Recent Pit Bull Attack In Harford County

Just yesterday, a seemingly friendly Pit Bull who did not show any aggressive tendencies (in the opinion of a sheriff deputy) turned and bit a young boy. When the sheriff went to his car, the seemingly non-aggressive Pit Bull charged the deputy who shot and killed the animal.

I have been critical of Pit Bulls in the past and do believe that while they may not be “inherently” dangerous, that their demeanor, breeding, and care do make them more prone to attack and harm.

Personal Experience

Yesterday, I witnessed a Pit Bull puppy walking his owner. The puppy was friendly enough, but the full grown woman was having a difficult time controlling the dog due to the sheer strength of the animal. This puppy was 4 months old. What would happen when it is full grown and decided to run away from the handler?  What would happen if it decided to attack? Would this woman who cannot handle a 4-month old puppy be able to control a dog in attack mode? How big does a handler need to be to effectively control a full grown dog (Pit Bull or any breed) if something goes wrong?

I have also been approached (and threatened) by two free-running Pit Bulls. They were aggressive and began to circle me and snarl as I tried to walk my leashed dog. I picked up my dog and used my foot to fend off the Pit Bulls who eventually lost interest. They did not bite, nor did they attack, but they were intimidating.  If a man walks up to a convenience store clerk and puts a gun in his face and then walks away without stealing or causing any harm–it is an impression that will last!

Pro-Pit Bull Comments

Of course the expected response from Pit Bull owners is that it is the owner and not the breed which is causing the problem. And to a degree, I feel they are correct. Any neglected dog is going to misbehave. Any dog that is taught to be aggressive (or not taught to be passive) will be aggressive. But pound for pound, Pit Bulls have the advantage over Chihuahuas. A grown woman can pull back a herd of yapping chihuahuas, but as I witnessed yesterday, will have difficulty controlling a single Pit Bull puppy.

Pit Bulls are bred into blood sport. Chihuahuas are not. From a pro-Pit Bull website, Pit Bulls On The Web:

THE GOLDEN RULE OF PIT BULL OWNERSHIP- NEVER TRUST YOUR PIT BULL NOT TO FIGHT!!!!! This breed is descended from pit dogs one way or another, and, given the right circumstances, most Pit Bulls will fight and against any other breed, they will win (you really don’t want to see that!). Scared yet? You should be.

The site continues to explain some history of the breed:

It is common knowledge however, that the Pit Bull breed was developed for blood sports: Bull baiting, bear baiting, and later, dogfighting.

Yes, it also says that in times gone by, the owners were there with some sort of control being exerted over the dog, but in modern times it appears that many owners are not controlling their dogs.   How else can you explain it?

Another argument that Pit Bull owners make is that there are many related breeds that are giving Pit Bulls a bad name. Yes there are several related breeds, but they all have the same roots. If Ted Bundy and Aileen Wuornos were to marry and had a son–would you be concerned before letting your daughter head out on a date? The point is that you cannot discount your relatives and your breeding.

Anne Arundel County Recent History

How many pit bull “events” have been here right in Anne Arundel County? Several attacked and killed livestock on the Broadneck peninsula. In Gambrills a group of them attacked their owner’s grandmother. One attacked a Severna Park pee-wee lacrosse player in Shady Side. Another attacked a child in Pasadena. A dog baiting case of a pit bull.    Pit Bulls attack a jogger in Davidsonville.   A Severna Park man shoots an aggressive Pit Bull. A police officer trying to control a fight was forced to shoot an attacking Pit Bull.  There are more, just here in our little section of the world—just do a search on Eye On Annapolis.

While there are plenty of other dog bites happening in the area, few are as severe as a Pit Bull. Just look at the statistics provided by the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Pit Bulls are responsible for nearly twice the amount of deaths than any other breed.

A Shelter Issue

Since the legislature failed to act, a State Court of Appeals will listen to arguments from the pro-Pit Bull lobby next Thursday to see if the law can be overturned. However, if not, animal shelters across Maryland are expecting an influx of Pit Bulls from people unable to keep them. Since the controversial ruling extends liability to the owner’s landlord, advocates estimate that there could be hundreds of thousands of Pit Bulls turned into already overcrowded shelters.

