2011-10-20 Calvert Gazette

October 20, 2011

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The Calvert Gazette

Also Inside 3 County News North County News 6 8 Community 11 Business 12 Crime 13 Cover Story 14 State News 15 Letters 16 Newsmakers 17 Education 19 Obits 20 Games 21 Entertainment Out and About 22 23 On The Water

Thursday, October 20, 2011

On T he Cover Patrick Flaherty, of Lusby, is a budding auctioneer who competed for his first time this weekend in the annual Auctioneers Association of Maryland’s Bid Calling Contest and Benefit Auction in St. Leonard.

county

The Tiki Bar hosted the annual Doggone Tiki Bar Family Pet Day on Oct. 16. All the area’s Very Important Pets (VIPs) were welcome for the day, and all proceeds went to the Calvert Well Pet Clinic.

out & about entertainment

Kids enjoy a make-shift sandbox that’s filled with corn kernels at the Greenstreet Gardens, sixth annual Fall Festival, which runs through October.

FOR EVENTS HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA, CHECK PAGE 22 IN OUT AND ABOUT

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

COUNTY NEWS

The Calvert Gazette

SMILE Celebrates 20 Years of Enriching Lives

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer For the past two decades SMILE Ecumenical Ministries, Inc., a group of churches who banded together to meet social needs in Calvert County, has continued to grow in its mission.

But its leadership told volunteers celebrating its 20-year mark last weekend that it must continue to find new avenues to help the needy and even seek out other problems that have yet to come to light.

Rev. Dr. Charles Harrell, pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Prince Frederick, told the volunteers congregated at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Solomons that when SMILE (Service Makes Individual Lives Exciting) got started all those years ago, pastors and lay workers weren’t even sure that it would work.

“We weren’t scared about the things we couldn’t do so we did them anyway,” Harrell said.

Harrell likened the initial volunteers with the organization as pioneers, who, after achieving success had to guard against becoming too conservative and just providing for the needs in the community that they knew about and were used to.

“There’s a point in being creative risk-takers,” Harrell said.

Harrell said there are poor and needy in Calvert who still need the help of churches.

“Even in one of the most affluent counties in the country, we still have an amazing level of need,” Harrell said, adding that volunteers should never worry about making a distinction about who was “the deserving poor.”

“SMILE’s about caring for everyone that comes its way,” Harrell said. “God has blessed and his hand has been on this ministry.”

According to its own accounts, SMILE has 200 volunteers at any one time and the organization has no paid staff.

Last year alone, SMILE volunteers provided emergency assistance to 319 people for utilities, rent, mortgages and medical needs and also served meals to 300 people last Christmas and 220 meals for Thanksgiving.

SMILE also operates a food pantry and thrift shop that have both served thousands of customers, the organization reported.

The ecumenical ministry started in 1991 and includes Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist and Episcopal congregation members. guyleonard@countytimes.net

Commissioners Concerned About Ethics Code Changes

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

and confusion in the definition of a domestic partnership.

“The only person who can define a domestic partnership is the person who’s in it,” Shaw said.

The commissioners also raised questions about secondary employment and the fact that, unlike in urban areas, there aren’t a lot of options for people seeking a second job and they may wind up working for family members or people with what could be perceived as a conflict of interest. They also worried that family members of elected officials may run into problems because of who they are related to.

“Steve is related to half the county, nobody in his family will have room to breathe,” Shaw said, referring to County Commissioner Steve Weems.

“I feel like there’s some overreaching going on,” Shaw said.

Members of the Ethics Committee presented an updated Calvert County Code of Ethics during a public hearing at the Board of County Commissioners meeting Tuesday.

Jackie Bradley, Marshall Coffman, Charles Bucey and Ron Nahas represented the ethics commission during the public hearing, giving a brief summary of the changes to the ethics code.

The changes are due in part to a need for revision of the code, which has not been changed significantly since the 1980s, and in part from state mandates to bring the local ethics code into compliance with the state’s, according to Bradley. Included in the changes are the “very robust” new disclosure forms which have to be filled out by all elected officials in the county – the same as all elected state officials, Bradley said.

Parts of the code that caused worry in county commissioners included the desire on the part of the ethics commission to have subpoena power to compel members of the community to appear before them and definitions given of a “domestic partnership.”

The loudest voice against allowing the ethics commission the ability to subpoena was Commissioner Jerry Clark.

“When you issue a subpoena, you are pushing your jurisdiction over people,” he said. “I just don’t feel that any committee should have subpoena power.”

Bucey said it is the charge of the Gary Simpson board to hear all sides of every case, and Matt Laidley when a person doesn’t come to the hearing voluntarily, the ethics board needs to Katie Facchina be able to compel them.

7480 Crain Highway County Attorney John Norris exLa Plata, MD 20646 plained the ethics panel was asking for 301-934-8437 the right to issue “administrative hearing subpoenas” and not judicial subpoenas that are normally issued by the April Hancock courts.

PO Box 407 “They’re asking the right to compel Bryans Road, MD 20616 at their meetings,” Norris said.

301-743-9000 Commissioner President Susan

Rev. Dr. Charles Harrell, pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Prince Frederick.

“I would like to respond to say your assumptions are overreaching,” Bradley replied, explaining there will be no “blanket restrictions” and the board may be finding issues that don’t exist.

“We have to look at this in the worst case scenario,” Clark said.

The vote from the county commissioners was unanimous to leave the record open for 30 days and have the ethics board work with Office of Personnel Director Gail Bourdon and Norris to address the concerns from the county commissioners. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

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Shaw was worried about the definition of “domestic partnerships” and expressed her concerns that the ethics commission may be unclear in their definition, which could lead to unintended implications

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COUNTY NEWS Design Bids Under Review for Solomons Library The tentative date for the grand opening of the Solomons library is March 2013, according to Calvert County Library director Pat Hofmann.

The 9,200 square foot renovations planned for the inside of the former Woodburn’s building in Solomons should take approximately six months to design and another eight to build.

The library in Solomons will be a replacement for the current 3,000 square foot library in Lusby.

“It’s very crowded right now,” Hofmann said.

This library will be the first new library in the county since the Prince Fredrick Library opened 5 years ago, Hofmann said.

Approval for the move came from the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 13. The project is currently in the hands of the Calvert County Purchasing Department.

Hofmann said the bid deadline has passed and purchasing will review each bid for the architectural designer.

By Sarah Miller (sarah@ somdpublishing.net)

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, October 20, 2011

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Feeding Off the National Trend to Buy Local

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer All three meeting rooms at the Prince Frederick branch of the Calvert County Library were open with tables and chairs set up. People began arriving setting crock pots of chicken gumbo, fresh homemade bread, strawberry/rhubarb pie, bean salad and other warm and delightful smelling cuisine onto the head table.

After participants set down their Potluck food, they went over to the large U-shaped configuration of tables and began setting their places with plates, cloth napkins, coffee cups and silverware they brought from home in anticipation of Harvest Potluck, October’s meeting of Calvert Eats Local.

Four years ago Greg Bowen and Robyn Truslow sponsored a book discussion which turned into a monthly meeting group.

Bowen, who was Calvert County Planning Director at the time, and Truslow, who works for the library, held a discussion on “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver. In her nonfiction, she writes about her family’s experience as they challenged themselves to eat nothing that wasn’t produced locally for an entire year. According to Bowen, the family did allow themselves a couple “cheats” like coffee and defined “local” as within a 100-mile radius.

The book discussion brought in about 25 to 30 people. At the end, the group decided they wanted to meet again and find ways to promote local farming and consumption.

Bowen congratulated the group on the fine spread of food considering they were in the fall months of the growing season. He said January and February’s potluck will be even more challenging.

Before inviting the room of about two dozen people to come partake of the local foods, Bowen shared that he was happy to see more food being

grown and available a weekly basis compared to when they first started.

On Nov. 21, the group will meet at Dream Weaver Café where the restaurant has been challenged to provide the group with a meal with as many local ingredients as possible.

“We have to build markets. We have to get restaurants to buy local,” said Bowen. One way is to have quarterly Calvert Eats Local meetings at a local restaurant. The restaurants would have to bid for the meals, which will encourage them to build the local connections with the local co-ops, farms and meat producers.

Those interested in the November meeting at Dream Weaver Café will need to pre-register at any local library branch. The cost is $24. The main

courses on the menu will be meatloaf and quiche.

For the entire menu check the Calvert Eats Local Facebook Page.

The December meeting will be another book discussion on “The Town That Food Saved” by Ben Hewitt. Visitors will need to read the book ahead of time. Calvert Eats Local meets the third Monday of every month at the main branch in Prince Frederick.

“It’s hard to create jobs in America right now.

I’ve seen more jobs coming out of farms lately,” Bowen said. corrin@somdpublishing.net

R.T. West, left, Greg Bowen and John Hofmann talk after eating a Harvest Potluck in the Prince Frederick Library.

The meal included Chicken Gumbo, fresh baked whole wheat bread and strawberry rhubarb pie almost entirely from local farms.

Chamber To Honor Wilson Parran

The Calvert County Chamber Of Commerce will host its annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 6- 9 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Solomons Conference Center and Marina.

The Chamber will honor Wilson H. Parran as the 2011 recipient of the John C. Smith Public Service Award.

The John C. Smith Public Service Award is designed to recognize an individual who exemplifies outstanding service to Calvert. Parran is being recognized for his contributions to improve quality of life for Calvert and Maryland residents, his service to the community, involvement in community projects and charitable organizations, his efforts in support of economic development and promotion of free enterprise system and business issues, and his exemplary public image. In addition to his many other contributions to Calvert, Parran Auto Accidents served as the President of the Board of Calvert County Commissioners.

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The Chamber will also present business awards that evening to businesses in the categories of small business, home based business, new business of the year and will recognize the Chamber member of the year.

The dinner is open to the public, $55 for Chamber members, $65 for general public. Reservations are required. The Chamber accepts most major credit cards.

Call 410-535-2577 for more information.

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

COUNTY NEWS

The Calvert Gazette

Tiki Bar Gone to the Dogs

Photos by Sarah Miller The Tiki Bar hosted the annual Doggone Tiki Bar Family Pet Day on Oct. 16. All the area’s Very Important Pets (VIPs) were welcome at the bar for the day. There were contests, treats and vendors available, as well as acoustic performances by No Green JellyBeenz. Services offered by vendors included free samples, dog painting and even nail clipping. All proceeds went to the Calvert Well Pet Clinic.

New SHA Sign Regulations Causing Problems

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer As of Oct. 1, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has the authority to remove all unauthorized signage from state rightof-way, meaning temporary signs can be removed, destroyed and the owner fined up to $25.

Bob Rager, district community liaison with the Maryland SHA, said this ability comes on the tail-end of SB 410 and HB 289 being passed, allowing SHA to remove the signs and take action.

“They’ve given us teeth,” Rager said of the new law.

While the sign clean up began immediately, Rager said there will be a grace period until Jan. 1, 2012 before the fines are enforced.

“What we want to do now is go out, get the signs up and let people know we’re serious” Rager said.

During a “blitz” Oct. 1, Rager said they pulled up 3,571 signs in Calvert County, Charles County, St. Mary’s County and Anne Arundel County. In Calvert County alone, 1,110 signs were removed.

This action caused some stir in Calvert. The

business owners in the county had an informal agreement with the county commissioners that, as long as the signs were professionally printed, erected after 4 p.m. Friday and collected Sunday, they would allow the small signs on the side of the road. Now the signs are banned outright on state roads, and a committee is being formed to determine whether they will be allowed on county roads and what the regulations will be.

Calvert County Zoning Planner Miriam Gholl said the date for the committee meeting has not been determined, though they would like to have their first meeting before Thanksgiving.

She said there will be representatives from the town centers, business associations and other groups.

“I can tell you it’s going to hurt a lot of us [small business owners],” said Mike Graham, the owner of Ye Ole Cutlery and Gift Shop.

Graham said he estimates 25 percent of his business comes from the road signs, and hopes to see some latitude from the county government to allow the signs on county roads. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

Despite Deficit, Aquatic Center is Meeting Goals

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

At the end of its first year, the Prince Fredrick Aquatic Center is $200,000 shy of earning its operating costs.

“Normally, something like this doesn’t make its operating costs in the first year,” said Kenny Gray, aquatics supervisor with Calvert County Parks and Recreation.

He said the gap between the earnings and the operating budget was anticipated, and the difference is actually smaller than what had been expected.

