Ms. Moyer is hoping to share the city's historical preservation expertise with some of them and possibly even set up a pen-pal program with students in Annapolis schools.
She said she also learned about public housing in Europe and was most impressed by the appearance of the homes. She also looked to the mayor of Newport, Wales, for information on how that city keeps its public housing system working, and bringing in a better mix of options for home ownership.
"Subsidized housing just doesn't look like it there," she said. "The cottages all have flowers in the yard and are well-kept and fairly attractive."
Alderwoman Julie Stankivic, I-Ward 6, also made a short trek to Europe earlier this month on city business, but wasn't able to meet up with the mayor.
But Ms. Moyer returned to more pressing matters. Upon her arrival in Annapolis she jumped in with a five-point-plan to address fears of escalating violence and crime in the city. Her proposal included reducing the number of shifts for police from five to three, adding a horse unit to the force, buying four Segway scooters, designating Annapolis a drug-free zone and improving lighting on city streets.
Ms. Moyer said she's also interested in planning special programs to raise money for the sister cities program, to "treat them as well as they treat us."
"The exchange has to go both ways," she said.
Representatives from several of the sister cities, including Wexford, are making arrangements to visit during Annapolis' 300th anniversary next year, she said.
Her blog will continue to be updated in the coming weeks with information about the last portion of her trip, she said.
By NICOLE YOUNG, Staff Writer
Published August 20, 2007
Six weeks, hours upon hours aboard boats and trains and more than 3,000 photos later, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer is back. She was on a goodwill mission to Annapolis' sister cities in Europe.
Near the top her list is lifting some transportation ideas from Paris, including more underground parking and increased public transportation on the water.
Beginning in Rochefort, France, Ms. Moyer's trip took her through Europe, including stops in Paris; Richmond, Yorkshire, England; Dumfries, Scotland; Newport, Wales; and Wexford, Ireland.
Ms. Moyer said she's now armed with a "whole notebook of ideas" - and she's ready to go through it and find out which are viable options for the city.
The Annapolis Sister Cities program, similar to having a pen pal on a municipal level, has led to governmental, economic and cultural collaborations, as well as student exchange programs.
Annapolis has sisterly ties to more than 10 cities around the globe, including Tallinn, Estonia; and Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia.
Many of the mayor's experiences were documented in a blog - ellenmoyer.blogspot.com - with historical backgrounds of each town, ties to Annapolis and the efforts of the local government.
She said transportation options in Paris were numerous, and seemed like something Annapolis could look to for guidance in the future.
She described bicycles lined up in the main tourist areas; with the swipe of a credit card, a bike could be unlocked for use. A public "boat bus" stops at eight locations aroundthe city and car lots are kept out of sight in underground parking garages.
"Public transportation is totally different," Ms. Moyer said. "No Taj Mahal (parking) garages there. But useful exchange of skills will be a natural occurrence."
Giving back to the sister cities overseas, Ms. Moyer is hoping to share the city's historical preservation expertise with some of them and possibly even set up a pen-pal program with students in Annapolis schools.
She said she also learned about public housing in Europe and was most impressed by the appearance of the homes. She also looked to the mayor of Newport, Wales, for information on how that city keeps its public housing system working, and bringing in a better mix of options for home ownership.
"Subsidized housing just doesn't look like it there," she said. "The cottages all have flowers in the yard and are well-kept and fairly attractive."
Alderwoman Julie Stankivic, I-Ward 6, also made a short trek to Europe earlier this month on city business, but wasn't able to meet up with the mayor.
But Ms. Moyer returned to more pressing matters. Upon her arrival in Annapolis she jumped in with a five-point-plan to address fears of escalating violence and crime in the city. Her proposal included reducing the number of shifts for police from five to three, adding a horse unit to the force, buying four Segway scooters, designating Annapolis a drug-free zone and improving lighting on city streets.
Ms. Moyer said she's also interested in planning special programs to raise money for the sister cities program, to "treat them as well as they treat us."
"The exchange has to go both ways," she said.
Representatives from several of the sister cities, including Wexford, are making arrangements to visit during Annapolis' 300th anniversary next year, she said.
Her blog will continue to be updated in the coming weeks with information about the last portion of her trip, she said.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Moyer Crime Press Release
For immediate release
Mayor Ellen Moyer proposes a five point plan to address concerns being raised about public safety in the City of Annapolis.
1. Starting immediately, the Mayor is asking Annapolis Police Chief Joseph Johnson to reduce the number of shifts at the Annapolis Police Department from the current five to three. This will increase the number of officers available for each shift. Mayor Moyer believes that this change will result in a higher level of visibility and protection and is the most efficient deployment of available officers. While much has been made recently of the numbers of police officers that are currently employed by the City, the fact is that the APD maintains a ratio of 3 police officers to every 1000 citizens-the national average is only 1 officer per thousand, said Mayor Moyer. The war in Iraq and retirement have both greatly impacted the number of qualified people that are available for and interested in police work. Jurisdictions nationwide are drawing from the same talent pool and facing the same challenges. We offer a very competitive package of pay and benefits to our officers and are always looking for talented people. We will aggressively continue that search without lowering our standards, but our principal obligation is to find new ways to use the people that we have now to enhance public safety.
2. Mayor Moyer is also asking that the police department purchase 4additional Segways. Segways increase feet on the street by providing greater mobility and allowing officers to cover a wider are they are on the street.
3. She is also asking the police department to look into the feasibility of adding at least one horseback mounted unit to the City's police force. Officers on horseback are highly visible, and research shows that in crowd and emergency situations a mounted officer is equal to ten officers on foot.
4. The Mayor will be asking the City delegation to the General Assembly to submit legislation designating the entire City of Annapolis a Drug-Free Zone. This action will double the fines and penalties to anyone convicted of dealing drugs in the City. We need to send a clear message that dealing drugs in the City of Annapolis will not be tolerated,†said the Mayor. Hitting dealers in their pocketbook, doubling their jail time and in general making Annapolis a hostile environment to this type of activity will help convince dealers that our City is not a place they want to be. The Mayor will also be asking the City delegation to request additional state funds for a comprehensive drug plan in the City of Annapolis. "As I outlined in the plan for Robinwood that the City submitted to the County Executive some months ago, I believe a comprehensive drug treatment and prevention program to be an important long term solution to reducing crime in the City", the Mayor said. "However, an effective plan will be expensive, and we can't go it alone-we need help from our partners in the State and the County".
5. Finally, the Mayor is calling for help from citizens in identifying and lighting dark places in the City. Leave your porch and outside lights on or set them up on motion detectors-people that are up to no good don't like bright lights, said Mayor Moyer. If you see a dark place, or a street light out anywhere in the City, call us and we'll work with your Alderman,Public Works and BG and E to get the lighting improved. We want to help you improve your sense of security and safety in your neighborhood
Along with these five major points, Mayor Moyer is requesting the Chairman of the City's Public Safety Committee for additional specific recommendations and calling on the City Housing Authority to define,evaluate and report on their efforts to improve policing on Housing Authority property. We give the Housing Authority $200,000 annually to assist with public safety on Housing Authority property and we have never seen an accounting about how that money is being spent, said the Mayor.
I am continuing to request regular reports and recommendations from the Housing Authority and the Public Safety Committee. Recent events and the accompanying headlines are indeed troubling, but Annapolis Police Department statistics clearly show that crime is down6% from this time last year. The goal of every official in this City,elected or appointed, is to improve personal and public safety. As in the past, the City will continue collaborative public safety programs within our neighborhoods and work with residents to help define and implement solutions. The success of the Clay Street Public Safety Team and recent efforts by Eastport residents show what can happen if citizens become partners in public safety efforts. Annapolis is a wonderful, vibrant City and we all must continue to work as a community to make it even better.
Mayor Ellen Moyer proposes a five point plan to address concerns being raised about public safety in the City of Annapolis.
1. Starting immediately, the Mayor is asking Annapolis Police Chief Joseph Johnson to reduce the number of shifts at the Annapolis Police Department from the current five to three. This will increase the number of officers available for each shift. Mayor Moyer believes that this change will result in a higher level of visibility and protection and is the most efficient deployment of available officers. While much has been made recently of the numbers of police officers that are currently employed by the City, the fact is that the APD maintains a ratio of 3 police officers to every 1000 citizens-the national average is only 1 officer per thousand, said Mayor Moyer. The war in Iraq and retirement have both greatly impacted the number of qualified people that are available for and interested in police work. Jurisdictions nationwide are drawing from the same talent pool and facing the same challenges. We offer a very competitive package of pay and benefits to our officers and are always looking for talented people. We will aggressively continue that search without lowering our standards, but our principal obligation is to find new ways to use the people that we have now to enhance public safety.
2. Mayor Moyer is also asking that the police department purchase 4additional Segways. Segways increase feet on the street by providing greater mobility and allowing officers to cover a wider are they are on the street.
3. She is also asking the police department to look into the feasibility of adding at least one horseback mounted unit to the City's police force. Officers on horseback are highly visible, and research shows that in crowd and emergency situations a mounted officer is equal to ten officers on foot.
4. The Mayor will be asking the City delegation to the General Assembly to submit legislation designating the entire City of Annapolis a Drug-Free Zone. This action will double the fines and penalties to anyone convicted of dealing drugs in the City. We need to send a clear message that dealing drugs in the City of Annapolis will not be tolerated,†said the Mayor. Hitting dealers in their pocketbook, doubling their jail time and in general making Annapolis a hostile environment to this type of activity will help convince dealers that our City is not a place they want to be. The Mayor will also be asking the City delegation to request additional state funds for a comprehensive drug plan in the City of Annapolis. "As I outlined in the plan for Robinwood that the City submitted to the County Executive some months ago, I believe a comprehensive drug treatment and prevention program to be an important long term solution to reducing crime in the City", the Mayor said. "However, an effective plan will be expensive, and we can't go it alone-we need help from our partners in the State and the County".
5. Finally, the Mayor is calling for help from citizens in identifying and lighting dark places in the City. Leave your porch and outside lights on or set them up on motion detectors-people that are up to no good don't like bright lights, said Mayor Moyer. If you see a dark place, or a street light out anywhere in the City, call us and we'll work with your Alderman,Public Works and BG and E to get the lighting improved. We want to help you improve your sense of security and safety in your neighborhood
Along with these five major points, Mayor Moyer is requesting the Chairman of the City's Public Safety Committee for additional specific recommendations and calling on the City Housing Authority to define,evaluate and report on their efforts to improve policing on Housing Authority property. We give the Housing Authority $200,000 annually to assist with public safety on Housing Authority property and we have never seen an accounting about how that money is being spent, said the Mayor.
