The air was tense at a crowded pre-submission community meeting Thursday in western Howard County, where attendees discussed the impact and future of a go-kart track built on private property that has residents going in circles.

Howard County resident Charles Siperko built the half-mile long track for his son on a portion of his home’s 11-acre property at 6717 Mink Hollow Road in the rural suburb of Highland. His son has dreams of becoming a race car driver and participates in the sport of go-kart driving like other children participate in swimming, soccer, or baseball.

Siperko neglected, however, to obtain the required permits from Howard County and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to build the track. His neighbors are putting up a fight, and many want it removed. The family has retained prominent land attorney Sang Oh to help navigate the process of saving the track.

The family filed a conditional use application for the racetrack retroactively, asking the county to consider the track an “athletic facility,” though go-kart tracks don’t currently fall into that category legally. They’re also promising not to use the track until the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) issues a decision.

The meeting was informational in nature only, as decisions on next steps can only be made at the DPZ level. Residents who aren’t demanding the track’s removal want mitigations for noise and visual impacts and potential repercussions on the neighborhood’s wetlands. Some even went so far as to ask if he was planning to build a helipad on the property, as Siperko owns a helicopter and used it to bring his son to school. Siperko denied any plans for building a helipad on his property.

Siperko, in the application, offered to limit the hours of use to six days per week and only the afternoon/early evening hours. They pledge the racetrack will be kept private, will not be used for parties, and will be limited in use to the father, son, and coaches. They will also move part of the track to comply with the 100-foot buffer between properties required by the county. The family also promises no lighting will be added (ensuring no nighttime use) and to limit the use to electric motors only.

Residents claimed the engine is not the source of the noise they heard on the one day the family used the track, but the tires. One resident expressed concern about the microplastics shed by the tires on the surrounding wetlands, and others agreed.

While the Maryland Department of the Environment has jurisdiction over wetlands, Oh said the family’s application with MDE is on hold right now because it does not want to rule on a case in which DPZ may decide the track needs to be removed entirely. Oh expects a hearing with the DPZ to take place in the late February/early March timeframe.

This is the second such meeting because Siperko and his family were in Italy for a race in which their son was participating when the first pre-submission community meeting was held. The second meeting was scheduled so that Siperko could be there to hear from his neighbors and participate in the discussion.

The controversy has even attracted the attention of documentary filmmaker Scott Evans. Evans grew up in Howard County, and is doing preliminary work on a potential documentary about this dispute between neighbors.

“I grew up in Howard County and actively participated in both sports and environmentalism,” Evans told Fishbowl in a message. “After reading articles about the track on Mink Hollow Rd, I felt like there’s an interesting debate unfolding here on land rights, environmental impact, and creating safe spaces where kids can explore their sports interests. I want to hear all sides of this and plan to reach out to the community and interview anyone that wants to share their side of the story.” 

Nearly all who spoke at the meeting argued against the track, though degrees of animosity toward it varied. Some went so far as to insult Siperko’s parenting directly. Most, though, focused on the impact of the racetrack on their quality of life, property value, and the environment.

“It’s so frustrating,” said JoJo Lerner, a resident who also lives on Mink Hollow Road. “He said he Googled, and he didn’t see that he needed a permit for this. But it wasn’t just that. He didn’t talk to any of his neighbors. He didn’t tell anyone…. It definitely lowers the value of everyone’s property around it, because who wants to live right next to this go-kart thing?”

Colin Porter, another Highland resident, would like to see the county and/or state invest in a go-kart track like the one Siperko built so that other kids could have access to learning the sport. “These motor sports are certainly underserved,” he said. “We haven’t had a racetrack in this area since they closed Beltsville Speedway.”

Neither Siperko nor Oh would comment for Fishbowl’s article, citing the case being ongoing.

Students at Howard Community College (HCC) will soon have a sexual and reproductive health clinic that better meets their needs, thanks to a grant from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR).

The Howard County Health Department (HCHD) received the grant from the IWPR Connect for Success Initiative to promote and increase student engagement with the clinic. Connect for Success is an initiative that aims to significantly increase community college students’ access to high-quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services and related supports.

“Many community college campuses across the country lack access to on-campus health services,” said Dr. Maura Rossman, Howard County Health Officer. “We have worked closely with County and HCC leadership to expand the sexual and reproductive health services available on campus. Now, we can use this opportunity to improve awareness of these comprehensive services and to make sure all students have access to high-quality care.”

In 2022, the HCHD Health Services team expanded the hours and services of its HCC Health Clinic, thanks to funding from the Howard County Government. Next, HCC students and staff will participate in a survey during the fall 2024 semester to assess how accessible these services are, and how much the students know about them.

There will also be activities with existing campus programs, student focus groups, recruiting student clinic champions, and expanding clinic branding.

“Two years ago, I announced a major $1 million investment to expand and prioritize preventative reproductive healthcare services at HCC, in order to ensure its students have improved access to the care they need,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “I want to thank Dr. Rossman, her staff and IWPR for further supporting the needs of our students and ensuring women have the right to make their own choices for their reproductive healthcare and family planning needs.”

“Every student deserves to be empowered by good information and quality guidance from caring experts when it comes to sensitive topics like sexual well-being,” said Howard Community College President Dr. Daria J. Willis. “I am so proud that Howard Community College will continue to partner with Howard County to expand reproductive and sexual health services and provide our students with care when they need it most.”

“Community college students, especially those representing historically marginalized communities, often face significant barriers to accessing the sexual and reproductive health care and resources they need,” said Dr. Jamila K. Taylor, president and CEO of IWPR. “Through Connect for Success, we are working to break down these barriers, ensuring that all students have the support they need to thrive academically and personally in order to succeed in life.”

Connect for Success is a two-year program, and grant amounts range from $25,000-$75,000 for the two-year period. HCHD was one of 11 recipients of funding through this initiative. The goal, according to the Connect for Success website, is “to increase community college students’ access to high-quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive care, information, and resources, and improve their ability to manage their reproductive lives and succeed in college.”

When Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, joined by newly-sworn-in Gov. Wes Moore, unveiled grand and visually dramatic plans for a new Lakefront Library in Columbia in March 2023, the project was hailed as a “renaissance” for Howard County.

