Author: eastbaltco

160 Foot Pole Takes Photos of Communities


Do you want a bird’s eye view of your neighborhood? How about a 160 foot high pole view of your community?

James Lingg is a photographer that has taken 3D photos from a high point with a 160 foot pole.

Honeygo Village in Perry Hall.

“The equirectangular photos we feature on our website and Facebook page are shots using a combination of special optics, real world mechanics and some digital manipulation after the fact. Many devices can take 360 spherical panoramas like these, including cell phones, drones and specialized cameras with multiple lenses,” Lingg told East BaltCo News.

“Not many have witnessed our unorthodox method for taking our popular photos.., and we like it that way. Part of the joy of the 160 foot pole is the way it captures the imagination.”

According to Lingg, he is an independent producer/editor and has worked in the TV/film profession for over 25 years. He taught at the Sheffield Institute and worked in lasers at Image Engineering, Inc.

“Like many out-of-work production pros, I was looking for a way to fill my free time, stay safe and socially distant, but Still keep active, connected and sane until work picks up again,” Lingg said.

“So, I started taking photos of the neighborhood, discovered just the right height to get the most compelling views- and then I learned how to stitch them together. I started publishing the photos on [Facebook] in September.”

A view of Essex from Kenwood High School

Lingg has place his photos on local neighborhood Facebook pages. He has taking photos all over eastern Baltimore County and beyond.

He started off in hometown of Dundalk photographing multiple communities in that area. He has also went out to Middle River, Parkville, Towson, Perry Hall and the Inner Harbor to take aerial footage of those communities.

“The response to the Facebook page has been overwhelmingly positive. Folks enjoy seeing local sites from a new perspective. The photos are fun to interact with… panning around and zooming, but intentionally lacking any rich detail so as to respect privacy,” Lingg explained.

“The focus of the photography is to highlight and celebrate the beauty of the community. Some folks have made special requests that the 160 Foot Pole go up in their neighborhood next.”

Fullerton Field in Overlea

One secret that Lingg wants to keep is the identity of the pole. He respectively declined a request to share a photo of his camera.

He did share that his photographs are classified as “elevated photograph” and wants to see how long he can hide his 160 foot pole camera from the community.

“We have not yet decided to publish any photographs of our mechanism at work. Honestly, the mystery is more fun. One day, someone will photograph us and the world will know,” Linng said with a smile.

For more information on 160 Foot Pole and to see more photos in paramonic view go to, www.facebook.com/160footpole

Arrests Made in Kingsville Political Incident


Baltimore County police released more information about the incident in 11000 block of Cedar Lane in Kingsville on Saturday.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the victims, adult males, drove past the intersection of Cedar Lane and Mt. Vista Road with a political campaign sign in the back of their truck while the suspect put up a political campaign sign on his property.

The victim honked his horn several times at the suspect. The suspect picked up a shotgun and discharged it as they drove by. The victims drove to a safe location and called police. No one was injured and the truck was not damaged.

Douglas Edward Kuhn (50) of the 11000 block of Cedar Lane, 21087 was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and various other charges.

He is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on a no bail status pending a bail review hearing.

Gun Shots Fired at Election Volunteers


Councilman David Marks reported that two Republican volunteers had gun shots fired at them as they were placing election signs in Kingsville, MD on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17.

“Neal Houk and his son Bradley Lang were fired upon while driving to their next spot as they put up election signs in Kingsville, near Mount Vista Road and Cedar Lane,” Marks said.

Neither were hurt. Lang is a member of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee and Marks reported a suspect was detained and questioned by police.

Mark said this incident was unexpectable.

“We are not used to this type of violence in our area, where Democratic and Republican elected officials tend to collaborate on local issues and respectfully disagree where there is a difference of opinion, ” Mark said in a statement.

“Freedom of expression belongs to all, and all should practice it without fear.”

BCPS Addresses Inappropriate Audio During Meeting


The Board of Education of Baltimore County and Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams released the following statement regarding Inappropriate Audio that could be heard on it Tuesday, Oct. 13 virtual online meeting. There were media reports of possibly pornographic moaning during the meeting.

“The Board of Education of Baltimore County and Superintendent are very concerned about the incident that occurred near the end of the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night when inappropriate audio was heard by those in attendance at this virtual meeting. The Board officers, Kathleen Causey and Julie Henn, have consulted with the Superintendent, Board counsel, and have contacted the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education to investigate.

The information available at this time indicates that numerous individuals, in addition to board members, were online at the time. We do not know if someone hacked the meeting; however, that will be part of any investigation.

Recordings of Board meetings constitute the official record. As advised by Board counsel, the Board directed that the inappropriate portion be deleted from the publicly available recording, but has directed the Superintendent and his staff to preserve the original recorded version for further inspection as part of any investigation.

