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.

“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.

Guest Post: The Rouse Project 2.0: The Truth about the Tenure of Former Columbia Association President Lakey Boyd and the Wrongful Smear Campaign Against the CA Board

Part One of a series of posts that critically analyzes actions taken by former Columbia Association (CA) President Lakey Boyd and the false narrative-laden smear campaign against the CA Board of Directors that occurred in the months prior to Boyd’s abrupt resignation. Part One focuses on a very concerning contract signed by former President Boyd that significantly lowered the monthly rent due by a Howard Hughes Corporation commercial tenant at one of the most desirable outdoor dining locations in the County, potentially costing CA residents over $1 million in uncollected rent payments in the long run.

Safety from HCPSS Redistricting for Sale?  Revisiting the Record-Setting “Polygon 147” Campaign Contributions to The Calvin Ball Team

An overview of the unusually high election campaign contributions made by the HCPSS redistricting-focused “Polygon 147” Ellicott City neighborhood to The Calvin Ball Team in 2017 and why it is significant that they have made zero contributions to Ball’s campaign in this election cycle.

“All in the Family”, Howard County: How County Executive Calvin Ball Personally Authorized Ten Years Worth of Pay Raises in Just Three Years for his Underqualified Sister-in-Law Who Wrongfully Denied the Public Release of Hundreds of Emails that Included Evidence of Broken Laws and Backroom Development Deals

A detailed investigation of how Howard County Executive Calvin Ball promoted his underqualified family member to a county position that they didn’t have the educational requirements for and personally authorized ten years worth of pay raises in just three years for this family member after they wrongfully denied the public release of hundreds of emails that included evidence of broken laws and backroom deals on land use and development.

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.

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.