Thursday, September 20, 2007 • St. Mary’s County

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Thursday, September 20, 2007 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland

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Teen’s Attempted Murder Trial Will Move To Juvenile Court

Thomas Johnson Bridge Declared Safe But Joint Replacement Will Commence

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

By Adam Ross Staff Writer Officials from the State Highway Administration (SHA) declared the 30-year-old Gov. Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge safe Tuesday, saying they would move up an inspection set for January to this weekend in response to the interstate bridge collapse in Minneapolis that killed 13 people.

Crews should be done inspecting in early October, and will share the results soon after, according to Doug Simmons, an associate administrator for state highway.

“I assure you that Maryland bridges are safe,” Simmons said to the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners at its weekly Tuesday meeting. “We are seen as an industry leader as far as our bridge inspections.”

SHA inspects the bridge every two years. As part of the bridge’s regularly scheduled maintenance, a project is moving forward to repair six aluminum joints. However, Simmons hastened that the bridge is “structurally sound and in good condition.”

The Thomas Johnson Bridge is just one of $40 billion worth of unmet transportation needs SHA is planning for. Representatives from the Maryland State Highway Administration met with the commissioners last week and said a possible expansion of the bridge is likely 9 year away in a “perfect” world.

That perfect world seems less and less apparent, as a state budget crisis looms over state legislators, and the U.S. Department of Transportation struggles with its own trust fund caused in part by Minneapolis’s bridge collapse.

“You cannot look to the federal government,” said Beverley K. Swaim-Staley, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation. “They are certainly in worst shape than we are.”

For the first time in several years, the state’s capital projects list has no new money and no new proj-

A pack of Knight runners works together to tackle to hilly course at Ryken. St. Mary’s was led by Wesley Jackson, far left, who took second overall.

See Ryken XC page B-

Fine Wine, Beer and Liquor Store Dealt a Blow by Alcohol and Beverage Board

By Adam Ross Staff Writer

The county has a new steward for fine wine; Market Place Fine Wine and Spirits in Leonardtown, but the Alcohol Beverage Board tamed the store Thursday voting against its request for a class d tavern license so that it could hold two wine tastings a month and charge for tastes of more expensive products.

See Wine page A- The board voted 2-1 against the request, leaving legislators in Annapolis to solve the fractious debate, and shore up the current law that has no license classification to accommodate what Market Place’s owner Daniel J. Guenther desires to do.

The store currently operates under a class A-1 beer, wine and liquor license, and obtains a $50 license each month for its wine tasting events.

However, Market Place is only allowed to purchase one $50 license a month, which limits the store to beer and wine products without the ability to charge for them. “[Our] Goal is not to make money,” said Guenther of charging admission to a tasting, “but would allow us to offer a product to Leonardtown and the county that I don’t think is being Photo by Adam Ross offered anywhere else.”

But alcohol beverage board mem- Marketplace Fine Wine and Spirits in Leonardtown opened its doors in June and has bers wouldn’t buy into the idea, even received large public turnouts for its monthly wine tasting events.

Housing Authority Commissioner Calls Communication with County Inadequate

See Bridge page A-

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after tabling the debate last month so that Guenther could get approval from the fire marshal, health department and Leonardtown city council for the tavern’s license, which he did successfully.

Guenther also proposed restrictions against his class d license if it were to be approved, including a limit on beer, wine and liquor serving sizes, and a ban on selling food.

He said he was also willing to put in language pertain-

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Local Weather Thursday Mostly Sunny 82°

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By Adam Ross Staff Writer While the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners commended the Housing Authority last week for expanding homeownership opportunities, authority officials criticized the lack of dialog between the two entities.

The discussion was part of the Housing Authority’s “year in review” presentation, where Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Chair Douglas J. Samuel told the commissioners in plain language: “with more dialog we would probably have done better than we have in the past.”

St. Mary’s Commission President Francis Jack Russell accentuated Samuel’s point, perhaps unaware he was doing so, when he told the Samuel that the commissioners’ input was “primarily budget driven.”

Samuel asked for more support from the commissioners from the early stages of projects.

“Dialog with you in terms of where we are going with other projects in mind,” Samuel said. “Some of what we are doing, we don’t have enough involvement from you as commissioners from the ground floor.

More interface would be helpful in moving forward.”

The organizational structure where

Housing Authority officials answer to seven of their own appointed commissioners, and then go before the county commissioners, is working “to some degree,” according to Samuel. But while collaboration between the Housing Authority staff and the county commissioners does exist, Samuel thinks communication between the two boards could be improved.

“I was suggesting some closer collaboration in the future to be more helpful to each other in the direction we need to go,” Samuel added.

The board seemed inclined to heed Samuel’s advice, showing great respect for a man Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (DGreat Mills) labeled a “seasoned veteran.”

Samuel has been on the board for seven years, the longest standing tenure of the housing authority’s board.

Meanwhile, Dennis Nicholson, director of the Housing Authority, said Monday that he did not take the context of Samuel’s comments as a lack of communication, but instead as encouragement for the two boards to get together in the future.

When asked if the housing authority could have accomplished more if that collaboration was already in place, Nicholson responded: “that’s a tough hindsight question, I’m trying to take his comment on the positive note with a theme of constructive ‘lets continue to talk.’”

See Housing page A-

Corey Ryder, the 17-year-old male accused of hiring an undercover police officer to kill his parents back in June will be tried in juvenile court, meaning that even if found guilty he can only be held by the state until he is 21 years of age.

Circuit Court Judge Karen Abrams made the decision regarding Ryder’s immediate fate following a Sept. 17 hearing in which she heard testimony that seemed to describe two sides of Ryder.

Ryder’s defense attorney, public defender John Getz, called several state witnesses who had evaluated or worked with Ryder before and after his alleged offense saying he could benefit from state treatment.

They said that Ryder had learned his alleged actions were wrong and that he wanted to turn his life around.

There was also testimony recounted from reports about the defendant that he was allegedly abused by his parents, which led to his anger against them.

Prosecutor Joseph Stanalonis, along with testimony from the defendant’s mother Shannon Troiano, talked about a different person. One who had been through the juvenile system several times with little improvement for numerous issues, had previously threatened to kill his mother and was a danger to the community.

Abrams said she felt Ryder should receive treatment instead of being tried and possibly sent to an adult prison where his apparent condition might worsen.

“There’s obviously something wrong with him mentally that Corey does this,” Abrams said from the bench. “I know he plays the system… I know he say’s what’s expected. But given what I know about prison and what is offered by juvenile services, I have to opt to get Corey treatment.”

Abrams told Ryder directly that he should take advantage of the treatment opportunities from the state and should learn to deal with the issues that drove him to allegedly commit the crime for which he was charged.

See Trial page A-

Murder Trial Opens In Johntonna Young Case

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The trial of 20-year-old Johntonna Young, accused of murdering a former U.S. Navy enlisted man early this year, began Tuesday with State’s Attorney Richard Fritz telling the jury that the gun used in the crime was scientifically matched to a gun See Young page A-

The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, September 20, 2007

State Report: Bank Robbery Suspect Not Competent To Stand Trial

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A report from the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene states that Cornelious Chase, the man charged with robbing the Cedar Point Federal Credit Union in Leonardtown three years ago, is not competent to stand trial.

Assistant State’s Attorney Daniel White, who is prosecuting the case against Chase, informed The County Times of the report, but did not give further details to maintain confidentiality.

An excerpt from the medical report reads “Mr. Chase is not competent to stand trial and is dangerous due to a mental disorder.”

White described Chase

as “a career criminal,” who had been convicted of several other crimes, some in other counties, and had been sentenced to multiple prison terms.

Online court records show that Chase was convicted of robbery, theft, assault with intent to rob, and assault in 1996 in St. Mary’s County.

In Anne Arundel County, Chase was also convicted of second-degree assault in 2005.

Chase was convicted of robbery in Calvert County last year, according to court documents, but charges of armed robbery in that county were not prosecuted.

John Getz, Chase’s public defender in the credit union bank robbery case, said his

client would not stay out of the court room for long.

“I believe at some point he’ll be competent for trial,” Getz said.

Under Maryland law, no defendant can stand trial if they are deemed not competent and cannot aid in their own defense.

Criminal trials for Chase in the credit union robbery case were cancelled or vacated, online court documents stated, in December of last year and in January. A judge ordered the evaluation for Chase Jan. 16, White said, and he was sent to a corrections facility for testing April 2.

White said that a judge has yet to make a ruling on the report regarding Chase’s mental fitness to stand trial.

“Our office is evaluating the report and determining what to do next,” White said.

“These reports are a big piece of the puzzle but they’re not the whole thing.”

According to charging documents, Chase, along with another masked accomplice, allegedly robbed the credit union Aug. 21, 2004 located on Point Lookout Road in Leonardtown by exiting a nearby cornfield and forcing employees at gunpoint to hand over $262,000 in cash.

Police used canine units to track the suspects through the cornfields to Potato Hill Road; officers found in the cornfield nearest the bank a car-sized swath that could have been used to observe the bank without suspects being seen, according to charging

documents.

Police found $10,000 in a money brick in the cornfield on the trail of the suspects.

Police later arrested Chase after a tip from a Charles County sheriff who had contact with him.

