Bottling Plant

WACO, Texas -- They're celebrating a soft drink here at the Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute, a grandly named venture housed in a gussied-up 1906 bottling plant. Actually, they're celebrating the history of all soft drinks.In this yellow-brick Romanesque building ornamented with arches and turrets, Dr Pepper is memorialized as a Texas institution that went big time. Visitors see vintage Dr Pepper advertisements, photos of Russian troops knocking back bottles Dr Pepper, excerpts from a federal court case involving Dr Pepper.

When weighing the two choices for the Democratic nominee for Howard County executive, consider the position that candidate Susan Gray took on the now-delayed $200 million Coca-Cola bottling plant proposed for Howard County.Ms. Gray, a self-described "slow growth" advocate, says upon learning of the negotiations for the project that she would have immediately gone to the surrounding Dorsey community to inform citizens of the proposal, though that would have revealed Coke's plans prematurely and might have discouraged it from locating in the county.

Baltimore's long-vacant American Brewery would be renovated as the centerpiece of a $10 million to $12 million revitalization project for East Baltimore under plans developed by the Council for Economic and Business Opportunity.CEBO President Michael Gaines told representatives of the Broadway East community last week that two manufacturing companies have signed letters of intent to occupy the first phase of the mixed-use complex and that he expects construction to begin soon."Shortly, that site will no longer stand as a deteriorated industrial building," he said.

He's been a gentle uncle figure for generations of youngsters, so who better to offer some advice on how best to approach that enormous event in a youngster's life, the first day of school?Fred Rogers of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" this week is offering a series of programs aimed at helping preschoolers be more comfortable as they face that looming engagement in the first week of September.The show can be seen at 10 a.m. weekdays on Maryland Public Television (channels 22 and 67)."Children need to see that many things in school are a lot like home," says Rogers, who takes young viewers on a visit to a real school.

The biggest problem in analyzing Howard County Executiv Charles I. Ecker's tenure is getting past the fact that he is an extraordinarily decent and conscientious man.Time and again during his first two years in office, Mr. Ecker has shown himself to be above the muck of petty politics.In his handling of the county's thorny budget problems, he has been almost Solomon-like in his determination to be fair. At the same time, he has delivered in spades on his pledge to make himself and county government more accessible.

For months, county officials suspected there was a problem with Coca Cola Enterprises' proposed Howard County plant. After rushing through the county's approval process, Coke hadn't started construction on the $200 million state-of-the-art bottling and distribution plant. Now Coke is stepping forward with an explanation: Competition in the beverage industry is forcing the company to change directions and rethink its emphasis on carbonated drinks.The company informed disappointed state and county officials last week about their decision to put the proposed Dorsey plant on hold.

In the race for the state Senate seat in District 13, Democrats have a choice between two distinct political personalities. Incumbent Sen. Thomas Yeager, with 12 years of legislative experience, is a solid, steady-as-you go veteran. He is opposed by Del. Virginia M. Thomas, who has served an equal number of years in the House of Delegates, and is known to emphasize community service. On the whole, we believe Mr. Yeager would be the better nominee.This senatorial district, which covers southern Howard County from Highland to Jessup as well as eastern Columbia and part of northern Prince George's, is the most politically and geographically diverse in the county.

ONE YEAR into his second term as Howard County executive, Charles I. Ecker is experiencing much the same dilemma he faced upon taking office in 1991. Now as then, his attention has been drawn to the county's financial problems.At this juncture, county officials project a $4 million shortfall in local income and property tax revenues. In 1991, a larger shortfall prompted Mr. Ecker to lay off 40 workers; half of them were later hired back in other jobs. Whether layoffs occur again is an open question, and Mr. Ecker acknowledges the possibility.

CHARLES I. ECKER and economic development officials have reason to cheer about Howard County's job growth in recent years. The county has led the state, by far, in the number of new jobs created between 1990 and 1996.When Mr. Ecker, the Howard County executive, hits the campaign trail in his bid for governor, the numbers will give him credibility as a business-friendly leader.Impressively, the county has accomplished this without hitting an economic home run.A few years ago, Coca-Cola Enterprises announced plans to build a regional headquarters and bottling plant in the Hanover section.