PRSTD STD US Postage Paid Permit No. 145 Waldorf, MD
Thursday, February 22, 2007 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland
Established 2006 • Volume 2 • Issue 8 • FREE
Tiki Bar Awaits its Sandy Opening Big Money
Needed for Retirement Benefits
County wonders where money will come from. Adam Ross Staff Writer
Photo by Robin Stevens
A recent Calvert County Planning and Zoning Hearing cleared the Tiki bar of two code violations, but has yet to determine if it will be allowed to reinstate statues, sand and palm trees on its premises in time for its April Opening. The matter will be addressed during a March 21 hearing.
By Adam Ross Staff Writer The Tiki Bar on Solomon’s Island has endured a number of alleged miscues since renovations to the outdoor seating area were made last year without the proper permits. And while
the bar should be open for business on time this April, it is still in question if the sand, statues and palm trees will be part of its unrivaled flare. During a Feb. 15 hearing with Calvert County Planning and Zoning, it was determined two of three alleged violations issued by Chris
Campany, deputy director of Calvert County Planning and Zoning, were not supported, according to Tiki Bar attorney Charlie Donnelly. The third alleged violation, however, which addressed the use of sand, palm trees and statues between the motel, restaurant and the bar was See Tiki Bar page A-
Keeping Pax River Safe By Adam Ross Staff Writer St. Mary’s County has been a leader in protecting the airspace and operations of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station since its earliest days. Alongside the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, county government is continuing its
progress to halt encroachment amid growing concerns that another Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) could have serious implications for the Air Station and the county. “We are becoming concerned about [Pax River] because there is going to be another BRAC in the next five or six years,” said Todd Photo by Adam Ross Morgan, president of the Navy Alliance. John Savich (right) joined by Todd Morgan (Center) and See Keeping Pax Safe page A-
R. Keith Fairfax Jr., of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance make a presentation before the Board of County Commissioners.
Mikulski promises more attention Index to Pax River By Adam Ross Staff Writer
Officials A-8
SMAC Champs B-8
It’s not Queen Elizabeth II who came to St. Mary’s County Tuesday, although she might soon if Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) gets her way. Mikulski met with the county commissioners and a slew of county leaders to strengthen the coalition between federal, state and local politicians in Maryland. It was not a trip to advocate for the queen’s arrival. But while the group discussed encroachment, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and impact aid, Mikulski paused to update the room on the queen’s plan to visit Jamestown Va. She said she wrote a letter requesting St.
Op.-Ed ..........Page A - 4 Obits .............Page A - 7 Police ............Page B - 5 Classifieds.....Page B - 7
For Continual News Updates Visit: somd.com Local Weather Friday Mostly Sunny 43° Saturday Sunny 45° Sunday Showers 49°
High Speed Internet for Rural Areas By Adam Ross Staff Writer A plan to extend fiber-optic network cables for high-speed Internet service into rural areas around St. Mary’s County is in the works, according to the Maryland Broadband Cooperative. By the end of the year, members of the cooperative expect fiber lines no larger than the size of a nickel, to See High Speed page A-6
See Big Money page A-
Hands On Education for County’s Most At-risk Dropouts New program at Technology Center gives students sense of belonging
Photo by Adam Ross
See Mikulski page A-
The Board of County Commissioners received a memorable Valentines Day gift this year, and it came wrapped with the Board of Education’s seal of approval: a budget request from St. Mary’s County Public Schools for $82.2 million in local funding for next school year; a $9.1 million increase in the county government’s share of the budget from last year. “We should send the budget over with some chocolate candy because it might go over better,” said Board of Education member Cathy Allen, joking with the board at the Valentines Day meeting last week. Under the current Bridge to Excellence funding agreement, the county has just over $2.3 million extra set aside for
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D - Md.) visits with the St. Mary’s County commissioners and members of the Southern Maryland Military Alliance Tuesday to discuss Pax River and important issues facing the county.
From Serbia to St. Mary’s The Story of Two Ryken Basketball Stars See B- for full story
By Adam Ross Staff Writer The Tech Connect program slated for the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center next year will not erase the dropout rate, but it will identify at-risk students early, and engage them in more hands on course work. Typically, at-risk students can be spotted from a mile away, said James Scott Smith, director of secondary instruction, who talked with principals from all four St. Mary’s middle schools. “They all said we know [the students] you are talking about, and they would send us a list tomorrow,” Smith said of his conversations with those principals after he submitted to them a list of criteria for identifying a potential dropout. Starting next year, 72 of these handpicked students will have an opportunity to spend an hour each morning learning about NASA, graphic arts, manufacturing and precision machining, horticulture and building trades. “Our hope is after their freshman year they will be interested in the proSee Dropouts page A-
The County Times
Section A -
Buzz from Annapolis By Adam Ross Staff Writer As the Maryland General Assembly continues its 423rd legislative session, bills are read into the assembly and assigned to committees on a continual basis. Below is an updated list of such bills taken directly from the Maryland General Assembly webpage.
House Bill 60 Entitled: Electric Cooperatives – Standard Offer Service Supply Contracts Synopsis: Authorizing specified electric cooperatives to supply their standard offer service load through a portfolio of blended wholesale supply contracts of short, medium, and long terms under
specified circumstances. Sponsored by the Southern Maryland Delegation.
House Bill 176 Entitled: Income Tax – Subtraction Modification for Military Retirement – Expansion Synopsis: Expanding the applicability of a subtraction modification under the Maryland income tax for military retirement income to include as qualifying military service for individuals separated from employment before July 1, 1991, active duty with the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Coast and Geodetic Survey;
and increasing from $5,000 to $20,000 the maximum amount of the subtraction modification for military retirement income. Sponsored by Delegates Love, Anderson, Aumann, Barkley, Barnes, Bartlett, Beidle, Beitzel, Bohanan, Bromwell, Cane, V. Clagett, Costa, DeBoy, Dumais, Eckardt, Elmore, Frank, Frush, George, Glassman, Haddaway, Harrison, Holmes, Hubbard, Hucker, Jameson, Jennings, Kach, Kaiser, Kelly, Kipke, Krebs, Kullen, Lee, Levy, Manno, McComas, McDonough, Miller, Minnick, Nathan-Pulliam, O’Donnell, Olszewski, Pendergrass, Riley, Rudolph, Shank, Shewell, Smigiel, Sophocleus, Sossi, Stifler, Stocksdale, F. Turner,
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Walkup, and Wood
House Bill 442 Entitled: Authorizing the members of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission to receive up to $250 in compensation for each day or portion of a day spent in the performance of their duties; providing that the members of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission may not receive more than $1,500 in compensation in any year; providing that the Act does not apply to the compensation of the incumbent members of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission from Maryland; and making the Act subject to a specified contingency. Sponsored by the Southern Maryland Delegation.
Fisheries Commission – Employees and Retirees – Participation in State Health and Welfare Benefits Program Synopsis: Altering the Potomac River Compact of 1958 to require that retirees of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission be eligible for specified health and related insurance benefits; allowing employees and retirees of the commission to enroll and participate in the health insurance benefit options established under the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program under specified circumstances; and making the Act subject to a specified contingency. Sponsored by the Southern Maryland Delegation.
neath the Potomac River No synopsis. Sponsored by the Southern Maryland Delegation. Delegate John F. Wood, Jr., (D- 29A) is sponsoring 32 bills this session. Delegate Anthony J. O’Donnell (R- 29C) is sponsoring 42 bills this session. Delegate John L. Bohanan, Jr., (D- 29B) is sponsoring 30 bills this session. Senator Roy P. Dyson (D) is sponsoring 90 bills this session. Over the next couple of weeks The County Times will have a more detailed look at the individual bills our local representatives are working on.