“We had a good year last year,” Gray said.

Going into the new year, he said they are looking to introduce new activities such as water polo and competitive diving. He said the current activities offered, such as swim lessons and water aerobics, were “well received” by the people in the community.

He said the original plan was to take three to

five years for the aquatic center to earn its operating costs, which may still be the case as the newness wears off the center. Gray said the center is well on track for its initial goal.

Lynn Jorgenson, assistant facilities manager of the Aquatic Center, said the center’s performance exceeded her expectations, and she is looking forward to implementing the new programs and continuing to meet the needs of the community.

County wide, there are three aquatic centers.

Gray said there are plans on the books to build another facility in northern Calvert similar to the Cove Point facility, but “for today’s economy, that’s going to stay way off in the future.”

For visitors, there are several options for paying for entry. The options include punch cards and season passes. The Prince Fredrick Aquatic Center is open year round.

For more information, visit www.co.cal.md.us and click “aquatics” under the parks and recreation link in the Resident Guide tab.

State Reopens Some Local Waters for Shell Fishing

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has reopened waters in St. Mary’s County that were previously restricted from shellfish harvesting, including all of the waters of Smith Creek, the southern half of the St. Mary’s River, nearly all of Carthagena Creek and the southern third of St. George’s Creek.

Both Calvert and St. Mary’s watermen use the waters in the southern portion of the county for oyster harvesting every fall, especially the St. Mary’s River where they are the most abundant.

“The St. Mary’s River is usually one of the most productive to us,” said Tommy Zinn, president of the Calvert County Watermen’s Association.

The prospects of a decent haul of oysters make the St. Mary’s River a worthwhile trip for Calvert watermen, he said, despite the lengthy trip away from the usual harvesting grounds of the Patuxent River.

The lifting of the restrictions occurred Oct. 17, according to MDE information releases obtained by The Calvert Gazette.

The waters of the St. Mary’s River north of Pagan and Church points, however remain open to shell fishing only on a conditional basis, MDE stated, and could be closed for up to three days after a heavy rain.

Portions of St. Inigoes Creek the furthest east remain completely closed to oyster harvesting or other shell fishing as do portions of St. George’s Creek.

The northern most reaches of Carthagena Creek are also closed off from shell fishing.

Certain of the county’s waterways grow rife with bacteria during the summer months that can infect oysters and other shellfish here due to the high temperatures, but during the fall months as temperatures decrease the bacteria no longer poses a significant threat. guyleonard@countytimes.net

h t r o N

COUNTY NEWS

North Beach Notes Minutes from the Sept. 8, 2011 North Beach Town Council Meeting

Mayor Frazer opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. on a Motion made by Randy Humrnel to enter into an Executive Session. Seconded by Greg Dotson. Executive Session closed at 6:55 p.m.

Meeting was opened Mayor Frazer at 7 p.m., with Mayor Frazer, Joanne Hunt. Paul Goins, Mr. Benton, Stacy Wilkerson, John Shay, Mr. Dotson, Donnie Bowen, Dawn Richardson, Mr. McNeill, John Hofmann, Sgt. Bowen, Mr. Hummel, Richard Ball, Ms. Schiada and Mr. Wilcox present.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND MINUTES a) MOTION made by Randy Humrnel to approve the agenda as presented. Seconded by Mike Benton. All in favor. Motion carries. b) MOTION made by Gwen Schiada to approve the Minutes from Aug. 11, 2011 Town Council agenda as presented. Seconded by Greg McNeil. All in favor. Motion carries. c) MOTION made by Greg McNeil to approve the minutes from the Executive Session on Aug. 11, 2011. Seconded by Gwen Schiada.

All in favor. Motion carries.

SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS a) Ms. Grace Mary Brady from the Bayside History Museum was in attendance with a power point presentation showing the history of Camp Roosevelt Boy Scout camp from the 1920’s and 1930’s.

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT a) Calvert County Sheriffs Report for August 2011. In August the Sheriffs Department responded to 315 calls for service in North Beach. This is up from 351 calls in July.

TREASURER’S REPORT a) Treasurers Report: Reporting Period: 8/1/11 – 8/31/11: Beginning Balance $54,469.98; Total Debits: $292,990.41; Total Credits: $251,457.08. Ending Balance: $96,003.31. MOTION to accept made by Randy Hurnmel. Seconded by Greg McNeil. All in favor.

REPORTS: Staff Reports: Public Works Department, Code Enforcement, Waterfront Supervisor and Town Engineer.

BOARDS AND COMMISSION a) Mayor Frazer swore Jen Boyles Kellner into the Historic Preservation Commission. She has been assisting the Commission for the past year.

BUSINESS ITEMS a) Contract for the collection of trash within the incorporated Town limits of North Beach.

MOTION made by Gwen Schiada to award the contract to Southern Maryland Recycling for three years and the contract will automatically renew for three additional years unless either party chooses to terminate. Seconded by Greg Dotson. All in favor. Motion carries.

Meeting adjourns at 8:20 p.m. on a motion made by Randy Hurnmel to enter into Executive Session to discuss a contractual matter.

Seconded by Gwen Schiada.

The Calvert Gazette

Trunk or Treat Break out your Halloween costumes and head for Trinity’s annual Trunk or Treat celebration Saturday, Oct. 29 from 4-6 p.m. There will be plenty of candy and fun fellowship.

Bring your friends and family along - all are welcome.

Members and friends of Trinity are invited to arrive at 3 p.m. to decorate their vehicle trunk and hand out candy to children from the church and neighborhood.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three decorated trunks. The parade of costumes begins at 4 p.m. followed by good old-fashioned trunk or treating.

And after your bags are full of candy, be sure to stick around for a light, kid-friendly (a.k.a. pizza & decorate-your-own-cookies) dinner for everyone in the fellowship hall (or outside if weather permits).

Trunk or Treat is free and open to the public. Everyone who registers is eligible to win a family fun basket of prizes.

Trunk or Treat takes place in Trinity United Methodist Church’s parking lot at 90 Church St. in Prince Frederick. For more information, visit www.trinityumchurch.org or call 410.535.1782.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

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North Beach Notes

Minutes from the Oct. 6, 2011 work session meeting of the North Beach Town Council

Attendance: Mayor Frazer, Mike Benton, Greg McNeil, Gwen Schiada, Randy Hummel, Ken Wilcox, John Shay, Donnie Bowen, Joanne Hunt, John Hofmann, Paul Goins, Dawn Richardson and Stacy Wilkerson. Absent was Greg Dotson.

Calvert County Redistricting Committee Presentation by Greg Kernan: Mr. Kernan explained what the committee was looking into. He asked for individuals to please take the short survey that is on the county website at www.co.cal.md.us/ redistricting.

2) Discussion on the Flood Plain Ordinance: John Hofmann summarized the Ordinance that will be voted on at the October Town Council Meeting, There are approximately 8 homes that will need to obtain flood insurance since the last update was done to the Flood Map. The Town will be reaching out to these particular homes next week.

Timber Breakwaters Engineering Design: The Council requested a visual picture of how they will look against the waterline. Ken Wilcox suggested a 3-D visual. John Hofmann was instructed to go ahead and apply for the permits to construct the breakwaters.

Update on the Army Corp of Engineers Report for the North Beach Wetlands: The reports still has not come back. John Hofmann is calling three to four times a week requesting this report.

Mayor Frazer is going to reach out to Steny Hoyer for some assistance in receiving this report.

Update on the Dog Park: The Environmental Committee along with John Hofmann assistance did some research into constructing Dog Parks.

The current land that is being looked at for the Park is not an ideal site for a dog park. The Committee would like to turn the land back over to the Burnt Oaks Homeowners Association and thank them for considering the option.

Department of Public Works Building Budget: The approved funding for the building as of July 1, 2011 was $370,947.00. With the additional items needed for the site work, etc. there is an additional $150,703.00 being requested to complete the building. These adjustments will be placed on the October Town Council agenda for action.

Update on the Christmas Lights: Donnie Bowen reports the Christmas Lights are coming in a little at a time. The Public Works Crew along with the assistance of the company who manufactured them and Abigail will start installing the lights in November.

Town Logo: Dawn Richardson designed a Town logo to be used on all Town advertising. The Mayor forwarded it along to the Council for comment. There was not a consensus on liking the logo.

The Town Council would like for there to be some professional input on what the logo should look like. Dawn will explore this option and return with her findings to the Council.

New Economic Development Initiative: The Town Staff has research the possibility to making North Beach a wedding destination. To the south of Town, Rod n Reel holds wedding ceremonies for $1,500 per ceremony. And to the north of Town, Herrington Harbour holds ceremonies for the same price. The Town Staff would like to look further into this option with the upcoming hotel/convention center that is planned for the waterfront. Greg McNeil asked that this be forwarded onto the Economic Development Committee for comment.

Meeting closed at 8:30 p.m. to enter into Executive Session to discuss land matters.

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

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‘Our Lady’ School End Hunger 5K Kicks Off Giving Season Starts Tyson Foods Fundraiser If you eat Tyson products, you can help OLSS School earn money.

Principal Sr. Carolyn Marie announced that the school is taking part in a national fundraising program sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. The program is called Tyson Project A+ and, according to Principal Sr. Carolyn Marie, “there’s a Tyson Project A+ label, worth $.24, on various Tyson products that feature the Tyson Project A+ logo on the front of the package. Schools earn money from Tyson by collecting and redeeming the labels.”

The labels can be found on frozen chicken nuggets and frozen chicken packaged in boxes. Just look for the A+ symbol. All the local grocery stores carry this item, and you may find it at Walmart and Target as well.

Participating schools can earn up to $12,000 per academic year, and there are no restrictions on how the funds are used.

“We can use the money for anything we need — field trips, computer equipment, sports gear, library books — anything,” Sr. Carolyn Marie said in a press release.

Tyson Project A+ coordinator, Suzanne Pucciarella, has set up a collection site at OLSS School, where parents and others in the community can drop off their Tyson Project A + redemption labels.

“Our goal this year is to collect a total of $7,000 worth of labels so that we can purchase some new technology items for our school as well as fund new special programs,” coordinator Suzanne Pucciarella said. “If everyone out in the community clips and saves the Tyson Project A+ redemption labels, we can make this program a huge success for our school.”

For more information on the Tyson Project A+™ program, contact Suzanne at 410-394-6033, or check out ProjectAPlus. tyson.com.

Help End Hunger in Calvert County, on Saturday, Oct. 22 when Trinity United Methodist Church and End Hunger team up to host the second annual 5K Run fundraiser.

The morning begins with a fun run for kids age 8 and under at 8:15 a.m. on the church grounds (entry fee is a canned good donation), followed by the 5K at 8:30 a.m.

The run begins in Trinity’s parking lot at the corner of Main and Church Streets in Prince Frederick. The course runs down Armory Road, to Fairgrounds Road, to Dares Beach Road, then back and end up back at Trinity’s parking lot.

Some roads along the way will be impacted and taken down to one lane while the race is being run. The course is fast, mostly flat, out and back.

No pets, bicycles, skateboards or roller blades are permitted on the course.

The time limit is 90 minutes. The course closes at 10 a.m.

Walkers are welcome. And all finishers will receive a commemorative t-shirt. Awards will be made to the top overall man and woman as well as the top three men and women finishers in each 10-year age group. Timing will be provided by the Chesapeake Bay Running Club.

Did you know that…

• Calvert County is the 6th wealthiest county in the entire United States • More than 10,000 Calvert County residents utilize local food pantries • Nearly 50% of those who go without food are children • Just one person can make a difference!

The goal of the run is to raise money and awareness to help end hunger in Calvert County, so you can run, walk, stroll, and come to have a good time. There will be containers on site to drop off food that will be distributed to local food pantries. There will also be an opportunity for people for to eat breakfast inside the church. The breakfast will be by donation and is served from 7-10 a.m. All of the profits go to United Methodist Men of Trinity.

The entry fee for the run is $25 after Oct. 9. To register, simply go online to www.endhungercalvert.org or sign up the day of the race. Come and join in an opportunity to nourish and care for those who are going hungry in our county. Do what you love and make a difference while you do it.

MarioKart Tourney Will Mark National Gaming Day Start your engines.

Calvert Library Prince Frederick is once again partnering with Lusby Play ‘n Trade to offer a MarioKart Wii Tournament on National Gaming Day which is Saturday, Nov. 12.

There will be two events; drivers ages 6-12 will compete at 10 a.m. and ages 13-17 will start at 1:30 p.m.

