Thursday, December 20, 2007 • St. Mary’s County, Maryland

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PINEY POINT LIGHTHOUSE

County TimesThe

By Guy LeonardStaff Writer

For the past several years the county’s Division of Com-munity Services has partnered with local organizations and businesses to adopt needy families for clothes and presents for Christmas.

Most of the families who have taken part in the pro-

gram, after being vetted by the Department of Social Ser-vices, have gotten the assistance they need.

But this year about 200 families here have not been ad-opted by any family, business or community organization out of 640 families on the list.

It’s the largest number that may have to go without for

Needy Families Still Waiting To Be Adopted For Christmas

I’m proud of the kids, we really worked hard for this win”-LHS Coach Heibel

“

GMHS vs. LHS Face Off

See Christmas Caring page A-�

Affordable Housing Hampering Pax River’s Ability To Attract WorkersBy Guy LeonardStaff Writer

Communities closer to Baltimore are going to experience heavy growth with the influx of military related jobs to installations like Fort Meade, but that doesn’t mean that the state will turn it’s attention from South-ern Maryland, which continues to grow from events of the 1995 federal Base Realignment and Closure commission, according to the state’s leader for economic development.

“Southern Maryland will not be ig-nored,” said David Edgerley, secretary of the Department of Business and Economic De-velopment to a symposium at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center. “Groups such as this need to make sure we pay atten-tion to them.”

David Edgerley - MD Secretary of Business and Economic Development

Patuxent River Plan Reccommends One Home Per 30 Acres

It’s the work of all of us to bring in the right balance of transportation, housing, and education”

Edgerley said that the state would do all it could to ensure that Southern Mary-land would continue to receive support from the state for improvements such as infrastructure to continue to cope with the increase of the program work at Patux-ent River Naval Air Station in St. Mary’s and the Naval Surface Warfare Center in

-David EdgerleyMD Secretary of Business and Economic Development

“

See Housing page A-6

The St. Mary’s County Commissioners passed a mo-tion to approve the creation of two new staff positions at the Metropolitan Commission. The new jobs will be added to help METCOM accommodate new housing de-velopments in the county. The new jobs have been added to the FY08 budget.

Two New Positions Approved For METCOM

Andrea ShiellStaff Writer

The Tri-County Council for Southern Mary-land passed a resolution to recommend the use of what is known as the Patuxent River 20/20 Plan for future updates to the broader Patuxent River Policy Plan. On Monday, the final draft of the re-port, entitled Patuxent River 20/20: The Need for Effective Action and Effective Solutions, was released to state and county fanfare and is

Commissioner Lawrence D. “Larry” JarboeThird Commissioner District

Given the choice be-tween vegitation in the river,... and drastic zoning measures, I think we’ll sup-port cleaning up the river.”

-Commissioner Lawrence D. “Larry” Jarboe

Third Commissioner District

“

See River page A-8

Mechanicsville Man Struck, Killed After Motorcycle WreckA 63-year-old Mechanicsville resident was killed Monday when he was struck by another vehicle on Route 5 after he was in a motorcycle accident during his morning commute to the District

See Story On Page A-3 Ronald Joseph Despres

Almost 20,000 more people moved out of Maryland than moved into the state in 2006, the largest net loss in a quarter-century. It was the third consecutive year of a net migration loss for Maryland, after four years of gains earlier this decade brought a net of more than 2�,00 new state residents. Experts point to a slight softening in the economy here, and lower housing costs in nearby states for some of the shift.

More Moving Out Than Moving In

The State Highway Administration has approved modifications to the traffic light at MD 5 and Fairgrounds Road. Bulbs will be replaced and a video detection unit will be installed to replace pavement sensors. Work at the intersection is scheduled to begin in early January.

Busy Intersection To Get Signal Improvements

Photo By Guy LeonardKelsey Bush, of the Division of Community Services, helps unload a donation of toys for the Christmas Caring program that helps needy county families during the holiday season.

SectionA-� The County Times Thursday,December�0,�007

Advent Services: Dec 12 and 19 at

6:00 PM

St. Marie’s Musica Concert: Dec 10 at

7:30 PM

Christmas Eve Family Service at

6:00 PMChristmas Eve

Candlelight Communion Service

at 8:00 PM

TriniTyLuTheranChurCh

46707 Shangri-La DriveLexington Park, MD 20653

301-863-9512

I greatly appreciate the

support you have given

me over the years and

I will continue to do

my best to represent the

people of St. Mary’s

County and the state of

Maryland.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and may all the

blessings of the season, peace, hope and happiness be with

you in the New Year.

Johnny and Barbara Wood and family.

ByGuyLeonardStaffWriter

Officials with the St. Mary’s County Circuit Court say that they want to replicate the successful juvenile drug court model and make the same opportunities for treat-ment and rehabilitation avail-able for adults.

Circuit Court Judge Karen Abrams, who would preside over the drug court, said the court’s activation is still not confirmed but it’s something that could be a reality if they can get the funding and get court officers trained for it.

“It’s something I’ve al-ways been interested in pur-suing,” Abrams said. “We’re very hopeful and optimistic.”

Staff are busy preparing grant applications for federal funding, Abrams said, and court officers could receive training for drug court early next year.

The goal of the adult drug court will focus more on therapy than on punishment for drug addiction, said Pete Cucinotta, coordinator of the Juvenile Drug Court.

“This is a problem solv-ing court,” Cucinotta told The County Times. “All the re-search we’ve found shows that drug courts do a better job of lowering recidivism rates and substance abuse.”

A 2006 study of Mary-land’s Juvenile Drug Courts by NRC Research of Portland, Oregon showed the offenders in drug court spent more time in the program than in a youth center program.

The cost of treating a ju-venile in the court program cost about $49 a day as op-posed to an average of about $227 a day in the youth center program.

The total cost for a youth in drug court was about

$14,000, while the state-fund-ed center program average was more than $43,000.

The study also showed that after juveniles have been through drug court there was a 75 percent drop in chronic offenders on average state-wide.

The offenders who will be eligible for the program include those who have been convicted of some narcotics-related offense and are placed on probation.

Drug dealers and violent offenders will not be allowed admission, Cucinotta said.

The drug court model means more supervision of addicts while they’re on pro-bation including random, un-announced drug testing.

“They’re more closely supervised in a drug court program,” Cucinotta said. “And they come back to court on a regular basis; the judge become very familiar with them.

“We’re going to be on them right away… we’re looking for that change in behavior.”

While in the adult drug court system offenders can be chided or rewarded by the judge in their case depending on how their many drug tests turn out, he said.

The rewards could range from verbal praise from the judge to gift certificates for staying off drugs, Cucinotta said.

“That’s a big incentive, it gives them a sense of accom-plishment,” Cucinotta said. “And that’s a big deal because most of these people haven’t been praised for much.”

Punitive measures could include a return to incarcera-tion and being expelled from the program.

Cucinotta said the court is applying for federal grants

to get the program started on time, and the court officers have already been accepted into the federal training pro-gram for drug court.

Sheriff Timothy K. Cam-eron said that the drug court model provides drug offend-ers with hope to be able to better beat their addiction and return to a normal, productive life.

“Juvenile drug court is an example of a very successful program; and that’s the power of education and opportunity,” Cameron said. “Everybody deserves an opportunity.”

The drug court model would also serve the practical purpose of keeping offend-ers out of an already strained county detention center.

“The question is how many will we take out of there and keep out of there,” Cameron said pointing over his shoulder to the detention center.

State’s Attorney Richard Fritz said he was in support of the program because of its practical value in reduc-ing crime related to narcotics sales and usage.

“I think we have to deal with reality,” Fritz said. “We can send them to the peni-tentiary but when they get back on the street they’ll have the exact same addiction problem.”

The program could also encourage family members to inform law enforcement of a loved ones addiction problem since there would be more of a possibility of them getting treatment rather than being convicted and incarcerated.

“I think in the long run we’ll reduce the kinds of crimes [burglaries, thefts and armed robberies] we’ve seen an increase in,” Fritz said.

AdultDrugCourtCouldBeginNextYear

AndreaShiellStaffWriter

A new tutoring partnership between the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and St. Mary’s County Public Schools that is expected to help develop students’ reading skills is start-ing up this winter.

