Early Voting Begins Oct. 23rd

Early voting in this year's elections, including the Maryland Gubernatorial race, will run from October 23-30, 2014, including Sunday 10/26. 

You can vote at any of the three Early Voting locations (below) in Howard County, but on Election Day you must go to your assigned polling place.

• Sample Ballot (Howard County) - PDF

Quick Facts:

• Early voting: Thursday, 10/23/14 - Thursday 10/30/14, 10 AM - 8 PM

Howard County Police "STEP" Up Traffic Enforcement

The Howard County Police Department (HCPD) has announced that it will increase traffic enforcement in targeted areas with higher than ordinary levels of accidents, DUIs, and speeding violations.

The Specialized Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) analyzed data for traffic incidents and aggressive driving and found that they were clustered in specific areas of the County during certain hours on recurring days.

Traffic Enforcement Zones (TEZ) with increased Howard County Police
presence (click map for larger size)

HCPD officers will conduct high-visibility enforcement efforts on Baltimore National Pike (US 40), Route 29, MD-175, Route 1, MD-100, MD-108 (Waterloo Road), Snowden River Parkway, Little Patuxent Parkway, and Main Street (Ellicott City).

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Howard County Police Department News Release (from their Facebook page on 10/14/14):

Emerson Elections at Annual Meeting Nov. 24th

Update 11/3/14: Ballots/proxies have been mailed to all households. There are six candidates for the three open Board positions. Two of the candidates are incumbents, the third did not file. Proxies for those who cannot attend in person are due by 12 noon on the day of the election (11/24/14).

Candidates for the Emerson Board are:

• Erica Root Cikanek (current member)
• Narsimha Doma
• John Jurgensen (current member)
• Laurel Lloyd
• Sae Ro
• Katie Schneider

Emerson's Annual Meeting will be held in the Clubhouse on November 24th and three Board positions will be open for election:

Date: Monday, November 24, 2014 (this is the Monday of Thanksgiving Week!)
Time: 7 PM (registration begins at 6:30 PM)
Location: Emerson Clubhouse

Some notes about the election:

• You should have received a mailing with the Call for Candidates and Nominating Form.
• 3 out of 5 Board positions will be open for 2-year terms. (The other two positions are appointed by the Developer, Howard Hughes Corp., and represent Hughes and Knott Realty respectively.)
• Candidates must get 20 Emerson Residential Lot Owners in good standing to sign the Nominating Form, which is due no later than Monday, October 27th, 2014.
• For the election, you can submit a proxy (absentee ballot) for the voting to CMC prior to the meeting. The list of candidates and proxy forms will be mailed by Monday, November 10th.
• Emerson has a fairly high quorum requirement (1/6th of Class A Residential units or 168 units, and 1/6th of Class C Commercial properties or 2 representatives). If quorum is not met, the election will be held at the next meeting and quorum will be established by whomever is in attendance. Proxies can carry over.
• Immediately after the election is finalized, the new Board will select its new officers.

Water Heater Pilot Light

(Update 10/21/14: This post has been corrected as some steps were inadvertently left out in the procedures for relighting the pilot light.)

I recently lost hot water in my home and found that the pilot light had gone out. In case you aren't sure how to check this, these are the instructions for a Bradford Model M-2-XR65T6FBN 65-gallon gas water heater as was typically installed in Autumn Walk.

• Bradford Model M-2-XR65T6FBN [PDF Service Manual | PDF Parts List]

If you're unable to light the pilot light after trying these procedures more than once, then something has likely failed and you'll need to call a plumber.

Your water heater may be still covered by the Bradford White Manufacturer's Limited Warranty. In the model listed above, the part number means:

• Model M2
• 65 gallons
• 6 year tank warranty (and hence also a 6-year parts warranty)

Instructions as posted on the water heater itself:

1. First check that the red temperature knob is turned on and that it is at the temperature setting you want.

Base of the water heater

2014 Autumn Walk Halloween Block Party and Chili Cook-Off

Update: We've had such a great response we're going to have to cut off the chili entries! (But if you still want to enter let us know and we'll find room.)

Either way you're still welcome to bring something else, or just to stop by. Thanks everyone!

Last Halloween we had a semi-impromptu Block Party, with hot dogs left over from the Autumn Walk Picnic roasting on a brazier to complement the Halloween treats being passed out to everyone visiting our neighborhood.

Many people also brought Potluck contributions of food and drink.

It was so much better than waiting huddled in our homes for the doorbell to ring! :)

So as an encore this year...

Maria and Hung were the hosts last year

Halloween in 2014
This year, a group of your neighbors are expanding the concept to add a Chili Cook-Off in front of Allie and Daphna's houses (9832 and 9834), so start getting your recipes together...

Please let us know if you plan to set up additional activities on Halloween or will be making an entry in the chili cook-off!

• Halloween RSVP Form (especially if you want to enter the chili cook-off)

The plan so far:

Emerson Fall Children's Costume Event

Update: Emerson HOA moved the RSVP deadline up to Wednesday so they can order the pumpkins.

In case you missed the notice, Emerson's Master HOA has announced that the Fall Children's Costume Event will be the weekend before Halloween in Sterling Park.

Date: Saturday, October 25th
Time: 12 PM to 1 PM

The children participate in a small parade in their costumes, and receive a trick-or-treat bag.

RSVPs are requested by 3 PM Wednesday, October 15th to the CMC Community Manager for Emerson in the Clubhouse.

As noted below, this event is for Emerson Residents only.

