2012-01-26 Calvert Gazette

January 26, 2012

Priceless

Gazette Calvert

Everything Calvert County

A Look at the Life of: State’s Attorney Laura L. Martin Page 8

Photo By Frank Marquart

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, January 26, 2012

On T he Cover

Also Inside

3 County News 7 Community 7 Business Feature Story 8 9 Letters 10 Obits 12 Games 13 Newsmakers 13 Health 14 Education 15 Sports

2

Calvert County State’s Attorney Laura L. Martin in her office in the courthouse in Prince Frederick.

local news

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta talks to the test team of the Joint Strike Fighter, background, about the plane’s critical role in the nation’s effort to maintain military superiority.

education

Katie Howard and Nicole White sell dessert raffle tickets as part of the Northern High School’s Future Business Leaders of America for the Silent Rank Sisterhood.

3

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Economic Development Office on Lockdown

By Sean Rice Editor For the last month or more, the Calvert County Department of Economic Development has been on lockdown to prevent the public from entering the office unannounced.

The office is on the second floor of the Courthouse Square building in Prince Frederick. The building’s elevator no longer goes to the second floor, and the entrance door accessible from an outdoor stairwell is also locked.

Director of Economic Development Linda Vassallo has informed the Calvert County Commissioners, and recently the Calvert Gazette, that threatening phone calls were received, which prompted the lockdown of the county’s community and business development office.

Vassallo refused to reveal any details of the threats, or who made the calls, but said the individual was frustrated with the current economy.

Commissioners Susan Shaw, Evan Slaughenhoupt Jr. and County Administrator Terry Shannon did not provided the Calvert Gazette with any additional details on the alleged threats.

Shannon said the standard procedure for any employee who feels threatened is to alert the sheriff’s office, then the public safety office to take appropriate safety measures.

Vassallo said her office called the sheriff’s office to report the incident about one to two months ago, but couldn’t recall exactly when.

Calvert Sheriff Mike Evans, when informed of the incident by the Calvert Gazette this week, said he was unable to locate any record of the incident.

“There doesn’t seem to be a report at all,” Evans said.

The sheriff said someone called the officer on duty when the incident occurred and asked the officer to call the man making the harassing phone calls and tell him to stop. Evans said this type of action is not

unusual – he has done it himself – but no record was left of the report at all. Evans said he was unaware of the date of the call or which officer received it.

Anybody coming into the department of economic development must now call upstairs or make an appointment to have somebody escort them in the elevator. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the office is always attended, Vassallo said.

Such an incident is rare, but it is “something that is in our world today,” Shannon said, noting they are more common now than they were four years ago, before the economic downturn.

“It’s a new world today,” she said.

Threatening phone calls and other such incidents come with the territory when a person is working for the government, according to Shaw. She said there was an incident in 2008 when a Dunkirk man was stalking commissioners Linda Kelley and Jerry Clark. There was another incident when photos were sent to all county commissioners depicting a mass murder with the words “you’re next” written on them.

She said typically the county commissioners or the Department of Planning and Zoning are the targets of such occurrences, not the Department of Economic Development.

The commissioners back whatever safety recommendations the sheriff’s office offers during such circumstances, she said.

“It just comes down to better safe than sorry,” Shaw said.

Slaughenhoupt also said he supports any measures taken to keep the staff safe if they feel threatened. He said he supports “whatever combination that public safety deems appropriate” when it comes to the safety of the staff, including locking the doors to the public. Staff Writer Sarah Miller contributed to this story.

COUNTY NEWS

Calvert Boys and Girls Club Shuts Down

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maryland has shut down its North Beach and Lusby operations as of Tuesday, a club official has confirmed.

“The town has received notification of the Bayside Boys and Girls temporarily suspending their after school program,” a notice from North Beach Mayor Mark Frazer read. “Town officials will be meeting with representatives from the Boys and Girls Club to discuss the short and long term implications of this decision.”

Shefa Benoit, chief professional officer of Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maryland, told the Calvert Gazette the shutdown was the result of the club’s struggles with money.

“The club is seeking reorganization in the face of financial difficulties,” Benoit said Tuesday.

Benoit went on to say the closure is set to last just two weeks as officials with the club believe that is the amount of time they will need to seek more financial backing as well as negotiate with its creditors.

Benoit declined to share financial figures on the state of club, but she said in the past three years the club has managed to cut its debt in half but it still needs a positive cash flow to cover both its operational costs as well as several outstanding loans.

Among the options open to the Boys and Girls Club include cutting staff, cutting hours of operations or cutting programs, Benoit said.

“All of those options are on the table,” she told the Calvert Gazette.

There are currently three program specialists working at the North Beach clubhouse with two additional administrative positions. At the Lusby clubhouse, there is one administrator and one program specialist, she said.

The Boys and Girls Club is a nationwide organization that gives young people positive activities to do after school; the Southern Maryland club operates 10 months out of the year and offers summer camps as funding allows. guyleonard@countytimes.net

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COUNTY NEWS

The Calvert Gazette

Career and Technology Students Show Their Chops

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Students and teachers are working to overcome the misconception that the Calvert Career and Technology Academy is only a destination for non-college bound students. They had the opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of the academy during Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer’s (MD-5) first visit to the school Monday.

Principal Mark Wilding provided a guided tour for Hoyer and other visitors, stopping at various stations throughout the school and ending the visit with a short student roundtable.

Welding instructor Dwight Bradford said the 24 slots in his class are continuously filled. The challenge is convincing students they have to leave the county to find higher paying jobs. He said a skilled welder, after five years of training and working, can make $100,000 or more a year, but those high-end jobs aren’t found in Calvert County.

Food Production and Management Instructor Karl Hille echoed Bradford’s concern, saying students have a hard time leaving the county, but higher paying jobs are more readily available in more urban areas, like Washington D.C. He said the first step is the hardest, but once a student has made a move for their career, the following steps get easier.

He said the common misconception is that the students who attend the career center are using it in place of a college education. He said it is more accurate to say they are getting a head start on their future plans.

“I think any student who comes here should walk out above average in their trade,” Hille said.

Students explained to Hoyer some of the programs and how they will benefit from the experience.

Joy Weems, a cosmetology student, said she is working to get her license so she can get a job to help pay her way through college. Another student involved in the nursing program said she will graduate with her CNR, and plans to work as a nursing assistant while going to college to be a surgical nurse.

Wilding said students sign up for classes at the academy like normal classes. Officials with academy visit all county high school sophomores pitch programs offered at the school.

Several programs have attrition agreements, where the training students receive will count for college credit or a year of an apprenticeship. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

Thursday, January 26, 2012

4

Police: Mother Hindering Search for Missing Teen

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Investigators are following leads that show a girl who went missing from Prince Frederick nearly three weeks ago has been sighted around the state, but police have been unable to locate her.

Leatherwood Police say that Jessica Christine Leatherwood, 17, was reported missing to law enforcement Jan. 3 by her family.

Leatherwood stands 5-feet, 2-inches tall, weighs 125 pounds and has blue eyes and shoulder length brown hair.

Police say she was last seen boarding her school bus at about 6:45 a.m. the morning she went missing; she was wearing a hooded knee-length brown sweater, dark leggings and brown boots.

She was also wearing silver rings on both of her hands, police reported.

She did not attend school that day.

The latest reports received by police state she may have been sighted in Baltimore or Rockville, and even in Dunkirk, but police were not able to find her.

Lt. Steve Jones commander of the Calvert Investigative Team that is pursuing the search for Leatherwood, said they now believe the missing girl may be in Glen Burnie.

“She’s a runaway, she’s voluntarily missing,” Jones said adding that they believe the girl’s biological mother is not cooperating with the investigation.

“We believe she knows where she is,” Jones said of the mother without giving her name. “She’s actually hindering the investigation.”

Anyone with information on her location is asked to contact investigators at 410-535-1600 with Trooper Ewig at extension 2596 or Lt. Jones at extension 2462. guyleonard@countytimes.net

Solomons Island Winery Scores Victory

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer

Top Row: Carolyn Quade, Shirley Mattingly and Barbara Livingston.

Bottom Row: Betty West, Steve Mattingly and Alice Kingsley

Solomons Island Winery will continue conducting business as usual after the Calvert County Planning Commission upheld its current site plan.

At the Jan. 18 Calvert County Planning Commission meeting residents of Garner Lane came forward in an attempt to overturn the winery’s site plan, which was approved in 2010.

In September 2010, citizens requested a review of the decision of acting Planning Commission Administrator William Pittman regarding the Aug. 31, 2010 site plan approval for the Solomons Island Winery. The planning commission deferred this review on March 16, 2011 pending outcome of litigation, Planning Commission documents read.

The pending litigation reviewed a condition that requires farm wineries to obtain approval to use privately owned roads from the other property owners using the road. The Calvert County Circuit Court ruled the condition was an “‘unlawful delegation of power’ as it gave approving authority to the adjacent property owners,” according to documents provided by the county.

