WeatherSundaySunny81°Thursday,October11,2007•St.Mary’sCounty,MarylandThedeveloperleadingtheproj

County

The

Thursday, October 11, 2007 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland

Times PRSTD STD US Postage Paid Permit No. 145 Waldorf, MD

P IN

E US EY POINT LIGHTHO

Established 2006 • Volume 2 • Issue 41 • FREE

County Seeks To Increase Alcohol Violation Fines

The Namesake: Sharing an Identity With a Hurricane

By Adam Ross Staff Writer When Hurricane Isabel twirled northwest towards Maryland in 2003, she left massive destruction in her wake. With homes shredded up and down the East Coast, Isabel left thousands who shared her name likely dreading its newest connotation.

As the fierce winds hit Southern Maryland, Isabell Saunders, 70, of Lexington Park evacuated to Great Mills High School. Despite spelling her name differently, Isabell was flabbergasted to share a name with the costliest and deadliest hurricane in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season.

“Gosh, Hurricane Isabel,” said Saunders with a loud and affectuous laugh. “Somebody called me and said I have a hurricane coming up, and I couldn’t believe it.”

Saunders was one of the lucky ones. Her mobile home made it through the hurricane unscathed.

But even though her possessions were spared, she still remembers the storm that claimed part of her identity even without sharing her genuine humor.

Before Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast in 2005, Katrina Felton of Waldorf would joke with friends that a storm sharing her first name would likely be “real bad.” The joking would be forever put to rest. Hurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, causing $81.2 billion in damage and at least 1,836 lives.

When Hurricane Katrina made landfall, Felton was moving to Maryland as a new college graduate. “’I know I’m not getting a job,’” Felton said to herself at the time, while the storm bearing her first name devastated parts of Alabama,

By Adam Ross Staff Writer

Photo by Guy Leonard

Construction continues at the Leonardtown Wharf project in Leonardtown, which will include two mixed-use buildings and a restaurant.

Residents of the adjacent luxury town home development have become concerned that the development could interfere with the waterfront view and create an overflow of traffic.

Developer, Residents Working To Compromise On Wharf Project

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The developer leading the project to revitalize the Leonardtown Wharf said that he is working with residents of an adjacent townhouse development to ensure there view of Breton Bay is not unnecessarily obscured nor extra vehicle traffic shunted onto their narrow streets.

Ronald Russo, president of RAR Developers met with residents of the Leonardtown Landing development Sept. 6; residents there said they were worried that the two, three-story buildings he was planning to construct there would interfere with their waterside community.

The plans for his project were originally approved in 2004, Russo said.

Russo said he had instructed his architects to look at See Wharf page A-

See Isabell page A-

Sheriff’s Office Wrestles With CALEA

By Adam Ross Staff Writer Utilizing a 16 percent increase in last year’s budget, St. Mary’s County Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron has held steadfast in his commitment to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

The Sheriff’s Office earned CALEA accreditation in August after three years of methodical in house checks from the country’s leading police certification organization.

Now, Pam McKay, a former Prince George’s County Police Officer, is charged with continuing to make the glue stick. McKay is the county’s CALEA coordinator, and is tasked with fostering a policing environment conducive to reaccredidation.

“The challenge begins now, to be reaccredited,” said Cameron Tuesday. “It is where the rubber meets the road, we have to prove to [CALEA] that we not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.”

Reaccredidation is no small feat, and even more challenging than earning the accreditation to begin with, Cameron said. However, it’s See CALEA page A-

Photo by Guy Leonard

Charter boat captain Steve Davis, of Ridge, pilots his boat the Miss Valerie II out to St. Clement’s Island Sept. 6 as part of the 40th annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony in Clements.

Davis joined other boat captains in ferrying visitors to the celebration back and forth to the island, which was the first landing of English colonists in Maryland in March of 1634 who were in search of Catholic religious freedom from Protestant-ruled England.

The first Catholic mass in the English colonies was held on St. Clement’s Island March 25, 1634 by Jesuit priest Andrew White.

Inside Op.-Ed .......... Page A - 4 Obituaries..... Page A - 9 Community... Page B - 1 Police ............ Page B - 4 Games........... Page B - 6 Classifieds..... Page B - 7

Julia King B-1

For Continual News Updates Visit: somd.com

Local Weather Thursday Partly Cloudy 69°

Saturday Mostly Sunny 79°

Friday Partly Cloudy 81°

Sunday Sunny 81°

On Oct. 23, the St. Mary’s County Commissioners and the Southern Maryland Delegation will mull over 18 legislative proposals ranging from changes to the county’s code of public laws to a fine increase for illegal sales of alcohol.

The county’s alcohol beverage board wants to increase the fines from $500 to $1000. Colin Keohan, deputy county attorney, said the fine increase would bring St. Mary’s in line with other counties around the state, where some fines are as high as $4000.

“A similar bill was proposed last year but wasn’t successfully approved,” Keohan said. “I think their rational behind the law is thinking it will help reduce violations.”

While only 16 proposals came through this year under deadline, the commissioners allowed two late additions to the packet.

Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D-Great Mills) proposed making the cutoff as of last Tuesday, setting up a debate with state legislators over which of this year’s 18 proposals will make their way to Annapolis.

Last year, 18 of 24 proposals received a majority vote by the commissioners and were forwarded to the Maryland Delegation. Commission President Francis Jack Russell abstained from voting last year for what he deemed insufficient background on the proposals; he was residing over just his first meeting when the votes were taken. However this time around, Russell has included his own proposal: to require that the Meningitis vaccination necessary for school enrollment be considered a reimbursable expense and covered by health insurance companies.

Votes from the commissioners are considered a non-binding opinion for the Delegation to consider, which is partly why the commissioners’ meet with local state leaders before voting to discuss the background of each proposal. Together the two entities can hammer out a set of timely and focused proposals for the state’s review. Last year, several proposals were dropped because they encompassed legislative authority over the entire state and not just St. Mary’s County.

It appears only two of this year’s proposals are state initiatives including Russell’s, and another from See Violation page A-

State Of The Patuxent: Dirty, Stressed River Far From A Lost Cause

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The Patuxent River, with its 930 square miles of watershed, is nowhere near the pristine waterway it was back in the 1950s, but, according to members of the Patuxent River Commission, it can be so again.

That was the theme of this year’s State of the River Summit at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons that took place Sept. 5. Despite decades of decline and pollution from burgeoning developments, vehicle emissions and even large scale household waste the river’s condition can be turned around if officials and citizens take concerted action now the PRC stated.

A plan for the cleanup and restoration efforts, called Patuxent River

20/20, presented at the summit, outlines the commission’s proposals to restore the river to its former glory.

The plan, which will be finalized in December, calls for more defined controls on nutrients that flow into the river from soil erosion, a significant portion of which comes from agricultural operations.

According to the report, about one-quarter of the nitrogen and phosphorous polluting the river comes from farm runoff.

The report praised farmers, however, who have developed nutrient management plans to curb farm pollutants; the report stated that 75 percent of farms now operate with a legally-mandated nutrient management plan.

See Patuxent page A-

The County Times

Section A -

The Footsteps of a Clean Home

Thursday, October 11, 2007 the first hint that the housekeeping routine needs an

adjustment. Along with this, when I see that the threshold

only Part I of at least a twopart series. Let me take you through a path that is not very different from the one I move through when I do an actual walk through of a potential customer’s home.

I have been asked by many, “what do you notice in a home that determines whether it is relatively clean or not?” Well, I have made many notes about this issue both mental and actual. I thought I would share a few of these points. Of course, you can check out my other tips in the columns on my Web site at www.askcindyhow.com.

As you can see, this is

1. The very first place my eyes will land is on the front door of the house or apartment. As I notice dirty frames and hinges within the recesses of the door, it’s of the doorway is unsightly, I begin to say, “Um huh! We have some work here.”

You know the story about first impressions..

2. I look up at the light fixtures, wall sconces, chandeliers and lamp shades. It is here where more often than not, you will find those incessant cobwebs on lights, lampshades as well as cloudy film on glass. We’re going to need further attention here.

