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County News Community Education Feature Story Business Letters Obits Newsmakers Games Sports Entertainment Out and About
On Christmas Day, Chaplin Jerald Graham will stop by every cell in Calvert Countys Detention Center to give out Christmas cards and visit with each inmate.
When Katie Lerch was in pre-kindergarten, she shared The Salvation Armys, Dress a Bear program with Calverton School. Now she is continuing that spirit with a stuff a stocking effort.
education
FOR EVENTS HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA, CHECK PAGE 19 IN OUT AND ABOUT
COUNTY NEWS
COUNTY NEWS
9905 H.G. Trueman Road, Lusby Next to The Frying Pan office@harvestfellowshippca.org www.harvestfellowshippca.org 410-326-0033 Christmas Eve Service time: 7:00pm
Harvest Fellowship
100 Lower Marlboro Rd. (Corner of Rtes 2&4) Sunderland, MD 20689 allsaints1692@verizon.net
www.allsaints1692.org
410-257-6306
4:00pm Family Service w/ children's pageant Music Program at 9:15pm followed by 10:00pm Candlelight Service
dunkirkbaptistchurch.org
301.855.3555 410.286.8500 December 24 at 6PM: Family Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service
COUNTY NEWS
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer State officials announced this week that Badtec, Inc., the company that owns Southern Memorial Gardens in Dunkirk, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland. The cemetery had been in foreclosure since the summer and a cease and desist order has been in place since August from the countys Circuit Court that prohibited the owners from performing any new burials, according to information from the states Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR). The Office of Cemetery Oversight (OCO), part of DLLR, filed an injunction earlier this year against the cemetery owners, Daniel and George Martin, the principals in Badtec, Inc., and the problems surrounding the cemetery led to criminal and civil charges against both. Burials have been allowed to continue since mid-August, a DLLR press release stated, but only if customers had owned a plot at the site prior to August 12 of this year and if the burial was being performed by another, independent contractor. The problems started when over the summer the property became subject to foreclosure
By Sarah Miller Staff Writer Safe Nights is back for its fourth winter, offering assistance to people in need throughout the county. Mary Ann Zaversnik, who runs Safe Nights with her husband Joseph, said the number of host churches has grown to 23, and there are another 8-10 assisting churches offering additional support. Safe nights is offered now through April 8. Everyone in the program gets a warm place to sleep every night, and two meals plus a sack lunch every day. Zaversnik said people who register for Safe Nights are expected to be at the host church every night or at a pick up point to be transported to the church. Not coming without being excused can result in being suspended from the program, Zaversnik said. While the rules may be strict, Zaversnik said they are designed to keep everyone safe and help the program run smoothly. While the normal hours are 7 p.m. until 7 a.m., during holidays and some Sundays when libraries and other public locations are closed the host churches will have daylong programs. Safe Nights works closely with Project ECHO. Project ECHO offers people a place to sleep for 90 days and coordinates with Safe Nights to help people who will reach the end of their 90 days and have nowhere to stay.
We want to try to work hand in hand with them, Zaversnik said. Project ECHO also gets community support. Girl Scout Troop 1610 from Lusby recently held a cookie mix sale to help purchase items for sack lunches sent to Project ECHO. It was hard for them to understand they were doing one project to raise money for another project, troop leader Casey Hanback said. She said the project helped the girls get involved in community service. The troop has supported Project ECHO in various ways for the past few years. I like the fact that Im just helping out, said Girl Scout Jordan Abell. Even though they want to help anybody who needs it, Zaversnik said Safe Nights doesnt publicize what church they will be at on a given night because they would prefer the residents register for the program. We did find we were being used as a drop in shelter, Zaversnik said. The registration process also helps the group keep a count of the people they are expecting so they know there will be enough food and beds. For more information, call 443-4868670 or visit calvertinterfaithcouncil.org/ SafeNights.html. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
Gift Certificates:
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COUNTY NEWS
Brent Sulhoff, Braden Blonshine and Ricardo Fabila grab some breakfast between shifts as Santas Helper Elves.
Photos by Sarah Miller The Patuxent High School JROTC orchestrated their first Breakfast with Santa Dec. 18. JROTC Booster President Chris Tilley, said they brought in $1,365 before factoring in cost of the breakfast. This is amazing considering our target audience were allowed to come in for free, Tilley said. The JROTC will share 10 percent of the proceeds with the SMILE Food Pantry.