Discussion on the issue was heated during the Jan. 17 County Commissioners meeting.

Commissioner Susan Shaw said the county shouldn’t be involved if everyone agrees on the use of the road for a private business.

Commissioner Steve Weems said “in a Utopic society, everyone would get along” and

it is necessary to have set procedures to avoid unnecessary conflicts, such as what arose regarding the winery.

The residents of Gardner Road certainly see the need for having a say on the use of a private road. During the Jan. 18 planning commission meeting, several residents came out to give testimony against the Aug. 31 site plan approval.

Cheryl Jetmore said the construction on Garner Road “totally destroyed” the road, and Lindall Aurand said the construction “was quite a surprise” and the neighbors were neither informed of the changes to the site plan nor the pending road construction.

Planning commission Member Roxanne Cumberland said she wants to help the residents of Garner Road, and believes they were wronged, but there was no actual error made in the approval of the site plan, and the board of zoning appeals would have been a more appropriate venue to seek the changes.

Planning Commission Attorney John Yacovelle agreed with Cumberland, saying technically there was no error in granting site plan approval.

Though not satisfied with the planning commission’s decision, the group of residents is unsure of what direction they will be taking next.

“I’m not gonna get a lawyer, because you can’t fight the devil,” Aurand said. “God’s in control.” sarahmiller@countytimes.net

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

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COUNTY NEWS

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, January 26, 2012

6

Marine Killed in Action Not From North Beach

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Despite Department of Defense press releases stating that one of six marines killed in Afghanistan in a helicopter crash last week was from North Beach, town officials say they have no record of Cpl. Jesse Stites ever being a resident there.

The town has made a public announcement stating that they honored both Stites and the five other marines who crashed

in a helicopter accident in the Helmand province, but have received information from Marine Corp personnel at Stites base in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii that the military is still trying to find his actual hometown.

“Not one person has come forward to say they know him,” said Dawn Richardson, one of the town’s administrative staff.

“We’re almost positive he’s not from here.”

A release from the Marine Corp Base Hawaii, home of the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 unit that all six were

assigned to, did state that Stites joined the Marine Corps in 2008 “out of North Beach, Md.” But Stites’ father-in-law, Mark L. Schwalenberg, told The Baltimore Sun that Stites grew up in Florida, went to high school there and never lived in Maryland. guyleonard@countytimes.net

Lawmakers Doubt Poll on Septic Taxes

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A voter poll conducted by OpinionWorks, a research firm based in Annapolis, reported late last week that a majority of Marylanders supported increasing the Bay Restoration Fund and for reducing pollution into the critical watershed by tightening restrictions on septic systems.

The Bay Restoration Fund gets its money from the socalled flush tax, which Gov. Martin O’Malley has already proposed to increase this legislative session. He is also considering recommendations from a task force he appointed last year that could further restrict the construction of new septic systems in the state’s rural areas in an effort to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Both are key pieces of his administration’s legislative agenda; but the latest poll has Southern Maryland lawmakers questioning its findings, especially because many of their constituents say they oppose further flush tax increases and more septic restrictions.

The OpinionWorks poll of 801 voters “statewide,” according to a Jan. 19 press release, showed that 63 percent of respon-

dents “would spend more tax dollars to make the waters safe and healthy” if state lawmakers and the scientific community deemed that more public funds were needed for the task.

About 64 percent of those polled by OpinionWorks also supported increasing the Bay Restoration Fund with the intention of finishing upgrades to wastewater treatment plants and to provide jurisdictions with money to combat pollution from storm runoff.

The poll also showed 72 percent of respondents favored tighter restrictions on septic systems, including limiting the number of septic systems in rural areas where homeowners are often not able to connect to public water and sewer.

The poll focused on Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, the OpinionWorks release stated, by saying that 62 percent polled in those areas favored tightening septic restrictions.

House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (RDist.29C) said he was familiar with the report but highly doubts its conclusions.

“I view it with a great deal of skepticism, it all depends on how you ask the question,” O’Donnell said. “It’s not a reflection of the rural areas of the state.”

Steven Raabe, spokesman for OpinionWorks said the firm

has a strong record of accuracy in its polling and reporting, but he said it would be difficult to refine the accuracy of the numbers in a place like Calvert because the sample there would have been comparatively small.

“When it gets to such a small sample as in Calvert County … you have to be careful on how fine a point you put on the numbers,” Raabe said.

Sen. Roy Dyson, who represents the entire 29th District covering Calvert and St. Mary’s counties, said that any voters polled outside of the state’s rural areas would likely support increasing the flush tax and septic restrictions.

“You should take all polls with a grain of salt,” Dyson said.

“People living in the suburbs would no doubt be in favor of that.”

Dyson said he has not had one constituent tell him they favored increasing the flush tax, rather he had a lengthy petition of voters who opposed it.

“I’m overwhelmed with those who oppose it,” Dyson said, “It’s almost seems like an assault on rural Maryland.” guyleonard@countytimes.net

Panetta Lifts Probation on Key F-35 Variant

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer At his visit last week to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta told military and civilian personnel working on the Joint Strike Fighter program he is lifting the probation from the variant that incorporates STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) technology, which had recently shown problems in testing.

The STOVL technology found in the “B” variant for the U.S. Marine Corps has been viewed as critical for allowing pilots to take off quickly from short runways and operate out of restricted or damaged airfields.

The Marine Corps variant is part of a trinity of warplanes, with the “A” variant going to the U.S. Air Force and the “C” variant headed for service with the fleet as a carrier based jet.

Panetta said the F-35 Lighting II is absolutely vital to maintaining the country’s military air superiority in any future conflicts.

“My department is committed to the development of the F-35,” Panetta told a town hall-style gathering at the project’s flight hangar. “It’s absolutely critical, absolutely critical that we get it right.

“Over the course of last year, you here at Pax River helped make an incredible difference by completing tremendous amounts of STOVL testing … you demonstrated that we’ve make real progress towards fixing some of the known problems we’ve had with STOVL.” Panetta said the Marine Corps variant is showing “the kind of performance and maturity that is in line with the other two variants of the JSF.” Panetta said the kind of work done at Patuxent River is pivotal to taking the U.S. military into the future to deal with multiple threats around the globe, even in a period when the military will have to look hard at where it spends money.

Panetta said the military will be reduced in size but will

Photo By Frank Marquart Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta talks to the test team of the Joint Strike Fighter, background, about the plane’s critical role in the nation’s effort to maintain military superiority.

still be able to maintain its strength, agility and lethality.

“The whole purpose of this force has to be to have the capability to take on any aggressor, and more than one at a time,” Panetta said. “If we’re in a land war in Korea, we’ve got to have the capability to confront Iran if they go after the Straits of Hormuz.”

The Joint Strike Fighter has been called a fifth generation air superiority fighter that is made all the more lethal because of its advanced avionics, maneuverability, supersonic speeds and stealthy construction. guyleonard@countytimes.net

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Calvert Gazette

Community

Calvert Marine Museum Exceeds $500,000 Mark

Former Pilot Soaring to New Heights

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Calvert Marine Museum set its fundraising goal at $500,000 for the Coming of Age Capital Campaign. So far, the museum has raised more than $600,000.

The money is earmarked to help construct two additional classrooms; an expansion that Director of Development Vanessa Gill said is sorely needed. She said there are currently 20,000 kids that pass through the museum every year and “we’re turning people away.”

Turning visitors away creates a twofold problem – the museum loses potential revenue and the opportunity to reach out to and educate the community. She said the children lose the opportunity to get out of the traditional classroom and learn in a hands-on environment.

The need for the additional classrooms is evidenced by the support from the community, Gill said. During the past year, more and 75,000 people visited the museum, an all-time high in the museum’s 37-year history.

In addition to building additional classroom space, Gill said the museum will be making improvements to the entrance, expanding the museum store and leveling the floor in the auditorium. The wall separating the auditorium will also be replaced with a collapsible divider to allow the space to be multi-purposed.

The additional room will allow the museum to open up 100 more seats at the annual Bugeye Ball. Gill said the current auditorium is largely wasted space that could be better utilized.

The classrooms will also be constructed in pre-existing space that could be better utilized on the second floor,

Matt, Marcia (mother and owner) and Zach Handrick are half the family members who took over running Garner and Duff Flower Shop in November 2011.

including building more floor space. She said the renovations were the best options in the minds of all involved as opposed to the quicker, but more expensive, option of adding an extension on the building. The plan will cost near $2 million.

In addition to the museum’s contribution goal, the state will be putting in $500,000 and Calvert County will be fronting $1 million.

“We want to ensure this project happens,” Gill said.

Museum Director C. Douglass Alves, Jr., said the museum was founded in 1975. There are three segments to the museum – Maritime History, Estuary Biology and Paleontology. Alves said the individual parts all work together to tell a complete story of Calvert County and Maryland, as each of them are integral to the area.

