Author: eastbaltco

CCBC Essex Womens Basketball Destroys Montgomery College 107-59


-by Rocco Geppi of CCBC Essex-

It had been nine days since head coach Mike Seney’s team had defeated sibling campus CCBC Catonsville 92-53 to win the 2019 National Title IX Holiday Tournament in Washington, D.C. That was the last time the Knights women’s basketball team was on the floor for a game.

Nine days can be a long time in sports. It can mess with timing, chemistry, and even routines.

“I wasn’t worried,” Seney said. “We had a few good days of practice and we came out like I thought we would. Our team was eager to get back out there.”

It didn’t appear that his squad was worried either, as the Knights continued its conference and regional domination, taking down the Raptors 107-59. It was also Seney’s 89th consecutive win against a Maryland Juco opponent.
Sophomore Mya Moye had a game and career-high 41 points (14-21, 67 percent overall), a game-high nine assists and tied for a game-high six steals. She added four rebounds as well.
“Mya has been taking over more and more of the ball handling duties and she’s been running with that,” Seney said. “Nothing rattles her. She is so poised and that is what [a coach] wants from the guard position.”

The Knights (17-2, 3-0 Maryland Juco) took control of the game early. After failing behind 5-3 at the 7:37 mark, Essex went on a 20-3 run to close out the opening quarter with a 23-8 lead. CCBC Essex was a bit cold in the second quarter, scoring just 16 points on 5-18 (27.8 percent) shooting, but held a 39-25 advantage at the break. Seney and his coaches must have had a great halftime conversation with their student-athletes, as the Knights came out hot in the second half.

The team shot 54.8 percent (23-42) from the field in the second half, including 57.9 percent (11.19) in the third quarter alone.
Freshman Kendal Haggerty (Urbana) was the game’s second leading scorer with 18 points (6-16) and hit 5-of-15 three-point attempts. She also had five rebounds and two steals.

Freshman Trinity Horton, grad of Chesapeake High in Essex had 16 points on 4-8 (50 percent) shooting, which included making 3-of-6 three-point attempts. She pulled down eight rebounds as well. Sophomore Kasey Gagan tied Moye with a game-high six steals. The University of Rhode Island transfer added 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

The Knights’ fifth starter, Rayah Fink, was one-point shy of a double-double. She finished with nine points, a game-high 10 rebounds and had a game-high two blocks. CCBC Essex starters averaged just over 32 minutes played and accounted for 97 of the team’s 107 points.

County Creates Online Tool for Snow Plow Updates


Baltimore County announced a new, online tool for residents to monitor roads during severe snow events. The new Snow Route Status Map, will provide residents a simple, color-coded status of snow plow routes.

“The new online tool is another step in increasing government transparency and will improve the quality of experience we provide residents,” said County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “By providing this information more efficiently, we can help the public better understand where we are working and do more to keep the public safe during storms.”

During large snow events, County offices are often flooded with calls from residents requesting updates on street plowing status. With the new Snow Route Status Map, residents will have increased access to information regarding the salting and plowing of individual snow routes.

The status of each snow route is represented by the following:
Red—Salting and plowing not started
Yellow—Crews at work
Green—Operations complete
Gray—No County salting or plowing service available

The data for the Snow Route Status Map is provided by Baltimore County Department of Public Works crews who send in reports to supervisors, who then log their progress. Approximate plowing times vary by snowfall event.
Visit Baltimore County StormfighterStormfighterStormfighter for more information or to report a storm-related issue. For other reports or requests, please visit BaltCoGo.

Carter of Middle River Middle Named Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy Fellow


Anthony V. Carter, Jr., the career and technical education department chair at Middle River Middle School, has been selected as a 2019–20 Teacher Fellow in the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy.

Carter, a resident of Havre de Grace, is one of 26 middle school science, technology, and engineering teachers receiving this designation from the Northrop Grumman Foundation and the National Science Teaching Association. Chosen from school districts in communities where Northrop Grumman operates across the country, the Teacher Fellows will participate in a variety of science, technology, and engineering-related activities and professional learning opportunities.