Charging documents indicate Chase wanted to buy a used car that the Charles County sheriff was selling for $12,000, and Chase had put down a down payment of $2,500 in $50 dollar bills, some of which were in sequential order.

The sheriff called BCI detectives and told them of the contact and they began to investigate, charging documents state.

A search of Chase’s home, vehicle, and the motel room he occupied in early

September of 2004 turned up more than $60,000 in cash, charging documents stated.

Charging documents allege that Chase used more than $20,000 to pay for two automobiles in the days following the robbery.

Detectives also found a handgun during their search of Chase’s Mechanicsville home.

For the 2004 incident, Chase faces charges of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, theft over $500, conspiracy to commit theft over $500, first degree assault, conspiracy to commit assault in the first degree, use of a handgun in commission of a felony, false imprisonment and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon.

Some Parents Call Pre-K Seat Allocation Unfair

By Adam Ross Staff Writer By law, not every child is entitled to prekindergarten, and the method used to allocate limited Pre-K seats is a point of contention for parents whose children at Ridge Elementary School initially lost their seats to five economically disadvantaged students being bused in from the Park Hall Elementary area.

Approximately 45 students at Park Hall qualified for prekindergarten, but the school only had room for two classes with a maximum enrollment of 20 students per class – the five other students were moved to Ridge.

Robert McDaniel of Ridge has

a problem with that, saying students in the ridge district are “being given a disservice” because of higher test scores and where they live.

“It’s discrimination based on where you live…You are not going to get a place in prekindergarten if you come in knowing more than the kid next door,” McDaniel said before the St. Mary’s County Board of Education Wednesday in a calm and calculated manner.

Absent Mechanicsville and White Marsh Elementary Schools, every other elementary school in the county has a prekindergarten program filled to maximum enrollment, and in most cases waiting lists exist.

Students are grouped into one

of three different tiers, based first on family income and then test scores that may or may not suggest learning disabilities. A student receiving free or price-reduced lunches is considered tier one status and is legally entitled to an open prekindergarten seat, even if that seat is outside of the student’s home school. Students who demonstrate learning disabilities on tests are given tier two status. The rest are grouped into tier three, where they are then ranked because of large numbers.

The two students left waiting at Ridge had “no risk factors,” and were deemed tier three status, according to Kelly Hall, director of elementary instruction, administration and school improvement.

Hall said there has been an “explosion of enrollment” in prekindergarten classes in recent years, specifically at George Washington Carver Elementary School where 82 students are enrolled in four classes this year. Second grade teacher Frank Runkles was even moved from Ridge to Carver to accommodate a fifth class. Jessica Kemp, one of three kindergarten teachers at Ridge, took over Runkle’s second grade vacancy. School officials had the final say in who moved after no volunteers stepped forward.

However, nobody was disgruntled with the final decision, Hall said.

“We’ve done everything we can to make sure students’ needs are met,” Hall said.

Wedding

But because tier one and two students are given priority by law, some students are left waiting.

The county would like to have universal prekindergarten, and conversations have been made for that, Hall said.

There are still about five spots remaining at Ridge in spite of the bussed in students from Park Hall to make sure space is available for students who might have recently moved to the county. The school system generally holds open spots until after Labor Day. The two wait listed students were contacted by Ridge’s principal, Hall said.

At the moment, five spots remain, and anyone else in the school district with a child of the appropriate age can apply.

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The County Times

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Section A -

Working Mom’s Tips to Take Control of Mornings According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 75 percent of all mothers are employed, and as most working moms would agree, balancing the demands of home and office is no simple task.

In fact, these women concur that the toughest job they ever had was being a mom.

Such is the case for CN8 “Your Morning” host and managing editor Connie Colla, a mother of two, whose day begins before the sun even rises. Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., Colla hosts a three-hour live television show. This job demands her to arrive in studio at 5 a.m., research all top news stories that happened overnight, manage her staff of 14, and prepare to deliver news and lifestyle stories to almost nine million homes, across 13 states from Maine to Virginia, and in Washington, D.C. Not to mention, she must look great and remain upbeat throughout the process. But that dwarfs what she oversees at home.

Before even arriving in studio, Colla must conquer a hectic morning schedule to prepare her family for the day, while making sure she gets out the front door on time. Every second counts, so Colla has come up with a few easy ways to maximize her morning routine: 1. Tap Into Technology - Colla swears by her Blackberry, “It’s the world’s best invention.” The PDA stores hundreds of contacts; is a daily appointment book; contains details on important meetings; sends reminders of important family events such as her daughter’s upcoming camp project; and alerts her of at-home needs such as picking up dog food on the way home from work.

2. Avoid Fashion Emergencies - Preventing lastminute clothing crises is a must, so Colla sets aside time Sunday night to pick out a week’s worth of clothing, from shirts to shoes and even accessories. Colla says, “It sounds like a big project, but it will save you a lot of time in the morning, and help you avoid wearing two different shoes on your mad dash out the door.”

3. Do Today, Done Tomorrow - Growing up, Colla could not understand why her grandmother would set the kitchen table for breakfast before bed. Now, she appreciates her grandmother’s forethought. Colla says, “There is nothing worse than waking up to a long list of things that have to get done.”

To get a head start on the day, Colla has come up with a nightly ritual to make mornings easier, including loading the washer, folding the clothes in the dryer, filling the coffee pot, packing lunch for her children and placing their school bags and shoes by the door.

4. The List - One list Colla can’t live without is posted in her kitchen. Any time an empty milk carton is thrown out, the family member must add it to the kitchen’s “To Do” list. At the end of the week, she grabs the list and heads to the store. “Shopping is easy, and a new jar of peanut butter is back in place in no time.”

5. Add 15 Minutes - By setting her alarm clock 15 minutes early, Colla says her day starts off well with a little bit of stretching and personal time. “I don’t jump out of bed and hit the treadmill or anything crazy, but spending a few minutes with yourself, stretching, getting the blood back in your sleepy body, praying and mentally running through the day, can empower you for what’s ahead.”

6. Keep the Kids Busy with ON DEMAND - Entertaining her children while

getting ready for work is not always easy, so Colla uses ON DEMAND from Comcast to occupy their time.

“It’s reassuring to know that my kids can choose from more than 7,500 shows each month that are educational and age appropriate,” Colla says. “The ability to stop, rewind and fast forward also makes life easier by allowing us to watch what we want, when we want.” The exten-

sive library of children’s programming includes 50 hours dedicated just to preschoolers, and special features like parental control that provide mom and dad the final say in what their kids watch.

Learn more great ways to start your day with Connie Colla and “Your Morning,” weekdays, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on CN8, The Comcast Network, or by visiting www.

cn8.tv. CN8, the nation’s largest and most honored regional 24-hour diversified television network, provides award-winning original programming in four main areas: live, interactive television; regional news; entertainment; and coverage of high school, college and professional sports.

CN8’s Connie Colla makes the most of her mornings with simple steps like preparing her children’s lunch before bedtime.

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Editorial & Opinion Sometimes What We Want May Not Be What We Need If you ask the average person on the street if they think the Thomas Johnson Bridge connecting St. Mary’s with Calvert County is a problem, they probably would say yes. If you asked the average person what should be done about the problem, most would probably suggest another span to allow four lanes of traffic rather than the current two lanes.

The Thomas Johnson Bridge, a popular topic for a few politicians, a traffic jam for hundreds of citizens, and for others, a frightening structure that some refuse to cross. For almost everyone, a problem that needs to be fixed. Or is it?

There is no argument that the bridge is a vital component to the infrastructure of St. Mary’s and Calvert County. Certainly the economy in our region depends upon reliable and safe transportation corridors that allow people to get to and from work, and shopping.

Maryland Department of Transportation recently announced that it would need another $4 million to complete the “bridge study”. $1.5 million has already been spent on the study. Wonder what they learned so far after spending $1.5 million dollars? That will mean the state will spend $5.5 million to “study” the

problem.

It is estimated that to build another bridge span could cost somewhere between $450 million and $500 million. That of course is just an estimate and it is very likely that by the time construction would actually take place, the cost could be much higher.

The bridge is not the only vital piece of transportation infrastructure for St. Mary’s County. Practically everyday you can find congestion on Route 235, mornings leading into the Navy base and evenings leaving the Navy base. You can find congestion on Great Mills Road, and Route 5 from Great Mills Road to Callaway.

Those problems, like the bridge, are usually limited to workdays during the morning or evening rush hours. On a typical workday, the congestion will clear by 9:30 in the morning and 6:00 in the evening.

Some areas, such as Route 5 through Leonardtown seem congested all the time. Route 5 through Charlotte Hall can often seem congested, but again the worst times are rush hour.

On a typical day, none of the congested areas mentioned will add much more than 10 minutes or so to the work commute. All of the areas can see delays much longer when an accident occurs or some other type

of obstruction occurs.

Recently the US Census Bureau reported that the mean commute time in the State of Maryland is the second longest in the entire nation.

Only commuters in New York spend more time getting to work than Marylanders. And while Charles County and Calvert County lead the way in Maryland with the two longest mean commute times in the entire state, St. Mary’s County has one of the shortest mean commute times, only Allegany and Wicomico Counties enjoy a shorter commute time than do St. Mary’s residents.

