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March 15, 2012PricelessGazetteCalvertEverything Calvert County‘Nowhere To Go But Up’Benton Goes From DodgingRepo Man to Life Change CoachPage 8

The Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 2Also Inside3 County News6 Community6 Business8 Feature Story9 Newsmakers10 Obits12 Education13 Letters14 Entertainment15 Sportslocal newsThe efforts of thousands of locals who voted online paid off this week as End Hunger ChairmanRev. Robert Hahn was recognized as a Compassionate Marylander winner.educationQBH St M County TImes Half Ad:Layout A 1 year 3/1/11 and a half 3:28 of planning PM Page is coming 1 to fruition with the Girl Scouts of Calvert Countycelebration of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, which culminates with performancesat Calvert High School on March 31.On T heCover“I was losing everything. My house was in foreclosure.I was hiding my car from repo. I sold a refrigeratorto buy food. I hit rock bottom for me.” Nowhe’s the owner of Mike Benton Enterprises and is asuccessful life change coach.MHBRNo. 103

3 Thursday, March 15, 2012The Calvert GazetteBy Guy LeonardStaff WriterSpeed Cameras NowIssuing TicketsAbout a month after first being installednext to Beach Elementary Schoolin Chesapeake Beach, speed cameras onRoute 261 went fully operational, readyto record fines for motorists who traveledat least 12 miles over the speed limit.James Parent, town administrator,said any pictures taken by the cameraswould have to first be sent to police toascertain just who gets a ticket and whowill not.But the cameras have already had apositive affect, Parent said.Before their installation the townhad a problem with speeders coming offthe hill just before the school at a highrate of speed and pushed to get the camerasin place after community concerns.“People have slowed down,” Parentsaid. “The people who live there agreed,it really slowed things down … We’rehappy with that.”For the past month, the camerasweren’t even active, he said, but theymade motorists worry about getting afine just the same.The cameras have been effectiveenough that Parent predicted that therewould not be many tickets, at least fornow“I suspect we won’t have too manytickets, not until the tourist season,” Parentsaid.guyleonard@countytimes.netInfant Corpse Found,Detectives InvestigatingCOUNTYNEWSCommissioners Mark 100thAnniversary of Girl ScoutsBy Guy LeonardStaff WriterAntique & CollectableFriday, March 16 - 6 p.m.Estate AuctionFriday, March 23 - 6 p.m.Members of the Calvert InvestigativeTeam (CIT) say they are continuing to investigatethe circumstances surroundingthe death of an infant found in the trunk ofa car on Hallowing Point Road on March 8.But CIT commander, Lt. Steve Jones,said the body was in such a condition thatthey will not get a cause of death reportfrom the Chief Medical Examiner’s officeuntil mid-April.Investigators know who the mother ofthe child is, Jones said, but are not releasingany names.“We don’t even know if we have acrime yet,” Jones said, adding that investigatorsare still trying to ascertain whetherthe infant was stillborn or was alive whenthe mother gave birth.“The condition of the body was notthe best, it had been there for an undeterminedamount of time,” Jones said. “It waseither a fetus or a newborn, that’s whatwe’re trying to determine.”Jones said that if the baby was stillborn,then there would not be any felonycharges involved.The baby was found near the home ofthe mother, Jones said, but the mother hadnot lived there for about 30 days.The mother’s boyfriend also livednear the area where the baby was foundbut police are not sure if he is the infant’sfather. Jones said the mother’s boyfriend isnot a person of interest in the case.Jones said the mother’s parents foundthe deceased infant when they were cleaningout the car.Jones said investigators have foundthat the mother did not call for any type ofmedical assistance during or after the birth.State’s Attorney Laura Martin saidher office is working closely with police toinvestigate the case.She said to find a infant in the trunk ofa car, regardless of the circumstances of itsdeath, is appalling.“It’s horrific,” Martin told The CalvertGazette.guyleonard@countytimes.netGrocery AuctionSaturday, March 17 - 4 p.m.Gun AuctionSunday, April 1 - 1 p.m.Consignments Now Being Accepted for the Gun AuctionChesapeake Auction HouseSt. Leonard, MD 20685 • 410-586-1161 • chesapeakeauctionhouse.comPhoto by Sarah MillerFrom Brownies to Ambassadors, Girl Scouts of all ages showed up to the Calvert County Board ofCounty Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, where Commissioner Susan Shaw read a proclamationrecognizing the Girl Scouts and the benefits young women in the group get. She mentioned her owntime in the Girl Scouts, and the leadership skills she got out of it. In addition to being recognized, thegirls brought each commissioner a box of their famous cookies.Vera's Beach ClubSlipswithoutpowerstarting at$700"Where You Are Always On Vacation!"Check Out Our Marina & Boat Slips!• Deep draft slips with no height limitations• Electric Lift Slips• Bathhouse with private showers,clean restrooms and laundry• Fuel dock• Lighted piers• High speed diesel and gasoline pumps• Shore power 120/240 volts 30, 50 amp• Dock office• Restaurant/Bar• Full service Convenience Store• Pump-out station• Free high-speedwireless Internet• Floating jet ski dockage• Private Swimming Pooland Private BeachLiftslips are$3500Payment PlansAvailableEarly Bird Special 10% OFF by April 1st410-586-1182 www.verasbeachclub.com Lusby, MD

COUNTYNEWSBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterDrivers going up and down Route4 may have noticed signs up announcingbridgework to start March 18. The workis expected to last through the year, andincludes cleaning and repainting the steel,working on the concrete under the deckand rehabilitating other areas.State Highway Administration(SHA) spokesperson David Buck said thefirst project, costing $3.2 million, will beginnext week with containment being setup to keep contaminants out of the beachand the river. He said containment is “themost crucial part of any cleaning andpainting job.”Once containment is set up, workerswill be cleaning and painting steel on theends of the bridge, where the span is overland. Buck said it will be “methodicalFree InItIal ConsultatIonThe law offices of P.a. Hotchkiss & associatesProviding Excellent Service For Over 20 YearsAuto AccidentsWorkers’ comp• Divorce/Separation• Support/Custody• Domestic Violence• Criminal/Traffic• DWI/MVA HearingsPower of Attorney• Name Change • Adoption• Wills • GuardianshipScan this “Times Code”with your smart phoneAccepting:99 Smallwood Dr. Waldorf, MD • 206 Washignton Ave. LaPlata, MDSERVING CHARLES • ST. MARY’S • PG • CALVERTThe Calvert GazetteBridge Getting a Faceliftwork” that could take until Spring 2013,though the contractor will be trying to finishby the end of the year.In addition to the cleaning and painting,work will be done to the concrete anddrainage system.“This is proactive maintenance thatwe do on all our bridge structures,” Bucksaid.The work means one lane of thebridge will be closed Sunday throughThursday from 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. Nowork is done Friday and Saturday nightsbecause of safety concerns due to the increasedtraffic on the bridge, in additionto the higher possibility of drivers underthe influence.The second project, costing $2.3million, will begin in a month, and willmostly take place out of view from drivers.Workers will be repairing concreteunder the deck of the bridge, as well as(301) 932-7700 (301) 870-7111Do You Feel Crabby When You Get YourInsurance Bill in the Mail? Give Us A Call.You’ll Be Glad You Did.the columns in the water. Buck said thepreventative maintenance will preventpotholes from forming, which would be abad sign on a bridge. The second projectshould be completed in the fall, Buck said,though it is largely dependent on weather.The concrete can only be worked on if thetemperature is above 50 degrees and humiditylevels less than 75 percent.Buck said 90 percent of SHA’s workis done at night to decrease the impact tomotorists, and in a project like the one onthe bridge, the two contractors have tocoordinate so only one lane is shut downat any given time. Buck said at no pointwill the bridge be completely closed tothrough traffic. Workers will also beworking around local events, like PRADand the Tiki Bar opening weekend, tolessen the impact.sarahmiller@countytimes.netThursday, March 15, 2012 4By Sarah MillerStaff WriterIn an effort to make a complex process simpler,the Department of Planning and Zoning is workingto streamline the course from submittal of a projectto the final signing off on the site plan.Planning Commission Administrator and ZoningOfficer Yolanda Hipski said the departmentworked on the project in two parts – primary submittalto planning commission, and planning commissionto final site plan approval.After some final fine-tuning, Hipski said thenew processes will be adopted fully in April.Hipski said the streamlining will be “for everybody– consultants, owners and us [the planningand zoning department].” She said the process wassparked when different groups, such as consultantsand developers, identified the process as being anarea to be worked on. The department agreed, Hipskisaid.“Looking at the process, I felt the same,” she said.Currently, Hipski said she is working to make minor changes to take comments intoaccount.A major change is in the submittal of the final site plan. The Final Mylar, a masterplanning document that has to be physically signed by different groups involved in theapproval process in order to gain final site plan approval, was submitted in the past whenthe planning commission indicated they were willing to sign off on it. Now, owners andconsultants must get everyone to the point where they are willing to sign off on the projectand indicate their willingness to the department of planning and zoning.Different departments are connected through a computer system where they can indicatea “ready for signature” status, and owners and consultants are responsible for makingsure agencies make the change in the computer status.Hipski said the new process will keep Mylar copies from getting lost as they go fromagency from agency for signature because all the signatures will be done at once.With the streamlining split into two parts – the first document dealing with the processfrom submittal to the planning commission was sent out Dec. 30 for comment. Thesecond, dealing with the planning commission to the final site plan approval, was submittedfor comment Jan. 23.sarahmiller@countytimes.netPermittingProcess toBecome SimplerRev. Hahn WinsCompassionateMarylander AwardGary Simpson, Matt Laidley, Katie Facchina7480 Crain Highway • La Plata, MD 20646301-934-8437An Independent Agent Representing:ERIE INSURANCE GROUPStanding: Dan Burris, Jake Kuntz,Seated: Lisa Squires,Susan Ennis, Donna BurrisApril HancockPO Box 407Bryans Road,MD 20616301-743-9000Burris’ Olde Towne InsuranceAuto - Home - Business - LifeLeonardtown, MD • Bus: (301) 475-3151 www.danburris.comThe efforts of thousands of locals who voted online paid off this weekas End Hunger Chairman Rev. Robert Hahn, pastor of ChesapeakeChurch, was recognized as a Compassionate Marylander winner onMonday. Hahn was presented with a Governors Citation and $5000check from CareFirst to End Hunger In Calvert County.

