February 2011

Transcription

February 2011

Urbana’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Urbana, Villages of Urbana, Ijamsville and More
Winter
Sports:
The
TOWN
Coming
Down the
Stretch
Vol. 7, No. 2
See page 29
Residents
Learn About
Wind Power
By Patsy Beckman
A
pproximately 100 area
residents
gathered
at
Centerville
Elementary
School recently to hear a presentation on the benefits of offshore
wind power.
Sugarloaf
Conservancy,
Friends of Frederick County,
the Montgomery Countryside
Alliance, and the Sierra Club
sponsored the educational event.
Speakers discussed the status
of wind power off Maryland’s
shoreline, a new backbone transmission project in the Atlantic
Ocean by Google, and state initiatives being planned to make
wind power more economically
viable.
Sen. Robert J. Garagiola, a
Montgomery County Democrat;
Bob Mitchell, CEO of TransElect, LLC; Keith Harrington
of the Chesapeake Climate
Action Network; and Lise Van
Susteren of the National Wildlife
n
wind power
Continued on page 16
Courier
32 pages
February 2011
Urbana Teacher One of Best in the Nation
By Krista Brick
U
rbana High School chemistry teacher Michelle
Shearer is in the running
to be named National Teacher
of the Year.
Shearer was named Frederick
County Public Schools Teacher
of the Year and then won top
teacher in Maryland in October.
Now she’s one of only four finalists for the nation’s top teaching honor: National Teacher of
the Year. She will be competing
against teachers from Florida,
Illinois and Montana for the national honor. Each will be interviewed by a select panel in
March. The White House will
announce the winner in May.
“Mrs. Shearer is a true educator, like so many across Frederick
County and Maryland, giving
n
teacher of the year
Continued on page 6
Photo | Courtesy FCPS
UHS chemistry teacher Michelle Shearer (front row, center) will find out in May if she will be named National Teacher of the Year.
Commercial Real Estate Picking Up Momentum
By Krista Brick
Return Address:
The Town Courier
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
T
PRSRT-STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Dulles
VA
Permit #163
he Urbana commercial and office real estate
market continues to rebound as retail centers
sell out and national tenants have an eye on the
community.
Despite a dismal market collapse nationwide
in 2008 and 2009, sales and leases of properties in
Urbana seem to be getting back on track.
“We are at the beginning of a new market,” said
Charles Seymour, owner of Turning Point Real
Estate. “The sign I see is the money on the sidelines
is coming back into the market.”
Turning Point Center has just one leasable space
left in its retail center, a 1,500-square-foot shell.
That has Seymour looking at 22 adjacent acres of
property for possible expansion.
Andy Brown, chairman of Stanford Properties,
said his company has seen a more active 2010.
Stanford owns the Urbana Village Shopping Center
of about 25,000 square feet located at the intersection of Route 80 and Md. Route 355.
Brown said, “2009 was not the easiest year to lease
commercial space anywhere, and that is when we
opened. Now we are almost fully leased. To me it
has been a fairly dramatic turn.”
That retail center has two spaces left, each about
1,300 square feet. The center includes locally owned
restaurants and national chains like Buffalo Wild
n
commercial real estate Continued on page 7
Legislative
Requests
Help Raise
Funds
By Krista Brick
T
Photo | Krista Brick
Turning Point real estate lists these adjacent two properties totaling
3.29 acres of commercial property for $3.25 million. They are located
at the corner of Urbana Pike, Sugarloaf Parkway and Route 80.
wo legislative initiatives
could help volunteer
firefighters and other
charitable organizations raise
money for nonprofits.
The Fill the Boot campaign, a nationwide fundraiser that uses firefighters
and police to raise money for
Muscular Dystrophy, came
to a halt in Frederick County
two years ago when public
outcry forced county leaders
to declare it illegal.
It appears other organizations with volunteers who
were not trained to work
within traffic started to solicit donations from motorists.
Some were not affiliated with
n
funding
Continued on page 10
Page 2
The Town Courier
February 2011
February 2011 The Town Courier
Page 3
SHOPTALK
A Snow Day in Urbana
With schools closed throughout Frederick County because of the
3 inches of snow that fell in mid-January, Urbana resident Adam
Siwiec, 11, left, grabbed his snowboard and hit the hills for a day
of fun provided by the winter weather.
Compiled by Krista Brick
Below, an Urbana dog walker braves the windy and snowy winter
weather for an early morning stroll through Villages of Urbana.
Photos | Cyndy Hammett
Yo Bubble employees Thep Phoubandith, Megan
Truong, Tinh Nguyen and Tuan Trinh are ready to
serve up some customer favorites.
Bubble Tea Comes to Urbana
County Eyeing a Change to Charter Government
By Krista Brick
F
rederick County residents may once
again get the chance to not only decide who will govern the county, but
also what form of government should be
used here.
The Frederick County commissioners
are looking for residents to help them serve
on a special board that will be responsible
for writing a charter that could change the
form of government. Residents have until March 1 to apply to be on this charter
writing board.
The commissioners’ goal is to have a
charter government referendum on the
general election ballot in November 2012.
“We are at a crossroads in the community. The citizens of Frederick County
should choose if they want the current form
of government or an executive form,” said
Commissioners’ President Blaine Young.
This isn’t the first time voters were faced
with this task. The county has made four
attempts to change its form of government
over the years. The most recent attempt
made in 2002 to move to a home rule government form failed.
Frederick County currently operates
under commissioner form of government. While a board of county commis-
sioners exercises both executive and legislative functions defined by state law, and
may enact ordinances, its legislative power is limited to those areas authorized by
the General Assembly, enabling legislation,
or public local laws. Eight counties have a
county commissioner form of government:
Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Garrett, St. Mary’s,
Somerset, Washington and Frederick.
Under charter government rule the executive and legislative branches are separate. Usually the governing form includes
a county executive and a county council.
Nine counties in Maryland operate under a
n charter change Continued on page 18
Formal Challenge Filed Against PATH
By Krista Brick
A
llegheny Energy has corrected
some alledged accounting errors
in its revenue requirements for
the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission
Highline, but the company maintains it
is allowed to receive reimbursment for
project expenditures from taxpayers.
Allegheny Energy attorney Randall
Palmer outlined the company’s actions
in correspondence to two West Virginia
women who are challenging the way the
company is funding the project.
The women’s challenge alleges that
the expenses for the PATH project were
neither prudent nor recoverable by the
Allegheny Energy and American Electric
Power customers in 2009. The pair alleges
accounting errors and over-collection of
allowable costs. The utility company had
until Jan. 3 to resolve the challenge, after
which time a formal challenge could be
filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
With no resolution, Keryn Newman
of Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Alison
Haverty of Chloe, W.Va., said they will
file that formal challenge.
“Neither Alison Haverty nor myself
was contacted by the PATH companies
during this resolution period,” Newman
said in an e-mail to The Town Courier.
The two filed a preliminary challenge
to the Potomac Appalachian Transmission
Highline’s formula rate in November arguing that taxpayers are wrongly footing
the bill for lobbying expenses, membership dues and other efforts in getting that
project built.
In a letter dated Jan. 3 from Palmer to
the two complainants, Palmer said the
company has “resolved certain of the alleged accounting errors” and stated in the
letter that a correction was posted on the
PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. website. He
stated, however, that he “disagrees” with
the part of the challenge that asserts that
certain expenditures were imprudent.
“The Commission has allowed recovery of expenses incurred to educate the
public on matters of reliability and quality
of service resulting from construction of
grid updates,” Palmer wrote. “The function of electric utilities under the Federal
Power Act is to render pubic service in
a business affected with a public interest. Consequently the Commission has
deemed it fair and reasonable to require
customers to pay the expenses properly
incurred by electric utilities in rendering
this public service.”
The PATH project ran into opposition
in Urbana when opponents of the project
were successful in a push for the denial
of its planned Kemptown substation. The
Frederick County Board of Zoning appeals rejected a request for a special exception to allow the substation to be built
in an agricultural zone off Bartholows
Road.
Yo Bubble, offering non-fat frozen yogurt and bubble tea, opened
last month at 3327 Worthington
Boulevard.
The store, owned by Janet Wu
of Germantown and Tina Trinh of
Urbana, is open Monday through
Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
Customers can help themselves to
self-serve frozen yogurt in a variety
of flavors as well as tons of toppings,
from fruits, candies and nuts to sprinkles and graham crackers. Yo Bubble’s
signature drink is bubble tea with flavors including: strawberry, passion
fruit, honeydew, mango, green apple,
peach and kiwi.
“After searching the area, we found
that there were no yogurt places. They
were only in D.C. and Montgomery
Mall. Not in Frederick,” Wu said of
the decision to open in Urbana.
Yo Bubble has five other employees. For more information about Yo
Bubble including nutritional content,
visit yo-bubble.com.
Tae Kwon Do and More
Opens in Urbana
Jeong’s
Tae
Kwon Do offering self defense, yoga, cardio kickboxing
and after-school
programs opens
Jan.
21
in
the
Urbana
S h o p p i n g Jeong’s Tae Kwon Do
Center.
studio is now open in VOU.
The
academy offers classes for all ages.
Tae Kwon Do instruction is taught by
Master Do Yung, a Korean Olympian
in the art of Tae Kwon Do.
A schedule is available by logging on
to www.jeongstkd.com or by calln shop talk Continued on page 14
Page 4
The Town Courier
February 2011
VIEWPOINT
Urbana New Year
Odds and Ends
The Power of the Press?
I’ve observed previously that
without letters to the editor it
is difficult to judge reactions
to my columns. However,
I recently spoke with some
readers who provided feedback. One reader, Roy Taylor,
suggested using the column to
influence action on two safety
issues at local schools he had By Rich Terselic
pursued without success. Roy
and his wife are active in south Frederick County
youth athletic activities.
The first problem Roy posed involves the need for
a simple means for safely getting through a chain link
fence to retrieve balls at an Urbana High School baseball field. Absent a “pass through” near the batting
cage, players risk injury climbing the fence.
The second problem involves the lack of fencing
around the storm water management pond at the
rear of Centreville Elementary School. The hills surrounding the pond tempt sledding, and the hazard exists of children falling through pond ice.
I placed phone calls to school system officials and
within a few days received promises to address both
problems. Given the winter conditions, I didn’t expect to see immediate corrective action; however, I
was advised a purchase order had been issued for installation of the fencing at Centreville. I’ll follow up
on the “pass through” when better weather returns.
In my calls to school system officials I didn’t mention I wrote a Town Courier column.
Urbana a Municipality?
The Frederick News Post published feature articles
quoting statistics from the American Community
Survey. Urbana statistics were listed among municipalities such as Frederick City, Thurmont and Mt.
Airy. As I recall, Urbana was reported as having a
population of about 13,000 and an average income of
about $129,000.
Urbana isn’t a municipality, and the data probably
applies to a geographically defined area, without intending to bestow municipality status to Urbana. I
brought this to the attention of the writer of one of
the articles, but a correction has not been published.
Regardless of whether or not Urbana is a municipality, the data suggests it is a major population
center in the county, and the average income assures that it is an important source of tax revenue.
This should translate into political influence for the
area. Unfortunately, the November election winners
did not include a local resident who could champion
Urbana interests. Alex Mooney and Charles Jenkins,
who know the area, were both defeated.
n
new year Continued on page 5
Diane Dorney
Publisher
301.330.0132
[email protected]
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
For advertising: 301.606.8833
Also on the Web at www.towncourier.com.
Matt Danielson
President
301.330.0132
[email protected]
Mend your ‘Broken Heart’ this Valentine’s Day
By Patsy Beckman
T
he heart is known as the most important organ in the
human body. It is the soul of all humans, not only for
spiritual activity, but for all operations of human life.
As the holiday for sweethearts approaches, Dr. John
Vitarello, M.D., F.A.C.C., a cardiologist at Cardiovascular
Specialists in Urbana, is asking all residents, both women
and men, to educate themselves about heart disease and
heart ailments.
Being that it is the month of February, doctors are taking a closer look at a syndrome that for the past five years
has increasingly been found to afflict more and more
women — Tako-Tsubo Syndrome, otherwise known as
“Broken Heart Syndrome.”
Symptoms can be triggered by emotional stress, such as
the death of a spouse, a bad breakup, or constant rejection,
all magnified on days such as Feb. 14. Job loss, the real estate market and other effects of the current economy are
also linked to the ailment.
The diagnosis, according to Vitarello, is coming all too
often, predominantly in women. “We are mostly seeing it
in females,” he said.
The stress and loneliness of modern lifestyles is leading
to the sudden, temporary weakening of the myocardium.
Vitarello believes the reasons that the syndrome is afflicting more females than males is because women are
more emotional than men, they face different workplace
challenges and, as mothers, often have sons or daughters
heading off to wars overseas.
