Candidates Forum

The Town Center Community Association will hold a candidates forum at 7: 30 p.m. Monday in the Vantage House auditorium, 5400 Vantage Point Road. Dennis Lane, Donna Rice and Suzanne Walker are candidates for the Columbia Council representative seat. Gwendolyn Christopher and Brian White are candidates for the two available seats on the Town Center Village Board. Information: 410-730-4744.

A little more than three weeks remain until the May 7 city election in Havre de Grace and though the campaign has been relatively quiet to date, things can be expected to heat up as Election Day draws near. This year's election features a race for mayor and for three city council seats. Mayor Wayne Dougherty is seeking a fourth term and is challenged by former city councilman Jim Miller. In the council races, incumbents John Correri and Randy Craig are seeking re-election. Challengers include former councilman Fred Cullum and two first-time candidates, Thomas Barnes and Robert Greene.

The Hampstead Business Association is sponsoring a candidates forum for the Hampstead Municipal Election at 7 p.m. today at Hampstead Town Hall. The forum will be moderated by the League of Women Voters of Carroll County.The moderator will ask questions based on issues facing the town. Other questions may be submitted by the audience to the league.Each candidate will be given up to two minutes for an introduction and explanation of why they wish to serve.Information: 857-2267.FIRELineboro: Lineboro responded to a woods fire along the Rills private road at 1:56 p.m. Sunday.

The biggest challenge for any future mayor is to work within their means, Mayor Craig Moe said Thursday night at a candidates forum organized by the Laurel Board of Trade. When asked what was the No. 1 difficulty that would be faced in the upcoming mayoral term, Moe pointed to the city's $3 million reduction in revenue this year. There were 88 foreclosures in Laurel this year, more than ever before, Moe said Mayoral candidate Valerie Cunningham answered the question on biggest challenge in one breath: "Jobs, jobs and more jobs.

How fast and how much the county should be developed was the question that divided Republican County Executive Charles I. Ecker and his challenger, Democrat Susan Gray, in a televised candidates forum yesterday at Howard Community College.Ms. Gray, an activist attorney who has made a name for herself in various development and highway battles, accused the incumbent of running an administration that has encouraged rampant growth while misleading the public about its cost.Mr. Ecker charged that if his opponent were to be elected, business would take flight, leaving county homeowners with a larger share of the county's bills to pay.Each candidate said the other would have to raise taxes.

The West Columbia villages of Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice, Hickory Ridge, River Hill, Town Center and Wilde Lake have joined together to sponsor a candidates forum to be held at 7:30 p.m. today at Oakland, 5430 Vantage Point Road.With the November elections approaching and the current political climate in Howard County in an apparent state of flux, tonight's forum, featuring the candidates for county executive, county council, state Senate and House of Delegates, should provide some informative fireworks.

Speaking to a group of developers, the seven candidates for Anne Arundel County executive this week railed against the county's approval process for development, with most calling for an overhaul of the Department of Planning and Zoning to cut red tape - and the time - necessary to get permits. At a candidates forum before the Anne Arundel Commercial and Industrial Association on Wednesday in Gambrills, the five Republicans and two Democrats seeking to succeed Janet S. Owens said the current permit process needlessly delays projects for years and adds costs that are passed down to consumers.

Democrats invite candidates to speakThe county Democratic Club has invited candidates to speak at its meeting at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Frisco Family Pub, at Carroll Plaza Shopping Center, Westminster.The club plans an election eve rally at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at club headquarters, 37 E. Main St., Westminster, and a Election Day party 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at Frisco Family Pub.Md., local candidates' forum set for WednesdayThe Manchester Community Communication Creativity Committee will have a candidates forum at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Manchester Town Hall, 3208 York St.Each candidate will speak briefly and answer questions that have been called in to or dropped of at Town Hall.

Scholarship foundation set to hold dinner The Howard County Foundation for Black Educational and Cultural Achievement Inc. (HCFBECA) will celebrate 25 years of service to county high school students with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel. Dr. Floyd Malveaux, vice provost for health affairs and dean of the Howard University College of Medicine, will speak. Tickets are $45. HCFBECA, a local group of concerned parents, provides scholarships to qualified students who plan to continue their education and training beyond high school.

Democrats plan forum for county candidatesA Meet the Candidates forum will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 Thursday at Glenelg High School.The Howard County Democratic Central Committee will sponsor the event, featuring county executive candidate Susan Gray, County Council candidate John Taylor and House of Delegates candidate Andy Levy.Bring questions and meet the candidates.The school is at 14025 Burnt Woods Road in Glenelg.Democratic campaign invites volunteer helpAnyone wishing to work on any of the Democratic campaigns may call the Democratic Central Committee.

