Gazette Calvert
December 20, 2012
Priceless
Everything Calvert County
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Page 12
Photo courtesy of Dominion Cove Point LNG
The Calvert Gazette
Also Inside
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
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On T he Cover
County News
6 Crime 8 Business 10 Education 11 Newsmaker 12
Feature Story
14 Columns 15 Letters
business
Family Auto Care master technician Chris King, left, and owner Dwayne Crawford work on a car.
16 Obituaries 17 Community 18 Hunting 19 Classifieds 20 Entertainment 21 Games 22
Out & About
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Dominion Cove Point LNG moves forward with plans to expand the facility to export liquefied natural gas all over the world.
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
COUNTY NEWS
Septic Bill Holds Little Change for Twin Beaches By Sarah Miller Staff Writer New maps complying with the state’s septic bill will mean little change to the future of the Twin Beaches area, according to officials. Senate Bill 236, also known as the Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act, assigns land into four different tiers based upon planned septic use. Tier 1 is areas currently served by sewerage; Tier 2 covers areas planned for sewerage systems service Tier 3 plan for growth on septic systems, and Tier 4 sets areas aside for preservation and conservation, prohibiting major residential subdivisions on septic systems, according
to Calvert County Community Planning and Building Director Chuck Johnston. All land in North Beach and Chesapeake Beach are assigned to Tier 1 or Tier 2. North Beach is 75 percent Tier 1, with small areas to the north end of the town and marshlands designated Tier 2, according to Town Engineer John Hofmann. Extending public sewer to areas not serviced is simple, leaving development in North Beach centered on “infill.” Currently redevelopment – contractors tearing down and replacing old structures and renovating others from the inside out – does not affect the remapping project. Hoffman believes the septic bill impacts rural areas
Prince Frederick Town Center Plans Under Review By Sarah Miller Staff Writer For the first time since making master plans for growth centers, the county is working on a Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance concurrently, according to Community Planning and Building Principal Planner Jenny Plummer-Welker. Eight districts currently make up the Prince Frederick Town Center. The update will focus on five study areas, enveloping the existing eight districts. The study will be completed in two phases. Phase one will focus on the north corridor and phase two will focus on the south corridor, the west side, old town and the east side. Plummer-Welker said the project will cost approximately $95,000. This cost covers a “multi-day design workshop” and “the assistance of a contracted team of professionals to jump start the project,” according to documents available at the Dec. 11 Board of County Commissioners meeting. In the workshop, Community Planning and Building staff will attend National Charrette Institute training. The three-day “training is ideal for planners, designers and developers specializing in sustainable development, transportation, public works, and transit, as well as citizen advocacy,” and will teach planning staff “a wide range of sustainable community planning projects,” according to institute’s website. Community Planning and Building Director Chuck Johnston said if the new process works, other updates may employ the same system. Planners intend to take their time and get the job done right. During each phase of the process, Plummer-Welker and additional staff will re-evaluate the map boundaries. The next step will be presenting a budget adjustment to the Board of County Commissioners. Then the staff will initiate an outreach campaign to inform members of the community and solicit their opinions on the update. Staff will present completed and garner further comments. Staff cannot use all comments, but they will take them under consideration, Plummer-Welker said. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
more than municipalities. Chesapeake Beach is working with the county’s Community Planning and Building to build a tier map. Johnston said his staff encountered a mapping error while working with Chesapeake Beach. Chesapeake Beach Planning and Zoning Administrator Chris Jakubiak said no errors exist rather both departments have different drafts. The new maps will put the town and county on the same page. Jakubiak said the new mapping is a “housekeeping endeavor for towns and municipalities” and will not hinder continued growth in Chesapeake Beach. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
COUNTY NEWS
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
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Planning Commission Updating Farm Use Regulations By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Grappling with a definition for the number, size and frequency of public events allowed on farm properties, the Calvert County Planning Commission sent county staff to complete further research. Board Administrator Yolanda Hipski said the board directed Community Planning and Building Staff to look at other jurisdictions’ regulation on farm event rentals. The commission instructed staff to talk to the Agricultural Preservation Board about events and uses allowed in farm stands. The commission approved a change to the ordinance allowing, “retail sales of pots, mulch and soil amendments” on
farms. Such operations are restricted in size to one percent of the farm parcel. In addition to auxiliary agriculture uses, the commission discussed a text amendment changing the maximum allowed square footage of commercial facilities. Rather than a concrete number, Community Planning and Building Director Chuck Johnston proposed a formula, stating a formula would better accommodate different parcel sized. The commission approved Community Planning and Building to move forward with a formula multiplying the total square footage of a parcel by 0.2. The decimal is not arbitrary, Johnston said. Rather, it is the median size of building compared to parcels in Calvert. The changes have been mailed to agencies for com-
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ments and will come back before the commission before final approval. For more information, including upcoming meeting dates and agendas, visit www.co.cal.md.us. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Government Holiday Closings The Courthouse will be closed on Monday, Dec. 24 and Tuesday, Dec. 25 for the Christmas Holiday. The Courthouse will be open on Monday, Dec. 31 but closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1 for the New Year Holiday. The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners announces the following office and facility closures for the Christmas and New Year holidays: • All Calvert County government offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 24 and 25 and Tuesday, Jan. 1. • The Calvert Pines, Southern Pines and North Beach senior centers will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 24 and 25 and Tuesday, Jan. 1. Meals on Wheels will not be delivered on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1, but will be delivered on Dec. 24. • Calvert Library locations will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 24 and 25. Libraries will close at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, and be closed Tuesday, Jan. 1. • Public transportation will not be in service on Monday, Dec. 24, Tuesday, Dec. 25 or Tuesday, Jan. 1. • Solid Waste sites will be open until noon Monday, Dec. 24. Sites will be closed Christmas day. On Monday, Dec. 31, sites will close at 4 p.m. and reopen for normal business on Wednesday, Jan. 2. • The Calvert Marine Museum will close at 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 24, and reopen at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26. The museum will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 1. For more information, visit the Calvert County website at www.co.cal.md.us.
Tri-County Council Receives 2012 TAM Award
Bittner Photography
Each year TAM requests statewide applications for awards in the following categories: Best Fixed Route and Paratransit System of the Year; Best Fixed Route and Paratransit Drivers of the Year; Human Service Partnership Awards for Individuals and Systems; Friend of Transportation; Unsung Hero, and other. On December 6, 2012 at the Annual Conference and Tradeshow at the Hyatt Resort in Cambridge, Maryland, TAM recognized individuals and organizations for their achievements and efforts. Award recipients are pictured with Maryland Transit Administration’s Director of the Office of Local Transit Support, Beth Kreider, and Sandy Wobbleton, Awards Committee Member and Transportation Services Supervisor for Calvert County Transportation.
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
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Crime&
Punishment
The Calvert Gazette
POLICE BLOTTER Theft
Unknown suspect(s) stole a black BMX bicycle worth $100 from the deck of a home in the 9500 block of Sea Gull Court in North Beach. The victim heard a noise coming from the deck area on Dec. 10 at around 1:30 a.m. and looked outside but didn’t see anyone. DFC C. Johnson is investigating.
Burglary
Someone broke into a home on Harbor Road in Chesapeake Beach on Dec. 10 between 1 and 2 p.m. and stole $450 in cash and ransacked the home. DFC M. Velasquez is investigating.
Theft
On Dec. 10 at 8:50 p.m. an employee of the St. Leonard Fastop observed a man stuff a sandwich in his pocket and exit the store without paying. DFC S. Esposito cited the man, identified as Vincent Douglas Smith II, 22 of St. Leonard, of theft less than $500.
Concealed Deadly Weapon, CDS Violation
On Dec. 10 at 10:33 p.m. Dep. R. Kampf conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at H.G. Trueman Road and Town Square Drive in Lusby. He arrested one of the occupants, identified as Roy Wayne Boothe, 36 of Lusby, and charged him with possession of a schedule II drug; Oxycodone hydrochloride, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia; a metal container, carrying a handgun, carrying a concealed weapon, and transporting a firearm after a conviction.
Destruction of Property
Someone broke a three-foot tall plaster angel statue and threw plastic plants and totes out in the grass area of the Church by the Chesapeake on Broomes Island Road in Port Republic. DFC J. Bell is investigating the damage that occurred between Dec.10 and 11.
Theft
Sometime between Dec. 7 and 8 someone entered an unlocked vehicle parked outside a home on Donau Court in Chesapeake Beach. The victim advised that numerous items from the glove box were thrown throughout the inside of the vehicle and a small multipurpose tool had been stolen. DFC J. Norton is investigating.
Destruction of Property
Someone caused $400 in damage when they tried to break into a locked vehicle parked outside a home in the 300 block of Bay Avenue in Prince Frederick between Dec. 9 and 10. Dep. Mohler is investigating.
Destruction of Property
An employee of the town of Chesapeake Beach advised Dep. C. Fox that sometime between Dec. 8 and 13, someone burned part of a decorative snowflake causing $400 in damage. The snowflake was located on 31st Street and Md. Rt. 261. Anyone with information is asked to contact Dep. Fox at 410-535-2800.
Destruction of Property
Dep. C. Fox is also investigating the theft of a Nutcracker figurine valued at $300 from the North Beach boardwalk that occurred during the
same timeframe. A soldier figurine was damaged as well.
Theft
Someone smashed the drivers’ side window of a vehicle while it was parked at Calvert Cliffs State Park in Lusby on Dec. 14 between 12 and 1:40 p.m. A woman’s black leather purse was stolen. The credit cards in the purse were discovered to have been used immediately at various locations in California, Md. DFC W. Wells is investigating.
Burglary, CDS Violation
A neighbor on Stephen Reid Road in Huntingtown called police on Dec. 15 at 10:47 a.m., when they observed a suspicious male walking around the exterior of their neighbor’s home. DFC P. Aurich arrived and made contact with a subject fitting the description given by the witness. The man advised he was looking for his watch. Aurich noticed a broken basement window and an iron stake nearby. The witness advised they saw the man break the window with the iron stake. Aurich arrested Frederick Lee Claggett, 51 of Sunderland, and charged him with attempted first degree burglary, attempted fourth degree burglary, attempted burglary with intent to commit theft, two counts of destruction of property and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia; a glass pipe used to inhale cocaine.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
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High Speed Chase Ends in Crash By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Police investigators in Calvert are still looking for answers as to why a suspect led officers on a brief but high-speed chase that led to a devastating crash. The driver of the vehicle, whose identity has not been released, suffered severe injuries, police said. “He’s in critical condition,” Lt. Steve Jones, commander of the Calvert Investigative Team, said Dec. 14 hours after the chase occurred. The sheriff reports the chase started around 3 a.m. when a deputy noticed a vehicle stopped in the travel lane of Route 261 in Chesapeake Beach and turned around to investigate. The deputy initiated a traffic stop. When he ordered the driver to shut down his engine, the suspect accelerated and sped away. The deputy gave chase while other patrol units attempted to get in front of the vehicle in order to try and slow it down.
