What a great time at the Tot Lot today! Let's give it up for Rodgers Forge dad DJ Dan (djdance@verizon.net) and Scott the Pumpkin Man, also a Rodgers Forge dad and RFCA board member, who rocked the Tot Lot today for a great Halloween!
Someone wrote to me recently asking if many Rodgers Forgians or others from the area are planning to go to Jon Stewart's rally. I don't know of anyone from here who is going, although we do have friends from NYC crashing at our house so they can go to it with their preschooler and newborn.
So, are you going?
We need your help! The Baltimore County Office of Community Conservation will invest $71 million in federal, state, and local funds into community projects over the next 5 years to principally benefit low to moderate income households and communities.
Please fill out this form to assist the County in determining budget priorities to best benefit your community. Only one survey per household. Please complete the survey by November 15, 2010. To use the online survey, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/
Thank you for your participation.
Office of Community Conservation
6401 York Road, 2nd Floor
Baltimore, MD 21212
Wow, this is too much. Did you see The Baltimore Sun's article on the inquiry into the controversial AIM program?
From the piece: "The fact that they refused to speak, I found to be pretty appalling," said Del. Stephen W. Lafferty, a Baltimore County Democrat. "If there is nothing of concern in the way this was handled, [Hairston and Dezmon] shouldn't have had a problem with it."
Read the full article here, and be sure not to miss the comparison to lynching. Again, wow.
College Of Notre Dame Hosts Sports Concussion Panel
Experts discuss what every parent, coach and trainer needs to know
Maria Mouratidis, Psy.D., associate professor and chair, Department of Psychology and Sociology, College of Notre Dame of Maryland will lead a community educational forum on identifying and managing of sports concussion. The event is open to those involved in youth sports, including parents, coaches, caregivers and trainers.
WHEN:
Wednesday, November 3, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
WHERE:
LeClerc Auditorium, College of Notre Dame of Maryland
4701 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Md. 21210
GUEST PANELISTS:
Joseph Bleiberg, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, CLCP, Neuropsychologist
Frank Wolkenberg, Ph.D., Neuropsychologist
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.
As a service to the community, College of Notre Dame has designed an educational session for parents, student athletes (of all ages), coaches and trainers, the free educational forum will cover how to identify and manage concussions and especially, prevent them.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
(1) concussion is a brain injury and all are serious;
(2) most concussions occur without loss of consciousness; and (3) "recognition and proper response to concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury or even death” (www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports/).
Baltimore County schools get out three hours early on Friday, Oct. 29.
Patch: Donald L. Leifert Jr., an English and theater teacher at Towson High School, died in his sleep on Saturday following a heart attack. He was 59 years old.
Read the full article here. He sounds like a really interesting person.
By Laurie Taylor-Mitchell, Ph.D
As reported by Liz Bowie in the Baltimore Sun on Saturday, BCPS has presented how they wish to spend the "Race to the Top" funds in the school system. The priorities of BCPS in their application for spending the approximately $17.4 million granted to the County are extremely disappointing, and do not address the tremendous need for improved technology in many poorly performing schools.
Within one category of $5 million dollars, the BCPS proposals include another major expenditure on virtual learning at Chesapeake High School. Didn't this school receive a multi-million dollar virtual learning center last year? Why is so much money being spent on one poorly performing school, when there are many others that deserve help, such as Loch Raven Academy and Woodlawn High School?
Why are thousands of other dollars being spent on developing a virtual high school and games? In a BCPS communication last year on the Chesapeake virtual reality center, Superintendent Hairston said, "the most natural way to learn is by doing..." but this "doing" in virtual reality is not out in the real world. According to an article on the center in E-school news last year on the system at Chesapeake High, David Peloff, program director of emerging technologies at Johns Hopkins’ Center for Technology in Education, said, "There’s not a lot of research that says this [i.e. gaming and simulation technology] directly improves student achievement. We have a hunch that it does," he said. "But we do know that it improves student involvement."
How exactly then is student "involvement" in virtual reality related to achievement; what is the hard data there? Should BCPS be spending millions more on a hunch?
Here are photos from 2009:
Big Style. Little People.
