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Thursday, december 17, 2009
Hard Times
A Different Sort Of Holiday Season Page 16
St. Mary’s Gets Slice of $3.9B Pork Pie Story Page 5
Students Can Work for NAVAIR Story Page 9
Youth Football Wins State Title Story Page 28
Photo by Frank Marquart
The County Times
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
Your Paper... Your Thoughts What do you think of the fact that teachers in some school districts are being told to say ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’ to students?
“I think it’s a little bit ridiculous,” said Wade Coffey, 40, a music teacher. “I think it’s over-sensitivity. In my life I didn’t always practice my faith but it never offended me when somebody said ‘Merry Christmas.’”
“I think maybe it’s better to say happy holidays just to keep the parents off their back,” said Melissa, 24, a caretaker for Arc of South Southern Maryland. “I just say happy holidays so I don’t offend people.”
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“I think maybe it’s better to say happy holidays but it’s kind of silly,” said Andrew, 26, who works in retail. “Something tells me that if they’re getting upset over someone saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to them, then they’re probably getting upset over a lot of other things.”
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
“I t hink if you’re a performer, your job is just to ma ke ever yone have a good time, drink t heir beer, tip t heir wa iters a nd wa itresses a nd be happy.” Marguerite Morris plays with Skyler, one of the children staying at Leah’s House in Valley Lee, which will be featured on NBC’s “12 Days of Giving” program on Dec. 17.
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ON THE FRONT
Dianna Diatz, who has been living out of her car for the last couple of months, is still searching for work in St. Mary’s County.
ON THE BACK Andrew Maier swims his way to victory during the Raiders’ sweep at Lackey High School Friday night.
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Linda Palchinsky stands in front of her winning window display at Linda’s Café in Lexington Park. More than 1,000 votes were cast in the Lexington Park Business and Community Association’s first window display competition. SEE PAGE 8
Dyla n Gav in, loca l singer a nd song writer SEE PAGE 24
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For Weekly Stock Market cloSing reSultS, check Page 8 in Money
P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636 News, Advertising, Circulation, Classifieds: 301-373-4125
An couple was taken away in a Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad ambulance after a minor rear-end crash on Route 235 on Wednesday, near the intersection with Airport Road in California. SEE PAGE 4
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County News Editorial/Opinion Money Defense and Military Obituaries Crime and Punishment Education Cover Newsmakers Community Community Calendar Games Columns Entertainment Bleachers Football Sports News Basketball
James Manning McKay - Founder Eric McKay -Associate Publisher..................................ericmckay@countytimes.net Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager..............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Sean Rice - Associate Editor.....................................................seanrice@countytimes.net Angie Stalcup - Graphic Artist.......................................angiestalcup@countytimes.net Andrea Shiell - Reporter - Education, Entertainment...andreashiell@countytimes.net Chris Stevens - Reporter - Sports......................................chrisstevens@countytimes.net Guy Leonard - Reporter - Government, Crime...............guyleonard@countytimes.net Sales Representatives......................................................................sales@countytimes.net
The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
ews Commissioners Approve More Debt For Metcom By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The county commissioner board approved three bond issuances Tuesday for the Metropolitan Commission for nearly $20 million. The loans are designed to be used for capital improvement projects related to water quality. Commissioners remarked that the approved debt measure would greatly increase the amount of debt service MetCom would have to pay in the coming years, while Commissioner Lawrence D. Jarboe, who was the lone vote against the proposals, said that the debt service increased exponentially. “You’ve almost tripled your debt service over five years,” Jarboe (R-Golden Beach) said. According to MetCom figures presented to commissioners, the current service on their debt is $1.09 million. By 2014 the debt service is projected to increase to about $3.69 million. Jacquelyn Meiser, director for MetCom, said that while rates per
equivalent dwelling unit of water usage have remained constant for two fiscal years at $5.27, they are projected to increase to $6.83 by fiscal year 2011. Sewer rates are also projected to go up to $9.82 from $8.75 per equivalent dwelling unit of usage for residential properties, MetCom figures show. Both of the increases would go towards paying down the debt service on the bond issues. Some of the projects include work on replacing arsenic wells in the Hollywood area as well as repairs to the Patuxent Park sewer system. Repairs are also planned for a generator at the Marlay-Taylor wastewater treatment plant that uses methane to help generate electricity. Other projects include maintenance on community wells, water storage tanks and water main repairs. net
guyleonard @ count ytimes .
About 85% or product warning labels on household products are inadequate.
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un Fact
Two Hospitalized After Minor Crash
Photo by Sean Rice An couple was taken away in a Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad ambulance after a minor rear-end crash on Route 235 on Wednesday, near the intersection with Airport Road in California. Rescue personnel, including Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department, responded shortly after 10:15 for the crash, which was reported to involve minor injuries. It appear a black Mitsubishi Lancer struck the rear of a Toyota Prius in the acceleration lane on Route 235, causing slight damage to the bumper. An older couple in the Prius was loaded on to stretchers with neck supports and taken to St. Mary’s Hospital.
Subdivision Fined $52,000 By MDE The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) announced a recent enforcement action against a company in St. Mary’s County. On Nov. 19, MDE issued an Administrative Complaint and a $52,000 penalty on Eddie Guy, Inc., of St.
Mary’s County, for alleged violations of sediment control and sediment pollution laws and water pollution, including failure to follow the sediment and erosion control plan during earth-moving and other construction activity at the Avonlea Farm Subdivision in Mechanicsville.
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
ews
Today’s Newsmakers In Brief “St. Mary’s County must live within its means … Increased taxation is not necessarily the answer. The answer is better management of resources.” -Bill Mattingly, Chairman of the Board of Education and candidate for County Commissioner, discussing fiscal policy.
“Business people have to be more creative, they have to work harder … and the local government has to do what it can and realize there are things we can do to help.” -Leonardtown Mayor Harry “Chip” Norris, discussing local businesses.
St. Mary’s Gets Piece of $3.9 Billion Pork Pie By Sean Rice Staff Writer The U.S. Congress last week passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that brings together six of the 12 annual spending measures that Congress has been unable to pass since the current budget year began on Oct. 1. The House bill includes $447 billion in operating budgets such as the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and others, and near $650 billion in mandatory payments for federal benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. The bill increases spending by an average of about 10 percent to programs under immediate control of Congress, blending increases for veterans’ programs, NASA and the FBI with a pay raise for federal workers and help for car dealers, the Associated Press reports. The bill also includes an estimated $3.9 billion in “pork barrel funding” for more than 5,000 back-home projects sought by individual lawmakers. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) applauded the bill’s passage in the House, and reported that he fought hard to secure nearly $20,000,000 in projects for Southern Maryland. While earmarks, or pork barrel funding, are targeted as wasteful federal government spending, Congressman Hoyer earlier this year argued in a guest column in USA Today that focusing on earmarks is trivial. “Earmarks, however, actually make up a tiny portion of the budget but have received a disproportionate share of attention,” Hoyer wrote. “This attention is due in part to some appropriate criticism of wasteful earmarks and, in part, to purely political motives.” In St. Mary’s County, as reported by Hoyer’s office, the projects listed in the spending bill include: • Special Communications Engineering Facility, St. Inigoes - $11,043,000 Funding will be used to build an additional Special Communications Engineering Facility at Webster Field. This additional workspace will increase the number of Secure Compartmented Information Facilities to accommodate increased workloads, allowing this special unit to continue work on communications and special operations missions from fixed-base, tactical, shipboard, and other environments. • Southern Maryland Commuter Bus Initiative - $1,250,000 Commuter bus service has grown rapidly in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties over the past 16 years and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Southern Maryland Bus program now operates more than 200 bus trips with a total of 7,200 riders each day. This funding will support planning, design and construction of new or expanded commuter parking lots in Southern Maryland, as well as the acquisition of over-the-road coaches. Hoyer reports that he has secured $13.75 million for this initiative since 2003. • MD 4, MD 2/4 to MD 235 including Thomas Johnson Bridge and MD 235 Intersection - $750,000 The funds will be used for design, right-of-way acquisition or construction for improvements to the Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge, dualization of
MD 4, stormwater management improvements, and improved traffic operations. These investments will help address congestion, improve safety, and reduce the impact of traffic on the environment. • St. Mary’s College of Maryland Laboratory Equipment Acquisition -$600,000 Funding will be used for the acquisition of laboratory equipment and other advanced instrumentation at the college, where there has been an increase in research activities on account of a growing number of students majoring in the sciences and a new State of Maryland requirement that all non-science undergraduates take a laboratory-based course. • College of Southern MD Simulation Alliance for Health Education - $400,000 The appropriated funds will be used to purchase equipment needed to furnish three clinical simulation laboratories to enhance training for nursing students and professionals in the Southern Maryland Region. By building on the simulation technologies and experience that currently exist at CSM, a Southern Maryland Simulation Alliance for Health Education will work to meet the challenges of the nursing workforce shortage.
Citizen Emergency Response Training Available St Mary’s County Department of Public Safety is pleased to announce the following CERT training opportunities for the citizens of St. Mary’s County: • April 17-18, 2010, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Dept. of Public Safety, 23090 Leonard Hall Drive, Leonardtown. • June 12-13, 2010, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Dept. of Public Safety, 23090 Leonard Hall Drive, Leonardtown. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates citizens about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. St Mary’s County Department of Public Safety encourages anyone with an interest in public service to take the CERT Training. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are also encouraged to become a CERT Team member. To attend a CERT Training class or for more information, please call the Department of Public Safety, Emergency Management Division at 301-475-4200 Ext. 2124 or 2125 or email Gerald. gardiner@co.saint-marys.md.us
• Rebuilding Together, Safe at Home Elder Falls Prevention Program - $350,000 According to Rebuilding Together, “Medical treatment for the elderly who have fallen cost more than $19 billion in 2000, and is projected to increase to $43.8 billion by 2020.” Rebuilding Together will continue its Safe at Home, Falls Prevention Initiative, which will cover St. Mary’s, Calvert, Anne Arundel, and Charles Counties. A number of at-risk elderly homeowners in the Fifth District will receive falls prevention home modifications, as well as increased training for Southern Maryland chapters of By Guy Leonard Rebuilding Together with ChristStaff Writer mas in April and local falls prevention practitioners. These funds The WARM nights program (Wrapping will prevent costly hospitalizaArms Round Many) kicked off its aid to the tions and ensure a better quality homeless in St. Mary’s Nov. 29 and it has yet of life for disadvantaged seniors to reach its full capacity, said the program’s in Maryland’s 5th District. chief director, though as the winter intensifies the need will be much greater. seanrice@county seanrice@countyPastor Ken Walker, of Lexington Park times.net United Methodist Church, said that the first week at the SAYSF Bible Church in Great Mills brought in an average of about eight participants. The next church to take care of the homeless will be the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Mechanicsville. Though the numbers of those seeking help is limited compared to the number of homeless in the county — most officials estimate that there are nearly 2,000 people in some stage of homelessness here — so far the program has been successful in its first year, Walker said. “The participants and the guests both said they enjoyed it,” Walker said. Bret Foster, coordinator of the shelter
WARM Nights Expecting More Clients As Winter Intensifies at SAYSF Bible church said that most of the clients were men but at least one woman had sought help there. “The biggest issue was that so few people in the congregation had experience with the homeless,” Foster said. “So it was a real learning curve.” Right now the main problems lie in getting enough host churches to take care of the homeless for about a week’s time as well as getting reliable transportation to pick them up and take them to one of the shelters, Walker said. Right now the transportation provided by agencies like Walden Sierra, Inc. can only pick up about 11 people, Walker said. Right now, the WARM nights group is just trying to get ready for when demand for bed space will really grow. Most of the homeless population the program gets is overflow from the Three Oaks Shelter in Lexington Park. “As the weather changes it’s going to increase,” Walker said. “We’re going to expect to take in as many as they can send.” guyleonard@countytimes.net
The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
To The Editor:
6
Civil War Started When the North Invaded the South I would like to respond to Mr. James Cusick’s retort that I was incorrect in stating that the South started the Civil War for all of the disputable points, and his claiming that I am one of many trying to re-write American history. Mr. Cusick, did your history class teach you that in early April of 1861 Lincoln waived the Writ Of Habeas Corpus, (a person arrested has to be charged with a crime in timely manner) and had George Kane, the police chief of Baltimore, John Merryman, the head of the Baltimore militia, and George Brown, the mayor of Baltimore arrested, but not charged with a crime? Chief Justice Taney is another story. They spent 18 months in jail before they were released without being charged with a crime. Shortly after they were arrested Lincoln appointed northern sympathizers to replace the people he had arrested. Is my telling you this re-writing history, or correcting inaccuracies in the “history” that we are being taught? This is how Maryland officially became a northern state. Did the South really start the Civil War? Everyone admits that the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter. When I went to school Fort Sumter was in South Carolina, a Southern State. Please tell me why there were northern troops in a South-
ern State if a war was not going on. The Civil War’s first shots were fired by The South at the northern troops that invaded their territory. The north started the war by occupying and threatening to bombard Charleston, South Carolina. If it were in your home, I’m sure that you would not let an intruder enter your house. The South only reacted the way any sovereignty would react. They shot at the intruders. Who was the aggressor, the north or the South. So who really started the war? With the cotton gin and modern machinery being invented, ( John Deere, Mc Cormick, etc.) the use of slaves was starting to decline, but did the people in Washington, at that time see that? No. If you can see American History in a time-line, the industrial revolution’s roots started in the late 1850’s, long before the Emancipation Proclamation. Slavery was on the way out because it was cheaper to maintain machinery than slaves. If the South would have won the Civil War, and states rights would have prevailed, please try to imagine how free we would be from Big Brother ( the federal government) constantly watching over you and me. PLEASE TRY TO IMAGINE!!! Michael Marcus Mechanicsville, MD
Our County Needs a Better Library
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As citizens of the United States, we have a right to question how our tax money is spent. We don’t, however, have an obligation to object to every single expenditure on general principle. None of us finds it particularly palatable to be paying out our own money in taxes, but, like it or not, taxes are the dues we contribute to the society we belong to. Our taxes ensure that community resources such as the police department, the hospital, the rescue squad, our roads, our schools, are able to function and to serve everyone, whether or not we ourselves take advantage of them. The library is a community resource as well, yet many seem ready to draw the line and object to doing anything about providing a library in keeping with the community we would all like to have. Imagine 40 rows of people, 25 people deep, of all different ages, in the center of Leonardtown. Each one of them wants something different, whether computer access, or a book in large print, or story time, or a space to sit with the daily newspaper, or a DVD for the evening, or help with homework or a space for a community meeting. This is the number of people who seek out the library almost every day. If there were that many people in one of our schools we would need 40 classrooms to house them, not counting space for all the support services. Furthermore, the 40 rows of people who gather tomorrow wanting all these things will be different. None of us would say no to a rescue squad in need of modernization, well, just go and soup up that 35-year-old ambulance and that’s good enough. Why should it be acceptable to settle for a library, which is obviously inadequate, or to agree merely to a few cosmetic upgrades? Make no mistake. The library at Leonardtown may share a zip code with the town, but it does not belong to the municipality. It is part of the county system, the most centrally located and fastest growing in terms
