Thursday, May 9, 2013
The county executive now has a Facebook page, shortly after creating a Twitter account.
Patch reported a couple weeks ago that Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman created an official Twitter account, and now she is trying to reach constituents on the dominant social media platform Facebook. Her page had less than 50 "Likes" by early Thursday afternoon, but if it grows like her Twitter account, there will be hundreds getting updates from her in a matter of days. Patch also featured a video last month of Neuman sharing how shocked she was to find the county executive's office lacked a computer and Internet connection when she took over. Although most of her posts have been photos from recent public appearances, she has featured a few pieces of big news including Tuesday's resignation letter from Police Chief Larry …
A poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press reports that state and local government fare well as public opinion of federal government declines.
How do you feel about Anne Arundel County Government? If you're like a majority of those surveyed by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, then your answer might be "pretty good." A poll released last month found that 63 percent of those surveyed looked favorably on their local governments. That percentage is roughly unchanged from last year when the group conducted a similar survey. State governments are enjoying similar public approval with 57 percent of those surveyed saying they look favorably upon their state governments—a five-point increase over last year. Meanwhile, public opinion of the federal government decreased by 5 points to 28 percent—the lowest point ever in a Pew poll, according to the center. The center …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
A few potential candidates have expressed interest in the 2014 race for Anne Arundel county executive, according to reports.
It has only been a couple months since Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman was appointed by the county council, but candidates are already starting to gear up for the 2014 race, reports The Baltimore Sun. Which of the candidates thus far would get your vote? Share in our poll below. Neuman said she formed a committee and filed election paperwork, according to the report. This would be Neuman's first election campaign. County Councilman John Grasso (R-2nd District), of Glen Burnie told The Sun he is the best person for the job, and intends to run. Delegate Steve Schuh (R-District 31) of Gibson Island has already raised $1 million for the 2014 race. Joanna Conti, the democrat who lost the 2010 executive race to John Leopold, also …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Larry Tolliver announced his resignation Tuesday afternoon, in a letter that says the decision was not "stimulated" by negative claims about the department.
After a stretch of less than nine months heading police in Anne Arundel County, Chief Larry Tolliver announced his resignation Tuesday afternoon, as the county awaits the outcome of an investigation into claims of unfair treatment within the department. "I am resigning today because the department needs a chief who can focus solely on the department’s mission, something that is challenging to do in the current environment," Tolliver said in the letter. Tolliver's resignation is effective May 21. Patch contacted the office of County Executive Laura Neuman for information about possible replacements, but she has yet to respond. In late April, County Councilman Jamie Benoit wrote Neuman, requesting an investigation into whether Tolliver used …
Approval for the bill was split among councilmen by a 4-3 vote.
County lawmakers repealed a law banning stun guns from the general public in Anne Arundel County with a bill that passed narrowly on Monday night. The devices, commonly known under the brand Taser, are already used by Anne Arundel County law enforcement officers, but they are the sole exception to the ban on the weapons made in 1985. The bill, sponsored by Councilman Derek Fink (R-3rd District), repeals that ban and authorizes the general public in the county to purchase and carry stun guns as a means of self-defense. The only requirements are that the owners are 18 and older, undergo a criminal background check and receive operating instructions—the same requirements for obtaining a handgun, Fink said. Stun guns are allowed in all …
Monday, May 6, 2013
A Quinnipiac University poll shows the Maryland governor in the back of the pack regardless of whether or not Hillary Clinton decides to run in 2016.
The early prospects for a 2016 White House bid for Gov. Martin O'Malley are dim, according to one national poll. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would get 65 percent of the vote in a Democratic primary, according to a poll released last week by Quinnipiac University. Trailing Clinton is current Vice President Joseph Biden and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo with 13 and 4 percent of the vote respectively, according to the poll. O'Malley joins Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, and Virginia Sen. Mark Warner at the back of the pack. Each polled with 1 percent of less of the support in the national poll. If Clinton were to decide not to run, Biden becomes the frontrunner with 45 percent of those polled saying they would support the vice …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Want to be more informed about what goes on in your neighborhood? Maryland made big news this week. Will the death penalty repeal stick? Will Walmart come to Aspen Hill? Find out more state news in one click on Patch.
By Patch Staff A robbery stuns Cartier shoppers on a quiet mid-morning, an investigation into a county police force and just one question: Which Maryland county has a lot of "excessive drinkers?" Headlines from 48 Patch sites across Maryland: Gov. O'Malley Signs Law to Take Away Death Penalty, Politicians Move to Bring it Back Maryland is now the 18th state to abolish the death penalty but a bipartisan group of elected officials says the threat of terrorism is an incentive to reverse that move. Del. Ron George to Make Bid for Governor's Office Del. Ron George, an Anne Arundel County Republican, says he plans to start campaigning in June for the 2014 race. Columbia Native Jayson Blair Reflects on Resignation from New York Times "I'm …
Friday, May 3, 2013
The county executive is assembling a team of investigators from Montgomery and Harford counties to look into allegations about the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman announced Friday that she is assembling an inter-county task force of investigators from Montgomery and Harford counties to investigate allegations surrounding the Anne Arundel County Police Department. "Problems in our Police Department continue to keep surfacing," said Neuman, in a press release. "I have zero tolerance for inappropriate behavior of our police department if it exists." The team will look into procedures, protocol and what Neuman called "inappropriate anonymous correspondence" based on claims without evidence. Rumors of confidential information being leaked will also be investigated, according to the statement. This comes just over a week after County Councilman Jamie Benoit (D-…
The effort to place the issue on the ballot will be led by Democratic Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger and Washington County Republican Del. Neil Parrott.
Proponents of the death penalty in Maryland will attempt to overturn at the ballot box a new law repealing capital punishment. The effort to place the issue before voters in 2014 will be spearheaded by Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger and Washington County Del. Neil Parrott. The pair is expected to make the effort to collect the required 55,736 official during a Friday morning announcement near Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Shellenberger said the death penalty is an important tool for prosecutors. "One only has to look at what has taken place in our country in the last 10 years—Virginia Tech; Aurora, CO; Boston," Shellenberger said. "We don't know what is going to happen in the future but we should at least have the …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Smith said he overrode veto so that a new measure could be drafted to reduce the bill's impact on local communities.
The deciding vote in the override of the county executive's veto of the stormwater bill Wednesday came from Anne Arundel County Councilman Pete Smith (D-1st District), of Severn. Before lending his vote to override the executive veto, Smith had the following words for the audience and his fellow councilmen. "Over the last few weeks, I have had discussions will various individuals and groups about my opinion of this storm water management process. As I’ve stated before, bill 2-13 has no wrong answer. My initial disagreement with the bill was not the purpose of the bill but the impact on the residential and commercial communities who would have to pay for it. For the record, the science and data that describes the condition of the bay is …
Jane Frazier
10:29 am on Friday, May 10, 2013
I don't know how most citizens feel about the state of our county right now, due to the many changes we have endured in this past year. Hopefully, we are on a better path now, but when I read the figures about citizens approving of the state government, I can't agree with that at all. The Maryland state government doesn't listen to the citizens voices at all, and continually raid our wallets … more ›