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Thursday, January 3, 2008 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland
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We got good looks, we just didn’t make the shots.” - Terry Mumau Chopticon Coach See B-1 for Story
MOMS Club to Host Preschool Fair The MOMS club of St. Mary’s County will be hosting a preschool fair on January 5, 2008 from 10:00 to 2:00. Local preschools will have booths and information about their programs. The fair will be held at the Lexington Park Library, and admission is free.
General Assembly Forecast to be Held at Winter Conference
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20-Year-Old Man Killed In Car Wreck By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Investigators with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office are still trying to ascertain whether alcohol was a factor in the fatal car wreck last week that took the life of James W. Wendler, 20, of Hollywood. “All they have to suggest he was drinking is witness statements prior to the accident,” said Sgt. Steven Hall, sheriff’s office spokesman. “That won’t be determined until toxicology reports come back.” According to police reports, Wendler was driving on Clark’s Mill Road in Hollywood at about 4:30 a.m. when he lost control of his vehicle, a 2003 Dodge Neon SRT 4, resulting in a crash. When police arrived they found his vehicle had overturned and struck a tree. Wendler was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Speed was also believed to be a contrib-
uting factor to the accident, according to police reports. The family was still mourning their loss Monday, “He loved life, he loved his family,” said Jeannie Boyce of Hollywood, Wendler’s aunt. “He loved to make people laugh.” Friends of Wendler’s said that the reason for James W. Wendler Wendler being out so early in the morning is still unclear, but they said they believed he had just dropped someone off before his accident. Wendler’s friends, who worked with him atthe See Accident page A-
A new tax increase on cigarettes will be going into effect after the first of the year, raising the price by one dollar per pack. The Maryland General Assembly approved the measure in their special session in November. Revenues are expected to help fill the $1.7 billion budget deficit for which the special session was convened.
January
SMECO Changes Cut Off Policy During Cold Months After 24 years of not allowing power to be shut off from November through March, SMECO changed its policy. Our goal is to get the bill paid, its not to disconnect. [Disconnection] is a last resort” -Susan Hamilton, VP Customer Service SMECO
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Photo by Guy Leonard
Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron checks out crime reports on his mobile data browser during a nightly patrol.
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office patrol officers and investigators accomplished much this past year, according to Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron. They nabbed and helped convict the chief suspect in the county’s sole homicide in 2007, made numerous arrests
Op.-Ed .......... Obituaries..... Community... Police ............ Classifieds..... Thursday Partly Cloudy 32°
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of armed robbery and burglary suspects, inflicted heavy losses in seized narcotics and firearms on local and out-of-state drug dealers and acquitted themselves well enough to earn national honors from the country’s top law enforcement accreditation organization. While he said he was happy with all See Cameron page A-
Death Penalty and Taxes to Haunt Upcoming Legislative Session Andrea Shiell Staff Writer
Inside
A flurry of construction is underway at the Hunting Creek development on Willows Rd. in Lexington Park in order to provide affordable workforce housing for St. Mary’s residents. The construction is part of a county program, and the units currently being built are townhouses and townhouse style apartments with rent prices ranging from $325 to $965, depending on income. These units should be opening their
Cameron: 2007 A Year Year Of Transition 2007 In Review For Sheriff’s Office
CSM to Host “Super Saturday” for New Students
Cigarette Tax Increases
Andrea Shiell Staff Writer
See Housing page A-
Maryland Delegates will host a “General Assembly Forecast” at 9 am on Friday at The Maryland Association of Counties Annual Winter Conference. The conference is scheduled for January 2nd through January 4th, and will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge.
The College of Southern Maryland will host a “Super Saturday” on January 5th for new students interested in beginning classes for the spring semester beginning on January 24. They will be able to complete application forms, take placement tests, meet with academic advisors, and register and pay for classes. Registration for the event is due by January 3rd. Those interested can visit www.csmd. edu/Admission or leave a message at 240-725-5320.
Affordable Housing Program Still Looking for Applicants
The Maryland State General Assembly is set to go back to work this January, not that they have had much of a break with this fall’s special session in which $1.3 billion in tax increases were passed. Delegates from across the state convened in October and November to address a looming $1.7 billion budget deficit, and though some measures were approved, these
have raised contention between members of the legislature which are likely to haunt the regular session in January. One bill approved in the special session was a measure to legalize up to 15,000 slot machines contingent on voter approval of a See Session page A-
Maryland Returns To One Party Rule After a four-year hiatus, the Democrats took back total control of State government with former Baltimore Mayor, Martin O’Malley taking over as governor. I think you are going to see a large increase in taxes. A governor like Ehrlich was able to hold off these taxes, but we are likely to see an increase in sales and income taxes.” -Anthony O’Donnell, Delegate (R-29C) St. Mary’s/Calvert County
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George Forrest Forced Out As County Administrator With the Democrats taking over County Government once again, the County Administrator hired by the previous Republican Board of Commissioners was forced out on a 4 to 1 vote. Forrest was the first African American to serve in the highest-ranking government position. George provided the inspirational leadership that really turned County Government around.” -Thomas F. McKay, President (R), Board of County Commissioners 2002-2206 which hired Forrest
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The County Times
Section A -
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Sheriff’s Office Credits Holiday Patrols With Fewer Robberies By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Since the Thanksgiving holiday and all through Christmas to New Years there has been just one armed robbery and one attempted armed robbery in the county according to information from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. The total is lower than the two previous years for the same time period, and increased holiday patrols have been the key to a safer holiday season for local businesses, they say. “If anyone’s acting suspicious in a car or on foot they’re being stopped and questioned,” said Sgt. Steven Hall, spokesman for the sheriff’s office. “And it’s going to continue until a directive is given to stop. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the results.” From November of 2005 to January of 2006, there were six reported robberies, Hall said, while in November of 2006 to January of 2007 there were 10 reported holiday robberies. This year represents a sharp downtrend, statistics show. Sheriff’s deputies have been operating in two person patrol units for increased visibility, Hall said, plus covert elements have been placed on the street in greater frequency to watch out for possible crimes over the holidays. “This has been an extremely quiet holiday season,” Hall said, adding that patrol units helped Bureau of Criminal Investigation Narcotics detectives to score a bust of some 11 pounds of marijuana at the A&E Motel in Lexington Park two weeks ago. “That was an historic bust for the patrol division,” Hall said. Officers who took part in the increased patrols said their efforts took a bite out of more than just robberies. “People who get the idea about shoplifting… they see us and think twice about it,” said Senior Deputy First Class Kevin Somerville. “And if [business owners] say that guy over there is
Photo by Guy Leonard
Senior Deputy First Class Kevin Somerville, middle, and Deputy Doug Harris talk with Best Buy employee Brent Bentancourt during their holiday patrol shift.
looking suspicious, keep your eyes on him, we’ll do that.” Deputy Doug Harris said he loved the increased patrol duty and the fact that citizens appreciated more police presence during the holidays.
Hearing Set For Juvenile Charged With Sexual Abuse By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A hearing set for Jan. 10 could decide whether a 16-yearold boy charged with sexually abusing his brother is tried in juvenile or adult court. Dontavious Jerron Holley faces more than five decades in prison if he is convicted of all the charges against him in adult court, but would only be incarcerated in the juvenile system
until the age of 21 if he is tried as a minor. Public defender Sean Moran, who is representing Holley, said his client is currently incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention Center in protective custody. “I think he is a kid who can be more properly rehabilitated in the juvenile system considering the nature of the offense and the particular circumstances of this juvenile,” Moran said.