Eighteen months later, the fate of the concept is uncertain. Ball has elevated a more modest and affordable alternative at a different location that his office says is a result of a listening process and community survey.

But library system leaders are pushing back, continuing to rally support for the lakefront plan. For now, it appears that no single concept has the support of a majority of the Howard County Council, which approves spending through its annual budget process.

Ball’s office says that “no final decisions have been made” on where to build a new Downtown Columbia library, but confirmed that the lakefront is not the sole choice.

“Following community engagement earlier this year, we are currently evaluating two options of either (1) renovating and expanding the Central Branch Library at the existing library site or (2) locating the library at the lakefront location,” wrote Safa Hira, Director of Communications for Howard County Government. “We remain focused on reaching consensus with the Library System, the Howard County Council, and the parties to the Downtown (development rights agreement) before determining a path forward.”

That consensus has not been easy to come by. Members of the Library Board of Trustees, who are appointed by the Howard County Executive, continue to strongly advocate for the lakefront site. They say that the county executive’s office has moved forward with planning studies for rebuilding at the site of the existing central branch library – less than a half-mile away – without fully including them, and indicated that Ball had been ready recently to announce that the rebuild alternative was the best path forward.

“As we continue to have many questions, we respectfully request that no public announcement is made until we have met to work through the remaining issues,” board chair Liz Banach wrote to Ball in late September. “A rush to announce the site would be premature and unnecessarily throw the community into turmoil.”

How and why did a signature project announced with such fanfare come close to unraveling? The answer lies in part in its proposed costs and a lack of full support among elected leaders in Howard County.

While land for the project at the edge of Lake Kittamaqundi would be donated by the Howard Hughes Corp., Columbia’s master developer and an originator of the lakefront library proposal, the $144 million price tag would be paid by taxpayers. Under the original proposal, Howard Hughes would also manage the construction of a design by Heatherwick Studio. [Baltimore Fishbowl co-owner Ken Ulman runs a consulting firm, Margrave Strategies, that has advised Howard Hughes on the project.]

“The county doesn’t have $144 million to build a library on the lakefront,” County Councilwoman Deb Jung, whose district includes the library site, said in an interview. Jung did not participate in the March 2023 announcment.

That concern was apparent just weeks after the unveiling, when the council reviewed the county executive’s budget and balked at giving it full approval.

Competing surveys

The project did not make it in full into the next year’s budget. The council and executive agreed to a pause to gather community input, and to use $10 million in state grants for planning and design over the next year.

“This funding will allow the county to continue work on the design for the lakefront library project, and engage in discussions with the Howard County Library System, the county council, county residents and all external stakeholders to determine the potential changes that may be made to the project,” Mark Miller, then a spokesman for the County Executive’s Office, told Fishbowl at the time.

Since then, there have been competing studies and surveys – coming from both the county executive’s office and the library system. And they don’t point in the same direction.

Last year, the library board retained Due East Parnters to run engagement sessions and a survey for the lakefront process as well as the current strategic plan, supplementing earlier work by Group 4 Architecture (G4) to update a facilities master plan. Due East Partners and local ganizations gathered opinions from more than 3,000 people.

The county executive enlisted a design consultant, Arcadis, to hold community engagement sessions and survey residents on their thoughts regarding where the new Central Branch should be located.

Results of Ball’s survey ran three pages long, with 1,740 respondents: 1,500 who completed the online survey and 240 who attended in-person and virtual community engagement sessions. Respondents were asked to rank in order of preference five choices for location of a new central library location. Nearly twice as many respondents ranked the existing central library location as their first choice (683) than the Lakefront location (355).

The Library Board of Trustees’ survey results ran 43 pages and cited 3,167 participants in their 2023 survey, and later said that between 2019 and 2023, they and their survey partners have engaged more than 7,000 people. The library board didn’t ask about locations – instead they sought opinions on services provided by a “dream library” and how the library system can “address educational, economic, health and other inequities that limit or harm people’s lives.”

Documents show that only $75 million is now earmarked for a new Downtown Columbia Central Branch library, and it is unclear how and where a housing component would be included as part of the project.

Eariler this year, a group of former members of the Library Board of Trustees penned a letter to the county executive to register their dismay, and to express support for the lakefront plan. Signed by Richard Alexander, Arvell Greenwood, David H. Barrett, and Kenneth M. Jennings, the letter wondered what happened to their “great expectations” after the splashy March 2023 announcement.

“Our library system has a history of excellence and has been regularly recognized nationally for our outstanding initiatives, programs, and early adoption of resource technology and other supports,” they wrote. “The current Central Library does not meet the standards we set. The new Lakefront Library is the answer to our high hopes.”

As Ball inched closer to announcing a rebuild at the existing site this fall, Banach, the chair, wrote to the county executive to also express the board’s concerns.  

The letter expressed skepticism that the $75 million allotted for the project would be enough to “support the relocation of the library during construction, demolition of the existing structure, construction of the new library, and 280 parking spaces.”

Other concerns involved insufficient funding for the increase in staffing required, furnishings, and resources to build a larger library on the current site; lack of space to increase parking; and availability of outdoor space for events and other activities.

A lack of transparency?

Contending that the board’s survey better addressed the needs of the community, and that the board has been “working in good faith with the County to identify an appropriate site for this new building,” Banach wrote that the board “continues to support the Lakefront Library as originally planned.”

Banach also objected to what she called a lack of transparency and communication from the county executive.

“[W]e understand that your office has completed early modeling on the existing site. If site massing, modeling, concepts, or other such information exists, the Board respectfully requests it be shared with Library leadership for the Board’s consideration,” Banach wrote. “As this project moves forward, it is imperative that we convey accurate information to library stakeholders and taxpayers.”

She reiterated the critical role the library board of trustees plays in choosing the location and approving the erection of library buildings, citing their authority while ceding it is “subject to the approval of the county governing body.” Banach again requested the board be included in communications and decisions regarding library building projects.

In a follow up letter dated Sept. 30, 2024, Banach thanked Ball for sending documents and materials, but reiterated the board’s questions about financial and other inconsistencies in Ball’s materials. She again requested “massings, modelings, concepts, and/or renderings to help us understand this new proposal and how the proposed expanded library would fit on the parcel.”