Shurfine Granulated Sugar Gold Medal Flour

5lb Bag$1.99

5lb Bag

Regular or Unbleached

2 for $3.00

Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix 19.826.7oz Pkg, Assorted Varieties, 3 for $6.00 Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix 1621.5oz Pkg, Assorted Varieties, 5 for $5.00 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix 17.5oz Pkg Assorted Varieties 2 for $4.00 Hershey’s Baking Chips 8-12oz Pkg Assorted Varieties 2 for $4.00 Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut 14oz Bag 3 for $5.00 Eagle Brand Condensed Milk 14oz Can 2 for $4.00 Prices Effective 10-12-2007 to 10-18-2007

3. My eyes will sweep the room for those hi and low cobwebs in the cathedral ceilings, ceiling skylights, corners/edges, radiators, baseboards and the corners of stairwells. There is work to be done.

4. Now to enter the kitchen - one of my favorite rooms. I immediately recognize that appliances and accessories have dust and food crumbs caught in grooves and edges.

It’s interesting how this type of accumulation can become a part of the fabric of our home experience without us really noticing.

However, when these items are cleaned we immediately notice the difference. It is here where toothbrushes and a vacuum crevice tool will make a visible difference. Every surface properly cleaned improves the air quality and the energy of a home. Not just a little but ten-fold. How much is that worth?

5. Now, for the bathrooms. What I usually see immediately is dingy tile grout lines on the ceramic walls and floor. Mildew is another unsightly find in many bathrooms. Some will try to convince the homeowner that the only thing that can be done is to dig out the lines and re-grout. With a different determination, I’ve found that using proper techniques along with effective cleaning tools and detergents can resolve 80 percent of these issues minimally. Renewal cleaning allows anyone to start again.

Provide a new life for all surfaces by eradicating the dirt build-up and learning how to maintain your home.

In closing, I present myself as a guru in the field of house cleaning due to my years of dedication to the craft of cleaning. Simply put, I have a passion and God-given gift for cleaning. I can feel dirt, see dirt in the dark and make any unsightly, dirty surfaces come clean. I love what I do and I’ve dedicated my professional life to being able to share my talent and gift via service, my writings and my cleaning seminars.

Ask Cindy’s “know how” is for all domains. There isn’t any home, mansion, school, apartment, office building, restaurant, or castle that couldn’t benefit from my professional housekeeping tips. I invite all to visit my Web site for other tips and insights at www.askcindyhow.com

The County Times

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Section A -

Drought Getting Worse In St. Mary’s

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The drought that plagued Southern and greater Maryland since the summer is continuing into the fall months, when farmers expected more rain to allow for the planting of fall crops, and farming experts say the water shortage is getting more serious.

“We’re way below normal [rainfall] levels,” said Amy Farrell, executive director of the county Farm Service Agency. “It’s an extreme drought, and it’s getting more critical.”

According to data collected by the Maryland Department of Agri-

culture on weekly rainfall at the end of September, the rainfall levels were drastically lower than normal for key farming areas in the county.

So far this year, only 23.15 inches of rain fell in Mechanicsville, which is 11.28 inches less than the norm.

In the Patuxent River region, only 21.49 inches of rain has fallen since the beginning of the year, which is 10.8 inches below the expected norm.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a service of the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, most of the county is classified as being in a severe drought condition.

The southern section of the county is listed as having only a modest drought.

Near the end of September, which was categorized as unusually dry, the entire county was listed as being in the moderate drought stage, showing a rapid decline in moisture in only a few weeks.

Farrell said that Southern Maryland is among the driest regions in the state right now as only sporadic rains have come to the area since the end of the summer months.

Some creeks and streams have also dried up, she said.

“It’s not a prize that we want but there it is,” Farrell told The County

Times. “We need to get a break in the weather.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in August declared a drought disaster for 22 counties in Maryland with as much as a 30 to 60 percent loss of crops expected on average.

Farm experts here said some fields of corn and other grain crops would have close to a 90 percent loss.

Farrell said now that farmers have begun to harvest the crops they planted, the predicted low yields are turning out to be as bad as foretold.

She also said that while federal loans have been made available to local farmers because of the disaster

Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Emily Finch Staff Writer There are 100 acres in Southern Maryland between the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay that are home to some of nature’s largest trees. Bald cypress trees grow naturally in the protected sanctuary of Battle Creek Cypress Swamp located in Prince Frederick in Calvert County.

Battle Creek is the northernmost point in the United States where cypress trees

in 1957; the remainder of the 100 acre tract was donated by the same families. Although The Nature Conservancy still owns the property, they leased the Sanctuary to the Calvert County government to be used as a park since 1977.

By leasing the land, the county government, in conjunction with the Natural Resources Division funding, has been able to create and manage site improvements for visitors. Such improvements include a quarter-mile boardwalk, nature center and

The boardwalk runs about a foot off the ground, and only select spots have handrails. It is perfect to get an up-close and personal view of the great cypress trees and their “knees”.

Bald cypress trees are unique in that they have “knees” that are actually extensions of their roots sticking out of the ground around them. These “knees” help brace the tree, store carbohydrates and also provide oxygen to the submerged roots.

What also makes them unique is that they are conifers that loose their needles every fall, whereas other conifers are evergreens and do not. This is why they are called “bald” cypress.

The bald cypress can grow up to 150 feet in height, 17 feet in diameter, and live almost 2,000 years. Most trees at Battle Creek range between 75 and 100 years old, between 50 and 100 feet tall and up to

trees is soft, light and durable, reasons why the trees were over-forested and few of the prehistoric cypress trees remain.

Cypresses are not the only vegetation on the grounds of Battle Creek. Visitors can identify Red Maple, Gum, Ash, Southern Arrow-wood, and Spicebush alongside the Bald Cypress. Ridges alongside the swamp also contain Tulip Poplar, Oak, Holly, Mountain Laurel and Virginia Pine.

Each spring, wildflowers bloom all over the 100-acre sanctuary. The most common are violets, spring beauties, mayapples, lady’s slipper orchids, and cardinal flowers.

Other low-lying plants include lizard’s tail, poison ivy, pink turtlehead and an array of ferns.

Because Battle Creek offers a rich variety of vegetation, breeding grounds and shelter, animals flock to

declaration, it may take about a year to actually see the funds.

Mike Russell, a local farmer and Soil Conservation District employee, said that in his travels around the county observing farmland, farmers are holding off on the planting of crops usually put in the ground this time of year.

“I haven’t seen any wheat seed planted yet, [farmers] are waiting for it to rain,” Russell said.

Some farmers are planting cover crops, such as winter grasses, to keep soil and their precious nutrients from washing away in the event of rain.

A heavy downpour now, after months of virtually no moisture, Russell said, could rip away soil and young crops planted.

“The plants that are there; there’s no root structure,” Russell said.

“There’s nothing to hold them in.”

Commoners of the sanctuary include several families of warblers including Kentucky, wormeating, parula, hooded and prothonotary.

Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Sanctuary is located

sanctuary is also open April through September, Tuesday though Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays. Admission is free and all ages are welcome, but large groups

Photo by Emily Finch

The Nature Center is filled with information about the Cypress trees, Battle Creek, the sanctuary itself and other forms of wildlife found on the land.

Because of the frequent floodings of the land and general warm, moist climate, Battle Creek is a common breeding ground for many southern birds, amphibians and small mammals.

on Gray’s Road off of Sixes Road in Prince Frederick. The Nature Center and Boardwalk

are asked to call ahead so arrangements can be made for their visit.

Photo by Emily Finch

The ¼ mile boardwalk trail takes visitors through part of the 100-acre sanctuary. The Calvert County government was able to build this walkway after the land was leased to them in 1977 by The National Conservancy.

grow naturally, and one of the last remaining sites in Maryland. Bald cypress trees used to grow naturally as far north as Pennsylvania, but due to over-foresting and the decrease in northern temperature over the past several thousand years, their numbers have greatly decreased.

Local naturalists like Dr. Romeo Mansueti and Mr. Flippo Gravatt recognized the significance of bald cypress tress growing as far north as Maryland in the mid-1950’s.

The two men worked with Nature Conservancy to raise funds, part of which came from Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, and the Conservancy was able to acquire their first preserve in Maryland. Part of the 100 acre property was bought from the Gray and Keim families

upland trail.