First prize in each age category is $50 in store credit at the Play ‘n Trade. It will be a single elimination tournament and competitors will be limited to only standard characters and vehicles. Competitors can bring their own controllers. Finish first and claim your title as King or Queen of Kart. Go to the Calvert Library website (calvert.lib.md.us) for details about rules and format. You must register to compete.

For more information, call the Calvert Library Prince Frederick at 410-535-0291 or 301-855-1862.

The Legacy of Segregation The Calvert Marine Museum will present the second Upcoming lecture dates include Thursday, Nov. 17 and Dec. PEM Talk in the Lost Landmarks Series on Thursday, Oct. 27 15 at 7 p.m. at 7 p.m. in the museum auditorium. The Legacy of Segregation talk will be given by Kirsti Uunila. PEM (Paleontology, the Environment, and Maritime History) Talks are free and open to the public.

Serving Calvert County since 1993, Kirsti Uunila is currently the Historic Preservation Planner and is a staff member to the Historic District Commission. She has designed and contributed to several research projects to capture, preserve and share the history of Calvert County. Uunila will discuss visible traces of the legacy of segregation using churches, graveyards, school records, oral histories, settlement patterns, court records, population data, photographs, letters, and family stories.

American-born of Finnish immigrants, Kirsti Uunila, earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from the University of Arizona. She completed two years of graduate work in social anthropology at the Johns Hopkins University, and earned a Masters of Applied Anthropology from the University of Maryland in College Park, with a focus on public archaeology.

In addition to service in national and regional professional archaeological and historic preservation organizations, she is active in local community organizations, including Safe Nights Calvert County, Calvert Eats Local—a group dedicated to the support of local agriculture, and is a musician.

For more information about the 2011-2012 PEM Talks Series, visit the website at www.calvertmarinemuseum.com. Kirsti Uunila, Historic Preservation Planner for Calvert County

9

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Lyme Disease Movie and Discussion

Visit Calvert Library Prince Frederick on Monday night, Oct. 24, at 6:30 pm for a viewing and lively discussion about the film Under Our Skin which is a controversial look at the science and politics of Lyme disease and the personal stories of those whose lives have been affected.

A gripping tale of microbes, medicine and money, this movie tells the story of chronic Lyme disease. In the early 1970’s, a mysterious ailment was discovered among children living around the town of Lyme, Conn.

What was first diagnosed as isolated cases of juvenile arthritis eventually became known as Lyme disease, an illness triggered by spiral-shaped bacteria.

According to the film, each year thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, told that their symptoms are “all in their head.” The Centers for Disease Control agrees that more than 300,000 people may acquire Lyme disease each year. The film tells the stories of patients and physicians fighting for their lives and livelihoods.

From a few doctors who risk their medical licenses, to patients who once led active lives but now can barely walk, the film uncovers a hidden world whose very existence is a subject of controversy among insurers, interns, politicians and patients.

For more information, please call Calvert Library at (301) 855-1862 or (410) 535-0291 or visit us online at http://calvert.lib.md.us.

Artists Guild Hosting Stained Glass Workshop On Saturday, Nov. 5, The Calvert Artists Guild will be hosting a stained glass workshop by Barney Higgins Harris from 9 am – 2 p.m. at the Calvert Pines Senior Center, Prince Frederick.

Barney Higgins Harris is a glass artist whose studio, Zekiah Glass, has been featured in publications such as The Washington Post and The Washingtonian.

In between classes and commission work, she enjoys creating original stained glass panels of both organic and geometric design. Mermaids are a favorite theme as are Chesapeake landscapes, often featuring herons and other local birds.

For more information, contact Lonnie Harkins, 410-326-7199, baronvonsmoogle@netscape.net or Gerry Wood 301-863-9663, gbwood2@ verizon.net.

The Calvert Gazette

Community

The Platters – Live in SoMD Herb Reed and The Platters – stroll back in time with this Hall of Fame musical group. Their hits include “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”, “The Great Pretender”, “Only You”, and “My Prayer”.

Mr. Herb Reed has managed, performed, and toured as The Platters or Herb Reed and The Platters continuously since 1953. His voice is heard on every one of the nearly 400 recordings of The Platters.

The show at Leonardtown High School on Dec. 10 will include their top hits and a selection of holiday music. Doors open at 6 p.m., show begins at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets are $50, $60 at the door, if available.

The concert benefits Mission of Mercy (MOM) SoMd. Mission of Mercy (MOM) is a national endeavor that has been providing free dental services for underserved and uninsured adults since 2000. MOM of SoMD is being coordinated by volunteers from St. Mary’s, Charles, and Calvert counties.

An outpouring of dentists from across the state of Maryland – along with dental hygienists, dental assis-

tants, lab technicians, other health professionals, and a myriad of lay volunteers will work in concert with community groups and agencies to better the oral health of individuals who come to the clinic.

The first local two-day clinic for Southern Maryland will be held in June 2012 using portable equipment for cleanings, x-rays, extractions, and fillings. We will serve as many adults as time, volunteers, and supplies allow.

All dental services are provided by board certified dental and medical professionals.

Community

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, October 20, 2011

10

COSMIC Symphony Season Opener What better way to open the season than with rousing fanfare? While Franz von Suppe’s popular overture may conjure mental images of exotic Hungarian gypsies and noble Austrian mounted soldiers, the galloping you hear comes not from horses but from a rather unconventional ballet company featured in the comic opera from which the overture comes.

The next stop on our European tour is German. Clarinetist David Drosinos will entertain you with the lyricism of Weber’s first clarinet concerto, which, despite being composed in the “classical” period, is undeniably romantic in nature.

The final stop on our European tour is Italy. Felix Mendelssohn gives a thorough tour of the country encompassing its landscape, its people, and its art. In his own words, “This Italy!”

Come and enjoy this “Passport to Europe” on Saturday, Oct. 22, at Great Mills High School at 7 p.m., or Sunday, Oct. 23, at Huntingtown High School at 4 p.m.

Season tickets are available for the three subscription series concerts, Opening Night, Family Concert and Season Finale.

They are $25 for individuals, $20 for seniors, students, military, and MD State employees (special), and $70 for an unlimited family pass. Tickets for individual concerts are $10, $8 seniors

The Board of County Commissioners is soliciting applicants for the committees listed below. Calvert County residents who are registered voters in Calvert County should apply. Applications may be obtained from the Commissioners’ Office (175 Main Street, Room 205, Prince Frederick, MD), any Calvert County Public Library branch, or online at http://www.co.cal.md.us/references/ getinvolved/. You may mail (Board of County Commissioners, Courthouse, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678), fax (410-535-5594), or hand deliver your application to Maureen Frederick. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the telephone number listed in the advertisement or Mrs. Frederick at 410-535-1600, extension 2214 or 301-8551243, extension 2214.

Applications must be submitted no later than Wednesday, October 26, 2011.

Adult Guardianship Review Board 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) ONLY physicians should apply.

State law requires each local Department of Social Services to implement a program of protective services for disabled individuals and vulnerable adults.

Each jurisdiction must appoint an Adult Guardianship Review Board to review guardianships held by public agencies within their area. Info: 410-535-4370.

Agricultural Reconciliation Committee 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) Residents who are members of a Homeowners Association should apply.

The Committee arbitrates/mediates conflicts involving agricultural or forestry operation conducted on agricultural lands and to issue opinions on whether such agricultural or forestry operations are conducted in a manner consistent with accepted agricultural or forestry management practices. Meets on an as needed basis. Info: 410-535-1600, extension 2489.

Agriculture Commission 2 Vacancies (Term Expirations) Residents of District 1 or 3 should apply.

Primary goal is to promote the continuance of viable farming industries in Calvert County, explore and develop new agri-business, and act as an advisory board to the Board of County Commissioners on issues affecting agriculture.

Visit: www.calvertag.com. Meets the

& students, $25 per family.

All tickets are available at the door and at www.cosmicmu-

sic.org, Allegro Music, Nambo’s Music and Stevens Studio in St. Mary’s County and Educate & Celebrate in Calvert County.

Committee Members Needed

third Thursday monthly, 7:30 p.m.

Board of Parks and Recreation 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) Only residents of District 1 and 3 should apply.

The Board advises the Division of Parks and Recreation in the provision of recreational facilities and programs and the establishment of policy for operation.

Meets the second Wednesday monthly, 5:30 p.m.

Calvert County Family Network Board of Directors 2 Vacancies (Term Expiration and Resignation) Serves as an advisory board to the Board of County Commissioners, facilitating the implementation and/or enhancement of those programs mandated by the State (via the Governor’s Office for Children), targeting at-risk youth and families. The Board consists of representatives from social and health-related agencies, business leaders, private providers of human services, and citizens.

Meets the fourth Monday bimonthly (January, March, May, July, September, and November); 2:00 p.m.

Calvert Housing Opportunities Committee 4 Vacancies (Term Expirations and Resignation) ONLY members of the banking community, disability community, and homeless services organizations should apply.

Serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of County Commissioners on policies that will promote the development of affordable/accessible housing opportunities for Calvert County residents.

Meets the fourth Thursday monthly; 9:30 a.m.

Commission for Women 1 Vacancy (Unfilled Vacancy) Serves as a clearinghouse for information/activities important to local women: discrimination, development and enhancement of skills, continuing education, and helping women re-enter the workforce or advance in their fields.

Calvert County women who have made significant contributions are recognized annually. Selected members will be expected to serve on sub-committees and devote 10 hours per month to Commission activities. Meets the third Thursday monthly, 7:00 p.m.

Common Ownership Infrastructure Advisory Committee 5 Vacancies (Resignations and Term Expirations) Citizens that reside in private or commonly owned communities in district 2 or 3 should apply.

Acts as an advisory Committee to the Board of County Commissioners on matters involving infrastructure needs throughout communities in Calvert County; Serves as an informational source to organizations responsible for common ownership infrastructure.

Meets the third Thursday bimonthly; 7:00 p.m.

Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) Acts in an advisory capacity to the Board of County Commissioners on all aspects of the county’s emergency medical services. Meets the 3rd Wednesday monthly, 7:30 p.m.

Employees’ Retirement Savings Plan Board of Trustees 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) Citizens with expertise in finance, pension administration, or investing should apply.

The County has adopted the Calvert County Employees Retirement Savings Plan effective January 1, 1999, for the benefit of its eligible employees; and whereas, the assets of the Plan shall be held in trust for the exclusive purposes of providing benefits to participants in the Plan and their beneficiaries, and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the Plan and the Trust. Meets annually (October); 9:00 a.m.

Gambling Permit Review Committee 1 Vacancy (Alternate Position) Reviews gambling permit applications submitted by bona-fide charitable or non-profit organizations and makes approval recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners; drafts/updates charitable gaming regulations. Meets quarterly (March, June, September, and December), 8:00a.m.

Heritage Committee 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) The Committee acts as an advisory board to the Board of County Commissioners by identifying ways to increase public awareness of Calvert County’s rich historical and cultural heritage and

promotes the diversity of the historical and cultural resources of Calvert County.

Meets the third Thursday bimonthly; 7:00 p.m.

Historic District Commission 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) Serves as a citizen review board on historic districting decisions; as set forth in Article 66B of the annotated Code of Maryland and the County Ordinance for the Designation and Preservation of Historic Districts, the Historic District Commission is both an advisory and decision-making body. In its advisory capacity, the Commission is required to make recommendations concerning the historic districting of properties, amendments to ordinances, and other decisions concerning historic preservation in the County. In its decision-making capacity, the Commission approves work permits. In both capacities, the Commission may solicit comments from appropriate County, State and federal agencies prior to making recommendations or decisions. Also, the Commission promotes public education about local history and heritage resources. Meets the second Wednesday monthly; 3:30 p.m.

Lusby Town Center Architectural Review Committee 1 Vacancy (Resignation) Residents and business owners should apply. In addition, resident/business owners with expertise in architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, urban design, planning, engineering or related fields should apply.

The committee makes recommendations to the Calvert County Planning Commission on site designs and external design features of buildings, structures other than buildings and signs for public, quasi-public, commercial, residential, industrial, multi-family or mixed use development. Generally meets the first Monday monthly; 3:00 p.m.

Other Post Employment Benefits Trust Fund Board of Trustees 1 Vacancy (Ongoing Vacancy) Residents with expertise in funding retiree health benefits or investing pension fund assets should apply.

