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County

Times

The

Thursday, June 12, 2008 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland

Established 2006 • Volume 3 • Issue 23

Commerce Chamber Chair Says 2008 Will Be Challenging

St. Mary’s County’s Largest And Only Locally Owned Newspaper

17,144 Readers Thank You!

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

Wascavage Headed To National Lacrosse All-Star Game

“

It’s real exciting and it’s a great honor.”

– St. Mary’s Ryken graduate

Andrew Wascavage

The incoming chair of the board of directors for the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce said that chamber members would have to work together to ensure the county remains a stable market place to do business.

Tom Jarboe, head of Technology Security Associates, took over from Mary Ann Murray as chamber chair at the organization’s annual meeting at St. Mary’s College Monday.

Jarboe said that rising fuel costs and the subsequent rise in the cost of doing business will be one of the greatest challenges the business community will have to deal with for the rest of this year.

Photo by Guy Leonard

Del. John Wood (D-Dist.29) and Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Scarafia talk at the chamber’s 2008 annual meeting Monday at St. Mary’s College. Wood received the first ever Public Servant Award from the chamber while Scarafia was named Chamber Executive of the Year by the Maryland Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

See Commerce page A-

Memorandum Establishes Goals for New Winery

Habitat For Humanity Receives Donation

Andrea Shiell Staff Writer

The Patuxent Habitat for Humanity received a donation of five building lots on 9.32 acres of land from the St. Mary’s County Government on Tuesday for the construction of five new homes. The lots are located off Forest Park Road near Route 235, south of the Patuxent River.

An application orientation workshop is scheduled for prospective homeowners on Saturday, June 21 at Bethesda United Methodist Church in Valley Lee from 10 am to 12 pm. For more information, call the organization’s office at 301-863-6227.

Suspect Arrested In Tackle Box Burglary Detectives with the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations have made an arrest for the burglary that occurred at The Tackle Box sporting goods store in Lexington Park.

Detectives have charged David W. Dillow, 23, of Hollywood with burglary, theft and property destruction.

Dillow was arrested June 9, the burglary occurred June 6.

He is currently being held in the county detention center.

Hundreds of St. Mary’s County residents braved the weekend heat wave to go to the annual Southern Maryland Crab Festival, enjoying a wide selection of arts, music, and, of course, crabs.

Photo by Andriea Shiell

Sign on Route 5 and Compton Road in Leonardtown will be home to the new Port of Leonardtown Winery.

Nestled in its own sundrenched spot along Route 5 and Compton Road in Leonardtown is a boarded up building that is slated to become one of the area’s biggest tourist attractions. At least that is the hope for the spot, which once served as the Leonardtown office of the State Highway Administration years ago. Now, activity will resume to flesh out this once barren building into the new Port of Leonardtown Winery.

The Board of County Commissioners signed a new Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the Maryland Wine Growers Cooperative for the winery on Tuesday. Officials from the cooperative presented a progress report to the commissioners, after which the commissioners signed the memorandum to partially fund the costs for planning, designing, and renovating the former eyesore to See Winery page A-10

Health Department Concerned Over Rise In Rabies Cases Icenhower also worried over possible surge in mosquito, tick populations

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The St. Mary’s Count Health Department is concerned that the rate of rabies cases in 2008 have already come close to annual totals for previous years.

If rates continue as they have the

Inside Op.-Ed ..........

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number of rabies cases could double, causing a serious health issue.

The number of rabies cases reported so far this year in St. Mary’s totals to 13, which is only one case short of the total of cases for all of See Rabies page A-

Man Pleads Guilty To Motel Assault

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Alan K. Kohut, the man who faced an attempted first-degree murder charge for severely beating a man at the A&E Motel in Lexington Park last year reached a plea agreement with prosecutors to first-degree assault, avoiding the possibility of facing a longer prison term if convicted of the greater crime.

Kohut, 28, of Ridge has yet to be sentenced since his plea agreement last week.

The incident occurred last November in room 107 of the motel on Great Mills Road when Kohut, charging documents against him stated, began striking and kicking Thomas Alvin Campbell when the victim refused to give Kohut money.

See Assault page A-

New Sentence Sought For Man Convicted Of Touching Teen Girl

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The attorney for Mark Andrew Panowicz, the man convicted of inappropriately touching a 14year-old girl at a drunken party at his home back in 2006 is asking a District Court judge to reconsider his client’s sentence.

Fort Washington-based attorney James Papermeister, in an emergency motion to Judge Stephen L. Clagett, said his client could be fired from his job as a senior manager with telecommunications firm Sprint Nextel if he’s not allowed work release to accommodate the company’s policy that Panowicz be on call 24 hours a day.

See Reconsider page A-

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Dyson Speaks to CASASTART Graduates Andrea Shiell Staff Writer

seemed optimistic about the program’s future, but added that funding was a concern.

“We’ve been trying to expand for the last five years, but funding is tight,” she said, explaining that the majority of the program’s funding came from the annual Commonweal Grant.

The ceremony was quick and casual that evening, as storm clouds gathered outside, and Senator Roy Dyson moved amongst the tables to speak to the crowd, delivering an impromp-

tu, casual speech.

“Today in this room… the majority of the world doesn’t know where we are or who we are…but in this room there may be a doctor, and they got their start and they got their leg up because somebody cared,” he said.

At the proceedings, one graduate, Jospeph Queen III, delivered a speech about his experiences in the program, saying he had been inspired to perform well in school. His step-father, Tracy Baily, commented later that

the program has kept him out of trouble for the last three years.

“They gave him after school tutoring, and that’s helped him out a lot,” Baily said.

The subject of Queen’s name came up during Dalson’s remarks, when she mentioned that the “three” in his name indicated a family line, a legacy.

“That’s what CASASTART is all about,” she said, “building a foundation, a legacy…you can see the impact that one person can have on the community and the life of a child.”

Melonie Dalson laughed as she took the podium at the Dougherty Center in Lexington Park Wednesday evening for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters CASASTART graduation proceedings.

“People in Southern Maryland never need a microphone,” she exclaimed as Senator Roy Dyson reclaimed his seat to her right, having offered his remarks as he has done every year since the program was created.

Indeed, Dyson had not needed a microphone to address the small crowd assembled there that evening, including parents and young children involved in the CASASTART program, which is a neighborhood based prevention program for “at risk youth.”

CASASTART coordinator Kimberly McClane generally objects to the words “at risk,” and her face soured when she heard the phrase on Wednesday.

“I like to call them kids with potential,” she explained, adding that students who exhibit behavioral problems are stigmatized by that kind of language. “They just need some help.”

Children are targeted through their school guidance counselors.

Families that participate in the program get financial assistance, transportation, and tutoring, among other services. Since typical “at risk” behavior can lead to substance abuse, counseling services are also provided.

“We call this a prevention program,” McClane said. “We want to keep the children from getting to that point.”

With over 80 families having participated in the program since its inception in 2003, and Photo by Andriea Shiell 30 families participating this year, McClane Senator Roy Dyson spoke to a group of CASASTART graduates affiliated with the areas Big Brothers and Big Sisters on Wednesday evening.

Attempted Murder Trial Bumped To Late 2008

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The trial of a man accused of shooting an arrow into the back of a woman as she was walking along Great Mills Road in January is not likely to occur until sometime after October of this year.

Cynthia Panos, one of the defense attorneys representing Luis Roberto Fuentes-Diaz, who is charged with attempted murder stemming from the attack on Natasha Maureen Kelly, said the main defense attorney, Robert Bonsib, would be busy this fall with a major federal case in Greenbelt and would not be available to do both trials.

That trial deals with corruption charges against the former Prince George’s County schools superintendent, Andre Hornsby.

That trial is expected to last six weeks, Panos said.

States Attorney Richard Fritz did not object to

holding off on hearing motions to the case as his office was waiting for the outcome of part of the investigation.

“The state of Maryland has DNA evidence pending,” Fritz said.

