A Look at the Life of: - County Times - Southern Maryland Online

January 26, 2012 

Priceless 

Gazette 

Calvert 

Everything Calvert County 

A Look at the Life of: 

State’s Attorney 

Photo By Frank Marquart 

Laura L. Martin 

Page 8

The Calvert Gazette 

Thursday, January 26, 2012 2 

Also Inside 

3 County News 

7 Community 

7 Business 

8 Feature Story 

9 Letters 

10 Obits 

12 Games 

13 Newsmakers 

13 Health 

14 Education 

15 Sports 

local news 

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta talks to the test team of the Joint Strike Fighter, background, 

about the plane’s critical role in the nation’s effort to maintain military superiority. 

education 

Katie Howard and Nicole White sell dessert raffle tickets as part of the Northern High School’s 

Future Business Leaders of America for the Silent Rank Sisterhood. 

On T he Cover 

Calvert County State’s Attorney Laura L. Martin in 

her office in the courthouse in Prince Frederick.

3 Thursday, January 26, 2012 


Economic Development 

Office on Lockdown 

By Sean Rice 

Editor 

For the last month or more, the Calvert 

County Department of Economic 

Development has been on lockdown to 

prevent the public from entering the office 

unannounced. 

The office is on the second floor of 

the Courthouse Square building in Prince 

Frederick. The building’s elevator no longer 

goes to the second floor, and the entrance 

door accessible from an outdoor 

stairwell is also locked. 

Director of Economic Development 

Linda Vassallo has informed the Calvert 

County Commissioners, and recently the 

Calvert Gazette, that threatening phone 

calls were received, which prompted the 

lockdown of the county’s community and 

business development office. 

Vassallo refused to reveal any details 

of the threats, or who made the calls, but 

said the individual was frustrated with the 

current economy. 

Commissioners Susan Shaw, Evan 

Slaughenhoupt Jr. and County Administrator 

Terry Shannon did not provided the 

Calvert Gazette with any additional details 

on the alleged threats. 

Shannon said the standard procedure 

for any employee who feels threatened is 

to alert the sheriff’s office, then the public 

safety office to take appropriate safety 

measures. 

Vassallo said her office called the 

sheriff’s office to report the incident about 

one to two months ago, but couldn’t recall 

exactly when. 

Calvert Sheriff Mike Evans, when 

informed of the incident by the Calvert 

Gazette this week, said he was unable to 

locate any record of the incident. 

“There doesn’t seem to be a report at 

all,” Evans said. 

The sheriff said someone called the 

officer on duty when the incident occurred 

and asked the officer to call the man making 

the harassing phone calls and tell him 

to stop. Evans said this type of action is not 

unusual – he has done it himself – but no 

record was left of the report at all. Evans 

said he was unaware of the date of the call 

or which officer received it. 

Anybody coming into the department 

of economic development must now call 

upstairs or make an appointment to have 

somebody escort them in the elevator. The 

office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, and the office is always 

attended, Vassallo said. 

Such an incident is rare, but it is “something 

that is in our world today,” Shannon 

said, noting they are more common now 

than they were four years ago, before the 

economic downturn. 

“It’s a new world today,” she said. 

Threatening phone calls and other 

such incidents come with the territory 

when a person is working for the government, 

according to Shaw. She said there 

was an incident in 2008 when a Dunkirk 

man was stalking commissioners Linda 

Kelley and Jerry Clark. There was another 

incident when photos were sent to all county 

commissioners depicting a mass murder 

with the words “you’re next” written on 

them. 

She said typically the county commissioners 

or the Department of Planning 

and Zoning are the targets of such occurrences, 

not the Department of Economic 

Development. 

The commissioners back whatever 

safety recommendations the sheriff’s office 

offers during such circumstances, she 

said. 

“It just comes down to better safe than 

sorry,” Shaw said. 

Slaughenhoupt also said he supports 

any measures taken to keep the staff safe 

if they feel threatened. He said he supports 

“whatever combination that public safety 

deems appropriate” when it comes to the 

safety of the staff, including locking the 

doors to the public. Staff Writer Sarah 

Miller contributed to this story. 

info@somdpublishing.net 

By Guy Leonard 

Staff Writer 

COUNTY 

NEWS 

Calvert Boys and Girls 

Club Shuts Down 

The Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maryland has shut down its North Beach and Lusby 

operations as of Tuesday, a club official has confirmed. 

“The town has received notification of the Bayside Boys and Girls temporarily suspending 

their after school program,” a notice from North Beach Mayor Mark Frazer read. “Town officials 

will be meeting with representatives from the Boys and Girls Club to discuss the short and long 

term implications of this decision.” 

Shefa Benoit, chief professional officer of Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maryland, told the 

Calvert Gazette the shutdown was the result of the club’s struggles with money. 

“The club is seeking reorganization in the face of financial difficulties,” Benoit said Tuesday. 

Benoit went on to say the closure is set to last just two weeks as officials with the club believe 

that is the amount of time they will need to seek more financial backing as well as negotiate with 

its creditors. 

Benoit declined to share financial figures on the state of club, but she said in the past three 

years the club has managed to cut its debt in half but it still needs a positive cash flow to cover both 

its operational costs as well as several outstanding loans. 

Among the options open to the Boys and Girls Club include cutting staff, cutting hours of 

operations or cutting programs, Benoit said. 

“All of those options are on the table,” she told the Calvert Gazette. 

There are currently three program specialists working at the North Beach clubhouse with two 

additional administrative positions. At the Lusby clubhouse, there is one administrator and one 

program specialist, she said. 

The Boys and Girls Club is a nationwide organization that gives young people positive activities 

to do after school; the Southern Maryland club operates 10 months out of the year and offers 

summer camps as funding allows. 

guyleonard@countytimes.net 

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COUNTY 

NEWS 

By Sarah Miller 

Staff Writer 

Students and teachers are working 

to overcome the misconception 

that the Calvert Career and Technology 

Academy is only a destination 

for non-college bound students. They 

had the opportunity to demonstrate 

the benefits of the academy during 

Democratic Congressman Steny 

Hoyer’s (MD-5) first visit to the 

school Monday. 

Principal Mark Wilding provided 

a guided tour for Hoyer and other 

visitors, stopping at various stations 

throughout the school and ending the visit with a short 

student roundtable. 

Welding instructor Dwight Bradford said the 24 

slots in his class are continuously filled. The challenge 

is convincing students they have to leave the county to 

find higher paying jobs. He said a skilled welder, after 

five years of training and working, can make $100,000 

or more a year, but those high-end jobs aren’t found in 

Calvert County. 

Food Production and Management Instructor 

Karl Hille echoed Bradford’s concern, saying students 

have a hard time leaving the county, but higher 

paying jobs are more readily available in more urban 

areas, like Washington D.C. He said the first step is the 

hardest, but once a student has made a move for their 

career, the following steps get easier. 


Career and Technology Students 

Show Their Chops 

He said the common misconception 

is that the students 

who attend the career center 

are using it in place of a college 

education. He said it is more accurate 

to say they are getting a 

head start on their future plans. 

“I think any student who 

comes here should walk out 

above average in their trade,” 

Hille said. 

Students explained to 

Hoyer some of the programs 

and how they will benefit from 

the experience. 

Joy Weems, a cosmetology 

student, said she is working to get her license 

so she can get a job to help pay her way 

through college. Another student involved in 

the nursing program said she will graduate 

with her CNR, and plans to work as a nursing 

assistant while going to college to be a surgical 

nurse. 

Wilding said students sign up for classes 

at the academy like normal classes. Officials 

with academy visit all county high school 

sophomores pitch programs offered at the 

school. 

Several programs have attrition agreements, 

where the training students receive 

will count for college credit or a year of an 

apprenticeship. 

sarahmiller@countytimes.net 


Police: Mother 

Hindering Search 

for Missing Teen 


Staff Writer 

Investigators are following 

leads that show a girl who went 

missing from Prince Frederick 

nearly three weeks ago has been 

sighted around the state, but police 

have been unable to locate her. 

Leatherwood 

Police say that Jessica Christine 

Leatherwood, 17, was reported missing to law enforcement 

Jan. 3 by her family. 

Leatherwood stands 5-feet, 2-inches tall, weighs 125 pounds 

and has blue eyes and shoulder length brown hair. 

Police say she was last seen boarding her school bus at about 

6:45 a.m. the morning she went missing; she was wearing a hooded 

knee-length brown sweater, dark leggings and brown boots. 

She was also wearing silver rings on both of her hands, police 

reported. 

She did not attend school that day. 

The latest reports received by police state she may have been 

sighted in Baltimore or Rockville, and even in Dunkirk, but police 

were not able to find her. 

Lt. Steve Jones commander of the Calvert Investigative 

Team that is pursuing the search for Leatherwood, said they now 

believe the missing girl may be in Glen Burnie. 

“She’s a runaway, she’s voluntarily missing,” Jones said adding 

that they believe the girl’s biological mother is not cooperating 

with the investigation. 

“We believe she knows where she is,” Jones said of the 

mother without giving her name. “She’s actually hindering the 

investigation.” 

Anyone with information on her location is asked to contact 

investigators at 410-535-1600 with Trooper Ewig at extension 

2596 or Lt. Jones at extension 2462. 


Solomons Island Winery 

Scores Victory 

Top Row: Carolyn Quade, Shirley Mattingly and Barbara Livingston. 

Bottom Row: Betty West, Steve Mattingly and Alice Kingsley 


Staff Writer 

Solomons Island Winery will continue 

conducting business as usual after the Calvert 

County Planning Commission upheld its current 

site plan. 

At the Jan. 18 Calvert County Planning 

Commission meeting residents of Garner 

Lane came forward in an attempt to overturn 

the winery’s site plan, which was approved in 

2010. 

In September 2010, citizens requested 

a review of the decision of acting Planning 

Commission Administrator William Pittman 

regarding the Aug. 31, 2010 site plan approval 

for the Solomons Island Winery. The planning 

commission deferred this review on March 16, 

2011 pending outcome of litigation, Planning 

Commission documents read. 

The pending litigation reviewed a condition 

that requires farm wineries to obtain approval 

to use privately owned roads from the 

other property owners using the road. The 

Calvert County Circuit Court ruled the condition 

was an “‘unlawful delegation of power’ 

as it gave approving authority to the adjacent 

property owners,” according to documents 

provided by the county. 

Discussion on the issue was heated during 

the Jan. 17 County Commissioners meeting. 