Urban Baby will be holding a storefront grand opening for our Hampden shop on October 31. Join us between 11 am - 5 pm for Halloween goodie bags, gift card drawings and 20% off your purchase. Children are encouraged to wear their costumes--grown-ups, too! At 1 pm we will be hosting a spooktacular story time by the Urban Pirates (www.urbanpirates.com) and spook booth photos will be taken by Love Life Images from 1-3pm.
RFES PTA says: "If you are thinking about the 5th Grade field trip to Philly on Nov.1 or any other volunteer opportunity this year please come tomorrow night, Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 at 5:30pm in the RFES Library! This is our final training session this year."
The Towson Times has a story about the new signs outside West Towson Elementary and Ridge Ruxton. I find it interesting that the school doesn't have to follow county rules in terms of what's acceptable. (I personally think the schools -- and RFES -- should have a sign, though I don't see why it should look like this. I have to agree, it detracts from the look of Charles Street.)
--------------------------------------------
Here's a post I did about this on Oct. 5:
"Ethan Allen has received five reports of incidents involving the crib's drop-side detaching, resulting in bumps and bruises to three children. One child became entrapped and two children fell out of the crib after the drop side detached, one child received a pinched hand and one child received an unspecified injury."
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11018.html
This is a cautionary tale, folks, that if you're only going to spend a measly $550 to $900 on a crib, you'd better beware.
This week's topic is "Skin and Bones: Using Science to Solve Crimes"
with Dr. Dana Kollmann, Towson University. At 10 a.m. and again at noon. Free and open to the public.
http://www.towson.edu/HackermanAcademy/Calendar_of_Events/index.asp
This is what vaccinations are for!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/10/20/california.whooping.cough/index.html?hpt=T1
Get ready for the biggest Halloween Show of the year: Rodgers Forge very own rockers, The Stents, return to Stoneleigh Lanes on Saturday, October 23rd! Costume Contest (with awesome prizes)! Horror Films all night! BYOB! All the bowling you can stand! New songs! Whether you come in costume or not (um, but wear something) it's a night NOT TO BE MISSED!
Fun starts at 10pm. $19 for unlimited bowling (shoes included) or $9 for just the band. Both prices include much partying. More at: www.thestents.com
GBMC’s Volunteer Auxiliary, 6701 N. Charles St. 21204, invites all Bargain Hunters to their Fall Nearly New Sale.
Low, Low prices!!! Huge warehouse filled with gently used Fall/Winter clothing for entire family, electronics, housewares, jewelry, linens, books, toys, unique collectibles and so much more.
Hours are Oct.23-24 : 9a.m.-5p.m.; Oct. 25, 27, 28: 4p.m.-8p.m. and Oct.30 Bargain Bag Day: 9a.m.-1p.m. Free parking. All proceeds benefit GBMC patient services.
For more information: www.gbmc.org/community/volunteers or 410-828-9467.
Tip toe around the museum in search of hidden objects, create inventive works of art and take advantage of free admission to the special exhibition Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos, and Toys in the Attic on this day only!
Be dazzled by feats of fantasy and get a chance to meet Walter Wick, author of the Can You See What I See? books and co-creator of the I SPY books. Come early to receive a special giveaway!
Performers & Special Guests
Walter Wick Special Appearance and Book Signing
The Human Jungle Gym presented by Galumpha
The Variety Show of Wonders featuring magicians, hula hoopers and jump rope antics!
Performers to include David London, Crazy Karl, Regina Armenta, and more! Stiltwalkers! Face Painting! Art Activities!
Where: The Walters Art Museum
When: Saturday, October 23, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Price: Free
1ST Annual MAZE-athon! SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH, 10 AM - 2 PM.
Fun for the whole family!! Corn Maze, Hay Rides, Farm Animal Zoo, Raffle and Boxed Lunch included. Rodgers' Farms/North Run Farm 1818 Greenspring Valley Road, Stevenson, MD 21153. Adults $15, Children 3-13, $10, Children 2 and under are free.
All proceeds benefit INNterim, which provides transitional housing and services for homeless women with children in Baltimore County. Come out for a great day with the family and feel good about supporting a wonderful cause right here in Baltimore County! Tickets must be purchased in advance at http://innterim.givezooks.
Greater Towson Committee says: Our 2010-2011 Season begins with a District 5 Baltimore County Council Candidates Forum.
Please join us to hear from Candidates Mike Ertel and David Marks.
