Aubrey Short, 14, has been showing animals with 4-H since she was 8 years old. This year she showed cattle, pigs and sheep, ultimately winning grand champion lamb, which she said was an exciting experience.

“It was amazing,” she said. “It’s like your hard work paid off … like you’ve been studying for a test and you get a 100%.”

Short describes selling her animals at the livestock sale as sad, but looks forward to the animals she’ll raise next year.

“I’m just excited for new beginnings, because I know selling them is really sad, but I know that I’m going to get new animals next year and it’s going to be worth it,” she said.

The auction begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday and is a symbol of the persistent effort the children have put in for the last 10 to 12 months, according to Mike Doran, co-chair on the fair’s Board of Directors and chairman of the livestock sale.

Doran said the livestock sale is the highlight of the fair and he hopes for a large turnout, not just to support the fair but to support the children and the fair’s efforts to help people learn more about Harford County agriculture.

This year there is an uptick in entries, Doran said. At last year’s fair roughly 100 pigs were in the auction, while he anticipates almost 140 this year. Lamb entries have experienced an increase as well, but the number of cattle and steer has stayed about the same.

“It’s constant growth in 4-H and I think this fair is the reason for that,” he said.

For Upper Chesapeake Diary Princess Madison Thomas, 15, educating others about her animals is her favorite part of the fair.

“There’s so many misconceptions about the dairy industry and I just really like to teach people about how the animals have personalities,” she said. “All the animals are loved so much by every 4-Her in this barn.”

Thomas, who’s been showing animals for seven years, said everyone at the fair has a purpose to be there — their love of animals and the agriculture industry. This year, she’s showing dairy heifers, dairy calves, pigs, and for the first time, sheep.

To prepare for sale night, Thomas said everyone works to spread awareness by sending out letters and sharing information on social media.

“The money goes to our future projects, helps us grow as people and goes into our college [funds],” she said.

The money entrants make during the auction goes toward funding their college tuition or purchasing new animals; a small portion goes back into the fair to cover expenses.

Thomas says after she graduates from North Harford High School she plans to study agricultural education in college.

“I want to teach people about the community and the industry,” she said. “Selling our animals and getting that money helps us become better people and grow in the future.”

Last year, the livestock auction generated nearly $600,000 in sales and served as the biggest auction in fair history with 226 livestock entries. The highest bidder was Klein’s Family Markets, which purchased a 1,322-pound steer from 12-year-old Ella Deford for $14,524. Deford used the money to purchase livestock for this year’s auction and to put some away for her education.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

The meeting marked a shift in momentum residents say they’ve experienced recently as Edgewood residents push for incorporation.

Steve Johnson said as a state legislator his job isn’t to make decisions for the community but create pathways for residents to be able to make choices on their own. This aligns with his and Andre Johnson’s push for a bill to alter what current state law outlines for incorporation.

To become incorporated, an area of at least 300 residents must get 20-25% of its population to sign a petition supporting the effort, according to the Maryland Municipal League. Once that is met, the petition goes to an organizing committee that works to create a town charter to be sent to the Harford County Council. From there, the council has the final say on whether the incorporation process advances to a countywide referendum vote.

The financial and economic effects of incorporation were key topics of concern Monday from residents in attendance. Robert told residents development of the town would be a lengthy process.

“We want to make it clear that as not being a municipality, we are missing out on a lot of funding that we could put back into our communities,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be everyone start up with a new city, that doesn’t happen, life doesn’t happen that way, it’s going to take time. This is a process and this is why we’re having a conversation with everyone to give that education piece …”

Noah Gentry, 22, of Edgewood, said he’s lived in the same house all his life and has always wondered why Edgewood isn’t incorporated. He said he feels the area has been ignored on the county level for a while.

Theresa Kuhns, chief executive officer of the Maryland Municipal League, also attended and pointed to redevelopment as a positive of incorporation.

“It is really a community effort of what you want this area to be for the future,” she said. “There’s a lot of opportunity involved.”

Zoning is key, Steve Johnson said, in bringing in commercial growth and development. Once the town sets zoning preferences, he said, that serves as a blueprint to solicit businesses to the community.

Writing letters of support to the General Assembly and speaking to the media are some steps Steve Johnson said residents could do to keep momentum before the next legislative session begins in January.

