www.somd.com
Wednesday December 2, 2010
A New M ajority
Commissioners Take Office Next Week
Story Page 16
Officials Welcome Rose’s Closing Story Page 4
Police Call Suspicious Death a Murder Story Page 8
Black Friday Lives Up to Its Name Story Page 9
Photo By Frank Marquart
What’s Inside
The County Times
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
On T he Covers
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ON THE BACK
ON THE FRONT
Republicans Dan Morris, left, Cindy Jones and Todd Morgan next week will join returning County Commissioners Larry Jarboe (R) and Jack Russell (D) to make the fivemember Board of St. Mary’s County Commissioners.
Ben Loflin finished seventh in the Amateur Novice class of the ABA’s Grand Nationals event during Thanksgiving Break.
“Due to the suspicious nature of the crime scene, investigators are treating this case as a homicide … A motive for the murder has not been determined.” Angel Systems Inc.
www.ANGELSYSTEMS.com
- a Maryland State Police statement on Woman found dead Tuesday
Weather
Watch
1.800.NO.BUGGS
P.O. Box 304 20775 Old Great Mills Rd. Great Mills, MD 20634
defense
Lt. Colonel Hank Van Der Borght and Commandant Jonas Schommer at their Toys for Tots station at Wal-Mart last week. SEE PAGE 13
Don’t let them take over your holiday season!
Call for back-up today!
The ABA Grand Nationals took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma where several BMX racers from St. Mary’s County ventured off to compete in this prestigious event. Here Victor Marquart pushes his way through opening qualifiers. STORY PAGE 29
newsmakers
Aurthur Stokes with Caressa Cameron, the 2010 Miss America, at the Summit Leadership Conference in Ky. Stokes, of Hollywood, is a finalist in the “Positivity Project” contest sponsored by Amway. SEE PAGE 18
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Also Inside
4 County News 6 Editorial 9 Money 10 Crime 11 Obituaries 13 Defense 14 Education 16 Cover Story 18 Newsmakers 19 Community 22 Community Calendar 23 Columns 24 Entertainment 25 Business Directory 26 Games 27 Bleachers 28 St. Mary’s College 29 BMX 30 Basketball 31 Hunting
events calendar For The Community Calendar See Page 22 For Events Happening This Week.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
The County Times
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
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ews Shopping Center Manager, Officials Glad to See Rose’s Go By Guy Leonard Staff Writer After about five years of operation Rose’s department store at the St. Mary’s Square shopping center is closing its doors and the center’s managers and some in county economic development circles say it’s about time. Mort Schuchman, the administrator with the holding company SMS LLC, which runs the shopping center, said that they had high hopes for Rose’s to rejuvenate the shopping center when the company took over the center in 2005. They were wrong, Schuchman said. “We’re not displeased that they’re going,” Schuchman said. “I don’t think they did anything to help the center.” Schuchman said his property management group has been looking for businesses who might be interested in taking over the space Rose’s will vacate, but could not talk about who those candidates were. “I can’t give any names, but we’ve talked to people about taking over that space,” Schuchman said. More than two decades ago, St. Mary’s Square was the county’s premier shopping venue but with the advent of more and more shopping venues on Route 235 in California, the center and the community as a whole has suffered from a lack of economic development. More over, county law enforcement sources say that the center has been a hotspot for theft, shoplifting and pan handling in the Lexington Park area and numerous businesses have complained that potential customers do not want to come there for fear of being harassed for money. Wilson Sawyer, president of Variety Stores, the overall group that manages Rose’s stores said this store was the only one of the 130 sites nationwide that was closing. “It’s just not doing well,” Sawyer told The County Times.
“It’s a nice shopping center and we thought it would attract busi- finish their liquidation sale. ness from the military being close by.” Robin Finnacom, head of the county’s Community DevelSawyer said he was not sure why retail sales there had not opment Corporation, said that she was pleased to see questions been strong enough to keep the store open. over Rose’s lease resolved so the management group could “look The center itself has struggled in recent years to keep all for a more desirable tenant.” of its tenant spaces full, though now there are no vacancies and “We look at this as a good thing for St. Mary’s Square,” there have been some additions, including a new McDonald’s Finnacom said, who praised the shopping center management and an AutoZone that has taken the place of a dilapidated bar for its work. that was torn down earlier this year. “It’s [the center] moved forward in the midst of a recession,” Schuchman said the additions show that the center has she said. made strides in making it more of a consumer draw once again. “When we took over [the center] it was more than half empty,” Schuchman said. Now that the center has stabilized, he said, the management company still plans to pursue renovations to the soon-to-be vacant space at Rose’s and also to the road sign at the square. Those renovations have been on hold for nearly three years due to the economy’s continuing doldrums, he said. Uncertainty over taxes and fees from both the federal and state governments continue to make growing business difficult, he said. “A lot of people are just afraid to spend money,” he said. Sawyer said the store will likely remain open through the holiday season into January to Rose’s department store is closing after 5 years of doing business.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
ews Sporting Goods Store Planned Federal Employees Face Pay Freeze Next to Kohl’s By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The Kohl’s Department Store open since April is set to get a new neighbor, now that a District-based real estate investment company has bought the debt of the shopping center on the corner of Buck Hewitt Road and Route 235. Federal Capital Partners (FCP) announced last month that it had purchased the shopping center and plans to build a Dick’s Sporting Goods store there. The Lexington Village Shopping Center is as yet uncompleted and has been sitting in foreclosure for months and FCP acquired the debt note for an undisclosed amount in October, a news release from the company stated. Information from the company stated that the new sporting goods store will encompass 37,300 square feet in addition to the approximately 87,000 square foot Kohl’s department store. “FCP recently executed the lease with Dick’s and plans to complete all of the proposed project by improvements over the next 15 months,” the statement read. A Rite Aid pharmacy is also planned for the site, which includes 175,000 square feet for the entire approved project. Managing officials with FCP said that the
acquisition of the site came at a bargain. “The purchase of the note in Lexington Park further demonstrates FCP’s creativity and flexibility,” stated Esko Korhonen. “Lexington Village Shopping Center represented an opportunity to acquire a fully entitled operating property at a significant discount. “The acquisition of Lexington Village is an excellent example of the type of transaction we plan to pursue.” The purchase of the property could allow the development to move ahead and increase job opportunities for local residents. The county’s unemployment rate hovers at about 6.5 percent but has shown little sign of significant reductions over the past year. Bob Schaller, director of the county’s economic and community development office, said that the latest news on the shopping center showed that the local economy was still showing signs of life despite the general dearth of major construction projects. “I think this is a good thing,” Schaller said. “What I was concerned about was that Kohl’s was sitting all by itself and the longer it stayed by itself the tougher it would be. “They needed the extra traffic. We’re back on track.” guyleonard@countytimes.net
Thousands Watch Leonardtown Tree Lighting By Sean Rice Editor Thousands of local residents and visitors converged on Leonardtown Square on Friday night after Thanksgiving for the annual Christmas on the Square and Tree Lighting. Laschelle McKay, Leonardtown administrator, said this was the largest crowd ever to attend the Christmas on the Square event. She said town officials estimate the crowd included more than 5,000 people Santa Claus did the honors of officially lighting the Square’s Christmas tree at 7 p.m. and then manned his post in a large chair in front of Bank of America to take pictures of
children, who were lined up by the hundreds down Fenwick Street. For the next three Sundays before Christmas, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., Santa will be back in the square for those who may have missed him. There will also be sleight rides for kids and music as part of an event promoting holiday shopping on the square. Shoppers who make a purchase at a local shop during the Sunday events will be entered into a drawing for a $500 shopping spree. For more information, and for which shops are participating, see the “Buy Leonardtown – Sunday Shopping Special” link at www.leonardtown. somd.com.
Photo by Sean Rice
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
For the next two years federal employees, many of whom work at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, can expect to not get any increases in their pay if Congress agrees with President Obama’s request to freeze their salaries. There are thousands of federal employees on the base who will likely be affected by the pay freeze, but one of them said that it was needful to show that the government could cut back in response to a burgeoning federal deficit. “If that’s what has to happen, that’s what has to happen,” said NAS Pax River employee David Willenborg, who also chairs the county’s Republican Central Committee. “I think it sets a tone, it’s a minor sacrifice. “I haven’t heard anybody complain about it.” But the leadership of the American Federation of Government Employees slammed the president’s decision, which Obama said could save the government as much as $5 billion. “This proposal is a superficial panic reaction to the draconian cuts his deficit commission will recommend,” said John Gage, the organization’s president. “A federal pay freeze saves peanuts at best and, while he may mean it as just a public relations gesture, this is no time for political scapegoating.”
Lee Moon, owner of Iona Moon, LLC, a local consulting and management firm for local contractors, said that the pay freeze might return the equilibrium between the public and private sector in competing for the best employees, but the chances were slim if the public sector continued its penchant for hiring. “It’s kind of the first time the government hiring process has felt the pinch in the economy,” Moon told The County Times. “What I’m hoping is that it will allow contractors to compete more readily for the quality employees. “I hope it will be helpful, but I doubt it will be,” she said. Moon said that contractor opportunities here could continue to shrink in light of Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ call over the summer to reduce the number of contract positions by 10 percent over the next several years. Bob Schaller, director of the county’s Department of Economic and Community Development, said that the federal government was finally reflecting the steps that state and local governments had if even in a small way. County employees’ pay had been at a standstill for about two years he said, while state employees had to take de facto pay cuts due to furloughs. “The federal level has got to come to the table… it’s all part of sharing the pain,” Schaller said. guyleonard@countytimes.net
To The Editor:
The County Times
Cutting Federal Benefits Would Save Real Money Recent headlines to freeze federal workers salaries as a way to balance the budget brings back memories. I was a federal employee for 42 years, and from the time I started working this lame excuse came up many times. You never once saw a headline that states: cut Congressional pay and their benefits. Congressional benefits are beyond your beliefs. Congressional pay is chump change when compared to their benefits. Also Congress should remember they are federal employees. Years ago, federal service was a pyramid, high grades (GS-14 and 13’s) at the top. Because of college degrees, we now have an inverted pyramid. High grades prevail at the inverted base, minimal low grades at the inverted top. This is the reason federal wages
are so high. People with degrees automatically get faster promotions and more money. Federal service has become a haven for college graduates and veterans. During the Reagan administration, major layoffs of federal employees began as Reagan’s idea of saving money was to privatize government services. This was accomplished by issuance of Circular A-76, which relaxed the requirements on comparisons between in house federal costs and private sector tenders. Thus the birth of so called “Beltway Bandits.” This allowed many federal employees jobs to be terminated, which in turn showed billion dollars of money saved. History repeats itself. Daniel J. Wilson Leonardtown, MD
New Route, Perfect Weather Made Parade a Hit
As it has for the last 35 years the Leonardtown Veteran’s Day Parade, the largest in the state, rolled through the streets of town on the morning of November 11th. This year however the parade kicked off from a new starting point, the beautiful new campus of St. Mary’s Ryken High School. This new route gave a stunning view of the parade from along Fenwick Street and allows for a much larger choice of viewing options for onlookers. As the parade arrives at the top of Fenwick St. and makes the turn between the two squares, thousands of onlookers were treated to an ever-growing parade. This year’s near perfect weather made the parade even more enjoyable. Young and old alike lined the streets to cheer on their favorite participants. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to parade organizers Tom Warren and Connie Pennington; St. Mary’s Ryken High
School for their hospitality; Barbara Ives, Mary Washington and Jenks Mattingly for their expertise in helping announce the parade and the many wonderful participants for making this year’s Veterans Day parade extra special. As always the program following the parade to salute the men and women of St. Mary’s County who protect our freedom was topped off by the essay winners from Leonardtown Elementary School reading their essays of “What Veteran’s Day means to me”. The support we receive from the many elected and military officials for this special event is tremendous. Thank you to all who made this event an extra special event this year.
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Which Do You Think is Better? I wonder if you noticed the interesting juxtaposition of two letters to the editor in your Wednesday, Nov. 24 edition. The first was titled, “An Open Letter to Our Newly Hired Legislators”, the second, “God Bless America”. In the first, James Hilbert delivered himself of a screed urging Republican members of congress to persist in their, by now, timehonored tactics of opposition and obstruction, throwing in some epithets directed at the President for good measure.
In the second, Alan Brown expressed his belief that the only way we’re going to work our way through the myriad problems we face as a nation is by tackling them together. He suggested that we might begin by ratcheting down the inflammatory rhetoric that has characterized political discourse in the recent past. Now, which approach do you think offers the better prospect for workable solutions? Robert H. Volland California, MD
Drive Raises Most Ever
St. Mary’s Chapter 969 of the National Active & Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to all of the businesses in the area that so graciously participated in our recent Alzheimer’s & Hospice fundraiser (September 10, 11 & 12) by giving permission to our volunteers to collect donations – McKay’s, Wal-Mart, Giant, Food Lion, Raley’s Store in Ridge, and the Monterey Restaurant. Without their support and assistance, our fundraiser would not have been as successful. The kind and generous people of St.
Mary’s County outdid themselves this year in donating to our volunteers. Our drive raised $7,223.46 -- the most raised since St. Mary’s Chapter 969 began its weekend fundraising. Our thanks and appreciation go out to all of you that contributed to this fund drive. A big thanks as well to all the volunteers who gave of their time to assist in these very worthwhile causes. Patricia A. Myers, President St. Mary’s Chapter, NARFE
Wreaths Across America
Charles County Right to Life is teaming with Wreaths Across America to honor the veterans buried at the Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery and also to raise money for our organization. Log onto www.wreathsacrossamerica.org for more information. Placing a wreath on a grave is a positive way to honor a relative or friend who is burJ. Harry Norris, Mayor of Leonardtown, ied at Cheltenham. But it can also honor a veteran(s) that you don’t know but who had a and positive impact on your life or the lives of your The Commissioners of Leonardtown family or ancestors. For example, many veterans helped to defend England and to liberate France, the Philippines, etc. during World War II. Some stayed after the war to help the countries to recover and to defend them from unfriendly countries. Some fought in other wars or helped our country or other countries during national disasters, such as earthquakes, floods or hurricanes. It can also be a way to teach The Monster Rockfish Festival was the children about their family’s part in history. result of a partnership with Jeff Tomcsik and The ceremony starts at noon on Saturday, his company, BAMM Enterprises, which orDec. 11 the main building near the entrance. ganized the 1st Annual Monster Rockfish FesIt lasts about 45 minutes, and includes a color tival held on Oct. 30. The two events combined guard, prayers, and the laying of seven wreaths to create a weekend filled with something for to honor the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, everyone to enjoy. Greenwell extends a speCoast Guard, Merchant Marine and POW/ cial thank you to Jeff Tomcsik for his vision, MIA. The remaining wreaths are then handed and to him and his staff for their assistance out for the purchasers to place on the graves. and efforts with helping the Festival become If you do not have a designated grave site for a reality. Greenwell would also like to thank the St. Mary’s County Department of Tourism for its assistance with promoting this event. The money raised from the Monster Rockfish Festival helps support Greenwell’s On October 7, 2010 the Charlotte Hall many inclusive programs, including recreRotary Foundation on behalf of The Stephens ational and therapeutic horseback riding, Fund presented Sheral St. Clair, President of Camp Greenwell and specialty camps, and Helpful Hooves Equine Therapy, Inc. with a River Riders Kayaking. It also helps support Check for $1000. Southern Maryland Vacations for Vets, for Helpful Hooves Equine Therapy Inc. is a which Greenwell is the host site. Save the date non-profit 501-C3 corporation whose mission for next year’s Monster Rockfish Festival – is to improve the lives of persons with disSunday, Oct. 30. abilities through the use of horses and horse related activities. We offer parties and social Joe Anderson, President activities to our disabled community at no Greenwell Foundation Board of Trustees
First Monster Rockfish Fest Was a Blast The Greenwell Foundation held its first annual Monster Rockfish Festival on Sunday, Oct. 31 at Greenwell State Park in Hollywood. More than 2,000 people came to the park and enjoyed food and fun on a glorious autumn day, all while supporting the Greenwell Foundation. The children’s activities were a huge hit, as were the pony rides at the barn. Such an event is only possible with the gracious support of many sponsors and inkind donors including BAMM Enterprises, CSC, The Center for Life Enrichment, Dewberry, Dyson’s Lumber, Elite Beatz Entertainment, John Felicitas and Christine Wray, Hillside Rides, Lenny’s, Liberty Home Builders, Northrop Grumman, Patuxent Partnership, SMECO, Tidewater Dental, Tri-County Abstract, Wayne’s Signs, and Wyle. Greenwell would also like to thank Connie Pennington, the Girl Scouts and all of the many hard-working volunteers, too numerous to name individually. Thank you for your efforts, without which this event would not have been the success that it was. Additionally, Greenwell would like to extend a thank you to the cook-off participants and judges, food vendors, artists and crafters, community partners and the band, Alive-nKickin’. We appreciate your confidence in Greenwell’s ability to host a successful event.
