Town restaurant’s switch begins as court hearing ends

Friday, July 4, 2008

Linda Rivera Palchinsky ended her two years of business in town that day. She was back behind the lunch counter that afternoon at the eatery that bears her name, but the doors were locked shut and her tasks had gone from food preparation to a full evacuation.

Irene Parrish, the property’s owner, could not be reached for comment this week on when she’ll open Ye Olde Town Cafe, which already has been granted an occupancy permit by the town.

‘‘We both came to an agreement that the best thing for me was to get out and turn this back over to the landlord,” Palchinsky said at the doorway. ‘‘They gave me today to get out all perishables, and between the fifth and the 10th of the month to get all my equipment out.”

Palchinsky said she’ll focus her energies on her original cafe, which has been in operation for 20 years in Lexington Park, and she expressed no regrets for her expansion into Leonardtown.

‘‘I brought life into the town, and I hope it keeps going without me,” she said. ‘‘I want to thank the people of Leonardtown for their support. It was a great ride.”

Last call today for next week’s Camp DARE

Camp DARE will begin next Monday, July 7, for five days at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center in Leonardtown, open to children entering the fifth and sixth grades. Camp DARE is free, and it’s a coordinated effort between the St. Mary’s sheriff’s office and the St. Mary’s public schools. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, the sheriff’s certified Drug Abuse Resistance Education instructors will teach the elementary school-level curriculum to 75 children. Campers will participate in camping activities including arts and crafts, recreational competitions and public safety related demonstrations. Campers will receive a certificate of completion at the end of camp.

For more information call sheriff’s Cpl. Diane Fenwick at 301-475-4200, ext. 1998.

Sheriff offers traffic tips for Freedom Fest

The St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office has offered some traffic suggestions and requests in advance of the Freedom Fest celebration to be held Saturday, July 5, at the county fairgrounds off Route 5 south of Leonardtown.

Motorists coming from south of the fairgrounds should park at the Leonardtown High School parking lots. Motorists approaching from north of the fairgrounds should park in the Leonardtown Middle School parking lots, while drivers coming from the Hollywood and California areas via Fairgrounds Road should park in the fairground’s parking lot.

Roads in the area will be temporarily closed during the fireworks display. When the fireworks are over, vehicles leaving Leonardtown High School will be directed south on Route 5, and the vehicles leaving Leonardtown Middle School will be directed north on Route 5.

The vehicles leaving the fairgrounds parking lot will be directed to take Fairgrounds Road to Route 4, St. Andrew’s Church Road.

Expect traffic delays at the end of the event due to the large volume of traffic. Taking alternate routes such as St. Andrew’s Church Road, Medley’s Neck Road and Whirlwind Road can provide a less congested route home.

Military to get in free at Sotterley event

The general admission charge for the Independence Day Celebration Concert at Sotterley Plantation in Hollywood from 1 to 4 p.m. this Sunday will be $10 per vehicle, but Sotterley members and all U.S. military members with valid ID will get in free. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the concert on the front lawn featuring Jeffrey Silberschlag and the Chesapeake Orchestra Brass Quintet. This concert is an outreach of the St. Mary’s College River Concert Series. Call 301-373-2280 or go online to www.sotterley.org

Fire marshal warnsof fireworks dangers

Maryland State Fire Marshal William E. Bernard has issued a warning on the dangers of using illegal fireworks during the July 4 holiday weekend, and the need for safety when using the less-lethal legal ones. Deputy state fire marshals and local law enforcement plan to work to deter illegal fireworks activity, noting that the use of illegal fireworks continues to be a leading cause of hand and eye injuries at this time of year.

Wildlife officers launch holiday enforcement

Maryland Natural Resources Police will increase their presence on the state’s waterways and parks during the holiday weekend to educate boaters and keep the boating public safe. Wildlife officers’ ‘‘Operation Big Bang” will aggressively target boaters operating in a reckless or negligent manner or under the influence of alcohol.

The enforcement action also will focus on boaters not maintaining a proper lookout and not having the required safety equipment onboard. Meanwhile, patrols in the parks and forests will target underage alcohol possession and individuals driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as the use of illegal fireworks and other criminal activity.