2011-01-20 The County Times by Southern Maryland Online

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Thursday January 20, 2011

‘Don ’t L et the Bedbugs Bite ’ Story Page 16

Nocturnal P ests M aking a C omeback

Talk of Distillery Growing Story Page 6

‘Dime a Drink’ Tax on the Table Story Page 9

Photo By Frank Marquart

What’s Inside

The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

On T he Covers

ON THE BACK

ON THE FRONT

Josh Cox celebrates his pin of Zach Fanton at 125 pounds during Tuesday night’s SMAC wrestling match at Chopticon.

Blaine Lessard, a master K9 handler, and his bedbugsniffing dog Max can find the pests in a room within two minutes.

“There’s a whole network throughout the state that will try to prohibit the use of arsenic in chicken feed in Maryland. This may be extreme, but it could drive the broiler industry out of Maryland.” Angel Systems Inc.

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- Md. Sen. Roy Dyson

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The quartet Three and a Half Men, made up of Matt Long, Tom Chedester, Greg Stachelczyk and Matt Menard, rehearse in Building B on the College of Southern Maryland Leonardtown campus. SEE PAGE 25

Don’t let unwanteD

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Sam Burum scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds as St. Mary’s College defeated Frostburg State 8860. SEE PAGE 31

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Joe Strohmeyer, a machinist at CTSi’s new fabrication facility in California, demonstrates the use of an advanced computer-controlled milling machine. SEE PAGE 8

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Also Inside

4 County News 7 Editorial 8 Millitary 9 Money 10 Crime 11 Obituaries 13 Education 16 Cover Story 18 Newsmakers 20 Community 21 Business Directory 22 Community Calendar 23 Columns 25 Entertainment 26 Games 27 Sports News 28 Wrestling 29 Hunting 30 Basketball

events calendar For The Community Calendar See Page 22 For Events Happening This Week.

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

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The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

ews Annapolis Session May Be Tough On Farmers By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Members of the St. Mary’s County delegation to Annapolis told members of the local farming community last week that lobbying efforts against arsenic in chicken feed and mandates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up the Chesapeake Bay could spell trouble for their industry. While raising poultry is mostly confined to the Eastern Shore of the state, farmers in Southern Maryland produce corn and soybeans that are sold as feed to support the massive chicken farming interests that make up much of the state’s economy. Sen. Roy Dyson told farmers at a legislative dinner for the St. Mary’s County Farm Bureau on Jan. 14 that his office has already been lobbied by groups that want to ban arsenic in chicken feed. He said he would not support a state ban on the element found in poultry feed because it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a way of preventing diseases in chickens. “There’s a whole network throughout the state that will try to prohibit the use of arsenic in chicken feed in Maryland,” said Dyson (D-Great Mills). “This may be extreme, but it could drive the broiler industry out of Maryland.” Dyson went on to say that if the broiler industry headed for another state that their absence would cause the “collapse” of Maryland’s agricultural industry. Tighter controls on nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, key ingredients in fertilizers used in agriculture, could also spell more burdens for farmers since

the EPA is requiring at least a 25 percent reduction in nitrogen and a 24 percent reduction in phosphorus entering the entire watershed. Maryland is just one of the states required to submit a plan to curb nutrient and sediment pollution into the Chesapeake Bay by 2025 and now individual counties are busy putting together plans as to how they will contribute to the reductions at the local level. Joseph Wood, proprietor of Forest Hall Farm in Mechanicsville and a member of the board of directors of the local farm bureau, said that pressure on the poultry industry from legislation on arsenic and tougher sanctions on fertilizer nutrients added more stress to already burdened local farmers. “It would be a dramatic impact” if arsenic restrictions caused the poultry industry to leave Maryland, Wood said. “If they phase out we’re going to be hurting.” Wood said that farmers should receive some kind of support from the federal government to help reduce nutrient pollution. “If they’re going to mandate us to do something… they’ve got to pay us for that,” Wood said, noting that Maryland farmers are already required to file nutrient management plans with the state and get training and certification to lay down certain fertilizers. “We have to have that in place before we can do anything,” he said, adding that the days of farmers being independent and jealous of property rights seemed Photo by Frank Marquart to be fading away. Installation of new traffic signal lights at the intersection of Airport View Drive “What we do affects our neighbors, we have to be and Route 235 is moving forward on schedule, according to State Highway Adminisproactive.” tration officials. When the installation is complete in the next few weeks the lights will initially blink yellow to alert drivers to the new signal before being fully activated. guyleonard@countytimes.net

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The County Times

ews Talk of Distillery Growing in Commissioners Support More Farming Community Broadband For Elementary Schools By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The local farming community has been looking for ways to diversify the crops it grows and how to use rural land in such a way to keep it preserved. One of the methods growing in popularity has been to produce grapes for the local winery in Leonardtown but farmers may now be considering diversifying into spirituous liquors. Farmers started talking about interest in whether a distillery would be a good fit in St. Mary’s County last week at their annual legislative dinner in Leonardtown. Farmers are quiet right now as to exactly who is floating the idea but agricultural leaders say that a distillery here could help boost the livelihoods of local farmers. “Anything to create jobs in this county… it might be a good thing,” said John Knott, president of the St. Mary’s County Farm Bureau. Knott said that some of the locally grown corn and wheat that is usually shipped over to the Eastern Shore to supply chicken feed for the massive poultry industries there could stay here and be sold to make liquor such as whiskey. Knott said that the distillery could also allow local residents as well as tourists from out of town to come and view the liquor being made, essentially making the distillery a part of the growing agricultural tourism

sector here. But Knott was surprised to hear of the talk of starting a distillery; he said he had never heard of the idea here before the Jan. 14 meeting. But, that didn’t mean it could not work, he said, but the idea was just in its infancy. “It may happen, it may not,” Knott said. The town of Leonardtown had to create a zoning text amendment to make the winery on Point Lookout Road a reality and also had to lobby the county for funds to get the project completed. A cooperative of farmers and grape growers have been feeding the winery fruit to make a local product which has boosted hopes of farmers to turn a profit after eschewing tobacco more than 10 years ago. Bob Schaller, director of the county’s Department of Economic and Community Development said that similar zoning and legislative changes would be required to have a distillery here, but the trouble would likely be worth the cost. The challenge would be to find a farmer who wanted to go through the long process, he said. “This is a great opportunity for further diversification of agricultural resources,” Schaller said. “We’re just beginning this, but we’re hopeful something will come of this.”

Charlotte Hall may be going through some changes in the next couple of years. There is an idea going through the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission to get Charlotte Hall a development master plan similar to the one governing the Lexington Park area. “It will be a plan specific to Charlotte Hall,” said Derick Berlage, Director for the County’s Department of Land Use and Growth Management. During a presentation at last the Planning Commission, Berlage said the plan for the Charlotte Hall town center may begin even before the update for the Lexington Park Master Plan is finished. “It is the town center that has seen the most development recently, and for a lot of reasons is likely to see the most development in the future,” Berlage said. He said one of the reasons Charlotte Hall is likely to see a lot of development in the future is because it is located right in the middle of three of the fastest growing commercial centers in Southern Maryland. The three centers are Waldorf, Prince Fredrick and Lexington Park. “It’s absolutely inevitable that Charlotte Hall is going to grow because of where it is,” Berlage said. He called Charlotte Hall the “gateway to St. Mary’s County.”

The Board of County Commissioners signed off on a letter of support Tuesday that will allow for more information technology infrastructure here that can be used in local elementary schools as well so they can take part in the federal Race to the Top program designed by the Obama administration to reform accountability and achievement in education. The letter notes sites for the upgrades, including the Hayden Farm property, the Bethune Educational Center and Ridge and Park Hall elementary schools. The state won a $115 million award from the federal government to put towards the program, Schools Superintendent Michael Martirano told commissioners, but the county’s $1.6 million share of that money was still not enough. But the extra infrastructure enhancement will be funded by a grant from a grant from the federal government administered through the state, county officials said. “We’re spending the majority of our money on technology” to support teachers work, Martirano said. “And still there is a funding gap.” The extra broadband Internet access, achieved through more fiber cables run to the

schools, is critical to take part in the Race to the Top program, Martirano said, because it requires students to take assessments and have achievement records tracked online. This is designed to achieve a consistency of instruction and accountability up to the state and federal levels, he said. “If we don’t have broadband… it’s going to fail,” Martirano said of the county’s efforts to comply. Bob Kelly, director of information technology for the county, said that the material used to bring in the additional broadband access was known as “dark fiber” and already existed in some of the county’s information systems infrastructre. “It’s like gold” to information systems, Kelly said, agreeing with Martirano that the extra fiber was critical to success of the project. “Without more fiber and more bandwidth you won’t be able to achieve access to all the on-line assessments and testing,” Kelly said. The letter also stated that the extra broadband access would be extended to the use of private citizens and businesses but necessary agreements with the state had to go before the Board of Public Works. Those requests for consideration would be made in the next two months, the letter stated. guyleonard@countytimes.net

guyleonard@countytimes.net

Planning Commission Briefed on Issues for 2011 By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

Because of its relative position to the three larger urban areas, he said Charlotte Hall is a very attractive area for incoming businesses. “It’s very, very strategically poised to serve Southern Maryland,” Berlage said. The plan for Charlotte Hall is slated to be completed in late 2011 or early 2012; though Berlage said they’re not going to rush to get it completed. “We’re going to take the right amount of time with this,” he said. Another thing the Planning Commission will be looking at in 2011 is workforce housing, Berlage said during his address to the Planning Commission. Workforce housing is housing for families that make too much to get federal aid or other types of assistance normally available for low-income families, but they don’t make enough to purchase a house in Maryland. Berlage said the subsidiaries for low-income families are only available for people who make 50 percent or less of the median income in Maryland. During the planning commission meeting, Berlage suggested things like giving developers breaks as incentives to build workforce housing. There is a taskforce that will be looking into the issue further during the coming year. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

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The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

ews What do you think the state of the Walden Sierra: Men Not Coming What do you think the state of the economy is? Are there jobs out there and Forward on Domestic Violence economy is? Are there jobs out there and is the economy getting any better? is the economy getting any better? By Guy Leonard “I think there’s jobs, but there’s not jobs for people who don’t have d e g r e e s ,” said Lindsay Davis of Hughesville. She said the economy has plateaued for now, it’s not getting any better but it’s also not getting any worse. “It depends on what profession you’re in,” said George Pyle III of Mechanicsville. He said there is plenty of work for people in fields like nursing, but not as many in grocery stores and retail locations. “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” Pyle said. Heather Smith of Charlotte Hall said the economy and job opportunit ies will probably pick up when it gets warmer outside. She said there’s not a lot available for people right now though. “I know a lot of people who are laid off,” she said.

Staff Writer

Staff at the local crisis counseling center Walden Sierra say that men in St. Mary’s County who are victims of domestic violence are either not reporting abuses against them or not following through on protective orders against their spouse or partner. Laura Webb, spokeswoman for Walden Sierra, said that while domestic violence is often viewed as an issue solely affecting women, men also account for a considerable percentage of victims. Webb told The County Times that during a six-month period from July to December of 2010 that of the 104 people who were directly affected by violence or abuse seeking help from the crisis center, 95 percent were female victims, with just 5 percent being male. But with statistics nationally showing that domestic violence victims are about 10 to 15 percent male, Webb said that it’s likely there are more men in the community who are abused by their female partners. Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron concurred that that was probably the case. “What we’re seeing is that 5 percent but it’s probably much higher because men don’t report,” Cameron said, adding that both men and women failing to report domestic violence was a problem. Webb said that data gathered from local court proceedings show that a larger number of men are initially reporting abuse, but do not follow up for a final protective order. According to data compiled by a community liaison there were 46 men during the same six-month period who filed for a protective orders in court, Webb said. Many of those men abandoned their claims, she said. “It’s a significant problem. It certainly shows it’s not just a problem for women,” Webb said. Victims often do not report violence because of the stigma associated with the event or because HELP FOR TODAY; HOPE FOR TOMORROW they believe that they must have the support, sometimes financial, of the abuser. Abuse can also take on other forms than physical, ranging into the emotional and mental categories, Webb said. “It’s about power and control and women can seek to assert that, too,” Webb said. Walden Sierra’s 24-hour crisis hotline can be reached at 301-863-6611. guyleonard@countytimes.net

G a r y Buckler from Mechanicsville said if the economy is getting any better, it’s doing so slowly. His idea to fix the problems with finding jobs and the failing economy is to get the Democrats out of Washington, D.C. and keep them out.

“There isn’t any jobs available and it isn’t getting any better,” said Hughesville native Frank Bradley. He said he doesn’t have much to worry about, having been retired from AT&T since 1991, but the economy is getting worse if it’s doing anything. Richard Fowlar of Hughesville said the answer to both questions is “no.” He said he lost his job and it took him seven months to get one job offer. He said there is probably money in Washington, D.C., but there is not money in Southern Maryland.

County Revisits Issue of Checking Weekly Bills By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

David Zylak, left, director of Public Safety, gives county commissioners a tour of the county’s emergency operations center. The county plans to have an emergency drill exercise at the center in February to simulate an overflow from the dam at St. Mary’s Lake.

Shortly after taking office, four of the five county commissioners voted to leave to the county administrator approval of checks written every week by departments to service vendors, citing time savings and efficiency over approving the bills themselves every meeting. But two of them voted Tuesday to bring back the old policy after a mix-up by county financial staff caused the stack of bills, which can run into the hundreds of pages, to be unavailable for the commissioners’ review outside of the board’s session. The vote failed by a 3-to-2 margin, but one of the original supporters of the change said that the tardiness of the bills this week helped change his mind. Discussion during the board meeting Tuesday revealed that the three-day weekend may have had something to do with the late coming of the bills manifest. “I said we’d give them a chance… but Friday

is still Friday,” said Commissioner Daniel Morris (R-Mechanicsville). Morris told The County Times that he had voted for the measure to allow commissioners to review the bills each week outside of the regular meeting but only if they were provided in a timely manner by county staff “We came in yesterday to review the bills and they weren’t there,” Morris said. “I think we have an obligation to review those bills… that [the bills unavailability] was disappointing.” Morris seconded a motion by Commissioner Lawrence D. Jarboe (R-Golden Beach) to reinstate the longheld policy of commissioners signing off on the bills, but the measure was defeated by opposition votes from commissioners Todd Morgan, Cindy Jones and Commissioner President Francis Jack Russell. Jarboe was out of town on vacation when the other four commissioners voted to hand approval of the bills over to County Administrator John Savich and was quick to mention that after his return this week.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The County Times

To The Editor:

