Maryland State Police are investigating a single-vehicle collision in Jessup that killed an Ellicott City man shortly after 2 a.m., Sept. 24.

Kun Yang, 32, of Ellicott City, was driving a tractor-trailer for Lancaster Foods, of Jessup, on the exit ramp from southbound Interstate 95 to eastbound Route 32 that went off the roadway, overturned, struck a guardrail and caught fire, State Police Cpl. Chris Heid said. Firefighters were called to extinguish the fire, Heid said. Yang was pronounced dead at the scene.

The collision remained under investigation Sept. 24, Heid said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

Managed deer hunts are October-February

Howard County's managed deer hunts will begin in October and continue through February, according to a schedule released by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks.

The controlled hunting program began in 1998 as a way to reduce the impact deer have on local vegetation and keep the deer population more stable in county parks, according to a county news release. Because vegetation has improved as a result of the hunting in recent years, the number of hunting days has been reduced this year.

Managed hunting, which is allowed only by bow and shotgun, occurs from dawn until noon and the participating parks are closed for all other uses during that time. The schedule is:

Alpha Ridge Park: Nov. 17; bow and shotgun

Blandair Park: Oct. 8, 22; Nov. 5, 19; Dec. 3, 17; Jan. 29; bow

David Force Park: Oct. 16, 30; Nov. 13; Dec. 18; Jan. 15; Feb. 5; bow and shotgun

High Ridge Park: Dec. 4; bow and shotgun

Middle Patuxent Environmental Area: Oct. 14, 21; Nov. 11, 18; Dec. 16; Jan. 8; Feb. 12; bow and shotgun

North Laurel Area: Oct. 28; Nov. 20; Dec. 2; bow and shotgun

Schooley Mill Park: Oct. 13, 27; Nov. 10; Dec. 1, 15; shotgun

The county also runs a sharpshooting program, allowing select licensed individuals to hunt at night using noise-suppressed firearms in areas where it is not possible for managed hunts to occur. Details on this year's sharpshooting program are still being finalized, the release states.

The county Recreation and Parks Department offers tips on its Web site on how homeowners can keep deer away from their homes and gardens.

For more information on the deer program, call the department at 410-313-1675.

-- Derek Simmonsen

Group formed to find school spending cuts

Howard County officials have formed a new group designed to find ways to cut costs in the public school system, according to a county news release.

The Cooperation and Efficiency in Government Work Group is responsible for gathering ideas from within government and from residents to cut expenses, in part by avoiding duplication of services between the school system and the county government, the release states.

The group will file a report to County Executive Kenneth Ulman and Superintendent Sydney Cousin by Dec. 31, outlining recommended proposals and their potential cost savings, according to the release.

The county's chief administrative officer, Lonnie Robbins, and the school system's chief financial officer, Raymond Brown, will lead the group, which will be comprised of staff members from government and schools.

"We are always looking for ways to save money, and I know county government does that, too," Cousin said in a statement. "But this work group will review proposals and recommendations together; this way the right hand knows exactly what the left is doing. If there is duplication of services or opportunities to consolidate services, we'll find them."

Residents can offer suggestions to the work group on ways to cut costs through Nov. 1 by going to the county's Web site, at www.howardcountymd.gov and clicking on "Requests/Feedback." Ideas also can be sent by mail to: Budget Administrator Ray Wacks, Howard County Government Budget Office, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043.

-- Derek Simmonsen

user comments (0)