Commissioner Susan Shaw said the county 

shouldn’t be involved if everyone agrees on 

the use of the road for a private business. 

Commissioner Steve Weems said “in a 

Utopic society, everyone would get along” and 

it is necessary to have set procedures to avoid 

unnecessary conflicts, such as what arose regarding 

the winery. 

The residents of Gardner Road certainly 

see the need for having a say on the use of a 

private road. During the Jan. 18 planning commission 

meeting, several residents came out to 

give testimony against the Aug. 31 site plan 

approval. 

Cheryl Jetmore said the construction on 

Garner Road “totally destroyed” the road, and 

Lindall Aurand said the construction “was 

quite a surprise” and the neighbors were neither 

informed of the changes to the site plan 

nor the pending road construction. 

Planning commission Member Roxanne 

Cumberland said she wants to help the residents 

of Garner Road, and believes they were 

wronged, but there was no actual error made 

in the approval of the site plan, and the board 

of zoning appeals would have been a more appropriate 

venue to seek the changes. 

Planning Commission Attorney John Yacovelle 

agreed with Cumberland, saying technically 

there was no error in granting site plan 

approval. 

Though not satisfied with the planning 

commission’s decision, the group of residents 

is unsure of what direction they will be taking 

next. 

“I’m not gonna get a lawyer, because you 

can’t fight the devil,” Aurand said. “God’s in 

control.” 

sarahmiller@countytimes.net



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NEWS 



Marine Killed in Action Not From North Beach 


Staff Writer 

Despite Department of Defense press releases stating that 

one of six marines killed in Afghanistan in a helicopter crash 

last week was from North Beach, town officials say they have no 

record of Cpl. Jesse Stites ever being a resident there. 

The town has made a public announcement stating that 

they honored both Stites and the five other marines who crashed 

in a helicopter accident in the Helmand province, but have received 

information from Marine Corp personnel at Stites base 

in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii that the military is still trying to find 

his actual hometown. 

“Not one person has come forward to say they know him,” 

said Dawn Richardson, one of the town’s administrative staff. 

“We’re almost positive he’s not from here.” 

A release from the Marine Corp Base Hawaii, home of the 

Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 unit that all six were 

assigned to, did state that Stites joined the Marine Corps in 2008 

“out of North Beach, Md.” 

But Stites’ father-in-law, Mark L. Schwalenberg, told The 

Baltimore Sun that Stites grew up in Florida, went to high school 

there and never lived in Maryland. 



Staff Writer 


Staff Writer 

Lawmakers Doubt Poll on Septic Taxes 

A voter poll conducted by OpinionWorks, a research firm 

based in Annapolis, reported late last week that a majority of 

Marylanders supported increasing the Bay Restoration Fund 

and for reducing pollution into the critical watershed by tightening 

restrictions on septic systems. 

The Bay Restoration Fund gets its money from the socalled 

flush tax, which Gov. Martin O’Malley has already proposed 

to increase this legislative session. He is also considering 

recommendations from a task force he appointed last year that 

could further restrict the construction of new septic systems 

in the state’s rural areas in an effort to reduce pollution in the 

Chesapeake Bay. 

Both are key pieces of his administration’s legislative 

agenda; but the latest poll has Southern Maryland lawmakers 

questioning its findings, especially because many of their constituents 

say they oppose further flush tax increases and more 

septic restrictions. 

The OpinionWorks poll of 801 voters “statewide,” according 

to a Jan. 19 press release, showed that 63 percent of respondents 

“would spend more tax dollars to make the waters safe 

and healthy” if state lawmakers and the scientific community 

deemed that more public funds were needed for the task. 

About 64 percent of those polled by OpinionWorks also 

supported increasing the Bay Restoration Fund with the intention 

of finishing upgrades to wastewater treatment plants and 

to provide jurisdictions with money to combat pollution from 

storm runoff. 

The poll also showed 72 percent of respondents favored 

tighter restrictions on septic systems, including limiting the 

number of septic systems in rural areas where homeowners are 

often not able to connect to public water and sewer. 

The poll focused on Southern Maryland and the Eastern 

Shore, the OpinionWorks release stated, by saying that 62 percent 

polled in those areas favored tightening septic restrictions. 

House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R- 

Dist.29C) said he was familiar with the report but highly doubts 

its conclusions. 

“I view it with a great deal of skepticism, it all depends on 

how you ask the question,” O’Donnell said. “It’s not a reflection 

of the rural areas of the state.” 

Steven Raabe, spokesman for OpinionWorks said the firm 

has a strong record of accuracy in its polling and reporting, but 

he said it would be difficult to refine the accuracy of the numbers 

in a place like Calvert because the sample there would have been 

comparatively small. 

“When it gets to such a small sample as in Calvert County 

… you have to be careful on how fine a point you put on the 

numbers,” Raabe said. 

Sen. Roy Dyson, who represents the entire 29th District 

covering Calvert and St. Mary’s counties, said that any voters 

polled outside of the state’s rural areas would likely support increasing 

the flush tax and septic restrictions. 

“You should take all polls with a grain of salt,” Dyson said. 

“People living in the suburbs would no doubt be in favor of that.” 

Dyson said he has not had one constituent tell him they favored 

increasing the flush tax, rather he had a lengthy petition of 

voters who opposed it. 

“I’m overwhelmed with those who oppose it,” Dyson said, 

“It’s almost seems like an assault on rural Maryland.” 


Panetta Lifts Probation on Key F-35 Variant 

At his visit last week to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, 

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta told military and civilian 

personnel working on the Joint Strike Fighter program he is 

lifting the probation from the variant that incorporates STOVL 

(Short Take Off Vertical Landing) technology, which had recently 

shown problems in testing. 

The STOVL technology found in the “B” variant for the 

U.S. Marine Corps has been viewed as critical for allowing 

pilots to take off quickly from short runways and operate out 

of restricted or damaged airfields. 

The Marine Corps variant is part of a trinity of warplanes, 

with the “A” variant going to the U.S. Air Force and the “C” 

variant headed for service with the fleet as a carrier based jet. 

Panetta said the F-35 Lighting II is absolutely vital to 

maintaining the country’s military air superiority in any future 

conflicts. 

“My department is committed to the development of the 

F-35,” Panetta told a town hall-style gathering at the project’s 

flight hangar. “It’s absolutely critical, absolutely critical that 

we get it right. 

“Over the course of last year, you here at Pax River helped 

make an incredible difference by completing tremendous 

amounts of STOVL testing … you demonstrated that we’ve 

make real progress towards fixing some of the known problems 

we’ve had with STOVL.” 

Panetta said the Marine Corps variant is showing “the 

kind of performance and maturity that is in line with the other 

two variants of the JSF.” 

Panetta said the kind of work done at Patuxent River is 

pivotal to taking the U.S. military into the future to deal with 

multiple threats around the globe, even in a period when the 

military will have to look hard at where it spends money. 

Panetta said the military will be reduced in size but will 


Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta talks to the test team of the Joint Strike Fighter, background, about the plane’s critical role in the nation’s effort to 

maintain military superiority. 

still be able to maintain its strength, agility and lethality. 

“The whole purpose of this force has to be to have the 

capability to take on any aggressor, and more than one at a 

time,” Panetta said. “If we’re in a land war in Korea, we’ve 

got to have the capability to confront Iran if they go after the 

Straits of Hormuz.” 

The Joint Strike Fighter has been called a fifth generation 

air superiority fighter that is made all the more lethal because 

of its advanced avionics, maneuverability, supersonic speeds 

and stealthy construction. 

guyleonard@countytimes.net



Community 

Calvert Marine Museum 

Exceeds $500,000 Mark 

Former Pilot Soaring 

to New Heights 


Staff Writer 

Calvert Marine Museum set its fundraising 

goal at $500,000 for the Coming of 

Age Capital Campaign. So far, the museum 

has raised more than $600,000. 

The money is earmarked to help construct 

two additional classrooms; an expansion 

that Director of Development Vanessa 

Gill said is sorely needed. She said there 

are currently 20,000 kids that pass through 

the museum every year and “we’re turning 

people away.” 

Turning visitors away creates a twofold 

problem – the museum loses potential 

revenue and the opportunity to reach out 

to and educate the community. She said 

the children lose the opportunity to get 

out of the traditional classroom and learn in a hands-on 

environment. 

The need for the additional classrooms is evidenced 

by the support from the community, Gill said. During the 

past year, more and 75,000 people visited the museum, an 

all-time high in the museum’s 37-year history. 

In addition to building additional classroom space, 

Gill said the museum will be making improvements to 

the entrance, expanding the museum store and leveling 

the floor in the auditorium. The wall separating the auditorium 

will also be replaced with a collapsible divider to 

allow the space to be multi-purposed. 

The additional room will allow the museum to open 

up 100 more seats at the annual Bugeye Ball. Gill said the 

current auditorium is largely wasted space that could be 

better utilized. 

The classrooms will also be constructed in pre-existing 

space that could be better utilized on the second floor, 


Staff Writer 

Saturday was a special day 

for the kids visiting the Prince 

Fredrick Library who had a 

chance to sit and read aloud to 

therapy dogs. 

Youth Services Coordinator 

Beverly Izzi said the animals 

are invaluable as confidence 

builders for children – they can’t 

talk back and they can’t correct 

the readers. The animals also 

love the attention, which allows 

the children to relax and enjoy 

reading. 

Izzi said the library worked 

with Dorothea George from the 

Chesapeake Kennel Club to 

help sign up therapy animals. 

This was the first year that a therapy cat was also in attendance, 

Izzi said. All the animals are vetted for therapy 

work and completely safe for the children to be around, 

she said. 

This was the first Paws to Read event for Lisa Norwood 

and her therapy dog Lily. Norwood said she normally 

takes Lily to hospitals and nursing homes, and the 

library was a new experience. While the dog was excited 

at first, she calmed right down when some older girls sat 

with her. 

including building more floor space. She said the renovations 

were the best options in the minds of all involved 

as opposed to the quicker, but more expensive, option of 

adding an extension on the building. The plan will cost 

near $2 million. 

In addition to the museum’s contribution goal, the 

state will be putting in $500,000 and Calvert County will 

be fronting $1 million. 

“We want to ensure this project happens,” Gill said. 

Museum Director C. Douglass Alves, Jr., said the 

museum was founded in 1975. There are three segments 

to the museum – Maritime History, Estuary Biology and 

Paleontology. Alves said the individual parts all work 

together to tell a complete story of Calvert County and 

Maryland, as each of them are integral to the area. 

