Lake Elkhorn Issues

A post by Owen Brown News caught my eye today. The Committee for Lake Elkhorn Environmental Restoration is putting together a report on issues and eye sores concerning the lake. I live on the edge of the lake and bicycle around it frequently. After reading the post I decided to create a sound slides presentation of the problems I found.

Most of the problems are cosmetic and can be fixed easily. Paths need to connect to benches or trails, dead trees need to be removed and the dock platforms need to be replaced. Drains should be hidden by shrubbery and the dam needs to be either accessible to the people who walk on it, or completely closed off. One problem in particular stuck out at me.

The pavilion on the lake has a sign stating the restrooms are open and available to the public when the nature camp is not in session. What the sign doesn't say is that you need bolt cutters to get to them. The sign also states that a security attendant is on duty Monday through Friday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. I took this picture at 4:35 p.m. and I didn't see a security attendant in the office or anywhere on the property.

Residents with concerns or issues regarding Lake Elkhorn should email Elaine Pardoe at em.pardoe@verizon.net

John Boyle & communal mailboxes

As an Owen Brown resident, I'm interested in what goes on. I don't have the time or desire to walk Elkhorn when it's dry and 45 F outside. It'd be cool if Patuxent Publishing Company delivered an Owen Brown weekly straight to my communal mailbox?

John Boyle has a communal mailbox too but with the Internet he delivers to a niche audience with Owen Brown News, a hyper-local blog. Boyle has a voice in his writing and tells you what's going on, straight up.

“My blog is about the Village of Owen Brown. The activities within the village, local issues that may affect village residents, calls to action or volunteer opportunities that neighbors can help with, etc. I blog because there's a fair amount of information out there that folks are interested in, but (because we're all busy) aren't likely to find on their own. I just pull the information together so that IF folks are interested, they can see what's going on.”

Boyle acts like a virtual village peg-board. He says it's not original reporting but he interprets the need to know from the noise, clean and free.

“Right now, I'm primarily pulling information from other sources (blogs, newspaper and government websites) and getting info that's passed along information from the Owen Brown Village Board. I also have some neighbors who are catching on to the fact that this is a good way to get the word out about activities that they're involved with that affect Owen Brown residents.”

Boyle and I both use Hoco blogs like a virtual communal mailbox. Ask Novello or Newburn about the Analytics but like the concrete and metal boxes, the neighbors don't get their mail at the same time.

Boyle links to other community activists and blogs with pertinent interests and keeps tabs on his friends. Not literally.

“I'd say that Wordbones (A Tale of Two Cities) is the blogger that I follow the closest. I always find his posts worth reading.”

Boyle's advice; find a point of view, let the focus of your content evolve and pace yourself.