I am continuing to request regular reports and recommendations from the Housing Authority and the Public Safety Committee. Recent events and the accompanying headlines are indeed troubling, but Annapolis Police Department statistics clearly show that crime is down6% from this time last year. The goal of every official in this City,elected or appointed, is to improve personal and public safety. As in the past, the City will continue collaborative public safety programs within our neighborhoods and work with residents to help define and implement solutions. The success of the Clay Street Public Safety Team and recent efforts by Eastport residents show what can happen if citizens become partners in public safety efforts. Annapolis is a wonderful, vibrant City and we all must continue to work as a community to make it even better.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Crime Editorial
Our Say:Aldermen finally pay attention to crime issue
Normally, we wouldn't praise aldermen because at least some of them say they are making public safety a priority.
What else could city officials possibly put at the top of their lists? Issues the City Council has no authority over? Meaningless apologies for misdeeds far back in history?
Well, in Annapolis' case, all of the above.
But the flood of comments, phone calls and e-mails from constituents upset by brutal crimes seems to have had a sobering effect.
We can only endorse the remarks by Alderman David Cordle, who focused on this issue throughout: "It should always, always be public safety first. The city has to reset its priorities. I'm getting dozens of e-mails from (Alderman) Sam Shropshire about plastic bags every week. I don't have time for that right now. People are getting shot, stabbed, beaten and robbed."
Mr. Shropshire, however, has taken some time out from sending those e-mails to do ride-alongs with city police and visit public housing communities. "I'm very convinced we need to fill the vacant positions in city cops," he said. "We need to give them a little more power in recruiting and get affordable housing for police."
In addition to sensible statements by aldermen, there is some encouraging news. Increased police presence in Eastport has led to arrests, the Eastport Civic Association has formed a crime task force and is planning a neighborhood walk-through, and the police report an upswing in Neighborhood Watch applications.
Perhaps more important: For the first time in nearly a year, the city police have scheduled an exam for potential police recruits.
The city is not going to keep crime under control without a neighborhood-by-neighborhood police presence - what Mr. Cordle calls "feet on the street." It's hard to see how that can be done when the department has 22 vacancies.
If the city is going to put public safety first, filling those vacancies is crucial.
Normally, we wouldn't praise aldermen because at least some of them say they are making public safety a priority.
What else could city officials possibly put at the top of their lists? Issues the City Council has no authority over? Meaningless apologies for misdeeds far back in history?
Well, in Annapolis' case, all of the above.
But the flood of comments, phone calls and e-mails from constituents upset by brutal crimes seems to have had a sobering effect.
We can only endorse the remarks by Alderman David Cordle, who focused on this issue throughout: "It should always, always be public safety first. The city has to reset its priorities. I'm getting dozens of e-mails from (Alderman) Sam Shropshire about plastic bags every week. I don't have time for that right now. People are getting shot, stabbed, beaten and robbed."
Mr. Shropshire, however, has taken some time out from sending those e-mails to do ride-alongs with city police and visit public housing communities. "I'm very convinced we need to fill the vacant positions in city cops," he said. "We need to give them a little more power in recruiting and get affordable housing for police."
In addition to sensible statements by aldermen, there is some encouraging news. Increased police presence in Eastport has led to arrests, the Eastport Civic Association has formed a crime task force and is planning a neighborhood walk-through, and the police report an upswing in Neighborhood Watch applications.
Perhaps more important: For the first time in nearly a year, the city police have scheduled an exam for potential police recruits.
The city is not going to keep crime under control without a neighborhood-by-neighborhood police presence - what Mr. Cordle calls "feet on the street." It's hard to see how that can be done when the department has 22 vacancies.
If the city is going to put public safety first, filling those vacancies is crucial.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Dwyer Email
Saturday August 11, 2007
Dear Dear Friends, Club leaders and Fellow Republicans,
Regrettably the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee finds itself in somewhat of a sticky wicket. By that, I mean to say that it very unfortunate that Mike Collins (the current chairman) has opted to release confidential e-mails to the press in an attempt to stop the super majority of central committee members from removing him as chairman. Mr. Collins is simply grasping at straws by trying to drag others like State Party Chairman, Jim Pelura and me into the decision to remove him. (See the Capitol Article)
It is also regrettable and inexcusable that Mr. Collins would release the confidential State Party finances to the Sun (Baltimore Sun Article) in an attempt to discredit Chairman Pelura while all along hoping to build consensus against his removal. It should come as no surprise that the Party would struggle financially after loosing the Governors seat. Mr. Pelura seems to be addressing the financial issues and making the necessary decisions to keep the Party a viable force in Maryland.
In regards to Mr. Collins accusations that I am somehow involved, I would simply like to say that of the ten people who are supporting his removal, all have addressed individual issues related to his inability and unwillingness to lead the committee in a respectful, orderly and amicable manner. None of them are plotting (to my knowledge) as Mr. Collins alleges to see him removed. The reasons being offered for his removal have nothing to do with a agenda of any kind and simply have to do with Mr. Collins poor leadership skills, his lack of ability to hear the people he was suppose to lead, his lack of general direction, his constant infighting with the state party and his misrepresentation of the views of the committee. The opinions of the committee members is in actuality a mixture of many positions, backgrounds and beliefs and in the end I believe the committees simply desires to build a strong Republican base in Anne Arundel County.
I will admit that I will not be sorry to see Mr. Collins removed. I hope whoever succeeds him will work to build the Republican Party. It is my personal opinion is that Mr. Collins is not in concert with the values or beliefs of former president Ronald Reagan and that If he truly cares about the future of the Maryland Republican Party, that he should step down and put a stop to the public release of information intended to fracture what is left of the Party. This is no way for a Republican leader to act.
I respect the members of the Central Committee and have full confidence in their ability to deal with and address the internal issues of the organization. For that reason, I hope that Mr. Collins will respect the will of the majority of the committee and resign peacefully. I would ask that if you are concerned about the future of the Republican Party in Anne Arundel County, that you consider urging Mr. Collins to step down immediately.
Constitutionally yours, Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.
ps. Please feel free to reply with your comments
Dear Dear Friends, Club leaders and Fellow Republicans,
Regrettably the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee finds itself in somewhat of a sticky wicket. By that, I mean to say that it very unfortunate that Mike Collins (the current chairman) has opted to release confidential e-mails to the press in an attempt to stop the super majority of central committee members from removing him as chairman. Mr. Collins is simply grasping at straws by trying to drag others like State Party Chairman, Jim Pelura and me into the decision to remove him. (See the Capitol Article)
It is also regrettable and inexcusable that Mr. Collins would release the confidential State Party finances to the Sun (Baltimore Sun Article) in an attempt to discredit Chairman Pelura while all along hoping to build consensus against his removal. It should come as no surprise that the Party would struggle financially after loosing the Governors seat. Mr. Pelura seems to be addressing the financial issues and making the necessary decisions to keep the Party a viable force in Maryland.
In regards to Mr. Collins accusations that I am somehow involved, I would simply like to say that of the ten people who are supporting his removal, all have addressed individual issues related to his inability and unwillingness to lead the committee in a respectful, orderly and amicable manner. None of them are plotting (to my knowledge) as Mr. Collins alleges to see him removed. The reasons being offered for his removal have nothing to do with a agenda of any kind and simply have to do with Mr. Collins poor leadership skills, his lack of ability to hear the people he was suppose to lead, his lack of general direction, his constant infighting with the state party and his misrepresentation of the views of the committee. The opinions of the committee members is in actuality a mixture of many positions, backgrounds and beliefs and in the end I believe the committees simply desires to build a strong Republican base in Anne Arundel County.
I will admit that I will not be sorry to see Mr. Collins removed. I hope whoever succeeds him will work to build the Republican Party. It is my personal opinion is that Mr. Collins is not in concert with the values or beliefs of former president Ronald Reagan and that If he truly cares about the future of the Maryland Republican Party, that he should step down and put a stop to the public release of information intended to fracture what is left of the Party. This is no way for a Republican leader to act.
I respect the members of the Central Committee and have full confidence in their ability to deal with and address the internal issues of the organization. For that reason, I hope that Mr. Collins will respect the will of the majority of the committee and resign peacefully. I would ask that if you are concerned about the future of the Republican Party in Anne Arundel County, that you consider urging Mr. Collins to step down immediately.
Constitutionally yours, Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.
ps. Please feel free to reply with your comments
Mike Collins
Political notes: County GOP rift may disrupt leadership
As if the state Republican Party doesn't have enough internal problems of its own, now the county GOP is wrestling with its leadership.
Sources say a move is afoot to oust Central Committee Chairman Mike Collins before his term is up.
A cabal of ultra-conservative party members has been secretly plotting to force his departure because they oppose his leadership style and don't think he is conservative enough.
Among the plotters are Les and Debbie Belcher, Del. Don Dwyer, Tom Redmond and even his own vice-chairman, Jerry Walker.
Even Jim Pelura, who is under fire for his leadership of the state Republican Party, is involved.
Sources say the division is between those who feel the party needs to be more moderate and those who feel it should be more in line with the religious right.
According to e-mails shared with The Capital, Erik Robey, vice chairman of the state Republican Party, is seeking a meeting between Mr. Collins and his detractors to air their grievances.
Mrs. Belcher responded, "The meeting is pointless. A decision has been made by at least two-thirds majority and we need to more forward. It's best for the Committee and Party that this be done quickly, efficiently and without undue attention."
So much for that.
As if the state Republican Party doesn't have enough internal problems of its own, now the county GOP is wrestling with its leadership.
Sources say a move is afoot to oust Central Committee Chairman Mike Collins before his term is up.
A cabal of ultra-conservative party members has been secretly plotting to force his departure because they oppose his leadership style and don't think he is conservative enough.
Among the plotters are Les and Debbie Belcher, Del. Don Dwyer, Tom Redmond and even his own vice-chairman, Jerry Walker.
Even Jim Pelura, who is under fire for his leadership of the state Republican Party, is involved.
Sources say the division is between those who feel the party needs to be more moderate and those who feel it should be more in line with the religious right.
