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Thursday, April 17, 2008 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland

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Little Sonbeams Preschool Helps Cans For Habitat

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They don’t have that lacrosse savvy yet” -Mike Boyle Chopticon Lacrosse Coach

Little Sonbeams Preschool students at the Trinity Lutheran Church are the newest group of recyclers to raise money for new Habitat for Humanity Homes. Patuxent Habitat for Humanity’s Cans for Habitat program uses the proceeds from aluminum can recycling to build decent, affordable homes for people in Southern Maryland. As part of special Earth Day activities in April, Preschool teacher Lisa Jackson will be teaching her students how recycling aluminum can be good for the environment and good for people in need of affordable housing. Numerous schools and businesses in the area have become involved with Cans for Habitat: Bannaker Elementary, Carver Elementary, Green Holly El- Little Sonbeams preschool students at Trinity Lutheran Church have been collecting aluminum cans to the Habitat for Humanity.

See Recycle page A-

New Supervisor of Food and Nutrition Appointed School Superintendent Michael Martirano announced that Mr. Louis Jones has been appointed to the position of supervisor of food and nutrition services in the Division of ing Services for St. Mary’s County Public Schools. He has been working for the Ft. Myer Dining Facility in Northern Virginia as a project manager and director of food services, and his previous experience includes serving as a lead chef and food services director for the United States Navy. Jones is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in business management from Northwood University.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Students Honored For Environmental Activism Three St. Mary’s College of Maryland student leaders accepted Public Health Hero Awards from the St. Mary’s County Health Department during National Public Health Week earlier this month. They received honors on behalf of the Student Environmental Action Coalition for their environmental activism on campus. Erin McDermott, Bonnie Veblen and Shane Hall led their campus community in initiating and demonstrating ways to save energy and preserve the environment. The club hosted several all-campus events that drew community and media attention to global warming. For example, the Polar Bear Splash. Dozens of students dashed in and out of an icy St. Mary’s River in January during Focus the Nation week, a student-driven, nationwide effort to call attention to climate change.

Work Hard, Be Nice The following St. Mary’s County Public School teachers were nominated for the Work Hard Be Nice Award for the month of March; Rose Alvey, Julius Bond, Michelle Carroll, Deborah Conrad, Pat DeCarlo, Hope Graham (Ms. Graham has been nominated twice this month by two different parties), Catherine Kennedy, Emma Knott, Carolyn Nelson, Mark Smith, Jessica Williams, and Claudia Wortman.

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Man Charged With Murder County Approve’s 911 Address Updating, Minus Photography By Guy Leonard Staff Writer

St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations detectives say they have a suspect they believe is responsible for the homicide that took the life of Thomas John Saunders, 38, just before midnight April 10 on Liberty Street. Koummane Virasith, 39, a Lexington Park resident, has been charged

Koummane Virasith

with first-degree murder in Saunders’ death as well as attempted first-degree murder that left his estranged wife and Saunders’ girlfriend Melissa Virasith, 40, in critical condition. Police suspect domestic issues in the double shooting as the estranged wife and Saunders had a relationship. Koummane Virasith is currently being held on a no bond status at the county detention center. According to court documents, Melissa Virasith had a long-standing fear of violence and stalking from her estranged husband. The estranged wife wrote in a domestic violence civil case logged back in 2003 that while they were living together, Koummane Virasith had allegedly struck her, causing her lip to bleed in the fall of 1999 and had shoved her while she was pregnant with the last of her three children that same year. Her husband would also act out and smash the television set as well as punch and damage the walls of their home, she alleged. “Koummane has been keeping me awake at night trying to force himself on me,” she wrote in the 2003 petition. “He wants sex and I will not give in to him.” See Homicide page A-

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The St. Mary’s County Board of County Commissioners approved a program that would have a contractor traverse the county and confirm the addresses of residents to shore up inaccuracies that have plagued the county’s 911 emergency dispatch system ­— but it will be without the controversial provision that allowed photographs of homes. County government had been buffeted in recent weeks with See 911 Update page A-

Superintendent: School System Volunteers Will Have Backgrounds Checked By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Two men who have worked for the county school system have been arrested in as many weeks for suspected sex offenses, either involving a female student or an underage female, and the school system’s superintendent says that all employees, whether hired by the school system or who come on as volunteers, will

be under greater scrutiny. “It’s going to happen,” said Superintendent Michael Martirano. “The safety of our children is the most important thing we do.” Martirano said that going over the backgrounds of all people involved with children in the system, other than system employees who’ve already been vetted, would be challenging but just as necessary. “It’s a different day and we have

to be vigilant,” Martirano said. Edward Weiland, head of human resources for the school system said the status of part-time or paid volunteers working at the school level was of particular concern. The latest arrest involved Scott Strandberg, 24, of Lexington Park, a former drum line coach for Leonardtown High School. As a paid volunteer, Weiland said, he was not See School Sex Abuse page A-

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

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The County Times

Thursday, April 17, 2008

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Man Convicted Of Conspiracy To Rob Gets Reduced Sentence By Guy Leonard Staff Writer A man convicted of conspiring to rob a man at a Lexington Park hotel two years ago got a slightly reduced sentence last week from Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Stamm. James Williams Waters, 28, of St. Inigoes, received an 11-year sentence for his crime suspended down to six years with four years of supervised probation upon his release from the department of corrections. Waters initially was sentenced to 12 years in prison, reduced to seven years, for the conspiracy to rob Anthony Enriques of a large sum of money with co-defendants Jermaine Dyson and Bryan Carter, court documents showed. But Waters did not ini-

tially seek to get a reduced sentence. Instead, he was seeking a new trial because his lawyer at the time did not advise him of what making a plea to conspiracy to commit robbery meant, according to allegations in court documents filed by Waters’ attorney. However, after a bench conference between Waters’ lawyer Karen Polis, Deputy State’s Attorney Ted Weiner and Circuit Court Judge C. Clarke Raley, who sentenced Water’s co-defendants, to discuss the motion it quickly evaporated. Raley recused himself from hearing Waters’ request for a new trial because of his depth of knowledge about the case, but pointedly said Waters would have won his motion in Judge Raley’s court. But that might not have actually served his interests,

according to the conversation that transpired between the three. “He’s entitled to a new trial,” Judge Raley said. “If the case were before me he’d win.” Weiner said the state wanted to take another crack at Waters’ involvement in the robbery. “My onition to Mr. Waters and his lawyer is be careful what you seek,” Weiner said. “There’s a good case against Waters.” Dyson, Waters’ co-defendant, who plead guilty to numerous charges including robbery, armed robbery, firstdegree assault and the use of a handgun in the commission of a felony, was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Carter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was given an 18-month sentence in the county deten-

Sheriff’s Office Looking To Keep Detectives After Promotion By Guy Leonard Staff Writer When detectives in the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations get promoted, the next step usually involves emptying their desks as a detective and moving on to a supervisory position. But Lt. Rick Burris, commander of the county’s combined sheriff’s deputy and state trooper bureau assigned to solve major cases, said they are looking for ways to change that. “It’s something we’re discussing in-house,” Burris said. “It may simply be a promotional ladder within the special units. “We want to see if that’s feasible.” Burris just lost three experienced and effective investigators to promotion, all state troopers who made the rank of corporal and moved on to

other assignments. He got two incoming detectives from patrol ranks, but is still one investigator short, he said. “When you lose three experienced detectives it’s a big loss,” Burris said. “We’re down one detective.” In a small group like BCI, which is already working plenty of overtime, Burris said, a small number of people leaving means big changes. Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron is ive of the idea, but said that kind of change would need from the county. “It takes money,” Cameron told The County Times. “This year wasn’t a good year to approach that and next year probably won’t be either.” The side of BCI that handles criminal investigations has 10 detectives. In the Vice/ Narcotics division, Burris would not say how many detectives were active, but said

