Thursday, December 8, 2011
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The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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Christmas Caring program recipient, Maria Long, right, hugs Kathleen Bellinger with tears in her eyes and gratitude for the delivery of a Christmas tree with all the trimmings.
-Del Anthony J. O’Donnell, talking about possible state tax increases that will hurt rural areas. county
Johnny Knott, on his 30-acre farm in Mechanicsville, is pressing ahead with his proposal to open a meat processing facility on his farm.
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Solomons Volunteer Fire Department members hose down a houseboat engulfed in flames Tuesday night, moored at Placid Harbor Way in Hollywood.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
ews Gas Station Demolition Removes Eyesore By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Motorists on Great Mills Road honked their horns and even leaned out of their car windows clapping as a backhoe tore down one of two abandoned gas stations Wednesday at the intersection with Chancellors Run Road. For more than a decade both stations have epitomized the degradation of the Great Mills Road corridor that was once the center of commerce for much of the county. The razed building had long been owned by Besche Oil but was recently sold to Malbec Properties for $450,000, according to information from the county’s Community Development Corporation. “It’s great to get that kind of response from the street,” said Robin Finnacom, director of the Community Development Corporation as the building was being torn down. There are no plans as of yet to redevelop the property once the rubble is cleared away, according to the development corporation.
Malbec Properties LLC is part of Cherry Cove Property Management and its chief operating officer, Brian Norris said that whatever development goes there should be “community serving” in nature. “The best thing would not be a convenience store or gas station,” Norris said. “Maybe a pharmacy … it can’t just be anything to go there.” Norris said much will depend on the master plan for Lexington Park and how it will guide redevelopment; that plan has yet to make it to the Board of County Commissioners for a vote. Wednesday’s demolition was a welcome achievement, especially after a false start back in 2009 that saw the county commissioner board reject proposals to seek federal grant money of almost $600,000 that could have been used to demolish the old structure. County commissioners claimed using the grant money would have been a developer bailout and instead focused attention on strengthening ordinances against blighted properties. A task force recently finished recommendations that gave the county more authority against such properties and elected
officials will consider adding them to county regulations. guyleonard@countytimes.net
County Commissioner Todd Morgan stands amid the rubble of an old gas station on Great Mills Road that had blighted the community for years.
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The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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ews Judge Appointment Expected Soon Meat Processing Farm Could By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Four nominees for a vacant Circuit Court judge seat here in St. Mary’s County are waiting to see who will get the nod from Gov. Martin O’Malley. The position was vacated by C. Clarke Raley, who was nearing mandatory retirement age of 70. Deputy State’s Attorney Theodore Weiner, Leonardtown attorney David Densford, California attorney Brian Dugan and former County Administrator Al Lacer were all nominated in September by a 13-member nominating panel, which consisted in part of lawyers from St. Mary’s and Calvert counties. Densford told The County Times on Tuesday that he interviewed with O’Malley several weeks ago and he expects the governor’s decision between the four choices to come any day now. Densford said his meeting with O’Malley and his legal staff was a singular experience. “It was a great experience and I appreciate their hospitality,” Densford said of his talks with O’Malley. Densford said O’Malley and his law-
yers quizzed him not only on his experience but also about the state of affairs in St. Mary’s County. “I told them the judge who left had done most of the jury trials, and as a former public defender who has tried jury trials for 27 years I could do that [job.],” Densford said. Densford said he knew of no specific date for the nomination; the governor recently returned from an official trip to India to drum up business opportunities for the state. “I hope to get the appointment, but if he wants to take his time I understand,” Densford said. Weiner declined to comment on the substance of his interview with O’Malley. “I would never discuss that, that’s between the governor and me,” Weiner said. Calls to both Lacer and Dugan for comment this week went unanswered as of press time Wednesday. The new appointee will fill Raley’s vacant seat until the 2012 General Election, when the seat will come up for election. Any county attorney can file to run for the 15-year term. guyleonard@countytimes.net
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Help Budding Industry
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
be the only vehicle traveling to and from the site. County officials said because of the novA farmer looking to establish a processing elty of Knott’s original slaughterhouse proposfacility on his farm to allow for the butchering, al, there was confusion over whether that plan freezing and sale of locally raised meats will amounted to a major or minor agricultural use. get the chance to present his case to the zoning The appeals board will decide whether appeals board in January. or not they will grant a conditional use to the Johnny Knott, who faced community op- newly proposed processing facility, which has position last year when he attempted to estab- been deemed a major agricultural use, accordlish a slaughterhouse on his Mechanicsville ing to county documents. property, says his latest proposal would still “It’s a murky issue, we’ve never done what benefit farmers in the tri-county region while he’s asking,” said Bob Schaller, director of the having a smaller impact than his initial plan. St. Mary’s Department of Economic and ComThe hearing was originally planned for munity Development. Schaller added that such a facility would mean much lower costs for local farmers who want to raise livestock for meat sale; currently they must ship their meat to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-certified facility in either Virginia or Northern Maryland for processing. Having a processing facility locally, Johnny Knott, on his 30-acre farm in Mechanicsville, is pressing ahead with his however small at first, makes sense to kickproposal to open a meat processing facility on his farm. start another agricultural industry in Caltonight but the zoning appeals board could not vert, St. Mary’s and Charles counties, Schaller reach a quorum, necessitating a hearing exam- said. iner. But, citizens who live near the proposed Knott said the trailer he proposes to transsite complained they should be allowed to have port the already-slaughtered animals to his a hearing before the full board to ensure the in- processing facility would be able to carry no tegrity of the process and allow their input to more than seven beef carcasses at one time, be heard. limiting the traffic on Reeves Road. County government, shortly afterward, “It’s not going to have any impact, no directed the meeting date be changed. noise, no smell, no traffic,” Knott told The Knott’s plan is to have the processing fa- County Times. “The USDA man will be right cility receive the slaughtered local meat from there to put his stamp on it.” surrounding farms via a mobile freezer unit in Because many Southern Maryland farmthe form of a vehicle trailer. ers abandoned farming tobacco to take part County records of the project show the fa- in the state-sponsored buyout 10 years ago, cility would only be used for aging, cutting and Knott said new industries are needed to stay packaging meat and would be situated 800 feet profitable. from Reeves Road on Knott’s 30-acre farm. “I hope they go back to livestock to save The mobile meat trailer, was well as two their farms,” Knott said. fixed trailers on the site, are designed to prevent the escape of odors, animal byproducts guyleonard@countytimes.net and gray water. The mobile meat truck would
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
ews Defense Secretary to Visit Pax River By Guy Leonard Staff Writer U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is set to visit Patuxent River NAS on Friday to discuss the Joint Strike Fighter program, otherwise known as the F-35. Panetta has said publicly he is certain funding can be found for the F-35 fighter despite the recent failure of the congressional “super committee” to come up with more than $1 trillion in spending cuts. Defense contractors around the nation as well as allies across the globe have expressed worry that the F-35 project would fail – if the super committee failed there was talk of $600 billion in cuts which could push the Joint Strike
Fighter out of production. Panetta told Canadian defense minister Peter MacKay in mid-November that the U.S. is committed to finishing out the F-35 project. “Let me make very clear that the United States is committed to the development of the F-35,” Panetta said at a meeting in Nova Scotia. “The F-35 is going to be an essential fighter that will Secretary Leon Panetta help in NORAD and will be the future in helping us with the security
challenges that we face.” The Joint Strike Fighter is one of the marquis programs at Patuxent River NAS as well, with some 600 people working on the testing and evaluation of the aircraft for use by the Navy, Marine Corp and foreign allies. The fighter is noted for its compact design, advanced avionics and weapons systems as well as its unique short take off and vertical landing technology (STOVL). But the program has been plagued with cost issues in recent years. During his nomination hearings over the
Republicans Warn of State Tax Hikes By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Sales tax money that went into the Transportation Trust Fund last year is now being funneled into the state general fund instead. To help rebuild the fund, there are murmurs among state officials of raising the gas tax and other transportation taxes, which are supposed to go directly into the transportation set-aside. Unfortunately, just because the funds are slated to go into a dedicated fund doesn’t mean that is what they get used for, a fact Delegate Mark Fisher (R-27B) discussed during a recent town hall meeting in North Beach. He said raising taxes to rebuild trust funds will do nothing unless there are also laws passed to put “lock boxes” on the trust funds, preventing the monies from being used for other purposes, such as helping to balance the state budget. House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-29C) echoed Fisher’s concerns,
saying raising the taxes to replenish the trust funds will only serve to give the state more money unless preventative measures are taken to make sure the trust fund money is used for its intended purpose. Getting such legislation passed, though, would be “difficult” because of the amount of people who would have to vote to close those loopholes. “The government gets creative when they spend more than they make,” O’Donnell said. Potential tax increases include motor fuel taxes, increased registration fees and titling taxes, among other things. O’Donnell said the taxes punish the rural areas of Maryland, like Calvert and St. Mary’s counties, by making it more expensive to own cars and drive from location to location, a necessity in rural Maryland. This type of proposition, which would have the most negative impact on less urban areas of the state, has become common for Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, in O’Donnell’s opinion. “The governor is engaged in a war with rural Maryland,” O’Donnell said.
He said in addition to being difficult for rural areas, the transportation taxes would be difficult for the state as a whole to swallow. “In my opinion, the government can’t withstand the gas tax,” O’Donnell said. Raquel Guillory, communications director with Governor O’Malley’s office, said O’Malley has no such grudge against rural Maryland, adding the tax increases were a recommendation from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Maryland Transportation Funding – a recommendation which may or may not be supported by the governor. “We have not finalized any plans in regard to potential revenue enhancements,” Guillory said. As for the gas tax increase having a disproportionate effect on people in rural areas, she said there are also people in urban areas that use a lot of gas commuting into the cities and sitting in traffic. She said before anything is done, they have to study the idea and its potential impact on all residents of Maryland.
Local Tax Increases Debated By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Members of the state legislative delegation met with the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday night to discuss legislative proposals from the county, which include a hike in the hotel tax by 50 percent as well as a bid to give the county authority to collect a sales tax on short-term car rentals. Both measures have the support of Commissioner Todd Morgan (R-Lexington Park) as ways to drum up county revenues without encumbering county citizens. Morgan has said that either tax would target businesses and contractors traveling to St. Mary’s for work. Morgan called the sales tax on rental cars “one of my off-the-wall out-of-the-box ideas.” House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Dist. 29C) said that such a bill might have unintended consequences of actually reducing revenue from such sales. He was concerned that many of the rentals might actually come from county residents traveling out of town. “It actually may have the opposite effect,” O’Donnell said. Both Del. John Wood (D-Dist. 29A) and Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R-Golden Beach) said that increasing the hotel tax could force business to Calvert or even Charles counties. “Larry and I don’t often agree, but we agree on this,” Wood said. “I don’t know that these companies [that rent hotel space] would put up with that.” Other bills under consideration include: • Allowing the county to operate school buses for 15 years instead of 12 as long as they meet safety standards; • Correcting typographical errors due to legislative changes that affected the Metropolitan Commission back in 2007; • Revising requirements for serving on the Agricultural Advisory
summer, Panetta was questioned by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman specifically about the F-35 program, which the senator labeled as $150 billion over budget. Panetta responded by saying that even in tough budget times the defense industry and government had developed bad habits in not achieving all the cost savings they could on critical projects, instead believing that their products would always be purchased regardless of price. “We’re dealing with a culture we somehow have to change,” Panetta said at the time. “I’m absolutely convinced there’s a way to achieve cost savings.”
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Committee to allow those actively practicing farming for profit; current rules require they earn half their income from farming; • Permitting sale of locally-produced wines at the Maryland Department of Agriculture farmers’ markets in the county; • A bond bill for $353,513 to complete state highway requirements and other items at the Home Grown Farm Market; • Allowing a small distillery in the county; • Clarifying when the Redistricting Board is to be appointed; • Creating a property tax credit for disabled veterans or a surviving spouse; • Allowing the Building Trades Foundation to be exempt from building P1633 impact fees; • Reducing taxable income on physicians with military experience who relocate to St. Mary’s County; and, • Exempting the county from the requirement that real property taxes be paid in advance when real property is transferred to the county.
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The County Times
ews State Report Shows Deep Mismanagement of Highway Contracts By Guy Leonard Staff Writer An audit released late last week shows the State Highway Administration, along with certain contractors it employed to inspect taxpayer funded construction projects, deliberately mismanaged funds in the amount of $11.3 million and steered those monies toward projects other than intended to conceal the overspending. By using funds for projects they were not appropriated for, SHA and the contractors circumvented the Board of Public Works, which must give final approval for using money for any other state endeavor, the audit stated. Also, the cost of certain contracts could not adequately be measured because paperwork attached to each job was not outlined with specific goals, the report from the Office of Legislative Audits stated. This latest audit is the second in recent weeks to criticize major state agencies and their use of tax payer dollars; a previous audit of the Maryland Department of the Environment showed that there was not enough oversight on the awarding of $1.1 million in grant money from the Bay Restoration Fund to contractors installing septic systems. Nearly all of that money was spread between two contractors – the report called the expenditures questionable. It also chided MDE for telling officials it had fully implemented a permit and inspection database to keep track of septic system usage, but the audit’s finding showed it had not. The contract price to install the electronic database was $6.4 million but MDE so far has spent $7.8 million.