For more information, visit www.calvertmarinemuseum.com. 


Reading to Dogs Boosts Confidence 

Another benefit of the program is children receiving 

exposure to animals. Izzi said she saw one child come in 

who was afraid of dogs, and have the chance to interact 

with an animal in a safe, controlled environment. 

Saturday was the fourth Paws to read afternoon, returning 

after a one-year hiatus in 2011. Izzi said the library 

made sure to leave slots open for walk-in children 

who saw the dogs and wanted to get involved. In total, 

there were five animals and 36 children at the library. 


Matt, Marcia (mother and owner) and Zach Handrick are half the family members 

who took over running Garner and Duff Flower Shop in November 2011. 

By Corrin M. Howe 

Staff Writer 

Former fighter qualified and commercial airline pilot Marcia Handrick 

recently purchased Garner and Duff Flower Shop in Prince Frederick. After 

only three months as the new owner, she has plenty of plans for taking 

the shop to new heights. 

“When I sit down with a family for funerals or weddings I ask a lot of 

questions about the person. What are their interests, their hobbies, favorite 

colors and flowers,” Handrick said. 

Recently she designed a diorama for the funeral of a hunter. She had 

deer coming out of the woods and a duck sitting on a pond. She’s also created 

a seaside beach scene, an easel spray with wind chimes and firemen’s 

company numbers in their wreaths. 

“I want specialties to be the thing that sets us above the other special 

shops.” 

Handrick had been a designer with another florist for three years when 

she heard Garner and Duff was up for sale. She knew it had a reputation for 

being a premier shop, with one designer who is paid by Gaylord & Taylor, 

in National Harbor to create $1,000 arrangements. 

Owning a flower shop is only one of several careers she’s had over the 

years. Her family is originally from Calvert. One of her first jobs was flying 

banners over Ocean City 12 hours a day, six days a week. Her goal was to 

become a commercial airline pilot so she was gaining the number of hours 

and licenses needed. However, the airlines weren’t hiring at the time so she 

entered the Air Force instead and met her husband, Pat. 

She left the Air Force when she had her first set of twins, Nick and 

Matt. Then she eventually became an airline pilot for a few years before she 

had more children – five all together. The last two are also twins, a boy and 

girl, currently attending Huntingtown High School. 

Following in her father’s entrepreneur footsteps, she purchased a daycare 

center in Waldorf and eventually a second one in Clinton. After 13 

years, she sold them and took a break before becoming a designer for a 

local florist. She said she’d also loved gardening, flowers and arrangements. 

She was amazed at how well her idea of buying a floral shop was 

received by her family. Matt, one of the oldest twins, handles customer 

service for her. Her middle son, Zach, has taken over marketing and her 

husband, Pat, does the books. 

This week they upgraded to a new computer program which she hopes 

will take the shop to the next level in marketing and building her Internet 

sales. She and her husband also want to attack the problem their location 

gives them for potential foot traffic. 

The building is on Southbound Route 4 in Prince Frederick between 

the Safeway and the Wal-mart behind a mound of dirt. She said Pat found 

some Christmas trees with LED lights which made their location “pop” for 

the first time to even long time residents. Parking is also an issue because 

of the hill of dirt. 

“The florist industry is changing. Grocery stores and big box stores 

are selling arrangements and flowers at discounted rates. They have the 

buying power that we can’t match,” Handrick said. 

Her family moved back into the area when her father and mother became 

sick. Although she’s been back in the area for 12 years, it wasn’t until 

she became owner of Garner and Duff that she felt a sense of community. 

She is very thankful for how she and her family have been embraced. 

info@somdpublishing.net



STORY 

A Look at the Life of State’s Attorney Laura L. Martin 


Staff Writer 

PRINCE FREDERICK COURTHOUSE 

SEPTEMER 2008: State’s Attorney Laura 

L. Martin, dressed in a fitted dark jacket with 

matching skirt and heels, stood before 12 jurors 

and three alternates. It was her second murder 

trial since being elected top prosecuting attorney 

in Calvert County. 

Judge Warren Krug’s courtroom windows 

faced Lusby Hardware’s red brick building with 

enough space to see the day was gloomy and 

overcast. 

Martin swept her hand, holding a pair of 

folded dark framed reading glasses, toward the 

window and as she invited the jury to go back 

almost exactly a year to the night Barbara Louise 

Hampton strangled her mother Pamela Sue 

Varner. The weather conditions that night were 

similar as Hampton and Varner fought about 

money and children, according to Martin. With 

the flare of a storyteller, she presents the facts 

collected during the missing person – turned 

homicide investigation. 

While her theory of the case could have 

been a fictional novel, it was true. Daughter 

strangled mother, stuffed the body in the trunk 

of car parked inside their townhouse garage. 

Martin put on a clear, well-organized factual 

case. She put her witnesses on the stand, asked 

them pertinent questions and moved them off. 

She didn’t introduce evidence that didn’t tie directly 

to her case. She knew every detail of the 

case. She had every piece of evidence lined up 

ready to present. 

Her case centered on testimonies of the investigating 

detective and coroner. By Wednesday 

she had laid her case to rest. The defense attorneys 

countered with a half-day of testimony. 

Thursday the jury listened to closing arguments 

and began deliberations first thing Friday morning. 

Before lunch they found Hampton guilty of 

premeditated murder. 

Four years later, it is a Tuesday morning 

in her second floor corner office of the Prince 

Frederick courthouse. The office is bright, 

cheerful and full of energy. The positive atmosphere 

could be the result of the sun streaming 

through two large windows into an open room. 

However, after two minutes with Martin there is 

no question the environment reflects her personality. 

Not only her personal office, but her entire 

staff and physical State’s Attorney’s office. 

She is wearing a light colored suit and a 

bright smile. She uses words like “fabulous,” 

“phenomenal” and “inspiring.” Her walls and 

desk are filled with an eclectic mix of framed 

Adam Ansel prints, pictures of her twin daughters, 

awards from the local sheriff and a single 

white piece of printer paper with bold black 

print declaring the office belongs to the “blonde 

chix.” Her desk has files of resumes for potential 

interns, schedules, a new Supreme Court ruling 

and knick knacks about decisions being either 

hers or wrong and a tin of 400 Workplace lies. 

Her computer screen flashes pictures of local 

lighthouses. 

She laughs and her blue eyes twinkle when 

she talks about how she met her husband, Mike, 

a Secret Service retiree. The summer before 

she started law school at American University, 

she had a job where she went door to door to 

educate the public about acid rain and similar 

legislation. 

“I came to a house. I noticed a small plaque 

on the column but I didn’t bother to read it before 

I headed in.” The house turned out to be 

one of 13 Russian Embassy offices. Her future 

husband, who was on guard, stopped her from 

going further. They had dinner that night and 

married about two years later. 

Since her husband was Secret Service in 

the Reagan years, he traveled a lot particularly 

during the elections. She was a prosecuting attorney 

in Prince George’s county with twin 

girls in preschool. 

“It was hard juggling. Mike would be 

traveling and I would be stuck in trial. I’d take 

a break, pick up the girls in a dual stroller and 

bring them back to the office,” she laughed. Her 

co-workers would either watch them in her office 

or she’d bring them into court. “They sat 

through quite a few verdicts.” 

Martin praises the judicial system, which 

while “formal” is accepting of working moms. 

She said she runs her office the same way, helping 

out new moms. 

Despite their early introduction to law, and 

watching their mother present a murder case, 

neither of her daughters followed in her footsteps. 

One is about to graduate as a chemical 

engineer and the other wants to write fiction. 


Now that her daughters are almost graduated, 

she feels she has more time to focus on being 

a State’s Attorney. “I like what I do. I like 

helping people. I try to be as responsive as I 

can. If nothing else point someone in the right 

direction.” 

She has her home phone listed, law enforcement 

have her cell phone and office number 

and she tries to respond to email within a 

day of receipt, even when she’s on vacation. She 

said she receives 30 to 100 emails a day. While 

one expects law enforcement to call her about 

warrants, investigations and Fourth Amendment 

questions, she also receives a significant 

number of calls from the citizens. She’ll find 

herself answering inquires about students being 

bullied at school, disputes between neighbors, 

and people looking for attorneys. She’ll 

provide four to five attorney names for various 

specializations. 

“I would worry if people didn’t call me. I 

like helping people. How else can you help others 

unless you have open contact?” 

She also likes working with new attorneys 

in her office, helping them organize their cases 

and talk about trial strategy. She has 10 attorneys 

and a total of 26 staff, including her, in the 

office. “I have a fabulous staff. They work long 

hours and haven’t had a raise in four years. They 

have a great attitude.” 

Martin spoke excitedly about the summer 

internship for students interested in becoming 

attorneys. While it is an unpaid position, 

she works hard to schedule interested students 

around their part-time jobs, their college requirements 

and her staff attorney schedules. 

She tries to put students with each one of the 

different types of cases. 

Those interested in the internship can find 

out more about it on the office website www. 

co.cal.md.us/government/sao/. She said she 

takes three to five students a summer and it’s 

usually first come, first serve with preference 

going to Calvert County residents. 

Martin has no interest in becoming a judge. 

She would love to remain in the county and serve 

at least one more term as State’s Attorney. If she 

didn’t get re-elected in three years, she would return 

to prosecuting attorney in another county. 

“Prosecution just gets in your blood,” she said. 

After, she’d like to teach in law enforcement. 

“It’s so important. The sacrifices they 

(law enforcement) make are so heroic.” 

There was one subject discussed in which 

Martin wasn’t as positive and cheerful. 

The unsolved murder of Sandra Renee 

Harrod Long, 43, who was discovered in her 

car near Calvert Cliffs State Park on Nov. 30, 

2010. The State’s Attorney’s office and Comcast 

have recently put together a video to be aired 

on Channel Six hoping that someone will come 

forward with more information. 

“I can’t discuss details, but we firmly believe 

that she was murdered by someone she 

knew. Anyone with information can call Crime 

Solvers anonymously,” she said. “It’s frustrating 

that it’s unsolved. I keep her picture on my desk 

to remind me.” 

She held up a picture of Long as she mentioned 

the victim is distantly related to the only 

other unsolved murder in the county. Milton 

Harrod was killed 14 years ago. His case is now 

with the state police cold case squad. 

When she’s not working, teaching or out 

in the community giving talks, she enjoys reading. 