The self-guided 1,700 foot boardwalk trail through the Cypress Swamp begins in the nature center, which houses exhibits focusing on the natural and cultural heriPhoto by Emily Finch tage of the specific area. Dis- Bald Cypress trees have “knees” which are part of their root system that plays in the nature center are emerge from the ground. These knees help aid the tree in stability and prefect for children and adults strength. alike. Informational plaques four feet wide. These trees the area. Mammals include relate stories of Battle Creek, are thought to be descendants white-tailed deer, skunk, racthe cypress trees and the sanc- of trees that began occupying coon, opossum, mink and tuary. Children can explore the area between 15,000 and muskrat. Amphibious anithe lifelike exhibits of plants, 5,000 years ago, around the mals such as salamanders, animals and insects common- end of the last ice age. Some tree frogs and many varieties ly found in the swamp. The stumps at Battle Creek have of turtles use the frequently nature center is staffed daily been found nearly ten feet flooded areas of the swamp to by knowledgeable and helpful wide in clay beds dating from breed.

Visitors also find the 100,000 years ago. employees.

Bald cypress trees have Battle Creek boardwalk an A walk outside onto the porch really begins the board- straight trunk and a swollen, ideal place to bird watch. walk trail. Along the trail are fluted base, helping them to Because the Bald Cypresses information posts to provide maintain their stability in the are native to warmer regions, visitors with insight on the wet climate and muddy soil. many southern birds migrate area and its many wonders. The wood from bald cypress to Battle Creek each spring.

Photo by Emily Finch

Bald Cypress trees, most common in the sanctuary, can grow up to 150 feet tall, 17 feet in diameter and over 2000 years old.

are open October through March, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on Mondays and holidays. The

For more information contact Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Sanctuary during open hours at 410-535-5327.

Mechanicsville 28967 Route 5 South

1-800-794-0693 301-884-2513 Fax: 301-884-5382

The DeluxeBed by Tempur-Pedic™ Therapy and comfort, perfectly balanced.

The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Editorial & Opinion Proposal to Abolish MetCom Bad Idea The County Commissioners are considering whether or not to ask the Maryland State Legislature to abolish the St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission and turn those powers over to the County Commissioners.

The Commissioners should not waste taxpayer dollars and time considering such as outrageous proposal.

The St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission (MetCom) was created in the mid 1960’s as a quasi-government agency whose purpose is to operate public water and sewer systems. MetCom does not use taxpayer dollars, although taxpayers do provide some surety when MetCom

borrows money to upgrade or build new systems. MetCom’s operational budget and repayment of debts come from the fees charged to users of public water and sewer.

Two people, Robert Jarboe and Linda Vallandingham, have forwarded this idea to the Commissioners.

Because of their close personal relationship with several elected officials, these two individuals have been successful over the past three years in getting several changes in county regulations that have cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is the worst one yet.

While every organization could use some im-

provement, MetCom operates very reliable and efficient public water and sewer systems.

Stalled by the State Senator, MetCom has been trying for several years now to put in place a fee system that would provide a more equitable rate structure for all users. Once this is accomplished, MetCom will continue to be in a position to deliver high quality service at the lowest possible price. And that is why MetCom must not be abolished.

MetCom is a nonprofit professional organization that knows its business.

One would have to make a case that county government under the direction of the County Commissioners could

operate public water and sewer systems more efficiently and more reliably. There is no evidence to this effect, and to change would simply be a bad business decision.

For some people, it may be a good political decision, and for any Commissioner who would vote to make this change, that would be their reason, good for their political career, and the taxpayers would ultimately pay the price.

There really is no other reason anyone would want to make this change.

MetCom does not decide where public water and sewer can go, the Maryland Department of Planning along with

the County Commissioners make that decision. Once the State and the Commissioners approve an area of the county to be serviced by pubic water and sewer, only then can MetCom provide service to that area.

MetCom does not make public policy; it only operates within the limits set by public policy makers.

Not only do we risk replacing an experienced, and efficient organization with one that has no experience in operating public water and sewer systems, we would also be exposing those taxpayers who do not use public water or public sewer with the possibility that their tax dollars could

be used to subsidize public water and public sewer.

Faced with higher operating costs due to inefficiencies or inflation, the County Commissioners could choose not to raise water and sewer rates to cover increased costs, instead to use tax dollars from the County’s general fund to offset cost increases. People whose houses are on private wells and private septic fields and whose property values are rising, causing higher tax bills, could be helping pay for those who have public water and sewer service.

All around, this is a bad idea and the Commissioners should flush it now.

To The Editor: Saying Thanks!

The staff and students of Mechanicsville Elementary School would like to thank the following people and businesses for making our Inaugural 5K Walk/Run a huge success. The event was held at the school campus on September 29th. All of our sponsors and businesses who supported us deserve recognition and gratitude, especially our Board of Education members; Bill Mattingly, Mary Washington, and Cathy Allen.

Alumni members included Sam and Betsy Graves, and Theo Cramer who represented the Department of Academic Support.

Contributions and donations were provided by Rita’s Ice, Trophies by Design, Exit Only Reality’s Gordon Lew, Choporis and Weikert Team Century 21, Ryce Electric LLC, Countywide Pool Services, Albatross Steel and Processing, Inc., Yates Tire and Wheel, Garner D. Morgan D.D.S. Associates, All American Harley Davidson, St. Mary’s County Board of Education, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department, Eugene Butler, Atlantic Screen Printing and Embroidery, Eric Tucker, William J. Parker, Jr. Law Office, Erie Insurance Group, Gary Simpson, and Dan Burris.

Staff participants included

Yvonne Donley, Jimmy Shaffer, Linda Stewart, Pam Coflin, Deanna Simpkin, Renee Maxey, Terri Dyson, Trudy Bainter, Emily Turner, Omega Taylor, Christen Ganley, Rosa Barber, Katy Lucas, Lynne Redmond, Valerie Simmons, and Ellen Gilroy.

Finally, thanks to all the parents and students for providing a wonderful opportunity to promote our wellness program and for supporting our technology initiatives.

Sincerely, Barbara Cooksey Abell Principal Jim Ganley Physical Education Teacher and Event Coordinator

Do you have something to say?

Would like your voice to be heard?

Send us a letter telling us what’s on your mind!

Send to:

The County Times P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, MD 20636 Make sure you include your name, phone # and the city you live in.

We will not publish your phone #, only your name and city

E-mail letters to: opinion@countytimes.net

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.

Isabell Continued from page A- Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana. “Luckily I did get a job, and now my coworkers joke about me being back luck.”

Whether from ribbing at work or someone who remembers her name because of its bold association to the storm that sank New Orleans, Felton still deals with her awkward relationship to Hurricane Katrina every day.

Both Saunders and Felton are off the hot seat for the future. Hurricanes that make landfall and cause destruction are retired by name with The Tropical Prediction Center in Miami, Fla. Furthermore, anyone whose name starts with the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are not included in the storms “pronunciation guide” because of the scarcity of names beginning with those letters. But for others, the apprehension, or lack thereof, is ubiquitous.

Ladies and gentleman please meet your 2008 Atlantic storms starting line up: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paloma, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

Arthur Farrell, of Compton Md., never really thought

how sharing his first name with a tropical storm might affect his life, although he admits to joking around with a friend named Hazel some 53 years ago. Hurricane Hazel killed roughly 1,000 people in Haiti and moved its way North

although none of those storms made landfall in the United States as hurricanes. Once a system with counterclockwise circulation and wind speeds of 39 mph or greater is identified, The Tropical Prediction Center gives it a name.

considered confusing. So, in 1953, the nation’s weather services returned to using female names. This practice continued until 1978 when names using both genders were used in the in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. A year later, names using both genders were used in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic. The names of future storms have already been designated up to 2012, and have been agreed upon at international meetings of the World

Meteorological Organization.

For those names upcoming, the only hope is for a mild storm season where some names won’t be used, or for a storm to get lost in the ocean.

But if your name happens to be one of the unlucky ones, connecting with a hurricane survivor might be a simple way to put things in perspective. Katrina Felton met with evacuees from Louisiana who weren’t able to return to home – it’s this type of interaction

that reminds her of the comedic and insignificant connection between a storm and its namesakes.

Several Ernesto’s were contacted for this article but did not return repeated phone calls from The County Times.

Photo by Adam Ross

The face of Hurricane Isabel isn’t only associated with death and destruction, pictured above Isabell Saunders, 70, of Lexington Park remembers the storm that shares her name.

up the Atlantic in 1954.

“Everybody joked about Hazel, a bunch of boys, we weren’t bad or nothing,” Farrell said. “You’d just say the storm was bad and what not.”