of demand of the three library branches in the county, and it should be at the service of all 101,000 county residents. It is, however, inadequate. Nor can the 54-year-old armory presently housing the library be made adequate even for the current county population, let alone one which is growing (a county, let it be said, which aspires, among other things, to remain attractive to the Navy at Pax River). I am a tutor with the Literacy Council of St. Mary’s, and I meet my students on a regular basis at a commercial establishment several miles from Leonardtown (which involves, by the way, a modest purchase each time to remain in the proprietor’s good graces). There is no room to meet in the library at Leonardtown. The Literacy Council is a vital community service of the county library, but it is unable despite the need to establish a presence for even a few hours a month in the library at Leonardtown due to a lack of space. I also participate on a regular basis in book discussions held at the library. As often as not, we meet in the staff break room, again, because there is no space. Yes, you may carry a library card and feel that all is well as is, but I carry a card as well, and the status quo is NOT fine with me, nor, I suspect, with many others. Building a new library is not only about meeting the needs of the residents of St. Mary’s County; it’s about sending a message about who we are and who we wish to be. Think about it. The majority of our collegebound high school graduates leave the county for their education. By failing to act on a new library for our community and our county, the message we are sending them is “don’t bother coming back to St. Mary’s because we’re quite satisfied with a backwater book nook behind an old [not historic] facade. Sara Fisher Compton, Md
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
Editorial:
Legal Notice:
State Legislators Get Full-Time Pensions For Part-Time Work
Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County
Guest Editorial
Case No. A-09-17 Upon Consideration of the paper and pleadings filed in this case, it is this 20th day of November, 2009, by the Court Ordered: That notice be given by publication while publishing the following: To: Unknown Parent, “You are herby notified that and adoption case has been filed in the Circuit Court for case St. Mary’s County, case number A-09-17. All persons who believe themselves to be parents of a female child born on June 6, 1009 in Pomona, California, to Keisha Hogan May 5, 1971, shall file a written response. A copy of the show cause order maybe obtained from the clerk’s office at 41605 Courthouse Drive Leonardtown, MD 20650 telephone 301-475-7844 ext. 4130. If you do not file a written objection by January 31, 2010 you will have agreed to the permanent loss of your parental rights to this child. 12-17-09
That’s The County’s Library, Not Leonardtown’s
Although I am a member of the St. Mary’s County Library Board, I am also a Hospice volunteer, a member of the GFWC Woman’s Club, and a driver for Meals on Wheels. I too am a concerned citizen and taxpayer living in St. Mary’s County. In fact, all of the members of the board are taxpayers living in St. Mary’s County, plus they are giving their time voluntarily to provide for the betterment of the county by being on the library board and doing their part for the community in other capacities. As I read the Enterprise this week, I realized that because the library in Leonardtown is called the Leonardtown library, people don’t realize that is not the library’s name. All of the libraries in our county are St. Mary’s County libraries. The names Leonardtown, Lexington Park, and Charlotte Hall are used only to differentiate the locations of the libraries. Also, I would like to reiterate that there have been several open meetings with the County Commissioners and elsewhere this past year where concerned citizens were invited to speak about the reasons they were either for or against the building of a new library in the Leonardtown area. The meeting rooms were filled with citizens who wanted a new library. During those times and elsewhere, both the Library Director, Mrs. Kathleen Reif and our Board president, Mr. Alan Dillingham have recounted proven statistics that were derived from recent studies supporting a larger library in the middle of the county. In these hard economic times it behooves us to realize that our local library not only provides free entertainment, it also provides free resume and computer skill class-
To The Editor:
es. The library aids small business owners by providing professional journals, meeting spaces, and legal forms. Without our public libraries low income families would find it difficult to access computers and their children would be at a disadvantage, which translates to low school performance. Children who perform badly in school have a tendency to become dropouts without discernable skills. As a concerned taxpayer, I want to keep young adults in school so there will be no financial burden on the county to provide more shelters for people who can not get decent paying jobs in order to make a living. No job also increases crime so the police force is expanded and jails are enlarged. The Wall Street Journal noted, “Folks are flocking to libraries to look for jobs.” I believe my tax dollar is spent more wisely by providing decent facilities that allow space for more computers and the free programs listed above, giving everyone a chance at education regardless of income. I also want a facility that has room for children so children are allowed to behave as children and their excitability during story hour and other programs doesn’t disturb others. The dedicated staff at the libraries can only do so much with so little space in the library located on the Leonardtown Hollywood road. There is no room for more fiction, nonfiction, reference books, computers, compact discs, movies or other documentation. These times are hard, but good service costs money. Mrs. Joan Springer, Treasurer St. Mary’s County Library Board
If Library is Full, Remove Material
From all the recent articles and letters regarding the Leonardtown Library, it seems as if a consensus is growing that now is not the best time to forge ahead with this design and building project. However, a number of letters have eloquently cited the present “near-capacity” use of the present facility. How best to accommodate maximum beneficial usage now seems to be the area where focus is needed. Several suggestions come to mind. One might be to eliminate the daily newspapers (Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, etc.) which people can easily buy themselves at nominal cost. Along those lines are also popular periodicals (Newsweek, Business Week, Kiplinger’s, etc.), which have, nominal per copy cost when purchased as a yearly sub-
By Marta Hummel Mossburg Much ado has been made about whether Maryland state legislators deserve a raise. But the main issue is not if the nine members of the General Assembly Compensation Committee recommend raising legislators’ $43,500 annual salary, the second-highest in the nation for part-timers. It’s why residents should pay legislators a pension for part-time work. Instead of wasting time on state-by-state salary comparisons, the commission members should focus on what is fair to Maryland residents when they meet Tuesday. Common sense speaks heavily in favor of dropping or scaling back retirement benefits for legislators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that only 11 percent of part-time workers have access to defined benefit pensions like those given to state legislators. And only 34 percent of part-time workers have the option to participate in defined contribution plans like a 401(K). State legislators, however, can enroll in the pension plan as soon as they take office and also sign up for supplemental benefits including a 401(K) plan and tax deferred annuities, to lessen their tax load. To make things even sweeter, three months of work counts as one year of service in the pension plan, an equation possible only when benefits are disconnected from economic reality. Even one of Maryland’s largest employers, Constellation Energy, must track pay to the company’s overall financial position. According to its Web site: “Our total compensation philosophy is to pay employees competitively and vary rewards based on individual and company performance.” The potential pay raise and increase in pension benefits that would go with it is especially troubling in a year when many private employers dropped matching payments to employee 401(k) programs because of deteriorating financial conditions. A Watson Wyatt Worldwide survey released in September found that 11 percent of employers suspended their 401(k) matching contributions and that 17 percent are considering the option as a way to cut costs. Since the survey only covered employers with 1,000 or more employees, the number is likely much higher. The generous pay package for legislators also makes a joke of House Speaker Michael Busch’s observation that “You’re down to bone and gristle now when it comes to state government.” If Busch and Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller, who earn $56,500 each year for their legislative duties, joined the system when they first took office and retired today, they would rake in over $3,100 each month. Benefits are capped at 66.7 percent of salary after 22 years and three months of service. No doubt one of the reasons pension benefits for state legislators and all state employees are never questioned is that the Board of Trustees of the State Retirement Agency is comprised of elected officials, state employees and appointees of the governor. That’s equivalent of a teacher giving students the power to assign homework and grade it. Members of the compensation commission did not return phone calls prior to publication. But they would do right by taxpayers if they not only rejected pay raises for state legislators but recommended reducing pension benefits for them too. Maryland must not follow the bad example revealed by USA Today of the federal work force, which saw a large increase in the number of employees getting huge raises in the past year while the economy tanked and unemployment skyrocketed. The only fair thing to do would be to offer all new legislators only a 401(K) defined contribution plan, the kind the vast majority of private sector workers receive from their employers, and move all existing pension plans into a 401(K). Shifting the packages puts legislators in charge of their retirement savings after they leave office instead of foisting the vast majority of the burden onto taxpayers who will not enjoy the same benefits. Changing the composition of the Board of Trustees of the State Retirement Agency should also be on the table. Why shouldn’t the people of Maryland select the members by vote? The only requirement for candidates would be that they work in the private sector, which would benefit taxpayers by providing an independent voice on investment policy and operations. Legislator pensions may not be the biggest state expense, but they are a symbol of a political class who thinks they are entitled to lavish benefits regardless of the well-being of their constituents. Washington Examiner Columnist Marta Mossburg is a senior fellow with the Maryland Public Policy Institute and lives in Baltimore.
scription. This would eliminate individuals just visiting the library to do their reading. Another suggestion would be to eliminate CDs, DVDs, and Videocassettes. After all, is the library supposed to be trying to drive our local movie and game rental businesses into bankruptcy? Removing these items would free more space for books and computers. The items removed could be relocated to other, more spacious, libraries throughout Southern Maryland temporarily. When the Leonardtown library is either expanded or relocated to a new site, these items could be easily restocked at Leonardtown. In the meantime space could be more productively used by the students and adults in the community
for personal research and development. In addition to these two suggestions, I’m sure library personnel could suggest others that would increase the productivity of the limited space available. While not a perfect solution, it may be a compromise position that will improve the situation in the short term. In these times we must all, taxpayers and County Commissioners, endeavor to live within our means. Glenn Weder Hollywood, MD
for the love of
Money Company
Wal-Mart Harley Davidson Best Buy Lockheed Martin BAE Systems Computer Science Corp. Dyncorp International Inc. General Dynamics Corp. Mantech International Corp. Northrop Grunman Corp.
The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009 The best time for a person to buy shoes is in the afternoon. This is because the foot tends to swell a bit around this time.
Symbol
Close 12/16/2009
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WMT HOG BBY LMT BAESF CSC DCP GD MANT NOC
$53.98 $27.08 $41.29 $77.61 $5.50 $56.06 $14.09 $69.67 $45.88 $55.81
$56.06 $16.97 $28.11 $84.08 $5.41 $35.14 $15.17 $57.59 $54.19 $45.04
Change
Sabre Wins $77 Million Contract
-3.71% 59.58% 46.89% -7.70% 1.66% 59.53% -7.12% 20.98% -15.33% 23.91%
Sabre Systems, Inc. recently teamed as a subcontractor with ITT to win a five-year contract, which entails the team providing support to Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). Considered a key member of the ITT team, Sabre has provided services to CNIC for the past several years with support of the Joint Basing Initiative, as well as its Readiness Reporting Training Initiative. The total value of this contract is approximately $77,806,000. For more information, visit www.sabresystems.com.
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un Fact
Linda’s Café Wins First Holiday Window Display Competition
Photo by Sean Rice
The Lexington Park Business and Community Association announced the winner for the 1st Annual Holiday Window Display Contest. This competition was developed by Dorothy Andrews, owner/operator of Endless Summer Tanning, to be the first marketing initiative of the newly formed Business Association. The competition proved to be a success with over 1,000 votes cast over a 10-day period. “I wanted the light up Lexington Park to show the holiday spirit of our many merchants,” Ms. Andrews said in a press release. Endless Summer Tanning created a blog site for the competition and nine merchants elected to join in on the fun. Competitors for the $500 prize included the winner, Linda’s Café along with the second highest vote getter, Hair in the Square and The Lexington Restaurant and Lounge, The Grapevine Antiques and Collectibles, Sake Japanese Steakhouse, Mattress Corner, P. J’s Auto Body, Donut Connection and Hope Place of Walden. The competitors encouraged patrons to get out
and vote with personal appeals and direct solicitations such as Hope Place of Walden’s mass e-mail featuring its holiday window display. Linda’s Café garnered a whopping 63% of the vote. “We are so excited to win. Every time we looked at the blog, it appeared that we were trailing behind in second place,” stated Linda Palchinsky, owner of Linda’s Café. “This was so much fun for us and great for Lexington Park and now, my staff can have a holiday party with the winnings from the competition.” In the spirit of giving, Linda and her staff decided to hold their holiday party at the newly opened Lexington Restaurant and Lounge. The Lexington Park Business and Community Association meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Bay District Fire Station Social Hall. The meetings are open to anyone who is committed to the betterment of Lexington Park. For more information, contact the Community Development Corporation, the host agency for the Business Association, at 240-725-5786.
By Martin Warczynski
Gretchen Richie Jazz Trio Holiday Dance! Sat. Dec. 19th 9:00 pm - 11:30 pm
www.cafedesartistes.ws
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
Poseidon Test Flights Begin
When a new Navy aircraft takes to the skies it is always a proud moment for any aircraft program. For the actual pilot behind the controls, it is an even greater feeling. Lt. Roger Stanton had the privilege of being the first Navy test pilot to fly the P-8A Poseidon in October. “It felt awesome,” Stanton said. “The first time you fly a new airplane it’s just a great experience. This is what test pilots are trained to do, so getting this rare opportunity was really amazing.”
The WSIL is a non-motion based simulator designed to help the test team integrate aircraft and mission systems, as well as, test aircraft components. “For the baseline P-8, it certainly flies like a 737,” he said. “They did a nice job of building the airplane. The interesting flying for the P-8 really will come when we have to emulate the P-3 mission – high bank angle, low altitude, autopilot integrated into our mission with missiles on the wings. It will get interesting.” That type of flying will come later in the
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Checking & savings Accounts Money Market Accounts Certificates & IRA Visa® Debit Card New & Used Auto Loans U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Roger Stanton (left) and Boeing test pilot Doug Benjamin sit in the P-8A Poseidon cockpit in preparation for flight. The aircraft’s Oct. 15 flight was the first with a Navy pilot at the controls and kicked off the formal flight test program. Photo courtesy of Boeing.
Stanton, along with Boeing pilot Doug Benjamin, flew the first Poseidon, designated T1, over the Puget Sound in Washington, kicking off the formal Navy flight test program. “It was a good day - a really good day,” Stanton said. “All the training I received was great. We rehearsed the flight profile many times so we came into the flight very well prepared, but it was still fun.” Stanton began T1 flight preparation in 2008 with Boeing 737 training in Seattle, consisting of classroom courses, computer-based training and a mixture of commercial 737 simulators as well as time in an actual 737 aircraft. He also spent approximately 250 hours in the Weapon System Integration Lab, located in Kent, Wash.
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test program. T1 actually made three flights in October, prior to undergoing more instrumentation installation in the factory. The first flight was to check the airworthiness, or how well the modified 737 aircraft flies with all the test instrumentation. The second two flights practiced instrument approaches with a visual restrictive device. Stanton said one of the things the Navy closely monitors is whether or not the pilots are capable of safely flying the plane if they can’t look out the window for visual reference. Initial testing of T1 is being conducted in Seattle. It will transfer to Pax in early 2010, where flight and operational testing will be completed by the integrated test team (ITT).
