2009-03-26

Thursday, March 26, 2009 Thursday, March 26, 2009
Maryland day
Topped off WiTh
$3,300 Cake
Bus Crash sends
kids To hospiTal
Story Page 13
aiG Bonuses:
Where Was hoyer?
Story Page 7
Photo by Frank Marquart
forresT leGaCy
Will ConTinue
Story Page 9
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The County Times
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Weekly Poll
Not
Sure
Do you think enough is being done to protect
the health of the Chesapeake Bay?
Do you think more needs to be done to protect
the countys rural lands from residential or
commercial development?
Do you think the countys population is growing
too fast?
Yes
REDEEM CERTIFICATES 3/27/09 - 4/11/09
63%
No
19%
13%
50%
25%
Not
Sure
Yes
No
31%
69%
13%
19%
No
Yes
Not
Sure
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spond to future polls, please send us your town and telephone
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Leonardtown & LaPlata
Bus: (301) 475-3151 (800) 872-8010
(301) 934-8437 Charles County
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Do You Feel Crabby When You Get Your
Insurance Bill in the Mail? Give Us A Call.
Burris Olde Towne Insurance
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The County Times
Heneedstostartvotinglike
herepresentsthe5thDistrictnot
Berkley.HerepresentstheWestern
ShoreoftheChesapeakeBaynotthe
westernshoreofSanFranciscoBay.
Del.AnthonyODonnell(R-Dist.29C)
StateHouseMinorityLeader
Weregoingtotake
backfromnaturewhat
naturetookfromus.
GeorgeErichsen,director
oftheDepartmentofPublic
WorksandTransportation
ews
Todays Newsmakers In Brief
Fact
un Humanjawmusclescangenerateaforceof
200pounds(90.8kilograms)onthemolars.
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
Volunteer rescue squads currently face a short-
age of volunteers, which makes providing life-saving
services diffcult, but part of that strain is a signif-
cant number of calls that are not really emergencies
say county frst responders.
It does put a strain on us, said Ken Hicks,
president of the Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue
Squad. Theyre looking at procedures to weed out
some calls [at the county 911 center] but thatll be a
lengthy amount of time.
Hicks estimated that of about 500 calls for ser-
vice his squad receives each month, 30 to 40 of them
are from people whose situation is neither dire nor
life-threatening.
He said that in speaking with other rescue
squad personnel, the situation was similar through-
out the county.
Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad runs
about 5,000 calls a year.
Its a signifcant number, Hicks told The
County Times. But I cant refuse to take you to the
hospital if you say you need to go to the hospital.
The people who arent in dire need of care run
the gamut from patients who just have a headache
to those who just want a warm bed and hot meal,
Hicks said.
County Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly
(D-Leonardtown) confrmed that the county emer-
gency communications center might implement pro-
cedures to rank calls in their order of need, but that
process would not be immediate.
The key now, Mattingly said, was to ensure the
county pushes recruiting efforts to get enough vol-
unteers to cover all the extra calls.
Mattingly, who is a member of the Leonard-
town Volunteer Fire Department, said it appeared
that the non-emergency ambulance calls were on the
rise.
It certainly increases the demands being put
on the rescue squads, Mattingly said. It gets to the
point where sometimes they pick calls.
It all impacts the system as a whole, but typi-
cally you err on the side of caution.
One problem that encourages people to call for
an ambulance, even if they are not in immediate dan-
ger, is the false belief that they will be seen faster at
St. Marys Hospital if they arrive in an ambulance.
Both Mattingly and Hicks said those days are
over; the hospital triages all patients now whether
they come in by ambulance or not.
They dont get what they think theyre going
to get, Hicks said.
Mattingly said that despite the problems with
non-emergency calls, there were no plans among the
commissioners to push for a per-call ambulance fee
to transport patients to the hospital.
We havent discussed that, Mattingly said.
Non-Emergency Calls Straining Ambulance Services
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
County planners got the go-ahead Tuesday to take a
text amendment to the planning commission that would
allow wineries in the countys rural preservation district
as well as in zones where only low density development
of homes is allowed.
While the St. Marys Board of County Commission-
ers voted unanimously to send the proposal to the plan-
ning commission, the concept faced some opposition.
Im not in favor of casting my vote for a winery
in the R-L (residential low density) zone, said Commis-
sioner President Francis Jack Russell (D-St. Georges
Island). We ought to keep housing density in the R-L
zone to the growth policy.
Under current county zoning law one house is per-
mitted on every fve acres in the rural preservation dis-
trict and up to fve are permitted on one acre in the R-L
zone.
Russell, who supported the concept of wineries, said
he feared that a winery in the R-L zone would increase
the pressure for more development there.
There are several privately owned wineries in the
southern end of the county and another cooperative win-
ery is planned for Leonardtown to create a new growth
industry.
Bob Schaller, director of the countys Department
of Economic and Community Development, said that the
overall plan was to have a series of wineries that could at-
tract visitors from Calvert County, where fve such busi-
nesses now exist, down to St. Marys.
In order for wineries to be successful you have
to have more than one, Schaller told commissioners.
Thats the nature of a wine trail.
Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Mary-
land Wineries Association, tried to allay fears that
wineries would bring heavy impacts to the areas
around them.
Banquets, weddings and other events could
occur at wineries as a conditional use that re-
quired prior approval.
A winery can be successful with just a few
acres of grapes, Atticks told commissioners.
Most wineries are not in the business for large
scale events.
People will go to the winery for the wine.
Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly (D-
Leonardtown) said that wineries in
the county would likely not have a too
large a negative impact, par-
ticularly form car trips.
I dont think traffc will
be a big issue with a winery,
Mattingly said. I dont see us
having a winery that size.
Planning Commission To Take Up
Issue Of More County Wineries
OntheGibsonRoadshoreline
improvementprojectin
Bushwoodtohalterosion.
OnHouseMajorityLeader
StenyHoyersvotingrecordand
supportofgovernmentspending.
Three out of the fve members of
the Board of County Commissioners
signed a letter of support for federal
stimulus funds to be used for building a
trolley system for the Three Notch Trail
leading down from Charlotte Hall to
the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in
Lexington Park.
The three commissioners, Law-
rence D. Jarboe, Daniel H. Raley and
Kenneth R. Dement, had the letters sent
to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer,
and U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski
and Benjamin Cardin Tuesday.
The letter states that the trolley
system could allow seniors and veter-
ans from Charlotte Hall could access
shopping all the way down in Califor-
nia while Wildewood residents could
use the system to commute to and from
work on the base.
The installation of the system
would also help free up St. Marys Tran-
sit buses for use on the countys east-to-
west routes, the letter stated.
Beyond the local commuting and
tourism benefts, the clean green con-
nector also insures a solid place for St.
Marys County in future BRAC (Base
realignment and closure) consolida-
tions, the letter states.
Commissioners Oppose
Cable Franchise Bill In
Annapolis
The St. Marys Board of County
Commissioners sent a letter March 17 to
the chair of the Economic Matters Com-
mittee in Annapolis opposing a bill that
would take the county cable franchise
and place it under the control of the
states Public Service Commission.
In the letter commissioners stated
that local franchise fees would no lon-
ger be made to the county, which meant
that the county would lose out on about
$750,000 in fees for this year.
The bill, if passed, also meant that
customer complaints about breakdowns
in cable service from television to In-
ternet connections would no longer be
handled at the county level.
They call the county [with a prob-
lem] youll lose all that and give it
to the Public Service Commission and
they dont have the personnel to deal
with it, said Commissioner Thomas
A. Mattingly (D-Leonardtown). Wed
probably have to pay for the three pub-
lic access channels if they were outside
the franchise; we have an excellent
agreement already and wed hate to lose
that.
County Wants Stimulus
Funds For Trolley System
The County Times
ews
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
Southern Marylanders from the tri-county
region, Prince Georges County and even the
Eastern Shore gathered on Solomons Island
Sunday to give the state and federal government
a piece of their minds about what they say is out
of control spending through economic stimulus
packages and bailouts of failing big businesses.
Hundreds of people, mostly Republicans
and fscal conservatives,
showed up with their signs
protesting everything from the
Obama administrations fscal
policies to the U.S. Federal
Reserve and the $218 million
in recent bonuses paid out to
AIG executives using federal
funds with the knowledge of
key government leadership.
Mary Burke-Russell, of
Leonardtown, waited along
with other protestors to see
the ceremonial dumping of
tea boxes into the Patux-
ent River, reminiscent of the
heady days before the Ameri-
can Revolution that saw angry
Bostonians fing tea into their
own harbor rather than pay
the crowns tax.
I dont need the gov-
ernment to take care of me, Burke-Russell, a
small business owner told The County Times.
I dont feet good about the bailouts, the bail-
outs are wrong.
If I had a problem with my business no-
bodys going to bail me out.
Brooks and Judith Freegards, also of Leon-
ardtown, said they came out for the March 22
protest because their usual attempts to get their
concerns addressed had not worked.
Phone calls and letter writing to members
of the U.S. Congress never seemed to get an-
swered, they said, or if they were they could not
get a straight answer about how the government
was going to fx the countrys fnancial mess.
Doesnt seem like its done much good,
Brooks Freegard said. You dont get the sense
that the communica-
tion is going through.
While political
speakers like Del. An-
thony ODonnell (R-
29C), the state House
Mi n o r i t y
Leader, and Charles Loller, Chairman of the
Charles County GOP Central Committee, de-
fned the event as a mostly Republican affair
with concurrent rhetoric, a local political ana-
lyst thinks they may have hit on something.
Michael Cain, professor at the Center for
the Study of Democracy at St. Marys College
of Maryland, said the Maryland GOP needed to
engage in these kinds of grassroots movements
to make itself competitive in a strongly Demo-
cratic state.
Im very much in favor of the Republicans
doing this, said Cain. I think the Republicans
in the state need to fnd populist issues they can
talk about at the state and local and not just the
national level.
Cain said the state would beneft from a
more balanced form of representation between
the two parties, but he cautioned that nationally
both the Democrats and the GOP, especially in
the last eight years of the Bush administration,
had showed a propensity to spend taxpayer dol-
lars and expand government.
[The tea party movement] is coming from
the political right, but people in the center are
worried about what budgets are looking like,
Cain said. Its not a Democrat or Republican
issue; both parties have showed their ability to
increase the defcit.
Both parties have shown an inability to
say no to spending while in power.
St. Marys Residents Cross The Bridge
To Protest Government Spending
Photo by Guy Leonard
Taxation and economic stimulus protesters turned out in force for a tea
party rally on Solomons Island March 22.
The County Times
State
around the
The Maryland Senate has given preliminary ap-
proval to legislation that would help parents restrict
childrens access to certain Internet sites.
Sen. Nancy King, D-Montgomery, is sponsoring
the bill to give parents a tool to help keep kids away
from predators and from Web sites they are too young
to view.
The bill would allow Internet service providers
to charge a fee for households that opt to use parental
control features.
The measure was amended to remove a provi-
sion that would have required the Maryland State
Department of Education to develop guidelines for
instruction on Internet safety.
Senate Moves Forward On
Online Child Safety Bill
A proposal to create a tax amnesty in Maryland
is making progress in the Maryland Senate.
Senators gave initial approval to the legislation
Tuesday.
The bill is intended to raise money for the state
by allowing residents who owe back taxes to pay the
money back over a certain period without penalties.
The state would forgive penalties and half of the in-
terest owed.
The measure would create an amnesty period
between Sept. 1, 2009, and Oct. 31, 2009, for state
and local income tax. It also would apply to sales and
use taxes.
The state has held two previous tax amnesties.
Sen. James DeGrange, D-Anne Arundel, says
the frst in 1987 raised $20 million for the states
general fund. The other, in 2001, raised about $28
million.
Maryland Tax Amnesty
Bill Advances In Senate
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
A spokeswoman for House Majority
Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md-5
th
) said that
the congressman did not have knowledge of
an amendment in the recently passed $787
billion stimulus package that allowed execu-
tives at American International Group to col-
lect about $218 million in bonuses.
The provision to the stimulus package
that allowed the bonuses to go through, called
the Dodd amendment after Connecticut Sen-
ator Christopher Dodd who proffered it, has
sparked outrage across the nation for using
tax payer dollars for extra pay for executives
whose company received bailout dollars.
Dodd, who originally denied creating
the amendment, recanted shortly after media
reports began investigating the bonus fasco.
A press release from Hoyers offce dat-
ed March 16 said that the bonuses at taxpayer
expense were unacceptable but just days
later national media reports showed that both
Dodd and Secretary of the Treasury Timothy
Geithner were aware of the amendment.
Stephanie Lundberg, Hoyers press sec-
retary, said that Hoyer sent members of con-
gress to a conference committee to discuss
the stimulus package passed February but
that none of those representatives reported
back to Hoyer about the Dodd Amendment.
Hoyer also voted in favor of a House bill
that specifcally taxed the AIG executives
bonuses by a whopping 90 percent last week.
He voted for the bill but he did say there
could be constitutional questions, Lundberg
told The County Times Tuesday.
The bill taxing the bonuses has come
under fre over claims that it was unconstitu-
tional because Congress only has broad tax-
ing authority and cannot tax individuals or
corporations singularly.
Nobody knew these bonuses would be
going out, Lundberg said. The [Obama] ad-
ministration was trying to fnd out how to get
some of the money back.
There will be more oversight moving
forward.
Del. John Wood (D-Dist. 29A) said that
the sheer size of the stimulus package, de-
signed by the Obama administration to osten-
sibly jump start the economy, at about 1,000
pages could have contributed to ignorance of
the AIG bonus measure.
I dont know whether it was an over-
sight or just slipped through, Wood told The
County Times. Sometimes you miss things
unfortunately.
But that didnt fully excuse the situation,
Wood said.
On the other hand you have to people
who can bring it to your attention, so that you
know that this kind of thing is in there.
Lundberg said that Hoyer would not be
available for comment on this article.
State House Minority Leader Del. An-
thony ODonnell (R-Dist. 29C) was dubious
about the statements made on Hoyers behalf.
If the congressmans press people say
that whos to refute them, ODonnell said
with sarcasm. But I think the congressman
would like us to talk more about these bonus-
es so that it averts our attention from these
massive spending bills which will hammer
our children and grand children for possibly
decades to come.
Rep: Hoyer Didnt Know About AIG Bonuses
The Maryland House of Delegates has
passed legislation that would allow pull-tab
electronic gaming machines to remain in estab-
lishments in Calvert County and Anne Arundel
County until June of 2011.
As a result of a measure passed by the
Maryland General Assembly last year, similar
machines were required to be removed from St.
Marys County despite the fact that proceeds from
the machines were going to non-proft organiza-
tions. Machines in Calvert and Anne Arundel
were allowed to remain until June 2009. The new
legislation will extend this deadline by two years.
St. Marys County Delegate Johnny
Wood (D-29A) voted against the bill, citing its
lack of fairness to St. Marys County, Delegate
John Bohannon (D-29B) voted in favor of the
measure.
Gaming Machines: St. Marys No; Calvert Yes
The County Times
A
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y
The Newtowe Players Presents...
A modern romantic comedy about marriage and a dog.
~NY Times
I can only call it one of the most involving, beautiful, funny,
touching and profound plays I have ever seen...
~NY Daily News
Gurneys mad comedy is the most endearing good time to
trot down the pike in many a moon.
~Backstage
Three Notch Theater
March 20 - April 5, 2009
Thursday - Saturday 8:00 p.m. Sunday 3:30 p.m.
Tickets: Adults $15 Seniors / Students $12
Every Thursday all tickets $10
This show is not recommended for children.
301-737-5447
www.newtowneplayers.org
Three Notch Theatre is located on S. Coral Drive in Lexington Park.
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron says a spe-
cial police cruiser will be making its rounds
throughout the county this month to see if the
public likes a new look that could become the
standard for all sheriffs offce cruisers.
It should hit the road next week, Cam-
eron told The County Times. Itll be the tradi-
tional West Coast black and white.
Thats the No. 1 color set Ford sells in
their police packages.
Cameron said that there is no defnite push
to change the colors of the agencies vehicles;
the new color scheme is only a test.
But there are good reasons for having that
kind of pattern, Cameron said.
The plan is to put it out there and solicit
comments from the public and the offcers,
Cameron said, adding that research showed
that black and white colors were most often as-
sociated with law enforcement and helped es-
tablish them in the community.
That color leverages the idea of police
presence.
The new car was recently delivered and
just received its new paint job denoting it as a
sheriffs cruiser this week.
The new vehicle also has a few features
that the current cruisers dont, including new
sirens and push bumpers that could be used
to push other cars out of the way of traffc if
they break down or are involved in an accident,
Cameron said.
The new look is already getting the atten-
tion of the troops in Camerons offce.
Thats pretty, said one deputy as he
looked at the new squad car. I really like it.
Sheriffs Cruisers May Get New Look
Detention Center Expansion Funds
May Be Put Off A Year
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
The public now has about a month to re-
view the plans a local developer has to build
55 cottage style homes on two separate par-
cels of land in the Mill Cove neighborhood in
California after the county planning commis-
sion closed the public hearing on whether to
extend water and sewer to the proposed site.
Members of the commission said they
were worried about the density of the project
as proposed, while the applicants engineers
and legal counsel argued that the commission
had to stay narrowly focused on whether to
grant the sewer extension.
Its so aggressive, said planning com-
mission Chair Steve Reeves. You scare the
tar out of the community.
How do I nicely tell you to put on your
brakes?
Reeves said he believed the compact den-
sity proposed in the project was out of charac-
ter with the more spacious neighborhood.
John Norris III, attorney for developer
Guy Curley of Liberty Homebuilders, said
that was not the focus of the hearing.
With all due respect I dont think you
can deny us water and sewer in the develop-
ment district, Norris said, adding that the
zoning ordinance compelled the developer to
have homes tightly set together.
Community members have already pro-
tested the extension of sewer lines to support
the new development as well as the density of
the project.
They are concerned that the two sites
would increase traffc to make roads too con-
gested and that silt and erosion would drain
off into nearby creeks and streams.
But Curley has countered by saying
that he would consider using green building
initiatives for the homes as well as pervious
surfaces to reduce run off to allay community
fears.
The developers plans are now up for re-
view by the public before the planning com-
mission makes its decision.
Developer, Planning Commission
Wrangle Over Mill Cove Development
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
State legislators on a key budget and taxa-
tion committee in Annapolis may hold off on
providing construction money for the expansion
of the countys jail in Leonardtown, The County
Times has learned.
According to Commissioner Thomas A.
Mattingly (D-Leonardtown) he and several
other county offcials including Sheriff Timo-
thy K. Cameron went to Annapolis Monday to
press the states for the much needed expansion
funds.
Theyre suggesting to defer it for a year,
Mattingly told The County Times on Monday.
But we asked them to go ahead with it.
Mattingly said that state money was essen-
tial to the construction side of the project.
We wont have a choice if they decide to
hold off, Mattingly said.
But Cameron said that while the construc-
tion money may be held off until next year the
architectural and engineering phase would still
move ahead.
That means that the actual construction
date, set for May of 2010, would only be pushed
back to June of next year, Cameron said.
I dont see this as a major set back or push
back, Cameron said.
The expansion project is already seven
months behind, according to offcials in the
county sheriffs offce and county government,
and must frst go through the architectural and
engineering planning phase before the actual
construction work can begin.
Bids have already gone out for that portion
of the project with more than 100 companies
vying for the contract to plan the project.
The county detention center is the most
overcrowded of its kind in the state and is still
one of the states top priority projects, Cameron
said.
The jail is rated for only 245 inmates but
has burgeoned to nearly 350 at any one time.
The expansion would bring the capacity of
the jail up to 525 inmates at the jail and satisfy
the countys needs until about 2025, according
to county projections.
The total cost of the project is about $30
million to be shared between the county and the
state.
Sheriffs in the tri-county area are consid-
ering pushing for a regional detection facility
where inmates could serve out local sentences
but those in county facilities would only stay
there awaiting trial.
Photo by Guy Leonard
St. Marys County sheriffs deputies have
charged Nancy Martha Ahearn, 35, of Leonardtown
with attempted murder for allegedly pointing a hand-
gun in the direction of a deputy who was checking
the welfare of her 18-month-old child March 20.
According to police reports when the child
pulled a book shelf over top of him, the deputy as-
sisted the child but soon found the Ahearn had re-
trieved a handgun and tracked him with it as he ran
for cover.
Police allege that Ahearn pulled the trigger
more than once but the gun failed to fre. The deputy
wrested the gun from here, police reports state, and
placed her under arrest.
This sheriffs cruiser sports traditional police colors of black and white and will be making its round in the
county soon.
Woman Charged With Attempted Murder
The County Times
To The Editor:
Do you have something to say?
Would like your voice to be heard?
Send us a letter telling us whats on your mind!
Send to:
The County Times
P.O. Box 250 Hollywood, MD 20636
Make sure you include your name, phone # and the city you live in.
We will not publish your phone #, only your name and city
E-mail letters to: opinion@countytimes.net
Editorial:
Dear Editor
Imagine that I own a company and you
work for me. For whatever reason, the com-
pany will close its doors in three months. You
will be out of a job. However between now
and the day the doors close, I need your ser-
vices. To make sure you continue to work for
me until the last day, I come to you and make
you an offer. I enter a legal contract, signed by
both of us, that guarantees that if you continue
to work for me until that last day of business,
I will not only pay your regular salary, I will
give you a bonus. You feel that is fair and we
now have a valid, legal contract. Or do we?
And then, out of the blue, it seems that
our politicians feel that our agreement, while
it is legal, isnt to their liking. They decided
to bring pressure on both you and I to rescind
our contract. They hold public hearings dur-
ing which they castigate us, threaten us, and
generate public hatred for us to the point
where we are receiving death threats against
our families and us. They tell you that if you
dont give back your bonus, they will pass a
law that will tax as much as 90% of the money
youve earned.
Sounds impossible, doesnt it. Sounds
like something you could believe if it hap-
pened in Russia, China, Venezuela, or some
other foreign country, but never in the good
old U.S. of A. Guess What! Its happening.
Right Now. Right here.
So what has that got to do with us com-
moners living here in Maryland? Well think
about it. If our politicians can do this with
AIG, whats to stop them from deciding to do
that whenever, wherever, and to whomever
they decide is earning or receiving more mon-
ey or benefts than they, the politicians, think
is deserved.
Is this what anyone imagined would hap-
pen when the current regime was voted into
power? The current regime rode into town
trumpeting CHANGE. Well, folks, we sure
are getting change, and I hope everybody is
happy.
However! The election cycle in 2010 is
just around the corner. Until the current re-
gime decides to change our voting methods the
way they do in Russia, China, and Venezuela.
James Hilbert
Mechanicsville, Md
Who Else Can Congress Single Out?
Letter to the Editor:
Its a common misconception that con-
sumers must return to the new car dealership
for their vehicles maintenance and repair to
protect the warranty. In fact, there is a law that
protects consumers right to have maintenance
and repair done by their local independent
repair shop without affecting the warranty.
Consumers are protected by the Magnu-
son-Moss Warranty Act and the general
principles of the Federal Trade Commis-
sion, which prohibit a manufacturer from
voiding the vehicle warranty because ser-
vice was done by a non-dealer. (http://us-
code.house.gov/download/pls/15C50.txt)
When using an independent repair shop,
it is important to keep records and receipts
for all maintenance that is performed on the
vehicle and adhering to scheduled main-
tenance guidelines. That way, if a war-
ranty claim arises, these records will pro-
vide proof that maintenance has been
done in accordance with the manufactur-
ers recommendations and requirements.
To locate an independent repair shop, vehicle
owners should visit the councils Web site,
www.carcare.org, which has a searchable list
of about 70,000 independent repair facilities,
auto parts retailers, body shops and engine
installers and rebuilders. Many independent
repair centers also have Web sites that include
information about their services and creden-
tials. In addition, automotive aftermarket
trade associations, the Better Business Bureau
and AAA are excellent resources to locate a
repair facility.
Sincerely,
Rich White
Executive Director
Car Care Council
Bethesda, MD 20814-3415
Its a Myth That Only New Car Dealers Can Ser-
vice Vehicles Under Warranty
On March 16th The County Times re-
ceived a press release from Congressman Steny
Hoyer, the House Majority Leader and our 5th
Congressional District representative. Press
releases are nothing new to our newspaper.
Organizations, businesses, public and private
agencies often send media releases in hopes
that local newspapers and other media sources
will pass information on to the public. More of-
ten than not this information is useful to at least
some of our readers, and we are quite happy to
publish informational press releases.
Press releases from politicians are normal
as well. These releases are quite different from
a journalistic view. While the information may
well be important and timely, the elected of-
fcial is often putting his or her best face on an
issue in hopes they can control the message go-
ing to the voters back home. In some ways it is
a form of promoting ones self with a positive
message about what he or she is doing for you.
Unfortunately, all too often these releases get
published without question, leaving the public
with a partisan view of the issue.
Congressman Hoyer sends out press re-
leases quite often, usually several per week.
Throughout the 5th Congressional District
which includes St. Marys County and Charles,
Calvert, parts of Anne Arundel, and a large
portion of Prince Georges County, there are
few if any media outlets that ever question the
partisan nature of a Hoyer press release. The
media in this Congressional District is in the
tank for Hoyer and generally allows him to con-
trol the message which he wants the voters back
home to hear. The County Times is not in the
tank for any elected offcial, we want our read-
ers to know both sides of every issue and let the
public decide. The County Times has endorsed
Hoyers re-election in the past, yet we do not
simply publish his press releases.
In the March 16th press release Hoyer ex-
pressed outrage that insurance giant AIG, after
receiving public bailout funds, was providing
over $200 million in bonuses to executives who
had been responsible for AIGs failure. This re-
lease came Monday afternoon after the Ameri-
can public began hearing about these outlandish
bonuses over the weekend and were expressing
their own outrage on Monday morning. On
Monday, everyone in Washington was denying
having knowledge of these bonuses, including
Congress and the White House. And both were
publicly expressing outrage and vindication.
Due to the public outrage being expressed
even locally, The County Times considered
publishing a portion of the press release in last
weeks publication. However, by Tuesday eve-
ning we smelled a rat. Later in the week politi-
cians were back peddling and fnger pointing
all over in Washington
It turns out the AIG bonuses were autho-
rized by way of the Senator Dodd amend-
ment to the stimulus bill passed last month by
Congress and signed by President Obama. As
it turns out Obamas people had asked Dodd
to change his amendment to allow the bonus-
es. The stimulus bills that were frst approved
by the House and Senate had a provision that
disallowed the bonuses. When House Demo-
crats, appointed by Hoyer who is the majority
leader, met with Senate Democrats to rectify
differences between the House version and
the Senate version of the two bills, the Dodd
amendment was changed to allow the bonuses.
Does anyone believe Hoyer was unaware of the
changes taking place in the House version of
the bill by his conference committee? Hoyer
claims he didnt know.
The next day Hoyer, the majority leader,
was calling for a vote and passage of the revised
stimulus bill over the objections from every Re-
publican who claimed there was no time to read
the revised bill. Hoyer lead the charge and the
bill was pushed through the House and Senate
quickly.
Hoyers offce continues to say the Con-
gressman did not know about the Dodd amend-
ment. Even if that is true, they have yet to ex-
plain to the American people how Hoyer could
lead the Democrats to vote for legislation which
apparently neither he nor anyone else in Con-
gress had read. And how he could let a handful
of appointed Congressman negotiate a trillion
dollar spending package without even briefng
him on the outcome.
At worst Hoyer knew all along and was
trying to cover himself with his March 16th
press release, at best the majority leader lead the
Democrats and the Nation down an outrageous
path without performing his due diligence. We
are outraged at the AIG bonuses with taxpayer
dollars, we are also outraged at Hoyer for let-
ting it happen.
Hoyer Leading The Rage; And
Causing Rage
I would like to address these comments to
those drivers who get angry when they get be-
hind a slower moving vehicle who (gasp) may
possibly even be going less than the speed limit.
This is especially for those who have a large
vehicle. There is a reason for the slow speed.
Possibly there is a thick fog, rain, ices a curve in
the road, Amish buggies; animals close by, an-
other car ahead or extreme darkness. Perhaps
it is an older person who doesnt see as well as a
teenager. Speed limit does not mean minimum
speed. Sometimes I look in my rearview mirror
and see a large vehicle gaining on me, and there
is no safe place to turn off. My frst thought is
not, Maybe I should hurry but If I have to
make a quick stop, do I want this car to barrel
into me at 60mph or 40mph? Having been the
victim of other peoples mistakes in several ac-
cidents, my priority is not to outrun the car, but
to save myself from injury. When a car comes
up behind me at night and blinds me with their
bright lights, it makes it nearly impossible to see
the road ahead and this slows me down even
more. Believe me, if I could turn off and let that
vehicle safely pass, I would, but that is not al-
ways possible. Just because we have many roads
without heavy traffc, and stop lights, does not
mean those roads should be used as a racetrack.
Riding the rear bumper of a car, then cutting that
car off as you pass does not make for safe roads
for any of us. Giving the car ahead some con-
sideration and more space will make the roads
safer for all of us.
JoAnn Depperschmidt
Mechanicsville, Md
Be Considerate To The Other Driver
The County Times
Quote Of The Day
S
p
e
a
k
s
By Sean Rice
Staff Writer
The Patuxent River chapter of the Coastal Conservation
Association (CCA) of Maryland was recognized this month for
outstanding efforts in 2008 to promote oyster restoration in lo-
cal tributaries.
The Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association present-
ed its Joe Penfold Memorial Award for Grassroots Conserva-
tion Efforts to local CCA president Scott McGuire during a
conference at Hampton, Va. From March 20-22.
This group of recreational anglers has done outstand-
ing work in reaching out to the community to educate people
about the value of marine resources and getting them involved
in an oyster restoration activity, said Jim Heim, president of
the writers association.
The local CCA chapter adopted oyster restoration
as a community service project when the group was
formed two years ago. In 2008 the project was 64,000
planted oysters in two creeks feeding the Patuxent
River.
In its Hellen Creek project, the chapter
worked with 27 local homeowners in placing
oysters in foats from their piers. CCA mem-
bers helped homeowners build foats, fll
bags with oysters and attach them to their
piers.
Its initial work in Thomas Creek in-
cluded 31,000 oysters planted in foats at
the Thomas Creek Oyster Farm as part of
a research project with Virginia Common-
wealth University.
After planting the oysters last March,
volunteers fipped foats every three weeks
during the summer to kill algae growth.
Chapter members devoted more
than 660 volunteer hours to oyster restoration in 2008, Scott
McGuire, chapter president said in a press release. While we
understand that our efforts will not restore the Bays oyster
population, we are doing our part in our local area. Plus, we are
helping people see the value of these bivalves. A single adult
oyster can flter and cleanse up to 50 gallons of water a day.
The chapter plans to expand its restoration program this
summer with support from a $25,000 grant from the Domin-
ion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resourc-
es, which operates the Cove Point liquefed natural gas facility
in Lusby.
We anticipate working with 250 homeowners this sum-
mer on creeks in Calvert County to plant one million
spat on shell, McGuire said.
Local Conservancy Group Awarded for
Oyster Program
By Sean Rice
Staff Writer
The annual Friends of the Library book sale ear-
lier this month at the St. Marys County Fairgrounds
brought in $19,824, topping last years record sales of
$17,000.
The Friends of the Library perform
an extraordinary service for our library
and our county. Their organization skills
and stamina are unparalleled, said Kath-
leen Reif, director of St. Marys Countys
libraries.
Three buildings at the fairgrounds
were flled with books, videos and other
items during the event March 14-15. Food
and drinks were also available.
Every year the friends of the library
book sale is a community celebration
of the book and reading, Reif told The
County Times. Thousands of our neigh-
bors go home with boxes of new treasures
to read and enjoy.
The Friends of the Library is an orga-
nization of persons interested in libraries
who advocate for and support the library
as a group and individually. Since 1992,
the group has raised more than $150,000
for programs and collections at the coun-
tys libraries, Reif said.
What they have done to highlight the importance
of books, reading and the library is priceless, Reif said
of the Friends of the Library. St. Marys County is
very fortunate to have this group of such hard workers
committed to their library.
Book Sale Nets $20,000 for Library
We confde in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without
fearing it.
-Thomas Jefferson
Photo by Pete Himmelheber
By Sean Rice
Staff Writer
Existence is a feeing moment; a
blink of an eye. And theres only so much
a person can truly hope for in this life:
success, family, health a sense of
purpose.
James A. Forrest, 97, passed on
Tuesday, while sitting in his favorite
reclining chair at home with his wifes
hand on his knee. He departed this world
so peacefully that Harriett didnt know
he had left.
It was Gods way of saying
Youve lived a good and faithful life and
youve been a good servant, now its time
to come home,
George Forrest,
70, said Wednes-
day of his fathers
death. He showed
us how to live with
dignity and how to
die with dignity.
During his
feeing moment on
earth, Mr. Forrest
achieved nearly
all that a man can
hope to accom-
plish in a single
span of a lifetime.
They say
history tells the
winners side of
the story. History
will remember
James Forrest as
a man who, while struggling everyday
to prepare his children to excel in an un-
equal world, ended up teaching society a
lesson in tolerance.
He had fve children and he want-
ed their lives to be a better quality than
his, George said of his fathers will.
He just pushed the fact that regardless
of what you look like, you can achieve if
you have the skill sets, and you get those
from education.
To say James Forrest valued educa-
tion is an understatement. He was a piv-
otal fgure in bringing desegregation to
St. Marys Countys schools in the 1960s.
As part of a task force appointed by the
county schools superintendent, Forrest
worked to craft the plan the county fol-
lowed in desegregating.
As a result of that effort, the then-
governor Marvin Mandel appointed
Forrest to the newly desegregated school
board in 1973. He was the frst black
member of the board, and served for 10
years.
While on the school board, the
county build their frst technical high
school, which now bears Mr. Forrests
name.
Meetings every night, said Har-
riett Forrest, James wife of nearly 74
years. He was in everything, every
group he could get into, to try to make
a difference.
Harriett, 93, said, it was very many
nights when he would come home from
bell telephone, just take a little shower,
and be out again.
He didnt do anything that he
didnt expect us to do, said George, for-
mer county administrator. He valued
education, therefore he forced us to value
education whether we wanted to or not.
Being a stickler for education paid
off. All fve of his children went to col-
lege, as well as all nine grandchildren,
and his oldest great-grandchild is also
entering college.
This is a religious community,
founded on reli-
gious tolerance. My
father brought that
reality of tolerance,
across the board,
and that means ev-
erything, George
said in an interview
with The County
Times. Now my
children will have
to be prepared to go
out into a world that
going to judge them
on their education
qualifcations, their
ability to do the job,
not the color of their
skin.
Harriett said
James was strict
with his kids, but
never him them that was her job.
Hed take them out to the wood-
shed, and theyd come out crying, not
from a whipping though, she said.
From telling them, youve got to be
somebody.
My father in his life saw more ob-
stacles than I can even imagine, George
said. In my teen years, I was about as
close to Black Panthers as you want to
get, But my father knew and understood
that thats not going to work.
He used to say to us all the time,
you can kick the door down, or you can
persuade people to open it and let you in.
And once you get inside youve got to
prove that you belong there.
George truly believes his father
made the county a better place to live,
though James himself would never admit
to being so important.
Based on the values that my father
had instilled on us, and these survival
skills, you develop these chameleon-like
qualities that allows you to survive in any
environment, George said. If he jumps
on this table and does not turn these mul-
tiple colors, hes somebodys dinner. But
his ability to be able to survive, doesnt
change the fact that hes a chameleon, it
just means he smart enough to know how
not to be somebodys dinner.
James Forrest Helped Make the
World a Better Place
Thursday, March 26, 2009 10
The County Times
Money
for the love of
Fact
un
The Times Pick 10
The United States consumes more oil than any other country in the World. In
2001, the US consumed as much as the entire European Union and Japan.
Tom Hodges Tire, Service Center and Car
Wash held its ribbon cutting Feb. 20 and since
then this new state of the art complex, located
next to Tom Hodges Auto Sales in Hollywood,
has featured sales and service of major brand
tires, complete mechanical service for cars and
trucks and a 24-hour automatic touchless or soft
cloth car wash.
The new complex, designed and built by
CMI General Contractors, contains many green
features, including a clean burn used oil furnace
that uses business-generated oil as fuel, amino-
plast foam insulation, which does not contain or
emit carbon, and a ballasted low-slope roof with
Black sure-seal classic membranes and two
layers of insulation, generally recognized as the
best system for this climate zone.
The recycling and reclaim water recovery
system in the carwash is odorless and eliminates
the need for a sewer by fltering and re-using
runoff water from the car wash.
Tom Hodges began his career in the sale of
cars and trucks at Ken Dixon Chevrolet-Buick
in Waldorf at age 18. During his sales career
at Ken Dixon he received Buicks Professional
Salesmaster and Chevrolets Legion of Leaders
awards. In 1987 be was promoted to the position
of Used Car Manager at Ken Dixon, a position
he held until he opened his own business, Tom
Hodges Auto Sales, in 1990. While working as
the Used Car Manager at Ken Dixon, he gradu-
ated from the general dealership management
program of the National Auto Dealers Associa-
tion (N.A.D.A.).
Tom says he has learned from 29 years of
experience in the business that the most impor-
tant thing is take care of the customer by being
honest, giving good service, and providing the
right inventory. When businesses live up to
those ideals, customers will come back to do
business and refer others to those businesses.
He added that most of his sales are from repeat
customers and referrals.
(Submitted by James Hodges)
Tom Hodges Auto Sales Expands
New Facility Boasts Green Features
By Sean Rice
Staff Writer
The U.S. Census Bureau released
numbers last week indicating St. Marys
County has grown at more than twice the
rate of Calvert and Charles counties dur-
ing a one-year period.
The Census estimates say St. Marys
Countys population increased by 1,316
people, the second-fastest in the state, be-
tween July 2007 and July 2008.
For the same time frame the agency
estimates Charles County grew by only
595 people and Calvert County by 553
people.
Census press releases state their esti-
mates are based on building permits and
other indicators. Actual counts are only
conducted once a decade.
While the Census figures are a projec-
tion of what population growth might be,
a comparison of actual building numbers
from Charles and St. Marys counties does
not revel a correlation that supports the
Censuss figures.
According figures obtained by The
County Times on the number of building
permits and occupancy permits issued in
the two counties during a two year period
show housing growth rates that indicate
more dwelling units opened in Charles
County.
Occupancy permits, or certificates
of occupancy, are the final bit of paper-
work needed to bring new dwelling units
onto the market. Once this last approval is
achieved, new tenants or owners can move
in.
Building permits on the other hand
are issued at the very beginning stages of
new construction.
In 2007, St. Marys County issued
building permits totaling 1,080 dwelling
units. In 2008, permits were issued total-
ing 486 dwelling units
The total for two years in St. Marys
County was 1,566 dwelling units.
In 2007 Charles County saw building
permits issued for a total of 795. In 2008,
the building permits issued totaled 652
dwelling units.
The total for two years in Charles
County was 1,447 dwelling units.
As for occupancy certificates, the to-
tal issued in 2007 was 1,147 for Charles
County and 861 for St. Marys.
The total number of occupancy certif-
icates issued in 2008 was 799 for Charles
County and 868 for St. Marys.
Totaled together for 2007 and 2008,
Charles County issued 1,946 occupancy
certificates, while St. Marys County is-
sued 1,729.
Census Says People
Surging to County; Housing
Numbers Dont Agree
The Maryland Board of Public Works
(BPW) approved the use of $5.1 million in fed-
eral recovery funds to purchase replacement
buses for local transit operations throughout
the State. The funding comes from President
Barack Obamas American Recovery and Re-
investment Act (ARRA).
Todays BPW approval comes less than
30 days after the President signed the recovery
bill. It builds on the strong momentum already
underway in Maryland to get projects out the
door to preserve jobs and address our trans-
portation needs, Governor Martin OMalley
said March 23.
The Maryland Transit Administration
plans to purchase 30 small buses and 19 me-
dium-sized buses.
The vehicles will be provided to local
transit systems to replace aging equipment
currently in the feet. Some buses will be used
to provide traditional transit service while oth-
ers will be confgured to provide paratransit
service.
In Southern Maryland, Charles County is
set to receive seven new busses. Calvert Coun-
ty is set for three busses and St. Marys County
is scheduled to receive four new busses.
More information on Maryland transpor-
tation recovery projects can be found at www.
marylandtransportation.com. Information on
Governor OMalleys statewide One Maryland
Recovery and Reinvestment Plan can be found
at www.recovery.maryland.gov.
Stimulus Funds Bring 14 New
Busses to Southern Maryland
0 300 600 900 1200 1500 0 500 1000 1500 2000
Charles
395
Calvert
553
St. Marys
1,316
St. Marys
1,729
Charles
1,946
Occupancy Permits Issued
2007-2008
Census Population Growth
Estimates 2007-2008
Company Symbol Close Close Change
3/25/2009 12/31/2008
WalMart WMT $51.88 $56.06 -7.46%
Harley Davidson HOG $14.11 $16.97 -16.85%
Best Buy BBY $33.46 $28.11 19.03%
Lockheed Martn LMT $68.48 $84.08 -18.55%
BAE Systems BAESF $5.10 $5.41 -5.73%
Computer Science Corp. CSC $36.72 $35.14 4.50%
Dyncorp Internatonal Inc. DCP $13.48 $15.17 -11.14%
General Dynamics Corp. GD $40.31 $57.59 -30.01%
Mantech Internatonal Corp. MANT $40.32 $54.19 -25.60%
Northrop Grunman Corp. NOC $43.45 $45.04 -3.53%