Moran declined to elaborate on any mitigating circumstance that might be used in his client’s defense. According to charging documents, Holley is alleged to have sodomized his younger brother while the two of them were in their bedroom between 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. Aug. 15. The victim’s mother, charging documents read, noticed the young boy was in the bathroom at a time he should have been
“They’ve told me that seeing us helps them feel safer so they can have a good [holiday shopping] experience.”
sleeping and asked her son why this was so. The alleged victim in the case said he had been sodomized by Holley and his mother discovered what appeared to be signs of penetration in his anal region as well as what appeared to be semen coming from his anal cavity, according to charging documents. When his mother questioned him, charging documents state, Holley denied committing the act. When Holley was brought to the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters in Leonardtown and questioned by investigators, charging documents allege, he admitted to sodomizing his younger brother. Charging documents state
that Holley said it was the first time he had committed such an act and was remorseful. Investigators wrote in charging documents that they have a taped confession to the act from Holley. According to the charging documents, a subsequent sexual assault forensic examination at St. Mary’s Hospital also reported tearing of the victim’s anus and what appeared to be semen in his anal cavity. Holley currently faces charges of a second-degree sex offense, sex abuse of a minor and second-degree assault. If tried in adult court and convicted Holley faces 20, 25 and 10 years in prison respectively for each charge.
Gingerbread Men Many a favorite family tradition come the holiday season starts in the kitchen. Come the holidays, people tend to gain a pound or two because of the abundance of good food this time of year. It’s no coincidence that come New Year’s Day, the most common resolution is to shed a few pounds. While New Year’s Day might be for resolutions, the holidays are all about enjoying good times with friends and family and enjoying the good food that typically comes with those times. Among the more popular and traditional choices is Gingerbread Men. Those hosting a party this season can use the following recipe for “Gingerbread Men” courtesy of Sara Perry’s “Holiday Baking” (Chronicle Books).
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Makes About 2 Dozen 51/2-inch Cookies 21/4 flour
cups all-purpose
1/4 soda
teaspoon baking
1/2
teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1
egg
1/2 cup light or dark molasses 1. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, then lightly whisk and set aside. 2. In a stand mixer set on medium speed, beat the shortening until creamy, about 30 seconds. On medium speed, beat in the brown sugar until light and lump free. Beat in the egg until well blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the molasses until blended. Turn off the mixer, add half the flour mixture, and beat on low speed until blended. Add the remaining flour and beat until blended. 3. Using lightly floured hands, gather the sticky dough into a ball. Divide the ball in half and flatten each portion into a 6- to 8-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until firm.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it lightly and set aside. 5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, if needed, soften slightly for easier handling. Roll it out 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured board, between 2 sheets of parchment paper or heavyduty plastic wrap, or on a pastry cloth with a cloth-covered rolling pin. 6. Lightly dip a 51/2-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter into flour, then firmly press it straight down into the dough. Repeat, cutting the cookies close together to avoid rerolling. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to the baking sheet. If a cookie is to be used as an ornament, press a hole through the top with a drinking straw or a large skewer. 7. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned, 9 to 11 minutes. Let the cookies firm and cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely. If desired, decorate the cookies with icing and decorative candles.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
The County Times
Section A -
Thank you for your continued support of our business for the past 60 years!
As the New Year begins, we would like to take a moment to acknowledge all of the people - customers, neighbors, associates and friends who have given us so much to be grateful for in our 60 years of business. We look forward to your continued patronage and wish you the best in the upcoming year.
Have a happy, safe, and fun New Year!
The County Times
Section A -
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Editorial & Opinion A Lasting Resolution The celebration of New Years is the oldest of all holidays. First observed in ancient Babylon about 4,000 years ago, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of the New Year on what is now March 23rd just in time for the beginning of Spring and the planting of the new crops. The tradition of New Year’s resolutions date back to 153 B.C. when Janus, a mythical King of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar. Janus had two faces and was believed to be able to look back to the past and forward to the future. Janus became the symbol for resolutions. Today New Years remains a time to reflect on the changes we want or need to make in our lives. Many of us make the same resolutions year after year and never follow through. The most important step in making a New Year’s Resolution work is choosing the right resolution for the right reason. Then you must create a plan to stay on track while remaining flexible and celebrating the milestones along the way. What should your New Year’s resolution be? The top 10 resolutions according to About.com may help you decide what needs to change in your life.
Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions according to About.com: 1) Spend more time with Family Recent polls show that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year. Work shouldn’t always come first! 2) Fit in Fitness The evidence is in for fitness. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better. Why not make this the time to start getting in shape? 3) Tame the Bulge Over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese so it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program, and the key to success for those millions of Americans who made a New Year’s commitment to shed extra pounds.
“The Great Funk” by Thomas Hine
c.2007, Sarah Crichton Books / FSG $30.00 / $24.50 Canada 241 pages By Terri Schlichenmeyer Contributing Writer So there you were in your righteous Torino, pulling into the school parking lot, ready to face the day. You were just about to turn the radio off and get to class, when the DJ spins “Rock the Boat” by the Hues Corporation. You sit there a minute coz, man, that record is solid.
As the “wooo hooo hooo”s fade out, you turn off the music, and start scopin’. Seems like all the chicks are wearing that Dorothy Hamill look this year, doesn’t it? And monster sideburns are in with the dudes. Sound like your senior year? Right on. Then you need to read “The Great Funk” by Thomas Hine. It’s Ace, baby.
They called it the “Me Decade”, maybe because so much time was spent raising personal consciousness. In the 1970s, The Beatles broke up, the Republicans broke in to the Watergate Hotel, and Archie Bunker broke barriers on TV. Women marched for the Equal Rights Amendment while Phyllis Schlafly spoke against it – and won. We drove Pintos, Grem-
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4) Quit Smoking If you have resolved to make this the year that you stamp out your smoking habit, overthe-counter availability of nicotine replacement therapy now provides easier access to proven quit-smoking aids. Even if you’ve tried to quit before and failed, don’t let it get you down. On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Start enjoying the rest of your smoke-free life! 5) Enjoy Life More Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that “enjoying life more” has become a popular resolution in recent years. It’s an important step to a happier and healthier you! 6) Quit Drinking While many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking, most are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change all at once. Many heavy drinkers fail to quit cold turkey but do much better when they taper gradually, or even learn to moderate their drinking. If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is a world of help and support available. 7) Get Out of Debt Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this year getting a handle on their finances. It’s a promise that will repay itself many times over in the year ahead.
lins, LTDs, and station wagons, but we coveted TransAms and Millennium Falcons. We dressed ourselves in plaid pants, maxi skirts, the Annie Hall look, white disco suits, and his-and-hers outfits… that is, we dressed ourselves in those things when we weren’t streaking. The Force was with us in the 1970s, raindrops fell on our heads and we took newspaper to the theatre so we could keep dry like Janet. We were mad as you-know-what but we weren’t going to take it any more. We laughed with Mary, we loved Hawkeye and Mork, and we couldn’t believe we ate the whole thing. Disco sucked or didn’t, depending on whether you wanted to listen to KISS and The Rolling Stones, or K.C. and the Sunshine Band and
8) Learn Something New Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? Whether you take a course or read a book, you’ll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year’s resolutions to keep. 9) Help Others A popular, non-selfish New Year’s resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help. Or if your time is really in short supply, maybe you can at least find it in you to donate the furniture, clothing and other household items that you no longer need, rather than leaving them out by the curb to fill up our landfills. 10) Get Organized On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, look for tips and resources to help get you started on the way to a more organized life. So as we turn the page on a fresh new year, let’s decide to start making changes now and get more out of life. Happy New Year!