Info Sessions Set for Student NAVAIR Opportunities
The Patuxent River Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) education outreach coordinator, Kathy Glockner, will be giving public information sessions regarding student employment and engineering education pathways at the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and NAWCAD. The presentations are scheduled for Jan. 7, 14 and 21 at the Frank Knox Training Center room 120 from 5 to 6 pm. Glockner’s presentation will focus on summer employment for high school and college students in technical positions, the cooperative education program for college students and the University of Maryland’s mechanical engineering degree program offered at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center. Parents, students and guardians are encouraged to attend one of the sessions to learn more about these opportunities. The deadline for high school students to submit their application for NAVAIR and NAWCAD technical po-
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sitions for summer 2010 employment is Feb. 1. There is no deadline date for college student applications. Additionally, the Fleet and Family Readiness Regional Human Resources Department will present information on summer employment for lifeguards, water safety instructors, camp counselors, recreation aides and a host of other customer services positions. Specific job announcements, application deadlines and the on-line application process will be covered. These positions are located at Patuxent River, Solomons Recreation Center, Dahlgren, and Indian Head. The Frank Knox training center is located south of gate two near the Cedar Point Federal Credit Union. This building is located off base and no registration is required. Seating is first-come-first-served, with a limit of 75 attendees per session. Attendees must present a picture ID card upon entrance to the building.
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MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY: Employees, students, as well as their parents and immediate family members, of Prince George’s, Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s County Public Schools, Prince George’s Community College and the College of Southern Maryland are eligible to become members. Employees of Talbot County Public Schools, individuals who live or work in St. Mary’s County and their immediate family members may also join Educational Systems FCU. Please check our website at www.esfcu.org for a list of eligible immediate family members, other schools, employers and groups. naCT1109
P.O. Box 179 • Greenbelt, MD 20768-0179 800.356.6660 • www.esfcu.org
The County Times
Frances Beitzell, 86
Frances Martha Beitzell (Miss Frannie), 86 died peacefully on December 13, 2009 at her home in Bushwood surrounded by her family. She was born in Washington, DC on February 14, 1923 to the late William and Mable Battenfield. She was the 7th of 10 children. She graduated from Eastern High School and began working at the Census Bureau as a key-punch operator. She married George Lee Beitzell, a farmer and waterman from St. Mary’s County on September 20th, 1947. Life as a farmer’s wife was a big change from living in the city. She found herself in charge of cooking large dinners for his father and invalid sisters–in-laws and the multiple farm hands who worked the farm. She quickly learned to can vegetables and to kill, clean and prepare chickens, wild game, turtle and fish. Time after time she faced situations that were totally new to her. Her attitude was always “I can do this”. And then she would. Miss Frannie did everything on the farm from sewing dresses made of feed sacks to driving tractors to planting and harvesting tobacco. She even spent a season with her husband “Captain” George, on the Eastern Shore oystering off the Choptank River. She loved to look at home interior magazines and then recreate these designs using paint and upholstery. For her family, the smell of paint evokes many happy memories of Christmas, as she would always be completing a new project just in time for the holidays. She raised children, chickens and kittens with steady good humor. She reveled in the company of her husband, children and extended family of brothers, sisters, In-Laws and nieces and nephews. There was usually a friend or relative spending the week or month down on the farm during the summer. On weekends, Miss Frannie and Captain George would pack up the family and everyone would go to the museums, art galleries or historical sites in DC, Maryland and Virginia. Often the family would go camping in the mountains, the seashore, and even New York City. She loved to play cards and board games with friends and family. Many hours of storm-induced power outages were spent with everyone
choking on Kerosene fumes while fiercely playing Monopoly around the kitchen table. Like many in her family, she was an extremely gifted musician and would play her favorite medley of songs on either the piano or accordion whenever there was a spare moment of silence. She was active with the Holy Angels Church Sodality and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 221 for 56 years. Miss Frannie often said that she was “just a housewife”. Her family saw her as their anchor – always fearless, funny, unconditionally loving and optimistically upbeat. She always had a smile or a funny story for everyone. All who knew her loved her. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, George Lee Beitzell, her sisters and their husbands, Helen and Jim Ball, and Mable (Tuddi) and Robert Higgins and her sister Charlotte Jackson. She also was predeceased by her brothers William (Buck) Battenfield, John (Juggy) Battenfield, and Joseph (Hop) Battenfield and her son-in-law Gerard (Jerry) Rolape. She is survived by her children Charles and Rose Beitzell, Eileen Beitzell, Mary Ida Rolape and Mable and Thomas Bailey; 9 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; her sisters and their husbands Eileen and James Moore, Cecilia (Ya) and Cecil Hayden and Teresa and David Lawrence and her sisters-in-law Lovisa (Lea) Battenfield, and Florence (Sis) Battenfield. The Family received friends on Thursday, December 17, 2009 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown MD with prayers recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 18th at 10 a.m. at Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, MD with Reverend William Gurnee officiating. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD Pallbearers will be; Steve Beitzell, Charles Beitzell, Caton Beitzell, Andrew McWilliams, Robert Battenfield, John Hayden, Mike Hayden, Brian Nelson and Leonard Nelson. Memorial contributions may be made to 7th District Rescue Squad, Avenue, MD 20609, or to Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com
Rita Briscoe, 50 Rita Maria Briscoe, age 50, peacefully departed this life on Sunday, December 6, 2009. Born on June 27, 1959 in Prince Georges County, MD, to Francis “Frank” Proctor and Bertha Mae Bracey. Rita was the oldest of five siblings; Katima, Luchino “Gino”, Devita “Chere”, Andre, Angelo. Rita was educated in the Prince Georges County, MD Public School System. Shortly after graduating from
high school, she began a career at
Thursday, December 17, 2009
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Arrangements provided by the Brimfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD
Mark Edward Collins 50 Mark Edward Collins, 50, of
Southland Corporation located in Princes County, MD where she maintained a prominent position for five years. While also attending Prince George’s Community College full-filling a career in Radiology, she managed to maintain employment at Doctors Hospital while pursuing her career. In 1980, Rita was united in holy matrimony to her husband David L. Briscoe from that union were three beautiful children. She had to put her career on hold and dedicated her to life to be a full time wife and homemaker. Rita was a faithful member of New Life Church located in LaPlata, MD under the leadership of Apostle Curtis Mackall and Pastor Janice Mackall. She served as an usher and held several positions within the church. She was a very loving person who enjoyed people and having lots of fun with them. She was a devoted and reliable mother and grandmother. She had many hobbies and interest ranging from interior decorating and floral design but her favorite hobby was she loved of gospel music. Her favorite quote was “As God is my witness”. Rita leaves to cherish her memories her beloved husband of 29 years David Briscoe, her three children Chermere Hoyt (Alan Hoyt) of Lexington Park, MD, Tegra Briscoe California, MD, Brittany Briscoe California, MD, her grandchildren Marissa Hoyt, Trenton Hoyt, Tyese Butler, and Christian Hoyt her mother Bertha Alexander her step father Mac Arthur Alexander her sisters Katima Wilson of Grayson, MD, and Devita Grose of Charlottesville, VA, her brothers, Andre Alexander of Centerville, VA, Angelo Alexander of Culpeper,VA, Luchino Jenkins of Greenbelt, MD and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. Rita was preceded in death by her paternal grandmother and grandfather and maternal grandmother and grandfather. A Funeral Service was conducted on Thursday, December 10, 2009 in Lexington Park United Methodist Church with Reverend Ken Walker officiating. Interment followed in St. Georges Catholic Church Cemetery, Valley Lee, and MD. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.
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Cox was preceded in death by her husband Joseph C. Cox. Mrs. Cox was a homemaker. Anna is survived by her daughter Lori Knell of Hollywood, MD and 3 grandchildren. Family will receive friends for Anna’s Life Celebration on Saturday, December 19, 2009 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. Leonardtown, MD a Funeral Service will be held at 1 p.m. in the Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be private. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD
Gary Killen, 57
Keedysville, MD, succumbed to cancer surrounded by his family at his home. Born on July 27, 1959, he was the son of Naureen P. Murphy Collins and the late Edward W. Collins of Mechanicsville, Maryland. In addition to his father, he is preceded in death by his niece, Amy Collins and his grand child, Timothy Mattingly. Mark was born in North Hampton, England and came to the States in 1961. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Margaret R., daughters Andria K. and her husband Jason Deaderick of Chaptico, Maryland and Desiree M. Mattingly and friend Josh Deaderick of Hollywood, Maryland; Sons Wesley J. of Boonsboro, Maryland and Rossington P. of Keedysville; Brother, Timothy P. Collins and his wife Cindy of Huntingtown, Maryland; Grandchildren; William, Daniel, Cassi, Brittany, Kylie, Liana and Tommy and numerous Uncles, Aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. Mark was employed with Danac Real Estate with 29 years of service. He graduated from Chopticon High School in 1977. Mark was a coach for Sharpsburg Little League from 1996 to 2001, ending the season as the coach for the All Stars. He loved riding his Harley, was an avid Republican, and a devoted family man. He is truly missed by his family and friends. The family received friends on Monday, December 7, 2009 at the funeral home. A celebration of life service was held on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at Bast-Stauffer Funeral Home, P.A., 7606 Old National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713.
Anna Cox, 79 Anna Cox, 79 of Hollywood, MD passed away on December 9, 2009 at her residence. Born December 30, 1929 in Milton, PA she was the daughter of the late Vito and Nancy Gnoffo. In addition to her parents Mrs.
Gary Phillip Killen, 57 of Hollywood, MD passed away on November 26, 2009 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, MD. Born February 12, 1952 in Statesville, VA he was the son of the late Lionel C. and Grace Gilley Killen. Mr. Killen was a Truck Driver. Gary was a certified Diver; he loved nature, photography and life. He is survived by his companion of many years Elizabeth Mary Busey of Hollywood, MD, son, Bryan W. Killen of San Antonio, TX, siblings; Michael Killen of Richmond, VA and Mary Jane Killen of NC, also survived by one grandson. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneal. com Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD
Barbara Lockhart, 68
Barbara Ann Lockhart, 68, of Fort Washington, MD, was born on October 2, 1941 to the late Helen Rebecca Jordan and Bernard Edison. God called her home to fill his garden on Tuesday, December 8, 2009. She attended public schools in St. Mary’s County and completed her education in the District of Columbia. Although Barbara was an only child, she grew up with her cousins as if they were all brothers and sisters and even shared nicknames, hers being “Stupey-Gal” and others
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
Continued being “Codie”, “Jimboy”, “Stupe”, “Dooka”, “Tang”, and “Dukie”, to name a few. She loved to hand dance with her cousin Jimboy and they were good at it, as well as listening to “oldies but goodies” and the blues music. Barbara met J.B. Lockhart at the Hot Shop Cafeteria in Hyattsville, MD and they were married in 1965 and out of that union were five children. They loved to travel together with family and friends and enjoyed entertaining at their home for all occasions. Every year, they would plan a trip to visit an amusement park and believed in making sure the children were taken care of and having a great time. In the evening hours, Barbara worked for the Architect of the Capitol and retired from the Federal Government in 2002 after 28 years of service. During the day, she babysat the neighborhood children, treating them as her own, and they all knew her as “Ms. Lockhart. Even if she wasn’t babysitting for them, they loved spending the night and visiting with her on weekends. During her pastime, Barbara enjoyed holiday shopping, especially at JC Penny’s or “Penny’s” (as she called it), wrapping gifts at Christmas time, fellowshipping with family and friends, talking on the phone daily, especially to her aunt Estelle. She also enjoyed looking at old comedy shows for a good laugh and watching a good movie on TV. Barbara leaves fond memories in the hearts of her husband J.B., her children, Marsha Thompson of Bryans Road, MD, Tawana Moody of Louisville, KY, Donald Thompson of Washington, DC, Steven Lockhart of Bryans Road, MD and Denise Lockhart Reeves of Waldorf, MD and one son-in-law Kevin Reeves of Waldorf, MD; three grandchildren, Tiffany, Diamond, and Destiny; two aunts, Estelle Thompson of Lexington Park, MD and Catherine Thompson of Hollywood, MD; special cousins, Geraldine Tyler, Gloria Bailey, James Thompson and Gail Hall; her goddaughter, Karen Miller, and a host of cousins, relatives and friends. Family received friends on Monday, December 14, 2009 in Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 22375 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, MD 20653. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated with Reverend Jack Kennealy as the celebrant. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
David Major, 65 CPO David W. Major USN (Retired) passed away at his home in California, MD December 11, 2009. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on April 7, 1944 to the late Mildred Elizabeth Townley Major. He grew up in Lancaster, OH and Dallas, TX where he graduated from South Oak Cliff High School in 1963.
He entered the Navy on September 25, 1963 and graduated from boot
unteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 339, Lexington Park, MD 20653 and/or Ridge Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 520, Ridge, MD 20680 Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com
Robert Norris, 62
camp at Great Lakes in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Aviation Storekeepers School in Memphis, TN where he met the love of his life, Katherine Mary McCaffrey of Wilmington, Delaware and they were married in Wilmington on November 21, 1964 and had just celebrated their 45th anniversary. He had assignments at HT-8 Ellyson Field, Pensacola, FL VP-18 and VC-8 Roosevelt Roads Puerto Rico, NAS Ellyson Field, Pensacola, FL, NAS Milton, FL, USS Saratoga CV-60 in Jacksonville, FL and his final assignment was at Patuxent River NAS where he obtained the rank of Chief and was leading Chief of Supply when he retired in 1983 staying in the Southern Maryland area. He was working for Compass Systems as a logistician when he died after having worked for other contractors in the area. He is survived by his three children and their spouses, Katherine E. Bell, (Norwood) of Crestview, FL, Kimberly E. Intinarelli, (Michael) of Las Vegas, NV and Kelly D. Major, (Lori) of Mechanicsville, MD, six grandchildren; Kristina Intinarelli, David C. Major, Megan Intinarelli, Ashley Bell, Amber Major and Jamie Bell, two brothers; Mark Major of Perth, Australia and Kirk Major of Warrick, Australia, aunts; Vivian T. Hughes of Lancaster, OH and Rosanne Howard of Milton, FL, also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews and special friend Tina Appel of Algoma, Wisconsin and her daughters Amanda and Molly Anne. In addition to his mother David was preceded in death by his brother Brian Major. He was a member and a past-Exalted Ruler of BPO Elks 2092 Lexington Park and past Commander of American Legion Post 162. He volunteered with the Chief Wives Club performing in their charity shows and as the Easter Bunny for the St. Mary’s Craft guild and as Santa Claus for Big Brothers and Sisters. Family will receive friends on Friday, December 18, 2009 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD a Life Celebration will be held at 7 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Interment at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lexington Park Vol-
Robert Lee Norris, 62 of Mechanicsville, MD passed away on December 9, 2009 at St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born January 17, 1947 in Leonardtown, MD to the late Woodrow W. and Agnes Woodburn Norris.