The County Times
Defense & Military
At Cherry Cove, we provide distinctive quality and unparalleled service to exceed
expectations with hotel rooms, conference facilities, wedding and event planning,
and property management services in Southern Maryland (SOMD), including the PAX
(Patuxent) River Naval Air Station area, Lexington Park and Solomons Island.
Making a Difference
in the Community.
info@cherrycove.com
J.T. DAUGHERTY
CONFERENCE CENTER
Saint Marys Countys
only full-service meeting
and event center.
Catering
On & Off-site Liquor License
March Wine Dinner
Friday, March 27th, 2009
6:30 p.m.
Wines TBD
Seafood Cocktail
Jumbo Shrimp, Sea Scallops and
Lump Crab in an Old Bay Rimmed
Martini Glass Atop Mesclun
Three Onion Soup
Creamy Soup in a Freshly Baked
Boule Garnished with Blue Brie
Legume Salad
Garbanzo and Kidney Beans
Marinated in Olive Oil, Garlic and
Fresh Herbs in a Romaine Leaf Cup
with Alfalfa Sprouts
San Pellegrino Sparkling Water
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Stuffed with Roasted Pistachios
and Sausage with a Spicy and
Sweet Barbecue Glaze
Miniature Individual Cheesecake
With White and dark Chocolate
Ganache and Raspberry Swirled
Crme Anglaise
Lenten and Vegetarian
alternatives available
upon request
Dinner without Wine $46.95
Dinner with Wine $59.95 Tax & Gratuity Not Included
Phone: 301.863.9345 | Fax: 301.863.2637
22111 Three Notch Road Lexington Park, MD 20653
By Sean Rice
Staff Writer
Maj. Joseph T. O.D. Bachmann became
the frst U.S. Marine Corps pilot to fy the Lock-
heed Martin F-35 Lightning II, one of three
variants in the Joint Strike Fighter pro-
gram, also known as the F-35A.
Bachmann departed the runway at
Lockheed Martins Fort Worth plant on the
morning of March 19, and few the aircraft to
15,000 feet, checking handling qualities and en-
gine response before landing one hour and 15
minutes later.
The plane performed wonderfully, said
Bachmann, one of the team test pilots who will
fy the F-35B Lightning II at the Naval Air Sta-
tion Patuxent River test site, beginning this
summer.
The F-35B is a short take-off and vertical
landing variant of the jet, which the Marines are
scheduled to receive. The jet tested by Bach-
mann March 19, the F-35A, was the conven-
tional take-off and landing model, which the Air
Force is set to receive.
The Navy is set to receive the F-35C, and
aircraft carrier variant of the jet.
The U.S. Marine Corps will be get-
ting an aircraft with extraordinary capa-
bilities that is very easy to fy, Bachmann
said in a press release from Lockheed. To-
day is another step toward delivery of the
frst jets to Marines on the front line.
The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-
role, 5th generation stealth fght-
er. A total of three F-35 variants
derived from a common design,
developed together and using the same
sustainment infrastructure worldwide will re-
place at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations
initially. The jets are expected to join the Ma-
rines in 2012.
The F-35 will be the Marines frst stealth
fghter.
The aircraft and its game-changing ca-
pabilities are going to offer Marine and joint
force commanders on the front lines the most
affordable and technologically advanced ffth-
generation aircraft in the world, Marine Corps
Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lt. Gen.
George Trautman told the Marine Corps News.
We didnt want something a little better. We
wanted an aircraft that will allow us to leverage
technologies that have improved tremendously
over the past few years.
Joint Strike Fighter Tests To
Start Here Soon
A pilot from the U.S. Test Flight School on Naval Air Station Patuxent River conducted an
emergency landing Tuesday morning at St. Marys County Airport.
Hollywood Volunteer Firefghters and EMS personnel were dispatched to the airport after
receiving a report that the plane was having engine troubles and needed to make an emergency
landing.
John Romer, public information offcer for Patuxent NAS said the pilot make a precautionary
landing at the airport. A responding maintenance crew found no problems with the plane and it
was fown back to base shortly after landing.
Romer confrmed the plane was a U-6 Beaver, which is a Canadian-made bushplane manu-
factured in the 1960s which has a wide variety of uses to the military.
(AP) _ Maryland is considering seizing
land in Bethesda to make room for expanded
intersections around the National Naval Medi-
cal Center.
The center expects 4,000 more visitors
daily when Walter Reed Army Medical Center
moves to the Rockville Pike campus, and state
leaders are mulling major road improvements to
cope with the expected traffc congestion. Near-
by homeowners, a Catholic girls school and the
National Institutes of Health could lose land in
the process.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., says he
plans to ask for $40 million in federal funding
for the improvements.
Under a Base Realignment and Closure
mandate, the naval medical center will incorpo-
rate Walter Reed in 2011.
Phil Alperson, Montgomery Countys
BRAC coordinator, says residents who could
be affected arent pleased with the states
proposals.
Md Offcials Consider Seizing Land In Bethesda
Photo by Frank Marquart
The County Times
The County Times
Know I
n

