Gazette
February 23, 2012
Priceless
Calvert
Everything Calvert County
Bohanan’s Vote Gave Gay Marriage A Hand Page 8
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
On T he Cover
Also Inside
3
County News
8
Feature Story
2
Delegate John Bohanan, pictured on opening day of the Maryland House of Delegates session in January 2010.
9 Newsmakers 10 Obits 11 Education
county news
DFC Andrew Clas demonstrates how the same technology used to track wildlife was turned into a program to help police track and find at-risk citizens who wonder away from home.
12 Community 12 Business 13 Letters
Correction
14 Entertainment 15 Community
entertainment
Nelson and Dain up the Southern Maryland band A Day Off Earth, and QBH St M County TImes Half Ad:Layout 1Steve 3/1/11 3:28 PM Johnson Page make 1 the two often receive compliments on their musicianship.
An article in the Dec. 1, 2011 edition about Cub Scout Pack 451 visiting the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery incorrectly stated the tomb is guarded by U.S. Marine guards. The Tomb is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by specially trained members of the 3rd United States Army Infantry, also known as The Old Guard.
MHBR No. 103
3
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Chain-Link Fence Ban Riles Residents By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
Drone is Not a UFO, Navy Warns
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
Officials with the U.S. Navy say an unmanned combat drone newly arrived at Patuxent River Naval Air Station for testing may soon be spotted in the sky above Calvert The military is informing the public of the coming test flights because the aircraft known as the X-47B has already caused concerns from residents in Kansas when it was making its flight here. Some have even recorded it in flight as a UFO and posted it on the Internet. “We’ve already had 1.6 Northrop Grumman illustration of the X47. million hits,” said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, head of the project, workhorse fighter and attack F-18 and is expected to at a joint meeting with St. Mary’s commissioners. be the future of combat aircraft for the Navy, per“Folks will see it here [in St. Mary’s] and especially haps one day surpassing the F-35 Joint Strike Fightin Calvert County.” er once it reaches the end of its service life. Engdahl said Calvert residents would be able Capt. Ted Mills, commanding officer at Naval to see the black, bat-winged aircraft in the airspace Air Station Patuxent River, said that is the likely above Solomons Island, the Thomas Johnson Bridge scenario. and around Drum Point. “[After the F-35] This is the next one, this thing The aircraft would likely be flying at about 500 has to fight in dog fights,” Mills said. “This is going to 1,000 feet, Engdahl said. to be one of the biggest development efforts in the It’s flight path would also take it around Point history of the Department of Defense.” Lookout in St. Mary’s, he said. “And it may be seen from [Route] 235,” he said. guyleonard@countytimes.net The combat drone is comparable in size to the
North Beach code enforcement officials are sending out notices to town residents about the conditions of their fences if they don’t meet design standards, and it is already rankling some property owners. Town Councilmember Randy Hummel said several residents have come to him complaining about the citations because their fences, including his, are of the chain link variety. This opens up a recurring issue of whether to allow chain link fences in town – there have been movements in the past to ban them, Hummel said. “We go through periods of this,” Hummel said, noting he also received a citation for his own fence. They are already banned on properties at the waterfront, he said, but many homeowners have chosen to do as they wish anyway. “That’s where I take issue with that because when there is flooding the water breaks the wooden fences up,” Hummel said. “Some people just ignore [the waterfront fence rule.]” Despite the notices being sent out and the ability of the town government to press for fines for code infractions, Hummel does not believe they will be levied. “We very rarely fine people for code violations,” Hummel said. “There’s a line in our budget every year for revenue from code enforcement and its zero.” Councilmember Ken Wilcox said that while he would not choose to have chain link fences, he was loathe to tell other residents to dispose of there’s, especially if they are well maintained and have been standing for years. “How can we tell them to change that,” Wilcox said. “I believe in property rights.” But the town’s planning commission has set as a condition in several cases getting rid of a chain link fence if a property is demolished or substantially renovated, Wilcox said. “It’s on a case by case basis,” he said. Hummel said the code enforcement issue would likely come up at the next town meeting. “I have a feeling we’ll have a few people at the next meeting raise hell,” Hummel said. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Prescription Abuse a Major Problem By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Carol Porto, founder of a local treatment center in Prince Frederick, recently estimated that 40 out of 50 calls her center receives each week are from people looking for help with addictions to pain killers. “It’s the biggest problem in Southern Maryland. Pain killer addiction often goes to heroin,” Porto said. “We saw this problem coming eight years ago and started treating for it five years ago.” According to “some curious facts” listed in her quarterly newsletter, prescription drug abuse has increased by 400 percent in the past 10 years. However, there are not enough doctors or treatment facilities in the tri-county area to meet the need. According to Porto, there is an effective drug called Suboxone (Buprenorphine) for opiate dependence (which includes pain pills like OxyContin
COUNTY NEWS
and Percocet, and drugs like Heroin). She said it is the first successful medication for opiate treatment since methadone, but even better. It reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings in people who are dependent on heroin or prescription opiates. It is a film that dissolves quickly so patients have a harder time keeping it and selling it on the street. Those combining Suboxone with counseling can be far along in recovery within a year unlike the 10 years it takes with methadone, according to Porto. However, regulations prevent a doctor or treatment facility from serving more than 100 patients at a time. A future goal for the Carol M. Porto Treatment Center in Prince Frederick is to bring on a second doctor. Less than a half a dozen are available throughout the Southern Maryland area currently. corrin@somdpublishing.net
COUNTY NEWS
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
4
Obama Supporters Converge on Prince Frederick By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Emotions were high during an Obama for America Southern Maryland event in Prince Frederick on Saturday, with rallying speeches from politicians such as Congressman Elijah Cummings, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and Senate President V. Mike Miller answered by loud sustained cheers from the large crowd gathered at Greater Mt. Zion Church.
Brown talked about President Obama’s steps toward supporting everyone in the country, not just the top-rung executives with the most money. “We need a president who cares about our goals and dreams,” Brown said. Cummings echoed Brown’s speech, saying Obama came into the White House not knowing how bad the state of the country had gotten during the Bush administration, and has done more in three and a half years than most presidents do in eight.
He said the Republican Party wants to repeal “Obamacare”, but they don’t have anything to replace it, which could leave those who can’t afford healthcare in a bad position. Cummings said it is important to “ignite a sense of hope in Americans,” and that is what Obama is working to do. Miller also said Obama has been working hard for the sake of the people he represents, helping to create a net gain in the
number of jobs available in the country. He said by electing Obama for a second term and allowing the Maryland Democrats a chance to work, “we’re gonna give you the best government the U.S. and the state ever had.” Representatives were also on hand to sign volunteers up to help with the Obama for America campaign. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Watershed Implementation Plan Progressing By Sarah Miller Staff Writer
Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler
Photo by Sarah Miller
Calvert County’s EPA-mandated Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) is designed to cut down the amount of nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay, putting it on a “pollution diet,” according to David Brownlee, principal environmental planner for Calvert County. “Instead of cutting calories, we’re cutting pounds of nitrogen and phosphorous,” Brownlee told the Planning Commission during a Feb. 15 presentation on the county’s second phase of the plan. In addition to the current procedures being implemented, the county is also considering places where new upgrades could be beneficial. Potential upgrades include Chesapeake Beach and Marley Run sewer treatment plants to enhance nutrient removal. Another idea is to connect the Naval Research Laboratory to the Chesapeake Beach wastewater treatment plant. Brownlee talked about the potential of connecting septic systems to public sewer treatment plants. In three cases, this step is in planning – connecting Calvert County Industrial Park, the remainder of Dares Beach, Hallowing Point Trailer Park and the DNR building to the Prince Frederick Waste Water Treatment Plant.
