By Michael Schneider, Baltimore County Recreation and Parks

Spring is officially here. Start your April fun with a weekend special event at one of Baltimore County’s parks, nature centers, historical parks or community centers. Just click the location for event details and contact information. 

Saturday, April 1, 2017

• Easter Bingo North Point Village
• Fundamentals of Archery Marshy Point Nature Center
• Saturday Morning Bird Walks  Cromwell Valley Park  
• Animal Tricks Cromwell Valley Park 
• Animal Fools Day Oregon Ridge Nature Center  
• Basket Making- Herb Basket  Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum
• Let’s Explore Nature with the Cat in the Hat  Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum 

Sunday, April 2, 2017 

• Cheese Making for Beginners  Cromwell Valley Park  
• Egg Roll  Holt Park  
• Canoe the Creek  Marshy Point Nature Center

Friday, April 7, 2017

• Night Out with Nature: “Chasing Springtime Across Maryland” Cromwell Valley Park
• Pokemon Late Night Madness Marshy Point Nature Center
• Bookworm Story Time  Oregon Ridge Nature Center  
• Annual Bull Roast  Colgate Recreation

Saturday, April 8, 2017

• Easter Egg Hunt Bear Creek Recreation
• Egg Hunt  Cromwell Valley Park  
• Monthly Bonfire  Holt Park  
• 53^rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt  Greater Loch Raven  
• Eggscellent Adventures Oregon Ridge Nature Center  

• Flashlight Egg Hunt Lake Roland
• Vendor Basket Bingo  Gray Charles
• Plein Air Sketching  Marshy Point Nature Center
• Oella History Hike Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum 

Sunday, April 9, 2017

• Signs of Spring Hike Cromwell Valley Park  
• Eggscellent Adventure Oregon Ridge Nature Center
• Donut Run Lake Roland
• Natural Egg Dyeing  Lake Roland
• Second Sundays Birdwalk  Marshy Point Nature Center
• Natural Egg Dying  Marshy Point Nature Center
• Easter Egg Hunt  Edgemere – Sparrows Point 

Friday, April 14, 2017

• The Full Fish Moon Cromwell Valley Park  
• Easter Egg Hunt Parkville  
• Morning Bird Walks Oregon Ridge Nature Center 

Saturday, April 15, 2017

• Natural Dyes Cromwell Valley Park  
• Easter Egg Hunt Parkville
• Earth Day Yard Sale Oregon Ridge Nature Center
• 14^th Annual Spring Festival Marshy Point Nature Center
• Celebrate Spring with Natural Dyes and Easter Eggs Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum

Sunday, April 16, 2017

• Nature Quest Hike  Cromwell Valley Park
• Scrambled Eggs Marshy Point Nature Center

Saturday, April 22, 2017

• Earth Day Planting Cromwell Valley Park
• Baseball Opening Day Parade Rosedale
• Love Your Mother Earth Oregon Ridge Nature Center
• Songs of Spring Oregon Ridge Nature Center
• Earth Day Celebration Lake Roland

• Earth Day Celebration Marshy Point Nature Center
• Baseball Parade and Opening Day  Edgemere – Sparrows Point
• Frog Songs Night Hike Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum

Sunday, April 23, 2017

• Earth Oven Pizza Cromwell Valley Park
• Love Your Mother Earth Oregon Ridge Nature Center
• Songs of Spring Oregon Ridge Nature Center
• April Gardens Marshy Point Nature Center

Tuesday, April 25 through Sunday, April 30, 2017

• Colgate Annual Carnival  Essex Elementary

Friday, April 28 through Sunday, April 30, 2017

• Mame, The Sky Is the Limit Community Theater, Dundalk 

Saturday, April 29, 2017

• Drop In Gardening Cromwell Valley Park
• Amazing Amphibians Cromwell Valley Park
• Project Clean Stream Lake Roland
• Basic Paddling Course Marshy Point Nature Center
• Build a Frog Pont Marshy Point Nature Center
• Moss Workshop Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum
• Yard Sale to Benefit Banneker’s Colonial Market Fair Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum
• Earth Day Celebration Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum
• What’s Cookin’, Mr. Banneker Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum 

Sunday, April 30, 2017

• Pre-K Possum Tale Cromwell Valley Park
• Spring Wildflower Stroll Lake Roland
• Cane Pole Fishing Lake Roland
• Berkshire Dance Recital Berkshire Programs

Note that programs are run by Baltimore County’s volunteer Rec & Parks and Nature Councils. Most programs are free, but some ask for a donation or have a small fee.