Now Farrell is first up to bat in 2008. The Atlantic hurricane season officially starts on June 1 and ends Nov. 30. So far in 2007, 13 tropical storms have been recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Nine tropical storms were recorded in 2006,

Over time, the naming of hurricanes has evolved. For several hundred years, hurricanes in the West Indies were named after the particular saint’s day on which the hurricane occurred. During World War II, using women’s names was commonplace and a result from the 1941 novel “Storm”

by George R. Stewart. Then, in 1951, the United States named storms by a phonetic alphabet, but the system was

James Manning McKay - Publisher Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Adam Ross - Government Correspondent...............adamross@countytimes.net Andrew Knowlton - Sports Correspondent....... andrewknowlton@countytimes.net

P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636

Guy Leonard - Community Correspondent................guyleonard@countytimes.net

News, advertising, circulation, classifieds: 301-373-4125

Eileen McDonald - Advertising Rep...............eileenmcdonald@countytimes.net

The County Times

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Section A -

Recruitment Efforts Continue For Patuxent Primary Care, Specialist Physicians Continued from page A-

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer County health officials, along with the members of a select committee tasked with creating a health and human services strategy to match county growth, say that St. Mary’s has a dearth of both primary care physicians as well as specialists.

And the demands for those specialists will become more critical as the county’s population grows and ages, they said.

Christine Wray, president and CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital Center, said the hospital is actively recruiting critically needed physicians for the county according to the hospital’s strategic management plan developed every five years.

The plan takes into account the county’s population growth, aging trends and the different diseases that seem to be the most pressing in the community to find which physicians the county needs most.

With an expected elderly population boom in the coming decades, the need for physicians here will only increase, Wray said.

“Residents over the age of 65 utilize hospital services at a higher rate than younger people,” Wray said. “But you can’t just grow them [physicians] from the high schools; it’s a challenge to recruit them from across the nation.”

Wray said that it can be difficult to recruit physicians to come to St. Mary’s,

which still retains much of its rural character despite experiencing continual economic population growth, who are used to more urban settings.

However, some physicians who are looking for a more relaxed pace for practicing medicine find a comfortable home here, Wray said.

“This community sells itself beautifully,” Wray said. “We just have to convince them [physicians] to come and look.”

Three core health concerns that Wray identified as pressing here in St. Mary’s are an increased number of people suffering from cerebral vascular diease (CVD), or strokes, diabetes and hypertension.

Dr. William Icenhower, head of the county Health Department, agreed that diabetes was a growing problem and that endocrinologists were needed in greater numbers here. The number of diabetes care cases appeared to be reaching an overwhelming point.

“There’s lots and lots of diabetes cases in the county,” Icenhower said.

“I know one endocrinologist in Calvert County who said in a letter to me that they aren’t taking any new patients.”

Both Wray and Icenhower said, however, that St. Mary’s Hospital’s recent certification as a primary stroke center gave the hospital more options to deal with critically ill patients.

The certification ensures that the hospital is able to stabilize stroke patients

in some cases and call for immediate medical evacuation by helicopter to a facility where the patient can receive more intensive care if necessary.

So far this year the hospital has had some success in recruiting new physicians, according to Wray.

New physicians practicing in the county include a urologist, a physician of obstetrics and gynecology, one psychiatrist, two specialists in emergency medicine, one oncologist, two pediatric hospitalists, one cardiologist, two general surgeons, three neurologists, one podiatrist and one midwife.

But the community still needs more specialists to ensure the mental health of residents as well as dentists who treat those who earn low incomes.

“We do need specialists in mental health, including social workers and licensed counselors for families and adolescents including substance abuse,” said Nancy Luginbill, director of Health Services for the county health department.

“And [for dentistry for the uninsured] services are very limited on a case by case basis.”

The committee tasked with coming up with the county’s health and human services plan is slated to take their work to the Board of County Commissioners

by Nov. 1, and it will encompass a range of issues beyond just health care such as affordable housing for the county’s workforce.

Investigators: Burglary Suspect Has Gang Ties

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Investigators with the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations have charged a California man they believe has ties with the criminal street gang MS-13 with breaking into and burglarizing the Famous Footwear store newly opened in San Souci Plaza on MacArthur Boulevard numerous times up to the final week of September charging documents allege.

Investigators arrested Juan N. Rodriguez, 38, at his Chancellor’s Run Road address Oct. 4 as part of a search and seizure warrant executed by the county sheriff’s office Emergency Services Team, in which several pairs of tennis shoes were found in the residence, charging documents allege, that matched the description of shoes stolen from the California footwear store.

Charging documents al-

lege that Rodriguez had stolen the shoes to sell for his own profit.

Detectives also allege that material related to the gang MS-13 was also seized.

Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron said that this particular suspected gang member’s alleged crimes were likely not related to any organized gang activity.

“I don’t see this as gang activity… he acted as an individual,” Cameron said. “He was trying to gain proceeds off his alleged thefts and burglaries.”

Sheriff’s deputies and investigators have increased there attention towards gang activity in recent months to include a task force designed to gather information and intelligence on possible local gang activities over the summer months.

Cameron has said that his office has been aware of MS13 gang members’ presence

here in St. Mary’s and that they occasionally hold meetings at Point Lookout State Park, but have not engaged in significant organized criminal activity.

“We know when they’re here,” Cameron said. “We’re watching a number of people that have ties to criminal organizations.”

The information about Rodriguez’s alleged burglary spree came from a cooperative unit that has yet to be officially announced, Cameron said, the Southern Maryland Information Center (SMIC).

The center is a cooperative venture between the sheriff’s offices of St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties and Maryland State Police to gather, analyze and disseminate all manor of intelligence information from counter terrorism to criminal activities, Cameron said.

The detective assigned to SMIC from St. Mary’s was

the one who gathered the information from the Hispanic community that led to the search and seizure warrant at Rodriquez’s residence, charging documents state.

According to those same charging documents the intelligence source for SMIC advised that Rodriguez was also attempting to sell firearms along with stolen tennis shoes.

Charging documents allege that Rodriguez broke in and burglarized the Famous Footwear store Sept. 12, 14, 17, 18 and made an attempt to burglarize the store, allegedly, Sept. 30 that failed because of the arrival of security personnel.

Detectives allege that Rodriguez stole a total of $1,535 in tennis shoes and caused $2,564 in damages from his repeated alleged break-ins.

Rodriquez has been charged formally with firstdegree burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property, according to charging documents.

If convicted of the firstdegree burglary charge he could face a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Information Pouring Into Vice/ Narcotics Division

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer There’s a lot Lt. Daniel Alioto, the new commander of the vice/narcotics division of the county sheriff’s office can’t say about the work he and his detectives are doing.

With sensitive investigations going on all the time keep secrets is a top priority.

But citizens aren’t keeping secrets when it comes to dolling out information about drug deals going on in their communities.

“One thing leads to another… the information coming in now, I don’t know if it’s an all time high but it’s a lot,” Alioto told The County Times. “I know my phone hasn’t stopped ringing.”

Using contacts he formed on the street when he worked as a detective, along with all the information sources his detectives have compiled, tips are rapidly coming in. Moreover, the narcotics unit has publicized more of its arrests in the last month, September being its first month under Alioto’s leadership.

Press releases have come out weekly about grand jury indictments for suspected drug dealers, complete with photos of those alleged drug dealers.

Alioto said that if citizens are living next to someone suspected of dealing drugs and aren’t aware, they should know about it.

The Labor Day holiday marked the first sweep of the newly reorganized vice/narcotics unit on the streets in conjunction with patrol elements just a few days after the unit was activated Sept. 1.

Numerous arrests were made in sting operations as well as for open criminal warrants for either possession of narcotics, distribution of narcotics or both.

“Labor Day was one of our proactive initiatives,” Alioto said. “But we’ll continue to do that at various times and not just on holidays.

“My direction is clear: Go get them.”

The vice/narcotics unit was formerly under the Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), but was given

its own mandate to deal with narcotics and vice crimes enforcement as a separate entity along with its own commander, though it is still considered a part of BCI. The move was executed at the behest of Sheriff Timothy Cameron, who wanted to put more resources towards fighting narcotics, both on the street level and in large-scale organizations. Cameron also said he wanted a tighter hold on information about narcotics activity to ensure the security of sensitive investigations.

Alioto did not give tallies of how much narcotics have been seized this month, but investigators have also seized vehicles and whole properties connected with narcotics sales.

“We’re in the process of seizing a couple of properties right now,” Alioto said. “We’re taking chunks out of the middle men now… and we’re getting some big ones, too.