Donna Summer. Check that – even Mick and the boys did disco. Ugh. Paneling was in back in the 70s, but that woody darkness didn’t stop us from enjoying harvest gold, avocado green, orange, or burnt sienna-colored appliances in our kitchens. In the living room we had bold stripes, floral patterns, “Keep On Truckin” blacklight posters, white shag carpeting - and plants. Lots of plants. But if we didn’t have a thumb for all that greenery, we knew there was one thing we could easily care for: a pet rock. Whew! Springing from his prior book “Populuxe”, author Thomas Hine hits the highlights of the 1970s with a pop-historian’s eye and plenty
of pictures, advertisements (You’ve come a long way, baby), and shockers (from 1970-1972, gasoline averaged 36 cents a gallon). Although this book isn’t quite as popculturish as I wished it had been and there is little on toys and games of the 70s, “The Great Funk” almost guarantees a few evenings of heyremember-this-ing for Baby Boomers, and - although we were once told never to trust anyone over 30 – a source of glee to anyone under age 35. Jinkies! Don’t be a spaz. If you can dig it, “The Great Funk” is a great use of your Christmas bread coz it’s Dy-no-MITE.
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James Manning McKay - Publisher Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Andrea Shiell - Government Correspondent......andreashiell@countytimes.net Chris Stevens - Sports Correspondent............... ........chrisstevens@countytimes.net Guy Leonard - Community Correspondent................guyleonard@countytimes.net Eileen McDonald - Advertising Rep...............eileenmcdonald@countytimes.net George Schaffer - Advertising Rep..................georgeschaffer@countytimes.net
The County Times
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Section A -
Ramblings of a Country Girl Review Continued from page A-
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February Former Sheriff Zylak hired as new Public Safety Director The newly elected Democratic Board of Commissioners hired David Zylak to serve as Public Safety Director after Zylak lost the Sheriff’s election in November. There was a better and more qualified candidate” -Larry Jarboe, Commissioner (R-Dist. 3) The lone dissenting vote
“ Clean Slate
Terri Bartz Bowles Well, it’s that time of year again. The chance to try again, start fresh, get a do-over, wipe the slate clean, be better, improve, renew, change……. ah, a new year. Some of us make resolutions, some of us just say this year I’m going to…. fill in the blank. It’s a great opportunity and a great starting point to make a change. We all need a starting point, I think. We’re so time-oriented that we need a date or a milestone to mark the new beginning. So we embark on a journey of self-improvement or change or renewed interest. Even the most jaded, pessimistic people must have at least a momentary thought of changing their lives. It’s a good thing, as Martha would say. So, what are we going to do? Hmm? Get organized? Lose weight? Exercise? Spend more time relaxing and enjoying and less time stressing? Yes! Of course! All of the above! HAHAHAHAHA! I wonder how long we can hold out before we fall back into the old habits? A month, maybe two. Then normal, busy, everyday life catches up with us and our best intentions go out the window. That’s how it works for me. There are two things I’m going to make a strong effort to maintain this year. I probably need to get some friends to nudge and nag and remind me as the year goes on. From those two things, I hope there will be secondary benefits. Wouldn’t that be sweet? I’ll let you know how that works out. These two things aren’t new – I’ve made the effort, made the vow, made the announcement before. But what’s a new year if not a chance to try again? Well, it’s also
an opportunity to write the wrong year on checks and stuff for a week or so. So, the number one thing I’m going to strive to do this year is exercise. For health and well-being, for stress reduction and personal satisfaction, I’m going to make the effort to do my yoga and floor exercises and ride my stationary bicycle at least four times a week. Now that I’ve published this information and there are literally thousands of people who know about it and can hound me, maybe I’ll actually stick with it. I’ve started a million times, of course, as we all do. And the thing that derails me is scheduling – getting busy with some project or getting sick or something like that. Once the habit gets broken up, it’s a huge struggle to get back on track. I usually make it a month before something in my life explodes and I don’t get back to my routine. We all know how hard it is to find time to exercise and we all know it’s important that we do. The problem is this – I can survive without exercising for a week. But I can’t survive if I don’t do laundry for a week or grocery shop and cook dinner for a week. That’s the real problem - there’s always an alligator closer to the boat that needs tending to – the exercise alligator is swimming around the lagoon, but it’s not about to jump in and eat me. And believe me, sometimes Mt. Washmore looks pretty darn dangerous! The second thing I’m striving for is to declutter my life and shed some “could do” or “should do” kinds of things. I’m the kind of person who reads through a magazine pulling out pages of stuff that I “could do” or “should do”.
Everett Hired as New Public Information Officer The County Commissioners hired Karen B. Everett as the new Public InformaRecipes, decorating ideas, tion Officer. craft ideas, web sites to visit, whatever. Then I end I want to reach out and solidify our relaup with a pile of pages that tionship with the media and give accurate inare just more things to do! formation to the community” I don’t need more things to -Karen B. Everett, PIO St. do, I need fewer things to Mary’s County Government do! I file the recipes. Since I have them in my file, I need to try them. To do March that, I need to make a grocery list, get the stuff and Savich Takes Over County’s Top Office then remember to make the John Savich was appointed by the new recipe instead of an old County Commissioners to replace George Forstand-by. That all just adds rest as County Administrator. Savich will be stress to my life! I file the paid $140,000 his first year, Forrest was makdecorating ideas after my ing $135,928. pile of pages gets out of con trol. All that does is put the It’s a big job, a busy job, but we have a pile in the filing cabinet and good group and I look forward to it” -John Savich, County then when I look at the Dec- Administrator orating Ideas folder, I want On his appointment to buy something, paint something, change someGovernor O’Malley Pushes for Early thing. That’s more work! Maryland Primary And don’t get me started on Maryland’s Governor proposes that craft and gift ideas. I could the 2008 Maryland Presidential Primary be make that and give it to somoved up 3 weeks from the traditional March and-so for Christmas! I can 4th date to February 12th. Maryland joined make my own cards! I can many other states that moved their primaries make everyone’s gift! I can to January or February. bake for everyone! And in my odd little brain, the ‘I The states want to be relevant to the seleccan’ turns into ‘I should’. tion process. But no one is looking out for the And that turns into what? national interest and what’s best for the majorStress! So, I’m going to ity of voters” stop pulling pages out of -Kay Stimson, magazines. And I’m going Spokeswoman National Association of to recycle the pages I’ve al- Secretaries of State ready pulled out. I’m going to go through my stashes and files and get rid of stuff! April I’m going to free my filing cabinet and free my mind! College of Southern Maryland Just the thought makes me Hosts Weekend Forum on Economic giddy! Development decreases Exercise Local officials raised concerns about stress, fends off illness and high home prices and the impact on jobs in the gives you more energy. De- community. With the median price of a home cluttering will free up space about $337,500 in St. Mary’s, income of about in my house and space in $76,000 per year would be needed to afford a my mind. Suddenly, New median priced home. Year’s feels like Freedom It’s a continual crisis, this is a continual Day! Bring on 2008! bewilderment to county government” -Jack Russell, President (D) You can email the Coun- Board of County try Girl at countrygirlram Commissioners blings@gmail.com
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Missing Local Optometrist Found Marcel Brooks, missing for more than a week was found in Alabama in what turned out to be a bizarre set of circumstances. First telling Alabama police that he was lost and looking for his way to a veteran’s hospital to visit a friend, later saying he was abducted. He never once said anything about this [abduction] story until we called his wife. His story isn’t credible”. -Russell Martin, Investigator Brewton, Alabama Police Dept.