A Possible Solution At Hand

With the evidence and hard facts, it does demonstrate that Pit Bulls and “like” breeds  are inherently more aggressive and more prone to attack. When a pro-Pit Bull site comes out with a “Golden Rule” that says “never trust your dog to not fight,” that speaks volumes.  I believe that the recent court ruling is a reasonable one. I also believe that poor owners have been a part of the problem. While there are no census figures to support breed ownership, with advocates claiming that “hundreds of thousands” of Pit Bulls will be turned in (presumably from renters since the breed is not to blame) and a population of 5.8 million, Maryland looks to have about one Pit Bull for every 29 residents.

I do not want to discount the views and opinions of responsible owners. I believe we all have the right to own pets. Perhaps the solution is to allow the law to stand and take a look at it in a few years. Let the current Pit Bull population shrink and allow the responsible owners population to grow. Maybe by that that time, we will have less Pit Bulls running loose, attacking children, charging police officers, and involved in dog fighting.

What are your thoughts? Are you pro-Pit Bull? Are you anti-Pit Bull? Please leave a comment–you can remain anonymous so please feel to speak your mind. All comments will be published, but please no attacks on people and keep the language clean!

Related articles

• Pit bulls remain illegal in Miami-Dade
• Shelters expect pit bull influx if law stands
• Md. lawmakers urged to reconsider pit bull ruling

There, I said it. I support Chick-fil-A! But not for their anti-gay stance, but for their right to take that stance!

While I am a huge supporter of gay marriage and the lifestyle, etc. I am also a huge supporter of businesses being able to determine their own guiding principles. This is one of the tenets our country was founded upon.

Right or wrong, Chick-fil-A has decided to “come out of the closet” and admit that they are opposed to the lifestyle. I say bravo to them. Not for their position, but for having the balls to come out and stand by their position knowing full well that it will have an impact on their business.

People are up in arms! I have heard talk of boycotting (which is a great idea) and worse. I have heard calls to burn some of their stores down and to vandalize their property. Is this anywhere close to the answer? Haven’t we progressed as a people, as a nation much further than that? Has it come to the point where disagreements in principle are settled by destroying your opponent’s property?

Boycott them all you want. That is your right; just as it is their right to take the stance they have. But, if you do, don’t do it half assed. Why stop at Chick-fil-A? Take a walk down your Main Street and find out the “gay” position of all of the businesses you frequent. My guess is that there are many who are opposed to the lifestyle–make sure you boycott them as well.

This November, we have a referendum on the ballot  about the whole gay marriage thing. The polls are indicating it is close to a 50-50 split. So I have to conclude that close to half of the businesses with whom you do business are indeed “anti-gay.” The only difference is that their books are not open for inspection and their COO is not as forthcoming (some may say foolish).

As for me and Chick-fil-A, I disagree 100% with their position regarding gays. I disagree with their Sunday policy (I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to buy a sandwich on a Sunday), but I do like their product and the employees who serve it are some of the most polite and professional fast food employees anywhere. When I go into a Chick-fil-A, I am not treated to a “God Hates Fags” tray liner. The employees are not preaching the position to me.  They are not pushing their corporate agenda, but they are pushing something to me over the counter– one damn fine chicken sandwich!

Related articles

• Chick-fil-A exec takes stance against same-sex marriage – USA TODAY(usatoday.com)

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• Ed Helms to Boycott Chick-fil-A Over Company’s Anti-Gay Marriage Stance(thehollywoodgossip.com)

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• Chick-fil-A Responds to Ed Helms Tweet, Gay Marriage Controversy(thehollywoodgossip.com)

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You no longer have to go to the seedy parts of Washington or Baltimore to find the violent crime. It seems that it is taking an inordinate hold on a sleepy little town called Crofton, Maryland.