Circuit Court Judge C. Clarke Raley ruled that motions in the case would be heard in September.

Fuentes-Diaz is currently out on bond for the alleged offense.

According to charging documents, detectives with the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations believe Fuentes-Diaz is responsible for firing the arrow that struck Kelly in the back at about 5 a.m. Jan. 19.

Investigators said at the time of the incident that a heavy jacket Kelly was wearing likely stopped the arrow from penetrating further into her back.

Emergency medical personnel as well as police responding to the scene that morning found Kelly

Corrections to Previous Article An article printed on A-2 of the County Times entitled “Foster Parents in Short Supply” on Thursday, May 8, 2008, included several mistakes for which we are offering corrections.

1. The primary goal for foster care agencies is not to set up smaller goals so that the family can be eventually reunited. The primary goal is reunification. Smaller goals are established to assist families in that goal.

2. Training and licensing procedures are not the same for regular and treatment foster care. Training is more extensive for treatment foster care because the parents are to work along with the mental health professionals to train and educate youth.

3. Foster parents are not required to

pass a “series of physicals and financial studies,” though they are required to have a physical and be financially independent. Some of the main qualifications include: being over the age of 21, 30 hours of pre-service training, financial independence, and passing a criminal background check.

4. Janet Coulby, Recruitment and Training Coordinator for Alternatives for Youth in Charlotte Hall, did not say that social workers were adept at identifying applicants best suited for providing the level of care required for treatment foster care. Applicants are rather screened to identify those best suited for becoming treatment foster parents.

For more information on foster parenting opportunities, call Janet Coulby at 301-884-0312

lying on the road with the arrow protruding from her back. Charging documents state that the arrow was fired from somewhere on Great Mills Lane.

Investigators went to FuentesDiaz’s residence to conduct a search for evidence, charging documents state, and were allowed into his residence by Fuentes-Diaz’s consent.

Investigators had come by information that Fuentes-Diaz was in possession of a compound bow and found just such a weapon in his home, charging documents state.

The arrows were of the same color and brand as the one found in the victim and bow was outside its case and easily accessible, charging documents read.

Detectives learned that Fuentes-Diaz knew the victim and had called 911 several times in the past to report that Kelly had been fighting and arguing in the street.

Kelly’s twin sister also apparently owed Fuentes-Diaz money in the amount of $100, charging documents stated.

Investigators conducted more search warrants

and gathered more unspecified evidence in the case, according to charging documents, and they also took statements from Fuentes-Diaz that contradicted those of the victim and two witnesses to the attack.

Investigators further found that the victim was within the range of a compound bow and that the wound on the victim was consistent with arrow being fired from Fuentes-Diaz’s yard, charging documents state.

While the charges against Fuentes-Diaz at the time of his arrest in January went up only to firstdegree assault, prosecutors decided to increase the charges to attempted murder for the indictment stage.

Fuentes-Diaz, 43, has been in front of the court before on weapons charges, court documents reveal.

In December Fuentes-Diaz pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed deadly weapon in county District Court and received a ruling of unsupervised probation before judgment in lieu of six months incarceration.

Another charge against him of having a handgun in his vehicle was not prosecuted by the state.

Both of those prior incidents occurred Sept. 14 of last year.

Knights of Columbus Council #7914, in Hollywood, is pleased to announce the selection of Amber Winslow as recipient of the Frederick M. Gossman Memorial High School Scholarship. Amber is the daughter of Curtis and Kelley Winslow of Hollywood, members of St. John Francis Regis Parish. Curtis is an active member of Council #7914.

Amber recently graduated from St. John’s School and will attend St. Mary’sRyken High School in the fall.

The Scholarship will provide $1000 per year for four years towards her tuition.

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The County Times

Thursday, June 12, 2008

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Editorial & Opinion Southern Gentleman, Leader of Dying Breed Few awards given out by business associations are more deserving than the first ever Public Servant Award given to Delegate Johnny Wood by the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce at their annual meeting last week. Johnny Wood is not your typical politician, mostly because Johnny was never trained to be a politician; he was trained to be a businessman, a father, and a community leader. Training that has kept Johnny’s feet firmly planted to the ground the entire 20 years he has pretended to be a politician.

Most modern day politicians start in politics at a young age, with very little

real world practical experience. They learn public speaking, learn to avoid directly answering questions, and learn to disguise their positions by publicly patronizing both sides of the issue.

They follow a career path that keeps them winning reelection by telling special interest groups what they want to hear, all the while staying as far away as possible from tough decisions.

Worst of all, today’s politicians are drawn into partisan politics that obligates them not to their constituents but rather to the party leadership to which they belong, moving them more to the radical left or right,

with party repercussions should they cross the line in the middle to work with the other side.

Johnny Wood never learned the political business at a young age, instead he learned how difficult it is to run a business, provide jobs and meet payroll each week. He learned first hand how challenging it is for employees to work each day and raise a family while meeting financial obligations. He learned first hand the cost of government regulations to business and to consumers.

Johnny Wood many times has said having run a business and meet a payroll should be a requirement to

run for public office. With respect to understanding just how much burden government can place on the people, and the practical effects of government, Johnny is right.

Johnny Wood has often found himself at odds with the career politicians in Annapolis who just don’t have the real life experience or understanding that Johnny brings to the job. But Johnny stands by his principles, he stands for what he knows will be best in the long run for the people back home that sent him to represent them in Annapolis.

Even though Johnny belongs to the Democratic Par-

ty, he stands with whichever party he believes brings the best solutions to the table.

It’s more like Johnny represents his constituents, not the party bosses, how refreshing.

Annapolis today is a much different place than 20 years ago. The Maryland Legislature today is arguably the most liberal legislature in the nation. The moderate influence that rural counties once played has been strong-armed away by metropolitan counties who dish out leadership positions and political favors only to those who support their liberal agenda.

Unlike 20 years ago,

Democratic legislators in rural Maryland give lip service to the moderate positions of their hometown folks, and then go to Annapolis and vote the more liberal position of the party leadership.

Not Johnny Wood, what he tells the folks back home is what he does in Annapolis.

And Johnny has paid the price for these actions by his party leadership.

That doesn’t matter to Johnny, what matters to Johnny is that he continues to do what is best for his constituents, no matter which political party doesn’t like it.

To The Editor: Put Up the “NO TRESPASSING SIGNS” or Suffer the Consequences If your property lies within the St. Mary’s River Watershed, you may have some young St. Mary’s College Interns trampling on your property in the next several months. What could follow is some bureaucrat telling you you are violating county, state or federal guidelines that failed to protect the St. Mary’s River Watershed. Correcting any problem THEY might find, could cost YOU lots of $$$$$$. Last month, the St. Mary’s River Watershed and St. Mary’s College sent out a letter outlining their $250,000 project (TAX PAYER FUNDED OF COURSE). Buried about 80% down the long and rambling letter was the statement ‘we are requesting you contact us ONLY if you object to having a field crew walking the stream on your property.’ The letter was not sent certified so how do they know in God’s name if you ever got it.

This is just another example of the “save the planet environmentalists” trying to tell you what to do on your own property. This letter indicates they will be making recommendations for ‘lawn maintenance practices, tree and shrub plantings that stabilize stream banks, to recommendations for larger projects

Part II

that manage runoff and restore stream habitat, to changes that improve the way the County manages sewage, to seeking landowner interest in land and habitat conservation and enhancement programs’. This letter was signed

by Joe Anderson, SMRWA President and Bob Paul, SMRWA Vice-President. These are the same guys who sat idly by and let the college build their boat house and river house (Yacht Club) within 25 feet of the rivers edge on back fill and wet lands. It is hard to comprehend millions of dollars from federally earmarked “pork” projects go into the college when the residents of Tall Timbers are told by the Army Corp of Engineers ‘there is no money to protect their property’. Don’t be a fool! Put up your no trespassing sign or send a letter to SMRWA at PO Box 94, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686 and tell them “DON’T TROD ON MY PROPERTY!” Donald Beck St. Mary’s City, Md

Last week I sent part 1 of a three part set of facts concerning the state of life in our country in recent times, especially since we have been subjected to a Democrat set of legislatures (national, state, and local). The person who generated these facts did a nice job. So here is part two, “Taxes”. You will be enlightened. Check the accuracy at www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html. Taxes under Clinton (1999) Single making $30K - tax $8,400 Single making $50K - tax $14,000 Single making $75K - tax $23,250 Married making $60K - tax $16,800 Married making $75,000K - tax $21,000 Married making $125,000K - tax $38,500 Taxes under Bush 2008 Single making $30K - tax $4,500 Single making $50K tax $12,500 Single making $75K - tax $18,750

I am writing in response to the letter published in your May 29 edition from Mr. Larry Lutz.