Format: Moderated Q & A
Event
Details:
Tuesday, October 19,
6 pm
Goucher College, Merrick Lecture Hall
Free and open to the public.
Hairway to Steven, is now open at 402 York Road, between Subway and Loved One’s.
They say: What makes the shop’s opening particularly interesting is that it is in the same location as the Yorkhill Barbershop was decades ago. Twenty years ago, the Yorkhill Barbershop was the place for lawyers and judges from the Towson courthouse to go for cuts and gossip. Sadly, the long time barbers there retired and the shop has been through several incarnations since including a florist and, most recently, a clothing store.
New owner, Steve Rowell, a graduate of the Avara Academy of Hair Design and Idlewylde resident, hopes to help revitalize the area with his barbershop and recapture some of the old time community feel.
Rowell has outfitted the shop with vintage barber chairs and interesting artwork that go nicely with his adoration of classic Americana. More information can be found on the shop’s web site at www.hairwaytosteven.com.
This is an amazing speech by a Fort Worth councilman addressing the bullying and teasing that can be so bad it leads kids to suicide. I think any child that feels different, for whatever reason, should watch this. Parents should also see it -- parents of kids who might not fit the standard mold, and parents of kids who do the teasing. (Especially the parents of the kids who do the teasing.)
Towson University will host a public forum of the 2010 candidates for the Maryland House of Delegates, 42nd District, on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 7-8:30 p.m. The forum will take place in the Recital Hall of the Center for the Arts and include Democrats Lori Albin, Oz Bengur and Stephen Lafferty, and Republicans Susan Aumann, John Fiastro and William Frank.
The moderator will introduce the candidates and proceed with questions created by The Towerlight, Towson Chamber of Commerce, Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, TU faculty, students and administrators, and audience members. Each candidate will have one minute to respond, with no rebuttal time, and the opportunity for opening and closing remarks.
The forum is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by Towson University, the TU Student Government Association, Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, Towson Chamber of Commerce, The Towerlight and Towson Times.
A friend just passed this along, it was sent to her by the people who run Towson Football:
"According to our county representative, there was an incident at Meadowood Tuesday night where a man may have attempted to abduct a child near the restrooms. The individual did not touch the child but apparently said enough to make it known he wanted the child to come with him. The suspect fled when the child started yelling [yay, kid!]. The police came but a report was not filed and no one was arrested. It was labeled an "odd" incident.
Please remember to be safe at the park. If you drop your child off, please remember their safety is still YOUR responsibility. We can all do our part by reporting suspicious individuals or incidents."
---------------
My friend adds: "While I hate for people to lose the level of comfort they have, enjoying the idyllic place that is Meadowood Park, I'd hate even more for a child to be hurt because the word didn't get out. It's just maddening that there's not a place where we can let our guard down as parents...even a little!
"A voter registration application may be submitted to your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections at any time. However, an application must be postmarked by August 24, 2010, to vote in the Primary Election and October 12, 2010, to vote in the General Election."
http://www.elections.state.md.us/voter_registration/index.html#When
New York Times: ... In the case of a little girl named Caroline Port, the torment didn’t begin until first grade. Within months of starting at a private elementary school in suburban St. Louis, Caroline, now 9, was waking up with night terrors, sleepwalking and crying excessively. When her mother, Karen Port, met with Caroline’s teacher, she learned that her daughter was being ostracized. “I was very upset,” she said. “Why hadn’t anyone told me?”
Five birthday parties passed, without any invitations. No one would play with Caroline. She sat with the boys at lunchtime. “I hate myself,” she would tell her mother when she came home. She was 7 years old.
This crap is going to break my heart.
Towson University will host a public forum of the 2010 candidates for the Maryland House of Delegates, 42nd District, on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 7-8:30 p.m. The forum will take place in the Recital Hall of the Center for the Arts and include Democrats Lori Albin, Oz Bengur and Stephen Lafferty, and Republicans Susan Aumann, John Fiastro and William Frank.
The moderator will introduce the candidates and proceed with questions created by The Towerlight, Towson Chamber of Commerce, Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, TU faculty, students and administrators, and audience members. Each candidate will have one minute to respond, with no rebuttal time, and the opportunity for opening and closing remarks.
One week later, TU will also host a public debate between Democrat James Brochin and Republican Kevin Carney, the 2010 candidates for the 42nd District of the Maryland State Senate, on Wednesday, Oct. 20, from 7-8 p.m. in the Minnegan Room of Johnny Unitas Stadium.