Most people who live in St. Mary’s work in St. Mary’s, thus despite the numerous congested areas, we enjoy a relatively short commute time compared to most workers in the state. Most of the people who live in Charles and Calvert County drive towards DC each day to work, thus the longest commutes in the state.

We have the Navy base to thank for providing good jobs for many of our residents right here at home.

While a new bridge might be nice to have, the question becomes at what cost? The state’s transportation needs far exceed the state’s resources. Certainly a project such as a new bridge would be so costly that it would probably mean that other

road improvement projects in Southern Maryland would be shelved for many years. For about half the cost of a new bridge, the state could make necessary improvements to all the congested areas previously mentioned.

Some have raised the concern about safety. The bridge is inspected regularly, and the Department of Transportation assures us that the bridge is safe.

Some have raised concerns because of the Nuclear Power Plant in Calvert County and are concerned about evacuation of Southern Calvert in case of an emergency. The prior Board of County Commissioners conducted several emergency drills to prepare for an event at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. While practice drills may certainly be different than real life events, these drills, conducted in concert with the Calvert County Commissioners and FEMA, demonstrated that with both lanes of the bridge being one way traffic, that Route 235 going north was more likely to create a back-up with four lanes of Route 235 trying to reduce to two lanes and merging with two lanes of traffic coming from Calvert County. Four lanes of traffic coming from Calvert County attempting to merge with four lanes of

traffic coming from Lexington Park, into two lanes of traffic going North on Route 235 just doesn’t work.

So while we wait a few more years for the state to complete their $5.5 million study, maybe we should be thinking about other things that could help. For about $5.5 million give or take a few, the state could post emergency vehicles at the bridge during rush hours to assure disabled vehicles are removed quickly. The state could post “maintain speed” notices during rush hour to remind people to do their sightseeing during non-rush hour.

The exit leading to Solomons on the Calvert side of the bridge as you are descending could be eliminated so that cars would not slow down at the foot of the bridge until they are off the bridge completely. Shoulders on Route 4 leading to the bridge could be used during rush hours to provide another lane of traffic so that more stacking could take place, eliminating backups on Route 235.

These may seem like small improvements, but it may be that many other improvements elsewhere will be possible that will cost less and save even more time and lives.

To The Editor: Thank You for Supporting Our Veterans In our continued effort to bring wounded veterans to Southern Maryland for fishing, rest, and relaxation, our thanks go to the following churches, organizations, and individuals. On the busy Labor Day weekend, Lee Hurrey and John Landry of the Holiday Inn, Solomons, MD, made a wounded soldier and his family feel at home in two poolside rooms at their

beautiful hotel . When it was observed that this soldier was an amputee from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Drury Marina in Ridge, MD, gladly offered a boat slip and launch facility free of charge for two days, so that he could board our fishing boat more easily. The Brian Barnhill family of Scotland, MD, situated on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay near Point

Giving Thanks In an effort to promote children’s literacy and foster an enthusiasm for and love of reading, we began the “Read with Me” mentoring program at Mechanicsville Elementary School. During the weekly sessions that mentors and children spend together, they have the opportunity to share books and conversations for a one-on–one reading experience. The benefits the children received were advancement in their reading skills, growth in their confidence,

and personalized attention to their individual needs. As a result, they developed a very special relationship with their reading mentors.

On behalf of all of us at Mechanicsville Elementary School, we would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to Pam Harmon and Tim Muris for their steadfast support of our children. They enthusiastically spearheaded the “Read with Me” program. They share with us the belief that reading is essential to every-

Lookout, opened his home to the family for several meals and day activities that included beach-combing and swimming in the bay for the veteran and his family.

On a more recent weekend, Greenwell State Park donated the Knott lodge and all of their facilities and volunteers for a fun weekend for at least 6 wounded soldiers, an Air Force specialist, and their

families. Nan and Jim Cattell and members of the Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, MD, donated an enormous cookout to our guests. Rev Keith Schukraft and several members of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Leonardtown, MD, prepared and served many delicious meals. Rev Dale and Donna Skurla, Sally and Fred Gheen, Judy D’Andrade,

thing we do.

In that spirit, Ms. Harmon and Mr. Muris donated time and money for an afterschool reading program offered last year. This reading intervention provided additional reading instruction for children who had severe reading delays. Every child who participated made impressive gains and several children went from being significantly below grade level to reading on or above grade level.

Words are inadequate to express how grateful our entire school community is to these individuals. We truly

value their assistance and association with our school.

Their generous contributions have made an incredible difference in the resources available to our students.

Barbara Cooksey Abell, Principal Patty Mattingly, Resource Teacher Mechanicsville Elementary School

and the GFWC Women’s Club of St. Mary’s made monetary contributions, prepared, and/ or served meals. Donations came from as far away as Texas! Thomas and Phillis Skelton donated 40 ball caps and 20 vented sleeve fishing shirts. These were loved!

We are not an organization, but a military family who is so proud of what our veterans have done for this nation. They are true heroes and their sacrifices are immeasurable. They don’t see themselves as victims or their

wounds as sacrifices. The worst situation for them is “not being able to return to their units and their buddies still in theater in Iraq.” We are all honored to be in their presence and blessed to have a community that is so generous and giving. Thank you, Southern Maryland!

CAPT Ted Harwood, USNR (ret) Nancy Harwood Hollywood, Md

Letters to the Editor If you wish to send a letter to the editor, please include your name, address and phone number for confirmation purposes. We will only publish your name and city of residence.

We can withhold your name by request if circumstances merit it. We must receive all letters by Monday morning for publication in the next issue. Any letter received later than Monday will be held for the following issue.

Yard Sale Operators Warned Of Need For Licensing

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Richard Adams, a server at a local county restaurant, operates yard sales with donations he receives during the summer around the county to help make ends meet.

He got permission from landowners to set up his sales along St. Andrews Church Road and Route 235 in hopes of making little extra cash.

For weeks, things were going well and he thought he wasn’t bothering anyone.

The state comptroller’s office disagreed.

About Sept. 7, a field agent for the comptroller’s of-

fice issued Adams a notice to stop his sale because he did not have a valid license.

Adams was shocked.

“I thought it was okay to do that,” Adams said. “I really didn’t understand it. I didn’t realize it was against the law.”

Adams received a citation and a warning; the field enforcement agent could have given him a fine of some $500.

He realized he was lucky.

A spokeswoman for the state comptroller’s office also realized that many who operate yard sales day after day don’t know they need a license to operate so the state can get its

share of the sales tax money.

An anonymous complaint led them to investigate Adams’ yard sale, said Christine Duray.

“We have to investigate those kinds of complaints,” Duray told The County Times.

“It’s state law that flea markets are subject to taxation.

“They need to follow the law and collect the sales tax.”

Duray said that a property owner can hold one yard sale a year on their property lasting up to 14 consecutive days.

If the property owner ends that yard sale during that 14-day time span, however, and starts it up again without a license, Duray said, they are

in technical violation of the law.

The three licenses available to operate a flea market include a transient vendor license, a sales tax license and a trader’s license.

The first two are free, Duray said, and the third’s cost is proportional to the size of the business under operation.

According to state law, anyone operating a flea market or yard sale outside of the regulations could be liable for payment of back taxes.

Property owners who want to sell their own household goods have an exemption as long as they are “casual and isolated” and the profits

remain under $1,000, according to information from the comptroller’s office.

Duray said a sales tax license and traders license are necessary for multiple yard sales.

“If you’re doing this every weekend you need to follow the law,” Duray told The County Times. “It’s not a hard process to get the sales license.”

Flea markets and yard sales were big business in St. Mary’s County, Duray said, but the comptroller’s office has increased enforcement of the sales tax laws.

Duray said that in fiscal year 2007 there were only four

citations written in St. Mary’s County for vendors operating without a license. Already in fiscal 2008, though, field enforcement agents had written 16 citations for technically illegal yard sales and flea markets in the county.

Duray warned anyone who wanted to start a yard sale to look into the state laws governing them to make sure they were operating legally.

“We know this is the time for yard sales, when everyone is cleaning out their basements and looking to make some extra cash,” Duray said.

“But if you have any doubts [about operating a yard sale] check it out.”

James Manning McKay - Publisher Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Adam Ross - Government Correspondent...............adamross@countytimes.net Andrew Knowlton - Sports Correspondent....... andrewknowlton@countytimes.net

P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636

Guy Leonard - Community Correspondent................guyleonard@countytimes.net

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The County Times

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Section A -

Twin Kiss Ice Cream Emily Finch Contributing Writer Before 1959, the residents of Charles County had to eat their ice cream one flavor at a time. That all changed when Twin Kiss arrived, though.

Twin Kiss Restaurant and Ice Cream is a franchise that first began in a small building in Hadley, Penn. off of Rt. 19 Perry Highway. That is where the first twist ice cream dispenser was created, offering ice cream lovers a half vanilla, half chocolate soft-serve treat, instead of just plain vanilla or chocolate.

Now there are more than 30 Twin Kiss franchises all over the eastern half of the United States.

The franchise in La Plata, located just south of La Plata town center on Crain Highway, is one of the first Twin Kiss franchises and has been serving frozen treats to the Southern Maryland region since the 50’s.

