Biz Weekly 11/5/2013
Anne Arundel County Celebrating Business Appreciation Week
Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman has proclaimed the week of Nov. 4 Anne Arundel Business Appreciation Week. The week will consist of visits to more than 90 businesses, large and small, around the county. The visits will provide an opportunity for ambassador groups made up of representatives from various county agencies and other professionals from the public and private sector to listen to concerns and suggestions from the business community.
The week will end with an appreciation luncheon on Friday, Nov. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. which will be an opportunity to share feedback with Neuman and staff members from the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp.
New Interchange Opens on Route 32 in Rural Howard County
Gov. Martin O’Malley and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman have announced that the new interchange along Route 32 at Linden Church Road, near Dayton, will open to traffic by Friday, Nov. 8 (weather permitting).
The $16.5 million interchange, funded by Howard County and built by the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), will improve safety and reduce congestion by eliminating two traffic signals on MD 32 at east and west Linden Church roads, and replacing them with an interchange and two-lane bridge carrying Linden Church Road over Route 32. Work began on the project in summer 2012.
Currently, 27,000 vehicles travel this stretch of Route 32 each day, with traffic projected to increase to 36,000 vehicles per day by 2025. The old, signalized intersections of Route 32 with West Linden Church Road and East Linden Church Road were extremely congested and unable to efficiently handle traffic volumes during peak morning and evening rush hours.
The new bridge and Route 32 on-ramps opened Oct. 16; crews are now working to complete the off-ramps. Until the off-ramps open, detours are in place for access to Linden Church Road.
Howard County Breaks Ground on Green $8.1M Wastewater Treatment Plant
Howard County has broken ground on a unique, $8.1 million electrical protection system that will safeguard against overflows at the county’s wastewater treatment plant. The system includes a 15,000-square-foot solar array to make sustainable energy part of the solution.
The Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant will become the only large facility of its kind in Maryland to have a 100% power backup system on-site, as well as the only one with a photo-voltaic system contributing to its energy, according to state officials. The groundbreaking took place on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy.
“This is the future of our public infrastructure in Maryland,” County Executive Ken Ulman said. “Sandy was a wake-up call, and in Howard County we have answered the bell. We are taking concrete steps to prepare for emergencies and to protect the environment.”
MPT Series Features Fulton Farm
Maple Lawn Farms in the Fulton section of Howard County will be featured on the new Maryland Public Television (MPT) series, “Maryland Farm & Harvest,” in its premiere episode. It will air on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m.
Featured in the series’s “Local Buy” segment, the owners of Maple Lawn Farms will talk about the thousands of turkeys they raise each year at the farm, which was founded in 1839. The series airs on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and is rebroadcast on Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. and Sundays at 6 a.m. Each show also will re-air on the secondary channel MPT2 on Fridays at 6 p.m.
Historic Savage Mill, In the Spirit
The Becker Group, of Baltimore, has contracted with Historic Savage Mill, the 175,000- square-foot National Historic Landmark in Howard County, to design, create and install holiday decorations for the retail destination. Highlighting the transformation is the lighting of the Bollman Bridge, an antique iron truss bridge that is a National Historic landmark, with 12,500 energy-efficient LED lights.
The Becker Group also will create a “Miracle on Foundry Street”-like experience for mill visitors by enhancing its restored buildings with gigantic wreaths, Santa and elf sculptures, specially designed trees including one 20 feet high that will be topped with a LED “fireworks” starburst, yards of garlands and lights and dozens of ornaments.
The holiday décor project, the most ambitious in Historic Savage Mill’s history, will be completed in November for the start of the property’s holiday and retail events.
BGE Natural Gas Customers: Expect Bills Similar to Last Year’s
As the winter months approach for central Maryland customers, Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) has provided its forecast for natural gas customers, while also encouraging all customers to visit bge.com/WinterReady to get tips and information on preparing their homes for the winter heating season.
Assuming normal winter weather temperatures and projected stability in natural gas commodity prices, BGE residential natural gas customers can expect their total gas bills to remain similar to those of last winter, with a projected increase of less than 1%. BGE estimates that its natural gas commodity price will be approximately 57 cents per therm this winter heating season, compared to 56 cents per therm last year.
The typical total winter gas bill for residential customers who purchase their natural gas commodity from BGE is expected to be about $2 more over the five-month winter heating season (Nov. 1, 2013-March 31, 2014), compared with the same period last winter. Amounts will vary, dependent upon actual use, furnace condition and weather conditions. During the winter months, heating systems typically account for more than 40% of customers’ energy bills.
“Overall, we continue to see natural gas commodity prices that are more than 40% lower than they were five years ago,” said Mark Case, vice president of strategy and regulatory affairs for BGE.
“In addition, BGE purchases and stores approximately 44% of our natural gas supply in the summer and purchases another 9% at fixed prices. While we cannot control market conditions affecting the price of natural gas supply, our acquisition strategy helps limit the impact of any rising prices, which may occur during the colder months when demand is increasing.”