House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Dist.29C) said both audits fly in the face of some elected officials’ push for an increase in both the “flush tax” and the gasoline tax. O’Donnell has been a frequent critic of increasing the gasoline tax, especially because the state has raided the transportation fund in recent years to pay for general fund expenses. The mismanagement of funds by both agencies, which would gain from increases in either tax, showed why the increases should be denied, he said. “It’s crazy,” O’Donnell said. “They’re talking about [mismanaging] millions of dollars and they want more. They’re wasting money on both of these programs … and they both affect rural areas dramatically.” Many rural areas of the state, such as St. Mary’s and Calvert counties, have a disproportionately high amount of homes on septic systems, meaning they pay a substantial portion of the “flush tax”. O’Donnell has argued that because rural areas have less public transportation options, a gas tax hike would also disproportionately hurt residents there as well. This latest examination of SHA’s business and contracting practices follows a summer audit that showed many of the same problems in questionable contracts. That audit was triggered by tips received on the waste, fraud and abuse hotline. In the second audit, SHA’s responses all concurred with the auditors recommendations to shore up its procurement practices, including using funds only for designated purposes and seeking approval from the Board of Public Works before shifting those funds.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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Audit Chides MDE for Lax Oversight of Flush Tax Money By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A recent state report has found that the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) did not have proper oversight over taxpayer funded grant money doled out for various septic system contracts, nor did it adopt proper regulations over programs that were part of the Bay Restoration Fund, which is supposed to fund reduction of pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorous in the Chesapeake Bay. The discrepancies found in the awards of grant monies for septic systems projects were referred to the Office of the Attorney General’s criminal division, the report stated. One example found in the report by the Office of Legislative Audits showed that MDE awarded $1.1 million for 51 projects associated with the Septic System Program, paid for by the taxpayer funded Bay Restoration Fund, to two installation contractors in the same area. Documentation submitted by the two contractors was sometimes incomplete and also did not always meet with MDE policies, the audit stated. “Comprehensive reviews of Septic System Program grant applications … were not performed and resulted in the approval of questionable awards …” the report stated. The report went on to state, that “as a result, there was a lack of assurance that septic system bids submitted were independent and fair.” Another finding in the report showed that a former employee at MDE received nearly $225,000 through eight consulting contracts over an extended period of time; this “appeared to violate state laws, including procurement and ethics laws.” The report showed that in February 2007, the employee established their own management consulting business and got a year-long contract from MDE. That employee retired from their state
position May 31, 2007, the report stated, with other contracts following. “Our review disclosed that the contract qualifications and bid specifications for the initial procurement were specifically tailored to the former employee’s experience, skills and job functions,” the report stated. “This is a violation of state procurement law, which requires that specifications be written to permit maximum practicable competition and not be written in such a manner as to favor a single vendor over other vendors.” The audit noted several other flaws in MDE’s administration of certain functions, including properly standing up a records-keeping system that was not fully utilized. This system, known as the Enterprise Environmental Management System, which was designed to replace several disparate permit and compliance databases, was said by MDE to be fully functional when in fact it was not. MDE also exceeded costs on the new system, the report stated, spending $7.8 million so far, instead of the original $6.4 million in the original contract, the report stated. Also the report found that MDE did not ensure that some hazardous materials facilities met state security standards, nor was there proper oversight of monitoring properties affected by lead paint. MDE officials responded to the audit by agreeing with some of the deficiencies while denying that other findings were true. MDE officials stated they have already taken steps to ensure that septic grants to local jurisdictions would meet oversight requirements and they would cooperate with an investigation into any questionable grant awards, but they did not agree with the audit’s assessment of the new environmental database. “The current MDE management cannot change the historical fact that in 2004, when this project was initially proposed, it was overpromised and underfunded,” the response to the audit stated.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
Guest Editorial:
Crony Capitalism in Maryland By Marta Hummel Mossburg The stink emanating from the planned move of the Department of Housing and Community Development from Anne Arundel County to Prince George’s County rivals rot exposed from corruption trials this year of politicians from the agency’s future home. Financial concerns are one component of the stench. Abandoning the agency’s current headquarters — owned by taxpayers — in Crownsville for a new $170 million development in New Carrollton will cost about $3 million per year in rent, not counting any state financing for the developer. Even more important, the state is broke and legislators likely will raise taxes next year to cover core expenses. But money and economics are not the only issues. Carl S. Williams is the other. He is the developer who for years has been trying to build the large mixed-use project known as Metroview that the state selected as the new DHCD headquarters. Williams will not discuss his background with me. And his record has so far been shrouded by the state, which chose his project over 16 others but will not release the bids, which include information on the background of the developers, their financing and past history. Williams is part of a development group, but the state will only release his name and the fact that he is from Prince George’s County — both important factors for a project to be built there. Keeping a low profile As it turns out, it’s easy to see why Williams would like to maintain a low profile. Public records raise many questions about Williams’ ability to finance the $170 million project, his credibility and the prevalence of crony capitalism in Maryland. This comes on the heels of legal troubles for two Prince George’s County political figures — former County Executive Jack Johnson, who pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge for shaking down developers and business owners, and state Sen. Ulysses Currie, the former head of the Budget and Taxation Committee who is facing possible legislative censure after a federal jury acquitted him of corruption charges in hiding his financial connection to Shoppers Food Warehouse while advocating on the company’s behalf. Public records show that Williams is firmly entrenched with Democrats. Williams gave $19,000 to candidates from the state’s dominant party from 2003 to 2011, including $4,000 to Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, $4,000 to Currie and $1,400 to Johnson. The records also reveal someone with many debts rising from his businesses, The Carl Williams Group and the nonprofit St. Paul Community Development Corp. The Carl Williams Group website lists the firm as a partner in Metroview. However, according to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, the company status is “forfeited.” This means “its existence has been ended by the State for some delinquency.” A 2008 legal notice showed the company
was the subject of a foreclosure sale by UrbanAmerica, a previous partner, to recoup $5.5 million. UrbanAmerica did not return a phone call seeking information about the sale. DHCD, the agency whose new headquarters Williams is supposed to build, rejected a loan application from him for senior living apartments he wanted to build in 2005 and 2006. In response to a Maryland Public Information Act request, the department would not release information about its reasons for rejecting Williams’ loan application, saying that was private information not covered under the state public information law. Questionable DHCD loans DHCD is not known for its high lending standards. One of its questionable decisions, according to a state audit, was extending $385,000 to Tom Kiefaber, the previous owner of the Senator Theatre in Baltimore. When Kiefaber defaulted on that loan, DHCD loaned him another $378,000. Prince George’s County court records show judgments against Williams in relation to his capacity as head of St. Paul Community Development Corp. He owes MMA Capital Corp. $1,995,611.97 from a 2009 judgment listed as still active. In 2005, LaSalle Bank won a judgment against him of $718,468.21. That case is closed. Publicly available tax records from 2006 to 2008 list Williams as executive director of the nonprofit St. Paul Community Development Corp., where his salary reached $125,000 in one of those years. Also of note: The Carl Williams Group spent $125,000 lobbying the state legislature in 2008 — the same year as the $5.5 million foreclosure sale noted above and one year before the nearly $2 million judgment against him. Bills listed as subjects of lobbying include one that codified transit-oriented development, important for Metroview, and one to allow bond proceeds to be used for tax increment financing in Prince George’s County. According to Prince George’s County court records, The Carl Williams Group did not pay Gally Public Affairs, its lobbyist, in full. A judgment against the company for $73,801.96 in 2010 is still active. Eric Gally did not return a phone call for comment. The members of the state Board of Public Works — Gov. Martin O’Malley, Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot — should not vote on the project when it comes before them without knowing Williams’ background. It would be like hiring someone without a resume, interview and background check. The agency’s current building is already owned by the state and meets its needs, so the proposed move should be cancelled. Maryland taxpayers deserve better than a secretive, expensive deal at a time they can least afford it.
P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636 News, Advertising, Circulation, Classifieds: 301-373-4125
To The Editor
Southern Maryland Cares For Our Vets
Over the last few weeks my wife and I have been pleased by the unselfish help we have had from citizens of Southern Maryland in our efforts to provide U.S. Military personnel in Afghanistan several “home-based” Christmas care packages (20 Xerox-box sized), as well as providing a Thanksgiving lunch at Walter Reed Bethesda for over 50 of the most seriously wounded veterans and their families (a total of 160 were served). The care packages contained small Christmas trees, Santa Hats, Christmas stockings, Christmas ornaments, beef jerky, cigars, candies and nuts, gum, assorted gifts, candy canes and toiletries. Several of these items were donated, as well as the much of the shipping costs. The Thanksgiving Day lunch at Bethesda was greatly appreciated by the wounded and their families, as meals accessibility for them, other than the hospital cafeteria, McDonalds and Subway are the norm. A home cooked lunch/dinner, served hot, right in the ward conference room, where the mobile wounded vets can walk or wheel-in and select their food, and those who cannot walk or wheel-in have family members get their food and take them to their hospital rooms, brings many smiles, and sometimes tears. The mother of one of the more seriously injured vets tearfully thanked us for cooking and serving her son Thanksgiving Day food that he always loved before he was injured. Another wounded warrior mom said she felt like we were all family! We assured her that we are! When we host these events at Christmas, 4th of July, Easter, Thanksgiving and miscellaneous Sundays, we feel blessed to help out those who have paid their dues to protect our freedom. We will never be able to pay them back, but we can at least show them our appreciation for their sacrifices. Being a Vietnam era vet, my wife and I saw first hand the ugly side of showing disapproval for the returning vets in the 60s and the 70s. We want to thank Linda Palchinksy and Linda’s Café, TWIST Wine and Spirits, Pat Myers and the Rocking Red Hatters, Molly Baker, Tom Burke, Mary Burke-Russell, members of PMA205-NAS Patuxent River, Brian Barnhill, Patricia Butler, Bunny O’Callahan, and Butch and Phillis Skelton for their donations of gifts and money. We also want to thank wounded Iraqi veteran 1st Lt. USMC (ret) Denis and his wife Kate Oliverio, Frank and Pamela Ogens, Jay Stratakes, his daughter Bethany and his son Collin, Senator Roy Dyson and his legislative aide Barbie Shields for their help with food, set-up and clean-up at Bethesda on Thanksgiving Day. We are appreciative of each of the above mentioned American Patriots. Capt. Ted Harwood (USN-Ret) Nancy Harwood, Marine Mom Hollywood, MD
Leonardtown Arts Center Gala Was a Hit Sunday, Nov. 20, was the gala fundraiser for the Leonardtown Arts Center. Held at Café des Artistes, and at the center, the event drew more than 60 arts supporters from near and far. I would just like to thank all those that attended and donated to the center. Your support is so appreciated. The Leonardtown Arts Center is located at 22660 Washington St. in downtown Leonardtown, and is a thriving community of artists. We also would like to thank Karleen and Loic Jaffres for their support and wonderful brunch. Special thanks go out to the St. Mary’s County Arts Council for its support, and to Barbara Bershon of the Maryland Arts Council. I would especially like to thank the artists at the center — Missy Bell, Pamela Callen, Amy Davis, Barbara Hance, Laura Howard, Bill and Kyong Penn, Mel and Rose Longfield, Cynthia Rosenblatt and Angela Wathen. Also members of the executive board — Dan Burris, vice president; David Dudziec, secretary; and Mac Clabaugh, treasurer. A special thank you goes out to Carolyn Egeli, honorary chair of this event. It was a great event and we were able to raise much-needed funds to support the center. Joe Orlando, president board of directors, Leonardtown Arts Center
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8
Cheeky Chili Biz Offers Savory Seasonings
By Carrie Munn Staff Writer The first two chili cook-offs Trevor Bothwell’s “T-Rev’s Stiff Willi Chili” competed in, it won them both. In 2009, Bothwell’s creation was champion at the DC101 Chili Cook-Off, winning him Rookie of the Year honors as well. That was followed up with the people’s choice award at the ICS World’s Champion Chili competition. That award-winning recipe is right on the bottle of Bothwell’s chili spice mix which he sells along with a pepper sauce and humorous t-shirts online, at local stores and at community events. “I figured if I was going to try and sell this stuff, I had to put my money where my mouth is,” he said. Bothwell is originally from Olean, NY but moved to St. Mary’s County in 1996 to teach elementary school and now resides in Hollywood and works full-time in NAS Pax River’s IT department. He said his oldest of two sons will soon be the face of the small company. “I’ll be using his chili-smeared mug in a forthcoming marketing campaign,” he said. The chili creator said he’s always enjoyed cooking, since helping in his maternal grandmother’s kitchen as a kid. Bothwell published a cookbook in 2001 titled “50 Ways to Impress Your Girlfriend’s Parents.” A free e-book version along with a variety of recipes are available on the website at www.stiffwilli.com. Bothwell said he puts the emphasis on a
great product and great customer service. A risqué apron and a quick wit make the chili guy memorable and the gourmet, all natural products he offers have no preservatives, no salt or fillers, and amazing flavor. He said word of mouth has worked wonders for his basement business. “The goal is to be able to get my products in front of as many people as possible because I believe the quality can speak for itself.” Stiff Willi Chili spice mix also makes a flavorful seasoning for burgers, taco meat, veggies and can be used as a rub for pork or chicken, he said. Many visitors to the Festival of Trees on Saturday picked up a bottle after sampling Bothwell’s hearty chili. He said he’s extremely thankful for the customers who have said it is the best chili they’d ever put in their mouth. “I can’t tell you how many people have told me they’ve bought my spice mix or pepper sauce as a joke just because of the name and logo on the label, but when they tasted it, it was the best stuff they’ve ever had,” Bothwell said. “That’s goodness right there.” Look for T-Rev’s Stiff Willi Chili at local McKay’s stores, Blue Wind Gourmet, the Early Bird, Smokey Joe’s BBQ and other area retailers. Bothwell’s products are also available nationwide through his Delawarebased distributor, Peppers, which also sells the gourmet sauce and spice mix in its store. carriemunn@countytimes.net
Photo by Carrie Munn Local small business owner Trevor Bothwell restocks his awardwinning “T-Rev’s Stiff Willi Chili” pepper sauce and spice mix during the Festival of Trees event Saturday in Leonardtown. Many who sampled the chili, took a bottle home.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
The County Times
Soledad Aguinaldo, 95
from 10am until time of service at 11am. Arrangements by BriscoeTonic Funeral Home, 2294 Old Washington Road, Waldorf, MD 20601
Julia Bates, 71
Soledad Ancheta Aguinaldo, 95 of Leonardtown, MD died December 2, 2011 at St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born April 21, 1916 in Laoag, Philippines, she was the daughter of the late Bonifacio Marcelo and Lucia (Ancheta) Marcelo. Soledad is survived by her son Jose Aguinaldo (Mercedes) of Leonardtown, MD. In addition to her parents, Soledad was preceded in death by her husband, Patrocinio Luz Aguinaldo. Family received friends on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Reverend John Dakes at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Leonardtown, MD. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
James Armstrong, 54 James E. “Dingum” Armstrong departed this earthly life on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at St. Mary’s Hospital. Family and friends will unite Friday, December 9, 2011 at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 21340 Colton’s Point Road, Avenue, MD 20609
Julia Ann Bates, 71, died November 30 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a lengthy illness. Born December 29, 1939 in Chattanooga, TN to her late parents, Albert and Lucille Durham Elrod. A resident of Churchton for 33 years, Julia worked in the food services area of Central Middle School. She retired from Anne Arundel County Schools in 1990. She enjoyed spending time with her family and pets, and doing yard work. In addition to her parents, Julia was preceded in death by her brother, Howard “Pete” Elrod, and sister, Gladys Carson. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Bruce W. Bates; daughters, Michelle Bates of Royal Palm Beach, FL and Jennifer Stotler of Leonardtown; grandchildren, Bryanna, Kalie and D.J.; sister, Doris Futyma of Huntingtown; and a special friend, Barbara Dove. There was a Memorial Gathering followed by a memorial, on Monday, December 5 at Hardesty Funeral Home, P.A., 905 Galesville Rd., Galesville. Interment private. Online condolences can be made at www.hardestyfuneralhome.com
Dorothy Borland, 89
Dorothy Mae Wohlert Borland, 89 of Leonardtown, Maryland, formally of Pueblo West, Colorado and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania peacefully passed on 25 November 2011 at Chesapeake Shores Nursing Center in Lexington Park, Maryland. Dorothy was born on August 27th, 1922 to the late Aage and Mary Wohlert of Irwin, Pennsylvania, the youngest of seven children. Dorothy graduated from Norwin High School in 1940. She married the late William Borland in 1943 and they lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania until they relocated to Pueblo West, Colorado in 1990. During her life she taught piano to many young adults from her home. She was passionate about music and continued to be an organist for Hope Lutheran Church in Cranberry, Pennsylvania. During that time she also was an Assistant to the Secretary to the Dean of Sewickley Academy. Later, she worked for Frontiers International Travel Agency; and from the late 70s to 1989, the Community College of Allegheny County from which she retired. She was also the co-owner of B & B Fabrics Drapery Shop in Westview Pa. Her love for playing the piano and organ continued until her death. Other passions included sewing, craft making, cake decorating, candy making, and f loral arrangements. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband William Borland Sr. She is survived by their three children: William Borland, Jr. (Patrice) of Leonardtown, Maryland; Glenn Borland (Cecelia) of Palomar, California; and Charlet Borland Parker (Ford) of
Ca ! l ll 30 a i or 1-373 m e -4125 to Place a M
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Windsor, CT. Grandchildren include Dr. Laura Borland of Newark, Delaware; Andrew Borland of Suwanee, Georgia; Glenn and Christian Borland and Peter Berry of Escondido, California; and Abigail Dorothy Parker of Windsor, CT and great-grandchild, Holden Borland of Suwanee, Georgia. The family would like to thank Cedar Lane Apartments and Chesapeake Shores Nursing Center for their everlasting devotion and love of our mother. All services will be private. In memory of Dorothy, please send contributions to Cedar Lane Apartments, 22680 Cedar Lane Court, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or Chesapeake Shores Social Welfare Fund, 21412 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park, MD 20653. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
Danny Davis, 73
Danny Davis, 73, of Lexington Park, MD, died on December 3, 2011 in Leonardtown, MD. Born on December 29, 1937in Coeburn, VA. He was the son of the late William Edison and Ethel Mae (Adkins) Davis. Out of his 73 years of life was born son Jeffery Wayne Davis (Cindy), and daughter Stephanie Ann Davis of Lexington Park, MD. He is survived by his siblings June Sluss of South Carolina, Bobby Davis of Callaway, MD, Louella Clark of
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Lexington Park, MD, Teddy Davis of Great Mills, MD, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his companion Patsy Robertson, Sister Ann Webb, and brother Burnis Davis. Mr. Davis moved from Coeburn, VA to St. Mary’s County in 1953. Danny was a logger and later became a truck driver truck for Southern Concrete and Carruth and Sons Concrete Company. He grew up in the mountains of Coeburn, Virginia, which he loved and returned to visit quiet often. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 8, 2011 in the Mattingley-Gardner Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, MD from 9 – 10 a.m. with a Funeral Service at 10 a.m. with Pastor James Bell officiating. Interment will be private. To leave a condolence for the family please visit www.mgf h.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.