Twist soft-serve is not all they offer. Twin Kiss in La Plata offers a wide variety of sundaes, milkshakes, cones, cups and dips. Their dessert menu is loaded with specialty items like cherry shortcake, rocky road sundae, hot fudge cake and shortcake sandwich. Ice cream and all other desserts at Twin Kiss are served all year long to satisfy the

Bridge Continued from page A- ects, Staley said.

Transportation has gotten older, bigger and harder to maintain, leaving the state some hard choices with project planning and additional revenue sources.

Thirty-one percent of the state’s bridges are 50 years old or older. The Route 40- Thomas Hatem bridge connecting Harford and Cecil Counties and US 301 Harry Nice bridge connecting Charles and King George Counties are both approaching 70 years of age.

In 1993, MDOT raised revenue with an increase to the gas tax, but over the last two

Photo by Emily Finch

Black and red Twin Kiss apparel is also available for sale at the Twin Kiss in LaPlata.

Photo by Emily Finch

The red and black floor tile is traditional of Twin Kiss Ice Cream. Customers enjoy the simple, matching tables and chairs, a nice place to drip some soft-serve serve ice cream.

cravings of all customers no matter what the weather!

But if customers crave a little meal before (or after!) their dessert, Twin Kiss also offers lunch and dinner menu items including subs, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, wings, ribs and side orders. Washing down all that simple goodness may

years, as crude oil prices have sky rocketed due in part of the instability in the Middle East, raising that tax every three or four years is a detested prospect by most Marylanders.

A solution is essential as revenue sources continue to lag way behind the pace of inflation.

Staley said that Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari, who was supposed to be in attendance Tuesday but was unable to attend at the last minute, would likely look to index the gas tax and raise revenues by other means. Just what those other means will be has not yet been revealed.

The other projects discussed Tuesday included an upgrade and widening of MD 237, also known as Chancel-

Slinging Ice For A Good Cause

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Joanne Steel, franchise owner at the Rita’s Italian Ice store in Charlotte Hall is known for helping out in the community.

She gives discounts to fire/EMS, police and military personnel when they come to get their tasty, sweet treats during the spring and summer months.

She’s also been known to hand out the crowd pleasing Italian ice to school children during their field days for free.

But Sept. 14 she decided to let school employees from Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School in Mechanicsville come in, suit up and serve

some treats to customers.

And from whatever sales they made during the span of a few hours, they got to keep 25 percent of the profits.

“I just decided “Why not do something so the schools could get some money?’”

Steel said. “I just want to give back to the community.”

And with a little help from her well-trained employees, the folks from Lettie Dent, two teachers and two administrators handed out Italian ice, custard and other sweet, syrupy confections Rita’s is famous for.

Barbara Eddy, principal at Lettie Dent said she served about 20 of her own students that night. She estimated that about 50 students from her school showed up over all.

take another original from Twin Kiss, though, like their root beer floats made from real, home-made Root Beer.

The portly, square building with the hidden entrance off Route 301 is not pretty to look at from the outside, but inside, Twin Kiss features the traditional Twin Kiss red and black tile floors with matching

tables and chairs. The employees sport red on black Twin Kiss shirts which are also available for sale to the most enthusiastic of customers.

Although the Twin Kiss in La Plata has changed owners three times since its original opening, the home-made, original nostalgia is still present. “This place hasn’t changed much since I was a kid,” said one customer from Newburg, “neither has the ice cream, or the atmosphere.”

lors Run Road, whose projected 2030 traffic estimate is expected to nearly double. Simmons said he expects work to begin this winter, or by spring at the latest. The project should take two and a half to three years to complete.

The Solomons Island Road (MD 4) leading up to the Thomas Johnson Bridge is still at the beginning of the planning study, and still needs roughly $4 million to complete the project-planning phase. Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D-Great Mills) pointed back to an article in The Enterprise newspaper published in 1975 that quoted the same project’s planning as 50 percent complete – meaning in 32 years the project has made virtually no progress.

Being forthright, and what appeared to be mildly sentimental, Raley suggested he knew the project planning for Solomons Island Road and the intersection with MD 235 wouldn’t get done this year.

“And know as I sit here, you folks [from SHA and MDOT] are being nice, but tell John [Secretary Porcari] that I mentioned it now, and when he comes back next year I’m going to mention it again.”

Commissioner Raley reminded the state’s transit officials that the county doesn’t get the benefit of a lot of mass transit hoping it would keep the county as a higher up priority.

“It was a pretty steady flow,” Eddy said. “I was pleased the rain didn’t keep them from coming.”

Eddy reported that they made about $800 that night from their sales, which means they should be able to get about $200.

That money will go towards the school’s character education program, Eddy said, which helps instill in children the value of traits like respect towards others, responsibility and honesty.

Children who “go above and beyond” exhibiting these traits, Eddy said, were given coins redeemable for trinkets and knick-knacks.

The school could’ve used the money for anything they wanted, Eddy said, but by using for the character education program, it was a direct benefit to students.

“They gave us their money so we want to give it back to them,” Eddy said.

Eddy said that they plan on selling more sweets at

Rita’s next spring when they open up. The last day for Rita’s staying open this season is

Twin Kiss is open seven days a week, all year long, for lunch, dinner and dessert. They also offer a call-ahead service so that customers’ orders will be ready for them when they arrive. For more information call Twin Kiss in La Plata during their normal business hours Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 301-934-4025.

Photo by Adam Ross

County Administrator John Savich (left) chats with Doug Simmons from State Highway Administration after a 2008 Consolidated Transportation Program report was given Tuesday.

mid October.

“We’ll definitely be on board for that,” Eddy said. “It

was a wonderful turnout. I had a great time.”

Photo by Guy Leonard

Barbara Eddy, principal at Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School serves up some custard at Rita’s in Charlotte Hall to raise funds for her school. Franchise owner Joanne Steel allowed school employees to work for her for a few hours Sept. 14 so they could keep 25 percent of the profits made between 5 p.m and 9p.m.

St. Mary's City St. Mary’s City DATE Fri. Sept. 21 Sat. Sept. 22 Sun. Sept. 23 Mon. Sept. 24 Tue. Sept. 25 Wed. Sept. 26 Thu. Sept. 27

LOW 3:50 a.m.

4:50 a.m.

5:43 a.m.

6:32 a.m.

7:18 a.m.

8:01 a.m.

8:44 a.m.

HIGH 9:54 a.m.

10:53 a.m.

11:46 a.m.

12:35 p.m.

1:21 a.m.

2:05 p.m.

2:49 p.m.

LOW 3:33 p.m.

4:44 p.m.

5:49 p.m.

6:48 p.m.

7:43 p.m.

8:36 p.m.

9:27 p.m.

LOCATION Breton Bay Bushwood Wharf Colton's Point Point Lookout Piney Point Wicomico Beach Solomons Island

HIGH "-71min." "+45 min." "+50 min."

"-41 min." "+9 min." "+58 min." "+8 min."

LOW "-29 min." "+45 min." "+25 min."

"-19 min."

"-8 min." "+63 min." "+16 min."

HIGH 10:06 p.m.

11:09 p.m.

12:04 a.m.

12:55 a.m.

1:43 a.m.

2:29 a.m.

-----------

The County Times

Section A -

St. Mary’s Yachting Center 46555 Dennis Point Way Drayden, MD 20630

BOE Releases Preliminary Master Plan Report

By Adam Ross Staff Writer

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

eighth grade reading and math, and Spring Ridge Middle School in Math putting it under schools’ improvement status from advanced to the restructuring planning phase.

Meanwhile, graduation rates are below annual measurable objectives of 83.24 percent, and declined slightly .8 percent this year. “People need to realize we have a focus and a plan to address the challenges,� said William M. Mattingly, a board of education member. “Together we will get there.�

Janis Taylor, an advisor of school assessment and planning said schools’ would continue to focus on the achievement gap, specifically of African American males. “The achievement gap for African Americans is narrowing, but still significant,� said Taylor.

Middle school reform initative are in place, including increased instruction in math, and schools will continue to build on its Highly Qualified Teacher status, which currently ranks sec-

ond in the state, she added.

Board Member Cathy Allen praised the report, but suggested the board look at making Carver Elementary School a model school for its technological enhancements. “I would like to hear more about it,� she said of Carver.

Martirano ensured Allen that the board was looking at affordable ways to introduce technology into all the schools the way it has Carver, and more ideas should come to fruition “hopefully before the Christmas holiday.� “Identified successes and challenges,� board member Mary M. Washington repeated. “The master plan is very good.

Local school systems expressed concern about meeting the obligation of submitting a preliminary plan 90 days in advance to submission to the state, and to the commissioners just 60 days prior to the due date, according to a board of education Agenda Item Summary. However, MSDE did not budge. The final version will be submitted on Nov. 19.

Two months from now, the St. Mary’s County Board of Education will unveil the final 2007 Bridge to Excellence Master Plan to the commissioners, part of Senate Bill 907 requiring local school systems submit such a plan 60 days prior to the required submission to the state.

Last week, public schools’ central administration officials released a preliminary report to the school board highlighting successful Maryland State Assessment (MSA) testing results and a significant achievement gap. The preliminary report is part of the timeline set out by the bill, which aims to streamline valuable information to the entities pulling the purse strings. “We have presented this is in a comprehensive manner, taking a look at our successes and focus areas, but not shying away from our challenges,� said Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of public schools’, reverberating the theme “brutally honest,� which has defined his position on such matters. “The master plan is very good, very thick, there is a lot of information here.�

One of the core achievements of public schools’ was seen this year at the elementary level where 85 percent of the county’s elementary student population tested proficient in this year’s MSA. However, Martirano and his team have core issues at the middle school level, a declining graduation rate, and visible achievement gap.

