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Hello !
Hopefully the fall weather is right around the corner. I think we can all agree that this summer was just too damned hot! But as we head into election season, you can be sure to see the temperatures rising, particularly in the gubernatorial race.
Exclusive Content
We have been promising you private content and unique insight and finally, we are proud to bring you some! Last month, I had the opportunity to sit down and share some pizza with Annapolis Mayor Josh Cohen. I know Josh personally. I like Josh personally. And personally, I question some of the moves he has made as Mayor. But isn't that the job of a constituent? Nevertheless, we spent a lunch completely off the record and while I won't divulge any of the conversations or comments made, I will certainly talk about my impressions both before and after. If you are interested in my personal comments, please read my piece called Off The Record With Josh Cohen in the sidebar!
I also had a chance to go head to head with Dr. Kevin Maxwell, our superintendent of schools. Our conversation ranged from the recent dismal testing scores in middle and elementary schools, to his recent contract renewal and raise, to the success of Annapolis High, and even to his departed lobster.Pleas take some time to read 7 Questions With Dr. Maxwell (link in side bar) and get some insight!
2010 Reader Survey(this is important)
I also need to ask a favor. Since you are one of the most avid fans of Eye On Annapolis, I am seeking your input for our first annual reader's survey. It is a simple anonymous survey that should take no more than three minutes of your time. Your answers will help us continue to grow and I personally appreciate you taking the time to offer some insight. You can access the survey (hosted by Survey Monkey) here.
Election Ramblings With the primary election a few days away and with early voting scheduled to begin this week, we can;t encourage you more to be aware. Electing our political leaders is so important to our quality of life. This election, we are selecting a bunch of people for two and four year terms and will be selecting two people for the Circuit Court. Judges are elected for a MUCH longer term and have the ability (more than the legislature) to affect our quality of life. Get to know these candidates and make an informed decision.
There are plenty of resources available and we include links to many of them on our site. We accept political advertising as well--take the time to click on the ads and learn a bit more about the candidates. The Capital has also published a very good Election Guide as well. Don't forget the "slots issue" is once again on the ballot. Personally, I am in favor of the slots and feel that the location near the Arundel Mills Mall makes a lot of sense for a number of reasons. But no matter which side of the fence you are on, please make sure you get out in November and cast your vote. And be sure to understand the question--it is in legalese. Slots have been authorized in Anne Arundel County. This question is to decide if the County Council's zoning law allowing them near the mall and at the Laurel track will stand.A "for" vote is a vote to allow Cordish to proceed with the slats parlor near Arundel Mills. An "against" vote is to prevent slots from being allowed in the areas designated in the zoning bill. Essentially, an "against" vote will put the slots issue back at square one and will exempt Laurel Park, Arundel Mills, and other similarly designated areas from having slots. For practical purposes, it will kill slots for the county permanently since the State amendment specified a distinct swath of land on either side of Route 295.
When I wrote last month, I was ecstatic about the July traffic to the site. Well, August kicked July's ass! We had 48, 624 unique visitors who reading 173,587 pages! I do credit a lot of that to the Bear-Bear story. And shortly after getting this newsletter, we will cross the 300,000 visitor mark.
To put that in perspective, The Capital had 235,000 visitors and What's Up Magazine had estimated July traffic of 3,500 visitors. So for a new little site, I am thrilled and offer my heartfelt thanks to you!
And speaking of new little sites, have you seen the Annapolis Sound? If not, they are worth a look and if you leave a comment on the site, make sure you let them know I sent you!
As always, please keep your eyes and ears open for us. If you see something happening in your neighborhood, hear of a great community event, have an opinion on something in the news, snapped a funny or serious photo, please send it in. Please send your information to us and we will publish it--with attribution or without, it's your call.
Well, enough babbling. Please check out the offers from our local businesses, investigate the candidates and give a Google ad a click on your way through!
Once again--we're
glad you are here!
All
the best,
John W. Frenaye, Jr
Publisher
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Special Offers 
This space is reserved for our local businesses. Each month we will list several offers that are exclusive to our readers from many wonderful businesses in Anne Arundel County. We support local business and we hope you do as well.
To access these offers and more, this link will take you to an unpublished page with all the details and the ability to download the fantastic offers. But don't wait, they are only good for September!
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Shh Members Only 
I sat down and had pizza with the mayor one afternoon in August. The conversation was off the record, but my thoughts were not.
We also had an opportunity to pepper our County School's Superintendent, Kevin M. Maxwell with some questions.Dr. Maxwell is a controversial figure and battles annually for the benefit of our children. But he has some problems as well, and we wanted to ask him about them.
If you want to peek into my crystal ball and see who I think will win the upcoming elections for the County, check it out!
Remember, this content will only be accessible from the special links provided here.
Of course, we encourage you to join in the conversation by leaving a comment.
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Have A Tip, Topic, or Idea? 
This site belongs to the readers! As our shareholders, we want to know what you want. If you have any suggestions for the site or this newsletter, please let us know.
If you have a tip for us, please let us know and we will follow up on it. Do yo have a photo of an event or incident? Please send them in and we will publish them!
And,if you are interested in writing for
us, we are always interested in well reasoned thoughts from guest bloggers!
You can contact us by replying to this email, sending us an email at info@eyeonannapolis.net, or by using the "Contact Us" page on the website.
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September 2010 Newsletter