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
the wreath, it will be placed by the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Sons of the American Revolution, Masonic Lodge, Bethesda Chapter of the Civil Air Patrol or Charles County Right to Life at a grave site of their choosing. This event is sandwiched between two major holidays. On Thanksgiving, we can be thankful for the part our veterans played in keeping this country safe and free. On Christmas, we can enjoy our religious freedom that veterans helped to preserve. I attended the ceremony last year and was disappointed with the approximately 60 people who were there. Half were the color guard, staff, etc. I was tremendously impressed by the turnout and show of patriotism at the funeral for Lance Corporal Terry Honeycutt, so I know the people of this area can do much better than 30 participants at the Wreaths Across America ceremony. Please show up for the ceremony even if you didn’t purchase a wreath. The wreaths are $15, with $5 going to the organization that sold them. Contact George Satterthwaite at 301 292 2312 or gs2nd@aol. com, or Robert Boudreaux at (301) 638 7042 or boodro6@comcast.net to order a wreath or if you have any questions. Robert Boudreaux Waldorf, MD
Stephens Fund Helps Helpful Hooves
Jolanda Campbell, Executive Director Greenwell Foundation
charge and rely solely on the financial support of our business community and family and friends to keep our program going. In this time of economic hardship nonprofit and charity organizations are particularly hard hit, we greatly appreciate your generosity. Sheral St Clair, President Helpful Hooves Equine Therapy Inc.
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The County Times
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
To The Editor:
Sponsors Made Bluegrass For Hospice A Reality Legal Notice This years Bluegrass For Hospice, 2010, man that worked hard tweaking the knobs all
which was held on Saturday October 23, was another great success. I can’t say it enough, but thanks to the Community for helping make this event as successful as it was. From just under $8,000 last year, this year’s event made double that and more. The total money raised was $17,601.45! I have so many people to thank, and as a follow-up to my letter on Nov. 11 in the County Times, I’d like to use this space to thank all the businesses and sponsors that made the event a success. Thanks to Johnny & Lorraine Armsworthy, Tina Williams, her son Jim, and Barbara Robinson for getting 138 wonderful door prizes and silent auction items, to Betsy Voss for donating the McCormick Spice basket and cooler, and also to the businesses who donated the items and the Amish/Mennonite Community for there generosity. Thanks to Kerry, Jesse and the staff at the Printing Press for providing all of my printing needs and for there patience, Wayne Mass Signs in Chaptico for the vinyl banners, Wawa store #592 in California, MD for providing back stage refreshments, and to everyone that went out and sold tickets. Thanks to all the bands that donated their time: David Norris, The California Ramblers, Jack Tippett, Spoon Creek, Bottom County Bluegrass, the members of my band, Eastern Tradition, and Recent Addition, (St. Mary’s County is well supported with local Bluegrass talent!), Gracie Myles of Gracie’s Guy’s and Gals Dancers for bringing a talented group of young dancers (They were a big hit), and the
day, Troy Jones for providing the sound, and the Grascals who did an exciting show and was well were worth the wait. Last but not least, I’d like to thank the following businesses for sponsoring the Bluegrass For Hospice 2010: C & C Plumbing & Septic, Inc., Jan Barnes, Barbour/Brooks Team, the Team of Choporis/Crispell, and Margaret Taylor of Century 21 New Millennium, College of Southern Maryland, Community Bank of TriCounty, CSC, Broadwater Woodworking, Inc., and St. Mary’s County Art’s Council. I’d also like to thank the following supporters of the event: Aloft Solutions, Gary at ABC Liquors & Lounge in California, MD, PNC Bank-Southern Maryland Branches, Toyota of Southern Maryland, Friends of Kenny Dement, J.F. Taylor, Inc., Compliance Corporation, Tippetts Construction, Trampus Guitars, and Honky’s Tiki Hut. Other supporters included: Blue Heron Services, Inc., State Farm Insurance-Phil Riehl agent, LaGrande Resort RV, Inc., W.M. Davis, Inc., Brad & Linda Gottfried, Ford & Linda Dean, Dot Bell of Bell Boys Bus Service, Clark’s Flooring, Inc. of Lexington Park, Joan & Stanley Williams, Carroll’s Equipment in Dameron, Sal Raspa for Board of Education, and John & Vicki Weinke. Thanks for all the food donations that went to help the Southern Maryland Food Banks. It was delivered to the Helping Hands in Hollywood. We have a generous community here in St. Mary’s County. Jay Armsworthy, Promoter/Event Coordinator Bluegrass For Hospice
TRUSTEE'S SALE Case No. 18-C-08-001550 Of Valuable Improved Real Estate located in St. Mary’s County, MD at 24271 McGlue Road Chaptico, Maryland 20621
Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in a Deed Of Trust from Mark R. Pittman and Karin Mitchell Pittman to Stanley L. Merson and S. Lynne Pulford, Trustees, dated March 28, 2006, and duly recorded among the Land Records of St. Mary’s County, Maryland, in Liber 2744, at Folio 021, docketed for foreclosure in Civil No. 18-C-08-001550, the holder of the indebtedness secured by the Deed Of Trust having appointed Martin L. Goozman and Jeffrey W. Bernstein as Substitute Trustees by instrument duly executed, acknowledged and recorded among the Land Records of the said County, default having occurred under the terms thereof and at the request of the holder of the Note secured thereby, the undersigned Substitute Trustees will offer for sale at public auction at the front entrance of the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County, Maryland, Courthouse, 41605 Courthouse Drive, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650, on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. all that Property described in the said Deed Of Trust as follows: Lot Numbered Seven (7), In Block S In The Subdivision Known And Called "Mill Point Shores" As Per Plat Of Said Subdivision Recorded In CBG No 1, Folio 35 One Of The Plat Records Of St. Mary’s County, Maryland.
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:
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P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, MD 20636
Said Property is improved by a dwelling. The Property will be sold in "AS-IS" condition, subject to all conditions, restrictions, easements, covenants, rights-of-way and agreements of record affecting the Property, and subject to whatever an accurate survey or inspection of the Property would disclose, without any express or implied warranty of any kind. A deposit of $25,000.00 cash, certified or cashier's check, payable to the undersigned Trustees, shall be required at the time and place of sale. The balance of the purchase price shall bear interest at the rate of 6.375% per annum from the date of sale to the date of delivery of payment to the
Substitute Trustees. No deposit shall be required of the noteholder where the noteholder bids on the Property at sale and payment of the purchase price by the noteholder shall be made by crediting the purchase price against the foreclosure costs and expenses and the indebtedness secured by said Deed Of Trust. In the event that settlement is delayed for any reason, including, but not limited to, exceptions to the sale, bankruptcy filings by interested parties, court administration of the foreclosure sale or unknown title defects, there shall be no abatement of interest. Adjustment of all taxes, public charges and special or regular assessments, annual front foot benefit charges and deferred connection fees, if any, shall be made as of the date of sale and thereafter assumed by the purchaser. Condominium fees and/or homeowner's association fees, if any, shall be assumed by the purchaser from the date of sale. Title examination, conveyancing, transfer taxes, recordation tax and all other costs of conveyance and settlement shall be paid by the purchaser. Purchaser agrees to pay $295.00 at settlement to Seller's attorney for review of the settlement documents. The Property is sold subject to the right of any persons in possession of all or any part of the Property under recorded or unrecorded leases or rights of occupancy, if any. Purchaser shall be responsible for obtaining possession of the Property. Compliance with the terms of sale shall be made and the balance of the purchase price shall be paid within ten (10) days after final ratification of the sale by the Circuit Court for Frederick County, Maryland, unless said time is extended by the undersigned Trustees in their sole and absolute discretion for good cause shown, time being of the essence; otherwise the deposit shall be forfeited and the Property will be resold at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser. In the event of resale, the defaulting purchaser shall not be entitled to any benefit, surplus proceeds or profits resulting from such resale. The Trustees are not liable, individually or otherwise, for any reason. If title to the Property is not or cannot be transferred consistent with the terms hereof for any reason, the Trustee's liability is limited, at its sole discretion, to return any deposit, without interest, thereby rescinding the sale, and there is no other right or remedy against the Trustee at law or in equity. Martin L. Goozman and Jeffrey W. Bernstein Substitute Trustees
Make sure you include your name, phone # and the city you live in. We will not publish your phone #, only your name and city
P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636 News, Advertising, Circulation, Classifieds: 301-373-4125
James Manning McKay - Founder Eric McKay -Associate Publisher..................................ericmckay@countytimes.net Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager..............................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Sean Rice - Editor......................................................................seanrice@countytimes.net Angie Stalcup - Graphic Artist.......................................angiestalcup@countytimes.net Sarah Miller - Reporter - Education, Entertainment......sarahmiller@countytimes.net Chris Stevens - Reporter - Sports......................................chrisstevens@countytimes.net Guy Leonard - Reporter - Government, Crime...............guyleonard@countytimes.net Sales Representatives......................................................................sales@countytimes.net
The County Times
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
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ews SMECO Helps with Special Grant Funds Will Help ‘Christmas In April’ Project Underage Drinking Study By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Volunteers from the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) spent their morning and afternoon the day before Thanksgiving building a wheelchair ramp outside the
Photo by Sarah Miller
Carey home in Lexington Park. “We’re trying to help out the best we can,” said Kip Pulliam, one of the SMECO volunteers helping to build the ramp. The volunteers were working in conjunction with the St. Mary’s County branch of Christmas in April. Pulliam said they found out about the project a couple weeks prior, and they were given the measurements, the materials and the
address. The other volunteers from SMECO working on the project included Jay Thompson, Ray Gaskill, Wayne Fowler, Larry Hayden, Bobby Thompson and Todd Farr. Thompson said somebody had suggested building a ramp at the Carey home to the Christmas in April organization, then Christmas in April approached SMECO saying they would supply the materials if SMECO supplied the people to build the ramp. Christmas in April is a chapter of Rebuilding Together, a national program that makes improvements to homes for low-income families and people with disabilities. The St. Mary’s County branch of Christmas in April was started in 1990. According to the website, www.christmasinaprilsmc.org: “This program focuses on a one-day blitz of home repairs on the last Saturday in April.” As made evident by Wednesday’s build, the projects are not limited to the last Saturday in April. Many of the projects focus on accessibility and safety concerns, like railings, wheelchair ramps and smoke alarms. Christmas in April holds monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at the Burch Oil Company meeting room, located at 24660 Three Notch Road in Hollywood. People interested in getting involved with Christmas in April should attend the meetings.
Christmas Tree Sale to benefit
The Center for Life Enrichment Route 235, Hollywood, Maryland One mile north of the Route 235 & 245 intersection (just north of the Hollywood Fire Department) 301-373-8100
Sale begins December 1st, 20 10 Monday thru Friday 8:00am ~ 8:00pm Saturday & Sunday 11:00am ~ 8:00pm
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Officials tasked with curbing underage drinking and drunken driving locally will use federal grant money to try to find out just how serious the problems are, in light of the state’s discontinued monitoring of the issue. Walt Biscoe, substance abuse prevention coordinator with the county, said that a $10,000 grant allowance from the state, which won more than $2.4 million in substance abuse prevention money from the federal government, will give policy makers here a chance to find out just how bad the problem is before taking action. In years past, Biscoe said the Maryland Department of Education had compiled a study on self-reported data from teens and young people on their drinking habits in the Maryland Adolescent Survey. But, the state has ceased that effort, and even when the reports did come out the data was two-years-old and some officials said it could be inaccurate
because it was based on the reports from youth. If the Board of County Commissioners approves the acceptance of the grant, Biscoe said, the ensuing study could lead to the Office of Human Services getting a larger portion of the $2.4 million grant. “We will first off assess the community, we have to be able to show we have an issue,” Biscoe said. The three main issues the state wants counties to tackle are underage drinking, binge drinking by young people and alcohol related crashes involving young people. That additional money would be used to put together broad ranging programs targeting more the general population instead of youth involved in treatment programs for substance abuse, Biscoe said. “They [the state] believe it’s a major statewide issue,” Biscoe said. “For a lot of people alcohol is the drug of choice.” guyleonard@countytimes.net
Police Call Suspicious Death a Murder Maryland State Police are investigating the death of a 41-year old Lusby woman found inside her car in a parking lot of a state park in Calvert County. Police identified the deceased as Sandra Renee Long, 41, of H.G. Trueman Road, Lusby. Long was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause and manner of death are unknown at this time, police report. “Due to the suspicious nature of the crime scene, investigators are treating this case as a homicide,” a Maryland State Police press release states. “A motive for the murder has not been determined.” At approximately 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, an emergency phone call was received by the Calvert Control Center. The call came from a group of three hunters who discovered Long, apparently unconscious and unresponsive inside her parked car. Long was found in the front seat of her silver 2009 Ford Focus with Maryland tags. The car was parked in a lot bordering Calvert
Cliffs State Park, at the intersection of Camp Canoy Road and H.G. Trueman Road. Maryland State Troopers, Calvert County Sheriff’s Deputies, Maryland Natural Resources Police and Emergency Medical Service personnel immediately responded to the scene. Long was pronounced dead by EMS personnel. She was taken to the Office of the State Medical Examiner for an autopsy, the press release states. Troopers and Sheriff’s Deputies secured the surrounding area. Investigators from the Calvert County Investigative Team, the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit and the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office immediately initiated a death investigation. State police crime scene technicians processed the scene for evidence. Police are asking anyone who may have seen Long on the morning of Monday, Nov. 29, or who may have information regarding this case, to please call the Maryland State Police at the Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400.
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Douglas Fir Fraser Fir Canaan Fir White Pine Norway Spruce
Donate your full size minivan, midsize sedan or SUV in good operating condition and possibly receive Full Blue Book value for tax purposes.
*Check out our Craft & Bake Sale on Saturday & Sunday too!
Help your local agency help individuals with disabilities.
The Center for Life Enrichment is a not for profit agency Serving adult individuals with disabilities in St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties
We accept vehicles in any condition.
Call The Center for Life Enrichment at 301-373-8100, ext. *824 or contact us on the web at www.tcle.org.
Help support individuals with disabilities!! We are a United Way agency
A United Way Agency
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
Black Friday Lives Up To Its Name By Sarah Miller Staff Writer While smaller local businesses are good to shop at, it is common that bigger chain stores will do well on Black Friday. Businesses also open earlier and offer large discounts as incentives for shoppers to come in early and do their Christmas shopping. For instance, the Target in California opened at 4 a.m. and did over $600,000 in sales. A normal Saturday’s business at Target sees between $150,000 and $200,000 in sales, according to Megan Fleegle, the Executive Team Leader (ETL) in the Human Resources department in Target. What they took in on Black Friday is nearly four times that they would normally take in during a business day. Despite the large increase in revenue, and the increase in customers that comes with it on Black Friday, Target doesn’t have a problem keeping the peace among customers. Fleegle said the store’s team leaders are
for the love of
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able to keep the crowds under control and prevent people from cutting in line. The people at Target have never had to call in law enforcement, which is not unheard of on Black Friday. “We’ve never had any issues,” Fleegle said. When the store opened, there were people waiting in line, but Fleegle said they were able to get everybody in without a problem. Best Buy refused to release their sales information for Black Friday, but Corey DiGiovanni, a representative form Best Buy’s corporate office, said “at local stores, there were huge lines of people waiting days in advance to shop. Hot products were anything connected to the Internet, including tablets, TVs, and e-readers.” Wal-Mart also refused to release figures for their sales on Black Friday, but a representative from Wal-Mart said the top five toys sold that were offered at midnight on Friday were Hot Wheels
Money
10-pack vehicles, Zhu Zhu Pets, 1:24 RadioControlled new bright Vehicles, Barbies and SwitchKix scooters. The top 5 electronics sold were the Emerson 32 inch LCD HD television, the Samsung 19 inch LCD television, the Kidack camera, the DS Lite and HP 15.6 laptop computers. The local side of businesses didn’t do to badly either on Black Friday. Suzi Raley, a sales associate with the Apple Basket in Mechanicsville, said the store was busier than on a normal day, and sales were up. “We were happy,” she said. Traditions of Loveville on Route 5 also did well on Black Friday. “The store was rocking busy,” said Jane Bachman, the manager at Traditions. She said
the store saw a 6 percent increase in sales from the previous year’s Black Friday, and from noon until they closed, Bachman said the store was packed. “Both sides of Route 5 were our parking lot,” Bachman said. She said the fact that people were shopping at Traditions, and the numbers showed there were more people in the store and they were spending more money than the previous year, showed people want the local businesses to be there as well as large chain stores. “It’s very gratifying to see people support local stores,” Bachman said. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
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Millison Management Moving Headquarters The former 7/11 in Lexington Park is being converted into office space for Millison Management, a business that owns and develops community and residential property. A representative from Millison Management said the main office for the company will be moving to the new location, and the 2,500-square-foot space will be larger than the company’s current main office. Millison Management is scheduled to move into the new location Jan. 4, 2011.