Mr. Norris was a Furniture Refinisher for the Federal Government. Robert Lee was very close to his family and friends, he was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting and fishing, he was also an all around Cowboy. Robert Lee is survived by his children; Robert Lee “Bobby” Norris, Jr. of King George, VA, Wendy M. Harris of Mechanicsville, MD and Laura L. Knight of Petersburg, VA, Siblings; James W. “Chally” Norris, of Leonardtown, MD, Margaret A. Pruitt of Leonardtown, MD, Mary E. “Libby” Bean of Valley Lee, MD and Woody Norris of California, MD, also survived by 2 grandchildren. Family received friends on Saturday, December 12, 2009 in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD; a Funeral Service was conducted in the funeral home chapel. Interment will be private. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD
Joan Tiger, 76 Joan Elizabeth Tiger, 76 of California, MD passed away on December 9, 2009 at her daughter’s
residence. Born August 3, 1933 in Schoharie, NY she was the daughter of the late Bates and Elizabeth Thorington Haskins. Mrs. Tiger served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1954; she was a Licensed Practical Nurse. Joan is survived by her children; Deborah Caldwell of Mechanicsville, MD, April Wobbleton of California, MD, Connie Jameson of St. Inigoes, MD, Phillip Tiger of Lexington Park, MD, Randall Tiger of California, MD and Robert Tiger of Lexington Park, MD, siblings; Charlotte Carlton of TN, Peggy Harper of NY, Neal Haskins of NY and Mike Haskins of MA, also survived by 12 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents Mrs. Tiger was preceded in death by one brother, Leonard Haskins. A Graveside Service was conducted on Monday, December 14, 2009 at Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD
The County Times
Briefs Deputies Respond To Multiple Assault Calls On December 8, 2009, Corporal Steve Simonds responded to a residence on Circle Drive in Great Mills for a report of an assault in progress. The investigation revealed Pamela Rose, 36, of Great Mills, was involved in a verbal dispute with the victim, which escalated into a physical assault when Rose allegedly struck the victim in the face, shoulders and neck. Further investigation revealed Rose to be in possession of suspected oxycodone without a prescription and suspected ecstasy. Rose was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. On December 9, 2009, Corporal P. Handy responded to a residence on Goddard Court in Leonardtown for a report of a domestic assault. The investigation revealed James Craig Proctor, 22, of Leonardtown, was in a verbal dispute with the victim which escalated into a physical assault when Proctor allegedly punched the victim in the head. Proctor was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. On December 9, 2009, Deputy First Class Jason Maletto responded to a residence on Lexwood Court in Lexington Park for a report of a domestic disturbance. The investigation revealed Robert Harold Tiger, 39, of Lexington Park, was in a verbal dispute with the victim which escalated into a physical assault when Tiger allegedly punched the victim several times in the ribs. Tiger was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. On December 9, 2009, the St. Mary’s County Emergency Communications Center broadcast a lookout for a green Toyota passenger vehicle in the California area. The vehicle contained two individuals engaged in a dispute. Deputy T. Seyfried located the vehicle in the Hickory Hills Shopping Center and spoke with the occupants. The investigation revealed Marvin Anthony Taylor, 50, of Loveville, was in a verbal dispute with the victim, which escalated into a physical assault when Taylor allegedly punched the victim in the head. Taylor was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. On December 10, 2009, Deputy P. Bowen responded to Brooke Stone Court in Lexington Park for a report of a domestic assault. The investigation revealed Melani Dianne Goodman, 32, of Lexington Park, was involved in a verbal dispute which escalated into a physical assault when Goodman allegedly scratched the victim in the face. Goodman was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.
Philip H. Dorsey III Attorney at Law
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sheriff’s Office Looking For Fugitives Over The Holidays By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
The sheriff’s office is looking for the public’s help in tracking down some of the county’s most wanted offenders and suspects this holiday season by highlighting a fugitive profile each day from Dec. 13 until Dec. 25. The 12 Days of Fugitives program is designed to get the public to focus on helping deputies find the fugitives when they would normally be thinking of just the holiday season, said Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron. “We’re just looking to focus the public’s attention on this, but this isn’t something we just do over the holidays, we do this all year,” Cameron said. Calvin Ricardo Cunningham The people deputies are looking for are either suspects in violent crimes or ones who have been found guilty of those crimes and have absconded from parole or probation. Also deputies are searching for suspects who are severely arrears in child support payments. The first two fugitives are Calvin Ricardo
Cunningham, who has absconded from probation on a second degree rape conviction, and Deodis Lee Clyburn allegedly who owes more than $91,000 in child support payments. Deputies believe Clyburn might be hiding in Northern Virginia. Deodis Lee Clyburn Cameron said that the fugitives sought in the program are the kind that could have a direct impact on public safety by their running free. “That’s huge to take offenders like that off the streets,” Cameron said. “Most of them have already been adjudicated.” Cameron has sought to decrease the backlog of warrants for service currently on file with the agency, and while a “woefully undermanned” staff has made progress there is still much work to do, he said. Anyone with information regarding Cunningham, Clyburn or any other fugitives wanted by the sheriff’s office can contact them via e-mail or phone at 301-475-3333 or by text message at “TIP239” with an added message to “Crimes” 274637. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Man Charged With Threatening Wife After Sex Assaults Alleged
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
Police said a Mechanicsville man threatened his wife with a shotgun Sunday night after it was revealed that he had allegedly mo-
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Rolf Hartman
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lested two young girls he had close contact with over a period of months. Rolf Hartman, 49, has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault as well as one count each of second-and-third degree sex offense but was released Monday on a
full $25,000 property bond. He was ordered to stay away from the two alleged victims in the case. Charging documents filed against Hartman by Det. Robert Merritt reveal that police responded to a disturbance at the family residence where the defendant’s wife told deputies that he had threatened her with a shotgun after she had been informed that he had allegedly sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl. When deputies arrived on the scene Hartman fired several rounds up in the air and told police to shoot him because he “had done something horrible,” charging documents alleged. Hartman’s wife was able to get the two female juveniles out of the house despite his trying to keep her there at gunpoint, charging documents stated, though when he exited the home with the shotgun he apologized for the alleged crime and threatened to commit suicide. The 14-year-old female had told Hartman’s wife that he had sexually assaulted her that evening for about 10 minutes while she was in bed; during a subsequent interview the 12-year-old female told investigators that she had also been sexually assaulted by Hartman three times this year from the summer months up to Dec. 12, charging documents stated. When interviewed by detectives Hartman said he had “hurt” someone he loved and that he “did not deserve to be alive on this earth.” Hartman was taken for a psychiatric evaluation and released. guyleonard@countytimes.net
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The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
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Know
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The County Times
Education
Regional Piano Competition Providing Opportunity for High School Students High school pianists have until January 15 to apply to compete in the College of Southern Maryland and ArtLinks second annual Southern Maryland Regional Piano Competition, to be held April 24 and 25 at the college’s Prince Frederick Campus. The high-level juried competition is open to any high school student within the region as an opportunity to promote piano performance and reward and encourage young pianists within Southern Maryland as they perform on the college’s “magnificent and absolutely superior, handcrafted Boesendorfer.” All pianists will audition on Saturday, April 24 on the piano, which isthe centerpiece of the college’s Ward Virts Concert Series and located at the Prince Frederick Campus. The piano was gifted to the community by the Ward Virts Piano Project Group as a tribute to the late Ward Virts,
a talented concert trained pianist from the region who died in 1993. Sunday’s performance on April 25 will feature the competition winners and a guest artist performing on the Boesendorfer. The finalists will also be presented with certificates and cash awards. The deadline to apply for the competition is January 15, 2010. Applications, as well as the competition rules are available at www.csmd. edu/SoMdPianoCompetition. For information on applications, contact Donna Wayson, 301-8552966 or donnawayson@verizon.net. For information on sponsorships, contact JoAnn Kushner, 410-257-2627 or Joannkushner@hotmail.com.
CSM Hosting Career Starters Open House
*Stuffed ham is available by the pound, half or whole hams. Half or Whole Hams require 24 hr Notice
We can also order you your own ham to stuff.
The College of Southern Maryland’s Leonardtown campus will host a Career Starters open House from 4 to 6:30 p.m., Jan. 7, at the Leonardtown Campus, A Building, in the auditorium. The event will introduce its slate of non-credit training courses for people who want to kickstart a new career in business, construction, early childhood, healthcare, hospitality, information technology, transportation or veterinary
medicine. Classes range from 10 to 16 weeks and are offered in short sequences for students to gain skills quickly to enter the workforce. During the open house, prospective students can meet with a program coordinator and instructors from each career field, learn about financial assistance options and register for classes. For more information call 240-725-5499, Ext. 7765 or visit www. csmd.edu/CareerStarters.
Mattingly And Allen Re-Elected As Board Of Ed Officers
During its meeting of Wednesday, Dec. 9, the Board of Education of St. Mary’s County unanimously re-elected Mr. Bill Mattingly as chairman and Mrs. Cathy Allen as vice chairman. This will be the third consecutive year
that they both have served in their respective positions. Mr. Mattingly’s school board term expires December 2010 and Mrs. Allen’s school board term expires December 2012.
Fitness Workshop at CSM
The College of Southern Maryland will be holding a Holiday Fitness Workshop from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 17 at the Leonardtown Campus, 22950 Hollywood Road, Building B, Room 201. CSM’s certified personal trainers will host a fitness Seminar to provide information
about healthy eating habits and easy exercise tips for the holiday season. The event is free but space is limited. Call 240-725-5370 to reserve a space. For information on CSM Wellness, Fitness and Aquatics Personal Enrichment programs, visit http://www.csmd.edu/Training/ PersonalEnrichment/WFR/.
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The College of Southern Maryland Foundation will celebrate its 40th anniversary during 2010. Serving on the foundation are: rear from left, Al Leandre, Jay Lilly, Carol Sprague, Glen Ives, Elfreda Mathis, Director Emeritus Evelyn Hungerford and CSM Vice President of Advancement Michelle Goodwin; middle from left, Mary Sue Greisman, CSM President Dr. Brad Gottfried, Andrew Ziencik Jr., Suzanne Wible, St. Clair Tweedie and Steve Proctor; front from left, Candice Quinn Kelly, Rick Tepel, Chair Greg Cockerham, Immediate Past Chair Donald Parsons Jr. and CSM Trustee Representative MacArthur Jones.
The County Times
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Thank you for helping St. Michael’s School reach our initial goal. Additional funds will help keep the school open for future years!
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If people sign up their store cards to support St. Michael’s School, McKays, Target, and Giant will donate percentages of those sales to the school.
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Learn More About St. Michael’s School’s Fundraising Initiative with the Affinity VISA Credit Card Program. St. Michael’s School gets benefits from enrollments and card usage. www.saint-michaels-school.org/SMSAffinity.html
Other Christmas Events That Will Be Benefiting St. Michael’s School Include: The Holiday Plant Sale, the Personalized Luminaries Sale, and the St. Michael’s School Calendar Raffle.
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The County Times
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
Hard Times
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For Some, Rough Economy Means A Different Kind Of Holiday By Andrea Shiell Staff Writer A frosty breeze swept through Lexington Park as Dianna Diatz, who calls herself a “millionaire in training,” shuffled through a bin at Vintage Values in search of warm winter clothes. This was but one stop for her over the weekend, where, in between visits to her normal perches at the library and shops in Leonardtown, she said she was taking time to stock up on cold-weather necessities and clothes for Caroline, a fictional “friend of Charles Dickens” she plays at functions and events in the county for cash. She said her shopping spree would be necessary because she wouldn’t have a warm room to go to at the end of the day. She would be spending another night in her car. “It’s ironic when you look at the character I play,” she said, explaining that one of her recent performances in Leonardtown featured a long discussion with listeners about homeless children during the 19 th century. “It’s amazing to see how little has changed in the last 200 years.” Dianna explained that her experience with being homeless for the last few months had taught her several useful survival skills, such as always keeping water in her car as well as fresh foods, and layering clothes and blankets. “Also, those reflector things for the sun are actually a great way to keep cold air out of the car … and the other advantage of the quilted reflectors is nobody can see who is in the car, so its like my motor home, my little camper,” she said. Though not her ideal living situation, Dianna said she feels blessed to have the scant shelter her car provides, though there had been a great deal to get used to when she found herself put out of one of the local shelters with no place else to go. Dianna said she found herself leaving the shelter and working part time with a local retailer, but she lost the job because her car’s tags had expired and she was unable to drive legally. It was about that time that Dianna said the weather had begun turning cold, and she had to adjust rather quickly to life outside, depending on a friend who agreed to tow her to different locations where she could sleep. At that point Dianna said that ge t t i ng
please contact the county times at 301-373-4125
back into the shelter was not a possibility, and that some of her friends had suggested to her that she “pretend to be an addict,” explaining that she might have been able to secure a place in one of the other local shelters if she had substance abuse problems. “But that’s just not who I am, and I don’t want to take a space like that from people who do have a problem.” For her, depression has been the hardest struggle to contend with, a demon she says followed her from her home in Alexandria, Virginia to Southern Maryland when she moved to the area in 2008, hoping to find administrative or secretarial work while she tutored or taught art or design on the side. “I never thought I’d have a problem finding work,” she Photo by Frank Marquart said, explaining that she had a college degree and had never A car filled with someone’s belongings is often seen parked near the Three Oaks Shelter in been homeless before. “I thought to myself ‘well they have Lexington Park. Below, a group of people sit on a bench not far from the shelter. museums and they probably have temp jobs’ but I couldn’t find any of that when I got here.” According to county officials approximately 2,000 [Wrapping Arms Round Many]. people are in some stage of homelessness in St. Mary’s County, “It was a program that’s been operating in Charles County for and a growing number have never been homeless before. several years, and in Calvert County for three years, so we kind of “I’d definitely say there’s been an increase in people looking went to them … we’re starting the same as them with churches,” for shelter,” said Marguerite Morris, director of Leah’s House, a she said, explaining that the program kicked off on Nov. 29 and is women’s shelter in Valley Lee. “There are some days when the set up so that people can register through the Department of Social phone is ringing off the hook all day … and people are begging us Services to stay in various local churches, which will provide food for shelter,” she added. and beds for up to 20 people per night. Carol Mathias, administrative manager at Three Oaks CenDianna said she recently signed up for the WARM Nights proter, said that she had seen an increase in people seeking housing gram but she is nervous about the prospect of leaving Leonardtown, assistance. a place where she said she has found a great deal of support. “For the most part, our beds stay filled year-round. We have “I’ve met so many angels in Leonardtown. I really don’t know had an increase, and … in some cases we’re seeing people who’ve where I’d be if so many kind people hadn’t helped me these past never been homeless,” she said, explaining that federal money was weeks,” she said. “But I know I definitely wouldn’t have gotten any now coming in from the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Hous- help if I complained all the time … I need a posiing grant to help the center with such cases. tive attitude to get through this.” The center runs a men’s shelter that has 20 beds, 12 for transitional housing and 8 for emergency assistance. The women’s shelandreashiell@countytimes.net ter has 20 beds for both women and children, who stay in townhouses in Lexington Park. Other programs funded the Department of Housing and Urban Development include rental assistance programs, and seven programs geared toward finding permanent housing for people with disabilities. All the same Mathias said that the shelters are operating at capacity, and overflow is being currently being directed to the county’s WARM nights program
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The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
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The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Following Locally Owned Businesses would like join The County Times in Sending
Holiday Greetings And to Wish Prosperity for the New Year! “Caring is Our Business” FOR OVER 50 YEARS, THE COUNTY’S MOST TRUSTED SOURCE FOR QUALITY
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Newsmakers
Not Just Another House
Leah’s House Featured on NBC’s ‘12 Days of Giving’
By Andrea Shiell Staff Writer The office at Leah’s House was packed with donated toiletries, toys and other everyday items, which, stacked up against the boxes of Christmas decorations, bows and wrapping paper, practically spilled over in the small area that houses the administrative areas of the organization. “Great Mills High School had a food drive for us, so we’re trying to get everything organized,” said director Marguerite Morris as she waded through the lobby, explaining that there had been an incredible influx of donated items from the community. Donations aside, the house itself will be getting some extra media exposure this season, with a spot on NBC Washington’s holiday program, “12 Days of Giving” which is set to air on Thursday, Dec. 17. Leah’s House was founded in 2005 and the house has been operating since 2008, catering to women, children and victims of domestic violence. Morris said that an additional house is in the planning stages, but that current plans are being set up to address the need for upgrading and repairs to the existing facility, and she and her staff hope to highlight some of that need in their upcoming spot on NBC, which will feature interviews with Morris and some of her clients, as well as opportunities for viewers to call in pledges for donations to the organization. “They contacted us and asked us if we’d like to be on their program,” she said, explaining that she and a few of her staff would be taped on the program on Thursday. In addition, Morris said that the program would feature footage from the organization’s recent audition tape for “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” on ABC. “The house down the hill needs a lot of work,” she said, “especially with the outside, so we walked the property and told the history of the property and a bit about our work here, talked about the walkway down there and the inside of the house, and just the need for a larger home … so they’ll be showing parts of that on NBC when we’re there.” Leah’s House currently has more than 2,000 square feet and five bedrooms that currently can house up to 16 residents at any given time, but Morris said that the house itself was in need of upgrades and repairs, as well as additional space for Mike Schwartz, owner of Mike’s Bikes in Lexington Park, has become a local celebrity since first starting the Mike’s Food Fund in 1983, which now has him giving away more than 1,000 Christ-
Photo By Andrea Shiell
Marguerite Morris plays with Skyler, one of the children staying at Leah’s House in Valley Lee, which will be featured on NBC’s “12 Days of Giving” program on Dec. 17.
