"We became very good friends during the campaign and served on 23 forums or fora together," Beilenson said. "Because he's Barth and I'm Beilenson, we sat next to each other. We could finish each other's sentences."
Now one is speaking for the other in an official capacity.
Beilenson, Howard County's health officer, has just hired Barth, a former WMAR-TV reporter, to be communications director for Healthy Howard, the county health care plan for the uninsured. It's a part-time job, so Barth will continue his freelance reporting for WTTG-TV, Washington's Fox affiliate.
"Howard County alone in the United States is providing health care for all," Barth said.
Big news. But don't expect to hear Barth report on that for WTTG. He said he'll cover "no Howard County stories at all."
Connect the dots ...
Several sugar-addled readers objected to my tsk-tsking Michael Phelps for appearing on the box of Frosted Flakes instead of more nutritious Wheaties. Reader Joni Daniels is one of many who wrote in saying kids will be able to resist the advertising pitch or survive the high-fructose corn syrup: "I loved Tony the Tiger too. I even ate cereals with sugar - since kids do need some energy in the AM to get a kick start (carrots don't cut it) but I never wanted to BE Captain Crunch and wear a naval jacket/join the navy/get a boat." ... Several readers were amused by foreign news media that had variously described Phelps' hometown as the "mean streets of Baltimore" and the "blue-collar mill town of Towson." JoAnn Moncure, a Realtor, writes: "We are planning to rename our 'hood' Rodgers Phorge. We expect a drastic rise in home values here due to our neighbor's recent success!" She added: "I hear he is moving into his new pad in Phells Point as well. If he can survive those MEAN STREETS of Rodgers Forge, he'll do just fine in the city."