She said her house and her i-Pad are filled 

with books ranging from James Patterson to 

Janet Evanovich with Harry Potter and Girl 

with the Dragon Tattoo. She prefers light easy 

reading since she has so much technical reading 

throughout the day. She also prefers reading to 

watching TV. 

She and her husband are “home bodies,” 

but enjoy hiking. They take most of their trips 

nearby since they both earn government salaries 

and just put two girls through school. Last 

year her husband won an eight-day trip in which 

all their expenses were paid to visit Mt. Zion 

and the Grand Canyon. Otherwise they hike the 

Chestnut Land Trust trails, Calvert Cliffs and 

the Shenandoah. 

Her dream is to travel to Alaska one day. 

Quick Facts 

• Undergrad at Lehigh University in English 

• Law School at American University 

• Prosecutor at Prince George’s State’s Attorney 

until 1998 

• Hired to be Assistant Master for Calvert 

County 1998 

• First female elected as Calvert County’s 

State’s Attorney 2006



to the 

Editor 

LETTERS 

Why Are You Bashing 

Federal Employees? What’s To Fear in 2012 

Please have your editorial staff check submitted 

guest editorials for correctness. Ms. Mossburg states 

in her Jan. 19 guest editorial in the fourth paragraph: 

“… in large part due to the thousands of federal employees 

with large pensions.” She insinuates that many 

federal retirees are drawing $1,000,000.00+ pensions 

as part of the '1 Percent Millionaires'. 

As a retired civil servant of 32+ years, participating 

in the CSRS retirement system, I know of NO civil 

servant or ever read of, or heard of a federal pensioner 

who gets paid $1,000,000.00 + in yearly pension payments 

as inferred in Ms. Hummel's editorial. 

According to the Congressional research Service, 

in 2005 the average Federal Retiree Pension was 

$17,640 per year. A far cry from $1,000,000 a year as 

insinuated in Ms. Mossburg’s guest editorial. I doubt 

that average has jumped 6000 percent in six years. 

Ex presidents and long term serving senators and 

congressmen don't draw a $1,000,000 pension. As a 

matter of fact, it is impossible for any current or retired 

civil servant to accumulate enough years and pay in 

order to collect a $1,000,000 a year pension from the 

old CSRS or new FERS retirement systems. Even if a 

person was hired for federal employment today at the 

GS-15 level as new hire aged 22 (impossible again as 

GS-15's are educated and highly skilled/experienced 

workers, usually in their 40's) and worked for 50, 60, 

or 70 years, they could not accumulate enough pay 

and time to collect a $1,000,000 a year federal pension 

with the current FERS retirement system. Once again 

federal employees are being 'bashed' with non-facts, 

conjecture, and half-truths. 

As a newspaper highly dependent of the business 

you get from a predominately federal worker funded 

economy, I'd think you'd be more careful in printing 

yet another column bashing federal workers. 

Please have Ms. Mossburg submit a retraction/ 

clarification of her guest editorial withdrawing her accusation 

that many federal retirees draw $1,000.000 

a year in federal pensions. Please don't let her come 

back and add the TSP to the equation as that is a 401K 

type investment plan for federal employees and not a 

pension plan. 

Evidently Marta Mossburg uses innuendos, false 

assumptions and conjecture in her responses. If you 

draw a pension of $25,000 a year, you'll get $1,000,000 

in about 30 - 40 years (Don't forget federal pensions 

Calling All 

Calvert Woodturners 

did not get a COLA the last two years) if you live that 

long. Getting $1,000,000 from a defined benefit pension 

totally depends on how much your pension is and 

how many years you actually live. Since most federal 

employees retire in their 60's (over 50 percent stay 

six years or longer after becoming eligible - OPM's 

An Analysis of Federal Employee Retirement Data, 

March of 2008) and don't live as long as ones who retire 

when first eligible. Seriously doubt many of them 

actually collect a $1,000,000. 

If indeed their pensions are worth $1,000,000 

over 30 - 40 years, so is Ms. Mossburg's house, her 

inheritances, her investments, her social security all 

that factors into her retirement portfolio which all of 

that has nothing to do with the 1 percent. 

Federal employees retire at a 17 percent less rate 

in the DC area than the norm pushing their probability 

numbers for a long life even lower. Unfortunately, 

I can't find the source, but I read years ago the average 

CSRS Retiree collects his pension for less than 3 

years. Without the source I can't swear by that number. 

I'm sure someone at OPM can produce the real 

number. A little research wouldn't hurt. It took me 5 

minutes to find the OPM report. 

I suggest Ms. Mossburg read a little before drawing 

conclusions from the popular media or where ever 

else she gets her 'facts'. I’'m a retired federal employee 

and don't consider myself a 1-percenter as I struggle 

to pay my bills and put my daughter through college. 

Go pick on the business elite and stop bashing federal 

employees because it’s convenient and juices up a 

rather dull editorial. 

It isn’t very often that a woodturner gets to do what he/she enjoys the most (turning a 

piece of wood) and at the same time help out those in need in their community. 

You and I as woodturners can do this by turning one or more wooden bowls to be 

used at the “Empty Bowl Supper and Silent Auction” on March 24th, 2012. 

Nothing fancy, just a simple wooden bowl to be filled with food. Rest assure, event 

goers will still enjoy the traditional hand crafted clay bowls the local potters have made 

for years! We just want to do our part too. 

Project Echo House has one major fund raising activity each year to support men, 

women and children in Calvert County the Empty Bowl Supper. 

Last year Project Echo House provided 12,125 bed nights (one bed, one person, one 

night), served 15,014 meals, and found stable employment for 75 residents and permanent 

housing for 19 – all on a budget of $220,000. 

I am acting as the coordinator for woodturners for the Empty Bowl Supper. If you’re 

interested in joining me in helping Project Echo House and those in need in Calvert 

County please contact me at Thehappyturnerinowings@yahoo.com or telephone me at 

301- 855-4798. 

For more information on Project Echo Homeless Shelter go to http://www.projectecho.net/empty-bowl-supper.html. 

Dave Wardrup 

Owings, MD 

Bruce Whiteman 

Hollywood, MD 

Editor’s Note – Marta Hummel Mossburg, Senior 

fellow, Maryland Public Policy Institute, issued 

the following response to Mr. Whiteman’s letter: “I 

never stated that federal employees were drawing $1 

million yearly pensions. I said many of them were 

millionaires because their pensions are worth over 

$1 million total. The piece laid out why Maryland is 

so wealthy – the federal government – and why the 

rest of us can’t afford to support such an unsustainable 

model.” 

Publisher 

Thomas McKay 

Associate Publisher Eric McKay 

Editor 

Sean Rice 

Graphic Artist Angie Stalcup 

Office Manager Tobie Pulliam 

Advertising 

sales@somdpublishing.net 

Email 

info@somdpublishing.net 

Phone 301-373-4125 

Staff Writers 

Guy Leonard 

Sarah Miller 

Corrin Howe 

Contributing Writers 

Joyce Baki 

Keith McGuire 

Daily, each of us faces the possible grim prospects of financial collapse, accident, 

sickness, crime, and death (or worse). While we hope for the best, most 

of such incidents will be beyond our choice or span of control. However, come 

this fall’s elections, we can opt out of remaining in the dire situation encompassing 

our nation today. We, as clear thinking Americans can choose to reject being 

governed by a second term under President Obama. Further, we can strive for a 

Republican Congress as was accomplished by the Democrat party in 2008. 

Obama’s first three plus years have been bad enough but granting the man 

four more to come, in lame duck status no less, would prove disastrous for this 

nation. A disaster from which we might never recover. America as we have 

known it would more evolve to that of its European socialist neighbors rather 

than stand as instituted by our founding fathers under the inspirational guidance 

of God Almighty. If you’ll be honest with yourself you know that under 

this regime something radically injurious is at work in America and things are 

worsening at mystical speed. 

Socialism, in concert with today’s race and class warfare are dominant precepts 

among liberal Democrat party leadership. Their politicos favorably trump 

alternative conservative views to society’s issues and challenges with the party’s 

handy razor edged tools. And you can count on liberal media ensuring their success. 

Equally notable within the Democrat platform is its unwavering support for 

the snuffing out of America’s unwanted innocent little ones under the sanitized 

ruse of “pro choice”. Concurrently, they continue promoting further advancement 

of man-devised homosexual marriage. How the Almighty judges such pretentious 

societal traits means nothing to the unbelieving and/or unlearned among 

leading secular Democrat politicians. 

This year, leading up to the elections, today’s evolved Democrat party, federal 

and local leadership, will ensure more of the same: lack of a comprehensive 

energy policy (other than continued degradation of American domestic oil, natural 

gas and coal suppliers) at the behest of environmental extremists; belittling 

of the steady rise of our $15 trillion indebtedness; dismiss the proposed Defense 

of Marriage Act; fund Planned Parenthood abortions with half a billion taxpayer 

dollars; further enact or enforce oppressive business restrictions with unemployment 

levels at or above 8.5 percent ; discount 20k plus new jobs via disfavoring 

Canada’s Keystone Pipe Line/Life Line offer; ignore increasing costs of food 

and commodities; ignore deteriorating infrastructure; neglect our open borders; 

push nationalized healthcare and further shun and disrespect our best friend, 

Israel. Locally, Democrat ineptness in Annapolis will punish us further with 

an additional $0.15 per gallon gas tax while delivering on homosexual marriage. 

The fear of sustained Obama governance and exacerbation of societal ills 

are avoidable unless we continue to elect liberal Democrats to lead us nationally 

and statewide. We can vote conservative Republican across the board this 

November. And if they don’t set things aright we can throw em’ out in favor of 

more of the inept madness present today. Your two clear choices are: roll over for 

prolonged intensity of the same flawed concept(s) or stand for right. 

Law Enforcement 

Government, Education 

Community, Business 

Chester M. Seaborn, Jr. 

Mechanicsville, MD 

Calvert Gazette 

P. O. Box 250 . Hollywood, MD 20636 

The Calvert Gazette is a weekly newspaper providing news and information for the residents of 

Calvert County. The Calvert Gazette will be available on newsstands every Thursday. The paper is 

published by Southern Maryland Publishing Company, which is responsible for the form, content, and 

policies of the newspaper. The Calvert Gazette does not espouse any political belief or endorse any 

product or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be signed 

and may be edited for length or content. The Calvert Gazette is not responsible for any claims made 

by its advertisers.