Bassett Furniture to Join Annapolis Towne Centre
Greenberg Gibbons announced that Bassett Furniture will open a new 5,017-square-foot showroom at Annapolis Towne Centre this fall. Bassett, one of the oldest furniture manufacturers in the mid-Atlantic, will offer high-quality home furnishings and accessories, including upholstery, beds, dining tables and chairs, home storage and home entertainment pieces.
The new showroom will be located next to Ethan Allan on Towne Centre Boulevard. The store joins Arhaus, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ethan Allen, Great Gatherings, Restoration Hardware and Sur La Table in the home furnishing mix. In addition, Pier 1 Imports is set to open in the center in fall 2014.
StrategicHealthSolutions Unit Appraised at CMMI Level 3
StrategicHealthSolutions, an Omaha, Neb.-based firm that operates an office in Columbia, has been successfully rated at Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for Services, Maturity Level 3 (ML3). The scope of the appraisal included Strategic’s Quality Management System and four Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) projects, which were specifically selected to represent the core capabilities of the organization.
An appraisal at ML3 indicates the organization is performing at a “defined” level. At this level, processes are well characterized and understood, and are described in standards, procedures, tools and methods. The organization’s set of standard processes, which is the basis for ML3, is established and improved over time.
TriColumbia Opens Registration for Two Events
TriColumbia has opened registration for the third annual Iron Girl Columbia Half Marathon and Family Fun 5K to be held Sunday, April 27, 2014, in Columbia. This all-women’s half marathon (13.1 miles) and Family Fun 5K (3.1 miles) will benefit those living and coping with cancer at the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center (CMCRC) at Howard County General Hospital (HCGH).
In its third year, the 2014 Iron Girl Columbia Half Marathon aims to celebrate the power of women, while giving back to the local community. The CMCRC at HCGH, the event’s beneficiary for the third year, offers hope and support to cancer patients, families and caregivers in the central Maryland region. Since the inaugural Iron Girl Columbia Half Marathon in 2012, TriColumbia has raised more than $50,000 for CMCRC through direct donations and CMCRC’s fundraising team, Team CONQUER Cancer.
Registration fees for the Iron Girl Columbia Half Marathon and Family Fun 5K are $90 and $35, respectively. For more information and to register, visit www.TriColumbia.org. In addition, registration for the Frederick Half Marathon, Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon and Iron Girl Rocky Gap Triathlon will open soon.
Anne Arundel Cares Offering Assistance to Nonprofits
Anne Arundel Cares is offering a free brown-bag roundtable lunch, titled “You Can’t Do It All – Prioritizing Your Fundraising Efforts,” for local nonprofit leaders on Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Held in conjunction with Maryland Nonprofits, this event will take place at the Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Conference/Training Center, located at 90 Ritchie Highway in Pasadena.
“Nonprofit leaders tend to feel a little overwhelmed at this time of year by all that needs to be done on the fundraising front,” said Joanna Conti, chair of Anne Arundel Cares. “We’ve invited Allison Porter, president of Avalon Consulting, to discuss the latest trends in nonprofit fundraising and then lead a group discussion on how to most effectively prioritize year-end fundraising efforts.”
This event is free and open to all nonprofit leaders, who should reserve their spot by e-mailing info@aacares.org. Attendees should bring their lunch. Dessert will be offered courtesy of Wegmans.
Loyola’s Sellinger School Holds Thought Leadership Breakfast Nov. 6
Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business and Management will hold its first Thought Leadership Breakfast on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 a.m. at its Columbia Graduate Center at 8890 McGaw Road in Columbia. This free program addressing change management is open to the community and will set the stage for a community dialog about leadership topics with Howard County leaders.
This year’s panelists, all alumni of Loyola University, are Mary Ann Scully, president of Howard Bank; Larry Twele, director of the Howard County Economic Development Authority; and Jim Young, chief financial officer of Howard County General Hospital. The panel will be moderated by Sellinger School faculty member Gerard Athaide, professor and department chair of marketing.
The public is invited to attend the program. Registration is required; go to www.loyola.edu/thought-leadership. For more information, contact Jan O’Brien at jobrien3@loyola.edu.
BWCC’s GovCon Council to Hold Contracting Seminar on Nov. 6
The Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber (BWCC) GovCon Council will offer guidance on conducting a successful first meeting with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Small Business Liaison Officers and other entities in business-to-government contracting from Mark Amtower, author, consultant and radio host on Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 7:45-10 a.m. at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Columbia, located at 8320 Benson Drive, Columbia.
The prepaid price for BWCC members is $35; the price for non-members/at the door is $55. There also will be a $20 discount for the Nov. 20 Procurement Fair for members who register for the fair at this session. For more information, call 301-725-4000.
Greenfield Awardee to Meet Greenfield – Again
Columbia Builders President Jim Greenfield, and Bob Brockway, president and COO of Canada Dry Potomac Corp. and the honoree of the 2013 Jim Greenfield Compassionate Leadership Award from The Arc of Howard County, got acquainted recently during lunch at Kings Contrivance restaurant in Columbia.
