Action Plan

Baltimore is about to adopt a "climate action plan" that among other things calls for increasing energy efficiency in city homes and buildings, developing more renewable energy, getting more people out of their cars and planting more trees. The plan, drawn up over the past 11 months, spells out a laundry list of measures aimed at reducing climate-warming emissions of carbon dioxide 15 percent by the end of the decade.  The plan is scheduled for a final hearing before adoption by the city Planning Commission on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 2:30 pm at the Office of Sustainability, 417 E. Fayette St., 8th floor.

I t is encouraging to see Occupy Baltimore take on the governor's plan to spend millions of dollars to build a new jail for youth charged as adults. Although I cannot say that I approve of any civil disobedience that took place during Monday's event, I like the fact that Occupy Baltimore took a stand for our youth. At the age of 17, I was arrested and charged as an adult and spent 11 months at the Baltimore City Detention Center, an adult jail. I was exposed to violence. I once saw a man beaten and bloodied while correctional officers took me to the school at the jail.

Newsday has fired its circulation vice president, Robert Brennan, the only person to be blamed publicly so far by the newspaper for inflating circulation figures in the past few years. The news came yesterday in a letter to Newsday employees from incoming publisher Timothy P. Knight. He also said the paper plans to inform advertisers next week of an "action plan" designed to remedy overcharges stemming from the false circulation numbers. Brennan's dismissal came four days after two superiors, Newsday Publisher Raymond A. Jansen and Hoy Publisher Louis Sito announced their retirements.

The Department of Community Services has prepared the Federal Fiscal Year 2008 Annual Performance Action Plan, an update to the Five Year Consolidated Plan for Harford County. The Consolidated Plan is a federally mandated, comprehensive planning document focusing on housing and community development issues and strategies for the county, Havre de Grace, Aberdeen and Bel Air. The Action Plan also details the projected use of federal funds in fiscal 2008 for the Community Development Block Grant Program and Home Investment Partnership Program.

Hooray and Hallelujah! In the article in today's Sun we finally see the outlines of an action plan designed to reduce the federal deficit ("Deficit plan spreads the pain," Nov. 11). And, at the same time, the plan addresses some of the many problems for our country that have not been managed by our federal lawmakers or hierarchy from all political parties. Solve Social Security funding? Reduce government spending? Reform the tax structure? What a great list of issues that ought to be easy to get behind and support and work on in the halls of Congress.

With summer starting to heat up, city officials are floating a "climate action plan" this evening (Tuesday) that aims to curb Baltimore's greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by decade's end. Easing the city's climate impact is one of the goals of Baltimore's sustainability plan . The draft strategy, prepared by a 25-member advisory committee, ticks off more than three dozen ideas for reducing the city's carbon footprint, some as simple as...

Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. unveiled a plan yesterday that calls for steering new homes and businesses to sites along U.S. 40 in preparation for the expansion of regional military bases -- and the influx of jobs and residents to come with it. The plan also recommends a look at expanding the Middle River MARC station and adding training programs to help middle and high school students to prepare to compete for jobs created by growth at...

Drew Greenblatt's column in Monday's Baltimore Sun ("Revive economy through tax policy, trade agreements and technology," Sept. 6) is a typical example of the self-serving, myopic perspective of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Republican Party. Although it talks about improved education, international trade agreements and reducing uncertainty, the "job growth action plan" is all about making them richer by reducing their taxes. •Mr. Greenblatt talks about jobs and improving education, but four of his six "action plan" elements are tax cuts for business and the already rich — two are investment tax cuts to allow him to buy his robots more cheaply; the other two are simply reductions in taxes on business and the top 2 percent of taxpayers.

Editor's note: Jerdine Nolen writes today about breaking goals into bite-size achievements. Her column appears biweekly. What learning behavior or attitude does your child need to change? How will it improve her life? How can she accomplish it? When we keep our sights on the whole problem, it can be overwhelming. Taking a big problem and reducing it to small, bite-sized pieces is key. Remember, inch by inch, life is a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard! Goals/hopes/wishes/dreams can be reached.

There has been much discussion recently over oyster management in Maryland and the role that the Oyster Recovery Partnership has played in this nationally recognized restoration success story. The Chesapeake Bay oyster industry was the envy of the world until the oyster stock collapsed nearly 50 years ago because of disease, habitat loss, declining water quality and harvest pressure. In summer 1993, the state of Maryland convened the Oyster Roundtable, a coalition of 40 organizations, institutions, elected officials, businesses and individuals, to address the major concerns about oyster stocks in the Chesapeake Bay and formulate a plan for promoting recovery.