Odum

Philip Kirsch of Wilde Lake won a new one-year term on the Columbia Association's 10-member board of directors in the planned town's only contested CA board election this year. Facing Linda Odum, a real estate agent he beat by very narrow margins in each of the last two years, Kirsch widened the gap in a 415-268 vote election, village officials said. The election was seen as important because Kirsch has represented a community-oriented outlook more common among older residents of the village, while Odum took a more developer/business-friendly approach.

Philip Kirsch of Wilde Lake won a new one-year term on the Columbia Association's 10-member board of directors in the planned town's only contested CA board election this year. Facing Linda Odum, a real estate agent he beat by very narrow margins in each of the last two years, Kirsch widened the gap in a 415-268 vote election, village officials said. The election was seen as important because Kirsch has represented a community-oriented outlook more common among older residents of the village, while Odum took a more developer/business-friendly approach.

On August 16, 2008, NAOMI M. ODUM (Miss Lee); beloved mother of Donna Ferate, Dawn Odum, Phyllis Herd, Denise Herd, and Raymond Herd; loving grandmother of Megan Ferate, Camelia Webster, Felicia Herd, Beth Herd, and Jasmine Herd; loving great-grandmother of Nevaeh Herd. Also survived by other loving relatives and friends. We will all miss her very much. Services and entombment to be held at Glen Haven Memorial Park, 7215 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061 on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 12 Noon.

The idea of limiting package goods liquor store licenses by statute in Howard County did not survive the General Assembly's 90-day session, but the spirit of the local bill may have. Instead of a bill that decreed no more than one carry-out liquor store per 2,600 residents in each of the five county planning districts, the bill unanimously approved by the full General Assembly requires the county's Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board to specifically address the need and community desire for a new store, the number and location of existing licenses, and the impact a new store might have on traffic, crime, parking and general public health and safety.

To Linda Odum, representative democracy isn't about where you live. Odum, 61, is running for re-election to the Long Reach village seat on the Columbia Council, but she is planning to move to Wilde Lake village before her two-year term would end. Her opponent is questioning her likely distance from her constituents, but Odum argues she is qualified to represent Long Reach, regardless of where she lives. Odum, the council vice chairwoman, pointed out that she has lived in Columbia for 32 years - 13 of those in Long Reach.

The two Long Reach residents vying for the only contested seat on the Columbia Council last night debated concerns raised by residents, ranging from covenant enforcement to the homeowners association governing process. Linda Odum and David Hlass, who are seeking to represent Long Reach village for two years on the council, fielded questions before an audience of 15 last night at Stonehouse, where the election will be held April 26. Odum, 61, is the council's vice chairwoman and is seeking her second term on the 10-member panel, which governs the 95,000-resident Columbia Association and also serves as its board of directors.

It is a quiet election year in Columbia - no heavy campaigning, one lone contested race for the Columbia Council and no major controversies. When residents go to the polls Saturday, there will be choices only in Long Reach, for council candidates, and in Oakland Mills, for the village board. All the other races are uncontested. Only eight of the 10 villages are holding elections - Town Center and Owen Brown canceled theirs because of the uncontested village board races. The candidates seeking those positions will be appointed to the boards.

In yesterday's Columbia Council elections, the council's vice chairwoman, who plans to move to another village, was beaten by a challenger who was backed by a group advocating significant changes in the Columbia Association's operations. David Hlass defeated Linda Odum, 411-240, to represent the Long Reach village in the only contested race for the 10- member council, which governs the 95,000-resident homeowners association. "I'm elated," Hlass said. "I'm very honored and very humbled to be able to serve the people of Long Reach village."

The Columbia Council elected Miles Coffman as its chairman last night, beginning a new term for the conflict-torn council that one member said she hopes will mark a "fresh start." The council voted unanimously to appoint Coffman, of Hickory Ridge, to the volunteer position. No other council members were nominated for the role. "I think I'd bring a perspective of one who works hard and understands the issues," Coffman said. "And I'll try to be fair - I think that's the biggest issue." Coffman, a 17-year Columbia resident, is in his third one-year term on the council.

Eugene Odum, 88, a former University of Georgia professor who helped advance the science of ecology and the concept of an integrated ecosystem, died Saturday at his Athens, Ga., home.