He also talked about increasing forestation planting and eliminating impervious areas, where the watershed is the worst. He told the planning commission that increased forestation is a good thing, and the county gets credit for its level of undeveloped land. The challenge comes from the evergrowing population, adding to the problem. He said there is a continuing need to address existing problems with nutrients in the water and the system. “We need to turn the tide on pollution, and we have made some progress,” Brownlee said. Loading estimates are based on the Chesapeake Bay model based on land use, Brownlee said, and the loads are broken down by source. The county’s WIP has to include a capacity analysis, and staff has to account for growth, provide contingency plans, and provide tracking and reports. The EPA requires that 70 percent of the reductions be completed by 2017 and 100 percent reduction be reached by 2025. Planning and pointing out things that need to be fixed is one thing, but the biggest hurdle is funding, Brownlee said. Without the finding from the state and the county, meeting the reduction goals will be difficult. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Free InItIal ConsultatIon
The law offices of P.a. Hotchkiss & associates Providing Excellent Service For Over 20 Years
Auto Accidents Workers’ comp
Top Row: Carolyn Quade, Shirley Mattingly and Barbara Livingston. Bottom Row: Betty West, Steve Mattingly and Alice Kingsley
Scan this “Times Code” with your smart phone Accepting: 99 Smallwood Dr. Waldorf, MD • 206 Washignton Ave. LaPlata, MD
SERVING CHARLES • ST. MARY’S • PG • CALVERT
• Divorce/Separation • Support/Custody • Domestic Violence • Criminal/Traffic • DWI/MVA Hearings Power of Attorney • Name Change • Adoption • Wills • Guardianship
(301) 932-7700 (301) 870-7111
5
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Calvert Gazette Paid Advertisement
Maryland Homeowners: Take Action Now! Maryland legislators are considering the Governor’s proposal to reduce tax deductions for many Maryland homeowners. The most important deductions for Maryland homeowners are the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) and the property tax deduction, which have never been reduced in Maryland. Why would Maryland legislators want to make owning a home in Maryland any harder? A Few Facts: The Mortgage Interest Deduction and real estate taxes account for almost 70% of total deductions for Maryland taxpayers. Real estate accounts for over 20% of Maryland’s gross state product and 49% of local government revenue. Maryland already has one of the most aggressive real estate tax structures in the country. Being able to afford a home is one of the cornerstones of our state’s economy.
Contact your legislators and urge them to protect the Mortgage Interest Deduction. Find out more about what you can do:
SaveMDMID.org
Paid for by the Maryland Association of REALTORS®
COUNTY NEWS
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
6
‘Lifesaver’ Gives Loved Ones Peace of Mind By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer The same technology used to track wildlife was turned into a program to help police track and find at-risk citizens who wonder away from home, according to David Allen, retired Calvert County Sheriff Deputy. Project Lifesaver is a program that resulted from an incident in Chesapeake, Va. in 1999. A man with Alzheimer’s wandered away from his home. The local police spent four days using helicopters, horseback and volunteers to locate the man “with negative results,” according to Allen. It was determined that it cost the city over $100,000 to search for the missing man. Situations like this spurred the development of Project Lifesaver in Stokes County, NC. The program went nationwide in 2003. “Project Lifesaver is a radio transmission system designed to assist law enforcement and emergency services operations in locating lost or missing … who may wander away from home and get lost,” according to a press release from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office. Allen said two things happened in 2003 that brought the program to Calvert County. First an elderly gentleman woke up in the middle of the night and wandered off. His daughter woke up to find him missing and called the Sheriff’s office. They found in several days later far away from his home and in a bank of snow. He was dead. Sheriff Mike Evan was elected to office and went out to a conference in which Project Lifesaver was demonstrated. The initial investment in the program was $4,500 which bought the county two emergency rescue kits and 10 transmitters. Over the years, the county has made the program pay for itself by charging a monthly fee to the families who use it. However, the fee can be on a sliding scale or covered by some other means if the family can’t afford it. Since the program’s initiation in 2004, Allen has only used the kit once to locate a man who wandered off. He said it took him 10 minutes find the man once he arrived at the
DFC Andrew Clas demonstrates how Project Lifesaver works.
house, but two hours for the rescue team to locate him and the patient in a muddy ravine. “I was in the ravine telling them where we were and it still took two hours to find us,” said Allen.
Calvert Schools Respond to Student Death By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Following the death of a Mill Creek Middle School student last week, crisis teams were deployed to the school and others in the area to help students and teachers. Director of Student Services and Administration Kim Roof said whenever there is a traumatic situation, such as a student death, a supplementary crisis team is dispatched to the appropriate schools, wherever students and staff may have had a connection to the situation. There are also crisis teams stationed at the schools at all times, which include psychologists. She said the crisis teams will provide support as long as needed, there is no time limit to how long they will spend at a school. She said there is little difference in terms of support offered between the younger and older students, though Roof said the elementary and younger middle school students may be less equipped to name and deal with emotions associated with tragedies. Roof said the crisis teams are also willing to help parents, who may need support
themselves or may not know how best to help their child. Roof said the crisis teams are important, but the simple fact of going to school and being with their friends is also a part of helping students deal with tragedies. Sometimes they are more able to communicate, or more comfortable, with their peers. Roof said she was a school principal on Sept. 11, 2001, and coming to school the next day, seeing familiar faces and being with friends, was a “cathartic” experience because they had people they could talk openly with. Often, Roof said simply being around other people in the school community, instead of trying to deal with feelings alone at home, is what a student needs. When there is anything that could impact student’s lives, such as a road closing or the death of a parent or student, Roof said the police contact liaisons with the schools, who in turn contact her. She said there are police liaisons stationed at each of the high schools, as well as ones that drift between the middle and elementary schools. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
While the technology seems old fashioned compared to GPS, Allen said that radio waves are more reliable because they transmit through water, land, heavy tree cover and buildings. Although he’s not had to use Project Lifesaver to locate someone in a house, he knows from experience that he will be able to count on the radio waves as opposed to the GPS satellite technology. “This is a banner year for us, we actually had to order more of everything. We ask those patients who no longer need it to give the equipment back so we can keep the costs down,” said Allen. Currently there are two active duty deputies and Allen, who volunteers, who are touching base with 15 citizens. Going to the homes and changing batteries every 30 days is consider one of their extra duties. But DFC Andrew Clas doesn’t mind. He said sometimes it is the only contact some of the spouses and parents have with the outside. Allen and Clas attempted to arraged for actual clients to talk with The Calvert Gazette about the program, with no success. “There is a stigma,” said Allen. Family members want to protect their loved ones from others knowing about their Alzeheimers, autism, down syndrome or other forms of disorders which cause loss of mental abilities. Allen said the program is more than the electronic locating device. “We educate the caregivers.” This includes recommending chimes on the doors when opened to alert them that the client has gone out or putting a hook and eye on the door to keep them in. For more information about the program, contact the Sheriff’s office at 410-586-1027 or the Office on Aging at 410-535-4606. corrin@somdpublishing.net
Safety Violation Wrapped Up at Calvert Cliffs By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Following a November 2010 safety incident at Calvert Cliff Nuclear Power Plant, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a release last week stating the violations have been addressed. Calvert Cliffs Spokesman Kory Raferty said the nature of the violation had to do with a procedural issue involving information, but no security related information was ever released to unauthorized persons. The NRC “concluded that … one individual deliberately and three other individuals willfully, with careless disregard, caused your facility to be in violation of NRC requirements,” state a letter to George Gillrich, site vice president for the nuclear plant. The three individuals acting “willfully, with careless disregard” should have recognized their behavior as incorrect, while the remaining individual definitely knew what was going on. Region I NRC Public Affairs Officer Neil Sheehan said in a press release the NRC is not divulging specific details of the incident due to the fact that security
issues are involved. Sheehan said the violation was a “level three”, fairly low on the scale of severity of violations. He said “level one” is the highest, while “level four” is the lowest. He said the NRC will continue to follow up on the violation, but currently there is no fine being issued. Should there be another such violation, Sheehan said there could be “civil penalties” and further corrective actions taken. It is standard procedure to issue a notice when everything is wrapped up in order to allow the offending company the chance to review everything, Sheehan said. He said Constellation Energy and the power plant took immediate action when the violation was found. “Our highest value is always safety,” Raferty said. NRC gave Calvert Cliffs credit for doing their own internal investigation and taking action quickly. He said in addition to addressing and fixing the security violation, Calvert Cliffs also took “aggressive and appropriate actions to enhance security.” sarahmiller@countytimes.net
16 OPERATED The Calvert Gazette • FAMILY TRADITIONS
The Calvert Gazette
OWNED • FAMILY Thursday, February 23, 2012 7FAMILY
Thursday, February 9, 2012
FAMILY OWNED • FAMILY OPERATED • FAMILY TRADITIONS
Chevy Runs Deep Chevy Runs Deep
New Vehicles New Vehicles 301-475-2355
301-475-2355
Your Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet Dealer in Leonardtown
Your Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet Dealer in Leonardtown
Pre-Owned Vehicles Pre-Owned Vehicles www.winegardnerauto.com 301-475-0047 www.winegardnerauto.com
301-475-0047
Huge Sales Event
2007 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER LT 4WD
0 $14,995.0 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO PREMIER SEDAN
2006 2006 CHRYSLER CHRYSLER TOWN TOWN & & COUNTRY COUNTRYVAN VAN
.000 ,96655.0 0 1 $ ,9 0 1 $
2008 KIA SORENTO 2009 CHEVROLET EX 4WD
SILVERADO CREW CAB LT
*
0 $12,995.0
1974CHEVROLET PLYMOUTH 1995 DUSTER SILVERADO340 WT
$5,995.00
*
Only 0 0.0 0 ,5 4 1 $ 40,970 Miles
$18,900.00
.00
1,900 $2MUSTANG 2008 FORD GT OUTLAW
2008 FORD MUSTANG GT OUTLAW
2006 EXPEDITION 2009FORD CHEVY SILVERADO XLTPS4WD WT PW PL
$145,5,99955.0.000
$1
2003 BUICK CENTURY 2003 BUICK4DR CENTURY CUSTOM SEDAN
CUSTOM 4DR SEDAN
Only 52,635 Only Miles 52,635
$8,995.00
95.00
8,9 2005$BUICK RENDEVOUS 4WD SUV
Miles
2005 BUICK RENDEVOUS 4WD SUV
$9,895.00 $19,900.00 Winegardner Motor Company $9,895.00 $19,900.00 Serving as your Leonardtown, Chevrolet, & Buick, GMC dealer.