Editorial: Property Rights Stripped By Appeals Board; Don’t Glorify Cold-Blooded Murderer the next few days or weeks, we will direction, and guess who is responsible? Don’t County Commissioners Must Respond surelyOver be bombarded with every gory detail of the look any farther than your nose because as long as We need to go back to Dec. 9, 2010, when the St. Mary’s County Board of Appeals was scheduled to hear an application on behalf of Buzz’s Marina located in Ridge. The owners of Buzz’s Marina were simply trying to preserve their rights to allow a small number of campsites on the marina property. These campsites existed before 1974 and therefore, by right they should be allowed to continue today. It is not uncommon that changes in zoning laws over the past 20 years have limited the use of properties. However, when this happens, the existing use that may not conform with the new allowable use is “grandfathered” in as a “non-conforming” use. The idea being that no new uses of that nature would be allowed, but that which is already built would be allowed to continue. This is a protection typically afforded all property owners. Even sometimes property used as a residential property may be subject to rezoning due to changes in the surrounding neighborhood. But that does not mean the property owner should have to stop using the house as a residence. It is fair and reasonable that property owners should expect they have the right to use their property in the same way it has been legally used in the past. The County Commissioners, years ago, gave the authority to the county’s planning director to look at evidence and make determinations on a case by case basis if certain “non-conforming” uses should be allowed. If a property owner affected by such a decision, directly or indirectly did not agree with the decision of the planning director, then the decision could be appealed to the Board of Appeals. In the case of Buzz’s Marina, the planning director first made the decision not to allow camping sites on the property because the evidence he was provided showed the existence of camping sites prior to 1978, not specifically prior to 1974. When the property owners were informed that evidence had to show existence prior to 1974, they produced additional evidence showing such use before 1974. The planning director, based upon the new evidence, reversed his decision. However, only two camping sites were clearly evident in the pre 1974 photo which the property owners were able to locate rather than the 8 to 12 sites that the property owners claimed to have existed. The planning director acted reasonably, clearly determining that the property had been used for camping sites. But not sure how many, he would make a determination based upon what he knew for sure. He would allow two sites based upon the photo, and the property owners would have available the right to appeal the decision to the Appeals Board which could overrule his determination and allow more sites. And that is what the property owners did – appeal the decision. At the same time, the neighboring property owner appealed the decision as well, claiming the planning director did not have the authority to reverse his previous decision. While the case before the Board of Appeals on December 9th took several twists that should cause considerable concern to the citizens of St. Mary’s County, we focus today on just one decision made by the Board of Appeals, the one we find most egregious and harmful to all property owners in St. Mary’s County. The Appeals Board determined that since the county’s ordinance that gave the decision making authority to the planning director did not go on to say the planning director had the authority to re-consider the decision, therefore the planning director could not re-consider. Therefore, his first decision to not allow camping sites because the evidence was before 1978 rather than before 1974 must stand. What the Appeals Board did was, absent specific language in the county’s ordinance; create new law that would impact us all in the future. The Appeals Board ignored reasonableness and well-founded Administrative Law that recognizes inherent in the authority to make a decision is the authority to re-consider such a decision when the decision is found to be incorrect. The intent of good government is to get it right. The intent of the County Commissioners in giving the authority to the planning director is for the director to make every effort to protect property rights with correct decisions. This authority and this intent to make correct decisions for the people of St. Mary’s County are important not just for this particular case, but for all cases in the future. The County Commissioners should move quickly to take back that authority which the Appeals Board has stripped away by passing an ordinance stating that the County Planning Director was given the authority by the Board of County Commissioners to make administrative decisions of this nature, and inherent in that authority is the authority to “stay” such a decision for a reasonable length of time, and the authority to reconsider any such decision based upon new evidence or mistakes made in consideration of the evidence. And that such authority can only be taken away from the director by the Commissioners themselves. The Commissioners would be wise to include in such an ordinance a new 30-day appeals window for all parties interested in the Buzz’s Marina case so that further decisions can be made by the Appeals Board based upon the case merits.

horrific shooting in Tucson, Arizona. The media, some of our elected officials and the shooter’s lawyer will elevate the shooter to celebrity status and tell us how his parents failed him, his school system failed him, his friends failed him and society failed him. The truth is, he is the only one who failed him and I don’t want to hear the pundits explain how his actions were in come way contributed to by others. There is no negative adjective that won’t fit in front of his name. He’s a coward, a maniac, a pervert, a weirdo, a nut and the list can go on. The only moniker that matters is, he is a cold-blooded murderer. His recognition should be limited to the punishment provided by the law and not all the media attention. I don’t need to know any more about him other than that the evidence proves him guilty ad he is sentenced and punished according to law. To elevate this scumbag by splashing his name and photograph all over the public media is a crime unto itself. He will become a folk hero and a role model for other demented souls who hide in their caves and emerge like snakes from under a rock when they decide to express their inner thoughts in a manner that more innocent people are killed, injured and traumatized. He, and others like him, don’t deserve any notoriety and should be shut in their cells in obscurity until they pay for their crime. This country is in trouble. We haven’t reached Third World status yet but we are moving in that

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we support those who glorify, demonize, or otherwise make folk heroes out of our society’s misfits we nurture another crop of the same. We should boycott and condemn, in every way we can, those who glamorize horrific acts in the name of public information. Any film, media outlet, magazine article or book that gives graphic details about man’s inhumanity to man should have an audience and revenue of zero. Until we, yes, you and me, do more than complain as we point the remote to tune in the crap we are fed the snakes will continue to slither from their rat holes. Those politicians and commentators who spew their venom about anything they don’t agree with should be on our ignore or no vote list. Their vicious rhetoric serves as a rallying point for every weirdo with an agenda. We need to speak out against and boycott any venue that sensationalized criminal activity in any form and thus remove incentive for more predatory malcontents to express themselves. Without an audience, their message can’t be heard and they will dry up on their poison vine. We are more a part of the problem that any parent, schoolteacher or social worker who may be blamed for warping these troubled souls. It is time for each of us to step up and be heard in the most forceful way we can. If we don’t, we are putting our fingerprints on the gun and have ourselves to blame. David A Ryan Hollywood, MD

Where Would Dr. King Stand on Abortion?

In January, we observe two events, the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and the March for Life protesting the Supreme Court decisions on Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton. Since those decisions occurred on 22 January 1973 almost five years after Dr. King was killed, some people question where he would have stood on the abortion issue. First of all, Dr. King was a Christian minister who was very knowledgeable about the Bible. He would have known that a person’s physical life begins at conception because in Jeremiah 1:5 God says “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you….”. He would have known that God disapproved of abortion because in Exodus 21:22-24 He sets the punishment of “…life for life, eye for eye…” for anyone killing or injuring an unborn baby. He would have known that God prefers adoption rather than abortion because of King Solomon’s wisdom in 1 Kings 3:16-27. King Solomon looked favorably on the mother because to save her baby’s life, she was willing to give her baby to a harlot who had stolen her baby, lied to her, was fighting her for custody, and was willing to have the baby killed rather than give it to someone else. Dr. King also knew that while hanging on the cross, Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”. If you are beginning to realize what you have done regarding

abortion or if you knew and did it anyway, remember that God is merciful and forgiving. If you are truly sorry, repent and ask His forgiveness for your involvement with abortion, He will forgive you. Dr. King would also have opposed abortion because he was a champion of human rights and justice. The unalienable Right to Life in the Declaration of Independence is the most important right, because without life, no other right is possible. And the killing of an innocent unborn baby is probably the greatest injustice. I’ve attended the March for Life for several years and am always very encouraged by the large number of people, especially the youth, who traveled great distances to be there. I am also very discouraged by the few blacks who show up, especially since approximately 18,000,000 abortions (35% of 52,000,000) have been performed on black women since the Supreme Court decisions. The March for Life starts at noon on Monday 24 January on the National Mall in Washington, D. C. If he were still alive, I believe Dr. King would be there, probably as a speaker encouraging people to be pro-life and not to have abortions. Robert Boudreaux Waldorf, MD

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The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Defense Contractor Opens its Doors to Public By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Local defense contractor Coherent Technical Services, Inc. (CTSi) has been operating out of its Expedition Drive office for about five years now, but a recent open house at its new facility in California showcased just what the contractor can do. CTSi moved into the building formerly occupied by an automotive parts store on Three Notch Road late last year and the staff there focuses on actually fabricating items that are used to test both software and hardware for the U.S. Navy, and others. Staff at the facility also help design and fabricate circuit boards and customized high and low voltage power cables. Jason Wyatt, fabrication director for CTSi, said the new facility allows the contractor to engage in what is known as rapid prototyping of defense related products so they can make it into service in the field with soldiers, sailors and aviators. Rapid prototyping is an outcome of the many combat commitments the U.S. military is engaged in Afghanistan and elsewhere. “They need to know if this [piece of equipment] really works quickly,” Wyatt told The County Times. CTSi staff displayed such projects as ASROV (avionics for subscale remotely operated vehicles), which allows experimental flight computers normally placed in much larger aircraft like the Navy’s P-8 Orion submarine hunter to be installed in scale models and flown to see if they function properly. This has the affect of reducing the costs of testing, Wyatt said, and reduces the risk of losing costly aircraft. “If you bury one in the ground (a scale test model) you don’t destroy a $100 million plane,” Wyatt said. Bob Schaller, director of the county’s economic and community development office, said that CTSi is getting work from the military on many other projects and that their new facility represents a good reuse of existing buildings and perhaps even the future of the county’s main economic engine. “It’s a good marriage for other uses than what it [the building] was intended,” Schaller said. “And it’s also diversification. We [the contractor community] make a lot of paper (such as program documents), and it’s good paper… but we need to make stuff. “That’s where we’re going.” Joe Strohmeyer, a machinist at CTSi’s new fabrication facility in California, demonstrates the use of an advanced computercontrolled milling machine.

guyleonard@countytimes.net

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

Wyle Awarded $318 Million Contract to Support Joint Strike Fighter

Wyle has been competitively awarded a $318 million five-year task order to provide engineering and integration support services to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program Office. Awarded by the General Services Administration’s Federal Systems Integration and Management Center, the company will perform the work for the JSF F-35 Lightning II Program under the GSA Professional Engineering Services Schedule 871. Specific tasks will include strategic planning for technology programs and activities, concept development and requirements analysis, system design, engineering and integration, test and evaluation, integrated logistics support, Foreign Military Sales, acquisition and life cycle management, all critical to the development of the F-35 and the mission of the program office. “There is nothing more rewarding than being competitively selected to support the most exciting, most technologically advanced aircraft of tomorrow,” Donna Lowe, Wyle’s vice president for tactical programs and the task order project manager, said in a press release. “Ultimately, it’s ensuring that the warfighter is ready and able to complete their mission.” Wyle will continue assisting the JSF Program ensuring the aircraft manufacturing team meets government requirements and required timelines to successfully deploy the F-35 air system to the warfighter. Wyle’s technical professionals, subcontractors and teaming partners will support program management of the next generation strike fighter’s lifecycle, spanning development, test and evaluation, low rate and full rate production, and operations and sustainment.

The majority of the work will be performed in Arlington, Va. with field support at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.; Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; WrightPatterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; and Ft. Worth, Texas, where the F-35 air system is being developed and produced. “JSF Program activity at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station and other sites around the nation will become more intense over the next several years,” said Brent Bennitt, president of Wyle’s Aerospace Group. “With more focus on the program’s developmental flight test phase, an increase in flight test time before initial operational capability, and an increase in the number of aircraft devoted to the flight test effort, the complexity of testing a fifth generation aircraft is apparent. Wyle is committed to helping the JSF Program meet these complex challenges.” Subcontractors on the Wyle team are Dynamic Research, Inc; Ausley Associates, Inc.; Jahn-Corporation; Whitney, Bradley & Brown; General Dynamics, Information Technology; Science Applications International Corporation. Teaming partners are Decisioneering, LLC; First Principles, Inc.; PAL Services, Inc.; Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.; and ITT Corporation. The F-35 Lightning II Program is a joint, multi-national program, and is the Department of Defense’s focal point for defining affordable next generation strike aircraft weapon systems among the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and U.S. allies composed of eight cooperative international partners.

for the love of

Money

The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Debate Rages Over Proposed Alcohol Tax

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

For the past couple years, there has been a bill bubbling up in Annapolis to raise the alcohol tax in Maryland, known colloquially at the “Dime a Drink Tax.” Dave Dent, the Director of the St. Mary’s County chapter of the Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association, is a staunch supporter of not raising the tax. “The ‘Dime a Drink’ tax will add approximately $3.00 to the cost of a case of beer and about $5.00 to the cost of a single 1.75ml bottle of spirits. This will result in a major retail price increase for consumer,” Dent said. This increase in the price of alcohol will drive people out of Maryland and into neighboring states, like Virginia, he said, thus robbing Maryland of the money being spent on alcohol in state.

“Our current beverage tax structure gives us the competitive advantage. For example, Virginia’s current beer tax is 25.6 cents per gallon. The proposed new tax would raise Maryland’s beer tax from .09 cents per gallon to $1.16, an increase of $1.07 per gallon. Virginia’s current wine tax rate is $1.51 per gallon. The proposed new tax would raise Maryland’s wine tax from .40 cents per gallon to $2.96 per gallon, an increase of $2.56 per gallon,” Dent said in an email. Dent said the local delegates and politicians in St. Mary’s County are also against the Dine a Drink tax. “Vinnie DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative, is marketing the tax increase as a “Dime a Drink” tax increase. If the Lorraine Sheehan Health & Community Services Act of 2011, is passed, it will have a devastating effect on the alcohol beverage and hospitality industries in Maryland,” Dent said. He said the tax could cost up to 5,000 people their jobs be-

cause of workplaces trying to make up for lost revenue. DeMarco said the loss of jobs and money is just a myth, and the tax could bring up to $215 million into the state per year, which would possibly go to fund health care and community needs. DeMarco said the tax increase should only affect heavy drinkers and underage drinkers, but the 70 percent of people in Maryland who are either moderate drinkers or non drinkers won’t be going over state lines for slightly cheaper prices. The last time the state raised the tax on beer and wine was 1970 and the last time the tax was raised on spirits was 1955. “It’s really unconscionable that the tax hasn’t been raised in all that time,” DeMarco said. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

Parlett Family Proposes New Farm Museum in Charlotte Hall By Guy Leonard Staff Writer John K. Parlett, local developer and member of the family that until recently hosted the hugely popular Farm Life Festival in St. Mary’s County for more than a decade, proposed building a new museum in Charlotte Hall that memorializes farming and the area’s deep agricultural heritage. Parlett’s father, John Knight Parlett, Sr., a former state delegate and county commissioner, started collecting farm equipment and other items used in agriculture in an effort to preserve the history of a way of life that was slowly disappearing from the region.

But the family patriarch died five years ago and the farm festival had become a burden to put on each year because of the expense and sheer volume of items the family had to maintain, his son said Friday. The festival had its final run in 2009. “This was a tough decision for my mom and the whole family,” Parlett said. “But we’re looking for a place to promote agriculture on a year round basis.” Parlett made the proposal to members of the county’s agricultural community as well as to several county commissioners; the proposed building would be about 3,200 square feet and would be built next to the visitor’s center in Charlotte Hall.

Parlett said that the county’s gateway community would be the ideal place to build such a museum, which would house just a choice fraction of the farm related equipment and memorabilia his family had collected over the years. Parlett said that his family was willing to donate $100,000 to the cost of the museum’s construction, about a quarter of what he estimated it would take to complete the project. Parlett said that the farm museum was simply a proposal as there were no plans on paper to start the project. “I’m planting a seed,” Parlett said. Commissioner President Francis Jack Russell (D-St. George Island) said that Par-

lett’s proposal had not been discussed beyond his pitch last week and that he would “reserve judgment.” “I knew they were trying to do something with the farm equipment… but this is the first I’ve heard of [a new museum],” Russell said. The proposed site of the new museum would be on county-owned land and would require the approval of the board of county commissioners to begin construction. guyleonard@countytimes.net

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The County Times

Briefs Narcotics Detectives Make Drug, Gun Arrests Vice/Narcotics detectives began an investigation into alleged illegal drugs and weapons violations that were taking place in a Lexington Park neighborhood. Intelligence was received that the suspects Douglas “Noah” Deshields, 35, and Rainier “Ray” Nazal Dizon, 29, were involved in a dispute with a third subject. Further information was that there was a stolen revolver as well as an assault rifle involved within the dispute, police stated. Vice/Narcotics detectives took Deshields into custody and recovered cocaine and marijuana, they stated. An additional call for shots fired was received from a Lexington Park neighborhood while Vice/Narcotics detectives were in the immediate area. Detectives observed Dizon leaving the area in a vehicle. A traffic stop was conducted at the intersection of Three Notch Road and Hermanville Road. Dizon was found to be in possession of a loaded, stolen .44 caliber revolver, police stated, and the residence that is occupied by Deshields and Dizon was observed leaving was searched. Recovered were additional rounds of .44 caliber ammunition, an assault rifle and additional ammunition, cocaine, marijuana, and other items of evidence, police alleged. The handgun was stolen from a burglary in the Hollywood area, according to police. Bureau of Criminal Investigations detectives responded and continued that portion of the investigation. Additional charges are expected against both listed suspects as well as a possible third. Tyreke Delante Butler, 19, of Lexington Park, was arrested after Vice/Narcotics detectives received a Grand Jury indictment for Butler’s arrest. Undercover purchases of cocaine were conducted and a handgun was recovered as a result of this investigation, police alleged. The serial number on the handgun was obliterated, according to police. Charlie Earl Horn a.k.a. “Squeak”, 36, of Lexington Park, was indicted after several undercover purchases of marijuana were made by Vice/Narcotics detectives. A search and seizure warrant was executed on his residence and a large amount of marijuana was recovered, police stated.

