Fourth of July Parade

This from the Parade Committee:

Dear Everybody,

You are cordially invited to the 7th Annual Spirit of Mt. Washington
Independence Parade on Tuesday, July 4, 2006. This is a good old fashioned
community event complete with a live brass band, mounted police, and the singing
of our National Anthem.

The festivities begin at 10:00 a.m. on the front lawn of the Tufts, 5601 Wexford
Road, in Mt. Washington, 21209. We will enjoy the special company of Abraham
Lincoln on this celebratory occasion, and our Grand Marshal will be
Congressional Candidate Dr. Peter Beilenson.

Be sure to walk in the parade as we wind around a few blocks, accompanied by
patriotic pets, vintage automobiles, fun floats, and much more. We will end up
at The Wesley on Rogers to enjoy watermelon, icies, and refreshments with our
local Retirees ... plus a few other surprises.

Please feel free to pass this invitation on to any friends, family, and
neighbors. We hope you can join us for the Independence Parade on the 4th of
July!!!

Sincerely,
"The Parade Committee"

- Missie Mack
- Caroline Tufts
- Joan Wisner-Carlson
- Elizabeth Grove
- Melina Roberts

P.S. We're always looking for a few good people!!!!! If you'd like to HELP OUT
in any way (transporting, setting up, serving refreshments, cleaning up, etc.),
please contact Caroline at 410-664-3730. If you can BAKE CUPCAKES beforehand,
please contact Melina at 410-601-0364.

Little Italy Outdoor Movies

Free movies under the stars in Little Italy. Some winners and some losers, but you can't argue with Italian take-out under the stars. Bring a blanket and a bottle of cheap Chianti.

July 7, 2006 "Return to Me"

July 14"My Blue Heaven"

July 21 "Avalon"

July 28 "Keys to the House"

Aug. 4 "I Love You to Death"

Aug. 11 "Bread & Tulips"

Aug. 18 "Mickey Blue Eyes"

Aug. 25 "Big Night"

Comments Now Easier

When I first set this page up, I kind of guessed at a lot of the settings. For instance, I made it really hard to post comments. I have changed the settings a bit and it should now be easy to post your comments.

When you write comments, they go to me for approval before being published. Hey, it's my blog, right?

What Now?

I am getting questions from a number of people asking about the future beyond the Duncan campaign. I think that anytime a candidate drops out (especially in an unexpected manner), it leaves supporters feeling a bit lost. And I will confess that I am feeling that way today.

I have spent far too much of my own time over the past four years in what has felt like an endless battle to see Maryland move towards a future based on positive industries and an honorable relationship between the people and their government. That is, fighting slots. I always saw the election of Doug Duncan as the final part of that effort. So I feel a little like I have lost the opportunity to see finality on what has been a big personal project.

So we are left with two candidates for Governor. We have Bob Ehrlich, and we have Martin O'Malley. Both favor slots--one ardently (rabidly?), and one nominally. I have always thought that Martin O'Malley was too smart to actually believe his own rhetoric about "limited slots at racetracks." I also think that the last thing he wants to do upon being elected is insert his head into the anti-slots wood chipper. He wants to show successes as governor, not more gridlock.

Now one could argue that he could glide a slots bill through just to prove that he can work with the legislature in a way that Ehrlich could not. And that would certainly provide drama. But I don't see it. O'Malley's running mate, Del. Anthony Brown, was among those at the front of the pack in fighting Ehrlich's slots bills. He was always very close to Speaker Bush and obviously has a lot of respect for him. His role in a new administration would be handling the legislative side of things. So I am going to have faith that he is going to steer O'Malley away from making slots anything approaching a front-burner issue.

I want to stress that I have not discussed this with O'Malley or Brown, but that is my gut feeling--or perhaps fleeting hope. But if the options are O'Malley and Ehrlich, the choice for me is clearly O'Malley.

So now the question becomes this--What can be done to help O'Malley win? First, I think that it is important for people like me to demonstrate that we are behind him. This is going to be a bitter and hard-fought election. There really isn't a lot of time for bickering between factions. But I think we also need to make it clear to the Mayor that we are concerned about the impact of his slots position.

Having no primary to worry about gives the campaign time and breathing room. So I think things just got easier in a lot of respects. So we'll see how things shake out. But I will do whatever it takes to elect O'Malley in November.

