Seeking reader feedback always!

It took a horrible accident – and substantial media attention – to make a difference and make a dangerous intersection safer in Maryland, a story I recount in my book Backroom Deals in Our Backyards and in my Substack on May 13. I also encourage people to pay for local media. Many people easily spend $5 a day on coffee; if you are one of those people, think about spending $30 a month to support a local news organization or public radio station.

I really like to get reader feedback so if you want to send me a note, or a story idea please do, and maybe we can actually set up a call. For the May 13 Substack article, I heard from Kevin Bromberg, one of the people I wrote about who is fighting a Maryland local planning agency to get some data and documents to show community sentiment about additions to a master plan. Kevin asked me to add more details about his quest and the planning agency’s reluctance to give him the information. If you already read the piece in your email, you should know that I added two new paragraphs:

“The Plan’s recommendations reflect the community’s priorities, balancing development with environmental sustainability, housing affordability, and improved transportation options,” the agency said in its documents about the plan.

But Bromberg disagrees. “The planning agency failed to convey in its public documents the specific views and the overwhelming depth of the community opposition that I heard and saw. ”

You can read or re-read the piece here with the two paragraphs added.

And yes, please be in touch. There are so many stories out there about state/local secrecy/aka lack of transparency. I am eager to write about them - and you.

Thanks!

Miranda