Thursday, June 5, 2008 • St. Mary’s County by David Noss

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Thursday, June 5, 2008 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland

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Demolition Derby A Smashing Good Time We race for “bragging rights.” Deputies with the St. Mary’s County Police Dept. and Troopers with the Maryland State Police take off for the 2008 Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit the Special Olympics.

-Teresa Nickless

Plans Unveiled For MD 4 And Thomas Johnson Bridge

Telltale Toes Students and Teachers Join Bernie Fowler for Myrtle Point Wade-In Andrea Shiell Staff Writer Thursday morning at Myrtle Point Park, two men sat at one of the picnic tables engrossed in conversation, one sporting a classical guitar case plastered with stickers with slogans like “Save the Bay,” and “Trees are the answer.” These two may have seemed like a couple of park regulars, but in actuality, retired Senator Bernie Fowler and songwriter and environmental activist Tom Wisner

were there on a mission. “I am extremely excited,” said Adrianne Mathis from Chesapeake Public Charter School. “The kids have been working so hard on their Secchi dishes,” she said, explaining that the dishes were used to test water clarity, or turbidity. Though the students had spent the previous weeks making their dishes and learning about the history and health of the Chesapeake, they enthusiastically opted for See Fowler Day page A-

Andrea Shiell Staff Writer The Maryland State Highway Administration is about to give one of the area’s most congested roadways a thorough makeover. Project plans were presented to the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday addressing MD 4 (Patuxent Beach Road) from Solomons Island Road to MD 235 (Three Notch Road), the main veins for traffic f low in the area, traveled by an average of 40,000 to 50,000 cars a day. Figures showed the three-mile stretch bridging Calvert and St. Mary’s county as having a very low level of See SHA Plans for Rt. 4 page A-

Photo by Andrea Shiell

Students, parents, teachers, and others joined Bernie Fowler for a wade-in at Myrtle Point Park on Thursday. In recent years, Fowler’s home-spun turbidity test has drawn hundreds to similar wade-ins across the state.

The Class With Class 2008 Graduates Celebrate Commencement

Photo by Gu y Leonard

St. Mary’s Ryken Graduates

By Andrea Shiell and Chris Stevens Staff Writers Students from area high schools celebrated a rite of passage last week during each of the area high school’s annual commencement ceremonies. The mood was light and electric as the class of 2008 donned their caps and gowns and shook their tassels while friends and dignitaries crowded into their venues to celebrate their passage from high school to the world outside. St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown had the smallest processional, with 69 young women and 76 young men celebrating their commencement on Tuesday, May 27. John F. Padgett, Ph.D., a 1967 Ryken graduate who serves as a professor in the University of Chicago’s Department of Political Science, delivered the evening’s commencement address to a group of excited graduates. “I’m mainly just glad it’s over,” said senior James Nelson, who is now bound for the University of Ohio. “High school is hard, now I don’t have to worry.” Fellow students reflected on the quality of their education at the school. “It helped me prepare for life,” said Connor O’Brian, who will be attending the University of Connecticut and majoring in finance this fall. He said that his time at Ryken had given him a “good, firm foundation.”

Martirano Launches New Teen Safe Driving Initiative Andrea Shiell Staff Writer Campaigns by the Motor Vehicle Administration and community groups released some startling statistics on teenage drivers in the last year, including the fact that motor vehicle crashes are their top killer. In 2006, 12.9 percent of traffic accidents in the state of Maryland involved drivers aged 15-20, 39 percent of teenage male drivers were speeding when involved in fatal car accidents, and 25 percent had blood alcohol levels of 0.08 or higher. AAA surveyed 1,000 16 and 17 year-olds, and 61 percent of them admitted to risky driving habits. Of that 61 percent, 46 percent admitted to sending text messages while behind the wheel, and 51 percent admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving. See Teen Driving page A-

Great Mills held its 79th annual commencement ceremonies at the ARC Arena on the campus of St. Mary’s College. The festive occasion was marked by honoring the 50th anniversary of the class of 1958, an addition to the Great Mills High School Hall of Fame (Steve Decker, class of

Photo by Chris Stevens

Great Mills Principle Tracey Heible

1981) and memorable speeches by salutatorians and valedictorians alike. Taylor Hubbard recalled a time five years ago, when watching his brother graduate from See 2008 Graduation page A-

Inside Op.-Ed .......... Obituaries..... Community... Police ............ Classifieds..... Thursday Cloudy 74°

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, June 5, 2008

It’s Elementary

conviction that it would be too costly. “Every one of us is important,” said Hoyer after consoling Walker in the wake of his losing vote. When the lesson concluded, students presented Hoyer with a picture of their student council, and a clay sculpture of a lighthouse made by young artist Ryan Wagner. Hoyer, in turn, presented the children with an American flag that had been flown over the white house on Memorial Day. Students were also

Hoyer Honors Local Student Council Members For Red Carpet Work Andrea Shiell Staff Writer Hannah Farrell took a deep breath and smiled as she turned to view the table behind her, which was laid out with a neat display of snack cakes and teapots. She said she had seen Congressman Steny Hoyer on television during a debate her father was watching, and said she was excited to meet him. “We’re a little school,” she exclaimed, “We’re surprised he noticed us.” Despite the school’s size, the students’ activities have drawn a lot of attention. After making “welcome home” posters for Patuxent Naval Air Station troops coming back from deployments overseas, collecting toiletries and other necessities for residents at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, donating eyeglasses for the Lions Club, and participating in a “Red Carpet” welcome home ceremony at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, a group of 48 third, fourth, and fifth graders got the chance to meet with Congressman Steny Hoyer. Other dignitaries were present for the meeting, including Board of Education member Cathy Allen, Delegate John Wood, and Superintendent Michael Martirano. Members of the Mechanicsville Elementary School

Representative Steny Hoyer visited with student council members at Mechanicsville Elementary on Monday.

Student Council crowded into the media center for their meeting with the representative, where he praised their efforts. “I want to thank you guys for the work you do welcoming our veterans,” he said. After introductions, what followed was a comprehensive lesson on the democratic process, as the children addressed a hypothetical council decision about where to hold their annual field day. Hoyer presented the students with four options: the school yard, Greenwell State Park, Delegate John Wood’s house, or his own home. Students voted overwhelmingly in favor of the state park, despite 10 year-old Zach Walker’s firm

Photo by Yvonne Patton

given resource books on the United States government and constitution. “It’s really exciting to have him here,” said principal Barbara Abell, adding that despite the excitement, her students were the main attraction. “If we don’t get young people at a very young age excited about learning, we will never succeed,” said Hoyer before concluding his talk with the youngsters. “The secret to our success is bright educated young people like yourselves.”

More Tips for Cutting Food Costs Photo by Yvonne Patton

Representative Steny Hoyer presented class president Hannah Farrell with an American flag at Mechanicsville Elementary School on Monday.

