16,2007•St.Mary’sCounty,MarylandByGuyLeonardStaffWriterByGuyLeonardStaffWriterByGuyLeonardStaffW by David Noss

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St. George’s Islanders Taking Their Homes Higher By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

By Adam Ross Staff Writer St. Mary’s County Public Schools received more good news this summer, this time on the 2007 Alternate Maryland School Assessment, where 81.8 percent of students in grades 3-8 and grade 10 achieved a “Proficient” or “Advanced” reading and math level. The Alt-MSA is the Maryland assessment for students with “significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in a regular assessment, even when accommodations are provided,” according to the Maryland State Department of Education website. The results follow a healthy gain on this year’s Maryland School Assessment, where grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 saw increases in reading over last year. However, deficiencies still exist - the number of St. Mary’s seventh-graders passing reading and math declined this year compared to 2006. Still, administrators and teachers have something to be proud of as SMCPS students taking the AltMSA exceeded state averages in See Testing page A-

Photo By Guy Leonard

Stanley Carpenter watches contractors build a new foundation for his home on St. George’s Island. Carpenter had his house raised last month so he could avoid possible flood and storm damage in the future.

Fingerprint Checks Could Cost Volunteer Squads, Recruits By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

Man Held Without Bond For Attempted Murder Charge

A directive from the federal government has precluded the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office from conducting informal, computer-based background checks on prospective emergency volunteers without a fingerprinting card. That means that fire departments and rescue squads here, or possibly their recruits, will have to absorb the cost for the most thorough of criminal records checks. State Fire Marshal William Barnard explained that paying $42 for a fingerprint background check had been standard procedure with the state and FBI for nearly 15 years, but sometimes local fire and EMS companies here and throughout the state had gotten accustomed to getting an informal background check through the fire marshal’s office and skirting the required costs. “That should’ve never been done and that was corrected immediately when it was brought to out attention,” Barnard said of a recent state audit for their use of a electronic criminal justice system. “We were incorrect in the way we were handling it.” Barnard said volunteer fire and EMS companies were looking for faster and less costly ways to do background checks on members, though the private methods were not as thorough as the kind offered by the federal government. Shawn Davidson, assistant chief at the Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad, said the solution might lie in partnering with St. Mary’s County government to do the background checks through a contract agency. “We’re trying to find an option that’s not going to cost an arm and a leg,” Davidson said. “We’ve been try-

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Investigators with the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) have arrested and charged a Leonardtown man with attempted murder for allegedly trying to strangle his wife to death Monday. See Attempted Murder page A-

ing for a long time to get good background checks on people coming in to make sure we’re dealing with people we know we can trust.” The need to get volunteers checked out efficiently meant volunteer squads would likely have to use a method other than going through the federal government, which could take much longer. “We’re at the bottom of the list of things for them to worry about,” Davidson said. “We’re relying on what we can do for ourselves.” Barnard said there was no legal requirement for volunteer companies to do background checks on their members at all, though most chose to do so. Volunteer companies can get their background checks processed with fingerprints at the fire marshal’s office, where they are then sent for the real work at the Maryland Criminal Justice Information System and then on to the FBI. The chairman of the St. Mary’s County Emergency Services Committee slammed the federal government’s insistence on the fee as putting an unnecessary cost and hardship on front line first responders. “It’s the most asinine thing the federal government has ever done,” said Keith Fairfax, who is also president of the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department. “We’re the first line of defense for whatever you could imagine… it’s not the federal government.” Fairfax said he and other volunteer executives found out about the enforcement directive earlier this year, and it was a discussion item for his committee meeting Aug. 1. Fire stations and volunteer rescue squads could opt not to take that option offered by the federal government, See Background page A-

Hurricane season is here and some residents of St. George’s Island are taking drastic action to ensure they don’t suffer more of the flooding damage they faced when Hurricane Isabel hit in 2003 and again with tropical storm Ernesto last year. They are not moving off the island, they are just moving up, way up in fact, as much as eight or nine feet. Contractors are now working on two homes there and have actually picked them up off the ground, raised them on supporting wooden pylons called cribbing and have begun work on building new foundations that will hopefully defeat any flooding from a major storm. For Stanley Carpenter, who suffered major damage to his home on Piney Point Road from both Isabel and Ernesto, it’s been a long road to getting his home raised to safety. He is the only home owner on the island, he said, who has gone through the slow process of getting the money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and its state level counterpart to get a new house foundation. He first took advantage of the program when the money was made available in 2003 after the damage he suffered from Isabel. “The entire back of the house was caved in by the debris surged in See House Lift page A-

County Battles Rising Workers’ Comp Claims By Adam Ross Staff Writer Riddled with unwieldy insurance premiums, St. Mary’s County government announced possibilities to mitigate future loss by transitioning to a self-insured system, and with equipment upgrades to employees with laborious jobs. “We’ve had a couple of rough years… There are trends we need to look at and things we need to put in place to help mitigate those risks,” See Workers’ Comp page A-

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By Adam Ross Staff Writer When NASA’s Shuttle Endeavour lifted up and parted the clouds last week on its 62,000 mile voyage upwards, there was another adventurous story of the day, but this one didn’t start on a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it started in a St. Mary’s County classroom. Kim Weaver, a teacher from St. Mary’s County Public Schools was invited to the launch as a VIP guest for her work on a NASA Educator Astronaut Project (EAP) for a lunar plant growth chamber. The unit was designed by NASA to engage high school students in the build and design challenges that come with growing plants on the moon. See Weaver page A-10

Photo Courtesy of Kim Weaver

The view down below space shuttle Endeavour’s STS-118 launch just minutes after it took off over Cape Canaveral Florida.

The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Families Can Get Support In Attempted Murder Dealing With Mental Illness Continued from page A-

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer For the second year in a row in Southern Maryland, families who have members suffering from serious mental illness will have a chance to support each other through a coordinated set of classes offered by the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The courses, called Family to Family Education Program, will start Sept. 5, and offer information on coping with mental illness and the best ways to seek treatment for loved ones suffering from mental illness. The course even offers role-playing activities that allow participants to practice dealing with mentally ill family member more effectively, all under the watch of NAMItrained instructors. Connie Walker, head of NAMI Southern Maryland, said the need for support for families dealing with mental illness was a growing problem the Family to Family course was designed to assuage. “I’m sad so many people need it,” Walker said. “But I’m glad it’s here for people to use.” Walker said the influx of veterans returning home from the battle fields of Iraq and Afghanistan with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) meant that it was all the more critical for families of these veterans to learn to cope with the ailment. Walker’s son, an Iraq War veteran, returned from his service there with a diagnosis of PTSD. “It’s a lot more common than you’d ever think,” Walker said. The Family to Fam-

ily course, which runs for 12 weeks, provides help and support to families for a wide range of serious mental illnesses. It also gives families who are stressed from dealing with a family member’s mental illness the assurance that they are not alone in their plight and that there is a place where they can talk about their problems. The course offers an opportunity not often found in everyday society, Walker said. “It’s really hard for folks to open up about it,” Walker said. “There’s so much stigma attached to mental illness.” One St. Mary’s County graduate of last year’s Family to Family course, who wished to remain anonymous, said the NAMI course was invaluable in learning to cope with a family member’s bi-polar disorder, anti-social disorder and alcohol dependency. “It was a big eye opener,” the county graduate said. “It helps you to cope with it so you can be an advocate for your family member.” The county graduate said that trepidation marks the beginning of the course, but soon after, the knowledge gained there is a comfort. “At first you’re really paranoid because you don’t know anything about mental illness,” the county graduate said. “But the Family to Family course guides you through it all. “It helps so much to have people to talk to. It takes so much stress off, it really does.” Another graduate of last year’s course from Charles County, who also wished to remain anonymous, said the course led to the realization that they had to take more re-

sponsibility for their mentally ill family member’s treatment, including looking for other options alone. “It just put me out there looking for other resources,” the Charles graduate said. “We were able to find better resources that helped with the cost of the medication.” The Charles graduate has a family member diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, all the more painful since the graduate has a history of mental illness in the family they hoped had vanished. “It’s a whole bunch of psychiatric conditions rolled into one,” the Charles graduate said. “I just never dreamed it would happen to one of my kids.” One of the greatest benefits the NAMI Family to Family graduates get from the course, the Charles graduate said, was the connections to other families that remained once the classroom instruction was over. Those connections offered their own form of support and hope. “Listening to other people you get frustrated listening to their frustrations… but you hear success stories too, and that gives you hope down the road.” Anyone with a family member suffering from a serious mental illness can register for the course by calling 301904-9926. The course instruction and materials are free to participants. The course is held at the Chesapeake-Potomac Home Health Agency, Inc., located at 7627 Leonardtown Road in Hughesville. Each session runs from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday evenings.