For more information, visit www.calvertmarinemuseum.com. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

Reading to Dogs Boosts Confidence

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Saturday was a special day for the kids visiting the Prince Fredrick Library who had a chance to sit and read aloud to therapy dogs.

Youth Services Coordinator Beverly Izzi said the animals are invaluable as confidence builders for children – they can’t talk back and they can’t correct the readers. The animals also love the attention, which allows the children to relax and enjoy reading.

Izzi said the library worked with Dorothea George from the Chesapeake Kennel Club to help sign up therapy animals.

This was the first year that a therapy cat was also in attendance, Izzi said. All the animals are vetted for therapy work and completely safe for the children to be around, she said.

This was the first Paws to Read event for Lisa Norwood and her therapy dog Lily. Norwood said she normally takes Lily to hospitals and nursing homes, and the library was a new experience. While the dog was excited at first, she calmed right down when some older girls sat with her.

Another benefit of the program is children receiving exposure to animals. Izzi said she saw one child come in who was afraid of dogs, and have the chance to interact with an animal in a safe, controlled environment.

Saturday was the fourth Paws to read afternoon, returning after a one-year hiatus in 2011. Izzi said the library made sure to leave slots open for walk-in children who saw the dogs and wanted to get involved. In total, there were five animals and 36 children at the library. sarahmiller@countytimes.net

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Former fighter qualified and commercial airline pilot Marcia Handrick recently purchased Garner and Duff Flower Shop in Prince Frederick. After only three months as the new owner, she has plenty of plans for taking the shop to new heights.

“When I sit down with a family for funerals or weddings I ask a lot of questions about the person. What are their interests, their hobbies, favorite colors and flowers,” Handrick said.

Recently she designed a diorama for the funeral of a hunter. She had deer coming out of the woods and a duck sitting on a pond. She’s also created a seaside beach scene, an easel spray with wind chimes and firemen’s company numbers in their wreaths.

“I want specialties to be the thing that sets us above the other special shops.”

Handrick had been a designer with another florist for three years when she heard Garner and Duff was up for sale. She knew it had a reputation for being a premier shop, with one designer who is paid by Gaylord & Taylor, in National Harbor to create $1,000 arrangements.

Owning a flower shop is only one of several careers she’s had over the years. Her family is originally from Calvert. One of her first jobs was flying banners over Ocean City 12 hours a day, six days a week. Her goal was to become a commercial airline pilot so she was gaining the number of hours and licenses needed. However, the airlines weren’t hiring at the time so she entered the Air Force instead and met her husband, Pat. She left the Air Force when she had her first set of twins, Nick and Matt. Then she eventually became an airline pilot for a few years before she had more children – five all together. The last two are also twins, a boy and girl, currently attending Huntingtown High School.

Following in her father’s entrepreneur footsteps, she purchased a daycare center in Waldorf and eventually a second one in Clinton. After 13 years, she sold them and took a break before becoming a designer for a local florist. She said she’d also loved gardening, flowers and arrangements.

She was amazed at how well her idea of buying a floral shop was received by her family. Matt, one of the oldest twins, handles customer service for her. Her middle son, Zach, has taken over marketing and her husband, Pat, does the books.

This week they upgraded to a new computer program which she hopes will take the shop to the next level in marketing and building her Internet sales. She and her husband also want to attack the problem their location gives them for potential foot traffic.

The building is on Southbound Route 4 in Prince Frederick between the Safeway and the Wal-mart behind a mound of dirt. She said Pat found some Christmas trees with LED lights which made their location “pop” for the first time to even long time residents. Parking is also an issue because of the hill of dirt.

“The florist industry is changing. Grocery stores and big box stores are selling arrangements and flowers at discounted rates. They have the buying power that we can’t match,” Handrick said.

Her family moved back into the area when her father and mother became sick. Although she’s been back in the area for 12 years, it wasn’t until she became owner of Garner and Duff that she felt a sense of community.

She is very thankful for how she and her family have been embraced. info@somdpublishing.net

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, January 26, 2012

8

STORY

A Look at the Life of State’s Attorney Laura L. Martin

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer PRINCE FREDERICK COURTHOUSE SEPTEMER 2008: State’s Attorney Laura L. Martin, dressed in a fitted dark jacket with matching skirt and heels, stood before 12 jurors and three alternates. It was her second murder trial since being elected top prosecuting attorney in Calvert County.

Judge Warren Krug’s courtroom windows faced Lusby Hardware’s red brick building with enough space to see the day was gloomy and overcast.

Martin swept her hand, holding a pair of folded dark framed reading glasses, toward the window and as she invited the jury to go back almost exactly a year to the night Barbara Louise Hampton strangled her mother Pamela Sue Varner. The weather conditions that night were similar as Hampton and Varner fought about money and children, according to Martin. With the flare of a storyteller, she presents the facts collected during the missing person – turned homicide investigation.

While her theory of the case could have been a fictional novel, it was true. Daughter strangled mother, stuffed the body in the trunk of car parked inside their townhouse garage.

Martin put on a clear, well-organized factual case. She put her witnesses on the stand, asked them pertinent questions and moved them off.

She didn’t introduce evidence that didn’t tie directly to her case. She knew every detail of the case. She had every piece of evidence lined up ready to present.

Her case centered on testimonies of the investigating detective and coroner. By Wednesday she had laid her case to rest. The defense attorneys countered with a half-day of testimony.

Thursday the jury listened to closing arguments and began deliberations first thing Friday morning. Before lunch they found Hampton guilty of premeditated murder.

Four years later, it is a Tuesday morning in her second floor corner office of the Prince Frederick courthouse. The office is bright, cheerful and full of energy. The positive atmosphere could be the result of the sun streaming through two large windows into an open room.

However, after two minutes with Martin there is no question the environment reflects her personality. Not only her personal office, but her entire staff and physical State’s Attorney’s office.

She is wearing a light colored suit and a bright smile. She uses words like “fabulous,” “phenomenal” and “inspiring.” Her walls and desk are filled with an eclectic mix of framed Adam Ansel prints, pictures of her twin daughters, awards from the local sheriff and a single white piece of printer paper with bold black print declaring the office belongs to the “blonde chix.” Her desk has files of resumes for potential interns, schedules, a new Supreme Court ruling and knick knacks about decisions being either hers or wrong and a tin of 400 Workplace lies.

Her computer screen flashes pictures of local lighthouses.

She laughs and her blue eyes twinkle when she talks about how she met her husband, Mike, a Secret Service retiree. The summer before she started law school at American University, she had a job where she went door to door to educate the public about acid rain and similar legislation.

“I came to a house. I noticed a small plaque on the column but I didn’t bother to read it before I headed in.” The house turned out to be

one of 13 Russian Embassy offices. Her future husband, who was on guard, stopped her from going further. They had dinner that night and married about two years later.

Since her husband was Secret Service in the Reagan years, he traveled a lot particularly during the elections. She was a prosecuting attorney in Prince George’s county with twin girls in preschool.

“It was hard juggling. Mike would be traveling and I would be stuck in trial. I’d take a break, pick up the girls in a dual stroller and bring them back to the office,” she laughed. Her co-workers would either watch them in her office or she’d bring them into court. “They sat through quite a few verdicts.”

Martin praises the judicial system, which while “formal” is accepting of working moms.

She said she runs her office the same way, helping out new moms.

Despite their early introduction to law, and watching their mother present a murder case, neither of her daughters followed in her footsteps. One is about to graduate as a chemical engineer and the other wants to write fiction.

Photo By Frank Marquart

Now that her daughters are almost graduated, she feels she has more time to focus on being a State’s Attorney. “I like what I do. I like helping people. I try to be as responsive as I can. If nothing else point someone in the right direction.”

She has her home phone listed, law enforcement have her cell phone and office number and she tries to respond to email within a day of receipt, even when she’s on vacation. She said she receives 30 to 100 emails a day. While one expects law enforcement to call her about warrants, investigations and Fourth Amendment questions, she also receives a significant number of calls from the citizens. She’ll find herself answering inquires about students being bullied at school, disputes between neighbors, and people looking for attorneys. She’ll provide four to five attorney names for various specializations.

“I would worry if people didn’t call me. I like helping people. How else can you help others unless you have open contact?”

She also likes working with new attorneys in her office, helping them organize their cases

and talk about trial strategy. She has 10 attorneys and a total of 26 staff, including her, in the office. “I have a fabulous staff. They work long hours and haven’t had a raise in four years. They have a great attitude.”

Martin spoke excitedly about the summer internship for students interested in becoming attorneys. While it is an unpaid position, she works hard to schedule interested students around their part-time jobs, their college requirements and her staff attorney schedules.

She tries to put students with each one of the different types of cases.

Those interested in the internship can find out more about it on the office website www. co.cal.md.us/government/sao/. She said she takes three to five students a summer and it’s usually first come, first serve with preference going to Calvert County residents.

Martin has no interest in becoming a judge.

She would love to remain in the county and serve at least one more term as State’s Attorney. If she didn’t get re-elected in three years, she would return to prosecuting attorney in another county.