No Council concensus

The Howard County Council still does not have a clear majority of members supporting the Lakefront Library plan as originally proposed, and even those supporting it in the beginning acknowledge the need for further research and the potential need to scale back for budgetary reasons.

Council members Christiana Rigby and Opel Jones are still optimistic about the likelihood it will come to fruition, albeit with potential modifications.

“I’m absolutely supportive of moving it forward, because the facilities plan for the library system has, the need has been demonstrated for a long time, and it’s been part of the downtown plan,” Rigby said in an interview. “So now I think it’s time to move it into reality and create the amenity.”

Rigby agrees that the cost of a proposed garage that is part of the lakefront project is problematic and does not want taxpayers to pay for it. She sees potential for creative solutions, like using other nearby parking, or shared parking agreements. 

“I think most people understand the vision and the economic opportunity that would come from the lakefront library, and there’s the question of, how do you get all your ducks in a row?” Rigby said.

Jones supports the Lakefront Library project moving forward as originally proposed. He acknowledges the possibility it may not come to fruition as originally planned but noted that scenario is very common in projects.

“You have a blueprint,” Jones told Fishbowl. “You have a plan. And then once you get into the nitty gritty of it, and you have your subject matter experts really, really dig down deep on the granular level, maybe you have to scale back on this. So maybe you have to scale back on that.”

Jones said he believes Ball is doing his due diligence to make sure the best tax-payer-funded product is built.

Neither council members Liz Walsh nor David Yungmann responded to Fishbowl’s requests for comment.

Tonya Aikens, Howard County Library System’s president and CEO told Fishbowl in an email that she continues to support the Lakefront Library plans as a worthwhile investment.

“We firmly believe that the best public spaces in our county should be for the community,” Aikens wrote. “The proposed Lakefront Library would not only attract people of all ages but also be an economic driver. As noted in an economic impact report created by the Sage Policy Group, founded and led by highly regarded economist Anirban Basu, ‘…libraries typically generate a return on investment between 400-500 percent on each dollar of taxpayer money invested.’ We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a library of the future that will draw people from across Howard County, the region, and our state.”

Banach expressed optimism in a statement to Fishbowl, pledging to work towards a solution that serves all.

“Libraries are places for people to learn, connect, and grow,” Banach wrote. “The Howard County Library System Board of Trustees remains committed to working with the County Executive and County Council to build the best library for our community that focuses not only on the needs and aspirations of today’s residents but also the next generation.”

Looking for some grown-up spooky fun? Do you want less pumpkin and more spice? There are so many ghoulish activities to put you on the edge of your feet! Check out the list below for just a few of the many things to help you get into the spirit of (after)life!

FELLS POINT HAUNTED PUBWALK
Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m., through end of November
$26 per person (21+)

In Fells Point, combine your love of all things haunted with all things sudsy on the Fells Point Haunted Pubwalk. You’ll visit some of Fells Point’s most haunted pubs. Sidle up to the bar and see if you feel the presence of lost maritime souls from years past. This tour is for people 21 and older, and leaves from Fells Point Square, near Max’s Taphouse at 733 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD. These tours sell out early, so get tickets now, if not sooner!

MOUNT VERNON GHOST WALK

October 12, 25, 26 (8 p.m. all days)

Tickets cost $18

A tour guide will show you around Mount Vernon as they share stories about the ghosts of the Belvedere, a séance gone wrong, and more. Peer into the past and learn who continues to haunt the present in this fascinating ghost walk.

WESTMINSTER HALL AND BURYING GROUND
Open Daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
No cost (except on Halloween night)

What’s more fitting during spooky season than a cemetery? Make that the cemetery of Edgar Allan Poe, the Baltimore-buried author of terrifying tales, and you have quite the potential for spine-tingling shenanigans. His death is still a mystery. In October 1849 he was found delirious in Fells Point and wearing someone else’s clothing. He died days later and was buried at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground. Visitors leave flasks of Cognac, coins, and flowers.

On Halloween, you can hear music on a pipe organ and watch a dramatic performance of “The Tell-Tale Heart.” There is even the rare opportunity to tour Poe’s grave and the Westminster Hall catacombs, along with other activities. This activity takes place on Thursday, Oct. 31 from 6 p.m.- 9 p.m. at the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, 519 W. Fayette St., Baltimore, MD. Tickets are $5 for adults, and children under 4 are free. Parental discretion is advised.

NEVERMORE HAUNT 2024
13 Nights in October (see calendar)
Ticket prices range from $30-$67

Staying with the Poe theme, The Nevermore Haunt is among the highest-rated haunted houses in Maryland. The website touts over-the-top and bizarre performances nightly, an on-site bar and concessions, and a terrifying haunted house that will strike deep into the depths of your darkest fears. But with a Baltimore theme, hon! “Expertly crafted, The Nevermore Haunt is an ever-changing and developing Halloween attraction that transports you directly into sordid, macabre visions of Baltimore’s past,” reads the website, where you can find the calendar for dates, and tickets. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent.

HAUNTED ELLLICOTT CITY MAIN STREET GHOST TOUR
Saturday nights through October
Tickets cost $20, discounts for military, students, seniors

Ellicott City is 250 years old, and the buildings on Main Street have secrets. Did you know that at one point there were four funeral homes on that tiny stretch of town? Just on Main Street! Founded by early Quakers, Civil War Troops, railroad workers, soldiers from both World Wars have traveled through the town thanks especially to the B&O Railroad at the bottom of the hill. Shop owners and customers swear they co-exist and encounter spirits from the past, and the period-costumed tour guides will give you all the spine-chilling details. Tours begin at the Howard County Welcome Center at 8267 Main Street, Ellicott City, MD. They run from 8:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. (tour end time is approximate). This tour is recommended for ages 12 and above, and tickets must be purchased in advance.

LAUREL’S HOUSE OF HORROR
October through Nov. 2
Tickets range from $34.95 to $39.95

Walking around an old movie theater can be spooky enough, but Laurel’s House of Horror takes it to epic levels. This terrifying attraction is in a historic theater, verified by Chesapeake Ghost Hunters to have signs of “other-worldly activity.” Its 28,000 square feet promise sensory overload, chilling anticipation, and plenty of jump scares. The House of Horror has been around for 10 creepy years, guaranteeing quality fright nights. It also has escape rooms based on iconic horror movies like “Insidious,” “Scream,” “Blaire Witch,” “Beetlejuice,” and more. Some even include a live actor to “enhance” your experience! Escape rooms experiences run approximately 45-50 minutes in length, and since it’s a timed activity, Laurel’s House of Horror asks guests to arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointed time.