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a safe and joyful holiday from the Stephen D. Mattingly Insurance Agency
Top Row: Carolyn Quade, Shirley Mattingly and Barbara Livingston. Bottom Row: Betty West, Steve Mattingly and Alice Kingsley
Community
Town Warns of Sewer Clogging
By Guy Leonard Staff Writer On Thanksgiving Day, North Beach Town Councilman Mike Benton helped out some of their public works staff deal with a clogged sewer line located at the corner of Dayton Avenue and 3rd Street; what they found after they snaked out the line was a common cause to a messy problem, sanitary wipes. Benton retold the story at the Dec. 8 council meeting and said town residents need to be more careful when it comes to what they dispose of in their household drains. He said that an overabundance of kitchen grease as well as sanitary wipes are Mike Benton the main culprits in perhaps three sewer clogging incidents in the past 18 months. These things get caught and clog up; with that and with household grease, weve had problems, Benton said. With the sanitary wipes, he said, they can become caught on any imperfection in the line and they continue to build up until they clog the system because they do not readily decompose. Residents may have a misconception, he said, that because the town is on central water and sewer it would not have the same problems associated with individual septic systems found throughout Calvert County. They think it wont clog but it does, Benton said. I even recycle my coffee grounds, I wont put anything down the drain that shouldnt be there. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Tuba Christmas
Photo by Carrie Munn Tuba players from the tri-county area and beyond gathered recently to perform classic Christmas carols during the tenth annual Tuba Christmas at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Solomons. All-tuba ensembles across the nation have been putting on the holiday show for 38 years.
ODonnell was elected to represent St. Marys and Calvert counties in the District 29C seat in 1994, when he defeated Thomas Pelagatti by 32 votes. In 2010, ODonnell was reelected to his fifth term. guyleonard@countytimes.net
Spotlight On
corrin@somdpublishing.net
Spotlight On
10
SLES Winter Festival Includes Art Show, Holiday Shop and Book Fair
By Corrin M. Howe Staff Writer St. Leonard Elementary School recently combined an art show, a holiday shop and book fair for its after school Winter Festival celebration. Art teacher Mimi Torres lined all the cafeteria tables with pinch pots, Christmas trees, animals, angels and coil pots created by preschool through fifth grade students. Each grade worked on same theme; however, none of the grade levels shared the same subject. Each project took about three class periods. One to shape, one to paint and one to make up missed work or add fine detail, said Torres, who is new to Calvert Public Schools but having taught in Puerto Rico and New York over the last 12 years. In the gym, SLES VP Janel McPhillips was one of the many volunteers helping students do their holiday shopping. Each table grouped trinkets in one price range or themes. For example, one table displayed items for adult men while another for adult women. Parents waited out in the hall while their children selected items for family members. After the students purchased their items, more tables and volunteers were available to help wrap them. Back in the library, a book fair vendor and volunteers sold reading materials, computer games and posters to families looking for additional choices for holiday gifts. The bank of computers was very popular and kept children entertained while waiting for their parents to shop or visit with other adults.
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when asked how he can invest so much of his time administrating 75 services a month. A number of local churches support the jail ministry as well. They send volunteers to run Bible studies and educational programs. He said he has one volunteer who has been there 20 years. Anyone wanting to come in to volunteer has to go through a three to four hour class after a clearance check. After the class the volunteer will receive a badge. The training is very important because the officers go over the dos and donts. The reason for providing training sessions, especially at the local jails, is to help the inmates develop skills and make better choices when they return. Otherwise, they return back to the same community which got them in trouble to begin with, said Graham. Space is a limiting factor in the number of programs they can offer. He can only schedule 12 inmates at a time for a session of any kind, religious or educational. Each week he puts out a list and inmates sign up for something they want. Graham said if he could write a check he could purchase a facility in which he could help with at-risk youth and work with them before they make bad choices. At the same facility he would run follow up programs for those transitioning out of jail. He would also partner with more local churches to provide the after care necessary. It could be as simple as churches providing classroom space for his volunteers to continue teaching computer skills, job readiness, matching positive mentors up with at risk youth and helping them find productive channels for their energy and creativity. All the youth we work with say they made the wrong choices. We teach them not to allow peer pressure to get them down the wrong path, said Graham. The programs in the jail are even helping those not participating, according to Graham. They see the lives changing and they want to be a part of that.