House Bill 1164 House bill 443 Entitled: Potomac River
Entitled: Potomac River Fisheries Commission – Authority – Leasing Land Be-
MATHCOUNTS Winners Announced More than 100 students from Southern Maryland middle schools tested their computation skills at the thirteenth annual MATHCOUNTS competition held at Mechanicsville Elementary School Feb. 3. During the three-hour competition, the students tackled challenging mathematics problems in a series of exciting rounds. For the team competition, Leonardtown Middle School in St. Mary’s County came in first: team members included Forrest Csuy, Christopher Culpepper, Amie Gilligan, and Aparna Sajja, coached by Richard Condle. Esperanza
Middle School in St. Mary’s County placed second: team members included Peter Offenbacher, Joseph Vandegrift, Jackie Weber, and Noah Wichrowski, coached by Craig Modrzejewski. Northern Middle School in Calvert County came in third: team members included Thomas Adair, Timmy Bohannon, Zack Dowell, and Jimmy Fagan, coached by Judy Haines. Milton Somers Middle School in Charles County placed fourth: team members included Ian Farris, Ross Gardiner, Alex Smith, and William Still, coached by Heather Johnson. Mill Creek Middle School in Calvert County came in fifth: team
members included Stephen Balinski, Scott Gilmour, Anastasia Hamilton, and Jason Mayer, coached by Jamie Ankrom. In the countdown rounds, Peter Offenbacher of Esperanza Middle School placed first and Jason Mayer of Mill Creek Middle School placed second. In the target and sprint rounds, students competed to see who could score highest on their individual test. For these exams, Forrest Csuy of Leonardtown Middle School placed first and Peter Offenbacher of Esperanza Middle School placed second. Photo Courtesy of SMECO The local MATH- Second Place Team, Esperanza Middle School. Left to right: Noah Wichrowski, Jackie Weber, Coach Craig Modrzejewski, Joseph Vandegrift, and Peter Offenbacher, who also received first place in the countdown round.
Photo Courtesy of SMECO
Photo Courtesy of SMECO
Third Place Team, Northern Middle School. Left to right, Coach Judy Haines, Timmy Bohannon, Zack Dowell, First Place Team, Leonardtown Middle School. Left to right: Christopher Culpepper, Amie Gilligan, Forrest Csuy, Jimmy Fagan, and Thomas Adair. who also received first place in the target and sprint round, Coach Richard Condle, and Aparna Sajja.
COUNTS competition is sponsored by Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative and the Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s County school sys-
tems, with the support of the Society of Professional Engineers. Winners of the Southern Maryland chapter competition will go on to compete
in the statewide contest. State winners will progress to the national competition in Baltimore, Md.
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The County Times
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Section A -
In Your Community Scrapbook Workshop The Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center will host a scrapbook workshop March 3, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the center’s SkillsUSA chapter. The workshop will be in the Dohrman Room at the center, 24005 Point Lookout Rd., across from the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds. The workshop includes a light breakfast, door prizes, a light lunch and snacks. Robin Pajak, a Creative Memories consultant, coordinated the event. The registration fee is $25, with a late registration fee of $30 after Feb. 26. For more information or to register, contact the center at 301-475-0242, or Pajak at robinp@md.metrocast.net or 301-863-5319.
HVFD Stuffed Ham Dinner The Annual Stuffed Ham and Fried Oyster Dinner sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. will be held March 3 from 1 - 5 p.m. The menu will consist of stuffed ham, fried oysters, chicken salad, parsley potatoes, candied yams, green beans, coleslaw, rolls, coffee and tea. The all-you-can-eat dinner will be served buffet style in the M.M. Dean Social Hall. A baked goods table and 50/50 raffle will also be available. The cost is: Adult - $18, children 4 to 12 years of age, $7, and children 3 years of age and under free. Carry-out dinners will be $18 each and will be available in the W.J. Huseman room.
phone Lion Adie McBride at 301-872-5924 or e-mail at addiemac@hughes.net.
Breast Cancer Benefit There will be a Women For Women Breast Cancer Benefit Concert held at Three
Notch Theatre, 21744 S. Coral Dr., in Lexington Park, Feb. 24. Bands include: 25TH Hour Band, The Bootleggers and the Baker’s Boys. Doors at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m., cost is a $20 donation. For more information call 301-737-5447.
Music at Great Mills High School The Alexandria Harmonizers return to the Great Mills High School stage Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. The Four Aces, winners of the MidAtlantic District Southern Division Quartet competition will be
a part of the program. Ticket price is $20. For reservation call 301-475-3225.
Singles Hockey Game Southern Maryland Singles Social is hosting a singles hockey game at the Verizon
Two Day Seafood Sale! =i`[Xp =<9% )*I; 8E; JXkli[Xp =<9% )+K?
S
Center Sunday from 1 - 5 p.m. The cost is $38, which includes ticket, hat and food. SMD Singles Social is a group of professionals in the area who get together for socials, and to enjoy Southern Maryland together. For more information visit www.smdsinglessocial.com.
E L A
SALE 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM
No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament Presented by the St. Mary’s County Emergency Friendly Fund and sponsored by the Fraternal Order of the Orioles. Pre-register at the Brass Rail or pay at the door. $125 buy in. One hundred dollars goes to the prize pool, and $25 benefits the sponsoring organizations. Based on 150 people registering, there will be a $15,000 prize pool. Quality dealers provided for each table. Food and beverages will be available. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tournament states at 7 p.m. sharp. The tournament will be held at the Brass Rail Banquet Hall, 20331 Point Lookout Rd., Great Mills. For any questions call Evelyn Bean at 301-475-7831.
Only At Our Great Mills Location
Dinner and Theatre The Ridge Lions Club and The Patuxent Playhouse present “Laffing Room Only,” at the Ridge Fire House March 17. Cocktail hour will start at 5:30 p.m., which includes hors d’oeuvre service. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m., and will include a buffet of roast beef, chicken, ham, parsley potatoes, green beans, corn, tossed salad and dessert. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $35 for dinner and show, or $25 for the show only, with all proceeds from the event going to charities. For more information
Route 246 & Great Mills Rd. Lexington Park, MD 20653
301-862-7702
The County Times
Section A -
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Editorial & Opinion his thinking changed, and he is now a strong proponent of the program he knows from his own experience is effective. In order for DARE to work, however, the Sheriff cannot go it alone. There must be cooperation across the board, or the Boards, as the case may be. The Sheriff will need cooperation from both the Board of County Commissioners and the St. Mary’s County Board of Education. The BOCC must agree to provide the funds necessary for the DARE program to take off, and the schools must work with the Sheriff to bring DARE trained police officers into their schools. DARE is a widespread program, and police from all walks of life are involved in it. DOD police officer James
Copeland, stationed at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, received DARE training in November of 2005 in New Carrolton, Md. Hopefully, the Naval Air Station will continue its tradition of being a good neighbor, and work with our local law enforcement agents in administering the DARE program. But more importantly, let us hope when Cameron goes before the Commissioners, they are receptive and understanding of his need for funding, and that they see the inherent value of this vital program. Many teachers, especially those in high needs schools, favor this program as a way to keep their students, who often come from less than ideal circumstances, on the right path. It is difficult at times for teachers to do it alone. They have the monumental task of simply educating our children and having them ready
for Maryland State Assessment tests. But in partnership with the schools, the police can come in and give that reinforcement to the students about doing the right thing and living life right. Once the funds are in place, the School Board must coordinate with the Sheriff to determine how and when the program will be set up. It will be a collaborative effort to make it work, and both organizations will have to be ready to give a little ground in the best interests of the students. But in the end, if DARE can lead students to make better choices, and away from the path that leads to WaWa or Checkers robberies, isn’t that worth whatever it takes to make it happen? Isn’t it worth it for the Commissioners to invest now in the DARE program to save money down the line in investigation and incarceration costs?