“We are seeing a lot more cases now because of all of the
Got news?
Patsy Beckman
Managing Editor
Advertising Manager
301.606.8833
[email protected]
Krista Brick
News Editor
301.947.9378
krista@
towncourier.com
Claire Fleischer
Copy Editor
Staff Photographers
S. Nicole Davis
Tracey McCabe
Cyndy Hammett
Staff Writers
Patsy Beckman
Krista Brick
Nora Caplan
Betty Hafner
Sheilah Kaufman
Karen O’Keefe
stress women in our society face,” said Vitarello about this
syndrome that initially described a coronary artery spasm
some 30 years ago. Now the number of occurrences seems
to have skyrocketed in post-menopausal women.
The signs of the syndrome are shortness of breath, chest
heaviness and tightness in the chest. It perplexes doctors,
because the syndrome has all of the signs and symptoms of
heart disease.
“But we find no blockages in these women,” said
Vitarello about the patients with the symptoms after they
are operated on.
The good news: With proper medications, Vitarello
says, “Broken Heart Syndrome” can be reversed.
“It hits like lightening, but you can get better in three to
six months. That’s if you don’t die,” he said.
If you are experiencing any Tako-Tsubo symptoms,
contact your doctor without hesitation.
Dr. Vitarello’s Heart-Healthy Tips
“Low doses of dark chocolates can reduce the risk of a
heart attack,” said Vitarello, who even has a chocolate bar
named after him — “Dr. V’s Chocolate.”
He is asking residents to consider a “heart-healthy” diet
— one high in antioxidants this Valentine’s Day.
“Anything that flies or swims is good to eat,” he said.
It is also recommended for those over the age of 65 to
take an aspirin and to walk 30 minutes everyday.
“I encourage all residents to consider drinking a glass of
red wine and eat low doses of dark chocolate on Valentine’s
Day,” he said.
Send your news and tips to
[email protected].
©2011 Courier Communications
The Town Courier is an independent monthly newspaper providing news
and information for the communities of Kentlands, Lakelands and Quince
Orchard Park in Gaithersburg, Md. The paper is published by Courier
Communications, which is responsible for the form, content and policies
of the newspaper. The Town Courier does not espouse any political belief or
endorse any product or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be signed and may be edited for length or content. The Town Courier is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers
Letters to the Editor and Commentary do not necessarily ref lect the views
of the staff, management or advertisers of The Town Courier.
The Town Courier
February 2011 Page 5
On SERVICE
The Business of Serving
T
he
Rotary
creed is “service above
self.” The Southern
Frederick County
Rotary has only
been around for
a little over two
years, but we have
already contributBy John Lynn
ed much to the loShanton
cal community.
Some of the
things this group of area residents has done
for the Urbana community include: provided support for Marine Toys for Tots;
donated funds to help local families in financial distress; started a new Interact
Club at Urbana High School (UHS);
sponsored a local UHS student in the Four
Way Test speaking competition; donated
dictionaries to Centerville Elementary
School; supported the Maryland Sheriffs’
Youth Ranch; supported the Southern
Frederick County Youth Athletic Facilities
Foundation; and conducted mock interviews at UHS.
One of our fundraisers was a special tour of Frederick County — a Road
Rally ‘Fun’raiser in September. The Road
Rally is a driving tour in the country during which teams compete in a very casual family-friendly outing. There are fun
challenges along the tour that teams can
complete to earn points for prizes.
Each month Rotarians also host guest
speakers from authors to financial experts.
Editor’s Note: “The Business of Serving” is
a new monthly column submitted by representatives of the Southern Frederick County Rotary.
John Lynn Shanton is a past president of the
Southern Frederick County Rotary.
seemed important reasons for his selec-
■ new year
In January, author Noah Waters, spoke
about her book “7-14 Days: Our Time
is at Hand.” As one of only two women
U.S. sea marshals in the San Francisco Bay,
Waters conducted law-enforcement vessel
boardings immediately after the Sept. 11,
2001, attacks on the World Trade Towers.
In her book, Waters relives the immediate aftermath of the worst attack ever to
hit this nation’s shore from an incredible
story of maritime response. She weaves
actual events of the past into a haunting
awareness of maritime security issues we
face today.
The story focuses on three individual characters from totally different backgrounds who give the cause of defending
the country all they have only to realize
the inevitable truth that giving all you
have got to a specific cause may not be
enough. Waters wrote this special book
because she believes that the story of terror from the skies is familiar to the world
yet little has ever been written about one
of the most important specialized groups
following the September attacks.
Everyday Americans who were strangers were brought together, became friends,
warriors and protectors of one the United
States’ most important International gateways. It is vital that our country knows
how these individuals were pulled together to create for the first time in United
States a team of maritime law enforcement
to face the threat of terrorism.
tion — at least to me as one of the board
from page 4
members who voted for him.
Will residents be able to observe im-
A Maturing Villages of Urbana
During 2010 the number of occupied
homes in the Villages of Urbana passed
the percentage needed to trigger a change
in the board of directors from developer
to resident plurality. The election that
took place at the Villages homeowners’
association annual meeting in November
produced a new board made up of four
residents and three developer members.
At the first meeting of the new board,
the prior president, Tom Natelli, was selected to continue in that position. While
it might seem surprising to some that a
developer representative was chosen, his
excellent skills as a meeting moderator
and record of uncompromising dedication to the interests of the community
k Pediatric Associate
c
i
r
e
d
s
Fre Relocating our Urbana Office
3500 Campus Drive, Suite D
Urbana, MD 21704
Across from Urbana High School
portant changes in the governance of the
Villages as a consequence of the change
to resident voting control? Time will tell,
but I personally doubt observable change
will occur from the excellence evidenced
during the 10 years of developer voting
control.
Best wishes to all for a great 2011.
Rich Terselic has been writing a column for
the Town Courier since 2005. He is a retired
federal executive and has also managed a
family business. Contact Terselic at:
[email protected].
Stay in touch while you’re
away from home ...
www.towncourier.com.
NEW
Janua
ry
2011
Extended Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sick Walk-Ins 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. • Evening Hours Available
301-694-0606
• Comprehensive, Compassionate, Pediatric Care (Newborn - 21 yrs.)
• 4 Convenient Locations
• SICK Walk-ins, 8-9 a.m., M-F
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• Dedicated Nursing, Medication Refill, Referral and Billing Lines
• We specialize in providing optimal pediatric patient care
• Complimentary pre-natal visits
• Allergist at our Ballenger Creek location on Tuesday
87 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 101 • Frederick, MD 21702
6550 Merchantile Drive East, Suite 106 • Frederick, MD 21703
3280 Urbana Pike, Suite 204 • Ijamsville, MD 21704
1502 South Main Street, Suite 206 • Mt. Airy, MD 21771-3280
Phone: 301-829-6146
VISIT US AT WWW.FREDERICKPEDIATRICASSOCIATES.COM
Serving Frederick County for 31 years.
Page 6
The Town Courier
Senior MOMENTS
A Senior Center?
What’s That?
D
on’t let the
name Senior
Center fool
you.
We use the name
to distinguish ourselves from all the
programs offered for
young adults. The
Frederick County
Department
of
Aging’s five senior By Susan Hofstra
centers are community focal points offering educational programs, health and fitness activities, recreation opportunities, and socialization. The
centers’ programs and activities help individuals maintain wellness and independence, and encourage their involvement in
the community. They are community facilities where people gather to fulfill many of
their social, physical, emotional and intellectual needs. Each senior center offers different programs tailored to the needs and
wants of the people who attend.
Sharing a building with the Urbana
Regional Library, the Urbana Senior Center
offers enrichment opportunities for active,
independent senior adults. This activity and
resource center offers individuals the tools
to:
• Understand the challenges and opportunities of this wonderful stage in life.
• Take the necessary actions to successfully
February 2011
OFF THE SHELF
pursue their passions and purpose.
• Contribute their talents, energy and wisdom to enhance the quality of life of
others.
• Navigate other services and programs (too
many to include in this article!) available
in Frederick County for older adults, families and caregivers.
Here’s a sample of the activities offered at
the Urbana Senior Center: day trips, exercise to video, knitting group, men’s discussion group, Wii bowling, brain aerobics, Ask
Nurse Steve (health awareness discussion),
blood pressure screening, nutritious (and
delicious) lunches catered by Buckingham’s
Choice, health fairs and guest speakers.
Now is the time to explore the ways you
can be connected with other seniors and the
community as a whole. It’s a great time to be
a senior in Frederick County. The possibilities are endless.
For more information, visit us at 9020
Amelung Street (ground floor of the Urbana
Regional Library building — next door to
the Giant).
Phone: 301.600.7020; website: www.
FrederickCountyMD.gov;
Facebook:
Urbana Senior Center – Frederick County,
MD;
e-mail:
UrbanaSeniorCenter@
FrederickCountyMD.gov.
Editor’s Note: “Senior Moments” is a monthly column submitted by representatives of the
Urbana Senior Center. Susan Hofstra is coordinator of the Urbana Senior Center, Frederick
County Department of Aging.
Program Targets Tots
with Learning Issues
F
eather flowers
scented
with essential
oils, knobby rubber
balls, colorful musical shakers, and
oversized books —
these are a few of
the sensory treats
featured every first
Friday at Urbana
By Erin Dingle
Regional Library’s
“Storyland” story
times created specifically for children with
developmental delays.
Story times at the library are a great way
to meet other parents and teach babies and
preschoolers important literacy and numeracy skills. These popular programs
regularly require registration and have wait
lists.
But some families may stay away because
their children are “different.” They might
be loud or very active. They might have
a hard time focusing or participating in
group settings. Or they might look different from other children because of a handicap. “Storyland” is a great bridge for these
families.
“Storyland” was developed especially
for children from birth to age 3 who are
identified by the Frederick County Infants
and Toddlers Program (FCITP) as having
developmental delays. These could be sensory and motor skill issues, speech delays,
or autism spectrum disorders among other
things.
In addition to reading books to the children, librarians sing songs with movements
and use felt boards, rhythm instruments,
and tactile tools like textured blocks and
balls. They work not only to stimulate and
teach the children, but also to give the par-
■ teacher of the year
from page 1
her best every day to help students get the
most out of the classroom experience,” says
FCPS Superintendent Dr. Linda Burgee.
“I wholeheartedly agree with Maryland
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nancy
Grasmick that we could not be more proud
of Mrs. Shearer as she takes the national stage. Work like hers has helped rank
Maryland schools at the head of the class
nationwide.”
A graduate of Princeton University and
McDaniel College, Shearer also attended Gallaudet and Walden Universities.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, a master’s degree in deaf education,
and dual certification in chemistry and
general special education. She is the 2009
Maryland recipient of the Siemens Award
for AP Teaching. Fluent in American
Sign Language, she also has taught at the
Maryland School for the Deaf, serving as
content area leader and coach of the 2005
ents confidence and skills to become literacy coaches for their own kids.
“We use a Picture Exchange
Communication System for those who
have difficulty verbally expressing themselves,” said Janet Vogel, one of the librarians who helped design the programs.”
Picture cards help kids know what to expect next in a sequence of activities.”
Parents of a baby who has a medical diagnosis that puts them at risk for a delay, or
who has not not been meeting their developmental milestones can talk to their pediatrician for a referral to FCITP or call them
directly at 301.600.1612.
FCITP service providers will talk with
the child’s family to hear about their concerns for their child and to learn about the
child’s early health and development. After
a developmental assessment is completed,
service providers work with the family to
offer free early intervention services.
Because many of FCITP’s therapies are
provided in the family’s home, “Storyland”
is a library lifeline to social support. The
programs are a great way for these families
to connect with others who are facing the
same challenges.
A generous grant from the Women’s
Giving Circle has allowed “Storyland”
to be available at three Frederick County
Public Library Branches. Urbana Regional
hosts “Storyland” on the first Friday of
each month at 10:15 a.m. and does not limit it only to families involved with FCITP.
To register or find out more information,
call 301.600.7003 or go to www.fcpl.org/
programs.
Editor’s Note: Erin Dingle is acting administrator at the Urbana Regional Library. She can
be reached at [email protected] or
301.600.7004.
National Champion Academic team.
“I am absolutely thrilled that Michelle
Shearer has been selected as a finalist for the
National Teacher of the Year,” said Urbana
High School Principal Kathy Campagnoli.
“She is most deserving of our admiration
and respect, for she humbly embodies both
the professional and personal qualities we
expect of all educators. Mrs. Shearer is extremely intelligent, highly skilled, quite articulate, and always passionate about teaching. As an ambassador for learning Mrs.
Shearer brings great pride to Urbana High
School and FCPS. Now that Maryland has
been named the top education system in
the nation for the third year in a row, it
is fitting, indeed that a Maryland teacher
represent[s] the best teachers in the nation.
She is simply the best of the best teachers!”
