Group will tout alternatives to cross-county connector

NEWS OF NOTE

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Those who attend will have the opportunity to hear about the county commissioners' plans for the east-west connection, its effect on the environment and the alliance's alternative plan for development.

"We're not anti-growth," said Meredith Sweet, who is a member of the alliance.

"You can't stop growth and you can't stop progress, but there needs to be a balance," she added.

During the 90-minute meeting, there will be a series of four speakers followed by a question-and-answer session.

Eric Fisher, a planner with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, will discuss the road and alternatives to the project. Jennifer Bevan-Dangel of 1,000 Friends of Maryland will talk about smart growth. Jim Long of the Mattawoman Creek Watershed Society will speak about environmental impacts of the connector and local businessman Josh Urban will share his perspective on the connector.

"[The speakers] will let the public know what's going on. This is an extremely hot issue with regards to the creek and because of next year's election," Sweet said.

Once the speakers have finished, attendees will be allowed their moment at the microphone.

"We're not just looking to do outreach," Sweet said. "We're looking to get feedback from the public. This is our alternative to the county commissioners' vision for the future."

The forum will be held in the Center for Business and Industry building at the campus at 8730 Mitchell Road.

For more information, e-mail Meredith_sweet@comcast.net.

Scare up a good time

The Charles County Chamber of Commerce will kick off the fourth annual Festival of Scarecrows on Oct. 29 in La Plata.

The event will run until Nov. 9 throughout the town. Local businesses, organizations and individuals will display 30 scarecrows that will be hanging on lampposts and perched on bales of hay on La Grange and St. Mary's avenues and Centennial and Charles streets.

Scarecrow setup will be Oct. 28 and judging will be Oct. 29, said Michelle Lekan, chamber spokeswoman. The winners will be announced Nov 8 during La Plata's Salute to Veterans event on the lawn of town hall at 305 Queen Anne St.

This year, the event's corporate sponsors are Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Shasho Consulting and Software Performance Systems, Lekan said.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to Spring Dell Center in La Plata, Lekan said, adding that the chamber hopes to raise $5,000. The nonprofit organization assists individuals with disabilities.

Last year, $5,000 was donated to the Center for Children in La Plata.

Everyone is invited to visit La Plata and enjoy the scarecrows that will be on display, Lekan said.

"This is a community event," she said. "Everybody is welcome. The Spring Dell Center is a great cause. We're trying to help the organization out as much as we can."

For information on the festival, call 301-932-6500 or e-mail mlekan@charlescountychamber.org.

Dementia care topic of Nov. 4 conference

The annual Southern Maryland Dementia Care Conference will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Jaycees center at 3090 Crain Highway in Waldorf.

The conference is designed to help family members, friends and professionals caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias better cope with the challenges of caregiving, according to a press release.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Christopher M. Marano, attending physician for the Memory and Alzheimer's Treatment Center at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

He will speak on depression and Alzheimer's disease.

Other topics for the day are "Montessori Techniques for Dementia Care" and "Traveling the Path of Alzheimer's."

The cost is $25 per person and includes continental breakfast and lunch.

Call the Alzheimer's Association at 301-934-5856 or 703-359-4440 or e-mail Dorothy.flynn@alz.org. A brochure is available at www.alz.org/nca.

Hazardous waste collection scheduled

The next household hazardous waste collection day will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 7 at the county landfill on Billingsley Road East between Piney Church Road and Route 5 in Waldorf.

Items accepted free of charge include pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, paint, cleaning supplies, pool chemicals, batteries, expired prescription drugs and other poisons around the house. Keep the materials in their original containers whenever possible, and bring them to the collection site in cardboard boxes to ease unloading.

The final household hazardous waste collection date for 2009 will be Dec. 5.

For more information, call 301-932-3599, 301-870-2778 or the landfill information service at 301-932-5656.

Comedy mystery dinner theater slated

Mount Zion United Methodist Church off Route 235 in Mechanicsville will present a dinner theater, "The Case of the Mysterious Benefactor: A Comedy Mystery at the Cafe Flambé," at 6 p.m. Nov. 6 and 7.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 301-655-0522. A silent auction will be held during the event.

Mudd wins chance to photograph Redskins game

Cheryl Mudd of Mechanicsville shot photographs from the sidelines during the Redskins-Eagles game Monday as part of Canon's "Shoot Like a Pro" Sweepstakes.

Mudd, 39, had Redskins team photographer Ned Drashman by her side throughout, offering advice, suggestions and tips on how to shoot action sports photographs.

Mudd is a longtime Redskins fan. "I'm nervous and excited at the same time. It is unbelievable," Mudd said before the game in a statement.

In addition to shooting from the sidelines, Mudd, a microbiologist, received four tickets to the game and a Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i camera kit.

Throughout the season, Canon is selecting nearly 60 winners from 10 NFL teams. Each team will host a winner at six of its eight home games throughout the season.

Fans can attempt to "Shoot Like a Pro" by logging onto their team's official Web site.