COLT’S TRAIL OF TERROR
October 12, 19, 25
Free admission

This over three-hour-long tour takes you on a twisted trail through haunted woods, promising frights around every corner! That’s a long time to be terrified, but not only is the price right, guests have the chance to help a great cause. Donations are accepted, and all donations will go to Tunnels to Towers and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Colt’s Trail of Terror is located at 9207 Stone Spring Lane, Pasadena, MD. Reserve your ticket here.

DEAD OF NIGHT PARANORMAL TOUR
October 26, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Tickets cost $28.52

It may be The Harford County 4-H Camp and Deer Creek Overlook by day, but get ready to explore the supernatural in the dead of night! Paranormal Tours promises a thrilling journey through haunted spots, hair-raising graveyards, and mysterious landmarks. Don’t be surprised if you encounter a spirit from beyond the grave during this dark, eerie walk through the haunted woods! It looks so harmless during the day, doesn’t it? Located at 6 Cherry Hill Road, Street, MD. Tickets available by clicking this link.

Check out some additional bone-chilling attractions by clicking this link.

Behavioral health needs are a growing problem fueling emergency department crowing and long wait times. Howard County’s only hospital is addressing the challenge with a major capital project: a 7,000-square-foot behavioral health unit with 18 patient spaces.

That’s a major upgrade from the six behavioral health beds in the emergency department now.

To help complete the $10 million project, Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center has launched $3 million community fundraising campaign. One major element of the campaign is taking place this weekend: a benefit concert featuring jazz and R&B star Brian Culbertson.

The concert begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday Oct. 6 at Howard Community College, and tickets are still available.

Current space constraints at JHHCMC often means wait times of up to a day for a psychiatric evaluation, with patients in distress waiting in the the general emergency room.

“Forty percent of the general population will have a mental issue or behavioral issue at some point in their lives serious enough that they would warrant attention,” siad Dr. Andrew Angelino, head of the JHHCMC’s Psychiatry Department. “Our current space is wholly inadequate. It’s too small and it’s not very comfortable or conducive to healing.”

Dr. Shafeeq Ahmed, president of the hospital, said it is important for the community to help invest in more spaces and services for behavioral health patients is because “at any given time someone in your family or your friend network will need our services, and it’s just a matter of time.”

“And the nice thing about the Hopkins health system is that when you invest in the local hospital that money stays local for that hospital.”

The hospital foundations web site indicates that it has raised nearly $253,000 toward the $3 million goal to date.

In addition to Culbertson, an Illinois native who is founder of the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, the Sunday concert will also feature jazz trumpeter Cindy Bradley and saxaphonists Brian Lenair.

If you go: The line-up for the benefit concert at Howard Community College Rouse Theater, 5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia.

• 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.              Food Trucks
• 4:30 p.m.                          Doors & Box Office Opens*
• 5:00-6:00 p.m.                 Brian Lenair
• 6:30-7:30 p.m.                 Cindy Bradley
• 8:00-9:30 p.m.                 Brian Culbertson

Tickets available HERE.

Columbia, Maryland was ranked first in all of the United States on conditions for women’s economic status, health, and safety, according to WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Women in 2024” report.

The personal finance website released the report Monday, along with expert commentary explaining what constituted criteria for measuring these conditions. WalletHub compared 182 cities across 15 key metrics. These metrics include median earnings, unemployment rate for women, quality of women’s hospitals, and access to preventative health care.

Columbia has the highest median earnings for female workers (adjusted for cost of living) — $59,230 — which is 2.9 times higher than in Santa Ana, California, the city with the lowest. The poverty rate for Columbia women is 8.9%, 12^th-lowest in the country.

The report cites the healthy job market for women in Columbia and the low unemployment rate as further reasons for the city’s top ranking. Columbia’s unemployment rate for women is just over 4%, 27^th-lowest in the nation. In other cities, that rate is as high as 13%. Additionally, nearly one-quarter of businesses in Columbia are owned by women. That’s the sixth-highest percentage in the U.S.

“Living in the right city can significantly improve a woman’s economic status, health, and safety,” said Christie Matherne, WalletHub analyst. “The best cities for women offer job security and high pay, enabling women to achieve greater financial independence.”

Matherne also cited access to medical care and high-quality hospitals, both of which women in Columbia have. The city has the 10^th-best life expectancy for women at birth.

As for preventative care, nearly 85% of women in Columbia are physically active, the sixth-highest percentage in the country. The city also has the 12^th-highest share of women over 21 who have received a cervical cancer screening within the recommended time frame and the 21st-highest share who have received a mammogram in the past two years, according to the report.

“Psychologists have studied aspects of urban design that contribute to [women’s] well-being,” said Miriam Liss, Chair of the Department of Psychological Science at University of Mary Washington. “Some key principles include creating affordable housing options, developing walkable neighborhoods, encouraging community events, preserving open and green spaces, and offering a variety of transportation choices.”

There are many issues local governments should consider in planning and decision-making to ensure their cities are places in which women can live and thrive.

“For women with children, cities can help by providing support for strong schools and after-school programs, subsidizing childcare, facilitating new childcare facilities, or offering recreational opportunities for children,” said Martha C. Johnson, Associate Professor at Northeastern University. “Cities should also be attentive to the problem of domestic violence, ensuring that sufficient emergency and transitional support services are available for women, mothers, and families. Similarly, police departments may want to consider task forces on sexual and domestic violence staffed primarily by female officers.”

Johnson also recommends city governments partner with local colleges, universities, and businesses to create programs that help move into better-paying positions.

“Cities can also encourage women’s entrepreneurship by providing small business training and offering special opportunities for women-owned businesses to secure city contracts,” she said.

When winter leaves the trees barren behind René Maldonado’s Howard County home, he can see the W.R. Grace & Co. headquarters 190 yards away.

That close proximity concerns Maldonado and many of his neighbors, who worry the chemical company’s plans for a pilot plastics recycling plant at the Columbia facility could harm local air quality and pose other environmental and health-related risks. The closest residents are 80 yards away.