Police Arrest Sex Offense Suspect On January 17, 2011 detectives from the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Special Victims Unit, initiated an investigation into allegations that Andrew Christopher Newingham, 23, of Lexington Park, committed a sex offense against a 15-year-old female victim in October 2009. On Wednesday detectives executed a search and seizure warrant at Newingham’s residence where he was located and arrested. Newingham was charged with third-degree sex offense, fourth-degree sex offense, second-degree assault and incarcerated in the detention center.

Philip H. Dorsey III Attorney at Law

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

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Armed Robbery Suspect Held Without Bail By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A Lexington Park man accused of robbing a nightclub patron over the weekend has been incarcerated without bond in the county detention after a District Court judge ruled Tuesday. According to charging documents filed against Travis Tourneur Butler, 30, police accused him of pulling a gun on a patron in The Lexington, located on South Shangri-La Drive and Great Mills Road, and demanding money. Court papers stated that Butler brandished a silver-colored, small caliber handgun at the victim, Jumoke Camara Holden, after he claimed Holden had tried to touch Butler’s girlfriend. Holden told police Butler said he was a “gangster disciple” when he produced the weapon and then demanded Holden give him $20, charging papers allege. Butler then told Holden to leave the club, charging documents state. Deputies broadcast a lookout for Butler which was matched moments later by a call from the county’s emergency communications center about a disturbance being caused by a man with a gun matching Butler’s description, court papers state. Deputies arriving on the scene shortly after the initial call of about 1:33 a.m. saw Butler

standing near the intersection of Shangri-La Drive and Great Mils Road, who ran away when he saw the marked police vehicle, charging documents alleged. De put ie s caught up with Travis Tourneur Butler Butler, however, and arrested and charged him with armed robbery. Police then brought Holden to the arrest scene where he identified Butler as his alleged assailant. Despite the allegations that Butler brandished a handgun there have been no charges filed against him for either first or second degree assault or the use of a handgun in the commission of a felony. Police also did not report in charging documents whether they found a firearm in Butler’s possession. guyleonard@countytimes.net

Fugitive Captured On Child Support Warrants By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A St. Mary’s man wanted on at least seven warrants here and in both Charles and Calvert counties was captured over the weekend by local deputies working for the child support enforcement unit, said sheriff’s office spokeswoman Dep. Cindy Allen. Antwuan Marquis Somerville, 21, of Lexington Park was taken without incident Jan. 14, Allen said, after child support unit officers were able to track down his location. Allen said that Somerville, who was the subject of an alert from Calvert County sheriffs for an alleged assault on his girlfriend earlier this month at a Solomons Island bar, had two child support warrants and was served with another five criminal warrants ranging from handgun possession and assault to telephone misuse and failure to appear in court. Somerville was accused of the Solomons Island assault while he was still on the run from Southern Maryland law enforcement for other alleged crimes, including leading Charles County law enforcement officers on a car chase that led into Calvert County several weeks ago. In that incident police said Somerville was able to elude them by abandoning

his car while leaving his 5-year-old child behind. Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron said that law officers were able to put Somerville under surveillance before the arrest with the intent Antwuan Marquis Somerville of ensuring that he was not able to get to a vehicle and replicate the high speed chase in Charles County. The operation to capture Somerville brought considerable resources to bear within the agency, Cameron said. “[Bureau of Criminal Investigations] Vice/Narcotics helped out,” Cameron said. “They were trying to minimize the potential for danger to the public. “I’m glad we were able to finally bring him in.” Somerville was incarcerated in the county detention center Tuesday and he will likely have to answer for the charges against him here first before facing his charges in neighboring jurisdictions. guyleonard@countytimes.net

St. Mary’s County Detectives Are Requesting The Public’s Help In Locating A Missing Juvenile

www.dorseylaw.net

Cepeda Juwan Hicks an African American male, 16, 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 165 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He has been missing since November of 2010 and is considered a runaway juvenile. Hicks has recently been observed in the Ridge and Lexington Park areas. Anyone with information regarding Hicks’ whereabouts is asked to contact Sgt. Koch at 301-475-4200 Ext. 1963. You can also text message information at TIPS 239 plus your message to 274-637 (CRIMES) or by calling Crime Solvers at 301-475-3333. Hicks also goes by the nickname “CJ.”

Cepeda Juwan Hicks

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Ann Brahler, 70 Ann Catherine “Annie Boo” Brahler, 70, of Mechanicsville, MD, and formerly of Hyattsville, MD, passed away January 16, 2011 at her residence. Born March 27, 1940 in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of the late Francis Clemens and Teresa Agnes Lyon Brahler. Ms. Brahler is survived by her siblings; Joan Brahler Turner of Mechanicsville, MD and Catherine Adolph of White Marsh, MD. She is also survived by her nephews; John Francis Brahler of Leonardtown, MD and David Ianonne of Baltimore, MD and niece; Catherine Turner Moore of Mechanicsville, MD as well as 3 great nephews all of Mechanicsville, MD. Ms. Brahler graduated from St. Anthony High School in 1958 before attending Catholic University and Columbia Business School where she earned her CPA. She moved to St. Mary’s County in 1977 from Hyattsville, MD. Ms. Brahler worked for Howard University in Washington, DC for 38 years before her retirement in July of 2002. She enjoyed chess, cards, and crosswords. Ms. Brahler was also a Sports fan and a fan of Horse Racing. The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD where prayers will be recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 21, 2011 at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church, Chaptico, MD with Fr. Timothy Baer officiating. Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Silver Spring, MD. Pallbearers will be John Francis Brahler, Christopher Borchert, Michael West, David Borzi, Bradley Hayden, Derek Moore and Zachary T. Moore. Honorary Pallbearers will be Lucas T. Moore, Joseph Hayden, Herman Edwards, York Campbell, Harold Banks and Francis Johnson, Sr. 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.

Helen-Marie Crowe, 84 Helen-Marie Scholes Crowe, 84 of St. Mary’ City, MD died January 10, 2011 at Solomons Nursing Center. Born July 5, 1926 in Providence, RI she was the daughter of the late Howard Scholes and Alice Dorothy (Scattergood) Scholes. Helen married Walter Quinton Crowe on August 31, 1957 in Barnington, RI. She moved to St. Mary’s County in 1986 from Bethesda, MD and was a member of the St. Mary’s River Yacht Club, St. Mary’s Parish, St. Mary’s County Garden Club, the Art Alliance, and the Historic St. Mary’s City Foundation. She was also

a needlepoint designer for the Washington National Cathedral. Helen is survived by her husband, Walter Q. Crowe and daughter, Marie-Anne Crowe. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Marken Scholes Shedd. A Memorial Service was conducted on Friday, January 14, 2011 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 47477 Trinity Church Road, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Washington National Cathedral Needlepoint Guild, 3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016 or St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC 20016. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.

Norma Gibson, 79 Norma Jean Gibson, 79, of Avenue, MD, died January 12, 2011 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, MD. Born October 3, 1931 in Washington, DC she was the loving wife of the late George Bernard Gibson, Sr. whom she married on June 2, 1950 in Washington, DC. he preceded her in death on June 6, 2003. Mrs. Gibson is survived by her children; George B Gibson, Jr. of Clements, MD, Sandra L. Bailey of Avenue, MD, and Linda G. Aharon of Ormond Beach, FL. Norma is also survived by her siblings; Pete Griffin of Clements, MD and Joy Farrell of Colton’s Point, MD as well as five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son Michael W. Gibson in 2002 and one sister Robbie Pierce. Norma graduated from Anacostia High School in 1949. She moved from Washington, DC to St. Mary’s County in 1951. Norma worked as an Accounting Technician at the Patuxent Naval Air Station, Lexington Park, MD. The family received friends on Sunday, January 16, 2011 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD, where prayers were recited. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, MD with Fr. William Gurnee officiating. Pallbearers were; George B. Gibson, II, Jerry Hammett, Jr., Pete Griffin, Jr., and Mike Steinhauser. Contributions may be made to the Seventh District Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 7, Avenue, MD. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Bushwood, MD. To send a condolence to the family please visit our website at www. mgfh.com.

George Greig, 84 George William Greig, 84, passed away on January 16th 2011 in California, MD at the Cortinas family residence after living in Maryland for 4 years. George William Greig was born

The County Times

April 8, 1926 in Sioux City, Iowa. He served in the US Navy during the Second World War and the Korean Conflict. George was a witness to the surrender of Japan at the

end of WW2. George worked in various professions throughout his life. He began working on the railroads at the age of 16, not long before he joined the Navy. He also was a printer for the Saturday Evening Post, a machinist, and the supervisor of an industrial cleaning company. George was considered a jack-of-all-trades; if it could be fixed, he could do it, although it didn’t always come out looking pretty. George is survived by: his children; Daniel Greig/ Susan of East Fallowfield, PA, Leanne Edlund of New Bernville, PA, David Greig/Kim of Mansfield, Texas, Melissa Cortinas/ Jesus of California, MD, Debbie Crowell of New Ringgold, PA and, George Crowell/Carol of Wilawanna, PA, 12 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. George was preceded in death by his wives: Johanna Crowell of Wilawanna, PA, Mary Greig of Sewell, NJ and, Alicia Burns Greig of Ocean City, NJ, also by his siblings: Alden Greig of Spokane, WA, his brother, and, Fannie Bergman of

Coeur D’ALene, ID, his sister. A private memorial service will be held for family in Wilawanna PA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown MD, 20650. Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD

Susan Jacobson, 72 Susan “Ms. Sue” K. Jacobson of Lexington Park, MD passed away on January 13, 2011 at her residence. Born February 6, 1938 in Chicago, IL, she was the daughter of the late Emil C. Kann and Jeannette (Westberg) Kann. Ms. Sue was a person full of life and completely devoted to her family. She lived in many places across the United States. She had worked many jobs in her lifetime including teaching pre-school, restaurants, and finally she retired as a bank teller from Navy Federal Credit Union in Orange Park, Florida. She moved to Maryland in 2002 to be closer to her kids and grandkids. She was avid sports fan. She loved going out to eat with

her family and friends, meeting people and opening her home to those in need. The thing that she enjoyed most was spending time with her children and grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Robert R. Jacobson in 1981. She is survived by her three children, Karl Jacobson and his wife Lori of Phoenix, AZ, Keith Jacobson of Lake Ridge, VA, and Karin Branch and her husband Brad of California, MD; seven grandchildren, Emily Jacobson, Kathy Robbins, Addie Cunningham, Jacob Robbins, Christian Jacobson, Christopher Branch and Michael Branch; two sisters, Jean Gross of Yorktown, VA and Grace Stih of San Antonio, TX. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends. Family received friends for Ms. Sue’s Life Celebration on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 with a Funeral Service conducted in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD Interment will take place at a later date in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX. In lieu of flowers contributions are suggested to: Grand Chapter of Maryland – Order of the Eastern Star, 300 International Cir., Cockeysville, MD 21030 Arrangements provided by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD

The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Continued Frances Larrabee, 87 Frances Train Larrabee, 87, of Hollywood, MD, died on Jan. 16, 2011. Born in Punxsutawney, PA on March 10, 1923, she was the daughter of Susan Hardick and Roy Train. Raised in Silver Creek, N.Y., she married her husband, Robert N. Larrabee on April 14, 1945 in Chicago. He predeceased her on March 18, 2002. Mrs. Larrabee was employed outside the home in the late 1940’s prior to starting a family, then stayed home to raise her children, joining her husband in his insurance business only after their children were all in school. She was later employed by St. Mary’s County Department of Social Services, in the income maintenance unit from 1978 until her retirement in 1990. She is survived by four children and their spouses, Robert C. Larrabee and his wife Meghan Toffey, Lusby; Gail Ingle and her husband Ron, Durham, N.C.; Nancy Barry and her husband Dave, Lexington Park; and Joyce Raum and her husband Wendell, Leonardtown. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Also surviving are brother Earl Train, Silver Creek, NY, and sister Doris Ramsdell, Dunkirk, NY. She was predeceased by her brothers Ronald and Donald Train and an infant sister. Mrs. Larrabee was a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Julia Halla Chapter 107. She was a devoted wife and mother, loved gardening and enjoyed baking and sewing. She was a member of the Hollywood United Methodist Church. Mrs. Larrabee was a resident at Chesapeake Shores, formerly Bayside Care Center, for the past ten years and was inducted into the hall of fame there in November 2009. The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 5 to 8 p.m. with an Eastern Star ceremony 7 p.m. at Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD. Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 21, 2011 at 10 a.m. at the Hollywood United Methodist Church, with burial following at Joy Chapel Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Southern Maryland Office, P.O. Box 1889, LaPlata, Maryland 20646. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.

Walter Mason, Sr., 81 Walter Aloysius Mason, Sr., 81 of Mechanicsville, MD died January 14, 2011 at Washington Hospital Center. Born June 30, 1929 in Leonard-

town, MD he was the son of the late Harrison Mason and Mary Alberta (Barnes) Mason. Walter is survived by his children; Rita Holt of Waldorf, MD, Sharon Brown of LaPlata, MD, Bernadette Jones of Randallstown, MD, Faye Mason of Waldorf, MD, Bridget Mason of California, MD, Lisa Mason of Morganza, MD, Adrienne Denczek of Rockledge, FL, Walter Mason, Jr. of Bowie, MD, Allan Mason of McDough, GA, Michael Mason of Morganza, MD, and Terrence Mason of Morganza, MD, 20 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings; Harry Mason of Leonardtown, Sarah Milburn of Leonardtown, MD, Nellie Clayton of Callaway, MD, Veronica Thorne of Prince Frederick, MD, Alberta Campbell of Leonardtown, MD and Idella DeLeaver of Prince Frederick, MD. Family will receive friends on Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 9 until 10 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. with Reverend Keith Woods officiating. Interment will follow in Queen of Peace Cemetery, Helen, MD. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral. com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.