On August 16, 2008, NAOMI M. ODUM (Miss Lee); beloved mother of Donna Ferate, Dawn Odum, Phyllis Herd, Denise Herd, and Raymond Herd; loving grandmother of Megan Ferate, Camelia Webster, Felicia Herd, Beth Herd, and Jasmine Herd; loving great-grandmother of Nevaeh Herd. Also survived by other loving relatives and friends. We will all miss her very much. Services and entombment to be held at Glen Haven Memorial Park, 7215 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061 on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 12 Noon.

Kevin Everett signed about 300 autographs last night at the Ed Block Courage Awards banquet at Martin's West. Afterward, he waggled his tired right wrist and smiled. It was, he said, a good hurt. "That was a workout - for my hand," said Everett, the Buffalo Bills tight end who fractured his spine in a football game in September - an injury initially believed likely to leave him paralyzed. But Everett is recovering, and though he'll never play football again, he has become a hero to others.

Reathel Odum, 97, a bank clerk who was chosen by Sen. Harry S. Truman during the Depression to be one of his secretaries and later served in the White House as personal secretary to Bess Truman, has died in her hometown of Benton, Ill. Miss Odum died June 6, but news of her death was not released for several weeks, said her nephew, Richard Odum Hart. In 17 years with the Trumans - including two years chaperoning their daughter, Margaret, when she was making tours as an aspiring classical singer - Miss Odum became close to the family.

Manekins receive achievement award Bernard and Harold Manekin, founders of Manekin LLC, have received a Lifetime Achievement Award for their real estate accomplishments and their service to the community from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. The brothers, now ages 92 and 89, respectively, founded the Manekin Corp. in 1946. The company, a commercial real estate and land-development firm with headquarters in Columbia, has built high-rises, suburban midrises, flex/R&D (research and development)

In yesterday's Columbia Council elections, the council's vice chairwoman, who plans to move to another village, was beaten by a challenger who was backed by a group advocating significant changes in the Columbia Association's operations. David Hlass defeated Linda Odum, 411-240, to represent the Long Reach village in the only contested race for the 10- member council, which governs the 95,000-resident homeowners association. "I'm elated," Hlass said. "I'm very honored and very humbled to be able to serve the people of Long Reach village."

It is a quiet election year in Columbia - no heavy campaigning, one lone contested race for the Columbia Council and no major controversies. When residents go to the polls Saturday, there will be choices only in Long Reach, for council candidates, and in Oakland Mills, for the village board. All the other races are uncontested. Only eight of the 10 villages are holding elections - Town Center and Owen Brown canceled theirs because of the uncontested village board races. The candidates seeking those positions will be appointed to the boards.

Manekins receive achievement award Bernard and Harold Manekin, founders of Manekin LLC, have received a Lifetime Achievement Award for their real estate accomplishments and their service to the community from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. The brothers, now ages 92 and 89, respectively, founded the Manekin Corp. in 1946. The company, a commercial real estate and land-development firm with headquarters in Columbia, has built high-rises, suburban midrises, flex/R&D (research and development)

Kevin Everett signed about 300 autographs last night at the Ed Block Courage Awards banquet at Martin's West. Afterward, he waggled his tired right wrist and smiled. It was, he said, a good hurt. "That was a workout - for my hand," said Everett, the Buffalo Bills tight end who fractured his spine in a football game in September - an injury initially believed likely to leave him paralyzed. But Everett is recovering, and though he'll never play football again, he has become a hero to others.

Oust `absentee' Odum in council election The Sun article, "Odum seeks re-election despite plans to move" (April 11), shows what lengths certain people will go to try to hang on to their positions on the Columbia Council. Long Reach residents are appalled that the village's current representative, Linda Odum, thinks that she should continue to represent Long Reach even though she intends to move away to Wilde Lake. It's bad enough that she wants to be an "absentee" representative, but she recently tried to get Wilde Lake officials to bend the village architectural rules so that she could put up a fence that would have been incompatible with the area around her new house.

To Linda Odum, representative democracy isn't about where you live. Odum, 61, is running for re-election to the Long Reach village seat on the Columbia Council, but she is planning to move to Wilde Lake village before her two-year term would end. Her opponent is questioning her likely distance from her constituents, but Odum argues she is qualified to represent Long Reach, regardless of where she lives. Odum, the council vice chairwoman, pointed out that she has lived in Columbia for 32 years - 13 of those in Long Reach.