2010-03-18

See Page 16, and 17 for CouPon SPeCialS!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

www.soMd.coM

New Juvenile Detention Center Planned for SOMD

Story Page 5

New CO Taking Command at Pax River Story Page 9

Helping the Sick, Seeking the Lost Photo By Frank Marquart

PAGE 16

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

2

Your Paper...

Your Thoughts How has the Toyota recall affected you?

Dennis Raley, 35, the General Manager at Precision Tune in Lexington Park, said “a lot of the customers are leery … they want their brakes checked, they want throttle issues checked … but their biggest concern is safety.” He added that Toyota dealers were the best people to check out the cars for problems. In case of a malfunction, Raley said “the best thing to do is put the car in neuneu tral and shut the ignition off.

If you have a key igniigni tion, just shut it off as you would normally shut it off. If you have a newer Toyota like the Prius, which has a push button, then you want to apply your foot to the brake and push the button until the car shuts off.”

Tom Hodges, owner of Hodges Auto Sales and Service in Hollywood, said the recall hadn’t affected his business very much. “When it hit we didn’t have a lot of Toyotas in stock. We do have a Prius, and we’re kind of watching to see what happens with that … the general comment from customers to me is ‘if it’s a good deal, we’ll buy it’ so I haven’t seen people scared off completely from the cars … but they’re being cautious.”

MArch 19 & 20: hollywood & chArlotte hAll MArch 26 & 27: leonArdtown

10 AM - 6 PM

Gerald Goodwin, 45, of Great Mills said his 2003 Corolla was still treating him well. “I’m still happy with my Toyota,” he said.

“I haven’t had any acceleration problems, though I’m going to make sure they fix whatever they need to. I’m actually trying to sell my car.”

3

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

On T he Covers ON THE FRONT

Dr. Youngsik Moon, a surgeon based in Hollywood, recounts trips back to his native country, North Korea, in search of his sister who had been separated from his family since the Korean War.

ON THE BACK Will Fejes, Chris Rixey and Brian Frank are expected to lead the Knights back to the WCAC title game.

“We had no input on these proposed boundaries … we don’t have a degree, they think we’re a bunch of rednecks.”

- Tommy Zinn, Calvert County Watermen’s Association President on the governor’s oyster sanctuary plans.

Weather

Watch

county

Deputy Jack Curtis with Karen Bowling, left, and Susie Cousineau, both of the land records department of the clerk of circuit court’s office, standing with care packages being sent to troops overseas.

SEE PAGE 6

What’s Inside Royal Caribbean Sailing Year-Round From Baltimore!!!

9 Night Caribbean July 1st – November 4th St. Thomas, Samana, San Juan & Labadee

From $800 on 8/26

9 Night Canada/ New England

June 18th – October 7th Halifax, Bay of Fundy, Portland, Bar Harbor & Boston

From $849 Select Dates

12 Night Southern Caribbean

December 6th & December 27th Labadee, Samana, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten

From $899 on 12/6

*Prices per person and subject to change. Royal Caribbean International reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement. Additional restrictions may apply. Cruise only on select sail dates.

5 Night Bermuda June 26th – November 13th

From $449 Select Dates

9 Night Bahamas

Nov 18th – April 20th Key West, Nassau, Coco Cay & Port Canaveral

From $696 Select Dates

Book by 3/24 for $100 onboard credit on Book an outside or above by 3/22 and receive up to $200 OFF per stateroom!

Plus a 50% Reduced Deposit & Complimentary Specialty Dinner for Two! *

sports

301-884-4500 • 1-866-278-2512

Camontae Griffin falls to the ground after drawing a foul during the Seahawks’ 92-87 loss to Franklin & Marshall in the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 Friday night. SEE PAGE 29

4 7 8 9 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30

www.TakeMeCruising.com

Also Inside

County News Obituaries Money Defense and Military Editorial/Opinion Crime and Punishment Education Feature Story Newsmakers Community Community Calendar Columns Entertainment Games Sports Desk Sports News St. Mary’s College Lacrosse

stock market

For Weekly Stock Market cloSing reSultS, check Page 8 in Money

Open Mon – Sat

Located in St. Mary’s

Do You Feel Crabby When You Get Your Insurance Bill in the Mail? Give Us A Call.

@ V \ »SS ) L . SH K @ V \ + PK

Gary Simpson Katie Facchina

7480 Crain Highway La Plata, MD 20646 301-934-8437

April Hancock

PO Box 407 Bryans Road, MD 20616 301-743-9000

An Independent Agent Representing: ERIE INSURANCE GROUP Standing: Dan Burris, Jake Kuntz, Seated: Lisa Squires, Susan Ennis, Donna Burris

) \ YYP Z » 6 S K L ; V ^ UL 0 UZ \ YH UJ L Auto - Home - Business - Life Leonardtown & LaPlata • Bus: (301) 475-3151 www.danburris.com

The County Times

ews

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The average chocolate bar in the U.S. contains 8 insect pieces. "The Food Defect Action Levels", a book published by the U.S. Department of Health, lists unavoidable food defects allowed by FDA - like bug parts.

4

un Fact

Watermen See Oyster Sanctuary Issue As A Pivotal Moment

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

When about 100 watermen from around the state took time off work last week to protest against a proposed state plan to take some productive underwater oyster bars and turn them into sanctuaries, it was an uncharacteristic move that one of their kind says shows their plight.

“That’s how desperate they are,” said Tommy Zinn, president of the Calvert County Watermen’s Association.

Watermen, he said, feel that by taking away more waterway space that they have traditionally used to harvest their livelihood will put what few are left out of business.

Zinn also said that watermen are seldom if ever consulted on major plans to restore or preserve oysters by state officials; sometimes they feel as if they are being ignored outright.

“We had no input on these proposed boundaries,” Zinn said of plans to increase the percentage of oyster sanctuaries from 9 percent of productive bottom to 25 percent. “They were sprung on us.”

About the reception their ideas get in Annapolis from bureaucrats, scientists and environmentalists who are guiding policy on oyster restoration, he was more blunt.

“We don’t have a degree, they think we’re a bunch of rednecks,” Zinn said.

Robert Brown, president of the St. Mary’s County Watermen’s Association, said that the current plan would take productive bottom and let it grow without being touched by harvesting.

This would allow the protected oyster bar

ing about one million young oyster spat there per acre.

It’s extremely expensive, he said, often costing $10,000 to seed one acre.

“You may not get anything back,” Brown said of oyster losses from predators and parasites. “It’s a big risk and watermen don’t have $10,000 to throw overboard.”

Zinn said that there are only about 500 licensed watermen who harvest oysters left in the whole state where their numbers once stood in the thousands.

He said that their dwindling way of life might be on the way out for good because of proposed government regulation.

But officials with the state’s Department of Natural Resources say that the state must take drastic action in order to save both the native oyster and the watermen from extinction.

“We’ve spent $40 million since 1994 and we still have the same harvest,” said Tom O’Connell, head of DNR’s fisheries division.

DNR reports show Photo By Guy Leonard that the harvest has for Ben Parks Sr. and Tommy Zinn, both atermen, examine oysters as part of a species the past several years recovery project. to become silted over, Brown said, and make the oyster sanctuaries less productive for preservation purposes while at the same time taking from watermen’s livelihood.

“They’re taking a lot of valuable ground,” Brown said of the state’s efforts, adding that the state’s push to have watermen buy into aquaculture by leasing bottom from the state was also economically risky.

Under the current rules, he said, a waterman must cultivate at least 25 percent of any bottom he leases from the state, which includes plant-

been at just about one percent of the historical levels that made the region famous.

And while watermen fear the loss of productive bottom for harvesting, O’Connell said that less than 20 percent of this year’s harvest came from the areas proposed to become sanctuaries.

“What we’re doing now is not working,” O’Connell said. “You need to expand your sanctuaries and you need to look at aquaculture.”

The situation has become so dire for the native oyster, O’Connell said, that productive bottom was likely the only answer to reestablishing a population that was resistant to the MSX and dermo diseases that have ravaged the indigenous populations in recent memory.

If oysters are allowed to grow and prosper on sanctuaries, he said, they would theoretically also adapt to resist the decimating diseases.

Zinn said that of the bills currently up for consideration in Annapolis that could help watermen, proposals for power dredging the bottom to harvest oysters would likely provide the most hope for watermen if passed.

O’Connell and Zinn both agreed that dredging properly done helped to clean up the bottom and shell that larval oysters needed to attach to so they could eventually make a shell home.

But, O’Connell said, dredging was not a panacea and could even have a negative impact on the environment by flattening out oyster habitat.

The future of dredging for harvesting purposes, he said, was in question.

“There’s uncertainty about that,” O’Connell said. guyleonard@countytimes.net

5

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The County Times

Today’s Newsmakers In Brief On the $1 million the county has in a reserve fund.

“I see it as a slush fund.”

Commissioner Lawrence D. Jarboe (R-Golden Beach)

ews

On the possibility of a new juvenile detention facility coming to Southern Maryland “I’d be concerned about locating it here.”

Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly (D-Leonardtown)

County Owned Land Could Provide Paramedic Contract Helping Strained ALS Unit Leonard Volunteer Rescue Squad which ran about 5,500 Answer To Sewer Capacity Problem ByStaffGuyWriter calls last year.

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

A study commissioned by both the county government and commissioners of Leonardtown shows that county owned property could be used as an under ground irrigation site to place treated waste water, which could solve the problem of extra capacity to make way for an expanded detention center.

George Erichsen, director of the county’s Department of Public Works and Transportation, told commissioners that the two sites, the Hayden Farm and some land at the governmental center, seemed the most suitable for land application of treated effluent, though more tests have to be done to complete the determination of feasibility by using “hard science”.

Erichsen said that building a small treatment plant just for the jail expansion would be prohibitively expensive at $3.5 million and could only be used for that purpose, reducing its overall utility.

The two county owned sites were the best bets right now, he said.

“Both sites have to be analyzed because of requirements for reserve capacity,” Erichsen

said in a later interview. “As the jail goes forward this will go forward.”

By using treated effluent from the Leonardtown waste water treatment plant to irrigate land the county can free up treatment capacity at the plant that would have been used to treat water to the point were it could be safely expelled into nearby Breton Bay and eventually reach the Chesapeake Bay. This presents difficulties since planned upgrades to the town’s treatment plant have been delayed for more than a year since the down turn in the economy. And the state is still pressing for its requirements to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from treated water to a more stringent degree than ever before.

“This is the wave of the future,” said County Administrator John Savich about the solution to the capacity problem. “This is a substantial green initiative.”

Savich said St. Mary’s county could be the third county in the state to use a drip irrigationtype system to dispose of treated effluent.

Erichsen said that drip irrigation would allow for the disposal of the treated effluent under the surface of the land as well as the use of the surface above for sports and other activities.

Juvenile Detention Facility In The Works For Southern Maryland

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

A state proposal to build a new juvenile detention facility somewhere in the Southern Maryland region has local officials looking for more answers, and while state officials say that a site selection process has not even begun, the facility is a priority.

County Administrator John Savich said that law makers here first learned of the concept when they went to a hearing in Annapolis March 9 to testify for the need for funding to expand the county’s own adult detention facility in Leonardtown.

Savich said that there was much about the proposal the county did not know, such as when it would be built and certainly not where.

“There’s no sight selection process, this is an early warning,” Savich said. “I have no idea… when it would be built or what the site requirements are.”

Jay Cleary, spokesman for the state’s Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), said the proposal was under consideration and that the facility would likely be about 48 beds.

The center, estimated to cost $50 million, could go in one of four counties, St. Mary’s, Calvert, Charles or Anne Arundel, he said.

Cleary confirmed that his department had not yet selected a site for the new detention center.

“We are still in the process,” he said.

Cleary said that the rise in population re-

gionally necessitated more detention facilities for juveniles suspected of committing crimes.

“It mainly is because the Southern Maryland region is in desperate need of a facility because we have an expanding population overall,” Cleary said.

The other reason for the proposal was to allow juveniles from Southern Maryland to get treatment and counseling closer to home.

Some juvenile detainees receive treatment at the agency’s facility located in Cheltenham in Prince George’s County.

That facility, or at least part of it, is set to be rebuilt to replace an aging facility that has drawn much criticism from community and officials there for lack of security and poor conditions.

According to documents from DJS, funding for land acquisition and design of the Southern Maryland facility is available in the proposed fiscal 2011 budget and construction funding is planned in fiscal 2013 and 2014.

Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly (DLeonardtown) said that the possibility of having a new detention facility here brought concerns over security issues found at other sites around the state.

He said a lack of information on the proposal was due to poor information sharing between DJS and the county.

“It’s pretty difficult to say anything definitive about it,” Mattingly said. “You think they would have had the courtesy to make us aware they were considering this.”

A contract the county entered into last year with a Mechanicsville-based paramedic unit is taking some of the pressure off of county volunteers in the Advanced Life Support Unit, the outfit’s chief Carol Sullivan told commissioners Tuesday.

Since the contract was signed last year, she said, contract employees and volunteers have worked well together.

“It’s been a seamless transition,” Sullivan said. “They’ve blended well with the volunteer organization.”

Data provided by ALS unit records show that about 10 percent of the shifts last year were filled by the Patriot Ambulance Service while the vast majority, 89 percent, went to regular volunteers.

ALS vice president Mike Cahall said that the unit continues to be one of the busiest in the county, running just over 5,200 calls for service in 2009.

That put ALS second only to the Lexington Park

The contract with Patriot Ambulance has helped ensure that ALS can fulfill all of its shift requirements, Cahall said, and avoid missing calls for service for lack of a paramedic.

“It’s going well, we have not missed a shift in a couple of months,” Cahall said.

Before the contract, ALS leadership would often present a bleak picture of their ability to provide advanced emergency medical services to the county because a lack of volunteers put too much of a strain on personnel left to answer the growing demand.

Sullivan said that the goal of the ALS unit is to grow as quickly as possible to return the unit to an all-volunteer outfit.

“We have 48 volunteer medics but we need to increase by eight to 10 to go back to all volunteers,” Sullivan told commissioners, adding, however, that they need all the current medics to stay on board.

“We need to retain now more than we need to recruit,” Sullivan said.

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

6

ews Court and Police Officials Sent Easter Care Packages to Troops

By Sean Rice Staff Writer St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Circuit Court deputies and the St. Mary’s County Circuit Offices have organized Easter Care Packages to send to United States military personnel stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Deputy Jack Curtis first presented the idea to the various offices at the St. Mary’s Courthouse in February, and all offices and employees agreed to work together to gather care package items for the troops, reports Dfc. Cindy Allen, Deputy Jack Curtis stands with Karen Bowling. left, and Susie Cousineau, both of public information offi- the land records department of the clerk of circuit court’s office. cer for the sheriff. time for Easter. The group has assembled 25 care Joining the deputies’ efforts are the St. packages of donated items.

Mary’s Circuit Court Judges, Land Records, Cir“It is refreshing to see that in this time of ficuit Court Civil Section, Register of Wills and the nancial stress, frozen salaries, lay offs, loss of COSt. Mary’s County States Attorney’s Office.

LAs and furloughs, people are still supporting our The group sent out the packages on Wednes- troops and donating items to make the soldier’s day, March 17 and hope the packages arrive in holidays brighter,” said Deputy Jack Curtis in a press release.

Anyone interested in donating items or money for future care packages can contact Deouty Curtis at 301-475-7844 ext 1976, or drop items off at the St. Mary’s County Circuit Courthouse. The Deputies and Circuit Court offices are planning to send care packages to the troops again on Memorial Day and the 4th of July if enough donations are received.

The group is also accepting names and unit addresses of St. Mary’s County soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. If no names are received the group will ship the packages to the various units for distribution. Cash donations are welcome to help pay the cost of shipping the package.

See www.give2thetroops.org/ Photo by Frank Marquart Circuit Court Bailiffs Billy Simpson, left, and Stanley Williams sit with items.htm for a list of ideas of what Judge Michael Stamm. to donate.

St. Mary’s Hospital Launches Electronic Monitoring in Intensive Care Center

St. Mary’s Hospital went live with its new eCare system this month, which is an electronic monitoring technology in the hospital’s Intensive Care Center (ICC). The program complements local care utilizing critical care physicians and nurses based at Christiana Care Health System through a monitoring center in Delaware.

The system closely watches patient conditions from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. during the week and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays, the hospital said in a press release. This is done electronically utilizing video and audio technology combined with intelligent monitoring and alarm systems in hopes of improving survival rates, creating shorter hospital stays and reducing costs.

While maintaining patient privacy, the remote center closely monitors patients’ vital signs, labs and x-rays that stream in. The eCare system can immediately alert local caregivers, recom-

mending corrective action. This is not a substitute for on-site staff. It is a collaboration of direct care providers and remote critical clinicians working together on our ICC patients’ behalf.

“The collaboration required for development of this program was of great benefit to all involved,” said Dana Smith-Ruggles, director of ICC, Telemetry and 3 Central.