The moderator will introduce the candidates, who will each give an opening statement. A panel comprising a TU student and one representative each for The Towerlight, the Towson Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations will ask questions of the candidates, who will each have two minutes to answer, one minute for rebuttal and time for closing remarks.
The forum and debate are both free and open to the public. The events are sponsored by Towson University, the TU Student Government Association, Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, Towson Chamber of Commerce, The Towerlight and Towson Times.
The Maryland Pumpkin Festival will be held October 16th and 17th at Summers Farm in Frederick, Maryland. This weekend will feature a host of special events and entertainment celebrating all things pumpkin! In addition to our corn maze, pumpkin patch, hay rides, jumping pillow, and homemade apple cider donuts, the Festival will also feature live music, pie eating contests, free face painting, and much more! The Maryland Pumpkin Festival is part of the annual fall harvest festival at Summers Farm located at 5614 Butterfly Lane in Frederick, MD. Visit www.MarylandPumpkinFestival.
Sad sad sad.
New York Times: “They’re 4 years old, and their parents are getting them ‘Stuart Little,’ ” said Dara La Porte, the manager of the children’s department at the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington. “I see children pick up picture books, and then the parents say, ‘You can do better than this, you can do more than this.’ It’s a terrible pressure parents are feeling — that somehow, I shouldn’t let my child have this picture book because she won’t get into Harvard.”http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/us/08picture.html?_r=1
Six bi***es sell their riches
702 West Joppa Road Towson 21204
Saturday, October 9th
8am til noon
NO early birds please...we need our beauty sleep !
Furniture, Antiques, Home Decor, Rugs, Lamps, Holiday, Clothing, Exercise, Computer Accessories....you name it, we've got it !!
No junk !!!
Everything must go !!!
and
MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE in Rodgers Forge
300 block of Dunkirk Road
Sat. Oct.9
9-12
baby items, clothes & toys – bakeware, vases, books
(Hmm, is this emblematic of the differences between these neighborhoods?)
"Idlewylde resident Kate Fleming plays acoustic guitar and sings from an eclectic set list live at Ryan's Daughter this coming Friday night, October 8th from 9:30 to close. Come out and enjoy a lovely relaxed atmosphere, great food and drink and live music, all wonderfully close to home. Find Kate on Facebook or on You Tube." (She's really good!)
This week's topic is “Radioactive Scientist: The Life and Discoveries of Madame Marie Curie”
with Susan Fowler, Actor and Professional Storyteller. At 10 a.m. and again at noon. Free and open to the public.
http://www.towson.edu/HackermanAcademy/Calendar_of_Events/index.asp
RODGERS FORGE MEN’S MASTERS FLAG FOOTBALL
It's time to hit pay dirt! Its time to get moving and stop playing armchair QB. Anyone interested in participating in Saturday/Sunday morning or afternoon pick-up games for men ages 30 and over flag-football - your time has arrived. Wanna try your hand at playing QB, WR or RB in a fun, fast paced non-contact 6V6 or 8V8 pure passing flag football game, then sign up. All you need is your best Flacco impersonation, a pair of cleats and yourself. All other equipment is included (flags, cones). Games will be 30-45 minutes, self officiated fun games of flag football. Time and location TBD based on participants' schedules.
IF INTERESTED OR HAVE QUESTIONS EMAIL JEFF NELSON
Jnelson27@comcast.net
PS: Depending on the interest, these pick-up games may be a prelude to a future exclusive 30+ Rodgers Forge resident league, where street pride will be on the line. EX : Heathfield Rd Team Versus Dunkirk Rd Team. But, for now it’s all about getting together at Dumbarton Middle School upper field.
[Is it obvious I didn't write this? I don't even know what half of it means.]