Patrick Norris, 62
On December 2, 2011 Patrick Eugene Norris, 62, of Hollywood, MD passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends. Born September 3, 1949 in Leonardtown, Maryland, Pat was a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County. He was the son of the late James Alexander and Gertrude Greenwell Norris. He is survived by his wife Deborah Rodgers Norris, his children John Patrick Nor-
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
ris of Hollywood, Laura Elizabeth Norris of Hollywood, and Megan Norris Flynn (Chuck) of Roanoke, Virginia and his granddaughter Avery Flynn. In addition Pat is survived by his siblings Catherine Ann Sweeney (Daniel) of Hollywood, William Norris (Jeanne) of Huntingtown, Raymond Norris (Kathy) of Hollywood, David Norris (Georgeanne) of Hollywood, Michael Norris (Betty) of Sunset Beach, NC, Ronald Norris of Lexington Park, and Theodore Norris (Gaye) of Hendersonville, NC as well as many nieces and nephews. Pat graduated from Chopticon High School in 1967 and shortly after enlisted in the United States Army 101st Airborne. While serving in Vietnam from 19691970, Pat was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic and meritorious achievement. Upon his honorable discharge from the service, Pat returned to St. Mary’s County where he worked as an electrician for PEPCO, UniFirst Corporation, Chesapeake Beach Naval Research Laboratory, and for the past 22-½ years at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. He was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 2393 in Hollywood. Pat was an avid golfer and sports enthusiast. He enjoyed golfing with his son and his many friends as well as sitting in the bleachers as a proud parent cheering on his daughter throughout her collegiate lacrosse career. One of his greatest joys came from sharing a joke, a story and his cooking talents to include his specialties of scalded oysters, steamed crabs, and stuffed ham with his friends, coworkers and family. The family received friends for Pat’s Life Celebration on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD, followed by a memorial celebration of Pat’s life. In lieu of f lowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, 1120 G Street NW, Suite #700, Washington, DC 20005 or Hospice House, P.O. 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
Karen Scarano, 67 Karen Jean “Jeanne” Scarano, 67, of Lexington Park, MD, died on November 30, 2011 at her residence surrounded by loving family and friends. Born on May 4, 1944 in Washington, DC she was the daughter of Eugene Gillroy and Helen Shirley (Bennedict) Schmidt. Karen is survived by her siblings; Dorianne Brown of California, MD, Helen Noelle Derham of FL, Bart Oren Couey and brother in law Paul Alton Dickerson, Sr. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews; Vickie Anne Dickerson, Dawn
Marie Johnson, Paul Alton Dickerson, Jr., Robert Banworth, Brian Bowen, Michael Anthony Derham, Michelle Noelle Dickerson, Nathan Alexander Derham, Rebecca Brierly and host of friends and relatives. She was preceded in death by her sister Christina Rabinawitz and life partner Frank Dipietro. Karen graduated from Bladensburg High School in 1962, and worked as a paralegal, accountant, and office manager at Lincoln Investment for 17 years retiring in 2006. A Memorial Service was held on Saturday, December 3, 2011 in the Potter’s House Church, St. Leonard, MD with Pastor David O. Keyser officiating. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.
John Scully, 65
The County Times
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 in St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Leonardtown, MD with Fr. Lawrence Young officiating. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, MD. Pallbearers were; Billy Watts, Keith Watts, Chris Scully, Jonathan Scully, Chris McDaniel, and B.K. Abell, III. Contributions may be made in memory of John Michael “Mike” Scully to Hospice House of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD, Cancer Care & Infusion Services (OPIS) of St. Mary’s, 2550 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650, Leonardtown Vol. Fire Department, P.O. Box 50, Leonardtown, MD, and/or ACTS (A Community That Shares), P.O. Box 54, Bushwood, MD 20610. To leave a condolence for the family please visit www. mgf h.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.
Ronald Shields, 76 Ronald Max Shields, 76, of Midway, TN, formerly of Scotland, MD, died December 2, 2011 at his home in Midway, TN. Born 20 Sep 1935 in Bloomfield, Indiana, he was the son of Ester Wilson and Maxel Shields.
John Michael “Mike” Scully, 65, of Leonardtown, MD, died on December 3, 2011 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. Born on August 15, 1946 he was the son of the late John Francis and Mary Jane Abell Scully. He was the loving wife of Josephine Ann Goddard Scully whom he married on October 23, 1976, in Leonardtown, MD. Mr. Scully is survived by her siblings; Mary Leone (John) Gatton of Hollywood, MD, Kenneth Joseph (special friend Anita) Scully, Carl Benjamin (Janet) Scully, and Margaret Adilaide (Willie) Watts all of Leonardtown, MD. Mr. Scully is preceded in death by his brother; Thomas Lynch Scully, and sister in law Joan Scully. Mike graduated from Leonardtown High School, in 1964 and was a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County, MD. He was an Electrician for the Department of Defense at Andrews Air Force Base and was a member of the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department. The family received friends on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 in the Mattingley-Gardner Funeral Home Chapel with prayers being recited followed by firemen’s prayers. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on
Continued
Ron retired as a Captain in the US Navy in 1981 after 24 years of distinguished service as a Test Pilot. During his Naval Career, he graduated from the US Naval Academy (1957), US Naval Test Pilot School (1963), and the Naval War College (1964) among other specialized schools. He served two tours in Vietnam. He received the Air Medal 9 Strike/ Flight Air Medals; Navy Commendation Medal; Navy Unit Commendation Medal; National Defense Service Medal; and Vietnam Service Medal. He was listed in the 1970 Who’s Who Outstanding Young Men of America. After retirement from the Navy, he was an executive and program manager for his remaining years
with various Government support contractors, ending his career with the Computer Science Corporation. Ron is survived by his wife, Sheryl Stamey Shields, of Midway, TN; his children, Marc Shields of Kirby, Texas; Scott (Debbie) Shields of West Palm Derrick (Ally) Beach, FL; Shields of Fairfax, VA; and Mei Shields (Pat Harrington) of Chesapeake Beach, MD. His grandchildren: Daniel and Shayne Shields and Brittany Carames of West Palm Beach, FL; Spencer, Calvin, and Emma Shields of Fairfax, VA; and Great Grandchildren: Kyle and Ryan Carames of West Palm Beach, FL. Services will be held Friday, December 9, 2011 at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Gathering of Friends will be held from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. In lieu of f lowers, donations can be made in honor of Ron to Bible’s Chapel Church, 1280 Bible’s Chapel Rd., Midway,TN 37809. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements are being handled by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.
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Briefs Burglary Suspect Arrested
During the month of October, police units responded to several residences in the Lexington Park, California and Leonardtown area which were broken into during the daytime hours and had personal property removed. The St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations assumed the investigation into the burglaries. Following a month long investigation and the execution of search and seizure warrants, detectives arrested and charged Joseph A. Wilson, 23, of Waldorf, with three counts of first-degree burglary and three counts of theft $1,000 to $10,000. Additional charges are pending following a review with the State’s Attorney’s Office, police reported. Wilson is currently incarcerated in the St. Mary’s County Detention Center and has additional charges pending in Charles and Prince George’s counties for similar alleged crimes in those jurisdictions, police said.
Detectives Make Drug Arrests
Vice narcotics detectives conducted an investigation that spanned several weeks into an alleged drug distribution network that was being operated in the Park Hall area. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff Office Emergency Services Team and Sheriff’s Office K-9 deputies assisted in the execution of a search warrant where suspects Brendon Dirk Mydock, 22, and Eric William Taymon, 21, were arrested. More than $3,500 worth of marijuana was seized along with $5,700 in cash, packaging materials and scales, police reported. Vice narcotics detectives responded to a California pharmacy related to a possible prescription fraud. Megan Renee Eccard, 29, of Hollywood, and at least one additional co-defendant, obtained codeine by allegedly fraudulent means. This has taken place on at least 10 separate occasions, police alleged. A search of their home produced additional evidence, according to police. Eccard was arrested and additional charges and arrests are pending a review with the State’s Attorney Office. Brian Keith Stapleton, 24, of Lexington Park, was arrested after a Search Warrant revealed a quantity of marijuana which indicated possession with the intent to distribute, police alleged. He was originally held without bond.
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12
Three Arrested in Prescription Fraud Scheme By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
Hezekiah Eric Swann
Detectives with the county sheriff’s vice/narcotics division have arrested three suspects they allege were involved in a scheme to use stolen prescription note pads to obtain narcotics for sale on the streets. Detectives said their investigation netted hundreds of prescription pills worth thousands of dollars on the illegal market. Detectives named Michelle Lee Anderson, 36, of Lexington Park, Hezekiah Eric Swann, 52, of Windsor Mill, and Kevin Anthony Clarke, 25, of Pikesville, in their criminal investigation. Detectives say they received information over the past several weeks that both Swann and Anderson had been using stolen prescriptions to get controlled substances from pharmacies. Detectives found that the script being used had been stolen from a doctor’s office in Baltimore. On Dec. 5 detectives learned that Swann and Anderson were attempting to pass a fraudulent prescription at a California pharmacy; they stopped both suspects and also arrested Clarke, alleging that he was a past conspirator involved in drug deals from the previous month, police reports state. Police searched the suspects vehicle and found bags of marijuana and almost 360 oxycodone tablets with a value of nearly $11,000, police alleged, adding that they found a stolen prescription that had been filled out to one of the suspects for oxycodone tablets. They also found a piece of paper that police claim was used to practice forging a signature of the doctor from whom the script had been stolen.
Kevin Anthony Clarke
Michelle Lee Anderson
guyleonard@countytimes.net
Man Gets 15 Years for Molesting Multiple Children By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A Lexington Park man’s 25-year prison sentence was reduced to 15 years of active incarceration after he took a plea bargain late last week for molesting several children, a local prosecutor told The County Times. Ryan William Snow, 35, was arrested on charges of child sexual abuse July 7 after detectives with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations division of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office completed a week of evidence gathering. When Snow was charged, District Court Judge Christy Holt Chesser shielded the details of the case from public view. Assistant State’s Attorney Julie White prosecuted the case at the Circuit Court level and said there were three victims and all were under the age of 10 and had some level of close contact with Snow. “This is a very upsetting case, his behavior is despicable,” White said Tuesday. “Hopefully he can find a way to stop molesting
children.” Ryan William Snow W h i t e said that Snow masked his behavior from others and was able to lure the children while at the same time gaining the trust of their parents. “He preyed upon very young children and gained their trust and their parents’ trust to victimize them,” White said. According to court records, the abuse of the children took place between September 2009 and December 2010. Part of Snow’s plea agreement requires him to be under five years of supervised probation upon his release from state prison; he will also have to register as a sex offender. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Local Man Charged with Hunting Violation
On Nov. 27, at 1:15 p.m., Maryland Natural Resources Police Officers checked a hunting camp located on Spring Lick Road and uncovered two illegally killed antlerless deer. Officers charged Matthew Lanham Fluharty, 22, of Welcome, and David Michael Murdza, 24, of Mechanicsville, with possession of antlerless deer during antlered only season and removing the head and hide of a deer without checking it into the Department. Citizens may report suspected poaching, trespassing or maritime related incidents to the NRP Communication Center at 800-628-9944. For callers that wish to remain anonymous and also be eligible for cash rewards that lead to convictions, call the CATCH-A-POACHER hotline at 800-635-6124.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
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Education
Redistricting Plan Results from Rapid Growth By Carrie Munn Staff Writer Creating and adapting school districts to meet the needs of an expanding student body is a bit like putting a puzzle together. While the plans for a new elementary school in Leonardtown are approved, it will be a while before construction begins. In the meantime, some schools are bursting at the seems and more developments are in the works, according to school officials. A superintendent-appointed redistricting committee came to a consensus Monday to move their plan forward and seek approval of a measure to prevent overcrowding of Evergreen Elementary School. Though it’s the newest elementary in the county, the rapid growth in the Wildewood community and surrounding area has led to the enrollment of 700-plus students. Two new residential developments, though not yet built, are presently zoned to have those future students attend Evergreen and the committee’s proposal is to shift the district boundaries to move some students to the not so densely populated Town Creek Elementary. Brad Clements, St. Mary’s County Public Schools’ Chief Operating Officer co-chaired the School Boundary Advisory Committee along with Trisha Post, a parent representative from the County Council of PTA’s. Others involved with the redistricting plan included school system administrators, school principals and PTA members. Clements explained how significant
growth in the central part of the county, with more on the horizon, combined with the state’s formula behind new school construction has led to Evergreen approaching its maximum capacity rather quickly. A 240-apartment development on First Colony Blvd. and a 333-unit construction on Johnson Pond Lane are just beginning site work or construction and won’t be occupied until summer of 2012, at the earliest. But Clements said it’s easier to make adjustments like this when there are no students affected. While the new elementary school construction is a ways off and dependent upon funding, Clements said it’s likely more redistricting efforts will be required as the project gets underway. The entire stretch of Route 4, St. Andrew’s Church Road, will need to be looked at, he said, adding work is going on now to alleviate any overcrowding and present a solution, at least for the short-term. Evergreen principal Kim Summers said she just received three new students earlier that day, and while some students come and go due to their family’s military obligations, she has been amazed at the rate of new enrollments in her school. Few, if any, current students will be affected by the change. A detailed report of the committee’s recommendations can be found online at www.smcps.org/dss/cpgs/redistricting. The committee will present the plan to Superintendent Martirano on Dec. 16 and, upon receiving his approval, the plan will go to the Board of Education in January. A public hearing will be held before the plan goes into effect.