THE ANGLICAN MISSION OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND (Scripturally based worship)

Sundays - 9:30 AM Southern MD Higher Ed Ctr (Rm, 108/109) 44219 Airport Road, California, MD

301/475-9337 www.amosm.net

By Jane Kostenko, Nutrition Educator, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, St. Mary’s County Gas prices aren’t getting any cheaper as summer gets into full swing, and food prices continue to rise. Customers need to watch everything they do to find ways to save money at the grocery store: You’re already keeping a list, using coupons, checking the store ads, buying the largest sizes of foods you can eat, and making a meatless meal at least once a week. Here are some more tips that can add up to real savings over time: Take advantage of summer’s bounty! Fresh fruits and vegetables will be hitting the stores’ shelves. These are often on sale because they are only available for a short time during their season. Don’t buy more fresh fruit or vegetables than your family can eat, though. Be creative and include fresh fruit in smoothies for a quick breakfast or cut up in cereal. Dice up fresh vegetables on a homemade pizza or toss them in a salad. If a neighbor or co-worker brings in vegetables from their garden, plan on using those items right away. Hop on the internet and look for healthy, easy recipes for zucchini and squash.

Try to do all of your shopping in one trip, and only once a week, if possible. You’ll save money on gas, plus you won’t be tempted to buy things that aren’t on your list. Learn to compare prices at the grocery store by using the unit pricing sticker on the shelf. Compare the cost (often given per ounce or per pound) and see which is cheaper. Cut back on eating out. Meals made a home are usually healthier and cheaper. Make mealtime a special family time at home. Bring lunch from home to work. Eating out at lunchtime, even just twice a week, can add up to $10-12; that’s around $100 over the summer months alone! You can pack a lunch much cheaper than that. Try not to buy foods from the deli part of the store; these are usually much more expensive than packages of meat and cheese. Some stores have marked-down bread and meats available for sale. Buy them if you can use them before the expiration date or if you have room in your freezer to store them. Plan snacks into your work day, too. Why feed a dollar bill into an office

vending machine when you could bring your own canned drinks or bag of pretzels from home? When you plan your shopping trips, plan separate trips for groceries and nonfood items like toothpaste and toilet paper. Grocery stores are not usually the cheapest place to buy shampoo, and you don’t usually run out of non-food items are quickly as you need to re-stock your food pantry. So, plan a trip once a month, to your favorite discount store—but watch those sale flyers and take advantage of any really good sales when it’s on something you need! Decide how much you can spend on food and set that money aside. Spend only that much. Don’t use that money for anything else, though; your family needs to eat! Take a small calculator along to the store to keep track of how much you’ve already put in your cart. If money for food is really tight, apply for Food Stamps at the local Department of Social Services in either Lexington Park or Leonardtown. No one in this country should be hungry. Remember the Food Stamp Program motto: Food Stamps Make America Stronger!

49th Annual Recital

Bunny Bailey Studio of Dance Presents

“Seasons of Dance”

Sunday, June 8th 3:30 P.M. Leonardtown High School Admission: $9.00 Age 3 & Under: Free

Summer Program Registration Monday, June 16th 4 - 6 P.M. Pre-Ballet Class: Ages 3 - 4 Ballet Camps: Ages 5 - 9 Millison Lane Lexington Park Info. 301-884-4712

The County Times

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Section A -

8 0 0 2 7 200ipients Rec

1st Place - Victory Baptist Church

2nd Place - St. Johns Church and School

Community Rewards Recipients Victory Baptist Academy St. Johns Church And School St. Marys Bryantown Immaculate Conception Church Mt. Zion United Methodist Church St. Marys County Library St. Marys Ryken Mother Catherine Spalding School Chopticon High School The Kings Christian Academy White Marsh Elementary Holy Angels Sacred Heart School Carver Elementary School Father Andrew White School Hughesville V.F.D. Ladies Auxiliary Mechanicsville Elementary All Faith Church Hollywood United Methodist Church T. C. Martin Elementary School Tri-County Animal Shelter St. Marys Home For The Elderly Grace Brethern Christian School Chopticon Band Special Olympics St. Marys County Chaptico Chargers 4-H Club Lettie Dent Elementary St. Dominics Sodality Daughters Of The American Revolution St. Annes Anglican Church Leonardtown Middle School Dynard Elementary School The Calverton School Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church St. Pauls United Methodist Church St. Pauls Lutheran Church Little Flower School Benedict Ladies Auxiliary Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad Leonardtown High Sotterley Foundation Margaret Brent Middle School St. Marys Nursing Center Inc. S.M.C. Department Of Aging Spring Ridge Middle School Lucky Ones Inc. Walden Sierra Lexington Park Elementary

$8,101.67 $6,888.70 $4,986.57 $3,881.90 $2,515.29 $2,069.13 $1,638.17 $1,397.80 $1,389.32 $1,340.18 $1,139.81 $1,118.13 $1,113.16 $1,100.35 $1,046.90 $681.78 $675.34 $652.72 $644.35 $583.17 $577.68 $577.60 $555.95 $545.75 $506.31 $487.42 $485.19 $465.35 $462.40 $447.25 $444.09 $430.16 $427.31 $408.79 $405.92 $404.51 $378.51 $374.37 $350.86 $344.15 $339.71 $328.07 $322.35 $304.78 $304.01 $303.68 $272.72

3rd Place - St. Mary’s Bryantown Hollywood Elementary School Leonardtown Elementary The Arc Of Southern Maryland Trinity Episcopal Parish-Newport Chamber Orchestra Of So. Md. Care Net Pregnancy Center Of S.M. St. Michaels School Golden Retriever Rescue Of Somd Margaret Brent High School Alumni Leonard Hall Jr Naval Academy Mechanicsville Vol. Rescue Squad Patuxent Habitat For Humanity Christmas In April - St. Marys Young Life St. Marys Christ Episcopal Church Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad Ducks Unlimited S.M. Center For Independent Living Human Growth And Development Chesapeake Charter School Alliance S.M. Food Bank-Catholic Charities United Way Of Charles County Holy Face Church Three Oaks Center (Toc) The Center For Life Enrichment St. Georges Episcopal Church Trico Corporation St. Cecelia Parish

$256.93 $255.06 $252.41 $249.17 $215.22 $212.58 $211.24 $198.04 $189.43 $189.09 $183.75 $178.35 $175.57 $172.55 $163.51 $160.01 $149.20 $135.43 $134.13 $133.58 $121.56 $118.18 $115.41 $110.02 $109.35 $109.19 $105.30 $99.13

Historic St. Marys City Foundation Oakville Elem School Pta Girl Scout Troop 190 S.M. Child Care Resource Center Greenview Knolls Elementary The 7:30 Club Town Creek Elementary School March Of Dimes - Southern Maryland Greyt Expectations Greyhound Rescue Milton Somers Middle School Grace Lutheran School Community Support Systems Inc. All Saints Episcopal Church Alternatives For Youth & Families United Cerebral Palsy Of S.M. Greenwell Foundation On Our Own Of St. Marys Inc. First Missionary Baptist Church Roots Of Mankind Corp. Pastoral Counseling Center Of St Marys Inc University Of Maryland 9-99218 Fsne St. Mary’s Helping Hands Inc. The Leonardtown Vol. Fire Dept.