We regret that this incident occurred and are looking at what steps can be taken in the future so nothing like this occurs again.”

Family Halloween Events in Eastern Baltimore County


Here is a list of public Halloween events in Eastern Baltimore County. It appears that all events are free and family friendly. All events are following COVID-19 safety protocols. There are probably many more. If your organization is hosting a free and kid friendly Halloween event, please contact us at eastbaltco@gmail.com so we can add your event to our list.

Sunday, Oct. 18

Dundalk Merchants In The Park Halloween

Support Soup For A Soul and the merchants of Dundalk Village & over 60 vendors of Merchants In The Park.
Trick-or-Treating is allowed with an adult with merchants & participating stores from 11am – 2pm. Vendor event is 10am – 3pm. Food will be available also.

The 4th Merchant’s In The Park event will take place Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10am – 3pm. This time bring your children between 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and have them dressed up in a costume to receive a treat from each of the vendor tables and participating Merchants in Dundalk Village Shopping Center.
**OVER 60 VENDORS WILL BE PARTICIPATING!**

Most importantly don’t forget to bring donations for Soup For The Soul & purchase raffle tickets from them to win items from all of our AWESOME VENDORS/CRAFTERS.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Everyone must wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Friday, Oct. 23

Boo Drive Thru at Honeygo Park
Baltimore County Department of Rec, and Parks will hold a Boo Drive Thru on Friday Oct. 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Honeygo Regional Park in Perry Hall. This event celebrates Halloween with a drive-though style. Local organizations will pass out prepackages bags to families in vehicles.

Saturday, Oct. 24

Fort Howard Trunk or Treat
The Fort Howard Haunted Dungeons will hold a park wide trunk or treat on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 2 to 5 p.m. Fort Howard park 9500 North Point Road. Social distancing measures will be in place. Participates must wear a mask / face covering while in the park where social distancing is not possible and during the event. It is free event.

Friday, Oct. 30
Eastpoint Mall Trunk or Treat
Eastpoint Mall will hold Trunk or Treat from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the overflow parking lot off of North Point Blvd (between JCPenney and Burlington)
This is in partnership with Eastern Regional Lions, Dundalk Optimist Club, Holabird Middle PTSA & Dangerously Delicious Pies
All patrons and participants will be required to wear face masks at all times throughout the event.

Saturday, Oct. 31

Dundalk Post 38 Trunk or Treat

Post 38 is having a ‘Trunk-or-Treat’ event on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 3 – 6 p.m. for all the little ghosts and ghouls in our community. This will be a great and safe way for our kids to enjoy Halloween, come in costume, load up on great candy, play games, sit on a prop Electric Chair and other surprises.
We invite parents, our neighbors and local businesses to come with trunks full of candy (commercial wrapped only please) to distribute. You can decorate your vehicle and come in costume (we will have a contest for best decorated car!)
The event will be held in the Parking Lot and Outdoor Patio of Post 38 at 3300 Dundalk Ave.
Call 443-421-5001 or 410-288-2297 for more info.
Cars with candy should arrive by 2:30 pm to setup. Of course we will be observing all COVID-19 safety protocols.

Berkshire Student Earns 1st place in Virtual Gallery


Isabella Heinerichs, a Grade 3 student at Berkshire Elementary School in Dundalk, earned the first place – elementary level award for her entry, “Tree of Life,” in the 2020 Fall Virtual Student Artwork Exhibition, presented by the First Lady’s Art Gallery.

For her honor, Heinerichs was awarded a governor’s citation, a medal, and an art supply gift certificate.

Heinerichs’ work and “Shoes” by Kelsey Anders, a Grade 8 student at Ridgely Middle School, are the two artworks representing Baltimore County Public Schools in the exhibition, which features two pieces of student artwork from each Maryland jurisdiction.

Each year, the Maryland State Department of Education works with its partners and with Maryland First Lady Yumi Hogan to host bi-annual statewide student artwork competitions and exhibitions. Most years, the art is displayed in the House of Delegates building in Annapolis.

SAT Exam to be Held at 10 BCPS High Schools


The College Board’s SAT exam will be offered at 10 Baltimore County Public Schools high schools as National Administration Test Sites on Saturday, Dec. 5.

BCPS is opening facilities at the following schools for the weekend SAT:

Catonsville High School, 421 Bloomsbury Ave., 21228
Eastern Technical High School, 1100 Mace Ave., 21221
Hereford High School, 17301 York Rd., 21120
Kenwood High School, 501 Stemmers Run Rd., 21221
Loch Raven High School, 1212 Cowpens Ave., 21286
Milford Mill Academy, 3800 Washington Ave., 21244
New Town High School, 4931 New Town Blvd., 21117
Parkville High School, 2600 Putty Hill Ave., 21234
Perry Hall High School, 4601 Ebenezer Rd., 21236
Randallstown High School, 4000 Offutt Rd., 21133

Students interested in taking the test at one of these sites must register by Thursday, Nov. 5, on the College Board website. Early registration is recommended as these sites will be open for all area students, not just BCPS students. Information on fees and fee waivers also can be found on the College Board website. Fee waivers are available to certain Grade 11 and 12 students from low-income families.