Investigators also allege that William Trainor, 70, who lives in the Breton Bay neighborhood planned to kill himself after successfully killing his wife. The suspect appeared before Judge John Slade III Tuesday for a preliminary hearing and was held without bail. During his hearing William Trainor asked the judge: “Am I going to be released?” District Court prosecutor Julie Fouche, told Slade that “there could be some mental health issues” with regards to William Trainor’s request for release. Slade agreed when he decreed the defendant would be held without bond. “The court is concerned for the safety of your wife and for your safety as well,” Slade said. Trainor was taken back into custody by corrections officers and looked out over the court room before leaving. Trainor’s wife, Elizabeth Trainor, is at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly undergoing treatment for her injuries and was initially listed as being in serious condition Monday.

“Indications this morning were that she had improved,” said Lt. Rick Burris, commander of BCI Tuesday. Burris said the alleged victim was expected to survive her injuries. Burris added that detectives had a motive in the alleged crime but were not releasing it because the suspect had revealed it in his statement to investigators. Trainor was arrested the same day as the incident, August 13, and incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention Center where he remains pending another hearing September 12. Burris said the suspect was taken into custody without incident. There was no one else in the house at the time of the alleged strangling, Burris said. According to charging documents filed by detectives in county District Court, William Trainor allegedly called the county’s Emergency Operations Center and told them he had strangled his wife. Police and emergency medical units responded shortly after the call and found William Trainor’s wife, also 70 years old, incapacitated,

charging documents stated. She was flown by Maryland State Police helicopter to the shock trauma unit of Prince George’s Hospital Center. Charging documents allege that William Trainor admitted to strangling his wife while being interviewed by detectives at BCI. Charging documents allege that the suspect said he put his hands around the front of his wife’s throat and attempted to choke her to death before police could respond. The suspect eventually stopped choking his wife, charging documents allege, and called for emergency services. Detectives also allege in charging documents that William Trainor had said he wanted to commit suicide after killing his wife. The charge of first-degree murder against William Trainor carries the possibility of life in prison if he is convicted, a lesser charge of firstdegree assault could mean a maximum of 25 years in prison if he is found guilty.

St. Peter’s Chapel, Serving Solomon’s for Almost 120 Years Emily Finch Staff Writer Visiting Solomon’s Island it is not uncommon to see bars, restaurants, and collectors shops. On any given summer day there are people walking the boardwalk, heading to and from the Tiki Bar and in and out of shops. But right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle and commotion, sits a white chapel with a simple cross on top. The chapel, St. Peter’s Episcopal, was built in 1889 and is still in use today. The history of this establishment, however, begins nearly 150

years prior to its cornerstone being laid. In 1748, Middleham Chapel was built in Lusby as a “Chapel of Ease” to Christ Church Parish in St. Leonard. This greatly reduced the travel time for some of the parishioners as well as the burden on Christ Church Parish. Because traveling was only done by foot or horseback, it was still difficult for most people south of Lusby to get to Middleham, so any services in Solomons were often held in schoolhouses or private homes. Residents of the southern end of Calvert County felt the need for a

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place of worship in Solomons to serve the growing number of communicants in the area. In 1875, many citizens wrote letters to the Diocese requesting a minister to serve the Solomons area or for one of the residents to be given the honor. Later that year, Bishop Whittingham appointed Reverend John Rose as a missionary to the churches in Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties. Rev. Rose held services at Middleham Chapel regularly and talked about the need for a new chapel in Solomons, but left the area in 1877, just two years after his arrival. Because of the lack of a chapel and permanent reverend, he number of communicants in the lower region of Calvert County was dwindling. It was not until Rev. R. Heber Murphy who became Rector of Christ Church Parish in 1886 that anything was done about building a chapel in Solomons. On July 25, 1886 Rev. Murphy collected $4.16 and the Diocese donated $100 to the building of a new chapel in Solomons. The fund was added to over time and plans were underway for the new chapel. According to the Maryland Diocesan Library,

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Members of St. Peters Chapel on Solomon’s Island enjoy coffee and snacks after 8:30am mass on Sunday

the rest of the funding, which totaled around $1,800, came from the solomons neighborhood, three years of chapel offerings, various convocations, response to letters and the many activities of the ladies of the church. The land for the chapel was purchased in July 1888 from William H. Crockett. It was designed and built by Dr. George Chambers. Chambers was a architect and physician who lived closer to Middleham Chapel at the time. In 1889, the chapel was built with a Gothic style frame as a board and batten structure. It will seat approximately 75 people. The window over the alter, and the alter itself were donated by St. Luke’s Chapel in Baltimore and Ole Swede’s Church in Wilmington, Del., respectively. The corner stone was laid by Dean Gambrill, Rev. John Barrett of Anne Arundel County and Rev. Murphy on August 20, 1889. The chapel was consecrated on September 4, 1890 by Bishop Paret, Gambrill and Rev. Murphy. Although the chapel has stood basically unchanged for many years, some alterations have been made to update the chapel’s interior. The original windows have been replaced with the more traditional chapel stained glass windows, electricity was hooked up in 1921, the organ was installed in 1924, pine flooring was added in 1927, kneeling benches were mounted in 1930 and in 1974 red carpeting was laid down overtop the pine floors. In-

door plumbing was added to the chapel in spring of 1989, 100 years after the building’s erection. The landscaping has changed a bit as well with the addition of a fence around the property, black iron in 1919, and later replaced in 1967 with the present white picket. The name St. Peter’s was chosen by Rev. Murphy after the apostle Peter who was a great fisherman in the New Testament. This was done to show respect to the considerable amount of watermen in Solomons. Rev. F. B. Randall was appointed in 1896 to take charge of St. Peter’s under the direction of Rev. Murphy. Although his stay was short, only three years, he was able to raise enough money for a rectory on the Bay side of the chapel. The land for the rectory was donated by William H. Marsh and the rectory was built in 1897. After having deteriorated to the point where it had to be dismantled, new rectory replaced this one in 1963. Until 1900, St. Peter’s was still a part of the Christ Church Parish, and under their control. Middleham and St. Peter’s became a selfsupporting Diocesan Mission later that year, meaning that they were only subject to the direction of the Bishop of the Diocese. That same year St. Peter’s also received their first Vicar, Rev. Lionel A. Wye, who served both St. Peter’s and Middleham. A graveyard was added to the chapel in 1956. Bed-

ford Glascock donated .9 acres of land located next to Middleham graveyard to create St. Peter’s graveyard Under Rector Dr. E. Eager Wood who served the chapel from 1976-1990, Middleham and St. Peter’s were combined into a parish on May 19, 1978. Both chapels work together with shared by-laws and joint responsibilities. Each chapel has four voting members and one warden. Today, St. Peter’s still offers Episcopal mass at 8:30 a.m. every Sunday. The number of communicants has surely grown (The Rector’s report to the Diocese indicated 83 communicants in 1988.), as well as the love and devotion at this little chapel. “We’re a close-knit, fun bunch,” said a brighteyed man leaving mass last Sunday. The quaint chapel is located on route 2 on Solomon’s Island. It’s charming exterior and old-time interior creates a welcoming feeling, and the congregation reiterates this feeling. New members and visitors are always made to feel right at home at St. Peter’s. “Don’t be a stranger,” said a cheery middle-aged woman, “You’ll always be welcome in St. Peter’s.” For more information on St. Peter’s Chapel visit www.middlehamandstperters.org or call the parish at 410-326-4948.

The County Times

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Section A -

Compliance Check Rings Up Five Guilty Liquor Stores Photos By Adam Ross

Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town and Country owned by Joseph Gilbert Murphy, plead guilty to selling alcohol to an underage informant at Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liquor board meeting.

Cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Liquor on Route 235 was cited last month for selling alcohol to a minor.

on them, there is so much stuff on the license, I stuck my thumb on the part that said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;under 21,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Greenway said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was trying to focus at her face and the date, I miscalculated.â&#x20AC;? Greenway realized her mistake just seconds after the informant exited the building, and ran outside in attempt to reacquire the beer, a fact Deputy Johnson confirmed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kelly would have thrown

herself on top of the car to get the product back,â&#x20AC;? Murphy said. Johnson said it was too late, and cited her for the violation, a $500 ticket, anyway. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You understand the seriousness of it,â&#x20AC;? Sacks said to Greenway. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can tell by your testimony that you are very sincere.â&#x20AC;? A $250 fine was levied by the board, $200 of that suspended, and a six-month pro-

The Country Store in Leonardtown, owned by Kim Mergard and Walter Wise, plead guilty to selling alcohol to underage informant at Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liquor board meeting.

fore the liquor board, and said they take their license â&#x20AC;&#x153;very seriously and do respect it.â&#x20AC;? They also said they would send the guilty employee to TAM class â&#x20AC;&#x153;right away.â&#x20AC;?

bationary period. The County Store in Leonardtown also received a $50 fine and six months probation after it was cited for selling to a minor. Kim Mergard and Walter Wise appeared be-