The Trustees have the authority and discretion to manage and control the Trust to the extent provided in the Calvert County Other Post Employment Benefits Trust Agreement, but do not guarantee

the Trust in any manner against investment loss or depreciation in asset value, or guarantee the adequacy of the Trust to meet and discharge all or any liabilities of the Plan. Generally meets the last Friday of the month after the quarter ends (January, April, July and October); 1:00 p.m.

Sheriff’s Department Pension Plan Board of Trustees 1 Vacancy (Term Expiration) Citizens with expertise in pension administration, investing, or finance should apply.

The County adopted the Calvert County Sheriff’s Department Pension Plan effective July 1, 1989, for the benefit of its eligible employees; and the assets of the Plan shall be held in trust for the exclusive purposes of providing benefits to participants in the Plan and their beneficiaries, and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the Plan and the Trust. Meets the last Friday of the month after the quarter ends (January, April, July and October); 9:30 a.m.

Social Services Advisory Board 1 Vacancy (Resignation) The Board works closely with the Department of Social Services Director on local application of state policies/ procedures and issues relative to the program; advises local Director on local issues or programs related to the provision of social services; and provides recommendations for serving county residents more effectively. Meets the third Wednesday monthly; 8:00 a.m.

Tri-County Youth Services Bureau Board of Directors 2 Vacancies (Term Expirations) Citizens, as well as members of law enforcement, the Department of Social Services, the Health Department, or the educational system should apply.

Serves as a State mandated agency in Southern Maryland to provide juvenile delinquency prevention, youth development, individual, group, and family counseling, child development, and school based programming services.

Meets the fourth Wednesday each month with the exception of June when the annual meeting is held on the third Wednesday; meetings start at 6:00p.m.

11

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Calvert Gazette

Area’s First Special Education Attorney Sets up Shop

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Southern Maryland parents needing the assistance of a special education attorney no longer have to drive to Baltimore or Washington, D.C. In May 2011 in Prince Frederick, Wendy Velez, esq., hung out her shingle to practice Family Law. Although she is a new attorney, she comes to special education law with 20 years teaching experience in Baltimore County Schools, the last five working exclusively with children having special needs.

She said she had a “mid-life” crisis and decided to attend law school, which is something she had always wanted to do. It took her awhile before she settled on special education for her field of practice.

Through her 20 years of teaching she realized there were a number of “bad laws with repercussions and parents who don’t know any better.”

She has been living in Calvert County for three years but only finished her law school at UMD College Park a year ago.

During law school she worked as a student attorney in the Child Welfare clinic doing pro bono work on adoption, custody and Individual Educational Plan (IEP) cases. Then she fulfilled her fellowship at the Polaris Project, a leading organization in the United States combating all forms of human trafficking.

Right now the majority of her practice is still the pro bono work she picked up from places like the Maryland Disabilities Law Center, Maryland Volunteer Law Service and the Calvert County Family Law Clinic.

She credits fellow Family Law attorney Renee’ LaFayette as one of her reasons for opening a practice in SoMD. “She was on the Bar Character Committee. She has a special needs child. She told me there were no (special education) attorneys practicing in this area,” Velez said.

“My goal is to benefit the child. Not to win. Not to fight. But to help translate.

To get the team members to communicate and consider creative solutions.”

An example of creative solutions is a former student named “Sarah” with Cerebral Palsy. She was unable to speak or control her motor functions and was wheelchair bound; however, she had average intelligence. She attended public school through fifth grade with the help of an aide. By the time she reached middle school, her health and lack of a fulltime educational aide qualified her for the Baltimore County Home and Hospital Program.

“Sarah had never seen a computer.

I wasn’t bound by anything because I didn’t know anything. So I brought in an old laptop from the school and taught her how to email. Suddenly she could communicate. Well, not suddenly because it took four times as long to teach Sarah, but we had the time,” said Velez.

When it came time to teach her biVelez sits in her ology and algebra, Velez was out of her Wendy Sheriff’s office. league.

“In the program, you either got a home tutor or teleconference into classes, but not both. There was also a limit on the number of hours a child could receive services.”

So Velez worked with fellow teachers and had Sarah covertly call in and listen for a year. At the end of the year Velez went back to the program directors and showed what they had been doing and how it was successful. After that summer, the

third floor office in the Layette Building off Church Street across from the

program increased the number of hours of services for Sarah and allowed her to call into different subjects.

Wendy Velez can be found at 55 Church Street, Prince Frederick, across from the Sheriff’s Office. For more informatiom, see her website at velezlegalservices.vpweb.com corrin@somdpublishing.net

The Calvert Gazette

POLICE BLOTTER

Police Investigate Vehicle Fire, Arson

On Oct. 12 at 10:38 am, Trooper First Class Parker responded to the 5700 block of Oakcrest Dr. in St. Leonard for a reported stolen vehicle. An unlocked 2011 Chevrolet HHR with a key inside was stolen from in front of the victim’s home, police reported. Authorities in Virginia later found the vehicle on a dirt road. It had been set on fire and destroyed. Investigation continues.

Theft Of Vehicle Rims

On Oct. 3 at 2:20 am, Trooper Casarella was conducting a patrol check at Bayside Chevrolet in Prince Frederick when he noticed two wheels missing from a vehicle on the lot, police reported. Further investigation revealed that thieves may have been interrupted while attempting to steal rims from a vehicle. Evidence left behind was collected and processed. The area was searched however, suspects were not located. Investigation continues.

Vehicles Burglarized

Thursday, October 20, 2011

12

Police Investigating Fatal Crash

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Calvert County Sheriff’s deputies are trying to ascertain the identity of a person who died in a crash in Dunkirk over the weekend.

Officers first responded to the wreck at Route 4 and Chaney Road, which involved only one vehicle, and found the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser off the roadway and consumed in a blaze.

Lt. Steve Jones, commander of the Calvert Investigative Team, said that the body was too badly burned to make a positive identification without an examination.

“They’re believed to be a male,” Jones said. “We have a suspected identification but we need confirmation from the Medical Examiner’s office.

“The vehicle was in bad shape too so it was difficult

On Oct. 3 at 7:06 am, Trooper Williams responded to the 1900 block of Waterloo Ct. in St. Leonard for a reported theft. Numerous items were stolen from two unlocked vehicles parked in the victim’s driveways. Investigation continues.

to get VIN numbers.”

The preliminary crash investigation showed that the vehicle was traveling north on Route 4 and just before the crash near Chaney Road it left the roadway and drove into the grass shoulder.

It continued in that direction as it crossed Chaney Road, police reported, across private property and stopped when it collided with a tree in a full frontal impact.

The occupant was the only person in the vehicle during the crash and sustained fatal injuries; they were pronounced dead on the scene, police reported.

Police stated that they believed that speed contributed to the fatal accident. guyleonard@countytimes.net North Beach VFD Photo

Man Charged With Shoplifting

On Oct. 3 at 9:03 am, Trooper First Class Saucerman responded to the 7-11 store on Hallowing Point Road in Prince Frederick for a shoplifting complaint.

Frederick L. Weems, 32, of Prince Frederick, allegedly attempted to steal a bottle of brake fluid. He was charged with theft.

Drugs Stolen From Animal Hospital

On Oct. 5 at 8:37 am, Trooper First Class Merkelson responded to the Calvert Animal Hospital on Skinners Turn Rd. for a reported theft. Drug were stolen from the business. Investigation continues.

Vehicles Burglarized

On Oct. 8 at 4:17 pm, Trooper First Class Dawson responded to the 1000 block of Westfield Dr. in Prince Frederick for a reported theft from vehicles.

Unknown suspect(s) entered the property and unlawfully removed a GPS, cell phone charger and an Apple Ipod from the victim’s vehicle. Investigation continues.

Residence burglarized

On Oct. 10 at 5:50 pm, Trooper Williams responded to the 12900 block of Parran Dr. in Lusby for a reported theft. Suspects stole an I Pod Touch, a Handheld Game system and a Playstation from the residence. Investigation continues.

On Oct. 11 at 8:50pm, Trooper Costello responded to the Wal Mart store in Prince Frederick for a reported theft. Security personnel advised they witnessed a customer switching price tags on items and then purchasing the items. Jeannette Sigman, 52 of Owings, was charged with theft.

Copper Thefts Continue Unknown suspect(s) stole copper pipe from a home on W Mt. Harmony Road in Owings sometime between October 2 and 4. Anyone with information is asked to contact Dep. N. Funchion at 410-535-2800.

Copper pipe was stolen from a home on Algonquin Trail in Lusby sometime between September 16 and October 7. DFC J. Norton is investigating

Deputies investigating shed burglary

Someone stole a blue X-treme scooter valued at $500 from the shed of a home on Great Lane in Lusby. Dep. C. McDonough is investigating the crime that occurred sometime between Oct. 1 and 4.

Thieves steal coins from home

Family Displaced, Three Dogs Die in House Fire

A home on Gunsmoke Trail in Lusby was burglarized between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on October 6. Approximately $250 in coins was stolen. DFC R. Brady is investigating.

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

On October 8 at 7:39 p.m. a woman who was asked to leave a party because she was reportedly intoxicated was arrested by DFC T. Rickard for disorderly conduct and failure to obey a lawful order. The woman, later identified as Heather M. Malamphy, 22, of Lusby, was standing in a field on German Chapel Road in Prince Frederick near the home she had been asked to leave, police reported.

Police alleged that Malamphy was hollering and cursing and disregarded DFC Rickard’s order to stop so she was arrested, taken into custody and charged.

The regional Red Cross is helping provide for a family that lost their North Beach home to a blaze that occurred Oct. 14, the state fire marshal’s office reported.

The fire occurred in the 3600 block of 4th street and destroyed the two-story wood frame home owned by Clifford Hall, a fire marshal press release stated.

Investigators have not released the exact cause of the blaze but have stated that they believe it to be

Woman charged with disorderly conduct

accidental.

It was discovered by a neighbor in the bottom level bedroom and took 40 firefighters from five fire companies 15 minutes to control, fire marshal’s reported.

The fire caused $150,000 in damages, investigators reported, but North Beach firefighters reported that three dogs perished in the fire.

The investigation is continuing. guyleonard@countytimes.net

13

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Calvert Gazette STORY

Going Once, Going Twice

Local Auction House Hosts Bid Calling Championship

By Carrie Munn Staff Writer The normally sleepy little town of St. Leonard was bustling Sunday, as The Chesapeake MarketPlace and Auction House hosted the annual Auctioneers Association of Maryland’s Bid Calling Contest and Benefit Auction, drawing some of the state’s fastest tongues and visitors seeking rare finds and great deals.

Six competitors, including two Calvert County callers, vied for the title by selling four randomly selected items. Three outof-state auctioneers with years of cumulative experience in the business conducted the judging for the competition.

One participant, Patrick Flaherty, of Lusby, is a budding auctioneer and works full-time in the office equipment repair industry. This was his first year participating in the competition.

When asked what got him interested in calling auctions, he said, “I’m just a ham.” He called auctions, “the original green business,” and said that to be good at the job, it’s important to know a lot about the eclectic mix of items being sold.

St. Leonard resident, Scott Blankenship, said though he’s disappointed with his first competition’s outcome, he was delighted that total strangers approached him afterward to give him kudos. Blankenship credits the St. Leonard auction house with getting him into auctioneering a few years back, and now the self-taught caller works 12 to 15 auctions each year around the tri-county area, in addition to a full-time job.

The Chesapeake Auction House was started by local couple, Larry and Kay Forman, in 1992, out of what was once the H.B. Truman Lumber Company. Turning a barn and mill into retail shops for local vendors to sell their wares and an antiques shop, the Formans repurposed the space into a charming business that hosts auctions each Friday night along with additional specialty auctions on weekends.

Between the auction house and marketplace, a wide range of products can be found. Bidders and buyers can snag everything from rare china, Longaberger baskets and vintage clothing

managed by Kay Forman. to antique furniture, tools and groceries.

Kay Forman, elated, hugged him for the gesture.

Steve Rusch, who’s worked at the auction house with the For more information about the Chesapeake Auction House Formans for some time, said it’s the only full-time auction facility in Southern Maryland, offering a “potpourri” of items that and MarketPlace, and their many upcoming auctions, visit their shoppers simply can’t find anywhere else. Adding that hosting website at www.chesapeakemarketplace.com or call (410) 586and attending auctions can be a fun time for all involved, Rusch 3725 or (410) 586-1161.

Got the bidding bug? A general estate auction will be held said, “You don’t know unless you go!”