classes and childcare. “Our approach to homelessness is holistic,” said Morris, explaining that the organization was hoping to also offer classes and expanded childcare services in addition to shelter, but that additional growth for the housing and education programs would be an uphill battle. “With the economy … we’re at a small scale plan which would be a house in the trees behind us, and that would give us additional space and … we could still bring in some classroom space,” she said. In the meantime Morris says that the organization’s spot on television would give it some great exposure, and that the work would continue on behalf of homeless women in St. Mary’s County. “It still remains that we’re a shelter, we’re responding to a need, and if there was no need for us we then wouldn’t be packed, exceeding capacity,” said Morris. Leah’s House will be featured on NBC 4 for their “12 Days of Giving” program at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17. To find out more about Leah’s House, go to www.leahshousemd.org.
3
Question Interview
mas meals to needy families all over the county. He took some time out of his day to talk with The County Times about his passion for both bikes and giving back. CT: What did you do before you had your shop? MS: Nothing! I opened the shop within a year of graduating from college – St. Mary’s College (where he majored in social sciences) … I was a bike person since I was a little kid, and I never really wanted to do anything else except play for the Orioles or the Lakers.
CT: You’ve also done the Mike’s Food Fund since 1983. What got you to start doing that?
MS: Well in ’83 my house burned down, and so I went around to several charities and Salvation Army helped me out, and sort of to repay them the following Christmas I got 11 turkeys and potatoes and I took them out to the Salvation Army. CT: How’s this year’s Food Fund going? How many turkey dinners have you given out so far? Do you plan to keep going in future years?
MS: Right now we are at about 500. We’ve got another 450 or so coming in on Thursday, and 300 more coming in on Friday. So by Christmas Eve we’ll be looking at over 1,000, probably over 1,200 … this has been my gig since ’83 so I don’t see how I could stop it anyway.
Community When The World Is Puddle-Wonderful
The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
20
Win a Wii and Help Rescue!!!
Nominations Sought for First Annual MLK Jr. “Realizing the Dream” Awards
Nintendo Wii Console w/ Nintendo Wii Sports
St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) is accepting nominations for the first Martin Luther King, Jr. “Realizing the Dream” awards. The awards will honor four St. Mary’s County residents who embody exemplary character as described in King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and who have made significant contributions to their communities. One St. Mary’s County adult male and female, and one boy and girl from grades 6-12 will be selected. A $100 award and a plaque will be presented to the winners during the sixth annual Southern Maryland Martin Luther King, Jr., Prayer Breakfast on January 18, 2010, at the college. Contact Katie Lanham at 240-895-4191 for nomination information. Deadline is January 8, 2010, and honorees will be notified soon after. Nominees should exhibit qualities reflected in Dr. King’s words: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” A nomination form should be completed describing the individual’s qualifications and reasons for making the nomination. Resume, curriculum vita, letters of commendation, newspaper articles, and list of activities may be included, but material should be limited to five pages. For contest instructions, visit www.smcm.edu.
The Nintendo Wii Console includes: One Wii Remote One Nunchuk Wii Sports Game Disc (5 games; Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Bowling and Boxing) Power cord Sensor bar Standard AV composite cable PLUS ... $50 Wal-Mart gift Card. Ticket prices are $5.00 each, $7.00 for 5 tickets and $10.00 for 10 tickets. Tickets available from SECOND HOPE RESCUE. Please call 240-925-0628, email lora@secondhoperescue.org or katmc@secondhoperescue.org. Winner will be chosen on December 20th.”
Pet Food Pantry Opening
Photo By Frank Marquart
William Dixon Lavergne enjoys some puddle stomping near Leonard Hall in Leonardtown with his grandmother Cathy Dixon.
The St. Mary’s Animal Welfare League is proud to announce the start of the SMAWL Pet Food Pantry, a resource for needy families in St. Mary’s County to acquire pet food and litter for their pets. “We are very excited to be able to bring this greatly needed resource to our community,” Melissa Carnes, President of the St. Mary’s Animal Welfare League, said in a press release. “We are getting calls for assistance and have been unable to find a food bank in the area which has pet food. Our Board discussed the idea, and unanimously voted to begin the program for our county residents in need.” The SMAWL Pet Food Pantry would not be possible without the support of the St. Mary’s County Department of Public Safety’s Animal Control Division. “It is great to have a partner such as Animal Control,” said Carnes. “They share our concern for animals and work so hard to help us in our efforts to rescue animals and provide needed service to our
county residents. SMAWL would not be where we are today without the advice and support of the staff at Public Safety and Animal Control.” Donations of food will be accepted at the Public Safety Office in Leonardtown during normal county government hours. Those wishing to donate food can also contact Animal Control at 301-475-8018, and an Animal Control Officer will make arrangements to pick up food or litter at your home or office. SMAWL will conduct food/litter drives throughout the county at different locations and dates. Donations will be accepted at SMAWL’s monthly adoption events at Petco in California on the first and third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Donation of food must be in the form on unopened bags or cans of food or litter. Bird food and other foods normally sold in plastic containers will also be accepted. “We hope this program will help St. Mary’s County residents who are experiencing financial hardship due to loss of employment to keep their
beloved pets,” said Carnes. “As of today, our organization, as is the case with many rescue groups, is full. We are seeing many animals come through our foster homes due to people losing their jobs and their homes which prevent them from being able to continue to care for their pets.” Low-income residents who would like to receive assistance from the SMAWL Pet Food Pantry should leave a message on the SMAWL Hotline at 301-373-5659 or contact Animal Control at 301-4758018. Distribution of pet food and litter will depend on the donations received from our community. All donations are tax-deductible, and a donation receipt will be provided at the donor’s request. Donations of cash will also be accepted and food will be purchased for the Pantry; to make a donation, please send a check made payable to SMAWL to PO Box 1232, Leonardtown, MD, 20650, and include a note that the gift is to be used for the Pet Food Pantry.
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” Exhibit
24th Annual Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit
Piney Point Lighthouse Museum
St. Clement’s Island Museum
301-994-1471
Open December 19 & 20 Then Daily December 26 - January 3, 2010
12 noon to 4 pm
301-769-2222
Happy Holidays from the St. Mary’s County Museum Division! Join us for special holiday exhibits and gift shopping in our museum stores! Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Call or visit us on line for more information: www.stmarysmd.com/recreate/museums
The Board of County Commissioners for St. Mary’s County
Open Wed - Sun 12 noon to 4 pm now through January 3, 2010 Open daily Dec. 26 - Jan. 3
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
Community Calendar Thursday, December 17
Saturday, December 19
• Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit St. Clements Island Museum (Colton’s Point) – 12 noon
• Christmas Cookie Sale Hollywood United Methodist Church – 9 a.m. Doors will open at 9:00 am until sold-out. Cost will be $10 per container. Choose your favorite cookies, and make a sweet start to the holiday season. For more information call 301-373-2500.
• Package/Deliver Turkey Dinners Zion Methodist Church (Lexington Park) – 5 p.m. Each year, Mike’s Food Fund in Lexington Park provides needy families in St. Mary’s County with a turkey dinner for the Christmas Holidays. Meals will be distributed by volunteers. The initial distribution location is the Zion United Methodist Church, located on Route 235, between Gates 2 and 3 of Patuxent River, NAS. There are approximately 50 routes which need volunteers for delivery, as well as volunteers at the church to help package up the dinners for delivery. • Living Hope Christmas Celebration Great Mills High School – 6:30 p.m. Living Hope First United Pentecostal Church and the St. Mary’s County community will celebrate Christmas at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Md. There will be various performances and a drama performance called The Gift Of A Promise. Cortt Chavis, a national recording artist will be singing in the program. Free gifts for the first 60 children to register. Event is free to the public. For more information, visit our website at http:// livinghopechristmas.weebly.com/.
Friday, December 18 • Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit St. Clements Island Museum (Colton’s Point) – 12 noon • Package/Deliver Turkey Dinners Zion Methodist Church (Lexington Park) – 5 p.m. • Steak & Shrimp Dinner American Legion Post 221 in Avenue, MD is sponsoring a steak & shrimp dinner on Friday, December 18th, from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Post Home, located at 21690 Colton Point Rd in Avenue, MD. Please call 301-769-2220 for further information or 301-769-4346 the day of the event. The menu includes New York Strip Steak 12 oz. for $13.00 and 1 lb Steamed Shrimp for $13.00. Sandwiches are available. • Knights of Columbus Bingo Night Father Andrew White School (Leonardtown) – 7 p.m. 17 games with a $1,000 jackpot in 60 numbers or less. For information call 301-475-1824 or 301-4750334, or visit http://www.kofc.leonardtown.md.us. • Poker Leader Board Challenge FOP-7 :Lodge (Great Mills) – 7 p.m. • Texas Hold’Em Tournament VFW Pot 2632 (California) – 7 p.m.
• SMAWL Adoptions Petco (California) – 10 a.m. All animals have had a complete veterinary exam, are up to date on all vaccinations, spayed or neutered, and micro chipped. For more information visit www.smawl.org. • Children’s Christmas Craft Day Historic Cecil’s Old Mill (Great Mills) – 11 a.m. Christmas games, crafts, talks with Santa and more. Call 301-9941510 for more information. • Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit St. Clements Island Museum (Colton’s Point) – 12 noon • Holiday Exhibit Piney Point Lighthouse – 12 noon • Steak Night VFW Post 2632 (California) – 5 p.m.
The County Times
Monday, December 21 • Democratic Club Christmas Party Fitzie’s Marina (Leonardtown) – 6:30 p.m. $10.00 per person. For more information call Cindy at 301-737-7978. • Special Olympics Texas Hold’Em Tournament St. Mary’s County Elks Lodge (California) – 7 p.m.
Tuesday, December 22 • Deep Stack Hold’Em Bennett Building, 24930 Old Three Notch Rd (Hollywood) – 7 p.m.
Wednesday, December 23 • Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit St. Clements Island Museum (Colton’s Point) – 12 noon • Special Olympics Texas Hold’Em Tournament St. Mary’s County Elks Lodge (California) – 7 p.m. • Poker Leader Board Challenge FOP-7 Lodge (Great Mills) – 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 20 • Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit St. Clements Island Museum (Colton’s Point) – 12 noon • Holiday Exhibit Piney Point Lighthouse – 12 noon • Young Life Open House Coffee Quarter (California) – 12:30 p.m. • Texas Hold’Em Tournament FOP-7 Lodge (Great Mills) – 2 p.m. • Deep Stack Hold’Em Bennett Building, 24930 Old Three Notch Rd (Hollywood) – 4:30 p.m.
Keep Your Pets Safe & Stress Free By Mary Beth Gates Contributing Writer Pets are very tuned in to their owners’ emotions. As most of us are frazzled from the pressures of the holiday season, consider what your stress may be doing to your pets. This time of the year is full of changes in the household and normal routines are disrupted. Your pets do not understand why the furniture is being rearranged or why a big tree covered in ornaments and blinking lights is covering their favorite sleeping spot! Many animals will react to stress by misbehaving. Make sure to spend one on one time with them and try to not sway too far from their daily schedule and routine. Out of town company can further stress out the household. If your pets are not used to having children around, keep in mind that the nicest animal can react unfavorably from having his tail or ears pulled on! Crating, boarding, or asking someone familiar with your pet to babysit him while you have company, may be a kind thing to do for Fido or Fluffy!
L ibrary Items
• Texas Hold’Em Saturday Night Special Park Bingo Hall (California) – 7 p.m. • Annual Christmas Concert 44078 St. Andrew’s Church Rd (California) – 7:30 p.m. feature four members of the Washington National Opera: Patricia Hussey, mezzo-soprano; Tim Augustin, tenor; Linda Kirk, soprano; and Donald Schramm, baritone. The concert, which features songs of Christmas and the winter season, will include traditional carols with which the audience is invited to sing along. Admission. 301-862-9541. www.sanfordconcertseries.com.
CRITTER CORNER
• Libraries to be closed for holidays All three libraries will be closed Thursday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Dec. 27. The libraries will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 and reopen on Sat, Jan. 2. The library’s Internet branch, www.stmalib.org, will be open so customers can manage their accounts, research using the free online resources and download audio books and movies. • Customers can download audio books at any library The library has made it possible for customers to download the free online audio books to their iPods or MP3 players at any branch using designated library computers. This new service is especially beneficial to those customers who do not have high speed Internet access. • Libraries offer free family movies The Muppets put their unique twist on Charles Dickens’ Christmas tale in a G-rated movie, which will be shown on Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Charlotte Hall. On Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. Lexington Park will show a PG rated holiday comedy about Buddy who is raised by Santa’s elves and then goes to New York City to find his birth father. Leonardtown
will show a Disney PG movie on Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. about cranky Carl Fredricksen who launches his house into the sky and heads off to South America unaware of an 8-year old stowaway. Snacks are provided at each movie. • Families can enjoy afternoon of gaming fun Charlotte Hall is hosting two hours of gaming fun on Dec. 30 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for families and customers of all ages. Besides Wii, a variety of board games will be available to play. Snacks are provided. • Public invited to discuss books The public is invited to participate in the following book discussions: Katherine Paterson’s book, “The Bridge to Terabithia” on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. at Leonardtown; Alexander McCall Smith’s book, “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. at Charlotte Hall; and Dexter Filkins’ book, “The Forever War” on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. at Lexington Park. • Charlotte Hall is collection site for food drive Charlotte Hall is a collection site for the Mechanicsville Optimist food drive. Donations of nonperishable food can be dropped off until Christmas.