In the county commissioners’ defense, they began funding GASB 45 last year by setting aside $3.5 million. Not only was that a positive step forward, it may have helped increase the county’s bond rating. Most counties cannot say the same, so we ought to applaud our commissioners for putting the money where their mouths were. At the same time, the longer we wait to pay into GASB 45, the more money it will cost us in long run. And while $3.5 million is a good start, it is barely a dent in the grand scheme of things. As we all know, when money is put into an account, it earns interest. But it also lowers the discount rate you get when calculating liability. With $5.4 million in the bank, the county would see some pretty attractive returns, at least to those of us who barely
make enough money to eat red meat on the weekends. GASB 45 might be something everyone is dealing with, but using that reasoning is like the “yeah but my friends were doing it,” excuse that seemed to make so much sense when we were little. It’s not a legitimate argument. We have to deal with this now. At a time when our public school system is asking for roughly $7.4 million dollars more than last year’s budget allocation from the county, not including the cost of GASB 45 into that particular increase is an irresponsible way to address the issue. I sat down with Superintendent Michael J. Martirano, and the only thing he could tell me was that St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) was dealing with GASB 45 by identifying the issue and outlining it in the budget as a potential funding “challenge.”
He did not, however, address the impact waiting could have, or the tremendous cost the county will most certainly bear by not answering these questions not tomorrow, not in March, but as soon as humanly possible. We need a plan. And we need everyone to be involved in this plan, each with a piece of responsibility to foster and cultivate. I’m not sure a $7.7 million dollar budget increase for SMCPS does that. Our students don’t necessarily deserve to suffer from GASB 45, but $5.4 million dollars is $5.4 million dollars, and that price tag is only going to increase. Like most of our county representatives, I don’t have the answers, but what I do know is our citizens deserve more than the “Johnny did it too,” excuse. It’s time we start handling GASB 45 with the sense of urgency it deserves.
DARE To Reach Out to Schools Much has been made in recent weeks of the new proactive stance taken by the Sheriff’s Department. The Community Officer program in Golden Beach has been so successful the Sheriff plans to expand it into new neighborhoods and several high profile cases have been closed. In just the last week, cases were closed and arrests made for the armed robbery of Checkers, which occurred mere days after Christmas, and the recent robberies of WaWa in Lexington Park and McDonald’s in Charlotte Hall. One of those arrests was of a 16-year-old suspect, charged with Armed Robbery, Theft and First Degree Assault, in the Feb. 4 WaWa robbery. Reading about a juvenile engaged in so serious a crime underscores another
initiative of the new Sheriff; bringing the DARE program back to Schools. DARE, which stands for Drug Abuse and Resistance, has grown over the years to encompass a great deal more than drugs. It now focuses on teaching students to avoid destructive behaviors in general, and provides classes on drugs, alcohol, peer pressure and conflict resolution. The thrust of the program is to keep students on the right path, and off the road the WaWa robber chose. In the past, DARE has been tried as early as elementary school, but Sheriff Tim Cameron has repeatedly stated, and studies back him up, that DARE is most effective when implemented on the middle school level. At this age, students have the cognitive abilities to understand the
material they are presented with, and also begin to experience the scenarios DARE is meant to guide them through. DARE is at its most effective when supplemented with an introductory program in elementary school and a follow up program at the high school level. And while this would be an excellent goal for our county’s schools, right now, just setting the program up in our middle schools would represent a huge victory. When he ran for office in 2006, Cameron promised that bringing DARE back was a top priority. He has gone as far as admitting that early in his law enforcement career, he was not a fan of the program and did not take it seriously. However, as he saw firsthand how effective the program could be through his 25 years in the Sheriff’s department,
Big City Boy, Small Town Heart Waiting For a Miracle By Adam Ross Staff Writer GASB 45, post retirement benefits, is a major issue that is going to cause a serious drain in the county coffers over the next couple of years. It is something every county government, municipality and school district in the country is dealing with, so we ought to be careful with our judgment. It’s not like GASB 45
snuck up on us, but it’s here, in bold print, and it carries a price tag of $5.4 million this year for our school district alone. Funding this giant is not going to be easy. County Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D - Great Mills) said he doesn’t forecast a tax increase, but at the same time had no answer for how the county is going to pay this thing. In fact, nobody seems to have a clue how we are going to fund this thing.
I f I had to guess, I would say St. Mary’s County is waiting for a miracle. The county’s Chief Financial Officer, Elaine Kramer, said we ought to be proud because we have a dialog going on. Leaving me to believe that if money talks, we should join into a lucrative contract with each other. Either that, or soon the talking has to stop, and fiscal responsibility has to kick in.
Squashing School Spirit To the Editor:
been leading their cheers at all the games was stopped by the I attended the Great Mills Leonardtown principal when vs. Leonarstown High School he arrived before the game boys’ basketball game on Fri- and was told that he could not day night, and enjoyed a hard- stay. He was escorted from played game with much cheer- the school by the police and ing from the Leonardtown was told he could not return. students. Great Mills won, It seems to me that proand their students cheered moting school spirit rather at the end of the game, but than squashing it should be without the leadership of the part of the plan to upgrade “Green Man” super fan who our schools and improve the has attended all their games. behavior of our students. I found out yesterday that the It appears that cheering for Great Mills senior who has your school’s athletic team is
now treated as a crime, and that well-meaning students must be stopped from expressing their school spirit, so that the possibility of any incidents can be avoided. This, to me, is a very poor attitude for our school administrators to take, and is not fair to the students or the community. Tom Brien Lexington Park
Letters to the Editor If you wish to send a letter to the editor, please include your name, address and phone number for confirmation purposes. We will only publish your name and city of residence. We can withhold your name by request if circumstances merit it. We must receive all letters by Monday morning for publication in the next issue. Any letter received later than Monday will be held for the following issue.
Forrest Center Hosts Tech Expo The Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center will host its eighth annual Forrest Center Tech Expo, Feb. 22 from 5:30– 8 p.m., in the school. The purpose of the Forrest Center Tech Expo is to familiarize students and parents with career and technology education career options offered by St. Mary’s County Public Schools. This is an opportunity to meet the staff
at the Forrest Center and to learn about the 21 complete programs currently offered. Middle school and high school counselors will be available to answer questions about career clusters and to assist students in planning their academic program. The Forrest Center will provide special presentations to parents to explain the registration process and the ways to incorporate Forrest Center programs into their
child’s schedule. For more details, contact the Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center at 301-475-0242. In the event of inclement weather, the alternate date for the Forrest Center Tech Expo will be Feb. 27. The School is located at 24005 Point Lookout Road, directly across from the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds in Leonardtown, Md.
St. Mary’s College Trustees to Meet Feb. 24 The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Board of Trustees will meet Saturday, in Wilmington, Del.
The Board will hold general sessions at 11 a.m. in the King Sejon Roon of the Hotel DuPont.
For more information, or to attend via conference call, contact Torre Meringolo at 240-895-4382.
