Baltimore City Council website
"Investing Where Baltimore Lives"
February 8, 2008

Dear Friends:

This week I was proud to stand with the Baltimore CASH Campaign to kick off another year. As tax season approaches, I would like to alert you to this outstanding free service for Baltimore residents. The CASH Campaign involves community organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, employers, the IRS and hundreds of volunteers. Since 2001, they have assisted over 12,000 low-income taxpayers with free income tax preparation and financial services.

The CASH Campaign promotes the Earned Income Tax Credit and provide quality tax assistance at no cost. Families and individuals can have their taxes prepared for free at one of more than 14 CASH Campaign locations in the City, including each of the 6 Community Action Centers operated by Baltimore City's Department of Housing and Community Development. If you made less than $39,783 in 2007, you may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit that will pay some families up to $5,600, based on family size and income. In 2006, the average EITC payment for Baltimore residents was more than $1,500.

In addition, working with financial institutions and community development organizations, the Campaign links families and individuals to asset building resources such as financial literacy classes, savings programs and mainstream banking opportunities. They also educate workers about the financial dangers of refund anticipation loans, or RALs, which are sold by many commercial tax preparers and cause workers to give up significant portions of their tax refunds. For appointments, you can call 410-234-8008 Monday through Sunday 8am-11pm.

Download flyer with Cash Campaign locations

Finally, I’d like to remind you that Tuesday, February 12th is Maryland’s primary election. If you don’t know the location of your polling place, you can find it by entering your home address at the City Council’s "Find Your District" webpage. Voting is the ultimate expression of responsible citizenship in our great land, and I urge you to exercise your right to decide who will lead the nation for the next four years.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council

Each week in the President's SchoolSpot,
Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake highlights the outstanding accomplishments of Baltimore City Schools students and staff.

Western High Wins Big in its First Robotics Competition

The Western High School Doves are now known as the rookie team that captured a total of five trophies at the Baltimore City Public Schools Robotics VEX Competition. Their wins include the Champion Robot Alliance and the All-Star Award. The event was held last December at Morgan State University, where 24 teams from eight city schools competed. This competition is based on the popular VEX Robotics Design System. The students' engineering and technology skills are put to the test as they aim to build the most innovative robots possible and work together to obtain the most points possible.

Western will compete in the United States Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Chesapeake Regional Competition in Annapolis in March. A $6,000 Program Growth Grant from NASA will be used to cover the registration costs for the competition and to construct the robot. The grant provides funding for first-year high school robotics teams.

In the spring, you will get a firsthand look at the Lady Doves Robotics Team. Story House Productions, FIRST and PBS will produce a national two-hour documentary on the group. Western was chosen out of 1300 possible teams nationwide because its students shatter stereotypes about the typical student interested in engineering. Good luck to Western and continued success to all of our schools participating in the BCPSS Robotics Program.

Have an exciting news item on achievements
in Baltimore City Public Schools?
Let us know so that we can feature them in the President's SchoolSpot. Call Council President Rawlings-Blake's office at 410-396-4804 or send an e-mail to Marva Williams at mwilliams@baltimorecitycouncil.com.

City Council This Week

Monday, February 11, 2008

City Council Meeting
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
The Council meeting will be broadcast live on Cable TV 25.
Draft agenda

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Hearing: Judiciary And Legislative Investigations Committee, James B. Kraft – Chair
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
LO008-0001 Towing Practices in Baltimore City
This hearing will be broadcast live on TV25.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Hearing: Education Committee, Mary Pat Clarke – Chair
4:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
LO08-0003 Informational Hearing - Charter Schools
This hearing will be broadcast live on TV25.

Community Events

MTA Bus Route Modifications Take Effect Sunday, February 17

Effective February 17, 2008 MTA will implement route modifications to 10 Local Bus lines throughout the Baltimore Region. In addition, a new line, the No. 6, will be initiated and the M-9 will be replaced with the Nos. 56 and 59 Lines. New timetables will be issued for the following Local Bus Line #'s: 3, 11, 16, 27, 36, 55, 61, 77, and 98 (Hampden Shuttle).