St. Mary’s is one of six hospitals in the Maryland eCare network and the third to roll out the program. This is the only such partnership in the state to establish this model of care for patients.

“We are very excited about all the possibilities of our combined knowledge and skills,” said Smith-Ruggles.

For more information on the Maryland eCare network, visit www.marylandecare.org.

7

Thursday, March 18, 2010

William Dent, 88 William John “Chief” Dent, 88, of Town Creek, MD passed away on March 12, 2010 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. Chief was born on July 8, 1921 in Detroit, MI. As an infant he was adopted by his maternal grandparents and grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Chief was a WW II veteran serving in the United States Navy for 24 years and retired as a Senior Chief while stationed at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in 1964. After his retirement from the Navy, he began working for Sheaffer’s Food Mart in Tall Timbers, MD. In 1978 he purchased the store which is now known as WJ Dent & Sons/ Chief’s Bar. Chief enjoyed serving the Tall Timbers community through his store. He was an avid reader of paperback science fiction books and also enjoyed fishing and his occasional trips to Canada to visit family and friends. He was never without a toothpick or his pocket planners.

He is survived by his children, Thelma K. Sparks of Great Mills, MD, Ralph A. (Tony) and Susan W. Dent of Hollywood, MD, David A. Dent of Town Creek, MD, and William A. (Andy) Dent of Tall Timbers, MD; his grandchildren Jessica M. Dent of Mattawan, MI, Darryl S. Sparks of Great Mills, MD, Rebecca L. Pratt of Houston, TX and Samuel L. Pratt of Hollywood, MD; his nephew Steve Dent and his family of Sudbury, Ontario, CA and his niece Arlene Rogers and her family of Texas.

He is predeceased by his wife Mary Jo, and his grandson Thomas T. Sparks, Jr. The family will receive friends for Chief’s Life Celebration on Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 5 until 8 p.m. at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A funeral service will be held on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 11 a.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home chapel. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross, NNMC Chapter, 8901 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20889; or the Second District Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692.

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

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

Robert Eberle, 53 Robert Francis Eberle, 53, of Lexington Park, MD died March 10, 2010 at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Born August 31, 1956 in Leonardtown, MD, he was the son of the late Warren Francis Eberle and Margaret Anne Moore.

A lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County, Robert enjoyed working as a carpenter building many houses throughout the county. He also enjoyed time with all of his grandchildren for whom he lived.

He is survived by his loving wife, Cynthia L. Day; four daughters, Cristy L. Harris (Jesse) of Hollywood, MD, Wendy J. Day of Lexington Park, MD, Megan F. Ramey of Lexington Park, MD, Sherre N. McCarson of Hollywood, MD; four sons, Jim Cogar of

The County Times

Madison, IN, Brian C. Eberle of Lexington Park, MD, Robert J. Eberle of Lexington Park, MD, and Shaine A. McCarson of Lexington Park, MD; five grandchildren, Ian M. Cogar of Madison, IN, Rayven A. Harris of Hollywood, MD, Jaden A. Eberle of Hollywood, MD, Alisha M. and Joseph R. Day of Lexington Park, MD. He is also survived by his siblings, Jay Eberle, Ray Eberle, Vivian Ferguson, Janet Noonan, Peggy Russell and Marge Eberle.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sons, Sean Eberle and Robert Lacey and one brother, Joseph Ferguson.

Family received friends for Robert’s Life Celebration on Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 9 until 10 a.m. at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Funeral Service was conducted at in the Brinsfield Funeral Home chapel. Interment was be private.

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

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

Charles Fadeley, 87 Retired Navy LCDR Charles “Chuck” Fadeley, 87, of Solomons Island, MD died March 12, 2010 at Asbury Retirement Center.

Born March 20, 1922 in Beckley, WV, he was the son of the late Howard Malone Fadeley and Georgia Champe Fadeley of Montgomery, WV. He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Muriel Yost Fadeley, formerly of Drexel Hill, PA and sisters Mary Fadeley Bouldin and Charlotte Fadeley Edmundson.

He is survived by his children, Robert S. Fadeley of Casselberry, FL; Stephen M. Fadeley of Drayden, MD; William B. Fadeley of Lynchburg, VA; Charles F. Fadeley, Jr. and Diane C. Fadeley of Lexington Park, MD, and his grandson Robert Shaun Fadeley of Tampa, FL. He is also survived by one sister, Anne Fadeley Ervin of Morgantown, WV and his companion Charlotte Delaney of Solomons, MD LCDR Fadeley graduated from Montgomery High School in 1940 and attended West Virginia Tech one year prior to admission to the USNA, Annapolis where he graduated in June, 1944. He then served on the heavy cruiser, USS Chester (CA27) in the Pacific until the end of World War II. This was followed by further cruiser duty and by assignment to several destroyer types, the last of which, the USS Kretchmer (DER329), he commanded for two years. In between sea duty assignments, he had the distinction of serving as an instructor at the USNA and USMA, West Point.

LCDR Fadeley’s last tour of active duty was at what is now the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, VA where he was Assistant Manager of the HERO program. He retired in 1964. After serving four years as Chief Engineer of the HERO tenant activity at Pax River, he returned to Dahlgren in a civil service capacity as Scientific Staff Assistant of the EM Hazards Division. He retired from Federal Service there Dec. 31, 1979.

Mr. Fadeley was a founding member

and first secretary of the Southern Maryland Chapter of the Retired Officers Association, founding member of the Southern Maryland Sailing Association; member of Calvert Marine Museum Society and member of Friends of Historic St. Mary’s City, and of SMC Arts Alliance.

He enjoyed family camping and gatherings, hiking, wildlife in general, watching football, gardening, keeping abreast of current affairs, and watercolors, but his consuming interest was sailing and boats in general.

Funeral services will be held at St. Anne’s Anglican Catholic Church, Charlotte Hall of which he was a former vestryman at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2010. The Rt. Rev. William McClean will officiate. Interment will follow at Trinity Church Cemetery, St. Mary’s City.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Anne’s Anglican Church, P.O. Box 289, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 or to the Hospice of St. Mary’s Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

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

Funeral arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD

Alfred Krol, 80 Alfred M. Krol, 80, of Lexington Park, MD died March 11, 2010 at Washington Hospital Center. Born May 20, 1929 in Trenton, New Jersey, he was the son of the late John and Helen Marie Tykarski Krol. A full obituary will appear at a later date. Condolences may be left to the family at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.

Donna Lyon, 58 Donna Lee Lyon, 58, of Clements, MD, died March 15, 2010 at Georgetown University Hospital. Born September 2, 1951 in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of the late Lester Eugene and Robbie Jewell Griffin Pierce. She was the wife of Albert L. Lyon, Sr. The family will receive friends on Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD where prayers will be said at 7 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 10 a.m. in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bushwood, MD with Fr. Francis Early officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. A full obituary will appear at a later date. Condolences may be left to the family at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.

Donna Shelton, 56 Donna Patrice “Patti” Shelton, 56, of Leonardtown, MD and formerly from Bladensburg, MD died March 12, 2010 in Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC. Born January 3, 1954 at Prince George’s Hospital in Hyattsville, MD, she was the daughter of the late Clyde Elsworth and Ada Veronica Beall Ammann. She was the wife of Robert Allen Shelton, Jr. A full obituary will appear at a later date. Condolences may be left to the family at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.

Caring for the Past Planning for the Future

Brinsfield Funeral Homes & Crematory

“A Life Celebration™ Home” Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home, P.A. 22955 Hollywood Road 30195 Three Notch Road Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 Charlotte Hall, Maryland 20650 (301) 475-5588 (301) 472-4400

for the love of

Money

The County Times

By Martin Warczynski If your PC/laptop has seemingly “slowed down” you may be ready for an upgrade of either your hardware/software or both. Before you take your PC to a bigbox store, consider a local provider. Often you will discover faster, friendly and reliable services.

My recommendation, if your PC is two years old or less, is to download the free Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. If your PC can run Windows Vista, it can probably run Windows 7. This utility will scan your laptop for potential issues with hardware, devices, and installed programs, and recommend what to do before you upgrade.

One of my laptops, which happens to be an Acer, required more memory to run Windows 7 effectively. The utility program identified my installed memory and made the recommendation to add more.

Other than memory, my system was ready to go, which made the transition a snap.

So, before purchasing a new computer consider hanging on to your current one. If you are not looking to upgrade just yet, PC Tuneup's and virus removal are standard services your local providers can perform, often within two business days.

Locally, TechChampion can provide you a Windows 7 license and upgrade within one to two business days. On-site service available in certain circumstances.

TechChampion – Managed Services Provider assisting small and midsized businesses make smarter technology decisions.

Call Martin at 240 434 1011, send written requests to Martin@techchampion.net Visit Online Blog at http://techchampion.wordpress.com

The Comedy Department

At the Leonardtown Fire House

Saturday , 2010 7 2 h c r a M Featuring

Mark Matusof

Voted D.C.’s top comic

By Washingtonian Magazine - And -

Kier

Musical Comedian who’s worked with such greats as Reba McEntire and Kenny Rogers Open Bar All Evening ‘Attitude Adjustment’ Hour from 6-7 p.m.

Delicious 3-course dinner catered by Auxiliary of the Leonardtown VFD Seating at 7 p.m.

Comedy Show starts at 8:30 p.m. $50 per ticket RESERVATIONS ONLY Call Roger Mattingly, 401.475.5966 or email at rogr69@verizon.net

8

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Although diamond is the hardest substance on Earth, when heated to 763ºC (1404ºF) it vanishes. A bit of CO2 is released, but not even ash remains.

un Fact

State Holding ‘PlanMaryland’ Forum The Maryland Department of Planning is 1970s, but a broader recognition of unsustainholding 13 public forums across the state to gain public input into its state growth plan called PlanMaryland.

Local residents are invited to participate in the only Southern Maryland forum from 6-9 p.m. April 8, at the La Plata campus of the College of Southern Maryland to provide input for PlanMaryland.

The forum is open to all people living in Maryland who are interested in the future of growth and development, housing, transportation, public school construction and environmental and preservation issues, the Maryland Department of Planning said in a press release.

“PlanMaryland is a process at this stage.

It’s designed to involve Marylanders in building a plan to create a better and more sustainable future for the state,” said Secretary of Planning Richard E. Hall. “The state legislature granted authority for a state development plan in the

Company

Wal-Mart Harley Davidson Best Buy Lockheed Martin BAE Systems Computer Science Corp.

Dyncorp International Inc. General Dynamics Corp.

Mantech International Corp.

Northrop Grunman Corp.

Symbol

WMT HOG BBY LMT BAESF CSC DCP GD MANT NOC

able sprawl growth patterns has grown in recent years to the point where such a plan is now urgently needed. We need to do a better job of planning growth toward areas that already have roads, schools and other public infrastructure.”

The first hour of the PlanMaryland forum, from 6 to 7 p.m., will feature an open house for attendees to meet and talk to State agency and local government staff and representatives of other community organizations. The main forum begins at 7 p.m. and will include an overview of the process, an interactive live polling activity and facilitated roundtable discussions.

For more information on PlanMaryland, or to RSVP to attend an event, visit plan.maryland. gov. RSVPs are not required.

The College of Southern Maryland is located at 8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata. The event will be held in the Center for Business and Industry, Atrium.

Close Close 3/17/2010 12/31/2008 $55.92 $27.10 $40.14 $84.80 $5.57 $54.39 $11.75 $74.54 $50.78 $64.91

$56.06 $16.97 $28.11 $84.08 $5.41 $35.14 $15.17 $57.59 $54.19 $45.04

Change

-0.25% 59.69% 42.80% 0.86% 2.96% 54.78% -22.54% 29.43% -6.29% 44.12%

Recovery Act Funds Available Locally for Employee Training The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland has $238,414 in funding available for employee training in Southern Maryland through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

A key provision of the ARRA is increasing the availability of training for workforce system customers and expanding the availability of existing training courses and curricula to meet local needs in Southern Maryland.

The ARRA allows the local Southern Maryland Workforce Investment Board (SMWIB) to contract with institutions of higher education, such as community and technical colleges or other eligible training providers.

Direct contracts with institutions of higher education and other eligible training providers also allow SMWIB to quickly design training to fit the needs of the job seekers and employers in the Southern Maryland region. Funds will support short-term training activities that result in a certificate or recognized credential.

This program is designed to assist local employers who are currently recruiting for positions within their companies better align the skills of their applicants with the needs of the job. As a result of the economy, many

highly-skilled workers who are ready to transition to new industries and careers will benefit as applicants.

“The success of this program will be measured by our ability to turn more job applicants’ resumes into suitable new hires,” Ellen FlowersFields, Director of Regional Economic Development at the Tri-County Council, said in a press release.

Employers are seeing highly qualified applicants who lack direct experience in their industries. This disconnect often results in the application not being considered. The SMWIB’s contract training program will pay for the cost to train that new hire in the specific areas needed to help the individual secure that job.

“This type of occupational matching addresses both the needs of the job seeker and the employer, aiding in helping local people secure local jobs and in business growth and sustainability,” stated Commissioner Gerald W. Clark, Chairman Tri-County Council.

Employers and HR directors interested in finding out how to access these recruitment services can contact their county business services representative. In Calvert County, contact Barbara DeHenzel at 443-550-6753.

9

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Capt. Schmeiser Taking Over As Commanding Officer

Capt. Stephen Schmeiser will relieve Capt. Andrew Macyko as Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Patuxent River

during a change of command ceremony on Friday, March 19.

The change of command ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. in the VX-1 Hangar 305 onboard the naval air station.

Capt. Schmeiser is currently the NAS Patuxent River executive officer, and has served in that position since July 2008.

Naval District Washington Commandant Rear Adm. Patrick Lorge is the planned keynote speaker at the event.

A native of Massapequa, Long Island, NY, Capt. Schmeiser graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry in 1984. He completed Aviation Officer Candidate School training and was commissioned an Ensign in March 1985. Completing primary f light training at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, he was awarded his pilot “wings of gold” in July 1986.

Capt. Schmeiser has had a long career in Naval aviation. Included in the highlights of his career is his position as the Deputy Program Manager for Development Programs in PMA-280, the Tomahawk Weapon System Program Office. Responsible for all

Tomahawk Weapon System Development Programs with a Team of military, civilian, and contractor personnel at 8 national sites with over $400M in TSPR responsibility, he planned and executed the integration and combination of PMA-280 and PMA282 Development Programs into a single PMA-280 Development Program Team. His development team also successfully demonstrated the first launch of a Tomahawk missile from a torpedo tube aboard a US submarine.

Capt. Schmeiser is co-holder of 9 altitude and airspeed World Records in the T-56A-427 powered E-2C Plus aircraft and he assisted in the development of new techniques evaluating Vmc (dynamic minimum controlled airspeed) for the E-2C Plus aircraft.

Capt. Schmeiser has accumulated over 3500 f light hours in 20 different aircraft and 291 arrested landings and was a US Navy select for the NASA Astronaut Program.

He is married to the former Molly O’Brien Daly of Lockport, NY, and they now reside in Leonardtown. The couple has two daughters, Keara and Maura.

Capt. Schmeiser’s decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Ribbons, and Expert Pistol Medal.

Capt. Stephen Schmeiser

For YourContinue Real Estate Needs.

JoinAll in and Supporting

St. Michael’s School!

Join in and Continue Supporting St. Michael’s School!

Thanks-A-Million To All Of Our Supporters!!

Thanks-A-Million To All Of Our Supporters!!

March 27 & 28 St. Michael’s Palm Sunday Brunch/Basket Auction/Sale 6:15pm – 7:30pm Friday Night Silent Basket Auction Flower/Book/Bake Sale 8:30am – Noon Sunday Brunch Silent Basket Auction Flower/Book/Bake Sale Easter Bunny For info, call 301-872-5454

Exercise Solid Curtain Coming to Pax River Exercise Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield will be conducted at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station during the week of March 22-26. As part of the exercise, there may be delays in base access.

Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield is an annual exercise conducted nationwide, and is designed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security personnel to respond to threats to installations and units. Solid Curtain/ Citadel Shield is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularlyscheduled exercise.

During a portion of the exercise, the Force Protection Condition of the base will rise to FPCON Charlie. At that time, Gates 1 and 3 will be closed for approximately 30 minutes, and all traffic entering Gate 2 will be subject to Random Antiterrorism Measures.

The measures include intensified security screening, 100 percent identification checks, and increased random vehicle checks.

After that period, Gates 1 and 3 will be reopened. However, cars passing through all three gates will be subject to Random Antiterrorism Measure screenings for the duration of the exercise.

HUNT FORD MERCURY

40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED ON ANY NEW MERCURY IN STOCK!

$100,000 Raffle!!!

Tickets cost $100 each Only 1500 Tickets to be sold Drawing to be held on Friday, June 11, 2010 at the Annual St. Michael’s Auction For tickets, call 301-872-5454

www.saint-michaels-school.org www.saint-michaels-school.org

Addie McBride

Cell: 301-481-6767 • Home: 301-737-1669 www.addiemcbride.com • addiemcbride@verizon.net

Good People Find Good Homes.