On Wednesday, citizens met at the St. Mary’s County Board of Education and were given training for their upcoming work with elementary school kids in the area. Prospec-tive tutors were given instructions on fluency training and reading comprehension, and were introduced to elementary school princi-pals in the area who are participating in the partnership.

Schools that were chosen to participate in the program were those with few other tutor-ing systems in place. Park Hall, Green Holly, Greenview Knolls, Benjamin Banneker, Ridge, and Oakville Elementary will be opening their doors to volunteers in the next month.

The Chamber of Commerce has been dis-tributing information to businesses across the county to encourage participation. The hope is that participating companies will allow their

employees paid time off during the week to meet with children for tutoring.

The Maryland state curriculum for reading focuses on five components, including phone-mic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These new tutoring ses-sions are designed to target fluency, which is defined as rapid, accurate and expressive oral reading, and is generally measured with the number of words read per minute. Educators agree that this is a key component for reading comprehension. Tutors will work in eight-week cycles, and spend one hour a week help-ing students work on reading accuracy, speed, phrasing, pauses, and expression.

The program, known as the Fluency Part-nership, was piloted last year with seven vol-unteers, and is being expanded this year to in-clude more schools, more students, and more than 28 volunteers have signed up so far.

Bill Scarafia of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce noted that more volunteers are al-ways needed. Additional training sessions for tutors will be held in early January. Those in-terested in volunteering should contact Marti-na Green at St. Mary’s County Public Schools for more information.

NewTutoringProgramMovesPastPilotStage

BOARDS,COMMITTEESANDCOMMISSIONSTERMSTOEXPIRE

Agriculture Preservation Advisory Board

Dr. Henry A. Virts (reappointment) 12/31/2012

Agriculture, Seafood and Forestry Commission

Rudolph Baliko (reappointment) 12/31/2010Patrick E. Dugan (reappointment) 12/31/2010James Barry Roache (reappointment) 12/31/2010

Airport Advisory Committee

James J. Davis 12/31/2010Randy Willis 12/31/2010

Board of Trustees, Museum Division, St. Maryís County

James Banagan (reappointment) 12/31/2012Helen Dorsey (reappointment) 12/31/2012Frank L. Maio 12/31/2012John L. Madel, Jr. (reappointment) 12/31/2012

Cable Advisory Committee

Steven P. Cooper (reappointment) 12/31/2012Laurence Whitbeck (reappointment) 12/31/2012

Commission for People with Disabilities

Susan Erichsen (reappointment) 12/31/2011

Community Health Advisory Committee

Christina M. St. Clair 12/31/2010Georgette B. Gaskin 12/31/2010

Development Review Forum

Elfreda Mathis (reappointment) 12/31/2010

Electrical Examiners Board

Donald M. Haskin 12/31/2010

Human Relations Commission

Theo L. Cramer 6/30/2012Andree Wells 6/30/2011

Marcy House Board

Joyce Dyson (reappointment) 12/31/2010Darlene C. Jones (reappointment) 12/31/2010

Planning Commission

Shelby P. Guazzo (reappointment) 12/31/2012Brandon Hayden (reappointment) 12/31/2012Stephen T. Reeves (reappointment) 12/31/2012

Recreation and Parks Board

Mr. Richard L. Bucker (reappointment) 12/31/2011Thomas E. Nelson 12/31/2011

Sheriffís Office Retirement Plan Board of Trustees

Daniel Morris No term

Tri-County Youth Services Bureau

Yvonne M. Cummings 12/31/2009Alma A. Shearin 12/31/2009

Wicomico Shores Golf Course Advisory Board

Wayne Pettit (reappointment) 12/31/2011Chico Rivers (reappointment) 12/31/2011

St.Mary’sCountyCommisonersMadeTheFollowingAppointments

Thursday, December 20, 2007 The County Times Section A - �

5 Days Until

Christmas

By Guy LeonardStaff Writer

A 63-year-old Mechan-icsville resident was killed Monday when he was struck by another vehicle on Route 5 after he was in a motorcycle accident during his morning commute to the District.

According to reports from the Maryland State Police, Ronald Joseph Despres was riding a 2005 Honda motor-cycle shortly after 5a.m. when he lost control of his motor-cycle after he hit an icy patch at the intersection of routes 5 and 231.

Despres was thrown from his motorcycle and landed on the road where he was subsequently hit by another motorist, who was also head-ing north, state police reports stated.

The day after the tragic accident, the Despres fam-ily was still in shock at hav-ing lost a beloved father and grandfather.

“He’s going to be greatly missed,” said his wife of 38 years Helen Despres. “It’s a big time shock; we weren’t ready for any of this.”

Ronald Despres had a lifelong love of motorcycles, his wife said, never riding in a regular vehicle if he could help it.

“He liked to ride alone,” said his daughter Cindy Dean. “He would ride his motor-cycle from January through December.”

He enjoyed riding so much he bought a suit that could be hooked into his bike’s motor to keep him warm on the coldest of days, his family said.

He also loved yard work and doting on his five grand-sons, she said.

“Blowing leaves, [spend-ing time with] his grandsons and bikes were his top three,” Helen Despres, said.

The motorcycle enthu-siast was well known in his neighborhood for getting rid of all the leaves from neigh-bor’s yards using a special leaf

blower as well as plowing their driveways in the winter when snow hit with his all-terrain vehicle and plow attached.

“He loved his toys,” Helen Despres said. “And they had to be the very best.”

Her husband was original-ly from Canada in the Niagara Falls area but later moved to the United States and joined

the U.S. Army.He served in the Vietnam

War as a combat infantry-man and radio operator on the front lines of the conflict for two tours of duty, she said.

After the returning home from the war he worked for Verizon as a telecommunica-tions specialist and most re-cently for the National Gallery

of Art in the District in much the same capacity.

His other daughter Sher-ry Despres, remembered her father as having boundless energy and often running cir-cles around the family doing housework and other chores.

“He’d gripe at you if you didn’t help him,” Sherry De-spres said. “If he was working

we all had to help him.”Helen Despres said her

husband’s energy could be in-fectious as well.

“He lightened up a room when he walked in,” his wife said. “He had more energy than you could imagine.”

The one thing he had a hard time with, she said, was putting up Christmas decora-tions each year in the family home’s front yard.

“He didn’t like putting up Christmas decorations but he’d do it for me,” Helen De-spres said with a small laugh. “He’d fuss the whole time.”

Ronald Despres was also

faithful to church, his family and friends said.

“He was one of our best Bible school teachers,” said his longtime friend Bruce Mc-Donald, who preached for the Church of Christ. “He was in-terested in knowing the truth and studying the Bible.”

Memorial services for Ronald Despres will be held Dec. 22 at the Widercroft Church of Christ in River-dale, located at 6330 Auburn Avenue.

Services will start at 11a.m.

Mechanicsville Man Struck, Killed After Motorcycle Wreck

Clancy Lyall was honored with a plaque from the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday in recognition of his service to the community as a food transporter for the Department of Ageing, and a local organizer of veterans’ events. A celebrated World War 2 veteran, he was pre-sented a plaque in recognition of his retirement.

Senior Service Worker Retires

SectionA-� The County Times Thursday,December20,2007

Editorial&Opinion

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The County Times

Ifyouhad toexplainChrist-mas to someone who knewnothing of the season whatwould you say? Is it aboutreligion?Isitaboutthespiritofgiving? Or is itabout thefrantic rush of running fromstoretostoreinsearchofthebestgifts?Thedeepperson-al traditions and cherishedmemories from Christmas’spast would probably be theeasiest to recite. Favorite Christmasfoods,belovedme-mentosanddecorationsfromthepast,visitingrelativesyousee too infrequently, attend-

ingchurchonChristmasEve,a unique gift you can’t wait to give that someone special orthefeelofsnowinthewinterairwouldalllikelybeinyourfirst attempt at explaining this time of the year. The impor-tance of family and friends,especially the children, allsurround the emotion of theholiday season. Buthowdowecon-vey the conflicting actions of the spiritual side of Christ-masandthefrenzied,moneyspending stress that the sea-son conjures up to most of us.