“Prosecution just gets in your blood,” she said.

After, she’d like to teach in law enforcement. “It’s so important. The sacrifices they (law enforcement) make are so heroic.”

There was one subject discussed in which Martin wasn’t as positive and cheerful.

The unsolved murder of Sandra Renee Harrod Long, 43, who was discovered in her car near Calvert Cliffs State Park on Nov. 30, 2010. The State’s Attorney’s office and Comcast have recently put together a video to be aired on Channel Six hoping that someone will come forward with more information.

“I can’t discuss details, but we firmly believe that she was murdered by someone she knew. Anyone with information can call Crime Solvers anonymously,” she said. “It’s frustrating that it’s unsolved. I keep her picture on my desk to remind me.”

She held up a picture of Long as she mentioned the victim is distantly related to the only other unsolved murder in the county. Milton Harrod was killed 14 years ago. His case is now with the state police cold case squad.

When she’s not working, teaching or out in the community giving talks, she enjoys reading. She said her house and her i-Pad are filled with books ranging from James Patterson to Janet Evanovich with Harry Potter and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She prefers light easy reading since she has so much technical reading throughout the day. She also prefers reading to watching TV. She and her husband are “home bodies,” but enjoy hiking. They take most of their trips nearby since they both earn government salaries and just put two girls through school. Last year her husband won an eight-day trip in which all their expenses were paid to visit Mt. Zion and the Grand Canyon. Otherwise they hike the Chestnut Land Trust trails, Calvert Cliffs and the Shenandoah.

Her dream is to travel to Alaska one day.

Quick Facts • Undergrad at Lehigh University in English • Law School at American University • Prosecutor at Prince George’s State’s Attorney until 1998 • Hired to be Assistant Master for Calvert County 1998 • First female elected as Calvert County’s State’s Attorney 2006

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Why Are You Bashing Federal Employees?

Please have your editorial staff check submitted guest editorials for correctness. Ms. Mossburg states in her Jan. 19 guest editorial in the fourth paragraph: “… in large part due to the thousands of federal employees with large pensions.” She insinuates that many federal retirees are drawing $1,000,000.00+ pensions as part of the '1 Percent Millionaires'.

As a retired civil servant of 32+ years, participating in the CSRS retirement system, I know of NO civil servant or ever read of, or heard of a federal pensioner who gets paid $1,000,000.00 + in yearly pension payments as inferred in Ms. Hummel's editorial.

According to the Congressional research Service, in 2005 the average Federal Retiree Pension was $17,640 per year. A far cry from $1,000,000 a year as insinuated in Ms. Mossburg’s guest editorial. I doubt that average has jumped 6000 percent in six years.

Ex presidents and long term serving senators and congressmen don't draw a $1,000,000 pension. As a matter of fact, it is impossible for any current or retired civil servant to accumulate enough years and pay in order to collect a $1,000,000 a year pension from the old CSRS or new FERS retirement systems. Even if a person was hired for federal employment today at the GS-15 level as new hire aged 22 (impossible again as GS-15's are educated and highly skilled/experienced workers, usually in their 40's) and worked for 50, 60, or 70 years, they could not accumulate enough pay and time to collect a $1,000,000 a year federal pension with the current FERS retirement system. Once again federal employees are being 'bashed' with non-facts, conjecture, and half-truths.

As a newspaper highly dependent of the business you get from a predominately federal worker funded economy, I'd think you'd be more careful in printing yet another column bashing federal workers.

Please have Ms. Mossburg submit a retraction/ clarification of her guest editorial withdrawing her accusation that many federal retirees draw $1,000.000 a year in federal pensions. Please don't let her come back and add the TSP to the equation as that is a 401K type investment plan for federal employees and not a pension plan.

Evidently Marta Mossburg uses innuendos, false assumptions and conjecture in her responses. If you draw a pension of $25,000 a year, you'll get $1,000,000 in about 30 - 40 years (Don't forget federal pensions

Bruce Whiteman Hollywood, MD Editor’s Note – Marta Hummel Mossburg, Senior fellow, Maryland Public Policy Institute, issued the following response to Mr. Whiteman’s letter: “I never stated that federal employees were drawing $1 million yearly pensions. I said many of them were millionaires because their pensions are worth over $1 million total. The piece laid out why Maryland is so wealthy – the federal government – and why the rest of us can’t afford to support such an unsustainable model.”

It isn’t very often that a woodturner gets to do what he/she enjoys the most (turning a piece of wood) and at the same time help out those in need in their community.

You and I as woodturners can do this by turning one or more wooden bowls to be used at the “Empty Bowl Supper and Silent Auction” on March 24th, 2012.

Nothing fancy, just a simple wooden bowl to be filled with food. Rest assure, event goers will still enjoy the traditional hand crafted clay bowls the local potters have made for years! We just want to do our part too.

Project Echo House has one major fund raising activity each year to support men, women and children in Calvert County the Empty Bowl Supper.

Last year Project Echo House provided 12,125 bed nights (one bed, one person, one night), served 15,014 meals, and found stable employment for 75 residents and permanent housing for 19 – all on a budget of $220,000.

I am acting as the coordinator for woodturners for the Empty Bowl Supper. If you’re interested in joining me in helping Project Echo House and those in need in Calvert County please contact me at Thehappyturnerinowings@yahoo.com or telephone me at 301- 855-4798.

For more information on Project Echo Homeless Shelter go to http://www.projectecho.net/empty-bowl-supper.html.

Dave Wardrup Owings, MD

Editor

What’s To Fear in 2012

did not get a COLA the last two years) if you live that long. Getting $1,000,000 from a defined benefit pension totally depends on how much your pension is and how many years you actually live. Since most federal employees retire in their 60's (over 50 percent stay six years or longer after becoming eligible - OPM's An Analysis of Federal Employee Retirement Data, March of 2008) and don't live as long as ones who retire when first eligible. Seriously doubt many of them actually collect a $1,000,000.

If indeed their pensions are worth $1,000,000 over 30 - 40 years, so is Ms. Mossburg's house, her inheritances, her investments, her social security all that factors into her retirement portfolio which all of that has nothing to do with the 1 percent.

Federal employees retire at a 17 percent less rate in the DC area than the norm pushing their probability numbers for a long life even lower. Unfortunately, I can't find the source, but I read years ago the average CSRS Retiree collects his pension for less than 3 years. Without the source I can't swear by that number. I'm sure someone at OPM can produce the real number. A little research wouldn't hurt. It took me 5 minutes to find the OPM report.

I suggest Ms. Mossburg read a little before drawing conclusions from the popular media or where ever else she gets her 'facts'. I’'m a retired federal employee and don't consider myself a 1-percenter as I struggle to pay my bills and put my daughter through college.

Go pick on the business elite and stop bashing federal employees because it’s convenient and juices up a rather dull editorial.

Calling All Calvert Woodturners

TER T E to the

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Daily, each of us faces the possible grim prospects of financial collapse, accident, sickness, crime, and death (or worse). While we hope for the best, most of such incidents will be beyond our choice or span of control. However, come this fall’s elections, we can opt out of remaining in the dire situation encompassing our nation today. We, as clear thinking Americans can choose to reject being governed by a second term under President Obama. Further, we can strive for a Republican Congress as was accomplished by the Democrat party in 2008.

Obama’s first three plus years have been bad enough but granting the man four more to come, in lame duck status no less, would prove disastrous for this nation. A disaster from which we might never recover. America as we have known it would more evolve to that of its European socialist neighbors rather than stand as instituted by our founding fathers under the inspirational guidance of God Almighty. If you’ll be honest with yourself you know that under this regime something radically injurious is at work in America and things are worsening at mystical speed.

Socialism, in concert with today’s race and class warfare are dominant precepts among liberal Democrat party leadership. Their politicos favorably trump alternative conservative views to society’s issues and challenges with the party’s handy razor edged tools. And you can count on liberal media ensuring their success. Equally notable within the Democrat platform is its unwavering support for the snuffing out of America’s unwanted innocent little ones under the sanitized ruse of “pro choice”. Concurrently, they continue promoting further advancement of man-devised homosexual marriage. How the Almighty judges such pretentious societal traits means nothing to the unbelieving and/or unlearned among leading secular Democrat politicians.

This year, leading up to the elections, today’s evolved Democrat party, federal and local leadership, will ensure more of the same: lack of a comprehensive energy policy (other than continued degradation of American domestic oil, natural gas and coal suppliers) at the behest of environmental extremists; belittling of the steady rise of our $15 trillion indebtedness; dismiss the proposed Defense of Marriage Act; fund Planned Parenthood abortions with half a billion taxpayer dollars; further enact or enforce oppressive business restrictions with unemployment levels at or above 8.5 percent ; discount 20k plus new jobs via disfavoring Canada’s Keystone Pipe Line/Life Line offer; ignore increasing costs of food and commodities; ignore deteriorating infrastructure; neglect our open borders; push nationalized healthcare and further shun and disrespect our best friend, Israel. Locally, Democrat ineptness in Annapolis will punish us further with an additional $0.15 per gallon gas tax while delivering on homosexual marriage.