Frank M. Conaway says he had nothing to do with emails that first called and then canceled a news conference Thursday at which he was supposedly to make an "important announcement. " The messages, which hit inboxes on the first day of early voting in the Democratic mayoral primary, set off speculation that Conaway was planning to withdraw from the race, as he did in 2007. But Conaway, one of several candidates challenging Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in the Sept.

The Roosevelt Recreation Center on Aug. 23 looked like a voting precinct on Election Day. Although the Democratic and Republican primaries aren't until Sept. 13 and Roosevelt isn't a voting place, it was the center of attention - and campaign signs - for candidates running for mayor, City Council president and council seats in the 7th, 12th and 14th Districts, which represent parts of Hampden, Remington and Charles Village. Twenty candidates, including one each from the Libertarian and Green parties, descended on the rec center at the corner of Falls Road and 36th Street for the Hampden Community Council's annual "Candidates' Night Out" forum.

One teen spoke about attending 17 schools due to an unstable family. Another discussed the isolation she felt being raised by an unemployed single father who devoted more attention to her younger half-siblings. A third dedicated her question for the politicians to a former classmate who, when he started middle school, began selling drugs to support his family. After weeks of answering questions from religious leaders, labor organizers and talk show hosts, those vying to be Baltimore's next mayor fielded questions from an unexpected group Wednesday evening: high school students.

Sunday, Oct. 17 Festival The West River Heritage Day Oyster Festival takes place from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Captain Salem Avery Museum, 1418 E. West Shady Side Road. There will be musical entertainment, featuring Tim and Savannah Finch, along with the Eastmann String Band. Also, the winner of the society's $5,000 raffle will be announced. Admission is $6, free for children 12 and younger. Information: 410-867-4486 or go to shadysidemuseum.org. Monday, Oct. 18 Candidates forum Joanna Conti, John Leopold and Mike Shay, candidates for Anne Arundel County executive, are the speakers at the Severn River Association's Candidate Forum at 7 p.m. at Calvary Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd.

A Cape St. Claire man was arrested at a Saturday night candidates' forum, when he grew agitated toward a candidate, disrupted the event and defied a police officer, Anne Arundel County police said Tuesday. Police said Peter John McMenamin, 51, was "protesting loudly" that Andy Harris, the Republican candidate for Maryland's first Congressional District, was not fully answering his questions at the Cape St. Claire Improvement Association's forum. They said a uniformed off-duty officer asked him to step outside so the forum could continue.

The somnolent campaign in Maryland's most competitive congressional race began showing signs of life Friday as Republican challenger Andy Harris and Democratic Rep. Frank Kratovil started maneuvering over a possible series of debates. Harris got things going by proposing joint appearances with Kratovil to "talk about fixing Americans' tax burden so we can get our economy moving again and start creating jobs. " He also demanded that the congressman take down an ad that has been criticized as misleading voters about the Republican's position on taxes.

Riverside association plans candidates' forumThe Riverside Community Association will sponsor a candidates' forum at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Riverside Community Center, 1 Church Creek Drive, Belcamp.Primary winners for the offices of county executive, County Council president and County Council have been invited.Information: 676-0312.Candidates for sheriff to attend MADD meetingThe Harford County Chapter of MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, will conduct a general membership meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, at Churchville Presbyterian Church, Routes 136 and 22.Candidates for Harford County sheriff will discuss their positions regarding MADD's concerns for safer roads.

LWV plans candidates' forumThe League of Women Voters will sponsor a Candidates' Forum Thursday in the County Council chambers on the lower level of the courthouse, Main Street, Bel Air.The audience will be able to submit questions of candidates for council president from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.Candidates Theresa M. Pierno, a Democrat, and Joanne S. Parrott, a Republican, will answer questions posed by the league and the audience from 7:30 p.m. to 8:10 p.m.Then,...

One-half of the main attraction in next month's District 4 County Council primary election didn't show up at the League of Women Voters televised forum for Howard County executive and County Council candidates Tuesday night at school board headquarters. Although Alan Klein's absence prevented a direct discussion with Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty — the county's only two primary contenders for a council seat — Dr. Zaneb "Zee" Beams, a novice Democratic candidate in Republican-dominated western Howard, took up the slack with a sharp attack on incumbent Republican Greg Fox. Beams, a pediatrician and first-time candidate who grew up in Howard but lived out of state for years before returning to practice medicine with her pediatrician mother, lit into Fox for trying to cut programs like Healthy Howard, the county's health access program, and for voting against the county budget each year.

Council seeks members The Community Advisory Council to the Board of Education is seeking at-large members for the coming school year. The council sponsors educational programming for members and provides the opportunity to study and have input into curriculum, educational policy, redistricting and budget. Committee meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at the Department of Education in Ellicott City. At-large members serve a two-year term. Information: 410-313-6682.