What does all the retail mad-ness of wrapping paper andbows have to do with Peaceon Earth? What does hitting the shops at five a.m. and beat-ingyourneighbortothatNin-tendo Wii have to do with the goodwilloftheseason?Canyouplan,shop,wrapandbaketillyoudropandstillcapturethebeautyandspiritofChrist-mas?Isitreallyallofthosegiftsthatyougiveandreceivethatwillportraythetruefeel-ingweweresearchingfor? Myhopeisthatasweall ponder that conflict in our

efforttoenlightenthispersonwhoknowsnothingofChrist-maswewill take the timetolookintoourownheartsandclarifyforourselvesthegenu-ine meaning of what Christ-mas signifies to you and your family. To bring back the thingsweholddearestinourhearts and to recapture thetrue spirit of the season. To take the time to once againenjoy the true purity of thesentiment of peace on earthand good will toward men.

TheTrueChristmasMeaning Poemby:

Linda Lee Wolovichwww.alighthouse.com, 2003

Thousandsofyearsago,Revealedbyprophetsofthepast,Underthedarkandstarrynight,Emmanuel was born at last.

Coveredinhisswaddlingclothes,HonorwasgiventothenewbornKing,Representingpeaceandgoodwilltoallmen,It’s because of Him that the angels did sing.Sent by King Herod to find him,Threewisemenwereledbyastar,Myrrh,goldandfrankincenseweregiven,As gifts from the men from afar.Standinginaweatthemanger,

Magiworshippedandgavepraisejoyfully,Eventuallythischildwouldgrowolder,And give His life for you and for me.Nowaswesetapartaspecialdayoftheyear,Inremembranceforallwhobelieve,Never forget why our Father did send Him,God’s gift is the greatest we will ever receive.

This is a very busytime for local business own-ers. With holiday sales often beingthedifferencebetweenaprofitable year or not, owners of small business need to fo-custheirattentiononthenutsand bolts of managing salesthrough the end of the year.

But don’t tell that totheMarylandLegislature,theyhave other ideas about whatsmallbusinessowners shouldbe doing this time of year.

Over thepast severaldays, businesses have beenbombarded with letters, no-tices,andinstructionsfromtheComptrollerofMaryland,Pe-ter Franchot, which businesses mustimplementasaresultoftherecentlycompletedspecialsession in Annapolis.

A December 12, 2007 notice went out giving busi-nesses justa two-weeknoticeto get computers and book-keeping methods changed toaccommodate a new IncomeTax and Employee Withhold-ingscheduleeffectiveJanuary1, 2008.

Some are faced withhaving to find computer pro-grammerstorewritesoftwareon a two-week notice duringthe holidays to accommodatethe change in rate brackets.

Only days ago, theComptroller sent noticeswithinformation about the 20% increase in sales tax. This tax changes takes place onJanuary 3, 2008. Once again, mostsmallbusinesseswillbesearching for computer pro-grammers on short notice tomeet the deadline.

In their haste to col-lectmoretaxrevenue,thestatelegislature has placed a dif-ficult burden on many small businessesduringtheirbusiesttimeofyearwithaveryshortnotice.

It is fair and reason-ableforbusinessestoexpecta90 day notice in order to prop-erlyimplementmajorchangesin government requirements, anythinglessisanunduehard-ship, especially during theirmake or break time of year.

LocalBusinessesStrugglingtoMeetNewStateLaws

Paul V. Facchina’ Sr.’ founder and CEO of the Facchina Group of Compa-nies,andhisfamilyhavebeenthesinglelargest donators of land developmentrights into theMarylandEnvironmentTrust (MET) since its inception in 1967. Todate the totaldedicationshavesur-passed 1,925 acres in Southern Mary-land. Now, the Facchina family will add another 179 acres to the environmental trust.

Knownas the“BoyScoutProper-ty,” in St. Mary’s County the paperwork is in progress to dedicate this tract ofdevelopmentlandintotheMarylandEn-vironment Trust program. This unique parcel, located in St. Mary’s county just south of the Naval Air Station at Patux-ent River and east of highway 235, has 950 feet of frontage on the Chesapeake BaymakingitavitalpartoftheChesa-peake Bay watershed1ecosystem. The

land is also seen as a key bridge par-cel by St. Mary’s county connecting the Mattapany Rural Legacy Area and providingafurtherbufferbetweentheexpanding operations of the militarybase and the community. Under PUD planning for residential developmentthe parcel would accommodate up to258 dwelling units; with inclusion into theMETprogramtheparcelwillnowbe limited to (4) residential units.

IndonatingthelandintotheTrustprogram, Paul V. Facchina, Sr. said “I amgladwewereabletoworkwithMETand St. Mary’s County to conserve this vital property while also benefiting the County’s Rural Legacy program, theNaval Air Station’s buffer zone and the Chesapeake Bay Critical ProtectionArea.”

Previous Dedication by the Facchi-na family: Paul Facchina Sr. on behalf

of the Facchina family donated his first fourenvironmenteasementsinCharlesCounty in I996 and I999 preserving the historical 400-acre Mt. Air plantation occupied by his family. In 2003 he do-nated an easement on 327 acres in the Gunston area and in 2004 he granted another easement of 233 acres on the Nanjemoy River known as Audubon Woods. Facchina’s first St. Mary’s County donation was significant be-cause it protected 222 acres as part of the headwater streams of the St. Mary’s River and provided habitat protectionfor forest interior dwelling birds. The BoyScoutPropertydedicationcontin-ues the Facchina commitment to assist in preserving key rural and environ-mental sensitive areas where possiblebypublicandprivatepartnershipssuchas MET and the regional rural legacyprograms.

FacchinaDonatesSt.Mary’sBoyScoutPropertyIntoMarylandEnvironmentalTrust(MET)Program

Thursday, December 20, 2007 The County Times Section A - �

Ramblings of a Country Girl

Diamonds, Gemstones, Pearls, Grandfather Clocks, Mantel Clocks, Wall Clocks, Watches, Earrings, Chains, Gemstone Globes, Evening Purses, Jewelery Boxes & Armoires..

We do custom work including repairs and engraving.Extended Holiday Hours: Monday-Friday 9-8; Saturday 9-5; Sunday 11-4

Home of the original St. Mary’s County Hook Bracelet

Less than tWo weeks left until Christmas and you still haven’t found the ideal gift

for that special someone?Don’t wait another moment- come see us in San Souci today!

Rick’s 31 years of experience ensures you’ll find that one perfect gift you’ve looked everywhere for!

Call us today 301-737-4241

You Might Be From St. Mary’s County If….

Terri Bartz Bowles

For those who love St. Mary’s County - natives, naturalized countians and wannabes, here’s my Christ-mas gift to you – You Might Be From St. Mary’s County If…….

You call the Jams A. Forrest Career and Technol-ogy Center the Tech Center because it started life as the St. Mary’s County Technical Center.

You know that the dual-ization of Route 235 occurred in phases and you know where it went from single to dual and back again.

You understand the 10 ounce Budweiser.

You kn ow that most softball games used to be played at local bars because they had softball fields and the county didn’t.

You know Margaret Brent Middle School started out as Margaret Brent High School.

You know that back roads

are made of tar and chip. You also know they used to be crowned for water runoff and didn’t have painted lines or shoulders.

You know that back roads were sometimes dirt roads. Just because a county road had a name didn’t mean it wasn’t dirt.

You buy a season pass to the county fair.

You know the volunteer fire department carnivals oc-cur in a certain order and you know what that order is. (Bo-nus – you know which fire de-partments used to have carni-vals and where they fit in the order.)

You know the last day of the week is properly pro-nounced “Sa’rday”.

When you go out to eat, you don’t order oysters in summer or crabs in winter be-cause you know they’re not in season.

Nobody has ever had to explain to you what stuffed ham is.

You know what squirrels taste like (bonus – you know what squirrel soup tastes like).

You know the verbs top, sucker, spear and strip all re-late to tobacco.

You know what fatback is, how it’s used and how it tastes.

You knew how to pick a crab by the time you were able to walk, talk and feed yourself.

You don’t call deer meat venison, you call it deer meat.

You know when someone says they’re going to the park, they mean Lexington Park.

You know that going “up the road” means going to the D.C. area.

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2008!

You can email the Coun-try Girl at countrygirlram-blings@gmail.com

By Guy LeonardStaff Writer

One of two shooters convicted of opening fire on rival gang members near a Lexington Park mobile home park play-ground will serve 10 years in prison for his crime.