The National Teacher of the Year contest, sponsored by the ING Foundation
and Target, is a project of the Council of
Chief State School Officers in partnership
with University of Phoenix and People to
People Ambassadors Program.
February 2011 ■ COMMERCIAL
Real estate
from page 1
Wings and Ledo’s Pizza.
“It is about what we expected, providing a mix of national and local tenants,”
Brown said. “No one seems to be hurting.”
Frederick
County
Economic
Development Executive Director Laurie
Boyer said the trend is good countywide.
“We are definitely starting to see some
more activity in the commercial real estate market and hope to see a positive trend
throughout 2011,” Boyer said. “Urbana is
definitely one of the hot areas for commercial growth and has a lot of great buildings and sites for commercial development.
As the closest growth area in Frederick
County to northern Montgomery County
and with slightly lower lease rates and costs
of doing business, Urbana is definitely
well-positioned to absorb new commercial
projects.”
Seymour credits some of the movement
in the market to a new Board of County
Commissioners that had pledged a probusiness atmosphere. That pledge, he said,
is already translating into better business.
“People had declined to look here because it was difficult to get through the process (planning and zoning). The door that
we wanted to open for Urbana had closed,
and they were headed to Montgomery
County because of these regulations,”
Seymour said.
Some small businesses especially felt burdened by the planning and zoning process
that Seymour said could be lengthy and
therefore costly to navigate.
The Town Courier
Frederick County Commissioners’
President Blaine Young said his board
wants to make changes to the process that
will help spur economic development. The
board has reached out to the business community and already has received a list of
40 different items that the community felt
government was doing to limit business
growth, expansion and relocation.
“The business community has a lot of
concerns,” Young said.
Young cited regulations such as requiring homeowners to pull permits to simply
replace a broken dishwasher as an example
of government regulations gone wrong.
He said his administration will prioritize requested changes and work to address
them.
At the same time, local retailers expect
to be helped by big tenants like Fannie
Mae and Banner Life Insurance Company,
slated to move into its new Urbana corporate center in September.
The community is still in the running
for the Social Security Administration’s
(SSA) 300,000-square-foot data center.
Rick Boyle, vice president of Natelli
Communities said, “We have been in discussions” with the SSA. Urbana is one of
two locations in Maryland vying for the
SSA data center, which is expected to employ 250 workers. The other possible site
is on Johnnycake Road in Woodlawn in
Baltimore County.
“We are waiting to hear what they decide, us or Woodlawn. I don’t want to jinx
it,” Boyle said.
Boyer said the SSA is still finalizing its
environmental assessment phase, and he
expects a decision on the relocation by the
end of the first quarter.
Page 7
AroundTOWN
FCPS’ BOE Hires Superintendent
Search Firm
Compiled by Patsy Beckman
For more information, call the BOE at:
301.696.6850 or e-mail: [email protected].
Frederick County Public Schools’ (FCPS)
Board of Education (BOE) has selected
Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA)
to assist in the national search for a new superintendent to replace the departing and
award-winning Dr. Linda Burgee.
The BOE approved a contract for $25,000
plus expenses with HYA.
“Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates has
more than 20 years of experience and has
participated in over 800 superintendent
searches in this country and abroad, many
for school systems like ours,” said Brad
Young, president of the BOE. “They have
the knowledge and experience to help us recruit a pool of viable candidates. One of their
strengths is their ability to engage the community in the search process, which is a priority for this board.” Burgee announced in September that she
will retire effective June 30, 2011. The BOE
expects to have a candidate chosen before
Burgee’s retirement.
“Frederick County’s citizens value public
education, and we want a leader who will
continue our school system’s tradition of
achievement,” Young said. “We plan to conduct the search efficiently and with our ears
tuned to the opinions of all stakeholders.”
A superintendent search website, accessible via: www.fcps.org, will go live soon and
will serve as a clearinghouse for information,
such as key dates and milestones.
American Idol — Senior Style
Do you like to sing in the car? What about
the shower, or choir, or in a group setting?
Here is your chance to showcase your
talent. On Feb. 4, Frederick County’s
Department of Aging will hold a Frederick
Senior Idol competition at the Urbana Senior
Center from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The snow
date is Feb. 11.
Contestants must be 60 years of age or older, supply a brief biography (no more than
55 words), and sign a photo release/waiver at
the time of audition.
Two contestants will be selected to represent Frederick County in the state competition on March 30.
For more information or to register, call
301.600.7020.
The general public is invited to be members
of the audience at each of the competitions.
Some of our company’s current listings:
BRADDOCK
$519,900
TILGHMAN
$274,900
JUST SOLD!
FREDERICK
$339,900
FISHING HOLE FARM
$424,900
FREDERICKTOWNE VILLAGE
$279,900
UNDER CONTRACT
FREDERICK
$289,900
BROOKLYN
$59,900
HAWTHRONE
$144,500
PHILADELPHIA
$133,333
UNDER CONTRACT
LAKETREE
$139,900
FAIRWAY MEADOWS
$239,850
LYNCH POINT
$299,977
TWELVE TREES
$174,500
SCHOLAR WOODS
$149,900
BRYANS GRACE
$249,900
PARK PLCE AT MILL
$199,900
Page 8
The Town Courier
SchoolNEWS
Open Forum on Education
Frederick County Public Schools
Superintendent Dr. Linda Burgee invites parents and guardians countywide to
ask general questions and talk informally
with her on Feb. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the
Central Office Board Room at 191 South
East Street, Frederick. Personnel matters and questions specific to an individual
student are not appropriate for this forum
and should be directed to the teacher or
principal.
Maryland Schools Rank Top in the
Country
Maryland schools are boasting about
some great marks given to the school system
that rank it the best in the country.
According to Education Week, the nation’s
leading education newspaper, Maryland
earned a B+ for its job in educating its students. That puts it as the best in the nation
at the job for the third straight year.
Maryland’s 2011 ranking in Quality
Counts is based on state education policies
and student performance that reflect nearly
two decades of work on a pre-K - 12 curriculum; state accountability and standards;
teacher effectiveness; and work on school
readiness, high school reform, and preparation for college and the workplace. Quality
Counts uses more than 50 indicators to develop its report.
Most other states earned a grade C or
lower, according to the report. New York
February 2011
Compiled by Krista Brick
Board Takes Another Look at Proposed Charter School
By Krista Brick
P
roponents of a new charter school
in Frederick County made another pitch to the Frederick County
School board, hoping this time to find a
more receptive audience.
On Jan. 12, organizers of the Frederick
Classical Charter School presented their
application to launch a new charter school
in the county to a board that includes
new members. Charter school officials requested the second chance to apply after
the previous board rejected their plan in
November.
and Massachusetts both got a grade of B.
New Employees at UHS
School Resource Officer Deputy Brian
Stocks is back on board with the Urbana
High School (UHS) feeder schools.
Although Stocks has spent the last five
years with the Sheriff ’s Department patrolling the Middletown Valley, he is excited to
return to his previous assignment working
with the schools.
A familiar face to UHS, Stocks will be
stationed in the assistant principals’ suite at
phone extension #67682.
UHS is also welcoming back to the Hawk’s
nest former agriculture teacher Tonjia
The board did not vote on the application. A vote is scheduled for Jan. 26.
Still, Frederick Classical Charter School
founders were pleased at the opportunity
to give it another go.
“We are pleased that the new members
of the school board had an opportunity to
hear what we had to say with regard to
our application,” said Sue Middleton, a
member of the Frederick Classical Charter
School Board of Trustees. “We were very
pleased that they took the time to make
this important enough to listen. We just
wanted to clarify misunderstandings and
Mayne. Mayne taught agriculture and technology classes at UHS from 1999 – 2007
and will continue her work with the Future
Farmers of America. Mayne holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from
West Virginia University and has completed
graduate course work at both the University
of Maryland and McDaniel College. She
has received many honors and awards, including the Frederick County Outstanding
Career and Technology Teacher in 2007.
Future Scientists Visit Goddard
Space Flight Center
Urbana High School (UHS) honor stu-
get a fair turn to speak to the concerns
raised since November.”
The Frederick Classical Charter School
is proposed as public school offering kindergarten through eighth grade instruction. A “charter school” is a public school
that is given the freedom to implement a
different approach to education than the
regular public schools. Charter schools are
not religious and do not screen applicants
in any way. There is no tuition; however,
the school gets funding from the county
and the county’s share of state education
dollars.
dents presented their research on topics including atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere
and hydrosphere to a group of earth scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt on Jan. 11.
UHS offers an earth system science research course to 11th and 12th grade honor students. This course introduces students
to the field of scientific research using real-time science data from organizations
such as the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
and United States Geological Survey
(USGS).
In the course, students are introduced to
The Town Courier
February 2011 Kids Help the Needy
Students at Smarty Pants Preschool
in Urbana spent their holiday
season collecting food for the
Frederick Food Bank, some even
going door-to-door in their respective neighborhoods to help those
less fortunate than themselves.
Participants included: Aine Taylor,
Taylor Spielvogel, Mia Hostler, Finlay
Souders, Jacob Chandler, Katie Tunney, Tyler Travis and Aya El Hage.
Photo | Submitted
SchoolNEWS
various components of the Earth system,
including the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere (ice), geosphere and hydrosphere
during term one. Throughout the second
term, students explore an area of interest in
one of these fields to conduct their own research, again using scientific data. They are
exposed to the entire research process from
exploring background information to writing their proposal, collecting data, graphing and analyzing that data, drawing conclusions and then presenting their research.
While on the trip, students also toured
some of the facilities on the GSFC Campus,
listened to scientists share about their research, and went to the Visitor Center and
Science on a Sphere exhibit.
UHS Poets Win County Competition
Three Urbana High School poets are
competing in a regional poetry competition
this month after they swept the Poetry Out
Loud contest at the Cultural Arts Center in
Frederick Jan. 7.
Sara Tapscott came in first place, Connor
Smith placed second, and Emily Morgan
landed a third place finish. Poetry Out Loud
is sponsored by the National Endowment
for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.
Tapscott, Morgan and Smith were selected by a panel of three judges from a strong
field of 22 contestants in the Urbana schoolwide event. The contestants were required
to recite two poems, one of which had
to have been published prior to the 20th
Century and one consisting of 25 or fewer lines. Contestants were evaluated by the
following criteria: physical presence, voice
and articulation, appropriateness of dramatization, evidence of understanding, level of
difficulty, and accuracy.
Students prepared for the recitation contest by participating in classroom activities
and contests, by working with each other
after school, and a lot of time in front of the
mirror and before family members at home.
UHS Students Attend Youth
Inaugural Event
Urbana High School students Georgianna
Pisano Goetz and Bryan Villalobos, with
Student Government Association teacher
advisor Leigh Ann Young, got a chance to
attend a Youth Inaugural conversation at
the University of Maryland, College Park,
on Jan. 18, the day before Maryland’s inaugural celebration. Two students and a
chaperone from each school were eligible
Page 9
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to attend.
Students were invited to discuss how
they can have a voice and role in the future of their education and state. To attend,
each student submitted a two-sentence response to the questions “What is the greatest challenge you face in pursuing your educational goals?” and “What do you believe
is the greatest challenge facing the state of
Maryland?”
Both the Governor Martin O’Malley and
Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown attended the Youth Inaugural event.
Giving to Those in Need
The staff at Urbana Elementary School
recently donated hundreds of items to their
local food bank. The Urbana Food Bank,
run by Jo Ostby and family, provides for
over 70 families in the area.
Elementary Gifted and Talented
Nominations
All county schools that serve students in
kindergarten through fifth grade — public
and private — will have nomination packets
on Feb. 4 for the Frederick County Public
Schools (FCPS) 2011-12 countywide magnet program for gifted students with high
academic performance. The FCPS website will also post information and nomination forms at www.fcps.org/gnt beginning
Feb. 4.
Magnet sites for the 2011-12 school year
will be New Market, North Frederick and
Urbana elementary schools. Completed
parent nomination forms are due March 4
to allow schools time to administer necessary assessments, complete a teacher checklist of learning behaviors and process other
paperwork.
FCPS invites parents to a magnet program overview on Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at
the Central Office, 191 S. East Street,
Frederick, in the Board Room. The overview, for parents only, covers the characteristics of students for whom the program is
designed and the processes leading to placement. The snow date is Feb. 10 at the same
time and location.
In May, schools will host visitations for
parents of students offered placement in the
program. No other visitations are permitted.
Parents of non-public school students and
students receiving home schooling as well as
anyone desiring additional information may
contact FCPS Coordinator of Gifted and
Talented Programs Meg Lee, 301.696.6891.
Page 10
The Town Courier
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nonprofits.
“Other nonprofit organizations were
coming into the county and doing the
same thing [as Fill the Boot volunteers]
using teenagers, and that was a safety factor. Some were saying they were collecting
for nonprofits, but they weren’t,” said John
Neary, president of the Career Firefighters’
Association of Frederick County.