Police said the suspect continued to flee, passing patrol officers and getting up to speeds close to 80 miles an hour. The chasing deputy tried to execute a pursuit intervention technique, designed to stop the fleeing vehicle by spinning it, but the suspect vehicle’s speed and erratic driving prevented contact, police said. The suspect tried to negotiate a curb, striking it, losing control and crashing violently into a utility pole. The chase lasted one minute and 24 seconds and covered about two miles, police estimated. The suspect was transported to the shock/trauma unit of Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly for treatment. Officers found the vehicle was registered to a Montgomery County owner, who is helping to identify the suspect. Police have yet to account for the suspect’s motive in fleeing from deputies. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Club Donates Vests to Sheriff
CDS Violation
On Dec. 16 at 5:30 a.m. DFC R. Kreps responded to the Super 8 Motel in Prince Frederick for the report of a subject who had overdosed in one of the rooms. Kreps knocked on the hotel room door and made contact with Ronald Allen Whetzel III, 23 of Chesapeake Beach, who said his girlfriend, later identified as Melissa Sue Wathen, 30 of Hollywood, had passed out. Kreps observed drug paraphernalia in the room and on Whetzel. Emergency medical personnel were called and evaluated the two subjects and determined they needed to be transported to Calvert Memorial Hospital. Whetzel was cited with possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, a hypodermic syringe used to inject heroin. Wathen was cited for use of drug paraphernalia, a metal spoon with suspected heroin residue.
Burglary
Someone stole a red and black colored Coleman pressure washer valued at $300 and a Stihl orange and white colored leaf blower worth $265 from a locked shed behind a home on Tulip Court in Huntingtown. The burglary occurred between Dec. 15 and 16. DFC R. Kreps is investigating.
Theft
A woman was charged with theft and a sixteen-yearold female from Lothian was charged with theft on a youth report when store security at the Dunkirk Giant observed them loading a cart with almost $400 of groceries and exiting the store without paying. DFC P. Aurich arrested Lisa Marie Thomas, 47 of Lothian, and charged her with theft less than $1,000.
Pictured left to right is Nam Knights Secretary Steve Logan, Sheriff Mike Evans, President Ray Nieves, Civilian Duty Officer Supervisor Jessica Jones, Road Captain Barry Durner, Vice President Carl Roy and Treasurer Mike Murphy.
On Dec. 12 the Old Line Chapter of the Nam Knights of America presented Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans with a donation of three ballistic vests and extra vest carriers. These vests will be worn by individuals such as criminal justice students and future police officers who participate in Sheriff’s Office ride-along programs. The bullet-resistant vests will provide protection to civilian riders accompanying law enforcement officers during their daily patrol functions. The Old Line Chapter of the Nam Knights of America is a motorcycle club comprised of local military and law enforcement located in Chesapeake Beach. For the past five years this club has routinely donated equipment to the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office. “The Nam Knights are good friends of the Sheriff’s Office their annual donations have added to the safety of all Calvert County citizens.” said Sheriff Mike Evans. For more information on Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Public Service Opportunities please visit us on the Calvert County website at www.co.cal. md.us under Services or call 410-535-2800 and select option no. 9.
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Calvert Gazette
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
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Local Auto Shop Offers Quality By Alex Panos Staff Writer Family Auto Care offers affordable mechanic services while not compromising on quality and attention to detail typically offered by a small business. Owner and Co-Small Business Man of the Year Dwayne Crawford chose his business name based on a “family atmosphere.” While operating with just four staff members, the mechanics are certified technicians, and only work on vehicles they know inside and out – Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and Lexus. “It’s extremely important to only work on what you’ve been factory trained,” Crawford said. “We don’t try to be a jack-of-all trades.” The shop’s “personal touch” keeps people, Craw-
Chris King, left, and Dwayne Crawford work under the hood.
ford believes. The main way his business has been able to expand from a home garage in 1995 is through word of mouth. Crawford and fellow master technicians Chris King and Charlie Schaffer vacuum the interior, set tires and wash the car “even if you’re just coming in for wipers,” Crawford said. “We kill them with kindness. Under promise and over deliver,” he said. Master Technicians Crawford, left, Charlie Schaffer and Chris King.
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Home • Auto • Business • Life
Photos By Alex Panos
Family Auto began as a side business – he operated out of his home garage – with his daughters handing him tools while he worked. He entered the private sector full-time after deciding he wasn’t a fan of the changes occurring where he was employed, a corporate garage. His mentor, George Benson, had sold the auto shop to a corporation and the business naturally began to lose its family atmosphere. Crawford’s low overhead allows him to offer less expensive labor and if he receives a discount on parts, he splits it with his customers. “Number two is price, no doubt about it,” Crawford said, continuing to list reasons people keep coming back to him. “We cost less than the dealer.” Customers appreciate the proactive steps the shop takes to help prevent future expenses, he said. “We understand the real value in preventative maintenance,” Crawford said, adding the company is “very heavy” in educating customers. The Calvert County Chamber of Commerce recently recognized Crawford has one of the county’s best. His service to the community and company’s success contributed to winning businessman of the year, according to a letter of congratulations Crawford received from the chamber. Crawford helped organize a charity, raising $20,000, for Jim Hitchcock, who is suffering from a brain tumor, of Southern Maryland Automotive. He raised thousands of dollars two years ago for United Way by raffling off a Mercedes-Benz. “We feel strongly it’s our honor and obligation to support the community in which we work,” Crawford said, noting Erin Ciok and his wife Wendy handle administrative duties. “We’re honored to be a supporting member of the Calvert community.” Family Auto Care, which offers pre-purchase advising as well, is open Monday through Friday by appointment from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. The shop is located at 7657 Binnacle Lane in Owings. For more information call 410-257-7009 or visit FamilyAutoMD.com. alexpanos@countytimes.net
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
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The Calvert Gazette
Spotlight On
Thursday, December 20, 2012
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CCPS Responds in Wake of Sandy Hook Shootings By Sarah Miller Staff Writer After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut left 27 students and staff members dead, Calvert Public Schools took measures to reassure staff, students and parents that safety is a top priority. Calvert County Public Schools instructs teachers in vigilance, according to Superintendent Jack Smith. All individuals carry identification cards or visitors badges, which should be clearly visible at all times. School staff and students are to report suspicious activities or individuals in the schools who should not be there. Smith said it is better to report something that turns out to be a non-issue than ignore a potential safety risk. Such a risk was reported at Windy Hill Middle School on Dec. 17. According to a message from Principal Karen Burnett, “…while this morning was a “normal” Monday morning in a middle school, the afternoon became preoccupied with a persistent rumor. This rumor dealt with the possibility of a student bringing a gun to school, later in the week. As the day progressed, the anxiety mounted and the emotion and fear continued to spread.” She and school officials interviewed a number of students who said they had heard that something was said and found the rumors to be “he said/she said,” Burnett’s Dec. 17
message reads. In response the school notified CCPS student services and local police. The school followed up by sending letters home. Burnett sent a second message dated Dec. 18 “in response to the allegation of a threat to our school community.” The school sent a message home to parents informing them that the school officials and law enforcement conducted a thorough investigation concluding no credible evidence of danger to the safety of students and staff. During the course of the investigation, no guns or other weapons were found on school property.” “We all care deeply about our young people and want each of them to feel safe. As always, school officials along with the support of law enforcement, will continue to be vigilant and focused on the safety of our students and staff,” Burnett’s Dec. 18 message reads. To help the school community feel safer, Sheriff Mike Evans told the Board of Education that patrol cars will drive around schools and through parking lots more often during regular patrols during the coming weeks. Evans said the sheriff’s office always has schools on regular patrol routes, but he and the Board of Education felt it prudent to increase the number and visibility of patrols. Following last week’s tragedy, schools have grief counselors on site for students who need to talk, and each student
can go to their assigned a guidance counselor for support. Reports from Connecticut describe how Sandy Hook Elementary teachers locked classroom doors as a safety measure from the lone attacker. Some CCPS schools have the popular 1970s “open space” design, said Director of School Construction George Leah. Such schools are safety concerns since open space schools were designed to have fewer walls and more community space. In some hybrid models, doors open out instead of in and lack locks, making it difficult to secure the room in an emergency situation, Smith said. Leah couldn’t comment to the safety of the schools in the wake of the Connecticut tragedy, but said the board has steadily renovated the open design for years. Northern High School, built entirely with an open space design, is listed as a future replacement project. Renovation be similar to the replacement of Calvert High School, done from the ground up in parts designed to meet the current needs and anticipating the future needs. The last school build in Calvert with a variant on an open space design was Dowell Elementary School in 1999, Smith said. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Program Gives Second Chance for Youth By Sarah Miller Staff Writer
Photo by Sarah Miller
The College of Southern Maryland now offers job training and employment opportunities for youth convicted of non-violent crimes. The Juvenile Offenders Building Skills program, offered through CSM, comes from a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Justice. The college identifies at risk youth for training in plumbing and HVAC systems, among other programs. After a 16-week intensive course, CSM matches students with potential employers for job interviews, according to President Brad Gottfried. CSM requires participants go through screening before acceptance into the program. Then they meet regularly with guidance counselors. While the grant money lasts, approximately 96 students will not pay tuition. In fact, CSM gives students a small stipend to support their cost of living and keep them focused on their studies, Gottfried said. The grant includes the cost of hiring five staff members. The future of the program, after exhausting the origi-
Seeking Scholarship Applications The Maryland Emergency Management Association is pleased to offer five $1,000.00 scholarships for the 2013/2014 school year. One scholarship will be awarded in each of the Association’s five geographic areas: Area I – Western Maryland, Area II – Central Maryland, Area III – Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Area IV – Southern Maryland and Area V – National Capital Region. The Association’s objective is to promote Emergency Management in the State of Maryland and to assist students pursuing a career in Emergency Management or in a related field. Applicants must be a senior and enrolled at an accredited Maryland High School. Applicants must also submit an essay along with the application. Forms can be obtained from high school guidance offices or at a local Emergency Management Office. Submission deadline is April 1, 2013. For more information about the scholarship program please contact: Maryland Emergency Management Association Chairperson Scholarship Verna Brown, CEM c/o Washington County Emergency Management 16232 Elliott Parkway, Williamsport, MD 21795 Telephone: 240-313-4364
nal grant, depends on CSM’s ability to solicit contributions from businesses. Calvert Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith told the committee about his ambition to start a “middle college.” “I’m just obsessed with this idea,” he said. The middle college would provide an alternative for students who can’t thrive in the traditional high school setting, Smith said. Students need an “array of opportunities,” and getting their GED should be one of those opportunities. Smith has noticed GED certificates have stigma, but he said that should not be the case. He used his own son as an example, detailing how his son struggled with high school and finally talked Smith into getting his GED and leaving. Smith said his son went to college the next semester and is currently the Director of Information and Technology at a college. Gottfried supported Smith’s idea, saying some students only “blossom” when they enter college, and something to make that transition easier or even possible is needed. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
CSM Holiday Schedule; Online Services Available
Classes Begin for Spring Semester Jan. 23 The last day of classes for the College of Southern Maryland’s Fall 2012 semester and Minisession II is Monday, Dec. 17. The college will close at 3 p.m., Friday, Dec. 21 through Tuesday, Jan. 1 in observance of the winter holidays. The college will resume its normal schedule Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 a.m. During this time, access to the college’s online services, including registration, remains available at www.csmd.edu through my.CSMD services. Classes for the January 2013 term will begin on Jan. 7. The course offerings are accelerated courses that cover 15 weeks of material in less than two weeks. For course availability, visit www.csmd.edu/Admissions. CSM is hosting non-credit open houses for its Career Starters programs Jan. 8 at the Leonardtown Campus, Jan. 10 at the La Plata Campus, Jan. 15 at the Prince Frederick Campus and Jan 17 at the CSM Center for Trades and Energy Training. All open houses are from 4:30 to 6 p.m. For information, visit www.csmd.edu/CareerStarters or call 301-934-7765. The college is closed on Monday, Jan. 21 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day with classes beginning for the spring 2012 full-term and Minisession I on Wednesday, Jan. 23.