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word of mouth. Were Calvert Countys best kept secret, Woell said. Woell is currently looking to hire anything buy receptionists, she said. She said she is looking for licensed cosmetologists, manicurists, pedicurists and other specialists who take initiative and pride in their work. Total Eclipse boasts state of the art equipment, including pedicure chairs with massage features and hospital grade disinfectants. They also mix dye colors in front of customers at a color bar so the customers can see the process instead of being left alone until their stylist comes back. I need someone serious, willing to work, no mood swing people here, Woell said. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit totaleclipsesalonspa.com. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
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TTER E to the
Editor
Editorial
orner c
guidance of the new state ethics code, the CCEC has presented some draft ethics ordinances to the BOCC. I have been disappointed to learn that the updated state code still sets the gift limit for reporting at $20, which I see as being too low. If someone bakes a fellow employee a birthday cake, that could cake could be worth more than $20. The employee must report all gifts that have a value of more than $20. I see the first role of the CCEC as being to address conflicts of interest and perceived conflicts of interest. What is the difference between an actual and a perceived conflict of interest? Very little. If it looks like self-dealing, it probably is self-dealing. The second role is to address undue influence. Judging undue influence can be tricky, because perhaps the individual just made an error in judgment or a mistake that benefits a particular party without any undue influence from anyone or any benefit to self. If the CCEC suspects a bigger problem that might rise to the level of criminal behavior, they refer their suspicions to the States Attorneys Office for further investigation. As part of the current update of the Calvert County Ethics Code, the CCEC requested subpoena power. Later, they modified the request to one for summons power. This request is controversial. An appointed Ethics Commission is not a court. It turns out that, so far, no one has ever failed to appear at a CCEC inquiry when requested to do so. However, in some instances, individuals have failed to bring requested documents and have declined to answer some questions. That happens even in court. Should this type of judicial power be extended to the appointed citizens of the CCEC? What about due process and privacy rights? Stay tuned as the BOCC continues to weigh the pros and cons on the way to a new Ethics Code.
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Thomas McKay Eric McKay Sean Rice Angie Stalcup Tobie Pulliam sales@somdpublishing.net info@somdpublishing.net 301-373-4125
Law Enforcement Government, Education Community, Business
Calvert Gazette
14
Rita Vick, 60
Rita Maria Vick, 60, of Lusby, MD, formerly of Silver Spring, MD passed away on Dec. 9, 2011 at Calvert Memorial Hospital, Prince Frederick, MD. She was born on May 6, 1951 in Cheverly, MD to the late Armondo
ment followed in Solomons United Methodist Church Cemetery, Solomons, MD. Should friends desire contributions may be made in her memory to St. Leonard Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, 200 Calvert Beach Road, Saint Leonard, MD 20685. Arrangements by the Rausch Funeral Home, P. A., Lusby, MD. rauschfuneralhomes.com.
Charles LaMarr, 84
Charles Arthur LaMarr, 84 of Hollywood, MD died December 19, 2011 at Solomons Nursing Center. Born September 11, 1926 in Indianapolis, IN, he was the
and Frances Pietraskiewicz. Rita is survived by her husband Rudy Vick; daughter Joyce Sacks of Calvert County; son, Danny Vick of Illinois and her granddaughter Keston Sacks. The family received friends on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 10:30 AM until the time of the service celebrating her life at 11:30 AM., Father John Howanstine officiated. Inter-
www.RauschFuneralHomes.com
Owings
Port Republic
410-586-0520
410-257-6181
20 American Lane
Lusby
410-326-9400