Duncan Out

The Sun is reporting that my friend Doug Duncan is dropping out of the race for governor. I hate to see this happen as I truly feel that Doug would make a fantastic governor.

I have always said that if Doug were to lose the primary, I would bleed O'Malley green. Lick those wounds, and then let's get it together to put a Democrat in Annapolis.

BGE Rate Calculator

Maryland House Speaker Mike Busch launched a website today with a BGE rate calculator. And it gives you a chance to email Bob Ehrlich and ask him to sign the 15% rate plan that the legislature worked out last week.

See the website HERE. Oh, and the election is on November 7. It can't get here soon enough for me.

Western Run Greenway Update

The city is in the process of developing a plan to build a hiking/biking trail running along the Western Run down to Mt. Washington Village. In the planning process there have been two basic proposed routes. The big difference is that while one stays on the Cross Country/Kelly Avenue roadbed, the other crosses the Western Run and has sections in the woods and on the north side of the stream.

This has created some debate. Many residents along the northern side of the stream are opposed to having a trail in what amounts to their front yards. There have also been concerns voiced about trash pickup and general public safety on a trail that might be largely hidden from view. The counter argument is that the Western Run is actually a city park. Thus, it should be truly enjoyed by residents. Arguably people would enjoy nature more thoroughly be actully being surrounded by it. While there are more nuanced arguments to be made on either side, I think it comes down to three things:

1) Do we want a safe and practical trail that allows us to get from the residential parts of the neighborhood down to the shops and public transportion hubs of the Village, or
2) Do we want a trail that enhances the opportunity to be in a natural setting and to get the true benefit that a park should provide, and
3) How much "local courtesy" weight should we give those who would be most closely impacted by the trail?

The MWIA is holding a Special Meeting to hear an update on the planning process and get community input. The date is going to be Tuesday, July 25th. Time and location are still to be announced. This is an important project for the neighborhood. If you are reading this, you care about the outcome. You should plan to be there.

O'Malley wants your vote. Or maybe not...

The Mayor has declined an invitation to speak at the MWIA Annual Meeting (yet again) tomorrow.

And here is his schedule for the 4th of July--note no Mt. Washington visit.

The Towson 4th of July Parade - 10:00 A.M
The Arbutus 4th of July Parade - 11:30 A.M.
The Catonsville 4th of July Parade - 2:30 PM.

Is O'Malley taking your vote for granted? Or is he concerned that his position that favors slots at Pimlico is not going to play well here? You could ask him. You just need to go to the suburbs to find him first.

July 4th Vintage SportsCar Parade

A new tradition started last year--the addition of local vintage sportscars to the Mt. Washington Fourth of July Parade. Last year we had a handful of cool cars, and we are hoping to build on that success. In stalking the alleys and driveways of Mt. Washington, I have stumbled on hot-rod MG's, Austin Healeys, classic Porsches, vintage Volvos, Fiat Spyers, and even the odd kit car. My brother has been working hard on his project car and he plans to unveil it at the parade this year--an entirely home-built replica of the legendary Lotus Seven. It has to be seen to be believed.

In any case, if you have a vintage car (no matter how crappy), we want you in. Please email ME and we can discuss details.

Ready for a Hot Weekend?

As if you didn't already know that Mt. Washington is a fantastic place to live, just LOOK at what you have on tap for the weekend:

Saturday at 9 am--Community Yard Sale at Luckman Park. Whether you rent a table for ten bucks, come to shop for bargains, or donate your unwanted treasures to be sold to benefit the Friends of Luckman Park, this is the place for you. What do you have around the house that you can donate? Check the attic tonight.

Saturday 4 pm--Mt. Washington Picnic at Luckman Park. Food, fun, and neighborhood socializing. What more could you ask? Did I mention free food?

Sunday--ALL DAY LONG. Father's Day. There really are no lengths that you can go to that truly express the extent of your love and devotion to dear ol' Dad. No gesture can be too large or too lavish. Are you reading this, honey? Honey??

Weather--HOT. That means you want to be at the pool. Chill like my friend Mr. Quacks here:

Who tends all those gardens?

This comes from Alex Nones:

Hi. For those of you who were not aware, many of the public areas in the neighborhood, for ex medians, arboretum, etc., are maintained mostly by local residents who volunteer each Sunday from 9/9:15-10 AM. Anyone is welcome to help and it would be great to get more folks to come as sometimes it's a bit overwhelming for the same core group of folks.