Judith Bell, 66 

Judith Ann “Judy” 

Bell, 66, of Lusby, MD, 

passed away Dec. 27, 

2011 at Calvert Memorial 

Hospital in Prince 

Frederick, MD. 

Judy was born 

February 8, 1945 in 

Cleveland, Ohio to 

Malcolm M. and Roxy 

(Jones) MacKenzie. 

She lived in Glen 

Burnie, MD and graduated 

from Glen Burnie High School, class of 

1964. She also lived in Cumberland, Baltimore, 

Riviera Beach and Annapolis, MD from 1964 

to 1970, until moving to Calvert County in 

1971. Judy attended the College of Southern 

Maryland, where she studied law enforcement. 

She was employed as a security officer at Calvert 

Cliffs from the mid 1970’s until retiring in 

1987. She was a member of Waters Memorial 

Church, Port Republic, MD. Judy enjoyed living 

near the Chesapeake Bay, the beach, making 

jewelry, reading and watching movies. She 

also enjoyed flowers and was fond of her cats. 

She is survived by daughters Heather 

D. Bell Roark of Prince Frederick, MD, Michelle 

Y. “Shelly” Beale of St. Leonard, MD 

and a son Charles F. Bell III “Chuck” and wife 

Kerri of North Carolina. Also surviving are 

eleven grandchildren, three great grandchildren, 

brothers Malcolm “Buddy” MacKenzie 

of Fallston, MD and Norman MacKenzie of 

Aberdeen, MD and sisters Joyce Thomas of 

Arnold, MD and Elaine Herman of Red Lion, 

Penn. 

She was preceded in death by a sister Merline 

Richardson. 

A memorial service and celebration of 

Judy’s life will be held Wednesday, February 

8, 2012 at 1:00 P.M. at Rausch Funeral Home, 

P.A., 8325 Mt. Harmony Lane, Owings, MD. 

Interment will follow at Asbury Cemetery in 

Prince Frederick, MD. 

Henry Boyce, 63 

Henry Clay Boyce, 

63, of Huntingtown, 

MD passed away on 

Sunday, January 15, 

2012 at his home. He 

was born August 26, 

1948 in Ft. Knox, 

Kentucky to Horace 

Edward and Inge Ilse 

(Schmidle) Boyce. 

Henry enlisted in the United States Army 

March 10, 1970 ad served until being discharged 

June 8, 1973 as a SP5 He graduated 

from the University of Maryland, University 

College in 1982. Henry was a professional insurance 

agent, owing and operating a local Allstate 

Insurance Agency in Huntingtown since 

2000. He and his family have resided in Calvert 

County since 1978. Henry was an active 

volunteer within Calvert County donating his 

time to Calvert Meals on Wheels. He was also 

a member of the Prince Frederick Elks Lodge 

2620. He enjoyed fishing and spending time at 

the beach with his family. He was cherished by 

his family and will be greatly missed by all. 

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, 

Else Schmidle and a brother H. Christopher 

Boyce. 

He is survived by his beloved wife of 40 

years Linda Jeanne Boyce, two daughters Lisa 

Marie Boyce and Cheri Boyce Shifflett and her 

husband Larry, Jr., and two grandchildren Lily 

Morgan and Owen Mason Shifflett all of Huntingtown 

and his parents Horace Edward and 

Inge Ilse Boyce of Loudon, Tennessee. 

Friends were received on Friday, January 

20, 2012 at Rausch Funeral Home, Owings, 

where services were held at 7:30 P.M. Private 

family interment was to be held at Meadowridge 

Memorial Park, Elkridge, MD. 

Jean Gasparovic, 70 

Jean T. Gasparovic, 

70, of Prince Frederick, 

Maryland, passed away 

Saturday morning, January 

7th, 2012 at home. 

Mrs. Gasparovic 

was born on May 6th, 

1941, in Genesee, Michigan, 

the daughter of 

Raoul A. and Margaret 

(Hursky) Belanger. She 

graduated from St. Michael’s 

High School, Maple Grove in 1959. 

On July 24, 1965, she married Michael A. 

Gasparovic of Lennon, Michigan, at St. Michael’s 

Catholic Church, Maple Grove. He predeceased 

her on October 24th, 1994. 

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic 

Church, Owosso, Michigan, and St. John 

Vianney Catholic Church, Prince Frederick, 

Maryland. 

Mrs. Gasparovic was a homemaker. She 

loved camping, polka dancing with her beloved 

husband, reading, and doting on her grandchildren, 

Shelby, Brennan, Shea, Makaela, Shannon 

and Tatiana. Her faith was very important 

Where Life and Heritage are Celebrated 

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to her and she touched many lives. She will be 

missed greatly by the many friends that she has 

maintained throughout the years. 

Survivors include: one son, Michael 

(Kela) Gasparovic of New Stanton, PA; one 

son-in-law, Joseph Hacker of Saint Leonard, 

MD; two brothers, James (Vicky) Belanger 

and Dr. Arthur (Wendy) Belanger; four sisters, 

Jackie Denton, Marjorie (John) Dick, June 

(Ralph) Birchmeier and Jeanette (Richard) 

Ries; her grandchildren, and numerous nephews 

and nieces who all cherished her. 

She was predeceased by her daughter Rosalie 

Hacker, her parents, and her two brothers, 

Robert and Richard Belanger. 

The funeral mass was celebrated at St. Joseph 

Catholic Church, Owosso, Michigan, on 

Saturday, January 21, followed by internment 

in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Owosso. A 

memorial service will be held on January 27th, 

2 p.m. at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 

Prince Frederick, Maryland. 

Memorials are suggested to the St. Jude 

Children’s Research Hospital. 

David Hanna, 20 

David Matthew 

Hanna, 20, of Huntingtown, 

MD passed 

away on January 16, 

2012. David was born 

August 7, 1991 at Holy 

Cross Hospital in Silver 

Spring, MD to 

David E. and Cathrine 

Ann (Yale) Hanna. 

He lived with his 

family in Upper Marlboro, 

MD until moving 

to Dunkirk in 2000, and graduated from 

Northern High School with the class of 2009. 

He was an accomplished travel select soccer 

player, enjoyed sports and music, and was a 

fan of the Washington Redskins. David was a 

member of First Lutheran Church of Calvert 

County where he was baptized and confirmed. 

He currently attended the College of Southern 

Maryland where he had attained his welding 

certification. 

David was preceded in death by grandparents 

Edwin Hanna, Joan Yale Flory, and Selma 

and Harry Albanese. 

He is survived by a son Colt M. Hanna 

and fiancé Lauren J. Ragan of Prince Frederick, 

MD; his parents David E. Hanna of Huntingtown 

and Cathrine A. Hanna of Prince 

Frederick; brothers Cory D. Gleason and wife 

Tiffany of Ft. Hood, TX, Craig M. Gleason and 

wife Estefany of Charleston, SC and Joshua N. 

Hanna of Huntingtown. He is also survived by 

grandparents Robert and Colleen Yale of Hammonds 

Port, NY and Carl Flory of Chambersburg, 

PA. 

A Memorial Service and Celebration of 

Life was held at First Lutheran Church of Calvert 

County, 6300 Southern Maryland Boulevard, 

Huntingtown, MD on Sunday January 

22, 2012.. Interment will be private. 

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy 

in David’s name may be made to: David 

E. Hanna, Trustee, Fund for Colt M. Hanna, 

1870 Emmanuel Church Road, Huntingtown, 

MD 20639. 

Arrangements are by Rausch Funeral 

Home, P.A., Owings, MD. For additional service 

information visit www.RauschFuneral- 

Homes.com. 

Barbara Lusby, 72 

Barbara Jean 

Lusby, 72, of Upper 

Marlboro, MD passed 

away January 16, 2012 

at Southern Maryland 

Hospital Center in Clinton, 

MD. 

She was born June 

16, 1939 in Chaneyville, 

MD to Joseph W. and 

Ruth Rebecca (Robinson) 

Cochran. 

She was raised in 

Calvert County and graduated from Calvert 

High School. She married Roy F. Lusby October 

18, 1975 and they lived in Upper Marlboro, 

MD. Barbara was employed for many years as 

a school bus driver with the Prince George’s 

County Board of Education, retiring in 2001. 

In her leisure time she enjoyed raising beagles 

and attending competition field trials with her 

husband, attending local church suppers, and 

spending time with her family and friends. 

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents 

Joseph W. Cochran and Ruth Beverly, and 

by a step-son Ricky Lusby. She is survived by 

her husband Roy Lusby, a son William P. “Bill” 

Windsor and wife Ann of Brandywine, MD, 

a step-daughter Cheryl Wilson of Dallas, TX, 

a step-son Butch Windsor of Virginia, a sister 

Alice Williams of Huntingtown, MD, and 

brothers Harry Cochran of Franklin, MA and 

Karl Anderson of Rocky Mount, VA. 

A funeral service was held Friday, January 

20, 2012 at Rausch Funeral Home, Owings. 

Interment followed at Trinity Episcopal Church 

Cemetery, Rectory Lane, Upper Marlboro, 

MD. For additional information visit www. 

RauschFuneralHomes.com 

Doris Matteson, 80 

Doris Barrett Matteson, 

80, of Solomons, 

MD, passed away on 

January 16, 2012. She 

was born on October 

12, 1931 in Appeal, MD 

to Daniel and Suzanna 

Virginia Allen Barrett. 

Doris was a life 

long resident of Calvert 

County. She graduated 

from Calvert County 

High School in 1948 

and Blackstone College in 1950. Doris worked 

as a Revenue Examiner for the State of Maryland 

for many years. Doris loved being with 

family and friends, purrusing antiques, traveling, 

reading, and doing crosswords. She was 

a member and past princess of the Solomons 

Island Yacht Club. 

Doris was preceded in death by her parents; 

three brothers, Edward, Carl and Daniel 

Barrett, Jr.; four sisters, Ethel Barrett, Estelle 

Barrett Cliffton, Ruth Barrett Horsmon and 

Beatrice Barrett Warfield. She was also preceded 

in death by her granddaughter, Sherry 

Eller Janney; and a grandson who was also 

known as “her Buddy” (and she was known as 

“his Dars”), Randall Barrett Eller. 

Doris is survived by her two loving daughters, 

Susan Allen Matteson Church of Atlanta, 

GA, and Ruth Anne Matteson Eller with her 

husband, Randy Earl Eller of Hilton Head, SC. 