son of the late Paul A. LaMarr and Mary (Monroe) LaMarr. Charles was a United States Marine Corp. Master Sergeant, serving for twenty four years. After retiring from the USMC in 1968 at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, he worked for 22 years as a manual writer for Lockheed Martin. Charles was the first volunteer for the Maryland State Police, Leonardtown, MD, serving over 10,000 hours. He was a member of the Hollywood Moose Lodge, Chapter 2173 and the VFW in California, MD. Charles was married to Rosalie Anderson on February 8, 2003 in Issue, MD. Charles is survived by his wife, Rosalie, his children, Thomas Gauchat (Lin) of Solomons, MD, Michele Zito of Helena, AL, and Donald LaMarr of (Joan) of Santa Clarita, CA, his stepchildren, Joseph L. Anderson (Kim) of Hollywood, MD, Michelle Richards (Scott) of Hollywood, MD, Mary McLean (Michael) of Waldorf, MD and George C. Anderson (Beth Poor) of Leonardtown, MD, 17 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren. In addition to his parents, Charles was preceded in death by his wife Rosemary (Elliott) LaMarr in 2001, his children, Mary Perkins and John Gauchat and his brother, Paul LaMarr. The family received friends for Charles Life Celebration on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at St. George Catholic Church, 19199 St. Georges Church Road, Valley Lee, MD 20692. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Monsignor Karl A. Chimiak. Interment will be private. Serving as pallbearers were members of the Maryland State Police. Serving as honorary pallbearers were two of Charles sons and six grandsons. In lieu of flowers, memorial contribu-
tions may be made to the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, MD 20636. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD. www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Wesley Mandell, 84
We sl e y Corbin Mandell, USN Retired, of Upper Marlboro, MD passed away peacefully after a brief illness on December 8, 2011, at age 84. Wes was born on July 9, 1927, in El Paso, Texas, to the late Darwin and Louise Mandell. He grew up on a farm with his three younger brothers in the Mesilla Valley area of eastern New Mexico and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on December 7, 1944. He served his country for 30 years, retiring as an E9 Master Chief Petty Officer. Most of his Navy career was spent in the engine room of nuclear propulsion submarines. Following his naval retirement, he worked another 20 years at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. Never one to sit still and always someone who needed a purpose, his second retirement was followed by numerous part time jobs including serving as a bailiff in the Prince Georges County Court House in Upper Marlboro for many years until he officially retired last year. As a resident of Upper Marlboro for 56 years, he enjoyed serving his community and his church, Trinity Episcopal. He was proud to be a member of the Fleet Reserve in Annapolis; the American Legion; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in Deale; the Moose Lodge in Upper Marlboro; the FOP Lodge 89; and the Masonic Centennial Lodge in Upper Marlboro. He was truly one of a kind and he will be dearly missed. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Buck Sherbert Mandell, and by his brothers Darwin Junior and Paul Mandell. He is survived by his brother Harold Mandell of San Antonio, Texas; two daughters Donna Hyatt of Richmond, VA, and Ann Marie Smith and her husband Pierre Laprade Smith of Chesapeake Beach, MD; and his son Melvin D. Sherbert and his wife Janet Distad Sherbert of Dunkirk, MD. He is also survived by his grandchildren Marleigh and Jared Smith and Doug, Greg, and Russell Sherbert; six greatgrandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family received friends on Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 at Rausch Funeral Home, 8325 Mt. Harmony Lane, Owings, MD from 7:00 9:00 P.M. The interment will be privately held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to Trinity Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 187, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773 or to a charity of your choice.
www.somd.com
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Newsmakers
James and Janice Graner of Huntingtown stepped up to open their house when damage from Hurricane Irene knocked the original house off the tour. When asked which of the four decorated Christmas trees they would hide presents under, Graner laughed. Good question. Probably the newest tree in the newly refinished basement. corrin@somdpublishing.net
and only recently finished. She will leave everything up until at least February. Walking into the two story stucco house, visitors were greeted immediately by glitzy silver decorations in the formal dining room and entry. Further back in the house were some more traditional reds and greens. Bathtubs filled with white and red poinsettias. In the program, Orrecchio said her husband doesnt know what to say when he answers the door on Halloween. Merry Christmas
This white penguin on skies decorated a doorway outside Leslie Wills home in Ownings.
or Trick or Treat. Michael Overfelt showed off his holiday decorated man cave, a cottage off the driveway of the main house. He wore a Santa hat, smoked his cigar and invited people to partake of the finger sandwiches as he showed off his new space, just in time to watch the last half of the football season.
AUCTION AUCTION
Sunday, January 1st - 10 a.m.
Michael Overfelt welcomes tour visitors into his newly remodeled man cave where he can enjoy his cigars.