T
h
e
Education
Fact
un One gallon of used motor oil can ruin approximately
one million gallons of fresh water!
Andrea Shiell
Staff Writer
Schools in St. Marys County participated March
21 in the regional tournament for Destination Imagina-
tion (DI), an international creative problem solving pro-
gram which features students working in teams of fve to
seven to develop solutions to one of six different creative
challenges.
This year marks the frst time the school system has
had such broad representation at the competition, where
16 teams from area schools competed at South River
High School in Edgewater against 68 other teams from
the region.
We made such a showing at the regional competi-
tion it was amazing, said Laura Carpenter, SMCPS su-
pervisor of instruction for gifted and talented programs.
Two teams from Leonardtown Elementary School, four
teams from Spring Ridge Middle School, one team from
Benjamin Banneker Elementary, and one team from
George Washington Carver placed at the regional com-
petition and will progress to the state tournament, which
will be held at Towson April 18.
Destination Imagination is being implemented as
part of a system-wide effort to expand science, technol-
ogy, engineering and mechanics skills for students in all
area schools, funded by a STEM grant initiative support-
ed by U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer.
Though students met to battle out creative problem
solving, Carpenter said this competition was unlike most
others.
This is different in that there were a series of prob-
lems in the challengeand each one tests their problem
solving, teamwork, and creativity, she said. It does kind
of transcend the typical tournament where its just math
or just science because they have to use skills from every
subject and do it creatively.
Carpenter said money from the STEM grant will
continue to fund competitions next year, and she hopes to
see more teams from St. Marys County compete.
We hope to have at least two teams from every el-
ementary and middle school there, she said, and we re-
ally want to see this grow.
St. Marys Teams Sweep Regional DI Tournament
St. Marys College of Maryland votes for Earth March 28.
From 8:30 9:30 p.m., an expected 100 percent of the campus commu-
nity will switch off their power in a symbolic vote against global warming.
Part of a world-wide initiative called Earth Hour, citizens throughout 80
countries are participating in an act that will be presented at the 2009 Global
Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen which will determine whether or
not offcials will take real action against global warming. Last year, 50 million
people world-wide switched off their power in support of turning around dam-
age created by global warming. This years goal is one billion supporters.
For more information on the movement, visit http://www.earthhour.org/.
SMCM Hosting Earth Hour
The Leonardtown High School
(LHS) Football team will host a Book
Swap March 28 at the school site.
In honor of Reading Month
(March), the football program is host-
ing this event to promote reading.
The Book swap is simple; any-
one wishing to donate new or used
books is encouraged to drop them off
at Leonardtown High School between
8 a.m. and 4 p.m. March 28. LHS
football players will collect the books
at the front doors of the school.
Any member of the community
wishing to receive free books for
themselves or their children is asked
to arrive at the LHS Auditorium be-
tween 4 and 7 p.m.
Any books not claimed by 7 p.m.
will be donated to local libraries and
elementary schools throughout the
school system.
For more details, contact An-
thony Pratley by e-mail at amprat-
ley@smcps.org , or by phone at
301-247-2274.
Leonardtown High School
Hosting Book Swap
The Maryland State Depart-
ment of Educations Division of
Special Education/Early Inter-
vention Services, in collaboration
with the Maryland State Steering
Committee for Occupational and
Physical Therapy School-based
Programs, is releasing a new prac-
tice guide.
The Occupational and Physi-
cal Therapy Early Intervention
and School-based Practices in
Maryland, a Guide to Practice,
provides valuable information for
administrators and practitioners
regarding best practices in the
provision of school-based occu-
pational and physical therapy ser-
vices for children and youth with
disabilities.
The effectiveness of occu-
pational and physical therapy
services is based on appropriate
assessment, and evaluation, mea-
surable outcomes, and data-driven
decisions which provides children
and youth with disabilities im-
proved access and participation in
their natural roles, routines, and
environments.
The guidance provided in this
publication will assist administra-
tors and school-based Individu-
alized Education Program (IEP)
teams in making service delivery
decisions, appropriate to the needs
of individual students, with more
consistency throughout the State.
MSDE Releases New
Physical Therapy Guide
Dr. Richard Hastings, of the
University of Bangor, Wales, will
visit St. Marys College of Mary-
land (SMCM) March 27, to lecture
on the topic of the behavioral treat-
ment of children with Autism.
The event will take place at 3:30
p.m. in Goodpaster Hall, Room 195,
and is free and open to the public.
This lecture is sponsored by the
Lecture and Fine Arts, the psychol-
ogy and educational studies depart-
ments, and the Diversity Series.
For more information, contact
Laraine Glidden at 240-895-3094 or
lmglidden@smcm.edu.
Dr. Hastings to Lecture
on Children with Autism
Children entering kindergarten in
Maryland continue to improve their prep-
aration for the rigors of the classroom, ac-
cording to a new report by the Maryland
State Department of Education (MSDE).
Children Entering School Ready
to LearnSchool Readiness Infor-
mation for School Year 2008-2009,
a report by MSDEs Division of Early
Childhood Development, revealed steady
progress in all demographic subgroups.
Maryland students entering kindergarten
fully prepared for learning increased by
5 percent from 2008 to 2009, up to 73
percent. That is up 24 percentage points
since the baseline year of 2001.
All young children have the poten-
tial to be active learners, and a great start
before they enter the kindergarten class-
room sets the stage, said Nancy S. Gras-
mick, State Superintendent of Schools.
This has been a high priority for parents
and the Maryland State Department of
Education. We are pleased with the prog-
ress taking place.
The annual MSDE study refects as-
sessment information on kindergartners
readiness levels in social and personal
areas, language and literacy, mathemati-
cal thinking, scientifc thinking, social
studies, the arts, physical development,
and health.
Kindergarten readiness has im-
proved signifcantly since all early care
programs were brought under MSDE in
2005. Since the Division of Early Child-
hood Development was established, the
number of accredited childcare programs
has grown signifcantly and MSDE has
established several quality initiatives to
improve the early learning opportunities
for all children.
Also signifcant has been the re-
duction in the achievement gap between
students of different ethnicities. For ex-
ample, African American children have
made dramatic strides since the initial re-
port in 2001, rising 32 percentage points
overall and narrowing the gap with their
with peers from 19 points in 2001 to 9
points in 2009.
The MSDE study found improve-
ment across demographic categories
in the percentage of student ready for
kindergarten work, including a 22 point
increase in language and literacy, a 31
percentage point increase in school readi-
ness for low income children, and a 17
point increase in students deemed fully
ready for kindergarten.
Maryland Kindergarteners Entering
School Better Prepared
The St. Marys County
Sheriffs Offce is investigating
a motor vehicle collision which
occurred on March 25, 2009 at
approximately 8:35 am at the
intersection of Aster Road and
Maryland Route 5 in Callaway,
Maryland. Preliminary investiga-
tion reveals that the frst vehicle,
a 2003 International School Bus,
was pulling out of Aster Road to
travel southbound on Route 5.
The second vehicle, a 2000 Ford
truck, was traveling northbound
on Route 5. The driver of frst
vehicle failed to yield the right of
way causing the second vehicle to
collide with the frst.
The school bus was in route
to Piney Point Elementary School
and was occupied by 18 students
and the bus driver. Three students
were transported to St. Marys
Hospital via ambulance. The
driver of the second vehicle was
transported to Prince Georges
Shock Trauma via Maryland State
Police helicopter Trooper 7. The
operator of the frst vehicle was
39 year- old Michael Anthony
Benjamin from Lexington Park,
Maryland. The driver of the
second vehicle was 48 year-old
David Aristides Schuhart from
Lusby, Maryland.
School Bus Collision
Sends Students to
Hospital
From left to right: Hunter Sparks, Hannah Wolfe, Nala Lewis, Colin Maher, Brandon Maher, and Roma Kankaria. Photo courtesy of
Laura M. Carpenter.
The County Times
Punishment
Crime
&
Police Arrest Man For Ballroom Assault
On March 20, deputies responded to the Crystal Room in Calla-
way for a reported fght in progress. Upon arrival, deputies met Joshua
Alan Moore, 19 of Mechanicsville who was in the parking lot. Moore
was allegedly intoxicated and belligerent, screaming and yelling, which
attracted the attention of others in the area. Moore refused several re-
quests from deputies to quiet down and was arrested. Further investiga-
tion into the fght call revealed Moore had allegedly assaulted another
customer by pushing the victim in the face with his hand and stepping
on the victims foot hard enough to cause it to bleed.
Police: Knives, Possible Drugs Found On
Suspect
On March 21, deputies were conducting a patrol check of the Fox
Chase apartment complex in Great Mills when Sgt. Morley observed
a passenger vehicle enter the parking lot and a male approach the ve-
hicle. The vehicle quickly sped away when the driver noticed Morleys
marked patrol vehicle. The male, who attempted to contact the passen-
ger vehicle, was identifed as Zachary Micah Sawyer, 18, of Lexington
Park. Sawyer was reportedly nervous and refused to keep his hands out
of his pockets as deputies spoke with him. For the offcers safety, a frisk
of Sawyers person was conducted. As a result of the frisk, Sawyer was
allegedly found to be in possession of two large folding knives and con-
trolled dangerous substances suspected to be marijuana and cocaine.
Sawyer was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of con-
trolled dangerous substances.
Ex-sheriffs Deputy Arrested For Assault
On March 21 a victim/citizen entered the St. Marys County Sher-
iffs Offce to report she was assaulted by David Adam Goff, 34 of Lex-
ington Park two different times on March 19. The victim reported she
and Goff were engaged in a verbal dispute at a residence in Lexington
Park, which escalated into an assault when Goff allegedly pushed the
victim to the foor causing her to injure her foot. Goff also allegedly
kicked the victim and grabbed her by the hair. An application for a
statement of charges was completed and an arrest warrant issued for
Goff. On March 22, Goff was arrested and transported to the St. Marys
County Detention Center.
Two Charged With Burglary, Assault And
Drug Possession
On March 22, Deputy First Class Keith Moritz began an inves-
tigation into a purse reported stolen from a residence on Hermanville
Road in Lexington Park. Moritz responded to the residence and upon
his arrival observed a parked vehicle with its parking lights on facing
the street. The vehicle was occupied by a female who reportedly be-
came very nervous when contacted by Moritz. Moritz heard loud voices
from the residence. Alvin Lugman Jordan, 28, and Kenneth Craig Bow-
man, 44, both of Clements, exited the residence. Moritz obtained their
identifcation and contacted the occupant of the residence who stated
Jordan and Bowman forced their way into the residence and assaulted
him. Jordan and Bowman were arrested. On the ground next to where
Jordan and Bowman were standing at the time of the arrest was a plastic
baggie containing suspected percocet, which had not been there during
Moritzs initial contact with Jordan and Bowman. Jordan and Bowman
were charged with frst, third and fourth degree burglary, second-degree
assault and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
Briefs
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
Nicholas T. Potts III, the man found guilty in January
of brutally killing his mothers fanc at the old Bay District
Volunteer Fire Department in 2006, was sentenced to 40
years in prison last week, but Circuit Court Judge C. Clarke
Raley left open the option of his eventual release.
Judge Raley recommended that Potts be allowed into
the Patuxent Institute program, which is designed to help
rehabilitate offenders in preparation to go back into main-
stream society.
This, Judge Raley did over the many objections of
family and friends of the victim, Augustus Choporis.
A letter to Judge Raley, from George Choporis, the
victims brother, read by his wife Sherrie Choporis, pleaded
with Raley to give Potts at life sentence without the pos-
sibility of parole.
I hope Nicholas goes away forever, the letter read.
The victims mother, Joanne Choporis, said her sons
brutal murder was something Ill never get over.
The killing occurred June 11 almost three years ago
when Potts attacked Choporis with a golf club and then
stabbed him with a knife more than 50 times.
All this happened during an apparent argument be-
tween the two while Choporis was helping Potts remove
some of his belongings from the fre station that night.
Potts, who had been a well-known and respected fre-
fghter at the station, had begun to exhibit negative changes
in his behavior after sustaining severe trauma to his head in
several vehicle accidents.
Potts has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia,
and his defense team argued at his trial that his mental state
contributed to his actions, but he was not able to actually
plan to kill Choporis.
The jury, however, found Potts did premeditate the
killing and found him guilty of both frst and second de-
gree murder.
While the victims family members portrayed him as
friendly and loving, with a passion for taking care of stray
cats, those who supported Potts said they knew a man who
heaped abuse on Potts and berated him.
James Tanavage, the prosecutor who pushed for a life
sentence for Potts, said the 40-year sentence was fair.
There were a lot of mitigating circumstances, Tanav-
age said, alluding to Potts mental state at the time of the
murder.
Tanavage said under Maryland law, Potts would be eli-
gible for parole only if approved by the governor, since his
crime was frst degree-murder, and only after he had served
a signifcant portion of his sentence.
As to Potts alleged mistreatment at the hands of Cho-
poris, Tanavage said it made no difference.
None of it excused the action what Mr. Potts did,
Tanavage said.
Potts Sentenced To 40 Years For Killing
Mothers Fianc
By Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
A man accused of carjacking
a 75-year-old heart patient from
a dentists offce parking lot in
Leonardtown last year was found
not guilty of frst-degree and sec-
ond-degree murder Wednesday
after a two-day trial.
While the defendant avoid-
ed blame for the murder
charges, he was found
guilty of armed robbery,
armed carjacking, kid-
napping, and the use of a
handgun in the commis-
sion of a felony.
States Attorney Rich-
ard Fritz argued through
expert testimony that when
Stephen Brown-Santos
brandished a gun at Billy
Gene Gurley June 20 that
the victims weak heart
could not stand the fright,
and after being driven to
the back of a hardware
store in Leonardtown to
rob him, he later died.
John Getz, the defen-
dants attorney, however,
argued that Gurley, who
according to medical re-
cords had smoked one-
and-a-half to two packs
of cigarettes a day for 50
years, was in such precari-
ous health that anything
might have caused his death.
None of us can tell you to
check your brains at the front
door of the court house, Fritz
told the jury in Judge C. Clarke
Raleys courtroom. We have
common sense.
Fritz said that the sight of
Brown-Santos .25 caliber pistol
as he told Gurley to move over
and give the defendant control of
the car that summer day wouldve
implanted in the victims mind
that he was in mortal danger.
It scared him, Fritz argued.
Whats in your mind? Hes go-
ing to kill me.
According to police reports
Gurley was left in his car at the
shopping center by Brown-San-
tos the day of the robbery and the
victim went back to the parking
lot of the dentists offce.
Eventually he was transport-
ed to St. Marys Hospital where
he died shortly thereafter of a
heart attack.
Getz argued, however, that
Gurley had earlier that same day
bought a heavy propane tank that
the victim should not have been
lifting against doctors orders.
Getz, who theorized that the
heavy activity might have caused
the death, said that medical
testimony during the trial
showed that physical activ-
ity could have a delayed af-
fect on the heart.
Shortly after Gurleys
death, detectives with the
county Bureau of Criminal
Investigations stated that
they searched Brown-San-
tos home on information
received from a confdential
witness and found the gun
and a class ring the defen-
dant had allegedly taken
from Gurley and given to his
girlfriend.
In Brown-Santos state-
ment taken by police he said
he realized that the man he
had carjacked was old and
frail and he said he tried to
come him as he drove him
the shopping center.
Mr. Brown-Santos
knew he got into some-
thing he should not have
Getz said of his client. All
the while he was telling Gurley
that everything was going to be
alright.
He does not deserve to found
guilty of Mr. Gurleys death.
Jury Finds Car Jacker Not Guilty Of Murder
Woman Killed In Car Wreck
St. Marys County sheriffs deputies are investigating a crash in
Oakville Monday that killed one driver and injured another at the inter-
section of Clover Hill Road and Route 235.
According to police press releases the collision occurred at 8:45
a.m. on Three Notch Road when a 2006 Honda Civic driven by Lind-
sey Rudolph, 29, of Lexington Park veered into the southbound traffc
lanes and struck a 2005 Ford E 350 driven by Donald Matlock, 29, of
Mechanicsville.
Rudolph was killed as a result of the crash while Matlock was tak-
en via ambulance to St. Marys Hospital.
Stephen Brown-Santos
The County Times
Philip H. Dorsey III
Attorney at Law
-Serious Personal Injury Cases-
LEONARDTOWN: 301-475-5000
TOLL FREE: 1-800-660-3493
EMAIL: phild@dorseylaw.net
www.dorseylaw.net
Kevin J. McDevitt
Attorney At Law
Former Baltimore City Assist. States Attorney
Former St. Marys County Assist. States Attorney
Former Baltimore City Assist. States Attorney
Former St. Marys County Assist. States Attorney
CRIMINAL & DUI/DWI CRIMINAL & DUI/DWI
Offce: 301-475-0093
Cell: 410-925-8992
Dorsey Professional Building
22835 Washington Street
P.O. Box 952, Leonardtown, MD 20650
www.kjmcdevittlaw.com
ASK OUR FRIENDLY PHARMACIST
FOR ALL OF THE DETAILS!
Route 245
Hollywood, MD 20636
301-475-2531
Route 246 & Great Mills Rd.
Lexington Park, MD 20653
301-862-7702
Route 5 & Mohawk Drive
Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
301-884-5636
Wildewood Shopping Center
California, MD 20619
301-866-5702
The Shops at Breton Bay
Leonardtown, MD 20650
301-997-1828
The County Times
Lt. Lawrence H. Hite, 50
Lt. Lawrence H.
Hite, 50, of Mechan-
icsville died March
17 in his residence in
Mechanicsville.
He was born in
Trenton, N.J. Dec.
31, 1958 to Doro-
thy Hite of Beverly
Hills, Fla., and the
late Douglas Hite.
Lawrence served during the last
22 years as a Lieutenant for the Patux-
ent River NAS Police Department
and served previously in the U.S.
Navy from 1978 to 1985. He was an
avid Philadelphia Eagles Fan; loved
to travel to the mountains, go hiking,
fshing, and relaxing around a camp-
fre. He also loved guitar playing and
golfng.
Lawrence is survived by his lov-
ing wife Jeanne M. Hite of Mechan-
icsville, whom he married Nov. 28,
1992; four daughters, Naomi Glaze
of Pensacola, Fla., Susan Crutchfeld
of Pittsburgh, Pa., Kimberly Fricker
of Ft. Lewis, Wash. and Amber Joy
Crutchfeld of Bonifay, Fla.; and fve
grandchildren, Kalyn, Kendrick, Kai-
lee, Katerina, and Taylor Anne.
He is also survived by his sib-
lings, Terry Hern of Mesa, Ariz.,
Gayle Stewart, and Sharon Warbur-
ton, both of Beverly Hills, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his
brother John Hite.
Family will receive friends for
Lawrences Life Celebration March
26 at 11 a.m. in the Brinsfeld Funeral
Home, Leonardtown, where a proces-
sional will follow afterwards to the
Patuxent River NAS, MWR Beach
House for a wake reception. Interment
will be private.
In lieu of fowers, memorial con-
tributions may be made to the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park
Association: 115 Park Headquarters
Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Condolences to the family may
be made at www.brinsfeldfuneral.
com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfeld
Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.
Mazie Elizabeth (Pilkerton)
Jones, 95
Mazie Eliza-
beth (Pilkerton)
Jones, 95 of Califor-
nia, Md. died March
22 in Hollywood,
Md.
Born May 6,
1913 in Pearson,
she was the daugh-
ter of the late James
Woodley and Maggie Velma Wallace
Pilkerton. She was the loving wife of
the late John Hilary Jones whom she
married Sept. 22, 1929 in St. Johns
Catholic Church, Hollywood.
She is survived by her children,
Ann E. Poe of Callaway, Jean F. Ash-
ley of Hollywood, Md. and Kitty
M. Lee of Mechanicsville; siblings,
Mary Archer of Hollywood, Md.,
Margaret Mosher of Town Creek and
Billye McGaharn of Leonardtown;
30 grandchildren, many great grand-
children and many many great-great
grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death
by her children Mary Lou ODell,
James L. Jones and John W. Jones
and siblings John Blackie Pilkerton,
Franklin Dink Pilkerton, Joseph
Pank Pilkerton and George Buck
Pilkerton.
Mazie was a lifelong St. Marys
County resident where she worked as
a sales clerk at Kings for 15 years.
The family received friends
March 25 from 5 8 p.m. in the Mat-
tingley-Gardiner Funeral Home,
where Prayers were said at 7 p.m. A
Mass of Christian Burial will be cel-
ebrated March 26 at 11 a.m. in St.
Johns Catholic Church, Hollywood,
with Fr. Raymond Schmidt offci-
ating. Interment will follow in the
Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will
be Bobby Albert, Billy Albert, Randy
Crocker, Floyd Ashley, Stevie McGee
and Ronnie McGee.
Contributions may be made to
Hospice of St. Marys County, P.O.
Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650
and/or Hollywood Volunteer Rescue
Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, MD
20636.
To send a condolence to the fam-
ily please visit our website at www.
mgfh.com.
Arrangements provided by the
Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home,
P.A.
James Frank Largen, Jr., 51
James Frank
Largen, Jr., 51, of
Leonardtown died
March 17 in his
residence.
Born July 4,
1957 in La Plata,
he was the son of
James Frank Sr.,
and Anna May Williams Largen of
Leonardtown.
In addition to his parents, he is
also survived by his siblings, Patricia
Ann Largen of Leonardtown, Ron-
nie Lee Largen, Sr. of California, and
Alice Hester of Waldorf; his niece
Tabitha Wathen of Bryantown, his
nephews Ronnie Lee Largen, Jr., of
Waysons Corner, and Jeremy Louis
Largen of Waldorf as well as three
great nephews and two great nieces.
siblings Shirley Ann Largen and Mi-
chael Anthony Tony Largen.
March 19 from 5 8 p.m. in the Mat-
tingley-Gardiner Funeral Home,
funeral service was held March 20 at
10 a.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner
Funeral Home Chapel with Fr. Keith
Woods offciating. Interment followed
in Trinity Memorial Gardens, Wal-
dorf. Pallbearers were John Horsman,
Junior Williams Sr., Junior Williams
Jr., Donald Largen, Douglas Lada and
Brian Williams. Honorary pallbear-
ers were Brandon Pickeral and Robert
Bassford.
To leave a condolence for the
family, visit www.mgfh.com.
P.A.
James Abell Longmore, Jr.,
65
James Abell Longmore, Jr., 65, of
Lexington Park, formerly of Leonar-
dtown, passed away peacefully in his
home March 16.
He is survived by and was mar-
ried to the love of his life, Mary Ann
(Weiland) Longmore, for over thirty-
nine years. He is also survived by his
son and daughter-in-law, Chris and
Katie (Raley) Longmore, and his fve
sisters Rose Marie Weiland, Elsie
Sullivan, Mary Lou Frain, Elizabeth
Longmore, and Marian Bowser. He
had three grandchildren, Zachary,
Bella and Gabrielle, who affection-
ately knew him as Pop Pop.
He was preceded in by death by
his parents, James Abell Longmore,
Sr. and Rose Theresa Longmore,
and his brother, William Leonard
Longmore.
Abell is a lifelong resident of St.
Marys County, living most of his
sixty-fve years in Leonardtown. To-
gether with Mary Ann, he formerly
owned and operated the Ben Frank-
lin fve and dime and variety store
in Leonardtown, which was a family
owned business originally operated
by his parents and other family mem-
bers. This business served as a central
retail center in the Leonardtown area
for many years and was a place where
Abell met, conversed and counseled
with countless friends and strangers
over the years.
Abell served his country with
honor in Viet Nam. While in this ser-
vice, he was a medic who provided aid
to his fellow servicemen and women
as well as many others who were in-
jured during the war. After his return
from Viet Nam, Abell informally
counseled many of his friends and oth-
ers who had also been to Viet Nam.
Abell loved St. Marys County
and was active in his community. He
was involved in many political cam-
paigns and loved to be on the cam-
paign trail mostly because of how
many people he got to meet. He was
a charter member of the Leonard-
town Rescue Squad and previously
served as its Chief and President. He
was active in many other boards and
organizations over the years, includ-
ing Walden Sierra, Inc.; the St. Marys
County Chamber of Commerce; St.
Marys County Nursing Center; St.
Marys County Parks and Recreation;
Christmas in April of St. Marys;
the SMECO Election and Credential
Committee; the Leonardtown Lions
Club; and Tri-County Group Homes,
Inc. Abell was the St. Marys County
Chamber of Commerces Business-
person of the Year in 1987 and was
the St. Marys County Democratic
Clubs Democrat of the Year in
2006.
Later in life, Abell suffered with
many physical ailments, but did not al-
low those to alter his kind spirit or his
desire to help others. Abell began vol-
unteering with Hospice of St. Marys
and almost immediately this work
became his passion. He spent count-
less hours counseling and befriending
both individuals who were close to
death and their families. He traveled
day and night all over the County
when needed and was touched deeply
by each of his patients.
Most of all, Abell loved to spend
time with his family. These special
times included trips to Ocean City
with Mary Ann, performing one of
his many projects around the house
with his son Chris, and just talking
for hours over a dinner or cookout
with Mary Ann, Chris, Katie and his
grandchildren. Abell had a strong
faith, and used this as his guide in all
of the work he did for others and for
the unconditional love he shared with
his friends and family.
Family received friends for
Abells Life Celebration March 19
from 5 8 p.m. in St. Aloysius Catho-
lic Church, Leonardtown. A Mass
of Christian Burial was celebrated
March 20 at 10 a.m. in St. Aloysius
Catholic Church. Interment followed
in Immaculate Heart of Mary Cem-
etery, Lexington Park.
com.
Michael Rayfeld Mugg, 53
Michael Ray-
feld Mugg, 53, of
Woodbridge, Va.,
and formerly of St.
Marys County, died
Feb. 25 in Potomac
Hospital, Wood-
bridge, Va. from
lung cancer.
Born Aug. 9,
1955 in St. Marys County, he was the
son of Louise P. Mugg of Woodbridge,
and the late John Phillip Mugg.
In addition to his parents, he is
also survived by his siblings, Pamela
L. Mugg, Rhonda P. Mugg, Paula T.
Mugg, Joan B. Mugg and Byron P.
Mugg, all of Woodbridge, Va., Ron-
ald Thomas and Leo Mugg, both of
Lexington Park and John A. Mugg of
Washington, D.C. Michael was also
survived by two aunts, Mary C. Kane
of Leonardtown and Lucille Berry
of Callaway; brothers-in-law Francis
Jones of Waldorf and Walter Fleming,
Jr. of Woodbridge, Va.; Godchildren,
Raymond Brewer III, Corey Kane
and Shelly Kane, and a host of nieces,
nephews and friends.
sister Gertrude Jones.
As a child, Michael lived with his
grandparents James and Agnes Mugg
in Leonardtown. In the mid 1960s he
moved to Palmer Park in Landover
with his parents. He attended Ban-
neker Elementary before moving. He
had a smile that would light a room
right up and could keep people in a
conversation for hours and hours.
Michael was a member of New Faith
Ministries where he ministered to a
host of individuals seeking comfort
and blessings to carry them through
their discomforts at that time. We all
know Michael is in Gods house now
because he had walked the path to
Gods house for a long time.
The family received family and
friends at the Mountcastle Funeral
Home in Dale City, Va. March 1. A
Life Celebration Service was held
March 3 in All Saints Episcopal
Church. Interment was at Stonewall
Memory Gardens, Manassas, Va.
Laura Violet Purcell, 91
Laura Vio-
let Purcell, 91, of
Tall Timbers died
March 19 in her
home under Hospice
Care.
Born May 31,
1917 in Herman-
ville, she was the
daughter of the late
Albert and Fannie Mae Shorter.
She was a lifelong resident of St.
Marys County, a homemaker and was
employed by the St. Marys Board of
Education as a food service worker for
18 years.
She was a faithful parishioner at
St. Georges Episcopal Church, Val-
ley Lee, serving on the Altar Guild
and was a member of the ECW. Her
many interests included gardening
(she loved fowers), bird watching and
reading. She also enjoyed spending
time with her children, grandchildren
and great-grandchildren at many fam-
ily gatherings.
She is survived by her children,
Nancy Johnson of Waldorf, Lanette
Cowles and husband John of Valley
Lee, Darlene Guy and husband Joe of
Waldorf, Joseph Purcell Jr. and wife
Sharon of Ridge, Margaret Cook of
Hollywood, Md.; son-in-law Stephen
Cook of Lexington Park; Wanda
Lukasik and husband Rick of Holly-
wood, Md.; brothers, Andrew Shorter
and wife Mary Jane of Towson, Albert
Shorter and wife Mary Lou of Leon-
ardtown and Charles Shorter and wife
Margaret of Broomes Island.
She had 10 grandchildren and 16
great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she
was preceded in death by her husband,
Joseph M.Purcell Sr.; sisters, Rose
Saunders, Mae T. Thomas, Alice Hen-
derson; brothers, John, Tom and Rich-
ard Shorter; grandson, Gary Johnson
and son-in-law, Stan Johnson.
Family received friends March
23 from 5 8 p.m. in the Brinsfeld
Funeral Home, Leonardtown. Prayers
were recited at 7 p.m. A Funeral Ser-
vice was held March 24 at 11 a.m. in
St. Georges Episcopal Church, Val-
ley Lee by the Reverend Greg Sy-
ler. Interment followed in the church
cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers were
Joseph Purcell III, Ricky Lukasik,
James Tharp, Tommy Deagle, Lyn
Henderson, and Robert Smith.
Honorary Pallbearers were Ste-
phen Cook, Larry Johnson and Cora
McVey.
Memorial Contributions may be
made to Hospice of St. Marys, P.O.
Box 625, Leonardtown, MD_ 20650
or to St. Georges Episcopal Church,
P.O. Box 30, Valley Lee, MD_ 20692.
Condolences to the family maybe
made at www.brinsfeldfuneral.com.