Winegardner Motor Company Serving as your Leonardtown, Pre-Owned 301-475-0047 Chevrolet, & Buick, GMC dealer. 22675 Washington Street
Pre-Owned 301-475-0047 Leonardtown, MD 20650
2000 2000CHEVROLET CHEVROLET CORVETTE CORVETTE
$17,495.0.000 95
$17,4 2010 CHEVROLET 2008 GMC 2500 EXTLSCAB CAMARO COUPE *DURAMAX DIESEL*
0 $$2313,4,99050.0.00 2009VOLKSWAGEN CHEVROLET 2007 IMPALA SS RED JETTA SEDAN WOLFSBURG EDITION
$18,995.00
Scan this Code with your sm Scaran t ph thon is e!
$10,495.00
Code with your smart phone!
22675 Washington Street
SALESLeonardtown, • SERVICE PARTS • CHEVY RUNS DEEP MD • 20650
SALES • SERVICE • PARTS • CHEVY RUNS DEEP
The Calvert Gazette STORY
Bohanan Gave Key ‘Yes’ Vote on Gay Marriage Bill By Guy Leonard Staff Writer
Monday. “This will go to referendum, Marylanders deserve the right to say they want it or not. “Emotions are strong and this gives people a chance With last week’s narrow 72-to-67 vote in the Mary- to express them.” land House of Delegates in favor of legalizing same-sex Bohanan said he made up his mind to vote for the ismarriage, Del. John Bohanan knows that his support for sue Thursday evening just before the following day’s vote. the measure is bound to bring controversy and disapproval His vote initially did not show up tallied as in supfrom many voters in Southern Maryland. port of the bill because of a technical glitch, he said, even Bohanan’s was one of just two votes in the entire though he said he deliberately voted in favor the first time. Southern Maryland House Delegation for the bill. “There’s a glitch in the system, they’ve been working “People are going to be unhappy with that … every on it all weekend,” Bohanan said. “It’s a new system and time you take a vote someone’s unhappy,” Bohanan said we’ve already had a lot of problems with it this year.” Bohanan said he personally favors “strong civil unions” for same-sex couples, which is just short of a full marriage, but his vote was designed to allow Marylanders to settle the issue in referendum once and for all, he claimed. Residents would have to petition to overturn the law by referendum, if approved by the Senate. Bohanan’s vote came as a surprise to his St. Mary’s County colleague Del. John Wood (D-Dist.29A) who voted against the bill. The other Southern Maryland delegation vote in favor was from Charles County’s Del. Peter Murphy, who is openly gay. “We knew where Peter was at,” Wood said. But with Bohanan’s vote, Wood said he found it strange. “Everybody in Southern Maryland [delegation] has always been strongly against that,” Wood said. “That’s something he’s got to live with, not me.” Wood said the measure almost did not pass. “Just two less votes and it would’ve failed,” Wood said. Debate over allowing same-sex marriage in Maryland reached a new height in 2010 when Attorney General Douglas Gansler wrote an opinion saying that state agencies should recognize such marriages, noting that states respect the legal rulings and contracts made by other states. At that time Bohanan wrote an opinion piece in the St. Mary’s Today newspaper stating his strong opposition to legalizing same The Return of sex marriage. RETRO ITALIAN NIGHTS “Formal opinions of the Attorney General are TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY WINTER simply the Attorney GenSPECIALS eral’s interpretation of what Dinner from 5-9 PM a court may rule … an Attorney General’s opinion is Choice of 5 Entrees not law,” Bohanan wrote. “I continue to believe that in Maryland, a marriage is beRetro Desserts available for $1.95 tween a man and a woman. “Marriage is an im410-394-6400 portant tenet upon which 14556 Solomons Island Road families are built and I will Solomons, MD 20688 continue to fight for the inwww.digiovannisrestaurant.com stitution of the family in the Maryland legislature,” Bohanan wrote.
Entree and Retro Salad $10
Thursday, February 23, 2012
8
Same Sex Marriage Well on Way to Law By Sarah Miller Staff Writer If the Maryland Senate acts as planned, this time next year same-sex couples will be able to marry in Maryland, barring a citizen referendum attempting to overturn the law. The Civil Marriage Protection Act does not force religious organizations to perform a wedding if doing so would be against their religious doctrine, providing that doing so would be “…in violation of the right to free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution…” the House bill reads. “Each religious organization, association or society has exclusive control over its own theological doctrine, policy teachings and beliefs regarding who may marry within that faith,” according to the bill. The bill would go into effect Jan. 1, 2013. Del. John L. Bohanan, Jr. (D-29B) was the only delegate in Calvert or St. Mary’s counties to vote for the bill. Del. Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. (D-27A) said the bill first came around last year, but it didn’t make it to the house floor. He said there are minor changes the senate will see when they vote on the bill, and if the bill passes through the senate, then it goes to the governor. If enacted, residents will have an opportunity to petition and have the issue put on a statewide ballot. If the bill were to make it through a statewide public vote, Vallerio said it will be the first state in the country to have passed a same-sex marriage law through a referendum. Vallario said he voted against the bill because he believes marriage is a union between a man and a woman, though he supports civil unions. Delegate James E. Proctor, Jr. (D-27A) said he was not surprised to see the way the vote went, seeing that the governor made it a priority this year. Like Vallario, he said he would have supported the bill if it was simply for equal rights and responsibilities in civil unions. “I could more or less have voted for that,” Proctor said. House Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell (R29C) said he would not have supported the bill, even if it was for civil unions instead of marriages. He said it will probably pass through the senate without a problem. “It’s not a big mystery, everyone expects it to pass the senate,” O’Donnell said. “I believe the citizens will have the final say on the ballot, one way or the other.” sarahmiller@countytimes.net Todd Eberly, professor of political science at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, said that Bohanan’s vote could cost him. “I think there will be fallout from this,” Eberly said Monday. “He represents that southern chunk of the county and the county has trended Republican. “On this vote it’s out of step with what voters would have preferred.” Bohanan narrowly defeated GOP political newcomer Erik Anderson in the 2010 election to keep his seat in Annapolis, Eberly said, and this latest vote for a locally unpopular law could make him a target in the next election. “This was not a surprise to me," House Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell said of Bohanan’s vote. “He works for Congressman [Steny] Hoyer and he's been an activist for this at the federal level.” Richard Conner, a local Baptist pastor, said the issue was one that undermined the family. “It's a very sad day in our nation when we devalue the sanctity of the home,” Connor said. “It's not just a sin it's an abomination unto God … I hope our leaders would consider very carefully the consequences before they pass this law.” guyleonard@countytimes.net
9
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Calvert Gazette
Newsmakers
Safe Night’s Program a Blessing By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer
Opening up their building after hours for the homeless one week during Calvert County’s Safe Nights program is another way Healing and Deliverance Community Experience of the Holy Spirit lives out its name. Rev. Apostle Shannon Hunter said their church’s Prophet Apostle Aniachi C. Belu-John has been all about the community experience since founding the church. This is Healing and Deliverance’s second year participating in Safe Nights. Hunter said they had over 60 volunteers come in to help take care of four men and one woman the week of February 12 to 18. “Other members have been telling me how much fun Carol Porto is a Master of Addictions Counselor they have been having this with 24 years experience in implementing short and week. I am glad I had a chance long term residential treatment. to participate,” said Lois Johnson, one of volunteers. Saturday evening, after Elmer McCauley plays Wii Sports boxing. It is only his third time 7 p.m., a van from Dunkirk playing the game, but he said he’s improving. The teenagers at Baptist Church brought the the church had to help him get started. guests to the building for a chili and corn bread dinner. After, “We are more blessed from them (the Healing and Deliverance took them up to clients). A week is not long enough,” said the aquatic center in Prince Frederick for Hunter. “We try keep in touch and make showers. ourselves available for their needs. As we During the week, when the Safe Night discover their needs, we ask permission to clients were in the building they received a guide them to places to meet their needs.” hot