Hickory Ridge

Five of the seven Columbia Council seats to be filled in elections this weekend are being contested, with issues ranging from village revitalization and downtown development to the handling of contract negotiations with the association's president. Incumbents are facing challengers in Dorsey's Search, Hickory Ridge, Oakland Mills and Wilde Lake and two newcomers are vying in Kings Contrivance. Running unopposed are incumbent Henry F. Dagenais in Long Reach and newcomer Michael Cornell in River Hill, where incumbent Patrick von Schlag is not seeking re-election.

Howard Bank names Blyther and Green Frances R. Blyther of Columbia has been named assistant manager of the Maple Lawn branch office of Howard Bank. Shelley Nicole Green of Columbia has been named assistant manager of the bank's Hickory Ridge branch office. In addition to its Maple Lawn and Hickory Ridge branches, Howard Bank has a branch office at Snowden river Parkway. The bank expects to break ground this year on its first branch on U.S. 40, near Centennial Lane. Slade accepts partnership offering Harry Slade, an Edward Jones investment representative in Ellicott City, has accepted a limited partnership offering in the Jones Financial Co., the holding company for the St. Louis-based financial services firm.

James Loeffler will present "What's in a Name? The Prime Minister, the Professor, and the Debate Over Israel's Name," a talk based on an exchange of letters between David Ben-Gurion and Professor Simon Rawidowicz on the naming of the Jewish state after its founding in 1948. The talk, sponsored by Columbia Jewish Congregation, will be held from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. today at Oakland Mills High School. Information: 410-730-6044. Learn to make hand-made cards "Stamping with Gina," a workshop on using stamping techniques to create hand-made cards with a professional look, will be offered from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at The Other Barn in Oakland Mills Village Center, 5851 Robert Oliver Place.

The Long Reach, Owen Brown and Hickory Ridge community associations will offer their annual Holiday Lights Tour for senior citizens from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 10. This year's event will feature a bus tour through the Symphony of Lights, a reception, a gift for participants and a guest appearance by Santa Claus. The event is free, but reservations are required. Buses will pick up seniors at Longwood House, Owen Brown Place and Hickory Ridge Place. Reservations on a first-come first-served basis will be accepted starting Nov. 13. Information or to reserve a place: 410-730-8113.

The Howard County Center of African American Culture Inc. will celebrate the diversity of the community at its 13th annual "Men in the Kitchen" fundraiser from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 22 at Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane. Politicians, television personalities, fathers, sons and neighbors will share favorite dishes with guests. Tickets are $40; $20 for youth ages 12-18; and $10 for children ages 6-11. The Center of African American Culture is at 5434 Vantage Point Road. Information: 410-715-1921.

The Hickory Ridge Community Association will offer a bike-safety program from 10 a.m. to noon July 8 at Hawthorn Center, 6175 Sunny Spring. Cyclists of all ages are welcome. Automobile owners can have a vehicle identification number etched on their car windows to deter theft. Children can be fingerprinted and will receive prizes. The services will be provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance. Admission is free, but registration is requested. Information or registration: 410-730-7327. Wilde Lake residents invited to pool party The Wilde Lake Community Association will offer a family pool party for Wilde Lake residents from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 11 at Bryant Woods Pool.

The Town Center Community Association board of directors will sponsor a reception in honor of Del. Elizabeth Bobo and state Sen. Edward J. Kasemeyer at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Historic Oakland, 5430 Vantage Point Road. The reception is being held to recognize their successful efforts to pass legislation providing a new method to annex land into Columbia's villages. "If land isn't annexed into the villages, people pay the CA [Columbia Association] lien, but they can't vote for the CA board members or village board members, so we have to get them annexed to become part of the political process," said Patricia B. Laidig, Town Center village manager.

The Central Library, 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway, will sponsor a program on college savings plans at 7 p.m. June 14. Staff from College Savings Plans of Maryland will explain two plans that can offer tax benefits. Registration is required. A program, "Resolving Conflict" with business and life coach Marilyn Thorpe, is planned for 7 p.m. June 20 at the library. Registration begins tomorrow. Information: 410-313-7860. Flag Day observance in Hickory Ridge The Hickory Ridge Community Association will sponsor a luncheon for senior citizens from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Flag Day, June 14, at the Hawthorn Center, 6175 Sunny Spring.

Grace Oldfield, 16, of Hickory Ridge, has arranged a series of panel discussions on education and child-rearing for her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest in the Girl Scouts. Oldfield conceived the idea after her minister and project adviser, the Rev. Mary Eliot, assistant rector at Christ Episcopal Church, said she wanted to reach out to parents. "I was looking for a project to do, so I thought that sounded very interesting," she said. Oldfield didn't think she could speak to parents, so she decided to organize a series of panel discussions.

This year's election season for the open Columbia Council seats and for the planned community's village boards was supposed to have been winding down after Saturday's balloting. But the closing of the polls merely extended the drama for Hickory Ridge village. For the second time in its history, the village fell short of the number of voters required to validate its election. "We didn't have a contested race for council, and that usually involves more campaigning," said Jane Parrish, village manager for Hickory Ridge.