“We’re being as crafty and creative as they are.”

Pollutants could also be reduced by constructing more mass transit options throughout the state, the report read, and that could include rail options fast-transit buses.

Preservation of open space, eliminating development sprawl and more funding for the enforcement of environmental laws already in place for the protection of the river are all immediate steps that could help the river’s recovery, advocates said.

Fred Tutman, executive director of the Patuxent Riverkeeper, a non-profit group that worked with the commission to come up with the draft proposal, said that too much development in the river’s watershed contributed to its decline, while the land that was being preserved was often not the prime forest and wetlands that should be protected from development.

“The environment is the core value of economic development,” Tutman, of Upper Marlboro, said specifically about the river. “We need to preserve prime lands and not just what’s left that developers don’t want.”

Tutman also called for restoration plans across the seven jurisdictions that share either the river or part of its watershed to be more unified, saying that the “often fractionalized” efforts at river cleanup and developing environmental policy slowed the overall goal.

Walter Boynton, a marine biologist with the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons and also a commission member, gave a bleak picture of the river’s current condition.

Boynton said the river actually suffers from “nutrient obesity,” particularly of nitro-

gen and phosphorous, which are essential for the life of marine flora and fauna.

The high concentration of nutrients actually chokes and clogs the river system’s ability to sustain that life, Boynton said.

“It’s getting too much of a good thing,” Boynton told the audience gathered for the summit. “It’s a huge challenge.”

The increase in nutrients contributes to blooms of algae, which can be toxic to wildlife in the river and the surrounding watershed, foul odors as well as oxygen depletion in the water.

Boynton said that in his research he found areas where, in just one meter of water in the watershed, that oxygen levels were extremely low.

This helped dispel the common notion that oxygen depletion was just a problem found in the deeper reaches of the Patuxent.

“We need to cut the inputs [of nitrogen loads] by half; that’s not insurmountable,” Boynton said. “The river is not as sick as it could be.”

In the deep waters of the Patuxent however, Boynton said, the conditions continue to worsen.

He likened the oxygen levels at those depths to the levels found on the top of Mt. Everest in the Himalayas, the tallest mountain in the world.

“There’s more oxygen to breathe there than some of these fish have to breathe in the deep waters of the Patuxent River,” Boynton said.

Former Calvert County State Sen. Bernie Fowler, one of the most widely known and outspoken advocates for Patuxent River cleanup, said that time was running out for a key Maryland resource and urged immediate action.

“We must succeed,” Fowler told the audience. “Failure is not on the drawing board for this project.”

Announcing the 2007 Public Square Rosary Campaign Your future is clouded by Terrorism. Abortion.

Same-sex “marriage.” Depression. Suicide. Crime. Corruption. Broken families, God’s law is transgressed. Blasphemy is rampant. What is the solution to so many problems?

At Fatima, Portugal, the Mother of God asked us to pray the Rosary, do penance, and amend our lives. Did we listen? Not really. Let’s start a new moral crusade. Take the Rosary off the rearview mirror and start praying. It’s time for a Public Square Rosary Campaign!

Come and pray the Rosary. Let’s honor the 90th Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima’s apparition, 1917-2007.

Remember: There will be no peace in our lives or in society unless we honor God and obey HIS law.

WHAT: The Holy Rosary WHERE: Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Roadside WHEN: October 13th, 12noon-2p.m.

For more information, contact: Anthony L. Thomas, Sr., 301-862-4769

St. Mary's City St. Mary’s City DATE Fri. Oct. 12 Sat. Oct. 13 Sun. Oct. 14 Mon. Oct. 15 Tue. Oct. 16 Wed. Oct. 17 Thu. Oct. 18

HIGH 3:14 a.m.

3:50 a.m.

4:25 a.m.

5:00 a.m.

5:36 a.m.

6:17 a.m.

7:07 a.m.

LOW 9:06 a.m.

9:33 a.m.

10:01 a.m.

10:35 a.m.

11:15 a.m.

12:02 p.m.

12:56 p.m.

HIGH 3:24 p.m.

3:54 p.m.

4:24 p.m.

4:56 p.m.

5:35 p.m.

6:21 p.m.

7:16 p.m.

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

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

"-55 min." "+9 min." "+58 min."

"-14 min."

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

"-50 min."

"-8 min." "+57 min."

"-6 min."

LOW 9:54 p.m.

10:31 p.m.

11:06 p.m.

11:42 p.m.

12:22 a.m.

1:11 a.m.

2:08 a.m.

Section A -

The County Times

Thursday, October 11, 2007

“How Starbucks Saved My Life” by Michael Gates Gill c.2007, Gotham Books $23.00 / $28.50 Canada 288 pages Remember your first job?

No matter whether you were hired on a handshake or you went through three interviews and sweated til the offer came, it’s hard to forget your first-ever job.

But what about your second job? Most people have to think hard about the job they took next, or the one after that, or the one after that.

So what if you’ve only ever had two jobs in your lifetime? Author Michael Gates Gill has only worked for two companies, ever. It took getting sacked from the first one before he gratefully accepted the second one, as you’ll see in the new book “How Starbucks Saved My Life”.

As the privileged son of a society-born mother and a raucous editor father, Gill grew up summering in Connecticut, taking lessons on a grand piano his father went to great pains to install in their New York mansion, and being spoiled by a much-loved cook he called Nana. Gill went to an Ivy League college and, upon graduation, went immediately to work at an ad agency, a job that he got through family connections.

Over the years, Gill rose through the ranks of the agency from lowly writer to a position of power. He was eventually responsible for the ad budgets of auto makers, shipping companies, and other big-money firms.

But after 25 years with the agency, everything came crashing down around him.

A new owner took control of the agency and Gill was fired. A woman with whom he had been having an affair became pregnant, and Gill’s wife filed for divorce. Doctors diagnosed a slow-growing brain tumor in Gill’s

head, and he was told that he had to have it removed. The private consulting business he founded floundered. Kicked out of his palatial former home, away from his family, and almost totally broke, Gill was in a New York City Starbucks when a manager there offered him an application.

Though he had never held a job that wasn’t high-power and high-paying, a lifeline is a lifeline and Gill accepted a barista gig. Nearing the age when most people start thinking about retirement, Gill had to learn to work. He had to be taught to clean and scrub, remember orders and chat with customers, take money and make change.

He never thought that it would change his life.

“How Starbucks Saved My Life” is a charming story with a little too much preaching. I was smitten with author Michael Gates Gill and the way he completely embraced the challenges he faced, but his musings on the difference between his “old” life and his “new” life felt repetitious about halfway through the book, and his over-gushing of gratitude was almost embarrassing.

Still, if you lost count of all the jobs you’ve ever had, if you’ve ever been fired, or if you’ve taken a job because you “had to” and came to love it anyhow, you’ll love “How Starbucks Saved My Life”. Grab a cuppa and settle down with this quick-to-read book on your next coffee break.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

The County Times

Ramblings of a Country Girl

Photo by Adam Ross

Harvest Time Terri Bartz Bowles Spring was great, the summer was dry and now glorious fall is here. Spring is the time for planting and fall is the time for harvest. In the spring, we sow seeds and hope and faith, we nurture and

pray through the summer for a good harvest and now our labors have come to fruition.

Did I say pray? Why, yes, I did. I was raised in a traditional Episcopal church and in the gorgeous, literary masterpiece that is the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, there is more

Odd News

than one prayer about a fruitful harvest. It makes perfect sense when you think about it; when this prayer book was written (and its’ predecessors starting in 1549), agriculture was the single most important aspect of daily survival. So it’s perfectly natural that the

faithful should pray for their sustenance. In the magnificent way the British peoples have with our common language, there were prayers, collects and thanksgivings For Fruitful Seasons, For Rain, For Fair Weather, and In Time of Dearth and Famine. We’re

CALEA Continued from page A- reward is seen throughout the county.

Cameron reported a $10,000 savings so far this year because of savings obtained from CALEA. “It’s reducing liability and increasing our ability to get grants,” Cameron said.

“So far I believe it is paying off for us.”

Meanwhile, McKay is not resting on the laurels earned before her arrival in August. To prepare for the April 2010 reaccredidation, she has already hired an outside firm to conduct a file review, similar to an internal audit. The review is followed by a mock assessment and finally a formal on site assessment, or a

MEXICO CITY - The one time presidential hopeful of Mexico, Roberto Madrazo, won the men’s age-55 category in the Sept. 30 Berlin marathon, but did so by cheating.