$93.41 $91.12 $75.11 $73.70 $73.39 $71.16 $65.06 $64.51 $61.02 $56.37 $54.52 $50.79 $46.40 $30.01 $28.99 $27.37 $19.90 $18.38 $12.53 $11.77 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 Gospel Tabernacle Of Prayer Assembly Of Christ Inc $10.00 $10.00 St. Marys Hospital $10.00 Ridge Elementary School $10.00 Calvert High School $10.00 Esperanza Middle School Library

Total: $60,028.27

The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Editorial & Opinion To The Editor: Seeking Parents of Teen Drivers for Free DriveCam Program Research Project Dear Editor: Last Fall, thirteen young lives were lost in Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties as a result of motor vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, serious teen driver crashes in Southern Maryland continue to occur more often than in other regions of the state. There are numerous reasons for this statistic. Young people from rural areas drive more often than other teens that live in more urban regions. They have limited access to public transportation, and many of their parents have long commutes, which often make them unavailable to drive the teen to part-time employment or after-school activities. Our teens are simply driving more often, and they are on rural roadways that do not forgive inexperience or inattention behind the wheel, and often travel with other motorists that are poor role models. Traffic safety advocates throughout Southern Maryland are piloting an innovative, technologybased traffic safety program that will increase parental awareness of difficulties their teens may experience while behind the wheel. This program, the “Southern Maryland DriveCam Program” was developed as a Maryland State Highway Administration’s Highway Safety Office grant-funded research pilot project that is being sponsored by the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland. The DriveCam program is an in-car monitoring system, which captures 10 to 20 second video clips. Video clips are captured only during events where changes in g-forces occur, such as extreme braking, cornering, or acceleration. These clips are being made available to parents and their teens enrolled in the program by DriveCam reviewers, who also add in comments and coaching tips. This program motivates teens to improve their skills or decision making behind the wheel, by decreasing their “events” – which

Dear Editor, Mr. Collins Bailey is a Candidate for US Congress for Maryland’s 5th Congressional district and he will be running against the Honorable Congressman Steny Hoyer. Mr. Bailey, I believe, is a gentleman with moral character and integrity. Now a days it is far and few between to have these qualities in a politician. We need to stand up and support these type of candidates. We need to educate ourselves about the issues and where the candidates stand on them. We can’t always depend on others to give us unbiased information about the issues and candidates. We need to take a more of an active role to meet the candidates and see where they stand on the issues for ourselves. We need to stop passing the buck. We need to

has an added benefit – it increases their privacy when the number of recorded “events” decreases. Parents are also notified when their teen has handled an event in a positive manner, such as when they are cut off in traffic and have to respond quickly. The “DriveCam for Families” program will be distributed to 300 families with teen drivers. The program will be fully evaluated by the University of Maryland’s National Study Center (NSC) for Trauma and EMS. The NSC will determine if the DriveCam program reduces crash risk when parents have the tools to determine if their teen is ready for independent driving or driving with passengers. The Southern Maryland DriveCam program will be FREE for participants in the pilot program. It is anticipated that the camera installations will begin in about six weeks, and that the cameras will be in teens’ vehicles throughout the coming 2009-2010 school year. The program will include a one-year service contract and free camera installation by experts at convenient locations in the region. If the pilot program is successful, it is anticipated that it could be expanded to other regions. Parents of teen drivers who are interested in the program should contact the CTSP Coordinator in their county for more information on how to enroll their teen. The contacts are Ms. Rebecca Martin - Charles County, 301-932-3056, Ms. Debbie Jennings – Calvert County, 410-535-2200 and Ms. Jacqueline Beckman – St. Mary’s County, 301-475-4200 ext. 1850.

How Does Your Resume Measure Up? Whether you call it a resume or a curriculum vitae, in essence this sheet of paper or e-mailed document represents the first line of contact between a recruiter and yourself. As a result, you want to make sure this document represents you in the best light. There are plenty of guides available to help you craft the perfect resume. Therefore, you have every opportunity at your disposal to ensure your resume is well received. As a crash course in Resumes 101, consider these guidelines:

Types of Resumes Resumes can be arranged in different ways to highlight your talents, education and experience while downplaying any possible shortcomings. Here are the main organizational types.

Chronological

What is it? This popular and common resume format lists information in reverse chronological order (from most to least recent). Advantages: A format that many employers prefer and expect. Straightforward style is easy to scan. Shows how you have worked toward your career goals. Good for when you’ve been in a field for a long time (no gaps in employment) and want a higher position in that area. Highlights positions, promotions and companies. Disadvantages: Shows gaps between jobs, in your education, or a lack of work experience. Sincerely, Easy to determine age if your resume goes back Southern Maryland Community Traffic Safety far enough. Program Coordinators Jackie Beckman, St. Mary’s County Functional Rebecca Martin, Charles County Debbie Jennings, Calvert County What is it? Emphasizes what you did and your experience, not when you did it. Job experiences are grouped beneath skill areas (such as management or customer service). Advantages: Showcases the work experience that is most important to your career. Dates of pray and be responsible to vote on election employment can be eliminated, minimizing emday so all of our are voices can heard. If ployment gaps. This format highlights skills, not we don’t take an active role and don’t vote, titles. Good for first-time job seekers, those re-enthen what gives us the right to complain and tering the workforce or those changing careers. criticize about our form of government and Detracts from lack of experience and can prevent our elected officials? The right to vote is a the chance of age discrimination. privilege. Don’t take it for granted. Vote on Disadvantages: Employers may not expect Tuesday, November 4th, 2008. A lot can be this style, looking for chronological instead. Can learned from the candidates’ official web be obvious that you are hiding employment gaps, sites, which are listed below. Find out for and employers may think you are trying to cover yourself. Go to: http://www.hoyer.house.gov/ up something. for Congressman Hoyer. Go to: http://baileyforuscongress.com/ for Collins Bailey. Combination What is it? Combines a chronological and functional resume. Lists experience by skill and Laura A. Howell then employment in chronological order. Legislative Chairperson, RWSM Advantages: Can highlight volunteer or inCompton Md ternship experiences. Good if you have a varied employment history or are changing careers. Disadvantages: Can be repetitive if similar functions or skills are used in different positions. May be long.