Jarrell Raheim John-son, 20, received his sen-tence from Judge Michael J. Stamm Dec. 14 for an Alford plea to two counts of first-degree assault in the April 24 shooting in-cident on Suburban Drive in Lexington Park.

His sentence also cov-ered a charge of reckless endangerment.

Johnson showed some contrition for his actions when he received his sentence.

“I apologize to the court for my actions,” Johnson said.

Judge Stamm, howev-er, told Johnson his apolo-gies were misplaced.

“Your apology should be to the community,” Judge Stamm told John-son. “What you did was extremely reckless… you could’ve killed somebody.”

Johnson nodded his head in agreement with Stamm.

The convicted shooter was originally charged with attempted second-degree murder, but that charge was not pursued by prosecutors.

Johnson, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and detectives investigating the crime af-ter he admitted his guilt back in September.

After serving his 10 year sentence, Johnson must submit to five years of supervised probation upon his release to the community, Judge Stamm said, and also as part of his probation he must not have any contact with any victims or co-defendants in the case.

The shooting on Sub-urban Drive brought to light the existence of small, local gangs that en-gage in criminal activity including drug sales.

The April 24 shoot-ing also sparked a coun-ty-wide effort to identify possible gangs in com-munities as well as satu-ration patrols designed to crack down on street-level crime.

According to charg-ing documents filed by investigators in the case, the shooting arose from a domestic dispute that set the two rival factions — the Outsiders and the Boom Squad — against each other.

Johnson, a Boom Squad member, and fel-low gang members gath-ered weapons and ammu-nition to confront one of the victims, Joseph Payne, who had been involved in the domestic dispute with his wife earlier that day, charging documents state, and drove down to Subur-ban Driver in several ve-hicles looking for Payne.

When they found Payne, charging docu-ments state, Johnson and fellow gang members opened fire on him and his associates, including Sherron Torrill Bush who was struck by shotgun

pellets.The gunfire erupted

next to a small playground located on the main road leading down to the mo-bile home park and en-dangered as many as nine children who were playing there, investigators and prosecutors have said.

The proximity of the playground to the shoot-ing netted both Johnson and another defendant, Lamont Drewell Carey, their reckless endanger-ment charges.

Carey who is sched-uled to be sentenced this week, will only serve time in a juvenile facility until he is 21 years of age as he fired on the other gang members when he was 17 years old.

Carey turned 18 after the shooting.

The prosecution’s efforts in the case net-ted as many as seven arrests, some of whom were convicted of lesser charges while others had the charges against them dropped.

Assistant State’s At-torny Joseph Stanalonis said the main shooters in the case so far have been brought to justice.

“Our primary goal… was that the two people in the Boom Squad be pros-ecuted,” Stanalonis said, adding that as of yet there have been no charges filed against members of the Outsiders gang. “One of the most serious aspects of this case was discharg-ing a firearm in this com-munity where children were present.”

Playground Shooter Gets 10 Years

St. Mary’s CitySt. Mary's City

DATE HIGH LOW HIGH LOW

Fri. Dec. 21 12/20 10:36 p.m 4:31 a.m. 10:54 p.m. 5:47 p.m.

Sat. Dec. 22 12/21 11:34 p.m. 5:34 a.m. 11:50 a.m. 6:44 p.m.

Sun. Dec. 23 12:29 a.m. 6:34 a.m. 12:45 p.m. 7:38 p.m.

Mon. Dec. 24 1:23 a.m. 7:32 a.m. 1:39 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

Tue. Dec. 25 2:15 a.m. 8:28 a.m. 2:33 p.m. 9:20 p.m.

Wed. Dec. 26 3:07 a.m. 9:21 a.m. 3:26 p.m. 10:08 p.m.

Thu. Dec. 27 3:58 a.m. 10:14 a.m. 4:19 p.m. 10:54 p.m.

LOCATION HIGH LOW

Breton Bay "+31 min." "+29 min."

Bushwood Wharf "+45 min." "+45 min."

Colton's Point "+50 min." "+24 min."

Point Lookout "-51 min." "-51 min."

Piney Point "+9 min." "-8 min."

Wicomico Beach "+58 min." "+63 min."

Solomons Island "-10 min." "-25 min."

Fuel and housing trends may impact home decorating this holiday season. But what does the cost of fuel or rising interest rates have to do with the holidays? According to financial forecast-ers . a lot.

Decorating and the Price of OilMost ornaments and decorating items are made from plastic. Plastic is a derivative of pe-

troleum, which comes from oil. As the cost of oil continues to rise due to political unrest in oil-producing nations, so, too, will the cost of manufacturing plastic products. This could lead to shortages in ornaments or increased costs passed on to consumers.

While it is possible that people may skimp on ornaments due to increased oil costs, the op-posite could also occur. Since higher fuel costs may keep people from doing extensive holiday travel, they may simply spend the holidays at home and put more effort into decorating this year.

Decorating and Home CostsHouses have gotten bigger in recent years, which means there has been more square-footage

for a homeowner to heat and cool. As fuel costs go up, so do monthly bills. Additionally, fore-closure rates are at all-time highs due to gradually rising interest rates and the bottoming-out of creative financing plans offered through many bankrupted mortgage companies. As a result of these factors, many homeowners may be looking to downsize their homes. Smaller spaces mean less room for ornaments and less need for huge Christmas trees to fill great rooms and impres-sive entryways.

Decorating and Baby BoomersBaby Boomers have traditionally held the honor of being top ornament collectors. Primarily

this is because the demographic is the largest of those with ample buying power. But as Boomers continue to retire, they may have to put their income toward other necessities over holiday deco-rating items. Still, for those who will continue to collect against all odds, key licensing items, such as ornaments with a SimpsonsÆ theme, based on the hit summer movie, or Family GuyÆ ornaments, and other non-traditional holiday representations are predicted to lead the way for ornament sales

How Economics Could Affect Christmas Decorating

SectionA-� The County Times Thursday,December20,2007

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Let’s pretend for a min-ute that you are a prince orprincess.

Yourmother, theQueen,does nothing all day but siton her throne. Your fatherthe King counts his money.Servants bring you every-thingyouwant,includingthegoldcrownyouwearonyourhead.

Soundsgreat?Well,then,sitbackandlistentoataleofroyalty, secrets, and dreamsin “The Castle Corona” bySharonCreech,performedbyJenniferWiltsie.

Not so long ago and notsofarawaytherewasacastlethatsathighabovethebanksof theWinonoRiver. In thecastle, lived a king, a queen,andtheirchildren.

Thepeasantsthatlivedinthe kingdom were poor, butthe king and his family hadpoor attitudes. King Guidothoughtaboutthingshedidn’thaveandhefearedthatothersmighttakewhatheowned.

PrinceGianni, the eldestson,wasadreamerwhowant-ed tobe apoet. Giannihadrichesandhorsesbuthedidn’t

have his freedom. Alas, heneverwould.Gianniwas thefirstborn. He was destined to bekingsomeday.

Young Prince Vito wasmuch smarter than his olderbrother, and much braver. He thought hewouldbe amuchbetter king than Gianni! Itjustwasn’tfair!

Little Princess Fabriziawastheking’sfavorite.Pam-pered and primped, Fabriziahad elegant gowns and love-ly jewels. But none of thismadeherhappy.Shewanted,well, she didn’t know whatshe wanted. She wanted…something.

Andthentherewasbeau-tifulQueenGabriella,belovedbyherhusbandandrespectedbyherservants.Buttherewassomething missing in Gabri-ella’slifeandnowshekeepsasecretcloseinherheart.

In the landfarbelowthecastle lived twopeasantchil-dren,PiaandEnzio,pooror-phanswhosharedahomewitha cruel guardian. When thechildren find a pouch that had beenstolenfromtheKing,theKing’shorsemensnatchthemuponenight andcarry themtotheCastleCorona.PiaandEnzio are sure that they’ll

meettheirdeathinthecastle.Does Happily Ever After

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want to be a beautiful, pam-peredprincess?Whatyoungboy doesn’t want to be aswashbuckling prince? Bothof them – as well as parentsand grandparents – will becaptivatedbythisenchantingfairytalethatincludesroyalty,adventure,andalessoninnottakingeitherforgranted.