Football Practice Assault “ Case Postponed By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The case of a La Plata man charged with assaulting his own son at a football practice session will have to wait until next year by order of a county District Court judge. Judge John Slade III postponed the case last week after prosecutors and the defense said in court that photographs pertaining to the case were not yet available. Slade set aside the case against John Blake, 34, to be tried without any other cases on the docket for March 26. Five witnesses for the prosecution were set to testify against Jonh Blake at his trial last week. The incidents Blake is charged with occurred back in August. “I do this reluctantly because of the age of the case,” Slade said to the two attorneys in the case. Blake is charged with and second -degree assault for repeatedly dragging his son across a football field when the boy refused to continue performing at a football practice in the 5th District Community Park near Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School the night of Aug. 29. According to charging documents, Jonh Blake observed his son Brandon Blake lay
down on the practice field when he no longer wanted to participate in the practice session; the father then went out on to the field and began to yell at his son and hoisted him up by grabbing his son’s helmet’s facemask. Brandon Blake refused to stand on his own, charging documents state, and fell back down to the ground when the defendant released his grasp. Charging documents allege that John Blake repeated this action between six and 10 times. According to the charging documents, Jonh Blake also grabbed his son by the shoulder pads to pull him across the field, and during this action, the defendant stopped several times to yell at his son before starting to drag him around the field again. Witnesses believed the defendant pulled his son around the field an estimated 300 yards before one of them approached him, according to the charging documents. Deputies responding to the scene reportedly observed red marks and bruising on the front and sides of Brandon Blake’s neck and on his shoulders. If convicted Jonh Blake could spend a maximum of years for the second-degree assault charge.
More than 100 local Virginia Tech alumni and family members showed up at St. Mary’s College for a memorial service for the 32 victims of the most tragic school shooting in our nations history. I was asleep and my roommate woke me up and told me what happened. I got up and checked to make sure all my friends were ok and I just watched [the television reports] in horror for the rest of the day.” -Stephen Moritz, Virginia Tech Student Leonardtown, Maryland
Local Community Rattled by Virginia Tech Massacre
May County Commissioners Pass Trash Tax Increase The St. Mary’s County Commissioners passed a $60 per year increase to residents property tax bill each year to help pay for costs at the county trash facilities. I don’t like this because I’ve criticized others for saying we don’t raise taxes, but then raise fees, and here I’ve made the motion that I’ve criticized others for doing” -Dan Raley, Commissioner (D-Dist. 4)
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Landmark Crab House Demolished, to be Rebuilt For more than 40 years, Evans Seafood restaurant located on St. Georges Island had been known for its quality seafood. A new owner will tear down the old restaurant and replace it with a new restaurant with the same name. The county, our customers were disappointed that it wasn’t in the family anymore. Our family just couldn’t run it anymore” -Carol Evans, family member
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County Residents Feeling the Pinch at the Pumps Gas prices reached record highs in St. Mary’s County, soaring to $3 per gallon. We know people are nervous about rising energy costs and we know what it means to their families. Oil companies need to know that we are watching and that price gougers will be caught” -Barbara Mikulski, U.S. Senator (D-Md)
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Commissioners Pass Fiscal 2008 Budget The County Commissioners approved the $185 million dollar general fund budget for fiscal 2008, which begins July1, 2007. With increased revenue from rising property taxes and rising income taxes, in addition to a new $60 fee for trash services, spending grew by $13 million dollars. A lot of people aren’t happy, but we deal with very good people in St. Mary’s County” -Jack Russell, President (D) St. Mary’s County Commissioners
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June Commissioners Approve Change in Transferable Developments Rights The County Commissioners approved a proposal that would limit any size property in the Rural Preservation Zone, which includes nearly 80% of the property in St. Mary’s County to just one home by right. Any additional homes on that property would require the purchase of development rights from some other property owner. If we adopt a TDR program that doesn’t take into account affordable housing, there will be no incentive to build that small cottage. The very people who live on those farms won’t be able to live there in the future” -Larry Jarboe, Commissioner (R-Dist. 3) The lone dissenting vote
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Sheriff Cameron Announces A Gang Violence Task Force A task force of detectives would be taking to the streets this summer to see whether or not there truly is a gang threat in St. Mary’s County See Review page A-
St. Mary's City St. Mary’s City DATE Fri. Jan. 4 Sat. Jan. 5 Sun. Jan. 6 Mon. Jan. 7 Tue. Jan. 8 Wed. Jan. 9 Thu. Jan. 10
HIGH 1/3 10:38 p.m 1/4 11:26 p.m. 12:12 a.m. 12:55 a.m. 1:34 a.m. 2:11 a.m. 2:46 a.m.
LOW 4:12 a.m. 5:03 a.m. 5:53 a.m. 6:41 a.m. 7:27 a.m. 8:11 a.m. 8:54 a.m.
HIGH 10:52 a.m. 11:38 a.m. 12:21 p.m. 1:01 p.m. 1:39 p.m. 2:17 p.m. 2:56 p.m.
LOCATION Breton Bay Bushwood Wharf Colton's Point Point Lookout Piney Point Wicomico Beach Solomons Island
HIGH "+31 min." "+45 min." "+50 min." "-55 min." "+9 min." "+58 min." "-19 min."
LOW "+29 min." "+45 min." "+24 min." "-59 min." "-8 min." "+63 min." "-17 min."
LOW 5:22 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 6:55 p.m. 7:38 p.m. 8:18 p.m. 8:57 p.m. 9:35 p.m.