Also, on this date, the Light Rail Yellow Line (Timonium to Cromwell Station/Glen Burnie) will begin making all weekday off-peak and weekend/holiday trips to Hunt Valley.

In addition, new timetables will be issued on the following lines to reflect schedule changes effective February 17, 2008:
Local Bus Line #'s: 5, 7, 10, 17, 20, 23, 35 and Light Rail.

The new timetables are now available online below (www.mtamaryland.com). They will soon be available at MTA’s Downtown Transit Store and at regular timetable distribution points. Riders can also request that timetables be mailed to them by calling 410-539-5000.

Friday, February 8

Friends of Druid Hill Park February Work-Day
Kiosk at the Frisbee Golf Course: Enter via Greenspring Ave , 9am - Noon
Work with friends of the park along the new Jones Falls Trail as we remove exotic vines that threaten some of the park's largest and oldest trees. For more information, please contact Anne.Draddy@BaltimoreCity.gov and 410-926-4195, or Mike Gaffney of the Friends of Druid Hill Park at 410-897-7460 and MJGaffney712000@yahoo.com

The Baltimore Station Band YDOUASK?
Bedrock, 410 W. Baltimore St. 6-9pm Benefit supporting Baltimore Station, a long-term residential substance abuse treatment program for men. 410-685-7665, www.bedrockbaltimore.com

Baltimore City Teen Night
Herring Run Recreation Center, 5001 Sinclair Lane, 410-488-6634, 8pm-midnight
Carroll F. Cook Recreation Center, 5061 E. Eager St., 21025, 8pm-midnight
Participate in fun and safe activities designed for teens, by teens. Enjoy music, dancing, games, fashion shows and more. Free and open to teenagers 14-17.

Saturday, February 9

"Buying & Rehabbing in a Buyer's Market" Workshop
The Greater Baltimore Board of REALTORS®, 1306 Bellona Avenue, Lutherville, MD, 10am - 12pm
The Workshop will concentrate on investing in today's real estate market and helping you find a suitable project for your budget and personal needs. Participate in a detailed discussion about how to inspect and select property, how to talk with a contractor, and what some things "should" cost. Learn how to see the "whole picture" of your next rehab project. There will also be a detailed discussion led by mortgage professionals about the various types of rehab financing options that are available for owner-occupants and investors. To register, contact Simone Real Estate at 410-602-1320.

The Baltimore Collective Opening
Enoch Pratt Central Library Poe Room, 400 Cathedral St., 12:30 pm
Official public launch of www.BaltoCo.org, a community recollection of things uniquely Baltimore and collaborative wiki archive. 443-629-0334

The Fab Hatters Couples & Relationships Event: Sugar and Spice Games
The Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., 2pm-5pm 410-243-1719.

Sunday, February 10

College Goal Sunday
College Goal Sunday provides families of high school seniors free professional assistance to complete the forms necessary to submit financial aid requests to colleges and universities. Students are encouraged to bring proof of 2007 income and benefits information, IRS federal income tax form completed or estimated and W-2 forms, or year end pay stubs, proof of untaxed income, for parents and students. 866-GO-2-GOAL or www.GO2GOAL.org

Locations:
University of Maryland, Baltimore Student Center - 222 N. Pine St., 2 pm
Baltimore City Community College, Liberty Campus - 2901 Liberty Heights Ave., 2 pm
Education Based Latino Outreach (EBLO) - 606 South Ann Street, 2 pm

Upcoming/Ongoing

Black History Month Celebration at Lexington Market. Each day throughout February, enjoy performances by Baltimore City Public School students, noon-1pm, exhibits and special features, 10am-4pm and live band shows on Saturdays, noon-2pm. Free. www.lexingtonmarket.com 410-685-6169.

Black History Month Top of the World Art Exhibition
World Trade Center, 27th floor, Top of the World Observation Level. Featuring paintings and sculptures of local artists. The exhibit will be on display from February 2-February 29. 410-837-VIEW.