“We are excited to welcome this year’s teaching fellows to the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy,” said Stephanie Fitzsimmons, K–12 STEM education programs manager at Northrop Grumman. “These professional educators will embark on a yearlong journey with us and NSTA culminating in a hands-on externship engaging with our engineers and technologists to help build the bridge between their classrooms and our communities.”

“This is truly a remarkable group of educators, dedicated to expanding their knowledge base and improving their teaching skills in order to reach all students,” said NSTA Executive Director Dr. David Evans. “We congratulate this year’s cohort of Teacher Fellows and look forward to supporting them in their efforts to transform STEM education.”

The Teacher Fellows were selected based on several criteria, including displaying a strong desire to advance STEM education and apply real-world applications in the classroom. During their fellowship, recipients will:

• Attend the NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Boston, Massachusetts and pre-conference special events, April 1–5, 2020;
• Participate in a five-day summer workshop at a Northrop Grumman facility in Los Angeles, where they will continue to explore teaching strategies and programs for integrating effective and authentic engineering design practices and workforce skills in their classroom;
• Participate in an immersive, 60–70-hour externship at a local Northrop Grumman facility, where they will be partnered with an engineer/technologist to observe and experience critical workforce skills in action;
• Engage in online professional learning through a comprehensive NSTA membership package which offers a variety of web-based professional learning activities, including a specially designated online learning community;
• Develop classroom materials that integrate an authentic, real-world application linked to the externship experiences; and
• Access resources and develop strategies to share their learning with colleagues so they can build capacity within their schools and districts.

Launched in 2016, the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy was created to help enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence in science, technology, and engineering, while increasing teacher understanding about the skills needed for a scientifically literate workforce.

White Marsh Police Officer Charged With Burglary


Baltimore County Police Officer Frank Wilcox, 35, has been charged with third-degree burglary and second-degree assault. Wilcox is a 17-year veteran of the Baltimore County Police Department. His most recent assignment was at the White Marsh Precinct.

Baltimore County Police responded to the 7400-block of Blevins Avenue in Edgemere on Jan. 6 around 1 p.m. for the report of an assault. The subsequent investigation determined that Wilcox began an argument with the homeowners at this location over a domestic issue, forced his way inside the house, and then pushed the victim. The victim fell to the floor after being pushed.

Other witnesses were able to remove Wilcox from the area prior to police arrival. Wilcox later turned himself into police during the investigation.

“The officers of the Baltimore County Police Department are obligated to not only enforce the law but to uphold the law in both their professional and personal lives. The allegations that have been made in this case are serious and very concerning, they are not representative of the values and ethics of the many officers and professional staff of the Baltimore County Police Department who dedicate their lives to ensuring the safety of others. Mr. Wilcox remains suspended without pay while the judicial process takes place,” said Cpl. Shawn Vinson from the Baltimore County Police Department.

Wilcox is currently being held at the Baltimore County Department of Corrections on a denied bail status.

Two Children Killed in Essex Pedestrian Crash


Baltimore County Police reported that two children were killed in a pedestrian crash in Essex. The accident took place at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 6 on Eastern Boulevard at Orville Road.

Police determined that a 2008 silver BMW 128i was traveling west on Eastern Boulevard when the vehicle struck an adult female and three children who were crossing Eastern Boulevard at the intersection.

Two of the children, ages 5 and 6, were later pronounced deceased at local hospitals. Jhalil Norris, 5, and Jovanni Norris, 6, of the unit-block of Stemmers Run Road in Essex were both pronounced deceased

The adult female and third child, age 9, were taken to local hospitals with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the BMW remained at the scene. More information will be released as the investigation progresses.

Deep Creek Middle teacher Casey Lane Earns National Board Certification


Casey Lane, an English teacher at Deep Creek Middle School, has achieved National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Her new designation brings the total number of National Board-certified teachers in Baltimore County Public Schools to 140.

Lane has received certification in Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood.

In addition, Allison Jackson, an English teacher at Sparrows Point High School, successfully renewed her certification. She is certified in English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood.

BCPS will host a reception to honor Lane and Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 4:30 p.m. The reception will be held in the administration building at BCPS headquarters/Greenwood, 6901 N. Charles St. in Towson.