Franzen Realtors, Inc.

www.franzenrealtors.com • 22316 Three Notch Rd. Lexington Park, MD 20653 Office: 1-800-848-6092 • Office: 301-862-2222 • Fax Office: 301-862-1060

YOU Tell Us What YOU Want To Pay! FACTORY REBATES STILL APPLY!

HUNT FORD MERCURY 6825 Crain Hwy. • LaPlata, MD 20646

www.huntfordmercury.com 301-934-8186 877-934-8186

Offers on new vehicles sold from stock. Offer ends 4/1/10.

To The Editor:

The County Times

Voting Democrat This Fall? Remember To Factor-in The Following Democrats wield absolute power to fulfill their purpose irregardless of the minority party’s position or what American citizens want.

This elitist cram party is so full of itself they’ve snubbed the notion of who works for whom and intend to fulfill their agenda at any cost. Create a $12 trillion debt for your grand kids, so what.

Unemployment nationwide still hovers near 10% and yet, we hear things are pretty good, even better than expected. Take a good look around at the shuttering of businesses, the dispirited job hunters and the foreclose rate. Soon, the federal government will likely run your health care with self-aggrandizing bureaucrats. This party promotes unfettered abortion rights irregardless of what God Almighty (of the Holy Bible) declares.

The AAA projects gas will reach $3.25 per gallon this year thus your cost of driving, eating and otherwise living will continue to rise. Democrats are fiscally beholden to environmentalist lunatics who purpose to keep our own God-provided natural gas and oil supplies underground and off limits to American enterprises. China and Russia explore at will while billions of our nation’s wealth goes to OPEC only to seemingly fund fanatical Islamist terrorist. We’ve witnessed government intrusion into private industry with the control of GM and Chrysler in concert with that of insurance and financial institutions.

Socialism is now not only acceptable but gaining in favor among uniformed and unconcerned Americans as the apparent preferred alternative to our capitalistic roots. Despite our nations’ seeming myriad ills, five Democrat controlled states and the District of Columbia have brazenly provoked the Lord yet further in defiantly shaking their puny fists in his face via

government sanctioned homosexual marriage.

Have you considered our own new MD priority?

Today marks yet another change for the worse as we note the beginning of the end of America’s unwavering support of Israel. Liberals couldn’t care less that the apple of God’s eye is none other than Israel. What’s next?

Although teetering on the precipice of no return, all hope is not yet lost. If we will, our nation can repent (II Chronicles 7-14) and return to the Judaeo Christian heritage of it’s supernatural beginnings. Judgment can be averted and a glorious and God blessed horizon can be ours despite the blasphemous ranting of Rev Wrong-Wright.

We can reject Rev Hoax-Gore and his new Devil inspired state sponsored religion of Mother Earth worship. As God fearing, freedom loving Americans we can purpose to effect change. Learn the truth of conservatism, read our Constitution and recall our glory days under the extraordinary leadership of President Ronald Reagan. If unknown to you confer with a sensible seasoned citizen or review your history books. But, if you’re going for the books move quickly as hyper-secularistic liberals are rewriting history to indoctrinate America’s kids that we’ve been a rotten nation all along. They will that we eliminate the Almighty, buy in to the New World Order, submit to the UN and evolve on the order of declining countries, i.e., Germany, Greece and France. They even plan to manage our further decline for us. How Sweet!!

There are any number of bad Republicans but there are no good Democrats.

Chester Seaborn, Jr. Mechanicsville, Md

God Will Forgive You If You Ask

March is Women’s History Month, and a Women’s fair in Charles County has just celebrated “the Power of Women”. I didn’t attend, but I wonder if they celebrated women’s highest achievement, their power over life and death.

On Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme Court issued the Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton decision that gave each pregnant woman the authority to decide whether or not to abort her unborn baby.

That authority is unique and exclusive. It doesn’t require any justification for the abortion or oversight by a person, committee, etc. She has total authority, and doesn’t even need the knowledge or consent of the father. The Supreme Court decisions remove the father from the picture and render him helpless to protect the life of his unborn baby. In Maryland, pregnant teenagers don’t even need the knowledge or consent of their parents before having an abortion.

If you were born after Jan. 22, 1973. You are a member of the survivor generation (those who survived their time in the womb despite the Supreme Court decisions). Fortunately for you, your mother decided not to have you aborted.

Twenty to twenty-five percent of other unborn babies didn’t make it because they were abort-

ed. Any father who is proud of his children and any person born after that date should thank the mother for not aborting them; it was certainly within her government-given authority to have done so.

Unfortunately, that authority given to women by the government may be a curse instead of blessing, because accountability goes along with authority. God has blessed women with the capability and privilege of bringing children into the world. They, as well as each of us, are ultimately accountable to Him for our actions. In Exodus 21:22-24 KJV, God sets the punishment of “…life for life, eye for eye…” for anyone killing or injuring an unborn baby.

Fortunately, God loves us and is merciful and forgiving. If you are having second thoughts and are really sorry for your involvement with abortions, you can ask God and He will forgive you. If you are struggling with guilt about your part in abortions, many organizations and churches are ready and anxious to help you find the peace of mind to know that you are forgiven.

Robert Boudreaux Waldorf, Md

P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636 News, Advertising, Circulation, Classifieds: 301-373-4125

Thursday, March 18, 2010

10

Thanks for Making Stinky’s Benefit a Success On Saturday, March 6, 2010, a medical benefit was held for John “Stinky” Latham at the Mechanicsville Moose Lodge. John and his family extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Lodge, its members, and the community for making this event an overwhelming success.

The Mechanicsville Moose members truly gave of themselves and made sure all the details were handled to make this a memorable occasion. Several family members were so impressed that they signed up to become Lodge members that night! The band, Loose Cannon, kept the audience entertained and on their feet dancing the entire evening. Chaptico Market provided delicious stuffed ham to add to the great meal cooked and served by the Lodge members. Special thanks to Jimmy and Wayne

Suite and Steve Morgan for hours of their time in the kitchen and Jimmy and Wayne for great auctioneering. Donations and contributions made by family, friends, and businesses are too numerous to mention, but we hope you read this letter and know that we are very grateful to you.

The Mechanicsville Moose Lodge and all who participated in this event certainly exemplify by their actions that they are a community that cares and gives to those in need without reservation. What a wonderful example for all of us to follow!

With deepest appreciation, John “Stinky” Latham and family

March Is Red Cross Month The American Red Cross and its volunteers work every day to help save lives or rebuild lives that have been shattered by disaster – whether it is down the street, across the country and around the world.

March is Red Cross Month across the country, and we want to thank those supporters whose generosity helps us continue our service to those who need us, every day.

The Red Cross responded following the Haiti earthquake in January, working to turn despair into hope. The Red Cross is there in Haiti now – and we are also here in Southern Maryland each and every day for families who need us.

In the past year, the Southern Maryland Chapter Volunteers responded to local emergencies every 4-5 days last year, assisted over

700 military families with emergency communications and trained over 40 people per day each and every day people in lifesaving skills.

And, people from the Southern Maryland area donated thousands of units of blood.

Finally, Red Cross Month is a great time for people to get involved with the Red Cross, such as donating blood; signing up for a CPR, first aid or another Red Cross course; giving a financial gift that can save the day when the next disaster strikes, or getting involved as a volunteer.

You never know how good you look in Red! Mike Zabko, CEO Southern Maryland Chapter, American Red Cross

Do you have something to say?

Would like your voice to be heard?

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

E-mail letters to: opinion@countytimes.net

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

James Manning McKay - Founder Eric McKay -Associate Publisher..................................ericmckay@countytimes.net Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager..............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Sean Rice - Associate Editor.....................................................seanrice@countytimes.net Angie Stalcup - Graphic Artist.......................................angiestalcup@countytimes.net Andrea Shiell - Reporter - Education, Entertainment...andreashiell@countytimes.net Chris Stevens - Reporter - Sports......................................chrisstevens@countytimes.net Guy Leonard - Reporter - Government, Crime...............guyleonard@countytimes.net Sales Representatives......................................................................sales@countytimes.net

11

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right To Repair Act Important To Seniors Few consumer bills are as important to seniors as the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2057). Older Americans often live on a fixed income and many rely on trusted, reasonably-priced neighborhood repair shops to keep their vehicles serviced, repaired and operating safely. With thousands of car dealers closed, and many others closing, those independent repair shops are critical to keep seniors on the road.

The Right to Repair Act ensures that seniors can continue to enjoy the affordability and convenience of having their vehicles serviced locally. The bill makes certain that car owners, not car companies, retain the choice of where to take the vehicle for service by requiring equal access to repair information, safety bulletins and tools from vehicle manufacturers.

Without the Right to Repair Act, seniors may find their independence severely compromised if they are forced to go a car dealer for service and repairs, particularly if there is no dealership in their area. Worse yet, they may decide to forgo critical safety repairs because the distance to a dealership is too great.

RetireSafe strongly urges Congress to pass the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act to protect older Americans nationwide. We encourage vehicle owners to make their voices heard by visiting www. righttorepair.org and sending a letter to their U.S. Representative in support of the Right to Repair Act. Thair Phillips, President RetireSafe

The Peril of Potholes Are Upon Us

As the ravages of winter subside and temperatures rise, there is probably a pothole out there with your name on it. Record cold temperatures, snow and rainfall in many parts of the country have created the perfect storm for the motorists’ dreaded “perils of potholes period.”

Drivers know immediately when they hit a pothole. The heart-stopping, teeth-jarring noise is hard to mistake. However, it’s not always immediately clear if hitting the pothole caused damage to the vehicle, and to what extent.

Hitting a pothole can damage tires, wheels, steering and suspension, wheel alignment and more. The Car Care Council recommends that motorists who experience any of the following warning signs after hitting a pothole should have a professional technician at their local repair shop inspect the vehicle.

• Loss of control, swaying when making routine turns, bottoming-out on city streets or bouncing excessively on rough roads. These are indicators that the steering and suspension may have been damaged. The steering

and suspension are key safety-related systems. Together, they largely determine your car’s ride and handling. Key components are shocks and/or struts, the steering knuckle, ball joints, the steering rack/box, bearings, seals and hub units and tie rod ends.

• Pulling in one direction, instead of maintaining a straight path, and uneven tire wear. These symptoms mean there’s an alignment problem. Proper wheel alignment is important for the lifespan of tires and helps ensure safe handling.

• Low tire pressure, bulges or blisters on the sidewalls, or dents in the rim. These problems will be visible and should be checked out as soon as possible as tires are the critical connection between your car and the road in all sorts of driving conditions.

If you’ve hit a pothole, the Car Care Council can help you find a repair shop in your area. The council’s Web site features a “Find a Shop” locator at www.carcare.org/ carcare_location.

Rich White, Executive Director Car Care Council

IN THE MATTER OF CHARLES ALOYSIUS BOWMAN, JR. FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO C. ALOYSIUS BOWMAN In the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County, Maryland Case No.: 18-C-09-001609 NC

The above Petitioner has filed a Petition for Change of Name in which he seeks to change his name from Charles Aloysius Bowman, Jr. to C. Aloysius Bowman. The petitioner is seeking a name change because: It is his destiny.

Any person may file an objection to the Petition on or before the 26th day of March, 2010. The objection must be supported by an affidavit and served upon the Petitioner in accordance with Maryland Rule 1-321. Failure to file an objection or affidavit within the time allowed may result in a judgment by default or the granting of the relief sought.

A copy of this Notice shall be published one time in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least fifteen (15) days before the deadline to file an objection.

JOAN W. WILLIAMS, Clerk of the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County Maryland 03-18-10

To The Editor:

Legal Ads:

COMMISSIONERS OF LEONARDTOWN NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Leonardtown Mayor and Town Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 12, 2010 at 4:15 pm at the Town Office, 41660 Courthouse Drive, Leonardtown, MD on the following two ordinances: Ordinance #145 - Revised Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and Ordinance #146 - Revised Comprehensive Zoning Map. The purpose of the hearing will be to present for public review and receive public comment and the recommendation from the Leonardtown Planning and Zoning Board regarding the proposed revised Leonardtown Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Comprehensive Zoning Map. Copies of the documents are available for public review at the Town office. The public is invited to attend, or to send written comments to be received by April 12, 2010 at 3:30 pm to the Commissioners of Leonardtown, POB 1, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Special accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities upon request.

By Authority: Laschelle E. McKay, Town Administrator.

3-18-2010

NOTICE OF LEONARDTOWN ELECTION AND DEADLINE FOR FILING Election of three (3) Council members of the Town of Leonardtown will be held on Tuesday, May 4, 2010.

Notice is hereby given that an election of three (3) Council members of Leonardtown shall be held on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, and that the polls shall be open at the Town Office, 41660 Courthouse Dr., Leonardtown, Maryland, between the hours of 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM, on said date, for voting.

The deadline for filing is Monday, April 19, 2010 at 4:30 PM. Candidates may file at the Town Office, 41660 Courthouse Drive, Leonardtown, Maryland.

In order to hold elective or appointive office as Mayor or as a Town Council member one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the Town for at least one (1) year, and at least twenty-one (21) years of age. Property ownership alone does not qualify for election or appointment as a Town Councilmember Deadline for registration to vote is Friday, April 16, 2010 at 5:00 pm. Visit the Board of Elections office at 41650 Tudor Hall Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650, Monday through Friday, between the normal business hours of 8:00 am through 5:00 pm or call 301-4757844 ext. 1610 to request an application to be mailed to you or for more detailed information go to: http://www.co.saint-marys.md.us/supervisorofelections/index.asp Deadline for submitting a completed application for an Absentee Ballot is Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at the Town Office by 4:30 pm.

Deadline for Obtaining Emergency Ballot is Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 7:00 pm Emergency ballots are for any voter who, becomes unable to go personally to the polls because of illness or infirmity or condition of employment that occurred after the deadline for submittal of application for Absentee Ballot, (April 27, 2010).

VOTING QUALIFICATIONS To qualify to vote in a Town Election one must be registered. To register, one must be a citizen of the United States, at least eighteen (18) years of age, and have been a resident of the Town for a period of at least thirty (30) days preceding the election.

3-18-2010

COMMISSIONERS OF LEONARDTOWN NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The Leonardtown Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. at the Town Office, 41660 Courthouse Drive, regarding 22645 Van Wert Lane, Leonardtown, MD. The purpose of the hearing will be to present for public review and to receive public comment regarding a request, by applicant Van Wert, LLC, for clarification of the allowed uses for parcels #362, #363, and #364. Copies of the documents are available for public review at the Leonardtown Town Office. The public is invited to attend and/or send written comments to be received by April 7, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. to the Commissioners of Leonardtown, POB 1, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Special accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities upon request.

By Authority: Laschelle E. McKay, Town Administrator 3-18-2010

COMMISSIONERS OF LEONARDTOWN NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR BID PROPOSAL FOR CONSTRUCTION OF BRICK PATIO The Commissioners of Leonardtown will be accepting bids for construction of a 30’x40’ brick patio at Port of Leonardtown Public Park. All bids shall include base material, sand, pavers and installation.

Interested bidders shall obtain a copy of the RFP by contacting Laschelle McKay, Town Administrator, Commissioners of Leonardtown, POB 1, 41660 Courthouse Dr., Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 or by calling 301-475-9791.

Bids are due no later than 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 2, 2010. The Commissioners of Leonardtown reserve the right to reject any and all bids and proposals, and to accept any proposals deemed to be in the best interest of the Town.

3-18-2010

The County Times

Briefs Man Arrested On Charges Of Beating, Assault With A Weapon On March 9, 2010, deputies responded to a residence on Columbus Drive for a report of a domestic assault. The investigation revealed Joseph Edward Ball, 23, of Lexington Park, was involved in a verbal dispute with the victim, which turned physical when Ball allegedly kicked the victim in the face. Shortly after the assault, the victim’s brother arrived at the residence. The victim’s brother saw his sister on the floor bleeding and attempted to render aid. As the brother was attempting to render aid, Ball ran towards him with a wood stove cast iron shovel and allegedly attempted to hit the brother and the victim. Ball was tackled by the brother and subdued.

Ball was arrested and charged with first and second degree assault.

Arrest Warrant Leads To Drug Charges On March 9, 2010, deputies responded to the Hermanville Mobile gas station for a report of a wanted subject. Deputies located Jeffrey Kirk Berry, 52, of no fixed address. Berry had two outstanding warrants for his arrest and was arrested. A search of Berry’s person revealed a small plastic bag containing suspected cocaine. Berry was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, suspected cocaine.