The fear of sustained Obama governance and exacerbation of societal ills are avoidable unless we continue to elect liberal Democrats to lead us nationally and statewide. We can vote conservative Republican across the board this November. And if they don’t set things aright we can throw em’ out in favor of more of the inept madness present today. Your two clear choices are: roll over for prolonged intensity of the same flawed concept(s) or stand for right.

Chester M. Seaborn, Jr. Mechanicsville, MD

Publisher Thomas McKay Associate Publisher Eric McKay Editor Sean Rice Graphic Artist Angie Stalcup Office Manager Tobie Pulliam Advertising sales@somdpublishing.net Email info@somdpublishing.net Phone 301-373-4125 Staff Writers Guy Leonard Sarah Miller Corrin Howe Contributing Writers Joyce Baki Keith McGuire

Law Enforcement Government, Education Community, Business

Calvert Gazette

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

The Calvert Gazette

Judith Bell, 66 Judith Ann “Judy” Bell, 66, of Lusby, MD, passed away Dec. 27, 2011 at Calvert Memorial Hospital in Prince Frederick, MD. Judy was born February 8, 1945 in Cleveland, Ohio to Malcolm M. and Roxy (Jones) MacKenzie.

She lived in Glen Burnie, MD and graduated from Glen Burnie High School, class of 1964. She also lived in Cumberland, Baltimore, Riviera Beach and Annapolis, MD from 1964 to 1970, until moving to Calvert County in 1971. Judy attended the College of Southern Maryland, where she studied law enforcement.

She was employed as a security officer at Calvert Cliffs from the mid 1970’s until retiring in 1987. She was a member of Waters Memorial Church, Port Republic, MD. Judy enjoyed living near the Chesapeake Bay, the beach, making jewelry, reading and watching movies. She also enjoyed flowers and was fond of her cats.

She is survived by daughters Heather D. Bell Roark of Prince Frederick, MD, Michelle Y. “Shelly” Beale of St. Leonard, MD and a son Charles F. Bell III “Chuck” and wife Kerri of North Carolina. Also surviving are eleven grandchildren, three great grandchildren, brothers Malcolm “Buddy” MacKenzie of Fallston, MD and Norman MacKenzie of Aberdeen, MD and sisters Joyce Thomas of Arnold, MD and Elaine Herman of Red Lion, Penn.

She was preceded in death by a sister Merline Richardson.

A memorial service and celebration of Judy’s life will be held Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 1:00 P.M. at Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., 8325 Mt. Harmony Lane, Owings, MD. Interment will follow at Asbury Cemetery in Prince Frederick, MD.

Henry Boyce, 63 Henry Clay Boyce, 63, of Huntingtown, MD passed away on Sunday, January 15, 2012 at his home. He was born August 26, 1948 in Ft. Knox, Kentucky to Horace Edward and Inge Ilse (Schmidle) Boyce.

Henry enlisted in the United States Army March 10, 1970 ad served until being discharged June 8, 1973 as a SP5 He graduated from the University of Maryland, University College in 1982. Henry was a professional insurance agent, owing and operating a local Allstate Insurance Agency in Huntingtown since 2000. He and his family have resided in Calvert County since 1978. Henry was an active volunteer within Calvert County donating his time to Calvert Meals on Wheels. He was also a member of the Prince Frederick Elks Lodge 2620. He enjoyed fishing and spending time at the beach with his family. He was cherished by his family and will be greatly missed by all.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Else Schmidle and a brother H. Christopher Boyce.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years Linda Jeanne Boyce, two daughters Lisa Marie Boyce and Cheri Boyce Shifflett and her husband Larry, Jr., and two grandchildren Lily Morgan and Owen Mason Shifflett all of Huntingtown and his parents Horace Edward and Inge Ilse Boyce of Loudon, Tennessee.

Friends were received on Friday, January 20, 2012 at Rausch Funeral Home, Owings, where services were held at 7:30 P.M. Private family interment was to be held at Meadowridge Memorial Park, Elkridge, MD.

Jean Gasparovic, 70 Jean T. Gasparovic, 70, of Prince Frederick, Maryland, passed away Saturday morning, January 7th, 2012 at home.

Mrs. Gasparovic was born on May 6th, 1941, in Genesee, Michigan, the daughter of Raoul A. and Margaret (Hursky) Belanger. She graduated from St. Michael’s High School, Maple Grove in 1959.

On July 24, 1965, she married Michael A. Gasparovic of Lennon, Michigan, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Maple Grove. He predeceased her on October 24th, 1994.

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Owosso, Michigan, and St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Prince Frederick, Maryland.

Mrs. Gasparovic was a homemaker. She loved camping, polka dancing with her beloved husband, reading, and doting on her grandchildren, Shelby, Brennan, Shea, Makaela, Shannon and Tatiana. Her faith was very important

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

to her and she touched many lives. She will be missed greatly by the many friends that she has maintained throughout the years.

Survivors include: one son, Michael (Kela) Gasparovic of New Stanton, PA; one son-in-law, Joseph Hacker of Saint Leonard, MD; two brothers, James (Vicky) Belanger and Dr. Arthur (Wendy) Belanger; four sisters, Jackie Denton, Marjorie (John) Dick, June (Ralph) Birchmeier and Jeanette (Richard) Ries; her grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces who all cherished her.

She was predeceased by her daughter Rosalie Hacker, her parents, and her two brothers, Robert and Richard Belanger.

The funeral mass was celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Owosso, Michigan, on Saturday, January 21, followed by internment in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Owosso. A memorial service will be held on January 27th, 2 p.m. at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Prince Frederick, Maryland.

Memorials are suggested to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

David Hanna, 20 David Matthew Hanna, 20, of Huntingtown, MD passed away on January 16, 2012. David was born August 7, 1991 at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD to David E. and Cathrine Ann (Yale) Hanna.

He lived with his family in Upper Marlboro, MD until moving to Dunkirk in 2000, and graduated from Northern High School with the class of 2009.

He was an accomplished travel select soccer player, enjoyed sports and music, and was a fan of the Washington Redskins. David was a member of First Lutheran Church of Calvert County where he was baptized and confirmed.

He currently attended the College of Southern Maryland where he had attained his welding certification.

David was preceded in death by grandparents Edwin Hanna, Joan Yale Flory, and Selma and Harry Albanese.

He is survived by a son Colt M. Hanna and fiancé Lauren J. Ragan of Prince Frederick, MD; his parents David E. Hanna of Huntingtown and Cathrine A. Hanna of Prince Frederick; brothers Cory D. Gleason and wife Tiffany of Ft. Hood, TX, Craig M. Gleason and wife Estefany of Charleston, SC and Joshua N. Hanna of Huntingtown. He is also survived by grandparents Robert and Colleen Yale of Hammonds Port, NY and Carl Flory of Chambersburg, PA. A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life was held at First Lutheran Church of Calvert County, 6300 Southern Maryland Boulevard, Huntingtown, MD on Sunday January 22, 2012.. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in David’s name may be made to: David E. Hanna, Trustee, Fund for Colt M. Hanna, 1870 Emmanuel Church Road, Huntingtown, MD 20639.

Arrangements are by Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., Owings, MD. For additional service information visit www.RauschFuneralHomes.com.

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Barbara Lusby, 72 Barbara Jean Lusby, 72, of Upper Marlboro, MD passed away January 16, 2012 at Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton, MD. She was born June 16, 1939 in Chaneyville, MD to Joseph W. and Ruth Rebecca (Robinson) Cochran.

She was raised in Calvert County and graduated from Calvert High School. She married Roy F. Lusby October 18, 1975 and they lived in Upper Marlboro, MD. Barbara was employed for many years as a school bus driver with the Prince George’s County Board of Education, retiring in 2001.

In her leisure time she enjoyed raising beagles and attending competition field trials with her husband, attending local church suppers, and spending time with her family and friends.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents Joseph W. Cochran and Ruth Beverly, and by a step-son Ricky Lusby. She is survived by her husband Roy Lusby, a son William P. “Bill” Windsor and wife Ann of Brandywine, MD, a step-daughter Cheryl Wilson of Dallas, TX, a step-son Butch Windsor of Virginia, a sister Alice Williams of Huntingtown, MD, and brothers Harry Cochran of Franklin, MA and Karl Anderson of Rocky Mount, VA. A funeral service was held Friday, January 20, 2012 at Rausch Funeral Home, Owings.

Interment followed at Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery, Rectory Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD. For additional information visit www.

RauschFuneralHomes.com

Doris Matteson, 80 Doris Barrett Matteson, 80, of Solomons, MD, passed away on January 16, 2012. She was born on October 12, 1931 in Appeal, MD to Daniel and Suzanna Virginia Allen Barrett.