Mary Mills, 83 Mary Susie Mills, 83, of Leonardtown, MD, passed away January 12, 2011 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtow n, MD. Susie, as she was affectionately called, was born October 6, 1927 in Redgate, Maryland to the late George Daniel Mills, Sr. and Mary Madeline Hebb Mills. Susie is survived by her brother, Charles B. Mills of District Heights, MD, and sisters; Lena C. Buckson of Washington, D.C., and Edith E. McFadden of Leonardtown, MD as well as one uncle, Joseph Hebb of Baltimore, MD. She also leaves to mourn a special God child Randy Diggs, several nieces and nephews as well a host of other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her four sisters; Mollie A. Diggs, Viola Mills, Sara Teresa Mills and Estelle Mills as well as her brother Daniel G. Mills, Jr. Susie attended St. Mary’s County Public Schools and later graduated. She worked for the Navel Air Base and did several domestic jobs for over 20 years. Susie was a lifelong member of Our Lady’s Catholic Church. She enjoyed going with the senior’s to the Office on Aging and the Ripple Center. She loved listening to the radio, dancing, playing bingo, crocheting and liked to travel to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD with her sister Edith to visit family. The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 22, 2011 from

10 – 11 a.m., in Our Lady’s Catholic Church, Leonardtown, MD where a Mass of Christian burial will follow at 11 a.m. with Fr. Lawrence Young officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. 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.

Michael Smith, 53 Michael Dennis “Smitty” Smith, 53, of Mechanicsville, MD died January 12, 2011 in Hospice House of St. Mary’s in Callaway, MD. Born October 20, 1957 in Washington, DC he was the son of Clinton Wynn Smith and the late Mary Louise (Lacey) Smith of Mechanicsville, MD. Michael is survived by his siblings; Catherine Bassford and David Smith of Mechanicsville, MD along with many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his sister Janet Hayden. Smitty graduated from Oxon Hill Senior High School in 1976 going on to attended Prince George’s Community College and was a member of the APA Billiards Association. He was a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County and was a Beverage Salesman for the Coca-Cola Company for fifteen years. Michael enjoyed; watching cooking shows, cooking, camping, watching Redskins games, playing cards, as well as hanging out with family and friends at the pool. The family received friends on Friday, January 14, 2011 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD where prayers were recited. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Saturday, January 15, 2011 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Mechanicsville, MD with Fr. John Caulfield officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Pallbearers were; Jimmy Kramer, Bob (BJ) Johns, Mike Vaughn, Dale Vaughn, Todd Sodeman, and Teo Sodeman. Contributions in memory of Michael Dennis “Smitty” Smith may be made to Hospice House of St. Mary’s P.O. Box 625, 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.

Miriam Thompson, 99 Miriam Drury Thompson, 99, of Hollywood MD passed away on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at her residence. Born June 2, 1911 in Leonardtown MD, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Benedict and Lillie Saun-

ders Drury. M i r i a m Drury Thompson grew up in Leonardtown as the youngest of six. After graduating from St. Mary’s Academy in 1930 with a specialty in music and piano, she taught for six years at St. John’s School in Hollywood. At that time, as a member of a swing band that included Leo and Francis Weiland, Paul Bailey, and Dale Cropper, she played twice weekly, most notably upstairs at Dukes on Friday nights. She married Upton Thompson of Hollywood in 1936 and raised nine children on a tobacco farm. She taught her children the Catholic religion and culture that had been taught to her. With her children raised and educated, she spent her time listening, telling stories, sharing tea, and caring for the grandchildren. The piano in the house was always part of her life and many in the neighborhood heard the afternoon songs she enjoyed playing. Miriam also enjoyed her weekly card games with her special friends. She was a gentle soul, making few demands of others as she lived her life. Miriam is survived by her children; Benedict D. (Sheila) Thompson, DDS, of Walkersville MD, Frances M. (George) Thompson of Hollywood MD, Wayne A. (Joan) Thompson of Hollywood MD, Michael (Barbara) Thompson of Hollywood MD, John O. (Elise) Thompson of Hollywood MD, Patricia T. (Steve) Suit of California MD, C. Elizabeth ‘Tism’ (Alan) Blackwell of Virginia Beach VA, and Samuel C. (Susan) Thompson of California MD, daughter-in-law, Marylou Thompson of Alexandria VA; sister-in-law, Henrietta Abell of Hollywood MD; aunt, Mary Helen Saunders of Leonardtown MD; 26 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Miriam is survived by her dedicated caregivers, Ann Poe and Margaret Tinsley. In addition to her parents, Miriam was preceded in death by her husband, Upton Thompson, Sr.; her son, Upton Thompson, Jr.; siblings, Lillian Duke, Stella Dent, Elbert Drury, Benedict Drury, and Foley Drury. Family received friends for Miriam’s Life Celebration on Friday, January 14, 2011 in St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church, with prayers recited. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Saturday, January 15, 2011 with Father Ray Schmidt officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Jamie, Patrick, Glenn, Ronnie, Joseph, and Matt Thompson; honorary pallbearers will be David, Paul, Michael, Chris, John, Ben, and Daniel Thompson. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice House of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown MD 20650 and/or St. Johns School, 43900 St. John’s Rd., Hollywood MD 20636. Arrangements provided by the

Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown MD

Roger Williams, 74 Roger Maxwell “Pops” “Willy”, “Sugar 2” Williams, 74, of Lexington Park, MD and formally of Hopewell, VA died January 9, 2011 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown, MD. Born October 4, 1936 in Warrenton, N.C. he was the son of the late Mary A. and Roger Williams. Roger is survived by his wife Ardelia V. Williams whom he married in Hopewell, VA on August 20, 1960. He is survived by his children; Travis Williams (Carolyn) and, Aubrey Williams both of Lexington Park, MD, Damita Bradford (Odis), and Zolita Williams both of Escondido, CA, Lolita Williams-Leak (LaMont) of California, MD, and Stepson William Warren of Edgewood, MD. Roger is also survived by one brother Freeman Williams of Richmond, VA along with four grandchildren Shanay Somerville, La Toya Williams, Austin Williams, and La-Necia Leak. He graduated from Carter G. Woodson High School in 1956 and enlisted in the United States Navy on May 16, 1956 working as an Air Craft Mechanic for 20 years retiring on May 3, 1976. His duty stations included; California, Florida, New Jersey, Warminster, PA, Sigonella, Sicily, Norfolk, VA, and Patuxent Naval Air Station. During his tour of duty he received the Good Conduct award and the National Defense Service Award. Roger continued to work as an Air Craft Mechanic for DynCorp on Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Lexington Park, MD. He moved from Norfolk, VA to St. Mary’s County in 1968. Roger enjoyed; music, playing cards, old cars, jokes and never met a person who wasn’t his friend. . The family received friends on Saturday, January 15, 2011 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD where a service was held with Elder Jason Fenwick officiating. Interment will be private. 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.

To Place a Memorial, Please Call 301-373-4125

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Know

In The

The County Times

St. John’s School Back in Business By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

Education

Money Available for Descendents Of Margaret Brent Graduates By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

After the collapse of the roof last winter and the rebuilding that has been going on, St. John’s School in Hollywood is finally reopened and the teachers are looking forward to getting to work in the new building. To celebrate the first day of classes in the new school Tuesday, St. John’s School held an open house Saturday morning so parents and students could tour the new facilities. Included with the new school in every classroom is a StarBoard Interactive Whiteboard, which is like a large touch-screen computer monitor. “It’s amazing,” said Susan McDonough, eighth grade teacher with St. John’s School. “It’s truly amazing.” She said she looks forward to using the new technology with her students in the classroom. Christa Weiss, fourth grade teacher, said she wasn’t with the school when last winter’s heavy snowfall took its toll on the building, but she is excited to be moving into the new building. “I told people I was getting a new classroom for Christmas,” Weiss said. Fifth grade teacher Amber Geisz is in a unique situation – she is an alumna of St. John’s School who came back as a substitute teacher in the old building and is now a full time teacher in the new St. John’s School building. She said she has been in both buildings and is excited about the improvements in the new school. “I love it, it’s awesome,” she said. There will be another open house Jan. 21 at 10 a.m.

Students who have parents or grandparents who went to Margaret Brent High School now have another opportunity to get money for their higher educations. The Margaret Brent High School Alumni Association is offering scholarships to 2011 high school graduates or those who are now in college. An applicant must be a “direct” descendent of a Margaret Brent alumnus – which would be between the years of 1931 and 1965 before Margaret Brent High School became a middle school. Grace Bolton, a member of the alumni association, said that the scholarship funds come from the dues the members pay and an annual raffle in December. The number of students who receive the scholarships and the amount they receive varies every year, and the numbers for this year haven’t been set yet, Bolton said. It is uncertain weather the scholarship will ever be opened to students who are not descendants of students of Margaret Brent High School. “We are limited in certain ways,” Bolton said. Applications are due back to guidance counselors by March 15 or to the Margaret Brent Alumni Association by March 31 to the address shown on application. Awards will be made following high school graduation or upon proof of college registration or attendance. Applications from students from outside Southern Maryland will be accepted. Bolton said scholarships have been awarded to people from as far away as Washington and Oregon. “The committee goes through every application and judges on the merit of every student,” Bolton said. Applications are available at the guidance centers of the high schools in St. Mary’s County and College of Southern Maryland, and also may be requested by calling Bolton at 301-274-3486.

sarahmiller@countytimes.net

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The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

St. Mary’s Ryken Senior Schools to Revise Courses Offered Awarded $20,000 Scholarship By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

The classes students can take with St. Mary’s County Public Schools will be undergoing some changes before the next school year starts. Jeff Maher, the director of teaching, learning, and professional development, said courses are added according to the requests of the teachers and the interests of the students. Some of the classes, like English 9 and 10 for the Global Institute of Study, are tailor made for the institutes they are taken for. Other courses, such as AP Latin Literature, are offered for students interested in continuing their studies in a specific subject or who wish to take classes for college credit. Some of the new courses offered in the Physical Education department include Wellness Walking and Yoga, Pilates and Dance. “We want to promote a more wellness life style,” Maher said. In addition to the addition of courses in various departments, there are three classes that will no longer be offered – Marketing, Paralegal Studies and Simulated Office.

“These courses are no longer needed,” Maher said. The decision to drop the courses comes form the fact that they have been under enrolled, and in some cases completely empty, for the past few years. They are also being replaced by other courses, which are more relevant to student studies and needs. In the case of Simulated Office, it’s being replaced by different technology courses that offer students the chance to get certifications at the end, like Advance Microsoft Office Specialist Training. There will be a public comment session for the public to discuss the changes to the high school program of studies during the Board of Education meeting at 5 p.m. on Jan. 25, right before the public comment section of the meeting. The meeting will be in the Board of Education room at the St. Mary’s County Public School administration building on Moakley Street. Those interested in reviewing a complete list of the changes to the classes offered can find the document under the current news section on http://www. smcps.k12.md.us/. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

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Emily Simmons, a senior at St. Mary’s Ryken High School has been awarded a $20,000 Horatio Alger Scholarship and an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the National Scholars Conference in Washington, D.C., in April. Simmons is from Hollywood and is one of only 104 students to receive the national scholarship awarded through the Horatio Alger Association, which gives the awards based on academic achievement and involvement in extracurricular and community service activities. Simmons plans to major in molecular biology and become a DNA researcher. She is currently deciding between four colleges - North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Florida Simmons is a member of the Theodore Ryken chapter of the National Honor Society and a captain of the varsity field hockey team. She also was chosen to be one of the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School Stewards at St. Mary’s Ryken. This group works through Campus Ministry to carry out Christian service opportunities in both the school and the local communities. Photo courtesy of St. Mary’s Ryken High School

Officials Looking to Boost Math Requirements By Sarah Miller Staff Writer For students in St. Mary’s County Public Schools, taking math courses every year of high school may soon become compulsory as a graduation requirement. The new requirement would affect incoming freshmen in the 2011-2012 school year that will be graduating in the class of 2015. In middle school, the SMCPS students choose a track to follow for graduation. The tracks include the University of Maryland Completer course and the Career and Technology Education Path. Students can also choose to complete both paths, which are called a Dual Completer Sequence, and an Advanced Technology sequence. The completer sequences ensure students will meet the Maryland State requirements for students to receive their diploma and graduate high school. In order to graduate, students must complete a minimum of 21 credit hours, which includes 16 credit hours of a core curriculum. The core curriculum includes English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Physical Education, Technology Education and Fine Arts. The four credits of math will include Algebra, Geometry and Algebra II. Students who complete Algebra II prior to their final year will have to complete the fourth year math requirement with non-trivial Algebra. Students will also have to complete two credits in a language other than English or in Advanced Technology. Five credit hours come from electives, and Jeff Maher, the director of teaching, learning and professional development, said most students graduate with over 21 credit hours under their belts. During a presentation to the Board of Education, Maher suggested revising the completer requirements to match those articulated by the University of Maryland Entrance Requirements for Admission. “The State of Maryland does have a very specific set of requirements to graduation,” Maher said. In addition to being eligible for gradua-

tion, adding the math course will help students as they prepare for placement tests and college. Maher said the students who take math courses during all four years of high school will be in a better position to be accepted by a university in the state of Maryland. “I also believe having a math class in senior year helps them keep fresh those skills,” Maher said. F.J. Talley, the vice president and dean of the Leonardtown Campus of the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), also believes the additional math course will be a help to students entering college. It will allow them to perform better on their placement tests and prevent them from having to take remedial courses to get them back up to speed. Brad Gottfried, the President of the College of Southern Maryland, is excited to hear about the new requirement, because it gives students a leg up at the start of their college education. “Once they go to college and need remediation, that puts them behind the eight ball,” he said. In addition to supporting the additional math requirement, Gottfried said the people at the College of Southern Maryland will be giving high school juniors the placement tests given to incoming college freshmen. The students who fail the test, or place into a remedial course, will be required to take a math course in their senior year of high school. “This is a wonderful one-two punch sort of thing,” he said. Gottfried said making sure students are ready for the placement tests and boned up on the fundamental coursework will be able to get through college more quickly and stand less of a chance of dropping out. “I know it’s going to help out students who are going to be our students,” Talley said. There will be a public comment session for the public to discuss the changes to the high school program of studies during the Board of Education meeting at 5 p.m. on Jan. 25, right before the public comment section of the meeting. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

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The County Times

g u b d e B

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The County Times

STORY

By Corrin M. Howe Contributing Writer

The last generation put their children to bed saying, “Goodnight. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.” Pest control practices in the United States after World War II until recently made this bedtime saying an empty platitude. However, in the last decade bedbugs have made a comeback in major cities on the East Coast and began popping up in Southern Maryland about two years ago. An official with the St. Mary’s County Health Department said the office has started receiving complaint reports in the last year from citizens reporting bedbugs in homes and businesses. “Absolutely, it’s been on the rise for about a year,” said Vic Krasnokutsky, Environmental Sanitarian Manager with St. Mary’s County Health Department, when asked if there’s been a resurgence of bedbugs locally. “We tend to get these in the form of consumer complaints, it not really a reportable disease issue. It’s a nuisance issue,” Krasnokutsky said. Krasnokutsky said citizens have called the Health Department to either issue a complaint about suspected bedbugs in commercial businesses, such as hotels, or to ask for advice on how to remove the pest from their homes. “We have had some complaints about some commercial facilities,” he said. “We go out there and try to confirm the problem, then we tell them to get a professional pest control outfit that will do a survey, do remediation and then report back to us.” The resurgence is resulting in boon on business for pest control services and related industries. “We’ve doubled the number of homes we’ve treated since last year,” said Joe Lyons, co-owner of Arrow American Pest Control of Dunkirk. Bedbugs feed on human blood but are not known to

Photo by Frank Marquart

STORY

Infestations Popping Up in SOMD

cause major health problems other than skin rashes or allergic reactions. According to Michael J. Raupp, professor of entomology at University of Maryland in College Park, bedbugs are “excellent hitchhikers” which many believe is part of the reason

why bedbugs are now an issue again in the United States, although they are “part of everyday life in many parts of the world.” Why are bedbugs a problem again after being virtually eradicated? “That’s the million dollar question,” according to Kaupp “Many pest control companies changed the way they went about their practices in hotels, nursing homes and multi-complex residences.” Lyons said pest control companies are not spraying with “pyrethriod,” a synthetic insecticide which has been found in acute levels in sediments and waterways.