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tion center with three years of probation upon release. According to court documents, Waters, Dyson and Carter conspired with a woman named Christina Beggs to lure Enriques out of the Hampton Inn in Lexington Park, where he was staying the night with her the night of Jan. 4, 2006. Beggs found out that

Enriques had a large amount of cash on him, court documents state, and made a cell phone call to set the robbery in motion. Enriques, according to court documents, went down a motel stairwell to open a back door at Beggs request, ostensibly to let her mother in. At that time, court documents state, Beggs ran out the door and let the three men in, whereupon Dyson used a gun to strike and threaten Enriques to give up his money. Court documents state that Waters itted to being in the location where the robbery took place but not to actually participating in it.

According to court documents, Enriques would have testified, however, that he was assaulted by all three men who entered the stairwell. Beggs, who wrote a letter to Judge Stamm in 2006, which was included in the case file, begging for leniency for Waters, said he did not know what he was getting involved in that night. “Biggs was the one who got the sweetheart deal,” Judge Raley said from the bench. “I always thought she was the chief operator.” Waters withdrew his motion of post conviction relief with prejudice.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION There are hundreds of stormwater control structures in St. Mary’s County that were built to protect creeks and streams from the runoff from housing developments. The Potomac River Association commissioned a study of some of these structures earlier this year. Almost all of them were neglected and failing to do what they were built to do. The PRA is sponsoring a one day, three hour workshop to teach citizens how to evaluate the performance of stormwater control structures. We will use their reports to work with the county to restore these structures to their intended function. The workshop will be held April 26 and is free. There is no more important aspect to environmental protection in Southern Maryland than controlling runoff from land to water. For more information, or to : [email protected]

301-769-3840

they are shorthanded as well. Despite a heavy workload, BCI has managed to have a case closure rate of about 95 percent. To keep up with the burgeoning number of cases, BCI has been reorganized into teams of detectives who tackle and focus on different kinds of crime like violent crime, sex offense investigation, and burglaries and property crimes, Burris said. It helps, he added, but the workload is still heavy. “We could double our personnel today and still keep them very busy,” Burris said. With all the investment in specialized training and street time investigators earned while being detectives for several years, it would be a shame to lose them just because of a promotion if they did not want to leave that specialty, Cameron said. “That’s somewhat dysfunctional,” he added.

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Editorial & Opinion To the Editor, During the past week, our community, schools, students, and staff were victim to two very unfortunate incidents involving a temporary staff member and school volunteer. I was very disheartened over the news of both events. As Superintendent of St. Mary’s County Public Schools, I understand the need and importance of publicly addressing the concerns of the community when events of this nature occur. We hear news weekly of similar events occurring around the nation and in many different parts of our state. There have been, and continue to be, far too many reports of school-related incidents of crime occurring in our nation every year. The safety and security of our students and staff is the

highest priority of St. Mary’s County Public Schools. I want to assure all in our community and again emphasize that nothing is more important to me and our school staff . We have and will continue to do all we can to make our schools safe and secure learning environments where our children can grow and learn. We continually emphasize the importance of safety and security in our schools by maintaining and expanding our current efforts through the implementation of several new initiatives. Many of our community are aware and have seen the proactive steps we have undertaken to protect our students. You may in fact have noticed when visiting one of our schools the use of technology to enhance school visitor registration or improvements to the entrance of a school by adding ves-

tibule security measures to public entrances. Many of our schools are equipped with state of the art security camera systems, and plans have been developed to install security cameras in all of our schools. Our school staff are aware and are constantly mindful of the importance of monitoring the security of exterior doors and windows. We continually monitor public information sources to include the national and state sex offender registries tracking any offenders in our school district. School staff receive immediate notification regarding any known offenders living in the area of their school. Our school staff undergo extensive background screenings, and we are currently developing plans to require increased levels of background screening for all school-based volunteers. Once

staff is hired, they are required on an annual basis, to participate in Child Abuse/Sexual Harassment (CASH) Training. We have established formal community partnerships focusing on the safety of our students to include the school resource officer program with the Sheriff’s Office and our formal community-based Superintendent’s Safety and Security Advisory Committee. During the past year, we established the position of coordinator of safety and security within our school system. This has provided our schools with a dedicated resource focusing daily on the coordination and enhancement of all school safety and security initiatives. As I have stated before, I recognize how essential community is in all that we strive to do as a school system. Protecting our chil-

Success of Environmental Legislation Mixed in Tough Economic Times By Kate Elizabeth Queram Capital News Service The 2008 Maryland legislative session kicked off with optimistic rallies and press conferences to a slew of bills designed to help the state’s environment, including addressing climate change and allocating money to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, among other things. Though some of the bills ed, the session ended up being a mixed bag for environmentalists, who saw the climate change legislation die in committee on the last day and the language of other bills weakened in the face of tough economic times and concerns from businesses and citizens alike. The Global Warming Solutions Act would have taken one of the nation’s most aggressive stances on climate change, requiring Maryland to cut 2006 levels of carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2020. But lobbyists and industrial workers argued that high-emission

steel mills and power plants would be targeted for closure as a result - concerns that activists failed to assuage in the final hours of the session. “It just ticks me off,” said Brad Heavner, state director of Environment Maryland. “The global warming bill was a very reasonable thing. It was made into a lot of stuff that it wasn’t. The bottom line is that the lobbyists pounced on that bill like an infestation of rats.” In spite of such setbacks, activists said this session might be the best on record for the environment. Previously, 2007’s session was heralded as the “year of the environment,” due to the age of the Clean Cars Act, Program Open Space, and stormwater management legislation. But more bills succeeded this year than in 2007, including a measure requiring certain public school and state-funded buildings to be constructed using environmentally-friendly practices, one that increases critical

area buffer zones, and a piece of legislation that allocates a $25 million Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund. Though ers lauded the age of the bills, the majority of the legislation changed shape during the session as a result of amendments and cuts to the budget. The bay trust fund, for example, was established during November’s special session as a $50 million annual payout to help reduce non-point source pollution in the bay - that is, the type of runoff that can’t be traced to one source, like a drain or power plant. But mid-session, the state’s projected revenue dropped by $333 million and the budget suffered severe cuts, including halving the annual trust fund for its first two years. Still, political analysts said that ing any environmental legislation in times of financial strife is an accomplishment. “I think it was a good session for the environment,

considering the fact that the revenue projections were about $333 million too high, and especially considering the fact that we’re in a period of financial stringency where environmental issues don’t typically flourish,” said Matthew Crenson, professor emeritus of political science at Johns Hopkins University. Environmental activists agreed, saying that legislation always changes throughout the course of the session and such shifts should not be interpreted as hits against the environment. “I think it’s pretty normal in a legislative session to start off with a bill you think is perfect and, you know, the art of compromise is coming out with a strong bill,” said Cindy Schwartz, executive director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. “If the bills were not strong we would not be ing them.” A spokesman for Gov. Martin O’Malley

dren and ensuring the security of our schools is not something that we can do alone. We need and continually seek the of our entire community in our efforts to make our schools the safest place for any student. The commitment of our staff, students, parents/guardians, and caring community contribute greatly to our current and future success. Together, we have and will continue to make St. Mary’s County Public Schools safe and secure, enabling all of our children to learn and grow. We must do everything that we can to keep our children safe.