Troy Meister, who provides appraisals and education for Friday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. sellers at the auction house, said he’s been in the business for carriemunn@countytimes.net about 40 years, since spending time in his grandmother’s antique Photos by Carrie Munn shop as a kid. Meister is the go-to guy for helping sellers understand the value and market trends for their sometimes strange and unusual items. He also runs two antique shops, one at the Chesapeake MarketPlace, the other at the Grapevine in Lexington Park.

The action never stopped Sunday, as Larry Forman was joined by the Auctioneer’s Association President, Glenn Freeman, and past champions, who kept the calling constant, selling a variety of items with a portion of the funds supporting local charities. This year, the Formans chose to raise money for local non-profits like Patuxent Habitat for Humanity and the Orphaned Wildlife Rescue Center.

Last year’s bid calling champ, Ron Farrell, of St. Mary’s County, hosted the challenge, explaining how participants would be judged on their presentation, “chants,” salesmanship and appearance.

After two rounds, John Roop, of Walkersville in Frederick County, was deemed the 2012 Maryland Bid Calling winner and will move on to compete at the national level.

Roop, a 17-year auctioneering veteran, said winning the title was a shock despite his many years of long hours to accommodate both a full-time job and auction work, adding, “It’s a great honor, that’s for sure.”

Roop announced he would donate his $250 prize to Valerie Dowell and daughter, Autumn, look over some vintage jewelry and other the scholarship fund that the association sponsors, which is unique items after popping into the auction house after church.

Last year’s champ, Ron Farrell, top, announces the 2012 Bid Calling Championship winner, John Roop of Walkersville, left, while President of the Auctioneer’s Association of Maryland Glenn Freeman presents his plaque and prize money.

Steve Rusch and others serve as “ring people,” entertaining the crowd and showing off merchandise as the auctioneers call for bids at Sunday’s big event.

The Calvert Gazette

STATE NEWS Growing Algae Could Clean the Chesapeake Bay and Create Biofuel

By Richelle Gonzalez Capital News Service The Eastern Shore is known for vast soybean and corn farms, but if Patrick Kangas had his way it would be covered in slime.

Kangas, a researcher at the University of Maryland, helped create a system that uses fields of slimy algae to clean up the Chesapeake Bay by removing pollutants from agricultural wastewater.

Typically, algae hurt the bay because they contribute to dead zones, oxygen depleted areas harmful to aquatic life. But by growing fields of algae in a controlled system, the tiny plants can clean water while creating a feedstock for biofuel.

“We’re really just taking what happens in nature and controlling it and channeling into the kinds of ways that we want to use the algae essentially to work for us,” Kangas said.

Kangas, who is the founder of a new center at the University of Maryland that aims to scale up this technology, has two small experimental algae cleaning systems in place in Maryland now.

But he hopes to eventually create systems that span hundreds or thousands of acres of land that would mimic his operation at a farm in Henderson, a small town in Caroline County on the Eastern Shore.

At the Henderson farm, the smell of muck and the sound of dribbling water surround the “algal turf scrubber” system. A solar-powered pump moves the wastewater from a nearby canal into 50-meter troughs where the algae grow.

Thin screens catch the algae. The organisms use sunlight to grow as they filter phosphorus and nitrogen out of the wastewater and add oxygen before the water trickles to the bay.

Much like the surrounding fields of corn after the seeds are planted, the algal turf scrubber system is mostly self-sufficient. The strands of algae grow like stalks until it’s time to harvest.

“The idea is that if we have remote locations we can operate the system in areas where people aren’t hanging around,” said Tim Goertemiller of Living Ecosystems, an environmental consulting company, who worked on the design and production of the algal turf scrubber system.

The algal turf scrubber system is modeled after the way algae grows near coral reefs. The flow of water in the algal turf scrubber system mimics the pulse of the waves near a coral reef, which helps maximize growth.

Increased growth would mean more algae to use for biofuels, if Kangas’s plans pan out.

“At that scale we’ll produce a lot of biomass. So we’ll need something to do with that biomass. We’re most interested in algal biofuels,” Kangas said.

Different types of algae yield different types of biofuel. The algae growing in Kangas’s system are filamentous algae, which can be used to produce ethanol or butanol. But, Kangas said, very few types of algae produce enough oil to be economically viable options for biodiesel production.

Other groups are trying to produce biodiesel using genetically engineered algae, Kangas said.

“I hope those kind of technologies work, but they’re very expensive, and I just am skeptical of them,” he said.

In addition to the algal turf scrubber system in Henderson, Kangas grows algae at a Constellation power plant near Baltimore.

“We are really anxious to scale up the technology and realistically hope to operate at the acre scale next summer, hopefully with hundreds of acres within 10 years,” he wrote in an email.

Job Creation Hearings Planned Governor Martin O’Malley announced Monday a plan to spark job creation in Maryland and to build consensus for a comprehensive jobs package for the 2012 legislative session.

Hearings will be held during the current Special Session to explore job creation opportunities in transportation and infrastructure upgrades and in streamlining government processes to make it easier to do business in Maryland.

O’Malley signed an Executive Order calling for a 60 day review by State agencies of current State regulations that can be reformed or eliminated to help spark job creation.

After the 60 day review period, the intent is to introduce a package of regulatory reforms to the General Assembly in January, a governor’s press release states.

“Our infrastructure is one of those areas where we have the largest investment deficit in our state,” said O’Malley. “Tackling Maryland’s list of infrastructure needs will be a priority as we head into the 2012 legislative session.”

Thursday, October 20, 2011

14

Republicans, Democrats Criticize Proposed Redistricting Map

By Ashley M. Latta Capital News Service As the Maryland General Assembly prepares to approve a Congressional redistricting plan, a number of leaders from both political parties say the current proposal aims to bolster Democratic power by squeezing out Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett and diluting minority voting power.

Some Montgomery County Democrats, several state delegates, the NAACP of Maryland and a number of Republicans are openly opposing the plan put forth by the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee.

“The first time I saw this map, I thought it was one of the rejected maps,” said Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich. “It begins to look like we had a second objective - a political objective of individuals.”

Elrich and others are up in arms over the map’s sprawling districts that ignore geographical boundaries.

Republicans have offered several alternatives to the plan.

“It’s a map that’s designed for partisan advantage,” said Delegate Justin Ready, executive director of the Maryland Republican Party. “It certainly does not represent county boundaries or communities of interest.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley has called a special legislative session that convened Monday to redraw the state’s Congressional districts.

Despite stipulations in the Maryland constitution that require state legislative districts be contiguous, compact, and give “due regard” to natural and political boundaries, there are no such rules for Congressional redistricting.

“They are standards that we should aspire to, but there’s no overriding authority,” said Todd Eberly, assistant professor of political science at St. Mary’s College.

The proposed Congressional map would slice away the more conservative part of District 6, represented

by Bartlett, R-Frederick, making it marginally more Democratic.

“It’s basically a map that carves the state into eight gerrymandered districts, pretty much to target one individual,” said Ready, referring to Bartlett.

Lisa Wright, Bartlett’s spokeswoman, said the congressman has nothing further to say on the matter, beyond

what he expressed in a recent statement.

In the statement, Bartlett did not address how the proposed map would affect his district, nor did he respond to speculation over a possible campaign for his seat. Instead, he focused on the importance of creating a map that accurately reflects the large percentage of minorities, and residents in rural areas.

“Using commonly available tools, a revised map could easily include three majority-minority districts ... as well as districts that respect our rural communities,” he said.

The current proposal would divide some communities with long-standing relationships, like Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, and combine others with less obvious ties.

Part of Montgomery County, for example, would be sharing District 6 with parts of Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties.

“What do those counties have in common?” asked Montgomery Councilmember Craig Rice. “The key focus should be keeping communities together.”

Only two of the newly drawn districts would be majority-minority: District 4, represented by Democrat Donna Edwards, and District 7, represented by Democrat Elijah Cummings.

“Maryland’s population is over 40 percent minority, with its concentration in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Baltimore City,” Eberly said.

“There’s no reason why you wouldn’t expect to see three, if not four, majority-minority districts.”

According to Eberly, when drawing political lines, Republicans generally aim to isolate Democratic-leaning minority voters in the fewest number of districts. Conversely, Democrats aim to spread out minority voters to prevent a Republican majority in conservative districts.

“Regardless of what anyone wants to say, redistricting is a highly political and highly partisan endeavor, Eberly said. “In states where Republicans control the process, they are drawing maps every bit as distorted as the map being drawn in Maryland.”

Maryland must pass a Congressional redistricting plan prior to the start of the 2012 legislative session.

State districts will be redrawn during the regular legislative session that starts Jan. 11.

Health Coalition Lobbies for Tobacco Tax Hike

By Jessica Talson Capital News Service The Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative has launched a campaign to raise taxes on all tobacco products in Maryland. Cigarette prices would increase by $1 per pack, and other tobacco taxes would increase at a corresponding rate.

More than 150 faith, community and health organizations have already endorsed the proposed tax, including the AARP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People of Maryland and the American Cancer Society.

The tobacco tax revenue would fund various state health-related programs, including tobacco control programs and improved healthcare access for Maryland families.

“Not only is this good policy, it’s good politics,” said Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative. “We all will benefit.”

Tobacco lobbyist Bruce Bereano disagrees, and said the tax hike on tobacco is discriminatory and unwarranted.

“Smoking is legal and lawful among adults in Maryland. If that’s going to continue and be left as a personal decision among adults, then let’s stop

hassling and intimidating and jerking around adult smokers,” Bereano said. “Enough is enough.”

Maryland last raised taxes on non-cigarette tobacco in 1999. Cigarette taxes have been raised several times since then, most recently by $1 in January 2008.

The tobacco tax campaign comes only a few months after the Health Initiative successfully lobbied to raise the tax on alcohol in April.

DeMarco said that raising the cost of tobacco saves both lives and money. Smoking rates in Maryland declined by 32.6 percent between 1998 and 2009, which was double the national average.

DeMarco said the decrease in smoking saved more than 70,000 lives and hundreds of millions of dollars in health care costs.

The current tax increase would not be the end of the campaign. Tobacco tax advocates would like Maryland to become a smoke-free state.

DeMarco said the Health Initiative will continue to advocate for the tobacco tax if the legislature does not pass the increase in next year’s session.

“If the legislature doesn’t pass it, we are ready to make this a top issue in the 2014 election,” DeMarco said.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Calvert Gazette

corner

commissioners Communication Is Key

By Susan Shaw, President County Commissioner

TER T E to the Editor

S

L

15

Guest Editorial:

Willful Ignorance

By Marta Hummel Mossburg

pening in the seemingly less prestigious subdivisions of science. Physicists recently found neutrinos that travel faster than the speed of light -- an ability deemed impossible by Einstein’s theory of special relativity.

And researchers in Switzerland at CERN just published a study showing that cosmic rays and the sun are most likely responsible for climate change on earth -- not man made global warming as is conventional wisdom. The people involved in the experiment are not Fox News presidential wannabes, but scientists at the top of their profession.

Most people take advances in knowledge in stride and adjust their way of thinking based on the latest evidence in concert with their own common sense and personal experience.

But climate science is different. For many it is a religion, not a testable theory of how the world functions. Man-made climate change believers should not be exempt from science in the same way that parents should not ignore the latest research about child health and safety. As Bryan Caplan writes in “Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids,” we live in a much safer and healthier world than 50 years ago because of progress across a multitude of professions and products.

We did not achieve the amazing advances he chronicles because of willful ignorance but because of creativity, hard work and intellectual honesty. Gov. Martin O’Malley and legislators who would like to force Marylanders to adopt exorbitantly expensive green energy standards based on a green religion owe Marylanders the same commitment to science in that field as they hold in other areas.

It turns out we don’t know as Communication plays an important much as we think we do. Tribune role in the life of a County Commissioner.

Newspapers recently reported that antioxidants may not One of the responsibilities of the job is to promote health. This should be big news because food and communicate with constituents in the most nutrition products with the compounds thought to neutralize open and honest way possible. Accomfree radicals, associated with cancer and other illnesses, are plishing this feat is more difficult than you big business. might think.