Information about precautions being taken to protect students during testing related to COVID-19 can be found on the College Board website.

Man Injured in Dundalk Shooting


Baltimore County Police are investigating a shooting in Dundalk that left one man injured.

Police responded to the 7000 block of Dunmanway on Monday at 9:41 p.m. for a call of a shooting. Arriving officers found the victim, an adult male, suffering gunshot wounds to the upper and lower body.

He was transported to a local hospital.

Detectives from the Baltimore County Police Violent Crimes Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting and ask anyone who may have information to contact them by calling 410-307-2020. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward when submitting tips through Metro Crime Stoppers.

Eastside Counselors Named Best for Elementary, Middle & High Schools


The Baltimore County Association for Counseling and Development has named its 2020 school counselors and school counseling advocate of the year.

The association has presented the following honors:

Chapel Hill Elementary School’s Silvana Alsamadi – Elementary School Counselor of the Year
Sparrows Point Middle School’s Robin Taylor-Chadwick – Middle School Counselor of the Year
Perry Hall High School’s Stephanie Campbell – High School Counselor of the Year

Silvana Alsamadi
Alsamadi, school counselor at Chapel Hill Elementary School, provides individual counseling, special issues group counseling, classroom guidance lessons, and mediation of peer issues. She collaborates with teachers, staff, and parents, participates in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, and completes classroom observations. She contributes to her professional community by publishing articles – on topics such as screening tests for emotional problems and the need for gay-straight alliances in rural high schools – and facilitating presentations on topics related to welcoming Muslim students and parents.

In nominating Alsamadi, Chapel Hill Elementary Principal Nancy Hill wrote: “I find Mrs. Alsamadi’s most important and valuable quality the way she forms trusting relationships with students and parents, teachers and staff, and the administration. She leads with her heart, and her kindness, empathy, and true love of students shine through with every word she speaks and every action she takes to help our students (and staff).“

Robin Taylor-Chadwick
Taylor-Chadwick, school counseling department chair at Sparrows Point Middle School, is a leader on the school’s equity team, provided fundamental support in developing the school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), led the implementation of restorative circles, and created an advisory program, specialized small groups, and successful mentoring programs. She guides students through the high school magnet school application process, organizes the school’s annual career day, and facilitates a program that helps families in need during the holidays.

“This school year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Taylor-Chadwick’s leadership brought our teachers and staff together by keeping our students at the center of our decisions and leading with the heart first….,” wrote Sparrows Point Middle Principal Jennifer Gounaris. “During these unprecedented times, she supported school, community, and family partnerships by integrating academics, social emotional learning, family support, health, and safety throughout the school closure. This has included facilitating difficult conversations about making assumptions as to why a student may not be logging on for classes or submitting work and how that can lead to unhealthy judgments about a student and his or her family. As a woman of color in a majority white school, Ms. Taylor-Chadwick’s passion and conviction demonstrate true courage. Her authenticity, coupled with the relationships she has built, create conditions in which this message can be heard, and true change can occur. As a result, our most marginalized students feel that they belong, have adults who care about them, and have diverse opportunities in our building.“

Stephanie Campbell
Campbell, a school counselor at Loch Raven and Perry Hall high schools, was nominated by Kelly A. O’Brien Guerra, a parent of 2019 and 2020 Loch Raven High graduates and a Baltimore City Schools educator. Guerra describes Campbell as “without a doubt … the best counselor that I have ever met or worked with.”

In her nomination, Guerra wrote, “On March 15, 2020, due to COVID-19, the world stopped, and with it so did many students’ aspirations for the future. As the parent of a 2020 graduate from Loch Raven High school, … I can attest that Ms. Campbell went above and beyond her duty as a counselor by constantly reaching out to her students, not only regarding their college applications, but also to check on their mental and emotional health…. This year has been an extremely emotional year for the students and parents in the Class of 2020. However, thanks to Ms. Campbell, countless students now feel much more secure in such an insecure time.”

Guerra credits Campbell for offering extraordinary support in helping both her daughter and stepdaughter with their college choices and acceptances and for working diligently to educate underclassmen and their parents. Guerra wrote: “She understood as a mother does: that children’s’ futures are at stake.”

Nieves, the 2020 School Counseling Advocate of the Year, is the executive director of the BCPS Department of Social-Emotional Support.