Former Newbery Medalwinner Sharon Creech hastwisted the classic secretly-royal-orphanstory to includeaQueenwithaconscienceandnot one but three mysteriousschemers.Yes,thereisabadguyinthisstory,butsensitivechildren won’t be too upsetby him because he’s not allthat terrible. AddwonderfulvoiceworkbyJenniferWiltsieandyour6-to-12-year-oldwillbe completely captivated bythisadorabletale.

If you’ve got a prince orprincess wanna-be you wanttocharm,this is thenextau-diobookto tuck in thecarorsuitcase.“TheCastleCorona”is a tale fit for royalty.

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CharlesCounty.But it local communities

wouldhavetohelpensurethatthey matched their responsetothegrowth.

“It’stheworkofallofustobringintherightbalance[oftransportation, housing, andeducation],”Edgerleysaid.

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s(D) plan to support commu-nities dealing with BRACgrowth includes funding formore higher education op-portunities and incentives tolocal governments to buildenhancedroads,streets,utili-ties and parks to make wayfor more jobs coming intocommunities.

According to the gover-nor’s BRAC action report,a 2003 study by the Tri-County Council showed thatthe BRAC gains from 1995generated$80millioninrev-enuefromthenewjobsinthe

region.Edgerley said that com-

munities like St. Mary’s andCharles had to ensure thatthey had a vibrant and com-petitivework force to ensurethey could keep the gainsthey’vereceivedasaresultofmilitary programs operatinghere.

“My encouragement isdon’t relax,” Edgerley saidabout lookingfor thetypeofjobs thatwill be common inthe future. “They may be-comeelusive.”

He praised the work of institutions like the South-ern Maryland Higher Educa-tion Center, which was oneimprovement that helped St.Mary’s adjust to BRAC im-pacts, for keeping the work-forcewelleducated.

Capt.MattScassero,vicecommanderof theNavalAirWarfareCenterAircraftDivi-sion, said that getting quali-fied personnel to work on base wasacriticalneedthatseemsto never be filled.

He said that as many as

30to40percentofthecivilianworkforcerecruitedfromout-side the community to workon the base leave relativelyquickly.Thoserecruitedfromthe community tend to staymuchmorehesaid.

“They don’t feel an at-tachment to the area,” Scas-sero said. “Our attrition iskillingus.”

The need for qualified personnelcouldgrowstrongerinthenexttwoyearssincethebase will become the homeof eight multi-billion dollarprogramsinresearchandde-velopmentandtestandevalu-ation,Scasserosaid.

Scassero also said thataffordable housing was an-othercriticalneedalreadybe-ing addressed by the countygovernment.

At the starting salaryfor most new employees onthebase,between$35,000 to$42,000, he said, it was dif-ficult to attract qualified per-sonneltothearea.

Scasssero said, however,thathewasencouragedbythe

state’scommitmenttoincludeSouthern Maryland in thestate’s BRAC developmentplans.

Edgerley said that afterSouthern Maryland’s suc-cessful1995BRACthestate

would use it as a model forhow other communities cancopetothechanges.

“SouthernMarylandwasthemodelforhowBRACgotdone right,” Edgerley said.“Whenwe’relookingatother

communities we always ask-ingourselves‘Whatdid theydo in Southern Maryland?How did they get that done?”

HousingContinued from page A-�

David Edgerley, secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development talks with Cath-erine Meyers, executive director of The Center for Children at an economic development symposium at the South-ern Maryland Higher Education Center.

Photo By Guy Leonard

Thursday, December 20, 2007 The County Times Section A - 7

Cecil’s Country Store

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the holiday season, accord-ing to Cynthia Brown, com-munity services manager.

“We’re very much in need of more donations,” Brown told The County Times. “We’ll be taking do-nations right up to the end; as long as we’re here we’ll continue.”

Brown said that last year only 30 families out of 546 that participated in the pro-gram went without donated presents or clothes.

“There’s just fewer do-nations,” said Elaine Kauff-man, the Christmas Caring coordinator, who added that people looking for help keep applying. “We’re still get-ting people calling and ask-ing if it’s too late.”

The deadline for dona-tions of Christmas gifts and clothes for all ages, from children to adults, is Dec. 21.

Donations will still be accepted on that day, Brown said.

All of the families ac-cepted into the program cur-rently receive food stamps or cash assistance.

The pressures in some families are great, Kauffman said, and that drives the need for Christmas season help.

“We have a lot of large families,” Kauffman said. “I have one family with 10 children.”

Still, staff and volunteers with the Division of Com-munity Services are looking

on the bright side.About 400 of the 600

families on the list have been adopted and provided for this Christmas season, and the donations have been coming in from businesses, community philanthropic organizations and even pri-vate families.

Kauffmann said some families have even opted to help other families this Christmas instead of buying gifts for themselves.

One person who got as-sistance from the Christmas Caring program in a previ-ous year and has now gotten back on their feet has even asked to help a family in need.

“Those are the ones that bring tears to our eyes,” Brown said.

Some families are even willing to forgo presents this year just to make sure they

can get the basic necessities, Brown said.

“We get applications that say ‘Please, just coats and socks, things like that we need those more than toys,’” Brown said.

Donations for teenagers, who often like electronics or higher-end items, are often the hardest to collect, Brown said, but those who want to give for teenagers can still submit gift cards.

For more information on where to give and what to give call the Division of Community Services at 301-475-4200 ext. 1851 from 8 a.m. to 5p.m.

Christmas CaringContinued from page A-�

The chaotic holiday shopping season seems to approach sooner each year, and while visions of toy recalls dance in their head, consumers shopping for young children will be on their toes this season. While safety should be a big con-cern, toy shoppers should keep other things in mind as well, say early childhood experts at Parents as Teachers National Center.

Age and skill levelConsult the age guidelines shown on toy boxes, but re-

member they are just that - guidelines. Imagine the child playing with the toy; is it challenging enough to capture his interest without being overwhelming or unsafe? “If you are unsure, ask the child’s parents. They know their child’s skills and capabilities best, and can decide if he is ready to enjoy a particular toy,” suggests Jane Kostelc, early childhood spe-cialist at Parents as Teachers National Center.

Opportunities for parent-child interaction - the “play with me” factor

When shopping for gifts for young children, look for items that will foster parent interaction with the child. Adults can support and extend children’s play. Look for play materi-als that provide such opportunities. Games are good choices as they require more than one person to play. For parents, think of things you like to do and see if you can extend those pastimes to include your child. For example, if you like to cook, child-sized utensils, apron and a cookie-baking date could make a gift both you and your child will enjoy.

Interests“At a very early age children develop interests that guide

their learning and enjoyment,” says Kostelc. “Parents should watch what their child chooses to play with and listen to the things she talks about.” At the same time, help a child who is engrossed with a particular type of plaything to branch out and have other play experiences. For example, a child who is fascinated with trains might enjoy a puzzle with a train theme.

Toys are not the only things children play with. Look for everyday objects that can support and extend a child’s interests. For example, a child interested in bugs might like a flashlight and an unbreakable magnifying glass to find specimens.

The value of playYoung children learn things every day through play. Toys

that do everything for the child don’t have much play value, nor are they likely to engage a child for long. But toys and materials that allow a child to use his imagination will also help his brain grow. Look for activities that are open-end-ed, that is, that can be played with in many different ways. Building blocks, for example, can be played with by children at different ages. They can become anything the child imag-ines them to be.

All things consideredAlways focus on how safe playthings are when choos-

ing gifts for children. Safety depends on how toys are manu-factured, but also on how appropriate they are for a child’s age, skill level and activity level. There is no such thing as an absolutely safe toy. Children require supervision during play. And remember that more than anything else, young children crave time and attention. “These are the best gifts a parent can provide. When you play with your child you foster learning and support his development in a number of areas.” Kostelc adds.

Early childhood development specialists at Parents as Teachers National Center recommend safety always come first, but also advise these tips when shopping for toys for youngsters this holiday season:

• Age and skill level: these are just guidelines; you want a child’s toy to stimulate his imagination.

• Parent interaction: look for toys and games that foster interaction with the child.

• The play value: children learn so much from play; choose toys that can be played with in many different ways.

• Interests: children develop interests at a very early age that guide their learning and enjoyment; keep these in mind.