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The St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s County Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department fined five liquor stores over a twoday compliance check operation in July, sending an underage informant into 25 establishments to purchase beer with a valid identification card. Owners of all five establishments plead guilty to the St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s County Liquor Board last Thursday, indicating the compliance checks were fair and within the parameters of the law. The five stores cited by Deputy Emory Johnson, the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alcohol enforcement coordinator, included Cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Liquors, Priceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quality Liquors, Russellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Store, The Country Store and Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town and Country. All five owners testified to the board, citing â&#x20AC;&#x153;human errorâ&#x20AC;? as the cause. Wayne Cook, of Cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Liquors, said his employee was in the middle of a Saturday lunch rush when the informant entered the store and attempted to buy a six-pack of Miller Light with a valid Pennsylvania driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The employee was in a mad rush,â&#x20AC;? Cook said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She did her job by taking the ID, but I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you what goes through anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind.â&#x20AC;? Cook said the employee who sold the beer to the underage informant would be retained by the store, despite being cited for selling cigarettes to a minor just three months ago. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tough decision to make,â&#x20AC;? Cook said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Terminating someone doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t set an example and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the right thing to do.â&#x20AC;? Cook said he would consider terminating the employee if the liquor board felt it was necessary, but the board made no such claim. Instead, member Tom Sacks wanted to know what Cook would do to get his employees in compliance with the law. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My concern is the one that gets away and dies,â&#x20AC;? Sacks said of underage purchasing. The board unanimously approved a $500 fine, $250 of it suspended, and a year of probation. William C. Price and Cherry E.M. Price testified for Priceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quality Liquors, an establishment located inside the McKayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Store in Great Mills. The liquor operation has no affiliation with McKayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Chairman Charles P. Miedzinski told the Priceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s he was surprised to see them in violation because of the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;no exceptionsâ&#x20AC;? policy, which stipulates anyone who attempts to purchase alcohol must have a valid identification. Priceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quality Liquors was one of the first in the county to implement the policy, which at the time drew harsh criticism from the community. Cherry Price said the employee, who has been with the store since October 2003 did ID the informant, but sold the beer anyway. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In talking with him he said he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what happened,â&#x20AC;? Cherry Price said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He can only say that he looked at it wrong.â&#x20AC;? The employee was suspended for three days, and sent to Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM) class. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the cashierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandmother,â&#x20AC;? William Price added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re supposed to check ID.â&#x20AC;? The board unanimously approved a $400 fine, $400 suspended, and six months probation. Another $50 was charged for the second violation, which is not from another infraction, but a charge levied by the state for the illegal sale. Russellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Store in Valley Lee was also cited July 14, when a long time employee of nine years sold a six-pack

of beer to the same underage informant. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very poor judgment,â&#x20AC;? said Janet L. Draper, owner of the store. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been TAM certified.â&#x20AC;? This is the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first violation in 60 years of business, and because of its lengthy and clean track record the board imposed no fine and only six months probation. Similarly, Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town and Country, owned by Joseph Gilbert Murphy, received its first infraction in 58 years of business. Kelly Greenway, of Coltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Point, was the guilty employee who sold beer to the informant and showed up to Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting to apologize and explain herself. Miedzinski said it was the first time he had seen an employee come in and apologize after being busted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You get so many different licenses that have pictures

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Editorial & Opinion A Somber Celebration Last Wednesday, a major ceremony took place in Hughesville. A celebration to dedicate Maryland Department of Transportation’s newest 60 million dollar road improvement project. A celebration so big, the usual group of take credit, look what I’ve done for you politicians showed up in full force. Interestingly, they were about the only ones who showed up. Even more interesting were those who weren’t there. Missing from the celebration were the people who actually made the day possible. For 40 years, almost everyone in Southern Maryland had been complaining about the traffic jams in Hughesville. Even more troubling was the regularly occurring auto accidents, often taking the lives of good people forced to travel through

such a high-risk area of our community. For 40 years, career politicians campaigned election after election promising a solution to the problem. None were ever able to deliver. As PAX River Navy Base evolved over the past 40 years to become the facility it is today, the importance of a safe and expedient road system from D.C. to PAX River served to raise the bar even higher. Unfortunately, in the sphere of Maryland state politics, Southern Maryland was never quite that important. Sacrificing major transportation dollars in jurisdictions around Baltimore and Washington for projects in Southern Maryland always sounded good during the campaign, but never made much sense once elected. In Maryland, if you want

to get re-elected to the Governor’s mansion, the State Senate, or the Maryland House of Delegates, courting big labor is the safe bet. Large labor union bosses, many of which are more interested in building dynasty’s with large treasuries than serving their members, they control not just a large vote, they provide huge campaign dollars for the loyal politicians they control. Former governor Glendening promised us the Hughesville bypass, yet once elected never found it to be that high a priority. Even many of our own local elected officials had campaigned for years promising the Hughesville bypass, yet never the guts to go against the union bosses to make it happen. PAX River Naval Base, with it’s large concentration of non-union labor,

never qualified as important enough to take state dollars away from Baltimore, Howard County, Prince Georges County and so on. In 2002, everything changed; big labors candidate for governor, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend was so bad they couldn’t make a winner out of her. For the first time in more than 35 years “someone else” was elected governor. With the election of Robert L. Ehrlich as Maryland’s Governor, a Republican, a new focus was bought to state government. With the pending 2004 round of base closures and realignments on the near horizon, making Maryland a military job friendly state was a priority of Governor Ehrlich. For the first time since 1694 when the state capitol was moved from St. Mary’s County to Annapolis, Southern Maryland was a priority for state funding. With the assistance and encouragement of local elected of-

ficials, those who were not sub-servant to Baltimore City union bosses, a plan for Southern Maryland was put in place. The plan included new roads, new schools, and new parks, protecting our military bases from encroachment, all while protecting Southern Maryland’s environment. After a 40 year wait, the funding for the Hughesville bypass was announced along with many other significant road improvement project throughout the Southern Maryland region including the $55 million upgrade to Chancellors Run road, a bypass around Prince Fredrick in Calvert County and work to begin the planning for a bypass around Waldorf. The Hughesville Bypass is the clearest symbol of the Ehrlich Administration’s desire to raise the importance of Southern Maryland at the state level. A plan that ultimately cost Ehrlich dearly in his failed 2006 re-election bid.

Most disappointing was that none of the people who supported Ehrlich and his Southern Maryland commitment were given the podium at last week’s celebration. Three career politicians, Lt. Governor Brown, (Governor O’Malley didn’t show) Senator Mac Middleton of Charles County and Senator Roy Dyson of St. Mary’s/ Calvert County were the ones taking the credit even though they all three were constant critics of Governor Ehrlich with Brown and Dyson actually voting AGAINST the governor’s transportation trust fund bill which provided the funding for the bypass. Given that Brown, and Dyson have had their political careers supported by funds from Baltimore City union bosses, their vote against the bypass was not surprising, what is surprising is that they failed to give the proper credit where credit is do.

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In last week’s edition of The County Times a story featured the organization Feral Cat Relief with some factual errors. In the story Shirley Cobb is named as the founder of the group but in fact Connie Petty founded the organization at the beginning of this year. Cobb is the executive director. Also, Feral Cat Relief cannot provide funds to help those who trap feral or stray cats to get them neutered. Those costs must be born by the one who traps the animal. The person who captures the feline can take the animal to any veterinary hospital that neuters feral cats to have the procedure done.

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Gerald Nance, Jr. had sustained only a bump on his head as a result of the crash landing but that her mother was simply not strong enough to handle the impact force. “His bones could withstand it, hers couldn’t,” Taylor said, her voice distraught. “It just crushed her.” After the two men pulled her out of the wreckage, Agnes Nance’s nephew ran for help, first to a nearby farm