The County Times
Section A -
Housing Continued from page A- doors in the next few months. This spring, another flurry of construction is set to begin in the area, involving homeowners rather than contractors. First-time home-buyers will build duplexes on the same stretch of land. Helen Harris of the Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee (SMTCCAC) described the new duplex development, called the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program, as a good opportunity for lower income families to gain equity and own their own home. She said homebuyers “should have about $30,000 to $40,000 equity the day they move in.” According to a statement recently issued by the committee, 30 duplex units will be built on the property, which was donated by Mr. Paul Facchina and approved for development by the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners in August 2005. Mortgage payments and interest rates will be based on income. The USDA funded program reduces the purchase price of each home by relying on the “sweat equity” provided by the homebuyers themselves. Construction of these units usually takes about a year, and families are required to commit to working 30 to 40 hours a week on nights and weekends to complete the project. Harris said a construction supervisor will be on-site to show homebuyers how to put up wall panels, install windows, and complete all work that does not require a license. There will be five workgroups of six families completing up to 65% of the construction themselves, under the supervision and guidance of two licensed supervisors. Homes in each group follow a set construction plan, and foundations are laid out in advance. Families will complete the rest of the work in groups, participating in a kind of communal building effort. Once a particular group begins building, families are not allowed to move in until all units in the group are completed. Tracy Dyson, the former construction supervisor for the SelfHelp program, described the blueprints as standard, with options for interior colors restricted until homeowners move in. She said homeowners would have options for flooring, but cabinets and appliances would be uniform throughout. The neighborhood will also have a Homeowners Association. Despite the attractive aspects of the program for lower income families, Harris and Dyson both admitted that the committee is having a
great deal of trouble finding qualified applicants. “We’ve had a lot of replies, it’s just credit issues,” Dyson said,” …that’s been making it hard to find qualified applicants.” Harris added that families had to make $27,000 a year to qualify, but good credit was the most important factor in approval. She described the criteria as very strict, though there could always be exceptions. She said applicants could have no more than two late payments in the past year, which would apply to credit card payments, utilities, and medical bills, among others. “If you have a collections agency after you, your application will be denied,” Harris said. Harris added that SMTCCAC provides credit counseling services for those with credit issues who are interested in applying. These services have been provided for homebuyers in Prince Frederick, where townhouses and single family homes have been built using the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. “I’ve been working with some families for 8 or 9 years,” Harris said. According to Harris, the program has met with success in other areas, and among the families that have participated, “90% say they would do it again.” According to a report issued by the St. Mary’s County Community Workforce Housing Task Force in spring, 2007, the average price of a home in St. Mary’s County has jumped from $200,000 to “a staggering $337,501.” With the median household income in 2006 being $75,700, according to reports from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, families earning the median income can no longer afford a median priced home in St. Mary’s County. Closures of some of the lower income neighborhoods in the area, like the White Oak mobile home park on Buck Hewitt Rd., are highlighting an increasing need for affordable housing. According to Karen Everett, St. Mary’s County’s Public Information Officer, the Board of County Commissioners is trying to respond to this need. She said pending approval, the commissioners will take a guided tour of some of the workforce housing developments in January. The tour will include Hunting Creek and The Gateways, a condominium community in Lexington Park for lower income families that is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008. Those interested in applying for the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program are encouraged to call 301-4755574, 301-884-6103, or 301-870-3370, ext. 275. Email inquiries can be sent to Helen@smtccac.org.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Two Men Charged With Bank Robbery To Appear In Court By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Two men from Rockville, Valeriy V. Kouznetsov and David A. Concepcion, charged with robbing the Bank of America in Mechanicsville, will appear in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court this week for the first time since being arrested this summer. Both men were arrested in Rockville Aug. 27 after an alleged bank robbery there failed. Investigators with the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations put out warrants for Kouznetsov and Concepcion soon after their capture in Montgomery County for the Aug. 17 robbery in Mechanicsville. State’s Attorney Richard Fritz told The County Times he would prosecute both men to the fullest extent of the law when they come
Session Continued from page A- constitutional amendment in November of 2008, a move which republicans heavily protested. Del. John Wood (D-29A), who later decried the measure as an unnecessary delay to what could otherwise be set up as a good source of revenue for the state. “I don’t like referendums,” he said. “We were elected by the people to do a job. This, in effect, is pushing that job back on the people, which is unfair.” Also in opposition to the slots measure was Minority Leader Anthony O’Donnell (R-29C), who said he would support slot machines if they were controlled by the state. “I am in favor of slots,” he said, but added that the measure passed would not maximize revenues. “We could have gotten a better deal.” Though the slots measure was a source of contentious debate in the special session, the house was equally divided over new tax measures, including an increase in the Maryland sales tax from five to six percent, and increases in corporate, transfer, and cigarette taxes. “I don’t support increased taxes to start with,” Wood said. “I didn’t
Odd News
to trial here. “I feel that the case against both individuals is very strong,” Fritz said, adding that the alleged robbery committed by both men was another example of criminals targeting Southern Maryland communities where the number of officers is far less than in more densely populated areas. “It’s disturbing,” Fritz said. “But I hope they [other potential out of county offenders] see we view crime and sentencing differently than the turnstile system of justice often practiced in more urban areas.” Investigators here believe that Kouznetsov, 23, and Concepcion, 33, used a vehicle they allegedly carjacked in Montgomery County Aug. 17 to commit the bank robbery in Mechanicsville that same day. Photo surveillance from the
Bank of America robbery showed one of the suspects pointing what appeared to be a handgun at a bank teller for the purposes of demanding money. Both suspects are alleged to have sped away from the scene of the crime northbound on Route 235. Detectives later found the car used in the crime in Prince George’s County, according to information from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations. According to investigators with the Montgomery County Police Department, Concepcion and Kouznetsov were captured when an alleged bank robbery attempt in Rockville failed after bank staff there refused to let one of the suspects in, even though they were brandishing a weapon. Trial dates for the two suspects have yet to be set.
support them this time because the business community really got hurt.” Wood said the increase in corporate taxes would discourage development in the state. “We are fast becoming known as one of the most heavily taxed states,” he added. O’Donnell had similar complaints with the tax measures, saying “taxpayers are already having trouble making ends meet…and think of the CEOs of corporations looking to bring their businesses to Maryland. With the new increases in taxes…they may not decide to come here.” Whispers of a change shifting Maryland residency status from six months to three months also spurred protests. O’Donnell said, “It’s a horrible idea. It encourages people to flee the state of Maryland.” O’Donnell predicted that the biggest issues to come before the General Assembly in January would include a push to repeal the death penalty, a measure he said came to committee last year and was struck down by one vote. Also on the floor will be a revival of the debate over the legalization of same sex marriage. “Congress hasn’t done anything about it, so I’m sure we’ll be looking at immigration, too,” Wood said.
When asked about the re-introduction of legislation calling for the repeal of taxes on military retirement income, a source of concern for military personnel looking to retire in Maryland, neither seemed optimistic about progress on a bill in the upcoming regular session. “[Former Gov. Robert] Erlich made great strides to give relief to people in the armed forces,” O’Donnell said, “but this doesn’t seem to be a priority for the current administration.” “I’ve always supported whatever bill they had in, but it’s getting harder and harder,” Wood said. “We’re spending more than we have coming in, so it’s going to be very hard to help these people.” When asked about their projections on the upcoming regular session, both delegates stated that measures passed during the special session would have to be addressed further. “We did not address the $1.5 billion deficit,” Wood said. “There were a lot of mistakes.” O’Donnell said. “We will continue to deal with some of the bad decisions made at the special session… We’ll spend a fair amount of time cleaning up O’Mally’s tax mess.”
3 Maryland Dogs Inherit $800,000
Confetti With Personalized Messages Drops in Times Square An Associated Press article reports that for the first time, messages from people around the world were printed on colorful strips of confetti, and mixed in with the more than one ton of confetti dropped in Times Square at the stroke of the new year. People were able to post messages by visiting the Times Square Information Center, or by going online at http://tinyurl.com/2c5efd. The messages included everything from wishes for smarter bosses to healthy children, and husbands with green cards.
Buckshot, Katie, and Obu-Jet are living the good life after inheriting $400,000 and the house of their late owner Ken Kemper of Hagerstown, MD. The beagle and two Labrador mixes were strays when Kemper adopted them, and they now live in their house, worth an estimated $400,000, with their caretaker Roy Grady. In addition to their home, the dogs receive top-notch medical care and enjoy a spaghetti dinner with meatballs and garlic bread once a week.