“If you wait until the bill does or does not come to the floor, it’s over at the very beginning,” he said. “When the bill goes to the committee and gets assigned to a subcommittee, that’s when you start really working on the legislature.”

Residents’ voices, Andre Johnson said, will be crucial to put pressure on other elected officials who will ultimately make a decision on the proposed bill.

“It’s up to us as a community [now] to say ‘no, we’re not going to take that anymore’ and now we can have control of our own destiny,” he said.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

“Starting school without essential tools — like pencils, calculators or folders — puts students at an unfair disadvantage,” Deb Merlock, president of the Education Foundation, said in a news release. “By making sure every child walks into the classroom ready, we’re strengthening their self-esteem, learning experience and future success.”

Contributions to the campaign stock the Tools for Schools Resource Center, where teachers “shop” for free throughout the school year. Requested items include pencils, pens, highlighters, loose-leaf paper, binders, glue sticks, USB drives, hand sanitizer and backpacks.

Those who choose to participate can drop items off at any of the designated drop-off locations, support virtually through Amazon, Walmart or Target registries or send monetary gifts through the mail or via the Harford Education Foundation’s website.

“When our community steps up, we’re not just filling backpacks — we’re fueling futures,” said Jillian Lader, chair of the Harford County Education Foundation. “A few simple items can shape a child’s academic path and strengthen our county’s future workforce and civic leaders.”

Drop-off locations include: Bel Air Orthodontics, Harford County Public Library, Hopewell United Methodist Church, The Y in Central Maryland – Abingdon and We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym – Forest Hill.

For a full list of drop-off locations and volunteer opportunities go to harfordeducation.org.

University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health Appoints New President

The University of Maryland Medical Systems has announced the appointment of Aaron Rabinowitz as president of the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health.

Rabinowitz served as general counsel at UM UCH from 2013 to 2019. Most recently, he served as senior vice president and general counsel for UMMS where he provided guidance on governance, regulatory matters and system integration.

“This is a moment of great pride and gratitude for me,” Rabinowitz said in a news release. “I look forward to working alongside our dedicated team members to continue advancing health and wellness for the communities we serve.”

Rabinowitz succeeds Elizabeth Wise who had been the president and chief executive officer since 2022.

Mohan Suntha, president and CEO of UMMS, described Rabinowitz as a thoughtful and mission-driven leader.

“His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the communities we serve,” Suntha said in the release.

Ladew Topiary Gardens honors Leigh Symington Griswold

Ladew Topiary Gardens has named the position of Director of Horticulture and Facilities in honor of founder Leith Symington Griswold, who died in 2013.

In the 1960s, Harvey Ladew, original owner of what was then called Pleasant Valley Farm, sought to preserve his garden. Griswold, a leader in conservation, stepped up and rallied a group of women and friends who ultimately founded Ladew Topiary Gardens.

“Leith had an extraordinary connection to these gardens and was truly the driving force behind saving Ladew,” said Emily Emerick, the Anne and Robert Kinsley Executive Director of the garden, in a news release. “Without her tenacity and belief in the power of this place, it simply wouldn’t exist as we know it today.”

Griswold’s support shaped the future of philanthropy at Ladew and made it possible for the garden to thrive, Emerick said. Griswold served as board chair when Harvey Ladew died and played a role in launching the Patrons Circles, a key of the garden’s fundraising efforts.

Adrienne Gettman currently holds the title of Director of Horticulture and Facilities at Ladew.

“I am honored to hold a position that now bears Leith Griswold’s name as her influence on Ladew is still felt today,” Gettman said in the news release. “Her vision and dedication inspire every decision we make in preserving and enhancing this historic landscape.”

First Harford Square Association hosts Field Day

The First Harford Square Association is hosting a Field Day for the community on Saturday, at 1492 Harford Square Drive in Edgewood.

The outdoors event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature tug of war, kick ball, and a potato sack race. In addition to family-friendly games, there will be food trucks, health screenings and drive safe activities to educate the community.

Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and tents.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

The anticipated completion of the project is early 2028, according to Paul Magness, director of Harford County Parks and Recreation. During the Monday meeting Magness explained that the city has requested $10 million from Harford County’s fiscal 2027 budget for completing the center.