Maldonado, who retired from a 30-year career as a chemist after developing multiple sclerosis, now lives in Cedar Creek, the neighborhood directly west of the Grace headquarters. He worries emissions could further harm his health.

“One reason I moved here is because of the environment,” he said. “I like it here. It’s nice. But I didn’t expect to have a chemical plant next door like this.”

Residents in neighborhoods around the facility have formed a group called “Stop the Grace Plastic Burning Project” in an effort to halt the company’s plans. Earlier this month, the group protested outside of the company’s headquarters.

W.R. Grace maintains that residents misunderstand their plans, which the company emphasizes do not involve the burning of plastics.

“Let us be clear: we are not burning plastic, we are not manufacturing microplastics or producing PFAS or ‘forever chemicals,’” W.R. Grace officials said in a statement to Baltimore Fishbowl. “Moreover, Grace does not manufacture plastics at all. Assertions that we are doing any of these things are false and misinformed.”

Instead, Grace says it will be researching ways to reduce plastic waste by converting “well-controlled plastic samples sourced from manufacturers and established recycling facilities” into new products.

“Grace scientists have developed a new plastic recycling solution that has the potential to reduce emissions, save energy and lower costs compared to other options,” the company explained in its statement.

But neighbors are not convinced.

Maldonado said the climate-conscious messaging that Grace espouses is just “greenwashing,” and he said the company’s plans could actually harm the environment and local residents.

“They try to find some environmental excuse to do it, but at the end of the day they cause more harm to the environment in the process,” he said. “They are creating chemicals that are going to be bad for the environment, hydrocarbons that will be burned as fuel.”

The plant’s processes and communities’ concerns

Grace’s permit application describes the catalytic cracking process in which the pilot plant will recycle 1 kilogram of plastics per hour.

“Plastic feedstock and catalyst will be fed to a Reaction System,” the application outlines. “The reactor will vent product vapor to a Product Recovery System, where condensable vapor will be removed and sent to storage as the liquid product. Liquid product will be stored temporarily in drum before sending to a 3rd party environmental facility for treatment. Non-condensable vapor from the product recovery system will go to an electric flameless thermal oxidizer. The thermal oxidizer has a stack that vents to the atmosphere.”

The application continues, “Spent catalyst [catalyst with coke on it] will be transferred with catalyst circulation to the Regeneration System, where excess hot air [1350 degrees Fahrenheit] will completely oxidize the coke. Regenerated catalyst will be circulated back into the Reaction System. The Regeneration System has a stack that vents to atmosphere.” (Editor’s note: “Coke” refers to a carbon-rich deposit that is a byproduct of the catalytic cracking process.)

In a news release, Stop the Grace Plastic Burning Project argues that Grace’s application for an air permit from the Maryland Department of the Environment “fails to disclose the full range of potential emissions and what to expect when the polymer feedstock or the process conditions are changed.”

The company disputes this.

“The gas product will go through a Flameless Thermal Oxidizer, a highly efficient emission control device that is designed to reduce emissions by over 99.9999%,” Grace officials said.

They added, “We have carefully followed the proper permitting process with MDE, disclosed the worst case potential emissions levels and everything required by law, participated in a public hearing and answered questions from MDE during extended public comment periods.”

Neighborhoods around the Grace facility house many families with children, older adults, and people with health complications, who would be more vulnerable to pollutants, said Lisa Krausz, co-chair of the Stop the Grace Plastic Burning Project and a resident of River Hill Village, which sits to the west of Cedar Creek. Krausz facilitates the advocacy group with co-chair Lily Weiss-Lora, a 20-year resident of River Hill.

Krausz said Grace’s plans for the pilot plant run counter to the surrounding communities’ values.

“People come to Howard County because of the excellent school systems,” she said, noting the many young children who live in these neighborhoods.

She added, “Columbia is known for its open green spaces, for wanting to promote the growth of its residents. This is a contradiction to what Howard County and Columbia stand for.”

Still, Grace officials said many of their own employees live in the neighborhoods around the Columbia facility, and that the company has a vested interest in maintaining safety standards.

“Grace is committed to being a responsible business, a good neighbor and a safe workplace for our 600 on-site employees – 400 of whom are Howard County residents and many of whom live in the neighborhoods adjacent to our headquarters,” officials said.

They added, “We appreciate the work MDE is doing to evaluate the air permit application on its scientific merits, as this solution has the potential to help solve an important problem. Like our neighbors in Howard County, Grace leaders and our thousands of employees share a sincere desire to live and work in safe and healthy environments.”

The pilot plant would measure 24 feet high, 32 feet long, and 12 feet wide–approximately the size of a one-car garage​–and would be housed inside an existing building at the company’s Columbia campus, located at 7500 Grace Drive, company officials said.

The plant will operate 16 hours per day, five days a week, 50 weeks out of the year, according to the permit application.

Grace was unable to say at this time when the plant would be constructed, when it would begin operation, and how long the pilot period would run.

“MDE is still evaluating the permit,” company officials said.

That undefined pilot period is concerning, Krausz said.

“There’s been no stamp put on when it would end or if it could become a bigger project,” she said.

Grace’s record

Members of the Stop the Grace Burning Project are concerned that Grace’s record does not bode well for the possibility of contamination and chemical spills. They also worry that conditions at the plant, including the storage of liquid products in drums on site until they are sent to a 3rd party, could increase risks for fires and explosions.

The group points to previous controversies centering Grace: for example, the company faced thousands of asbestos-related lawsuits that led to Grace’s 2001 bankruptcy, including asbestos contamination in Montana. The company no longer makes asbestos-related products.

In the 1980s, Grace was the defendant in groundwater contamination lawsuits in Massachusetts. Those lawsuits inspired the 1995 book “A Civil Action,” and the 1998 movie of the same name starring John Travolta.

Most recently, in May 2023, a vacuum truck leaked 50-75 gallons of nitric acid at Grace’s facility in Hawkins Point, a largely industrial part of Baltimore. No injuries and no off-site impact occurred in that incident.

Columbia neighbors worry that if something similar to the 2023 incident were to happen near their residential neighborhoods, the outcome could be far worse.