dinner, visited with church members, Zaversnik said this is a common reand played Wii games or had a ping pong sponse from all the churches and voluntournament. In the morning they receive a teers involved in the program. “I can’t say hot breakfast and took a bagged lunch with enough about the wonderful volunteers.” them for the day. The Safe Night’s program A female client, who wished to remain hours are from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. seven days anonymous, wanted to tell the Calvert a week. Gazette how much she appreciated all the Mary Ann Zaversnik, co-director of churches and volunteers. Safe Nights, said 23 churches are providing “We are well taken care of. Volunteers a week of shelter each this year during the are here taking out of their special time to winter months. Ten other churches provide talk to us and help us. They come, leave for services and assistance to the host churches. a few minutes to run their kids to practice, Three churches provide a program on Sun- return and visit some more before going day and holidays because there are no pub- and picking their kids up. Even the kids are lic buildings available for the clients to stay volunteering.” during cold weather. She also went on to say how she came Hunter said they discovered that many into the program with only a pair of tennis of the public places don’t open until later in shoes and non-water proof jacket. She also the morning and close earlier in the evening lost a pair of reading glasses. Now she has leaving the clients with a few hours with a Tennessee Titan’s winter jacket, a new no place to go. So Healing and Deliverance pair of hiking boots and had seven differspoke to Safe Nights about keeping the five ent pairs of reading glasses to choose from. clients in their church for those extra hours. She said the first time she came in, she She said she understands not all churches was scared, but everyone made her feel at have the capability to cover these hours, but home. Then she told her boyfriend, who it is something she would like to discuss at was amazed and decided to join them too. the end of the season. Zaversnik said the attendance is down The churches which participate in the this year in the program which she attriprogram meet monthly and stay in close butes to a warmer winter and the doubling contact with one another, according to of beds available at Project Echo shelter. Hunter. She said the next church to host “We’ve said all along, it doesn’t matter has already called to find out what kinds of if we serve one or 20,” said Zaversnik. meals the residents seem to prefer.
The Calvert Gazette
Deanna Brooke, 40 Deanna Renee Brooke, 40, of Dunkirk, MD passed away at her residence on Feb. 17, 2012. Deanna was born Oct. 2, 1971 in Cheverly, MD to Janice Marie Lloyd. She lived in District Heights, MD until the age of 5 when her family moved to Dunkirk. Deanna attended Mt. Harmony Elementary and Northern Middle and High Schools, graduating with the class of 1990. She was employed as a school bus driver for 16 years with the Prince George’s County Board of Education. Deanna was a lifelong member of Mt. Harmony United Methodist Church. She enjoyed spending time with her three boys and the activities they were involved in, including Little League, T-Ball, Boys Scouts and R.O.T.C. She also enjoyed traveling with her grandparents, watching movies and listening to music. Deanna was preceded in death by her grandfather John P. “Jack” Lloyd. She is survived by her sons Bradley Lloyd and Patrick and Kyle Brooke; mother Janice M. Lloyd; grandmother A. Genevieve Lloyd all of Dunkirk; God- mother Patty Mayhew of Upper Marlboro and God-father Robert Warunek of Wilkes Barre, Penn. Services for Deanne were held Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 at Mt. Harmony United Methodist Church, Owings, MD. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Arrangements were by Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., Owings, MD.
Francis Fisiorek, Jr., 68 Francis Joseph “Frank” Fisiorek, Jr., 68, of Huntingtown, MD and longtime resident of Manville, NJ, passed away Feb. 18 at Calvert Memorial Hospital in Prince Frederick, MD. Frank was
born April 4, 1943 in Pittsburgh, Penn., to Francis J., Sr. and Stella (Kuzminski) Fisiorek. He was raised in New Jersey and graduated from Somerville High School in Somerville, NJ. He served in the U.S. Navy from March 27, 1962 until being honorably discharged June 24, 1966 after serving aboard a guided missile destroyer during the Cuban missile crisis and having his term extended due the Viet Nam War. Frank married Judith Ann “Judy” Stombaugh June 18, 1966 and they lived in Manville, NJ until moving to Huntingtown six years ago. Frank was employed as a supervisor of the custodial staff of Bradley Gardens and later Hamilton Schools in New Jersey, and retired from the Bridgewater Raritan School District with over 25 years of service. He was an active member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Prince Frederick, MD and a former member of the Manville, NJ Elks Lodge # 2119. In his leisure time Frank was an avid bowler and Past President of the Kings and Queens League in Manville, NJ and member of the senior bowling league in Huntingtown. Frank was also an avid fan and supporter of the world champion New York Giants, and wore his Giants hats and shirts proudly. Frank was preceded in death by his parents, and is survived by his devoted wife Judy, a son Frank James Fisiorek of Owings and his fiancé Tina, a daughter Christine Grasso and grandson Salvatore Grasso, both of St. Leonard, MD, a sister Kathleen Zielinski and husband Dennis Reel of Indian Orchard, MA, several brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins, and his loyal companion, Buster. Friends and family were received Wednesday Feb. 22 at Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., 8325 Mt. Harmony Lane, Owings, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 A.M. Thursday Feb. 23, 2012 at St. John Vianney Church, Prince Frederick, MD. Inurnment will be in the church cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions in Frank’s name may be made to the American Cancer Society, Calvert County Unit, P.O. Box 752, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 or the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058.
Where Life and Heritage are Celebrated
During a difficult time… still your best choice. Affordable Funerals, Caskets, Vaults, Cremation Services and Pre-Need Planning Family Owned and Operated by Barbara Rausch and Bill Gross
www.RauschFuneralHomes.com
Owings
Port Republic
410-257-6181
410-586-0520
8325 Mt. Harmony Lane 4405 Broomes Island Rd.
Lusby
20 American Lane
410-326-9400
Thursday, February 23, 2012
James Kent, 63 James Morris Kent, 63, of Gwynn Oak, MD passed away on Jan. 30, 2012. He was born on March 7, 1948 to William James Kent and Elsie Marie Johnson Kent in Calvert County, MD. James, known by many as “Shorty”, was a loving father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. Shorty was educated in the public schools of Calvert County, MD. He attended seminary school in Baltimore City, MD. He was married to the late Shirley Ann Blue. As an Entrepreneur times the number of years of experience in finance and construction engineering; Shorty owned his own companies; Kent Associates, Inc., Jefferson Market and a Cleaning Service. He enjoyed working and spending time with his family and friends. Shorty also enjoyed exercising, traveling, showing love and doing projects around his home and his parents’ home. He loved talking about the goodness of Jesus and reading inspirational books, especially the Bible. He loved his parents and wanted to devote his time sharing and showing love to his father (a special bond between father & son). Shorty has been a blessing and an inspiration to the entire family and everyone whom he came in contact with. James leaves to cherish his memories 5 children: James Kent (Prince Frederick, MD), Gregory Kent (Greenbelt, MD), Earl Kent (St. Mary’s County), Sean (Maryland) and Chadae Grant (Baltimore, MD); an adopted son Tevin (Maryland); 8 grandchildren: Jeremiah Halley, Rhianna Kent, Aliahya Kent. Minsia Kent, DeQuante Kent, Earl Kent Jr., Earlisha Kent and Ja’Vonte Kent; parents William and Elsie Kent (Lusby, MD); 2 brothers: Leon Johnson (Lusby, MD) and Earl Johnson (Hyattsville, MD); 7 sisters: Doraine (Henry) Harris (Prince Frederick, MD), Regina (Elsworth) Plater (Sunderland, MD), Barbara Anne Butler (Greenbelt, MD), Sharon Kent-King (North Carolina), Denise Kent (Lusby, MD), Rita Kent (Lusby, MD) and Melissa (Joseph) Kopyto (Washington, D.C.); special uncles: Howard Kent Sr., Henry Kent and William Gross; and a host of loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He also leaves special friends, Joe Divey and Joseph (Joe Boy) Gross. A Memorial service was held on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 11:00 AM at Eastern United Methodist Church, Lusby, MD with Rev. Dr. Samson Y. Nortey officiating. The interment was private. Funeral arrangements provided by Sewell Funeral Home, Prince Frederick, MD.