5 Thursday, March 15, 2012The Calvert GazettePower Project On HoldBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterPEPCO’s Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP) projecthas been pushed back to a 2019-2021 timeframe.MAPP Project Manager Bob Jubic said PJM InterconnectionLLC, a major power transmitter in the area, is incharge of scheduling for the project. Early on, projectionsshowed there would be a need for additional transmission reliabilityin the 2012-2014 time frame to handle the additionalload demands.“It’s really PJM that sets the date for the project,”Jubic said.When the economy hit a downturn, so did the projecteddemands for power, and the MAPP project got pushed back,he said.MAPP is a planned 152 mile transmission line that willstretch from the Possum Point Power Station in Virginia toIndian River, Md. Completing the project requires line belaid under the Chesapeake Bay.Once PJM green lights the project, Jubic said it willtake a minimum of three years to start. There are still permitsPEPCO has to obtain, and the studies that have alreadybeen completed will need updating. In addition, to get theline that needs to go under the bay, an order has to be placedtwo years out from the start date. PEPCO also has to makea reservation for the specialized equipment that will lay theunderwater line. Jubic said a rig like that goes from place toplace working on similar projects, and can’t be brought in ona whim.“It wouldn’t happen over night,” Jubic said.He said an update on the project, whether it will be postponedanother couple of years or moved up, will be released byPJM in the August to September timeframe. He said some oldergenerators will be retired due to the Clean Air Act, but it isunknown right now how many generators will be shut down.Jubic said that number could directly affect the timeframefor the MAPP project.sarahmiller@countytimes.netCommissioner’s CornerCOUNTYNEWSMore Shell Games in AnnapolisBy Susan ShawCalvert County Commissioner, District 2Spring is coming after the mildest winterI can remember. I know that I will be relievedif we don’t get a late snow or two that wipesout some of the savings on heating bills, especiallyat this time of rising gasoline prices. I amhearing rumors that the MD General Assembly(Legislature) in Annapolis may be backingaway from their ill-advised plan to raise gasolinetaxes. Perhaps they did not think we wouldnotice when our budgets became impossible tobalance due to their unwise plans. Perhapsthey do not realize that those of us who live inthe real world know that with rising gasolineprices, the price of all commodities goes up, and the overallcost of living and doing business becomes untenable.If I sound annoyed, it is because I am. Who on earth dothey think they are fooling?Either seven or nine (depending on who’s counting andhow they are counting) counties in MD were not able to makeMaintenance of Effort (MOE), which is to say that they wereunable to fund their schools at the same level as the previousyear. Of course not!! Counties get their income primarilyfrom real estate taxes, and secondarily, from the piggy backtax (a portion of the income tax). The Legislature must nothave noticed that we have been in a deep recession and thathouse prices have fallen (nationwide) more than they did inthe Great Depression, greatly reducing the real estate taxesto Counties. So what kinds of help is the Legislature proposingto provide? Their proposal is to penalize the Countieswho couldn’t make MOE and make ALL the Countiespay more with the threat of siphoning off the income taxrevenues if the Counties fail to magically conjure this extramoney out of thin air. (This proposal was authored by Del.John Bohanan of St. Mary’s County.) Better yet, why notreduce the exemption on interest paid on real estate for thoseindividuals and businesses still getting by?I did not make this up!Or even better yet, in addition to making theCounties commit to additional education spendingthat they do not have, why not also make thempay for Teacher’s Pensions? Especially since theLegislature has refused to move to a modern pensionplan, and instead, has gouged the teachers,who must pay an additional 2% of their incometoward a decreased pension benefit. Oh, but youhaven’t heard the best part yet. The 2% extra wentinto the General Fund, not the Teachers’ Pensionfund, which is short by $19 Billion dollars! That’sthe beauty of shifting the Teachers’ Pensions tothe Counties: the Counties will also get the underfundingon their books, which they will then get to explain toWall Street when they go for bond ratings. AND, in caseyour head is not spinning yet, this brilliant plan will forcethe Counties to pay more in interest on all their borrowing,making the Counties even more desperate for income. Thefinal blow is that the Counties won’t be able to “fix” thesecooked books from the state, because the pension liability isrising so fast, at just under 8% per year, that they will neverbe able to catch up. Just as the state wasn’t, which is whythe Legislature wanted to shift the Teacher’s Pensions in thefirst place. (More info. is available at www.StopTheShift-MD.com)Oh, dear, I don’t have enough space to share the goodnews about tax increases on internet purchases, internetdownloads, automobile repairs, tobacco products, boat registrations,hunting licenses, death certificates, and more!Stay tuned for next time for all the amazing details …Indulge in yourself...& your good health.TUESDAYMarch 20Join us for a fabulous,fun, informative evening.Speaker: Dr. Theodore TsangarisChief of Breast SurgeryJohns Hopkins MedicineTopic: Dispelling the Myths about Breast CancerFree health screeningsHealth risk assessments, clinical breast exams,bone density testing, blood pressure,vascular and skin cancer screeningsMini spa servicesSeated massage, Reflexology,Makeovers, Eyebrow Waxing, Bra FittingsCalvert Medical ArtsCenter from 6-9 p.m.Cost: $10410-535-8233Registration requiredwww.calverthospital.orgIn Callaway:20865 Callaway Village WayMonday - SaturdayClosed Sundays301.994.14602 Locations Serving Southern MarylandIn Solomons:13372 HG Trueman Rd • Open 7 Days a WeekNow With Self-Serve Dog Wash410.326.4006We Carry Wholesome Foods and Treats, FunToys, Leashes and Collars and so Much More!www.pepperspetpantry.com

The Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 6Library MarksSeuss’ BirthdayNorth Beach Mayor Mark Frazer kicked offCalvert Library, Twin Beaches Branch’s Dr. SeussBirthday Celebration on March 1 with his entertainingreading of The Cat in the Hat. Over 60 attendeescelebrated this annual event with readings,skits, and activities based on Dr. Seuss’s much-lovedbooks. Regan Cashman, Twin Beach Players YouthTroupe Committee Chairperson, brought young actorsin costume who contributed to the “Seussical”fun. The Cat in the Hat himself even showed up toenjoy a rousing rendition of the “Happy Birthday”song, and of course, birthday cake!Maintaining BusinessRelationships One Card at a TimeBy Corrin M. HoweStaff WriterRaleigh Weckbaugh is an active distributor of Send Out CardsThe largest first class mailing company inthe United States, Send Out Cards, has a two-foldmission: “To help millions of people act on theirpromptings and provide a vehicle for financialsuccess.”Send Out Cards allows a person to go onlineand pick out a card from over 17,000 stock cardsor create one of their own. The card is printed,stuffed, addressed, stamped and delivered out ofthe company’s headquarters in Salt Lake City.Other than the time to select the card, the entireprocess takes about 60 seconds and costs onethird the price of a store bought greeting card,which still needs to be addressed and sent, according to localDistributor Raleigh Weckbaugh.Weckbaugh gets teary-eyed as she retells the storywhich prompted Send Out Cards CEO Kody Bateman tostart the company.“He had graduated from college and was loading up hisfamily to move to his first marketing job in New York Cityfrom Utah. He saw his brother in a distant field and felt aprompting to go give him a hug and say ‘goodbye’ however,he was in a hurry. Three weeks later his mother called atthree o’clock in the morning to tell that his brother died in afreak accident.”At that moment, Bateman made a vow to God and hisbrother that he would never fail to act on a “prompting”again. He spent almost 14 years developing a business plan,waiting on technology, and gathering all the right people tolaunch Send Out Card on the Internet in 2005.Weckbaugh’s brother turned her on to Send Out Cardsin December 2008. “When I had a chance to get onto a computerand send a card, I needed no further convincing.”“It’s one of those things everyone loves. No one has eversaid, ‘Please don’t send me another card or gift.’ Sure thereare other companies out there which help clients keep in contactwith customers, but do you see an email hanging on therefrigerator?”Being able to create her own cards, take her businessanywhere in the United States as well as the values embracedby the company are reasons Weckbaugh loves working withSend Out Cards.The conventional wisdom in the business world is thatit costs five times as much to gain a new client than to keepan old one, according to Weckbaugh. Sending out cards toclients to remember birthdays, anniversaries, thanking themfor their patronage, etc. are all ways to develop and keep arelationship going with loyal customers.She talks about one of the top Send Out Card distributorswho said that he recently needed a plumber. If he had aplumber who sent him two cards during the year, he would’vecalled that plumber. Instead, he used the phonebook to findone.Weckbaugh said she has insurance agents as clients. Sherecommends they use Send Out Cards prior to the insurancepolicy renewal as a unique way to building relationships.Send Out Cards provides a mechanism to enter addresses,important dates, notes about clients, and send a reminderto choose and send cards. The company has partnered withseveral online gifts and service companies so that customerscan attach baked goods, a gift card or inspirational book withthe card.For more information contact Weckbaugh at (410) 610-2953, or visit www.sendoutcards.com/simply/corrin@somdpublishing.netCat of the WeekMaria came to us with muchenergy. She was happy and playfuland very athletic. She was adoptedin late 2009 with one of our malecats, Bugsy. Everything seemed soperfect but both cats were returnedbecause the adoptive family had tomove. Maria resides in our main catcondo room and we consider her the class clown. When other cats arejust existing, Maria is amusing herself. She loves to open the cabinet doorand we will come in and find each and every towel on the counter or floor.Her other favorite game is to get hold of a roll of paper towels. She willunravel the roll and sometimes will wrap some of it around her. We thinkshe is looking for a new ball gown. She never ceases to amaze us with herantics. She is very affectionate but sometimes in her play will reach outwith her foot to bat you. She has never really scratched anyone but we donot think it would be a good idea to put her in a home with small children.You can see Maria at the Calvert Animal Welfare League CenterPrince Frederick Md. Fri - Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or call 410-535-9300.