Holiday Shopping Tips When Shopping for Toddlers and Preschoolers

SectionA-� The County Times Thursday,December20,2007

Mechanicsville28967 Route 5 South

1-800-794-0693301-884-2513

Fax: 301-884-5382

The DeluxeBed by Tempur-Pedic™Therapy and comfort, perfectly balanced.

nowavailableonthegroup’swebsite.AttheThursdayeveningmeeting,Jenni-

fer Bevan-Dangel, the Executive Director ofthePatuxentRiverkeeper,anadvocacygroupfocusedonthewatershed,outlinedtheplanasacomprehensivelistofpolicychangesandup-datesthatwouldhelpmitigatepollutionfromdevelopment,agricultureandurbanrun-offinthewaterway.“Thereisnosinglesolutionthatwillrestoreandprotectwaterquality,”saidBe-van-Dangel at theMondaypress conference.“Theapproachwearecalling for todaycitesspecific actions that can be taken immediately toprotectourriver.”

The 72-page report contains 23 specific recommendationsforstateandcountygovern-mentstorestoretheriver.Amongtherecom-mendations are zoning updates to allow onehouse per thirty acres, thereby minimizingtheriskofoverdevelopment,reformedcriticalarealawstoprotecttidalbuffers,theestablish-mentofwetlandpermitfeesandtougherwet-landenforcement,adoptionofEnvironmentalManagement Systems for federal facilities,upgradestowastewatertreatmentplantsinthearea,increasesinmasstransitfundingforar-easthroughoutthewatershed,increasedpermitviolationfeesforairpollutionpermitholders,andguidelinesfortotalpollutionlimitsinthe

river.ThegoalistorestorethewaterqualityofthePatuxenttowhatitwasin1950.

County commissioner Lawrence Jarboewas present at the meeting, and commentedlateronhisimpressionsofthereport’srecom-mendationthatzoningupdatesrestrictdevel-opmenttoonehouseperthirtyacres(currentzoning permits one house per five acres of land in ruralandconservationareas). “Given thechoicebetweenvegetationintheriver,whichcould be accommodated and is needed, anddrasticzoningmeasures,Ithinkwe’llsupportcleaninguptheriverwithvegetationandoys-terrestoration.”Heexplainedthatmuchoftheproblemwasduetosewagetreatmentplantsinthenorth,andwithrespect tozoningrecom-mendationsheadded“iftheyfeelthatstronglyaboutit,whynotaskforittobecomeretroac-tive?HowmanypeopleontheiracrelotwouldlikehavingtogiveitupbecauseithastobeonabiggerlottosavethePatuxentwhenthey’redumping the sewage upriver? You have to find solutionsthatreallyaffecttheproblemratherthancreatingmoreproblems.”

The20/20reportstatesthatthethreebig-gest pollutants in the Patuxent are nitrogen,phosphorous, and sediment,with the biggestcontributorsofeachcomingfromurbanrun-off, agriculture, and wastewater treatmentplants. SenatorBernieFowler,a long-timechampion of the clean-up cause, noted onThursdayeveningthatdevelopmentinnorth-erncountieshasposedaseriousthreattothehealth of the river, since “water flows down-hill,”andthatactionisneedednowtoensure

the watershed’s future. Development wascitedasthenumberonethreattowaterquality,accounting for two-thirds of nutrients in thewatershed.“We’repressedformoreeconomicdevelopment,”SenatorFowlersaid,“six-lanehighways,newbridges,”andthereportnotedthatthepopulationinthewatershedisexpectedtogrowanother22%bytheyear2020,makingactionatthestateandlocallevelsallthemoreimportant.

Discussionsof thesituationnotedthat in1963, an estimated three million gallons ofwaste material were dumped into the river.Today, an estimated 60 million gallons arebeing dumped. Point source pollution fromwastewatertreatmentplants,industrialpollut-ers,andfederalfacilitiesaccountforroughlyathirdofthetotalnutrientsinthewatershed,including nitrogen and phosphorous depositsthat feed overgrowths of algae blooms andblocksunlight,impairingthesurvivalofplantsand animals on the river floor, also contribut-ingtodeadzoneswherenothingcansurviveintheriver.Sedimentdepositsfromconstruc-tionsitessmothergrassesandoysterbeds,andproduceamilky-browncolorinthewater.Thereportcites theseas themostobvioussymp-tomsofpoorwaterquality.

When asked at the Tri-County CouncilMeetingaboutchallengestotheimplementa-tionofthesepolicyrecommendations,SenatorFowler stated that the number one challengewouldbeeducatingthepublicaboutthedangerposedtothewatershed.“Wehavefailedmiser-ablytoraisepublicawarenessaboutthePatux-

entRiver,”hesaid.“I’mheretonighttosoundthealarm...ThePatuxentRiverisdying.”

CommissionerMattinglywasalsopresentat the meeting and had comments about thezoning recommendations as well, indicatingthezoningwasnothighonthelistofpriorities.“Oureffortshavebeenverymuchfocusedoncreating easementsonproperty, like theRu-ralLegacyprograminthenorthernpartofthecounty, which is a main piece of the water-shed.”Asfarasgeneralimpressions,hesaid“I think everyone is anxious to take on thismonumentaltask.Alotofitisdependantoncooperationfromtheentireriverbasin.It’snotjustaSaintMary’sCountyproblem.”

The20/20reportwillbepresentedtostatelegislaturesonFebruary18attheannualLeg-islativeDayinAnnapolis.AtMonday’spressconference, theRiverkeepersalsoannouncedplans to release yearly “report cards” on thePatuxent to measure progress. All involvedin the project agreed that the report is the first step to finding solutions which Bevan-Dan-gel described as “multiple and sometimesoverwhelming.”

Whenaskedabout the timeline for theserecommendedpolicychanges,Bevan-Dangelsaidtheirgoalforgettingtheserecommenda-tionsoffthepageandintoactionwouldbetheyear2020. AttheTri-CountyCouncilmeet-ing,SenatorFowleradmittedthatmanyofthereport’s recommendations should have beenimplemented years ago, but “hindsight is al-ways20/20.”

RiverContinued from page A-�

AndreaShiellStaffWriter

St. Mary’s County PublicSchools (SMCPS) will be the ben-eficiary of a five-year, $2.8 million grant awarded to the University ofMaryland’sCollegeofEducationbytheNationalInstituteofChildHealthandHumanDevelopment,accordingto a press release issued onThurs-day.Thepurposeofthepartnershipis to improve adolescent readingskillsbydesigninginterventionsforstrugglingreadersinmiddleschool.AllfourmiddleschoolsinSt.Mary’sCountywillparticipateinthestudy,

which if successful,will also serveasapilotforfutureinterventionsinothersubjects.

Nationally, statistics reflect that reading motivation and com-prehension among adolescents hasdeclined, leaving 69 percent of 8thgrade students reading below theproficient level. In St. Mary’s Coun-ty,24.2percentof8thgradestudentsare below proficiency in reading. TheprojectwillsupportSMCPSinmeeting their achievement goals ofhelping all students gain proficiency inreading.Successinreadingatthemiddle school level is important to

successinhighschool.Theinstructionissettofocuson

the four C’s: connections betweenbooks and real life, choices thatgivestudentsownershipofreading,competencythatgivesstudentscon-fidence in reading, and collabora-tionbetweenstudentstoboosttheirenthusiasm for gaining knowledgefromthetext.

Thestudywillbe implementedby Professor John T. Guthrie fromthe University of Maryland, whowill be accompanied by Dr. AllanWigfield of the Department of Hu-manDevelopment.Alsoworkingon

theprojectwillbeLindaDudderar,SMCPS chief academic officer, and Liz Cooper, SMCPS supervisor ofreadinginstruction.

During the five-year study, pro-fessionaldevelopmentopportunitieswillbeprovidedforteachers,includ-ingnewtoolsforlocatingbooksthatarealignedwiththecurriculumandstudents’readingneeds.Multimediaresources, including streamingvid-eos and authentic documents, willbeavailableonWeb-basedcomputersystems. The project will provideteachers with professional develop-ment in research-based classroom

practices.Leadershipforthisprofes-sionaldevelopmentwillcomejointlyfromDr.Guthrieandtheinvestiga-tors at theUniversity ofMaryland,andtheleadershipofSMCPSundertheguidanceofDr.MichaelMarti-rano,superintendentofschools.