Any deviation of your pet’s normal diet may cause gastrointestinal distress. In addition to chocolate and chicken bones, table scraps should be avoided. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. When ingested, holly can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Floral arrangements often contain different varieties of lilies, with can cause liver failure in cats. Consumption of human pharmaceuticals are one of the most common holiday-related emergencies. Make sure all your medications are securely locked up, and be sure to ask your guests to keep their meds zipped up and out of reach, too. Be aware of the hazardous objects whose absence may be overlooked. Ribbons, batteries, small ornaments and hooks, tinsel, plastic pieces to toys, puzzle pieces etc. Holiday light strands, loose wires and electric cords can also pose a serious danger to your pet, especially curious puppies, who may chew on them. Curious cats have been known to tip over Christmas trees so be sure they are anchored and secure. Tree water may contain fertilizers that can cause an upset stomach if ingested. Stagnant tree water can also act as a breeding ground for bacteria. Whether it be for pets or humans, one thing is for sure: no one wants to spend the holidays in the emergency room so be safe. And be happy! Mary Beth Gates is the owner of Pepper’s Pet Pantry.
Buddy
“Hi, my name is Buddy and I’m a wonderful almost year old male Boxer/Pit Bull Terrier mix. I’m a great guy that would love to find an active family that likes to go on walks, jogs or even hiking! I love people and would be a great addition to your home, especially at the holidays! I’ve never been around cats, so I’d be happier in a home without one. Ideally, I’d love to be your one and only! Now, I’m looking for someone to raise me and give me the life I deserve! I’m up to date on vaccinations, house trained, crate trained, neutered and identification micro chipped. For more information, please call 240-925-0628 or email katmc@secondhoperescue.org. Please Adopt, Don’t Shop!”
The County Times
CLUES ACROSS
1. Banishes 5. Singer Mama ____ 9. S_____: looked fixedly 14. About organ of hearing 15. Ribosomal ribonucleic acid 16. African antelope 17. Filled chocolate cookie 18. Sparks 19. Domestic helps 20. Michaelangelo ceiling 23. Lingo or slang 24. Before 25. Make lacework 26. South American country 31. Site of chemical spill 35. Gourd instrument 36. Fail to win 37. Copycats 38. In a way, removes 41. Individualists 43. British order of honor member 45. P___: verse composition 46. Road coating 47. Prohibitions 51. Michaelangelo fresco 55. One who cuts
Last Week’s Puzzles Solutions
ner
KiddKioer
Thursday, December 17, 2009
57. Ex ruler of Iran 58. 2nd husband of Gudrun 59. Condemnation 60. British General 61. Make a portrait of 62. Alleviated 63. Affirmatives 64. Carangid fishes
CLUES DOWN
1. Scornful sounds 2. Aweigh 3. East German city 4. Ivanhoe author 5. About the skull 6. Put in jail 7. 60’s college Civil Rights group 8. Window parts 9. Poster paints 10. Winglike structures 11. Train track 12. Finale 13. Tooth caregiver 21. 9th Greek letter 22. Starch from the cuckoopint
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root 27. 1st Islamic republic 28. Back side of the neck 29. Maple genus 30. Catholic service 31. Bulla 32. Israeli dance 33. ex-Miami quarterback Bernie K____ 34. Mexican coin 39. Crossed the threshold 40. Ziplock closure 41. Dog tethers 42. S. American Pokeweed 44. Crummy 45. Canadian capital 48. Opaque gems 49. Oculus 50. Civil rights city in Alabama 51. ____ the night before Christmas 52. ____d: shortened clothing 53. Nailed to a horse’s hoof 54. The hard outer layer of a fruit 55. One point E of due S 56. Pie ___ mode
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The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
A Journey Through Time The
By Linda Reno Contributing Writer Anne Frisby was born September 5, 1727 in Cecil County, Maryland and was the daughter of Peregrine Frisby and Elizabeth Sewall (daughter of Major Nicholas Sewall and Susanna Burgess of St. Mary’s County). Anne married first, John Rousby who died just a few years after their marriage. “John Rousby, aged about 25, eldest son of the late Hon. John Rousby, Collector of Customs for the
Chronicle
District of Patuxent (dec’d), died of violent fevers last week at his seat on the Patuxent River in Calvert County, leaving a widow and one child.” Their child was Elizabeth Rousby; born 1750, who married George Plater in 1764 (Plater would later become Governor of Maryland). One year later, Anne married William Fitzhugh.“Last week William Fitzhugh, Esq. of Virginia was married to Mrs. Rousby, widow of John Rousby, dec’d, a gentlewoman with a handsome fortune.” They made their home at Rousby Hall in Calvert County. During the Revolutionary War, the British were said to have gone to Rousby Hall twice to arrest Col. Fitzhugh, who held a commission in the British Army (attained while serving during the French and Indian War in 1754) but who had now aligned himself with the rebel cause.
Wanderings of an Aimless
d
Min
By Shelby Oppermann Contributing Writer I’ve been spraying our artificial Christmas tree with Febreeze. There has been so much rain this fall that our big shed, where the Christmas tree is stored, has a bit of a moldy smell. My husband even left the tree outside for a while before bringing it inside to air it out some. I was beginning to decorate last night, and sneezed through most of it. Even Tidbit sneezed a lot. I guess I will find some pine-scented candles to put near the tree. The only problem is that I am just as sensitive to those smells as I am to the mold. It’s going to be a sneezy Christmas this year. After I pulled out all the Christmas boxes under the steps, I found the box containing all of my Mother’s old ornaments. These are the ornaments from the 30’s through the 60’s. I don’t believe my Mother bought a new Christmas ornament after 1965. I opened the box to admire some of the old Christmas balls. The smell of fifty years of cigarette smoke greeted me –it never seems to go away. All the ornaments were nestled in ancient gold garland with strands of errant tinsel woven throughout. I’m surprised that there is any tinsel in the box, since the dry heat in the old house made the tinsel even more static and it would attach itself to your clothes as you walked by. The oldest ornaments in the box were my Grandmother’s. She preferred the extremely thin colored glass balls. They have the faintest blush of red, orange, and green. I laughed as I noticed the elaborate hanging rigs. Most of our old ornaments are hung with faded red ribbons or a unique system of Bobby Pins and string. The latter being the most popular and what I remember most. My favorite ornaments in the box are the ones that have holes cut in the side where you see a little Christmas scene. These were magical to me. It was like looking into a miniature world that came alive only at Christmas. I loved
The Light of a Full Moon
the one-inch colored metal balls, also tied by faded ribbon that always went near the top of the tree. As I sat, I was transported to my childhood home. I felt like I was really sitting in the living room watching my brothers decorate the tree. The other memory that came back to me while sitting sneezing in that three and a half by ten-foot space, besides claustrophobia, was the smell of the old lights on the tree. The old twisted wires had a certain smell when they got hot. When the colored lights were near tinsel or garland, the smell of hot metal was strong. If it was a live tree, the heat against the branches always smelled like maple syrup to me. The sap must have heated up too. I replaced the box of old ornaments, and pulled out the box underneath. This was the box containing ornaments from the 1970’s. These are distinctive because of the gold and silver glitter covering them – similar to the shoes I wore in the 70’s. I bought these ornaments for the little tree I had upstairs at my parent’s house. When I was at college, my Mother began using them on her tree. She had quit using the big tree and switched to a tabletop tree. By the end of January each year, I would ask my Mother if I could take down the tree, but she would say she liked it. It wasn’t unusual for the little Christmas tree to stay in the living room until Easter. At this point another sneezing attack occurred, and I knew it was time to go back upstairs, and begin a new round of sneezing. Maybe, I’ll just decorate the tree a little at a time and stop for sneezes. I should be done by Christmas Eve. l about that next anger management course. To each new day’s adventure, Shelby Please send comments or ideas to: shelbys.wanderings@yahoo.com.
The first time, Col. Fitzhugh wasn’t home. Ann was advised that a party of British soldiers was approaching. “She instantly collected her slaves; furnished them with such weapons of defence as were at hand ; took a quantity of cartridges in her apron, and, herself forming the van, urged her sable subalterns on to meet the foe. Not looking for resistance, the advancing party, on beholding the amazon with her sooty invincibles, hastily turned on their heels and fled.” The second time, the British marched to the house at midnight on a cold and rainy night. They banged on the door. When Col. Fitzhugh, who was now blind, demanded to know who was there, they responded they were “friends to King George.” Anne went to admit them, but on the way she awakened her four sons, put pistols in their hands, and told them to flee. The soldiers demanded that Col. Fitzhugh accompany them, as their prisoner, to New
York. Anne helped her husband get dressed. She boldly informed the soldiers that if her husband was going, she was too. “The officer told her she would be exposed and must suffer, but she persisted in accompanying him, saying that he could not take care of himself, nor, if he could, would she permit a separation.” In her nightclothes, no shoes, and “with the mere protection of a cloak, which the officer took down and threw over her shoulders before leaving the house, she sallied forth with the party.” While on the way to their boat, the soldiers heard gun fire (probably the Fitzhugh sons) and thinking it was rebels, they hastily retreated, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Fitzhugh on the shore. In recognition of her bravery, the Anne Frisby Fitzhugh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized in Bay City, Michigan in 1900.
e r u t a e F e Creatur Big Boys of the Arctic
By Theresa Morr Contributing Writer Meet the awesome polar bear, the world’s largest land carnivore. Its home is in the Arctic region, which includes the five “Polar Bear Nations” --- the U. S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Denmark (Greenland), and Norway. Despite the Arctic’s harsh environment, it’s “all systems go” for these superinsulated bears. They’re covered with about four inches of blubber; a layer of under fur; and an outer layer of stiff, shiny, transparent guard hairs that look white because of reflected light. Their skin, nose, eyes, and lips are black, which also helps to conserve heat. Polar bears are powerful predators with long bodies, small ears, and tails. Stocky legs and large paws, which act like snowshoes, distribute the bear’s weight as it walks on snow or ice; and thick, black paw pads covered with tiny bumps called papillae provide the traction. The animal’s short scooped claws are perfect for gripping prey or digging out snow and ice. These big boys of the Arctic stand tall, like about eight to ten feet high. Males can weigh 1,700 pounds or more, while females are around half that size. Polar bears are great swimmers in open water and all that body fat, plus water repellent fur, gives them buoyancy. They use their large forepaws to dog-paddle themselves along at around six miles per hour. Ringed seals are the bear’s favorite dinner, which they capture by “still killing.” But to find the seals, the bears have to go where the seals go, where the ice floes meet the water. The bear’s keen sense of smell can detect a seal’s breathing hole a mile or more away. The bear patiently waits close by as the seal surfaces to breathe.
The moment the seal pops up through the breathing hole, the bear fatally bites the seal and flips it onto the ice. A nice fatty dinner is served. The polar bear’s biology requires large amounts of fat from marine mammals like the ringed and bearded seals. In November and December, females usually give birth to twin cubs in a den made in deep snow. The tiny cubs are blind and toothless, and the family stays in the den until March or April. By then, the cubs are chubby from mamma bear’s fatty milk, but she has fasted during this time, surviving on her body fat. She’s ready to leave the den to hunt for a good meal. The cubs will follow the mother for about two and one-half years, while learning how to hunt. Polar bears live about 20 to 25 years in the wild. Scientists estimate there are about 20,000 to 25,000 thousand polar bears throughout the Arctic region. But with the threat of global warming and Arctic temperatures at record highs, they fear that two-thirds of the world’s polar bears could disappear by 2050. The melting of the ice packs directly affects the bears. Without a sea ice platform, the bears cannot reach their prey and are forced to swim longer distances to reach ice. Scientists conducting field work in the Arctic say ice is freezing later each year and breaking up earlier, leaving bears with less time to feed. The sad result: Bears are becoming smaller and weaker and females are having fewer and less healthy cubs. On May 14, 2008, the U. S. Department of the Interior placed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. If global warming continues unchecked, the only place you may be able to see polar bears in the future may be at the zoo. For more info about this beautiful creature, check out this great site: www. polarbearsinternational.org. Comments to kikusan2@comcast.net.
The County Times
Thursday, December 17
• No Green JellyBeenz Heavy Hitters (Charlotte Hall) – 9:30 p.m.*
• Fair Warning Irish Pub Band CJ’s Back Room (Lusby) – 5 p.m.
Saturday, December 19
• David Norris DB McMillan’s Pub (California) – 6 p.m. • Upstroke Vincenzo’s Restaurant (Lusby) – 6:30 p.m. • DJ Blacky & DJ Paco Hula’s Bungalow (California) – 8 p.m.
• Fair Warning Irish Pub Band DB McMillan’s (California) – 6 p.m. • Bent Nickel Anderson’s Bar (Avenue) – 8 p.m. • Nuttin’ Fancy Band CJ’s Back Room (Lusby) – 8 p.m.
• Dangertones Apehanger’s Bar (Bel Alton) – 9 p.m.
• Open Blues Jam Fat Boys Country Store (Leonardtown) – 8 p.m.
• Karaoke “On Demand” Cadillac Jack’s (Lexington Park) – 9 p.m.
• Crazy Craig’s Karaoke VFW Post 2632 (California) – 8:30 p.m.
Friday, December 18 • Fair Warning Irish Pub Band Donovan’s Pub (California) – 5 p.m. • David Norris DB McMillan’s Pub (California) – 6 p.m. • Country Dance – Solid Gold Entertainment Hotel Charles (Hughesville) – 7:30 p.m. • Absinthe Memories (Waldorf) – 9 p.m.* • DJ Don The Getaway Lounge (Waldorf) – 9 p.m. • Karaoke and DJ Dance Party Club 911 (Mechanicsville) – 9 p.m. • Karaoke “On Demand” Cadillac Jack’s (Lexington Park) – 9 p.m. • Sam Grow Vera’s White Sands Beach Club (Lusby) – 9 p.m. • Southbound Apehanger’s Bar (Bel Alton) – 9 p.m.
• The Breeze Crooked I Sports Bar & Grill (Chesapeake Beach) – TBD*
Sunday, December 20 • Joey Tippett and the California Ramblers Apehangers Bar (Bel Alton) – 3 p.m.
Monday, December 21 (No events scheduled)
Tuesday, December 22 • Fair Warning Irish Pub Band DB McMillan’s Pub (California) – 6 p.m.
• Captain Woody Apehanger’s Bar (Bel Alton) – 9 p.m.
• Dave & Kevin Ruddy Duck Brewery (Solomons) – 7 p.m.
• DJ Steadyrockin’ Cadillac Jack’s (Lexington Park) – 9 p.m.
Wednesday, December 23 • Captain John DB McMillan’s Pub (California) – 6 p.m.*
• Gretchen Richie – Holiday Jazz After Hours Café des Artistes (Leonardtown) – 9 p.m.
• Karaoke Lexington Lounge (Lexington Park) – 7 p.m.
• Hate the Toy Blue Dog Saloon (Port Tobacco) – 9 p.m.
• Open Blues Jam Beach Cove Restaurant (Chesapeake Beach) – 8 p.m.