Man Arrested On Assault, Drug Paraphernalia Charges On March 10, 2010, deputies were flagged down on Route 245 and Leonard Hall Drive in Leonardtown. The investigation revealed Jeffrey Alan Dement, 45, of Leonardtown, was engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim as they were driving down Route 245. The verbal dispute turned physical when Dement attempted to remove the keys from the ignition of the vehicle as the victim was driving the vehicle. The victim sustained scratches on her shoulder and neck as a result of Dement’s alleged assault. Dement was arrested for second degree assault. A search incident to Dement’s arrest revealed an aluminum smoking device concealed on his person. Dement was also charged with possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia.

Philip H. Dorsey III Attorney at Law

-Serious Personal Injury CasesLEONARDTOWN: 301-475-5000 TOLL FREE: 1-800-660-3493 EMAIL: phild@dorseylaw.net

Thursday, March 18, 2010

12

Man Arrested On Charges Of Child Molestation, Abuse

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A Mechanicsville man has been charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse and other sex offenses after police investigation last week and remains incarcerated at the county detention center on a no-bond status.

Michael Thirion, 49, has been charged with abusing two young females in his own family that he had close contact with over a period of seven years in this county.

But charging documents allege that there were other instances of abuse involving the same two females going back to 1998.

According to court documents investigators found that the two victims, now 15 and 19 years old respectively, had been abused by Thirion sexually as many as several times a week during the seven year period.

The abuse occurred when at least one of the females was at least eight years old, charg-

ing documents alleged.

The abuse included inappropriate sexual touching of the victims by Thirion, charging documents stated, and various sex acts that included him forcing them to perform on him and that he performed as well.

Investigators wrote in charging documents that other alleged abuses occurred across the region, country and even internationally in Charles County, Las Vegas, Nevada and in Ramstein Germany.

Thirion was served a protective order March 14 ordering him to stay away from any contact with the victims.

In all Thirion was charged with two counts of second and third degree sex offense, two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of sexually abusing a minor in a continuing course of conduct guyleonard@countytimes.net

Man Charged In Fatal Crash

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

crashed into two trees, police reports stated.

Police arrested Butler as he exited the vehicle, a 1995 Dodge pickup truck, and a police helicopter took him to Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly for treatment with non-life threatening injuries.

Butler’s assault charge stems from his alleged attack of a state trooper who was involved in the incident and police further alleged that they found cocaine in the truck both Butler and Chase were driving in.

Chase was pronounced dead on the

A man who police said sped away from them during a January traffic stop in Hollywood has been indicted in county Circuit Court for the negligent manslaughter of his passenger who was killed after the truck both were driving in crashed.

Tyrone Darnell Butler, 39, of Mechanicsville was arrested March 12 on the indictment and is currently incarcerated in the county’s detention center without the possibility of making bail, court records show.

The indictment issued against him also charges Butler with second-degree assault, possession of narcotics and two counts of fleeing and eluding a police officer.

The negligent manslaughter charge for the death of Francis Xavier Chase carries a 10-year prison sentence.

According to police reports regarding the Jan. 29 incident when a state trooper stopped Butler on Mervell Dean Road for speeding and asked him for identification; Photo by Sean Rice the name Butler gave, police A man involved in this Hollywood crash has been indicted on negligent say, came up as a person with manslaughter charges. a suspended license.

When two troopers attempted to arrest scene of the crash though paramedics had Butler on the scene he fled in his vehicle and attempted to save his life, police reports sped onto Route 235. stated.

After leading police on a chase for about two-and-a-half miles Butler turned down guyleonard@countytimes.net Vista Road and came to a driveway where he

Drug Indictments Charge 18 in Tri-County Area

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

www.dorseylaw.net

Indictments from the St. Mary’s County Grand Jury are charging 18 defendants from St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties with 35 separate criminal counts involving mostly the distribution of cocaine and oxycodone.

The names of the defendants are not being released until the arrest warrants have been

served, according to information from State’s Attorney Richard Fritz’s office.

The indictments are a result of an investigation that took place over the past year by local and state police narcotics officers, a state’s attorney office press release stated.

The prison sentence for a felony conviction involving narcotics is a possible 20 years. guyleonard@countytimes.net

QBH Forest Knolls County Times Full Ad:Layout 1 Thursday, March 18, 2010 13

1/27/10

The County Times

2:32 PM

Page 1

Introducing Forest Knolls

Quality Built Homes Newest Community Located in Mechanicsville, Maryland.

New single family homes on 1 acre lots starting from $359,900.

MHBR No. 103

For more information about Forest Knolls, or any of our QBH developments, log on to

www.QBHI.com or call Jack Fegeley O'Brien Realty, 301-592-7328.

In The

Know

The County Times

Education

CSM Leads Summer Adventures at Kids’, Teen College

Rockets will blast off toward distant galaxies, acrobats will swing under the Big Top, super heroes will jump off the pages of comic books, robots will come to life, and sports and singing stars will be born-all right here in Southern Maryland at this summer’s College of Southern Maryland’s Kids’ and Teen College camps. Kids ages 5 to 17 will arrive on CSM’s La Plata, Leonardtown and Prince Frederick campuses beginning June 21 for eight weeks of adventure and academics through Kids’ and Teen College.

New this year are full-day camp options for 5- to 6-year-olds, building a sustainable solar-powered model home, American Sign Language and circus camps led by a graduate of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus Clown College.

Robotics, game design and 3-D animation workshops have added sections and levels the past CSM Professor of Mathematics Sandy three years, and stuPoinsett, third from left, instructs Kids’ dent requests have College campers on game design and led to the addition creating 3D animation. of an all-day VEX robotics class for high school freshmen and sophomores.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classes are taught by CSM faculty. Sports, languages and literature, arts and crafts, dance, music and theater are taught by high school and middle school teachers.

Registration is underway for all summer offerings at Kids’ and Teen College. For information, visit www.csmd. edu/KidsCollege.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Blackbeard often fired incendiary cannonballs filled with beeswax, fat and gunpowder. They exploded upon impact, burning with the ferocity of napalm.

14

un Fact

Unions Reach Agreement With School Board

By Andrea Shiell Staff Writer

tory for educators, many of whom were distressed at the news they would not be receiving step increases during the 2009On March 11, after working since the 2010 school year. fall of 2009 to develop agreements over “People were very upset about it, and teacher pay, St. Mary’s County Public that is why, when we did our survey …

Schools reached an agreement with both it was recovering that step, and getting the Education Associaour step for the tion of St. Mary’s County coming year, (EASMC) and the Collecthat were the tive Education Associatwo top items tion of St. Mary’s County on the survey,” (CEASMC) that will reshe said. cover the lost step increase For the for teachers but not include 2 010 -2 011 a cost of living increase. school year, the EASMC Vice Presimerit step will dent Wanda Twigg told be implemented The County Times that in April 2011. cost of living increases Staff members vary depending on the in the highest terms established in each pay brackets negotiated agreement. who are no lon“The cost of living ger subject to allowance is whatever we step increases negotiate it to be, it’s never will instead rea set amount,” she said, ceive a one-time explaining that increases $750 stipend on usually average two or June 30, 2011. three percent, but the asTopics such sociation would not know as extra pay Photo By Frank Marquart until their next negotiated for extra duty, agreement if any cost of EASMC President Wanda Twigg salary scales, living increase would be compe n sat or y implemented. time, and adThe agreements provide for step re- vancement opportunities are going to be covery for the merit step not received by studied for future consideration, and may qualifying staff during the 2009-2010 be addressed during the next round of school year, which will now be received negotiations. in October 2010. Twigg described the “Those topics are kind of big and recovered step increase as a major vic- complicated, that’s why we’re studying

them. We’ve been working on the extra pay for extra duty, and the salary scales … and we’ve worked on them for about a year and a half,” said Twigg, adding that ideas so far have included compressing scales, taking out frozen steps, and reducing the number of steps so that teachers can reach their maximum pay faster.

After the associations and the school system reached their agreement on the afternoon of March 11, Superintendent Michael Martirano commented, “I have made it a top priority to fairly compensate our staff, even at a minimal level, for the outstanding work that they do today in building strong futures for tomorrow.

Our highly effective teachers, our support staff, and the leadership of our administration do so much with the limited resources we have to make St. Mary’s County Public Schools one of the leading school systems in the state.”

The same sentiment could be heard in Twigg’s comments to The County Times, though she noted that difficult times were still coming for educators.

“We’re disappointed that we couldn’t get a cost of living adjustment, we definitely understand that a lot of folks are going to take a cut in pay … and they won’t get any additional money until June 30, and their health costs will go up,” she said, adding though that the school system had done its best to fairly compensate staff.

“I don’t think the school system could have done better because their budget has been cut so drastically,” she said, “but kids are doing really well and the staff is working really hard to make these things happen.”

15

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

We Really Don’t Mess Around!

You Want It Sold?

CALL US

WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU DURING TAX SEASON AND BEYOND! Let us take care of all of your Tax, Accounting and Bookkeeping needs.

• Individual Income Tax Planning & Return Preparation • Corporate Income Tax Planning and Return Preparation • Partnership & S Corporation Pass-Through Entity Tax Planning & Return Preparation • Estate Tax Planning & Return Preparation • Fiduciary (Trust) Tax Planning and Return Preparation • Payroll Tax Returns Preparation and Issues Resolutions

WE ALSO OFFER: • Bookkeeping Services: We come to you or you come to us, either way, we get the job done right!

21988 FOX RIDGE RD, LEXINGTON PARK, MD 20653 ML#: SM7153435 LP: $199,900

41411 PHILIP LN, LEONARDTOWN, MD 20650 ML#: SM7142941 LP: $750,000

23560 PATUXENT BEACH RD, CALIFORNIA, MD 20619 ML#: SM7141738 LP: $299,000

21985 PHILIP DR, LEONARDTOWN, MD 20650 ML#: SM7177760 LP: $599,900

37995 BEACH RD, COLTONS POINT, MD 20626 ML#: SM7221161 LP: $495,000

18981 LITTLE POND LN, VALLEY LEE, MD 20692 ML#: SM7187915 LP: $395,000

EXTRA DEEP fenced back yard & deck. 4BR/2 FB + GARAGE! New roof, flooring, refrigerator, range hood & dishwasher, furnace & AC, garage door opener, crawl space insulation, some electrical. Exterior vinyl siding & windows replaced about 10 yrs ago.

Perfect marsh waterfront for the kayaker. 4 bedroom 3 full bath 2 story on approx 2 acre lot.

Nice setting with over 20 dogwood trees! Screened porch looking at the Creek.1 car + garage, 2 gas fireplaces, circular blacktop driveway. Plat and appraisal at property. Great location.

4 BR 3 full BA contemporary on Breton Bay! Incredible view with pier, 2 boat lifts, sandy beach, patio, deck, fireplace, 2 car plus garage, sun porch, separate den or office area. Professionally landscaped lot.

Custom home in The Mulberrys. Prof. remodeled/decorated, new MBath, honed granite KIT counters, FamRm w/stone hearth FP, screened porch,deck, wet bar in spacious Lower Lvl(can easily handle 5th BR) custom window treatments, boat lift.

• QuickBooks Workshops: Look out for workshop dates for 2010 at our La Plata and Leonardtown offices.

• Business Valuations: Whether you are thinking of buying a new business or in the midst of a difficult divorce, the amount attached to the value of your business is important.

• Accounting & Auditing Services: Certified Fraud Examinations, Nonprofit Organizations, and much more.

Call us for an initial assessment of your individual, business or not-for-profit needs 105 Centennial Street, Suite D La Plata, Maryland 20646 Phone: 301-934-5780 Fax: 301-934-9162

23507 Hollywood Road Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 Phone: 301-475-5671 Fax: 301-475-9108

www.aaacpa.com Admin@aaacpa.com

Island with incredible open Potomac River views from the front of the house & Dukehart’s Creek out of the back. Enclosed porch, new pier, brand new septic system, newer well.

Adorable cottage in great condition AND a 1-car garage!! Riprap in place, seller says no flood insurance required.

Brooks & Barbour

www.brooksandbarbour.com 23063 Three Notch Rd. California, MD 20619 Office: 301-862-2169 Fax: 301-862-2179 Lucy Barbour lucybarbour@mris.com CELL: 301-904-9914

Karen Alford Brooks karenalfordbrooks@mris.com CELL: 301-481-0644

The County Times

Cover On The

Customer Must Present Original Coupon.

Purchase Required. No Cash Back

coupon

1

$

00 off

on Any Meal o name:

EXPIRES 04/01/10

21591 Great Mill Road Lexington Park, MD 20653 301-866-0850

phone

address:

#:

coupon

STUDIO 5 HAIR GALLERY & DAY SPA 30051 Point Lookout Rd, Mechanicsville • Rt. 5 - North of Leonardtown

5

$ 00 name:

oFF

Any Salon or Spa Service Any color or Hi Lite Minimum $30 Service EXPIRES 04/01/10

phone

address:

301.884.3553

Located in Helen, MD next to Hills Country Store and the Helen Post Office

#:

coupon

$5

40874 Merchants Ln. • Leonardtown, MD

00 purchase of off

301-997-1700

$25 or more

Valid Sunday thru Thursday.

Dine-in or Take-out. Expires 04/01/10. name:

phone

address:

#:

coupon

1

$

Any 00 on Meal

off

EXPIRES 04/01/10

21591 Great Mill Road Lexington Park, MD 20653

301-866-0850 name:

address:

16

17

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Cover

Local Doctor Returns to Childhood Home in Search of Lost Sister

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

20815 Callaway Village Way Callaway, Md 20620 301-994-9439

Thursday, March 18, 2010

phone

#:

Dr. Youngsik Moon, a local surgeon with a practice in Hollywood, knows about loss. As a young teenager growing up in Pyongyang, North Korea his life was shattered by the war between his country and South Korea in the early 1950’s.

Eventually he and his family made their way to South Korea in a hurried evacuation after the U.S. forces, who had pushed the invading North Koreans back, were repulsed by hordes of com communist Chinese soldiers.

While most made it to freedom, his younger sister and grandmother did not.

In 2000, Moon began his search for his sister after nearly 40 years of absolutely no contact.

He’s been back to Pyongyang a total of four times, he said, to find what the war between his own countrymen took from him.

So far he’s had no success, but he has not given up hope yet, he said.

Moon can remember the journey to get away from the war when he was only about 13 years old.

At first the family moved farther south in North Korea and eventually made it to South Korea.

“All we had was the packs on our backs,” Moon said, adding that family members tried to persuade their grandmother to bring herself and his sister Youngsun, to escape the fighting nearly

60 years ago.

But a cold North Korean winter kept the grandmother and sister in doors. No one has heard from them since, Moon said.

“She’d be about 68 now,” Moon said, adding that going back to his homeland is an ordeal.

“They [the U.S. State Department] don’t recommend you to go there but there are church groups that help people get to North Korea,” Moon said. “We go there to teach them and help them out.”

Those church groups allow doctors like Moon to go to North Korea and help people there who suffer all manner of privations under an iron police state.

Along with doctors come medical supplies and diagnostic equipment, Moon said, who performs operations like appendectomies for North Koreans who can’t often access even the most basic care.

Tuberculosis is rampant there, Moon said, and about 10 percent of the population suffers from it.

Even as a guest in North Korea providing much needed medical aid, Moon said he can feel the eye of a police state strengthened by more than 50 years of communist isolation from the outside world.

His movements and interactions with people in the capitol of the Hermit Kingdom, as it is sometimes known, are strictly controlled and he is not allowed to search for his sister on his own.

When he travels to Pyongyang after getting a visa from the North Korean embassy in China, he is taken through the countryside by vehicle and not allowed to speak to anyone in the villages.

Most of those he has seen, though, are suffering more than their counterparts in the cities.

Most are emaciated since rice and other food staples are often in severely short supply.

In the midto-late 1990s the country suffered intense famines, according to inter national news reports at the time, and Moon said that South Korean sources put the death toll from starvation at between one-totwo million.

“I cannot look for my sister myself, I have to depend on them,” Moon said of the authorities who Photo By Frank Marquart watch them dur-

On The

please contact the county times

301-373-4125

at

win

use all

$100 in cash prizes by using these coupons!

four $25 winners 8 coupons and get 8 chances to win.

coupon

$5

00 purchase of

name:

off $25 or more

phone

address:

Expires 04/01/10.

#:

coupon

40845 Merchants Lane • Leonardtown, MD 20650-3771 • (301) 475-8838

25

framing order % entire or home decor

off EXPIRES 04/01/10. Not valid on any previous purchases.

name:

Dr. Youngsik Moon as seen from the perpective of a patient on the operating table.

ing their stay. “They are watching us.”

While travel from outside the country is heavily restricted, citizens cannot even travel from town to town without government approval, Moon said, and even in Pyongyang there are checkpoints established throughout the city to keep tabs on all movement.

“You cannot travel inside the country without permission from the government,” Moon said.

“People in Pyongyang have assigned apartments and food rations. Everyone works for the government and they have a meager salary.”

The few people there he is able to meet, he said, are hard working and dedicated to their jobs, but finding joy in the average person’s life is difficult.

Even though Moon speaks their language and looks like them, he said, they know that deep differences divide them, hence their silence.

