Thursday, January 29, 2015

Rescheduled Emerson HOA Meeting

The Emerson HOA meeting for January 27th that was postponed due to snow has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 7 PM in the Clubhouse.

Among the items on the agenda are recommendations from the Clubhouse Renovation Committee as well as a proposal for the Bradwell Park playground.

Go to the Emerson HOA web site to see the full agenda.


Tuesday, January 27, 2015

ClimbZone Laurel

Yes, there are two climbers on this wall
The first US location of New Zealand-based ClimbZone opened just before Thanksgiving in Laurel, MD near the intersection of Route 1 and Contee Road, about 15 minutes away from Emerson.

Several of our neighbors have already visited and report that it's tremendous fun!

ClimbZone has over 70 individually-themed climbing walls, each 28 feet high and decorated with a different design ranging from Mount Rushmore to a rocket ship to a huge library bookshelf.

Some of the walls are extra-wide to allow groups to go up in parallel and even race to the top.

Anyone who can fit in a harness can climb the walls -- kids of all ages and grown-ups too!

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Additional Hazardous Waste Collection Dates

Howard County's collection of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) is mostly shut down for the winter, but there will be two special HHW collection days at the Alpha Ridge Landfill:
  • Sat., Feb. 7, 2015: 8 AM - 4 PM
  • Sat., Mar. 7, 2015: 8 AM - 4 PM

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) consists of common household products that are corrosive, flammable, reactive or toxic.

Just a few examples of the HHW products often found in homes include: 
  • Many household cleaners
  • Rechargeable batteries
  • Automotive fluid (brake fluids, gasoline, transmission fluid)
  • Furniture polish and strippers
  • Herbicides and pesticides
  • Mildew removers
  • Paint and paint thinners

For a more complete list and further information, go to the Howard County HHW page:

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Trash Slide Days Schedule for 2015

* This page is also linked under Maintenance Tips

Here's the trash and recycle slide schedule for 2015. If weather causes any additional slide days, they will be added to the list.

Note also that Emerson requires holiday lights to be taken down by February 1st each year.

Howard County Holiday Slide Schedule: Trash, Recycling & Yard Trim

Snow Day 3/5/15:
  • Saturday, 3/7/15: Recycle Pick-up (slides one day)

Snow Day 2/17/15:

  • Wednesday, 2/18/15: Trash Pick-up (slides one day)
  • Saturday, 2/21/15: Recycle Pick-up (slides one day)

Snow Day 1/6/15:

  • Wednesday, 1/7/15: Trash Pick-up (slides one day)
  • Saturday, 1/10/15: Recycle Pick-up (slides one day)

Memorial Day Week:

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Winter 2015 Restaurant Weeks

Howard County's Restaurant Weeks for Winter 2015 will run the next two weeks, from Monday, January 19th to Monday, February 2nd. Prices range from $15-$45.

At this point 23 restaurants are slated to participate. When Howard County's Restaurant Weeks started in 2008, they were the only ones in Maryland outside of Baltimore City.


Participating restaurants from the Restaurant Week web site (check there directly for latest updates):

Approximate dinner price ranges: $ = $15; $$ = $25; $$$ = $35; $$$$ = $45; lunches are typically under $15

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Toby's Dinner Theatre in Columbia, MD

On December 4, 1979 Toby Barbara Orenstein opened her namesake Toby's Dinner Theatre in Columbia, MD.

But in conjunction with her Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts (CCTA), Toby Orenstein is a part of the unique fabric and history of the Columbia and Howard County community, serving children as young as 3 years of age.

Serving the Community
A few years earlier she had been recruited by visionary Columbia founder Jim Rouse to establish the CCTA as a non-profit school for children in the theatrical arts, where she remains the artistic director today.

In 1979 she approached Rouse with a proposal to establish her own dinner theatre, and Toby's still stands in the woods behind Merriweather Post Pavilion next to the "South Entrance Road" exit from US-29, near the Mall in Downtown Columbia.

CCTA has produced many talented performers who have gone on to careers in the music and theater industries (including current Broadway star Caroline Bowman, a Glenelg High School graduate).

CCTA programs start with "Tot" programs for children 3 to 5 years old and go all the way through the teen years (including the Young Columbians).

A few years ago they also started programs for special needs children, including a joint program with Loyola University for children with autism.

Many Young Columbians graduate to professional roles at Toby's as they develop their skills, and a benefit for CCTA is held at Toby's Dinner Theater every couple of years.

In-The-Round
The performers at Toby's begin the evening as waiters serving customers during the dinner buffet before they begin the Broadway-style musical show.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Me and My Snow Shovel

With the first real (if moderate) snow of the season this week, here are a few reminders about clearing snow, plus a little song you can whistle as you work.

In particular, during very heavy snows (6 inches or more) please remember to keep the snow piles clear of the street gutters to allow melt-off to drain, and please also keep the stormdrain grates clear.

A scene from Snowmageddon 2010 elsewhere in Howard County

Details:
  • During very heavy snows, snow piled next to the gutters keeps melt-off from reaching the storm drains and creates large pools of water. (Fortunately, storms this big are rare here!)
    • The snow plows help create some of these piles, but it helps if we all pitch in to keep at least a few inches next to the curb clear all the way down the street for the water to drain away.
  • As always, local laws require you to remove snow and ice within 48 hours.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Snow Emergency + Trash Pickup Slides

Due to the snow today, Howard County has declared a snow emergency. In addition, many County services have been cancelled or delayed, including trash pick-up.

That means that trash and recycle will slide one day this week:

  • Trash: Wednesday
  • Recycle: Saturday

Per Howard County:

Residents are reminded that trash, recycling and yard trim receptacles must be placed at the curb free of snow and ice. Collection personnel will not dig residents' containers out from under snow or ice. Collections can occur between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.



Notices from Howard County Government's Facebook page are reposted here for your convenience:

Sunday, January 4, 2015

2015 HOA Calendar

(Updated 9/23/15 due to changes in Emerson Board Meeting Dates.)


Your HOA Calendars for 2015:





Autumn Walk 2015  CALENDAR OF EVENTS


BOARD MEETINGS
May 2015  Call for Nominations: Autumn Walk Elections
June 15, 2015 @ 7 PM (Clubhouse) – Annual Meeting & Elections (12 house quorum needed) - [Notes Posted]
November 9, 2015 @ 7 PM (Clubhouse)  FY16 Budget Meeting

ACTIVITIES/EVENTS
Flamingo Fridays – as they happen!
Autumn Walk Picnic – Sunday, August 30, 2015 - [Notes Posted]
Halloween Block Party & Chili Cook-Off  Saturday, October 31, 2015





EMERSON COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(as of 1/4/15 - please check Emerson web site for changes)



BOARD MEETINGS
January 26, 2015 – Board Meeting - rescheduled to 2/17/15 due to snow
March 23, 2015 – Board Meeting
June 1, 2015 – (changed again because of Memorial
Day - Monday of following week) - [Notes Posted]
July 27, 2015 – Board Meeting
September 29, 2015 – Board Meeting - date changed to Tuesday due to a conflict
November 16, 2015 – Annual Meeting - rescheduled to avoid 
falling during Thanksgiving Week

TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Wednesday, June 17, 2015 – Ask questions of the Board at 7 PM - [Notes Posted]
Monday, August 24, 2015 – Ask questions of the Board at 7 PM - [Notes Posted]
Monday, October 26, 2015 – Ask questions of the Board at 7 PM
Monday, December 14, 2015 – Ask questions of the Board at 7 PM

COMMITTEE MEETINGS