7 Thursday, March 15, 2012The Calvert GazetteNewsmakersLocal Inducted intoMaryland Woman’s Hall of FameBy Corrin M. HoweStaff WriterLocal resident Margaret Dunkle receivedhigh honors from the state when shebecame one of six Maryland women inductedinto the Women’s Hall of Fame for2012. She is being recognized for her workon the federal law that made it illegal to discriminateon the basis of sex in governmentassisted educational programs.Dunkle said she is excited about beingincluded in the Hall of Fame, meaning“Title IX” will once again receive somespotlight.Forty years ago, on June 23, 1972, U.S.Congress passed legislation commonlyknown as Title IX without much hoopla, accordingto Margaret Dunkle.“No person in the United States shall,on the basis of sex, be excluded from participationin, be denied the benefits of, or besubjected to discrimination under any educationprogram or activity receiving Federalfinancial assistance…” reads Title 20 UnitedStates Code Section 1681-1688.Two days after the law passed, Dunklestarted her job at the Association of AmericanColleges. One of her first tasks was tostudy “What would equality in college athleticprograms look like?”“We didn’t have Google, Internet orcomputers back then. I had an electronictypewriter and a mimeograph machinewhich sometimes worked,” Dunkle said.Her team collected any pieces of paperfrom college newsletters and other sourcesthey could find or others would send tothem. They also brainstormed any inequitiesbetween boys’ and girls’ sports thatthey could think of or heard about.For example they discovered there wasa prohibition against giving athletic scholarshipsto girls. “A girl from a lower incomefamily with some athletic ability couldn’tget a scholarship, but her brother could,”said Dunkle.The analysis found at the time theUniversity of Michigan had $1 million inthe budget for men’s sports, but zero forwomen. The University of Texas had $1.5million in the budget for men and $43,000for women.Men’s programs received full or significantfunding while in women’s collegeathletics the women coaches were volunteerand not paid, the girls had bake sales to raisemoney for uniforms, equipment and travelexpenses, according to Dunkle.“It was the normal and legal prior toTitle IX. Now it is illegal,” she said.Further discrepancies came out. Whilewomen’s participation in sports at the highschool and college level has improved tenfoldover the last 40 years, their numbers arestill lower than men’s participation levels in1972.Over the years, Dunkle has found thatsome of the biggest Title IX supporters arefathers of girls. Although she didn’t specificallyreference the opponents of the implementationand court decisions regarding thelaw, she did say. “The law doesn’t say whatyou have to do, just that you can’t discriminatein how you do it.”She used the example of how when shewas in high school, boys could not sign upfor home economics classes.After her work in the 1970s, she laterdid a study on how high schools were discriminatingagainst pregnant students,making them take classes at different timesor in different rooms while not requiring thesame of the males who fathered the child.In today’s environment, discriminationagainst males could look like schools settingup daycare for children of moms tryingto finish school, but not allowing children offathers in the same situation.The Maryland Commission for Womenand the Women Legislators of Marylandestablished the Woman’s Hall of Fame in1985. Since that time more than 138 womenhave been inducted. Names of previoushonorees include: Harriet Ross Tubman,Clara Barton, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, andNancy Grasmick, Ph.D. (former Superintendentof Maryland State Department ofEducation).The only other Calvert County residentin the hall is Harriet Elizabeth Brown,a school teacher who took the county Boardof Education to court over inequitable pay.Thurgood Marshall represented Brown inthe 1937 case. Fifteen years later he wouldstand before the U.S. Supreme Court for thelandmark Brown vs. the Board of Educationof Topeka.“I’m honored to be in the company ofthe previous Hall of Fame members,” saidDunkle.Calvert County Board of CommissionerSusan Shaw rode up on the chartered busto Annapolis.“It is a very big deal. Only five or sixwomen from all over the state are inductedeach year. And usually there are very spiriteddiscussions when going through the selectionprocess,” said Shaw.HOUSEHOLDHAZARDOUSWASTECOLLECTIONDAYSaturday, March 248 a.m. - 2 p.m.Mt. Hope Community Center104 Pushaw Station Road, SunderlandRain or ShineDispose of common household materials that arecorrosive, toxic, poisonous or flammable: gardenand pool chemicals, automotive products, cleaningchemicals, oil-based paints, solvents, explosives, etc.NOT ACCEPTED: 2-4-5 TP silvex • 30-, 50- and 85-gallon containerswithout prior approval • Asbestos products • Dioxin • Ketones• Infectious waste (needles, syringes, etc.) • PCBs• Radioactive materials (incl. old glow-in-dark watches, smoke alarms)NOTE: Latex paint is NOT hazardous; once dried it may be put with trash.Visit online for a full list of materials accepted. Limited to Calvert Countyresidents; proof of residency (driver’s license, tax or utility bill or leaseagreement) required. Commercial businesses are prohibited.Margaret Dunkle is the second Calvert County resident to be inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hallof Fame. She is shown here with Gov. Martin O’Malley.Sponsored by the Calvert County Division of Solid Waste410-326-0210 • www.co.cal.md.us/residents/waste

The Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 8STORYLife Change Coach Practices What He PreachesBy Corrin M. HoweStaff WriterMike Benton figures he couldn’t getmuch lower than the day he sold his refrigeratorfor money to buy groceries. Duringthe lean times, he had the support of friends.One let him live in a 10-foot by 10-foot extraroom. Male ego kept him from getting anyother help.“I was losing everything. My housewas in foreclosure. I was hiding my carfrom repo. I sold a refrigerator to buy food. Ihit rock bottom for me. The only thing I hadleft was the six inches between my ears.”On the Mike Benton Enterprises websitehe writes how he realized that the samething that made him a successful entrepreneurin the past would help him out of hissituation.“Thinking.”He began to read every book he couldabout changing the way he thought.Then he made the decision to change.“I know it is cliché. But it was a lifechanging decision.”The experience not onlychanged his life, it changed hiscareer. In September 2008 hestarted Mike Benton Enterpriseswhich provides lifechange coaching and motivationalspeaking.“However you definesuccess, you know that ithas little to do with luck,and practically everythingto do with learninga set of principles and followingthem.”This is somethinghe learned from Bob Burg, author andspeaker behind the international bestsellersThe Go-Giver, Go-Givers Sell More, EndlessReferrals and It's Not About You.Now Benton is a certified Bob Burgand Bob Proctor consultant.He loves “helping people go fromwhere they are to where they want to go”– especially in the “current economy andcurrent state of mind. It’s needed more thanever.”One of the things he really enjoys is togive back to people like him – “individualswho never saw it coming – with all theirtraining, degrees and experience, they neverimagined they would wind up unemployedat this stage of their life. It’s devastating andit’s my job to help them realize we are not inKansas anymore.”He works with a community outreachprogram in Southern Maryland called theJob Match Re-Employment Program. Bentonhas been a change coach with the programsince June 2010 and hosts a two-hourdiscussion called “Monday’s with Mike.”In these types of sessions it is importantfor him to help peopleunderstand that “whatyou know and what youdo doesn’t define whoyou are.”Benton is accessible.You can find himon Facebook, Twitter,Linkedin, at PaneraBread, Starbucks,Dunkin Donuts andhe’ll return emailswithin hours.Practicing what hecoaches, he credits thegrowth of his business Home Towne RealEstate to what he learned and practicesfrom Bob Burg’s Endless Referrals. He putsup visuals to make his visions concrete.For example, he said he cut out a picture ofhimself and taped it on a flyer for motivationalspeaker Zig Ziglar announcing a conferenceand speakers. He spends one hourper day learning something new about hisprofession.Everyone has 168 hours in a week.The key is managing the time, accordingto Benton. He said he often has people whosay they don’t have the time. He counterstheir argument with proof that they willmake time for something they see as valuableby offering them Redskin tickets. Mostof the time, people suddenly find time to seeWhat some of Mike Benton’s clientsand acquaintances say about him:• “I know Mike through posts on Facebook really. Hehad always been inspiring when our school went through itsstruggle. He gave me a pep talk online and motivated me to keepdoing what I was doing as the co chair of the Marketing TaskForce, to move forward and to keep up the positive energy. I'llbet he has many followers and friends!” Suzanne Pucciarella,with Our Lady Star of the Sea school.• “He did run for Mardi Gras King and he has been agood friend to us. He is also my life coach. I think very highly ofMike.” Kelly Chambers, CEO of United Way of Calvert County.• “I’ve known Mike for almost 10 years. We both joinedthe Economical Development Commission at the same time.I’ve done some things with him through his real estate. He soldmy sister her home. And he’s an avid Dunkin Donuts customer,”said Nance Pretto Simmons, owner of Dunkin Donuts in Lusby,and president of the Lusby Business Association.• “When you hire a coach you want a game changer.Someone who will tell you the truth and make you want tochange … Mike is that game changer to anyone willing to listenand take the needed steps,” Brian Mayer, owner of Online 4 ADime.• “Mike Benton is one of the career counselors I metthrough the Job Match Re-Employment Program. He's one ofthe most inspirational figures I've had the pleasure of meeting,and I'm proud to call him my friend. He is an example what'spossible when one combines the power of positive thinking withdecisive goal setting and dedication. We can all take charge ofour lives and move in a new, positive direction. Mike Bentonshows us how it's done.” Preston Ford, writer.a Redskin’s game.“I’ve had a number of people ‘quit me’based on using this model,” said Benton,who said everyone should be able to find anextra 20-30 hours a week to spend on meetingtheir goals – doing simple things likelistening to an educational CD rather thanwatching TV.“A plan helps ordinary people achieveextraordinary results,” he said.In his coaching business he works withattorneys, doctors, clerks, stay-at-homemoms and more.“I’m a blessing or a curse to those whocome to me for coaching. It is a process. Ittakes time to germinate. It doesn’t matter –the steps you have to take are different butstill have short, mid and long term [goals].Everything has a start anda finish. Start gettingexcited.”He cautions peoplethat believe falsely theycan do everything theyneed to reach their goalsand to just stop. Just likedieting, it doesn’t work,he said. “Coaching isdaily.”Benton is a graduateof Northern HighSchool and University ofMaryland College Park.He is current member ofthe North Beach TownCouncil.He and his wife,Tina Patriarca Benton,are agents with HomeTowne Real Estate. Heis a father of four with adaughter in college downto a one-year-old son. Hebought and renovated theNorth Beach home hegrew up in.“This is my life. Ididn’t learn it in collegeor last week. It is a verysimple process but noteasy.”

9 Thursday, March 15, 2012The Calvert GazetteThe Calvert Gazette & These Fine MerchantsWould Like to Join Our Readers in CelebratingST. PATRICK’S DAYwww.carrollsequipment.com 301-872-5553www.dean-lumber.com301-373-2111www.dbmcmillans.com301-866-0777www.patriotmedicaltransport.com301-290-0502Charles Memorial Gardenswww.charlesmemorialgardens.com301-475-8060Big Larry'sComic Book Cafewww.biglarryscomics.com301-475-1860Heating & Air Conditioningwww.Snheatingac.com301-884-5011Fenwick StreetUsed Books and Musicwww.fenwickbooks.com301-475-2859John F Wood JrMaryland StateDelegate, District 29A301-884-2345301 475 5775www.brandywineparts.com301-863-6433www.mikescustompainting.net301-373-7855240-237-8228ardinerMATTINGLEYFUNERAL HOME, P.A.www.mgfh.com301-475-8500www.ricksjewelers.com301-737-4241www.threemules.com301-863-8803www.pnc.com • 301-737-3700aprilspool.com301-885-9145&ASSOCIATESINSURANCE410-586-2381301-373-3400www.gofirsthome.com301-373-6640301-475-2811rusticriver.net301-997-170022680 Cedar Lane CourtLeonardtown, MD 20650301-475-8966www.cedarlaneapts.comlennys.net301-737-0777cafedesartistes.ws301-997-0500Thompsons SeafoodCorner MarketMechanicsville, MD301-884-5251301-475-8040Fax: 301-475-865841658 Fenwick St. Leonardtown, MD 20650www.thegreenerynursery.net301-373-2573ERIECEDAR POINTFEDERALINSURANCECREDIT UNIONMembership is opento the Community!*301-863-7071 • www.cpfcu.comGROUP*Membership is open to those who live, work,worship, go to school, or regularly conductbusiness in St. Mary’s, Charles, or CalvertCounty and their immediate family.Federally Insured by NCUAFarm Market 11/2/2011 4:24 PM Page 1ERIEINSURANCEGROUPwww.brinsfieldfuneral.com301-472-4400 • 301-475-5588ERIEINSURANCEGROUPBURRIS’ OLDE TOWNE INSURANCEDANIEL W. BURRIS, CIC, PROPRIETORAuto • Home • Business • LifeERIEINSURANCEBURRIS’ OLDE TOWNE INSURANCEDANIEL W. W. BURRIS, CIC, PROPRIETORAuto • • Home • • Business • • Life22720 WASHINGTON STREET • • P.O. P.O. BOX 707 707LEONARDTOWN, MD MD 20650(301) (301) 475-3151 • Toll • Toll Free: Free: (800) (800) 872-8010 • Fax: • Fax: (301) (301) 475-9029danburris@danburris.com • • danburris.com

The Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 10Jack Brazell, 76Francis John“Jack” Brazell,76 , formerly ofHuntingtown,MD passed awayMarch 6, 2012 atthe AnnapolitanAssisted Living inAnnapolis, MD.He was bornSept. 10, 1935 inSyracuse, NY toWilliam F. and Anna (Lanty) Brazell.Jack was raised and educated in Syracuse,NY. He served in the United StatesArmy from 1955 to 1957, serving in Korea.After his service Jack relocated to the Washington,D.C. area where he met and marriedMonica E. Burgoyne. He was employed as acable splicer for C & P Telephone Companyretiring in 1986.He was preceded in death by his wifeand two brothers and two sisters.He is survived by four daughtersKathleen Morrone and her husband Pat ofChesapeake Beach, MD, Ann Myers andher husband Jim of Nashville, TN, MaggieWebb and her husband Ed of Dunkirk, MDand Cindy Warren and her husband Mikeof Fredericksburg, VA; three sons JosephLaPlaca and his wife Tina of Fredericksburg,VA, Mark LaPlaca and his wife Billieof Frederick, MD and John Brazell and hiswife Debbie of Stevensville, MD; 18 grandchildrenand 15 great grandchildren.Friends were received March 10 at St.Anthony’s Catholic Church, North Beach,MD, where a Mass and celebration of hislife was held at 11:00 A.M. Interment followedat Resurrection Cemetery, Clinton,MDMemorial contributions may be madeto Hospice of the Chesapeake, 445 DefenseHighway, Annapolis, MD 21401.Robert Bruette, 55Robert Henry Bruette, 55, of Lusby,MD passed away on Feb. 25, 2012 at hisresidence.He was born on October 8, 1956 in St.Petersburg, Fla., to Marian Knox Bruetteand the late Duane M. Bruette.Mr. Bruette enlisted in the UnitedStates Navy in 1975 and served his countryfor 21 years until his retirement in 1996. Hereceived the Navy Commendation Medal,Navy Achievement Medal, Joint MeritoriousService Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Citation,(2) Battle “E” Ribbons, (5) Navy GoodConduct Medals, (2) Sea Service DeploymentRibbons and the National DefenseService Medal. After serving his countryRobert worked for the Department of Defensein Computer Logistics.He is survived by his beloved wife,Theresa Bruette of Lusby, MD; lovingdaughters, Kimberly Watson and KristieFrost both of Jacksonville, FL; his motherMarian Bruette of St. Petersburg, FL and agrandson.All services will be private.Should friends desire contributionsmay be made in his memory to CalvertHospice, P. O. Box 838, Prince Frederick,MD 20678 "Donations are encourage onlineat www.calverthospice.org" or to thePancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141Rosecrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo,CA 90245 www.pancan.org.Arrangements provided by RauschFuneral Home, P.A., Lusby, MD –rauschfuneralhomes.com.Rosalee Freeland, 87Rosalee Freeland,87, of Forestville,MD passedaway on Feb. 19,2012 at her residence.She was theyoungest child of12 children of thelate Rev. CharlieH. Range and HattieM. Range, wasborn on April 30,1924 in Macon, Ga.After the death of her parents, Detroit,Michigan became her home which was alsothe residence of many of her relatives.Rosalee was a first lieutenant in theUnited States Army. She was inducted intothe Army Nurse Corps on July 30, 1953.During her career in the U.S. Army, shemet the love of her life, Carl E. Freeland,her late husband of 36 years, who was alsoin the United States Army. This union wasblessed with four children: two sons, Carl(Chuckie) who preceded his mom in deathand Andre, and twin daughters, CarleneWhere Life and Heritage are Celebratedwww.RauschFuneralHomes.comOwings8325 Mt. Harmony Lane410-257-6181During a difficulttime… still your best choice.Affordable Funerals, Caskets, Vaults,Cremation Services and Pre-Need PlanningFamily Owned and Operated byBarbara Rausch and Bill GrossPort Republic4405 Broomes Island Rd.410-586-0520Lusby20 American Lane410-326-9400and Charlene.Rosalee was an active and faithfulmember of the Third Street Church of Godlocated in Washington, D.C. until her healthdeclined. Her love for God and her faith inHim was always prevalent in her life includingher last moments when she called for Jesusand said; "Jesus, help me please." (Faithis to believe what we do not see, and the rewardof faith is to see what we believe.)Spending time with her family andfriends along with singing and playing theorgan brought Rosalee much joy and fulfillment.She was an avid writer (whiz with thepen) and enjoyed writing poems. She alsohad a wonderful sense of humor.Siblings preceding her in death werebrothers, Charlie, Dennis, Phillip, Thomas,Harris, William, Johnny and Edward andsisters, Cora Range, Fannie Range Smithand Mary Range Boyd Clinkscales.She leaves to cherish fond memoriesher daughters, Carlene L. Hernandez (Danny)and Charlene F. Coello (Tony); her son,Andre Freeland; one granddaughter, MaritzaC. Barbot (Henry); four grandsons, DemetriusHernandez, Christopher Hernandez,Carl Hernandez and Dalton Freeland;one great-granddaughter, Jadyn M. Barbot:and a host of other relatives and friends.Funeral service was held on Saturday,Feb. 25, 2012 at Third Street Church ofGod, Washington, DC with Rev. Dr. CherylSanders officiating. The interment was atPlum Point United Methodist Church Cemetery,Huntingtown, MD.Funeral arrangements provided bySewell Funeral Home, Prince Frederick,MD.Celie King, 87Mary Lucille“Celie” King, 87, ofFt. White, Fla., anda longtime residentof ChesapeakeBeach, MD passedaway Feb. 15, 2012at the Haven HospiceE.T. York CareCenter in Gainesville,Fla.Celie was ahomemaker and wife of the late Zane KennardKing, Sr. She was born Nov. 9, 2012in Friendship, MD to Frank and Ethel Rebecca(Sears) Wells.She is survived by her son Zane Kennard“Kenny” King, Jr. and daughter-inlawLyne of Ft. White, FL. She is alsosurvived by six grandchildren, five greatgrandchildrenand a sister Lynette Burgerof Baltimore, MD.Celie was preceded in death by herson Franklin M. Humphries, and is survivedby his wife Nancy.Services for Celie are being held inFlorida. She was buried privately besideher husband at Mt. Harmony United MethodistChurch Cemetery in Owings, MD.Arrangements were handled byRausch Funeral Home, P.A., Owings, MD.Memorial Contributions in Celie’sname may be made to the Haven HospiceE.T. York Care Center, 4200 NW 90thBlvd., Gainesville, FL 32606-3809.Ethel Mauck, 90Ethel Virginia (Simpson) Mauck,90, passed away March 5, 2012 at theCountry Home assisted living in Harwood,MD where she had resided since2008.Ethel was born Oct. 21, 1921 inDayton, MD to Roland L. and EmmaE. (Hill) Simpson. She was raised inDayton and attended Howard Countypublic schools. She married Herman E.Mauck December 5, 1941 and they livedand raised their family in Mt. Rainier,MD until moving to Deale Beach, MDin 1961. Ethel was a homemaker andenjoyed various needlecrafts includingquilting, crocheting, and tatting. Whenliving in Deale she had attended CedarGrove U.M. Church in Deale where sheparticipated in the Homemakers group.She was an avid reader and also lovedspending time with family, especiallyher grandchildren.Ethel was preceded in death by herhusband Herman and by a son Paul E.Mauck.She is survived by three children,John W. Mauck and wife Joanna ofChurchton, MD, Patricia M. Riley andhusband Joseph of Deale Beach, MDand Michael H. Mauck and wife Donnaof Tracy’s Landing, MD. She is also survivedby seven grandchildren, thirteengreat-grandchildren, and by a brother,Willard Simpson of Dayton.Friends and family were receivedon March 8 at Rausch Funeral Home,Owings, MD, where funeral servicesand a celebration of Ethel’s life was heldMarch 9. Interment followed at SouthernMemorial Gardens in Dunkirk, MD.Memorial contributions in Ethel’sname may be made to Hospice of theChesapeake, 445 Defense Highway, Annapolis,MD 21401.Carla Patricia Sipe, 38Carla PatriciaSipe, 38, of Lothian,MD passedaway suddenlyMarch 7, 2012 ather home.She was bornDec. 19, 1973 inSilver Spring, MDto Benjamin Andrewand CarlaPatricia (Chite)Ort.Carla was raised in Churchton,MD and graduated from Southern HighSchool in 1991. She later attended AnneArundel Community College. Carlamarried Glenn A. Sipe, II on April 11,1998 in Deale, MD. The couple madetheir home in Lothian. She was involvedwith the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, anddance, as well as other activities that herchildren participated in.Carla was preceded in death by herparents, a daughter Destiny Sipe and herhusband Glenn A. Sipe, II.She is survived by her four chil-