Crofton: A Bit Of Americana

Crofton, Maryland has been lauded as “the” community to live in in Anne Arundel County.  Crofton is in a special taxing district and employs their own police force.  It was started as a gated community, but has expanded over the years. In 2007, Money Magazine ranked Crofton as a “best place to live”–as a matter of fact, it was ranked #72.  By 2011, it had dropped to #82.  One of the commenters on the article said:

Close to perfect! My husband and I have lived here for 40 years. Great schools, wonderful activities for children and families.

Money Magazine had this to say about Crofton:

Originally a gated community, Crofton is planned around a scenic 3.5-mile loop that includes two elementary schools, the town hall, and a country club. The loop is a popular route for walkers, joggers, and cyclists. Baltimore is a 30-minute drive away, and both Annapolis and Washington, D.C. aren’t much further. Crime is very low here, but the safe streets come at a price: homes are significantly higher than the state average.

I am not sure if the reviewer for Money Magazine did any research. Crofton is quite a bit closer to Annapolis than it is to Baltimore, and I am not sure anyone can say that crime is still “very low” in Crofton.

What the heck happened?

The Crime Wave Hits Crofton

Eye On Annapolis has only been publishing a little over two years. We cover all of Anne Arundel County and for being such a small, idyllic community, Crofton keeps popping up in our stories for all the wrong reasons.

• In March 2009, David Raszewski raped a 7 year old girl after luring her from a playground.
• Also in March 2009, police arrested a man wanted for an attempted murder in Crofton.
• In April 2009, a Crofton woman was stabbed in her sleep. The incident turned into a double stabbing.
• Another sexual assault in April 2009 when a magazine salesman forced his way into a home.
• The community is still reeling from the fatal beating of Christopher Jones as he rode his bicycle home in May 2009.
• In June 2010, a classroom aide at Crofton Meadows Elementary School was charged with sexually abusing two girls, 7 and 8 years old.
• In January 2011, a peeping tom was arrested for secretly video taping Crofton neighbors and stealing their underwear.
• February 2011, a Crofton title company was suspended and the principles accused of misappropriating over $1 million of settlement funds.
• March 17 2011 saw a home invasion where an armed suspect broke in and robbed a sleeping woman.
• In June of 2011, a triple stabbing awakened a quiet cul-de-sac when a man stabbed his wife and two daughters.
• June 2011 also saw the attempted abduction and sexual assault of a woman jogging in the early evening hours.
• A party got out of hand in June 2011 and ended up with a shooting and one man in critical condition in shock-trauma.
• A 14-year old girl was sexually assaulted by two men as she walked her dog in her Crofton neighborhood after school.

For a community of 27,348 (US 2010 Census) the amount of serious crime seems out of proportion. Eye On Annapolis is not a hyper local site like the Crofton Patch so we likely missed (or chose not to publish) some stories about Crofton crime.

Just a quick look at the search results on the Crofton Patch seem to indicate that in addition to the violent crime, there is a problem with burglaries. Most recently there were 4 broad daylight burglaries of Crofton homes. In addition, Patch is reporting that a woman was robbed at gunpoint on October 11th as she got out of her car.

We have said it before; Crofton is no longer the sleepy little burb that it once was. In the aftermath of the Christopher Jones beating, officials seemed to be oblivious to the creeping crime spree.

What’s The Answer?

What is the answer? Annapolis has a population twice the size of Crofton, yet the incidence of violent crime is not nearly as high. Is it the convenience of Routes 50 and 3 for “getaways”? Is it the allure of a bedroom community?

One part of the solution is to become involved. Report suspicious people and behaviors. Take an interest in your community. The Crofton Patch is a great resource for the hyper local news that is not picked up by us, The Baltimore Sun or the Washington Post.

Have you also noticed an increase in violent crime in Crofton? What ideas do you have to mitigate it? Do you think Crofton will make the Money Magazine list again next year? Does it deserve to be listed…or has Crofton been forever changed?

We were surprised to see that she is forming a “task force” to study the response times of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department’s response time for its ambulances. Even more curious, she has the Annapolis Fire Department acting in an advisory role, yet no input (to date) from Anne Arundel County. The news release (with a good headline) appears to be a campaign piece as it is “By Authority of Conti for Our County, Charlene B. Weston, Treasurer.”