concurred. “What’s important to is whatever dollars are allocated to the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund are dollars that were not there last year,” said Rick Abbruzzese. “We’re making progress.” Other bills underwent cuts that fell outside the reach of budgetary concerns, including a measure that increased the amount of undeveloped space necessary between construction projects and Chesapeake Bay waters. The bill had little or no fiscal impact and instead changed after debate between legislators, activists and citizens. “On one hand, it’s the first update of the critical areas law in 25 years,” said Delegate Tom Hucker, D-Montgomery, who expressed frustration about the tendency for lawmakers to want to please everyone before going forward with legislation. “But the culture on things like the global warming bill and the critical areas bill is that everybody has to be at the table or we can’t the bill.” The critical areas bill originally tripled the current 100-foot buffer, which is designed to drain pollution

-Michael J. Martirano, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools St. Mary’s County Public Schools

runoff from construction sites before it hits the water, but sponsors and ers eventually settled for a 200foot buffer after protests from area homeowners. “We believe in things like property rights on the Eastern Shore,” said Sen. Richard F. Colburn, RDorchester, who opposed the bill in its original form. “We believe that they’re guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, so when you increase the buffer zone from 100 to 300 feet, you’re taking people’s lands away.” Despite the changes made to their bills, the encommunity vironmental maintained that for them, the session could be the most successful in Maryland’s history. This is partly attributed to O’Malley’s reputation as a green politician. “He’s proving himself to be an environmental activist,” said Crenson. “What he’s doing in the process is sort of shifting attention from budget and expenditure reductions, which are never popular, to environmental issues, which are more popular. And I think he was successful in doing so.”

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The County Times

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Ramblings of a Country Girl

Cell Phones

Terri Bartz Bowles Cell phones are one of those pervasive items that are both a blessing and a curse. They’re convenient and easy and are great time-savers. They are wonderful for emergencies and for traveling. You can be connected just about any time and any place you want to be. If you’re lost, you can call and get directions or use your GPS phone for driv-

ing directions. If you’re running late, you can call and let those at your destination know so they won’t be worried or mad. If you need to make last minute schedule changes, you can do so. At the grocery store, you can call home and see if there’s anything else needed while you’re right there. And cell phones have made conducting business easier and more efficient.

From truck drivers to salesmen, the cell phone has made it so much more convenient and efficient to conduct daily operations. Thank goodness for the wireless audio devices. I finally got one and I love it! It’s much safer and it’s easy to use. I can catch up on personal phone calls while driving or call ahead and find out if a meeting has changed or leave myself a voice mail of something I ed while

Southern Maryland Trails Turnbuckle Hop Part 3 Emily Finch Contributing Writer Up to this point, we have seen one place to eat, three parks, seven farms, three art galleries, one garden and two other special attractions from Annapolis to Brandywine. This last part of the Turnbuckle Hop from the Southern Maryland Trails Guidebook encomes seven stops from Clinton to Edgewater. We will begin in Clinton at Clearwater Nature Center in Cosca Regional Park. This wonderful nature haven has live animal exhibits, nature displays, a rock-cutting lab and seasonal herb and butterfly gardens. The park naturalists see education as the key at Clearwater and offer special events and demonstrations, many times with live animals. The next event will be a butterfly gardening workshop on April 20th where participants will receive a butterfly appropriate plant for their own garden. Clearwater Nature Center is open seven days a week year-round. Call 301-297-4575 for

more information. Head east to Upper Marlboro to visit Rosaryville State Park. Here, visitors can roam the 982 acres of forests, wetlands and fields. There are 10 miles of trails that wind through the vegetation, great for hiking, birdingwatching, horseback riding, biking, or just a quiet stroll. The park is open during daylight hours year-round. For more information call 301-888-1410. If that hasn’t been enough nature and education for you, our next stop can surely fulfill your need. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Lothian is dedicated to environmental education, encoming a trail of its own through low marsh, high march and swamp. This trail, The Railroad Bed Trail was once the Chesapeake Beach Railway. Also observe the wild rice that grows in the estuary and the Sora Rail bird, which lives among the plants. The Sanctuary is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. February through November. Call 410-741-9330 for more

Section A -

tooling along. I do that a lot, voice mail is another great tool. I also use it to chat with my mom when I’m cleaning house. We can catch up and I can get the dreaded dusting done at the same time. These are all the upsides to cell phones. The downside is that you can be tracked down like a dog at any time, in any place. I know what you’re thinking, don’t answer it. I agree, just because it’s ringing doesn’t mean you have to answer it. But aren’t most of us compelled by some inner magneto to answer? “Must answer phone, must answer phone.” So, you turn it off and then someone says later that they tried to call and ask you if you wanted them to pick up something for you or do some other favor and you wished you had left the phone on! Some people are slaves to their phones and will answer them and carry on conversations no matter where they are or what they are doing. It’s terribly rude, I think, to be interacting with someone and take a call, make a call or continue a call. If you’re in line at the grocery store, can’t you stay off the line for a few minutes while you deal with the cashier? How rude if the cashier is try-

ing to greet you and be pleasant and you’re yakking away, ignoring him/her like they’re some sort of machine. Use the self check-out or get off the phone for three minutes. And heaven forbid if you need to engage in a conversation with a clerk or someone and they’re trying to assist you and you’re trying to carry on a three-way conversation. Nobody is that important to be that rude; you’re being rude to both of the people you’re dealing with. Human interaction is valuable and important and at least a small amount of effort should be attached to it. We’ve all been in a restaurant when some rude person at another table initiates or takes a call and proceeds to yak on their cell phone, oblivious to the effect on nearby diners. And most of the time, the yakker is not alone, there are others at the table, so the yakker is being rude to people one supposes they wished to spend time with. Recently, I was subjected to one of the rudest examples of restaurant-cell phone usage ever. I was with a group from work and we were having a farewell luncheon. We were seated at a long table in a busy and crowded restaurant. It was all going very nicely and we were en-

information. Also in Lothian, you’ll find Greenstreet Growers, Inc. on West Bay Front Road. Known for their extensive selection of plants, Greenstreet Growers is a working farm and blooming garden and landscape center. Visitors can tour the 160,000 square foot state-ofthe-art greenhouse on the premises. Get the whole family involved in the garden this year: Visit owner Ray Greenstreet with his wife and children at Greenstreet Growers, Inc., who open doors at 9 a.m. every morning. For more information call 410-867-9500. Up in Tracy’s Landing, Herrington Harbour North Historic Village is tucked away into a marina. The quaint village includes nine structures that have been moved from various sites in the area, creating a new 19th century town including a school, farmhouse, residence, slave house ad outhouse. The Village is open to visitors daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 410867-4343 for more information. Further up the Chesapeake in Shady Side sits the Captain Salem Avery House Museum. This great tribute to the watermen who helped shape this area so much, boasts displays and exhibits exploring the life of watermen and the seasons of the Chesapeake. The historic home once belonged to Long Island fisherman Captain Salem Avery. The next special event