11 Thursday, March 15, 2012The Calvert Gazettedren: Angel, Glenn III, Dakota andSkylar Sipe; sisters Marianne Stiles andher husband Jeff of Churchton, MD andPam Walker and her husband Robert ofGoldsboro, MD; and a brother Andy Ortof Ruckersville, VA. Carla is also survivedby her mother and father in lawDarla’Ray and Glenn A. Sipe, I of Lothianand brothers in law Frank Sipe andhis wife Christie of Lothian and BrianSipe, Jr. of New Jersey and a nephewWilliam Sipe of Lothian.Friends were received March 11 atRausch Funeral Home, Owings, MDwhere services were held March 12. Intermentfollowed at Southern MemorialGardens.Memorial contributions may bemade to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital,262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN38105.Kathryn Sorrels, 60Kathryn DianeSorrels, 60,of Prince Frederick,MD passedaway on March 7,2012 in WashingtonD.C.She was bornon April 13, 1951in Virginia to JesseD. Harmon andElsie G. PruittHarmon. Kathryn had large passion forlighthouses which she loved to collectand visit. She also loved to spend all hertime with family and friends.She is survived by her husbandRichard B. Cameron, her son RichardSorrels and his wife Pamela. She is alsosurvived by her granddaughters Crystaland Jessi McLaughlin, and Victoria Sorrels.She also leaves behind a brotherDonald Harmon.The family will receive friends on alater date at the Rausch Funeral Home,Port Republic, MD.Edith Joyce Vermillion, 85Edith JoyceVermillion, 85of Fairfax, VAand formerly ofPrince Frederick,MD passed awayMarch 10, 2012 atCapital Hospicein Arlington, VA..She was born onJan. 4, 1927 inWashington, DCto Julian Winfield and Ruby Virginia(Clatterbuck) Duty.She received her education in Washington,DC public schools. Edith movedto Mt. Rainer as a young woman whereshe met and later married Arthur E. Vermillion.She was employed as residentmanager for JGB Properties in apartmentsin Suitland and Beltsville. Uponher retirement she moved to Calvert Pinesin Prince Frederick and to Fairfax, VA in2005.Edith was preceded in death by asister Juliette Hangliter, a brother RobertEdwards and her husband Arthur E. Vermillionon July 6, 1984.Surviving are one daughter LanaLee Corrado of Broomes Island, MD;five sons Arthur H. Vermillion of Aquia,VA, David M. Vermillion of Waldorf,MD, Christopher E. Vermillion and hiswife Maureen of Chesapeake Beach,MD, John W. Vermillion and his wifeMarlene of Dunkirk, MD and GeraldVermillion and his wife Amy of Fairfax,VA; eight grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren.Friends may call on Friday, March 16,from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Rausch FuneralHome, Owings, MD. A Memorial Servicewill be held 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17,at First Lutheran Church of Bowie, 12710Duckettown Road, Laurel, MD 20708.Memorial contributions may be madeto Capital Hospice, 4715 15th Street, Arlington,VA 22205 or the ASPCA, P.O.Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090-6929Twanna Wilkerson, 55Twanna MelissWilkerson, 55,of Huntingtown,MD passed awayon Feb. 24, 2012 ather residence. Shewas the daughterof the late WilliamRobert Wilkerson,Sr. andGladys EleanorHicks Wilkersonand was born on June 23, 1956 in Washington,D.C. She attended Calvert CountyPublic Schools.Twanna had a strong love for herfamily and friends. She enjoyed the timeshe spent with her family at cookoutsand holiday gatherings. She adored andcherished her grandchildren Kaylon andAllana.Twanna also known as “T” hada way of making everyone laugh thatcame in contact with her. If you wereever feeling down or just needed a goodlaugh, you could be sure that “T” hadthe remedy. “T” would make you laughuntil you nearly cried. “T” just loved tohave a good time and was often the lifeof the party. “T” knew how to dance andwould often say “if I don’t dance anotherday, I’ve danced and clicked my fingersenough in my time”. “T” liked to go tobaseball games, watch her favorite footballteam the Dallas Cowboys.She also had a love for flowers andalways had a beautiful flower gardenblooming outside of her residence. Sheloved to crochet and made many beautifulscarves, hats, ponchos and blanketsfor family and friends.Twanna was employed by Hechingerin Glenarden, MD, Oxford Knolls, inSuitland, MD, the former Capital Center,in Landover, MD, and prior to her illness,she was employed at Calvert MemorialHospital.Twanna accepted the Lord as herpersonal Savior and was baptized andattended a Baptist Church located inLandover, MD and later joined PlumPoint United Methodist Church, in Huntingtown,MD, where she attended untilher illness.Twanna leaves to cherish her memory,daughter Shaiwian Mackall (Clinton)of Prince Frederick, MD, and Alan GuthrieII (Kenya) of Oxon Hill, MD; sistersVashti Burch (Frank) of Sunderland, MD,Carolyn Green (Carlon) of Huntingtown,MD; and Francien Morsell (Craig Sr.) ofSunderland, MD; two brothers: WilliamWilkerson, Jr. (Barbara) of Annapolis,MD and Sheerod Wilkerson, Sr. of Sunderland,MD; and five step-sisters: SylviaFurr (Harlon) of Baltimore, MD, TiffanyWilkerson of Chesapeake Beach, MD andLaKeshia Wilkerson Thomas (James) ofChesapeake Beach, MD, Patricia Chewof Raleigh, NC, Jackie Neal (Dennis) ofTemple Hills, MD, and Christine Barnesof Temple Hills, MD and one step-brother:Anthony Barnes of Sunderland, MD;three aunts Marion Howell of Annapolis,MD; Eveline Hicks of Annapolis, MD,and Elnore Hicks of St. Leonard, MD;two uncles: John Irving Harris of Deale,MD and William Young of Sunderland,MD; two grandchildren: Kaylon Guthrieand Allana Guthrie and a host of nieces,nephews, cousins, and friends. Specialand devoted friend Russell Jones, of Huntingtown,MD.Preceding her in death her parents:William Robert Wilkerson, Sr. and GladysEleanor Hicks Wilkerson, and sonHarim Wilkerson.Funeral service was held on Friday,March 2, 2012 at Mt. Olive UM Church,Prince Frederick, MD with Rev. TundeE.O. Davies officiating. The intermentwas at Young's Church Cemetery, Huntingtown,MD.The pallbearers were BenjaminCheyenne Harris, Thomas HIcks, Jr.,Ronnie Jones, Tyrone Riggs, CarlosYoung and Eric Young, Sr. The honorarypallbearers were Daryll "Duke" Creekand Carl Hicks.Funeral arrangements provided bySewell Funeral Home, Prince Frederick,MD.From The Family ofLouis Edward Pulliam, Sr.who passed away on Feb. 8, 2012We want to thank the many people who stood by the family during these most difficult 5 years. If you visited, sent a card or e-mail, made a phone call,brought food, attended his service or made a donation in his honor we want to thank you. A special thanks to; A Community That Cares (ACTS), Hospice,Brinsfield Funeral Home, R H Design (Ruby) for Prayer cards, C &C Photography (Cheron & Sam) for the video, American Legion Post 255 in Ridge,Senator Roy Dyson, Larry Hills, Charlie’s Deli who prepared and served the food at his service.Also to the ladies that brought him comfort and support through this time, Cindy Wolf and Lynda Purdy.Many thanks to the people who came to his bedside during his last week, to spend time, he knew you cared and loved him and he felt the same about you,as we cried together and laughed together. He knew then that his time was getting closer but he still did not want to leave us. Although we know his journeyis over on this earth, we know he is looking down upon all of us at amazement of how many lives he had touched in his 72 years. Each and every one whohad the pleasure of meeting him will never forget his great humor and quick wit. He will live on forever through each and every one of you. So as daysand weeks pass remember the laughter that he brought to all and as Spring and Summer approach us, take time to visit his most favorite place “The CreekShore” and enjoy the monument that was built and placed there in his honor. Many thanks to all that had a part in making this happen, what a beautiful job.Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time in our lives.- Eleanor Pulliam and Family March 16th, 1939 – Feb. 8th, 2012

Spotlight OnThe Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 12Local Girls Scouts ModelingFounder By Leading The WayBy Corrin M. HoweStaff WriterJuliette Low, founderof the United State’s GirlScouts, was progressivefor her time, according toLinda Buckley, member ofthe Girl Scouts of CalvertCounty 100th AnniversaryCommittee.“Back then sportsweren’t something theycould do. She set up a basketballhoop in her backyardand put up curtains so noone could see the girls playingin their bloomers,” saidBuckley.The Girl Scouts werethe first to integrate African-American girls and girlswith disabilities. Low wantedall girls to participate.The Calvert Committeestarted planning the 100th Anniversary Celebrationactivities in December 2010.“We called around to see what other GirlScouts were doing and discovered we were amongthe first to start planning. In fact, we started receivingcalls to find out what we were doing,” saidBuckley.The committee, representing each of the fourservice units in the county and the Girl Scout fieldrepresentative, had a mission in mind during theentire planning phase.“The goal was making sure the CalvertCounty Girl Scouts remembered the 100th Anniversaryas one of their experiences in Girl Scouts.”Buckley, a librarian at the Prince Frederickbranch, created a display case at the front of thelibrary with items from local Girl Scouts. She saidshe had enough material to fill five display cases.The items include old books, photos, letters fromthe U.S. presidents congratulating girls for earningthe top Girl Scouting award – now called theGold Award.The actually anniversary, March 12, thecommittee encouraged all Girl Scouts past andpresent to “wear their pin with pride.” Buckleywore a green sweater, green earrings and her pinthat day.At the end of the month, on March 31, atCalvert High School they will have two performanceswith three parts to celebrate a centuryof Girl Scouts. The first part will be a songfestof the songs the girls sang throughout the years.Next will be a drama called “Pearls” in referenceto Juliette Low’s necklace that she received on herwedding and later sold to raise funds. The finalsection will be a fashion show to show all the variousstyles of uniforms. The performances are at10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and call be purchasedat www.calvertgs100.org.This spring all the service units will have a“round up” where the girls will be “making, doingand taking home different things from eachdecade in Girl Scouts.”In June, Girl Scouts from nationwide willgather on the Mall of Washington, D.C. for a singa-long.They are estimating 200,000. Calvert GirlScouts are hoping to help host some of the otherservice units which traveled great distances.“It’s still in the planning stages, but we arehoping to work with churches and having sistertroop sleep-overs and provide meals.”Grace Mary Brady of Bayside History Museumin North Beach will also have a Girl Scoutdisplay during her 2012 season.The county committee members LindaBuckley, Carol Harrison, Dayna Jacobs, KathySears and Nadine Happell planned to get togetherand celebrate after spending the nearly a year anda half working together. Buckley said the celebrationwouldn’t be possible without all the other volunteerswho have put in so many hours on each ofthe activities they headed up.Making SureChildren are in SchoolBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterIn a county wide alliance, thepublic schools and the State’s Attorney’sOffice have joined forcesto form the Calvert County TruancyCourt.State’s Attorney Laura Martinsaid they held the first of the truancycourt meetings in January, andhave held them monthly ever since.She called the court a “last ditcheffort to get kids in school” aimedat middle and high school studentswho have missed a large amountof school. She said the parents ofthe students are asked to come inand discuss why their student hasmissed so much school, some in excessof 60 days.Martin said truancy court isthe final step, if parents have notbeen responsive to school communicationstrying to find out why studentshave not been in school.Kim Roof, Executive Directorof Administration for countyschools, said truancy court hasbeen in the making for a couple ofyears, and during last summer theyfinally got it in place and identifiedand brought in the first families thatneed it.Normally, between two andfive cases are taken every month.The goal is not to incarcerate parents,Martin said, but to work withthem to find the reason kids havebeen missing school and get thestudents in the classroom. In somecases, the issue is health related andall a parent has to do is submit adoctor’s note.Martin said such cases used togo through district court, but theyneeded the personal touch the circuitcourt and Martin’s office canoffer. During a hearing, parents sitdown with either Martin or a juniorattorney and Pupil Personnel WorkerWalter Williams to talk about thechild’s absence from school.Martin said there has been acomplete turnaround in the attendancefor the students.Williams agreed with Martin,saying truancy court has “definitelymade a difference on a majorityof the families that have comethrough.”In the original 13 families thatwere identified for truancy court,students missed a combined 339days during a 10 month schoolyear. So far this year, the 13 studentshave missed a combined 96days, averaging one day per studentper month. Some students havegone months without missing a day,while others have only missed oneor two.Williams said he expects thefinal number to be a combined 120days missed, which he said is ahuge improvement during a singlecalendar year.sarahmiller@countytimes.netPlum PointPTA Needs PeopleBy Sarah MillerStaff WriterThe Plum Point ElementaryPTA is putting out a plea for all thefamilies in the school to get involvedin the organization.Plum Point PTA President KimKotess said PTA’s big fundraiser forthe year is a Family Fun Night, whichbrings in approximately $18,000.The October event has been held forthe past 10 years, and is always a success.The money is raised through asilent auction, carnival and other activitiesduring the night.The money is the biggest chunkof the yearly operating budget forthe PTA. A chunk of it goes to eachgrade level to support programmingand activities that enhance classroomlearning but may not possiblewith the constraints of the school’snormal budget.She said the PTA also supports“extracurricular activities that arefun but teachers couldn’t afford,” aswell as academic nights and schooldances.Kotess said the school communityhas seen an upswing in thenumber of families with two parentsholding full time jobs, but if eachfamily in the school donated just fourhours of time to the PTA, she saidthere would be more than enoughvolunteers to organize and run thePTA, as well as the yearly fall fundraiserwithout needing smaller onesthrough the year, such as the Christmasgift wrapping that other PTAsdo.She said the planning for thefundraiser begins in the spring, withmeetings during the summer and thebeginning of the school year. Shesaid it is the perfect time to join upand get involved with the planning ofthe Family Fun Night. She said thePTA needs everyone they can get,and there are jobs for any abilities.For more information, call Kotessat 410-414-2185.sarahmiller@countytimes.net