“Imagine that accident happening here,” said Maldonado, the Cedar Creek resident. “It’s a different story because we are just 70 meters away from this unit.”

He added, “You have children playing around. You’re going to have adults walking their dogs…. They’re not doing this in an industrial park where there’s no neighbors. They’re doing this next to our houses.”

Jake Burdett is the co-chair of Our Revolution Howard County, a local chapter of the progressive group Our Revolution Maryland, which has been working with the Stop the Grace Burning Project group.

Although Burdett lives in Dorsey’s Search, about seven miles away from the Grace headquarters, he said he is concerned about the pilot plant’s impact on communities closer to the facility.

“Even if things go as planned, these risks exist…. I can’t blame the community at Cedar Creek and River Hill for not wanting to be the guinea pigs, especially considering W.R. Grace’s track record,” he said.

Grace officials stand firm that they are following all safety requirements for the pilot plant in Columbia.

“This is baseless and stated without evidence,” company officials told Baltimore Fishbowl regarding the protest group’s concerns. “We follow industry and regulatory requirements for safety and work closely with the Howard County Fire Department as a responsible business practice.”

They added, “This project has safety interlocks built in and cannot be compared to accidents that occurred at manufacturing plants that are 300,000x bigger.”

‘Community was scrambling’

Residents are also frustrated because they feel they were not given enough notice about the project.

On Sept. 21, 2023, W.R. Grace submitted their permit application for the project. A public hearing was held April 29, 2024.

But members of the Stop the Grace Burning Project group say most neighbors did not hear about the project until after the public hearing, and many still were not aware of it until weeks or even days before the most recent public comment period ended Aug. 29, 2024.

“There were no attempts to notify residents in these communities…. The community was scrambling to get organized and to notify people,” said Krausz, the River Hill resident.

Burdett said W.R. Grace and the Maryland Department of the Environment “followed the bare minimum legal requirements” to give notice to residents, including publicizing the project online and in a local newspaper and informing local elected officials. But he argues individual households should have also been notified via mail or fliers posted to doors of residences.

“In my opinion, the community members got very lucky in that the right people happened to hear about it,” Burdett said, and that those community members spread the word.

If residents were more widely aware of the project, Burdett said, they might have doubled the number of public comments.

“While it’s great that we were able to mobilize over 200 public comments before that Aug. 29 deadline, had notice been given in a more adequate way and transparent way, that number could easily have been 400 public comments,” he said.

“If we were to have a public hearing today, I’ll have 20 or 30 more questions to ask, because I learned a lot about what they’re after. But at the time, we were in the dark,” Maldonado said.

Stop the Grace Burning Project members said they requested for the Maryland Department of the Environment to extend the public comment period beyond Aug. 29, but that MDE denied their request because it had already been extended two times.

While members of the group contend the public comment period was extended only once, MDE spokesperson Jay Apperson told Baltimore Fishbowl that it had in fact been extended twice.

“Statute requires 30 days from the publication date of the first notice or 5 days after the hearing whichever is later,” Apperson said. “However, we gave the public even more time – 30 days from the hearing date (April 29) to May 29, but we immediately received a request for a one time 60 day extension as allowed by statute and extended it to July 29. We then received a request for another 30 days extension which we granted (above and beyond statute) to August 29.”

Although the final extended public comment deadline has passed, community members plan to continue to speak out against the project. They also hope an investigation by the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning could uncover zoning violations for the project.

Maldonado wants Grace to look elsewhere to establish their pilot plant.

“I don’t understand why Grace would take such a risk,” he said. “They have plants everywhere. Why would they choose this environment, knowing the reality of accidents?”

Krausz, too, hopes the company will reconsider.

“What makes them feel so confident that there aren’t going to be problems here?” she said. “They really don’t know that…. Why would you do that in a facility like this, right next to communities?”

It’s the stuff of kid dreams: A half-mile-long Go Kart track outside your front door where you can practice your passion and become the envy of friends.

But the dad who built it for a son who wants to become a race car driver is now fighting to keep the $100,000-plus investment from being torn up, since he undertook the project without required permits from Howard County and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

With neighbors complaining about property value impact, wetland destruction, noise and the need to follow rules, Howard County has halted all work and issued violations.

The family is now trying to make things right – and going through the process of seeking permission after the fact. If not successful, they might have to tear the whole thing up.

The drama is unfolding in the rural Western Howard County community of Highland – a mix of mini-mansions, horse farms and the occasional Trump sign.

The track was built at 6717 Mink Hollow Road, on a portion of an 11-acre piece of agricultural land owned by Charles Siperko and Sarah Troxel. Aerial images of the track posted online show an enticing combination of straightaways, S-turns and even a 360-degree circle in the middle – all created out of asphalt.

“My ten-year-old son eat[s], breathes and sleeps motorsports,” say a change.org online petition started by Siperko (but which appears to be written by Troxel). “His passion holds the seeds of a future car-racing career, but it’s not an easy journey.”  

“We didn’t know that we needed to pull permits or obviously we would have,” says Siperko in the petition to stop the removal of the track, which was started on Aug. 28 and has more than 800 signatures. “We were perhaps naively or stupidly not aware of the permitting requirements and believed the asphalt company when they told us that paving that doesn’t adjoin a public road doesn’t require permits.”

The family has now engaged prominent land use attorney Sang Oh as it seeks to save the track. Oh acknowledges that his client followed bad advice but says they are now committed to making things right.

“There’s a right way to do it,” Oh says, pointing out that county rules require that any paving of more than 5,000 square feet receive a grading permit. And any use of wetlands requires sign-off by the Maryland Department of the Environment. But Siperko wants that now, Oh says: “He’s not going to cut corners.”

Here’s what they are promising: there won’t be lights or night use; the track won’t be open to the public; only electric carts will be used, which are quieter than gas-powered versions.

After the county issued its violation, Siperko, who owns a roofing company, is now going through a process to get a “conditional use” permit – meaning the track would be allowed.

An early step was a community meeting in late July, where Oh, the attorney, and engineer Rob Vogel said creation of replacement wetlands is possible and that the family is willing to discuss a noise barrier. A decision would be made first by a county hearing examiner, followed possibly by an appeals board.