Mr. Lutz, Before spreading such blatant anti-democrat propaganda you should be inclined to check your sources for accuracy. A quick read of the web pages at the URL address listed below will dispel the six claims in your letter

Married making $60K - tax $9,000 Married making $75,000K - tax $18,750 Married making $125,000K - tax $31,250 Now, two of the three candidates for President have pledged to return to the Clinton rates! Amazing how many people fall into the “higher” categories listed. The ones who think they are being cheated by our current rates have been persuaded that Bush is cheating us and Clinton was the greatest. Are you ready for a repeal of the Bush tax cuts? Some of our “progressive” citizens can’t wait for that to happen. Our statistician likens them to the movie “The Sting” where those who were scammed out of their money never knew what happened to them! Wake up people! Next week...”Iraq costing us too much?”

Larry Lutz Lexington Park, Md

that were obviously reprinted from a blog or from a widely circulating email. http://www. factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_electing_a_ democratic_congress_in_2006.html All of the information sources used in creating this fact check are listed within the web pages as well.

Thanks, Frank Cameron Hollywood, Md

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The County Times

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Ramblings of a Country Girl

Section A -

A Newspaper That Serves St. Mary’s County With All Of The Community Based News That You Care About!

We are at your service with: Hello Sunshine

g

g Terri Bartz Bowles Well, the weather has warmed up considerably.

We’re outside doing a lot more and we’re wearing less. The sun is shining and everybody is happy. But danger lurks, my friend, danger lurks. Mr. Sunshine is good and wonderful and we need sunshine, it does good things for our bodies and our mood. But Mr. Sunshine is also bad, his happy rays include UVA and UVB rays which are dangerous. We need to be a little smart and take a little bit of time and protect ourselves.

At the bottom of the scale of ‘bad’ sun-related things, is cosmetic damage. Sun damage can make your skin appear older and more lined than protected skin. A tan is one of the great ironies in this life. It is something that looks healthy and attractive but is actually damaging.

Folks who get out and actively tan tend to have drier skin later in life. It gets a leathery look that is not pretty. Dry, damaged skin loses its elasticity.

Sunburns are bad and painful things. Sunscreen was not on the radar when I was a kid.

There was suntan lotion but no sun block or sunscreen.

There was Solarcaine spray for after you burned. And I burned regularly at the beginning of each summer. Pain.

I remember the pain and the peeling skin.

The sun can damage your eyes as well as your skin. If you don’t wear sunglasses, you squint a lot and that leads

to wrinkles. But those rays can damage your retinas, so wear sunglasses. Check the label and make sure they protect against UVA and UVB rays.

Sun exposures can cause skin cancer. Period. Tanning beds have the same ultraviolet light as the sun so they are no better than sun exposure.

The only safe tan is a fake tan, either the spray on kind or the lotions and bronzers.

You need to make a decision on what is important to you – how you look or how healthy you are. How vain are you?

I’m not trying to be harsh, but that’s what it comes down to. I could make you a list a page long of people I know who have had a skin cancer removed. The list would begin with myself and include family members, friends and co-workers. Some people are more susceptible, of course.

Pale skin, moles, family history; I’ve got it all.

You should go to the dermatologist once a year and get checked. You should pay attention to your moles and note any changes. You should apply sun block whenever you’re outside. Don’t forget your ears, face, forehead, all exposed areas, Sun block comes in these convenient little sticks that are very easy to apply to ears, etc.

Sun protection comes in lotions and sprays, sweat proof - any kind you need, you can find. It’s easy to find and easy to use so there’s really no excuse not to use it.

You should also wear a hat, a hat with a brim, not just

Commerce Continued from page A- “I think everyone’s very cautious,” Jarboe told The County Times. “The cost of fuel drives everything.

“Defense contractors will see a dip in their business but if you’re in healthcare your business is only going to go up.”

But it was the small businesses, many of which make up the chamber’s membership of more than 600 that will have the most problems.

“Leisure and entertainment will take a hit,” Jarboe said. “With small business you always have thin margins, you don’t have a lot of profit.”

Despite the challenging times ahead for business profits, Jarboe said, it was still imperative that the chamber continue to grow its membership.

By doing so, Jarboe said, chamber members could continue to network and create valuable business partnerships that could actually reduce costs for business owners and help make the commercial market more vibrant in the county.

He admitted that when he first had the opportunity to join the chamber that he was skeptical of the benefits his small defense contracting business might receive.

But once he joined, he said, he received a “wonderful return on investment.”

Jarboe encouraged the businesses represented at the annual meeting to “sell the message… bring them in

and let’s talk” when it came to getting new members.

Membership that stayed for the long term was the biggest challenge facing the chamber, Jarboe said.

“We want to nurture relationships so that they [businesses] stay long term,” Jarboe said. “We need all the businesses to chip in.”

Another challenge the chamber and the business community at large faced was that of continual vacancies in critical work force areas like health care, defense contractor jobs and in construction trades, Jarboe said.

The problem, he said, particularly with engineers and other high technology employees, was that they tended to come to the county for a brief stint working on a project at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and then leave.

Jarboe said the key was to engage the young professionals in the community to find out why they were leaving. That was one of the chamber’s focuses this year, he said.

“We keep losing the young guys and girls, the ones between 21 and their mid-30s,” Jarboe said. “We need to find out what they want to keep them here.”

While continuing to do business here and in Southern Maryland would be more challenging, Jarboe said, their were still positive signs that the local economy was strong.

While a new administra-

a ball cap with a bill or a visor. It’s also getting easier to find sun protective clothing.

There are specialty companies that carry an entire range of clothing and accessories.

It’s so easy, just throw on your sun protective clothing and go. You may think a longsleeved sun protective shirt is hot but it’s not. These clothes are surprisingly lightweight and if the sun is not shining on your skin, you don’t feel as hot. And you need to think about sun protection every day. It’s not just when you’re at the beach or gardening or playing golf. Incidental sun exposure adds up. Odds are you or somebody you know has a more tanned left arm than right arm. Why? Driving a car and the sun coming through the window. Use sun block. Use it every day, make it part of your routine. It’s easier than having the dermatologist take a biopsy and waiting to find out if it’s cancerous or not. Stitches, maybe more cutting. Or freezing spots off your face or ears that are pre-cancerous or cancerous.

Just protect yourself and save yourself the worry. Be smart, not vain. Avoid the tan. Save your life.

tion is set to take charge in the White House, he said, many of the programs that defense contractors are working on have already been funded by the federal government.

So at least for the next several years, business for them should be robust, Jarboe said.

He also pointed to the planned development of third reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Calvert County as an economic benefit beyond providing more electricity.

“It’ll bring 500 jobs to the area right off the bat,” Jarboe said. “It’ll be a good economic driver for the tricounty area.”

Bill Scarafia, the chamber’s CEO, said that the chamber has been able to accomplish great things in the past few years.

Scarafia was named Chamber Executive of the Year for his work in managing the local group by the Maryland Association of Chambers of Commerce Executives.

“When I took this job it wasn’t because of the job, it wasn’t because of the community, it was the people,” Scarafia said of the staff, members and volunteers that helped make the chamber’s efforts successful. “This award has about 300 fingerprints on it.”