She is also survived by a granddaughter, Wendy 

Eller Kagey of Roanoke, VA; a grandson, 

Aaron Matthew Eller of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and 

a sister, Flora Mae Russell of Solomons, MD.;



and 6 great grandchildren. In addition, Doris is 

survived by her devoted friend, Jack Estridge, 

as well as too many dear friends to name (and 

as she was known to say: “And you know who 

you are!”) 

There was a commemoration of her passing 

followed by a celebration of her life at the 

Solomons Island Yacht Club, 14604 HG Trueman 

Road, Solomons, MD 20688. 

nterment will be held at a later date in 

Lowcountry Memorial Gardens, Bluffton, SC. 

In lieu of flowers contributions may be 

made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 

Southern Maryland Office, P. O. Box 

1889, La Plata, MD 20646. Arrangements entrusted 

to the Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., Lusby, 

MD, www.rauschfuneralhomes.com. 

Alice Nobles, 85 

Alice Joyce Nobles, 

85, of Prince 

Frederick, MD, passed 

away January 11, 2012 

at Calvert Memorial 

Hospital in Prince Frederick, 

MD. Joyce was 

born September 4, 1926 

in Kinston, NC to John 

and Josephine (Tilghman) 

Gardner. 

She received her 

education in North 

Carolina public schools and attended Columbia 

Union College in Takoma Park, MD. She 

was employed as a subject cataloger with the 

Library of Congress, retiring in 1988. Joyce resided 

in Suitland until moving to Prince Frederick 

in 1996. She was a member of Pennsylvania 

Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church 

and the National Association of Retired Federal 

Employees. She was an avid reader and enjoyed 

making gourmet chocolates for her family and 

friends. 

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents 

and a brother Johnny Ray Gardner. 

Surviving are her son Terry Nobles and 

his wife Betty of Dunkirk, MD, grandson David 

Nobles and his wife Jennifer of Huntingtown, 

a great-granddaughter Lexi Nobles and 

a great-grandson Chase Nobles, brothers Jesse 

Gardner and his wife Annie Mae of New Bern, 

NC, Joel Gardner and his wife Jessie of Vienna, 

VA, Jeffrie Gardner and his wife Sandra 

of New Bern, NC, sisters Jacqueline Willis of 

New Bern, NC, Jonquil Lanier of Chattanooga, 

TN, Joan Finch, Lansing, MI, Juliette Church 

and her husband Charles of Kirkland, WA, and 

numerous nieces and nephews. 

Friends were received at Rausch Funeral 

Home, P.A., in Owings on January 14, 2012. 

A Funeral Service and Life Celebration were 

held Sunday, January 15, 2012 at Smithville 

United Methodist Church, Dunkirk. Interment 

followed at Smithville Cemetery. 

Vincent Thrasher, 88 

Vincent Lee 

Thrasher, 88 of St. 

Leonard, MD died the 

morning of January 

19th at the Charlotte 

Hall Veterans’ home 

where he had lived for 

the past year. 

Vincent was born 

January 27, 1923 in 

rural Lewis County, 

MO to the late Anna 

Thrasher. Vincent was 

raised on a farm in Missouri where he became 

the head of the household at the age of fourteen. 

He was drafted into the US Army and served 

in Germany where he was captured on December 

24, 1944 and held POW until April 4th 

of 1945. While stationed at Fort Meade, MD 

before shipping out to Germany, Vincent met 

Alice Elizabeth Parks of Broomes Island, MD 

and upon his return, married Alice and moved 

to Broomes Island. He later moved the family 

to St. Leonard in 1952 where he lived for the 

next fifty two years. He secured employment 

with the US Navy at Solomon’s Island after the 

war and then worked for 35+ years at Patuxent 

River Naval Air Station as an aircraft lighting 

technician. Vincent almost single handedly rebuilt 

his St. Leonard home from the ground up, 

raised four sons and became the neighborhood 

repair shop always helping family and friends 

with automotive, lawnmower repair and other 

projects. Vincent was a loving son, spending 

his summer vacations providing much needed 

assistance to his mother in Missouri. Vincent 

was a charter member of the Calvert Amateur 

Radio Club, HAM radio operator, member of 

The Southern Maryland DAV, and of the Calvary 

Bible Church in Lusby, Maryland. 

Vincent was predeceased in death by his 

loving wife Alice of 62 years, his mother Anna, 

sisters; Elsie Marie and Virginia. Vincent is 

survived by two sisters, Erma Dee Jones of 

Lewistown, MO, Betty Barron of Hoopeston, 

IL, four sons, Orval and wife Sandy of North 

Beach, MD, Larry and wife Kaye of Annapolis, 

MD, Terry and wife Sara of Sinking Springs, 

PA and Lloyd and wife Cathy of St. Leonard, 

MD. Grand children, Todd, Brian, Quillan, 

Corbin, Michelle, Colin and Harrison, and 

three great grand children, Taylor, Connor and 

Trystan. 

Friends are invited to the celebration of life 

for Vincent during visitations at the Rausch Funeral 

Home, 4405 Broomes Island Road, Port 

Republic, MD on Thursday January 26th from 

2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM. A funeral services will 

be held Friday January 27th, 10:30am at the 

Broomes Island Wesleyan Church on Church 

Road. The same church where Vincent and 

Alice were married. Interment will follow 

the service at Southern Memorial Gardens in 

Dunkirk, MD. 

Bonnie Turner, 44 

Bonnie Jo Turner, 

44, of Lusby, MD, 

passed away suddenly 

on January 15, 2012. 

She was born on June 9, 

1967 in Prince Frederick, 

MD to Bonnie Jean 

Shipman Turner and 

the late Franklin Percy 

Turner, Sr. 

Bonnie loved to 

play softball all of her 

life. Her hobby was to 

fix computers. She was a very loving mother, 

daughter, aunt, and sister. She enjoyed spending 

her weekends spending time with friends 

and family. She had a green thumb and loved 

gardening. Bonnie was a great cook and her 

salsa recipe will always be a family favorite. 

Bonnie is survived by her daughters Kayla 

Jo Turner and Jamie Turner of Lusby, MD; 

mother, Bonnie Jean Turner, of Lusby, MD; 

sisters Jeannie Kunkel and her husband Daniel 

of NC, Becky Sievert and her husband Andy of 

Lusby, MD and Barbara Patterson and her husband 

Joe of Port Republic, MD; brother Franklin 

P. Turner, Jr. and his wife Alexis of Prince 

Frederick, MD; nieces and nephews Sherri, 

Andrew, Heather, Rachel, Alayna, Glenn, Katie, 

Ava, Koeby, Seth and Payton and her great 

niece Mariah. 

The family received friends at the Rausch 

Funeral Home, 20 American Lane, Lusby, MD 

on Thursday, January 19, 2012. A service celebrating 

her life was held on Friday, January 

20, at the Rausch Funeral Home Chapel with 

Pastor R. Todd Marple officiating. Interment 

followed in Mt Harmony United Methodist 

Church Cemetery. 

Arrangements provided by Rausch Funeral 

Home, P.A., Lusby, MD, www.rauschfuneralhomes.com. 

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Kiddie er 

n 

Kor 

CLUES ACROSS 

1. Tooth caregiver 

4. Greek counterpart of Rhea 

7. A numbered mail compartment 

(abbr.) 

10. New Zealand parrots 

12. Political action committees 

14. Fringe-toed lizard 

15. Reposes 

17. Winglike structures 

18. MacMurray of “My Three 

Sons” 

19. Oprah’s Broadway show 

22. Ceaser, egg and tossed 

23. Oarlock 

24. Agile, lively (nautical) 

25. Skim or dart 

26. And (Latin) 

27. Embodies 

28. Gallivants 

30. Hyperbolic cosecant 

32. Rural delivery 

33. Atomic #89 

34. Opposite of wealthy 

36. Imus and Knotts 

39. Yellow ageratum species 

41. Large tropical Am. lizard 

43. Late Show star 

46. Armor breastplate 

47. “Death in the Family” 

author 

48. Liquors from rice 

50. Bread for a burger 

51. Yeast 

52. 100 = 1 tala in W. Samoa 

53. Two-year-old sheep 

54. Hyrax or cony 

55. Engine additive 

CLUES DOWN 

1. Danish krone (abbr.) 

2. Insect repellents 

3. Move sideways 

4. October’s birthstones 

5. __ Alto, California city 

6. Mark of healed tissue 

7. Somewhat purple 

8. Egg mixture cooked until 

just set 

9. Past tense of bid 

11. Ancient stone slab bearing 

markings 

13. 9th month (abbr.) 

16. Thrown into a fright 

18. A playful antic 

20. “Waiting for Lefty” 

playwright 

21. Ultrahigh frequency 

28. Cutting gun barrel spirals 

29. Youth loved by Aphrodite 

30. Get by begging 

31. Cleans by scrubbing 

vigorously 

34. Bubonic calamity 

35. Radioactivity unit 

37. South African peoples 

38. Legless reptiles 

40. Thick piece of something 

41. A distinct part of a list 

42. Regarding (Scottish prep.) 

43. Something that is owed 

44. Mild exclamation 

45. Etce____: continuing the 

same 

49. Variation of 17 down 

Last Week’s Puzzle Solutions



Community Gathers to Support 

Local Wounded Warrior 

By Carrie Munn 

Staff Writer 

A group gathered to break ground on a project that will allow 

Chaptico native and combat-disabled U.S. Marine veteran Caleb 

Getscher to get around his home a little easier. 

Lance Cpl. Getscher was wounded when he stepped on an improvised 

explosive device in Afghanistan last summer. 

While the 20-year-old veteran continues rehabilitation at 

Bethesda Naval Hospital, his family’s home on Chaptico Road is 

undergoing a renovation to include a handicapped accessible garage 

with direct access to a bedroom, bathroom, laundry room and exercise 

area. This will enable Getscher to spend more time with his 

family, including his 15-month-old daughter, Camily. 

The Patuxent Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Repair Corps 

project is one of 10 supported by a $100,000 grant and partnership 

with Home Depot geared to help remodel and renovate the homes 

of U.S. military veterans. The project at the Getscher’s family home 

exceeded the $10,000 budget, yet was supplemented by community 

sponsorships from companies like Wyle, Cullison Excavating and 

Great Mills Trading Post. 

The initiative has been named the Gary Senese Memorial Veterans 

Repair Corps after an ex-Marine from Compton who volunteered 

with Habitat for Humanity before passing last year. 