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Newsmakers
Military Mom Publishes Children’s Books By Alex Panos Staff Writer Julia Maki spent five years in the military, including one tour of duty, hunting submarines on an aircraft known as a P-3C Orion. Now supporting the military as a contractor at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the Lusby resident spends her free time as a published author, and will be signing copies of two original stories. Maki’s book “My Mom Hunts Submarines” is meant to give children of active duty military members a better of idea of what their parents are doing. It focuses on explaining in better detail her job, duties and a day in the life while on tour – in a way that is appropriate and makes sense for kids. She wrote the story for her daughter, who was 7-years-old at the time. On Aug. 28 her second book, “All Hands on Deck! Dad’s Coming Home!” was published. It focuses around a little boy whose father works on an aircraft carrier in the navy, occasionally being deployed. The child passes time and goes through his day to day routine, waiting for his father to return home. The book is based on her sister’s time in the military, spent on the USS Stennis. Both stories focus on showing kids how to deal with parents out on deployment, and aim to help them cope a little easier with the separation of a parent, while at the same time learning about aircrafts and carriers. It’s meant to show kids, mom or dad is away right now, but they will eventually come home, she said. “There are not a lot of books about moms in the military that kids can relate to,” she said. Maki loves to meet new people and running into someone who is excited about the book. “It’s a small niche,” she noted of the
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demand for children’s military books, “but there aren’t a lot out there for the community.” Maki adds, another major theme is for kids to think “if my mom can hunt submarines and fly planes, there’s really nothing I can’t do.” Maki wrote her first book about six years ago. Through a friend she found a publisher, and Tate Publishing elected to sign her on and provided an illustrator for the books. She laughs, “I’m not an artist.” Maki will be at Naval Air Station Patuxent River Navy Exchange this Saturday, and next week on Dec. 22, from noon until closing signing copies of her two stories. The exchange is located at 22099 Cuddihy Road, Patuxent River. For more information visit juliamaki.com alexpanos@countytimes.net
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
12
STORY
Natural Gas: ‘A Mixed Bag?’ By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Dominion Cove Point LNG can be seen from almost any high vantage point in the county, with its massive white holding tanks for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The visibility serves as a metaphor for the size of the operation going on at Dominion Cove Point, actively seeking to expand coming years. Dominion Cove Point Spokesperson Dan Donovan said the facility is a conduit for natural gas. Customers, such as Shell and BP, import LNG to Dominion Cove Point where it is offloaded and stored at the facility. Dominion heats it to a gaseous state and sends it through pipelines to customers, Donovan said. Dominion Cove Point does not purchase and sell natural gas itself. Dominion Cove Point began receiving ships in the summer of 2003. In 2009, Dominion finished an expansion project increasing its storage and production capacity by nearly 80 percent, making it one of the nation’s largest LNG import facilities, according to the website. The operation is in the middle of another expansion, this time hoping to export LNG as well as import it, Donovan said. The Sierra Club leads the charge to block the expansion, citing a standing agreement with Dominion Cove Point that the facility will not increase its existing footprint, according to Sierra Club Associate Attorney Craig Segall. The agreement stems from concerns about environmental impacts.
Unknown Impact of Exporting LNG Located on a prime eastern seaboard location, Dominion Cove Point is in a position to expand its export operations faster and less expensively than other facilities. Its current facilities include a dock to accommodate tankers and a freezer to cool natural gas liquefaction temperature of -260 degrees.
The projected cost of $2.5 to $3.5 billion for the expansion will lay additional pipeline and expand the liquefaction facility, but overall the size the facility will not increase by much, Donovan said. Donovan said Dominion Cove Point is “commercially and locally available” to provide exporting and importing services, a point Segall agreed with. “Dominion Cove Point would make the most sense for Marcellus Shale gas to reach the world market,” Segall said. The Marcellus Shale is the biggest shale gas deposit in the country, extending into Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and New York. “Exporting American natural gas to the world market would spur unconventional natural gas production across the country, increasing pollution and disrupting landscapes and communities. Deciding whether to move forward is among the most pressing environmental and energy policy decisions facing the nation,” Segall wrote in “Look Before The LNG Leap: Why Policymakers and the Public Need Fair Disclosure Before Exports of Fracked Gas Start,” an extensive document detailing a perceived future of LNG and its potential impact on the country. In a recent interview Segall said exporting LNG might not create more jobs and more income for the country while the quality of life would be a casuality. Exporting LNG would open opportunities for further drilling, a process known as fracking, allowing prices to drop with the additional availability of the commodity in the United States. Increased availability will lower prices and allow companies that have closed branches due to rising oil costs to re-open and add jobs to the market, Donovan said. Downturns in the economy hurt business at Dominion Cove Point, resulting quiet days when the facility does not receive shipments. Slow days serve to strengthen the argument that Dominion Cove Point needs to expand operations into exporting. Not only would it mean eliminating quiet seasons, preventing cutbacks, but it would help stabilize natural gas prices, Donovan said. Ide-
ally, Dominion Cove Point would export natural gas to countries where it is more expensive, and import gas from countries where it is cheaper. This way, he said supply and demand would always be filled at a competitive price. Segall disagreed, saying exporting could potentially raise domestic prices by shipping natural gas out of the domestic market and keeping demand high locally. The price of natural gas will continue to drop as the country drills more and more domestically, preventing the need to continue to import the resource from the Gulf of Mexico, Donovan said. In the past, any domestically produced natural gas supplemented imported supplies. Now the nation’s move toward domestically supplying its natural gas demands will need to offload excess, thus creating a revenue source. The full potential of the Marcellus Shale deposit hasn’t been developed, Donovan said. “It’s a very large, potentially problematic resource,” Segall said. Before approving exporting facilities, which would increase the number of wells by the hundreds, Segall said. Since the “shale boom” started in 2008, Segall said no entity has conducted an in-depth, careful study of the current and future impact of the drilling process, let alone the implications of exporting natural gas. He said there is no framework to support exporting ventures. “Why export before we have our house in order?” Segall asked. Fracking poses potential hazards to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, Segall said. The process releases pollutants into the air and water, as he said can be seen with the Susquehanna River Basin. Preliminary studies have documented decreased water quality, and long-term effects are still unknown. Homes affected by tainted water have been the subject of documentaries. YouTube has videos of individuals setting their tap water on fire due to methane contamination. “Everything comes down to the
Photos courtesy of Dominion Cove Point LNG
bay,” Segall said. Fracking remains controversial, and concerns surrounding it need to be addressed before export projects move forward, Segall said. Donovan disagreed, saying breakthroughs have made drilling procedures, including fracking, safer. However, drilling on the Marcellus Shale in Maryland is still not permitted, he said. Donovan remains positive about the impact of natural gas on the country. “Natural gas looks to have a very important role in the recovery of the economy,” he said. Though concerned about the potential hazards, Segall acknowledged natural gas has found a place in the community as a source of cheaper power production and fuel. “It’s a really mixed bag,” he said.
