Erickson

Declining revenues at the Erickson School of aging studies left University of Maryland, Baltimore County administrators few choices. Despite the increasing need for such expertise in a fast-graying America, the program attracted only a modest number of students and donations were down. Laying off a significant share of its faculty recently may have been a financial necessity in these tough economic times, but it's a shame. This field has tremendous potential for growth, and the demographics of the country explain why. The program was created four years ago with a $5 million donation from the Erickson Foundation, an outgrowth of the Catonsville-based company of retirement communities, and a matching state grant.

Requests for a series of changes in Howard County zoning laws that would allow a retirement community to be built on a 188-acre portion of historic Doughoregan Manor were submitted to county officials yesterday. If approved, the changes would allow dense development of the eastern edge of the nearly 300-year-old estate, which is owned and inhabited by descendants of Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The property is in a prime home-building area between Route 108 and Frederick Road in western Ellicott City, but is virtually invisible to most residents.

Erickson Retirement Communities, which develops and operates retirement communities in 11 states, laid off 260 employees Wednesday, a 2 percent staff reduction that the Catonsville-based company blamed on the deepening recession. Most of the cuts came at corporate headquarters, Erickson said in an announcement yesterday. The company, which operates 20 communities and has 13,000 employees, said a decision to slow its aggressive growth and development plans led to cuts in full- and part-time staff in construction, development and corporate support functions.

Minnesotans are a humorous people, and we are attempting to elect a comedian to the U.S. Senate, which is delicate work, as you might guess. You shouldn't sweep a comedian into office on a wave of public adulation any more than you should let him win the heroine in the first reel and fly off to Paris and suddenly start ordering meals in fluent French. You need him to move a piano up a long flight of stairs, and that's what Al Franken is doing now. He is leading the race by 50 votes or so out of 2.9 million cast.

Edgerley, state economic development chief, resigns The state's economic development secretary, David Edgerley, resigned last night, saying he wants to pursue a career in the private sector or education. Edgerley's resignation comes after Gov. Martin O'Malley sought to reorganize his agency, the Department of Business and Economic Development, a process that emphasized efforts for the biotechnology industry and international trade and consolidated some functions. O'Malley issued a statement thanking Edgerley for his service and for his help in launching an initiative to expand the biotechnology industry in the state.

More than 60 people eager to learn more about the proposed $300 million Erickson retirement village proposed for Doughoregan Manor showed up before the official 6 p.m. start time at Ellicott City Senior Center on Tuesday night. "I want to see what's going on and what they're doing," said Paul Martin, 77, who came with his wife, Jean. Like many others, they were curious about the 1,500-unit project and whether they might want to live there one day. The Martins live across Frederick Road from the 153 acres Erickson Retirement Communities has contracted to buy from the Carroll family's historic estate, they said, and after 53 years in their house, they're thinking of moving to the retirement community, if it's built.

The idea of extending public water and sewer service into western Howard County to allow construction of up to 2,000 senior housing units on farmland would normally spark a political battle royal. But not, apparently, when the location is historic Doughoregan Manor. Erickson Retirement Communities wants to use up to 188 acres of the historic 892-acre Carroll family estate, and there is no sign of criticism. Doughoregan is between Route 108 on the south and Frederick Road on the north, just northwest of Columbia.

Baltimore's top two elected leaders, usually all chummy in public, duked it out the other day over: (A) How to cure the city's violence, poverty and the other pressing ills. (B) How to get out the vote in November. (C) Whether or not somebody got the memo. The answer is C. There was plan on the table to ban city workers from using cell phones and other gadgets while driving on city business, as The Sun's Annie Linskey reported. Mayor Sheila Dixon was in favor, City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake opposed.

Judge seeks housing help As foreclosure cases continue to mount unabated, Maryland nonprofit groups, elected officials and the courts are joining forces to urge attorneys to help residents in danger of losing their homes. Robert M. Bell, chief judge of Maryland's Court of Appeals, sent letters last week to every licensed attorney in Maryland - more than 33,000 in all - asking them to volunteer their time or donate money to help. Erickson plans off-campus care Erickson Retirement Communities, a Catonsville-based developer of retirement communities, plans to open its first free-standing medical practice for senior citizens next month and will consider expanding with similar off-site offices in Maryland and elsewhere.

Erickson Retirement Communities, a Catonsville-based national developer of retirement communities, plans to open its first free-standing medical practice for senior citizens next month and will consider expanding with similar off-site offices in Maryland and throughout the country. The new Erickson office, to open in August in Columbia, will serve adults 65 and older who are covered by Medicare, the company said yesterday. The practice will be the first for Erickson outside its 20 retirement campuses.