Chron – June 26 – Letters to Editor – 2397
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Page One photo credit
Painting by Jo Coyle
page 4 – On the Cover
On the Cover
This oil on canvas, titled “Stretchh,” is by Freeland artist Jo Coyle, who prefers landscapes because she “loves nature” and they give “viewers space to relax in.” Coyle is a north county native, attending Sparks Elementary and Hereford Middle before graduating from the Carver Center for Arts & Technology. After getting her bachelor’s in Fine Art at Mount St. Mary’s University, she went into something sensible like marketing and communications but five years ago she entered the “scary world” of doing her own art full time in the basement when her five-year-old daughter is at school. To see more of Coyle’s work, go to jocoyle.com or contact her at me@jocoyle.com to inquire about commissions
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Letters to the Editor
Email Blitz Needed To Replace Carroll Bridge
Editor:
I went to the Department of Public Works and Transportation’s event at the Agricenter off of Shawan Road, yesterday to see if there were any updates regarding the Carroll Road bridge. It was a nice format: no speeches but rather a number of easel displays with presentation boards, each addressing different projects (roads, bridges, culverts, etc.) past, current and future, each staffed by very knowledgeable DPW engineers so you could drift to whichever interested you.
I made a beeline for the one with the Carroll Road bridge information, introducing myself as “The Bridge Guy.” Alright. Nick Smith was there, along with his boss, Matt Leone, Chief of Design for DPW. Both exceptionally kind and informative. They explained there are a lot of hoops to jump through, some we don’t think of. One, being rights-of way: in some areas, the county has jurisdiction over the immediate road but nothing else so they have to get permission from the neighboring property owners for access, equipment and the like.
Mr. Leone informed that the modular bridges, though a quicker alternative, require more regular maintenance over their lifespan of the claimed 75-to100 years than a purpose built bridge which requires comparatively little maintenance over its first 30 years. Even when all the ducks seem to be in a row, the timeline elephant remains…six years?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could probably knock out a replacement in four hours; the Amish in a weekend; modular in two months. They built the Empire State Building in something like 13 months; The Pentagon in 14 months. All we want is a replacement, single lane, 100-foot bridge and it requires six years?
An email campaign to our respective representatives (including the Governor) might move the needle. Put “Fix/replace the Carroll Bridge in Phoenix, Maryland” in the subject box and then a short sentence of: “In October of 2025 a septic truck destroyed the Carroll Bridge and 2030 is the projected replacement date, this for a single lane,100-foot bridge! Thousands cross this bridge on a daily basis including EMS vehicles, school buses, delivery vehicles, Uber vehicles, commuters, etc., and the eight-mile-long detour is unacceptable. The untimely destruction of this bridge qualifies for disaster funds. Where are they? Let’s get this done: build the bridge!”
Lastly, Del. Nino Mangione was in attendance at the meeting, primarily to see if the bridge would be among the DPW talking points. He, too, can’t understand why it would take six years versus six months to repair this vital connection. He wasn’t taking anyone to task; rather, he was just asking questions. Encouraging.
As a community we can speed this up! Send an email to ALL your elected officials, not just once but again and again. Thanks for any support.
— Peter B. Bell
Monkton
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We Need Mangione In Public Service
Editor:
I am a retired Baltimore County police officer, a wife and, most importantly, a mother. My family and I have proudly called northern Baltimore County home for many years. We love this community deeply.
As many may remember, my son Garrett was tragically killed while attending Coker University. The love, support and compassion shown to my family by the Hereford community during that time is something I will never forget.
In recent years, I had the opportunity to work on a long-term tribute in Garrett’s memory and, through that process, I got to know Del. Nino Mangione. I was truly touched by his compassion, work ethic and genuine willingness to help. He did not just offer kind words, he showed up, cared and made a real difference for my family.
Nino Mangione is exactly the kind of person we need in public service. I hope others will join me in supporting Nino Mangione and his team of candidates in the June 23 election.
— Natalie Bakhsh
Hampstead
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Turtle Deserved To Be Free and Safe
Editor:
I was delighted to see my photo on the cover of the Villager [May 2026 issue] yesterday afternoon. I greatly appreciate your kindness.
Just to let you know, my property, named Pipe Dream, is on Harford Creamery Road very close to Madonna and Jarrettsville. Though our mailing post office is White Hall in Baltimore County, our property is actually in Harford County. We own 21 acres that includes a 1/2-acre pond that sits very close behind our house.
The snapping turtle had just crawled out of the pond by about 10 feet when I noticed it basking in the sun and, most likely, getting ready to find a good spot to lay eggs. Without question, it’s the largest turtle I have ever caught and the biggest we have ever seen in our pond.
Thank you for mentioning the dangers of a snapping turtle being on land and of our release into Little Deer Creek. As dangerous as they can be, the turtle deserved to be freed and placed into a safer location for everyone’s concern.
You always support the preservation and beauty of nature and I always enjoy reading your articles.
— Wes Herrmann
White Hall
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Keep N. Baltimore County Green; Vote for Le Gardeur
Editor:
Over the past 12 years, including four years in the Maryland House of Delegates and eight years in the state Senate, I have fought many battles on behalf of northern Baltimore County citizens. During that time, I have supported balanced budgets, consistently voted against tax increases and worked to pass meaningful legislation through a common-sense, reasonable approach to governing. It has not always been easy but it truly has been my honor to serve you and the beautiful communities of northern Baltimore County.
As I prepare to retire from public office, there is one local race I am watching very closely: the Republican primary for Baltimore County Council Fifth District. I believe it will have a direct impact on the future of northern Baltimore County.
The question is a simple one: Do we want to preserve the open space, clean water, rural character and quality of life that make this part of Baltimore County so special or do we want to see more and more of it paved over and filled with townhouses?