According to e-mails shared with The Capital, Erik Robey, vice chairman of the state Republican Party, is seeking a meeting between Mr. Collins and his detractors to air their grievances.
Mrs. Belcher responded, "The meeting is pointless. A decision has been made by at least two-thirds majority and we need to more forward. It's best for the Committee and Party that this be done quickly, efficiently and without undue attention."
So much for that.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Eastport Crime
Eastport residents concerned about recent crime
But most don't participate in National Night Out
By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer
Whether the Maritime Republic of Eastport is a safe place to live depends on who's asked.
Flipping through a flier on community crime prevention during the 24th annual National Night Out event at City Dock last night, Annapolis resident Katherine Porter said 'no' - at least it hasn't been safe recently.
She is aware of two brutal robberies late last month and a spate of car burglaries. And now she won't walk to The Rockfish Restaurant at 400 Sixth St. or to Davis's Pub on Chester Avenue after dusk.
Two people, victims of separate robberies, were walking when they were attacked within one week of each other.
"It's scary to see these bright papers up talking about assaults and beatings of people," she said. "I'm getting a ride or taking a taxi at this point. No, I don't feel safe walking around at night anymore."
The robberies are the latest crimes this summer that have shaken up Eastport residents - enough to start a string of concerned e-mails and reward funds.
Some people have stopped walking to their destinations and have begun to lock their homes.
But Catherine Evans, who on Sunday night found herself face-to-face with a strange man sitting in her pickup in Eastport, said things could be worse.
And she still plans to move into the Fourth Street home she's been renovating the past six months.
Her neighbor, who used to live near Capitol Hill in Washington, agreed, saying things are much worse in the nation's capital.
At 11 p.m. Sunday, Ms. Evans' went outside to move her Dodge Ram when she found the man in her truck.
Ms. Evans screamed and the man got out and ran off.
The Eastport crime scare began July 24 after David Ansel Jr. was attacked from behind and robbed by a gang of men in Eastport as he walked from his job on the Woodwind. He was knocked unconscious and police said his jaw was possibly broken.
Seven days later and about two blocks away, Elizabeth Varr told police she also was attacked from behind while walking home from her job at the Annapolis Yacht Club.
Police said her attacker held her down - leading to several cuts and bruises - before stealing her bag and riding away on a bike.
Officer Hal Dalton, a city police spokesman, said police also are investigating four car break-ins that happened overnight July 29 on Boucher Avenue, and seven car break-ins overnight July 30 on President Point Drive. He didn't know if they were related to the muggings, but said the department is concerned.
And on Monday, a 31-year-old Arnold man told police he was assaulted and robbed just before midnight Sunday while walking in the 200 block of Duke of Gloucester Street in downtown Annapolis.
He said he was struck in the back of the head by one of four men, knocked to the ground, then punched and kicked. One of the men took cash from his pocket. The man said he walked to a nearby bar on Dock Street, and the next day he went to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries, police said.
Wary of the recent crime, city police now are sending additional officers to the Eastport Peninsula.
Residents said they have seen extra patrol cars driving through the community and parked in the Eastport Shopping Center.
Elaine Kahn said she often sees police ride in front of her Fourth Street home. It makes her feel safe, she said, but not safe enough to walk alone at night.
She doesn't carry a purse when she walks around town either, she said. She hasn't done so for the past two years.
Mrs. Kahn's neighbor, Dinah Ostenso, made changes to her routine a couple of months ago after two of her family's cars were broken into while parked outside her home.
She has lived in the home for four years and says she's only recently started feeling the community isn't as safe as it was when she moved in.
It is irritating, Mrs. Ostenso said, to invest so much in a home and have crime in the streets.
While she used to feel safe with her doors unlocked, Mrs. Ostenso now keeps the porch lights on from dusk until morning, and makes sure to lock the house and car doors at all times.
Through e-mails, residents have voiced their concerns and offered safety tips to each other.
"We are afraid in our homes and in our neighborhood," wrote Frieda Wildey. "...I would ask that everyone try to turn on their outside lights and leave them on all night."
Another e-mail encouraged residents to participate in the National Night Out event last night, and show support by turning on their porch lights and sitting on their porch.
At the event at City Dock there was information available to residents about community crime prevention. Hot dogs, games, police-themed activity books for children, and a performance by the Naval Academy Band also drew in a crowd.
Still, many Eastport residents did not know about the event when The Capital asked them last night.
But Officer Dalton said he spoke to some Eastport residents at the event, and has been included in several e-mails from community members.
"Seems they have formed an informal e-mail group and are networking - they are expressing the very essences of Neighborhood Watch, saying things such as they have to help the police and watch out for each other," he said. "(They're) preparing themselves mentally should they be crime witnesses or victims, securing their own property and homes as much as possible and above all being alert - they are sharing a lot of information."
And they're pulling together.
Last week, Eastport residents and business owners put up $5,000 in rewards in hopes of stemming the violence.
The Eastport Business Association Board last night kicked in $1,000 to the reward pool as did the Eastport Civic Association the night before, according to Dick Franyo, owner of Boatyard Bar and Grill.
While the crimes are scary, Ms. Evans said some good has come out of them.
She has gotten to know a lot of her neighbors, she said, and everyone is looking out for each other - exactly what she's looking for in a community.
But most don't participate in National Night Out
By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer
Whether the Maritime Republic of Eastport is a safe place to live depends on who's asked.
Flipping through a flier on community crime prevention during the 24th annual National Night Out event at City Dock last night, Annapolis resident Katherine Porter said 'no' - at least it hasn't been safe recently.
She is aware of two brutal robberies late last month and a spate of car burglaries. And now she won't walk to The Rockfish Restaurant at 400 Sixth St. or to Davis's Pub on Chester Avenue after dusk.
Two people, victims of separate robberies, were walking when they were attacked within one week of each other.
"It's scary to see these bright papers up talking about assaults and beatings of people," she said. "I'm getting a ride or taking a taxi at this point. No, I don't feel safe walking around at night anymore."
The robberies are the latest crimes this summer that have shaken up Eastport residents - enough to start a string of concerned e-mails and reward funds.
Some people have stopped walking to their destinations and have begun to lock their homes.
But Catherine Evans, who on Sunday night found herself face-to-face with a strange man sitting in her pickup in Eastport, said things could be worse.
And she still plans to move into the Fourth Street home she's been renovating the past six months.
Her neighbor, who used to live near Capitol Hill in Washington, agreed, saying things are much worse in the nation's capital.
At 11 p.m. Sunday, Ms. Evans' went outside to move her Dodge Ram when she found the man in her truck.
Ms. Evans screamed and the man got out and ran off.
The Eastport crime scare began July 24 after David Ansel Jr. was attacked from behind and robbed by a gang of men in Eastport as he walked from his job on the Woodwind. He was knocked unconscious and police said his jaw was possibly broken.
Seven days later and about two blocks away, Elizabeth Varr told police she also was attacked from behind while walking home from her job at the Annapolis Yacht Club.
Police said her attacker held her down - leading to several cuts and bruises - before stealing her bag and riding away on a bike.
Officer Hal Dalton, a city police spokesman, said police also are investigating four car break-ins that happened overnight July 29 on Boucher Avenue, and seven car break-ins overnight July 30 on President Point Drive. He didn't know if they were related to the muggings, but said the department is concerned.
And on Monday, a 31-year-old Arnold man told police he was assaulted and robbed just before midnight Sunday while walking in the 200 block of Duke of Gloucester Street in downtown Annapolis.
He said he was struck in the back of the head by one of four men, knocked to the ground, then punched and kicked. One of the men took cash from his pocket. The man said he walked to a nearby bar on Dock Street, and the next day he went to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries, police said.
Wary of the recent crime, city police now are sending additional officers to the Eastport Peninsula.
Residents said they have seen extra patrol cars driving through the community and parked in the Eastport Shopping Center.
Elaine Kahn said she often sees police ride in front of her Fourth Street home. It makes her feel safe, she said, but not safe enough to walk alone at night.
She doesn't carry a purse when she walks around town either, she said. She hasn't done so for the past two years.
Mrs. Kahn's neighbor, Dinah Ostenso, made changes to her routine a couple of months ago after two of her family's cars were broken into while parked outside her home.
She has lived in the home for four years and says she's only recently started feeling the community isn't as safe as it was when she moved in.
It is irritating, Mrs. Ostenso said, to invest so much in a home and have crime in the streets.
While she used to feel safe with her doors unlocked, Mrs. Ostenso now keeps the porch lights on from dusk until morning, and makes sure to lock the house and car doors at all times.
Through e-mails, residents have voiced their concerns and offered safety tips to each other.
"We are afraid in our homes and in our neighborhood," wrote Frieda Wildey. "...I would ask that everyone try to turn on their outside lights and leave them on all night."
Another e-mail encouraged residents to participate in the National Night Out event last night, and show support by turning on their porch lights and sitting on their porch.
At the event at City Dock there was information available to residents about community crime prevention. Hot dogs, games, police-themed activity books for children, and a performance by the Naval Academy Band also drew in a crowd.
Still, many Eastport residents did not know about the event when The Capital asked them last night.
But Officer Dalton said he spoke to some Eastport residents at the event, and has been included in several e-mails from community members.
"Seems they have formed an informal e-mail group and are networking - they are expressing the very essences of Neighborhood Watch, saying things such as they have to help the police and watch out for each other," he said. "(They're) preparing themselves mentally should they be crime witnesses or victims, securing their own property and homes as much as possible and above all being alert - they are sharing a lot of information."
And they're pulling together.
Last week, Eastport residents and business owners put up $5,000 in rewards in hopes of stemming the violence.
The Eastport Business Association Board last night kicked in $1,000 to the reward pool as did the Eastport Civic Association the night before, according to Dick Franyo, owner of Boatyard Bar and Grill.
While the crimes are scary, Ms. Evans said some good has come out of them.
She has gotten to know a lot of her neighbors, she said, and everyone is looking out for each other - exactly what she's looking for in a community.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Jennifer Bistrack
Truxtun Park Penguins slide into success
Swimming program aims to develop, refine youngsters' skills
By WENDI WINTERS, For The Capital
There aren't any penguins in this area, unless you count the 130 members of the Truxtun Park Penguins and their enthusiastic parents.