St. Mary’s County Commissioner Dan Morris, also an ex-Marine, 

joined Getscher and his family, as well as Habitat and community 

volunteers in the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday. A little 

golden shovel was provided for Camily. 

“It’s pretty awesome and very kind of everyone,” Getscher said 

Newsmakers 

of the event and the project. “There are a lot of great people in this 

crowd and I’m grateful to be able to see their faces.” 

He said he looks forward to easier mobility once the expansion is 

completed. 

Patuxent Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Pamela Shubert 

said the septic had just been approved and the next step would be acquiring 

permits for the foundation to be poured and the framing, which 

will be done by Mennonite friends and neighbors of the Getschers. 

She said the county has been great about fast-tracking permits for 

their projects and she was grateful for the volunteers that give their time 

and services. 

Shubert said a second Repair Corps project in the works will provide 

a veteran and ex-Habitat volunteer with a ramp and repairs to his 

roof. 

Private donors have recently given $75,000 to the project, which 

can be used if a veteran’s needs exceed the $10,000 per-project budget. 

Getscher said he feels the appreciation his community has shown 

him for his service and looks forward to further recovery and more 

time at home. 

Patuxent Habitat for Humanity is currently accepting applications 

from low to moderate income qualifying veterans for remodeling and 

renovation projects that will alleviate critical health, life and safety issues 

or code violations. 

Veterans who have received an honorable or general discharge 

are eligible to participate. Veterans that are residents of Calvert or St. 

Mary’s counties that would like to participate in this program are encouraged 

to call 301-863-6227 or 410-326-9050 for more information. 

carriemunn@countytimes.net 

The Synergistic use of Protein by the Body 

By Debra Meszaros 

MXSportsNutrition.com 

Are you struggling with fatigue? Memory 

loss? Hormonal balance? Depression? Thyroid 

issues? 

The answer may lie in your intake and utilization 

of protein. 

What is protein? 

Protein is a string of amino acids strung together 

that the body separates and restructures 

back into protein. So just like water, protein is 

vital to life. 

What are amino acids? 

They are nitrogen-containing nutrients, 

the building blocks of protein. The human 

body requires twenty different amino acids for 

growth, development and sustaining life; that 

makes amino acids vital to your well being. 

Of the twenty, nine are essential, meaning they 

must come from dietary intake as the body cannot 

manufacture them. There is a constant daily 

need for the body to build and replace hair, skin, 

muscle, bone, all types of cells, and to manufacture 

hormones, including growth hormones, enzymes 

for digestion as well as metabolic functions. 

Foods that contain all twenty essential 

and non-essential amino acids are meat, fish, 

eggs, and whey. 

These are the essential amino acids: 

• Histidine 

• Isoleucine 

• Leucine 

• Lysine 

• Phenylalanine 

• Tryptophan 

• Treonine 

• Valine 

Why are we likely to be deficient? 

Due to the reductionism practiced by corporate 

research, attention has been placed on 

three of these four complete amino foods; meat, 

fish, and eggs; dictating to us reasons to shy 

away from utilizing these foods as main portions 

of our diets. It does matter which form of 

these foods are consumed as there is a tremendous 

difference between grass-fed meats, wild 

caught fish, cage-free organic eggs vs. their 

commercial versions. Deficiencies are very 

common and further fueled by other contributing 

factors like: injury, illness, medications, and 

digestive disorders. A great number of people, 

especially those over twenty years of age, struggle 

with protein digestion and utilization, due 

to enzyme deficiencies. Many simply cannot 

meet their body’s requirements for amino acids. 

Further, if one exercises or is involved in sporting 

activities, the need may very well be beyond 

dietary intake. Most individuals need far more 

than the governments recommended daily allowance 

of Aminos. 

Amino acids, not just for body builders 

What science is beginning to understand, 

through research, is that the affect amino acids 

have on the body go beyond building muscle. 

They do optimize muscle performance and 

carnosine in its beta-alanine form, is found to 

reduce muscle inflammation and soreness. It 

has recently been utilized for chronic fatigue 

syndrome. A great addition to carnosine is 

astaxanthin, which can improve muscle endurance, 

workout performance and recovery, while 

enhancing the body’s ability to metabolize fat. 

L-Carnitine/Acetyl-L-Carnitine may relieve 

fatigue, weakness, and brain stress; together 

with CoQ10 and Alpha Lipoic Acid, 

they make a good team. If your objective is 

cognitive issues, the Acetyl-L-Carnitine form 

may be more bio-available and more likely to 

help with these issues. *It may improve selective 

attention, long term verbal memory, and 

logical intelligence. Nutritionally its function 

is enhanced by the presence of vitamin C, B6, 

B3, B5, Iron, and essential fatty acids (Omegas). 

L-Carnitine is different than other amino acids 

when it comes to supplementation. In supplement 

form L-Carnitine should be taken with 

food to avoid stomach upset. Best results for all 

other amino acid supplementation would be to 

take them on an empty stomach. 

Due to the amount of mental, emotional, 

and physical stress most of us experience, often 

the amounts of tryptophan required by our 

nervous system goes beyond dietary amounts. 

Tryptophan is involved in serotonin levels in 

the body which help us grow new brain cells. 

Almonds, eggs, avocados, pork, anchovies, 

wheat germ, oat flakes, cottage cheese, Swiss 

and parmesan cheeses all contain tryptophan. 

To make a blood level change in tryptophan, 

intake needed is said to be between one to two 

grams a day, and B6 and niacinamide present to 

enhance its affects. 

Amino acids are also involved in the 

body’s process of producing hormones and 

neurotransmitters, so the correlation between 

dysfunctions related to these and amino acids, 

is formed. Although this is a short list of related 

information, amino acids have a huge impact on 

your well being. 

• Creatine – utilized for muscle weakness, 

cognitive fatigue in neurological illness. 

• L-Glutamine – useful for stomach problems, 

leaky gut, and ulcers. 

• Taurine – often found in energy drinks, 

which acts with GABA, a neurotransmitter 

involved in the thought processes. 

• L-Treonine – calming, relaxing, can help 

with anxiety. 

• DL-Phenylalanine – can help with depression, 

fatigue, pain, and cognitive function. 

• L-Tyrosine – can help with increasing levels 

of thyroid hormones. 

• Lysine – a great antiviral against herpes 

viruses. 

++Another interesting fact is that the more 

physically fit an individual is the greater their 

brain function related to motor skills, attention, 

and processing speed is. 

So we can see that adequate protein is 

vital to optimal health, but remember it’s not 

just about dietary consumption or your choice 

to supplement, but by the assimilation of protein 

by your body, which is directly connected 

to having adequate protease enzymes to break 

down your proteins. 

* [Neurology 91; 41 (11): 1726-1732] 

++ [Cochrane Database Syst Rev 08 Apr 

16, (2): CD005381 

Disclaimer: When you read through the diet and lifestyle 

information, you must know that everything within it is for informational 

purposes only and is not intended as a substitute 

for advice from your physician or other health care professional. 

I am making no attempt to prescribe any medical treatment. 

You should not use the information here for diagnosis or 

treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication 

or other treatment. The products and the claims made 

about specific products have not been evaluated by the United 

States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to 

diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. You should consult 

with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise 

or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or 

if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Confirm 

the safety of any supplements with your M.D., N.D. or pharmacist 

(healthcare professional). Some information given is solely 

an opinion, thought and or conclusion based on experiences, 

trials, tests, assessments or other available sources of information. 

I do not make any guarantees or promises with regard to 

results. I may discuss substances that have not been subject to 

double blind clinical studies or FDA approval or regulation. 

You assume the responsibility for the decision to take any natural 

remedy. You and only you are responsible if you choose to 

do anything with the information you have read. You do so at 

your own risk. Use your intelligence to make the decisions that 

are right for you. Consulting a naturopathic doctor is strongly 

advised especially if you have any existing disease or condition. 

Debra Meszaros 

is a Certified Sports Nutritionist 

and Bio-feedback practitioner with 

further educational studies in Naturopathy, 

Homeopathy, Orthomolecular 

Nutrition and additionally holds 

fourteen U.S. patents. Through her 

extensive health education, and experience 

of 20-plus years in cellular 

biology, she has developed an all-encompassing 

Holistic health service that allows individuals 

to discover their biochemical uniqueness, allowing 

them to fine tune their health. The basis of her service is to 

facilitate access to information that will help your understanding 

of health processes and elements that are within 

your area of control. Her services are available in Maryland, 

Virginia and South Carolina. She can be reached at 

(540) 622 – 4989 Monday through Friday.

Spotlight On 




Staff Writer 

Introducing 

a Lifestyle of 

Savings Early 

Photo By Corrin M. Howe 

Gage Kowalczyk, 2nd grade, is opening his first savings account. 

Sunderland Elementary School students are learning about goal 

setting and savings through a monthly visit by Educational Systems 

Federal Credit Union. 

“This is where it all begins,” said Victoria Samuels, VP of Marketing 

for the credit union. 

According to Samuels, the credit union comes into schools 

throughout Calvert County once a month to allow students to make 

deposits into a savings account. When the representatives from the 

credit union first arrive, they teach the students about setting goals 

such as saving for a new bike, video game, or Disney World. 

“By teaching them goal setting with finances we are giving them 

something tangible,” said Samuels. “It is something they can grasp. 

They start out with a dollar and soon it grows to $25 to $100 and before 

they know it they realize ‘I’m rich.’” 

Delecia Eller acts as the teller every third Friday of the month at 

Sunderland Elementary School. She sets up a table in the gym during 

the student’s morning arrival. Her table includes a laptop, deposit 

slips, pens, and a date stamp. 

This day the students came with checks from Christmas, a card 

full of coins which equate to $5, rolls of quarters, and loose bills. 

Some were already organized, carrying their bankbook, completed 

deposit slip. Others handed money in plastic baggies to Eller. 

So far, Educational Systems Federal Credit Union is in 10 Calvert 

schools at all levels. Eller usually comes during bus arrival or lunch 

once a month to each school. Besides taking deposits, the credit union 

tries to educate students about their finances. This week they went in 

to Patuxent High Schools lunch period and talked about credit “The 

Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” 

Samuels said they hope their newest branch office will open in the 

Spring of 2012 in Prince Frederick in the old Skores Grille. 

“Our effect on the educational community is our true mission 

which is to help our teachers, bus drivers, principals, moms and dads 

and students to reach their financial goals and dreams.” 