The County Times
Robert Walter Raley, 82
Robert Walter
Raley, 82, of Leon-
ardtown passed
away March 18 in St.
Marys Hospital.
Born Aug. 11,
1926 in Dameron,
he was the son of the
late William C. and
Nettie Marie Raley.
Mr. Raley graduated from St.
Michaels school in 1944. He owned
and drove non public-school buses for
close to 50 years, where he drove for
St. Michaels, Little Flower, St. Marys
Ryken and Leonard Hall schools.
Robert enjoyed driving the bus
for so many children in the area, driv-
ing them on feld trips and rewarding
them for their good behavior. A large
part of his life was his farming of
the Home Place in Dameron with
his Farmall tractors, and he was a
member of the Farm Bureau and St.
Michaels Catholic Church. He loved
the Washington Redskins and the
Baltimore Orioles. He will always be
remembered for his dedication to sell-
ing chances for the Big Bucks, get-
ting donations for the St. Michaels
School Auction and selling candy
bars for the school.
Robert thought the world of his
grand boys.
In addition to his parents, Mr.
Raley was preceded in death by his
wife Anita Betty Cullison Raley
and sisters, Dorothy Mae Raley and
Margurite Stone; brother-in-law Ed-
die Ray Cullison and sisters-in-law
Sister Marie Francis Cullison and
Carolyn Clarke.
Robert is survived by his daugh-
ter, Carol Marie Cusick Lowmiller
of California, Md.; grandchildren,
Kris and David Cusick and Robert
Dylan Lowmiller; siblings, Wil-
liam Ross, J. Francis Raley, (Patsy)
and Audrey Norton, all of Ridge; sis-
ter and brothers-in law, sister Mary
Rita Cullison, Jack Cullison, (Fran-
ces Ann), Joe Pat Cullison, (Doro-
thy Ann) and Mary Ann Cullison
Rymer
Family received friends March
22 from 2 5 p.m. in St. Michaels
Catholic Church, Ridge, where
prayers were recited at 4 p.m. A Mass
of Christian burial was celebrated
March 23 at 10 a.m. with Monsignor
Maurice OConnell offciating.
Interment followed in the
church cemetery.
Pallbearers were Raymond,
Keith, Bruce and Dan Raley, Clint
Yost and Wade Cullison.
Honorary pallbearers were
Donald Stone, Sr., Don Stone, Tom
Trossbach, Larry Norton, Joe Greer
and Jack Cullison.
In lieu of fowers, memorial
contributions may be made to Hos-
pice of St. Marys, Inc., P.O. Box 625,
Leonardtown, MD and/or Monsignor
John Peacock Scholarship Fund,
P.O. Box 429, Ridge, MD 20680, or
Ridge Vol. Rescue Sq., P.O. Box 456,
Ridge, MD 20680
Barbara Ann Roberts, 72
Barbara Ann Roberts, 72, of
Hollywood, Md., died Feb. 26 in St.
Marys Hospital in Leonardtown.
She was born in New York,
New York July 23, 1936 to the late
Alphonso J. Raymond and Ruth Ma-
rie (Kroger) Raymond.
Barbara was a member of the 4-
H club and a life long gardener.
She is survived by her lov-
ing husband Arthur Leon Roberts,
whom she married July 27, 1963 in
Washington, D.C; three children,
Arthur (Rob) Roberts of Hollywood,
Md., Scott Roberts of Gilbert, Ariz.,
and Julia Mullins of Mechanics-
ville; son-in-law Greg Mullins and
daughter-in-law Dilia Wood. She is
also survived by two grandchildren,
Amber Noel Pittock, and Cheyanne
Bremen Lee Roberts; and two sis-
ters, Audrey Ruccio of Georgia and
Elizabeth Curtis of Maine.
Family will receive friends and
relatives March 28 from 1 2 p.m.
in Brinsfeld Funeral Home, Leon-
ardtown. A Memorial Service will
be held at 2 p.m. Inurnment will be
private.
com.
Virginia Milburn Stone, 95
Virginia Milburn Stone, 95,
of Leonardtown died March 22 in
Chesapeake Shores Nursing Center
in Lexington Park.
Born May 10, 1913 in Drayden,
she was the daughter of the late Oli-
ver Burton and Louise Adams Mil-
burn. She was the loving wife of the
late Francis Joseph Frank Stone,
whom she married in St. Georges
Catholic Church in Valley Lee Sept.
23, 1944, and who preceded her in
death Dec. 22, 1968.
She is survived by her daughter
Louise V. VanRyswick of Leonar-
dtown and son Francis M. Stone of
Avenue; four grandchildren, Joseph
F. Stone, James I. Stone, Susan L.
Weathersbee and Julie A. Greenwell
and two great-grandchildren, Mason
Greenwell and Isabella Stone. She
is also survived by her two sisters,
Mary Elizabeth Johnson of Leonar-
dtown and Charolotte A. Bennett of
Lusby.
She was preceded in death by
her parents; husband; a son, James
Joseph Stone; brothers Harvey, Ste-
phen, James, Robert, George and
Elliott Milburn as well as her sister
Delma L. Bennett and her great-
grandson Justin Woods.
Mrs. Stone was a graduate of
Great Mills High Schools class of
1932.
March 25 from 5 8 p.m. in the
Mass of Christian Burial will be cel-
ebrated March 26 at 10 a.m. in Holy
Angels Catholic Church, Avenue,
with Fr. William Gurnee offciat-
ing. Interment will follow in Sacred
Heart Cemetery, Bushwood.
Contributions may be made to
7
th
District Volunteer Rescue Squad,
P.O. Box 7, Avenue, MD 20609 and/
or 7
th
District Volunteer Fire Depart-
ment, P.O. Box 206, Avenue, MD
20609.
To leave a condolence for the
family, visit www.mgfh.com.
P.A.
Mae Rosaline (Gibson)
Thorne, 74
Mae Rosaline
(Gibson) Thorne,
74, of Leonardtown
peacefully passed
away in her sleep
March 22 in her
home.
Born July 27,
1934 in Bushwood,
Mrs. Thorne was
the daughter of the late Thomas
Laurie and Essie Mae Owens Gib-
son. Mrs. Thorne lived in Chicago,
Ill. and Milwaukee, Wis. before re-
turning to reside in Leonardtown for
45 years. She was a graduate of St.
Marys Academy in Leonardtown
and attended Nazareth College in
Nazareth, Ky. for her undergradu-
ate work. She received her masters
degree in British Literature at Mar-
quette University in Milwaukee and
did further graduate work At Roos-
evelt University in Chicago. She
taught at St. Michaels High school
in Chicago for four years and also
taught at Margaret Brent Middle
School, St. Marys Academy and
Chopticon High school in St. Marys
County. While at Chopticon, she di-
rected the senior class plays and was
a mentor for the Drama Club.
Mrs. Thorne was a member of
the choir at Our Ladys Church in
Medleys Neck for 15 years and was
the organist and choir director for
13 of those years. Her hobbies were
working crossword puzzles, read-
ing, composing hymns and Christ-
mas carols for the various members
of her family and writing Christ-
mas stories for her children when
they were young and now for her
grandchildren.
Mrs. Thorne is survived by
her husband of 41 years, George
F. Thorne, Jr.; children, George F.
Thorne, III of Denver, Colo., Thomas
L. Thorne, ( Dr. Holly Beth Clark), of
Salt Lake City, Utah, Rose E. Thorne,
(Edward Keegan), of Arlington, Va.;
grandchildren, Cassidy R. Clark and
Milo T. Thorne; siblings, James H.
Gibson, (Sue), of Bushwood, Mary
E. (Betty) Williams of Mechanics-
ville, Helen C. Hewitt of Bushwood,
Sophie B. Zimmerman, (Leon) of
Bushwood, Professor Aloysius Gib-
son of Chicago, Ill. and Joseph W.
Gibson, (Melanie) of La Plata. She is
also survived by a myriad of nieces,
nephews, other extended family and
devoted friends.
Mrs. Thorne was preceded in
by death her brothers Francis De-
Sales Gibson and Thomas Laurie
Gibson, Jr.
She will be greatly missed by
all.
Family received friends for Mrs.
Thornes Life Celebration March 25
from 5 8 p.m. in the Brinsfeld Fu-
neral Home where prayers were re-
cited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian
burial will be celebrated March 26
at 10 a.m. in Our Ladys Catholic
Church, Medleys Neck, with Fa-
ther Thomas LaHood offciating.
Interment will follow in the church
cemetery.
Pallbearers for Mrs. Thorne
will be George Thorne, III, Thomas
Thorne, Edward Keegan, Lawrence
Jack Williams, Jr., Tony Laurel
and Robert Stancil.
In lieu of fowers memorial con-
tributions may be made to the pro-
life organization of your choice, and
to Hospice of St. Marys, P.O. Box
625, Leonardtown, MD 20650
com
Arrangements provided by
the Brinsfeld Funeral Home, P.A.,
Leonardtown.
The County Times
Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary
School kicks off Green School Experiment
to Educate Students and Families on how to
Reduce Waste at School and Home
During the month of March 2009 Let-
tie Marshall Dent Elementary School will
participate in Dent Green Week. This is
our effort to join in National Green Week, a
national environmental awareness program
sponsored by the Green Education Founda-
tion and IXG. Our entire Dent community,
including teachers, parents and student, has
pledged to bring in waste-free snacks during
Dent Green Week, March 19 - 25, 2009. This
effort will demonstrate how a school com-
munity can measurably address challenging
global problems by adopting simple eco-
friendly behaviors. In one week, the school
plans to reduce the amount of classroom
trash by 70%. Teachers will augment the
waste-reduction program with environmen-
tal activities, projects, and exercises for class-
based study and take-home assignments.
During our Dent Green Week students
in PK through 5th grade reduce the amount
of waste that accumulates within our daily
lifestyle. We will replicate the success of the
William Seach School, Weymouth MA along
with over one million children and 2000
schools participating from nearly 35 states.
The goal of National Green Week is to elimi-
nate over 1000 tons of waste, the equivalent
weight of 76 school busses and jumpstart a life-
long passion for environmental stewardship.
By participating in Dent Green Week,
our students will learn that simple deci-
sions such as the selection of waste-free
snacks and drinks can combat monumen-
tal environmental problems. Children are
in the best position to impact the future
of our environment by developing green
behaviors that become lifelong habits.
Green Experiment Empowers Students To Help Save
Your yard is calling you ... can you hear it? Its
crying out for something new this season, some-
thing fun and natural that will change the look of
the yard.
Brad Staggs, HGTVPro.com and DIY show
producer and host, and a licensed contractor, offers
three simple projects designed to upgrade the over-
all look and feel of your yard. Backyard projects
should be nice and simple so the entire family can
participate, says Staggs. All of these are easy to
personalize as well, plus they are made from all-
natural wood, which sends a great environmental
message.
Dont have time to run to the store? Give your
family easy access to their fve servings of veggies
by building a raised garden bed. Plant tomatoes,
cucumbers, squash, green beans and more ... your
taste buds are your only limitation. With a few
easy cuts of wood, a garden bed can be installed
and planted in an afternoon.
The outdoor season is coming fast, and youre
thinking of hosting a party on your new wooden
deck. But wait -- is there enough seating for ev-
eryone? Not a problem if youve spent a few hours
building a Chattahoochee Chair. Comfortable,
durable and constructed of natural materials, this
simple wooden chair provides a great place to kick
back and watch the world go by. Build more than
one and customize them to ft your lifestyle with
favorite paint colors, a college team logo or chil-
drens handprints.
If you want to add life to your lawn and gar-
den, invite nature to be part of it. Building some-
thing small and simple -- like a birdhouse -- can
often yield the most powerful results. Situate the
birdhouse away from family pets (no one likes
a big dog barking at their front door, even blue-
birds!) and in a quiet corner. Then sit back in your
cool new Chattahoochee Chair with a glass of
cold ice tea and watch the feathered friends come
a-calling!
As with any backyard DIY project, building
product selection is important. For all of the above
projects, Brad chooses pressure-treated Southern
Pine. Its a no-brainer to me: pressure-treated
Southern Pine is real, its genuine and its a beauti-
ful product. Add to that the natural, long-lasting,
sturdy and safe elements, and you just cant go
wrong. If youre conscious of your carbon foot-
print, then wood is your product; its one of the
only naturally renewable products out there, and it
takes remarkably less energy to manufacture than
alternative building products. Its the real thing for
real families.
Hit a Backyard Triple:
Three Projects for
Your Next Staycation
Summer is the time to bare it all, and not
just in your swimsuit. Whether youre at the
beach or barbecuing on the patio, try going
au natural, starting with your snacks. This
summer, many Americans are taking back
the snack, in a natural and wholesome way.
A survey commissioned by Pepperidge
Farm in early 2008 revealed that Americans
love to snack and will enjoy their snacks just
about anywhere. More than 55 percent say
they snack in the car and almost the same
amount admit they keep snacks in their desk
at work. Six percent even say they give up
full meals just to keep snacking.
Fortunately, you can feel good about
snacking when its done the right way. To
help encourage wholesome snacking, ce-
lebrity natural food chef, Bethenny Frankel,
has partnered with Pepperidge Farm Baked
Naturals crackers to create several tips that
embrace snacking as a part of a balanced
lifestyle, as well as simple and delicious reci-
pes to be paired with the new line of snack
crackers.
Frankel offers these tips to have snack-
ing be part of a wholesome lifestyle:
Get Moving. Whether its taking a walk,
going for a run or working in the garden, en-
joy activities that will energize you. After-
wards, revive with a wholesome and hearty
snack. Your body will appreciate you fueling
yourself with the best ingredients possible.
Pretzel Thins are a great choice for dipping
in honey mustard or topping with melted par-
mesan cheese.
Loosen Up. Its the little things that
make life fun. Take a few minutes out of your
day to share a good laugh and enjoy a snack
that makes you feel good.
Kick Back. Our lives can be so hectic
-- take a moment every day to unwind with a
snack that is inviting and delicious. Wrap Ar-
tisan Cheese Snack Sticks in prosciutto. The
balance of textures and favors can keep you
going all day long.
Taking Back the Snack
The County Times
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The County Times
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Lush Lawn
A House is
a Home
You certainly want your lawn
and garden to look beautiful, but far
too often homeowners succumb to
making landscaping mistakes. Here
are some of the more common gaffes
and how to remedy them.
1. Lawn ornament overkill: Put-
ting too many lawn ornaments into
your yard can take away from the
natural beauty of the landscape. If you
want to add a whimsical touch, stick
with one or two instead of many.
2. Improper plant locations: The
reason garden centers and nurser-
ies put those care tags on plants is so
that you will know how to care for the
particular plant. You should take into
consideration the proper sunlight and
exposure your plants will
need.
3. Scalping
the lawn:It is
not true that
cutting your
lawn short
will mean
less mow-
ing. The
lawn has
d i f f e r e n t
requirements
t h r oughout
the year. In the
cooler weather
you can get away with
cutting it shorter so that sunlight can
penetrate the soil. In the summer, keep
the blades longer to maximize water
retention and promote soil shade.
4. Picking the wrong plants:
Many people pick plants because they
simply look good and not because
theyll be appropriate for their yard.
5. Thinking animals wont both-
er your landscape: Once you plant at-
tractive and delicious fowering plants
you could fnd your yard is the new
dining spot for a host of wildlife. In-
tersperse bitter-tasting fowers with
the sweet ones to deter deer. Birds,
rabbits, squirrels and other animals
may need barriers to keep them out.
6. Pruning willy-nilly: Many
plants prosper when pruned. How-
ever, over-pruning or doing so the
wrong way or at the wrong time can
harm a plant. Learn the correct way
from books or a gardening center.
Otherwise, it could be better not to
prune at all.
7. Too much color: A smatter-
ing of color here and there can be
too much and distracting when your
landscape is viewed. Instead, choose
a color palette and stick with a few
similar hues.
8. Forgetting the family: An or-
nate garden certainly looks pretty,
but how practical is it for your way of
life? If you have kids, you may have
to think about how your prop-
erty is used and plan your
landscape around that.
9. Failing to be safe: Fol-
low the recommendations and
warnings on any tools you use
for gardening. Always read
the instructions and users
manual.
10. Grab and go: Its easy
to want to buy everything you
see at the garden center, but
its better to go in with a plan
and a shopping list. Mixing
and matching too many ele-
ments in your yard could look
sloppy and not well thought
out.
11. Poor maintenance:
Garden beds generally re-
quire weeding and tending
once or twice a month. Make
sure you have the time to take
care of your landscape after you cre-
ate it. Otherwise, fnd someone reli-
able whom you can hire to care for it.
12. Failing to budget: Gardening,
just like any hobby, can cost money.
Make a list of what youre willing to
spend and stick to it. Otherwise the
bills can quickly escalate.
13. One-season landscape: Your
landscape should grow and change
with the weather. Plan for plantings
that bloom or offer color all year
round.
14. Forgetting the day-to-night
transition: Of course you want your
yard to look great during the day, but
what about enjoying it at night? Make
sure it is safe and plan for exterior il-
lumination so that you can have many
wonderful evenings under the stars.
15. No roadmap: You must have
a plan for your landscape. Plot it out
on paper, make a list of your materials
and costs, run the idea by all those in
the household and only then begin.
The spring and summer
seasons are popular times
for homeowners to put their
houses on the real estate mar-
ket. How do you set yours apart
from the rest and help ensure it
will sell faster? Estimates from
the Professional Landcare Net-
work and real estate agents re-
veal that landscaping can add
up to 15 percent to property
value. Creating a lush lawn
and vibrant garden are some
of the areas on which to focus.
They can help your home ap-
pear to be a premium property.
Investments in accent lighting,
paving stones and ornamen-
tal water features are other
touches that can project
your home in a posi-
tive light. Because
maintaining your
landscape can
be time-con-
suming work,
it could pay
to hire a land-
scaper or lawn
service to keep
on top of mowing
and other main-
tenance until your
15 Landscaping Mistakes
The County Times
Sunday, April 5th, 2009
4 pm - 7 pm
1st Annual
Wine and Import Beer Tasting
Featuring Wines from Around the World
Imported Beer Selection and Light Fare
All Proceeds Beneft:
Leonard Hall
Jr. Naval Academy
301.475.8029 www.lhjna.org
To be held at:
Lennys
Restaurant
23418 Three Notch Road
Hollywood, MD
301-737-0777
(across from Wildwood Shopping
center; northbound on Route 235)
TICKETS ON
SALE NOW AND
AT THE DOOR
$25 per person
Must be 21 to attend
50/50 Raffe
(tax deductible charitable
contribution receipt provided)
Hollywood Graphics And Screen Printing
Business T-Shirts Custom T-Shirts
Banners Stickers Graphics/Logos
Vehicle Lettering ATV & MX Decals
N
O
W