To achieve National Board Certification, teachers must successfully complete a rigorous, performance-based, peer-review process, demonstrating their proven impact on student learning and achievement.

“I am so proud of the 140 BCPS teachers who have taken the extra steps to become Board-certified,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “Of the more than 3 million public school teachers in the nation, only about 4% can claim this designation. Through their continued education and professional development, Board-certified teachers bring additional expertise to our schools. We are proud of these teachers for serving as role models to fellow educators and for enrichening the academic progress of our students.”

More than 125,000 teachers in the nation have achieved National Board Certification; of these teachers, 3,831 achieved certification and 4,786 renewed certification in 2019.

BCPS teachers are supported during the Board-certification process by a Board-certified teacher, Sandra Skordalos, who provides group and individualized coaching and feedback sessions. In the spring, BCPS will offer a special information session for teachers interested in becoming Board-certified.

“These new National Board Certified Teachers will continue to change the way their students learn, and their proven ability to be the best teachers they can be will have a ripple effect on their schools and their communities for years to come,” said Peggy Brookins, NBCT, president and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. “I’m especially proud to see that large numbers of new NBCTs are teaching in schools where they are needed most. And, with more Board-certified teachers of color, more students of color will see themselves reflected in those high-achieving professionals.”

Parkville Man Arrested and Charged in Reisterstown Fatal Stabbing


Detectives from the Baltimore County Police Homicide Unit have charged a Parkville man in the stabbing death of Irma Lily Garrido Ruiz (43) that occurred on Jan. 3 in the unit block of Woodbench Court in Reisterstown, Maryland.

Detectives’ investigation led to the arrest of Jimmy Foye Sr. (60) of the unit block of Mopec Court, 21234.

He is charged with first degree murder and held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center. Detectives determined that the victim and Foye Sr. were in a relationship and lived together. However, Foye Sr. recently moved out

My Top Ten News Stories in Eastern Baltimore County for the 2010s


Here is my list of the biggest news stories over the past 10 years in eastern Baltimore County. There might have been a few I missed and I’m sorry about that. I know the list won’t please everyone but here it is:

1.Perry Hall High School Shooting
The Perry Hall community will never forget the day the area made the national news for all the wrong reasons. A student shot another student on the first day of school on Aug. 27, 2012 at Perry Hall High School.

Social media and local news outlets were filled with photos of Perry Hall students leaving the school and heading down to Perry Hall Shopping Center as the school evacuated the building. Many worried parents were relieved when they were reunited with their children at the shopping center.

The day started when Robert Gladden Jr., a 9th grader and 15-year old at Perry Hall, went to the school with a 16-gauge shotgun and 21 rounds of ammunition. When he entered the cafeteria, he pulled the gun out. Then school counselor Jesse Wasmer saw Gladden with the gun and quickly tackled him. Gladden did get off two shots during the struggle. The School Resource Officer stepped in and arrested Gladden at the scene.

One of those bullets hit 12th grade student Daniel Borowy. Although the shot was fired randomly in the air during the struggle, Borowy suffered a bruised lung and fractured rib. He would survive and returned to school in November 2012. Gladden pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

That was a sad day and Perry Hall and a huge story watched all over the area and state. That is why I am making it the number one story in eastern Baltimore County for the decade.

2. Killing of Officer Amy Caprio
I hate to list the top two stories of the decade from the Perry Hall area, especially when both stories were devastating and sad for the area, but the death of Officer Amy Caprio on May 21,2018 ranks as the second biggest story of the decade.

Officer Caprio was called to Perry Hall after a suspicious condition was reported on Linwen Way at 1:58 p.m. According to a report from Baltimore County Police, Caprio was given information about a suspect vehicle and a description of the four suspects that could be attempting a burglary. She found the suspect vehicle after an extensive search. The report added that Caprio realized the danger that a confrontation could ensue. She still approached the suspect stopped at the end of the cul-de-sac on Linwen Way. Reports show that the suspect, 16-year-old Dawnta Anthony Harris, refused to listen to Caprio’s request to exit the vehicle, and choose to drive the vehicle towards the officer which resulted fatal injuries. Harris left the scene.
Harris was found guilty of Caprio’s murder by a jury on May 1, 2019 and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole and received 20 years for burglary and five years for theft.