Before you head out, check the website or call the recreation or nature office to check on program details, times and possible rain dates. You know what they say about April showers!

3/30/17 Update - repairs completed

A sanitary sewer overflow from a Rosedale force main – discovered yesterday by Baltimore County utility crews – was stopped this morning at 10:35 a.m. Crews worked for more than a day to repair the 36-inch diameter line over Moores Run which discharged 411,200 gallons into local waters. The overflow was apparently due to the separation of two pipes which were joined at a ninety-degree angle; Baltimore County engineers are investigating the cause.

The public is advised to avoid contact with the waste water. The Baltimore County Department of Health will monitor water quality in Moores Run and Red House Creek and will issue, as necessary, water contact advisories on the Department's website:

http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/health/environmentalhealth/watersampling/alertadvisory.html

Department of Health enforcement efforts continue to make significant impact

Today, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Director of the Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch announced that for the second year in a row, the selling of tobacco products to minors in Baltimore County has been significantly reduced due to the diligent work of the Baltimore County Department of Health. According to 2014 data from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, over half of Baltimore County retailers they visited sold tobacco products to minors, more than any other jurisdiction in the State. In 2016, that number has been reduced to 1.25 percent according to a report just released by the State.

“Thanks to good government in action, and our commitment to funding this important initiative, we have made an amazing turnaround in keeping teenagers from being able to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products here in Baltimore County, and that goes a long way toward preventing unhealthy habits with lifelong consequences,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.

“The reduction in tobacco sales to minors in Baltimore County is yet another testament to public health being on the job,” said Director of the Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch. “With the help of our dedicated tobacco enforcement teams, we are sending a loud message that we value our youth’s health and will stop at nothing to prevent them from gaining access to tobacco products.”

Enforcement Works

To achieve the reduction in sales to minors, the Health Department has continued to aggressively increase enforcement operations with the use of students under the age of 18 to perform sting operations. These youth are under the supervision of Health Enforcement Officers, some of whom are retired public safety personnel.  In 2016, the department conducted 4,128 sting operations on over 800 of the County’s tobacco retailers. 

In 2015, the County passed legislation to impose increased financial penalties for retailers who violate the sale to minors law and also includes the potential suspension of a tobacco license for repeat offenders. Those selling cigarettes to minors face a series of enforcement actions; the first offense results in a warning, the second offense is a $500 fine and the third offense results in a $1,000 fine. The County also refers repeat offenders to the State Comptroller’s office so that their license to sell cigarettes may be reviewed.

“The County Council is committed to continuing this very positive trend and we are grateful for Dr. Branch and the Health Department staff who have worked extremely hard enforcing our tobacco laws,” said Baltimore County Council Chair Tom Quirk.

Since the County began the aggressive enforcement efforts in the spring of 2015, it has made 274 referrals to the Comptroller’s Office, which includes over 207 tobacco retailers – a quarter of the County’s retailers. The Comptroller’s reviews have resulted in 87 reprimands and 42 suspensions of tobacco licenses to date. 

"We commend Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and his team for all they have done to virtually eliminate tobacco sales to young people in Baltimore County," said Vincent DeMarco, President of the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative. "We hope every county in Maryland will follow their lead to save young people from the horrors of tobacco addiction."

Risks of teen tobacco use

“The American Heart Association applauds Baltimore County’s spectacular success in reducing youth access to tobacco products,” said Michaeline Fedder, Director of Government Relations. “90 percent of addicted smokers start before age 19 and adolescents become addicted to nicotine more quickly than adults. They are also twice as sensitive to tobacco advertising which is why, annually, the tobacco industry spends $127.5 million in Maryland alone marketing its products to kids. And, finally, researchers have concluded that early signs of heart disease and stroke are found in young people who smoke.”

 “According to the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control report, in Maryland the high school smoking rate is 8.7 percent, 27.6 percent of high school students use tobacco products and an estimated 90 percent of adult smokers begin smoking during their teenage years,” said Deborah P. Brown, President and CEO, American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic. “The American Lung Association in Maryland applauds Baltimore County’s law enforcement officials for their success in reducing tobacco sales to minors by retailers. The work that they’re doing is lifesaving.”

“Age of sale laws must be strictly enforced to ensure a high rate of compliance,” said Bonita Pennino, Maryland’s Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “The work of the Baltimore County Department of Health over the last couple of years clearly shows that they understand the importance of holding tobacco retailers accountable for ensuring tobacco products stay out of the hands of our youth.”

For information on the Baltimore County Department of Health’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program and quit smoking classes, call at 410-887-3828.