Greenfield and Brockway will meet again when the award is presented at The Arc’s annual event, which will be held Nov. 13, from 6 to 9 p.m., at The Mezze in Wegmans Columbia. For information, call 410-730-0638.
HHF’s Mayer Center: 15 Years and Counting
Howard Hospital Foundation (HHF) will hold its annual signature fundraiser, Beating the Odds: Autumn Extravaganza, celebrating the 15-year anniversary of the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center (CMCRC) at Howard County General Hospital, on Friday, Nov. 8, from 6-9 p.m. at the Fretz Corp. Kitchen Showroom, located at 9204 Berger Road, Suite H, Columbia.
The event will feature food by Carrabba’s Italian Grill, wine selections by Gus Kalaris of Constantine Wines, a 50/50 raffle, silent and lives auctions, casino-like games and entertainment by DJ Doug. Tina Broccolino, Paulina Nemec, Carla Northrop and Mary Jane Register are chairing the event, which is the largest annual fundraiser of the year benefiting the CMCRC. The event costs $75 per person to attend. For more information, visit www.hcgh.org/Fretz or call 410-740-7570.
DHMH, DDA to Address Disability Issues at Keeton Center
The Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition will hold a Town Hall Meeting featuring Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) Secretary Joshua Sharfstein and Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) Acting Director Patrick Dooley on Nov. 13, from 6-8 p.m. at The Bain Center, located at 5470 Ruth Keeton Way in Columbia. No R.S.V.P. is needed.
Sharfstein and Dooley will discuss current priorities and plans, major activities and key issues. The Town Hall is an opportunity to gain information first-hand and express opinions on important issues. The event is sponsored by the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition.
Take a Seat (and a Knee) at Charm City Run Seminar
Reduce your risk of knee injury and find out what to do if it already hurts. The free seminar will be presented by Leigh Roberts, physical therapist, and Christy Edwards, ACE Personal Trainer at Aurora Fitness, on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
The event will be held at Charm City Run, 12186 Clarksville Pike, #17, Clarksville. R.S.V.P. to Christy at 410-707-6391 or christy@aurorafitness.net, or Leigh at 410-381-1574 or admin@larpt.com.
Kehelan to Chair 2014 Celebration of the Arts
Kevin Kelehan, partner with Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr and recipient of the 2012 Howie Award for Outstanding Community Supporter of the Arts, will serve as honorary chair of the 2014 Celebration of the Arts in Howard County. The celebration gala will be held on Saturday, March 29, from 6-10 p.m. at the Peter & Elizabeth Horowitz Visual & Performing Arts Center at Howard Community College.
The celebration is the Howard County Arts Council’s (HCAC) major source of annual corporate support. In 16 years, the event has netted $1,167,465. Proceeds from the event provide the council with the resources necessary to fund grants and scholarships, support a guest artist series at HCC and offer arts programs year-round.
Celebration 2014 will feature the popular Rising Star competition for emerging performing artists. The winner of the competition receives a $5,000 professional development award. Dick Story of Howard Bank will serve as event emcee. Other highlights include a reception featuring culinary offerings from Howard County restaurants, a silent auction of artwork by local artists, musical entertainment and the Howie Awards, recognizing individuals and businesses for their significant contributions to the arts.
Sponsorships, volunteer opportunities and internships are available. Tickets are $100 (for the reception and Smith Theatre) and $50 (for the reception and Studio Theatre). For more information, call 410-313-ARTS (2787) or visit www.hocoarts.org.
From MarylandReporter.com …
MarylandReporter.com celebrates 4th birthday, joins Investigative News Network:
MarylandReporter.com turned 4 years old on Saturday. When we formally launched the news web site for government and politics on Nov. 2, 2009, it was exactly one year from the 2010 gubernatorial election. This Monday is exactly one year from the next gubernatorial election. Read more: http://marylandreporter.com/category/news/#ixzz2jh6nV17R
Ambassador Rosapepe questions the NSA spy chief:
What is the “national security justification” for eavesdropping on our European allies, the former ambassador asked the head of the National Security Agency. At the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs Thursday night, Ambassador Jim Rosapepe, the former U.S. envoy to Romania (a.k.a., the state senator from College Park), was one of a dozen unscreened questioners who got to ask Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander about once-secret electronic spying on foreign leaders and other issues. Read more: http://marylandreporter.com/category/news/#ixzz2jh6rJCAY
$50 billion in unfunded state and local retirement benefits, study says:
The money Maryland’s state and local governments have failed to set aside to fulfill pension promises made to teachers and employees has ballooned to more than $22.5 billion over the past five years, a new report has found. But the counties that run their own pension systems are in much better shape than the state of Maryland, with the exception of Prince George’s County. The most underfunded retirement benefits continue to be health insurance for these retirees, which amount to $28 billion for state and local governments. Only a handful of county governments have tried to sock money away. Read more: http://marylandreporter.com/category/news/#ixzz2jh6xOval
MarylandReporter.com is a news site for government and politics in Maryland that is published and edited by Len Lazarick. For more information or to sign up for the daily e-news, go to marylandreporter.com.