3. The Sale of the North Point Government
Baltimore County trying to sell a piece of land would rank as the third biggest story of the decade. On a December 2012 morning, Baltimore County sent over a release about the North Point Government Center being for sale.
What we learned is that Baltimore County issued its public solicitation for the sale of three parcels of Baltimore County. The Towson Fire Station, The Randallstown Police substation and the Government Center were the three parcels of land. There was not much controversy with the Towson and Randallstown properties but the Government Center in Dundalk was a big fight. The building located on the corner of Wise Avenue and Merritt Boulevard was the home to a junior high school until the early 1980s. Then the land was transferred over to Baltimore County and the building and fields have been used for Baltimore County Recreation and Parks program, the County Council’s office in District 7 and was the home of North Point Police Precinct 12. The police moved over to the old Eastwood Center school.

Baltimore County decided to award the property to Vanguard as their plan was to demolish the government center and to build a small rec. center and use the other side to bring in retailers Chipotle, Panera Bread, Chick-fil-a and Five Guys. The ballfields would remain at the site and there would be retail.

The sale of the Government Center started the creation of Dundalk United. It was group made up of the different rec. programs at the Government Center along with residents who were against the idea of having retail in their backyards.
Members of the Dundalk United received a huge break when it was revealed that since the state of Maryland still held school construction bonds on the property since the 1980s. That meant the Board of Public Works had to approve the project. The late Kevin Kamenetz was trying to sell the property as Baltimore County Executive, but two of the three members of the Board were his political rivals -Republican Governor Larry Hogan and Democratic Comptroller Peter Franchot who battled with Kamenetz over school air conditioning in Baltimore County.

As of late 2019, the North Point Government Center property is still at the corner of Merritt Boulevard and Wise Avenue and many rec programs such as the Sky is the Limit theater remains at the site.

4. President Barack Obama Visits Parkville Middle
I don’t care what side of the aisle that you sit on, when a sitting U.S. President comes to your area it is a big deal. It might be the story of the decade. So why was Barack Obama’s visit to Parkville Middle School only ranked fourth? It was low key and no local media was allowed to go to the event. That meant we didn’t get the great local stories that we received when candidate Hillary Clinton visited the GM Plant in White Marsh in 2008 or when then-candidate Donald Trump visited the Dundalk Boulevard Diner in 2016. Even visits by Governors Martin O’Malley and Larry Hogan to the area created many great stories as our local community members, media and even elected officials were part of the visit. This visit was not the case.
Obama picked Parkville Middle to make an announcement about education priorities for his Federal Government’s 2012 budget and thought Parkville Middle was the perfect choice with the school’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program.
From what I recalled, The Avenue News, East County Times and the local Patch websites were not invited to the event. I am not sure if the local TV stations were allowed at the school during Obama’s visit. A press release was sent out to the local media outlets.
I can understand the security of protecting the President, but it would have been great if the local media and others would have been allowed to attend.
The Avenue News wrote an article a day or two later when Editor Amy Graziano got to go to the school after the President left to interview the teachers and the students that met him but I’m sure it was not the same. It was a story about a story that took place a day earlier.

5. Angel Park is Built by Community
This is one great story that was uplifting and brought a community together. That was the building of Angel Park in Perry Hall.
Yes, this story started off with sadness as Kelli and Andy Szczybor were looking to give back to their community after their son Ryan was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of 6 months old and he later died at 15 months. That lead the Szczybors to want to create a place that children could enjoy and they came up with the creation of Angel Park.
Bill Paulshock of Bill’s Seafood spearheaded the project along with the Szczybors and he announced that Angel Park would be built next to the Perry Hall Library on Honeygo Boulevard. Paulshock also announced that the playground would be under construction from July 8 to July 18 in 2016 and they were seeking volunteers from the community to build the park. That included people with or without experience.
It was reported that over 4,000 people volunteered to help build Angel Park and many of those volunteers return on multiple times on the 10-day construction period. Angel Park added indoor bathrooms a few years later and it is one of the most popular playgrounds in all of Baltimore County.

