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RoCo explores the history of HoCo, looking to uncover the intents and influences — indeed, the idiosyncrasies — that founded this place.

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What It Means to Care: Chief F. Patrick Marlatt of the Station 5 Volunteer Fire Department

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  Author’s Note: Thanks, Robert and Colleen (RoCo) for handing this one over. It has many special meanings to me. I’d never been so nervous to interview someone for rocoinhoco.com (as Robert and Colleen have allowed me to do many times now). I was sitting in my car a couple weeks ago, sweating—because it was August in Maryland…and because I was in the parking lot of the Station 5 Fire Volunteer Fire House, that one near the Giant in River Hill on Signal Bell Lane…about to go in. I’d be talking to F. Patrick Marlatt, the station’s Chief. I insist on showing … Read more

The Right to Remain Inclusive With Howard County Police Chief Lisa Myers

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I had met Lisa Myers twice before. But even so, all things “police” intimidate me, so I was a little nervous as I drove up to the Howard County Police Headquarters to talk to her about protecting Howard County. African Violets and pansies were in full bloom alongside the Mediterranean-stye blue tiles on the side of the building. The flags undulating lazily in the spring air almost made me feel like I was at a vacation resort! Still, I couldn’t shake that feeling that probably most people get in law enforcement milieus. I felt like I’d done something wrong. It … Read more

Marcus Harris, Howard County Sheriff

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One way that RoCo’s setting down roots in Howard County is that we’ve become members of a local community supported agriculture (CSA) coop. Our first pickup date was the same day I was set to meet Sheriff Marcus Harris at his office to talk about what’s new for the newly-elected Howard County Sheriff. The word “community” came up in my chat with Marcus a lot. Husband Dearest, a.k.a, Robert said he’d take Moses, our dachshund-boxer mix, for a walk around Lake Kittamaqundi. So he and I left the Sheraton downtown at the same time. I was on my way to … Read more

Rec and Parks Director John Byrd

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Howard County Recreation and Parks (R&P) Director John Byrd and his staff are across the board kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. Their offices are rather intimidating, however. I approached the front desk of their ultramodern facility on Oakland Mills Road–all bright colors and expansive windows–and told a young man with a friendly smile that I had a 9:30 a.m. appointment to see Mr. Byrd. He placed an index finger gingerly on his headset and said, “Colleen Morgenthau, here to see John.” He said the director would be right with me and motioned for me to have a seat in a chair … Read more

Trash-Talking With Jeff Dannis, Chief, Operations Division, Alpha Ridge Landfill

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As my sporty little Ford Focus puttered down Route 99 from the trailer park in HoCo’s Legislative District 9A that Robert and I have been parked in for the last week, on my way to “talk trash,” as he put it, with Jeffrey Dannis, the Chief of the Operations Division at Alpha Ridge Landfill (ARL), I thought of an article Robert had shown me once. It was about the archeological study of trash as a window into how past cultures lived. As interesting as Robert finds wastewater treatment, so I, Colleen, find solid waste removal. “Studying ancient trash from around … Read more

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