‘Mr. Roboto’ Cleans Up at Lego Challenge Through the 2011 Maryland and Southern Maryland qualifying competitions held at the College of Southern Maryland’s La Plata Campus on Dec. 3, six FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams and six FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams will advance to the state championships in 2012. The St. Mary’s County FTC Teams advancing to the state championship at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab on Feb. 25, 2012, are RoboBees-1 and RoboBees-2 of the Dr. James A. Forrest Tech Center of Leonardtown and Under the Son of Hollywood. Local FLL Teams advancing to state championship at University of Maryland Baltimore County on Jan. 28, 2012, are Mr. Roboto of Hollywood, Egg-Stremes of Leonardtown, CyberKnights of Charlotte Hall and Father Andrew White Team JFTI of Leonardtown. Awards presented to teams participating in the FTC and FLL competitions included: FIRST Tech Challenge Awards • PTC Design Award – Under the Son, Hollywood The intent of this award is to expand the challenge, inspiring teams to incorporate industrial design into their robots. FIRST Lego League Awards • Inspiration Award – King’s Christian Academy Eagles-1, Callaway This award celebrates a team that is empowered by their FLL experience and displays extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit. • Champion’s Award – Mr. Roboto, Hollywood Runner Up – Egg-Stremes, Leonardtown This award recognizes a team that embodies the FLL experience, by fully embracing our core values while achieving excellence and innovation in both the robot game and project. • Mechanical Design Award – CyberKnights, Charlotte Hall This award recognizes a team that designs
and develops a mechanically sound robot that is durable, efficient and highly capable of performing challenge missions. This is the top ranked team in the Robot Design category and will be going to the state competition. • Programming Award – Little Flower School Patriots, Great Mills This award recognizes a team that utilizes outstanding programming principles, including clear, concise and reusable code that allows the robot to perform challenge missions autonomously and consistently. • Strategy & Innovation Award – FAW NAWCAD, Leonardtown This award recognizes a team that uses solid engineering practices and a well-developed strategy to design and build an innovative, high performing robot. • Robot Performance Award – Mr. Roboto, Hollywood Runner Up – FAW Team JFTI “Bad Apples,” Leonardtown This award recognizes a team that scores the most points during the Robot Game. As winners of the Champion’s Award, the Mr. Roboto team is attending the state competition, and judges invited the runner-up to the state competition. • Research Award – King’s Christian Academy Spikers, Callaway This award recognizes a team that utilizes diverse resources to formulate an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the problem they have identified. The competitions were sponsored by BAE Systems, TIME Center, PNC Bank, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, CSM Foundation, Rockwell Collins, PTC, Network Solutions, Army ROTC and General Dynamics. For information on the college’s robotics programs, visit www.csmd.edu/ISTEM.
The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Know Officials Talk Of Tough In The
15
Education
Financial Times to Come
“We’re doing what we can, but it’s not yielding results fast enough,” -Superintendent Michael Martirano
Michael J. Martirano
By Carrie Munn Staff Writer
Fairlead Academy, and as a result, 10 to 20 more students would graduate this year. “We’re doing what we can, but it’s not yielding results fast enough,” Martirano said. Martirano plainly told the delegates SMCPS is growing, with enrollment at 17,449 students, officially as of the end of September, and more than 100 students added in the short time since. He said funding levels are back to what they were in 2009, meaning indicators such as larger class sizes and strain on the staff are beginning to emerge. He also inquired about a more timely distribution of data, explaining the school system has been accused of bringing things to the county commissioners’ table late, but have since tried to work together in creating a more in-sync budget timeline. Director of Fiscal Services Greg Nourse said they often work with “fudged” numbers for the sake of getting the budgets done. Another hot topic at the morning meeting was the shifting of teacher retirement costs to the local level. Bohanan said that the cost of teacher pensions was about to surpass the $1.1 billion the state spends to maintain the university system, stating, “The House has been a backstop on this issue.” O’Donnell agreed, adding the State Senate had passed a bill pushing the cost onto local jurisdictions, but the House stopped it. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to stave this off,” he said. “Hopefully when [economic] times are better, at least a proportion of that cost will fall to the county.” Wood also said that with the state struggling, dealing with furloughs and such, it’s tempting to pass that cost along. “This is pinching everybody, we’re all aware of that.”
Delegates Johnny Wood (D-29A), John Bohanan (D-29B) and Tony O’Donnell (R-29C) joined Superintendent of St. Mary’s County Public Schools Michael Martirano and Board of Education members in a Tuesday morning discussion of education issues prior to the upcoming legislative session. O’Donnell said the first item on the agenda, full funding of public education, is an issue defined differently by different people. He said with the state facing a billion dollar operating deficit, the “get as much as we can get” model isn’t always the best approach. “When we don’t have it, we don’t have it,” said Wood, adding, “We were elected to be responsible,” and despite difficult economic times, “we want to see our kids get the best education we can.” Bohanan explained that while St. Mary’s is fourth highest in the state for per pupil wealth growth, it remains last in per pupil spending. “There are dramatic shifts in who’s paying for what,” he said. Locally, he said, the state pays more than $6,600 in per pupil funding while the county pays $4,600, almost $2,000 less than the average local level funding. He said creating a well-educated workforce is critical for the local economy’s bottom line and encouraged the group to keep the needs of the Department of Defense and the Navy in mind. “Local funding is not necessarily a measure of success,” O’Donnell said, adding there’s carriemunn@countytimes.net a need for real, adult discourse on the issue. Board of Education member Mary Washington said while SMCPS has proven they can be effective and efficient, “our employees are stretched to the max and I don’t know how long that can last.” She told the group that while many in St. Mary’s benefit from growing wealth trends, they encounter many students that are homeless or poverty stricken. Martirano expounded on the sentiment after O’Donnell inquired about the relatively low graduation rates at Great Mills High School and the need for follow-up with concerned advocates with the NAACP. The superintendent explained grant funding has enabled on- Delegates Johnny Wood, left, Tony O’Donnell, and John Bohanan. line credit and course recovery programs and has supported the
The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
STORY
Houseboat Fire Injures Occupant By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Volunteer Firefighters from Hollywood, Bay District and Solomons fire companies helped fight a blaze Tuesday night that destroyed a houseboat moored in Hollywood, state fire marshals report. The occupant of the houseboat, John Stagg, suffered minor injuries as a result of the fire. He sustained burns to his left hand and was treated for his injuries at St. Mary’s Hospital, fire marshals report. The estimated loss of the 41-foot seagoing houseboat was $10,000, marshals reported. Investigators have deemed the fire accidental, caused by an electrical problem at a computer inside the boat. The occupant was displaced by the fire but is receiving aid from friends, according to fire marshals. It took 20 firefighters just seven minutes to control the blaze that took place on Placid Harbor Way at about 8:30 p.m. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Photos by Frank Marquart
Your Online Community For Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s Counties www.somd.com
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
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The County Times
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
18
Newsmakers
Christmas Caring Spreads Cheer in St. Mary’s
By Carrie Munn Staff Writer On a bleak and rainy Wednesday, a little bit of joy brightened up the day for one St. Mary’s County family thanks to the Christmas Caring program headed by the county’s Division of Human Services and the Department of Social Services. The local senior center operations staff visited the home of Maria Long in Oakville to deliver a Christmas tree, ornaments, decorations and stockings, and to let them know that the staff and members of the senior community had been pooling their efforts to make sure the mom’s two sons would have a great holiday despite what Long said has been a rough year. With her long-time boyfriend, Robert Trahan, losing stable employment after nine years and struggling to get work despite submitting over a hundred applications, Long teared up and hugged each visitor, telling them, “If it wasn’t for you all, my kids literally wouldn’t have one gift to open.” Jennifer Hunt, Community and Outreach Manager with the Department of Aging said Long’s heartfelt letter touched the many that
Photos By Carrie Munn Staff from the Department of Aging and Human Services deliver a tree with all the trimmings to the family they’ve sponsored as part of the Christmas Caring program this year. From left is Bridget Maddox, Jennifer Hunt, Maria Long, Kathleen Bellinger and Shellie Graziano.
fundraising efforts and generosity of businesses, organizations and citizens in the community. There are 444 families still in need of adoption, according to program coordinator Stephanie Figeroux. Many area businesses have been long-time contributors to Christmas Caring, like SAIC, which hosts an annual company chili cook-off with proceeds and canned food items going directly to local families in need. County Commissioner Todd Morgan was on hand this year to taste-test 11 crockpots of chili varieties with names like “Texas Highway My-Way” and “Workaholic Chili” and to give out some door prizes. Hunt, Figeroux and renowned local chili guy, Trevor Bothwell, served as the guest judges at the event that Morgan said typically raises several hundred dollars that goes toward holiday food baskets and gifts for local families in need. One St. Mary’s man, Walt Briscoe, has made Christmas Caring sponsorship an integral part of his family’s holiday tradition for many years. “At first, he sponsored a small family but when grandchildren started arriving he wanted to involve them as well. For every grand-child [he has], Walt generously sponsors a child.” Information about how to help a neighbor in need through St. Mary’s County Christmas Caring program can be picked up at the Department of Human Services at 23115 Leonard Hall Drive in Leonardtown, or online through the county government website or by calling 301-475Christmas Caring program recipient, Maria Long, right, hugs Kathleen 4200, extension 1849. read it and sparked the adoption of her family, which includes two boys aged 9 and 5. “It was really hard to ask for help,” she said. Hunt said Long’s sons and entire family will be delighted to see how much people in the community are willing to give, enabling their Christmas morning to be as exciting as anyone’s. Long thanked the ladies repeatedly and said, “Hopefully one day, when were back on our feet, we’ll be able to help someone else.” At the time of publication, 1,203 families qualify and are in the system as in need of help supplying Christmas gifts for their kids. So far, 759 have been adopted and will benefit from the
Bellinger with tears in her eyes and gratitude for the help.
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The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The Following Locally Owned Businesses Would Like to Join The County Times in Sending
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Photo By Carrie Munn
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‘A Night at the Museum’ Raises $170,000
Festival of Trees
One of many unique displays at Saturday’s Festival of Trees benefiting Hospice of St. Mary’s was this very merry “green” tree was sponsored by Michelle Radiz, owner of The Vintage Source, and hospice volunteer and Smartronix Communications Director Beth Joseph, with ornaments crafted by students at Mechanicsville Elementary.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The 24th Annual St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation Gala held Nov. 18 at the Hollywood Social Hall, brought in $170,000 to go toward the Foundation’s scholarship program, as well as hospital capital projects and equipment. This year’s theme was A Night at the Museum and the hall became a place where museum statues and artwork came to life. “The success of the Foundation’s anSt. Mary’s Hospital Foundation Board members engaged support for the annual event from nual Gala fundraising numerous individuals, organizations and event is the result of the businesses throughout the county. tremendous support we receive from this community. We appreciate the contributions made by numerous local businesses, individuals and our hospital community, without which our Gala would not be the significant event it is,” Micheline Lopez-Estrada, the 2011 Gala chairperson, said in a press release. “Community members were involved in this year’s event more than ever and it gave all of us extra creative energy.” Several of Southern Maryland’s most prominent businesses, medical professionals and local organizations sponsored the evening’s festivities, which featured delicious cuisine from renowned caterer Ken Upton. Music was provided by Highway Star. Guests followed the red carpet into one of the most appealing black tie events sponsored by the Foundation, walking past metal dinosaur sculptures on loan from Mike Schwartz of Mike’s Bikes. As they entered the social hall, guests stepped into a replica of a museum foyer created by graphic design students at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. Beautiful banners of famous paintings, complete with sponsors’ Presenting sponsor of the 2011 Gala was names, graced the social hall. The historical figures of Sakajawea, Teddy AMEWAS, Inc. President and CEO of AMEInc., Chuck Jeffries, accepted the Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart were portrayed by volunteer actors from The WAS, sponsor’s plaque from the chairperson of Newtowne Players, and graceful and unique Ikebana centerpieces designed the event, Micheline Lopez-Estrada. by Casey Page and Molly Ridgell adorned the dining tables. Attendees purchased chances that put them in the running for a chance to win one of three exquisite prizes. The original oil painting by artist M. Jane Rowe was won by Paula and Rick Tepel; the LASIK eye surgery from Whitten Laser Eye went to Doran Upton; and the winner of an exquisite diamond and tanzanite pendant generously donated by Blair’s Jewelry and Gifts was Lori Tribino. To date, the Foundation’s scholarship program has made awards to over 100 students pursuing education in nursing and allied health, ensuring a qualified healthcare workforce today and for the future. Funds raised by the foundation also provide support for capital expansion projects, physician recruitment and medical equipment. Next year will be the silver anniversary of the Foundation’s Gala. The 25th anniversary event will be held Nov. 16 2012, during St. Mary’s Hospital’s centennial year.
Candy Land Game Brought to Life Consignments now being taken for our upcoming New Years Day Auction and a future Gun Auction
Antique & Collectible Friday, December 9th - 6 p.m.
