Keeping the county at peace
Sheriffs Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson helped keep the peace in the Wild West. Here in not-all-that-wild Howard County, it’s Jim Fitzgerald who wears the sheriff’s badge.Fitzgerald, a resident of Ellicott City who was born in the Bronx, has been our county sheriff since 2006.Unlike other law enforcement positions, just about all of the nation’s 3,080 sheriffs, including... READ MORE
How to make better resolutions
Several years ago, Nancy Menefee Jackson made a New Year’s resolution to “get a handle” on her family’s finances.“It turned out to be a shock,” said the 57-year-old communications manager who lives in Perry Hall. “We owe THAT much?”That sobering realization, however, led Jackson and her husband to start following a budget, significantly pay... READ MORE
Realizing the American dream
There was a time when Mike Diab of Palm Desert had to work for food. As a 21-year-old immigrant from Lebanon with almost no ability in English, he cleaned the parking lot at Wendy’s in exchange for a hamburger. He was not qualified to flip burgers at the restaurant. He did janitorial work at a gym on exchange for a cot to sleep on in the basement.That was 28 years ago. Today in Palm... READ MORE
Not your Uncle Sam’s attic
Dr. David Skorton, the new Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, oversees 19 museums and the National Zoo. A cardiologist and former president of Cornell University, Skorton enjoys getting feedback from visitors and staff about the Smithsonian’s vast holdings.AP Photo/Carolyn KasterOne of the perks of living in the Washington region is our proximity to world-class museums and... READ MORE
‘Novel’ approach to retirement
Stella Adams had planned to become a history teacher after receiving her undergraduate degree from Morgan State University. Instead, she changed gears and, over the next 30-plus years, Adams went on to earn a master’s degree from Towson University and work for the government in a series of analytical, human resources and managerial positions.Now retired, the... READ MORE
Helping obtain housing for all
Charles Townsend, his wife, their 18-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter were left homeless after a fire last winter destroyed their Howard County home. They escaped the fire with nothing but the pajamas they were wearing.The family eventually was referred to the nonprofit organization Bridges to Housing Stability, located in Columbia.Although Townsend (not his real name) had credit... READ MORE
The diversely talented VJ Hume
In October, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume was honored to receive the Sidney Harmon Award during Desert Theatre League’s annual Desert Stars Awards ceremony. The accolade recognizes not only her body of work but also lauds her for the advancement of theatrical excellence, both on and off the stage.“It’s lovely to be recognized by my peers,” says Hume. “And it’s a ... READ MORE
Take a tip from this entrepreneur
If you asked Connie Inukai three years ago where she saw herself in a few years, about the last place the University of Maryland technical writing instructor would have envisioned was on the cable shopping network QVC.But there she was on live TV at 7 a.m. one morning this August, demonstrating the new gadget she invented — the Tip ‘n Split, which calculates tips and evenly... READ MORE
History no longer underground
The slaves were hiding in the so-called “Indian cave” in a rocky embankment across from what is now Harriet Tubman Lane, near the Middle Patuxent River in Columbia. When the pursuing posse saw an intact spider web at the mouth of what is more like a deep crevice, they continued to look elsewhere for the runaways.The spider spinning its web over the mouth of the space after the... READ MORE
Composer ‘paints’ with music
Vivian Adelberg Rudow is an award-winning, internationally recognized composer who got a late start, professionally-speaking.As a young woman, she said, “I had no desire for a career whatsoever. Let’s get one thing totally clear. I got married to be married and to raise a family.”And that she certainly did. Married for almost 60 years to attorney David Rudow, the... READ MORE