• Impact Cryer’s Back Road Inn (Leonardtown) – 9 p.m. • Karaoke w/ DJ Tommy T and DJ T Applebee’s (California) – 9 p.m. • Kajun Kelley Drift Away Bar & Grill (Cobb Island) – 9:30 p.m. • Minus One Hotel Charles Front Bar (Hughesville) – 9 p.m.
• Open Mic Night Hula’s Bungalow (California) – 8 p.m. • Rich Mascari Debbie’s Bar & Grill (La Plata) – 8 p.m.*
*Call to Confirm Email events to andreashiell@countytimes.net. Deadline for submissions is Monday at 5 p.m.
n O g Goin
What’s
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The County Times is always looking for more local talent to feature! To submit art or entertainment announcements, or band information for our entertainment section, e-mail andreashiell@countytimes.net.
• Roadhouse Band Lone Star Café (Indian Head) – 9 p.m.*
• Bobaflex Hula’s Bungalow (California) – 9 p.m.
• Go Go Gadget Hotel Charles Party Room (Hughesville) – 9 p.m.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
In Entertainment
For family and community events, see our calendar in the community section on page 21.
A Work In Progress
Singer/Songwriter Galvin Gets Dylan-esque By Andrea Shiell Staff Writer There are two schools of thought when it comes to covers (at least according to yours truly). The first is that a cover should do its best to conform to the original, while the second school of thought sees no point in such repetition, and tends toward remaking songs in a new likeness. According to Dylan Galvin, 24, a guitarist and singer/songwriter from Leonardtown (who took some time between his sets at the Ruddy Duck on Tuesday night to talk with the County Times), the school of thought a person followed depended on their musical identity. “It depends on what you consider yourself, if you’re a performer or an artist,” he said, smiling. “I think if you’re a performer your job is just to make everyone have a good time, drink their beer, tip their waiters and waitresses and be happy, and they don’t care,” he said. “They’re not going to deconstruct your lyrics, it’s just about having fun in the moment … if you’re an artist or in the singer/songwriter circle, when you put your own interpretation of a song that’s when really good things can happen, like when Jeff Buckley covered ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen and he did an amazing job.” Galvin may not compare himself to Jeff Buckley, but he lists him as an influence, one of an eclectic selection including John Mayer, James Taylor, Paramore, Coldplay, and even Michael Jackson, and he does covers ranging from Oasis to Cindy Lauper. Born in Massachusetts, and later living in Calvert County before studying at Berklee, where he earned his degree in guitar theory and performance, Dylan now lives in Leonardtown and plays gigs in Calvert and Charles counties. He has recorded his first EP of original songs called “Second Stories,” featuring a style reminiscent of John Mayer (with the occasional vocal lilt of Thom Yorke or Rufus Wainright thrown in), boasting polished-sounding production values to boot, but he said he’s only starting his career as a professional musician. “I guess I’m kind of at the start right now. I’ve only been doing this professionally for a few months now,” he said. “And I just started working on my voice. I just kind of started singing, I didn’t really know how, and there’s definitely an art to it … when you sing it shouldn’t be difficult. It should feel as natural as talking,” he said. Galvin seems humble about his voice, but it rings true regardless, as does his guitar playing, which, combined with his track layering during live acoustic sets, makes his solo Martin acoustic sound more like three instruments playing in five-part harmony. Galvin said that he is starting a regular gig playing at Applebee’s in California, which he’ll begin on Thursday, Dec. 17, but in the meantime he’s toying with how to breathe new life into familiar stuff. “I’m trying to branch out and cover new
Photo By Andrea Shiell
things,” he said. “It’s hard to convincingly cover a rock song and do justice to it, but right now I’m working on covering AC/DC, so that should be interesting.” Galvin will be performing next at Applebee’s in California from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, and at Cheeseburger in Paradise from 7-10 on Friday. For more information including music downloads and performance schedules, go to www.dylangalvin.com. andreashiell@countytimes.net TICKET PRICES: $8 - Seniors, Students $10 - Regular Admission Tickets: 301-373-5277 orchestra@cosmicmusic.org www.cosmicmusic.org
Sat, Dec. 12, 2009, 4:00 pm Patuxent Presbyterian Church California, MD
Sun, Dec. 13, 2009, 5:00 pm Crossroad Christian Church St. Leonard, MD
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
Business
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Real Estate Rentals
301-737-0777
PC Repair Fee: $79-$99
To Place a Classified Ad, please email your ad to: classifieds@countytimes.net or Call: 301-373-4125 or Fax: 301-373-4128 for a price quote. Office hours are: Monday thru Friday 8am - 4pm. The County Times is published each Thursday.
Update dated brick rancher on beautiful private lot in Breton Bay. Bathrooms have been gutted with new tiled heated flooring, and shower and bath stalls. Kitchen has new countertops, new convection oven, new flooring, custom oak cabinets. Oversized bedrooms, master has update walk-in closet. Screened in porch off kitchen, deck off dining room with French doors. Basement has insert fireplace, and sliding door which goes to backyard. Property has horsehoe drive way for boats and extra cars. Oak hardwood floors in living room and bedrooms. Tiled floors in bathrooms. Community has boat dock, swim and golf course. Price: $280,000. Call 301-475-5591.
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Deadlines for Classifieds are Tuesday at 12 pm.
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Help Wanted American Service Technology, Inc. is currently offering a FT/PT position for a Marine Engineering Instructor. Must have shipboard and engineering systems experience. US Navy preferred. Position is located in Piney Point, MD. Please remit resume and references to : astijennifer@md.metrocast.net or fax to 301-475-3170. Certified for Infant/Toddler position, CPR, First Aid, must be 19 yrs. old and have one year exp. in childcare center. Must be able to pass background check and fingerprinting and medical for lifting children. If you enjoy working with active toddlers and able to hold and nurture infants, then, this is the place for you! You may contact our Director: Jaime Ryce @ 301-274-9500 to schedule an interview, also fax your resume to 301-274-9520. Thank you.
Vehicles 2000 Honda Civic. This car is a must see. Call (757) 472-9658. Would like to see sold soon so please give any reasonable offer. $5,000 OBO.
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The County Times
A View From The
BleaChers
Moments Of ease For The Big easy By Ronald N. Guy Jr. Contributing Writer
Admittedly, the “bleachers” from where I typically provide my “views” are often no more exotic a location than my couch. This week though my derriere graced the cold metal seats of an actual stadium and I witnessed a live sporting event for the first time in years (look, I have two young kids…I don’t get out much). When I received the gracious offer to join my cousin and fellow domestic superman at FedEx Field, the first Skins game I’ve attended since the Spurrier era (or was it a circus?), my immediate curiosity was assessing the state of ‘Skins nation. My beloved team has been in something of an organizational meltdown this season and just a few weeks ago the fan base seemed poised to bum rush ‘Skins headquarters to claim a pound of flesh and overthrow the current regime. What I found though was a calmer, gentler crowd; a fan base apparently accepting of another lost season and one pleased with the team’s recent improve-
ment. And interestingly enough, on the way to the game, I passed a number of cars whose inhabitants were, judging from the burgundy and gold garb, headed to the same place I was (don’t worry, I wasn’t speeding…it was “research”). It was nice to see that fan support from Southern Maryland was exactly as I remembered it. Secondary to catching a ‘Skins game and getting a few precious hours to decompress from the domestic grind with an old friend, I was looking forward to watching the ‘Skins opponent that day: the undefeated New Orleans Saints. The Saints appear to be having one of those magic carpet ride type of seasons. Offensively they’re something of a football version of a pinball machine. Behind maestro QB Drew Brees, they average 36 points/game in a wildly entertaining and flawlessly orchestrated offensive symphony. But…coming off a huge win over the Patriots the prior Monday night and facing a nondescript opponent in the then 3-8 ‘Skins, the Saints were understandably sluggish.
Meanwhile, the home team played well and had nothing short of an out of body experience offensively. Despite leading nearly wire-to-wire, the ‘Skins eventually lost 33-30, in overtime, after a series of bizarre events that included a missed chip shot field (by a kicker who is now contributing to the nation’s unemployment rate), a dubious replay reversal and a Saints wide receiver scoring a touchdown after he stole the ball from a ‘Skins defensive back who seconds earlier had intercepted a Brees pass. For ‘Skins fans it was insult to injury and enough bad karma to enrage even the most emotionally detached fan. Surprisingly though, I was not only far from enraged, I wasn’t the least bit agitated. After witnessing the Saints win with a combination of timely big plays and ridiculous good fortune, one had to wonder if something bigger was in play. Goodness knows the ‘Skins have had seasons like this; seasons where you get the calls, the bounces and the injury bug rarely bites. Don’t get me wrong, the Saints are good – certainly far superior to the ‘Skins – but there’s just a special vibe around this group of canonized football players. And you know what, good for them and their fans because no city deserves it more. New Orleans has known a hell on earth few of us have or ever will. Katrina brought this cultural gem of a city to her knees. While she’s gotten back to her feet, she isn’t yet standing as erect or as proud as she once did. If a run by the Saints to the Super Bowl serves to swell civic pride, remind us all of the work left to do there and ease life ever so slightly in The Big Easy, well that’s something we can all root for. Four years ago the Saints’ home, the Superdome, was a hurricane-scarred building serving as a shelter for displaced residents. This January it could host the NFC Championship game and catapult the Saints to the Superbowl. I sure hope it does. This year, with no apologies to the Cowboys, the Saints are America’s Team. Send comments to rguyjoon@yahoo.com.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
26
12/17-22/2009 Thurs., Dec. 17
Swimming Chopticon at Great Mills, 5 p.m.
Wrestling McDonough at Leonardtown, 7 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 19
Fri., Dec. 18
Boys’ Basketball Don Bosco Cristo Rey at St. Mary’s Ryken, 4:30 p.m.
Boys’ Basketball Leonardtown at Great Mills, 7:30 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 21
Girls’ Basketball Great Mills at Leonardtown, 6:30 p.m. Ice Hockey Leonardtown vs. Thomas Stone at Capital Clubhouse, 5 p.m. St. Mary’s Ryken vs. Northern at Tucker Road Ice Rink, 6 p.m.
Boys’ Basketball Chopticon at Glen Burnie, 6:45 p.m. St. Mary’s Ryken at North County, 6:45 p.m. Leonardtown at Westlake, 7:30 p.m. Girls’ Basketball Westlake at Leonardtown, 6:30 p.m. Wrestling Calvert at Great Mills, 7 p.m.
Tues., Dec. 22 Girls’ Basketball St. Mary’s Ryken at Paul VI, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Dec 9 Boys’ Basketball Huntingtown 57, Chopticon 34 Girls’ Basketball Great Mills 51, Colonial Beach 23 Thomas Stone 45, Leonardtown 33
Thurs., Dec. 10 Boys’ Basketball Lackey 40, Leonardtown 36 Girls’ Basketball Fallston 52, Chopticon 22 Good Counsel 79, St. Mary’s Ryken 56
Fri., Dec. 11 Boys’ Basketball Great Mills 93, Colonial Beach 28 Good Counsel 72, St. Mary’s Ryken 55 Girls’ Basketball Calvert 57, Great Mills 41 Ice Hockey Leonardtown 8, Thomas Stone 2 Swimming Boys Leonardtown 185, Patuxent 84 Leonardtown 153, Huntingtown 124 Great Mills 153, Westlake 100 Great Mills 157, McDonough 99
Girls’ Leonardtown 178, Patuxent 102 Leonardtown 193, Huntingtown 87 Westlake 133, Great Mills 126 Great Mills 169, McDonough 99
Sat., Dec. 12 Boys’ Basketball Montrose Christian 74, St. Mary’s Ryken 59 Girls’ Basketball Georgetown Visitation 69, St. Mary’s Ryken 51 Wrestling Lackey Tournament 1. Chopticon 235 2. North Point 179 3. McDonough 170 4. Bohemia Manor 152.5 5. Lackey 141 6. C.H. Flowers 141 7. Westlake 139 8. Thomas Stone 133 9. DuVal 78 10. Great Mills 57.5 11. Wise 50 12. Central 41 13. Gwynn Park 32 14. Friendly 18.5 15. Forestville 13
Mon, Dec. 14 Boys’ Basketball La Plata 61, Chopticon 50 Girls’ Basketball Chopticon 49, La Plata 21
27
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
Ravens Need a Winning Streak to Reach Playoffs
By DAVID GINSBURG AP Sports Writer
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) – If the Baltimore Ravens are to return to the playoffs, they will have to break their pattern of mediocrity. Win, lose, win, lose, win, lose, win. That’s their ledger over the past seven weeks, which explains why the Ravens are 7-6 and need some help to qualify for the postseason. Coming off its most complete performance of the year, a 48-3 rout of Detroit, Baltimore will seek to put together its first winning streak since September by beating the Chicago Bears on Sunday. If that doesn’t happen, they won’t need to watch the scoreboard to see how the other AFC wild-card hopefuls fare. “We’re most interested in how we play. That’s the bottom line. That’s what we have to concern ourselves with,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “If we don’t take of business against the Chicago Bears, first and foremost ... it’s not going to matter what happens in those other games.” Baltimore set team records against the Lions in rushing touchdowns (5) and total yardage (548). Ray Rice had 151 yards rushing and more than 200 yards in offense by halftime, and even the reserves outscored the Lions in the fourth quarter. “It was great to go out there and score 48 points and shut that team down to three points and have all these yards, but we understand that it means nothing if we can’t come back and duplicate it the following week,” wide receiver Derrick Mason said. “We understand and realize that from this point on, we’re in a three-
game playoff and we have to win those three games.” The day was particularly fruitful because Denver and Jacksonville, the current wild-card leaders, both lost. “It’s good to get a win and get some help from other teams,” defensive tackle Kelly Gregg said. “More importantly, we have to win two in a row. That’s what we’re focused on now.” Harbaugh met with the veterans on the team last week to get their take on what the Ravens needed to do mount some momentum over the final four weeks of the regular season. “The point was that they were going have to lead the way in December, and it was going to start in practice,” Harbaugh said. “We told the young guys, ‘Just follow the vets. Watch what the vets do. They’ve been here before.’” The message from Ray Lewis was to savor the moment, because there’s nothing like playing meaningful football games in the final month of the year. “This is December football. This is something that me and Coach talked about,” Lewis said. “I told him, ‘This is the greatest time that you’ll ever have in football – December.’ The playoffs are getting close. Just come out and have a good time playing the game.” The remainder of the schedule is favorable for the Ravens. After hosting the Bears (5-8), they face slumping Pittsburgh (6-7) and Oakland (4-9) on the road. “We know what we have to do,” running back Willis McGahee said. “We know we have to win the rest of our games, regardless of what happens.”
Redskins Would ‘Love to be the Grinch’ in NFC East By JOSEPH WHITE AP Sports Writer ASHBURN, Va. (AP) – With three games remaining in the regular season, the Washington Redskins find themselves in the thick of the NFC East playoff race. Of course, that’s only because their next two opponents are the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, both at home and in prime time. “I’d love to be the Grinch on their Christmas,” rookie linebacker Brian Orakpo said Monday. “That’s what we’re aiming for. Obviously we’re not going to make the playoffs, but we would ruin some other people’s seasons.” The Redskins (4-9) can feel more confident about causing some havoc after Sunday’s results. The Giants (7-6) and Cowboys (8-5) both lost, while Washington beat Oakland 3413 for the first blowout win in Jim Zorn’s two years as coach.