Tips for Success Once you’ve decided on the resume style that is fitting for your job search, consider these pointers: 1. Do a self-assessment on a sheet of paper, jotting down the jobs you’ve held, the particulars of each position and what strengths you want to focus on. Having this information handy will let you create your resume in an organized fashion. 2. Contact information should include your full name, avoiding any nicknames. List your permanent address and telephone number. Record a neutral greeting on your answering machine in preparation of fielding messages from recruiters. Don’t put your mobile phone number on the resume so that recruiters don’t catch you “on the go” or at an opportunity that is not ideal for selling yourself. Also include an e-mail address, provided it sounds professional (CrazyLady1212@blankmail.com may turn off recruiters). Create a free e-mail account with a profes-sional name if you don’t want to change your primary account. You can also include your Web site URL if the site pertains to your career goals or showcases a work portfolio. 3. Including an objective can be a good way to highlight to an employer the type of job you’re seeking. 4. List your education first if you are right out of school. Those with a good deal of work experience can list education at the end of the resume. 5. Use brief statements full of action words to describe the work you’ve done at each position. If you prefer a chronological style resume, include the following: * Title of position * Name of organization * Location of work (town, state) * Dates of employment * Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements. 6. List other information you feel is pertinent, such as educational honors, military achievements, awards won, exams or extracurricular coursework completed or any certification you may have. Keep it brief, as you can certainly expound on your skills during an interview. 7. Solicit people you trust to serve as personal and professional references. Do not include this information with the resume unless it is specifically asked for in a job advertisement. Otherwise, simply state, “References furnished upon request,” at the bottom of your resume. 8. Run spell check and have another person proofread your resume to ensure that it is grammatically correct and free of typographical errors. 9. Keep the look of your resume as simple as possible, avoiding unusual fonts, paper colors, and shades of ink. It should be crisp and clean, and easily scanned by a recruiter in a manner of minutes. 10. Modify your resume as it pertains to each job you are seeking.

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The County Times

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Ramblings of a Country Girl

Section A - Typing II were actual classes. I’m talking typewriters, here, kiddies, actual IBM Selectric typewriters. They came out with a model that had a correction key, oooooh, that was the bomb. That made life easier. My old typing classes still help me because I know how to format letters and things and I learned how to type without looking at the keyboard and using all of my fingers. They have keyboarding classes now, the new Typing class, I guess. You can type faster on a computer than on a typewriter which is cool. It’s funny to watch some of the guys at work who never learned how to type properly, knowing the keyboard and all that, typing with a couple of fingers. Some of them are actually kind of fast but it’s still funny to watch. I don’t care for laptop keyboards, they’re too flat and harder to type on, in my opinion. I also don’t care for

the little flat mouse pad thing, whatever you call it, on a laptop. But hey, if you want to play with your computer on your lap, that’s what you have to put up with! I was doing some online ordering earlier. I have always enjoyed poring through catalogs and now I can pore through online catalogs. It’s almost too easy, if you know what I mean. You have to watch yourself, a few clicks and you can order what you want quite easily. I made sure I had my water, my credit card and my phone before I plopped down on the sofa. Once I plant myself, I don’t want to have to get back up for anything. I’m lazy that way. I have my TV remote within reach. This is just too easy! If I could get the butler to bring me dinner, I’d really have it made…….

“Mary’s Land” Celebrates 375 Years in 2009

day cakes may not be part of our 375th campaign, we would appreciate your feedback and suggestions on marketing and promotional strategies. We strongly encourage your involvement and participation in Maryland’s 375th. Remember that it all started right here. It continues every day almost four centuries later with a population of 100,000 people and growing. Discover St. Mary’s County; you’d be pleasantly surprised.

Convenience

Terri Bartz Bowles I’m sitting here with my laptop on my lap, oddly

By Bob Schaller Start getting used to the number 375. Next year Maryland marks its 375th birthday. It was in 1634 when more than a hundred English settlers landed on a safe harbor in the Potomac River they named “St. Clement’s Island.” Every March 25 we celebrate Maryland Day at Colton’s Point that looks out at the historical first landing site. Did you know that St. Clement’s

enough. Even though I’ve had this laptop for a couple of years, I’ve never actually used it on my lap. I always use it on

Island (later called Blackistone Island) is only about one-tenth the size it was 375 years ago? In fact, the first island the settlers encountered was “Heron’s Island” but it was passed by to anchor at the nearby and larger St. Clement’s Island. Interestingly, like Cedar Point on the Bay or Michener’s fictional “Devon Island” at the mouth of the Choptank River, there is no more Heron’s Island; only a sand bar that’s barely visible at

my desk. So it’s a little weird for me but I have to admit, the convenience of it is pretty nice. I can sit here with it on my lap

low tide. While this might seem a small historical reference, there are countless examples like this throughout St. Mary’s County. We are very blessed to be part of Maryland’s Mother County surrounded by rich history and heritage. We have a tremendous story to tell to both visitors and to life-long residents who just may not be aware of what’s around us. Did you also know that the historic Blackis-

“After River” by Donna Milner

c.2008, HarperCollins $24.95 / $29.95 Canada 320 pages By: Terri Schlichenmeyer Remember your high school crush? Do you recall the first time you saw him, the way his hair curled, the carefree way his jacket sleeves were pushed up, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled? For months, you secretly wrote his name with “Mrs.” in front of it. He might not have known you. Maybe he didn’t even know you existed, but you can’t forget him: your first crush. Natalie will always remember the summer of 1966 and the young man who walked up the road to the farmhouse. She was just fifteen, and in the new novel “After River” by Donna Milner, life was never the same again. Thirty-five years after she left home, Natalie Ward is called back. Her mother, Nettie, is dying and she’s asking for Natalie. Vern, Natalie’s husband, offers to go with her to the farm nestled in the mountains of Canada, but Natalie tells him to stay. He lets her go without him, hoping she returns. On the trip home, Natalie remembers. She loved the farm once upon a time. She loved the fields, the smell of hay, and making a milk run with her father. Working the garden was a favorite chore because she loved listening to her mother’s gentle voice. The family was close then; brothers Carl and Morgan were never far apart, always teasing and laughing. Boyer, Natalie’s favorite sib-

ling, taught her games and shared his love of words. It was a rare evening when there wasn’t an extra body at the Ward table, because Nettie’s cooking was well-known. And then there was River. In need of a farm hand, Nettie ignored her husband’s wishes and hired an American draft dodger. On that summer day as he walked up the road, Natalie remembers how the young man looked golden in the sunlight, guitar slung over his shoulder, hair in a ponytail, wearing a hippie’s India-woven shirt. His real name was Richard, but they called him River. And he charmed everyone with his aquablue eyes and gentle ways. It wasn’t long before Natalie fell in love with him. She wondered what his skin would feel like against hers, yet she sometimes couldn’t bear to be his presence. Life was divided in “before River” and “after River”. Then, on the night of the storm, everything changed. Hm. Well. It’s going to be a darn shame if this book isn’t turned into a Meryl Streep movie or something like that. “After River” is a beautiful, beautiful novel with a story that keeps you guessing and gasping. Author Donna Milner’s style reminded me of Earl Hamner’s writing; it’s so quiet, so reflectively pained and yet so joyous that you want to read “just another chapter”. Before you know it, you’ve stayed up two hours past bedtime. Yes, this book is that hard to let go of, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you crave a book with waves of emotion, welldeep sentiment, and floods of beauty, you won’t regret finding this one. For you, “After River” is oceans of enjoyment.