Grocery Auction
Saturday, December 10th - 4 p.m.
Chesapeake Auction House
St. Leonard, MD 20685 • 410-586-1161 • chesapeakeauctionhouse.com
The Candy land board game brought to life event Saturday brought hundreds of visitors to the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds and raised nearly $3,000 for a local team participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
Community ‘The Barns of Southern Maryland’ Book Signing From 12-2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, author J.C. Sharp will be signing copies of his book “The Barns of Southern Maryland” at Fenwick Street Used Books & Music, 41655A Fenwick Street, Leonardtown. This new work allows readers to visually see and appreciate the counties of Southern Maryland, and the years of growing tobacco. Sharp skillfully takes the reader back to the year 1634 and the first landing of European immigrants on American shores at St. Clements Island. They ventured from England on two wind-driven ships: the “ARK” and the “DOVE.” With considerable research, he moves through a short history of the earliest beginnings of Maryland's birth. The material is easy reading and beckons' the reader to become part of the story of Southern Maryland's growth and economic importance to the state, a press release states. The author has a nice transition to the short history of Barns themselves; why they were “Red”; introducing Quilt Barns, Round Barns, and the famous barn advertisers that promoted, the rare to be seen, “Mail Pouch Tobacco Barns.” Next is an introduction to the farmers’ best friends: Cats, and the Barn Owl. We discover how they are truly worth their weight in gold. A more somber view of labor employment is followed by the many ways of drying tobacco. Sharp introduces each the three lower counties with a short history of their contributions to expansion and agricultural production. This is followed by personal interviews of local farmers, and how the Maryland Tobacco Buyout of 2000 affected each in their decision to participate or pass. Far more accepted the cash buyout than the state anticipated. Remaining growers of tobacco today are the Amish, Mennonites, and those farmers with deep personal objections to the proposal. Finally, he engages the reader’s attention to the subjects of restoration and preservation, as seen through the eyes of a three-year old child: “Priceless”. In closing, the writer suggests a major challenge to all farm families. “Sadly, you are probably the last generation of your breed for demonstrating work ethics, perseverance, and perfection in everything you do. The pride you exhibit must become contagious.”
The COSMIC Symphony presents Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along on Dec. 10 at Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California at 7 p.m. or Dec. 11 at Crossroads Christian Church, Saint Leonard at 4 p.m. Bring your own score or simply enjoy this classical Christmas tradition. Advance tickets available at www.cosmicmusic.org, Allegro Music, Nambo’s Music, Stevens Studio and Educate & Celebrate. General admission $10; seniors, students, military, MD State employees $8; family four-pack $35.
301-862-3544
Located in Old Downtown Lexington Park, Outside Gate 2 PAX NAS Limi te
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New Sporting Program for People with Disabilities “Paralympic Sport – Southern Maryland” is a community-based sports club developed to involve youth and adults with physical and visual disabilities in ongoing sports and physical activity, regardless of skill level. All programs and activities will be based in Southern Maryland and run by the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation and Parks. “U.S. Paralympics is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals with physical and visual disabilities to be physically active in their own communities. Participation in physical activity enhances not only self-esteem and peer relationships, but also results in greater achievement, better overall health and higher quality of life,” Mike Mushett, U.S. Paralympics Director of Community Programs, said in a press release. With 21 million Americans living with a physical or visual disability, including thousands of military personnel who've been severely injured while on active duty, this is an important community need. U.S. Paralympics is committed to working with community organizations across the United States to create 250 Paralympic Sport Clubs by 2012. St. Mary’s County Recreation and Parks is a strong advocate for people of all ability levels; the Department believes every individual, regardless of ability level, is deserving of satisfying recreational, leisure and sporting activities. Paralympic Sport – Southern Maryland will initially focus on aquatic programming and programs for injured military personnel, with hopes of expanding to cycling and kayaking in the near future. Sponsors and volunteers are currently being sought. For more information on how to get involved with Paralympic Sport-Southern Maryland contact Christina Bishop, 301-475-4200 x 1802 or christina.bishop@stmarysmd.com. For more information about U.S. Paralympics, please contact Susan Katz, (719) 866-2068 or susan.katz@ usoc.org.
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Thursday, Dec. 8 • Holiday Open House St. Mary’s Adult Medical Day Care Center (24400 Mervell Dean Rd., Hollywood)– 4 to 8 p.m. The event provides an opportunity to meet the staff, tour the center and learn more about the Medical Day and Senior Center Plus programs. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. St. Mary’s Adult Medical Day Care is the only medical day program for individuals age 16 and older in St. Mary’s County. It is designed to enable functionally and/or cognitively impaired individuals to remain in the community and includes therapeutic activities, medication administration, meals and transportation. For more information or to RSVP, contact Dorothy Flynn at 301-373-6515 or by email at marketing@stmarysamdc.com. • NEW Compassionate Friends - St. Mary’s Meeting First Saints Community Church - St. Paul’s Campus (Leonardtown, next to St. Mary’s Hospital) 7 - 8:30 p.m. The Compassionate Friends is a national nonprofit, self-help support organization that offers friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings. There is no religious affiliation and there are no membership dues or fees. For more information, please call 240-434-8414.
Friday, Dec. 9 • Christmas Cantata: “The Star Still Shines” First Saints Community Church (25550 Point Lookout Rd., Leonardtown) – 7 p.m. “The Star Still Shines” is a musical that proclaims the true reason for our seasonal celebration – that Jesus is the one true light of the world. Join us for our Christmas Cantata, the Star Still Shines- a musical that proclaims the true reason for our seasonal celebration – that Jesus is the one true light of the world. Concert is free for all. • Roll Bunco at VFW 2632 VFW Post 2632 (23282 Thre Notch Rd., California) – 6:30 p.m. Everyone over age 21 welcomed. Bunco offers the perfect excuse to get together with friends for laughs, drinks, conversation and relaxation. It’s a fun dice game that is easy to play. Bring a friend or meet new friends at the VFW. Cash buy-in is $5 – cash payouts are determined by the number of players. Game instructions will be explained at 6:30 p.m. and game play starts at 7 p.m. Register at lavfwbunco@ gmail.com.
Saturday, Dec. 10
• Young Professionals Initiative of St. Mary’s County to host Holiday Party at The Lounge at Bollywood The Lounge at Bollywood (2576 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 348, California) – 7 to 9 p.m. Young professionals living or working in St. Mary’s County are invited to come celebrate the holidays with other young professionals. If you are not a member of YPI, this is a great and informal way to learn more about the organization and meet new people. It is a Black Dress/Tie event. The cost is $15 for YPI Members and $20 for nonmembers. Cost includes Tapas Buffet and entertainment. Please come with a $5 or less “white elephant” gift to participate in the gift exchange. After the YPI Holiday Party ends, The Lounge at Bollywood will continue the fun at 9 p.m. with a Black Dress Party. For more information or to RSVP, contact programs@ypi-smc.org. • St. John’s School Christmas Bazaar St. John’s School (43900 St, John’s Rd., Hollywood) – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Support the school while finishing up holiday shopping. New and returning crafters and vendors will be featured. A Christmas gift raffle, refreshments and homemade baked good will be available. Admission is free. Contact Aleah at 240-925-0041 or Lisa at 301-904-6770 or email stjohnschristmasbazaar@gmail.com for more information. • Annual Breakfast with Santa James Forrest Tech Center (24005 Point Lookout Rd., Leonardtown) – 8 to 11 a.m. Enjoy a delicious breakfast prepared by the Forrest Center’s Culinary Arts students. Admission to this event, which includes breakfast, is $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 4 to 12. An omelet bar is available for an additional $2. Santa’s Workshop will be available for children to purchase small gifts (under $10). Children will be assisted by Forrest Center students. These gifts will be wrapped for the children. Don’t forget to have your child photographed with Santa. For a small fee, students from the Forrest Center’s Graphic Communications program will photograph your child with Santa while they let him know their holiday wishes. In addition, there are a variety of activities for children of all ages including a silent auction of gift baskets provided by many of the Forrest Center’s programs. Proceeds will benefit the Forrest Center’s student programs and SkillsUSA chapter. For more information, contact the Forrest Center at 301-475-0242. • 31 Bags Bingo Benefit St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds (42455 Fairgrounds Rd., Leonardtown) – 2 p.m. Event to benefit St. Mary’s County Community Mediation Center featuring 31 brand bags, totes, gifts and accessories.
Doors open at 1 p.m. Games start at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance of $25 at the door and include one book of 20 regular games. For information or to order tickets call 410-474-2958 or order online at www.st-marys-mediation.org. • Cookie, Craft & Vendor Boutique Church of the Ascension (21641 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park) – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Annual event offers cookies cookies galore to choose from, crafts and more available. Contact Marsha at 301-475-3344 for details. • Santa Claus and Puppy Paws Companion Care Veterinary Hospital (28105 Three Notch Road, Unit D, Mechanicsville) – 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Santa Claus is coming to Companion Care. Portraits with Santa for pets, family, kids or both. There will be face painting and crafts for the children. Christmas baskets for raffle for pets and their owners. Proceeds collected will be donated to GREYT Expectations Greyhound Rescue.
Sunday, Dec. 11
Thursday, December 8, 2011
In Entertainment
Thursday, Dec. 8
Live Music: “The Sam Grow Band” The Tides Restaurant (46580 Expedition Drive, Lexington Park) – 7 p.m. Live Music: “The Andy Bopp Duo” Casey Jones Pub (417 E. Charles St., La Plata) – 9:30 p.m.
• Second District Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus Second District Valley Lee Fire Dept. (45245 Drayden Rd., Valley Lee) – 8 to 11 a.m. All-You-Can Eat Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus featuring a menu that includes: scrambled eggs, home fried potatoes, pancakes, french toast, sausage links, ham, hot biscuits, creamed chipped beef, spiced applesauce, assorted juices, milk and coffee. Cost for adults is $8, children ages 6 to 12 is $4 and children under 5 are free. The event is sponsored and prepared by the 2nd District Volunteer Fire Dept . and Rescue Squad Auxiliary. For more information call 301-994-9999.
Comedy Night feat. Larry Lancaster and Ray Diva Rustic River Bar and Grill (40874 Merchants Lane, Leonardtown) – 8 p.m.
• Cookie March Little Flower School (20410 Point Lookout Rd., Great Mills) – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come out for this giant Christmas cookie bake sale and pick up a variety of home-made cookies, mix-and-match for $6 per pound. Proceeds benefit Little Flower School.
Live Music: “Gretchen Ritchie” Cafe Des Artistes (41655 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown) – 6 p.m.
• Breakfast with Santa Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad (43256 Rescue Ln., Hollywood) – 7:30 to 11 a.m. The menu will include: sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage links, bacon, scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, pancakes, escalloped apples, scrapple, chipped beef, assorted juices, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. The cost is $9 for adults, $4 for children ages 5 to12 and children under age 5 are free. Sponsored by the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad. • Leonardtown’s Second Sunday: Music and Art Leonardtown Arts Center (22660 Washington Street, Second Floor, Leonardtown) – 1 to 4 p.m. Explore the wide variety of artwork in the studios while listening to Eric Skow and Bob Pfeiffer provide their interpretation of “vintage” music. With a growing following in Southern Maryland, Eric and Bob play an interesting mix of music from the 60’s up to today.
Monday, Dec. 12
• Blood Drive Second District Valley Lee Fire Dept. (45245 Drayden Rd., Valley Lee) – 1:30 to 7:45 p.m. The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive ad asks that donors or potential donors call 301-994-1038 to schedule an appointment or get additional information. • Leah’s House Fundraising Night Texas Roadhouse (45255 Abell House Lane, California) – 4 p.m. to closing Ten percent of your bill will benefit the Leah’s House shelter all evening. Support a worthy cause and help founder Marguerite Morris celebrate her birthday. Call for an invitation at 301-994-9580.
Tuesday, Dec. 13
• Dinner and Service featuring Speaker David Ring Callaway Baptist Church (20960 Point Lookout Rd., Callaway) – 6 p.m. Dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the service at 7 p.m. This is a free event. Child care will be provided. A love offering will be taken. Call 301-994-0655 for details.
Wednesday, Dec. 14
• Nature Time at Greenwell Greenwell State Park (25420 Rosedale Manor Lane, Hollywood) – 10 to 11:30 a.m. Enjoy the wonders of nature at Greenwell State Park through games, crafts, stories, movement and exploration. Nature Time is for young children and their families or caregivers. Pre-registration (no later than 24 hours in advance) is required. Parents and caregivers must supervise their children at all times. There is no fee for adults. Cost is $5 per child age 2 and over. Call 301-872-5688 for more info.
22
n O g n i Go
What’s
The County Times
‘80’s Night Fat Boy’s Country Store (41566 Medleys Neck Road, Leonardtown) – 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 9 Live Music: “Chopper Trike Rebels and The Maiden Project” Memories Nightclub and Bar (2360 Old Washington Road, Waldorf) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Naked Jam Band” Martini’s Lounge (10553 Theodore Green Boulevard, White Plains) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Joe Martone Duo” Chef’s American Bistro (22576 Macarthur Boulevard, San Souci Plaza suite 314, California) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Billy Breslin” Island Bar and Crab House (16810 Piney Point Rd., Piney Point) – 7:30 p.m. Live Music: “Justin Crenshaw Band” The Blue Dog Saloon (7940 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco) – 8 p.m.
Live Music: “Car 54” - Acoustic Casey Jones Pub (417 E. Charles St., La Plata) – 9:30 p.m.
Live Music: “Pet the Monster” Toot’s Bar (23971 Mervell Dean Road, Hollywood) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Herb Reed and the Platters” Leonardtown High School (23995 Point Lookout Road, Leonardtown) – 7 p.m. COSMIC Symphony: Handel’s Messiah Patuxent Presbyterian Church (23421 Kingston Creek Road, California) – 7 p.m. Live Music: “HYJINX” Vera’s White Sands Beach Club (1200 White Sands Drive, Lusby) – 9:30 p.m. Live Music: “The Craze” @ Ape’s Annual Christmas Party Apehangers Bar and Grill (9100 Crain Highway, Bel Alton) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Random Impact” Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 9 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 11 Live Music: “The Sam Grow Band” Anthony’s Bar and Grill (10371 Southern Maryland Boulevard, Dunkirk) – 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 12 Open Mic Night Rustic River Bar and Grill (40874 Merchants Lane, Leonardtown) - 7 p.m. $2.50 Margaritas All Day Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) – 10 a.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 13
Live Music: “ HydraFX” Vera’s White Sands Beach Club (1200 White Sands Drive, Lusby) – 9 p.m.
Open Mic Night Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10
“A Barbershop Christmas” Fine Arts Center, College of Southern Maryland, LaPlata Campus (8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata) – 8 p.m.