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ie iddKor K
ner
1. Angry 4. Mr. Claus 9. Minerals 11. Gluten-free diet disease 12. Nickel-cadmium accumulator 14. Day or rest & worship 15. King of Magadha (273-232) 16. Satisfy an appetite 17. Stage signal 18. Durable aromatic wood 19. Something used to lure 20. Actress Basinger 21. A rare and exceptional person 24. Quick head movement 25. Yeddo 26. Mythological bird 27. Root mean square (abbr.) 28. Chart of the Earths surface 29. Fish eggs 30. Recto 37. The cry made by sheep
CLUES ACROSS
38. Pitcher 39. Supports climbing plants 40. Arbitrager 41. Winglike structures 42. Singer Ross 43. Belonging to Barney & Betty 45. Promises author Wendi 46. Swindles 47. In widespread existence 48. Those opposed to 49. Used to be U___
CLUES DOWN
1. Graces Principality 2. No longer seated 3. Translate into ordinary language 4. Point that is one point E of SE 5. Linen vestment worn by priests 6. A B vitamin 7. Ryan ONeals daughter 8. Dull steady pain 10. Seaport on Osaka Bay
11. Cowpunchers 13. Mend a sock 14. Ships canvas 16. Aformentioned 19. Big man on campus 20. English actress Stark 22. Malaria mosquitoes 23. Many subconsciousses 26. A scrap of cloth 27. Cry loudly 28. Actress Farrow 29. S. Korean Pres. Syngman (1948-65) 30. Rectangular grooved joint 31. ___ the night before Christmas 32. Male parents 33. Earlier in time 34. Rampart of felled trees 35. Scoundrel (Yiddish) 36. Pencilmark remover 37. Danish ballet dancer Erik 40. Blood clams genus 41. Subsititutes (abbr.) 44. Spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan
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Sp rts
Deer Harvest
2010 Total 704 1878 1304 flowers and rub the bark from small trees and shrubbery. Still, the lady persisted, so I told her to coat her salt lick with molasses or one of the concoctions sold in sporting goods stores for this method of attracting deer. If thats not enough, buy several bags of deer corn (which is little more than shelled corn) and spread that corn on the ground. Autumn harvest ear corn will also work. Then I reminded her that deer are very nocturnal creatures, but when fed and not disturbed, she could expect to see them at all times of day or night. Deer are fascinating creatures to watch. A few years back, I used these methods to attract deer to my own back yard until my better half a devoted gardener taught me the error of my ways. If you have a particularly interesting hunting story and a picture, please drop me a line at riverdancekeith@gmail. com. If you have a particularly interesting hunting story and a picture, please drop me a line at riverdancekeith@ gmail.com.
total harvest from the regular firearms season was 41,421. In 2010 the total was 40,694. The totals for the tri-county region 2011 Regular Firearms Season are as follows: County Antlered Calvert 243 Charles 555 St. Marys 379 Antlerless 549 1085 839 Total 792 1640 1218
The Junior Firearms Season was 2 days long this year for the first time ever and the harvest for this season alone was up by 47%. Twenty of the States 23 counties allowed hunting on Sunday on private land during the junior season. The statewide total harvest for the Junior Firearms Season was 3,014. In 2010, 2053 deer were harvested by juniors. The breakdown for the tri-county region Junior Firearms Season is as follows: County Antlered Calvert 32 Charles 61 St. Marys 48 Antlerless 30 62 50 Total 62 123 98 2010 Total 30 79 42
Last Saturday, instead of being in the woods for the beginning of the late segment of the Muzzleloader Season, I found myself at an afternoon holiday party. There was not a single hunter or angler there besides me, so I was a little out of my element. One very nice lady asked me if I knew of a way to get more deer to her back yard. She loves to watch them and has had little success at attracting them to stay. She has tried apples and even a salt lick. The apples rot where she puts them even hanging from a string and the salt lick dissolves away in the rain. Now, I really hate to tell people how to attract deer to their backyards because those who do often regret their actions when they discover how deer love to eat
BleaChers
By Ronald N. Guy Jr. Contributing Writer Assemble all NFL teams together and, like every schoolyard, youll find a sample of styles covering the entire athletic continuum. The awkward and uncoordinated (the Colts and Skins), the talented but unfocused (the Cowboys), the naturally gifted and elegant (Green Bay) and even the bullies are represented. There are many teams claiming territory in this latter group, but theres only one true NFL playground thug: the Pittsburgh Steelers. No sports franchise personifies its city more accurately than the Steelers. The franchises name and logo were, obviously, derived from the local trademark steel in-
Savage Amusement
Violence, an innate aspect of football, is under assault. League rules regarding hits on quarterbacks and defenseless receivers has been redefined; the powers-that-be in the NFL have absolutely zero tolerance for helmet to helmet hits and NFL headhunters who lead recklessly with the crown of their helmets. As one might suspect, such violence legislation and its enforcement has been met with great resistance from fans and players alike. Every Sunday fans erupt over perceived dubious personal fouls and players cry to their union over league-levied fines for illegal hits. Ground zero for this battle between old school football ops and the new school neutering of defensive aggression is Pittsburgh, Penn. No team has gotten more publicity for its blackout hits and fines than the Steelers. The new rules fly in the face of everything the Steelers are and team and fans are united in their angst. I was with them for a while. Now my answer to Black and Gold nations gripes is too bad. The truth is violence follows the Steelers. If you watch a team against any other opponent and then watch them against