because I have moved into the 21st century and have wireless internet access. Don’t ask me about setting it up or buying the modem or any of that stuff because I don’t know anything about it. That’s what friends are for, give and take, helping out, being there for you when you’re feeling stupid. I can bake, my computer savvy guy friends can’t, so it all works out. I ask for assistance and I make a cake or a batch of cookies and we’re all happy. So I’m sitting here with my laptop on my lap typing away. I have my feet up and I’m pretty relaxed. I like it. I’m one of those people who generally goes kicking and screaming into the next century and new technology is not something I consider easy or friendly. But it’s getting easier all the time, isn’t it? As we progress forward, it’s getting easier for us oldtimers. I mean, when I was in high school, Typing I and

You can email the Country Girl at countrygirlramblings@gmail.com

Celebrate 375 website. What can you do? Help us spread the word about the campaign. You may be aware that this year (2008) Leonardtown (formerly Seymour Town) is celebrating its 300th birthday while Charles County marks its 350th birthday. That huge pink birthday cake in Hughesville is an example of raising local awareness. While large birth-

tone Lighthouse that stood on the island for more than a century - but was destroyed by fire in 1956 - has been completely reconstructed and will be open to the public within a matter of weeks? What a tremendous new local attraction! Again, this just scratches the surface of our local tourist attractions. To learn more visit tour.stmarysmd.com So the idea with Maryland’s 375th is to help promote awareness about St. Mary’s County and all it has to offer. On Wednesday morning, June 4 our Tourism Division is hosting a mini-conference to discuss the Celebrate 375 program. In partnership with Historic St. Mary’s City and Maryland Life magazine, the conference will also include a premier showing of a new tourism video commercial and campaign. The Southern Maryland Travel and Tourism Committee will announce the St. Mary’s County Hospitality Person of the Year and a specialist from the Maryland Office of Tourism Development will present tips for attracting group tours. We plan a commemorative visitor guide, weekend packages, a Discover St. Mary’s Card, a hospitality service awards program, and a

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The County Times

Section A -

Odd News

SHA Plans For MD Rt. 4 Continued from page A-

Rice Rocks! The Kiss Army fan club has an enthusiastic new Secretary of State! Condoleezza Rice has become the newest recruit for the Kiss Army Fan Club. Rice was in the Swedish capital Thursday for an international conference on Iraq. Kiss had a sold-out concert to play the next night, so Rice met with Kiss frontman Gene Simmons and bandmates Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer at the Sheraton Hotel where they were signing autographs. Band members gave out free t-shirts and backstage passes to her staff. “I was thrilled,” Rice said. “It was really fun to meet Kiss and Gene Simmons.” She told reporters that they seemed wellinformed about current events. The band had asked if she could stop by after she finished dinner with the Swedish foreign minister and Rice readily agreed. Rice, a classically trained pianist, said she has eclectic musical tastes ranging from Beethoven to Bruce Springsteen. Hard rockers such as Kiss are included in the mix, and Rice said her favorite Kiss tune is “Rock and Roll All Nite,” but she has never seen the band in concert.

People with Too Much Free Time

Thursday, June 5, 2008

In the spot, Ray says nothing of jihad, but holds an iced coffee while standing in front of trees with pink blossoms. Critics complained that the scarf wrapped around her looked like a kaffiyeh, the traditional Arab headdress, and some would argue that such scarves have come to symbolize Muslim extremism and terrorism. The kaffiyeh, conservative commentator Michelle Malkin wrote in a column posted online last Friday, “has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad. Popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos, the apparel has been mainstreamed by both ignorant (and not-so-ignorant) fashion designers, celebrities, and left-wing icons.” A statement issued Wednesday by Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin’ Brands Inc., however, said the scarf had a paisley design, and was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. “Absolutely no symbolism was intended,” the company said.

Talk About a Tiny Bedroom… Last week, police in Tokyo found a 58-yearold woman hiding in the top compartment of a man’s closet and arrested her for trespassing. Investigations revealed that the woman had been living in the small closet for a year, and was caught by new security cameras that the man had had installed after becoming puzzled by food disappearing from his kitchen over the past several months. The woman had moved a mattress into the closet space and had even taken showers during the day when the man was at work. The woman told police she had no place to live and first sneaked into the man’s house about a year ago when he left it unlocked. Police are investigating how she managed to let herself in and out of the house, and whether or not she took anything besides food.

Japanese scientists say they have created a noodle bowl so small it can be seen only through a microscope. Mechanical engineering professor Masayuki Nakao said Thursday he and his students at the University of Tokyo used a carbon-based material to produce a noodle bowl with a diameter 1/25,000 of an inch in a project aimed at developing nanotube-processing technology. The Japanese-style ramen bowl was carved out of microscopic nanotubes, which are tubeshaped pieces of carbon, measuring about one- Another Fiery Proposal ten-thousandth of the thickness of a human hair. Police in Berlin say a young man’s creative The “noodles” in the bowl are a thickness of one1.25 millionth of an inch, making it the world’s marriage proposal triggered reports of unidentified flying objects from worried Germans. smallest inedible bowl of ramen noodles. Bavarian police say several people called late Wednesday evening to alert them to what Rachel “Muslim extremist” they thought were UFOs and unusual lights drifting across the sky above the sleepy town of Ray? Plattling. After sending a police patrol to investigate, Dunkin’ Donuts has pulled an online advertisement that first aired May 7, featuring Rachael officials were disappointed to discover that a 29 Ray, after complaints that a fringed black-and- year-old man who had just proposed to his 27 white scarf that the celebrity chef wore in the ad year-old girlfriend had sent up 50 paper lanterns offers symbolic support for Muslim extremism that glowed in the dark, as a romantic gesture. She apparently said yes. and terrorism.

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service (LOS), earning each area an F for failing intersections with long light delays and high levels of congestion. “If this was a report card, we’d all be hanging our heads and sulking,” said Michael Perrotta, project manager for DMJM Harris. The existing MD 4 corridor consists of a two-lane roadway with 10-foot wide shoulders from MD 235 to the Thomas Johnson Bridge, which consists of two 12-foot wide lanes with scant two-foot wide shoulders. This area saw a total of 123 crashes between 2003 and 2005, 56 causing injuries, and 66 causing property damage. Figures show that these crashes were significantly greater than the statewide average for similar roadways. So far, several design alternatives are being considered. Inexpensive improvements include removing the off-ramp leading from northbound MD 4 leading to Solomons Island, closing the northern entrance to South Patuxent Beach Road, providing Tee intersections along the corridor, or converting the existing shoulder to a travel lane between MD 235 and the Thomas Johnson Bridge. More aggressive plans include a new bridge that would be built parallel to the existing Thomas Johnson Bridge, consisting of two 12-foot wide travel lanes, a four-foot wide inside shoulder, a 10-foot wide outside shoulder, and a 10-foot wide bicycle/pedestrian path separated by a concrete barrier. A more aggressive alternative would be a four-lane bridge to replace the existing Thomas Johnson Bridge, which would be demolished, or a fourlane bridge from the Naval Recreation Center in Calvert County to the terminus of Patuxent Boulevard in Myrtle Point in St. Mary’s County. With any of these alternative designs, MD 4 would be widened to a four-lane divided highway, with the existing roadways converted to carry