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g

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Section A -

Odd News

Thursday, June 12, 2008 Taking your child’s temperature is a part of fever care. The gold standard in temperature measurement used to be a glass rectal thermometer, but as every parent knows, taking a temperature rectally is often met with resistance and is an invasive process, particularly when your son or daughter is resting. The Exergen

How to Keep Your Cool When Your Child is Hot

Guantanamo Bay Vacations!

A British lawyer representing 28 detainees at Guantanamo Bay described a hot new vacation resort to London’s Daily Mail in May, nestled yards away from prisoners being held by the U.S. government at Guantanamo Bay. Author Angela Levin writes that the “while the detainees lie incarcerated, visitors can windsurf, take boat trips and go fishing for grouper, tuna, red snapper and swordfish.” Levin’s article said that over 1.5 million service personnel and 3,000 Guantanamo construction workers are eligible to vacation at the site, which boasts air conditioned rooms for $42 a night, surfing, bowling, and even a gift shop selling t-shirts that read “The Taliban Towers at Guantanamo Bay, the Caribbean’s Newest 5-Star Resort” next to shelves of mugs and cuddly toys. The resort also has a movie theater, a golf course, and a Wal-Mart supermarket.

If not for the barbed wire decorations, one could easily mistake it for paradise.

Your child is restless, feverish and generally out of sorts. All signs point to a day home from school. Sick days are no fun for a child who is waylaid by an illness. They can also be a source of anxiety for parents who have to figure out what’s wrong with their child and take steps to provide care and comfort. You should be prepared for the times when your child is ill so you’ll know how to best handle the situation and when to involve a doctor. The makers of the Exergen TemporalScannerÆ offer these sick day suggestions.

a natural defense mechanism.

Fever Care

Workplace Culture…in Decline

Fevers can be one of the more scary symptoms of a childhood illness, particularly because parents equate a very hot child with immediate danger, such as a seizure. But fevers are actually the body’s natural Using a temporal artery thermometer is one way to make sick days home with your child reaction to fighting an infection as its easier. internal thermostat is raised as part of TemporalScanner is a temporal artery thermometer with accuracy comparaThere’s A New Store In The Wildewood Shopping Centre ble to a rectal thermometer but much more gentle and convenient. Simply run the TemporalScanner across the forehead to record body heat emitted from the temporal artery directly beneath the skin on the forehead. The advantage to this thermometer is that it can accurately read temperatures in a convenient, quick and non-invasive For The Fashion Forward Woman way. You can even check your child’s LAdIeS AppAreL • ShoeS • ACCeSSorIeS temperature while he or she is sleeping. The convenience offered by the Exergen TemporalScanner has led to Wildewood Shopping Centre • 23415 Three Notch rd. California, Md 20619 301-866-9005 • Store hours: Mon. – Sat. 10am – 9pm • Closed on Sun. its increased use in pediatrician’s offices and hospitals across the country.

Available at Babys “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Wal-Mart,Walgreens, Costco and Sam’s Clubs around the country, Exergen is now offering a $5 factory rebate with purchase. Details are available at www.exergen.com.

With fever, children can also experience body aches and chills. You $188,950 can make your child more comfort$289,950 with clo able by making sure he or she has sing he with closing help lp plenty of warm blankets - but don’t over-bundle as this can prohibit fever reduction. If your child is very uncomfortable with fever, pediatricians often recommend taking acetaminophen (TylenolÆ). When the fever breaks, your child may be sweating.

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If your child has had a fever for hallways, & utility room with the washer/dryer. Wood Washer/Dryer convey. Contact Pax River Realty for more stove in living room. Some closing help available. Cona few days with no signs of improveinformation. tact Pax River Realty for more information. ment, consult his or her doctor as fever could be the symptom of a more Directions: Rt. 235 to MacArthur Blvd.

Follow Directions: Rt. 5 to Rt. 234. Going north to end. Make a right on North Springsteen Ct. take a left Rt. 242. Take Rt. 242 to Pene Rine. serious condition.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported in February that salesman Chad Hudgens filed a lawsuit in January against his former Salt Lake City employer, charging that the boss and a “motivational trainer” used, as a “team-building” exercise that was essentially the controversial “torture” practice of “waterboarding.” The boss allegedly said if salesmen tried as hard to close deals as they’re trying to breathe during the simulated drowning, sales would soar.

Power Undies Triumph International, the Japanese women’s underwear company, released its latest publicity-seeking creation in May: the solar-powered bra, with enough exposed panels to power an iPod or cell phone. Other Triumph specials include a baseball bra (with fielder’s-mitt-shaped cups) and a heated bra (with microwavable gel pads to warm the cups).

Instant Karma The Salt Lake Tribune reported in March that a 31-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition in Salt Lake City, hit by cars after running into traffic to avoid paying for a taxi ride he had just taken. The Houston Chronicle reported in February that a 25-year-old man, pursued by police after he tried to run down his girlfriend with his car, fled on foot across Interstate 45 near Houston, but was struck and killed by cars. And in March the St. Petersburg Times reported that two men who stole a kayak and went joyriding on Moon Lake near New Port Richey, Fla., drowned when the boat capsized.

Luxurious Prison Life

Father’s Day specials

The luxurious lifestyle of a convict in northeastern Brazil has come to an abrupt end after police confiscated a plasma TV set, gym equipment, two pistols and cash worth $173,000 from his cell, officials said Tuesday. Bahia’s Prison Affairs Department head Jose Francisco Leite said police raided the cell Monday in a statewide crackdown on drug trafficking. He said Tuesday authorities have ordered an investigation of how of Genilson Lins da Silva got 280,000 reals ($173,000), two .38-caliber pistols and other amenities into his cell at the Bahia’s Lemos Brito Penitentiary. Silva is serving 28 years for robbery and murder and was transferred to another prison. Leite says Silva “led a posh prison life in his cell, which he occupied all by himself.”

Pax River Realty

Poetic Justice

Paul Sullivan – Broker www.PaxRiverRealty.com

Fourth house on left. See Pax River Realty sign in yard.

House just past Pene Rine on left side of road with sign in the yard.

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More than two dozen young people who broke into Robert Frost’s former home for a beer party and trashed the place are being required to take classes in his poetry as part of their punishment. Using “The Road Not Taken” and another poem as jumping-off points, Frost biographer Jay Parini hopes to show the vandals the error of their ways — and the redemptive power of poetry.

“I guess I was thinking that if these teens had a better understanding of who Robert Frost was and his contribution to our society, that they would be more respectful of other people’s property in the future and would also learn something from the experience,” said prosecutor John Quinn.

Talk to Your Child’s Doctor When you bring your child into the doctor’s office for his or her next checkup, come prepared with a list of questions. Ask the doctor what medications are best to keep in the house for treating minor illnesses. Some over-the-counter cold and cough remedies have recently been re-evaluated for safety by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and may no longer be recommended. Discuss whether to use ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain or fever reduction. Also inquire as to what illnesses or symptoms warrant an afterhours office visit or a trip to the emergency room. Having this information handy will help you to feel more reassured if your child does become sick.

Higher Educaiton?

A Cleveland-area principal said he is embarrassed his students got proof of their “educaiton” on their high school diplomas.

Westlake High School officials misspelled “education” on the diplomas distributed last weekend. It’s been the subject of mockery on local radio.

Principal Timothy Freeman said he sent back the diplomas once to correct another error.

When the diplomas came back, no one bothered to check things they thought were right the first time. The publisher has reprinted the diplomas a second time and sent them to the 330 graduates.

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Sick kids are usually crabby kids. To make the time spent at home as enjoyable as possible, provide your child with some distractions. Relax home “rules,” allowing him or her to watch some favorite television shows. If your child feels up to eating, serve meals in bed or on the sofa.

Keep a pile of recreational items, such as books, puzzles, magazines, and favorite music by the bedside.