O
f
f
e
r
i
n
g
w
w
w
.h
o
l
l
y
w
o
o
d
g
r
a
f
x
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o
m
301-769-1177
hgx@hollywoodgrafx.com
The County Times
A House is
a Home
Do Not
Do This
Before
You Buy
a Home
By Patrick Dugan
Contributing Writer
Many times I have heard of real
estate deals almost not going through
because nobody told the buyers of the
home about certain things they should
not do. So, I hope this article helps you.
First of all, what seems logical to
many does not appear logical to all. So,
if you have a contract on a house, it is
not a good time to go buy a boat, a car,
all new furniture etc Your debt to in-
come ratio is a very important factor
in whether or not you get the loan, so
please. Do not increase your debt when
trying to get a loan.
Credit Cards; this is not the time to
pay off and close all your credit cards
either. I know it sounds a little confus-
ing but remember a lender is going to
also look at your available credit. So
if you have three credit cards and each
card has a $10,000 limit. That means
you have $30,000 in available credit and
it looks good to a lender. However if all
three cards are maxed out, it means you
have no available credit and that looks
bad. Also, if you close the accounts, you
have no available credit and it still looks
bad.
Do not play hide the money either.
If you have many different accounts,
and you need to move some money from
one account to another make sure you
have the documentation on hand. Your
lender will be looking at the last 3-6
months of bank statements and if they
see large cash deposits and withdrawals
they will want to see where the money
came from and where it went. Move as
little as possible around during the time
you are house hunting and waiting for
settlement.
How about changing jobs. This is a
bad idea usually. However if you stay in
the same field, and you can document a
few paychecks sometime before closing
the job change will have less effect. If
you are changing fields of employment.
If you make a large part of your income
through bonus or commission this is re-
ally not the time to change jobs. This
is certainly not the time to become self
employed either.
Please do not pay off any collec-
tions or charge offs at this time either.
Believe it or not, by paying off these
accounts you are then changing the ac-
tive date on the account this can have a
dramatic impact on your ability to buy
the home we found for you. Your lender
or you may decide that paying off these
accounts is important to get done right
away and you may be able to pay them
off at settlement. Sometimes even roll-
ing the debt into the mortgage payment
may make sense for you.
The main thing to do is to make
sure you are dealing with a reputable
lender who is going to be available
when you call them. I always recom-
mend to my clients to use a local lender,
as they are the ones who may run into
you at the movies, or when you are out
to dinner. They are the ones who must
be able to face you and your family after
the deal, so they are going to try harder
to keep you happy. If you must search
for a great Internet mortgage, search for
it, and then shop it around locally. See
what you can get from a lender who is
right here near you. I am sure having
the lender close by will benefit you dur-
ing the process.
If you have any questions about
this article or ideas for others please
contact me. You may also contact me
to help you start your search for homes
to rent, buy or sell. PatrickDugan@
mris.com
The County Times
By Shelby Oppermann
Contributing Writer
The time is almost here when long;
Saturday morning caravans begin their pre-
dawn bargain hunt. Homeowners start look-
ing around their houses thinking, Do I really
need that set of 1970s disco cassettes, or that
second set of dishes? This is the time to slip
in the exercise machine you bought at a yard
sale two years ago. You know, the one they
bought at a yard sale two years before you.
Gosh, now that you are selling the exercise
bike, where will you hang your husbands
shirts as they come out of the dryer? Maybe
there will be one of those metal clothing racks
at one of the sales today.
Now that my youngest son, Ryan is
grown and on his own, I no longer have my
yard sale partner. Robert, my older son, liked
to go sometimes too. I do, still occasionally
get a chance to stop on my way to work on
Saturdays. Its that feeling of a treasure hunt
that lures people in. You hear stories of found
antiquities or hidden money that stay in the
back of your mind. But, usually you fnd the
missing casserole to your corning ware or
one more funny coffee mug that you have to
have.
I bought an entire box of coffee mugs for
Yard Sale Fever
of an
Aimless

Mind
the church a few years ago. We needed some-
thing a little more formal than paper cups for our
own meetings. It was a great deal - $2.00 for 20
or 25 mugs. Theres nothing like having a seri-
ous church meeting, and everyone is drinking
out of a mug with the front end of cows and pigs
facing them and the rear ends facing everyone
else. Its probably good that the mugs are not
the kind that have strange things appear when
they heat up.
Ryan and I would get up real early and
make a morning of yard saling. Wed map out
our main route in the paper, with the unspoken
knowledge that adventure could be waiting
around any corner. The things we found have
left some wonderful memories. Well, the metal
coffn was one of the most unusual fnds, and
we wondered how the people were going to sell
that for a long time. I believe a memorable day
for Ryan was going to the yard sale at the home
where Socks the cat lived. It was a great sale
and Socks loved the attention.
One of our favorite fnds was Squishy Bear.
There was an entire household contents sale at
a house by the water, where you had to wait and
go through in small groups. I found beautiful
antique lace doilies and teacups for me. Ryan
looked and looked through all the rooms, and
then spied a small, stuffed brown bear with a
white snout. Not a Teddy Bear, more of a real
shaped bear. That bear became Ryans cher-
ished possession for almost a year. He held
onto it so tight that I thought he would squish
it. As we were leaving, we began a story about
Squishy Bear and tape-recorded it that day. It
was a sweet story about the little boy who must
have loved and left the little bear. I can look up
right now and see Squishy Bear between my
hatboxes.
Another adventure was actually trying to
fnd the yard sales. When the boys were younger,
we lived in the center of the county and werent
as familiar with some of the larger housing de-
velopments. Where I live now is one of those
places. Ryan and I drove through here on yard
sale hunts at least three times where we never
found a yard sale only the signs. After awhile,
we started thinking that people were watching
out of their bay windows, laughing hysterically
and saying to each other, Look, we caught an-
other one, ha, ha, ha, its that fool woman and
her son in that mom mobile again. We really
thought it was a big joke that the whole commu-
nity was playing on unsuspecting visitors.
There were times we did hit the scavenger
jackpot and have a blast. You can really have a
good time on $5 or $10 bucks. If you hit the
timing just right, you get in the caravan I men-
tioned. There will be four or fve bargain hunt-
ers who will undoubtedly have mapped out the
same route you have. It then becomes a game of
who will arrive frst. We had a few Saturdays
like that. It made the morning even more fun.
I think going to yard sales is a lot more fun
than preparing for one. If you are lucky, there
wont be any arguments or tears, or someone put-
ting items back in the house you have just taken
out. Youll know it the frst time you go to wash
that plate and you fnd a circular green sticker on
the bottom with 25 cents on it. Well, Im look-
ing around our house now. Anyone needing any
30-year-old Sociology books? How about some
ball caps with local logos? Ill let you know
when my sale is, just look for the signs.
To each new days adventure, Shelby
Please send your comments or ideas to
shelbys.wanderings@yahoo.com
Over 250,000 Southern Marylanders cant be wrong!
Wanderings
Creature Feature
By Theresa Morr
Contributing Writer
Can you imagine spending most of your
life living in trees? Orangutans do. In fact,
they are the largest arboreal animals on earth,
which means they live
high above the ground in
treetops.
Swing fing. So
what do orangutans do
all day? These totally
cute relatives of ours
have a swingin good
time, thats what! The
fun-loving shaggy crea-
tures with thick necks,
long, strong arms with
hook-shaped hands and
feet, and short bowed
legs spend lots of hours
swinging from tree to
tree. They do this by
grasping branches and
vines with those awe-
some arms, hands and
feet, then swinging their bulky bodies across
the gap. Whew!
Safety frst. Orangutans are cautious,
too. They wont cross over to another tree un-
less one hand is safely on a branch. But what
about the little babies that havent yet learned
how to swing? No problem. Mama orangutan
comes to the rescue. She stretches her big
furry body between two trees making herself
a living bridge so the little ones can scamper
across. Now thats really cool! Babies stay
close to their moms for about eight years.
Crafty creatures. Orangutans dont
stray far from their treetop homes when
theyre thirsty. A sip of water collected in tree
hollows, on leaves, or even on their own fur
will do just fne. They also use smaller leaves
as cups to hold water and the larger ones as
umbrellas to help keep them dry. And guess
what? If you were an orangutan, you could
sleep on a fresh mattress every night. These
engaging animals are really smart. Each eve-
ning, they build a new mattress nest of fronds
and twigs, including a roof of extra large
leaves in case it rains. In fact, scientifc stud-
ies revealed these humanlike animals are great
problem solvers.
Orangutans love
fruit and will sit in the
forest canopy for hours
on end waiting for fruit
to appear, and it usually
does. Tender leaves and
bark, insects, eggs, and
small animals are also
menu favorites. But in
zoos, food such as cab-
bage, bananas, carrots,
yams, along with treats
like popcorn, peanut but-
ter, and walnuts are ev-
eryday delights. And in
case youre wondering,
the word orangutan
means man of the for-
est in Malay, an Indone-
sian language.
Endangered species. These shy, solitary
animals live in the tropical rain forests on the
islands of Borneo and Sumatra in the countries
of Indonesia and Malaysia. Can you fnd their
home on a map? Hint: Look south of Thailand
in Southeast Asia. Orangutans live about 30
to 45 years in the wild and 50 years or more
in captivity. Adult males weigh around 200
pounds and females are about half that size.
Sadly, these beautiful creatures are endan-
gered. Their numbers are getting smaller ev-
ery year because humans are destroying their
habitat by cutting down too many trees. Also,
baby orangutans are often captured and sold as
pets. Some years ago, thousands of these ani-
mals were killed and habitats destroyed when
huge fres swept through Borneo and Suma-
tra. To learn more about these special animals,
check out this really neat website: www.pbs.
org/wnet/nature/orangutans. Comments to ki-
kusan2@verizon.net.
Swingin in the Treetops
The County Times
L
a
s
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W
e
e
k
s