Last year Americans spent $5 billion on them. It’s alFirst, we have to be very careful in most impossible to avoid antioxidants as so many staples, what we say in an attempt not to be misunincluding orange juice and cereal, are fortified with extra derstood. Normally, in a conversation, a dialog involves two or more doses of them to help those averse to fruits and vegetables. people. If one misunderstands, it is easy to correct the misunderBut as Julie Deardorff reported in “A radical rethinking standing. Often, we are speaking through another medium like the of antioxidants,” studies show mixed results at best for those newspaper or the television or the internet. There is no immediate who pumped up their intake of them. feedback and no opportunity to correct misunderstandings. SomeThis is just one of the many findings in recent years that times, I am shocked by how my words are interpreted because it may upend conventional wisdom. Any parent of young children be nothing close to what I intended to convey. sees allegedly hard science change constantly in relation Secondly, I have to be very careful when I use the royal we to their offspring. For example, a few years ago children speaking for the entire Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). I younger than 1 were not supposed to be exposed to certain may well be reminded that I have only one vote of five and that I am fruits, including strawberries, and peanut butter, which often not speaking properly for a particular member of the BOCC. Yet, cause allergies. Now infants are supposed to eat those things if I use the word I instead of we, I may well be reminded that as the before their first birthday to build their immune system and President of the BOCC, I am speaking for all five members and not prevent allergies from forming. just myself.

Car seats were until a few months ago considered safe Still, despite the inherent difficulties, we, the BOCC, do our in the front-facing position for children over 1 year. Now very best to communicate as well as we can with you. We do this in children are supposed to remain rear facing until at least age Marta Hummel Mossburg is a senior fellow at the myriad ways. We publish news releases through our Public Infor2. Keeping up with the changes requires daily vigilance. mation Office (PIO). We publish an e-newsletter, Calvert Currents, And overturning of once-set knowledge is not just hap- Maryland Public Policy Institute. to which you can subscribe on our County website at www.co.cal. md.us. We post a LOT of information on that website. We publish a business newsletter at www.ecalvert.com to which you can also subscribe. In emergencies, we use the Code Red system to call you at the phone number which you have given us (at www.co.cal.md.us) including any cell phone numbers.

The Sheriff’s Office uses Nixle, because the deputies can input information into it quickly to let you know via email and text message about lost persons, a barricade, or other public safety info. We have relationships with the local radio stations, newspapers and news web sites like www.CalvertNews.Info; www.SoMDnews.com; and www.theBayNet.com Some of you may have even heard me on the radio, calling in, giving an interview or answering questions.

This column is another way that we try to keep in touch with you. It is not propriMake sure you include your name, phone # and the city you live in. etary. In other words, the column can be picked up by any variety of media and re-used, because my work product belongs to the public domain. Yes, I do write it myself, beWe will not publish your phone #, only your name and city cause I enjoy writing it, even though the deadlines can be daunting at times. One Commissioner has a personal blog, which represents his opinion at the time.

Another way that we are considering getting information out to you, the public, is through a County Facebook site. The challenge is how much of your tax dollars that we Publisher Thomas McKay want to invest in such an endeavor. Some FB sites just push out information. Others Associate Publisher Eric McKay allow posting, which means that they have to be monitored, which is expensive in terms of staff time. Then there is tweeting.

Editor Sean Rice How much is enough? That is the $64,000 question. Stay tuned as we do our best Office Manager Tobie Pulliam to find cost- effective answers.

Graphic Artist Angie Stalcup

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P. O. Box 250 . Hollywood, MD 20636 The Calvert Gazette is a weekly newspaper providing news and information for the residents of Calvert County. The Calvert Gazette will be available on newsstands every Thursday. The paper is published by Southern Maryland Publishing Company, which is responsible for the form, content, and policies of the newspaper. The Calvert Gazette does not espouse any political belief or endorse any product or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be signed and may be edited for length or content. The Calvert Gazette is not responsible for any claims made by its advertisers.

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

16

Local Artist Finds Inspiration in Horses

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer When Colleen Lochausen saw her last child leave the house, college bound, she decided it was time to live a little.

“I decided it was time to do something for me,” Lochausen said.

She began taking art courses, starting with drawing, painting and computer graphics.

She took her first sculpting class “kicking and screaming,” but soon fell in love with the art.

“I put my hands in clay and don’t know if I’ve painted since,” Lochausen said.

She said clay is definitely one of her favorite mediums.

“Clay gives me the ability to create,” she said.

She said the class started with sculpting people, but she wanted to try sculpting horses.

She went on the internet looking for a class that taught equine art, and ended up taking a weeklong course in Lexington, Ky. It was there that she learned the basics of horse art. “[The horse’s body is] basically a square,” Lochausen said.

Since her first piece, Lochausen has come a long way. One of her most recent works, Thunderdance, was accepted into the Ex Arte Equinus 4 Equine Art competition. She said of

1,000 international entries, only 96 were chosen and hers was one of them.

She also has three pieces, Thunderdance, Legs and The Wave, on display at the gallery in the Leonardtown Antique center.

Lochausen works out of her home studio, where she will generally have two or three works in progress at once.

Her sculptures are made initially of clay over a wire frame, then she works with other artists to make a wax “negative” which is used to cast the bronze replicas. The wax cast is not made of the entire piece but of sections, which are cast separately and reattached.

“They’ll destroy my piece to cast it in bronze,” Lochausen said.

The clay Lochausen uses is oil based, meaning it will not dry out and remains malleable for years after being removed from the packaging. The only problem is, if the clay gets too warm it becomes extremely soft and falls apart. Lochausen ran into this problem with one of her works in progress, Freedom. Rather than scrapping the project entirely, Lochausen saw this as an opportunity to improve the work.

“It was the best thing I could have done,” she said.

In addition to the pieces shown at the art gallery in the Leonardtown Antique Center, Lochausen has been involved in the living gal-

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lery at Annmarie Garden, where she hopes to return to, as well as other shows in the tricounty area.

She said she gets her inspiration from simple gestures and movements she sees in horses or pictures. Lochausen and her husband, Vern Lochausen, also raise Spanish Arabians. Lochausen said she has been around horses since she was 13, when her father bought a horse for $75 that Lochausen helped break.

In addition to showing her pieces, she takes pictures of them and posts them to her website as they progress.

For more information, or to see photos of works current and past, visit www.hoofbeatsonmyheart.com. sarahmiller@countytmes.net

17

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Spotlight On

October is Bullying Awareness Month

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Somewhere in Calvert County during a school bus ride one student in the back of the bus had a handful of candy he was willing to give to any other student willing to call another student names. The school’s administration found out about it that same morning and dealt with it immediately.

According to Calvert County Public School’s Policy and Communication Specialist Gail Hoerauf-Bennett, October is National Bullying Prevention Month.

“Bullying has existed for generations, but that does not mean that it is an acceptable behavior. It is, in fact, a learned behavior and is damaging to victims and bullies. By working together, we can eliminate bulling and harassment from our schools,’ Bennett said.

Mill Creek Middle School Principal Becca Bowen described a number of ways they plan to address bullying this year. First, former Maryland State Trooper Larry Titus and others started the year with three grade level assemblies discussing bullying. The guidance counselors went to all sixth grade classrooms to talk about bullying. In november the school is bringing in Camfel Productions for an assembly

on “Making Good Choices”, and a part of the program will include the topic of bullying.

“Camfel Productions is a non-profit organization specializing in three-screen multi-media assembly presentations motivating teens to recognize and fire up the possibilities inside each of us.

Camfel’s three-screen multi-media assemblies are seen by millions of students in the United States each year,” according to the website.

Another county-wide policy for addressing bullying is “anyone can report suspected bullying behavior by completing the Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation Reporting Form, which is available in each school and on the school system’s website (www.calvertnet. k12.md.us) in the Forms section of the Parent Information page,” according to Hoerauf-Bennett.

Bowen said when a form is completed the school’s administrators conduct an investigation, record the results and report to the school board.

One parent, whose child was bullied last year said, “I have nothing but positive comments. Last year we had a couple of incidents but they were dealt with immediately.” corrin@somdpublishing.net

Museum Hosts Homeschool Open House The Calvert Marine Museum is offering a Homeschool Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The event is open to all homeschoolers and their parents, but is most appropriate for elementary through middle school age children.

Homeschoolers will experience the mu-

Bullying Basics It is important to know what bullying is. In general, bullying is: • Using social or physical power against another person. Examples of this would be shoving, hitting, or intentionally keeping someone out of a popular social group.

• Hurting, scaring, or being mean to someone on purpose. Examples would include teasing in a mean way or spreading rumors about someone.

• Repeated – it is behavior that happens over and over.

Bullying can also take many forms. It can be: • Physical (shoving, hitting, tripping), • Verbal (name calling, taunting, teasing, racial slurs), • Non-verbal (nasty looks, excluding on purpose), or • Written – including cyber-bullying where individuals use emails, blogs, websites, text messaging, and other electronic means to inflict harm on someone.

seum’s three themes: paleontology, the envi- for one adult and one child. Each additional ronment and maritime history, a press release adult or sibling is $5. Pre-paid registration is states. There will be simultaneous 30-minute required and space is limited; please call 410scheduled programs repeated throughout the community 326-2042 ext.

41 early3:54 to reserve your1spot.

10/17/2011 PM Page day. Programs cover such topics as Life in the Marsh, Eco-Invaders, What Floats - which is followed by a boat building session, Fossils: Clues from the Past, Lighthouse Blues Clues, Mapping the Chesapeake with John Smith, Slavery on the Patuxent and special sessions that focus on various animals in the Estuarium.

Attendees will sign up for specific sessions when they arrive the day If you live, work, worship, go to school, or regularly conduct business of the event. For the full in St. Mary’s, Charles, or Calvert County, schedule, visit the website at www.calvertmarinemuyou and your family are invited to join Cedar Point Federal Credit Union. seum.com/education/education-youth-homeschool. php. The fee for the Homeschool Open House is $10

Cedar Point Federal Credit Union is now Open to the Community!

Pam Platt, long time CMM volunteer, shares her fossil knowledge with children.

New Instruments Offered in Raffle The Garrett Music Academy has been a long-time supporter of the Calvert Library through sponsorship of Calvert’s Next Idol, Teen Band Nights, gifts of gaming systems to draw teens into the library, and most recently, a donation of four brand new instruments to raffle off just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, a press release states.

The donations include a trombone, a full-size violin (or a fiddle if you prefer), a flute and a trumpet.

The instruments are donated through the Garrett Music Academy school band rental program but are in fact, brand new. They each come with a protective carrying case as well.

Raffle tickets are $1/each or six for $5 and you can mix or match what instrument you want to try for.

Tickets are available at all Calvert Library locations and the instruments are also traveling from branch to branch if you want to visit and see one in person. The drawing will be held November 23.

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The Calvert Gazette

Spotlight On

The Montessori Method According to the International Montessori Index website, the teaching method came from Dr. Maria Montessori, who believed “that each child is born with a unique potential to be revealed, rather than as a “blank slate” waiting to be written upon. Her main contributions to the work of those of us raising and educating children are in these areas: • Preparing the most natural and life-supporting environments for the child • Observing the child living freely in this environment • Continually adapting the environment in order that the child may fulfill his or her greatest potential, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Jana Sparenberg, 5, wrapped her tiny hand around the guest’s forefinger and escorted the newcomer around the play area. Jana rattled off all the names of her friends in between pointing out various pieces of equipment.

The Tidewater School, located in a split-level white house on Cox Road in Huntingtown, is more than a school to Jana, it’s her home and visitors are her guests.

“This little house is like going into someone’s home,” said Laura Amin, Head of School and primary teacher. “It’s very comfortable.”

The Tidewater School has been open for 26 years when speech and language pathologist Nancy Libertini moved from Connecticut into the area and didn’t find a school she felt was suitable for her children. She wanted a “hands-on” pre-school for her daughter. So Libertini went back to school and learned about the Montessori approach to learning.

The Tidewater School started off as a pre-school program and grew over the years to teach students up through the fifth grade. The classrooms are mixed age groups with integrated curriculum “all woven together into a comfortable natural flow

Thursday, October 20, 2011

18

Tidewater Exports Thinkers to learning,” said Amin.

The day of the visit, the third graders were learning history and one of the activities they were doing was finger knitting and knitting the way people would have during that time period. While two girls finger knitted, one young man knitted with needles, another young girl read through her book and a fourth seemed to be content observing.

“Our job as teachers is to be facilitators of learning,” said Amin. To that end, each student has an individualized curriculum. The teachers are constantly assessing the student where they are at and watching for “windows of opportunity” or a stage of development when the student’s attention is captured and they are enticed to learn something new.

The Tidewater School works with parents so that students, teachers and family are all one team.