Esperanza Middle School failed to make AdPhoto by Adam Ross equate Yearly Progress in Janis Taylor (left) and Chief Academic Officer Linda Dudderar give the 2007 Bridge to Excellence Master Plan to the Board of Education last week.

You Can Own Your Own Home!

Patuxent Habitat for Humanity builds affordable homes for Working Families in Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties

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Saturday, September 29, 2007 Lexington Park United Methodist Church Great Mills Road – Lexington Park 10:00 am – 12:00pm Reservations are Required Phone 301-863-6227 or 410-326-9050 Visit www.patuxenthabitat.org

Thompson’s Furniture City “Our Furniture Doesn’t Come Back... Our Customers Do!�

301-373-2151 or 1-800-273-1959 • www.thomsponsfurniturecity.com

Thursday, September 20, 2007

The County Times

Ramblings of a Country Girl

Photo by Adam Ross

A Gracious Plenty Terri Bartz Bowles Southern folks have a charming saying, “I’ve had a gracious plenty”. Gener-

ally, this phrase is used when one is being offered more of something – a second helping of dinner, another glass of tea or slice of cake. “No thank

Odd News TRENTON, N.J. – Wearing pants below the waistline may soon land someone a stint in jail. Wearing pants low enough to show boxers or bare buttocks in one small Louisiana town means six months in jail and a $500 fine. Atlanta is starting to crackdown too. And in Trenton, sagging pants will bring on a fine, and an accessing of where your life is headed by a city worker. Trenton Councilwoman Annette Lartigue is drafting the law, telling the Associated Press that the law is clear, “we don’t want to see your backside.” Pants’ sagging is believed to have started in prisons, where inmates aren’t given belts with their baggy uniform pants to prevent criminal misbehavior. By the late 80s, the trend was apart of the youth’s culture, including rap videos and just about every hallway in the nation’s high schools. In Delcambre, La., the town council passed an ordinance that carries a fine of up to $500 or six months in jail for exposing underwear in public. The law is spreading to several municipalities and parish governments throughout the state. Some of have said the ordinance unfairly targets blacks, and The American Civil Liberties Union has spoke out against the law.

ST. PAUL – Police said a man who robbed a woman of her keys and cell phone suddenly removed her shoes and licked her toes. Commander Kevin Casper told the St. Paul Pioneer Press the attack was “weird sexual behavior.” The woman was leaving work Saturday when the 27-year-old man approached and demanded her keys and phone. After that the robber removed her shoes. The woman was not hurt, police said, and the man was arrested a few minutes later. The man is in custody awaiting charges.

BERLIN – A blind judo expert managed to pin down a mugger after her tired to steal his cigarettes, according to police. The assailant, a 17-year-old man, spotted the blind man at a train station in the southwestern town of Giessen and thought he would be easy prey, police spokesman Rolf Wellershusen told Reuters. But the attacker was unaware that his victim was a world-class blind judo wrestler. The 17-year old threatened the blind man, punched him in the face, leading the blind man to flip his attacker and hold him down until police arrived.

UNDERWOOD, Minn. – An intensive rescue effort to save a donkey that fell down a dry and abandoned well went successfully. Firefighters in a western Minnesota town rescued the donkey, which belongs to a farmer. The donkey couldn’t be pulled from the well, so rescue workers dug and removed the well block by block. When the well had been dismantled rescue workers put a harness around the donkey and guided it out with a rope, according to reports from the Associated Press.

r ble m Ra res s s e tl Ac Spo 2.65 On

you, I’ve had a gracious plenty.” It’s genteel and bespeaks the good grace of not being greedy. Many times, we have a sufficient amount of some-

thing but we’re greedy, we want more. We don’t need it, we just want it and we give in to the greed. We just feel we want more and charge

Continued from page A-

The cooler days of fall are an excellent time to prepare your car for the potential ravages of winter. According to the experts at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), “Cold weather will only make existing problems worse.” That’s why a few minutes in the garage this fall could help prevent a much more time consuming and unpleasant experience this winter.

Here are a few items that are easy and simple to check before fall turns to winter. (Always read your owner’s manual, and follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedules. No one knows your car better than the company that manufactured it.)

Motor oil - The easiest way to protect and improve the performance of your car is to upgrade to a high-performance synthetic motor oil, and change it regularly. Synthetic motor oils have better low-temperature fluidity and a lower coefficient of friction than mineral-based motor oils. This will help ensure easier start-ups on cold-weather days. Some motor oils, such as Royal PurpleÆ, offer continuous engine protection. Additionally, Royal Purple motor oil has been proven in independent tests to improve fuel economy, reduce emissions, and increase horsepower and torque. Data about independent testing of their products is available at www.royalpurple.com.

Tires - Worn tires can be extremely dangerous on rainy, snowy and icy terrain and roads. Examine tires’ tread life and wear. Be sure to check the sidewalls for cuts and nicks as well.

All-season radials or winter tires are a wise investment for those who must drive in inclement weather regularly. Check tire pressure and rotate as recommended. Don’t forget to check your spare, and be sure the jack functions properly.

Cooling system - The level, condition, and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. It may be time for a flush and refill if it’s been more than a couple of years since the coolant has been changed. A 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water is usually recommended. Additionally, the condition of hoses should be checked for cracks and leaks.

Windshield wipers - Check the condition of your wiper blades, and replace them if needed. If your climate is harsh, purchase rubber-clad, winter blades to fight ice build-up. Stock up on winter-formula windshield washer solvent. You’ll be surprised by how much you use. If you don’t have an ice-scraper, buy one and stash it in your backseat or trunk.

Battery - A dead battery can make a cold winter morning miserable. If your battery is beyond its recommended service life, replace it. Top any low battery cells with distilled water.

Clean and tighten battery terminals to ensure electricity gets from the battery to the starter on chilly fall mornings. If corrosion is present, clean it with a mixture of baking soda and water, and put on a set of battery washers to keep corrosion from returning. Make sure the battery terminals and hold downs are tight. It’s also good to clean and lubricate hinges and the hood latch.

Fuel - It’s important to keep gas lines from freezing in cold weather. No vehicle can run if it can’t get fuel. A full gas tank will help prevent moisture and ice from forming. Particularly cold weather may warrant using a fuel de-icer or block heater to prevent fuel lines from freezing. Properly preparing your car for winter is simple and doesn’t require a lot of time or technical expertise. The payback in reduced risk of a preventable breakdown and improved performance is well worth the minimal effort.

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forward, grabbing, later realizing our error. It is difficult, perhaps, to regulate and discipline ourselves to realize when we’ve had our gracious plenty and determine to keep ourselves within reasonable limits.

Of course, this doesn’t apply only to food. There are many things in life that we could be less greedy or selfish about. But there are things that we should, perhaps, be greedier about. Can you be greedy about love and kindness and affection? I rather think so. Maybe it’s not really greed, but a desire or need or empty place that needs to be filled. And maybe it’s a desire or need not just to receive love, kindness and affection, but also to bestow it. Can we ever receive enough? Can we ever give enough? Surely not. It’s not something to be skimpy with, after all.

We all need or want or crave our portion. Maybe that’s where greed can come into play – maybe some people want or need much more than a gracious plenty. Is that a bad thing? I don’t know – maybe only if it precludes another from their gracious plenty and beyond.

And what about the no-

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Section A -

Upgrading to a high-performance oil can make cold starts easier this winter and improve the overall performance of your car.

The Housing Authority has worked on a number of projects recently; most notably the Gateways, a four-story residential homeownership condominium community in Lexington Park providing 42 one, two and three bedroom homes for sale.

“You emphasize home ownership,” Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (DLeonardtown) said, “which is really important to me.”

Now that the Gateways is wrapping up, Bob Schaller, director of economic and community development, suggested expanding on a dialog he initiated with Pax River regarding future military housing.

Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R-Golden Beach) asked Samuel and the rest of the housing authority officials if there was a program being developed to help existing trailer parks revitalize, or to

Young Continued from page A- that was in Young’s possession several days before and after the homicide.

Fritz painted a graphic picture of the shooting for the jurors.

Fritz told them that the victim, Kenneth James Walters, 24, a DynCorp employee, went to start his car at about 6:45 a.m. Feb. 27 and went back into his apartment to kiss his girlfriend goodbye.

When he went back to his car he was ready to get in when he opened the door and was shot in the face by Young, who was laying in wait inside Walter’s car.

Investigators working the case have accused Young of shooting Walters while attempting to take items from the victim’s vehicle.

Young has also been accused of taking part in several armed robberies earlier this year, including stealing several firearms from a local sporting goods store.

Young then fired a second shot into the victim’s head from farther away, Fritz told the jury.

“He decided to make absolutely sure that Mr. Walters would not survive to testify against him,” Fritz said.

