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Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch, Gov.
Martin O’Malley,
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr,
former U.S. Sen. Paul
S. Sarbanes and members of the Maryland Tourism Office
at the initial meeting of the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission,
Oct. 27. (see story below)
NEWS IN BRIEF
Four routes named to U.S. collection of distinctive driving tours
The
Federal Highway Administration, said Gov. Martin
O’Malley, has designated four Maryland
routes as America’s Byways. This makes the roads
eligible for funding tied to management and marketing.
The
routes are: Baltimore’s Historic Charles
Street, Religious Freedom Byway, The Journey Through
Hallowed Ground and The Harriet Tubman Underground
Railroad Byway. |
1812
Bicentennial Commission holds first meeting
Raymond
A. “Chip” Mason, founder of Maryland-based
Legg Mason, chaired the first meeting of the Maryland War
of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, Oct. 27. The commission
approved its action plan for bicentennial activities. This
plan can be seen on the commission’s web site, Star-Spangled
200.
The
meeting was hosted by Gov. Martin O’Malley at Government
House in Annapolis. Former U.S. Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes will
serve as vice-chair of the commission. |
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Filming of movie about Facebook set for Baltimore
The
Social Network, a movie about the creation of Facebook,
will
be filmed in Baltimore early next week at Johns Hopkins
University’s Homewood campus. Hopkins will double for
Harvard University in the movie. David Fincher, director for
the production, had made The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – a
film that he intended to shoot in Baltimore. Incentives lured
the production away.
“We got to know the Fincher team when they were scouting
for Benjamin Button,” says Jack Gerbes, director of the
Maryland Film Office. “When they had issues finding a
college campus to use in Boston (for The Social Network), they
gave us a call to see what we had to offer.”
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Maryland group attends sporting-events expo
 A
delegation of Maryland tourism leaders joined the Maryland
Office of Sports Marketing (OSM), at the annual
TEAMS (Travel, Events And Management in Sports) conference in
New Orleans, Oct. 13-17. The trade show provides a networking
and educational forum for more than 300 sporting-event rights
holders and destinations. Maryland’s group (see below)
had appointments with 40-plus sporting-event organizers.
(L to R): Terry Hasseltine, (OSM); Wini
Roche (Harford
County); Rachelina
Bonacci (Howard County); Michelle Wainwright (Wicomico
County); Chad
Chappell (Visit Baltimore); Kate Roth,
(Wicomico County); Carl Smith (Prince George's
County): and Jo
Ellyn McNees (Anne Arundel County).
Online media push prompts increased traffic to Visit Maryland
The latest
issue of the Maryland Tourism Monitor – the Tourism
Office's monthly report that measures visitor activity, advertising
response and trends in state travel – details the Office’s
continued investment in online media during August. This effort
contributed to a 103 percent jump in the number of unique visitors
who navigated to the Office’s web site, compared to August
2008. Online requests for the travel kit increased by 2.3 percent
and the Tourism Office responded to 38 percent more inquiries generated
from print advertising.
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MSAC
joins radio salute to Piedmont Blues musician
Maryland
Traditions and WYPR radio (88.1 FM, Baltimore) presented
a
one-hour
salute to John "Bowling Green" Cephas,
the late guitarist and singer who helped to maintain the regional
tradition of Piedmont Blues – an East Coast style of guitar
playing. Cliff Murphy
of Maryland Traditions joined radio host Aaron Henkin
for the Oct. 23 broadcast, which aired on WYPR’s weekly
arts and culture show, The Signal.
Tourism
Board member elected to helm of US SAILING
Gary Jobson, a member of the Maryland Tourism Development
Board, was elected
president of US SAILING – the national governing
organization for sailing. Jobson, a world-class sailor
who resides in Annapolis, has written 16 books about sailing.
He is also a board member of the Annapolis-based National
Sailing Hall of Fame and Sailing Center.
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Baltimore group hosts tribute to 'Bowling Green' Cephas
The Creative Alliance presents Blues
Houseparty! – a
tribute to the late John Cephas, featuring prominent Piedmont Blues
musicians on Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets available online. The Maryland
State Arts Council provided a grant for this concert.
'Right-brain' advocate to address arts education
Author Daniel Pink will discuss the value of arts in public education,
Nov. 10 at Annapolis High School. Gov. Martin O’Malley
and Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Kevin M.
Maxwell are hosting the event. To reserve a seat, call or e-mail the Maryland State Arts Council, 410-767-6555.
Poets, scholars honor Stanley Plumly
University of Maryland's Center for Literary and Comparative Studies
and Department of English hosts A
Celebration of Stanley Plumly and Poetry, Oct. 29-30 in College Park. Plumly was recently
named state poet laureate.
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