P
u
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l
e

S
o
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s
CLUES ACROSS
1. No seats available
4. Payment (abbr.)
7. Dash
10. Taxis
12. Artery to the leg
14. Place a load on
15. 1st Chinese dynasty
16. Ukrainian seaport
17. Eurasian mountain goat
18. Take my wife please
comic
21. Arrived extinct
22. Very important person
23. More bald
25. Dry
27. Ti____: small crowns
28. TV show installments
32. Decalitre
33. WWII uniformed woman
34. Take hold of
35. Of a peaceful nature
39. After a prayer
41. An open skin infection
42. Semites
43. Cleopatra killer
44. Vietnam Vet. Mem.
architect
45. The 12th state
52. Bird confner
53. Greece
54. Secular not spiritual
56. Not tame
57. Half of 99362
58. Torso appendages
59. Brewed beverage
60. Female deer
61. 23rd Greek letter
CLUES DOWN
1. Austrian Monetary unit
(abbr.)
2. Unthinking boldness
3. Off-Broadway theater
award
4. Any game activity
5. Venus de ____
6. Giant armadillo
7. Musgoi or Kola
8. Arabian gulf
9. An evil spell
11. Actress Dee
12. 8th month, Jewish
calendar
13. Tent fabric
14. Clear
19. No No No
20. British unemployment
cheque
23. Bleats
24. City in Provence
26. Cygnus star
28. Female sheep
29. Crony
30. Extremely cold
31. Without (French)
36. Bellowed
37. Formerly (archaic)
38. A son of your sister
39. Fleshy seed cover
40. Philippine capital
42. Shad genus
45. Brad
46. Stare at
47. Clothed
48. Quick tempo (abbr.)
49. Abnormal breathing
50. No. Am. Reading
Program
51. Directs at a target
52. Wausau airport code
55. #1 TV series 04-08
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K
id
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The County Times
23314 Surrey Way California, Maryland 20619
Fax: 301-737-0853 leasing@apartmentsofwildewood.com
Call Our Leasing
Offce For Details
Call For
More Information
Bella Bailey
Marketing & Leasing MGR.
301-737-0737 301-862-5307
Apartments of
Wildewood
WildeRidge
Apartments
Fact
un
Astronauts cannot burp in space.
Community
Mother County Celebrates Marylands
375th Birthday, Charm City Style
By Andrea Shiell
Staff Writer
The sky was gray but the weather remained calm
as county offcials and history enthusiasts gathered at
St. Clements Island Museum to celebrate Marylands
375th birthday on Wednesday, which was also the 25th
anniversary of the establishment of Maryland Day at
the site.
Several dignitaries were present at the days fes-
tivities, including County Commissioners Francis Jack
Russell, Lawrence Jarboe, Thomas Mattingly, and Dan-
iel Raley, School Superintendent Michael Martirano,
Board of Education Chairman William Mattingly, Leon-
ardtown Mayor J. Harry Norris, and Sheriff Timothy
Cameron. Also present were Jim Cooney, Deputy for
the Knights of Columbus (District 29), members of the
Museum Division Board of Trustees, and Debra Pence,
Division Manager for St. Clements Island Museum.
Dr. Julia King, Associate Professor of Anthropol-
ogy for St. Marys College of Maryland served as the
keynote speaker for the event, recalling the story of the
frst Maryland colonists and their legacy. Something
profound happened from the time those ships landed
here in March 1634, she said, adding that her experi-
ence as an anthropologist had led her to many remnants
of the culture that began fourishing in Maryland af-
ter the frst colonists arrived, many of which could be
readily seen in places like St. Clements Island and His-
toric St. Marys
City.
T h e r e
really is no
substitute for
seeing the
fragments of
past worlds in
our modern
world, said
King, you can see it for yourself as you drive away
from here and pass the landmarksyou can see it in
the names in your phone book.
Commissioner Mattingly echoed some of Kings
statements as he talked about how the areas focus had
been on Washington D.C. for many years, but we re-
ally didnt talk much about where Maryland began in
St. Marys County. Were beginning to tell that story
now, he said.
We tried to get the Dove here, and we tried to get
a fyover from Pax River, but we couldnt arrange it,
said Pence when asked about this years program.
Nevertheless, the celebration did include food and
wine from Blue Wind Gourmet, a custom Celebrate
375 ice cream blend from Brusters, and a lavish
$2,500 cake (plus an $800 delivery fee) from Charm
City Cakes in Baltimore, for which she chose the de-
sign. The cake was paid for and donated to the Friends
of St. Clements Island and Piney Point Museums by a
donor who wished to remain anonymous.
We had to take all the elements that were im-
portant this year, said Pence, nodding and smiling at
the three-tiered hand-painted pumpkin-spice creation
from Baltimores famous Ace of Cakes behind her,
which offered a ftting fnale to the days event. Its
got to be the county, its got to be St. Clements, and
its got to be Marylands 375th, she said, laughing.
Francis Jack Russell and Debra Pence cut the cake at Maryland Day.
Photo By Andrea Shiell
River Riders, the Greenwell
Foundations inclusive and acces-
sible kayaking program, opens for
the season on April 1. River Rid-
ers offers kayak rentals, lessons,
summer camps, and guided trips
on the Patuxent River.
Rentals, lessons, trips and
kayak camp are open to people
of all abilities. River Riders has
a wheelchair-accessible (ADA-
compliant) foating kayak and
canoe launch. The launch is open
to the public during regular park
hours (sunrise to sunset). River
Riders is in session from April 1
through October.
Additionally, River Riders
will hold an open house during
Greenwells Sundays in the Park
program scheduled for April
12 from 1 4 p.m. at the Knott
Lodge. Stop by to see some of the
new kayaks and register for kayak
lessons, camps and guided trips.
For more information, please
call 301-373-9775 or visit www.
greenwellfoundation.org
River Riders
Kayaking Opens
The County Times
On The Menu
Today in
St. Marys County
we have many
wonderful options for
dining out. Each week we
will feature a local
restaurant and give our
readers an overview of what
they can enjoy on the menu
at each location.
Bon Apptit!
Cuisine
& More
Cuisine
Healthy Bites
Along a stretch of route 5 peppered with crab
shacks and other fne seafood, it can be quite a
task deciding where to have lunch, but passionate
seafood fans can look forward to a great selection
of Southern Maryland favorites at Crabby Ricks.
Crabby Ricks is a local establishment in the
heart of Mechanicsville featuring some of the
areas fnest crabs and oysters, all served with a
smile in a warm and comfortable atmosphere.
Owners Richard and Rebecca Pilkerton
opened this gem in Spring 2008, and since then
theyve been churning out house specialties like
their famous cream of crab soup, stuffed rockfsh,
and Ricks signature dish, baked Crabby Ricks
oysters on the half-shell with crab imperial and
sauce.
The menu boasts a large selection of lunch
specials from $4.95 to $6.95, lunch sandwiches
from $2.95 to $6.95, and delicious seafood baskets
and entrees from $7.95 to $17.95, as well as break-
fast sandwiches, pancakes, and omelets from
$1.95 to $5.95. Patrons can also look forward to
outdoor oyster and crab feasts featuring the areas
freshest local fare starting this summer.
Store hours are 10 a.m. 10 p.m. Sunday-Fri-
day, and 10 a.m. 11 p.m. Saturdays. Breakfast is
served daily from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Orders are available for dine-in and
carryout.
For more about Crabby Ricks, visit them
online at www.CrabbyRicks.com, or call
301-884-4235.
By J.M. HIRSCH
AP Food Editor
The goal was a juicy and
favorful grilled chicken breast
sandwich that doesnt require a
trip for takeout.
The problem was that
chicken breasts are naturally
lean. And while a lack of fat may
be good for our hearts, it isnt all
that great for keeping chicken
breasts tender and moist, espe-
cially on a grill or in a grill pan.
The solution? A quick and
intensely favorful marinade.
The acid in this marinade (in the
form of cider vinegar, but lemon
or lime juice would be good, too)
not only adds tons of favor, it
also tenderizes the meat.
The way the chicken breast
is cut helps, too. By cutting the
breast crosswise into two thin
halves, the meat cooks more
quickly. Less time on the heat
means less time to dry out.
And just to leave a margin
of error, a ``special sauce of
mayonnaise and mango chutney
is slathered on the bun. A condi-
ment this good helps mask dry
chicken in the event you let it
cook too long.
GRILLED CHICKEN
CHUTNEY SANDWICH
Start to fnish: 30 minutes Servings: 2
2 tablespoons olive oil,
divided
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black
pepper
1/2 teaspoon powdered
ginger
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 boneless, skinless chicken
breast
2 hamburger buns
2 thick slices red onion
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mango chutney
4 to 6 leaves bibb lettuce
2 thick slices tomato
In a medium zip-close
plastic bag, combine 1 table-
spoon of the oil, the vinegar,
garlic powder, salt, pepper,
ginger and paprika. Gently
shake the bag to mix, then set
aside.
Carefully cut the chicken
breast lengthwise through the
center to create 2 thin halves.
Place the chicken in the bag
with the marinade, seal the
bag and shake to ensure the
meat is coated. Set aside for
15 minutes.
Split the burger buns in
half. Use the remaining table-
spoon of oil to lightly coat
the cut sides of each bun, as
well as both sides of each on-
ion slice. Remove the chicken
from the marinade; discard
the marinade.
Heat a grill pan over
medium-high. Lightly coat
the pan with cooking spray,
then add the onion slices and
chicken. Grill until there are
prominent marks on the bot-
toms, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Carefully fip the onions
and the chicken. Reduce heat
to medium, cover the pan and
grill for another 3 to 4 min-
utes, or until cooked through
and an instant read thermom-
eter inserted at the center of
the chicken reads 165 F.
Transfer the chicken and
onions to a plate. Cover and
set aside.
Place the buns in the grill
pan, cut side down, and toast
for 1 to 2 minutes.
To assemble the sand-
wiches, in a small bowl or cup
mix together the mayonnaise
and chutney. Spread half of
the mixture over the bottom
half of each bun. Top each
with lettuce, tomato and 1
piece of chicken. Finish with
1 slice of onion and the top
half of the bun.
Nutrition information per
serving (values are rounded
to the nearest whole number):
393 calories; 133 calories
from fat; 15 g fat (2 g saturat-
ed; 0 g trans fats); 57 mg cho-
lesterol; 36 g carbohydrate;
28 g protein; 4 g fber; 915 mg
sodium.
Recipe
Lindemans
Australian Wines
www.lindemans.com
In 1840 Dr. Henry J. Lindeman left his home in
London to start a new life in Australia and pursue
his interest in winemaking. In 1843 he planted his
frst vineyard on 330 acres called Cawarra. From
the beginning Dr. Lindemans philosophy was to
craft wines for everyday enjoyment; The one
purpose of wine is to bring happiness. Today
Lindemans can be enjoyed throughout the world
with over 1,000,000 bottles sold each week.
The heart and soul of Lindemans wines is
the Bin range. Featuring Bin 75 Riesling with
mandarin and citrus favors, Bin 95 Sauvignon
Blanc with herb and tropical favors, Bin 65
Chardonnay with pineapple, melon and peach,
Bin 50 Shiraz with berry, licorice and spice, Bin
40 Merlot with plum and spice and Bin 45 Cab-
ernet Sauvignon with cherry and berry favors.
All of these fne wines combine easily with
foods to deliver maximum enjoyment for less
than $9.00 per bottle. The hallmark of the Bin
range is outstanding consistency and quality.
Marinade Makes a Great
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Crabby Ricks Serving up
Southern Maryland Specialties
Photo by Andrea Shiell
Toronda Parker and Richard Pilkerton serve
up seafood specialties at Crabby Ricks in
Mechanicsville.
On The Vine
The County Times
The Tea Room
The Tea Room
Open Daily
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
(301) 475-1980
leonardtowntearoom@gmail.com
26005 Point Lookout Road (Rt 5) Leonardtown MD, 20650
First Fridays Dinner Special 5pm - 8pm
Open Daily
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Business Directory
Classifieds
The County Times will not be held responsible
for any ads omitted for any reason. The County
Times reserves the right to edit or reject any clas-
sifed ad not meeting the standards of The County
Times. It is your responsiblity to check the ad
on its frst publication and call us if a mistake
is found. We will correct your ad only if noti-
fed after the frst day of the frst publication ran.
Important
To Place a Classifed Ad, please email your ad to:
classifeds@countytimes.net or Call: 301-373-4125
or Fax: 301-373-4128 for a price quote. Offce
hours are: Monday thru Friday 8am - 4pm. The
County Times is published each Thursday.
Deadlines for Classifeds are
Tuesday at 12 pm.
Dont spend what you dont have!
www.ProfessorMoneyWise.com
(301) 997-8271
Log and Custom Homes, Home Improvement,
Sheds, Farm Structures,Tree Removal,
Excavation, Demolition, Hauling,
Commercial and Residential
MHIC: 98388
Wildewood Shop. Ctr., California, MD
301-866-0777 www.petruzzis.com
$
6
99
Adult
$
3
99
8 & Under
Wednesday:
Spaghetti Night
Prime Rib Seafood Sunday Brunch
Banquet & Meeting Facili ties
23418 Three Notch Road California, MD 20619
www.lennys.net
301-737-0777
Est. 1982 Lic #12999
Heating & Air Conditioning
THE HEAT PUMP PEOPLE
30457 Potomac Way
Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
Phone: 301-884-5011
Real Estate
Charming like new 3 bedroom, 2 bath, rambler with
cozy living room and country kitchen, nice level yard
in a quiet water privileged community. (Woods at
Bayside) Wonderfull starter home priced at 219,900
with closing assistance. (Selling fee paid to agents.)
Call 301-904-0345 (Will consider renting for 1,100 a
month, must have good credit). Price: $219,900.
Apartment Rentals
Newly remodeled rambler in quiet subdivision. 1.5
acre lot, mini barn and gazebo on premises. heat pump/
central air, newly remodeled kitchen, all new paint and
carpet. No pets. 301 994 1255. Price: $1100.
Help Wanted
Smiley Faces ELC is seeking a Infant Qualifed Di-
rector to work 12-6 Mon thru Friday. Please call Ms.
Pam the Centers Owner or Apply within. Located
@ 20 Sheckells Road, Huntingtown. 410-535-4299.
Vehicles
General Merchandise
Spring Valley Apartments
Two bedrooms available
805-1103 Sq. ft. $938-$992
46533 Valley Court
301-863-2239 (p) 301-863-6905 (f)
springvalley@hrehllc.com
Specials:
One 1 BR Available
One 3 BR Available
2 bdrm:
$789
3 bdrm:
$999
Free Application Fee
CORVETTES WANTED!
Any year, any condition. Cash buyer. 1-800-369-6148.
Healthy Bites
March 28
th
9am
Estate Auction
Charles County
Fairgrounds
www.charlescountyauctions.com
For the info & pics visit...
Another Fantastic
Auction...
The place is packed full of
great antiques & collectables
Something for Everyone
Dont Miss it!
(2 miles south of La Plata on rt 301)
The County Times
The Family that Plays Together
S
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.

M
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ry
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h
o
w

T
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e
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e
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t

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F
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H
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in

S
t
.
M
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C
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u
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t
y
!
AMC Loews,
Lexington Park 6, (301) 862-5010
N
o
w
P
la
y
i
n
g
The Haunting in
Connecticut
PG-13, 92 min
Starts on Fri, Mar 27
I Love You, Man
R, 110 min
Knowing
PG-13, 122 min
Last House on the
Left, The
R, 109 min
Monsters vs. Aliens
PG, 94 min
Starts on Fri,
Mar 27
Race to Witch
Mountain
PG, 99 min
Tyler Perrys Madea
Goes to Jail
PG-13, 103 min
Watchmen
R, 163 min
By Christy Lemire
AP Movie Critic
Knowing is an early contender
for worst movie of the year, if only be-
cause it takes itself so seriously and its
ambitions are so high.
Pity, too, because it begins with an
intriguing premise.
Nicolas Cage stars as MIT astro-
physics professor John Koestler, the
widower father of 10-year-old Caleb
(Chandler Canterbury). When Caleb
and his classmates examine the contents
of a time capsule that students at his el-
ementary school buried 50 years earlier,
the boy discovers a sealed letter contain-
ing row after row of jumbled numbers.
Being a scientist, Dad wonders
whether theres a pattern to them, and
in a whiskey-infused stupor realizes
the message accurately predicts the
date, coordinates and number of dead
in every major disaster since 1959; the
Oklahoma City bombing, the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks, you name it. Thats suf-
fciently creepy alone, until John looks
closer and fnds there are still a few
events to come.
He tracks down Diana (Rose By-
rne), the grown-up daughter of the little
girl who originally scribbled those num-
bers whos now the mother of a girl about
Calebs age (Lara Robinson), hoping for
clues to prevent the ultimate catastrophe
that lies ahead.
And heres where things literally
go off the rails.
Cage underplays
it for about the frst
half, until he sud-
denly rejects his stoic
visage in favor of
eye-bulging scream-
ing and failing. Sim-
ilarly, director Alex
Proyas (The Crow,
I, Robot) goes from
an eerie, atmospheric
mood to an insuffer-
able onslaught, with
obviously fake CGI
effects and a deafen-
ing, bombastic score.
An early plane crash
has its startling moments, but a New
York subway accident later on looks dis-
tractingly artifcial.
Written by Ryne Pearson, Juliet
Snowden and Stiles White, Knowing
raises some thought-provoking, philo-
sophical questions about randomness
vs. determination, only to abandon them
for biblical mumbo-jumbo and cheap
scares. Byrne gets especially shaky and
shrill as the flm approaches one of its
many climaxes; its as if she and Cage
are in a contest to see who can shriek
the loudest.
As the threat of the apocalypse
draws closer, the level of ridiculous-
ness gets pumped up to unintention-
ally hilarious levels. Mysterious black
rocks appear everywhere, the sign of
something thats never quite clear. Ca-
leb and Dianas daughter, Abby, start
hearing the same sorts of whispers that
tormented Dianas mother a half-cen-
tury earlier (also played by Robinson),
only theyre not freaked out about them.
Then a group of odd dudes who look
like an albino boy band seem to show up
out of nowhere, everywhere, to pester
these kids.
And so its not even remotely ter-
rifying when John screams, How am I
supposed to stop the end of the world?!
Its just laugh-out-loud funny.
Surely Kirk Cameron, star of so
many the-end-is-nigh movies, would
know what to do.
By Andrea Shiell
Staff Writer
The story goes that the Martin
Family Band started playing together at
home as a family activity, but it wasnt
long before they were taking requests
for their blend of old-time Irish folk mu-
sic, and playing as the informal house
band at Mt. Vernon plantation.
Since then the band has performed
locally at the Roots Music and Arts Fes-
tival, Historic Garden Week, and the
Potomac Celtic Festival, and has ap-
peared overseas at the Ulster American
Folk Park, the Cork Dulcimer Festival in
Ireland, and the Star Club in Glasgow,
Scotland.
Now theyll be bringing their
unique blend of tunes to St. Marys
County for a performance sponsored by
Southern Maryland Traditional Music
and Dance, and it seems fair to say that
each family member has left their mark
on more than one set of ears, with father
Carl playing mandolin and tenor banjo,
and wife Jeanean on the hammered dulcimer,
guitar, and vocals. The kids include Lydia on
5-string banjo, guitar and piano, Emily on man-
dolin, tenor banjo, and lap dulcimer, and Claude
on the fddle.
Music has brought us closer together as
a family, said Emily Martin, my parents had
played music since before we were born and en-
couraged us to try out any instrument we liked,
she said, adding that they never pushed us, so
playing music remained a fun activity and not
a chore.
All the while this fun activity has helped
this jet setting family go places as performers,
though the family dynamic admittedly brings
with it its own unique set of challenges.
Playing in a band can be extremely chal-
lenging, said Emily, and playing in a band
with your FAMILY can be even more challeng-
ing. The same boundaries a normal band of
friends have are non-existentsince we dont
have to keep polite, respectful boundaries, for
better or worse, we say exactly what we are
thinking when we think it, and are not afraid to
criticize each other.
Emily added that though arguments would
fair up occasionally, the upside has been that it
enables us to be aware of problems faster, come
to agreements in a more timely manner, so we
can focus on whats really important: Sharing
our music, and having fun doing it.
The Martin Family Band will be playing
at Christ Church Hall on Zach Fowler Road
in Chaptico at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 27.
Admission is $10 for non-members, and $8 for
members.
To fnd out more about the band, and up-
coming events with Southern Maryland Tra-
ditional Music and Dance, visit them online at
http://www.smtmd.org.
Movie Review:
Knowing
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Martin Family Band to Play in St. Marys
Shows and Rating Provided By Yahoo Entertainment. Check Local Listings For Show Times.
The County Times
G
o
i
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g
O
n
Whats
Authors to
present programs
The public will have
the opportunity to meet two
authors: Ginjer Clarke on
April 6 at all three libraries
and Jeff Yeager on April 15
at Leonardtown.
Ginjer Clarke, this
years BooksAlive! Au-
thor, specializes in writing
nonfction childrens books
about extreme and unusual
animals. She will read from
her books and discuss the
research involved in writing
her books. The programs
will be at 10 a.m. at Charlotte
Hall, 2 p.m. at Lexington
Park and 6:30 p.m. at Leon-
ardtown on April 6. These
free programs are funded by
The Boeing Company. Book
signing follows each pro-
gram with books available
for purchase.
Humorous Jeff Yeager,
the Ultimate Cheapskate as
he was dubbed by Matt Lauer
of the Today Show, will pres-
ent ways to live better on less
at a free program on April 15
at 7:00 p.m. at Leonardtown.
His book, The Ultimate
Cheapskates Road Map to
True Riches, will be avail-
able for purchase.