Fritz also told the jury that Young had confessed to the crime when he was arrested by detectives from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations March 3 in Waldorf by saying that the shooting was an accident. Young also told several other people that he had accidentally killed a man, Fritz said.

tion that too much of a good thing is maybe not such a good thing? I guess it depends on the thing. Too much ice cream, for instance, could cause you to gain weight or perhaps elevate your cholesterol. But for some of us, ice cream is a food group, a comfort good, a very real necessity of life. Is there such a thing as too much ice cream? My head and tummy say yes, but my heart and mouth say no!

How do we reconcile these notions of a gracious plenty and too much of a good thing? I don’t know – maybe we don’t have to. Maybe we simply need to embrace the notion of ‘gracious plenty’ when more than a gracious plenty would not be good or healthy in the end. And maybe we embrace the thought that sometimes too much of a good thing is just too much and so, not good. Of some things, perhaps we will never get our fill or our desire, but let us strive to deal with that with grace and aplomb.

Of the good and necessary things, may we all have our bounty. In the end, I think it comes down to this – of love and kindness, a gracious plenty is just not enough. Nor is there ever too much of it.

open a new landscaped trailer park that people can afford.

“It is affordable housing and it does work,” Jarboe said.

“My daughter is in upstate New York in a beautiful trailer park that is landscaped.”

Jarobe’s question is in light of a number of displaced residents from White Oak and National Mobile Home Parks that are being forced to vacate their plots after the two parks were sold. A number of residents have moved to St. Clement’s Crossing, a trailer park on Great Mills Road, but some consider the park to be dirty and crime ridden.

“We as two bodies need to work together and bring that issue to the state level,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson suggested different ways of looking to improve the parks, including taxes and incentives to park owners.

Nicholson called the current state law for mobile home parks “vague,” and a “disadvantage to renters.”

“The state will contend that, yes, he did it but it was no accident,” Fritz stated.

Young’s attorney, public defender Sean Moran, told the jury that they had to remain impartial until they had heard all of the evidence in the case and that his client was presumed innocent.

Moran also told the jury that there were no eyewitnesses to the crime.

“There are no eyewitnesses to this case,” Moran said. “There’s no one who saw this happen.

“After all the evidence… you will be unable to convict him [Young] of first-degree murder, second-degree murder or the use of a handgun in a felony.”

The first witness in the case was Walters’ girlfriend, Melissa Guy, who had been together with him for nine months and was living with Walters when he was killed.

She said that morning was the last time she saw her boyfriend alive, though she testified she heard no gunshots that morning.

“He told me he loved me and would see me later… and he left,” Guy said.

Other witnesses who testified, including sheriff’s deputies, detectives and crime scene technicians all served to help bring evidence into the case to include spent shell casings from the gun Young allegedly used to kill Walters as well as bullets taken out of Walters after his autopsy.

If convicted of the charges against him Young could spend the rest of his life in prison.

The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Navy News Navfac Conducts Environmental Restoration At Solomons Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington John S. Verrico Public Affairs Officer Washington DC – A team of Navy environmental experts led by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington began the final phase of an environmental restoration project at the Naval Recreation Center, Solomons. This $3.5 million project will restore approximately 30 acres of land located in the southern portion of the installation.

“The project started a few years ago with preliminary

Wine Continued from page A- ing to a limit of two controlled tastings a month.

But again the board was hesitant, citing Guenther’s request to dole out tastings of hard alcohol as a potential problem, and enforcement issues.

“I’m afraid this is going to open a whole pandora’s box coming before us and asking for the same thing,” board member Anne Bailey said. “It scares me because I’m not sure how much control we are going to have over all those stores.”

Bailey and vice chairman Thomas Sacks were the request’s biggest opponents, with Sacks proposing the motion to deny the class d license

environmental assessments, which included site investigations including the sampling of soil and groundwater,” said NAVFAC Washington Environmental Team Leader Malgorzata Wright. The Navy determined a course of action based upon these extensive studies and in coordination with the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE).

The project will include a series of removal actions beginning with the excavation of the old landfill located next to the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge. The Navy

installed erosion and sediment controls, including super silt fence and an earthen dike, and began clearing brush and debris at the site. The Navy will collect a series of soil samples to determine the environmental condition of the site and guide the depth of excavation.

An estimated 13,500 tons (~8,700 cubic yards) of debris is expected to be excavated from the old landfill area including soil, construction debris, scrap metal, and possibly inert ordnance. The construction debris will be transported off-site. However, not all of

and Bailey seconding it. Sacks said he didn’t have a problem with the store holding 12 wine tastings a year, which it currently does, but that introducing spirits and restrictions into the equation was a problem.

“You’re not a bar or inn, and you are asking us to make you a bar or an inn with restriction,” said Sacks of the request.

“You gave a good argument, but I’m not convinced.”

Again, Sacks cited the plausibility of similar requests coming to the board if the outcome was favorable to Market Place as another reason he was hesitant to lend his support.

“If your fear is of other companies following suit with tastings, I’m not sure that in itself is a bad thing,” Guenther said in response to the board’s reservations. “As far as it snowballing, I think you have

enough control to prevent it from snowballing.”

But even so, Market Place is a store licensed for off premise sales, and giving it the right to hold tastings was something the board in the end felt more comfortable leaving in the hands of state lawmakers.

“Legislation is what they need,” said the board’s administrator Patricia Insley.

Under current law, if Market Place had been granted a class d license, it would have no longer been allowed to hold free wine tastings, like it has every month since it opened in June. Insley said it would be too late for Guenther to submit the legislation into this year’s legislative calendar, but that he should talk with the Southern Maryland delegation for a better idea of a timeframe.

While the board did not formally agree to support Guenther if he followed up the request with lawmakers, they appeared less conflictual in that regard, commending Guenther for educating the community on wine, and running a “nice establishment.”

MosesSaldanawastheonly board member to vote in favor of issuing the class d license.

“I think it could work,” Saldana said. “It’s just a question of noting the restrictions, getting them down for the record so our inspector and enforcement know exactly what they need to do.”

Market Place Fine Wine and Spirits was proposing to offer a wine 101 class to approximately 15 people every month to introduce people to he nuances of wine. The class had it in mind to open bottles from different regions across the country, including wines made locally. For now, those plans will have to wait.

MD 4 – Thomas Johnson Bridge Planning Study Informational Open Houses The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) invites interested persons to attend Informational Open Houses for the MD 4 – Thomas Johnson Bridge Planning Study. The project involves a study of transportation improvements along MD 4 from MD 2 in Calvert County to MD 235 in St. Mary’s County.

WHAT:

The Open House will acquaint the public with the need for the project and the progress of the study to date. Display areas will be set up explaining the Purpose and Need for the project, the Planning and Highway Development Process, Environmental Resources, Related Projects, and Next Steps. Project representatives will be available to discuss the project issues, answer questions, and record your comments. No formal presentation will be given.

Feel free to arrive at any time and walk through at your own pace. Each Open House will have the same information and format.

WHEN AND WHERE: Tuesday, October 2, 2007 – 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Dowell Elementary School – Gymnasium 12680 H.G. Trueman Road, Lusby, MD 20657

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 – 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Town Creek Elementary School – Cafeteria 45805 Dent Drive, Lexington Park, MD 20653

CONTACT: Ms. Felicia Alexander, Project Manager FAlexander@sha.state.md.us 410-545-8511 or toll-free 1-800-548-5026 Maryland Relay Service for Impaired Hearing or Speech can be reached at 1-800-735-2258.

Anyone needing special assistance to participate, please contact the Project Manager by September 25, 2007.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend an Open House!

September 16, 2007 A-0484

Neil J. Pedersen State Highway Administrator

the excavated material from the landfill area will require off-site disposal. The soil material, properly segregated, will be used in the backfill operation. In the event that any inert ordnance is found, it will be safely demilitarized by certified Navy experts, appropriately packaged and transported to Montgomery Scrap in Baltimore for proper treatment and disposal in a smelter. The segregated scrap material will be shipped to a metal recycling facility for processing.

Due to the nature of the

removal action, the project could potentially impact some wetlands but the project will be closely monitored by a wetland scientist to ensure environmental compliance. The Navy anticipates disturbances to the wetlands will be temporary and ultimately result in no net loss of wetland area.

“As a matter of fact, the wetland impact may be quite positive in reality,” said Wright. “The Navy foresees the removal of debris and contaminated soils as a potential opportunity to create additional wetland areas.”

The excavation project will last approximately three months. Wetland restoration

Trial Continued from page A- “Being angry and blaming other people for what you won’t do yourself is unacceptable,” Abrams told Ryder.

Ryder was arrested by police June 2 in a police sting operation where the defendant allegedly met with and solicited an undercover police officer to kill his parents.

Investigators said that Ryder had moved out of his parents’ house and had issues with parental authority.

Police recorded the meeting between Ryder and the undercover officer, and according to charging documents, when the officer asked how the killing should be done, Ryder allegedly said: “Two bullets is all it takes.”

According to earlier testimony Sept. 17 from Tara Klysz, Ryder’s probation officer, the defendant was on probation for a previous incident from May of 2006 to March of 2007 — before the attempted murder charges — and had several hearings before Juvenile Judge Michael J. Stamm about improving his grades in school.

Klysz testified that she recommended continuing probation for Ryder, who did not make substantial improvements in school, but the court decided to close the case.

Klysz testified she believed Ryder would benefit from treatment from the Department of Juvenile Services.