In their sleek black Speedo swimsuits, the youngsters on the county's only public pool-based swim team easily evoked their namesakes as they dipped and flipped in the sparkling waters of Truxtun Park Pool last week.
Truxtun Park boasts the only public outdoor pool in the city or county - a hidden gem.
The Penguins were celebrating the end of their short swim season with a pool party and cookout at the pool.
Penguin parent Tim Whisted, owner of Little Havana Restaurant in Baltimore, catered a large, savory spread for the event.
The Penguins were also strutting and crowing, just a little. They'd trounced the other county swim clubs with a 5-0 record.
The king fish behind the Penguins is Coach Jennifer Bistrack, 35, who's been swimming so long, chlorine must run in her veins. The Broadneck Peninsula resident is a native of Stone Mountain, Ga. She is also a product of the small southern town's public outdoor pools.
Recently employed with the county to develop programs to prevent disease through exercise and nutrition, she begins a job later this summer with the City of Annapolis as its Health & Aquatics director. Her mission is to get more city residents away from their TVs and video games and into the water to shape up, slim down, and reduce heart disease and stress on body joints.
"Stone Mountain has 12 outdoor summer pools in our parks, this county has zero," said Ms. Bistrack, shaking her head sadly. "The only public outdoor pool here belongs to a city park."
Stone Mountain's population hovers at 7,500.
A University of Maryland grad with a master's degree in public health, Ms. Bistrack first stumbled across the Truxtun Park pool several years ago.
"I thought it was beautiful but under utilized," she recalled. "I've been a swim coach since I was 16. Since '99, I've coached for the Naval Academy Aquatic Club."
She is also a U.S. Master Swimmer and a member of the notoriously fun Annapolis Breakfast Club. Several ABC members swam the English Channel round-trip last year in relays.
With the blessing of LeeAnn Plumer, director of Annapolis Recreation and Parks, Ms. Bistrack started a small intramural team in 2005 with 20 kids. "We didn't compete but we had some timed trials."
"My niece couldn't swim across the pool two years ago," said astonished (and proud) Annapolis resident Tracy Gill. "She broke two records at the Gold meet this month! The coaches are amazing."
For the 2006 season, 63 kids, ages 14-18, turned out to learn how to swim and compete against the other 17 teams in the Greater Annapolis Swim League. They finished the season 1-4.
Hilary Yager, a fellow Naval Academy Aquatic Club coach, came aboard this year as Ms. Bistrack's coaching partner, handling the 5- to 6-year-old and 7- to 10-year-old swimmers.
Word spread and this year and 123 kids participated, driving the team to its 5-0 record.
Membership is $60, plus the cost of a swimsuit, for area residents in the 21401 and 21403 zip codes. From other county zip codes, the fee is $66 - $28 goes directly to Maryland Swimming, a chapter of US Swimming, to handle liability coverage.
The club holds fundraisers for scholarships for children whose families cannot afford the membership fees.
The summer Penguins season begins the first week of June. They have two weeks of daily evening training sessions to get ready for 5 Dual Meets and 3 Championship Meets - a swimmer generally only goes to one Championship Meet, plus the big end of season party.
Four of Bob Hoods seven children have been Penguins: David, 12; Billie, 10; Mary, 8; and Joey, 6. Another chick from his brood will dive in next year.
"We've been involved since the start," he said. "I read about a swim clinic and lessons in the paper." "Coach Jenn took all our kids that didn't know how to swim and taught them how. It's been great! The coach is outstanding and wonderful with kids. It's a wholesome environment, great exercise and a great sport."
He added that it's great to have the activity, especially in the evenings because parents can come.
"Parents help out at meets, they're organized as starters and timers for lanes. When a team hosts a meet, it puts together a concession stand, which is a fundraiser. Some parents are 'kid finders' - they make sure kids are ready for their race."
Carole Forsyth of Annapolis has three Penguins on the team, Syndey, 10; and 7-year-old fraternal twins Allison and Geoffrey.
"We've been involved two years. Syndey had been coached by Jenn at the Naval Academy in the off-season and came here. The twins have decided to keep swimming on teams all year 'round."
The swim-mom has become a Penguin, too. "I've taken training to be a 'Stroke and Turn' judge. I had to take four tests to get certified." She smiled wryly, "I'm not a good swimmer and my kids tease me that Coach Jenn needs to teach me how to swim."
Mrs. Forsyth said her family couldn't afford to belong to a private pool.
"It's neat to watch these kids get so excited about a sport!" she said. "All it takes is a spark to get them active."
Twelve-year-old Dominic Gonzalez was a second-year Penguin. Five of his 11 siblings were on the team with him. "It's fun. I never swam on a real swim team before. I wasn't really good before, but I've won one heat. My fastest time was 35.91 seconds in a 50-yard pool. I'm doing this again next year!"
Karsten Skogsholm, 11, completed her third year on the team.
"The growth is nice," she commented, "because the first year we didn't have enough people for meets. The second year, we lost all but one meet. This year we won all the meets and did pretty good in the Silver and Bronze."
"You'll see me here again next year!"
Swimming program aims to develop, refine youngsters' skills
By WENDI WINTERS, For The Capital
There aren't any penguins in this area, unless you count the 130 members of the Truxtun Park Penguins and their enthusiastic parents.
In their sleek black Speedo swimsuits, the youngsters on the county's only public pool-based swim team easily evoked their namesakes as they dipped and flipped in the sparkling waters of Truxtun Park Pool last week.
Truxtun Park boasts the only public outdoor pool in the city or county - a hidden gem.
The Penguins were celebrating the end of their short swim season with a pool party and cookout at the pool.
Penguin parent Tim Whisted, owner of Little Havana Restaurant in Baltimore, catered a large, savory spread for the event.
The Penguins were also strutting and crowing, just a little. They'd trounced the other county swim clubs with a 5-0 record.
The king fish behind the Penguins is Coach Jennifer Bistrack, 35, who's been swimming so long, chlorine must run in her veins. The Broadneck Peninsula resident is a native of Stone Mountain, Ga. She is also a product of the small southern town's public outdoor pools.
Recently employed with the county to develop programs to prevent disease through exercise and nutrition, she begins a job later this summer with the City of Annapolis as its Health & Aquatics director. Her mission is to get more city residents away from their TVs and video games and into the water to shape up, slim down, and reduce heart disease and stress on body joints.
"Stone Mountain has 12 outdoor summer pools in our parks, this county has zero," said Ms. Bistrack, shaking her head sadly. "The only public outdoor pool here belongs to a city park."
Stone Mountain's population hovers at 7,500.
A University of Maryland grad with a master's degree in public health, Ms. Bistrack first stumbled across the Truxtun Park pool several years ago.
"I thought it was beautiful but under utilized," she recalled. "I've been a swim coach since I was 16. Since '99, I've coached for the Naval Academy Aquatic Club."
She is also a U.S. Master Swimmer and a member of the notoriously fun Annapolis Breakfast Club. Several ABC members swam the English Channel round-trip last year in relays.
With the blessing of LeeAnn Plumer, director of Annapolis Recreation and Parks, Ms. Bistrack started a small intramural team in 2005 with 20 kids. "We didn't compete but we had some timed trials."
"My niece couldn't swim across the pool two years ago," said astonished (and proud) Annapolis resident Tracy Gill. "She broke two records at the Gold meet this month! The coaches are amazing."
For the 2006 season, 63 kids, ages 14-18, turned out to learn how to swim and compete against the other 17 teams in the Greater Annapolis Swim League. They finished the season 1-4.
Hilary Yager, a fellow Naval Academy Aquatic Club coach, came aboard this year as Ms. Bistrack's coaching partner, handling the 5- to 6-year-old and 7- to 10-year-old swimmers.
Word spread and this year and 123 kids participated, driving the team to its 5-0 record.
Membership is $60, plus the cost of a swimsuit, for area residents in the 21401 and 21403 zip codes. From other county zip codes, the fee is $66 - $28 goes directly to Maryland Swimming, a chapter of US Swimming, to handle liability coverage.
The club holds fundraisers for scholarships for children whose families cannot afford the membership fees.
The summer Penguins season begins the first week of June. They have two weeks of daily evening training sessions to get ready for 5 Dual Meets and 3 Championship Meets - a swimmer generally only goes to one Championship Meet, plus the big end of season party.
Four of Bob Hoods seven children have been Penguins: David, 12; Billie, 10; Mary, 8; and Joey, 6. Another chick from his brood will dive in next year.
"We've been involved since the start," he said. "I read about a swim clinic and lessons in the paper." "Coach Jenn took all our kids that didn't know how to swim and taught them how. It's been great! The coach is outstanding and wonderful with kids. It's a wholesome environment, great exercise and a great sport."
He added that it's great to have the activity, especially in the evenings because parents can come.
"Parents help out at meets, they're organized as starters and timers for lanes. When a team hosts a meet, it puts together a concession stand, which is a fundraiser. Some parents are 'kid finders' - they make sure kids are ready for their race."
Carole Forsyth of Annapolis has three Penguins on the team, Syndey, 10; and 7-year-old fraternal twins Allison and Geoffrey.
"We've been involved two years. Syndey had been coached by Jenn at the Naval Academy in the off-season and came here. The twins have decided to keep swimming on teams all year 'round."
The swim-mom has become a Penguin, too. "I've taken training to be a 'Stroke and Turn' judge. I had to take four tests to get certified." She smiled wryly, "I'm not a good swimmer and my kids tease me that Coach Jenn needs to teach me how to swim."
Mrs. Forsyth said her family couldn't afford to belong to a private pool.
"It's neat to watch these kids get so excited about a sport!" she said. "All it takes is a spark to get them active."
Twelve-year-old Dominic Gonzalez was a second-year Penguin. Five of his 11 siblings were on the team with him. "It's fun. I never swam on a real swim team before. I wasn't really good before, but I've won one heat. My fastest time was 35.91 seconds in a 50-yard pool. I'm doing this again next year!"
Karsten Skogsholm, 11, completed her third year on the team.
"The growth is nice," she commented, "because the first year we didn't have enough people for meets. The second year, we lost all but one meet. This year we won all the meets and did pretty good in the Silver and Bronze."
"You'll see me here again next year!"
Monday, August 6, 2007
Main Street Maryland
Main Street program could revitalize downtown
Staff Writer
City officials are hoping the answer to revitalizing Annapolis downtown economy is right in front of them.