The volunteers are led by Mike Sherlock and Jeff Call and it is also a great way to get some gardening experience. This Sunday the gardeners will be meeting at CROSS COUNTRY between BTWN SULGRAVE and KEN OAK.

Upcoming Mt. Washington Events

Saturday June 17
Luckman Park (Glen Avenue at Merville and Key--by the Firehouse)

9 am to 1 pm
Community Yard Sale
Sell your Stuff. $10 per table--or just donate your stuff. Proceeds to Friends of Luckman Park. If you need more information or would like to drop things off as donations, please contact Maggie Kunz HERE.

4 pm to 8 pm.
MWIA Annual Picnic
Bring a salad or desert to share. Music, food, activities, and neighbors.

and

Tuesday June 20
7 pm
Mt. Washington Conference Center (5801 Smith Avenue)
MWIA Annual Meeting
"Celebrating Mt. Washinton and Mt. Washingtonians"

Printable flyer available HERE.

Letter to the Editor re: Quarry

The Sun published my letter to the editor on the topic of the Quarry development, traffic, and the need for a new I-83 ramp. LINK to the Sun LTE page.

Quarry plan pushes need for new ramp

It's great that naturalists such as Charlie Stine are excited about the potential positive impact that the transformation of the old Greenspring Quarry will bring as the site is converted from a working quarry to a suburban subdivision ("Liquid Asset," May 30).

It certainly sounds like a lovely setting, and it should be a terrific project. With all of the amenities, the shops, the restaurants, the club (complete with concierge, no less) and the oversized, heated pool and whirlpool, these lucky residents will want for only one thing - easy access to Interstate 83 and to downtown Baltimore.

Currently, traffic bound for downtown would have to choose between the stop-and-go rush-hour traffic on the infamous north side of the Beltway and commuting on the narrow streets of historic Mount Washington.

The simple solution would be the addition of a new access ramp to I-83 between Northern Parkway and Ruxton Road.

This has been proposed for many years, but the size and scope of the project at the quarry now demands that we act now to relieve the traffic pressure faced by the communities along Greenspring Avenue south of the project.

The time has finally come for Baltimore County to pay the development piper and stop dumping these traffic problems on city residents.

Aaron Meisner
Baltimore

Your Weekend Schedule, or Fun With Doug and Stu

Lots of fun things going on this weekend both in the Duncan campaign and in Mt. Washington.

Saturday is the Charles Village Festival. Doug will be in the parade, and you can join him:

10:00-11:30 a.m. Charles Village Parade Assemble at 23rd and St. Paul Street (9:30 a.m.)

Doug's running mate and all-around great guy Stu Simms will be at the festival from 4 to 6 in Wyman Park Dell right across from the BMA. Stu will also be down at the Pulaski Monument at 8 pm Saturday for the Polish festival.

We are running our second weekly Doug Duncan for Governor table at the Farmer's Market on Sunday from 8 to noon. If you are interested in coming down to help greet shoppers and pass out campaign lit, we'd love to have you. More info in THIS previous post.

Jeff Call is also continuing the amazing work on our neighborhood gardens. He sent me this:

"Sunday @ 9:00, we will be working on the garden at the end of Western RunDr. ( I believe that is the correct address) What I know for sure is,it is the garden on the other side of the Kelly St. footbridge."

Have a great weekend! With all of this, how can you miss?

Hey look, I'm famous

From today's Baltimore Sun:

Aaron Meisner, former chairman of Stop Slots Maryland, said the state needs a governor who is unequivocally opposed to expanded gambling.

"One can no more compromise with the gambling industry than one can compromise with a hungry shark who smells the first drop of blood in the water," Meisner said.

Read the full article HERE.

UPDATE: Oh, and it looks like 21209.org is getting attention from some interesting quarters. Someone browsed this blog for 13 full minutes today (a relatively long look). Their ISP? Why MD.gov of course. Welcome, Mr. Governor!

Does this make any sense to you?

Here is something I really didn't think we'd be seeing: a front-page photo of Governor Bob Ehrlich and President Bush. We all understand that politics runs on cash, and that the president can raise money like nobody else. But this isn't just any president...

Think of it this way--if EVERY Maryland resident who approves of the job that the president is doing voted for Ehrlich not just once but TWICE, Ehrlich would probably still lose his bid for re-election.

So take a really good look. You will want to have this photo clearly in mind come November.