Has the 2014 election season started this early?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 17, 2011

For more information, contact:

Rhonda Ellis, Media Representative

(410) 280-1932; rhondaellis1@aol.com

County Ambulance Response Times
Far Exceed National Standards
Task Force Being Formed

A recent analysis by Joanna Conti, the 2010 Anne Arundel County Executive Democratic Nominee, shows that ambulances in Anne Arundel County are taking far longer to arrive than national standards require.

“For the majority of calls, this slow response is probably not critical,” says Conti.  “However, if your child is choking or your spouse is having a heart attack, these delays could make the difference between life and death.”

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sets a series of standards regarding dispatch and ambulance arrival times, none of which are being met in Anne Arundel County.  For example, the NFPA requires that an ambulance dispatch order be sent within 60 seconds of receipt of a 911 call 90% of the time.  Anne Arundel County is dispatching within 60 seconds only 3.3% of the time.  Separately, AAC has first responder medical personnel on scene with an automatic external defibrillator within 5 minutes of dispatch 42% of the time, well below the 90% standard set by the NFPA.

Combining standards, the NFPA requires that first responders arrive on scene within 6 minutes of a 911 call 90% of the time.  In the fourth quarter of 2010, AAC first responders arrived on scene within 6 minutes only 20.7% of the time.  First responders were on scene 90% of the time within 12.5 minutes, an interval more than twice the standard.

Conti is in the process of forming a task force of key stakeholders.

“Our hard-working emergency medical personnel are responding to the best of their abilities to 157 calls per day for medical assistance.  My belief is that the task force will be able to identify inexpensive, systemic solutions which fairly dramatically speed up ambulance response times,” says Conti.  “Top emergency room physicians and nurses from the two major Anne Arundel County hospitals have agreed to be involved in the task force, the Annapolis Fire Department has agreed to meet with the task force in an advisory role, and we have requested the participation of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department.”

More than 14,000 ambulance calls during the fourth quarter of 2010 were analyzed using data provided by the Anne Arundel County Fire Department under a Public Information Act request.  The analysis is available at www.AACAmbulanceResponse.com.

By Authority of Conti for Our County, Charlene B. Weston, Treasurer

###

Disclosure: Conti advertised with Eye On Annapolis during the 2010 election cycle

In less time than it takes to say “Holy overdrawn bank account Batman,” Annapolis City has once again increased their proposed budget.

At the State of the City Address, Mayor Cohen announced a 7.6% increase over last year’s budget. For those who are able to do the math, that increased a $75.2 million budget to $80.9 million.

So far, so good. But then, the Mayor explained that the new Finance Director, Bruce Miller,  wanted to do things differently this year with a “new accounting method” and that really $80.9 million was $86.2 million.  And for the most part, people accepted that.

But in today’s Capital, Rhonda Wardlaw, the City’s digital media and marketing coordinator announced that $86.2 million is now really $92.6 million.  Is anyone following this?

$92.6 million is a 23.14% increase!

OK, they claim the recession is over and the economy is on the mend. But certainly not to the tune of 23%. What does the City of Annapolis plan to do with an additional $17.4 million? And more importantly, where are they going to get it?

This morning, RadarOnline provided some more information on his would-be mistress. Her name is Yesha Callahan, is a resident of Columbia, Maryland, works for the University of Maryland and has a connection to Anne Arundel County.

Thanks to an alert reader, it seems that Callahan spent a few weeks in an Anne Arundel County Detention Center in late 2006 for identity theft. According to court records, she was sentenced in District Court to 18 months in jail. However, the judge suspended all but 12 days.  She also served a similar sentence for identity theft in Price George’s County in 2005.

When you see politicians get into these messes, you jut have to shake your head and ask, “what the hell are they thinking?”

Well, it seems that the fish may have arrived a bit early.

Late last week, we heard that the administration was planning on revealing the details of the new Market House at Monday’s City Council meeting. At that time, we did not realize that the City Council had not been advised by the Mayor who has held all details relating to the Market House close to his vest. We became slightly suspicious when an email was sent advising that the Mayor and all City Directors would not be available on Friday.