The Dominion Cove Point Expansion Dominion Cove Point has been planning the expansion since fall 2011. The Sierra Club filed a motion to intervene against the project, citing an agreement dating back to March of 2005 that Dominion Cove Point would not expand operations past their current footprint. In April, the club published a denial of the project, which in turn prompted Dominion Cove Point to request official judgment on the 2005 agreement. Segall said Dominion Cove Point and the Sierra Club presented their arguments on the matter before a judge in early October. “We’ve been waiting ever since,” he said. If courts rule in the Sierra Club’s favor, Dominion Cove Point will not be allowed to begin exporting LNG without the club’s blessing, Segall said. Dominion Cove Point continues to move forward holding a series of informational meetings to allow members of the community and local businesses can
13
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
STORY
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Save 10% Off $50 Or mOre Save 15% Off $100 Or mOre Save 20% Off $200 Or mOre learn about the expansion and express their concerns. The first open house was held at Holiday Inn Solomons on July 18. This step is necessary as part of their pre-filing paperwork with the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC), Dominion Cove Point plans to begin construction of the exporting facility in 2014 and fullly operational in 2017, pending receipt of necessary approvals, negotiating binding terminal service agreements with the shippers and successful completion of engineering studies, Donovan said. In anticipation of the project, Dominion Cove Point acquired a 100-acre parcel of land across Route 2/4 from the intersection of 2/4 and Cove Point Road in August. Dominion Cove Point will lease an additional 80 acres from the county, adjacent to the land Dominion Cove Point is purchasing, Donovan said. The land is for cutting pipes and other materials and for storage. The company will conduct a traffic study to ensure it doesn’t cause undue stress and congestion on Route 2/4 during construction. Barges will deliver materials to the concert parking the Calvert Marine
uses in Solomons. Dominion will work around the museum’s event schedule. In addition, Dominion Cove Point is considering putting additional administrative space in the Patuxent Business Park. Donovan said the facility already received permission from the Department of Energy to trade with countries under the Free Trade Agreement on Oct. 7, 2011 after submitting the application Sept. 1, 2011. The second part of the application, to trade with counties not under the free trade agreement, was submitted Oct. 3, 2011 and is still under consideration, Donovan said. Specifically, he said Dominion wants to trade with Japan, which is not under the free trade agreement. Before formally applying with FERC, the community, as well as state and local governments, have to approve a site plan Donovan said. Additionally, Dominion has to have the majority of their permits secured or nearly secured. Currently, Dominion is third in line for FERC approval, Donovan said. For more information, visit www. sierraclub.org or www.dom.com. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
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The Calvert Gazette
Introducing Laura Joyce By Laura Joyce Contributing Writer Let me introduce myself, as well as the new column that is going to run in this space. My name is Laura Joyce, and I’m the Executive Director of the Southern Maryland Center for Family Advocacy, which provides free legal representation, advocacy, and other essential services to victims of domestic violence in Calvert, St. Mary’s and Charles Counties. I’m also the mother of three sons, all of whom are midlaunch: my youngest, Ben, is a high school senior at Leonardtown High School, and making preparations for college. My middle son, Tim, is a freshman at the College of Southern Maryland. And Chris, my oldest (or “Prince Firstly,” as we call him, a nickname from a favorite childhood book) is a junior at St. Mary’s College, in his first year there after completing two years at CSM. In addition to the full-time teens and the fulltime job, for many years I’ve been a writer: I’ve ghostwritten or co-authored five published books and authored various columns, articles and fiction. I’ve lived in St. Mary’s County for ten years this month (and even after ten years in which to forget the misery, I still wouldn’t wish a December 26 move on anyone else). However, I’ve had family in Southern Maryland for as long as I can remember; in fact, a long-ago ancestor, Marmaduke Semmes, was in one of the first waves of settlers to arrive in St. Mary’s City. One of my earliest memories involves long July road trips to family reunions on Church Cove in St. Inigoes, where we’d eat steamed crabs at big tables set up on the lawn, and swim and water-ski in the creek while trying to dodge the jellyfish. People would come up throughout the reunion and do that cheek-pinching thing
that adults did a lot when I was a kid (maybe that’s why almost no one in my generation does that to children now). They’d say how much I’d grown, which, as a chubby kid, would always embarrass me. Despite that, I loved the reunions, and I loved St. Mary’s County: for years I spent almost every summer weekend here, so when some of my family moved here full-time, I eventually followed. As it is for many of us, family is the foundation in my life. My work life has long been about helping families in crisis, and much of my social life is spent with family; most of the people I’m closest to are relatives. I’m grateful that I was born into a family that is so close, and is made up of people that I’d choose to be with even if we weren’t related. Time after time my family has come together to form a network of love and support, especially at the most difficult times: when a young uncle was dying of cancer; when our grandmother was drawing her final breath; when marriages fell apart or jobs were lost or teenagers were…well, being teenagers. At those times and in the many happier moments, the family was a quilt made up of many different personalities that provided warmth and comfort and support. That is the theme behind this column: family, and how it joins us, how it challenges us, how we can be both our best and worst selves, it seems, in the circle of family. The column will focus on concepts related to family—mine, yours and the larger family to which we all belong—and it will respond to questions sent in by readers. If there is a specific topic you’d like to see addressed, or a question you’d like to ask about a family issue or dilemma, please email me at thewordtech@md.metrocast.net
Thursday, December 20, 2012
14
The Myth of the Holidays By Laura Joyce Contributing Writer Now that the elections are over, all of the advertising seems to be holiday themed. We see cell phones and tablets and toys trimmed in holiday colors. What’s trendy for gift-giving comes and goes, but the idea that the holidays are about family and closeness is pervasive in the advertising, no matter the year. Even more than the push to spend, every commercial seems to show happy families smiling and laughing as they celebrate the holidays together. It is the image we all aspire to. Who doesn’t want to spend the holidays surrounded by joy and closeness in a gingerbread house with a fire crackling, deep drifts of snow turning the world beautiful (but somehow never interfering with driving). Like the myth of drifting but drivable snow, the idea of family perfection seems like a bit of a set-up, though. For many people, the holidays are not a time of easy joy. Certainly economics play a part; it is hard to greet the season with open arms when one is homeless, or unemployed, or facing a serious illness. There is another obstacle, too, within many families: the holidays create the sense that we should be close and spend time together, but if there’s conflict within the family, that enforced extra time together can have tragic results. A Thanksgiving dinner this year in Alabama illustrated this, when a man attacked a guest at the family dinner, nearly killing her. The assailant had apparently never liked the victim, who was close with his sister. I wish I could say this was the only Thanksgiving dinner that ended in an attack or a fistfight or recrimination and tears, but sadly, it wasn’t. This is the problem with families, yet also the blessing: they force us to try to get along with a range of people, some of whom we might otherwise never even choose to know. You dislike the person your sister
brought to dinner? Oh, well. Your grandfather’s politics anger you? There’s been a lot of that this year. Your child is going through that surly teenage thing and spends the entire meal texting? I’ve been there, and I sympathize. Our differences, whether we face them across a table at Christmas dinner or on the world stage, certainly have the capacity to drive us apart. It is perhaps a human tendency to turn our backs on that which divides us; it is so hard to know how to bridge the gaps at times, and so we do the easier thing and let those gaps become chasms, and then impasses we cannot imagine a way through. The cost is so high, though, and if we can’t connect across the table, where we have shared history and memories, and, at the very least, an obligatory sense of love and loyalty, how will we ever learn the tolerance and acceptance that are needed to deal with our differences out in the larger world? It is a cliché to say that we are all part of one family, but clichés take root because they contain an essential truth. What joins us—our basic humanity, and the choice we can make to see that humanity in everyone, no matter how different our circumstances—truly is greater than what separates us. This year, as we gather for the holidays, perhaps we could make a commitment to start a new tradition. We could take a moment, aloud or silently, to reflect on what joins us, and promise to first tolerate, and then work on learning to accept, that which separates us. Our lives go by in the blink of an eye, and we soon learn that something that seemed so very important in the moment is of no consequence in the passage of time. There is one exception to this, even with the imperfections and challenges: the love and acceptance of family never goes out of style—and may just be the foundation for peace.
Healthy Soda, too good to be true? By Debra Meszaros CSN www.MXSportsNutrition.com How can a company transform the leading contributor of obesity, chronic disease, and diabetes and turn it around to make it healthy? Add a healthy element like fiber, back it by a Japanese study done in 2006 on rats, get it labeled by Japan’s National Institute of Health and Nutrition allowing it to be labeled a “food for specified health use”; and presto magico! Healthy soda is born! As a health conscious consumer one of the things that I frequently practice is researching origins of my food. I tend to avoid the influence labels have over my purchases. I read the ingredients carefully and explore any item I’m not familiar with. So when “Pepsi Special”, “the fat blocking soda” hit the market, up went my eyebrows and my quest to understand “dextrin”. Dextrin is a popular fiber supplement in the United States and therefore considered to be healthy. When the 2006 study apparently found that rats fed dextrin absorbed less fat from their food, I’m sure the creative minds of companies looked for ways to expand its use. Could dextrin be used to reduce the body’s absorption of fat by placing it in
a beverage? Perhaps, but the real question is do we actually want to block the body from absorbing fats in our food to begin with? Remember, not all fats are bad. History has shown the creation of fat free foods has brought about a whole bunch of additional health concerns. Obesity has increased since the design of fat free foods, so that approach is clearly incorrect. What about the essential balance of quality omega fats we are supposed to maintain? Does dextrin block all fats or just the bad ones? If you told me dextrin reduced the body’s absorption of sugar, it might make more sense. Then it would have real health advantages. Unfortunately there are still so many individuals that have the old belief that fat turns to fat in our body. This beverage is utilizing this misconception to market their product as a healthy alternative. In actuality the reality is simple. It is sugar that turns to fat by tricking your metabolism, turning off your body’s appetite control system; and for the most part, it is fructose that turns directly into body fat. Is this just another deceptive move by the beverage giants? Whether intentional or not, regardless of form, there is nothing good about soda. Since “Pepsi Special” still contains the dangerous combination of high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, phosphoric acid, and coloring, adding dextrin does not seem to transform it from bad to good. From diet soda to their creative creations of “healthy” versions of soda, unless the main base ingredients of these popular bev-
erages change, they will never be healthy in my eyes. ©2012 Debra Meszaros MXSportsNutrition.com. All rights reserved; no duplication without permission. 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.
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
TE ET to thR e Editor
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15
A Disappointing Christmas Story On Dec. 9, we went on a special family Christmas outing of three generations to see the Newtowne Players in “A Christmas Story”. Having seen in the paper in September that they were having auditions, we were anxiously awaiting the announcement that tickets were available. We saw the notice in early November and immediately called the number given in the ad for reservations. Our call was answered by a machine instructing us to leave a phone number, name and number of reservations desired. Nothing was said about needing to prepay. We would have been glad to do so, had anyone called us for a credit card number. When some time went by and we had not heard anything, we questioned several people we knew that were associated with the Newtowne Players and were told that their policy was to call back only
Commissioner’s Corner By Susan Shaw Calvert County Commissioner, District 2 In the past, in this space, I have mentioned the Calvert County Website located at www.co.cal. md.us or found by entering Calvert County, Maryland, into a search engine like Google. Now I want to notify you that Calvert County has both a new official website at the same address, www.co.cal.md.us and a new official Facebook page at http://www. facebook.com/pages/CalvertCounty-Government-CalvertCounty-Maryland/251501561757. An easier way to get to the Facebook page is from the Calvert County website homepage by clicking on the small ‘f’ on the left of the page under ‘Search our Site’.