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The County Times
Briefs Man Arrested For Brandishing Knife
On Nov. 28, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Point Lookout Road in St. Inigoes for a report of an assault involving a knife. Investigation revealed James Wayne Murphy, 47, of no fixed address, was engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim, which escalated into a physical assault when Murphy allegedly held a knife to the victim’s face. Others in the residence intervened and stopped the assault. Police reported Murphy was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault.
Roadside Assist Leads To Drug Charges
On Nov. 25, Deputy Flelage was patrolling the area of Loveville Road and Independence Drive in Mechanicsville when he observed a vehicle flashing hazards lights. Flelage stopped to assist and made contact with the driver, William James Cooper, 23, of Lexington Park, who said his vehicle had run out of gasoline. As Flelage was speaking with Cooper the deputy noticed a controlled dangerous substance smoking device lying on a coat in the back seat of the vehicle. The smoking device contained suspected marijuana, police allege. Cooper was arrested and charged with possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia and possession of a controlled dangerous substance, suspected marijuana.
Police: Man Arrested For Choking Victim
On Nov. 27, deputies responded to a residence on Hollywood Road in Hollywood for a report of an assault. Investigation showed Scott Delane Dean, 34 of Hollywood was engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim, which escalated into a physical assault when Dean allegedly choked the victim. Dean was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.
Man Caught Trying To Enter Home
On Nov. 27, deputies responded to a residence on Friendship Road in Mechanicsville for a report of a burglary. Investigation revealed Michael Nelson Sullivan, 29, of Avenue, allegedly attempted to enter the victim’s residence by pushing on the kitchen window. When Sullivan could not enter the residence through the window he went to the rear porch and removed a wooden board, police say. Deputies found Sullivan in the back yard. Sullivan stated that he was trying to enter a relative’s residence. The victim told deputies he did not know Sullivan, pollice alleged. Sullivan was arrested and charged with fourth-degree burglary.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
10
Defendant in Concrete-Throwing Assault Denied Dismissal By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A man accused of hurling a piece of concrete through a car windshield more than a year ago and causing serious injury to a young girl will go to trial this month after Circuit Court Judge C. Clarke Raley denied his motion to dismiss the charges against him. Trevis Butler faces counts of first-degree assault as well as escape charges in the case against him, but his lawyer Ralph Warren argued that since his client had first been arrested more than a year ago and again indicted a second time this year, that the state had stalled his constitutional right to a speedy trial. “There’s been more than a year’s delay in prosecuting my client, it’s an alleged assault and it’s not a complex case,” Warren said. Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Stanalonis argued that the second indictment against Butler was filed after the state gathered new information on the case, including that his mother was alleged to have falsified work release papers for their family’s towing business to allow for Butler’s release. It was while Butler was out on work release that he was accused of throwing the concrete chunk through the car’s windshield on Kavanaugh Road in Mechanicsville and injuring the 15-year-old female victim so badly with a fractured skull she had to be evacuated by a helicopter for medical treatment. Stanalonis said that the defendant had
waived his right to a speedy trial this past March as the two attorneys were working out the details of the case. “This was not a case… of the state pushing this longer than it needed to be pushed,” Stanalonis said. Mary Butler, Tre- Trevis Butler vis Butler’s mother, was indicted earlier this year on charges that she helped her son escape incarceration back in the summer of 2009 by allegedly signing the name of her husband to work release forms for his son without his knowledge. John Butler, Sr.’s name was on all the work release forms, police reports regarding the case stated, but John Butler, Jr. was the actual owner of the company. When an investigator with the county’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations confronted Trevis Butler’s father about the signatures on the forms, he denied he ever signed them. Mary Butler soon after told the detective that she was the one who filled out all of the paper work, the police report stated. Both Trevis Butler and Mary Butler are scheduled to stand trial this month. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Nov. 29, registered sex ofSex Offender Released fenderOnClinton Wayne Rankin, 28, of Great Mills, was released from custody per court order. Rankin will be residing on Point Lookout Road in Great Mills, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office reports. He is currently unemployed. Rankin is listed on the Maryland Sex Offender registry as being charged with a fourth- degree sex offense. For further information on registered sex offenders in St. Mary’s County visit www.firstsheriff.com.
Ridge Woman Guilty of Embezzlement By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Lucy Lynn Bradburn, a 43-year-old Ridge resident faces jail time after pleading in federal court to charges that for seven years she embezzled money from her employer based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Bradburn made her plea in the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt with the plea agreement with federal prosecutors showing that Bradburn had made false records of purchases from her company, IAP World Services, Inc., an accounting and supply firm, that allowed her to embezzle more than $104,000. According to U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein’s office, Bradburn’s duties included requesting payments for vendor services and supplies that she would complete and transfer to IAP’s corporate offices in Florida and this duty allowed her to steal the money. Documents show that Bradburn admitted
to preparing and signing at least 44 falsified requests for payment from Sears for purchases that IAP had never actually made. When the payment checks were mailed back to the Patuxent River office, at Bradburn’s request, U.S. Attorney’s Office documents state, the defendant would then take the money and use it to pay for her personal Sears department store accounts. Prosecutors revealed that the criminal conduct had been ongoing from 2002 to 2009. Bradburn faces at most 20 years incarceration for her crime as well as five years supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In addition, as part of her plea agreement, Bradburn has agreed to pay the more than $104,000 in embezzled funds as restitution. Bradburn’s sentencing hearing is set for February of next year. guyleonard@countytimes.net
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The County Times
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
Mary Brown, 87
Margaret Hockaday, 85
Mary Virginia Jameson Brown, 87, of Baltimore, MD died November 28, 2010 in St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. Born May 16, 1923 in Avenue, Maryland she was the daughter of the late Jared and Fannie (Wilson) Jameson. Mrs. Brown was the loving wife of Osbie Lee Brown, whom she married in Baltimore, MD and preceded her in death on April 4, 2000. She is survived by her children; Barbara Jakubik, Mary Joyner, Linda Johnson, Anita Brown, Osbie Brown, Jr., Vera Owens all of Baltimore, MD., and Sandra Gregory of Virginia Beach, VA. Mrs. Brown is also survived by her brothers; Edward Jameson of Baltimore, MD and Jared Jameson of Avenue, MD. She is preceded in death by siblings; Frances McCallister, Clara Hughes, Harriett Young, and Edward Jameson. Mrs. Brown attended Banniker High school and worked as at Glass Company in Baltimore, MD. She enjoyed reading, playing cards and spending time with family and friends. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m., December 3, 2010 in the MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home; Leonardtown, MD with prayers being recited at 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held on December 4, 2010 at 10 a.m., in All Saints Episcopal Church, Avenue, MD., with Rev. Kathleen Price officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Pallbearers will be Devon Foster, Ryan Brown, Sean Joyner, Shay Brown, Tyron Owens, and J. Johnson. Condolences may be left to the family at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
Margaret Payne Hockaday, 85 of Leonardtown, MD passed away November 26, 2010 at the Hospice House of St. Mary’s, Callaway, MD. Born January 27, 1925 in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of the late John Withers English and Agnes Payne English. Margaret volunteered for numerous organizations including the Society for the Blind, and the public school systems in Washington, DC and Arlington, VA. In addition, she worked with persons with disabilities in Charles County, MD and worked for numerous years for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program in St. Mary’s County, MD. She was the devoted mother of Graham Leonard Hockaday of Las Vegas, NV, Ruth Gene Greene of Virginia Beach, VA, Loucinda Cooper of Chesapeake Beach, VA, Peggy Lee Ritter of Leonardtown, MD and David Joseph Hockaday of St. Mary’s County, MD, and adoring “Mama” of 14 grandchildren and 20 greatgrandchildren. She is also survived by numerous loving nieces and nephews. Margaret was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Graham Hockaday. She proudly devoted her life to caring for her family and enjoyed spending time with them. Family will receive friends for Margaret’s Life Celebration on Sunday, December 5, 2010 from 1 until 3 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Memorial Service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Interment will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice House of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
Lt. Cmdr. Lawrence Cooke, 66 Lt. Cmdr (Ret.) Lawrence Merritt Cooke, 66 of Hollywood, MD died November 20, 2010 at St. Mary’s Hospital. Born April 23, 1944 in Norfolk, VA, he was the son of the late Gaither C. Cooke and Betty O. (Pipes) Cooke. Lawrence served in the U.S. Navy from 1965 until 1987. After his retirement from the Navy, he was employed with the True Value in Leonardtown, MD, Perkins Restaurants in Leonardtown and California, MD, and Denny’s Restaurant in Waldorf. Lawrence is survived by his children, Troy H. Cooke of Hagerstown, MD, Brandon L. Cooke of Mankato, MN, and Derek J. Cooke of Clarksburg, TN, five grandchildren, and a sister, Eileen Mueller of Sanito, TX. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda C. Cooke and a brother, Carl R. Cooke. A graveside service was conducted on Saturday, November 27, 2010 in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 7, Hollywood, MD 20636 or the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, MD 20636. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.
Helen Ince, 91 Helen J. “GG” Ince, 91, of Hollywood, MD died November 26, 2010 at her residence. Born May 15, 1919 in Racine, WI, she was the daughter of the late William J. and Helen M. (Ingalls) Gorton. She was also the loving wife of the late Richard J. Ince Sr. whom preceded her in death in 2004. Mrs. Ince is survived by her brother John Gorton of California and grandchildren David G. Ince and wife Leah who was Helen’s care giver for the past three years of Hollywood, MD, and John S. Ince of Lexington Park, MD., eight great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, three step grandchildren and a daughter in law. She was preceded in death by her only son Richard J. Ince, Jr. who passed away on August 1, 2007 and grandson Richard J. Ince, III who passed away on March 1, 1996. Mrs. Ince was the owner and operator of Cedar Cove Marina in Valley Lee, MD retiring in 2005. She was a strong supporter and member of the local Elks Lodge for the last forty years and she enjoyed and Jazzercise. Mrs. Ince fought to the end and died at home surrounded by her loving family. She was loved and will be missed
by many and never forgotten. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 2, 2010 from 6 – 7 p.m. in Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD, where a memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in her honor to Elks Lodge # 2092, P.O. Box 277, Lexington Park, MD 20653. To send a condolence to the family please visit our website at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Betty Knott, 72 Betty Blue Knott, 72, of Lothian, MD died November 23, 2010 at Calvert Memorial Hospital, Prince Frederick, MD. Born May 2, 1938 in Sugar Grove, WV she was the daughter of the late Floyd and Sarah Dainty Losh Moats. The family received friends on Monday, November 29, 2010 in Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD, where a funeral service was held with Deacon Bill Nickerson officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. To send a condolence to the family please visit our website at www.mgfh.com. A full obituary will appear at a later date. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Thelma Lyon, 81 Thelma Janis Lyon, 81, of Mechanicsville, died November 22, 2010 at her residence. Born August 22, 1929 in Budds Creek, MD she was the daughter of the late Wilfred Rencher and Anna Mae Hardesty. Mrs. Lyon was the loving wife of the late Luke “Eugene” Lyon whom she married on November 8, 1947 in Trinity Episcopal Church and preceded her in death on October 16, 2004. Mrs. Lyon is survived by her children; Michael Lyon of Avenue, MD, Janice Pilkerton and Debra Gray both of Mechanicsville, MD. She is also survived by six grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Lyon was preceded in death by her brother Levin Hardesty. Mrs. Lyon was born in St. Mary’s County and moved to Charles County for 52 years before returning back to her family farm in 1998. She was a Homemaker and also farmed. Mrs. Lyon was a member of the Bel Alton Volunteer Fire Department ladies auxiliary. The family received friends on Monday, November 29, 2010 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD where prayers were recited. A funeral service was held on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 in Christ Episcopal Church, Chaptico, MD with Rev. William Jesse Neat officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Richard Pilkerton, John Pilkerton, Jimmy Pilkerton, Alan Bowling, Ronnie Lyon, Ronnie Kilinski and Jake Pilkerton. In lieu of flow-
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
12
Continued ers please send contributions to St. Mary’s Hospice, P.O. Box 65, Leonardtown, MD 20650. To send a condolence to the family please visit our website at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Hannah Miedzinski, 89 Hannah Elizabeth Miedzinski, 89 of Hollywood, MD and Cedar Lane Apartments, died November 23, 2010 at St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born March 14, 1921 in Leonardtown, MD, she was the daughter of the late John and Lucille Goldsborough Stone. Mrs. Miedzinski was a homemaker. In addition to her parents Hannah was preceded in death by her first husband John F. Wheatley, and second husband Thomas Miedzinski, siblings; Nellie Norton, John “Buck” Stone, Lelia Thompson, Peter Stone, Cecilia Ferrell, Joseph Stone, and Robert Stone. Hannah is survived by her son, Harry (Donna) Wheatley of Lexington Park, MD, siblings; Madge Hutchinson of Lexington, KY, William Stone of Hollywood, MD, and Agnes Guy of Mechanicsville, MD, grandchildren; Tony (Margaret) Wheatley of Hollywood, MD and Joyce WheatleyRidgell of California, MD, also survived by 5 great-grandchildren, and many loved nieces and nephews. Family received friends Friday, November 26, 2010 in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD with prayers recited. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Saturday, November 27, 2010 at St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church with Father Ray Schmidt officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Ronnie Thompson, Bobby Thompson, Wayne Thompson, Ray Thompson, Robbie Thompson, and D. J. Brady. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hollywood Fire Volunteer Fire Dept., P.O. Box 7, Hollywood, MD 20636 and/or Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, MD 20636 Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD
Herman Morgan, 83 Herman Thomas Morgan, 83, of Mechanicsville, died November 22, 2010 at his residence. Born September 14, 1927 in St. Mary’s, MD he was the son of the late Ernest T. Morgan and Dollie Rose Grey Hall. Mr.
Morgan is survived by his children; Michael Barret, Craig Morgan, Linda Zwak and Cathy Williams all of Maryland, Herman T. Morgan, Jr. of Alabama, Sharon Love and Dennis Morgan of Florida and David Morgan of Virginia. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. In addition to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren Mr. Morgan is survived by his siblings; Ikey Morgan of Kentucky, Joe Morgan, Lewis “Bunny” Morgan and Anna Morgan all of Maryland. Mr. Morgan was preceded in death by his son Kevin Morgan and siblings; Elmer Morgan, Martha Morgan, John Hall and Bill Morgan. Mr. Morgan was a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1944 and served 8 years before his separation on January 29, 1952. He was a security guard for the United States Government. The family received friends on Monday, November 29, 2010 in MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD, where a funeral service was held with Deacon Bill Nickerson officiating. Interment followed in Queen of Peace Cemetery, Helen, MD. To send a condolence to the family please visit our website at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.
Irvin Murray, Jr., 86 Irvin Clay “Willie” Murray, Jr., 86, of Hollywood, MD formerly of Oxon Hill, MD died November 21, 2010 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, MD. Born November 15, 1924 in Washington, D.C., he was the son of the late Irvin Clay and Doris J. Murray; Sr. Mr. Murray was the loving husband of Gladys C. Murray whom he married on January 14, 1950 in Washington, D.C… Mr. Murray is also survived by his children; Irvin C. Murray, III, Linda M. Kavanaugh both of Fairfax, VA, Christopher C. Murray of Alexandria, VA and William S. Murray of California, MD as well as six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife, children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, Mr. Murray is survived by his sister Joan Fisher of Boca Raton, FL. Mr. Murray graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1943 before enlisting in the United States Army on August 11, 1943. He served his country for two and a half years before his separation from the Army on February 22, 1946. Mr. Murray was the President of I. C. Murray & Son Inc. for
25 years before his retirement in August of 1989. He was a Lion’s Club of Oxon Hill founding member. The family will receive friends on Sunday, December 5, 2010 from 2:00-4:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD where prayers will be recited at 3:00 PM. A funeral service will be held on Monday, December 6, 2010 at 11:00 AM in MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD with Pastor Doug Hays officiating and Pastor Lori Hays co-officiating. Interment will follow at 1:00 PM in Maryland’s Veterans Cemetery, Cheltenham, MD. Pall bears will be Ryan Kavanaugh, David C. Murray, Daniel S. Murray, Tammer Olibah, Chris Murray, Shane Murray and Irvin Clay Murray. In lieu of flowers please send contributions to St. Mary’s Hospice, P.O. Box 65, Leonardtown, MD 20650. To send a condolence to the family please visit our website at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. Ruth Estelle “Dukie” Ridgell, 66, of Great Mills, MD died November 21, 2010 at St. Mary’s Hospital. Born October 31, 1944 in Hollywood, MD she was the daughter of the late William and Thelma McGee. Mrs. Ridgell was the loving wife of John Ridgell whom she married in Leonardtown, MD on September 17, 1966. She is survived by her children; John Morrison (Beverly) of Scotland, MD, Willie Ridgell (Marsha) of Mechanicsville, MD, Frannie Evans (Bobby) of Great Mills, MD and Cindy Ridgell of Great Mills, MD. Mrs. Ridgell is also survived by her siblings; Shirley Spalding of Hollywood, MD, Ann Trull of Robinsville, NC and Diana Rogers of Leonardtown, MD as well as ten grandchildren and 3 greatgrandchildren as well as numerous nieces’ and nephews. She is preceded in death by two siblings Phil Cusic and Mary Evelyn Fabrizio. “Dukie” was a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County; she was a homemaker who will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, aunt and friend to many. She loved bingo, cooking and baking. She looked forward to the holidays; it gave her great pleasure to cook for and entertain all of her family and friends. The family received friends November 24th, 2010 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home; Leonardtown, MD a service was held with Fr. Joseph Callis officiating, interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens Leonardtown, MD. Pallbearers were Grandsons; Allen Ridgell, Billy Ridgell, Christopher Morrison, Gary Morrison, Robbie Evans and Steven Ridgell. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 or the Second District Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692. Condolences may be left to the family at www. mgf h.