African-American History Month Family Day, Feb. 10, Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive, 1-5pm. Celebrate the cultural heritage of African-Americans with music and dance by Coyaba Dance Theatre and Dance Place step Team, storytelling by Maria Broom of The Wire, and more. 443-573-1700 www.artbma.org

Morgan State University African Film Festival, Feb. 12, New Communications Building, Room 101, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane 443-885-3094/2091

Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference, Feb. 14-16, Baltimore Convention Center www.blackengineeroftheyear.org

4th Annual BEYA Business Summit (Formerly Black CEO Summit and African American Business Forum) Feb. 14 and 15, Baltimore Convention Center. Registration and sponsorship information

13th Annual Black Heritage Art Show, Feb. 15-17, Baltimore Convention Center, 410-340-7089. www.blackheritageartshow.com

Mayor Sheila Dixon’s "It Takes a Village" Black History Month Celebration
Saturday, February 16, 2008, 2:00pm - 6:00pm, Baltimore City War Memorial, 101 N. Gay St. The event will include performances, poetry readings, and vendors, hosted by local actress Maria Broom and Marc Clarke, host of 92Q’s Big Fat Morning Show. The event will close with a keynote speech and discussion with world renowned Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson.
More information on Mayor Dixon's Black History Month Celebration

Black History is No Mystery Expo
Saturday, February 23, Sojourner Douglass College, 200 N. Central Ave., 9am to 5pm. Sponsored by Project Millions More Movement Baltimore, Heart & Soul Magazine and hosts the Mooney Twins. The Expo features exhibits highlighting health, wealth and wisdom; free health screenings, Fitness Expo, African dance, children’s entertainment, poetry readings, and over 20 vendors. For vendor registration and more information call 410-547-8019.

100 Black Men of Maryland’s "A Night of Music and Art," Feb. 23, 8pm-midnight, Eubie Blake Center, 847 N. Howard St., $20, partial proceeds benefit organization, 443-831-5824.

2008 Legacy Film Festival March 1-2, 2008, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. Baltimore's premier film festival celebrating contributions, talent and stories of people of color while encouraging conversations within the community. Panelists include Marla Gibbs, Karen Malina White, Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno, Jerome Bongiorno, Dante James, Sandi Daniels and Angela Gibbs. Tickets at www.missiontix.com More information at www.myspace.com/LegacyFilmFestival or call 443-263-1831.

Fridays at the Walters celebrates Black History Month. Feb. 15, 22 and 29. Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., 5-8pm. Enjoy exciting live music and special guided tours and more. Free, but there’s a fee for the mini-course, Three African-American Artists At The Walters: Bannister, Lewis and Tanner. www.thewalters.org 410-547-9000.

 

TransForm Baltimore: The Zoning Code Rewrite

The City of Baltimore Department of Planning invites you to its Community Open Houses to learn more about TransForm Baltimore: The Zoning Code Rewrite, the ongoing process, and how you can get involved to help craft a vision for the future development of Baltimore City. TransForm Baltimore Community Open Houses are:

Wednesday, February 13
Dept. of Planning, 417 E. Fayette St., 8th floor, 12pm-1:30pm

Saturday, February 16
Southeast Anchor Library, 3601 Eastern Ave., 11am-1pm

Tuesday, February 26
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, 1400 W. Cold Spring Lane, 6pm-8pm.

For more information, call 410-396-PLAN or plan@baltimorecity.gov.

Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School To all families interested in enrolling their child (age 3-9) in for 2008-2009 School Year, informational meetings will be held at St. Mark's Church, 1900 St. Paul Street on the following dates:

  • Wednesday, February 13, 7 pm
  • Saturday, February 23, 10 am
  • Wednesday, February 27, 7 pm
  • Saturday, March 8, 10 am

For more information and applications, please visit www.baltimoremontessoriinc.com

Patterson Park Public Charter School announces Open Enrollment for the 2008-2009 school year, Jan. 22-March 20. Open enrollment for kindergarten. Limited space for first through seventh grades. 27 N. Lakewood Ave. 410-558-1230 www.pppcs.org

