Concept

Some years ago the Columbia Association staff suggested closing 17 of the 23 outdoor village pools to "save money. " Various surveys were conducted. In the end the idea went over like a lead balloon. Now the staff is floating a new idea: Close three "lesser used" village outdoor pools. They did a survey - of 62 residents. Sixty-two residents! Really. What a survey! The problems with this proposal are considerable. Where will those residents go? Children will not be able to walk to their neighborhood pool until their working parents return home.

The Village to Village Network, a national organization that helps coordinate senior villages, defines villages as "membership-driven, grass-roots organizations that, through both volunteers and paid staff, coordinate access to affordable services including transportation, health and wellness programs, home repairs, social and educational activities, and other day-to-day needs enabling individuals to remain connected to their community throughout the...

Hoping to bolster its sagging sales, Merry-Go-Round Enterprises has launched an effort to more clearly distinguish the differences among its 1,400 stores by dividing them into four main "operating concepts," according to a report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday.The Joppa-based clothing chain, which has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since Jan. 11, has long been criticized for having a sameness in its stores despite selling under a myriad of names, including Merry-Go-Round, Attivo, Chess King, Cignal, Dejaiz, Silverman's, Boogie's Diner and Toofers.

Homes, offices and shops would sprout around Baltimore's Penn Station under a preliminary plan developed for Amtrak for the midtown site. The national passenger railroad tapped Beatty Development, the Baltimore-based developer responsible for Harbor East and Harbor Point, late last year to create a master plan and lead the redevelopment of about seven acres of underused land around the century-old train station. Beatty Development's vision calls for the construction of up to 1.5 million square feet of new residences and commercial space at a cost of about $500 million over the next decade.

I always thought it would be fun to live in one of those cities where new products are tested. It must be neat to offer opinions about a thing still in development, knowing that someday you might look on, say, an automatic fabric softener dispenser with personal pride - "that fill line, my idea." And whenever I go to a movie preview, I dutifully fill out a little survey card. (I always write, "More dancing!") Anyway, sitting in judgment of someone else's concept is a large part of the fun of going to Punk's Backyard Grill, the lone locally owned restaurant among a dozen or so national chains that ring the Westfield Annapolis Mall.

Canton's getting another beer bar and restaurant this fall. Called Canton Beer Exchange, it will feature a novel concept where draft beer prices change according to consumption. Consulting for the bar, which takes over at 2522 Fait Ave. from Lager's Pub, is a familiar face: Jason Zink.  Until now, Zink had mostly worked out of Federal Hill . He owns No Idea Tavern and until June, Don't Know Tavern, which he sold to pay off legal bills stemming from a labor lawsuit brought on by former employees.

The Sunday review is of S & J Crabranch in Towson. It's a new restaurant on Pennylvania Avenue, just off the circle, specializing in steamed crabs and barbecue. Good concept, well executed. Here's the review of S & J Crabranch .

That was fast. A Fresh & Green's market is opening tomorrow in the Charles Plaza location where Superfresh was until just this past Tuesday. What do we know about Fresh & Green's ? (Try Googling them yourself.)  Not much beyond what's in their pamphlet: Fresh & Green’s is delighted to be adding your neighbourhood to our growing family of grocery stores.  Our concept is a new and refreshing one that will expand the selection of prepared meals and natural foods while still providing all the conventional food products and brands you have enjoyed in the past.  We’ll be renovating this location in the near future to provide you with a more enjoyable shopping experience.

Yes, it's all the rage and yes, there are great ideas and money saving tips, but it's time to remind my fellow brides out there that Pinterest is not the end-all to wedding planning. In fact, if you are planning what I like to call a #Pinwed , I'd strongly advise you to consider these two questions first. Are you actually saving money with the DIY Pinterest mentality? Don't get me wrong; you can absolutely save money using the tips and crafty ideas Pinterest has to offer.

Before it's too late, It's time for those of us who oppose the use of the word "marriage" for same-sex unions to have our say. Far be it from me to tell other people how to live their lives, and I certainly don't oppose those who live with and love others of the same sex having the same legal rights as anyone else. But I do oppose changing the concept of "marriage" being reserved for a man and a woman. Call it a "union" or something else. But marriage has always been between a man and a woman, and I don't think that we should be forced to change our concept of marriage.