Thief, Not Santa, Found Stuck in Chimney
Sydney, Australia- A would-be burglar was found stuck in the chimney at the Gapview Hotel in Alice Springs on Friday. Staff members called the fire department after hearing a man groaning when they arrived for work at the hotel bar. When rescue workers arrived, they discovered the man, who was embarrassed and ashamed, curled up into a ball with his knees to his Two young children in South Brunswick, New Jersey broke into a neighbor’s home on chest. He had been stuck that way for about 10 hours. Local fire station officer Mark James said Christmas Eve and stole $200 in wrapped presents, according to an article in the Courier Post. was like a grub in a cocoon when we found him.” “He South Brunswick Detective Jim Ryan said that the nine year-old girl and her five-year old brother picked the neighbor’s lock with a Blockbuster gift card. A relative turned them in after speaking with the neighbors and realizing that the missing gifts matched “some mysterious extra presents” they had received on Christmas.
How the Kids Stole Christmas
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The County Times
The County Times
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Section A -
Obituaries Phares S. Brubacker, 79 Phares S. Brubacker, 79 of Port Trevorton, Pa., passed away Monday, Dec 24, 2007, at the home of his twin daughters, Linda and Lucie Brubacker of Mount Pleasant Mills. Mr. Brubacker, was born Oct. 31, 1928 in Myerstown, a son of the late Aaron and Rebecca (Sensenig) Brubacker. He was the husband of Eva (Stauffer) Brubacker, who survies. He was engaged in farming, painting and carpentry. Mr. Brubacker attended Stauffer’s Mennonite Church Port Trevorton. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Edith Stauffer, wife of Samuel of Elkhorn, Ky., Leon Brubacker of Port Trevorton, Ivan Brubacker of Mount Pleasant Mills, Rugh Auker, wife of Frank of Vandalia, III., Erwin Brubacker of East Haven, Conn., Thelma Zimmerman, wife of Harvey Jr. of Leonardtown, Md., Sylvia Phillips of Middleburg, Phares Brubacker Jr of Leonardtown, Md., Bertha Zimmerman, wife of Matthew of Hillsboro, Ohio, Paul Brubacker of Denver, Pa., and twin daughters, Linda and Lucie Brubacker of Mount Pleasant Mills; 52 grandchildren; 20 greatgrandchildren; four brothers; and one sister. Phares was preceded in death by a son, Edwin Brubacker, and his first wife, Ruth (Martin) Brubacker. On Christmas Day Dec. 25, 2007, his oldest daughter, Irene Brubacker, passed away unexpectedly. Family and friends are invited to the home of Leon Brubacker at 2150 Chapman Hollow Road, Port Trevorton, PA., from 2 - 4 p.m. and 6 – 8 p.m. Thursday, January 3. Further services will be at 9 a.m. Friday at the son’s home with further services at 9:45 a.m. Friday at Stauffer’s Mennonite Church, Produce Road Port Trevorton Pa. Burial will be made in the adjoining church cemetery. The George P. Garman Funeral Home Inc., 9366 Route 35, Mount Pleasant Mills, has been entrusted with the arrangements.
ing she was working for M.H. Eby Inc. in Blue Ball and was a caregiver for the elderly in the Mennonite community. Irene was a member of Stauffer’s Mennonite Church, Ephrata. She is survied by her stepmother, Eva (Stauffer) Brubacker of Port Treverton, and brothers and sisters, Edith Stauffer, wife of Samuel of Elkhorn, Ky., Leon Brubacker of Port Trevorton, Ivan Brubacker of Mount Pleasant Mills, Ruth Auker, wife of Frank of Vandalia, III., Erwin Brubacker of East Haven, Conn., Thelma Zimmerman, wife of Harvey Jr. of Leonardtown, Md., Sylvia Phillips of Midleburg, Phares Brubacker Jr. of Leonardtown, Md., Bertha Zimmerman, wife of Matthew of Hillsboro, Ohio, Paul Brubacker of Denver, Pa., and twin sisters, Linda and Lucie Brubacker of Mount Pleasant Mills; 52 nieces and nephews; and 20 great - nieces and great – nephews. She was preceded by a brother, Edwin Brubacker. Family and friends are invited to the home of her brother, Leon Brubacker, at 2150 Chapman Hollow Road, Port Trevorton, Pa., from 2 – 4 p.m. and 6 – 8 p.m. Thursday for the viewing. Further Services will be at 9 a.m. Friday, again at the brother’s home, with further services at 9:45 a.m. Friday at Stauffer’s Mennonite Church, Produce Road, Port Trevorton. Burial will be made in the Adjoining church cemetery. The George P. Garman Funeral Home Inc., 9366 Route 35, Mount Pleasant Mills, has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Carol Ann Carraway, 62
Irene M. Brubacker, 56 Irene M. Brubacker, 56 of Ephrata, Pa., passed away unexpectedly on Christmas morning, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007, at the home of her twin sisters, Lucie and Linda Brubacker of Mount Pleasant Mills. Irene was born Feb. 2, 1951, in Denver, a daughter of the late Ruth (Martin) Brubacker and Phares S. Brubacker, who preceded her in death on Monday Dec. 24. At the time of her pass-
Accident Continued from page A- local Lexington Park Toyota dealership, remember him as someone who was always friendly and who loved to work on cars and play the drums. “He was a good guy,” said his friend and racing partner Vance Newton, also a mechanic at the dealership. “He’d do anything for anybody.” Wendler had received certifications in some aspects of working on cars, and was continuing training in repairs on Toyota vehicles specifically. He was a mechanics apprentice with a lot of potential, according to shop foreman Tom Auman. “He was a good hardworking kid,” Auman said. “He never complained and always did what was asked of him.” They were stunned to hear of Wendler’s tragic death. “The whole shop was crushed,” Newton said. Wendler and several other members of the shop crew
Carol Ann Carraway, 62, of Leonardtown died Dec. 26 in her residence. Born Jan. 27, 1945 in Baltimore, Md., she was the daughter of James and Mary Ann Larrimore Carraway. Ms. Carraway was a sales representative for Encore Travel. She is survived by a daughter, Brenda Jean Shields of Leonardtown, two sons, Victor Lee Wolff of Winchester, Va., Kenneth Rae Wolff of
would attend the races at the Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek, Newton said, and Wendler was busy building his own racecar on the side for their own racing group. Though he was learning to become a skilled mechanic, he was already exhibiting great talent in the realm of music, Auman said. “He was an excellent drummer,” Auman said, noting that he played for local bands. “He had people asking him to play for them.” John Peed, the owner of the dealership, said that love for Wendler went beyond just the shop mechanics to just about everyone else there. “There were grown men and women in tears,” Peed said. “He was just an all around good kid.” David Hamilton, a fellow mechanic, said that the dealership was a focal point of Wendler’s life and his passion for cars. “This place was a big part of his life… he wanted to work on cars, he wanted to be a mechanic,” Hamilton said. “I
King George, Va., nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren; two sisters, Patricia Lee Roy of Severn, Md. and Deborah Lynn Bell of Glen Burnie, Md.. She was preceded in death by a brother, James Henry Carraway. The family received friends Saturday, Dec. 29 from 3 – 6 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown. A Funeral Service was conducted at 5 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Interment was Sunday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. in Tilghman Memorial Cemetery, Tilghman Island, Md. Memorial contributions may be made to HOSPICE of St. Mary’s, Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Mary Ellen Fenwick, 83, of Leonardtown died Dec. 28 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born Jan. 22, 1924 in Park Hall she was the daughter of the late Gerald and Mary Fenwick. For arrangement details please visit www.mattingleygardiner.com.
