Hickory Ridge

Thirteen parcels are identified and several are considered "ripe for development" in the new Hickory Ridge plan. In the early 1990s, CA proposed an ill-conceived plan for a Fun Center on the three-acre parcel adjacent to Giant that included night lighting and batting cages. The plan was overwhelming rejected by the homeowners nearby. In the late 2000s, another surprise awaited Clemens and Hickory Crest homeowners. A Walgreens was proposed at the corner of Freetown Road and Cedar Lane.

Thirteen parcels are identified and several are considered "ripe for development" in the new Hickory Ridge plan. In the early 1990s, CA proposed an ill-conceived plan for a Fun Center on the three-acre parcel adjacent to Giant that included night lighting and batting cages. The plan was overwhelming rejected by the homeowners nearby. In the late 2000s, another surprise awaited Clemens and Hickory Crest homeowners. A Walgreens was proposed at the corner of Freetown Road and Cedar Lane.

For the past two years, Hickory Ridge village board members have received discounts on swimming, tennis, children's summer camp and other Columbia Association activities, a perk that some critics say taints the volunteer positions.Eight of the nine board members who served during the past two fiscal years took advantage of a policy that let them earn $15 in credit for each meeting attended -- up to a maximum of $300 per year.Those credits can be applied to Columbia Association recreational facility memberships and programs.

Was I the only one to notice last week that right here in Howard County, Maryland, USA, a 17-year-old was "secretly arrested" by federal authorities in July of 2011 for "alledgedly" sending emails to provide terrorist support. The important word here being "alledgedly. " Still under detention in October, Mohammed Massan Khalid had just graduated from Mount Hebron High School and had received a full scholarship to Johns Hopkins University. "Secretly arrested" reminds me of Hitler's Nazi activities, not something that I expected to happen in America.

Hickory Ridge clinched at least a share of the 12-13 boys A Division title in the Soccer Association of Columbia last weekend with a 2-1 win over Centennial.Hickory Ridge leads the division at 5-1-1 (11 points), with King's Contrivance Nos. 1 and 2 tied for second at 4-1-1 (nine points).* In the B1 Division, Oakland Mills finished its championship season with a 4-0 shutout of Centennial on goals from Adam Santry, Chris Matheson, Jeremy Edge and Eric Yingling.Oakland Mills (6-0-1) finished ahead of second-place Wilde Choice (4-1-1)

For the past year, Maisy Ota has traveled several miles from her home in Clary's Forest to shop in Wilde Lake, Oakland Mills, Dorsey's Search and Catonsville.Now she is minutes away from Columbia's newest village center in Hickory Ridge."This is just wonderful," said the 80-year-old woman during Wednesday's grand opening, which featured jazz bands from Atholton and Hammond high schools, puppet shows and face painters."It's much more convenient," said Hickory Ridge resident Linda Brightfield, echoing the sentiments of many shoppers at the new center.

The Hickory Ridge Community Association will hold Candidates Night for the Hickory Ridge elections at 7: 30 p.m. Monday at Hawthorn Center, 6175 Sunny Spring. The election will include the village seat on the Columbia Council. Village Board member Miles Coffman will challenge incumbent Jean Friedberg Jr. Four villagers are running for the five available seats on the Hickory Ridge Village Board: Pamila Brown, Linda Hitzelberger, Linda Rossiter and Scott Pruim. Information: 410-730-7327.

Residents of Columbia's Hickory Ridge village continue their fight against construction of an 89-unit apartment project for the elderly in that neighborhood -- the latest salvos coming at a session of the Howard County Board of Appeals last week.Developer Earl Armiger, of Orchard Development Corp., is seeking a special exception to build a three-story apartment complex on 18 acres between Owen Brown and Freetown Roads, across from the Hickory Ridge Shopping Center.Thursday's Board of Appeals hearing was a continuation from last month so that about 50 residents could testify in opposition to the development.

The county plans to redesign Hickory Ridge Road in response to concerns that speeding and an increase in traffic have endangered children at school bus stops and motorists leaving and entering residential streets."

Two Columbia residents were injured in a single-car accident Thursday at Broken Land Parkway and Cradlerock Way when their car hit a tree, according to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue.The driver, Bill Clark, 57, and his passenger, Ruby Clark, 81, both of the 5800 block of Barnwood Place in Hickory Ridge village, were treated at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore and released. Their 1994 Oldsmobile Sierra ran off the road and hit a light pole and a tree, said Sgt. Steven Keller, Howard County police spokesman.