Neary’s organization is making a push to
create a permitting process that would allow
defined organizations to solicit donations on
specific roads in the county.
The Frederick County Commissioners
approved this request and included it in the
legislative package, a sort of wish list to the
county’s state delegation. That delegation
would then decide whether to sponsor the
legislative initiatives and push to have them
passed into law.
Urbana Fire Company Chief Jim May
backed the request, saying the Career
Firefighters have raised funding this way
for Muscular Dystrophy, and supported the
drive to continue it.
According to Neary, 180 families in
Frederick County get aid from the Muscular
Dystrophy Association, including three
Urbana families. This aid includes equipment such as motorized wheelchairs, stair
lifts and crutches along with special programming and camps.
On average, the Frederick County firefighters raised $20,000 through the Fill
the Boot campaign, focusing on three intersections in the Route 85 and Crestwood
Boulevard area.
Last year, instead of the roadside solicitations, the group sponsored a golf tournament, which netted $5,600 for Muscular
Dystrophy. In Montgomery County, where
Fill the Boot solicitation is allowed, firefighters raised $250,000 for the campaign,
according to Neary.
A second legislative initiative would increase the limit on the number of charitable
raffles nonprofit organizations are allowed
to hold, an amendment to the state gaming
law.
Frederick County currently operates under the state law that permits a qualified organization to have a maximum of six raffles in each year. The new request would
increase that maximum to 12 or allow the
Board of County Commissioners to set an
annual limit.
Ed Arnold, president of the Carroll
Manor Fire Company, initiated the request
because his company wants to offset budget
cuts with more raffle fundraisers.
“With the county cutting our budget in
funding, we have to come up with additional revenue to offset those costs,” Arnold said.
May said while Urbana Fire Company
doesn’t have immediate plans to offer more
raffles, the flexibility to do so would be
good.
“It is certainly good news. If we want to
take advantage of more, we could do that,”
he said.
Arnold said Carroll Manor Fire Company
nets about $20,000 a year in raffle donations,
about a fifth of the company’s budget.
The legislation would not be limited to
fire companies. It would allow all qualified charitable organizations to increase the
number of raffles they run.
February 2011
Calendar
Upcoming
Meetings/Events/Closures
2/1
BOCC Work Session, 8:30 a.m.,
Winchester Hall
BOCC Work Session, 7 p.m.,
Winchester Hall
2/8
Winchester Hall
2/9
BOE Meeting, 6 p.m., BOE
Administrative Building, Frederick
2/15
Winchester Hall
BOCC/BOE Meeting, 1:30 p.m.,
Winchester Hall
BOCC Meeting, 7 p.m., Winchester
Hall
2/21
Frederick County Government Offices
Closed, Presidents’ Day
2/22
Winchester Hall
2/23
BOE Meeting, 6 p.m., BOE
Administrative Building, Frederick
The Town Courier
Washington Freedom Heads South
By Krista Brick
H
e’s renamed the Washington
Freedom Women’s Professional
Soccer (WPS) team the
MagicTalk FC and is moving them to
Florida, but new owner Daniel Borislow
said his decisions may have just saved the
league.
“I thought if I didn’t do it, it would be
the end of the league,” said Borislow, 49,
a mega-successful inventor and entrepreneur and self-proclaimed soccer enthusiast.
He said his motive behind buying the team
was to make sure women athletes who aspire to make a career playing soccer will
have a place in America to do just that.
“This wasn’t perfect timing for me,” he
said of the deal brokered earlier this winter. “I was concerned the league would go
away. This allows the league to have the
opportunity to have another year to figure
itself out.”
The WPS league has struggled to keep
its field of teams running with new clubs
opening and closing. Six teams make up
the 2011 league. Players aren’t always sure
they have a club to go back to year after year. The Freedom team was desperately looking for someone to take majority ownership after the former owners, the
Hendricks family, wanted to take a step
back. The Hendricks will still hold a stake
in the MagicTalk FC.
Borislow made his money inventing
magicJack, a voice-over IP product that allows unlimited calling through a computer. He said he is on the verge of launching two new products but that he couldn’t
stand on the sidelines and watch the WPS
league disintegrate.
He has some aggressive ideas to make the
league and his team have staying power.
First, Borislow has said he plans to sign
five starters from the women’s national
team. He has already publicly announced
he wants the Brazilian powerhouse Marta
Vieira da Silva (commonly known as
Marta) on his squad. Freedom superstar
Abby Wambach is already under contract
to continue with the team.
“Wait until you see this team we put together,” Borislow said.
He has already hired long-time professional soccer coach Mike Lyons as the
new head coach for the team. He has
also named former WPS legend Briana
Scurry as the team’s general manager, replacing Lakelands resident Mark Washo,
who stepped down as the full-time president and general manager in November.
Scurry is a U.S. Olympic gold medal goalkeeper who retired from the Washington
Freedom last year.
Washo recently became managing partner at Playbook Management International,
a sports and entertainment marketing and
sales agency. He could not be reached for
comment.
Don’t expect Borislow to watch the
game from the stands.
“I will have a heavier hand than most
owners,” Borislow said. “I will assist the
coach and the GM in the day to day decisions on and off the field.”
Borislow said he believes he has plenty
to offer the team since he has played the
sport on a semi-professional level and has
coached his daughter’s U-13 team, which
has had players move on to the regional teams in Florida as well as the national
team. He owns the MagicJack Soccer fields
in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he and his
family live.
“I have never been involved in anything
in soccer that hasn’t been successful. In
business I have never been involved in anything that is not successful,” Borislow said.
To give the league a boost, Borislow said
he is considering hosting a tournament
inviting international and national club
teams to compete for a winner-takes-all
$1 million purse. He’s set a target date of
August or September but has made no final
decision on a WPS facility locale.
That said, his new MagicTalk FC team
isn’t secure on where it will play its games
just yet. Borislow hasn’t announced a
Florida facility but said he plans to bring
the former Freedom team to the Maryland
SoccerPlex for two to four of its games.
WPS League spokesman Robert Penner
said, “The league’s board has approved
in principle the idea of playing games in
Florida for the 2011 season to test out the
market on the condition of finding a suitable stadium but has not yet approved any
permanent move.”
Borislow has been criticized for failing
to communicate with the former front office of the Washington Freedom and the
SoccerPlex officials, but he said he’s just
not yet had the time to do that.
“I’ve only had the team for two weeks.
I was first securing a GM, coach and great
players,” he said.
The Washington Freedom offices in
Maryland officially shut down Feb. 8. The
one employee who still works in the office has spent her time putting together
quotes to move office equipment as well as
packing boxes. Six other employees were
let go before Christmas. Freedom season
ticket holders can call the SoccerPlex for
a refund.
Maryland
SoccerPlex
Executive
Director Trish Heffelfinger said she applauds Borislow for stepping in to buy the
Freedom team.
“He saved the WPS league,” she said.
Heffelfinger said the SoccerPlex will
clearly lose revenue since the team will no
longer play all their home games on the
fields or rent out administrative space and
practice fields, but she said the SoccerPlex
still welcomes the team for as many games
as possible.
“The overriding issue is we want to see
this league succeed, and we want women to have the same opportunity to pursue this sport at a professional level. We
care about this team and the girls and want
them to succeed,” she said.
The team will most likely still bear the
name Washington Freedom on their uniforms since WPS apparel supplier PUMA
has already branded them that way.
Borislow said he has had a conversation
with PUMA about the name change and
said they did not need to make the uniform
adjustments for the 2011 season.
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Page 12
The Town Courier
February 2011
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Urbana Dancers Earn High Marks
The Urbana Dance Company gives a performance at Urbana High School. The dance company was one of the
top three schools out of 33 recognized for the Professionalism Award at the Maryland State Dance Showcase
at Goucher College on Jan. 7. Dance company members Megan Mellon and Holly King were two of 12 students
chosen as emerging artists.
The Town Courier
February 2011 VILL AG ES
OF
Page 13
U R B A N A
Reporter
www.villagesofurbana.net
NEWS YOU CAN USE
A Sure Way to NOT Make Friends
The topic has come up before but deserves repeating.
If you walk your dogs(s), you are responsible for picking up and properly disposing of excrement. While it is
not a pleasant task, it is required by community code and
shows courtesy to residents whose properties may be the
recipients of unwelcome deposits. Waste disposal stations
are located throughout the Villages community. Dogs
(and cats) left to roam (not on leash) are also a violation
of community code.
A Great New Year’s Resolution:
Acquire Trash Containers with Lids
An easy way to contribute to the poor appearance of
the community is to place trash out in plastic bags and as
loose materials for the wind and other forces to scatter.
Community code requires trash be set out in containers
with lids. Sadly, each week numerous violation citations
are issued to noncompliant residents. If you don’t own
trash containers with lids, start the New Year off right by
acquiring and using them.
Reserve Funds: Putting Away Money for Repair and
Replacement of Community Physical Assets
An important item in the annual Association budget
is reserve funds. The Association owns millions of dollars worth of physical assets throughout the community
including: roads, sidewalks and curbs (not the responsibility of the county); swimming and other recreation facilities; and a variety of other items — each of which has
an expected useful lifespan. At the end of that life span,
the assets will have to be repaired or replaced. By putting
money away each year in a dedicated fund and investing
it, the needed money should be available for the repair or
replacement when needed.
Snack Bar Operator Needed
The VOU is currently seeking a person(s) or company
to manage and operate its two pool snack bars this summer season daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day
weekends. The community supplies the equipment; you
supply the rest. Interested parties and for more informa-
tion, contact Laura Etchison, on-site community manager, at [email protected] or 301.831.4810.
VOU Budget for 2010 and Looking Forward to 2011
The year 2010 was a turbulent economic time for the
country as well as for the VOU. The VOU Community
Association’s financial picture started the year quite bleak
after the expense for heavy snows in February was more
than double our budget for snow removal. In addition,
outstanding homeowner dues reached a new high level in
May. As a result, we were forced to postpone reserve payments and cut discretionary costs. We avoided the imposition of a special assessment; during the second half of
2010, we were able to “dig out” from the heavy snow bills,
seeing a seven-month decline in outstanding dues payments. The VOU financial situation has improved dramatically, and we ended the year current with all obligations, including the reserve account.
In late 2010, a snow removal task force was formed to
re-evaluate how we contract for snow removal and look
for more efficient and cost-effective approaches in 2011.
Based on recommendations from the task force, this year
we will contract with two different companies, each with
responsibility for specific areas of the VOU, and we will
be billed a fixed amount based on the depth of snow from
each storm. The task force will also work closely with
VOU management throughout the winter to assess the
performance of these contractors. The new billing approach and competition between the snow removal companies will help make costs more manageable this year.
In 2011, we look forward to the opening of the longpromised second pool, which will play an important part
in this year’s budget since it represents a significant increase to the assets owned, operated and maintained by
the HOA. The new pool facility, combined with the turnover of new villages in 2011, require that we increase reserve payments by 20 percent this year. The current reserve account balance is nearly $2 million; however, the
value of assets owned by the VOU will exceed $10 million
this year.
Residents are always welcome to learn more about the
financial business of the Association by reviewing the
P&L statements and Finance Committee monthly meeting minutes posted on the VOU website. You may also at-
Mark Your Calendar for These Upcoming VOU Social Events
VOU Valentine’s Day Party
Saturday, Feb. 12
2 to 4 p.m.
Food and fun — for kids of all ages at the
community center. Free admission.
Please RSVP to:
[email protected].
Include number and ages of children.
If you would like to help, please let us
know!
Wine and Cheese Tasting
Saturday, March 26
7 to 9 p.m.
Community Center
Join your neighbors at our first wine tasting event of the year. Enjoy a great selection of wines, cheeses and other refreshments. This is a free event, but RSVPs
are required by March 13 to: vousocial@
villagesofurbana.net. Please include your
name and number attending.
Spring Fling
Saturday, May 14
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community Center.
Rain or shine.
The VOU will have just one festival this
year, so make sure you don’t miss it!
This is a fun-filled event for the entire
family. Free admission.
If your business or organization is interested in exhibiting at the Spring Fling’s
Community Expo, e-mail [email protected] for more information.
Urbana Music Festival
& Crafts Show
Saturday, June 25
Noon to 6 p.m.
Urbana Library. Free admission.
If you are a crafter and are interested
in exhibiting at the crafts show, e-mail
[email protected] for more
information.
February 2011
FEBRUARY Meetings and events
Tues., Feb. 1
Wed., Feb. 2
Wed., Feb. 9 Thurs., Feb. 10
Sat., Feb. 12
Mon., Feb. 14
Tues., Feb. 15
Mon., Feb. 21
Wed., Feb. 23
Mon., Feb. 28
Social Committee Meeting, 7 p.m.