The story has caught the attention of some racing afficionados; James Gilboy wrote about it (and linked to documents) on the website thedrive.com, and there are extensive comments on Howard County Facebook groups. Many commenters praise Siperko and call him a model of a dad, and say that on private land, owners can do what they want.

While the track is not near Mink Hollow Road, it is close to neighbors, and it is unclear whether Siperko consulted with them.

Karina Fisher, a director of the Howard County Citizens Association, wrote on Facebook: “This is like developers razing the land and then saying oopsies to the County. They pay the small fines because the profit is much greater. In this case, this homeowner doesn’t care about wetlands or their community, and wants to do the same. They don’t play by the rules and then pay their way out of it to get what they want. If that track never was supposed to be there, than it should go! People should not be able to buy their way out of destruction.”

Siperko and Troxel say their main goal is to foster the passion of their son.

“Go-karting is recognized as the traditional starting point for professional car racers, and a private track will provide an accessible and safe environment for practice and development,” the petition says.

As one online commenter said after reading about the case: “This is why there are no Formula 1 drivers in the U.S.”

Most people are connected to someone whose life was lost to drug overdose. A local veteran and social entrepreneur is partnering with Howard County for International Overdose Awareness Day to spotlight this far too common loss.

The VA Way’s Dub Grass International Overdose Awareness Day Event on Saturday, August 31, 2024, will bring a fusion of music and awareness around the impact of overdosing. The communities in Columbia, Maryland will join those around the world to remember those who have died or suffered permanent injury due to drug overdose.

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is observed annually and seeks to spread understanding of overdose, eradicate the stigma that often accompanies drug-related deaths, and spur change that can reduce harms associated with drug use.

The VA Way is partnering with Sun Rider 9 Productions for the event to feature performances by The Dirty Grass Players with Yellow Dubmarine, Caleb Stine, Jim Kelly, and a drum circle led by Katy Gaughan. There will be a fusion of reggae and bluegrass music, surrounded by a unifying theme of mental health enlightenment and community support connected to the global movement for understanding, compassion, and change.

“Dub Grass is about more than just the music,” said John Way, visionary founder of The VA Way and event organizer. “It’s about coming together as a community to make a difference. Every jam, every beat, every note—it all helps a mind in need.”

Local organizations will be on hand to support those struggling with mental health issues, and attendees will have access to overdoes prevention resources, mental health support, and community solidarity, all coalescing under the theme “Together We Can.”

“I believe that together we can do more to end overdose in our communities. We’re losing too many friends and family members, and we need creative ways to reach people,” Way said.

In the United States, more than 107,500 people died from overdosing in 2023 — the second consecutive year with more than 100,000 overdose deaths. 2022 had 111,000 deaths from overdoses. The majority were linked to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Maryland had 2,573 deaths from drug overdose in 2022.

“By coming together to remember those we’ve lost, we’re making a powerful statement that more needs to be done to end overdose in our community,” said John Barth, President of Sun Rider 9 Productions.

The VA Way is led by Army veterans and social entrepreneurs Way and Gary Canteen, a 24-year Army Veteran and The VA Way’s co-founder and vice president. Since 2014, the organization has combined the power of music and improving access to mental health education and resources to improve the lives of veterans and those in the music industry. Way is also a co-founder of the Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival taking place at Sandy Point State Park on Sept. 21 and 22, 2024.

“We encourage members of the community with lived experience to join us and stand in solidarity with those affected by overdose,” Canteen said.

Dub Grass International Overdose Awareness Day Event takes place on Saturday, August 31, 2024 from 5 pm – 11 pm at Reckless Shepherd Brewing, located at 8895 McGaw Road, Columbia, MD. After 8 pm, the event is for those 21 and over.

Tickets are $15.

Howard County voters in November will determine whether to create an independent office to investigate fraud, waste and abuse in the county government.

The Howard County Council intends to pass Charter Amendment resolution CR-107 which would establish an independent Office of Inspector General at its legislative session on July 29. Then voters would be able to decide whether to amend the county charter.

That legislative effort is over and above the effort envisioned in vetting a pair of bills (CB-47 and CB-48) originally proposed by District 1 Councilwoman Liz Walsh aimed at establishing the office.

Read more at The Business Monthly.

The annual Sad Summer Festival will illuminate The Chrysalis at Merriweather Park on Aug. 9 with rock music from independent artists and emo fun for all ages. 

The festival is celebrating its 5-year anniversary after originally launching in 2019, following the loss of the Vans Warped Tour.

Festival founders Mayday Parade and The Maine, along with bands The Wonder Years, We The Kings, Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, The Summer Set, Hot Milk, Diva Bleach, Daisy Grenade and Like Roses, will enchant the audience with their tunes. 

“For most of my adult life, I’ve associated the summer with music festivals. Their open air venues, the mix of tour bus exhaust and heat radiating off asphalt, and of course, hearing my favorite music at twilight, lit by the flicker of fireflies — Sad Summer epitomizes this experience,” said Alex Garcia of Mayday Parade. “It also serves as a unifying force in our music scene, a place for every emo kid to gather around, connect with fellow fans, and truly be themselves.”

The festival’s attendance has nearly doubled in the last four years and was listed as one of the top grossing tours of 2021, according to Pollstar. 

The festival also prides itself on its commitment to non profit partnerships and providing education and resources for attendees. It is partnered with HeadCount, Reverb and Calling All Crows. 

Tickets are available at Sad Summer Fest.com.

The Howard County Council unanimously approved County Executive Ball’s $2.4 billion fiscal year 2025 Operating Budget on May 22.

The council also voted to approve Ball’s $413 million fiscal 2025 Capital Budget, which includes investments in schools, community centers, stormwater management, multimodal transportation and other infrastructure projects.

Budget highlights include the following:

Education

The approved $1.15 billion HCPSS fiscal 2025 budget exceeds the State-mandated Maintenance of Effort funding by $52 million. It includes $9 million to fully fund the Blueprint, expanding full day pre-K for eligible four-year-olds, increasing student technology investment, and expanding National Board Certification pay for educators.

Read more at The Business Monthly.

By Ricky Podgorski, Capital News Service

After years of devastating flooding, Ellicott City is set to break ground on the Extended North Tunnel: an underground flooding mitigation system.

The tunnel is expected to push 26,000 gallons of water per second from the North end of the city to the Patapsco river.

