Access

During the 1960s I worked, as an architect-planner, with Jim Rouse, Bill Finley and Mort Hoppenfeld creating the plan for Columbia. In the Town Center land use plan what we now call Symphony Woods was designated as a permanent public open space Town Center Park. Now as a 45-year involved resident I urge the community, CA and the County to seriously consider and act on the following: The Symphony Woods CA Park Plan must be implemented as approved by CA and Howard County. If and when the McCall concept finally shakes out, its location east of the Music Pavilion is compatible with and depends on the adjacent CA Park Plan.

The Baltimore County Public Library has launched a new service that will give patrons access to more than 100 magazine titles on their computers and mobile devices. Patrons can sign up for the Zinio service through the library system's website (www.bcpl.info) and download the application to their tablet, smartphone or computer for free. The service gives them access to the library's digital magazines 24 hours a day. The program is compatible with iPhones, iPads and other tablets, Androids, PCs and Macs, but not with Kindle or Nook, library officials said.

Last week, top Maryland Democrats announced their intention to make it more difficult to put statewide policy referenda on the ballot. The move is a clear response to Republicans' success last year in putting to referendum policy questions in the hope of achieving victories the GOP couldn't win in the legislature. The Republicans' ballot plans backfired, most notably the surprising approval by voters of same-sex marriage. But the Democrats, who dominate state politics thanks to large legislative majorities, took notice of the potential threat to their legislative monopoly.

You're never far from water in Maryland, with the Chesapeake Bay nearly bisecting the state. Yet for all that, there's a surprising shortage of places where people can launch a boat, cast a fishing line or wade in. A coalition of recreational enthusiasts, small businesses, local governments and civic and nonprofit groups hopes to change that.  They've launched a " Freedom to Float " campaign, seeking to capitalize on the release this week of...

Sitting around a broad table in a nondescript office in Reisterstown last week, more than a dozen mental health advocates, medical professionals and law enforcement officials stared tensely at one another. Nearly a month after the state-created task force issued a report outlining its findings on psychiatric patients' access to firearms, several members were questioning a key recommendation - that mental health professionals should be required to report to law enforcement all patients who threaten suicide.

Maryland's highest court has ruled that the state police must give the NAACP access to internal affairs files on racial profiling complaints. The civil rights group had requested the documents under the Maryland Public Information Act but the police agency denied the request, saying the records were protected personnel files. The Maryland Court of Appeals rejected that argument, agreeing with a Baltimore County court that the information could be shared if identifying information is redacted.

Her affinity for sleeveless frocks has caused a buying frenzy and inspired people to turn to workouts for toning their arms. She has become a highly coveted canvas for fashion designers and retailers. She steals the scene in pointed-toe flats, colored cardigans, brooches, and fit and flared dresses. First lady Michelle Obama's sense of style has captured fashion followers, and in the process made ensemble-gazing a national pastime. A regular fixture on best-dressed lists from Vogue magazine and observers such as Tim Gunn, Obama continues to make her mark.

A state task force studying gun access laws for people with mental illnesses has proposed authorizing police to seize firearms from individuals deemed a credible threat to themselves or others. Such seizures, the panel said Wednesday, would take place after law enforcement "substantiated" reports from mental health providers, social workers and other professionals. The proposal is among nine recommendations by a task force convened months before December's mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that sparked a nationwide debate on gun control and access to mental health services.

If it's already better to give than to receive, technology has made giving even better by making donating to charity more accessible and participatory. Or, as Bill and Melinda Gates put it last week, "easier and more fun. " The combination is especially attractive to seasonal or infrequent donors, such as the many now catching the holiday spirit, gifting for an altruistic friend or seeking to increase their tax deductions. With this audience in mind, the Gateses blogged five ways to give online they believe are innovative and well-run.

The federal government has awarded Maryland $36.5 million for its success at getting children enrolled in government subsidized health programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Wednesday that Maryland was among 23 states that was awarded nearly $306 million in performance bonuses for enrolling children into Medicaid and the Children's Health Program. States qualify for bonuses by showing they have simplified the process of enrolling in the programs. They must also meeet goals of enrolling children living in the lowest income levels.