And today, The Capital reveals exactly how deep in the shadows our elected City Council has been kept as the Mayor seemingly cuts his own deal with Lehr Jackson. For instance:

1. The lease has apparently been prepared and is ready for the Council to approve it sight unseen.
2. The City Council is expected to approve zoning changes to appease Lehr Jackson without knowing exactly what they are.
3. Ward 6 Alderman Kenny Kirby seems to be in the know. Could this be related to the recent approval of a 2am liquor license for Castlebay? Has Cohen struck another deal with an Alderman to assure passage of a bill? Remember, the repeal of the 2am license resolution was supposed to be “the first thing” Josh Cohen was to do as Mayor–or so he campaigned.
4. Jackson is apparently not returning phone calls.
5. City Hall has so far refused to provide documents requested by The Capital in defiance of State law.
6. The Chairman of the Economics Committee, Fred Paone (R-Ward 2) has purposely been kept in the dark.
7. The City has hired a $500/hour law firm who has yet to advise the City Council of their recommendations. Perhaps they have advised the Mayor.
8. Many on the Council were unaware of the $1,000 per month that the City is paying Lehr Jackson as a “fee” to come up with the details of this project. Mind you, that Lehr Jackson can walk away from this at any given point. The City is also an anomaly–how many businesses start up by asking their prospective landlord for money to develop their business plan? And get it? One might think that the expertise of Karen Hardwick, City Attorney, might have been tapped here. But then again, her experience, according to her resume, tends to be mostly on the developer side of things.
9. The Mayor has admitted that the market House will operate at a loss. No figure was tagged to that loss.

The last administration seemed to go down this same path and we all know how that turned out. This whole deal is beginning to really smell.

The Mayor campaigned on an open and transparent administration but has provided the exact opposite in his first year in office. There have been more closed meetings than any other administration. There have been reports about impromptu council meetings taking place in (conveniently enough) Castlebay. When the mayor was trying to get his budget passed, a deal was struck with Alderman Silverman to assure his vote–the Alderman would get the support of the Mayor to abandon his constituents for 5 months if he voted for the Mayor’s budget.

Even Alderman Kirby was working behind the scenes as was evidenced by some recent public postings on his Facebook page:

All of this does not speak well for the transparency this Administration promised. The Citizens of Annapolis elected their representatives to represent them–not the special interests of developers and donors. But then again, maybe the citizens should have been a little more cautious at the polls. After all this is the way it has always been done. The Council and administration have been playing this game for a long time (Cohen, Israel, Paone, Arnett, Hoyle, Finlayson) and it certainly did not take Kirby and Silverman long to learn the game. The jury is still out on Pfeiffer.

What are your thoughts? Please take the poll and leave a comment below.

Over the past year, bullying has been in the news. We have had teens kill themselves over senseless taunts. We have seen a local child beaten to death as he rode his bicycle. Recently, we have seen two assault cases in our high and middle schools as well as a sexual assault.  Call them what you will–gangs, bullies, fights, altercations. The fact remains that it is out of control.

Just yesterday, the Department of Education sent a letter to schools and colleges telling them that they had to do better. Countless celebrities, including our President, have created videos to bring attention to this plague.

While addressing the bullies and the victims certainly makes an impact, many people are missing the largest group of people who need to hear the message–the people who sit back and let it happen. In schools, some kids witness and keep silent. Others cheer on the bully. On his blog, comedian and actor, Patton Oswalt addresses just these people in frank and straight forward language. [Editor's note: the language may be considered vulgar by some.]

Dear Guy Who Hangs Out With the Bully and Eggs Him On –

Good move. Really. I know what you’re doing, and I know how it seems like the smart move for you. ‘Cause I did it, too.

When I was in the fifth grade, I started gaining weight, and by the end of that school year, I was a fat kid.   I’d been skinny and oblivious up until then – free time meant running around outside, playing soccer, climbing trees.   Summer meant swimming.