Woman Dies From Injuries Sustained In Plane Crash By Guy Leonard Staff Writer An elderly woman who sustained serious injuries last week after she, her son and grandson made a crash landing in a small engine aircraft at Walter Francis Duke Regional Airport died Aug. 9. The victim’s family was in deep mourning for the loss of Agnes Nance, 83, of Bowie who had been on life support after the crash at Baltimore Shock Trauma. “We’re not dealing with it very well,” said Rose Taylor, Nance’s daughter. “She was a very healthy, vibrant woman all her life. She lived with me and was very independent.” Taylor said her mother was just as fearless as she was able to take care of herself. “She was a thrill seeker, she wasn’t afraid of many things,” Taylor said of her mother. “Bikes, planes or roller coasters she rode them all.” Nance was so healthy, Taylor said, that she took an active part in playing with and teaching her grandchildren. “The night before the accident she was in my sister’s

pool teaching her granddaughter to swim,” Taylor said. “She was swimming laps across the pool.” County officials have no word yet from the federal government as to what exactly caused the crash. “They just concluded their investigation and that was it,” said George Erichson, director of the Department of Public Works and Transportation and also the airport’s manager. “They won’t release their report for months.” Erichson said that the local airport had recently had its operational license renewed by the state. “As far as operational safety we passed all those tests,” Erichson said. Last week the plane Nance was in, including her son Gerald Nance, 52, and grandson Gerold Nance, Jr., 19 of Bladenboro, N.C. crashed shortly after take off according to law enforcement officials investigating the accident. Detective Sgt. Jack McCauley, with the Maryland State Police, told The County Times that witnesses who saw

the plane take off noticed it had trouble doing so, using up three-fourths of the runway, which is more than a plane that size needed. The plane hit the top of some trees at the end of the runway and then proceeded to crash land in a nearby field on Lawrence Hayden Road in Hollywood, McCauley said. McCauley said that both Gerald Nance, who was the pilot, and his son were able to pull Agnes Nance to safety from the wreckage. The plane caught fire and fire and rescue units arrived on scene to tend to the crash victims and extinguish the blaze. Air traffic controllers at Patuxent River Naval Air Station placed a temporary flight restriction to allow for airborne medical transport that was later lifted. Taylor said that her brother, who she said was a good pilot, was deeply hurt after the tragic accident. “He’s pretty miserable, pretty devastated,” Taylor said in a phone interview Tuesday about her brother. She said that her nephew,

house that had no phone service, and then out to the main road about a quarter of a mile away, according to Erichson, where he found a DPW&T road crew and used one of their cell phones to call in the news of the crash. “I think it takes tremendous courage to leave the ones you love and go get help,” Erichson said of the 19-yearold’s actions that day. Taylor said that the family would inter Agnes Nance

at a cemetery in Bladenboro, N.C. and have a final service for their lost relative there. She praised county officials and work crews for helping her family members and thanked them for their kindness. “Everyone there was good to my nephew and I really appreciate that,” Taylor said. “They were all very nice people.”

Photo Courtesy of St. Mary’s County Public Information Office

A firefighter looks over the wreckage left in a field after a small, single engine plane crashed after take off from Walter Francis Duke Regional Airport in Hollywood Aug. 9. Agnes Nance, 83, who was a passenger died later that night after sustaining severe injuries.

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

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The County Times

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Commissioners Ponder Additional Administrative Oversight Over County Health Services By Adam Ross Staff Writer The St. Mary’s Local Management Board is developing a new office to work alongside the county health department and board of health to better coordinate the county’s growing supply of health and human services. As the county continues expand, so does the demand on health and human services, leaving some agencies frustrated with the lack of interagency coordination, according to Kathleen O’Brien, executive director of Walden Sierra, a non-profit offering crisis services and treatment

to the community. “We don’t have the luxury of not increasing to the next level,” O’Brien said to the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners, who also sit as the county’s board of health. The proposal involves implementing a new office to plan, coordinate and evaluate the county’s health and human services, bringing together the department of health, the department of aging, the sheriff’s department, public works and transportation and a slew of others. “Anything that has to do with people’s housing, health or well being,” said Dr. William B. Icenhower, the coun-

House Lift Continued from page A- by the waves; it was the piers that were uprooted,” Carpenter, 77, a retired navy submariner said. “It flushed out all my personal belongings and there was 18 inches of filthy seawater in my house.” By the time Ernesto hit last year, he had finished much of the repair work to his house and again suffered water and storm damage to his home. He’s nothing if not persistent. “Through the many months people have dropped out of the program,” Carpenter said. “But I had to see it through.” Since Isabel hit four years ago, he has only been able to use his house sporadically because of the rebuilding and the

lack of running water there. Ernesto led to further repair work and delays. FEMA money put him up at the nearby Harry Lundberg School of Seamanship until last March, when he was told they had run out of residential assistance. It typified the arduous process, he said, of dealing with the government to get the funds he had qualified for. “I’ve talked to people who’ve either quit, been fired or retired,” Carpenter said. “These past few years I’ve been lucky to talk to anyone.” But now his waiting has paid off. Contractors working for the county Department of Public Works and Transporta-

The County Times acknowledges mistakes published in the story “Commissioners Approve New County Health Board but Fear Creation of Bureaucracy,” on August 9th 2007. The commissioners did not approve a new county health board, or health department. The story below is intended to set the record straight.

ty’s health officer. The St. Mary’s Local Management Board (LMB) was tasked with developing a strategy, in part because of the 24 systems throughout the state, not one is alike. “You look at this state and it always amazes me,” Icenhower said of the many systems. “Calvert is a little different, Charles is a little different, Montgomery has a different system.” Meanwhile, the commissioners expressed concern over adding another layer of administration to the system. “I’m not interested in creating another layer of bureaucracy,” Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D-Great Mills) said. “If it’s time for St. Mary’s County to move to the next level, which would

ensure getting those services to the citizens, than I’m okay with that, but we have to consider if it will be in or out of county government and how much support staff we are talking about.” LMB hired a research company to determine the county’s needs in the way of transportation, health care and addictions services. The office would lend oversight to health and human services, but would not replace the board of health or Dr. Icenhower’s authority. “What we need in the county is to have the best coordination of services,” said Ella May Russell, director of the St. Mary’s County Department of Social Services. “There is no one person in the county that can do that right

now, we’ve gotten to big.” The commissioners cautiously accepted the proposal, approving County Administrator John Savich to work with the Local Management Board to develop and consider establishing a human services office. The motion carried with a 5-0 vote. “We’ve talked a lot about coordination and duplication of efforts,” said Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D-Leonardtown), a direct reference to the hiring of an addictions coordinator to Walden Sierra, approved by the board of health months ago. “Based on limited dollars to the county and getting the best bang for the buck, I don’t know we are doing that well today.” Mattingly criticized the

hiring in a previous meeting this year, citing that Walden and Sierra never had an accountability issue. However, Icenhower said Friday that while there was no indication of “anyone doing anything inappropriate, it’s always good to be prepared.” That same philosophy lent itself to the concept of the new office. The matter will likely come before the commissioners again Nov. 1. By that time the management board is expected to have specific recommendations for the commissioners, including the budgetary impact on health services. “Even though it is an organizational recommendation,” added Savich, “it is designed to accomplish all those things.”

tion are busy building his new foundation. “Sometime [this week] I expect this house to come back down,” said Bob Carlton, DPW&T overseer for the project, adding that the entire project, including design, engineering and construction, was budgeted to cost $159,000. “But I’m shooting to be below that,” Carlton said. Carlton praised the efforts of Expert House Movers, based on the Eastern Shore, for moving in quickly to get the soil around the house excavated and then jacking up the house with hydraulics onto wooden cribbing to allow the new foundation to be built. Expert House Movers was able to get the job done in about two days last month. “They don’t mess around,” Carlton said. “They do it

quick, they do good work.” Jerry Matyiko, owner of the house moving business, said that his company has raised five houses in Piney Point so far this year and plans to do a sixth soon. He’s been working to either elevate or move homes in St. Mary’s and Calvert for the past 35 years. His business has branch offices in Missouri, Virginia and Maryland. “The homeowners down there want peace of mind,” Matyiko said of St. George’s Island residents seeking higher home altitudes. “Why worry about this thing [hurricanes and storm damage every time it blows up?” Working in the Piney Point area this year hasn’t been as tough, weather wise, as in the past, Matyiko said. “Well it’s been wonder-

ful this year because it’s been dry,” he said, adding that contractors weren’t always enthusiastic in working in humid St. Mary’s weather. It was a chance driving adventure that brought Diane and Mark Krasna, of Baltimore down to St. George’s Island. They fell in love with the weather, the view and the slower pace of life on the island. When they got hit with storm damage from both Isabel and Ernesto they contemplated giving up their second home, but just could not tear themselves away. They decided to go to Expert House Movers and get their home lifted up using their own money. They didn’t qualify for FEMA assistance because the home wasn’t their primary residence. “There were times when

we thought we should cut our losses… but we’d come down [from Baltimore] and see the place again and we’d say no,” Diane Krasna said. “It’s just so special… it just wasn’t an option to pack it in.” She called the job Matyiko’s outfit did in raising her and her husband’s home “amazing” and looked forward to having a new foundation put in that will put them about nine feet higher. “We’ll have a big staircase and we’ll be closer to the ospreys,” Diane Krasna said. Carpenter said he was committed to staying on the island until his last day. “This is my final home,” Carpenter said. “When I leave here it’ll be in a box.”