“They don’t talk to you about what they think,” Moon said. “They know you’re different.”

Moon said that the first couple of trips to North Korea alternately had him excited and on edge.

While there he must guard closely his own thoughts and speech to ensure he does not draw the attention of authorities, if he speaks out against the government oppression he would almost certainly be expelled and never allowed to return to search for his sister.

The government has a powerful grip on the

phone

address:

#:

Photo By Frank Marquart

thoughts and actions of its people, he said, and tensions are still high with South Korea and the United States since an armistice was signed in 1953 putting a halt to combat in the Korean War. Both sides have since had military might massed on either side of the demilitarized zone for decades poised for combat.

Since the mid 1990s the North Korean state has sought to manufacture nuclear weapons and most recently news and intelligence reports have shown they have developed such devices.

“For the past 50 years they’ve been brainwashed,” Moon said of the average citizen living there. “The only thing they see is government propaganda.”

Despite all the despair in his homeland Moon said he might one or two more trips back to North Korea to look for his lost kin.

He holds out hope that she might still be alive, but he still feels sadness at what has become of his childhood home through years of oppression.

“I just feel sad,” Moon said. “I know every corner of that city… it reminds me of my younger days.

“In every way they are restricted. They don’t enjoy any liberty.” guyleonard@countytimes.net

coupon

MARTIn’S AuTo TEcH Automotive And Transmission Repair • 301-373-2266

$10

00

cooLAnT FLuSH

$89

99

oFF

regular priced oil change

expires 04/01/10

23867 Mervell Dean Rd. • Hollywood, MD

name:

phone

address:

#:

coupon

29

$

99

oil change, Filter, Tire Rotation Up to 5 quarts of oil. Does not include diesel or synthetic oil. Expires 04/01/2010

name:

address:

www.curtistire.net phone #:

The County Times

Your St. Mary’s County Real Estate Expert Providing Comprehensive Real Estate Services to Home Buyers and Sellers

Ron Wimmer

Century 21 New Millennium ron.wimmer@c21nm.com Work: 301-737-3636 Mobile: 240-434-1471 Fax: 301-862-2179

Win a 32” HDTV!

Sign up for a Free Market Snapshot, and you will be automatically entered to win!

Go to www.ronwimmer.com/win-a-tv.asp to sign up.

FREE BUYER CLASS & $500 off your Closing Costs!

Are you interested in a Webinar or Live Class for Buyers?

Go to Website: ronwimmer.com. Enter Ron Wimmer as referrer. You can prequalify for your loan before class! 3 FREE items, if you attend the live class.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Newsmakers

American Legion Auxiliary Declares Essay Contest Winners

By Andrea Shiell Staff Writer The American Legion Auxiliary, (ALA) Ridge Unit 255, has announced the winners of the annual Americanism Essay Contest entitled: “What is my Patriotic Role as a U.S. Citizen?”

This year’s winners were as follows: • In Group 1 (grades 3 and 4), first place went to Alexi Benson from Town Creek Elementary, second place went to Isabella Aldridge from Town Creek Elementary, and third Place went to Thomas Macyko from Little Flower School.

• In Group 2 (grades 5 and 6), first place went to Haley Mesmer from Town Creek Elementary, second place went to Judith MacConnell from Greenview Knolls Elementary, and third place was awarded to John Fore from St Michael’s School.

Celebrity Solstice Sailing Year-Round to the Caribbean!!!

“Sail The Caribbean In Cosmopolitan Style” starting from:

$86

18

• In Group 3 (grades 7 and 8), first place went to Alyssa Davison from Little Flower School, second place went to Steven Molitor from St Michael’s School, and third place was awarded to Joss Goldsborough from St John’s School.

Public Relations Chairman Shirley McKay said that cash awards and certificates of participation are being presented to the winners, but that actual award ceremonies will be conducted at each of the students’ schools.

“We used to have a ceremony and they would come to the Legion to get their awards,” she said, “but now we give them to the school, and each school has their own program for the awards.”

The first place essays are being sent on for further competition at the Southern Maryland District level, said McKay. “The first place winners have been forwarded to the Southern Maryland District level competition. This is a national program. You have state level, and district level, and unit level, which is us,” she said.

“Their essays have been sent to the Southern Maryland district, and they should probably reach a decision by the end of the month.”

15 schools in St. Mary’s County were contacted and invited to participate in this year’s contest, which ran from Nov. 1 to Feb. 1. McKay said that third and fourth graders “only had to have 150 words, and the older ones had to have more, but that’s the only difference.”

The essays themselves were judged on grammar, syntax and content. Of the 15 schools contacted, 10 chose to participate, submitting a total of 269 essays.

“I’m surprised that more schools didn’t participate,” said McKay, “but I guess they must all have their own events and contests happening, so they might be busy. But I think it’s really good for the students to do things like this.”

All participating schools were given an American flag, and winners were given cash awards. McKay said that first place winners stand to receive more cash if they progress to the district and state levels.

American Legion Donates to Veterans

*

per person, per day

7-Night Eastern & Western Caribbean Roundtrip Fort Lauderdale March 14 through October 31,2010 ENJOY THESE ADDITIONAL OFFERS, TOO.

FREE

Upgrades from Ocean View to Veranda*

From

$399*

per person

3rd/4th Guests in Veranda*

$200 off

when you book a back-to-back Caribbean cruise on Solstice*

*Prices are per person, double occupancy, cruise only on select sail dates and categories. Prices and availability are subject to change. Government taxes and fees are additional. Onboard credit is per stateroom. Back to back is $100 per cruise. ©2010 Celebrity Cruises, Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta.

Book select dates by 3/19 & receive Up to $50 onboard credit!*

Open Mon – Sat

301-884-4500

Located in St. Mary’s

TakeMeCruising.com

1-866-278-2512

American Legion Post 255 in Ridge, Donated $2,000 to the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home for its wheelchair project and its veterans assistance fund, which provides funds for miscellaneous expenses for residents including dentures, eyeglasses, and burial for indigent veterans.

Joseph “Lindy” McKay (left) presented the checks to Sharon Mattia (right), Director of the Veteran’s Home Program.

Any group wishing to donate or volunteer at the Veteran’s Home can contact Sharon Mattia at 301-884-8171, ext. 1402.

19

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Community “Hi, my name is Shadow and I’m a very special approximately six year old male Pekingese/Pug mix. I’m a little guy with a big heart and now I’m looking for my new home where I can get plenty of love 24/7! I get along with other dogs but I’d be happier in a home with older children. I’m up to date on vaccinations, neutered, crate trained, house trained and identification microchipped.

For more information, please call SECOND HOPE RESCUE at 240-925-0628 or email katmc@secondhoperescue.org. Please Adopt, Don’t Shop!”

Classic Clippers, LLC Barber Shop

Christopher Richards Owner/Barber 26330 Three Notch Road Mechanicsville, MD 20659 301-373-2044 Tuesday – Friday 9:30 – 6:00 Saturday 8:00 – 2:00

Don’t

pay your auto

insurance yet!

Stephen D. Mattingly

Insurance, Inc

and Erie Insurance may save you up to 30% with:

Safe Driver Discount Multi-Policy Discounts Life Multi-Policy Discount Multi Car Discounts Pay Plan Discount

First Accident Forgiveness & Feature 15 incentives Reliability and Service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Top Row: Carolyn Quade, Shirley Mattingly and Barbara Livingston Bottom Row: Betty West, Steve Mattingly and Alice Kingsley

STEPHEN D. MATTINGLY INSURANCE, INC Auto • Home • Business • Life

301-884-5904 Upcoming Events: Fishing Tournament • 5K Walk/Run • Comedy Show Watch for Details

Fax 301-884-2884 28290 THREE NOTCH RD. • MECHANICSVILLE, MD 20659-3234 steve.mattingly@verizon.net • www.MattinglyAgency.com

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

20

Community

Heating & Air Conditioning “THE HEAT PUMP PEOPLE” 30457 Potomac Way Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 Phone: 301-884-5011

Est. 1982

Lic #12999 snheatingac.com

Call In to Pick Up

Fresh Fish Dinners Fresh Oysters Fresh Homemade Soup Cream of Crab Vegetable Crab

Open

Saturday, April 3rd from 9am to 7 pm (the day before Easter)

Call in now to place your order for

Party Platters for Easter Crab Balls, Shrimp, & Fried Oyster Platters

Seafood Corner Market (301) 884-5251 • Fax (301) 884-2920

Open Tuesday - Sunday

All types of Seafood Platters

The Comedy Department at the Leonardtown Fire House Looking for a great date night that is not going to cost you an arm and a leg? Come to the Leonardtown Fire Department on Saturday, March 27, for The Comedy Department, featuring Mark Matusof and Kier.

Enjoy a buffet dinner, prepared by the Auxiliary of the Leonardtown VFD, featuring steamship round, stuffed chicken breast, crab balls and all of the fixings, an open bar and entertainment by two very funny guys – for $50 a person.

A former aerospace engineer, Mark Matusof is fast becoming a favorite entertainer across North America – from Las Vegas to the Bahamas. Based in Kier Washington, DC, he has been described in the press as “funny without being vulgar or nasty” and “going the smarter, hipper direction to the joke.” He has appeared on Night Shift, CNBC’s America’s Talking Network, XM Satellite Radio and the nationally syndicated “Bob and Tom” radio show. Look for material ranging from his immigrant family to the aggravations of modern life and the fragility of the male ego.

As a boy Kier wanted to grow up to be a singer-songwriter, he even went to college on a music scholarship and spent a great deal of time trying to write that great song. But after seeing Steve Martin live and how he mixed comedy and music started him thinking. Kier has opened for Don McLean, Roy Orbison, Randy Meisner, Reba McEntire and Leon Russell. In 1993 he was named National Association of Campus Activities Coffeehouse Entertainer of the Year.

His show will mix original music and life stories, along with comedy Mark Matusof and impressions.

The evening starts at 6 p.m. with an “Attitude Adjustment” Hour, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The Comedy Show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and all proceeds go to the Leonardtown Fire Department. This is a great evening supporting a great organization. Tickets are going fast – and it is reservations only! Make your reservation now. Call Roger Mattingly at 301-475-5966 or email at rogr69@verizon.net.

21

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The County Times

Tracing Irish Roots

Jessie Daugherty, Vice President of the Cedar Lane Resident Association introduced guest speaker Mr. William “Mac” McGarity (USN retired) at the March resident association meeting. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, McGarity talked to residents about his travels to Ireland and tracing his own family’s heritage.

UMD Student Wins iPod Touch

A University of Maryland student who lives in Hollywood, Md., Anna Dix, recently won an iPod Touch which was presented by Dan Wood, Information Systems Specialist from the Southern Maryland Regional Library. More than 600 entries were submitted by library customers at the three St. Mary’s County libraries as part of a promotion for i-COSMOS, a new library application for the iPod Touch and iPhone. The free application allows convenient access to library services from these devices and will soon be available for Blackberry users, as well.

Come Meet Local Jewelry Artist

Julie O’Brien

On Saturday, April 20th from 11 am – 3 pm Julie O’Brien is using local sea glass that she picks up on St. Mary’s County Beaches. Her stones are one of a kind. She sells her jewelry exclusively at the Apple Basket in Mechanicsville, Md. She can custom make jewelry just for you.

Come by on Saturday to meet her and view her creations.

Huge CroC Sale! the

Apple Basket 27056 Mt. Zion Church Rd • Mechanicsville, MD

301-884-8118

The County Times

Thursday, March 18

• Lenten Seafood Dinners Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (Lexington Park) – 4:30 p.m.

For more info call the office at 301-863-8144.

• Cheesesteak Night VFW Post 2632 (California) – 5 p.m.

• Literacy Council Tutor Training Workshop Lexington Park Libarary – 5:30 p.m.

Spring training workshop for new tutors on March 18 and 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information contact the Literacy Council at 301-863-4847, or go to stmalit@somd.lib.md.us.

• Chopticon High School: “PIPPIN” Chopticon High School – 6 p.m.

The school and Bravehouse Productions present the hit musical “PIPPIN” from Thursday, March 18 through Saturday, March 20 at 6 p.m. $7 general admission, $5 for students with school I.D. • $25 Texas Hold’Em Tournament Sunshine Oasis (St. Inigoes) – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 19 • Fish Fry Friday Butler’s Place (Lexington Park) – 12 noon In support of the Elijah International Foundation (www.teif.org). Every Friday from Feb. 26 to Good Friday (April 2). Menu includes $10 fish dinners (with 2 sides) and $6 fish sandwiches. We start taking orders at 10:30 a.m. Call 301-8638902 to place an order. Delivery available.

• AL Post 221 Steak and Shrimp Night Am. Legion Post 221 (Avenue) – 5 p.m.

• Fish Fry St. John’s Church (Hollywood) – 5 p.m.

• Chopticon High School: “PIPPIN” Chopticon High School – 6 p.m.

• Longaberger Basket Bingo St. John’s Parish Hall (Hollywood) – 6 p.m.

Luck of the Irish Basket Bingo for St. John’s Catholic School. Doors open at 6 and bingo begins at 7. For more info or to reserve your seat in advance, call 301-3735871 or email Lindagreer@gmail.com.

• Comedy Night Mechanicsville Vol. Fire Department – 7 p.m.

Featuring 3 comedians; Joey Novick, Alan Goodwin and Matt Kazam. Seating/ tickets limited to 300. Tickets are $20 and can be obtained by calling 301-904-1495.

Ticket price includes appetizers. Cash Bar is available.

• FOP-7 Texas Hold’Em Tournament FOP-7 Lodge (Great Mills) – 7 p.m.

L ibrary

Items

• Libraries offer free movies A PG rated animated comedy about a group of monsters rounded up by the government and asked to save the earth from evil aliens will be shown on Mar. 29 at 2 p.m. at Leonardtown. The PG rated 2009 animated adventure of a scientist who tries to solve world hunger only to see food fall from the sky in abundance will be shown at Charlotte Hall on Mar. 30 at 2 p.m. Snacks will be provided.

• Ben Click to lead Mark Twain book discussion This year is the 175th anniversary of Mark Twain’s birth, 100th anniversary of his death, and 125th anniversary of the publication of the Adventures of Huck Finn.

The libraries will be celebrating this special year with several programs. The first will be a book discussion of Twain’s novel, Adventures of Tom Sawyer, will be March 18 at 7 pm at Leonardtown. Ben Click, English Professor at St. Mary’s College and director of the Mark Twin Lecture Series, on Mar. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Leonardtown Library. The public is invited. Copies of the book are available at the library.

• Children to learn about flight Children ages six and older will experiment with paper flying machines, whirly copters, and balloon-powered rockets at the Science of Flight programs. Charlotte Hall’s program will be on Mar. 29 at 1:30 p.m. Leonardtown and Lexington Park’s will be on Mar. 30 at 2 p.m. Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation is funding these programs.

Registration is required for these free programs.

• Teen video contest winners announced The winners of the Teen Video Contest were as follows: At Lexington Park, the Library’s Choice Award went to Elizabeth and Erin Morgan and the Viewer’s Choice Award was won by Sean Spaulding. Katie Ritter received Honorable Mention. Dale Lokey took both awards at Leonardtown while Erin Mallory received Honorable Mention. At Charlotte Hall, Luke Johnston also took both awards.

• Talent Show Leonardtown High School – 7 p.m.

Tickets will be $7 at the door, and there will be concessions for sale. All proceeds will go to the Junior and Sophomore classes to help raise money for prom and graduation.

• Texas Hold’Em Tournament VFW Post 2632 (California) – 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 20 • 2nd Annual Father Andrew White School 5K Fun Run Starting at St. Mary’s Ryken High School (Leonardtown) – 7:30 a.m.

Registration at 7:30 a.m., race start time at 8:30.

Registration forms available at www.fatherandrewwhite. org. For more information contanct Christa Hayes at christamhayes@gmail.com.

• Seahawk Soccer Spring Break Camp St. Mary’s College - 9 a.m.

- 2 p.m.

Co-ed camp for ages 517 with Camp Director Herb Gainey, SMCM men’s soccer coach. Cost is $75/player or $65/player for groups of 10 or more. For more information go to www.seahawksoccer.com.

• Varsity Sailing: Women’s Intersectional St. Mary’s College – 9:30 a.m.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

• Safety Awareness Day Mechanicsville Elementary School – 10 a.m.

Representatives from the Mechanicsville Fire Department, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, St. Mary’s County Department of Emergency Management, and the St. Mary’s County Department of Public Safety will be on hand. These agencies will provide information on fire safety, stranger danger, bicycle safety, and emergency preparedness. For more details, contact the main office of Mechanicsville Elementary at 301-472-4800.

• Bryant Dent Foundation Banquet Hollywood Vol. Fire Department – 3 p.m.

The First Annual Bryant Dent Foundation Banquet will be held. Dent is a 37-year-old graduate of Chopticon High School. He has been a quadriplegic for 18 years. Help our efforts in getting him a wheelchair. Event will include a catered dinner, silent & live auctions and professional comedy. Tickets must be purchased in advance at www.thebryantdentfoundation.com/ticket_order_12.html.

