Aberdeen Council Votes 3 – 2 In Favor Of Racism: Choosing Exclusionary Zoning Over Workforce Housing

By Dave Yensan

On Monday, August 12th, the Aberdeen City Council voted to impose “draconian” standards for future townhouse development. The Planning and Zoning Commission began working on this ordinance in late 2006, but was told that it would not get past the City Council as the three needed votes would not be there. Continue reading Aberdeen Council Votes 3 – 2 In Favor Of Racism: Choosing Exclusionary Zoning Over Workforce Housing

Sobriety Checkpoint In Aberdeen On Friday Aims To Curb Drinking and Driving

Sobriety Checkpoint Scheduled

(Aberdeen, MD – August 25, 2008) As part of their continuing efforts to curb incidents of drinking and driving, Harford County Sheriff’s deputies and the Aberdeen Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint on Friday August 29, 2008.

The checkpoint is grant funded by the Harford County Highway Safety Office and the Maryland Highway Safety Office. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Aberdeen Police Department in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Mid-Atlantic Region, state and local transportation and law enforcement agencies from the Mid-Atlantic States are continuing Checkpoint Strikeforce, the nation’s border-to-border sobriety checkpoint initiative.

The checkpoint is an ongoing enforcement action to remove impaired drivers from our county roads. Assistance will be provided by the Maryland State Highway Administration and representatives from MADD will also be in attendance.

“We encourage people to plan ahead and select a designated driver or plan for alternative transportation,” said Sgt. Joseph VanSeeters, Supervisor of the Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit.

For more information about Checkpoint Strikeforce contact the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit at 410-692-7872 or visit the Checkpoint Strikeforce website at www.checkpointstrikeforce.net.

Conroy Scholarship Fully Funded For All Applicants on Waiting List

Delegate Susan McComas’ office tells The Dagger that the Conroy scholarships, for the families of injured or fallen law enforcement officers and fire fighters as well as 9/11 victims who have fallen in the line of duty, will be fully funded.

On Monday, August 25, letters were mailed to all 40 applicants for the scholarship, who had been previously promised the financial assistance only to recently find out the state’s funding allocation for the program had run dry. Continue reading Conroy Scholarship Fully Funded For All Applicants on Waiting List

A Harford County Real Estate Snapshot: Comparison of sales from 2007 to 2008

Using the MRIS search available on the Baltimore Sun’s website, The Dagger was able to gather home sales data which compares the market conditions from the first half of 2007 to the first half of 2008.

At first glance, it appears that Edgewood and Forest Hill have been hit the hardest by the real estate slump.   Could Edgewood’s decline be due to the increase in violence (or at least it’s media coverage)?  Maybe it’s just because a large townhouse development opened in early 2007?  What about Forest Hill?  Were the homes overpriced compared to the surrounding areas that did not experience similar price drops?

21001, ABERDEEN

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     135
Average price:     $217478
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     89
Average price:     $211860
Price change:     -3%
Sales change:     -34%

21009, ABINGDON

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     345
Average price:     $265622
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     249
Average price:     $267964
Price change:     1%
Sales change:     -28%

21013, BALDWIN

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     19
Average price:     $541863
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     12
Average price:     $491667
Price change:     -9%
Sales change:     -37%

21014, BEL AIR

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     259
Average price:     $314371
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     193
Average price:     $297750
Price change:     -5%
Sales change:     -25%

21015, BEL AIR

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     198
Average price:     $348574
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     151
Average price:     $322559
Price change:     -7%
Sales change:     -24%

21017, BELCAMP

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     66
Average price:     $234173
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     56
Average price:     $227218
Price change:     -3%
Sales change:     -15%

21040, EDGEWOOD

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     212
Average price:     $186336
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     82
Average price:     $173370
Price change:     -7%
Sales change:     -61%

21047, FALLSTON

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     52
Average price:     $474150
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     40
Average price:     $466568
Price change:     -2%
Sales change:     -23%

21050, FOREST HILL

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     134
Average price:     $373055
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     80
Average price:     $348473
Price change:     -7%
Sales change:     -40%

21078, HAVRE DE GRACE

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     87
Average price:     $312271
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     65
Average price:     $306159
Price change:     -2%
Sales change:     -25%

21084, JARRETTSVILLE

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     25
Average price:     $399420
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     18
Average price:     $408749
Price change:     2%
Sales change:     -28%

21085, JOPPA

January - June 2007
Number of sales:     76
Average price:     $282438
January - June 2008
Number of sales:     61
Average price:     $260143
Price change:     -8%
Sales change:     -20%

All ZIP codes with at least 10 sales in the first six months of 2008 as well as the first six months of 2007 are included.