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The County Times

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Workers’ Comp Continued from page A- said Sue Sabo, director of the county’s human resources’ department. Over the last 12 months, the county’s workers compensation premiums have jumped to more than $1.2 million, almost half a million dollars more than the year before, according to Sabo. In a report to the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners, the Department of Human Resources’ Risk Management

Division blamed apprehensions and pursuits, motor vehicle accidents, training exercise, strains and fractures, heart attacks and slips and falls among the county’s workforce for the skyrocketing rates. Many of the claims are from the sheriff’s department, as they represent 200 of the approximately 700 county employees, Sabo said. The county processed 87 claims over nine months,

spurring improvements that will likely include a shoe allowance, stress reliving belts, leather glovers for shielding from sharp objects, LED lights for increased visibility and reducing physical activities at the police academy. “We know [deputies] need training,” Sabo said, “but we need to find ways they don’t get beat up, which is what [currently] happens.” Part of the transition could also entail moving from Injured Workers Insurance Fund (IWIF) to a self-insured system. Currently, premiums are based on when an injury

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

occurs, and what the insurance company projects the loss would be, Sabo said. But under the self-insured system, premiums will be paid as the claim comes in, saving the county thousands from projections that may or may not come to fruition. “If you’re a large organization going to self insurance it’s a good way to have a safe cash flow and manage claims better,” Sabo said. “And if you do have a couple of bad years, which can happen because of one big claim or a bunch of smaller ones, you don’t get charged additionally for hav-

ing that bad year.” Sabo said the best time to switch is now because of the growing trend of workers compensation claims, which has steadily risen over the last two years. Some departments already have the equipment suggested in the report. Public Works and Transportation officials currently receive a shoe allowance, according to Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D-Leonardtown). However, Mattingly said training and retraining would be the biggest proponent to bringing

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down premiums in the future. “Some of it is helping folks stay focused on an attitude of limiting hazards,” Mattingly said. “In my career with the phone company, they continually had training and retraining with everything we do, because if you don’t refresh people’s memories they become lax with decisions.” Additionally, the plan calls for 72 tasers to be issued to the county’s patrol division, bureau of criminal investigations and special operations division. The estimated cost for all 72 tasers is just over $67,000, which could save the county thousands in legal fees from suspects who sue county deputies over excessive force. Sabo said the county has dealt with “a lot” of litigation from these instances, and the tasers would go a long way in apprehending unruly suspects safely. “It’s just a team effort on the whole task force to look at information and trends of injuries,” Sabo added. “Also people from insurance vendors can offer us information to help us mitigate injuries.” Sabo and the risk management division formed a Loss Control Team in January of 2007 with representatives from IWIF, brokers, risk managers and consultants, and the sheriff’s office. The team is responsible for the recommendations contained in the report.

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The County Times

Thursday, August 16, 2007

home than others. Whether that is a result of where you’re from or some biological or psychological effect, I don’t know. I do know that St. Mary’s County seems to hold onto her natives, we simply belong to this land and don’t

have any desire to leave it. To me, it’s a special place for many reasons. One reason, of course, is that my family is here. Wholesale, both sides, from parents to cousins, I’d say 90% of my relatives live in St. Mary’s County. That’s a huge reason for me – I can’t imagine being apart from my family. Perhaps the definition of family is something different for us county people – family is not just your spouse and your kids; family to us is everybody you are related to, including your second cousin three times removed. It’s also important for me to be able to go to nearby cemeteries and visit the graves of family members; they’re still family and it maintains a connection. What else do I love about St. Mary’s County? I love my childhood memories of grandparents’ farms, of fishing in the bay and the rivers, of riding my bike down an old country road to visit neighbors and friends, of visiting country stores and eating ice cream. I love the heritage and history of this place. I love eating crabs and fresh fish and corn on the cob right out of the field. I love driving home at midnight on a Monday night and not seeing another car for miles and miles. We live in a quiet neighborhood on a dead-end road

that’s surrounded by water. I love seeing herons and osprey flying overheard and I love to hear the swans protecting their nest against the geese every spring. I love to see the deer, fox, hawks, rabbits, terrapins, owls and skunk in my backyard. I love to hear the variety of woodpeckers in the woods out back and see the songbirds working the yard for grubs and worms. I love the quiet and the chance to appreciate the good gifts God gives each of us every day. I love going into local stores and seeing folks I know. I love the way you can start talking to somebody you don’t know and before long, you realize they know, or are related to, somebody you know. Suddenly, we’re all friends! I love the easy way of life we used to have here and sharing what’s wonderful and unique about the county with newcomers. I love it when they love this place. Yes, I’m a county girl – always have been, always will be. A family friend told me a long time ago that true county people just can’t leave here. It’s true, like the moon working its’ magic on the tides, something invisible holds me and my fellow natives to St. Mary’s County.

eral background check, with its concurrent fingerprinting and fee, could turn off some prospective recruits from volunteering if they were asked to pay for their own check. “Why would you ask someone to volunteer and then have them pay $42?” Fairfax said. If the volunteer rescue squad or fire department absorbed the cost of the background check then there was no guarantee that they would see a positive return on their investment, Fairfax said. “We may get in 10 people but have only three stay,” Fair-

fax said. “This [directive from the federal government] was an absolute disaster. Volunteer rescue squads and fire departments are often seeking volunteers to help fill their ranks. Many rescue squads face difficulties during the day time shifts running emergency calls for lack of volunteers. Fire companies are dealing with the same problems. County emergency officials continue to try and develop recruitment campaigns to help alleviate the shortages in volunteers, who receive their training free of charge. Fairfax chided the federal government for not providing free national criminal back-

ground checks for prospective volunteers, who he said far outnumbered those in the paid services throughout the country. “There are one million volunteers in the United States, there are about 250,000 paid and the federal government can’t help?” Fairfax said. “Humbug.” Barnard sympathized, but said the rules had to be enforced. “Everybody’d love to have background checks done for free,” Barnard said. “It is an issue, we’re not trying to jam volunteers, we work with them every day.”

Only 10 schools in the state of Maryland earned this designation for Alt-MSA performance in 2007. In reading, Benjamin Banneker Elementary School’s fifth-grade and Esperanza Middle School’s eighth-grade were 100 percent advanced. Additionally, Banneker’s fifth-grade was 100 percent advanced in mathematics. Students earn one of three levels based on their scores: basic, advanced or proficient. Basic is awarded to scores of 50 percent or less, proficient for scores between 51 percent and 89 percent, and advanced for scores of 90 percent or above. “Teachers and administrators are to be commended for this success,” said Linda Dudderar, chief academic officer. “This growth demonstrates that SMCPS focused efforts in staff development, curriculum alignment and data collection, resulting in substantial student gains.” The Alt-MSA is required

under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures student access to a general curriculum. The reauthorized IDEA was signed into law Dec. 3, 2004, by President George W. Bush, and stipulated 10 regulations to align it with the No Child Left Behind Act. Federal regulations require these scores to be included in school accountability, particularly in determining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Lexington Park Elementary School had not met AYP benchmarks in 2005 and 2006, nor had Green Holly Elementary School in 2006. Under No Child Left Behind, all students must score at the proficient level or higher in reading and math by 2014 or the school system could face consequences that include replacing school staff and serious reorganization by an independent contractor.

Ramblings of a Country Girl Photo by Adam Ross

I Love St. Mary’s County Terri Bartz Bowles I was born and raised in St. Mary’s County and expect to live out my life and be buried here. My immediate family and I have plots in a local church graveyard, I’m

istrano, this is where I belong. The county has changed a great deal in my lifetime but it’s still a great place to live and it’s where I want to be. Why? Some of us, I think, have a stronger sense of place or

set. This place is my home, my soul is here and my roots are here. I moved away briefly as a young adult and have traveled extensively, both in the United States and abroad. This is where I return - like the swallows to San Juan Cap-

Background

Odd News

Continued from page A-

CHICAGO- In downtown Chicago a 27-foot Oscar Meyer Wiener-mobile parked illegally on a street marked “Parking/ Standing Prohibited at Anytime”. A police officer ticketed the vehicle for a $50 fine and radioed for a tow truck. The truck’s driver arrived before this could take place, rescuing his fiberglass sausage on wheels. The company paid the ticket and the driver continued his nationwide journey promoting a contest for fans to sing the Oscar Mayer Weiner jingle. LONDON- The reported man-eating shark that has been making front-page headlines in Britain has turned up to be a big misunderstanding. Kevin Keeble takes the blame, having sent pictures to his local newspaper of a shark he photographed while in South Africa. He says his claims that the photo was taken near British surfing resort Newquay were not to be taken seriously. The “joke” seemed to spread like wild fire. “I didn’t expect anyone would be daft enough to take it seriously,” newspapers quoted Keeble as saying. “I can’t believe the story went so big”.

