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NEWS RELEASE

May 13, 2009

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Ellicott City Makes List of Top 25 Cities with the “Best American Values”

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Newsmax Magazine recently named Ellicott City in Howard County as 17th on its list of top U.S. cities with the “Best American Values.” The magazine commissioned Peter Greenberg, best-selling author and travel editor of NBC’s Today Show, to compile a list of the nation’s most “uniquely American communities.”

According to May 2009 issue of Newsmax:

“This city’s focus on conservation efforts, education and affordable healthcare make one of the country’s oldest settlements a great place to be. …The city has one of the best library systems in the country, with extremely high patronage. The library runs the Choose Civility Program, a community initiative to enhance respect and tolerance. … It is among a variety of programs that have been recognized nationwide, including affordable healthcare for the uninsured.”

The magazine went on the say: “County Executive Ken Ulman also created a sustainability committee which led to solar panels on the library, community recycling initiatives and the largest public fleet of hybrid vehicles in Maryland.”

“This is a great place to live. Our library is second-to-none, and the Choose Civility Program is a national model we are all very proud of,” said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. “I am also very pleased that Newsmax recognized our efforts to provide affordable healthcare to the uninsured and our environmental sustainability initiatives.”

Greenberg looked for cities that embody America’s core values and based his ranking on nine different categories including hospitality, culture, scenic beauty and business friendliness.

Other national recognitions Howard County has received in the past few years include:

• USA Today -- 2nd “Most Technologically Advanced Community”
• Forbes Magazine – 17th Best Place in the Nation to Raise a Family
• Money Magazine -- 4th “Best Place to Live” – Ellicott City/Columbia
• CNN & Money Magazine -- “Top 5 Most Desirable Places to Live in America”
• Sports Illustrated -- “Good Sports Community” (one of eight)