Madrazo skipped two checkpoints during the race, according to an electronic tracking chip that determined you would need superhuman speed to achieve his win. The scandal was just another layer of embarrassment to Madrazo’s reputation, known for shady dealings. According to the chip, Madrazo ran 15 kilometers in only 21 minutes, faster than any human being can run. Race director Mark Milde told the Associated Press that not even the world record holder can go that fast. Madrazo was photographed with an ear-to-ear grin and pumping his arm in the air as he finished the marathon. Madrazo was also seen wearing a wind breaker, hat and long, skintight running pants – what many said was too much clothing or someone who had just finished an almost three hour run in 60-degree weather.

The world record for 15 kilometers is 41 minutes 29 seconds,

by Felix Limo of Kenya. Most of Mexico was abuzz Monday by the news. Mexicans had lived decades of uninterrupted rule

by Madrazo’s Institutional Revolutionary Party, which often resorted to fraud to win elections. Madrazo confirmed spending tens of millions of dollars more than the legal campaignspending limit in his 1994 bid for the governorship of Tabasco, which he won. Madrazo completed the San Diego marathon in June with a time of 3:44:06 – more than an hour slower than his time in Berlin, a Mexican newspaper reported. Roughly 32,500 people finished the race and about 40 are disqualified every year, according to Milde.

PITTSBURGH – If someone asks for change for a $1 million dollar bill, know no such thing exists. On Saturday, a man handed a $1 million bill to a cashier at a Pittsburgh supermarket, and burst into a rage when the employee and manager refused to cash it, police said. The man pushed an electronic fundstransfer machine into the county and reached for a scanner gun, before being arrested, police said. The man didn’t have identification and has refused to give his name to authorities. The $100 bill continues to be the largest note in circulation since 1969. The $1 million bill seized at the supermarket may have a connection to a Dallas-based ministry. Last year, the ministry distributed thousands of pamphlets with a picture of President Grover Cleveland on a $1 million bill.

STEPHENS CITY, Va. – A golden retriever is mothering its newest kitten. Wait, does that sound right? Honey, a female golden retriever in Virginia has been producing milk for the hungry kitten found in an old tire at a concrete plant. The kitten refused to drink from a bottle, but has taken well to Honey. The owners told the Associated Press that Honey was thought to be good as dead until Honey stepped in.

LONDON – Every wonder if you buy too much junk food at the grocery store? Stores in London may soon enough provide “intelligent” trolleys that keep track of what you’re buying. The trolley will be fitted with a computer screen an barcode scanner. The idea is to give customers nutritional information about what they are buying before they consume it. U.S. technology services company outlined the concept in a study published this week. It said the screen would reduce the need for packaging food, helping stores shore up environmental concerns. However a survey of 1,000 people showed that most prefer to get information from labels attached to the food. Some shoppers are already using advanced trolleys, as trials of touch-screen computers are on some shopping carts in the United States.

Section A - not as much of an agrarian society today and we’re not as connected to the land. But even if you don’t know a thing about farming, you’ve noticed as you drive along that crops are dying down and being harvested.

Tobacco, of course, used to be a huge part of county farming. You see a little bit now, but nothing like it used to be. Instead you’re seeing more field corn and soybeans and produce. Produce is picked all summer long but even that has an autumnal side. You don’t get pumpkins or gourds until fall. The same goes for sweet potatoes and greens. Sure signs of fall include seeing somebody with a wagonload of sweet potatoes on the side of road selling them by the basketful. Watercress, kale, and maybe mustard greens will follow. For the greens to be really good, you need a light frost first, especially on the watercress.

Greens are important here because of stuffed ham, obviously. But let me encourage you one more time to cook some greens with a little fatback. It’s incredibly tasty and feeds your soul. Yes, yes, it is soul food and it will do you good. Apples are ready now, too, and you really should get some fresh local apples. Eat them out of hand or make some pies or do both. Make some applesauce, it’s not hard to do

“dress rehearsal” as McKay puts it. Each step is rigorous. CALEA assessors look for 446 different standards including: personal policies, recruitment discipline, equipment, training, community involvement and fiscal management. But this time around McKay says the process is a lot harder.

“It’s a while different animal,” McKay added. “They make sure we are set up well and include a total review of the command staff.”

According to Cameron, a successful CALEA organization is transparent.

Everyone in the sheriff’s department takes an active role in understanding the methods behind and reasons for policing under CALEA. “It puts employees all in the same sheet of music,” Cameron said.

and you’ll feel really proud of yourself. You can make cakes or muffins with fresh apples.

Just indulge and savor the local, fresh goodness. You’ll be so glad you did.

Corn and soybeans are picked once they start to dry out. It looks like they’re dying and they are, but you want them dry before harvest. If they’re still ‘green’ and full of moisture, they’ll rot or mold or mildew once they’re combined. Corn can be picked with a corn-picker or a combine. Some folks want the whole ear and some folks don’t care. It depends on what animals you’re going to feed with the corn or if you’re selling it.

If you’re curious about crops and you see a farmer working his fields, he probably won’t mind talking to you. Local folks know that there are a lot of ‘transplants’ down here and we’d rather you understand the county and the people and the crops. It will give you an appreciation for this lovely place we’re all blessed to call home.

The air has changed, even though the temperature is still warm. Nature is getting ready for her winter slumber. Get out and explore and enjoy the bounty of fall, the harvest that will feed us through the winter. And don’t forget to pick up some fatback.

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

Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (DGreat Mills) commended the department for maintaining high standards of police work with CALEA. “With litigation threatening at the drop of a hat, you really need to have the proper procedures and policies in effect to cover the vast array of situations the men and woman encounter everyday,” Raley said.

It was the foresight of former county sheriff David Zylak that started the CALEA process.

“When we look back in history its good to see a continuance of this despite any party politics,” said Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R-Golden Beach).

“That to me is encouraging about this program.”

The County Times

Section A - ways of reducing the maximum heights of the buildContinued from page A- ings originally planned for 45 feet and placing some kind of measure, perhaps restrictive signage, near the Leonardtown Landing community to keep car traffic to a minimum.

“We’re trying to limit cars in that vicinity,” Russo said. “We want to make sure everyone is happy as much as possible.”

Along with the two mixed use properties, each would house business and retail establishments, there is also a restaurant planned for the wharf project that would be about one-and-ahalf stories high, Russo said.

The revitalization project is one of the most anticipated in county, with business owners, residents and town government watching

Wharf

Violation Continued from page A- Walter Burch, a county resident who proposed requiring pound net fish traps be illuminated by lights to reduce the amount of night time boating injuries. Currently, pound nets only require to be marked with reflective tape.

The St. Mary’s County Historical Society submitted a proposal to acquire a state bond bill in the amount of $75,000 to repair, improve and upgrade the condition of historic Tudor Hall. The historical society’s proposal is the same as last year’s, except it’s for half the amount. The commissioners approved the continuation of a $12,500 subsidy for Tudor Hall operations for fiscal year 2007.

Pathways Inc., a private nonprof-

it closely.

“This has been a dormant area for a long time,” Russo said. “It was a very quiet site, it won’t be anymore; there’ll be a lot of positive activity there.

Residents of Leonardtown Landing began asking questions of Russo when, just a few weeks ago, they began to find out more about the scope of the project.

Residents there claim that when they bought their luxury town homes, which come with a price tag that starts around half-a-million dollars, they were not fully informed that the development just down the street could obstruct their waterfront view.

Michael Destephano, president of Sturbridge, said that all the details of the site plan, including the mixed-use development with the two, three-story buildings was actually a key selling point and that home buyers were made fully aware of them.

it corporation offering innovative mental health services in Southern Maryland, has also submitted a proposal similar to one introduced last year by the Mental Health Coalition of St. Mary’s County. This year’s version is a request for a state bond bill in the amount of $500,000 to improve the accessibility and service delivery of mental health services.

One new proposal, from the county’s Department of Public Safety, is to increase the percentage that the county is allowed to loan on the purchase of fire, rescue and emergency medical services machinery and equipment from 75 percent to 90 percent. Raley wanted to know if it would put the board in a position to increase allocation to the revolving fund.

The Justice and Advocacy Council of St. Mary’s County offered a

Thursday, October 11, 2007

“At all times in the sales process… we provided the best information we had,” DeStephano told The County Times. “The site plan we had is exactly what they got; they knew about it.”