Pool & Recreation Committee Meeting,
7 p.m.
Covenants Committee Meeting, 7 p.m.
Physical Asset Management Committee
Meeting, 7 p.m.
Valentine’s Day Party 2 – 4 p.m.
Grounds Committee Meeting, 6:45 p.m.
Design Review Committee Meeting, 7 p.m.
President’s Day — On-Site Office Closed
Board of Directors Meeting, 12 p.m.
Finance Committee Meeting, 7 p.m.
Meeting Policy — All meetings are open for attendance by
homeowners. Meetings are held at the clubhouse unless otherwise noted. Cancellations will be posted on the community
website homepage at: www.villagesofurbana.net.
Meeting Change — There is a change in the Design Review
Committee meeting schedule effective February 2011. The
committee will only meet once monthly during the months
of January, February, November and December. On these
months the meeting will be held on the third Tuesday at 7 p.m.
tend monthly meetings of the Finance Committee, which
are held at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month in
the Recreation Center. Finance Committee members appreciate input from the community as it helps us understand the priorities and concerns of VOU homeowners.
Message from Neighborhood Watch
Most crimes happening in the VOU are “crimes of opportunity.” Please remember to secure vehicles and put
valuables inside out of sight. Discard boxes of electronics
and other high dollar items in a way that does not advertise the new purchase has arrived in your residence.
Leave outside lights on dusk to dawn, and always secure
doors and windows! Here is a fun fact: A-60-watt bulb
left on 24 hours a day averages about $43 a year. An 18
CFL bulb (equivalent to 60 watts) costs less than $13 a
year if left on 24 hours a day. (Information based on a fee
of 8 cents an hour.)
Good Time to inspect the Exterior of Your Property
With the leaves off trees and shrubs, winter is a good
time to walk around your home and yard to inspect for
maintenance issues that may not be obvious during the
growing season.
Look for such things on the house as peeling paint and
loose boards and guttering. In the yard look for broken
limbs, trash; and garden equipment that can be stored or
better organized.
Campus Drive Entrance Plantings Trimmed and Thinned
At the request of the VOU Neighborhood Watch
Coordinator, Sheriff’s Office representatives evaluated
the Campus Drive entrance recreation area and concluded it would be easier for them to observe activities
there during their patrols if visibility from the road was
improved. This would require thinning and trimming of
overgrown plantings. A recommendation was also made
to add lighting in the area. While the thinning and trimming has been completed, a decision on lighting was delayed to provide an opportunity to observe the effect of
the completed landscaping changes.
On-site office: 9023 Harris Street • Phone: 301.831.4810 or 301.874.0487 • Office hours: Mon. – Fri., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Page 14
The Town Courier
February 2011
Photo | Submitted
New Rotary Club Members Inducted
The Southern Frederick County Rotary Club continues to grow with three more members inducted at the club’s
regular meeting in January. From left to right are: George Cochrane, Allstate Insurance-Cochran Agency; Emily
Shaw, Sr. Accountant Representative, All-Shred, Inc.; Ted Thompson, Manager, Ramar Record Retention Center;
and Rotary President Janice DeIuliis.
SHOPTALK
from page 3
ing 301.874.4706. Classes are held on two
floors of the 1,900-square-foot space.
Atlantic Grille owners Peter and George Klisas get the new
restaurant ready for opening day.
New Restaurant Features
Steak and Seafood
7845 - G Airpark Rd.
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
The owners of Callahan’s Restaurant
in Frederick are opening a new restaurant
in Urbana. The Atlantic Grille was tentatively scheduled to open on Jan. 28 in the
Village of Urbana on John Simmons Street.
The owners are the Klisas family — father
Peter, son George and daughter Natalie.
“We like the Urbana community. It is a
young community; my daughter and son
will run it primarily, and they relate to that
well,” Peter Klisas said.
The 5,000-square-foot restaurant seats
up to 115 people, and the family expects to
employ about 25.
Entrees are priced between $15 and $24
with specialties including hand cut Angus
beef steak and fresh seafood. The Atlantic
Grille will also offer an affordable kids’
menu.
The restaurant includes a main dining
area and large bar section which seats up
to 45 people. The design is modern and
contemporary.
For more information about the restaurant, visit www.atlanticgrilleurbana.com
New Veterinary Practice Plans May
Opening
Dr. Nancy Little, DVM, wants to be sure
animals have a calm, courteous and complete place to go for their medical needs.
That place will be the Village Vet of
Urbana located at 3313 Worthington
Boulevard. Little is bringing her 20 years
of veterinary experience to this new facility where she will provide clients with
top-notch, high tech medical treatment in
a welcoming spa atmosphere.
Little’s services include the latest in medical treatment including a 2011 laser therapy system used as a resource tool to speed
wound healing, treat arthritis and other
ailments. She will offer full orthopedic
and laparoscopic surgical services as well
as other veterinary services in this fullequipped clinic/hospital.
Little said she is designing the facility to
have a calm, spa-like atmosphere to help
ease the nerves of anxious patients. An air
purifying water feature will be operating
to provide a tranquil atmosphere.
The facility is 2,600 square feet and is
expected to open in May.
Rotary Announces February
Speakers
This month the following speakers are
scheduled to attend the Southern Frederick
County Rotary meeting from 7:30 to
8:30 a.m. at the Turning Point Real Estate
Offices. The speaker events are open to the
public:
Feb. 3 — Jeff Thiebert, Concord
Coalition
Feb. 10 — Andy Bauer, Federal Reserve
Feb. 17 — Kirsten Dailey, Director,
Career Tech
Feb. 24 — Bob Morrison, Banking/
Money Matters
www.towncourier.com
The Town Courier
February 2011 Photo | Patsy Beckman
Staff members at the Maryland Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch, which sits on Fingerboard Road, work to ensure that boys overcome
their teenage hardships.
Youth Ranch Readies Teens for
Community Employment
By Patsy Beckman
F
or nearly 40 years, staff members
at the Maryland Sheriffs’ Youth
Ranch, which sits on 204 acres of
rolling farmland on Fingerboard Road,
have worked to make certain that young
residents will become productive members
of society.
Mark Grover is at the helm of the Ranch,
working with 35 other employees. He began his career there as a social worker. In
2002, he became the supervisor of clinical
services and in 2006 accepted the position
of executive director.
“I love working with the kids,” said
Grover. “To see them grow into young
men is very rewarding.”
Nothing may be more special for Grover
than those former residents who come back
to the Ranch to work as childcare workers, instructing those who need it most
by offering them first-hand accounts of
redemption.
The residents are all males ages 10 to 18.
The boys hail from all counties in Maryland
and are either placed at the Ranch through
the Department of Social Services or the
Department of Juvenile Services.
Grover says he and staff members want
all residents to feel like they are a part of
a family.
“We all work very hard to ensure the
Ranch has a family atmosphere.” Grover
said. Once residents turn 16 years of age, they
are required to find employment. The current economy hasn’t made this condition
easy for the teens, but the local southern
Frederick County community has taken
residents in with open arms.
“Many of our residents will volunteer at
local nonprofits to fulfill this job requirement,” Grover said.
Along with job assistance, the young
boys and men take part in individual and
group therapy, mentoring programs, tutoring and GED assistance, and behavior
management, which can aid them with anger issues that may be a problem. They also
receive grief counseling.
There’s even a mentoring program that
allows concerned residents from the community to actively work with the teens.
The goals of behavior management
courses are to help the boys become more
responsible, respectful towards peers and
adults, and better at managing behaviors in
order to receive rewards, such as outings
off grounds and an allowance.
“The boys are all here for different reasons, but they do sometimes have things in
common,” said Grover.
The Ranch has become their temporary
home because their parents are incarcerated or have drug and alcohol problems or
mental health issues. Others find their way
to Fingerboard Road because they may
have gotten into trouble as juveniles for
criminal activity, such as assault or theft.
“The boys stay [here] full-time.
However, they attend public schools off
grounds in the community, and some often go home on the weekends to visit their
families,” Grover said.
The Ranch is not a detention center. It
was designed as a place that would allow
at-risk kids the opportunity to maximize
their potential, with plenty of outdoor
space for recreational activities.
Learn more about the Sheriff ’s Youth
Ranch by visiting: www.MSYR.org.
Got news?
Send your news and tips to
[email protected]
Page 15
Page 16
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■ wind power
from page 1
Federation addressed residents at the
forum.
Doug Kaplan, president of the
Sugarloaf Conservancy, was pleased
with the evening’s turnout.
“The audience was very interested in
learning about wind power and becoming knowledgeable about it. They are
very concerned about using coal power,” he said.
Other residents in attendance shared
their concern about wind turbines and
their effects on the bird population.
Van Susteren, an offshore wind supporter, eased fears by talking about
steps the National Wildlife Federation
was taking to mitigate any problems.
“We are getting all the environmental groups to support wind power because the negatives associated with it
are so minor,” Kaplan said.
The grassroots organizations leading
the wind-power charge assert that twothirds of Maryland’s total energy needs
could be supplied by wind power now.
In the future, over 100 percent could
come from the wind.
Kaplan believes that wind power in
five to 10 years will become much more
cost effective than any other energy
source and will lead to much-needed
jobs that will aid the weak economy.
“For most of my working career,
I was in the technology field where I
found that the cost of the products I
sold continued to come down year after
“We are getting all the
environmental groups
to support wind power
because the negatives
associated with it are
so minor.”
— Doug Kaplan
President, Sugarloaf Conservancy
year. I believe that over time the cost of
wind power will decrease as well, as the
technology improves, while the cost of
other forms of energy will increase,” he
said.
Kaplan said that just a few years ago
the average wind turbine produced 1.5
megawatts of power. His research now
shows that new turbines are producing
3 megawatts of power each, and some
firms are designing 5- and 10-megawatt turbines.
“Also, the Mid-Atlantic Wind
Connection (Google’s proposed transmission lines in the Atlantic Ocean)
February 2011
will enable wind farms to connect into
the grid at a far less cost then would be
the case if each wind farm had to connect to bring its transmission lines on to
shore individually,” Kaplan said.
During the next legislative session,
legislation is likely to be reintroduced
requiring a certain percentage of offshore wind to be purchased by energy
utility companies in Maryland.
Kaplan acknowledged that signing
long-term wind-power energy agreements isn’t something that might appeal
to utility companies.
“While we anticipate such legislation
will be introduced during the upcoming legislative session, it’s premature to
offer a position on any proposal until we
can review the specific details and analyze how it may affect our ratepayers.
I’ll have a more definitive answer after
the bill[s] are in hand and we’ve had
adequate opportunity to absorb the details, confer and come to a conclusion,”
said Allegheny Power Spokesperson
Todd Meyers.
Kaplan, confident that it won’t increase tax dollars, is asking residents
who want their elected officials to explore wind power, its cost, and energy
benefits to write legislators, delegates
and state representatives urging them
to support long-term wind-power purchase agreements.
Page 17
Page 18
The Town Courier
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■ charter
301.874.2712
from page 3
February 2011
change
charter including Harford, which Young
said is most comparable to Frederick.
A third form, code home rule, is used
by six counties in Maryland, which enables them to exercise local legislative
authority.
As of press time, 10 people had applied to serve on the charter writing
board. Young said the commissioners
plan to review the applications and may
appoint a five-, seven- or nine-member
committee.
“We will go through and see who we
want to interview. I think you should
have as much diversification as possible
on the committee. We have a lot of organizations to keep in mind: land use,
nonprofits, civic and business. We want
to keep them all in mind to be sure any
citizen who goes to the ballot box feels
they have representation,” Young said.
Young said he is in favor of a change to
charter government. Crafting a charter
to fit the county’s needs will be important, he said. Some charters allow for a
countywide police agency with the chief
hired by the county leaders. Young said
he wants to stick with the elected sheriff
form of policing.
“I would be against a charter if we
went to a county police agency,” he said.
“Our voters are capable of picking good
Cardiovascular Specialists of Frederick
John A. Vitarello, M.D., F.A.C.C.*
Edward P. Riuli, M.D., F.A.C.C.*
Nirmal K. Shah, M.D., F.A.C.C.*
Aimee Park, M.D., F.A.C.C.*
Stephen B. Williams, M.D., F.A.C.C.*
Sunil K. Sinha, M.D., F.A.C.C.*
Anwar K. Malik, M.D., F.A.C.C.*
Maya J. Salameh, M.D
sheriffs, and I like that the sheriff can be
replaced by the citizens if they feel he is
not doing a good job. There is no need
for the county to stick its nose in that
area.”
Young also was adamant that any future county executive could not be responsible for planning and zoning issues.
Those decisions, he said, should be the
job of the collective County Council.
Having an executive at the helm, however, makes sense for Frederick’s size and
issues, he said.
“I can’t imagine five people being
president of the United States or the
governor,” he said. “Frederick County
at the size we are needs one person as the
executive.”
