Top 5 Stories: Blue Crabs and School Budgets

Government officials dominated the headlines this week on Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch.

Ranging from the blue crab population to Anne Arundel County Public Schools' budget, here are the top five stories of the week.

No. 1—

County Executive John R. Leopold announced his on Monday, and it is more than $21 million less than the amount requested by Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS).

Superintendent Kevin M. Maxwell recommended a  but Leopold appropriated $965 million for the school system, asking for $572.5 million from the county. Maxwell contends that Leopold's budget does not meet state requirements.

Leopold, who released the budget Monday, adopted Maxwell’s recommendations for and several school construction projects including funding the replacement of Severna Park High.

No. 2—

The Anne Arundel County Council passed a in Police Chief James Teare Sr. on Monday by a narrow margin.

The legislation, sponsored by Jerry Walker (R-7th District), originally called for Teare to be suspended by the county executive. But after talking with county attorneys, Walker said he decided to change the wording to "a vote of ability to lead the police department."

Council Chairman Derek Fink (R-3rd District) called the motion “political grandstanding,” by Walker. Fink joked with Councilman John Grasso (R-2nd District) during the meeting that it was merely a tactic by Walker to get their names in newspaper headlines.

No. 3—

The Anne Arundel County Board of Education Superintendent Kevin M. Maxwell’s  Wednesday afternoon, shifting students from  to  and  elementary schools next year.

The redistricting plan hopes to alleviate  by moving approximately 100 students to the nearby schools. 

Patch provided as  heard public testimony and ultimately voted, 7-0, in favor of the redistricting plan.

No. 4—

A 52-year-old woman suffered in an accident on Patuxent River Road near Route 214 in Davidsonville on Thursday morning, according to Capt. James Rostek of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department.

A 17-year-old girl suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries in the collision and three others sustained minor injuries, Rostek said.

Firefighters and paramedics responded to a call of an accident with an entrapment at 8:27 a.m. and upon arrival firefighters , the spokesman said.

No. 5—

While at  in Riva on Thursday, Gov. Martin O'Malley announced that the Chesapeake Bay’s is the highest it’s been in almost 20 years.

Not only are there 66 percent more crabs in the bay than last year, the juvenile crab population is at its at 587 million, O’Malley said.

“In 2008, I told you the crab population was at a 19-year low,” O'Malley said. “Because of a different set of better choices that all of us have made together, I’m glad to report that the population of the blue crab is at a 19-year-high.”

According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) annual winter dredge survey, approximately 764 million crabs spent their winter in the bay and the juvenile crab population tripled last year’s total. The previous record was set in 1997 with 512 million crabs.

Read the to hear what local fishermen and activists said about the news.