One resident said they only saw limited pictures of what was proposed for the wharf project.

“We heard about some buildings [at the wharf project] that would house some retail and a restaurant,” said Bob Ahearn, who just moved into his home last December. “But we couldn’t tell how tall it would be.

“All we saw of the concept drawings were from the overhead view; we thought they would just be two stories.”

Ahearn said that when residents met with Russo that his fears were somewhat allayed but residents still wanted to see revised concept drawings of the proposed buildings to better see how the project would take shape.

proposal to help shore up the displacement of mobile home residents.

Two of the county’s mobile home parks, National and White Oaks, were sold, forcing residents from their trailers, often with few relocation options. The proposals ask for a requirement on the owner of the park to give the county, housing authority, and/or a tenant organization an opportunity to buy the park before it is sold. By doing so, the county could potentially halt the conversion of the property into a residential subdivision by developers. The St. Mary’s Office of the County Attorney followed up this proposal with one of their own: to add language to the St. Mary’s County Code of Public Laws concerning the responsibilities of a park owner in the event that a mobile home park is closed. The proposal requests a lengthening of the lease

“That will tell the big picture,” Ahearn said, adding that he was still concerned their view would be obstructed and that traffic would back up into their 26-home community, which is located at the end of Washington Street in Leonardtown. The street which dead ends at the waterfront and parking is limited.

“We’re still concerned about what’s going to happen on the weekends,” Ahearn said about increased retail and restaurant traffic. “We don’t want to have to go to a gated community.”

Russo, who has bought a home there at the Leonardtown Landing community for himself, has already built one shop as part of the project, Seascapes, as well as restoring an aging home as an office building.

notice for termination. It is thought that in doing so, residents will have longer to plan for relocation.

Other proposals include requiring promoters of outdoor music festivals with 500 or more spectators to obtain a license for the event. Current law requires a license for 1,000 spectators or more.

Linda Vallandignham and Robert Jarboe proposed dismantling the Metropolitan Commission and replacing it with a department within county government.

Mary Wood wants an exemption on agri-tourism operations in St. Mary’s County from the amusement tax. The tax pertains to hayrides, corn mazes, and things of that nature.

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office has two proposals in. One is to remove the residency requirements

for deputy sheriffs and the second is to replace the rank of “Captain” with “Assistant Sheriff,” with the salary for the position to be set by the county commissioners.

The Department of Economic and Community Development proposed providing tax relief to homeowners who place a restrictive conservation easement on their entire property. The proposal has no linkage with the county’s transferable development rights program.

The two late additions to the packet are from the citizens from the Preservation of Historic St. Mary’s City, and from the Southern Maryland Wine Grape Growers board.

The grape growers board wants to increase the permissible public events that a wine store can participate in from 12 to 18 events a year.

Join In On Our October Celebration!

Less Than Half of A Page 25% Discount

1/2 Page to Full Page 33% Discount

Full Page & Over 50% Discount

0 5 Up To $8 301-373-4125

Eileen McDonald

in

vings! a S

eileenmcdonald@countytimes.net

Thursday, October 11, 2007

The County Times

Section A -

Obituaries Mary Agnes, 93

Mary Agnes Hill, 93, of Chaptico, Md. died Oct. 4, in Civista Medical Center, LaPlata. Born June 16, 1914 in Prince Frederick, Md. she was the daughter of the late Joseph Henry Alvey and Frances Genevieve Jones. She was preceded in death by her husband Woodrow W. Hill, Sr., whom she married on Nov. 3, 1940 in Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church, Chaptico. She is survived by her children Woodrow W. Hill, Jr. of Fort Worth, Texas, Allen H. Hill and Patrick E. Hill both of Chaptico, Martha Wheeler of Bushwood and W. Michael Hill of Hollywood, Md., as well as 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. Her siblings Robert Preston Alvey, Joseph Bernard Alvey, Allen Uriah Alvey and Frances Lillian Alvey also preceded her in death. She graduated from Margaret Brent High School and was a cafeteria worker at Chopticon High School for 15 years until her retirement in 1980.

Mary Estelle Johnson, 84 Mary Estelle “Doll” Johnson, 84, of Hollywood, Md. died Oct. 6, in St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born February 7, 1923 in Maryland she was the daughter of the late James Warren and Lucy Es-

telle Long Guy. She was preceded in death by her husband James Manning Johnson, Sr., whom she married on July 11, 1943 in St. John’s Church.

She is survived by her children Phyllis Mattingly, James M. “Jimmy” Johnson, Jr., William Kenneth Johnson and Thomas “Tommy” K. Johnson, all of Hollywood, Md; her siblings, Emanuel G. “Sugar” Guy of Leonardtown, Rosemary Keener of Baltimore, Patsy Downs of Coltons Point, Frankie Guy and Peggy Goddard, both of Avenue, 5 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. She was a preceded in death by her siblings J. Neary Guy, Charles Louis “Tippy” Guy, Phyllis Smith, John Joseph “Cakum” Guy, Robert A. “Buck” Guy, James Warren “Shine” Guy and Catherine Regina “Jean” Wible. A lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County, Doll attended St. John’s School and was a homemaker.

Florence Elizabeth Martin, 67

Florence Elizabeth Martin passed away on the evening of Oct. 3, at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, N.Y. She was 67 years old. She is survived by her loving husband Augustus Martin Jr., of the Bronx, N.Y. and three

sons she helped to raise -Tarus Nelson, Sr. of Fort Washington, Md., Joseph H. Nelson, Jr. of Va., and Maurice Goode of N.Y.; with 3 daughter inlaws: Chaundra, Michelle and Yolanda; 6 grandchildren and a host of extended family members, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. The family will receive friends on Friday, Oct. 12, from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, followed by A Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bushwood with Fr. Francis Early officiating. Interment will follow in the Church Cemetery. Florence will be missed, as she was loved dearly. To send a condolence to the family In Memory of Florence Elizabeth Martin please visit our website at www.mgfh.com Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Mary Catherine Harding, 81

Mary Catherine Harding, 81, of Mechanicsville, Md. died Oct. 6, in Civista Medical Center, La Plata. Born Feb. 8, 1926 in Oakley, Md., she was the daughter of the late William Ford and Katherine Harden Wathen. Her husband Joseph Samuel Harding pre-

ceded her in death on Dec. 24, 1992 in La Plata, whom she married on Jan. 30, 1944 in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, Md. She is survived by her children: Joseph Leo Harding, Sr. of Mechanicsville and Mary Elizabeth Alvey of Hollywood; siblings include: Douglas Wathen of Mechanicsville, Aloysius Wathen of Helen Md., and Susan Howe of Clements, Md.; grandchildren include: Charlotte Ballew and Jane Moore; great grandchildren: Wayne, Mike, Brandan, Melissa, Travis, Katie, Nicholas Ballew and Dale, Jr., Joshua, Melinda and Justin Moore; great-great grandchild: McKenzie Moore.

She is also preceded in death by her children: James Richard Harding, Thomas Aloysius Harding and John David Harding; siblings: Virginia Lusby, Agnes Copsey, John P. Wathen, James T. Wathen, Mitchell Wathen and Claude Wathen and grandchild: Joseph Leo Harding, Jr. Mrs. Harding was a life long St. Mary County resident where she attended St. Joseph’s School and was a farmer and homemaker. She enjoyed taking care of children especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren and loved working with yard flowers. She also enjoyed playing bingo and card parties.

Contributions may be made to: Immaculate Conception Building Fund, P.O. Box 166, Mechanicsville, MD 20659.