James Manning McKay - Publisher Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Adam Ross - Government Correspondent...............adamross@countytimes.net
P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636
Andrew Knowlton - Sports Correspondent....... andrewknowlton@countytimes.net
News, advertising, circulation, classifieds: 301-373-4125
Jimmy Hayden - Advertising Director...............jimmyhayden@countytimes.net
The County Times
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Tiki Bar Continued from page A- not resolved. Shortly after last year’s opening, Campany and his department forced the Tiki Bar to remove the sand, statues, palm trees and drink kiosks from the property. The Calvert County Planning Commission will review the site plan March 21 and determine if the renovations can be reinstituted, Donnelly said. The sand area was put in last spring to expand the back of the bar as a kiosk. However, Donnelly said Campany confused this area as a “patron area,” which is designated by Calvert County Zoning Ordinance as a tavern or eating establishment where the business sells 50 percent alcohol and 50 percent food. The Tiki Bar does not sell
Dropouts Continued from page A- gram they took with tech connect, or at least be interested in other programs in the building,” said Robert Taylor, principal of Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. “We are hoping to capture those kids for three or four years and really spend a lot of time developing and supporting relationships.” Students drop out of high school primarily because they do not feel a sense of belonging, or do not understand why they are there, Smith said. The goal is to lure students in, with a limited number of spots available. “If a student is not interested we tell them that’s fine because we have another student waiting to take his or her spot,” Taylor said. “Kids came in with the
Milkuski Continued from page A- Mary’s County be included in the queen’s itinerary. “Why should Jamestown have all the fun,” she said to laughs from the room. But more to the point, Tuesday’s informal gathering was part of her state tour to do “helicopter touch downs,” in a number of areas. “We are here today, in Aberdeen tomorrow and over in Fort Meade soon,” Mikulski said. Eighteen months ago, Mikulski said she “hit [a] kind of
food, Donnelly said. “The [sand area] is open to all people, but there is no table service, nobody wearing a little box full of drinks wandering out into the sand selling to them at a table,” Donnelly added. “This was simply a seating area.” If the renovations become a legal issue, the owners of the Tiki Bar will have to visit the Board of Appeals in April to apply for a variance, Donnelly said. Meanwhile, a number of petitions have been floating around the county in support of and against the renovations to the bar. Some residents have expressed concerns that the new ownership has done little to contain noise and lighting coming from the bar, which is open for six months out of the year. Opponents also argue that the new renovations spread people out in a larger area, putting patrons closer to
their own property lines. Somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 people attend the Tiki Bar’s opening held the third week of April, Donnelly said. Meanwhile, Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans said the crowd was much easier to control during last year’s opening because it congregated between the buildings and not on the adjacent Maltby Street. “I thought it was a nice atmosphere last year,” Evans added, “not any louder than the year before.” Evans did say the police cited six - ten people for “disorderly” conduct, but that was “throughout the island.” According to Donnelly, 75 percent of “immediate residential property owners around the Tiki Bar support it.” “There are a few in opposition, but overwhelmingly 500-to-2 are in support of the
Tiki Bar,” he added. “The opposition is partly driven by two or three individuals, and some of them have an ulterior motive.” The second alleged error dismissed by planning and zoning was the bar’s right to use Maltby Street, which has been around for 128 years. While no concrete conclusions were formed, the board determined the planning officer does not have the legal authority to make any determinations, said Donnelly. The third alleged infraction was that the Tiki Bar did not comply with a 50-foot setback ordinance between commercial and residential buildings. However, the Tiki Bar was found not in violation because its existence predates the 1986 ordinance. The Tiki Bar was established in its current location on Solomon’s Island in 1980.
why am I here and why am I doing this attitude,” Smith said of the first orientation, “and we said [the program] is special, and if you don’t want to do it we have ten other people who want in. We made them feel special.” According to both Smith and Taylor, who made a presentation to the Board of Education last week, “almost every student left excited about the program.” St. Mary’s County Public Schools Superintendent Michael J. Martirano said he visited the career and technology center and talked with students about the center’s impact on their lives. “One student said ‘it keeps me in school,’ and I looked at him and he even though he was being a bit silly I said ‘young man, you have made my entire day,’” Martirano said. “He stood up and recognized what I was trying to say to him, which is that
if this [center] didn’t exist he would more than likely drop out. This program is critical.” Any student recommended by a middle school counselor, teacher or administrator as an “at-risk student” will be invited into the program’s evaluation process, which includes an interview and trial class run. “There has been so much focus on our dropout rate and math problems, and I would hope this nails it right on the bull’s-eye,” said Board of Education Vice Chairman William M. Mattingly. With an extremely positive behavioral track record that boasts just 19 suspensions all of last year, Taylor said he is hopeful this program might even put an end to dropouts. “We watch our dropout rates hawkishly. If you take a program like this, with 72 students each year, and each one of them stays in school, we won’t have a dropout rate,”
he added. Six teachers will be assigned next year to teach the tech connect classes. Those teachers will be removed from electives currently offered to make the program cost efficient, Taylor said. “It’s kind of our biggest bang for the buck, and at this point we could help more kids with tech connect than we could with the electives,” he added. If the students successfully complete the tech connect program, they will be awarded one half credit for math and a full technology credit towards graduation. Plus, students can then choose from a three or four year program to keep them involved in the center’s vocational focus. “Talking with students you definitely get that wow factor,” said Brittany Thurston, student member on the school board. “The program has great potential.”
wall,” when she was slowed with a heart condition. “You know me as feisty and spunky, but I reached a point that I was despunked,” she said. Members of the discussion told her she regained that spunk, as she sat tall in her seat and spoke vigorously about the importance of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, in light of our country’s global war on terror. Broadband Internet access entered the discussion, as Pax River is working with the Southern Maryland Broadband Cooperative to install two fiber-optic network cables to strengthen the base’s daily
operations, according to Bob Russell, senior program manager for Wyle Laboratories. Pax River is one of ten Navy bases going through encroachment action planning, according to R. Keith Fairfax Jr., vice president of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance. Mikulski pressed members of the alliance and partnering companies to provide her with ammunition to take back to Washington, so she could defend her stances on initiatives affecting Pax River. Not all of the issues discussed Tuesday were directly attributed to the base, but they
all had Pax River in mind. An expansion for the Thomas Johnson Bridge was brought to light by Mikulski because of the large number of commuters onto the base. “It’s a commuter congestion issue, but also a safety issue,” Mikulski said. The slightest accident isn’t just gridlock, “nothing moves” said County Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Jr. Public education was also a hot topic because of the demands of the base for skilled labor. Mikulski outlined the lack of money coming into the tri-county area for impact aid,
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Section A -
Big Money Continued from page A- next school year, but the Board of Education needs more for high priced initiatives like the Chesapeake Bay Charter School and the Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) academy. But the kicker is the Governmental Accounting Standards Board statement number 45 (GASB 45), which requires all state and local municipalities, and county governments, to pay into post retirement benefits in three phases based on the government’s total annual revenues. The Board of Education’s share is $5.4 million currently, and next year that prices goes up to $10.8 million. And, if it is not funded sooner rather than later, the county’s recently improved bond rating could be jeopardized. “Right now it’s optional to fund [GASB 45],” said Daniel Carney, chief financial officer for St. Mary’s County Public Schools. “The difference being that $5.4 million would only be $5.4 million until you fund it. As soon as you put it into a trust fund it will grow; if we wait ten years then the $5.4 million is not in the bank earning interest. “There is a concern it may affect the county’s bond rating,” Carney added. St. Mary’s County Chief Financial Officer Elaine Kramer said the rating agencies “are not saying” if holding off on GASB 45 could affect the county’s recently upgraded bond rating, and “at this point in time, I am really reluctant to say what they will or won’t do as far as the rating is concerned.” “Part of it is they understand the magnitude of the impact,” she added. “Generally speaking, what they are
looking for is a plan to have identified the significance of the problem, and at least embarked upon some process or plan to address it… The sooner we come to grips with it, the better it is for everyone.” County government addressed GASB 45 last year by allocating $3.5 million to start funding for it at the county government level, and held discussions with county municipalities, said Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D). “Last year we didn’t address it 100 percent, but we did put a considerable amount into it,” he added. “We have to look at our projections as far as revenue goes and decide.” Raley would not say if the Board of County Commissioners would fund the Board of Education’s $5.4 million portion. “We have to work through the process of do we fund it, or do they fund it,” Raley said, although he noted that it all really comes from the taxpayers’ money, and no tax hikes were expected to fund it. Allen was concerned the community might not be aware of the significance of GASB 45, and the implications it could have. However, Superintendent Michael J. Martirano was quick to point out that GASB 45 affects the entire country, excluding the federal government, and the school system is taking the first steps towards addressing it. “There are no random acts,” Martirano said. “We are accountable to our citizens’, students’, parents’ and tax payers’ dollars. With these items we are proposing they need to be placed on the table and dialog to occur. I am very very pleased with the process.”
which totals roughly $5 million, she said. Impact aid goes towards the construction and modernization of schools, technology upgrades and teacher training. The amount allocated to each region throughout the country is formula driven, and Mikulski said there is only about $1 billion in the United States pipeline. Meanwhile, St. Mary’s County has struggled with state funding for new schools because of the rules governing overcrowding, which are more beneficial to the bigger counties in the state. In order to qualify for state funding for a new high
school for example, the three county high schools need to be overcrowded by 50 percent of the capacity for the proposed high school, among other stipulations. This often means for smaller counties like St. Mary’s, less room to spread the overcrowding out, and more time before state funds become available. “This is very much on our mind when we talk about base impacted communities,” Mikulski said. “We feel you should be able to do better with the impact aid, but congress is not doing its part by working with the executive branch.”