6. The Closing of the Sparrows Point Steel Mill
The history of the steel mill at Sparrows Point goes back centuries but in May 2012, RG Steel, (owned by Renco Group) announced that it was shutting down the mill. As the Baltimore Sun reported, RG Steel was the last company to own the steel mill, but the list goes back to Pennsylvania Steel all the way back to 1889. Bethlehem Steel, which had over 30,000 employees in the late 50s, bought the steel mill in 1916 for $50 million. They would own the property until they filed for bankruptcy in 2001.
That resulted in multiple owners throughout the steel mill’s final 11 years.

Hilco Trading LLC bought the property from RG in August of 2012. The Baltimore Sun reported that Hilco was a plant liquidator and the company has dismantled industrial properties in the past so everyone knew this was the end of the steel mill in Sparrows Point.
In late 2014, Hilco partner up with a new group called Sparrows Point Terminal, which later became Trade Point Atlantic.

7. Rebirth of Sparrows Point
After the steel mill property was sold to Hilco Trading LLC, that company started to rebuild the area by dismantling steel mill building. Hilco would partner up with a new group called Sparrows Point Terminal, which later became TradePoint Atlantic.

After TradePoint Atlantic took over the site, many new businesses started to locate the old steel mill site. TradePoint prided its location on “Unparalleled Railway Connectivity, Deep Water Port and Direct Highway Access. Some of the businesses that moved into the site include FedEx Ground, Pasha Automotive Services, Harley-Davidson of Baltimore, Access World, Atlantic Forest Products, C. Steinweg, Lafarge Holcim, Under Armour, Amazon and Gotham Greens.

8. Death of Kenwood Student on the Aero Acres Train Tracks
The decade was only five days old, but the death of Anna Marie Stickel on January 5, 2010 was one of the worst tragedies of the 2010s in eastern Baltimore County and probably one of the worst days in the history of Kenwood High School. It was the worst event that I personally covered in my nine-year history as a journalist.

The 14-year-old was walking to school along the railroad tracks near Old Orems Road and Middle River Road when a southbound Amtrak train struck and killed her. Another girl was walking along the tracks with Stickel but was able to get off the tracks safely.

Anna’s death obviously upset the Kenwood High community. I went to the site of the tragedy the next day and many of her friends and classmates where there to pay their respects. There were hearts and teddy bears placed along the train tracks’ gate. The area is still decorated there 10 years later.

After her death, there were concerns that Kenwood students from Aero Acres were still using the tracks to take a short cut to school. There was a request from some Kenwood parents to build a pedestrian bridge over the tracks that would connect Aero Acres to the Middlesex area. That bridge was never built, but a black iron fence was placed along the tracks from Eastern Boulevard to Mace Avenue to replace the worn-out chain-link fence.

9. Paragon Outlets
The White Marsh area had its version of the sale of the North Point Government Center with the near development of the Paragon outlet stores. This project saw opposition from community members, but also had opposition for existing shopping centers such as White Marsh Mall. According to the Baltimore Sun, Paragon Outlet Partners bought an 88-acre site at the corner I-95 and Route 43 for $15.3 million. Paragon’s plan was to build 100 stores and 250 residential units.

The proposal was met with mixed emotions from the community. The Sun reported other members of the community were not happy with the outlet proposal but some wanted that project instead of the original plan that called for 1,200 housing units. There were other residents that did not want the project at all. Some of the opposition came from other retail centers.

White Marsh Mall started a petition drive in opposition of the plan and spent over $500,000 to collect over 26,000 signatures from registered county voters to place a referendum on the 2016 ballot to uphold the zoning law for the Outlets.
The proposal was passed by Baltimore County voters, but the Paragon announced in January 2017 that it had plans to sell the property and the plan for outlet stores was dead.