Magness said construction of the 32,524 square foot building should begin in the second half of 2026 and take roughly 18 months to finish. City Council member Tandra Rigley said she was underwhelmed by the design.

“When I look at the renderings this almost gives a warehouse feel…,” she said. “We’re only just getting a bunch of gyms.”

Plans for the community center show four basketball courts, family restrooms and various storage spaces. Outside the building, there will be 350 parking spots, a playground, rugby field, walking trail and swim facilities.

Rigley said she feels the community deserves better and that she wasn’t excited for the construction of the proposed building. She added that the community will probably make do with what they have, as they’ve done in the past.

Magness said when creating the layout of the building, city officials tried to craft something that provided a level of flexibility, allowed for different opportunities and was realistic for the amount of money that’s available.

The creation of the activity center has been in talks for years, first coming up in 2009, according to Mayor Patrick McGrady. Since that time, there has been money set aside to design the building, but efforts were pushed back numerous times between 2009 and 2013. To revive the initiative, in 2019 the city purchased 13 acres of land at 684 W. Bel Air Ave. for $1.2 million.

Council member Tim Lindecamp asked Magness how confident he was in this project being finished by the anticipated date, stating he won’t believe it’s happening until he sees a shovel in the ground. Magness explained there is still some designing that needs to be done before the work begins.

Council members and McGrady suggested design changes including adding a steel wall where kids can throw a ball against instead of throwing it at the building and reconstructing the outside to incorporate more historic elements of the town.

During the public comment portion of the meeting residents expressed agreement with Rigley regarding the design of the building, stating that the city deserved better and should receive a building that is more aesthetically pleasing.

McGrady emphasized that once the center is finished it will continue to evolve, becoming a place that residents can use for years to come.

The total budget of the project is not yet available; the city must first put it out for bids.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

Myrick grew up in the Hanson Road area and became a deputy for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, all while watching his hometown spiral downward. The soaring crime and blight spurred Myrick, in the early 1990s, to lead an effort to make Edgewood a municipality and, in turn, master of its fate.

While that effort fizzled out, there’s a renewed push to create an “Edgewood City” that seems to be gaining much more political momentum, more than 30 years later. An informational meeting is being held at 6 p.m. Monday, at 1493 Harford Square Drive, for residents to learn about incorporating Edgewood and what it would mean for them.

Harford County Council member Nolanda Robert, a Democrat, has been working on these “town halls” with fellow Edgewood residents and state Dels. Steve Johnson and Andre Johnson, who have tried three times to get a state bill passed that they believe would dismantle the main obstacle to Edgewood’s incorporation.

That obstacle is a longtime state law requiring the county, not the state, to approve any new municipality — which counties are generally loath to do, since they don’t want to lose that tax base, as the Maryland Municipal League has noted.

To become a municipality, a community with at least 300 residents must have 20-25% of its population sign a petition, according to the Maryland Municipal League. Once that threshold is met, it is presented to the county, which works with an organizing committee.  The committee then will speak with community members regarding the desire to become incorporated. Next, a charter would be created and sent to the County Council.

In 1954, the power to create municipalities transferred from the state of Maryland to each county. Since then, no new communities have been incorporated, according to Justin Fiore, director of advocacy and public policy for MML. MML says it is actively working to shift this law by presenting a bill to state representatives. So far, a bill has been presented to the General Assembly three times and failed, but MML intends to draft another one for the 2026 legislative session.

Although a new state bill hasn’t passed, its appearance signals that the political winds may be shifting in Edgewood’s favor.

Small-town life

If you’re among the 75% of Marylanders who don’t live in a municipality, the whole idea may be a foreign concept. The vast majority of Baltimore-area residents live in unincorporated communities. Baltimore County, Howard County and Baltimore City (which functions as a county) have no towns or cities.

Harford has three — Bel Air, Havre de Grace and Aberdeen — but it’s still a challenge to explain to Edgewood residents why becoming a municipality could be advantageous, Robert said.

“Some people are saying, no, they don’t want it because of taxes,” she said. “I think because other people have put in their heads that it’s going to be, like, thousands of dollars, when it’s not.”