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The County Times
Section A -
agement. “It’s our obligation to analyze [noise contours] and if we have to take zoning measures it’s incumbent upon us to do that.” concerns, including the purOutdated noise contours chase of the 50-acre south par- based on F-18 fighter jet noise cel of Lexington Manor, and is an inaccurate representa34-acres of the north parcel tion of the incoming Joint of Lexington Manor, which Strike Fighter, which is 10,000 “is precluded from residential pounds heavier and uses a singrowth,” according to Savich. gle engine, said Morgan. “Pax is one of ten bases to Fairfax said he did not do serious encroachment ac- want to speak on behalf of the tion planning to identify the Navy, but that the Navy can threats, and recommend ac- work with the county to make tions to mitigate them,” Sav- changes on its side as well. ich added. “We are not looking to seThe Navy Alliance’s five verely impact the mission, but recommendations included [the Navy] can do some things a strengthening of ongoing with scheduling smartly,” Navy and St. Mary’s County Fairfax added. communications by establishCapt. Glen Ives, coming twice yearly meetings; manding officer of Pax River, moving residential housing attended the meeting and away from the base; establish- thanked the commissioning a buffer zone to protect ers and the community for from noise contour lines; de- the opportunity to “look at veloping an AICUZ overlay encroachment.” around Webster Field; and “We have an important analyzing the merits of a joint mission,” Ives said. “What we land use study. do at Pax has a direct impact “We are somewhat be- on our fleet.” hind the eight ball, but if we The commissioners aplook ahead a bit like we did in proved all five recommendathe 1970s, we can get ahead of tions from the Navy Alliance, the game,” said R. Keith Fair- however Daniel H. Raley (Dfax Jr., vice president of the Great Mills) and Lawrence Navy Alliance. Jarboe (R- Golden Beach) The county imposed were not in attendance. regulations in 1977 to protect “I ran across a newspaper Pax River, and to keep dense article from 30 years ago, and development out from under- it was a great dialog about the neath aircraft noise and acci- AICUZ and how we needed to dents from the base. take things away from around Those regulations and the Navy base to protect it,” further talks are not only ben- said Commissioner Thomas eficial for Pax River, but also A. Mattingly Sr. (D- Leonardthe county’s residents because town). “The good thing about of new noise concerns associ- what we are doing today is enated with the larger aircraft hancing and expanding upon being tested at Pax. the vision those people had 30 “We want to protect years ago.” residents from noise implications,” said Dennis Canavan, St. Mary’s County director of Land Use and Growth Man-
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Keeping PAX Safe Continued from page A-1 Pax River accounts for 80 percent of the county’s economy, and if it was ever relocated, it could most certainly destroy the county’s economy, according to John Savich, director of the county’s department of Economic and Community Development. As a result of the encomplications croachment with the Naval Air Station Oceana, which is now facing almost certain closure and relocation from Virginia Beach, Va., where it has been since 1940, this is a serious issue the county continues to address. Forms of encroachment are urban growth, airborne noise, frequency spectrum, lighting pollution, threatened endangered species and maritime transportation issues. In Oceana’s case, urban growth in zone 1 of the Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) was a driving factor in BRAC’s recommendation to move operations if conditions to ease encroachment were not met. The AICUZ is made up of three different zones. The clear zone is closest to the runway, and zones one and two are determined by the accident potential. Pax River is not facing any encroachment in the clear zone or accident potential zone 1, Savich said. However, some older neighborhoods still reside in zone 2, so the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance presented the Board of County Commissioners Feb. 13 with some ways to prevent further encroachment there. The county has taken steps to ease encroachment
Photo by Adam Ross
Dennis Canavan, director of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management, uses the chart to outline the noise contour lines from aircraft flying into Pax.
St. Mary’s Counties. “Locally we put together regional planning teams to identify the needs for Internet service,” said Ellen Flowers-Fields, director of Regional Economic Development for the TriCounty Council. The co-op is already planning on running new fiber lines in Lexington Park, across the Bay Bridge, in areas of Cecil County and regions of Salisbury, Mitchell said. “All the fingers will eventually meet over a three or four year build,” he added. The fiber itself is installed by the co-op, and then leased by Internet Service Providers (ISP) from around the country. “We have a business case that is good for them,” said Mitchell of the ISPs. “It will bring in other service providers from different areas, bringing more competition to the area because it is so easy to connect. You can have a company in California and all they need is a server.” If connection problems arise, the co-op is responsible for the maintenance of the
High Speed Continued from page A-1 extend across the Bay Bridge and into areas of Lexington Park. “We are going for multiple end points in St. Mary’s County and all around,” said Patrick Mitchell, project manager for the Maryland Broadband Cooperative, of the end result of the plan. Rural residents have not had access to services like MetroCast due to profitability concerns in areas with small numbers of homes, said Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D - Great Mills). But unlike MetroCast, the Maryland Broadband Cooperative is a non-profit organization in charge of installing the fibers where there is need, regardless of the financial particulars. “The co-op was formed to put fiber in the ground where other providers won’t go,” Mitchell said. Along with help from the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, the cooperative is currently in the preliminary stages of a network plan for Calvert, Charles and
lines, added Mitchell. Mitchell said he expects the total build out for the project to be around $34 million, a $5 million increase over his original projections. The state provides funding of $10 million, so the best way for the co-op to raise money is to plant new cable and generate revenues, said Mitchell. Eighty percent of the fiber optic lines will be trenched into the ground to lower the overhead cost, Mitchell said. “The lower the overhead the more miles I can put up throughout the state,” he added. Meanwhile, Bob Russell, senior program manager for Wyle Laboratories, who is working for Patuxent River Naval Air Station to connect and install two fiber-optic cables for the base said he has been in contact with Mitchell to make that a reality. “That will provide a tremendous capability that we don’t have now,” Russell said. “Now we have a microwave link which is much less bandwidth and less reliable.”
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Vice Adm. David Venlet assumed command of the Naval Air Systems Command Friday. Venlet takes over for Vice Adm. Walter Massenburg, who held the position for more than three years. Adm. Mike Mullen, chief of naval operations, presided over a ceremony Friday that welcomed Venlet to the position. Before assuming command of NAVAIR, Venlet served as program executive officer for tactical air programs. He commanded Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division with responsibility for Navy weapons and systems research, development, testing and evaluation, and fleet support capabilities at China Lake and Point Mugu, Calif. He also served as NAVAIR
assistant commander for test and evaluation, and for shore installation management. His Fleet tours include Fighter Squadron 41 as an F-14 Tomcat radar intercept officer deployed on the USS Nimitz. He wears the Distinguished Flying Cross for action in VF-41. After redesignation as a Naval Aviator, he flew with VF-143 as an F-14 pilot deployed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. He next served in Fleet Replacement Squadron VF-101 at Naval Air Station Oceana as a Tomcat instructor pilot and A-4 Skyhawk adversary pilot. Venlet served as a test pilot at Naval Air Test Center here where he performed the first carrier landing of the T45 Goshawk training aircraft on the USS John F Kennedy.