However, Young said he has no plans
to be that person.
“I have no intention of doing that. I
am leaving this office after one term,”
he said, reiterating a campaign pledge.
Young said he plans to set aside his political career after his term on the board
until his children finish high school.
His children will be 14 and 11 years old
when his current term expires.
For more information about the
charter writing board or to apply, contact Frederick County Legislative
Coordinator Ragen Cherney at
301.600.1049 or via e-mail at rcherneyFrederickCountyMD.gov.
The Town Courier
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Page 20
The Town Courier
February 2011
Call me to find out if you can save now.
George Cochrane
301-831-8205
The Cochrane Agency
3508 Worthington Blvd., Suite 101
[email protected]
Savings based on national customer-reported data for new policies in 2009. Actual savings vary. Discounts subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Property and Casualty
Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL. © 2010 Allstate Insurance Company
Winter Snow Shoveling Tips
S
now shoveling is hard work. Fifteen
minutes of snow shoveling is considered moderate exercise. Talk to
your doctor before you take on the task of
shoveling snow to ensure you are healthy
enough to perform the task.
Avoid caffeine or nicotine before snow
shoveling. These stimulants could increase
your heart rate and cause your blood vessels to constrict. This will place extra stress
on your heart.
It is very important to stay warm and
hydrated. Breathing in cold air dehydrates
the body, which could lead to fatigue and
injury.
Warm up for a few minutes before snow
shoveling. Stretching your muscles by
moving your arms, legs and back can prevent injuries and allow your body to move
more efficiently.
Use the right shovel. An “S-shaped
shovel” will require less effort and minimize the chance of improper bending and
lifting which could lead to a back injury.
■ freedom
from page 11
“PUMA has very little to do with the
decision on the name. They better get
their act together and live by an agreement with the WPS. PUMA knew what
they were getting into. There is a lot of
risk that teams would fold. When people
make a deal they have to live up to it,”
he said.
PUMA officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Making deals is something Borislow is
familiar with. He brokered a deal with
AOL that at its peak was valued at $2 billion. He plans to use his skill to help the
league find ways to become financially
Protect your back from injury by bending from your knees and hips and moving
your feet when lifting snow. Keep your
stomach muscles tight as you lift the snow
and while you exert yourself.
When possible, push the snow and avoid
lifting a large shovel full of snow to prevent
neck and back injuries.
The average snow shovel full of heavy,
wet snow weighs 16 – 20 pounds. Every
10 minutes you will clear more than 2,000
pounds of snow! Remove heavy snow by
skimming off top layer then remove the
bottom layer.
New fallen snow is much lighter and easier to shovel and remove. Instead of picking
up snow that has settled and compacted,
sweep away the new fallen snow by simply
pushing it.
Immediately stop if you feel pain or discomfort. Pace yourself and take frequent
rest breaks. No one knows your body as
well as you.
Source: Maryland Sportscare & Rehab
stable.
He makes no apologies for using his
product name to brand the team.
“Somewhere, some way you have to
find a way to defray the cost of running
the team,” he said. “To do that and name
your team MagicTalk, so be it.”
He also has set his sights on the WPS
league having a more international presence in Germany, England and Brazil so
competitions will be nationally backed
by fans.
“If these countries don’t do it, none
of these leagues will be successful,” he
said. “We have to make it more interesting for fans. It has to expand outside of
this country. I am trying my best to give
women the opportunity for success.”
REader’sCHOICE
Dental Month
“Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand”
25% OFF
Written by Helen Simonson
A
fter many false
starts,
Helen
Simonson
finally discovered the winning ticket to writing her
first published novel. She
tells an interviewer she
put aside her early efforts
at an edgy sort of book
that people might expect
By Betty
from a 30-something
Hafner
woman and sat down instead to write the kind
of book that she would love to read. That
book is the impressive “Major Pettigrew’s
Last Stand” (2010), set in her homeland of
England, in a small town in Sussex, populated by an assortment of aging characters and the younger generation who drive
them crazy. It’s cozy and light reading but
surprisingly satisfying.
I don’t want to suggest that she followed
a formula for a flowery “English village”
novel. That would not take into account
Simonson’s lively sense of humor and the
fact that she assertively sets her story in
the England of today. It is populated with
greedy developers, effete aristocracy and
nouveau riche wannabes. The village of
Edgecombe St. Mary is also a place that
is struggling to accept immigrants into its
ranks, a battle that Major Pettigrew finds
himself in.
The story’s protagonist will capture your
heart. Major Pettigrew is a proper gentleman in his late 60’s with a dry wit and a
compassionate soul. As the story opens,
the major has just received a call informing him of the sudden death of his brother, Bertie. He hangs up the phone, only to
hear a local shopkeeper knocking on his
door. It is Mrs. Ali, the Pakistani proprietor of the convenience store, there to collect money for an ailing paperboy. The major wavers with the shocking news he’s just
About the Author ...
Helen Simonson was born in
England and spent her teenage years in a small village in
East Sussex. A graduate of the
London School of Economics and
former travel advertising executive, she has lived in America for
the last two decades. A longtime resident of Brooklyn, N.Y.,
she now lives with her husband
and two sons in the Washington,
D.C., area. This is her first novel.
Take advantage of the “best deal in town” and a great
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301.874.8880
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heard; Mrs. Ali fixes him a nice, hot cup of
tea, and a friendship begins.
Mrs. Ali and the major, both widowed,
realize they share a love of literature, and
the two start meeting for tea to discuss
great works. Readers are aware that there
is romance in the air but the major is sensible and well mannered and doesn’t dare
presume anything. His first profession of
affection comes one day when he says, “‘I
am delighted that we have progressed already to a level of ...’ He searched for the
right word, recoiling from ‘intimacy’ as
if it were sticky with lust. ‘A level above
mere pleasant acquaintance, perhaps?’”
Edgecombe St. Mary is a perfect place
to settle down in for a mid-winter read.
You’ll want to see if in fact love does conquer all, for there are many obstacles for
the major to overcome. Simonson’s wise
and witty way of treating issues of prejudice, love, aging, friendship and honor
provide laughs and maybe even a few tears
along the way.
Page 21
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(excludes exam, extractions, or
take home medications)
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it with you to receive a special
gift from us at Greenbriar!!!
Page 22
The Town Courier
February 2011
OUT & ABOUT
Compiled by Patsy Beckman
Go Out and About this February to help
cure cabin fever or romance your favorite cupid.
There’s plenty of shopping, dining and the opportunity for a couple’s massage to break residents out
of their winter doldrums during the year’s shortest
month on the calendar.
til 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information visit: www.cabinfeverfestival.com.
Valentine’s Day in Urbana
Sparkling ice sculptures, ice carving
demonstrations, marshmallow roasting, and
hot cocoa stations await you in Downtown
Frederick on Feb. 5.
More than 80 shops, galleries and restaurants will be open until 9 p.m. The festivities begin at 5 p.m. on Market and Patrick
Streets, Carroll Creek Park, Everedy Square
and Shab Row.
For more information visit: www.downtownfrederick.org.
This February, City Magnolia is offering a “Sweethart Package,” which includes
a warm rose oil massage, an ultra-hydrating
facial, and a hot stone pedicure for $275.
“As far as trends, I know that chocolatescented services are popular in many spas
for Valentine’s Day,” said City Magnolia
owner Aubrey Rogers. “We opted to feature a warm rose oil massage due to the
therapeutic benefits of essential oil of rose.
Modern-day aromatherapists recommend
rose essential oil for those with high levels
of anxiety, which is why we love it, but it
should be noted that essential oil of rose has
been used since ancient times in many cultures as an aphrodisiac.”
Looking for a fantastic holiday relationship builder? The spa is also offering couples’ massages. They are a great icebreaker
for those who are trying a massage for the
first time.
Anyone who basks in the relaxation of
City Magnolia treatments during the holi-
First Saturday Fire and Ice
Photo | Patsy Beckman
Urbana’s Mangia e Bevi will host residents this Valentine’s Day with a fixed-price menu.
day will receive a flower and chocolate.
Mary Cinquepalmi of Mangia e Bevi
said staffers there will be busy transforming
the Italian restaurant into a premiere romantic destination for residents during the
Valentine’s Day holiday.
New linens and candlelight will adorn
each table, and a complimentary rose will
be given to diners.
Mangia e Bevi will offer a three-course
fixed-price menu to diners. Valentine’s Day
hours are: 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. For reservations, call 301.874.0338.
Shop ‘til you Drop: Cabin Fever
Festival
This mega-arts and crafts show, to be
held rain or shine on Feb. 12 and 13 at the
Frederick Fairgrounds, has something for
just about everyone.
There will be professional artists and juried craft exhibitors offering traditional and
contemporary works of art at this year’s
Cabin Fever Festival. Demonstrations, decorating ideas, food and plenty of entertaining activities are also planned.
The festival will be held from 10 a.m. un-
Brickman Performs at Weinberg
On Feb. 20, award-winning pianist and
singer-songwriter Jim Brickman returns to
the Weinberg Center for the Arts to perform at 2 and 7 p.m.
Brickman has six gold and platinum albums, sold-out concerts worldwide and
a weekly syndicated radio show, and has
written two best-selling books.
For tickets, call the box office at:
301.600.2828.
Urbana’s Professional Service Directory
1st 25 Callers
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old-fashioned, quality and personal
service to MD residents since 1973.
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301.874.5955 • fax
mdsportscare.com
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Page 23
NORA’sCORNER
A Life Full of Beginnings
M
y life has
seemed to be
a series of beginnings. Each one has
felt to be disconnected
from my previous life
... no transition from
one to the other.
For instance, I was
born and brought up
in my parents’ restau- By Nora Kaplan
rant /nightclub named
“Half–A-Hill.” It was
5 miles from Springfield, Mo. I couldn’t
conceive of living anywhere else. But because my father had developed heart problems, my parents sold Half-A-Hill when I
was 13, and we moved to a rented home in
Springfield.That was a new beginning — to
live in town, to be able to walk or bike to
my school, Greenwood Elementary; to take
a bus by myself to see a movie at the Gillioz
Theater; to hang out with my friends at the
drugstore a few blocks from Greenwood.
When a few years had passed, my parents
bought a funny little California-style house
on Delmar Street a half-block from my best
friend’s home, I wanted to live there forever.
I walked to Greenwood High School and
then to Southwest Missouri State College,
now Missouri State University.
After I received a Bachelor of Science degree, I tried teaching English in a rural high
school, but it wasn’t a happy experience. At
the end of the year I treated myself to a trip
to New York. I was bedazzled by the theaters, the excitement of a big city, and the
feeling that wonderful things would happen
to me if I moved to the East Coast. My favorite aunt lived in a suburb of Washington,
D.C., which seemed to be a less daunting
place to live than New York. I got a government job, found an apartment to share with
the daughter of my aunt’s friend, and took
the train to our nation’s capital.
So began my real adult life, more than a
thousand miles from my family and a small
town way of living. I liked everything about
Washington — its historic buildings, the
streetcars, elegant stores like Garfinckel’s,
Watergate concerts from a barge on the
Potomac. Unlike my social life in Springfield,
I suddenly acquired a lot of boyfriends, and
at last I met The One. We were married in
l949, and another new beginning changed
my life. Three years later we had a daughter, and then two years after her birth we
had a son.
Becoming parents initiated big changes in
our lives. We bought a house in Rockville,
Md. For many years I was a suburban housewife, going to P.T.A. meetings, volunteering
in the local school’s library, and for intellectual stimulation I joined a creative writing
group. After receiving rejections from many
magazines, I actually sold a story to the
Saturday Evening Post, which was like winning the lottery to aspiring writers.
My life thereafter had so many beginnings that I can hardly remember them
all: our children growing up and finishing
college; their getting married; my going
to Catholic University’s School of Library
Science and beginning a career as a librarian in Montgomery County Public Libraries;
then my becoming a grandmother; my husband’s death, and trying to get used to being
single again. Later, I took a chance by selling
my house and buying a condo in Kentlands
in Gaithersburg, Md. That was the beginning of one of the happiest years of my life.
Finally, after several operations and other
health problems, my family and I decided it
was time for me to move to a retirement
community. Beginning a communal life was
a change in my independent life style, but
there were advantages: new friendships, an
atmosphere of caring and support, the conveniences of maintenance services, provision for housekeeping and food services,
and both social and intellectual activities.
I’m grateful for all this.
It’s reassuring to discover that when one
is open-minded to change, beginnings aren’t
so threatening.
Page 24
The Town Courier
February 2011
MIKE AT THE MOVIES
“The Green Hornet” (PG-13) HHH
A nerdy, hip-hop
version of a superhero story with accompaniment
by
Beethoven is one
way to describe “The
Green
Hornet.”
Bouncing off old
Hornet radio scripts
by George Trendle,
this script takes all
sorts of liberties with
By Mike
the superhero forCuthbert
mat, and the result is
a real romp.