It was reported in June 2018 that Atapco Properties and Chesapeake Real Estate Group LLC (CREG) bought the property and had plans to turn the site into warehouse space. The Baltimore Sun reported that the idea of warehousing was more lucrative than outlet stores and gave examples of Amazon, FedEx and Under Armour moving into Sparrows Point. As of April 2019, Atapco and CREG reported that construction began on a two-building project. The first-phase of the project is expected to be completed in 2020.

10. War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebration
The Dundalk Patapsco Neck Historical Society and Museum kicked off their celebration of the 200 years anniversary of the War of 1812 in 2012.

Defenders Day has been an annual tradition on Labor Day weekend as reenactments are always held on Labor Day Sunday at Fort Howard Park. In 2013 & 2014, the Maryland War Of 1812 Bicentennial Commission asked Defenders Day Chairman Harry Young to move their day back to the second weekend of September where it became a two-day event. This would accommodate other events at Fort McHenry so the War of 1812 events were promoting and not competing with each other. Defenders Day moved back to it one day slot back on Labor Day in 2015 and the event was still going strong in 2019.

Battle Acre Park on Old North Point Road had been a quiet landmark in the area for almost 200 years. In September 2014, the area was flooded with excitement as soldiers reenacted the six mile walk from Patterson Park to Battle Acre. After the march, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and other dignitaries met at the site for a celebration.
Battle Acre did become the center of controversy when the historic wrought-iron gates at the front of the park was stolen and allegedly scrapped in June 2014. An arrest was made in August before the festivities.

The final piece of the War of 1812 Celebration took place in 2015 when the Maryland Natural Department of Resources official opened the 9- acre North Point Battlefield at the end of Trappe Road. The state of Maryland bought the vacant Trappe Road field from Mars Supermarket in 2006.

Former BCPS Superintendent Dr. Joe A. Hairston Dies


Baltimore County Public Schools reported that former Superintendent Joe A. Hairston died on Saturday Dec. 28 at the age of 71.

“Team BCPS, we are saddened to hear of the death of former Superintendent Dr. Joe Hairston,” said BCPS Chief of Staff Mychael Dickerson in a tweet on Saturday.

“I spoke with Mrs. Hairston just moments ago and she wanted the information shared with the BCPS community. Our prayers are with Dr. Hairston’s Family and all our staff who worked with him.”

Hairston was the first African American BCPS Superintendent and served in the top BCPS position for 12 years until 2012. Current BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams issued a statement on the passing of Hairston.

“On behalf of the entire Baltimore County Public Schools community, I express condolences to the family of Dr. Joe A. Hairston. While I did not have the opportunity to work with Dr. Hairston, I greatly appreciated him meeting with me earlier this year as I was getting to know the community<" Williams said, "For 12 years, Dr. Hairston served as superintendent of Baltimore County schools. With every action, he exuded the “quiet confidence" that he often advocated, and he worked to ensure high-quality education for every child regardless of race or zip code. Under his leadership, as the school system grew and became more diverse, academic achievement and graduation rates remained strong. Advanced Placement exam participation almost tripled. Dr. Hairston’s noteworthy innovations include establishing a virtual learning environment at Chesapeake High School (believed to be the first of its kind in the nation); forming key partnerships with the College Board and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) to promote college attendance; and launching the school system’s first school-wide STEM academy. "But his strongest mark on Baltimore County Public Schools was his recognition of the “seismic shifts" coming in education and his devotion to every child. “All means all" was his mantra, his commitment, and his goal. He will be missed, but his legacy lives on in the lives of every student, educator, and community member who benefited from his service."

Rosedale Motorcyclist Killed in Christmas Eve Accident


Baltimore County Police responded to a motorcycle crash the on-ramp of White Marsh Boulevard from the northbound lane of Belair Road in Fullerton on Tuesday, Dec. 24 at 4:45 p.m.

Police were able to determine that a 2018 Triumph motorcycle was traveling north on Belair Road, then entered the ramp leading to White Marsh Boulevard. The driver lost control, struck the curb, and was ejected from the motorcycle. He was transported to a local hospital but was later pronounced deceased.

The driver has been identified as Anthony John-Ryan Heilker, 27, of the unit-block of Leatherwood Place in Rosedale. No other vehicles were involved in the crash. Police are continuing their investigation at this time.