Abrams said later she “had no clue” why the probation was not continued and that led her to believe Ryder had not received the full benefit of treatment options.

Both an in-home counselor, Tom Barringer, and a clinical social worker from the Office of the Public Defender, Georgia Kenney, who had contact with Ryder, said he should stay in the juvenile court with the possibility of treatment.

“We had very good conversations with each other,” Barringer, a counselor with the Institute for Family Center Services, said. “I think that [state treatment] will help him with his maturity… and get some reality based thinking.”

Barringer, who counseled Ryder and his family before the alleged attempted murder scheme, did say that Ryder had “anger issues,” but that he had worked with Ryder on those problems.

Kenney said she believed Ryder had come

will begin in spring 2008 after the last frost and last for approximately two months.

“The Navy is committed to the provision of a safe, healthy and accident-free workplace during the excavation and site restoration process,” said Cmdr. Stephanie Jones, NAVFAC Washington’s Public Works Officer for Naval Air Station Patuxent River (which includes the Solomons Complex). A full-time Safety Officer will be on site during the project execution to ensure that all safety programs designed to protect the safety of workers and visitors are properly implemented.

to regret what he was alleged to have done.

“I think Corey’s remorseful,” Kenney testified in court. “He’s learned a lot from this and he’s learned to think before he speaks.

“He realizes he’s a child and that he needs help from somebody.”

Ryder’s mother testified that her son had been through the juvenile system so many times that he knew how to work it and evade harsher penalties.

She said she was torn between love for her son and the fear that he may have really meant to have her killed. She testified that she still was not completely sure of her son’s alleged murderous intent but feared it nonetheless.

Troiano came to the witness stand with a thick blue folder she said contained the most recent history of her efforts to help turn her troubled son around.

“This is everything we’ve ever done, his counseling, his IEPs (individualized education programs), his psychological and psychiatric evaluations just for this year,” Troiano said.

“I’ve been trying to get help for Corey since the sixth grade.”

She said efforts to put her son on probation to improve his grades, which included an electronic monitoring bracelet to force him to go to class, helped only so long as those measures were in place.

“The minute he was off we were right back to the beginning,” Troiano said. “He was skipping class… he wasn’t doing any of his work.”

Before going on probation for two counts of property destruction last May, according to court testimony, Ryder had gone through a drug treatment program; but his mother said she feared he had returned to some form of substance abuse.

She finally ejected her son from the house, she testified, when she found out that Ryder had stolen money from his sister, she said, and an argument about it ensued that turned violent.

Ryder, who had denied taking the money, Troiano testified, pushed his mother down and began kicking her.

“That was when I told him to get out.”

Testimony also alleged that Ryder had at one time threatened to cut his mother’s throat and had been found with a knife prior to the alleged murder-for-hire plot.

Troiano was visibly shaken by the prospect of her son staying in the juvenile system and being released in less than four years.

“How do I live? How does my family live?” she said.

The County Times

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Section A -

Obituaries Joseph Hiram Hewitt, 93 Joseph Hiram Hewitt, 93, of Avenue, Md., died Sept. 13, 2007 in Washington Hospital Center. Born November 28, 1913 in Medley’s Neck, Md., he was the son of the late Hiram and Madeline Roe Long Hewitt. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Martina Murphy Hewitt on Sept. 4, 2003, whom he married on April 16, 1938 in Newport, Md. He is survived by his sisters: Pearl Hewitt Long of Temple Hills, Md., Ruby Hewitt Cheseldine of Bushwood, Md., and Frances Hewitt Ruark of Salisbury, Md. He was also preceded in death by his siblings: Francis Frederick Hewitt, Helen Hewitt Ruark, William Benjamin Hewitt, John Stanley Hewitt, James Roger Hewitt and Mary Hewitt Richardson.

Mr. Hewitt was a member of the Knights of Columbus # 2065 and the Mechanicsville Moose Lodge # 495. He enjoyed fishing and crabbing. The family received friends on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, where Prayers were said.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Sept.

20, 2007 at 10 a.m. in Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, Md, with Fr. William Gurnee officiating. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, Md. Pallbearers will be: Raymond Murphy, Steve Murphy, Freddie Hewitt, Keith Hewitt, Kenneth Murphy and Paul Evelius. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Joseph Francis Humphreys On Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, of Waldorf, Md. Beloved husband of Linda Humphreys; father of Jason (Nicole), Michael and Michelle Humphreys; brother of Tom, Jerry (Patti Anne), Tim (Bridget) and Bernadette Humphreys and Patty (Phil) Garrett; grandson of Gertrude Monaco. Also survived by 13 nieces, 10 nephews and many other relatives. Services were held on Friday, Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Camp St. Charles Endowment Fund, c/o Father Glen Willis, 104 Bishop Dr., Silver Spring, MD 20905 and Ritchie Volunteer Fire Department 1415 Ritchie Marlboro Rd., Capitol Heights, MD 20743.

Kenneth G. Lyle On Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007 of Dunkirk, Md.; beloved husband of Laila Lyle; loving son of Lola and the late George Lyle; brother of Joan Barnes; father of Randy Lyle, and Mike, Pam, Dan and Sherry; stepfather of Debra, John and Susan.

Also survived by numerous grandchildren. Family received friends at the LEE FUNERAL HOME, CALVERT, P.A., 8125 Southern Maryland Blvd. (Rte. 4 and Fowler Rd.), Owings, MD on Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m., where service were held on Monday, September 10 at 10 a.m.

Interment Resurrection Cemetery.

James Tolly Marsh, Jr., 77

in 1998.

He attended Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), graduating in 1952. In December of that year he married his wife, Joan and almost immediately left for Camp Breckinridge in Kentucky and then for Korea, where he served as a Lieutenant in the 223rd Infantry of the 40th Division and the 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division, tasked as platoon leader with clearing the mine fields along the DMZ. After returning from Korea, he worked for Black and Decker in Hampstead, Md., then for Mechanical Products in Jackson, Mich. In 1966, he was named Manager of the Minitec Division of Aiken Industries, and he moved his family to Leonardtown where he built and managed the two Minitec manufacturing plants, one of the first nonNavy related light industries in St. Mary’s County. He retired in 1991 and began to pursue numerous interests. He was a popular tour guide and docent at the Calvert Marine Museum, Historic St. Mary’s City and Sotterley Plantation, where he helped develop an educational program that shed light on the role of the plantation’s slaves. An avid reader, he served for many years on the board of the Southern Maryland Friends of the Library, the Literacy Council and was active in the Southern Maryland Genealogical Society. He was Past President of both the Leonardtown and Lexington Park Rotary, and served on the St. Mary’s County Economic Development Commission and the Maryland Judicial Nominating Commission. He also was a faithful Hospice Volunteer for many years.

His love of nature led Mr. Marsh and his wife to travel to the famous gardens of Ireland, England and France, and to pursue a Master Gardener certification. His expertise and enthusiasm led him, at the age of 70, to a position with

the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Service, serving as Extension Program Coordinator and providing advice to professional landscapers and amateur gardeners alike. He recently was honored by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension in recognition of “his inspiring leadership and dedicated service to the St. Mary’s County Master Gardener Program, and his valuable contributions to the ‘greening’ of the environment.”

Mr. Marsh was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Newtowne, where he served as Lector and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joan Brengle Marsh of Leonardtown, Md., four children, Lynn Marsh Freeman, Julia Marsh Brown and James K. Marsh, all of Washington, DC and Patricia Marsh Dehoorne of Chelsea, Mich., sister, Margaret Marsh “Peg” Parish of Branson, MO and nine grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007 from 3- 5 p.m. and 6- 8 p.m. in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Newtowne, Leonardtown, Md. Prayers will be recited at 7 p.m. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, Sept. 21, 2007 at 11 a.m. in the church. Reverend John Mattingly will be the celebrant. Inurnment will follow in St. Francis Xavier Church Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice House c/o Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 21370 Newtowne Neck Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.

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James Tolly Marsh, Jr., 77, of Leonardtown, Md., died Sept. 16, 2007 at his residence after a battle with cancer.

Born May 30, 1930 in New Windsor, Md., he was the son late Dr. James T. Marsh and Margaret Ann Rankin.

He followed a long and successful career in manufacturing by earning a Master Gardener ranking

Audrey Sophie Turbyne, 89

Audrey Sophie Turbyne, 89, of Hollywood, Md., formerly of West Caldwell, N.J., died Sept. 16, 2007 at her residence.

Born Sept. 26, 1917 in Irvington, N.J., she was the daughter of the late George Ziegler and Sophie Kuehner.

Mrs. Turbyne was a retired registered nurse, having graduated in 1938 from the Newark Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. She met her future husband while he was a patient in her care, and they were married in Maplewood, N.J. during September of 1940. After raising three children she re-entered the health care field as a private duty geriatric nurse remaining in the field until retirement.

She enjoyed reading, flower and vegetable gardening, canoeing, and especially the sewing arts.

She always had a kind word for those she encountered during her life. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell, N.J. and a frequent American Red Cross blood donor.