The school brings in experts to conduct seminars.

“Our students are very successful and much School primary students play outside on tree stumps. Devon Stevenson, left, Jana more independent,” said Amin who went on to Tidewater Sparenberg, Riley O’Leary and Sophie Grigg. say that when the students graduate most enroll in public schools. Feedback they receive at the Tidewater School is the students “are thinkers. They ask more questions. They want to know why they are asked to do something.”

Amin is excited about the future of the school.

The house capacity is almost reached with 55 students enrolled. They are looking to move to another location with a larger house and more acreage.

Anyone with limbs and tree trunks left over from Hurricane Irene can contact the school about donating the materials to the school’s new playground and nature trail.

For more information about the school and dates for their upcoming open houses, call 410257-0533 or go to www.thetidewaterschool.org. corrin@somdpublishing.net Photos by Corrin M. Howe Sam Rodilosso, left, Meg Behe, Breanna Gott and Leah McGrane are learning how to knit for the history lesson.

Changing Behavior Culture One School At a Time

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Research has shown there is a direct correlation between the decrease in referrals for bad behavior and an increase in school assessments, according to Kate Stroh, Calvert County Public School’s primary contact for Maryland PBIS. PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) is a “process, not a curriculum” to change a paradigm or school culture in which adults model the behaviors they want to see in the students, said Kim Roof, Director of Student Services.

In 1999, Calvert Elementary School was among the first public schools to implement the national program established by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education.

The goal of the interventions is to reduce disruptive behavior across the entire school in order to have more focused time on teaching. The program is a principle-based method to focus the entire school community on three to five behaviors which the school wants to see displayed among its students, staff and community.

In Calvert County most of the schools have chosen to focus on the “Three Rs” Respect, Responsibility and Reliability. However each school comes up with its own set of behaviors.

Plum Point Middle School’s mascot is the Gator, so their school is focusing on BITE or Be

respectful, Integrity matters, Take responsibility, Expect excellence.

Plum Point has a matrix outlining what these behaviors may look like in various school settings. Being Respectful in the bathroom means flushing the toilet, Expect Excellence in the cafeteria means eating a healthy lunch, and Integrity Matters in the classroom when a student tells the truth.

All of the schools in Calvert practice the PBIS principals; however, only 20 of 23 have received the official training. The cost to run the program within the county is in the train-

ing budget Roof submits to the board to train and provide continuing education for teachers and staff.

Otherwise, each school is responsible for raising its own funds to purchase any incentives the students may receive for their “gotchas.” Anytime a child is “caught” displaying the focused behavior, any adult in the community (teachers, building maintenance, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers) can give the student a “ticket” or slip of paper produced by the PBIS team. These tickets can be turned in for trinkets in the school store, entered into raffles for

prizes or saved up for pizza parties. Each school determines the rewards.

Stroh said the younger students are easily motivated by the tickets themselves, or trinkets or “patio passes” to eat outside with a friend.

High school students are more of a challenge. They tend to use their tickets for chances in raffles for gift certificates, electronics or unusual rewards like sitting on a couch in the end zone at a homecoming game. corrin@somdpublishing.net

Photo by Sean Rice Last year, Mill Creek Middle School students participated in a PBIS program where they used their hard-earned “Diamond Bucks” to buy Christmas presents for themselves and their families.

19

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Mary Bateman, 87 Mary Beatrice “Bea” Fuller Bateman, 87, of Loveville, MD, died October 13, 2011 in Bushwood, MD. Born on November 10, 1923 in Clements, MD, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Grover and Mary Gwynetee Ching. She was the loving wife of the late Notley “Shortie” Bateman whom she married in January, 1997 in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, MD, and preceded her in death on July 20, 2011.

Mrs. Bateman is survived by her children; Danny Fuller (Kathy) and Eddie Fuller (Sharon) both of Loveville, MD. Mrs. Bateman is also survived by her step children; Chester Bateman of Prince George’s County, MD, Robert Bateman of New Holland, MI, William Bateman of Calvert County, MD, Donald Bateman of St. Mary’s County, MD, and Kathy Payne of New Bern, NC, a brother Raymond Ching of Lexington Park, MD, 5 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her siblings; Aloysius Ching, Mildred Lacey, and Johnny Ching. Mrs. Bateman graduated in 1940 from Margaret Brent High School, Mechanicsville, MD. Mrs. Bateman was a Supply Administrator with the Federal Government for 35 years, and was a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County. She enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and singing with the “Vibes” group at the Senior Center.

The family received friends on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home where prayers were recited at 6:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 10:00 AM in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, MD with Fr. John Caulfield officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be; Donny Fuller, Bobby Fuller, Wayne Stewart, Bryan Thomas, Timmy Quade, and Jim Bailey.

Contributions may be made in memory of Mary Beatrice “Bea” Fuller Bateman to Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD and/or Leonardtown Vol. Fire Department, P.O. Box 50, Leonardtown, MD 20650. To leave a condolence for the family please visit www.mgf h.com.

Arrangements provided by the MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.

Allen Brown, 47 Allen Raymond Brown, of North Beach, MD, passed away on October 11, 2011.

He was the loving father of Allen “AJ” Raymond Brown, Jr. and Aaron Robert Brown, the son of Randy and Bea Brown and

The Calvert Gazette

brother of Amon Brown, III (Bonnie), Linda Johnson (Tim), Dottie Holtzclaw, Barbara Hayes (Mike) and the late Arnie Brown.

He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other family and friends.

The famil received friends on Friday, Oct. 14 at Lee Funeral Home in Owings, were funeral services were held. Interment followed at Chesapeake Highlands Memorial Gardens, Port Republic, MD. Pallbearers included Allen “AJ” Brown, Jr., Aaron Brown, Craig Johnson, Randy Brown, Donnie Holtzclaw and Cory Hayes.

Honorary pallbearers included Alec Brown and Craig Hayes.

Patricia Kokosko, 83 Patricia Anna Kokosko, 83, a resident of Summit Park Health and Rehabilitation Center in Catonsville, MD passed away October 12, 2011.

She was born February 17, 1928 in Houtzdale, PA to George and Mary (Kordiak) Kokosko.

She was raised in Houtzdale and was a graduate of the Clearfield (Pennsylvania) Hospital School of Nursing. She was a Registered Nurse and worked in the field of group health insurance. Patricia lived in the Washington D.C. area for 64 years, including 25 years in North Beach, MD. She was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic in North Beach where she volunteered with the Ladies of Charity and was a member of the church choir.

Patricia was preceded in death by her parents and by nine siblings including her brothers George, John, Thomas, and William Kokosko, and her sisters Mary Rodgers, Margaret vandeVelde, Evelyn Burns, Cathryn Moore and Frances Arenson.

She is survived by a sister Regina Kokosko Flores of Merced, CA and by numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation for family and friends was held Monday October 17, 2011 from 7-9 PM at Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., 8325 Mt. Harmony Lane, Owings, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10:00 AM Tuesday October 18, 2011 at St. Anthony’s Church. Interment was Wednesday October 19, 2011 at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Brisbin, PA. In lieu of f lowers, expressions of sympathy in Patricia’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Southern Maryland Chapter, 511 Charles St., LaPlata, MD 20646.

born on February 23, 1918 in Hollywood, MD and married Lewis Stephen Montgomery on January 26, 1940 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Mechanicsville, MD. Mary attended St. John’s Catholic School in Hollywood, MD; and was an excellent seamstress, gardener and homemaker.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Grace Elizabeth Greenwell and John Joseph Greenwell, her beloved husband of 70 years Lewis Stephen Montgomery, six brothers and six sisters.

Mary is survived by her children, Barbara Jones and spouse Paul of Hedgesville, WVA, Linda Dyer and spouse Bill of Lusby, MD, Carolyn Magill of Hughesville, MD, June Groft of Riva, MD, and Dwight Montgomery and spouse Linda of Waldorf, MD; siblings, Cryilla Clark of Hollywood, MD and Delores Cecil of Loveville, MD; 15 Grandchildren, 25 Great Grandchildren, and 17 Great-Great Grandchildren.

The family received friends on Monday, October 17, 2011 from 2-4 and 6-8 PM in the Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., 20 American Lane, Lusby, MD. Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 11 AM in St. John’s Catholic Church, 43927 St. John’s Road Hollywood, MD 20636 with Father Eamon Dignan officiating. Interment followed in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Hollywood, MD. Pallbearers were Bill Dyer, Bruce Dyer, Michael Dyer, Alan Gray, Rick Magill, Billy Montgomery, and Nicholas Dyer. Sean Gray served as an honorary pallbearer.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mary’s memory to Calvert Hospice, P. O. Box 838, Prince Frederick, MD 20678, (donations are encourage on-line at www. calverthospice.org) or to the St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Dept. and Rescue Squad, 200 Calvert Beach Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685.

Arrangements by Rausch Funeral Home, P. A., Lusby, www.rauschfuneralhomes.com.

George Zimmerman, 85 George William “Bill” Zimmerman, 85, of Rose Haven, MD died October 16, 2011 at his residence. He was born December 18, 1925 in Washington DC to George W. and Birtha (Simpson) Zimmerman.

Bill was raised and educated in D.C. public schools and attended Eastern High School. On June 16, 1943 he joined the

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Mary Montgomery, 93 Mary Alberta Montgomery, 93, of Lusby, MD passed away on October 14, 2011 at her residence in Lusby, MD. She was

United States Navy and was discharged as a Radioman, Third Class on April 2, 1946.

After his discharge he worked with his father in the home furnishings business. Bill went to work for Meyer Furniture Company in Washington in 1947 and remained there for 37 years until opening his own business in 1984.

Bill married Dorothy Edwards Zimmerman in 1949. She died in 1976. In 1982 Bill married Vivian “Hazel” Bagwell King in Silver Spring, MD. The couple lived in Silver Spring until moving to Rose Haven shortly after he retired in 1990. Bill was a former member of Stallings Williams Post 206 American Legion in Chesapeake Beach and a former member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Silver Spring. He was also a former leader of Boy Scout Troop 441 in Silver Spring. Bill enjoyed doing daily crossword puzzles, boating, fishing but most of all spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Surviving are his wife Vivian “Hazel” Zimmerman of Rose Haven; children Dennis B. Zimmerman and his wife Nancy of Rose Haven, Joyce A. Raffo and her husband Pete of Elkridge, MD and J. Allen King of North Beach, MD; eleven grandchildren; eighteen great grandchildren and a sister Ruth Heigh of Silver Spring, MD. He was preceded in death by a son Joseph M. King.

The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 at Rausch Funeral Home, Owings, where funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Inurnment will be private.

Memorial contributions can be made to the American Diabetes Association, Washington DC-MD Office, 1025 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 1005, Washington, DC 20036-4106.

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ner

KiddKioer

CLUES ACROSS 1. Posttraumatic stress disorder 5. Brewed beverage 9. Where wine ferments, abbr.

12. “Rule, Britania” composer 13. Used to stop a vehicle 14. Macaws 15. Days (Spanish) 16. Liquid food dressings 17. A male ferret 18. Davenport 19. Hyperbolic cosecant 20. Accepted practice 22. A salt of sulphuric acid 24. Bombax ceiba 25. Rock 26. ____berry: bog fruit 27. Overdose 28. Madames 31. Marked by complexity of detail 33. Catbrier genus 34. 1/1000 of an ampere 35. A country in SE Asia 36. Satisfies fully

Thursday, October 20, 2011

39. Dimension 40. Bet 42. NW German seaport 43. An academic gown 44. Sour to the taste 46. Monkey 47. Comes to the same value 49. Dry (esp. of vegetation) 50. Vietnam Veterans Memorial artist 51. Napped leather 52. Mild yellow Dutch cheese 53. Tooth caregiver 54. Impertinence 55. Art ____,1920’s design

CLUES DOWN

1. A lily’s floating leaves 2. IIIs 3. Goofs 4. Remove salt 5. __ Lee, kung fu actor 6. Every one considered individually 7. Supplement with difficulty

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8. A way to bring back 9. Nassau is the capital 10. Heavy work shoe 11. A descriptive marker 13. Sew temporarily 16. A disgraceful event 21. “Yes -- Bob” - absolutely 23. The trait of acting stupidly 28. Smoked salmon 29. Atomic #18 30. Restitution 31. Give expression on stage 32. College degree 33. Makes unhappy 35. Clear or transparent 36. Hair used for artist’s brushes 37. Removed pencil marks 38. Withdraw from a union 39. Wooded district (Br.) 40. Isatis tinctorias 41. Physicist Paul Adrien Maurice 43. Feels regret 45. Exhibit usage 48. By virtue of being

Last Week’s Puzzle Solutions

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Calvert Gazette The Calvert Gazette is always looking for more local talent to feature! To submit art or band information for our entertainment section, e-mail sarahmiller@countytimes.net.