joying ourselves. Two people were seated at the table next to us and before long, we could hear a loud voice. We looked around and couldn’t quite figure it out at first. But then all became clear. These two folks had a cell phone on the table between them and it was on SPEAKER PHONE! I’m not kidding, they were broadcasting their conversation and at least 2 dozen people could hear it. We could barely talk to each other at our table and be heard by one another. We could hear the speaker phone conversation so well, the obligatory gift presentation at our table was drowned out by it. How thoughtless these two were; they disrupted the lunch of quite a few people and just didn’t care. Cell phones aren’t the issue, of course. Like everything else, it’s not the inanimate object, it’s how we handle it. And if we can’t say that basic courtesy and human kindness is important, we’re in sad shape. You can email the Country Girl at [email protected]

will be held on April 27th when the Fishing, Family and Fun exhibit opens. The museum is open Sundays only from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., April through December. For more information call 410-867-4486. The last stop of the Turnbuckle Hop is Historic London Town and the Gardens in Edgewater. The town faded into history after the tobacco industry and slave trading business were not such prominent trades. Here, today, visitors can see the brick mansion built in the early 1700’s, on-going archaeological digs, recreated buildings of the period, beautiful historic gardens and costumed docents. On site, there are also 12 acres of botanical gardens and an ornamentals garden. This glimpse into the past is open year-round Tuesday through Sunday. Call 410-222-1919 for more information. With the conclusion of the Turnbuckle Hop trail from the Southern Maryland Trails Guidebook, be sure to check out next weeks article for more history about our area as we celebrate the anniversary of Maryland’s statehood. For more information on this trail or other trails in Southern Maryland, visit www.somdtrails.com or pick up your own copy of the Southern Maryland Trails Guidebook at any community or government building.

State, Tri-County Council Pitches Reactivating Workforce Board To County By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The St. Mary’s County Board of County Commissioners may soon make a decision whether to the resurrection of a defunct, state ed entity that aids residents get job training and education. The of the St. Mary’s commissioners is needed, along with form commissioners in Charles and Calvert counties to restart the failed

Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) that operate in every region of the state except in Southern Maryland. Andy Moser, as assistant workforce division secretary with the state’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations, said that in the past the WIB failed in the region because of state cutbacks as a cost saving measure. “That’s not the case anymore,” Moser told the commissioners. “Local

communities know what issues there are regarding their workforce.” The WIB would be reformed by the Tri-County Council and would report to the council’s executive board on progress of obtaining grant money, much of it from the federal government, to facilitate training and education for the county workforce. The formation of a WIB would also facilitate the release of $2 million in grant funding from the

U.S. Department of Labor for the popular STEM (Science, Technology and Mathematics) program currently working with county public schools. The department won’t release the money, however, unless there is a WIB in place to provide oversight for the money, Moser said. Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D-Great Mills) said that the program, when it did not have proper state , “was a disaster” because the county did not

receive all of the benefits it should have. But Moser said that with the Tri-County Council at the helm and with the full of Gov. Martin O’Malley the program would benefit St. Mary’s and the rest of the region. “It’s a win-win,” Moser said. Commissioner Thomas Mattingly (D-Leonardtown) said that the resurrection might be beneficial to the county, though he hadn’t made a decision as

to whether or not he would it. “It certainly has the opportunity for federal funds for job training,” Mattingly said. “It could create better services with less istration.” The commissioners could vote on whether to the program at next week’s meeting April 22.

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Recycle



Continued from page A- ementary, Hollywood Elementary, Town Creek Elementary, Esperanza Middle School, Chesapeake Biological Lab, Castilian Hair Salon,Trinity Lutheran Church, St. John’s Vi-

anney Catholic Church and Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation. Patuxent Habitat wishes to thank all who participate in our program. PHH welcomes any new groups or organizations to become involved. Please consider partnering in a community wide effort to make a difference. For more information call Mary Sothoron at 240-298-1830.

Use Your Nose When Gifting Mom Flowers are one of the most popular gifts for moms. According to The Flower Expert, an online floral resource, of fresh cut flowers purchased for Mother’s Day, mixed flowers, roses and carnations are very popular. While flowers can be a heart-felt gift, why not think of the other scent-sational ways you can show Mom you care this year? An interesting and original gift idea is introducing Mom to aromatherapy. The science of aromatherapy in-

effects. Proponents of aromatherapy say that says that it is much more than an “alternative health” practice. There is evidence that inhaling certain scents can trigger the nervous system and produce a variety of results, including bringing about memories or causing bodily reactions. In fact, some people say that the quickest way to evoke a memory is to use a smell. Aromatherapy is used in many ways. Realtors suggest baking cookies or simmering vanilla to create an

Lavender: This scent is very well known for its calming and therapeutic properties. Lavender is often used during baths and in the evening to help a person wind down. It is also known to soothe restless infants to prepare them for sleep. Peony: This scent can produce anti-inflammatory reactions in the body. It has been shown to reduce cramps and other aches and pains.

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complaints form citizens over their privacy once they learned of the program. The measure ed by a 3-to-2 vote, with County Commissioners Lawrence Jarboe and Kenneth Dement, both Republicans, opposing the measure. Jarboe lamented that the $400,000 grant from the state to be used for improving 911 services could be better used outside of the program. Dement said he “wasn’t happy” with the options before the commission that would have ed the program; he ed a motion from Jarboe to cancel the contract, but it failed. Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D-Great Mills) ed the measure, but itted that they should have taken in community concerns more seriously. “There have been several missteps but they were not intentional,” Raley said. “We underestimated about how much our citizens are

concerned about their privacy. “We should have picked up on that.” Raley, along with County Commissioner President Francis Jack Russell and Commissioner Thomas Mattingly, the other two Democrats who made up the three votes to the measure, said that the contractor should stay on county and state roads in doing the assessment and should not even have a camera in the car. Once the program was underway, Raley said, “60 to 65 percent of the problems [with 911 directory inaccuracies] can be solved.” Mattingly, himself a volunteer firefighter, said the program would be a great benefit to public safety. “County government has the responsibility to provide for the public safety and welfare of its citizens,” Mattingly said. “This is a proactive way to correct problems we’ve had for years.”

The County Times

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Odd News Flirting 101 The government of Singapore, in an effort to boost the city’s declining birth rate, began teaching polytechnic students how to flirt. The classes, which began in October, include “love song analysis” and how to chat online. One student, 18 year-old Isabel, said, “my teacher told me that if a guy looks into my eyes for more than five seconds, it could mean that he is attracted to me, and I stand a chance.”

Since Manliness Must Be Maintained… In the Shivpuri district of India’s Madhya Pradesh state, officials attempting to slow the country’s booming birth rate announced in March that men who volunteer for vasectomies will be rewarded with certificates that speed them through the ordinarily slow line to obtain gun permits. The loss, through vasectomy, of a “perceived notion of manliness” would be off-

set “with a bigger symbol of manliness,” said an .

Counterfeit Bail Cash Police in Melville, N.Y. said it was no surprise that a fake $50 bill landed 31 year-old Cyheam Forney in jail. After all, he was trying to use the fake money to pay his bail on a traffic charge. Police say that Forney was making an illegal left turn when he was pulled over, and it was discovered that his license was suspended. If not for his fake money, Forney would have merely faced a misdemeanor suspended license charge, but he is now being held on a felony charge of possessing a forged instrument.

