Kenny-Kirby for Ward 6

04/29/2018

Four new mural projects done or in the works by artists and underprivileged kids, in Eastport, Maryland Hall, Newtowne 20 and Whitmore Park.

12/16/2016

11/27/2016

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-recount-scam_us_5839f109e4b09b605600b625

"This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being ...

10/13/2016

A sad day for all Annapolitans.

Caucus frustrated at disparate treatment, chief denies such actions and says it is 'not supported by fact'

08/20/2016

Another youngster launched with love into the world. Happy to be at Indiana Unversity today to share it.

08/10/2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/10/opinion/trumps-ambiguous-wink-wink-to-second-amendment-people.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region Trump's comments today: incredible.

As a nation. As a people.

Haven't we suffered enough in our history?

The answer is: too much.

Too much violence. Too many martyrs. Too many violent struggles.

Annapolitans stand together.

PEACE IS THE ONLY ANSWER.

The menacing language Donald Trump uses about Hillary Clinton is reminiscent of extremists’ talk that fed Yitzhak Rabin’s assassin in Israel in 1995.

07/31/2016

The Audacity of Hope has downshifted to the Banality of Practicality.

07/28/2016

Glad to be in Philly today. Our President was outstanding!!

07/14/2016

A Continuing History of Eastport: Walls, Fences & Gates

Some of us probably remember a few years ago when an Alderman (Ross Arnett) led a mob of emotional people to the home of one of his constituents (Ms. Riddick) who was building an approved fence around part of her property. He being privileged and she being African American it was a combustible situation. Yet mob action was necessary to nullify building permits they did not approve of? Fortunately, the Alderman and the mob dispersed but they tarred the fence as The Great Wall of Eastport.

Now we learn of another vigilante group in Eastport with a surprising name: Eastport Moms. They have decided the City park on 3rd and Chester, Rev. Joe Turner Park, is theirs and theirs alone. They have put chains & locks on the gate to the park to prevent access except when they decide.

An old Eastporter called an Alderman and told him about the chains & locks on the gate to the park. He responded: “Cut them”. “And if the police question you tell them Alderman Kirby told you to cut them.”

So they did.

Interestingly, Alderman Kirby’s family at one point in time owned the entire block, including the park in question. That was at a time when working folks in Eastport didn’t care so much about racial identity. More about jobs and making a living. So he had an interest in keeping the block open to all the community.

Mind you, the park is owned by the City of Annapolis. All of us.

Yet wait, back to the story.

Ald. Arnett was livid. It is a violation of law! To cut off private property and throw it into Back Creek. Those fine locks and chains the Mom’s had bought!

Apparently whomever was cutting locks and chains grew tired and decided to dispose of the gate altogether. We assume they threw it into the Creek.

An efficient solution we think.

Now Mayor Pantelides gets involved, ordering an Annapolis Police investigation. Detectives coursing through the neighborhood investigating a missing gate.

Taxpayer's dollars at work!

Sad.

Yet we still say: bully! One less gate anywhere in Annapolis is good.

Especially in our own backyard.

07/11/2016

Speaking thruth to power.

07/08/2016

We done Alderman Kirby!!

I SUPPORT no net loss of tree canopy.

On Monday night, we will be voting on the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) in Council. My major concern with the FCA is that there is no provision within it protecting our tree canopy.

Some history is in order. Almost 20 years ago Annapolis' City Council enacted protection of our tree canopy with a goal of 50%. This was led by then Councilwoman Ellen Moyer. Over the years this legislation was allowed to go dormant.

We need to re-establish and re-invorgate this important piece of legistaion. Of course, it needs to allow for reasonable replacement of trees lost on or nearby impacted properities and respect the rights of property owners. But the proporitions and trees replaced must follow conventional standards such as 1:3 for large trees lost / new trees planted.

My major issue with the FCA is that there is no tree canopy protection in its current form. We will see what will happen Monday night, but the FCA legislation in it's current state does not offer sufficient protections.