It is Thursday night and I'm reading through the article "Delegation mulls school board change, redistricting" and see the subheading "Three Congressmen for Howard?". Excuse me? No matter how the Maryland General Assembly's special session on redistricting plays out, the Columbia Flier 's subheading is just plain wrong. Over the past year, I have seen numerous uses of sexist language in the Columbia Flier. Blatant sexism has no place in the Columbia, let alone in our weekly newspaper.

Critics of a proposed 260 town-home development in Columbia's Hickory Ridge may get a second shot at scaling back the project, thanks to developer Dale Thompson's financial woes. Creditors have obtained court judgments against Thompson, a builder for 22 years, and his various companies for more than $25 million in defaulted loans, and a sale of the 30-acre Riverdale site at Route 32 and Cedar Lane could result, a lawyer for one of the creditors said. The Baltimore Sun reported last week that the well-regarded builder of upscale Howard County homes appears to be out of business.

The next important election in Howard County is less than a month away, though no public offices are at stake. The members of the Columbia Association board of directors may not draw salaries, but they, along with incoming CA President Phil Nelson, could play a vital role in plans to remake central Columbia and its aging village centers. Each of the 10 villages has one seat on the board, and half could elect new board members when the two days of voting end April 25. Three villages - Owen Brown, Town Center and Harper's Choice - have no board contest this spring, while incumbents in Oakland Mills and River Hill are running unopposed.

Hartgen heads restaurant association Paul Hartgen has joined the Restaurant Association of Maryland as president and chief executive officer. He held the same posts with the Nevada Restaurant Association and the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, and he held a variety of managerial positions with Ashworth by the Sea Hotel in Hampton, N.H. He is past president of the International Society of Restaurant Association Executives and an...

The Harper's Choice Community Association will sponsor a "Gang Awareness-Crime Prevention Seminar" at 7:30 p.m. April 14 at Kahler Hall, 5440 Old Tucker Row, in the Harper's Choice Village Center. Representatives from the Howard County Police Department's Community Resource Office will speak. There will be an opportunity to ask questions. Information: 410-730-0770. County singer to perform Saturday Howard County singer-songwriter Iris Ann Hirsch will perform "Baby Boomer Memories: Original and Classic Folk/Rock of the '50s, '60s, '70s and More" from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday March 29 at Mad City Coffee, 10801 Hickory Ridge Road.

Village residents who live near a 264-unit housing development proposed for the edge of west Columbia are fighting the project, which they say will bring too much traffic to the area and force the cutting of many trees surrounding the site. But the Riverdale development, a project of Dale Thompson Builders Inc. that is slated for a 30-acre site at Cedar Lane and Route 32 near the Middle Patuxent River, is so far along in the process that substantial changes are unlikely. "It's too late in the game for them to be challenging the zoning," said Marsha McLaughlin, director of the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning.

A man robbed the AAA Travel Agency in Columbia Friday, Howard County police said.The agency is in the 10800 block of Little Patuxent Parkway in Hickory Ridge village.Just after 1: 30 p.m., according to a police report, a man entered the business and handed the cashier a note asking for money.Believing that the robber had a gun, the cashier handed over $700 in cash. Police said the man asked for the note back before leaving on foot.Police described the robber as a 6-foot-2 black male with a thin face and wearing a white T-shirt, baseball cap and sunglasses.

Residents of the Village of Hickory Ridge said they wanted a Giant Food store in their new village center, according to a survey by the Rouse Co., and they're going to get one if things go as planned.But residents who want to have further input can attend a hearing on the proposed village center before the county's Planning Board next Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the George Howard Building in Ellicott City.The new village center will be built on about 19 acres off Cedar Lane.The site also is bordered by Freetown and Quarterstaff roads.

A new study that maps out traffic growth for downtown Columbia during the next three decades is flawed and may need to be re-examined because it doesn't consider the number of people traveling into Town Center in the future, some residents say. Audience members both praised and challenged the assumptions and provisions of that study Thursday night at the second of six forums to discuss Town Center's future. "Downtown Columbia: A Community Vision," was released by Howard County Executive Ken Ulman last month.

The Town Center Community Association is seeking craft vendors for its juried Holiday Craft Fair, to be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 17 at Historic Oakland, 5430 Vantage Point Road. The 19th-century restored house provides a picturesque setting for the event. Those interested should contact Patricia Loeber, 410-730-4744. Jazz group opens Oakland series The Oakland Night Music Series, sponsored by the Town Center Community Association, will open its third season with a concert by the Columbia Jazz Project from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 5 in the ballroom at Historic Oakland.