Alfred Thomas “Fred” Passarelli, 65
tian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, Jan. 3 at 10 a.m. in Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, with Fr. William Gurnee officiating. Interment will follow in Queen of Peace Cemetery, Helen, Md. Services provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Henry Davis, Jr. 59
David Bruce Reed, IV, 46
Henry Davis, Jr. 59, of Lexington Park died Dec. 28 in his residence. Born Nov. 4, 1948 in Baltimore, Md. he was the son of the late Henry and Alice B. Davis, Sr. He was the loving husband of Cora Davis, whom he married in San Diego, Calif. Sept. 20, 1988. He is also survived by his siblings: Alice Gostony, Delores Peters and Gloria Street all of Elkton, Md., Louise Hope of Plainwell, Mich. and John Davis of Street, Md. Mr. Davis was a graduate of Craddock High School in Portsmouth, Va., Class of 1967. He served in the United States Navy for 20 years where he was stationed in the Middle East Theater, Gulf War and multiple assignments in the United States aboard multiple ships. The family received friends Sunday, Dec. 30 in the funeral home chapel. A funeral service was held Monday, Dec. 31 in the funeral home chapel with Deacon Bill Nickerson officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens. Contributions may be made to Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Mary Ellen Fenwick, 83
looked at him as a little brother. We all looked out for him… he loved him to death.” Wendler, though young, had focus and worked to achieve his goals. “He was goal oriented, he was always looking for the next step,” said Jonathan Myrick, a seasonal mechanic who helped train Wendler. “He got accomplished what he wanted accomplished.” Wendler’s close friend and fellow mechanic Chris Sanders said coping with his loss has been made easier by remembering the good times with their friend. “We’ve just been joking around,” Sanders said Monday. “We’re just trying to remember stuff to make us realize all the good memories with Jim.” Viewing services for Wendler will take place Jan. 3 from 5p.m. to 8p.m. at Brinsfield Life Celebration Home Chapel in Leonardtown. Wendler’s funeral service will be held Jan. 4 at St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church in Hollywood at 11a. m.
Alfred Thomas “Fred” Passarelli, 65, of Mechanicsville died Dec. 22, in Mechanicsville. Born October 28, 1942 in the Bronx, New York, he was the son of the late Alfred Thomas Passarelli and Anne Frances Nakraseive Passarelli. Fred was a financial manager for Hunt Ford in La Plata, MD. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Passarelli of California, Md., and special friends, Ray Copsey of Mechanicsville, Maria Crellin of Park Hall, Giovanna Riley of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Danny and Karen Unkle of Charlotte Hall and Donnie and Debbie Thompson of Mechanicsville. The family received friends for Fred’s Life Celebration Thursday, Dec. 27 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m. A Graveside Service was conducted Friday, Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery, Lexington Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice House, c/o HOSPICE of St. Mary’s Inc., P.O. 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Francis Everett Raley, Sr. 62 Francis Everett Raley, Sr. 62, of Clements died Dec. 28 in his residence. Born Oct. 29, 1945 in Leonardtown he was the son of Leroy and Martha Raley. The family received friends in the MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home Wednesday, Jan. 2 from 5 – 8 p.m. with prayers being said at 7 p.m. A Mass of Chris-
David Bruce Reed, IV, 46, of Leonardtown died in his home early Saturday, Dec. 22. Born at Fort Benning, Ga. Oct. 14, 1961, he grew up in an Army family that moved frequently. In high school, he played football, soccer and wrestled. He received a wrestling scholarship to The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. and graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1984. At the Citadel he was a member of the elite Summerall Guards. Years later, he received a M.S. in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. He was a Department Director for at BAE Systems, Inc. In the summer of 1984, he married Daphne Byrd and moved to St. Mary’s County to begin his career as an Electrical Engineer working on Navy contracts. They had three children; Brandy Reed, a sophomore engineering student at the University of Maryland, Whitney Reed, a junior at Leonardtown High, and Kristy Reed, an eighth grader at Leonardtown Middle School. They were married for eleven years. In addition to his children, Dave is survived by
his longtime companion, Diana Bromley, and his parents David and Natalie Reed, also from Leonardtown. His sister, Charlanne Reed Hertz, lives in Fairfax, Va. with her husband Jay Hertz and their sons, Jason, Tommy and Sam. Dave’s uncle, Marion Reed and his wife, Pat, live in Hyde Park, N.Y. and his only first cousin, Brook Reed, lives in New Milford, Conn. Dave loved boating, fishing, snowboarding with his daughters and working in his yard. His three daughters were his absolute pride and joy. The family received friends for Dave’s Life Celebration from 5 – 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28 with prayers at 7 p.m. in the Brinsfield Life Celebration Chapel in Leonardtown. A Funeral Service was conducted at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29 in the funeral home chapel. Father Joe Dobson conducted the service. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown. Serving as pallbearers were Serge LeFebvre, Mark Cianflone, Charlie Nestor, Glenn Landmann, Mike Getty, Jason Hertz and Tommy Hertz. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be given to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glenn Allen, VA 23058-5216 or to FIRST Robotics Team 836 c/o The Forrest Technology Center, 24006 Pt. Lookout Rd., Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Ethel May Woodard, 83 Ethel May Woodard, 83, of Lexington Park died Dec. 23 in Bayside Care Center, Lexington Park. Born Jan. 11, 1924 in Camden, N.J., she was the daughter of the late Maxine Moore. Mrs. Woodard had worked as a dietician in the healthcare industry. She is survived by her husband, Lonnie Ray Woodard of Lexington Park, two daughters, Sheree Buchholz of Lexington Park, Lona Lee Plumb of St. Leonard, Md., two sons Luther Raymond Lane of Lusby, Md., Timothy Lane of Drum Point, Md., 10 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Widyck. The family received friends Wednesday, Jan. 2, from 8:30 – 11 a.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown. A Funeral Service was conducted at 11 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. Interment followed in Trinity Memorial Gardens, Waldorf, Md.
The Benny Goodman Trio & Quartet Performed by the Brooks Tegler Group Jan. 12, 2008 at 8:00p.m. Ticket price: $25, $15 for students @ Great Mills High School Reservations: 301-475-3225 or 301-475-2797.