Monsters, Aliens on the Loose at Greenstreet Gardens

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Kids and adults alike are ushered onto the wagon that takes them to the play area and corn maze entrance, first touring the grounds which have been invaded by aliens, much to the distaste of the monsters that call Greenstreet Gardens home.

It’s that time of year again. The folks at Greenstreet Gardens are giving back to their cus-

tomers and the community by holding their sixth annual Fall Festival.

Ray Greenstreet, co-owner of Greenstreet Gardens, said the Fall Festival came about when he and his wife, Stacy, were looking for different ways to draw visitors and revenue into the gardens through agritourism.

“Fall’s kind of a family time,” Greenstreet said.

To celebrate fall and the families that visit the gardens, the Fall Festival was started and has been growing ever since.

Greenstreet said the theme of Fall Festival changes every year. This year’s theme is Monsters versus Aliens.

“We try to pick something that we can have fun with,” said Kevin Moran, the marketing director with Greenstreet Gardens.

It’s all hands on deck to get the facility prepared for the Fall Festival, Moran said, with people setting up displays in the woods and getting the kiddy haunted house ready, along with the children’s activities at the end of the hay ride.

New at Fall Festival this year is a jumping pillow. Old favorites returning again are the 40foot underground slide, the straw bale maze, face and hair painting and the cow train ride.

There is also a 5-acre corn maze for the older crowd. While the straw bale maze for the children is short enough for parents to look in and see their kids, the corn maze is taller than most adults. Flags are given to participants before they enter, which can be used to signal for assistance if a person gets hopelessly lost.

Greenstreet said to ensure the corn is still tall and green for the festival, it is not planted until July.

For teens and adults looking for a frightening night out, the corn maze is open for Moonlight Maze Oct. 21, 28 and 29 from 7-10 p.m.

Greenstreet said people should dress appropriately for the evening event, and bring a flashlight to help guide themselves through the maze.

“It’s for people looking for a scare,” Moran said.

The Fall Festival is open every weekend in October. Tickets are $11 per person, with military and senior discounts available. The price of admission covers all activities.

“We don’t nickel and dime people,” Greenstreet said.

The last ticket is sold at 4 p.m., and the festival closes at 6 p.m.

For the four-legged family members, there is a Dog Howl’o’ween Costume Contest Oct. 22.

Times and activities are subject to cancellation due to weather. To check what activities are open, call 410-867-9500 or visit Greenstreet Garden’s Facebook page.

For more information, visit www.gardencentermd.com. Greenstreet Gardens is located at 391 West Bay Front Road in Lothian. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

Photos by Sarah Miller

Out&About • On Friday, October 21, Gordon Bok, American folksinger and songwriter will appear live at the Calvert Marine Museum. Bok’s repertoire consists of a rich trove of ballads of Maine and the Maritimes, songs and dances of the Americas and abroad and stories of boats and sailors. He has recorded over 20 albums and plays at concert halls, festivals and folk clubs throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Scandanavia. He will also sing his own composition of sea folk tales, contemporary songs and instrumentals. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. in the museum auditorium. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, visit www.calvertmarinemuseum.ticketforce.com.

• On Sunday, October 23, at 2 p.m., Calvert Marine Museum’s Sunday Conversations with Chesapeake Authors series features Ralph Eshelman, author of “A Travel Guide to the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake.” A world traveler, scientist, historian, Renaissance Man, Calvert County resident and previous director of the Calvert Marine Museum, Eshelman never fails to enlighten and entertain. He will lead a historical tour following the steps of the American and British troops during the summer of 1814. Sunday Conversations with Chesapeake Authors is free and open to the public. The series is sponsored by The Patuxent Partnership with support from the Holiday Inn Solomons. www. calvertmarinemuseum.com • Looking for something SPOOKtacular to do for Halloween? Bring the family to Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center for a safe and spook-free daytime trickor-treating event on Saturday, October 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dress the whole family and en-

The Calvert Gazette

joy trick-or-treating in the garden and unique photo opportunities with boo-tiful decorations! Children can meander through the woods along the paved pathway, free of vehicles, to receive candy from nonprofit organizations and local businesses. Free art activities provided. One dollar admission benefits the Holiday Food Basket Program. Visit online for more information: www.annmariegarden.org.

• On Saturday, October 22, Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum will host Girl Scout Native American Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Explore Southern Maryland’s Native American heritage to learn who lived, and continues to live, in this region. Visit the Indian village, work in the native garden and experience cooking with Native American techniques.

Advanced registration is required. For more information, call 410-586-8501 or visit www.jefpat.org.

• On Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23, the Markland Medieval Mercenary Militia presents the 43rd annual reenactment of “The Battle of Hastings” at Kings Landing Park, Huntingtown, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Battle of Hastings occurred on October 14, 1066, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II. Activities will include a battle reenactment, living history encampment, combat and horse demonstrations. You may also view two reconstructed Viking ships. For more information, visit www.markland.org.

• The Chesapeake Beach Water Park celebrates Halloween on Sunday, October 23, with a free family event, Halloween Family Fun Night at the Water Park. Come in costume from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to wander through

Thursday, October 20, 2011

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the haunted river and trick or treat throughout the park for Halloween treats supplied by the Town and local merchants. For more information, call 410-257-2230 or 301-855-8398. (www. chesapeake-beach.md.us) • Join the Calvert Library for an evening of Halloween thrills and chills on Wednesday and Thursday, October 26 and 27. This family story time is designed for little ones from birth to five years of age. Wear your costumes! Visit http://calvert.lib. md.us to find the time and date your local library will host Halloween Evening Story Time.

• The Calvert Marine Museum offers a regular lecture series on paleontology, the environment and maritime history (PEM Talks). The Thursday, October 27, PEM Talk features Kirsti Uunila, historic planner for Calvert County, presenting the “Legacy of Segregation.”

Using churches, graveyards, school records, oral histories, settlement patterns, court records, population data, photographs, letters and family stories, Uunila will share her research on the history of African Americans in Calvert County. The lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the auditorium and there is no cost. www.calvertmarinemuseum.com • Fall Ladies Day at the Point Bazaar at the Drum Point Club, Lusby, will be held on Saturday, October 29, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Over 20 artists, crafters and vendors will participate and the Lotus Kitchen will offer lunch. Funds from vendordonated raffle prizes will be donated to the SMILE Food Pantry.

For more information, call 410-326-6669 or email carolepurcell@hughes.net.

• Join the American Chestnut Land Trust for a fall colors hike at Double Oak Farm on Saturday, October 29, from 1 to 3 p.m. Enjoy beautiful fall foliage and autumnal views of Parkers Creek and the Chesapeake Bay. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Registration is required, www.acltweb.org.

• On Saturday, October 29, the Calvert Marine Museum offers a “Monster Mash Cruise” and costume contest. Little goblins and their families are welcomed to cruise aboard the “Wm. B. Tennison” from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Adults $7, Children 5-12 $5, children 4 and under $4. Preregistration is required. Call 410-3262042 ext. 41 or visit online www.calvertmarinemuseum.com.

• Join the fun at the North Beach boardwalk with BOOfest on Saturday, October 29, beginning at 2 p.m. Children can parade in costume on the boardwalk for prizes in a variety of categories. Local businesses will provide a safe place for children to trick or treat for candy. Face painting and other activities will be available. End your day at Tan’s Cycle for the Halloween train display. A free movie on the beach will be shown at dusk. For more information, call 310-855-6681 or 410-257-9618. www. northbeachmd.org For additional events, visit www.ecalvert.com.

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The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Good Nasty Weather

By Keith McGuire Many of the people I know – working and retired – are either avid anglers or hunters. Several of them go over the top for both outdoor pursuits. Being one of the latter, this particular week is one filled with anxiety.

Fishing is winding down from the all out blitz of many different species of fish and crabs to be caught in the warmer months to a selection of the best known fish for the region.

Largemouth bass, crappie and catfish dominate the sweet water scene, while white perch and rockfish become more common catches in the rivers and the Bay. Weather plays a big part in these adventures, and most anglers will find something else to do if it is going to be windy or rainy.

This week marks the beginning of the Early Muzzleloader Deer Season on Thursday. A lot of us will be grabbing the “poke poles” and heading to the woods for a chance at an early buck. A hunter participating in this early muzzleloader season is allowed one buck on Thursday, Friday or Saturday and only antlerless deer all next week. Avid hunters began preparations weeks ago with scouting, sighting in, cleaning and de-scenting hunting clothing, and other such tasks. You can’t just grab the musket and head for the woods.

The long range weather forecast for the week is, well, a long range weather guess. Since I’m planning to be in the woods, I would prefer cold and breezy weather with a very light drizzle for the next three days. Sitting in a tree stand with balmy

Dotty Vee Floating High!

On the

Water

The Ordinary

Angler

temperatures, light wind and crystal clear sunshine makes me wish I was fishing. Really nice autumn days cause my better half to wish I was home doing yard work. A cold, nasty drizzle helps me focus on hunting and reduces the chatter about things that need to be done around the house.

I managed to get out last week and fish with my long-time friend Captain Bruno Vasta on the Dotty Vee. His brother-in-law, Corky Kirk, was in town from Hawaii and they wanted to troll up a few big stripers. Other long-time friends, Tom Kemp, Jerry Gaff and Curt Barrett joined us as we headed toward the Bay at 7:00 AM on Thursday.

The weather was not so good, and the winds – predicted to be easy – picked up to the level of “snotty” at around 1:00 PM. The fish? Well, someone forgot to tell the really big fish that we were coming. We managed to put three decent stripers and about 15 bluefish in the box before we called it a day.

As with many fishing trips, it was as much an opportunity to catch up with one another as it was to put fish on the table.

We traded stories and jokes all day long to return at a very high tide pushed up the Bay by the strong south wind. The dock was under 6 inches of water, so we had to take off our shoes and wade ashore; a first for Captain Bruno.

If you fish this weekend, I hope you don’t have to wade

ashore. If you hunt this weekend, wish for some good nasty weather.

Don’t forget to take a picture of your catch – or your deer – and send it to me with a report at the email address below. riverdancekeith@gmail.com.

Keith has been a recreational angler on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for over 50 years; he fishes weekly from his small boat during the season, and spends his free time supporting local conservation organizations.

Rainwater Gardens to Reduce Chesapeake Pollution

By Richelle Gonzalez Capital News Service Gardens that filter rainwater to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay will be planted in Prince George’s County, the Environmental Protection Agency announced last week.

The four gardens, which will be installed in Bladensburg and nearby cities, will be paid for in part by a $10.9 million EPA grant that will also fund 54 other projects to help clean up the bay.

The rain gardens will be fashioned from a special mix of soils and plants that will allow rainwater to be absorbed, while filtering harmful phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment that would otherwise flow to the Anacostia River and the bay.

Leaders in Bladensburg and surrounding cities will work with residents to determine where to place the gardens, said Neil Weinstein, executive director of the Low Impact Development Center, the organization that designed the gardens.

The pollution-reduction projects will be spread across the Chesapeake watershed states -- Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware -- and Washington, D.C. Together, the projects are expected to prevent 600,000 tons of sediment, 2 million pounds of nitrogen and 700,000 pounds of phosphorus from entering the bay, according to the EPA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which administered the grants.

The projects will also preserve 3,729 acres of land in the Chesapeake watershed, restore 32 miles of stream and river banks and improve stormwater management on 2,878 acres, the EPA said.

The $10.9 million in EPA grant funds will be matched by $16 million from grant recipients to finance the projects. Other projects will retool fire station roofs in Washington, D.C., to capture and reuse stormwater, remove invasive species in Frederick County, and lobby homeowners in Virginia to reduce fertilizer use.

State and local officials gathered at Bladensburg Town Hall to begin a tour of sites in the region where some of the projects funded by the grants will be located.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., chairman of the Senate Water and Wildlife subcommittee, said that projects would help to clean up the bay while also creating green jobs.

“Wherever we live in the state of Maryland ... anything we do has an impact on the Chesapeake Bay,” Cardin said in an interview.

MHBR No. 103