the Steelers, youll see two different brands of football. The Steelers are like the attitude-laden co-worker who brings out the worst in everyone around him or her. Watch a Steelers game and youre probably going to see someone from the other team knocked senseless and stagger off the field. And for the most part, football fans Steelers fans or otherwise love it. That is sad commentary on the lack of basic humanity pervading society and stands on Sundays. Our ignorance of the long-term impact of concussions is long gone. There should be a collective intolerance for players who blatantly and habitually hit opponents high and disgust, not barbaric celebration, when someones husband, father or son is knocked senseless. For whatever reason, such play follows the Steelers and in this battle of wills, the NFL will, thankfully, prevail. The Steelers will conform eventually. Their style represents footballs past, the leagues approach its sustainable, safer future. In the movie Gladiator, an enslaved Maximus continues to win the favor of his captors and fans for his victorious acts of violence in arranged battles. In a poignant moment, Maximus, irritated by the bloodthirst of spectators seeking savage amusement, hurls his sword at his captors perch. The act was met with catcalls and prompts an annoyed Maximus to yell, Are you not entertained? In that moment Maximus, as the great human conscience, captures exactly how I feel about Steelers football. Am I entertained by Steelers football? Not anymore. Send comments to rguyjoon@yahoo.com
dustry, but the teams cultural connection with the region is far deeper than these superficial indicators. Western Pennsylvania is synonymous with Appalachia, rugged, resilient Americans and steel. Similarly, as far back as the early 1970s and the famed Steel Curtain defense, Pittsburgh has proudly been one of the NFLs tough guys. Stingy defenses, hard hits and bluecollar, no-nonsense players have been the hallmark of Steelers football for 40 years. The organization long ago adopted a successful formula that, like a good family recipe, theyve stubbornly maintained without compromise. They draft and develop their own players and have little use for free agents whove been corrupted with another, non-Steelers culture. They seek out steelminded, hard-nosed coaches that embody the Steelers way , show them uncommon loyalty theyve had but three coaches since 1969 and empower them to run the football operations. Its a business model, a franchise and a style of play Ive admired for many years. That admiration, despite the teams on-going success, is starting to wane.
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The Calvert Gazette is always looking for more local talent to feature! To submit art or band information for our entertainment section, e-mail sarahmiller@countytimes.net.
Jan. 8, 2012 -
Jan. 15 -
By Sarah Miller Staff Writer For nine years, the Chesapeake Community Chorus has been entertaining the community and raising money for local charities. Both things are very important to us, said Larry Brown, the chorus director for the past nine years. William Goodwin, a recent addition to the chorus, said singing has been in the back of my mind for many years but it was the charities the group is involved in that gave him the final push to go ahead and do it. That it was involved with Hospice made it a no brainier, Goodwin said. Vivian Wright, who has been singing with the group for the past three years, also said she got involved in the chorus due to its connection with Hospice. She said she has volunteered with Hospice, and loves singing so the chorus was a perfect fit for her. The original purpose of the chorus was to raise money for Hospice, and the chorus has since branched out to be an all around fundraising group. Instead of charging admission, individuals attending concerts are asked to make a donation, which are passed on. Brown said the chorus doesnt charge admission because they want to make sure everyone comes that wants to come. Most of the music the group performs is sacred music; fitting for the church settings where the group normally performs. For a little bit of variety, they will throw in a little bit of gospel and general concert type music, Brown said. They are not a professional group, but every member is a volunteer and there because they want to be there, not because they are getting paid or receiving credits for school. The singers love for what they do comes out in their performance, with every singer engaged and actively participating. Goodwin said that because the chorus is all-volunteer, Brown has to be able to direct and lead the group without forcing them to do anything, a feat he accomplishes with energy and style. He said Brown gives and takes suggestions, and is as excited about the chorus as his singers. The chorus doesnt rehearse every week, and Brown said the number of people in the choir changes each time. On average, he said there are 30 singers at rehearsals and 25 at concerts. The chorus is always looking for more singers. Most of the performances and rehearsals are in the late afternoon on Sundays in order to have the least impact on the workweek and to allow the most people to join in.
Jan. 22 -
Feb. 19 -
March 18 -
April 15 -
April 22 -
May 6 -
People interested dont have to audition or have prior experience, just a willingness to come and sing, Brown said. Wed love to have anybody, Brown said. For more information, call Brown 301-855-7477 or e-mail lbrown9601@ verizon.net. sarahmiller@countytimes.net
May 20 -
19
Out&About
Thursday, Dec. 22
Live Music: Oren Polak Duo Casey Jones Pub (417 E. Charles St., La Plata) 9:30 p.m. Live Music: Half Naked Trio The Blue Dog Saloon (7940 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco) 8 p.m. Live Music: Sam Grow Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) - 8 p.m. Pajama Party w/ DJ Mike Apehangers Bar and Grill (9100 Crain Highway, Bel Alton) 9 p.m.