Willa Weems, 59 Willa Weems, 59, of Sodus, NY departed this life on Feb. 11, 2012 at Newark Wayne Community Hospital, Newark, NY. Willa Mae Weems, better known as “Mae”,
10
the daughter of Neccoma Weems and the late Willard “Nuke” Weems Sr., was born on July 3, 1952. Mae peacefully departed this life on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, surrounded by her most precious daughter Janice, devoted son Marty, and her beloved grandchildren. Mae attended school in Calvert County, Maryland. In her younger years, Mae loved to play softball. Later, she moved to New York where she worked for Xerox for over 25 years. While in New York, true to her nurturing spirit, Mae adopted a second family, helping to raise and care for a multitude of children as if they were her own. She held a special place in her heart for Billie Girl, Zani, and Prince ‘Fat Dad’. Mae developed a special and loving bond with friends Barbara Schultz and Robert and Roberta Clays. Mae enjoyed spending time with her children and family, and visiting with her special aunt, Rachel Diggs. She loved gardening, traveling and collecting antiques. Mae was preceded in death by her father Willard “Nuke” Weems, her second mother Annie Weems, Great Aunt Bertina Weems, Aunts: Elizabeth “Doll” Brooks, Joyce Commodore, Floramae “Bootsie” Weems, Mary Gough, and Eleanor Williams; Uncle, Harry Blake, Stepsister Ivy Dent, and Stepbrother Gill Washington. Mae leaves her love to her daughter Janice “Jay” Johnson (Marvin Whitfield), sons Martinez “Marty” Johnson (Christina), and Thomas “TJ” Johnson, her mother Neccoma Weems, and stepmother Beuna Weems. Also left to cherish her memory are her grandchildren: granddaughters - Rasheta “Juicy”, Johanna, Iesha, Ahjiana, Regina “Gina”, Alyssa, Jabrie, Miranda, and Jamara; and grandson Charles “Boogie” Hunter III; great grandchildren: Amir and Amiya Johnson, and Donovan Hunter; dear friend and father of her children Thomas “Tommy” Johnson Sr.; seven sisters Pallesteri Sneed (Roosvelt), Adene Jones, Doreatha “Bug” Holland, Cynthia “Cindy” Fleet (Bryan), Mary “Sandy” Weems, and Tia Weems; four brothers: Reuben “Rudy” Weems Sr., Willard “Lil Willard” Weems Jr., Dorn “Man” Holland, and Greg “Shorty” Holland (Diedra); one stepsister Laverne Dent, three stepbrothers: Dwight Bishop, Develand and Wendell Campbell); two sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law; six aunts: Gertrude Willett, Mary Connors, Nancy Ragg, Rachel Diggs, Louise Jefferson, and Emily Gantt; one great aunt Sara Johnson; seven nieces, 11 nephews, 11 great nieces, 14 great nephews; a godson Cordell Johnson Sr. and a host of other family and friends. Funeral service was held on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 at St. John UM Church, Lusby, MD with Pastor Irving Beverly, eulogist. The interment was at St. John UM Church Cemetery, Lusby, MD. The pallbearers were David Ott, Jerry Walls, Sr., Cordell Johnson, Darnell Sneed “Tiny”, Reuben Weems, Jr. “Lil Rudy”, Alexander Johnson, Jr. “Lil Elick”. Funeral arrangements provided by Norton Funeral Home, Sodus, NY and Sewell Funeral Home, Prince Frederick, MD.
Your Online Community For Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s Counties www.somd.com Over 250,000 Southern Marylanders can’t be wrong!
11
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Spotlight On
Blockbusters Give Students New Prospective on History By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Students gathering in Amie Sanner’s Calvert High School classroom during lunch aren’t just watching a bunch of movies – they are finding new reasons to become interested in different periods in history. Sanner said the school has a “lunch plus” program, where the first half hour is for students to eat and the second half allows the students time to get involved in a club, get tutoring and catch up on homework. Sanner’s club is a half hour per day, allowing the group to make it through a movie every week or two. She said there are 25 students who show up regularly, and the majority of the students in the lunchtime club are also in one of her classes. Sanner teaches 9th, 10th and 12th grade history classes. Films the students have seen include The Last Samurai, Forrest Gump and Slumdog Millionaire. Freshman Brittany Purcell said she has been in the historic movies club since the beginning of the year and her favorites so far have been Braveheart and Pearl Harbor. She said the movies are a way for her to learn about historic time periods and events without the pressures of
structured class work. “It’s more of a fun thing than a homework thing,” Purcell said. Sanner said the students show interest in the material in the movies, even going out on their own to find more information. One student brought in a full page spread from a news article printed about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Freshman Ryan Walker said his favorite film was The Right Stuff, which, along with Apollo 13, got him
more interested in learning about astronauts and space. He said he heard about the club on the morning announcements and thought it would be an interesting way to learn more about history. Sanner said some of the films show events from a different point of view than the students are accustomed to, allowing them to get rid of their “single story point of view” and help expel misconceptions. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Students Have Homework From Gym Class By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Calvert County Instructional Supervisor Britta Sparks recently explained the new monthly homework assignment all middle school physical education students are required to complete. “The purpose of these monthly assignments, as is true for all homework in all subject areas, is to reinforce and extend the learning that occurs in class. Students are provided a monthly activity calendar generated by NASPE (the National Association for Sports and Physical Education),” Sparks wrote in a letter to inform parents of the new program. Last year Northern Middle School piloted the program where all physical education (PE) students were asked to complete three of the suggested activities each week from the calendar. At the end of the month, students were asked to answer three questions. 1) Which activity did you like the best and why? 2) Which was your least favorite activity and why? 3) Which fitness test (based upon your fitness data/plan) do you feel you improved on and why? Or why not? In class, the students learn about developing fitness goals in areas such as endurance, flexibility and strength. The calendar lines up with the monthly curriculum taught in class. February’s calendar appears to have exercises which target building muscle with such suggestions as leg lifts, squats, crunches, and dumbbells. Sparks said the kids don’t have to worry about not having the equipment; their teachers have given them recommended substitutes like cans and jugs of milk. Likewise, the student doesn’t have to do what is on the calendar as long as it is an activity that keeps them moving. Those who play sports can count their practices. Sparks told her eighth
grade daughter that New Year’s Eve dancing and middle school dances also count. Chores such as vacuuming, pushing a lawn mower or gardening as well as the active Wii games can count. The primary focus is to get kids moving for 60 minutes a day as recommended by the National Department of Health and Sciences, according to Sparks. However, the calendars do introduce kids to new activities, new vocabulary and variety. Sparks points out it reinforces the curriculum they learned in PE; it helps to create a habit of healthy lifestyle; and, it extends learning they wouldn’t necessarily receive in the classroom. The students using exercise vocabulary and terminology in their reflective responses at the end of the month “gives me chills,” said Sparks. She said, as a teacher, that is the most exciting part – the students are learning and making connections. So far she has no plans to introduce the program into the elementary schools, even though they use the same curriculum. The hardest part has been getting the word out to the parents that their students do have homework in middle school PE. She is aware of several areas of communication breakdowns this year and is working to fix them. However, she is aware that not all parents access the Internet where most of the information can be found, through e-letters, websites and emails. One parent discovered the program through lower than expected quarterly PE grades. Calendars not turned in each month receive a 50 percent assignment grade, which starts lowering the overall grade. Parents should check out the school’s website, where Sparks said she has seen the monthly calendar posted for every school. corrin@somdpublishing.net
Kodie Hagedorn, sixth grader at Southern Middle School, tosses a football with a friend. The activity can count for one of the three weekly activities he must complete for physical education homework.