traffic heading north. Turning lanes would most likely be added to all intersections along the roadway, and options are being included for the addition of a bicycle lane on the south side of the road. A whole host of options accompany these plans, including moving left turning traffic at the intersection of MD 4 and MD 235 to the left to allow for continuous f low, constructing a single-lane f lyover for traffic turning left from southbound MD 4, a partial cloverleaf interchange, or a single point urban interchange, the details of which were discussed brief ly at the meeting. The SHA in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration will be working to have the planning process completed by 2010, with an expected construction completion date of 2020, budgets permitting. Perrotta explained that the goal for each of these designs was to raise the failing grade of these roadways to a C or better. “A’s and B’s are really hard to come by,” he said when asked about projected improvements in the levels of service, “but by 2030, level C would be pretty good.” Perrotta explained that these were preliminary plans, and that public comment was needed to determine the best course of action. “We want to be as straightforward as possible,” he said, adding that public workshops would be held later this month, giving residents a chance to have questions about the project answered, and to give their feedback on the proposed designs. The public workshop for Calvert County will be held at Dowell Elementary School on June 16th at 5 pm, and St. Mary’s County will have their workshop on June 17th at 5 pm at Town Creek Elementary School.

when their children receive traffic violations, at which point they will take whatever action they deem necessary to stop the behavior. SecondContinued from page A- ary students will also be required to attend a one-hour assembly to discuss young driver trafOther statistics showed that teen drivers fic fatalities, and the Board of Education plans in St. Mary’s County were the largest group to reinforce this plan with media releases and bearing responsibility for traffic accidents. St. public service announcements. Mary’s County boasts one of the highest numSchool officials will apply other measures, bers of teens involved in accidents due to ag- such as suspending student parking permits for gressive, inattentive or impaired driving, plac- those who receive traffic tickets, and installing ing them among the worst drivers in the state as many as 300 DriveCam cameras in students’ of Maryland. cars. These cameras will activate any time the Safety coordinator Michael Wyant cited car suddenly brakes or jerks, so that parents the lack of public transportation as a contribut- and teenagers can review safe driving practices ing factor, saying that the lack of transportation as needed. A grant has been acquired for the alternatives has led to more teen drivers on the DriveCam program, and is expected to start road here than in other neighboring counties. later this summer and be free of charge. “I think there’s a wide variety of reasons,” When asked about the possibility of dissaid Superintendent Michael Martirano, ex- playing wrecked cars outside the area’s high plaining that “windy rural roads” contribute schools year-round to reinforce the idea of safe to a lot of accidents in the area, ensnaring both driving, Martirano said he would support such teens and more experienced drivers. “It’s a dif- a program if it were strategically applied. ferent kind of driving here.” “If you put it there and it stays there all the In response to these statistics, and the rash time, they’ll tune it out,” he explained, adding of teen traffic deaths in Calvert, Charles, and that he would favor displaying wreckage at St. Mary’s counties this past year, the Board of certain times during the school year, like durEducation is implementing a new, more aggres- ing prom season or the holidays, when traffic sive program to help curtail irresponsible driv- accidents are more common. “Placing it there ing habits amongst the county’s teenagers. strategically and mixing it up would probably Martirano’s new five-point plan will first have a great impact.” require all students requesting a parking permit Martirano seems most interestto view a school-based presentation addressing ed in broader education campaigns. high risk behaviors such as underage drinking, “I just can’t say enough about the importance of speeding, and cell phone usage while driving. community involvement with these programs,” Students will also be encouraged to register their he said, explaining that the measures being vehicle with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s taken are not meant to be punitive, but rather Office “S.T.O.P.P.E.D.” program, which stands constructive. “We need to take a very aggresfor Students Telling Our Parents and Promoting sive stance on this…our children’s lives are at Educated Drivers. The program notifies parents stake.”

Teen Driving

The County Times

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Section A -

Obituaries John Gow (Jack) Evans, Jr., 86 John Gow (Jack) Evans, Jr., 86, passed away peacefully Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 at the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio following a brief illness. Jack was born Oct. 16, 1921 in Cambridge, Md. to Sarah Davis Evans and John Gow Evans. Jack graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1942 with a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. He immediately entered the U.S. Army. He served with the US Army Corps of Engineers in North Africa and Italy. He was Honorably Discharged in 1946. He returned to Virginia Tech and obtained his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following graduation, he moved to Toledo, Ohio to begin work with the Toledo Edison Company as an engineer. During a 37-year career, he served as plant superintendent at the ACME and Bayshore Stations and was the superintendent at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station during construction and when it became operational in 1977. He retired in 1983 as Assistant to the Vice President-Nuclear. Upon his retirement, Jack and his wife Sammy moved to California, Md., where Jack was an avid sailor, and served on numerous community organizations including the Leonardtown, Maryland Rotary Club, the California, Maryland Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Tech Alumni Association. One of his passions was working to raise college scholarship money for deserving students in southern Maryland. His other life long passion was sailing. He continued to race on the Chesapeake Bay with friends each week until he was well into his eighties. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sammy June (Pratt) Evans; son, John G. (Lisa) Evans III; two grandsons Nathan Evans and Colin Evans (Columbus, Ohio); and brother, William R. (Marie Anne) Evans of New York, N.Y. A gathering of friends and family will be held from 2 – 4 p.m. Saturday, June 7 in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, Leonardtown. Interment will be at Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery in Cambridge, Md. Monday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m. The family requests that expressions of sympathy be in the form of memorial contributions be made in Jack’s name to the Virginia Tech General Scholarship Endowment (checks payable to:

Virginia Tech Foundation, University Development, 902 Price’s Fork Road, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061.

Harvey Hiram Freeman, 85 H a r vey Hiram Freeman, 85, of Charlotte Hall, formerly of Bushwood, died May 25 in the Calvert Memorial Hospital. Born Jan. 28, 1923, he was the son of the late Charlie Freeman and Hattie Thornton Freeman. Harvey is survived by a son, Olvin Freeman of Lexington Park and a sister, Juanita Green of Bushwood. He was preceded in death by his wife, Erma Walker Freeman. Family received friends Monday, June 2 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD. A funeral service was conducted at 11:30 a.m. with Pastor Jonathan Allan officiating. Interment followed in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Cheltenham, Md. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Harry B. “Capt. Harry” Huseman, Sr., 83 Harry B. “Capt. H a r r y ” Huseman, Sr., 83, of Califor nia, and formerly of Abell, died May 29 in his residence. Born Oct. 24, 1924 in Abell he was the son of the late Charles William and Mary Alice Huseman. He was the loving husband of Margaret Virginia Huseman, whom he married July 10, 1949 in Holy Angels Church, and who preceded him in death Jan. 17, 1995. He is survived by his children Karen Hamilton and her husband Rodger of California, and Harry B. Huseman, Jr. and his wife Sharon of Sarasota, Fla.; three grandchildren Kira Yahraus and her husband Ryan Yahraus of Sarasota, Fla., Joseph “JR” Lephew of Baltimore, and Jonathan Huseman of Sarasota, Fla.; two great grandchildren Hayden and McKenna Yahraus of Sarasota, Fla.; brothers William “Billy” Huseman and his wife Ann of Hollywood, Charles

perform a simple sight test to determine water clarity, Fowler’s method of grading the waters has caught the attention of thousands. “Fowler Day” is now recognized as an annual chance for residents to measure cleanup efforts by simply wading in and looking at their feet, the idea being to wade into the water until the toes or feet disappear. Deeper, of course, is better. In 1988 Fowler said he joined a crowd of only 20 to 25 people for the first wadein at Broom’s Island, and was only able to wade into the water 8 to 10 inches deep before seeing his toes disappear. Now the event draws hundreds on the second Sunday of each June, and he says that the water clarity has improved, but not enough.