Parent Clair Weber said she started a savings account through a 

similar program when she was in school and forgot about it over the 

years. It was a nice surprise to rediscover it when she first graduated 

from college with a little bit of money. She is hoping the same will 

happen with her children. 

corrin@somdpublishing.net 


Staff Writer 

Silent Auction Supports 

Silent Ranks 

Students, government officials and members of 

the community gathered Saturday night to help support 

families of members of the military. 

During this year’s annual silent auction, hosted 

by the Northern High School’s Future Business Leaders 

of America (FBLA), the group partnered with the 

Silent Ranks Sisterhood to raise money for various 

events planned for the coming year to show support 

for the troops and their families. The coming events 

include a Valentine’s Day celebration and a large-scale 

birthday party for the children of military families. 

Silent Ranks is a support group for military 

wives and families. 

The idea to use this year’s fundraiser to support 

Silent Ranks came from FBLA member Lauren Griffin. 

Her father taught her to take pride in her country 

and the men and women who serve in the military, 

she said. When she got her hands on a flier for Silent 

Photos by Sarah Miller 

Silent auction attendees bid on items on display. 

Katie Howard and Nicole White sell dessert raffle tickets. 

Ranks initiative Hugs from Heroes, she found what 

she wanted to support. 

Recent statistics show that one percent of United 

States citizens choose to serve in the military. Griffin 

said it’s only right that the people who don’t volunteer 

support the people and families who do. 

“It’s just not right that they have to go it alone,” 

Griffin said. 

Griffin got in contact with Kristen O’Neill, a 

military wife and founder and director of the Silent 

Ranks Sisterhood. 

“Her ideas match exactly what I want to do with 

this operation,” O’Neill said. 

O’Neill hopes the events during the coming 

months will help get the ball rolling and raise awareness 

for Silent Ranks. Until now, O’Neill and her 

husband have shouldered the financial burden of the 

initiative themselves. 

David Jones, chairman of the Maryland FBLA 

Board of Directors, said the Northern High School 

FBLA is one of the top chapters in the country. After 

the event is finished, the group will write a 30 page report 

on it, to be submitted to a competition with other 

FLBA chapters. Jones said they have come in fourth 

place in the competition for three consecutive years, 

and the students should be proud. 


Inaugural Chess Tournament 

Megan Tillini and Anthony Delgado, both 4th graders from Beach Elementary School in Chesapeake Beach, face off in the first-ever 

Scholastic Chess Tournament on Saturday at Great Mills High School sponsored by the Maryland Educational Chess Association.



Sp rts 

Angler’s News 

By Keith McGuire 

Contributing Writer 

By Ronald N. Guy Jr. 

Contributing Writer 

The Ordinary 

Angler 

January weather does little to help cure cabin 

fever or winter doldrums. Thankfully, I have 

the job of finding new things to talk about that relate 

to outdoor activities that we can enjoy when 

the weather is better. 

You may recall that the Maryland Department 

of Natural Resources sponsored a Snakehead 

Fishing Contest last year. Anglers who 

caught northern snakeheads were invited to post 

a picture and a brief description of their catch on 

the “DNR Anglers’ Log” in order to be eligible 

for prizes at the end of the year. Last week they 

announced the winners. Top prize was a $200 

Bass Pro Shop Gift Card, and the winner was 

Rodney Hose of Lexington Park! Rodney caught 

the fish on September 21, 2011. He said the snakehead 

smashed a white chatterbait with a zoom 4” 

trailer. The fish was caught on the Virginia shoreline 

of Occoquan Bay, south of the Wildlife Refuge. 

Congratulations Rodney! 

While I was poking around at Maryland 

DNR, I came upon something that I’ll bet you 

A View From The 

Bleachers 

With the Super 

Bowl yet to be 

served, the NFL 

playoffs have already 

been a fantastic 

dish. The 

fashionable, pinball 

machine-like 

offenses in Green 

Bay and New Orleans 

fell victim 

to throwback, 

defense-first foes. 

Tebow-mania unexpectedly 

took out Black and Gold nation 

before falling to a man named Brady (Tom... 

not Mike, Greg, Peter or Bobby). The upstart 

49ers provided NFL history books with another 

memorable victory catch at Candlestick 

Park. And the conference championship 

games, both decided by 3 points, were epic. 

Whew…is it any wonder this game has become 

so deeply woven into our culture and 

Rodney Hose with his prize-winning Snakehead. 

created such an emotional addiction that gluttonous 

indulgence in its buffet is inevitable? 

The answers are an emphatic “no” and 

“no”, of course. One of the reasons for NFL’s 

popularity is its unpredictability, a trait that 

creates hope for fans of the league’s downtrodden 

and indigestion in fans waving the 

flags of the favorites. In other words, suspense 

is ever-present. The NFL is a league 

where the 5-11 ‘Skins can beat the Giants 

twice, the 2-14 Rams can beat the Saints, the 

Giants can travel to Lambeau Field and ruin 

the Packers’ 15-1 season and 49ers can go 

from 6-10 in 2010 to the NFC Championship 

Game a year later (yes, all of that really happened). 

Proof of the NFL’s capriciousness – 

ironically similar to the disjointed bouncing 

of a loose football – can be found in its postseason’s 

cast: an annually derived twelveteam 

roster that’s never the same and always 

contains members that will raise your brow. 

The source of this yearly postseason 

upheaval is the dynamic forces residing 

within every roster. Teams must manage 

53 (its rosters size) different personalities, 

overcome contract/payment squabbles, deal 

didn’t know! There is now 

a statewide moratorium on 

the harvest of River Herring 

including blueback and alewife 

herring. 

“This fishery closure 

was implemented on December 

26, 2011, in response 

to a coast-wide concern 

regarding the depressed 

stock levels of blueback and 

alewife herring,” said DNR 

Fisheries Service Director 

Tom O’Connell. “This is 

evident by a 93 percent drop 

in commercial river herring 

landings along the Atlantic 

Coast since 1985.” 

“With few exceptions, 

it is now illegal to possess 

river herring in Maryland,” 

said Mike Luisi, DNR Fisheries 

Service Assistant Director 

for Estuarine and Marine Fisheries. 

Anyone in possession of river herring as 

bait will need to have a receipt indicating where 

the herring was purchased. This will allow bait 

shops to sell, and fishermen to possess, river 

herring for bait that was harvested from a State 

whose fishery remains open, as an ASMFC approved 

sustainable fishery. States with open river 

herring fisheries include New York, Maine, New 

Hampshire, South Carolina and North Carolina. 

Concerned about the “alewife” defined by 

this moratorium, I talked to a DNR biologist to 

make sure that the bunker and menhaden that 

we typically use for cut-bait and chum was NOT 

included in this definition. As explained to me, 

there is a species of river herring similar to the 

blueback herring that some anglers in the northern 

reaches of the bay call alewife. It does not 

refer to our bunker. If you find yourself confused 

by these different species, you might check out 

their “Fish Facts” page on the MD DNR website 

at http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishfacts/ to 

Revisiting The Success-Model 

Cary Wolfe with a Virginia record rockfish. 

see the differences between these fish. 

Under the “hardy people” category, there 

are a few folks who are actually fishing now. 

Some are catching yellow perch in deep holes in 

the rivers and tributaries, and others are booking 

charters or guided trips out of Virginia Beach. 

One such hardy individual – Cary Wolfe 

of Manassas, Virginia – caught a 74 pound, 57 

¾ inch striped bass last Friday off Cape Henry. 

The girth on this fish was 32 inches! It is not 

a world record – that’s held by Connecticut native 

Greg Myerson who set the world record back 

in August with an 81.88-pound rockfish – but 

when validated, it will stand as a new Virginia 

State record. According to the report I saw from 

the Richmond Fishing Expo last weekend, Mr. 

Wolfe plans to eat the fish! 

riverdancekeith@hotmail.com. 

Keith has been a recreational angler on the 

Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for over 50 

years; he fishes weekly from his small boat during 

the season, and spends his free time supporting 

local conservation organizations. 

with high attrition (performance and injuries 

wreak havoc on personnel) and align dozens 

of specialized roles around a common mission. 

Sound familiar? It should. The challenges 

are virtually identical to those facing 

the average business or professional organization. 

And so, with football established as 

sports’ best metaphor for the workplace, the 

playoffs present a perfect opportunity to not 

just watch the riveting ascent to the top of 

Mount NFL, but to contemplate the reasons 

for each team’s success. While their stories 

are unique, when considered in aggregate, 

this year’s playoff cast – the best of the best 

and survivors of a perilous journey - presents 

a formula that challenges many long-held tenets 

of success. 

Organizations of any notable size must 

have an established structure and processes 

and be disciplined in its daily operations. 

Absent such a framework, chaos – competing 

priorities, duplicative effort and general inefficiency 

- will prevail and failure will soon 

follow. So, yes, a clear structure is essential. 

However, there is an irritating tendency for 

larger organizations to become so structurefocused 

that creative thinking and its byproduct, 

organization growth, are retarded. 

Once success is achieved, and those within 

every NFL front office and managing large 

organizations have experienced plenty, it’s 

human nature to repeat the formula and expect 

similar results. Such behavior, though, 

ignores the changing marketplace and evolving 

skill-set within an organization. 

The NFL squads that made the playoffs 

were those that embraced the talent within 

the organization and adapted their approach 

to the existing skill-sets. The Bengals figured 

out how to win behind a rookie quarterback. 

The Broncos reinvented their offense, 

several weeks into the season, around the 

unique talents of Tim Tebow. The Texans 

came up with a strategy to win with rookie, 

third-string quarterback who was pressed 

into duty through a rash of injuries. Jim Harbaugh, 

who had never coached a single down 

in the NFL and with virtually no offseason, 

took over a demoralized 49ers organization 

and a broken-spirited quarterback and won 

13 games. Even the Patriots, post-season 

regulars, evolved into something I’ve never 

seen before: an offensive juggernaut based 

around two uber-talented tight ends. 

This year’s playoff teams are not so 

much a testament to following a tried and 

true success formula, but to the importance 

of being open-minded and highly adaptive 

within a general framework. Structure and 

discipline are important components of success, 

but no more so than creativity, flexibility 

and the courage to pursue the unknown. 

Send comments to rguyjoon@yahoo.com

QBH Fall County Times Full Ad_BASE 10/27/11 3:29 PM Page 1 

MHBR No. 103

A Look at the Life of: - County Times - Southern Maryland Online

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