Aberdeen Woman Shot During Fight Early Sunday Morning

Deputies Investigate Shooting in Aberdeen

(Aberdeen, MD – August 24, 2008) – Harford County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the shooting of a 36 year old woman which occurred early Sunday morning.

At approximately 4:48 am deputies responded to a 911 call in reference to a fight and possible shooting in the 200 block of Perrywood Court, Aberdeen, MD. Harford County Sheriff’s deputies determined Keesha Angela Watson, of the 200 block of Mayberry Drive, Aberdeen, MD sustained a gunshot wound to her upper torso.

At this time, deputies have not determined if Watson was a bystander or involved in the altercation. Watson was treated by members of the Aberdeen Volunteer Fire Department and transported by Maryland State Police Medivac to Shock Trauma in Baltimore for life threatening injuries.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to contact the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division at 410-836-5442.

Additionally Harford County Crime Solvers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the shooting. To be eligible for the reward, tipsters must call the 24-hour tip-line at 1-888-540-TIPS. Callers do not have to give their name nor appear in court. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Police Survivor’s Story to Air on Fox 45, Legislators Ask Governor O’Malley to Fund Scholarships for Fallen Heroes

Prompted by information first made public on The Dagger, Fox 45 News (Channel 15) will air a story on tonight’s 10 p.m. broadcast about the plight of Lynne Parry, widow of Baltimore Police Detective Sergeant Mark F. Parry. Lynne’s son was denied college tuition assistance intended for police survivors when the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Fund ran out of money, leaving a total of 40 deserving families out in the cold. Continue reading Police Survivor’s Story to Air on Fox 45, Legislators Ask Governor O’Malley to Fund Scholarships for Fallen Heroes

You Snooze, You Lose: New Harford County Zoning Code To Be Revealed Aug. 19

By Mort

You snooze – you lose, and most of us snooze through anything about Harford’s Zoning Code. The rude wake-up call occurs when you learn your home or neighborhood is about to be harmed because of what is – or equally important, what isn’t – in the zoning code. Continue reading You Snooze, You Lose: New Harford County Zoning Code To Be Revealed Aug. 19

FOP Lashes Out At Aberdeen Councilwoman Elliott For Questioning Police Take Home Vehicle Policy

In a strongly worded letter issued Monday, August 18, the Harford County Municipal Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 128 criticizes Aberdeen City Councilwoman Ruth Elliott for her recent suggestion to abolish the Aberdeen Police Department’s take home vehicle policy.

Not only does the FOP Lodge 128 refute Elliott’s suggestion as “disturbing,” “absurd” and an “attack” on the men and women of the Aberdeen Police Department, but the organization launches a vicious rebuttal of its own - asserting the city might be able to save money if it didn’t have to foot the bill for the councilwoman’s frequent out-of-town trips and legal expenses due to her ethics violations. Continue reading FOP Lashes Out At Aberdeen Councilwoman Elliott For Questioning Police Take Home Vehicle Policy

Sen. Harris, Del. Jennings Give Scholarship Aid to Family of Fallen Hero - Harford Del. McComas Calls For More Funding

Help is on the way for the family of fallen Baltimore County Police Detective Sergeant Mark F. Parry.

As Del. Susan McComas relays in the following letter, Baltimore County Sen. Andy Harris and Del. J.B. Jennings were able to use unallocated portions of their legislative scholarship funds to help Lynne Parry pay for her children’s college tuition Continue reading Sen. Harris, Del. Jennings Give Scholarship Aid to Family of Fallen Hero - Harford Del. McComas Calls For More Funding

The Sad Competition: Survivors Of Officers Killed Or Injured On Duty Vie For Limited State Dollars

In the following Letter to The Dagger, Lynne Parry tells a compelling story about her life as a police survivor and her frustrating personal experience with the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship program, which was designed to assist the families of fallen heroes with the cost of college in Maryland. When Lynne’s sons were put on the Scholarship’s waiting list for lack of state funding, she reached out to elected officials for help. Continue reading The Sad Competition: Survivors Of Officers Killed Or Injured On Duty Vie For Limited State Dollars

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