He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Tours at NAVAIR include the F/A-18 Hornet program office in various capacities including assistant program manager for systems engineering and deputy program manager. He was executive assistant to the NAVAIR commander and served as the program manager for the AIM9X Sidewinder development program. Venlet is from Pottstown, Pa., and is a 1976 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He is also a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School and U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Engineering and Masters of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Obituaries Elmer Francis Buckler Sr., 85 Elmer F r a nci s Buckler Sr., 85, of Mechanicsville, died Feb. 18, in Prince George’s General Hospital. Born June 7, 1921 in Hughesville, Md., he was the son of the late Daniel and Grace Buckler. He was the loving husband of the late Carrie Mae Tippett Buckler, whom he married in Bryantown, Md., in 1941. He is survived by his children Robert Walter Buckler Sr. and his wife Rita of Mechanicsville, Md., Jeannie M. Buckler Ford and her husband Doug of California, Md., Oscar J. Buckler and his wife Gail of Walhalla, S.C., Clyde Copsey of La Plata, Md., Lawrence Copsey and Christine Morgan, both of Mechanicsville, Md. He is also survived by 26 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Elmer “Bucky” Buckler and his wife Hattie, and his brother Edward Buckler. Mr. Buckler was a life long St. Mary’s County resident and farmer. He enjoyed cutting grass, riding around the farm, and visiting with his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed the Amish Community, driving them where they needed to go. The family received friends Tuesday in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, Md. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Mechanicsville, with Fr. Peter Alliata officiating. Interment followed in Trinity Memorial Gardens, Waldorf, Md. Pallbearers were Bobby Buckler, Jimmy Nelson, John Buckler Jr., B.J. Buckler, Larry Copsey and John Keenan. Honorary Pallbearers will be Billy Williams, Ashley Nelson, Ronnie Copsey, Mickey Long and Al Bailey. Contributions may be made to The Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 552, Mechanicsville, MD 20659. Arrangements were provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Thomas Carroll, 73 Thomas Carroll, 73 of Lexington Park, died Feb. 17 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center, Leonardtown, Md. He was born Aug. 21, 1933 in St. Mary’s County to the late Douglas and Grace Carroll. He attended Cardinal Institute. He was employed at St. Mary’s College for 20 years. His hobbies included fishing and playing cards. On October 16, 1965 he married his longtime sweetheart Shirley. He is survived by his wife, Shirley, of 41 years and ten children; Robert White (Jackie) of Lexington Park, Juanita Carroll of Lexington Park, Darren Carroll of Lexington Park, Patricia White Fenwick (Ray) of Lexington Park, David Carroll (Candy) of Park Hall, Pamela Carroll of Baltimore, Md, Rose Carroll of Lexington Park, Carlos
Carroll of Lexington Park, Shirley Carroll of Lexington Park and Jacqueline Carroll of Lexington Park, 20 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. He is also survived by four sisters; Lucy Dudley and Virginia Porter of Baltimore, Sarah Chase and Helen Robinson of Lexington Park, two brothers; Paul Carroll and Francis Carroll of Lexington Park, four sisters in-law, three brothers in-law and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and family. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his three children Cameron, Thomas and infant Carroll, and four brothers; Tolbert, James, Charles and Augustus Carroll and a grandson Joseph Carroll, Jr. The family will receive friends on Friday Feb. 23 from 9– 11 a.m. in St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church in St. Mary’s City. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Feb. 23, at 11 a.m. at St. Cecelia’s. The Reverend Damian Shadwell will be the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. James Cemetery in Lexington Park. Arrangements are being handled by Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Condolences to the family may be left at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Mary Louise Duke, 71 Mary Louise Ricker Duke, 71, of Tall Timbers, Md. died Feb. 6 in Tall Timbers. Born Jan. 9, 1936 in Washington, D.C. she was the daughter of the late Edward Paul Ricker and Elsie Head. She was the loving wife of James S. Duke whom she married on Sept. 20, 1954 in Hollywood. She is survived by her children: Mary Beth Kircher of White Hall, Michael Duke of Leonardtown, Jamie Duke, Edward Duke of Lexington Park and Julie Duke of Charlotte Day; 2 brothers: Michael Ricker and Edward Ricker both of North Carolina and seven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister: Ann Finnacom. Mrs. Duke was a life long St. Mary’s County resident where she graduated from St. Mary’s Academy Class of 1953. She worked as a supervisor for the St. Mary’s County Government in the Non-Public School Transportation office and retired in Oct. of 2001 after 16 years of service. All services will be Private. Contributions may be made to Southern Maryland Regional Alzheimer’s Association, 513 E. Charles Street, La Plata, MD 20646. Arrangement provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Purification Governale, 62 Purificacion Josefina “Purita” Governale, 62, of Great Mills, died Feb. 16 in Civista Medial Center, La Plata, Md. Born Oct. 2, 1944 in Cartagena, Colombia, she was the daughter of the late Hector Pineda and Carmen Alicia Ruiz Pineda. Purita worked as an esthetician within the Cartagena, Colombia community. She loved her clients and took great pride in her work. Her
The County Times joy for life, caring friendships, and contagious energy will be missed by all, as she was not someone who is easy to forget. She is survived by her dedicated husband of 27 years, Russel Governale and her three loving daughters, Monique Zubkow of Los Angeles, Ca., Catherine Zubkow of Queens, N.Y., and Gina Governale of Brooklyn, N.Y. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, Pedro Pineda. The family will receive friends on Friday, Feb. 23, from 1- 3 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md., with the Memorial Service conducted at 2 p.m. Reverend Robert Kosty will conduct the service. Inernment will be private. Condolences to the family may be left at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
William Knoeller, 75 William August Knoeller, 75, of Leonardtown died Feb. 14, in Prince George’s General Hospital, Cheverly, Md. Born June 22, 1931 in Green Bay, Wis., he was the son of the late George W. and Lydia Moline Knoeller. Mr. Knoeller was a Patent Attorney for over 30 years as a partner at Stevens, Davis, Miller and Mosher; and Burnes, Doane, Swecker & Matthis. He graduated from University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor’s in Engineering and a Master’s in Law. He was a veteran of the Korean War. He greatly enjoyed his family and friends, and was active in his community. He served as a Docent at the Library of Congress and was a volunteer at several organizations including, educational programs and sailing at the Chesapeake Bay Field Lab, computer refurbishing at Smartco, active supporter of Sotterley and the Women’s League of Voters. He made an impression on all those who met him with his fervor for learning and spry, loving spirit. He will be terribly missed by many, but will live on in innumerous ways. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Ann Matthews Knoeller, daughters, Anne Ross Knoller of Glyndon, Md. and Caroline K. Foscato and her husband, Matthew of Boston, Ma. step-children, Stephen Gerth of New York, N.Y., Donna Rubbins and her husband, Jack of Centreville, Va., and Ralph M. Gerth and his wife, Ulrika of Newburyport, Ma., two grandsons, and one step-granddaughter. The family received friends on Sunday, Feb. 18, in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md. The Funeral Service was conducted on Monday, Feb. 19 at 11:00 a.m. in Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Mary’s City, Md. Reverend John A. Ball conducted the service. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 207, St. Mary’s City, Md. 20686. Condolences to the family may be left at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Norman Francis Koerber, Sr., 61 Norman Francis Koerber, Sr., 61, of Mechanicsville, Md. died Feb. 16 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, Md. Born Oct. 1, 1945 in St. Louis, Mo., he was the son of
Mary Klenke Koerber and the late Raymond Koerber. Norman was retired from his self owned carpet business, “Norman’s Karpet Service”. He enjoyed spending time on the water, fishing with his friends and restoring his 1966 G.T.O. He is survived by his wife, Janet Koerber, whom he married on May 31, 1967, his son, Norman Francis Koerber, Jr. and longtime companion, Dorie of Hollywood, Md., his daughter, Stephanie Lynn Kuhnow and her husband, Robert of Hughesville, Md., and five grandchildren; Brandon Dickerson, Makayla Kuhnow, Kyrie Koerber, Marissa Kuhnow, and Madison Kuhnow. In addition to his father, he is preceded in death by an infant grandson, Michael. The family received friends on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 5- 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md. Prayers will be recited at 7 p.m. The Funeral Service will be conducted on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel. Reverend Peter Alliata will conduct the service. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, Md. Memorial contributions may be made to Hollywood Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, Md. 20636. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Louise Jones Linden, 90 Louise Jones Linden, 90, of California, Md. died Feb. 15, in St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, Md. Born April 13, 1916, in Leonardtown, she was the daughter of the late Mildred Foxwell and Stephen McKenney Jones. As a very active person in many organizations, her friends were surprised to learn she was 90 years old. She spent her early years at Foxwell’s Point on Breton Bay in Leonardtown, graduated from St. Mary’s Female Seminary (now St. Mary’s College) and later received a bachelor’s degree from Towson Normal School (now Towson University). For a number of years, she taught at Mechanicsville Elementary School. During World War II she worked at Patuxent Naval Air Station and met her future husband, E. Arthur Linden. After he retired from the Navy, they lived in Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia. In the 1970’s, they built a home overlooking the Patuxent River. At this time, she and her husband joined Hollywood United Methodist Church. When her husband died, she moved to Wildewood Retirement Community, California, Md.. She joined the Woman’s Club of St. Mary’s County, Major William Thomas Chapter of DAR, Antiques Arts, NARFE, Retired Teachers of St. Mary’s County, St. Mary’s Historical Society and was very active in various organizations within the church. In addition to her parents and husband, she is predeceased by her sister, Adele Jones VanDevanter and a brother Ensign Stephen Harris Jones. She is survived by her sister, Ruth Jones Wheeler and nieces, Barbara VanDevanter Pevey, Janet Ferber Brown, M.D., and Elizabeth Ferber Bibee and nephews Stephen Henry VanDevanter, M.D. and Robert Foxwell Ferber. A Funeral Service was conducted on Sunday, Feb. 18,
Section A - at Hollywood United Methodist Church, Hollywood, Md. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. on March 8, at 1:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Hollywood United Methodist Church, 24422 Mervell Dean Road, Hollywood, Md. 20636 or the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, Md. 20636 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1032, Lexington Park, Md. 20653. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.
