February 25, 2000

County PTA President Linna Barnes' tongue got twisted around a number of names at Tuesday night's forum for candidates in the Board of Education at-large race.

Apologizing profusely, Barnes mispronounced Carmen I. Román's last name more than half a dozen times.

Román of Bethesda, who is Hispanic, put a positive spin on the gaffe, saying she appreciated the extra time and name recognition.

Augustus C. Alzona -- that's al-ZON-a -- also suffered through a series of phonetic massacres. But the Filipino native and decades-long Bethesda resident good-humoredly waved a bright yellow bumper sticker with ALZONA on it. He reminded people that his name would be first on their ballots.

The embarrassed Barnes then stumbled into at least three attempts at Said Jahanmir's name, placing the accent on each of the syllables in turn.

Mr. yah-HAN-mir, a Germantown resident originally from Iran, good-naturedly appeared to savor the few extra seconds of cable time. After all, political candidates sometimes spend thousands, if not millions of dollars, on seconds of TV time just to get their names out to voters.

If it's any consolation, candidate Beth Wong of Silver Spring, who is originally from the Philippines, trimmed her more multicultural name just to avoid pronunciation problems. Her proper name is Bethsaida Amigable-Wong.

The variety of the school board candidates' racial and ethnic backgrounds highlights the diversity in the schools and county as a whole.

And Barnes should be commended for politely asking candidates how to say their names in the first place.

"I made all kinds of phonetic markings in my notes," she said after the forum for nine candidates.

Take note that Barnes didn't miss a beat when she called on Charles F. Haughey of Rockville.

That's because, as he tells everyone upon greeting them, "It's pronounced 'hockey,' like the game."

The other candidates -- Sharon W. Cox of Germantown, Luella W. Mast of Silver Spring, Lauri Rodich of Brookeville and William White of Derwood -- were also not a problem for Barnes.

-- Effie Bathen

It's campaign time for the Board of Education. So in the midst of the flurry and rhetoric, it would not be unusual to hear candidates dropping some names here and there.

A number have, for example, invoked the name of former board sage and current County Council member Blair G. Ewing (D-at large) of Silver Spring. At least one refers to her association with board member Mona M. Signer of Potomac. And another notes his work for the U.S. Secretary of Education.

But this week, candidate Román may have won the royal prize. Seems she received a personal invitation to a congressional reception for Spain's King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sophia.

Román is a Spanish professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. She heads an outreach program that recruits first-generation minority students to the university and touts a 98 percent graduation success rate. She also traveled to Spain as a consultant about a year ago.

So does the king -- whom she describes as the vanguard and soul of the people -- know her?

"I doubt it," she says. But adds with a tone of humility, "I am honored that such a favor has been bestowed."

-- Effie Bathen

You spend enough time in Annapolis, you forget that every once in a while you can hear an illuminating debate, especially in the state Senate.

That happened Wednesday, when senators discussed a proposal by Gov. Parris N. Glendening to offer low-interest mortgages to new teachers -- provided that they buy their homes in designated "smart growth" areas.

The debate in the Senate, lasting more than an hour, was over whether those terms were too restrictive. Sen. Larry E. Haines (R-Dist. 5) of Westminster proposed an amendment that would have allowed teachers to qualify for the state-backed loans regardless of where they bought their homes.

"We're trying to mix two different subjects," said Senate Minority Leader Martin G. Madden (R-Dist. 13) of Clarksville, who supported Haines' amendment. "I don't think it's wise policy to mix the smart growth with this teacher shortage problem."

Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Dist. 22) of Cheverly, the floor leader for the bill, said Glendening's proposal would direct money to communities where the teacher shortage is the greatest -- Baltimore City and County, Prince George's County and Allegany County.

Senate Majority Leader Clarence W. Blount (D-Dist. 41) of Baltimore spoke against the amendment, arguing that state leaders have chosen to address the teacher shortage crisis in a piecemeal way, when they should be raising teachers' salaries to $70,000 a year or more.