Fairfax said, but that meant they could only look into a prospective volunteer’s criminal record in Maryland. Any other violations in another state could go unnoticed, Fairfax said. “We can look at Maryland records,” Fairfax said. “But we could [still] end up with a member with a criminal record we didn’t know about. Most are using the Maryland system the best they can… and hope nothing happens.” Fairfax said that the fed-

WELLINGTON- A New Zealand couple is looking to call their newborn son Superman, but only because their chosen name of 4Real has been rejected by the government registry. Pat and Sheena Wheaton decided the name after seeing their baby for the first time in an ultrasound scan and realizing he was in fact “for real”. The name was rejected because the register said all names must be a sequence of characters. So the birth certificate will say Superman, but the name 4real will be what they call their son. “No matter what its going to stay 4Real,” Pat Wheaton told the Herald, “I’m certainly not a quitter.” AMSTERDAM-A giant, smiling Lego man was fished out of the sea in the Dutch resort of Zandvoort on Tuesday. Workers at a drinks stall rescued the 8-foot tall model with a yellow head and blue torso. The toy was later placed in front of the drinks stall. CAIRO, Egypt - It was very nearly a real-life version of “Snakes on a Plane.” A man was stopped at Cairo’s airport just moments before he boarded a Saudi Arabia-bound plane with carry-on bags filled with live snakes, as well as a few baby crocodiles and chameleons. The animals were confiscated and turned over to the Cairo Zoo and the man was allowed to board his flight home

Testing Continued from page A- achievement of proficient and advanced levels in all grades for mathematics and reading. Some grade levels even experienced as much as 100 percent in proficient and advanced levels over 2006 assessment scores. “Our continued high expectations for all students are now reflected in this critical achievement measure,” said Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of schools, in a written release. “This is an example of how collaboration and commitment to rigorous instruction is improving outcomes for all students in St. Mary’s County Public Schools.” Benjamin Banneker Elementary School and Esperanza Middle School were awarded additional recognition; designated as “High Performing Schools” by MSDE.

St. Mary's City St. Mary’s City DATE Fri. Aug. 17 Sat. Aug. 18 Sun. Aug. 19 Mon. Aug. 20 Tue. Aug. 21 Wed. Aug. 22 Thu. Aug. 23

LOW -----12:08 a.m. 12:51 a.m. 1:39 a.m. 2:33 a.m. 3:33 a.m. 4:34 a.m.

HIGH 5:25 a.m. 6:06 a.m. 6:51 a.m. 7:41 a.m. 8:38 a.m. 9:39 a.m. 10:39 a.m.

LOW 11:23 a.m. 11:50 a.m. 12:23 p.m. 1:05 p.m. 1:56 p.m. 2:56 p.m. 4:03 p.m.

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

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LOW "+29 min." "+45 min." "+24 min." "-30 min." "-8 min." "+63 min." "+14 min."

HIGH 5:45 p.m. 6:23 p.m. 7:03 a.m. 7:49 p.m. 8:43 p.m. 9:44 p.m. 10:46 p.m.

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The County Times

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Obituaries Lauretta Teresa Davis, 77 Lauretta Teresa Davis, 77, of Hollywood, Md. died Aug. 4, 2007 surrounded by her family in St. Mary’s Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. Born Oct. 8, 1929 in Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Frances Rosmus. She was preceded in death by her husband Frederick Lee Davis, Jr. in February of 1984 whom she married on Oct. 30, 1954 in Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada. She is survived by children: Mary Jo Scarlette of Winston Salem, N.C. and Jeff Davis of Leonardtown, Md.; siblings: Leonard Rosmus of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Canada, Banjamin Rosmus of Bellville, Ont., Canada and Patricia Shelor of Carson, Va. and 6 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her brother: Zigmond Rosmus. Mrs. Davis moved to St. Mary’s County in 1954 from Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada. She attended Beausejour Collegiate and Winnipeg Business College. She worked as a: legal secretary for Joseph Bellan, Attorney at Law, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; secretary for MGM in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; secretary at GAC Finance in Lexington Park, Md.; purchasing clerk, Patuxent Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Md.; sales clerk, Mammoth Mart, Lexington Park, Md. After her husband passed away in 1984, she re-entered college to upgrade her business skills. She volunteered to work at the Lexington Park Health Department and was asked to stay as a paid full time employee. Then she worked as an ID Clerk in the security pass office at the Patuxent Naval Air Station where she retired in April of 1998. In addition to being a loving wife and mother, she volunteered at St. John’s School, Hollywood, Md., Ryken High School, Leonardtown, Md., St. Mary’s Hospital for 15 years and St. Mary’s Nursing Center. She also was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, National Association of Retired Federal Employees and Women’s Aglow. During her retirement years she enjoyed traveling, visiting her homeland in Canada and would spend many months out of the year visiting with her daughter in North Carolina. She brought much joy and happiness to many with her kind heart and caring nature. She was an inspiration to those that knew her and always had time to listen and was always willing to help. Her heart was so full of love and she loved everyone. She enjoyed gardening, macramé and produced many macramé handbags for her family and friends. The family received friends on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007 from 5–8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, where Prayers were said at 7 p.m.. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 10 a.m. in St. John’s Catholic Church with Fr. Raymond Schmidt officiating. Interment followed in the Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were: Frank Houser, Dal Beavers, Michael Scarlette, Kevin Davis and Harry Turner. Honorary Pallbearer was: Christopher Scarlette. Contributions may be made to: Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Caroline Louise Gaillot, 67 Caroline Louise Gaillot, 67, of Mechanicsville, Md. died Aug. 6, 2007 in the Clin-

ton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Born June 28, 1940 in Boyers, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Ronald “Spots” and Pauline Shoup Montgomery. She was the loving wife of Alfred John Galliot whom she married on Nov. 7, 1960 in Freeport, PA. She is survived by her children: Samuel Vincent and Faith Ann both of Mechanicsville, Md., and siblings: Patricia Knight of St. Petersburg, Pa., Mrs. “Bonnie” Kreiss of Kennerdale, Pa., Mrs. Wanda Scott of Kettering, OH, Judy Wagner of Butler, Pa., Gretchen Roberts of Fort Worth, Tex., Brenda Rowell of Lancaster, S.C., Kay Duplaga of Richport, OH, Ruby Yonkers of Liegioner, Pa., Ron “Ronnie” Montgomery of Mayport, Pa., Ernie Montgomery of Taylorsville, N.C. and Richard “RicK” Montgomery of Clover, S.C. Mrs. Galliot moved to St. Mary’s County in 1970 from Wayson’s Corner in Anne Arundel, Md. She enjoyed painting, drawing, baking and sewing. The family received friends on Friday, August 10, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md., where a funeral service was held on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007 at 10 a.m. with Pastor Rob McNatt officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, Md. Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Robert Winn Hendrix, 70 R o b ert Winn Hendrix, 70, of Scotland, Md. died Aug. 8, 2007 at his residence. B o r n Dec. 26, 1936 in Washington, D.C., he was the son of the late Cauthen Walter Hendrix and Betty Barbara (Winn) Hendrix. He moved to the farm in Four Corners, Silver Spring when he was six years old. The family was very involved in the community. Bob played the trumpet in the Silver Spring Boys Club Band. Bob spent four years in the Navy, stationed at the Naval Air Station in Brunswick, ME. His first marriage ended in divorce and he returned home to Silver Spring at the end of his tour of duty. Shortly after his return to Maryland, he met and married, Charlotte Bauman. They were blessed with two children, Robert, Jr. and Tracy. Bob always worked two jobs making sure his family had everything they might need. Bob worked at several jobs until he found his calling to work for Logan Machinist. He spent four years working to earn the title of Machinist, which he was very proud of. Eventually he moved to the government printing office, where he spent the next 23 years before retiring. In 1988, he and his wife, Charlotte, were able to purchase his Uncle Vernon’s summer cottage in Point Lookout, Md. They spent every waking moment there and when it came time to retire, they tore the cottage down and built a new year round house that Bob was very proud of. He always was involved in doing volunteer work with the boy scouts, transporting doctors and nurses to their jobs in snowstorms with his 4 wheel drive vehicle, and taking patients to medical appointments. Whatever his endeavor, Bob was always punctual and always on time. In the summer of 1987, Bob saved a man’s life when the man was in trouble on the Chesapeake Bay. He was camping at Breezy Point Beach when he noticed someone in

distress out in the Bay. Bob and Smitty jumped in their boat and reached the man who was drowning. Bob jumped in and pulled the man to safety, untangling him from the fishing lines that were keeping him from getting back into the boat. In 1998, when his son, Robert, Jr., was dying from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Bob found he had fathered a child when he was in the Navy in Brunswick, ME. He has been very proud and grateful for Wanda’s coming into his life. He understood God gives and takes and as hard as it was to lose a son, he gained a new daughter. He has tried to truly be her father and grandfather to her sons, and now a great-grandfather. Bob was diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2007. He was a heavy smoker back in the days before he knew cigarettes were killers. He quit cold turkey in 1999, but it apparently was too late. In addition to his wife, Bob is survived by two daughters, Wanda Hayes and her husband, Dana of Gusta, ME and Tracy Moregon and her husband, Jason of Germantown, Md., two brothers, C. Walter Hendrix of Brookeville, Md. and William Hendrix of Colonial Beach, Va., four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. In addition to his parents, Bob is preceded in death by his son, Robert Winn Hendrix, Jr. The family received friends Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007 from 2-5 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md. Prayers were recited at 3 p.m. by Paula Robinson. A Graveside Service was conducted on Monday, Aug. 13, 2007 at 1 p.m. in Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Md. Diana Ley of Marvin United Methodist Church in Silver Spring, Md. will conduct the Graveside service. Memorial contributions may be made to American Lung Association, 14435 Cherry Lane Court, Suite 310, Laurel, MD 20707 or HOSPICE House c/o HOSPICE of St. Mary’s, Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.