By Matthew J. Schumer, Capital News Service

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — Workers at the Shipley’s Grant Starbucks cafe voted to unionize this week, just days ahead of a Supreme Court case involving the company’s challenge of a federal labor injunction.

“I started working here two and a half years ago, and as soon as I got here, I knew something had to change,” said Noah Smith, a shift supervisor at the Shipley’s Grant shop, which voted 21-2 on Thursday afternoon to unionize. Smith was one of the first three workers at the store to speak with Workers United about organizing the staff.

Dwindling hours coupled with increasing traction of unionization of Starbucks workers across the nation influenced Smith and his coworkers to initiate a union petition, which they filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on March 19.

Data compiled by UnionElections.org shows that 9,270 Starbucks employees are covered by a union — accounting for a bit less than three percent of the company’s total workforce.

The Shipley’s Grant location became the ninth Starbucks cafe in Maryland to unionize. Staff at more stores in the state are expected to go public with unionization efforts in the coming months.

Workers at a Starbucks location in Buffalo, New York, made history as the first unionized store in the company when they voted to organize with Workers United in 2021. Over 400 Starbucks locations have unionized since then, spanning 43 states and the District of Columbia.

In early 2023, corporate-level decisions led to reduced hours among the workers at the Shipley’s Grant cafe. While full-time employees saw only marginal schedule changes, part-timers came face-to-face with the possibility of losing health care benefits and access to free education — both offered to staff members working a minimum of 20 to 22 hours a week.

The team of 27 employees has a tough time ensuring every staff member works enough throughout the week to receive benefits, according to Smith. He added that workers often need to pick up shifts at other stores to meet the quota.

Smith said that one of the primary goals of unionizing was to establish a dialogue with the corporate leaders at Starbucks, setting clear guidelines about minimum working hours and clearer expectations for employees.

Another focal point of the unionization effort is to create a more inclusive work environment at the cafe. Smith shared a story about a recent directive from the store’s district manager to remove a Progress Pride Flag the workers had hung up in the store.

Since the staff went public with its petition to unionize, Smith said that Starbucks management also began enforcing a dress policy prohibiting workers from wearing union t-shirts on the clock.

Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment.

At other locations, the company has taken more serious action against union promotion, going as far as firing pro-union employees at several stores, NLRB judges have ruled.

In total, the NLRB has taken legal action in more than 700 unfair labor practice cases leveled against Starbucks by employees — the majority of which were filed in the last couple of years.

Starbucks Corp. most recently lost an appeal in the District of Columbia Circuit Court in which the company challenged an NLRB ruling to stop interfering with workers’ unionization efforts at a Seattle location.

The Supreme Court case involves a suit by Starbucks against the NLRB involving company actions against workers at a store in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2022, including the firing of seven employees for allegedly associating with the Workers United union.

In October 2023, Starbucks filed a petition for the case to be heard by the Supreme Court, which was granted in January. The question presented by the company to the court is whether NLRB injunctions should be subject to the same standards in all jurisdictions.

As it stands, injunctions filed by the board are evaluated by courts in some jurisdictions using a two-factor test, whereas other jurisdictions use a four-factor test to determine if they are warranted. An affirmative decision in this case would establish the four-factor test in all jurisdictions.

Both parties will present their arguments to the court on Tuesday.

Starbucks and Workers United announced in February that collective bargaining negotiations would begin in the near future. Discussions are scheduled to begin towards the end of this month.

Once the Shipley’s Grant vote is certified by the NLRB, the cafe’s staff will join nationwide bargaining discussions affecting unionized Starbucks workers across the United States.

“I’m not going to be here forever, but the next people that come behind me, I want them to have a store that’s safe and inclusive and open and with them,” said Smith.

Columbia Association (CA) has chosen Shawn MacInnes as their new President/CEO after a months-long search. MacInnes will take over the role beginning June 17.

MacInnes will take the reins from  Dennis Mattey, who has been acting as Interim President/CEO for more than a year after the controversial departure of Lakey Boyd as CA President/CEO in January 2023.

“The Board of Directors welcomes Mr. MacInnes to Columbia and looks forward to working with him in service to the community,” said Eric Greenberg, CA Board Chair, in a statement. “The Board also thanks Dennis Mattey for stepping up and serving as Interim President/CEO over the past year.” 

MacInnes has held a number of high-level leadership positions in municipal governments in Maryland and Massachusetts. His education background is in civil engineering and business administration and raises money every year for cancer research.

“I look forward to bringing my collaborative approach and passion for community service to Columbia to continue the mission of James Rouse and the entire Columbia community,” MacInnes said in a statement.

“We’re excited for Mr. MacInnes to join CA’s long-standing tradition of excellence and service,” said Monica McMellon-Ajayi, CA’s Director of Human Resources, Equity and Inclusion, in a statement. “We are confident that his experience and perspective will provide a meaningful path forward for CA. We also appreciate the time and effort of all of those involved in the process to ensure that CA remains a valued partner, employer and leader in this community.”

CA’s Board of Directors chose TransPro Executive Placement to aid in the search for candidates for the President/CEO position. They also consulted the Senior Leadership Team. Selecting and interviewing finalists in March, the CA Board of Directors decided on MacInnes in April.

Lakey Boyd held her position as CA President/CEO for less than 18 months of what was supposed to be a four-year tenure, resigning after months of acrimony and disputes with members of the Board of Directors. Boyd held she was being micromanaged while some members of the Board questioned her decision-making.

Boyd had many supporters, some on the Board and many among the community members. The organization and its operations are a bit of a morass for those not steeped in local Columbia politics. Boyd was making changes to attempt to reflect the diversity of Columbia residents and help navigate the city out of the pandemic economically, in addition to dealing with legal challenges facing some prominent organizations and spaces under her purview.

She challenged the Board when rumors circulated about her being removed from her position, asking them to clarify her job status. In response, the Board issued a list of demands that Boyd said, “renders me ineffective in being able to carry out my duties as President/CEO as they are detailed in my contract.”

When the Board ruled that she did not have the right to appeal her annual evaluation of her performance, which she said contained inaccuracies and no action items for improvement, she announced her resignation two months later in January 2023.

“I have concluded that I have no other choice but to ask the CA Board to transition me out of the Columbia Association,” she said.