Margaret Alice “Maggie” Marlay, 85 Margaret Alice “Maggie” Marlay, 85, of St. Mary’s City, Md., died Feb. 12, in Calvert Memorial Hospital, Prince Frederick, Md. Born March 8, 1921 in Des Moines, Iowa, she was the daughter of the late Howard Leroy Bump and Marbel Alice Fisher Bump. She was a graduate of Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa, Class of 1939. She was a graduate of Drake University Class of 1943 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts, English/American Literature. On March 6, 1943 she married Myron “Mike” Marlay. Mrs. Marlay was the President of the Cedar Point Officers Wives Club 1965 – 1966, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, Docent at Thoroughgood House in Virginia Beach. She was secretary/bookkeeper/ procurement officer, personnel officer, assistant to executive director, special events coordinator, fundraiser from 1970 – 1993 for Historic St. Mary’s City. Mrs. Marlay worked as the Administrative Assistant from Feb. 1993 to February 1996, secretary to (newly combined) Foundation/Friends orginazation through January 1997 and foundation member until she resigned in December 2005. She was a member of St. Mary’s River Yacht Club, St. Mary’s County Garden Club, Christmas Club, DECD Employee of the Year, 1984. She received the Governor’s Citation for impressive commitment of HSMC, 1992, Senate of Maryland, resolution for outstanding contributions to HSMC, 1993, House of Delegates, resolution, 1993 and Cross Bottony Award 1996. Mrs. Marlay is survived by her husband, Myron G. “Mike” Marlay of St. Mary’s City, a daughter, Margaret Marlay Wagner and husband Joel, of Weathersfield, Conn., two sons, Robert Charles Marlay and wife Nancy of Arlington, Va, Dr. Steven Michael Marlay and wife Tate of Savannah, Ga., eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a sister, Marilyn Sealine and two brothers, Charles M. Bump and Malcolm Bump. A Funeral Service was held Saturday, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. in Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Mary’s City. Father John A. Ball conducted the service. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Historic St. Mary’s City Foundation, P.O. Box 24, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686 or St. Mary’s College of Maryland Foundation, 18952 Fisher Road, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.
Joseph Ernest Milburn, Sr., 89 Joseph Ernest Milburn, Sr., 89, of Leonardtown, Md. died Feb. 12, in Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, Charlotte Hall, Md. Born May 31, 1917 in Beauvue, he was the only son of the late Ernest Ignatius and Mary Rosalee (Adams) Milburn. He grew up in the White Point/Leonardtown Area, working and attending school locally. His early years had him fishing and crabbing on the Potomac River and its tributaries along the White Point/Breton Bay Area. He often told stories of life on the water and how back then a dozen soft-shells (crabs) would sell for $0.25. Joseph joined the U.S. Army on Apr. 3, 1941. His military took place at posts in Kentucky, Tenn. and Louisiana. On Oct. 2, 1944 he sailed overseas to Leghorn, Italy. As a World War II Soldier, Joseph made history as a member of the first all black tank Battalion #758. While overseas he supported the war effort in Italy, France, and Germany. After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, Joseph began working for the U. S. Navy at Patuxent River, Md. in the Public Works Department. Later he worked for the St. Mary’s County Board of Education. Regardless of his full-time job, Joseph always had time to assist friends and family on the weekends by lending a helping hand to a building or landscaping project. Joseph was raised in the Catholic Faith and continued to worship regularly throughout his life. On Apr. 21, 1946 he married, Sarah Alberta Mason. They had five children. Joseph was known for traveling around the county, especially the Leonardtown area, with his guitar in tow. He would entertain his friends with songs, some actual recordings (i.e. Hot Rod Lincoln, Johnny B. Goode, and Country Roads) and others he made up as he went along. He was a regular prankster and always had a joke or two for his family and friends. Joseph leaves to mourn his passing; his wife of 60 years, Sarah Alberta (Mason) Milburn, three daughters; Agnes V. (Mason) Fenwick, Sarah J. Holt and Sheila A. Milburn, one son; Joseph E. Milburn, Jr., one son-in-law, George F. Holt and one daughter-in-law, Agnes Bush, two grandsons; A. Cleaver Mason and Warren Lewis, four granddaughters; Jessica Fenwick, Duana Holt, Shania Hill, Shana Holt, two step grand-daughters; Gloria Bostick and Tara Bush, one great-grandson, A. Jamar Mason, one grand-daughter-in-law, Michelle Mason, seven sisters-in-law, six brothers-in-law, cousins, Catherine “Kitty” Price and Jack and Elizabeth “Puddin” Holly; a host of family and friends. Joseph was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Ford I. Milburn, one son-inlaw, George F. Fenwick, and cousins, James W., James M. and John Milburn. Family received friends on Saturday, Feb. 17 in Our Lady’s Catholic Church, Medley’s Neck, Leonardtown, Md., with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Reverend Thomas LaHood. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to HOSPICE House c/o HOSPICE of St. Mary’s, Inc., P.O. Box 625, See Obits page A-
The County Times
Section A -
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The Life Unknown
A Look at Our Elected Officials
As President of the Southern Maryland Volunteer Fireman’s Association, in 1986, Mattingly helped oversee 360 companies throughout the state, which got him interested in politics. School, the question is not “We dealt with a lot of where to go next, but what legislation in Annapolis and to do. Washington, which benefited As a common theme or threatened the volunteer shared with most of his felassociations,” he said. low commissioners, MatOne of his more promitingly retired without ever nent accomplishments was really retiring. serving as a member of the His two children Helicopter Task Force that are married and parents pushed for a permanent medethemselves. vac site in St. Mary’s County. So, he did what he knew Mattingly met with then best; he dedicated more time Governor William Schaefer to his commissioners’ post, to request the medevac site, and to the Leonardtown at the time a tough sell to the Volunteer Fire Department, bureaucrats in Annapolis. where he earned his memPhoto by Adam Ross “I got a call on Friday bership at 16 years old. Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Jr., a member of the Leonardtown Volun- afternoon just after ChristBefore his retirement teer Fire Department since he was 16, poses with his collectibles from over 44 mas from Governor Schaefer, from Verizon in 1999, Mat- years of service. and he asked if I could be in tingly split time between his job, his commissioners’ seat, Now, Mattingly admits folded neatly against his chest. Annapolis on Monday at 10 and the fire department. that he has more time to dedi- “It gives you a good opportu- a.m.,” Mattingly said. “I sat “When I was working and cate to the position than some nity to give back to the com- down with him that day for trying to do the commissioner of his fellow commissioners munity, there’s lots of excite- nearly an hour, and explained job I would go into work from who still hold other jobs. ment, but you can walk away the situation, the shortcom6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and then do But one of his first and with a good feeling when you ings, and that we had a true need for that service. He said commissioner work the rest long lasting passions is the do a good job.” of the day,” Mattingly said. “I fire department. Mattingly has held a he would have an answer to me would take off work on Tues“I enjoy the camaraderie number of positions in the fire on Wednesday of that week. days for the meetings, but it of the people,” Mattingly said department on the local and With that we came home and I got a phone call from the Govwas just too much.” with his legs crossed and arms state levels.