We could not get all of us together to make another trek to the theater. The tuxedoed doorman was very snide and condescending saying, “have a nice day” and “come again”. Not likely. If they want payment up front, they should make this clear on their recording. If they take reservations, they should honor them. The Havelka Family The Tucker Family The Rudolph Family The Sherman Family Lusby, Md,
Introducing New County Websites If you want to search for the Calvert County official Facebook page while you are logged into Facebook, you will need to use the full and complete title, which is Calvert County Government, Calvert County, Maryland with the word government included and the word Maryland spelled out. This is due to the existence of other nongovernment related Calvert County Facebook pages where citizens can post un-official information or ask subjective questions of other County residents (recommendations for a good mechanic, for example). These unofficial Facebook pages serve a community purpose which just happens to be different from the purpose for the official Calvert County Government, Calvert County, Maryland Facebook page, which is intended to
Publisher Associate Publisher Editor Graphic Artist Office Manager Advertising Email Phone
Thomas McKay Eric McKay Corrin M. Howe Angie Stalcup Tobie Pulliam sales@somdpublishing.net info@somdpublishing.net 301-373-4125
Staff Writers Guy Leonard Sarah Miller Corrin Howe Alex Panos
Law Enforcement Government, Education Community, Business Staff Writer
Contributing Writers Joyce Baki Keith McGuire Susan Shaw Evan K. Slaughenhoupt, Jr.
if there was a problem, otherwise, we were good to go. We never heard anything. When the family arrived at the theater, there was a sign at the box office clearly stating that reservations would be held until 10 minutes before curtain. As we neared the front of the line, we noticed another family on their way out. They were very upset, and saying they would never come back again. The box office person said that the show was sold out, and they would not honor our reservation. She said that their policy was not usually to require payment upfront, but that in this case they had sold out and someone should have called us. No one did. Needless to say, we were very upset and disappointed. The person at the box office was not at all helpful other than to say there was another show next week.
be a resource for obtaining official information that originates with County Government. The unofficial Calvert County Facebook pages welcome and encourage dialogue and opinions. The official Calvert County Government, Calvert County, Maryland Facebook page will not accept community posts so that the users know that the information is official Calvert County Government Information, and not the opinion of a Community Member who may or may not have all the facts. We hope that the official Calvert County Government, Calvert County, Maryland Facebook page will serve the public interest as a source of information directly from Calvert County government just as the unofficial Facebook pages provide the public a place to discuss and speculate.
Please “Like” the Calvert County Government, Calvert County, Maryland Facebook page to see if it is helpful. I like the way in which the new, improved Calvert County government website is organized around six subject areas. They are Government, Services, Visiting, Living Here, and How do I? Clearly, if you are visiting, you probably want Tourism or Heritage Tourism information or information on accommodations, whereas if you are living here, you may be more interested in local services you need as a resident. Subheadings for easy clicking are Current Weather, County Maps, and Shop Local. County maps include various kinds of local maps, including aerial photos of your property for various years. Before you say, “That outbuilding has always been on my property,” please look at the interactive maps where it may be clear that the outbuilding in question was not there on aerial photos for a particular year, but does appear in the aerial photos taken a year later, pinpointing the year of construction. You can even look at the map of the topography of your property. Under the Shop Local subheading, you may search
for a local business under the c a t ego r y of business, like graphic design, for example, or by title or even by the first letter of the name of the business. Instead of saying, “I don’t know where to find landscaping services in Calvert County,” you can just go to the Shop Local subheading and search under the category of landscaping. If your local business is not listed, please consider adding it to the business database. We want to encourage support for local businesses by making it easy to find them. I hope that you will take a tour through the new Calvert County website and also stop by the Calvert County Government, Calvert County, Maryland Facebook page for updates. Please consider beginning with Notify Me on the left hand side to receive various kinds of emergency notifications such as for fires, floods, or traffic delays. While the new navigation may take some getting used to, you can find an amazing number of Calvert County documents waiting for you to peruse or to download. Enjoy the bounty!
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.
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The Calvert Gazette
John Patrick Curran Sr., 85 John Patrick Curran Sr., 85, of Solomons passed away on Dec. 15 in Prince Frederick. He was born on Nov. 5, 1927 in South Boston, Mass. to the late Mark and Catherine McDonough Curran. He was the beloved husband of Betty Lou Lankford Curran whom he married on March 28, 1947. John was born and raised in Boston and graduated from South Boston High School. He joined the Navy and served his country honorably for three years. He settled in Solomons and went on to work for the US Department of Defense as an Electrical Estimator/Planner. He retired in December 1982 after 36 years of service. He was a member of the American Legion Post 274 and the Solomons Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department. John is survived by his wife of 65 years, Betty Lou Curran of Solomons; children, Mark Curran and wife Darlene of Jacksonville, Fla., John Patrick Curran, Jr. of St. Leonard, Eileen Weems and husband Douglas of Prince Frederick, Marlene Leone and husband Mario of St. Leonard, Donna Oliff and husband Jack of Owings, Michael Curran and wife Mary Ellen of Dunkirk, Katherine Langley of Solomons; and, Stephen Joseph Curran of Dunkirk. His siblings, Barbara Curran and Anna Calnan; 17 grandchildren and 12 greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Joseph Curran, Mary Duquette, Michael Curran, and John Canavan. Pallbearers will be John Curran, Eric Curran, Dominic Leone, Sean Curran, Brian Curran, and Neil Curran. Honorary Pallbearers will be Cullen Oliff, Ian Cur-
Thursday, December 20, 2012
ran, and Ryan Curran. The family received friends on Dec. 18 in the Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., 20 American Lane, Lusby. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 19 in Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church (Historic Church), Solomons with Msgr. Michael Wilson officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. The family requests contributions to be made in John’s memory to the Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School, P.O. Box 560, Solomons, MD 20688.
Divine Word Catholic Church, 885 Cox Road, Huntingtown on Dec. 14. A Mass of Christian Burial was on Dec. 15. Interment was on Dec. 17 at Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Cheltenham, Md. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Mrs. Edna Hirschberg to be made to The ALS Association (DC/MD/VA Chapter), 7507 Standish Place, Rockville, MD 20855. For info, please go to: www.ALSinfo.org
Edna M. Hirschberg, 81
Bertie Frances Trott King, 92, of Dunkirk passed away Dec. 10 at Calvert County Nursing Center in Prince Frederick. She was born Sept. 8, 1920 in Dunkirk to Howard Winfield and Georgiana (Moreland) Trott. Bertie was raised in Dunkirk and attended Calvert County public schools. She married Marion Preston King on Feb. 14, 1942 in Baltimore and they made their home in Owings. Mr. King passed away in 1945 and Bertie moved back to the family farm in Dunkirk. She was employed with the Census Bureau and later was a clerk typist for Nationwide Insurance Company for thirty-three years, retiring in September 1983. Bertie was a life-long member of Smithville United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir and was active in the women’s society. She enjoyed crocheting, caring for houseplants, traveling and spending time with her family. Bertie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Marion, a sister Eugenia “Jean” Osbourn and a brother Howard Oden Trott Sr. She is survived by a son Franklin Trott King and wife Catherine of Dunkirk; grandchildren David Franklin King and wife Amy of Abu Dhabi, UAE, Mary Catherine Evers and husband Tom of Encinitas, Calf. and Susan Marie King Ollei and husband Joe of Kuwait. Also surviving are great-grandchildren Sarah, Jonathan, Kayleigh and Ethan King, Sam Winter, Chiara Evers and Nicholas Ollei and a brother Win-
Edna M. Hirschberg of Huntingtown, Md. passed away on Dec 10. She was born on July 19, 1931 in Mohall, N.D. to Edward and Martha (Gehringer) Engelhard. For 36 years, Edna was the beloved wife of Robert “Bob” Hirschberg and the loving mother of Phyllis Harris and the late Shirley Raffo. She is the stepmother of Robert Jr., Michael and John Hirschberg. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and is the sister of Rock Engelhard and the late Doris Shepherd. Edna lived in Huntingtown since 1978 and she and Bob were founding members of Jesus the Divine Word Catholic Church in Huntingtown. She was the past president of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Post 983 VFW during 1980. Some of Edna’s many hobbies included reading, traveling the east coast and going back to N.D. She enjoyed helping Bob with yard work, fishing and boating. Family received friends at Jesus the
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field Moreland Trott and wife Betty of Dunkirk. Family and friends were received Dec. 16 at Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., 8325 Mt. Harmony Lane, Owings. A funeral service and celebration of Bertie’s life was held on Dec. 17 at Smithville United Methodist Church, Dunkirk, Md. Interment followed at Mt. Harmony UM Church Cemetery, Owings, Md. Memorial contributions in Bertie’s name may be made to Smithville U.M. Church, 3005 Ferry Landing Road, Dunkirk, MD 20754, or to Calvert County Nursing Center, 85 Hospital Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678. For additional information or to leave condolences visit www. rauschfuneralhomes.com
Jo Ann Francis Nairn, 72 Jo Ann Francis Nairn, of Huntingtown, Md., passed away on Dec. 11 at Mercy Hospital at the age of 72. She was born on June 22, 1940 in Washington, DC to Henry and Virginia (Blackwell) Serowick. Jo Ann was married for 51 years to Thomas Nairn Sr. before his passing in Sept. 2009. The family moved to Huntingtown in 1977. She enjoyed going to Bingo and the Rod & Reel Restaurant. She was an avid shopper and was a devoted grandmother. No matter your age or status, she always made you feel special. Jo Ann was the beloved wife of the late Thomas F. Nairn Sr. and loving mother of Thomas F. Nairn Jr. and his wife, Dana Marie; James H. Nairn, and his wife, Joan; and Susan M. Kloss, and her husband, Rick. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Family received friends at Lee Funeral Home Calvert, 8200 Jennifer Lane (Rt 4 & Fowler Road), Owings, MD 20736 on Dec. 16. Funeral Services were on Dec. 17. Interment was at Southern Memorial Gardens, Ward Road, Dunkirk, Md. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P O Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058.