Mike Miron, the city's director of economic development, is considering applying to have Annapolis be a part of the Main Street Maryland program, a comprehensive downtown revitalization project that focuses on historic preservation and economic development.
"We need to do something with the downtown area, not to compete with the mall or Parole, but to link it somehow," he said.
Main Street Maryland, begun in 1998, has a four-point approach to revitalization: design, organization, promotion and economic restructuring.
It advocates ideas such as creating and promoting events downtown, improving streetscapes and fixing up the facades of some buildings.
Towns are selected based on a competitive application process, and although the process is currently closed, officials with the state Department of Housing and Community Development are considering opening it up in the spring.
Since its beginnings in Cumberland, Main Street Maryland has accepted 18 towns throughout the state, including Frederick, Westminster, Frostburg and Dundalk.
In Westminster for example, $16 million has gone toward the revitalization from public and private partnerships, 295 new jobs have been created and 80 new businesses have opened since 1999, when it joined Main Street Maryland.
"Downtown belongs to everybody," said Kevin Baynes, director of the Office of Programs and Regional Development for the state, who made a presentation about Main Street Maryland to about 30 merchants and residents of Ward 1 Tuesday evening. "We want to bring people together for one common goal of bringing them back to downtown."
Mr. Miron said Main, Inner West and Randall streets, as well as Maryland Avenue, are being looked at as beneficiaries of the program.
Annapolis has to link its downtown to the new developments on the fringe of the city, making it easier for people to get to each of the commerce areas, he said.
"I think the program has always been looked at as a revitalization tool," Mr. Miron said. "But now we are looking at the restructuring of downtown vis-a-vis the mall and Parole. With that management training, capital, grants and other things, that is how we are looking at it - not as revitalization, but restructuring."
Several downtown businesses, including Randall Street's Artini, a women's clothing and accessory store, are rooting for the program. It will bring the business community and local government together, and will create better planning and promotions, said Colleen Joseph and her other two partners in the business.
"We need to work to be more cohesive in downtown," Mrs. Joseph said. "But we can still maintain the uniqueness and individuality (of downtown), which is why we're here."
Mrs. Joseph said she's encouraged by the idea of having one person managing the downtown project - having a single leader for everyone to go to instead of the various organizations such as the Annapolis Business Association and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce.
But not everyone is convinced that the Main Street program is right for Annapolis.
Sveinn Storm, owner of Storm Bros. Ice Cream Factory and City Wraps, both at City Dock, called it a "boondoggle."
Mr. Storm argues that the program is for downtown areas plagued by fringe developments, which he says is not the case for Annapolis.
"Here's a program where they say they will rejuvenate downtown and bring it to life. The fact of the matter is that it's already alive," he said. "A thriving downtown area - that we have. But to take taxpayer dollars for this program downtown is deceitful."
Only a portion of the funding will come from tax revenues, officials from the city and Main Street Maryland have stressed, saying most of the costs will eventually be paid through public and private partnerships and the income generated from festivals and other promotional events, as well as donations.
Mr. Baynes said that although many of the programs start off depending highly on government funding, it eventually evens out.
"We've been aggressive in going after grant money and foundation money to complete things we're going after for a long time," Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said. "From my perspective, any time we can do a good job of selling ourselves and the additional needs we want to make happen, that's a plus."
She said she and other city officials, including Mr. Miron, have been interested in the Main Street Maryland program as long as it's been around, but the city hadn't previously been able to apply.
Mr. Miron said the next step in the process is to get with Ms. Moyer upon her return from the European sister cities tour, and visit and study other towns' involvement in the program, their budgets and how they're managed.
"We want to look at how they are doing it rather than try to reinvent the wheel," he said.
Mr. Miron said he'll send a letter to local businesses to gauge their reaction to the program and its impact on downtown. He also plans on more public meetings as the progress continues; for now, though, there aren't any scheduled.
Staff Writer
City officials are hoping the answer to revitalizing Annapolis downtown economy is right in front of them.
Mike Miron, the city's director of economic development, is considering applying to have Annapolis be a part of the Main Street Maryland program, a comprehensive downtown revitalization project that focuses on historic preservation and economic development.
"We need to do something with the downtown area, not to compete with the mall or Parole, but to link it somehow," he said.
Main Street Maryland, begun in 1998, has a four-point approach to revitalization: design, organization, promotion and economic restructuring.
It advocates ideas such as creating and promoting events downtown, improving streetscapes and fixing up the facades of some buildings.
Towns are selected based on a competitive application process, and although the process is currently closed, officials with the state Department of Housing and Community Development are considering opening it up in the spring.
Since its beginnings in Cumberland, Main Street Maryland has accepted 18 towns throughout the state, including Frederick, Westminster, Frostburg and Dundalk.
In Westminster for example, $16 million has gone toward the revitalization from public and private partnerships, 295 new jobs have been created and 80 new businesses have opened since 1999, when it joined Main Street Maryland.
"Downtown belongs to everybody," said Kevin Baynes, director of the Office of Programs and Regional Development for the state, who made a presentation about Main Street Maryland to about 30 merchants and residents of Ward 1 Tuesday evening. "We want to bring people together for one common goal of bringing them back to downtown."
Mr. Miron said Main, Inner West and Randall streets, as well as Maryland Avenue, are being looked at as beneficiaries of the program.
Annapolis has to link its downtown to the new developments on the fringe of the city, making it easier for people to get to each of the commerce areas, he said.
"I think the program has always been looked at as a revitalization tool," Mr. Miron said. "But now we are looking at the restructuring of downtown vis-a-vis the mall and Parole. With that management training, capital, grants and other things, that is how we are looking at it - not as revitalization, but restructuring."
Several downtown businesses, including Randall Street's Artini, a women's clothing and accessory store, are rooting for the program. It will bring the business community and local government together, and will create better planning and promotions, said Colleen Joseph and her other two partners in the business.
"We need to work to be more cohesive in downtown," Mrs. Joseph said. "But we can still maintain the uniqueness and individuality (of downtown), which is why we're here."
Mrs. Joseph said she's encouraged by the idea of having one person managing the downtown project - having a single leader for everyone to go to instead of the various organizations such as the Annapolis Business Association and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce.
But not everyone is convinced that the Main Street program is right for Annapolis.
Sveinn Storm, owner of Storm Bros. Ice Cream Factory and City Wraps, both at City Dock, called it a "boondoggle."
Mr. Storm argues that the program is for downtown areas plagued by fringe developments, which he says is not the case for Annapolis.
"Here's a program where they say they will rejuvenate downtown and bring it to life. The fact of the matter is that it's already alive," he said. "A thriving downtown area - that we have. But to take taxpayer dollars for this program downtown is deceitful."
Only a portion of the funding will come from tax revenues, officials from the city and Main Street Maryland have stressed, saying most of the costs will eventually be paid through public and private partnerships and the income generated from festivals and other promotional events, as well as donations.
Mr. Baynes said that although many of the programs start off depending highly on government funding, it eventually evens out.
"We've been aggressive in going after grant money and foundation money to complete things we're going after for a long time," Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said. "From my perspective, any time we can do a good job of selling ourselves and the additional needs we want to make happen, that's a plus."
She said she and other city officials, including Mr. Miron, have been interested in the Main Street Maryland program as long as it's been around, but the city hadn't previously been able to apply.
Mr. Miron said the next step in the process is to get with Ms. Moyer upon her return from the European sister cities tour, and visit and study other towns' involvement in the program, their budgets and how they're managed.
"We want to look at how they are doing it rather than try to reinvent the wheel," he said.
Mr. Miron said he'll send a letter to local businesses to gauge their reaction to the program and its impact on downtown. He also plans on more public meetings as the progress continues; for now, though, there aren't any scheduled.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Canton Bar Problem
Canton cracks down on unruly bar crowd
Bars, residents hire off-duty police to curb unruly crowds
By Julie Turkewitz Sun Reporter
Residents and bar-goers on Boston Street will see new faces - and more police uniforms - in Canton this week. Two off-duty police officers will begin patrolling the nearby Northshore at Canton townhouse community Wednesday, and instead of the usual bouncers or security guards, Good Love Bar, a Boston Street hangout, has already hired two of its own off-duty officers. Huckas, a sports bar and hookah lounge, has also agreed to hire uniformed officers, according to officials.
After years of complaints about rowdiness spilling out onto Boston Street, the two bars agreed to pay for officers as a concession to residents. The endeavor, however, is expensive, costing bars hundreds of dollars a week and raising questions about who should be responsible for the actions of partyers pouring into the street.
"We get 3,000 people coming on the weekends, all drunk, who don't live here," said Leigh Ratiner, the former Northshore president who helped lead an effort to step up Boston Street security. "People with guns, people who pee on your geraniums, people who scream in the street."
The idea is that off-duty officers will more effectively deter unruly and violent behavior than typical bouncers. The officers retain police authority, carry guns and wear uniforms.
"It's different from having your traditional rent-a-cops," said Councilman James B. Kraft, whose Southeast district includes Canton.
Verbal sparring between the bars and neighborhood has been going on since at least 2001, according to city documents. The area around Good Love Bar and Huckas is saturated by bars and homes. On Boston Street, there are at least seven establishments with liquor licenses in approximately one block, and the 46th Legislative District has close to 60 percent of all city liquor licenses, said Ratiner, who is also the chairman of the Baltimore City Liquor Advisory Committee.
Residents' complaints are plenty: beer bottles through car windows, blocked streets, fights, screaming and drunken driving. In the past five years, Ratiner said he has received about 6,000 e-mails from Northshore residents distressed by bar patrons' behavior. A friend recently videotaped a man leave a bar, climb into a black sport utility vehicle, run into a female pedestrian and keep driving. "I have that on film," Ratiner said. "And that kind of thing just keeps happening."
Northshore residents and bar owners will foot the bill for the officers. Northshore will pay about $70,000 a year for its off-duty duo, who will work three nights a week. For the city, which is facing a police shortage, this is a way to increase security without having to use government funds. But for bars - which pay high rents and often change hands every few months - the added cost can hurt.
Jason Sanchez, who has owned Good Love Bar for 11 years, has had a pair of off-duty officers at his bar three nights a week for more than a month. He pays them $150 a night, far more than he ever paid a bouncer. The $450-a-week expense has had a crippling effect on his finances, he said, especially after he made the decision in February to close the bar four nights a week to appease complaining neighbors."It's costing me a fortune," he said. "It's a tough situation right now for all the business owners on Boston Street."