"Some people say we're mixing apples and oranges. Maybe we are," he said. "But at least we all have fruit. And we all like fruit."

The amendment died in a split 22-22 vote, with all 14 Republicans supporting it. At least two leading Democrats, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Clinton and Senate President Pro Tem Ida G. Ruben (D-Dist. 20) of Silver Spring apparently voted for the amendment by mistake. One Democratic ally of the governor, Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden (D-Dist. 45) of Baltimore, voted for it intentionally, to the consternation of some of his colleagues from the city.

"I just have a fundamental problem when you tell people where to live," explained McFadden, who is African American.

The bill did get preliminary passage Wednesday and is up for a final vote today.

-- Josh Kurtz

The local media could be found Tuesday morning wandering the parking lot of a strip mall along Route 355, frantically searching for the clubhouse of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 35.

The FOP clubhouse was to be the site of a news conference regarding Montgomery County police officers' ratification of an agreement between the county and the U.S. Department of Justice over a civil rights complaint.

Being a persistent lot, reporters eventually found the unmarked, nondescript entrance to the clubhouse, located behind a 7-11 convenience store.

Once inside, one of the curious guests asked FOP President Walter Bader whether officers were hiding from their spouses, given the absence of signs for the clubhouse and its crypt-like interior with closed blinds and few windows.

"I think it's because they want to hide from their supervisors," Bader shot back.

As for the clubhouse interior, there is no chance of Southern Living featuring it in an upcoming issue.

The décor and feel of the place is decidedly 1950s air-raid shelter -- after the attack -- replete with painted cinderblock walls and an ill-fitting dropped ceiling. A large, plastic ficus tree lends a certain touch tilted against an inoperable video game.

But there is a nice pool table, cheap beer on tap and food. And one more thing: the pinball machine motif features Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, uttering those immortal words, "Go ahead ... make my day!"

-- Mark Celender

Taking a page out of Doug Duncan's book, leaders from the Baltimore area held a news conference in Annapolis this week surrounded by police brass to discuss their determination to work together on areas of mutual interest -- and their mutual admiration.

Although Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and Howard County Executive James P. Robey were absent, Baltimore County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Anne Arundel County Executive Janet Owens, Harford County Executive James M. Harkins and Carroll County Commissioner Julia Gouge were there, along with police chiefs from their jurisdictions.

It was vaguely reminiscent of events Duncan has staged with Wayne Curry, municipal politicians and officials from the District of Columbia and their police to discuss joint law enforcement and policy-making efforts.

This Baltimore confab focused on the officials' support of bills making it easier for police to recover stolen goods from pawnshops and jewelers.

"Crime has no geographical boundaries," Ruppersberger said.

Ruppersberger noted that he and O'Malley are former prosecutors, while Robey and Harkins are former police officers. Owens, he said, watches "NYPD Blue."

-- Josh Kurtz

We noticed Jane T. Nishida, the secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, walking around the State House with a state trooper in tow during the past few days.

Cabinet secretaries don't usually have police protection, so naturally, we were curious. Are pro-growth Virginia officials taking aim at a Maryland official spawned by the environmental community? Have tensions grown so bad over the new water intake pipe Fairfax County wants to put in the Potomac?

No. Turns out Nishida, who sustained serious injuries during a car accident in Baltimore several weeks ago, is still unable to drive.

-- Josh Kurtz

Back in 1992, Republicans passed out bumper stickers that said, "Annoy the Media: Re-elect Bush."

In that same vein, Dorothy "Doro" Bush Koch, daughter of the former president and sister of the presidential candidate had a zinger of her own for the media during a pep rally this week in Annapolis with the many Republican legislators who support her brother.

"You know why God created political pundits, don't you?" the Bethesda resident said. "To make weather forecasters look good."

-- Josh Kurtz