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Calvert Gazette
Singing the Chesapeake: Children’s Songs by Tom Wisner This long awaited collection of children’s songs by Tom Wisner, “Bard of the Chesapeake,” shares the living, streaming echoes of a unique, lifelong dedication and creative act of service – Wisner’s deep commitment to environmental education and awareness, which he shared through many art forms, but especially through music. Like all great artists, Tom Wisner, who died in April 2010, was drawn to a few central themes: the natural wonder of the Chesapeake Bay, the mystery of our own unity within the life web of nature, the flowing water of generations, and our vital connections with the natural world. These themes are reflected in his songs, such as “Made of Water,” “Dribus Go the Rain,” “Talked to the Heron,” “Sunshine,” and “Dredgin’ is My Drudgery.” The book also includes songs by long time collaborator Teresa Whitaker and Tom’s son, Mark Wisner. Tom wrote many songs, but the ones in this collection are those he sang often with children and groups of educators throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. The songs themselves are celebrations of imagination and wonder, and what it means to be “Chesapeake Born.”
This songbook is compiled and crafted by Teresa Whitaker in editorial collaboration with Frank Schwartz and Kathleen and Michael Glaser all artists, educators and longtime collaborators with Wisner. Working with personal correspondence and recordings, as well as archived materials, Whitaker has sought to bring forth the educational philosophies that underlie many of Wisner’s songs. The songbook is enhanced with Wisner's artwork and writings, his students’ artwork and photos by other artists. It is a strong resource for Chesapeake Bay region teachers and supports the implementation of the Maryland’s new environmental literacy standards, the first in the United States. Included with the songbook is a CD of the songs, including some tracks never heard or recorded before and some of Tom singing with children. The CD was produced by Jim Fox, of Lion and Fox Recording Studios. The songbook/CD set is available at the Calvert Marine Museum store. Teresa and Frank are giving a Tom Wisner tribute concert showcasing the songs in the book on Friday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. for First Free Friday. Book signing will follow. The book is also available from Chestory, a project of CHEARS: www.chestory.org
Tuba Christmas at Olss
Community
Bayside Toyota Donates to Kiwanis Club
Here is a photo of the Bayside Toyota donation to the Calvert Kiwanis Club made yesterday Dec. 12. Bayside has made a donation to the Calvert Club every year since 1997. This year’s donation is for $6,400. We use the donation to help the Calvert Community such as shopping for 40 children through the Angel Tree project (Social Services), constructing handicap ramps, etc. Pictured are club members Don Mighell, left, George Leah (club president), Geoff Wanamaker (Bayside), Dwight Williams, and Jack Upton.
The Following Locally Owned Business Would Like to Join the Calvert Gazette in Sending
Holiday Greetings And to Wish Prosperity for the New Year!
Photos by Sarah Miller
The sounds of tubas, sousaphones and euphoniums resonated through Our Lady Star of the Sea during the 11th annual TUBACHRISTMAS. Local musicians participated in the concert, and children in the audience joined as bell ringers during a rendition on “Jingle Bells.” TUBACHRISTMAS started in 1974 as a tribute to the late artist/teacher William J. Bell, born on Christmas Day in 1902, according to www.tubachristmas.com. The late Paul Lavalle conducted the first TUBACHRISTMAS, arranged by composer Alec Wilder, in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink on Dec. 22, 1974.
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
18
Ghost Deer Seen In St Mary’s Woods
Fur and Feathers By Keith McGuire Contributing Writer A friend of mine refers to ghosts as “haints” because that’s what his ancestors used to call them. There’s an old Chapel of Ease site on the property where we hunt that he won’t go near because churches of all types typically have cemeteries, and he wants to avoid a chance meeting with a haint during pre-dawn or post-sunset travels to and from his tree stand. He steers clear of that section of woods and we chuckle about his paranoia. In case you don’t know, early American Episcopal Churches built small chapels in their local parishes for the convenience of their parishioners so they didn’t have to travel long distances for church services. Each of these chapels was called a Chapel of Ease. As time passed and people became more mobile, these chapels were abandoned. We normal people know that there are no such things as ghosts, unicorns, jack-a-lopes, or centaurs in St. Mary’s County woodlands; or any other woodlands, for that matter. Even so, some things happen in the woods from time to time that give a lone hunter with an active imagination pause. One of those ap-
paritions may be the piebald deer. I have harvested several big bucks in my lifetime and, although I tend to get excited by the encounters, it has been a long time since I missed a deer because I was shaken. We used to call it buck fever and the stories abound of deer hunters shaken so badly that they can’t shoot their guns. I now have to call it piebald fever because I encountered one of the rare specimens during the gun season and it left me totally rattled and defeated. As I sat in the tree stand one afternoon at 4 p.m., I was surprised as the woods came alive with running deer approaching 100 yards off to my right. Three does came into view and turned to approach my stand. When they ran right up close to within 15 yards and relaxed, I knew that they didn’t know I was there. As I began to take aim on the largest of the three, more noise erupted from their path some 100 yards away. I could hear running deer and grunts as they ran past not quite coming into view. Certainly, this was a buck chasing another doe that I had not seen. Maybe they would circle back. I paused. Then, in a matter of seconds, a third bunch of deer came down the same path and made the turn toward my stand to join the first three. It turned out to be three does and the middle one looked more like a white Great Dane with dark spots. Forget the buck. A piebald deer is a rare thing and a trophy that I have wanted for many years. I had never seen one in the woods. As I raised my gun to shoot it seemed that the target bounced around in my scope. A quick trigger squeeze might work, I thought, and pulled the trigger. Startled, all of the animals including the piebald quickly moved to points unknown, leaving me to recap what had just happened. I had clearly and cleanly missed. As I think about it now, it is entertaining for me to consider that it might not have really happened. Oh, I had fired a shot, but at what? No one has seen the piebald deer in these woods before or since. Was it really there? Or, was it a unicorn, jack-a-lope, centaur or haint? We may never know! Keith has hunted wild game and waterfowl in Maryland and other states for more than 45 years. When the fishing season wanes, you will find him in the woods until deer season finishes.
Piebald Deer
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
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The Calvert Gazette will not be held responsible for any ads omitted for any reason. The Calvert Gazette reserves the right to edit or reject any classified ad not meeting the standards of The Calvert Gazette. It is your responsiblity to check the ad on its first publication and call us if a mistake is found. We will correct your ad only if notified after the first day of the first publication ran.
Real Estate for Sale
Real Estate for Sale
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GREAT oPPoRTuniTy – RidGE $339,900
For Sale: 20% share of corporation of which the primary asset is a working farm in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. The farm fields are leased and all development rights have been sold. Call 301-904-4452.
FOR RENT: 1 BR Apartment located within walking distance of the center of Leonardtown.
Live in one, Rent the other – Estate Sale Two homes + detached Garage on 3 Acres
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Real Estate Rentals LANDLORDS Do you need a tenant? RENTERS Call us about Rentals! RENTAL KING 301-737-7854 Rosehaven/ North Beach. 2Br, 2Ba townhouse. Enclosed yard. Closed street. Near park. Hot water oil heat. New Paint, hardwood floors, Woodburner. Washer/ dryer/ dishwasher. $1400/month + security and utilites. 4104747861. jjj2zf@gmail.com
$775/month + $775 security deposit. A/C, DW and laundry in unit. Trash & water included. Off-street parking. 22756 Lawrence Ave. in the Lawrence Ave. Apt. Building. Call Mike for tour & details @ 301-475-8384 or paragonprop@verizon.net.
Employment FT-Endoscopy Tech/ CNA needed for busy Prince Frederick, MD office. Please fax your resume to: 301-373-6900 Attn: Human Resources.
• NOW HIRING? • GOT A LAWNMOWER TO SELL? • AN APARTMENT FOR RENT? • A HOME TO SELL? People still turn to the Classifieds first.
So the next time you want something seen fast, get it in writing...get it in the Classifieds! Calvert Gazette Everything Calvert County
Vehicles For Sale: ‘96 F150 XLT 5.0L AUTOMATIC. 136k Miles. Runs great. Very clean, two-tone. Power locks and windows. Cold A/C. Call or text 240-538-1914. $4,000 obo. 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Laramie 4x4 Extended Cab. V8, automatic, power windows and locks, heat, tow pkg, 8ft bed, 4WD, A.R.E. cap, truck runs perfect, some rust on doors. 160k miles, call Jay 240 466 1711. Price: $2695. 1999 Ford Explorer XLT for sale, 4WD/ AWD, ABS Brakes, Air Conditioning, Alloy Wheels, AM/FM Stereo, Automatic Transmission, CD Audio, Cloth Seats, Cruise Control, Full Roof Rack, Power Locks, Power Mirrors, Power Seat(s), Power Windows, Rear Defroster. Clean Carfax. More pictures to come. $2150. Call 202-658-4929.
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
20
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.
Chorus Sings 10th Year for Hospice By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Ten years ago, a friend at the Burnett-Calvert Hospice House suggested he start a community chorus to raise money for Hospice, according to Larry Brown, director of the Chesapeake Community Chorus. Since then, the group has raised $58,000 to benefit Hospice and other charities. The choir focuses on raising money for local charities and entertaining the community. However, it does not charge admission because they “want to make sure everyone comes that wants to come,” Brown said. Instead they ask for donations. Every member is a volunteer and in the choir because they want to be there, not for pay or academic credits. The singers’ love for what they do comes out in their performance, with every singer engaged and actively par-
ticipating, Brown said. The chorus performs “mostly sacred music,” Brown said. That type of music fits the church venues the group normally performs in. For a little bit of variety, Brown will throw in a little bit of gospel and “general concert type music.” “We slip in one of almost everything,” Brown said. At their “Music of the Season” concerts Dec. 15 and 16, the group performed the Mother Goose Madrigals as part of their repertoire. The piece, including classics such as “Pop! Goes the Weasel” and “The Bear Went Over the Mountain.” These madrigals are interactive, with children and adults encouraged to sing along, Brown said. Three year member Rosemary Purnell of Owings said she joined the chorus because she wanted to help give back to her community. Her favorite pieces have been Appalachian hymns. “I just enjoy the simplicity,” she said.