Raupp agrees. “What they used before for ants and roaches probably had a residual effect on the bedbug population. They shifted away from these practices, which is a good thing because of the environment. However, many of the new treatments include traps. Bedbugs don’t come to traps so they are able to survive better.” In addition to a change in treating for bedbugs, experts in the field believe the increase in global travel factors heavily into the bedbug population. Lyons says bedbugs remain prevalent in Asia, Africa, Central and South America and Europe. “It’s like having a cold. Once a certain number of people have cold; it is easier to transfer the cold to many more,” says Raupp. Bedbugs are being found in hotels, motels, universities, daycares, office buildings, airplanes, retail stores and homes. These insects typically live 10 to 20 feet from their food source, lay up to one to five eggs a day and up to 541 in a life time. They do need blood to go through each one of their six stages of life. Lyons says to pull out a penny and look at the date. A bedbug is the size of the last two numbers of the year the coin was printed. Not everyone will have a reaction to a bedbug bite. Those who do will have red marks typically in a line along their arms and legs where the bugs line up along the mattress and feed off a human. Bedbugs primarily are found in the mattress, and usually a higher concentration of them around the corners; however, they are also found in the bed springs, headboard, night stands, behind picture frames, along base boards, in cracks and crevices and in carpets. “If you find bedbugs you need to call in professionals, this is not a kind of bug you can treat on your own,” said Raupp. Furthermore, it is better to call in the experts as soon as possible because the amount of time and money necessary to get rid of them increases the longer the problem is ignored. Bonnie Morris, Lyon’s partner in Arrow American Pest Control, recently returned from a conference on how the pest control industry is dealing with bedbugs. “The whole protocol for how to handle bedbugs is a rigorous process for both the property owner and the pest control company.” First the property owner calls her company out to confirm there is a bedbug infestation. In the past, her partner Lyons has done manual inspections, which can take approximately 90 minutes per room. Now Arrow American subcontracts with a scent investigation canine. Blaine Lessard, a master K9 handler, and his dog Max can find bedbugs in a room within two minutes. Lessard, who has trained nine bedbug dogs and six handlers, says his dogs are trained similarly to law enforcement narcotic dogs. “A dog’s scent is 16,000 better than humans. And they can sort out smells. For example when a person walks into a room they can smell a cake baking. A dog can be trained to sniff specific ingredients such as vanilla, eggs flour. They are rewarded with food so they come to associate the unique scent of a bedbug with reward.” Lessard and Max have been up and down the east coast, primarily in New York, where the first resurgence of bedbug infestations started about a decade ago. Recent media reports indicate bedbugs where found in AMC movie theaters in Times Square, Niketown on 57 Avenue and Google headquarters. Both Lyons and Lessard started receiving calls about bedbugs in Southern Maryland about two years ago. Since then their cases have doubled. “Two years I didn’t have any cases in Lexington Park. Last year I had five and this year I’ve had 12,” said Lessard. In fact, he is under contract with a couple hotels in St. Mary’s County to bring his dog in for a regular sweeps. “This is the only proactive way to (handle) bedbugs, there is no other preventative maintenance.” He and his dogs have searched over 70,000 rooms on east coast from Manhattan to Virginia Beach. Five years ago, he did not expect to have more expertise in the area of scent investigation of bedbugs than most. Besides helping to detect bedbugs in hotels, offices, retail business and other areas, he also trains scent dogs. It takes about four months to train the dog and about a week to train the dog and its handler. When contacting a company which uses scent dogs, Les-

Photo by Frank Marquart Blaine Lessard, a master K9 handler, and his bedbug-sniffing dog Max can find the pests in a room within two minutes.

sard recommends asking if the dog is certified because not all dogs are properly trained. Third Party Testing is a company that does certify scent dogs and it is based in La Plata. Lyons subcontracts for bedbug dogs, but cautions that they do have one major disadvantage; they can only smell bugs at lower levels. A trained pest control inspector still needs to check up higher into the cracks and crevices around ceilings. “People are in denial when they find bedbugs and don’t take care of them right away,” said Lyon’s partner, Morris. The pest control industry has been experimenting with different ways to treat bedbugs. So far, they’ve discovered that bedbugs can survive freezing temperatures, but not heat. “Americans don’t live with bugs. Since it hasn’t been much of a problem in America the science for dealing with bedbugs isn’t there,” said Morris. However, she is confident such science is about 10 years out. One of the newest industry approaches to eradicating bedbugs from a home or hotel is a heat trailer, which ArrowAmerican Pest has recently started using. Part of the prework for property owners is to box items. These boxes and furniture go into the trailer which is heated to about 130 degrees to kill not only bedbugs, but fleas and dust mites too. All those interviewed say prevention is the best approach

to bedbugs. When traveling and staying in different places, pull up the mattress cover and look for evidence, usually down in the corners. Bedbugs are about the size of the tip of a pencil and will be in large numbers. Also, brown pinpoint stains on the mattress is usually blood leached from the human and bedbug. Use the luggage racks provided by the hotels, don’t put your luggage on the bed, on the floor or even unpack and put the items in the drawers. Instead keep all your clothes in your suitcase, in specially designed bedbug bags available for purchase. (These bags are designed to melt away in the wash cycle.) When you get home don’t bring your luggage inside. Instead immediately wash all contents in the washing machine and dryer, the heat will kill them. If it is summer time, but the suitcase itself in a plastic bag and leave it outside in the garage or on the deck for a few days. Don’t forget about kids going to camps or coming home from college doors and apartments. Lyons treated a home where the daughter brought bedbugs home from college. “As soon as you detect, seek professional help. If you are in multi-unit housing contact the landlord, manager or home owners associations immediately,” said Raupp. “This is not a problem the average homeowner is equipped to deal with.”

Newsmakers

The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Vision Remembered at St. Mary’s College

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Just because something’s been going on for seven years doesn’t mean nobody new ever shows up. That’s the case with the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Agnes Butler was at the breakfast for the first time Monday morning. Her sister was in the St. Peter Claver Catholic Church Gospel Choir and Butler wanted to “be with the crowd and see what they’re talking about.” The fact that the breakfast was held on a college campus was meaningful in it’s own right. “Education is a fundamental civil right,” said Joe Urgo, the president of St. Mary’s College. He said it is education that will allow for social mobility that is not tied to social or economic status. He also quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and said that soon parent’s status and economics won’t determine a person’s place in society, the actions a person takes during their lives will. Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD-5) also made an appearance and gave a speech at the breakfast. He talked about Martin Luther King

Jr.’s childhood and the things that he did that people should remember. “We remember that in the context of a county that is too angry,” Hoyer said. One of Hoyer’s biggest messages echoed from Martin King Luther Jr. was that each part of the worlds is interconnected and there is no such thing as an isolated incident. “Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere,” he said. The keynote speaker was 1999 St. Mary’s College alum Nicolas Abrams. “It’s very hard to write a speech about a man who’s done so much,” he said. There are still people in the county who segregate people, though they may not do it consciously, he said, adding that there are entire neighborhoods in some places that are entirely black or white, and schools that don’t have any ethnic diversity. There are even some people who haven’t had any interaction with people of different races and their entire perception comes from television. He also said that isn’t the case at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “Diversity is not just a word but a mission for the campus,” Abrams said. “It’s up to us to keep Dr. King’s dream alive.” In addition to the speakers, there were two

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“STEP UP TO SERVICE”

Photo By Sarah Miller

The First Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir performs at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

choirs to entertain the people assembled in the Fences exhibit at St. Mary’s City. The exhibit J. Frank Raley Great Room in the Campus will run until March 4, with a formal opening Center. The first choir was the First Missionary Jan. 22. Baptist Church Youth Choir and the other was the St. Peter Claver Catholic Church Gospel sarahmiller@countytimes.net Choir. “I think it was wonderful, it was inspiring, it was educational and it was a credit to our country,” said Mary Spicer, one of the women with the gospel choir. “I felt privileged to be involved.” “I really think it was educational, I really enjoyed it,” Butler said, after everything was said and done. “The speakers and everything were wonderful,” she said. Father Scott Woods from the St. Peter Claver and the St. Cecelia Parishes, delivered the invocation and the benediction for the breakfast. The breakfast was co-sponsored by the St. Mary’s College of Southern Maryland and the St. Mary’s County Human Relations Commission. A member of the Commission, Theo Cramer, was one of the Masters of Ceremony. The other MC was Josh Willett, the President Photo By Sarah Miller of the St. Mary’s College Black Student Union. Keynote speaker Nicolas Abrams, a 1999 St. Mary’s College of MaryMonday was also the land alum, talks about how Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream is alive and opening day for the Facing well at the college.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The County Times

Community

Seventh District VRS Installs Officers

Limi te

The Seventh District Volunteer Rescue Squad had its Installation of Officers on Jan.8 at the Holy Angels Church Hall in Avenue. Pictured adove from left are the newly appointed executive officers – Chief Todd Hayden, President Donald Phetteplace, Vice President Matthew Colliflower, treasurer Stevie Lawrence, Recording Secretary Hattie Norris, Corresponding Secretary Karen Colonna, Chaplain George L’Heureux and members at large Ronnie Mattingly and Stevie Gibson. The Line Officers and the Auxiliary Officers were also appointed. The new Line Officers are: Deputy Chief Matthew Colliflower, Chief Engineer Stevie Gibson, Supply Officer Richard Colliflower, Assistant Chief Donald Cather, Jr., Safety Officer Charles Anthony, Captains Wendy Gibson and Donald Cather, Lieutenants Tanya Colliflower, Pat Arnold, Karen Colonna and Bernice Arnold and Assistant Engineers George Bussler, Stevie Lawrence and Kim Mason. The 2011 Auxiliary Officers are: Chaplain Betsy Wigginton, Treasurer Nancy Daigle, Vice President Barbare Lacey, President Barbara Hill, Recording Secretary Michelle Miller and Corresponding Secretary Terra Colliflower.

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Leonardtown VFD Installs Officers

The Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department held its 2011 installation of officers on Saturday, Jan. 8. Pictured above are the newly installed Line Officers. Seated is Chief Thomas A. Mattingly, Jr., Assistant Chief J. Andrew Bell, Deputy Chief Jonathan P. Scully, Captain 1A Ritchie L. Tippett and Captain 1B Russell S. Holmes. Standing is Captain 1C Robert Lee Trossbach, Lieutenant 1A Keith A. Watts, Lieutenant 1B Jonathan H. Mattingly, Lieutenant 1C John A. Padgett, Safety Officer Joseph S. Beavan, Water Supply Officer Christopher E. Smith and Engineer Warren. I. Trossbach. Not pictured is LOSAP Mark J. Bell. The administrative and auxiliary officers were also appointed that evening. The new administrative officers are: President Gary S. Bell, Sr., Vice President Keith A. Watts, Recording Secretary J. Kevin Mattingly, Corresponding Secretary Robert L. Miedzinski, Chief Thomas A. Mattingly, Jr. and Treasurer John, H. B. Gough The new auxiliary officers are: President Dorothy Bell, Vice President Betty Ann Burris, Secretary Margaret Bean, Treasurer Carolyn Trossbach, Chaplain Doris Tippett Lash and Historian Cecilia Holley. Last, but not least, the engineer and assistant engineers were assigned during the ceremony. The new engineer is Warren. I. Trossbach, Jr. The assistant engineers are Gary S. Bell, Charles C. Cooksey, Thomas A. Mattingly, Sr., Wayne T. Miedzinski, John M. Russell, Jr., Kenneth J. Scully, Thomas A. Trossbach and Mark A. Wood.

Local Free Throw Champions Awarded

Playground

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District 8 Champions, front row from left are, Lillian Goebel, Hunter Mattingly, Kyle Boothe, Terran Berry; second row, Ashley Ramsey, Natalie Emmart, Joseph Schwartz, Jarrett Dollarton; back row, District Deputy Jerry Hicks

On Monday, the Knights of Columbus councils of Maryland District 8 held their annual basketball free throw competition in the Monsignor Martin Harris Parish Center at St. John Francis Regis SJ Catholic Church, in Hollywood. The contest is for boys and girls, ages 10 – 14. Children were sponsored by the following Knights of Columbus councils: St. Mary’s Council 1470, Leonardtown; St. John Francis Regis Council 7914, Hollywood; Immaculate Conception Council 8159, Mechanicsville, and St. Francis Xavier, the Missionary Council 10957, Compton. The council tournaments were followed by the District 8 shoot-off, hosted by the Hollywood council, in which the council-level winners participated. The district champions are: Natalie Emmart, Ashley Ramsey, Lillian Goebel, Joseph Schwartz, Terran Berry, Kyle Boothe, Hunter Mattingly and Jarrett Dollarton. The district winners will receive medals and advance to a statewide competition to be held at Archbishop Spalding High School, in Severn on Feb. 19.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Business

The County Times

Call to Place Your Ad: 301-373-4125

Directory Phone 301-884-5900 1-800 524-2381

Phone 301-934-4680 Fax 301-884-0398

Cross & Wood

AssoCiAtes, inC. Serving The Great Southern Maryland Counties since 1994 Employer/Employee

Primary Resource Consultants Group & Individual Health, Dental, Vision, AFLAC, Life, Long Term Care, Short & Long Term Disability, Employer & Employee Benefits Planning

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WHERE YOUR LEGAL MATTER-MATTERS

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Auto Accidents – Criminal – Domestic Wills – Power of Attorney DWI/Traffic – Workers’ Compensation

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

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Deadlines for Classifieds are Tuesday at 12 pm.

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

Classifieds Real Estate A 20 acre lot, with perk, mostly cleared flat land backed with trees- great for a single family with lots of privacy and plenty of room for pasture with a stream running along edge of property, or can be subdivided. In a great location in the middle of Hollywood on a private road in a quite neighborhood.If interested call 301-373-8462 or e-mail jlaowens@aol.com

Real Estate Rentals Quiet, Cove Setting, great for canoeing & kayaking. Pier, (catch your own crabs), Gazebo, Inground Swimming Pool. New Appliances. Two Fireplaces, Hardwood and Ceramic floors. 4 Acres. Potomac River Access. If interested, please call Dan Burris at 301-475-3151. Rent: $1950. Newly available, single family home with water views over the Patuxent River and the pier in Lower Marlboro. 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home with updated kitchen is available immediately, pets case by case. Conveniently located off Rt 4 but just far enough away from the rest of world. Washer and dryer, wood-burning fireplace, new efficient heat pump. Rental application and credit check required. Contact Will at 443-840-9455. Rent: $1675.

Apartment Rentals Brand new studio apartment, lots of natural light, minutes from Charlotte Hall, 20 minutes from Waldorf or Lexington Park. Permits double occupancy. Rent: $750. If interested, please call 301-472-4847.

Employment

301-866-0777

We are looking for a positive, enthusiastic, self-motivated individual for a part-time dental assistant position in our orthodontic office. Must be willing to travel between offices, be x-ray certified, and expanded function qualifed or certified. Please send cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to DianeHowells@comcast.net. If you do not have the above qualifications please do not apply.