Fowler Day Continued from page A- softer science on Thursday as Fowler shared a simpler way of determining the health of the bay and its tributaries. “We have left the world of common sense,” said Fowler as young students joined him and Wisner at his picnic table. “We’re beginning to rely more and more on science and computers…it has no connection to these waters.” Since the first wade-in devised by Fowler in 1988, when he teamed with retired Hollywood Elementary School teacher Betty Brady and Tom Wisner to

Ross Huseman of Abell; sister Elizabeth Downs and her husband James “Buddy” of Abell. Harry is also survived by many friends too numerous to list. A special “Thanks” to Candy Carroll and Agnes Baker and especially the angels at Hospice – Cathy, Sally, Cindy and everyone there. They are “Truly the angels on this earth”. He was a lifelong waterman and St. Mary’s County resident, where he attended Holy Angels School and then served in the U.S. Army from 1943 – 1946 during WWII, the Philippine Invasion and sailed on the “Ghost Fleet.” Harry grew up on the water and with his father learned to work the water. He returned after the war and made his living on the water. He built his workboat the “Wild Rose” and worked the waters on the Potomac River, Patuxent River as well as the Chesapeake Bay. Capt. Harry continued to work the river and the bay with his boat “Karen Bee.” For 70 years Capt. Harry was a true “Waterman” working out in the heat, rain, snow and ice. Capt. Harry was a mentor to many watermen – only giving advice when asked. When his daughter was young she remembered every night the watermen would call to see what Capt. Harry was going to do the next day. “No One” would leave the creek until Capt. Harry left. Capt. Harry has been featured in many Maryland and Washington, D.C. newspapers and the Calvert Marine Museum. He was the judge at the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival from (the very first one) 1966 – 2007. He was honored as 2007 Waterman of the Year given by the Optimist Club of the Seventh District. Capt. Harry and his son “HB” shared their knowledge with school children and with the University of Maryland students that came to the house and down to his boat. Being a “Waterman” is almost a lost profession. Capt Harry had two great loves – his family and the water. Capt Harry was a member of the Waterman’s Tongers Committee and Waterman’s Association. The family received friends Tuesday, June 3 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home, with Prayers being said at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday, June 4 at 10 a.m. in St. John’s Catholic Church, Hollywood, with Fr. Raymond Schmidt officiating. Interment followed in the Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Jackie Bowen, Robert T. Brown, Tucker Brown, Butch Cornelius, Tommy Crowder

and Al Huseman. Honorary Pallbearers were Joey Stone and Joey Watts. 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.

James Varnley Payne, 76 James Va r n le y Payne, 76, of Califor nia, died May 24 in Franklin Square Hospital, Baltimore. B o r n Sept. 26, 1931 in Washington, D.C. he was the son of the late John Colman and Hattie Trammell Payne and stepson of Hilda G. Farmer. Mr. Payne is survived by a sister; Edna Dean of La Plata, Md., a half sister Mary A. Payne of Bowie, Md., half brothers John C. Payne, Jr., Riverdale, Md., Fred F. Payne of Mechanicsville, Robert Payne of Bowie, and Ronald Payne and a friend Allan Zemann of Baltimore. He was preceded in death by four sisters, Mary F. Messineo, Anne P. Hockett, Jannie L. Jones and Violet M. Bessette, four brothers, Fred T. Payne, John H. Payne, Joseph C. Payne and Charles Payne. Friends were received Thursday, May 29 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown. A funeral service was held Friday, May 30 at 11 a.m. with Pastor Mark Garrett of the Lexington Park Baptist Church officiating. Interment followed in the National Memorial Park Cemetery, Laurel. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Susan Ann Pforr, 66 S u san Ann Pforr, 66, of California died in St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, Monday, May 26. Born Nov. 20, 1941 in Sioux Falls, S.D., she was the daughter of the late Nathan and Ruth Johnson Hagar. She is survived by her husband, Richard R. Pforr; two sons Matthew Richard Pforr of Manassas, Va. and

“When we can get chest deep, we’ll be there,” he said. Also in 1988, Fowler introduced a bill to regulate waste water treatment plant output, which he claims bears the bulk of responsibility for the sad state of the river today. “Everything we do is in the name of economic development,” he said, noting that in 1963, three million gallons of waste were being dumped into the bay, compared with more than 60 million gallons today. Though participants were able to wade this year to a depth of anywhere from 48 to 50 inches (adults waded in to their hips), Fowler claims there is still much work to do. He expressed concern about the declining productivity of the river. “It used to be that

Stephen Paul Pforr of Winchester, Va.; two brothers Curtis Haggar of Ouray, Colo. and Ronald Hagger of Phoenix, Ariz. Also surviving are four grandchildren. Susan was an avid golfer and a member of the Breton Bay Golf Club, Leonardtown. She also liked boating, bowling and visiting with her friends. Relatives and friends turned out for Susan’s Life Celebration at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD Saturday, May 31 from 10 – 11 a.m. A memorial service was conducted at 11 a.m. with Reverend Joseph H. Dobson, Jr., pastor of St. John’s United Episcopal Church, Mechanicsville, officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the Scleroderma Foundation, Inc., 12 Kent Way, Suite 101, Byfield, MA 01922. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Martha Maxine Ballard Rou, 85 Mar tha Maxine Ballard Rou, 85 of Mobile, Ala. died May 22 in Taylor Farm Assisted Living, Bushwood. Born Jan. 19, 1923 in Mooreville, Miss., she was the daughter of the late David S. and Allie May Morgan Ballard. She was the loving wife of the late Charles M. Rou, whom she married May 5, 1946 in Tupelo, Miss. and who preceded her in death Oct. 14, 2006. She is survived by her daughters Sandra Weber and her husband John of Lynn Haven, Fla. and Joyce Malone and her husband Rusty of Lexington Park. She is also survived by her brother Gus Ballard and his wife Annette of Tupelo, Miss., along with numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her grandchildren to whom she was known as “Mimi”: Renee Malone of Silver Spring, Md., Michael Malone of Lexington Park, Hadley Pridgen and her husband Brian and Christian Weber all of Lynn Haven, Fla. She was preceded in death by her grandson Chad Malone and her siblings: Preston Ballard, Annie Laurie Bishop, Freda Marion, David Ballard and Betty Waters. Martha was a homemaker who served as a secretary and

one person could catch 10 sugar barrels of crabs a day…it’s all gone now because of people moving in…as we’ve grown and people have moved in, that’s changed the way we interact with the river…now you can’t stop growth, but we need to grow smarter.” Fowler said he wants to enforce stricter mandates on wastewater treatment plants, emphasizing that public awareness would be the key to any and all progress. “If God can create the heaven and the earth in seven days…then surely he’d be able to plant a bug in O’Malley and others in charge,” he said, adding that Maryland citizens need to put more pressure on government to aid cleanup efforts. He looks forward to a large turnout at this year’s Broom’s Island Wade-In, which will be Sunday, June 8th.