Entertainment Calendar Thursday, Dec. 20 Live Music: “Mixed Business” Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 8 p.m. Holiday Concert and Sing-Along: “Fathers & Sons” Calvert Library Prince Frederick (850 Costley Way, Prince Frederick) – 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 21 Live Music: “The Piranhas” Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Kappa Danielson and Paul Larson”** The Westlawn Inn (9200 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach) – 7:30 p.m. Live Music: “Pet the Monster” Anthony’s Bar and Grill (10371 Southern Maryland Boulevard, Dunkirk) – 9 p.m.
Director Larry Brown leads the Chesapeake Community Chorus.
Lusby resident Paul Shippert joined for similar reasons. He was looking for an “opportunity to support those in need and enjoy doing it.” In addition to churches all over the county, the chorus sings at the annual Service of Remembrance. The choir, constantly seeking more singers, rehearses every other week. The number of people in the choir averages 30 singers at rehearsals and 25 at concerts. Most of the performances and rehearsals are in the late afternoon on Sundays in order to have the least impact on the workweek and to allow the most people to join in. The group recently lost six singers who retired and moved out of the area, leaving the group with gaps to fill.
Saturday, Dec. 22 Live Music: “Sam Grow” Vera’s White Sands Beach Club (1200 White Sands Drive, Lusby) – 9:30 p.m. Live Music: “Dave & Kevin Trio” Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) – 8 p.m. Live Music: “Angie Miller” Running Hare Vineyard (150 Adelina Road, Prince Frederick) – 12 p.m.
Photos by Sarah Miller
Another challenge working with an all-volunteer group is most of the chorus members belong to their church choirs, meaning the Chesapeake Community Chorus cannot perform too close to Christmas or Easter. The majority of the chorus’s performances are in the spring and the fall, with the early December concerts are the closest they perform to the holiday season, Brown said. “We’d love to have anybody,” Brown said. For more information, call Brown 301-855-7477 or e-mail lbrown9601@ verizon.net. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Live Music: “Diane Daly” The Westlawn Inn (9200 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach) – 7:30 p.m. Live Music: “Funkzilla” Jake & Al’s Chophouse (258 Town Square Drive, Lusby) –
Sunday, Dec. 23 Live Music: “Fran Scuderi” Running Hare Vineyard (150 Adelina Road, Prince Frederick) – 1 p.m. ** Times are subject to change.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
CLUES ACROSS 1. 1st Hall of Famer Ty 5. Coat with plaster 9. Reciprocal of a sine (abbr.) 12. Jai __, sport 13. Straight muscles 14. 10 = 1 dong 15. Peru’s capital 16. Of a main artery 17. Latin for hail 18. Give birth to a horse 19. Colors material 20. Triglyceride is one 22. Take a plane hostage 24. Margarines 25. A tributary of the Missouri River 26. Bring up children 27. 3rd tone of the scale 28. Light boat (French) 31. Relating to geometry 33. Cursed, obstinate 34. Aluminum 35. Sec. of State 1981-82 36. Barn towers 39. Bonito genus
40. Deep ravines 42. Spirit in “The Tempest” 43. Small restaurant 44. Bambi for example 46. Actor DeCaprio 47. Ambled or strolled 49. Cleanse with soap and water 50. Atomic mass unit 51. Var. of emir 52. Supplemented with difficulty 53. Manuscripts (abbr.) 54. Frambesia 55. Auld lang __, good old days
CLUES DOWN 1. A young cow 2. Collection of miscellaneous pieces 3. Mali capital 4. Onion rolls 5. “10” actress Bo 6. Performs in a play 7. Iguana genus 8. Fox’s Factor host 9. French hat
The Calvert Gazette
10. One who rescues 11. Female students 13. Rolls-__, luxury car 16. Slow tempos 21. Relating to the ileum 23. Irish flautist 28. Sleeping place 29. Indicates position 30. Prepared for competition 31. One who shows the way 32. Of I 33. Decayed teeth 35. Seraglios 36. More free from danger 37. Great amounts 38. Surreptitious 39. Arabian greeting 40. Angel food and carrot 41. # of ancient wonders 43. Ball of thread or yarn 45. To interpret: explain 48. Doctors’ group
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Out&About Classes at Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center • artLAB School’s Out Classes Annmarie Garden, Solomons, Md. The artLAB at Annmarie Garden will be open during the school break, Dec. 26 - Jan. 1, 2013, 1 to 4 p.m., daily. Break out of school boredom and come to Annmarie Garden to make a special seasonal project. The artLAB is free with general admission. Take a break from creating and explore the art galleries, the outdoor garden, and visit The Giftshop at Annmarie. New winter hours for the artLAB, beginning Jan. 4, 2013. For more information, visit www.annmariegarden. org or call 410-326-4640. • artLAB New Hours Staring Jan. 4, 2013 Annmarie Garden, Solomons, Md. The artLAB at Annmarie Garden will have new winter hours and will be open Friday through Monday, 2 to 5 p.m., beginning Jan. 4, 2013 through March. Should you want to visit during the week (at a different time), group visits for all ages can be organized, simply call 410-326-4640 or email artlab@annmariegarden.org to schedule your visit. • artLAB Mom’s Club Annmarie Garden, Solomons, Md. artLAB Mom’s Club at Annmarie Garden is held on the first and third Monday of each month. These lightly guided sessions will help your child make great art, fun toys, creative costumes, and new friends. This club is perfect for preschoolers, ages 3-5. Mark your calendars, Dec. 3 and 17, 10 to 12 p.m. and new hours in 2013. Jan. 7, Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, March 4, and March 18, 9 to 11 a.m. Cost is $7 for parent/child pair; $2 for each additional child. No registration required. Call 410-326-4640 for more information. • Homechool Tuesdays Annmarie Garden, Solomons, Md. Annmarie Garden will host Homechool Tuesdays, 9 to 11 a.m., on Jan. 15, Feb. 19, and March 19. Add a little artLAB to your homeschool curriculum as we invent, build, and discover through guided ‘challenges’. Ideal for ages 7-12 years, but all ages can participate. No registration required; $7 for parent/child pair; $2 for each additional child. No registration required. Call 410-326-4640 for more information. • Wednesday Wine Nights Annmarie Garden, Solomons, Md. – 5 to 7 p.m. Annmarie Garden will host Wednesday Wine Nights, the third Wednesday night of each month, 5 to 7 p.m. (drop in at any time), on Dec. 19, Jan. 16, Feb. 20, and March 20. Bring your favorite beverage or snack and get ready to turn trash to treasure as we create home décor, fashion items, and jewelry. Adults only, no registration required. Cost is $7 per person. For more information visit annmariegarden.org or call 410326-4640. Plan a fun night out with your friends. • Open Studio Days Annmarie Garden, Solomons, Md. Annmarie Garden will host Open Studio Days in the artLAB by appointment only. If you have want free reign in the artLAB to create, now is your chance. Email artlab@annmariegarden.org or call to schedule your session today. Cost is $7 per person.
Monday, Jan. 21 • School’s Art, Art’s In Annmarie Garden, Solomons, Md. – 9 to 4 p.m. Register at Annmarie Garden today for the next School’s Art, Art Is In full-day program, for Grades K-2 or Grades 3-5. Students will learn all about the animal kingdom through art, with a specific focus on Magnificent Mammals. Call today to pre-register for this popular class at 410-326-4640; Members $35, Non-Members $40. Register early, as spaces are limited. For more information please visit www.annmariegarden.org
The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
22
Community Events Thursday, Dec.20 • Sea Squirts Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, 10:30 to 11 a.m. Terrific Turtles. Special guest Lynn Duff will present a special sponsored by PNC Bank Grow Up Great Initiative, this is a free drop-in program for children 18 months to three-years-old and their caregivers. • Toastmasters International Prince Frederick Library, 11:30-12:30 Nervous when asked to speak publically? Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality. Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking – vital skills that promote selfactualization, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind. Meetings are held the first and third Thursday of every month. For more information and dates and locations for the holiday season, please contact Belinda Denton at 443-624-2402, or bdcapuano@msn.com. Visit our website at www.calvert.toastmastersclubs.org
Friday, Dec. 21 • Dramatic Reading of the Polar Express Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, 4155 Mears Ave., Chesapeake Beach, 5:30, 6, and 6:30 p.m. Gather the children to hear Conductor John read the wonderful story of The Polar Express. Enjoy goodies, sing songs and play games. Each reading is 30 minutes in duration. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Call 410-257-3892 or go to www.cbrm.org • Old Time Holiday Trolley Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, 4155 Mears Ave., Chesapeake Beach, 6, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. Travel back in time to the year 1900 as visitors hop aboard the beach trolley and hear about what the holidays were like back when Chesapeake Beach was founded. Sing Christmas carols and enjoy a ride around town to view the beautiful Christmas light displays including stops at all the “Brightest Beacon on the Bay” winners. Each ride lasts 30 minutes. Free and open to the public. Reservations required. Call 410-257-3892 or go to www. cbrm.org • Dramatic Reading of the Polar Express Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, 4155 Mears Ave., Chesapeake Beach - 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m.; each reading is 30 minutes in duration Gather the children to hear Conductor John read the wonderful story of The Polar Express. Enjoy goodies, sing songs and play games! This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. 410-257-3892 • www.cbrm. org • Chesapeake Beach Dinner American Legion 206, Chesapeake Beach - 5:30 to 7 p.m. Chef Clarisse’s Famous Baked Fish is the main focus of this informal dinner hosted by the American Legion Stallings-Williams Post 206 Auxiliary from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Come to the lower level dining room for a meal you won’t soon forget. Cost is $10 including side, salad, and beverage. The Post is on Route 260 in Chesapeake Beach and questions may be directed to 301-855-6466. www. ALpost206.org
Saturday, Dec. 22 • Barn Exhibit Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
JPPM’s Visitor Center may be closed for the season, but guests can still enjoy the park and grounds everyday. Tuesdays at JPPM visitors are welcome to stop by the Exhibit Barn which will be open every Tuesday from 10 to 4 p.m. and features a wonderful exhibit titled: “Farmers, Patriots and traitors: Southern Maryland and the War of 1812”
Sunday, Dec. 23 • Gingerbread Lighthouse Workshops Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Enjoy our most popular holiday event, Gingerbread Lighthouse Workshops. Fee is $4 per child. Sign up at the admissions desk on the day of the workshop.
