New chief of police to be sworn in tonight
James W. Johnson will be formally sworn in tonight as the new Baltimore County police chief.
The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. in Kraushaar Auditorium of Goucher College, Dulaney Valley Road, Towson. Johnson will be sworn in by Suzanne Mensh, clerk of the court for Baltimore County.
Johnson, a 29-year veteran of the department, rose through the ranks from cadet to chief. During his career, he has served in a variety of operational and administrative positions and has won numerous awards and commendations. He was named chief May 31 by County Executive James T. Smith Jr. to replace outgoing Chief Terrence B. Sheridan. Gov. Martin O'Malley named Sheridan the superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
Construction
Smith Avenue section to close
Baltimore County will close a section of Smith Avenue, between Old Pimlico Road and the city line, between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Monday to make road and culvert improvements, officials said. The road will be closed completely from Monday to Aug. 26 and then be closed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily from the end of August until Nov. 1. Traffic will be detoured to Cross Country Boulevard in the city and to Greenspring Avenue.
Countywide
Board appointments announced
Barbara Gradet, former head of Baltimore County's Social Services Department, was among those appointed to boards and commissions by Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. this week.
Gradet, executive director for Jewish Family Services, will serve on the Commission on Aging through April next year, county officials said.
Michael Kerins, a Hannah More School administrator, and Dennis Wertz, a county planner, were reappointed to the Commission on Disabilities.
Nell Stachan, a lawyer, was appointed to the Commission on Environmental Quality with a term that expires in 2010. And Blanca Picazo, a domestic violence victims advocate, was reappointed to the Board of Social Services through 2010.
Nineteen people were appointed to the Workforce Development Council, including: James O'Neill, administrator of the county's detention centers; Joe A. Hairston, county schools superintendent; David S. IannuciIannucci, county economic development director; Randall Cogar, a planning board member; Terry F. Neimeyer, chairman of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce; and Joan Hatfield, head of the county's Chamber of Commerce. The others appointed are: Lenora Booth; Michael Carey; Edwin Crawford, a former University System of Maryland regent; Millard Cursey; Edward Fangman; David Goldman; Mark Habicht; Diane Hooker; George Mayo VI; Ellen Olsen; Vonzella Perry; Charles Schafer; and Hector Torres.
Their terms expire in June 2009.
Hunt Valley
Lionize to perform in concert
Lionize will be the featured band for the free summer concert series scheduled from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. tomorrow at Hunt Valley Towne Centre. The series is presented in partnership with radio station WTMD FM 89.7. The concerts will be held at the Chuck Thompson Memorial Plaza on Main Street.
Information: 410-785-3770.
Events or news items for the Baltimore County Digest may be submitted to baltco.news@baltsun.com. Information should be sent at least 10 days in advance of the event.