The County Times
Section A -
Review “
Continued from page A- This will tell me if I need to stand up a gang unit or if we can just handle it through detectives and narcotics enforcement” -Timothy Cameron, Sheriff (R) 21 Member Transportation Commission Inaugural Meeting A commission of elected officials to study Southern Maryland’s transportation needs was established by a Senate Bill sponsored by Roy Dyson, held their first meeting. Governor Ehrlich, saying there were already plenty of studies, the million dollars the bill would cost should be used to actually build already identified transportation needs, vetoed the bill. The Senate overrode the Governor’s veto. The group has a target end date of February 2008. This is one of the most important undertakings of the current term” -John L. Bohanan, Delegate (D-29B)
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Teams from 20 different countries and some 50,000 fans packed Budds Creek for the 3-day event held in the USA for the first time in 20 years. A lot of people, including myself, thought it would be crazy to have Motocross of Nations in the USA. I never thought there would be that many people. It looked like Europe” -Roger DeCoster, Manager Team USA
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Thursday, January 3, 2008 trends to maximize tight resources, Cameron said. Individual commands like patrol and the newly formed independent Vice/ Narcotics Unit have also collaborated to share more information, Cameron said, that was particularly valuable in connecting burglaries to pay for illicit drug sales. “Intelligence is a wonderful thing, but if you don’t
Cameron Continued from page A- those accomplishments, Cameron said added that perhaps the most important thing accomplished since he took command last December is to refocus the office on changing the community for the better and not just arresting
ing development, and warrant sweeps made during the Labor Day and Christmas holiday season have also put criminal elements on the run and made differences in communities the Cameron hopes to make permanent, he said. Splitting the Vice/Narcotics unit off from direct control of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations so as to keep a tight hold on information
October Commissioners Reject Charter Government Recommendation In an issue that some St. Mary’s Commissioners said they would leave to the citizens to decide, the Board cut down any chance of a countywide referendum for transitioning to charter government. A 15-member citizens task force had recommended the change. I was the one that brought this to the table and encouraged the commissioners to appoint the task force, in fact some people have asked ‘why did you stir up that hornet’s nest?”’ -Dan Raley, Commissioner (D-Dist. 4)
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July St. Mary’s Receives Additional STEM Grant From State After expecting a $150,000 grant from the state for it’s highly anticipated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics academies, St. Mary’s County Public Schools received word that the state grant would be increased to $350,000, the largest awarded to any district participating in STEM. These additional dollars will allow us to go back and pick up some things from our dream list” -Michael J. Martirano, Superintendent St. Mary’s County Public Schools
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Drought, Intense Heat, Wither Farmers Crops and Profits Farmers suffered one of their worst years ever due to severe drought conditions that lasted throughout the summer. Farmers were expecting to realize only 60% or less of their crop this year. It’s going to hit very hard. My worst year was back in 2002, but this year is worse” -William Mattingly, local farmer Mechanicsville
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August Task Force Endorses Changing Form of County Government A 15 member task force created to make a recommendation to either leave St. Mary’s County Commissioner form of government in place or to recommend adopting one of two forms of home rule, voted in favor of changing to charter home rule. The recommendation would be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners. There is a perception out there that only the biggest, baddest metropolitan and urban counties are charter, but the fact of the matter is that is not true” -Patrick B. Murphy, Chairman Form of government task force
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Commissioners Create New Administrative Position: Chief of Staff The County Commissioners used funds from the County’s emergency reserves to fund the new position of Chief of Staff, a position similar to one eliminated by the previous Board of Commissioners. I clearly think there is a need for assistance. It would relieve the administrator of some of the responsibility he would have with direct involvement that he could assign to the chief-of-staff.” -Thomas A. Mattingly, Commissioner (D-Dist. 2)
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November Maryland Legislature, Governor Pass Largest Tax Increase In Maryland History Governor O’Malley called Maryland’s Legislature back to Annapolis for a special session aimed at increasing state government revenues by $1.3 Billion dollars. The Legislature passed several tax increases including higher sales tax, higher income tax, higher cigarette tax, and higher car titling tax. This has been a horrible process. Major revisions have been floated around all day long and the minority has not been allowed to be part of that” -Anthony O’Donnell, Delegate (R-29C) St. Mary’s/Calvert County
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Commissioners Pass Residential Sprinkler Ordinance The County Commissioners approved a motion that would require new homes built in the county that are serviced with public water or by a shared water system to have automatic sprinklers installed. Ever increasing demands on volunteers will require changes to our system in the future, but what we do now will help address those needs.” -Thomas A. Mattingly, Commissioner (D-Dist. 2)
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Photo by Guy Leonard
Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron stops off on a patrol at the Colony South shopping center in California.
suspects. “What I’m pleased with is the focus,” Cameron told The County Times. “The greatest achievement of the agency is a refocus on outcomes.” Traditional law enforcement practice focuses on outputs, Cameron said, meaning success is gauged by statistics like numbers of arrests. Law enforcement that focuses on outcomes means bettering communities by breaking overall cycles of crime. One method the office has already begun to use is CompStat, short for computer statistics, a system that plots crime trends using computers so patrol officers and investigators know where and when crime is being committed to better concentrate their efforts. “Some people refer to it as putting cops on the dots,” Cameron said. “But it’s really arming them with timely information and intelligence.” CompStat, which has been used to successfully lower crime rates in major cities including New York City, ensures that officers are policing areas with known crime
critical to interdicting the narcotics trade was imperative Cameron said. “You look at what they’ve accomplished… they’re affecting the outcomes of communities,” Cameron said. “They’re seizing five pounds here, 10 pounds there; I haven’t seen these amounts of narcotics in quite a while.” The success that the Vice/ Narcotics unit has achieved is also bringing in more intelligence from the community on a volunteer basis and not just from suspects who agree to give information in hopes of getting a reduced sentence. “They’re [vice/narcotics detectives] getting calls from people on major drug investigations that’s not even solicited,” Cameron said. “They’re on a roll.” Cameron praised all of his personnel with making 2007 a successful year in not only fighting crime but strengthening and modernizing the agency. “I’m very fortunate to have a very talented group of men and women working for me,” Cameron said.
share it doesn’t do any good,” Cameron said, praising the improvement in communication between divisions. “We really weren’t good at that.” Cameron said arrests of burglary suspects in a crime spree in the 7th District and the cleanup of trash and removal of trespassers on St. George’s Island, a chronic problem there, were prime examples of increased cooperation with the community and continued enforcement efforts to consolidate crime-fighting gains. Officers continue to make their presence known in the 7th District, Cameron said, and on St. George’s Island increased no-trespassing signage put up by cooperating state and county agencies plus tough enforcement — and getting prison inmates to clean up summertime trash left by visitors — turned around a bad situation. “The big thing is that everyone’s involved, there’s buy in to the efforts,” Cameron said. High profile drug busts, like the arrests made at the Leonard’s Freehold hous-
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County’s First Charter School Opens For Business The Chesapeake Public Charter School officially opened its doors with 160 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The community has truly come together, it just goes to show what people can accomplish in a short period of time” -Kathleen Glaser, Educational Director Chesapeake Public Charter School
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September Thomas Johnson Bridge Declared Safe In response to the interstate bridge collapse in Minneapolis, officials from the State Highway Administration declared the 30-year-old Gov. Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge safe. I assure you that Maryland bridges are safe. We are seen as an industry leader as far as our bridge inspections.” -Doug Simmons, Associate Administrator Maryland State Highway
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Budds Creek Hosts World’s Biggest Motocross Event
December College Trustee Board says Rowing Center To Stay Put After receiving numerous complaints about a newly constructed boat house and partially constructed river center, the St. Mary’s College Board of Trustees agreed to evaluate the possibility of relocating the structures. After months of discussion, the Board agreed to continue with the original plans. The prospect of raising $1 million [to move the center] is not good” -Torre Meringolo, VP Development St. Mary’s College
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Local Centenarian Celebrates 100th Birthday Friends and family gathered at the Leonardtown home of Joseph P. Wilkinson, Jr. to celebrate Mr. Wilkinson’s 100th birthday. A life-long resident of St. Mary’s County, Mr. Wilkinson is retired from Patuxent Naval Air station. Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham, a little Old Crow, and lots of kisses.” -Joseph P. Wilkinson, Jr. On the secret to living to be 100
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