Teens invited to
book/media swap
and free movie
matinee
Middle school stu-
dents and older are invited
to a book and media swap
at Leonardtown Library on
March 28 from 1:30 p.m. to
4:30 p.m. Teens can trade
books, CDs, DVDs and
games with other teens and
watch a PG-rated movie.
Snacks will be provided.
This free event is sponsored
by the librarys TAG (Teen
Advisory Group).

Families invited
to free movies
Lexington Parks TAG
will sponsor a free family
movie matinee today from
2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A PG-
rated movie will be shown.
Snacks will be provided.
A family movie show-
ing will be offered on April
8 at Lexington Park at 2 p.m.
and on April 9 at Leonard-
town at 2 p.m. and Charlotte
Hall at 5 p.m. PG-rated mov-
ies will be shown. Snacks
will be provided.

Evening Story
times planned
An evening story time
is planned for families on
April 1 at Lexington Park
and on April 2 at Charlotte
Hall and Leonardtown. All
three-story times start at
6:30 p.m.
LIBRARY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lenten Seafood Dinners
Lenten Seafood Din-
ners @ The Knights Of
St. Jeromes Hall Dam-
eron, Md from now thru
April 3 11 a.m.. To 7 p.m.
Dine-In Or Carry Out Or-
ders For More Info. Call:
301-872-4566
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church located
on Three Notch Road in Lexington Park will host
its annual Lenten Seafood Dinners beginning Fri-
day February 27th April 3rd, from 4:30 7 p.m.
Carryout will be available. Prices will range form
$7 - $14. Children meals available children un-
der three eat FREE. For more information call
301-863-8144.
Thursday, March 26
Maryland, My
Maryland Exhibit
North End Gallery (Leonardtown) 11
a.m.
BBQ Pork Dinner
VFW Post 2632 (California) 5:30 p.m.
Annual Beneft Dinner
(Care Net Pregnancy
Center)
Hollywood VFD Social Hall 6 p.m.
Chopticon High School
Musical Alice in
Wonderland
Chopticon High School Auditorium 6
p.m.
Ladies Night
Country Store Bar (Leonardtown) 7 9
p.m.
Deep Stack HoldEm
Tournament
Donovans Irish Pub (California) 7:30
p.m.
Newtowne Players
Sylvia
Three Notch Theater (Lexington Park)
8 p.m.
Cello Piano Recital
Auerbach Auditorium (SMCM) 8 p.m.
Friday, March 27
Maryland, My
Maryland Exhibit
North End Gallery (Leonardtown) 11
a.m.
Fair Warning Irish Pub
Band
Donovans Irish Pub 5 p.m.
Special Olympics No
Limit HoldEm
Bennett Building (24930 Old Three
Notch Road, Hollywood) 7 p.m.
Martin Family at
Homespun Coffee
House
Christ Church Hall (Zach Fowler Rd,
Chaptico) 7:30 p.m.
Patuxent Playhouse
The Nerd
St. John Vianney Family Life Theater
(Prince Frederick) 8 p.m.
Newtowne Players
Sylvia
Three Notch Theater (Lexington Park)
8 p.m.
Chopticon High School
Musical Alice in
Wonderland
Chopticon High School Auditorium 7
p.m.
Reading Group
Free Market Economics Reading Group
will meet at 7:30 p.m. at Dunkin Donuts
on Three Notch Road in California, MD
to discuss Economics In One Lesson
by Henry Hazlitt. For more information,
call 301-994-0074.
Siren Drill at SMCM
From 1:10-1:20 p.m., St. Marys College
of Maryland (SMCM) will conduct an
emergency communications test and si-
ren drill on the campus. The sirens were
installed in June 2008 with the purpose
of alerting the campus community to
potential weather and security-related
threats. One siren is located on the top
of the Athletics and Recreation Cen-
ter, and the other is on the roof of the
Campus Center. The test includes vari-
ous methods of communicating to the
campus community, including the siren
alert, a scroll message at the bottom of all
campus televisions, an automated voice
message on telephones, a message on the
colleges home page, and a mass e-mail.
Those on or near the college campus are
advised to go to these sources of infor-
mation for answers to their questions so
that the Public Safety phone lines are
left open for the most critical emergency
communications.
Saturday, March 28
Taste of Solomons
Calvert Marine Museum 10 a.m.
Barbershop
Extravaganza
CSM Fine Arts Center (La Plata) 2 p.m.
and 8 p.m.
Nuttin Fancy band
Dew Drop Inn (Hollywood) 3 p.m.
St. Marys Ryken Spring Gala
Hollywood VFD Social Hall 6 p.m.
Too Many Mikes
Country Store Bar (Leonardtown) 9 p.m.
After the Crash
Cryers Back Road Inn (Leonardtown) 9 p.m.
Spaghetti Dinner
The Chopticon High School Band Boosters will
be hosting a spaghetti dinner on March 28th from
4-7pm. The dinner will be held between the 2pm
and 7pm performances of Alice In Wonderland.
The cast will be available for pictures from 4-
5pm. The cost is $8.00 for age 13 and over, $5.00
for 5-12 and Free for 4 and under.
Spring Craft Fair
9 a.m. 3 p.m. Valley Lee Fire House Valley
Lee, MD Sponsored by: 2nd District Fire Dept.
& Rescue Squad Auxiliary For more informa-
tion contact: 301-994-9185
Sunday, March 29
Maryland Day Celebration
Historic St. Marys City 10 a.m.
BMX Opening Day
SOMDBMX Track (Chaptico Park) 1 p.m.
Deep Stack Texas HoldEm
Donovans Irish Pub 4 p.m.
Holy Angels
Church Annual
Seafood Dinner
Holy Angels Church in Avenue, MD 11:30 a.m.
until 4 p.m., we will be serving a delicious Sea-
food Dinner. Served buffet style -- all you can
eat! Adults - $23.00; Children (12 to 6) - $8.00;
and Children (5 & under) - Free. Carry Outs
available at $21.00 each. Advanced tickets are
also available for $21.00 each until March 25th.
There will be Delicious Homemade Desserts
and a Craft Table! Cash Raffe Prizes. Holy
Angels Church is located at 21340 Colton Point
Road (Rt. 242) in Avenue, Maryland. For more
information or to purchase advanced tickets,
please call the rectory at 301-769-3332.
Monday, March 30
Revival
St. Peter Claver Catholic Church St. Inigoes, Md
Will Be Having A Revival On Mon. Mar. 30
Thru Wed. Apr. 1 Guess Speaker Will Be Pastor
Richard Lane. Light Dinner @5:45 - 6:45 p.m.
Revival Starting @ 7 p.m. Call 301-872-5460.
The County Times
THROW BORING
OVERBOARD
A&W Only
301-994-9439
20815 Callaway Village # 9
Callaway, MD 20620
301-866-0850
21591 Great Mills Rd
Lexington Park, MD 20653
The County Times
ewsmakers
3 3
Question
Interview
Interviewing: Thomas Cummings
Thomas Cummings has lived in St. Marys County for the last eight
years, working as a message therapist. He was kind enough to tell
the County Times about some of the tricks of his trade.
CT: What got you interested in message therapy?
TC: Well I remember hanging out with my girlfriend years ago
when we were in school together, and I would always rub her
shoulders and her feet after shed had a really stressful day, and
one day she said I should do it professionally since I was so good
at it. And oddly enough it made perfect sense to me, so then I
started looking into getting my license. I guess Ive always en-
joyed making people more comfortable, and this ended up being
a meal ticket for me.
CT: What has been your strangest experience with a customer?
TC: (Laughing) Depends on what you consider strange! No, I
havent had clients make passes at me or anything, if thats what
you mean. But I do house visits, and one time I did have this client
invite a bunch of her friends over for a spa day at her place, and
they insisted on giving me a facial. I went along with it, but really
I dont know how girls handle putting all that stuff on their face. It
felt mighty weird to me.
CT: You are a private message therapist with your own list of cli-
ents. What kind of challenges do you encounter when trying to
attract customers?
TC: Well the frst thing people want to see, I think, is that youre
qualifed, but if you arent working at a country club or an athletic
club then sometimes people can get a little suspicious of your
abilities. But I always explain to them how intense the licensing
process is here in Maryland, and how technical the material was
that I had to study to get my certifcation. And then when that
doesnt work, I just rub their shoulders until they hire me. It never
fails.
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By Andrea Shiell
Staff Writer
Members of area Optimist clubs
gathered March 20 in Bear Creek BBQ
in Callaway to celebrate the clubs newest
charter, the Optimist Club of Tall Timbers
Second District, the areas frst club in 15
years.
This club wanted to be a club the
moment they came in, said Toni Long,
President of the Third District Optimist
Club, as she nodded to all the occupied
tables around her. Members of the Op-
timist Club of Compton Third District
were there to kick-off the newest charter
and to welcome Don Seivers, President of
Optimist Club International, as he helped
usher in the new club and its 44 charter
members.
Its the frst time hes ever been to
St. Marys County, and the frst time hes
chartered a club in Maryland, so were
very proud to have him here, Long said.
Seivers said the mission of the club
still lies at the heart of its newest charter.
The point is to spread some help to
some of the children in the world today
that need a club like this, he said, add-
ing that the club would help usher in pro-
grams like Shop with a Cop and Project
Grad to serve the needs of the second
election districts youth.
Seivers smiled when asked about his
visit to St. Marys County.
I come from a small town in Mis-
souri with 12,000 people, very much like
this areaso Ive really enjoyed my time
here, he said.
Seivers said his own club headquar-
ters in St. Louis was chartered in 1919,
and has since grown to 3,050 clubs in 40
nations around the world, with more than
150,000 members.
Second District Establishes
New Optimist Club
Photo By Andrea Shiell
Optimist Club International President Don Seivers with Commissioner Kenneth Dement.
The County Times
burne,
p r o -
vided it was
done immediate-
ly. I then asked him if one
hour from that time would suit him. He
remarked that he would have to provide him-
self with a friend. I then named 6 oclock P.M.,
(same day,) and it was understood. I then sug-
gested Good Hope Tavern as the place for the
meeting
Mr. Sherburne, accompanied by Dr.
James Comb [Combs] (who is still a resident
of Washington) and myself, were frst at the
appointed place. Mr. Key, accompanied by his
friend, Mr. R. West, of Prince Georges county,
Md., came up about half past six. As soon as
the gentlemen rode up, I took Mr. West aside,
and proposed that we would try and settle the
affair without a resort to arms. Mr. Key being
a little distance, but within hearing, remarked
to Mr. West, that it was useless to waste time
talking about it. Mr. West then said, we have
come here to fght, not to talk, and the sooner it
is over the better.
I then said we would at once select
the ground, and proceeded to do so, in [the]
meadow feld near by. The distance (ten short
paces) was measured off. Mr. West had choice
of pistols. I had procured a very fne pair of
the Hon. Henry A. Wise, present Governor of
Virginia. They were loaded. Mr. Key and Mr.
Sherburne took their stands. Mr. West gave the
word. Both fred at the same instant, and both
escaped untouched.
As soon as Mr. Key saw that Mr. Sher-
burne was unhurt, he, in a loud and exciting
ma n -
ner, said, where did my
ball go to? G-- d-- it, load up quick, and let us
have another shot. I now again proposed to
Mr. West that we should stop the fght, feel-
ing satisfed that the affair could be honorably
adjusted without further resort to weapons.
He made the same reply that was given to my
frst proposition to try and avoid bloodshed,
We are here to fght, and not to talk. It was
no twilight. Pistol went again loaded. Mr. Key
and Mr. Sherburne took their stands. I gave
the word. Both fred at the same instant. Mr.
Sherburne escaped unhurt; Mr. Key fell, shot
through the lower part of the chest, the ball en-
tering the right and lodging under the skin of
the opposite side. He lived about twenty min-
utes, and died upon the spot where he fell.
Daniels parents had no idea that any of
this was going on and would learn of the death
of their son when his body arrived at their
home in a wagon.
*Dr. Thomas Mattingly was born in 1820.
He was the son of Edward Mattingly and Ann
Knott, natives of St. Marys County. By 1846
Thomas moved to Florence, Alabama. During
the Civil War, he served as a Captain in the 1st
Battalion, Alabama Artillery as a surgeon. He
died before 1870 and three of his four children
were sent to Washington and raised by his sis-
ter, Lucinda Mattingly.
Columnist Linda Reno
is a historian and genealogist
specializing in Southern Maryland
history. Mrs. Reno is a member of
the St. Marys County Historical Society,
St. Marys County Genealogical Society,
Charles County Genealogical Society,
Maryland Historical Society, and the
Maryland Genealogical Society. She
has authored many books and
articles on local history. We hope
you will enjoy these articles and
welcome your comments and
suggestions for future
subjects.
A Journey Through Time A Journey Through Time
The Chronicle
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...Where Trust & Integrity Come Together
By Linda Reno
Contributing Writer
Last week we talked about Francis Scott
Key and the writing of the Star Spangled Ban-
ner. This week and next well talk about the
tragic deaths of two of his sons.
Daniel Murray Key was born June 9, 1816
in Washington, D.C. He entered the U.S. Navy
as a midshipman and was assigned to the frigate
Brandywine which went on assignment in the
Pacifc. Trouble followed and he was arrested
for insubordination. At Valparaiso, Chile he was
placed aboard the Fairfeld that ar-
rived in Norfolk December 1, 1835.
While aboard the Fairfeld he met
Midshipman John H. Sherburne.
For reasons unknown, the two
quickly became enemies.
Upon their arrival in Vir-
ginia, Key challenged Sher-
burne to a duel but local au-
thorities had it stopped. Key re-
turned to Washington announc-
ing to all that Sherburne had re-
fused to duel and was a coward.
Sherburne arrived in Washington
in June and was soon made aware
of Keys pronouncements. Deter-
mined to put an end to this, once and
for all, he asked Thomas Mattingly* to
serve as his second and make arrangements
for the duel. On June 26, 1836 Mattingly met
with Daniel.
Mattingly later said, We were alone in the
room. I at once mentioned that I had called, as
the friend of Mr. Sherburne to make arrange-
ments to close the unsettled diffculty between
him and Mr. Sherburne.He then said, Sher-
burne is a scoundrel, and I will not meet him. I
then observed that I was not there to discuss Mr.
Sherburnes character, that I wanted him to say at
once, and fnally, whether he meant to meet Mr.
Sherburne or no. He was very much agitated at
the time, and asked me to allow him a few min-
utes to collect himself. Some four or fve minutes
having passed, he said he would fght Mr. Sher-
Photo courtesy of Tim Abbott
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) _ A public
artist in Hagerstown seeks to fool the eye
and evoke nostalgia through small paintings
of historic scenes or objects like an antique,
green Eco Tirefator air pump on North Po-
tomac Avenue.
Todd Groesbeck painted the image of
an air pump on a piece of steel before mount-
ing it at the gas station _ where such an air
pump might have been decades ago.
`À lot people ... will pull up to this gas
station thinking its a real air pump, but its
not, Groesbeck said to the Martinsburg, W.
Va. Historic Preservation Review Commis-
sion in early March. Hes seeking permission
to paint historic scenes in downtown Mar-
tinsburg as well.
The paintings Groesbeck creates are
always less than 12 inches by 12 inches and
show how a building was used in its his-
tory or a certain, memorable architectural
feature.
Dan Hall, the chairman of the Main
Street Martinsburg design committee, said
the town would use Groesbecks works to
market the town and especially to promote
its downtown history.
Groesbeck adds that the images could
be an attraction for people to walk around in
the downtown area of Hagerstown and Mar-
tinsburg so they can get to know the towns
histories.
`Ìt does bring the community up,
Groesbeck said, based on his experiences
with other communities public artists.
Hes a Web developer who received a
bachelors degree from the School of Visual
Arts in New York City and hes not charging
for his work to paint the miniature murals.
`Ìt cant hurt me, I fgure, for people to
see my artwork, Groesbeck said of his proj-
ect, titled Traces of History.
Another incentive for towns to approve
Groesbecks proposal is a new twist on geo-
caching, the GPS-based game where people
hide and seek containers buried underground
or in other hard-to-fnd places. He said his
images could serve as treasurers geocachers
look for.
``Theres a lot of people that come to
the area looking for geocaches, Groesbeck
said. ``Geocaches in this area tend to be very
historical _ people might look for a grave-
stone or it could be anything.
Man Paints Antique Scene at
Md. Gas Station
The County Times
By Doug Watson
Contributing Writer
Last Friday night Southern Marylands
Potomac Speedway kicked off its 36th season
with its frst fve-division program of 2009.
In the headlining 40-lap Cody Endicott
memorial for the super late models, Green-
castle Pa.s DJ Myers took his frst-career super
late model feature win at the fabled southern
Maryland oval.
Defending track champion David Williams
and teen sensation Austin Hubbard brought the
26-car starting feld to the initial waving of the
green fag. Williams fexed his muscle early as
he took the top spot on lap one. However, Wil-
liams lead would be short lived as third starting
DJ Myers slid by Williams to take the race lead
on lap-fve. A caution on lap-11 changed the
complexion of the event. As Myers led the feld
down to the green fag, he jumped the start and
was docked 2-spots, handing the lead back to
David Williams. The next 14 circuits belonged
to Williams until Myers made what would be
the winning pass on lap-26. As Myers led ef-
fortlessly, a lap-38 caution gave Williams one
more shot at the win, but Myers was not to be
denied and drove off to the $2000 payday.
Ive been able to win at 9 or 10 differ-
ent tracks throughout my career, but never at
Potomac, and it feels really good to be here.
Myers commented fro victory lane. This is a
brand new (PPM Chassis) race car and it was
good all night long. Myers said. We plan on
taking it to Williams Grove next Friday night.
The lap-11 penalty might have cost Myers a
shot at the win. Well, a rule is a rule. Myers
stated. I as a driver made a mistake and
jumped the start and I applaud the
track for sticking with the rules.
Fortunately we were able to
come back and win the race.
David Williams hung on
for second, Delaware invader
Ross Robinson collected third,
22nd starting Jamie Lathroum
was fourth and 14th-starting Da-
ryl Hills completed the top-fve. Heats
for the 27 cars on hand went to Williams, My-
ers and Austin Hubbard.
In the 25-lap limited late model event,
defending track champion Tommy Wagner Jr.
made a statement as he took the opening day
feature win. Wagner took the lead from Paul
Cursey on lap-2 and would lead the remaining
24-laps to score the very popular win. Ninth
starting Derrick Quade came home second,
Cursey settled for third, Ed Pope was fourth and
Pat Wood flled the
top-fve.
First-Ever Late Model
Winner Opens New Era
at Potomac Speedway
&
Recreation Parks
Tommy Wagner holds the checkered fag after
winning the limited late model race Friday night.
Also pictured are other highlights from the frst
night of racing at Potomac Speedway.
Photos by James Antone, www.ant-1photography.com
The County Times
The Jets Elite Travel Lacrosse Team will be
conducting tryouts from noon to 6 p.m. on Sun-
day, March 29 at Dorsey Park in Hollywood.
Tryouts are open to all girls lacrosse play-
ers currently in eighth, ninth and 10th grades.
For more information, go to www.
jetslax.com or contact Ken McIlhenny at
301-994-1893.
High School Scores
Friday March 20th
Boys Lacrosse
Patuxent 4, Chopticon 2
Northern 21, Great Mills 3
Softball
Leonardtown 9, Great Mills 4
Saturday March 21st
Baseball
St. Johns 12, St. Marys Ryken 5
Boys Lacrosse
Huntington 10, Great Mills 6
Girls Lacrosse
St. Marys Ryken 15, Calvert 2
Softball
St. Marys Ryken 9, St. Vincenti Pallotti 0
Monday March 23rd
Baseball
Chopticon 3, Great Mills 2
Paul VI 5, St. Marys Ryken 0
Softball
St. Marys Ryken 8, Paul VI 2
Tuesday March 24th
Boys Lacrosse
Great Mills 11, Calvert 8
St. Marys Ryken 13, Bishop OConnell 6
Pax River Silver
Stars Looking For Players
The Pax River Silver Stars AAU girls basketball team seeks players for the 14 and 15 years
old and under and 16 years old and under teams. If interested, contact Savannah Webb at (home)
301-737-1792 or (cell) 301-247-3152, or via e-mail savweb@msn.com.
River Riders Kayaking Opens
April 1 at Greenwell State Park
River Riders, the Greenwell Foundations
inclusive and accessible kayaking program,
opens for the season April 1. River Riders of-
fers kayak rentals, lessons, summer camps,
and guided trips on the Patuxent River.
Rentals, lessons, trips and kayak camp
are open to people of all abilities. River Riders
has a wheelchair-accessible (ADA-compliant)
foating kayak and canoe launch. The launch
is open to the public during regular park hours
(sunrise to sunset). River Riders is in session
from April 1 through October.
Additionally, River Riders will hold an
open house during Greenwells Sundays in
the Park program scheduled for April 12 from
1 4 p.m. at the Knott Lodge. Stop by to see
some of the new kayaks and register for kayak
lessons, camps and guided trips.
For more information, please call 301-373-
9775 or visit www.greenwellfoundation.org
Captains Meeting for 2009
USTA Adult Leagues
Monday, March 30, 6
p.m. at Nicolettis Restaurant,
California.
Those interested in being
a Captain in the 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0
mens or womens Leagues,
should attend. Tennis play-
ers are also invited to attend.
Play is scheduled to start in
early May. For more informa-
tion, contact Liem Slade at
301-481-2305 or e-mail her at
mlslade@md.metrocast.net.
Agenda: 2009 USTA
Rules Local League rules
changes for 2009 Players se-
lections, draft or returning
teams, location of play, date
and times, league schedule,
constraints Fees, USTA and
local (courts, balls).
Jets Travel Team Seeking
Lacrosse Players For Tryouts
The County Times
HS Softball & Baseball
Sp rts
By Chris Stevens
Staff Writer
LEONARDTOWN No one has to tell Leonard-
town Junior pitcher Roni Peters how important it is to
start the season off with a win.
This was really a season-starter for us, said Peters,
who struck out six batters and drove in four runs as the
Raider softball team bested Great Mills 9-4 Friday after-
noon in the season opener for both teams. This game
was really important because they are one of our biggest
rivals.
Peters got off to a rocky start on the mound, sur-
rendering four runs (only two were earned) in the frst
two innings, but locked down the Hornets in her fnal fve
innings of work.
They are a good hitting team, so I knew I had
to settle down, Peters explained. Leonardtown head
coach Glenn Larnerd, Jr. felt Peters will beneft from
her teammates making plays behind her as the season
progresses.
I think that we made simple mistakes, especially
with the frst batter of the game, were still trying to get
the cobwebs out, Larnerd said. We only have four girls
on the team that have played at this level, but were not
going to use our youth as an excuse.
The Hornets, also a young team, got off to a blis-
tering start courtesy of senior centerfelder Joselynn
Stewarts lead-off double that turned into the frst run
of the game following a Raider error. Catcher Nicole
Boggs singled home another run two batters later in that
inning.
In the top of the second, Stewart socked an RBI
double and stole home to knot the score at 4 after
two innings. Peters held the Hornets scoreless
the rest of the way and came up huge at the
plate in the bottom half of the fourth.
After pinch-hitter Umeka Yates
scored the go-ahead run on a Great
Mills throwing error, Peters provided
some insurance with a sinking liner
that just got under Stewarts glove,
scoring sisters Monica and Natalie
Dillow to make the score 7-4 in favor
of Leonardtown.
Offensively, I think we did a
good job of hitting the ball, Larnerd
said.
Kylie Woode pitched in a two-run
double, while Cassidy Stanton bunted
home another run for
LHS.
All of our hits came
early, Hornets coach O.J. Lew-
is said of the struggles Great Mills
faced after their hot start. The Hor-
nets collected six hits in their frst two
turns at bat, but managed just three
hits in the last fve innings.
Leonardtown hit pretty well and
theyre a good softball team, Lewis
said. Tomorrow, well just have to
work on some of the
mistakes we made,
get better and I think
we will.
Braves Rally
Past Hornets In
Late Innings
By Chris Stevens
Staff Writer
GREAT MILLS With offense coming at a premium in Mon-
day afternoons baseball season opener, Chopticon head coach Steve
Williams was aware that it wouldnt be one big hit that would win
the game for the Braves. Were really young at the plate, so we
knew we were going to have to manufacture runs, Williams said af-
ter Chopticon took advantage of some Great Mills felding mistakes
to seize a 3-2 victory at Great Mills High School. We had some
trouble getting the bunts down, but the team that doesnt quit gives
themselves a chance to win.
The Braves rallied after a slow start offensively, due in large
part to Hornets senior pitcher Carlos Cruz. Cruz took the loss de-
spite striking out 11 Chopticon batters, including fve in a row in the
frst and second innings.
If he continues to have games like this, I think
well be fne, said Hornets head coach Steve
Wolfe, but hes got to have some help be-
hind him defensively.
Great Mills seemed to have a safe
2-0 lead after four innings, thanks
to left-felder Brian Jenners RBI
single that scored Cruz, but the
Braves clawed back in the ffth
and sixth innings, starting
with junior catcher Mitch-
ell Seiferts opposite-feld
double, the frst hit Cruz had
given up all afternoon. Seif-
ert scored two batters later on
a throwing error by catcher
Alex Mancil for Chopticons
frst run. We made them play
baseball and make some plays,
Seifert explained. Im really
happy inside, and Im sure my
teammates are as well.
In the top of the sixth,
Chad Bowen lifted a fy ball to
left that Jenner couldnt control.
After starting pitcher Steven
Shorter sacrifced Bowen to
second, Jonathan Nagys drib-
bler to Will Anderson caused trouble and the tying run to cross
the plate. Another throwing error got Nagy across for the eventual
game-winning run.
I sure hope it was a fukey day, Wolfe said of the six errors on
the afternoon by Great Mills felders. I wasnt surprised that [er-
rors] happened, I am surprised at the number of errors.
Sophomore Jacob Nealis picked up the win in relief for Chopti-
con while shortstop Tyler Summers took to the mound and pitched a
near-fawless two innings for the save. Shorter struck out six batters
in four full innings of work, but because of the chilly and windy
conditions, Williams had his staff ace on a short leash. After 75
pitches, we were going to lift him no matter where we were in the
game, he said. We want him there at the end of the season.
Peters Pitches and Hits
Raiders Past Hornets in
Home Opener
Photo By Frank Marquart
Photo By Frank Marquart Photo By Chris Stevens
Photo
By Chris
Stevens
The Raiders Natalie Dillow drops down a bunt.
The Hornets Joselynn Stewart lunges for a ball.
Leonardtowns Igor Laray heads for the net as he is defended by the Hurricanes Seth Herritt.
Chopticons Neil OBrien races
for frst base as Great Mills Alex
Mancil picks up the ball to make a
throw on the play.
The Hornets Derrick Pettet watches ball four zip by him during his ffth-in-
ning walk Monday afternoon.
The County Times
By Ronald N. Guy Jr.
Contributing Writer
University of Maryland mens
basketball coach Gary Williams has
to be wondering if Terrapin nation
has forgotten all hes done during his
20-year tenure. Despite a resume
with two fnal four appearances, an
Atlantic Coast Conference tourna-
ment title and a national champion-
ship, Williams, for the frst time (at
least that I can remember), has been
taking some heat. With a lackluster
roster for 2008-09 (the product of
awkwardly swinging and missing
on a couple of recruits), a 40-point
loss to arch rival Duke and (once
again) precarious NCAA tourna-
ment hopes, there was a swell in
turtle nation that maybe it was time
for a coaching change. The senti-
ment gathered enough momentum
that athletic director Debbie Yow,
whose antagonistic relationship
with Williams is one of the areas
worst kept secrets, felt compelled
(okay, maybe obligated) to drop
in during a press conference with
Williams to offer her support of the
head coach. So yeah, the heat is
real. But is it justifed?
Williams, a Maryland gradu-
ate, was hired in 1989. In some
ways the 20 years since have passed
in the blink of an eye because, well,
thats how time passes retrospec-
tively. In other ways it seems like
forever. In 1989 the Soviets were
the bad guys, there was no inter-
net, mullets were fashionable, Milli
Vanilli was still legit and there was
no H.W. or W, there was just
George Bush. 1989 was a long time
ago indeed; so long ago that its hard
to remember just how awful Mary-
land basketball was. Maryland was
just a few years removed from the
tragic death of Len Bias and was
facing NCAA sanctions (which ul-
timately resulted in a T.V. and post-
season ban and lost scholarships)
from recruiting violations commit-
ted prior to Williams arrival. It
was into this burning building that
Williams stepped to rescue the pro-
gram from oblivion. So with that
brief history lesson, is the recent
criticism of Williams justifed? Not
hardly. To be fair though, no one is
above the law, so to speak. Every-
one should be critiqued. And with-
out question, Williams has provid-
ed some ammunition to his critics.
The program has been on a steady
decline since winning the national
championship in 2002. Consider
that Maryland made the NCAA
tournament every year between
1994 and 2004; but has missed the
tournament in 3 of the last 5 years
and hasnt been to the sweet 16
since 2003. And while Williams
has run a clean program (to the ex-
tent thats humanly possible in the
tax code-like tangle of NCAA regu-
lations) and kept it out of the news
for all the wrong reasons, the grad-
uation rate of Maryland basketball
players is embarrassingly low. But
still, have we forgotten the state of
the union when Williams arrived?
Apparently. In 1989 Gary Williams
had no business returning to coach
his alma mater. With a successful
tenure at Boston College in his back
pocket and as head coach of the ris-
ing Ohio State basketball program,
he was way over-qualifed for the
Maryland job. But he came. And
in 20 years hes taken the Terps to
heights that would have seemed
impossible when he arrived. Yet,
like the spoiled kid that just expects
Santa to deliver everything on the
Xmas list, Maryland fans expect
to be in the NCAA tournament,
nationally ranked and regularly
competing for titles. Do you know
who created that expectation?
Gary Williams. Like the parent
who spoiled his child, spawning
an ungrateful teenager, Williams
is a victim of his success and the
expectations that that success has
bred. After all, whats better than
one piece of candy (or a national
title)? Well, two, of course. Wil-
liams job shouldnt be in ques-
tion. Why Maryland hasnt named
the court at Comcast Center (the
house that Gary built) after him
should be. Yes the program is in a
rut. But Gary Williams is still one
of the best coaches in America
(for evidence, look no further than
this years gritty, improbable run
to the NCAA tournament). Those
calling for his job should wish
cautiously, for the wish may come
to pass. And its unlikely the Uni-
versity could do better. 20 years
from now Maryland fans might
be longing for the glory days of
the Williams era and feeling a tad
guilty for suggesting that it end.
Send your comments to
rguyjoon@yahoo.com
301-373-4125
www.countytimes.net
1 YEAR
SubScRiption
Sp rts
Fact
un
In the average lifetime a person will breath in about 44 pounds of dust.
High School Sports Schedule
03/26/09-04/01/09
Thursday, March 26
Baseball
St. Marys Ryken at Bishop
OConnell, 4:15 p.m.
McDonough at Leonardtown, 4:30
p.m.
Boys Lacrosse
Calvert at Chopticon, 6:30 p.m.
Patuxent at Great Mills, 6:30 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse
Great Mills at Patuxent, 6:30 p.m.
Golf
St. Johns at St. Marys Ryken
(Breton Bay Golf Course), 3:15 p.m.
Softball
McDonough at Leonardtown, 4:30
p.m.
Friday, March 27
Baseball
Thomas Stone at Chopticon, 4:30
p.m.
Westlake at Great Mills, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse
C.M. Wright at Leonardtown, 4
p.m.
DeMatha at St. Marys Ryken, 4
p.m.
Girls Lacrosse
St. Marys Ryken at Elizabeth Se-
ton, 4 p.m.
Softball
Good Counsel at St. Marys Ryken,
3:30 p.m.
Thomas Stone at Chopticon, 4:30
p.m.
Tennis
Chopticon at Thomas Stone, 4 p.m.
Leonardtown at McDonough, 4
p.m.
Saturday, March 28
Baseball
DeMatha at St. Marys Ryken, 1
p.m.
Boys Lacrosse
Patuxent at Leonardtown, 11:30
a.m.
Chopticon at Pikesville High
School, 2 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse
Chopticon at Pikesville High
School, 12 noon.
Track & Field
Leonardtown at Wise Puma Invi-
tational (Henry A. Wise, Jr. High
School, Upper Marlboro), 9 a.m.
Monday, March 30
Baseball
Chopticon at Patuxent, 4:30 p.m.
Lackey at Great Mills, 4:30 p.m.
Leonardtown at Northern, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse
Leonardtown at Calvert, 4 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse
Chopticon at Huntingtown, 6:30
p.m.
St. Marys Ryken at Great Mills,
6:30 p.m.
Softball
Holy Cross at St. Marys Ryken,
3:30 p.m.
Chopticon at Patuxent, 4:30 p.m.
Lackey at Great Mills, 4:30 p.m.
Leonardtown at Northern, 4:30 p.m.
Tennis
Patuxent at Chopticon, 4 p.m.
Great Mills at Lackey, 4 p.m.
Northern at Leonardtown, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31
Boys Lacrosse
Bishop McNamara at St. Marys
Ryken, 4 p.m.
Golf
Gonzaga at St. Marys Ryken (Bret-
on Bay Golf Course), 3:15 p.m.
Track & Field
Great Mills/Northern/Thomas
Stone at Leonardtown, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1
Baseball
Chopticon at McDonough, 4:30
p.m.
La Plata at Leonardtown, 4:30 p.m.
Softball
St. Marys Ryken at Bishop McNa-
mara, 3:30 p.m.
Chopticon at McDonough, 4:30
p.m.
La Plata at Leonardtown, 4:30 p.m.
Tennis
Leonardtown at La Plata, 4 p.m.
Track & Field
St. Marys Ryken at Good Counsel
Meet, 12 noon.
Chopticon/North Point at Patuxent,
4 p.m.
BleaChers
A View From The
how Quickly We Forget
The County Times
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McKays Plaza, Charlotte Hall
Sp rts
By Chris Stevens
Staff Writer
LEONARDTOWN After winning three games last season against the Huntingtown
boys lacrosse team, little seemed likely to change for Leonardtown High School as the two
teams prepared to square off at Raider Stadium Saturday afternoon.
That was before Peter Athens scored four goals and Ryan Johnston pitched in three as
the Hurricanes sniped the Raiders 10-6, starting their season off on a good note and forcing
the Raiders to learn a valuable lesson
from their season opener.
I really dont think we matched
their intensity, said frst-year Raid-
ers head coach Bart Rodgers. They
wanted it a little more than we did;
they defnitely out-ground-balled us at
least three or four to one.
This has been billed by many as
the biggest game of the season, Canes
head coach Rodger Ganley said. I
know our guys have waited since last
May to play them again, so its great
for these kids. They wanted it so bad.
Along with two regular season
wins, the Raiders added a 15-4 vic-
tory over Huntingtown in last seasons
4A/3A East Region Semi-fnals. On
Saturday, that became ancient history
in a hurry.
After Leonardtown senior Igor
Laray (the Raiders leading scorer with
three goals on the afternoon) knotted
the score at 2 with a goal seven sec-
onds into the second period, Hunting-
town responded with a scoring blitz
of their own, taking the lead for good
with three goals in just one minute and 19 seconds of game action.
Athens assisted on Mike James goal and then scored the next two just 38 seconds apart.
The Raiders scored the games next three goals, culminating in Nolan Stewarts rocket past
Canes goalkeeper Erik Hyland with 1:49 left in the third to bring Leonardtown within 6-5.
However, another Huntingtown scoring spree, trigged by
Athens with 10 seconds left in the third and ended
by the senior attacker early in the fourth, pushed
the lead to 10-5 and the Raiders could not
recover.
The lesson from this game is youre
going to play how you practice, Rodg-
ers explained. This game pretty much
looked how we practiced this week.
Rodgers also cited youth as a
part of the Raider struggles, but
hoped the sound defeat would serve
as a wake-up call to both experi-
enced players and young kids who
are seeing extended varsity action
for the frst time.
I thought at times the defense
played well, but we made a lot of
young, inexperienced mistakes,
Rodgers said. But theyll get
better.
Huntingtown is the team to
beat, and we told the guys that,
they just out-hustled us.
Hurricanes Break
Raider Spell
Lacrosse
The Raiders Nathan Cuklanz leads a Leonardtown
rush down feld.
Photo By Chris Stevens
Igor Laray scored three goals
in the Raiders 10-6 loss to
Huntingtown in boys
lacrosse Saturday
afternoon.
Photo By Chris Stevens
The County Times
Sp rts
S
t
.