2,008 Naked People Photographer Spencer Tunick has made a name for himself in the art world by taking sweeping panoramic photos of naked people, some including hundreds or thousands of bodies. Now, the New York artist is planning to pack a Vienna soccer stadium with 2,008 fans as a run-up to the Euro 2008 tournament. Austria’s national railway said Thursday that it would offer free

School Sex Abuse Continued from page A-

Scott Strandberg

subject to the same kind of background check that school system employees or substitute teachers had to submit to. “It’s my understanding that he was being paid out of the school’s ,” Weiland said, adding the most recent arrest caused a great deal of concern. “We don’t have too many of those [paid volunteers] people.” “We are reevaluating our policies as we speak,” Weiland said. “We’re taking a close look in what we’re doing with anybody who is a paid volunteer, to ensure this doesn’t happen again. “You want to be proactive.” Martirano said that system staff will comb through criminal records data bases and sex offender registries to search potential volunteers’ backgrounds to start. The superintendent said that he plans on purchasing an automated system that can yield information on an applicant with a swipe of a driver’s license but systems are still being reviewed. Strandberg is charged with having sexual with a 16-year-old female student both at his home and on a school bus. The events occurred between September and November of last year. Strandberg currently faces the official charge of child sexual abuse, which carries a possible penalty of 25 years in prison if he is convicted, and has been terminated from his position as a drum line coach at the school, according to

travel to the first 2,008 men and women who sign up to pose for the May 11 spectacle. Tunick plans to pose them inside Ernst Happel Stadium, where the Euro tournament will be held. This certainly is not the first largescale nude photo that Tunick has taken. The Brooklyn based artist has draped naked bodies on glaciers, in front of the United Nations, in downtown Amsterdam, and in over 70 other locations around the world.

Wake-Up Call Emergency operators in Ontario, Canada received an unusual call at 3 a.m. from 51 year-old Archie Baker, asking if they would give him a wake-up call in the morning. They said no, and explained that 911 was reserved for emergency calls only. Minutes later, Baker called the non-emergency line to repeat his request. By then, dispatchers had checked his name against court records and discovered that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on theft charges. Officers promptly arrested Baker, and he will no doubt wake up in time for his court date.

Weiland. Lt. Rick Burris, commander of the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations, which is handling the case, said that the rule in Maryland of 16 years old being the age for sexual consent did not apply in this case because of Strandberg’s position. “It’s so easy to manipulate someone at that age because of their position,” Burris said. The first case this month of a school system employee being arrested for a sex offense involving a child was that of David Emile Guillemette, 54, of Great Mills. Guillemette worked as a substitute teacher at various elementary schools throughout the county. Guillemette was charged with committing sexual abuse towards a 15year-old female visitor at his home as well as with a third degree sex offense and second-degree assault. The incident is alleged

Section A -

A Fiery Proposal “He had it set up very, very nicely,” exclaimed Chappaqua, N.Y. Fire Chief Andy Metz, referring to Lawrence Waterhouse III and his elaborate candle arrangement, which he had set up when proposing marriage to his girlfriend. “He had candles in the trees, candles and dogwood petals along the path, a chandelier with votive candles.” The girlfriend apparently said yes, and the couple left town early the next day for their vacation. Unfortunately, at least one of the candles was not all the way out, and at 7:15 the next morning, firefighters responded to an emergency call, and the gazebo was completely engulfed in flames. “Luckily, nothing else burned,” said Metz, who managed to Waterhouse at a New York airport to tell him about the blaze. “Nobody was hurt so I told him to go ahead with his vacation. We’ve had candle fires, of course, but I can’t one at this level of romance.”

Class Trip Brings Students To Brothel

Though the setting may seem unorthodox, it stands to reason that a course about American consumerism should end in a place that is home to the world’s oldest profession: a brothel. Students from Randolph College, a private liberal arts school in Lynchburg, Va., filed in to the Chicken Ranch, one of Nevada’s 27 legal brothels, to attend seminars from the working girls and to view the “monument,” a fluffy queensized bed in a Western-themed party room reserved for VIPs and big spenders. “We’re always trying to educate the public about legalized prostitution,” said Chicken Ranch general manager Debbie Rivenburgh, who acknowledged that 99 percent of the working girls would not participate in the seminars because of the stigma attached to their profession. Students who went on the field trip had also completed readings of “The Beauty Myth” by feminist author Naomi Wolf, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” by Hunter S. Thompson, and a “20/20” episode on prostitution with Diane Sawyer, among other research items. The brothel tour proved a fitting finale for a class that tells students, “don’t just study America – live it.”

system, Weiland told The County Times. According to on-line court documents, Guillemette had no prior criminal record. The same online court document search showed that Strandberg had no criminal record other than charges related to traffic citations and a peace order filed against him where the petitioners failed to appear. That case was dismissed from District Court. Strandberg has been released from incarceration at the county detention center on bond. Guillemette was also released on bond. Background checks were an integral part of hiring school system employees but even then they were not a guarantee that that employee would ever be charged with committing a crime. “Nobody can predict what a person is going to do.” Weiland said.

David Guillemette

by investigators to have occurred Jan. 1.

Guillemette also lost his job with the county school

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The County Times

Section A -

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Obituaries Oliver “O.D.” David Akers, 71 Oliver “O.D.” David Akers, 71, of Leonardtown died April 11 in his residence. Born May 31, 1936 in Kegley, W.V. he was the son of the late George Earlden and Pearl Akers. He is survived by his daughter Marneda Kaye Grable of Virginia Beach, Va. and two granddaughters Amber Marie Butera and her husband Sal and Heather Renee Tucker all of Virginia Beach, Va. He is also survived by one brother George Akers and his wife Jetty of Princeton, W.V. and three sisters Betty Hebbert and her husband Marvin of Leesburg, Fla., Shirley Meadows and her husband Dewey of Narrows, Va. and Shelby Jean Mabry of Bland, Va. as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He operated a shoe repair shop in Leonardtown for more than 48 years. He was known around St. Mary’s County for his kindness and generosity. He had many friends. A Memorial Service will be held in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home in Leonardtown at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 17 with Pastor John Fields officiating. Interment will be held at a later date. Contributions may be made in his memory to Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

s “Dink” Claudia Dyer Bell, 72

s “Dink” Claudia Dyer Bell, 72, of Callaway died April 12 in her home. Born Nov. 2, 1935 in Drayden, Md. she was the daughter of Ruth A. Guy of Callaway, and the late Turner Dyer. She is survived by her companion Chuck Charles; children: Anna Mae Pilkerton Dean and her husband Danny B. Dean, Sr. of Drayden, Sharon E. Pilkerton and her companion Mark Thomas of Callaway, and Wayne Pilkerton and his companion Dale Abell of Great Mills; grandchildren: Michele Dean Jordan and her