According to Linda Dudderar,the five-year grant is the first of its kind to be awarded in St. Mary’sCounty. “We’re delighted to havethis opportunity,” she said. “Thiswillprovidealotofinsightintoourmiddleschoolreaders.”TeachersaresettobegintrainingfortheprograminJune2008.

NewGrantAwardedforAdolescentReadingStudy

Let’sfaceit-foraslongasmostcanre-member,whenaparentasksachildwhatshewantsfortheholidays,aponyusuallymakesthe top of the list. While this request mayseemlikemoreofafantasythanapracticalgift, these days, this dream is increasinglybecomingareality.Thiscaninpartbeattrib-utedtothefactthatinthelastdecade,theIn-ternethashelpedmakesellingandpurchas-ing virtually anything under the sun fasterandeasier-andhorsesarenoexception.

Aaron Bromagem, founder of Equine.com,oneofthelargestonlinehorsemarket-places on the Internet, has seen the onlinebuyingandsellingofhorsesskyrocketinthe

pasttwoyearsalone.“Asearchforanewhorseisbegunevery

second on Equine.com, and approximatelyonehorseissoldevery29minutes,andtheholidaysarenoexception,”saidBromagem.“With more than 55,000 horses availablefor sale, stud or lease every day, there is amassive global network of buyers and sell-erslookingtoconnect,makingEquine.comagreatresourceforparentslookingtodosomeserious,educatedholidayshopping.”

Today,consumershaveinstantaccesstonumerous Web sites that offer hundreds ofthousandsofhorses inallbreedsanddisci-plines, from miniature ponies to thorough-

bred stallions. If cost is an inhibitor, WebsitessuchasEquine.comoffermanyhorsesfreetoagoodhome.

“Armedwiththeproperknowledge,fam-iliesworldwidecansafelyandconvenientlysearch,purchaseandprovideanewhomefortheirfavoriteanimaljustintimefortheholi-days,”saidBromagem.“Wecaneasilyhelpparentsmaketheirchild’sdreamofowningaponycometrue.”

Buthowdoesonegoaboutshoppingforsuchanimportantgiftduringthemosthectictimeof theyear?Bromagem,whohaswit-nessed the industry grow since he foundedthecompanymorethanadecadeagoandhas

helpedensureonlinehorsebrokeringkeepspacewithtoday’stechnology,notesthatthereareseveralsmartandtime-savingtipsshop-pers shouldkeep inmind this seasonwhenexploringbuyingahorse.

1) Look to technology to showcase thehorse’sabilities:Whilevisitingananimalinpersonisalwaysideal,itisnotalwaysprac-tical, especially as the weather cools andschedules fill with all the goings-on associat-edwiththeholidays.Onlineadvertisementsfeaturingvideosandphotosallowbuyerstomakemore informedchoices.Bysearchingads with action-filled clips of a horse trotting, gallopingorjumping,consumerscanseeforthemselvesahorse’sconformationandabili-ties,rightfromtheirowncomputer.

2) Connect with fellow buyers: Con-necting with horse owners who have beenthrough, or are going through, the buyingor selling process can be helpful given thetipsand“inside”informationtheycanshare.Consumers shouldcommunicatewithotherusersviaonlineforums,messagecentersorblogs,wheneverpossible-thisinstantcom-municationcanmakelifealittleeasierastheautumnbustlekicksintohighgear.

3)Bewareofscams:Theonlineshoppingindustryoftenistargetedforscams,particu-larlyaroundtheholidayswhenmorepeopleare buying online, so consumers should becautiouswhencompletingequinesales,justastheyarewhenpurchasingothergoodsovertheInternet.Whiletheonlinehorseindustryworkstoprotectusersfromscammers,con-sumers always shouldbe cautious byusingsecuremethodsofpaymentandkeepingde-tailedrecordswhenconductingtransactions.Additionally, consumers should performthoroughresearchontransportationcompa-nies,asmanythatpromote theirbusinessestoonlinehorsebrokersdonotspecialize inequine hauling, raising concerns about thesafetyoftheanimalstheycarry.

4)Gearup:Onceahorsehasfoundagoodhome,hewillneedequipmentandafewholi-daygiftsofhisown.Shoppersshouldexplorewhattheyandtheirnewanimalmayneedtoget comfortable in their new relationship -includingtrailersandtrucks,tacks,saddles,feed,booksandinformationalDVDs,aswellas apparel and grooming materials. HorseproductsandaccessoriescanbefoundonlineatEquine.comandthenewlylaunchedshop-pingsite,http://shopping.equisearch.com.

While each familymayhave their ownuniqueneeds,withtherightknow-how,theycan easily find the perfect present at their fin-gertips.Byfollowingtheseguidelines,fami-lies seeking a horse this season can practi-cally and promptly grant the ultimate wishto their family, while also protecting theiranimalsandtheirinvestments.Formorein-formation,or topostorbrowseforahorse,visitwww.equine.com.

“IWantaPony!”:AShopper’sGuidetotheInevitableHolidayRequest

Thursday, December 20, 2007 The County Times Section A - �

ObituariesSheila Rae Simms Drury,

61

Sheila Rae Simms Drury, 61, of Ridge died Dec. 8 in Georgetown University Hospital.

Born Oct. 10, 1946 in Riverdale, Md., she was the daughter of Dorothy and Charles Simms of Ridge. She was the loving wife of Donald Franklin Drury, Jr. whom she married Nov. 19, 1966 in St. Michael’s Church, Ridge.

She is survived by her loving children; Dawn Drury Turner of Ridge, Lisa Drury Brizek, of Chapin, S.C., Mi-chael Drury of King George, Va. and Emily Drury of Greensburg, Pa.; brother: Glenn Simms of Owings, Md. and eight grandchildren: Nikolai Yamaner, Isaiah Turn-er, Raegan Brizek, Michaela Turner, Gavin Brizek, Aiden Drury, Addison Brizek and Conner Drury. She was pre-ceded in death by her brothers Bruce and Steven Simms.

Shelia was a doting grand-mother who enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren. She is best remembered as always smil-ing and supporting her entire family. She would always put others before herself and constantly looked after not only her own family but also others in need. Shelia’s pass-ing is a great loss not only to the Drury family but to her extended family and all that were touched by her love.

Mrs. Drury gradu-ated from Great Mills High School, Class of 1965. The family received friends Thursday, Dec. 13 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Mattingley-Gar-diner Funeral Home, where Prayers were said at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Friday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. in St. Michaels Catholic Church, Ridge, with Fr. Maurice O’Connell offici-ating. Interment followed in the Church Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Mi-chael Drury, The Rose Fam-ily, Thomas Drury, Michael Brizek, John Edward Drury, Nikolai Yamaner and Daniel Russell.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Mayme Ferrell Garner, �1

Mayme Ferrell Garner, 91, of Leonardtown died Dec. 9 in INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Fairfax, Va.

Born Sept. 24, 1916 in Danville, Va., she was the daughter of the late Thadious Oscar Draper and Mayme Fe-rell Draper.

Upon Graduation from high school, she relocated to Washington, DC where she met her husband James F. Garner. They were married in 1937 and lived in Bethesda, Md. until 1944, when they moved to Tall Timbers, Md. and operated a successful general merchandise store for 20 years. Shortly after selling the store in 1964, she worked at the First National Bank of St. Mary’s in Lexington Park, Md. until 1971. She lived in Leonardtown, at Cedar Lane from 1987 to 1997 and for the past ten years lived in McLean, Va. at the Lewens-ville Apartments. Mayme will be remembered for being generous and having a zest for life. She had a unique ability to make all those around her feel welcome. Her family and friends will miss her.

She is survived by three children: James F. Garner, Jr. of San Diego, Calif., Judith Garren of Jacksonville, Fla. and Joseph Garner of Great Falls, Va. She had six grand-children and two great grand-children. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Francis Garner.