5 2 1 4 To 73 3 1 0 Plac 3 l l a e a Me C e s a e morial, Pl
com. Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
Agatha Stokel, 88 Agatha Teresa Stokel, 88 of Leonardtown, MD, died Saturday, November 27, 2010 surrounded by her loving family. She was the wife of Thomas Edward Stokel, Sr. with whom she celebrated 66 years of marriage. She was the mother of Thomas Edward Stokel, Jr. of Leonardtown, MD, Jeanne Marie Marsh (George) of Leesville, LA, Joyce Ann Stokel of Washington, DC, Laura Mae Ferris (Tom) of Maiden’s, VA, Monica Stokel Clements (Bill) of California, MD, Marian Elaine Stokel of Leonardtown, MD, Rita Stokel Humphrey (Jay) of Madison, CT, Mary Celene Underwood (Warren) of Hollywood, MD, Clara Maria Spalding of Valley Lee, MD, and Mark Anselm Stokel (Tracy) of Leonardtown, MD. Her life was further blessed by 14 grandchildren, Chris, Karl, Eric, and Alex Marsh, Katie Jackson, and Jennifer Ferris, William J. Clements, Jr., Kaitlyn and Sarah Humphrey, Mikaela, Tiara, Molly and Ashley Spalding, and Mark J. Stokel. Born Agatha Teresa Boedeker in Ravenwood, Missouri, she was one of five children of August and Mary Boedeker. Geraldine, Delores, Marcella, and Leo Boedeker preceded her in death. She was a wartime wave and met her husband in NAS Hutchinson, Kansas. She eventually came to the East Coast to set up housekeeping in Leonardtown, MD. She was a member of Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary and the St. Aloysius Catholic Church Altar Society. She volunteered as a tour guide at the Sotterly Mansion and was very interested in history and art. She was an avid gardener and loved music. She raised her children and was interested in anything that concerned them. The family received friends for Agatha’s Life Celebration on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 with prayers recited. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, with Father John Dakes officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Eternal Word Television Network, 5817 Old Leeds Rd., Irondale, AL 35210-9948 and/or Conception Seminary College, Conception Abbey, P.O. Box 501, Conception, MO 64433-9988
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
Defense & Military
Marines Collect Toys For Tots By Sarah Miller Staff Writer While other people were gearing up for their Black Friday shopping, members of the Marine Corps Detachment 1305 from Naval Air Station Patuxent River were setting up their Toys for Tots collection in front of Wal-Mart in California. Friday marked the second year there has been a Toys for Tots collection in St. Mary’s County, said Bruce Vanden Bos, the St. Mary’s County coordinator for the Marines Corps Reserve Toys for Tots. Vanden Bos said they have been planning the Toys for Tots collection since October, and they were out in front of Wal-Mart on Friday and Saturday. Next year, Vanden Bos said they plan to be out collecting for a couple of weekends down the line, into December. Venden Bos said he runs the Toys for Tots drive in St. Mary’s County and the Marines on the base lend assistance. This is because there is no Marine Corps reserve in St. Mary’s County and the Marines on Base rotate in and out. It was decided there would be better consistency from year to year if Vanden Bos ran the collection and the Marines on base helped, Vanden Bos said. “We want to make sure the kids of St. Mary’s County are taken care of,” Vanden Bos said. Jonas Schommer, the commandant of the Marine Corps Detachment 1305 from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, said Wal-Mart’s allowing them to set
up in front of the store was a big help in facilitating the Toys for Tots collection on Black Friday. “It’s a great opportunity to help needy kids who wouldn’t otherwise have a decent Christmas,” Schommer said. Schommer said there is they will be holding two more Toys for Tot collection before Christmas, on Dec. 4 and 11. The distribution will be at the Carver Community Center in Lexington Park on Dec. 18 and 19. Major William Hendricks and a group of Marines in Los Angeles, Calif. began the Toys for Tots foundation in 1947. Vanden Bos said Hendricks’s wife had made some toys that she wanted her husband to donate, but he couldn’t find a place that gave away toys so he started Toys for Tots. “Over the 62 years of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children,” according to the website, www.toysfortots.org. For more information on Toys for Tots, or to locate a local drop off point for toys, go to www.toysfortots.org. For more information on the Marine Corps Detachment 1305 from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, go to www.paxriverdet1305.com.
Photo by Sarah Miller Lt. Colonel Hank Van Der Borght and Commandant Jonas Schommer at their Toys for Tots station at Wal-Mart.
sarahmiller@countytimes.net
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Corporal Brian Porter, Lt. Colonel Hank Van Der Borght and Commandant Jonas Schommer at their Toys for Tots station at Wal-Mart.
Photo by Sarah Miller
Local Woman Receives Rising Star Award Adrienne Latimer received a Rising Star of Technology Award at the 15th Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Conference in Dallas this October. The Rising Stars of Technology are early-career women who have made a great impact Adrienne Latimer on shaping technology for the future. Executives from their respective organizations nominated the 2010 honorees. Latimer, who works for Research and Engineering Development (RED), LLC, has been supporting the Naval Air Systems Command since March 2006. Adrienne, a Human Systems Specialist, seeks chal-
lenges, mentors others in her profession, and engages in meaningful community service as an active alumni member of Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM). To celebrate their achievements, the 2010 Rising Stars gathered at the Technology Recognition Luncheon on Oct. 29. The gathering was one of the high points of the conference which has become an international event that celebrates the significant accomplishments of women of color in STEM fields and promotes diversity in STEM careers. The honorees were featured in the conference edition of Women of Color magazine. Research and Engineering Development, LLC, is a small business located at the Pine Hill Technology Park in Lexington Park. The company specializes in applied research and development, traditional human engineering, user-focused system design, as well as environmental and survivability systems. According to Karen Garner, President of RED LLC, Latimer is a valued asset to the company and to the Navy; she has emerged as a leader in the company as well as her technical field.
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Know Education
The County Times
SMCPS Moving Forward with Race to the Top By Sarah Miller Staff Writer St. Mary’s County Public Schools will be going though some technological advances in the near future, including the implementation of additional interactive whiteboards in several elementary schools and increasing the student to computer ratio in the county to 3-to-1. St. Mary’s County Public Schools is also moving forward with Race to the Top, and as part of that the district plans to lease computers for the students to use. When all is said and done though, funding the computers will still be an issue. Linda Dudderar, the chief academic officer with St. Mary’s County Public Schools, said each county that chose to participate in the Race to the Top received $1.6 million dollars. Of that $1.6 million, Dudderar said a couple hundred thousand dollars is used to send teachers to required professional seminars. The rest of the money will go toward leasing new computers to bring the computer to student ratio in the county to 3-to-1. The computers will be used for student testing, as well as for instructional purposes. During the school board meeting on Nov. 23, it was discussed that leasing computers, as opposed to purchasing them, will give the county the ability to update and upgrade the computers as needed without
purchasing new ones every few years. Leasing the computers each year will cost St. Mary’s County Public Schools between $800,000 and $1 million. “That is why the cost of implementing Race to The Top far exceeds what we have been provided,” Dudderar said. Between the Race to the Top money and money the school is allocating to the technological updates, there is a gap of about $4 million that is not covered. “Although we were glad to have the $1.6 million, it does not come close to covering the cost of doing business,” Dudderar said. Dudderar said a finalized draft of the school’s Race to the Top Scope of Work Plan was sent to the State of Maryland Department of Education on Nov. 17, and from there it will go to the U.S. Department of Education. In other news on technological advances, St. Mary’s County Public Schools received a donation of 80 Promethean Whiteboards from Clinton Learning Solutions in Waldorf. The school board, during the Nov. 23 meeting, granted approval to piggyback on the Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ contract with Nicholas Pipino and Associates for the purchase of Epson projectors and related items as needed by St. Mary’s County Public Schools.
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
New Aquatic Center Gaining Foothold By Sarah Miller Staff Writer In September, the Leonardtown campus of the College of Southern Maryland opened a new Aquatic and Wellness Center. Two months later, the aquatic center is holding its own, school of-
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monthly memberships in January, as well as semester-long memberships, Talley said. In addition to traditional membership packages, Talley said the aquatic center is looking at selling punch cards that will be good for 10 to 20 visits. Visitors would be able to purchase one punch card and use it throughout the semester, or
The new Aquatic and Wellness Center at College of Southern Maryland, Leonardtown
ficials say. “We didn’t know what to expect,” said F.J. Talley, vice president and dean of the Leonardtown campus. He said it was difficult to predict what would happen at the Leonardtown aquatic center based on the numbers from the La Plata campus’s aquatic center because it’s an entirely different facility. “The memberships are higher than we though they would be,” Talley said. Currently, the aquatic center has 154 people signed up for memberships, and Talley anticipates that number will grow when the new semester begins. As of November, 1,858 people had visited the aquatic center. “We have every confidence it will keep growing,” Talley said. He said the problem with getting people to immediately sign up for memberships at the aquatic center was due to the fact that the semester had already started and people TOTAL wanted to get their money’s worth and join $1,484 the gym during the next semester. The aquatic center will begin selling $2,257
sarahmiller@countytimes.net
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they can buy multiple punch cards. There is also a possibility that the school will begin selling passport memberships, which will allow people to take classes whenever there’s space, instead of committing to one single class. “People can try out and sample other activities,” Talley said. Talley said the aquatic center is also getting new workout equipment during the next few weeks. “It’s gorgeous stuff. Really beautiful,” he said. In addition to the members and the students using the facilities, local schools in the area are using the aquatic center for swim meets. Tally said the Chopticon High School swim team held its tryouts at the center. The other three high schools in the county have also used the aquatic center. The schools will begin having their meets in December. “It’s becoming a place to use for the community,” Talley said. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Great Mills High School to host H2O Today at Great Mills High School during seventh period, from 12:40 a.m. until 1:40 p.m. and eighth period, from 1:45 until 2:45 p.m., Toby Morse, lead singer of the punk rock band H2O, and aGreat Mills High School 1988 graduate, will be presenting a program for students. Morse’s message is entitled, “One Life One Chance,” is about living a drug free life. His foundation’s website can be found at http://www.onelifeonechance.com/.
Lettie Dent Wins Silver Hammer Award Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School has been named a recipient of the Silver Hammer Award, established by Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot to recognize schools that have demonstrated a commitment to fiscal responsibility through superior school maintenance. The Silver Hammer Award will be presented to Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary during an award ceremony to be held Dec.16 at 10:30 a.m., at the Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School, located at 37840 New Market Turner Road, Mechanicsville. For more information, contact Mr. Brad Clements, chief operating officer, at 301-475-4256 Ext 7.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
STATE NEWS Legislative Committee Rejects ‘Race to The Top’ Plan By Lindsay Powers Capital News Service A regulation that would base 50 percent of teacher evaluations on “student growth” in order to secure federal funds was rejected by a legislative committee because it “took away the flexibility” of local school systems and required feedback that “never happened,” said Sen. Paul G. Pinsky, D-Prince George’s. Pinsky and other members of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review are hoping for a revised version of the regulation proposed by the Maryland State Board of Education that is less specific and incorporates more input from local school systems. The state board, however, has the power to push the current form of the regulation forward to Gov. Martin O’Malley. The committee’s vote has raised concerns about the potential effect on the federal Race to the Top funds the state was awarded in August. The state’s application for the federal funds called for making 50 percent of teacher evaluations dependent on student growth. Maryland was awarded $250 million from the competitive Race to the Top program to help it carry out education reform. With the state hoping to implement these federal funds starting next year, Bill Reinhard, a spokesman for the Maryland State Department of Education, said he expects a decision about the regulation will be made soon. “My sense is the (Maryland State Board of Education) will move quickly,” Reinhard said. Despite the potential consequences to the federal funds, the committee voted against the regulation based on contradictions between it and past legislation, Pinsky and others said.
The Education Reform Act of 2010 differentiates between “general standards” for teacher evaluations, created by the state board, and more specific “criteria” which are to be determined by local school systems. Pinsky, the Senate chair of the committee, said the new regulation dictated too directly what local systems had to do instead of allowing them to generate their own individual criteria. “We’re not going to do a top-down kind of thing,” said Pinsky. Another major concern is that the state board did not properly collaborate with local school systems to develop the regulation, a requirement in the Education Reform Act. “It seemed like they were short-circuiting the process,” said Delegate Anne Healey, D-Prince George’s, and house chair of the committee. The regulation now goes back to the state board with the committee’s vote and recommendations. Some worry that if the board makes substantial changes to the 50 percent requirement, the federal funds could be put in jeopardy. “We are concerned,” Reinhard said. Shaun Adamec, a spokesman for the governor, emphasized O’Malley will protect the federal funds. “Whatever happens next, the governor is certainly not going to do anything to jeopardize Race to the Top funds,” Adamec said. Pinsky, however, said he does think the funds are at risk and that the committee recommended the governor speak with the U.S. Department of Education about possible “minor changes.” “We have a law here that’s way beyond Race to the Top,” Pinsky said.
Maryland Misses Deadline on Bay Cleanup Plan BALTIMORE (AP) – Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay restoration plan will be a few days late in getting to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and other states could also miss the deadline, state and federal officials said Monday. Monday was the deadline for the District of Columbia and the six states in the bay watershed to submit their final plans to the EPA, which is spearheading a renewed restoration effort. Maryland Department of the Environment spokeswoman Dawn Stoltzfus said the volume of public comment was the reason for the delay. “We had a lot of feedback, a lot of substantial feedback, that we want to review carefully,” Stoltzfus said. Stoltzfus said the state had received 113 sets of comments from 750 people and two petitions with 1,000 signatures as well as numerous e-mails. Stoltzfus noted that the EPA had said the
state’s draft plan submitted in September was a strong start, and state would submit the final plan by the end of the week. EPA spokesman David Sternberg said the agency has heard from some jurisdictions that their plans may also be late. In addition to Maryland, other states to submit are Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. President Barack Obama jump-started the decades old bay restoration effort by issuing an executive order last year placing the federal government in charge of the once state-led effort that has so far failed to restore the largest U.S. estuary. The federal EPA said its strategy, among other steps, calls for tightening of permits for wastewater treatment plants, large animal feeding operations, storm water systems and other pollution sources. The strategy has been strongly supported by environmental groups and criticized by agricultural interests.
The County Times
Wednesday, December 2, 2010
16
STORY
New Commissioners Take The Reins in Uncertain Times
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
As three new elected leaders take their seats on the Board of County Commissioners, now dominated by Republicans who ran on platforms of fiscal conservatism and not raising taxes, the only choice some observers say they have in balancing the county’s books will be to cut services. Todd Morgan, who is taking over the District 4 seat, said that the main task for him and for Cindy Jones and Dan Morris will be to learn the intricacies of the county budget and hunt for any savings they can to keep services running as smoothly as possible. “It’s going to take a while to understand, we have to see if there are nooks and crannies
were we can find savings,” Morgan said, adding that he was aiming to ensure that county employees kept their positions. “I’m not in the mood to flip county government over,” Morgan said. But the calls from voters to keep taxes as they are or even roll them back, Morgan said, meant that cuts in programs were not off the table. During the campaign, he said, when he asked voters what services they would not mind giving up, he usually got an incomplete answer. “No one has an answer, they just want us to cut taxes,” Morgan said. And the county’s fiscal picture is not looking any brighter, as the new commissioners and administrators fully realize. With the state’s current budget deficit pro-
Cindy Jones, left, Todd Morgan, and Dan Morris will join the commissioner board on Dec. 6.
jected at $1.6 billion, more than the $1.2 billion shortfall previously believed, and expanding to $2.1 billion in the near future, leadership here is not looking for any more revenue sharing from the state. In fact, said County Administrator John Savich, revenues are expected to, at best, stay flat when it comes to the two main sources of property and income taxes. “If, on balance, revenues are flat we’ll be bucking the trend,” Savich told The County Times. “There are no optimistic scenarios.” Savich said, and Morgan agreed, that the state would likely pass down the teacher pension burden to counties and property tax revenues were expected to eventually go down because of declining state assessments. In fiscal 2010 the general fund balance for the county stood at about $195,000,000 but in fiscal 2011 the commissioner board had to cut out $10 million to compensate for state cutbacks. Property tax revenue actually increased from 2010 to 2011 by $6 million to $99 million, but income tax revenue dropped by $5 million to $60 million. Highway user fees were also gutted and do not appear to be coming back anytime soon. Savich said the commissioner board, which includes re-elected incumbents Commissioner President Francis Jack Russell, the sole Democrat, and Lawrence D. Jarboe (RGolden Beach), will have its first budget work session Dec. 21 where the fiscal picture from the state will become more clear. Dan Morris, who is taking over the District 2 seat, said he too wants to avoid cutting county positions, but the fiscal reality could mean that as employees retire or leave their positions they might be forced to leave them vacant. “It’s reduction through attrition,” Morris said. “I’m definitely not a fan of laying people off.” While merit employees in government could not be let go so easily, contract employees have expressed privately their concerns that the new make up of the commissioners could spell a shake up in their positions. Both Morris and Jones have said they are willing to talk about consolidating departments within county government that could eliminate some director’s positions. Morris contends that even if a director lost their position, they could still be kept on in a reduced capacity. Morris said that one potential option could be to merge the permitting process in the Department of Land Use and Growth Management with that in the Department of Public Works and Transportation. “I’m in favor of a one stop shop,” Morris said, citing complaints that getting permits from the county for construction can take too long. “That would cut down on time and time is money,” Morris said. Morgan said that during the campaign he also heard complaints over frustrations with the county’s permitting process. The commissioners will also be faced with deciding whether to complete capital projects that have been on hold, including ones like the FDR Boulevard project. While Morgan said that he would consider borrowing money now to complete such projects that did not require large daily costs when finished, Jones said that going into more debt was not in her plans in taking office.