• Steak Night VFW Post 2632 (California) – 5 p.m.

• Basket Bingo Mechanicsville Vol. Fire Department – 6 p.m.

The ladies Auxiliary will sponsor a Longaberger basket bingo night. Specials, raffles and food will be available. Doors open at 5 p.m. and bingo starts at 6. Children are welcome with paid admission, must be accompanied by a paying adult.

• Chopticon High School: “PIPPIN” Chopticon High School – 6 p.m.

• Swing and Ballroom Dance Little Flower School (Great Mills) – 7 p.m.

Dance lesson from 7-8 p.m. and dancing from 8-11 p.m. Water and soda will be provided. $8 per person, $5 for seniors and students. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus of Holy Face Church. For more information call 301-645-8509 or email somdballroom@gmail.com.

• Texas Hold’Em Saturday Night Special Park Bingo Hall (California) – 7 p.m.

• Legends & Lore Tour Sotterley Plantation (Hollywood) – 7:30 p.m.

Space is limited, for ages 16 and up.

Price is $20 per person and reservations are required. Call 301-373-2280 or go to www.sotterley.org for more information.

Sunday, March 21 • Varsity Sailing: Women’s Intersectional St. Mary’s College – 9:30 a.m.

• Deep Stack Texas Hold’Em Tournament Bennett Building, 24930 Old Three Notch Rd (Hollywood) – 2 p.m.

• FOP-7 Texas Hold’Em FOP-7 Lodge (Great Mills) – 2 p.m.

Monday, March 22 • St. Mary’s County Genealogical Society Meeting Leonardtown Library Meeting Room – 9 a.m.

“12 Sons named George, Naming

22

Conventions of our Ancestors.” Explaining why many families have children with the same name, Nancy Waters Lauer shows how to differentiate between multiple Georges.

• No Limit Texas Hold’Em Bounty Tournament St. Mary’s County Elks Lodge (California) – 7 p.m.

• Texas Hold’Em Cash Game Sunshine Oasis (St. Inigoes) – 7 p.m.

All proceeds benefit “Start-A-Life.”

For more information call Christine at 443-624-2746.

Tuesday, March 23

• Business Continuity Awareness Week Event Southern Maryland Higher Education Center (California) – 9 a.m. gain information to better understand the fundamentals of emergency planning, potential costs, and the need to build a plan for the unexpected crisis that protects your staff, your investments, your stakeholders, your customers and you. Who should attend: contractors, non-profit organizations, government, health, emergency, it professionals, managers, retail, small businesses and anyone concerned about preparedness and the resources available. Cost:$65. For agenda and registration, go to http://badelyn. com/2010BusinessContinuityConference.

• Republican Women of St. Mary’s Monthly Meeting Damon’s Restaurant (Lexington Park) – 11 a.m.

Guest speakers will be Steve Waugh, candidate for state senate, and Carmen Amedori, candidate for US Senate. For more information call Deb at 301-872-5858.

• Amateur (HAM) Radio Technician’s License Training Lexington Park Library – 6:30 p.m.

The St. Mary’s County Department of Public Safety and the St. Mary’s County Amateur Radio Association will co-sponsor a series of classes to teach the necessary skills and knowledge required to obtain an Amateur (HAM) Radio Technician’s License. Seven classes will be held on Tuesday evenings from March 23 to May 4.

Classes are open to all with no age restrictions, but children 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult. There is no cost for training but a nominal fee if you elect to take the FCC examination. For more information, contact the St. Mary’s County Department of Public Safety Emergency Planner, Gerald Gardiner at 301-475-4200 ext.2124 or Gerald.gardiner@co.saintmarys.md.us.

• Special Olympics NL Hold’Em Bennett Building, 24930 Old Three Notch Rd (Hollywood) – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 24 • FOP-7 Texas Hold’Em FOP-7 Lodge (Great Mills) – 7 p.m.

• Special Olympics NL Hold’Em Bennett Building, 24930 Old Three Notch Rd (Hollywood) – 7 p.m.

• St. Mary’s County Camera Club Southern Maryland Higher Education Center (California) – 7 p.m.

Evening will have a workshop dealing with “depth of field.” All interested parties are welcome.

23

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The County Times

A Journey Through Time The

Chronicle

I will bid farewell to every shame I will rid myself of a dirty Crane (James Parran Crane) I will wipe my weeping eyes I will wipe my weeping eyes

Levi Joshua Watts Wise, son of John H. Wise and his second wife, Lucretia Josephine Watts, was born in 1852. We’ll never know for sure, but Levi was either a hot-head or his wife drove him mad with jealousy. Whatever the cause, it would lead Levi to attempted murder on two occasions. Levi’s wife was Regina Camper whom he married in Baltimore on October 24, 1877. The couple returned to St. Mary’s County where they made their home.

In 1887, Levi shot Robert Owens. At that time, Robert was just 19 years old.

This shooting was reported in the May 2, 1887 edition of the Dallas [TX] Morning News.

“Filled Him with Bullets. Baltimore-May 1---News just reached here from Leonardtown that Levi J. Wise shot Robert Owens, inflicting 5 wounds, two in the head, three in the breast and abdomen. For some time past, there have been rumors that Owens was improperly intimated with Wise’s wife.”

Robert Owens survived, was married twice, fathered at least eight children and died in 1943, presumably of natural causes.

In 1894, Levi was at it again. The October 11, 1894 issue of the St. Mary’s Beacon reported that Levi was convicted of assault with intent to kill William E. Goddard and was sentenced to four years in the Maryland Penitentiary. Levi decided not to serve that term and escaped from the County Jail. He had no intent of returning, leaving behind his will and a poem showing his disdain for the judicial system.

I will bid farewell to every crook I will rid myself of that old Brook (John Brown Brooke) I will wipe my weeping eyes I will wipe my weeping eyes I will bid farewell to every foe I will rid myself of that Briscoe (John Parran Briscoe) I will wipe my weeping eyes I will wipe my weeping eyes I will bid farewell to every tear I will rid myself of the Camlier (Benjamin Harris Camalier) I will wipe my weeping eyes I will wipe my weeping eyes I will get out of here the sand I’ll sift I will rid myself of the sheriff I will wipe my weeping eyes I will wipe my weeping eyes I with my friends will have to part I will make new ones from the start I will wipe my weeping eyes I will wipe my weeping eyes I no one will try to deceive I my children hate to leave I will wipe my weeping eyes I will wipe my weeping eyes William E. Goddard also survived his wounds, dying in 1923. He must have liked older women as he married a woman 14 years his senior in 1883.

As for Levi, we don’t know what happened to him for sure, but Regina was listed in the 1900 census as a widow.

She and her children moved to Baltimore shortly thereafter.

Thanks to Pete Himmelheber for suggesting this story and providing the poem.

The Letter

By Shelby Oppermann Contributing Writer

I was straightening our guest bedroom, (alright, you already know from reading that it is really the luggage and storage room) but I was making headway by clearing up the nightstand.

I had to. My oldest son has been taking a course for his work at CSM in La Plata and it’s easier for him to stay here than drive all the way home.

In the correspondence pile, I came across a letter dated March 2007, which upon seeing the handwriting immediately brought tears to my eyes. Maybe it is just the timing.

For twenty-four of the last twenty-seven years I, and my son, have read letters which gradually also became twice or more weekly e-mails, some of them the funny chain notes, from this man, First Sergeant Louis W. Saffran, Jr. A man of integrity, strength, and boundless love. These letters and words came into our home, wherever that home may have been at the time.

We were present at important milestones in each other’s lives; like his retirement from the Maryland State Police’s helicopter division back in 1987, or Robert’s high school gradua-

Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.

Book Review

un Fact

c.2010, Amistad • 293 pages $24.99 / $32.99 Canada

“Wench” by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

By Terri Schlichenmeyer Contributing Writer You weren’t even sure why you were there.

Who needs class reunions, anyhow? Would any of your friends attend? You were hoping, as you slid into the old gym, that you’d at least see one or two old pals. You were hoping, too, that someone had insisted on name tags to help jog memories and match names with the aging faces of the kids you lost track of: classmates, lab buddies, locker neighbors, friends who faded away days after school ended.

Throughout your life, friendships come and go like seasons.

Sometimes, you’ll barely notice.

But in the new book “Wench” by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, four women forge a summer friendship that they need to last lifetimes.

Set a ways back and surrounded by woods, Tawawa House was grand. Three stories high and sixty-four miles from Cincinnati, it sparkled white and featured twelve small cabins surrounding a quiet lake. Though Northerners weren’t happy about it, it was the perfect place for a Southern gentleman to bring his mistress, particularly if she was also his slave.

It felt to Lizzie like the trip from Tennessee to Ohio took forever, maybe because she was always chained, which Drayle said was necessary. She believed him and why not? He was her man, father of her children, and though he owned her, she loved him. Yes, her situation was crystal clear – Drayle’s wife never let her forget it – but Lizzie wasn’t going anywhere.

At Tawawa House, Lizzie knew she would re-kindle friendships with Reenie and Sweet.

Their men always brought them, too, along with at least one other slave to care for the horses and other work. But that summer of 1852, when Lizzie met Mawu, well, things sure did change.

Lizzie had never met anybody like Mawu, with her halo of red hair and freckles. She was a sassy one, and Lizzie wanted to be friends with Mawu very much.

Regal Reenie was suspicious and Sweet was too preoccupied by the baby in her belly to be concerned with a smart-talking wench like Mawu.

But Mawu knew a few things. She reminded the women that Ohio was a free state, and that there was a vacation resort for black folk just through the woods.

It was only a walk away…

I didn’t like “Wench” at first: the initial set-up of the plot and the introduction of the characters felt boggy and moved too fast for comfort. There were enough hints of promise, though, so I stuck around.

I was glad I did.

Author Dolen Perkins-Valdez tells a heartbreakingly unsettling tale of secrets, lies, and power, and the friendships of women who nurture a bond because circumstances have forced it. Perkins-Valdez’s storytelling has great timing, which serves to keep her readers guessing right to the end of the last page. Despite its somberness, I highly recommend this book.

If you read “Wench”, make yourself stick through the first few pages and you’ll be rewarded with a fine story you won’t forget. As it turns out, this is a novel with class.

Wanderings

tion dinner at our home in 2001. We knew the stories about some of the heroic events in 1st.

Sgt. Saffran’s life. By 1994, he was already featured prominently in a book called “Sky Cops”

by Richard Rosenthal.

The most important milestone was on a cold March evening twenty-seven years ago.

Some women have no trouble having babies, and there are other women for whom every child is a day-by-day waiting game. Fortunately, I had The wonderful Drs. Bowes, Mulford, Ashton, and Windham who guided me through pregnancies and loss. This pregnancy was a particular challenge; food poisoning, the flu, and husband laid off on base in the early 80’s recession. On this particular March night at the old St, Mary’s Hospital, Dr. Bowes and I thought we had this early scare licked with medication. I was close to 7 months at this point. Then all of sudden things started happening fast. Johns Hopkins was called (This was the “Old” St. Mary’s Hospital building with no neo-natal facilities for preemies). Then, the helicopter was called.

Sweet Dr. Bowes held my hand all the way to the helicopter. After that my life would drastically change. There is nothing like the feeling of a cold steel stretcher on a helicopter with vibrations so loud that you don’t have to worry about feeling any contractions. I believe that

of an

Aimless

is why 15 minutes later I mentioned to 1st Sgt. Saffran that I was going to have a baby. “Yes, you are honey, we’ll be at Johns Hopkins in a few moments.” “Noooo, I mean I am going to have a baby Now!” His eyes got very large as he tried to explain that I should wait and I explained, probably loudly, that I really couldn’t.

I believe all this was done yelling with a bit of screaming (on my part, maybe his too) over the vibrations. I could see the pilot, Corporal Paul Jones look back over his shoulder once or twice.

Again, things happened rather quickly, and yes, we had a baby mid-flight. I say we, because this was the first baby 1st Sgt. Saffran had delivered, and at that time, the 7th helicopter baby in Maryland. And because he became a part of our life.

Out of all this chaos came an amazingly strong 2 lb. 10 oz little boy. We never made it to Johns Hopkins and made an emergency landing at the totally unprepared (for us) University of

d

Min

MD Hospital, where my son would spend the next 3 ½ months of his life. From those first scary three months, Robert has become an even stronger, independent, intelligent young man.

In a few days he will turn 27. Again this year I will miss seeing the strong handwriting from 1st Sgt. Louis Saffran, Jr. Ret. That was the last letter received from him - he died 3 months later, after a lifetime of helping others. During the eulogy at his large funeral, it was said that the highlight of Louis Saffran’s life, the man who had once stopped a crazed Huey pilot from smashing into the White House amongst so many other amazing things, was delivering Robert.

To each new day’s adventure, Shelby Please send comments or ideas to: shelbys.wanderings@yahoo.com.

The County Times

Thursday, March 18 • Fair Warning Irish Pub Band CJ’s Back Room (Lusby) – 5 p.m.

• Dave Norris DB McMillan’s (California) – 6 p.m.

• Troy Peterson Lisa’s Pub (Indian Head) – 9 p.m.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

24

• Snakebite Beach Cove (Chesapeake Beach) – 9 p.m.

Saturday, March 20

• Too Many Mikes Cryer’s Back Road Inn (Leonardtown) – 9 p.m.

• Fair Warning Irish Pub Band DB McMillan’s (California) – 6 p.m.

The County Times is always looking for more local talent to feature!

To submit art or entertainment announcements, or band information for our entertainment section, e-mail andreashiell@countytimes.net.

• Southern Winds Band (Country Dance Party) Am. Legion Post 206 (Chesapeake Beach) – 7 p.m.

Scorsese Studies Psychos in ‘Shutter Island’

• DJ McNa$ty Big Dogs Paradise (Mechanicsville) – 8 p.m.

• DJ Mango Lexington Lounge (Lexington Park) – 8 p.m.

• Ladies DJ Night Hula’s Bungalow (California) – 8 p.m.

• Live Jazz Night Chef’s American Bistro (California) – 8 p.m.

• California Ramblers Scott’s Barr II (Welcome) – 2 p.m.

By Andrea Shiell Staff Writer

• Bent Nickel Quade’s Store (Bushwood) – 8:30 p.m.

• Spoken Word Poetry & Live Music Night Chef’s American Bistro (California) – 5 p.m.*

It’s hard to say whether Martin Scorsese’s film adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s ‘Shutter Island’ is actually a great movie or not, the reason bean investigation, so why would ing that it borrows so extensively from other stars of anyone call the U.S. Marshals to the horror genre. It picks up the begin with?

But there’s something off paranoia that characterized Val with Daniels, too. He has weird Lewton’s ‘Isle of the Dead’, and dreams about his dead wife, Doit freely swipes the archetypical lores, and flashbacks of his time madness of silver screen gothic fiction, complete with eerie mu- with the American forces liberatsic and noir lighting. In fact, it’s ing Dachau during WWII. And downright fun to pick out all even if there’s ample circumthe stories it might mirror, both stantial evidence to support all for its plot and its characters’ of his paranoia about Ashecliffe, you still have to wonder what’s personalities.

But it’s personalities that swimming through his head that make the movie worthwhile, be- makes the camera stay so close to cause this is less a horror movie his own demons.

There is obviously an imthan a psychological thriller. portant back-story at work here, The story follows two U.S. but there are parts of the movie Marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule that are almost annoying because (Mark Ruffalo) as they land on they’re so cryptic, and you get the an island off the coast of Mas- feeling that Scorsese is groping sachusetts, home of Ashecliffe for a thread to revisit later in the Hospital for the criminally in- story, one that promises to be an sane to investigate the disappear- inventive twist for the audience.

What keeps this obvious ance of a murderess named Rastrategy worthwhile though is chel Solando.

The moment they land, how- the mood of dread, distrust and ever, it’s clear there’s something disturbance that seems to characa little off with the place. Teddy’s terize most of the movie. This is a new partner, Chuck, is just a lit- character study more than a plottle too chummy, and the man in driven story, and that becomes clearer as the plot progresses. charge, Dr. Cawley (Ben KingsStart to finish: 20 minutes Without spoiling the end, ley), won’t divulge important inServings: 4 formation, including patient re- it’s probably safe to say that all cords. Patients at the hospital are things do come to light, in a way passing him signals, and there’s that’s as understandable as it is even a 67th patient somehow disturbing.

So is it a great movie? Maybe missing from their rosters that – maybe not. What’s clear though casts the whole island in a more is it’s a great story, and the greatsinister light. est thing about the plot is the The only straightforward thing about the place is the same thing that makes it a little weather, which is conveniently frustrating to follow; it unfolds bad enough to keep the ferries in a very strategic way.

As with all great stories, the from shepherding the two invesorder of revelation is everything. tigators home.

