Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The Towson resident known for her school advocacy sees vulnerability in Todd Huff's land use decisions.
An education advocate from Towson is considering challenging Baltimore County Councilman Todd Huff in the 2014 election. Laurie Taylor-Mitchell said Wednesday that she has formed an exploratory group to look at a run for the 3rd District seat currently held by Huff. Taylor-Mitchell said she believes zoning made last August by Huff make the first-term Republican vulnerable to a challenge. She said she would likely make land preservation—an important issue in a district that is mostly rural—and school construction her primary focus if she decides to run. That decision is not expected to come before late spring or early summer, she said. During that time, Taylor-Mitchell will test the waters. She already had a campaign website and has created…
Friday, April 19, 2013
After 16 years in the General Assembly, Bobby Zirkin is thinking about not running for re-election.
Bobby Zirkin is considering a life outside elected office. For the first time since being first elected to the House of Delegates in 1998, the now state Senator says he's thinking more about his relationships with his two young daughters than his political relationships in Annapolis. "The most important thing to me is to be a father who does his best not to miss anything," Zirkin said. "I don't want to miss any parent-teacher conferences or any softball games. "It's also not simple to run a business and be in the senate at the same time," said Zirkin, who has his own law practice in Owings Mills. "It's a very challenging thing." Zirkin represents the 11th District, which currently includes Owings Mills, Pikesville and a portion of Timonium…
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Councilwoman Vicki Almond garners a mention as a possible Lt. Governor candidate.
Councilwoman Vicki Almond hasn't finished the third year of her first term in office but one state blogger has her on a list of possible candidates for Lt. Governor. "Wow," Almond said when asked Monday about the potential statewide run for office. Almond, a Reisterstown Democrat, appears on a list of eight names said to be under consideration by Anthony Brown—the current holder of the office and widely believed to be running for governor in 2014. The list was published last week by David Moon, author of the Democratic party blog Maryland Juice. "This is not a complete list of all of the possible candidates on Brown's shortlist. However, each of the names below have been mentioned to me by knowledgeable sources, and at least some of them …
Friday, March 8, 2013
The Former Democratic Congressional candidate explains her action on the same day she pleads guilty to voting illegally in Maryland in 2006 and 2010.
Updated (5:34 p.m.)—A Cockeysville Democrat who was forced to end her bid to unseat Rep. Andy Harris after it was learned she voted illegally in Maryland explained her actions on the same day she pleaded guilty in Baltimore County Circuit Court. Wendy Rosen, 58, said her votes in 2006 and 2010 were "an act of civil disobedience in recognition of the millions of legitimate voters who have been illegally prevented from voting or having their votes counted, during the past four presidential elections." Rosen explained the reasons behind her votes in a statement emailed Friday after she pleaded guilty to two counts of voting illegally in Maryland. "What I did wasn’t right, it wasn’t smart, but it was one [act] of civil disobedience, not …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The Baltimore Metro area was expecting between 5 and 11 inches of snow during this week's winter storm. See how many inches have fallen in your area with the LIVE map below.
The map above, provided by the National Weather Service, shows total snowfall in your Patch area over the past 3 days. The map is centered around the red marker, which is in the middle of your Patch's coverage area, and the map updates every six hours, starting around 2 a.m. each day. It updates as Skywarn volunteers file their reports, so check back later to see more accurate statistics. Note: This map is not visible on some mobile devices. The effects of the snowstorm that began Tuesday night have been hit-or-miss throughout the Baltimore Metro area, about 5 inches fell in Westminster but less than 1 inch in Parkville, for example, according to the map. The National Weather Service had forecast that 4-11 inches of snow would accumulate …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
A decision released Tuesday said the opponents of zoning issues in two council districts had enough signatures but ruled the petitions were legally deficient.
UPDATED (9:23 p.m.)—The Baltimore County Board of Elections ruled that petitions to referendum zoning decisions in two council districts will not be placed on the 2014 ballot. Baltimore County Elections Director Katie Brown wrote in a decision issued Tuesday afternoon that while opponents had collected the required number of signatures, the petitions were legally deficient. Andrew Bailey, an attorney for the county Board of Elections, reviewed five challenges to the petition filed by attorneys representing Greenberg Gibbons, the developer of the proposed Foundry Row project on the grounds of the old Solo Cup factory. "I believe that the form of the petition, as circulated to potential signers, was insufficient to alert them to what exactly…
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Catonsville developer called the illegal donations he made "the dumbest thing I've ever done" and paid $58,000 in fines.
UPDATED (4:04 p.m.)—Steven Whalen pleaded guilty in Baltimore County Circuit Court in Towson Thursday, and was sentenced to probation before judgment and fines totaling $58,000. Whalen, a Catonsville developer, was charged two weeks ago by the Maryland State Prosecutor on five counts of violating state campaign finance laws relating to $7,500 in donations he made to Councilman Tom Quirk through a friend, employee and his personal trainer. Whalen told Judge John Grason Turnbull II that the donations "were one of the dumbest things I've ever done." Following the trial, Whalen said he wanted to help Quirk but said he decided against making the donations legally through any of his half-dozen companies because it would be linked to him. Whalen …
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Catonsville Developer Steve Whalen says he will plead guilty to five campaign finance charged filed today and expects to pay $58,000 in fines. "I alone am responsible."
UPDATED (1:35 p.m.)—Catonsville Developer Steve Whalen said he will plead guilty to five counts of violating campaign finance laws related to donations made to Councilman Tom Quirk. "The bottom line is it's my responsibility," Whalen said in a candid phone interview. "I did it, I alone am responsible. It was one of the stranger moments in my 32 year career and I regret it." State Prosecutor Emmet Davitt announced the five charges in a statement Thursday. Whalen said he has signed a plea agreement in which he will admit guilt in court. He said he expects no jail time and will pay fines totaling $53,000 for the five violations plus another $5,000 in fines related to other civil citations he said he was issued related to the case. The …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
The next gubernatorial election in 2014 could draw a crowded primary field.
Comptroller Peter Franchot, who was expected to run for governor in 2014, announced Tuesday he would not seek the post. Franchot, whose criticism of Gov. Martin O’Malley lead many to believe he would run, instead announced he would seek to retain his current position. But just because Franchot won’t run, doesn’t mean there won’t be a crowded primary field. Other Democrats who may seek the office include: Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Del. Heather Mizeur, Attorney General Doug Gansler and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. What Democrat would you like to see make a run for the state’s top office? Tell us in the comments why you would like to see that person campaign for the office.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Thursday is the first day Maryland's circuit courts could start issuing same-sex marriage licenses.
Timonium residents Bruce Eicher and Jorge Gaitan went to Baltimore County Circuit Court Thursday afternoon to get a marriage license—at the advice of their lawyer. "He said it was safer. If one of us died, we want to make sure the other is taken care of," said Eicher, who is 80 years old. Thursday marked the first day same-sex couples in Maryland could obtain a marriage license, but Baltimore County's gay and lesbian residents didn't appear to be in a huge rush late in the day. An employee at the licensing department in circuit court declined to comment on the number of same-sex couples who had sought licenses on Thursday. Eicher and Gaitan, a 67-year-old native of Colombia, were one of a few couples to obtain a marriage license at the …
Jake Mohorovic
9:13 pm on Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Laurie Taylor-Mitchell was bring forth a positive campaign. Yet, Delegate Kach will be a strong candidate with name recognition having served in the House of Delegates since 1978 more ›