To send a condolence to the family In Memory Of Mary Catherine Harding please visit our website at www.mgfh. com Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

June Annette Thomas, 89 June Annette Thomas, 89, of Leonardtown, Md., died Oct. 8 at her residence. Born June 2, 1978 in Salt Lake City, Utah she was the daughter of the late Albert Marious

sons-in-law, four daughtersin-law, twenty- three grandchildren, nineteen great grand children, four sisters, Dorothy Sutton of Washington, D.C., Mauline Jordan of Drayden, Pauline Briscoe of Lexington Park, Inez Mosley of CaliforMarnette Elise Briscoe, nia, Md., a very special friend, 69 a dear sister in Christ and a Marnette Elise Briscoe, loving host of family, friends 69, of Great Mills, Md., died and numerous members of the peacefully Oct. 5, surrounded extended family. In addition by her family, loved ones and to her parents, her son, Marfriends. Born April 21, 1938 in vin “Jelly Roll” Briscoe and Piney Point Md., she was the her siblings, Marie Briscoe, daughter of Joseph Briscoe Catherine Dickens, Delores and Katie Ann Gross Bris- Briscoe, Mary Travers, Eucoe. Marnette, affectionately gene Briscoe, Clarence Brisknown as Mother Briscoe was coe, Roland Briscoe, George truly a Christian that believed Briscoe and Joseph Briscoe, in God who adored and fol- precedes her in death. Mother lowed her Jesus. As a very Briscoe will be greatly missed; active member in her church, she truly exemplified the love the House of Disciples Inter- of the Lord by way of all the national, located in Lexing- lives she touched. Look out ton Park, she served and was Heaven, here she comes! The very devoted to the ministries family will receive friends that God entrusted to her (i.e. Thursday, October 11, 2007 nursing home, soup kitchen, from 9-11:00 a.m. in Lexand prison ministries). She ington Park United Methodwas a Minister of the “Love ist Church, Lexington Park, Outreach Ministry” and sup- where the Funeral service will ported the Southern Mary- be conducted at 11:00 a.m. land Chapter of the “Aglow Reverend Henry Briscoe will International”. Mother Bris- conduct the service. Intercoe on a hourly and daily ba- ment will follow in Evergreen sis willingly encouraged and Memorial Gardens, Great prayed with family, church Mills. A reception will follow members, friends, and strang- at the church hall. Serving as ers to not give up on their cur- pallbearers will be Thomas rent circumstances, but to put Briscoe, Clarence Briscoe, their trust in the Lord and wait Darnell Briscoe, David Jorwhile God worked things out. dan, Henderson Blackwell, She graduated from Carver and James Travers. Serving as Givens High School in Ridge. honorary pallbearers will be Mother Briscoe’s employment Gerald Mosley, John Edison, included several domestic po- Wilbur Robinson, Andre Cursitions that led her to employ- ry, Edwin Foote, and Thomas ment at the Harry Lunden- Robinson. In lieu of flowers berg School of Seamanship and food donations, the famin Piney Point, where she re- ily respectfully requests that tired after 26 years of faithful any love offerings be made service. She leaves behind her to the House of Disciples, Insix children, Janice Warren of ternational Church, P.O. Box Waldorf, Ernest Briscoe of 882, Lexington Park, MD Lexington Park, Patsy Mason 20653. Arrangements by the of Atlanta, Ga., Calvin Bris- Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. coe of Savannah, Ga., Henry in Leonardtown, MD. Briscoe and Pamela Herbert, both of Lexington Park, three Rhienhaldt and Marie Pauline Jensen Christensen. For arrangement details please visit our website at www.mgfh. com. A full obituary will appear at a later date.

Preparing Pets for Winter Many people love the cold weather and snow and the same can be said for pets.

Just as people prepare their homes and cars for winter, so should they keep their pets in mind when the mercury drops. Here are pet pointers for when the cold weather arrives.

• Cats are very susceptible to the cold and can freeze if left outdoors. Therefore, keep felines inside during especially cold weather.

Also, stray cats have a tendency of hiding under car hoods to keep warm. Bang on the car before starting it to alert cats to get out so they don’t get injured by the running motor.

• According to the ASPCA, more dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season. That’s because they can easily lose their scent on snow-covered roads. Always keep a dog on a leash when out in the snow or ice and make sure ID tags are current.

car during the winter. A vehicle can act as a refrigerator and the pet may freeze to death.

• Despite their fur, some dogs feel the cold more than others. Short-haired breeds can benefit from a sweater.

Don’t shave long-coated dogs down to the skin during the winter to allow for more fur insulation.

• If you bathe your pet during the winter, make sure you dry him or her thoroughly, especially before going outside. This way he or she won’t catch a chill • Puppies and older dogs may be more sensitive to the cold. This can make housetraining difficult during these months. Be patient and consider paper-training for the time being. Older dogs already housebroken should be taken outside only briefly during cold spells to relieve themselves.

tract inquisitive animals.

Antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.

• Pets should have a cozy spot to sleep away from drafts and the cold floor. A blanket or filled pet bed can be comfortable. It is recommended that outdoor dogs be taken indoors during cold weather.

• Most pet birds are tropical varieties and will not tolerate drops in temperature.

Keep bird cages away from drafty windows or doors that open frequently.

• Don’t skimp on flea and tick protection even though it’s winter. Warm indoor air can incubate flea eggs that are on a pet’s coat and cause them to hatch.

• Antifreeze is sweetsmelling to pets and can at-

• Salt-covered pavement and cold walkways can wreak havoc on dog paws.

Blisters and cuts can occur from prolonged exposure.

Wash your pet’s paws after coming in from walks to remove salt and any crusted ice or snow. Consider putting protective booties on your pet to prevent his or her paws from coming in contact with salt and snow, or use a coating of petroleum jelly.

• Just as you shouldn’t leave a dog or cat in a car in the summer for fear of overheating, the same should be said for leaving a pet in the

Pets may love to frolic in the snow, but there are steps you can take to safeguard them from winter weather.

Serving St. Mary's County Since 1978 Free esTiMaTes / FasT Turnaround / CHeCk our PriCes

• Wedding Invitations, Programs and Accessories • High Speed Digital Black/White and Color Copy Service NEW!

NEW!

• Large Format - Signs / Posters / Banners • Book Binding - including Perfect Binding, Hard Back Binding, GBC / Coil Binding, Saddle Stitching (all binding done in house)

NEW!

• Laminating up to 27 Inches Wide

• Posters

• Rubber Stamps

• Funeral Programs

• Flyers

• Letterheads

• Brochures

• Menus

• Envelopes

• Admission Tickets

• Newsletters

• Programs

• Raffle Tickets

• Business Cards

• Wedding Accessories

• Business Forms • NCR Forms

• Announcements

• Envelope Inserting

• Invitations

• Certificates

• Composition / Layout

• Contracts

• Specialty Work

• Continuous Forms

• Color Work

• Copy Service

• Booklets

• Briefs

• Bumper Stickers • Magnetic Signs • Laminating • Labels • Bindery

41690 Courthouse Drive • Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 Phone: 301-475-5531 • Fax: 301-475-9636 email: orders@printingpress2.com Hours: Monday thru Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The County Times

Section A - 10

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Your Create hen !

Kitc m a e r D

Helpfu l Hints It is best to follow your cabinet manufacturers guidelines for cleaning your cabinetry.

Most lines recommend a mild soapy water mixture to clean and to dry immediately.

(301) 475-5600

60%

Up to off Many Closeouts

Special Financing

Available

St. Mary’s Yachting Center 46555 Dennis Point Way Drayden, MD 20630

1 Year Same As Cash

301-994-2404 Fax:301-994-2405 www.stmyc.com

Comming October 14TH 2007

“Our Furniture Doesn’t Come Back...

Our Customers Do!”

Thompson’s

Thompson’s Furniture City

Furniture City In Business For 60 Years

“Our Furniture Doesn’t Come Back... Our Customers Do!” 301-373-2151 or 1-800-273-1959 • www.thomsponsfurniturecity.com www.thomsponsfurniturecity.com 301-373-2151 or 1-800-273-1959 •

Sunday Brunch Call For Reservations 301-994-2404

y a B n o t e Br

24 Pack Budweiser 10 oz. Cans Bud Light Miller Light 99 Coors Light

$13.

$18.99

Next To McKay’s Food Store Leonardtown

Grand Opening Friday 9:00 am

Sunday - Thursday 9am - 9pm Firday & Saturday 9am - 10pm

Largest Selection of Wine, Spirits, & Beer in St. Mary’s County

Budweiser Bud Light 30 Pack Miller Light 12 oz. Cans Coors Light

$12.99

Budweiser Bud Light

18 Pack 12 oz. Bottles 12 Pack $13.4912 oz.

Bottles Corona Extra Corona Light

$17.99

Smirnoff Vodka

1.75 Liters Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey

$19.99750 mL $39.991.75 L

$21.99

Jim Beam Kentucky 1.75 Liters Bourbon

Yellow Tail Australia Wine

2/$20

$10.99 1.5 Liters

2/$20

Cavit Italian Wine 1.5 Liters

Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay California Wine 750 mL

$9.

99

Martini & Rossi 750 Asti Sparkling mL Wine

Prices Effective Until October 18th.

2/$20