Monday, Dec. 24 • The King’s Birthday Emmanuel United Methodist Church (1250 Emmanuel Church Road, Huntingtown, Md. 20639) - 3:00 PM Emmanuel UMC’s Youth will present “The King’s Birthday” at 3 p.m. Candlelight Traditional Service at 7 p.m. and Candlelight with Communion Service at 11 p.m. • Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church (9463 H.G.Trueman Rd., Lusby) - 7:00 PM Come celebrate Christmas Eve as the doors of this new church building open to the community for its second Christmas season. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be held at 7 p.m. at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church. For more information call 410-231-2075 or check www.shepherdofthebay.com
Wednesday, Dec. 26 • Anatomy of an Oyster Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Join an interpreter in the Estuarium for a program starring Rock E. Feller, the museum’s giant stuffed oyster. Learn about the anatomy and biology of this fascinating species. Free with museum admission, 15 minute programs starting at the top of every hour.
Thursday, Dec. 27 • Little Minnows Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, 10 to 11 a.m. You Can Draw Me: Chesapeake Bay Sea Life and More – Turtles presented by author Elaine Thompsen for children three to five-years-old. Sponsored by PNC Bank Grow Up Great Initiative, Thompsen will teach children how to draw a turtle swimming in a marsh by the bay, then have them paint it in with watercolors. Space is limited and pre-registration suggested: 410-326-2042 ext. 41. Free thanks to PNC. • Turtle Talks Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, 1 to 4 p.m. Join an interpreter in the Discovery room for an overview of the turtles that live in our area. Meet our juvenile turtles, our newest turtle resident, and touch a terrapin. Free with museum admission, fifteen-minute programs start at the top of every hour. • ‘Hunger Games’ Movie Showing Calvert Library Prince Frederick (850 Costley Way) - 6 to 8:30 p.m. Join us for a showing of the recent popular movie based on Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Rated PG13. This is a free event. For more information: 410-5350291 or 301-855-1862.
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The Calvert Gazette
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Friday, Dec. 28 • The World of the Megalodon Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, 1 to 4 p.m. Join an interpreter in the fossil hall for an overview of these gargantuan giants and learn what was in the water with them 8 to 20 million years ago. Free with museum admission, 15 minute programs starting at the top of every hour.
want to attend. Doors open at 6 pm and festivities commence with hot hors d’oeuvres, then dinner, followed by dancing to the tunes of the Snakebite Band, a champagne toast to bring in the New Year, and finally a continental breakfast. Cost is $45 each or $75/couple. Tickets may be purchased from the Bartender. For more information, call 301-855-6466.
Thursday, Jan. 3
• Creativity Workshop Calvert Library Prince Frederick (850 Costley Way) – 1 to 4 p.m. Bring your quilting, needlework, knitting, crocheting, or other project for an afternoon of conversation and shared creativity. This is a free event. For more information: 410-535-0291 or 301-855-1862.
• Meditation Northeast Community Center in Chesapeake Beach - 9:30 a.m. Curious about mediation? This free session offers an invitation to explore stillness with breath awareness and relaxation techniques. Northeast Community Center. Instructor: Cristal Toribio, eRYT, LMT. cristalrae@massagetherapy.com
Sunday, Dec. 30
Wednesday, Jan 2
• Seahorses Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, 1 to 4 p.m. Join an interpreter by the seahorse exhibit to get a look at these ‘sea dragons’ with monkey tails. Learn about their exotic courtship and unconventional birth. Explore their habitat, their relatives, and why there are so few of them left. Free with museum admission, 15 minute programs starting on the top of every hour.
• Gentle Yoga Northeast Community Center - 9:30 a.m. Free Gentle Yoga Class. Begin the new year with Yoga. Learn basic techniques to encourage flexibility and relaxation.. Instructor: Cristal Toribio, eRYT, LMT cristalrae@massagethearpy.com
Monday, Dec. 31 • New Year’s Eve Dinner-Dance American Legion 206, Chesapeake Beach - 6 p.m. The American Legion Post 206 on Route 260 in Chesapeake Beach is hosting the New Year’s Party you’ll
Friday, Jan. 4 • Hula Hooping Northeast Community Center - 7:15 p.m. Enjoy a fun evening of Hula Hooping! Explore simple tricks, dance and play with hula hoops! This free session will be offered at the Northeast Community Center. Open to all levels, no experience necessary. Hoops provided. Please email cristalrae@massagetherapy.com with questions.
Library Events Thursday, Dec. 20 • Yes, You CAN Use a Computer Calvert Library Fairview Branch, Rt. 4 and Chaneyville Road, Owings, 2-3 p.m. Participants will learn the basics of formatting a resume using Microsoft Word. The training will last one hour and will take place in a small group. Please register by calling 410-257-2101. • Holiday Concert & Sing-along Calvert Library Prince Frederick, 850 Costley Way, 7-8:30 p.m. Bring the family to enjoy “Fathers & Sons” barbershop quartet singing holiday songs and then join in a sing-along of fun holiday favorites. For more information call 410-535-0291 or 301-855-1862.
Join us for a showing of the recent popular movie based on Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Rated PG-13. For more information call 410-535-0291 or 301-855-1862.
Friday, Dec. 28 • On Pins & Needles Calvert Library Prince Frederick, 850 Costley Way, 1-4:00 p.m. Bring your quilting, needlework, knitting, crocheting, or other project for an afternoon of conversation and shared creativity. 410-535-0291 or 301-855-1862.
Monday, Dec. 31 Library Closes early for New Year’s Eve. 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2013
• On Pins & Needles Calvert Library Prince Frederick, 850 Costley Way, 1-4 p.m. Bring your quilting, needlework, knitting, crocheting, or other project for an afternoon of conversation and shared creativity. For more information call 410535-0291 or 301-855-1862.
Library Closed for New Year’s Day. 12-12 a.m.
Library Closed for Christmas. 12-12 a.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 25 Library Closed for Christmas. 12-12 a.m.
Thursday, Dec. 27 • Movie based on Hunger Games Calvert Library Prince Frederick, 850 Costley Way, 6-8:30 p.m.
Throughout the Month Through Sunday, Dec. 30 • Artworks@7th Artworks@7th is located at 9100 Bay Avenue in North Beach, 1 to 6 p.m. Please join us at the opening reception for our holiday gift show featuring small works by over 25 local artists, including jewelry, ceramics, paintings, prints, cards, fabric art, ornaments and more. The show goes from Nov. 29 thru Dec. 30. Artworks@7th is a cooperative gallery with 23 artists in media ranging from pottery, sculpture, ceramics, glassware, custom art jewelry, and stained glass to landscape paintings and photographs with views of Chesapeake and North Beach, of local scenery, barns and farmland, water views, equestrian art and historic views of Washington, D.C. We also have wonderful florals and still life in pastel, oil and watercolor. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday or by appointment. For more information or directions call 410-286-5278 or go to www. artworksat7th.com
Through Monday, Dec. 31 • Endangered Species: Watermen of the Chesapeake Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Road, Solomons This is a temporary exhibit featuring the black-andwhite photography of Glen McClure on loan from the Mariner’s Museum, along with original photographs by A. Aubrey Bodine from the museum’s collection. Call 410-326-2042 or go to www.calvertmarinemuseum. com
Through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013
Friday, Dec. 21
Monday, Dec. 24
Out&About
Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013 • Movie and Discussion “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” Calvert Library Prince Frederick, 850 Costley Way, 6- 8:30 p.m. Looking for an inspirational start to your new year? Come see a motivating and triumphant film about the power of the human spirit, based on Dan Millman’s bestselling book, Way of the Peaceful Warrior. A gifted young athlete, bound for Olympic gold, has it all: trophies, talent, and all the women he wants. But after a tragic accident, Dan comes to rely on a mysterious stranger, and an elusive young woman, to teach him the secret to overcome incredible odds and tap into new worlds of strength and understanding. This is one that should not be missed. Light refreshments and coffee will be served. For more information call Robyn Truslow at 410-535-0291 or 301-855-1862.
• Fifth Annual Ornament Show and Sale Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, 13480 Dowell Road, Solomons The Ornament Show and Sale is a juried show that features hand-crafted ornaments by 22 regional artists. This is the perfect place to find unique and affordable gifts for friends and family. The ornaments are hung on trees displayed in the main gallery of the arts building. Call 410-326-4640 or go to www.annmariegarden.org
Through Thursday, Jan. 3, • Brightest Beacon on the Bay Chesapeake Beach Town Hall, 8200 Bayside Road, Chesapeake Beach Tens of thousands of holiday lights twinkle throughout Chesapeake Beach to make it the Brightest Beacon on the Bay. Call 410-257-2230 or www.chesapeake-beach.md.us
Through Saturday, Jan. 12 • Tans Holiday Train Display Tans Cycles and Parts, 9032 Chesapeake Ave., North Beach This interactive five-level train display includes 25 trains, a carnival, construction site, tunnels, bridges and more. Call 410-257-6619 or go to www.tanscyclesparts. com
Through Sunday, Feb. 24 • Marc Castelli: The Art of the Waterman Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, 13480 Dowell Road, Solomons This exhibit features 23 paintings by renowned Chesapeake artist Marc Castelli, on loan from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michael’s, Md. Seventeen of the paintings were donated to the museum from the Diane Simison collection. The remaining images are from the artist’s personal collection. Call 410326-4640 or go to www.annmariegarden.org
The Calvert Gazette
Save Energy, Save Money — A RESOLUTION YOU CAN KEEP Get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions with a SMECO Quick Home Energy Check-up — at no additional cost to you!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
New Year’s Res olutions 3 SCHEDULE A QUICK HOME ENERGY CHECK-UP 3 Reduce energy use 3 Lower ene rgy costs 3 Improve m y home’s com fort
Visit SMECO.coop/save to schedule your Quick Home Energy Check-up today. When you schedule a Quick Home Energy Check-up, a check-up professional will: • Visit your home to perform the Quick Home Energy Check-up, which typically takes about one hour. • Do a visual inspection to evaluate the condition of your home’s insulation levels, air tightness, heating and cooling systems, windows, doors, lighting, and appliances. • Provide a report that details the check-up findings and outlines recommendations for energy-efficiency improvements. • Install (with your permission) at least three applicable energy-saving measures, such as: • Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)
• Pipe insulation
• Faucet aerators
• Smart strips
• Efficient-flow showerhead
FAST. EASY. No additional cost to you.
Contact SMECO now to schedule your Quick Home Energy Check-up! Visit SMECO.coop/save or call 877-818-4094. This program supports the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act.
www.smeco.coop/save
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