Even so, they’d both leave (‘Shutter Island’, released with a lot of unanswered quesby Paramount Pictures, rated R tions. Are they hiding (or experimenting) on patients? Why for disturbing violent content, are people telling Teddy to run? language and some nudity. Run And it’s doubtful that anyone at time 138 minutes. Three stars the hospital will cooperate with out of four.)

Friday, March 19 • Fair Warning Irish Pub Band Donovan’s Pub (California) – 5 p.m.

Sunday, March 21

Monday, March 22

• Dave Norris DB McMillan’s (California) – 6 p.m.

• Mason Sebastian DB McMillan’s (California) – 5 p.m.

• DJ Chris Big Dogs Paradise (Mechanicsville) – 8 p.m.

• Team Trivia Night Quade’s Store (Bushwood) – 8 p.m.

• Live Jazz Night Chef’s American Bistro (California) – 8 p.m.

• Karaoke VFW Post 2632 (California) – 8:30 p.m.

• Bone Drift Away Bar & Grill (Cobb Island) – 9 p.m.* • Captain Woody Blue Dog Saloon (Port Tobacco) – 9 p.m.

• Full Effect & Miles From Clever Hotel Charles (Hughesville) – 9 p.m.

Tuesday, March 23 • Karaoke VFW Post 2632 (California) – 8:30 p.m.

• Almost Kings Hula’s Bungalow (California) – 9 p.m.

• Backstage Pass Tim and Al’s Sports Bar (Chesapeake Beach) – 9 p.m.

• The Craze Big Dogs Paradise (Mechanicsville) – 9 p.m.

• Karaoke with DJ Tommy T & DJ T Applebee’s (California) – 9 p.m.

• Fair Warning Irish Pub Band DB McMillan’s (California) – 6 p.m.

• Open Mic Night Martini’s Lounge (White Plains) – 9 p.m.*

Wednesday, March 24 • Fair Warning Irish Pub Band CJ’s Back Room (Lusby) – 5 p.m.

• Captain John DB McMillan’s (California) – 5:30 p.m.

• Sam Grow Apehanger’s Bar (Bel Alton) – 9 p.m.

• Mike Mead Lisa’s Pub (Indian Head) – 9 p.m.*

• Karaoke with DJ Harry Big Dogs Paradise (Mechanicsville) – 7 p.m.

• Roadhouse Band Lone Star Café (Indian Head) – 9 p.m.

• Open Mic Night Hula’s Bungalow (California) – 8 p.m.

• Wolf’s Open Blues Jam Beach Cove Restaurant (Chesapeake Beach) – 8 p.m.

n O g n Goi

What’s

• Smith-Tucker Band Huntts Tavern (Pomfret) – 9 p.m.

*CALL TO CONFIRM

In Entertainment

For family and community events, see our calendar in the community section on page 22.

25

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Business

The County Times

DireCTory Call to Place Your Ad: 301-373-4125

HEALTHCARE POSITION

Rn, lPn, C.n.a., C.n.a. with Medication.

MBON license, CPR/First Aid Required.

Work private duty nursing (One on One)

also needed: - Teachers Aide

(work with children with autism)

- Care Manager

(4 years college, scheduling, client care)

Call 301-386-7888 • Fax resume to 301-386-8877 Website: www.ICMLargo.com

Law Offices of

P.A. Hotchkiss & Associates Since 1987

WHERE YOUR LEGAL MATTER-MATTERS

Auto Accidents – Criminal – Domestic Wills – Power of Attorney DWI/Traffic – Workers’ Compensation 301-870-7111 1-800-279-7545 www.pahotchkiss.com

Don’t spend what you don’t have! www.ProfessorMoneyWise.com

(301) 997-8271

Serving the Southern Maryland Area Off of Chancellors Run Rd 22325 Greenview Parkway Unit C Great Mills, MD 20634

Askey, Askey & Associates, CPA, LLC

Tel (301) 863-6012

“…Where Trust & Integrity Come Together” “When your journey from a dream to a great story includes us, you travel better.”

Our promise to you.

Independently Owned and Operated

by Traveltours of Maryland

www.travelleaders.com/greatmillsmd

301-737-0777 Heating & Air Conditioning “THE HEAT PUMP PEOPLE” 30457 Potomac Way Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 Phone: 301-884-5011

Est. 1982

snheatingac.com

301-866-0777

Lic #12999

Pub & Grill 23415 Three Notch Road California Maryland

www.dbmcmillans.com

363 Days Till St. Patrick’s Day Entertainment All Day

To Place a Classified Ad, please email your ad to: classifieds@countytimes.net or Call: 301-373-4125 or Fax: 301-373-4128 for a price quote. Office hours are: Monday thru Friday 8am - 4pm. The County Times is published each Thursday.

Classifieds Real Estate COMPLETELY RENOVATED in 2009 to include New Roof, Siding, Windows and Doors.

COMPLETELY RENOVATED INSIDE AND OUT Spacious 4 Bedroom 3 ½ Bath Custom Built Home. Master Bathroom has a Jacuzzi Tub ,a Separate Shower with Double Bowl Sink and a Walk in Closet. Features a Wrap Around Porch Formal Entry, And a Great Room with Cathedral Ceilings. A Large Kitchen all New Stainless Steel Appliances, and a Built in Desk. Has New Heat and Air Systems . 10 Minutes From Patuxent Naval Base, 5 Minutes From Shopping and in the Leonardtown School District. Separate Garage and Workshop Included. This House Sits on a Private Large Partially Shaded Level Lot no HOA. Call 301-904-6588 or 301-373-5502.

Price: $349,000.

Beautiful 3 level townhome located in a great family neighborhood. 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms, Walkout basement is unfinished and roughed in for a 3rd bedroom, a full bathroom, and living space. New Laminate Flooring, New Upgraded Side by Side Refridgerator and Dishwasher, Garage, Deck on Second Level over looking bike path and woods. Poured patio under deck. Perfect Location!!! If interested, call 301247-7058. Price: $189,000.

Real Estate Rentals

Accepting All Major Credit Cards

P.O. Box 662 Suite D 23507 Hollywood Road 105 Contennial Street Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 La Plata, Maryland 20646 (301) 475-5671 (301) 934-5780 FAX (301) 475-9108 FAX (301) 934-9162 E-mail: Admin@aaacpa.com Web Site: www.aaacpa.com

Deadlines for Classifieds are Tuesday at 12 pm.

Prime Rib • Seafood • Sunday Brunch Banquet & Meeting Facilities 23418 Three Notch Road • California, MD 20619 www.lennys.net

Quiet and private Large one bedroom with washer and dryer. Electric is included in rent. Please call 301-373-3080 to schedule walk thru. Rent: $975.

Spacious 3 Bedroom 2 Bath rambler (1,450 sf); new hardwood and ceramic flooring. Total electric w/individual room heat controls, high efficiency central air. On safe, private farm setting off of White’s Neck Creek. Large yard. No smokers, no pets. Rent ranges from $1,250 - $1,450 depending on occupancy. $1,250 deposit + first month rent, acceptable credit and criminal background check. 301-769-2467. Leave Message.

Help Wanted Ground Maintenance Foreman. Experience in ground maintenance a plus. Valid DL Required.

Background check and drug testing required.

RT’s Lawn Maintenance. 301-863-5199.

We are looking for Assistant Tae Kwon Do Instructors. If you have any martial arts expericence(Tae Kwon Do, Karate..), that will be great for the job. If you don’t have any experience and want to learn to be an assistant just call me at 240-298-7449. Master Shim.

Vehicles 1989 Nissan 240sx. Automatic, $1500 or best offer. If interested, please call 240-925-9717.

1998 Toyota Tacoma. Brand New Tires. New paint job black to sliver fade lots of new parts.

Lots of after markets. To request pictures or for info call or email 240-298-9560 cspalding@ hvfd7.com. Price: $5700 OBO.

Important The County Times will not be held responsible for any ads omitted for any reason. The County Times reserves the right to edit or reject any classified ad not meeting the standards of The County Times. It is your responsiblity to check the ad on its first publication and call us if a mistake is found. We will correct your ad only if notified after the first day of the first publication ran.

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

ner

KiddKioer

CLUES ACROSS

1. Business tycoon Turner 4. Cost per thousand 7. Digested 10. Expression of sorrow 12. Chases away 14. Away from wind 15. High, low or rip 16. Indian drum instrument 17. Auld ____syne 18. Arranged by size 20. Filled with fear 22. Make a mistake 23. Atmosphere 24. Clear wrap 26. About a bromegrass 29. Game where “you’re it” 30. 3rd Monday in April 34. Health insurance organization 35. Tear 36. ___ Dhabi, UAE capital 37. Killjoy 43. Command right 44. A long noosed rope used to catch animals 45. Klaipeda 47. ___omb: assuredness 48. A sheep’s cry 49. In a way, hosted

52. Baby walk 55. Suffix expressing capacity 56. Edible lily bulbs 58. Swiss river 60. Buddies 61. Spanish appetizers 62. Missing soldiers 63. Point midway between NE and E 64. National security department 65. Reciprocal of a sine

CLUES DOWN

1. Make lacework 2. Ancient Olympic Site 3. Construction groove 4. African nation 5. Letter box 6. Ocean sunfish 7. Jai ____, sport 8. Be inclined 9. Records brain currents 11. More dried-up 12. Tern genus 13. Urban definition of “cool” 14. Signals warning of danger 19. Sandy golf hazard

21. Wild disturbance 24. Language of Sulu islands 25. Ancient Athenian marketplace 26. British Institute of Professional Photography, (abbr.)

27. Saying 28. An identifying marker 29. Thrust horse power (abbr.)

31. A gait faster than a walk 32. ___ de Janeiro 33. Cantonese dialect 38. Scarcely detectable amounts 39. Expression of surprise 40. Most fair 41. A way to imprint 42. Make sense of writing 46. A woman of refinement 49. Abba ____, Israeli politician 50. Young woman (French) 51. Not alive 52. More terrestrial frog 53. Worldly rather than spiritual 54. Amounts of time 55. Copy another’s behavior 57. Central mail bureau 59. Top left corner key

Last Week’s Puzzles Solutions

26

27

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Fr

The m o

Thurs., Mar. 18 Baseball Gwynn Park at Great Mills (scrimmage), 4 p.m.

Boys’ Tennis Bishop Ireton at St. Mary’s Ryken, 3:30 p.m.

Mixed Tennis Great Mills at Gwynn Park, 4 p.m.

Softball Gwynn Park at Great Mills (scrimmage), 4 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 19 Baseball Great Mills at Laurel (scrimmage), 4

Boys’ Lacrosse St. Mary’s Ryken vs.

C. Milton Wright at St. Mary’s College, 4 p.m.

Softball St. Mary’s Ryken at Elizabeth Seton, 3:30 p.m.

Great Mills at Laurel (scrimmage), 4 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 20 Baseball Chopticon at Huntingtown (scrimmage), 10 a.m.

Girls’ Lacrosse Chopticon at Calvert (scrimmage), 10 a.m.

Softball Paul VI at St. Mary’s Ryken, 3:30 p.m.

Great Mills at McDonough, 4:30 p.m.

Tues., Mar. 23 Baseball St. Mary’s Ryken at St. John’s, 4 p.m.

Boys’ Lacrosse Bishop O’Connell vs.

St. Mary’s Ryken at St. Mary’s College, 4 p.m.

Great Mills at Northern, 5 p.m.

Boys’ Tennis St. John’s at St. Mary’s Ryken, 3:30 p.m.

Girls’ Lacrosse St. Mary’s Ryken at Leonardtown, 4 p.m.

Track and Field Great Mills/Lackey/ McDonough at Thomas Stone, 4 p.m.

La Plata/Leonardtown at Chopticon, 4 p.m.

Wed., Mar. 24 Baseball Northern at Great Mills, 4:30 p.m.

Leonardtown at Huntingtown, 4:30 p.m.

Girls’ Lacrosse St. Mary’s Ryken at Bishop O’Connell, 4 p.m.

Track and Field

Mixed Tennis

St. Mary’s Ryken at Good Counsel

Great Mills at Northern, 4 p.m.

Huntingtown at Leonardtown, 4 p.m.

Mon., Mar. 22 Baseball Great Mills at McDonough, 4:30 p.m.

Golf St. Mary’s Ryken at St. John’s, 3:15 p.m.

Mixed Tennis McDonough at Great Mills, 4 p.m.

Softball Archbishop Carroll at St. Mary’s Ryken, 4 p.m.

Northern at Great Mills, 4:30 p.m.

Leonardtown at Huntingtown, 4:30 p.m.

SPORTS DESK

Goodell Needs to Treat Roethlisberger as he Does Every One Else

By Chris Stevens Staff Writer Another year, another sexual assault accusation has been lobbied against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Almost two weeks ago, Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault by a 21-year old woman that allegedly occurred in a college bar in Milledgeville, Ga., with the accused going as far as to hire Ed Garland, a famed Atlanta attorney who has previously represented Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and rapper T.I. in their legal dramas. With Roethlisberger bringing Garland on board, this means the situation in question could very well be going to trial. Which motivates me to ask a simple question, an out-loud thought if you will: Why hasn’t National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell summoned Roethlisberger to his office for a conversation on the matter?

Goodell, who took over for the now-retired Paul Tagliabue in 2006, has made a name for himself as a disciplinary don, handing out swift and heavy punishments to any NFL player breaking – or that have been thought – to be breaking the law.

As this is the second sexual assault complaint filed against Ben Roethlisberger since last summer, you would think that this troublesome pattern would be addressed by the commish quickly. Or not.

The issue at hand is much like parenting, the head of a professional sports league cannot play favorites when it comes to discipline. Michael Vick had not yet been convicted of running a dog-fighting ring and other wayward offenses before he was banished from the Atlanta Falcons and eventually suspended until he was released from prison this past July. Adam “PacMan” Jones, while certainly guilty of reckless behavior in a gentleman’s club, did not fire any shots in Las Vegas, but was suspended for the entire 2007 season. Roethlisberger meanwhile has not been ordered to go to New York and meet with Goodell and he has two lingering complaints filed by women against him for not being able to understand that no means no and keeping his hands to himself.

This lack of action against Roethlisberger is baffling to say the very least. When you have a personal conduct policy in place that stipulates that the man in charge

gets tough on crime/attempted crime/perceived crime, then why is Roethlisberger not facing any recourse for his alleged actions?

You have a guy who represents probably one of the most recognizable franchises, if not the most recognizable franchise in the National Football League and he’s been accused twice of inappropriately touching women. Where’s the action? Where’s the “new sheriff in town” philosophy that has seen players suspended for entire seasons for much less?

While no one has surveyed our canine friends to see if they watch games or are fans of the NFL, a fair amount of women do, and it doesn’t bode well for keeping that demographic if one of the league’s top players thinks he can get away with menacing actions toward

said women.

So Roger Goodell, do the right thing.

Treat Ben Roethlisberger like PacMan Jones, Michael Vick and every other player you’ve laid the law down on for their failure to live up to your standards. If you refuse to discipline Ben Roethlisberger, then it makes your entire tenure thus far seem remarkably one-sided and players will raise questions as to what makes Ben Roethlisberger so different from anyone else in the league. Or maybe they know the answer already.

Questions? Comments? Complaints?

Send ‘em all to Chris at chrisstevens@countytimes.net.

The County Times

Youth Tackle Football League Forms A new youth tackle football league is being formed – St. Mary’s Recreation and Parks Youth Football League (SMRPYFL). This club football program is designed to provide a safe and positive environment for children ages 5 through 14 years old. Four Clubs from communities throughout the county will participate in the Fall 2010 season.

The clubs are responsible for player registration, fundraisers, recruitment of coaches and formation of teams. Each club will enter teams into the appropriate age/weight divisions within the league. The Recreation and Parks Department staff will handle functions such as scheduling of games, contracting game officials, game day supervision, and conducting player weigh-ins. All coaches within the league must be certified through an approved coaches training program and a criminal background check.

For more information concerning age and weight divisions, player registration, cheerleading and Club news please visit the following web sites; Team Leonardtown Wildcats (former Blue Raiders) Lexington Park Hornets Mechanicsville Braves Pax River Raiders

Home Field Dorsey Park Lancaster Park 5th District Park Lancaster Park

Web Site www.smyfl.net www.smyfl.net www.smyfl.net www.paxriverraiders.org

You may also contact Recreation and Parks staff at 301-475-4200 extension 1800 and/or view the R&P web site at www.stmarysmd.com/recreate.

Men’s Softball 50 and Over Men’s Softball in St. Mary’s County on Thursday evening at St. Clements Shores Park.

If interested, call 301-475-8421 by April 2, 2010.

County Tennis League Seeking Players, Teams St Mary’s County USTA Tennis League looking for 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 players for 2010 Mixed Adult teams. Season runs from March-May. Must be a USTA member and have reached eighteen (18) years of age prior to, or during, the 2010 calendar year.

Contact Mai-Liem Slade if interested, mlslade@ md.metrocast.net or 301-481-2305.