M
a
r
y
s

C
o
l
l
e
g
e
York, Pa. - Senior attacker Emily
Norris (Timonium, Md./Dulaney) tal-
lied fve goals in leading the No. 16 St.
Marys College of Maryland womens
lacrosse team to a decisive 16-5 Capi-
tal Athletic Conference win over host
York College of Pennsylvania Satur-
day afternoon.
Norris fnished the afternoon with
six points on fve goals and an assist to
pace the Seahawk offense. Providing
the Seahawks (7-2, 2-0 CAC) with ad-
ditional scoring were senior midfelder
Lauren Carrier (Crownsville, Md./Old
Mill) with four goals and an assist
and junior midfelder Caitlin Nichols
(Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) with
two goals and an assist. Five other St.
Marys players scored as well.
Senior midfelder Allie Zerhusen
(Cockeysville, Md./Park) assisted on
St. Marys frst two goals before soph-
omore attacker Molly Kerrigan (Bal-
timore, Md./Institute of Notre Dame)
tallied an unassisted goal at 26:16 to the
Spartans on the board. The Seahawks
rattled off four unanswered goals
before freshman midfelder Ashley
Kanzler (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall)
scored with one second left in the frst
half for a 6-2 SMCM halftime lead.
St. Marys went to work in the
second stanza as the visitors kicked
off the fnal 30 minutes with an 8-0
run behind hat tricks from Norris and
Carrier as well as a pair from Nichols.
Back-to-back goals by junior midfeld-
er Megan Foy (Toms River, N.J./Toms
River North) and Kanzlers second
tally ended the Spartans 19:19-minute
scoring drought at 8:10. The Seahawks
netted the games last two goals for the
16-5 fnal.
The Seahawks fred off 35 shots
to Yorks 19, while St. Marys edged
the Spartans, 28-24, in ground balls
behind a game-high seven from
sophomore midfelder Aubrey Mirkin
(Ashton, Md./Sherwood). St. Marys
also claimed a 14-8 advantage in draw
controls after winning 11 of 14 in the
second half.
The leading scorers for York (2-7,
0-3 CAC) were Foy and Kanzler with
two goals apiece.
Freshman Colleen Simpson (Ar-
nold, Md./Broadneck) made seven
saves in 52 minutes of play for the Se-
ahawks, while sophomore Jamie Rob-
erts (Rockville, Md./Barrie) gave up
one goal and had one save in the fnal
eight minutes.
Senior Anne Feustle (Baltimore,
Md./Catonsville) racked up 13 stops in
the loss.
Minneapolis, Minn. Brie McDowell
(Doylestown, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) ended
her career as the most decorated Seahawk
swimmer, claiming her fourth career All-
America honor Saturday as the 2009 NCAA
Division III Mens & Womens Swimming &
Diving Championships came to a close at the
University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
The 2007 and 2009 Capital Athletic
Conference Womens Swimmer-of-the-Year,
McDowell notched the programs highest
ever fnish at the NCAAs as she fnished
fourth in the 200 backstroke event in 2:01.32,
just under a second out of third place behind
Emory Universitys Tess Pasternak (2:00.69).
Carolyn Barer of Kenyon College won the
event in 2:00.15 after fnishing third in the
prelims (2:00.47).
The senior captain, who had entered
the 200 back seeded frst (2:00.92), came in
second in the morning swim as she touched
the wall in a school record time of 2:00.32
behind Pasternaks 1:59.54.
To recap, McDowell earned three All-
America citations with a second-place fn-
ish in the 200 back, a ninth-place fnish in
the 100 back and a 10th-place fnish in the
200 individual medley event. The holder of
12 school marks (8 individual, 4relay), she
picked up the programs frst-ever All-Amer-
ica award at the 2007 NCAA Championships
with her ninth-place fnish in the 100 back.
Junior Rachel Hotchko (Yakima, Wash./
A.C. Davis) wrapped up her second consec-
utive trip to the NCAAs by fnishing 60th in
the 100 freestyle event in 54.49. Hotchko
registered her career-best fnish thus far at
NCAA championships as she took 23rd in
the 100 butterfy event on Thursday.
St. Marys fnished 22nd out of 56 teams
with 31 points.
This was the fourth consecutive season
that St. Marys has been represented at the
NCAA championships.
No. 16 Seahawks
Dominate York
(Pa.), 16-5
Seahawks McDowell
Takes Fourth at NCAA
Swim Meet
THURSDAY
MARCH 26, 2009
Story Page 38
Hurricanes Break
Raider Spell
Story Page 14
Carjacker Avoids
Murder Charge
Story Page 10
County Population
Out of Control?
Winding Up
for a
Victory
Page 35

2009-03-26

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