She is survived by her children, Jeffrey Turbyne and his wife, Gloria of Hollywood, Md., and Jacques Turbyne and his wife, Karen of Hillsboro, N.H., five grandchildren,

Jacqueline Harris and her husband, Travis of Palmyra, Va., Heather Turbyne-Pollard and her husband, Rob of Richmond, Va., Jeffrey David Turbyne and his wife, Amber of Leonardtown, Md., Katya and Audrey Zabohonski of West Caldwell, N.J., and two great-grandchildren, Wyatt and Josephine Harris.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, David L. Turbyne, daughter, Ann Louise Zabohonski, siblings, George Ziegler, Carl Ziegler and Caroline Donovan, and companion, John Dougherty.

The family will receive friends Friday, Sept. 21, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md., where a Funeral Service will be conducted at 7 p.m. Reverend Sheldon Reese will conduct the service. Interment will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650, Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, MD 20636 or a charitable organization of your choice.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, MD.

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The County Times

Section A - 10

Thursday, September 20, 2007- “OPENING DAY” 3:00 PM Gates open to public 4:00 PM Exhibit buildings open to public 5:00 PM Carnival opens (ride all evening for one price) 5:30 PM 4-H Livestock Judging Contest 6:00 PM Puppetone Rockers (FM) 6:30 PM 4-H Goat Show 6:30 PM Masters of the Chainsaw (FM) 7:00 PM Official Opening (New AUD) Color Guard by Cub Scout Pack 1203 “The Star Spangled Banner” Leonardtown Middle School Chorus Introduction of the Queen of Tolerance Court Welcome, John Richards President St. Mary’s County Fair Assoc.

Crowning of the Queen of Tolerance 7:30 PM Masters of the Chainsaw (FM) 8:00 PM Jay Armsworthy & Eastern Tradition (PAV) 9:00 PM Exhibit buildings close

Friday, September 21, 2007 - “SCHOOL DAY

8:00 AM 4-H Livestock show starts (SR) 8:00 AM 4-H Horse Show 9:00 AM Exhibit buildings open 10:00 AM 4-H Horticulture Judging Contest (4-H building) 10:00 AM Decorated Wagon Contest (PAV) 1:00 PM Leonardtown Middle School Band performance (New AUD) 1:00 PM 4-H Consumer judging contest (4-H Building) 2:00 PM Speech contest - David Flood (New AUD) “The Star Spangled Banner” Great Mills High School Chamber Singers 2:00 PM Registration for Kiddy Tractor Pull (PAV) 3:00 PM Kiddy Tractor Pull (PAV) 4:00 PM St. Mary’s County Sheriff Dept. K-9 Demonstration (GS) 5:00 PM John Lusky Band (PAV) 6:00 PM Bicycle drawing - school day activities end 6:00 PM Ice Carving (Doug Mackey, NAS Executive Chef) (EXT) 7:00 PM Gracies Guys and Gals (FSA) 7:00 PM Horse pull - light weight (GS) 7:30 PM Boot Scooters line dancing PAV) 9:00 PM Exhibit buildings close * Eddie Robbinette Magic shows 12:00, 1:30, 3:30 and 5:00 (TENT) * Barnyard Runners Pig Races 11:30, 1:00, 3:00, and 4:30 * Masters of the Chain Saw 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, and 6:00 * Puppetone Rockers 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 * Dick Haines, Stiltwalker

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Small Fish Kill In Piney Point To Likely Remain A Mystery

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Residents of Piney Point are not sure why a small group of dead fish suddenly washed up on shore early last week, and officials with the Maryland Department of the Environment say it is unlikely they will ever learn the cause.

Chris Luckett, an official with the Maryland Department of the Environment, said residents waited too long to report the incident for investigators to come down to Piney Point and determine the cause.

The fish had decomposed too much to leave any evidence of why they died, he said.

“If the report had come in when they were first observed we would’ve almost certainly investigated,” Luckett said. “But after three or four days, they decompose and the evidence becomes obscured.”

Pat McEntee, the Piney Point resident who informed The County Times of the dead

world was going on,” McEntee said.

Luckett said communities located near the water should not assume they know the reason for a fish kill; instead they should report it and let environmental investigators determine the cause.

Luckett said there were no official, documented reports of fish kills in Piney Point so far this summer.

He said the nearby pound net could have been the cause of the fish kill, but so could oxygen poor water or hazardous waste.

The hazardous waste scenario was an unlikely one, he Luckett added, and the other two were purely speculative possibilities.

“Maybe some people think they know the reason why the fish died and aren’t troubled by it,” Luckett said. “But any time you see an accumulation of dead fish, the sooner you call, the better.”

Luckett said a dearth of reporting for fish kills gave state agencies a “much weaker idea” about the water quality in a particular area.

Saturday, September 22, 2007- “PARADE DAY” 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM

Open class livestock shows begins Exhibit buildings open “The Star Spangled Banner” Leonardtown High School Route 5 Harmony 10:30 AM Fair Parade 12:00 PM Daughters of Vida Mid-Eastern Dance Troupe (PAV) 1:00 PM Jousting (GS) 1:00 PM Interlocking Building Block Competition 1:00 PM Hyperspace Super Magic Man, Illusions (New AUD) 1:30 PM Syncopated Rhythm Dance Team (PAV) 2:00 PM McKay’s Stuffed Ham Demonstration (EXT) 2:30 PM Southern MD Concert Band PAV) 4:00 PM Hyperspace Super Magic Man, Illusions (New AUD) 4:00 PM Middle East Dance Group (PAV) 4:00 PM 4-H Rabbit showmanship contest 4:30 PM Lawnmower Pulling Contest, So. Md. Mini-Pullers 6:00 PM Body Shakers (PAV) 6:00 PM 4-H livestock auction (SR) 6:00 - 8:00 WMDM live remote broadcast 7:00 PM Horse pull - heavy weight (GS) 7:30 PM Six Guns South Band (PAV) *Puppetone Rockers 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 * Eddie Robinette Magic Shows 12:30, 2:00, 4:00 and 5:30 (TENT) * Barnyard Runners Pig Races 12:00, 1:30, 3:30, and 5:00 *Masters of the Chain Saw 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, and 6:00 * Dick Haines, Stiltwalker

Sunday, September 23, 2007 “GOSPEL MUSIC DAY” 8:30 AM 9:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 11:30 PM 12:00 PM 12:30 PM 1:00 PM

Open class horse show starts (GS) Exhibit buildings open Open Class Goat Show (SR) Baby show starts (FSA) Antique tractor pull starts (FM) Chesapeake Spinners wool demo. (SHEEP area) Lugnut and Pitcrew (PAV) Daughters of Vida Mid-Eastern Dance Troupe (New AUD) Gospel Music, Walls of Jasper (TENT) Introduction of the Queen of Tolerance and her Court (PAV) “The Star Spangled Banner”, Peace Pipers of Chopticon High School 1:00 PM Master Gardeners Plant Clinic (EXT) 1:30 PM Gospel Music, Gospel Milodies (TENT) 1:30 PM Bob James - A Tribute to Neil Diamond(NEW AUD) 2:00 PM 4-H Visual Presentations (EXT) 2:30 PM Gospel Music, St. Peter Claver Catholic Church Choirs (TENT) 3:00 PM Chesapeake Country Cruisers line dancing (PAV) 3:30 PM Gospel Music, The Gospel Persuaders Choir(TENT) 4:30 PM Bob James - A Tribute to Neil Diamond (New AUD) 4:30 PM Gospel Music, The New Briscoe Brothers Choir (TENT) 4:30 PM Chain saw sculpture auction 6:00 PM Fair closes, see you next year!!! *Sheep Shearing Demos - Sarah Lasher (sheep barn) *Puppetone Rockers shows 12:30, 2:00, and 3:30 * Eddie Robinette Magic shows 11:00, 12:30, 2:00 (PAV) *Barnyard Runners Pig Races 11:30, 1:00, 2:30 and 4:00 * Masters of the Chain Saw 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, and 4:00 * Dick Haines, Stiltwalker

Photo by Guy Leonard

Dead fish like this lined a section of beach at Piney Point and rankled noses of nearby residents but state environmental officials say the fish kill was reported too late for them to find an answer as to why it occurred.

fish, said the wind carried the stench of the rotting fish throughout the neighborhood for days.

When The County Times observed the fish remains on the beach from a distance of about 200 yards, they were found to be in various states of decay. Some appeared to have been eaten, while others were nearly intact.

There were about 50 dead fish in the stretch of beach observed by The County Times.

The fish kill problem was alleviated for the moment, McEntee said, after a weekend of rough waters lapped up on the shore and swept the fish off the beach.

McEntee said she was unsure if a pound net staked out off the shoreline near where the fish washed up on shore was responsible for the fish kill when she found them.

She called several state and county offices and was not able to find any information about fish kills, she said.

“I was just trying to find out what in the

Fish kills have been occurring with some frequency this summer, though, Luckett said, and a type of algae, karlodinium, was the culprit.

“We’ve had a number of fish kills in the Potomac River and up the [Chesapeake Bay], mainly towards Baltimore, involving this algae,” Luckett said. “The toxin [produced by the algae] alone can kill the fish or you get reduced oxygen that can also kill them.”

However, the blooms of algae have lessened in severity in the past month, Luckett said, and the chances were “very slim” that the algae was responsible for the fish kill in Piney Point.

Luckett said that the Maryland Department of the Environment maintains a 24hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week hotline for the reporting of fish kills.

The hotline number is 1-877-224-7229.

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