Pub & Grill 23415 Three Notch Road California Maryland

www.dbmcmillans.com

Seeking a dependable and motivated employee with organizational skills and forklift experience to manage a warehouse in White Plains Maryland. Full time position M-F 8-5. Fax resume to 301-392-9665 or email to somdfl@comcast.net

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

Vehicles

301-737-0777 My name is Alice. I am probably one of the most beautiful cats you will ever see, if I do say so myself. I was rescued by Feral Cat Rescue along with my siblings named Jacob, Isabella, Cullen Esme & Emmett. I am a sweet girl but I am the last of my litter to be adopted because I was the most shy. I am not shy any more and I love my foster family but I need a home of my own. I am a love girl and I love to be petted and loved. We were born some time in April of 2010. Please fill out an application at www.feralcatrescuemd.org If you have questions, please call 301-481-0171 or email at moonandhunt@ hotmail.com. I hope to meet you very soon. Alice

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

Ca ll 30 ! d A 1-373 r -4125 to Place You Advertising That Works!

1998 Dodge Ram 1500 SST 2WD. Has a Strong 5.9L (360 CU IN) just installed. Needs Tranny work. Great Project Truck. Call James at 240-561-6338. $1200 OBO

Important

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

The County Times

Thursday, Jan. 20

Saturday, Jan. 22

• Who Cares? The Human Perspective on the Calvert Cliffs Calvert Marine Museum (14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons) – 7 p.m. Ralph Eshelman will present Who Cares? The Human Perspective on the Calvert Cliffs. Eshelman, the first director of the Calvert Marine Museum, has published and lectured extensively on a wide variety of topics. A specialist in maritime history, War of 1812, polar exploration, vertebrate paleontology, and cultural resource management, Eshelman is also deeply interested in the Calvert Cliffs formation and the interaction of humans and environment this represents. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 410-326-2042.

• Bingo Fundraiser – Bags and Gift Cards Asbury Solomons Island Community Center Auditorium (11100 Asbury Circle, Solomons) – 2 p.m. Bags Bingo Fundraiser featuring Thirty-One brand bags and accessories. All regular game prizes will be filled with a $25 gift card to a local store. All special game prizes will be filled with a $50 gift card to a local store. Doors open at 1 p.m. There will be 31 games including 4 early birds, 20 regular games, 5 specials, 2 late birds. Only 75 tickets will be sold. Tickets are $25 each and include one book of early birds, one book of regular games, and one book of latebirds. All 31 games are only $25. Extra books, raffles, and more will be offered at the game. For advance tickets or information, call 410-474-2958 or 410394-2697. Proceeds benefit the Asbury Foundation.

• Special Olympics Poker Bennett Building (24930 Old Three Notch Road, Hollywood) – 7 p.m. $5-$5 blinds cash game. Dealers will be provided and the nightly high hand is paid nightly. Drinks will be free. Proceeds go to benefit the St. Mary’s Special Olympics and the Center for Life Enrichment. People who would like to help with the Special Olympics should call Mary Lu Bucci at 301-373-3469 or 240-298-0200. For more information about the poker game, call Jim Bucci 301-373-6104 before 7 p.m. and 240-298-9616 after.

Friday, Jan. 21 • Wise Women’s Retreat 2011 Joy Lane Healing Center (43288 Joy Lane, Hollywood) – 7 p.m. The cost $125 and the materials fee is $20. The women come together to share and explore the Wise Woman. She resides in each of us and is being called forth to take her power out of the mythic and into the every day life experience. Friday evening there will be a Wise Women Sacred Circle and the opening of the gathering in ceremony. Starting Saturday at 10 a.m., there will be sessions such as Creativity as a Spiritual Practice Guided Mediaton, Brief Talking Stick Circle, Creativity in Silence  Creating a Collage Mandala as a spiritual practice. This piece of art you create will hold the energy of our Wise Woman Council. It will support and assist you on your journey as a Wise Woman, who lives from her wise heart in harmony and balance. Calendar images and empowering words for the cut and paste pallet and the backboard provided. Please bring old calendars to add to the selection. Saturday evening there will be a Drumming Circle Celebration of song, chant and rhythm. Sunday morning at 10 a.m. there will be morning meditation and prayer talking, stick sharing of the completed Mandala and the Closing Ceremony For more information or to register, call 301-373-2522. • American Legion Post Dinner American Legion Post 221 (21690 Colton Point Road, Avenue) – 5 p.m. There will be a steak and shrimp dinner served at the American Legion. The menu will include New York Strip steak, steamed shrimp and ham burgers. There will be plasters and sandwiches available for carry out or dining in. For more information, call Francis Gibson at 301-7694544 or 301-769-4346 on the day of the event.

• Basket Bingo Holy Angels Hall (21340 Colton Point Road, Avenue) – 2 p.m. The Parent’s Auxiliary Support Flight for the Chopticon Air Force JROTC is holding a Longaberger basket bingo fundraiser. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to benefit the Chopticon High School’s Air Force JROCT program. Admission will be $20, which buys a book of 20 games. Extra books will be $5 each. There will also be 4 special games for $1 each, food, door prizes and 50/50 raffles. For more information, or to reserve a table, call Kimberley Bowles 301-904-6607. • Presentation of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Montgomery Hall Room 25 (18952 E. Fisher Rd St. Mary’s City) – 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The SMCM Student Soloists and Chamber Choir will be presenting the one act opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Ryan Hancock at 240-298-7652 or by e-mail at orioleguy05@yahoo.com.

Sunday, Jan. 23 • Quarter Madness Bay District Volunteer Fire Department (46900 South Shangri-La Drive, Lexington Park) – 1 p.m. The Bay District Volunteer Fire Department is hosting Quarter Madness. Doors open at 1 p.m. For more information please contact Robin Dove at 301-737-4366. • Fraternal Order of Police Poker Tournament Fraternal order of Police (21215 Chancellors Run Road, Great Mills) – 2 p.m. $15 plus $5 bounty tournament. No limit Texas Hold ‘Em and cash games will be available. For more information, call 301-863-6007. • Circle of Angels Mentoring Rally Greater Mt. Zion Church (3170 German Chapel Road, Prince Frederick) – 5 p.m. Pre-registration is requested for the Calvert County Mentoring Partnership’s 6th annual National Mentoring Month Rally. There will be chili, motivation, in-

Thursday, January 20, 2011

spiration and fun. Registration is free. To register, visit www.circleofangels.org.

Monday, Jan. 24 • LEGO Fun Leonardtown Library (23250 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown) – 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Children can enjoy a story time while building LEGO creations. LEGOs are provided and children should not bring their own. The event is free and open to the public. The noon session is recommended for children between the ages of 3-6 while the later session is recommended for kids over the age of 6. For more information, call 301-475-2846 or visit www.stmalib. org

Tuesday, Jan. 25 • St. Mary’s Public Schools Board of Education Meeting SMCPS Administration Building (23160 Moakley Street, Leonardtown) – 5 p.m. The regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting has been moved to Tuesday afternoon. For more information, call 301-475-5511 extension 177. • Tween Chapter Chats Lexington Park Library (21677 FDR Boulevard, Lexington Park) – 6 p.m. Tweens ages 8-11, can chat up Cressida Cowell’s book, “How to Train Your Dragon.” Pre-registration is requested. To register, call 301-863-8188 or visit www. stmalib.org

Wednesday, Jan. 26 • Meeting of the Young Men’s Softball League Chancellors Run Regional Park, Hall of Fame Building (21905 Chancellor’s Run Road, Great Mills) – 7 p.m. There will be a general meeting open to new teams joining the league. The goal of the meeting is to discuss current regulations and bylaws, among other things. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dale Farell at revrundale@gmail.com • Paying for College Leonardtown Library (23250 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown) – 7 p.m. Caroline Bright, St. Mary’s College Financial Aid Director, and Karen Rose, Leonardtown High School Career Counselor, will discuss options to finance college as well as Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) and local scholarships. There is no price for admission. To register call 301-475-2846 or visit www. stmalib.org. • Rugby Men’s/Women’s/Youth All Experience Levels Southern Middle School Gym (615 H G Trueman Road, Lusby) – 6 p.m. Pax River Rugby would like to invite the community to try out of one the fastest growing sports in the nation. All ages and experience levels are welcome. They will teach people everything they need to know. USA Rugby certified coaches will be provided. For more information, contact Corey at 443-603-2448 or visit paxrugby.com for more details about the sport and the club.

L ibrary Items • Paying for college to be discussed Students and their families can learn about the options available to finance college from Dr. Caroline Bright, St. Mary’s College Financial Director, and Karen Rose, Leonardtown High School Career Counselor on Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. at Leonardtown Library. Other topics to be covered include FAFSA (Federal Application for Student Aid) and local scholarships. • Free movie and Lego fun planned A free family movie will be shown at Charlotte Hall on Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. This PG rated movie is about a criminal mastermind who uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme and then finds himself changed by the growing love between them. Snacks will be provided. Leonardtown will offer Lego Fun on Jan. 24 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. The Lego Fun is recommended for ages 3-6 from noon until 2 p.m. and for ages 6 and older from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Legos are provided. Children should not bring their own. • Tweens can chat about “How to Train Your Dragon” Lexington Park’s Chapter Chats, a book discussion for children ages 8-11, will meet on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. On Jan. 25, the group will discuss Cressida Cowell’s book, “How to Train Your Dragon.” Copies of the book are available at the library. Tweens are asked to register. • Storyteller featured at Black History Celebration Professional storyteller Janice Curtis Greene, President of the Griots’ Circle of Maryland, will mesmerize all ages with her lively presentation of folktales, original stories and rap, all woven with historical facts and life lessons, at the Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 13, at 2 p.m. at Lexington Park Library. The performance is free and is being co-sponsored by UCAC (Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions) and NAACP. Light refreshments will be provided. • Free computer classes offered Resume Basics in Word 2007 will be offered on Feb. 8, at Lexington Park at 5:30 p.m. The class will cover the basics of writing a resume, the different types of resumes, and how to use the resume templates in Word 2007. Adults will learn the basics of creating, formatting and saving documents in the Introduction to Word 2007 class offered at Charlotte Hall on Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. Registration is required for both. Space is available for the basic class, Introduction to Computers, offered on Feb. 7 at Leonardtown at 2 p.m. Both Leonardtown and Charlotte Hall provide one-on-one basic computer instruction by appointment.

The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

A Journey Through Time The

Virginia by 1650 but by September 1668 was in St. Mary’s County. He died in Charles County in 1699. John was in St. Mary’s County by October 27, 1659 and lived at St. Clement’s Manor. On November 2, 1680 his wife Elizabeth charged that she “could not live peaceably and Quietly with him, but with a great deale of Danger and hazard to her person, and therefore humbly prayed the allowance of a competent maintenance… John Tennisson replied Denying the allegations of his said wife and … that he was ready and willing to receive her into his house and afford her a reasonable maintenance.” John said, however, that “he could never entertain that love and respect for his said wife or neither afford her that countenance in his house as is properly due from a man to his wife.” John was ordered to “deliver unto his said wife one good bed and furniture…all her weareing apparell, and allow her yearely…three hundred pounds of meate, three barrells of Corne and one Thousand pounds of tobacco…dureing her naturall life…” On December 20, 1682 John made his will, leaving Elizabeth out. The will was probated February 2, 1683 and shortly after that Elizabeth was back in court

Chronicle

By Linda Reno Contributing Writer If you are a Tennison, you are descended from either John or Justinian Tennison, brothers. According to a deposition made August 13, 1720 by John Vadry, Justinian Tennison told him about 40 years ago that his eldest brother, John Tennison was born in Holland and that his mother was big with child with him (Justinian) when they went over to England to Yarmouth where Justinian was born. Justinian was in Northumberland County,

Wanderings of an Aimless

Min

By Shelby Oppermann Contributing Writer

Tidbit’s Dilemma

Tidbit is not speaking to me right now. She has effectively snubbed me in the mornings. Her morning practice is to get her beauty sleep in on her big, soft, faux sheepskin dog bed, come out to wherever I am to see what I’m doing, give me a hug, and then stare pointedly at my teacup. If she sees that I am not finished with my tea then she goes back and rests some more – you can never be too beautiful in Tidbit’s mind. Lately though with me drinking my tea without sugar or cream, she takes a sniff, pulls her head back with an exaggerated movement, and sits with her back to me. I’ve been snubbed. Yesterday, I gave in and added a bit of milk and sugar to her tear in her bowl, just so she would look at me. We already know that this is Tidbit’s house, and yard. And also, it seems, her culinary domain. I think Tidbit is coming into her own. I was looking at a page that the vet sent out which states the equivalency rates of human and dog years. Tidbit and I are apparently both approaching age fifty at the same time. Sorry for my husband’s luck. Two females coming into their own at the same time in the same house, with all the attendant goods and evils. Oh, like men are perfect. My apologies to all my male readers before you write. I started thinking I should distract Tidbit from my tea, so I asked her if she would take me outside to play. I felt like I’d had an extremely productive morning, if not past week, so far. One of my paintings for the North End Gallery Invitational show is laid out, and I can’t wait to start laying on the paint. I began morning pages in a new journal, encouraged by an extremely creative woman at our Church who is offering a course titled “How to live your life creatively” based on the popular inspirational book, The Artist’s Way” written by Julia Cameron. And Saturday my grandkids and I made some quick, but fun

bookmarks. So, outside we went for fun. As I walked towards the front yard I noticed a white semi-circular object laying in the grass, brown grass I mean. I kicked it over and saw that it was a half of one of my large tea-light candles from the picnic table. When I looked closer I saw it was covered in tiny teeth marks. Those darn squirrels again. My husband puts out enough food for the birds and the squirrels you would think, but no they have to not only eat the plants, but my candles as well. For a brief moment I was contemplating what decorative squirrel candles would look like with little wicks on the top of their heads. I’m only kidding. I just hope they don’t get too close to our firepit tonight. Tidbit is upset now because this morning she was promised to go out to our friend’s farm and cut wood with my husband. She grabbed her pretty green collar and was ready to go when my adventurous younger son, Ryan called to say he was off and driving around the county. He said he would come up here and see Tidbit. Uh oh, Tidbit was in a dilemma now. Here was my husband getting in his truck ready to go, and Ryan almost to the house. Tidbit was watching my husband with a look that said, “But wait you promised you’d take me with you!” I was trying to tell her, “Tidbit, Ryan is coming up to see you. Then he can take us both to the farm to help with the wood.” Tidbit looked back and forth between us. She still eyed me suspiciously, thinking Ryan and I might leave without her too. No, a day at the farm would be good for us all. Everyone is waiting on me so I will hit send and see what adventures we can get in to today. Sad isn’t it? You see, this is what happens when all the kids are grown and you are left with the family dog to spoil. To each new day’s adventure, Shelby Please send comments or ideas to: shelbys.wanderings@yahoo.com.

saying that since 1680 she had received 500 lbs. tobacco, three barrels of corn, and no meat. She was suing her sons Justinian and Absalom as executors of their father’s will. Elizabeth said “they have gott the whole Estate into their hands, & forgetting their duty threaten to Keepe your Peticoner from her owne by Law, Who being poore and not of Ability to wage Law with them…And have since the death of yor petrs husband Confiscated great part of the Estate and refuse to give yor Petr any account thereof, and doe still Contrive all the ways imaginable to defraud yor petr of what is her Just due…They say they will hinder your Peticoner from haveing any thing this yeare…and your Peticoner is likely to be brought to misery & poverty in this her old age if not relieved by your Lopps tender pitty and Compassion.” Justinian and Absalom were ordered to give security for their appearance at the next Provincial Court to “answere the Complaint of their Mother the Petr.” Shortly thereafter Elizabeth married James Green and died by March 3, 1684 when James Green filed suit against Justinian and Absalom accusing them of “withholding from Elizabeth Green (now deceased) former widow of John Tennison and late wife of James Green, 1/3 part of her share of Tennison’s estate.” A trial was held and Green prevailed.