Yes, Cameron Diaz is in the film, as Britt
Reid’s (Seth Rogen) secretary, but that
doesn’t make too much difference as she rejects both the Hornet and Kato, a refreshing
result from what could have been a needless
side plot. There are side plots aplenty anyway. The film is dominated by Rogen, Jay
Chou as Kato, and Christopher Waltz as a
delightfully evil villain, Chudnofsky, a name
so difficult that nobody can pronounce it
and even Chudnofsky eventually changes it
himself.
The action is fast, nearly continuous and
filled with both sight gags and verbal ones.
Not all of the gags belong to the Hornet and
Kato (“the human Swiss Army knife”), ann
MIKE AT THE MOVIES Continued on page 25
Photo | Courtesy
Seth Rogan and Jay Chou bring the campy ’60s classic, The Green Hornet, to the big screen with big action and lots of laughs.
Page 25
■ MIKE AT THE MOVIES
from page 24
other refreshing change in formula for this
type of film. Even the special weapons created for the car and the Hornet are funny
with Hornet landing in a coma by shooting
the wrong way with the “Hornet Gun.”
Kato, blessedly and effectively, insists
on being treated as a partner rather than
a sidekick, even though Kato starts as “the
guy who works on Dad’s cars and makes
coffee.” The Hornet eventually yields both
to logic and reality and grants equality after missing his delicious coffee and a horrendous and funny fight between the two
of them that ravages the Reid residence —
something just short of Versailles — ending up in the swimming pool.
The violence is mostly comic book,
though some baddies definitely get
bumped off; the gimmicks and special effects are wonderfully effective and funny;
and the 3-D, while not adding much, certainly doesn’t detract from the impact. Not
for the youngest, probably, but anybody 10
and up should get a lot of giggles from the
craziness of this film.
“Season of the Witch” (PG-13) HH
Welcome to Sports Center’s highlights
of the attempted comeback of Nicholas
Cage. Cage has, as you know, had recent
money troubles that may explain his agreeing to play this season with both rookies
and veterans. You should know right away
that the odds-makers figured him to fail,
given his recent record, but he comes to
the plate with a lifetime average of .333
and several All-Star Game appearances and
you never know when he might break out
of his slump and start a new streak.
Ron Perlman, veteran, has also had a run
of bad outings. I’m afraid this season didn’t
come close to matching his work in “Sons
of Anarchy,” and all of those games were
on TV!
Cage, playing under the name of
“Behman” and Perlman, as “Felson,” start
out fast, as you can see in these shots of
both of them skewering Muslims right
and left during the start of the campaign
as Crusaders. They both were getting solid
hits from both sides of the plate. Another
switch-hitter was Claire Foy. Not sure if
she’s Satan or a sweet young thing — she
certainly can fool you.
The skipper, Debelzaq, could have
been a Cardinal but chose to stay with
the Crusaders. He is known for his mean
disposition and kept quoting biblical passages that didn’t quite justify the evil way
his teams performed. A midseason replacement, the raw rookie, Kay, stepped up from
the minors. Good hitter but lacks something in the fielding department, especially
when facing the Wolves, the most fearsome
of the opponents for the Crusaders save for
the always-deadly Demons.
After the early innings of slaughter of the
Muslims, Behman and Felson, tired of the
violence, left the Crusaders and came back
only when Debelzaq came in as manager.
His goal was to save the league by getting
to Sevenach for a major trade. The fight
for the pennant came down to the final
game, and Behman and Felson, as shown
Photo | Courtesy
Natalie Portman as the ballerina Nina in the psycological thriller Black Swan.
here, demonstrated their prowess and hitting accuracy as they sliced the heads off
the Demons with such accurate swings
that rookie Kay was inspired as well.
Unfortunately, injuries slowed the veterans
and it’s not sure whether they’ll be able to
come back for another shot at the pennant.
Frankly, it seems to this reporter that
both Behman and Felson would be better
off in another career. But the two haven’t
lost their spirit and sense of fun. Behman
challenges Felson at the start: “Whoever
slays the most men drinks for free.” After
this long season, they should both have liver checkups.
“Black Swan” (R) HHHH
There is considerable controversy about
this film and much misleading writing
about it. You’ll have to see it for yourself to
determine the causes for the, in my opinion, misinterpretations of what the film
is about, but here is my take: This film is
about a dancer, Natalie Portman as Nina,
cast in the dual role of Odette/Odile in a
production of “Swan Lake.” There is evidence that she is not technically up to the
role, but for various reasons, some of them
admittedly sexual, the ballet’s choreographer selects her for the role.
The rest of the film is a portrayal of the
inevitable breakdown of Nina under the
pressure of performing something she is
not psychologically prepared to play: the
role of the Black Swan. It demands a freedom of technique she does not have. She
looks desperately for ways to capture that
freedom but she is, due to an overprotective mother (played by Barbara Hershey)
and her own lack of life experience, in
over her head. She even reluctantly turns
to drugs, given her by her ostensible rival,
played perfectly by Mila Kunis. The drugs
lead Nina into various hallucinations, one
being an intense sexual relationship with
Kunis.
Some have characterized this as a banal
film about ballet with all the usual clichés
about ballerinas and their world. I feel it is
about a single dancer and the attempts she
makes to escape her nature for the role she
needs to play. Portman is rightfully being
discussed as an Oscar favorite for her spectacular performance, on- and off-pointe;
Vincent Cassel is on target as the rapacious
director; and Kunis, whose character is
somewhat of an enigma, radiates, as usual.
This film reminded me in its texture of
“Inception” — it forces you to keep asking,
“What is real and what is not?” That question is important for the audience but even
more for Nina, who can never figure out
the answer until the last frames of the film.
Excellent stuff.
“The King’s Speech” (R)
HHHHH
Only an Australian, with his typical lack
of regard for pomposity and position, could
have brought this off. Geoffrey Rush and
Colin Firth star in this story, based on the
true story of King George VI of England,
who felt himself unqualified to be king because he was only a naval officer but, more
importantly, had a stutter so bad that he
could hardly get through a short speech.
Rush, as the Australian Lionel Logue, is
trained only by WWI experience with returning Australian veterans and has developed unusual methods of speech therapy.
They are centered on forming a friendship
with his client, and this bond is the key to
the king-commoner relationship that is the
core of the film.
Firth deserves an Oscar for his performance as the frustrated and terrified Duke
of York. He faces the upgrade to king when
his brother, the weak and selfish Edward,
Prince of Wales, abdicates for his floozy
from Baltimore, Wallis Simpson. This film
gives the distinct impression that England
caught a break when Edward failed his responsibility and his country.
Though it goes totally against the grain,
king and teacher are soon “Bertie” and
“Lionel,” and bizarre therapies mount as
the two meet in Logue’s studio. “Hamlet”
to music, breathing with Elizabeth, his
wife, sitting on Bertie’s diaphragm, energetic exercises and long strings of obscenities loosen up the king as Logue investigates the reasons for his impediment.
All the reasons are based in fear and, as
the duke relates them, our sympathy for
George VI mounts.
There is no weak link in the cast —
even the part of Churchill is handled with
aplomb and lack of bombast. A very funny,
moving film about two strong men with
the most powerful one needing the weaker
one. This is a film that will be much-discussed and much-loved. Join the crowds.
For more of Mike’s movie reviews, visit www.
towncourier.com.
Page 26
The Town Courier
February 2011
Kaufman’sKITCHEN
Divine Valentine’s Day Desserts
T
chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 3/4 cups hot coffee
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for
serving with the cake (optional)
here
are
many
ways
to
celebrate
Valentine’s Day. My
favorites are a fabulous meal, chocolate
or ginger!
HOT CHOCOLATE
PUDDING CAKE
Step aside all lava
cakes, hot chocoBy Sheilah
late cakes and molten
Kaufman
chocolate cakes. This
magical cake will astonish with its ease, mystify with its ability to bake into sauce plus cake, and satisfy
without question. The cake is assembled
in minutes and only needs some stirring
with a spoon to put it together. Adding
chocolate chips to the batter produces an
intense chocolate flavor to this version of
an old-fashioned pudding cake. I recommend serving it with whipped cream or
ice cream. Either makes a good foil to this
warm, dark chocolate cake.
In Chocolate Cakes: 50 Great Cakes for
Every Occasion, Elinor Klivans has recipes
for cakes in all shapes, sizes, flavors and colors. This is from the chapter on “A Quick
Chocolate Fix.” Elinor specializes in des-
serts and writes for the Washington Post and
many national magazines. She started as
a cooking teacher and bakery consultant
and studied under many noted chefs. For
12 years, she worked as a dessert chef and
won numerous awards for her baking. She
is also a spokesperson for the Chocolate
Manufacturer’s Association and National
Confectioner’s Association.
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate
Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat
oven to 350° F. Have ready an 8-inch
square pan.
Sift flour, sugar, 1/4 cup of the cocoa
powder, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Stir in milk, melted butter,
chocolate chips and vanilla until smoothly blended. Spread batter (it will be thick)
in pan. In small bowl, stir together brown
sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder, pressing out any lumps. Sprinkle
brown sugar mixture evenly over batter in
pan. Pour hot coffee evenly over top. Bake
until top feels firm and edges just begin to
bubble from sauce that has formed underneath, about 40 minutes. As cake bakes, it
separates into dark chocolate sauce on bottom and chocolate cake on top.
Let cake sit about 30 minutes to cool
slightly. Spoon out portions of cake and
sauce. Serve with vanilla ice cream or
whipped cream, if desired. Cake can be
n
valentine’s day DESSERTS Continued on page 28
The Town Courier
February 2011 A New Year’s Resolution for
Urbana Businesses:
Get RESULTS!
Meet Patsy Beckman,
The Urbana Town Courier’s
Advertising Manager.
Patsy Beckman knows how to get results
because she knows the local business beat
better than anyone in town. Whether your
company is small or large, results matter
in this tough economic climate. Patsy has
a keen eye for detail and provides the personal attention you need to bring new customers into your store.
About The Town Courier:
• Direct mail delivery to 7,000 homes plus
rack distribution in high traffic locations
throughout Urbana.
• Dedicated and loyal readers, giving each
edition long shelf life.
• Unmatched local coverage of news that
matters to Urbana families.
• The Urbana Town Courier is delivered
to every home and business in Urbana
including the Village of Urbana, Urbana
Highlands and Ijamsville.
Patsy Beckman
301.606.8833
[email protected]
Page 27
Page 28
The Town Courier
■ valentine’s day
DESSERTS
from page 26
made up to one day ahead and heated in
low oven (about 275 ºF) until warm.
Choices: Milk chocolate or bittersweet
chocolate chips can be substituted for semisweet chips.
Serves 9.
DAVE’S FRESH GINGER CAKE
Since it is Valentine’s Day, I guess I can
say “I Love David!” This is my favorite
ginger cake. David’s recipes are bold and
have high-impact flavor but are not fussy
or complicated. This book is full of showstopping sweets bakers of all skill levels can
master. David serves up a tantalizing array
of more than 170 desserts of every type. His
friendly guidance, tips and advice will help
ensure success every time. With stunning
photos! Recipe From: Ready for Dessert by
David Lebovitz (Ten Speed Press).
4 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and thinly
sliced
1 cup mild molasses
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil — preferably peanut
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup water
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs — at room temperature
Position rack in center of oven. Preheat
oven to 350° F. Butter bottom and sides of
9-by-3-inch round cake pan or 9 1/2-inch
springform pan, and line bottom with circle of parchment paper.
In food processor, chop ginger until very
fine. Set aside. In large bowl, mix together
molasses, sugar and oil. In another bowl,
sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves and
pepper.
In small pan, bring water to boil, then
stir in baking soda. Whisk hot water into
molasses mixture. Stir in ginger. Gradually
sift flour mixture over molasses mixture,
whisking to combine. Add eggs and continue mixing until everything is thorough-
February 2011
ly combined. Scrape batter into prepared
cake pan and bake for about 1 hour, until top of cake springs back lightly when
pressed or toothpick inserted into center
comes out clean. If top of cake browns too
quickly before cake is done, drape a piece
of foil over it and continue baking.
Cool cake completely. Run a knife
around edge of cake to loosen from pan.
Invert cake onto plate, peel off parchment
paper, and re-invert onto serving platter.
Serves 12.
MARSHMALLOW LAMINGTONS
Lamingtons are an Australian dessert
consisting of a small square of sponge cake
coated with chocolate and coconut. This is
a marshmallow version that incorporates
three of my favorite things: marshmallows, chocolate and coconut. From Lori
Longbotham’s Luscious Coconut Desserts
(Chronicle Books), a terrific book that
goes from traditional sweet treats to more
esoteric fare like Coconut and Pistachio
Baklava. Over 50 wonderful, enjoyable
recipes.