“My leaning is towards not borrowing in tough economic times,” Jones said. “I’d be cautious about borrowing in the short term.” Morgan said that borrowing might increase debt, but doing so now might also allow the county to get a better interest rate rather than waiting several years. Getting the projects done now would also help improve local employment for construction workers, Morgan said. Though fiscal matters will dominate the work load for commissioners, some of the newly elected want to examine how the county could possibly get exemptions or waivers for those living in the critical area of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, where the state rigorously controls what property owners can do with their own land. Morris said that the state’s strict control amounted to having to pay taxes without enjoying property rights. Moreover, while St. Mary’s County had among the most waterfront land in the state, it often had to submit to what other county’s sitting on the critical areas commission posited. “Why are you taxing me for waterfront property when I don’t have [control over] waterfront property?” Morris said. “I’m a big proponent of getting local legislation for St. Mary’s County… to ease some of these state-imposed rules. “We’re not the problem,” he said. Aside from the critical areas complaints from residents, there has been a growing sentiment in county government that the state wants to impose its own land use and planning vision here, particularly when it comes to preservation. Jones said that now may be the time to find a way to reassert the county’s interests. “The further away the authority is the more difficult it is to be responsive to the [county’s] unique needs,” Jones said. Partnering with counties who have similar geography to St. Mary’s, could bring added leverage to bear in Annapolis when it came to local planning decisions including the critical area laws. “Counties will work together and start to push back,” said Jones, who will take over the District 1 seat. New storm water management requirements that had builders create run off measures for temporary roads was one example of the laws going too far. “I think that’s onerous,” Jones said. Despite there being only one Democrat on the board, Jones did not think there would be a voting block emerging, and Jarboe said he believed that the backgrounds of the commissioners were so diverse as to make for equally diverse decisions on votes. “Nobody’s going to be able to roll over the others,” Jarboe said. “I don’t see one lump majority. “But I do believe issues will be picked apart more deeply.” Russell said that he did not believe the GOP-dominated board would be a problem for him; he believed that the challenges they all face transcended party lines. He does not feel isolated, he said. “That puts me with a good feeling towards the other commissioners to get some good stuff done for St. Mary’s County,” Russell said. “I see us bonding together. “I’m looking forward to getting started.” guyleonard@countytimes.net
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Wednesday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
Four-Year-Old’s Gift to St. Mary’s Deputies Paige Buchness is a 4-year-old with a dream of becoming a law enforcement canine officer one day. Her mom, Jennifer, is a graduate of the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s Academy. Mrs. Buchness learned a great deal about the Sheriff’s Office through her Citizen’s Academy experience and decided to nurture her daughter’s interest in law enforcement by creating an educational opportunity for Paige. Jennifer introduced Paige to a variety of law enforcement activities including attending two police canine demonstrations this past fall. Paige and her mom also created a Thanksgiving Day project which encompassed numerous aspects of education. The goal of the Thanksgiving Day project was to raise enough funds to provide Thanksgiving dinner for deputies scheduled to work and unable to celebrate the holiday with their families. Paige raised funds by selling pink and blue “I Support Po-
lice Officers” bracelets at a yard sale. She also sold the support bracelets one afternoon outside of the Brewing Grounds Coffee Shop in Leonardtown. Paige helped her mom fill out the order forms and collected and counted the funds raised. These various activities taught Paige the importance of community service and how to interact with others while practicing her counting and writing skills. Paige’s hard work and enthusiasm encouraged neighbors to support the project by donating side dishes and baked goods for the Thanksgiving dinner. In addition to the funds raised through the support bracelet sale, monetary contributions were made through email and Facebook. Paige raised over $200 for her project, and on Thanksgiving Day she proudly delivered Thanksgiving dinner to the deputies. “Paige Buchness is a re-
Community markable young lady. Her Thanksgiving meal was a very caring and generous gift to the officers and greatly appreciated. It was a pleasure to meet Paige and present her with a Sheriff’s Salute and a certificate making her a St. Mary’s County Honorary Sheriff’s Deputy. I would also like to thank Jennifer Buchness for supporting and guiding Paige through her endeavors. I hope one day Paige does fulfill her dream of becoming a police officer,” Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron said in a press release. “We just wanted to do something nice for the Sheriff’s department as part of our educational project this year. It was a great learning opportunity for us and gave Paige and I a chance to work with some special people,” said Jennifer Buchness. “She absolutely loves all police officers and she truly, at this point in her young life, wants to be a K9 officer. Paige is very excited that she is an Honorary Deputy Sheriff.”
Photos courtesy of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Paige receives a certificate naming her an honorary deputy sheriff from the Sheriff’s Department
Introducing
Paige selling her bracelets.
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Paige with her mom Jennifer Buchness.
The County Times
Thursday, December 2, 2010
18
Power of Positivity Newsmakers LocalThe Man a Finalist in National Contest By Sarah Miller Staff Writer
For a local man, the power of positivity is helping him and his business gain national recognition. Arthur Stokes, a native of Hollywood and co-founder of Positive Controversy, has been announced as a Top 10 finalist in the Positivity Project contest sponsored by Amway. Gary Mougalian, the marketing director with Amway North America, said the contest opened in August and closed in November. People submitted their entries on Amway’s Facebook page and, in the end, there were over 200 entries. The list was narrowed to 25 entries, then the public voted for the Top 10 entries. Stokes found out on Nov. 16 that his entry was in the Top 10. He said it took him about a
Photos courtesy of Arthur Stokes.
week to get the entry ready for Positivity Project contest after a friend told him about it. He used a video that had already been shot for Positive Controversy, an organization that Stokes co-founded. Stokes said everybody involved in Positive Controversy was happy to get involved in the Positivity Project contest. “We got psyched about it,” Stokes said. “It’s a great way to further the power of positive,” Mougalian said. Positive Controversy, the organization that Stokes is affiliated with, was formed to support non-profit organizations and bring awareness to domestic abuse. It does this through presentations and music, which Stokes calls the “language of the youth.” The organization writes all its own music. “We like to consider ourselves as a Kings of Leon kind of feel,” Stokes said. He said the music they write is positive, and brings attention to social issues, unlike a lot of modern rap and other music. Stokes said what separates Positive Controversy from other artists who support non-profits is that the people with Positive Controversy were activists before they were musicians. “In order to be a true artist, you can’t just be focused on you,” Stokes said. “You have to be focused on the community.” The first place entry will be announced at the John Tesh concert in Hagerstown on Dec. 13. The first place winner will receive $10,000 and a two-day trip to Grand Rapids, Mich., to attend
Amway’s Power of Positivity awards ceremony. The other nine of the Top 10 will receive $2,500 and a trip to Amway’s Power of Positive awards ceremony. Mougalian said the winners are expected to use the money they receive to “pay it forward” and promote the power of positive in their communities, which it exactly what Stokes plans to do. He said he wants to use the money to support five groups – Safe World for Women, Samaritan Houses, Envision It, Break the Cycle and Walden-Sierra in Southern Maryland. He also wants to become the intermediary between Amway Global and the non-profit organizations and get Amway to donate not just money, but products to the people in need. “Kind of like what Amway did with Haiti,” Stokes said. Stokes said there are also plans to take the Positive Controversy music on the road. Next
year, he said the group will be going to colleges and high schools across the county to raise awareness about social issues. He said the presentations are better than traditional assemblies and speakers, because they involve music and skits, which are meant to be both entertaining and informative. Mougalian said this contest is one way for Amway to further their Power of Positivity campaign and change the world for the better. “At Amway, we are advancing the power of positive in the world,” Mougalian said. For more information, or to view the Top 10 finalists, visit www.facebook.com/AmwayUS. For more information about Positive Controversy, visit www.positivecontroversy.com. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
“Students Against Underage Drinking”
Poster Designed by: Markiesha Gressen 12th Grade Great Mills High School
The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention funded this project under grant number BJAG-2077-1166. All points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of any State of Federal agency
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The County Times
Thursday, December 2, 2010
SMH Foundation Unmasks a Night of Successful Fundraising
Jacquelyn V. Meiser, 2010 Gala co-chairperson, presents a sponsor plaque to Brent Bennitt, Wyle executive. Wyle was the Premiere Sponsor of the 2010 St. Mary's Hospital Foundation event held Nov. 19.
Community
‘Patuxent Voices’ Performs Holiday Concerts
The 23nd Annual St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation Gala held Nov. 19 at the Hollywood Social Hall, brought in more than $123,000 to go toward the Foundation’s scholarship program, as well as hospital capital projects and equipment. “The continued success of the Gala is the direct result of the overwhelming support provided by the community. We are so thankful for the widely varied contributions made by local businesses, individuals and the hospital community,” said Jacquelyn V. Meiser, co-chairperson for the 2010 Gala with Micheline Lopez-Estrada. Several of Southern Maryland’s most prominent businesses, medical professionals and local organizations sponsored the evening’s festivities, which featured delicious cuisine from renowned caterer, Ken Upton, and music from the Highway Star band. The Premiere sponsor of the event was Wyle. Diamond sponsors were AMEWAS, Inc.; Associates in Radiation Medicine; IAP World Services; iLuMinA Solutions Inc; ManTech Systems Engineering Corporation; MedStar Health; MEP, your partner in emergency care; and W.M. Davis, Inc. Proceeds from the Gala will go toward the hospital’s nursing and allied health scholarship program, as well as hospital capital projects and equipment. The scholarship program helps to train and recruit qualified healthcare workers for future community needs.
Patuxent Voices, Southern Maryland’s premiere women’s a cappella group, presents a holiday concert guaranteed to put you in the spirit. Songs of Good Cheer is a gift of music, serving up treasured carols, popular favorites, swinging jazz, and Christmas standards. The group blends wide vocal ranges to creates a full, rich sound redolent with soaring harmonies. Along with the angelic tones comes the unexpected: O Holy Night with Latin rhythms, Carol of the Bells that rings into entirely new territory, a swing rendition of It’s a Holly, Jolly Christmas and Rudolph like you’ve never heard it before. There is something to please every ear. Entertaining local audiences since 2004, the 12 women who make up the group hail from Calvert and St. Mary’s and sing under the creative direction of Linda Moritz Aughe. Patuxent Voices will perform Songs of Good Cheer on Saturday, December 11, 7:30 p.m., in Middleham St. Peter’s Parish Hall in Lusby, and Sunday, December 12, 3:00 p.m. in Trinity Church, St. Mary’s College. There is no admission charge, but donations are appreciated. To learn more about the group or see additional performance dates, visit www.patuxentvoices.org or friend us on Facebook.
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The County Times
Thursday, December 2, 2010
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Issued Marriage Applications for October 2010 October 4, 2010 Steven M. Anderson 31 Lexington Park, Md Alyssa Lynn Weber 24 Lexington Park, Md Larry Lee Nichols Jr., 21 Mechanicsville, Md Jessica Dawn Horne 21 Clements, Md Jeremy Luther Duncan 24 Lexington Park, Md Ashley Lynne Parsons 20 Lexington Park, Md Joseph Dean Ashley 33 Hughesville, Md Shannon Marie Davis 30 Hughesville, Md
October 5, 2010 John Mitchell Andrews 71 Helensburgh, Scotland Janis Marion Bowles 61 California, Md Timothy David Mohler 22 California, Md Kathryn Lynn Martin 22 Leonardtown, Md Maurice Delonte Stoney 42 Mechanicsville, Md Sabrina Renee Parker 38 Mechanicsville, Md
October 6, 2010 David Michael Chase Jr., 28 Lexington Park, Md Lakisha Renee Mobley 36 Lexington Park, Md Jeffrey Joseph Kidwell 47 Edgewater, Md Robin Lynn Locy 47 Edgewater, Md Daniel Alan Willie II, Owings, Md Keirstynn Leigh Romero 22 Owings, Md
October 7, 2010
Michael Andrew Klanasy 23 California, Md Christina Lynn Corder 23 California, Md Justin Edward Schawl 30 California, Md Saray Caroline Colmenares 22 California, Md
October 12, 2010 Francis Glen Oliver 46 Leonardtown, Md Kimberly Ann Mayor 29 Leonardtown, Md
October 13, 2010
Joseph Frederick Burger 32 Mechanicsville, Md Jolene Arnett Wingate 35 Mechanicsville, Md
Christopher Michael Rubenstahl 37 Leonardtown, Md Margaret Lynn Michelletti 37 Leonardtown, Md
Anthony George Tudisco Jr., 37 West Palm Beach, Fl Yvonne Lanette Stewart 41 Palm Beach, Fl
George Allan Hayden Jr., 29 Lusby, Md Jessica Lee Shaffer 29 Lusby, Md
October 8, 2010
Richard Brian Smith 37 Lexington Park, Md Elise Margaret Ruth Van Vliet 25 Lexington Park, Md
Jesse Daniel Melillo 21 Clinton, Md Amanda Marie Peters 21 Clinton, Md
October 14, 2010
October 22, 2010
Gregory Roger Penk 63 Leonardtown, Md Debora White Szymkowiak 50 Lexington Park, Md
Leroy Clarence Crist 23 Colonial Beach, Va Crystal Lee Degroot 21 Mechanicsville, Md
Derrick Lee Bowles 23 Clements, Md Rachel Lynne Guy 24 Clements, Md
October 25, 2010
October 15, 2010 Ryan Howard Lott 22 Lexington Park, Md Ashley Suzanne Downs 21 Lexington Park, Md Robert Steven Nelson Jr., 27 Avenue, Md Shannon Annette Rowley 22 Mechanicsville, Md
October 20, 2010 Joshua Sol Brewster 34 Indianapolis, In Meenakshi Garg 32 Indianapolis, In
October 21, 2010
Christopher Langston Black 34 Lexington Park, Md Thinesa Ann Weems 33 Lexington Park, Md
October 26, 2010 Christopher Lee Risso 29 Valley Lee, Md Shawna Danielle Jernigan 23 Patuxent River, Md
October 29, 2010 James Edward Martin 31 Lexington Park, Md Heather Marie Hemler 19 Great Mills, Md Michael Roy Herbert 46 Hollywood, Md Alexandra Joan Paolucci 51 Hollywood, Md
James Alan Sanders 35 Mechanicsville, Md Tina Reane Woodburn 34 Mechanicsville, Md
Tiffany Lee Tedore and Cory Dean Kuchta proudly announce their engagement The happy couple will be united on
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Engagement & Wedding Announcements
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
Festival of Trees
Community
Cecil’s Sawmill Will Be Put To Work This Weekend
Mike and Barbara Rice, a couple visiting family members in Southern Maryland, stop to take a closer look at a tree during Hospice of St. Mary’s Festival of Trees, held at Leonardtown High School on Nov. 27.
A bit of St. Mary's history will come alive this weekend when Bill Clements of Cecil's Old Mill fires up the antique sawmill and demonstrates how logs that were eventually used to build many of the homes in St. Mary's county a century ago, were transformed into lumber boards. This is a rare opportunity to observe the sawmill in action this Saturday, Dec. 4, between 12noon and 4pm at the Old Mill on Indian Bridge Road in California (weather permitting). Located in one of Maryland’s first Industrial Districts, Cecil's Mill was originally built as a cotton/ textile factory in the 1800's. It was later transformed into a grist mill and saw mill. After restoration in the late 70's, Cecil's Old Mill became a National Landmark in Historic St. Mary's County. Today, the mill exhibits artifacts including its working water wheel, and is home to some of the finest local arts and handmade crafts for sale. The historic district also includes Cecil’s Country Store and Post Office. Across the street, Cecil's Country Store will be holding their annual Holiday Open House on Saturday and Sunday with special sales, holiday decorations and food. Reminiscent of the holiday window displays from department stores of yesteryear, Cecil's enchanting Christmas window dis-
plays will delight children of all ages. Cecil's Country Store was also the local post office for many years and the old post office is still on display at the store. “There is a lot of history here at Cecil's and our goal is to mix a unique shopping experience with a little bit of history,” Dawna Wible, owner of Cecil's Country Store, said in a press release. For additional information about the open house or Cecil's Country Store & Cecil's Old Mill, contact Dawna Wible at 301-994-9622, or at dmwible@md.metrocast.net.