The Redskins have held fourth-quarter leads for five straight weeks. Although they lost three of those games and feasted on a backup quarterback to win the other two, they are unquestionably playing their best football of the season – even if it is too little, too late. “Our players are getting it,” Zorn said. “The execution of our plans at the beginning of the year were lacking in some areas, and now the plans are being executed in a way that we’re being successful. I just commend our players and our coaches for working together.” The cast of characters certainly isn’t the same as envisioned in September. The touchdowns Sunday came from running back Quinton Ganther (two rushing) and tight end Fred Davis (two receiving) instead of Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley, both on injured reserve. Graham Gano made two field goals in his first NFL game. Among
those who didn’t play: injured big-money offseason signings Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall. Jason Campbell had a 106.5 quarterback rating, topping 100 for the second straight week. Devin Thomas’ 29-yard catch set up a touchdown just before halftime. The Redskins have scored 30 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 2006. Orakpo tied a franchise record with four sacks, and Andre Carter had a pair _ tying them for the team lead with 11 apiece. Orakpo has a shot at Jevon Kearse’s NFL rookie record of 14.5. “We have the three games left just to prove to everybody we’re not going to lay down for nobody – and that goes for everybody, myself included,” Orakpo said. “Regardless of what our record is. I’m tired of talking about our record, and we’re not great, but we’re always going to fight.”
The County Times
Thursday, December 17, 2009
28
White Braves Cap Perfect Year With State Championship By Chris Stevens Staff Writer The Mechanicsville White Braves’ 80pound team brought their perfect season to a close by defeating Rockville 18-0 Sunday afternoon for the Maryland State Youth Football Division Four Championship. The White Braves, of the newly-formed Southern Maryland Youth Football League, finished their season 14-0 while outscoring their opponents 385 to 7 throughout the campaign. “Being a first-year team in a first-year league, the organizers of the tournament didn’t even know about us,” said club president Todd Hoffert. “I knew we were had a great team but I wanted to test our skills against other competition. So with blessing of the league, coach and parents, I reached out to the organizers and they extended us an invitation (if we won our championship).” The White Braves made good on their invitation, blanking the top-ranked Olney Bears 8-0 on December 5, advancing to the championship at Mergenthaler Technical High School in Baltimore this past Sunday. In spite of rainy and windy conditions, the players, coaches and parents made the two-hour trip with plenty of positivity. “I know the kids were absolutely excited, we fought as a solid team all year. Our quarterback made the single touchdown in the first playoff game to get us there, BUT the defense (coached by Mike Snyder) held the team down.” For their efforts, the players received several nice treats – A trophy, $50 Under Armour
a lot and could not finish the season as our coach,” Hoffert said. “But I really respect and appreciate him for what he did.” Hoffert hopes that many parents will consider the SMYFL when signing their kids up for youth football because of the local focus the league employees. “Now that the county is getting involved hopefully there will be complete stability,” he says. “SMYFL can only keeping bigger. I encourage all parents who don’t want to travel too much until the post-season to try out SMYFL.” For 9-year old Vontae Hoffert, who was reunited with many of his old teammates and head coach Dino Mahaffey, he summed up the year perfectly. “It was a great year, thanks to all my teammates for blocking for my touchdowns. I love you guys.” chrisstevens@countytimes.net
Submitted Photo
The Mechanicsville White Braves 80-pound squad poses with their state championship trophy.
Gift Card, a certificate signed by Baltimore Ravens head coach Jon Harbaugh, shirt and dog tag. Hoffert also credited SMYFL Director and founder Pat Murphy for starting the new league
and bringing stability to the county’s youth football program. “He was my son’s coach from last year in the old league is actually the was put through
Ryken Stadium Press Box Arrives Stadium construction at St. Mary’s Ryken High School moved closer to completion last week as the press box was delivered and installed. During games, the 36-ft. by 8-ft. box will be home to a clock operator, announcer, coaches from both teams and the press. It is designed to hold 12-15 people, is heated and air conditioned and has Internet access. The roof can be used as a platform for video cameras. St. Mary’s Ryken began a major reshaping of its campus this past June with the construction of a new 300-plus space parking lot and new walkways for the students. Construction of the 1,000-seat, outdoor stadium started shortly afterwards. Students were able to watch daily the stadium taking shape as the bleachers, goal posts and perimSubmitted Photo eter of the track were installed during October and The Press Box is lowered into position at the new stadium at St. Mary’s Ryken. Completion of the stadium is set for June. November. The work still to be President Mary Joy Hurlburt, noting the “strength of our finished is the final surfacing for the playing field and six-lane faith, the history of our tradition and the power of our legacy,” track, and installation of the turf. The project is on schedule for a said that St. Mary’s Ryken continues “to move forward, assuring summer 2010 completion and is expected to begin full-time use an excellent academic environment for our current and future in August 2010. students.”
St. Mary’s County Volleyball Standings Women’s League Yellow Bus 20-1 Spalding Consulting 17-4 R & S Bus Service 16-5 Safe Sets 15-6 Pinebrooke 9-12 Easy Wash 8-13 Rita’s of Solomons 6-15 NBE 4-17 ABC liquors 1-23
Co-ed League Recreational Volleyball Standings Serves you right 23-4 Team Dumpy 22-5 Chesapeake Custom 21-6 Dick’s Diggers 19-8 St. Mary’s Auto 18-9 Center for Cosmetic 18-9 Dig This 16-11 Spence Electrical 12-15 Block Party 9-18 Well Pet 8-19 Dirty Half Dozen 8-19 CBL 6-21 Geezer World 6-21 Gridiron Grill 3-24
Co-Ed Competitive Volleyball Standings Old Towne Pub 17-7 Trading Post 15-6 Ark n park 18-9 Yatch 14-13 Chili Peppers 4-20 Spikers 4-17
29
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The County Times
Sp rts By Chris Stevens Staff Writer
Limi te
Thursday, December 17, 2009
30
Raiders Sweep Panthers, Hurricanes at Lackey Boys
Leonardtown 185, Patuxent 84 Leonardtown 153, Huntingtown 124
MASON SPRINGS – It is indeed early in the season, but the Leonardtown boys and girls swim teams seem to be in mid-season form, as evidenced by their sweep of Patuxent and Huntingtown at Lackey on Friday night. Credit goes to the training regiment of first-year head coach Chuck Jacobs, who has coached and worked with many of the swimmers on the Raider squad – and other schools, for years. “It’s been a lot of fun because I have a chance to work with kids I’ve worked with,” Jacobs, who replaced the now-retired Megan Shelton this past spring. “This season creates a different atmosphere.” The Raiders were dominant in the boys’ and girls’ meets, taking victories from the Panthers and Hurricanes by wide margins. The Leonardtown boys defeated Patuxent 185-84 and Huntingtown 153-124, while the girls came away with wins of 178-102 and 193-87 against the Panthers and Hurricanes respectively.” 10 different Raider swimmers won individual events, led by junior Olivia Ray’s triumphs in the 200yard individual medley and 100-yard
Winners: Boys’ 100-yard backstroke Nicholas Crescini, So., 1:01.05 Boys’ 100-yard butterfly Andrew Maier, Jr., 1:04.04 Boys’ 200-yard freestyle Andrew Maier, Jr., 2:04.90 Boys’ 200-yard individual medley Brendan Lessel, Fr., 2:15.15 Boys’ 500-yard freestyle C.J. Culpepper, Jr., 5:25.61 Boys’ 200-yard medley relay Leonardtown 1:52.27 Boys’ 400-yard freestyle relay Leonardtown 3:43.04
Girls’
Leonardtown 185, Huntingtown 84 Leonardtown 178, Patuxent 102
Winners: Girls’ 50-yard freestyle Ashlin Rondeau, Jr., 26.62 Girls’ 100-yard breaststroke Jamie Branaman, So., 1:19.12 Girls’ 100-yard butterfly Olivia Ray, Jr., 1:06.44 Girls’ 100-yard freestyle Michelle Robinson, Jr., 1:00.84 Girls’ 200-yard freestyle Eden Mallory, Fr., 2:16.31 Girls’ 200-yard individual medley Olivia Ray, Jr., 2:20.61 Girls’ 200-yard medley relay Leonardtown, 2:04.92 Girls’ 400-yard freestyle Leonardtown, 4:08.13
Photo By Frank Marquart
Olivia Ray won two races as the Leonardtown girls won both matches against Patuxent and Huntingtown.
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The Leonardtown girls’ swim team cheers it up during Friday’s tri-meet at Lackey High School.
butterfly. “It was pretty big for us,” Ray said of the wins, which ran the Raiders’ early season record to 2-0 overall and in Southern Maryland Athletic Conference action. “We’ve been training a lot more this season.” That renewed focus on training is something Jacobs hopes will build endurance for Leonardtown as the season wears on. “The hardest part is swimming because typically the kids are a little sore and tired,” Jacobs says. “They’ll be in shape pretty soon.” The Raiders also were successful in the
relay events, winning both 200-yard medley relays and 400-yard freestyle events. The Raider girls also took the 200-yard freestyle relay as well. Leonardtown has their eyes set on the larger prizes this season (conference championships, regionals and states), but for junior C.J. Culpepper, who won the 500-yard boys’ freestyle event for Leonardtown, he believes it will take a humble attitude to achieve those goals. “We just have to keep working hard, training hard, and not get too cocky,” he said. chrisstevens@countytimes.net
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
Basketball
The County Times
Braves Improving, But La Plata Rallies for Win
By Chris Stevens Staff Writer LA PLATA – For two quarters Monday night, the Chopticon boys’ basketball team had a precise game plan and executed to perfection. Then the Braves got away from what was working, watching host La Plata rally for a 61-50 win in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference match-up. “The end of the that third quarter, we broke down and decided to do some play ground stuff instead of running our offense,” head coach Terry Mumau said. “We never got back into a rhythm after that.” The Braves were led in scoring by seniors Patrick Nichols and Sterling Miles, who scored 14 and 10 points respectively. Nichols and Antjuan Mason did a pretty good job in Mumau’s
eyes rebounding and playing in the paint. “Pat and Antjuan both were pretty good inside tonight, we tried to get it back in to them late,” Mumau said. Nichols, a 6-foot-3 forward, scored nine of his 14 points in the second quarter, showcasing moves that included a pair of hook shots, a three pointer, and a two-handed tip in at the second quarter buzzer to give the Braves a 3125 lead going into halftime. La Plata used a 22-8 fourth quarter burst, spearheaded by guard Royce Hunsburger (the game’s leading scorer with 23 points) and forward Juwan Wells (14 points) to run past Chopticon and pick up its first win of the season. “We lost focus,” Nichols said. “We thought were up by enough points and we weren’t.” “Just inexperience, we let them direct the tempo,” Miles said, while adding that “This was a big improvement from the last game.” Mumau also was happy with the improvements his team made, coming off of a 57-34 loss to Huntingtown on December 9, but understands it is indeed a long season. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we made a lot of improvements,” he said, noting that the team was minus senior forward D.J. Blackwell before the game and lost Damien Thomas to an arm injury in the first half. “We played harder and played together but we’re still a very young team.” Photo By Chris stevens
Sterling Miles of Chopticon handles the ball as La Plata’s Caleb Rev- chrisstevens@countytimes.net ells defends.
Shorthanded Knights Stand Tall Against Montrose Christian By Chris Stevens Staff Writer Dave Tallman subscribes to former NFL coach Herman Edwards’ now-famous mantra of “You play to win the game.” Tallman wasn’t one for moral victories, even after his shorthanded St. Mary’s Ryken boys basketball team hung tough with nationally-ranked Montrose Christian, losing 74-59 at Wise High School in Upper Marlboro on Saturday. “We could have played better,” Tallman said. “We had one guy (senior guard Josh Turner) score 25 points but turned it over 7 times. We didn’t handle their pressure very well and took some bad shots. You take away all those turnovers and bad decisions and the outcome could have been different.” The Knights (2-3 on the season) have been hit with injuries early on as guards Traveon Graham and Kai Smith are dealing with high ankle sprains. Also, junior forward Dominique Robinson has been out with a concussion, but Tallman expects him to play when Ryken hosts
Don Bosco Cristo Rey Saturday at 4 p.m. “We are a wounded duck right now but having to deal with these misfortunes is going to make us a better team in the long run,” Tallman says. “Hopefully we can get healed up this week as we are off for final exams.” Tallman also refuses to blame the Knights’ slow start on their ill health. “I’m not using the injuries as an excuse. We are trying to turn a negative into a positive,” he says. “If you think about it, we should have pretty good depth once we get everyone back. Younger guys have been thrown into the fire. We need to get healthy and play smarter.” Tallman believes that the Knights’ valiant showing against Montrose should be a confidence booster as the team moves forward. “We learned that we are capable of playing with anyone in the country,” he said. “Playing Montrose has shown that if we tighten things up, use better shot selection, and take care of the ball then we can beat anyone in the country. Right nowwe are beating ourselves.” chrisstevens@countytimes.net
Sp rts
Chopticon Girls Learn From Tough Opponent, Bounce La Plata By Chris Stevens Staff Writer
day night’s match-up with Maryland 3A defending champion Fallston, who used superior size and sharp shooting to defeat the Braves 52-22. Playing a defending state champion can “It’s nice to play these out of conference only help your team get better, no matter the games because you get a test against a good sport. team like this,” Evans said. For Chopticon girls’ “It helps us get ready for basketball coach Judy Evans, SMAC play.” that certainly proved to be the Evans believed the case as the Braves coasted to team learned from defena 49-21 victory over La Plata sive breakdowns against the in their Southern Maryland Cougars and used those lesAthletic Conference opener sons against La Plata. Monday night. “When we played The Braves started the Fallston, we had to play pretgame with a 12-0 lead, but ty close to perfect defense the Warriors fought back to in order to stop them. Any get within three points (17-14) breakdown and they were at halftime. Chopticon then going to get an easy bucket,” ran away in the second half she said. “You can learn a and moved to 2-1 on the sealot from playing a team like Photo By Chris stevens son, 1-0 in SMAC play. that. I think the work helped “I was happy with how Chopticon’s Caitlin Clarke prepares make our defense better and we started the game. We to inbound the ball. in my opinion our defense came out with that run, but then we let up on was the difference in [Monday’s] game.” defense and let them right back into the game,” Chopticon had balanced scoring in MonEvans said. “We came out in the second half day’s win, led by sophomore guard Kirstin and played like I know we can play. Our de- Norris’ 13 points. Forwards Bre Brown and fense forced some turnovers and that led to Ashya Short joined Norris in double figures some easy transition points. This was our first with 11 and 10 points respectively, and senior conference match-up, so it was good to get the forward Caitlin Clarke added nine. win.” Credit for that win must come from Thurs- chrisstevens@countytimes.net
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THURSDAY Decmber 17, 2009
Subdivision Fined $52,000
Story Page 4
Leah’s House on NBC’s ‘12 Days of Giving’ Story Page 19
SMAWL Pet Food Pantry Opening Story Page 20
Swimming to a Sweep
Page 29
Photo By Frank Marquart