But then I got swept up in reading, and movies, and music and other sedentary activities. My mind felt like a blazing stock car engine most days, and I didn’t miss the running around so much.   If I could curl up with a good book, or a drawing pad, or an old monster movie on TV, all the better.   Pretzels and chips and Cokes had the carbs and sugar to feed my swelling, itching brain – especially when I was re-listening to Devo songs.

By the time middle school started, I had the Victim Kit firmly sewed on.   Cystic acne, headgear and braces, man-tits and a stupid haircut. Sixth and seventh grade were no fucking fun for me. Summer camp was torture, swimming pools were humiliation ponds, sports were a whirling wall of razors I didn’t dare approach.

By the time eighth grade rolled around, I’d adjusted my strategy.   Figure out who the biggest bullies and abusers were, use my nascent comedy skills to make ‘em laugh and hone their taunts, and become part of the asshole entourage.

It was a survival strategy. I had a hand in tormenting an awkward girl named Robin in my eighth grade personal hygiene class.   Also a fat(ter), asthmatic kid with a stutter at YMCA camp whose name I can’t remember and countless, faceless others as I glided painlessly in the wake of a trio of bullies whose names I also can’t remember.   I only knew they weren’t bullying me, and were actually glad to see me in the morning, ‘cause here comes a guy who knows seven crueler ways to call someone an asshole or shithead (beyond just “asshole” and “shithead”).

By junior year of high school the braces and headgear came off, I lost weight and my skin miraculously cleared up.   I got a girlfriend who taught me how to cut my hair. And I carried around (and still carry) a poison vein of self-loathing.

In someone’s memory – in many people’s memories – I’m a snickering, sneering asswipe who hurt and insulted them while peering out from behind the muscular lats of a bigger, more frightening asswipe. There are times when I firmly believe I should have also ended up like a lot of the bullies – stupid, directionless, job-bound and destined for obscurity, anger and oblivion.

It doesn’t fix a fucking thing, for me, to try my best to take the underdog’s side now. Or to embrace the awkward and outcast.   That dark slice of regret and disgust with a younger self will never be erased.

So I’m talking to a younger self here – the young Bully’s Little Buddy.   I’m trying to tell you that yes, I know how scary middle school and high school and the world must seem, with this clear demarcation (and it seems to get bolder and uglier every day) between abused and abuser. And I understand exactly why you’d want to be on the side of the powerful, cruel and, by default, secure.   It’s the reason why some poor people get angry about rich people having to pay more taxes. It’s why people join celebrities’ entourages.   It’s why two oppressed, disenfranchised groups fight with each other, instead of the powerful entity that’s oppressing and disenfranchising them.

All of that is true.   But it doesn’t change the fact that you have power if you choose to take it.   You have power to go stand on the side of the bullied, to stand up to the bullies, to set an example.   You can take a deep breath and look at the popular crowd – are they popular because they’re good, smart people?   Or are they popular because people are afraid of being their targets?   If the second example is the truth, then you can reject them.   You can form your own circle, be your own person, and start thinking for yourself early.

I didn’t. And I won’t blame you if you don’t either.   It’s so fucking hard.   It does get better for the outcast and the bullied.   But you, in the bully’s entourage, can help make it better by taking away part of the bully’s power.

You can take away you.   And if you take the dare, and do it, you’ll be shocked to see how deep it diminishes the weight and scope and space a bully takes up in the world. And when you see that, and experience it, it’ll be your first – and unarguable – taste of how much weight and scope and space you have.

I’ll never know.   I never did it.

Will you?

Sincerely,

Patton Oswalt

Well said Mr. Oswalt!

Violence in schools is a problem and something needs to be done. Parents need to be involved in their childrens’ lives and not assume that someone else will be responsible for raising them. The attack yesterday, was completely preventable.  And yes, it was an attack.

The school has downplayed this incident significantly by using terms like”incident,” “altercation,” and “required medical assistance”. Maybe if the schools took a less politically correct approach, it might get the attention of some parents. Honestly, if you read a note about an “altercation” at school, as a parent do you pay much attention? How about one that said “two students were arrested for beating another student in the school to the point where his injuries were so sever that he was flown from the school to a specialized shock-trauma center which was equipped to treat the severity of his injuries.”  Do I have your attention now?