The County Times

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Section A -

MFOQA Program Deployment Accelerated Naval Air Systems Command Press Release NAVAIR’s Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance (MFOQA) program will accelerate deployment to the rate of one new platform per fiscal year.

The MFOQA program, managed by the Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA209), has excellent support from Navy leadership. Mr. Thomas Matthews, the MFOQA Integrated Program Team leader, briefed the MFOQA program to the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Donald C. Winter, in early February along with members of the Naval Safety Center and Commander, Naval Air Forces.

“Secretary Winter was very enthusiastic about the MFOQA program,” said Matthews.

“He tasked PMA209 to ‘do it right and do it as quickly as possible.’ With SECNAV’s backing, we were able to secure the budget required to accelerate the program.”

The MFOQA program involves the analysis and trending of aircraft flight performance and system data to proactively enhance combat readiness through improvements in operations, maintenance, safety and training functions.

The program provides tools for squadron commanders to establish a baseline for normal operations; to identify, mitigate, and monitor operational risks while detecting precursors to aviation mishaps; and identify operational inefficiencies.

It also provides capabilities to all levels of the Naval Aviation Enterprise to improve and enhance mission-effectiveness through the awareness of abnormal trends, con-

tinuous knowledge of aircraft systems performance, and insight into the effectiveness of procedures, policies, and aircrew training on actual mission accomplishment.

The first Navy platforms to fully in-

corporate the MFOQA program are the F/A-18C-F and the EA-18G communities. “The Hornet has the most mature data collection system,” added Matthews. “Our other platforms are very close to having the same capability. We plan to field MFOQA

corder that records applicable data and many platforms already do.”

“MFOQA uses the data that is already routinely being collected on the aircraft, either for mission planning or aircraft maintenance;

box on the aircraft, there are no software changes required,” stated W. B. “Chip” Brown, MFOQA Lead Engineer. “The only real requirement is that the platform has a flight recording system such as a mission recorder or a flight data re-

While both programs analyze digital flight data routinely downloaded post-flight to measure the safe and efficient operation of the aircraft, the Navy MFOQA program enables aircrew replay of the data for post-mission debriefings, enhanced instrument panel and bit code displays for local maintenance troubleshooting, and access to data at multiple levels within the Naval Aviation Enterprise for sophisticated Fleet trending and analysis.

“The potential benefits include significant improvements in Maintenance, Operations, Safety, and Training (MOST),” said Matthews. “MFOQA will provide a proactive means to highlight positive trends and to identify potential risks in time for corrective action.”

The MFOQA program is manand a small software patch on aged by the NAVAIR Air Combat the platform’s maintenance station, routes that information to the Electronics (ACE) Program Office MFOQA site server,” added Brown. (PMA209). You can learn more “The MFOQA system is approxi- about MFOQA by visiting http:// mately 70 percent commercial-off- pma209.navair.navy.mil/teams/ the-shelf (COTS) software with the flightOps/mfoqa.asp

Clean the Air Inside Your Vehicle for a Healthier Ride Many motorists do not know their vehicles come equipped with cabin air filters that prevent pollutants such as pollen, dirt, dust and soot from entering the car through the heating and air conditioning vents.

But over time, cabin air filters can get clogged and actually multiply the dangers from air pollutants when the heating and air conditioning system blows them inside the car with no way for them to escape.

“Checking and replacing a vehicle’s cabin air filter every 12,000 to 18,000 miles keeps environmental contaminants from entering the interior of the vehicle and aggravating seasonal allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions,” says Ramon Nunez, Director of Filtration for Bosch, joint venture owner of Purolator Filters NA LLC. www.pureoil.com.

The cabin air filter may

also be called pollen filter, airconditioning filter, passenger compartment air filter, interior ventilation filter or dust filter.

Two kinds of cabin filters are available for modern vehicles - the particulate cabin filter and the activated charcoal cabin filter.

The particulate cabin filter features a multi-layer design with more pleats that provide more space to filter out pollutants. Other features include foam perimeter gaskets and an injection-molded frame when specified by the vehicle manufacturer.

The activated charcoal cabin filter goes a step further.

It absorbs nearly all toxic and foul-smelling gases such as ozone, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and hydrocarbons. An additional cover layer makes for extra protection.

Often, both particulate type and activated charcoal type cabin filters are available

Reconsider Continued from page A- In sentencing Panowicz to 18 months in county jail in May for the assault on the young girl, Judge Clagett also authorized work release for Panowicz.

“It was clearly not the court’s intention that its sentence result in Mr. Panowicz losing his job, which is the primary basis of support for his two children, his home, his fiancée and her two children, his mother and even a significant source of support for his ex-wife,” Papermeister wrote in his motion to the court.

“In short, the loss of a job… would be totally devastating and would destroy Mark Panowicz.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Daniel J. White, who prosecuted Panowicz, said he would oppose the defense motion.

White had asked for a 10-year prison sentence for Panowicz suspended down to five years, but Judge Clagett opted for the 18-month

remaining 30 percent Navy “glue” code which integrates the various modules into a single, seamless application,” said Brown. “And due to our competitive acquisition strategy, the Government can use the computer source code to meet platform requirements without having to pay any recurring charges, which will save a lot of money over the life of the program.”

The Department of the Navy (DON) MFOQA program is based in part on the highly successful Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Operations Quality Assurance program.

on all Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, as directed and prioritized by Navy leadership and Commander, Naval Air Forces, at the rate of one platform community per year.”

“MFOQA does not add a new black

for the same vehicle, and you can replace a used cabin filter with either type, regardless of which was installed by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

Recent estimates indicate approximately 45 million vehicles in the U.S. are equipped with cabin air filters. Refer to your owner’s manual or check with a mechanic to see if your vehicle has one.

Whether you have it replaced professionally or decide to tackle it yourself, it’s important to know that the time it takes to install a cabin air filter varies with the make and model of the vehicle you drive.

“It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on where it is located and how difficult it is for you or the technician to reach,” Nunez said. The cabin air filter may be located, for example, in the outside air intake, under the dash or even behind the glove box.

sentence instead.

At Panowicz’s trial back in February, his accuser testified that he started to rub the small of her back when she was asleep in one of the rooms of his house. The victim testified that she and other teenagers, who had been invited there by Panowicz’s son, had been drinking heavily and became intoxicated. The victim had to be carried to one of the rooms after she had become sick.

The victim testified that she awoke after feeling someone touching her and saw Panowicz on the floor next to the bed when she turned around to see who was there.

It was revealed after Judge Clagett found Panowicz guilty that the defendant had a conviction for a similar crime in Charles County.

At his trial, Panowicz was also charged with eight other offenses, consisting of contributing to the delinquency of minors and furnishing alcohol to minors. But those charges were dropped during the trial.

The reconsideration hearing was scheduled for July 12 at District Court in Leonardtown.

Purolator’s BreatheEASY cabin air filter includes stepby-step instructions on the entire installation process as well as estimated difficulty and replacement times.

Nunez, Purolator’s BreatheEASYÆ cabin air filter is designed to clean and protect the air in the vehicle and reduce the accumulation of dust inside the car.

Currently, each box of

Inventor of the first automotive oil filter in 1923, Purolator offers premium quality cabin air filters for most domestic and imported vehicles. According to

Do you know if your vehicle is equipped with a cabin air filter? A cabin air filter prevents pollen, dirt, and soot from entering the vehicle through the heating and air conditioning vents and keeps the air inside clean. However, over time, a cabin air filter can get clogged. Check and replace your vehicle’s cabin air filter every 12,000 to 18,000 miles to keep air pollutants from entering your vehicle and aggravating seasonal allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions. www.pureoil.com.

St. Mary’s City St. Mary's City DATE

LOW

HIGH

Fri. June 13

10:08 p.

4:21 a.m.

Sat. June 14

10:48 p.m.

4:58 a.m.

LOW 11:08 p.m.

11:43 a.m.

HIGH 5:06 p.m.

5:43 p.m.