She’s been part of a task force, along with the two delegates and two representatives of Progressive Harford and the county’s Democratic Central Committee, to beef up public support for the municipality concept.

The task force is putting together a fact sheet to spell out what incorporation would look like and what it provides.

“From someone who’s knocked on people’s doors, I’ve heard the reason why a lot of people don’t go vote or do anything is because they don’t believe they have a voice, so why bother?” Robert said. “And that’s why we’re trying to say, the more you get involved, the more you will have a voice at the table.”

Another 2026 County Council candidate, Kelly Bryant, a Democrat who’s challenging Robert for her seat, told The Baltimore Sun  he is in favor of incorporating: “This community has enormous potential,” he said. “I refuse to watch it go untapped any longer.”

Among others supporting the effort is an elected official from the municipality next door. Aberdeen City Council member Adam Hiob said he’s been providing assistance and guidance to the task force.

“The process [of incorporation] as a whole in Maryland has been stagnant since the ’50s,” Hiob said.

He doesn’t believe it’s “set up reasonably,” because “the county just says no.”

Myrick said that was exactly why the effort failed in the 1990s. It got “massive” pushback from then-Harford County Executive Eileen Rehrmann.

Edgewood residents “had one vote on a six-person [County] Council, and the county had continually used Edgewood as a dumping ground for everything they didn’t want,” Myrick said.

Hiob agreed that the southern end of Route 40 needs more political autonomy.

“If the majority of people want a pathway to incorporation, they should be given a pathway,” he said.

Edgewood is “not on the receiving end of a lot of economic activity. … I think it bodes well for all of us if we have more local governments advocating for the southern end of the county,” he said.

Theresa Kuhns, the chief executive officer at MML, said she thinks becoming a municipality is more than a legal step, it’s “a profound act of self-determination and equity,” that she believes Edgewood is looking for.

Kuhns said municipalities are a driving force in growth within the state economically, and becoming one would create opportunities that could shape a better future for Edgewood’s 25,000 residents.

“Bottom line, when our cities and towns are thriving, Maryland is going to thrive,” she said.

The bottom line

Robert agreed that the Edgewood community needs revitalizing, and said she’s been working with longtime shopping center owner The Cordish Companies to try to fill vacancies “with family-friendly things.”

“I mean, we don’t have anything. We used to have a bowling alley. We used to have a movie theater,” she said.

She said she’s seen many people supporting the municipality effort.

“We do have a lot of people liking it,” Robert said, noting that Edgewood has lost out on many millions of dollars in revenue from the hotel tax, for example. Despite having so many hotels in town, the tax revenue goes countywide.

Just like 30 years ago, the main concern comes down to the cost associated with an incorporated Edgewood.

Robert argued that “it doesn’t cost that much more. It might be $50 more, if we have this in your taxes, right? But at the end of the day, when you have a huge city, it’s probably going to be like $1,200 more — not $10,000 more, which some people seem to think, [that] it’s going to be this astronomical amount of money, but it’s not. And we’ve looked at [the other municipalities like] Havre de Grace, and we’ve looked at Aberdeen, and we looked at Bel Air to see what their rates are.”

Robert believes making Edgewood a city will benefit everyone, including the county, economically.

She noted that Havre de Grace and Aberdeen are revitalizing and booming, attracting money to the county. Meanwhile, “all the people in my section go to White Marsh, because it’s straight down [Route] 40 — not even going over to Bel Air, [but] going to Baltimore County, and that includes the Joppa residents,” she said.

A seat at the table

Making Edgewood a city, advocates say, is also about giving Harford County’s racial minorities a voice.

Edgewood is home to nearly one-third of Harford County’s Black residents, who constitute about 16% of the county’s total population. Roughly 44% of Edgewood residents are Black, compared with 29% of incorporated Aberdeen.

“That’s also the main point, is to give the residents a voice at the table,” Robert said. “And they can go to their local government, not having to go all the way to the county level and have that discussion, and actually have more people on the local government that look like them and feel that they can talk to.”

Previous skepticism about incorporating Edgewood has pointed out the number of low-income residents in the community.

County Executive Bob Cassilly, a Republican, mentioned that line of reasoning recently, telling the Capital News Service that he isn’t sure the cost of building a city hall and setting up a government, for example, “is in the best interest of the Edgewood community.”