Here is the letter from the school’s principal:

October 6, 2010

Dear Parents and Guardians:

I am writing to let you know about an incident that happened today at our school. While I regret that the timing of this incident allowed this letter to only be posted online and not to be distributed to students, I wanted to convey the information to you as quickly as possible.

At about 12:40 p.m., three students became involved in a physical altercation in the mathematics hallway during change of classes prior to fourth period. Because this occurred during a class change, a large number of students witnessed the incident. One of the involved students required medical assistance and was transported to the hospital.

Teachers near the scene of the fight immediately attempted to break it up, and our School Resource Officer also responded. The altercation was broken up fairly quickly, and to my knowledge at this point, no other students were involved. An additional officer was called to our school to assist in the investigation.

Two students have been charged by police, and our investigation is continuing. Appropriate actions will be taken with regard to those involved after the conclusion of the investigation.
I want to commend the other students in the hallway for cooperating with school staff as they worked to quell the situation. I encourage you to talk with your students about this incident, and about the steps they should follow in such circumstances.

The safety and security of our students and staff is of the utmost importance to all of us at South River High School. Thank you for everything you do for your children and for our school. If you have questions or concerns, please call the school at 410-956-5600.

Sincerely,
William T. Myers
Principal

WTM/msm

People have altercations every day without the need of a trip to the hospital for critical injuries.

This is an altercation:

This is an assault:

See the difference?

Parents and school administrators need to work together to solve this problem. There are violent fights almost every day in our county school and no one wants to address the issue head on. Apparently the “No Bullying” signs are not working.

Parents, wake up and make sure you are involved with your kids and know what they are up to. Be a parent! Let them know the consequences and enforce them!  Parents, are you concerned about this trend? Voice them! There is a number in the letter–call and let your voice be known.  Attend a School Board meeting and let the Board know your feelings. Take a stand!

Administrators, it is time to stop pussyfooting around this issue. It started with the elimination of the letter “F” in the grading system and “failure” is no longer an option. All of a sudden assaults, muggings, and beatings have been politically changed to “altercations”?  Call a spade a spade and be honest with the parents and guardians of the students under your charge.

This image is the cover. It certainly seems that the UPS-esque deliveryman is pushing his slot machine into the mall. The assumption that most people will make from this photo is that while the kids are pumping quarters into the gumball machines, mom and dad will be pumping them in the slot machines! Is this true? Not at all!  The slots parlor is in a separate building on a separate parcel of land and is detached from the mall. Do the No Slots At The Mall people believe that the Sheraton in Annapolis is “in” the Annapolis Mall? Do they think that there is a full blown campus of Anne Arundel County Community College “in” the mall?  An informed voter will see this ad for what it is. But it appears that No Slots At The Mall may be targeting the uninformed.

Let’s take a look at the interior.

Well, they got one out of three correct. Yes, on November 2nd, we will vote on Question A.   But it is not “simply” a vote to stop the slots at Arundel Mills. It is a vote to overturn zoning for slots ANYWHERE in Anne Arundel County. The law that was passed was for slots to be located in specific zoning designations. The two designations are Laurel Park and near Arundel Mills Mall.  So stopping slots near the mall will effectively stop slots in the county.

But they don’t let you know that. On this page, they declare that “we can find” and “we’ll find” a more appropriate place for slots. Perhaps if anyone from the No Slots At The Mall camp is reading this (Brion Umidi, Treasurer, perhaps?), they can leave a comment and let us know where all of these other locations might be.

Remember, back in 2008, the voters of Maryland, Anne Arundel County, and the district surrounding Arundel Mills all voted overwhelmingly in favor of having slots in the areas designated by the change in the State’s Constitution.  Slots were allowed (subject to local zoning approvals) in Anne Arundel County within 2 miles of MD 295.

So, as we wait to receive the pro-slots mailer, we offer these contradictions to ponder. Maybe someone will be able to clarify them.