Thomas Brome Howard, 86 Thomas Brome Howard, 86, of Ridge, Md., died Aug. 10, 2007 in Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, Charlotte Hall, Md. Born July 20, 1921 in Baltimore, Md., he was the son of the late John Spence Howard and Jeannette Eleanor (Brome) Howard. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Scotty Howard, six children, Thomas Howard. Jr. of Reston, Va., Ron Howard of Annapolis, Md., Mark Howard of St. Mary’s City, Md., Allen Howard of Bel Air, Md., Marguerite Morrison of New York, N.Y., and Julie Berger of Allentown, Pa., brother, John Spence Howard, Jr., of St. Mary’s City, Md., eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A Graveside Memorial Service will be conducted on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2007 at 11 a.m. in Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery, St. Mary’s City, Md. Reverend Harry Harper will conduct the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 207, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.

Bonnie Verna Kijek, 46 Bonnie Verna Kijek, 46, of Racine, WI died Aug.11, 2007 in Wheaton-Franciscan All Saints Hospital in Racine, WI. Born Feb. 4, 1961 in San Jose, Cal., she was the daughter of Dorothy Beverly Goodwin and the late Albert Myers. She was the loving wife of Brian A. Kijek whom she married on Nov. 12, 1982. She is survived by her children: Mel Kijek and Allie Kijek; sisters: Cathy Adams and Rachel Pulliam. She is also survived by her brother in-laws, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was also preceded in death her step father: Melvin Goodwin. Mrs. Kijek served her country in the U.S. Navy. She enjoyed life, helping others especially her family. The family will receive friends on Friday, Aug. 17, 2007 from 5–8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, where Prayers were said at 7 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Chapel with Fr. Gregory Syler officiating. Interment will follow in St. George Episcopal Cemetery, Valley Lee, Md. For further information or to send a condolence to the family please visit www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Karl Adolph Kleinbeck, 89 Karl Adolph Kleinbeck, 89, of Leonardtown, Md. died Aug. 11, 2007 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center, Leonardtown, Md. Born June 7, 1918 in Hoboken, N.J., he was the son of the late Charles Kleinbeck and Martha Markow Kleinbeck. He is survived by four children, Karl Tramer of Florida, Michael Kleinbeck of Dowell, Md., Keith Kleinbeck of Palm City, Fla., and Patricia Ann Furnish of Honea Path, SC, brother, Ralph Kleinbeck of Florida, three grandchildren and one great-grandchildren. All services will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to HOSPICE House c/o HOSPICE of St. Mary’s, Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md. Condolences to the family may be left at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.

Mary Lou O’Dell, 64 Mar y Lou O’Dell, 64, of California, Md. died Aug. 7, 2007 at her residence. B o r n Oct. 7, 2007 in California, Md., she was the daughter of Mazie E. Pilkerton Jones and the late John H. Jones. Mrs. O’Dell attended Little Flower Elementary School and St. Michael’s High School. She retired from Patuxent River Naval Air Station in 1993 and worked for a government contractor until 2003. She loved Golf, fishing, crabbing, playing cards and spending time with her children, grandchildren and friends. She was the wife of Joseph P. O’Dell, who preceded her in death on February 22, 2001. Mrs. O’Dell is survived by a daughter, Debi Justice of Lexington Park, Md., three sons, John D. Justice and his wife Sue of Hollywood, Md., Stephen H. McGee III and his wife Jess of Hollywood, Md., Ronald Lee McGee and his wife Marlo of Hollywood, Md., 10 grandchildren, Shannon, Hugo, Stephanie E., Shawn, John, Jeffrey, Kelsey, Randy, R.J., Cate, three great

grandchildren, Jasmine, Angel and Demarco, siblings, Ann Poe and her husband Tommy of Valley, Md., Jean Ashley and her husband Floyd of Hollywood, Md., Kitty Lee of California, Md., Jimmy Jones and his wife Sandy of Waldorf, MD. Her brother John W. “Bubby” Jones preceded her in death. She is also survived by her stepchildren, Pat and wife Lynn, Jeff and wife Sherrie, Matt and wife Michelle and Christopher O’Dell and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Larry and Jan O’Dell. The family received friends on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m. A Funeral Service will be conducted in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel on Friday, Aug. 10, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. The Reverend Ray Schmidt will conduct the service. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens in Leonardtown, Md. Serving as pallbearers will be Shawn Justice, John Justice, Jeffrey Justice, Bobby Albert, Floyd Ashley, Jr., and Chris O’Dell. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be R.J. McGee, Randy McGee and Andrew McGee. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice House, c/o HOSPICE of St. Mary’s, Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Joseph Parrylee Russell, Jr., 76 Jo s e ph “Joe” Parrylee Russell, Jr., 76, of Leonardtown, Md. died August 13, 2007 in Prince G e o r g e ’s Hospital Center. Born Sept. 2, 1930 in Loveville, Md., he was the son of Joseph Parrylee and Alice Elizabeth Joy Russell, Sr. He was the loving husband of Lois Marie Russell, whom he married on July 18, 1953 in Leonardtown, Md. He is survived by his children Lois Ann Springer and her husband Dale of Valley Lee, Md., Joseph Michael Russell of Port Orange, Fla., Brenda Marie Unkle and her husband Tommy of Park Hall, Md. and Tina Lee Raley and her husband John of Leonardtown, Md. He is also survived by his grandchildren; Jennifer L. Shizak and her husband Andy, Jeffrey D. Springer and his wife Brandy and Brian T. Unkle, his great-grandchildren; Kyle A. Shizak, Elizabeth R. Shizak, Jeffrey D. Springer, Jr. and Sydney Mooney as well as his sister, Mary Katherine McCurdy and her husband Bruce of Marriotsville, Md. A life long resident of St. Mary’s County, Joe graduated from Margaret Brent High School, “Class of 1948.” Mr. Russell worked as a self employed, life long farmer and caretaker of Newtowne Manor Farm and more recently enjoyed 19 years of employment at Bell Motor Company as a car salesman. The love of his life was his John Deere Tractors as well as cars and collecting numerous hubcaps. Known as “John Deere Joe”, he participated in many tractor pulls, including the one at the St. Mary’s County Fair, winning various awards over the years. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family received friends on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007 from 4-8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md., where prayers were said at 6:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007 at 10 a.m. in St. Aloysius Catho-

lic Church, Leonardtown, Md. with Fr. John Mattingly officiating. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, Md. Pallbearers will be Jeffrey Dale Springer, Brian Thomas Unkle, Andrew Shizak, Lawrence Pilkerton, Wayne Norris and Larry Joy. Honorary Pallbearers will be Francis Woodburn, Thomas Bowles, Norman Pilkerton, Jr., Loretta Vallandingham, Bernard Delahay, Joseph Stewart, Leroy Stewart and Mary Katherine Abell. Contributions may be made to Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 299, Leonardtown, MD 20650 and/or Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 50, Leonardtown, MD 20650. For additional information or to leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Charles (Chuck) Moseley Wall, Sr. 69 Charles (Chuck) Moseley Wall, Sr., 69, of Lexington Park, Md. formerly of South Hill, Va. died Aug. 6, 2007 at his home after a lengthy battle with cancer. Born April 20, 1938 in South Hill, Va., he was the son of the late Charles Emory Wall and the late Mary Hazel Lett Wall. Mr. Wall attended the University of Richmond and was stationed in Korea while he served in the US Air Force. Mr. Wall retired from Honeywell in 1995. His passions were football, vegetable and flower gardening and gourmet cooking. He attended St. Cecilia’s Church in St. Mary’s City, Md. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Dorothy Kemper Wall of Lexington Park, Md. He is also survived by five daughters, Sharon Hansen of Thorndike, ME, Diane Hanson of Bel Air, Md., Patricia Mosley of Richmond, Va., Sandra Bracey of Charlotte, N.C., Kimberly Dornak of South Hill, Va., and a son, Charles M. Wall, Jr. of South Hill, Va., 10 grandchildren, a sister, Betsy Walter of Virginia Beach, Va., and a brother, William Wall of South Hill, Va. In addition to his parents he was predeceased by his sister, Joyce Wright of South Hill, Va. The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to Hospice of St. Mary’s and OPIS of St. Mary’s. Memorial contributions may be made to HOSPICE of St. Mary’s Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or O.P.I.S. of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 527, Leonardtown, MD 20650 A private graveside service was held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Cemetery in Lexington Park, Md. The Reverend Damian Shadwell officiated. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, MD.