Doris was a life long resident of Calvert County. She graduated from Calvert County High School in 1948 and Blackstone College in 1950. Doris worked as a Revenue Examiner for the State of Maryland for many years. Doris loved being with family and friends, purrusing antiques, traveling, reading, and doing crosswords. She was a member and past princess of the Solomons Island Yacht Club.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Edward, Carl and Daniel Barrett, Jr.; four sisters, Ethel Barrett, Estelle Barrett Cliffton, Ruth Barrett Horsmon and Beatrice Barrett Warfield. She was also preceded in death by her granddaughter, Sherry Eller Janney; and a grandson who was also known as “her Buddy” (and she was known as “his Dars”), Randall Barrett Eller.

Doris is survived by her two loving daughters, Susan Allen Matteson Church of Atlanta, GA, and Ruth Anne Matteson Eller with her husband, Randy Earl Eller of Hilton Head, SC. She is also survived by a granddaughter, Wendy Eller Kagey of Roanoke, VA; a grandson, Aaron Matthew Eller of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and a sister, Flora Mae Russell of Solomons, MD.;

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The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, January 26, 2012

and 6 great grandchildren. In addition, Doris is survived by her devoted friend, Jack Estridge, as well as too many dear friends to name (and as she was known to say: “And you know who you are!”)

There was a commemoration of her passing followed by a celebration of her life at the Solomons Island Yacht Club, 14604 HG Trueman Road, Solomons, MD 20688. nterment will be held at a later date in Lowcountry Memorial Gardens, Bluffton, SC. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, Southern Maryland Office, P. O. Box 1889, La Plata, MD 20646. Arrangements entrusted to the Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., Lusby, MD, www.rauschfuneralhomes.com.

Alice Nobles, 85 Alice Joyce Nobles, 85, of Prince Frederick, MD, passed away January 11, 2012 at Calvert Memorial Hospital in Prince Frederick, MD. Joyce was born September 4, 1926 in Kinston, NC to John and Josephine (Tilghman) Gardner.

She received her education in North Carolina public schools and attended Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, MD. She was employed as a subject cataloger with the Library of Congress, retiring in 1988. Joyce resided in Suitland until moving to Prince Frederick in 1996. She was a member of Pennsylvania Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. She was an avid reader and enjoyed making gourmet chocolates for her family and friends.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents and a brother Johnny Ray Gardner.

Surviving are her son Terry Nobles and his wife Betty of Dunkirk, MD, grandson David Nobles and his wife Jennifer of Huntingtown, a great-granddaughter Lexi Nobles and a great-grandson Chase Nobles, brothers Jesse Gardner and his wife Annie Mae of New Bern, NC, Joel Gardner and his wife Jessie of Vienna, VA, Jeffrie Gardner and his wife Sandra of New Bern, NC, sisters Jacqueline Willis of New Bern, NC, Jonquil Lanier of Chattanooga, TN, Joan Finch, Lansing, MI, Juliette Church and her husband Charles of Kirkland, WA, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Friends were received at Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., in Owings on January 14, 2012.

A Funeral Service and Life Celebration were held Sunday, January 15, 2012 at Smithville United Methodist Church, Dunkirk. Interment followed at Smithville Cemetery.

Vincent Thrasher, 88 Vincent Lee Thrasher, 88 of St. Leonard, MD died the morning of January 19th at the Charlotte Hall Veterans’ home where he had lived for the past year.

Vincent was born January 27, 1923 in rural Lewis County, MO to the late Anna Thrasher. Vincent was raised on a farm in Missouri where he became the head of the household at the age of fourteen.

He was drafted into the US Army and served in Germany where he was captured on December 24, 1944 and held POW until April 4th of 1945. While stationed at Fort Meade, MD before shipping out to Germany, Vincent met

Alice Elizabeth Parks of Broomes Island, MD and upon his return, married Alice and moved to Broomes Island. He later moved the family to St. Leonard in 1952 where he lived for the next fifty two years. He secured employment with the US Navy at Solomon’s Island after the war and then worked for 35+ years at Patuxent River Naval Air Station as an aircraft lighting technician. Vincent almost single handedly rebuilt his St. Leonard home from the ground up, raised four sons and became the neighborhood repair shop always helping family and friends with automotive, lawnmower repair and other projects. Vincent was a loving son, spending his summer vacations providing much needed assistance to his mother in Missouri. Vincent was a charter member of the Calvert Amateur Radio Club, HAM radio operator, member of The Southern Maryland DAV, and of the Calvary Bible Church in Lusby, Maryland.

Vincent was predeceased in death by his loving wife Alice of 62 years, his mother Anna, sisters; Elsie Marie and Virginia. Vincent is survived by two sisters, Erma Dee Jones of Lewistown, MO, Betty Barron of Hoopeston, IL, four sons, Orval and wife Sandy of North Beach, MD, Larry and wife Kaye of Annapolis, MD, Terry and wife Sara of Sinking Springs, PA and Lloyd and wife Cathy of St. Leonard, MD. Grand children, Todd, Brian, Quillan, Corbin, Michelle, Colin and Harrison, and three great grand children, Taylor, Connor and Trystan.

Friends are invited to the celebration of life for Vincent during visitations at the Rausch Funeral Home, 4405 Broomes Island Road, Port Republic, MD on Thursday January 26th from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM. A funeral services will be held Friday January 27th, 10:30am at the Broomes Island Wesleyan Church on Church Road. The same church where Vincent and Alice were married. Interment will follow the service at Southern Memorial Gardens in Dunkirk, MD.

Bonnie Turner, 44 Bonnie Jo Turner, 44, of Lusby, MD, passed away suddenly on January 15, 2012.

She was born on June 9, 1967 in Prince Frederick, MD to Bonnie Jean Shipman Turner and the late Franklin Percy Turner, Sr. Bonnie loved to play softball all of her life. Her hobby was to fix computers. She was a very loving mother, daughter, aunt, and sister. She enjoyed spending her weekends spending time with friends and family. She had a green thumb and loved gardening. Bonnie was a great cook and her salsa recipe will always be a family favorite.

Bonnie is survived by her daughters Kayla Jo Turner and Jamie Turner of Lusby, MD; mother, Bonnie Jean Turner, of Lusby, MD; sisters Jeannie Kunkel and her husband Daniel of NC, Becky Sievert and her husband Andy of Lusby, MD and Barbara Patterson and her husband Joe of Port Republic, MD; brother Franklin P. Turner, Jr. and his wife Alexis of Prince Frederick, MD; nieces and nephews Sherri, Andrew, Heather, Rachel, Alayna, Glenn, Katie, Ava, Koeby, Seth and Payton and her great niece Mariah.

The family received friends at the Rausch Funeral Home, 20 American Lane, Lusby, MD on Thursday, January 19, 2012. A service celebrating her life was held on Friday, January 20, at the Rausch Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor R. Todd Marple officiating. Interment followed in Mt Harmony United Methodist Church Cemetery.

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

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The Calvert Gazette

ner

KiddKioer

CLUES ACROSS

1. Tooth caregiver 4. Greek counterpart of Rhea 7. A numbered mail compartment (abbr.)

10. New Zealand parrots 12. Political action committees 14. Fringe-toed lizard 15. Reposes 17. Winglike structures 18. MacMurray of “My Three Sons” 19. Oprah’s Broadway show 22. Ceaser, egg and tossed 23. Oarlock 24. Agile, lively (nautical) 25. Skim or dart 26. And (Latin) 27. Embodies 28. Gallivants 30. Hyperbolic cosecant 32. Rural delivery 33. Atomic #89 34. Opposite of wealthy 36. Imus and Knotts 39. Yellow ageratum species

Thursday, January 26, 2012

41. Large tropical Am. lizard 43. Late Show star 46. Armor breastplate 47. “Death in the Family” author 48. Liquors from rice 50. Bread for a burger 51. Yeast 52. 100 = 1 tala in W. Samoa 53. Two-year-old sheep 54. Hyrax or cony 55. Engine additive

CLUES DOWN

1. Danish krone (abbr.)

2. Insect repellents 3. Move sideways 4. October’s birthstones 5. __ Alto, California city 6. Mark of healed tissue 7. Somewhat purple 8. Egg mixture cooked until just set 9. Past tense of bid 11. Ancient stone slab bearing

12

markings 13. 9th month (abbr.)

16. Thrown into a fright 18. A playful antic 20. “Waiting for Lefty” playwright 21. Ultrahigh frequency 28. Cutting gun barrel spirals 29. Youth loved by Aphrodite 30. Get by begging 31. Cleans by scrubbing vigorously 34. Bubonic calamity 35. Radioactivity unit 37. South African peoples 38. Legless reptiles 40. Thick piece of something 41. A distinct part of a list 42. Regarding (Scottish prep.)

43. Something that is owed 44. Mild exclamation 45. Etce____: continuing the same 49. Variation of 17 down

Last Week’s Puzzle Solutions

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Calvert Gazette

Community Gathers to Support Local Wounded Warrior

By Carrie Munn Staff Writer A group gathered to break ground on a project that will allow Chaptico native and combat-disabled U.S. Marine veteran Caleb Getscher to get around his home a little easier.