Over 250,000 Southern Marylanders can’t be wrong!

The County Times

• Dave Norris DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • Thirsty Thursday Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 6 p.m. • Special Olympics Poker Bennett Building (24930 Old Three Notch Road, Hollywood) – 7 p.m. • Salsa Thursdays at House of Dance House of Dance (24620 Three Notch Road, Hollywood) – 7:30 p.m. • All You Can Drink Ladies Night with DJ Chris Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 8 p.m. • Martini Karaoke with DJ Steve Martini’s Lounge (10553 Theodore Green Boulevard, White Plains) – 9 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 21 • Dave Norris DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • Knights of Columbus Bingo Father Andrew White School (22850 Washington Street, Leonardtown) – 6 p.m. • Randy Richie Cafe Des Artistes (41655 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown) – 6:30 p.m.

• All You Can Drink Night with DJ Chris Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 8 p.m. • Karaoke Isaac’s Pub, Holiday Inn Solomons (155 Holiday Drive, Solomons) – 8:30 p.m • DJ Steve Martini’s Lounge (10553 Theodore Green Boulevard, White Plains) – 9 p.m.

• Karaoke at California Applebee’s with DJ Tommy T and DJ T California Applebee’s (45480 Miramar Way, California) – 9 p.m. • Naked Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 9 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 24 • Mason Sebastian DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • Salsa Night Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 25

Saturday, Jan. 22

• Funk U Martini’s Lounge (10553 Theodore Green Boulevard, White Plains) – 9 p.m.

• Fair Warning DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m.

• Bingo Fundraiser – Bags and Gift Cards Asbury Solomons Island Community Center Auditorium (11100 Asbury Circle, Solomons) – 2 p.m.

• Absinthe and Kitten on Capitol Hill Memories Nightclub and Bar (2360 Old Washington Road, Waldorf) – 9 p.m.

• Tween Chapter Chats Lexington Park Library (21677 FDR Boulevard, Lexington Park) – 6 p.m.

• Presentation of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Montgomery Hall Room 25 (18952 E. Fisher Rd St. Mary’s City) – 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• Locked and Loaded Cryer’s Back Road Inn (22094 Newtowne Neck Road, Leonardtown ) – 9 p.m.

• Fair Warning DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 6 p.m.

• NFL at the Duck Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 6 a.m.

• Randy Richie Cafe Des Artistes (41655 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown) – 6:30 p.m.

• Kickoff at the River for NFL Playoff Specials Rustic River Bar and Grill (40874 Merchant’s Lane, Leonardtown) – 11 a.m.

• Live Music with Hydra FX Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 7:30 p.m.

• Line Dancing at Hotel Charles Hotel Charles (15100 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville) – 7:30 p.m.

• True Blue Country St. Mary’s Landing (29935 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall) – 7:30 p.m.

• Live Music with Patty and Carl Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 7:30 p.m.

• Gretchen Richie Jazz Cabaret The Westlawn Inn (9200 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach) – 8 p.m.

SINGLE? Southern Maryland’s Premier Dating Site For Singles

• Makin’ Trax Quade’s Store (36786 Bushwood Wharf Road, Bushwood) – 8 p.m.

Create a Profile Upload Photos Meet Singles In Your Own Backyard

backyard-buddies.com There are 365 days in the year. What do you intend to do with them?

For more information, Call 410-231-2668 or write info@backyard-buddies.com

Sunday, Jan. 23

• Big Dog Zone Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 11 a.m. • Quarter Madness Bay District Volunteer Fire Department (46900 South Shangri-La Drive, Lexington Park) – 1 p.m. • Fraternal Order of Police Poker Tournament Fraternal order of Police (21215 Chancellors Run Road, Great Mills) – 2 p.m.

• Open Pool Tables Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 26 • Mason Sebastian DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m. • Wine Tasting Dinner at the River Rustic River Bar and Grill (40874 Merchant’s Lane, Leonardtown) – 6:30 p.m. • Karaoke with DJ Harry Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 7 p.m. • Band in a Box St. Mary’s Landing (29935 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall) – 7:30 p.m. • Comedy Night Martini’s Lounge (10553 Theodore Green Boulevard, White Plains) – 8 p.m. • Wolf’s Hot Rods and Old Gas Open Blues Jam Beach Cove Restaurant (8416 Bayside Road, Chesapeake Beach) – 8 p.m.

n O g n Goi

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

What’s

Thursday, Jan, 20

Thursday, January 20, 2011

In Entertainment

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, January 20, 2011

The County Times 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.

Barbershop Quartet Prepares for Valentines Day By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Barbershop quartets aren’t something just seen in old movies and musicals. Anybody in Building B of the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) on Thursday evenings will be treated to the sounds of a men’s chorus ringing through the hallways of the second floor. Southern Maryland Sound, the tri-county chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, has made St. Mary’s County their home for the past 25 years. In addition to the main chorus, there are some quartets who have come to call St. Mary’s County home. Matt Long is one of the youngest people in the group, having been with them for only three years after joining in his freshman year of high school. He is also one of the four men who make up a sub group of the chorus, the Three and a Half Men Quartet. The other three people in the group are Tom Chedester, who has been in the chorus for five years, Greg Stachelczyk, a seven-year member, and Matt Menard, a 14-year member of the chorus. For many of the members in the chorus, joining the group is a memorable experience. Long joined at the suggestion of his father, Philip, and had his first rehearsal the night before his first concert with the chorus. Since then, singing in the chorus has become a family activity. Long’s father, and brother Greg, have also been singing in the choir for the past few years. They form three-fourths of one of the quartets that split from the main chorus, with a fourth member rotating from among the other men in the chorus. Chedester said being in the chorus was his wife’s idea, to get him out of the house. “My wife forced me into this and five years later here I am,” he said. The men don’t have to audition to be in the group, and most of them are what they refer to as “ambidextrous

Menard said. According to him, it’s a little intimidating to singers.” “Just pick one [part] and I’ll pick up what you leave sing to a man who is armed and getting angry. When they went back the next year, the gunnery serbehind,” Greg said. Ritter said the only requirement for men who want geant’s wife was present and he turned on the public address to sing in the chorus is they come make a noise. The men system to allow the quartet to serenade the whole building. For more information, or to book a concert, contact don’t even have to be able to read music because the director makes sure the men know what they’re doing at the end Ritter at 301-481-8536. of the day. sarahmiller@countytimes.net “[She] beats it into us,” Ritter said. Diane Trautman, the director of the group, is a former music teacher for St. Mary’s County Public Schools who still substitutes as necessary. She’s been the director of Southern Maryland Sound for the past three years. The chorus as a whole tries to have at least one concert per month, according to Ritter, who acts as the schedule keeper for the group. They perform at senior homes, the county fair and the oyster festival, among other locations, Ritter said. They also go caroling at Christmas. The quartets perform during the chorus’s concerts, in addition to independent concerts. In addition to the monthly concerts the whole chorus puts on, Three and a Half Men will be offering special Valentine’s Day concerts. For $40, the quartet can be hired to visit a person’s home or workplace in St. Mary’s County and sing to them. For $20, a person can hire the quartet to call their special someone living outside the county and serenade them over the phone with a rendition of songs such as “Let me Call You Sweet Heart” and “In the Still of the Night.” The quartet will sing anywhere, Chedester said. There was one year when a wife had the quartet go Photos By Sarah Miller serenade her husband, a gunnery sergeant in the military, when he was at work. The quartet Three and a Half Men, made up of Matt Long, Tom Chedes“I was so happy to get out of there that first year,” ter, Greg Stachelczyk and Matt Menard, rehearse in Building B on the College of Southern Maryland Leonardtown campus.

Southern Maryland Sound rehearses Tuesday night on the College of Southern Maryland Leonardtown campus. The group is open to men of all ages who want to come make a noise.

The County Times

CLUES ACROSS

n er

e i d d i K Kor

1. Cavalry sword 6. Cleaving tools 11. Fall flower 14. Insures residential mortgages 15. Gran Argentine plain 16. Beak or bill 18. Isaac’s mother 21. Sloping loose rock debris 23. Ballerina painter Edgar 25. Work stoppage 26. Self-immolation by fire rituals 28. Can’t move 29. Measures atmospheric pressure 31. Dash 34. Adult male human 35. Foot (Latin) 36. Hearths 39. Milksops 40. Wax letter closures 44. Withdraw from circulation 45. Manila hemp 47. An alloy of copper and zinc 48. Fire embers 50. Thousand cubic feet (abbr.)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

51. Catches 56. British Air Aces 57. Blossoming 62. Rush-like marsh plant 63. Small integer

CLUES DOWN

1. Allotments 2. One of the six noble gases 3. Next to 4. Upper left keyboard key 5. Used with sis boom bah 6. Supervises interstate commerce 7. The 17th Greek letter 8. Old English 9. 1/16 inch in printing 10. First lights 11. N. Central African country 12. Sodium 13. More humble in spirit 14. Foreign Service 17. Hive insects 19. Honorable title (Turkish) 20. Head covering 21. Throat infection 22. Mediterranean Greek island

24. A brother or sister 25. Golfer Snead 27. Indigenous Laplanders 28. Cornbreads 30. Radioactivity unit 31. Flax spinning staff 32. Upbeat part of a measure 33. Inheritors 36. Marked by extreme emotion or force 37. Perceive with the eye 38. A very large body of water 39. Nuclear near reach weapon 41. Basics 42. Thai language 43. In short supply 46. Wings 49. Left heart there 51. Domestic swine 52. They ___ 53. Point midway between S and E 54. Western states time zone 55. Upstate NY airport code 58. Iron 59. Libyan dinar 60. Trauma center 61. Point midway between N and E

Last Week’s Puzzles Solutions

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Thurs., Jan. 20 Boys’ Basketball St. Mary’s Ryken at Good Counsel, 7 p.m. Wrestling Chopticon/Patuxent at Leonardtown, 5 p.m. Lackey at Great Mills, 7 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 21 Boys’ Basketball Calvert at Chopticon, 7 p.m. Patuxent at Great Mills, 7 p.m. Girls’ Basketball Chopticon at Calvert, 7 p.m. Great Mills at Patuxent, 7 p.m. St. Mary’s Ryken at Good Counsel, 7:30 p.m. Hockey Leonardtown vs. La Plata at Capital Clubhouse (Waldorf), 5 p.m. St. Mary’s Ryken vs. DeMatha at Laurel, 5 p.m. Swimming Leonardtown/Calvert vs. Westlake at Lackey, 7 p.m.

Mon., Jan. 24 Boys’ Basketball Great Mills at Urbana, 6:30 p.m.

The County Times

Hockey Hockey St. Mary’s Ryken vs. Northern at Tucker Road (Ft. Washington), 6 p.m.

Raiders Drub Stone for Third Win in Four Games

Tues., Jan. 25 Boys’ Basketball St. Mary’s Ryken at Bishop McNamara 7 p.m. Girls’ Basketball Bishop McNamara at St. Mary’s Ryken, 7 p.m. Wrestling Thomas Stone at Great Mills, 7 p.m. Leonardtown at Northern, 7 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 26 Boys’ Basketball Chopticon at La Plata, 7 p.m. Thomas Stone at Leonardtown, 7 p.m. Girls’ Basketball La Plata at Chopticon, 7 p.m. Leonardtown at Thomas Stone, 7 p.m. Hockey Leonardtown vs. Northern at Tucker Road (Ft. Washington), 6 p.m. Wrestling St. Mary’s Ryken at Paul VI, TBA

Girls’ Basketball St. Mary’s Ryken at Elizabeth Seton, 7 p.m.

WALDORF – Six different Leonardtown players scored at least two goals while nine in all scored at least once as the Raiders moved to 3-1 in 2011 with a 15-4 win over Thomas Stone Friday night at Capital Clubhouse. Charlie Yates, Matt Fischer, Gordy Bonnel, Logan Eaker, Nick Wright and Nicholas Pontorno scored twice for the Raiders (5-3-0 overall, 4-3-0 in MSHL Southern Division play) while Robert Reinhold, Jimmy Quade and Devin White added single goals. Leonardtown fired 57 shots on net, a season high. Goaltender Brett Kibler faced 15 shots and stopped 11 for Leonardtown, now in third place behind La Plata and Huntingtown in the MSHL South. The Raiders played Huntingtown Wednesday night before they will skate against La Plata Friday night at Capital Clubhouse. Game time is 5 p.m.

Knights Fall to La Plata

La Plata’s Travis Reece scored six goals, Bryce Berryhill added two more and goalie D.J. Dunlevy stopped 15 shots as the Warriors handed St. Mary’s Ryken their fourth straight loss to begin 2011. The Knights (3-10 overall, 2-4-0 in MSHL Southern Division play) got goals from Ben Walter and Matt McGowan, with sophomore center Nathan Blondino assisting on both. Goalie Greg Meyers stopped 22 shots for the Knights, who return to action Friday when they battle DeMatha at Laurel. Game time is 5 p.m.

Pax Rugby Offering Co-Ed Youth and Adult Tag Rugby League And Classes

Patuxent River Rugby Club will be offering a free Co-Ed Youth/ Adult tag rugby and conditioning classes throughout the months of Jan and Feb. No experience needed, we will teach you everything you need to know. More details and registration can be found on paxrugby.com or by calling Justin Thompson at 732-492-9760 or 1-877-806-7775.

St. Mary's Babe Ruth Baseball Registration 2011 Registration Information

LOCATION: Mechanicsville Firehouse

Wed., Jan. 12 Boys’ Basketball Lackey 44, Chopticon 33 Great Mills 60, La Plata 51 North Point 82, Leonardtown 59 St. Mary’s Ryken 95, Don Bosco Cristo Rey 42 Girls’ Basketball Lackey 67, Chopticon 62 Great Mills 44, La Plata 34 North Point 57, Leonardtown 32 St. Mary’s Ryken 88, Don Bosco Cristo Rey 24 Hockey La Plata 7, Leonardtown 4 Boys’ Swimming Great Mills 157, Calvert 114 Girls ‘ Swimming Calvert 140, Great Mills 134

Thurs., Jan. 13 Wrestling La Plata 54, Chopticon 10 Northern 64, Great Mills 9 Leonardtown 48, Lackey 33

Fri., Jan. 14 Boys’ Basketball Great Mills 57, Chopticon 50 Patuxent 66, Leonardtown 50 Gonzaga 61, St. Mary’s Ryken 52

Girls’ Basketball Chopticon 58, Great Mills 53 Leonardtown 45, Patuxent 25 Holy Cross 97, St. Mary’s Ryken 65 Hockey Leonardtown 15, Thomas Stone 4 La Plata 10, St. Mary’s Ryken 2 Boys’ Swimming North Point 143, Leonardtown 137 North Point 204, Chopticon 70 Leonardtown 192, Chopticon 82 Girls’ Swimming Leonardtown 165, North Point 122 Leonardtown 201, Chopticon 76 North Point 186, Chopticon 87 Wrestling Thomas Stone 40, Chopticon 36

Sun., Jan 16 Boys’ Basketball St. Mary’s Ryken 64, Bishop McNamara 57

Mon., Jan 17 Girls’ Basketball Chopticon 49, Northern 44

Tues., Jan. 18 Wrestling Chopticon 40, Northern 34

DATES: Saturdays - January 22, 29, & February 5, 2011, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Wednesdays - January 26 & February 2, 2011, 6:00 pm 7:30 pm

LOCATION: Leonardtown Firehouse & 7th District Firehouse DATES: Saturdays - Saturdays - January 22, 29, & February 5, 2011, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

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!!!!