Chief liquor inspector Samuel T. Daniels Jr. said laws are unclear on how much responsibility bars have for surrounding areas. City law says bars are responsible for loitering patrons up to 100 feet from their property line, but when it comes to actions besides loitering, it's unclear how much legal responsibility bar owners bear. Daniels said it's rare for bars to hire off-duty officers.
The hiring of the officers raises questions about the appropriate way to handle unruly bar patrons. Patrick Russell, who owns Kooper's Tavern and two other establishments in Fells Point, said he thinks Boston Street is having the same rowdiness problems Fells Point had 10 years ago. In Fells Point, the solution was to attract a calmer clientele, he said, part of which meant banding together with residents and other businesses to push out Club 723, a megabar that lured a young party crowd with 25-cent beers and eventually lost its liquor license.
Ratiner and Kraft insist they aren't trying to drive Boston Street's bars - some of which have been in place since long before Northshore was built - out of business. They just want to scare off unruly patrons with stepped-up security. Ratiner is the head of the new Boston Street Association, a coalition of local businesses and neighborhood groups, and he said he hopes that soon the coalition can collectively pay for the officers, instead of bars and residences doing it on their own.
He also wants to work with the bars to help them find a more sedate crowd, he said.
"The strategy is to make it uncomfortable for lawbreakers to continue to use this neighborhood as a hangout," he said. "And they will eventually go somewhere else. And when they go somewhere else, we will help the bar owners try to find alternate patrons."
Friday, July 27, 2007
Katherine Savage, Alleged Rapist Case
Md. Judge Dismisses Sex-Abuse Charges
Clerk Is Unable To Find Suitable Translator In Time
By Ernesto LondoñoWashington Post Staff WriterSunday, July 22, 2007; Page C05
A 7-year-old girl said she had been raped and repeatedly molested over the course of a year.
Police in Montgomery County, acting on information from a relative, soon arrested a Liberian immigrant living in Gaithersburg. They marshaled witnesses and DNA evidence to prepare for trial.
What was missing -- for much of the nearly three years that followed -- was an interpreter fluent in the suspect's native language. A judge recently dropped the charges, not because she found that Mahamu Kanneh had been wrongly accused but because repeated delays in the case had, in her view, violated his right to a speedy trial.
"This is one of the most difficult decisions I've had to make in a long time," Katherine D. Savage said from the bench Tuesday, noting that she was mindful of "the gravity of this case and the community's concern about offenses of this type."
Loretta E. Knight, the Circuit Court clerk responsible for finding interpreters, said her office searched exhaustively for a speaker of Vai, a tribal language spoken in West Africa. They contacted the Liberian Embassy, she said, and courts in all but three states. Linguists estimate that 100,000 people speak Vai, mostly in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
In arguing to save the case, Assistant State's Attorney Maura Lynch said that dismissing the indictment "after all the efforts the state has made to accommodate the defendant would be fundamentally unfair."
Prosecutors, who cannot refile the charges against Kanneh, are considering whether to appeal Savage's ruling. Kanneh was granted asylum in the United States, according to State's Attorney John McCarthy. A conviction could have led to deportation proceedings.
His attorney, Theresa Chernosky, declined to comment. Delays were compounded by a dispute about whether Kanneh required an interpreter at all.
In Montgomery and elsewhere, the proliferation of languages resulting from immigration is presenting courts with a novel challenge, legal and linguistics experts say. Rarely, however, does a court have such difficulty finding an interpreter that a criminal case must be dropped.
Court interpreters and linguists say a national database of court interpreters would help quickly locate people fluent in uncommon languages. "The burden of increased requests for rare languages makes it a necessity," said Nataly Kelly, author of a book on interpreting.
Knight said the county spent nearly $1 million on interpreters last year, 10 times the amount it spent in 2000. "It's a constant struggle, and it is extremely expensive," she said.
Kanneh was arrested in August 2004 after witnesses told police that he raped and repeatedly sexually molested the girl, a relative.
In a charging document, Detective Omar Hasan wrote that the girl "attempted to physically stop the behavior from the defendant, but was unsuccessful." Hasan wrote that Kanneh threatened the young girl "with not being able to leave the apartment unless she engaged in sexual behavior with the defendant."
Kanneh spent one night in jail and was released on a $10,000 bond with the restriction that he have no contact with minors. He later waived his right to a speedy trial -- in Maryland, defendants have a right to be tried within 180 days following an indictment -- because the defense wanted time to conduct its own analysis of DNA evidence. That waiver was effective only until the next trial date, Chernosky argued in court.
The trial date was extended repeatedly as the state and the defense argued over whether Kanneh needed an interpreter and whether he understood the legal proceedings. The state noted that Kanneh attended high school and community college in Montgomery and spoke to detectives in English. The defense insisted that he needed an interpreter to fully understand the proceedings.
The matter was resolved after a court-appointed psychiatrist who evaluated Kanneh recommended that an interpreter be appointed. Judges who handled subsequent hearings heeded that advice.
The first interpreter stormed out of the courtroom in tears because she found the facts of the case disturbing. A second interpreter was rejected for faulty work. After calling the Liberian Embassy and exhausting other avenues, the clerk's office contacted the administrator of the state's court interpreter program in Annapolis. He located a third Vai interpreter, but at the last minute, that person had to tend to a family emergency.
In recent weeks, court officials had found a suitable interpreter who could have assisted in the trial, but it was too late.
Earlier this month, Chernosky filed a motion seeking to have the indictment dismissed, arguing that Kanneh's right to a speedy trial had been violated. "This delay is just too long," she argued in court. "The reasons for the delay are not the defendant's fault."
With help from the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, The Washington Post identified three Vai interpreters Thursday, including one in Gaithersburg.
Lionbridge, a company that offers interpretation services, said it could provide Vai speakers on short notice. Knight said her office had been diligent. "It's these rare languages we're struggling with so much," she said.
In court, Savage attributed no blame for the delay. She called the prosecutor's efforts to help locate an interpreter "Herculean" and said the court system had learned from the case. "Time has become the enemy," the judge said.
Clerk Is Unable To Find Suitable Translator In Time
By Ernesto LondoñoWashington Post Staff WriterSunday, July 22, 2007; Page C05
A 7-year-old girl said she had been raped and repeatedly molested over the course of a year.
Police in Montgomery County, acting on information from a relative, soon arrested a Liberian immigrant living in Gaithersburg. They marshaled witnesses and DNA evidence to prepare for trial.
What was missing -- for much of the nearly three years that followed -- was an interpreter fluent in the suspect's native language. A judge recently dropped the charges, not because she found that Mahamu Kanneh had been wrongly accused but because repeated delays in the case had, in her view, violated his right to a speedy trial.
"This is one of the most difficult decisions I've had to make in a long time," Katherine D. Savage said from the bench Tuesday, noting that she was mindful of "the gravity of this case and the community's concern about offenses of this type."
Loretta E. Knight, the Circuit Court clerk responsible for finding interpreters, said her office searched exhaustively for a speaker of Vai, a tribal language spoken in West Africa. They contacted the Liberian Embassy, she said, and courts in all but three states. Linguists estimate that 100,000 people speak Vai, mostly in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
In arguing to save the case, Assistant State's Attorney Maura Lynch said that dismissing the indictment "after all the efforts the state has made to accommodate the defendant would be fundamentally unfair."
Prosecutors, who cannot refile the charges against Kanneh, are considering whether to appeal Savage's ruling. Kanneh was granted asylum in the United States, according to State's Attorney John McCarthy. A conviction could have led to deportation proceedings.
His attorney, Theresa Chernosky, declined to comment. Delays were compounded by a dispute about whether Kanneh required an interpreter at all.
In Montgomery and elsewhere, the proliferation of languages resulting from immigration is presenting courts with a novel challenge, legal and linguistics experts say. Rarely, however, does a court have such difficulty finding an interpreter that a criminal case must be dropped.
Court interpreters and linguists say a national database of court interpreters would help quickly locate people fluent in uncommon languages. "The burden of increased requests for rare languages makes it a necessity," said Nataly Kelly, author of a book on interpreting.
Knight said the county spent nearly $1 million on interpreters last year, 10 times the amount it spent in 2000. "It's a constant struggle, and it is extremely expensive," she said.
Kanneh was arrested in August 2004 after witnesses told police that he raped and repeatedly sexually molested the girl, a relative.
In a charging document, Detective Omar Hasan wrote that the girl "attempted to physically stop the behavior from the defendant, but was unsuccessful." Hasan wrote that Kanneh threatened the young girl "with not being able to leave the apartment unless she engaged in sexual behavior with the defendant."
Kanneh spent one night in jail and was released on a $10,000 bond with the restriction that he have no contact with minors. He later waived his right to a speedy trial -- in Maryland, defendants have a right to be tried within 180 days following an indictment -- because the defense wanted time to conduct its own analysis of DNA evidence. That waiver was effective only until the next trial date, Chernosky argued in court.
The trial date was extended repeatedly as the state and the defense argued over whether Kanneh needed an interpreter and whether he understood the legal proceedings. The state noted that Kanneh attended high school and community college in Montgomery and spoke to detectives in English. The defense insisted that he needed an interpreter to fully understand the proceedings.
The matter was resolved after a court-appointed psychiatrist who evaluated Kanneh recommended that an interpreter be appointed. Judges who handled subsequent hearings heeded that advice.
The first interpreter stormed out of the courtroom in tears because she found the facts of the case disturbing. A second interpreter was rejected for faulty work. After calling the Liberian Embassy and exhausting other avenues, the clerk's office contacted the administrator of the state's court interpreter program in Annapolis. He located a third Vai interpreter, but at the last minute, that person had to tend to a family emergency.
In recent weeks, court officials had found a suitable interpreter who could have assisted in the trial, but it was too late.
Earlier this month, Chernosky filed a motion seeking to have the indictment dismissed, arguing that Kanneh's right to a speedy trial had been violated. "This delay is just too long," she argued in court. "The reasons for the delay are not the defendant's fault."
With help from the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, The Washington Post identified three Vai interpreters Thursday, including one in Gaithersburg.