Christmas is Here Flat Iron Farm in Great Mills ushered in the Christmas season immediately after Thanksgiving with their annual impressive display of Christmas lights, unique gift shops and farm animals on display. The free light display is open to the public and is provided by the farm’s owner Bubby Knott. Part of the display is synchronized to music, which is broadcast on the property through 88.7 FM. Hours to view the lights are from 5-9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until New Year’s Day.
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The County Times
Thursday, Dec. 2 • Tastee Tacos at VFW 2632 VFW 2632 (23282 Three Notch Road, California) – 5:30 p.m. Tacos served in hard or soft shells and to order. Orders can be eaten in or taken to go. • Solo Ganz Piano Recital Auerbach Auditorium, St Mary’s Hall (18952 E. Fisher Road, St. Mary’s City) – 8 p.m. Pianist Brian Ganz will be giving a solo recital which will include pieces by Chopin and is free and open to the public.
Friday, Dec. 3 • “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens Fenwick Street Used Books and Music (41655 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown) – 5:30 p.m. Joe Orlando and Fenwick Street Used Books and Music will present an abbreviated reading of Dickens “A Christmas Carol” interpreted by his housekeeper, Caroline. Read and enacted by Dianna Diatz, who has performed as a story teller and historical performer for a wide variety of venues. • Chopticon High School Chorus Madrigal Dinner Christ Episcopal Church (37497 Zach Fowler Road, Chaptico) – 6 p.m. All proceeds go to benefit the Chopticon High School Choirs. Reservations are taken on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are $35 per person, and they include a three-course meal with entertainment. There is a second Madrigal Dinner on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. • Pitch Card Party Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad Building (28120 Old Flora Corner Road, Mechanicsville) – 7:30 p.m. The Mechanicsville Rescue Squad will be participating in a Pitch Card party, sponsored by the Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad Auxiliary. Refreshments will be available. Players must be 16 years of age or older to play. The price of admission is $5. For more information, call 301-884-4108. • Solomons Christmas Walk and First Free Friday Calvert Marine Museum (14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons) – 6 p.m. There will be entertainment, refreshments, a visit from Santa, holiday crafts, and shopping in the museum store. Friday features include music by COSMIC Flute Choir, Patuxent Voices, Southern Maryland Sound, among other musical groups. Santa’s Coffee House will be open on Saturday with hot tea, coffee, hot cocoa, and holiday cookies. For more information, call the Calvert Marine Museum at 410-326-2042.
Saturday, Dec. 4 • Christmas Bazaar Margaret Brent Middle School (29675 Point Lookout Road, Helen) – 8 a.m. Set up begins at 8 a.m. and breakdown will begin when the bazaar is over. The fee for vendors is $15 plus a $20 donation of their product. All proceeds will go to benefit the Margaret Brent Middle School’s choir department. For more information, contact Deborah Pavlik at DeborahPavlik@comcast.net or at 301-884-4635.
• Christmas Market Sale Oldfields Church Hall and Thrift Store (Route 235 and Prince Fredrick Road, Hugesville) – 8 a.m. There will be Christmas items, decorations and toys, as well as refreshments available for sale. For more information, call 301274-3480 or 301-932-6699.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Businesses in the village of Hugesville will be waiting for Santa on the fire truck. There will be a tree lighting and Christmas carols, as well as hot chocolate and candy canes. People can sponsor an ornemnt on the tree for $25. Sponsorship checks can be mailed to Hughesville Happenings, PO Box 297, Hughesville, MD 20637. All proceeds go toward keeping the event free.
• All-You-Can-Eat-Breakfast Father Andrew White School (22850 Washington Street, Leonardtown) – 8 a.m. The Father Andrew White School Home and School Association is sponsoring a community breakfast. The menu will include eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits with gravy and pancakes. The price for admission is $7 for people over the age of 13, $5 for children between the ages of 8 and 12, $3 for children between the ages of 5 and 7 and free for children under the age of 5.
• 15th Annual Jones Thompson Concert Hollywood Church of Nazarene (24710 Sotterley Church Road, Hollywood) – 6:30 p.m. The Hollywood Church of Nazarene will be hosting the 15th annual Jonas Thompson Concert featuring the Bluegrass Gospel Express and the Mill Run Dulcimer Band. Admission is free. For more information, call the church at 301-373-2130, Jerry at 301-373-8370 or visit www.bluegrassgospelexpress.com.
• Mechanicsville Optimist 26th Annual Christmas Tree Sale Mechanicsville VFD Carnival Lot (28165 Hills Club Road, Mechanicsville) – 9 a.m. McKay’s Foodland (Route 5, Charlotte Hall) – 9 a.m. The Mechanicsville Optimist Club will be having it’s annual Christmas tree sale until Dec. 23. All proceeds go to support youths in the area. For more information, call 240-9250341 or visit www.mechanicsvilleoptimist.org.
• Book Dicussion- “In the Heart of the Canyon” by Elizabeth Hyde Charlotte Hall Library (37600 New Market Road, Charlotte Hall) – 7 p.m. The Charlotte Hall Library will be hosting a discussion of “In the Heart of the Canyon” by Elizabeth Hyde. For more information, call 301-884-2211 or visit www.stmalib.org.
• Student Workshop on Citizen Activism and Advocacy St Mary’s College of Maryland, Daugherty palmer Commons (18952 E. Fisher Road, St. Mary’s City) – 10 a.m. There will be a Student Workshop on Citizen Activism and Advocacy sponsored by Debating for Democracy: D4D on the Road, the Center for Progressive Leadership and the Center for the Study of Democracy. For more information, call 240-895-2000. • Open Auditions for “woman: revised” Three Notch Theatre (21744 South Coral Drive, Lexington Park) – 10 a.m. The Newtowne Players will be holding open auditions for “woman: revised” by local author Trish Cole. Auditions for the play will be readings from the script and there will be no prepared materials required. People who cannot make the audition time should contact Bill Scarafia at 301-863-2329. • GG’s Show Troupe Presents Holly Jolly Christmas Chopticon High School (25390 Colton Point Road, Morganza) – 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets will be $10 in advance and $15 at the door. For ticket information, email GGsHJXmas@aol.com or call 301-475-5265.
Sunday, Dec. 5 • Chopticon High School Chorus Madrigal Concert Christ Episcopal Church (37497 Zach Fowler Road, Chaptico) – 2 p.m. All proceeds go to benefit the Chopticon high School Choirs. Reservations are taken on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are $15 per person, and they include a concert and dessert. • Hugesville Village Christmas Remembrances Antiques (24710 8934 Leonardtown Road, Hughesville) – 4 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 6
Tuesday, Dec. 7 • Intermediate Excel Class Lexington Park Library (21677 FDR Boulevard, Lexington Park) – 5:30 p.m. A class for adults to learn intermediate in Excel and work with freezing panes, sorting data, creating a chart, adding comments, hyperlinks and internal references and printing options. Prior experience with Excel is recommended. The event is free and registration is required. For more information, call 301-8638188 or visit www.stmalib.org • American Legion Auxiliary Unit 221 Meeting American Legion Post 221 (21690 Colton’s Point Road, Avenue) – 7 p.m. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 221 invites all spouses of veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during the listed war eras to join us for our monthly meeting on the first Tuesday of each month. For more information, visit www.alpost221.webs.com or call Christina Barbour at 301-904-5876.
Wednesday, Dec. 8 • Acrylic Miniatures Painting Workshop Annmarie Gardens (13480 Dowell Road, Solomons) – 9:30 a.m. Annmarie Gardens will be hosting a painting workshop taught by Nancy Thompson. The age group for the lesson is adults over the age of 16. The cost for the workshop is $75 for non-members and $65 for members. There will also be a $10 materials fee. No experience is necessary. Pre-registration is required. For more information, or to preregister, call 410326-4640 or visit www.annmariegarden.org. • Christmas Tree Sale Mechanicsville Lions Club Pavilion (Route 5-Flora Corner Road Median, Mechanicsville) – 4:30 p.m. Annual Christmas Tree Sale hosted by the friends and family of Boy Scout Troop 1782. All profits will go help send a boy to camp.
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L ibrary Items • Libraries close for Staff Day All three libraries will also be closed this Friday, Dec. 3, for the library’s Annual Staff and Volunteer Day. Customers can use the Internet branch, www. stmalib.org, to manage their account, download books both in print and audio, do research using the online information resources or get homework help. • Drop off toys for Toys for Tots The public is reminded that all three branches are collection sites for the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. Donations of new and unwrapped toys can be dropped off through Dec. 9 and will be given to children in St. Mary’s County. • “The Storm in the Barn” to be discussed Matt Phelan’s book, “The Storm in the Barn” will be discussed at Chapter Chats on Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. at Lexington Park. Children ages 8-11 are asked to register. Books are available at the library. • Artist Opening Reception to be held An opening reception will be held for artist Candy Cummings on Dec. 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lexington Park Library Art Gallery. Her artwork which is on display through Feb. 28 consists of a variety of styles, mediums, and dimensions Candy Cummings, the volunteer director of the Art Gallery, was instrumental in creating the Gallery and continues to maintain it. Artists interested in displaying their artwork should contact her at 301-863-6693. • Bella Music School to present family concert A family Christmas concert will be presented by Bella Music School Youth Orchestra under the direction of Sue Tayag on Dec. 11 at 12:30 p.m. at Lexington Park Library. The concert is free and open to the public. • Holiday parties planned for children Each branch will offer a holiday party with stories and crafts for children of all ages on Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Lexington Park, on Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. at Charlotte Hall and on Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. at Leonardtown. Registration is required for these parties. • TAG meetings TAG (Teen Advisory Group) will meet on Dec. 9 at Charlotte Hall at 5 p.m. and on Dec. 14 at Lexington Park at 5:30 p.m. Leonardtown’s will be Dec. 22. All teens are invited to attend.
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
A Journey Through Time The
By Linda Reno Contribuing Writer Have you ever heard someone say “trouble” is his middle name? For Bernard Lafayette Hayden, that was all too true. Wherever he was, “trouble” wasn’t far behind. Born July 11, 1829, he was the son of Peregrine Hayden (1764-1848) and his second wife, Cecelia Alvey (1792-1856). On February 17, 1852 Bernard married Maria Louisa Thompson. On June 1, 1852 his mother married John Thomas Clarke. Bernard wasn’t happy about his mother’s marriage and
Chronicle
probably for good reason as Clarke was 35 years younger than Cecelia. Tempers flared and a court case ensued. Bernard was determined that Clarke wouldn’t get his hands on the property he felt rightfully belonged to him. Have to side with Bernard on this one. On November 13, 1853 Bernard’s wife Maria died. Bernard married second, Mary Ellen Yates, February 19, 1855. In May 1858, Bernard got into an altercation with Philip H. Burroughs. He shot Burroughs in the knee. Today such a wound wouldn’t be lethal as penicillin would have saved the day. Burroughs died at Medley’s Neck on June 22, 1858. Bernard was charged with murder but was later acquitted. Along came the war. Bernard was cap-
tured by Union forces in 1861 and imprisoned at Ft. Lafayette in New York. “B. L. Hayden was arrested October 22, 1861, by a Government agent at his home in Saint Mary’s County, Md., and by order of the Secretary of Bernard Lafayette Hayden State was taken to Fort Lafayette. Hayden was charged with disloyalty to the United States Government and [with] strong sympathy with the rebel cause. He belonged to an organization known as the Lower Maryland Vigilance Committee whose object was to assist the insurgents and oppress the Union citizens. He was released on taking the oath of allegiance January 2, 1862 by order of the Secretary of State.” In 1862, Bernard’s wife filed for divorce, but the case was apparently dropped. Then Bernard was in trouble again. “Bernard L.
Wanderings of an Aimless
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By Shelby Oppermann Contributing Writer I was ironing a shirt for my husband last weekend, (not a normal occurrence – I am more of a throw the clothes in the dryer with a damp towel girl, but we were going to a banquet), and I started looking at all the buttons and gadgets on the top of my iron. What are all these for? It used to be just turn up the dial, and use the steam button if necessary. Maybe I just had a really old iron. I mean, the only reasons I bought this particular iron is because it had a really long cord, and had a Teflon base. It got me to thinking about all the other appliances with buttons on them that I have never paid attention to. Because in order to use them, I have to wade through a huge file of instruction manuals, find the page in English, or better yet, find the page with the pictures. And, I still might not understand it, because I am visual person; I can’t just look at dry pictures, I need to see the equipment in operation. I suppose I could visit all the plants that make the appliances. That’s a thought… Later, at the Sunbeam plant: “What do these extra buttons mean on my iron?” “You don’t know how to iron clothes?’ “Yes, but…” “Did you read our highly detailed, 58 page, and easily understood instruction manual?” “No, but…” “Sorry, our instruction manual technical writer is off on vacation having Lasik surgery” “But, I just want to know what this one button is for…” “Sorry, it is against company policy for anyone other than our technical writer to answer your questions. Did you try calling our extremely helpful, efficient customer service technicians.” “Yes, I’m still on hold.” In all fairness, the Sunbeam Company has an excellent, easy to follow website with instruction manuals for every appliance they have ever made – 35 for irons alone. All help numbers transfer to America or Canada. Though I am sure I could have similar discussions like the one above with many of the other major appliance
Tree Speak
manufacturers. I went around my house looking at all of the buttons or dials on appliances. Why do you need anything other than wash, rinse, spin and fast/slow on your washing machine. Similarly, the dryer needs only dry: hot, medium, cold and a minute timer. My washing machine has five settings including “casual” and “easy care”. Is there a difference? I’ve never used “auto soak15”, “extended soak”, or “extended spin”. Really, how many of you actually use the fancier dials? That many of you? I guess I better visit the GE website now. My way I look might improve as well. I was excited when I used the self-clean cycle on our oven for one small burnt cookie spill, but the acrid odor that was still stinging our eyes a day or so later, made sure that I will use it only occasionally. I have used the auto-cook on my crock-pot once too. But, I always wonder if it really knows when to shift temperature. What about my computer? What happens when I hit Ctrl/Esc. Is the urban myth true that I can enter another time zone. Cool. Hold on let me try it. Wrong time zone – too many hungry lions. Or my hand drill? I know I can change torque, but do I need it? It seems fine as is. Even my mini-van has switches that are rarely used. There are four switches above the windshield which are elsewhere in the van. I don’t even look at the radio controls in the back. My kids used to drive me crazy switching the dials – I’d think the radio station was acting up. I only cared that it was a mom-mobile with cloth seats. I was taking photos of our grandkids yesterday on a Santa train. My husband asked “Did you get the picture?” I replied, “The photos come out blurry when people are moving, and I don’t know how it works on this camera.” He said, “That’s what instructions are for.” I guess that about sums it up. To each new day’s adventure, Shelby Please send comments or ideas to: shelbys.wanderings@yahoo.com.
Hayden, farmer, of St. Mary’s County, captured December 17, 1863 ‘spy’ running goods to Virginia. Released upon taking the oath May 31, 1864.” Bernard died between 1864 and 1865, whereupon his widow took her four children and moved to Omaha, Nebraska with her parents (William Joseph Yates and Julia Ann Norris) where she lived until about 1887 when she moved to Washington, D.C. “Death of Mrs. Hayden. Mrs. Mary Hayden died at her home at Washington, D.C. this morning after a long illness. She was the sister of H. W. and Willis Yates and mother of Kent K. and Stuart L. Hayden, Mrs. Ashbel Patterson and Mrs. Lieut. Bennett. Her early life was passed in Maryland where she and her husband owned a valuable plantation. The war devastated their property. Mr. Hayden died soon after and his widow came to this city, where she made her home until three years ago. She was a woman of great strength of character and benevolence and her memory will be held in reverence by the church people of this city.” (Omaha World Herald, 8/12/1890).