Cylburn Arboretum will be holding the 2nd annual bulb sale on October 9th from 9 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. in the Vollmer Center. Special bulb collections have been selected by Cylburn experts from Van Engelen Inc., a well known, high quality bulb grower and importer based in Connecticut. A special workshop will be held at 10 a.m. on October 9th on how to force bulbs for indoor blooms. Check out the bulb catalog and place your order by September 17th using the order form. On October 8th, a ticketed preview sale and party will honor Pauline Vollmer, benefactor of the Vollmer Center. For more information and to reserve tickets for October 8th, please call 410-367-2217.
http://www.cylburnassociation.org/
Mrs. Deise said tonight at the PTA meeting that she's bringing back the Halloween parade now that the school population is small enough to make it manageable. Parents and siblings can dress up and march in the parade, too. People will meet behind the school then go up the alley to Stevenson to Heathfield then down Dumbarton. It will be held on October 28 around 2:45. There will be info in her next newsletter. Note: Students need to dress up as a storybook character; no scary costumes.
Generations Day is Oct. 14 and the PTA needs volunteers to escort grandparents from their cars and/or around the school.
The Greenraising fundraiser didn't bring in as much money as people had hoped, but the ice cream social was a huge hit and brought in three times as much as expected. Jamie Harding, parent of a 2nd grader, organized the event, and ice cream and a freezer were donated by parent John Blake who is an Edie's Ice Cream rep. The cakewalk also brought in $500 to the PTA, thanks to the cakes donated by the teachers and staff.
There is a new 1st grade teacher who will work half time, which means the size of the reading groups in the 1st grade will decrease substantially. The homerooms will remain the same size and the math instruction won't change.
The PTA is trying to bring back after-school clubs but its budget has decreased by half after half the students went to WTES, but they still need to pay the same amount to the teachers or Rec employees who are required to supervise all clubs. Sounds like there should be some movement on that front soon. The PTA wants to know what kinds of clubs people want to see -- and to hear from parents who might want to be in charge of them. PTA contact info is here.
Between 09/23 and 10/02 there have been three reported burglaries in the Rodgers Forge community where the person responsible entered the home through an unlocked rear door. Once inside the suspect removed items from the kitchen area of the home and then fled.
There is no suspect description nor direction of travel.
Please get the word out to your fellow residents of Rodgers Forge to always properly secure their homes and valuables; all three cases were crimes of opportunity, the suspect saw items of value in plain view and made entry through an unlocked door. Properly securing ones home will eliminate this opportunity thus making the home a safer environment for all.
The residences affected were on Pinehurst, Hopkins and Murdock Rds. Pinehurst was victimized after 8am while Hopkins and Murdock were during the overnight hours of 9pm to 6am.
Have your neighbors report any suspicious persons or activity to us via the 9-1-1 system asap.
Thank you,
Sgt Fink,
PC06 Community Outreach Team
There's a Rodgers Forge PTA meeting tonight at 7:00, and a volunteer training just prior at 6:30 for any parents who haven't completed the training. All you have to do is fill out a couple of forms and watch a video. Easy peasy. If you don't do the training, you can't go on your child's field trips or help in the classroom, etc. It's worth doing.
Here's the latest, with a break in on Hopkins. It's missing one for some reason: A Rodgers Forge board member's home, on Murdock, was also burglarized through an unlocked door.
Every other Tuesday at 11 a.m., Cylburn Arboretum hosts a Nature Story Hour for preschool children and parents. The hour follows a set theme as reflected in book choices and activities. Weather permitting, an outside activity will be part of the hour. If you decide to bring along a picnic, tables are available. Discover Cylburn!
October 5, 11 a.m.
Saturday, October 2, 3-7 PM - RAIN or SHINE!
Govans Presbyterian is pleased to announce the return of Govanspalooza, a Fall music festival featuring local bands and family fun.
Kids activities:
* scarecrow making
* punk rocker makeover table
* pumpkin decorating
* bubble station
Bands:
* The Stents
* North Coast
* Thirteen Towers
* The Approximates
FREE ADMISSION and open to the community!
5828 York Road (next to the Senator Theatre). Enter parking lot via Bellona.
Joe Bartenfelder calls in to radio show and chastises Kevin Kamenetz; probably won't back him in general election. Read about it in this Sun article.
WBAL has a service where you can get text messages and/or emails when schools close early. I just signed up so I don't know how well it works yet. Anyone have experience with this or other similar services?
WBAL sign up is here: http://www.wbaltv.com/closingssignup/index.html
Choosing the institution was a little weird but if you keep scrolling down you'll see Baltimore County Schools.
Today is the last day to order from the Greenraising website and get Rodgers Forge Elementary 40% of the purchase price. Make sure you select RFES as your "affiliate" in the upper righthand corner of the page.
www.greenraising.com
