Hot Mess, Zūm Express: A Retrospective Look at Some Root Causes of an Avoidable Howard County School System Calamity

A retrospective look at how years of poor school transportation planning and decades of shortsighted, unsustainable residential overdevelopment policies by the Howard County government have led to and exacerbated the current HCPSS school bus transportation crisis.

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“Zum”ing Off a Cliff: Howard County School Bus Debacle Exposes Deep HCPSS Leadership Issues

A look at the history of the current Howard County school bus disaster with Zum Services, Inc. and how this situation is just the latest of many leadership issues that have plagued HCPSS in recent years under the tenure of Superintendent Michael Martirano.

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For the 300th time, “I don’t recall!” – The Concerningly Consistent Deposition of County Executive Calvin Ball’s Executive Liaison, Election Campaign Manager & Public Information “Gatekeeper”

An initial examination of the legal deposition of Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s Executive Liaison & election campaign manager, given as part of a lawsuit that resulted from her wrongly denying the public release of hundreds of emails related to correspondence between the members of the Ball Administration and a private land use attorney & developer lobbyist.

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Howard County Executive Calvin Ball Hired and Generously Paid Family Member Who Wrongly Denied the Public Release of Hundreds of Emails Exchanged with Developer Lobbyist

An investigation of how Howard County Executive Calvin Ball hired and gave unusually generous pay increases over three years to his family member who was simultaneously being paid as Ball’s election campaign manager, and how this family member proceeded to repeatedly and wrongly deny the public release of hundreds of emails related to correspondence between the County Executive and private developer attorneys & lobbyists.

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HoCo Watchdogs Newsletter – Issue #3

Issue #3 of the HoCo Watchdogs newsletter. This newsletter provides a concise list of articles, videos & social media posts for readers to stay well informed about important Howard County, Maryland issues such as public school policies, land use & development, and county governance.

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HoCo Watchdogs Newsletter – Issue #1

Issue #1 of the HoCo Watchdogs newsletter. This newsletter provides a concise list of articles, videos & social media posts for readers to stay well informed about important Howard County, Maryland issues such as public school policies, land use & development, and county governance.

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HCPSS Proposes to Spend up to $500K of COVID-19 “ESSER II” Funds on New Special Needs Litigation-Focused Attorney

Instead of applying all received emergency COVID-19 “ESSER II” funding to student supports & school re-opening measures, Superintendent Martirano has proposed to apply a half million dollars of this funding for an attorney to assist with fighting parents of special needs students who request or legally demand better supports for their children.

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