Lionbridge, a company that offers interpretation services, said it could provide Vai speakers on short notice. Knight said her office had been diligent. "It's these rare languages we're struggling with so much," she said.
In court, Savage attributed no blame for the delay. She called the prosecutor's efforts to help locate an interpreter "Herculean" and said the court system had learned from the case. "Time has become the enemy," the judge said.
Pay Your Way Out Of Jail
$25,000 = get out of jail card
Man pays off stabbing victim to avoid prison sentence
By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
The case started with Keith Anthony Rantin Jr. trying to purchase a crab cake. Prosecutors said it ended with him buying his way out of prison.
Rantin pleaded guilty to first-degree assault yesterday in the county's Circuit Court in Annapolis, admitting he stabbed 37-year-old Jeffrey Rites on March 28, 2006 as the two men argued over who was next in line at the popular G&M Restaurant carryout in Linthicum.
But instead of sending him to jail, Circuit Court Judge Michele D. Jaklitsch gave him a 10-year suspended sentence on the condition he pay the victim $25,000. She also placed him on five years probation.
"Pure financial compensation is not justice," said Kristin Riggin, spokesman for the State's Attorney's Office, adding state sentencing guidelines called for Rantin to spend seven to 13 years behind bars.
She said it was not a part of a plea agreement and prosecutors argued against the suspended sentence because it was too lenient.
"It's not a good precedent," she said. "There is a balance to be found."
Kenneth Ravenell, Rantin's defense attorney, said prosecutors are just posturing for the media.
"They were involved in this right up until we were in the courtroom," he said, describing it as a compromise. "This was not a slam dunk for the state by any stretch. ... We think justice was done."
Judge Jaklitsch declined to comment this morning, but was quoted in The Baltimore Sun as saying: "I think that it is important for the victim to get his money rather than wait seven to 10 years when he gets out."
This was the second time Rantin, 32, of Reisterstown, appeared in court for the crab cake stabbing. When the case first went to court in March, a jury could not reach a verdict.
But Rantlin is not done with the criminal justice system. He was charged April 6 with attempted first-degree murder in Baltimore.
He is awaiting trial in that case.
During the first crab cake trial, the prosecutor and defense attorney agreed on the basic facts: Mr. Rites started to walk to the counter at the Linthicum restaurant, Rantin told him he was going out of turn and they shoved each other. During the fight, which employees tried to break up, Mr. Rites was stabbed.
But the lawyers disagreed about who started the fight and who had the knife first.
Assistant State's Attorney Michael Dunty said Rantin walked up behind Mr. Rites and said, "(Expletive), you ain't next."
He said Mr. Rantin then spit in Mr. Rites' face, causing Mr. Rites to shove him. He said Rantin then came up behind Mr. Rites and stabbed him in the back and hand.
Defense lawyer Kenneth Ravenell said Rantin wasn't angry at first, but rather told Mr. Rites, "I'm sorry, you're not next." He said Mr. Rites started the shoving, and Rantin simply came up behind him at the counter and shoved back.
Mr. Ravenell also said several witnesses heard Rantin say, "He's got a knife!" during the fight. After banging Rantin's arm on the counter until he dropped the knife, Mr. Rites went outside and passed out on the sidewalk. Rantin left and wasn't arrested for two days.
"This is pure random violence," Ms. Riggin said. "He should not be able to buy his way out of prison."
Man pays off stabbing victim to avoid prison sentence
By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
The case started with Keith Anthony Rantin Jr. trying to purchase a crab cake. Prosecutors said it ended with him buying his way out of prison.
Rantin pleaded guilty to first-degree assault yesterday in the county's Circuit Court in Annapolis, admitting he stabbed 37-year-old Jeffrey Rites on March 28, 2006 as the two men argued over who was next in line at the popular G&M Restaurant carryout in Linthicum.
But instead of sending him to jail, Circuit Court Judge Michele D. Jaklitsch gave him a 10-year suspended sentence on the condition he pay the victim $25,000. She also placed him on five years probation.
"Pure financial compensation is not justice," said Kristin Riggin, spokesman for the State's Attorney's Office, adding state sentencing guidelines called for Rantin to spend seven to 13 years behind bars.
She said it was not a part of a plea agreement and prosecutors argued against the suspended sentence because it was too lenient.
"It's not a good precedent," she said. "There is a balance to be found."
Kenneth Ravenell, Rantin's defense attorney, said prosecutors are just posturing for the media.
"They were involved in this right up until we were in the courtroom," he said, describing it as a compromise. "This was not a slam dunk for the state by any stretch. ... We think justice was done."
Judge Jaklitsch declined to comment this morning, but was quoted in The Baltimore Sun as saying: "I think that it is important for the victim to get his money rather than wait seven to 10 years when he gets out."
This was the second time Rantin, 32, of Reisterstown, appeared in court for the crab cake stabbing. When the case first went to court in March, a jury could not reach a verdict.
But Rantlin is not done with the criminal justice system. He was charged April 6 with attempted first-degree murder in Baltimore.
He is awaiting trial in that case.
During the first crab cake trial, the prosecutor and defense attorney agreed on the basic facts: Mr. Rites started to walk to the counter at the Linthicum restaurant, Rantin told him he was going out of turn and they shoved each other. During the fight, which employees tried to break up, Mr. Rites was stabbed.
But the lawyers disagreed about who started the fight and who had the knife first.
Assistant State's Attorney Michael Dunty said Rantin walked up behind Mr. Rites and said, "(Expletive), you ain't next."
He said Mr. Rantin then spit in Mr. Rites' face, causing Mr. Rites to shove him. He said Rantin then came up behind Mr. Rites and stabbed him in the back and hand.
Defense lawyer Kenneth Ravenell said Rantin wasn't angry at first, but rather told Mr. Rites, "I'm sorry, you're not next." He said Mr. Rites started the shoving, and Rantin simply came up behind him at the counter and shoved back.
Mr. Ravenell also said several witnesses heard Rantin say, "He's got a knife!" during the fight. After banging Rantin's arm on the counter until he dropped the knife, Mr. Rites went outside and passed out on the sidewalk. Rantin left and wasn't arrested for two days.
"This is pure random violence," Ms. Riggin said. "He should not be able to buy his way out of prison."
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Tacoma Park
City Council Strongly Backs Bid to Impeach Bush, Cheney
By Dan MorseWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, July 24, 2007; Page B05
Over the years, Takoma Park has declared itself a nuclear-free zone, established an immigrant sanctuary law and written a 5,000-word manual for its trash and award-winning recycling programs.
Last night, its City Council voted to call for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
"Takoma Park has passed many resolutions over the years, and I've been proud of most of them," council member Reuben Snipper told a crowd of about 100. "I personally am as appalled as many of you are at the actions of Bush and Cheney."
The council approved the resolution 5 to 0, with two members absent.
Earlier, during a public comment period, all 19 people who spoke on the measure expressed their support.
"I come before the council because America is under threat," said Jay Levy, a 32-year resident and a retired Montgomery County schoolteacher. He said Bush and Cheney are "shredding" the U.S. Constitution.
"This is the finest thing you'll ever do," resident Thomas Nephew told the council. After he finished, he walked to the side of the room, and his 9-year-old daughter ran up and hugged him.
Before the vote, council member Terry Seamens added two amendments, including one aimed at other Maryland politicians. It calls for the city of Takoma Park to write letters to the Montgomery County Council, the county executive, the Maryland legislature and the governor asking them to consider adopting similar resolutions.
At times during the meeting, the crowd cheered. Along a wall, someone held an American flag. Another had a banner that said simply "ENOUGH."
Wearing an impeachment T-shirt, Takoma Park resident Lisa Moscatiello stepped to the microphone and talked about an intrusive government that too many people seem to fear.
"The message that we've been getting from our president and our government is, 'We are watching you,' " she said, adding that she and others are trying to turn the tables. "We are saying, ' We are watching you.' "
It was Moscatiello, 41, who helped spearhead the resolution. Beginning in March, the singer and guitarist, along with a few others, met regularly at the Savory Cafe, a Takoma Park coffeehouse, to discuss ways to impeach the president and vice president.
She helped organize a meeting with state Sen. Jamie B. Raskin, a professor at American University who represents Montgomery County. The Democratic lawmaker told the group of about 40 people not to worry about convincing Congress, but instead to move large groups of people and Congress would follow, Moscatiello said.
Moscatiello, who has lived in Takoma Park since 1988, collected petition signatures outside the Takoma Metro station and at the town's farmers market, and she went door-to-door.
As she talked to people, one thing frustrated her: While some said they strongly disapproved of Bush's actions, they questioned Moscatiello's strategy. These people wanted to avoid doing anything that Republicans could take advantage of in 2008.
"This is not very politically sophisticated," a gray-haired man told her at the farmers market.
In Vermont, Moscatiello said to herself, people probably have an easier time making decisions based simply on what they think is right or wrong.
For all of Takoma Park's liberal bona fides, the city is somewhat late to the locally based impeachment-drive movement. As of yesterday, 81 towns, cities or counties had passed an impeachment resolution, according to the Web site impeachpac.org.
It's a list heavily represented by locales in Vermont. Also on the list: San Francisco, Detroit and Berkeley, Calif. Asked to look through the list, Moscatiello saw real progress.
There are entries "not among the usual suspects," she noted. "Chapel Hill [N.C.]. It's in the South. Whatley, Massachusetts, that's a rural town in the middle of Massachusetts, far from Cambridge. Telluride, Colorado, a lot of Republicans vacation there."
The Takoma Park resolution isn't timid. A small portion of it:
"WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading Congress and the public . . .
"Our senators and representatives in the United States Congress be, and they are hereby, requested to cause to be instituted in the Congress for the investigation . . . that they may be impeached and removed from office."
By Dan MorseWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, July 24, 2007; Page B05
Over the years, Takoma Park has declared itself a nuclear-free zone, established an immigrant sanctuary law and written a 5,000-word manual for its trash and award-winning recycling programs.
Last night, its City Council voted to call for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
"Takoma Park has passed many resolutions over the years, and I've been proud of most of them," council member Reuben Snipper told a crowd of about 100. "I personally am as appalled as many of you are at the actions of Bush and Cheney."
The council approved the resolution 5 to 0, with two members absent.
Earlier, during a public comment period, all 19 people who spoke on the measure expressed their support.