Tens of thousands of holiday lights twinkle in Chesapeake Beach to make it the Brightest Beacon on the Bay. Take the family and ride through Chesapeake Beach to enjoy holiday lights displayed until the week after the New Year. (www. chesapeake-beach.md.us) Make a stop at Tans Cycles to visit their free Holiday Train Garden. The train garden is on a 20 X 20 platform with five levels, 30 trains, seven super streets, a carnival, waterfall, construction site, disappearing trains, tunnels, bridges and much more. The Holiday Train Display begins November 25 and runs through January 14, weekdays 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 5 p.m.; special times on Dec. 24 and 31 (noon to 5 p.m.) and Dec. 27 thru 30 (noon to 8 p.m.). Tans is at 9032 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach. For more information, call 410-257-6619. Surround yourself with one-of-akind, handmade creations at Annmarie Gardens annual Garden in Lights. Mythical creatures, spectacular wild animals, illuminated works of art, hidden beasts, romantic dancers and more will delight all ages. Dont forget to ask for a holiday I spy program. After your walk, enjoy a hot drink, entertainment, the Ornament Show and the Celebrations Glass Exhibit in the Arts Building. Garden in Lights runs through January 1, 2012. Check the website for more information: www.annmariegarden.org. The Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum invites you to share in a holiday tradition as their conductors read a classic childrens Christmas story, The Polar Express, on Thursday, December 22, at 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. After each reading there will be a tour of Chesapeake Beach on the Holiday Trolley. Space is limited and reservations are required. Learn more about this event at www.cbrm.org or call the museum at 410-257-3892. You may reserve your space online at http:// www.planetreg.com/E101111521898. Dunkirk Baptist Church invites you to join us Saturday, December 24 at 6PM for our Family Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship. For more information call: 301-855-3555 or click: www. dunkirkbaptistchurch.org
SMILE, INC. invites you to a Christmas Dinner from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm on Christmas Day to be held at the Arick L. Lore Post 274 American Legion in Lusby. Santa Claus and his helpers will be there with toys for the children and it is fun for all. Christmas Dinner at the American Legion Hall has become a tradition. SMILE gathers volunteers to prepare and serve the dinner. Santa Claus, though weary from the previous evenings deliveries also volunteers his time and arrives with a bag full of gifts. Some of our guests find such a meal beyond their means, others are alone and enjoy the company and still others simply do not care to cook. Dunkirk Baptist Church invites you to join us Sunday, December 25 at 10:30AM for our Christmas Day Family Worship. For more information call: 301855-3555 or click: www.dunkirkbaptistchurch.org Looking for things to do with the family during the holidays? The Calvert Marine Museum offers programs throughout the school holiday. Each day from December 26 through December 30 you can discover interesting facts about sea life. Did you know horseshoe crabs have been around since dinosaurs? What good are jellyfish? On Friday, December 30, visit the Discovery Room for a handson lesson about the different kinds of turtles that can be found in our area. On Monday, January 2, kids can take special tours of the Drum Point Lighthouse and learn what life was like for children stationed at the lighthouse with their families. Check the Calvert Marine Museum website, www.calvertmarinemuseum. com, for complete listings and registration information. All programs are free with museum admission. Start off your New Year with an invigorating swim in the Chesapeake Bay! Join the crowd at North Beach as they run across the beach into the chilly waters for the annual Polar Bear Plunge. After, everyone will warm up beside a large beach bonfire and enjoy a hot drink. It is great fun for all ages both to participate and to watch! The fun starts at 1 p.m. at the beach located at the intersection of 5th Street and Bay Avenue. (www.ci.north-
beach.md.us) Dunkirk Baptist Church invites you to join us Sunday, January 1 as we celebrate the New Year. 9:15AM we will have Sunday School for all ages and at 10:30AM we will have a New Years Day Worship. For more information call: 301855-3555 or click: www.dunkirkbaptistchurch.org Is your New Years resolution going to be Get a new job? If so, you may want to register for the resume and cover letter workshops offered at Calvert Library Prince Frederick. Beginning Jan. 3, library volunteer and job counselor Sandra Holler will host small group workshops from 10 a.m. to noon two Tuesdays a month, usually the first and third Tuesday. Participants will learn what makes a strong resume and cover letter and will get individualized help. If you already have a resume started, bring it with you so editing can happen on the spot. Registration is required and can be done through the library website at calvert.lib.md.us or by calling 410-535-0291. For more information, call Robyn Truslow at 410-535-0291 or 301-855-1862. It is that time of year again! The Annual Giant Gently Used Book Sale hosted by Friends of Calvert Library will begin with a members-only preview night on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 5-8pm. You can join at the door with $10 for an individual and $15 for a family membership. The sale opens to the public on Friday, Jan. 13 from noon to 4pm and will also be held on Saturday, January 14 from 9am-3pm. The event is in the meeting rooms at the Calvert Library Prince Frederick and there will be thousands of books in good to excellent condition. Sunday Conversations with Chesapeake Authors at 2 p.m. Jan. 15 will feature Richard LaMotte, back by popular demand, to talk about his beautiful book Pure SEA GLASS. LaMotte will identify sea glass and show sample glassware. Sea Glass jewelry will be featured in the Museum Store and the artists that make it will also be on hand. Purchase a copy of Pure Sea Glass and have it signed on the spot.