Lance Cpl. Getscher was wounded when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan last summer.

While the 20-year-old veteran continues rehabilitation at Bethesda Naval Hospital, his family’s home on Chaptico Road is undergoing a renovation to include a handicapped accessible garage with direct access to a bedroom, bathroom, laundry room and exercise area. This will enable Getscher to spend more time with his family, including his 15-month-old daughter, Camily.

The Patuxent Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Repair Corps project is one of 10 supported by a $100,000 grant and partnership with Home Depot geared to help remodel and renovate the homes of U.S. military veterans. The project at the Getscher’s family home exceeded the $10,000 budget, yet was supplemented by community sponsorships from companies like Wyle, Cullison Excavating and Great Mills Trading Post.

The initiative has been named the Gary Senese Memorial Veterans Repair Corps after an ex-Marine from Compton who volunteered with Habitat for Humanity before passing last year.

St. Mary’s County Commissioner Dan Morris, also an ex-Marine, joined Getscher and his family, as well as Habitat and community volunteers in the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday. A little golden shovel was provided for Camily.

“It’s pretty awesome and very kind of everyone,” Getscher said

Newsmakers

of the event and the project. “There are a lot of great people in this crowd and I’m grateful to be able to see their faces.”

He said he looks forward to easier mobility once the expansion is completed.

Patuxent Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Pamela Shubert said the septic had just been approved and the next step would be acquiring permits for the foundation to be poured and the framing, which will be done by Mennonite friends and neighbors of the Getschers.

She said the county has been great about fast-tracking permits for their projects and she was grateful for the volunteers that give their time and services.

Shubert said a second Repair Corps project in the works will provide a veteran and ex-Habitat volunteer with a ramp and repairs to his roof.

Private donors have recently given $75,000 to the project, which can be used if a veteran’s needs exceed the $10,000 per-project budget.

Getscher said he feels the appreciation his community has shown him for his service and looks forward to further recovery and more time at home.

Patuxent Habitat for Humanity is currently accepting applications from low to moderate income qualifying veterans for remodeling and renovation projects that will alleviate critical health, life and safety issues or code violations.

Veterans who have received an honorable or general discharge are eligible to participate. Veterans that are residents of Calvert or St. Mary’s counties that would like to participate in this program are encouraged to call 301-863-6227 or 410-326-9050 for more information. carriemunn@countytimes.net

The Synergistic use of Protein by the Body

By Debra Meszaros MXSportsNutrition.com Are you struggling with fatigue? Memory loss? Hormonal balance? Depression? Thyroid issues?

The answer may lie in your intake and utilization of protein.

What is protein?

Protein is a string of amino acids strung together that the body separates and restructures back into protein. So just like water, protein is vital to life.

What are amino acids?

They are nitrogen-containing nutrients, the building blocks of protein. The human body requires twenty different amino acids for growth, development and sustaining life; that makes amino acids vital to your well being.

Of the twenty, nine are essential, meaning they must come from dietary intake as the body cannot manufacture them. There is a constant daily need for the body to build and replace hair, skin, muscle, bone, all types of cells, and to manufacture hormones, including growth hormones, enzymes for digestion as well as metabolic functions. Foods that contain all twenty essential and non-essential amino acids are meat, fish, eggs, and whey.

These are the essential amino acids: • Histidine • Isoleucine • Leucine • Lysine • Phenylalanine • Tryptophan • Treonine • Valine Why are we likely to be deficient?

Due to the reductionism practiced by corporate research, attention has been placed on three of these four complete amino foods; meat, fish, and eggs; dictating to us reasons to shy

away from utilizing these foods as main portions of our diets. It does matter which form of these foods are consumed as there is a tremendous difference between grass-fed meats, wild caught fish, cage-free organic eggs vs. their commercial versions. Deficiencies are very common and further fueled by other contributing factors like: injury, illness, medications, and digestive disorders. A great number of people, especially those over twenty years of age, struggle with protein digestion and utilization, due to enzyme deficiencies. Many simply cannot meet their body’s requirements for amino acids.

Further, if one exercises or is involved in sporting activities, the need may very well be beyond dietary intake. Most individuals need far more than the governments recommended daily allowance of Aminos.

Amino acids, not just for body builders What science is beginning to understand, through research, is that the affect amino acids have on the body go beyond building muscle.

They do optimize muscle performance and carnosine in its beta-alanine form, is found to reduce muscle inflammation and soreness. It has recently been utilized for chronic fatigue syndrome. A great addition to carnosine is astaxanthin, which can improve muscle endurance, workout performance and recovery, while enhancing the body’s ability to metabolize fat.

L-Carnitine/Acetyl-L-Carnitine may relieve fatigue, weakness, and brain stress; together with CoQ10 and Alpha Lipoic Acid, they make a good team. If your objective is cognitive issues, the Acetyl-L-Carnitine form may be more bio-available and more likely to help with these issues. *It may improve selective attention, long term verbal memory, and logical intelligence. Nutritionally its function is enhanced by the presence of vitamin C, B6, B3, B5, Iron, and essential fatty acids (Omegas).

L-Carnitine is different than other amino acids when it comes to supplementation. In supplement form L-Carnitine should be taken with food to avoid stomach upset. Best results for all other amino acid supplementation would be to

take them on an empty stomach.

Due to the amount of mental, emotional, and physical stress most of us experience, often the amounts of tryptophan required by our nervous system goes beyond dietary amounts.

Tryptophan is involved in serotonin levels in the body which help us grow new brain cells.

Almonds, eggs, avocados, pork, anchovies, wheat germ, oat flakes, cottage cheese, Swiss and parmesan cheeses all contain tryptophan.

To make a blood level change in tryptophan, intake needed is said to be between one to two grams a day, and B6 and niacinamide present to enhance its affects.

Amino acids are also involved in the body’s process of producing hormones and neurotransmitters, so the correlation between dysfunctions related to these and amino acids, is formed. Although this is a short list of related information, amino acids have a huge impact on your well being.

• Creatine – utilized for muscle weakness, cognitive fatigue in neurological illness.

• L-Glutamine – useful for stomach problems, leaky gut, and ulcers.

• Taurine – often found in energy drinks, which acts with GABA, a neurotransmitter involved in the thought processes.

• L-Treonine – calming, relaxing, can help with anxiety.

• DL-Phenylalanine – can help with depression, fatigue, pain, and cognitive function.

• L-Tyrosine – can help with increasing levels of thyroid hormones.

• Lysine – a great antiviral against herpes viruses. ++Another interesting fact is that the more physically fit an individual is the greater their brain function related to motor skills, attention, and processing speed is.

So we can see that adequate protein is vital to optimal health, but remember it’s not just about dietary consumption or your choice to supplement, but by the assimilation of pro-

tein by your body, which is directly connected to having adequate protease enzymes to break down your proteins. * [Neurology 91; 41 (11): 1726-1732] ++ [Cochrane Database Syst Rev 08 Apr 16, (2): CD005381 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 Bio-feedback practitioner with further educational studies in Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Orthomolecular 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.

Spotlight On

Introducing a Lifestyle of Savings Early

Photo By Corrin M. Howe Gage Kowalczyk, 2nd grade, is opening his first savings account.

By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Sunderland Elementary School students are learning about goal setting and savings through a monthly visit by Educational Systems Federal Credit Union.

“This is where it all begins,” said Victoria Samuels, VP of Marketing for the credit union.

According to Samuels, the credit union comes into schools throughout Calvert County once a month to allow students to make deposits into a savings account. When the representatives from the credit union first arrive, they teach the students about setting goals such as saving for a new bike, video game, or Disney World.

“By teaching them goal setting with finances we are giving them something tangible,” said Samuels. “It is something they can grasp.

They start out with a dollar and soon it grows to $25 to $100 and before they know it they realize ‘I’m rich.’”

Delecia Eller acts as the teller every third Friday of the month at Sunderland Elementary School. She sets up a table in the gym during the student’s morning arrival. Her table includes a laptop, deposit slips, pens, and a date stamp.

This day the students came with checks from Christmas, a card full of coins which equate to $5, rolls of quarters, and loose bills.

Some were already organized, carrying their bankbook, completed deposit slip. Others handed money in plastic baggies to Eller.

So far, Educational Systems Federal Credit Union is in 10 Calvert schools at all levels. Eller usually comes during bus arrival or lunch once a month to each school. Besides taking deposits, the credit union tries to educate students about their finances. This week they went in to Patuxent High Schools lunch period and talked about credit “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.”

Samuels said they hope their newest branch office will open in the Spring of 2012 in Prince Frederick in the old Skores Grille.

“Our effect on the educational community is our true mission which is to help our teachers, bus drivers, principals, moms and dads and students to reach their financial goals and dreams.”