“I am concerned that incorporation would be counterproductive to the Edgewood community, burdening residents and businesses with another layer of taxes and government they cannot sustain,” Cassilly told The Aegis in an emailed statement. “Edgewood and similar communities have too long suffered from a failure of county leaders to consider and address the unique challenges and opportunities in every part of our county.”

And, just like 30 years ago, the county is finding new ways to try to solve Edgewood’s problems, rather than greenlighting the municipality. Cassilly’s administration has the Southern County Task Force, which Robert said “is great, but we could do so much more if we had our own money.”

They were recently discussing the county’s street-sweeping program, for example. Robert said she’s seen him only twice, and the text messages sent about it are inconsistent.

During the 1990s Edgewood-municipality push, the county responded to crime concerns by building a  Sheriff’s Office location on Route 40.

Myrick said that “was more visual than anything else,” because the Sheriff’s Office staffing remained the same. In fact, he said the new station actually slowed things down because everything still needed to be processed in Bel Air.

Myrick also believed Edgewood’s lower-income population could still benefit from incorporation, because the tax base from the many homeowners is still going to be there.

“If people see the opportunities to have their voices heard, you will bring people into that area, you will increase the economic stability of that area,” he said.

Edgewood’s median income of $86,355 is higher than both Aberdeen’s and Bel Air’s —  $76,019 and $69,912, respectively, as measured from 2019 to 2023.

Edgewood’s poverty rate is just slightly above Havre de Grace’s, at 10.5%.

“I think there’s more ‘Section 8’ housing and stuff like that in Edgewood, but I also know there’s million-dollar houses in Edgewood,” Robert said. “So, I think Edgewood gets a bad rap because, if you go down certain streets, there’s beautiful, gorgeous, waterfront homes and things like that, and then you do have, like, the apartments and … that little pocket where the crime happens, the drug-dealing happens, those things happen.”

When Mountain Christian Church’s Luke Erickson was getting ready to launch The Epicenter facility on Route 40, about 12 years ago, he recalled how he was steered away from buying a home in Edgewood in the early 2000s. Erickson, who is white, said at the time that he heard from Black people who were, instead, encouraged to buy there.

He said at the time: “We are unsettled about the stigma that gets attached to Edgewood. We are not going to participate in Edgewood-bashing. We are just trying to see things as they are.”

More than a decade later, the community does have new amenities. The vacant Washington Court property, once home to a federal housing project, has been revamped as Coppermine’s CopperPlex, a turf-field sports complex.

Robert said she was talking with Coppermine’s director about, “where do all his people go? Because he doesn’t have his food stuff set up yet, either. … But he’s, like, ‘I know we go to 7-Eleven, Subway and Food Lion.’ But I was like, there should be so many more choices for these families to be able to go to and not have to travel far to get lunch.”

Myrick left Edgewood in 1999 for a federal job in Florida. He now lives in Prince George’s County — which has 27 municipalities — but still visits Edgewood often to see his brother. He said the area has gotten worse, and he believes drug problems, vandalism and robbery have increased.

“The crime has skyrocketed,” he said. “As you bring in more low-income housing, there’s less incentive for businesses to be there.”

And, although he was unaware of the renewed push to incorporate Edgewood, he still believes the concept would be “extraordinarily” helpful for the community.

“I have always been a proponent for people to determine their own destiny,” Myrick said.

For more information about the July 21 Edgewood Municipality Information Meeting, contact tori4edgewood@gmail.com.

Have a news tip? Contact Bryna Zumer at bzumer@baltsun.com. Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com.

According to a news release from the Havre de Grace Police Department, at 3:09 p.m., Tuesday, officers responded to a residential neighborhood in the 100 block of Ohio Street for a report of a suspicious incident. Upon arrival they located what appeared to be organs or unknown tissues near a dumpster, police said.

Officials with the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner responded to the scene, and transported them to the examiner’s office for analysis. After testing, it was determined that the organs were not human, police said.

The incident remains under investigation.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

Kochenderfer, 91, served several terms on the City Council: 1990-1998, 2000-2002 and 2007-2009.

In a social media post Monday, Havre de Grace Mayor William Martin described Kochenderfer as a humble man who was known for his integrity and commitment to public service.