Sunday, Dec. 25
Open Christmas Day Apehangers Bar and Grill (9100 Crain Highway, Bel Alton) 2 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 26
Open Mic Night Rustic River Bar and Grill (40874 Merchants Lane, Leonardtown) 5 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 23
Live Music: Neil Tracy Trio Island Bar and Crab House (16810 Piney Point Rd., Piney Point) 7:30 p.m. Christmas Party & Live Music: The Sam Grow Band The Greene Turtle (6 St. Marys Avenue Suite 104, La Plata) 9 p.m. Live Music: Silvertung Christmas Bash w/ the Black Dahlia Memories Nightclub and Bar (2360 Old Washington Road, Waldorf) 8 p.m. Live Music: Dave and Kevin Trio Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) 8 p.m. Live Music: Natural Progression Back Creek Bistro (14415 Dowell Road, Dowell) 6 p.m. Live Music: Diane Daly The Westlawn Inn (9200 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach) 8 p.m. Live Music: No Green JellyBeanz Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 27
Trivia Night Rustic River Bar and Grill (40874 Merchants Lane, Leonardtown) 6:30 p.m. Open Mic Night Ruddy Duck Brewery (13200 Dowell Road, Dowell) 6:30 p.m. Live Music: Fair Warning DB McMillans (23415 Three Notch Road, California) 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 28
Live Music: Wolfs Hot Rods and Old Gas Blues Jam Beach Cove Restaurant (8416 Bayside Road, Chesapeake Beach) 8 p.m. Live Music: Acoustical Sounds Martinis Lounge (10553 Theodore Green Boulevard, White Plains) 8 p.m. Live Music: Mason Sebastian DB McMillans (23415 Three Notch Road, California) 5 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Harry Big Dogs Paradise (28765 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville) 7 p.m.
Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center in Solomons is continuing its award-winning Garden in Lights through Jan. 1. Showcasing several hundred handmade light sculptures throughout the 30-acre park, visitors will be surrounded by a holiday light show that won Maryland Life Magazines Best Holiday Tradition award in 2010. Garden in Lights attendees will be able to see a myriad of light sculptures which include mythical beasts, a circus, dancers, animated characters, the Centennial of Naval Aviation, and much more. Starting the light show experience in Annmaries 15,000 sq. ft. arts building, visitors will begin their adventure with live entertainment, shopping opportunities at the 4th Annual Ornament Show & Sale, and be able to indulge in some light refreshments before heading outside to see the light sculptures.
In addition, Annmarie will also be hosting a Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drive throughout the Garden in Lights event. Visitors are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Annmarie Arts building for local kids in need of some holiday cheer; why not give the gift of joy while enjoying Garden in the Lights this year. Garden in Lights opens from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. weather permitting and with limited closures (December 24-25). Admission is only $5 (Children 4 and under and members are free). Annmarie will continue its normal hours of operation for its featured Toys and Imagine a exhibits during the day. For more information about Garden in Lights or Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, go to www.annmariegarden.org or call 410-326-4640.
Saturday, Dec. 24
Live Music: Groove Span The Blue Dog Saloon (7940 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco) 6:30 p.m.
Is your bar or business hosting a special celebration on New Years Eve? Let us know when and where, so our readers can find the best spots in Southern Maryland to ring in 2012. Please send detailed info to carriemunn@countytimes.net no later than Monday, Dec. 26.
Consider upgrading to high-efficiency heating equipment. Remove leaves and snow from around your heat pump. Open curtains and blinds during the day. Tune up your heating system annually. Insulate your attic and ductwork. Take advantage of SMECOs energy efficiency programs and rebates. Schedule a Quick Home Energy Check-up. Change your air filter once a month. Set your programmable thermostat to 68F. Weather-strip around doors and caulk around windows.
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