Sun. June 15

11:31 p.m.

5:39 a.m.

12:20 p.m.

6:24 p.m.

Mon. June 16

12:19 a.m.

6:26 a.m.

1:00 p.m.

7:11 p.m.

Tue. June 17

1:12 a.m.

Wed. June 18

2:11 a.m.

8:17 a.m.

2:31 p.m.

8:58 p.m.

Thu. June 19

3:18 a.m.

9:19 a.m.

3:21 p.m.

9:54 p.m.

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

7:19 a.m.

HIGH "+31 min." "+45 min." "+50 min."

"-21 min." "+9 min." "+58 min." "+25 min."

1:43 p.m.

LOW "+29 min." "+45 min." "+24 min."

"-31 min."

"-8 min." "+63 min." "+13 min."

8:03 p.m.

The County Times

Section A -

Teachers of the Year Honored Andrea Shiell Staff Writer The Board of Education meeting room in Leonardtown offered a welcome break from the scorching heat outside as this year’s nominees for Teacher of the Year made their way indoors on Monday afternoon for their recognition ceremony. All seemed fatigued but happy as they took their seats and heaved sighs of relief as they reflected on the end of another hectic school year.

For Bonnie Beavan though, it was a sad day. “It’s very depressing day,” she said, “because there are no kids…still as much as I hate the break, I think the teachers really need it.” Beavan was honored as the county’s Teacher of the Year for 20072008, and used her time at the gathering to address the other nominees assembled there, alongside Board of Education members Mary Washington, Cathy Allen, and Salvatore Raspa, and many of the area’s school principals and administrators.

“Each of you is a model and a credit to the teaching profession,” said Edward Weiland, Director of Human Resources for St. Mary’s County Public Schools as he introduced the honorees in the room, including Beavan and this year’s Washington Post Agnes Meyer Award Recipi-

ent, Ben Peterson.

“My choice to become a teacher was influenced by the teachers I had,” said Beavan, who teaches eighth grade math at Spring Ridge Middle School. She laughed as she said that, “ironically enough, math was a weak subject for me.” Having graduated from St. Mary’s County Public Schools, where she has just rounded out her fifth year of teaching, Beavan smiled as she explained that her success was entirely dependant on those around her.

As Teacher of the Year, Beavan explained later that she would attend functions with other teachers in the state as a representative of St. Mary’s County, and that she was now in the running to win the state Teacher of the Year award at this year’s gala in October. Despite this honor though, Beavan remained humble. “I’m honored to be teacher of the year,” she said, “but I just love my students and I love what I do. I guess this is what they call an added bonus.”

Peterson said that since receiving word of his honor earlier in the school year, he had felt as though he were representing three slightly different versions of himself to three different groups, the crowd issuing awards from the Washington Post, politicians at the roundtable discussion he and others

had had with Representative Steny Hoyer in May, and his own family of educators and students from Leonardtown Elementary School, where he has spent the last 21 years teaching physical education.

“I got the feeling I was representing three different groups on three different nights,” he said.

Peterson also reflected on his last two years at Leonardtown Elementary, at the school annex in Loveville awaiting the completion of renovations to the site in Leonardtown. “It’s been the two most challenging years of my life,” he exclaimed. “The work hard part was not hard at all because if you didn’t work hard, you didn’t survive,” he said, explaining that in that time he had shared his 25 by 35-foot gym with the school cafeteria, and had taught volleyball by having his kids sit down on carpet patches in his cramped 20 by 20-foot trailer, batting a beach ball across a makeshift net. He said that it had been an exercise in ingenuity. “It challenged me to be creative,” he said, adding that it was always worth the effort. He described his newly renovated accommodations as a blessing for the students.

“They’ve mostly had to spend the last two years without a blade of grass under their feet,” he said, adding that his new accommodations felt like “walking into a new job.”

Peterson and Beavan both echoed the idea that theirs was not a job that revolved around money or prestige,

Thursday, June 12, 2008 but around children, making theirs the richest of professions. As other honorees in the room received their own recognition certificates for excellence, the ideal seemed to prevail. “I don’t think any of

us in here do this for the recognition, and certainly not for the money, but it is nice to be recognized,” said Peterson, as the rest of the room nodded in agreement.

Photo by Andriea Shiell

Nominees for this year’s Teacher of the Year were honored by the Board of Education on Monday.

Photo by Andriea Shiell

Bonnie Beavan heads up a line of several nominees for this year’s Teacher of the Year award at Monday’s recognition ceremony.

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Assault Continued from page A- When police arrived on the scene to deal with the disturbance, Kohut began throwing objects in the room out at police in an attempt to keep them from getting inside, charging documents state.

The disturbance was so great that it drew a crowd of onlookers, police said at the time of the incident.

That night Kohut told police he had beaten Campbell because of some kind of an alleged unrelated sexual assault, charging documents state, and that he had killed or was trying to kill the victim.

Kohut said he “danced on his [the victim’s]

Rabies Continued from page A- 2005.

That year holds the record of rabies cases recorded here at 14 incidents.

The county health department is advising pet owners to reexamine their pets vaccination records to ensure their pets’ rabies shots are up to date.

The disease can be fatal, according to information from the health department.

At least one case of rabies showed how aggressive an infected animal could be.

“One recent case involved a skunk, which came in contact with four dogs that were not current on their rabies vaccine status,” said Ann Rose, environmental health sanitarian for the department.

“Despite the fact that the dogs were enclosed in a fenced area, the skunk managed to gain access to their area.”

Those dogs are now confined to a state of isolation for six months because they could develop the disease’s symptoms.

There were four cases of rabies reported in May alone, according to the health department, and each case involved either a rabid skunk or raccoon.

Pets who are up to date on

face” and told investigators he “[hoped] he dies,” charging documents stated.

Investigators said Campbell denied making any kind of sexual advances towards Kohut; detectives said they believed Kohut’s original motivation for the assault was money and that the claims of some kind of sexual assault were not credible.

Deputies at the stated that the attack was a brutal assault and that the evidence of the incident was all they needed to charge Kohut with attempted murder; motives were not necessarily important to the case.

The damage done to Campbell was severe, according to police reports; the injuries included temporal skull fracture and massive tissue injury.

Kohut faces up to 25 years in prison for the first degree assault charge.

their vaccinations and come in contact with a rabies-infected animal must be quarantined for 45 days, according to health department regulations, or about a month-and-a-half.

Rabies is spread through saliva, and allowing pets to roam freely where they can come in contact with both wild and domesticated animals increases their risk of contracting the disease, according to the health department.

Residents are encouraged to report animals acting in a strange or aggressive manner to animal control as well as any bites or scratches sustained from animals suspected of carrying the disease.

But rabies isn’t the only public health concern on the horizon.

In a letter penned to the Board of County Commissioners June 5, Dr. William F. Icenhower, the county’s chief health officer expressed his worry that there could be a surge in the mosquito and tick populations this summer.

“Between the heat and the rain there’s a fair chance we could have a huge mosquito population,” Icenhower told The County Times Monday. “I’d like to anticipate the problem.”

Icenhower said that there have been no reports of mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus or Japanese encephalitis but there is no

medication to treat those diseases once a person is infected he said.

“There’s nothing to do, there’s no medication,” he said. “Prevention is the only way to go.”

Icenhower said that information from the Department of Agriculture showed that it’s shaping up to be the worst year in 30 years for mosquitoes and that crews are already putting out poison to kill mosquito larvae. Spraying for adult mosquitoes will begin in a few days, he said.

Ticks are also worrisome he said. As the key spreader of Lyme Diease, ticks are often found on deer, of which there appears to be a strong number in the county, Icenhower said.

While he said he has seen little scientific evidence so far that ticks are on the rise, anecdotal evidence was a cause for concern.

“I’ve had a lot of people come to me and say they’ve had a lot of problems with ticks,” he said. “That they’ll go outside for a walk and find ticks on their dog.”

He asked any resident to report cases of suspected Lyme Disease to the health department.