Kochenderfer was born May 8, 1934 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Sara, married in 1956 and moved to Harford County in 1959, when he began working at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

He was a longtime advocate for the 1.5-mile North Park Loop Trail, which was named the Joe K Trail in his honor in 2004. He had worked with city officials and community volunteers to build and maintain the trail since 1997 and hosted community walks on the loop trail each year, telling visitors about the local history and the environmental features along the route, making a loop from the Lock House north to the CSX rail bridge and back.

Joanne Healey, executive director of the Lock House, said Kochenderfer was a mentor for many people. He worked the same shift as a volunteer at the museum every Sunday afternoon, rain or shine, retiring from his position only about one year ago. Kochenderfer volunteered at the museum for almost 30 years, serving as a museum docent and school group guide, Healey said.

“Though I only knew him for the last seven years of his journey, I was always in awe of the deeply ingrained civic engagement and tenaciousness this one person possessed,” Healey said in a tribute post on the Lock House museum’s website.

Kochenderfer was involved in many community organizations, including Scouting America; he was a committee member for Boy Scout Troop 967 for 32 years and assisted with youth soccer, girls basketball and girls softball programs.

During Kochenderfer’s time as a council member, he became known as a “champion of common-sense growth and development,” Martin said. In addition to his role on the council, Kochenderfer served on the city’s planning commission for 19 years, seven as chair.

In the 2016 interview with Bahoukas.net, which shares Havre de Grace history, Kochenderfer said he enjoyed being on the planning commission because it helped shape what Havre de Grace is and wants to be.

Kochenderfer was a military veteran who served with the 92nd Engineer Battalion, U.S. Army, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from 1954 to 1956. He graduated magna cum laude from Gettysburg College in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He was a mathematician/manager in the Firing Tables Branch of the Launch and Flight Division from 1959 until he retired in 1988.

In addition to Sara, his wife of 69 years, he is survived by four children: Judith Glassman and husband Robert, Andrew Kochenderfer and wife Susan, Barbara Moore and husband Shonn, all of Havre de Grace; and Vance Kochenderfer of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Friday, from noon-2 p.m., followed by a service at 2 p.m., at Zellman Funeral Home, 927 Pulaski Highway, Havre de Grace.

“I will always remember him as a very approachable man who exemplified the highest moral conduct,” Martin said in his social media post. “On behalf of the citizens of Havre de Grace, I would like to express our sincere condolences to the friends and family of Joseph Kochenderfer.”

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

Each costume is free and will be part of the annual event on October 3 and 4. Workshop volunteers create unique, wheel-chair adapted costumes to make Halloween inclusive for children within the community.

“The joy on the children’s faces as they receive their custom costumes is priceless,” said CEO of HCPL, Mary Hastler, in a news release.

The foundation advises families to register early to ensure every child that would like to participate has the chance to.

Last year there were over 100 volunteers who helped transform wheelchairs into costumes like a Wheel of Fortune with a working wheel and letter board, a Buzz Lightyear spaceship, Finding Nemo with a coral reef and Princess Peach from the Mario Games.

The HCPL Foundation will provide materials such as paint, fabric, cardboard, wood, and glitter. Artists, carpenters, engineers and a seamstress will also be on site to provide support.

Registration for a costume begins now and will close on September 5. Families and volunteers can register at hcplonline.org/wcw.php.

Harford County Public Library Foundation Receives $20,000 donation

Harford County Public Library Foundation received a $20,000 donation from the Morris A. and Clarisse B. Mechanic Foundation to support the library’s early literacy program.

The money will be used to improve early literacy programming across the library system. The programs include story times, author visits, sensory play, parent-child workshops and access to early learning resources.

The donation continues a long partnership with the Mechanic Foundation and the Library. Since 2016, the foundation has contributed $20,000 annually to promote early literacy initiatives. Before that in 2015, the foundation gave a $25,000 gift to establish the Early Literacy Center at the Bel Air Library.

Overall since 2010, the Mechanic Foundation has contributed $260,000 to the Harford County Public Library Foundation.

“Their generosity has helped thousands of children begin their lifelong journey of learning and literacy,” said CEO of HCPL, Mary Hastler, in a news release.