Book Review “The Christmas Eve Ghost” by Shirley Hughes
Photo Courtesy of Helen
c.2010, Candlewick Carroll BeaversPress Patterson
$15.99 / $19.00 Canada
By Terri Schlichenmeyer Contributing Writer Imagine that it’s Christmas Eve and you’re waiting for Santa to come. You should probably be asleep, but wouldn’t it be awesome to see him in your living room? So what would you think if you heard a noise? Could that be Santa and his elves? Or was that the scratching of reindeer hooves, times eight? In the new book “The Christmas Eve Ghost” by Shirley Hughes, two young children know it’s not Santa they hear at the back of their house. It’s too scary to be Santa! Bronwen and Dylan hadn’t lived in Liverpool long; they moved there from Wales after their Da died and their Mam needed a job. Every weekday morning, long before Bronwen and Dylan awoke, Mam left the children sleeping as she walked from house to house, pushing the old pram filled with laundry. She hated leaving the children alone, but she always returned in time to make porridge for breakfast. On Sundays, they went to Chapel together. In the house next door lived Mr. and Mrs. O’Riley and their two sons. Mr. O’Riley and the boys worked at the docks in good times, and they stood on street corners in bad times. They did not go to Chapel, even though Bronwen peeked once and it was a beautiful building. Mam sternly told Bronwen that the church was “for a different sort of people, not their kind”, and Bronwen was ordered to stay away. There were no
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wash machines in those days, and welloff people were happy to have Mam do their washing. It was a hard job and Mam was tired at the end of the long day. Most nights, though, she saved enough energy to spin ancient tales and legends of green valleys, dragons, and ghosties. On the afternoon before Christmas, Mam left the children at home so she could finish shopping. She wanted to get them something special, so she warned them not to open the door and to stay quiet. All alone, Bronwen and Dylan were playing on the floor of their flat when they heard a noise. Plonk! Plonk! That didn’t sound like Santa! Could it be a ghost, like in one of Mam’s stories? The children ran outside as fast as they could, away from the ghost and…. right into the nicest Christmas present anyone could have given them. Looking for a children’s book to set the season this holiday? If you want something very different, grab “The Christmas Eve Ghost”. Based loosely on her Liverpudlian childhood, author and illustrator Shirley Hughes tells a tale of a Christmas that barely happens, and the gift of unlikely friendship. I loved the lesson in this book, subtle as it was, and I was absolutely smitten with the illustrations. This is the kind of book to read, savor, and discuss, particularly in this time when we gather our friends and family close. If you plan on giving a book to your favorite kid this Christmas, here’s one to find. For you, “The Christmas Eve Ghost” is a sound choice.
The County Times
St. Mary’s City Presents Madrigal Dinners By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Green boughs and period decorations adorn the halls of the State House at Historic St. Mary’s City, bringing to mind a wealthy household in England in the 1600s. The ladies from the Mistress Margaret Brent Garden Club have once again prepared the historic building for the annual Madrigal Dinners. The theme of this year’s Madrigal Dinners is The Kiplin Hall Manor House. Susan Peterson, the president of the garden club, said the club has been working on the decorations since June. All the decorations, with the exception of 1,125 feet of evergreen rope that trims the doorways and windows, were collected and created by the garden club and volunteers with Historic St. Mary’s City. Susan Wilkinson, director of marketing and comPhotos courtesy of Historic munications with Historic St. Mary’s City, said the MadSt. Mary’s City rigal Dinners have been a St. Mary’s City tradition since 1972. Wilkinson said it’s normal for the Madrigal Dinners to be sold out, and the tickets for Friday and Saturday performances are always the first to go. “I love it,” Wilkinson said, “I go every year.” St. Maries Musica, a local group of singers that specializea in madrigals and other historic choral styles, will provide the music at the Madrigal Dinners. Mike Judd, the treasurer for St. Maries Musica, said the group has been involved in the Madrigal Dinners since the early 1980s, shortly after the group was formed. Judd has been singing with St. Maries Musica on and off for 24 years, and was involved in the groups first performance at the Madrigal Dinners. “It’s a great event, the audiences are always wonderful,” Judd said. Because of the small space they will be performing in, Judd said it makes it easier for the singers to hear each other, which allows them to have better harmonies. The small space also allows for a sense of intimacy and closeness between the audience and the performers. He also said the acoustics in the room are good, which makes the experience all the better for the audience. The singers perform in renaissance period costumes, which Judd said are more colorful than medieval dress. “It’s a much prettier look,” Judd said. The group doesn’t wear their renaissance dress during spring concerts. In addition to the singers, Wilkinson said the servers and helpers will also be in period dress. Susan Duby, the chairperson for St. Maries Musica, said the Madrigal Dinners are only a few of the 11 concerts they normally hold during the Christmas season. Their other concerts include a performance at the Rivers Edge on the Naval Air Station Patuxent River and a free community concert on Dec. 13 at Patuxent Presbyterian Church in California. “It’s great to be part of the events in the county that draw attention to the history of the county,” Duby said. She said the music is a mix of 26 classical and modern songs, with styles reaching back to the 16th century and including songs composed in the last couple of years. One newcomer to the experience is the director of St. Maries Musica, Krystal Rickard. Rickard joined St. Maries Musica in August, and said the repertoire for the Christmas concerts were set when she came in. “I’m very excited,” Rickard said. “The members think about it very fondly, so I’m looking forward to the experience.” Expressions Catering will cater the Madrigal Dinners, Wilkinson said. The menu will include beef, turkey, oysters and assorted side dishes and beverages. As Judd put it, people will be “full of the Christmas spirits” before the music and entertainment even start. Reservations are required to attend the Madrigal Dinners. There are still tickets available for Dec. 5 and 12. Tickets are $85 per person, and $75 for Friends of St. Mary’s City. To make a reservation, e-mail events@stmaryscity.org or call 240-895-4991. For more information on St. Maries Musica, visit www. smmusica.org. “It’s just an exceptional evening,” Wilkinson said. sarahmiller@countytimes.net We post nightlife events happening in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties. To submit an event for our calendar, e-mail sarahmiller@countytimes.net. Deadline for submissions is Monday by 5 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 2 • Thirsty Thursday Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 6 a.m. • Tastee Tacos VFW 2632 (23282 Three Notch Road, California) – 5:30 p.m. • Dave Norris DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • Solo Ganz Piano Recital Auerbach Auditorium, St Mary’s Hall (18952 E. Fisher Rd St. Mary’s City) – 8 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 3 • Garden In Lights Annmarie Garden (13480 Dowell Road, Solomons) – 6 p.m. • Chopticon High School Chorus Madrigal Dinner Christ Episcopal Church (37497 Zach Fowler Road, Chaptico) – 6 p.m. • Randy Richie on Piano Cafe Des Artistes (41655 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown) – 6:30 p.m. • First Friday Live Music The Brewing Grounds (41658 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown) – 6:30 p.m. • Dave Norris DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament VFW 2632 (23282 Three Notch Road, California) – 7 p.m. • Patuxent Voices Calvert Marine Museum Lobby (14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons) – 7 p.m. • Pitch Card Party Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad Building (28120 Old Flora Corner Road, Mechanicsville) – 7:30 p.m. • Big Band Jazz Concert St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Auerbach Auditorium (18952 E. Fisher Road, St. Mary’s City) – 8 p.m. • All You Can Drink Night with DJ Chris Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 8 p.m. • Bob Wire and the Fence Posts Cheeseburger in Paradies (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 8 p.m.
• Locked ‘n’ Loaded Memories Nightclub and Bar (2360 Old Washington Road, Waldorf) – 9 p.m. • Alive ‘n’ Kickin’ Vera’s White Sands Beach Club (1200 White Sands Drive, Lusby) – 9:30 p.m. • Middle Ground Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 6 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 4 • No Limit Texas hold ‘Em Bounty Tournament St. Mary’s County Elk’s Lodge (45779 Fire Department Lane, California) – 8 p.m. • Fair Warning DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 6 p.m. • Randy Richie on Piano Cafe Des Artistes (41655 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown) – 6:30 p.m. • Maryland State BoychoirLeonardtown Rotary Club Performing Arts Series Great Mills High School Auditorium (21130 Great Mills Road, Leonardtown)-7 p.m. • Live Music with Neal Tracey Trio Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 7:30 p.m. • True Blue Country St. Mary’s Landing (29935 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall) – 7:30 p.m. • Comedy Show Gilligan’s Pier (11535 Popes Creek Road, Newburg) – 9 p.m. • Sum-Bich and Dimeria Memories Nightclub and Bar (2360 Old Washington Road, Waldorf) – 9 p.m. • Full Steam The Blue Dog Saloon (7940 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco) – 9 p.m. • Miles from Clever Cryer’s Back Road Inn (22094 Newtowne Neck Road, Leonardtown) – 9 p.m. • Karaoke California Applebee’s (45480 Miramar Way, California) – 9 p.m. • Star Crush Hotel Charles (15110 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville) – 9:30 p.m. • Middle Ground Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanics-
n O g n i o G
What’s
The County Times is always looking for more local talent to feature! To submit art or band information for our entertainment section, e-mail sarahmiller@countytimes.net.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
24
ville) – 9:30 p.m. • Sam Grow with Full Band Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 5 • NFL at the Duck Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 6 a.m. • Big Dog Zone Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 11 a.m. • G.F. Handel’s Messiah Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (22375 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park) – 4 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 6 • Family Yoga Class Evolve Yoga and Wellness Studio (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 10 a.m. • Mason Sebastian DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • No Limit Texas hold ‘Em Bounty Tournament St. Mary’s County Elk’s Lodge (45779 Fire Department Lane, California) – 7 p.m. • Salsa Night Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 7 • Fair Warning DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 8 • Captain John DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • Karaoke with DJ Harry Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 7 p.m. • Learn to Line Dance Hotel Charles (15110 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville) – 7 p.m. • Band in a Box St. Mary’s Landing (29935 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall) – 7:30 p.m. • Wolf’s Hot Rods and Old Gas Open Blues Jam Beach Cove Restaurant (8416 Bayside Road, Chesapeake Beach) – 8 p.m.
For family and community events, see our calendar in the community section on page 22.
In Entertainment
25
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
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Classifieds Real Estate Beautiful water front home with view of Historic St. Clements Island, Blessing of the Fleet and amazing sunsets. 65 ft pier with electric, running water and boat lift.Storage shed,work shop and tree house on property. Closed in porch on back side. 2 car -carport. Price: $675,000. Call 240-298-6227.
Real Estate Rentals Spilt Foyer - Single Family Home. Home is centrally located - just 5 minutes North of NAS Patuxent River. It has brand new carpet in 50% of the house, and the rest have been cleaned and are in excellent condition. The home is equipped with all electric for ease of use. New refridgerator, and completely new HVAC system have been installed. Brick fireplace with insert. It has a side patio deck with a fully enclosed 6’ privacy fence surrounding the entire back yard---perfect for kids. Storage includes ample attic space, and a 5x8 shed under the rear deck. Home is in like new condition. No smoking allowed, and no indoor pets. Rent: $1450. Call (240) 925-9225.
Employment $$ EARN EXTRA MONEY $$ DELIVER THE NEW VERIZON® TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES MEN & WOMEN 18 YEARS AND OLDER WITH INSURED VEHICLES NEEDED TO DELIVER IN LA PLATA, WOLDORF, MECHANICSVILLE AND SURROUNDING AREAS. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR OFFICE CLERKS AND LOADERS. DELIVERY STARTS DECEMBER 3RD. WORK A MINIMUM OF 4 DAYLIGHT HOURS PER DAY AND GET PAID WITHIN 48 HOURS, UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ROUTE. CALL 1-800-979-7978 BETWEEN 9 AM AND 5:30 PM MON – FRI. REFER TO JOB# 30016-B DISTRIBUTION OF THE VERIZON YELLOW PAGES ARE CONDUCTED ON BEHALF OF SUPERMEDIA THE OFFICIAL PUBLISHER OF VERIZON PRINT DIRECTORIES. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Network of Care Home Care Specialists has an immediate need for mature minded, compassionate licensed CNA’s to care for elderly clients. Provide supervision, monitoring, activities, cooking, light housekeeping, personal grooming and hygiene. Only CNA’s/GNA’s APPLY, must have a current drivers license, and be able to communicate effectively. Call 301-885-2100 ext. (2) to apply or send resume to wecare4u@thenetworkofcare.com.
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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
CLUES ACROSS 1. Wainscot 5. Glasgow inhabitant 9. Rural Free Delivery (abbr.) 12. Dry 13. Digital transmitting device 15. Picasso’s mistress 16. City historically called Jassy 17. White poplar 18. Fevers associated with malaria 19. Reciprocal of ohm 20. A way of coursing 22. Chinese kingdom, 304439 AD 25. At all times 26. Being the first or preliminary stage 27. ___ Farrow, actress 28. Yuppie status car 31. To have 32. Pairs with Mamas 34. What we breathe 35. Pre-2002 Austrian money unit (abbr.) 36. Hawaiian geese 38. Point midway between S and SE 39. Decorate a cake with frosting 40. Military school student
Thursday, December 2, 2010
42. Barbie’s boyfriend 43. Port in SW Scotland 44. Egyptian goddess 45. A fencing sword 47. Fitted instrument container 48. River sediment 49. Lunacy 53. ___ Dhabi, Arabian capital 55. The size of a surface 56. Sacred Muslim shrine 60. Walking aid 62. Striker’s replacement 63. Sedate 64. Klu Klux __ 65. Language of the deaf 66. Consequently 67. Kill a dragon (var. spel.)
CLUES DOWN
1. County in China 2. Ancient name for Syria 3. Restaurant clean up person 4. Unequivocally detestable 5. Senior officer 6. Adult male swan 7. A lyric poem 8. Broadcasted on TV 9. Finger millet 10. Roman satyr 11. The least desirable
portion 14. Princess of Colchis 15. Emerald month 21. Medical moniker 23. Possessed 24. Mongolian capital __ Bator 25. Issue forth 26. Tobacco 28. Court game 29. One who hoards money 30. Small brown songbirds 31. First Chinese dynasty 33. Intersect to form a cross 37. Scottish tax 41. A citizen of Bangkok 44. Face coverings 46. Sir James Whyte and Shirley Temple 47. Atomic # 58 49. Chadic 50. Segments of a circle 51. The distribution of playing cards 52. Grab 54. Two-toed sloth 57. Swiss river 58. Not small 59. Rapid bustling movement 61. Point midway between NE and E
Oct. 7th’s Puzzles Solutions
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
Fri., Dec. 3 Ice Hockey St. Mary’s Ryken vs. Huntingtown at Capital Clubhouse (Waldorf), 5 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 4 Boys’ Basketball Good Counsel at St. Mary’s Ryken, 3:30 p.m.
Mon, Dec. 6 Boys’ Basketball Meade at Great Mills, 6:30 p.m. C. Milton Wright at St. Mary’s Ryken, 6:30 p.m. McDonough at Leonardtown, 7 p.m. Girls’ Basketball Chopticon at Reservoir, 6 p.m. Leonardtown at McDonough, 6:30 p.m. Great Mills at Lackey, 7 p.m. Swimming Great Mills/Patuxent at Lackey, 7 p.m.
Wrestling Great Mills at Patuxent, 7 p.m.
Tues., Dec. 7 Wrestling McDonough at Chopticon, 7 p.m. Leonardtown at La Plata, 7 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 8
The County Times
A View From The
Bleachers
Boys’ Basketball Chopticon at Huntingtown, 7 p.m.
Static Free
Girls’ Basketball Thomas Stone at Leonardtown, 6:30 p.m. Ice Hockey Leonardtown vs. Bowie at Capital Clubhouse (Waldorf), 6:45 p.m. Swimming Thomas Stone/Northern at Great Mills, 5 p.m. Wrestling DeMatha/Bishop McNamara at St. Mary’s Ryken, 5 p.m.
SMCM to host baseball spring training program St. Mary’s College of Maryland will host a six-week Spring Training 2011 baseball program for players in grades 1 through 12 from January 2 to February 6. St. Mary’s College head coach Lew Jenkins will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Sessions are offered in advanced hitting, pitching and catching lessons at a cost as low as $99 for six weeks. Space is limited. Registration is now under way. For more information, visit www.USBaseballAcademy.com or call toll-free 866-622-4487.
Ryken seeks JV Softball and JV Girls’ Lacrosse Coaches St. Mary’s Ryken High School is accepting resumes for two coaching positions: JV Softball and JV Women’s Lacrosse. Please send resumes to Athletic Director Dave Tallman at dtallman@ smrhs.org.