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon flavorless vegetable oil
1 cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut toasted*
30 marshmallows
Melt chocolate with oil in heatproof
bowl set over a pan of about 1 1/2-inches
of barely simmering water, whisking until
smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Spread
coconut on sheet of wax paper. Hold each
marshmallow with toothpick and coat with
chocolate, shaking off excess, then roll in
coconut, shaking off excess, and transfer to
wire rack. (If chocolate gets too thick for
dipping, return bowl to pan for a minute or
two.) Let marshmallows stand for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
Makes 30 pieces.
*To toast coconut, preheat oven to 350º
F and toast for 6 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully and stir as edges begin to toast.
For more recipes, visit
www.cookingwithsheilah.com.
The Town Courier
UrbanaSports
Cooper, Team Eye Second
Straight Comcast Appearance
By Patsy Beckman
F
irst-year Head Coach John Cooper is
relishing his new role at the helm of
Urbana High School’s (UHS) boys’
basketball team while admitting the jump
from assistant to head coach is far greater
than he could have ever anticipated.
Early on this season, the Hawks have
been plagued with injuries. “It’s been a
challenge,” said Cooper.
Sophomore starter Thomas Utt went
down with a fractured hip.
And the success of the football team lead
to the delayed start of senior standout Jude
Merkel’s basketball season.
“We’ve got a long way to go. A lot of
improvement is needed, and we have to get
better as a team,” said Cooper as the firsthalf of the season came to an end.
At press time, the Hawks had a respectable 8-4 record.
“So far, I think we are playing really
good,” said 6-foot senior Trey Johnson.
Cooper has been attempting to improve
upon his players’ skills by getting them on
the practice floor more often so they are in
better shape and get used to playing with
each other.
The former assistant under Coach Terry
Connolly, who left UHS for a head coaching position at Oakdale High School, acknowledges he’s experienced some growing pains with his new job.
“It is a really big difference from just
coaching to running an entire program,”
Cooper said about coordinating practice
schedules and off-court activities.
He wants his team to work hard and be
competitive, having fun achieving these
goals.
First-year Head Coach John Cooper pumps up his players before the start of a double-overtime victory over the Middletown Knights.
In the short-term, Cooper hopes to get
team members playing better everyday.
His long term goals for the Hawks include
winning a conference title and getting
back to the Comcast Center like the team
did a year ago.
The Hawks will have to first get past
Linganore, Frederick, and the stellar
Patterson High School to achieve its ultimate season feat.
“Everybody has to step up and become
a leader. We must keep working hard and
cheering on our teammates to win the state
championship and get back to Comcast,”
Cooper said.
UHS basketball
standout Jude Merkel
stretches before the
team’s away game
against Middletown.
Baker Appointed
FCPS Athletics
Supervisor
F
r e d e r ick County
P u b l i c
Schools
(FCPS)
has promoted former Urbana High
School
(UHS)
Assistant Principal
Perry Baker to
Photo | Submitted
serve as its newest
supervisor of ath- It’s Official: Former
UHS assistant prinletics and extracur- cipal Perry Baker is
ricular activities.
now the supervisor of
Baker had been athletics and extracurserving as acting ricular activities for
FCPS.
supervisor since the
recent retirement of
W. Lynn Carr.
In 1981, Baker earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from
Shepherd University, formerly known
as Shepherd College.
He received a master’s in physical education in 1989 and earned his certificate in administration and supervision
in 1992 from McDaniel College, then
known as Western Maryland.
His career at FCPS began in 1982
as a teacher, coach and athletic director at Linganore High School. He then
moved on to UHS and Heather Ridge
School as assistant principal.
Before becoming acting supervisor,
Baker was a teacher and athletic director at Brunswick High School.
He was named in 1996 and again in
2009 as the Maryland State District I
athletic director of the Year.
Source: Frederick County Public Schools
Despite Battle, UHS’ Smith Considers himself a ‘Lucky’ Man
By Kristy Crawford
42,who never got headaches, went to his
primary physician, Dr. Chan-hing Ho,
who immediately ordered a brain MRI.
Thanks to a recommendation from a student diver’s parent, Smith went to the one
of the best treatment facilities in the area,
The Washington Brain and Spine Institute,
the same place Senator Ted Kennedy was
treated.
Smith was diagnosed with level four
glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most
aggressive form of brain cancer, but he feels
grateful that his medical team was able to
admit him immediately and perform sur-
U
rbana High School (UHS) Coach
John Smith feels like a very lucky
man.
The longtime Frederick County diving
coach can talk for hours about the many
blessings in his life these days, including
his wife, Sabrina, and their three small
children, Aiden, Cecilia and 5-month-old
Neil.
He would much rather much talk about
the blessings than dwell on the challenges
he has endured since being diagnosed with
a life-threatening illness last fall.
Shortly after he began suffering from
unusual headaches last October, Smith,
Photo | Kristy Crawford
With his family by his side, UHS Diving Coach John Smith is determined to conquer a devastating illness.
n
LUCKY MAN Continued on page 31
Page 30
The Town Courier
February 2011
Hawks Celebrate Year’s On-Field Achievements
By Patsy Beckman
T
he Urbana Hawks, coaches and parents celebrated the team’s feats at its
annual football awards banquet.
The team had much to be proud of —
an I-70 victory over Linganore, a regional
crown, and its win over Henry Wise at M
& T Stadium, which gave the school the
title of 4A state champions at the culmination of the 2010 football season.
First-year Head Coach Ryan Hines,
who said the program experienced “an
unexpected renaissance” in 2010, thanked
his players, parents and coaches for all of
their sacrifices and support during the triumphant season.
“I would like to thank the players who
gave everything they had. Remember that
in each day you need to take advantage of
the opportunities to make yourself better,
because you can never stay the same,” he
wrote to all attendees in his banquet letter.
Former Head Coach Dave Carruthers,
who won four state championships during
his 10-year tenure with the school, was in
attendance as a highlight video was shown
with the season’s biggest plays.
Quarterback Michael Spahr, running
back Wes Garey, tight end and defensive end Jude Merkel, offensive lineman
Brendan Baker, wide receivers Aaron
Bing and Derek Macierowski, defensive end Colton Kmetz, linebacker Blake
Gatewood, and kicker-punter Josh Rivera
all received First Team All-MVAL awards
Members of the 2010 Urbana Hawks’ football squad proudly pose with the team’s 4A state championship trophy at their annual awards banquet at the Holiday Inn in Frederick.
by their coaches.
Baker, a senior who would like to
continue his football play at Shepherd
University, said the team’s camaraderie
was its main ingredient for success.
“We were more like a family. It helped
us win states. We are really close,” he said.
Garey was chosen as the MVAL player of
the week three times this season.
Worship
Directory
The team, which finished undefeated,
racked up a record nine shutouts on the
season, four of which came in consecutive
games.
“It is very exciting to celebrate this season,” said junior guard Thomas Meyers.
“We had a lot of talent this year, and
Coach Hines was a really big influence on
the team. He was fair and got to know all
of the players.
The Hawks received certificates, pins
and individual trophies for their hard
work.
A total of 310 people attended the banquet organized by varsity team mom Helen
Lohr, mother of junior safety Russell Lohr.
“Coach Hines is a wonderful coach, and
it was great season,” she said.
mountain view
CoMMuniTy ChuRCh
Service Times:
9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
9
8330 Fingerboard Rd.
(across from Worthington
Manor Golf Course)
9
301-874-0000
mvccfrederick.com
St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Community
4103 Prices Distillery Road, Ijamsville, MD 21754 • Telephone (301) 695-8845 • Fax (301) 695-0259
Celebrate with St. Ignatius
of Loyola Catholic Community
Rev. Michael J. Jendrek, Pastor
• Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ~ Mass
• Sunday, 8:00 a.m. ~ Mass
• Sunday, 10:00 a.m. ~ Mass
(Interpreting for the Deaf & Children’s Liturgy of the Word)
• Sunday, 12 noon ~ Mass
• Reconciliation after the 5:30 p.m. Mass
on Saturday or by appointment
• Weekday liturgy is in the Country Church (across from the Exxon station) on Urbana Church Rd.
on Tues., Wed., Thurs. & Fri. at 8:45 a.m.
Page 31
■ LUCKY MAN
from page 29
gery within a couple of days.
“How lucky that the tumor was caught
early,” Smith said recently, “and the surgeon was able to remove the entire 4-centimeter tumor plus a margin around it.” This
will help prevent a possible recurrence.
Luckier still, Smith has not suffered any
neurological impairment and endured few
serious side effects from six weeks of grueling chemotherapy and radiation since the
surgery.
This energetic and determined man
somehow “knows” he has beaten his cancer. Even knowing the uncertain prognosis
of this brutal disease, he said he recently
“had the sudden sense that the tumor was
gone.”
Smith is fortunate to live within driving distance of one of the foremost cancer
treatment centers, the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), where he is participating in a clinical trial for further treatment.
He is in good hands under the care of
Dr. Edward Aulisi, who has specialized in
treating GBM’s at NIH for over 20 years.
John’s wife, Sabrina, was preparing to
return to work as a teacher at Walkersville
Elementary School, after the birth of their
third child when John was diagnosed.
John had always taken care of the children during the day and coached at night,
so Sabrina worried now how to care for
both the children and for John during his
treatment and recovery.
Fellow teachers helped out and donated
their own leave and, with additional help
from Frederick County’s Family Crisis
Leave Exchange, Sabrina has been able to
take John for treatments and be with their
children as much as possible.
She returns to full-time teaching this
month.
The Smiths are very grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received from family, friends and their community, including the Universal Unitarian
Church, the Circle of Life School, and
Smith’s former students and their families.
Many have stepped up with donations,
meals, rides and childcare to help the family during this difficult time.
Smith has travelled the world for his
competitive diving career and feels fortu-
“This is a life changer ...
now I just want to focus
on my family and helping
young athletes. Being able
to work with the kids gives
me a part of myself back.”
3430 Worthington Boulevard,
#102 • Urbana
— Coach John Smith
NOW OPEN!
nate to have been able to motivate many
diving and trampoline students at Urbana,
Middletown and Brunswick high schools
in the past several years.
He doesn’t feel the need to travel so
much any more, unless it is with his family.
“This is a life changer,” Smith said. “Been
there, done that. … Now I just want to focus on my family” and helping young athletes. “Being able to work with the kids
gives me a part of myself back.”
In addition to his work with the high
schools, Smith runs the Frederick Area
Divers club team, helps coach a club in
Montgomery County, and trains athletes
in diving, trampoline and tumbling at ProAction Sports.
He would eventually like to open an
indoor physical fitness facility for all ages
in Frederick County, one that will crosstrain diving and trampoline athletes, and
teach “whole-brain learning” to benefit an
athlete’s physical, cognitive and emotional
fitness.
It is this kind of training that Smith feels
has helped him recover relatively quickly from his surgery and will help him to
break survival records for his disease.
Smith is well aware of the challenging
road to recovery ahead of him, but he is
determined to think positively about his
fight against GBM, which he is certain
he will win. He is grateful to be living in
Frederick and enjoying “the spirit of so
many people wanting to help others.”
(301) 662-0133 Main
(301) 662-1930 Billing
(301) 662-5399 Referrals
•
•
•
•
•
•
Comprehensive pediatric care
Seven offices to better serve you
Convenient office hours including nights & weekends
Telephone advice from our nurses during office hours
Online referral & perscription refill requests available
Committed to patient service & satisfaction
3430 Worthington Boulevard, #102 • Urbana
1475 Taney Avenue, #201 • Frederick / 1502 S. Main Street, #200 • Mt. Airy
610 Solarex Court, #200 • Frederick / 9093 Ridgefield Drive, #106 • Frederick
187 Thomas Johnson Drive, #4 • Frederick / 3020 B Ventrie Court • Myersville
Please visit us online at www.thepedcenter.com
Local wiki ‘leaks’ secrets for business
success in Urbana.
ad for Talon looks great, and we have already gotten two
“The
calls from Urbana residents who want quotes on projects.
”
– Janice DeIuliis
General Manager, Talon Construction, Inc.
(A new advertiser in The Urbana Town Courier)
Okay, I’m impressed. I received the paper you sent me and it
“looks
good. I like the fact that you are targeting a very specific
area. I have several friends who live in the Urbana/Holly Hills
area, and I asked them if they read The Town Courier on a routine
basis. The majority of them said ‘yes’ and preferred it over
The Gazette or The Frederick News-Post because it is based on the
local community.
”
– Michael Rose
President, Maryland Retractable Screens
(A satisfied 2010 fall advertiser in The Urbana Town Courier)
Learn more business success secrets from Urbana.
Call Patsy Beckman today at 301.606.8833.
[email protected]
Page 32
The Town Courier
February 2011

February 2011

Transcription

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