Baseball is available for children ages 6 through 18, with a machine pitch level for those up to age 8.

Registration: Contact Derek Sabedra, Head Tennis Coach, St. Mary’s College

For more information, please go to http://smbrl.baberuthonline.com

Cell: 410-610-4300 and/or email ddsabedra@smcm.edu

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The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Braves Rally Late To Upend Northern Wrestlers Michael Messick of Chopticon locks in during his 160 pound match Tuesday night.

By Chris Stevens Staff Writer

Photo by Frank Marquart

MORGANZA – It came down to the final three matches Tuesday night at Chopticon High School. After surrendering an early lead against SMAC rival Northern, the Braves got a pin and two decisions to come away with a 40-34 win, snapping a two-match losing streak and keeping their hopes alive for the 4A-3A East Dual Regionals next month.

The Braves’ Taylor Koncen holds down his opponent for a pin at 145 pounds. Photo by Frank Marquart

“It came down the end, we were hoping it wouldn’t, but Northern is a good team,” Braves head coach Dane Kramer said. The Braves jumped out to a 28-16 lead behind pins from Mike Messick (160) James Cannon (171) and Robert Newton (285), but Northern rallied with three consecutive pins to take a 34-28 lead with three matches remaining. Chopticon’s Josh Cox started the rally with a pin of the Patriots’ Zack Canton at 125 pounds to tie the score at 34, a victory Kramer felt defined the competitive nature of the match. “We weren’t expecting to lose at 215 and we did, but we got that pin at 125 and it was a bit of a surprise,” he said. “That was huge.” Following Cox’s clutch pinfall was John Fisher, who wrestled at 130 pounds and took a 5-1 decision to give Chopticon a 37-34 lead. “We really needed this win, so it was great that me, Paul and the whole team stepped up,” Fisher said. Fisher knew that he had to stay close to his opponent but not make any mistakes. “I just kept attacking him, taking him down and was able to come through,” he explained simply. In the final match at 135 pounds, Chopticon’s Paul Thompson literally fought for his life, taking a 3-1 decision to ensure the Braves’ victory, but it of course, it wasn’t easy. Thompson came perilously close to being pinned with about 40 seconds left in the second period, but he survived without Northern picking up any points. “I was thinking ‘Wow, I better move quicker or I’m finished,’” he said with a relieved grin. “I just wanted to do my best, listen to my coaches and help the team win.” And win the Braves did, keeping their hopes for a spot in the regional duals alive. chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Chopticon’s Robert Newton holds on for the pin as the referee prepares to count the fall.

Photo by Frank Marquart

Thursday, January 20, 2011

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The County Times

Duck, Duck, Goose

Fur and Feathers By Keith McGuire Contributing Writer The wind was supposed to shift from northwest to south this morning which caused some debate about how and where to set up the decoy spread on the little point of land we were hunting today. Ice made our decision for us. At dawn the wind was little more than a whisper, not enough to ripple the water until 9 a.m. Still, we had to set the decoys on the southwest side of the point knowing that ducks would likely pitch in from the north or northeast. Other than that minor detail, it was a beautiful morning. My son and I were ready to make a memory. First light came as we sat poised in the shoreline weeds waiting for an early mallard flight. As the morning light improved our visibility we could see “dippers” working the water out front and the occasional bufflehead would zip by just out of range, catching us off guard. Then it happened. Five birds circled and silently pitched in from the East – canvasbacks! We were up and shooting as two ducks hit the water and the remaining three flew off to a better place. Our effort had been rewarded. The day was a good one. We had our limit of canvasbacks! We were ecstatic! We sat for another hour exchanging light conversation and

reflecting our observations as ducks and geese continued to fly above the river in front of us. A single duck pitched in from the East without warning as we both jumped up to shoot. My son yelled, “No! No! Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” The drake canvasback wasn’t a mallard after all. He landed just past our decoy spread to the right and despite our best efforts to scare him away, he investigated both groups of

Lower Potomac River Marathon Returns Soon

Ramp up your mileage, runners! The Lower Potomac River Marathon is only nine weeks away. The 26.2-mile race, presented by Chesapeake Bay Running Club and hosted by the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, returns for the 7th running on March 13, 2011. Top runners will compete for modest cash prizes, and age-group awards will be presented to the top three finishers in ten-year divisions. There are 135 slots left, and entries are coming in daily. At press time, top-seeded male runner is John Piggott, running his 6th Lower Potomac River Marathon. Piggott, 45, of Williamsburg, VA, logged three consecutive wins in the marathon’s first three years, and owned the course’s fastest times until 2010, when Paul Riley of Madison, WI won in 2:31:28. Chasing Piggott will be Remus Medley, 40, of Baltimore, and Medley’s training partner Maurice Pointer, 55, also of Baltimore. Medley ran 2:56 at the Richmond Marathon in November, and Pointer ran 3:03 at the Baltimore Marathon in October. Piggott posted a 2:43 at the Rocket City Marathon in December for 2nd place in the Masters (over 40) division. Prolific distance runner and 2008 champion Michael Wardian, 36, of Arlington, VA

may return for a fourth visit to Piney Point. The perennial crowd pleaser arrived late to the 2009 marathon and started fifteen minutes behind the gun, wearing a 15-lb backpack in training for the Marathon des Sables, a grueling six-day endurance race across the Sahara Desert. Despite these handicaps, Wardian, with his trademark ponytail flailing, surged through the field of 172 runners to finish in 3rd place. Running again with a backpack in 2010, he took 2nd place. If he returns in March, Wardian will run unencumbered since he’s not competing in this year’s Marathon des Sables. Wardian finished in 2:27 for the Silver medal at last Sunday’s Disney Marathon in Florida. The women’s race is always a surprise. Winning times have ranged from 3:09 to 3:45. There’s no word yet on whether defending champion Lindsay Wohlers, 25, of Hyattsville, MD will return. Perry Rapp, 45, and Charlene Staats, 48, both of Lexington Park, will defend their titles as Chesapeake Bay Running Club marathon champions. For more information, contact Liza Recto, 301-481-0832 or cbrcliza@hotmail.com.

decoys to the right and left, and then parked just outside the spread as if pretending to be the leader of the group of fake ducks. Morning overcast skies had given way to a blue picturesque background accented by contrails and wispy clouds. Geese were on the wing coming off the water and headed toward fields. The distant honking was punctuated by barrages of gunfire as the geese found other hunters’ decoys. We talked about the differences in goose and duck hunting. Ducks often come to the decoys silently, while geese make a constant noise. Mallards are noisy ducks, but will still pitch in to decoys with the only sound being the whisper of their wings. I have a fair collection of duck and goose calls, but, like the Karaoke singer that no one wants to hear, I’m seldom allowed to use them. Instead, I’m the guy who sits with his head down waiting for the guy with the call to say, “Take ‘em!” Geese get me more excited than ducks because I can hear them getting closer and closer as they circle to land. By the time the geese are in range I am as excited as a game show contestant who knows the winning answer. By 9 a.m. the south wind was decidedly more pronounced. Conversations had turned to discussions of the best place to get breakfast. We unloaded our guns, plodded through icy water to collect the decoys, took a couple of pictures with our ducks and called it a day. P.S. The tree stand didn’t come home. 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.

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The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Chopticon Girls Hold on for Second Straight Win By Chris Stevens Staff Writer MORGANZA – The Chopticon girls’ basketball team’s success so far has been equal helpings of teamwork, defense and opportunistic offense. All three of those elements were on display as the Braves (7-4 overall, 2-2 SMAC) led for much of Monday’s make-up game with Northern and came away with

Photo by Victor Marquart

The Braves’ Ashya Short goes up for a shot against Northern’s Catriece Brown.

a 49-44 victory. “We did a good job of running our offense and our man-to-man defense forced a lot of turnovers and got us some easy baskets,” Braves coach Judy Evans said. Chopticon, who previously defeated county rival Great Mills 58-53 on Friday, got out to an early 6-0 lead and held a 26-21 advantage at halftime. The Patriots (4-7 overall, 2-2 SMAC) were undaunted, making several second runs, and tying the game at 40 on a Jennifer Long lay-up with 4:32 to go in the game. With senior center Bree Brown in foul trouble, Chopticon got clutch minutes from reserve forwards Rebecca Russell and Taryn Eaton, who scored seven of her nine points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead lay-up with 3:53 left. “It was extremely important because you need girls to step up and Taryn did a great job of getting baskets for us and rebounds on the defensive end,” Evans said. “When coach took out the starters and our second unit gave a great effort, it pumped us up,” said senior guard Kirstin Norris, who led all scorers with 16 points. “We were glad to have them tonight.” Ashya Short added eight points, and Tyaira Priest and Anesha Yorkshire rounded out the scoring with four points each for Chopticon. Evans was pleased with the Braves’ execution down the stretch even with Northern charging as hard they did. She still feels there’s room for improvement with the season half over. “We still have a lot to improve on, we’ll just have to keep working hard and get better as the season goes on,” she said. “I think we have room for improvement,” Norris added. “We just have to keep playing defense, following our shots, crash the boards and play as a family.”

Chopticon’s Tyaira Priest dribbles away from pressure by Jennifer Long of Northern.

Photo by Victor Marquart

chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Raider Girls Turn Up Pressure, Cruise to Victory By Chris Stevens Staff Writer

Pachner and Kate Finkleston led Leonardtown with eight points each, Abby Finkleston and Ashley Lytle added six and all told, 10 different Leonardtown players dented the scoring column. “Other teams know who our shooters are, so they try to lock them down, but if we’re all scoring, it makes it tough on teams to figure out who to key on,” Abby Finkleston said. “It could be anybody on any given night,” Doerrer added. “It’s nice to get a bunch of players in the points column, double figures doesn’t matter as long as everybody is playing hard and doing their job.” Doerrer and Abby Finkleston hoped that this quality win would boost the team going into the final nine games of the season. “We hope it’s a big win for us,” Doerrer said. “We’ve struggled this year and we have Lackey on Wednesday, we let that one get away from us earlier this year and we’re excited to play them again.” “We felt if we could win, this would give us confidence that we can beat other teams,” Finkleston said. “And we can.”

LEONARDTOWN – After falling into an early 6-0 hole against visiting Patuxent Friday night, Leonardtown girls’ basketball coach Christie Doerrer called a time-out to settle her troops and turn them loose at the same time. “I told them ‘if you want to press, we have to score,’” Doerrer said after their full-court pressure defense frustrated the Panthers and lifted the Raiders to a 45-25 win, snapping a five-game losing streak in the process. Leonardtown (2-11 overall, 1-4 SMAC) went on a 12-2 run from the six-minute mark of the first quarter to the first minute of the second to take an 18-8 lead and seize control of the game. Freshman guard Abby Finkleston spurred the rally with all six of her points during that burst. “We’re very quick girls and we always work on our trapping and pressure,” she explained. “The momentum changed because of that.” The Raiders didn’t have any player score more than eight Photo by Frank Marquart points, but contributions from Leonardtown’s Sharmani Bennett drives for the basket chrisstevens@countytimes.net everyone offset that. Madison while being defended by Patuxent’s Kala Gross.

The Raiders’ Alli Johnson is defended closely by Patuxent’s Breanne Thomas during Leonardtown’s 45-25 win Friday night. Photo by Frank Marquart

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The County Times

Thursday, January 20, 2011

SMCM

Fitzpatrick Sharp as Seahawk Men Trounce Frostburg By Chris Stevens Staff Writer ST. MARY’S CITY – Going through a bit of shooting slump in recent games, St. Mary’s College junior forward Mikey Fitzpatrick got some encouragement from his teammates in practice last week. “They just told me to keep shooting,” Fitzpatrick said

The Seahawks’ Alex Franz splits two Frostburg defenders for a shot in SMC’s 8860 win Saturday afternoon.

Photo by Victor Marquart

after shooting seven for nine from the field and scoring a career-high 23 points in the Seahawks 88-60 win over Frostburg State in Capital Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon. “I was in the zone and it was a little bit of home cooking since we were on a road trip recently.” Aided by stellar bench play and a pressure defense that wore down the physically-bruising Bobcats, the Seahawks (ranked 16th in NCAA Division III) turned a 1710 deficit into a 41-30 halftime lead, led by Fitzpatrick, who shot five-for-five from the field (including two threepoint shots and two free throws) for a total of 15 points in the frame. “Frostburg is a tough team mentally and physically, but their problem is with no depth, they can only play that style for a half,” Hawks coach Chris Harney said. “We wanted to apply pressure right back and they just ran out of gas.” Fitzpatrick was joined in double figures by senior center Sam Burum with 14 points (and eight rebounds) and freshman forward Christian MacAuley with 10 points (and seven rebounds). “Have that depth and being able to spread the floor is a huge advantage for us,” Burum said. “I could in the second half that they were getting tired.” “Our guys did a good job of sharing he ball and making the extra pass and as you saw, a lot of the shots we had in the second half were wide-open shots,” Harney said. The SMC players had a little added motivation as the Bobcats handed them their first loss of the season, a 5654 defeat in the Pride of Maryland championship game in November. “We brought the second place trophy to practice with and kept it by the scorers table this week,” Fitzpatrick said. “This was a big statement win for us.”

Sam Burum scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds as St. Mary’s College defeated Frostburg State 88-60.

Photo by Victor Marquart

chrisstevens@countytimes.net

Smc Women Fall Behind and Can’t Catch Wildcats By Chris Stevens Staff Writer ST. MARY’S CITY – The St. Mary’s College women’s basketball team’s learning experience continued Saturday afternoon after a spirited second half rally fell short, as Frostburg State

Photo by Victor Marquart

earned a 74-62, the Seahawks’ third straight loss and fourth in five games overall. “It’s tough to dig out of a hole when they’re shooting 46 percent and we’re shooting 17 percent,” Hawks coach Barb Bausch said of the decisive first half when the Bobcats’ shooting rampage had them up 28-13 with 90 seconds to play in the first half. “We learned today that we have to play a whole game and play some defense,” said sophomore guard Pui Sham, who led all scorers with 18 points on six-of-10 shooting from three-point range. After the rough first half, the Seahawks began to find the range and force turnovers to get easy shots, led by Sham’s five second half three point shots and fellow sophomore Jasmine Jones scoring nine of her 11 points in the second half. Sham only missed one shot in the second half, a tribute to her unique but effective shooting form that helped get SMC back in the game. “People around the conference know I’m a shooter and I don’t exactly have a textbook form,” she said with a grin. “I want to get shots off faster I’ve been working on that quick release for a long time. It worked well in the second half.” St. Mary’s got within five points (54-49) on a jumper by senior forward Jamie Roberts (10 points, six rebounds and five assists) with seven minutes to go, but the Bobcats, led by Lisa Byer and Stephanie Straka with 16 points each, found their range again and closed the game with a 20-13 scoring streak that put the game out of reach. “That’s our whole key,” Bausch said of trying to play two equal halves each game. “Quit worrying and just play the game. We’ve got to figure out a way to do that in the first half and not just the second half.”

SMC’s Shana Lewis goes up against Frostburg State’s Mindy Sharp chrisstevens@countytimes.net in Saturday’s CAC women’s basketball game.

The Seahawks’ Aura Payne skies for two points in SMC’s 74-62 loss to Frostburg State Saturday afternoon.

Photo by Victor Marquart

THURSDAY January 20, 2011

Contractor Opens Doors to Public Story Page 8

New Farm Museum Proposed Story Page 9

Quartet Warms Up for Valentines Day Story Page 25

Pumped Braves Pin Patriots Page 28

Photo By Frank Marquart