The family and friends were invited to Mayme’s Life Celebration Thursday, Dec. 13 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Brins-field Life Celebration Chapel, Leonardtown. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was cel-ebrated Friday, Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. in St. George Catholic Church, Valley Lee. The Rev-erend Msgr. Karl A. Chimiak was the celebrant. Interment followed in St. George Catho-lic Church Cemetery, Valley Lee.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Leon-ardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 299, Leonar-dtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements by Brins-field Funeral Home, Leonard-town, MD

Rachel Ann “Nan” Irvin, 73

Rachel Ann “Nan” Irvin, 73, of Abell, Md., formerly of

Hastings, W.V., died Dec. 16, in St. Mary’s Hospital.

Born September 9, 1934 in Hastings, W.V. she was the daughter of the late William and Wilda Riley. She was preceded in death by her lov-ing husband Joseph F. Irvin Sept. 23, 2007 in Georgetown University Hospital, whom she married Dec. 7, 1953 in Westover, W.V.

She is survived by her children: Sheila Rae Corbin and her husband Mark of Waldorf, Md., Joseph Martin Irvin and his wife Linda of Mechanicsville and Charles Riley Irvin and his wife Terri of Bel Alton, Md.; brother: Charles Riley of Fortona, Ca-lif.; six grandchildren: Randy Corbin, Megan Corbin, Dixie Corbin, Andrea Irvin, Dani-elle Irvin and Ann Irvin and three great- grandchildren: Zakk Corbin, Jake Corbin and Kelsie Irvin. She is also pre-ceded in death by her sister Virginia George.

Mrs. Irvin graduated from Pinegrove High School Class of 1952. She moved to St. Mary’s County in October 1993 from Forestville, Md.

The family received friends Wednesday, Dec. 19 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Mat-tingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, where prayers were said at 7 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held Thursday, Dec. 20 at 9:30 a.m. in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Chapel with Bishop William McClean of-ficiating. Interment will fol-low in the Maryland Veteran’s Cemetery, Cheltenham, Md. at 11 a.m.. Pallbearers will be: Randy Corbin, Mark Corbin, Charlie Corbin, Russell Bed-narik, Scott Bellevou and Jo-seph Mays.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A

Mildred Leilani Kai Long, 85

Mildred Leilani Kai Long, 85, of Leonardtown died Dec 10 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Leonardtown.

Born Jan.6, 1922 in Hilo, Hawaii, she was the daughter of the late David Kai and Sil-vava Carrena Kai.

Mrs. Long had worked as a flight attendant for Ha-waiian Airlines and worked with the Postal Service for 10 years. She retired from Civil Service at Andrews Air Force Base in 1979. Mildred was an avid quilter and homemaker and loved her afternoon soap operas. She raised and loved her “Yorkies.”

She is survived by a son, Charles L. Long and his wife Rosalinda of Monticello, Maine, and three grandchil-dren, Charles D. Long of Maine, Andrew Wilton Long and Cynthia Marie Long of Md. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband David Wilbur Long, whom she married May 24, 1947 and a son, David Paul Long.

The family received friends for Mrs. Long’s Life Celebration Sunday, Dec. 16 from 1:30 – 3 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown. A Graveside

Service will be conducted Thursday, Dec. 27 in Arling-ton National Cemetery, Ar-lington, Va. at 11 a.m.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown.

Elizabeth Margaret Mes-sick, 87

Elizabeth Margaret Mes-sick, 87, of Ridge died Dec. 16.

Born July 15, 1920 in Baltimore, Md., she was the daughter of the late Brady R. and Helen M. Smith McKay.

Mrs. Messick was a 1939 graduate of St. Mary’s Fe-male Seminary, St. Mary’s City. She worked for the U.S. Government in the Treasury Department in Washington, DC from 1939 to 1948 and in Public Works and the Secu-rity Department aboard the Naval Air Station, Patuxent River from 1951 until retiring in 1977. Mrs. Messick was a member of the American Le-gion Post #255 Ladies Auxil-iary, the Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, St. Michael’s Ladies of Char-ity and the Ridge Lions Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Mahoney Messick. She is sur-vived by her brother-in-law, Harry C. Wright, a sister-in-law, Annie Lucille Wright both of Ridge and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family received friends Tuesday, Dec. 18 in St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ridge from 5 – 8 p.m. with prayers recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 11 a.m. in St. Michael’s Church. The Reverend Mau-rice O’Connell was the cel-ebrant. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers were Robbie Wood, Johnny Wood, C.D. Wood, Joe (Her-bie) McKay, Kim McKay and Jimmy Wood.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ridge Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 520, Ridge, MD 20680 or Hospice House, c/o HOSPICE of St. Mary’s, Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

George Edward Norton, �0

George Edward Norton, of Ridge passed away Mon-day, Dec. 17 in the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home.

Mr. Norton was 90 years old. He was born to Clarence Mortimer and Laura Nesius Norton Sept. 26, 1917, in Washington, DC.

Mr. Norton was a U.S. Navy veteran, and served during World War II as a carpenter’s mate. He worked as a television repairman and carpenter in Washington, DC, after the war; he and his wife moved their family to Ridge in the early 1950’s. Mr. Nor-ton then began his civil ser-vice career as an electronics technician at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River and retired in 1977.

Mr. Norton was a past member of the St. Michael’s Church Choir, past president of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, and served on the Board of Directors of the St. Jerome Creek Citizens Asso-ciation. He also served as an usher at St. Michael’s Church in Ridge.

His hobbies and interests included organic garden-ing, coin and stamp collect-ing, American history, chess, checkers, dancing, classical music, old movies, and study-ing the stock market.

Mr. Norton is survived by his wife Audrey Raley Nor-ton, whom he married Oct. 14, 1943, in Washington, DC, and by his children Diane Varner, and her husband Donald, of Severna Park; Larry Norton and his wife Elizabeth, of La Plata; Karen Jensen and her husband Peter, of Ridge; and Kevin Norton, and his companion Karen Headley, of Mechanicsville. He is also survived by his grandchildren Douglas Varner, and his wife Christina; David Varner; and Brandi Norton.

Mr. Norton was prede-ceased by his parents and his brothers Howard Norton and Henry Norton.

Family received friends at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ridge Wednesday, Dec. 19 from 5 – 8 p.m., with prayers recited at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be cele-brated by Rev. Msgr. Maurice O’Connell Thursday, Dec. 20 at noon in the church, with burial following in the church cemetery. Pallbearers will be Bruce Dalton, Peter Jensen, Henry Norton, Bruce Raley, David Varner, and Douglas Varner.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ridge Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 456, Ridge, MD 20680; Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650; or Monsignor Peacock Memorial Fund at St. Mi-chael’s School, P.O. Box 259, Ridge, MD 20680.

Funeral arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown.

Mary Agnes Pumphrey, 84

Mary Agnes Pumphrey, 84, of California, Md. died Dec. 11 in her residence.

Born Aug. 14, 1923 in Haverhill, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Patrick Francis Aherne and Mary A. Sullivan Aherne.

She is survived by her children, Peggy Chaney of Clarksville, Tenn., Pat Pum-phrey of Knotts Island, N.C., Ann Tennison California, Md., five grandchildren, three great grandchildren and a sibling, Fran Aherne of Can-ton, Ohio. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Stanley Pumphrey.

The family received friends for a Celebration of Life for Mrs. Pumphrey Fri-day, Dec. 14 from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Satur-day, Dec. 15 at 10 a.m. in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Lexington Park. The Reverend Eamon Dignan was the celebrant.

Interment was be Tues-day, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Cheltenham, Md.

Memorial contributions may be made to the March of Dimes, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605.

John Francis “Little Man” Ryce, III (Infant)

John Francis “Little Man” Ryce, III, 11 days old, of Av-enue, Md. died Dec. 6 in Chil-dren’s Hospital.

Born Nov. 25 in Leonard-town, he was the son of John F. and Teresa L. Ryce, Jr. He is also survived by his grand-parents, John F. Ryce Sr. and Pamela S. Ryce, and Robert B. and Mary L. Trossbach, Jr. as well as his great grandpar-ents Mary E. and Robert B. Trossbach, Sr., Mary D. and William R. Norris, Jr. and Martha T. Ellis.

He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents James W. Ellis, Sr. and Thom-as L. and Joan M. Ryce, Sr.

Although he was only here for a short time, he was loved and cherished and will forever be in our hearts.

All services were private. Pallbearers were Billy

Downs, Jr., Robbie Ben-nett, J.R. Robertson and Joey Dean.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

SectionA-10 The County Times Thursday,December20,2007

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