Live Music: “The Sam Grow Band and Synergy” Hotel Charles (15110 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville) – 9 p.m. Live Music: “Legend” Cryer’s Back Road Inn (22094 Newtowne Neck Road, Leonardtown) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Groove Span” Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 14 Live Music: “Sam Grow” Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Mason Sebastian” DB McMillan’s (23415 Three Notch Road, California) – 5 p.m.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
Customers are reminded that a NOOK Color will be given away at each branch and a Kindle countywide in a drawing on Dec. 17. Any customer who visits a library and inquires about eReaders or attends the workshop will be entered. These eReaders were donated by Southern Maryland Regional Library Association.
Library Items • Holiday fun planned Children of all ages will enjoy holiday stories, crafts and fun at the holiday parties to be held at Charlotte Hall on Dec. 13, Lexington Park on Dec. 15 and Leonardtown on Dec. 22. Each program starts at 6 p.m. The programs are free but registration is required. • Library staff demonstrates eReaders For those who are thinking about purchasing an eReader, each branch has the new Kindle Fire, NOOK Color, Kindle, iPad and a few others for customers to see and use within the library. Staff will demonstrate their use and the downloading process from the library’s eBook collection. Charlotte Hall branch is offering an eBook workshop on Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. Those attending will learn about the most popular eReaders, how to browse, check out and download free eBooks from the library’s collection. Registration is required.
• Free movies shown during holiday break Families can attend a free showing of a movie during the holiday break at any branch. Charlotte Hall and Leonardtown will show a G-rated movie about Pooh Bear and his friends trying to find their lost friend. Charlotte Hall’s will be on Dec. 19 and Leonardtown’s on Dec. 20 with both starting at 2 p.m. Lexington Park will show the Muppet version of the Christmas Carol on Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. Snacks will be provided. • Monthly book discussions offered Each branch offers a monthly book discussion, which is open to the public. They meet on the following days: first Monday at 7 p.m. at Charlotte Hall, second Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Lexington Park, and third Thursday at 7 p.m. at Leonardtown. Books are available at the hosting library. A list of the titles selected for 2012 are available online or at the branches. The next books to be discussed include: “Guns, Germs, and Steel: the Fates of Human Societies” by Jared Diamond at Lexington Park on Dec. 12, “Watership Down” by Richard Adams at Leonardtown on Dec. 15 and “Great House” by Nicole Krauss at Charlotte Hall on Jan. 3.
Mini Grant Funding Opportunities The Southern Maryland Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Board has announced that applications for the Mini Grant Program are available. Projects selected for funding will assist RC&D in implementing its Annual Plan and Area Plan which are both focused on community development, land conservation, land management and water management in Charles, Calvert, St. Mary’s and Anne Arundel counties. The maximum amount for each mini grant award is $500. The Southern Maryland RC&D Board will accept applications at its office in Leonardtown via email, fax or regular mail. The Mini Grant Program will operate on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal year (July 2011 to June 2012) while funds are available. Applications are due the 1st of every month. Visit the website at www.somdrcd.org for more information about RC&D. Call the RC&D office at 301-475-8427 X 6 or email denitra.brawner@somdrcd.org if you are interested in applying and would like to receive an application. The RC&D is a nonprofit organization that carries out community development and conservation projects in Charles, Calvert, St. Mary’s and Anne Arundel Counties.
Cat of the Week
I WILL ROLL OVER ON MY BACK IF YOU WILL RUB MY BELLY!
My brother Travis and I were adopted out when we were kittens but our family fell on some financial hard times and we have been taken in by the fine folks at Feral Cat Rescue. We have been around people and other cats our whole lives. I am super sweet. I love to be petted. I love to be loved. Will you love me? Please fill out an application at www.feralcatrescuemd.org and email it to my foster mom at moonandhunt@hotmail.com. If you have any questions, you can call her at 301-481-0171. I am fully vetted. Love always, RAVEN
PEt of the Week Hello Everyone, My name is Garth and I am a sweet and lovable male collie/ beagle mix. I am a little shy and just need someone who can give me lots of love and attention. I was born on July 1, 2010 and am looking for a family who will love and cherish me the rest of my life. Our one sister found a home and I still have another sister and two brothers who are looking for families to call their own. We would love to be home for the holidays! We are current on vaccinations, neutered, crate trained, heartworm negative and identification micro chipped. If you have a place in your heart and home for me please contact Lora@secondhoperescue.org or call 240-9250628. Please Adopt, Don’t Shop !!!
Your Online Community For Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s Counties New to the area? Lifelong resident?
Stop by and see what Southern Maryland Online has to offer! • Stay abreast of local happenings • Check our highly popular classifieds • Speak your mind in the forums • Enter our contests and win terrific prizes
Over 250,000 Southern Marylanders can’t be wrong!
www.somd.com
The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
24
The County Times is always looking for more local talent to feature! To submit art or band information for our entertainment section, e-mail carriemunn@countytimes.net.
Historic-Themed Holiday Events Abound “Sotterley Christmas Past” (44300 Sotterly Lane, Hollywood)
Take a timetraveling tour spanning 300 years of history at this year’s Holiday Candlelight Tours on Dec. 9 and 10. An historic dramatization by the Sotterley Players unfolds in the 1703 Plantation House, bringing visitors into five Christmas Eve’s past.
Holiday Exhibit and Open House at Piney Point Lighthouse, Museum and Historic Park
(44720 Lighthouse Road, Piney Point)
Live musical performances from local premiere high school choral groups and complimentary cookies and hot cider in the barn will round out the holiday evening. The 40-minute tours begin every 10 minutes, with the first tour beginning at 6 p.m. each night. Tickets are $15 and reservations are required. Visit www.sotterley. org to save your spot. The historic site is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. throughout December and boasts a museum shop offering unique gifts.
Enjoy a free day of admission on Sunday, Dec. 11 from Noon to 4 p.m. Come and see the holiday exhibit inside the lighthouse keeper’s quarters where each room is filled with a different holiday storybook theme. There will be a holiday activity for kids and free refreshments, plus the nautically-themed museum will offer their version of Sandy Claws with a visit from Pinch, the mascot of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Baseball Team from noon to 2 p.m. There will be a one-day 10% discount for all shoppers at the Lighthouse Lens museum store, which offers an array of unique holiday gifts, many lighthouse and nautical items, sea glass jewelry, clothing and more. There will also be tours of the Potomac River Maritime building and the lighthouse. Visit www.stmarysmd.com/recreate/museums for dates and hours through December or for more information, call 301-994-1471.
Holiday Madrigal Dinners at Historic St. Mary’s City (47418 Old State House Road, St. Mary’s City)
For four decades, this traditional event has heralded the advent of Christmas. The season calls for crackling fires and candlelight, toasts with friends and fine food, the sounds of hearty laughter and familiar music. Maryland’s colonial settlers will welcome guests to the Jacobean-style State House of 1676 where they will begin the evening with wassail, oyster stew and traditional fare, with a Southern Maryland-style dinner will follow. The Great Hall will be beautifully decorated for the occasion by the Mistress Brent Garden Club. A program of traditional Christmas aires, performed by St. Maries Musica, a troupe of colorfully costumed and skilled musicians, will close the feast. Enjoy the evening, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday or Sunday; Dec. 9, 10 and 11 & 16, 17 and 18. Admission for the fine dining and holiday music is $85; $75 for members. For reservations or additional information, call Muffin at 240-895-4991 or email events@ stmaryscity.org. Winter hours for Historic St. Mary’s City’s gift shop and visitors center are Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cecil’s Old Mill & Cecil’s Country Store
(20853 Indian Bridge Road, Great Mills) Meander out to the historic mill site which houses local fine arts and crafts from the St. Mary’s County Arts Association on Saturday, Dec. 10 for this year’s Santa Day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be make and take crafts for the kids and unique handcrafted ornaments and gifts as well as refreshments will be available. This is a free public event. The mill is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Call 301-9941510 for more information. Right across the road sits Cecil’s Country Store, a unique shopping stop offering work from local artist Mary Lou Troutman, candles, home interior, toys and many unique holiday gifts and decorations. The store is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Christmas Open House and 26th Annual Doll & Train Exhibit at St. Clement’s Island Museum (38370 Point Breeze Road, Colton’s Point)
All are invited to visit the museum free of charge on Saturday, Dec. 10 to enjoy a holiday program of fun and festivities. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand from noon to 2 p.m., greeting children and parents, listening to those very special Christmas wishes. Christmas caroling with St. Mary’s County Commissioner Cindy Jones and Ellynne Brice Davis from 2 to 4 p.m. Also from 2 to 4 p.m., a colonial re-enactor portraying the 17thcentury character Dr. Thomas Gerard explaining the origin of the famous song “Twelve Days of Christmas” and playing heritage games with the kids. Holiday refreshments will be served, there will be a bike raffle and The Crab Claw Museum Store will greet all shoppers with a one-day 10% discount! The Doll & Train exhibit has been a St. Mary’s County tradition for years and offers a wide selection of antique and collector dolls and working miniature trains to delight kids of all ages. The museum is open through Dec. 16, Wednesday to Sunday from Noon to 4 p.m. and will be open daily Dec. 17 through 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 301-769-2222 for details.
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The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Business
Directory Phone 301-884-5900 1-800 524-2381
Phone 301-934-4680 Fax 301-884-0398
To Place a Classified Ad, please email your ad to: classifieds@countytimes.net or Call: 301-373-4125 or Fax: 301-373-4128 for a price quote. Office hours are: Monday thru Friday 8am - 4pm. The County Times is published each Thursday.
Classifieds Real Estate Own for less than rent. Great Starter Home! Nice 3 BR 1 BA Rambler on corner lot. Newer HVAC system Large country kitchen with lots of cabinets and room for table. Laundry room off of kitchen. Open floor plan with large great room. Sold as is but shows well. Seller says bring offers. This property is eligible for 100% Financing. Contact me for more details, 301-862-2169. Equal Housing Opportunity. Price: $134,900.
Cross & Wood
AssoCiAtes, inC. Serving The Great Southern Maryland Counties since 1994 Employer/Employee
Primary Resource Consultants Group & Individual Health, Dental, Vision, AFLAC, Life, Long Term Care, Short & Long Term Disability, Employer & Employee Benefits Planning
12685 Amberleigh Lane La Plata, MD 20646
Deadlines for Classifieds are Tuesday at 12 pm.
26 wooded acres with 2 percs and abundant wildlife. Property is great for hunting as well as a home in the woods. Possible owner financing. House with 12 acres also available. 240-298-7032. Price: $190,000.
28231 Three Notch Rd, #101 Mechanicsville, MD 20659
Real Estate Rentals
Pub & Grill
301-866-0777
Heating & Air Conditioning
23415 Three Notch Road California Maryland
“THE HEAT PUMP PEOPLE” 30457 Potomac Way Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 Phone: 301-884-5011
www.dbmcmillans.com
107 Days Till St. Patrick’s Day Entertainment All Day
Est. 1982
snheatingac.com
Lic #12999
For All Your Real Estate Needs.
Addie McBride
Helping Good People Find Good Homes.
Franzen Realtors, Inc.
www.franzenrealtors.com
22316 Three Notch Rd. Lexington Park, MD 20653 Office: 1-800-848-6092 • Office: 301-862-2222 • Fax Office: 301-862-1060
Cutting Close Lawn Care Service “A beautiful lawn doesn’t happen by itself”
Pressure Washing
House, Sidewalk, Siding, Decks
Outside Home Maintenance Gutter Celaning
Mowing Trimming Edging Blowing
Waverly Crafton • Owner
Flower beds General yard cleanup Tree Planting
(240) 561-1471
Apartment Rentals 1 BR apartment, $775 plus utilities.
$775 security deposit. Newly renovated, W/D, A/C and off-street parking. Walking distance to public transportation and all conveniences of downtown. 22756 Lawrence Avenue, Leonardtown. Call 301-475-8384 or email paragonprop@verizon.net. Furnished bdrms single family home in Colton’s Point, utilities included,shared kit & bath, cable access, off street parking $600 a mth call 240-587-9359.
Cell: 301-481-6767 Home: 301-737-1669 www.addiemcbride.com addiemcbride@verizon.net
Services Provided:
One Bedroom/bath cottage, large livingroom, bedroom, kitchen, bath and front porch. 5 mins south of Pax River NAS. All utilities, satellite and trash service included. No washer/dryer or hookup. One year lease required. No smoking or pets. Call after 6pm 301-737-2749. Rent: $695.
301-737-0777
Prime Rib • Seafood • Sunday Brunch Banquet & Meeting Facilities 23418 Three Notch Road • California, MD 20619 www.lennys.net
CAPTAIN LEONARD’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
Seeking Young Professional roommates for 3 bedroom, 1 bath Leonardtown home. Must be okay with two (very friendly) cats. One room will be available January 1st, another room will be available around February or March. House is a small rambler with a full kitchen, dining room, living room, screened-in back porch, large yard, and unfinished basement (used for storage, litter boxes, and second fridge). Very reasonably priced, along with split utilities. Background check. Please email for more information - ansta89@yahoo.com. Serious inquiries only please.
Employment General service automotive technician position available. Must have experience preforming oil changes, tire replacement/tire repair, and general maintenance. Must be professional and motivated ! call Art 301-467-2973. Experienced dental/medical scheduling supervisor wanted for well established fee for service practice in Mechanicsville. Experience preferred but will train the right person! Monday through Friday hours no weekends. Excellent salary, 401k, profit sharing, medical insurance, and leave benefits. Please email resume to stmarysdental4employment@hotmail.com or download application from our website at www.stmarysdental.com
Important 27301 Three Notch Rd. Mechanicsville, MD
301-884-3701
Sun, Wed, Thur: 12 – 9 Fri, Sat: 12 – 10 • Closed: Mon and Tues
24-Hour Towing Light/Medium/Heavy Duty • Major and Minor Repairs Diesel Is Our Specialty • Chrome Refinishing 37720 Manor Road • Chaptico, Maryland 20621
The County Times will not be held responsible for any ads omitted for any reason. The County Times reserves the right to edit or reject any classified ad not meeting the standards of The County Times. It is your responsiblity to check the ad on its first publication and call us if a mistake is found. We will correct your ad only if notified after the first day the first publication ran.