Community
The Calvert Gazette
Color and Light Society to Open Special Art Showing Members of the Color and Light Society of Southern Maryland will display many of their artistic creations at the Annmarie Garden’s Mezzanine (Arts Building), starting March 11. Approximately 60 artistic creations will be on display for a two-week period. Art works include paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolor, sculpture, porcelain tile creations, and jewelry. Presently, there are 24 local artists in the Color and Light Society — from St. Mary’s and Calvert counties. A special reception will be held Friday, March 16, from 5 - 8 p.m. Visitors will be able to enjoy all of Color and Light’s art works on the Mezzanine as well as other activities being held in the Arts Building that evening. The Annmarie Garden Arts Building is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., seven days a week. Cost “A Light in the Forest” - by Mary Blumberg, Solomons. of admission to the Garden’s Mezzanine is $3 for Light believes that exhibiting one's art encourages learnGarden non-members, no charge for current Garing, development and pride of one’s original work. Annual den members. Seniors over the age of 65 only pay $2. The Color and Light Society of Southern Maryland, dues are $60. Monthly workshops and lectures are held to Inc., a nonprofit organization, was formed to provide a explore various artistic techniques. For more information on the society, contact current means by which local artists could meet periodically to foster growth in the individual artist’s talents. Color and president Carole Thieme, of Solomons, at 410-394-0326.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
12
Who’s Been Hooting in Your Backyard? “Owls of Southern Maryland” will be presented by Mike Callahan, President of Southern Maryland Audubon Society, at Dee’s Wild Bird Lovers on Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, March 4, from 2-4 p.m. “Owls of Southern Maryland” will cover the identification and conservation of the four year-round resident owl species of the region and will also introduce you to the four occasional winter visitors as well. The four year-round breeding species of owl found here are Eastern Screech Owl, Barn Owl, Barred Owl, and Great-Horned Owl. The occasional winter visitors include Northern-Saw Whet Owl, Short-Eared Owl, LongEared Owl, and Snowy Owl. Mike Callahan is the Raptor Conservation Chairman and President of Southern Maryland Audubon Society. He will share with what you can do in your own back yard and community to help protect and conserve our local owls. Nesting boxes and habitat will also be discussed. Once you attend this program, you’ll realize that while all owls don't "give a hoot" … they want YOU to "give a hoot" about protecting their habitat. Please R.S.V.P. as space is limited by calling 301-6459453 or 301-843-2994 and let us know your preference for either Feb. 25 or March 4. Refreshments will be served. Dee’s Wild Bird Lovers is located at 2214 Crain Highway, Waldorf, (where the paint bucket spills over in the Thornton Shopping Center).
Local Government Contracting Business For Sale
By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer Last week Ultralife Corporation, a small publicly owned and traded corporation, best known for making non-rechargeable, rechargeable and charging systems, put their wholly owned subsidiary company, RedBlack Communications, a local engineering and technical services company, up for sale. Originally known as Innovative Solutions Consulting, RedBlack was founded in 1999 in Hollywood. RedBlack became the engineering and technical services arm of Ultralife, a global provider of power solutions and communication accessories, in 2007. When purchased, RedBlack was re-designated from a small business to a large business and annual revenue grew from $2.2 million in 2007 to $4.1 million in 2009 and stabilized in that range while making more profit in
2011 than any time since acquisition. According to Ultralife’s Fourth Quarter Results; “Senior management, as authorized by the Board of Directors, will divest the company's RedBlack Communications business in 2012. As a result of management's ongoing review of the company's business portfolio, management has determined that RedBlack offers limited opportunities to achieve the operating margin thresholds of the company's new business model.” In other words, RedBlack’s government services business model does not aligned itself well with the corporation’s new commercial products business model, according to RedBlack’s local senior executive, Gene McHugh, VP of Operations. RedBlack has 36 employees who work in a 20,000
square foot facility off Airport View Road. The company’s largest contract to date was for the Battle Command System-Mobile Communication Switch Subsystem worth $30 million. The current portfolio of contracts has RedBlack performing a full spectrum of system design, integration, installation, test, and logistics support of fixed, deployable, and mobile communications systems for NAVAIR and numerous federal agencies and senior government leaders. Among other products and services RedBlack has been noted for its work on are various emergency response (communication) vehicles for the federal government, FBI, and the armed services. corrin@somdpublishing.net
County Getting High Speed Connectivity By Sarah Miller Staff Writer County government and residents will soon benefit from a fiber optic network being built to connect every county in the state. Calvert County Department of Technology Services Kathleen O'Brien said the county has been working with the state for the past 18 months to provide information to get the necessary permits and engineer the One Maryland Broadband Network (OMBN) fiber path. The project has to be completed by Aug. 31, 2013 and by then the fiber network will be complete and all of the public anchor
institutions connected. Currently, O’Brien said there is a shared network between the county government, the Board of Education, the county library and the College of Southern Maryland. The fiber network will provide higher speed connectivity, which means greater bandwidth, O’Brien said. “With higher speed, the possibilities are not limitless but substantial. Imagine a high school class being able to ‘virtually’ attend a lecture at the Marine Museum or Chesapeake Biological Laboratory,” she said. “Or, picture a live town hall meeting by the County Commissioners that links audiences at each county
library. The fiber network will also have the advantage of not being subject to some of the weather related issues, such as lightening, that can plague a wireless network.” The new network will only be used by governmental or public agencies, O’Brien said. It will be distinct from any private, residential or commercial Internet service that is provided by a commercial carrier such as Comcast or Verizon. When construction is completed, nearly 60 public facilities will be connected to the network. There will still be county facilities not reached by the fiber line, O’Brien said. Participation in the program was
voluntary, she said, though the network would have taken years for the county to do it independently, with the cost to lay the fibers near $100,000 per mile, according to O’Brien. According to the Maryland Department of Information Technology’s bi-weekly OMBN report, backbone underground engineering is completed for Calvert County, and pre-bids for the backbone construction are being scheduled and received. For more information, visit doit. maryland.gov. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Calvert Gazette
Erosion of Values, Not Economics, to Blame for Social Dislocation
By Marta Hummel Mossburg The solution to every public education problem in Maryland always involves spending more money. It is the reason the state legislature passed a law in 2002 to spend billions more on education without a funding source and regardless of student achievement, making it annually more difficult to pay for other core government services. It is also the reason legislators unanimously approved hiking teacher pensions in 2006 based on the faulty premise that more money would improve retention. So news that the achievement gap between rich and poor students is growing in the state and is one of the worst in the nation will no doubt lead to demands for more money to be showered on low-income students, despite a $1.1 billion state budget deficit. Such a response would make sense on the surface, as wealthy students do better than their poor peers. But as Charles Murray writes in his new book, “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010,” the widening achievement spread between the two groups on a host of measures is rooted in a cultural fracturing that began decades ago and is not something that can be fixed by a government program. He argues that America since the 1960s has increasingly divided into two significant groups. One is highly educated,
wealthy, married and geographically isolated from most of the country; the other is poor and single with little education. It didn’t happen because of a sinister plot. “The human impulse behind the isolation of the new upper class is as basic as impulses get: People like to be around other people who understand them and to whom they can talk,” he writes. But that natural impulse has meant that people now overwhelmingly marry people of similar educational backgrounds, which was not the case in America 50 years ago. This is true across ethnic lines and played out in statistics, which show that socioeconomic status is now more important than race in determining academic performance. These smart couples are the ones capable of succeeding in today’s economy, which requires highly skilled employees able to perform complex tasks. Maryland has lots of them — concentrated in the D.C. suburbs — and also lots of poor people, and it is growing more polarized, according to Census data. Mr. Murray shows how the region has changed over time. In 1960, 42 percent of adults in Lower Montgomery County had a college degree, and the median income in that area was $94,000 (in 2010 dollars.) By 2000, 77 percent of adults in the same area had college degrees, and the median income was $176,000, making it one of the wealthiest places in the country and one of the most educated. Moreover, the “SuperZips” in this area are clustered in a large band, so that those with high achievement and money rarely interact with those of different classes in their daily lives. It follows that children of those couples have the genes, the means and the peer pressure to succeed.
TER T E to the Editor
S
Guest Editorial
L
13
The vast majority of the rest of America does not, according to Mr. Murray, because of the erosion of what he calls the “founding virtues” of marriage, industriousness, honesty and religiosity that the people in the upper class still follow (even if they refuse to preach them) but that those in the lower classes have shunned. The statistics on marriage alone are overwhelming. In the 1960s, people of all classes held very similar views on the importance of marriage, the immorality of sex outside of marriage and the degree of difficulty required to divorce — and were married at similar rates. Over time, however, divorce rates soared, as did the rate of people who never married (comparatively and absolutely speaking) for those living in places where the vast majority never attended college. It is widely known that having a child out of wedlock is one of the surest indicators that a person will live in poverty. And the collapse of community for those who live in areas of poverty makes it nearly impossible to climb out of that life — as few of the habits and values that lead to success are cultivated or rewarded, as made apparent by the crime, school dropout and out-of-wedlock birth rates in places like Baltimore City. Believing money alone can fix those problems is akin to believing that playing the lottery is a sound retirement plan. And it is more sinister in that social policies that treat those issues as morally neutral financial matters teach our most desperate children that a lack of money is to blame for what ultimately only their own choices can make right. Marta Hummel Mossburg is a senior fellow at the Maryland Public Policy Institute.