husband Jamie Jordan, Danny B. Dean, II and his wife Mandy Dean, Heather Hewitt and Billy Hewitt, II; great grandchildren: Jamie B. Jordan, Hannah Jordan, Danny B. Dean, III, Madison Dean and Lexy Longfield. She was also preceded in death by her brother Robert Dyer and grandchild Christopher Hewitt. Ms. Bell was a lifelong St. Mary’s County resident where she graduated from St. Michael’s High School Class of 1953. She worked as a postal clerk for the Callaway Post Office for 15 years until her retirement in 1999. She enjoyed reading, family gathering and her cat “TomT.” The family will receive friends Thursday, April 17 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the MatFuneral tingley-Gardiner Home, where Prayers will be said at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, April 18 at 10 a.m. in Holy Face Catholic Church, Great Mills, with Fr. Joseph Sileo officiating. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown. Pallbearers will be Chuck Charles, Danny B. Dean, II, Jamie M. Jordan, Jamie B. Jordan, Billy Hewitt, II and Mark Thomas. Contributions may be made to 2nd District Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. Jerome Sylvester Fenwick, 61 Jerome Sylvester Fenwick, 61, of Chaptico died April 7 in his home. Born Oct. 7, 1946 in Chaptico, he was the son of Lillian Theresa Mills Fenwick and the late James Earl Fenwick. Jerome was educated in the St. Mary’s County Public Schools System. He graduated in 1964 from Banneker High School. In addition to his regular classes, he took a shop class in brick masonry, which led to his career in the masonry field. To advance his knowledge in this field, he took more classes in the drawing and reading of blueprints at McKinley Tech Vocation School in Washington, D.C. After working several years at other construction jobs, he began his own company in 1970 known as Fenwick’s Masonry. He continued to operate his business until his illness in July of 2007. Jerome was an original member of the minority alliance, a black business organization in St. Mary’s County, and served one term as president. His priorities in life were in this order: God, faith and family. He was a man of character, integrity and convictions. He was always there for his family. Until he became too tired and weak to walk, he visited his mother every day. His hobbies were

drawing, painting and playing the guitar. He was a member of the Our Lady of the Wayside Church in Chaptico. Jerome is survived by his ex-wife Beverly, sons Eric O. Fenwick (Dana) of Wilmington, Del., Jermaine S. Fenwick of Chaptico, James E. Fenwick (Layanna) of Gaithersburg, Md., one daughter, Patrice Payne of Sanford, Fla., three grandsons, Blair, Brandon, and Devon, his mother, Lillian Theresa Mills Fenwick of Chaptico, his siblings, Clifton Fenwick of Chaptico, David E. Fenwick (Nell) of Clinton, Md., Theresa F. Washington (Charles) of Temple Hills, Md., Charles W. Fenwick (Bennetta) of Waldorf, Md., four nephews, four nieces, seven aunts and one uncle. In addition to his father, Jerome was preceded in death by his brothers, Joseph Gantt, John Leonard and Arthur L. Fenwick, nephew Reginald A. Fenwick, grandparents James Thurman and Louise MilesBranson Fenwick and William H. and Mildred Young Mills, and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins. The family received friends Sunday, April 13 from 2 – 5 p.m. at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, Leonardtown. Prayers were recited at 4 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Monday, April 14 at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of the Wayside Church, Chaptico. Reverend Timothy K. Baer was the celebrant. Interment followed in Queen of Peace cemetery, Helen. Serving as pallbearers were Wilmer Fenwick, Thomas Bush, Edward Fenwick, Wendell Price, Terry Cole and Kevin Hill. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Faye Winifred Fort, 62 Faye Winifred Fort, 62, of Avenue, died April 12 in her daughter’s residence in Avenue. Born May 29, 1945 in Athens, Ohio, she was the daughter of Winifred Baldry Eslocker of California, and the late Don Franklin Eslocker. Faye was a long time resident of Fort Washington, Md. before moving to the area five years ago. She was truly a devoted mother, grandmother, and daughter. She would spend every Saturday with her mother and every free moment with her family. She was devoted to her faith, loved to crochet, enjoyed attending teas, and was well known to many people in the area from her employment as an OTC Manager with Wal-Mart in La Plata, Md. Faye is survived by her dear mother, Winifred Eslocker of California, her loving children Laura Fort and

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Rochelle Hogan of Avenue, Michael Fort and Heather Ludeker of W.V. She is also survived by twelve grandchildren, her sisters, Kathryn Butler of Midland, Va. and Joan Crownover of La Plata, and her brother Lawrence Eslocker of Magnolia, Texas. The family will receive friends for a celebration of Faye’s life Saturday, April 19 at 2 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, 20770 Seth Court, Callaway, MD. Interment will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to A Community That Shares, Inc. (A.C.T.S.) P.O. Box 54, Bushwood, MD 20618. Condolences to the family may be made at www. brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Thomas Glenn Gilbert, 49 Thomas Glenn Gilbert, 49, of Leonardtown, died April 10 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center, Leonardtown. Born Oct. 12, 1958 in Riverdale, Md. he was the son of Thomas W. Gilbert and the late Judith Lynn Brown Gilbert. He was a mechanic for the U.S. Government. “Gilbert” is survived by his children, Louise and Melissa Gilbert of Baltimore, Md., and his brother Bruce S. Gilbert of Charlestown, W.V. He was preceded in death by his mother Judith Lynn Brown Gilbert. The family received friends Monday, April 14 from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown. A Funeral Service was conducted at 2 p.m. Interment was Tuesday, April 15 at noon in Manor Church Cemetery, Boonesboro, Md. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Theda Inez Graves, 73

Jimmy Norris, Charlie Norris, Jake Langley and Stewart Dement. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Kathleen Brown Hayden, 91 Kathleen Brown Hayden, 91, of Leonardtown died April 7 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born March 10, 1917 on St. George’s Island she was the daughter of the late Joseph Bennett and s Ruth Potter Brown. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. For arrangement details or to leave a condolence for the family, visit www.mgfh.com.

Thomas “Tommy Dyson” J. Saunders 38

Walter Stauffer Martin 82 Walter Stauffer Martin 82, of Leonardtown, died April 11 in St. Mary’s Hospital. He was born March 30, 1926. He is survived by his children; Richard, Edward L., husband of Sueie of Leonardtown, Mary Lou, wife of Jacob Brubacher of Leonardtown, Warren S., husband of Linda of Mechanicsville, Marvin S., husband of Debbie, Leonardtown, Maria, wife of Ray Zimmerman of Hollywood, W. Randall, husband of Lisa of Hollywood, Harlen R., husband of June of Leonardtown, Judith L., wife of Ronald Zimmerman of Mechanicsville, Cynthia D., wife of Kenneth Zimmerman of Vandalia, Ill., Neal D., husband of Esther of Leonardtown; 81 grandchildren and 54 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Kathryn, two daughters, Barbara A. and Amelia L. as well as four grandchildren. The funeral service was held Tuesday, April 15 at 9 a.m. in the family home on Pt. Lookout Road, Leonardtown, and then at 10 a.m. in the Loveville Mennonite Church, Loveville. Interment followed in Loveville Mennonite Cemetery, Loveville. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Marie s Nelson, 95

Theda Inez Graves, 73, of Leonardtown died April 7 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center, Leonardtown. Born March 13, 1935 in Coeburn, Va., she was the daughter of the late George Horace Ward and Della Carter Ward. Theda married John R. Graves in November 1953. She was employed by the Lexington Park Cleaners for nineteen years. Theda is survived by her daughter, Crystal Laschalt of Leonardtown, her grandchildren, Lisa and husband Roger Simmons, Jr. and Craig Scott, and two sisters, Poda Ward of Loveville, and Letha Dement of Great Mills. She was preceded in death by her husband John R. Graves; and siblings, Annette Ridgell, Lucille Neill, and Harlis Ward; son in law, Charles B. Laschalt. The family received friends for Theda’s Life Celebration Thursday, April 10 from 5 –8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Life Celebration Chapel, Leonardtown. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Friday, April 11, 2008 at 10 a.m. in St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Leonardtown. Reverend John Dakes was the celebrant. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown. Serving as pallbearers will be Curtis Ward, Ronald Ward,