When the first customers enter Under Armour's new Brand House in Harbor East Saturday morning, they'll have little choice but to think "Baltimore. " The shirts displayed at the front of the store promote Baltimore neighborhoods such as Fells Point and Canton and sport iconic symbols like Mr. Boh. Banners next to the main entrance honor NFL great Ray Lewis and the Ravens. Swimmer Michael Phelps adorns the side of the building facing the water. Inside, there are vintage-style shirts with crabs and others showing the outline of a Raven image with famous city streets and places spelled within.

The title of Jenny Black's recent commentary on women's right to choose was itself an oxymoron ("Keep abortion safe, legal," Jan. 27). What kind of a person can have such a callous disregard for human life that they would even dare to speak of keeping abortion safe? Abortion is not nor will it ever be safe. At least one person dies with every abortion. How can an act whose sole purpose is to cut off a human life in its mother's womb be called safe? Science has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that human life begins at conception.

It appears that much of the skepticism with the Symphony Woods Inner Arbor plan, brought to light by Columbia resident Michael McCall and introduced by CA, is more about process and hurt feelings than the actual plan. Utilizing a theme creatively embracing the arts, the Inner Arbor plan is a big concept in a town where development is based on careful small steps often kept in check by a vocal minority. While issues may be within some facets of the new plan as currently envisioned, the largeness of the concept has created the conversation needed.  Much of that opinion however appears to be about the process, CA and prior plans instead of this plan's potential to help invigorate a downtown currently ill-defined by a large mall and a sleepy lakefront.  One has to wonder how this plan would be received if it were championed and submitted by another organization. Is much of the gnashing of teeth more to do with opinions of CA and the process?

The debate over the redevelopment of downtown Columbia has often focused on how to best utilize Symphony Woods, the park setting that includes Merriweather Post Pavilion and, even more importantly to many, some of the oldest trees in the Columbia downtown. To some, including County Executive Ken Ulman just this past week, this parcel represents the "centerpiece and lynchpin" for downtown Columbia's future development. With such great expectations for the property, there has been a great deal of debate on how to use the land.

Call it manifest restaurant destiny. In 2012, Baltimore-based restaurateurs set about expanding their empires, or at least their brands. Clementine opened a second location in the Creative Alliance in Highlandtown, the team behind Langermann's in Canton opened a second location in South Baltimore, and the owners of Mo's opened a new restaurant in Towson, in the old Hersh's Orchard Inn. And, in December, a version of Baltimore's estimable Prime...

Beginning next season, a change could be coming to the structure of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association's playoffs. The MPSSAA's classification committee met Thursday to verify class groupings and recommend region alignments for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years, the organization announced in a news release. The biggest difference in the proposed regions for the next two school years is the introduction of sections for all regions in the MPSSAA playoffs.

What a perfect way to beat the heat predicted for today. Get a free 7.11 oz Slurpee all day today (July 11th) at participating 7-Eleven stores . Thanks to reader Gene for the tip! If you're wondering how the Slurpee concept developed, read the article on Slurpee history at Mental Floss magazine .

Here is what the audience would have liked to hear from the developer about their plan for the mall. All we heard was about process, not about product. It would have been exciting to hear the developer say the following: "As you know, the overall Downtown Plan calls for a pedestrian connection between the Mall-to-Lakefront, a multi-phase project that could take some time to realize. We are excited to propose the first phase of the Mall-to-Lakefront pedestrian connection. Our concept is to remove the L.L.Bean building to open up access to a promenade leading to a new Mall entrance.

Yes, it's all the rage and yes, there are great ideas and money saving tips, but it's time to remind my fellow brides out there that Pinterest is not the end-all to wedding planning. In fact, if you are planning what I like to call a #Pinwed , I'd strongly advise you to consider these two questions first. Are you actually saving money with the DIY Pinterest mentality? Don't get me wrong; you can absolutely save money using the tips and crafty ideas Pinterest has to offer.

I'm not sure when was the last time the words were uttered by a free agent baseball player about Baltimore -- probably 15 years or so ago. Veteran left-hander Randy Wolf, who agreed to terms with the Orioles on Thursday and will be activated and available to pitch for the club Friday in New York, seemed sincere when he said it Thursday just inside the home clubhouse. "With the teams that I talked to, I was excited with the Orioles' possibilities of winning," Wolf said Thursday afternoon in the Orioles' clubhouse.