Annapolis Capital Punishment

Government can be a force for good. CP believes in active, liberal government to promote the common good, to stimulate beneficial activities and to make a more civil society. Here are just a few examples of why:

CP was pleased to attend and testify at the recent public hearing on the future of the County's lease of the Naval Academy Dairy Farm. Councilmember Jamie Benoit (D-4th) and Park and Recreation Director Frank Marzucco did a fine job outlining the situation and potential development of the farm for public-minded activities. Also in attendance were County Attorney Jonathan Hodgson and top-Leopold aide Alan Friedman. CP does not care what The Capital may say--if these three county employees make this farm work right for everyone's benefit, who cares if they make $100k per year or more? And CP was quite impressed by Councilman Benoit's hardwork and commitment. (Yes, Benoit did pay for his own beer afterwards--as did CP.)

Not only was the Navy farm a good example of government in action, but CP and at least a thousand other folks enjoyed Saturday night's Annapolis Symphony Orchestra's concert at Quiet Waters Park. It was free...well sort of...nothing is quite free of course. The evening was perfect and so was the music. CP just wishes that the two cars promoting co-sponsor's Nighttime Pediatrics did not have to park on the hill, blocking the view and the soundwaves. Note to Nighttime--thanks for your support--but why detract from the event you help to make possible? Traffic and car control---what a mess! Too many people coming in too many cars--and arriving too late. Then while everyone walks back to their cars, a long line of slow moving traffic drives ALONGSIDE them....This must be fixed..PUHLEEZE!

THE FARMER'S MARKET CP has always enjoyed this Saturday morning market at Riva Road and Truman Parkway, but its popularity is begininning to detract. As with the Park concerts, traffic and traffic control is a nightmare, although County Police are thankfully on hand to direct. CP almost feels like Yogi Berra when he said, "Nobody goes there anymore--it's too crowded." Fresh produce, fresh bread and jam, flowers, herbs...all produced locally! It's also open on Tuesdays, but on a much smaller scale.

AND ONE NEGATIVE...WILL SOMEONE IN COUNTY GOV'T PLEASE HELP??? County-trained master gardeners were on hand t the Farmer's Market to answer gardening questions. They had a sign warning that "Mulch volcanoes kill trees." Mulch volcanoes? Yeah-you know, when a huge pile of mulch is "volcanoed" around a tree's base? We see this at almost every commercially landscaped development--malls, strip centers, new home developments, yet it is bad, bad, bad for our trees. The one Master Gardener that CP spoke with was angry that a long stretch of median in county-owned Bestgate Road near the Mall is lined with dozens of trees, if not a hundred or more, each piled up with an unsightly and unhealthy mulch volcano. This Master Gardener said county officials promised the would be corrected--in early July. Why should we taxpapyers be paying to slowly kill these trees we just paid to plant on one of our roads? PLEASE HELP! PLEASE REMOVE THESE KILLING MULCH VOLCANOES.