ernor that Wednesday saying the medevac would be placed in Southern Maryland.” And although Mattingly has had many successes up North, he said he has never been interested in holding political office beyond the county level. And again, he attributes this decision to his roots in the fire department. “Helping people, through my experience in the fire department service, to get through the bureaucracy,” he listed as a more important goal than working at the state level. “I’ll tell people all the time I can get you in the door with anyone you need to, and I will ask them to give you a fair share.” Perhaps he should give the same consideration to his wife, who said when his third term with the county commissioners expires in December of 2010, he has to take a threeweek trip with her across the country. “You don’t know what you’ll do next ultimately, but I’ve been given ‘instructions’ on traveling some,” he said with a squeamish grin.
a.m. in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bushwood, Md. Interment will follow in Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery, Leonardtown, Md. Serving as pallbearers will be James Dorsey, Jr., Joseph Dorsey, Jr., John Tyer, and Arthur Short. Condolences to the family may be left at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Randy Schoch and David Greever officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, Md. Pallbearers were Michael Sherman, Bud Slagle, David Greever, Cov Scotten, Bob Young and Justin Ellie. Contributions can be made to the Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625 Leonardtown, Md. 20650, American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1131 Fairfax, Va. 22038-1131 or the American Heart Association, 415 N. Charles St. Baltimore, Md., 21201-4101. Arrangements were provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.
The Face of Leonardtown By Adam Ross Staff Writer This ongoing feature by The County Times profiles the private lives of our public officials. This week we take a look at County Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Jr. With no intentions of retiring to a sunny locale, Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Jr., 60, has lived in St. Mary’s County his entire life. It’s hard enough, he said, to spend a couple of weeks vacationing away from St. Mary’s let alone live somewhere else. “A lot of people say when they retire they will move to Florida, Myrtle Beach, or Ocean City, but I can’t imagine leaving this community,” he said legs crossed seated on a couch in his home he helped build and design in Leonardtown. Now alongside his wife of almost 40 years, Dennise, whom he met when he was 12 at Leonardtown Elementary
Obits Continued from page A-
Wanda Maria Randalson, 45
Leonardtown, Md. 20650. Condolences to the family may be left at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, Md.
Wanda Maria Randalson, 45, of Hollywood, Md. died Feb. 15, 2007 in Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.
Born December 6, 1961 in Leonardtown, she was the daughter of Agnes Tyer of Clements and DeSales Tyer of Bushwood. Wanda started her Christian journey at an early age. In her elementary years, she attended Holy Angels Sacred Heart Catholic School, fol-
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lowed by graduation from Chopticon High School in 1979. During her school years, she enjoyed played softball and was a member of the Junior Ladies Auxiliary. After high school, Wanda moved to Silver Spring, Md, where she attended Washington Secretary School and a Nursing Assistant program. She later moved to Georgia. Wanda was a devoted mother to her children. While in Georgia, she worked as a nursing assistant, home care provider, and also for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Later in life, she returned to St. Mary’s County and worked for the Enterprise and the National News newspapers. She continued to care for others as a home care provider, until her health conditions forced her to retire. Wanda was a very strong, quiet, and independent person. She was very kind-hearted, caring, and always had a free spirit. In her leisure time she loved talking on the phone, playing games on the computer, giving advice, cooking, watching movies on Lifetime TV, going to the casino, playing cards and bingo. Wanda’s homegoing, while a time of sadness for those left behind, is also a time of great rejoicing as she is now at peace. She leaves to cherish her memories, her dedicated mother, Ms. Agnes Tyer, a caring father, Mr. DeSales Tyer, three loving children, Ms. LaKasha M. Randalson, Mr. Rodney K. Randalson, and Mr. Ronnie K. Randalson, all of Riverdale, Ga., one affectionate sister, Ms. Angela D. Chisley of Ellicott City, Md., one nephew, Owen Chisley of Ellicott City, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and other caring relatives and special friends. She was preceded in death by her daughters, Tania D. Randalson and Randia S. Randalson. The family will receive friends on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 8:30- 10:00 a.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00
Stanley Morton “Shep” Sherman, 74 Stanley Morton “Shep” Sherman, 74, of Mechanicsville, Md., and formerly of Temple Hills, Md., died Feb. 16, in Mechanicsville, Md. Born Oct. 10, 1932 in Washington, D.C., he was the son of the late Joseph and Ida Rubenstein Sherman. He was the loving husband of Shirley Sherman whom he married in Potomac, Md. on July 9, 1963. He is survived by his son, Michael Sherman and his wife Donna of Mechanicsville, Md, and his daughter Jody Slagle and her husband Bud of Inwood, W.Va. He is also survived by his grandchildren Melanie Sherman and Joshua Sherman of Mechanicsville, Md. and Zoe Slagle and Dayle Slagle of Inwood, W.Va. and his siblings Robert Sherman of Gaithersburg, Md. and Audrey Denaburg of Boca Raton, Fl. He was preceded in death by his brother Henry Sherman. Mr. Sherman moved to St. Mary’s County in April, 2006 from Temple Hills, Md. He graduated from Roosevelt High School “Class of 1951”, and the University of Maryland, “Class of 1955”. He was employed as a pharmacist for 55 years, retiring in 2004. He belonged to the American Board of Pharmacists, and enjoyed hunting, dancing, swimming, scuba diving, cooking, and reading. The family received friends on Monday, Feb. 19, in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, Md. A funeral service was held Tuesday, Feb. 20, at the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Chapel, with Rabbi
Elsie Cecelia Taylor, 80 Elsie Cecelia Taylor, 80, of Avenue, Md. died Feb. 19 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born Feb. 3, 1927 in Leonardtown, she was the daughter of the late John & Florence Harden. She is survived by her children: Judith Hall and John Taylor both of Avenue, siblings: Richard Harden and Mary Agnes Farrell; four grandchildren: Tracy DeLozier of Hollywood, Valerie Copsey of Mo., John Taylor, Jr. of Mechanicsville, and Ricky Taylor of Fl.; three great grandchildren: John Taylor, III, Jacob Taylor and Devin Taylor. Ms. Taylor was a life long St. Mary’s County resident where she attended Margaret Brent High School. The family will receive friends on Thursday, Feb. 22, from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, where Prayers will be said at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. in Holy Angels Catholic Church with Fr. John Barry officiating. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Bushwood, Md. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.