The Morris A. and Clarisse B. Mechanic Foundation supplies grants to nonprofit organizations that improve community life in the state of Maryland. They believe a strong library is a key foundational piece of a successful community, according to president of the foundation, Carolyn Lambdin in a news release.

Harford County Education Foundation announces Jillian Lader as new board chair

The Harford County Education Foundation announced the election of Jillian Lader as the new chair of its Board of Directors, according to a press release.

Lader will serve a one-year term guiding the foundation’s mission to remove barriers to learning and ensuring every Harford County student has the tools they need to be successful.

During her time, Lader said in the press release that she plans to sharpen the foundation’s focus on supporting children from birth to age five, highlighting the importance of early learning and school readiness.

“If we want to create lasting change in our community, we need to begin before the first school bell rings,” she said in the release. “It’s about giving every child a foundation to enter school ready to learn, grow and thrive.”

She also aims to expand an early childhood focus across the  foundation’s partnerships and programs, citing her previous work leading Littles University, a literacy initiative that connects families with books and early learning resources.

“This organization plays a vital role in making sure our students — and their teachers — have the resources they need to succeed,” she said. “I look forward to working with our Board, staff and supporters to deepen our impact, especially in the earliest years of a child’s life.”

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

In 1972, while serving at the Pentagon, Kelly first made history when she became the first black female Sergeant Major in the Army. Two years later, she was promoted to Command Sergeant Major at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Kelly retired from the Army in 1976.

Kelly, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, died at the age of 75 in 2003 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

According to a 1995 C-SPAN interview, at age 22 Kelly was working as a teacher when she and a group of friends decided to take the entrance exam to enlist in the military. On the day they were scheduled to enlist, she was the only one who showed up.

“I sort of went in on a spur of the moment type thing,” she said in the interview. “I really didn’t intend to stay in.”

Kelly spent 26 years in the military, forging new paths for African American women.

After retiring, she worked alongside the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation to create a museum recognizing women’s achievements in the military. The museum, known as the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, is located at the entrance of Arlington National Cemetery. The space houses artifacts, photographs and memorabilia outlining the history of women in the Armed Forces.

“I think this is mecca for the women,” she said in the 1995 interview, describing the memorial. “It’s been a long time coming, long overdue.”

Melissa Derisca, 40, of Edgewood, visited Mildred Kelly Park this week. She said she didn’t know much about Kelly before the park was created, but once she learned of Kelly’s background, she was honored to bring her child to a place with such historical significance.

Derisca sees the park being used for lots of community-driven events, providing residents with a space to come together and build memories.

“It’ll help us cater to the mental health of our community, just to get out [in the] open,” she said. “I see gatherings, family cookouts, barbecues and we don’t have to go far to embrace our community.”

The 5.5-acre park, located at 2021 Yahde St., is military-themed, equipped with a tank-shaped jungle gym, a walking path, and a large gazebo. The land the park sits on was previously used as military housing for Aberdeen Proving Ground.

The project was funded through grants from Harford County and various other outlets, including a Community Development Block Grant.

“It’s fitting that this site, once home to military families, will now carry her name and her story as the park continues to serve the community,” said Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly in a news release.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.

The commemoration will begin in Cecil County at the Port Deposit Town Square, from noon to 3:30 p.m., then finish at Concord Point Park in Havre de Grace, with a fireworks show.

At 3:30 p.m., “Lafayette” will board a boat and cross the Susquehanna River and travel to Frank Hutchins Park in Havre de Grace, just as he did in 1825. From there, he will head to Graw Alley at about 4:15 p.m. where a welcome ceremony will take place before he heads out to Concord Point Park for fireworks beginning around 8:30 p.m.

At the park, musical interpreter Tyler Diaz will perform compositions by Francis Johnson, an African American composer from Philadelphia who often performed in Havre de Grace. Johnson composed most of the music played at ceremonies that honored Gen. Lafayette.

In 2020, the city of Havre de Grace dedicated a marker at David Craig Park honoring Lafayette’s farewell tour of the U.S. The marker was placed behind his statue located at Legion Square at Union Avenue and St. John Street.

For more information on the celebration, community members can visit The Historical Society of Harford County’s website at harfordhistory.org.

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com or 443-826-5894.