The County Times
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KiddKioer
CLUES ACROSS
TieW ord Find
BUSINESS ELEGANT FANCY FATHER
W Y O K G E I T M N C L
X E C Q N E C W P C S I
X E I A O R X B S D J G
NECK TIE W ARD ROBE
INTERVIEW KN OT LONG MAN
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F L I B R S U M Z L B K
G A R L I E N V T E O Q
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1. Abu __, U.A.E. capital 6. Herring-like fishes 11. 55120 MN 12. Indigo bush 13. Pollyanna-ish 15. Pleasing to the ear 18. Parcels of land 19. Microns (alt. sp.) 20. Cooking containers 21. Express pleasure 24. Meat from a calf (alt.) 25. 7th Greek letter 26. Operated the sales register 30. Blueprint for the day 32. Congressperson (abbr.) 33. Angle (abbr.) 35. Fragrant health promotion 43. Trespasses 44. ___ Lanka 45. Wife of Hercules 47. A large body of water 48. Chicken house 49. Sicilian volcano 51. Coarse edible red seaweed
Thursday, December 8, 2011
52. __ May, actress 54. Opposites of credits 55. Unable to move 57. Someone who is highly skilled 58. 100 = 1 kwacha 59. “Rocky” star Talia
CLUES DOWN
1. Having a sophisticated charm 2. Minute amounts (Scot.) 3. Turkish leader’s title 4. Used for hitting the ball in various games 5. Not out 6. South Dakota 7. Possessed 8. Grad 9. UPS driver 10. Fired 13. In a way, augmented 14. River in SE S. Am. 16. Division of geological time 17. Follows sigma
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21. Sign language 22. Expression of surprise 23. Hull Identification Number 26. Salmwood 27. Associated Press 28. Half of an em 29. Networks in Spanish 31. Dough fermenting agent 34. Auto fuel 36. An alternative 37. Manuscripts (abbr.) 38. Digested 39. Darjeeling or green 40. Horsepower 41. 1985 Formula 1 champion 42. Expression of alarm 43. Gain possession 45. Own (Scottish) 46. Snake-like fish 48. Dicer 50. Afresh 51. Hindu mother goddess 53. Before 54. Code for dash 56. Atomic #52 57. Millisecond
Last Week’s Puzzle Solutions
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The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wanderings A Journey Through Time of an Aimless
d
Min
Christmas Countdown
By Shelby Oppermann Contributing Writer Uh oh, there is no half and half for Tidbit’s and my tea this morning. Tidbit is not going to be a happy dog when she finds this out. At present she is still curled up on her, oh so soft, bedding in our bedroom. She knows it is rainy and dark this morning and cannot be coaxed off of her bed until she hears “hot tea”. It might be like the facebook post I read early this morning about someone having to grade papers without tea – one comment was “horror of horrors”. This comment may have been made in jest, but it would be a crisis for myself and other tea drinkers. I guess it’s the same for people who are coffee drinkers. All I can find in the refrigerator is 2% milk, eggnog, and half a pint of heavy whipping cream. I don’t know which will work with my Irish Breakfast tea. Maybe I could make an Irish Breakfast Chai by adding the eggnog (or eggneg as my brother always calls it) to the tea. It doesn’t sound too good, but new food fads have been created by such crazy concoctions. Or, I could mix a little milk and whipping cream into the tea, or go the healthier way and opt for no cream at all, no sugar. Ahhhh, the milk – whipping cream mixture is just right. I wasn’t brave enough to try the eggnog concoction. I’ll save the eggnog for the eggnog martini I’ve heard is so good. And, I am taking the slow, winding, torturous route to healthy living. The Christmas countdown is upon us, and it’s nearly time to bring the Christmas tree out of the big shed. We usually haul it out a few days before we want to bring it inside so it airs out a bit. The reason we need to do that is because the 16’ x 20’ shed has a slight mothball smell from us scattering the stinky little mothballs around the corners to ward off foraging little creatures. After we bring the tree out I usually Febreeze it quite a bit and then spray it with Santa Pine scent by Chase (a made in the USA product as it happens). I’ve spent quite a bit on different pine sprays with little luck. This was the best by far, and I cannot remember where I bought it. I guess I’ll leave all the grapevine and lighted reindeer in the shed. My husband says he is not putting up Christmas decorations this year. He told me he is still recovering from Halloween. We still have one creature hanging out on an out of the way tree. It seems like any day we have a nice day to take him down we are not home, and the days we are home it’s raining. Creature is well over six feet tall, and hard to find a place for. I think if we give him a Santa head and hat and a red jacket we could still use him. The saw blade in his head and dagger in his glove have to go though. I still have some Fall decorations to put away, but that just makes it to real that Christmas is a little over two weeks away. The New Christmas Target ads have captured the feeling perfectly. A woman shows her relatives out the door with all of them wishing each other a “Happy Thanksgiving” and then as soon as she closes the door and turns back inside the whole house is magically decorated for Christmas as her husband holds up a glass and says, “Eggnog?”. I think part of the slogan is “Santa has Elves, you have Target.” I wish I had some elves. I’ve started painting portraits of people and pets on glass ornaments again, and could really use a little elf to do everything else on my list. I might even start my old series of crabs, oysters, rockfish, etc on the ornaments again. And I still have some Christmas jewelry to make, and I want to paint some miniature AND large Christmas paintings, and I have lots of Christmas orders & projects to take care of at my shop and…What am I thinking?!! My true middle names must be “pain and deadline”. This is why I start looking forward to January right now. I bring it upon myself I know, but it’s the way my brain is wired. Tomorrow night I will take a break from my own deadlines as we set up our own Santa’s workshop at our Christ Church, Chaptico parish hall. We’ll have a potluck supper, and then have stations for cookie-making, ornament painting, Christmas card-crafting, ornaments from nature, and a fresh greens station, with ribbons and candles to make centerpieces. It’s quite a fun, and messy night. Kids and adults craft and bake at all the stations. If you would like to come– bring some old crafts, or craft ideas, greens, whatever and forget about what you have to do at home. As we say, “All are welcome.” To each new day’s adventure, Shelby Please send your comments or ideas to: shelbys.wanderings@yahoo.com
The
Chronicle
By Linda Reno Contributing Writer During the time of slavery, being granted your freedom or even being born free did not necessarily mean you would always live so. Such was the case of a young woman from St. Mary’s County who ended up in the Prince William County, Virginia jail in 1835. Eliza Ann Barnes said in court that she was born in St. Mary’s County and that she was the daughter of Mary Barnes and the granddaughter of Patience Barnes who had been given her freedom about 1805 by Colonel Barnes. The 1804 will of Richard Barnes who lived at Tudor Hall, said “The poor slaves whose melancholy situation I have long deplored, their freedom three years after my death. They must behave themselves well. Any in violation of the law or otherwise improper conduct or convicted before two magistrates may be sold as slaves. They are required to take the surname of Barnes. My Executor, if he thinks proper, is to provide them with money, stock, or credit to enable them to live as tenants on my property. They are to take care of their old, young, and infirm.” Eliza Ann went on to say that she was raised by Mrs. Polly Dorsey in St. Mary’s County until 1832 when she moved to Baltimore to live with her aunt, Susan Handy. There she got a job as a cook on a fishing boat. At the time
of her arrest, she was in Washington, D.C. and on her way home to Baltimore. There appears to have been some collusion between the constable, jailor, and the jailor’s brother because the sale of the women took place inside the jail at the break of daylight with only a few people present, including the jailor William Ball, his brother James Ball of Prince William County, Enoch Smallwood, and Evan G. Jeffries. Although the chain of ownership or the sequence of transactions is not clear there is no doubt that Enoch Smallwood, Evan Jeffries, Champe Terry, and the two Ball brothers were all involved in this scam. Also in the testimony we find that at some point William Cockrell came upon James Ball with the two women chained together at their feet. Cockrell began to question Ball about the women and without receiving a satisfactory answer, asked the women who they were and where were they going. They told Cockrell that they were free women that had been sold as slaves for only jail fees and that they were being taken to Georgia. Cockrell then enlisted the help of a Mr. Farrow who obtained a warrant and took possession of the women over the strong objections of James Ball. As stated before, the outcome is not known; but on August 3, 1835 Barnes and Sewell were granted “leave to file a petition to sue Champe Terry in forma paupers.” The next day a motion was made in court by Champe Terry to have the women delivered to him upon the payment of all costs in the amount of $9.28.
Book Review
“Are You Ready? How to Prepare for an Earthquake” by Maggie Mooney c.2011, Greystone Books
$15.95 / $17.95 Canada
By Terri Schlichenmeyer Contributing Writer The footage of that day was beyond scary. It looked like those first few steps when someone gets off a carnival ride, those dizzy, leg-shaking seconds of no equilibrium. Like walking on a waterbed. Or like waltzing on a sea of jelly as the world breaks apart. Whatever it was like, you vowed that you’d never go through an earthquake without a little preparation. But then life stepped in and, well, The Big One might never arrive anyhow, right? Maybe, but why take chances? With the new book “Are You Ready? How to Prepare for an Earthquake” by Maggie Mooney, you’ll be well-armed. So you saw the news from Japan last spring. Maybe you even experienced an earthquake yourself and you never want to go there again – and for good reason. Maggie Mooney says that over 3 million people died in earthquakes in the twentieth century alone. In order to be completely safe from a quake, you need to understand psychology, she says. Humans tend to naturally “under-perceive” risk. We “assess risk based on our likes and dislikes rather than by… true advantages and disadvantages.” To counter that, we must prepare, push aside denial, and foster resilience. Because our brains usually take over during times of crisis, Mooney says that our bodies must be conditioned to respond faster. Practice by dropping to your knees,
160 pages
crawling under a desk or table (to attain the “Triangle of Life”) and hanging on to the closest, most secure object. Running outside or standing in a doorway, she says, are no longer recommended. Develop a communication plan and make a home emergency kit. Assign each member of your family a special bag to hold ID, medical information, and other documents. Make preparation a game for the kids, and don’t forget to include your pets in the plan. Know the hazards in your home, where to turn off gas and electricity, and (gulp!) what to do if you’re trapped. Whistling in the dark won’t work. Wishing is useless. You already know that you can’t continue to pretend you won’t be affected by an earthquake; what happened in Japan, Haiti, and Washington DC has proved otherwise. But with “Are You Ready? How to Prepare for an Earthquake,” you’ll at least be equipped for the worst. With a little geology, a little human behavior, and a lot of common (and not-so-common) sense, author Maggie Mooney – herself a resident of a quake-prone area – presents a step-by-step method to ensure that your entire family is ready for tremblers of any size. She wisely and repeatedly cautions against panic but imparts a sense of urgency and helpfully offers a checklist as well as resources for more information. I liked those extras, and I liked that they’re easy to read and useable. “Are You Ready? How to Prepare for an Earthquake” is one of those books you hope you’ll never need but if you do, you’ll be glad you read it. Without this book, in fact, if an earthquake happens, you could be on shaky ground.
The County Times
ST. MARY'S ADULT MEDICAL DAY CARE
Thursday, December 8, 2011
SENIOR LIVING • Book Discussion Group The Garvey Senior Activity Center will discuss “Christmas Letters” by Debbie Macomber on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. Read the selection and come prepared to share your likes, dislikes, and opinions. Thought-provoking discussion questions will be provided to encourage interaction and conversation among participants. For more information, call 301-475-4200, ext. 1050.
Invites you to attend a
On Thursday, December 8th From 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Drop by to meet our staff, learn more about our center, and enjoy a selection of specially prepared Hors d'oeuvres and wine. For more information, please Contact Dorothy Flynn at 301-373-6515 or marketing@stmarysamdc.com 24400 Mervell Dean Road • Hollywood, MD
We look forward to seeing you and wish you a
Happy Holiday Season!
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS 55+
• Off the Shelf – all about books On Monday, Dec. 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., enjoy a day dedicated to everything about books – reading, writing, publishing and more. If you have literary leanings and interests, you will enjoy our information, presentations and guest speaker. Please contact the Center at 301-4754002 ext. 1001 by noon on Dec. 9 to sign-up for the session and/or roast beef sandwich lunch. • ‘Easy Listening Lounge’ On Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 12 noon, the ‘Easy Listening Lounge’ will be held during lunchtime at the Northern Senior Activity Center. This performance series showcases local artists in a social and casual atmosphere. Enjoy good company, food, and refreshments while enjoying the entertainment. Pastor Abraham Thomas and family will grace us with piano music and spiritual songs for the season. A ham and yams lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m. Lounge tables will be set near the stage for the most attentive listeners. A collection for our guests will be taken by staff. Get your meal ticket at 11:30 a.m. lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m. Reserve lunch by noon 24 hours in advance by calling 301-475-4002, ext. 1001. The cost for lunch is by donation for seniors 60 and older; $5 for individuals under 60. • Holiday Gift Shop The Northern Senior Activity Center Council is sponsoring several vendors on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Northern Senior Activity Center in Charlotte Hall. Come see Miche handbags, sterling silver jewelry and ceramic gifts
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St. Mary’s Dept of Aging
Programs and Activities available for purchase. Please contact Pat Myers 301-884-8714 with any questions. • Gift donations needed for Christmas Gift Bingo New items for our Christmas gift bingo are being gratefully accepted at Loffler Senior Activity Center daily, Monday-Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The bingo will be held on Friday, Dec. 16 -- 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. If you’ve bought or made something in the past year and found that you didn’t use it after all or received a gift that doesn’t quite work out for you maybe you would like to donate it to our annual Christmas gift bingo (please, no candles, expired foodstuff or shopworn items- our players give these as gifts to their loved ones.) And while you’re bringing things by, sign up to play Christmas Gift Bingo yourself! THANK YOU!!! For more information call 301-737-5670. • Christmas Gift Bingo at Loffler There are still a few more days to sign up for the annual Loffler Senior Activity Center Christmas Gift Bingo. This is a chance to do your Christmas shopping while playing Bingo and will happen on Friday, Dec. 16. The fun starts at 10:30 a.m. and continues until 1:30 p.m. (there will be a brief break for lunch.) Cost to play is $5 for three cards. Some very nice things have been donated already and we are continuing to take donations. To sign up call 301-737-5670 ext. 1658 or stop by the Loffler reception desk before noon on Wednesday, December 14. Please indicate if you wish to order a lunch. • Dates for Next Scripture Study at Loffler in December If you are interested in participating in the Loffler Senior Activity Center’s new scripture study program, the next date is Friday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. We have bibles on hand but the print is pretty small so if you have a favorite bible you might enjoy bringing it with you. For more information call 301-737-5670 ext. 1658.
Loffler Senior Activity Center 301-737-5670, ext. 1652; Garvey Senior Activity Center, 301-475-4200, ext. 1050; Northern Senior Activity Center, 301-475-4002, ext. 1001; Ridge Nutrition Site, 301-475-4200, ext. 1050.
Visit the Department of Aging’s website at www.stmarysmd.com/aging for the most up-to date information.
Humor Roundtable
ation Applic Fee ! Waived
Securit y Depos it
SPECIALS
$899
for a 1 bedroom
$250
$999
for a 2 bedroom
Lexington Park
Adult Community 21895 Pegg Road • Lexington Park, MD 20653
(240) 725-0111
Laughter lightens the soul, breaks down barriers between people, releases an endorphin that helps dull physical pain in the body, and reduces feelings of stress. The list of benefits goes on and on, but what it really comes down to is that we can all benefit from a good laugh. So grab your jokes (clean jokes only) and share them with others during this humor roundtable at the Garvey Senior Activity Center on Thursday, December 15 at 11:00 a.m. For more information and to sign up, call 301-475-4200, ext. 1050.