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Here's a reposting of the notice from Emerson:

Columbia, MD: Money Magazine Top 10 Places to Live for 2014

(Updated: Columbia named #1 in 2016)

For the fifth consecutive time since 2006, Columbia/Ellicott City, MD has been named to the Top 10 in Money Magazine's list of "Best Places to Live in America."

This record of consistency is only more remarkable when you realize that it is the only community in that timespan to remain in the Top Ten each year, with some other highly-ranked communities falling completely out of the Top 50.

As you know, Emerson is on the southern boundary of Columbia and shares the same top-rated Howard County school district and library system.

Orioles, Nationals Exit Baseball Playoffs

The Orioles lost to the Kansas City Royals in 4 games in the American League Championship Series, putting an end to hopes for a local team in the World Series.

The O's had swept the AL Division series with the Tigers 3-0, but the possible dream World Series for Maryland and DC Metro baseball fans fell through early in the NL Division Series as the Nationals first lost the two games of their opening homestand, and then eventually fell in San Francisco in four games, three games to one.

The Orioles were trying to make their 7th World Series. Baltimore has three world championships (1966, 1970, and 1983).

So all too soon local sports fans have to say..."wait till next year!"

Maryland Renaissance Festival

The Maryland Renaissance Festival (also on Facebook) has three more weekends left, and the forecast for this weekend calls for gorgeous weather -- sunny and in the high 60's.

First held in Columbia, MD in 1977, Maryland RenFest is now located on a wooded 130-acre site in Crownsville, MD just off of I-97 near Annapolis.

The festival has costumed performers and patrons from the era of King Henry VIII's England, and includes jousting, archery, a food fair, and artisans and crafts.

2014 Autumn Walk Picnic (with Photos)

(See the full album on Facebook)

Thanks to everyone for making the 2014 Autumn Walk Picnic a success!

Hosts Adrienne and Jamie decorated their houses and organized the set-up of tables, chairs, coolers, and even a pop-up tent, as well as coordinating replies from the neighborhood.

Bindu, Daphna, and Pam also helped with the planning, fliers, shopping and grilling, and around 40 adults and 40 children came bringing potluck contributions!

With the addition of hamburgers, veggie burgers, and hot dogs purchased by Autumn Walk HOA, we had more food and drink than we could possibly consume.

It's Picnic Time!

(Update: Since no one can see the sign up list any more, we've sent individual reminders to everyone with the list of items you volunteered to bring. Please let us know if you didn't receive it and need help remembering. :) Thanks again!)

It's almost time for the picnic on Saturday!

For those who volunteered to supply them, the organizers ask that you bring some items early (between 10 am and 12 noon to 9846/9848, Adrienne or Jamie's houses):

• Folding tables
• Coolers & Ice
• Drinks
• Condiments (we may still need mustard and mayo)
• Napkins, plates, cutlery 

We've had a pretty good response, but it's not too late to sign up! We hope to see everyone there!

Picnic Reminder!

The weather forecast looks good so far for next Saturday -- keep your fingers crossed!

The picnic organizers need a headcount to know how much food and supplies are needed. Can you please RSVP to the following link?

• Google Forms RSVP

Negative responses are also requested -- that is, if you cannot attend, please let us know by putting your house number in the form but put "0" or "cannot attend" in the "Other" box under attendance.

Thanks!

Whole-House Humidifier Tips

If you have excessively dry air during the winter heating season, you may have found that it leads to a less comfortable environment in your home, with everything from dry skin and nosebleeds to shrinking floorboards.

Portable humidifiers work reasonably well but it can be a tedious chore to continually refill and clean them. If your HVAC system has enough room, you can install a whole-house humidifier.

Whole-House Humidifiers
A typical whole-house humidifier will be installed on the return air duct. An air intake line is installed from the filtered, heated air exiting the furnace, and goes through a damp pad into the return duct.

A whole-house humidifier installation

I've Been Riding on the Railroad (Baltimore to Ellicott City)

Did you know that Baltimore and Howard County had an important role in the birth of American railroads?

The last surviving Bollman Truss Bridge is near us at Savage Mill

The first regularly scheduled passenger rail service in the US began on May 22, 1830 when a horse-drawn Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) train was pulled 13 miles from Baltimore's Mount Clare Station to Ellicott Mills (Ellicott City today) in northeastern Howard County.

Today, both sites are the locations of railroad museums commemorating their roles in establishing the American railroad industry.

2014 Autumn Walk Picnic!

A group of your neighbors (Adrienne, Jamie, Bindu, Daphna, and Pam) have volunteered to organize and host the 2014 Autumn Walk Picnic! Come out and meet your neighbors and enjoy food and fun and games!

Date: Saturday, September 20, 2014 from 3pm - 6pm between Jamie and Adrienne's House (9848 and 9846)

Raindate: Sunday, September 21, 2014 from 2pm - 5pm between Jamie and Adrienne's House

Volunteers to grill are needed!

They plan to have a water balloon game, bike decorations, face painting, fake tattoos, and a cake walk (and maybe more)!

Autumn Walk HOA will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, and buns, and otherwise the Picnic will be Potluck.

What you can do: 

• Please RSVP using the web link below, letting them know how many adults and children you expect to attend. 
• Google Forms RSVP
• Please indicate on the form what dish(es), supplies, or activities you can provide. 
• Help is also needed with set-up, clean-up, and the grilling, so please let us know if you can volunteer for those jobs too. 

The first two Picnics were a lot of fun and we hope as many of you as possible will be able to join us!