treasurer for her late husband’s business, C.M. Rou Services, Inc. She was a lifetime member of the Women of the Church, Central Presbyterian Church, Mobile, Ala.; and she started the New Mobilians Welcome Wagon in August of 1971 in Mobile. She traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada with her late husband. A graveside service will be held Saturday, May 31 at 11 a.m. at Pine Crest Cemetery, Mobile, Ala. Pallbearers will be Rusty Malone, John Weber, Michael Malone, Christian Weber and Brian Pridgen. Honorary pallbearers will be Gus Ballard and Bill Rawson. Memorials may be made to Taylor Farm Assisted Living, Inc., P.O. Box 26, Bushwood, Maryland 20618 and or Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Cheryl Anne Wisor, 32 Cher yl Anne Wisor, 32, of Scotland, died June 1 in Un iver sit y of Maryland Hospital, Balti more, Md. Cheryl is survived by her devoted husband, Robert Lee Williams, Sr., her two children, Cheyenne Marie and Robert Lee, Jr., mother, Lisa Nevius, father, Marl Wisor, three brothers, Christopher A. Wisor of Front Royal, Va., Gregory T. Wisor of Crofton, Md., and Andrew C. Wisor of Clearfield, and grandmother, Jeanella Williford. Relatives and friends attended Cheryl’s Life Celebration Wednesday, June 4 from 5 – 8 p.m. in St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 16566 Three Notch Road, Ridge, MD 20680. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, June 5 at 11 a.m. in St. Michael’s Catholic Church. Reverend Monsignor Maurice O’Connell will be the celebrant. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Autism Society of America, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD 20814. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown

Thursday’s wade-in touched on political themes, but some focused instead on the spiritual side of this environmental lesson, as the children dried their feet and reflected. Tom Wisner was not able to get his own feet wet this year, but he strummed his guitar and explained that he had participated in wade-ins every year, starting in the 1960s with Piscataway Indian leader Turkey Tayac. “Turkey said you’ve got to wade in the river every year and realign your soul with the system,” Wisner said. “It replenishes your being.” Still, even Wisner took a moment to dwell on the political side of the ritual. “Once we get the crowds that want to see the river cleaned up, it will happen,” he said. “It won’t just be one voice calling out from the wilderness.”

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, June 5, 2008

2008 Graduation Continued from page A- Great Mills, where he asked why there was reserved seating. He and his grandmother were told that those seats were reserved for the families of the valedictorian and the salutatorian. Hubbard promised his grandmother then and there that she would have a reserved seat for his graduation. The co-salutatorian, David Rodriguez, chose humor to frame his speech. Instead of talking about all the things he was supposed to learn during his high school days, he ran down a list of things he did learn, which had the crowd of almost 400 in stitches. The next two nights marked the commencement exercises for the two younger high schools in the county. The bleachers at Chop-

added pressure of being timed tonight.â&#x20AC;? This theme of speakers outdoing one another repeated itself the next night at Leonardtown High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 29th annual commencement ceremony, as each of the three valedictorians strived to outdo the others onstage during their speeches. Enyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s album â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Day Without Rainâ&#x20AC;? had played as people filtered into the gymnasium at St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College for the ceremony, but once people had taken their seats and the speakers had started their addresses, laughter echoed from the walls as the playful seniors batted beach balls across their rows, a prank that would resurface several times that night.

Students from Chopticon High School celebrated their 43rd annual commencement on Thursday.

Photo by Andrea Shiell

Photo by Chris Stevens

The Great Mills High School Class of 2008 listens to principal Tracey Heibelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opening remarks during last Wednesday nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commencement ceremony at the ARC Arena on the campus of St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College.

Photo by Chris Stevens

The Junior ROTC presents the colors as the class of 2008 and spectators stand in silence at St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College last Wednesday evening.

ticonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Braves Stadium were packed full of teachers and family members on Thursday night, all uniting to celebrate a class that had dedicated much of their four years to service during the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 43rd annual commencement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask for the moonâ&#x20AC;ŚI just wanted you to get involved,â&#x20AC;? Principal Joe North remarked. And the students did not disappoint, he said, adding that their achievements at Chopticon had far exceeded his expectations. Following this theme of service was the proliferation of public servants, including members of the Board of Education, the Board of County Commissioners, and Maryland General Assemblymen John Wood, Anthony Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnel, and John Bohanan. When Superintendent Michael Martirano took the stage for his remarks, he alluded to a bet that had been made between students over who would speak longer, their principal or their superintendent. Martirano laughed as he began, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize that I would have the

Student Council President Meera Kiran Mehta told a story of a little frog climbing to the top of a tall tower after many of his larger cohorts had failed to do so, explaining that the frog was deaf, which had aided him in his achievement because he could not hear the others saying it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be done. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are leaving Leonardtown better than we entered it,â&#x20AC;? she said. Valedictorian Thomas Joseph Russell opted for comedy as he told how he had researched how to write his valedictory address on Wikipedia, and had come up with a combination of strong openings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had a dream that four score and seven years ago Mr. Gorbachev tore down that wall!â&#x20AC;? he exclaimed, adding colorful quotes from Douglas Adams and Star Wars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going to tell you that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all individuals when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all sitting here for the exact same reason, and wearing the exact same thing,â&#x20AC;? said valedictorian Kean Alan Zimmerman, as the crowd laughed and applauded.

Superintendent Michael Martirano noted at each ceremony his favorite quotes from the students he had spoken with, saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;the class of 2008 is an unstoppable machine,â&#x20AC;? and he cited a classic Rod Stewart tune in closing his remarks, imploring the graduates of Great Mills High School to stay â&#x20AC;&#x153;Forever Young.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The most clichĂŠd saying is that high school is the greatest time of our lives,â&#x20AC;? said Thomas Russell, explaining that the members of the class of 2008 had many more years ahead of them to enjoy as they entered the â&#x20AC;&#x153;black pit of doom called adulthood.â&#x20AC;? Still, none seemed more hopeful at the close of the proceedings than the graduates themselves. As they collected their caps and the rest of the renegade beach balls from the floor where they had reminisced about their achievements, the words of one of their classmates, Victoria Michelle Milkovich, resonated with all who had attended. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are ready,â&#x20AC;? she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and the world is ready for us.â&#x20AC;?

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LHS students toss their caps at the close of their graduation ceremony on Friday.

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