Find us on Facebook! Receive the latest St. Mary’s County Department of Aging & Human Services news, updates, and information. Keyword: St. Mary’s County Department of Aging
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The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Keeping Muscle Tone as You Age By Debra Meszaros MXSportsNutrition.com Aging gracefully is actually an obtainable goal. Just raising your awareness about certain processes of your body can help you reach it successfully. First, we must clarify a belief, that cardiovascular training is the answer to being in shape. Cardio training is only part of being fit; aging gracefully is a more comprehensive program. The larger issue is tissue deterioration due to immobilization. This makes strength training on a regular basis one of the main components of an anti-aging program. Older muscles do not respond too well to sudden exercise; so do not rest those muscles for long periods of time. Your objective should be to keep exercising throughout your life. If you are at the point in your life where you have already been immobile or not exercising, then start by gently beginning a program that is age appropriate and within your level of current fitness. Otherwise you increase the likelihood of causing scarring or inflammation. Seeking the help of a qualified trainer or physical therapist is a safe approach.
Feeding your muscles
As we age our bodies biochemistry changes. After the age of twenty, our body begins to manufacture less enzymes with each passing year; enzymes desperately
needed to carry out vital functions of the body. We get to a point where we struggle to utilize the protein in our food for growth, maintenance, and building muscle. Both digestive and metabolic enzyme supplementation has been the focus of providing some of what the body may be missing to overcome this issue. Adding a highly absorbable protein source, like a protein powder drink, within fifteen to twenty minutes after your exercise can give the body the nutrients needed to fuel repair, recovery, and growth. Protein powders are not just for body builders.
Managing stress
Stress whether in the form of mental, emotional, or physical, creates a higher demand from your body for some key nutrients, primarily the ones fueling your adrenals: Vitamin C and most of your vitamin B’s. With adequate supply of these nutrients, the body has an easier time dealing with stress. For many, incorporating these into your supplementation program has its benefits, so you may want to explore this option. Lastly, both yoga and meditation are two anti-stress forms of exercise that can contribute greatly to anyone’s anti-aging program. So, take your health into your own hands, stay active, feed your body, and manage your stress. It’s easier than you think. You can build a new you through a healthy routine.
DISCLAIMER: When you read through the diet and lifestyle information, you must know that everything within it is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. I am making no attempt to prescribe any medical treatment. You should not use the information here for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. The products and the claims made about specific products have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Confirm the safety of any supplements with your M.D., N.D. or pharmacist (healthcare professional). Some information given is solely an opinion, thought and or conclusion based on experiences, trials, tests, assessments or other available sources of information. I do not make any guarantees or promises with regard to results. I may discuss substances that have not been subject to double blind clinical studies or FDA approval or regulation. You assume the responsibility for the decision to take any natural remedy. You and only you are responsible if you choose to do anything with the information you have read. You do so at your own risk. Use your intelligence to make the decisions that are right for you. Consulting a naturopathic doctor is strongly advised especially if you have any existing disease or condition.
Debra Meszaros
is a Certified Sports Nutritionist and Biofeedback practitioner with further educational studies in Naturopathy, H o m e o p a t h y, Or thomolecular Nutrition and additionally holds fourteen U.S. patents. Through her extensive health education, and experience of 20-plus years in cellular biology, she has developed an all-encompassing Holistic health service that allows individuals to discover their biochemical uniqueness, allowing them to fine tune their health. The basis of her service is to facilitate access to information that will help your understanding of health processes and elements that are within your area of control. Her services are available in Maryland, Virginia and South Carolina. She can be reached at (540) 622 – 4989 Monday through Friday.
Daily Activities Can Burn Calories Some people think they have to spend hours at the gym sweating on the treadmill or elliptical trainer in order to burn calories and lose weight. As it turns out, the things you do every single day could be burning more calories than you realized. Some discipline with your diet and certain healthy habits can make the difference for those attempting to lose weight. Getting eight hours of sleep can burn more than 300 calories for the average person. But there's a good chance you are interested in what activities you can do while awake to help burn calories. Courtesy of Discovery Health and Harvard Medical School, here are common everyday activities and how many calories can be burned depending on weight. These figures are based on a person weighing around 150 pounds and a duration of one hour of activity. • Supermarket shopping: Pushing a wagon around the supermarket for an hour can burn 240 calories or more. Up the ante by bagging groceries yourself and packing and unpacking them from the car. • Raking leaves: If you spent time manually raking leaves this past fall, you were doing something good for your body. In addition to working several muscle groups, you may have spent 300 calories. • Dusting: Spring cleaning is right around the corner, and that can be good news for your health. Dusting alone can burn as much as 160 calories. • Cooking: Here's a reason to get fired up about cooking. Making a simple meal can add up to 200 calories lost. Just don't sabotage those lost calories by cooking up a fattening dinner. • Moving: Packing and moving may seem like a big task one rarely looks forward to, but carrying boxes can burn 460 calories an hour. Packing, moving and unpacking yourself may be the diet plan you've been seeking.
Cleaning rain gutters can burn 372 calories in one hour.
• Painting: Perhaps you've been procrastinating on that house painting project. Here's inspiration to break out the rollers and brushes. Spending an hour painting can burn 350 calories. After several hours applying a primer and then top coat, you may find you painted yourself thinner. • Community service: If you want to help the environ-
ment and your health, spending time picking up trash from a park or seaside can shed some serious calories -- 450 an hour. • Playing with kids: Engaging in some fun family time can burn around 400 calories. Plus, it's a great way for parents and children to bond.
Community Public Hearing Set on Old NAS Pax River Munitions Sites The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, is setting priorities for investigating a number of munitions sites on Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River and Webster Field, as well as former water ranges in the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay that were associated with NAS Patuxent River and Navy Recreation Center (NRC) Solomons. The Munitions Response Program addresses munitions and explosives of concern at ranges that are no longer operational and at related sites such as munitions burial areas. Prioritization of the munitions response sites is based on overall conditions at these locations and takes into consideration safety and environmental hazards. The Navy is soliciting valuable public input on the prioritization process. A public meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the Frank Knox Center, Route 235 and Cedar Point Road, Lexington Park, MD (just outside Gate 2 of the base). The public comment period is Dec. 11, 2011, through Jan. 11, 2012. Comments may be submitted at the public meeting or by writing to: Gary Younger, Public Affairs Officer at 22268 Cedar Point Road (Building 409), Patuxent River, MD 20670-1154 or gary. younger@navy.mil. For more information, munitions response site documentation and initial prioritization scores are available at the Lexington Park Public Library (21677 FDR Boulevard, Lexington Park, MD 20653) and the NAS Patuxent River Library (Building 407 on Cedar Point Road). For questions about the munitions response or environmental cleanup programs at NAS Patuxent River, please contact: Gary Younger, Public Affairs Officer at 301-757-6478 or gary.younger@ navy.mil. Munitions Response Sites: • St. Inigoes/Webster Field: Aerial Bombing Range • NAS Patuxent River: Historic Munitions Disposal Area • NAS Patuxent River: Former Pistol and Skeet Ranges • NAS Patuxent River: Former Island Ranges, including the following sub-areas: − Barren Island Range − Kent Island Range − Piney Point Range − Machine Gun Range − Sharps Island Range • NRC Solomons Water Ranges: Located in the Patuxent River (approximately from Broomes Island to Solomons Island) and in the Chesapeake Bay (approximately from Taylors Island to Smith Island) and including the following sub-areas and activities: − Acoustic Courses − Barges and Boats − Mine Warfare − Air Test Runs − Broomes Island − Restricted Area (near Solomons) − Former Torpedo and Explosive Test Areas
The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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Feeding Children at Home on Weekends By Sarah Miller Staff Writer A new initiative from the Southern Maryland food bank has been not only successful, but is expanding before the end of its inaugural year. Since October, the food bank has been running the Snack Sak program at Lexington Park Elementary School. Every Friday, 16 students from the Free and Reduced Meal (FARM) program have been receiving bags with seven pounds of food to feed them over the weekend. Brenda DiCarlo, director of the Southern Maryland Food Bank, said she has been working on the program for about a year, and similar programs from the Feed America program inspired it. She and co-worker George Mattingly implemented the program during the current school year. “We decided it was something we had to do,” DiCarlo said. She said the response from the school, the parents and the students has been positive. “There have actually been children asking for bags,” DiCarlo said. Karyn Timmons, the parent liaison for Lexington Park Elementary School, said the students have been good about bringing the bags back at the beginning of the week and the end of the week. The students are issued numbers which correlate to their bags, and their names are never attached to the sacks themselves. She said the food supplied is kid friendly, like canned spaghetti and ravioli, peanut butter and jelly and crackers and oatmeal. They ainclude information about nutrition
and games. They also get information about the amount of siblings the children have and try to adjust accordingly so they can share with other children in their homes. The sacks never weigh more than seven pounds, which is a safe weight for the children to carry along with their backpacks. Timmons said during holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, they want to give more to the students to help during the longer break. To accomplish this, they ask parents to come pick the sacks and their children up. During Thanksgiving, they also gave food to the families for Thanksgiving dinner. Now, in the face of success at Lexington Park Elementary, the United Way has stepped up and offered financial backing for an additional three schools, totaling another 45 students receiving Snack Saks. The program will launch at George Washington Carver, Green Holly and Park Hall elementary schools. “We’re filling basic human needs,” said Jennifer Hollingsworth, the executive director of the St. Mary’s County United Way. She said donations to the Snack Sak program can be made through the United Way website at www.unitedwaysmc.org. Moving forward, DiCarlo said there is need for a space for storage and weekly preparation, as the operation has outgrown the food bank. She is also looking for financial backing for the program. It costs $4,000 per year, per school, to provide Snack Saks to 15 students. For more information, call the Southern Maryland Food Bank at 310-274-0695. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Wounded Warrior Job Fair
Photo by Carrie Munn The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum on Tuesday hosted its first job fair specifically designed for disabled veterans, with the support of NAVAIR and the Wounded Warrior project. More than 35 federal, private defense contracting and higher education organizations participated in the well-attended event, at which 120 service members from military treatment facilities from around the country were brought in. Author Edward Crenshaw spoke on changing the perceptions of today’s wounded veterans.
Golf Course Shows Environmental Responsibility Not A Baaaaad Thing Mark ‘Doc’ Grace, Owner/Operator of Mellomar Golf Park in Lower Marlboro has teamed up with Mary Bowen of Prosperity Acres, a beef and goat farm in Sunderland. to create a true win-win arrangement in the world of golf and goats. In the world of golf course maintenance, two of the biggest expenses on the balance sheet are labor and chemicals, a press release from Mellomar states. In the world of goat raising and breeding, there is always a need for more grazing land and larger herds. All
this is coming together at Mellomar Golf Park. “What we have here is basically a free lease arrangement,” explains Grace. “My situation is the need to control unwanted vegetation in certain areas of the golf course. But the times being what they are, budget restrictions are hindering my ability to adequately address this problem. Mary’s goats are the answer. They willingly work weekends and aren’t aware of any scheduled holidays.” Tee one up on any given day at Mellomar and you’ll come across the herd, dutifully
munching, gnawing, and trimming back the underbrush that restricts much needed air circulation around the turf. “The farm needed room to expand,” explains Bowen. “So when Doc came looking to purchase a couple goats we discovered our mutual needs and the arrangement was made. It all came together perfectly.” Turns out this has a become a win-winwin-win situation. Mellomar Golf Park has saved money in manpower and chemicals, and Prosperity Acres has found new grazing
land and the goat herd is in the process of expanding. It really is a sight to see, just don’t touch the fence, the press release states. Prosperity Acres, a family-owned beef and goat farm, produces local, naturally fed meats for their family and community. Find them on the web at www.prosperityacres. com. Mellomar Golf Park consists of a driving range, nine-hole par three course, and a regulation length nine-hole course. They can be found on the web at www.mellomar.com.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
The County Times
Sp rts
How Did This Happen?
Fur and Feathers By Keith McGuire Contributing Writer Over the years, I know I have bought more hunting equipment, clothing, and related paraphernalia than I have room to store in the off season. Every fall, I spend another small fortune to update the inventory with more modern equipment to make sure that I have the latest and greatest items to find game, attract game, hide from game, and stay warm and comfortable while doing so. The pinnacle of my late autumn/early winter hunting adventures is the deer firearms season. Don’t get me wrong! I love all of the other seasons before and after the deer firearms season, but the climax of the year is the 15 days of the firearms season. Without a doubt, I spend more time and money on this season than any other during the year. I have spent countless hours to make sure that I can hunt with good concealment (including the required hunter orange), in
absolute comfort with foul weather gear suitable for the most severe winters, and high up in a tree in the best and greatest of tree stands. This year, I have actually purchased and placed several of these stands in different locations of the property where I hunt, to make sure that I will be where the big bucks will walk on any given day. Safety in a tree stand is a primary concern, so I have bought the most exclusive full-body safety harness for use in the stands. For other areas, I have two ground blinds, placed and fully equipped with comfortable chairs for long days in inclement weather. I have purchased the best scent controlling soap for my morning showers along with the best scent elimination concoctions marketed for spraying every exterior part before heading into the woods as a final step. I have scouted my hunting locations meticulously to assure that deer are travelling through the areas, and verified the presence of deer with trail camera photographs.
I have purchased some of the sexiest smelling doe pee available to place in strategic locations depending on the wind direction that will attract the largest and most amorous bucks. And there I sit, in one of these locations day after day, from before the first morning light until well into the day, and then from early to mid afternoon until well past sunset, contemplating the trail camera pictures of that huge buck that has visited the area in the middle of the night. The woods come alive every morning with squirrels, birds, and other critters before taking a rest from the early morning activity. Then again in the evening right up until dark, they make a scurry through the woods for their last bedtime snack. The things missing here are the deer! After more than a week into the season, one doe and one spike buck have walked by a stand that I was in
during daylight. I’ve rechecked the trail cameras and all of the pictures are still in the middle of the night. Have the deer in my woods have become totally nocturnal? How did this happen? We have a group of eight hunters who hunt these woods during the season, and on most days, there are no more than three of us in the woods at any one time. I’m there almost every day. No shots have been fired! Oh well, there is still another week. Maybe things will get better or at least as good as the bow season! If you have a particularly interesting hunting story and a picture, please drop me a line at riverdancekeith@gmail.com.
QBH Leo Grant County Times Full Ad_BASE 11/16/11 3:13 PM Page 1
The County Times
Thursday, December 8, 2011
MHBR No. 103
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