It’s a Navy Base, Not a Hoyer Base I can’t get a recent letter to the editor of the Enterprise out of my head. The letter extols Congressman Hoyer’s support of “the base” by using the phrase “don’t cut off the hand that feeds you.” My perception of this phrase says some very alarming things. First and foremost is a premise I find hard to accept. It is “the base” would/could not survive on its own merits without Congressman Hoyer. The insinuation ignores and belittles the superb technical achievements, reputation and innovations that have emanated from “the base’s” work. These achievements are recognized throughout the world. I believe I can correctly say that without “the base” and its workforce, its proximity to water and controlled airspace as well as Washington D.C., Naval Aviation would not be the potent force it is today. While some circles may debate “the base’s” merit, a fact I can attest to is that Congressman Hoyer, a mortal, will someday, no longer hold his position. You have to ask what will happen to “the base” for those who believe in the mantra “don’t cut off the hand that feeds you.” Don’t you want to sell your house and move now? The second and probably most insidious feature of the “don’t cut off the hand that feeds you” believers is that no other issues rise to the level of importance than “the base.” To make an extreme analogy, it is like overlooking a criminal’s horrific crime to extol their one exemplary virtue, not how criminal’s actions have been used to adversely change society. Think about it. A more serious issue affecting our economic well being is the irresponsible federal spending has lead to massive increases to the federal debt. This has forced borrowing of huge sums of money on the world market; all the while the Feds printing presses have been running overtime monetizing a large portion of the debt. The immediate effect of this craziness on every person in this country is the increased retail price of every unsub-
sidized commodity or product. An example healthcare mandated insurance; the abortion don’t feel the change because it is slow, then is oil, a commodity with a strong demand, is and contraceptive imposition on faith based they are dead before it boils. I suggest there priced on the world market in dollars. When organizations; “no child left behind” educa- is sufficient evidence that Congressman dollars are cheapened (worth less now than tion reforms; lack of energy exploration in Hoyer’s advanced standing in the House of before) by government actions, the cost of the U.S., cancellation of oil pipeline proj- Representatives, has not been used by him oil rises to maintain the producer’s con- ects, the EPA; et nauseum. These regula- to solve Americas (and our) problems, rathstant profit. This is irrespective of fluctuat- tions and decisions are further amplified by er it has been used for self promotion and ing world demand or speculators impact on the states and local government (plus their nudging society towards the unattainable prices. When oil price goes up it is reflected own). If you cannot attribute any direct cost “equality of outcomes” that is so ingrained in the pump price of gas, home heating oil, to you and your family in either dollars or in in the progressive movement. I wonder how groceries, clothing, automobiles, etc. How limiting your choices (hence freedoms), we the existence of “the base” will help us when then can this help you? More importantly are in trouble. What effect does this have on the economy crumbles around us. don’t you think this becomes a severe hard- the operations of “the base?” ship to the elderly, the poor and those who I believe we are like frogs in a pan of Robert Jackson are just “making it”? If we are to continue water that is slowly being heated. The frogs Hollywood to be a compassionate nation how can we allow this unabated adversity to Publisher Thomas McKay continue? Moreover, ConAssociate Publisher Eric McKay gressman Hoyer, when the Democrats were in the Editor Sean Rice majority stated he was usGraphic Artist Angie Stalcup ing “PAYGO”. How has Office Manager Tobie Pulliam that worked out for us Advertising sales@somdpublishing.net (just 4 trillion dollars of Email info@somdpublishing.net new debt ago)? Now, does Phone 301-373-4125 “the base” sound like the only issue we have to Staff Writers worry about? Guy Leonard Law Enforcement What about the Sarah Miller Government, Education mandates that are flung Corrin Howe Community, Business at us, either indirectly or Contributing Writers directly, cost nothing? Joyce Baki The federal government Keith McGuire floods our lives with manSusan Shaw dates (meaning laws and P. O. Box 250 . Hollywood, MD 20636 Sherrod Sturrock regulations) on us, our states, or counties, towns The Calvert Gazette is a weekly newspaper providing news and information for the residents of Caland businesses whose vert County. The Calvert Gazette will be available on newsstands every Thursday. The paper is costs are passed on to published by Southern Maryland Publishing Company, which is responsible for the form, content, you. Are the mandates all and policies of the newspaper. The Calvert Gazette does not espouse any political belief or endorse benign or essential? No, any product or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be they are not! For instance signed and may be edited for length or content. The Calvert Gazette is not responsible for any claims (and a very short list): the made by its advertisers. TSA screening of every passenger; the emerging
Calvert Gazette
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
14
The Calvert Gazette is always looking for more local talent to feature! To submit art or band information for our entertainment section, e-mail sarahmiller@countytimes.net.
Duo Dishes Out Dynamic Sound By Carrie Munn Staff Writer Steve Nelson and Dain Johnson make up the Southern Maryland band A Day Off Earth, but despite perhaps possible preconceived notions that they are an acoustic duo, the two produce an abundance of sound. About a year ago, explained Nelson, the two met at the Thursday night open mic he hosts at Jake ‘n’ Al’s Chophouse in Lusby. They hit it off right away and began tightening up by playing a wide range of covers.
Nelson had previously played in a local group called Shallow Deep, but said the band eventually fell apart. Johnson is a Navy transplant to the area. Nelson said as far as musical influences go, he loves everything from Elton John to Incubus, “anything with a strong vocal and a rocking riff.” Johnson said he’s a fan of Dave Matthews Band, but also has some jazz influences, which he incorporates into the band’s rock, alternative and dance covers. At the group’s Saturday night show at the Rustic River Bar and Grill in Leonardtown, they scaled back a bit for the dining crowd, with both rockers commenting it’s sometimes more challenging to play a quieter set. Johnson said however, in that setting, it helps him to hone his skills. But even slightly hushed, Nelson’s rig, which splits his guitar’s signal between a guitar and a bass amp, plus his use of effects and Johnson’s creative rolls and rhythms, add interesting layers to their songs. They kicked off their low-key first set with some Tom Petty, Jack Johnson, Creedence Clearwater Revival and interjected a rocked-up version of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Their second set included some radio rock hits from the likes of Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer and Tool, but also included their own versions of dance/pop hits from Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. The name, A Day Off Earth, Neslon explained, essentially signifies the escape – from the daily grind, worry, work, or bills – that he hopes their shows provide. While the two can rock out when the venue calls for it, he said eventually they may seek to add a keyboardist or lead guitarist to further enhance their sound. Nelson said the duo often receive compliments on their musicianship and are grateful for the opportunities to play in different venues throughout the area. He also hosts the relatively new open mic night on Mondays at Rustic River, where owner Rick Stommel said he is big on booking a variety of entertainment to draw new crowds and please the regulars the two-year-old, awardwinning spot has earned.
Photos By Carrie Munn
Nelson said currently he is slowly working on writing originals and hopes to keep progressing toward eventually playing and recording them. A Day Off Earth will play a show at The Green Door on Saturday, Feb. 25, opening for friends and fellow local rockers HydraFX. Nelson promised, “It’ll be an awesome show.” For more information on this group, visit www. adayoffearth.com. carriemunn@countytimes.net
Thursday, March 8th: Live Music with No Green Jelly Beenz Show starts at 7:30pm Thirsty Thursday in the Bar 3-7pm
Friday, March 9th: The Piranhas LIVE No Cover Charge! Show starts at 8pm!
SOLOMONS, MARYLAND • Dowell Rd and Route 4
410-FYI-DUCK • www.RuddyDuckBrewery.com
Antique and collectable Friday, February 24th - 6 p.m.
Coin Auction-
Saturday, March 3rd - 4 p.m.
Gun AuctionSunday, April 1st - 1 p.m.
Consignments Now Being Accepted for the Gun Auction
Chesapeake Auction House
St. Leonard, MD 20685 • 410-586-1161 • chesapeakeauctionhouse.com
15
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Scratching the Itch The Ordinary
Angler
By Keith McGuire Contributing Writer Mother Nature is tempting us with nice sunny days two or three times a week now. With temperatures pushing the 60 degree mark, the fishing itch is getting stronger and stronger. Yellow perch are still staging for the spawning run. If you can find the deep hole where they’re staging, you can load the boat with big, beautiful, pre-spawn yellows. This staging will end toward the end of this week, or the beginning of next week, when they will
head to the tidal boundary to spawn ribbons of fertilized eggs on the shallow bottoms of local streams. Yellow perch don’t eat when they spawn, but they certainly tie on the feedbag before and after the tiring ritual. This aggressive feeding activity is what makes them vulnerable to hardy anglers. After the yellow perch spawning run, the white perch will bunch up in the same areas. On the right tide, these slightly smaller perch feed as aggressively as their yellow cousins, providing another tasty treat for anglers lucky enough to catch them.