For more information on rabies prevention visit the department’s Web site at www.smchd.org or call 301-475-4321.

The County Times

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Section A -

Obituaries Helen Elizabeth Bailey, 101 Helen Elizabeth Bailey, 101, of Guest Point Farm, Compton, died June 4 in her residence.

Born Aug. 15, 1906 in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of the late John F. and Mary Ann Meenehan.

The family, with five children, moved to County Mayo, Ireland in 1911, and returned to Washington, D.C. with nine children in 1921 to reside on Euclid St. NW. Her father opened Meenehan Hardware on 14th St. NW. Helen was educated in Ireland and Washington, D.C., graduated from Central High School and attended Strayer Business College. She worked at Homeowner’s Loan Corp. and the Civil Service Commission until 1940 when she assumed the full time duties of a homemaker.

She enjoyed working in her garden, flowers, fishing, crabbing (especially soft crabs), playing cards, her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and was always proud of her Irish heritage.

Helen is survived by her children; John D. Bailey, Jr. and his wife H. Jane of Mechanicsville, Paul Bailey and his wife Donna who reside on the home farm, Linda Nottingham and her husband Stuart of Fairfax County, Va., Mary Solomon and her husband Michael of Victorville, Calif., Daniel Bailey and his wife Suzy of Frederick, Md., six grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.

She is also survived by her brother Frank Meenehan of Chevy Chase, Md. She was preceded in death by her husband John D. Bailey, Sr. whose family was from St. Mary’s County. They were married in 1935 and lived between Washington, D.C. and St. Mary’s County until 1977, when they returned to reside full time on their farm.

Family received friends Saturday, June 7 from 10 – 11 a.m. in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 21370 Newtowne Neck Road, Leonardtown. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 11 a.m. with the Reverend John Mattingly officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 299, Leonardtown, MD 20650, or St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 21370 Newtowne Neck Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsf ieldfuneral. com.

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

Anthony Ray “Tony” Bryant, Sr., 45 Anthony Ray “Tony” Bryant, Sr., 45, of Lexington Park, died June 5 in the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C. Born July 17, 1962 in Leonardtown, he was the son of Shirley Ann Johnson Bryant and the late Ray Bryant.

Family will receive friends Saturday, June 14 from 9 – 11 a.m. in The Gospel Tabernacle of Prayer Church, 24576 Budds Creek Road, Clements, MD 20624. A Funeral Service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Elder

William H. Williams, Jr. from the Greater Morning Star Pentecostal Church, Lexington Park will be the celebrant. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown.

Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsf ieldfuneral. com.

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

William Joseph “Bill” Farrell Jr., 75 W i l liam Joseph “Bill” Farrell Jr., 75, of Leonardtown died June 7 in Wa s h i n g ton Hospital Center.

Born July 24, 1932, in Morganza he was the son of the late Edith Mabel and William Joseph Farrell Sr. He was the husband of the late Nancy Lee Farrell, whom he married Jan. 2, 1960 in St. John’s Church, Hollywood, Md. He is survived by his son Christopher and his wife Joan and his daughter Eleanor Denise Delozier and her husband Doug as well as his grandchildren Kevin and Mike Farrell and step-grandchildren Irma and John Delozier.

He was a lifelong St. Mary’s County resident where he graduated from Margaret Brent High School in Helen in 1951.

He worked for Safeway Stores for 30 years and for the Leonardtown Commissioners at the wastewater treatment plant for nine years as the maintenance supervisor.

He enjoyed traveling the states; 43 of them in his motor home with his family and In-Laws. He enjoyed restoring classic cars; a ‘53 Plymouth and a ’57 Chevy, which he and his wife showed. He also restored farm tractors and steam and gas engines which he showed on the East Coast.

The family received friends Tuesday, June 10 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, where prayers will be said at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday, June 11 at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church, Chaptico, MD with Fr. Timothy Baer officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown. Pallbearers were Robin Hammett, Jimmy Bailey, David Farrell, Billy Rice, Jay Farrell and Charles Wallace.

Honorary pallbearers were the Leonardtown Commissioners & WWT plant employees; Don Kasper, Gator Delahay and Steve Hoopengardner, Safeway employees, Ike Lee, Greg Curry, Bob Wilhoit, Buddy Long and former sheriff of St. Mary’s, Wayne Pettit.

Contributions may be made to American Heart Association 415 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Francis Carroll “Sonny” Gates, Sr., 75 Francis Carroll “Sonny” Gates, Sr., 75 of Mechanicsville died peacef ully amongst family members in his home June 5.

Born Jan. 8, 1933 in Washington, D.C., he was the loving son of the late Clarence and Mary Hazel

Gates.

He grew up in Fort Washington, Md. along with his two brothers, Maynard and Bill. He attended Oxon Hill High School, where he met his high school sweetheart, Sarah Ellen “Sally” Baxter, whom he married June 28, 1952 in Washington, D.C. “Sonny,” as he was known by his family and friends, was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to all who knew him. He was a hard worker and enjoyed his career as a plumber. He also enjoyed building, so much that he built the two houses his family lives in. Also, he made additions to his vacation home in Myrtle Beach, S.C. After he and Sally retired, the two of them shared many memories cruising around the world.

Sonny enjoyed boating and being on the water.

He kept himself busy, but always had time to spend with his family, who he loved dearly. He enjoyed summer time BBQ’s and Thursday night taco nights.

He especially loved taking long naps with his best buddy “Lucky;” his cat that he rescued from under his vacation home.

Sonny is survived by his devoted wife Sally, his five loving children; Frank Gates and wife Karen of Mechanicsville, Karen Sweeney of Hollywood, John Gates of Great Mills, James Gates, Sr. of Garden City, S.C. and Donald Gates of Mechanicsville; ten grandchildren; Steven Gates, Kenney Gates, Sarah Gates, Tammy Sweeney, John Gates, Shannon Burroughs and her husband Kyle, James Gates, Jr., Barbara Gates, Brian Sweeney and Linda Gates and nine great-grandchildren Bryton, Devon, Teagan, Colin, Hailey, Joshua, Haidyn, Destiny and Danay. He is also survived by two brothers Clarence Gates and William Gates and his wife June both of Fort Washington, Md. He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews.

Family and friends were received for Sonny’s Life Celebration in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD Monday, June 9 from 5 – 8 p.m. with prayers recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Tuesday, June10 at 10 a.m. in St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church, Hollywood. Father Raymond Schmidt was the celebrant.

Serving as pallbearers were Steven Gates, Kenney Gates, James Gates, Jr., Brian Sweeney, Kyle Burroughs and Manny Gates.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, MD 20636, or the Cancer Research Foundation, P.O. Box 50226, Henderson, NV 89016-0226.

Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsf ieldfuneral. com.

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

James Franklin “Frankie” Harris, Sr., 70 James Fran klin “ Fr a n k ie” Harris, Sr., 70, of Mesa, Arizona, formerly of C a l l a w a y, died June 3, in Calvert Memorial Hospital, Prince Frederick, Md. Born April 15, 1938 in Leonardtown, he was the son of the late Joseph G.

and Eloise Gatton Harris.

After graduating from Margaret Brent High School in Helen, he began his business career in St. Mary’s County. He founded Harris Jewelers in Leonardtown in 1965, with later became G & H Jewelers. He also owned and coowned various other businesses in the county.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Elizabeth Lucille “Betty Lou” Harris in January 1993 and a son Gregory “Greg” Russell Harris in November 2002; a sister Louise Harris and a brother Sam Harris.

Mr. Harris is survived by his wife Diana May Nutter Harris of Mesa, Arz. a daughter Crystal Dawn Moeller her husband Lawrence of Leonardtown; son James Franklin “Frank” Harris, Jr. his wife Joan of Saint Leonard; step-daughter Debbie Fort of Mesa, Arz.; sister Rose Marie Tena and her husband Tom of Hollywood, Md. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends attended Frankie’s Life Celebration Friday, June 6 in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, Leonardtown, from 5 – 8 p.m. with a funeral service at 7 p.m. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 7 in the Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown.