In the Baltimore County Council Fifth District race, Theaux Le Gardeur is running against Del. Nino Mangione (R-42A). I have met Theaux and I am impressed by him. Like me, he is a fiscal conservative. He opposes tax increases, believes in limited government and understands that taxpayers deserve elected officials who remember that government money comes from working families and must be spent wisely.
But Theaux also brings something else to this race that is important. He has spent much of his life working to protect clean air, clean water, open space and the natural resources that make northern Baltimore County such a wonderful place. He understands that being a conservative also means conserving the land, the waterways and the communities we have been blessed to inherit.
Most importantly, Theaux does not believe the councilman representing northern Baltimore County should be neutral about preserving the longstanding URDL [Urban-Rural Demarcation Line]. He is committed to protecting it. Northern Baltimore County cannot simply be treated as the next place to be overbuilt. Once open space is gone, it is gone forever. Once our streams and waterways are damaged, they are very difficult to restore. These decisions matter and they will shape the future of our community for years to come.
That is why I am supporting Theaux Le Gardeur for County Council and I hope you will join me.
In this primary, Republicans have an opportunity to nominate a candidate who is conservative, thoughtful, fiscally responsible and deeply committed to protecting the character of northern Baltimore County. Please vote for Theaux Le Gardeur in the June 23 Republican primary and help make him the next Baltimore County councilman for the Fifth District.
— Sen. Chris West
Legislative District 42
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Hereford Deserves Honest Reporting, Debate & Truth
Editor:
As an active member of the Hereford community for the past 27 years, I feel compelled to speak out against what I believe has been biased reporting in the Country Chronicle and against statements published about Del. Nino Mangione that do not reflect the person and public servant I have come to know.
Over the years, I worked for Baltimore County public schools, then served as director of the food bank in Hereford and, for more than a decade, I have sat on the board of My Neighbors Foundation. I also continue to serve as the adult advisor for the Hereford High Sschool’s For Our Troops club, which began 20 years ago and continues to support military members and families in our Hereford community.
My children, and now my grandchildren, are being raised as an integral part of the Hereford community. Because of that, I see firsthand how important it is to protect our environment, preserve north county farmland, and defend the character of our community. My family owns 48 acres of farmland and, like many others, we have felt threatened by the possibility of eminent domain connected to the MPRP power project. From everything I have seen, Nino Mangione has never supported turning the Hereford zone into overdeveloped townhouse communities. Instead, he has consistently supported efforts to protect land preservation and clean waterways.
I also see every day the need to provide the highest quality education and respect for every child in this area. Throughout my years of service in Hereford, Del. Mangione has stood beside our community and worked to ensure these issues are heard and addressed. He participates annually with Hereford students in the Memorial Day ceremony, helps honor veterans by laying wreaths on military graves at Christmas, attends events they host for veterans and recognizes the concerns of our young adults as they prepare for a secure future.
He listens to our youth and supports them in meaningful ways, including when they brought a traveling Military Memorial to Maryland for the first time for a five-day visit. He also recognized and honored them by raising the funds needed to make it possible, even when our own governor, despite his self-declared military background, did not acknowledge the accomplishment with even an hour of his attendance. The same was true of other Democratic candidates then in office who are now speaking out against Del. Mangione.
What troubles me most about recent articles and letters to the editor is that too many appear to come from people who do not live the daily reality of the Hereford area, yet their opinions are presented without enough factual scrutiny. In my view, the editor has a responsibility to fact-check what is being printed, especially when reputations and the future of our community are at stake. Readers should not believe everything they read — particularly when it concerns people they do not know personally.
Hereford deserves honest reporting, respectful debate, and a commitment to truth.
— Cathy M. Aitken
Parkton
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Vote Mangione to Be Our Voice on the Council
Editor:
Resident of northern Baltimore County too many times are the forgotten citizens of
the county. However, two years ago our quiet, tranquil lives became front page news when
PJM announced a power line was going to cut across our productive farm land. Agricultural lands
— some preserved by protective easements — were about to become home to power lines.
PJM thought it was going to be a cakewalk; instead, they were confronted by Del. Nino
Mangione. He stepped up to the plate.
Del. Mangione scheduled meetings at Hereford High School to listen to our concerns. He brought in PJM officials to hear from the concerned citizens. He had more meetings to keep us, the citizens, informed. Working with STOP MPRP (Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project), we were no longer the forgotten citizens of Baltimore County. Nino was there on the battlefield with us.
Nino is running for Baltimore County Council. He will be an excellent councilman. He is willing
to listen. He researches each issue and works to bring solutions to the table. He knows his constituents and understands the lifestyle of northern Baltimore County. He will work hard to keep agriculture alive and productive in northern Baltimore County.
Nino will be our voice on the Council. If you care about the future of northern Baltimore, vote on June 23 for Nino Mangione.
— Weida Stoecker
White Hall
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Letters Welcomed
The Country Chronicle encourages letters to the editor which should be mailed to P.O. Box 5472, Towson, MD 21285 or emailed to mildmanneredcomm@aol.com with the text in the body of the email, not as an attachment.
For verification purposes, all letters must be accompanied by the author’s name, address and phone number, though the address and phone number will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published.
Also, The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters for content and length.
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Calling All Artists,
Express Yourself
Calling all artists, photographers and otherwise exhibitionists. Express yourself to more than 19,338 homes in northern Baltimore County and western Harford County. The Country Chronicle is looking for original artwork and photographs — color or black-and-white, all ages and skill levels — to grace its cover.
Please email your artwork (no more than three of your best work) in a pdf or jpeg format to mildmanneredcomm@aol.com. Please include a phone number so we may contact you.
For more information, call 410-494-1882.