St. Mary’s County resident who enjoyed her family, church, growing and caring for her many flowers and playing card games. The family received friends from 5 – 8 p.m. Monday, April 14 in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. where prayers were said at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, April 15 at noon, with Fr. John Mattingly officiating. Interment followed in St. Aloysius Cemetery, Leonardtown. Pallbearers were Thomas Nelson, Sr., Ronald Nelson, Thomas “Dale” Nelson, Jr, Richard Nelson, Margie Nelson and Cynthia Howard. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Marie s Nelson, 95, of Leonardtown, died April 11 in St. Mary’s Nursing Center. Born Aug. 4, 1912 in Compton, she was the daughter of the late Frank and Mary Edna Adams. She was the loving wife of the late James E. “Eddie” Nelson whom she married Oct. 6, 1930 in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and who preceded her in death April 20, 1971. She is survived by her son James Edwin Nelson, Jr. and his wife Margaret of Leonardtown, as well as four grandchildren, Thomas, Cynthia, Ronald and Margie; eight great-grandchildren Dale, Tammie, Brandy, Jessica, Kristina, Eddie, Stephanie and Amber and four great-great grandchildren, Alex, Hailey, Kelsey and Owen. She was also preceded in death by her siblings: William Melvin, John Franklin, Joseph Edward, Thomas Earl, Ella May, Mary Louise, Agnes Beatrice, Catherine Estelle and Mary Ernestine. Mrs. Nelson was a lifelong

Thomas “Tommy Dyson” J. Saunders 38 of Lexington Park died April 11 in Prince George’s Hospital in Cheverly, Md. Born March 10, 1970 in Leonardtown, he was the son of Christine Saunders and the late Joseph C. Dyson. Tommy was a graduate of Great Mills High School in Lexington Park. He enjoyed music and spending time with his family and many friends. Tommy is survived by his mother Christine Saunders, his daughters Tiffany and Taylor Gray of Hollywood, son Talon Saunders of California, and Talon’s mom and special friend Cindy Cease, siblings Larry Bush (Diane) of Washington, D.C., Doreen Holmes (Larry) of Largo, Pauleen Dyson of Lexington Park, Barbara Jessup of Baltimore, Betty Adams of Baltimore, Joseph Chambers of Waldorf, Gerry Dyson (Tavonya) of Leonardtown, Karen Adeshina of Great Mills, Joseph Young of St. Inigoes, Kathy DysonGwanyanya (Aaron) of Lexington Park. He is also survived by a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. His father Joseph C. Dyson preceded him in death. The family will receive friends Saturday, April 19 from 9 - 11 a.m. with service at 11 a.m. in Zion United Methodist Church in Lexington Park. Family will receive friends after the home going service at St. James Hall. Serving as pallbearers will be Jose Figeroux, Larry Donell Chase, William Larry Chase, Keith Turner, Eric Figeroux and John Deshazo. Serving as honorary pallbearer will be Michael Saunders. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements provided by Brinsfield Funeral Home P.A.

William Edward Winters, 67 William Edward Winters, 67, of Mechanicsville died April 13 in his residence. He is survived by a daughter, Deidre Winters Bryant of Lexington Park, and two sons, William Anthony Winters of Charlotte, N.C. and Francis Cornelius Winters. Family will receive friends Saturday, April 19 from 9 – 11 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown. Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

The County Times

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Homebuyers Are Finding Great Deal$$$

Homicide Continued from page A-

Recently new homebuyers are finding unbelievable deals out there. The real estate market has not been a bad thing for everyone, especially new homebuyers who are finding that this market is actually helping them out in more ways than purchasing their new homes. Another true story!! The Scott’s have always wanted to purchase a home for their family, but never thought they would be able to afford it with their six children. They were paying rent over the last four years at $1700 per month. They figured out that they had spent over $80,000 in rent over that time period, and nothing to show for it. Do the math ($1700 X 48 months= $81,600). When we sat down and told them that they could buy a house and have equivalent payments. They could not believe it when they saw that they could purchase a home with No Money down. They seller of the home that they wanted to purchase agreed to pay all of their closing cost ($17000) and was able to pay off their auto loan of $18,000. They have now settled and are in the process of moving their family into their new home. It felt good to see this family reach their goal of owning a home and start to see their financial future looking bright. It’s not too late to make a move. Call or email today to see what kind of a deal you can get$$$$ Jeff Travers Certified Mortgage Planner Office - 301-885-2830

Make Spring Cleaning Easier Exciting All 5 of Our Senses Now is the time to begin the process of exchanging winter clothing for spring and to clean out fireplaces and generally de-clutter our living spaces. The warm weather is the perfect backdrop to these spring cleaning tasks. And you can enlist the whole family to in. I know these projects may not seem like fun, but there are ways to make the process of cleaning a lot easier. Allow me to give you some tips on the use of some of my favorite ergonomic cleaning tools and solutions that you can find on my Web site at www.askcindyhow.com. Usually, when we clean glass we use paper towels or newspaper with glass cleaner. ‘The challenge is that we end up wiping and wiping to remove the streaks, dirt and grime, often missing the mark. Oh, the energy! The Ask Cindy process is to first use my thick and thirsty microfiber dust cloth to remove all dust from the glass surfaces. Step two is to then spray Ask Cindy Glass Cleaner (also streak free) on a blue-tightly woven microfiber glass cleaning cloth and wipe the glass from edge to edge and corner to corner. For very dirty glass, the initial cleaning may require wet wiping with a soapy water solution first. As I go into home after home, one of the most frustrating things for the homemakers I encounter is cleaning the stainless steel in the kitchen. The question posed most often to me: How do I get the smudges and streaks off of the surfaces? Solution: First clean the surface with a mild dish liquid soap and water using a white lint-free terrycloth towel. Make sure to dry well with a separate terry cloth towel. Now, polish the surface with Ask Cindy Stainless Steel Polish. Spray the polish onto a new terry-

Displaying what is important to you, our community.

cloth towel and polish the stainless by rubbing with the grain smoothing out the finish. The initial application only requires a second application of polish. Gee! I love that showroom finish. The last item I’ll discuss is the tools that I use for getting at those hard-to-getat spaces between kitchen counters and washing machines; and behind heavy furniture, wall units and ceilings. ‘The object is to do it without scratching surfaces. A tool that has become an absolute must-carry for my crews is my awesome felt reach duster. This nifty little tool will definitely change your life and restore your faith in invention. In fact you may find yourself going back over to areas that you knowingly left undone because you thought you couldn’t do anything about the hard-toget-to grime. In the same family, you can try my lambs wool high duster that comes with an 11 foot telescopic extension pole. This pole will never stick on you, whether you’re extending or retracting the pole. Now, go after hi-hats and cobwebs in ceiling corners and edges. Rather than pull out step ladders, you can stand on the floor and reach all those challenging areas safely. All of the items mentioned above can be found conveniently on my Web site at www.askcindyhow.com. Ask Cindy How is excited to launch a special on-line boutique store with tools that can truly make life easier for your house cleaning tasks. On the Web site, find videos of many of the products that demonstrate the effectiveness of my cleaning helpmates. “Let’s clean it right for the experienceÆ.” What an experience it can be - let’s win.

your business.