Parent Clair Weber said she started a savings account through a similar program when she was in school and forgot about it over the years. It was a nice surprise to rediscover it when she first graduated from college with a little bit of money. She is hoping the same will happen with her children. corrin@somdpublishing.net

The Calvert Gazette

Thursday, January 26, 2012

14

Silent Auction Supports Silent Ranks

By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Students, government officials and members of the community gathered Saturday night to help support families of members of the military.

During this year’s annual silent auction, hosted by the Northern High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the group partnered with the Silent Ranks Sisterhood to raise money for various events planned for the coming year to show support for the troops and their families. The coming events include a Valentine’s Day celebration and a large-scale birthday party for the children of military families.

Silent Ranks is a support group for military Katie Howard and Nicole White sell dessert raffle tickets. wives and families.

The idea to use this year’s fundraiser to support Silent Ranks came from FBLA member Lauren Grif- Ranks initiative Hugs from Heroes, she found what fin. Her father taught her to take pride in her country she wanted to support.

Recent statistics show that one percent of United and the men and women who serve in the military, States citizens choose to serve in the military. Griffin she said. When she got her hands on a flier for Silent said it’s only right that the people who don’t volunteer support the people and families who do.

“It’s just not right that they have to go it alone,” Griffin said.

Griffin got in contact with Kristen O’Neill, a military wife and founder and director of the Silent Ranks Sisterhood.

“Her ideas match exactly what I want to do with this operation,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill hopes the events during the coming months will help get the ball rolling and raise awareness for Silent Ranks. Until now, O’Neill and her husband have shouldered the financial burden of the initiative themselves.

David Jones, chairman of the Maryland FBLA Board of Directors, said the Northern High School FBLA is one of the top chapters in the country. After the event is finished, the group will write a 30 page report on it, to be submitted to a competition with other FLBA chapters. Jones said they have come in fourth place in the competition for three consecutive years, and the students should be proud.

Photos by Sarah Miller Silent auction attendees bid on items on display.

sarahmiller@countytimes.net

Inaugural Chess Tournament

Megan Tillini and Anthony Delgado, both 4th graders from Beach Elementary School in Chesapeake Beach, face off in the first-ever Scholastic Chess Tournament on Saturday at Great Mills High School sponsored by the Maryland Educational Chess Association.

15

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Calvert Gazette

Angler’s News The Ordinary

Angler

By Keith McGuire Contributing Writer January weather does little to help cure cabin fever or winter doldrums. Thankfully, I have the job of finding new things to talk about that relate to outdoor activities that we can enjoy when the weather is better.

You may recall that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources sponsored a Snakehead Fishing Contest last year. Anglers who caught northern snakeheads were invited to post a picture and a brief description of their catch on the “DNR Anglers’ Log” in order to be eligible for prizes at the end of the year. Last week they announced the winners. Top prize was a $200 Bass Pro Shop Gift Card, and the winner was Rodney Hose of Lexington Park! Rodney caught the fish on September 21, 2011. He said the snakehead smashed a white chatterbait with a zoom 4” trailer. The fish was caught on the Virginia shoreline of Occoquan Bay, south of the Wildlife Refuge. Congratulations Rodney!

While I was poking around at Maryland DNR, I came upon something that I’ll bet you

Rodney Hose with his prize-winning Snakehead.

A View From The

Bleachers

By Ronald N. Guy Jr. Contributing Writer

With the Super Bowl yet to be served, the NFL playoffs have already been a fantastic dish. The fashionable, pinball machine-like offenses in Green Bay and New Orleans fell victim to throwback, defense-first foes.

Tebow-mania unexpectedly took out Black and Gold nation before falling to a man named Brady (Tom... not Mike, Greg, Peter or Bobby). The upstart 49ers provided NFL history books with another memorable victory catch at Candlestick Park. And the conference championship games, both decided by 3 points, were epic.

Whew…is it any wonder this game has become so deeply woven into our culture and

created such an emotional addiction that gluttonous indulgence in its buffet is inevitable?

The answers are an emphatic “no” and “no”, of course. One of the reasons for NFL’s popularity is its unpredictability, a trait that creates hope for fans of the league’s downtrodden and indigestion in fans waving the flags of the favorites. In other words, suspense is ever-present. The NFL is a league where the 5-11 ‘Skins can beat the Giants twice, the 2-14 Rams can beat the Saints, the Giants can travel to Lambeau Field and ruin the Packers’ 15-1 season and 49ers can go from 6-10 in 2010 to the NFC Championship Game a year later (yes, all of that really happened). Proof of the NFL’s capriciousness – ironically similar to the disjointed bouncing of a loose football – can be found in its postseason’s cast: an annually derived twelveteam roster that’s never the same and always contains members that will raise your brow.

The source of this yearly postseason upheaval is the dynamic forces residing within every roster. Teams must manage 53 (its rosters size) different personalities, overcome contract/payment squabbles, deal

Sp rts

didn’t know! There is now a statewide moratorium on the harvest of River Herring including blueback and alewife herring.

“This fishery closure was implemented on December 26, 2011, in response to a coast-wide concern regarding the depressed stock levels of blueback and alewife herring,” said DNR Fisheries Service Director Tom O’Connell. “This is evident by a 93 percent drop in commercial river herring landings along the Atlantic Coast since 1985.”

“With few exceptions, it is now illegal to possess river herring in Maryland,” said Mike Luisi, DNR Fish- Cary Wolfe with a Virginia record rockfish. eries Service Assistant Disee the differences between these fish. rector for Estuarine and Marine Fisheries.

Under the “hardy people” category, there Anyone in possession of river herring as are a few folks who are actually fishing now. bait will need to have a receipt indicating where Some are catching yellow perch in deep holes in the herring was purchased. This will allow bait the rivers and tributaries, and others are booking shops to sell, and fishermen to possess, river charters or guided trips out of Virginia Beach. herring for bait that was harvested from a State One such hardy individual – Cary Wolfe whose fishery remains open, as an ASMFC apof Manassas, Virginia – caught a 74 pound, 57 proved sustainable fishery. States with open river ¾ inch striped bass last Friday off Cape Henry. herring fisheries include New York, Maine, New The girth on this fish was 32 inches! It is not Hampshire, South Carolina and North Carolina. a world record – that’s held by Connecticut naConcerned about the “alewife” defined by tive Greg Myerson who set the world record back this moratorium, I talked to a DNR biologist to in August with an 81.88-pound rockfish – but make sure that the bunker and menhaden that when validated, it will stand as a new Virginia we typically use for cut-bait and chum was NOT State record. According to the report I saw from included in this definition. As explained to me, the Richmond Fishing Expo last weekend, Mr. there is a species of river herring similar to the Wolfe plans to eat the fish! blueback herring that some anglers in the northriverdancekeith@hotmail.com. ern reaches of the bay call alewife. It does not Keith has been a recreational angler on the refer to our bunker. If you find yourself confused Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for over 50 by these different species, you might check out years; he fishes weekly from his small boat durtheir “Fish Facts” page on the MD DNR website ing the season, and spends his free time supportat http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishfacts/ to ing local conservation organizations.

Revisiting The Success-Model with high attrition (performance and injuries wreak havoc on personnel) and align dozens of specialized roles around a common mission. Sound familiar? It should. The challenges are virtually identical to those facing the average business or professional organization. And so, with football established as sports’ best metaphor for the workplace, the playoffs present a perfect opportunity to not just watch the riveting ascent to the top of Mount NFL, but to contemplate the reasons for each team’s success. While their stories are unique, when considered in aggregate, this year’s playoff cast – the best of the best and survivors of a perilous journey - presents a formula that challenges many long-held tenets of success.

Organizations of any notable size must have an established structure and processes and be disciplined in its daily operations.

Absent such a framework, chaos – competing priorities, duplicative effort and general inefficiency - will prevail and failure will soon follow. So, yes, a clear structure is essential.

However, there is an irritating tendency for larger organizations to become so structurefocused that creative thinking and its byproduct, organization growth, are retarded.

Once success is achieved, and those within every NFL front office and managing large organizations have experienced plenty, it’s human nature to repeat the formula and ex-

pect similar results. Such behavior, though, ignores the changing marketplace and evolving skill-set within an organization.

The NFL squads that made the playoffs were those that embraced the talent within the organization and adapted their approach to the existing skill-sets. The Bengals figured out how to win behind a rookie quarterback. The Broncos reinvented their offense, several weeks into the season, around the unique talents of Tim Tebow. The Texans came up with a strategy to win with rookie, third-string quarterback who was pressed into duty through a rash of injuries. Jim Harbaugh, who had never coached a single down in the NFL and with virtually no offseason, took over a demoralized 49ers organization and a broken-spirited quarterback and won 13 games. Even the Patriots, post-season regulars, evolved into something I’ve never seen before: an offensive juggernaut based around two uber-talented tight ends.

This year’s playoff teams are not so much a testament to following a tried and true success formula, but to the importance of being open-minded and highly adaptive within a general framework. Structure and discipline are important components of success, but no more so than creativity, flexibility and the courage to pursue the unknown.

Send comments to rguyjoon@yahoo.com

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MHBR No. 103