Adriana Alexi Whalen, 2 Weeks Old Adriana Alexi “Lexi” Whalen, 2 Weeks Old, of Lexington Park, Md. died Aug. 6, 2007 in St. Mary’s Hospital. Born July 22, 2007 in Baltimore, Md. she was the daughter of Tameca Barnes and Durell Whalen, of Lexington Park, Md. She is survived by her sister Tah’Mariona Whalen of Lexington Park. A graveside service was held on Friday, Aug. 10, 2007 at 10 a.m. in Charles Memorial Gardens with Fr. Jack Kennealy officiating. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

The County Times

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Section A -

Navy News Northrop-Grumman Selected For Navy Ucas Demo Amy Kaper Staff Writer The Department of Navy announced today that Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated Systems – Western Region, San Diego, California, has been selected to provide the Navy Unmanned Combat Air Systems Technical Demonstration. This $635.8 Million Cost Plus Incentive Fee contract will launch a technical effort to demonstrate the aircraft carrier suitability of an autonomous low-observable unmanned air vehicle, as well as demonstrate critical aircraft carrier suitability technologies in a relevant environment. “Today’s announcement is a significant milestone towards understanding and mastering autonomous and low-observable flight in the maritime environment,” said Dr. Delores Etter, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. “The determined effort, long hours and hard work by both the Government team and our industry partner will build on the knowledge gained in pre-

vious joint unmanned combat system efforts and help us launch follow-on developmental efforts in the future.” The effort, which is scheduled to conclude in 2013, will involve shipboard operation, including catapult takeoffs, arrested landings and flight in the immediate vicinity of an aircraft carrier. The air vehicle will not carry weapons. “This specific contract is for technology development and demonstration and will not be an operational system” explained Navy Capt. Rich Brasel, program manager for NAVAIR’s technology demonstration effort here. “But through it, we will develop knowledge, skills and technologies specific to operating an autonomous low-observable unmanned air vehicle in an aircraft carrier environment. This is a critical step in efforts to develop future Naval Aviation combat capabilities.” Specific products of the effort, referred to as “UCAS-D,” are expected to include flight test data, test reports, trade studies, simulation, and detailed engineering analyses to enable future developmental

Artist’s rendering of a UCAS take-off carrier.

efforts, according to Brasel. The contractor-provided system will be comprised of two unmanned, low-observable air vehicles, two mission control

segments, and a support segment. The system will be capable of autonomous launch, recovery and operations in the Carrier Control Area.

Photo Provided By U.S. Navy

Flight testing is scheduled to begin in late 2009 and culminate with carrier flight operations in 2013. Excerpts of this article

Sutherland Named Manager Of The Year Amy Kaper Staff Writer David Sutherland, Deputy Program Manager for Common Ground Support Equipment at NAVAIR, was named the 2006 Department of the Navy Small Business Program Manager of the Year. Last year’s winner was Bob Ernst, NAVAIR Aging Aircraft Integrated

Product Team director. Sutherland and the PMA260C team, in 2006, awarded 14 new contracts to small businesses totaling $57.8 million and awarded eight contract actions against existing contracts with small businesses totaling $16 million. The team’s dedicated efforts working with small business have resulted in a significant total ownership cost avoid-

ance of $150 million for 2006. “I don’t think I have done anything extraordinary to merit this award,” Sutherland said. “I am just doing, simply, things that a program manager is going to do. It takes a whole lot of folks to support our work with small businesses. To me this should be a team award and acknowledge everyone’s effort and not just a program manager.”

Photo Provided By U.S. Navy

Sutherland, left, is all smiles as he receives his award for the 2006 Department of the Navy Small Business Program Manager of the Year.

According to the award citation, Sutherland is a zealous advocate of using small business requiring all acquisition projects to be evaluated for small business set-asides. He also mandated the use of extensive market surveys to ensure the viability of using small business to meet fleet needs. Sutherland brings a practical business sense to the table when procuring new ground support equipment for the fleet. PMA-260C strives to be good stewards with tax payer money, and his team looks for the best products for the fleet in the most affordable cost effective manner and in many cases small businesses offer the best choices. “The real end game is providing good products for the fleet,” Sutherland said. “And small businesses just happen to be one of the ways that we use to try to do that. There are some equipment commodities where small businesses are industry leaders – armament loading, hydraulics support equipment, and cryogenics support equipment to name only a few. So it really makes sense to want to go to small businesses because they are in the fore front to what industry has and they are world class organizations.” Sutherland’s office is currently modernizing a lot of the common ground support equipment that’s been in the fleet for 20 to 35 years. PMA260C has had some real out-

standing experiences working with some of the small businesses who truly focus on the end user wanting to provide the Sailor and Marine with the best products available. “On behalf of the PMA260 Common Support Equipment Team, I’m very proud of Dave’s remarkable accomplishments in small business contracting,” said Capt. George Kilian, Aviation Support Equipment Program Manager. “Not only have his efforts yielded excellent cost savings for our office, they have also resulted in quality SE products for use by the warfighter while helping to encourage small business growth in support of DOD. Dave won this award due to his steadfast recognition of the value added by small business to PMA260’s efforts. We achieved a total ownership cost avoidance of over $150M. This sets an example of the benefits that can be attained through enthusiastic pursuit of opportunities via small business. Dave has been a real pathfinder for the team. He richly deserves the recognition afforded by this award.” Sutherland’s optimism and eagerness for using small businesses does not eclipse his need to be certain that the small business in question actually has the capability they claim. New businesses PMA260C works with are subject to proper market research, onsite surveys and talking

were taken from a press release by Jon Milliman.

to other companies that have worked with them before. “Small businesses are a vital part of our Nation’s economy and help keep our country strong,” said Emily Harman Associate Director, NAVAIR Office of Small Business Programs. “NAVAIR is committed to our country’s small businesses having the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in NAVAIR acquisitions as prime and subcontractors.” “Dave’s initiative and innovation in increasing the role of small businesses in PMA 260’s acquisitions is commendable\, she added. “The total ownership cost savings of over $150M in 2006 alone speaks for itself and his results stand as a model for all NAVAIR Program Managers. I encourage Program Managers to involve the NAVAIR Office of Small Business Programs early in the acquisition cycle.” NAVAIR employees wanting to learn more about NAVAIR’s Small Business Program should contact their local Small Business Deputy. Opportunities for shadow assignments and rotations to the NAVAIR Office of Small Business Programs are also available. For more information on working with the NAVAIR Office of Small Business visit www.navair.navy.mil/osbp. Excerpts of this article were taken from a press release by Jim Jenkins.

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The County Times

Section A - 10

Weaver

because of weather conditions, the finale shot up into the sky at 6:36 p.m. WednesContinued from page A- day August 8th, with Weaver seated just 3.6 miles away on Weaver paid her own way a set of bleachers. down to Cape Canaveral for “Just to see the shuttle the launch, which was preced- and all the smoke coming ed by a two-day pre-launch from the bottom and lifting conference where prominent up,” Weaver said of her immembers of the NASA team pressions of the launch. “The talked about their involve- thing that impressed me the ments with space exploration. most and is ingrained in my Although delayed a day memory is the amount of light

that came out of the tail end of the [shuttle].” The shuttle’s main engines create a combined maximum thrust of more than 1.2 million pounds, generating this lasting impression of fiery thrust and smoke. But the educational conjectures Weaver cultivated on her journey were delivered under a little less fan fare: from one Dottie MetcalfLindenburger, a mission-specialist-educator, who turned

Thursday, August 16, 2007

her love of teaching astronomy to high school students into a gig with NASA. Metcalf-Lindenburger relayed her personal involvement in the program with NASA’s true mission: discovery not limited to outer space, but technological advancement that improves earth and inspires kids to study harder and reach their goals. Weaver said the message was completely in line with her own teaching philosophy. “I’m constantly teaching, and trying to inspire kids,” Weaver said. “My kids build sail boats and bridges, I’m really into the engineering part.” Weaver was instrumental in NASA’s EAP project, authoring part of the “Moon Munchies Educator Guide,” one of six lessons. Her work tied in directly to two education missions planned for Endeavour; one consisting of a 20-day plant germination investigation using small collapsible plant growth cham-

bers. Endeavour’s crew is responsible to maintain the plants and capture still images of plant growth. The other mission consists of taking 10 million basil seeds into orbit, and retuning with them, so that they can be distributed to students and educators for a number of educational activities. Results of EAP will likely be used in future investigations for growing plant life on the moon, a way NASA plans to extend long term missions to the moon’s surface. On NASA’s webpage of the lunar plant growth chamber design challenge it states “NASA scientists anticipate that astronauts may be able to grow plants on the moon, and the plants could be used to supplement meals.” Weaver’s students have actually built a lunar growth chamber of their own, and said she plans to plant the adventurous basil seeds to “see how they grow.” “We have a control group

of seeds [planted],” Weaver said. “We will compare the difference of the seeds that have remained here, and the ones that have gone up to space.” NASA officials say the EAP project is aimed at strengthening the nation’s future workforce by attracting and retaining students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) discipline, starting early in elementary and secondary education programs. Weaver taught second grade at Benjamin Banneker Elementary School last year, but has moved to the Chesapeake Public Charter School for the upcoming school year. She is slated to teach both first and second grades.

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