Call for Nominations: 2008 Larry Reich Award
Co-sponsored by the Neighborhood Design Center and the Baltimore City Department of Planning.
Larry Reich was Baltimore City Department of Planning Director 1965-1990 and was a central figure in the City's Downtown Renaissance, a proponent of community-based planning and neighborhood initiatives, and an opponent of proposed highways that would have obliterated some of Baltimore's most historic neighborhoods. The Larry Reich Award, established by his colleagues, is given annually to an individual whose volunteer and professional work exemplifies a special commitment to community-based planning and design. How to nominate someone or contact Irene Poulsen for further information: (410) 233-9686 ext 105 or ipoulsen@ndc-md.org.
DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 21, 2008

Kickball League of Baltimore Begins Spring Signup: Adult Co-ed kickball with divisions in Federal Hill and Canton. Games are played on Wednesday nights, spring season starts March 12th For more information www.kickball-baltimore.com

Money Power Day '08
Feb. 16, 10am-3pm, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, 1400 W. Cold Spring Lane. Money Power Day is a FREE annual event providing Baltimore City residents and workers with quality financial services like free tax preparation, free credit report, customized financial planning, housing counseling, credit counseling. Find out more and register at www.moneypowerday.org

Winterfest 2008: A Celebration of Diversity, February 17, 1-5pm Northwestern High School, 6900 Park Heights Ave. Arts and crafts, entertainment, free giveaways, local vendors, refreshments, book fair. Sponsored by Neighborhood Associations of Park Heights, Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods, Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore. Contact Derrick Lennon at 410-365-3792 or derricklennon@myglen.org.

Western High School Classes of 1968, 1979, 1987 and 1988 are planning their class reunions. Email publicity@whsaainc.org for more details.

A Night of Appreciation for Youth Coaches in Baltimore City, Feb. 18, 6pm-10pm, Melba’s, 3126 Greenmount Ave., Event to thank coaches of youth teams for dedication and mentorship, Free, 410-366-6536, coachrsvp@yahoo.com.

MLA Arts Brief Launch Party, February 21, Lemongrass and Tsunami. 1300 Bank Street, 6-9 pm
Celebrate the inaugural issue of MLA Arts Brief with special guest sculptor James Earl Reid. To attend, please RSVP to smalltimoreevents@gmail.com. Maryland Lawyers for the Arts provides pro bono legal assitance to income-eligible artist and arts organizations, and educational workshops and seminars on topics affecting artists.

Baltimore Healthcare Access, Inc. is announcing a new initiative to protect the health and well-being of city residents. Through this initiative, city residents can call 311 for screening and referral to a range of health insurance programs and low-cost healthcare options. www.bhca.org

The Bar Association of Baltimore City is pleased to offer its Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) to the general public. This service features a panel of attorneys who provide a wide range of legal assistance ranging from Asbestos to Worker’s Compensation. Those referred to private attorneys will be able to receive a reduced fee half-hour consultation, which is waived for certain case types. This service also occasionally features volunteer attorneys who are able to answer basic legal questions over telephone for no charge. For those who qualify, the LRIS also offers reduced fee legal services for the elderly. For more information call 410-539-3112 between 9:00am and 4:00pm Monday-Friday, or email info@baltimorebar.org.

Free Community Tax Preparation
Families and individuals can have their taxes prepared for free at one of more than 13 CASH Campaign locations in the City. Qualifying families and individuals can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit and other valuable tax credits. Call for an appointment at 410-234-8008.
www.baltimorecashcampaign.org

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service provides free representation to low-income individuals with IRS tax disputes, including denial of earned income tax credit, IRS audits, filing back taxes, and setting up payment plans. Call 410-547-6537 between 9 am-1 pm, Monday-Thursday.

Also, small community-based nonprofits working to strengthen low income communities are eligible for pro bono legal help from the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Community Development Project. Get help with reviewing contracts, negotiating leases, preparing employee manuals, and many other legal issues. Call 443-451-4064 or email jocarol@mvlslaw.org

The Guardian Angels recruiting new members. Recruits must be 16 and older. The three-month training includes classes in conflict resolution, defensive martial arts, first aid and a law class. Call 410-353-9472.