Gretton Goalkeeping Indoor Futsal Clinic Series Gretton Goalkeeping will conduct weekly indoor futsal training sessions for all ages and skill levels Monday and Wednesday each week at Park Hall Elementary School from 7:30-8:30pm. Field player training is also available. Reservations are required. For more information or to reserve your spot please email grettongoalkeeping@gmail.com or call 301-643-8992.

Pax River Silver Stars Girls AAU Basketball 2010 Spring/Summer Tryouts When: Sunday, March 14, 2010 and Sunday, March 21, 2010 Where: Margarent Brent Recreation Center Time: 2pm - 4pm 2pm - 3pm Middle School 6th/7th/8th Grade 3pm - 4pm High School 9th/10th/11th Grade

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT SAVANNAH WEBB @ 301-247-3152 / 301-737-1792 or savweb@msn.com

Ca ! y a ll 30 od T 1-373 e -4125 to Subscrib

Thursday, March 18, 2010

28

Blue Crabs Bolster Pitching Staff With Four Newcomers Starting & Relief Depth On The Way To Southern Maryland

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Manager Butch Hobson has announced the signing of four pitchers new to the organization for 2010.

Right-handers Joe Newby and Dave McKae have agreed to contracts, in addition to lefty Paul Fagan. The latest round of signings is headlined by veteran righty Joe Winkelsas, who has Major League experience in two seasons.

Winkelsas ended a brief retirement by signing with the Blue Crabs, and did not play in 2009. He is a veteran of 13 professional seasons, including stints in the Majors with the Atlanta Braves in 1999 and the Milwaukee Brewers in 2006. In 302 career appearances as a professional, all have come in relief. In addition to the Atlanta and Milwaukee organizations, Winkelsas was last employed by the Chicago White Sox. In his most recent season in 2008, he split time between Triple-A Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham. He also spent a portion of the 2004 season in the Atlantic League, with the Somerset Patriots. Winkelsas brings 61 career saves to the Blue Crabs this season.

Paul Fagan joins Southern Maryland a season after leading the Lake Erie Crushers to the Frontier League Championship as one of the most dominating starters in that league. For the Blue Crabs, Fagan will be both a starting and relief option. He is entering his eighth professional season despite being just 25, after being selected by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round of the 2003 draft out of high school. A starter and reliever throughout his career, Fagan is a veteran of 134 pro games (91 starts). Last season for Lake Erie he enjoyed his best season as a professional, compiling a 14-3 record in 22 games and 20 starts with a 2.70 ERA. Dave McKae is another versatile arm who has primarily been a starter entering his sixth pro season, but also has experience out of the bullpen. He is expected to begin 2010 in the Blue Crabs starting rotation. In four seasons with the San Francisco Giants organization and last season in the Boston Red Sox system, McKae has compiled a solid 32-24 career record with a 3.38 career ERA in 114 pro games (85 starts). McKae spent the majority of the 2007 and 2008 seasons with Double-A Connecticut, and spent last year with A-Advanced Salem.

Joe Newby will join the Crabs bullpen after four years in the Oakland Athletics organization and one with Seattle. He spent the majority of last season at Double-A West Tennesee with the Mariners, appearing in 28 games in relief, with an impressive 2.72 ERA in 43 innings. Newby also earned a promotion to Triple-A Tacoma, where he allowed just one earned run in 6.1 innings of work over three games. Entering his sixth professional season, Newby made 26 starts in the lower levels in his first two years with Oakland, and has appeared in 104 games total as pro. He sports a 3.87 career ERA in 251.1 innings pitched, and should be a quality long-relief option for the Blue Crabs.

This announcement brings the latest count of official signings for the 2010 season to 18 players. It is expected at least 30 players will be in spring camp with the Blue Crabs before the roster is trimmed to 27 active players to begin the season, and then again to 25 by June 1.

29

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The County Times

St. Mary’s College

Sp rts

Seahawks’ Season Ends in Bittersweet Fashion

By Chris Stevens Staff Writer ST. MARY’S CITY – It ended short of a national championship, but what a season it was for the St. Mary’s College men’s basketball team.

The Seahawks stayed close to 16th-ranked Franklin & Marshall College, but the Diplomats held on for a 92-87 win in the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 Friday night, ending SMC’s season at 26-4.

“It had to come to an end sometime,” said senior guard Camontae Griffin, who led the Hawks, ranked No. 14 nationally, with 26 points. “I feel honored to be coached by Coach Harney and play with these guys. I’ve never been on a team like this before.”

“It wasn’t the outcome I wanted, but I’m the luckiest coach in the world,” Chris Harney said. “I just can’t say enough about the way our guys played.”

The Diplomats turned a four-point halftime deficit into a seven point lead just nine minutes and 18 into the second half.

It didn’t help that F&M shot a blistering 62.5 percent from the field.

“When it comes down to it, they made more shots than we did,” Harney explained.

The Diplomats took an eight-point lead on a breakaway dunk by Georgio Milligan with 1:20 remaining, but the Hawks kept fighting. Three pointers by freshman Devin Spencer and Photo By Frank Marquart Griffin pulled the Seahawks to within two points in the final Camontae Griffin falls to the ground after drawing a foul during the seconds. Griffin promptly fouled James McNally, who led all Seahawks’ 92-87 loss to Franklin & Marshall in the NCAA Division III scorers with 27 points. McNally missed one of two and Griffin Sweet 16 Friday night. had a chance to tie, but F&M guard Anthony Brooks got just Final Four was there, but the enough of the ball for the tying three-point attempt to fall short. promise of a new year was alThis time, McNally knocked down both shots with 2.1 seconds ready on the minds of juniors to go to seal the win.

Alex Franz and Sam Burum.

“To be honest, I expected exactly what we got – a great Di“I don’t want to feel this vision III basketball game,” said Diplomats coach Glenn Robin- way again,” Franz says of the son. “We kept our cool in a very vicious environment.” Franklin loss. “This hurts right now.” & Marshall would see their season end Saturday night, as Ran“It’s not something evdolph-Macon College punched its ticket to the Division III Final erybody gets to do,” said BuFour with a 73-65 victory over the Diplomats. rum, who scored 22 points For the Seahawks, the disappointment of falling short of the “The St Mary’s College of Maryland Women’s Lacrosse Team held a fundraiser during their game on March 9, 2010. All proceeds will directly help the animals of Second Hope Rescue, Inc. Second Hope Rescue is Southern Maryland’s largest rescue that is funded solely through private donations and grants and receives no tax funding. The animals and volunteers of Second Hope Rescue want to send their sincere thanks for these greatly needed donations. Go Team!”

King of Virginia’s Paved Oval Kart Tracks 10324 James Madison Parkway • King George, Virginia 22485

OPEN FOR PRACTICE March 27, 2010

301-475-5787

See Website for Details

www.kinggeorgespeedway.com If you have any questions please contact Bryan & Trisha Thomas • 301-475-5787 40501 Bishop Rd, Mechanicsville MD 20659 (mailing) • Kgskarts09@yahoo.com

Photo By Frank Marquart

St. Mary’s College’s Alex Franz shoots the ball as Georgio Milligan of Franklin & Marshall attempts the block.

on 11-of-14 shooting. “We’ve just got to come back and give it another shot next year.”

Harney was pleased with the positive route his guys were taking in the wake of a disappointing end to the most successful season in school history.

“There’s no quit in this team, they’re already saying ‘Let’s get ready for next year,’” he said. “It’s a reflection of their hard work and desire to win. We’re not satisfied.” chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Sp rts

The County Times

Thursday, March 18, 2010

30

Lacrosse

Ryken Prepares for Competitive Season

By Chris Stevens Staff Writer LEONARDTOWN – A new lacrosse season has begun for the St. Mary’s Ryken boys’ team, and the Knights are unified in where they would like to go – back to the Washington Capital Athletic Conference Championship game.

“We all have the same goal,” said head coach John Sothoron, entering his 22nd season in charge at Ryken. “We have a hard-working bunch of kids who play unselfishly and are fo-

cused on the team goal.”

That selfless, team-first mentality lifted Ryken to its second WCAC title game appearance in three seasons last spring, falling short to legendary DeMatha 9-7. A large portion of that team’s nucleus returns to battle in the 2010 season, including senior defense and tri-captain Chris Rixey, who looks forward to the challenge of staying among the WCAC’s elite programs.

“We have a lot of guys who are ready to work hard and get back there this year,” he says.

“We definitely can’t take any team lightly.”

Indoor Inflatable Play & Party Center Free Make & Take Crafts, Mad Science Experiments and More!

SOMe ArT SMArT CLASSeS

2 Classes Available: $16 per child, $12 per sibling *Price Includes Jumping

We Welcome Children Ages 10 and Under

Bounce ALL DAY for $6.50!

S pr i n g Bre a k Ho ur s Millison Plaza

21703-C Great Mills Rd. Lexington Park, MD 20653 (Just outside of NAS Patuxent River, Gate 2)

301-863-3388

www.thejumpyard.com

Mon - Thurs: 10 am - 6 pm Fri-Sat: 10 am - 8 pm Closed Easter Sunday

While the WCAC historically has been known as a DeMatha-Good Counsel-Gonzaga league on the lacrosse front, Sothoron believes any of six teams, including his Knights and Paul VI, can walk away with the title.

“It’s a wide-open race.

Paul VI was the only team to beat DeMatha last year, and beat them badly (14-7),” he said.

“It’s a great conference, an extremely tough conference.”

With rain forcing practices indoors and the postponement of two games already, the Knights will open their season tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. against Harford County contender C. Milton Wright at St. Mary’s College. The Knights will play their home games at SMC this season due to the ongoing construction of the new stadium at Ryken.

“We wanted to schedule teams that vary in competition so we can be ready for the WCAC,” Rixey said.

Sothorn thinks his captains Will Fejes, Chris Rixey and Brian Frank are expected to (Rixey, Brian Frank and Will lead the Knights back to the WCAC title game.

Fejes) have done a good job in assuming leadership roles in Photo By Frank Marquart pre-season practice. could’ve gone either way for us,” he explains.

“They’ve put all the pressure on themselves. They are good kids and “We’ve got to score more goals and we’re workgreat leaders,” Sothoron said. “They’re very ing on that.”

Rixey hopes his defensive teammates can hungry they want all the underclassmen to feel get the offense in gear by keeping opponents the same way.”

One of the coach’s biggest concerns is of- from getting too close their net.

“At times, it does start with defense,” he fense, where he feels the team needs to put more goals on the board if they are to claim the con- said. “If we’re playing well, then it helps our offense.” ference crown.

“We had six one-goal games last year, it chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Boyle Hopes Teamwork Helps Braves Improve in 2010

By Chris Stevens Staff Writer Heading into his 10th season as head coach of the Chopticon Boys’ lacrosse team, Mike Boyle has put an emphasis on teamwork in the hopes that it will help the Braves forget their struggles of a year ago, when they finished 3-11 overall, 2-7 in Southern Maryland Athletic Conference play.

“We have found ourselves in a position of relying on playmakers and we need to re-focus to relying on a team,” Boyle said. “This year we are focusing on ‘Goin’ back to WORK.’” Boyle feels that a major part of the Braves’ problems last season was the lack of unity on the field, and says the buck stops with him in that regard.

“We hope that our strength will be teamwork. This is a concept that I have allowed to slip away in that past few years and we are digging deep to recreate it,” he said. “It is yet to be seen but I hope that it will be very evident in the near future.”

Teamwork will be necessary as Chopticon graduated three Second team All-Conference players from last year’s team – goalkeeper Zach Flowers, attacker Jake Schmid and mid-

fielder Kyle Hudson.

“We have 12 returning players of which four had considerable amounts of game experience,” Boyle said. “We are in the cycle where our seniors are not that game savvy since they seat behind the seniors of the class before them.”

That lack of experience could be a problem, but the coach feels the natural athleticism could help pick the team up over the course of the season.

“We are athletic but still lack that general knowledge of the game that other teams possess,” Boyle said. “We are going to have to rely on our athleticism and our ability to work together to win games.”

With a troublesome season after winning the most games in school history in 2008, Boyle believes that it’s time to return to that era of success, but he knows it will take time.

“If Braves Lacrosse can regain the reputation as a team that cannot be taken lightly, I will be very happy and I think that will spark the direction that we need to be headed,” he said. “Winning will take care of itself.” chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Lacrosse

The County Times

Leon Looking for Improvement from Hornet Boys

By Chris Stevens Staff Writer

Heading into his third season as the Great Mills boys’ lacrosse coach, Arturo Leon continues his quest of having the Hornets play what he calls Great Mills lacrosse, and he’s confident in the 2010 squad’s chances of doing just that.

“We’re going to start playing as a team and go back to our fundamentals,” Leon said. “We don’t want to play as individuals.”

Leon’s main expectation for this year is teamwork and controlling the ball offensively.

“We want to play as one team on the field and trust each other, as well as control the ball,” he said. “We don’t want to be dictated to like we were last year.”

With 13 seniors on this year team, experience will be a factor, as well as leadership, something Leon hopes his large group of upperclassmen will take on with ease.

“Most of those guys are three-year varsity athletes, so it’s huge,” Leon said. “It’s important

for them to be that shoulder to lean on.”

Leon plans to gauge the team’s success not by wins and losses, but how they compete game in and game out.

“There are two scoreboards – one with goals on it and the other shows how well we played,” he said. “We’ll be fine if we just play with intensity and a lot of heart. That’s Great Mills lacrosse.”

Four of his key returning players are seniors – midfielders Brandon Mehl, Josh Thompson, Scott Thibeault and attackman Eric Dennis.

Sophomore attackman Phillip Lindsay is expected to contribute to the Hornets’ success as well.

With that returning nucleus in place, Leon hopes that when playoff time rolls around that Great Mills will be firing on all cylinders and in unison.

“Together, that’s where I see them,” he said.

“I just want them to take steps toward improving as the season progresses and find out some things about themselves along the way.” chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Raider Boys Looking for Return to Championship Ways

By Chris Stevens Staff Writer

year.

This season, Rogers says that his seniors and team captains will be responsible for getLEONARDTOWN – For some, a 6-6 re- ting the underclassmen to fall in line. cord might be good enough in an ultra-compet“I’ve told them they own the team, I’m itive Southern Maryland Athletic Conference. done barking,” Rogers said. “In practice, they’re responsible for making sure everyone does their job and it’s their job to lead by example.”

Senior midfielder Nolan Stewart is one of the captains charged with the task of policing his teammates, and he enjoys the challenge.

“I think it’s a good thing. Last year, nobody took control of the team,” Stewart said before practice Tuesday afternoon. “This year, everybody can look to us as an example. I think we’ll be a lot better.”

For Stewart, the shock of last year’s mediocre season was enough for him and his senior teammates to take the reigns of the team with the belief that they can return to the SMAC’s top spot this season.

“We can easily win SMAC, it’s just a matter of how much work we put in,” he said. “I think that we can beat anybody in the conference.”

Rogers shares his senior’s optimism, but realizes that there is much more work to be done, leading up to next Friday’s opener at defending Photo By Chris Stevens champion Northern.

“Do I believe we can win? Yes I Nathan Cuklanz is one of the seniors Leonardtown head coach Bart Rogers is relying on for leadership this season. do. Do I think we still have a ways to go? Yes I do.”

Not for Leonardtown boys’ lacrosse coach Rogers says he has a vision of the way laBart Rogers. crosse can be and should be played, one he saw “We’re looking to right the ship. Going 6- two years ago when the Raiders were two goals 6 does not sit well with any of us,” Rogers said. away from the state semi-finals. His observa“Our motto this year is ‘one team, one goal, tion of the 2010 team’s chances of fulfilling one heartbeat.’” that vision?

The year after going unbeaten in the “I’m 75 percent pleased,” he said of preconference and advancing to the 4A/3A East season practice. “It’s starting to fall into place, championship game, the Raiders struggled to but that other 25 percent is critical.” find that same groove and with soggy weather wiping out five games, the team had an off chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Limi te

31

150

ime Only!

$

dT

Mov

e

Special n -I

Discounted Cable Playground Free on Site Storage with Every Apartment Walk to Shopping/Restaurants

301-862-5307

Amenity Package Available

Owned and Operated by

Call For More Information: Bella Bailey, Marketing & Leasing MGR.

301-737-0737

23314 Surrey Way • California, Maryland 20619 Fax: 301-737-0853 • leasing@apartmentsofwildewood.com

Happy Hour Daily 11am-5pm

com www.eatinbenedict.

Come Try Our All U-Can-Eat Menu EVERY Wed-Thurs 12-8pm Wednesday thru Saturday 11am-9pm • Sunday 11:30am-7pm

301-274-2828

7320 Benedict Avenue • Benedict, Maryland 20612

THURSDAY

Focused On The Title Page 30 March 18, 2010

Watermen Fighting Gov’s Oyster Plans Story Page 4

Photo By Frank Marquart

Sweet 16 Round Bittersweet For Seahawk

Story Page 16