Community
Another fishing opportunity for the early spring angler is the catch and release striper fishery in the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River. Barbless, unbaited hooks are the rule of the road for catch and release striper fishing. They can be caught by the trolling method, but savvy light tackle anglers can get into the action with spinning gear and a barbless jig head with a twister tail or Bass Kandy Delight. Look in areas around structure, and warm water discharges from power plants or other industrial complexes on the water front. Catch and release fishing is least harmful in the colder late winter or early spring waters than it is at other times of the year, and the survival rate for the fish is really quite high. Some really big fish can be caught on light gear, making the sport a really interesting and exciting challenge. Even if you can’t get out there to catch a fish, there are some other activities that can help scratch the fishing itch. One of these activities is the upcoming Angler’s Night Out hosted by the Patuxent River Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland. The event will be held on Monday, February 27th at The Ruddy Duck brewery and restaurant in Solomons starting at 6:00 PM. These events are always fun. A film will be shown and you’ll get to rub shoulders with
some of the hardy anglers who have been out there catching fish at this time of year. Clean-up and maintenance of your fishing gear and boat is another activity that will keep you occupied until your favorite season comes along. Anything is better than stealing the remote from your better half and switching the channel to watch Bubba shoot another deer on the Outdoor Channel. Boat shows and Fishing Flea Markets are still happening on the weekends. No doubt you can find one in the region within 100 miles that would be worth going to. Like an extreme case of chiggers, you can scratch the fishing itch, but it only helps for a little while. Once the scratching begins, nothing seems to help but more scratching. A fellow once asked me, “Do you know what a guy wants right after he catches a monster fish?” “Sure” I replied, “He wants to catch another monster fish!” riverdancekeith@hotmail.com. Keith has been a recreational angler on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for over 50 years; he fishes weekly from his small boat during the season, and spends his free time supporting local conservation organizations.
Northern FBLA Continues to Focus On Financial Literacy Since 2006, a primary focus with Northern High School’s FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) program has been the importance of financial literacy. Students in the FBLA program have taught students of all ages at other schools basic financial literacy skills, testified at important legislative hearings concerning financial literacy at high schools, met with the Superintendent of CCPS, worked with the Maryland Coalition for Financial Literacy, and partnered with Bank of America to focus on this evergrowing important topic. During the summer of 2011, three students from NHS FBLA met with Mrs. Lynne Gillis, business teacher at Huntingtown High School. Mrs. Gillis started a partnership with the United Way during the 2010-2011 school year to teach “underbanked” adults basic financial literacy skills. Mrs. Gillis and her students taught five adult students from Austria, China, and Thailand that had relocated to Calvert County during last school year and had such a great success that they held a second class for these students entitled Computer Literacy 101. Mrs. Gillis and her business students used the FDIC Money Smart program to cover such topics as basic banking principles, credit, financial recovery, and bank accounts during their six-week course. After having much success with this program, they turned their efforts over to the students of Northern High School FBLA to continue these courses and possibly expand on other topics. The initial part of the project was to continue these exact classes for the northern part of Calvert County. They worked hard, planning and advertising these classes, and sent over 500 flyers to the United Way, its partnering agencies, as well as the local food pantries in search of adult students. They had two sets of courses planned – the first was Budgeting and Goal Setting, the second was Banking 101. Unfortunately, a very small number of students signed up for their courses, who later would have to cancel due to personal conflicts and schedules. Instead of giving up, the night their first class was supposed to take place, they thought about how to continue this project, not only for their own personal growth, but also for the success of the FBLA project. Brittania Howard, Brandi Constantino, and Brent Canter, all three of which are officers of this year’s FBLA officer team, as well as this year’s coordinators for their chapter’s American Enterprise Project, decided to teach these classes to their fellow FBLA members, many of which are not enrolled in business courses. The purpose of the Maryland and national FBLA American Enterprise Project is to promote some facet of the American Enterprise System in which we live. What better aspect of our
system than financial literacy to help our students become better educated in finances to avoid the same pitfalls and troubles so many Americans have faced over the last ten years? They had great success with their classes, which they held during the one-hour lunch at Northern High School from October 19 to November 16. Over 30 students finished the classes and received a certificate of financial literacy. The courses material came from the FDIC Money Smart program given to them by Mrs. Gillis, along with material from FEFE (Family Economics & Financial Education). The courses were so successful in fact that they started a new section of courses which started with an investment and stock lesson given by former FBLA NHS officer, Justin Ruest, on Friday, February 17. Justin, former NHS FBLA officer and Maryland FBLA State President, is now a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments in Prince Frederick. On Tuesday, February 21, Mr. Steve Kensinger from Old Line Bank visited with the FBLA members during their one-hour lunch to teach the students about identity theft and fraud. Mr. Kensinger is a region Vice President in charge of the southern Prince George’s and Charles County branches. Other topics the second set of courses will cover include fraud, stocks, bankruptcy, houses/mortgages, credit reports, insurance, loans, taxes, budgeting, and retirement. These classes will conclude the end of March. Mrs. Cohen, FBLA Advisor, would like to give credit to the Britty, Brent, and Brandi for planning and executing all of these courses completely on their own. “I haven’t done a thing. I have given them some class time to plan their courses, make the necessary paperwork and presentations, and develop the topics they felt were most important. I usually did not know what they were teaching until the day they taught it. It’s been so exciting to see these students showcase what they have learned in their business courses. That is true education in my opinion. I sat in on all of the classes and was so impressed with their creativity, preparation, and excitement. The proof that they were successful is that the students want to give up their lunch shifts to take more classes. I am very proud of how hard these three officers have worked. They are truly the best of the best.” While continuing to work with the United Way and attending their board meetings, it was proposed that the students work with End Hunger, helping clients complete their 2011 tax returns. Students have been trained on the Calvert Cash website and have already started attending the free tax-prep sessions, sponsored by End Hunger. The three coordinators have included other business students in this aspect of the project. Other students who have completed a business program called the Academy of Finance
are also helping at these tax-prep sessions. The aspects the students are doing while there is helping clients with their 1040EZ and federal forms, explaining their credit reports, helping them find possible tax deductions they may not have been aware of, helping them with the Calvert Cash website, educating them on how to improve their credit scores, and helping them determine how to best save or spend their tax returns. Brandi Constantino, one of the coordinators, states “It's been a great opportunity for us all to learn more about filing our own taxes since soon, when we're financially independent, we'll want to be able to receive the maximum return possible, much like we're helping individuals in our county to do. Expanding our help, in addition to assisting with the tax filing, we plan to make an information sheet stating the best ways for the people to utilize their tax return, whether it be to pay off a debt or to save it for emergency use; this way, they're learning a little bit more about planning better financially and not wasting their money on things that aren't a necessity.” Brittania Howard, another coordinator states “Leading this project, completely dedicated to educating our “underbanked” community the fundamentals of developing financial stability, has brought light to a vey urgent and growing issue. I feel extremely privileged to be a part of this project, where we have identified a community problem and strived to resolve it. Our primary goal is to teach individuals how to manage their money, then for them to apply that knowledge within the community.” Northern High School FBLA will be submitting a 30page report and are in the midst of preparing a seven-minute presentation to conclude this project as part of a state competition. Their goal, while helping citizens and students of Calvert County improve their financial education, is to rank first in the state of Maryland and take this competition to the national level this summer in San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Cohen, advisor would like to thank the following individuals for their contributions to this year’s project: Brittania Howard, Brandi Constantino, Brent Canter; Mrs. Lynne Gillis, HHS business teacher; Ms. Jennifer Moreland, United Way Director of Community Impact; Ms. Robin Brungard, End Hunger in Calvert County Program Director, Ms. Mary LaBorie, End Hunger Volunteer and Coordinator, all Calvert County Food Pantry volunteers and staff, Mrs. Pam Howard, parent advocate; Dr. Sylvia Lawson, NHS Principal, Mr. Larry Butler, NHS Vice Principal, the Calvert County Board of Education; Ms. Deborah Pulley and Ms. Robin Welsh, and the FBLA members at Northern High School who both took the courses and are teaching the tax-prep classes.
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, February 23, 2012
16