13 Thursday, March 15, 2012The Calvert GazetteDon’t Buy TeacherPension Shell GameWhat the public doesn’t know about the “shell game” thatour legislators are playing by turning over the Maryland StateTeachers Retirement/Pension Fund to counties. The assumptionwould be that the State would be turning over a healthy fund forcounties to manage. That is not the case.PEW Center on the States and Boston College’s Center forRetirement Research, two non-profit and independent researchorganizations are recognized as having expertise in analyzingall 50 states liabilities compared to actual state funding. Bothorganizations have some interesting history and projections onthe Maryland Retirement/Pension Fund for Teachers. In 2010,The Pew Center had “serious concerns” over the declining assetsto liability ratio for the retirement fund.In 2000, the Retirement/Pension Fund for Teachers wasfunded at 101%. That means for every dollar of money promisedin payment, $1.01 was actually funded. That makes for avery healthy fund to meet the promises made to employees. TheFederal General Accounting Office (GAO) has a guideline thatany retirement fund, either private or public, at 80% is a healthyretirement fund. This is standard.In 2008, the Maryland Retirement/Pension for Teachersfund was rated at 78%. No alarm bells were going off at that timesince it was just below the 80% mark. The drop was attributed tothe collapse of the financial markets. But something else was goingon that wasn’t being reported. The State of Maryland, before2003, had been making only partial or no payments to the fund.These payments are an obligated expense that lawmakers choseto overlook and this trend has continued. If that were not badenough, the State of Maryland has been using the Retirement/Pension Fund for Teachers as its own personal piggy bank. Thelatest withdraw was $120 million made last spring and transferredto the transportation budget. No state payment to the fundwas made. Instead, they increased the percentage of contributionsan individual teacher makes to their retirement fund.By March of 2011, the funding was at 64%. Funding at 60%is considered “a serious concern or in need of improvement” bythe Pew and Boston College Research Centers. In a recent articlein the Washington Post, the projection is that the fund will fallto 59% funding by the end of 2012. Still the state is on track toremove another $60 million and another missed fund payment in2013. Some of this drop can be attributed to continued fluctuationsin the financial markets and the overall economy. Most ofit can be attributed to our State leadership, regardless of partyaffiliation and the “shell game” being played for years.So, what exactly are the individual counties inheriting fromthe state? They will be inheriting a fund that is under funded (usingthe 80% GAO standard) and may be approaching an unsustainablefuture. They will be inheriting a fund that may impactcounty credit ratings and ability to borrow money. There are nolaws on the books that prevented the state from raiding the RetirementFund. Nor are there any laws that prevent counties fromdoing the same. If this had happened in the private sector, with aprivate company raiding employee’s retirement fund, somebodywould be jailed. Since the “king can do no wrong” (no laws broken),the state is not accountable to the public sector. The countiesneed to find a way to delay this transfer of the Retirement /Pension for Teachers until the State restores the funds to the 80%funding standard. Without that happening, each county will beon the “hook” for restoring this fund.Restoring the fund can happen two ways: Raising countytaxes in the event of the fund being transferred from the state ora penalizing reform for teachers. I am betting on the latter optionor a combination. Teachers did not create the problem; the statebears the greater responsibility. The state reneged on payments,withdrew money to fund unrelated projects and balanced thebudget, all on the backs of teachers. Teachers continue to upholdtheir end with their increased contributions to the fund. Neitherfuture reform nor higher county taxes would be necessary if thestate had kept its promised contribution and left the fund alone,allowing it to do what its original structure to accomplish. A lessonlearned too late.Joan RitchieLeonardtown, MDTribute to Pat CarpenterI feel like I’ve known Pat all my life and that’s notso. The day I met Bob and Pat Carpenter, I instantlyfell in love with them – they are like a ray of sunshine.They made my day every time I saw them. Pat wasalways so very positive in every endeavor she did, alwaysthinking ahead for what’s good for ChesapeakeBeach and North Beach.As the topic for MML last year was: “WorkingTogether for a Successful Tomorrow”, that was Pat,and I loved working with her because we are on thesame page.From the beginning of Chesapeake Beach to theend of North Beach there is no better place to be inAmerica. We are the best and Pat helped make it thatway.Giving a Reason to SMILEIt is hard to imagine a community more supportivethan Calvert County. Thank you to everyone whosupports SMILE either by volunteering their time, donatinggoods or shopping in our Thrift Shop. Withoutthis continuing support, SMILE could not exist.SMILE has been enriching lives in southern CalvertCounty for just over 20 years. The Food Pantryand Thrift Shop are run by a staff of over 175 dedicatedvolunteers; there is no paid staff. Community donationsof clothing, household items, toys and other marketablegoods stock the Thrift Shop shelves. Proceedsfrom Thrift Shop sales are used to purchase food forthe Pantry and to provide emergency financial assistancethroughout the year.In 2011, SMILE handed out over 12,000 bags offood serving over 36,000 people, distributed 225 Easterdinner food baskets and 441 bags of groceries forThanksgiving dinners. We served over 200 dinners onChristmas Day and helped to serve over 200 Thanksgivingdinners at Catamaran’s in Solomons. SMILE isalso a distribution point for the Federal CommoditiesProgram with several distributions per year.SMILE’s Thrift Shop provided clothing in fourseasonal allotments for 1,440 children. We also helpedwith clothing for people reentering the workforce, withfurniture and household items for burnt-out families,and clothing and necessities for people in transition.We distributed Christmas gifts to 66 families for 191children.SMILE offered emergency financial assistance to350 guests for utilities, medical needs, rent, and otherone-time emergency needs. We offer monthly bloodPublisherThomas McKayAssociate Publisher Eric McKayEditorSean RiceGraphic Artist Angie StalcupOffice ManagerTobie PulliamAdvertising sales@somdpublishing.netEmailinfo@somdpublishing.netPhone 301-373-4125Staff WritersGuy LeonardSarah MillerCorrin HoweContributing WritersJoyce BakiKeith McGuireSusan ShawSherrod SturrockLaw EnforcementGovernment, EducationCommunity, Businessto theEditorLETTERSThe bestway to honor Pat,I think, would be toremember every day thegreatness she had in her heart and apply it to our dailyroutine. Say a prayer, give someone a big hug, tellsomeone you love them, smile and make them laugh.Pat would love this because that is who she was.We all miss her everyday, but just remember, shehas her clipboard and is already planning a big paradewith the angels. Theme title: “Pat’s Parade.”God Bless you all!Sally Donaldson, presidentNorth Beach House and Garden Clubpressure tests. SMILE provided 10 camp scholarshipsfor youngsters to attend the 6-week summer sessionat East St. John Youth Center and made start-of-yearschool supplies available for those in need.In addition to Food Pantry and Thrift Shop activities,SMILE organizes and participates in a number ofcommunity activities. SMILE is an Energy Assistancesite for Calvert County. In cooperation with our ninemember churches, SMILE hosts ecumenical worshipservices for the full community at Thanksgiving andon Good Friday. We also assist in the preparation ofthe Baccalaureate Service for the Patuxent High SchoolGraduates.Enrich your life by supporting SMILE (ServiceMakes Individual Lives Exciting).We are always inneed of volunteers. We encourage all members ofour community to shop in our Thrift Shop to discover“Lusby’s best-kept secret.” As a 501c(3) non-profit, wealso accept tax-deductible monetary donations. Wewelcome any help you can give SMILE so we can continueto assist those who need our help.SMILE serves southern Calvert County fromBroome’s Island Road to Solomons and is located at10290 H.G. Trueman Road, Lusby, MD.Hours of operation: Food Pantry – Wednesday andThursday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Saturday 9a.m. to noon.Thrift Shop – Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. andSaturday 9 a.m. to noon.Debi Jagodzinski, presidentSMILE Ecumenical Ministries, Inc.Calvert GazetteP. O. Box 250 . Hollywood, MD 20636The Calvert Gazette is a weekly newspaper providing news and information for the residents of CalvertCounty. The Calvert Gazette will be available on newsstands every Thursday. The paper ispublished by Southern Maryland Publishing Company, which is responsible for the form, content, andpolicies of the newspaper. The Calvert Gazette does not espouse any political belief or endorse anyproduct or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be signedand may be edited for length or content. The Calvert Gazette is not responsible for any claims madeby its advertisers.

The Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 14Michael Bell, performing as The Singer,co-wrote an original score for theproduction and built the set.The Calvert Gazette is always looking for more local talent to feature!To submit art or band information for our entertainment section,e-mail sarahmiller@countytimes.net.Adding Bells to Brecht;The Caucasian Chalk Circle Opens FridayBy Carrie MunnStaff WriterLooming in the pages of theater andliterature anthologies is German-born BertoltBrecht, with his post WWII-era “epic”theatre, brimming with political and socialcommentary. His work is challenging toread and to perform, but The NewtownePlayers’ offering of his play, The CaucasianChalk Circle, will treat theatergoers toa thoroughly entertaining show.Missy Bell directs an 18 member castwho play almost 70 different roles, as wellas sing and play instruments.Bell’s husband, Michael, plays TheSinger, and along with fellow actor andmusician Krys Baker, wrote an all originalscore. He also served as the lighting designerand constructed an elaborate, transitionalstage which functions to transportthe audience into the world of a war-tornvillage and the minstrel’s story of the chalkcircle.“The music is one of the drivingforces in the piece,” Bell said. Through abarrage of guitars, mandolins, banjos, accordions,drums, whistles and one comicaltrumpet, the tones are set for the scenesand the audience is continually entertainedas the actors, in plain sight, move swiftlythrough costume changes and from onescene to the next.With the characters ever-present onthe stage, the musical delivery and a talethat dives into social class and justice, warand love, it’s a lot of theatre to take in. “It’sepic theatre, in every sense of the word. Ithas everything,” Bell said.Every character is critical in the tellingof this story and Bell explained thecast consists of both veteran actors andPhotos by Carrie MunnLeni Weisl, as the Governor’s wife holding thenewborn child which becomes central in theplay, is joined on stage by Mike Snider, left, andJohn Giusti as overbearing, bickering doctors.new ones, making their debuts in thisproduction.The director explained there havebeen some challenges in working with anovice cast, but at the same time it allowsher an opportunity to teach, her first love,she said. “It’s been a log and intense process.It’s the hardest show I’ve ever done,bar none and by far,” she said.The actors, as well as stage managerSara Meador, who Bell called “outstanding,”have had to really stretch themselvesfor this piece.Leni Weisl as the Governor’s selfcentered,self-righteous wife and KaitlynBauer in the role of Grusha, the youngservant girl with a big heart showcase thedichotomy of the human and maternal conditionwith rousing performances.Bob Ellwood, thanks to what Bell saysis an intense understanding of the work,pulls off the role of Azdak, the drunkenjudge with a skewed sense of justice, withwit and conviction. “He’s uncanny, really,”Bell told the Calvert Gazette.Jeffrey Robbins plays several characters,but makes the stomach turn a bitas the lewd Corporal, and young actressAlyssa Fox also plays multiple charactersbut displays impeccable comic timing andemotional outpouring on stage.Bell said there is an abundance of rawtalent in the cast, which has been workingon the intricate play since December. Theentire cast move from scene to scene, roleto role, giving it their convincing all.While some of the subject matter isa bit high-brow, the delivery makes it digestable.However, due to some more suggestivesituations and a couple of severedheads, some sections of the play aren’t appropriatefor young children, Bell said.It’s an exciting piece that movesquickly, the director explained. “There area lot of pieces to the story, but once you’rein it, you’ll be hooked.”As an actor as well, Bell said she’sable to better understandwhat’s beingasked of an actor, “howfar people are truly ableto go.” She said shelikes to “dive deep” and“get to the meat of thescene.”“I like to tell thestory- that’s what it’sall about anyway,”she said, adding it’sexciting to see the actorsreach a new levelin their performance.“That’s what keeps megoing.”Ryan Krause, Alison Dodges and KaitelynBauer, as Grusha, struggle with theinjustices bestowed upon them.The cast has certainly pushed themselvesand worked hard to provide a palatableinterpretation of The Caucasian ChalkCircle.When asked about her experiencesin working with Three Notch Theater andThe Newtowne Players, Bell had nothingbut positive things to say.“Live, local theatre is so necessary.Art is so necessary. You shouldn’t have totravel to the big city to see something thatwill move you,” Bell said.The intimate set-up lends itself well tothe play, pulling the viewer in and keepingthem engaged in the entangled web TheSinger spins.Bell said she submitted the work tothe play selection committee and appliedwith her vision proposal to direct it afterreading the Brecht masterpiece last summer.“Once I started reading, I couldn’tput it down,” she said. She and the cast andcrew of the play are hoping the audiencehas a similarly engaging experience.“I think if you love theatre, you’ll lovethis show,” Bell said.The CaucasianChalk Circle at ThreeNotch Theater opens Friday,March 16 at 8 p.m.,with shows on Fridayand Saturdays nightsand matinees on Sundaythroughout March. Forticket information, visitwww.newtowne players.org or call 301-737-5447.carriemunn@countytimes.netCelebrate St. Patty’s Day at the Duck!LIVE Irish Music!Specialty Irish Food SpecialsGreen Beer & Drink SpecialsGet Ruddy to party at theonly brew pub around!!Thursday: Country R UsFriday: Eric Landes 8pmSaturday: Authentic Irish MusicSOLOMONS, MARYLAND • Dowell Rd and Route 4410-FYI-DUCK • www.RuddyDuckBrewery.com

15 Thursday, March 15, 2012The Calvert GazetteSp rtsAnxiety SeasonBy Keith McGuireContributing WriterThe OrdinaryAnglerMarch is a teasing month. Some daysare still bitter cold, while others will have youheading to the water on a moment’s notice.What I’m noticing this year is that more is risingthan the temperature – most notably – theprice of gas! Corners need to be cut and dealsneed to be found to offset these high prices.The last thing you need is to waste a lot of timeand energy running from place to place or fishingwith the wrong equipment. Networkingwith fellow anglers is the answer.The local Southern Maryland Chapter ofthe Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Associationwill meet today (3/15) at the Solomons FireHall at 7:00 PM. The topic at this meeting willbe a discussion of the best methods for catchingpre-season and early season rockfish.The local Patuxent River Chapter of theCoastal Conservation Association – Marylandwill meet next Monday evening (3/19) at7:00 PM at Stoney’s Kingfisher Restaurant inSolomons. The guest speaker at the meetingwill be Shawn Kimbro, author of a new bookChesapeake Light Tackle – An Introduction toLight Tackle Fishing on the Chesapeake Bay.Shawn Kimbro gives a great presentation, andhis book is a great read. He is also the leadcoordinator for the Careful Catch program,which targets the best strategies for catchingand releasing stripers unharmed.These are the opportunities we need to getsome of the best how to/where to local knowledgeavailable. Thesemeetings are free andopen to the public. Youcan bet that I will attendboth!If you didn’t fishfor the yellow perchduring their spawningrun, you missed out ona great opportunity. Itwas one of the betteryellow perch seasonsin recent memory. Thesecond great fishingopportunity so far thisseason was the whiteperch spawning run.That too, is pretty muchover. Now we are dabblingin freshwater forcrappie and bass, ordousing chicken liversand stink baits for catfishwhile we wait forthe spring striper andcroaker runs.I ran into a fellow angler today who toldme that he had heard that the croakers weren’texpected to be here in such great numbers thisyear because of the return of the sea trout. Iwas surprised by the comment so I asked forclarification. He went on to explain the abundanceof trout at Eastern Shore locations lastfall and the prediction that this would keep thebig croakers away. Actually, I had not drawnthe correlation between trout and croakers andfound the discussion interesting. If croakerstruly are held off by an abundance of sea trout,I’ll be happy with the sea trout any day! TimeToo valuable to catch only once!will tell as theearly spring arrivalsmake theirway up the Bay.I don’tknow about you,but I want to beready when thefish get here. Ifyou have a boat,check out all ofyour safety gearwhen you upgradeyour fishingtackle. Nowwould be a greattime to explorea Vessel SafetyCheck throughthe Coast GuardAuxiliary to besure that all thesafety features ofyour boat are upto date. Checkthis website:http://www.safetyseal.net/GetVSC/.If you go fishing and catch somethingslightly more worthwhile than a cold, be sureto take a picture and send it to me at riverdancekeith@gmail.com.Keith has been a recreational angleron the Chesapeake Bay and its tributariesfor over 50 years; he fishes weekly from hissmall boat during the season, and spendshis free time supporting local conservationorganizations.Over 250,000Southern Marylanderscan’t be wrong!Your Online Community forCharles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s CountiesNew to the area? Lifelong resident?• Stay abreast of local happenings• Check our highly popular classifieds• Speak your mind in the forums• Enter our contests andwin terrific prizesStop by and see whatSouthern Maryland Onlinehas to offer!www.somd.com

The Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 16While clearing out the dust bunnies,why not also rid your home of old,energy-draining appliances?SMECO can help you sweep up savings with$25–$350 rebates on select ENERGY STAR ®qualified appliances.Get $50 forrecycling yourold fridge orfreezerLet us recycle your old,working refrigeratoror freezer. We’ll cometo your home to pickit up and give you a$50 reward.LET US HELPwith your spring cleaning1-877-818-4094smeco.coop/saveThis program supports the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act.