Serving as pallbearers were David Harris, Matthew Harris, Will Moeller, Ben Moeller, Lawrence Moeller and Paul Fort. Honorary pallbearers were Tom Tena, Dickie Gatton, Frank Harris, Jr., and Mitchell Harris.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice House c/o Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or ACTS, P.O. Box 54, Bushwood, MD 20618.

Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com.

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

Frances Irene Milburn, 49 Frances Irene Milburn, 49, of Lexing ton Park died June 6 in the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C. Born Feb. 3, 1959 in Leonardtown she was the daughter of the late Joseph Fred and Lillian Lucille Dorsey Milburn.

Frances is survived by one daughter, Sharika

L. Milburn of Lexington Park; four sisters, Donna Milburn of Hollywood, Hope Milburn of Lexington Park, Lillian Milburn of California and Ladeane Smallwood of Leonardtown; seven brothers, Thomas Milburn of Avenue, William Milburn, Vernon Milburn and Bruce Owen of Lexington Park, Lord Milburn of Annapolis, Frederick Milburn of Leonardtown and Dexter Milburn of Waldorf, Md. She was preceded in death by siblings Lola Jean Milburn, Melody McRae, Mary Ann Young and Dennis Milburn.

Family will receive friends Thursday, June 12 at St. Matthews Free Gospel Church of Christ, Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, from 10 – 11 a.m. with services at 11 a.m. Elder Charles Ford will officiate. Interment will follow in the Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown.

Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com.

Arrangement provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

George Franklin “Frank” Sanger, Jr., 50 George Fran k li n “Frank” Sanger, Jr., 50, of Valley Lee died June 6 in Georgetown Universit y Hospital.

Born Oct. 7, 1957 in Leonardtown, he was the son of the late George F. Sr. and Elaine Mary Sanger.

He is survived by his sisters Charlotte E. Greco of Fort Meyers, Fla. and Judith L. Balta and her husband Francis of Valley Lee, his niece Cynthia C. Hubbard and her husband Brad of Roswell, Ga. and his nephew Michael Greco and his wife Shannon of Fort Myers, Fla. He is also survived by his great nieces and great nephews Jacob and Joshua Hubbard and Monroe and Jackson Greco.

A lifelong St. Mary’s County resident, George graduated from Chopticon High School’s Class of 1974. He obtained his Associates Degree from Charles County Community College and was employed with Wyle Laboratories as a computer analyst.

He enjoyed boating, fishing, crabbing, golfing and taking care of

his lawn. He was an avid Redskins Fan. The family received friends Monday, June 9 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. where prayers were said at 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, June 10 at noon in the Funeral Home Chapel with Msgr.

Karl Chimiak officiating.

Interment followed in St. Aloysius Cemetery, Leonardtown. Pallbearers were Jim Berthi, Rob Roberts, Sid Jones, Tom Bresslin, David Calvano and Philip Weeks. Honorary pallbearers were Walter Wise, Bob Combs, Chris Combs and JB Briscoe.

Contributions may be made to the Valley Lee Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692 and/or Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Joseph “Joe” Galin Underwood, 28 Joseph “Joe” Galin Underwood, 28, of Callaway died June 4 in his residence.

B o r n July 21, 1979 in Leonardtown he was the son of Galin and Gail Underwood.

He is survived by his parents, his brother; John W. Carter III and his wife Tammy, his nephew, John W. Carter IV and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins.

A lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County, Joe was employed by the Paul Hall Center in Piney Point for ten years. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, fishing, crabbing around the docks and boating.

The family received friends Monday, June 9 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, June 10 in Holy Face Catholic Church, Great Mills with Fr. Joseph Sileo officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown.

Pallbearers were David Hammett, Jimmy Hanson, Mickey Hayden, Sam Spalding, Tommy Swann and Howard Thompson.

Contributions may be made to Holy Face Catholic Church, 20408 Pt. Lookout Road, Great Mills, MD 20634.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

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The County Times

Section A - 10

Winery Continued from page A- house the new winery, the work for which has been in full swing since last year. “Sometimes the perception is that government works slowly,� commented Leonardtown Mayor Chip Norris, “but I think it’s moved on at a blinding speed.� Norris expressed optimism about the future of the project, which many hope will connect other points of interest in the town and solidify the area as a tourist attraction.

So far, 20 acres of vineyard have been planted by members of the cooperative, whose

Dick, coop members who own a vineyard in Scotland, and hope to see wine highlighted in the upcoming years, as well as friendlier legislation easing the restrictions on sales and participation at local events. “Maryland does not really support the local wine industry,� said Joe, adding that the increase of grape growers in the region might be enough to overturn restrictions as the vines continued to sprout.

Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe mentioned that he would like to see wine-friendly legislation passed at the state level in the next few years. “I would like to see our legislature at the state level allow the sale of local wine in the gift shops here,� he said, adding that current distribution impediments were making the sale of wines from vineyard properties and

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local businesses problematic. “In terms of tourism, the winery is going to be a good addition the attractions we have here,� said Carolyn Laray, Tourism Manager for the St. Mary’s County Department of Travel and Tourism. She added that day-trips across Southern Maryland would provide the bulk of tourism for the region, and that the winery would help tie in the existing attractions. “One of the goals will really be that weekend market with the hotels and bed and breakfasts,� she said.

Tuesday’s meeting was less about current impediments to the burgeoning Maryland wine industry than possibilities, as all in the room saw the new memorandum of understanding as just another step in the process. “We’ll have to stay diligent and move one step at a time,� said Commissioner President Jack Russell.

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This site off of Route 5 and Compton Road in Leonardtown will be home to the new Port of Leonardtown Winery.

17 members span the tri-county area. Over 13,000 vines have been planted, which are expected to yield 6,000-8,000 gallons of wine from 15 varieties of grapes at the current rate of production. These numbers are expected to rise as more people switch from tobacco to grape growing.

So far the cooperative’s timeline allows for the first crush to happen in August 2009, with licensing completed by July 2009, renovations to the site completed by January 2009, and the first wine sales expected in 2010. In order to make this happen, however, the cooperative will need to complete a mountain of paperwork to apply for grants that will help fund the project, including those from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the MARBIDCO grant, and a matching planning grant from the USDA. Several grape growers were present at Tuesday’s meeting, including Joe and Nancy

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Help Your Community, Become a Volunteer Driver Overview

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The Senior Rides Program, a program within the Department of Aging, is funded through a grant from the Maryland Transportation Administration and the Board of Commissioners for St. Mary’s County. This service is available to seniors who are unable to utilize other public transportation options and lack reliable sources of transportation.

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Driver Qualifications

• Patience and a genuine love of helping others • Be 21 years of age or older • Own a personal vehicle • Have an automobile insurance policy with a minimum personal liability limit of $100,000

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Driver Requirements

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• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Complete driver application Participate in informal interview Pass criminal background check Pass MVA driving record check annually Maintain CPR Certification (can be waived with doctor release) Participate in First Aid training Attend driver safety course Attend driver orientation class Keep vehicle clean Wear seat belt Sign a volunteer driver release waiver Arrive on time Be aware and attentive to the needs of the rider

Volunteer Driver Recruitment/Benefits

In order to sustain the Senior Rides Program there is an ongoing effort to recruit volunteer drivers. Drivers are not required to volunteer a minimum number of hours per month and are offered the following benefits: • Mileage reimbursement • Supplemental accident insurance • CPR/First Aid Certification • Volunteer Recognition • Driver Safety Training • A great sense of pride in their community Drivers are provided with all pertinent information such as driving directions and contact information prior to the trip.

Brought to you by the Board of Commissioners for St. Mary’s County: Francis Jack Russell, President; Kenneth R. Dement; Lawrence D. Jarboe; Thomas A. Mattingly. Sr.; Daniel H. Raley; And the Department of Aging