By Ronald N. Guy Jr. Contributing Writer
Rare is the person who undergoes a personal metamorphous of such significance that it achieves lasting, fundamental change. For most, displays of change are little more than temporary initiatives and with time, deeply engrained and only temporarily suppressed bad habits re-emerge. It appears, though, that THE story of this NFL season, Michael Vick, has accomplished the rare feat of a complete personal and professional re-invention. Vick’s fall from grace is well known. The one-time number 1 overall pick showed flashes of brilliance while with the Atlanta Falcons but could never find the optimal balance between his ridiculous athleticism and the demands of a NFL quarterback. Vick, a man with his share of blips on his personal radar, bottomed out in 2007 with a dog fighting conviction, a lengthy prison stay and two lost NFL seasons. Shortly after his NFL re-instatement, Vick, not surprisingly given his good but not great play and personal baggage, received a lukewarm response from prospective employers. The Philadelphia Eagles finally bit. In a chapter right out of
High-School Tennis Clinic Series 2010 Dates: February 27, 2011. Location: St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Somerset Tennis Complex 18952 East Fisher Road (Outdoor Facility) St. Mary’s City, Maryland 20686 Times: Sundays, 9:30 am – 11:30 am (Mini-matches included) Instructors: St. Mary’s College Coaching Staff and Players Cost: $25.00 per session!! Players: Beginning 9th graders to Seniors!!!! Registration: Contact Derek Sabedra, Head Tennis Coach, St. Mary’s College Cell: 410-610-4300 and/or email ddsabedra@smcm.edu
the “truth is stranger than fiction” novel, Vick spent his first season buried on the depth chart and was a shell of his former self athletically. But after a full offseason of training, a trade of former starter Donavon McNabb and an injury to anointed starter Kevin Kolb, Vick was thrust into a starting role, promptly played his tail off and is now entrenched as Philly’s starting quarterback. In fact, Vick is playing at a level exceeding anything he, or perhaps any quarterback, has achieved before. More impressive than his on-field transformation is how Vick now carries himself. Version 2.0 looks like Michael Vick and sounds like Michael Vick but his words and demeanor have completely evolved. Gone are the dismissive arrogance and the vulgar hand-gesture-to-the-world undertone to everything he did. In its place is the calm humility of a man that is, perhaps finally, comfortable in his own skin and at peace with whom he was, what he did and who he has become. It is this peace and balance off the field has been the catalyst to his play on the field. Vick is a man that appears to lack distractions. This absence of static in his head has allowed him to be singularly focused on redeeming himself personally and professionally…and boy does it show. Vick, of course, remains one false step away from losing it all again. For now, and hopefully for good, he appears to have turned the page to another, more fulfilling chapter in his life. How he arrived at this point – making peace with and owning his missteps and completely preventing the past from negatively impacting the execution of his future - is
something of an every-person redemption script. It’s not a perfect comparison – serial adultery isn’t as offensive as criminal activity – but when you see how far Vick has come in his return, you realize how far Tiger Woods has left to travel before he begins to resemble the golfer we once knew. Unlike Vick, Woods is a mental mess. After a tumultuous offseason, Woods physically returned to the course a few months into the 2010 season, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. And with the distractions of the media’s constant swarm, the embarrassing nature of his actions and a nasty divorce, it’s no wonder Woods, despite being a mental freak, couldn’t perform. Compartmentalizing the multi-layers of our lives is a constant challenge. When the balance in a particular aspect is upset, it is imperative to the productivity of the others to maintain segregation. This is often easier said than done. We’ve all had moments when personal issues have compromised our professional functionality, or vice versa. Clearly Vick and Woods are no different. Vick, though, has gotten his personal issues back in the box and is flourishing professionally. If Woods is to return to form, he must get to a point where golf is again his singular focus and not just a way to distract himself from his personal drama; because, as we know, there is little more priceless and instrumental to success than a clear mind. Send comments to rguyjoon@yahoo. com
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Fitzpatrick key as Seahawks gain revenge on Diplomats By Chris Stevens Staff Writer ST. MARY’S CITY – Mikey Fitzpatrick had to sit and watch last season as the St. Mary’s College men’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling to Franklin & Marshall 92-87 last March. Back from the hand injury that cost him most of 2009-10, Fitzpatrick scored 15 points and keyed several bursts that help the Seahawks cruise to a 9677 victory over the Diplomats Saturday afternoon, one week after their first loss of the season. “I knew it was a long off-season, so I just wanted to get back in the flow and help the team beat them,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a great feeling.” “Mikey is a very coachable kid and he plays 150 percent all the time,” Hawks coach Chris Harney said. “He’s a guy you can count on no matter
what.” The Hawks (3-1 overall, 0-0 CAC) led throughout much of the contest, but a 21-6 spurt over the last five and a half minutes of the first half put the game out of reach as SMC led 60-31 at halftime. Many of those points came from or as a result of swift drives to the basket by Fitzpatrick, usually thought of as an outside shooting threat. “Mikey sparked us,” senior guard Alex Franz (21 points, six rebounds, five assists) said. “He just came out and took it right to them.” The end of that first half was fun for Fitzpatrick, who feels this team can do that no matter which five players are on the floor. “When we’re clicking as a team, it’s scary because no one can stop us,” he said. “It’s like we don’t miss a beat.” The revenge factor made the win that much better for Franz, who admitted to being excited about the win, but wanted more. “This was very sweet. They ended our season our friend’s (Camontae Griffin) college career,” he said. “I hope we have more sweeter wins than this one. I’m not satisfied at all.” “It’s a huge win, but this was all the players,” Harney said. “They executed what we ask of them on offense and played very well on defense. It was a quality win and they represented well tonight.”
Franz wins two honors
For his sparkling effort against F&M, Franz was named both the Capital Athletic Conference and Provident Pride of Maryland Men’s Basketball Player of the week Monday afternoon. Franz, a 6-foot-1 senior from Catonsville, is currently averaging 15.5 points, 5.3 assists and three steals per game for the Seahawks, the defending CAC champions. Photo By Chris Stevens
Mikey Fitzpatrick sparked the St. Mary’s College men to a chrisstevens@countytimes.net 96-77 win over Franklin & Marshall Saturday afternoon.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
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SMCM
Free throws, Lewis’ Double-Double Help SMC Women Win Second Straight By Chris Stevens Staff Writer ST. MARY’S CITY – Normally, when any basketball team doesn’t have a field goal in the final six minutes of a game, that would be cause for panic. The St. Mary’s College women’s basketball team had no such worries as their free throw shooting helped them defeat Penn State-Harrisburg 7568 Sunday afternoon for their second straight win. “We knew we had to do a better of job making our foul shots,” said sophomore guard Jasmine Jones, who tallied 16 points and six assists on the afternoon. “We make them in practice, so there’s no reason we can’t make them in a game.” After making just three of nine attempts from the foul line in the first half, the Seahawks (3-2 overall, 0-0 in CAC play) hit 25-of-29 in the second half, keeping the Lions (1-2) at bay. “Free throws kept them in the game in the first half and won it for them in the second half,” Hawks coach Barb Bausch said. “Our goal is to be able to shoot free throws in the 70s and we were able to do that in the second half.” St. Mary’s also got an outstanding performance from
freshman guard Shana Lewis, who compiled season highs with 21 points and 12 rebounds off the bench Sunday. “Coming off the bench is advantage because you can see what’s happening,” Lewis explained. “I could see that they were very quick but they weren’t rebounding, so we had to get the boards.” Bausch was impressed with Lewis’ quick grasp of the college game and her determination to succeed. “She’s a smart player, she has a competitive personality and an attitude of excellence,” Bausch said. “She’s making herself better every game with her expectations.” The Hawks plan to take this game as another learning experience for a team with just one senior. Sunday’s lesson – finishing strong. “To know that we have the pride and the hustle to finish a game is great,” Lewis said. “I thought it was a great job for us to get settled and hit our free throws,” Bausch said. Photo By Chris Stevens “It makes us tougher and able Shana Lewis shoots a to get the details down and free throw. Lewis scored make them habits.” 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Se-
chrisstevens@countytimes.net ahawks women’s 75-68
win over PSU-Harrisburg Sunday.
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
Loflin Leads Local Riders in ABA Grand Nationals Photo By Frank Marquart
Deyonta Gross goes high in an ABA Grand Nationals race.
By Chris Stevens Staff Writer Several Mason Visele takes a turn young bicycle during the ABA Grand riders from Nationals. St. Mary’s County (their home track is at Chaptico Park) spent their Thanksgiving Holiday in Tulsa, Okla. competing in the American Bicycle Ass o c i a t i o n’s Grand Nationals event. 15-yea r old Ben Loflin of Hollywood (and a student at Leonard Hall Photo By Frank Marquart Junior Naval Ben Loflin is congratulated by his father Scott for his top 10 finish in Academy in Photo By Frank Marquart the Amateur Novice class of the ABA Grand Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. Leonardtown) had the most ime Only! successful performance of the dT group, finishing seventh in the Amateur Novice class. Loflin said that there were nerves at first, but he was able to focus on the task at hand. “It was overwhelming, being there with all the pros and different skills levels,” Loflin said. “I just pretty much focused on getting through the race, finishing and doing my best.” Loflin, who has only been riding competitively for a year, described the experience as surreal and an ideal way to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday. “It was probably a lot better than sitting in the house,” he said with a smile. He also plans to use the experience to help him become a better rider in the future. “I’ll probably take everything I learned and use it in the local races,” he said. Loflin was joined by brothers Lane and Mason Visele (nine and eight racks gained respectively), who advanced to Amenity the quarterfinals in their respective divisions. Jacob Beaulieu Package (five racks total), Deyonta Gross Available (nine racks in each the ROC and Grand National events) and Victor Marquart (four racks) also just missed semifinal apOwned and Operated by pearances by one rider each. Call For More Information:
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Girls’ Basketball
Chopticon Looks to Start and Finish Strong
Photo By Chris Stevens
Speed, Defense Will be Key for Great Mills Girls By Chris Stevens Staff Writer GREAT MILLS – With youth and size major concerns for Great Mills girls’ basketball coach Brian Weisner, he and his coaching staff will emphasize defense and positioning under the boards as the Hornets look to improve on last year’s 12-10 record. “We have three girls that started at least one varsity game last year, and when you’re talking about a 22-game season,” Weisner said. “When it comes to varsity experience, we don’t have a lot of it.” Another concern for Weisner is the lack of height on the Hornets, which means the team will have to work extra hard to grab rebounds. “We’re short. Having size makes it a lot easier to grab rebounds,” he said. “Since we don’t, we’re going to have want it more – work on positioning and boxing out. Those are things we have to do well.” “It’ll be tough,” said senior guard TaQuana Gordon, “but as long we box out, we’ll be alright.” One constant that remains with these Hornets is a tireless approach to defense, one that has been the key to Great Mills’ success (77-22 over the last four seasons). “Our philosophy as coaches always starts with defense,” he explains. “You’re going to able to score points out of transition and offensive execution, but if you make a team play a style they’re not familiar with, you’ll be more successful instead of relying on a shot.” Weisner hopes his seniors can rely on each other as the season progresses also.
Anesha Yorkshire says the Chopticon girls’ basketball team has learned from last season’s mistakes.
Photo By Chris Stevens
Great Mills coach Brian Weisner hopes that defense will be the key to the Hornets’ success this season.
“We’v all played together for years, especially in AAU ball,” senior point guard Tiffany Moreira said. “We all pretty much know our strengths and weakenesses.” Fellow senior Bria Jones believes the Hornets’ quickness will be a factor in how well they do. “As long as we work together, execute and run teams, we have a good chance to beat anybody,” she says. chrisstevens@countytimes.net
By Chris Stevens Staff Writer MORGANZA – Getting off to a 4-1 start last season was what Chopticon girls’ basketball coach Judy Evans hoped for. It was the slow finish in January, February and March that took the wind out of the Braves’ sails. “We started off well but did not have a good ending last year,” Evans said of the Braves’ 6-12 season, concluding with a loss to Northern in the first round of the 3A South playoffs. “Hopefully we can take what we learned from last year and don’t let up so we can have the ending that we want.” Helping in that process is that Evans will return nearly all of last year’s team, including forwards Bree Brown, Ashya Short and Rebecca Russell, along with Kirstin Norris, Anesha Yorkshire and Jennifer Huntington from the guard position. “We think we can be a good team, but we don’t want our heads to get big,” Russell said of her team’s chances this season. “It’s a new year and a new season, but we’re the same team,” Yorkshire added. “We’ve learned from the mistakes we made last season.” “I think we’re working together better,” Norris said. Evans has noticed a change in her group – one for the better as they all know each other very well. “You can tell that this is their third year with me – they were freshman and sophomores when I started,” she says. “We’ve only been practicing for a week and they’ve really improved.” In a year where the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference looks to be a free-for-all, Evans wouldn’t get too far ahead in predicting where Chopticon would finish in the 13-team league. “We’re going to take it one game at a time,” she said. “Every game in SMAC is a struggle and we’ve got to be ready for every game we play.” chrisstevens@countytimes.net
Bria Jones of Great Mills shoots during practice.
Photo By Chris Stevens
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
The County Times
Girls’ Basketball
Sp rts
Raider Girls Hope to Add More Scoring and Wins By Chris Stevens Staff Writer LEONARDTOWN – Second-year Leonardtown coach Christie Doerrer saw improvement at the end of last season from the Raiders girls’ basketball team. She hopes it carries over into a new year when Leonardtown travels to McDonough Monday night to start the 2010-11 season at 6:30 p.m. “It was a process, but we saw the improvement and maturity,” Doerrer said during a recent practice. “Now that my sophomores are juniors and my juniors are seniors, they’ll be more comfortable on the court.” One thing that will be key for Leonardtown is their offensive production. Doerrer feels that the Raiders will need to score more to improve on last year’s 4-13 record. “We only averaged 34 points a game last year – that didn’t translate to many wins,” she said. “We have to put the ball in the basket.” Doerrer is hoping that junior forward Kate Finkleston, the returning leader scorer from last year’s team can pick up the slack. Finkleston believes she can score more and get her teammates involved as well. “I’ve been trying to work on my shot, which hopefully will be more powerful than it was least year. I want to work on getting more assists as well,” she said. “A fair goal for her is double her points,” Doerrer explains. “She averaged seven points last year, so if she can give us 14-15 per game this year, that’s huge for us.” As a team, the Raiders feel that with a year of experience under coach Doerrer, they know what to expect of each other and what they can do as a team. “We’ve bonded well and we have good teamwork together,” senior forward Erin Mallory says. “We believe we can win more and beat teams like Westlake.” “We’re building relationships and playing well together,” added fellow senior Sara Oevers. “We’re working together so we can be on top.” And that’s what Doerrer wants to hear as she expects contributions from all 12 of her players this year. “I told my four underclassmen that I wouldn’t have them here if I didn’t think they could help us,” she says. “All of my returning girls and the new girls will have to step up. We’ll be successful together.” chrisstevens@countytimes.net
Leonardtown’s Sara Oevers prepares to pass the ball during a recent practice.
Photo By Chris Stevens
You Should Have Been There!
Fur and Feathers By Keith McGuire Contributing Writer I wish I had a nickel for every time someone said to me, “There were four deer in my back yard this morning! You should have been hunting there.” I think, “Really? Do you really want me blasting away in your back yard, in your neighborhood, indiscriminately slaughtering every little deer that nibbles on your pansies?”
I took my wife up on her similar offer last October. She was annoyed that the deer were coming into the backyard garden to eat her flowers. It was archery season, so I set up my portable stand on a tree at the edge between our woods and the backyard garden. Everything was set. All I had to do was climb the tree with my bow and wait. That evening, as we were preparing for bed, I set my alarm for 5:30 AM. She asked, “Why are you setting the alarm?” “Well, I’m going to take care of the deer that
have been eating your flowers.” I replied. “Oh no you are not” she admonished, “Not where I can see you!” Still, there seems to be an accusing tone in the voices of non-deer hunters who see deer and tell others about them. It’s almost as if they are saying that hunters are ineffective because they’re not dragging dead deer out of the woods on every outing. “Them deers is everywhere,” a local non-hunter farmer once told me. “I don’t know what them hunters is doin’ out there in the woods,” he continued. “I think they’re just spending time away from their wives!” There may be something to that! The truth of the matter is that you have to be where the deer are going to be before they get there. It doesn’t do much good to know where they were an hour ago, or yesterday, or last week. A hunter has to be where they will be; not where they were. However, a good hunter factors all of that information into the hunt. Where they were yesterday, what they were eating, whether there were bucks chasing does, the time of day, and how many times they’ve been seen in a particular spot, all factor into the more complicated calculation of where they might be during hunting hours in a local area. Despite our best ef-
forts, the deer may not be where we ultimately decide to hunt. But, being where the deer will be is not the end game. When we pick a spot, we have to sit perfectly still and wait. If the deer show up, we have to decide which one to shoot – the biggest buck, which doe, etc. – and which one offers the best shot. Deer are not in every part of the woods all of the time. They move around, bed down, and simply disappear when they know they are being pursued. Deer are perfectly camouflaged and can slip away at the first movement of a hunter without being seen. Bucks seem to be particularly adept at this tactic. Human scent can also cause deer to disappear into the landscape, something that doesn’t come into play when you see them in the backyard through the kitchen window. A deer can stand still just 50 yards away and completely disappear. In fact, a deer pulled its vanishing act right before my eyes this afternoon. You should have been there! I will be offering stories of hunting adventures in future articles for this column. If you have a particularly interesting story, drop me an email at riverdancekeith@hotmail.com. Be safe and enjoy the season.
THURSDAY December 2, 2010
Sporting Good Store Coming to Kohl’s Plaza Story Page 5
Madrigal Dinners Coming to St. Mary’s City Story Page 24
Seahawks Men Swoop in for Revenge Story Page 28
A Grand Experience Page 29
Photo By Frank Marquart