Section A -

She went on to write: “He followed me in my car with our three minor children on Wednesday June 25. He tried to get me to pull over and I wouldn’t. I was afraid he would force me off the road, resulting in an accident. “He put a rolling pin through the TV about two-and-a-half months ago because I was on the phone.” That 2003 petition from protection was granted, but the second one, filed last year was denied by District Court Judge John F. Slade III because there was no basis in the law for relief, court documents stated. “I left [the] marital home because Koummane would wake me up in the early mornings to argue and not let me sleep,” Melissa Virasith alleged in her second application for a protective order. “He would always accuse me of being a whore and try to make me feel bad about myself.” Her husband’s alleged behavior frightened her badly, Melissa Virasith wrote. “I moved out about a month-and-a-half ago, and since then Koummane is always calling and trying to come over. He recently ran up behind me and grabbed me from behind, which scared me,” she said in court papers. Saunders’ relatives said Koummane Virasith’s alleged threats did not stop with his wife. “We told him to be careful,” said Pauline Dyson, Saunders’ sister, “because she was separated from her husband and not divorced.

“[Koummane Virasith] confronted him several times and wanted to fight him but Tommy wouldn’t. He wasn’t one to argue and fuss. It just wasn’t in him.” Koummane Virasith held several odd jobs at local fast food establishments, according to court documents, but he also worked at the cafeteria in the NAVAIR building at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Kathy Gwanyanya, another of Saunders’ sisters, said she did not know who the suspect in her brother’s killing was at first, but soon recognized him because they worked in the same building on base. “I used to see him there everyday,” Gwanyanya said of the accused. Gwanyanya described her brother as always happy and never distressed or even angry. “He was playful,” she said of her brother. “He would make these booby traps when we were kids that would get you in a dark room, like a rubber band would snap you on the leg.” Despite the fond memories the family had of their brother, they acknowledged he had problems with the law. Saunders was convicted of a third-degree sex offense back in 1998 and sentenced to 18 months in the county detention center. Gwanyanya said her brother did not know the female with whom he committed the crime was underage, but he still paid the price. “What happened in his past had nothing to do with what happened [the shooting,]” she said. “If he never talked with Melissa [Virasith] he’d probably still be walking around.”

Southern Maryland Reliability Project: Our customers’ increasing demand for electricity means we need to improve our transmission system to ensure continued reliability. Over the past 30 years, the number of our customers and their corresponding energy use has skyrocketed.

a birth.

That’s why we have proposed the Southern Maryland Reliability Project—to ensure reliable power for SMECO’s customer-. The majority of the project will use existing rightsof-way, and the project will have a minimal effect on current rates or the environment.

a marriage.

We are your cooperative, and we are committed to working with you to ensure this improvement project is done right. We will provide complete information about each step of this project and listen to you—before plans are nalized.

ments

You’re invited to attend one of our open house meetings (see the schedule below). We’re hosting meetings across Southern Maryland to make sure you have the facts about our proposal and to hear your comments and suggestions.

spread the word.

a memorial.

We hope you will us for a candid conversation about this

project.

your life.

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April 24, 2008

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The County Times

Section A - 10

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Summer Sun Not Fun For Everyone

on the Leonardtown Square Sunday, April 20, 2008 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM Live Music & Entertainment Children’s Nature Crafts Energy & Water Conservation Animal Welfare & Rescue Recycling Information Seated Massages Plants & Herbs our T g n i Puppet Show Walk 0 pm 1:0 Bounce House Kayak & Canoe Rides Food & More!

For more information call 301-475-9791 Sponsored by the Leonardtown Business Association and the Commissioners of Leonardtown, with funding in part by a grant from the St. Mary’s County Arts Council

For most people, sun exposure is a part of spring and summer. After a long winter spent inside, most people can’t wait to head to a nearby lake or ocean and enjoy the warmer air of the fairer seasons. For many of those same people, overexposure to sun is also a big part of spring and summer. With the tanning craze still in full swing, hitting the beach or the park to catch a few rays is as popular as ever. However, overexposure to the sun is no less dangerous than it was 20 years ago. While some might look at a sunburn as an annual rite of summer, that sunburn is actually a condition known as photodermatitis, and even those who aren’t fair-skinned are potentially at risk. What Is Photodermatitis? Photodermatitis is an abnormal reaction to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight. Sunburn is a form of photodermatitis, which can manifest itself in a rash, scaly patches on the skin or even blisters. For some people, it can be a chronic condition, wherein they’re certain to have this abnormal reaction whenever their skin is exposed to UV rays. For others, the condition is acute, suddenly, but not necessarily routinely, appearing when exposed to UV rays. What Signs Photodermatitis?

Indicate

Photodermatitis is more than just sunburn. In addition to the redness and pain associated with sunburn, symptoms of photodermatitis include hyperpigmentation (dark patches on the skin), lesions that resemble eczema (a condition in which patches of skin become rough and inflamed, with blisters resulting in itching and bleeding), chills, head-

ache, fever, and nausea. Fair skin alone rarely produces photodermatitis symptoms when a fair-skinned person gets a sunburn. This highlights the point that photodermatitis is more than a sunburn, and can be the result of additional factors beyond fair/sensitive skin.

• medications

Anti-anxiety

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What Are Some Causes of Photodermatitis? While many are quick to assume a sunburn is simply due to fair skin, that’s Overexposure to summer sun can be highly detnot always the rimental to a person’s health, regardless of that case. Even peo- individual’s skin tone. ple with darker skin tones are susceptible to Who Is Most at Risk? photodermatitis. For instance, certain diseases, such as eczePeople with fair to light ma and lupus, make the skin skin remain very susceptimore sensitive to light and ble to sunlight. In addition, UV rays. those with blond or red Perhaps the most un- hair and green or blue eyes known influence is the impact also tend to be more sensiof medication on a person’s tive, as does anyone taking sensitivity to light. Regardless any of the aforementioned of an individual’s skin tone, medications. certain chemicals and drugs A great many people can cause sunburn or hives also put themselves at a when combined with expo- greater risk by allowing sure to UV rays. Those medi- themselves to be exposed to cations include: harmful UV rays throughout the summer months. • Chemotherapy agents Exposure longer than 30 minutes greatly increases a • Diuretics person’s risk for photodermatitis. Exposure between • Antidepressants the hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. only compounds that • Antipsychotics risk, as 50 percent of UV radiation is emitted during • Medications containing that time period. retinoic acid (commonly used for acne)

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Prior orders exempt. Offer expires 04/26/08. Participating stores only. *Discount applies to materials only; cushion, labor and installation charges are excluded. **Financing subject to credit approval. Financing provided by CitiFinancial Retail Services Division of Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb. Finance charges begin to accrue at time of purchase. In order for accrued finance charges to be waived, minimum monthly payments of the greater of 3% or $15 must be made during the promotional period and the amount financed must be paid in full prior to the expiration date of the promotional period. Otherwise, accrued finance charges will be assessed to the . Standard rate 24% APR. Default rate 26.99% APR. Minimum finance charge $.50. See Cardholder Agreement for Details. Store may require minimum purchase and/or deposit. All offers are for retail sales only; no contract/commercial. Unless otherwise indicated, prices are for materials only. Not all merchandise in all stores. Photos are representational only. Actual merchandise may not exactly match photos shown. Although we make every effort to ensure that our advertising is accurate, we cannot be held liable for typographical errors or misprints. FAME-17954. 04/2008.