"I come before the council because America is under threat," said Jay Levy, a 32-year resident and a retired Montgomery County schoolteacher. He said Bush and Cheney are "shredding" the U.S. Constitution.
"This is the finest thing you'll ever do," resident Thomas Nephew told the council. After he finished, he walked to the side of the room, and his 9-year-old daughter ran up and hugged him.
Before the vote, council member Terry Seamens added two amendments, including one aimed at other Maryland politicians. It calls for the city of Takoma Park to write letters to the Montgomery County Council, the county executive, the Maryland legislature and the governor asking them to consider adopting similar resolutions.
At times during the meeting, the crowd cheered. Along a wall, someone held an American flag. Another had a banner that said simply "ENOUGH."
Wearing an impeachment T-shirt, Takoma Park resident Lisa Moscatiello stepped to the microphone and talked about an intrusive government that too many people seem to fear.
"The message that we've been getting from our president and our government is, 'We are watching you,' " she said, adding that she and others are trying to turn the tables. "We are saying, ' We are watching you.' "
It was Moscatiello, 41, who helped spearhead the resolution. Beginning in March, the singer and guitarist, along with a few others, met regularly at the Savory Cafe, a Takoma Park coffeehouse, to discuss ways to impeach the president and vice president.
She helped organize a meeting with state Sen. Jamie B. Raskin, a professor at American University who represents Montgomery County. The Democratic lawmaker told the group of about 40 people not to worry about convincing Congress, but instead to move large groups of people and Congress would follow, Moscatiello said.
Moscatiello, who has lived in Takoma Park since 1988, collected petition signatures outside the Takoma Metro station and at the town's farmers market, and she went door-to-door.
As she talked to people, one thing frustrated her: While some said they strongly disapproved of Bush's actions, they questioned Moscatiello's strategy. These people wanted to avoid doing anything that Republicans could take advantage of in 2008.
"This is not very politically sophisticated," a gray-haired man told her at the farmers market.
In Vermont, Moscatiello said to herself, people probably have an easier time making decisions based simply on what they think is right or wrong.
For all of Takoma Park's liberal bona fides, the city is somewhat late to the locally based impeachment-drive movement. As of yesterday, 81 towns, cities or counties had passed an impeachment resolution, according to the Web site impeachpac.org.
It's a list heavily represented by locales in Vermont. Also on the list: San Francisco, Detroit and Berkeley, Calif. Asked to look through the list, Moscatiello saw real progress.
There are entries "not among the usual suspects," she noted. "Chapel Hill [N.C.]. It's in the South. Whatley, Massachusetts, that's a rural town in the middle of Massachusetts, far from Cambridge. Telluride, Colorado, a lot of Republicans vacation there."
The Takoma Park resolution isn't timid. A small portion of it:
"WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading Congress and the public . . .
"Our senators and representatives in the United States Congress be, and they are hereby, requested to cause to be instituted in the Congress for the investigation . . . that they may be impeached and removed from office."
Saturday, July 21, 2007
City Manager Idea
How do we solve this problem? I'm going to stop short of saying this is the solution, but consider this idea:
-get rid of city administrator
-pay the city council more money and increase their responsibility/ability to serve
-have city council hire a city manager at its discretion (not by appointment by the mayor)
-have mayor be figurehead, preside over city council
-have city manager run logistics of city operations
-enjoy better city
By having less responsibility, the position of mayor inherently decreases in value--in other words, any person wishing to be mayor will demand less compensation---in other, other words, it is easier to pay the mayor what he/she is worth.
-get rid of city administrator
-pay the city council more money and increase their responsibility/ability to serve
-have city council hire a city manager at its discretion (not by appointment by the mayor)
-have mayor be figurehead, preside over city council
-have city manager run logistics of city operations
-enjoy better city
By having less responsibility, the position of mayor inherently decreases in value--in other words, any person wishing to be mayor will demand less compensation---in other, other words, it is easier to pay the mayor what he/she is worth.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Slumlord?
Volume III, Number 2
June, 2007
Enforcement and Compliance Notes Mid-April 2007 to Mid-May 2007
Daniel C. and Classie G. Hoyle, Baltimore City – 2 affected properties – On April 23, MDE issued an Administrative Complaint, Order and Penalty equaling $13,000 to Daniel C. and Classie G. Hoyle for violation of Maryland’s Lead Laws by failing to register properties, and failure to bring the affected properties into compliance with risk reduction standards.
Daniel C. and Classie G. Hoyle, Baltimore City – 2 affected properties – On April 23, MDE issued an Administrative Complaint, Order and Penalty equaling $13,000 to Daniel C. and Classie G. Hoyle for violation of Maryland’s Lead Laws by failing to register properties, and failure to bring the affected properties into compliance with risk reduction standards. Status – Daniel C. and Classie G. Hoyle have 10 days to request a hearing on the Complaint and Order and 30 days to request a hearing on the Penalty. (Case Number 2006-30-10024)
3% Raises for Mayor, Aldermen?
3% Raises for Mayor, Aldermen?
Moyer makes pitch after offering cops 2%By NICOLE YOUNG, Staff Writer
After offering city police officers a 2 percent pay increase, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer is pushing for a 3 percent raise for herself and the city's aldermen.
Ms. Moyer said the living adjustment for elected officials stems from a report passed months ago by the previous City Council, and that the charter amendment authorizing the raise is simply a "follow-up and clarification."
"It's not something new. It's just been in our back pocket," she said. "It's the cost-of-living adjustment that needs to be reaffirmed."
The increase is based on cost-of-living adjustments from the federal level, said Tim Elliott, city finance director.
The move would increase the mayor's $70,000 annual salary to $72,100 beginning in July 2008 and increase each alderman's salary $380 to $12,980. In addition, each alderman's $1,500 expense account would increase by $45, Mr. Elliott said. In all, it would add $5,500 to the annual budget.
The mayor's salary was raised from $52,000 to $65,000 in 2001, and again to $70,000 in 2005. Before that, it hadn't been adjusted since 1992.
The increase was originally proposed in December and is scheduled for a public hearing during Monday's City Council meeting.
Negotiations failed earlier this month between the city and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, which represents Annapolis police officers. The union asked for an 8 percent cost-of-living increase; the city offered 2 percent.
"We'd be willing to sign up for that 3 percent increase annually," said Detective John Lee, chief shop steward for Local 400. "We'll take that."
In a memo to city officials, Ms. Moyer described the final 2 percent proposal to police as "generous and fair," but union officials dismissed her claims, saying city officials are sacrificing the public's safety.
"There's a lot of other incentives that make that deal a whole lot better than just a 2 percent cost-of-living raise," said Ray Weaver, a city spokesman. "It has to be looked at as a whole compared to other jurisdictions, and overall it's a great offer. The actual dollars are a lot more than just that 2 percent."
Ms. Moyer also has pointed to police having good retirement and health benefits, in addition to a salary higher than other jurisdictions in the area, including the county, the state and Baltimore. She said the department receives the highest pension contribution in the region.
The proposed pay raise for elected officials follows a 2005 report by a panel headed by Alderman Richard Israel, D-Ward 1, before he was on the council.
Under the current system in the charter, an ad hoc commission of seven city residents reviews the salaries and expense reimbursements of the mayor and aldermen every four years.
Mr. Weaver, who doesn't qualify for this cost-of-living increase, said he believes the increase is reasonable for the number of hours the mayor and aldermen spend working on city business.
"There's not a weekend that goes by that they're not doing city business," Mr. Weaver said. "Every ribbon-cutting or a dog show, she's there, and I think that's a reasonable pay raise."
As for the aldermen, he said those doing their jobs as elected officials deserve the raise as well.
"People don't typically get into elected office for the money," he said.
Moyer makes pitch after offering cops 2%By NICOLE YOUNG, Staff Writer
After offering city police officers a 2 percent pay increase, Mayor Ellen O. Moyer is pushing for a 3 percent raise for herself and the city's aldermen.
Ms. Moyer said the living adjustment for elected officials stems from a report passed months ago by the previous City Council, and that the charter amendment authorizing the raise is simply a "follow-up and clarification."
"It's not something new. It's just been in our back pocket," she said. "It's the cost-of-living adjustment that needs to be reaffirmed."
The increase is based on cost-of-living adjustments from the federal level, said Tim Elliott, city finance director.
The move would increase the mayor's $70,000 annual salary to $72,100 beginning in July 2008 and increase each alderman's salary $380 to $12,980. In addition, each alderman's $1,500 expense account would increase by $45, Mr. Elliott said. In all, it would add $5,500 to the annual budget.
The mayor's salary was raised from $52,000 to $65,000 in 2001, and again to $70,000 in 2005. Before that, it hadn't been adjusted since 1992.
The increase was originally proposed in December and is scheduled for a public hearing during Monday's City Council meeting.
Negotiations failed earlier this month between the city and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, which represents Annapolis police officers. The union asked for an 8 percent cost-of-living increase; the city offered 2 percent.
"We'd be willing to sign up for that 3 percent increase annually," said Detective John Lee, chief shop steward for Local 400. "We'll take that."
In a memo to city officials, Ms. Moyer described the final 2 percent proposal to police as "generous and fair," but union officials dismissed her claims, saying city officials are sacrificing the public's safety.
"There's a lot of other incentives that make that deal a whole lot better than just a 2 percent cost-of-living raise," said Ray Weaver, a city spokesman. "It has to be looked at as a whole compared to other jurisdictions, and overall it's a great offer. The actual dollars are a lot more than just that 2 percent."
Ms. Moyer also has pointed to police having good retirement and health benefits, in addition to a salary higher than other jurisdictions in the area, including the county, the state and Baltimore. She said the department receives the highest pension contribution in the region.
The proposed pay raise for elected officials follows a 2005 report by a panel headed by Alderman Richard Israel, D-Ward 1, before he was on the council.
Under the current system in the charter, an ad hoc commission of seven city residents reviews the salaries and expense reimbursements of the mayor and aldermen every four years.
Mr. Weaver, who doesn't qualify for this cost-of-living increase, said he believes the increase is reasonable for the number of hours the mayor and aldermen spend working on city business.
"There's not a weekend that goes by that they're not doing city business," Mr. Weaver said. "Every ribbon-cutting or a dog show, she's there, and I think that's a reasonable pay raise."
As for the aldermen, he said those doing their jobs as elected officials deserve the raise as well.
"People don't typically get into elected office for the money," he said.
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